Healthy Diet, Healthy Body Image!

Every year, the holidays provide so many tempting foods that nearly everyone gains at least a few pounds. This leads many of us to make the list New Year's resolution that I will lose x number of pounds. Now, the question is, it's past the New Year, how is your plan working?

One problem with losing weight is that there are so many diets and weight loss programs out there. Another problem is that one program may work for one person and not for another. This can be due partly because of an individual's metabolism or sometimes can be simply that the food choices of the particular weight loss plan doesn't match the dieter's taste. In some cases, people find the seemingly tiny portions of food unsatisfying and, as a result, are not able to stay with the program.

You can build your own diet program around weight loss foods that you like. So what constitutes weight loss food? Simply put, foods that are high in fiber, are loaded with antioxidants and are low in fat and refined sugars. You also want foods that don't seem like prison faire but will get you to your goal in a hurry.

Most people understand that packing your plate with fruits and veggies will not only fill you up, but are extremely low in calories. The problem is that many people are put off by this because they think that they must consume two fruits or veggies at each and every meal, not to mention their morning and afternoon snacks, in order to meet their quota.

The good news is that is that dieting doesn't have to be a fruit and veggie eating chore. For example a nutritious breakfast that meets the requirements might be banana bread. To make it healthy and suitable for your diet, try substituting a cup of applesauce for a portion of the liquid called for in the recipe and use a sugar substitute. Or you could blend a fruit smoothie, incorporating your three favorite fruits along with a little now fat yogurt or milk. Eat an apple and a couple of slices of whole grain toast. Practice eating slowly, when you do the fiber content of produce will help you feel full.

For a mid-morning snack you might try a one cup serving of a mixed fruit salad, a small bowl of fresh or frozen strawberries with a dressing of non-dairy topping or a whole banana. This will satisfy your hunger until lunch.

Remember, to stay on track the best thing to do is to bring lunch. You might try a chef's salad drizzled with a low fat dressing, or a 4 ounce piece of lean meat with a side of mixed vegetables.

For your afternoon snack, a few celery sticks mixed in some spinach dip can hit the spot and keep your tummy in the right spot until dinner.

For dinner fish is an excellent choice. So is a skinless chicken breast or a lean pork chop. You don't have to avoid beef as long as it is a small portion of a lean cut. Serve a dinner salad on the side. To flavor it up try dressing your meat with a salsa, applesauce, or baked sliced apples sprinkled lightly with cinnamon.

The thing about weight loss foods is that they are everywhere. Once you start eating this way you may find that you can't even eat all your food because you are too full! When you add up all the calories you'll be astonished at how few you've actually taken in. Not only that, fiber rich foods burn more calories in digestion than most other types of food, making them real weight loss foods.

If you want to spice up you meals even more here's a really hot tip. Get a book on seasonings and marinades. Use herbal salt substitutes that spark the flavor like salt, without the salty side effects.

Oh, one last thing that goes with your New Year's eating habits, you need to exercise. If you exercise just 30 minutes a day, 4-5 days each week, you'll be rewarded with quick weight loss, increased vigor and good health that lasts a lifetime! Start today and make the rest of your life the healthiest you can!

If you would like help in losing weight and getting fit I have a FREE Fitness e-Course which can help you lose weight and keep it off.

No matter how small a community you might live in, there's is a good chance that there is fast food establishment on almost every corner. Since Ray Kroc first started selling millions and now who knows how many hamburgers at McDonald's, we American's have been frequent patrons of drive through food sources. While it's easy and relatively economical to pick up a quick lunch or dinner on the run, we all know eating at the fast food places is not our healthiest choice.

You probably remember the man who sued four fast food franchises a few years ago. He claimed that he gained a couple of hundred pounds in a year because he dined exclusively, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, at his favorite fast food vendors. Now, if you ask me, this guy is the poster child of America's fast food nation syndrome. For him to gain that much weight, he must have eaten double portions of the worst choices they had to offer.

When it comes down to it, the simple fact that obesity is rampant, both in children and adults, is ample testament to our indulgence in the fast food nation syndrome. And it's something that, if we want our nation's health and insurance premiums to change, we need to alter.

The fast food companies have made record profits for decades and this has actually increased since our economy went into a downslide last year. These companies certainly don't want to lose that edge so they are actually changing their menus. Due to the recent focus on some of the unhealthy ingredients served up, such as fries cooked in cheap, trans-fatty and saturated oils, most of the fast food franchises are making some major changes to their menus.

Rather than lose their fast food nation base of customers, they now seem to understand that they need to change their old business model to stay abreast of the more health conscious consumer. Many have switched to a better grade and healthier type of oil, especially in New York City and other areas that have mandated the change. They are making salads and sub style sandwiches and smoothie style beverages as an alternative to sugar laden sodas. They are offering new, broiled, white meat chicken wraps and bowls.

I don't mean to be cynical but I imagine that this is a clever marketing strategy, pleasing a new and wider base of loyal customers in our fast food nation. I'm sure this is because they don't want to go in the direction of Chrysler and G.M. Although if they could get President Clinton re-elected they might have a huge (no pun intended) supporter in the White House that would be subsidizing them personally.

Now this doesn't mean they're eliminating the old standbys. You know the processed meat burger made with fillers of who knows what. Sugary sodas and huge piles of greasy French fries are still staples on the typical fast food menus. While many moms that are bringing young kids in for lunch or dinner are choosing healthier items, unsupervised teens and die-hards of the adult persuasion, are still loading up on double burgers with cheese and an extra-large order of fries.

A new contender in the marketplace that the burger franchises may not have properly taken into account, are the new sub style sandwich shops cropping up everywhere. Some have even run TV ads, with testimonials from their customers (Gerad), describing how they lost countless pounds by walking and making the sub shop their regular fast food stop. Artisan, whole grain breads, with a choice of toppings baked into the crust, along with loads of veggies and grilled low fat meats are among their choices for healthy and delicious meals. Many offer an array of beverages, such as smoothies made with real fruit and the traditional orange Julius. These sandwich shops are definitely finding favor with the fast food nation crowd while winning the business of teens and adults alike.

The times, they are a'changing indeed. Although it remains to be seen who captures the heart of the American fast food devotees the good news is that now we can all make healthy choices when we eat at any of these establishments.

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy and author of a Fitness e-Course that you can have at absolutely no charge. Drop by for your FREE copy today.

I like to eat fish. I actually eat more sushi than cooked fish but I really enjoy broiled or baked salmon or cod. The wonderful thing about eating fish such as tuna, salmon, trout and cod is that they are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. The great thing about Omega 3 is that it greatly helps control cholesterol levels and contributes to a healthy heart.

Just eating a diet with two servings of fish per week can reduce your blood pressure, decrease risks associated with heart disease, lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increase your brain function.

Omega 3 contains both the fatty acids EPA and DHA which are made of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. When combined with %u03B1-linolenic acid (ALA) found in the fish that have the highest levels of these fats, they help prevent plaque (fat) from clogging your arteries. Thus, they help decrease your risk of heart disease.

But your heart isn't your only organ that benefits from the Omega 3 found in fish. Researchers have found that patients with Alzheimer's disease have low levels of DHA. Studies have found that DHA and EPA improve cognitive function. These same studies show that individuals with high levels of these fatty acids show significant improvement in memory.

It is important to note that since the brain has high concentrates of these fatty acids, the lack of DHA may contribute to poor memory as well as behavioral problems.

Other studies have shown that, since DHA is an important component for brain development, consuming certain types of fish will significantly increases brain growth in fetuses. In addition, it was found that new mothers who ate these types of fish had a significant level of DHA in their blood at the time of delivery and that their babies' attention span was well advanced.

We all know that high cholesterol and triglyceride levels can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies are on-going to determine the full range of effects that Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish have on the brain as well.

There are several studies that have concluded that Omega 3 may help individuals with bipolar disorders and ADHD. However, this is just the beginning in determining what significant role fish and its fatty acids play in reducing the factors associated with these and many other conditions and diseases.

All of us want to have better hearts and smarter brains so, why not start eating more fish today?

If you would like to lose weight and improve your fitness I have a free e-Course.

Let's face it. Nearly all of us work long hours for our livelihood and at the end of the workday, we want to just kick back, watch a little TV, or enjoy a movie and relax! Exercise is not on our short list of desirable activities. We're just too tired and worn out.

Let me tell you I feel what you are saying. I don't care how many times your doctor may chastise you for not getting sufficient exercise for your health, it's hard to sell you on the idea, especially after the day you had. Although you know that your doctor is right, you, like many people, just don't follow through. However, I've got some easy ways that you can have your cake and eat it too. What's the solution? The 8-minute workout.

Think about it. You can hardly eat a real breakfast, check your email or get the kids out of bed in 8 minutes. This is not a long period of time. So it's easy to see that an 8-minute workout can be easily squeezed in, no matter how busy you are. You'll find that, once you get started, the most difficulty you'll experience is in making the commitment. Once you've determined to follow through, you'll come to look forward to your 8-minute workouts. Really!

Here are some suggestions you can use to make 8 minutes your workout of choice.1. Make a list of all the health benefits you'll receive from your 8-minute workouts and then post it on the frig, bathroom mirror, or wherever it'll be in your face. Here are some things you can put on your list: increased energy and strength, weight loss, toning of your muscles and an improved circulatory and respiratory system (which of course leads to a decreased risk of heart attract, stroke and other circulatory diseases). I'm sure you can add to this list!

2. Plan for four (4) 8-minute workouts a day. No, it's not nearly as difficult as you might imagine. Walk to the corner store, instead of driving. Ride your bike around the block a couple of times before your morning shower. If you live close enough to bike to work, you can save on gas and, depending on the distance, and squeeze in two or three 8-minute workouts going to and from work. If you use public transportation, get off a few stops before your destination and walk the rest of the way. Do you work in a tall office building? Get off the elevator a couple of floors below your office stop and take the stairs. Park way out in the boonies of the corporate parking lot and walk. I'm sure you are getting the idea. There are many, many ways to fit an 8-minute workout into your daily schedule.

3. Change what you eat. Whether your goal is to lose weight, firm up some flab or you just have a general desire to improve your health, a regular workout routine is enhanced when you make a few dietary changes. If a big juicy burger or steak is your normal choice, try substituting a big chef's salad a couple of times a week for dinner. Add only the healthy trimmings. The great thing about salads is you can make them as big as you please, without gaining an ounce, while getting your fiber, protein and antioxidant-rich produce in one shot. Since fiber is filling, you'll also feel satisfied with the amount of food you are eating, and you won't end up being hungry.

You can see that following these three simple steps isn't that hard. And just like interest in your bank account, your results accrue daily. Next time you visit your doctor, you're likely to see a decrease in your blood pressure, a better looking body, better cholesterol readings and a reduction in weight. Your complexion will be more vibrant and you'll definitely feel an increase in vitality. There's no good reason to pass up these many benefits! 8 minutes is all it takes!

If you would like more fitness information I have FREE Fitness e-course.

My father had high blood pressure. He left it untreated and, as a result, had a stroke. It was in good part due to his high cholesterol. I tried to learn from his mistakes. A few years ago my blood pressure was okay but my total cholesterol level was at 230. Since I didn't want to end up like my dad, I decided to learn as much about naturally controlling cholesterol and blood pressure as I could.

Even if you don't have a stroke, if you have high blood pressure, you increase your risk of future heart and other circulatory problems. This may even result in an eventual heart attack.

High blood pressure is an epidemic. About 72 million people in the United States age 20 and older have high blood pressure. While your physician may prescribe medications as one of the ways to reduce high blood pressure, a few simple dietary changes can help reduce your blood pressure to normal.

In this article I'm going to give you five foods that when eaten regularly, have been proven to reduce high blood pressure. Most of these foods have several other components that provide additional benefits to your general health, as well as other health conditions that may be associated with high blood pressure.

Before I go on I want to make the following disclaimer. Since I am not a doctor, be sure to consult with your physician and discuss the appropriateness of each of these foods to your specific health picture. Augmenting your medication with these dietary ways to reduce high blood pressure may require more frequent testing of your blood pressure. Your doctor may want to adjust your prescription dosage accordingly.

The first is garlic. Garlic is perhaps your most valuable ally in reducing high blood pressure. Garlic contains allium, the active property in effecting a reduction in HBP. Onions also contain allium, although not in as high a concentration. Studies have shown that both garlic and onions reduce high blood pressure, 'bad' cholesterol and can prevent blood clots. A study by K. Reid at the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, stated that "our meta-analysis suggests that garlic preparations are superior to placebo in reducing blood pressure in individuals with hypertension."

In addition, garlic is also a natural antibiotic. It is effective against an array of pathogens. There are many ways to incorporate garlic and onions into your diet, so go ahead and load up! Many clinical studies have found that just a couple of large cloves each day can cut your risk of heart attack in half!

The second food is cucumbers. They are good in a salad seasoned with those garlic and onions and help lower your blood pressure. Cucumbers are also good for your digestive tract and can also relieve the symptoms of rheumatism. Since cucumbers have a mild diuretic effect, mention that you are eating more of them to your doctor.

The third, artichokes are yet another of the effective ways to reduce high blood pressure naturally. Artichokes contain cynarin. In the 1970s, European scientists documented cynarin's ability to lower cholesterol in humans. In addition, if you're overweight, this is a good addition to your salad plate as well. If you are diabetic, artichokes can help regulate blood sugar levels while providing plenty of the fiber you need.

The forth, celery is an old time remedy for high blood pressure. So why not add a few stalks to your growing salad dish. Like cucumbers, celery is mildly diuretic, reducing your water retention so talk to your doctor about eating more of it. Celery is also good for diabetics in regulating blood sugar, as well as reducing water retention.

The fifth and final food to naturally reduce your blood pressure is mushrooms. In Traditional Chinese Medicine certain mushrooms have long been used as one of the ways to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In particular, shiitake and maitake mushrooms are found to be especially effective in this regard. Shiitake mushrooms are usually available fresh in larger supermarkets. Both are also available in dried form and are easily reconstituted in water. A mix of these mushrooms can make a delicious soup, or can be added to your salad as an accent. Other notable benefits of eating these mushrooms include boosting the immune system function, fighting off viral conditions. They are also used as a preventative to and treatment for cancer.

Once again, discuss these food choices with your doctor. Once you get the okay, eat a salad a day which includes these ingredients. Bet you never imagined that a bowl of salad might be one of the best ways to reduce your high blood pressure! All while helping you control your weight and addressing a variety of other health conditions. To your good health!

If you would like more information on getting fit I have a FREE Fitness e-Course!

Here are some statistics about strokes in the United States from the internet Stroke Center:

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Over 143,579 people die each year from stroke in the United States.

Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.

Each year, about 795,000 people suffer a stroke. About 600,000 of these are first attacks, and 185,000 are recurrent attacks.

My father had a stroke when he was in his mid 70's. As a result, for the last 10 years of his life he suffered daily. I believe the reason he had a stroke was because he was not aware of what causes them.

We are all familiar with the potentially devastating effects of suffering a stroke, but, like my father, most of us don't have a clue as to stroke causes. There are two basic causes of all strokes. One is having a lack of blood to the brain cells, the other is an excess of blood to the brain cells. Although both lack and excess blood can cause strokes, the majority of involve a lack of adequate supply of blood to your brain. These are called ischemic strokes. The remaining 20% of strokes are of the hemorrhagic type, where a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds within the skull.

I want to give you a quick overview of the two basic types of strokes and their causes.

The best way to prevent a stroke is to improve your cardiovascular health. Sitting around watching the T.V. narrow your arteries while increasing your blood pressure. In fact, a sedentary lifestyle is the perfect recipe for a stroke. There needs to be a focus on heart fitness.

Like I mentioned above, the most common type of stroke is the ischemic stroke. The types of strokes are caused by poor circulation and atherosclerosis which reduces the flow of blood to your brain. When your brain cells are deprived of proper blood circulation they will suffer almost immediate damage. When my father had his stroke he and my mom discussed whether they should call an ambulance for about an hour. Although he recovered most of his mental facilities he never recovered the proper use of the left side of his body. This is why it's so important to seek immediate medical help if you've exhibited symptoms of stroke. Permanent damage may be averted.

The transient ischemic attack (TIA) might be termed a 'mini-stroke'. This type of stroke is of short duration, lasting only a few minutes, and does not result in permanent brain damage. However, the TIA is a definite indicator that trouble is brewing. Many people suffer this type of stroke, but do not seek medical attention even though this is a major predictor of subsequent, serious strokes. The reason is that most people don't know what to be on alert for.

If you've experienced any symptoms of stroke -numbness in your limbs or face, confusion and difficulty coordinating muscles in walking - contact your doctor immediately and get to the hospital. A mini stroke can cause such symptoms and you increase your risk for a major stroke in the future by a multiple of ten.

Naturally, reducing the plaque in your arteries can ward off this type of stroke. Your doctor may prescribe a pharmaceutical to do the job. To reduce your chance of stroke, follow your doctor's advice to combat this narrowing and clogging of the arteries.

The ischemic embolic stroke causes a blood clot to form, which breaks away and finds its way to your brain, where it stops, unable to flow through the smaller brain arteries. This type of stroke causes an irregular heartbeat, referred to as atrial fibrillation. This leads to sluggish blood flow and the subsequent formation of blood clots, making you ripe for a major stroke.

The second type of stroke, the hemorrhagic stroke causes the blood vessels in your brain to bleed. The reasons typically stem from high blood pressure and weak capillaries. These are also known as aneurisms. Rare stroke causes include certain birth defects, involving fragile blood vessels. Age and genetic factors must also be considered. The hemorrhagic stroke causes sudden ruptures, often characterized by a severe and debilitating headache.


Stroke causes potentially debilitating problems. To keep yourself safe from strokes, take care of your health and your heart!

I'm all about a healthy heart. I became more interested in heart health after my doctor told me my bad cholesterol and triglycerides were high a few years ago. After that I started making some changes to my exercise and eating habits that have helped me bring my bad cholesterol and triglycerides back into their normal range.

One of the things that I read about and has helped me is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and low fats. I found that these are essential in decreasing the risk of heart disease.

I also found the foods to avoid. These are:

1. Fast Foods: Now I love a good burger and if you stick to the burger it's not so bad. But when you add them to the fries or onion rings and the fast food shakes I used to drink, it's so easy to understand why you want to avoid them. It's because they contain high levels of saturated fats and trans fats. Trans fats are the worst because they contain hydrogenated oils. Moreover, these fats have been found to lower the HDL (good cholesterol) in the body.

2. Oils: Today I use pure olive oil for my salads and cook with canola oil. Both of these have substantial heart-healthy benefits. But their counterparts - coconut and corn oil, are full of saturated fats. These oils are utilized in most fast food restaurants and many people use them for home cooking. Coconut and corn oil are best avoided as they increase the risk of heart disease.

3. Dairy: Before we start I want to tell you I love milk products. My father was from Wisconsin so I grew up drinking lots of milk and eating lots of cheese and sausage. The problem is that saturated fats increase the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Whole milk as well as other whole dairy products contain these saturated fats and have the same effect. In lieu of whole dairy products use 1% milk, skim milk, and low-fat dairy products. These help you to avoid high cholesterol levels and the accompanying increased risk of heart disease.

4. Meats: You know an interested thing has happened during this new economy, a well-known fast food restaurant (name begins with an M) has increased its profits substantially. That's because people are taking advantage of those low cost meals. The problem with meats such as hamburger, bacon, and packaged or deli meats is that they contain high amounts of saturated fats. Just substituting these meats with chicken burgers, turkey burgers, turkey sausage, and other lean meat products can make all the difference in reducing your cholesterol level and your risk of heart disease.

5. Trans Fats: We already talked about this a little above. This is probably the most serious offender as regards to cholesterol and heart disease. In fact, efforts are under way by many manufacturers to completely eliminate this fat from their baked goods. However, not everyone is following this lead and it makes it necessary for you to check the label before you purchase products like cookies, cakes, butter, and other food products that contain some form of fat content.

So there you have it, 5 foods to avoid for a healthy heart. Start eating right today and you'll add more life to your years!

If you want to lose weight and get fit I have a FREE e-Course.

Many people think of being fit as a set of six pack abs and a tight rear end. If you really stop to think about it, fitness is a lot more than bodybuilding and those splendidly well toned muscles that call our attention to them in magazines and on TV. Did you know that it's possible to have the image of health while not being what your doctor would call fit?

Here's something of note, if your body looks good, but you're unhappy, you're not really fit! You and I can probably think of people, models come to my mind that seem to be picture perfect but are actually anemic. On the other hand, I've talked to people that have a poor self image, yet are superbly physically fit.

My point is that when you're looking to be fit, you want to have a holistic approach. Your program should work on your whole being, improving your appearance through healthy diet and exercise, developing your mind and cultivating your spirit. Today I'd like to take a look at some fitness tips that can help you develop a balanced state of health.

Tip 1 - The first tip concerns mental fitness. In a major study, conducted in the 1940s, researchers found that people who thought they would ultimately develop a major disease, such as cancer, eventually did! What this shows us is that your state of mind, your mental health, is a primary contributor to your true fitness level.

Tip 2 - Let's face it, most of us work too much and play too little. Now I would be the first to say that a good work ethic is essential for success and should be developed by everyone, but so should your "play ethic". In the United States we are made to feel guilty if we take some time to kick back and "smell the roses" when this is probably exactly what we need to do. All of us need to rest and recharge. I've found that leisure time is essential for a healthy, positive attitude towards life. Find something you enjoy doing and go do it! From visiting art shows to riding a motorcycle there are plenty of things to help us relax and enjoy life. So, your second fitness tip is to take time to relax and enjoy life! Your state of mind absolutely affects your overall health. So, in order to optimize your health you've got to work on your play ethic.

Tip 3 - Every coach potato knows that exercise is essential to fitness. The problem is that for people who haven't made a formal exercise program part of their weekly routine, starting one can seem like a dreaded task. Habits can be hard to change. Most people make a habit of working. Now I know, after a long day at the office, exercise may be the last thing you want to think about. You think to yourself, "Who wants to go to the gym and do fifty sit-ups? I can still fit into my jeans, at least most of the time" or you might think "Who want to go jogging? Hey, my feet hurt and it might rain!"

In order to make exercise fun you need to redefine or "reframe" it. Frame is a term used in NLP that describes how we look at the world. So to "reframe" exercise means to change your perception of exercise and turn it into something you like to do. So what do you like to do, dance? The turn up the music and dance! I recently watched a daytime talk show where they showed a video of a middle aged woman who danced, while listening to music. This lady dances as she does her daily chores, from vacuuming to doing the laundry. Although it was humorous it was obvious she really enjoyed it. So go find something you like to do and use it to get your muscles working and your heart pumping. It'll relieve the stress of "having to do exercise" and do wonders for your physical and mental health.

Tip 4 - Here's an easy one that most of us miss. That's drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. Now if you dislike the taste of water you can flavor it with lemon or pomegranate juice, but make it a habit to drink it throughput the day. There are so many environmental pollutants and food additives and preservatives that accumulate in your body. These toxins are very detrimental to your health. Water helps flush them from your body which eases the toxin induced stress on all of your organs. If you really despise water, try drinking a 'sports drink' that athletes are so fond of drinking. Just find one that is actually good for you and not full of sugar and preservatives.

Tip 5 - Speaking of sugar, Americans are notoriously fond of soda and sweets. So a good tip for improving your fitness is to reduce your intake of sugar. With type II diabetes becoming epidemic this fitness tip may very well save your life. Even if you don't develop full blown diabetes, excess sugar will mess up your pancreas, tax your liver and kidneys and can ultimately land you in a poor state of health. Did you know that there's really no such thing as too little sugar in a balanced diet? If you have a sugar addiction you can gradually reduce your sugar intake. You may even find that your mood swings disappear.

Tip 6 - While most fitness tips tell you to focus on a low fat diet, I say watch the types of fats you consume. Use fats that are good for you, like olive oil, which contains no cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fat or any of the bad stuff you read about. A healthy way to eat toast or bread is to brush a slice with olive oil, then pile on some sliced olives, diced tomatoes and a little basil, you know, Italian style. Your heart and your taste buds will thank you.

Remember, a positive outlook, good nutrition and a balanced diet work from the inside out to make you beautiful. Practiced over a lifetime, you can avoid many illnesses associated with aging and stay healthy for life!

If you would like more information becoming fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle I have a FREE Fitness e-course..

When I was a kid, walking was the major way for me to get anywhere I needed to go. Today it's a different story because now it's just a few steps to the car. In the past 50 years or so, as transportation options have become more available, walking has become an "exercise" instead of a regular activity.

Popular magazines are full of "walking programs" as if we suddenly forgot how to put one foot in front of another. Doctors often recommend walking to people recovering from heart attacks, who have high blood pressure or who suffer from arthritis.

Psychologists will encourage you to walk if you are feeling depressed, anxious or stressed. Health coaches and personal trainers will often set you up with a walking program as a beginning point for developing an exercise program.

Why walking? Well, its and easy exercise and you already know how to do it. Almost anyone of any age can walk at a normal pace and, if you're very fit, you can train to be a race walker.

Here is why walking is the ideal exercise to help you get rid of stress:

1. It doesn't cost anything - Walking is free! You don't need any additional money needed to get started. All you need is a pair of walking or running shoes, clean socks and some comfortable, nonrestrictive clothing.

2. You can walk anywhere - You don't have to go to a gym to walk. You can walk on the street, in the park, at the mall or around the floors of your office building.

3. Walking provides a low impact exercise option that's great for building aerobic capacity. This is especially important when high impact aerobic exercises are too hard on your knees or joints.

4. It is easy to make part of your life. As you walk you'll start finding easy ways to incorporate it into your life, such as parking farther from your destination or choosing to walk to nearby stores or cafes.

5. Walking is an easy activity to involve your friends in. Instead of making a lunch date, agree to go on a walk and have a light snack when you return.

6. Studies have shown that if you walk for only 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, it helps cut heart disease risk in half. This can be extremely important if you're suffering from extreme stress in your life.

7. You will look and feel better. Walking slows the effects of aging by keeping your body tone and trim. Walking outdoors can give you a nice tan and plenty of vitamin "D", plus it provides oxygen to the cells that support healthy skin.

So if you are stressed, get on your walking shoes. If you are a type "A" personality and want to keep track of your walking, buy a pedometer to measure your steps. Then set a goal to add 500 more steps each day to your walking.

Whatever you do, start walking today. You'll reduce your stress and walk your way into good physical and mental health.

If you are having issues with stress or anxiety I have a FREE e-Course.

Last year I went from 176 to 168 pounds. That's not a lot of weight but it was nearly a 5% overall drop. What was great about it was that it was all body fat. Since I already had a good strength training routine in place along with a good diet I attribute most of this to adjusting my cardio exercise program.

Because I injured my knee a long time ago, my doctor had told me to stop running so I was doing low intensity cardio exercise by walking. It was keeping my heart fit but I wondered if high intensity cardio exercise might be better for me. Although my research had shown that that both low and high intensity exercises will help you to burn off body fat, I still wanted to find out which would be the most effective way to burn off the most body fat.

Scientists discovered a while back that during intensive exercises, your body burns glycogen. Glycogen is comprised of carbohydrates that are stored in your liver and muscles for energy. The scientists then did experiments to determine whether during low intensity exercises your body will burn fat. They found that it did.

But if you look for evidence in the environment whether it works, the quick answer would be no. This is because there are so many obese people around, even though they are working out with low intensity routines. So it makes you wonder how it can be that low intensity exercises can burn body fat.

The interesting thing is that the scientists were right when they said the human body burns body fat during low intensity exercises like walking or swimming. But the facts are that during a high intensity exercise such as running or using the elliptical machine like I do, the body actually burns a lot more calories. And even if some of the calories are burnt are from glycogen, there are still many fat calories burned as well.

What's even better is that when your store of glycogen gets low, the carbohydrates from the food you eat get converted into glycogen to fill up your reserves in your liver and muscles. This means they won't be converted into body fat when they are left as unused energy.

The advantage of high intensity cardio exercise is that they will juice up your metabolism even after you have completed your workout. What this means to you is that your body will continue to burn body fat hours after you have left the gym. While this effect is nearly nonexistent in low intensity cardio or aerobic workout, your body will continue to burn up more and more calories during and after you have finished a high intensity cardio workout.

One way that you can inject high intensity exercises into your cardio workout is by introducing some interval training. Interval training just means you do one type of exercise for a period of time then you'll do another. For example you can walk for 5 minutes or so and then jog for another 5 minutes or so. After that walk briskly again until you have caught your breath and then sprint for 60 seconds before you walk again. Now you simply alternate your running and walking for the next 15 minutes until you are finished.

Of all the benefits you'll get from cardio, one of the best things is that the more you do it, the more energy you'll have. Although cardio will help you to burn calories, it's more useful for keeping your energy levels high.

If you've never tried cardio before, you absolutely need to give it a shot. If you already like to exercise, you'll find cardio will boost your energy and keep you in tip top shape. If you are just starting out, begin slowly because it's very easy to overexert yourself.

No matter what, put cardio in your exercise program. You'll be glad you did!

If you would like to lose weight and get fit I have a FREE fitness e-Course!

I work out a lot. I have a workout ritual comprised of Yoga and Qigong that I do every morning. I regularly attend yoga and Martial Arts classes. At least three times a week I'm in the gym. I try to walk regularly. I do this in order to maintain good health.

A few years ago I found out that even though I exercised, it wasn't enough to maintain optimum health. I found that in order to maintain optimum health you also have to eat as well. This gives your body the energy it needs both to exercise and to maintain it for the everyday tasks of life. So if you want to make the best of your exercise, eating the fright foods before and after you workout is very important.

No matter whether you are going to be doing a cardio workout or a resistance workout, you should always eat a balanced mix of protein and carbohydrates. The determining factor for deciding the percentage of carbs and protein you consume is whether or not you are doing cardio or resistance exercise along with the intensity level that you plan to work at.

Ideally you want to eat your pre workout meal an hour before you start. If you plan to work at a low intensity level, keep your pre workout meal down to 200 calories or less. If you plan to exercise at a high level of intensity, you will probably need your meal to be between 400 and 500 calories.

If you are doing a cardio session you will need to consume a mixture of about 2/3 carbs and 1/3 protein. The carbs will give you longer sustained energy while the protein will keep your muscles from breaking down while you exercise.

If you are doing resistance exercises the opposite is true. You'll need to eat a mix of 1/3 carbs and 2/3 protein. You'll get plenty of energy from the carbs to perform the resistance exercises while the extra protein will help keep your muscle breakdown to a minimum.

Since anytime you exercise, whether its cardio or resistance, you deplete energy in the form of glycogen, so eating after you exercise is just as important as your pre workout meal. Your brain and central nervous system rely on glycogen as their main source of fuel, so if you don't replace it after you exercise, your body will begin to break down muscle tissue into amino acids, and then convert them into usable fuel for the brain and the central nervous system. So you'll actually deplete your energy while wearing down your body.

A key point to remember is that during resistance exercise you break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears. What this means, is that after a workout, your muscles will instantly go into repair mode. Since protein is the essential element for muscle repair, eating protein after you eat will keep your muscles from breaking down even further.

After a cardio session the best strategy is to eat high fiber carbohydrates. These are things like brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and northern fruits like apples, peaches, pears and cherries. Also, try to consume 30 - 50 grams of there types of carbs anytime after you exercise. And don't worry about waiting. After a cardio workout it is fine to eat within 5 to 10 minutes after you finish.

Once you've finished a resistance workout, you will need to consume a combination of carbs and protein. Like I mentioned before, unlike cardio workouts, resistance workouts will break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears. As a result you'll need protein to build up and repair these tears so your muscles can increase in size and strength. The carbs will not only replace the lost muscle glycogen, but will also help the protein get into muscle cells so it can synthesize into structural protein, or the muscle itself.

After your resistance exercise wait about 30 minutes before you eat. This way you won't take blood away from your muscles and down to your stomach too fast. By allowing the blood to remain in your muscles you are helping repair process by remove metabolic waste products.

So there you have it, how to eat for to get the most of your exercise program.

If you would like more information on losing weight and getting fit I have a FREE fitness e-Course.

Can you use exercise to lose weight? Yes, as long as your exercise program is combined with a healthy diet, because if you don't do both, you are setting yourself up for failure.

I read somewhere that more than half of all Americans need to, or want to, lose weight. Clients come to me regularly to help them lose weight using hypnosis and NLP. Maybe you are like many people I see and just want to drop 10 to 20 pounds, so your clothes fit better or you can slip into the next size down. Other people I see have significant weight problems and need to lose 50 pounds or more.

When interviewing these people about weight loss I ask them why they want to lose weight. I believe that for any weight loss program to work it has to be about more than short term physical appearance. I believe that the reason people will remain on a healthy program is to get and stay healthy.

Everyone that comes to me to lose weight does so because they have formed a pattern of overeating every day. Many of them eat an excess amount of sweets, fatty foods and other types of junk food. Once in place, this can be a hard habit to break.

A common misconception that many people have is that by using exercise to lose weight, they can keep right on eating as usual. The rationale is that when you employ the exercise to weight loss program, you're burning calories, so you can reach your goal without changing your diet, or at least not by much. The facts are that this approach won't work.

Now, exercise will help and, in my opinion is absolutely necessary in any long term weight loss program. What does exercise accomplish? No matter if you are 10, 50 or 100 pounds overweight it is a result of your body having excess fat. A well thought out exercise program burns off excess fat, tones flabby muscles and provides benefits to your cardiovascular system. On the other hand, if you only modify your diet and don't exercise, when and if the weight comes off, you'll be left with saggy skin all over your body. I don't think this is what you set out to do.

That being said, exercise alone won't get you to your goal. Why? If you watch the 'Biggest Losers' TV show, you might know that after couples partners had spent time at the program's official weight loss and training center, one of the couples from each 'team' were sent home for one month to see how they did on their own. Some, who adhered to both the diet and exercise regimens on their own, lost significant weight, one man losing 25 pounds. Others, who abandoned the diet, but worked out for hours every day, lost no more than two pounds! That shows us that when you exercise to lose weight, you need to combine it with healthy diet for success.

How does a healthy diet program affect weight loss? Well it is an easy mathematical formula. Calories in (CI) minus calories out (CO) equals weight gain or loss (CI - CO = WG/L). What this means is the bottom line to losing weight is reducing your caloric intake.

If you reduce your daily intake by a mere 500 calories, you'll lose about a pound a week. But when you don't drop the sugar laden foods, those calories turn right back into fat. When you add plenty of fiber-rich, complex carbohydrates, you get a reversal of this effect. The calories these foods contain often require that your body burns more calories than the food contains. The result is a net reduction in the calories you consume. Add in your exercise program to your lose weight factor and you've effectively multiplied your calorie consumption, resulting in safe and maximum weight loss.

If you want to learn more about how your diet affects the way you burn calories I recommend reading "The Abs Diet for Women: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Belly and Firm Up Your Body for Life" or the original for men "The Abs Diet: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life" .

If you're serious about losing weight, diet and exercise work hand in hand. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you can simply exercise to lose that weight. It just doesn't work!

If you would like more information about losing weight and getting fit I have a FREE Fitness e-Course.

A few years ago I had a total cholesterol level of around 230 and I was 25 pounds overweight. My doctor told me that if I couldn't get my cholesterol level I had to go on medication. The reason was because it could eventually affect my blood pressure. This alarmed me because my father had experience a severe stroke a few years before as a result of untreated high blood pressure. After changing my eating and exercise habits as well as my lifestyle, my total cholesterol is now 172, my HDL's (good cholesterol) is 42 and I weight 168 pounds (I'm 5'10"). Please note, I never took any pharmaceuticals to control my cholesterol or blood pressure.

Maybe your doctor has warned you about your too-high blood pressure readings. Like me you probably already know that HBP can lead to serious heart conditions, heart attacks and even death. Maybe your doctor has suggested some pharmaceuticals to lower your blood pressure. They can and often do work. You should also know that there are some very effective natural ways to lower high blood pressure that do not carry the side effects so common with pharmaceuticals.

Required disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I don't know your situation. Therefore it would be improper for me to give you medical advice. If you are already taking pharmaceuticals you should keep taking them until your doctor tells you otherwise. Please check with your doctor before adding these extremely effective natural cures to your diet as these foods may interact with the medications you are already taking.

Now that we have that out of the way, here are five natural, powerful ways to lower high blood pressure, each of which also contain properties that address a number of other common health conditions.

When I was doing my research I found out that people in the Mediterranean regions have a very low incidence of heart disease. Mediterranean diets consist largely of fish, fresh produce, lean meats along with a substantial amount of garlic.

My research went on to show me that a number of clinical studies, conducted over the past decade, have shown that eating garlic, over a 3 to 4 month period, is one of the best ways to lower high blood pressure. The results of these studies showed that people using garlic met or, more often, exceeded the results of current pharmaceutical medicines. If you don't like garlic, or 'garlic breath', try using Kyolic (TM), a garlic product that comes in capsules. Kyolic(TM), through a patented process, eliminates the 'garlic breath' effect, while containing about seven times the nutrients of any other product on the market. So to lower your high blood pressure, garlic should be a mainstay in your arsenal.

Even better, in addition to this benefit, garlic has been found to be effective in killing 27 different pathogens, including staph, as well as more than 70 types of fungi, including athlete's foot fungus and the infamous candida albicans, responsible for women's yeast infections. Garlic has long been an effective home remedy against respiratory, ear and eye infections. It has also been shown to provide relief in certain arthritic conditions. Oncologist tell us that including garlic as a regular part of your diet also protects against several cancers, including cancer of the colon, stomach, esophagus, intestines, bladder and breasts.

Most medical herbalists agree that Hawthorne berry is arguably the best general heart tonic. The Hawthorne Berry is a tiny red berry that grows on the Hawthorne shrub. This berry has strong antioxidant properties and has been used as an herbal remedy since ancient times. While addressing a wide range of heart conditions, including congestive heart failure, inflammation of the heart, irregular heartbeat and edema, Hawthorne Berry also one of the best ways to lower high blood pressure. Hawthorne berry also clears plaque from artery walls and is effective in cases of atherosclerosis. Studies have shown it to be effective in relieving insomnia and anxiety which are common in heart patients.

In cases of moderate HBP, Siberian ginseng (Eleuthero) can be an effective way to lower high blood pressure.Research is mixed on this herb so be sure to check with your doctor before adding it to your diet. This herb has been found to bring down high cholesterol levels and is also a powerful antioxidant which makes it a potent anti cancer agent. Eleuthero reduces mild to moderately increased sugar levels in the blood as well. Note that this herb is not recommended if you have very high blood pressure.

An old fashioned natural sweetener, blackstrap molasses, is another of the natural ways to lower high blood pressure. This remedy is good for a number of heart conditions and circulatory system problems. Rich in copper and manganese it is a very good source of potassium and magnesium and contains most of the vitamin B complex. Blackstrap molasses helps prevent and even dissolve blood clots, prevents fat from sticking to the walls of your arteries and is a good remedy for varicose veins. It has also been found to strengthen the heart muscle and improves circulation. Just a teaspoon each day is all it takes! Due to the high sugar content, diabetics should avoid using blackstrap molasses.

Along with these natural ways to lower high blood pressure, a daily exercise program, such as a 30 minute walk, as well as a healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean diet, can have you feeling fit and enjoying a normal blood pressure reading in almost no time.

Again, always check with your doctor before starting any of these natural remedies. This is to be sure there are no contraindications relevant to medications you're already taking, or other health concerns. To your good health!

If you would like to improve your fitness I would like to help you with my FREE fitness e-course.

Do you want to know the secret of how to look and feel good? Here it is in one simple word - exercise. Exercise is something we all need but some of us have a hard time motivating ourselves to do. I could tell you to "just do it" but I won't. I want to give you 7 great reasons to exercise so that you can decide for yourself if it is really worth while for your health and wellbeing. So let's begin.

1. Exercise contributes to burning fat

Ask any expert in any part of the world and they will tell you that physical exercise is a giant contributor to weight loss. You see for most people weight loss comes down to a simple formula, calories in minus calories out equals weight gain, or loss. If you burn more calories than you consume, you'll lose weight. So it's really simple, when you exercise you burn more calories than when you don't. So if you want to burn fat and lose weight - start exercising today!

2. Exercise helps you to prevent disease

You don't have to be an exercise expert to know that your chances of developing several various diseases decrease when exercising. These diseases include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease which include strokes.

Stress and the lack of exercise are linked to 4 out of 5 deaths caused by heart disease and cancer. It doesn't matter whether you have type I or type II diabetes, it increases the chance for heart attacks and strokes. Type II diabetes is often linked to lack of exercise and being overweight. What this shows, is that many of the risk factors and diseases facing you today are working in conjunction with the lack of exercise to damage your health. If you want to improve you odds of preventing this from happening, start exercising today.

3. Exercise improves your ability to overcome disease

Did you know that studies have shown that people who exercise regular have fewer colds than people who don't exercise? Not only do they have fewer colds they get over them sooner. The fact is that many severe and minor diseases can be improved or even healed through regular exercise. By following a regular exercise plan, you can also decrease your HDL (bad cholesterol) level, decrease your triglyceride levels all while improving your blood pressure and resting heart rate.

Extensive studies have shown that exercising on a regular basis will also reduce the risk of prostate cancer for men, breast and uterine cancer for women, and much more. All of this has been scientifically proven - which is another great reason why you should start exercising today!

4. Exercise enhances your state of mind

Maybe you've heard of or experienced what is known as a "runner's high", when a runner feels like they are on the top of the world while on a long distance run. This is a feeling caused by increased levels of endorphins to the brain caused by the mere act of running. These endorphins in will help you to fight anxiety, stress as well as depression all while enhancing your mood and making you feel happy. The great news is that your body starts releasing these endorphins into your body after only 12 minutes into the workout.

The production of another chemical, serotonin is increased during and after a workout. Studies have found that increased levels of serotonin in the central nervous system have been associated with general feelings of well being and decreased anxiety and mental depression. This chemical is also responsible for helping you to sleep better at night. So if you want to feel better and sleep better - start exercising today!

5. Exercise enhance your overall wellness

When you start your exercise program you are going to notice that your overall mood is improved. As you get into shape you'll have more energy. You will start to stretch your physical abilities beyond your present limits. Once you do this you'll begin to realize that you can do more than you thought possible.

6. Exercise improves your social outlook

Working out regularly basis will boost your self confidence and self esteem. This can help you look and feel better and you'll be more comfortable with yourself as well. You'll find that exercise will also help you to become more active. You'll meet new people, which will prevent you from feeling isolated and unsupported. Exercise will also increase your interest in sex. Since it does all this while decreasing stress it can help to improve your marriage or relationship.

7. Exercise develops overall success

I once heard the great motivation speaker Zig Ziglar say, "Disciple in one area of your life carries over to all areas of your life". I want to tell you that the discipline of exercising has done exactly that for me. I found that one of the best effects of regular exercise is that it gives me more energy.

Now let's say you have these increased levels of energy. Would it make you more productive at home and at work? Of course it would! With more energy you will feel like you can take on new goals. New goals can give you a new sense of purpose. It can help you focus better on what you are aiming for. All of these combined can help increase your persistence which will keep you on track as you pursue your goals. Exercise can move you toward success - so why not start exercising today?

There you have it, 7 great reasons to exercise. Wouldn't you agree that now that you have these reasons to exercise that you shouldn't hesitate to get out there and exercise? It doesn't matter where you go to exercise. You can exercise at home or you can join a gym. You can lift weights, practice Yoga or Tai chi or even run marathons. It's up to you. If you are having a tough time deciding then start with walking for a few minutes a day but whatever you decide to do take some time out of your day and start exercising - you'll feel better than ever before and your body will thank you. Start exercising today!

If you would like more information about how to lose weight and get fit I have a FREE fitness and weight loss e-Course.

Many of us eat too much over the holidays but now that they are over you may want to fit into that size 6 dress again or get your pant size back down to a 34. You know it will take some work but you don't have a plan. No worries because I'm going to give you seven ways to help you lose weight.

I've used these methods myself to lose nearly 30 pounds. I'm confidant that if you will consistently integrate all of these methods into your lifestyle, beginning today, you will lose weight. You may find that these habits are difficult to follow at first because you are not used to them. New habits always take about 30 days to install permanently in your subconscious, but if you persist they will work. These seven healthy ways to lose weight may even become a new way of living for you that will continue to pay you healthy dividends for the rest of your life.

1. I used to eat three large meals a day. That's how we're taught, right? I've found that eating five or six small meals a day is much healthier and helps burn calories more efficiently. You will discover that you won't experience hunger pangs because your stomach is never really empty. Also your stomach will shrink because you are not putting as much food in it. You will find yourself eating less while feeling better because your blood sugar stays stable. Just make sure the food you are eating is healthy.

2. Drink water! In addition to drinking water throughout the day, while preparing your food, or about a half hour to 45 minutes before you eat, drink a glass of water. If you don't like the "taste' of water dress it up with a little slice of lemon or lime, but drink it! The water will give your stomach a sensation of fullness and will also flush toxins out of your body. Another benefit of drinking water regularly is that it will give you glowing skin and enhancing your overall appearance.

3. Eat slowly and chew your food completely. This one was hard for me. When I was a kid eating quickly meant that I could get back to doing whatever it was I was doing before I had to come in and eat. When I was aboard ship in the Navy I had to eat quickly so that the other people who were waiting to eat could have my seat in the mess decks. It's commonly known that people who eat slowly usually eat less as well. These people tend to live longer than those who gobble down large quantities of food.

Eating slowly and chewing your food completely does two things for your stomach. The first is that it allows your stomach time to let you know when it is full. This way you don't get that stuffed feeling that often accompanies wolfing down a meal. The second benefit to your stomach is that the process of chewing your food completely allows your saliva to send signals to your stomach telling it what you ate so it can prepare the right chemicals to digest your food. Both of these processes help you lose weight while eating less.

4. Keep your portion size small. While this may seem to be a no-brainer, many people who are "losing weight" try to fool themselves into believing that a 16 ounce steak won't hurt anything. Instead of eating such large portions, savor every bite of a smaller 4 or 6 ounce portion while following rules 1 through 3. I think you will be amazed at how satisfying that small portion can be.

5. Put lots of fiber in your diet. The best fiber you can eat to lose weight is insoluble fiber. This is plant fiber that your digestive system cannot process. Fruits and vegetables are full of this type of fiber. This means that you can have a huge plate of veggies for a meal. This type of fiber takes many more calories to burn than other types of foods.

Many health professionals believe that insoluble fiber acts as a cleanser of the digestive tract and helps to remove waste from your body more easily. Eating lots of fruits and veggies is one of the most healthful and least painful ways to lose weight quickly. You can eat them raw or steamed and you can spice them up with a number of seasonings to make them something you actually want to eat.

6. Stay away from fatty meats and fried foods. This means you'll need to give up fried chicken and fish. You'll also need to give up whole milk products, potato chips and pork rinds. You need to give up fattier cuts of beef but you don't have to give up beef as long as it is a lean cut and broiled. You can also eat broiled or baked fish, skinned chicken and lean pork cuts that suit your taste.

7. My last tip is one that I use regularly to stay healthy and fit while keeping the weight off. When used in conjunction of healthy eating it is one of the best ways to lose weight fast. It is simply to exercise daily. I know you've heard it before and you may wish it wasn't true, but it's essential to your long term health and weight loss regimen. Find an exercise program that suits you and just do it!

So if you're really serious about getting healthy (and if you read this far I believe that you are) then follow these simple steps. They will provide you the benefit of losing weight today and the benefit of living a long healthy life. Don't wait, start today!

If you want more information on how to lose weight and be fit for life I have a FREE e-Course

Many people that want to lose weightseem to focus on it all the time. In fact, their weight loss diet seems to be constantly on their minds. Are you one of those many people who go on a diet and lose the weight, only to have those unwanted pounds creep back within several months? If you are, read on.

Having to weigh everything you eat constantly is a discouraging proposition. After a while, "When do I get to enjoy eating?" is a refrain that runs through the mind constantly. But it doesn't have to be like this. Many people don't make the positive connection between a
healthy weight loss diet in concert with an exercise regimen. In fact, many people on diets start to see the exercise part of the program as just more punishment. Here are the facts; exercise is the key to your long term success. It will do as much for you as your diet in getting the weight off and keeping it off. Let's take a look at how a healthy weight loss diet program fits perfectly with your exercise regimen.

There is no secret to losing weight. The formula is calories in minus out equals a weight gain or loss. Depending on your temperament and level of patience, a goal to lose a significant amount of weight by reducing your calorie intake may be rather difficult. A lot of dieters 'fall off the wagon' due to nothing more than plain hunger. This is usually because your calories are slashed too radically. So how can you "ease the pain"?

The first thing is to remember that a
healthy weight loss diet plan shoots for losing one pound per week. Studies have repeatedly shown that losing weight slowly is the most successful style of diet. This is because your stomach adjusts to a gradual reduction of food intake and slowly shrinks to accommodate your new eating habits. In a year, you could lose 52 pounds with a daily cut of only 500 calories. When you consider that some cakes contain 500 calories in a single slice, this is very doable, right?

Now here's where your exercise program can lock in your weight loss goals. If you reduce your caloric intake by 500 per day, you'll lose about a pound each week even without exercising. However, consider this. If you spend one hour each day, exercising moderately, you'll burn, on average, about 250 calories, depending on the activity you choose. To determine what your activity burns you can go online. You'll find many charts which list dozens of activities and how many calories that activity burns. When you burn those extra 250 calories off, while already reducing your consumption by 500 calories, not only will that boost your
healthy weight loss diet plan, but it will also produce positive metabolic changes while improving circulation. All of this while sweating out toxins and giving you new found energy. Meanwhile, your stomach is not growling at you.

Recent studies have shown that people who combine a daily program of exercise with a sensible, healthy weight loss diet plan tend to stick with their goal and achieve their objective. The most interesting note is that people who continued to exercise regularly, after reaching their goal, kept the weight off a year down the road and 'automatically' reduced their daily caloric intake by 300-400 calories.

We are made to move. The great news is that your exercise program will result in metabolic changes that your body will adjust to naturally. As you continue to follow your path to success you'll reinforce your new, healthy eating habits long after your dieting phase is over. Set a goal, make a plan and start today!

If you would like some more information about fitness and weight loss I have a FREE weight Loss and Fitness Course!

Wishing you only success!

I regularly tell people that a key part of your weight loss program needs to include exercise. I often get, "I know, I just don't like to exercise." Well exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. You should choose the type of exercise that you like to do. Most people won't stick to a program that they hate so if what you hate includes anything with a membership fee or special equipment my suggestion is to find something else. Find some type of exercise that you like to do!

Before we go on let me make the required disclaimer that if you haven't exercised in a while it's best to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Now that's out of the way, we all know that very few people are going to keep doing a type of exercise they don't like. Think about it. If you don't like jogging, you are going to find every reason in the world not to get up at 6 AM and go running, from "I'm too tired" to "my cat's sick, I can't leave her alone." Now if you're having a challenge finding something you like to do, choose something you hate the least. For most people this is walking.

The thing about walking is that it's great exercise and it's a great way to lose weight. It suits any level of fitness. As long as you don't have specific knee or back problems that prohibit it, anyone can start a walking program at any time and you can calibrate the intensity and duration of your walk so it's just right for you. Walking is also a great social exercise. If you look around a little it's usually very easy to find a training partner to chat with while you exercise. Walking with a partner will make you more accountable for your exercise and will also make the time go by faster.

No matter what exercise you choose, you should start at a low level of intensity and build it up over a period of weeks. This is absolutely essential to the longevity of your exercise program. If you start off too hard, you could end up with an injury which will require time off to recover.

If you haven't exercised in a long time and find that walking is difficult, start off by walking for 10 minutes each day. Then, make a plan to either increase it by 5 minutes every 1 to 2 weeks. To make things more interesting, try walking a different course every few days. This is a great way to discover new neighborhoods or parks in your area. You can also recruit a different friend to walk with you on various days of the week. This can be a great way to stay in touch!

If walking isn't your thing or you want something with a little more intensity you may want to try a fitness center. Most have a variety of equipment and normally have trainers on hand to answer your questions about using them.

When you choose a fitness center, make sure that they give good service. Most will give you a trial period. Take advantage of it to check out the service and the equipment. A rule of thumb for joining any gym is that if they aren't willing to treat you well before you join, then they certainly won't after you join. Check out the equipment and see if it is well taken care of. If the machines move smoothly without a lot of creaking and squeaking they are most likely well maintained. If they squeak a lot or make noise, then chances are they aren't being taken care of.

If you still aren't sure what you should do, you could always try golf or tennis. Both are good social activities and you can even meet new friends. Tennis is great for fitness although it isn't for someone who is just starting out. If you haven't exercised for a while, then golf may be the best activity for you. Just remember to walk the course as much as you can because after all it is suppose to be exercise.

If you want to lose weight and get fit I have a FREE Weight Loss and Fitness Course

You've heard it before drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Why? It's because your body and the body of every other human body on earth is made up of over 75% of water.

We all know we cannot live without water. The fact is, you can survive for weeks without any food but just three days without water and you die. But nowadays water has many people have replaced water with soft drinks and other sweetened refreshments. When you're swigging down one of these sugary substitutes keep in mind that water is healthier and helps to detoxify your body without going though one of those rituals to rid yourself of impurities. It is also absolute necessary if you want better health and longevity.

Now although eight glasses is the standard intake, your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature. Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis. When you drink water on a regular basis you replenish your body's fluids while keeping it well hydrated and functioning just the way it should be.

I know that when I don't drink enough water I get tired and sometimes a little bit grumpy. I also get a stiff neck.

The problem is that most of us wait until we are thirsty before we decide to drink water. This is a very unreliable gauge of your water needs. By the time you feel thirsty you have already lost two or more cups of your body's water supply. If you stay thirsty you will have depleted even more. Therefore, the best thing to do is to drink water regularly instead of waiting until you are thirsty.

Now may people think, well I'm drinking coffee or tea, isn't that enough? No! It is very important that you don't substitute beverages with caffeinated drinks for water. The same goes for alcohol. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages act as diuretics and can actually cause you to lose more water through increased urination. Although you may think you are getting water through these beverages, the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you take it in.

When you exercise you to replace the water you lose due to perspiration. A good rule of thumb is that for each pound you lose due to exercise, drink 2 cups of water. We even lose water when we sleep. If you continue drinking water up to the time you go to bed you can wake up with your body feeling fine and functioning as it should be.

We all know that we need to drink more water when we're sick. A cold or the flu can dehydrate your body quite quickly. To counteract this drink more water when you're sick.

There are many mixed opinions as to whether purified water will actually provide you a benefit. I would recommend that you explore this yourself so you can determine the water that suits you best.

Keep a container or bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. Teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don't hydrate your or replenish the nutrients your body needs.

Make drinking water daily a habit. It'll improve your physical and mental fitness.

If you would like more information on fitness I have a FREE Fitness e-Course.

Obesity is now epidemic in the U.S. While there are some people with medical conditions that cause uncontrolled weight gain, the vast majority of overweight and obese people simply eat too much. These same people also make poor food choices.

It's hard to find anyone that would say obesity is attractive and it's really unhealthy. To stay healthy the prevention of obesity is really a straightforward proposition. If you'll forgive the pun, prevention of obesity is truly worth many pounds of cure.

Over the holidays people of an average, stable weight may gain a few pounds while partaking of all that holiday cheer. All's it takes is a few cookies, some fudge, delicious gravies poured over creamy mashed potatoes and a few glasses of eggnog to begin to pack on a few unwanted pounds. However, once they return to normal eating habits, most people shed those pounds within a couple of months. What they do is merely exercise and reduce the calories they eat and the weight goes down, but sometimes this doesn't happen.

The prevention of obesity should become your goal when you find you've gained ten pounds or more and it doesn't come off. There should be a loud alarm sounding off in your head when your weight starts creeping up and you can't lose it. Don't wait! Now is the time to take action! I guarantee you that it's far easier to lose ten or twenty pounds than a hundred! You also won't compromise your health.

Finding that your clothes are too snug could be an indication that a prevention program is needed. I've read that Oprah has one section in her closet for 'fat' clothes and another for 'skinny' clothes. Maybe you do this. Not only is this an unnecessary expense, but you're also playing a psychological trick on yourself. You probably say something like this to yourself, "Well, I guess I just have to accept it. People do tend to gain weight as they get older, don't they? What's one dress size anyway? I still look OK."

If you want to prevent obesity this is B.S. It's called being in denial. This means you won't be motivated to prevent obesity. Why? Because you have told yourself that you don't think it's possible. You might make a token attempt to diet or exercise, but within a few days or weeks you'll give up. You won't stick with the program. This is how those few pounds eventually balloon into an huge weight problem.

So, like all things, the real core issue in the prevention of obesity begins in your mind. You must be motivated. Do you want to wait until the day when some little child in the grocery store tells her Mom, "Look how fat that woman is!"? That's when you know you've too far gone and you can't deny it anymore. Prevention of obesity means starting early, before the problem gets too big, pardon the pun.

If you need help in getting motivated, here are a few tips. Go online and calculate your BMI. Here's a place you can go to calculate it - http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. Investigate the health problems you may have to face. Problems like heart disease, poor circulation, diabetes and joint stress damage to name a few. Take out those old photo albums and find pictures of you when your weight was normal. Pick one out and tape it on the refrigerator door, right at eye level where you see it every time you open the door, along with a picture of you now. Try on one of your 'skinny' outfits.

Are you motivated now? Good! Before starting any programs check with your doctor to be sure you don't have a medical condition, like a thyroid imbalance. If that's not the case, get ready for a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and exercise. Don't cut yourself any slack. Stay on track. Remember, prevention of obesity is your goal. If you have problems staying on track find a coach that can guide you on the path to your goal.

Losing weight always boils down to a simple formula that involves calories. Calories in minus calories out equals weight loss or gain. To get a handle on your normal calorie input, keep a food journal for a week. Write down everything you eat, down to the last cracker and glass of wine that passes your lips. Buy a calorie counter book. Ask your doctor or find a nutritionist that can help you plan a diet that's healthy and right for your lifestyle.

Do you want to lose weight? Then your motivation is the key to your prevention of obesity. With a giant dose of motivation, you'll lose that extra weight and stay fit for life!

If you'd like information on becoming healthier I have a FREE Fitness e-Course that can help!

Habits are patterns of behavior formed by repetition. It's habitual how you brew your coffee in the morning, how you brush your teeth and how you take your shower. Similarly, bad habits, habits that aren't good for you such as smoking, are actions you do without giving it any thought.

Our choices in what we eat and drink are the same. It may seem like a meaningless chastisement when your doctor tells you "You'd better try to develop some healthy eating habits, or you run the risk of ... (fill in whatever health condition)" because you really don't know what she's talking about. But what are healthy eating habits and how can you make them a regular part of your life?

Many people fail to heed the doctor's warning, not because they fail to take it seriously, but because they just don't know where to begin. The doctor's order makes some people feel overwhelmed. Let's take a look at how you can gradually shift your eating patterns and food choices to achieve this sometimes elusive, healthy diet.

There are very few people that can do a complete diet makeover in one massive move. Habits die hard, as any smoker can tell you. Our tastes in food and our habitual way of eating develop over a lifetime, so the key to success is to make a plan and then make the changes over time. If you're a junk food fan or love that supersized order of greasy French fries, it'll take a while to change your unhealthy eating habits. It's not going to happen overnight. You may find your body will revolt, that your metabolism won't cooperate and, as a result you feel guilty and return to your old eating habits.

One technique that works well for some people is to wean themselves from your 'bad' food choices. If you are in the habit of stopping by the fast food joint for those fries every day on the way home from work, put some discipline into your life. The first week, allow yourself only two days to enjoy this treat. No more. The second week, only allow yourself one such indulgence. Try cutting back on the amount of salt you use to season the fries. This helps because less salt might make them taste less desirable.

As you begin to cut one not-so-good food from your diet, introduce a new, healthy eating habit in its place. For example, take a piece of fruit with you to work to eat for your lunch dessert, replacing your usual pastry or candy. Chew it slowly and savor every bite. Apples are a great choice because they are high in fiber and antioxidants while low in calories and surprisingly filling. Apples also leave a nice clean taste in your mouth. Use the weaning and replacing strategy to place your taste buds firmly on the road to healthy eating habits and success.

Continue with this pattern of switching out on un-healthy foods, while introducing better choices. You can switch high calorie buttered mashed potatoes for a savory pilaf garnished with fresh parsley. Try eating cold water fish a couple of times a week. Not only is it an excellent source of low fat protein it can also reduce your bad cholesterol level and improve your good cholesterol level. Instead of having a donut and coffee for breakfast when you're in a rush make a fruit juice and yogurt smoothie.

I can almost guarantee you that this strategy will bring you surprising results. You'll find yourself enjoying the new variety of tastes in your diet. I can also almost guarantee that you'll feel better and more energetic. You'll probably notice a healthier glow in your skin. As you develop your new, long-term healthy eating habits, you will grow to like it, for all it does for you!

If you would like more information about becoming more fit I have a FREE Fitness e-Course.

The New Year is just a few days away. Pretty soon many of us are going to be making New Year's resolutions and one that many people make is getting into better shape. The problem is that unless you have a plan it's easy to become disheartened in a short while and end up tossing the whole idea in the trash.

Before I give you these simple tips, remember the old saying, "A task begun is half done". Just starting a fitness program can help you tremendously. So don't put off your "getting in shape" goal. Decide to do it and start today!

To get in shape you need to set some realistic goals. This makes your goals motivating rather than de-motivating. For example, losing forty pounds in six months or 1.5 pounds per week is probably realistic, depending on the weight you need to lose. Losing forty pounds in six weeks, well maybe you better rethink your goal.

Here are some tips that can help integrate your mind, body, and spirit so that you'll stay in the right track this year.

1. Follow a healthy nutrition and diet plan. You need quality food to get and stay fit. Quality food provides the fuel you need for your body to function optimally. Choose foods that are healthy, contain the right nutrients and are free from chemical additives. It's also good to take vitamin and herbal supplements to support your health.

2. Get enough rest. For most people this is between seven and nine hours a night. You won't function well without the proper amount of rest. You'll also want to sleep with as few interruptions as possible so that you'll get the right amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This allows your nervous system to heal while rebuilding your body. If you're feeling sluggish during the day rest or take a short nap to recharge. Talk to your doctor if your always sluggish or have sleep problems. By the way, you can't exercises properly if you're always tired.

3. Live in the present Focus on the now. Forget about how you didn't exercise in the past. Forget about fitness goals you didn't reach. This can quickly stress you out and de-motivate you. Appreciate what you are doing now, the gift of life you are living in right now. Now is really the only time you have so make the best use of it.

4. Commit to and do your exercise program. You can't think yourself fit. I tell that to my clients all the time. You have to do some work! Your body actually craves movement and action so give your body what it wants. This helps you burn excess fat and calories and also stimulates you mentally. Some exercises like yoga or Tai Chi, are actually designed to sharpen your mind as well as your body. They can reduce your stress and heart rate, keep you focused on the present, and maximize your feelings of joy. They can also improve your serenity, spiritual faith, and peace of mind.

5. Have and keep a good support system of family and friends. It's been my experience that these people can give you both the positive and negative motivation you need to achieve your health and fitness goals.

6. Don't forget to laugh. There are plenty of studies that show that laughter is an excellent countermeasure to disease and can actually play a significant part in healing a sick body. So tell jokes, watch funny movies, go to comedy shows or just laugh at yourself.

7. Focus on the positive. When you focus on the positive you'll look happier and healthier. You'll also feel better. I know that this is hard. You just have to read a paper or turn on the news to get a dose of negative energy. Closely monitor what you let yourself read, watch and listen to. If you find that you're thinking negatively try to find something positive to focus on. Think about your goals or your family, anything that brings your thought patterns back on the positive side.

8. Don't let your emotions handle you but rather learn to handle your emotions. This doesn't mean holding all your emotions inside. Stifled emotions can negatively affect your mental and physical health. Understand the things that upset you and determine ways to counteract them so that you can keep your emotional energy positive.

So there you have it, eight simple tips for keeping you're your body and mind healthy. Follow these tips won't ensure you a longer life, although it will improve the odds you'll have a longer life but it will ensure a happier and more fulfilling one. So set your goals to meet your total fitness needs.

If you'd or somebody you know would like to become fit and would like some more information I have a FREE Fitness e-Course. just for you.

Never underestimate the importance of diet and exercise to your personal happiness. This isn't anything new, but it bears repeating again and again. The best things you can do for your body is to feed it good, healthful foods and give it the exercise and movement it needs.

A healthy diet doesn't necessarily mean a diet to lose weight, although you might have weight loss as a goal to help improve your health and body image. Your healthy diet should first focus on giving your body all that it needs to thrive, regenerate cells, heal itself and protect itself against disease.

After that, you can look into lowering fat and calories for weight loss. If you're giving your body the right amounts of the right foods, your health and well being will increase, resulting in both physical and mental improvements.

A healthy exercise program is just as important as a good diet. Your body is built to move and stretch, and it needs to do that on a regular basis to keep metabolism steady, keep your heart in shape and keep your other body systems running well. Regular exercise will even help you sleep better!

Exercise is known to have mental benefits as well, including stress reduction, better overall mood and increased memory and mental processing abilities. When you implement a healthy diet and exercise regimen, you'll start feeling better about yourself and what you've achieved.

Your mental attitude has so much to do with your entire life, and when it comes to body image and well being, metal attitude plays a key role. Having a feeling of pride and appreciation for your body might not be something that you're used to, but a positive attitude will go miles in helping to build your self esteem.

Take a moment to think about the people that you know who seem to be generally happier and more satisfied with themselves. Are they all physically perfect? Of course not! But they've learned to appreciate what their bodies can do for them, and they take advantage of every day on this Earth.

They tend to look on the brighter side of things and focus on their strengths rather than their weaknesses. They also work to become stronger in weak areas, while realizing that no one ever achieves complete perfection.

You need to undertake some esteem-boosting measures to help you achieve your weight loss goals and provide you with a better body image. Just as you dole out the right amount of vegetables and fruits or lean chicken and fish for the day, serve yourself an ample supply of positive daily affirmations, too.

Recognize what's good about your body and treat it like a temple - it's your home, and you want to keep it strong and clean. Nurture it through a combination of diet and positivity that will allow you to see it grow into something beautiful that carries you throughout the years.

My father had high blood pressure. He left it untreated and, as a result, had a stroke. It was in good part due to his high cholesterol. I tried to learn from his mistakes. A few years ago my blood pressure was okay but my total cholesterol level was at 230. Since I didn't want to end up like my dad, I decided to learn as much about naturally controlling cholesterol and blood pressure as I could.

Even if you don't have a stroke, if you have high blood pressure, you increase your risk of future heart and other circulatory problems. This may even result in an eventual heart attack.

High blood pressure is an epidemic. About 72 million people in the United States age 20 and older have high blood pressure. While your physician may prescribe medications as one of the ways to reduce high blood pressure, a few simple dietary changes can help reduce your blood pressure to normal.

In this article I'm going to give you five foods that when eaten regularly, have been proven to reduce high blood pressure. Most of these foods have several other components that provide additional benefits to your general health, as well as other health conditions that may be associated with high blood pressure.

Before I go on I want to make the following disclaimer. Since I am not a doctor, be sure to consult with your physician and discuss the appropriateness of each of these foods to your specific health picture. Augmenting your medication with these dietary ways to reduce high blood pressure may require more frequent testing of your blood pressure. Your doctor may want to adjust your prescription dosage accordingly.

The first is garlic. Garlic is perhaps your most valuable ally in reducing high blood pressure. Garlic contains allium, the active property in effecting a reduction in HBP. Onions also contain allium, although not in as high a concentration. Studies have shown that both garlic and onions reduce high blood pressure, 'bad' cholesterol and can prevent blood clots. A study by K. Reid at the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, stated that "our meta-analysis suggests that garlic preparations are superior to placebo in reducing blood pressure in individuals with hypertension."

In addition, garlic is also a natural antibiotic. It is effective against an array of pathogens. There are many ways to incorporate garlic and onions into your diet, so go ahead and load up! Many clinical studies have found that just a couple of large cloves each day can cut your risk of heart attack in half!

The second food is cucumbers. They are good in a salad seasoned with those garlic and onions and help lower your blood pressure. Cucumbers are also good for your digestive tract and can also relieve the symptoms of rheumatism. Since cucumbers have a mild diuretic effect, mention that you are eating more of them to your doctor.

The third, artichokes are yet another of the effective ways to reduce high blood pressure naturally. Artichokes contain cynarin. In the 1970s, European scientists documented cynarin's ability to lower cholesterol in humans. In addition, if you're overweight, this is a good addition to your salad plate as well. If you are diabetic, artichokes can help regulate blood sugar levels while providing plenty of the fiber you need.

The forth, celery is an old time remedy for high blood pressure. So why not add a few stalks to your growing salad dish. Like cucumbers, celery is mildly diuretic, reducing your water retention so talk to your doctor about eating more of it. Celery is also good for diabetics in regulating blood sugar, as well as reducing water retention.

The fifth and final food to naturally reduce your blood pressure is mushrooms. In Traditional Chinese Medicine certain mushrooms have long been used as one of the ways to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In particular, shiitake and maitake mushrooms are found to be especially effective in this regard. Shiitake mushrooms are usually available fresh in larger supermarkets. Both are also available in dried form and are easily reconstituted in water. A mix of these mushrooms can make a delicious soup, or can be added to your salad as an accent. Other notable benefits of eating these mushrooms include boosting the immune system function, fighting off viral conditions. They are also used as a preventative to and treatment for cancer.

Once again, discuss these food choices with your doctor. Once you get the okay, eat a salad a day which includes these ingredients. Bet you never imagined that a bowl of salad might be one of the best ways to reduce your high blood pressure! All while helping you control your weight and addressing a variety of other health conditions. To your good health!

If you would like more information on getting fit I have a FREE Fitness e-Course!

I like to stay in shape and I like to encourage my children to do the same. I am proud to say that now that they are both teenagers they have both found ways to exercise.

I believe that they exercise today because I encouraged them and led them to exercise. I did this because I realize that exercise is beneficial for everyone no matter the age.

The thing is to make exercise fun. It doesn't have to seem like work. This is especially true if you do it with someone else.

A family workout has many benefits. First of all, you have each other to help with accountability. When one person wants to slack off, their loving family members - especially siblings - can help them see the light. Secondly, if you are like me you'll do better when you have a buddy to push you to do your best. Look at it as friendly competition that can help you achieve fitness goals you never thought possible.

Here are five fitness ideas for families who want to be healthier and need a little boost in the right direction.

1. Enjoy some backyard sports - It's probably been a long time since you played a game of dodge ball or kick ball. Now you have your chance. Get your family together and start a game on the weekends in your back yard or at the local park. Maybe you can get the neighbors involved. This type of stop and start movement gets the heart rate up and works the muscles. Some other ideas include a basketball game, a softball game or a game of volleyball.

2. Take a martial arts class together - I have had many students that trained with me as a family in my martial arts classes. Although there were separate classes for differing age groups I allowed them to train together once a week. Maybe your local martial arts center does this too. As you learn skills in your individual classes you can come together as a family and practice them.

If martial arts doesn't appeal to you then aerobics classes are another idea for a family exercise session. For the guys in the family that don't feel coordinated enough to do a step aerobics class there's always spinning, swimming or kickboxing classes to choose from at your local YMCA or gym.

3. Take some time to enjoy nature together- Families look to each other for things to do. If one person in the family can do it, the others often want to try to do it also. Try going for a family hike. The parks around your home probably have some beautiful trails that range from easy to more challenging. Be sure to outfit your family with the proper hiking gear and bring some reference materials so that you can learn about nature together.

More difficult but along the same lines as hiking is mountain climbing. You will encounter trails here too. You can build family camaraderie while helping each other climb the rocks. You also take in some breathtaking views. Both of these activities work your heart, lungs and, at minimum, the lower body. Even on a cool fall day you will feel the burn and the cleansing sweat of a good workout.

4. Have a family yard work day- Although no one usually wants to choose outside work, if you do it together it can be fun and get the family's hearts pumping. You can take turns mowing a section of the yard. Pushing a lawnmower works both the upper and lower body. Rake the leaves together in the fall. Then, for more fun, jump into the big pile and then let everyone help rake them up again.

5. Play active video games - The new video games have become more interactive, athletic and virtual these days. The big talk is about the Wii game console. Using the Fit board or the regular games, your family will have plenty of laughs and even more exercise as they, play tennis, jump around or move to make the characters move in the games.

Who says family workouts have to be boring? Get together as a family and do something that you love to stay healthy.

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy and author of a Fitness e-Course that you can have at absolutely no charge. Drop by http://www.yournewbodycourse.com/ for your copy today.

According to the American Heart Association's website one in three adults has high blood pressure but only 78.7 percent of them were aware of their condition.

The website went on to point out that even though many times the cause of high blood pressure isn't known, it is easily detected and usually controllable. Note that they said easily detectable, that is if you go to a doctor or health clinic and have your blood pressure checked.

You could be one of the 73.6 million people in the United States age 20 and older that have high blood pressure. One of the most alarming and dangerous things about high blood pressure, or as it is medically known - hypertension, is that initially there are often few or no symptoms. In fact, it can be difficult, if not impossible to know that you have it unless you make regular routine visits to your doctor. If you can't make it to your doctor go to the health clinic in your neighborhood.

These visits are extremely important, because hypertension can lead to all types of very serious and life threatening complications. It can worsen diabetes sometimes, but even more commonly, can put you at risk of heart disease or stroke. Although I have heard conflicting reports, I believe that my father was in denial about his high blood pressure for years before it finally caught up to him, causing him a severe stroke. His stoke nearly crippled him and caused him to live in pain for the last ten years of his life. This is why you need to get your medical checkup. Because, even though it is dangerous, the common causes of high blood pressure are easily treated.

One of the most common high blood pressure causes is excessive salt consumption. Some people have high sensitivity to sodium (salt), and their blood pressure goes up when they use salt. When these people reduce their sodium intake their blood pressure tends to lower. According to many experts, taking in too much salt is common among Americans. It is estimated that we consume 10 to 15 times more salt than we need.

Diets of fast and processed foods contain particularly high amounts of sodium. To reduce your sodium intake levels read labels carefully to find out how much sodium is contained in food items and then avoid those with high sodium levels. Although this is only one of the high blood pressure causes for certain salt sensitive people, it can't hurt to decrease your salt consumption, and may help prevent your risk of heart attack.

Even more common among high blood pressure causes is obesity. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. It is very closely related to high blood pressure. Obesity causes hypertension because it puts a strain on your circulatory system. This means that your heart has to work harder to pump blood, resulting in higher pressure in your veins and arteries.

Medical professionals strongly recommend that all obese people with high blood pressure lose weight until they are within 15% of their healthy body weight. This leads to the next cause of high blood pressure, the lack of exercise. When you don't do cardiovascular exercise your heart atrophies. This means that it needs to pump harder to circulate your blood. Using exercise to lose weight, you can treat both of these high blood pressure causes at once.

Be careful what drugs you put in your body. Certain drugs, such as amphetamines (stimulants), diet pills, and some pills used for cold and allergy symptoms, tend to raise blood pressure. Also, people that drink too much alcohol have a tendency to develop high blood pressure. For those that are sensitive to alcohol, drinking more than one to two drinks of alcohol per day tends to raise their blood pressure.

Some high blood pressure causes are not so easily treatable. For example, it appears that there is a genetic component, making some people simply more prone to high blood pressure. Along with this, there is a process called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which can occur with age.

Diabetes, which can be treated through diet and exercise, but not necessarily completely eliminated, is another one of the high blood pressure causes which can't completely be improved through conscientious treatment.

So the facts remain that you can reduce your chance of high blood pressure by getting your checkup, exercising, and eating right. Start today. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones.

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy and author of a Fitness e-Course that you can have at absolutely no charge. Drop by http://www.yournewbodycourse.com/ for your copy today.

I'm on a mission. My mission is to help as many people as I possibly can achieve and maintain their ideal mental and physical fitness levels. I must admit I do this for some very selfish reasons. The biggest is the cost of poor health to our economic system.

Now before we go on I want to tell you a little bit about me because don't want you to get me mixed up with someone who has never struggled with their weight. A few years ago I weighed 198 pounds and had a cholesterol level of 230, even though I exercised regularly. Today I weight 170 pounds and my cholesterol level is about 172. I did all of this without medication (or surgery).

Let me give you a new statistic I recently read from the U.S. Government that completely floored me. The number of people who are obese has exceeded the number of people who are overweight.

For those of you that would like to know how these things are determined obesity and overweight are calculated using the BMI (Body Mass Index) formula. Someone with a BMI of 25 to 29 is classified as overweight, while 30 to 40 counts as obese. Anything over a 40 is morbidly obese. You can calculate your BMI by dividing your weight in pounds by height in inches squared, and then multiplying by a conversion factor of 703.

The National Center for Health Statistics report that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. It also reported that slightly below 6 percent are "extremely" obese. Oh, by the way when you add these three numbers together (34% + 32.7% + 6%) you get 72.7% of all Americans are at the very least overweight. What do you think this is this doing to our nation's health?

Maybe you are like many of us who wish to lose weight or get in better shape. Perhaps you're concerned about your health. Maybe you've even made the decision to take better care of your body. Even with all this you might be asking yourself if there are things you could be doing to be healthier. The answer is yes!

When it comes right down to it, when you choose the right foods and exercise regularly, you look and feel better. You also reduce your stress levels, sleep more soundly, have more energy, and enjoy better health. But sometimes making the right choices isn't as easy as it other people make it out to be, is it? No it's not. That why today I want to give you a simple thing you can do to help you make positive choices and achieve the better health you so crave and deserve!

Need More Motivation?

I help people gain their ideal body image regularly through the use of hypnosis and NLP. If you like my help you can call me at (800) 989-6570. One of the most common things that my clients tell me is that they "just can't get motivated." It can be hard to get out of bed to do the things you know you should do. Let me ask, if your alarm went off 45 minutes earlier so you can get up and exercise before heading into the office, how would you react? Would you allow yourself to make excuses and feed your mind negativity by telling yourself that skipping one day won't hurt, or that exercise for you is pointless?

How about when you're low on time and big on hunger and you pass by that fast food restaurant with the $1 value burger. What choice do you usually make? Yes, eating healthier isn't as easy as picking up convenient, greasy burger with fires. Would you go the extra mile for a healthy meal?

In addition to exercising and eating right, sleep is so important to a healthy lifestyle. So what about your sleep? Do you get enough? When you don't get enough sleep or sleep well, you're less inclined to make healthy food and exercise decisions.

Sleeping well helps you have more energy and can make you passionate about all things in your life. That includes your commitment to your health! And yes, I know, it can be difficult to get enough rest when there are things you think you have to do or you'd rather be doing!

Do you give up your sleep if you have work to do? Do you stay up late partying whenever you can? What can you do about it?

Health Affirmations Can Help!

Everyone who has ever accomplished anything has succeeded because they set a goal and kept going after it. That leads many people to believe that these people have "strong minds" or weren't bothered by the same things that you are. That's all hooey. Everyone has weak moments. The trick is learning how to overcome them!

In those moments when you feel weak and you don't want to eat right, get enough sleep, or exercise, using affirmations that target your health can be just the boost you need to help you make the healthy choice.

An affirmation is a positive statement you can use to replace the negative thought processes that can float through your mind, especially when you are trying to form healthy new habits. If you think they don't work, I have news for you - do they ever!

When you get up in the morning and start to talk yourself out of exercising, saying something like, "Oh, I can skip a day", a negative affirmation is being repeated in your mind. This affirmation is telling you "I can't do it," and you believe it and you don't exercise. So let me ask, if a negative affirmation works, why can't a positive one work also?

The same goes for when you're about to choose junk food instead of the good stuff. You can repeat an affirmation in your mind that will remind you of your desire to live a healthier life. This will help you stay more aware, both consciously and subconsciously, of your healthy living goals.

For example, you can say, "I allow my body to receive enough rest and exercise," or "The more I take care of myself, the better I feel." Using statements like these will give you that gentle push you need when you feel inclined to be lazy and pessimistic.

Make some healthy living affirmations and strive to repeat them to yourself several times each day and whenever you need encouragement. It will take a little time, but within a short while you'll find yourself making healthy decisions more and more often.

Then, after a while it will become routine for you. The more often you choose the healthy lifestyle you desire, the better you'll feel, both physically and mentally, which will reinforce your good habits. Do you really want to make a change in your health? Then make the commitment to your health by incorporating healthy living affirmations into your daily routine today!

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy and author of a Fitness e-Course that you can have at absolutely no charge. Drop by http://www.yournewbodycourse.com/ for your copy today.

High blood pressure, known as 'hypertension', is a very common problem for Americans. From 1995 to 2005 deaths from high blood pressure rose 56.4 percent. Nearly one in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure. Because having high blood pressure greatly increases your chances of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes, it's important to take what steps you can to lower it.

How can you improve your blood pressure scores? Here are 6 simple things you can do to help control your blood pressure.Click here to read the rest of 6 simple steps to controlling your blood pressure...

I don't know about you but I love to eat. Eating is a wonderful thing. Eating is also necessary for keeping you alive and healthy. The problem is that, with the hectic pace of life today, we have replaced healthy eating habits with eating habits that are not so healthy for us. It can be so much easier to get a quick snack from the vending machine or drive to the fast food joint than to eat a healthy daily diet.

What does a healthy diet consists of? I realize you already know the answer to this. You need to start off each day with a healthy breakfast. You also need to eat whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish while cutting down on saturated fats and salt. Oh yeah, and drink 8 glasses of water a day.

But like I said, you already know that, don't you?

For the rest of this article follow this link...

One of the biggest health problems in the world today is hypertension or high blood pressure (HBP). According to recent statistics over 70 million Americans are affected by it which equates to about 1 in every 4 adults. According to the American Heart Association HBP "was listed on death certificates as the primary cause of death of 57,356 Americans in 2005. HBP was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death in about 319,000 of the more than 2.4 million U.S. deaths in 2005."

Those statistics are pretty scary. What else is scary is that you increase your risks of contracting so many other conditions and diseases with a hypertension and all of them are very serious. It doesn't matter if you only have moderately high blood pressure, looking into some blood pressure remedies is an excellent idea.

For the rest of this article follow this link...

When I read about what foods are best I find that there is a lot of conflicting information about which super foods are best. Because of the way that ads are written it can be confusing to decipher what's a scam and what's the truth.

If you read ads in magazines or newspapers or search websites about super foods you might be led to believe that all super foods are man made and only come in a bottle or jar. This just isn't true. There are many natural super foods to choose from. That's why I made a list of the top 5 energy boosting foods that I use on a regular basis and that I believe will give you true, lasting energy to keep you charged up while maintaining your ideal weight, all day long! For the rest of this article follow this link...