Archive forMarch, 2008

What is the Aging Male Syndrome?

As men get older, they begin to notice all kinds of changes with their bodies. Many have gained a few extra pounds around their waist, they are fatigued, and their interest in sex takes a nosedive. In the past, all this was attributed to the natural aging process. However, recent studies have shown that every one of the above symptoms is an indicator of a clinical deficiency brought on by abnormal low levels of testosterone which is referred to as Aging Male Syndrome.

As men age, their testosterone levels do lower, this is a gradually process that takes several years. It does however result in male hypogonadism, which is called Andropause. Yes, this is male menopause. It is not a myth; it is a real health problem for many men over the age of 40.

Symptoms of Andropause include low energy, loss of sex drive, problems with memory, and depression. As Andropause progresses many men begin to have other health problems such as osteoporosis, ill health, dementia, heart problems, circulatory problems and falls. Circulatory problems can lead to or actually contribute to erectile dysfunction. If you look at women as they enter into menopause and what happens to their bodies with lower estrogen levels you should be able to comprehend that men with lower testosterone levels will have similar health problems.

It is believed that Aging Male Syndrome could be the missing or hidden link for men’s overall health. It could be the contributing factor for several serious health conditions such as osteoporosis, depression, heart disease, and diabetes. Yes, every man as they age will begin to have lower testosterone levels, but many do not realize the difference between a natural decline and low testosterone levels. The low levels that are apparent with Aging Male Syndrome are real medical concerns for men.

In the United States, research on the effects of aging in males is way behind where it should be. This could be from the male ego that does not allow them to consider the fact that Andropause is in fact a real problem. The male ego keeps them thinking that all their problems, health and psychological, are just part of the normal aging process. Other countries have stepped up the pace and realized that both men and women go through an aging process that can lead to health problems and have done something to bring attention to the Aging Male Syndrome and Andropause. In Europe, the European Menopause Society recently changed their name to The European Menopause & Andropause Society. In Canada, they have an organization for men exclusively known as the Canadian Andropause Society. There are other organizations found in Australia and the United Kingdom, however, no such organization or society exist in the United States even though around ten million men in America are affected.

More should be done to give information to men across the country that their symptoms such as erectile dysfunction, tiredness, depression, weakness, and loss of sex drive could be due to low testosterone and could be treated.

Kelly Moore runs a respected natural male enhancement site, featuring review of top-rated penis enlargement pill brands and other penis enlargement products that are currently in the market. Check her site at: natural-penis-enlargment natural-penis-enlargment

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The Best Way to Breathe

Let me tell you that breathing plays an important part in exercise and relaxation. When your respiratory muscles are strong, you are capable of taking in more oxygen per breath. As a result, you can get greater amount of oxygen which your body needs for the production of energy but also recovery.

For just those two reasons:

* more energy * greater recovery

You clearly can see how important breathing is and that it will make a difference in your training.

But that’s not all! Follow me here…

The stronger your respiratory muscles are, the more effective your cardiovascular endurance. Improving the strength of the muscles involved in breathing you can reduce the onset of fatigue and recover faster. In most cases, respiratory fatigue occurs before cardiovascular fatigue; thus, your breathing is directly related to your endurance as well as your lifting.

Obviously, how you breath during exercise is very important during the execution phase. New trainees should:

* exhale thru the sticking point * inhale during the less strenuous portion of the lift

[ Sticking Point is defined as the transition from the eccentric to the concentric contraction. Also know as the amortization phase. ]

And this is just the start!

If you pick up any article or go to most fitness sites and forums they will tell you that holding your breath under any circumstances is dangerous.

Now if you were to hold it for 8 seconds or more, that’s true. The internal pressure in the chest and abdomen increases when you hold your breath on exertion.

If it increases greatly, it can squeeze down on the blood vessels shutting down blood and oxygen to and from the heart. When this happens you can black out. This is rare and only on maximum exertion.

Okay, so that is dangerous, holding your breath during maximal exertions for long segments.

But can you hold your breath as an advanced trainee and actually increase the weight you lift?

In fact you can with a little technique called the Valsalva Maneuver. This involves expiring against a closed glottis, which when combined with contracting muscles of the abdomen and rib cage muscles, transforms your trunk into a stable and stronger support for some movements.

Often in advanced trainees, there are appropriate times in which you can hold your breath on the exertion and provide up to 20 percent greater force, stabilize the spine and prevent lower back injuries.

In fact, this little trick can transform your whole trunk, sometimes your whole body, into a stable unit against which your hips, arms and shoulders can move more effective.

Of course this Valsalva Maneuver assumes that you are:

* an advanced athlete * without cardiovascular problems; high blood pressure or heart problems * do not hold your breath for more than a few seconds

Inhaling and holding your breath comes naturally in many sports.

Using the Valsalva Maneuver is simple. You just:

1- Inhale during the less strenuous portion of the lift

2- Exhale after you have passed the sticking point

That’s pretty much it. Take for example a heavy set of squats.

Picture yourself doing a very heavy squat and you are coming up out of the down position very slowly. The amount of pressure being built up is quite great. To relieve some of the pressure you would exhale slightly thru pursed lips.

But don’t let all the air out!

Not until you have passed the sticking point or the most difficult portion of the exercise.

Clearly exhaling after the sticking point is important to relieve the built-up pressure.

My point is: The key is to be sure that you exhale after passing the sticking point, not before.

Proper breathing is essential in successfully executing strength movements, especially when handling heavy weights.

Copyright 2006 Marc David

Marc David

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Recommended Sleeping Position For Infants

The dreaded SID (Sudden Infant Syndrome) has caused alarm to parents worldwide. This also moved medical experts to look closely into the sleeping habits of infants. For the longest time, it is believed that the best position for babies is to sleep on their stomach. This is actually not the case. Modern studies attested that sleeping in this position could cause some medical issues since the infant’s mouth and nose, which are the vital organs for proper airflow, are somehow blocked because their heads are faced down.

Since 1992 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends that babies should sleep on their backs. Recent studies show that the instances of SID’s are reduced by almost 50% once parents are advised to change their baby’s sleeping position from sleeping on their stomach to sleeping on their backs or side.

Suffocation is a possibility when a baby sleeps on his stomach. Some babies have weak neck muscles and once they turn their heads, it may cause them to suffocate. It would be better if babies were allowed to sleep on their backs. It is important to keep their face up and not faced down.

Sleeping on one’s back can cause some minor discomfort for babies. During their sleep, they may have some involuntary reflexes that can startle them and cause them to wake up in the middle of the night. To prevent this, you can swaddle them with a blanket. Just make sure to wrap them properly and avoid covering their face.

A good sleeping position ensures your baby a good night’s sleep and help prevent the chances of SID. In addition to this, quality beddings could also promote good sleep. Choose a mattress that is firm and avoid putting in stuffed toys in your baby’s sleeping area. Unnecessary stuff in their bed, like toys, is a hazard. Babies tend to move at night, and when they do, these things can go to their face and block their airways. As a safety precaution, it is also recommended to use sleepers instead of blankets.

It may not be always possible to watch your child during his sleep. This is why it is important to ensure that his bed is safe for them to sleep on. Always practice proper sleeping positions for your baby as this doesn’t only make up for a good rest for them but can ensure that they are in great health.

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - yourfavouriteshop yourfavouriteshop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health - hapahapa hapahapa for more articles.

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Student Health Vitamins

What is a college student to do if they have back to back finals but they can’t seem to keep their eyes open from studying? Anyone could say the usual, ‘he or she should have studied harder or they had an entire semester to study.’ The student has so many options to stay awake such as no-dose and the usual-10 cups of coffee from the local cafĂ© with extra shots. But these options could back fire. The best advice is to eat right, exercise and take a muli-vitamin.

Vitamins can help a student as they prepare to face the world and the many pressures it brings. The worst thing for a student to experience is a bad cold or a virus during finals. All the cold and flu medicine in the world will not cure in time for the finals, especially if it is only a couple is a wide variety of vitamins and antioxidants that can combat sickness and infection.

All students should be warned about taking good care of their bodies all year round. It is very annoying to hear someone coughing and sneezing uncontrollably, especially taking a test that can affect ones future. The following information is a listing of healthy vitamins.

A person who has a proper balanced diet and takes vitamins will be more alert and productive than someone who neglects taking care of their health. It is guaranteed that a person who is in school full-time and in the midst of a crash study course is more likely to either do poorly or mediocre on their exams. They are also more than likely to be short tempered to anyone. The best thing to do is prepare and plan ahead of time so that you have adequate time to study.

Vitamin C ensures good health and immunity. The VC is an excellent supplement for those with colds. Vitamin E also improves a persons overall bodily health as well as heart and immune functions. The following information contains a few tips on how to properly use vitamins.

- Make sure that you contact your physician before using any type of vitamin supplement. Your physician will recommend the right supplement for your body type.

- Don’t take your supplements with coffee. It is recommended that you take your supplements with water or a caffeine free fruit juice such as orange juice.

- Don’t take vitamins on an empty stomach. Make sure you have a light meal or snack before taking your vitamin supplement.

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Common Baldness

Male pattern baldness or permanent pattern baldness refers to common baldness and is the type of hair loss that commonly afflicts men. This is usually an inherited trait, passed from father to son. Generally, the earlier a man starts losing his hair, the more extensive the resulting hair loss. In male-pattern baldness a man’s hair line begins receding before baldness appears at crown of the head. In both men as well as women, common baldness accounts for 90% of hair loss. Though the exact causes are uncertain, experts think heredity, hormonal changes, and age are contributing factors. Unlike hair loss as a result of medication, disease, or other non-hereditary causes, common baldness is permanent. In women female-pattern baldness causes thinning over then entire scalp. Hair represents more than just hair. It is a conspicuous physical characteristic. Hair has wide-ranging cultural associations, it often represents youth, fashion, and sexuality. It is unsurprising that hair loss can be psychologically devastating to many people when it happens to them.

The average person loses between 50 to 100 strands of hair daily. This typically has no effect on overall hair quantity because new hairs replace those that have been shed. However, as a person gets older, this changes as the natural re-growth process slows down and ceases completely. It is then that thinning and baldness become evident. It is always advisable to speak to your physician about sudden hair loss to rule out medical causes. Like the skin and nails, hair goes through rest and growth cycles. If the cycle is disturbed by illness or stress, hair loss can can result.

Certain types of hair loss may be treatable. To rule out any medical causes, your doctor may ask you specific questions concerning your diet, any medication you may be taking, and whether or not you have suffered a recent illness. He or she may also question you about the specifics of your hair care routine. For women, menstrual cycle, menopause or pregnancies may be considered. An examination will be necessary to attempt to determine the cause of your hair. To further ascertain the cause of your problem blood tests and biopsies of the scalp may also be required.

Depending on what type of hair loss you have suffered, specific treatments may be available. If your doctor believes your hair loss is being caused by a medicine you are taking, a different type of medication may be prescribed. Recognizing and treating illness and infections can also put a cease to the hair loss. Hair loss may be interrupted by correcting the body’s hormonal balance. Certain medications, such as Minoxidil, might be prescribed to help slow the development of common baldness. This medicine, applied to the scalp, is available over the counter. It has been successful for both women and men. Prescription-only Finasteride is available in pill form. It is used only for men. In order to see results, it may take up to to six months. If there is no available medication for your type of hair, there are alternatives. You might experiment with hair weaves, artificial hair replacement, different hairstyles, wigs, or hairpieces. The current offerings are very natural looking may effectively disguise your hair loss.

Mary Brown contributes to several web sites, most recently parip parip and fotid fotid .

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What is the Problem With Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Water?

Northern Virginia is growing in population rapidly and as more people move into the area, a question that is asked more and more frequently is - what is the quality of my drinking water?

Individuals and families are naturally concerned with their health and drinking water is an important element of maintaining good health.

Unfortunately, the quality of the water in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. is very poor and is getting worse. Contaminants, bacteria, minerals and chemicals in tap water are masked with heavy doses of chlorine and tap water, in addition to being unhealthy, tastes and smells terrible.

Regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not eliminate contamination but merely sets maximum levels of contaminants that can enter the human body. and cause long term damage.

What is the Story With Tap Water?

Tap water is municipal water that is usually pumped from a nearby river and then processed to meet EPA guidelines. The processing is usually done through a waster treatment plant with heavy amounts of chlorine added to kill remaining bacteria that processing does not catch. It is important to note that EPA guidelines are just that - they establish minimum amounts of allowed contamination that may eventually be harmful to both adults and children.

In Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. the drinking water is pumped mainly out of the Potomac River and at least one waste treatment plant.

Contaminants that may be present in this source water include:

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic waste water discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

Contaminants also include pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses.

In addition contaminants may include organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities also affect local tap water.

What is the source of water in Washington D.C.?

The water in the Potomac River, Anacostia River, and Rock Creek flows into the District from outside jurisdictions. For example, the Potomac River begins in West Virginia, while the Anacostia River begins in Maryland. The quality of water in the District is thus affected by activities throughout the watershed.

Storm water runoff from commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural sites, point source pollutants from wastewater treatment plants and industrial discharges, and combined sewer overflows from as far away as West Virginia and Pennsylvania all contribute to the quality of water in the District and Northern Virginia.

What About Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s)

CSO’s frequently occur when natural events like flooding overcome the capacity of waste treatment plants and raw sewage is pumped back into the water source like the Potomac River.

During periods of significant rainfall, the capacity of a combined sewer may be exceeded. When this occurs, regulators are designed to let the excess flow, which is a mixture of storm water and sanitary wastes, to be discharged directly to the Anacostia River, Rock Creek, the Potomac River, or tributary waters. This excess flow is called Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO). Release of this excess flow is necessary to prevent flooding in homes, basements, businesses, and streets but it adds bacteria and contaminants as potential threats to tap water.

Since a portion of the tap water comes from sewerage treatment plants CSO’s can adversely affect the quality of our receiving waters in a number of ways:

CSO’s contain material which contributes to high bacteria levels in the receiving waters. Organic material in CSO’s can contribute to low dissolved oxygen levels, which can contribute to a potential for fish stress or fish kills, especially in summer months; and, debris in CSO’s such as plastic bottles, Styrofoam cups (otherwise known as “floatables”) contribute to poor aesthetics.

How Safe For Drinking is Well Water?

Well water, a popular alternative to tap water particularly in Northern Virginia is subject to the same ground water contaminants, chemical discharge waste and organic waste as tap water but is not subject to any regulation whatsoever.

In addition to emitting foul sulphur odors and sediment from the water Northern Virginia well water contains significant amounts of iron in the rock in some areas, particularly the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, resulting in iron “staining.” Sulfide in ground water is also found in parts of the Valley and Ridge where coal or natural gas is present produces an obnoxious odor.

Ground water that is a source of well water also can be contaminated by human activities. Bacteria from septic systems, and nitrate from both septic systems and fertilizer applications, are among the most common contaminants. Since well water is not subject to regulation, the potability and suitability for drinking, of a private well is the responsibility of the homeowner and many private wells are contaminated.

Treating Drinking Water From Wells

The Sate of Virginia strongly recommends treatment of well water with chlorine to kill bacteria in well water and, in an effort to overcome the obnoxious smell and taste of chlorine, de chlorination. Again, this process is not controlled by any state or Federal agency.

Two general kinds of water treatment are disinfecting and conditioning. To ensure that the supply is free of harmful bacteria, water is disinfected. Objectionable tastes, odors, and matter are removed by conditioning.

Well Water Disinfection Methods

Drinking water is most commonly tested for coliform bacteria, which live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. Coliform bacteria in a well are usually the result of a faulty septic system or contaminated surface water entering the well or water delivery system.

Materials and tools used in well construction are frequently contaminated withbacteria that live in the soil and these can be introduced into the water system while constructing the well, installing components of the piping system, or servicing any part of the water supply system. The State of Virginia strongly recommends that the water system be disinfected following construction and after all repairs.

Chlorination is used to disinfect private supplies because it destroys bacteria within a reasonable contact time and provides residual protection. However,ordinary levels of chlorination are not always effective in destroying Giardia cysts, which cause a severe gastrointestinal illness. Super-high levels of chlorination,boiling and filtering are the only effective methods to destroy or remove these cysts.

High chlorine concentrations can have objectionable tastes and odors, and even low chlorine concentrations react with some organic compounds to produce strong, unpleasant tastes and odors.

To eliminate these offensive tastes and to remove excessive amounts of chlorine, the water is then dechlorinated. Activated carbon filters are the most common devices used to dechlorinate water, remove objectionable chlorine tastes, and reduce corrosion of plumbing systems.

In addition to removing taste and odor problems, reports have shown that granular activated carbon absorption is the best method currently available to remove specific organic chemicals (including some pesticide residues), and as a method for radon removal.

How Safe is Tap and Well Water for Drinking?

Municipalities, well owners and even the EPA claim that tap and well water in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. is perfectly safe for drinking but one must wonder. Consider the source of tap water in light of sewage treatment, heavy chlorine additive and waste discharge in the Potomac River and one starts to wonder. Also consider that well water is subject to most of the contaminants of tap water but is unregulated as well.

Is Drinking Bottled Water an Alternative to Tap or Well?

The popularity of bottled water has grown tremendously as Americans seek healthy lifestyles and better tasting water. But not all bottled water is healthier than the tap or well alternative.

Up to 25% of all bottled water on the market is tap water repacked in plastic bottles and bottled water that is not purified often contains minerals and other contaminants that may be harmful to your health. These contaminants are not only unhealthy and affect the taste of the water but limit storage life for emergency supplies of drinking water.

Purified water however, using a distillation and oxygenation process, provides the water drinker the safest and best tasting alternative to contaminated tap and well water in Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Distillation removes the water from the contaminants in a process that insures purity and oxygenation adds a light refreshing taste to the remaining purified water.

Consider the long term health of you and your family and build a healthy lifestyle on pure drinking water.

Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water and bottled water delivery go to elementh2o elementh2o

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Erectile Dysfunction or Impotence - What Is It About?

Impotence can also be called Erectile Dysfunction. It refers to the inability of a man to maintain an erection during sex. It can include a reduced sense of sexual excitement, which in turn leads to a loss of an erection.

Getting An Erection and Love-Making

A man must be sufficiently aroused by one or more means to enjoy a firm erection. The arousal can be psychological or physical or even both together.

Generally the method of stimulation required to achieve arousal can be what a man views or feels. Also the utilisation of sensual or erotic language can have the desired effect too. On the other hand it can be his imagination producing thoughts and images that are of a sexual nature. Many men enjoy a combination of the both fantasy and reality.

Erections That Are Involuntary

It is well known that men get a type of erection that can be referred to as an involuntary erection. In other words an erection that he has not deliberately set out to have. A man may often notice he has an erection in bed in the morning and just before emptying his bladder. During the night the bladder has been filling with urine and this has in turn pressed on the prostate gland. Stimulating the prostate gland brings sexual arousal and this results in an erection.

There will be other times when a man gets an erection that is involuntary. For instance, a man can be sexually aroused when in the company of a person who he finds attractive sometimes. He will not necessarily want to have an erection but because he is sexually stimulated there is a good possibility that he will experience an erection anyway.

How Does the Body Achieve An Erection?

Inside the un-erect penis there are three empty chambers. These chambers fill with blood and the penis becomes stiff and erect. The penis grows longer and gets wider too.

When sexual stimulation (physical or imagined) or involuntary stimulation is present, the brain sends a message to increase the blood pressure in the body and to send blood to enlarge the penis. The three chambers in the penis fill with blood and the penis becomes hard and erect.

For the duration of sexual arousal, the penis will stay enlarged and blood is stopped from escaping from the penis by muscles at the base.

Interestingly the nervous systems of the body play an important part in all of this. The parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous system are the two in question. Usually only one of these systems dominates at any one time. However to achieve an erection the two systems work together.

This information can provide a better idea of how impotence or erectile dysfunction arises. If a man experiences anxiety during sex it can alter the balance between the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous system and lead to the loss of an erection.

In summary, impotence or erectile dysfunction is the lack of a lasting erection through to ejaculation. An erection is most often lost just before or during penetration and sometimes in the act of putting a condom on.

Steven Harold is the owner of HypnoSources HypnoSources , for the most powerful hypnosis and subliminal cds around.

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Online Personal Trainers - What’s Your Take? For? Against?

You want to start an exercise program.

So, to start the ball rolling……

You think of going to the gym.

But you’re strapped for time.

Then of course you kick your butts hard to do it on your own, at home.

But you realize you need herculean motivation to move you from inertia to action and it’s a hard, lonely journey ……

Thereafter, you try to look for friends and family members to partner you.

But they and you are not like-minded in the area of exercise……

So you’re left on the same spot, not moving from day 1, the day you decided you want to exercise.

Been there, right?

Actually, there could be a solution for you in this.

What?

By hiring an online personal trainer. To start you off.

Do you buy the idea when I tell you that online personal trainers can give you the right amount of motivation and direction to help you start an exercise program?

That they custom-design exercise program and meal plans that tailor to your body type and body needs, throw in mentoring and supporting advice, track your performance and pull you up to your mark, if you fall off the track?

You’d say: “I don’t believe they do that!”

Oh, they do. The good, solid professional ones, that is.

And believe it or not, you won’t have to pay tons to get them either.

You’ll be able to get value for the money spent.

Let’s do a comparison of sorts here:

1. If you sign up a gym membership, you’d probably pay, say $50 - $100 per month

2. If you hire a physical trainer, you probably need to pay an hourly fee of $100 - $120

3. But if you sign-on an online personal trainer, you probably pay a monthly fee that’s as low as under $30

A decent charge here, I would say, hiring an online personal trainer.

This is in exchange for customized exercised program with healthy meal plans throw in to help you lose weight. Plus mentoring, supporting advice, motivation and the “nib at the butt” push tactic to nudge you along to exercise.

I know it’s a momentous step to start an exercise program. I’m sure you want to do it right, enjoy it and in return have a lean, healthy body. Online personal trainers could be your best bet to get you started.

A good trainer will propel you not only to exercise, but also coach you sufficiently to do it on your own, once you decide to leave the trainer’s “nest”.

A good trainer also motivates you when you’re off track, encourages you when you’re down because of poor or less than at-par results as well as brings you up to the desired performance level.

The Case for Online Personal Trainers

I’m not trying to extol the virtues of online personal trainers here.

You see, these facts remain -

1. They save you quite a bit of money. We’ve seen that.

2. They save you time. You don’t waste time fixing up appointment with your “physical” personal trainer, traveling to the gym, waiting around for your turn when your trainer’s busy

Just get online, access your exercise program, and there you go meet your “virtual” trainer!

3. They give you “full time” coaching 24/7, no matter where you’re. Imagine, you can workout even if you’re vacationing or on business trips overseas

4. They give you custom-design exercise program that tailors to your body type and body needs. You won’t be getting one-size-fits-all program that doesn’t fit you

5. They give you full control over where you want to exercise - at the gym, at home, at the work place, in your kitchen, bedroom, garden, backyard….you name it

6. They give timely response to any of your exercise problems and issues, vide e-mails or phone calls

7. They guide you to eat a healthy, nutritious weight loss diet. Though not nutritionists per se, online personal trainers are quite well-knowledged in the area of nutrition

8. They give you the result you want. That’s the most revitalising aspect of hiring an online personal trainer

The Case against Online Personal Trainers

OK, online personal trainers aren’t the perfect lot.

I can think of several reasons why you won’t sign them up:

1. You doubt whether you could trust the trainer (a total stranger) enough, to discuss your body , health and fitness issues

2. Online personal trainers train by virtual means i.e. every aspect of the training is done online without them having to come into physical contact with you. You’d questioned the effectiveness of this kind of training

3. You fear the misfortune of hiring unqualified trainers with questionable credentials and dubious character, dishing out unsound and unprofessional exercise advice, which may harm your body or health

4. You’re wary of underhanded tactics that could compromise your health and fitness levels, such as they don’t evaluate your training results to assess your progress but tell you they do or they don’t custom-design an exercise program that fits your body type but tell you they do

5. It will be hard to know if you do the exercise movements correctly as the trainer is not there physically to guide you

Well, not to worry too much about the above “against” factors.

What I want to share here is that online personal trainers can be effective, providing you with proper training and guidance regarding exercise.

The trick is to find one who’s good and trustworthy, plus having these attributes:

1. Certified and qualified to train with certification from well-established fitness organizations such as International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and the American Council of Exercise (ACE)

2. Qualities you can relate to such as listening to you and always has a positive aptitude and attitude in all dealings with you

3. Regularly comes up with new exercises that won’t compromise your safety

4. Provides sample exercise plan that sets out the sets, repetitions, intensity and frequency of exercise. Also provides a method for visually communicating proper exercise technique

5. Establishes accountability by tracking, assessing and evaluating your performance regularly, to keep you on track with your exercise goal that’s been agreed on between you and the trainer

6. Sincere, honest and shows keen interest in your well being in exercise, health and fitness

7. You feel comfortable with the trainer. This is important as a relationship of trust between you and the trainer can then be nurtured

What’s Your Take Then?

Whether you’re for or against online personal trainers, the important fact remains -

That you need to exercise. Period.

It doesn’t really matter by what route you want to do it.

And online personal trainers are one of the many good options for you if you just start out to exercise.

The thing to do- if you opt for online training, select a trainer whom you’re comfortable with and confident in his or her ability to help you achieve your exercise, health and fitness goals.

Then, the rest of your exercise program will just fall in place.

Try it.

Cecelia Yap is a seasoned exerciser who walks the talk concerning exercise.

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What To Do With A Woman Who Has Commitment Phobia

A woman with commitment phobia always feels insecure and vulnerable when it comes to marriage. She wants to postpone the decision; is often confused and does not know how to get out of the relationship. Unlike men, women with commitment phobia don’t go around hunting for men. They develop natural relationships; relationships in which they believe but which they are not willing to sustain. In the process they not only hurt men but also hurt themselves.

They find it very difficult to get out of such relationships. There is a feeling of guilt; sometimes even of remorse. But these feelings are overpowered by a strong feeling of fear. There is a great reluctance to approach the subject of marriage. At the same time, there is despair too. They don’t want to let go the man who has brought such happiness in their lives. But they only end up leaving their partners confused, bewildered and angry.

Why do women turn into commitment phobes

The psychologists see a clear relationship between commitment phobia and a traumatic childhood. Their studies show that women who suffer from commitment phobia are deeply influenced by their childhood experiences that have seared their subconscious minds and given birth to such unrealistic fears.

According to the psychologists, commitment phobia can be caused by any of the following three situations that a child may have undergone during her formative years:

1. Death of a parent: Children may not show grief but they are very sensitive. A few of them may find it very difficult to accept the passing of their father or mother to whom they were deeply attached. Some of them can’t bear to see the grief of their father or mother. This is when their mind decides that they should not allow themselves to get into similar situations. The logic is that there will be no grief if there is no long-term relationship.

2. A messy divorce: There are many children who go into a shell when they see their parents bickering over small things, and finally breaking up. There are some girls who cannot reconcile themselves to their stepfathers or stepmothers and cannot forgive their parents for what they have done to their lives. Marriage to these girls seems to be a relationship where they can only expect bitterness and hurt. That is why they are so keen to avoid the “imagined” pains of marriage.

3. Abusive relationship: Some girls are never able to get over the abuses inflicted by their parents, especially their fathers. They therefore do not want to surrender to men once again, but want to prize their independence much more. They are mortally scared to risk an unhappy wedding or another abusive relationship.

A fourth reason for women avoiding long-term relationships is purely professional. They may enter into a relationship at a time when their career is poised to take off. They are so attached to their career prospects that they are not willing to compromise on them. Instead they want to postpone the marriage to a future date, which, in most cases, never comes. But such successful women invariably attract men who want to possess them.

How to spot a commitment phobe

It is not easy to spot women who suffer from commitment phobia. They do not go around lavishing love and affection freely, or trying to seduce every man who catches their fancy. In fact, they appear more vulnerable and insecure, triggering relationships where a man wants to protect them. This is how most such relationships begin.

However, the men do not know what they are doing. They are involuntarily getting sucked into a relationship that does not have a future. The best they can do is to probe why the woman for whom they feel so strongly has not found a partner. It should strike them as odd if the woman tells them that her relationships are invariably short. They may, of course, be blinded by love and believe that it would not happen to them. But then they will be making a big mistake.

A better option would be to make the woman talk about herself and her early life, to understand why she has had such unstable relationships. This can make the woman share her fears, however unrealistic they are. The man can throw a protective umbrella around her, and offer her security that she has all along been missing. But there is no guarantee that the woman will be able to exorcise her fears. The relationship may still end on a note of unhappiness and bitterness with the woman pushing her partner away, but the partner refusing to let her go and suffer her fears alone.

Can counseling help?

A last resort is to convince the commitment phobe to seek professional help. A trained psychologist may be able to wipe the fears away. A hypnotist can also be able to remove the fears of the past. But much depends on how much the woman is willing to open herself, and how much emotional support the man is willing to bring to the relationship.

There is always the possibility that the commitment phobe may be able to exorcise her fears. But it is also possible these fears may return to haunt her after marriage. Then you can be sure that the marriage will be short-lived. It will not be able to withstand the hallucinations and unrealistic fears of a commitment phobe.

In the other situation, where a woman places her career first, the man must be ready to compromise. He should never question her priorities even if it hurts his male ego every day or every week. Once again, this is not going to be a stable relationship, and will die sooner than later.

Cucan Pemo

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Battle of the Bulge in NYC

Fast food chains are fighting a recent New York ruling that says restaurants must put calorie information on their menus. The city has given restaurants until October of this year before they will start handing out fines - but it looks like the battle lines are being drawn.

What have you got to hide?

A spokesperson for the fast food industry says the rules, which require calorie content displayed in type at least as large as the price, will create the need for huge menu boards and confuse the customers. I wonder if they are maybe concerned about something else - like revealing that a typical burger meal adds up to about 1200 calories in a single sitting.

The industry says that they have made calorie and nutrition information available for a long time, which is true. But putting it 10-clicks deep on your website versus in the face of the customer getting ready to place an indulgent order are two different things.

The American Medical Association is backing up the movement in New York. They are asking all fast food restaurants to add nutrition information to their menus everywhere, not just in the Big Apple (which may find more people eating apples after this law takes hold).

The bottom line is that most people have no idea how many calories they are taking in at their favorite fast food stop. Many single fast food meals contain about enough calories for a whole day - but without most of the required nutrition.

The health toll

New estimates from the US government predict that by 2050, when today’s elementary school kids are in their mid 40s, we will have 48 million diabetics. Too many trips to the drive through are likely a big factor. Over the past 15 years, we have seen the number of new diabetic cases double per capita.

Diabetes carries with it increased risk of heart disease, blindness, deafness, loss of limbs and all kinds of other stuff you don’t want yourself or your kids to deal with. But current trends suggest that 1 out of 3 of today’s kids will face these problems. In the small town where I live, we have about 1500 kids in the school district. That’s 500 future diabetics just from here, assuming we are an average American town.

The economic toll

Today we spend about $1 out of every $8 health care dollars on the treatment of diabetes or related conditions. The British Health System already predicts their own bankruptcy and collapse due to the increases in diabetes. What are we doing to ourselves? Why are we deliberately shooting ourselves in the foot?

Maybe in the next presidential debate we should encourage candidates to spend less time talking about how to pay for health care and more time talking about how to make it less necessary.

I applaud the movement in New York. I hope that eventually the mega fast food companies will come around to provide us with healthier food that can sustain us well into our old age instead of driving us into and early grave. Vote with your dollars and eventually you will get what you want.

Copyright (c) 2007 The Brain Code LLC

Simon Evans

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