Transform Your Body For The Beach In Six Weeks

Spring is here. Flowers are blooming, jackets are being put away and chances are that you're beginning to panic about putting on a swimsuit again. Hold on. Don't pack your bags for the North Pole just yet. You can get a body makeover in six weeks or less.

If you work hard and set your mind to it, you can make big transformations to your body in time for summer fun. Don't worry, while these changes will require dedication and work no crash dieting or excessive workouts are required.

Read on to learn more about both small and large changes you can start making TODAY to get your body in swimsuit shape.

1) Get on the ball. If you don't already have one, purchase an inexpensive fitness ball. Use it to perform abdominal and leg toning exercises 5 days per week. Do 5-10 minutes in the morning and 5-10 minutes in the evening. There are hundreds of exercises you can do on a ball from beginner to advanced levels so the variety will keep boredom at bay and ensure you keep your body challenged.

2) Add resistance training to your weekly workout. If you aren't currently doing a regular strength training workout then start today. Aim for a minimum of two sessions per week. Each session should work all of your major muscle groups with 2-3 sets per exercise of 8-12 reps using a resistance that fatigues your muscle by the final rep. Start with your larger muscles and then do exercises to target the smaller muscles as well.

In addition to the attractive physical appearance strength training provides, it also helps speed up weight loss. Even when muscles are not actively being used, they need fuel to function. So, the more muscle you have the more fuel that is needed and therefore the more calories you burn.

3) Change up your strength training. If you are currently including resistance training in your weekly routine then try to change it up considerably. It's important to alter your workouts every few weeks. The change helps ensure your body stays challenged, that you are regularly recruiting multiple muscle fibers and ultimately that you make progress and see improvements.

4) Add intervals to your cardio workouts. Strive for three 30-minute interval training sessions each week. Interval training is short, high-intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest. It is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. These higher and lower intensity periods are repeated several times to form a complete workout. By exercising harder for short periods of time and then allowing yourself recovery time, you can push yourself harder.

5) Evaluate your eating habits. Even small changes can surprisingly reduce your calories significantly. For example, eliminate or at least limit your soft drink consumption. If you drink one can per day that's about 1050 calories per week you could eliminate. That's almost a whole days worth of calories abolished just by substituting no calorie drinks in place of pop.

6) Find ways to fit even more physical activity in to your daily routine in addition to your exercise routines. Don't underestimate the power of very small changes. Just get off your feet as much as you can. Put away the remotes and channel surf manually, march in place during your favorite show, stand instead of sit whenever possible during your normal daily activities, etc.

7) Maximize your efforts with cross training. Cross-training is a type of exercise regimen that combines strength work, aerobic work, and stretching. With this method you use different muscles each day, which means you'll be able to work out at an intense level without overtraining your body. So try alternating the interval training days with strength training days for a cross training approach.

If you incorporate all of these recommendations, you can be ready for the beach and feeling confident in no time. But don't stop when you've reached your goal. These recommendations are appropriate for long term success and should be incorporated into your lifestyle permanently to maintain good health and fitness.

About the author: Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. Her company, WorkoutsForYou.com, can help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com for tips, sample workouts and more. Fitness professionals, learn about our online personal trainer software, visit:http://www.trainerforce.com

Female Hair Loss

Whoever you are, hair loss is no laughing matter and is a quick way to look older and to feel less attractive. Unfortunately for men hair loss and eventually baldness is often a reality and something that many have to face, however for women this is thought to be much more unusual meaning that most will be spare from its effects, but meaning that those who do suffer with it will feel even more victimised and will be more likely to stand out.

However in reality women are actually still relatively likely to experience some hair loss and particularly thinning of the hair as they become older and this can be highly distressing. Here we will look at some of the causes of female hair loss, as well as some of the things you can do to prevent it or at least to minimise its effects.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is one of the most common causes of hair loss in both women and men and is characterised by the shedding of hairs from the scalp as well as elsewhere on the body. This is often caused by some form of intense stress on the body's hormonal system and this in itself can sometimes be a reaction to medication. This stress causes a larger number of hairs in the body to enter 'telogen' meaning the resting stage where they remain in the follicle until they get pushed out. This often has a relatively sudden onset and can occur at any age. Generally it will improve on its own, as the telogen only lasts for six months after which time the hair will begin to return. In some cases this can be a chronically re-occurring condition.

Androgenetic Elopecia

This is the main cause of male pattern baldness and may be responsible for thinning hair in women over 40 for as many as 50% of the female population. This tends to be somewhat genetic and will usually be passed down by the mother or father. Here the hair loss is caused by a chemical known as DHT made from androgens – the male hormones which is why its slightly more common and more pronounced in men. It is most likely to occur for women after menopause.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition which affects around three percent of the population. Here the hair follicles are actually attacked by the body's own white blood cells causing them to become very small. This can stop hair from growing which may last for months or years. After time some hair may return, while in other cases it may never return. While the hair follicles remain intact and could in theory be triggered to once again begin growing, it is currently unknown how this might be achieved.

The pattern of hair loss in women is different to that of men and while men might experience their hair receding as the hairline becomes further back, women are more likely to notice their hair just thinning. This makes it easy for clever hair styling to cover up some of the baldness. By keeping the hair long it is possible to cover up some of the more bald patches, or by shortening the length it is possible to make it look as though you purposefully chose that look.

In other cases you might decide that you wish to use a wig to cover up your thinning locks. This allows you to take a potential drawback and use it as a way to reinvigorate your style and to try lots of new and bold looks. If you've ever wondered what you might look like as a red head then now is the time to find out...

The Wonders of the Pressure Mattress

Have you ever had to lie in bed for a considerable length of time maybe through illness or injury? If yes then I bet after time it became uncomfortable and tiring if you weren't able to get comfortable at all.

Many of us know a friend or relative who has had to lie for long periods maybe through illness or injury. Most of us have then I bet after time it actually gave you sore points if you weren't able to get night's rest.

Looking into the future how would you cope if you had a serious illness that reduced mobility or old age prevented you getting up in the morning or even moving or rolling over in bed. Long periods of bed ridden time can cause pressure and permanent friction.Your care assistant should be trained to look for signs of bed sores and pressure ulcers.

Years ago the only means of preventing this was regular turning of the patient which you can imagine in a hospital or care home, was less efficient to key and labour for the carers and staff. This is where the pressure mattress comes into its own. With outstanding results the relative will feel more comfortable and keep away the unwanted added stress of bed sores and pressure ulcers. Not only will the occupier feel more comfortable along with the pressure mattress use reduction of bed sores and pressure ulcers.

The key uses and improvements of the Pressure Mattresses is always to achieve higher standards to give the patient what we would all wish for in our own care level and brings the technology able to reduce pressure on the needed part of the body, aiding the patient to a positive outlook and a sense of relief. The latest technology aided pressure mattress contain bubble cells wrapped in soft pockets of air, allowing each section to be alternated and spread the constant weight distribution producing an effective and cost efficient method of caring for mobility stricken patients..

The constant movements of the air sacs beneath the patient enables any hospital ward in the turning the patient to keep them free from manual handling, leaving your staff free to continue normal duties. You are always in control allowing how much air and then regulate depending how your patients risk assessment is set. Hospitals and care homes all over the country are using the pressure mattress to take care of mobility issues.

Pressure Mattress

All About Elderly Medical Alarms

In the past, medical alarms for the elderly were normally bracelets and necklaces worn to inform bystanders of their identity after accidents occurred and the older person was unconscious and unable to speak up for themself. These came in very handy if the person had a special heart condition, or was allergic to certain medications, or had a special blood type or was diabetic. The information contained on the bracelet or necklace would help medical providers and innocent bystanders to provide positive assistance that would help the senior to recover.

Today those jewelry-based systems still function well and most rescuers are even trained to look for these informative necklaces or bracelets when they come upon a senior in distress. But another type of medical alarm has developed with the advent of cell phone technology - wireless emergency alerts that can transmit a call for help - and these devices and systems are showing themselves to be worthy in their own right as well!

Elderly medical alarms of this latter type are normally worn in the form of a necklace, a watch, or a clip-on device akin to a cell phone in its holster. They function thanks to wireless technology, and when activated, send a message to some form of a base unit located in the home of the user. When the base unit receives a message from the activated worn unit, the technology kicks-in and the home telephone system dials the headquarters of a monitoring center, where trained workers are waiting for just such a summons. In this center, trained professionals can access information on every customer using the medical alert system, and can find out a great deal of information before even taking with the senior who has summoned their assistance. The operator at the HQ is able to access information on their customer's medical conditions, as well as information on who they can summon to assist the senior-in-need. Sometimes this help will come in the form of a trusted neighbor, or perhaps the landlord or building superintendent. At other times this help may come as an ambulance, EMS squad, fire department or even police car.

What is truly remarkable about these newer elderly medical alarms is the peace of mind and freedom that comes with them. Today, thanks to these wireless communication systems, elderly men and women can continue to live alone if they chose to do so, enjoying their freedoms and independence. Their younger loved ones can sleep peacefully at night, not worrying about the safety and security of their older family members or devoted friends. This is a huge boon for the quality of life of both parties involved!

Surprisingly, most of these elderly medical alarms do not cost a small fortune to use either. Some are comparatively inexpensive - not costing more than a dollar or two per day, which is not a great sum of money considering the value that comes with this transaction. When one considers the freedom, safety, independence, peace of mind and security that is offered through these systems, it's not that surprising that these systems are growing in popularity and usage across the country. As more and more Americans live longer and longer lives, this "trend" will continue to expand in success and popularity.

Visit our site to learn more about elderly medical alarms and to explore the different options and equipment features of elderly medical alert systems.

Arthritis: Relief From Pain and Suffering

There are millions of people worldwide who suffer from arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammation of the bodys joints. Any part of the body can be affected. The symptoms can vary from mild pain and stiffness to severe debilitating pain, where the sufferer has lost mobility to some degree.

There are two main types of arthritis, osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteo arthritis is the most common type and the main symptoms are pain and stiffness. Rest can be of great benefit to this type of arthritis and most of the symptoms can be alleviated this way. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that can affect people of all ages. The main symptom is painful stiff joints that become swollen and often deformed. Often suffers of rheumatoid arthritis can become depressed and their quality of life can be severely curtailed.

As of yet there is no known medicine to cure this disease. There are many drugs on the market to help with the symptoms and can give relief for a varied length of time. But the question has to be asked does this medicine cause another problem? Lengthy courses of cortisone based medicine are often prescribed to patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. While initially an improvement can be felt, long-term the benefits are just not achieved. As these medicines contain so many chemicals and compounds one wonders how many side effects there are.

Doctors prescribe medicines on a daily basis knowing that what they are prescribing will not cure the problem but it will reduce the severity of the inflammation.

Gold injections are widely used with patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. This is a chemical compound containing gold. The doctor prescribing this knows it will not cure the arthritis but that it will reduce the severity of the symptoms. In a few hours after administration the patient will be feeling better and more active. This is a welcome relief from arthritis pain.

Aspirin remains the best reliever of symptoms which has the fewest side effects. Having said this long-term use can still cause unwanted side effects such as ulcers in the stomach to mention just one. As medicines are advancing all the time it is only a matter of time before these side effects will be lessened.

Corrective surgery is also a thing to be considered. This is always an option when the patients joints become swollen and deformed. Surgery is a difficult choice to make for any patient as there is a very long recovery afterwards. As always with surgery it can carry its own risks with a patient who is not mobile or in good general health. Joint replacement can have excellent results and mobility can be restored to the joint eventually. Offering new possibilities to the arthritis sufferer.

Read more at http://Arthritis-now.com

Getting The Support You Need

There are many different types of hernias that a person may have. There are the rare hernias and then some that only babies suffer from. Others are quite common and adults as well as children can suffer from those. The inguinal hernia is perhaps one of the more common forms of hernias and typically men suffer from this type of hernia. In order to alleviate some of the pain or discomfort that comes along with it, many people opt to wear hernia belts or hernia briefs.

An inguinal hernia creates a bulge in the groin area or the lower abdomen and is caused when certain parts of the abdomen and the intestine are bursting through a weakened area located inside the abdominal wall. Treatment for this category of hernia is surgery in order to place those parts that come out back inside where they belong and to repair the opening or the weakened area. Despite the seemingly immediacy of the description, this surgery does not have to be performed immediately, if at all. There is an option that is available to you and they are called hernia belts.

Hernia belts are a type of fastener that you can wear, which will help to reduce your hernia. Please note that this belt is only suitable for people that have a small hernia that can be pushed back easily. You cannot self-diagnose yourself. You will need to see a doctor and discuss this option. They will then advise you on whether or not you have to have surgery or you can opt for this belt. However, if an operation is your best option this belt can be used before the surgery in order to carry on daily tasks that may be causing you pain.

Hernia briefs are yet another resource that hernia sufferers can use to deal with any pain and discomfort associated with the hernia. As the name suggests, this is a type of underwear that is similar to a hernia belt, in terms of efficacy. There are some cases where the brief may provide better protection to the wearer. Because it is designed in the shape of underwear and also because of the materials used, the brief provides just enough pressure to keep the hernia from protruding even further or even shifting when walking or moving about. If you are an active individual, you may even be able to still do moderate jogging or speed walks without causing any further damage. This is due to the built in support panels that prevent protruding during physical activity and provide just the right amount of pressure to stop any shifting. There are even some designs that allow for the support panels to be removed, if necessary, which is great for the inguinal hernia. Unlike a hernia belt, the brief is less bulky. It is strong, offers great support and can fit nicely underneath clothes.

It is always best to refer to your doctor in order to determine if this option would be ideal for your unique situation. Although many people find great success with the hernia belts and briefs, they are not for everyone.

HighTideHealth.com is large enough to have the buying power to bring you excellent pricing on your home medical supplies and we are small enough to care about every customer. We attend trade shows to make certain that we offer the latest and most innovative products. Our dedicated manufacturer's representatives work hard to help us obtain the best pricing which we pass on to our customers. Medical and health supplies sales on the internet is a competitive business and we cover all the bases to help us provide our customers with the great products, pricing, and service they expect and deserve.

Four Tips to Improve Your Vibration Plate Workout

Countless people have discovered how using a vibration plate to get exercise and weight loss results can be effective. Have you invested in a vibration plate but are struggling to see the great results of your friends, acquaintances, and the reviews that you read on the internet? Perhaps the problem lies in the way that you use the equipment. Listed below are 4 tips that will help make this remarkable piece of fitness equipment more effective in meeting your exercise and weight loss goals. Make use of them and start seeing the improvements to your physique and health.

· More than just standing

You can't expect to get the best weight loss and toning benefits form a vibration plate if you are simply standing on the machine. Get creative and find unique exercising to do while on the machine. Exercises such as the v-sit with elevated feet can help you get the results you are looking for with the core. Don't just stand on the machine. Find ways to get movement in and help tone those muscles and work off the fat.

· A healthy diet

While the machine alone can give you results, you will need to eat a healthy diet to see the most benefits from the plate. A diet free from sugar and fat will help you slim down quicker and get the results that you want. What diet are you on to help you reach your goals? If it is too high in calories and fat then you are unlikely to see any real results.

· Tracking your progress

You will be more motivated to continue your journey using the vibration plate if you track your progress. Use a chart to help track weight loss and inches that you lose while using the vibration plate and sticking to a healthy diet.

· Incorporate other exercise in too

In addition to the vibration plate, get the results that you are looking for by incorporating in other exercise. Many people who use the plate have incorporated running into their workout routine. Run 3 miles at least 3 times a week and begin to see dramatic results that you will without a doubt be happy with.

Use the tips above to help make this remarkable product more effective for you. This workout machine can and will give you the results that you are looking for it you are willing to put in the effort. Find creative ways to exercise while on the machine and begin to see your body change.

Orbus Leisure are one of the leading Vibration Plate retailers in the UK. For a range of cheap vibration plates visit their website today.

Learn About the Symptoms and Treatment of Asthma

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs in which the airways are blocked or narrowed, obstructing the flow of air. It is a common condition that has affected people from all around the globe. Be it infants or the elderly, it affects people of all age groups. In asthma, lumens (passageways in the lungs that allow air to flow) of the airways decrease, which is the bodys reaction to allergens and other irritants.

Asthma is closely linked to allergies. Though not all,it has been found that most of the people with asthma also have allergies. Many people suffering from asthma have an individual or family history of allergies, such as hay fever or eczema, for example. Common asthma triggers include pet hair or dander, dust, mold, pollen, change in weather and many more.

Asthma patients suffer from attacks that make breathing difficult.Treatment requires decreasing the symptoms of asthma:that can be done through proper control of exposure to the irritant. Some of the common symptoms that trigger visits to the emergency room include shortness of breath, coughing (with or without phlegm), wheezing, face and lips turning blue, rapid pulse rate, tightness in the chest,to list just a few.

People with persistent asthma should undergo allergy testing in order to identify the offending allergen; other test scan include chest x-ray, lung function test, peak flow measurements and blood tests to measure eosinophil (white blood cells, important in the immune system) counts and Immunoglobulin E (IgE).

In order to avoid the onset of an attack to the maximum extent possible, it is extremely essential to take all proper precautions, starting with a regular exercise regimen. Daily morning walks and exercise are extremely good for your system, as fresh air in the morning can do wonders for asthmatic lungs and your respiratory tract. An asthmatic patient should eat simple and nutritious food. You should eat small and frequent meals and avoid heavy meals as much as possible.

People suffering from asthma should completely avoid smoking, including exposure to second hand smoke. Smoking fills the respiratory system with toxins that produce major irritants to the respiratory tract and put unnecessary pressure on the system that an asthmatic patient may find difficult to handle.

In order to conduct an effective treatment for asthma, it is necessary to identify triggers, such as pets, dust mites and others; and minimizing exposure to them. The main portion of treatment is to keep away from the substances that activate your symptoms and control inflammation of the airways.

Asthma treatment requires two basic kinds of medication: first, asthma-control drugs to prevent attacks and the second, quick-relief drugs for use during attacks. Asthma control drugs control your symptoms if you have do not have mild asthma. You must take them on a daily basis for them to show effect. However, quick-relief drugs work speedily to control asthma symptoms.

Dr. Narendra Punjabi deals with problems caused by asthma and other disorders of the immune system in Austin Clinic, Punjabi Medical Clinic. So if you are located in Austin and wish to get rid from prolonged allergy, asthma, rhinitis, eczema, and allergic reactions to drugs, foods and insect bites then consult Dr. Punjabi for a precise diagnosis and multi-pronged treatment approach. - Austin Asthma Clinic

The Best Exercises That Dont Require Equipment

If you want to burn fat and tone your body at home, Ive got some good news for you. You dont need to spend hundreds of dollars on a cardio machine, ab exercises, or home gym. In fact, you dont need any equipment to do a solid workout at home.

Yes, some fitness products are good and can help but there are plenty of exercises that dont require any equipment at all. In this article, Ill go over some of the best ones.

Exercise #1 - Push Ups

If you want to work on the pectoral muscles at home, what can be better than push-ups? This is an effective bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. There are a number of variations of this workout: One with elevated legs which targets the upper part of the chest muscles mostly. Another with elevated hands which targets the lower part of the chest, and the standard, even one.

Exercise #2 - Close grip push ups

While this is also a variation of the push-up, this one is a tricep exercise and not a chest one. To do the close grip pushup, all you need to do is to assume the position of a regular push-upm with one difference: your hands should be close to each other on the floor with the fingers touching each other.

Exercise #3 - Squats

What better way to tone and shape the lower body than with squats? This is a highly effective lower body exercise. To do the squat correctly, you need to make sure that your knees dont pass the line of your toes as you descend and that your back remains straight throughout the exercise.

Exercise #4 - Calf raises

To tone the calves, you dont need any equipment. Calf raises are a great exercise that you can do at home to strengthen and tone the calves. If you have a step or stairs to do this exercise one, use them. If not, then you can do calf raises quite effectively on the floor. Just stand on tiptoes, let your heels fall toward the floor without touching it and push yourself back to tiptoes.

Exercise #5 - Reverse crunches

To train your abs, you should perform some reverse crunches. Lie on the floor with both knees bent and your feet off the floor. Clench your abs and bring your knees toward your chest. Lower them back to the starting position and repeat.

As you can see, there are plenty of exercises that dont require equipment that you can do at home. Do these and see results.

For more excellent home workouts click here: Best Exercises Without Weights
To see how you can burn stomach fat quickly click here Exercises To Lose Belly Fat
John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He now runs a weight loss forum and publishes a diet and fitness newsletter.

8 Totally Easy Ways To Fit In Exercise Time

According to the American Institute of Reboundology, two of the top 10 reasons people don't exercise are exercise boredom and perception that exercise is too difficult. But, in reality, both of these objections really are just myths based on bad information or previous bad experiences.

Fitting in exercise time can be incredibly easy and even enjoyable. Below are list of some of the easiest ways to workout and in some cases even have fun while doing it.

Outdoor lawn work. Such things as pushing a lawn mower, raking leaves and gardening are all beneficial, low impact ways to burn some calories.

Table tennis (ping-pong). If you are like most of us, you've probably played table tennis some time in your life either battling a sibling or friend as a child or at a social party as an adult. It keeps you on your feet and moving about so it ranks as an easy and fun way to get in a little exercise.

Cleaning windows. Raise your hand if your windows are less than "clear"! Sure, cleaning windows is not the most fun activity but one that almost all of us need to do a few times a year. Next time you dread the thought of window cleaning time, remember it's another way to burn calories and work your upper body.

Stair climbing. If you've got a flight of stairs in your home or nearby, then you have an instant, inexpensive piece of fitness equipment. Simply walking up a flight of stairs and back down (even at a slow pace), and repeating that sequence for just 5-10 minutes will give you a very effective workout.

Pass time efficiently. Waiting for a pot to boil? Try some standing wall push-ups while you wait.

If you spend many weekends or evenings watching a child play a sport, utilize that time for some of your own workout time. Instead of plopping down in a chair for the duration, take a long walk around the field several times or just small paces back and forth. Any movement is more beneficial than sitting.

During television commercials, get down on the floor and alternate doing sit-ups and leg lifts. You'll be amazed at how many repetitions you can fit in during the commercials of a half hour show.

Help others while you help yourself. Sign-up for several charity fitness events throughout the year. This doesn't have to be a strenuous race. There are many fun-walk events throughout the country that let you even participate with family members. The event itself will help you meet fitness objectives and if you spend some time training for it in advance then you'll reap even more benefits.

About the author: Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing in Internet-based fitness programs. Her company, WorkoutsForYou.com, can help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com for tips, sample workouts and more. Fitness professionals, learn about our online personal trainer software, visit:http://www.trainerforce.com

How To Cure Your Fears Naturally by Manipulating Your Brain

Fears are all around us. Many people have fears from everyday things such as school, driving, and dying. In this hectic world, fears will always exist among us. It is how we rid of them that makes our lives fun and enjoyable. In order to get rid of your fears you must face them head on. For example, if you are afraid of leaving home for school, you must go. If you are afraid of driving, eventually you must drive to get from place to place. What I am trying to say is that everybody in this world is not perfect. We all are stricken with fears. We must control them though to live healthier and happier lives. I had a vast amount of different types of fears. For example, dying was one of my fears. We all will eventually pass on, this is what I kept telling myself. I helped myself get rid of this fear by manipulating my brain naturally. I told myself that I am not sick, I will live till I am a 150 years old, and nothing can make me sick. By constantly grinding certain thoughts into my mind has helped me get rid of this painful fear. One must have it within himself or herself to get better. Remember if you do not put any effort in you will not get anything out. Now I would like to show you some natural ways of manipulating your brain into getting rid of those constant fears of yours.

1. Exercise- This is the first step in curing yourself of any kind of stress, worry, or fear. Exercising gives you a natural, feel good sensation through your body.

2. Get a little Sun- Being outside in the sun for 5-10 mins helps build vitamin d and releases a feel good feeling through your body, which automatically makes a person feel better.

3. Tell Yourself it is ok to fear things sometimes- By telling yourself this, you will find that you are dwelling less on your worries and fears, and making a slow shift toward happiness.

4. Nobody is perfect- Remember that nobody is perfect. When telling yourself this, it makes your mind more at ease and lowers your stress level.

5. Do crossword puzzles- This will stimulate your mind into focusing on the puzzle at hand, not your fears. This also provides exercise for the brain and helps focus on the challenging task that is going on.

I hope that you will find some of my natural tips and techniques useful. Not only did I cure myself of worries and fears but I progressively became a happy individual by implimenting these self-taught techniques. In conjunction to my natural remedies, I have also used a natural program that gave me a significant amount of guidance throughout my journey. I hope that it helps you too. Thank you for reading my article. Have a wonderful day.

The program that helped me in my journey to a happier and healthier, mind, body, and soul.

http://www.no-more-anxiety-depression-panicattacks.info

Healthy Diet and Exercise programs that I recommend for an overall healthy mind, body, and soul.

http://www.fitness-ebook-reviewer.info

10 Ways to Exercise While Watching TV

After a long day of work, the last thing you are in the mood for is hitting the gym. You want to go home, plaster yourself on the couch and enjoy a bit of mindless entertainment for a few hours.

There is no need for your body to suffer though. You can still get a good workout in front of the TV.

There are several simple but effective exercises that you can do in front of the TV.

1. Jogging on the spot

Everyone remembers this one from gym class. Jogging on the spot is a great way to fit in some cardio. For every hour of TV, there are usually 15-20 minutes of commercials (ridiculous, I know). If you watch 2 hours of TV a night, you can end up exercising for 30-40 minutes daily.

2. Push-ups

You might hate push-ups but they are a great way to work out the chest, shoulder and tricep areas. If you find push-ups difficult you can try doing them on your knees to start off with then work up to keeping your legs straight and dare I say it, one handed push ups.

3. Work out DVD

Work out DVD's were made for exercising in front of the TV. Just pop one in and start moving along. YouTube has some great videos like this one, or you can go the paid route and buy one from Amazon. This one is my favourite.

4. Exercise ball

However tempting it may be to sit down on your couch, use an exercise ball instead. Your body has to respond to the instability of the ball to remain balanced, engaging more muscles. This leads to your abs and back muscles getting a good workout.

5. Exercise machine

An exercise machine like a treadmill, bike, rower or stair stepper all offer a great workout. They used to be very expensive but nowadays anyone can afford one. Here is an inexpensive one.

An exercise machine is the easiest, most convenient way to exercise in front of the TV.

6. Jumping Jacks

Relive the time when you were a kid and had to do jumping jacks in gym class. They get the heart pumping and offer a great high intensity workout. You can burn 10 calories a minute simply by doing jumping jacks. 2 hours of TV a night with 3 commercial breaks per hour lasting 5 minutes leads to 300 calories burnt, all without a minute of missing your favourite TV show.

7. Shadow Boxing

During the commercials, get up off the couch, keep your feet moving and start to throw some punches. It is a great way to tone your arms and lose some calories.

8. Crunches

The best exercise to strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles are crunches. Start off with only 10 (you should feel the burn) and work your way up to 50 without stopping.

If you hate doing crunches then tense your abs and then release them while sitting on the couch. Do 50 repetitions every commercial break and you'll be on your way to a six pack in no time.

9. Switch it up

To keep you from getting bored of doing the same exercises, switch it up. When you watch a comedy, jog on the spot, a drama show, do some push-ups, a reality show, work the abs. This will make sure you don't get bored and all the muscle groups are worked.

10. Lay off the snacks

Lucky for us there are 2 ways to lose weight; exercise and eating less.

Nights will come when you can't seem to work up the motivation to exercise, lay off the snacks as an alternative to exercising that night.

If you enjoyed this article then visit The Zen Approach for more interesting articles

EMR Funding for Small Practices

The federal government wants the healthcare industry to move towards digital information like many other industries have done. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was created to fund and support a paperless national health information network through the adoption of electronic health records (EHR). The stimulus is based either on Medicare OR Medicaid but not both. The incentive per practice provider began in 2011 and reduces payments through 2016. After this date a penalty of 2% less reimbursement from CMS occurs for physicians not using EMR's.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the average cost to adopt, implement, and/or upgrade HIT is $54,000 per full-time equivalent (FTE) physician, while annual maintenance costs average $10,000 per physician FTE.

Medicaid has a payout of $17.7 billion where eligible professionals can receive up to $44,000 over five years. This amount works out to be about $ 500 per month for the EMR system plus a couple of hundred for various services like prescriptions and eligibility checking. Many of the cloud based EMR systems are charging nearly the same amount for their services as the physicians will be reimbursed for the implementation of the EMR system.

Medicaid has incentives of $12.4 billion where eligible professionals can receive up to $63,750 over the six years. The cloud based systems are the most affordable and depend on the internet to connect to their facilities which house the provider data. At any time the provider can import this data into their own systems if they wish to maintain the control in their facilities but this requires servers and additional IT support which comes at a higher upfront cost.

Eligible professionals are that which have a minimum 30% patient volume or a minimum 20% Medicaid patient volume, and is a pediatrician. Providers which are covered in this payment include

 

• A physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist


• A certified registered nurse anesthetist


• A certified nurse-midwife


• A clinical social worker


• A clinical psychologist


• A registered dietitian or nutrition professional

 

More details are available at www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms

Hundreds of EMR vendors exist with verification from following certification bodies that the EMR systems meet the needs as outlined by the Office of National Coordinator of the Health Information Technology.

Surescripts LLC - Arlington, VA
Date of authorization: December 23, 2010.
Scope of authorization: EHR Modules: E-Prescribing, Privacy and Security.

ICSA Labs - Mechanicsburg, PA
Date of authorization: December 10, 2010.
Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

SLI Global Solutions - Denver, CO
Date of authorization: December 10, 2010.
Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

InfoGard Laboratories, Inc. - San Luis Obispo, CA
Date of authorization: September 24, 2010.
Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) - Chicago, IL
Date of authorization: September 3, 2010.
Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

Drummond Group, Inc. (DGI) - Austin, TX
Date of authorization: September 3, 2010.
Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

Typical success in installing these EMR system require the practice and their vendor address the following.

 

1. Have a project manager who heavily involves providers in the process


2. Modify workflow.... Carefully


3. Implement in stages with big wins first like e-prescribing


4. Adapt to changes before moving forward into next stage

 

The Office of National Coordinator (ONC) has three stages for EMR implementation and meaningful use.

Stage 1 (which began in 2011 and remains the starting point for all providers): "meaningful use" consists of transferring data to EHRs and being able to share information, including electronic copies and visit summaries for patients.

Stage 2 (to be implemented in 2014 under the proposed rule): "meaningful use" includes standards such as online access for patients to their health information and electronic health information exchange between providers.

Stage 3 (expected to be implemented in 2016): "meaningful use" includes demonstrating that the quality of health care has been improved.

by Mike McElroy, MHA, PMP

913-888-8422

Mike McElroy lives in Lenexa, Kansas and graduated from University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with a Master's in Health Administration. After graduation he became an administrator for ten physicians in a multi-specialty clinic and moved into leadership roles within the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) where he was president of the Information Management Society. Mike also became a fellow with the American College of Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE).

He obtained a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification in April 2004 with over 4,500 hours in managing projects. His duties included developing healthcare shareholders in local market by connecting various hospitals and payers with regional health information organizations (RHIO) using HIPAA real-time 270/271, 276/277 and 278 transactions standards. Mike obtained his certification in practice workflow and information management redesign specialists in June 2011.

Mike has published several trade journals and book chapters involving EMR and IT projects for medical clinics.
Co-author for a 2005 book, Physician Practice Management: Essential Operational and Financial Knowledge.
Also created a fifty page white paper entitled "Automation & Technology Resources for Small Medical Groups,"
And various other publications aimed at improving ambulatory practices.

Contact Mike at mike.mcelroy@everestkc.net or call 913-888-8422

Bodyweight Training - Forget The Pushups, Train the Legs!

Too many men worry about working the upper body to look pretty or intimidating but the real work and benefits come from hammering the legs with strength and speed and jump training. The legs are the foundation for a great athlete.

Leg training builds the powerful foundation needed to excel in almost all sports and in real life for functional fitness. Training legs is brutal and is the reason the upper body is trained more than the lower body.

How tough is leg training? Ever throw up doing bench presses? I never did as a matter of fact I threw up only one time in my life during training and it wasn't from sprints or calisthenics; it was after a set of 20 rep squats.

Leg training builds testosterone and really accelerates fat burning. Years ago I was an upper body trainer thinking training legs would make me slower, I was wrong. However, training with heavy squats, dead lifts and power cleans never equaled speed it actually seem to slow me down my legs actually felt heavier from the slow training.

The reason I was slower is because the squat, dead lift are traditionally slow-moving exercises. The power clean is a speed exercise if done correctly but most trainers do not do it correctly it looks more like an explosive reverse curl.

It wasn't until I started training with explosive bodyweight movements and speed training and dropped the slow strength training that my body started to become athletic again and my legs felt lighter.

This goes against all research but switching from slow training to more speed and explosive training my body aches started to go away and even knee pain and I had three knee surgeries.

Short explosive training is not dangerous; it's the slow training that injures people. How can that be? In real life, in sports and any functional fitness the body always moves in an explosive manner. We never think about movement until we train with weight; any other time we just react.

Train slow, and your body will get used to it and when your body needs explosive movement you will get hurt. Try this leg workout; all you need is small bench. I use a 12" stool and a jump rope.

Jump rope 50 times - jump up and down on the bench 10 times touching the ground with your finger tips each rep. This forces you to squat lower using more legs than your back.

Jump rope 50 times - 10 jumps for 20 rounds non-stop. Total jumping rope 1,000 times and 200 box jumps go for 20 minutes.

Toughness Builds Winners

Johnny Grube B.C.S. is the holder of 8 bodyweight world records in physical fitness is an expert on the subject of Building Physical and Mental Toughness through bodyweight training. He has 30 years of training experience and is the author of " Ultimate Physical Fitness in 5 Minutes" http://amzn.to/xYBl3v
"The How to Build Explosive Pushup Power", The Wildman Training Program manual, The New Expanded version The Wildman Training Course and The Super Strength Playground Training Manual.

Home Remedies for Cold Sores Really Can Work For You

If you are tired of those painful and downright embarrassing sores popping up on your lips, consider a few home remedies for cold sores. Often times, the healing process will take time, but these conditions can improve on their own. The problem is, cold sores can be painful and unsightly. For this reason, it is best to invest in a few home remedies that work. You should visit your doctor for topical treatments, but you may want to consider some home remedies first.

Battling the Cold Sore

Cold sores originate from a virus that many people carry permanently and they can strike at any time. However there are home remedies for cold sores that help the open sores heal faster, minimizing the life cycle of the sore and thereby allowing you to feel better sooner. The following are some recommendations to assist you to get some relief:

• Use petroleum jelly to help cover up the cold sore to give it time to heal. One of the worsening conditions for these sores is a secondary infection, which can occur when bacteria form in the area. By keeping it covered, you avoid this risk.

• Protect your lips from the UV rays of the sun. Using a sunscreen on your lips (some lipstick and chapstick products contain this) can help to slow the re-occurrences of these sores.

• Chew on some licorice. There is an ingredient in it called glycyrrhizin acid that is very effective at stopping the worsening of cold sores. Best of all, all you have to do is to chew on it to get relief. The trick is finding the right type of product. Look at the label to be sure the main ingredient is licorice mass, not any type of candy product with anise flavoring.

• Use ice packs. These can be an effective way of reducing the healing time. You will want to use an ice pack as often as possible on the area, especially when it first develops. You can also get pain relief in this way.

• Another home remedy involves a simple application of milk. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball with milk and apply to the affected area. Milk has a natural soothing agent that can work to stimulate healing and reduce pain. Do this as often as you need to.

• Consider some zinc. You can find lozenges made with zinc. Suck on these and you could see improvement to your health overall, not to mention relief from the cold sore pain. Zinc helps to stimulate your immune system.

 

These home remedies are known to work effectively and you can use more than one of them at any given time. The most effective way to use them is to apply one of the above treatments at the first sign that the cold sore is developing. By doing this, you reduce the severity of it and you can see improvements to your pain level. Often times, these home remedies for cold sores will help you heal faster.

Greg T Hardyman is an Australian freelance writer and internet marketer. He has an interest in traditional home remedies, particularly those of the more exotic and unusual varieties. Check out his website http://homeremedies911.com for more great articles about home remedies.

Why Every Office Needs Good Filtered Water

Here are a few reasons to why you should invest on a good drinking water supplier:

1. Properly hydrated employees are more productive. - Drinking water regularly maintains a person's focus and concentration. It is one of the simplest ways to refreshing one's mind and body in order to perform better at their work.

2. Health concerns. - Drinking water brings a lot of benefits to one's body. It flushes out toxins and unwanted bacteria from your body while keeping you cool and maintaining your body water levels.

3. Having a drinking fountain is economic. - Maintaining a water dispenser in your office is an economic way to ensuring that your office employees are healthy and productive. Healthy employees mean fewer chances of them calling in sick, thereby reducing chances of a negative effect on your company's productivity.

4. Boosts morale in your workplace. - Being able to provide a good drinking water supply means that you care for your employees' health, thereby boosting their morale, job satisfaction, and ultimately their productivity.

Getting good filtered water must not cost you too much and should not demand too much space from you office. There are suppliers who can provide you with an out-of-the-way water dispenser system that won't hurt your budget.

One such example is the under-the-sink water filtration system where a multi-stage filtration system is installed under the sink allowing you to get potable drinking water right from your office kitchen sink. This setup may include a boiling water dispenser option for coffee breaks and other hot water needs. Suppliers also provide options of installing this kind of setup alone or combined in a package with other water dispensing options like the free standing filtered water drinking fountains.

Filtered water must also come with service and sanitation packages. Getting good filtered water must not oblige any staff from your office to replace any filters or refill any water bottles. A proper supplier must be able to offer additional services so that you won't need to worry about anything at all, just drink your water any time you feel like it. Maintenance and repair services should also be included in every supplier's service package. Call outs for emergency or unscheduled maintenance service must be available all the time.

Lastly, a good water dispenser system provider should be able to maintain quality service by performing regular scheduled sanitisation visits. While some providers consider the deal done after they have provided and installed in your office the water filtration system you ordered, there are conscientious suppliers that offer after sales services and provide warranties for their systems to guarantee quality drinking water every time.

Filtered water coolers or water dispensers can be beneficial for reduces activated carbons and contaminate from drinking water and you can get pure and healthy water for your healthy body.Simple method for installation with your direct water supply.

Easy Fat Loss Tricks - 3 Amazing Tips That Can Have You Lose Up To 25 Pounds Of Fat In A Month!

Are you searching around for fat loss tricks that have been proven effective, are easy to do, are 100% natural, and will produce 100% permanent results? Here are 3 awesome tips that helped me drop 25 pounds of fat in one month easily, consistently, and permanently!

1.) Eat Lots Of Raw Foods - Here is a secret that may shock you: Did you know that the body hates processed foods, canned foods, and other unnatural foods? Its true! And this is why many people all over the world are becoming overweight at an alarming rate. Most of the foods these days, and this includes so-called "healthy" foods, are processed, loaded with sodium, or unnatural in some way. The body rejects these types of foods and will start to store many of the calories from these foods as extra body fat!

What I recommend you do instead is to ensure that you are eating more raw foods with your diet. No, I dont recommend you go on a strict raw foods diet, but make sure that you get plenty of raw fruits and veggies every day. You will enhance your digestive system, decrease hunger pangs, lower your craving urges, and boost your metabolism. All of those wonderful benefits will help you shed fat like crazy, increase your energy levels, and so much more!

2.) Exercise First Thing In The Morning - To ensure that you are burning off STORED calories and STORED fat, what I recommend for you to do is to exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. You dont necessarily have to do your full workout, you can actually do a quick 5-10 minute workout and that would still be fine. Doing exercises as soon as you awake will burn off stored calories, increase your metabolism for the day, provide you with energy, and so much more!

3.) Eat These Nutrients With Every Meal - First, I highly recommend that you find a diet program that is all about getting 100% proper nutrition. A diet such as this is more likely than anything else to get you fast weight loss and fat loss... permanently. Second, a powerful diet such as what I just mentioned will have you eating the 4 killer nutrients with every meal that will make it a guarantee that not only will your metabolism skyrocket, but so will your energy levels and your overall health. Those nutrients are healthy fats (monounsaturated and Omega fatty acids), complex carbs (fiber), protein, and antioxidants.

Now, I also came across an AMAZING and very simple Fat Loss Secret a while back to melt away fat extremely fast (plus lose up to 15 pounds every 2 weeks), but I really didnt want to reveal it publicly here...

So, if you want to find out what this amazing secret is, and also see how I lost 52 pounds and flattened my stomach in 8 weeks with this secret, then simply click the following link:

>> http://www.FatLossIn11Days.info

Three Nutritional Suggestions That Will Get You Through Your Workouts

We are all looking for some other way we can improve our workout routine, because there is also some little thing we can tweak to make those hard workouts more beneficial. It doesn't always come to the number of reps or how many days a week you work. The best foods for gaining muscle, and knowing what they are and when to consume them is easily as important as any other aspect of your total workout routine.

We have uncovered three new studies to reveal the right foods eaten at the right time to increase the fat you burn, finally boosting your strength and curbing your post-workout pain. Try these three techniques out and see if they do your body some good.

1. When you eat your high-cal breakfast. Breakfast, we all know, is the most important meal of the day. On our website we get into why it is so important and the types of foods we should be looking to consume. But a new study published in the Journal of Physiology found that during a six-week study participants who ate a high-cal, high-fat breakfast prior to the workout gained an average of three pounds. The group that ate only post-workout gained no weight, even though they ate identical breakfast.

The reason: Exercise elevates adrenalin, which is a fat burning hormone. But working out after you eat insulin, which the body releases to help you digest food, when released blunts the adrenalin spike, burning less fat. But it's not healthy, or any fun, working out on an empty stomach, so you have to eat something. Therefore, choose a food such as yogurt that is less likely to cause insulin to go wild but still puts something on your stomach. Then have your big breakfast afterword.

2. Protein and age. It was previously thought that as we age, we are less able to digest and absorb protein. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition gives us the good news that twenty grams of protein consumed post-workout can increase muscle-building irrespective of age. For me, a piece of salmon and a hardboiled egg provides the protein I need.

3. Post-workout soreness. Most of us assume that muscle pain after a workout is something we have to live with. According to British researchers, we may have a way around this. Drinking one ounce on concentrated cherry juice twice daily for ten days indicates a bounce back that those not drinking the juice didn't have. Other juices such as grape, blueberry, acai, cranberry and pomegranate all have the same properties. Those juices all have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties similar to that found in ibuprofen and aspirin.

Carbohydrates that don't spike the blood sugar, also known as refined carbohydrates, and keep insulin levels in check are the ones to put in your diet. Insulin plays a part in fat storage, so keeping it under control is vital for weight loss. Slow release carbs like oatmeal, bran cereal, and whole wheat products eaten about three hours before your workout may also help you burn more fat.

We're always on the lookout for new studies that shed new light on types of food that we can add to our diet. Foods to Gain Muscle are important to know about, and we are happy to be here to tell you about them. Please check out this article on High Carb Foods, as at times it is difficult for people looking to add muscle to know just how many carbs are optimal. Rich Carroll is a writer and health enthusiast living in London.

Ways to Bulk Up Fast

Youll require a strong sense of commitment if you are working on how to bulk up quickly. Youve got to check how many calories you take in, because calories is needed on your muscles. Calories helps the entire body for energy.

Learning the number of calories you ought to consume will depend on your build and weight, using your weight and multiplying it out to determine the correct calorie count for your body, on a daily basis.

Here are some of the best methods for how to bulk up quickly.

Youll want to lift heavy weights to bulk up, but you will want to do so carefully, to avoid injury. After you consume calories, you will have the energy needed to lift bigger weights. It is essential that you use the correct technique and form to have good results.

Whenever you determine your correct calorie consumption with the correct lifting workouts, put into consideration how much protein you will be consuming. Youve got to know everything that is necessary so that youd know how to bulk up quickly. In estimating the protein youll require, use your height and weight and also the sort of develop you have. A lot more protein is needed in your body in case you have a muscular physique.

Getting more protein in your every day diet may be done through foods or supplements, or both. Supplements could be useful for gaining protein without fat as well. The supplements may save you time, too, because you wont have to be preparing a great deal of high-protein food. Do not depend on supplements for proteins you also want to eat real foods.

You will find three main components which will assist you demonstrate how to bulk up quickly. The chemistry under your muscle growth is a good place to begin. In order for this area to work well appropriate diet is a must. You also need to exercise on a very regular basis - you cant bulk up with supplements alone. Your personal trainer can assist you bulk in a speedy manner with the assist of specific exercises. Do not forget to rest. Your muscles actually are built whenever you are recovering from exercise.

In bulking up, begin with your diet, adding the calories you need to get the most effective results. Lean calories will help add muscle in the body. Youll need 3500 calories daily in case you weigh about 200 pounds. Consume good calories and avoid fatty foods.

Protein ought to be increased in your diet, too, to work out how to bulk up quickly. To improve the muscle mass in your body you need a gram and a half protein. An athlete that weighs about 250 pounds will want a bit over ten ounces of protein a day. Be sure to take your protein hours ahead of your work to ensure that you are able to use the energy it provides.

For more information about this, check out How to Bulk Up Quickly. And to get some great fitness advice I recommend you going to Fitness Advice.

Adding More Than Size With Breast Augmentation

Most people think that women who have breast augmentation are vain. The consensus is that even though it is the most popular form of plastic surgery, that all the recipients care about is size. Well, while size does matter to some women its not just about getting a larger chest size. There is a lot that can go through the mind of an enhancement patient, and quiet often its not how big their bosom is going to be.

Its easy to shy away from the psychology that comes into play with any type of plastic surgery, especially for those who are getting breast augmentation. First off, to make yourself look better doesnt make you vain. If thats the case then anyone who dressed nicely to go to work, any woman who put on make-up or any guy that put on cologne is vain.

Thats not the center of this type of surgery. Often times, this surgery comes about because of self-esteem issues. Its disheartening to go into a store at the mall and find blouses and dresses that dont fit because you dont have anything to fill it out. These types of designs have become popular over the years making it more and more difficult for those without to find something they can wear.

But breast augmentation isnt necessarily about buying the latest trends in clothing either. Sometimes the self-esteem isnt because you cant dress in many of the nice clothes being offered but because of the way people treat you. They tell you they are just kidding but in reality, whether they are intending to hurt your feelings or not the jokes about being small do hurt. It can seem like all anyone is looking at is your chest and cares nothing about the rest of you.

It might not be true but truth and perception seldom intertwine. Without being a mind reader it can be hard to know that your perception is not true.Breast augmentation can also help even things out. Another sad truth is not every woman is the same size on both size.

While the difference is often minimal and isnt easily noticed, there are cases where the difference is drastic. These women can be extremely embarrassed by this ill proportion and that can be a huge blow to their self-esteem. It is also really difficult for these women to find clothing that fit, especially bras.

Just when you think you have it figured out there is a whole new side to the reason behind breast augmentation. Psychology is often over looked when it comes to these women. They are categorized vain and narcissistic when all they want to be is what they perceive to be normal. While it might seem shallow to some people, but wanting to feel good about yourself is not shallow. Everyone wants to look at themselves in the mirror and like what they see. These women are no different. They simply want some self-esteem.

Find a Breast Augmentation Athens surgeon that can finally give you the size bust you have been wanting. For more, visit http://www.pittmanplasticsurgery.com

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Otherwise Known As COPD

If you have difficulty exhaling, you may have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a group of lung diseases that are known for blocking airflow making it difficult for a person to breathe. Emphysema, chronic asthmatic bronchitis is two diseases in this category. Unfortunately, COPD is a leading cause of death and individuals with a long-term history of smoking are at high risk. The damage caused to your lungs by smoking cannot be undone once you start to suffer from COPD and is responsible for the resultant difficulty in breathing.

The signs and symptoms of COPD vary from one person to the next. Typically all people with COPD experience more than one of the following symptoms:

Shortness of breath

Chest tightness

Chronic cough

Wheezing

Many people diagnosed with COPD were previously diagnosed with chronic asthmatic bronchitis or emphysema and some may even suffer from both of these diseases. Chronic asthmatic bronchitis is when a person has an increased mucus production, inflammation and narrowing of the airways which causes the person to cough and wheeze. A person with emphysema has damaged alveoli (tiny air sacs), which reduces the amount of surface area on the lungs in which to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide. The alveoli walls are also weaker which may cause them to collapse during exhalation, trapping the air inside. This trapping of air causes the symptom of shortness of breath.

Adults exposed to air pollution, chemical fumes, dust, and tobacco smoke over a long time can be at risk for COPD. Another risk factor for COPD is age. COPD develops over a span of years with symptoms starting to appear around age 40 in some people. Genetics may plan a role in COPD because researchers suspect a rare genetic disorder known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a cause of some of the cases of COPD.

Individuals diagnosed with COPD are susceptible to respiratory infections such as pneumonia, which can further damage the lungs and make it more difficult for them to breathe. Other complications for those with COPD are high blood pressure. If high blood pressure occurs this could put a strain on the right ventricle of the heart, which will then cause the legs and ankles to swell. COPD increases a persons risk for heart disease, heart attack, and depression. People become depressed because of the difficulty in breathing, inability to be physically active or to do activities that they did in the past. This can make a person extremely sad about life and about their health.

There is no cure for COPD but treatments can control the symptoms and improve breathing. It is imperative that if you are still smoking you quit. Treatment may include oxygen therapy, antibiotics to control infections, bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. Surgery may be necessary for those with severe emphysema when medications alone are not enough to control symptoms. In cases of severe emphysema when nothing else helps, a lung transplant is the last resort.

As you may have guessed living with COPD especially when it is advanced is very difficult. It can be challenging to complete daily living activities and the person will require assistance.

It is important that individuals with COPD control symptoms as much as possible, exercise as much as can be done on a regular basis, eat healthy foods, avoid smoke, receive regular vaccinations to prevent disease, follow-up with the doctor on a regular basis and avoid crowds and cold air so that the best possible health can be enjoyed.

If youre the care giver, it is important to become involved in a support group so you can share your feelings, become informed of new treatments and enjoys the fellowship of people who understand what you and the person you are caring for are going through because they know how tough it is.

If you would like to know more about asthma and its remedies then click on ASTHMA AND TREATMENT below.

Joe Solar is a highly successful freelance writer and the author of ASTHMA AND TREATMENT

Care Giving in Times of Catastrophe and Disaster

It is everyday news. Disasters are reported in different parts of the world more frequently than desired. Unpredictable catastrophic events occupy a great part of the daily world news with unprecedented frequency. Predictable or not, disasters affect and change human lives in unimaginable ways, regardless of cultural, ethnic or religious beliefs. The impact of a disaster is felt at all levels of a society, but the most affected are the sick, the elderly, the disabled and the children. How can a society prepare to reduce the negative impact of a catastrophic event on its members, especially the vulnerable ones? Now, more than ever, with nations and countries threatening each other with nuclear arms, biological warfare, weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, the care providers and caregivers must prepare for the challenges of care giving pre and post a disastrous event. Climate changes are creating an environment of increased climatological incidents that are not far from calamitous disasters. More than ever, whether nature induced or man induced, the probability of a catastrophe or disaster is more of a reality for every human being in the world. No land is spared; the whole planet is at risk.

From earthquakes to tsunamis, from hurricanes to radioactive spills, from tornadoes to massive flooding; how will care providers or caregivers continue to care for their sick and disabled before, during and after a disaster or catastrophe? In a disaster situation, the matter of survival is compounded by the need to continue to meet the needs of those who are ill, disabled and aging prior to the event.

The answer lies in preparedness.

1. The first step is to develop awareness. Creating awareness of the possibility of a disaster based on location, climate, local infrastructure and history of nature's behavior and developing a plan that will ensure the continuation of care to those who are sick, aging and disabled is paramount. The responsibility for creating this plan falls on the caregiver or care provider and other support systems, if available. This plan should be created based on the possibilities and type of disaster that might occur, based on location, climate and the area's history of disastrous occurrences. A person living in Colorado does not need to prepare for a tsunami or a hurricane, but an earthquake can affect any region on the planet. Coastal areas are commonly affected by hurricanes and tsunamis. People living in areas close to nuclear plants should prepare for the possibility of chemical or radiation spills, and of course, we all must be aware of the possibility of a human-induced biological or atomic catastrophe. Metropolitan areas are known targets for terrorism and other kinds of disasters. Having realized that the possibility of the occurrence of a disaster is very real, the preparation plan is well on its way.

2. Once the risks are recognized, the second step is to identify those under your care who will need continual, uninterrupted care, even under disaster or catastrophic circumstances and those at higher risks, including healthy children, and make provisions to meet their needs. Acquaint and clearly identify everyone with their individual needs. For example, a premature baby requiring tube feeding, an oxygen dependent individual requiring continued oxygen therapy, a disoriented or demented person who requires continued supervision. There should be an account for every person, including children with each person's specific needs. This information should be in writing and readily accessible in case of an emergency. Take regular inventory of all supplies used or needed regularly and maintain inventory at the highest level possible. Never allow yourself to be out of supplies at any time. Medications and life-sustaining supplies take priority in the inventory list. Medications should be checked regularly, and refills obtained before medication runs out. Oxygen tanks, and other respiratory supplies must be assessed routinely. Extra oxygen tank should be available, including portable oxygen tanks. For those patients requiring continued oxygen therapy, be aware that one movable oxygen tank lasts only 24 hours if used continuously. Food, water and other life-sustaining supplies are also an important part of the inventory. A survival plan should provide food, water and other vital elements for at least one week per individual.

3. Educate and create awareness in all those who are able and are parts of the group, family nucleus and or support system about the reality of a possible disaster or catastrophe. Roles should be designated, and responsibilities assigned. Example, one person is accountable for keeping medication's inventory; another person is responsible to maintain the rest of the family or group informed of news, the weather and emergency reports, and a person to manage food and water supplies. Another person will keep the disoriented family members safe and calm or take care of the younger children. Remember to assign responsibilities according to age, maturity, mental status and general health. Make participants accountable for their assignments. Conduct frequent meetings and discuss any issues or potential problems that could jeopardize the life or health of anyone, especially those at higher risk. Regular drills should also be performed routinely including testing the communication system to be used among members during an emergency situation. An escape and a survival plan after the disaster should be established and tested regularly as well. A leader should be designated with a survivor hierarchy in place in case of injury or death.

What should be included in a basic survival kit?

1. A list of group components, including names, age, any physical limitations and medical condition and a recent photo of each person

2. Medications and supplies used regularly by the sick or disabled person or persons.

3. Water, 1 gallon per day per individual for seven days

4. Non-perishable dry food, preferable items with high content of calories

5. Survival gear
• Battery operated lamps or lanterns
• Extra batteries
• Can opener
• Rope
• Whistle
• Hammer
• A pad and pencil or pen
• Cellular phone
• Paper towel
• Sanitary paper
• Blankets
• First-aid kit containing bandages, over the counter analgesics and wound cleaning supplies

All of these items should be inventoried regularly, including checking for expiration dates. Adjust the amount of inventory to reflect the needs of a growing group. Check for the functionality of equipment.

Escaping or surviving.

Once the disaster strike is either escaping or surviving until help arrives. This is a crucial part of the preparedness plan. It all depends on what kind of disaster is affecting the area or how it was induced. Was it a passenger train that was the target of a terrorist attack or an area affected by a tornado or a costal city hit by a tsunami? Is it, a natural disaster or a chemical or biological disaster? In any case, there are only two options; escape or surviving while help arrives. In any case, the outcome depends on the preparedness of the individual or individuals, the competency of governments, local authorities and agencies to deal with catastrophes and disasters. Unfortunately, it is confirmed, that no matter how developed or economical advanced a country might be, when disaster strikes we are not prepared enough to deal with disasters. New York 2001, Japan, Haiti, Joplin, Katrina and Indonesia are just some of the examples of when disaster strikes. The survival of those that are sick, aging or disabled and those that depend on our care is our individual responsibility. Getting ready before disaster strikes will make the difference.

By Ileana Perez RN, BSN, Health Educator

Ileana Perez is a Registered Nurse and Health Educator. She is the founder and CEO of thecaregiverconsole.com - an e-coaching website designed specifically for caregivers of the terminally ill and elderly. Ileana has amassed over 40 years of experience working as a Registered Nurse in the emergency department and operating room, as well as working as a home-care nurse. Having served as the caregiver of her late parents, Ileana knows firsthand the struggles that a caregiver faces while providing for the elderly. If you or someone you know is a caregiver who is in need of direction, support or information, visit http://www.thecaregiverconsole.com

Fat China - Is The New Prosperity A Ticket To Obesity?

China is the most heavily populated country in the world. Along with that it is also emerging as the next superpower with a rapidly growing middle class fueled by the spoils of massive industrialization and technological advancement. In the midst of all this fanfare there is a silent epidemic with future catastrophic outcomes that is also unfolding right under the nose of much media noise - obesity. Some startling facts show that China has the biggest number of smokers in the world standing at 350 million.

Apart from this amazing figure of tobacco use, it has been shown that another health time bomb is that of obesity with as many as a 100 million people thought to be obese in 2008 up from 18 million in 2005. Observers agree that there are certain key factors that is driving China down this road. As already mentioned the overwhelming prosperity in the last 10 years has been really an important factor to this problem. On the other hand obesity is also thought to be the negative outcome of the one child policy fiercely implemented by the government.

Sociologists argue that in China the one child policy has driven many parents to spoil their only kids. The most common symbol of affection in China is food. It would appear that these only kids were overtime being pampered with food by a middle class parenthood enjoy and able to spread the gains of a prospering economy. According to Jiao Tong University researchers, there has been a 25 percent jump in obesity amongst primary school kids in the last 10 years.

In response there is a growing effort in China to control this obesity explosion. Stakeholders have no illusions about the long term effects of an obese and overweight nation. Left alone China will face an unprecedented explosion in chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Numerous clinics, camps and hospitals has sprang up across China in an effort to arrest this growing problem. Just how effective these clinics are remains to be seen. It however appears to be a mammoth task to reduce the speed at which the problem is growing.

Perhaps the best way forward in China is to expand public education on the dangers of obesity and overweight. The idea is to once again bring attention to the importance of the already highly regarded Chinese diet to limit its abandonment for western diets mainly comprising of fast food. Perhaps there is also need to dispel the notion that eating fast food is a symbol of prosperity.

Whole foods form an important part of a healthy diet in controling obesity and weight gain. Learn more about the importance of whole grain foods. Also learn in detail about the dangers of childhood obesity.

Genetic Testing - How It Can Predict Your Future Health

Getting genetic testing, can unlock what your future health conditions may be, but before you decide to decode your genomes it is important that you consider the benefits and risks. In the following article we will discuss the benefits and cons of genetic testing, and how you can safeguard your privacy rights as a patient.

Researchers also are concerned that people who are found to have genetic alterations that increase disease risk may face job and insurance discrimination. Testing positive could also lead to unnecessary radical treatment. As well, a seemingly hopeless diagnosis could result in depression or withdrawal from life when a cure is out of reach.

In the final analysis, would you rather know if you were at risk for a specific disease that a genetic test could point out? If so, ask your physician about the possibility and wisdom of testing you for the genetically linked diseases in your family tree. In this way, you can identify and avoid the controllable risk factors that would contribute to development of genetically linked diseases present in your family.

Genetic testing for disease susceptibility will be more common in the future as the genes that increase risk for various diseases are isolated and deciphered. Sometimes organs within a system can serve another system. For example, the basic function of the digestive system is to convert the food we eat into absorb able nutrients. At the same time, the digestive system serves the immune system by preventing dangerous pathogens from invading the body and causing illness. As you study nutrition, you will note the multiple roles played by many organs.

So naturally the question is would it be more beneficial to get genetically tested and find out your risk factors or avoid genetic testing due to health insurance reasons or negative repercussions over being tested. The obvious answer would be that if you can have an insight into your healths, than the benefits far outweigh the risks, and in the United States there are plenty of laws that protect patients rights. Additionally, there are now do it yourself kits available at your local pharmacy that you can send of your sample to get genetically decoded and viewable online anonymously. So, if you are afraid that your data might be leaked to your insurance company, or you do not want to have any record of getting genetic testing this is also a very viable option.

Whatever your choice, the benefits today with genetic testing are highly beneficial to anyones health, however you should remember that they only serve as genetic markers, meaning that just because you have a high likelihood of suffering a disease it doesnt mean you will. One of the biggest obstacles many doctors face today comes from patients treating themselves- i.e. they go online and try to diagnose their illnesses and can do more harm than good. The opportunity for a patient to have access to such vast genetic testing information, can actually be not good for your health, if you do not discuss those results with a medical professional, and instead try to self diagnose or worse cure your ailments, that you may never get. For these reasons, it is highly suggested that even if you opt to get a do it yourself genetic testing done, that you consult with your doctor about the testing results and do not take your health into your own hands.

Written by, Barbara Johnson For more great information on enrolling in CNA Training or obtaining your RN license visit http://cna-training.info/.

Settle With Only the Best Stethoscope Model for Your Medical Profession

As a medical professional, you are totally dependent on the quality of your equipment in order to do your job properly. This is the main reason why you have to make sure that you only get the best medical equipment available to use in your profession. One of the most common and essential medical devices is a stethoscope. In fact, nothing can make it more obvious that you are a medical professional than actually hanging a stethoscope around your neck. You cannot go through your day without using your stethoscope. Because of this, you should only get the best stethoscope available in the market for your exclusive use. One such stethoscope model is the Littmann Master Classic II stethoscope. Here are some features of the Littmann Classic II SE that make it known today as the best stethoscope around:

• The Littmann stethoscope is the perfect combination of function, performance and ergonomic design. It is very sensitive and can enable you to actually hear various body sounds clearly. The ergonomic design guarantees that your patients will not feel uncomfortable being poked and prodded by the working end of the stethoscope. Aside from this, the earpieces are also designed not to hurt your ears. You can wear the stethoscope on your ears for hours and you will not feel any pain at all. This makes this stethoscope model ideal for medical professionals who keep very busy hours.

• This stethoscope model is also ideal to use in a teaching situation. In fact, a teaching situation is where this particular stethoscope model is best suited at. First time users will easily use this stethoscope because of the comfort and performance that come with the design. Students in many medical schools are often advised to get this kind of stethoscope when it is time for them to actually use one. For many medical professionals, the stethoscope that they bought as a student is the same stethoscope that they are still using in their actual practice many years later.

• The great thing about a Littmann stethoscope is the fact that it uses a "tuneable technology". This means it can easily detect any kind of body sounds regardless of its frequency. All you have to do is to adjust the pressure that you apply to the stethoscope to tune to the right audio frequency. This makes the Littmann one of the most versatile and well performing stethoscope models in the market today. Aside from this it also comes in a variety of colors. This means you no longer have to limit your style preferences to a clinical black color.

With all these features and characteristics, it is no wonder that the Littmann Master Classic II is one of the best stethoscope models in the market today. You will definitely not regret it if you choose to buy this particular stethoscope model to use for your needs. So go ahead and check out the Littmann Classic II SE today.

Top Exercise Questions: Answered

I was recently asked by a publisher to answer a slew of popular questions regarding fitness, nutrition and personal training. The questions ranged from "Is it safe for pregnant women to workout?" to "Is it better to perform cardio before or after lifting weights or should cardio be done on a completely different day?" to "What should a personal trainer take into consideration when working with each individual client?". My answers are based on exercise science and collective experience of other health and fitness professionals. Due to space, I focused on the most important aspects of my answers, if you need further explanation or have your own questions, please do not hesistate in contacting me.

Is it true that some exercises produce results faster than others? Is so,

which exercises provide the best and worst "returns on investment"?

Great question! First you must ask yourself "what results you are looking for?" I always tell my clients "you are investing your money (monthly dues/pt training) and TIME into this journey. What are your goals?".

Once you know your goals, we can start the process of elimination of what exercises NOT do! Secondly, after you know your goals a proper fitness evaluation should be done. Again, if you are investing your time and money then let's take it a step forward and get some baseline of your current fitness.

For example, bodyfat to lean muscle percentage, musco-skeletal assymetries ( Hip hike, right shoulder internally rotates significantly more than left), cardio vascular testing, listing past injuries etc. After this is established and factoring your current lifestyle (sedentary, active), you can begin to select exercises that will maximize your time.

Another example, if it is weight loss then you want to work more muscles per movement, we call this compound exercises e.g. squat to bicep curl to overheard shoulder press. Focusing on a single muscle group such as abs, biceps especially within the first 90 days will not yield the same caloric expenditure as when you perform compound movements.

Lastly, I highly recommend learning how to move/exercise in all anatomical planes. The majority of the population work mirror muscles train in a linear pattern e.g lunges, squats, chest. If you introduce movement in all planes of motion such as side to side, rotational exercises, hip dominant exercise, single leg exercises, up, down, left, right, forward, reverse and circular. Your body will be using more muscles than ANY nautilus machines.

Worst "return on investment" nautilus machines best "return" bodyweight, free weight, cross train with kettle bells etc.... machines may compliment a program however it should NEVER substitute free form training.

Yes, free form training requires more time to learn correct form however combined with appropriate intensity, rest and nutrition, your investment will yield results! Is it a good idea for someone to workout if they have a cold?

I do not recommend working out with a cold. I believe the calories you use to workout would be best utilized by your immune system to fight the cold. You may be prolonging your cold by continuing to work out. The rest, hydration and proper care of your cold will allow your body to recover. Injuries and hitting a plateau are more likely to occur if you workout under the weather. Use discretion and common sense.

If your cold stays with you for over a week and you were working out then connect the dots and stop exercising! Stick to walking, stretching or foam rolling till you feel better.

Is it better to perform cardio before or after lifting weights or should cardio be done on a completely different day?

There are many opinions on what comes first. I apologize in advance because I am going to repeat what I said earlier....it depends on your goals and current fitness level. 99% percent of my clients will do cardio after their workout the 1% is my mature/senior clientele 70,80,90+ yrs old. Cardio raises your core temperature and does NOT prepare the muscle group/joints for the workout ahead.

However, "dynamic warmups" which last 5-10 minutes will MAXIMIZE your potential, a few benefits: raise your core temperature, lengthen muscles, stimulate the nervous system, assist in improving joint mobility/stability, increase blood flow, improves mind/body connection, injury prevention and prepares the body for the workout ahead.

On strength and conditioning days, my clients will do cardio for a minimum of 20mins and max 30. On cardio days, they will still do the "dynamic warmups" and cardio time is usually 45mins-1hr. If their goal is to develop lean muscle then the cardio time and intensity will be significantly reduced, because resting is a major factor in developing lean muscles.

If its bodyfat loss, their cardio programming needs to have combination of high intensity cardio training with a shorter time and days of long cardio with lower intensity. Knowing how many times my clients can realistically go to the gym is another factor of cardio programming.

I will end with this fact, cardio does NOT increase metabolism only strength training and too much cardio may lead to weight gain if the body adapts, this is called hitting a plateau. If someone doesn't have the time to spend hours cooking healthy meals, how can they still eat healthy?

I believe once you know your caloric intake, macronutrient percentage and weekly workout plan and it is written down on paper your motivation to eat healthy will improve. It is a lifestyle change and it does not happen over night.

I am not a diet fan, I believe in eating healthy nutrient dense foods. If diets worked, everyone would be thin! In other words, eat nutrient dense foods. For example, compare the calories and fat grams in a fast food burger, the total calories is easily above 500 calories. Now, you can eat more with less calories e.g. lean deli meats such as turkey breast over a salad (low-fat dressing) with a slice of whole grain bread. It's not about time, it's about changing behaviors.

Most restaurants offer low caloric selections and provide the nutritional value of their menu. It is up to the individual to repeat old behaviors or start new healthy behaviours.

A motivated individual looking to sculpt their body will take the extra step to learn about food nutritional value. Now, if you are overwhelmed with my first suggestion then start to significantly reduce or eliminate white sugar and white flour from your daily food intake. Be wary of prepackage food because they may have high sodium and preservatives, this is also true for fast deep fried food. You can also really rack up the calories with sugar laden drinks such as sodas too, cream in coffee and white flour baked goods. When in doubt more veggies, lean protein, less starch and more water intake.

If someone has a job where they don't move around a lot, what can they do to increase their activity during the day, when they're not working out?

The human body was designed to move, not to be in a seated position for long periods of time. However, many jobs today are sedentary which leads to muscle dominance in the kinetic chain. When this occurs low back pain, stiff neck, plantar fascitis arise from this sedentary lifestyle... here are couple of tips. If you take public transportation get in the habit of standing up rather than sitting.

After each meal, plan a 10-20 minute walk, bring a coworker. While at work, learn some stretches for your neck, shoulders, low back, hips and calves. Every movement that you do can counter the adverse effects of having a sedentary lifestyle. It's worth the investment.

Is it safe for pregnant women to workout?

First, consult with your doctor before beginning a fitness program. Women who led a more sedentary lifestyle prior to their pregnancy should first seek assistance from a health professional. Women who HAVE participated in a long term physical training program prior to being pregnant. That being said here are a few tips for the woman who HAVE participated in long term physical activity prior to being pregnant.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The first trimester is a very susceptible time for the fetus. The fetus is unable regulate its own body temperature to that of the mother. During this trimester pregnant athletes should avoid exercising in hot conditions and for duration exceeding 60 minutes.

Consistency of your training program is very important.

3-5 times per week is sufficient.

Includes any physical activities (25 minutes or more).

Heart Rate: Your target heart rate zone is 60%-70% of your resting heart rate ( non-athletes should not exceed 140BPMs). You should take your pulse during your training. You may use a heart rate monitor to detect your heart's beats per minute. Please note: Heart rate will NOT be 100% accurate due to the physiological changes occurring in your first/second trimester.

More importantly, your perceived rate of exertion is key ( stay within a comfort zone).

You will want to be mindful of your internal temperature and levels of stress. There are other important variables to consider and it changes dramatically from your 1st trimester to the 3rd. For example, After the first trimester you will need to modify your exercises and stop supine or exercises on your back. Lastly, you will also need to minimize standing exercises during your third trimester. If you decide to work with a trainer make sure they are prenatal-certified and experienced.

What should a personal trainer take into consideration when working with each individual client?

I love this question. Basic considerations. Learn the client's short term goal (3-6months) and long term (6 month-1year) goals, age, current lifestyle-sedentary or active, past medical and injury history from childhood to adulthood ( everything from plantar fasicitis to carpal tunnel syndrome), past and current physical activities, realistic weekly commitment to participate in a training program, discuss current food selections, cardio vascular capacity, medication that may interfere with training and ask when in their life "were you in the best shape of your life" and why? Lastly, there should be 110% focus on the clients form, breathing and feedback during the session.

I do not believe in "cookie cutter" workouts. Meaning having your clients do exercises that you enjoy doing or what you read in the latest fitness magazine or book.

Another important factor in developing a solid customized result driven program is having a timeline and having the client do a "movement screen" which will help identify any musco-skeletal assymetries. No client should ever began a training program without a thorough fitness evaluation.

Programs should be reviewed every 30 days and progress tracked to ensure program is working.

Again, if you need further explanation or have your own questions, please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Be well and stay ACTIVE!!

Julio A. Salado, NSCA C.P.T
TRX & Kettlebell Instructor.
USAW Level 1 Coach
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