Insights into Pilates Equipment

Writen by Natalie Brown

For anyone with even a remote interest in Pilates, the equipment used for training is extremely interesting. With exciting names like the Reformer and the Cadillac, how could one not be interested? While there are literally dozens of individual pieces of equipment and props for use in Pilates training, we will be focusing on two of the more popular ones.

The idea for the Reformer was born when the founder of the Pilates system, Joseph Pilates, was interned in England during the First World War. He spent much of his internment training investigators from Scotland Yard in the Pilates method, and working to find ways to help rehabilitate bed-ridden patients suffering from the 1918 influenza epidemic. The first prototype was actually created using bits and pieces of old hospital beds.

The Reformer is comprised of a series of springs attached to a sliding platform supported by a frame. In some ways, it is very similar to rowing machine. The platform can be moved in two ways; by pulling on the pulleys, or by pushing off of the foot bar. It can be challenging for some people to get used to the sensation of moving the platform and maintaining balance at the same time. There are dozen of exercises that can be performed on this piece of equipment, but please consult a professional instructor before attempting these exercises on your own.

The Cadillac is another popular piece of Pilates training equipment. It has been said that the Cadillac resembles some form of medieval torture equipment, and has earned the nickname of “the rack”. Be not afraid. The Cadillac is one of the most ingenious and effective types of fitness equipment ever designed. It has a platform and posts on each of the four corners. It is not unlike a bed, in some ways. The corner posts support various levers and pulleys, which provide resistance during your workout.

Joseph Pilates, and his legion of prot

Acne – Different Types And How To Recognize Them

Writen by Michael Russell

Acne has many forms. Although it is most commonly located on the face it can occur anywhere on the body. Cases of acne can be anywhere from mild to severe. Mild cases which can be self-treated are typically manageable. Severe cases of acne though should be treated under the guidance of a qualified health professional. A dermatologist would be the type of doctor to consult in this case.

The type of acne experienced by most people is ‘common acne’, its scientific name is ‘acne vulgaris’. Other names you may have heard this type of acne called are whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, papules, cysts or nodules.

Blackheads occur when a pore becomes partially blocked. Sebum is the substance which causes oily skin. This along with dead skin cells and bacteria can drain to the skin’s surface. This in turn causes the pigments to be exposed to air. It is this exposure that causes the black color and can take an extended period of time to clear up.

Whiteheads occur when the sebum, dead cells and bacteria become blocked in the pores completely and are held beneath the surface of the skin.

A red circle with a white or yellow center signals the appearance of pustules. While it sounds menacing this is the form of acne we know as pimples or zits.

Nodules are much larger than the other types of acne and form tough lumps beneath the skin’s surface. These tend to be painful and can last for several months. This form of acne should be treated by a dermatologist as it is highly prone to scarring.

Along the same lines as the nodule is the cyst. Cysts are a form of acne that are filled with pus. Cysts also tend to be painful and can result in scarring if left untreated. Cysts should also be looked at by a dermatologist.

A rare form of ‘acne vulgaris’ that is extremely disfiguring is acne conglobata. This type of acne is more commonly found in males rather than females. Acne conglobata causes large lesions to form on the body, most notably on the chest, back, face, upper arms and thighs. It can also be accompanied by blackheads. It can cause damage to the skin and permanent scarring. The condition could persist for several years and could cause psychological as well as physical suffering. Another form of this is acne fulminans. Symptoms of this are fever and aching joints. The common treatment is oral steroids.

When acne is treated over a long period with antibiotics a bacterial infection can occur called gram-negative folliculitis. Symptoms of this bacterial infection are pustules and cysts.

A form of acne called Pyoderma Faciale affects females between the ages of 20 and 40. More susceptible are women in this age range who have not had acne before. Symptoms of this are painful pustules, nodules on the face and cysts. Also possible is permanent scarring. This typically will clear up within a year.

Acne Rosacea, commonly called just rosacea, typically affects people over the age of 30. A symptom of this is a red rash on the face. Also possible are other skin blemishes such as pimples. Care should be taken not to confuse this with acne vulgaris as each has a different treatment. Rosacea is more commonly found in women. However, when it does affect men it is more severe.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Acne

Bodybuilding Weightloss Exercise Tips and Strategies

Writen by Mark Newport

Welcome to bodybuilding weightloss exercise tips!

This is the engine room of your assault on fatmaking a few easy changes to your routine is going to make all the difference to your bodyfat levels in less time than you might think.

In the past you may have tried to lose weight? This time is going to be different. Here I present for you a clear program exercise to achieve your goalbased on a sound philosophy.

The cornerstone of your new bodybuilding weightloss philosophy is consistencybacked up by commitment and followed through with discipline.

OK, enough alreadythis is beginning to sound like hard work!

So, what is the key – the key is habit. You are going to create a new habit – the inevitable result of which will be your goal of a lean, flab free body.

So, where to start?

Here is the foundation you need to understand how you will lose the fat and keep the muscle – don’t even think of supplementing with anything until you understand the processes at work here. There will be plenty of time to add in a few accelerators later, but all in good timemy friend. Lets lay the foundations first

What’s the good news? Simple, the more exercise you do the less you need to be concerned about calorie intake. Lets break this down. One pound of fat is made up of around 3,500 calories. Between you and me, that’s three square meals – its also 5 hour long strength training sessions, 12 hours of brisk walking, or 6 hours of cycling.

All other things being equal – if you increase your energy consumption and keep those calories coming in at the same level or just trim those coming in from fatyou are already going to make consistent weightloss progress.

Next, the beauty of using strength training as your key to cutting your weight is your metabolic rate. Exercise raises your ‘resting metabolic rate’ for around 15 hours after you finish – even if you are sitting around after working out – your body continues to burn calories at a faster rate than normal – to repair muscle tissues and muscle replenish glycogen stores.

Even better, the muscle mass you gain and maintain by strength training burns energy at a faster rate than the fat it replaces.

What are we saying hereyes, go and eat normal sized meals – keeping calories from fat low and calories from protein and carbs balanced – and the processes triggered by the exercise alone will burn off that fatand keep it off.

Lets get intense!bodybuilding weightloss does not mean wasting hours on the exercise bikeaerobic training has its place in your program – but I want you to train mainly with weights for bodybuilding weightloss, and train intensely.

This means you working at around 75% your maximum heart ratequickly calculate this by taking your age from 220. The number you get to is your maximum heart rate.

This will burn fat calories the quickest. Each session you will try and go ‘the extras mile’ and push for greater intensity measured in timeor weights.

Maybe you could add in an extra training session in the mornings or on a lunch hour. Just an extra hour or two a week may be all you need to see major progress.

Ever wonder how you can lose the fat for no effortjust sitting around, maybe listen to some music? Saunais another secret weapon in your fatloss armory. See these benefitshey, did you know that there are at least 8 major health reasons why you need to get in that sauna!

Produces a strong thermogenic responsethis means calories burned off quickly

Speeds up the metabolic processes of all internal organs

Promotes release of Growth Hormone, naturally

Stimulates vasodilation of peripheral blood vessels – soothing muscular pain from intense exercise

Expels toxins from the bodylike heavy metals, Cadmium, Zinc, Lead

Creates a fever reaction that can destroy viruses before they get a foothold

Strengthens the immune system and reduces risk of cancers Relaxes you

Bodybuilding weightloss tips

Try walking or doing some other aerobic exercise at least 20 or 30 minutes per day – in addition to your usual routinewalk to the local storetake the stairspark further away from where you workwalk the dogain to burn off an extra 1000 calories a week this way.

Start a regular weight training program, with a partner or trainerfor added motivation give yourself some goals to work forthe extra muscle you’ll build will burn extra calories all day everyday keeping you lean

Drink more fluids and waterkeeping hydrated will improve your concentration, complexion and speed up the processes of removing toxins from your body and restoring energy stores to your muscles.

Exercise on the weekend when you will be less stressed and can focus on working out

Sleep at least 8 hours per nightok this is a tough callso why not try ‘power napping’ this really does boost your energy levels and makes up for missed sleep at nightit has been proven that napping rebalances important brain chemicals in such a way so as to improve performance and concentration

Do those odd jobs you’ve been putting offmow the lawnfix that fencesweep the yard – get out and about

Unbiased bodybuilding supplement articles and reviews. Bodybuilding weightloss, bodybuilding protein and Creatine FAQ. Also home to the unique Top Bodybuilding Forums Blog at http://www.top-bodybuilding-supplements.com which will save you countless hours… find out why at http://www.top-bodybuilding-supplements.com

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Always Shock Your Muscles For Maximum Growth

Writen by Kris Bierek

Always try to “trick” your muscles into growth. You never want to do the same exercises, reps and sets for each and every workout. You always want to shock your muscles into growing and adapting to new stimuli, so make sure to always switch up your training routines, number of sets and reps for each training session. Also, make sure to train at a high level if intensity and really push each set to positive failure (barely getting the last rep up).

You should always focus on increasing the weight lifted. If your muscles get used to lifting a specific amount of weight, then they will never want to get stronger or grow. Always try to trick your muscles with different reps/sets and keep your intensity levels up high enough so they always are forced to make changes and grow!

To gain muscle mass use a rep range of 8-12, starting out. Then, once your comfortable switch it up to lower reps like 6-8 range. There is also an “total volume” intensity aspect which takes the overall volume of weight lifted into muscle mass gains. Such as:

10 reps with 225 lbs = 2,250 total training volume

vs.

6 reps with 275 = 1,650 total training volume

The key is to always train to positive failure on every set (after warmup). This way, you will always be taxing your muscles and applying highest level of intensity possible.

Another great way to really shock your muscles is to train with different routines. We have included a huge database of workout routines for you to choose from. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced individual, we have the workout routines that’s just right for you! Choose from hundreds of different routines here:

http://www.shapefit.com/workout-routines.html

Kris Bierek is a fitness specialist for the health and fitness site http://www.ShapeFit.com where you can find FREE fitness tools like fitness newsletters, dieting tips, weight loss help, exercise questions and a free fitness analysis to help you get into the best shape of your life!

Fasting & Enemas…For A Clean Body Detox

Writen by Philip G. Jones

A hundred years ago, life was very different here on earth. The air was cleaner and the earth was rich in nutrients. Then, in our need to feed our ever-increasing population, we gradually changed the quality of the air we breathe and our once nutrient rich soil is now sorely lacking. We now live in world of chemicals and pollutants in our air, water and food.

Our bodies, amazing as they are, were not designed to handle this kind of constant onslaught. Is there anything we can do about it? You Bet! You may feel that you can’t change the world, but you can minimize the effects all this has on your body.

Fasting is one of the quickest ways to detox your body and it can be done safely. A three-day fast can do wonders for your body. If you are pregnant or have some chronic health problems then fast only under the supervision of a health care professional.

Our bodies store toxins but wants to rid it self of them. When you do a fast it releases toxins from the tissues and they go into the blood stream. We then can experience things like headaches, fatigue and body aches, smelly stool, etc. Although this may seem unpleasant to experience, the results you get from doing the fast has its reward of a cleaner more alert you.

Have you noticed that when you are ill you don’t feel like eating anything? That’s the body’s way of handling whatever is going on. It naturally fasts. Why? Because when you give the digestive system a break, the body can get rid of the toxins and concentrate on immune function, cell growth and cleaning out your colon.

There is a right and a wrong way to fast. Don’t do just a water fast. There seems to be a misconception that you only drink water to fast. Not so. As well as 8 to 10 glasses of water you should drink diluted pure juices except for orange or tomato juice. Fresh lemon squeezed into water is great for helping detox the liver. Herbal teas a couple of times a day can be very soothing and satisfying.

As well as doing a fast, it would be very helpful in speeding up the healing and cleansing process by doing enemas. Getting rid of old or impacted feces will greatly aid in your health and well being. A coffee enema works great. Before you put the coffee grounds in the pot, open up a capsule of slippery elm bark and aloe vera and add it to the grounds. Make sure you use purified water, not tap water. Then follow with a lemon cleanse.

Between fasting and colon cleansing, you can detox and cleanse your body and feel great.

I hope this helps.

(This is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. If you need medical attention please see your doctor.)

About the author

Philip G Jones http://www.cleanbodydetox.com

Phil Jones is an author/researcher who has dedicated himself to helping people find the resources, books, news and information on health and wellness. Detox books, info, news, resources.

Candida – An Introduction

Writen by Walt Ballenberger

Many people suffer from an excess of candida in their bodies, and sinus problems are among the effects. The yeast (a form of fungus), is called candida and the disease is referred to as candidiasis. If you feel listless, achy, or even light-headed or “spacy”, in addition to having sinus and other health problems, you many have an excess of candida.

Candida can flourish in the body when the immune system is impaired. The disease is often a result of taking too many courses of antibiotics or other medications that can harm the immune system. Dr. Robert Ivker, in his book “Sinus Survival” states “What I have repeatedly observed in my practice is that the vast majority of people with chronic sinusitis, who have taken three or more ten-day to two-week courses of antibiotics within a six month period, probably have some degree of candidiasis.” Certain hormones can also contribute to the disease, including those in birth control pills, as can cortisone medications such as prednisone. A high-sugar diet can also help the growth of candida, which uses sugar as a food. Diabetics have a higher than normal propensity for having candidiasis.

Unfortunately there is no easy test that can be used to determine if one has the disease, and many people tend to diagnose the problem themselves after numerous visits to a doctor, who cannot diagnose exactly what is wrong with them. Many candida sufferers are told “it’s all in your head”. There is a simple test of spitting into a glass and observing the mucus and how it dissipates. This seems rather folkloric, but there are usually grains of truth in folklore. Certainly this would not constitute a definitive diagnosis, but it might give some people an indication. This test is easily found on an internet search with the keyword, candida. Oftentimes the best diagnosis is to set out on a course of treatment to see if there is improvement in the patient’s conditions. Background questionnaires are also commonly used to determine probability of the presence of candida. If this seems possible and one has a number of the symptoms, it would make sense to seek out a physician or specialist who has extensive experience in treating fungal diseases.

Sinus problems are only one of the many issues that are confronted with candida. When candida spread throughout the body they tend to congregate in moist mucous tissue in the lungs and nasal areas, so sinus problems are often a result of candida. Other symptoms include sluggishness and a feeling of being “spaced out”, irritability, depression, mood swings, as well as itching and burning sensations when urinating. Diarrhea, cramping or constipation, and of course stuffy or runny nose and sinus infections are also experienced by candidiasis sufferers. Also noted as symptoms are cravings for certain foods, such as breads, sugars, cheeses, and alcohol.

Treatment is not simple and generally consists of a “candida” diet. This diet is high in protein and vegetables and low on carbohydrates. It must be difficult to maintain this type of diet for extended periods. The diet aims to take away the fuel needed by candida to thrive. There are products available on the internet that claim to help candida patients, and one should research these thoroughly before taking them. Certainly one should obtain a doctor’s opinion before taking some sort of supplement. One could even try to personally contact people who have given endorsements for the product. Some of these are not very expensive, however, and the cost of trying them, given approval by a doctor, might be worth the cost and effort.

Sinusitis in itself is a difficult problem to live with as is well documented at http://www.postnasaldrip.net, but candida sufferers must endure other health issues as well. Many of these supplement products and more information can be found easily by doing an internet search for “candida” or “candidiasis”.

For Anti Aging Supplements, Get Expert Advice

Writen by Terry Price

Excessive amounts of vitamin A have been known to increase the occurrence of hip fractures and other disabilities among seniors. Like anything else, the correct balance of vitamin A in your diet is essential. According to a study done by Harvard medical researchers in 2002, they report that high levels of vitamin A increase the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women especially in the hip area. With the aging process, the chance of fractures especially to the hip are increased and have been linked to excess retinol in the diet. This active ingredient is found in vitamin A and has been known to diminish the bone strength in both men and women, especially the hip area. Although a good anti aging supplement is important, it is important to consult with an expert in anti aging supplements to make sure that you’re getting the right balance you need.

Vitamin A can be found in many of the food items that we include in our diet every day such as eggs, liver, milk, cheese, butter and other dairy products, fish liver oils and cereal. As senior citizens have a hard time metabolizing retinol properly, they are, therefore, more likely to experience fractures of the bones than when younger. Older people are advised to find a good antiaging product and stick with it.

Beta-carotene is derived from vitamin A and doesn’t carry the same risks as retinol. Beta-carotene is a tremendous anti aging supplement and doesn’t carry the same risks as retinol does. The body converts beta-carotene into exactly the amount of vitamin A that your body needs daily. This great antiaging product can be found in colored vegetables and fruits such as pumpkin, carrots, yams, red peppers, tomatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, apricots, and many other different types of fruits and vegetables. Here are some healthy antiaging tips for your bones. Try and refrain from taking vitamin A supplements and take a good anti aging supplement, such as a multivitamin that includes beta-carotene. If you’re unsure if the product contains beta-carotene, call them and ask. Always perform a weight bearing exercise on a daily basis. This will help improve your bone density. Get 1200 mg of calcium daily and 400 IU vitamin D along with eating lots of fruits and vegetables that contain beta-carotene.

Terry Price is an expert author and a regular contributor to: http://www.antiaging-supplement-products.com/anti-aging-eye-cream.html : Men, if you looking for a way to the attract ladies, you may want a look at free pheromones for men! http://www.antiaging-supplement-products.com/free-pheromones-for-men.html

Blame it on the Carbs

Writen by Bentley Thompson

There is a low carb version of almost every food on the supermarket shelves nowadays. There is low carb ketchup, salad dressings, and even low carb beer!

Is the carbohydrate content of our diet responsible for our size and our weight? I have two answers… yes and no. Stick with me, it gets crazy here.

The low carb option in weight loss dieting continues to gain popularity. It seems like we are saying that carbohydrates are the reason we become overweight. Far from it.

Carbohydrates are not the cause of our weigh problem

Carbohydrates are a part of all the foods that nature prepares for us – nuts and grains, fruits, and vegetables. If you get the idea that I am saying it was not originally intended for humans to eat meat, you are right.

I’m assuming you can follow my premise that humans came about according to the Creationists’ view of origins. I hope you’re comfortable with this. Grab a cool drink and try to relax in case this gets a bit hot for you. (And by the way, watch the carbohydrate content of the drink!)

According to the Genesis account, there was no sin in the beginning, no animal got hurt, no animal died. So there was no beef, chicken, nor pork on the plates. In fact, the instruction was, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food (Genesis 1 verse 29).”

You and I were designed to eat carbohydrates… and lots of it, too. And since that was perfect for our health then, it should still be great for us today. But that’s only half the story.

But we made smart carbohydrates, and a disaster…

We invented machines and processes that refine our food. We can even extract and preserve the nutrients from these foods, make them into pills and punches that are easy to carry around.

Why eat an orange when we can drink the juice from a bottle of a cute box? Hey, we can even make vitamin C tablets. After all, it’s the vitamins we are after, we don’t need to eat the orange and let the juice run down our cheeks and soil our clothes.

We can make low carbohydrate content foods too. We want to be able to drive all day or sit on our couches. It’s the 21st Century, we don’t need to walk anymore. Drive. Fly. Use the computer – we don’t have to move. So…

Who needs all that carbohydrate in our food? Sugar tastes good anyway, so we add it to peanuts, cakes, even to our meat. You can hardly find anything without sugar.

The no-so-sweet truth

It’s not the carbohydrate that is to blame for our problem of being overweight, it’s our lifestyle. It seems we have decreased our level of physical activity, altered the natural quality of the food prepared for us by nature, and are taking in more calories that we need (or can use.)

It’s not just one factor that is at the root of our problem of being overweight. It is all the habits and practices that constitute our lifestyle.

So don’t blame the carbs. There is no need to switch to low carb diets. We just need to do simple things like, having a good breakfast, avoid snacking (avoid acid reflux problems too), eat complex carbohydrate and high fiber foods, exercise daily, and get enough rest.

We were designed to function a certain way. If we don’t follow the Manufacturer’s recommendations we wreck the machine through improper operating procedures.

Are you overweight or obese? Don’t blame it on the carbs. Change the habits.

Copyright © 2006 by Bentley Thompson

Bentley writes about lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. He advocates the anti-diabetes diet which he describes on his website. You may visit his website and blog using the following URLs: http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com/ and http://choosehealthtoday.blogspot.com

Binge Eating Disorder

Writen by Greg Culver

Binge Eating Disorder is a type of eating disorder characterized by sustained binge eating to excess followed by periods of guilt and disgust. Unlike bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder does not include periods of purging. The disease is supposedly prevalent among 1-5% of the population. This disease affects women slightly more than men (60%-40%). Additionally, people with binge eating disorder can be of normal or over weight. Other characteristics include:

1. Feeling out of control with eating behavior
2. Eating when not hungry
3. Eating in secret
4. Depression is prevalent among people with this eating disorder
5. Feeling of shame and distress after the binge eating episode.

The health risks are the same as those associated with clinical obesity and include:

1. High cholesterol and blood pressure
2. Heart and gall bladder disease
3. Diabetes mellitus

Generally, people who appear to suffer for this eating disorder will have a low self esteem and could also be experiencing family and/or relationship problems. They could also have experienced some childhood trauma including severe bullying, teasing, physical or sexual abuse. Scientists are working on a link between disorders such as binge eating disorder to biological or biochemical causes. There have been findings linking hunger, appetite and digestion chemical imbalances in the brain with eating disorders.

Don’t Allow Your Food To Control You

Writen by Lee Smith

Food addiction isn’t a problem. Pretending like you can’t live without eating however, IS the problem. If you’re stranded on a desert island without food, what would you do? Your body can survive well over 24 hours without food if you’re drinking water.

How about if someone offered you 50 million dollars to not eat? How addicted would you be then?

Personally, I’ll be forthright and tell you that I think that it’s utter nonsense to believe that food is addictive. Food is fuel for the body and that’s it. There is no such thing as an “addiction fairy” sprinking his magic dust on a Big Mac so you’re forced to eat it.

In today’s society, doctors have made it easier for people to indulge in self-destructive behaviors by saying they are “addicted” to it.

Personally, I think the people who diagnose these addictions are addicted to “ease of ignorance and influence”. Saying that you’re addicted to lots of food is like Osama Bin Ladin saying he’s addicted to spelunking.

When it comes to eating too much and you feel that you’re gaining weight, remember this:

IT’S ONLY FOOD!!

It’s not a ticking time bomb that’s going to self destruct in 5 seconds if you don’t eat it. Anyone in their right mind can easily realize that an inanimate object like an cheeseburger or a snickers bar has no control over you. However, if you do feel it does, then I’m addicted to your brand-new car.

If you know you should be eating better, then do it.

All the great tastes and wonderful flavors have been created to entice your taste buds and the food’s emotional appeal. Natural foods don’t need to be “processed”. They provide a filling sensation and a healthy solution on their own.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what’s in the delicious foods you enjoy eating so much, look at the ingredients. If you can pronounce the majority of the ingredients, call me. I’d like to know what they are.

If you’ll notice, most of the foods eaten are the results of hundreds of chemical combinations (some of which aren’t safe for you) which give it that taste that you’re “addicted” to.

It’s only food. Our forefathers who build this great country weren’t addicted to food. But I’m sure you wouldn’t be either if you had to chase your meal, shoot it, skin it, wash it, clean the insides and outsides of it, pluck all the feathers or fur off and so on!

Believe me, if I went through that, I would truly enjoy my meal. I’m sure they weren’t addicted because they were too tired from chasing it!

But if you’re picking up your meal and it’s not clucking, mooing, kicking trying to escape, biting for its life, or growing because of photosynthesis, then it’s not putting up a struggle.

You make the decision to put it in your mouth, chew it, and swallow it. And you can make the decision to put it down anytime you desire.

It’s your choice. It’s fuel for your body. That’s it. It’s not addictive, tasty, wonderful, mouth-watering and all that jazz.

Remember, you have the control. You only have to take action and prove it.

Online home fitness specialist and fitness author and author Lee Smith specializes in helping people get in shape in the comfort of their own homes. For more incredible tips and tactics like these and a free subscription to his “Successful Fitness Strategies” newsletter, visit http://www.howtoachieveyourfitnessgoals.com