Category Archives: Healthy Lifestyle

Meditation 101

Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook in life.

Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and other spiritual disciplines. However, you don’t have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits. And you don’t even have to be in a special place to practice it. You could even try it in your own living room!

Meditation 101

Although there are many different approaches to meditation, the fundamental principles remain the same. The most important among these principles is that of removing obstructive, Meditation 101negative, and wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming the mind with a deep sense of focus. This clears the mind of debris and prepares it for a higher quality of activity.

The negative thoughts you have those of noisy neighbors, bossy officemates, that parking ticket you got, and unwanted spam are said to contribute to the ‘polluting’ of the mind, and shutting them out is allows for the ‘cleansing’ of the mind so that it may focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts.

Some practitioners even shut out all sensory input no sights, no sounds, and nothing to touch and try to detach themselves from the commotion around them. You may now focus on a deep, profound thought if this is your goal. It may seem deafening at first, since we are all too accustomed to constantly hearing and seeing things, but as you continue this exercise you will find yourself becoming more aware of everything around you.

If you find the meditating positions you see on television threatening those with impossibly arched backs, and painful-looking contortions you need not worry. The principle here is to be in a comfortable position conducive to concentration. This may be while sitting cross-legged, standing, lying down, and even walking.

If the position allows you to relax and focus, then that would be a good starting point. While sitting or standing, the back should be straight, but not tense or tight. In other positions, the only no-no is slouching and falling asleep.

Loose, comfortable clothes help a lot in the process since tight fitting clothes have a tendency to choke you up and make you feel tense.

The place you perform meditation should have a soothing atmosphere. It may be in your living room, or bedroom, or any place that you feel comfortable in. You might want an exercise mat if you plan to take on the more challenging positions (if you feel more focused doing so, and if the contortionist in you is screaming for release). You may want to have the place arranged so that it is soothing to your senses.

Silence helps most people relax and meditate, so you may want a quiet, isolated area far from the ringing of the phone or the humming of the washing machine. Pleasing scents also help in that regard, so stocking up on aromatic candles isn’t such a bad idea either.

The monks you see on television making those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantra. This, in simple terms, is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these practitioners, holds a mystic value.

You do not need to perform such; however, it would pay to note that focusing on repeated actions such as breathing, and humming help the practitioner enter a higher state of consciousness.

The principle here is focus. You could also try focusing on a certain object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight.

One sample routine would be to while in a meditative state silently name every part of you body and focusing your consciousness on that part. While doing this you should be aware of any tension on any part of your body. Mentally visualize releasing this tension. It works wonders.

There are also many meditation CDs on the market that have been scientifically proven to alter your brainwaves in such a way to help you achieve deep meditation. find out more about these here: Meditation CDs.

In all, meditation is a relatively risk-free practice and its benefits are well worth the effort (or non-effort remember we’re relaxing).

Studies have shown that meditation does bring about beneficial physiologic effects to the body. And there has been a growing consensus in the medical community to further study the effects of such. So start now in creating your health and well being…start meditating today!

Click here to learn more about Mindfulness Mediation and its benefits.

The Health Benefits of Oatmeal

People nowadays are being conscious about their health and are beginning to incorporate exercise and different kinds of food programs into their daily routines. In the 21st century The Health Benefits of Oatmealwhere the high protein diet and other food fads have ruled, less attention is given to the health benefits of oatmeal. Oatmeal is one the most nutritious and and quickest meals that can be prepared and packed with necessary nutrients. It is a healthy and versatile food because it can served with fruit, chopped nuts, apple sauce, and many more. In addition, this kind of brain is recommended to individuals who want to lose weight, maintain their weight, and live an active lifestyle. Individuals who wish to maintain an active lifestyle and improved health should include oatmeal in their daily food routines.

The Health Benefits of Oatmeal

Oatmeal is rich in complex, energy-giving carbohydrates, low in fat, and high in water soluble fiber. Soluble fiber may reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or the bad cholesterol. Studies show that five to 10 grams of soluble fiber may decrease the LDL levels by about five percent. Eating one and a half cups of oatmeal significantly reduces one’s cholesterol levels. Lowering cholesterol levels may then significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. This is because high cholesterol is linked with the development of plaques in the blood vessels. If these plaques grow too large, they may block the blood vessels and cause heart attack, stroke, and blood clots in the body. Aside from lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, oatmeal also contains selenium. This element works with vitamin E and acts as an antioxidant. Because of this factor, the selenium that oatmeal contains can aid in decreasing asthma symptoms, reduce the risk of colon cancer, prevent cell damage, and aid arthritis.

Other benefits of oatmeal may include the following:

Oatmeal is a good source of many vital nutrients like vitamin E, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and protein
It is fortified with B Vitamins which are known to reduce stress
It is a great source of carbohydrate for diabetics because it raises the blood sugar very slowly by staying in the stomach longer.
It contains beta-glucan which boosts the immune system and increase its response to fight certain infections.
It is high in calcium

There are many ill effects that may develop if complex carbohydrates like oatmeal are not consumed. Individuals who neglect these food may suffer from low energy levels and gain unwanted weight and lead to obesity. Studies show that obesity is becoming an alarming health condition because of the fact that obese people have heightened risk of developing heart disease, sleep apnea, colon cancer, and high blood pressure.

Despite the health benefits of oatmeal consumption, this food should also be taken properly because too much oatmeal consumption may cause more harm than good. Some health studies show that high consumptions of oatmeal may cause unwanted build-up and cause unwanted digestive problems. Individuals who wish to engage in healthy diets should consult nutritionists and other health professionals before making drastic adjustments in their eating routines. They may develop an eating program that consists of the right amounts of vitamins and minerals that are necessary to promote overall health.

 

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Foods That Help Ease Pain

Pain- something that no one wants to experience even once let alone daily and yet chronic pain is not uncommon. The Chronic Pain Association estimates that 50 million Americans endure Foods That Help Ease Painchronic pain on a daily basis. Whether you suffer from Fibromyalgia Arthritis, or a Sports Injury, pain from the inflammatory response finds us and can make life miserable. Taking anti-inflammatory medications is the first defense against chronic or acute pain. Research shows if you want to add even more relief to your pain symptoms you can make some small changes to your diet.

Foods That Help Ease Pain

Foods that have the greatest effect on the inflammatory process are fats. The predominant omega-6 fatty acids present in the American diet tend to promote inflammation while omega-3 fatty acids help to inhibit the inflammatory process. The omega 6 to omega-3 ratio in the Western diet is a high 16:1.8 leading some researchers to say the typical Western diet is a pro-inflammatory diet. No wonder we are in such pain! Even though omega-6 fatty acids are good for us and needed in the diet, we are eating far too many of them and not eating enough of the health-promoting omega-3’s. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in beef, pork, chicken, whole milk dairy products, egg yolks, vegetable and seed oils, and packaged convenience foods- all staples of the American diet. The pain reducing Omega-3 fatty acids are found in cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut, and tuna), ground flax seeds, canola oil, and walnuts.

There is one more fatty acid to throw into the mix and that is omega-9. Not as much of an attention getting fatty acid but just as important to know about. These fatty acids are also involved in prohibiting the inflammation process bringing relief to its sufferers. Omega-9’s are found in olive oil, avocados, pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashews, sesame oil, pistachio nuts and macadamia nuts. All those nuts you thought were off limits, not anymore. Just make sure you only eat 10 – 12 nuts for a serving size so you don’t add to your waistline with these high calorie snacks.

Fruits and Vegetables- ah, here they are again. I wonder how long it will take us to realize they really are good for us. The antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables play a role in decreasing damage by free radicals which to you and I means it prevents the initiation of the inflammatory response nipping it in the bud. What’s the recommendation? The same as it’s always been, 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. It’s not as tough as it seems. A serving size of fruit is the size of a tangerine or half of a banana while the serving size for vegetables is ½ cup cooked and 1 cup raw. Add some berries to your cereal, some vegetable soup with lunch or sneak veggies into your scrambled eggs, add them wherever you can.

Although this doesn’t count as a legitimate study, my mother, a long time arthritis sufferer decided to put some of these ideas into practice. She decided to take 2 tbsp. of ground flax seeds per day which she added to her oatmeal in the morning. She also added almonds regularly. That was it. No other changes and she found her arthritis pain markedly decreased. It goes to show that small nutrition changes can make a big impact on your health.

Now that you know the information, let’s get practical. Here are 8 small diet changes you can make starting this week to decrease inflammation.

1. Replace chicken, pork or ground beef with salmon, mackerel, or halibut 2 times each week.
2. Use canola or olive oil in place of other vegetable oils for salad dressings and cooking.
3. Add walnuts, almonds, or pecans to salads.
4. Snack on an ounce of cashews or macadamia nuts with a piece of fruit.
5. Use sliced avocado in your sandwich in place of the cheese.
6. Use omega-3 fortified eggs (can find at all local grocery stores: look for the sentence: fed with DHA and EHA).
7. Add 2 tbsp of ground flax seeds to your oatmeal or yogurt.
8. Add a side salad each night with dinner (filling up with veggies during your meals will also help with weight management).

Using medications alone to manage your pain is difficult because most drugs eventually lose their effectiveness and can cause side effects. Take some small steps to add these dietary practices so you can have a more complete support system to alleviate pain.
© 2005, Meri Raffetto

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A Nutritious Diet while Traveling

Once you have made the firm decision to change your eating habits, you will find many little tests along the way. Places we visit in the form of travel, Restaurants, Parties, friend’s places, A Nutritious Diet while Travelingwork situations and also our biggest enemy, Time. These situations can present challenges to our resolve in maintaining good Nutrition in our diet and while we have covered a few points in our previous articles, we will now look at what I consider a major test, Travel!

Sticking to a nutritious diet while traveling can be one of the more difficult things to do. However, if you learn how to make smart choices, a healthy diet is really not that difficult. It’s probably not the best time in which to start a healthy diet, but if you are currently making healthy choices in your foods already, modifying your diet slightly to accommodate travel, is not as difficult as it first may seem.

A Nutritious Diet while Traveling

If you are traveling by airplane, your diet may have to include airplane food, which can often be of poor nutritional value, depending on the selection. When you book your flight, ask about your food options, ask if a vegetarian dish is available? Vegetarian dishes are sometimes more nutritional in this case, but it really depends on what they may be serving. If you can, eat a larger meal before your flight, so that you don’t have to eat the entire meal that is served, to feel full.

When driving or taking a bus, you may be tempted to stop at fast food restaurants and eat the meals found there. Avoid this whenever possible! If you’re on vacation, you may wish to splurge a tiny bit, but having fast food more than once during a week can really be bad for your health. If you must, choose the healthiest options available, like chicken breasts and diet soda.

Also, remember that you can take your own meals when traveling. Carrying a loaf of whole-wheat bread or pita wraps, some lean lunchmeat, and low-fat cheese in a cooler is a great way to avoid high-fat and high-cholesterol junk food meals. These are much better choices and you’ll save a lot of money as well. Call ahead to ask if there will be a refrigerator in your hotel room.

Lastly, make smart choices when you eat out. If you choose salads or pasta get the dressing on the side and ask about low-carb options. In fact, many places print these dieting options directly in the menu for the health-conscious people. Control your portions by ordering lunch menu sizes or splitting the meal in have and getting a doggie bag, and you’ll be well on your way to healthy eating, even away from home.

Yes, eating healthy foods when you travel can be a challenge. However, your health is worth it. Eating meals high in nutrition will also assist in fighting illnesses that you are likely to encounter when traveling and you will find yourself more alert so that you can enjoy your trip.

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7 Top Foods to Include in Your Kid’s Diet

Have you ever wondered what foods should I feed my Kid to promote health and weight management?

7 Top Foods to Include in your Kid’s Diet

Here is a list of the top 7 healthiest foods to feed your kid and why it’s so healthy:7 Top Foods to Include in Your Kid’s Diet

1. Oatmeal: A fabulous breakfast food, full of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium. Old-fashioned oatmeal offers plenty of carbohydrate for quick energy and high fiber. Add berries and honey to make it a delicious perfect food for those fast-paced school day mornings!

2. Yogurt: Kick your child’s dairy consumption up a notch and include yogurt on the menu. A great source of calcium, yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk, and the cultures (check the label to make sure they’re in there!) are very beneficial to good colon health. Watch it on the sugar content though. A great idea is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit!

3. Broccoli: it is one of the best vegetables for anyone, especially growing kids. It has loads of calcium, potassium, beta-carotene and a wide variety of the B vitamins. If your child is not a fan of plain vegetables include broccoli in a casserole or put a little shredded cheese on top to add flavor.

4. Protein: One size does not fit all when it comes to protein. The fact is that growing kids need protein to keep growing. How you’re going to give it to them can vary widely, according to your preferences. Good choices include legumes, beans (combined with a grain to make a complete protein), soy products like tofu, eggs or lean meat, fish or poultry.

5. Whole Grains: The best nutrition is found in whole grains. Brown rice and whole wheat bread are a quantum leap over their white counterparts and offer necessary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Choose grain products with the words “whole”, “unbleached” and “intact” or “ground”.

6. Nut Butters: Peanut butter and other nut butters are great fast and easy foods for kids. Kids need fat (it’s a good fat if it doesn’t have hydrogenated oils mixed in it) and they need the protein. Try spreading almond or sunflower seed butter on crackers, toast or celery sticks for a quick and nutritious snack.

7. Fresh Fruit: My personal choice would be cantaloupe in the melon department. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, bits and pieces of B vitamins and trace minerals and calcium fill every juicy bite. Any in season fresh fruit is sure to be packed with healthy goodness!

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Exercise And Sleeping Better

The amount of physical exercise that you exert during the day is one of the key ingredients to helping you get a good sleep at night. The more active your body is during the day, the more Exercise And Sleeping Betterlikely you are to relax at night and fall asleep faster.

With regular exercise you’ll notice that your quality of sleep is improved and the transition between the cycles and phases of sleep will become smoother and more regular. By keeping up your physical activity during the day, you may find it easier to deal with the stress and worries of your life.

Research and studies indicate that there is a direct correlation between how much we exercise and how we feel afterwards.

Exercise And Sleeping Better

You should try and increase your physical activity during the day. The goal here is to give your body enough stimulation during the day so that you aren’t full of energy at night.

Your body requires a certain amount of physical activity in order to keep functioning in a healthy manner. It is also important to note that you should not be exercising three or four hours before you go to bed.

The ideal exercise time is in the late afternoon or early evening. You want to make sure you expend your physical energy long before it is time for your body to rest and ready itself for sleep.

You should attempt to exercise at least three or four times a week for a period of 30 minutes or so. You can include walking or something simple. If you prefer, you can include strenuous activities such as running as well.

The goal here is to increase your heart rate and strengthen the capacity of your lungs. By adding a regular exercise activity to your daily schedule will help you to improve your overall health and help you emotionally as well.

Along with running and walking there are several other physical activities that you can add to your daily life to increase your level of physical activity. If you are battling not sleeping, you’ll find aerobic exercise to be the best.

Your goal with exercise is to increase the amount of oxygen that reaches your blood stream. Overall, there are many types of aerobic exercise for you to choose from. The activities include running, biking, using a treadmill, dancing, and jumping rope.

There are some non aerobic exercises that you may find beneficial to help you solve your amnesia problem.

Yoga Yoga is an exercise that has a stimulatory effect on your nervous system, especially the brain. Yoga utilizes breathing techniques and yoga postures to increase the blood circulation to the brain, promoting regular and restful sleeping patterns. The regular practice of yoga will help you to relax as well as relieve tension and stress.

Tai Chi Tai Chi is an ancient art of breathing and movement that was developed by the Chinese monks. The movements involved are slow and precise, which is ideal if you have joint pains or you are unable to participate in high aerobic exercises. Research has shown that Tai Chi can help with insomnia by promoting relaxation.

If you discover that you don’t have any time to exercise on a regular basis, you should try to sneak moments of activity into your schedule. Whenever possible, you should take the stairs instead of the elevator, as little things like that will do wonders for your body.

You should also park your car around the corner and walk that extra block or two to get to your destination. As you may know, there are many small things you can add to increase the activity in your life. Your overall goal here is to have a healthy and well balanced life – with plenty of sleep.

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The Effect of Zinc on Acne

There are many different vitamins with which a vitamin deficiency of them can lead to acne The Effect of Zinc on Acneproblems. One such vitamin is Zinc. Zinc is one of the most important vitamins when attempting to fight and prevent acne due to its many uses and how important it is to the body and the skin. A vitamin deficiency in Zinc alone can cause acne breakouts and therefore maintaining healthy amounts of Zinc in one’s everyday diet is very important for those looking to either combat their current acne problem or to help prevent a future one.

The Effect of Zinc on Acne

Zinc acts as an antioxidant and this is one primary reason why it is so helpful against acne. Antioxidants help to clear the body of toxins and free radicals. These can cause various problems in different areas of the body, and in the skin these can lead to pimples and acne breakouts. Keeping the skin, the largest organ in the body, clear is only too important. Zinc helps to keep the skin clear and healthy and prevent the build-up of these toxins and free radicals, therefore being proactive and helping to prevent acne breakouts altogether.

Zinc is also proactive in the way that it regulates the oil glands. Although what exactly causes pimples is not known, it is known that the sebum excreted from the oil glands plays a big part in the formation of the pimples. Proper oil regulation can lead to fewer and smaller pimples and helps to prevent them from spreading once they do occur. The advantage here is clear and shows why Zinc can help to stop acne before it starts.

Once acne has occurred, Zinc is extremely important due to it being involved in healing tissue and preventing scarring. Those nasty acne scars that result from acne can be healed and prevented when proper amounts of Zinc are present in the body. Acne causes numerous problems and damages the skin in many ways and Zinc helps to heal this damage and keep the scarring to a minimal level.

Zinc also promotes a healthy immune system and helps in the healing of wounds, to top it off. A healthy immune system also lends a hand to preventing acne and Zinc helps to maintain that healthy immune system in a variety of ways. This is just icing on the cake for those who decide to take Zinc to help with their acne since taking Zinc will also make their immune systems that much healthier and perform that much better.

As is readily seen, the advantages of Zinc in the body, both in how it is necessary to fight and prevent acne and due to it being active in maintaining a healthy immune system, are numerous. A Zinc deficiency can be a leading cause of acne and therefore it is necessary for anyone looking to prevent future acne breakouts to look to consume healthy amounts of Zinc each and every day.

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The Power of Stretching

Stretching gives one the ability to have explosive power available at one’s fingertips without the need to warm up. Of course most of us are not martial artists or agents. But, you’ll be happy to The Power of Stretchingknow there are plenty of other benefits.

Your muscles ache from a good stretch. This is quite normal and is part of the process. Stretching has seemingly been with us and particular with athletes since the beginning of time.

A very key point to good stretching is to hold the stretch for at least seventeen seconds. This is a pearl of wisdom gleaned from a ballet teacher a few years back. She said that any stretch under 17 seconds was just not effective.

The Power of Stretching

The 17 second rule is exceeded in the high intensity Bikram’s yoga where stretches are held for about 30 seconds. Don’t forget the high level of heat that is used in Bikram’s to extract that last little bit of stretch out of your muscles. An interesting twist that is not necessary to gain benefits from stretching. But, it can’t hurt, right?

So what kind of benefits can you expect from stretching? That’s an easy one. Have you ever seen the movie, Blood Sport? Did you know that Frank Dux could truly stretch his body to the extreme. The actor that played him was quite elastic as well.

Great elasticity is also something you might see in well trained Spetsnaz(Russian)agents. They often work out with Russian kettlebells too. They are for superior strength gains and the ability to withstand ballistic shocks.

Why are stretching and flexibility considered important to these people? Stretching gives one the ability to have explosive power available at one’s fingertips without the need to warm up. Of course most of us are not martial artists or agents. But, you’ll be happy to know there are plenty of other benefits.

Let me give you an example. After learning to sit in the full lotus position for long periods of time, my ankles became very flexible. One day I was walking along and my left foot fell into a pothole. This mishap pushed my ankle sideways to about 90 degrees from it’s normal position.

Amazingly, this didn’t even hurt, not one bit. If my ankle hadn’t been so flexible, I may have suffered a sprained ankle. At the very least, it would have hurt for days.

Key point: stretching helps us to avoid injuries. Not only that but if you do have a muscle, tendon or ligament injury it should heal faster, theoretically speaking.

Stretching actually grows the ligaments, tendons and muscles being stretched. They really grow longer over time.

Check with your physician before undertaking any type of exercise, including stretching.

PS: Stretching can be part of an overall fitness program including proper nutrition. Here is more information on sports nutrition.

What You Should Know About The Causes Of Low Blood Pressure

There are many different possible causes of low blood pressure. It is critical to isolate the cause.The Causes Of Low Blood Pressure

When someone talks of blood pressure problems, in most cases they refer to issues of high blood pressure. But low blood pressure is also a fairly common condition and it needs attention.

Causes Of Low Blood Pressure

What are the causes of low blood pressure? It turns out there are quite a few of them.

Unearthing the causes of hypotension is important because they have to be dealt with before treating the clinical conditions of low blood pressure.

Anti-hypertensive drugs are one possible cause. If someone with high blood pressure continues to take such drugs without adequate supervision, it can result in a buildup of the drug in the body which can cause blood pressure to drop below acceptable levels.

That is why patients on beta-blockers must be monitored closely to ensure that they do not end up with adverse effects like hypotension.

Diuretic medications can cause this problem if the drugs are overused. In fact, they can lower blood pressure to dangerous levels if not taken correctly.

Cardiac problems can, of course, cause low blood pressure. Problems like tricuspid regurgitation, which is a valve-related issue, can result in the condition.

Traumas such as severe burns can lower blood pressure drastically. Burns affect the permeability of blood vessels which triggers the problem. Heat stroke is another possible cause of lowered pressure because it disrupts the fluid mechanism in the body.

Inflammation to organs like the pancreas may result in hypotension. So can respiratory problems like pneumothorax, as well as dysentery and other severe gastro intestinal problems.

Patients on nitrate medication may have a tendency to suffer from this condition. This is particularly true if they consume alcohol. For this reason, doctors usually advice against alcohol consumption when the patient takes nitrate drugs.

In reality, what constitutes low blood pressure often depends on the patient. There is a fine line between healthy low pressure and clinical hypotension.

As you can see, there are many possible causes of low blood pressure. Your health care giver’s judgment is crucial in deciding if you have hypo tension and what treatment it requires.

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Why Walking is the New Running

There is a word that most overweight people dislike, it is a word that turns people off and Why Walking is the New Runningmakes their mind switch to another channel to avoid thinking about it.

Unfortunately it is a key part to weight reduction and something that when done correctly can be the cause of your success.

The word is……………..

Exercise!

Why Walking is the New Running

Now stay with me here, switch your mind back on to what I am saying stay, in this same frame.

The reason most overweight people do not like the ‘E’ word is because they have set up in their mind that in equals pain and like most people they will do anything to avoid pain. There is a better way and you can find the better way when you begin to understand that there are different ‘types’ of exercise (hey, don’t disappear – stay with me now)

At the lowest level there are 2 forms of exercise, these are;

· Aerobic

and

· Anaerobic

Aerobic exercise causes your heart and muscles to work very hard, pumping blood round your body at a high rate to get the oxygen to the muscles in order for them to keep working.
A side effect of this is that it produces acid in your muscles, lactic acid to be precise. It is this lactic acid that causes you muscles to stiffen up after you have finished, causing you pain. Lactic acid also stays in your system for a long time as your body finds it hard to break it down. If your body cannot break the acid down it wraps it up and stores it as fat!

The main type of aerobic exercise that people do on a regular basis is running, yes this helps build fitness but if you want to reduce your weight you can only concentrate on building fitness once you get down to a sufficient weight.
What you should concentrate on to start with is reducing your weight and nothing else, fitness comes later.

This is where anaerobic exercise comes in.

Anaerobic exercise causes the heart to work harder than normal which still pushes the blood and oxygen around the body but does not work the muscles as hard and therefore does not create lactic acid.
Further more anaerobic exercise helps in releasing stored fat and acid and helps it into the waste system so that the body can get rid of it. Remember you cannot ‘burn’ off your weight. The phrase ‘burning off calories’ is a myth!

The weight you get rid of has to leave your body somehow and it is through your waste system that this happens.

So, what is the best form of anaerobic exercise? I hear you ask

Well, as the title of this article suggests it is walking.

My suggestion to you is that you walk for 1 ½ hours at least 3 times per week and that should be broken down into the following;

· 15 minutes warm up walking at a pace slightly faster than your normal walking pace
· 60 minutes walking at a high pace that gets your heart pumping
· 15 minutes warm down walking at your normal walking pace.

If you cannot manage that to start with find your own level and start there and slowly build up to this level.

Remember the warm up and warm down though as this is vital.

Enjoy your walking.

Yours truly,

Graham Nicholls

PS: Are you interested in losing weight? Click here to check out my story how I lost 40 lbs.