Top 6 Worst Breakfast Foods & Healthy Alternatives for Nutrition & Weigh...

Water Aerobics For Weight Loss - Does It Work?

Aerobic exercise involves taking in extra oxygen, and this is really good news for your health. Aerobic exercise conditions your cardiovascular system and helps strengthen your heart, resulting in it not having to work as hard to pump blood around your body. Aerobics is usually set to music and incorporates good rhythm and movement, making aerobics a great cardio workout that is ideal for burning calories and losing weight. There are many types of aerobics which are normally performed in gym classes or by individuals in their homes, in addition to these forms of aerobics there is also water aerobics which is performed in a pool.

What Is Water Aerobics?

As the name suggests, water aerobics is an aerobic workout session that takes place in water. It is sometimes called aqua aerobics and as a rule does not include swimming (although this is an aerobic exercise in itself). During a water aerobics session you will perform exercises while standing up in the pool as well as activities which involve moving around in the pool. These may be classic aerobic activities such as knee raises, jumping jacks, and arm circles in addition to walking or jogging in the water. Weights are often used as well to build muscle mass and the side of the pool can also be utilized as an exercise tool for chin ups and pull ups. You can find water aerobics classes in many good gyms and leisure centres. but what are the benefits to performing aerobics in the water?

What Are The Benefits Of Water Aerobics

Water aerobics is a really fun and innovative way to enjoy exercise, but it is far more than just an enjoyable splash around. It is a great activity for losing weight, improving your cardiovascular system and building muscle mass. The reason that water aerobics is so effective is because of the natural resistance provided by the water. This forces your body to work harder as it moves through the water, which builds muscle mass and burns more calories. It also provides you with a low-impact workout because the water supports your body weight, this puts less stress on your body and joints in particular compared with more traditional workouts. This is why exercising in the pool is great for older people and as rehabilitation for people returning from injury. Even though you are in the water, you will still get dehydrated during a session and need to take on board plenty of fluids. You must also warm up properly before starting a session, don't just dive straight in and get going.

So why not try water aerobics for weight loss, and enjoy a really fun and unique exercise experience?


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Blood Pressure and Its Implications on Exercise

Definition of Blood Pressure.

Blood Pressure (BP) is the pressure exerted on blood vessel walls by circulating blood.

What is the difference between Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure?

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure within the arteries when the heart contracts increasing blood flow through the arteries and therefore in turn the pressure. Diastolic pressure is when the heart is at a relaxed state so there is a decreased pressure through the arteries.

The two main determinants of blood pressure are Cardiac Output and Peripheral Resistance.

Cardiac output can be defined as the amount of blood pushed out of the heart in one minute, so the higher the amount the higher the blood pressure. It can be affected by two main determinants which are the stroke volume and heart rate. Generally as the heart rate increases, so does blood pressure, as the increased heart rate will mean more blood will be pushed through the arteries therefore increasing pressure. Stoke volume is normally increased by the body when its put under stress. As this increases it means the amount of blood being pumped out of the heart each beat is increased, and therefore squeezing more through the arteries and increasing blood pressure.

Peripheral resistance is the resistance the blood vessels put on the blood flow throughout the body it can increase and decrease due to vasoconstriction and vasodilatation, depending the stresses that the body is under.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertensive)

Recognised levels of hypertension (high blood pressure) are a systolic level above 160 mm HG or a diastolic of 100 mm HG or more. There are major risks associated with prolonged high blood pressure and these are coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure. Recognised levels of hypotension (low blood pressure) are systolic readings of 100 mm HG or below or a diastolic reading of 60 or below, there are no real harmful effects of low blood pressure, apart from symptoms of dizziness, loss of consciousness and blurring vision.

Factors that affect a persons Blood Pressure

There are two different types of factors effecting both systolic and diastolic blood pressure these are acute and chronic factors. The acute factors that affect blood pressure (BP) are environmental stressors are placed on the body such as aerobic exercise and heavy weight training which will cause the body to increase the blood flow to cope with the demand of oxygen. Stress and Anxiety increase BP due to the chemicals released that will cause the heart to beat faster and work harder. Things like food, caffeine, and smoking all increase blood flow firstly due to digestion, caffeine increases alertness of the body which causes an increase in cardiac output and smoking inhibits the amount of oxygen we take in which means the heart has to work harder to push the oxygen that does get in the lungs around the body. Also in the long term it causes an increase of cholesterol causes a narrowing of the vessels and therefore increases in blood pressure.

Chronic factors, or more long term factors, that increase blood pressure increase both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Once again stress and smoking are two factors and causes are as explained above. Nutrition can have a major effect on how the heart operates poor diet can lead to increased cholesterol and the clogging of the arteries etc, which means that pressure through the arteries will be increased due to the smaller circumference of the vessels that need to get through, this can also be applied to the obese person. Finally sedentary lifestyle will mean that the heart will be weak and the vessels will become more inflexible and a hardening of the arteries walls therefore they will not be able to vasodilate as much and therefore increase BP.

Common categories of hypertensive drugs.

What are there main effects and there possible implications for exercise?

The common categories of anti-hypertensive's are Beta Blockers, calcium channel Blockers, Antiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Diuretics.

Beta Blockers - These drugs decrease the heart rate and in turn the cardiac output and increase coronary perfusion. It also decreases stroke volume which in turn again reduces cardiac output. They affect the training by making everything a lot harder and therefore it will seem like there is a decreased effort however there isn't it's a decreased workload but still the same amount of effort put in, overall they will slow the person down when training.

Calcium Channel Blockers - These drugs decrease myocardial contractility and block calcium dependent contractions to the smooth muscles in the arteries and in turn this increases vasodilatation. This can cause resting tachycardia (increased heart rate) which needs to be carefully monitored when exercising, also blood pooling can occur if exercised is suddenly stopped therefore it is important to have a long warm down at the end of a session.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - These block the angiotenmsin converting enzyme, which stops angiotensin I being converted to angiotensin II which is a powerful vasoconstrictor and this therefore blocks vasoconstriction. In exercise this can lead to dehydration so you must watch fluid intake throughout exercise regime, also as stated above sudden stopping of exercising again can cause blood pooling therefore a long cool down is recommended.

Diuretics - These reduce venous return as they increase secretion from the kidneys of water and sodium ions. Doing this can result in electrolyte imbalances causing a greater loss in potassium and magnesium. This may induce muscles weakness and possible cramps and cardiac dysrhythmias, therefore regular blood test at the doctors should be had to monitor potassium levels in the blood.

Exercise Consideration for people with High Blood Pressure.

Warm up and cool down for about 5-10 minutes to aid in vasodilatation of the vessels in the warm-up preparing the body for exercise and the warm up is essential to help to prevent the onset of post workout hypotension.

Aerobic exercise should initially start at a moderate level of about 60% gradually increasing over a period of 4-6 weeks to 70-75% effort. Effort should be judged using an RPE scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion). Exercise routine should last up to an hour and it is recommended also to do a few 10 minutes spurts of continuous exercise outside of the gymnasium routine.

Resistance work should be low in weight and high in reps about 15-20 per set and exercises should not go until concentric failure, avoid heavy weight above the head, and do not train in positions where the feet are above the head. Make sure there is a spotter there to help and choose more isolation exercises rather than compound movements.

The safest and most effective way to train is with a personal trainer, qualified in dealing with high blood pressure clientele. This will make sure that hypertension suffers will train at there optimum level whilst being exposed to a wide range of training styles, making progression much quicker, more effective and safe.



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12 Signs You're Eating Too Much Sugar

How Your Diet Can Make You Into A Better Athlete

With the exception of those certain mutants among us who eat candy, smoke cigarettes, and drink soda (sorry, DIET soda) and coffee all day and then go ahead and send 5.15, all of our climbing abilities are affected by what we eat and when. This is unfortunate, since many of us would just love to subsist on cookies and Nutella sandwiches because they taste oh, so delicious.

There's a lot that goes into using diet to affect athletic performance and overall health, and it can be really confusing sometimes with all of the conflicting research and opinions we see everywhere. My job as a nutrition therapist is to make sense of it myself and relay that coherence to others. The science of nutrition is still in its infancy really, but there are some guidelines you can follow to help you feel energetic, strong and clear-headed - the overarching qualities of a successful person - not just a successful climber. What I am about to tell you has nothing to do with supplements that will make you stronger or super foods that will give you more endurance. There are no magic bullets to make you send your project. There aren't even clear cut rules about what will make you flail all over it - if there were, we'd all be climbing 5.14. So, sit back and prepare yourself for some eye-opening, jaw-dropping... common sense (with a little science to back it up).

There is one mundane, obvious and absolutely imperative topic that just might drastically change your life, and more importantly your 8a.nu scorecard. Breakfast.

How many of you eat some sort of baked good or cereal or other variation of sugar with (insert grain here) for breakfast? How many of you also drink coffee in the morning because your breakfast just doesn't do the job of keeping you awake until lunch, or for that matter 10am? If this is you - this is also most people, so don't feel too ashamed... How many of you, along with around 40% of the rest of the U.S., don't eat breakfast at all? The number one reason we have so many stressed out, tired, overweight people in this country is because we're not eating a good breakfast. That is a bold statement and I just made it - confidently. So, what's a good breakfast? It is NOT sugary cereal with skim milk, instant oatmeal with orange juice, a bagel with jelly, or a doughnut and coffee. These things may taste good, but they will sadly do you no good throughout your day or your life.

The epic story of what happens when you eat these foods begins with blood sugar. All of us have heard about blood sugar. It's the level of sugar, or glucose, in your blood at any given time. The sugar fuels our daily metabolic and athletic activities and what you want is enough sugar in your blood at all times to keep your mood and energy level stable. You've also all heard of adrenaline, especially as climbers. It's the stuff that pumps through your body (or, at least my body) when you're pumped out of your skull and about to take a giant whip and you're not sure if your belayer is watching you or giving some guy beta on a different route 30 feet away. You get sweaty, light-headed, tunnel vision so you can't even see the jug in front of your face, your legs start to tremble, your heart starts audibly beating, and you may have the sudden urge to puke all over your belayer, and maybe for good reason. This is generally described by us as intense fear.

Cut to 11am on Monday morning after a breakfast of jelly-filled doughnuts. When you eat super sugary foods without any fat, fiber and protein (i.e. oil, veggies and meat) to make the meal last longer, your blood sugar plummets quickly because you use up those simple sugars so easily after you've been fasting for hours overnight. If you'd eaten 2 eggs, some sausage, spinach, avocado and salsa instead of the doughnuts, the fat and fiber and protein would mitigate the steep rise and fall of your blood sugar and keep you full and energized for longer, keeping your blood sugar less erratic. This is what your body was meant to eat - fat, protein and fibrous carbohydrates. Not sugar that's taken from corn, heated to hellish temperatures and chemically denatured enough to happily sit on a shelf for years. Cavemen would have had a hard time finding that on the prairie. Think meat (we'll get to the vegetarians next), nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables and that's what we evolutionarily grew up eating.

When you eat very sugary foods or skip meals instead of eating whole, nutrient dense foods, your body considers this a stressful event and gives you a small surge of adrenaline to get you through to your next meal. To a lesser degree your body experiences the same uncomfortable symptoms of adrenaline you felt on the climb you were about to pitch off of, but instead of intense fear it manifests as anxiety. You're also feeling the effects of low blood sugar - brain fog and muscle weakness. Weakness. I hope my point is surfacing.

There's more. Then imagine that once you finally get to lunch you're starving, so you eat a big, doughy sandwich, some cookies, a bag of chips and some sort of sparkly, sugary beverage. Even though this meal probably has ample protein, fat and maybe fiber in it, you're not in the clear. Your blood sugar is like a boat rocking back and forth in response to a big wave - the wave hits and the boat lurches to one side. It doesn't stop there - it pitches back the other way almost as forcefully as the first time. The swaying only subsides when the force of the wave dissipates. Or big waves keep hitting it and it continues to sway wildly. Your blood sugar's big wave is you eating a sugary breakfast or skipping it altogether. The violent swaying only subsides when you start your day with protein, fat and fiber and repeat every 3 to 5 hours. Every single day. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be on a boat in calm water than be capsized by a storm every day...

Coffee. You'll have to excuse the prolonged analogy, but imagine that coffee is a giant whale, hitting the side of your boat. Every cup of coffee is a blow to the boat's side. It's is called a stimulant because it stimulates your adrenals to spit out adrenaline, which is why you feel... er, shall we say, awake. Wouldn't we rather use our adrenaline stores for something important like an epic big wall rather than for dragging our asses through our morning every day?

Demanding so much of the adrenal glands for adrenaline takes its toll on the rest of the body - namely the thyroid gland. The thyroid is responsible for little things like body weight, temperature and metabolism. Part of its job is to make sure we have enough energy to get through our day, and if we don't, the pituitary gland sends a message to it telling it to get off its ass and make us more. Unfortunately, the pituitary is also responsible for sending the same kind of rallying messages to the adrenals. If the adrenals are overworked by our blood sugar and coffee "issues", not to mention our climbing addiction, the pituitary gets really tired and lags on its communication to the thyroid. This is why so many of us are constantly tired and depressed, not able to lose weight, cold all the time, and have poor digestion and sleep habits. It's also one big reason we get frequent headaches, muscle cramps, water retention, slow wound healing and why so many of us are sick much of the time. Read through all of those symptoms again and note how many of them you can assign to yourself or your significant other or the person sitting next to you.

So, how does a low functioning thyroid affect our climbing? Well, let's be honest - there's not one person who can climb their best when they're constipated all the time - oh yeah, that's another sign of thyroid dysfunction. No climber who is chronically depressed and anxious is going to be able to confidently lead climb at their limit - we've all witnessed that. And even if it's only 10 pounds that you are struggling to lose, those 10 pounds can make your project feel way harder than if you were at your optimal weight. And ladies, how many of you would like to have had better circulation in your numb fingers on a cold day outside? Yet another symptom of thyroid dysfunction. Water retention in our joints can lead to pain and inflammation - and just because your ankles aren't swollen like a pregnant woman, it doesn't mean you're not retaining water, guys. And finally, who can climb their best when they get sick all the time? We all know how drained and weak we get with the flu. What's the first thing I tell people who have thyroid dysfunction? Eat a good breakfast.

So, to you mutants out there climbing V15 fueled by sugar packets and sugar water - how hard do you think you could climb if you balanced your blood sugar?


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The Number One Secret to Health

Improve the Quality of Your Blood


"The best way to find out the quality of the blood is to determine the proportion of its acid and alkali. A hydrogen ion exponent of 7 indicates a neutral state, but actually, for the blood, 7.2 to 7.4 with a slight inclination toward the alkali is considered the ideal condition. When the blood is in this neutral state, poisonous bacteria cannot increase and one does not become ill from contagious diseases."


I first read these words from Rev. Kanjitsu Iijima as a young man. They were contained within his book called, Buddhist Yoga, published in 1975. This book changed my life as well as my thinking about, health, diet, and spirituality. After this early exposure to the principle of acid/alkaline balance, I was given a fuller understanding through the research done by Dr. Robert O. Young and presented in his book entitled, The PH Miracle, published in 2002.


Now think about it for a minute: Where do we usually use the term pH? That's right, when talking about our swimming pools. We know if we don't want that green stuff to start growing in our pool we have to balance the water's pH. Well guess what? It is the same with our bodies. If we don't want to become overly acidic and create an environment that allows poisonous bacteria and other microforms to grow in our bodies, WE NEED TO BALANCE OUR pH! According to Dr. Robert O. Young as well as a growing number of health professionals, "Over-acidification of blood and tissues underlies all disease, and general "dis-ease" as well".


Did you hear that last statement? If not, it's worth repeating: "Over-acidification of blood and tissues underlies all disease..." Not to overstate, but this is one of the most important secrets to health!!!


Consider the fact that a cancer cell can live in a cup of coffee forever, but will die very quickly in an alkaline solution.


If you place a frog in boiling hot water, it will sense the danger and jump out immediately. Now, place that same frog in a pan of cold water and gradually increase the temperature, the frog will stay in the water until it dies. Most of us slowly and subtly experience the effects of long-term, low-grade acidity. We are like the frog, we don't notice the "water getting warmer". The aches and pains, poor digestion, lack of energy and mood swings are overlooked or explained away as "normal" signs of aging. Meanwhile, those persistently growing layers of fat store the acid that our bodies cannot excrete normally.


Guess what? If you are overweight, you don't have a fat problem, you have an acid problem. You see the body will do whatever it takes to maintain the pH of the blood at 7.365 which includes storing acid in our fat cells. Our bodies, controlled by our subconscious minds, are much more intelligent than our thinking or conscious minds when it comes to matters of physical health. Consider this, when we get a cut our bodies don't need our help stopping the bleeding, repairing the wound, and creating new skin! The cells of our body know exactly what to do.


Do you experience any of the symptoms below?


* Excess Weight


* Pimples & Acne


* Agitation


* Rapid panting breath


* Rapid heartbeat


* Muscular pain


* Pre-menstrual and menstrual cramping


* Pre-menstrual anxiety and depression


* Cold hands and feet


* Light headedness & dizziness


* Exhausted easily and low energy


* Joint pains that travel


* Food allergies


* Excessive gas


* Hyperactivity


* Lack of sex drive


* Bloating


* Heartburn & acid reflux


* Yellow & strong smelling urine


* Headaches & migraines


* Irregular heartbeat


* White coated tongue


* Hard to get up in morning


* Excess head mucous (stuffiness)


If you experience more than 2 of the symptoms listed here, there is a high chance that your body is acidic and you may want to take precaution and change your diet before it accumulates and turns into a deadly disease like cancer one day.


These symptoms which we are so quick to deem "normal" are the Early Warning System of the body shouting - Acid! Acid! Acid! When we ignore these signs, the volume of acid in our system increases and we experience blood pressure issues, bone loss, signs of aging, kidney wasting and increased fat storage.


So what is the solution - alkalize your body. Go green my friend! Focus your diet on alkaline foods that support your health, and don't overtax your system with excess acid. This will not only have a profound effect on your health, but will also help you to shed excess fat.






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The Benefits of Beet Juice for Superhealthy Blood

Health and Nutrition - The Dangers of Sugar in Your Diet and Some Sweet Substitutes

"All human nutritional needs can be met in full without having to take a single spoonful of white or brown or raw sugar.'
The late Dr. John Yudkin - Sweet and Dangerous, Wyden, 1972, Queens College, London
We all know that too much sugar is really bad for our health. As a result of this there are lots of 'natural' sugar products available to buy in food stores, health food stores and on the internet. With so much choice what do you choose?

Our bodies need sugar in the form of glucose, especially our brain, which needs glucose to function properly. Sucrose is a disaccharide which is two sugars that is broken down into two simple sugars, glucose and fructose. Glucose in our blood provides us with energy. There are different sugars depending on the food we eat for example fructose is the main sugar in fruits, maltose, a sugar in grain like barley and lactose a sugar found in milk.
One of the sugars which have been heralded as one to replace 'white poison' or otherwise known, white table sugar or sucrose... is Agave (ah gah vay). Sometimes agave is referred to as a syrup or nectar and it has a similar taste to honey but not as thick. Without a doubt agave is a much better option than artificial sweeteners which should be avoided at all costs - the clue is in the name artificial!

Agave is a plant which looks like a cactus and can be found in desert areas in places like Mexico. When the agave plant is harvested the sap is extracted and then heated at a low temperature at which point the carbohydrates are broken down into sugars. Agave is available in both light and dark, the darker it is the less time it has been heated and filtrated.
Peter Pure from Raw Food Party asks the question is Agave good for you?
* Sugar is sugar is sugar is sugar
* Sugar ages you
* It is the cause of immune system crashes
* It is an anti-nutrient
* It rots your teeth
* It's causes diabetes
* Sugar ferments your blood cells
* Sugar is food for candida, cancer, viruses, bacteria, yeasts, and mould
There are many people suffering with sugar addiction, some people are aware of this others are not. If someone 'gives up' sugar for whatever reason, they are only eliminating spoons of 'visible' sugar on breakfast cereal, or in tea or coffee but there are so many foods, including natural foods such as fruit which contain a form of sugar. Processed foods have so much sugar that we now have a sugar crisis in our health service in the form of type 2 diabetes and an assortment of degenerative diseases.
Peter suggests 'Many people will want us to believe that this and that new form of sugar is okay.That is not the case. Even honey, by far the best of all sugars, needs to be limited. Dates and fruits too for that matter'

My experience is that people make incredible health breakthrough's for themselves just by getting off the main sugar culprits - all grains and grain products, bread, pasta, cornflakes, rice, barley, spelt, quinoa, beans, lentils, corn, potatoes and refined foods (preferably dried fruit too).
Why grains and beans/lentils first? Simple - you probably wouldn't eat 2 bowls of honey in one go, but you might eat 2 bowls of rice (for example).
Sugar in all it's forms is just a part of a transitional diet as people get off their sugar addictions (with a few rare exceptions of athletes who burn a lot of sugar).
The only exception to all of this, if there is any magic "sugar" is stevia - which is a herb that taste's sweet but is not sugar.'

Stevia (stee v ah) or sweet herb, harvested from places such as South America and Asia as an alternative sweetener can be purchased as a lplant, liquid or powder. Japanese people have been using stevia successfully for many years and they don't have the same health and weight problems as we have in western culture, unless of course they eat a western diet! Stevia is much sweeter than sugar so you don't use or need too much of it and as it is a natural herbal sweetener.
Another natural sugar alternative is Xylotil, which looks and tastes exactly like sugar and does not have that horrid aftertaste associated with so many chemical sweeteners. Xylotil has fewer calories and carbohydrates than sugar and as a result it is slowly absorbed in the body and does not cause an increased rush of insulin so is better for anyone suffering with diabetes. Xylotil can be used in cooking to replace refined white sugar but like all sugar you need to identify how much sugar you are consuming in your diet, especially all hidden sugar which piles on the pounds, empty calories and over time makes you ill.

Of course, there are multiple things to consider to become more healthy, lose weight or live your life to your body's full potential. Sugar is just one.

Salt, Sea Salt or No Salt?

Sea salt and table salt both contain sodium chloride. Sea salt also contains small amounts of magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate and calcium sulfate, which are nutritionally insignificant. Sea salt, kosher salt, monosodium glutamate, and seasoning salts are all treated the same way in your body.

You need to eat foods that contain iodine for your body to be able to make thyroid hormone. The best sources are iodized salt and seafood. Plants can be a good source, but only if they are grown on iodine-rich soil. A study in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism (September-October 2003) showed that vegetarians are at increased risk for iodine deficiency that causes low thyroid function. In this study, 25 percent of vegetarians and 80 percent of vegans had low blood levels of iodine, compared to only nine percent of people who eat both meat and vegetables. While iodized table salt is a good source of iodine, sea salt often is not. If you don't use table salt or eat ocean fish or kelp, get a blood test for iodine. If your iodine level is low, you need to eat more seafood or iodized salt, or take iodine pills.

Many people go on low salt diets because they think that it will improve their health, but a low-salt diet usually does not lower high blood pressure. The most healthy diet contains lots of whole grains, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and they all taste better with salt. You cannot exercise in the heat without taking extra salt.

If you want to reduce the amount of salt in your diet and fool your taste buds, try adding tart flavoring such as lemon juice or vinegar.






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September: A Whole Month of Happiness and Wellbeing

September is the ninth month of the year, yet is named after the word septem, meaning seven as it was originally the seventh month of the year in the Roman calendar. This month a new season begins, whether it is spring in the southern hemisphere or autumn for the north.

 This month we will consider the impact your thoughts have on your life. This is in recognition of Albert Ellis who was born on the 27th September. Albert Ellis was a psychologist who devised Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, and his work impacted on many people around the world. He died in 2007 at the age of 93. He worked his entire life and wrote 80 books and over 1200 articles. This brings us on to the second theme of learning, as this month it is Adult Learners' Week in Australia. Finally I will discuss ways you can take control of your health, as World Heart Day takes place this month.
Consider your thoughts
Your thinking can have a great impact on your behaviour and emotions. Not all thoughts make much sense and Albert Ellis would describe them as irrational. Irrational thinking is thinking that essentially makes little logical sense, or fails to stand up to the evidence. 'Bad things always happen to me', 'I must not fail' are examples of irrational thinking. However these thoughts can be changed, as you come to recognise them as irrational and replace them with more realistic ones. From here, you will have more positive emotions and feel more in control of your behaviour. There is a lot that could be said about your thought patterns but for now I will offer you ideas to help you identify and change your own thoughts.

1. Write down a current worry of yours. Give the details. Try to describe the situation as much as possible.


2. What thoughts and beliefs do you have when thinking about your current concern?


3. How do you feel as a result of these thoughts? How do you behave? This is where we pause to help you recognise that it is your thoughts, not the situation that is leading you to feel and behave as you do.


4. Looking at your response to 2, ask yourself honestly how rational these thoughts are. Is there good evidence to support these thoughts? Are you thinking in all or nothing terms? Perhaps giving too much focus on the negative and ignoring the positive? Look out for words such as 'always', 'never', 'must.


5. Challenge these thoughts. Write down what is actually true about the situation, even if you don't fully believe them right now. Perhaps think about what a friend or stranger would say about your thoughts.


6. Replace your old beliefs identified in 2 with new, more rational beliefs. This may take effort, but once you recognise them you will feel a lot happier.


7. Write down the positive consequences of your new beliefs.


8. To reinforce your new beliefs, you will need to take action to prove they are true. What steps will you take to support your new thoughts?

This is a concise version of Ellis' work, but hopefully enough to get you thinking about thinking.
Get learning
It's easy to give up on the idea of learning once you leave school. If you disliked school, you may think that you dislike learning also. However, as adults we can choose what we learn and the skills we want to develop. Even retirement should be an opportunity to try new things rather than letting it all go because you are no longer doing paid work. Recognising that learning is not just about books or something to be endured, can make the process enjoyable for many.
If you make learning part of your life, you are sure to see the benefits. Not just in your increased skills and knowledge but in your overall happiness. Working on an important goal and coming up with solutions to potential hurdles getting in the way of your goal can be inspiring. Not only do you learn more about the task you are trying to achieve, but also things about yourself. Also, when you are learning you are giving yourself the opportunity to experience flow. A flow experience is best described as one of those moments when you are so absorbed in an activity that everything else goes unnoticed. Yet afterwards you feel great.
So give learning a go, no matter how old you are. It could be something completely new or an opportunity to expand on an existing skill or interest.

Have a healthy heart
Did you know that 80% of premature heart attacks and strokes are preventable? That's a lot! This means there are things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing and reduce your risk. Such changes will also give you the energy to do the things you want to be doing, allowing you to have a happy balanced life.

I know it's easy to wonder why you should change, you're happy as you are. I do wonder how happy you would be lying in a hospital bed having just survived a heart attack at an early age. Or worse, how happy your family will feel knowing they lost you too soon. But you only live once right? True, but don't you want to make sure you really do live it, having the energy to get the most from your one life?
What follows are tips to a happy heart. Remember it's about moderation, not deprivation. You can have your cake and eat it. Just not all at once, every day.
Eat a healthy diet. Try to limit processed foods and foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Exercise. Aerobic activity which gets your heart pumping is good for your heart. Combine it with strength work and flexibility exercise such as yoga to get further benefits for your body.
Don't smoke. Once you stop smoking your risk of heart attack and stroke goes down, as does your risk of many other illnesses.
If you want to know your risk of cardiovascular disease, see your doctor who can test your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.






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Water - What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Water

We know we should but how much water should I drink? One cup every hour? 8 cups a day? What are the benefits of drinking water? How about this one – 8 glasses of water before breakfast! Heard that one?
Water comes in many shapes and sizes. There's tap water, bottled water, filtered water, rain water, distilled water to name a few.

Most of you drink bottled water if at all or the odd glass of tap water. Of all the choices distilled and filtered are the best. You may say "I drink lots of liquids every day - tea, coffee, soft drinks and sodas so I must be getting my daily intake of water." Well these are not water. Somewhere along the production line the water got transformed into - tea, coffee, soft drinks, sodas etc they are not water! And they definitely contain substances that are not good for your health.

Well, there are certain things to know about water that will help you make educated decisions about it – how much to drink; what water to drink; its benefits etc. In my research into this subject I’ve discovered some very interesting facts.
Your body is about 70% water. You probably know this but look further – that’s your muscles and brain are 75% water, your blood and lungs are more than 80& water and even your bones are 25% water. So if your liquid intake consists of tea, coffee, soft drinks and sodas, then your body’s water is polluted.
Feeling tired all the time? Chronic fatigue? Cravings? Excessive hunger? Depressed? These are some of the symptoms of DEHYDRATION.

Next to know is that your water should be alkaline, that’s above 7 on the Ph scale. Having a high acid intake of liquids and food will lead to weight problems and disease.

Water is definitely essential in maintaining health. If you have any of the above symptoms then you may be dehydrated. Water effects your body at a cellular level.




















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by Paul Graham

How fat loss works in your body - the suprising truth

Why You Should Choose A Vegetarian Diet

There are many benefits that people can derive if they resort to a vegetarian diet. Meat-based meals are very tasty, but these are not for everyone.


The reason is that many people get sick in the long run if they eat meat excessively and this will manifest in the form of elevated cholesterol levels, growth of certain cancers, and high blood pressure. Those who prefer a vegetarian diet do not have such problems and scientists have also discovered that vegetarians are less prone to cancer. Furthermore, vegetarians are not overweight or do not need to be on "a diet" to lose excess poundage.
Many people are now turning to a vegetarian diet because they want to live longer. Incidentally, there are a number of ethical reasons that have spurred people into becoming vegetable lovers. First, food wastage is a problem in many countries and there is an excess supply of grains and soybeans. These are used to feed livestock and one can imagine if people learn how to eat these things. Moreover, starvation can be eradicated in many countries if vegetables are used more often in their diets. Sadly, this is not the case and plenty of food are not used properly or ended up being thrown away as waste.

Another fact that many people overlook is that livestock excrement is produced thirty times more than humans can produce. Since there is a need for meat products, the overproduction of these animals that feed the population can have a possible disastrous effect to the environment. To illustrate this point, cows emit a huge amount of methane gas towards the atmosphere and this contributes to global warming. Also, feed animals are not treated humanely especially when they are being killed in slaughterhouses. For these reasons, it is not surprising that a vegetarian diet is something that many people now prefer because it contributes very much to their well-being.

A great majority of vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry or even products from the sea. Some people do eat fish or chicken sometimes, but they stick to their vegetarian diet. People may wonder what vegetarians eat and they will find that majority of them will consume fruits, dried beans, nuts, seeds, peas and grains to name a few. These vegetarians get all the nutrients they need under a vegetarian diet, but they have to eat various foods in order to get the much-needed nutrients for their bodies.

Incidentally, people who want to try the so-called vegan diet can eat anything except eggs, dairy products, fish, poultry and meat. Another kind of this diet is the Lacto- vegetarian wherein people can eat dairy products such as cheese, butter, yogurt and milk. Lastly, people can go for the Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet that will allow them to eat dairy products and eggs. Planning a vegetarian diet is necessary so that people are able to prepare themselves very well. The secret to this diet is eating the right quantities of food and dividing them into food groups.

Ralph Wilhelm-dude17111 is an online researcher and marketer.

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