Are Toxins in Your Fat Cells Released When You Lose Weight?

QUESTION: Dear Tom: I have been following your Burn The Fat system with good results. I am losing body fat and maintaining my current lean mass. I've noticed that during my calorie deficit phase I sometimes suffer from light headedness and nausea out of the blue for no particular reason but not during my maintenance phase. I was looking into it and read an article that said that toxins from the food in the "typical American diet" of processed crappy foods get stored inside our fat cells along with excess dietary fat when we overeat, and when we create a calorie deficit and burn the excess fat in our bodies, we release those toxins back into the blood stream. Have you ever heard of this? Any truth? ?

ANSWER: Yes, your fat cells can accumulate numerous types of toxins. For example, almost everyone has traces of pesticides in their bodies. Many people freak out when they hear this, so they become more likely to fall for all kinds of bizarre and usually unproven "detoxification" rituals. It is a shame that our environment has become polluted, but the real questions are whether trace amounts of these substances pose any health risk and whether you actually have toxic levels in your body.

One group of substances that has come to attention recently in the context of fat loss, (in addition to health concerns), is organochlorines, including DDT, PCB's and Dioxins. There is scientific evidence that these chemicals can be stored in fat cells and are released into your system when fat is lost.

The fish and wildlife service web page (fws.gov) has some detailed info on the chemistry and toxicology. One part was of particular interest:

"Organochlorines (OC's) are compounds that contain carbon, chlorine, and hydrogen. Their chlorine-carbon bonds are very strong which means that they do not break down easily. They are highly insoluble in water, but are attracted to fats. Since they resist metabolism and are readily stored in fatty tissue of any animal ingesting them, they accumulate in animals in higher trophic levels. This may occur when birds eat fish that have been exposed to the contaminant. It may also affect humans if they drink milk of a dairy cow that has ingested the chemical because the chemical is excreted in its milk fat. This is called biological magnification."

Some people may recall Rachel Carson and "Silent Spring" back in the 1960′s which was largely responsible for the environmental movement and banning of DDT pesticides. Despite being banned decades ago, these chemicals can remain in our environment and in our bodies for years and organochlorine pollution appears to remain a very real issue today.

As for the release of these substances from your fat cells with weight loss, well, what can you say; those are the consequences of environmental pollution and this is just one more reason to stay lean and eat clean and perhaps also, do your share to take care of our environment, if you are so inclined. But I do believe for the most part, your body is quite well equipped to naturally detoxify most toxins that are ingested in "normal" (small) amounts or would likely be released slowly with normal rates of fat loss. I don't think this is a reason NOT to lose weight, although some researchers say that obese men and women have to "weigh the health advantages of losing the weight with a potentially harmful effect."

Unfortunately, there is another twist: Some data suggests that if these chemicals are released into your system as you lose weight, they could hamper fat loss by decreasing thyroid (T3 conversion) or reducing thermogenesis during weight loss if an obese person had accumulated these chemicals in their fat cells.

Everyone who loses weight experiences some degree of metabolic adaptation as they diet and lose weight, and some obese people seem to have a defect in thermogenesis or their hormones may be out of whack. Scientists began wondering if chemicals released from stored fat into circulation could be a cause of this metabolic slowdown. To the best of my knowledge, these findings have not been confirmed as causative through experimental research, but it's a disturbing prospect because getting lean is hard enough as it is.

Regarding the question about nausea and lightheadedness, I looked at several scientific studies on this subject and even after reading the full papers, I did not see any references to nausea or light headedness being related to Organochlorine release with weight loss. I did, however, see references to suppressed immune system and estrogenic effects in addition to the effects on thyroid. Light headedness could be as simple as low glycogen or blood sugar and caloric deficit.

If you take this research at face value it creates quite a conundrum, doesn't it? My advice is… don't. Don't be alarmist. Take the weight off anyway. Do it slowly and safely, and then keep it off – do NOT cycle up and down in weight. Also, this might be yet one more good reason to question the wisdom of losing weight quickly since the total body burden of OC's is greater in overweight people than in lean people, leaving them more susceptible to adverse effects. As one researcher said, "it could be preferable to moderate body weight loss."

I wouldn't let articles about "the typical American diet poisoning you with toxins" make you worry too much or jump on any bizarre detox rituals that don't have scientific support. You have to be pretty careful in the area of "detoxification" because it is filled with quackery and pseudoscience. Packaged, processed and refined foods are unhealthy. But this issue isn't about chemicals used in food processing, nor is it as simple as saying that eating "junk food" fills you with toxins. This is an environmental pollution issue, where the toxins find their way into our food supply – even "clean foods" – and then into our bodies, where in this case, they remain there for years.

I know it would be great if I could end this article by telling you how to get the OC's out of your system. Unfortunately, the research data I have read does not propose a solution yet. Some people choose organic to avoid pesticides that are still used today, although the benefits of that would be preventative, not retroactive. For now, the best bet is to lose weight at a sensible rate, maintain a healthy weight, and eat clean, unprocessed foods as much as possible.

If you'd like to learn more about how to decrease your body fat level in a safe, sensible, natural way, then visit:  <<< Watch This Amazing Video For More Information >>>

Source White Market

An Insanely Effective Type of Interval Training

High intensity interval training can be done in a variety of different ways. Here's a wickedly-effective type of interval training: it requires no machines or fancy equipment, you can do it outside in the sunshine and fresh air, it develops killer conditioning, carves out legs like a sprinter, and burns calories at an accelerated rate…

In other articles about running/aerobics and high intensity interval training, as well as in my Fat loss books, I've written about how you can integrate both traditional steady state cardio as well as high intensity interval training into your training program for optimal body composition improvement, health and increased fitness – you don't have to choose one form of cardio or the other. In fact, settling into dogmatic views about cardio will only limit you.

Traditional steady state cardio is pretty much self-explanatory and intuitive. But many people are still confused about the best way to do interval training.

An Insanely Effective Way To Do Interval Cardio

I'm not sure if there is a single best way to do intervals because there are so many choices and everyone is different in their goals, interests and personal preferences, so "best" is a relative thing. But let me give you one of my personal favorites that is breathtakingly effective:

Stair sprinting!

Your typical interval workout in the gym might be on a stationary cycle, treadmill or stairclimber with short 30-60 second bursts of high speed and/or resistance, followed by a 60-120 second period of low intensity recovery. That's usually a 1:1 or 1:2 work to recovery interval. You then rinse and repeat for the desired number of intervals, usually between 6 and 12.

I sometimes have access to a great set of university stadium steps with a straight shot right up – 52 steps.

Sprinting it takes about 10 seconds or so, walking down about 30 seconds. Those are short intervals with a 1:3 work to recovery interval ratio. That wasn't by design, it just happens to be how long it takes to run up and walk down that particular flight of stairs, but co-incidentally, that fits within common recommendations for short sprint-style intervals.

I make sure I'm warmed up first, I usually start with a couple flights up at a slow jog then a run, before sprinting, usually 10-12 rounds.

Even if you jog/run instead of sprint, (or pause briefly at the bottom of the stairs), when you do the math, you can figure that this usually doesn't take more than 10-12 minutes.

Why do I like stadium step sprinting?

1. Stair sprinting is a time saver. Like other forms of interval training, it's entirely possible to get as much if not more cardiovascular conditioning in 10-15 minutes than you'd get from a much longer session of slower cardio (depending on the intensity and effort levels).

2. Stair sprinting is engaging. Many people get bored doing long slow to medium intensity cardio sessions. This is a great way to break up the monotony of traditional cardio workouts. Even though it's tough, it's actually kind of fun.

3. Stair sprinting is incredible for leg development. As a bodybuilder, I like to look at all types of training not only in terms of conditioning, fat loss and health, but also whether they will add or detract from the physique. I find that brief but intense stair workouts are amazing for leg development – quads, hamstrings, glutes and even your calves. In fact, I started training on the stairs more than 20 years ago, and I always considered it as much if not more of a leg workout than anything else.

4. Stair sprinting can be done outside. If you have access to stadium steps, as opposed to just a stairwell, you can enjoy the sun and fresh air.

How to integrate stair running into your training program

If you're an overachiever type, you might be tempted to do these sprint workouts in addition to your current strength training and cardio workload.

However, keep in mind that intensity and duration are inversely proportional. When you do high intensity cardio or all out sprints, you are condensing more work into less time. That means the best part is, you can do a brief but intense stair workout instead of one of your long cardio sessions rather than in addition to them.

Recommendation: Start with one session per week, then progress to two if you choose. You can do traditional cardio the other days of the week if you want or need additional calorie-burning. Lower intensity cardio in between weight training and interval workouts can also serve as active recovery.

Not everyone has access to a full flight of stadium steps, as you might find at a local University. Running flights of stairs in a high rise is another effective and no-cost way to train on stairs. Although you can't truly sprint with twists and turns on each floor, you can jog/run.

No stairs? Hills will get the job done too and they may provide you with more flexibility in the length/duration of your intervals. I've found some big hills at just the right grade of incline that I can do 30-45 second runs up, with about 90-120 seconds walk down. Grassy hills are nice, when available, as they spare you some of the impact from running on the concrete.

Sprinting up stairs is not for everyone. If you have a history of health problems or orthopedic issues, check with your doctor before doing any kind of high intensity training and of course, don't train through the pain of injury. If you are significantly overweight, it may be a challenge just to walk up stairs, let alone run up, not to mention it might create undue stress on your joints. But as you get lighter and fitter, it's a challenge you might slowly work toward.

Be sure to build up gradually and adjust the workout based on your current health and fitness level. You could start with as few as 4-6 rounds and build up from there. You can also start with jogging up the stairs, then progress to running, then move to sprints. Be sure you are fully prepared and warmed up before attempting all out sprints as sprinting when unprepared is a notorious source of hamstring pulls.

Some coaches believe that running uphill is safer than sprinting flat surfaces. Writing for Staley Training.com, Coach Steven Morris says, "Another great reason to hill sprint: even an athlete with horrendous running form will be safe running hills. This is simply because the hill does NOT allow the athlete to over-stride nor does it allow them to reach top speed, both major factors in hamstring injuries."

Stair sprinting is a perfect complement to the cardio portion in my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program. If you're healthy and already fit, try this advanced interval workout and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Source White Market

6 Weight Gain Tips Without Getting Fat

 

 

After you read this short article, you will have leaned some quick tips to start gaining healthy weight.
Here's 6 simple ways on how to gain weight without getting fat:
Tip 1: Eating Enough Quality Calories
Have you ever asked somebody who's trying to gain weight what they eat?
I did. And the response I received was shocking.
"I just eat."
That's what he said. I just eat.
You MUST know how many calories a day you need for your weight gain goal.
This person desperately wanted to gain weight and every time I saw him the gym he had some excuse as to why it wasn't going his way. And it was usually related to his metabolism.
Let me tell you…
If you want to gain quality weight, you have to eat high quality dense foods and ENOUGH of them. Furthermore… if you want to gain weight without getting fat, then you bulk with the same principles as if you were on a cutting diet. Choose higher-calorie foods when given a choice.
In my years of experience, when I bulked up and gained weight and fat, the biggest mistake I made was not tracking what I ate. I always tracked my diet when I was on a calorie restricted phase (that was a given) but when I wanted to gain weight I just ate everything I could.
Have you ever felt that way?
In order to gain weight, you need to eat more than your usual maintenance calorie intake but not so much as to just store the excess calories and get fat. And you need to eat consistently.
That should have been your "ah -ha" moment.
Gaining weight isn't your cue to eat everything under the sun. In order to gain weight, lean mass and not get fat, you need to eat just over what you body needs to maintain. In this manner, you'll provide your body with all the calories it needs to build muscle but you won't give it so much as it stores the excess as fat.
[ Remember that anything in excess, even protein, can be stored as fat. ]
The key is to gain healthy weight and minimize the fat gains.
Tip 2: Grocery Shopping 101
If you are looking to gain weight, then don't have bare cupboards. Go to your kitchen right now after reading this section and take a look at what you've got in stock.
Make sure your kitchen is fully stocked with the foods you need to eat. Dense foods work wonders for putting on the weight.
Examples are whole-grain breads, vegetables such as avocados and potatoes, kidney beans, lean red meat, poultry and fish.
Bare cupboards = no weight gain!
Bodybuilding doesn't have to break the bank. Many times you can get bulk items for much cheaper than you think. Packages of tuna, turkey, chicken legs, pasta all are great bulking items that don't cost a ton of money.
Perishable items like fruits and sugary laden items and condiments are usually things that cost the most.
Tip 3: Meal Planning for Dummies
Part of performance nutrition is eating 5-6 times a day. Every 2-3 hours you should be consuming a meal consisting of a lean protein, fibrous/starchy carb and potentially a healthy fat.
If you really want to gain weight, you need to eat 5-6 times a day! And it needs to be consistent. This means no skipping meals.
Eating 3 times a day full of bacon and eggs might have worked for some of the past legends but it probably won't do you any good.
Keeping your metabolism high and your system flushed with nitrogen (protein) will ensure you keep all the muscle you are working to build and that you are consuming slight excess calories for weight gain.
If you eat a big dinner but skip snacks and have light breakfasts, that is part of the problem. Healthy weight gain only comes from people who are consistent in their eating and don't skip meals.
Failure to plan your meals ultimately means you won't be eating enough to gain weight.
Tip 4: Nutrient Variety is Key
It happens to the best of us… We get used to eating certain foods and we don't budge. For a bulking diet, this can be a killer as it drastically limits the number of calories you can eat. Plus, you will limit the nutrients and vitamins you will be able to intake. Both are essential to maximum healthy weight gain.
Did anybody ever tell you that nutrients are essential for growth?
Tip 5: Essential Meal Timing
While it might be socially acceptable to eat just 3 times a day, that is not acceptable for those who are serious about putting on lean muscle mass without putting on fat.
You've heard all the benefits of performance nutrition and eating 5-6 times a day but re-read this…
Quality muscle gain without putting on fat requires a high metabolism AND an excess number of calories.
In order to do just that, you need to eat frequently.
That means 5-6 times a day (or more).
Tip 6: Eat, Eat and Eat [ did I mention eat ]
Don't feel hungry?
Eat. Now in most cases, that is against the current movement but in reality, if you want to put on quality mass you have to eat regardless of your hunger levels. Eating based on your mood is not the path to healthy weight gain.
Countless people tell me they cannot eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.
That's because they are not a 200 lb bodybuilder.
Once they eat more, gain muscle mass, they will be and it will seem like nothing to eat like a 200 lb bodybuilder.
This doesn't mean stuffing yourself, gorging on food or getting sick. It means eating more and more gradually over time in order to prime your body for more frequent meal times. Slowly start adding more food to your portions until you've nailed your perfect weight gain calorie needs.
As you eat more and small but frequent meals, you won't feel stuff and your body will become more efficient at digesting and breaking down foods.
All this means to you is…
A higher metabolic rate and more calories!
The two essential keys to putting on weight without the fat.
:: Additional Tips ::
* Drink plenty of water. With your additional meals and workouts, you'll want to ensure you are properly hydrated.
* Engage in a weight training program. Building muscle is a priority during your bulking phase. Since you will have plenty of energy from your carb sources, you should be fueled and primed to get some of the best and most intense workouts of your life. Now is an opportune time to build muscle.
* Limit your cardio workouts. Cardio workouts are a tool. Use it sparingly depending on your metabolism. If you feel like you aren't putting on weight, reduce the amount of cardio you are doing. If you feel like you are putting on a bit too much fat, increase the cardio.
* Take weekly weight and body fat measurements. By taking a weekly measurement, you can see if the weight you are putting on is fat or muscle.

For More Information Click Here

Source White Market

2 Exercise “Tricks” to Increase Growth Hormone & Testosterone

I'm sure you know that two of the MOST important hormones for both burning body fat and also building lean muscle are growth hormone (GH) and testosterone (T)… and there are certain "tricks" that you can use during exercise to maximize production in your body.

And keep in mind that GH is also called the "youth hormone", so there are benefits besides just fat loss and lean muscle development.

Now let me clarify, this topic might seem to be more relevant to men (especially when it comes to Testosterone), but it's also important to the ladies for getting maximum results from training…

For the ladies reading this…don't worry about exercise-induced small increases in these hormones…the amount of T in the female body is so small compared to men that minor increases won't lead to any "masculinization" (I just made that word up)… instead it just helps get a leaner and more shapely body.

Ok, this topic could be long-winded, but I'm going to give just a couple really quick tips today for maximizing Growth Hormone and Testosterone response from exercise…

From a lot of the research I've done, there seems to be a couple distinct types of training that can either help increase Testosterone or help increase Growth Hormone, and they are totally different training methods.

In order to reduce your body fat as much as possible, as well as build lean muscle the easiest, you need to try to maximize BOTH!

Here's how…

First, for exercise-induced Testosterone increases…

From a lot of the various research I've read, one of the best methods to increase T is to do at least some portion of your training in very low rep ranges and very heavy weight.

This means training in the 2-5 rep range, with such heavy weights that you can't physically do more reps than that range.  Also, this only works with the biggest multi-joint exercises such as barbell squats, deadlifts, bench press and weighted pullups.  No silly side lateral raises or tricep extensions when you're trying to get a Testosterone response!

An example of this type of structure would be 5 sets of 3 reps on the barbell deadlift, squat, or bench.  Alternating sets of deadlifts and bench press (or squats alternated with weighted pullups) separated by at least 2 minutes of rest between sets works well to accomplish this super heavy lifting style and subsequent T increase.

It's basically the aspect of challenging your body with super heavy weights and low rep ranges, with 2-3 minutes rest between sets that helps to maximize T production.

From what I've observed at most gyms, almost NOBODY trains in this rep range (most people seem to always train in the 8-12 or higher rep ranges), so there are a TON of people that could see Testosterone improvements by incorporating this into their training at least once or twice a week.

Keep in mind that this super heavy style of training is ONLY for advanced trainees that have years of training experience with weights.
Now, let's talk about exercise induced Growth Hormone increases…

From the research I've read on this hormone, it appears that more explosive styles of training, and also higher rep training with shorter rest periods helps to increase GH response.

Wind sprints are one of the top exercises for inducing a GH increase. I like to do these as 60 to 100 yard all-out sprints across a local soccer field or football field.  Generally, I'll do about 8-12 total sprints with about 60 seconds rest time in between each one for a good 20 minute workout.  If you haven't done sprints in a long time or are out of shape, it's a good idea to not go to "all-out" intensity for the first couple weeks or you'll risk injury.  Also, just doing 3-4 sprints for the first couple of sprint workouts is a good idea to reduce injury risk.

Also, hill sprints are an exceptional exercise for GH response.  I like to sprint as fast and as hard as possible up a 30 yard hill and then walk down… and then keep repeating until I've done at least 10-20 hill sprints. Sometimes I'll mix in pushups in between hill sprints to maximize the full body effect.

As for weight training, from the research I've read, GH increase comes best from higher rep ranges with short rest periods between sets.  This means that supersets in the 8-15 rep range per exercise with no rest between might work well. The weight still needs to be heavy enough to challenge your muscles close to failure at those rep ranges.

Another type of training that seems to increase GH is more "explosive" types of exercises such as squat jumps, lunge jumps, or something like barbell power cleans or barbell clean and press.  Any exercise that works large muscle groups explosively or almost the entire body at once in an explosive fashion seems to stimulate GH (hence why I chose barbell clean and press as one of the best).

I also think double kettlebell snatches are one of the most intense exercises ever invented and probably have a huge effect on growth hormone due to their explosive and intense nature.

So with all of this said, it's important to keep in mind that for the best results with maximizing both T and GH, you want to incorporate BOTH of these styles of training.

One way to do this is to have 1 or 2 workouts per week that are designated low-rep "strength" days where you work those big multi joint lifts in low rep ranges.  And then on another 1-2 days per week you work on the explosive exercises, higher rep ranges and short rest periods, and/or the wind sprints or hill sprints.

And lastly, always remember to consciously think in your mind about how the exercises that you're doing are actually increasing your fat burning and muscle building hormones, making you feel younger, etc, etc… I've talked in several other articles about actual PROOF of how using the power of conscious thought in your mind can help bring about those changes in your body (aka placebo effect).

I hope you enjoyed this article… I really think if you incorporate these tips into your workout schedule, you can drastically improve your hormonal response to exercise and therefore see faster fat burning and muscle building effects!

Watch This Amazing Video For More Information

Source White Market

5 Powerful Foods that Lower Your Blood Pressure

Did you know that stroke and coronary heart disease still remain to be on the list of the top three main causes of death in the USA?  It's time to take your health seriously so you don't fall victim to these!

What is High Blood Pressure and how does this come into play?

According to the National Institute for Health, blood pressure levels of 140/90 mmHg or more can be classified as hypertension.

The worst part about having high blood pressure is that the condition can sometimes be present without any symptoms and before we know it, the damage is already extensive. Serious problems that have been associated with high blood pressure include kidney failure, heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

What are the Risk Factors Associated with High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure can be influenced by a lot of factors – age, race, family history, tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, diet, binge drinking, and stress levels. Chronic conditions such as sleep apnea, diabetes and high cholesterol levels can also precipitate the development of hypertension.

What can You Do to Lower Blood Pressure?

You don't need potentially dangerous drugs to control and reduce your blood pressure. Controlling blood pressure levels could be as simple as doing lifestyle modifications and eating healthier.

If you are a smoker, quit. If you drink heavily, try to practice self-control. At work, take the stairs instead of the elevator. And if you have been obsessed with sweet, sugary foods as well as processed fast-food meals, then modify your eating habits as well. Learn to eat the right kinds of food before it's too late.

Below are 5 of my top picks for powerful foods that could help you lower your blood pressure levels:

1. Artichokes

The use of artichokes has been implicated in the lowering of cholesterol levels in the blood. Since hypercholesterolemia is one of the risk factors for high blood pressure, this information is actually good news.  Three clinical trials conducted separately by Dr. Barbara Wider supports this fact. In Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews' October 2009 issue, where the result of the study was published, it was shown that patients who were diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia and given Artichoke leaf extract exhibited a decrease in their blood cholesterol levels.

Artichokes taste amazing steamed (generally steam for about 1 hour) and then dip each piece into a mixture of olive oil, grass-fed butter, and garlic.  Delicious!

2.  Bananas

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine says that incorporating bananas in your day-to-day meals can actually cut stroke-related deaths by as much as 40 percent. A 1997 study at Johns Hopkins University recommended eating at least five bananas daily to achieve the desired effect, and that is to lower elevated blood pressure levels. However, a study conducted by Indian researchers at the Kasturba medical college revealed that people who eat two bananas a day, for one whole week, can lower their blood pressure levels by 10 percent.

Bananas are rich in potassium, which is responsible for the proper functioning of the heart.  It works with sodium to maintain balance of the body's fluids, which is an important factor in the regulation of blood pressure.
3.  Beets

A research study conducted by scientists from Barts and The London School Medicine revealed that simply drinking one 500 ml glass of beetroot juice each day can produce astounding health benefits, especially to the heart.

Beetroot juice has been found to lower high blood pressure levels. Professors Amrita Ahluwalia and Ben Benjamin, from the William Harvey Research Institute and Peninsula Medical Center, respectively, led the research efforts, which revealed that the consumption of dietary nitrate that is found in beetroot has BP-lowering effects in as fast as 1 hour after ingestion, with the effect lasting for up to 24 hours. The result of the study was published in the March 2008 issue of Hypertension.

You can try beetroot juice, or also try baked beets sliced on salads or as a side dish to dinner.
4.  Cocoa

A study conducted by researchers from Germany's University Hospital of Cologne revealed that cocoa can significantly lower high blood pressure levels. Study results were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The beneficial heart effects of cocoa are attributed to its flavonoid content, specifically procyanids.

Because cocoa is most commonly found in chocolate, people falsely assume that eating a lot of chocolate could be good for the health. Keep in mind that cocoa in chocolates have undergone a lot of processing, and it has been mixed with loads of sugar, so this is not totally healthy. The best way to take advantage of the health benefits offered by cocoa is to choose raw cacao – it is good for the heart, the brain and the liver.  Raw cacao nibs go great in smoothies!  Also use organic cocoa powder in smoothies or homemade hot cocoa sweetened with stevia instead of sugar.
5.  Garlic

Researchers from South Australia's University of Adelaide have conducted studies, which provide solid proof that the consumption of garlic can indeed help lower elevated blood pressure levels. Garlic supplements in powder form were given and results revealed that it produced a reduction in systolic blood pressure. Garlic has been known all over the world as a very important herb, especially with its heart-protecting capabilities. It helps lower blood cholesterol levels and prevents blood from forming clots (which could lead to heart attack and stroke).

Furthermore, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal has published the results of a laboratory test showing how garlic juice can lead to a decrease in blood pressure levels. Eating the equivalent of 2 cloves of garlic each day can significantly contribute to the health of the heart.

Check this out to discover over 37 additional herbs, spices, and powerful foods that KILL high blood pressure.

 

Source White Market

4 Ways to Tell if Your Fitness Trainer or Health Professional is Clueless or Not

In today's world, we're seeing the internet, magazines, books, and tv shows/commercials flooded with tons of varied fitness and health advice. So how do you know who to actually trust and who may be giving you fitness misinformation and leading you down the wrong path?

Well, first of all, there ARE some sleezebags out there that all they want to do is sell you some crappy gimmick and make off with their quick buck.

In fact, more and more marketers with no fitness background or experience are getting involved in selling fitness and health products these days. Unfortunately, many of these pure marketers don't know the first thing about fitness and are just putting out total junk just to make sales (hmm, can anybody say hoodia or the parasite scare-tactic scam artists).  

On the other hand, the good thing is that most fitness and health professionals are well intentioned and do actually want to help you legitimately. Although being well-intentioned, many times these professionals have been misinformed over the years and led to believe certain health and fitness myths (that they think are factual) that are not always accurate.

I think the subject heading with the term "clueless" is a little harsh and I want to clearly state that even if a fitness professional or trainer is misinformed on a couple of topics here or there, it's still likely that 90% or more of their information is actually very helpful.

As a matter of fact, you'll almost never find 2 fitness professionals or trainers that completely agree with one another. However, usually most fitness pros will agree on about 80 or 90% of topics.  There are probably even a couple topics that I may be misinformed about (after all, nobody is perfect), but I'll always do my best to provide you with the most up-to-date and legitimate information I can find.

With that said, whenever I'm reading fitness publications, there are 4 key things I look for to see if the author or fitness "expert" really understands true nutrition and training principles. This can help you in your readings and dealings with trainers to decipher good info from bad info.

Here are 4 of the main aspects I look for to determine is a fitness pro or trainer is "in the know" or not:
1. If the resistance training portions of their workout routines are mostly comprised of machines and single-joint exercises such as leg extensions, leg curls, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, pec decks, leg press machines, shoulder raises, etc… then they probably have some misconceptions about training and you should beware.

I'll admit that there's a time and a place for just about any type of exercise (including the occasional use of machines and single joint exercises), but if these are what makes up the majority of their routines, then you should reconsider taking advice from them.

The fitness pros and trainers "in the know" will give you routines that are comprised of a balanced approach using free weight multi-joint exercises (and bodyweight exercises) for the majority of the exercises with only very limited machine or single-joint exercise use.

Here's another article I did on this topic:

Why Body Part Isolation Workouts Get Weak Training Results
2. The 2nd thing I look for in a knowledgeable or mislead fitness trainer is whether they think that cardio is the "only way" to lose body fat. For anybody that understands human physiology, the assertion that cardio is the only way to lose body fat is ludicrous.

After all, you can lose body fat without any exercise at all for that matter if you have a caloric deficit (although I don't recommend that route, because a non-exerciser is still flabby and unhealthy even with low body fat %).

In addition, you can lose plenty of body fat with resistance-only training routines without any cardio at all… it simply depends on the intensity of your workouts as a whole (whether they contain cardio, resistance training only, or a mixture of both), your resting metabolic rate, and the overall balance of your calorie intake vs calorie expenditure over time.

Here's another article I wrote about the myths on cardio training and better alternate workouts
3. The 3rd thing I look for in a knowledgeable or mislead fitness trainer or health professional is whether they falsely believe that saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are bad for us.

I've beaten this issue into the ground, but I'll say it again… If there's one fact you must understand about nutrition, it's that saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are essential parts of the natural human diet (and have been for thousands of years) and are not unhealthy for us depending on the source of the food (organic, etc).

The most unhealthy foods in our food supply are actually processed foods such as processed refined vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), deep fried foods, refined grains, refined sugars, and other boxed packaged "mutilated" foods.

Here's an article that explains the myth about saturated fat more clearly for you:

and if you're a scientific type that wants to understand the biochemistry of why saturated fat is not bad for you, this is a must read article by a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry
4. The 4th thing I look for in a knowledgeable or mislead fitness pro or health "expert" is whether they falsely think that artificial sweeteners are healthy. I see so many fitness pros promoting the use of artificial sweeteners just so that they can save on sugar intake. Well, the truth is that even though refined sugar is horrible for us, artificial sweeteners are "franken-foods" that are even worse for us!

Here's an article that explains more details about the dangers of artificial sweeteners and other "diet" foods / drinks:

One thing I'd like to ask you is that if you found these articles beneficial, please email this link on to your friends, family, and co-workers that you think can benefit from these topics.

Also, if you think these articles can help your friends, feel free to copy any of these article links onto your myspace, facebook, blog pages (or any other networks) that you keep to help your friends be healthier and more fit as well.

Watch This Amazing Video For More Information

Source White Market

7 Mistakes Secretarial Businesses Make and How to Avoid Them

Are you a secretary, word processor, data entry processor or typist? Are you interested in typing from home? Providing secretarial services? Running a secretarial business?

By knowing the challenges involved in running a home-based secretarial business and learning from other people's mistakes, you can increase your profits and become successful faster. 

Mistake 1: Spending too much start-up money.

Don't spend thousands of dollars before you're getting secretarial work and clients. Start your secretarial business on a shoestring. Spend as little money as possible when getting started to minimize costs and maximize profits. Only buy equipment and supplies that are essential. Start with a computer, printer and a ream of paper. Buy small amounts of supplies. Then, when you start getting regular clients and are making money, you can buy additional equipment and supplies. When you start to get clients, then you can buy additional equipment and supplies.

Consider buying used equipment. You can find used equipment for your secretarial business in your local newspapers and computer publications, at garage sales, second-hand stores, and at message boards. Check eBay to find low-priced business supplies and equipment. Look for sales and specials at local stores.

Mistake 2: Untargeted business name.

Your business name should clearly indicate what kind of secretarial services you're providing. If your business name doesn't describe the nature of your secretarial business or typing services or has an unclear meaning, it won't catch the attention of prospective clients and they may not realize that you offer services they need.
Your business name can also help you differentiate your secretarial services and convey your unique selling proposition. For example, HyperTyper tells what this typing service does. Not only does this home-based secretary type, but she types fast. Express Legal Secretarial Services and Accurate Medical Transcription both indicate their secretarial specialties in addition to indicating that they offer a fast turnaround and accurate transcription work.

Mistake 3: Not charging enough for your secretarial services.

Pricing is often a challenge for home-based secretarial services.  Some secretarial services think that if they charge less than their competition they will get more work. This is not true. Don't be tempted to reduce your fees to get the sale. Don't underestimate the value of your secretarial, word processing, typing and transcription services, and commit to asking your full fee.

Charging too little for your secretarial services reduces your profits and can leave you resentful. Have confidence in yourself and in the secretarial services you are providing.

Mistake 4: Not specializing.

Successful secretarial services specialize. Do you want to target academia, legal, medical clients? Do you want to provide word processing and transcription services? For example, Ann Johnson's Legal Transcription or Creative Designs immediately indicates what those people specialize in. Specializing does not mean that you have to turn down other secretarial work or word processing work.  But you can reach your market better if you appear to be a specialist in a particular field. For example, if you put an ad in the Yellow Pages with a name like "A Winning Resume" you'll be taken more seriously as a resume writer than if your ad says "Tina's Typing Services."  Determine what sets you apart from other secretarial services, and then emphasize your uniqueness.

Mistake 5: Failing to market or marketing inconsistently.

Lack of marketing is the biggest mistake secretarial service businesses make. They may send out flyers, postcards or letters once, or call a prospect once, or place one ad once, and then they'll expect the phone to ring off the hook. The key to marketing is repetition. It usually takes more than one contact for a customer to start using your secretarial services. In fact, it typically takes 5 to 7 contacts. You want your name to be in front of your customers and prospects on an ongoing basis. You want them to think of you when they have a problem and need word processing or secretarial services.  If your prospects have seen your name only once, and your competitor is sending them a mailing every month, your competitor will get their word processing and secretarial work.

Mistake 6: Untargeted marketing.

Many home based secretarial services think that every business or entrepreneur is their market. You don't want to advertise to everyone hoping that someone out there will need your secretarial services.

Your marketing and advertising has to be targeted to your goals to generate sales. Untargeted marketing is ineffective and will cost you money. Target your promotions and messages to the type of clients you want to work with and the kind of secretarial work you want to do. For example, if you want to provide medical transcription to doctors, you should go to medical facilities instead of putting flyers on bulletin boards at grocery stores. If you are targeting students, go to colleges.

Be sure to know your preferred audience. Then advertise in publications your customers will read. Research which advertising medium will be effective for your secretarial business.

Mistake 7: Trying to reinvent the wheel

Learn from other people's mistakes. Great marketing strategies work over and over again. Look at proven marketing strategies that are successful for other secretarial services and copy their success instead of trying to create new ones.

There is a high demand for secretarial services. If you having typing skills, consider running your own home based secretarial service business.

Fortunately for you, you have the opportunities to learn from others' mistakes, and avoid making the same mistakes yourself in your own secretarial business. Do your home work and find out as much as possible about starting a secretarial service business. Then, dive in and get started.

Need More Information ?..  Click Here

Source White Market