Carpenters and factory workers have no problem getting exercise and burning calories during their workday. However, for the large population of office workers it can be a real challenge. It’s not a good idea to exercise late in the day after work because this can contribute to sleep problems. So how does someone who sits for most of the day burn calories and stay fit?

Actually there are many things you can do to be more active while at your desk. If you’re on the telephone you might try these activities.

* Stand up and get a good stretch. Raise one arm over your head and tilt toward the opposite side for 10-15 seconds. Switch the phone to the other hand and do the same thing with the opposite side. A few repetitions will perk you right up.

* While sitting, raise each leg toward your chest using your free hand to assist. Continue as above to stretch your hamstrings and gluteal muscles.

* Stand and march in place. Don’t aim for a true aerobic workout here, though. You don’t want to sound winded to the caller on the line!

* Put your feet together and pull your legs up to be parallel with the floor. Hold for about ten seconds. Do this six or seven times to help burn calories and strengthen your quadriceps and abdominal muscles.

* You may want to purchase some dumbbells. Keep them in a drawer for times like these when you can use them to strengthen your biceps and deltoid muscles. With your arms at your side, raise the weights by bending at the elbow. Then raise the weights toward the ceiling. Alternate this with raising the weights sideways. Go from the resting position and raise it as high as you can toward the ceiling and hold for seven to ten seconds. Repeat six or seven times for each arm.

Why not get active during your break instead of heading to the vending machines for a can of cola to drink with that bag of chips or candy bar? Consider stepping outside when the weather permits. Take a short walk around the building or parking lot to burn some calories. If it’s raining or snowing and room permits, walk around inside the building.

Some companies provide exercise equipment for their employees. Consider them an employee benefit just like your 401-K or insurance policy and make use of them.

If you work at home you have the added freedom of exercising almost anytime you like. Get up and stretch frequently. Alternate your office work time with housework and aerobic exercise to keep you from getting sluggish. Burn calories every chance you get.

It won’t be long before you begin to see and feel the rewards for the positive change you’ve made. You’ll feel better and be more productive. And don’t forget that you’ll reap the rewards of better sleep and moods.

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Parents live for that first time their baby sleeps through the night. It is a monumental occasion. Being sleep deprived is no fun. To get a few winks we may use the bottle to lull them to sleep.

At first, your baby calms down when they get a taste of their bottle. You tiptoe out of the room and get to catch some more sleep. However, there is one problem here that we haven’t considered: baby could fall asleep with the bottle in their mouth.

This is the beginnings of baby bottle tooth decay. What exactly is it? When a baby falls asleep with a bottle of milk in their mouth, the milk sugars leak out of the bottle into the mouth.

When a baby is awake (or anyone for that matter), saliva in the mouth washes away sugars from the foods that they eat. It washes the teeth. Normally, cavities form from bacteria and carbohydrates coming into contact in the mouth. The acid that results from the breakdown of these carbohydrates starts to wear away the protective enamel on the teeth.

This is the process that begins to occur at night when baby has a bottle in their mouth. The saliva is not being produced to wash away the bacteria. Over time, the teeth can become riddled with cavities that give them a concave shape and turn the tooth stumps black.

Now these are deciduous teeth (will fall out) but they will hang around for some time until baby’s permanent teeth come in. No parent wants their child to have broken and deformed teeth, much less black spots in their child’s mouth.

While you do need to get rest you also don’t want your child to suffer negatively from baby bottle tooth decay. Here are a few solutions that you can try to combat the problem in the first place.

One, avoid giving your child sugary drinks in their bottle at night. Milk is more filling but if your child is trying to fall asleep and may be a bit restless, try filling a small bottle with water. If chewing on the nipple helps to soothe them, it won’t be long before they fall asleep. Besides, tap water contains fluoride which helps to build strong teeth.

How about a pacifier? You can use it just at night when you baby is having trouble settling down. Choose one that resembles the shape of a bottle nipple so baby will more readily accept it.

And, resist the urge to coat it with milk or juice. All this will do is have your child craving more sweet stuff each time they are wakeful. Even a small amount of sugar settling in the mouth can begin the process of tooth decay.

Want to avoid baby bottle tooth decay? Try the above tips to stop the problem before it starts.

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Most people are aware of the importance of a healthy blood pressure level. Often of lesser concern though is the heart rate. For good health and a long life you should aim for a resting pulse of about 60 beats per minute (bpm). A normal and healthy heart rate should fall within the range of 70-75 beats per minute for an adult at rest. This is known as the resting heart rate (RHR) and is an important indicator of physical fitness.

If you tend to live a very sedentary lifestyle your heart may beat 80 times per minute or more. Sitting in front of the television instead of getting a sufficient amount of exercise can cause the heart to work harder than it should. Your heart and lungs will be continuously overworked. This is especially the case when under physical or emotional stress. This can cause serious damage to the heart muscle and blood vessels. Other bodily organs may suffer damage as well due to not getting enough oxygen.

Like any other muscle in the body, the heart becomes stronger with regular exercise. A strong heart is much more efficient, both under stress and at rest. A well-oiled machine will last longer than one that doesn’t receive regular maintenance. The human body is much like a machine and will age at a slower rate when cared for properly.

In order to strengthen the lungs and heart it’s a good idea to engage in strenuous activities for at least 20 minutes. Most doctors recommend exercising vigorously every other day. During a good workout you should try to raise your pulse to a safe level of seventy percent of the maximum.

Exercising doesn’t have to be a lonely chore. Get together with family or friends and enjoy some fun and healthy activities like these:

* Hiking
* Cycling
* Jogging
* Swimming

It’s a good idea to check your pulse both before, and right after exercising. To get an accurate measure of the heart rate it’s a common practice to count the number of beats for 15 seconds and multiply by four.

Someone who is highly athletic can live a long and fruitful life. Consider Jack LaLanne for instance. He’s well into his nineties and still quite active. The rate at which the heart beats will decrease somewhat with age. Someone with his level of physical fitness likely has a heart rate in the range of 50-55 bpm. It just makes sense that Jack’s resting heart rate will be lower than average. The heart of a typical man over the age of 65 beats around 70 times per minute.

Eating a wide variety of healthy foods and avoiding sugar can do much to enhance your efforts to live to a ripe old age. And the years you’ll add to your life will certainly be more enjoyable.

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“Man sane en corpore sane” is a Latin phrase translated to mean “sound mind and sound body.” It is to be the picture of health. In this day and age, everyone is searching for the fountain of youth that will keep them young and fit. Fortunately we all have that ability and it doesn’t involve Ponce de Leon.

The ability to change our bodies lies with us and within us. Taking control of your physical and mental health begins with learning where you stand now and consciously moving forward to an optimal state of health. One component of a healthy body is blood cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a hot topic these days. For a long time many people didn’t take notice of it but it has become apparent that when cholesterol is not in balance it can affect your entire body and your longevity.

In this report, we will discuss many components of cholesterol. You will learn:
* What cholesterol is
* What it does
* Where it comes from
* What affects cholesterol levels
* The consequences of high cholesterol
* Changes that can lower your cholesterol

CHOLESTEROL
What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a natural component of the internal environment of the body. It is a waxy molecule that is used in many bodily functions. For one, it is used in cellular membranes to help maintain their integrity. Also, cholesterol is instrumental in creating hormones specifically steroids and sex hormones. So, the body relies heavily on a normal level of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Cholesterol is instrumental in turning sunlight into Vitamin D. Vitamin D works to increase calcium stores in the body. Calcium, as you know, is needed for strong bones and teeth.

What are the components of cholesterol?

Cholesterol has three main components: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides. Each serves a specific purpose.

Cholesterol moves along through the bloodstream from place to place conducting its business. Because it doesn’t dissolve and therefore can’t pass through membrane wall, it needs a carrier, namely the lipoproteins to help it get to the cells where it works.

Let’s look at LDL first. This is termed the “bad” cholesterol. If you have too much of it in your bloodstream your risk of certain diseases rises.

It is produced in the liver. Just like other lipoproteins, it is a carrier for cholesterol throughout the blood. Levels are kept low because it is a sticky lipoprotein. This means that it will adhere to arterial walls. The arteries become stiff, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

When there is too much LDL, it can form hard plaques inside the vessels. These plaques narrow the opening inside the vessels through which blood has to pass. The heart has to pump that much harder to get blood through. This may increase the blood pressure. Too much pressure can dislodge the plaques allowing them to travel leading to pulmonary embolus or stroke.

HDL cholesterol is termed “good” cholesterol. These lipid molecules transport cholesterol also. It can be thought of as a sweeper because it goes behind and cleans up what was done by the LDL cholesterol. It is important to have high levels of good cholesterol to counteract any affects of bad cholesterol in your body.

The cholesterol that is carried is excess cholesterol found in the bloodstream. The cholesterol is returned to the liver where it is slated for excretion from the body. This is good because it helps remove sticky LDL cholesterol from arterial walls reducing the buildup of life-threatening plaque deposits.

Triglycerides are another component of blood cholesterol. These are fats that are produced in the liver and also enter the body as fat from the foods that we eat. Like the other two components, it does not travel alone throughout the body. It combines with a protein and is referred to as VLDL (very low density lipoprotein). If high levels of LDL cholesterol are bad, then combining it with high levels of VLDL, your risk of stenotic vessels, heart attack and stroke increase.

Triglycerides provide energy for the body. Like other energy sources what isn’t used is stored in the body as fat.

Blood cholesterol is determined by a blood test. A lipid panel is conducted to show the levels of each component in the blood to come up with a total cholesterol number. While the total number is important, the breakdown of each will let you know what you have to worry or not worry about.

Healthy Cholesterol Levels:
* LDL – lower than 100 mg/dL
* HDL – higher than 60 mg/dL (40-60 mg/dL is considered acceptable)
* Triglycerides (VLDL) – lower than 150 mg/dL
* Total cholesterol – less than 200 mg/dL

Your doctor will give you a report detailing your numbers. If they are outside of the above numbers, you will more than likely discuss risk factors and also ways to change any unacceptable levels.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol comes from two sources: your body and your food. The body can regulate how much cholesterol it produces for its needs. Alone, it is not enough to meet all the needs so some cholesterol will have to come from food. This is the factor that is not so well controlled.

Weight

Carrying excess body weight puts you at risk for many diseases and conditions. Why is this so? Well, when the amount of fats taken in via food are more than the body needs for energy and cellular function, it gets stored as fat.

This fat increases our body weight and blood cholesterol levels. Usually this cholesterol is of the variety that contains is carried from the liver as LDL. Increased bad cholesterol levels also increase the risk of narrow arteries. The heart works harder when there is more tissue to oxygenate and fat has poor vascularity. Reducing your weight can lower your risk for heart attack, high blood pressure and lower the overall cholesterol number.

Diet

We don’t always eat what we should be eating. Let’s face it: greasy fatty food tastes better than natural fruits and vegetables. The preservatives and chemical processes that are used to create fast foods and instant foods along with Trans fats are damaging our bodies by raising bad cholesterol levels.

Natural foods do not contain any or very little preservatives. Fat calories are obtained from lean meats, nuts, beans and other foods. These healthier fats don’t add to the bad cholesterol but help to bolster levels of good cholesterol.

Physical activity

How many of us are leading a sedentary life? Office jobs and long work hours leave no time for exercise. It is enough that we get home, fix dinner, attend to the children and get to bed. Heading out to the fast food restaurant is a result of this lack of time too.

Weight plays a factor here as well. The more weight we pack on, the less energy we seem to have. When bodies are out of shape it is easy to get winded.

Technology like video games promotes less movement. When food is not burned as energy, it gets stored as fat. It is a vicious cycle to be sure.

Heredity

Some people have an inclination towards high cholesterol based on their ethnic background. This doesn’t mean that others are not at risk. Anyone can develop high blood cholesterol levels if they possess the risk factors. Developing atherosclerosis from high levels of LDL cholesterol leads to heart attack and stroke.

Women are in a high risk category for heart disease. Their risk factors are obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Any one of these can increase cholesterol levels.

African Americans and Hispanics are also more likely to die of heart disease. But it is not just race, but genetic makeup, lifestyle choices and socioeconomic backgrounds that all work together to make up the profile. For example, lack of proper medical care brought on by lack of money or insurance means those people are less likely to get their cholesterol checked and receive treatment.

Diabetes is also prevalent among the African American population. Obesity plays a part in its development. High levels of blood cholesterol bring diabetics in line with risk for heart disease.

Lifestyle choices

Smoking is a lifestyle source that not only affects the lungs but also cholesterol. The smoke from cigarettes is filled with toxins that are hazardous to the body. One toxin, acrolein is thought to affect the body’s metabolism of cholesterol. Quitting smoking can help lower your cholesterol levels to save your lungs and the rest of you.

Managing your health is also important to lowering cholesterol risk. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, managing treatment will help keep blood cholesterol levels in check. Stay on your medications once they are prescribed. Do not voluntarily discontinue them without doctor approval.

CONSEQUENCES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Heart disease

The heart is a muscle. It works to pump blood throughout the body. Oxygenated blood is picked up in the lungs and transported systemically and then back to the lungs again.

Since the heart is a muscle it can also grow larger. That happens when it has to consistently pump harder to get blood moving through the vascular system. When blood vessels are affected by LDL cholesterol, hard plaques have a chance to form, narrowing the lumen. In small vessels that are already narrow, they can become totally blocked.

The heart muscle gets its blood supply from coronary arteries. If these small arteries are blocked a heart attack can be the result. Coronary artery bypass or a stent (of applicable) are used to reopen the vessels for blood to flow. With bypass surgery, the blockage is bypassed for proper blood flow to the heart.

Stroke

Strokes occur when blood vessels in the brain are blocked. How do they get that way? Any artery can be affected by sticky cholesterol plaques. Carotid arteries that supply the brain with blood are also subject to narrowing.

As blood flows through the vessels with greater pressure, one of these plaques can be dislodged. If it becomes lodged again in a smaller vessel it will totally block blood flow and therefore oxygen to brain tissue. Lack of blood can cause an infarct in the brain resulting in a stroke.

Diabetes

Researchers are still looking into the correlation between high insulin levels and cholesterol. It seems that uncontrolled diabetes especially can raise the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Lowering cholesterol levels can help those who are borderline diabetic from developing the condition.

CHANGE YOUR HABITS TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL

There are risk factors that we can control and those that we can’t that play a role in cholesterol levels. For the risk factors that we can control there is help out there to get you going in the right direction. Reversing cholesterol numbers now can stop nastier health problems before they begin.

Risk factors that you can’t control will often require outside intervention. This is where treatment options offered by a doctor come in. we will discuss those too.

Foods to eat

Have you ever examined your diet? If not, try keeping a food diary for a week. Record everything that you eat and drink. You may be amazed at the choices that you are making. But, there is something that you can do.

It takes time to change a lifetime of poor dietary habits so go easy on yourself. Strive to change one habit every couple of weeks. They say that it takes about fourteen days to make or break a habit so get one under your belt before adding another.

Begin with making substitutions in your diet. Let’s say that you like macaroni and cheese. How about using whole wheat pasta and lower fat cheese? To make it creamy try adding some milk.

Processed foods are full of fat and unhealthy chemicals that are not good for anyone. This includes the ones that are endorsed by diet programs. Instead of spending money on those, try to purchase healthy natural ingredients and create your own dishes at home. The advantage here is that you know all of the ingredients in the food that you eat.

What foods can you purchase and give you the results you want? Here’s a short list:
* Grains (whole wheat, quinoa, barley, etc.)
* Lean meats (lean pork, beef, skinless/boneless chicken breasts)
* Seafood and fish (shrimp, salmon, tuna)
* Fruits and vegetables (greens, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, etc.)
* Nuts and oils(almonds, walnuts-unseasoned, olive, flaxseed)
* Beans (navy, lima, green, white, etc-dried not canned)

This is just a rudimentary list. The more natural foods are the more nutrients they will contain. Nuts and oils provide healthy fats that help to increase heart health and raise HDL levels. Eating more fiber will eliminate a portion of your fat intake from your body along with it. Finding a good book on nutrition will let you in on all of the health benefits of certain foods.

Foods to Avoid

This list can be almost as long as the good food list. We already know most of the foods on this list but need reminding from time to time. While many eating plans give you a day to eat freely, it is probably best not to do that so often until your cholesterol levels are back within normal range.

* Fast foods (especially ones that use trans fats in preparation)
* Processed sweets (baked goods and candy)
* Frozen quick meals (ones with too much saturated fat and not enough fiber)
* Fatty snack foods (donuts, chips)
* Full fat dairy (milk, yogurt and cheeses)
* Sodas (lots of sugar)

Your best asset will be reading labels. Here you will find total cholesterol, total fat, calories, protein, fiber and details about vitamins and minerals.

Lifestyle changes

Exercise plays a big role in disease prevention. The body that is in optimal physical condition can do so many things. For instance, muscle mass is increased as well as tone. Toxins are better able to be eliminated from the body.

Increased oxygenation promotes clarity and mental focus. Your will also notice that you have more energy to do what you need to do each day. Don’t forget about those endorphins. They can lower incidents of depression by lifting your mood.

Exercise also lowers your weight. Weight management leads to lower incidence of diabetes and lower levels of bad cholesterol. As you age, you are better able to fight off diseases with increased immune response and a fit body.

Smoking is also a habit that needs to be broken. As we mentioned before, chemical toxins present in cigarettes has an effect on cholesterol levels. You will be able to increase your lung capacity when exercising which will increase your oxygen levels overall.

Treatment options

Now we get to the factors that are a little harder to control. Heredity plays a role in cholesterol levels. Families with a tendency towards heart disease and diabetes put family members on alert for what they might expect in their future. Being proactive is the best way to go.

Those who are diagnosed with high cholesterol do have a chance to turn things around. People with a history of high cholesterol may not be able to lower their numbers with diet and exercise alone. They need medication to help in the process.

Doctors prescribe cholesterol medication to work within the liver and lower the levels of LDL cholesterol. They have a slight effect on triglyceride and HDL levels. The most common ones are your statin drugs. Examples include: Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor and Pravachol. There are also cholesterol medications that are found in combination with other drugs when more than one problem exists such as high blood pressure.

A new class of cholesterol medication works in the digestive system. The one that is currently on the market is Zetia. It helps to eliminate cholesterol directly from the bloodstream before it can be absorbed by the intestines.

When taking blood pressure medication, make sure that you ask your doctor about side effects. Inform him if you are taking other medications so that there are no drug interactions that could result. One of the common side effects of statins is that it can affect the function of your liver. It is recommended that blood work be done to test for liver function every three months when you are taking them.

If you are more into holistic medicine, ask your doctor about supplements that work similar to statins. One that comes to mind is Red yeast rice. It has long been used in the Far East to help keep cholesterol in check. Supplements should not be taken in conjunction with traditional medications unless ordered by a doctor. The supplement may interfere with the efficacy of the statin drug.

CONCLUSION

Blood cholesterol levels are important to know. Do you know your levels? If you don’t know, have a blood test done. High levels of certain cholesterol components can put you at higher risk for diseases like heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Even if you do have high cholesterol it is not too late to make a change. There are risk factors that are under our control (diet, exercise, obesity, lifestyle choices) and others that are not (heredity, age). Control what you can control and rely on your doctor to help you deal with the rest.

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Sleep is an important part of our daily cycle. It is during sleep that the body begins to regenerate and repair itself from the activities of the day. Shorting yourself when it comes to getting enough sleep can lead to changes in your body that promote weight gain.

Each person has a certain amount of sleep that their body needs each night. Depending on your age, you need more sleep than at other times. For children, the sleep requirement is usually between nine and ten hours a night. The body is still developing. With growth spurts, teenagers may sleep a little one night and half of the day another night.

The body does lots of work during this time. The brain processes what has happened during the day while you sleep. The body recovers from stress at night. If you exercise, your muscles are still burning fat while you sleep.

So, what happens when you don’t get enough sleep? In the short term, lack of sleep increases stress levels, shortens focus, alters your mood and can cause headaches and forgetfulness. When people stay up to finish projects or have fun, these effects are likely noticed right away – especially when they begin to get tired and want to sleep but can’t.

In the longer view, lack of sleep on a near-regular basis can begin to affect what goes on inside your body at a deeper level. Since the body is not being given the time it needs to repair itself, certain processes can go haywire.

One that interests researchers is obesity. It has become an epidemic and in the race to combat it, understanding the factors leading to it are important. Sleep is one of those factors.

Without sleep, the metabolic system doesn’t react as it should. Even in young people, they can develop symptoms similar to diabetes. The way that the body uses insulin is impaired. Also, high blood pressure can become a problem. These are problems which usually occur in advanced age but are now occurring in younger people.

When the metabolism slows down, that means that the body isn’t using fat efficiently for fuel. It also means that all of the running around that you are doing is not helping you lose weight but keep it on. On top of that, poor nutritional habits can lead to a higher fat intake which leads to obesity.

As you age, the metabolism slows done anyway. Adding to it a lack of sleep can lead to dangerous health problems. When the body can’t repair itself, you are vulnerable to illness. The short-term effects are more pronounced as well.

Are you skipping out on sleep to do other things? Sleep is important to a properly functioning body. Don’t leave home without it.

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Pizza is a favorite food for many people. Too bad it is so loaded with calories that most people don’t indulge if they want to lose weight and stay healthy. No need to worry. Here are some alternatives for your pizza to help you enjoy it anyway.

Let’s start from the bottom up, which is where the expert pizza guys start when they are making their wonderful-tasting pie. Many commercial crusts are made with white flour. Processed white flour contains too many sugars. It rates high on the glycemic index.

For those who don’t know, the glycemic index is a way of rating carbohydrates. If a carbohydrate causes your blood sugar to spike, it will usually get a number above 50 on the index. Spikes are usually followed by periods of sluggishness when you eat more spiking carbs to give you some energy. It is a vicious cycle.

Eating foods that are lower on this index will help keep your blood sugar steady, which fights cravings. Your energy level becomes consistent throughout the day as well.

Try a whole wheat crust. You can make your own with whole wheat flour and a little white flour or buy it already made.

The sauce used for pizzas is generally healthy. It is made from whole tomatoes and tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, which is good for improving eyesight and fighting disease in the body. If you want, buy sauce made from organically grown tomatoes.

The next problem factor in pizza is the cheese. We love it when it strings down our chin, but it is also adding pounds to the waistline. The next time you make pizza, try this. Use shredded cheese with a little oil to help it spread out better. There are also lower-fat blocks of cheese you can buy and shred yourself. They don’t contain the same anti-clumping cellulose that is found in most pre-shredded cheese.

How about those toppings? Who says that you have to have bacon, sausage and pepperoni? If you want meat, choose turkey varieties, lean chicken breast or Canadian bacon. Vegetable pizzas are not just for vegetarians. If you use freshly cut veggies, their natural flavor and sweetness will permeate your pizza for a great aroma and taste.

As the finishing touch, add a variety of spices to your pizza. Of course there is the Italian blend of spices, but you can add crushed red peppers and a sprinkling of dried garlic for a kick.

Fresh toppings are always better than store bought. And, creating you pizza at home is preferable to buying in the store or the restaurant, because you know what ingredients were used to make it. You can control the amount of fat as well as flavor in your pizza pie.

Who says you can’t create a healthier pizza? Use the ideas above and create your own healthy creation at home so everyone can indulge without fear.

• The Afternoon Slump Ever feel sleepy in the afternoon? I do sometimes, right around 2PM. It's actually normal and related to the natural ebb and flow of our internal body clocks. It's perfectly normal to feel a twinge of drowsiness in the afternoon. So, what happens when we're really feeling sleepy and our......
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Exercise is a great way to stay in shape. But, after a few months you might be getting bored with your workout routine. Here are a few ways that you can spice up that program and also see new and improved results.

Many exercise gurus recommend sticking with an exercise program for three months at a stretch. This doesn’t mean that after three months you can quit. Now, it’s time to change things up a bit.

Usually it takes that long for your body to get used to the routine you are doing. Another way to tell is if you hardly break a sweat even after going at it hard. Also, when you hit that plateau, it’s time for a new way of thinking.

What were you doing before for exercise? If it was jumping rope or walking on the treadmill, add a new component to your workout. Combine your earlier workout with elliptical training or weight training, or hop in the pool and swim a few laps. After the pool, use the treadmill to cool down a bit and stretch those muscles.

How about working out with a friend? Having someone new in the mix can take your program to the next level. A friend is like a friendly competitor. They inspire you to work harder and stick to it. Also, there are exercise routines that work better with two people (throwing the medicine ball, spotting when working on weights).

If you are a member of a gym or have a friend who is the member of a gym, go as a guest and take a class. Most gyms have a variety of classes from spinning to aerobics, to kickboxing to dance classes. It is both heart pumping and fun to be in a group for once instead of by yourself.

If you are looking for a way to jumpstart your results again, try cross training. If you are used to working out to exercise videos in your living room, how about riding your bike for a change? Your legs may be used to squats and kicks but pedaling uphill is a whole different story. This creates muscle confusion and makes them work harder to compensate. You build more muscle quicker that way.

For the runner, this could mean taking to the pool and swimming for a while. You are challenging the same muscles in new ways and new muscles altogether when you cross train. Along the same lines, consider joining a local sports league to get some exercise and a social break as well.

When you are no longer thrilled with your exercise program, you are less likely to stick to it. Also, your body won’t respond the same any more. Use the above suggestions for ways to throw a new twist into your workout.

• 4 Excuses to Not Exercise and 4 Ways to Change That Let's face it, when it comes to starting an exercise plan, few of us actually enjoy it. Who wants to get all tired and sweaty when it's so much easier to sit on the couch and languish? This causes most of us to make excuses and find ways to......
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Are you a fan of meditation and all things transcendental? Then you might be interested in learning more about the process of achieving Samadhi.

Samadhi is a type of meditation state that is a tenet of many kinds of yoga practices. In eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism, it is a state of consciousness that is above most others and hard to reach.

Meditation is used to help you focus on a single thing. If you are meditating to free your mind of negative thought, then your focus will be positive energy. In yoga, meditation is one way of bridging the gap between the mind and the body. You concentrate on your breathing and also how your body feels to better control it.

Samadhi is a state of spiritual consciousness where the focus is so complete you feel like you are on another plane entirely. You are moving in a separate realm of consciousness from the one that we currently exist in.

There are different levels of Samadhi that can be reached through meditation and practice. The lowest level is Savikalpa Samadhi. Here, you can achieve a transcendental state where you are no longer on the human plane of consciousness. Those who have experienced it are aware of a shift in space and time.

In this meditative state, a person can see who they are and who they are supposed to be with clarity. You are aware of things that don’t penetrate the mind in the human body. After the meditation period is over, you are aware of yourself again and return to normal human consciousness.

The next level is Nirvikalpa Samadhi. In this state you can be freed from your mind. You hear things all around you but they don’t bother or affect you. In Nirvikalpa, your goal is to become one with your soul.

Some describe it as the mind as we know it melting away so that all you see and feel is peace wherever you are. The perception of things is different because you have been released from the confines of conventional human thinking. You are hitting on deeper levels of meditation, much like a self-induced trance.

Because of the joy of this state, returning to a normal human consciousness takes some time. Instead of waking and immediately knowing who you are and where you are like in Savikalpa, it takes a bit of time to settle back into your human state.

Many spiritual masters strive to achieve this state, and do. But there is one even higher called Sahaja Samadhi. Here, you are so above things here that sometimes, the consciousness of the person doesn’t return to the body but remains on that highest of planes. It is thought to reflect being with God.

Samadhi is a high state of consciousness achieved through spiritual practice and meditation. It is a practice of Indian and other eastern religions.

• The Common Cold Fall and winter are prime season for the common cold. Colds are annoyances that interfere with work, play, and our workouts. Wouldn’t it be great if we never caught a cold again? Well, there are some things you can do to decrease your chances of getting a cold as well......
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Right after a particularly intense workout, you feel on top of the world. It might have been hard, but you made it. The next day, it could be a different story. You may not be able to get out of bed.

The reason for your dilemma could be sore muscles. You may be wondering what happened overnight that could have caused you to be so cramped and hurting the next day.

Sore muscles are one of the biggest causes of people quitting their exercise program. They didn’t know that it was going to hurt. Well, actually, it doesn’t have to. Keep reading and you will find out how to stop sore muscles in their tracks.

Muscles can be sore after a workout for a variety of reasons. One reason could be that you didn’t warm up before you jumped into your workout. A warm-up is the body’s way of preparing for a more intense workout to come. Even if you exercise at the end of the day, your muscles may have not all been stretched.

Taking the time to walk on the treadmill or do some light aerobics for five minutes raises the heart rate slowly and gets your body warm, hence the name “warm-up.” With that, warm muscles are better able to stretch. Following that with a stretch makes the muscles less prone to injuries like sprains, pulls or tears because they are more flexible.

When you work out, the muscles in your body are being pulled apart. This is how muscle tissue is built. Once it is torn down, the fibers rebuild stronger than they were before. Lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissue during your activity. This is why you feel cramping when you do too much or you are not breathing properly.

Now working out that lactic acid without a cool down can lead to cramped, sore muscles later on. A cool down can be moving at a slower pace for five minutes after your high intensity phase. The heart rate returns to normal and your muscles relax. Another stretch keeps the muscles pliable.

In addition to a cool down, try a massage. Kneading the muscles removes any immediate soreness and continues the relaxation begun during the cool down phase of your workout.

Staying hydrated during your workout is another way to alleviate sore muscles. The body needs water to replenish what is lost from sweat. Sports drinks can also replenish electrolytes that are lost.

Have a citrus fruit while you are at it. Some, like oranges, contain antioxidant properties to help stop inflammation that can lead to soreness after a workout.

Are you having a little too much soreness after your workout? First, evaluate your intensity for your fitness level. Then, use the above ideas to help you cut down on the post-workout pain.

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Your ear drum is a thin membrane that separates your middle ear from your outer ear. Sometimes the ear drum can develop a hole and expose the middle ear structures to the outer ear. This is a ruptured ear drum.

The function of the ear drum is to conduct sound waves. When you hear sound, it causes the ear drum to vibrate which in turn moves the three small bones of the inner ear: hammer, anvil and the stirrups. These are the main sound-conducting bones of the ear and the reason that you can interpret sounds.

If the ear drum is ruptured, bacteria and other things like dirt can travel through the perforation. The bacteria can cause an infection in the middle ear that can damage the delicate hearing bones and other structures.

What causes a ruptured ear drum in the first place? There are several reasons, one being an ear infection. An infection can cause a build-up of fluid in the middle ear and the ear drum breaks from the increase in pressure.

Ruptured ear drums also occur from trauma. You can have a car accident, a fall, or a sudden or prolonged exposure to loud sounds. Using things like cotton swabs in the ear canal can also cause a rupture. Some people push them too far into the ear canal until they hit the ear drum and cause a small hole. Digging in the ear with other dangerous things like hair pins or paper clips can tear this membrane.

How will you know if you have ruptured your ear drum? You may notice a significant amount of pain in your ear. This pain may worsen over time and can be accompanied by discharge from your ear. The drainage can be pus from a build-up of fluid after a cold or sinus infection, blood or foul-smelling discharge. It can also be clear. The key is that it is draining from the ear for no reason.

Some people experience hearing loss as a result of a ruptured ear drum. That can be followed by sounds like buzzing in the ear. This results from the opening between the outer and middle ear and air passing through.

Any of these symptoms require a doctor’s attention. Only he can tell you for sure if there is a rupture or an infection or both. He will look with an otoscope to better visualize the area.

A ruptured ear drum will heal on its own in a couple of months as long as there is no infection present. The doctor may prescribe antibiotic drops or oral antibiotics to clear up any infections. Pain medication over the counter usually works to manage any discomfort as it heals. Keeping ear canals covered in the presence of water (a shower) also helps with healing.

If you think you have a ruptured ear drum, see the doctor immediately.

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