Health: 12/25/11

How To Know If You Are Overtraining

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As everyone knows, exercise is good for you. It helps to keep your weight down, helps to keep you toned up, and helps to make you feel good. So then, if getting a little exercise is good for you, then it must be better to get even more and if getting more indeed is better, then it stands to reason that getting a lot would be even better. Sounds logical, doesn't it? However, this is not always the case.

When you exercise with fairly high intensity, and you exercise that way often, there will come a time at some point when your body will begin to slowly start to shut down. People will get to this point at different times, depending on their fitness levels and exercise intensity and frequency. If after exercise you tend to feel more wore out than worked out, you may already be a victim of overtraining.

There are some signs that your body will give you both physically and mentally that will let you know that you are overtraining. It is wise to recognize these signs and act accordingly, before the problem gets to the point of causing you possible serious injury. Some of the major signs to be aware of are:

" Decreased performance
" Lack of motivation
" Poor coordination
" Loss of appetite
" Chronic muscle soreness

" Chronic stiffness at the joints
" Chronic headaches
" Longer recovery times
" Loss of concentration
" Reduced self esteem
" Depression
You need to understand that whatever your exercise goals are, your body needs ample time to recover and adjust to the demanding loads you placed on it. Sometimes people who are newcomers to the world of exercise will try to do too much too soon, and may ignore their body when it's trying to tell them to take a break.
In the case of some who have been into exercise for a while, they will often view these signs as an obstacle and feel the best way to deal with it is to "work through it" or "tough it out". For some others, the problems causing them to overtrain may be more psychological. Excessive exercise is now recognized as a legitimate problem, much like anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
For most, the solution to the problem is simply to exercise in moderation or cut back on the intensity from time to time. Use periodization in your routines. When you feel the signs of overtraining coming on, reduce the intensity of your workouts for a while. When you are ready to increase the intensity again (your body will let you know), then gradually start to pick it up again.

Know your limitations, and never try to compare yourself to anyone else as this is asking for problems. There are some times when you should even just take a whole week completely off and do no exercise at all. This is like taking a vacation from work, it gives you body and your mind a chance to relax and rejuvenate so you can start again a week later nice and fresh.

Remember, if you exercise to the point of overtraining it is almost as bad as not exercising at all. Overtraining will only impede your progress, not help it and in the long run, if you let yourself overtrain, you may be headed for some very unwanted side effects.

Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: http://www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php

Article Source: Natural Health Directory | Natural Health Articles

Vitamin B: A Complex Mix

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Vitamin B is more often referred to today as the B vitamins to better relate that it is actually a group of 8 different vitamins, with varying functions and sources. B vitamins, like vitamin C, are water soluble, which means that extra levels of B vitamins are excreted by the body, though small amounts are stored in the liver and toxicity, while rare, is possible.
Most people will recognize many of the B vitamins by name. They include thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin (B1, 2, and 3, respectively), as well as folic acid (B9). The other four B vitamins are less commonly referred to and are: pyridoxine (B6), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid, and biotin.
The B vitamins serve many functions in the body, including the breakdown of different kinds of foods into energy, maintenance and protection of the nervous system, production of blood cells, and maintenance of healthy skin.
Deficiencies of most B vitamins are rare, because they are found in many different food sources. While sources abound though, deficiencies can exist if someone has a condition that affects their ability to absorb or use B vitamins. Whole grain breads and cereals contain thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and folic acid. Milk contains riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). Foods with lots of protein like eggs and meats contain B vitamins, especially red and organ meats.
Alcoholics, along with being susceptible to many other health problems, can be vulnerable to thiamine deficiency, also known as beriberi. Alcohol prevents the body from properly absorbing thiamine and many alcoholics also do not eat otherwise healthy diets, so they are doubly prone to lacking this and other vitamins.
Riboflavin is very active in the maintenance of skin and other tissues, so deficiency of this vitamin can cause skin lesions and dermatitis. There has been a lot in the news in the past couple of years about the importance of folic acid for women of child bearing age. Women who have adequate levels of folic acid when they get pregnant are less likely to have babies with neural tube defects. The folic acid must be present before pregnancy because these types of birth defects occur in the first weeks of pregnancy, and oftentimes women will not even know they are pregnant yet.
You may have heard of people getting B12 shots because of a deficiency of this vitamin called pernicious anemia. This occurs particularly in people over 60, because as we age, our stomachs have less ability to produce the substance intrinsic factor, which must combine with B12 taken through food or oral supplements in order to be absorbed by the body.
Dana Bradley writes about Vitamins Coupons
Article Source: Natural Health Directory | Natural Health Articles

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Pernicious Anemia

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You may have heard of people who have to get vitamin B12 shots because of a condition called pernicious anemia. What is this, how is it different from other anemia, and what are the symptoms?
Pernicious anemia is a deficiency of the B12 vitamin. Vitamins do not provide nutrition to the body on their own, rather they work with food or other elements in the body such as bacterias and enzymes to help the body work properly. Their absorption is also affected by other substances in the body, some that are already there, and some that people may ingest. In order to absorb vitamin B12, the body uses a substance called intrinsic factor, which is produced by the stomach. Some people’s bodies either do not produce intrinsic factor at all, or they do not produce enough to effectively process vitamin B12 taken through food sources (like milk) or oral supplements. Older people may suffer from pernicious anemia even if they did not have it earlier in life, because as we age, our bodies produce less intrinsic factor. Also, more women than men suffer from it. People with pernicious anemia have to receive B12 by injection, because this form does not require combination with intrinsic factor to be absorbed by the body. People can also suffer from B12 deficiency unrelated to intrinsic factor problems, and this is called macrocytic anemia. It can be caused by poor diet, alcoholism, or metabolic disorders.
Symptoms of pernicious anemia include fatigue, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, and shortness of breath. While these symptoms fit a large range of maladies, people with pernicious anemia may also exhibit the Babinski reflex. When you stroke the bottom of the foot, the big toe flexes up and the other toes fan out. It is a reflex present in newborns and usually disappears by the age of 2, as the nervous system matures. When the reflex exists in older people, it can be a sign of nerve damage. It can be inherited, and is rarely diagnosed until age 30. All anemia is characterized by lower than normal numbers of red blood cells. There are several different types of anemia with different causes. Common anemias you may be familiar with are anemia caused by iron deficiency, and sickle cell anemia, where red blood cells are sickle, or crescent moon shaped and can stick together, causing fatigue and other symptoms. In pernicious anemia, patients have a low red blood cell count, but the red blood cells they do have are abnormally large, and their white blood cells have abnormally large nuclei. Further tests for antibodies against intrinsic factor can be performed to make a diagnosis of pernicious anemia.
Linda Polansky writes about Vitamin A,Best health vitamins
Article Source: Natural Health Directory | Natural Health Articles

Yoga Helps A Great Deal In Lowering Cholesterol

by Ashish Jain

Are you worried for having some extra cholesterol in your blood? Well, many people are fighting hard battle against the increased cholesterol levels. For, they are much vulnerable to heart diseases much like the heart patients. But I have got a very easy and natural remedy to control your high cholesterol.

Some time back, I had a cholesterol level above the normal range and I used this alternative technique to reduce my extra cholesterols. Well, the technique being discussed here is none other the age old technique of keeping fit. That is YOGA.

Yes, Yoga helped me a great deal in reducing my high cholesterol levels. Now I am perfectly fit and rocking. So, if you have also found high cholesterol in your blood don't get stressed as stress will only harm you further. The tensed brain and heart needs more blood so the heartbeat and blood circulation will increase and will create more problems to your arteries.

Yoga has solved the problem of cholesterol for many people. It has been acclaimed by all for its simple nature and mode of exercises, which any one can do quite easily.

Yoga is a kind of exercise based on the unification of body, mind and spirit. There are meditations associated with it. There are different kinds of exercises under the yoga program that are used for various problems in your body. Some of them are to keep your mind and body in sound health.

Yoga for controlling cholesterol reduces the fat content in your blood and ensures you a healthy heart, brain and blood circulation. Don't misguide yourself with certain ideas that the LDL cholesterol is very hard to get rid of. Th main factor with cholesterol is that the fats in your body don't get burned up due to lack of physical activity or improper life style.

The cholesterol flows in the blood and an increase in its amount make the cholesterol deposit on the walls of the blood vessels. The result is clogging of the blood arteries.

Join yoga classes today for the unwanted fats in your blood. If you postpone your admission to the yoga classes, the fats may slowly go on increasing and may create some serious problems for you in the future. The yoga instructor will teach you all those exercises that burn the fat faster, increase your blood circulation and make your heart healthy.

Yoga can control cholesterol by asanas (mode of exercise) meant for the cholesterol. There are millions of people performing yoga for different ailments. Especially, in the quest of a perfect body. They are highly satisfied and I am sure you too will find the similar benefits.

Discover the magnificence of the yoga that has so many things to impart. They will surely help you get rid of the cholesterol and you will be highly satisfied when after two months you go to check the level and find them impressively low.

To get more information on cholesterol, cholestrol and reduce cholesterol visit http://www.urcholesterol.com/

Article Source: Wellness Article Library

Nutritional Supplements And How They Help Your Health

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From ancient times people have been taking nutritional supplements. They started with natural herbs often home grown which were usually brewed into teas and tonics.
Now they have become more sophisticated and are available in all sorts of pills, capsules, liquids and of course teas of all sorts.
What are nutritional supplements? Nutritional supplements are used to add nutrients to our diets that are missing or not taken in large enough quantities. They are available in pills capsules, liquids and teas. They can be synthetic or from natural sources. They will contain one or more of the following ingredients:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Herbs
• Amino acids
• Saccharides

Why do we need nutritional supplements? These supplements are not intended to replace meals but enhance our diets. There are several reasons that we would be taking them:
• Environment: our environment has deteriorated over the years and we are now getting more toxins from the air, the water and even in the foods we eat, than ever before. Our bodies have to work more to protect and rid ourselves of these unwanted substances. Therefore it is wise for us to take nutritional supplements to help our bodies to do this.
• Stress: Stress will cause your body to function less efficiently. This will put your body at risk for a number of things, especially low resistance for disease. Supplements, especially Glyconutrients will help your bodies immune system get stronger and also help your body function better.
• Poor eating habits: Due to busy lifestyles, our ways of growing food and green harvests we are not getting the important nutrients our bodies need to keep us in good health. We often do not even stop to eat proper meals. This makes it necessary for us to take supplements to enhance our diets and add important nutrients to our diets.
• Athletic activities: when we take more exercise then normal our bodies need more nourishment. A professional athlete or even someone doing extra work outs needs more nutrition. Dietary supplements would include, Proteins, minerals, vitamins and saccharides (Glyconutrients).
• Part of a weight loss plan: when you go on a diet to lose weight you will be eating less and running the risk of not getting enough of the essential nutrients in your diet that your body needs. Therefore you would often be taking some nutritional supplements. Some of these substances even claim to help you to lose weight.
How do they improve your health? Different supplements will help you in different ways.
Glyconutrients: The latest nutritional supplements to come on the market are the saccharides. These are known as Glyconutrients. There are 8 of these essential nutrients:

• Mannose
• Glucose
• Galactose
• Xylose
• Fucose (not fructose)
• N-acetylglucosamine
• N-acetylneuramic acid
• N-acetylgalactosamine

These nutrients have only lately been researched with a technology known as Glycobiology. These nutrients have been shown to be vital to our health especially regarding our immune system and the ability of the body to heal itself.
Ambrotose: is a supplement made up of these Glyconutrients. Taking these supplements will help you to feel healthier and enjoy your life to the fullest.
Zach Thompson is a Glyconutrients Consultant. His clients range from pro athletes and actresses, to cancer patients and children with Learning Disabilities. To learn if glyconutrients can hep you, visit his Glyconutrients site for a consultattion.
Article Source: Natural Health Directory | Natural Health Articles

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Penis Enlargement Facts

by edwinthompson

Many men pay attention to the length of their penis. Many never imagine the girth of the penis when one is considering penis enlargement. The size of the penis can make some men feel insecure and less of a man, as size indeed plays a big role in a man’s life. Despite this, many women want the girth of the penis aside from its length.
The size of a man’s penis plays a major role for a woman as she gets her most pleasure out of it. So the importance of the dimension is just as important as the length. The woman's vagina is equally sensitive, and the excitement and sensation are there to discover, as certain areas of her genitalia are quite sensitive, the presence of a good penis proportion makes the whole experience a lot more exciting.
The average size of a penis when it is erect is 5.25 inches, and the average length of the penis is between 6 and 6.5 inches, as shown by surveys taken from all over the world. To enlarge the penis, exercise programs were designed, and one needs to follow these programs along with certain products that will help further boost the size of their penis. There are many other penis enlargement methods available. The most accepted method is the natural method of penis enhancement because it is not that expensive, and it is also safe. There are also penis pumps which may be used to add inches to the length of the penis. Pills, creams and solutions are all over the market right now, which still has to be tested and must be used with certain exercises or devices to prove their worth.
Exercises and therapies are also available in helping you achieve the most desired results. One may observe that blood goes to the places within the genitalia were there was no blood found there before. Some of the blood vessels circulate poorly inside the penis, and exercises help a lot in circulating the blood around the genital area to make it more active and alive. Clogged veins and poor blood circulation is the reason why the penis is not as erect as it should be. While doing exercises for the enlargement of the penis, the penis size and length will start to build, and favorable results can be seen in no time.
Enlargement is generally a time-consuming method. It may take months before you see any improvements. Everything will depend on the body type and penis condition of the man in order to get the much needed results. The enhancement of the penis can be a slow process. It is very challenging to determine which methods of penis enlargement and products used for it are very viable to use and follow. Much depends on the individual, for there is no direct and general approach to penile enlargement.
Overall, having a large penis can be quite a blessing, but having a little one does not mean otherwise. The idea is to perform well. No matter what size you have, its how you use it that matters at the end of the day.
My name is Edwin and I provide penis enlargement Information on my website. Visit my site at http://penis-enhancement-secrets.com
Article Source: Wellness Article Library

Which Lower Abs Exercise Actually Works ? - Lose Weight And Get A Flat Stomach

by steve lobon

Which Lower Abs Exercise Actually Works?

If you are like most of us, your stomach is one of your problem areas when it comes to losing weight. It seems like the area just below your belly button is one of the last places that you will lose fat. This is what leads many people to look for a lower abs exercise that actually works. Because spot reducing is a myth, it is impossible to specifically

lose fat in one area without losing it in others as well.

There are several lower abs exercises that will work if you do them on a regular basis. However, you can tone and tighten particular areas of your body using particular exercises. For instance, yoga is well known to tone and tighten the body while making the muscles more flexible and elongated.

Pilates is another form of exercise that strengthens the core abdominal muscles and will help you flatten out your belly. In addition, doing crunches is always a good stand-alone exercise to do on a daily basis. In fact, some people have found great success

doing something called reverse crunches. When doing this exercise, instead of pulling your upper body up, you are actually bringing your knees up toward your chest.

Another terrific exercise for lower ab fat would be the bicycle exercise. This is where you lay on your back with your hands behind your head. Bring your knees up to a 45° angle so that the bottom of your feet are just off the floor. Now start to pedal as if you are on a bicycle while you are touching one knee to the opposite elbow each time. You will certainly feel this exercise in the lower abdominal area!
When looking for a lower abs exercise that will work for you, it is important to note that anything will work as
long as you do it on a regular basis.
Of course, you also must change your eating habits and eat a diet
higher in protein and lower in simple carbohydrates. You want to avoid simple sugars and a lot of fatty foods as well.

If you found this useful then visit http://lowerabsexercise.net/ - a great resource with useful articles. You can also download a FREE 65 page ebook and find out about the best lower abs exercise available on the net.

Article Source: Natural Health Directory | Natural Health Articles

Why Use A Sports Bra?

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Many people equate the use of a sports bra with someone who is highly athletic such as a runner or someone who participates in a great deal of sports activities. Though this is the general belief of many women, this is not factual information. Any woman who participates in even regular exercise should invest in a sports bra. A good sports bra is just as important as a good pair of the proper type of shoes for the purpose, yet 73% of women who exercise on a regular basis are not wearing them.
There are a great deal of myths that exist concerning the care of the breasts. One of these is that the breast has no muscles. The fact is that glandular tissue and fat comprises most of the female breast, which is held in position by very delicate ligaments. This means that an excessive movement of the breast such as that which occurs during exercise causes strain on these ligaments. Over time, the ligaments will stretch, and in the long term, the breasts will begin to sag. Once the ligaments stretch, there is no exercise that will return the breasts to their former position. Even if you have small breasts, exercise will cause a movement of 40mm away from the body, so the need for support during exercise is important no matter what size breasts you have.
Another problem that is the result of inadequate breast support is sore and tender breasts following exercise. A survey conducted of general practitioner’s showed that 80% agree that the support of a sports bra will reduce stress on the ligaments and help delay the long-term sagging breasts. Though many women are of the mistaken notion that an ordinary, everyday bra can provide the same support, studies have shown that breast movement is reduced by only 38% as opposed to 74% when a sports bra is worn.
If you are athletic or even exercise regularly, you should certainly invest in a sports bra in order to prevent the movement of your breast during periods of activity or exercise. It is also a welcome addition after childbirth when it is recommended that you keep your bra on twenty-four hours a day since a sports bra is much more comfortable for sleeping and prevents the breasts from moving around during sleep.
The use of sports bras among women is grossly underutilized, especially among those who regularly exercise. If this is not changed within a very short time frame, the future is going to show an increase in the number of women with weak and sagging breasts. The time to work toward preventing this is in the early years of life before any permanent damage has been done. As already stated, no exercise is going to reverse stretched ligaments that are the result of a lack of support. The solution to the problem is prevention rather than cure. Keeping this in mind be sure that before you attend your next exercise session, you purchase a well-fitting sports bra that will reduce the amount of breast movement as you work out or perform sports.
Donna Somerkin specializes in sport bras and bras

Article Source: Natural Health Directory | Natural Health Articles

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How To Know If You Are Overtraining

Vitamin B: A Complex Mix

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Pernicious Anemia

Yoga Helps A Great Deal In Lowering Cholesterol

Nutritional Supplements And How They Help Your Health

Penis Enlargement Facts

Which Lower Abs Exercise Actually Works ? - Lose Weight And Get A Flat Stomach

Why Use A Sports Bra?

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