Health

Carbohydrates have gotten a lot of bad press in the past few years with the advent of low carb diets, but the truth is that not all carbohydrates are "bad" and, in fact, your body needs carbs to survive.

Many people mistakenly believe that eating bacon, eggs and steak will set them on the road to a thinner body with increased energy and good health, but this is not the case. While cutting out the simple carbohydrates found in processed foods is a healthier way of eating, neglecting the complex carbs found in fruits and vegetables can be hazardous to your health.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and fiber. All key ingredients to your health. They also contain antioxidants which can help your body fight disease and may even help ward off certain kinds of cancer.

Picking The Best Carbs

The old saying "you are what you eat" has a lot of truth to it. You get the energy that your body uses as well as your nutritional needs such as vitamins, minerals and fiber from the foods you eat. Doesn’t it make sense, then to eat foods that will provide your body with the best fuel possible?

People accept arthritic disease as a ‘natural part of the aging process’, but sometimes the pain from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and over 100 other forms of arthritis so intolerable, prompting people to look for effective treatment.

Prescription drugs such as VIOXX, Bextra and Celebrex (arthritic painkillers) - and many other COX-2 inhibitors widely used for arthritic treatment - have been investigated following studies into their negative cardiovascular side effects. VIOXX alone has been linked to around 140,000 cases of coronary heart disease in the US since 1999.

More and more people look for alternative solutions for arthritis pain and more and more people are buying the combination of Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate and MSN, as studies have shown that Glucosamine and Chondroitin help in the repair and maintenance of cartilage.

Both inflammation and oxidative stress function are primary degenerative mechanisms in the development and progression of osteoarthritis. While researchers believe that glucosamine inhibits inflammation and stimulates cartilage cell growth and chondroitin provides cartilage with strength and resilience, specific amino acids is also need for overall impact.

Amino acids are the building blocks that make up protein. Vitamins and minerals will not perform their specific functions effectively if the necessary amino acids are not present.

Is Olive Oil one of Nature’s seven original wonders?

According to several resources, Olive oil IS nature’s wonder drug. Olive oil is composed of and up to 30mg of Vitamin E, contains Provitamin A (carotene), has up to 83% Monounsaturated Fatty acis (oleic), contains up to 20% Polyunsaturated unfatty acis (Linoleic), and also has up to 23.5% Saturated fatty acids. Olive oil is gluten-free and virually salt-free and one teaspoon contributes 8% RDA for Vitamin E. According to scientific and medical findings, diets rich in olive oil promote good health and longevity. It also reduces unnecessary cholesterol and limits arteriosclerosis. Otherwise, Olive Oil is the homeopathic way to prevent coronory disease.

Some valuable information most people aren’t aware of is that Olive oil is beneficial when used as a tanning oil. Rubbed on exposed areas, olive oil protects skin from harmful UVA rays and sunburns. Olive oil is also effective on peptic ulcers, bone development, nervous system development, and acts as antioxidants to keep the brain alert as we mature and grow older. Some cancers have actually been reduced in number (e.g., breast & ovarian cancer), in the Mediterannean due to olive oil consumption. There are also claims that Olive oil is a natural mosquito repellent too. With all the great benefits of Olive Oil, it makes one want to go out and buy the whole lot.

In the early nineties I had the opportunity to work with some of the most famous movie stars in the world. As a manager and personal trainer for Kathy Smith and her health club, I experienced first hand the secrets to the stars. Here are a few things they did to look like they do:

1. They cross trained: They put variety into their workout plans.

2. They never ate a lot of white flour foods: Most of their foods came out of the ground. Mostly natural foods!

3. They were more concerned with their body fat levels than their weight: They concentrated more on the balance of muscle to fat, rather than their weight.

4. They did a lot of stretching: Palates and yoga was very popular.

5. They spent a lot of times out doors working out: You may be surprise at the number of people that are in better shape exercise more outdoors.

6. There diets consisted of herb and teas: A lot of natural foods were consumed.

7. They had outside help. Support systems, trainers and groups.

Losing weight on hips and thighs has always been a dream. And yes, dreams come true! It is usually difficult to lose weight from thighs and hips as compared to abdomen. Though different methods work for different people because of their individual mechanism but there is a more generic solution to it.

Here are some valuable tips which can make your thighs and hips slimmer!

1) Two spoons of triphala every night detoxify the body. Ginger water boosts liver function which further helps in fat breakdown. Tulsi water helps in a great way.

2) Exercises simply does it for you. A regular visit to gym and exercising in the right way for right muscles can help you make your body firm and tight. Aerobic exercises is another smart option.

Tip: Walking briskly is considered to be the best exercise for losing weight on hips and thighs. If it gets difficult for you to go outdoors for walking or pollution stops you from going out for walk, treadmill is THE BEST option for you. Know more about Treadmills here.

3) Diet pills don’t help in a long run. They, in no way, cut down your calorie intake which is must for lean hips and thighs.

Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine used for over 200 years. Introduced to America in the early 1800s, homeopathy is based on the Law of Similars (”like cures like”). Homeopathy is still used very effectively in patients around the globe.

Homeopathy is different from conventional medicine as it attempts to stimulate the body to heal itself. In homeopathy, signs of the body’s attempt to heal itself could be as subtle as coughing through a cold; instead of suppressing our coughs, homeopathic remedies will cause the cough to be more productive. A natural medicine, homeopathy may be a beneficial alternative to conventional medicine. Homeopathy is also a form of orthomolecular medicine, as well.

Homeopathy focuses not only on the “health” of the physical person, but as well as the emotional and mental health of the person. Homeopathy is said to restore the person to not only health, but freedom, too. Conventional medicine controls the illness, whereby homeopathy tries to cure it. Homeopathy and homeopathic remedies are available to all for care of acute ailments in most retail outlets and pharmacies.

If you’d like more information about homeopathy, Holistic Junction has superb knowledge regarding homeopathy education, articles and more.

Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day? That equates to ingesting at least 17,500 more calories than you burn on a daily basis during that time period. At a minimum, that equals nearly 500 extra calories per day on average over that stretch of days.

Usually, the added weight comes in fancy cookie trays or creatively decorated gift baskets from clients, friends and family. The sound of Christmas music and arrival of cold weather encourage us to partake of traditional holiday fare and simply move less. This combination leads to tighter fitting pants and feeling sluggish.

Now is the time to fight back! Don’t wait to start your exercise program after the New Year begins. Initiate better exercise and eating habits now, because the weight is always harder to take off compared to preventing the gain beforehand. See the list below for tips on staying trim during this holiday season.

1. Perform strength training workouts at least 3 times per week.

2. Build in extra cardiovascular training if you decide to stray from your normal eating patterns to offset the extra calories.

Losing weight on hips and thighs has always been a dream. And yes, dreams come true! It is usually difficult to lose weight from thighs and hips as compared to abdomen. Though different methods work for different people because of their individual mechanism but there is a more generic solution to it.

Here are some valuable tips which can make your thighs and hips slimmer!

1) Manage your dieting habits. The major cause for heavy bottoms is unbalanced diet, a diet high in fats. Butter, cheese, milk and curd..all contribute to the stubborn fats on hips and thighs.

Tip : Switch to olive oil and vegetable oil. They are more healthy. Avoid too much oil in pulses.

2) Increase the intake of fruits in your body. Fruits improve the digestive system of the body by increasing the amount of fibre content in the diet.

Tip : Have low glycemic index (low sugar) fruits instead of desserts or sweet-dishes after dinner.

3) One other effective way to lose weight on hips and thighs is LOW CARB DIETS. Some people gain weight, especially on hips and thighs because of high carbs diet.

The Purposeful Primitive approach to the art and science of physical renovation is deceptively simplistic. By using a few basic tools and food purchased from the grocery store, you can radically alter the way you look while simultaneously improving health, vitality and energy levels. The Primitive approach has two irreducible goals: tone, strengthen and increase muscle mass and function, and the systematic reduction of body fat. This methodology has been used by the athletic elite for decades and is shorn of fluff and bloat.

There are three core elements to any effective fitness regimen: progressive resistance training, cardiovascular training and nutrition . These are the three legs of the Fitness Triad. A Purposeful Primitive uses an unending rotation of simple yet effective methods within each of the three Triad component disciplines. Inter-related and inter-locking, the three disciplines compliment, stimulate and accelerate progress when linked and executed in a balanced, sane fashion.

The goal is to establish physical momentum and then keep the progress ball rolling.