Body Care: Why You Should Take Care Of Your Body and Your Health

People who were following the plan regularly filled their plates with bacon, cheese, high fat meats, mayonnaise... Atkins is refining that strategy. Learn more.

By: Shannon Clark

The popular "Atkins Diet" used to be known by many as the steak and eggs diet, where you basically ate as much protein and fat as your body could handle while disregarding carbohydrates from your diet and overlooking where your fat was coming from.

People who were following the plan regularly filled their plates with bacon, cheese, high fat meats, mayonnaise - basically anything that was protein and fat. The more the better.

The theory behind this was that because protein and fat are both more satiating, you wouldn't be as hungry and therefore wouldn't take in as many total calories and would see a weight loss. Furthermore, since you weren't supplying your body with any carbohydrates, you would have a higher chance of staying in fat burning mode (since carbohydrates cause an insulin spike and put a halt to fat burning).

The problem however that came about as a result of this diet, was that many people started worrying about their overall health, particularly with respect to heart disease and high blood pressure as it is well known that high saturated fat intakes can aggravate these conditions.

So now, Atkins has revitalized their approach. They are no longer just focusing on foods that are high in protein and fat, but are taking a more well rounded approach to their diet guidelines and touting the importance of healthy carbohydrates and fats combined with protein.

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How The Diet Is Laid Out

The Atkins Diet still is composed of four different phases, the first one being the most strict and intended to kick start weight loss while the last one guides you along the path of healthy weight maintenance.

Body Care: Why You Should Take Care Of Your Body and Your Health

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com

Updated: December 31, 2006

Relaxation Techniques Lower Stress Health People Stress Strain Ways to Reduce Stress

If your health fails, it can overshadow everything else that’s going on in your life. From relatively minor health issues such as aches and pains, lethargy, and indigestion to major health problems that can threaten your existence, health can really impact happiness and stress levels. Making a commitment to taking on healthier habits this year can have a far-reaching payoff: you’ll feel better in everything you do. Here are a few healthy habits that carry a big impact:

Eat A Helthy Diet For The Right Reasons: Rather than eating right for the promise of looking better in your jeans, you should make a commitment to eating foods that will boost your energy level and keep your system running smoothly. This is because what you eat can not only impact your short-term and long-term health, it can affect your stress levels. If you're hungry ur malnourished, you may be more emotionally reactive to stressors, or may not have the reserves to handle what comes up as efficiently as you would if you were operating on a full stomach of healthy food. Watching what you eat can be a stress management tool as well as a health preserver.
Make Sleep A Priority: Make a commitment to get enough sleep at night. If you haven't gotten adequate sleep, you may be less productive, less mentally sharp, and otherwise more prone to the effects of stress. Carve out a full eight hours, avoid caffeine after 2pm, and adopt a calming technique such as meditation, and let your body restore itself each night. You’ll feel better all day.
Watch What You Put Into Your Body: Avoid putting unhealthy substances into your body; nicotine, excess alcohol, and even excessive caffeine can take a toll on your health in the long run, but also make you feel lousy overall in your day-to-day life. Find healthier ways to manage stress, and you'll enjoy double health and stress management benefits!

Return to the Gym Workout

By: Manny Fausset

Recently, after training steadily for 18 months, I decided to take a long absence from the gym. It was difficult at first, since the gym atmosphere has been my second home for eight (8) years now. This was very difficult for me, not only because of the great physical catharsis that working out provides, but also because a lot of my friends work out and the only time I see them is at the gym. Like myself, my friends' personal lives are so full, that the only time we would get to visit is at the gym or not at all. However, the time away from the gym allowed me to pay more attention to other aspects of my life that I had long neglected and finally acquiesced to my mother and took a long needed vacation.

During my vacation, I went to Texas and visited my family for a week and allowed myself to indulge in my mother's home cooking (a little too much). My vacation was perfect; during the day, I would visit old school friends, and in the evening, the family would gather around the fire and sip whiskey. Once I returned, however, I could feel the neglect from my absence of the gym was felt around my waistline. I decided it was time to get back in the gym again and hit the weights again.

Recalling my former experiences of over-zealousness in the return to the gym, I decided to modify my workout so as not to overtrain and not incur an injury. I found this workout very accommodating and effective in helping me getting me back to my strength levels and general fitness back without "killing" myself and preventing any injuries. I prefer the "three on one off" routines, meaning, work out for three consecutive days, and take the fourth day off. Once my body returned to its pre-vacation shape, I would then go back to full intensity and weight.

Week One:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, and Abdominal;

Bench Press: 2 X 15
Flyes: 2 X 15
Behind the Neck Press (Standing) 2 X 15
Side Raises 2 X 15
Close Grip Bench 2 X 15
Triceps Pushdowns 2 X 15

Day 2: Legs

Leg Presses 2 X 20
Squats 2 X 15, Leg Extensions 2 X 15
Leg Curls 2 X 15, Stiff-Legged-Deadlifts 1 X 15
Standing Calf Raises 4 X 15

Day 3: Back and Biceps

Seated Rows 2 X 15
Wide Grip Pulldowns 2 X 15, Hyperextensions 2 X 15
Preacher Bench Curls 2 X 15
Hammer Curls 2 X 15

Throughout the execution of the exercises, the weight should be light yet moderately taxing to which you should be able to do the second set of the exercise with one to two minute's rest. Any more than two minutes, the weight is too heavy. Again, this is only a recommended workout schedule. The point of the workout is too allow the muscle fibers, ligaments, tendons, insertions to adapt to the strain of load bearing exercises, which, in essence, laying down the foundation. Without laying the foundation, the lifter will experience an injury.

After conducting the workout for one - two weeks, modify the workout to include medium weight or a repetition range between 10 - 12 repetitions. For example:

Week Two:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps;
(Do not count warm-up sets)
Bench Press 1 X 15
1 X 10
Incline Press 1 X 15, 1 X 10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 1 X 15
1 X 10
Rear Shoulder Raises 1 X 15
1 X 10
Triceps Close Grip Bench 1 X 15
1 X 10
Triceps Pushdowns 1 X 15, 1 X 10

Modify your entire workout and exercises for all your other body parts as shown above. The purpose of the modified workout is to work not only your red muscle fibers, but also your intermediate muscle fibers. Again, let me remind you is this workout is not for size, strength, but for easing back into your old routine and giving your body an opportunity to adjust to the heavy weight and intensity.

Once your body has adjusted to the prior workout, it's time to add the heavy set to your workout. Again, I will use the day one workout scenario to make an example of how a return to the gym workout would look like:

Week Three:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps;

(Do not include warm-up sets)
Bench Press 1 X 15, 1 X 10 - 12, 1 X 6 - 8
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press 1 X 15, 1 X 10 - 12, 1 X 6 - 8
Shoulder Dumbbell Press 1 X 15, 1 X 10 - 12, 1 X 6 - 8
Shoulder Dumbbell Side Raises 1 X 15, 1 X 10 - 12, 1 X 6 - 8
Lying Triceps Extension 1 X 15, 1 X 10 - 12, 1 X 6 - 8
Triceps Pushdowns 1 X 15, 1 X 10 - 12, 1 X 6 - 8

The entire workout, in theory, should allow you full recovery of every set within 1 - 2 minutes after each set completion. If however, you discover that your recovery between sets is longer, drop the weight. If your recovery is taking approximately 30 seconds, then you should increase the weight. The purpose of this workout is to allow your body an "active recovery" back to your former self before the long imposed vacation.

In addition, allow your body to recover fully from each cycle, for example, after your Day 1 workout, if your upper body doesn't feel sore at all, then perhaps its time to go into the second week workout. What I have basically outlined above is the sets and repetitions approximations; try not to deviate from the time/repetitions approximations, however, as for the exercises, feel free to modify to your desire. Personally, I hate flat Barbell Bench Press because I feel that Dumbbell Bench Press gives me a greater stretch at the bottom of the movement, so feel free to modify the workout to the exercises you like or use machines if that is your preference. But nonetheless, do not compromise your form in order to finish your set.

Best wishes,

Saturday, 30 January 2010

Healing Your Baby Naturally

From skin irritations through to painful colic, nature offers an abundance of plants which have been used for centuries to heal these conditions and the trend toward natural and organic preparations of these plants is becoming evermore popular due to their efficacy, purity and concerns about harmful environmental toxins in non-organic products.

The most common complaints of newly borns in the post partum period are:
- skin-rash & cradle cap
- colic
- jaundice
- constipation
- thrush

Skin Rash & Cradle Cap
Skin irritation around the nappy area or Nappy Rash may be due to sweating from wearing materials that do not breathe well, allergies to laundry products, inadequate nappy washing or irritation from urine and stool exposure. Acting immediately is important as nappy rash can progress into raw blisters and ulcers and is extremely uncomfortable for baby. Keep the area as clean and dry as possible, and use a designated cream such as Weleda Rash Relief cream, a combination of plant extracts that soothe itching, reduce inflammation and prevent infection. This includes Calendula and Chamomile, St Johns Wort and Nettle which give relief from itching and pain. Avoid talcum powders and any creams with synthetic ingredients such as perfumes and preservatives as they will irritate.

At bathing time, you can add dried herbs such as relaxing chamomile, calming rose and soothing calendula petals to the bathwater, and let your baby slowly absorb the active ingredients of these warm aromatic herbs. To better conserve your babys natural skin oil levels, avoid over-bathing. Where a baby develops a rash condition over the body, it is useful to use anti-inflammatory herbs in an ointment or lotion form, to gently soothe the skin and prevent infection. Calendula and chamomile are both great choices.

Cradle cap is a crusty condition of the skin, and appears as thick yellow-brown adherent crusts around the scalp area. It is caused by excessive sebum production, occuring on the scalp as this is one of the more sebum rich areas of the body, and extending to the ears, face and neck. Scratching, over-cleansing and weather will affect cradle cap, so it best to adopt a gentle approach to healing it. To avoid infection and bleeding, never pick at the encrustations! To loosen them, gently rub into the scalp a small amount of Calendula oil and leave over night. The crusted areas that are ready to detach will do so when baby is next bathed. If you add other essential oils such as Lavender or Rosemary, use a maximum of 2% essential oils to base oils such as sesame or extra virgin olive oil, and always do a patch test on the arms first.

Colic
Signs of colic are impatience, irritability, periodical bouts of persistent crying, hardening of the belly, efforting to bend back while feeding at the breast, screaming, high levels of wind and disrupted sleep. To alleviate colic, look at your own diet and limit foods that have a tendency to produce gas or produce allergies such as beans, wheat, peanuts, excessive fruits, onions, garlic, sugar and nuts. Adding fennel, mint, caraway, cumin and ginger to your food will help. Find a dedicated Baby Colic Powder offering all these herbs and spiceds and more in a safe, easy to use preparation. Avoid cold foods such as iced drinks and ice-cream. Stroking in a clockwise direction on the abdomen, rocking and playing with your baby will also help. The wind-relieving pose of yoga (legs bent and thighs pressed up toward the chest) helps to clear gas from the body and should be done slowly and gently with a baby. In some cases food allergies and constipation may be overlooked with a diagnosis of colic. So check that the baby is having regular daily bowel movements, and that there are no food triggers to the symptoms to first rule these out.

Jaundice
Higher than normal levels of bilirubin (5 mg/dl or higher), a substance found in the bile, causes a yellowish discolouration in the skin and whites of the eyes known as Physiologic Jaundice. It first appears in the face and eyes and then progresses downwards to the trunk, arms and legs. This occurs in approximately 60% of newborns, and is more common in pre-term babies (around 80%). It is less common in babies who establish a breastfeeding routine quickly and successfully. Healthy bowel habits and regular stools will ensure that bilirubin is constantly being released from the body, so a baby that feeds well is less likely to experience jaundice. As a guideline new mothers can aim to feed their babies up to 12 times daily on the first few days of life to minimize the risk of jaundice. Drinking teas that nourish breast-milk will help.

Constipation in babies
Constipation is a lack of bowel movements that causes pain and intoxication. Nobody likes to feel constipated, sluggish and stuck. So it is relieving to note that there are many things you can do for your baby to relieve constipation. It occurs in babies for both anatomical and dietary reasons. Also, breastfed babies are less likely to experience constipation, and if it does occur then check for allergy to foods consumed in a mother’s diet such as the wheat and dairy. Check that your diet contains enough vitamin C and magnesium, which support healthy bowel function, and can be shared with baby through the breast milk. Formula fed babies are more likely to experience constipation. A great way to ease the discomfort of constipation is to drink a Nursing Tea which contains many carminatives to support healthy digestion as well as stimulating breast milk flow. Massage is helpful in baby constipation as it stimulates the intestinal movements and the bowels. Apply gentle massage in circular strokes around the abdomen, and to enhance the effect use a tablespoon of warm sesame oil. Baby probiotics may or may not be useful, ensure that there is no bloating or colic first before trying this. Natural yoghurt may be a better choice.

Thrush
The uncomfortable condition of Thrush is characterised by an overgrowth of candida albicans in the digestive system, creating more wind for a baby. Over 35% of newborns experience thrush in the second or third month of life. When baby thrush occurs in the first week of life, it is likely to have been contracted during delivery. The signs of baby thrush are a white coating on the mucosal surfaces of the mouth, which is tenacious and difficult to remove by wiping. The baby may not feed well, and with the abdominal symptoms (bloating and poor digestion), thrush may even seem to present as colic.

Treating thrush involves an anti-fungal program that uses nutrition, diet and herbs. Good nutrition will help, as the condition is more common in under-nourished babies. Ensure good nutrition by eating well yourself and taking herbal or nutritional supplements to stay relaxed and healthy. Breast milk itself contains prebiotics that are then passed to baby. Enhance your breast milk quality with a Nursing Tea. Thrush indicates that bowel flora and digestion are poor, and baby probiotics including lactobacilli and bifidobacteria have been shown to be useful. One way to improve bowel flora health in mother and infant is to consume natural yoghurt.

Care yours body