Program Yourself Thin - Discover How to Lose Weight In No Time

By Chris James

So you want to know how to lose weight in no time. Most likely you're now sick and tired dealing with all your insecurities and worries about your being over in weight. Good thing now there are so many weight loss programs you can try. They can all teach you how to lose weight in no time.

You can also try losing weight naturally and on your own. You can try doing what the weight loss experts say. You just eat 5-6 small meals every day with a total calorie which is less than the calories you take when you eat 3 meals every day. When you do this, you will feel less hungry between meals. There's lesser possibility that you will overeat during your meals.

Along with eating 5-6 small meals every day with a total calorie which is less than the calories you take when you eat 3 meals every day, you need to be sure the foods in your meals are full of nutrients, they must be healthy foods. Avoid foods that are considered "junk". Go for fruits and vegetables.

Follow also weight loss experts' advice about doing some exercises everyday, increase your daily activity level. Walking is the simplest form of exercise that you can do everyday. Walk instead of riding.

It's really possible to lose weight naturally and on your own, you just have to do the the ways on how to lose weight that we have shared to you. So start now, lose weight and feel better about yourself. - 17274

About the Author:

This author believes that if you like this article, you may also want to check out Jim Katsoulis and Program Yourself - How To lose Weight.

You can't build muscle with an empty stomach

By Jon Cardozo

The other day at the gym, I struck up a conversation with a guy before beginning my weight training routine. After talking for a few minutes, somehow the subject of food came up, and it turned out that he had not eaten anything all day.

Despite starting the day off with a good breakfast, he continued throughout most of the day without eating anything more than a cookie and some juice. He tried to explain how busy he was and why he didn't have enough time to eat properly. Still, he said he thought he was just fine and was about to begin the evening with some pretty heavy weight lifting exercises.

When I protested, he assured me that he wasn't even hungry. That may have been the case, but it doesn't mean that it was OK.

You see, his metabolism had apparently slowed down considerably so he didn't even feel hungry so late in the evening. Why was this a problem?

In order to build muscle, your body needs to have the basic ingredients in your diet. The basic formula is to eat more calories than your body is burning. In addition, you must eat large amounts of protein to build muscle, as well as adequate carbohydrates and healthy fats.

I think most of us understand that your body needs ingredients from food in order to build muscle. Where else is it going to get the materials? However, you also need to be adequately fueled just so you can have the energy for an intense muscle building session.

Always remember the basic principles of bodybuilding and muscle building. You simply can't expect to go very far in the gym if you don't have the proper energy requirements fulfilled.

If you try to continue your workouts without getting the proper nutrition, you might be able to continue like this for a little while. However, if you're serious about muscle growth, take a long-term approach and start feeding your body properly. - 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.

Where to buy organic food?

By Karol Wariala

Sent by: Honey Dressing. The alternative for the shopping tour you take in a supermarket is a visit to an organic food store, even if the range of products available is not that comprehensive. The truth is that such stores provide supplies and services locally, targeting customers in a limited geographical area. The benefits of buying from an organic food store is that there is usually a family farm or a local food supplier that backs the store and provides fresh merchandise all the time. Plus, customers have the option of ordering products when they are no available, with the mention that there may be packaging and transportation fees.

In case word hasn't reached you about any organic food store in your neighborhood, you can search the Internet and find the closest supplier. Then you can take your pick! Should you like to spread the word about a good organic food store, you can submit info on the facility in online directories for other people to access.

The organic food store is complemented by the farmers market, where you'll find pretty much the same kind of food: healthy, chemical-free products that are certified as organic.

Most people go to an organic food store to buy fruit and vegetables. The idea here is to buy stuff that is produced or grown locally. The preference for this kind of small or family business contributes to local economic development and regional prosperity.

Thus, there is a two-way efficiency in it; on the one hand you support striving local businesses and on the other you enjoy all the benefits of healthy food. There are many channels through which organic farmers advertise their products. There are the Community Supported Agriculture, U-Pick Up farms and farm stands that function well in the system.

Dairy products, eggs and meat are not than easy to find in a regular organic food store, but they are often part of the commercial service. Lots of farmers provide the community with fresh products through the intermediary of such shops. And this makes a really great substitute for the food produced by the industrial farms where all sorts of hormones and antibiotics are used to produce eggs and grow livestock. Luckily, the increased awareness about the dangers of non-organic food, has led consumers to choose an organic food store over a supermarket. - 17274

About the Author:

Co-published by: Organic Salad Dressing.

Acai Berries Taste Like What?

By Carter Sinclair

Pretty delicious is the word; acai berry combines the rich tastes of berries and chocolates and it would be very difficult not to like it. If you are a health food fanatic, you may have endured the taste of wheatgrass and other health and energy bars for the last time; Acai berry tastes infinitely better than these "traditional" health foods, and it actually has more benefits as well.

The acai berry contains an extremely hight amount of antioxidants which help to fight against free radicals. Free radicals cause your skin to age and mutate. This small berry protects against that and is full of amino acids, fiber, vitamins, and iron. Research is doing well on the acai berry and has already produced some truly unbelievable results.

It has been topics of studies for the prevention and treatment of cancer, diabetes, debilitating illnesses associated with old age, weight loss, lowering the risk for cardiovascular ailments, and of course weight loss.

Acai berry has many substances in them that increase your metabolism and it is a side effect of losing excess pounds. When your metabolism is increased your body burns more calories. Also, your muscles oxygenate the mitochondria that is essential for growing your muscles.

As mentioned earlier free radicals can cause cell replication which causes your body to age quicker. So by eating acai berries you can protect yourself from free radicals.

Acai does so much just to name a few it helps to relieve headaches, helps you sleep, improves your mood, blood circulation, memory, as well as helps to promote healthy blood sugar levels.

Acai does so many wonderful things that everyone should try it out and see what it can do for you. - 17274

About the Author:

Many are using the acai supplement to improve their health and quality of life. You can buy acai capsules to sleep better, lose weight, improve your memory, and maximize your mental clarity and focus.

Symptoms Of Tinnitus

By Matt Hellstrom

If you hear a noise that seems to be coming from inside your head, you are experiencing tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease. According to the experts at the National Institute on Deafness, most people will experience tinnitus at some point in their lives. Tinnitus symptoms can be acute (temporary) or chronic (reoccurring or permanent) and can be rooted in a wide range causes, the two most common being hearing loss and loud noise and certain types of medication.

A major cause of tinniuts is hearing loss. Cochlea damage due to trauma caused by prolonged or acute exposure to loud noise aging, diseases and infections of the ear and simple aging can cause hearing loss that is accompanied by tinnitus symptoms. It is theorized that tinnitus due to hearing loss may be the result of the brain not receiving expected auditory impact, triggering the blind-spot response, whereby the brain will fill-in missing information.

Exposure to loud sounds is a frequent cause of temporary tinnitus. Examples of when this might occur are; after attending a music concert; after watching an action movie in a theatre where the volume exceeded recommended levels; after using power tools in an enclosed space. The most commonly reported tinnitus symptom in these cases is a ringing in the ears. Prolonged exposure to a noisy environment without ear protection can result in permanent hearing damage and chronic tinnitus (see below).

Medication: Overuse of common aspirin, also called ASA or acetylsalicylic acid, can cause tinnitus symptoms, as can the anti-malarial drug quinine and antibiotics that include aminoglycoside.

Sounds other than ringing that are frequently reported by tinnitus sufferers include sounds like waves, crickets, wind and whistling as well as clicking and humming as if from an electronic device.

Clicking sounds heard in the inner ear can be auditory signals that reach the inner ear through skeletal conduction. This sound is usually found to be caused by a misaligned jaw bone, but can also be caused by spasms of the muscles of the ear or throat. Tinnitus symptoms that involve the whoosh of blood being pumped through the vessels of the ear are know as pulsatile (as in pulse) tinnitus. Common causes of pulsatile tinnitus symptoms are high blood pressure, anemia or an overactive thyroid.

On rare occasions, tinnitus symptoms are attributable to tumors or cysts in the middle or inner ears. A tumor that presses on the blood vessels of the ear can cause pulsatile tinnitus. Tumors on the nerve that carries the signals from the ear to the acoustic processing center of the brain cause acoustic neuroma. This condition occurs in only one ear, which distinguishes it from other types of tinnitus and should be examined by a doctor immediately. - 17274

About the Author:

Is ear ringing making you nuts? Perhaps the problem is tinnitus. Find out about the causes of tinnitus and how to stop tinnitus at http://causesoftinnitus.com.

NSF Certified Bodybuilding ghp sport

By Claude Edwin Theriault

A major component in bodybuilding is getting ones hands on the amino acids ,both the 9 essential ones that must be supplied by the food we eat. As well as the 12 non essential ones that can be synthesized from other ones. Since they are the building blocks all this new muscle mass is going to be made out of.

In brief, the crystalline amino acids of ghp are very quickly and easily absorbed by the stomach ,it then sends a messaging message from the pituitary gland to the liver to release IGF-1 or Insulin Growth Factor. Which circulates and does the repair and regenerate work on each and every cell. A very tall order to fill I know, however the reading documentation on this is quite impressive indeed . For either men or women bodybuilders who do not want the toxic anabolic stuff this Somalife stack has great potential.

Recovery time from intense work out or athletic competition is greatly improved , hence bigger, stronger ,faster. This ghp supplement is a more athletes version of the very popular human growth hormone somatotropin which is always seen in pay per click ads along side articles on body building. All of these products are not created equal however,absorption is of the essence. Important facts to know for the ones who devote so much time and discipline to the life style, without the dope.

Once these building blocks are circulating in the blood stream, the tissues spot the ones they need to use in their continuous repair and regenerate cycle. Hence the need for a world-wide patented stack of crystalline amino acids called, ghp sport supplement. That is the only one so far to be granted the highly coveted NSF Certification by the National Sports Federation for containing no banded substances such as stimulants, steroids,narcotics, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, beta blockers,or masking agents .

Recovery time from intense work out or athletic competition is greatly improved , hence bigger, stronger ,faster. This ghp supplement is a more athletes version of the very popular human growth hormone somatotropin which is always seen in pay per click ads along side articles on body building. All of these products are not created equal however,absorption is of the essence. Important facts to know for the ones who devote so much time and discipline to the life style, without the dope. - 17274

About the Author:

Unbiased info from Authority Site of Claude Edwin Theriault.Bodybuilding supplement

How to Lose Weight Fast by Understanding Leptin: The Most Important Hormone You Never Heard Of

By By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

LEPTI-WHA??

Its name is Leptin (derived from the Greek word leptos, meaning thin), and its without a doubt the most important hormone you probably never heard of.

You see, leptin was only first discovered just over 10 years ago, and as far as weight loss is concerned, thats extremely recent.

Leptins function? To communicate your nutritional status to your body and brain. Leptin levels are mediated by two things. One is your level of body fat. All else being equal, people with higher levels of body fat will have higher leptin levels than those with lower levels of body fat and vice versa.

Because leptin is secreted by fat cells, it makes sense that under normal conditions there is a direct correlation between leptin levels and the amount of fat you are carrying.

Unfortunately, when youre attempting to lose fat and begin to restrict calories, conditions are anything but normal and the body responds accordingly by lowering leptin levels.

This is because the second mediator of blood leptin levels is your calorie intake. Lower your calorie intake and leptin will fall, independent of body fat.

So, yes, you can be overweight and still suffer from low leptin levels " just go on a diet.

So what happens when leptin levels fall and why the heck does it matter?

Again, under normal conditions leptin levels are normal and the brain gets the signal loud and clear that nutrition intake is adequate. Metabolism is high and the internal environment of the body is one very conducive to fat burning.

Until you start dieting.

Go on a diet and leptin levels quickly plummet (by 50% or more after only one week), sending a signal to the body that youre semi-starved and not consuming enough calories.

This puts the breaks on metabolism and creates a hormonal environment extremely conducive to fat storage. Thyroid hormones (hormones extremely important to metabolism) respond by taking a dive and the abdominal fat-storing stress hormone cortisol skyrockets measurably.

HELLO belly fat.

And if that wasnt bad enough, the appetite stimulating hormones ghrelin, neuropeptide-Y, and anandamide all hop on board to make your life even more miserable.

You dont have to remember any of those names, just remember that when leptin drops, you get seriously hungry.

Despite having a pretty good reason for its reaction, its pretty ironic that our bodies are primed for fat loss at every other time except when we are trying to burn fat.

Wouldnt it be great if we could maintain high leptin levels and a body primed for fat burning while dieting? It would seemingly solve all of our problems.

But in order to do this, wed have to somehow keep leptin levels high as we attempt to lose those extra pounds.

HOW ABOUT SUPPLEMENTING WITH LEPTIN?

A couple of problems here: First, leptin is a protein based hormone, which means that it can not be taken orally (otherwise, it would simply be digested). So that rules out a leptin pill.

This leaves the method of supplemental leptin administration to injection. And leptin injections DO indeed work, reversing the metabolic adaptations to dieting and starvation even while continuing to restrict calories.

In 1996, Ahima et al. used leptin injections to reverse starvation-induced neuroendrocrine adaptations in mice.

Well, thats nice and all, but Im human. Point taken; research with rodents doesnt always correlate to similar findings in humans, however

In 1999, Heymsfield et al. performed a double-blind placebo controlled study analyzing weight loss over a 24-week period in 73 obese humans. Subjects either injected daily with leptin or a placebo (i.e. bogus alternative). At the end of the 24-week period, the leptin group lost significantly more weight than the placebo and a higher percentage of fat vs. muscle.

In 2002, Rosenbaum et al. administered low-dose leptin to subjects (male and female) who had dieted to a 10% decrease in body weight. During the diet period, thyroid hormone levels, 24-hr energy expenditure, and other metabolic markers substantially decreased. The result of the leptin replacement therapy?

All of these endocrine changes were reversedThyroid output and daily calorie burn increased back to pre-diet levels.

In 2003, Fogteloo et al. showed that leptin injections tended to reduce the decline of energy expenditure associated with energy restriction, whereas the tendency of energy intake to increase back to baseline levels in placebo-treated subjects was largely prevented in subjects treated with leptin.

Yeah, thats a mouthful. Let me put in simple terms: not only did the leptin group experience less of a decline in metabolism, but they were also less hungry, allowing them to more easily stick to the prescribed diet.

In 2004, Welt et al. reported that leptin given to a group of women with thyroid disorder immediately raised circulating concentrations of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

In 2005, Rosenbaum and company were at it again, again showing that energy expenditure and circulating concentrations of T3 and T4 all returned to pre-weight-loss levels with regular leptin injections.

So, as theorized, keeping leptin levels high during a diet does indeed solve our dilemma by avoiding the negative metabolic (and perhaps behavioral) adaptations that calorie restriction perpetuates.

The problem?

Daily leptin injections are far too expensive, costing thousands and thousands of dollars per week. So, we can pretty much forget about supplemental leptin as a solution (which is probably moot anyway considering that not too many people are going to voluntarily plunge a needle into their skin daily).

A REAL Solution

Now that we know that leptin injections arent going to save us, lets talk about the possibility of manipulating your bodys natural leptin production.

And Ive got good news " this can indeed be done, and without involving needles or thousands of dollars. In fact, well swap the injections and mounds of cash out for two things I can guarantee youre absolutely going to love: more calories and more carbs.

We know that leptin levels decrease by about 50% after only one week of dieting, but fortunately, it doesnt take nearly that long for leptin to bump back up with a substantial increase in caloric intake.

In fact, research has shown that it only takes about 12-24 hours.

So, the answer to the fat loss catch-22? Strategic high-calorie, high-carb CHEATING.

By strategically cheating with high calorie foods (and yes, even stuff like pizza, ice cream, wings, cookies, burgers, fries, etc), you can give leptin and metabolism a major boost mid-diet which sets you up for plenty of subsequent fat loss when you resume your reduced calorie eating regimen.

This means greater net fat loss week after week, and ultimately, a much more realistic, maintainable way to bring you to the body you truly want and deserve.

So whats so special about carbs?

Well, leptin, carbohydrate and insulin have been shown to have very strong ties.

Calories alone dont get the job done, as research shows that overfeeding on protein and fat has little effect on leptin.

In order to get a strong leptin response from overfeeding, there needs to be plenty of carbs in the mix. In fact, the relationship is SO strong that research conducted by Boden et al. at the Temple University School of Medicine shows that leptin levels will not fall even in response to all-out fasting so long as insulin and blood sugar are maintained via IV drip. Thats CRAZY.

Because of this carbohydrate/insulin-leptin relationship, it makes sense that foods combining both carbs and fat (like pizza, burgers, cookies, ice cream, etc) work best for reversing the negative adaptations caused by dieting because of the BIG-TIME insulin response they produce.

THIS is why strategic cheating with your favorite foods is so powerful. THIS is why you truly can use your favorite foods to lose fat faster than you ever could with restrictive dieting. THIS is freedom.

Essentially, its everything typical dieting isnt.

With regular dieting, come week two, youre screwed.

With strategic cheating, you can literally use ANY food you want to *ensure* that you never go a single day without a body primed for fat loss.

The cheat or not to cheat? I think the choice is clear. - 17274

About the Author:

If you are looking for the best online weight loss program on the internet check out Joel Marion's Cheat Your Way Slim.

Benefits of using resveratrol.

By Collin De Ruyck

Resveratrol is a well known chemical found in the skin of the red grapes that are supposed to have a few immensely benefiting advantages. Currently these have shown the features of anti-cancer and also can lower the blood pressure. However, all these tastes have proved to be right in mice and rats and in some other organisms. The Resveratrol is still to be proved on humans and there is still a speck of doubt if the element would have the similar kind of effects on mankind. Like every medical element the Resveratrol should also be taken in a certain dosage. In reply to many media reports about the element Resveratrol it only looks like each and every supplement company offers one or the other form of grape complex so as to make a quick buck. The supplement as released by these companies all claim to contain a certain percentage of Resveratrol and thus this justifies the popularity of the same.

Very recently a certain amount of attention been focused on a certain journal called Nature. The article thus published has demonstrated the facts that both the improved healths as well as survival as was seen in the mice were actually fed on a high-fat diet. This diet was then again supplemented with Resveratrol. This is the same flavonoid which has been shown an increment in the life span of many organisms like the yeast, flies, fish and even worms. These researchers have all linked the benevolent effects of this element with the mechanisms underlying caloric restriction. This has also shown that such scientific approaches could well be utilized to fight a few chronic disorders as well as aging diseases.

Most of the reputable Resveratrol food supplement brands use an "enteric coating" that protects Resveratrol molecules from stomach acids and allows for direct absorption through intestinal walls. Enteric coating is however a complex and costly process, something that increases retail price of Resveratrol food supplement brands. In that light, it is not difficult to assume that low-priced Resveratrol food supplements may not have the desired enteric coating. They may not be as effective as claimed by the manufacturer. If you wish to derive max health benefits, you should thus look out for Resveratrol food supplements that come with enteric coating. They may be pricey, but if you factor in the immense health benefits that they provide for, you will realize that it's only a small price to pay.

The presence of Resveratrol is highest in red wine in comparison to other natural and processed food sources. If you wish to give Resveratrol a try, you may thus have to include red wine along with your meals. Moderation is however recommended since Resveratrol has been reported to induce numbness, anxiety, loss of appetite and other side effects, especially when taken above the recommended daily dose. You may be a white wine lover, but if want Resveratrol, white wine may not do you any good.

That is because for making white wine, grapes are fermented after taking out the skin whereas in case of red wine, the skin is included. Resveratrol occurs mostly in the outer skin and hence the difference in its content in red and white wine. - 17274

About the Author:

RezV Elite is one of the more established resveratrol capsules online that shows results for users with in a few weeks. To read our full review of RezV Elite please visit our post called RezV Elite Review and Free Trial Offer!

6 Healthy Reasons to Exercise Daily

By Angela Giles

Lifelong good health is a boon that is not granted by God but is in our own hands. When we are healthy, we are able to do more and achieve more. We are able to go about our daily activities with full vigor and cheer. On the other hand, when we are ill, we are not capable of doing even simple activities without frustration and irritation.

When we are young, our body is naturally strong and healthy. But as we grow old, the bones and muscles start becoming weaker and the skin starts developing lines and wrinkles. This aging process can be delayed by regular exercise which helps to maintain fitness levels of the body. Exercise has many benefits and here the six most important ones.

1. Exercise dissolves excess fat thus reducing weight

2. Exercise leads to a more natural, deep and restful sleep

3. Exercise strengthens the bones and prevents serious injuries

4. Exercise lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer

5. Exercise improves psychological well-being

6. Improves stamina and prevents muscle sagging with age.

How much exercise is sufficient? It depends on your objective. If you wish to have a body like Sylvester Stallone, then you might need workouts at a gym. But if you only wish to maintain a healthy body, then all you require is half an hour of exercise, comprising of walking, running and light aerobics, for 4-5 days in a week.

The comforts of life have made us lazy. Gadgets and appliances have contributed a lot to reducing the amount of physical activity that we normally do. The microwave cooks for us, the car drive us to the office and the lift take us up the building.

Therefore it is important to consciously make choices and include that little exercise whenever possible. If you have to go to the 10th floor, take the stairs for 2-3 floors before taking the lift. If you can walk to the neighborhood grocery store, do not take the car. Instead of watching a game on television, play with children.

It is a no-brainer that if you eat more fats than you can expend, your body will store them and increase in weight. This will put pressure on your system and lead to hypertension and other illnesses. Therefore, health is also directly related to what you eat.

Take interest in what you eat. Know about vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Find out what food contains what ingredients and what effect they have on the health. Check with your medical advisor whether your body needs any dietary supplements. Develop good eating habits and start regular exercises while you are young and maintain it through your life. - 17274

About the Author:

Angela Giles is a firm believer in personal growth and manifestation. She believes that health and wealth are tied together. More Info on Usana Click here for article submission.

Help For Tinnitus

By Matt Hellstrom

Do you suffer from a constant ringing in your ears or some other bothersome noise that you cannot quite explain? Now ask yourself if you use a Bluetooth or iPod at full volume all the time. Maybe you have a job where you are around noisy machinery and you are not using the protective ear plugs that you should. If any of this sounds familiar, you have probably done more than your fair share of internet searches to get help for tinnitus.

You may hear that there are people that have gotten tinnitus and they had no way of preventing it. It is probably a safe bet that a lot of these people work in loud surroundings, attended concerts or things of that nature. Well guess what? It was actually very preventable for these individuals and there was plenty that they could have done to avoid getting tinnitus.

Someone like a construction worker who is around a very loud piece of equipment all the time is an example of someone who should be wearing protective ear phones whenever they are at work. There are also plenty of other occupations that are extremely noisy environments and constant exposure without taking the proper precautions can lead to many hearing complications.

The same thing can be said for people who either work in a concert setting or who often attend them. Get a good set of earplugs to wear during the events and you will very likely prevent this condition from developing. Everyone knows how loud the music is at a concert and even though you are wearing ear plugs, the music will still get through, just not as loudly and therefore reducing the risk of you getting tinnitus.

A major cause of tinnitus that many people overlook is stress. What else is new though? Stress has been proven to make you susceptible to just about every other condition or disease that you can think of so it is actually no surprise that tinnitus is added to the list. You are going to have to find a way to eliminate the stress in your life or at least lessen it if you want to prevent tinnitus.

You would think that knowing that you can prevent a condition that can make your life miserable would be enough of an incentive for people to turn down the volume or take some better precautions in both their work and personal lives.

There are ways to control the effects and get help for tinnitus, but more importantly there are plenty of ways in preventing this from ever happening and everyone needs to be a little more aware of these and not put themselves at risk of getting tinnitus. - 17274

About the Author:

Is ear ringing making you crazy? Perhaps the problem is tinnitus. Learn about the causes of tinnitus and cures for tinnitus at http://causesoftinnitus.com.

Hope or Hype....Health Care Breakthroughs!

By Dr. Jason Fowler

They call them the formidable triad - heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. These chronic disorders are interrelated and the presence of one will often lead over time to the development of one or both of the others.

The good news is that, for the most part, these three entities occur as a result of lifestyle choices. This means we can greatly reduce the likelihood of developing one or all of these conditions.

For example, at present time, more than one-third of American children are overweight or obese. These kids are very likely to develop diabetes and, later on, heart disease. So, if you're overweight or obese as a child, you can look forward to a lifetime of health problems.

Why do American kids have these problems? The answer is right in front of us - they don't exercise and they eat large amounts of junk food. The solutions are obvious and just as simple.

Developing lifelong habits of regular exercise and good nutrition begins at home. Parents who exercise regularly and provide healthy, balanced meals for their kids help their kids develop the habit of making healthful lifestyle choices, habits that will last a lifetime. Health care breakthroughs are big business. We know this because such news is reported in the Business Section of newspapers and magazines. Discussions relate primarily to the potential impact on the company's share price and revenues. Possible benefits to patients are a secondary concern compared to the amount of money involved.

Business coverage of these issues is yet another reminder of how far health care has moved away from its original and sole focus on treatment. Sadly, the bottom line has become the bottom line. And yet, there may be real breakthroughs on the horizon. Advances in DNA analysis and nanotechnology may bring us closer to a world of personalized treatment for cancer and other disorders.

For instance, university researchers have been working for years on methods to deliver cancer drugs to the actual tumor.1 If possible, this would substantially improve on current treatment which floods the patient's entire body with highly toxic anti-cancer medication.

These new methods - collectively termed targeted cancer therapy - involve the cancer drugs hitching a ride on very small particles - nanoparticles - which are programmed to seek out and attach to the malignant tumor.2 The toxic drug only interacts with the tumor cells, killing the tumor but not affecting any of the patient's normal cells. If this research pans out, meaningful progress would be made.

Early detection of disease - cancers, hormonal disorders, inflammatory diseases - is often discussed as the critical factor in the success of treatment. Recently, in the last ten years, progress in the fields of nanotechnology and DNA and protein analysis has brought us closer to real-world early detection.

Researchers are gaining the ability to analyze very small amounts of biomarkers - specialized proteins that may indicate the presence of specific diseases - in both blood and individual cells3. A lot more work needs to be done to standardize these tests and understand which biomarkers are related to which diseases - but this seems to be merely a matter time. Within ten or fifteen years, such analysis will probably become readily available and routine. This would be a real breakthrough.

However, rather than placing our bets on diagnostic and treatment methods that may or may not become available, doesn't it make more sense to take care of our physical health right now, today? The vast majority of diseases that affect Americans - heart disease, diabetes, and obesity - are, for the most part, lifestyle disorders. And, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that many cancers are also related to lifestyle instead of truly being genetic!

Of course, lifestyle is a code word for good nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient rest, a positive mental attitude, and rewarding family and personal relationships. An important part of lifestyle is maintaining a body that works - and the best way to ensure good overall health is with periodic, regular chiropractic care.

Chiropractic treatment ensures your body is working up to its true potential. Chiropractic treatment gives your body its best chance of functioning at a level of optimum health. Your chiropractor will be glad to help you learn how to achieve a healthy, vibrant lifestyle.

1Choi MR, et al: A Cellular Trojan Horse for Delivery of Therapeutic Nanoparticles into Tumors. Nano Letters 7(12):3759-3765, 2007 2Zahr AS, Pishko MV: Encapsulation of paclitaxel in macromolecular nanoshells. Biomacromolecules 8(6):2004-2010, 2007 3Favis R, et al: Universal DNA Microarray Analysisof p53 Mutations in Undissected Colorectal Tumors. Human Mutation 24:63-75, 2004

For online version of this article, please visit our website at http://lakestlouisdc.com Copyright 2009 Lake St. Louis Chiropractic, All Rights Reserved - 17274

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If you are interested about improving your own health or general information about health and wellness go to our website

Shopping for Healthy Groceries Made Simple

By Alex Pastlin

Although various brands of food spend millions of dollars a year advertising foods that aren't necessarily healthy choices, there are healthy foods out there in your local grocery store, waiting to be found. With a few tips, a smart shopper should be able to find good buys that are good for the wallet, as well as the heart.

When it comes to types of food and brand items, grocery stores offer their shoppers a lot of choices. So many choices can oftentimes be daunting. Shoppers do not have to be discouraged, however.

Before you go to the store, create a grocery list. You can't eat in a healthy way if you don't have all the ingredients you need for your meal. This can also save confusion, later, when you're in the store.

As you're making out your list and planning your menu, remember the food pyramid. Making sure that you have the correct amounts of vegetables, whole grains, dairy, fruits, lean meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and beans is important to your overall health.

Try to incorporate lots of fresh fruit and produce into your diet. This means fewer canned fruits and vegetables. They don't have to be organic, either. Try your local farmer's market to get locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Although the taste might take some time to get used to, try using whole grained rice and pasta when cooking. These foods contain a lot of fiber, which is good for you.

For your meat choices, the best options are lean cuts. You also want to try to stay away from poultry with skins. For fish, salmon is generally a good bet because aside from being inexpensive, it does not usually have that "fishy" taste that can turn people off.

You don't have to blow most of your grocery budget on meats, either. The USDA only recommends that 1/4 of your plate be filled with protein. By protein, that includes eggs, tofu, beans, and nuts, too. The rest can go to fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

The healthiest food options are usually located around the edges of the store. This is where you will find your breads, produce, and meats. The junk food aisles tend to be in the center of the store.

When you're purchasing canned food, try to look for cans that have low sodium. You should also try to look for fruits that are packaged in fruit juice.

Think about the season when you buy fruits and vegetables. Items that are in season generally taste better and are less expensive. However, some fruits, and especially berries, can be easily frozen. If you stock up on them when they are in season, you will have a tasty treat later down the road.

Snacking might have a bad reputation, but it can actually be good for you, as long as you don't overdo it. When you pick out your snack foods, make sure you that you include both healthy and unhealthy snacks. Along with your ice cream and cookies, be sure to include nuts, apples, and bananas as well.

Lastly, pre-packaged food is almost always in sodium and saturated fats. It always makes more sense, when trying to shop for healthy choices, to buy fresh ingredients and prepare the meal yourself. It might take a little bit more time, but in the end you spend about the same amount of money and you have a much healthier meal. - 17274

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For even more suggestions on how to make up an effective healthy grocery list, go to 4GrocerySavings.com to learn how to successfully shop for healthy groceries.