Some Quick Exercise and Fitness Tips

Some Quick Exercise and Fitness
============================

Keeping fit through exercise is one of the gifts you can give
yourself. You can make the gift better by combining your
fitness regimen with a generally healthy lifestyle. Here are
some tips.

While low carb diets are popular, carbohydrates are necessary
in your diet. The right amount of carbohydrate intake can help
you with your fitness goals, and is something you should
discuss with your doctor.

If it's mass you want, don't add calories from just any source.
You want muscle bulk, not fat. Find out what sources give you
the most useful calories, not just the quickest calories.

Don't fall into the trap of quick solutions. You probably know
that steroids quickly build bulk, but they are ridiculously bad
for you. Don't sacrifice your health to a quick way to build
your body. Work hard to achieve your goals honestly and
healthily.

Talk to your doctor before starting any fitness regimen and
keep him or her updated as you make changes. Your doctor may
have some great tips for you so that you get fit the healthiest
way possible. They can help with exercise plans, diet plans and
vitamin supplement selections.

Don't believe everything you hear or read about supplements.
Many make claims that have not been properly evaluated. Some
can even be detrimental to your fitness goals. Research your
supplements carefully and ask your doctor when in doubt.

Maintaining a good fitness level does a lot to improve your
life overall. You're less likely to get sick and you'll
probably recover faster when you do get sick. You can cut your
risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and other
diseases by keeping fit. Beyond that, you'll just feel better
and have more energy.

One of the best things about keeping fit these days is the wide
range of regimens to choose from. It's not just aerobics or
weight lifting any more. You can find exercises that you love
to do. Loving your fitness regimen will make it much easier to
stick with it.

About The Author: Stephanie Foster started
<a href="http://www.timeforexercise.com/ ">Time for Exercise</a>after
realizing that many
people simply don't make time to exercise. She gives more
family exercise advice at
http://www.timeforexercise.com/exercise/category/fitness-and-exercise/

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Nail Fungus (onychomycosis)

I have observed the following complaint on a runner, and it isn't a pretty
sight!

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Nail Fungus (onychomycosis)
by Dr Marc Mitnick

>Nail fungus or onychomycosis is an infection of the nails
occurring both on the hands and feet but certainly more
prevalent on the feet due to the environment that feet find
themselves in. Nail fungus generally thrive in dark, moist
environments, so when you consider wearing shoes and socks
all day along with perspiration that occurs, it ends up
being a perfect growth media for nail fungus.

The true, tough to get rid of nail fungus, actually grows
underneath the nail. As it grows, it forces the nail up
off the nail bed and the nail becomes thick, crumbly and
discolored ranging in color from yellow to brown. There
may also be an odor. It is not uncommon for these infected
nails to then spread to the remaining healthy nails on the
foot. It is also not uncommon for nails to fall off and
unfortunately, in most cases grow back the same way if not
properly treated.

Aside from the unsightly appearance of the nail fungus,
other problems can arise. Having nail fungus makes most
people more prone to developing athlete's foot of the skin.
(The opposite also holds true). Additionally, thick
fungal nails can be uncomfortable in closed shoes as they
feel like rocks underneath the top of the shoe. These
infections can make people more susceptible to secondary
bacterial infections as they exacerbate the formation of
ingrown nails, plus the sheer distortion of the nails tends
to irritate the healthy skin of the adjacent toes causing
abrasions that can become infected. This is especially
dangerous in people who suffer from diabetes or have poor
circulation.

Treatment can be difficult because of the fact that fungus
thrives in "dark moist environments". Eliminating those
factors can go a long way to reducing recurrence.

Many patients ask me if the infected nail has to be
removed. The only time I remove them is if they are
already partially loose. If the onychomycotic nail is
adhered to the nail bed I no longer advocate removal of the
nail because the simple truth is, just removing a nail all
the way back to its growth plate will cause the nail to
grow out with a degree of thickness even if there is no
fungus present.

>There are both oral and topical medication treatments. The
>gold standard for treating onychomycosis in an otherwise
healthy individual is the oral therapy. The most widely
prescribed medication today is Lamisil tablets (Novartis),
although there are certainly other oral antifungals that
can be used. The newer generation of oral antifungals is
very safe medications if properly used. Your doctor may
prescribe one or two blood tests during the course of
therapy to make sure there are no adverse effects.
Additionally, your doctor should take a sampling of the
nail and have it tested to confirm that it is true nail
fungus. Visual inspection is not the proper way to make a
diagnosis.

Although topical treatments are available, they tend to be
less effective. The main problem, as stated earlier, is
that fungus grows underneath the nail; so applying
medication to the top of the nail becomes an effort in
futility. Trying to force the medication underneath the
nail rarely works.

The best way to use topical medication is to see a foot
specialist who will grind down and cut away as much of the
diseased nail as possible (a painless procedure), so that
the topical medication will penetrate to the live fungus
more readily. This can become a tedious process as the
medication generally has to be applied twice a day by the
patient, (being lazy about it defeats the whole purpose)
and then the nail has to be ground down on a regular basis.
The other problem is that depending on the degree of
fungus this process can take upwards of a year. The other
problem is that the greater the number of nails that are
infected, the less the likelihood is of clearing them all
up with the topical medication. Having said that, I have
seen some very gratifying results with topical medication.


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A podiatrist with over 25 years experience discusses
various conditions of the foot, ankle and lower leg. This
discussion is in the same manner that he discusses various
problems on a day to day basis with his patients; people
just like you. Visit his web site for more information or
to ask a question.
http://www.foot-pain-explained.com

Can't Lose Weight? It's Time to Stop Feeding Your Demons

Can't Lose Weight? It's Time to Stop Feeding Your Demons
Copyright (c) 2006 Debbie Fontana

When you can't lose weight, the answer may be simple. Or it
may be hard.

Maybe you really are just eating a little too much. Simple.
Cut back.

Maybe you just turned 40 and as much as you hate to admit
it, you'll never have the body you had 20 years ago. Hard
to admit, but with the right diet, you can still have a
slimmer figure.

But what if you've had a long -- maybe even a lifelong --
battle with weight. And by that, I mean a serious weight
problem, not just five pounds or so.

I'm not a doctor, I'm not a psychologist, I'm not a
psychiatrist. And I'm not giving medical advice.

But I have observed enough people over the years to form
this opinion.

For people with lifelong weight loss problems, the right
diet can help. But it's usually not about dieting. Because
it's not about the food.

Think about it.

Are you lonely, angry, depressed? Do you feel guilty,
rejected, inferior? Or even unworthy of love or success?

Do you seek comfort in food because people let you down? Or
maybe you feel like you've let yourself down?

Have you tried every diet there is and nothing seems to
work? Or at least not for long?

Then consider this. When you dive into that box of
chocolates, is it food or an escape?

Maybe there's a sexual assault in your past. Maybe kids
teased you mercilessly when you were young. Maybe family
members always made you feel inferior. Maybe an ex-spouse
-- or a current spouse -- made you feel unwanted and
unloved.

You didn't fight back. Maybe you couldn't -- literally,
couldn't.

So you turned to food. For comfort. For escape. For an
excuse to drive people away.

Because when you're fat, it's okay to be shy. To be
different. To be alone.

It still hurts. But at least, you have an excuse to hide.

You say you want to lose weight, you go on diet after diet,
but when things get tough...

... you seek refuge in food. And it starts all over again.

So ask yourself this.

If you could go back to the one incident or the series of
events or the period of time that led to your weight
problem, would you choose to relive it all again just as it
happened?

Or if you had the chance, would you change it?

Because every time you escape with food, you make the
choice to feed your demons.

To relive whatever it is that hurts you.

To give people who bullied or hurt you the power to do it
all over again. And again. And again.

So you have a choice to make. To relive or to live.

It's that simple. And that hard.

If you can't do it alone, seek out a trusted friend. Or
better yet, a trained professional.

But ultimately, the choice is yours. Choose to let go.

Choose to live.

----------------------------------------------------
Debbie Fontana is a full-time author and business owner who
writes about health, weight loss, looking great, and
feeling fantastic. She created the delicious I Love to
Cheat lifestyle diet and the companion I Love to Cheat
Rewards Newsletter. She encourages her subscribers to
submit their weight loss problems, questions, and concerns.
Visit her at http://www.ILoveToCheatDiet.com

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Yogic Diet for Asthma

Yogic Diet for Asthma
=================

Yoga lays great emphasis on diet and insists on avoiding common
dietary errors. Sattvic (pure) foods form the ideal diet for an
asthmatic. They are both, nourishing as well as easy to digest.
An asthmatic’s diet should ideally be lacto-vegetarian. Research
has proven that a predominantly vegetarian diet is best for
them. Meat proteins take longer to digest and tend to be put a
burden on the metabolic system. Non-vegetarians may start by
cutting down on red meat, then gradually eliminate it
altogether. Later, as they develop a taste for vegetarian fare,
they will find themselves giving up other meats, poultry, fish,
and eggs, too. However, seafoods, if not fried, have been
proven beneficial to asthmatics.

An asthmatic’s diet should ideally contain a limited quantity
of carbohydrates, fats and proteins (they are acid-forming),
with liberal helpings of alkaline foods like fresh fruits,
green vegetables and germinated grains and pulses. Have plenty
of dried fruits, like prunes, oranges or berries or a few black
raisins with honey. Also have lots of salads of raw vegetables
like beets, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, lettuce and wheat
bread with one or two green vegetables, sautéed or slightly
cooked.

Asthmatics should always eat less than their full capacity as
it bears down upon the chest, resulting in a feeling of
over-fullness and discomfort. Besides, they should pay careful
attention to eating slowly, chewing their food well. They
should also drink anywhere between six to ten glasses of water
daily, but avoid liquids during meals.

Vitamins and Minerals for Asthma

1. Vitamin A plays a vital role in curing asthma. Beta-carotene
A precursor to Vitamin A is found abundantly in carrots,
pumpkin, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, cantaloupe, pink
grapefruit, apricots, broccoli, and spinach. The more intense
the color of a fruit or vegetable, the higher is the
beta-carotene content.

2. Vitamin B-6 enhances the autoimmune function and formation
of hemoglobin. It is amply found in beans, nuts, legumes, eggs,
meats, fish, whole grains, and fortified breads and cereals.

3. Vitamin C is another highly beneficial ingredient. Apples,
apricots, avocadoes, breadfruit, blackberries, blackcurrants,
blueberries, kiwifruits, jujubes, melons, cantaloupess, peaches
and pears are rich in Vitamin C.

4. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that increases the blood
capacity to carry oxygen. It is found in wheat germ, corn,
nuts, seeds, olives, spinach, asparagus, and other green leafy
vegetables and vegetable oils.

5. Zinc is an immune-enhancer that supports the adrenal glands.
It is found in profusion in the following: baked beans, raisin
bran, black, dried, peas, oatmeal and mixed nuts, particularly
unsalted, roasted peanuts, almonds and walnuts.

6. Selenium is an antioxidant that protects the immune system
from hypersensitivity. Brazil nuts, dried, oatmeal, brown rice,
whole wheat bread, black, dried, walnuts are all selenium rich
foods.

7. Essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3 oils are
extremely beneficial in reducing inflammation and alleviating
asthma attacks. They are found abundantly in vegetarian foods
like almonds, walnuts, pumpkin and flax seeds.

8. Tulsi or Holy Basil is one of the most beloved Ayurvedic
herbs that helps reduce mucus and symptoms of irritability. The
chemical eugenol, found in Tulsi is one of the most active
constituents that contributes to its therapeutic effects.

Other Dietary Tips on Asthma

1. Common food allergens that tend to trigger an asthma attack
include eggs, fish, shellfish, milk, chocolate, citrus fruits,
food preservatives and coloring.

2. Remember an apple a day, keeps the doctor away. They are
rich in flavonoids that function as antioxidants and reduce
inflammation.

3. If you have a tendency to produces excess mucus, avoid dairy
products.

4. Other foods that tend to produce phlegm are rice, sugar,
pickles, chutneys, ice and iced drinks and curds, as also fried
stuff and are difficult to digest and best avoided.

5. Spicy, fried, fatty foods, too much tea and coffee are best
avoided.

6. The evening meal should preferably be finished before
sundown or at least three hours before bedtime.

About The Author: Kevin Pederson, authors web content for
Yogawix; your online guide on yoga,
fitness and
wellness. This article "Diet for Asthma" explains about asthma
and diet therapy for healing asthmatics. He also writes on
natural home cures, hair-n-skin care and many more health
sites.

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Your Diet and a Isagenix Body Cleansing Detoxification

Your Diet and a Isagenix Body Cleansing Detoxification
Copyright (c) 2006 Stacey Zimmerman

If you are considering undergoing a body cleansing
detoxification, you should consider changing your diet
after you complete the process. Each day we put into our
bodies a mega load of chemicals and toxins just from the
air we breath. Then, we sit down and eat our breakfast,
lunch, and dinner and unknowingly fill out bodies with even
more toxins. By changing the way you eat, you can make
certain your body is working to capacity to rid your body
of toxins.

One of the most important things you can do is to fill your
diet with foods that are rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants actually help to destroy the toxins, also
called free radicals, that build up in the body. When you
increase your intake of antioxidants, you will be ridding
your body of harmful substances and overall, you will feel
much healthier.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are your first line of defense
as they are a good source of antioxidants. The body can
not store vitamin C, which is an antioxidant, so it is
vital that you make certain that you are getting enough.
Citrus fruits, green peppers, green leafy veggies, and
broccoli are a great source of vitamin C, so you should
make sure you are getting the proper amount each day.
Those with the highest amount of antioxidants include the
small red bean, wild blueberry, and red kidney bean.

Another powerful antioxidant is vitamin E. While your body
has the ability to store it, it seems as though you can
never get enough. To make certain you are getting enough
after your body cleansing detoxification, make sure you are
adding wheat germ, nuts, seeds, and whole grains into your
diet. Research has proven that vitamin E can help delay
the aging process and help to heal your skin from damage by
the sun. Beta-carotene is another powerful antioxidant
that can help your body to rid itself of free radicals. To
increase the amount of beta-carotene you're getting after
your detoxification, add carrots, squash, tomatoes, sweet
potatoes, and peaches into your diet.

After your body cleansing detoxification, you'll also want
to make certain that you are not eating foods that are only
going to cause the toxins to build up. Most obvious,
you'll want to stay clear from sugar, as much as possible.
Try to avoid those items with large amounts of refined
sugar, as well as sucrose and dextrose, as well as those
with artificial sweeteners and a high-fat content.
Avoiding dairy products as much as possible will also help
you to stay healthier and make certain to stay away from
drinks that are high in caffeine. While you may love your
coffee, it is much better to substitute green tea.

The fact is once you've gone through a body cleansing
detoxification, you'll notice almost immediately that you
feel healthier, more energetic, and you have more stamina.
This is due to your body getting rid of built up toxins.
If, however, you do not watch what you eat and you continue
to add more toxins, soon you'll have that same old lack of
energy back.

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About the author:
Stace Zimmerman is an Independent Isagenix Associate
Freeinfo who owns & maintains his
health & wellness website Burnfat
.He is the author of numerous articles on health,
nutrition & weight loss. Check out his site for lots more
information on healthy weight loss through natural body
cleansing.

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