What is the Acai Berry?

By Josh Irv

What is the deal with the Acai berry? It doesn't grow in America but that can't be why it's the biggest thing since orange juice, can it?

I don't always believe what I hear and I am a nutrition guru. So I had to research the acai berry on my own.

Turns out that the acai berry is native to the amazons. This seems like a very good place for fruit to grow so, so far so good.

Have you ever heard someone say that they have a high metabolism? Well now you can too with the help of eating the acai berry.

Do you have high blood pressure? The answer is most likey if you live in the u.s. This fruit will help you control that to a degree.

What else could this amazing berry possibly do you ask? Well let me tell you that it is rich in protein. This makes it great for post workout drinks and shakes.

Do you eat enough fiber? Well you might consider eating the acai berry. The berry is high in fiber and we could all use more fiber in the diet.

All of this the berry actually tastes good! So it seems to me that this berry is really beneficial to consume. Wanna know more about the acai berry? - 17274

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JOSH WRITES MORE INFO ON acaiberry AND acai berry juice

Join The Revolution! Start Cooking With Beans, Peas, and Lentils.

By Susanne Myers

I'm not one to follow fads, but this just may be a trend worth checking out. According to a 2008 study done by WIC "Food Shopping and Consumption Habits" Staff Survey, 79% of staff report that they regularly consume dry beans and peas. Now, the staff at WIC happen to know a bit about nutrition and value for your dollar, so this is something to consider. Why haven't you tried cooking with dry beans and peas yet? Could be because you just don't know their value or you just haven't tried them. Let's see if we can get you on-board.

Why, you ask? Well, other than joining the trend, how about because legumes are an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc. Because dry beans and peas are similar in nutrition to meats, poultry, and fish, many people consider dry beans and peas an alternative for meat. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate, nutrients sadly lacking in the American diet.

Even if you eat meat, poultry, and fish regularly, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you also consume several cups a week of dry beans and peas simply because of their high nutrient content. Dry beans and peas are a part of the Food Guide (Food Pyramid) "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group", but are also a part of the vegetable group. So, whether you're a vegetarian, substituting dry beans and peas for meat, or you consume dry beans or peas as a vegetable, you are providing your family with the properly balanced nutrition needed for good overall health.

The USDA also helps us out by defining exactly what qualifies as a dry bean or pea. The following is their list, which should clear up any confusion. The list is - black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas aka garbanzo beans, falafel, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans (mature), navy beans, pinto beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu (bean curd made from soy beans), and white beans. Now that you know what to look for, let's go grocery shopping.

Finding some or all of these in your local grocery store shouldn't be difficult. Just walk down the aisle that has the rice and you should walk right past the bags of dry beans and peas. Don't be scared if this is your first time buying dry beans. Take a moment to look at the price. That ought to bring a smile back to your face! Directions for preparation are written on the back of the bag, so you should be feeling a little more secure now.

You'll find not only cooking directions on the bag, but usually a recipe or two. There is no shortage of recipes to be found for cooking with lentils. Just start searching the internet and cookbooks and you'll see what I mean. Some recipes may seem quite familiar. Haven't you made Split Pea Soup? There you go! You've already cooked with dry peas and probably never even thought about it. This isn't going to be so hard to figure out after all.

Now, you're wondering if there is a difference between dry beans and peas and their canned counterparts. Yes and no. For instance, just about any recipe you find for Black Bean Soup can be made with dry beans or canned. The difference boils down to (pardon the pun) boiling the beans. Yes, using dry beans and peas takes time, but the benefits of the dry may outweigh the convenience of the can. If you are watching your pennies (and who isn't), you will appreciate the price difference immediately. Roughly speaking, you'll get about 6 cups of cooked beans out of a 1 pound bag of dry beans, so do the math before you buy, and always shop around and watch the sales. It certainly doesn't hurt to keep some of each, dry and canned, on hand so you are ready for quick meals as well as planned.

Now that you've gone beyond your Simple Split Pea Soup, you'll want to delve into the world of real dry bean and pea cuisine! Starting with a simple Lentil Chili or Hot Kidney Bean Salad, and moving into making a satisfying Congressional Bean Soup, or ever popular Falafel. You may never eat store-bought Chickpea Hummus once you make your own creation. You'll be amazed at how fast you leave that scared "dry bean novice" cook behind to embrace all the possibilities. And now that you've joined the legume bandwagon, spread the word to other folks, and see if you can't start your own revolution! - 17274

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If you have not enjoyed Cajun-style cooking, you may not know how delicious a simple Cajun Red Beans and Rice dish can be. It doesn't take long to fall in love with this delicious dish. Once smitten, you'll want to try the Spicy Italian Beans and Rice for a little something different, too.

Ab Workouts - Muscle Mass vs. Endurance

By Jose Loni

People are always asking which is better, having muscle power or long duration workouts? Generally, any kind of physical activity is great, whether it be muscular power training or longer duration endurance activities. However, if your goal is to have abs that are rock hard, then muscle power training is the way to go.

People often have an ideal image of how they want to look, which determines what type of exercise program they should follow. If looking lean and muscular is your goal, then going for a long run will not be effective.

Muscular endurance activities will condition your body to perform well for that activity. The long, low intensity activity will require your muscles to be light, lean and sleek to be able to last for long distances or durations.

Muscle power training is a great way to increase the body's metabolism. During the hypertrophy phase of training, the body will need to supply the bigger muscles with more energy. The increased size of the muscle also increases its overall metabolic activity, which results in more calories burned.

The food that we eat and the excess fat on our body are used by the muscles providing energy for muscle function. When this occurs, the fat that is stored in the stomach area is used and the abs underneath the fat is more visible.

Resistance training with heavy weights and low repetitions forces the muscles to hypertrophy and increase its overall muscle activity. The increased intensity of the activity will cause a buildup of lactic acid and carbon dioxide. Once the muscles slow down its intensity, the body will then deliver more oxygen to the muscles, to help replenish and remove waste products.

When the body has a chance to get oxygen to the muscles, the body will continue to replenish, and nourish the muscles from the exercise movements. As a result, the increased muscle activity forces the body to use up more calories and burn more fat.

Endurance training is good for cardiovascular health and leading a fit, healthy lifestyle. However, to get abs that are ripped and rock hard, you need to train for muscle mass and really kick start your body to burning fat. When the body becomes more efficient at burning fat, ripped abs will come faster. - 17274

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Beware: PT & Fitness Pro is giving away fat loss workouts and they will melt fat faster than any program you've ever seen!

Choosing a Weight Loss Supplement

By Adrian Paul

If youre planning to lose excess body weight and you have organized an exercise schedule with a healthy and balanced diet plan, you can complement this new lifestyle change by looking for a weight loss supplement that can help to meet your goal weight. Unfortunately, looking for the best weight loss supplement is not an easy task. Since there are hundreds of supplements for weight loss in the market, you can become overwhelmed by the choices you will face. In order to locate the best weight loss supplement for your condition, you need to distinguish your choices and understand how each affects your body. There are several kinds of supplements for weight loss, such as thermogenic or stimulant-free fat burners, carb or fat blockers, thyroid hormone increasers, appetite suppressants and cortisol products. By understanding how each kind of supplement works, you can find the best weight loss supplement based from your individual needs.

Understanding your Choices

If youre looking for the best weight loss supplement, you should never be contented with your friend or familys recommendations. This is because there is no single supplement that could work for all types of people. For an effective weight loss, you need to consider your health condition in buying supplements. One of the most popular weight loss supplements is thermogenic fat burners. These kinds of supplements have no ephedra, which can make a person jumpy or hyperactive. Ephedra-free weight loss supplements are best for people with heart problems or other medical conditions. Thermogenic fat burners work by increasing metabolism and burning fat.

However, if you want to avoid stimulants and caffeine, you should go for stimulant-free fat burners. Although results may vary, people who consume these supplements lose an average of 5 to 10 pounds. On your journey of looking for the best weight loss supplement, you will likely be faced with carb or fat blockers. Carb blockers are usually used alongside a balanced diet, exercise and other fat-burning products. On the other hand, fat blockers work similarly to carb blockers " binding fats in the digestive system, trapping unwanted fats to avoid fat build-ups.

Thyroid hormone increasers are the best weight loss supplement for people who are overweight due to thyroid problems. They work by regulating the thyroid to increase its performance and replace thyroid that your body normally produces. People who are usually stressed with work, academics or other factors can benefit from cortisol products that prevent bad eating patterns when you experience stress.

The best weight loss supplement will largely depend on your personal needs, lifestyle, age and sex, health condition and other factors. However, without regular exercise and a healthy diet, these supplements will not work effectively. - 17274

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Read more on the topic on All Fruits and Whey Protein Supplements

Fitness Tips - Weight Loss Products: How to Spot a Scam

By Marius Hagen

Are you looking to lose weight? If you are, there is a good chance that you will start your own weight loss program. When many individuals start their own weight loss programs, they do so with the help of a number of weight loss products, like diet pills or exercise equipment. If you are interested in buying these types of weight loss products, you need to always be on the lookout of scams, as they do exist.

When it comes to weight loss products, like exercise equipment and diet pills, many people automatically wonder how they can tell if they are being scammed. Unfortunately, you often cannot tell by reading an advertisement in a magazine or online or by watching a television infomercial or even by looking at the weight loss product in question. The best way to determine if the weight loss product you are interested in buying is really worth your money is to do research first.

When it comes to researching weight loss products, there are a number of different ways that you can go about determining if the product or products you want to buy are worth the cost. One of the easiest ways to go about doing so is by visiting the online websites of retailers that allow their customers or the general public to rate or review their products. Many consumers like to alert others to a product that is a waste of money or even alert others to a product that is well worth the cost.

When reading weight loss product reviews, like product reviews for diet pills or exercise equipment, it is important to remember that no product is perfect. Even the best products, like the ones that come highly rated and recommended, will have a few bad reviews. What you need to be cautious of is any weight loss product that has more bad reviews than it does good reviews. This is a surefire sign that the weight loss product in question may not be worth your money.

You can also find product reviews or just specific weight loss products being discussed by performing a standard internet search. When performing a standard internet search, you will want your search phrase to be the name of the weight loss product in question. Your standard internet search may lead you to online message boards where weight loss and other health issues are being discussed. These types of websites and message boards are a great way to also learn about weight loss products that you may not have otherwise came across.

Another way that you can determine if you are being ?scammed,? by a weight loss product, is by examining the online website of the product distributor or manufacturer. When you buy a diet pill or another weight loss supplement, you should be provided with as much information as possible. Be cautious of any product whose website only claims to help you lose weight, but doesn?t explain how it is done. The same can be said for exercise equipment.

Another great way that you can determine if the weight loss products you are interested in buying are worth the money is by speaking with your doctor. Often times, you don?t even have to schedule a visit; a telephone call should get you the answers that you were looking for. Most doctors can let you know if a weight loss pill or supplement that you are interested in buying is worth the money. If they can?t tell you about the specific product in question, there is a good chance that they can at least review the ingredients with you.

Of course, if you have the money to spend on weight loss products, you may be interested in going ahead and buying the product or products in question anyways. That is fine to do, but you also need to remember that many weight loss products. - 17274

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More information on Fitness ? Fitness and Weight loss Free Fitness content : Article24.info

The Food Lover's Guide to Weight Loss

By Barbara Vinciguerra, MS, Fitness Nutrition Coach, Performance Enhancement Specialist

Losing weight doesn't require that you give up your love of food-in fact, healthy weight loss encourages great eating. And that is good news for you, beloved food lover. Great eating means never going hungry and never feeling deprived. Sound good? Read on for the simple guidelines to great eating that result in healthy and long term weight loss.

Four Fat Loss Tips to Put into Practice 1. Eat at least five times a day at regular intervals 2. Eat 4 oz of lean protein at least twice a day 3. Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables and fruit 4. Make every calorie count, this means every bite should pack protein, fiber and fat.

Ten Ways to Dining Out Without Blowing It 1. Don't indulge in bread before your meal arrives 2. Substitute your fries for a side salad, fruit or a baked potato 3. Forgo your soda pop for a tall glass of ice water or tea 4. Instead of burgers, hot dogs and sausages choose sandwiches, subs, salads and lean meats 5. Always order your dressing on the side in order to regulate the amount that you use 6. Put half of your meal in a to go box before you start eating 7. Don't order food that is made with creamy bases, such as white sauce 8. You don't have to clean your plate! If you are full then stop eating 9. Eat your vegetables firstrather than last 10. If it's fried then don't order it

Ten Weight Loss Guidelines 1. Focus on eating a variety of foods every day. 2. Eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors. Green, yellow, orange, red.you get the idea. 3. Eat small meals frequently, preferably 4-6 times. Also avoid overeating or binge eating out of hunger. 4. Say no to excess calories! Avoid putting butter or sour cream on your food. 5. When you feel the first shot of hunger pain, wait it out. If you still feel hungry after 10-15 minutes then eat. If you aren't hungry any more it was likely your emotions speaking and not your tummy! 6. Plan healthy meals ahead of time-this will save you many calories! 7. Stop eating before you feel full. Your brain is slow in receiving the full signal from your tummy-so give it a chance to catch up! 8. Eat fruits and vegetables first, then meats. This forces you to fill up on nutrient dense, yet calorie-sparse, foods first. 9. Drink water instead of soda pop. Your body isn't able to register all of the calories in liquid, so hundreds of calories add up without making you feel full. 10. Trade your white bread in for whole-grain bread, or better yet skip it all together.

Visit www.90dayshapeup.com to learn more about losing weight successfully without "dieting". - 17274

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Barbara Vinciguerra is a 23 year fitness and weight loss industry expert. She is a Health Club Owner and College Professor inM assachusetts. She has her Master's Degree and is a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist and a Certified Fitness and Nutrition Coach. Her 90 Day Shape Up has helped thousands of people lose weight and get in shape. For more information visit 90 Day Shape Up

Benefits of Noni Juice

By Edgar Pell

There is a tree in Hawaii that grows to about 20 feet. It actually lives and thrives in the black lava soil left by volcanoes among most tropical islands. The fruit of this tree is known simply as Noni. Although the tree has been cultivated and transplanted in other tropical areas, it thrives best in these volcanic soils near the ocean, producing a crop of fruit all year round. The transplanted and newly cultivated crops in other areas only grow in a shrub like form and do not produce as much as the native plant does.

All parts of the Noni tree can be used for something. The bark and leaves are used by many natives and health food industries for herbal and natural healing and medicinal remedies. Cooked or raw, the noni fruit is edible, although few like the sour, spoiled flavor that has earned it the nickname starvation fruit.

There are several large companies that have started producing and marketing noni juice. As with any product, make sure you are getting the juice fresh, and without additives and preservatives, if possible. Noni juice contains 17 known amino acids, 9 of them are the ones that the FDA has determined are essential to a healthy system. This juice also contains essential fatty acids that are important in skin, nerve, heart and blood vessel health.

Destruction of free radicals and cancer prevention are front runners in health concerns today. Glycosides are important in the fight against both of these destructive forces. Citrus fruits and juices contain Limonene which is responsible for cancer fighting agents.

Nitric Oxide is also in the make-up of the Noni Juice. Nitric Oxide is involved in almost every function of the body, including but not limited to behavioral changes in your brain, properly functioning blood cells, a good immune system, dilation of blood cells, relaxation of our airways, and the proper beating of our heart.

You will find exceptional amounts of Phytonutrients and Polysaccharides in noni juice, which provide nourishment for cells, organs and tissue, fighting free radicals, helping to prevent cancer, and having a reversing effect on aging and pollution. Selenium, also, is an important mineral that helps preserve the skins elasticity, slows the aging process and helps keep the oxygen flowing to the heart. It helps prevent clotting to the arteries of the heart and prevents hypertension. This is another trace element that is found in Noni Juice.

Medical researchers have come to the conclusion that the body needs extra amounts of Xeronine on a daily basis. The body is not able to absorb and store enough of this trace element to keep us functioning healthy. Noni Juice, which is the world's best source of Xeronine, has enough of this element to replenish what the body needs and loses day by day. - 17274

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Starting to get curious about how much noni juice can help you and your loved ones? Take this time to swing by the Noni Fruit Organization website to learn more about this incredible superfruit and how it can help you become more healthy.

Child Weight Loss Management

By Marius Rose

Obesity is becoming a major issue among both adults and children. Although adults can easily lose the weight through daily stressful tasks, losing weight for children can become a problem that they will suffer until they grow up. Be aware that excessive weight can endanger the health of your child and serious treatment should be undertaken. Child weight loss management is important because it can prevent possible health problems. Planning your childs weight loss plan involves different aspects to succeed. The first thing you should do is set the goals for your children. However, make sure that the goals you set for you child are attainable. When setting goals, a five to ten-pound weight loss is enough for your child to achieve. Be aware that when you set large goals, your child may become discouraged once he or she did not reach this monthly goal.

Child weight loss management involves both physical and psychological support from the parents. As a parent, you need to help your child limit the amount of fatty or high-calorie foods that he or she eats in the house.

Child Weight Loss Management Aids

Once you explained to your child about his or her monthly weight loss goals, you need to help your child go through the whole process. A helpful aid for your childs weight loss is a food diary. The function of a food diary is to determine all the foods eaten by your child and information about where and when it was eaten. Although this diary can help you determine calorie intake, it can also spot your childs eating patterns, which can help in eliminating problem foods in your diet.

If you child is overweight or obese, it is best to consult with a dietician and ask for a diet program for your childs weight loss management. A balanced diet should contain essential vitamins and minerals, but with fewer fattening calories. For a balanced weight loss program for your child, you have to encourage him or her in performing regular physical activities, such as sports. Exercise is an important aspect needed for an effective and long-term weight loss. You can also support your child with exercising (or playing table tennis, jogging, swimming, etc) with him or her daily.

Aside from physical changes, you also need to incorporate psychological aspects of your childs weight loss program. Make sure you teach your child on how to modify behaviors that may be the reason for his or her weight problem. Through every step of the child weight loss management, you need to be supportive of your childs development no matter how many pounds he or she lost each month. With a proper diet, regular exercise, behavior modifications and complete parental support, your child can be free from possible health problems cause by excessive body fats. - 17274

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We recommend a good Strawberry Pizza or Raspberry Tea for your child weight loss management program

Uncover the Truth Behind What Makes Up A Balanced Meal

By Michael Parkes

Preparing a balanced meal may seem to be an arduous task, but once you know the hints and tips to getting the balance right, it will be much easier. An extremely good method to learn how to prepare a balanced meal, is by getting to know how food types are differentiated in the food pyramid.

Knowing what makes up a balanced meal helps in a big way when cooking for your family and yourself. There are 5 major groups of food types, which are carbohydrates, protein, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. There are also a number of recommended servings per day for optimum health.

Frozen foods can also be surprisingly nutritious. A frozen meal of some meat, fish or chicken, accompanied by vegetable, tasty fruits, juice and some milk can be a nutritionally balanced meal as well. The nutrients from the foods are still well-maintained in these food items despite them being frozen.

Everyone?s energy intake is different. This depends a lot on age, fitness and body shapes. It is advisable to match your daily food intake to your energy needs. This helps to maintain weight. Generally, a meal prepared according to the food pyramid is an excellent choice.

The next big thing is making sure that the carbohydrates you choose contains low glycemic index (GI). The low GI carbohydrates provide you with energy throughout the day in a slow, continuous fashion. This slow release of energy keeps you feeling fuller for longer and helps to maintain your physical requirements for energy.

When preparing a balanced meal, try to choose lean meat such as low-fat meat, fish or chicken. These help to build and maintain the muscle components in the body. Eggs are also a good choice for building muscle mass.

Why is it important to have a balanced meal? One of the reasons is that having excess calories causes someone to gain weight easily. Once a person?s body mass index (BMI) is too high, this could increase the person?s risk of getting various medical complications. Therefore, healthy eating is a major part in maintain health.

Exercising is an important part of maintaining health. The balanced meal and exercise complements each other in helping one achieve good health. It works together to bring you better quality of life. - 17274

About the Author:

Micheal Parkes is an avid food lover. He runs an informational website that uncovers the truth behind what makes up a balanced meal. To explore this free information, make sure you visit http://www.online-food-guide.com to learn more excellent food hints.

Stretch and Strengthen Your Muscles for Better Performance

By MARIO T. PARKS

A bodybuilder can benefit from stretching, one of the most valuable aspects of any fitness routine, since it gears up your muscles before each workout and decreases the possibility of injuries. When you want to perfect your technique and exercise with good form, completing a stretching circuit will help you get on the right track for any type of workout.

The warming up part of your stretching routine helps in the supply of oxygen and blood to your joints and muscles. A warm up routine can be as simple as a fast-paced walk, jumping rope or completing a 5-10 minute session on the stationary bike. You do this to get blood pumoing throughout your body and to increase your heart rate.

Next, you'll need to prepare your joints by completing movements that encourage your muscles to extend through their entire range of motion.The author of the book Getting Stronger, Bill Pearl, explains how it helps to prevent the self from injuries by preparing the joints before engaging in a workout through stretching.To lessen the body's soreness after lifting and stress on the muscles, it is also necessary to do stretching.

When you begin the stretching routine, you'll need to stretch only until you feel slight tension in the muscle group and will need to hold this stance for at least 15-20 seconds. Relax for several seconds, then push just a little further for another 15-20 seconds. Make sure you are inhaling and exhaling deeply throughout each push so your body can take in fresh oxygen at each step.

In order to protect your muscles and joints, you'll need to make sure you're not bouncing your muscles on each count. Many beginning bodybuilders and athletes make the mistake of bouncing or jerking their muscles as they perform each stretch, and this can actually do more harm than good. An intensive weight training may require you to go through longer stretching routines to ensure that increasing flexibility is your focus. Bodybuilders and weight lifters become especially flexible and limber because of the continuous stretching practice.You may be able to perform your exercises with better control and good form as you enhance your flexibility and by increasing the intensity and resistance, you may have better returns of muscle gains.

Injuries may be prevented and you can make the most out of your core muscle groups when you know how to keep the right stance in your stretching exercises.Prevent yourself from injuries by using appropriate workout gears like shoes or boots as they can help you achieve balance and maintain the straight posture of your neck and body in each routine.Tucking your abdominal muscles to support your spine is another means. Although mastering these movements takes time, it will help you significantly when you aim to practice consistently all the basic routines in stretching.

Most importantly, breathe! With adequate supply of oxygen in the body, you can sustain your energy throughout your workout and and may be able to do each movement well.This can be done by breathing in as you start your stretching, holding your breath when you push, and exhaling as you transition to the next routine. - 17274

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Natural Supplementation is an Effective Way To Enhance Your Well Being and Improve Your Performance. Stemulite is a New, All-Natural Supplement, Used by Many Body-Builders and Athletes. People Also Frequently Report Having a Deeper, and Fuller Sleep when Taking Stemulite Before Going to Bed.

Are muscle building supplements worthless?

By Jon Cardozo

Recently I read a book on goal setting, and it had some important insights I wanted to share with you. The author provided many tips on setting a goal properly, including writing it down on paper, breaking it into smaller chunks, and identifying the obstacles that you'll need to overcome to reach the goal. However, one concept that stuck with me was the emphasis on long-term achievements instead of short term gains.

Like many people, I usually focused on the short term results of my actions rather than focusing on a long-term investment. Basically, if a project didn't work out immediately, I would get discouraged or distracted and move on to something else. After all, there's always something new and exciting to drag you away. Now, how exactly does this tie into strength training or muscle building?

I hope you see the relevance to weight training. Instead of focusing on immediate results, you have to be in this for the long haul. Instead of focusing on supplements, you must learn the foundations of muscle building. I've explained in other articles that supplements are not necessary (and usually not even helpful) when it comes to muscle building.

Supplements are not the foundation of muscle building, and they will not determine your success or failure. You may be wondering, then, why so many choose to follow the latest supplement fad.

If supplements are not necessary for muscle building, why are they so popular? I think the main reason is that many beginners (and perhaps a few veterans who should know better) are looking for an easy solution. If you look around in our society today, most people seem to be focused on short term gratification and not on long-term happiness. They look for the easy way out and are easily distracted by a new trend or fad. It is crucial for any beginning bodybuilder to understand that the fundamentals are all about proper workout techniques and a solid nutrition plan.

Most people don't want to believe that muscle building supplements are not really necessary, but it's true. They're not going to help you unless you're an advance trainee who has already optimized his workouts and nutrition plan.

Most supplements, however, are either useless or are simply not necessary. The essential components of any bodybuilding program will always be progressive resistance training and increasing one's daily calories. Looking for shortcuts when you have not even mastered the basics will simply lead to disappointment and a lot of wasted money.

It may be more exciting to look for that special supplement that will magically deliver the results you are looking for, but in the long run a trainee looking for shortcuts will surely be disappointed. This lesson applies not only to bodybuilding and strength training; rather, it is a valuable lesson that can help you reach any goal you set. If you've done the research and gained the necessary knowledge, and if you set your goal properly (more on this later), then you can be certain that you're on your way to accomplishing your objective. Do not be discouraged if your initial results are disappointing -focus on the cumulative effects of your daily actions and what this will bring you in the months to come. - 17274

About the Author:

If you would like to learn more about a natural bodybuilding diet , visit Jon Cardozo's Web site at http://maximum-muscle-gain.com. Learn the secrets to building a muscular physique and avoid the myths of the bodybuilding industry. Brought to you by Jcardozium.

Health Tips - Tonsils and Tonsillitis in Children

By Melinda Mahrer

Tonsils are two tissue balls located at the back of the throat. They play a vital role and are an important part of the body's infection fighting mechanism by helping to fight germs and diseases. Tonsils deal with the germs before they reach mouth, throat, or sinuses. When these infection fighters are infected by viruses or bacteria, the condition is known as tonsillitis.

The symptoms of tonsillitis are: as the time passes, eating, drinking and swallowing things become difficult. The pain can be accompanied with fever, earache and headache. The tonsils can be seen too. Just open the mouth wide open and the two masses of tissues at the either side of the throat are tonsils. They are usually dark pink in color, but when they get infected they turn red. A white or yellow coating can also be formed on the tonsils. There is an obvious change in voice as it becomes hoarser. The infected child can also develop bad breath. The infected kid can also get abdominal pain and can throw up what he eats. Tonsillitis is caused by both bacterial infection and viral infection.

When the child gets tonsillitis, the parent should give lots of fluids to drink. Smooth food should be consumed to ease the pain caused by swallowing coarse, crunchy, and hard food. Food like soups, ice creams, applesauce, and gelatin are a good option. Spicy food should also be avoided. A humidifier or cool mist vaporizer can be placed in the child's room as that will make breathing more easily. The kid must be given maximum rest and complete bed rest for at least two days is recommended. The bacteria and viruses cause tonsillitis to spread by sneezing, coughing or touching. The infected child must cover his/her mouth while coughing and sneezing. A disposable tissue can be used instead of a towel or handkerchief.

The doctor inspects the tonsils using a wooden stick known as tongue depressor, which will lower the tongue, so that the doctor can have a good look at the tonsils. After that the doctor checks the ears and nose. Heartbeat will be checked. If the doctor suspects strep, he/she will take a sample of saliva from the back of the throat using a long cotton swab, which can gag up the child a bit. After a day or two the results are received. Some doctors conduct a similar test known as rapid strep test, which give results within few minutes. Antibiotics are given when the test results come positive for strep.

If virus is the cause of infection, there is no medicine for it and instead the body is capable of fighting the virus on its own. When the tonsils infection becomes frequent and the child finds it difficult to breath because of tonsillitis, it is recommended to get the tonsils removed. But it is the last resort after all other treatments do not do the trick, because tonsils are very important to the body's immune system.

The tonsils are taken out by surgery known as tonsillectomy. After the surgery, the child won't suffer from sore throat and breathing problems anymore. The surgery won't even leave any scars. A day before the surgery, the child cannot eat or drink, to keep the child from throwing up during the operation. The operation is very short and last for only twenty minutes. Because of the anesthesia, the child won't feel a thing during the operation. And during the surgery, the tonsils are removed using an electric cautery, which is a burning tool, or a cutting tool. After the surgery, the child is given lots of fluids and after a day soft foods can also be given. Usually it takes about two weeks to completely recover from the surgery and the child can return back to normal activities. - 17274

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More information on Health ? Health and Nutrition Free Health content : Article24.info