Sexy Andres Mercado

Boyish good-looks makes Andres Mercado one of my favourite hunks!

Where's your nutritional template?

What could buying a wedding suit have to do with losing body fat?

A lot more than you think.

Especially when it comes to *Fat Loss Nutrition.*

I was just chatting with muscle and six-pack author, Vince DelMonte and he discovered some interesting similarities to help you BLAST YOUR FAT FASTER while he was shopping for a wedding suit.

Here's what Vince had to share:

"I always believed that creating a custom tailored wedding suit was an extremely complex, ultra expensive and required an overly experienced and skilled tailor. Yet, I found a tailor who made the process SIMPLE.

I discovered that every custom suit begins with a SINGLE TEMPLATE. Over time the and multiple fitting and modifications, eventually the suit becomes exquisitely tailored.

=============================
My revelation can be plainly put,
the perfect suit begins as NOTHING
MORE than a one-size-fits all template.
==============================

Nutritional perfection (fat loss and muscle building), requires the same.

You need to begin with a simple, basic nutritional template and test it out; tweaking it according to the results you experience, and only you.

Only by beginning here can you arrive at the final destination - a perfect nutrition and eventually a perfect body.

=====================
There is NO magic diet plan
=====================

As you have learned the past 2-weeks, there is no magic diet book or test or "eat right for your blood type" kind of solution.

In our combined 20-years of experience in the nutrition field, the best way you can get your best body ever is to follow a meal plan that is based on concrete nutritional principles plus your own informed trial-and-error.

In other words, you begin with a BASIC NUTRITIONAL PLAN, based on the best nutrition information available, test it and modify the nutritional plan based on if you're gaining muscle or losing fat.

The problem is that the 90% of the nutrition info available is CONFUSING, CONTRADICTING and CONSUMING.

Which is completely unnecessary and ridiculous.

============================
Getting the perfect body and perfect
meal plan must begin with an ORIGIN
============================

If you're not prepared to put in some time, effort, discipline and pay attention to a few details, then getting and keeping a rock hard body (forever) may NOT be in the cards for you.

Sorry.

But if you agree that you need a BASIC TEMPLATE that you can begin with from which to depart, a simple "done-for-you" template that start, test and modify (if even necessary).

Today I want to DIRECT YOU to the best FAT LOSS MEAL PLANS I've ever seen. Vince DelMonte and Empowered Nutrition want to give you a complete 3-phase system called, "Done-For-You" Fat Loss Meal Plans.

Every caloric amount is included. 84-days of variety for each plan. Grocery lists, delicious recipes and more.

Click here for more information:
--> http://bit.ly/OiGEG

Today is the first day of a 72-hour HALF-PRICE special because these plans just went LIVE today. I highly recommend you pick up your 84-day meal plans if you're ready to lose your gut and love handles and get ripped!

Talk soon,

Arthur M.

P.S. Hurry! The half-price sale ends Friday night, July 3rd, at midnight and I know Vince, John and Pat have some cool fast-action bonuses to nail down your fat loss nutrition and perfect your body even faster.

Click here to join
--> --> http://bit.ly/OiGEG

An Introduction To Cystic Fibrosis

Image via Wikipedia

Cystic fibrosis has been around since medieval times. Infants in the middle ages who had “salty” skin were considered bewitched because they normally died during infancy. The disease is sometimes fatal, inherited, chronic, and progressive. There is no known cure for this genetic disease. Cystic fibrosis normally affects the digestive and respiratory organs of the body. Thick mucus collects in the passageways and lungs in the respiratory system and blocks the ducts that allow digestive enzymes to reach the small intestine.

Children and adults alike can be affected by cystic fibrosis. Sweat glands are affected and most of the time the reproductive system is also affected. Cystic fibrosis is a disease that is inherited when both parents are the carrier of a recessive gene. The CFTR gene is a recessive gene caused by mutations in that gene.

Caucasians are more at risk than any other ethnic group and the risk goes higher if their ancestors came from the Northern part of Europe. Although cystic fibrosis is a mainly Caucasian inherited disease it does cross into other ethnic groups.

It wasn’t until 1989 that the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis was found. Once that gene was discovered the number of babies born with cystic fibrosis started going down. There are nearly twelve million people in the United States that are unaware they are carriers of this mutant gene.

Treatment options vary according to each individual and the severity of the symptoms. The most common areas affected by cystic fibrosis are the respiratory and digestive systems. Symptoms also vary for each individual with cystic fibrosis. Symptoms can include too much salt in sweat. This will cause an upset in the balance of minerals in the blood. A disturbance in the balance of minerals can cause heart arrhythmia problems and shock can be the result.

Thick masses of mucus can build up in the lungs and intestines causing malnutrition, slower than normal growth, chronic infections, problems with breathing and eventually lung damage. The cause of death of most cystic fibrosis patients is lung disease.

There are many other medical problems that cystic fibrosis can create. Chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, heart enlargement, chronic cough and pneumothorax are additional severe problems cystic fibrosis can cause. Pneumothorax is caused when lung tissue ruptures and air gets trapped between the chest wall and the lung. Coughing up blood is another severe complication when the disease attacks the lungs.

Complications can occur in the intestinal tract also. A cystic fibrosis patient may experience intense stomach pain, excessive gas, bloating, and diarrhea or bowel obstruction. Other serious complications are rectal prolapse. That occurs when the patient has chronic diarrhea or a bowel obstruction. Gall bladder disease, pancreatic inflammation, liver and diabetes may also be severe complications of this incurable disease. Staying as healthy and fit as possible is one of the best favors you can do for yourself.

Eating a Raw Food Diet

Eating a raw food diet is essentially a way of eating that does not involve the heating of foods. Part of the premise lies in the fact that heating foods above 118 degrees fahrenheit destroys their inherent food enzymes, a vast majority of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and their all important life force.

Chemical Changes in Cooked Foods

Heating foods radically changes their chemical properties making them less "recognizable" in once ingested. For instance, heating an egg renders into a solid mass whereas it began in a liquid, gelatinous. This occurs because the heat of frying or boiling denatures the protein structure within the egg, essentially making it more solid. As a result, this heated egg is now much more difficult for the human digestive tract to break down.

Another process that occurs with cooking foods is known as glycosylation. This is when sugar literally attaches to protein molecule. Glycosylation has been linked to the premature breakdown of the body's cell and many other undesirable health conditions.

The Importance of Raw Food Enzymes

The reason that the natural food enzymes are so important is that our bodies have only a limited ability to produce its own enzymes. Bear in mind that our bodies produce metabolic and digestive enzymes. The latter are used to breakdown foods whereas the former are essential to every single reaction in the body. But the problem is that we only produce a finite number.

When you eat cooked foods, you force your body to use more of its own enzyme reserves to digest them. Overtime, this is just like continually withdrawing money from your bank account without making any deposits. Eventually, you will run out of enzymes!

When you have no more enzymes, you no longer have any life - it's that simple.

Eating raw foods help you make more "deposits" into your enzyme bank account, allowing your body to preserve its own precious enzymes for more important uses such as breaking down problematic cells, immune complexes, and more.

What Can You Eat on a Raw Food Diet?

A raw food diet is mainly vegan for the simple reason that it isn't healthy or advised to eat raw animal products. Therefore, a raw diet contains no dairy, meat, or other animal products. Other than that, the choices are endless. Most raw foodists have diets that consist of vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds.

The amazing part is that the possibilities are truly endless with raw foods. Many people think of not being able to eat meat or wheat as a huge limiting factor. But the fact remains that processed, dead foods are dangerous to your body and there are tons of delicious and nourishing raw food recipes that will give you so much more than you can possibly imagine.

My Own Raw Food Experience

I started following a predominantly raw food diet in 2007 and it literally changed my life. From improved skin complexion to having more energy and mental clarity, I can't tell you how much better you can look and feel by eating the way nature intended for you to eat.

Growing up on dead foods like wheat, dairy, and meat literally destroyed my body and at the young age of 17, I lost my hair to Alopecia as a result of my immune system which had gone hay-wire and began attacking itself. Again, this was caused by years of abusing my body with foods that it was allergic to.

However, since eating a raw food diet, my health has never been better. My hair has returned (although I keep my head shaved because I like it like that now) and I have more energy than a teenager on red bull!

That's why I wrote Eating for Energy. If you'd like to experience the same kind of health and vitality then I urge to make the raw food diet more apart of your lifestyle!

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s leading holistic nutrition and health experts. If you want to lose weight and live your healthiest and most energetic life ever, then you can learn more about his raw food diet book, Eating for Energy and get started with a FREE 6-part Energy Secrets e-course by visiting http://tinyurl.com/o97fp6 today.

Circuit Training - Unlimited Benefits!

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN

Nowadays, most people don't have time for lengthy, grueling 2-hour workouts, be it with work and family demands or simply the search of free time. Well, what if there was a way to be in and out of the gym in less than 1 hour and still feel absolutely worked? What if you could combine your cardio and weights so that you wouldn't have to spend hours on either? Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret - it's called Circuit Training - and it is the most effective and time efficient means of exercise for those looking to lose weight and tone.

CIRCUIT TRAINING 101

Circuit Training involves completing several resistance exercises in a continual sequence. For instance, a circuit may be comprised of 8 exercises (push-ups, plank, lunges, etc...) with each one being performed for any length of time (30 sec, 45 sec, etc...) or number of repetitions. Between each exercise is a rest period of a certain length. Note that circuits that have lower rest periods will be more challenging and provide more aerobic benefit. An example of a typical circuit is 8 exercises each 30 seconds in length with 30 seconds to recover between each. This is only one example of 1000s of possible circuit combinations. There are many factors involved in determining the effectiveness of a given circuit including: number and types of exercises, load, tempo, duration of work bout, duration of rest bout. Basically, the more intense you make the circuit, the more challenging, yet effective, it becomes.

AEROBIC BENEFITS

Studies have found that aerobic benefits related to circuit training are mainly determined by the duration of the exercise (work bout) and by the amount and type of rest given between exercises. For instance, a meta-analysis done on circuits showed that a 10-exercise circuit (using weights) using a 30 seconds for both work and recovery, performed 3 times per week over 8-12 weeks improved VO2max (measure of aerobic capacity) by 5%. Compare that to continuous running, cycling or rowing at around 75% of max heart rate for 20-30 minutes, three times a week for 8-12 weeks which boosts V02max by around 20%. Obviously, this 30s work: 30s rest protocol is not optimal for yielding staggering aerobic improvements. However, other studies have shown that by shortening the rest period to 15 seconds or jogging during a 30 second recovery bout improved VO2max by 12% and 18%, respectively.

Further, some research has even shown that Circuit Training can be just as effective at maintaining previous aerobic gains as following a strictly aerobic conditioning regime.

Incorporating more compound movements (several different muscle groups involved) into your circuits will make it more challenging for both your muscles and aerobic system. This is because as you use more muscle mass, more oxygen is required to supply the working muscles. As a result, you begin breather heavier and your heart rate increases to provide the muscles with the oxygen they need. This technique makes circuits much more challenging and effective. As an example, perform lunge walks with a shoulder press, instead of either one separately.

Here is an example of a 7.5-minute aerobic based circuit:

1. Lunge Walks with Biceps Curls- 30 sec

2. Jogging on spot - 1 min

3. Stability Ball Chest Press - 30 sec

4. Jogging on spot - 1 min

5. Plank - 30 sec

6. Jogging on spot - 1 min

7. Back Rows - 30 sec

8. Jogging on spot - 1 min

9. Squat Presses - 30 sec

10. Jogging on spot - 1 min

BODY COMPOSITION CHANGES

Circuit Training has been shown to decrease body fat by 3%. Research also shows that lean body mass is either maintained or increased alongside the decrease in body fat. This is a major benefit for those who want to get in better shape, lose weight, and tone. With traditional aerobic training, a decrease in relative fat mass leads to a decrease in total weight with little change in lean body mass. The resistance work involved in the circuits encourages muscle-mass development, and thus any fat loss is replaced equally by muscle gain. This makes it easier to maintain the lower body fat or reduce body fat even further because the increase in lean body mass pushes up basal metabolic rate and overall calorie expenditure.

It has also been estimated that calorie expenditure during a bout of circuit training is approximately 5 - 6 kcal per minute for women and 8 - 9 kcal per minute for men (this may vary depending on body weight). Thus, if a man were to perform 30 of circuit training he would burn upwards of 180 calories.

OTHER BENEFITS

Because of the duration of each exercise many people claim that strength may be compromised as a result of working at a lower percent of 1RM (maximum weight you can lift once). This is definitely true in most cases and thus, I would not recommend circuit training for those looking to improve strength. However, some studies have shown that circuit training increases muscular strength anywhere from 7% to 32%.1 Achieving such strength gains requires working at a much higher percent of 1RM (>80%) and thus the duration of the work bouts would need to be much lower (<20 sec) in view of sustaining the heavier load.

Circuit Training is also beneficial for the development of the anaerobic system. Anaerobic conditioning occurs when exercising at a higher intensity for upwards of 20 seconds. This is the zone when you begin to feel the burn in the muscles as a result of lactic acid production. As such, your body's ability to tolerate and buffer elevated lactate levels will be improved, allowing you to sustain higher intensities for a longer period of time.

CONCLUSION

Circuit Training is an excellent means of training the body if you are looking to lose body fat and maintain lean body mass. Depending on the protocol followed you will experience any number of the aforementioned benefits. Overall, it is great if you are short on time and are looking for a short workout that will leave you feeling great and more energetic.

References:

Gettman, L. R., & Pollock, M. L. (1981). Circuit weight training: A critical review of its physiological benefits. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 9, 44-60.

Mosher et al. (1994). Effects of 12 weeks of aerobic circuit training on aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and body composition in college-aged women. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 8 (3), 144-148.

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is a world-renowned fitness, nutrition, and weight loss expert. He is the creator Fitter U and Treadmill Trainer, author of Eating for Energy, and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men's soccer program at the University of Toronto. His trademarked 12-week Fitter U iPod workout program has been helping thousands of people around the world get in shape and lose weight fast without the cost and inconvenience of hiring a trainer. Go to http://tinyurl.com/fitteru1 now to get your FREE Fitter U workout and "How to Get Fit and Lose Weight Fast" report!

LDL Cholesterol - The Heart's No.1 Enemy

By Ned Dagostino

Cholesterol is a vital element for our health and
well-being. There are two basic types of cholesterol: HDL
cholesterol is good for our health, LDL cholesterol is bad
for our health.

The LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels are
maintained within a normal range by the body's natural
regulatory mechanism. Sometimes this regulatory mechanism
malfunctions, or maybe the body is flooded with cholesterol
by ingestion. In any case the blood cholesterol level
exceeds the normal range. This leads to a serious condition
which can lead to severe health problems.

LDL means 'fatty proteins of low density'. This in turn
means that LDL cholesterol tends to be loose and thick. LDL
cholesterol circulates with the blood and sticks to the
inner walls of the blood vessels, forming plaque and
gradually reducing the vascular passage. This condition is
called arteriosclerosis which results in atherosclerosis,
meaning degeneration of the blood vessels.

Blood backs up from this point leading to high blood
pressure which severely stresses the heart. Worse, small
bits of the LDL cholesterol blockage can get dislodged and
flow down with the blood. If these bits of LDL cholesterol
enter a capillary, which is a very fine blood vessel, the
capillary gets blocked starving the areas served by the
capillary network of vital blood. If this happens in the
brain, then areas of the brain just shut down leading to a
form of paralysis called a 'stroke'. If the blood flow to
the heart itself is cut off, a heart attack occurs possibly
leading to a fatality. These are just two situations which
can occur when LDL cholesterol exceeds the normal limit.
There are a great number of similar situations, collectively
called cardiovascular disease, which are directly linked to
the excessive LDL cholesterol level.

Heart disease can be prevented, or the risk of getting it
can be reduced, if we follow some very simple health
guidelines. The first is to counterattack the invasion of
LDL cholesterol into the body. LDL cholesterol gains entry
into the body with the food we eat. So you should mount a
watch on the kind of food you eat. Saturated fats are heavy
with LDL cholesterol and must be shunned. You can and should
include the healthy fats into your diet (e.g. omega-3 fats
found in fish) because they actively help to reduce the bad
LDL cholesterol. lots of water helps the circulatory and
excretory functions of the body, which at once improves
health and eliminates the bad LDL cholesterol.

Change your cooking medium from heavy saturated fats to
unsaturated fats and oils. Virgin olive oil is good for your
heart. These dietary changes will be very beneficial in your
battle against heart disease.

Cigarette smoking is bad for health. It harms the body in
more than just one way. Smoking increases the level of LDL
cholesterol. So quit now and your LDL cholesterol will be
gone tomorrow! The steps outlined in this article are very
easy to implement. You will avoid the risk of heart disease
if you follow them.

Medical research shows that stress leads to LDL cholesterol
buildup. Lowering your stress level will lower your blood
LDL cholesterol too. The moral of the lesson is that you
should relax more often, give up those activities that add
to your stress, and pick up those activities that reduce
your stress.

To sum up, LDL cholesterol can be controlled by eating foods
which are free of saturated fats, exercising, quitting
smoking and ridding yourself of stress. The worst thing you
can do is to panic about high LDL cholesterol levels. This
article is meant to educate you about the cause and
prevention of heart disease, not scare you. Use what you
have learnt in this article to control the LDL cholesterol
situation. Once that is under control, you can say that the
risk of heart disease is under control.

So, have you had your cholesterol tested lately?

To read more about
(http://www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com/Reduce_Cholesterol.html)
how to reduce cholesterol go to
http://www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com. You'll also find out how an
easy
(http://www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com/Cholesterol_Test.html)
over the counter cholesterol test can help you keep an eye
on your levels and decrease the number of costly trips to
the physician.

How Do Bodybuilders And Fitness Models Get So Lean?

QUESTION: "Tom, on your website, you wrote: 'Who better to model than bodybuilders and fitness competitors? No athletes in the world get as lean as quickly as bodybuilders and fitness competitors. The transformations they undergo in 12 weeks prior to competition would boggle your mind!

Only ultra-endurance athletes come close in terms of low body fat levels, but endurance athletes like triathaletes and marathoners often get lean at the expense of chewing up much of their lean muscle."

There seems to be a contradiction unless I'm missing something. Why do bodybuilders and fitness competitors have to go through a 12 week 'transformation' prior to every event instead of staying 'lean and mean' all the time? If they practice the secrets exposed in your book, shouldn't be staying in great shape all the time instead of having to work at losing fat prior to every competitive event?"

ANSWER: Thanks for your question. There's a logical explanation for why bodybuilders and other physique athletes (fitness and figure competitors), don't remain completely ripped all year round, and it's the very reason they are able to get so ripped on the day of a contest...

You can't hold a peak forever or it's not a "peak", right? What is the definition of a peak? It's a high point surrounded by two lower points isn't it? Therefore, any shape you can stay in all year round is NOT your "peak" condition.

The intelligent approach to nutrition and training (which almost all bodybuilders  and fitness/figure competitors use), is to train and diet in a seasonal or cyclical fashion and build up to a peak, then ease off to a maintenance or growth phase.

I am NOT talking about bulking up and getting fat and out of shape every year, then dieting it all off every year. What I'm talking about is going from good shape to great shape, then easing back off to good shape.... but never getting "out of shape."

Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Here's an example: I have no intentions whatsoever of walking around 365 days a year at 4% body fat like I appear in the photo on my website. Truth be told, that is day of contest condition.

Off-season (when I'm not competing), my body fat is usually between 8 - 10%. Mind you, that's very lean and still single digit body fat. I don't stray too far from competition shape, but I don't maintain contest shape all the time. It takes me about 10-12 weeks or so to gradually drop from 9% to 3.5%-4.0% body fat to "peak" for competition with NO loss of lean body mass, using the same techniques I reveal in my e-book.

It would be almost impossible to maintain 4% body fat, and even if I could, why would I want to? For the few weeks prior to competition I'm so depleted, ripped, and even "drawn" in the face, that complete strangers walk up and offer to feed me.

Okay, so I'm just kidding about that, but let's just say being "being ripped to shreds" isn't a desirable condition to maintain because it takes such a monumental effort to stay there.

It's probably not even healthy to try forcing yourself to hold extreme low body fat. Unless you're a natural "ectomorph" (skinny, fast metabolism body type), your body will fight you and you'll always be hungry.

Not only that, anabolic hormones may drop and sometimes your immune system is affected as well (and I hate to say this, but sometimes - for some people - even the, uh... "reproductive functions"... decline a bit when you're that lean).

Hey, I'm just being honest. It's just not "normal" to walk around all the time  with literally NO subcutaneous body fat.

Instead of attempting to hold the peak, I cycle back into a less demanding off-season program and avoid creeping beyond 9.9% body fat. Some years I've stayed leaner - like 6-7%, (which takes effort), especially when I knew I would be photographed, but I don't let my body fat go over 10%. That's "the line" I draw - it's like a personal "rule" for me.

This practice isn't just restricted to bodybuilders. Athletes in all sports use periodization to build themselves up to their best shape for competition.

Is a pro football player in the same condition in March-April as he is in August-September? Probably not. Many show up fat and out of shape (relatively speaking) for training camp, others just need fine tuning, but none are in peak form... that's why they have training camp!!!

There's another reason you wouldn't want to maintain a "ripped to shreds" physique all year round - you'd have to be dieting (calorie restricted) all the time. And this is one of the reasons that 95% of people can't lose weight and keep it off - they are CHRONIC dieters... always on some type of diet. Know anyone like that?

You can't stay on restricted low calories indefinitely. Sooner or later your metabolism slows down and you plateau as your body adapts to the chronically lowered food intake and reduced body weight.

But if you diet for fat loss and push incredibly hard for 3 months, then ease off for a while and eat a little more (healthy food, not "pigging out"), your metabolic rate is re-stimulated.

In a few weeks or months, you can return to another fat loss phase and reach an even lower body fat level, until you finally reach the point that's your happy maintenance level for life - a level that is healthy and realistic - as well as visually appealing.

That's how we physique athletes do it...

Bodybuilders have discovered a methodology for losing fat that's so effective, it puts them in complete control of their body composition. They've mastered  this area of their lives and will never have to worry about it again.

If they ever "slip" and fall off the wagon like all humans do at times ... no problem! They know how to get back into shape fast.

Bodybuilders have the tools and knowledge to hold a low body fat all year round(such as 9% for men, or about 15% for women), and then at a whim, to reach a temporary "peak" of extremely low body fat for the purpose of competition.

Maybe most important of all, they have the power and control to slowly ease back from peak shape into maintenance, and not balloon up and yo-yo like most conventional dieters.

What if you had the power to stay lean all year round, and then get super lean when summer rolled around, or when you took your vacation to the Caribbean, or when your wedding date was coming up?

Wouldn't you like to be in control of your body like that? Isn't that the same thing that bodybuilders and fitness/figure competitors do, only on a more practical, real-world level?

So even if you have no intention of ever being a bodybuilder, don't you agree that there's something of value everyone could learn from physique athletes?

Don't model yourself after the huge crowd of "losers" who gobble diet pills, buy exercise gimmicks and suffer through starvation diets like automatons, only to  gain back everything they lost! Instead, learn from the leanest athletes on Earth - natural bodybuilders and fitness competitors...

These physique athletes get as ripped as they want to be, exactly when they want to, simply by manipulating their diets in a cyclical fashion between pre-contest "cutting" programs and off season "maintenance" or "muscle growth" programs.

Even if you have no desire to ever compete, try this seasonal "peaking" approach yourself and you'll see that it can work as well for you as it does for elite bodybuilders.

If you're interested in learning even more secrets of bodybuilders and fitness models, visit the Burn The Fat website at: http://burnthefat.rxsportz.com

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto,
Fat loss coach
http://burnthefat.rxsportz.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: http://burnthefat.rxsportz.com

HOT SIX PACK ABS MODLE TODD SANFIELD

Exercise Recovery - What Works Best?

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN

The human body operates most efficiently when it is in balance, or has achieved a state known as homeostasis. As such, optimal recovery means that all body systems have returned to the state they were in before exercise (homeostasis). However, for most avid exercisers, recovery is a limiting factor. The better you can recover, the sooner and better you can train. The process of recovery (regeneration) gets less attention than it should. Every person should have a systematic plan that includes recovery activities on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. The following are simple tools that you can implement to help your body recover better between exercise bouts.

Cool-down

After exhaustive exercise, don't stop and rest immediately. You can speed up the removal of lactic acid from your muscles by continuing to exercise at a low intensity for 10-20 minutes. Cooling down can help reduce the feeling of stiffness that often occurs after a workout and is especially important if your next training session or event is scheduled a few hours later.

Stretch

Static stretching before exercise puts you at risk for damaging the very tissues you are trying to protect and as such should be avoided. Research has shown that stretching causes lengthening of the tendinous fibers within the muscle-tendon unit. Such lengthening causes the tendon (or passive) component to lose much of its shock absorbency, thus, placing the muscle fibers at greater risk of trauma. However, stretching after exercise may help minimize muscle soreness and may even help prevent future soft tissue injuries. Thus, before activity, more active-type stretching routines that promote range of motion and increased blood flow are recommended. Conversely, after exercise, the emphasis should be on passive or static stretching to allow the muscles to relax and return to their resting lengths.

Carbohydrates

The muscles are primed for quick restoration of their carbohydrate fuel reserves (glycogen) immediately after exercise, so don't wait too long to start eating foods and drinking beverages rich in carbohydrate. Fruits, energy bars, and sports drinks all contain large amounts of carbohydrate. From a nutrition standpoint, post-exercise is one of the only times where you want to be consuming high-glycemic index foods for they will stimulate a quicker release of insulin and, thus, carbohydrate storage in the muscles. Ideally, these fuels should be consumed as quickly as possible upon finishing your exercise session.

Protein

Most forms of exercise lead to the breakdown of proteins within the muscles. This breakdown-repair process stimulates the muscles to rebuild and become stronger. Moreover, some of our muscle proteins continue to be broken down during the recovery phase after exercise. For a faster buildup of muscle proteins during recovery, include a small amount of protein in the foods you eat. Milk, cheese, eggs, whey protein shakes, sandwiches, nuts (almonds, walnuts) and energy bars provide carbohydrate and protein. Look for easily digestible protein sources (such as the ones listed above) following strenuous exercise. Avoid saturated fats.

Fluids

Replacing lost fluid is crucial to the recovery process. Having adequate fluids within your body promotes the removal of toxins and waste from your muscles. Top off your supply of fluids by drinking before exercise, continue to hydrate every 15 or 20 minutes during a workout, and replace any body weight lost during exercise by drinking while you recover. Remember, 1 L of water is equivalent to 1 kg of body weight. Therefore, if the difference between your pre- and post-exercise weight is 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) you would want to rehydrate with 1.5 L of water to bring your body fluid back to homeostasis. Before, during, and after exercise, the rule of thumb is that if you’re thirsty, it’s too late! Therefore, be sure to have a water bottle throughout the day to sip on. On a daily basis (at rest), the number of ounces of water you should be consuming should equal half of your body weight (in lbs). Thus, if you weigh 200 lbs, then you want to be drinking 100 ounces of water (almost 3 L).

Salt

Your body loses water and minerals - mostly sodium chloride, some potassium - when you sweat. Drinking water alone during exercise and recovery will make it difficult to replace body fluids rapidly because much of it will pass through the kidneys to become urine. Replace the salt along with the water to counteract dehydration. If you have to compete again within a few hours, consider sports drinks that contain water, sodium chloride, or fruits such as bananas which are high in potassium. Add extra salt to foods at mealtime if you are susceptible to cramps. Consider using condiments, sports drinks, and fitness waters instead of salt tablets.

Damage Control

Inflammation, swelling, and muscle soreness are possibilities following strenuous exercise. To minimize the effects, consider cold packs around joint areas, alternating cold and hot whirlpool baths, and the use of specially designed magnets to speed the recovery process. Light massage is also a good option for promoting toxin removal from the tissues and reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). A study by Hilbert et al. showed that a 20 minute massage 2 hours following exercise helped to reduce the intensity of soreness 48 hours post-exercise in subjects who underwent 6 sets of maximal eccentric hamstring contractions. Minimize foot contact with the ground. Engage in light activities that increase blood flow while not taxing the nervous system. Swimming, cycling, walking, and light jogs are alternatives, but minimize foot contact with the ground.

Sleep

There is plenty of evidence to show that lack of sleep can have an adverse affect on training and competition. You might get by for a day or two with inadequate sleep, but it will catch up with up sooner or later. If you haven't monitored your sleep habits already, determine how much sleep you need each night to ensure full recovery. It's not eight hours for everyone - could be less, could be more. Then try to establish a routine that will allow you get what you need to perform well.

Sleep is divided into 1.5-hour time cycles. If you can time sleep cycles in increments of an hour and a half (1.5 hours, 3.0 hours, 4.5 hours, 6.0 hours, 7.5 hours, 9.0 hours), you have a better chance of waking up refreshed. The idea is to awake at the top of the cycle instead of at the bottom. And don't dismiss the power of a 20-30 minute nap during the day. The journal Sleep highlighted a meta-analysis done on studies looking at the effects of sleep deprivation on performance. The researchers found that overall sleep deprivation strongly impairs human functioning. Moreover, they found that mood is more affected by sleep deprivation than either cognitive or motor performance and that partial sleep deprivation has a more profound effect on functioning than either long-term or short-term sleep deprivation.

Also be aware that overtraining can impair your body’s ability to fully rest and regenerate. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise revealed that female swimmers who trained excessively showed a higher incidence of sleep disruptions.

In sum, there are several measure that you can take to better your recovery between exercise sessions. Remember that a combination of the several of the aforementioned tools should be implemented for best results.

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
Creator, Fitter U

References:

Safran, M. et al (1989). Warm up and muscular injury prevention: an update. Sports Medicine, 239-249.

Hibert, J. et al (2003). The effects of massage on delayed onset muscle soreness. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 37: 72-75.

Pilcher, J & Huffcutt, A. (1996). Effects of sleep deprivation on performance: a meta-analysis. Sleep, 19(4): 318-326.

S. Taylor et al. (1997). Effects of training volume on sleep, psychological, and selected physiological profiles of elite female swimmers. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 29(5):688-693.

About the Author

Yuri Elkaim is a world-renowned fitness, nutrition, and weight loss expert. He is the creator Fitter U and Treadmill Trainer, author of Eating for Energy, and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men's soccer program at the University of Toronto. His trademarked 12-week Fitter U iPod workout program has been helping thousands of people around the world get in shape and lose weight fast without the cost and inconvenience of hiring a trainer. Go to http://tinyurl.com/fitteru1 now to get your FREE Fitter U workout and "How to Get Fit and Lose Weight Fast" report!

5 Excuses That Won't Fly in 2009

By Tom Venuto

It’s 2009. Your old excuses for not getting in shape won’t work. As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) said, ZIP IT! I don’t want to hear them anymore! Read em’, then haul your excuseless butt to the gym!

1. I have no time.

According to a story in a recent issue of Men’s Health magazine, Barack Obama works out for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Obama doesn’t just play basketball either. Our new president stays fit to lead with cardio and weight lifting. He also says he wishes he could train 90 minutes a day. Have you ever seen what the daily schedule of a U.S. president looks like? If the busiest man in the world can train every day for 45 minutes a day, then what’s your excuse? ZIP IT! You ain’t got one!

2. It’s too expensive.

Getting in shape certainly is expensive… if you keep wasting hundreds of dollars, month after month on worthless “miracle” weight loss pills, internal cleansing gimmicks and “magic” potions that all claim to make you slim. Deceptive advertising and slick marketing for bogus diet aids is more rampant than ever. 2008 was the year of thewu-long tea scam, the acai berry scam, and, of course, the ubiquitous “cleansing” and “detox” gimmicks . Unless you put on your critical thinking cap and learn to investigate before you invest, then you’ll get scammed by 2009’s flavor of the year as well. Your quest for those elusive “6-pack” abs will not only continue to be expensive, you’ll go broke. Walking, jogging, calisthenics and body weight exercises are FREE. If you want to know what’s really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor’s bill when you’re sick.

3. No one will support me.

Experts on social influence say your income will be approximately equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. Not only do I think that’s pretty darn accurate, I also believe that your health is your greatest wealth, and your physical condition will be about equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. It’s a real challenge to stay positive, focused and active when you’re surrounded by critical people and negative influences. However, in 2009, lack of support is no longer a valid excuse. Online social networking is exploding (check out Twitter and Facebook ) and more IN PERSON friendships and associations are being made from an internet connection than ever before. Training buddies can be found online. Connect with them. Mentors and coaches are easily found online. Hire them. Support forums have been around for years. Use them. No support from your current friends? Stop whining, start reaching out and go make new ones. In 2009, support partners and new friends are just a click away.

4. I can’t lose weight because of my genetics.

The marvels of modern medical and biological research are astonishing. Our top scientists have mapped the human genome! In the past few years, numerous genes linked to obesity have been discovered. However, the obesity epidemic we’re facing today has only developed over the past 50 years and genetic mutations that lead to serious obesity are extremely rare. Genetic predisposition only means that you have a tendency. It’s when the genetics meet lifestyle and environment that the genes express themselves. If you have a family history of heart disease, is it smart to smoke, eat junk, be a stressed-out, type-A maniac and a couch potato? Well of course not, and it’s the same with obesity. If you have a tendency predisposing you towards obesity, you’d better be the person doing the MOST exercise, not the least. You’d better be the person paying the MOST attention to your nutrition. You’d better be the person with the healthiest lifestyle. But unfortunately, it’s usually the opposite. Most people throw up their arms in frustration saying, “what’s the use, I was dealt a bad hand.” Sorry. That won’t fly in 2009. The latest research says genetics are a factor, but a tendency is not a destiny!

5. I don’t know how.

The lamest excuse of them all in 2009 is “I don’t know how.” NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT! Ponder that for a while. You don’t need to know how at first. To get started, you only need to know WHAT… what is the goal? Setting well-formed goals is the master skill of success. Not wishy-washy resolutions that have no resolve behind them, but real goals. In writing. With emotional ooompf! As you continue to affirm, visualize and focus on your goal with clarity, belief, and expectation, your new goal or intention will be received by your subconscious. Once a goal is accepted into your subconscious mind, your brain, being a goal-seeking mechanism, will turn on your attention filters to seek out all the information you will ever need to reach your goal. It will also turn on an infallible navigation system to guide you to your goal like a torpedo to its target. As your brain guides your attention, your direction and your behavior, you will discover that today, in 2009, there is more good information, coaching and instruction available than ever before. And when you’ve activated that “success radar” in your brain by setting goals effectively, it’s not as hard to find honest, accurate and helpful HOW-TO advice as you might think. In fact, you found this webpage, so you’re doing pretty good right now, aren’t you?

No more excuses. In 2009, remember my Body Fat Solution Creed: You can either make excuses or get results, but you can’t do both!

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: http://burnthefat.rxsportz.com

Improve Your Digestion By Chewing Properly

Learn how to eat better by taking the time to chew your food. Don't be in such a hurry to eat and run. Your healthy digestion begins with your mouth, so chewing your food properly aids in a better digestive experience.

When you chew your food longer, it breaks up into smaller pieces and mixes it with the saliva in your mouth better. The saliva in your mouth contains digestive enzymes. The longer the food particles spend in your mouth, the more saliva they contain. When we take the time to chew our food properly we also retain the flavor longer and can enjoy the eating experience better than when we rush through the process of eating. Remember again, the joy of enjoying your food by taking the time to chew it thoroughly.

Digestion works better when it is not done while the body is being stressed out. Eating while you are working, driving, or watching a disturbing program or the evening news can create stress that does not benefit the digestive process. Another good reason to avoid arguments, lectures, and confrontations at the dinner table is that when these things occur stress is caused on all members gathered around the table, which means everyone, is eating while being stressed. To avoid stress while digesting foods, make snack and mealtimes a quiet, enjoyable experience by setting an atmosphere that will be enjoyable and soothing to eat by. You can light candles, or play music during the meal.

It is important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Stop eating when your body signals that you are full. If you eat slowly, and pay attention to how your stomach is feeling, you are more likely to avoid overeating. It is a good thing to plan on eating only to satisfy your hunger and not just to be eating. When you eat only enough food to satisfy your hunger, you remain alert, relaxed, and you will not be placed into a "food coma", from overeating.

FACT: You should chew your food 30 times before swallowing!

The price DOUBLES at midnight

Today is the absolute last day that you will be able to get Joel Marion's Cheat Your Way Thin blueprint for success for less than half price.

If you’ve already heard enough about the program, go grab your copy risk-free right now at http://tinyurl.com/mkq3h2. If not, let me just “talk” to you and be real with you for a minute.

Every so often an opportunity comes along that can literally change the rest of your life.Looking back over your own life, I’m sure you can think of a time or two in which you made a pivotal decision that proved to change EVERYTHING from that point onward.

And you know what? Just before you did, just before you decided to leap in and go for it, you probably sat there and battled back and forth in your mind for quite some time.

And perhaps that’s exactly what you’re dealing with now while thinking about whether or not you should invest the money (and the TIME) in yet another diet program--AND I DON’T BLAME YOU.

If you’re like most people, you’ve been on more diets than you can count and NONE of them worked. But that’s the point! Dieting, calorie restrictive dieting as we’ve come to know it, can not, does not, and WILL NOT work.

This program is different, because it’s literally everything “typical” dieting isn’t. It’s fresh, it’s new, and it’s scientifically based.

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You’ve seen the research firsthand, you’ve witnessed the powerful success stories, you KNOW it makes sense, and I know deep down you know that this could be the one program that changes EVERYTHING for you.

The only thing left for you to do is make that one pivotal move, that one critical decision--the decision to act.

==> http://tinyurl.com/mkq3h2

And today, you can do it at less than half price and with absolutely NO RISK as you’re protected by Joel’s 100% No-Questions Asked Money-back Guarantee.

Here’s my advice to you: go grab your copy now before the price doubles at midnight, go through the information, evaluate it, and if it’s not everything you hoped it would be, RETURN IT. This is your ONE last chance to give it a full evaluation, 100 RISK-FREE, before the price literally more than doubles tonight.

I’m telling you, once you see all the success stories rolling in from people who are completely changing their lives through this program, you’re going to want to try it. Unfortunately, at that point you’ll have to pay twice as much to get your hands on it (and you’re going to be kicking yourself for not getting in at this special pricing when you had the chance).

Get it now while it’s still half price. In a matter of hours, you’ll have missed the opportunity.

==> http://tinyurl.com/mkq3h2

Lose the Fat and Keep the Muscle!

Belly, butt fat killer!

Most people would agree that men and women get fat differently.

Women generally get fat first in their hips and buttocks and men generally get fat first in their bellies.

…Both ways however are dangerous.

Not only is fat ugly and unattractive to most people, but most people don’t know that fat is *toxic and cancerous!*

Bottom line… if you want to live longer, lose weight!

The problem is exercising is neither easy nor fun.

The hardest part is when you do it and you don't see any results for weeks.

There are or course only 2 things you need to help you strip the excess weight off.

The first one is of course a proper diet.  Simply eliminating sugary foods and late night eating is a good start.

The second one is something my good friends Dr. Ben Lerner and Dr. Fred Roberto just released.

It’s a revolutionary new, doctor tested exercise program that lets anyone start dropping those ugly inches of flab by exercising only 12 minutes a week!

>>> http://tinyurl.com/nvjk9x

Imagine that…

Yes, it’s 100% true and although I couldn’t believe it myself at first, I have to say it’s an incredible program.

It’s called the 12 Minute Revolution and I promise you this...

*** This is SURE to take the world by storm! ***

>>> http://tinyurl.com/nvjk9x

… Now listen, because this is so new, Dr. Ben and Dr. Fred are only releasing memberships this to a small number of people on the internet at an introductory test marketing price.

Before today these doctors only did this in private settings at a cost of no less than $60 per personal training session.  

My suggestion is to go check out the program NOW before the rest of the fitness world gets wind of this or all the 12 Minute Revolution introductory memberships are gone!

>>> http://tinyurl.com/nvjk9x

7 Tips On How To Easily Lose Weight And Get Fit

You might end up thinking, "That could not probably make enough of a difference.And I'd feel silly doing it." First, the longest journey starts with a single step. And second, would you rather feel stupid being fat and unfit or doing something about it? I thought so. Here are 7 tips to change your life.

Diet Tip 1 : Move. Twiddle your thumbs. Squeeze one of those little exercise balls while you watch television to burn energy and tone your arms at the same time. Take that more distant parking spot. Even if you have physical restrictions, you can tailor a program to your requirements. Move whatever you can, whenever and wherever you can. And just think - laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.

Diet Tip 2 : Portions and Proportions. Concentrate on portion sizes according to the eating plan you select. Use a smaller size plate – don’t supersize it! Use some of the simple guidelines like “3 oz. of protein is about the size of your palm or a deck of playing cards” or “one serving of rice is the size of a tennis ball”.

Diet Tip 3 : Substitute low calorie Density Foods for High. Select foods with low cal density foods that have less calories relative to their weight. If you decrease the energy density of your diet, caloric intake will decline, says Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritive sciences at Pennsylvania State School and co-writer together with Robert Barnett of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. Foods like fruit and vegetables and salad greens and broth. The magic ingredient these foods possess is water! Water has zero calories, so the more volume represented by water, the less room there is for calories. Water also creates a feeling of fullness, helping one to eat less.

Diet Tip 4 : Be conscious of What You Eat. Keep a food diary and be honest, because no one but you is going to see it. Don't forget the spoon that you licked while putting away the left-overs or the sampling ( s ) you had while changing the seasoning. It will help you determine your eating habits. Keep it long enough and patterns begin to appear.

Diet Tip 5 : Eat More Slowly. This allows your body the several minutes it takes to signal your brain that it is full.

Diet Tip six : Try New herbs and spices in the place of Butter and Salt. When food tastes different or more flavorsome, we have a tendency to savor it more and eat slower.

Diet Tip 7: Add Variety. Along the same lines, The American Dietetic Association recommends increasing variety. Often adding a single new food to your diet can end boredom and increase nutrition.

Do you have any tips you feel should be added to the above that you have successfully applied to change your health?

Hot Abs and Underwear Gusy

Calvin Klein M

Rugby Player Daniel Conn

Evidence: Collusion, Conflict of Interest at FDA and Aspartame

We all know the many reasons why we don't like the FDA, but this one is especially timely at this time. Timely as so many readers are looking up my posts on Coke Zero and related aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) or rebiana disclosures.

There are more than 67 articles here at Natural Health News concerning the products and problems with artificial sweeteners.

Here is something new to consider: During Ronald Reagan's tenure in the White House he selected Arthur Hull Hayes as FDA Commissioner.

Even though aspartame had been on the market in 1974, it was banned in 1975 because of testimony by John Olney MD, a neurologist. Dr, Olney's work raised issues about the safety of aspartame and brain cell damage. The cancer issue was also raised.

With 92 allowed adverse reactions to aspartame at the FDA, even though more have been reported, we know there is a problem. After all, aspartame, like sucralose, began as a pesticide with very sweet taste.

Reagan like Diet Pepsi just like Michael J. Fox. Fox has Parkinson's and Reagan died from Alzheimer's. Both diagnoses are known to be related to aspartame exposure.

Now, as exposed by Lane Shore, we know Arthur Hull Hayes is listed as one of the inventors of aspartame.

From McGill's Choice (Salem Press), Inventions and Inventors: Volume I, noted under "Aspartame".

Bodybuilding Venue Tips

When considering a full bodybuilding routine, you need to consider first a few important points to make sure that you’ll be able to put full focus and attention to your goal of gaining weight and increasing your body appearance. Above everything else, it’s always necessary to check the place where you’ll be spending your bodybuilding training moments.

First, you need to think about the venue where you can conduct your bodybuilding exercises. It has to be where you feel most comfortable in executing exercise routines. Commercial gyms are one place where you can take advantage of the different gym equipment. You probably won’t have any problem in executing ideal exercises in gyms since there are also expert trainers around the gym ready to help in case you need assistance. Another thing that you need to consider is if the training in a commercial gym is within your budget or not. Otherwise, it’s better to stick to home gym training.

Home gym training is ideal for those who don’t want to wait in line before gym equipment becomes available. As long as you have weight lifting equipment like dumbbells, barbells, squat stands and a good and solid bench, you can train very similar to those who train in the gym. Also, the main benefit is that you gain what you need for your body to gain inexpensively.

Another thing is that, with home gym training, you can train anytime you like or whenever you’re available. Just be sure you don’t train much, otherwise it will defeat the whole point of proper bodybuilding.

When bodybuilding at home, you will need to think about the training level you need to accomplish because there’s no one else who can lift the barbells just in case it ended up trapping your neck. You will need to think about and impose serious training precautions for a safer bodybuilding routine. Get to know more information related to bodybuilding by visiting http://tinyurl.com/lg29su.

Take Charge of Your HEALTH (step by step instructions)

Hundreds of thousands of people have been waiting for this day.

In case you haven't already heard...

Renowned best-selling author and mega-nutrition authority David Wolfe has just released the FIRST EVER "Total Health Transformation" System.

It's called Longevity NOW!

http://bit.ly/19WgdX

If you aren't familiar with David, his clients include Woody Harrelson, Mark Victor Hansen, Tony Robbins, Angela Bassett, and Steve Jobs.

There's a reason this guy is the #1 nutrition and whole-health authority.

Oh and keep in mind that Longevity NOW! is a physical product and there are only a limited number of copies available.

And BEST OF ALL...

Immediately after your purchase, you'll receive instant, LIVE access to:

**************************************************
DAVID WOLFE'S 8 HOUR RAWKSTAR LIVE USTREAM EVENT!!
**************************************************

You won't want to miss a moment of this live event.

David's got some amazing people already on location and they're gearing up to start filming LIVE as I send this.

Hope you have a chance to join them!

SECURE YOUR LONGEVITY NOW!

http://bit.ly/19WgdX

To Your Health,

Arthur M.

Gluteus to the Maximus

Flea Treatment Harmful to Pets

Not only do we have to deal with the impact of harm from vaccines and microchip IDs for our loving animal companions, now we know, just as my natural vet has said, the flea products are unhealthy too.

Killing Fleas and Ticks May Be Harming Your Pet
The EPA is investigating reports of skin irritation, seizures and even death from between-the-shoulder flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats.

Flea and tick treatments for pets fall into that murky area in a lot of consumers' minds: We know the chemicals are designed to ward off or kill bugs ... but somehow we don't associate the products with the term "pesticides."

But the Environmental Protection Agency has received an increasing number of reports of pets having adverse reactions to "spot-on pesticide products" -- those between-the-shoulder liquid treatments designed to infuse the pet's skin with pest-fighting toxicity. Now the agency is taking a harder look at the potential toxicity of these products. "Adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and, in some cases, the death of pets," the organization reports.

Previously, the Natural Resources Defense Council reported that people can be exposed to flea and tick pesticides at 1,000 times the recommended safe dosage just from petting a dog or cat that has been treated.

Beyond Pesticides recommends these alternatives to spot-on treatments:

* Vacuum daily during flea season with a strong vacuum cleaner, changing the bag often
* Groom pets with a flea comb daily, using soapy water to dunk and clean the comb between strokes
* Bathe pets frequently with soap and water
* Restrict pets to a single bed and wash bedding frequently to kill larvae
* Consult Beyond Pesticides' Least-Toxic Control of Fleas and Least-Toxic Control of Ticks

The NRDC has similar recommendations:

* Frequent use of a flea comb
* Regular bathing of pets
* Regular vacuuming and washing of pet bedding
* Administering of chemical flea and tick controls by pill, only when absolutely necessary (find the least-toxic products at NRDC's www.greenpaws.org)

Find this article by Dan Shapley at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/pets-pesticides-47062203

Anti-Acid Drugs, H. Pylori, Vitamin C

Adding vitamin C to H. pylori treatment dramatically increases eradication rate says study.

While we often see an increase in H. pylori with the increases in anti-biotics and anti-fungal drug use, we often don't see vitamins in a good light.

Of course anti-acid drugs depress immune function in the stomach because they suppress hydrochloric acid.

HCl fights food poisoning. Vitamin C is a major approach to food poisoning in higher doses, but of course those relying on drugs rarely see the benefits of supplements. The media follow suit.

And then of course there are other approaches. One is to first look to determine if the person has too low HCl as a cause of their reflux problem or properly evaluate for food allergy.

Take more vitamin C daily and also consider using BioPrin. BioPrin is an herbal compound thoroughly tested at Dana Farber and it is pharmaceutical grade as well as available through professionals only. Contact us for more information.

In the interim, start asking the correct questions at your doctor's office if you are dealing with this concern.

Topic: Vitamin C added to Standard H.Pylori Drug Treatment Increases Eradication Rate

Keywords: H. PYLORI, HELICOBACTER PYLORI, INFECTION - Vitamin C, Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, Bismuth, Omeprazole

Reference: "The efficacy of Helicobacter pylori eradication regimen with and without vitamin C supplementation," Zojaji H, Talaie R, et al, Dig Liver Dis, 2009 June 1; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. E-mail: swt_f@yahoo.com ).

Summary: In a study involving 312 patients with H. pylori infection, supplementation with vitamin C (500 mg/d) in addition to the standard H. pylori drug treatment regimen (consisting of 1 g amoxicillin, 500 mg b.i.d. metronidazole, 240 mg b.i.d. bismuth, and 40 mg q.i.d. omeprazole) was found to significantly increase H. pylori eradication rate, as found in urea breath tests conducted 4 weeks after the intervention, as compared to subjects who received the drug treatment alone. These results suggest that patients with H. pylori may benefit from supplementation with 500 mg/d vitamin C during the course of their standard drug treatment therapy.

Weight Loss Miracle?

Imagine... walking into a room and seeing the shocked gazes your friends and family give you and... the incredible looks you'll get from complete strangers.

That's what happened to Sam.

And... that's exactly what happens to the members of this little-known weight loss program.

Head turning good looks and health!

>>> http://tinyurl.com/mmj8lu

But back to the story about Sam.

You see...

When Sam walked into the room her friends and family were SHOCKED!

...Sitting with their eyes glued to her glowing smile and vibrant energy, the only words they could muster up were...

----------------------------
      "Is THAT Sam?"
----------------------------

"Oh my gosh, she looks like a totally different person!"

You see, Sam was about 185 pounds, shy and she had low self esteem the last time her family saw her.

Not today!

You see, Sam made a life altering discovery that transformed her body and her life forever!

It's called "The Weight Loss Miracle" and many of its members are dropping 30 pounds in 30 days.

Yes! 

-------------------------------
They Lost - ONE pound - A day!
-------------------------------

Take a look at the other amazing stories here...

>>> http://tinyurl.com/mmj8lu

The Weight Loss Miracle is was created by doctors to help their struggling patients strip off body fat and get healthy fast!

In fact, it works so well, the doctor's have become the *black sheep* of the weight loss industry!

...simply because the snake oil sellers (pill companies) don't want you to discover that not only are their pills dangerous, but you can drop all the weight you want, without the pills!

>>> http://tinyurl.com/mmj8lu

If you want to look amazing, drop the weight, and feel like a kid again... then hurry over their website now.

They're running a limited time special discount that is scheduled to end soon!

>>> http://tinyurl.com/mmj8lu

All the best,

Arthur M.