Meifaba

Archive for April, 2010

Body fat tests are useful for a number of reasons. There are many people who may think they are overweight, and in one sense they would be right. However, this is a sliding scale which varies from person to person, so it can never be said to be completely true for everyone. Also, as muscle weighs more than fat, even those who are in very good shape could be said to be overweight. The only way to know for sure is with testing, and there are several ways to test yourself, and find out just how in shape you are so you can adjust your workout accordingly and get the body that you want.

DIY testing
There are many ways to test your body fat yourself at home, but these can sometimes be difficult or inaccurate. With body calipers, you can take measurements of your body size and consistency at various points, and then using calculations, work out how much of your body is made up of fat. You can also do it by using a tape measure and some basic formulae. These methods can be flawed though, and there is an awful lot of math, so you may prefer a different method.

Ask your doctor
Your doctor can easily test your body fat using similar procedures, thus taking the work out of it for you. However, if your work out a lot then you will probably have to check your body fat regularly, so visiting the doctor every time isn’t efficient.

Body fat scales
By using this body weight scale, which is like a normal bathroom scales, you can use a tiny electrical charge to give you an accurate and easy reading on your fat in seconds. This is by far the easiest method of body fat testing.

The number one cause of death in the United States is cardiovascular disease. – Everybody knows this, the numbers have been pounded into our heads for years now, and it comes as no surprise that heart health is becoming a hotter and hotter topic. Fortunately for us, there are so many things that can be done and started at any age to keep our hearts healthy and prevent these terrible illnesses from befalling us. Of course exercise and staying fit are one of the most well known, but did you know there are plenty of foods and vitamins that have been shown to have incredible impact on heart health and reducing our risks for heart disease?

A good place to start is our vitamins. We’ve all been told since we were children how very important taking our vitamins was, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise to learn that there are specific vitamins that have been shown to drastically reduce the risks of heart disease. Certain B vitamins have been shown to be extraordinarily good for helping to prevent heart problems. Deficiencies of these certain B vitamins, specifically vitamins B6 and B9, can lead to high levels of homocysteine. These high levels of homocysteine can damage your arteries and drastically increase your chances of cardiovascular disease. So taking these vitamins can be a very important factor in maintaining healthy levels of homocysteine in your blood.

Everything you eat ends up being absorbed by your body, so of course when you eat healthy and nutritious foods you can expect to be much healthier yourself. There are many different types of foods as well that have been shown to help keep your heart at its very healthiest.

Blueberries. They’re a perfect food for making nutritious snacks, fitting well in any trail mix, going great with yogurt, and always having a home in salads and mixed with other fruits. Blueberries are rich in the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin. These antioxidants are revered for their ability to ward off free-radical damage, turning back the clock on premature aging, reducing your risk for certain types of cancer, and also reducing your risk for heart disease.

Common knowledge this may be, but fish is another great way to boost your heart health. Fish contains Omega -3 fatty acids, and studies have shown that these fatty acids are very powerful when it comes to reducing cholesterol levels. This helps your heart, and reduces your risk of other cardiovascular problems. Omega-3 can also be found in fish oil supplements.

Make sure to also look for foods high in dietary fiber content. These have been shown to help in reducing cholesterol and preventing future heart problems. Make sure to eat plenty of high fiber foods such as fruits like apples and bananas, whole-wheat breads and pastas, and veggies such as broccoli and cabbage. Fiber is found in plenty of different kinds of food, making it one of the easiest things to get more of in your diet. Snack on fruits between meals, eat a whole grain cereal for breakfast, or steam up some vegetables for dinner!

There are obviously a lot of things that we know to leave out of our diet in order keep our hearts beating at their best, but there are equally as many things that we can include to our diet to actually help our hearts. Making sure you get proper heart nutrition and taking the right vitamins can go a long way to reducing your risk of heart disease, and taken together with proper exercise can make you a whole different person. It’s never too early to start taking care of your heart, and the sooner in your life you start these habits, the better off your heart will be and can literally be the difference between life and death.

You already know that you can lose weight with that new crash or fad diet.
Or you can choose to change your diet 100 percent. Now, you and I both
know that the all or nothing approach does not last for very long. In fact,
most of the time they are not even healthy. The following are some diet
and lifestyle tips to help you lose weight in a healthy manner and to keep
it off.

1. Learn everything that you can about eating a healthy diet. Ignore the
fad diets. Long term success is about healthy lifestyle changes. By eating
healthy foods and incorporating an exercise program into your lifestyle you
enjoy the benefits of better health and effortless weight loss.

By educating yourself you gain confidence. This confidence will enable you
to achieve your weight loss goals.

2. Be real clear about what you are doing. Write down both your goals and
your reasons for wanting to lose weight. Include reasons that are not just
your target weight.

3. Write down what you eat and review it on a daily basis. At the end of each
day you will be able to recognize problem areas. Do not beat yourself up.
Simply make a mental note of areas that require work and strive to improve
where you experience difficulties. This little technique is very powerful and
helps you to establish control in an area of your life that you previously felt
helpless.

4. Break your goal down into manageable steps. 30 pounds may seem to be
a huge obstacle. 5 pounds per month for 6 months is easier to picture. Even
3 pounds per month over a 10 month period. It may not seem like much but
you should consider the direction of your weight loss program. This is a healthy
way to lose weight and to keep it off forever.

5. This compliments step 4, make certain that your goal is realistic. Believe it
or not, losing weight is not your only goal. As a matter of fact, it should not
be your primary goal. Your goals are to alter your diet and exercise habits. When
you are successful at achieving this the weight will come off by itself. As the
weight begins to come off you will gain confidence and improve your self esteem.

6. Develop a plan for how you intend to achieve your goal. Do not jump into this
lightly. This is something, ideally, that you will live with for a very long time.
Do your research first. Think about how you are going to do this. Then take very
definite steps to implement your changes. These changes will, over time, become
new habits. This is how the real work is accomplished.

7. Learn how to avoid trigger eating. A great deal of the eating that we do is
when we are not hungry. Often, this is an automatic response to a variety of
triggers. Many times these triggers are emotion based. They include such things
as stress, anger, being bored or depressed.

This is one of the areas that a food diary comes in handy. Being able to recognize
these responses gives us the chance to step back and see what we are doing.
With this knowledge in hand we can take the necessary steps to dealing with this
problem.

Remember, life does not happen in a straight line. Meaning, when something goes
wrong do not panic. Acquiring new habits takes time. When you slip, merely pick
yourself up, brush yourself off and proceed forward. Take action and persevere, you
will be successful.

Sign up for our free ecourse: 10 Steps To Lose Weight Without Dieting

Girls, do you know that using the inappropriate feminine wash could lead to the overgrowth of Candida in you vagina? I’m not joking. It is true.

When you think that using just any feminine wash could keep you away from infection, you are completely wrong. There are products which are considered acidic and there are those which are considered alkaline. Some actually claim that they have a balanced pH level. If you are being rational, you would surely go for those which claim they have a balanced pH level. You would totally dismiss the idea of using an acidic or alkaline wash for your genitals. But why is this? What good does it do? Or does it prevent something from happening?

First, you have to know what Candida is and why it can grow excessively in your vagina. Candida, a genus of yeast, belongs to the Fungi Kingdom. It is a natural microbial flora which thrives in the human body. Usually, it practices commensalism with the host, which happens to be your body. It benefits from the nutrients, but it does you no harm. It’s just there.

But there are cases when the Candida are growing excessively and spreading in different areas of the body. A common area where Candidiasis, or yeast infection, is found is the vagina. This condition is often referred to as vaginitis. It is characterized by inflammation, itchiness, and discomfort. A person suffering under this infection also has a thick odorless vaginal discharge and a foul vaginal odor.

Research shows that the leading causes of Candida overgrowth in the vagina are unhygienic practices especially after sexual intercourse. Also, having contact with a person who has Candidiasis in their genitals can also lead to having the same infection. The intake of births control pills are also probable causes as well as the use of improper feminine wash.

A feminine wash has a pH level. If the pH level is 7, it is neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline. If it is below 7, then it is acidic. And if it is above seven, it is alkaline. Note that Candida likes alkaline environment. In such conditions they rapidly multiply, thus causing infection. So by using an alkaline feminine wash, thinking that it is better since it is not leaning to the acidic side, you are actually increasing your chances to have Candida infection leading to vaginitis. Now you wouldn’t want that, would you?

But there is no need to worry. All you have to do to prevent such thing from happening is to be hygienic. Use feminine wash which are neutral, those with a pH level of 7. Don’t use acidic ones. Though it is true that those do not create a good environment for Candida, those can cause other problems. Also, have a good diet. And boost your immune system.

But if the problem is already there, you could treat it by using antifungal drugs. But of course, it is still advisable that you go consult a doctor first to know the extent of the infection.

What is the Culture of a Healthy Lifestyle?

The culture of a healthy lifestyle has been an inseparable aspect of Chinese life for thousands of years. This culture finds it roots in the experience and profound levels of understanding that exist in Chinese philosophy and Chinese medical ideals surrounding the human body.

The basis of Chinese Health is seen as a systematic approach to the study of the relationship between humanity and nature, stressing the different systems that exist in the body and the balance necessary to maintain healthy bodily functions.

In Chinese thought there is also the important aspect of recognizing disease or discomfort through the balance or imbalance of “Qi” (pr. Chee), which can be understood as “Life Energy”. There are two kinds of Qi, healthy Qi or Zheng (pr. jung) Qi, and harmful Qi or Xie (pr. she-ay) Qi; Zheng Qi can be related to a healthy immune system and is something that exists within; Xie Qi can be related to the causes of illness and discomfort and exists without. With this, comes the important idea of preventive medicine or “stopping illness before its onset”.

In Chinese Health Culture one important aspect to preserving health is through the balance and connectivity of the mind, spirit, and body. This idea, when taken one step further, opens us up to recognize the rich relationship between the universe and humankind.

The Holistic

Thousands of years ago, in ancient China, people had already begun to notice the effects and reactions brought about on the human body from outside influences; this was the beginning of a holistic viewpoint to health. At this time, the ancients of China had commenced on the long road of gathering the secrets to a healthy life whereby developing the basis of the Culture of a Healthy Lifestyle. The Chinese had already begun moving toward a structured holistic view of the relationship between human life and the universe.

The Yellow Emperor, or “Huang Di”, is the one man in Ancient China who is renowned as a man of many inventions and the father of health culture. He was a humble and studious man and invented many useful tools which were very advanced for his day and age. Legend has it that Huang Di invented a compass driven cart which played a large role in the unity of two indigenous tribes, which were to later become the ancestors of the Chinese people. After many years and with the help of numerous scholars, Huang Di completed the first work in Chinese health culture.

This work is based on the ideals of the relationship between humankind and the universe as a whole. It is presented from the point-of-view of “Yin Yang” (pr. Yeen Yahng), the all encompassing Chinese theory of universal balance, and Wu Xing (pr. Woo Shing), the interaction between five natural elements to create balance, these two ideals constitute the tools used in the achievement of good health in Chinese thought. By mapping out the different organs in the human body and drawing up the channels of Qi, Huang Di created a work of health concepts that has been used and improved on for thousands of years.

In order to best understand the notions behind Chinese health culture we must first begin by understanding the effects of nature on human health. The best place to start is by understanding the concepts of Yin Yang and Wu Xing.

The World According to Yin Yang

Yin Yang describes how the Ancient Chinese viewed the world as containing a perfect balance of opposing forces. They believed that the unification of opposites was the law of change in all things. Chinese traditional health culture sees Yin Yang as a basic aspect of life energy movement, when Yin Yang is in balance the body is healthy.

It is worthy to point out here the idea of balance in Chinese thought. Balance, in this context, should not be confused with the idea of balance in the West. The balance that is expressed here is sometimes achieved through contradiction and not through harmony. This achievement of balance in nature, and even in human health, is through opposing forces, which may be in a state of repose.

In today’s world, and because of the onslaught of poor habits and environmental hazards, we are being bombarded with the causes of illness and discomfort, our health is being incessantly challenged. The Chinese Culture of a Healthy Lifestyle can lead us to a resource of knowledge that can teach us how to maintain health of spirit, mind, and body.

The Idea of Yin Yang

The earliest concept of Yin Yang held a balance between abstract and concrete, take for example the sun; areas that receive sunlight would be considered as “Yang”; areas which received no sunlight, or shady areas, would be considered as “Yin”. Later, over time, other phenomena were recognized such as; Summer versus winter, up versus down, left versus right, inside versus outside, and action versus rest.

When the classic philosophers contemplated natural phenomenon they would explain it from the concept of Yin Yang. They perceived all aspects of nature as existing within opposing forces, positive and negative, life and death.

The Divisions of Yin Yang

Scholars of Yin Yang believed that the world is a material whole resulting from the unification of the opposing forces of Yin Yang. Yin Yang represents the interaction and unification of opposing properties. At the same time, the properties of Yin Yang in physical phenomena are also divisible, for instance; daytime as Yang, and nighttime as Yin. When speaking of the divisions of day and night, morning is considered to be ‘Yang within Yang’, afternoon is ‘Yin within Yang’, from midnight to three in the morning is ‘Yin within Yin’, and from three to six in the morning is ‘Yang within Yin’.

It is important to realize that there are divisions of Yin and Yang within Yin Yang that go on endlessly. Thus, we can see that all phenomena, physical and non-physical, within the universe can be categorized within Yin Yang. In addition, just as we saw the divisions of time, all things within one category of Yin or Yang can be sub-categorized into finer divisions of Yin and Yang. This occurrence is widely visible in all of nature.

The Properties of Yin Yang

In most instances, outward or upward motion or action, warmth and heat, light and illumination are all features of Yang, whereas inward or downward motion or action, chill or cold, and darkness are all features of Yin.

When speaking from the point of view of a healthy lifestyle, if the human body exhibits the properties of action or motion, warmth, excitement, or anything similar, it is considered to belong to the category of Yang. However, if the properties of restriction, moisture, or restraint are present they belong to the category of Yin. (Note: these properties should be understood abstractly.)

It is important to note that the ideals of Yin Yang can only be applied to things with common properties, things that have a common connection, or one object which has two aspects. If the things in consideration do not have a common connection or cannot be viewed as a pair then the ideals of Yin Yang cannot apply.

Applications of Yin Yang

The physical functions of the human body

In the realm of Yin Yang, it is considered that the result of balance, or harmony, between the two opposing forces is achieved through normal daily life activity. When speaking of physical versus energy forces, physical would be categorized as Yin and energy as Yang, in the aspect of Yin Yang these two are considered as opposing forces.

Normal human life activity is considered to be the foundation of physical matter, without physical activity there would be no resulting energy, therefore no resulting physical material which promotes a continuous metabolic process. If there is a division of Yin Yang or if Yin Yang cannot maintain unification, it must result in the termination of life.

In the Chinese classic “Su Wen” it is written, “If a human being is able to achieve balance in Yin Yang, the body will be strong and healthy, the mind will be calm and peaceful, however if there is a separation of Yin Yang the person will die.”

The Body and Illness

Within the human body and its surroundings, physical and physical, energy and energy, and physical and energy must all maintain balance; they must all maintain a Yin Yang balance. This is the basis of health and the way to maintaining healthy physical activity.

The forces of Yin Yang are interdependent; they sustain and restrict, increase and decrease. Consequently, when Yin Yang is out of balance illness is present.

The occurrence of illness is related to the aspects of healthy and harmful Qi. Healthy Qi refers to the whole structure and functions of the body, including the defenses that the body has against illness; the immune system. Harmful Qi, or Xie Qi, refers to any factor which causes illness. The properties of healthy Qi and harmful Qi can also be categorized by Yin Yang. Healthy Qi is divided into Yin Qi and Yang Qi; harmful Qi is divided into Yin Xie and Yang Xie.

The process of illness is the struggle between Zheng Qi and Xie Qi, or healthy and harmful Qi. The result is an imbalance of Yin Yang where either Yin or Yang may be in excess or deficient. No matter how complex the illness, the complexity does not go beyond the excess or deficiency of Yin or Yang. Therefore, if one desires to avoid illness and remain in good health, they must use all possible ways to maintain balance of Yin Yang, whereby reaching the highest level of a Healthy Lifestyle.

What is Yin Yang Balance?

All phenomena in nature are a result of the unity and balance of Yin Yang. The human body not only needs to maintain a balance of Yin Yang within, it must also adapt to the Yin Yang of the environment it finds its self in. The physical realm, just like the human body, is in constant motion and change. The physical body is constantly adjusting and adapting to its surroundings. The vital movements within the body must sense the supporting and restraining effects of its surroundings; weather, altitude, and seasonal changes, which will have direct influence on the bodily organ movements and functions. If the body is able to make the correct adjustments to its surroundings and adapt correctly, it will remain in good health. However, if the changes in the surroundings overpower the body’s ability to adapt, or if the body is too feeble or weak, the ability to adjust correctly is lost and there will exist an imbalance in Yin Yang which will lead to illness. It is important to gain a good grasp of the laws of natural change to achieve the needed overall unity and balance that will lead to overall health.

The Law of Balance between Heaven and Man

“Heaven” refers to the natural environment; “Man” refers to the human body. The idea behind the Balance between Heaven and Man expresses the strong connection that exists between nature and humanity. All changes and movements of nature will have some effect, direct or indirect, on the human body.

If, during the movements of the seasons, there occurs uncommon weather phenomenon; cold during spring, warmth during winter, a long drought, or heavy rains, they will all have some effect on the human body. The only way for the body to maintain good health is by adapting to the changes in its natural surroundings.

Thus, the ancients used the supportive and restrictive, or positive and negative, principles of Yin Yang to represent and explain natural surroundings and climate changes. Whereby, pointing out the changes of Yin Yang and the changes of the seasons as being the basic principle in the adaptation process; if a person desires health and longevity it is important to adhere to these principles of nature.

The World According to Wu Xing

The Wu Xing, or Five Elements, are; metal, wood, water, fire, and soil.

The ideals embodied in Wu Xing, or the Five Elements, explain the structure of the world. In China, Wu Xing, much like its counterpart Yin Yang, has made a large contribution in the study of a Healthy Lifestyle.

The main idea behind Wu Xing is not so simple as to say that all things can be divided into five separate categories. Rather, the Five Elements exist within the laws of mutual support, and restraint, and are used to explain the relations between complex systems and material objects. It is on this basis that the idea of completeness and a unified self adjustment is expressed. Through the adjustment of Wu Xing the functions of the body are strengthened, allowing individual functions to maintain or recover normal conditions, the result is the healthy lifestyle goal of well-being and longevity.

The Idea of Wu Xing

Wu Xing is a concept of the motion of five specific basic elements and seen as an extension of Yin Yang. The ancients conceptualized the Wu Xing of life motion as “metal, wood, water, fire, and soil”, five basic elements. Within the natural world, these five elements have different kinds of unions, which after close observation they discovered the mutual associations of “support and restriction”, which they continued to develop and expand on. They noticed how the elements were interrelated through continual support and restriction causing them to achieve and maintain balance.

The Properties of the Five Elements

Wood: The ancients saw the growth pattern of trees as upward and outward with branches growing curved and straight. They recognized them as displaying the usage and properties of growth and upward expansion.

Fire: The ancients saw fire as having the characteristics of heat and rising motion. They recognized this as the usage and properties of heat and ascension.

Soil: The ancients saw soil as having the usages of sowing, cultivating and harvesting. Therefore they recognized it as being an element of growth, able to bear weight, and able to receive. As in the sayings; “All things return to the earth”, and “the earth is the mother of all things”.

Metal: The ancients recognized metal as having the properties and usages of purity, and restraint.

Water: The ancients recognized water as having the properties and usages of moisture, cold, and downward motion.

Food being a basic necessity in human beings it is also basic in all of their activities. For a healthy body, food is of paramount importance. The erotic power of food is revealed through our sex lives. Centuries have passed since the celebration of power of food started. The famous Casanova was kind enough to share oysters with his paramours to hone their appetites in sex. It is also said that, according to the Greek and roman cultures people were supposed to enjoy exotic dishes and parade of sweet ripe fruits before engaging in sex. It is true that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. A delicious meal has the power of unlocking the insides of a man’s (woman’s) heart. The sweet taste in food brings out the romantic mood. By the way, what would courtship be without dates for romantic dinners? A healthy sex diet is the key to a lifetime of sexual pleasures.

Food for sexual pleasure is a phenomenon which should be used by serious lovers. Food and nutrition is a discipline which plays a vital role in our sex lives. The quality in a healthy sex diet has a lot to do with how we perform and respond sexually. Nutritious foods rejuvenate sexual function, improve the libido and enhance the general body health. This is even made better if the food is served in a sensual way. This is where many wives go wrong since most of them serve the food with sulky faces. The food lacks the sexy touch if it is not served in the right sensual mood.

The diet required for a powerful sexual pleasure include wide variety of wholesome, fresh ripe fruits and vegetables. Lean proteins can also be added to spice up the healthy sex diet. The lean proteins should not exceed 30% of the consumed daily calories. Fruits and vegetables make a beneficial part of the diet since they maintain the organ’s maximum energy. The organs are well kept in their peak condition which is crucial for wonderful sexual involvement. Some foods are good at arousing the body sexually while others decrease sexual functionality. Sauces rich in cream and fried fare dishes leaves a person feeling less sexy and more sluggish. You should also be aware that additives such as excessive salt, sugar, very saturated fat and processed food are associated to frigidity. They are also linked to lack of interest in sex and hardships in reaching orgasm. Avoid alcohol ,tobacco, coffee usage all the time. They dampen sexual spirits.

Ever wondered why chocolate is so much associated with love? Yeah, it is because it offers healthy sex diet. Chocolate contains phenylalanine which is an amino acid responsible for raising hormone endorphins (the feel good hormone). It is a natural antidepressant which kills mild depression and relieves headache. A Few bars of chocolate can increase libido therefore providing stunning and tantalizing prelude to sexual intercourse. To enhance your sexual pleasure choose fresh foods that increase sexual vitality.