Health and Fitness

What is Muscle Fiction? A Guide for Gaining Muscles

2011-01-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

If you'v been training, here's a short list of bodybuilding fiction.

1. 12 Rep rule

Most weight training program include this much repetitions for gaining muscle. The truth is this approach places the muscles with not enough tension for effective muscle gain. High tension e.g. heavy weights provides muscle growth in which the muscle grows much larger, leading to the maximum gains in strength. Having longer tension time boosts the muscle size by generating the structures around the muscle fibers, improving endurance.

The standard prescription of eight to 12 repetitions provides a balance but by just using that program all of the time, you do not generate the greater tension levels that is provided by the heavier weights and lesser reps, and the longer tension achieved with lighter weights and more repetitions. Change the number of reps and adjust the weights to stimulate all types of muscle growth.

2. Three Set rule

The truth is there's nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be base on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa. This keeps the total number of repetitions done of an exercise equal.

3. Three to four exercises per group

The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If your doing this much reps for a muscle group your not doing enough. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps.

4. My knees, my toes

It is a gym folklore that you “should not let your knees go past your toes." Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.

But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.

Focus on your upper body position and less on the knee. Keep the torso in an upright position as much as possible when doing squats and lunges. These reduces the stress generated on the hips and back. To stay upright, before squatting, squeeze the shoulder blades together and hold them in that position; and then as you squat, keep the forearms 90 degree to the floor.

5. Lift weights, draw abs

The truth is the muscles work in groups to stabilize the spine, and the most important muscle group change depending on the type of exercise. The transverse abdominis is not always the most important muscle group. Actually, for most exercise, the body automatically activates the muscle group that are needed most for support of the spine. So if you focus only on the transverse abdominis, it can recruit wrong muscles and limit the right muscles. This increases the chance of injury, and reduces the weight that can be lifted.

What is Type I diabetes? Introduction

2011-01-08T11:01:00.000-08:00

An Introduction to Type 1 Diabetes: The facts you should know

Thought to be a quite uncommon condition, Type I diabetes affects approximately one out of every 250 people, both adults and young, living in the US today. Although the word "juvenile" has long been associated with this type of the disease, as in Type I juvenile onset diabetes, the disease process may actually occur at any time in life, and appears equally among both women and men.

There are thousands things that can go wrong with your body. Consider this short list:

11 beta hydroxylase deficiency - Froelich's syndrome - Dysmyelination - Dwarfism short limb absent fibulas very short digits - Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome - Cleidocranial dysplasia micrognathia absent thumbs - Aarskog syndrome - Crystal deposit disease - Acropectorenal field defect - Chudley Rozdilsky syndrome

Fortunately, even most doctors have not heard of some of these. But even though it is considered fairly uncommon, you probably know someone with Type I Diabetes.

Symptoms

While the signs of Type I diabetes tend to be subtle in most cases, if not treated, they can actually become quite severe. Some of the most common symptoms include:

Blurry vision - Increased thirst - Frequent urination - Frequent skin, vaginal, or urinary tract infections

Other serious signs and symptoms associated with Type I diabetes that require an urgent need for medical attention include:

Abdominal pain Rapid breathing and heart rate Fruity or sweet smelling breath Loss of consciousness, rarely in extreme cases

Causes

Scientists still aren't aware of all the factors inducing one to have Type I diabetes, although they do know that a susceptibility to the condition may be genetic. Researchers have discovered that this form of diabetes may also be caused by environmental factors that causes an adverse reaction within the body's immune system. But, they are unsure as to the origins of these possible triggers.

Diagnosis

For an accurate diagnosis of Type I diabetes, a family doctor must check for abnormal glucose levels by performing a blood test, or also testing for the presence of glucose in the urine. Today, there is no way to test for a tendency for Type I diabetes, or any method to prevent one from developing this type of diabetes.

Treatment

There are many, of all ages, who enjoy long, quite healthy lives despite having Type I diabetes. It's imperative to keep blood sugar levels under tight control, which may be achieved by eating a good diet, a good exercise program, and having insulin therapy consistentlyone or more times a day. Anyone with this disease is require to have insulin injections in order to properly control their glucose level, which will also have to be tested regularly.

Without treatment, Type I diabetes may presage several serious conditions, some of which may be life-threatening. Kidney damage is a quite common problem in those with Type I diabetes with a condition known as nephropathy. Other possible complications include retinopathy, which causes a loss of vision, heart disease, nerve damageand instestinal disorders which may also result without medical treatment.

Although a serious problem, Type I diabetes is a disease that can still be successfully managed with the right medical care.

How to Tips at Home Remedies for the Common Cold

2011-01-04T10:58:00.000-08:00

The common cold is a miserable condition that is caused by an invastion of a number of viruses that have spawned in the nose and throat - such as coronavirus, metapneumovirus, adenoviruses and over 100 serotypes of rhinovirus, a type of picornavirus. It has been said that the basic cold can be caused by over two hundred viruses! The infective viruses pass into the body through the area of the mouth and the nose - often from your own hand. They then travel to the tract of the respiratory system. Here, these viruses grow and multiply. Once they have sufficient numbers, these viruses cause you to suffer from many signs indicating that you have a common cold.

It has been discovered that individuals who have weak or suppressed immune systems, experience high levels of stress, or those who fail to get the proper amount of rest can develop colds more easily than others. In addition to these risk factors, those that experience mild to severe allergies may develop this type of sickness easily. Here, you will be introduced to the symptoms of the cold, as well as various home remedies for the common cold.

Symptoms of Your common Cold

There are quite a few symptoms that come with the common cold. One of the first things that become evident is the presence of soreness in your throat. The throat may get very dry and scratchy. You will probably also get a fever early on. The fever is usually somewhat less than one hundred degrees. The eyes often become watery and reddened. Furthermore, you may suffer from a persistent sneeze, cough and a runny nose. When an individual experiences a severe cold, the body may ache continuously. There may be an altered taste, or even no appetite.

Home Remedies for Your common Cold

There are quite a few home remedies for your common cold. It is very important to know that when searching for these remedies, there is no one set guaranteed best remedy for the common cold. Any and all home remedies that you engage in will either relieve the symptoms that you are experiencing with your cold, or simply improve your comfort level while the cold runs its course. The following are some of the best home remedies for the common cold:

1. One of the best home remedies for a cold is to get plenty of rest. Rest is vital when you get sick because of the fact that it allows your body to devote its time and energy to fighting off the many viruses that have invaded the body. You should not exert too much energy before you are better, or you may find that you remain sick with the cold for a longer amount of time than you would if you simply rested!

2. If you are looking for an herbal remedy that can help to soothe the discomforts of the cold, you may find garlic to be beneficial. Garlic has proven antiseptic properties. This helps to clear the body of viruses and any bacteria that have invaded the body.

3. Folks who have a cold that includes a large amount of chest congestion find that steam baths are beneficial in breaking up the congestion. Once you have inhaled the steam for a while, try drinking a glass of warm milk mixed with peppermint. This will soothe the respiratory tract and open the sinuses.

Conclusion

As written here, there are a number of different home remedies for the common cold. You must first decide on the symptoms you want to be rid of, and then choose the home remedies that assist in that specific symptom. Also, you should ensure that you get sufficient rest and take in plenty of fluids. Then you will get relief with a rapid recovery.

Organic Food Shpping: What Do I Need to Know About Organic Grocery Shopping?

2010-12-31T22:12:00.000-08:00

When you are looking at your cupboard and wondering how you can eat more healthily, you'll find that there are a number of different options open to you, and that one of the first things that you can think about is organic grocery shopping. Organic grocery shopping can help to promote better agricultural methods and to ensure that you and your family eat better. Consider shopping for organic groceries and think about what the benefits can do for you.

What are organic foods? At the most basic level, organic foods are foods that have been grown in line with certain production standards. They don't have regular pesticides sprayed on them, they have not been cultivated with man made fertilizer or sewage trash, and they don't have food additives also. In most countries growers are not allowed to call fruits or vegetables organic if they have been genetically modified. Neither growth hormones or antibiotic medications are given to animals that are a source of organic meat.

Is there a local resource where I can find organic foods? The grocery store is the best place to begin looking for organic foods. There's the organic foods section. You may also find that you can take advantage of organic foods through shopping at your local co-op, or that you can find a community supported agriculture project, where membership will entitle you to a share of a local farm. During the summer months, you should visit your local farmer's markets, too.

When you are looking to eat healthier, remember that you have plenty of choices with organic grocery shopping. Be sure to take advantage of all options available in your local area.

Top 10 tips :Fitness for Women- Stay Fit and Healthy!

2010-12-29T22:32:00.000-08:00

Here are 10 tips for women to stay fit and healthy:

1. Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet. Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.

2. Drink plenty of water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities. It is also advised for lactating women to increase water intake to keep the body hydrated.

3. Take Vitamins and Supplements. Do not forget your Calcium supplement. Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial for women of all ages. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and Pre-Menstrual Period (PMS) Symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system. Women who undergo menopausal period should take Vitamin E-400 as it stops night sweats and hot flashes. Also, Vitamin E is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.

4. Quit smoking. If you are smoking, stop. It is also a big “NO” for pregnant women, as this will affect the health of the baby. Pregnant women who smoke may pass the harmful content of cigarettes to babies through the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers. Women who smoke have a high risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.

5. Incorporate exercises in your daily routine. Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

6. Avoid stress. Many women are prone to too much stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to parlors or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.

7. Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Wear hats when under the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles to women.

8. Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile. Always have it cleaned to prevent cavities and bad breath.

9. Visit your Gynecologist. Women who are eighteen and above should have their Physical Examination annually especially for the Pap Smear test. Women who are forty and up should have their mammograms and the Breast self-exam is encouraged once puberty has been reached and should be a habit as they mature

10. Safe sex is strongly recommended. Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Thanksgiving and Holidays

2010-12-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

I had a great Thanksgiving with my parents, siblings, uncles and aunts! Oh it was so fun! My mom and my aunt are great cook, they had made really great dishes including 4 type of pies!

I made rice side dish which was liked by everyone! We had great time sharing stories and laugh! Black Friday was crazy busy day! I was too lazy to wake up 4 am, so I went lazily around 9.40 am, and many great deals were gone but I still was able to get some great online deals and some great clothes deal.

I am thinking about starting my new year right so I got this book Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements and The Healthy Slow Cooker. It is Recipe book and health and well being book. I think I want to be healthier, since losing weight in my europe trip, (see my previous post), I am inspired to keep up the momentum and eat and be healthy.

How about you? How was your holidays?

I found Cookware site which has some neat details about cookware and I found about Kitchenware articles and learned a lot. I got a book from Library on cookware and knives which is pretty educational.

I want to start cooking more at home but learning how to techniques and save money and be healthy at the same time. I am looking forward to Christmas!

How are you eating ?

2010-10-29T02:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted here but I had a great reason. I saved up money to go to Europe with my friends and what a fun trip it was.

People in europe tend to eat really long lunch and walk every where. While I was there, I lost 4.5 lbs! And you know what is interesting? I was not even trying to lose weight. Now I am back in US and college classes, I am back to eating unhealthy, rushing off to classes, finishing my breakfast on run and working in fast food place part time does not help. I need to find some other work to do.

I have trying to learn how to cook better at my apartment so I can eat healthy. I checked out some books from library and I have been looking some food blogs to get recipes.

I found Roasted Asparagus soup which is not only easy to make but quite healthy and yummy! I had to use canned asparagus as I could not find fresh ones.

I tried making a crepe once and my pan is starting to stick...I just bought this set 7 months ago, I need to do research and find a better cooking set. Do you suggest any that is good value for money? I need to ask my aunt, who is great cook or do internet search.

Bye for now

Megan

Good reads

2010-06-18T22:46:00.000-07:00

There are some great websites, blogs that are wonderful and talks about all health and fitness issues. Here are some of the articles that I recently read in quest to make myself more healthy and fit.

CNN health site . With name like CNN, you will know they will have a great information site, everything you want to know about health and health issues.

Some of favorite articles are;

Fatty food might be addictive

Laughing as a exercise , can laughing can count as exercise? if so, I am going to laugh out loud listening to some funny jokes. Easiest form of exercise and fun too. Wanna join?

Movie food This is must read as I go and watch new movie every Friday with my friends. We always share popcorn and but get individual drink. I think I gain 1lbs from all that eating and drinking.

Perils of Plastic , This article is my TIME.com, many people in media are using less plastic and I am also getting concerned. Check out this article for more information.

More later.

How to lose weight

2010-06-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

As we saw in previous post How to lose weight, pitfalls to avoid , we will look at how we can lose weight in simple, easy steps that requires some control on our part.

The Lazy Girl's Guide to Losing Weight and Getting FitLosing weight can be a huge struggle that we start thinking we may have to do something drastic to see results I know I have such as extreme and questionable diets, pills or those product from infomercials that promise instant weight loss while you are sleeping. The one thing that I know that has worked for me and true for many is to make small changes each and every day and you will lose those extra weight. There is no instant success, key is to start small and continue. I am sorry, there is no magic pills or overnight weight loss.

Steps to successful Weight Loss

The experts have said that to lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories above what you already burn doing daily activities. That sounds like a lot of calories and you surely can not be expected to burn extra 3500 calories in a day. However, by breaking it down in small steps, you can lose those extra 3500 calories in step by step process. Let's explore further.

Calculate your activity level. Use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc. throughout the day. It helps to keep a daily activity journal or you could even wear a heart rate monitor that calculates calories burned.
Keep track of how many calories you eat. You can use a site like Calorie Count or use a food journal to write down what you eat and drink each day. Be as accurate as possible, measuring when you need to or looking up nutritional information for restaurants, if you eat out.
Add it up. Take your BMR number, add your activity calories and then subtract your food calories from that total. If you're eating more than you're burning, (your BMR + activity is 2000 and you're eating 2400 calories) you'll gain weight. If you're burning more than you eat, you'll lose weight.

Example:
Mary's BMR is 1400 calories and she burns 900 calories in daily activity with regular exercise, walking around and doing household chores. To maintain her weight, she should be eating 2300 calories but, after keeping a food journal, Mary finds that she's eating 2550 calories every day. By eating 250 more calories than her body needs, Mary will gain one pound every 2 weeks.
This example shows how easy it is to gain weight without even knowing it. However, it's also easy to lose weight, even if the process itself can be slow. You can start by making small changes in your diet and activity levels and immediately start burning more calories than you're eating. If you can find a way to burn an extra 200 to 500 calories each day with both exercise and diet, you're on the right track. Try these ideas:

Instead of...	Do this...
An afternoon Coke	Drink a glass of water. (calories saved: 97)
An Egg McMuffin	Eat a small whole wheat bagel +1 Tbsp of peanut butter (calories saved: 185)
Using your break eat sweets	Walk up and down a flight of stairs for 10 minutes (calories burned: 100)
Hitting the snooze button	Get up 10 minutes early and go for a brisk walk (calories burned: 100)
Watching TV after work	Do 10 minutes of yoga (calories burned: 50)

Total Calories Saved: 532 (based on a 140-pound person) How Much Exercise Do I Need?
Exercise is an important weight loss tool, but how much you need varies from person to person. The ACSM's weight loss guidelines suggest at least 250 minutes per week, which comes out to about 50 minutes, 5 days a week. If you're a beginner, start small (3 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes) to give your body time to adapt. Don't forget, things like walking, taking the stairs and household chores can burn more calories as well. Learn more about getting started with exercise.

Having a Garden in your yard

2010-06-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

Eating well and fresh produce can go hand in hand. Growing small garden in your yard is always great idea, you can grow, herbs, pepper, tomatoes, basil and other plant that you can buy it from gardening store.

Here are some great resources for you to look at it, check it out.

Helpful gardener has a great tips on how to grow herb garden. Site also have other gardening resources such as gardening flowers and other useful tips.
How to grow herb garden

About.com has a great section on gardening. Here is a good article that shows you what type of stuff you can do in month of June. Check out, June gardening

Heart and Mind websites that talks about more about life style improvement and slowing down and enjoying life wrote about 101 changes series that she writes there. Check out 101 changes: Plant something in your garden .

Veggie Garden tips site has a great suggestions on growing mushroom at home. I never thought of doing it, does people plant mushrooms at home? It might be good thing, check it out Mushroom gardening

Do you garden? Was this suggestions useful?

How to take off your weight and keep it off: Tools you will need : Part 1

2010-05-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

First of you want to is to start out with is check your BMI: Body Mass Index, so you will know your weight is normal, underweight, overweight etc. So how do you know your BMI? It is easy and FREE. If you have an access to internet, check here to check your BMI.

BMI Calculator

When you will type in your height and weight, it will automatically tell you the range you will fall in. From there you can determined, if you need to lose a few pounds or more or some lucky ones may need to gain a few pounds. For sake of majority, we will assume that we need to lose a few pounds, adjust this according to your own weight gain and comfort level.

Second you want to find out how much calories you need to eat per day to lose X amount of weight.
According to Judith Beck's diet book, Complete Beck diet for life using following formula will set you in right direction for amount of daily calories you need to eat in order to lose weight. It is bit complex but I have tried it, so check it out.

For women
A =Your age * 7.31
B = 387-A
C = Your weight in lbs *4.95
D = Your height in inches * 16.78
E = C+D
F = B+ E
G = F-200 = Your daily calorie goal

For Men
A =Your age * 9.72
B = 864-A
C = Your weight in lbs * 6.46
D = Your height in inches *13.8
E = C+D
F = B+ E
G = F-200 = Your daily calorie goal

More on Part 2.
Mgirl

Weight Loss, - pitfalls to avoid

2010-05-14T23:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, are you ready? I always have to work little bit hard to get ready for summer, so I can wear summer friendly clothes. How about you?

Weight loss seemed to be simple enough someone who is fit and slim. Many experts will tell you simple, eat less and burn more calories, do exercise at least for 15 minutes. It was simple enough, then all of us would be doing it right? Let's say you even got started, but sticking to the program is harder in long run. And losing those 15 lbs are impossible, at least for me. They are like my long lost pals, who does not want to leave me at all.

What are your pitfalls? What have you tried that quite did not work for you.

1. Excersizing too fast and losing momentum and feeling drained
2. Eating more, due to more excercise, burning calories, net result zero or sometimes gain weight.
3. Eating too little, feeling tired and dizzy to do anything.
4. Seem like losing weight, but it is only water loss and causing you to dehydrated.
5. Your body getting adjusted to new excersise routine, stopping any new weight loss
6.Stop eating your favorite food, hence craving and binging on chocalte icecream later on.
7. Losing motivation, no momentum
8. Your metabilism does not budge no matter what you do, or it gets adjusted fast to your new routine
9. No support system
10. Or worse, sabotage system where someone does not want you to be fit and slim and does everything in his/her power to entice you to fall out from your goal.

These are some realistic and possible pitfalls one can have when trying to lose weight as if losing weight itself was not hard enough. No wonder we can not start and stay motivated enough to lose weight and stay fit. There are way too many distraction and friction in between.

What is yours? How do you keep it to your goal?

Image: Zenhabits.net

Spring cleaning your eating

2010-04-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, many of us are clearing away and cleaning out clutter from house and cars. How about doing same for our eating and making us healthy sound?

Here are a few simple ways to spring clean your food eating habits and change your diet.

Eat More natural and organic food
Eat more rainbow color fruits and vegetables.
Drink more water
Drink less soda, alcohol
Exercise more.

Here are some great recipes to share to get you motivated on eating well.

Garlic and Sesame Green Bean Salad

Spicy Ginger Glazed carrots

Simple Cucumber with Hummus and Yogurt recipe

Enjoy
Mgirl

Recipe and Image source: http://visualrecipes.com

Are you an emotional eater?

2010-04-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

Many of us can be an emotional eater. What is an emotional eater? Whenever you are stressed, feeling sad, you turn to food to make you feel better. I know, I have been there. Eating comfort food that is laden with sugar and fat may make you feel good for momentarily but will make you gain weight in long run. So how do you avoid emotional eating? Follow these strategies to stop emotional eating and stop gaining weight.

First of all, let us look at the reasons we might be eating for emotional reasons:

Stress (Money, Family, Work, Love, Marriage, Kids, Friends etc.,)
Feeling sad or down
Boredom (Not having an excitement or joy in life)
Being alone, lonely (Broken Relationship)
Low self esteem
Anxiety
Feeling lot of anger or resentment

There could be other problems related to above issues. I have faced most of these issues and most of my emotional eating have been at night time. No more. How? Here are some tips that helped me and it will help you too.

Know your trigger points. Before eating know, if you are really hungry or feeling one of the above reasons causing you to eat.
Drink water first. Some times we are thirsty and we mistake it for hunger instead. Drinking water will make you full, hydrated and not gain you any inches or pound.
Keep Journal: Keeping a food diary or journal can help you identify what is bugging you and why do you eat those times, helping with process of not eating during those times.
Do something else: Find an alternative activities when you feel down, sad or angry instead of eating. Call up a good friend, listen to jokes, or watch some funny videos, read your favorite book etc.,
Get your ZZZs: I used to not sleep well and get all junk food during night time, watching all these late night informercials. Now, I try to get my 8 hours of sleep and nap if I can and it has helped me and my energy levels tremendously.
Walk it off: Whenever you feel emotional hunger showing up, walk it off. Go for jogging in a park or jump on treadmill instead.
Eat Healthy stuff: If you must eat, eat healthier stuff such as apple or banana or protein bars.
Forgive yourself: By chance you made a mistake and binged on fatty and sugary comfort food, forgive your self and try to correct your next time instead of beating your self up.

Was these tips useful? It has worked for me and I am sure it will work for you as well. Try it.

Mgirl

Welcome

2010-03-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to complete health and fitness information. One place to know and learn it all. Here you will find information on traditional and alternative methods of getting healthy and fit. Be the best you can be and look your best as you meant to be!

Mgirl