Strength Training - Why Do It and How to Start

It is generally well known that we lose bone mass as we age, a phenomena that affects women more than men and that far too often results in bones that are weak and prone to break, especially in the hips, wrists and shoulders. Unfortunately, although in many cases surgical procedures now produce excellent results (we have a number of clients that have returned to running after hip replacements), too many people don´t fully recover from the stress of the operation and never regain the quality of life that they previously enjoyed. In the worst cases, this leads to a sometimes rapid decline in general health and an untimely death.

It is widely accepted that weight-bearing exercise helps to slow bone loss and may even in some cases be able to reverse it, which is why "cardio" exercise such as walking and running (in moderation) can be very beneficial. However, when it comes to targeting the bones of the shoulders and arms, strength training is essential. Such exercises can also enhance the benefits of the weight-bearing cardio activity on other joints, probably because the effect of the tendons pulling on the bones stimulates bone repair or growth.

Equipment such as free weights, machines, resistance bands and medicine balls can all play a part in making strength training fun (or at least more fun!). However, you don´t have to invest in equipment or join a gym to do strength training. Body weight can also provide an effective training medium. If dedicating time to strength training really doesn´t appeal, adding a few press ups (or push ups for our American readers!) to your daily routine is a great place to start. When that becomes a habit, you can look at adding more exercises and developing your programme.

How do you start doing press ups when you can´t even do one?! Simple, do five! In my experience, it is best to avoid doing press ups on your knees, as very few people ever progress from there to the full exercise and therefore never reap all of the benefits of this "whole body" exercise. Instead, try this:

Adopt the standard press up position - Lie with the body raised off the floor, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms extended and body straight.

• Keeping the body straight, bend the elbows and lower the shoulders and hips towards the floor - only go as low as you can to be sure that you are going to be able to do five repetitions. If that means that you only flex the elbows one inch, great! Do five "1-inch press-ups" every time you get the chance.


• With this approach, you will find that you quickly progress to making the final press up two inches, then three, then four and so on until you can do five full press ups. After that, keep adding repetitions until you can do twenty. You will be surprised how quickly you will progress with just a little bit of effort.

A few words on correct form:

• Before starting the exercises, "activate the core" by lifting the chest, drawing in the stomach slightly and tightening the muscles of the butt (the "glutes").
• When the arms are in the fully extended position, the shoulder blades should be "open". As you lower the body towards the ground, you should feel the shoulder blades move together.
• Hold the head level. Fix the gaze slightly forward and actively engage the neck muscles to keep the head from dropping.
• Breathe in on the way down and out on the way up.

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3 Types of Physical Fitness Benefits That Will Change Your Life

When people think about physical fitness benefits, they usually overlook the psychological benefits. Some of these mind-related benefits can help the way you function intellectually as well as emotionally. Best of all, you may find that you feel more positive about the world in general. Describing this state of mind isn't easy, but you'll recognize it when you experience it.

Perhaps it is a cumulative effect due to greater blood circulation, endorphin release, and feeling good about accomplishing something positive. Yet many people don't know where to begin when it comes to fitness. So that is why the most important thing is to just start somewhere. Set up a series of goals and do them one by one. The following are some of the physical fitness benefits that can help to motivate you.

After working, you feel really good because of brain chemistry. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise causes your brain to release endorphins. Endorphins are made-up of proteins, and they are also called neurotransmitters, which act as a natural pain reliever in your body. They are what is responsible for that feeling of euphoria, or natural high, that can accompany strenuous activity. When you experience this pleasant feeling, it creates a strong, positive association with exercise in your mind. One benefit of regular fitness exercise is one many people overlook - it can be fun. No kidding, and if you have a family, then you can make physical activity a family activity. If you are single with friends, or children, then you can still do the same thing. Make plans for group activities with a fitness component to them. This allows you to have fun while getting in some exercise. And this way, exercise doesn't get in the way of your socializing. An exercise session doesn't always have to be like going to boot camp. You can still get in a good work out and take care of several things at the same time.

You will also notice improvements to your mental outlook and well being when you exercise regularly. Because you burn of the day's tensions when you exercise, you will feel more fresh. Exercising will also increase your confidence and vigor. There are many reasons for this but what's really important is feeling good. If you can squeeze in a work out during the day, when you return to work afterward, you will feel great. So there are psychological benefits as well as physical ones from exercise.

If you want to gain the maximum benefits from exercise, you have to do it regularly. People who take up exercise programs that they actually enjoy tend to stay with them for the long haul. If you try to make yourself do something you don't like, you'll be making it a lot more difficult for yourself. Fitness doesn't have to be a burden, if you make sure you pursue activities that are fun and stimulating for you.

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Tips for Achieving a Healthy Body

Losing weight and achieving the ideal body shape is likely to be a difficult process for many, especially with the many temptations that are constantly around us. If you are able to take action in relation to creating a healthier diet plan and including daily exercise, the desired results might not be that far away. Here are several effective steps for helping to achieve the healthier lifestyle:

Have a healthy breakfast. If you want to make certain that you start the day in the healthiest way possible, you might want to make certain that you have a breakfast that is nutrient rich and includes the right vitamins and calories for giving the body the necessary boost for the upcoming day. If you are able to include a shake, fruit, or yogurt in the morning this is a healthy way to start the day. It rarely benefits to skip on eating breakfast to lose a couple of pounds, since the body is more likely to go into a state of conserving energy by accumulating the fat from other meals eaten throughout the day.

Avoid high salt consumption. One of the more significant reasons for accumulating a large amount of fat in the midsection area is due to a high intake of salt. If you are able to avoid a diet that is likely to include a range of salty foods this is able to go a long way to avoiding the fat that might start to build up around the abdomen area. It is also highly beneficial to avoid fried foods which contain saturated fatty acids and chips and snacks, which are known as hydrogenated products.

Eat small portion meals. Rather than having one or two large-sized meals per day, it is often advised to eat 5 or 6 small portioned meals since it is much easier for the stomach to digest the smaller portions of food over the course of the day.

Include cardio and walking. In order to include a desired amount of exercise on a daily basis, you really want to take a walk each day since this is highly beneficial and is a very simple way to get some exercise. You might also want to invest some time into cardio exercises that are able to get the heart rate up. Ideally you might want to complete 3 or 4 60-minute sessions of cardio per week. Aerobics, cycling, or swimming is great choices for helping to pump the blood around the body, which is highly desirable for promoting the fat burning process.

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5 Fitness Myths and Their Origin

In the fitness and health world, there are hundreds of misconceptions, wrongful facts and myths. In this article you will discover the truth about five fitness myths and their origin.

#1 when women lift weights they become bulky

This myth is entirely false. Relax girls, lifting weights won't turn you into a giant muscular monster, no one will become huge only from lifting weights. The reason women will not gain as much muscle as men is because of their genetics. Women have a lot less testosterone in their bodies and therefore won't be able to grow muscles as men do. Testosterone is the muscle-building hormone and men are filled with it. When women lift weights they will become tighter, stronger and look more fit, but only if they don't believe in the next myth...

#2 hard workouts make up for a poor diet

Here is why this myth is false: When men and women work out, they train their muscles, tone their bodies and increase endurance and strength. But if you work out 3 times a week for approximately 1 hour, you spend 3 hours a week exercising. The rest of that week you should focus on your diet and what you put in your body. One week has 168 hours, you work out 3 of those hours, then you have to eat healthy and get enough rest between your workouts to get the best results.

#3 quitting exercise will make your muscles turn into fat.

This myth is an old one; I have no idea where it comes from or how it was ever thought of. But the real reason muscular men gain a lot of fat after they stop working out is because they often do not change their calorie intake. They keep eating the same amount of food, stops working out and then they gain a ton of fat, because they don't adjust their diet to their lifestyle.

#4 spot fat reduction

Ahh... they queen of all fitness myths. "I just want some fat off my midsection, thighs, hips, butt, etc." This is the worst myth of them all, and probably one of the most common too! The fact is that it is physically impossible to lose fat in one particular area by training it. You will get a more toned muscle, but it will not help you remove fat from the selected area only by applying an exercise. When you lose weight you lose it all over your body, from your toes to your face. You need a full body workout or a two-day split to get a nicer butt or more noticeable biceps.

#5 as you age you gain fat

This myth is also not true, the reason many older people get a belly or gains weight is from lack of exercise and poor diet choices. As you age your body will take longer to recover from working out, but this is not unnatural. Anyone who wants to become more athletic, healthy and fit can so, regardless of age and gender.

Where does these myths come from?

Workout myths comes from a variety of places, they come from supplement companies, bodybuilding magazines and podcasts. But why is there such a big difference in what all the so-called "reliable" sources tell you?

The supplement companies will dump you with untrue information and poor workouts, promising it will work as long as you consume their supplement. They do not care about your health or your results. They want you to buy into their supplements, having you believe their brand is the magic pill to get ripped.

The bodybuilding magazines loves spreading the new "routine", this is usually a 3-4 day split program. The only way a program like that will work is if you are on heavy steroids. When you use the programs it will give you the illusion of results. You might have some initial results after the first two weeks, but after that they just don't work anymore. Many people are hooked on this kind of information. That is why they sell so many magazines! People love to try the new super routine to whip them into shape in an instant.

In this day and age most people own a computer and many have microphones, so it is not hard to start a podcast about fitness, or any other topic for that matter. But not everyone is really qualified to give out advice, and even if they are they might accidentally spread wrongful information and it will be carried on for god knows how long. I am not meaning to bash podcasts, but you should double-check your facts

Before you cite them as facts.

What have you learned today?

You have learned the truth about a variety of different fitness myths and how they might have occurred. Next time you read an interesting fact in a magazine or hear it on the radio or anywhere else, I urge you to double check it before citing it. I wrote this article to inform you and help you make informed decisions before you buy some silly product from a television infomercial or something similar!

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Taking Precautions in Your Outdoor Sports and Activities

Outdoor sports can be exciting and entertaining, coupled with the fact that it is good for your health. But statistics show that more people get injured doing outdoor games and activities than when doing it indoors. It's not very hard to understand why this is so, and there is no sense in saying people should not play outdoor because of the safety risks. But then you should take precautions to protect yourself and eliminate the possible instances of danger.

Generally all outdoor sports can be grouped into three categories with respect to where they take place including water, land and snow. This grouping is necessary because outdoor sports in the same group have similar precautionary measures. Playing in the snow can be very dangerous because your body continues to struggle to keep you warm. This is why you need to make sure that you wear enough thick clothing to prevent you from losing body heat. Before you go out skating make sure your skateboard decks are in good shape and not damaged in any ways. Make sure that you wear strong footwear, helmet and eye goggles when going for skiing, ice fishing, ice sailing and Bobsledding.

Water games in the outdoors are also something you should always try out with the entire family. But before you step outdoors make sure you have a life jacket for yourself and every other member of your family. Use life jackets designed for children on your kids since they provide greater protection than the ones made for adults. The life jacket should always be there whether you're skiing, skating, kayaking, canoeing, jet skiing, rafting or yachting. If the weather is cold then you need to wear thick clothing, but if it's hot you can put on light clothing so you don't feel the heat. Wear simple clothing that can protect you from sunburns if it is sunny. Fishing can also be fun for those who don't want to get wet, but make sure that you have the necessary fishing tackle equipment so you can make a good catch.

Outdoor activities in the land need greater precautions as people are more likely to get serious bruises and injuries on land than in any other places. Drink enough water before you go out cycling or running on a hot day to prevent dehydration. You should also have water bottle filled with water to cool your thirst. Wear proper footwear and protective helmets and clothing to prevent bruises and head injuries in case you fall. Climbing and caving can be very tense. You need to make sure you have all the right equipment and check that they are perfectly okay before you go out. Wear the right shoes for climbing and put on gloves to protect your hands against lacerations.

Use a very good backpack to pack all your equipment so you don't develop back injuries as a result of your physical activities. Wear socks and the proper footwear for the kind of outdoor sports you're doing to protect you against foot blisters and ankle sprain.

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What Are You Doing to Prevent Sarcopenia? Use It or Lose It!

Have you ever had major surgery? If you have, you will know that once the anesthesia has worn off, the first thing the doctors and nurses require of you is to "get out of bed" and move! But, "wait a minute," you cry, "I just had major surgery--let me rest." Thankfully, however, for you, that request is denied. Otherwise, severe complications in all body systems can occur, as well as death.

Prolonged bedrest effects all body systems, but it especially effects the cardiorespiratory system (heart and lungs are major muscles) and the musculoskeletal system (such as decreased muscle mass and strength, and bone loss). The older an individual is, the more pronounced and serious the consequences.

• Did you know that for every two days of bedrest, the heart rate increases one beat?

• Did you know that in healthy men, the rate of bone loss increases 50 times with bed rest? (Although bone mineral is gradually restored after bed rest, the rate of restoration is 4 times slower than the rate of loss.)

• Did you know that for every week of complete bedrest, muscle strength declines by 10-15%?

• Did you know that within 8 hours of immobilization of a muscle in the shortened position, muscle fibers begin to shorten, limiting full range of motion? (Ever have a hard time getting those legs to move again, after sitting in a movie theatre for just two hours?)

So what does this have to do with "Sarcopenia," and WHAT is Sarcopenia?

What is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia (pronounced sarko-peen-ya) is the "age-related" loss of muscle. The word comes from the Greek, for "flesh reduction." It can have the same serious musculoskeletal consequences caused from bedrest. Just like osteoporosis and arthritis, "sarcopenia is a serious degenerative condition that increases ones risks for falls and makes one more vulnerable to injury."

Less obvious consequences are metabolic effects that result when muscle-the body's most metabolically active tissue---diminishes. Metabolism is altered when there is less muscle, and many other consequences result, such as obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and changes in the ability to regulate body temperature. In addition, since muscular contractions help keep bones strong, muscle loss can also weaken bones.

Sarcopenia generally starts to set in around age 45, when muscle mass begins to decline at a rate of about 1 percent per year. As muscle mass begins to decline, so does muscle strength. Studies have revealed that muscle strength declines by approximately 15 percent per decade in the sixties and seventies and about 30 percent thereafter. As strength goes, so does physical functioning---the ability to do chores, take walks, climb stairs, or the accomplishment of other activities. This loss of strength can create a vicious cycle. Since it takes a great deal of physical effort and discomfort to perform daily tasks, one naturally avoids it, which creates even more weakness. Even some activity, no matter how limited, can help maintain muscle mass.

Sarcopenia occurs in people of all fitness levels, however physically inactive adults will see a faster and greater loss of muscle mass than physically active adults. Women, however, face a greater risk than men, because women have less muscle than men, and those who have less muscle to begin with, generally have a greater loss.

Nutrition can also be a factor in the development of sarcopenia if one is not consuming adequate energy intake. Many older individuals may not be consuming enough calories and/or protein, thereby depleting muscle protein to sustain energy requirement.

Can Sarcopenia Be Treated and/or Prevented?

Along with proper nutrition, a powerful intervention in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia is resistance training (weight-lifting or strength training). Resistance training works to build muscle by forcing the body to heal the damage to muscle cells that occur with use. When the intensity is high enough, microscopic tears occur in the muscle, which then rebuild protein and make the muscle stronger.

Although it has been known for decades that resistance training increases muscle mass and strength in young adults, many thought that muscle loss in older people was inevitable. However, it is now known that past studies done on older people using weights, did not show a positive response because the studies were not using the correct exercise intensity. Instead, subjects were lifting weights that were too light.

More current studies, using higher intensity workouts have shown that "strength could be doubled in only 12 weeks of training, and that even frail nursing-home residents in their 90's could build muscle and strength."

But I Walk and Swim... Isn't that Enough to Prevent Sarcopenia?

When most people start a fitness program, they do an aerobic activity, such as walking or swimming, in order to strengthen their heart muscle. But, before one can walk, they must first be able to get out of a chair and maintain an erect posture and balance while walking, and that requires muscle power.

The American College of Sports Medicine, in its guidelines on exercise and physical activity for older adults, says that aerobic conditioning should follow strength and balance training, which is, unfortunately, the opposite of what is usually done. Aerobic exercise, while it strengthens the heart and lungs, is not sufficient by itself to prevent sarcopenia.

It's easy to understand why older adults participate in aerobic activity for exercise rather than resistance training. Walking doesn't require a lot of planning to incorporate it into the day, and swimming or biking are familiar activities. Resistance training, however, is less familiar and it requires one to set aside extra time. However, as little as 40 minutes a session, or an hour and a half a week, is enough to see significant results.

Are there other benefits of Resistance Training?

In addition to building muscle, one also builds vigor and self-esteem, which ultimately leads to one staying active and doing things they enjoy. Preserving muscle mass also impacts the ability to withstand disease. The body burns protein faster than usual, when sick, which then causes protein components to be pulled from the muscle to be delivered to the immune system, to help fight the illness. Sarcopenia reduces the amount of protein available to fight disease.

"If you don't use it, you'll lose it." That saying has never been more true than for the use of our "muscles." When we lose our ability to use our muscles, we lose independence, and quality of life diminishes. Let's choose to not take for granted our ability to move around, and incorporate resistance training, into our exercise routine. Length of life is insignificant without quality of life!

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What to Expect From Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

What are the advantages of a partial knee replacement?

There are many research studies available that support how a modern partial knee replacement performs superbly for a vast majority of patients. There are many advantages to having a partial replacement versus a total replacement of the knee. These include a quicker recovery time, less blood loss during the procedure, and less pain after surgery. Many report that a partial knee replacement feels more "natural" than a total replacement and the range of motion is often reported as "better".
 
Who is a candidate for a partial knee replacement?

The orthopedic specialist may recommend this procedure if you have severe osteoarthritis of the knee and have tried and failed with nonsurgical treatment measures. A partial knee replacement is only considered if your knee problems affect your quality of life and interfere with your daily routine. Also, your arthritis should be limited to one compartment of the knee, not the entire knee as seen with inflammatory arthritis. Those patients with significant knee stiffness or ligament damage are not ideal candidates.

What should I expect before the surgery?

Your orthopedic specialist, working closely with your family doctor, will determine which type of procedure you need. He may test your range of motion, the ligament quality, and assess your activity status. Patients who have pain located entirely on either the inside portion or outside portion of the knee are good candidates for a partial knee replacement. Those who have pain throughout the entire knee or in the front aspect are usually better qualified for a total knee replacement. You may have additional imaging tests on your knee to determine which surgery suits you best.

Before your operation, a member of the anesthesia team will evaluate you. Anesthesia will either be spinal (you are awake but numb from the waist down) or general (you are completely asleep). The choice will depend on your surgeon's preference and your health needs.

What happens during the surgery?

A partial knee replacement generally lasts 1 or 2 hours. The orthopedic specialist makes an incision at the front of your knee in order to explore the three compartments of the joint space. He uses a special saw to remove the damaged cartilage and knee components and caps the ends of the femur (thighbone) and tibia (lower leg bone) with metal coverings. These metal pieces are connected to the bone with a special type of cement. To create a smooth gliding surface, the doctor places a plastic insert between these two metal components.

What happens after surgery?

After your procedure, you will be taken to a recovery room and closely monitored. Expect to have an IV for around 24 hours to receive medicines for pain control and antibiotics. Once you are awake, you will notice a bandage on your knee and a small drain that collects fluid from the joint space. Some patients may be candidates to have this procedure on an outpatient basis, but most will need to be admitted to the hospital. You can expect to go home 1 to 3 days following a partial knee replacement.

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Getting Heart-Strong With Stats, Warning Signs, and Health Tips, Too

In case you missed it, red was the color of choice when choosing what to wear last Friday, as the first of February marked the tenth anniversary of the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day. Its purpose: to help raise awareness of heart disease in women, while at the same time, launching American Heart Month.

Be aware, too, that The Million Hearts™ national initiative sponsored by the American Heart Association and others is also making headlines right now. Introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services in September, 2011, its aim is to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. over a 5-year period. To that end, this month Walgreens has engaged "its 26,000 health care providers to offer free blood pressure testing in consultation with a Walgreens pharmacist."

Is the need great? You bet. Just take a look at these unsettling facts of life about cardiovascular disease, the umbrella term for all heart and blood vessel diseases, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and aortic aneurism:

1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.
2. About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. every year-or one in four.
3. Every year, some 935,000 Americans have a heart attack; about 610,000 first-timers.
4. Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 385,000 people every year and costing the U.S. $108.9 billion annually in services, medications, and lost productivity.

Meanwhile, recognizing the warning signs is key to survival; experience any of them and call 911 immediately:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Upper body pain or discomfort in arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.

Know, too, that while the most common sign is chest pain or discomfort, women are somewhat likelier to feel short of breath, nauseous, and/or experience jaw pain.

Meanwhile, be advised that lifestyle is a determining factor, so be forewarned if you don't exercise, enjoy a high fat, sodium, and/or sugary diet, smoke, are overweight/obese, and/or have diabetes. To be in the know, head to your primary care doctor for a physical and make it an annual event. These are the numbers you'll want to hear:

• A blood pressure reading less than 120/80
• A total cholesterol that's less than 200 mg/dl
• An LDL ("bad" cholesterol) that's less than 100 mg/dl
• An HDL ("good"cholesterol) that's more than 50 mg/dl for women and 40 mg/dl or higher for men
• Triglycerides that are less than 150 mg/dl
• Blood glucose levels that are less than 100 mg/dl

To get you there, take time to de-stress every day, allowing yourself some "chill" time to meditate, garden, walk, and so on. You get the idea. And then:

• If you smoke, promise to stop. There's lots of quitting help out there, everything from gums and lozenges to patches and hypnosis. Online assistance is right at your fingertips, too. Need motivation? Quitting before 40 reduces the risk of death by about 90% finds an American Cancer Society study. Plus, smokers die, on average, about 10 years earlier than non-smokers.
• Get moving, aiming for at least 30 minutes a day of low to moderate intensity activity. The upside: lower blood pressure and triglyceride numbers, as well as higher HDL levels. Do it all in one outing or break it up into 10- or 15-minute workouts that can include walking, jogging, dancing, gardening, even playing outside with the kids. Then add just two weight training sessions a week-about 20 minutes or so each-and you're on your way.
• Start every day with a heart-healthy breakfast, as in oatmeal, a smoothie made, for example, with frozen berries, a banana, yogurt, and skim milk, a veggie-filled egg-white omelet, or even peanut butter on whole wheat toast sprinkled with ground flaxseed. Tempted to skip it and go right for the coffee? Keep in mind that eating breakfast cancels out the need for a mid-morning pick-me-up or heavy lunch, thus helping prevent weight gain.
• Eat a heart-healthy lunch and dinner, too, ones that are rich in fruits, veggies, fiber, whole grains, low-fat, calcium-rich dairy, and lean protein. Aim for two servings of fish each week, too. Not sure how much produce you should be consuming every day? The CDC has the answer for you.
• Take an inventory of what's on your pantry shelves when it comes to snacks, soups, salad dressings, etc. and consider tossing a few of them. As you read the nutrition labels, keep in mind that you want to limit your daily sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg and less than 150 mg of cholesterol. Then opt for better-for you alternatives like baked chips, nutrition-dense granola bars, heart-healthy soups and frozen dinners, and so on. While you're at it, put away the salt shaker and replace sugary drinks with plain water or sparkling water with a spritz or two of lemon juice.
• Be heart-savvy when eating out, too. Need some help as you peruse the menus of your favorite restaurant chains? There's actually an app for that, and it's called "Restaurant Nutrition."

In the meantime, need an easy, heart-healthy recipe to get you started? 

You will need:

• 1 cup halved walnuts or pecan (unless allergic)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese (unless allergic)
• 2 cored, thinly sliced apples or pears
• 1 bag of pre-washed spinach (or salad greens)
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup of virgin olive oil

Steps to Take:

1. Place spinach or greens in large salad bowl.
2. Add nuts, dried cranberries/cherries, sliced fruit & cheese.
3. Toss.
4. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss well.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

As they say in France, à votre santé.

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The Curse of the Mummy: Heart Disease

A recent Lancet study titled "Atherosclerosis across 4000 years of human history: the Horus study of four ancient populations" purports to show that our ancient ancestors suffered from arteriosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries" just as we do. They concluded: "The presence of atherosclerosis in premodern human beings suggests that the disease is an inherent component of human ageing and not characteristic of any specific diet or lifestyle." In other words, go ahead and eat another Big Mac and wash it down with a supersized Coke because your arteries will eventually clog up no matter what you do. Thank you judge Tingling for cancelling Mayor Bloomberg's ridiculous super-sized soda ban, although looking at your picture I suspect that you may want to back off on super-sizing of anything, especially yourself.

Unfortunately this study largely ignores the actual disease process leading to heart attacks and strokes. This study documented calcium deposits in the arteries of mummies from four different variably ancient cultures: Egyptians, Peruvians, ancestral Puebloans and Unangans from the Aleutian Islands. Although it is likely true that as humans grow older they tend to accumulate some calcium deposits in their arteries, by itself this process won't likely lead to heart attacks and strokes. To turn arteriosclerosis into a deadly killer, you also need to add some inflammation.

It's All About the Details

To understand how this process works, we first need to review a little anatomy. Arteries are lined by endothelial cells that form a tight junction to keep blood elements from leaking into the surrounding tissue. These cells are coated with a hair-like protective surface called the glycocalyx. This layer keeps the flowing blood from coming into contact with the endothelial cells. It more or less acts like Teflon, allowing the blood to flow smoothly. Fats are transported in the blood stream as combinations of fat and protein called lipoproteins. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol and fatty acids into cells and high density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol and fatty acids out of cells.

LDL cholesterol comes in two forms-small, dense LDL particles and fluffy, large LDL particles. When you consume a diet high in saturated fat, LDL particles migrate to the intima, the layer beneath the endothelium. Small, dense LDL particles tend to hang around longer and become oxidized, leading to inflammation. Oxidized LDL particles strip away the protective glycocalyx layer and damage the underlying endothelium, leading to endothelial dysfunction. White blood cells are attracted by this inflammation and migrate to the intima where they gobble up the oxidized LDL cholesterol, creating fat-ladened foam cells. This inflammatory mess can eventually lead to dangerous blood clots, so your body responds by walling it off with a layer of calcium and a fibrous cap. With a solid fibrous cap, blood continues to flow freely and everything is good-that is until you add more inflammation to the mix.

Harden My Arteries but Please Don't Give Me Inflammation

Many components of our modern diet can feed this inflammatory process, including trans fatty acids, excessive omega 6 fatty acids relative to omega 3 fatty acids, excessive fructose mainly from sugar and HFCS, and high glycemic carbohydrates mainly form grains. These dietary elements lead to high glucose levels, high insulin levels, high uric acid levels and systemic inflammation. Grains, legumes and dairy products can lead to a leaky gut, further feeding this inflammation. Consuming our Standard American Diet (SAD) is like throwing gas on a fire when it comes to feeding inflammation. All of this inflammation can eventually cause the fibrous cap to rupture, where all the pro-inflammatory foam cells spill into the circulation. This leads to a blood clot, your bodies' last brave attempt to seal off the damage. If the blood clot is large enough, it blocks the artery leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Although arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) may be a normal part of human aging, heart attacks and strokes clearly are not. When the authors of this study examined the mummies with CT scans, they were documenting calcium deposits in their arteries. They could only document arteriosclerosis and as the discussion above describes, hardening of the arteries will never kill you without throwing in a lot of inflammation leading to rupture of the plaques. We really have no idea whether these mummies were prone to such events and this study is not helpful in this regard.

Did Mummy Ever Have to Dial 911?

It is possible that they did sometimes have heart attacks and strokes, because we know that all of these groups consumed some food items found in our modern diet. Three of the groups were already heavily into agriculture by growing and consuming grains. The Unangan's from the Aleutian Islands were presented as a group of hunter-gatherers, yet the mummies from this group died around 1900. Even though their traditional lifestyle involved hunting sea animals, fishing and collecting shellfish, by this time they had already been trading with Russians and other groups for several centuries. They traded animal pelts for subsistence items like food and clothing. Clearly we cannot classify this group as strictly hunter-gatherer.

This study made headlines around the world, implying that our ancient ancestors suffered from the same vascular problems that we do. This is simply poor science. In order to suffer from increased morbidity and mortality, you need to add inflammation to arteriosclerosis and this study doesn't discuss the issue of inflammation. Studying mummies can be exotic and fun, but let's not forget to include a little science and common sense in the discussion.

Headlines, Smeadlines

News articles about this study often concluded that because the mummies had arteriosclerosis, our modern diet likely is not contributing much to this process. In other words, go ahead and eat junk food because your arteries will harden no matter what you eat. Although this may be true, having "hardened" arteries or arteriosclerosis will never by itself kill you. Throw a pro-inflammatory modern diet into the mix and people start falling like flies from heart attacks, strokes and other modern inflammatory diseases.

Mummy, I need help!

So what's a confused, modern non-mummy supposed to do? To keep calcium from building up in your arteries, taking vitamin K2 as a supplement might be helpful. This form of vitamin K moves calcium out of your arteries and into your bones where it belongs. I recommend taking at least 1,000 mcg of vitamin K2 daily. More importantly, you should do everything possible to eat a diet that doesn't promote inflammation. A good starting point is to eliminate sugar and HFCS, two inflammatory bombshells in our modern diet. I also recommend keeping your fructose intake below 25 grams per day as Richard Johnson suggests in his books "The Sugar Fix" and "The Fat Switch". I also recommend reducing your intake of omega 6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and increasing your intake of omega 3 fatty acids. You can also measure your omega 3 index to balance your diet so your ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids is between 1 and 3. For more information about fatty acids, I recommend reading "Toxic Fat" by Barry Sears or "The Omega Diet" by Artemis Simopolos. To learn more about the adverse effects of high glycemic carbohydrates, read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes. Gary really understands the woes of carboholics.

I'm Not Your Mummy-If You Want to be Healthy, You Need to Take the Bull by the Horns

To keep damaging inflammation out of your body, you need to become self-educated and these books are a good place to start. Most physicians and dieticians still follow the government's nutritional recommendations like the disastrous Food Pyramid recently replaced by the incomprehensible Food Plate. These dietary recommendations are highly influenced by our modern food and agricultural industries, the very folks who have been peddling a pro-inflammatory diet for decades. If you are already suffering from inflammatory diseases like obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks, you might want to consider following a Paleo diet. This type of diet eliminates all pro-inflammatory grains, legumes, dairy and bad fats. For more information about going Paleo, read "The Paleo Answer" by Loren Cordain or "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf. Even if you decide not to go full Paleo, moving in this direction will help to reduce dangerous inflammation in your body.

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How Natural Soaps Help Keep Your Skin Beautiful

Proper skin care is essential to having a great complexion. The first step to having a great complexion is having clean skin. It is important to cleanse your skin daily because every day your skin is faced with dust, dirt, cosmetics, and air pollution. It is important to get rid of impurities every day, but many soaps and cleansers can contain ingredients that can actually damage your skin instead of improve it. There are certain chemicals that can have an adverse effect on a person's skin. It can be difficult to find the right product that will cleanse your skin without damaging it.

The best way to cleanse your skin is by using natural soaps, as these use naturally available ingredients that provide many benefits to the skin and they don't contain harsh chemicals as many other soaps and facial cleansers do. The ingredients used in these type of soaps are from herbs and plants that people have used for thousands of years to care for their skin; the benefits of these ingredients have been time tested and proven to be effective. After you make the switch to natural soaps you will begin to notice how great your skin looks and feels.

Natural soaps do not contain toxins because the natural ingredients used to produce them are grown without pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Such soaps do not contain dyes or synthetic fragrances and are not produced using chemicals. There are some soaps on the market that contain natural ingredients, but the difference is that although some soaps incorporate naturally found ingredients, they do not leave out the harsh ingredients or may use natural ingredients grown with pesticides or other chemicals. Such products are not only made with natural ingredients, but also adhere to a strict code regarding the method of production.

Using natural soaps can improve your skin and will help you to avoid many skin ailments. Many of the problems you encounter with your skin could be from a reaction to the chemicals and toxins found in regular soaps. The first time you use an natural soap, you will notice that your skin feels different; you won't feel any residue as you would with other soaps. After using this type of soap for a couple of weeks, you will see overall improvement and your skin will begin to heal from the previous damage done by other soaps.

Once your skin has healed from the problems caused by other soaps, you need to continue to use the natural soaps to keep it soft and smooth. When you have good skin, it improves your overall appearance. Avoiding chemicals and toxins will keep your skin healthy and looking great. The benefits of the natural ingredients used in the natural herbal soaps will do wonders for your complexion. You will be treating your skin to its very own little health spa when you wash with natural soaps.

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Things to Have Done in a Hair Salon

Men and women alike can benefit from visiting a hair salon. It has been said that the woman's hair is her crown and glory. It is true that a woman with hair that is well cared for seems to be more confident in her. There are many different things that people go to these establishments to have done.

One of the main reasons to visit the hair salon is to get your hair cut and styled. Having your tresses cut by a professional is almost a necessity. Very few people can master doing this for themselves and there are even fewer friends who will offer to try and do this job. It has been said that the difference between a bad haircut and a good one is two weeks, but the truth is that a bad one can really last for much longer.

Another reason to visit the hair salon is to get your color changed. Women dye their locks a lot more frequently than men do, but men also have color applied. Men are every bit as vain as women are and when the grey hairs start showing they are often just as quick to make an appointment with their stylist to cover these signs of aging. Once you do begin to add color you will need to schedule regular appointments to keep the color looking as good as possible and stop your roots from showing.

A hair salon is the perfect place to go to buy products for treating your glorious locks. The specialty shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, gels, and other products that are sold in these establishments are created to treat problem conditions. You cannot buy the same quality of products over the counter.

Today these establishments generally have people in them that also give manicures and pedicures. Not all of them have these stations, but a growing number of places include the care of nails at their business. A large number of them also do ear piercings. Some other piercings may also be available from this type of establishment.

If you wish to improve your outward beauty then these places are a must for you to visit. If you want to improve the health of your skin, hair, and nails then you want to visit these merchants frequently. If you wish to be pampered on occasion there is nothing better than a day at the beauty parlor to do that.

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Four Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality for Better Health and Wellbeing

If everyone knows about the incredible curative power of fresh air and harnesses it for healing, there will be an unstoppable epidemic of good health. In fact, every ancient culture and system of healthcare incorporates the power of the breath for achieving equilibrium of the body and mind. Deep abdominal breathing of fresh air is prescribed for longevity and wellness.

Unfortunately, most urban residents are not breathing the kind of air that the human race is made to thrive in.

The element that sets fresh air apart from bad air is the electrical component. Fresh air is highly electrified. In natural environments, air has an abundance of highly mobile electrically charged molecules called ions. These ions are essential to life and have a biological effect on all living things. Breathing air rich in ions promotes health while breathing ion-depleted air breeds diseases.

Air ions are short-lived and are nature's air cleaners. They convey their electrical charge readily to airborne particles which having acquired a charge, clump together and fall out of the atmosphere. Thus, the more polluted the environment the more severe the ion deficiency.

Unfortunately, the indoor air of modern homes and offices is grievously lacking in air ions. The cause of many 21st century health issues has to do with the bad indoor air that we breathe consistently. While smokestacks and diesel trucks are major culprits of air pollution, the US Environmental Protection Agency says that the air inside people's homes can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside.

Modern homes and offices are typically tightly sealed and insulated from the outside air. All kinds of combustion within the indoor environment like burning, smoking or even breathing deplete oxygen ions. A cocktail of chemical pollutants from the use of detergents and aerosols as well as the off gassing of furnishings made from synthetic materials, circulate indoor indefinitely. Air conditioning and electrical fields surrounding appliances all severely disturb the ion balance of the air we breathe.

In an ion deprived environment, airborne particles drift about in prevailing air currents, exacerbating allergies, asthma and respiratory difficulties. Disease germs, in spite of strong antibacterial cleaners, breed and propagate throughout the indoor space passing infections from one person to another.

Distorted air ion balance also contributes to depression, hyperactivity, aggression, anxieties, insomnia, lack of libido and suppressed immunity. On the other hand, healthy levels of air ions increase our lung capacity, boost the immune system, help us breathe better, assist in recovery from illness, alleviate allergies, elevate our mood and help us cope with stress.

Straining out pollutants through high quality filters will do little to improve the wellbeing of the people living and working indoors, until a healthful supply of ions is continuously supplied to the environment. Russian ion scientist A.L. Tchijewsky after years of studying air electricity concluded that "an organism receiving the cleanest type of air is condemned to serious illness if the air does not contain at least a small quantity of air ions."

To effectively improve indoor air quality, we must restore a healthy level of air ions to the air we breathe:

1) Ventilate

An opened window will do wonders in lifting spirits and clearing the clutter of the mind by letting in healthful ions from outside to enliven the room.

2) Keep house plants, build water fountains

Waterfalls, natural forests and crashing waves at the beach produce large amounts of air ions. This explains the good feeling people experience at these places.

The ancient Chinese practise, Feng Shui promotes the use of water fountains, sprays and ferns to achieve interior harmony and a healthy living environment. All these items generate air ions.

3) Eliminate the causes of indoor pollutants

We can significant improve indoor air quality by cutting down on the use of household chemicals and switching to cleaning products that do not contain Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs).

4) Install a medical grade air ionizer

Electrically generating the necessary air ions and propagating them throughout the closed environment with a medical grade air ionizer is an effective and economic solution. In choosing an air ionizer, beware of the extravagant claims of manufacturers of inferior ionizing machines which generate potentially harmful by-products of ozone and other oxides that can be detrimental to our health.

Today, we spend a great part of our lives inside buildings with possibly unhealthy air conditions which can adversely impact our well-being. Restoring oxygen ions to the indoor environment is key to improving indoor air quality.

Rosalind Tan is the author of the Truth About Air Electricity & Health and the Managing Director of Dorea Pte Ltd, a company that promotes and distributes medical grade air ionizers throughout Asia. She teaches and advocates going "back to nature", for unless we align our ways according to those of nature, we can not attain optimal health and happiness.

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Is There a Cure to the Common Cold?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is no. The common cold may be common, but that does not make it any more pleasant to suffer. Mild colds may make you feel a little under the weather for a few days, whereas a nasty cold can really take its toll; particularly on the young, elderly or infirm.

The common cold is caused by a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, and it is common because there are over 200 viruses that can cause it, although rhinoviruses are the main culprits. It is no surprise therefore, that an adult will suffer with a cold on average three times a year, whereas, a child can be infected between six and twelve times annually.

Cold symptoms usually last between seven and ten days, although it is not uncommon to feel unwell for up to three weeks. Symptoms include a runny nose, sinus pain, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, fever and headaches. General aches and pains and conjunctivitis can also occur during the common cold.

Because the common cold is caused by a virus, antibiotics are of no use in treating it, meaning that there is no real cold cure. Most cold treatments revolve around looking after yourself and treating the symptoms.

Treatment Options:

1. Rest and fluids

It is best to treat the common cold like any other viral infection and allow your body the time to recover. Getting plenty of rest and replenishing the fluids lost due to fever and sneezing, will help your body use its energy to fight the infection.

2. Steam inhalation

If a blocked nose is one of your main cold symptoms, a good cure is inhaling steam; either with or without menthol crystals dissolved it in.

3. Using a vapour rub on your chest and nose can also help a stuffy nose.

4. Gargling

Gargling with salt water or specialized antiseptic mouthwash can help reduce the inflammation associated with a sore throat.

5. Painkillers

There are a multitude of cold remedies available over the counter. Most will contain either paracetamol or ibuprofen, which are anti-inflammatory drugs and will help with the pain and pain-inducing inflammation.

Many a cold cure will also contain added ingredients aimed at boosting your immune system, providing energy or getting a good night's sleep. As with all medications, read the instructions carefully as some cold remedies do not mix well with other medications or are not suitable for young children. Specialised cold cures for children are available.

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End Your Back Pain With Back Pain Relief Remedies

Can't you even touch your toes without feeling a pain in your back? This sudden back ache could mean many things, and it can also disturb your life. This kind of pain is commonly faced by office goers, bikers, and those who don't exercise regularly. Before you start seeking pain treatments, remember that back pain is a symptom like other aches. When you feel the pain, it means that something in not right with your body parts. Your back is an important part of body, and ignoring pain is not a good idea. The article has an interesting selection of back pain relief treatments to shrink your pain. Time to say goodbye to all back aches!

Back pain can be debilitating for every person, especially for people who are overweight. Being overweight places extra pressure on the back and results in severe pain. One of the best things you can do to relieve your pain is to lose some extra weight. Besides, also be aware that whether you are sitting at a desk or engaging in any activity, you keep an upright body posture to prevent further stress on your back. If you will not be aware of small things, the pain can affect every phase of your life. Only awareness of mind towards remedies can bring the biggest changes and lasting results.

Instead of trying any pain killers that have the prospective to cause damage to your liver and kidney, it is better choosing natural remedies to alleviate the pain. Additionally, you should move properly throughout your day to shun movements that will intensify your back pain. Resting with raised knees, using good back support, practicing good body posture, etc can eliminate a lot of back pain.

Here are some home back pain remedies

Most back pain goes away within some days, but again arises because you have not treated the pain from its root. To ease discomfort, home remedies also work effectively.

-> Exercise: Walking, stretching, swimming, and other gentle exercises can help you recover the pain easily. You must consult with a quality therapist to make sure you are not overdoing any of these exercises.

-> Drinking plenty of water: You may be surprised to know that just drinking several glasses of water in a day may work wonders to ease all of your soreness, including back pain.

-> Heat and ice: Applying cold packs to numb the pain and reduce swelling is the cost-effective way of getting relief from severe pain. Use them for at least 20 minutes, many times in a day, and constantly for 2-3 days. After that, warm baths or using a heating pad can ease the discomfort of pain.

-> Follow online pain relief program: You may also get relief from online exercise programs, DVD's, E: book, email coaching, free 12 months subscription to the monthly newsletter, free health related articles, recipes and pain relief tips. Take advice from professional and maintain a program of exercise. This can clear up your pain and keep it away from returning in the future.

Conclusion: 
Follow these natural back pain treatments and get you back in a normal position to catch up with your daily activities.

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