The Most Under Rated Aspect of Weight Loss

If I were asked, "what is the most difficult thing many people find to do when they start a weight-loss program?", I would have to say right near the top of the list is this - they don't drink enough water!

Few people realize at first just how essential water is to the success of their weight-loss program. In fact, the essential place of water in our diet extends to everyone - whether they want to lose weight, gain weight or stay the same weight! We all know we can't live without water, but just why is it so important? Well there are many reasons. Read on and discover why water can help your loss weight and why it is your essential life-force.

Apart from 60-70% of your body being composed of water, water has an extensive range of functions essential to life.

. Assists digestion, absorption and assimilation of food. If you don't drink enough water you can't get the full benefit of nutrients in the food you eat.

. Assists excretion of waste from bowel and kidneys. If you don't drink enough water you get constipated and put your kidneys under stress.

. Regulates body temperature. If you don't drink enough water you compromise the evaporation process you skin uses to keep you cool.

. Your blood is 92% water. This is your body's transport system distributing nutrients around the body.

. Body secretions and digestive juices are almost entirely water.

Why should you drink water when you want to lose weight?

Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Do NOT underestimate the power of this statement. Lack of water can lead to over eating. You brain does not differentiate between hunger and thirst. So, when you think you are feeling hungry, your body may in fact be signaling to you that you are thirsty! If you are not consuming enough water each day and you feel hunger pains, chances are, your body really is crying out for water. In many instances people will find what they thought were hunger pangs were in fact, satisfied by water. Try it! You have nothing to lose, except some weight.

How do you know whether you are drinking enough water each day? Well the answer is not difficult. The average person needs around 6-8 large glasses every day.

Well then, how should you drink the 6-8 glasses per day? The aim is to drink water consistently. If you drink too much all at once or too fast, it will simply pass through you, with little or no benefit to your body.

If you are someone who enjoys the 'taste' of water, then perhaps you could fill a 1 litre empty soft drink container with water the drink through it twice during the day. Room temperature or cold water, even warm as some people like - whatever you prefer. Place it on the desk at work in front of you as a constant reminder to sip continuously throughout the day.

Other people find they need a water 'diet' to help them keep on track. So for you, here is a program easily followed to ensure you are well hydrated every single day.

1. When you wake up you will often be thirsty because your body loses water while you are sleeping through breathing and perspiration. Drink a large glass of water with a slice of lemon for zing.

2. Drink another glass of water with breakfast or a cup of herbal tea before setting off the day.

3. Mid morning - snack on a piece of juicy fruit such as orange, watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew. Have a glass of water and perhaps try a dash of herbal aloe juice which is wonderfully soothing to the digestive system.

4. Lunch - think of soup or have a glass of water before your meal, or perhaps a herbal tea.

5. Mid afternoon - While you are preparing your evening meal, drink a glass of water and snack on some crunchy fresh vegetables.

6. Evening - Sip a glass of water before your meal with a dash of your favourite fruit juice for flavour.

7. After dinner - before bedtime drink your final glass of water and sleep well!

A few changes will happen when you start out with your water program. Obviously you may find that you need to 'spend a penny' more often. Why? Because you body isn't used to being well hydrated.

There is absolutely is no doubt about it. When you start drinking enough water regularly, there are great benefits. You may notice your skin significantly improve and even tired muscles will thank you. Many people find their energy is increased and constipation and headaches are reduced, as well as hunger pains.

Now here's the really exciting part…many people notice a reduction in weight and centimetres, as their body's water store become redundant and so decrease. If your diet has been one that did not provide you with adequate water, your body will have developed a pattern of storing water. It's part of the body's in-built survival mechanism - to store up the essential nutrients in short supply…just in case they aren't available in the future. So if you don't drink enough water, you are 'conditioning' your body to store water. And water is bulk and unwanted centimetres.

It's so simple...drink water! 6-8 large glasses a day.

How do you know if you are not getting enough water each day? This is a really important question because so many of us have deprived ourselves of water for years that we have become accustomed to doing without the full amount of water our body requires and we don't recognise the symptoms of thirst.

1. The most common symptom is headaches. A major function of water is to flush toxins from the body. Your brain is 75% water, so even being slightly dehydrated can cause headaches.

2. Poor concentration/fatigue. If you body can't get rid of the toxins it will struggle and you will feel less energetic as your body diverts energy to deal with the toxins.

3. Constipation. Your body will divert water to more essential functions and as a result your stools will be harder and more difficult to expel.

4. Reduced urine output or dark urine. Did you know that up to 200 litres of water is passed through your kidneys daily? Without a fresh supply of water for the kidneys to filter waste products out of the blood, your urine will become darker.

5. Furry tongue or bad breath. If you don't have enough water passing through the mouth to wash away food particles, bacteria can proliferate and result in that 'furry' feeling or bad breath.

6. Skin. Your skin should feel elastic. When you pinch the skin on the back of your hand it should snap back instantly.

Final thoughts. Caffeinated drinks cause the body to lose water. They are what's known as diuretics as they cause your body to dehydrate. You will do your body an enormous favour by cutting back. For every cup of coffee you drink you will need to drink another TWO glasses of water to counter the diuretic effect. Explore the world of herbal teas instead, you may be pleasantly surprised!

Kim Beardsmore M.B.A., B.Sc. is a writer for the weight loss, health & fitness website Weight Loss Health. For reliable information and resources free from hype, visit today. Free Weight Loss & Health Information

Ten Ways to Prevent Obesity in Our Families

Children are our future and we as parents need to help them attain their highest potential. If we want to have a strong and healthy future.

Today's diet is high in the simple carbohydrates, sugar and fat. Soft drinks, cakes, candy,and junk food are constantly bombarding our families, it seems to be their daily diet.

Statistics show that heart disease is showing up at a younger age. Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions, asthma is becoming a common occurance. People are beginning to look at these as normal. Well it is far from normal!

A major contributing factor in these diseases is obesity. So what is a parent to do: the first thing we must to is to educate ourselves.

Here are 10 ways to Prevent Obesity

1. Be an example Children learn from their parents, the first thing you as a parent must do is to show your children that you are willing to change.

2. Do a Kitchen Clean-up Get rid of all foods that have refined flour,or sugar in them and replace with whole foods such as whole grains, whole sugars for example raw sugar, honey, or stevia, and foods with as little chemical additives as possible

3. Replace soft drinks, and highly sugared snacks, with healthy alternatives. Be creative. Limit sugar intake to 10% of your daily diet.

4. Limit your dietary fat intake to less than 30% of your total calories, saturated fat should be less than 10%. Avoid all trans fatty acids, such as hydrogenated fats.

5. Exercise, exercise. It doesn't matter what you do. Be it team sports, walking, running, hiking, or tennis. Just get your body moving.

6. Consume at least five daily servings of fresh raw fruits and vegetables,especially dark orange or green vegetables and citrus fruits. Six servings of wholegrains and a least 3-4 calcium-rich foods, and make sure you get plenty of dietary fibre.

7. Try to have 6 small nutrient-dense meals a day, rather than 3 large meals. Do not eat after 8pm. Avoid repeated unsuccessful attempts at weight loss (crash dieting).

8. Include a food supplement, high in vitamins and minerals.

9. Consume at least 2000 calories of high-nutrient foods Select low-nutrient foods periodically, maybe once a week, as a sinday. But your daily diet should consist of high quality foods.

10. Drink at least 6 8oz. glasses of pure, filtered water a day. Water is the best cleanser.

If you follow this advice, you will not only be preventing obesity but will also: improve resistance to colds and infection. reduce risk of developing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoporosis, increased resistance to stress maintain a feeling of wellbeing, help prevent premature aging increase energy to enjoy life and improve emotional and mental health.

Heidi Zator is dedicated to helping people become educated on family health. Subscribe to her ezine at: http://momfamilyhealth.9f.com

Smoking - Cause and Effect

It's been a number of days since the no-smoking ban has been in place in NYC. Now other states are joining the bandwagon to implement such a change. Many people feel the need and believe it is their right to be in a public place without having to breathe the dangerous, foul-smelling fumes that come from those cancer sticks. Just as there are supporters to the ban, there are supporters against it. Everyone has a right to their opinion and has a right to destroy himself or herself if they choose to smoke. There are also those who have a right not to get sick from breathing that second-hand smoke.

Just why is smoking such a controversial subject? Why was the ban needed to begin with? A little investigation into this habit-forming, self-destructive, addictive ploy on one's health will reveal the truth.

Dangers of smoking

Smoking is dangerous for a number of reasons. People who smoke contracted heart disease, stroke, lung disease, impotence, etc. Why does smoking cause all these ailments? And why do people get hooked so easily?

The leaves of the tobacco plant are picked, dried, chopped up, and rolled into paper tubes. The tubes are then stuck into the mouth, lit, and the poison-laden smoke is taken into the lungs. Each time a person smokes a cigarette, they take an average of five minutes off their life. This is about the same time it takes to smoke the cigarette. Smoking cigarettes causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year.

Nicotine no longer has any medicinal uses. It can act as a stimulant, depressant, or tranquilizer. Tobacco is one of the most physiologically damaging substances used by man. Since nicotine is one of the most addicting drugs in common use, most tobacco users are hooked or locked on to the damaging effects of the tobacco.

Columbus and other early explorers who followed him were amazed to meet the Indians who carried rolls of dried leaves that they set on fire. They then "drank" the smoke as it emerged from the rolls in the fire. Other Indians carried pipes in which they burned the same leaves and "drank" the smoke.

Accordingly, when the sailors returned home they carried abundant supplies of tobacco and seeds with them. They also carried leaves and seeds with them on their subsequent expeditions to other parts of the globe. Within a few decades, the plant had been effectively spread around the world. Settlers in the Americas learned to smoke and tobacco smoking spread through England like wildfire. The demand often exceeded supply and prices rose accordingly.

From those days until today, it is important to note that no country that learned to use tobacco has given up the practice. Even to this day, there has been no substance able to replace tobacco.

Through the centuries since Columbus, countless millions of smokers have tried to stop smoking. Some have succeeded, many others have failed. Among the frequently noted consequences of cessation are compulsive overeating, social discomfort, and depersonalization. Common initial effects are craving for foods, sweating, tremors, and nervousness. It is the nicotine in tobacco that produces that craving.

It is not definitely known why, but it is likely that nicotine affects the parts of the brain called pleasure centers. These are very small areas that are active during pleasant sensations. Smokers seem to give themselves pleasure by taking nicotine into the body where it is passed onto the brain's pleasure centers.

Unfortunately, the feeling of pleasure is very short lived. After smoking, half of the nicotine taken in is gone within half an hour. As the nicotine level drops, the smoker begins to feel worse and a new craving for nicotine is initiated. The body also develops a tolerance to the nicotine. This requires more of it to reach the same levels of satisfaction or pleasure. Herein starts the vicious cycle of need and craving known as addiction.

Today there are more options to stop smoking while slowly reducing the need or craving for the nicotine. Doctor's can now prescribe patches, gums, and a number of alternate therapies to slowly reduce the dependence on the nicotine. It is still not an easy road but holds great potential for many.

Causes of smoking

There are many diseases associated with smoking, lung cancer being number one. Lung cancer is very common. More than 300,000 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year. It is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. It develops most often in scarred or chronically diseased lungs. Over 87% of the cases of lung cancer are attributed to cigarette smoking. Other factors include exposure to asbestos, coal products, iron oxide, ionizing radiation, mustard gas, petroleum, and vinyl chloride.

Lung cancer occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Symptoms of lung cancer include persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, and repeated attacks of bronchitis or pneumonia. Lung cancer can quickly spread to the tissues surrounding the lungs, and is often carried to the liver, brain, and bones. Every cigarette you smoke damages your health. Even if you never get heart disease or cancer later in life, each cigarette you smoke affects your health. And you can feel the difference, right now.

So why smoke

Although the point has been made about the dangers of smoking, those who do smoke say it is a civil rights issue. They believe that they have a right to do it even if it does danger their health. Their excuse is, "Well, I'm not hurting anyone but myself. I have a right to do what I please with my body."

Actually that is not completely true. When God created man, he gave a command for us to treat our bodies like a vessel for his glory. We were told to take care of it and maintain it. Unfortunately, there are many godless people today that do not follow such guidance. At the same time that smoking directly affects peoples' health, secondhand smoke is more dangerous because the poisons that come from the burned tobacco leaves is directly inhaled.

Talking about violating the rights of others. This means that when someone is exposed to someone else's smoke, that person is inhaling poison. The person that is breathing in the smoke is being forbidden to breathe clean air that they have a right to. This also is in violation of the person's civil rights.

So where does the line get drawn? Considering that smoking is dangerous and should be outlawed, the option is simple - no one should be allowed to face any situation where another individual damages his or her health.

The sooner the tobacco cartel is shut down, the sooner we can all breathe cleaner air and live happier, healthier lives.

Harry is an author, freelance writer, and computer expert. His writing projects include ghostwriting, copywriting, web content, DTP, editing, and technical writing. His computer work includes installation, setup, and troubleshooting computer systems. His credits include articles for Internet Day, Internet World, Advertising Today, Advertising Age, L-Advertising, Computer Edge, and a host of others.

Harry has developed several courses including Achieving Successful Copywriting Results in Four Weeks, How to Find Legitimate Home Employment, Working at Home, and How to Start and Run a Business on the Internet.

Harry is author of Learn How to Repair Computers: Get Certified in 15 Weeks and How to Write Your Way to Millions. You can check out his samples and what he offers at his site by going to www.writeformedia.com or www.articleplanet.com.

Lower Cholesterol Levels Are Critical To Good Health

Can any man really lower his cholesterol?

Lower cholesterol levels should be a health concern of every man.

Heart disease is the number one killer among so-called healthy men in Western world today. More than 40% of men will die from it.

What is particularly disturbing is that strokes and heart attacks are becoming much more common in younger men.

It seems that younger men, even those who look physically like they are in good health, are dying because they can't lower cholesterol levels.

Even if a man seems healthy and follows good eating and exercising habits there's no guarantee that he'll have lower cholesterol levels.

There're so many misconceptions when it comes to trying to lower cholesterol. That's why we are here to present you with the accurate, concise and unbiased information on what it really takes to lower cholesterol.

Witness the unfortunate death of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile, who was felled in his prime, only 33 years old.

Although it seems counterintuitive, athletes, in fact, can be even more vulnerable than the average person and have a tougher time when it comes to trying to lower cholesterol.

When a man, in good health or not, engages in vigorous exercise he'll create an excess of free radicals. These free radicals cause tremendous amounts of damage to the body with devastating effects, one of which is elevating their cholesterol.

But taking a powerful antioxidant will help neutralize these free radicals before damage occurs. Nowadays, due to lifestyles, diet, and the deeper understanding in the role that genetics plays, every man young or old should be acutely aware of the importance of trying to lower cholesterol to an optimum level.

High cholesterol is considered the best "marker" for potential heart disease and it is a condition that 1 in 4 men have.

In order to prevent future problems, it is widely recommended that you check your cholesterol levels, and if they are "out of line," take action to lower cholesterol - irrespective of your age.

Are You At Risk If You Don't Take An Active Role To Lower Your Cholesterol?

A common misconception is that people with high cholesterol are overweight or subsist on a diet of greasy burgers and fries. The truth is that the amount of cholesterol you have in your bloodstream is NOT directly related to your diet.

Another prevailing and incorrect view concerning lower cholesterol, is that only older people need worry about their cholesterol levels. The reality is that having a predisposition to high cholesterol and heart disease are genetically influenced factors.

High cholesterol levels can stalk even young men who are in seemingly good shape and otherwise take care of themselves.

Indeed, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute advocates that the young, middle-aged, and older men lower cholesterol levels, whether it be to prevent heart disease, or because they already have it.

Therefore it's important to know your family history and, accordingly, take the necessary preventative steps to lower cholesterol and ensure the health of your heart for many years to come.

But what exactly is this "silent killer" known as cholesterol?

It is important to understand that cholesterol itself is essential to good health.

Cholesterol is a non-soluble waxy substance that your body needs for making hormones, cell walls and nerve sheaths.

However, there are two forms of cholesterol. One form is called LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) -- or the "bad" cholesterol -- and the other is HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) -- or the "good" cholesterol.

LDL transports the cholesterol to your cells, whereas HDL travels around in your bloodstream picking up excess cholesterol and taking it back to your liver for reprocessing, functioning as a "garbage collector" of sorts.

Too much LDL creates the risk of clogging up your arteries, which can lead to heart failure or stroke; too little HDL will result in the same problem due to inadequate "housekeeping."

Therefore, the most important figure to examine is not your total cholesterol per se, but the ratio between the LDL and HDL readings, and the levels of each type. You want the LDL as low as possible and the HDL as high as possible.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that everyone over 20 have their cholesterol checked every five years. For optimal health, total cholesterol should be less than 200, whereas the LDL cholesterol remains at less than 100, and the HDL greater than 60.

For more information on how to lower your cholesterol please visit:

http://www.man-health-fitness-solutions.com/lower-cholesterol.html

Women and a Healthy Heart

Exercise Regularly

Exercise 3 times a week for cardiovascular fitness and daily for weight control. (Check with your healthcare practitioner before starting any exercise program).

Aim for at least 30 minutes a day or two 15-minute periods of exercise.

To maximize health benefits, make exercise a part of your daily routine.

Do warms-up and cool-down exercises to help prevent muscle injury.

Eat Sensibly

Eat a wide variety of food in moderation and follow the food Guide Pyramid for portion size.

Use Nutrition Facts Label as an aid for healthful choices. Limit total fat. Limit saturated fat. Limit hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat.

Replace unhealthy fats with healthy monounsaturated fats like olive, canola and peanut oils.

Eat at least one fish meal a week. Cold water fish contain health omega-3 oils.

Drink 8 glasses of water every day.

Maintain a healthy weight. Don't crash diet.

Manage Stress

Stress is a normal part of life how you deal with it can have an affect on your heart.

Schedule "me" time to do the things that give you pleasure.

Devote an hour a day to relaxing. Take a walk, do yoga stretches. Try needlepoint...any activity that promotes relaxation.

Practice mindfulness to help control reactions to stress.

Get a good night's sleep.

Allow others to help with daily chores.

Control High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure often has no symptoms - that's why it's called The Silent Killer.

Take medication exactly as prescribed.

Monitor high blood pressure regularly. Ask your doctor about blood pressure self-monitoring.

Be aware of Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure:

Heredity Race (twice as frequent in African-Americans than Whites) Obesity (2-6 times more likely to develop) Age (risk goes up as you get older) Salt Intake (limit if salt-sensitive) Excess Alcohol Intake Lack of Exercise Stress

Avoid Potential Problems

Don't Smoke

Control Diabetic blood sugars.

Avoid drugs that contribute to heart rhythm disturbances.

Reduce risk of drugs interactions by letting all of your doctors know about every medicine you are taking - even over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbals and birth control pills.

Have Healthy Relationships Intimacy, trust and feeling supported are ingredients of a healthy relationship. Share your feelings with a trusted loved one. learn to communicate effectively to get what you need. Seek counseling or support groups if you have difficulty relating to others.

Be clear when reporting health concerns to your medical practitioner. Organize your information before your visit to the doctor or practitioner's office.

Remain active in your role as caregiver. Share yourself. Volunteer.

Article by DAVID GRISAFFI

A Fungus That's No Fun

Nail fungus, unsightly patches of discolored, deteriorating keratin caused by a microbal plant, is a tough condition to treat. Onychomycosis, as the infection is termed, can resist even the most potent of systemic antibiotics.

People are more prone to get this infection as they age, and it can be spread, for example, by the common use of manicure tools.

Nail fungus can effect the fingernails, but the damp, dark conditions surrounding the feet make toenails a better host for this parasitic growth by a margin of 4 to 1.

In the past, drugs such as Griseofulvin and Ketoconazole were sometimes successful in eliminating the condition, but not without side effects.

More recently, synthetics like Sporanox and Lamisil have been used.

Lamisil, probably the most heavily promoted, seems to be the toxin of choice within the medical community.

Because nail fungus is extremely resistant to treatment, Novartis, the maker of Lamisil -- generically terbinafine -- recommends 1 - 250mg tablet per day for 6 or 12 weeks, with 6 weeks for fingernails and 12 weeks for the harder to treat toenails.

This regimen is not without risk or side effects, including liver damage, and not guaranteed to solve the problem. The condition can reappear within a year.

It's also not without cost.

Depending on whether it comes in 14, 28 or 42 day doses, the cost of Lamisil can range anywhere from about $450 to $500, not including office visits and tests to monitor the liver's reaction to the drug.

Is there an alternative?

Yes.

Naturopaths and some MD's will suggest using Tea Tree Oil.

Steam distilled from the leaves of Melaleuca alternafolia, a shrub like plant native to Australia whose healing properties have been long known to its aboriginal tribes, Tea Tree Oil has strong antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

For nail fungus, the pure oil is applied to the affected nails 2 to 3 times a day until the new nail has completely grown out. This can mean about 6 months for fingernails and 12 months for the slower growing toenails. Some users remove loose material from under the nails and others have reported using a nail file or emery board to sand down the surface of the nail for better penetration to the nailbed.

100% Australian Tea Tree Oil can be found in health food stores. The cost is approximately $10-$15 for a half-ounce bottle, and it's safe to use.

Till next time, Lawrence Stepanowicz, ND

Reprinted from Practical Health. For a free subscription and a free copy of "Lessons From The Miracle Doctors" visit http://practicalhealth.net