Naturally Purify Indoor Air

People spend around 90 percent of their lives indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Unfortunately, indoor air quality is sometimes two to five times more polluted than the air outside. Poor air quality in the home and office can result in people developing health conditions like Sick Building Syndrome. Indoor air quality can be improved with natural methods for air purification, such as using plants and crystals as air purifiers.

Air quality in the home

Many factors can contribute to poor air quality in the home. People smoking indoors, using products with chemicals, and allowing moisture buildup that breeds mold all reduce indoor air quality. Chemicals from paint, household cleaning products, and detergents cause indoor pollution when they evaporate. Allergens, germs and toxic gases like formaldehyde enter the home from outside or are carried in, which creates a need to purify the air.

Top 5 plants for clean air

Plants absorb carbon dioxide and emit clean oxygen. Some plants also purify the air. NASA conducted a study to determine the best plants for air purification. The research document stated that "house plants can purify and rejuvenate air within our houses and workplaces, safeguarding us all from any side effects connected with prevalent toxins such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and also benzene."

The top five plants to clean air according to the study include:

• Areca palm

• Lady palm

• Bamboo palm

• Rubber plant

• Janet Craig dracaena

Including these plants around the home make the air cleaner and add a natural touch to improve decor. However, adding plants for clean air is not going to eliminate dust or pollen.

Salt crystal lamps for air purification

Salt crystal products help to reduce airborne irritants, allergens, and pathogens, such as fungi and bacteria. Salt crystal lamps consist of a crystallized salt structure with a light inside. Salt crystal candles are also available.

Salt naturally attracts water. Salt crystal lamps pull water vapor out of the air, which means it attracts things like pollen that are floating around in the air as well. When the water vapor, plus hitchhikers like pollen, hit the crystal structure, the salt dissolves the vapor. Turning salt crystal lamps on improves the air purification process because the lamp creates heat, but they work even when turned off.

Salt crystal products are generally small, but are sold in various sizes to fit different indoor areas.

Ventilation for good air quality in the home

Another important strategy to purify the air is proper ventilation. Opening windows, adding exhaust fans and installing well functioning exhaust systems in appliances helps to carry pollutants outside.

Ventilating homes also reduces moisture levels. Too much moisture indoors contributes to mold, a major problem for indoor air quality.

Risks of poor indoor air quality

Poor air quality in the home can lead to health issues. Allergens such as pollen, dander and dust can cause unpleasant allergic reactions. Cigarette smoke in the home leads to serious and potentially fatal complications, even from secondhand smoke.

Toxic gases like formaldehyde may lead to a range of issues. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen, yet is found in glues, insecticides, carpet, and wood materials in the home or office. It is also in cigarette smoke. Breathing in formaldehyde may cause rashes, coughing, and irritation of the throat, nose and eyes. People with asthma are particularly sensitive to formaldehyde.

Improving air quality in the home and other indoor areas can cut back on health problems. Clean air also smells fresher and feels less stuffy, which creates a more welcoming environment.

Victory Garden

Occupy organic vegetable gardens - Rebirth of the Victory garden

A wonderful article by Natural News. Start your own Victory Garden!
During World Wars I and II, private citizens were encouraged to plant Victory gardens in an effort to support the war effort and take the strain off the food industry, providing more food for citizens living at home. Little gardens popped up all over the country and they were called Victory gardens because people envisioned a victorious end to strife, sadness and hardship. Victory gardens in the U.S. produced a staggering 40% of the food supply. The Victory garden campaign resulted in 5 million gardens tended by over 20 million Americans, providing over $1.2 billion in food by the end of WWII.

Victory gardens were planted on every available plot of land -- whether postage-stamp sized or covering several acres. The gardening campaign took the country by storm, with people being empowered by raising their own fresh, organic (because there wasn't anything else back then) fruits and vegetables; coupled with the hope of victory over adversity and better times to come.

Recently, a renewed interest in creating organic home vegetable gardens has arisen in the U.S., especially with the advent of genetically modified (GM) seeds and foods taking over shelves in grocery stores across the country. Gardens of all kinds are sprouting and flourishing in containers, on backyard fences, on decks, pallets and even in the earth. Many of the new gardens are being grown with organic, heirloom seeds to avoid the suspicious pitfalls of GM seeds. Creative methods of watering and fertilizing complement new garden ideas.

What's all the excitement about? The concept of victory over adversity in an economy that has broken millions of citizens and torn apart age-old communities still straining with the burden of war, has again reared its hopeful head from under the trash heap of discarded junk food and processed packages of chemicals and crap.

Backyard gardens promise natural foods that fortify and nurture the body and the earth; along with the freedom to choose what to plant and what to eat -- offering a new version of an old way of living.

How to occupy your vegetable garden

How can you participate in this grassroots side of the occupy movement? Plant a garden! Even if you only have a small patio hanging 30 floors above street level in the middle of a smog-filled city, get a few containers and some good dirt and plant organic heirloom seeds to grow tomatoes and herbs.

Learn about companion planting for natural pest control. Companion planting not only helps manage insects and other bothersome critters; it's a platform for planting seeds that help each other grow stronger and increases overall yields.

Compost, compost, compost. Throw your garden and cooking leftovers (fruits and veggies only, please) in an organic, bio-degradable compost pile and make your own dirt.

Teach your kids how to garden and grow their own food so they don't have to be dependent on the corrupt system.

If you don't want to garden yourself, offer some of your property to your neighbors for a community garden. Help them buy supplies in trade for some of the bounty they grow on your land.

Learn about biodynamic gardening, organic composting, heirloom seeds, raised beds, vertical gardening, natural irrigation methods, rain water collection and ideal areas for planting and pasturing fruit trees.

It doesn't take much to plant seeds in your garden. It's your right to choose what you put on your dining table and in your mouth, Plant a Victory garden and occupy your vegetable patch with earthly delights -- big or small. Add real fruits and vegetables to your diet and put health back into your life.

Love

Dr. Oz: What I've Learned About Love

By Guest Contributor Paulette Cohn for eHarmony Advice

What a wonderful interview! I couldn't agree with him more. Never prevent your partner from growing! 

---

We first met Mehmet Oz, M.D. when Oprah Winfrey introduced him on her talk show in 2004. He quickly became a regular, providing America with much-needed information on medical issues and personal health. What made him so special was the fact that he was able to keep us tuned in, even when he introduced gross topics that we didn't want to think about, much less watch on television.

It was this special ability to win the trust of TV viewers that landed him his own show. In 2009, his weekday "The Dr. Oz Show" premiered, and has since taken over many of the coveted spots in which Oprah used to air. With his Monday through Friday format, the two-time Emmy-winning talk show host of the Emmy-award winning "The Dr. Oz Show" and professor and vice chair of surgery at Columbia University has been able to tackle a plethora of issues, including the latest information on weight loss, heart health, anti-aging, cancer, diabetes, fitness and much more.

But there is another side to America's favorite doctor: husband and father of four. Dr. Oz has been married to wife Lisa since 1985. In a recent article in Spirituality and Health Magazine, he writes -- along with Lisa -- that he has found inspiration for his family life in the ideas of Swedish philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg, who believed that true marriage lasts for eternity. With that said, who better than Dr. Oz to ask for opinions on the subject of love.

eH: Do you think there is a connection between health and love?

Dr. Oz: I think that love adds years to your life and it's well documented that married people and people in long-term commitments live longer. We don't know why this is. I do know that as a surgeon, a heart needs a reason to keep beating. The short answer is yes, love and health are mysteriously and inextricably linked.

eH: What do you love most about your life now?

Dr. Oz: I love that my family is healthy, happy and growing.  Secondly, I love that I hear from viewers that they learn something from the show or one of my books that helps them in some way. We get a lot of mail and moving letters. It's a great privilege to be a teacher in such a large forum.

eH: Is it more important to be loved or to love?

Dr. Oz: It's more important to give love. That is the healthier expression. Of course, it's great to receive love as well, but when you love someone, there is a spiritual centeredness that is very healthy and rewarding. Also, to truly love you must be able to forgive, and that is the healthiest of all.

eH: What is the hardest thing about love?

Dr. Oz: The hardest part is understanding and adapting to how you both change. People never stay the same -- no relationship is static. You start out on chemical autopilot -- the dopamine and oxytocin take over. Once that wears off, your lives have progressed, you are different people, often at different growth rates and even in different directions. Expect that, embrace that, and acknowledge it. Don't fear it. Leave space in between for the both of you to grow.

eH: When would you say was the first time you really found love?

Dr. Oz: Like everyone, I had teenage relationships that were very affectionate and intense -- but real love was not in my life until I met my wife Lisa. Marriage is an entirely different level of love.

eH: What does love mean to you now versus 10 years ago?

Dr. Oz: Ha! Great question and in ten years I will have an even different explanation! At present, the definition of love is looking out for one another's growth…helping each other achieve life's dreams. What else is there?

eH: How do you know if someone is THE ONE?

Dr. Oz: You don't, and you shouldn't focus on that.  Instead focus on whether you are THE ONE. You have more work to do on yourself than you think. The strange truth is that there is no perfect mate out there, only someone who is going to understand you more than someone else and adapt to your growth. Focus on your own character defects, and concentrate on being the right person -- with all the qualities it takes to enter a relationship -- and that mate will appear in your life, only you'll be ready to step up and go forward.

eH: What do you think one needs in a partner to make the relationship successful?

Dr. Oz: It helps if you see things similarly. Another strange truth is that you can actually fall for many, many people and they can love you back. It has no bearing on the success of the relationship. A relationship involves challenges, disagreements, boredom, sickness, broken promises, and a lot of other inconvenient truths that people mistakenly feel shouldn't happen. These are normal and natural and you get through them if you have a similar outlook, similar values, and if you have a similar way of coping with life's absurdities. That, and of course a good sense of humor.

eH: What advice would you give to those struggling with self-love – and those who are still looking for love?

Dr. Oz: I teach self love on my show virtually every day. If I could change one thing, it would be to teach people to love themselves more. You just have to keep repeating it to yourself until you believe it. You have to reach deep inside and decide you are worth it.

eH: Did becoming a father deepen your ability to love?

Dr. Oz: There is nothing comparable to the attachment you feel to your children and then to watch them grow up and make their way in the world. It's the most beautiful thing a person can be blessed to experience -- and of course it's terrifying and exhausting and it breaks your heart, but that's what you sign up for. I am so fortunate that Lisa and I have been blessed with four kids -- all very different from one another.

The thing about parenting -- you realize it's not about you any longer. There is a selflessness that is kind of forced into the equation. You find patience you didn't know you had, you find that you want to be a better person to set a better example. It's profound. 

eH: How do you think being a public figure has affected your ability to find love and be loved?

Dr. Oz: This may sound corny but I truly love my audience. I love anyone with the courage to sit and listen and want to find better health because they know they are worth it. I love when people reveal personal or embarrassing things because they know it will help others. I think it's shown me that people are generally good -- much more than we realize. People are kind, they are compassionate. I have found enormous goodness in humanity. When you are a public figure you have the wonderful privilege of seeing the absolute best in people. I have a new faith in the goodness of humanity, and I am better for it. If you give people the chance to surprise you, they always will.

What is My Purpose?

The last few posts I focused on inner health as opposed to outer health choices, and today (on my Birthday) I wanted to post a very special post.  A video that held so much meaning for me, that I feel everyone should hear and in turn be affected by, in a positive way.  It's a common question we ask ourselves in any journey we take in our lives; "What is my purpose?" It's been a long time coming, but I have finally found so many answers to questions I have often asked myself within what Teal shares with us, and finally my life is making sense to me...I'm realizing that things I already knew are being confirmed, and in simple words life is sweeter:)

Are you Following your Bliss? 

Following your Passions?

Following your Dreams?

Following Joy?

Happy?

The purpose of your life is Finding Joy.

Go in the direction of what you see as Bliss.

It’s really the only true motivation for anything…all choices…ultimately we understand that “joy” is our purpose, and do things that we think will bring us joy, even if it’s not in line with source (such as pursuing a career we think will make us happy because it has a potential to make us a lot of money).  And if we were to go in the direction of joy each day, thinking thoughts which felt good to think, going in the direction of what feels good to go in the direction of…there would be none of these heinous acts that you see committed.  If we really made that the priority, we would be doing what we were intended to do here.  

If you believe passion isn’t the purpose in life, there’s a good chances you have sacrificed too much in your life. Passion is your indication that you are doing the appropriate thing. That’s why your purpose can be no different than what you find passionate.  It’s because you physically in this body are the physical expression of your source self.  So, what are your passions?  Mine in no particular order include health, art, inspiration, travel, experiencing new cultures/ideas, comforting/helping others, gardening…

Passion is the biochemical feeling that happens when you are in inline with your true self (source self), your higher purpose.   You feel the passion when the energy flows freely through you inline of your purpose.  This happens when you are thinking thoughts that are in line with your true self which feel good to think that’s your indication that you are in line with your higher purpose and true self and thus all that energy is flowing through you and that’s received to the biochemical model of your body as passion.  That’s why passion and joys are indications of what you were meant to be doing.

Your purpose in terms of what you were meant to do will literally fall in your lap as a byproduct of you following your joy.  Evolution in general is a byproduct of following joy. 

How do we lose this puzzle piece?

When we’re children (which is the way this 3 dimensional reality was designed, it was designed to be a place of contrast, meaning you come down here and through the experience of lack of freedom you give rise to the idea of what freedom is. But in this model you come down to this family, and they have all these values. Which they try to instill on you, society in general does this, this is happening in multiple levels every day.  Let’s say a child is playing with a puzzle.  The second that the parent says to the child “that’s not where this puzzle piece goes, this puzzle piece goes here”, you are pulling the child sideways of their own movement and own direction.  It is incredibly easy, even with the best parents on this planet, to be directed away from your own energetic direction, where you were meant to be going.  And if we start caring what other people think more than we care about staying in line with what feels good to us, then suddenly we’re living a life according to what other people’s values and other people’s beliefs and other people’s direction, and not our own.  So that’s how we lose track of where we are going, and life becomes one of effort.

So, finding your purpose is really a matter of taking the risk of caring how you feel.  Taking the risk of following what feels good.    That means changing all aspects of your life, if need be, maybe what feels good is getting rid of that career you just spend 8yrs to achieve.  We have to be willing to take the risk to go in the direction of what feels good if we want to find what our true purpose is, if we want to live in health at all…because if you’re not living in line with your purpose, then you don’t have enough energy flowing through your physical body for you to say in a space of heath. 

It’s interesting that some people play their lives very carefully, and in doing so it’s like they’re all here in this life where they continue to go in the direction of arranging it so they arrive at death safely. 

Your purpose is not going to express itself in what you are going to get, and what you achieve.  Your purpose is going to express itself in what gift you have to give to this world, because a gift is an expression.   You in this physical life are an expression of your source self.   So that source self of yourself that projected itself here in the first place had an original intention.  Free will is pervasive, so you have a choice whether to stay in line with that original intention or not.  Your purpose will always be, in the form of, What Am I Meant to Express Here On This Planet.  That can be a daily thing, a monthly thing, or a lifelong thing.   You may have a huge purpose; in terms of I’m meant help during this shift to raise consciousness, but your purpose could be as simple as, I’m meant to do this art piece today.  Your purpose could be moment to moment, day by day.  So if you’d like to be in line with your purpose day by day basis, so your larger purpose falls in your lap, you have to take the risk to follow your joy and ask yourself day by day, what is trying to express itself through me today? By doing that, you will end up “doing” what you are meant to be doing here.

So I hope you can all have the courage to do that:)

Teal's Principal Teachings

A synopsis of Teal's principal teachings...

what wonderful words to live by:)

Turning a year older today, I hope to remember these principles and live an even happier more fulfilled life!

---

• The governing truth of this universe is that of oneness.
• There is no such thing as that which is “other” than you.
• This Physical reality is not static.  It is that of “vibrating” energy.
• You have an unbreakable connection with your higher self; the eternal, incorporeal portion of you, which is part of that which you call "God".
• You are a physically manifested portion of your higher self.
• Developing the skill of communication with your higher self is a key ingredient to living the happy, thriving life that you intend to live.
• The physical body and physical world is a very small portion of what is “real”.  They are in fact only the product of consciousness and energy.
• You create the reality you live in.
• You create your reality with your attention and focus of thought.
• There is no such thing as a negative circumstance which is bad enough that it prevents a person from eventually achieving happiness and health.
• Death in terms of annihilation is impossible.  You are of eternal and infinite nature.  Physical life is just a temporary expression of the eternal you.
• We make the choice to manifest into the physical dimension and withdraw from the physical dimension many times. Therefore, your lives have been many.
• Worth can not be lost or gained.
• Emotions can be used like a compass, they are also the result of your resonance or discord with your higher self.
• Everything you want is achieved by finding consistent energetic resonance with your higher self. This is accomplished by making "bliss" the goal of each moment of your life.
• That which you see as negative, does not have to be an enemy to your life.  It is an invaluable component of the evolution of all that is.
• The thoughts you are thinking do not have to be the default byproduct of what you are observing in your external reality.  They can be consciously chosen, at which point your external reality will re assemble to match them.
• Your body is continually changing and being created by your thoughts. No part of your body is “set in stone”. Your thoughts are even directing your DNA.
• This universe is orchestrated by what has recently been called "the law of attraction".
• This universe is multidimensional.
• Evolution of self and of all that is, is the inevitable by product of living.
• Every particle of matter within this universe contains at all times two aspects…The presence of that thing, and the absence of that very same thing.
• Self love is the root from which all positive creations grow.
• There is no such thing as a source of evil or malevolence within this universe because there are not two types of energy within the universe. The universe is made up of positively charged energy.  What we call “evil” is just the absence or prevention of that positively charged energy.
• You are in the physical, in this body, because you chose to be.
• There is no limit to what you can be, do or have.
• Everything that exists in a person’s external reality is the mirrored manifestation of what is present within their internal reality.  Therefore, self awareness and self mastery are not only the key components to living life the way you intended to live it, they are also a principal route to happiness.
• There are two types of truth in this universe, Objective (universal) Truth and Subjective (individual) Truth.
• Freedom is a universal truth of both physical and non physical.
• Free will and destiny are peacefully coexisting truths of life.
• Love is the basis for all physical and non physical being.

Being Happy

15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy

What a wonderful list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier:) We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. We're all guilty of these at some point in our lives.  Let that stop today!  Make today the day you start to give up on all those things that no longer serve you, and you will embrace change and new levels of happiness. Ready? Here we go:

1. Give up your need to always be right

There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong...I know I can name a few people in my life like this lol – wanting to always be right, having the last word, refusing to admit when they are wrong etc. – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

2. Give up your need for control

Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.  This is something I needed to work on when reading harsh comments people leave on wonderful youtube videos. I would have an extreme urge to put them in their place and tell them to learn some manners, but practice the self control and just let them be. After all it would be an endless pointless conversation in that scenario.

“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu

3. Give up on blame

 Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.  This changed my life dramatically when I consciously brought this into my life. We always look for excuses, and I have so many people in my life who I love dearly who do this and all I can do is just think to myself if only they could just see things as they are and take control back by not letting others have the power over them and let things be without blame, they'd be so much happier.

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk

 Oh my...the root of Most self-esteem issues...guilty. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that!  I adopted this concept many years ago, and work on it Daily...it's life changing.
“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle

5. Give up your limiting beliefs

about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!  I have a very open mind, and I live in bliss because of it:)  It opens me up to experience new things, new feelings, new understandings...the moment you think you know it all is when you stop learning.
“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle

6. Give up complaining

 Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. You don't realize how true that is until you sit in a room with someone who will talk your ear off about everything negative going on, compared to sitting in a room with someone sharing how much they love life. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.  One of my longest held coping mechanism that has helped me through tough times is adding a silver lining to Everything. It works! Even if you can't see it right away, know it's there and review it at a later date. Not to say issues should never be addressed...but complaining is a whole new level.

7. Give up the luxury of criticism

Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. This is something that has never been an issue with me, but I do have an issue when others do it.  We are All different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood and accepted. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.  But we shouldn't take those rights away from others by putting them down for their differences...we just shouldn't.

8. Give up your need to impress others

Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.  Not only that but you will attract the right people into your life. The worst thing you could do is pretend to be something your not, attract those who want that "false you" only to discover they want something you're not...and in that case they're just not a good match for your life. Such a waste of time when you already have so much uniqueness to share! Even if you don't realize it:)

9. Give up your resistance to change

 Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. I'm a Huge believer in change and growth. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.  When choosing a life partner make sure they embrace the fact that you will grow and change in your lifetime, don't let Anyone hold you back from this! You have one life to live on this planet, don't hold back.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell

10. Give up labels

 Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand, as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open.  You will discover the world is so much more interesting when you open your mind up to the strange, weird and incomprehensible...don't judge, experience! We're all Human at the end of the day...at least all humans are:p “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer

11. Give up on your fears

Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.  Use it as a tool...we fear snakes because we think all snakes will bite us, understand them and you can learn to love them. We fear speaking in public because we think people will judge us, but remove that fear and it's no longer an issue holding us back. Look fear in eyes and use it, let it mark your challenges to concur, don't let it hold you back!
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

12. Give up your excuses

Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use.  "I Can't" is really saying I'm not willing to try.  Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.  Believe you can achieve anything you want in your life, and deserve everything you desire and don't make excuses to hold you back from accomplishing them.

13. Give up the past

I know, I know. It’s hard. I struggle with this as well. It goes for the bad things And the good things.  Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have at any given moment. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. Your life could end tomorrow, could you have made today a happier one for yourself?  Replace could with "Should".  Live every day happy and fulfilled, filled with positive energy.  After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.

14. Give up attachment

This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another,  attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.  If you have a favorite object that gets stolen, it may devastate you, but accept the detachment and still love the item, but don't let its location rule your state of mind.

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations

Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves.  You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.  I did years ago, but today I live each day according to my own expectations, according to what truly makes Me happy as bizarre and odd as actions and thoughts may be to others...and following the 14 previous points listed above this one becomes easier to do!

Self Worth/Self Esteem

Teal Scott is an extrasensory, esoteric who writes and teaches about spirituality, the meaning of life, and the road to health and happiness. She is part of the first 1980's wave of Indigo Children.

Teal discusses Self Worth/Self Esteem.
Worth is inherent. You... As an extension of source energy are born and die with the same amount of worth and the same inherent potential which can not be added to or taken away from. You can think of worth like an eternal light which can't be turned off or turned brighter. It can simply be obscured or allowed to shine by what's in front of it.
A talent would be an example of something put in front of worth which allows it to shine. A fault may be seen as something put in front of worth which prevents it from shining.
In this episode, Teal explains how one would go about finding their own self worth and self esteem and reminds us all that none of us need to justify ourselves or our lives to anyone...not even to ourselves.
She reminds us that no matter who you are or what you have done in this life, you are wonderful and unique and most of all...you are ENOUGH.

Body Voltage

I wanted to do another blog about Earthing because I was so excited to have the opportunity to get my body voltage measured, and indeed the mats I use at my computer and sleep on have proven to work!  It was very exciting for me to discover this (not that I had a single doubt in my mind). 

A few weeks ago I went to an Eco Living Expo in a near by city, and at the event I had my body voltage measured. My 5 year old nephew had his measured first, followed by my 3 year old niece, both ranging in the mid 30s. When it was my turn I rated 45 mv!  I thought at first, aww that's probably not great because the 2 before me were in the 30s, but I clearly had no idea how it was measured. The lady replied to my sigh with a "what do you weigh 30lbs!? that's excellent!" It wasn't until we left the booth that it all clicked with me that what i just measured was a result of using the grounding mat. 

Below is an article by Dr. John Briffa, he also shares his experience with Earthing.  Now that the weather is warming up, I will definitely be spending more time outside connecting with the Earth:)

‘Earthing’ or ‘grounding’ has been getting a lot of attention of late in certain communities, so about a week ago I decided to take a look. Here, in summary is what I’ve learned.

What is ‘earthing’?

Earthing is the practice of connecting the body with earth by touching skin to a conductive material such as grass (preferably wet), wet sand, a river, lake or sea.

Why would you want to do that?

When the body loses contact with the earth it can carry a positive voltage relative to the Earth. Some people believe this is not good for health and wellbeing. Earthing the body returns the voltage to zero which is, supposedly better for us.

Is there any ‘science’ to it?

Actually, yes. First of all, some theory…

During the normal processes of metabolism the body generates what are called ‘reactive oxygen species’ which are commonly referred to as ‘free radicals’. These compounds appear to be important, at least in part because they have the ability to attack and destroy unwanted things within the body including bacteria and viruses. However, too many free radicals are a bad thing, and have been implicated in chronic disease and well as the very process of aging.

Free radicals are involved in the process known as inflammation, which is part of the healing process. However, low-grade inflammation throughout the body may lead to pain and other problems in the muscles and joints, and is also believed to be a key driving factor in many chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In short, we want free radicals, but not too many.

 

Free radicals lack sparks of energy known as ‘electrons’. One way to quell them is to give them electrons, and these can be supplied by nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E, and plant substances known as ‘polyphenols’ (found in, among other things, tea, coffee, cocoa and apples). However, substances we eat and drink are not the only way to get electrons into the body: earthing does this too. If the body has a positive charge on it, earthing allows electrons to flow into the body where, in theory, they can neutralise overblown free radical and inflammatory damage.

Carrying a positive charge may well affect the body in lots of different ways, which means that earthing may offer a range of wellbeing benefits.

Any studies?

There is indeed some evidence that earthing can help people. For example, in one study earthing was studied in 60 people suffering form sleep disturbances and chronic muscle and joint pain for at least six months [1]. Subjects were randomly divided for the month-long study in which both groups slept on earthed mattresses. Half the pads were properly earthed and the other half while the other half were “sham” grounded (not actually earthed).

Most grounded subjects described symptomatic improvement while most in the control group did not. Some subjects reported significant relief from asthmatic and respiratory conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, and hypertension while sleeping grounded. Here’s a table which summarizes the results:

Other ‘blinded’ experiments have found earthing can induce significant changes in a range of objective parameters including heart rate, brainwave activity and skin conductance. You can access a pdf of a review article about earthing by clicking the following link earthing review article.

My own personal experience (Dr. John Briffa)

I decided to give earthing a try.

First some background: On 3rd January this year I vaulted over a high gate and landed on some steps the other side, twisting my right ankle as I did this. I’ve had pain in this ankle ever since. Not enough to stop me walking, but running has been out of the question. Rushing down the stairs (as I like to do) has also been quite uncomfortable. I’ve also had a pain in the top of my left foot. Not sure when this started, but I first noticed it at least several weeks ago.

My earthing experiment started with me sitting with my bare feet on damp grass on 14th April. I lasted 20 minutes. Later in the day I noticed that the pain in my left foot and ankle had disappeared completely (and they have not returned since).

Another odd thing is that for the preceding few days I had been brewing an ingrowing toenail on my right big toe. I used to get these a lot when I younger, but they’ve been rarer since I’ve gotten older. The normal course for these is to get steadily worse over several days and then I’d perform a bit of DIY surgery (don’t ask) to relieve the issue. The morning after my first earthing escapade, I noticed that my ingrowing toenail had utterly resolved on its own.

That day I put my bare feet on the grass again, this time for 30 minutes. And then some earthing kit that I’d ordered arrived in the post and I’ve been using ever since (primarily an earthing mat which I put my feet on when I work).

OK, so the near miraculous resolution of my foot and ankle troubles could have been due to a lovely placebo response. I’m comfortable with this, if that’s the case (though I’ll never know). But one of my experiences I think points away from the improvement being purely placebo: For several months now I’d also had a niggly pain in my left elbow which is most noticeable when I wake up. While my ankle and foot pain (and ingrowing toenail) resolved, my elbow pain did not. This does not in any way disprove my foot/ankle improvement was not a placebo response, but the likelihood of it being placebo is diminished by the experience with my elbow I think.

Further reading

One of the biggest proponents of earthing is Clint Ober. He’s co-authored a book (Earthing – the most important health discovery ever?) which is worth a look for those who want to dig deeper and learn more. (I have personally read it, and it's what caught my full attention last summer about getting grounded...I was so happy to have received this book free from where I bought my Earthing mats:)

References:

1. Ober C. Grounding the human body to neutralize bio- electrical stress from static electricity and EMF. ESD Journal January 2000.

Sleep

How to get more sleep, lose weight and gain health 

Dr. Hyman shares some great tips for a good night's sleep, and explains why it's so important to get enough, good quality sleep nightly. 

Foods not to eat & why

Great video addressing foods I too suggest Not be in a healthy diet.   

Please watch (it's under 5 minutes) to see the "whys".

1. Luncheon Meats

2. Diet Sodas

3. Margarine & Transfats

4. Shellfish - didn't explain why

5. Junk Food & High Fructose Corn Syrup

6. MSG (Mono Sodium Glutimate)

7. Chlorine & Fluoride

8. I believe drugs were the last few

Life

20 Instructions for Life by The Dalai Lama

1.Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s:

-  Respect for self,

-  Respect for others and

-  Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and

think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

20. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Center yourself

1. Do not lose sight of what truly matters. Does that clogged sink signify the end of the world? Are you going to remember or even care that the stranger you smiled at in the coffee shop didn’t smile back? When we’re having a bad day, we seem to zoom in on petty things and complain about them. Next time you’re pulling your hair out over something, ask yourself if it really matters.

2. It is okay to be alone or pull back from the world. Sometimes we just need to step back and re-evaluate a situation, a relationship, or just life in general. Don't lose sight of yourself. If you need to go into hiding for awhile and work on stitching yourself back up, take the time to do that. It is so important to pull back and spend quality time with yourself every now and then.

3. You are not always in control. You cannot predict when certain things will or should happen, or how everything will turn out. Sometimes you just have to stop pushing and let go.  Focus on all the things you are grateful for, and you will open up to realizing things aren't always as bad as they may seem at the time, in spite of you not having complete control.

4. What other people think is irrelevant. How many people are miserable slaves to the opinions of others? When you try so hard to please everyone but yourself you will lose sight of who you are, what you love and what makes you happy, and that's a great loss. Don’t allow your immediate reaction to criticism change whatever it is you’re being criticized for. Do whatever feels right to you, regardless of what other people have to say about it...as long as you are not harming others, you need to follow your own heart and act accordingly. Don't let judgment (others opinions) ruin your life.

5. Don’t give up. If you’re fighting for something that means a lot to you, do not stop fighting whenever you happen to fall short. Remember why you are fighting for it, what it's worth to you and persist in what matters.  Not all journeys are easy, the ones that are worth the most to you will have ups and downs.

6. You don’t have to know all the answers. No one ever has life all figured out.  If anyone claims to they have stopped learning and growing.  We are always learning and growing. Life itself is a mystery and it’s okay to feel clueless sometimes.

7. You are enough. All of us have had times in our lives where we have thought, “I’m not smart enough or pretty enough or strong enough or exciting enough to do _____.” Give yourself a chance instead of forming limiting beliefs. Your have as much worth today as you did the day you were born into this world...don't ever forget that. No one can take it away from you or add to it, so find comfort in this.

8. Stay present. Try not to dwell on the past ("Nothing that happened before this moment has any power over you whatsoever, except to the extent to which you carry it into this moment. Dwell in the present with full forgiveness of yourself and others, and your life will be lifted to divine right order...perfection, prosperity and peace."-- Marianne Williamson) or worry about the future. Take everything one day at a time. Grudges serve No purpose whatsoever...they only do harm, as does obsessive worry in a future that hasn't arrived yet...or living in a "what if" state of mind.

9. Your feelings will not kill you. I know that heartbreak, grief, depression, or resentment might make you feel like you’re dead and breathing, but you have the strength to get through whatever life throws at you. Hold on and see yourself through it.  Don't let emotions drive you to act in harmful ways...give yourself time to heal, and you will heal.

10. You are human. This is probably the biggest reminder of them all. You will make mistakes. You will hurt other people and other people will hurt you (intentionally or not). You won’t always feel happy and positive. Next time you feel the urge to beat yourself up over any of these things, remind yourself that you are an imperfect human being instead, and that you have control over what choices you will make from that point on.

CoQ10

The vital importance of Coenzyme Q10 for health and longevity

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring oil-soluble, vitamin-like substance which is absolutely essential for optimum health and longevity. Also known as ubiquinone, CoQ10 is found in virtually every cell in the body, primarily in cellular mitochondria, and it is a vital component of the electron transport chain which generates 95 percent of the body's energy via adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

CoQ10 is vital for the heart

Organs with the highest energy requirements - such as the heart, liver, and kidney - have the highest concentrations of CoQ10. Adequate CoQ10 is particularly vital for the cardiovascular health. It is thus ironic as well as tragic that statin drugs which are prescribed for reputed heart benefits lower CoQ10 production by up to 40%. For more information statin drug dangers, see:

http://www.naturalnews.com/035514_cholesterol_myths_heart_doctor.html

As we age, we lose much of our supply of CoQ10, particularly in the heart. At the age of 80, for example, CoQ10 levels are cut by more than half. CoQ10 benefits and protects the heart in many ways, including helping lowering high blood pressure and preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. The effectiveness and safety of CoQ10 in the treatment of congestive heart failure has been well established by numerous studies. One recent study also found that CoQ10 can improve survival after a cardiac arrest.

Other CoQ10 benefits and the dangers of CoQ10 deficiency

CoQ10 is also an important antioxidant which inhibits both the initiation and the propagation of lipid and protein oxidation. Additionally, it regenerates other antioxidants such as vitamin E. One recent study demonstrated that low doses of CoQ10 reduced oxidation and DNA double-strand breaks, and that a combination of CoQ10 and a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids leads to a longer lifespan.

Low CoQ10 levels have been observed in cancer patients, while treatment with CoQ10 has been shown to be effective against cancer. CoQ10 has also been found to be beneficial for migraine headaches and some studies have indicated that it may help provide better brain health and function.

Lack of CoQ10 can cause Rhabdomyolysis, which is the breakdown of muscle fibers that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. Myoglobin often causes kidney damage. Notably, rhabdomyolysis has often been observed in patients who take statin drugs.

Inadequate CoQ10 levels have been noted in incidences of chronic heart failure, end stage AIDS and other overwhelming illnesses.

Supplementation and food sources for CoQ10

In addition to the body, CoQ10 is also found in relatively small amounts in a wide variety of foods, with the highest amounts found in organ meats such as heart, liver and kidney, as well as beef, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. Since I consume none of this products I take a pill form daily. However other food items I may consider, with modest amounts of CoQ10 include grapeseed oil, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, parsley, spinach, sesame seeds, olive oil and avocado.

Food sources alone may not be enough for those deficient in CoQ10. To put dietary CoQ10 intake into perspective, one pound of sardines, two pounds of beef, or two and one half pounds of peanuts, provide only 30 mg of CoQ10.

Fortunately, no known toxicity or side effects have been observed in supplemental CoQ10. CoQ10 shows a moderate variability in its absorption, with some patients attaining good blood levels of CoQ10 on 100 mg per day while others require two or three times this amount to attain the same blood level.

Supplementation with CoQ10 has been studied in amounts as high as 3600 mg per day with largely only gastrointestinal side effects observed. The observed safe level (OSL) risk assessment method indicated evidence of safety is strong at intakes up to 1200 mg/day.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol vindicated for anti-aging benefits and prevention of heart disease

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I take resveratrol in my smoothies. 

Resveratrol has been a popular buzz word around the alternative health community for more than a decade, touted for its anti-aging properties and potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions at the cellular level. Found in high concentrations most commonly in the skin of red grapes and in many red wines, resveratrol is thought to mimic the positive health benefits associated with calorie restriction by up-regulating longevity genes known as SIRT's.

Scientists from the Harvard Medical School have published the result of their work in the journal, Cell Biology that demonstrates how resveratrol provides metabolic benefits as a result of directly influencing the expression of genes that affect longevity. This research confirms conclusively for the first time that the metabolic benefits of the red wine ingredient disappear in mice that lack the famed longevity gene SIRT1.

Resveratrol directly influences genetic expression to increase lifespan

Resveratrol, commonly referred to as a 'dirty molecule', has gained notoriety for its unique ability to influence or alter the genetic expression of the SIRT family of longevity genes. Researchers have discovered that the naturally occurring ingredient has other effects; it influences dozens of other proteins critical to essential metabolic functions, and some evidence had pointed to the importance of another well-known gene (called AMPK) for resveratrol's cellular benefits.

Researchers using a mouse model determined that resveratrol did not affect a group of mice that were genetically bred to 'knock-out' the SIRT gene (mice are commonly used for this type of study as they exhibit similar metabolic traits with humans). This confirmed that the grape-derived compound directly alters longevity expression in a dose dependent manner. Higher concentrations of resveratrol were found to increase the degree of genetic influence exhibited by resveratrol supplementation.

Resveratrol lowers systemic inflammation to lower heart disease risk

Further evidence documenting the importance of resveratrol to human health is provided by researchers publishing in the American Journal of Cardiology. Scientists found that cardiac patients supplemented for a period of one year with the red nutrient lowered multiple markers of inflammation (including CRP, C-reactive protein) by 26 percent, as well as reduced clotting factors associated with stroke. The researchers for this study used low doses of resveratrol (8 mg for the first six months and 16 mg for the next six months) to achieve these results.

A vocal group of naysayers constantly degrade the ever-growing evidence to support the importance of resveratrol to human well-being. There is little left to dispute, as researchers are regularly demonstrating that small amounts of resveratrol taken from diet or supplementation can benefit overall wellness and cardiovascular diseases by lowering levels of inflammation, providing antioxidant support and directly altering genetic expression to extend our healthy lifespan.

My Cleansing Routine Products

I discuss the various products I currently use in my daily cleansing routine, face wash, soap, hair care, teeth care etc.

Exercise Facts

Another Wonderful article from Health 101 that sums up exercise. A new way to look at it:) 

                              Fact or Fiction?

          "To keep fit, exercise 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week"
                                            by Don Bennett DAS

Why do we exercise? We all know it's good for our health, but have you ever thought about it? Do you exercise the way you do because you've heard that's the way it should be done? Is it possible that the current way of working out could be good for some parts of our body, but bad for others... are we doing more harm than good? Are we spending more time exercising than we need to?

Is there a healthier way to exercise?

If you exercise (or intend to exercise)
to help be fit and happy, then read on!

The Facts

In order to produce permanent physiological adaptations, our body requires a significant stimulus. This biological fact means that we need to look at three fundamental variables that govern exercise:

Intensity

Our bodies are homeostatic organisms that are very resistant to change. To stimulate adaptive changes, exercise intensity must cross a certain threshold before the body will respond. Forcing muscles to move enough resistance until movement becomes impossible, allows us to cross this threshold. And we do this by exercising to muscular failure.

Time

When intensity is high, it is physiologically impossible to workout for a long time. Doing more exercise than is minimally necessary to stimulate adaptive changes (or to maintain a proper level of fitness) drains bodily resources and compromises recovery. A properly performed workout should take no longer than 45 minutes.

Frequency

Upgrading physical fitness is a metabolically expensive process that requires sufficient time. After a "request" that adaptive changes be made, the human body needs recovery time to effect those changes, and for repair and replenishment. Exercising too often serves only to interrupt the recovery phase, further drain bodily resources, and hinders improved physical fitness. Exercising once every seven days is enough exercise to improve and maintain your level of fitness. More is not necessarily better when it comes to exercise... more is better when it comes to recovery. Think about it, since you don't know the precise moment recovery is completely finished, you will work out again either before recovery is done or after it is done. Common sense would dictate that it's better to wait until recovery is definitely finished before another intense workout is performed, which means you should be working out after you're done recovering. If you work out a few days before you should have, you will interfere with your recovery. If you work out a few days after you could have, you will not lose anything you've gained thus far.



Strength & Cardiovascular Training - Addressed In One Exercise Protocol

The popular belief is that two training methods are needed to be physically fit: working with weight for muscle strength, and aerobics for cardiovascular fitness. This is untrue. One of the biggest jobs of the cardio-pulmonary system (heart and lungs) is to service the muscles. If the cardio-pulmonary system were a retail store, the muscular system would be its biggest customer. When your muscular system works harder, the cardio-pulmonary system works harder; it's not the other way around. So, working your muscles as hard as possible will force the cardio-pulmonary system to work as hard as possible. Muscular work of sufficient intensity requires the cardio-pulmonary system to work hard to meet muscular demands, so one activity takes care of both muscular and cardio-pulmonary fitness. And that activity is strength training. Think about it, you can't exercise the cardio-pulmonary system without exercising the muscular system! So, although the fitness industry remains blind to the above facts, strength training will provide you with every exercise-related health benefit you could possibly want. Doing "cardio work" is a waste of time and physiological resources, and may actually be counterproductive.

The following fax from Dr. Philip Alexander will help
dispel the popular notion of how exercise should be done.



Monday, Sept. 27, 1999


Good Morning, John Coleman,

I happened to see your September 20th column in the Clarion-Ledger on "Superslow". I'm glad you wrote about it, and I know exactly how you feel because I was the same way until about three years ago.

For years, my colleagues and I have been telling our patients to walk, run or ride 30 minutes a session, three to five times a week. That was almost religious dogma in the cardiology world. And for 20 years I ran ten miles, four times a week.

But many of us made the observation that one of the best ways to objectively measure the aerobic benefits of endurance exercise was the HDL (cholesterol) level, and that these three activities usually had very little effect on HDL. We here are now following 29 patients on this high intensity (Superslow) protocol (17 minutes in the gym every 5th day), and 28 of the 29 have more than doubled their HDL's, mostly from the low 20's to the mid/high 50's. (Show this to your doctor and see if he knows of any drug or activity that can double HDL!)

Additionally, the post-menopausal women in the group are averaging a 1% increase in their bone mineral density monthly. (Show this also to your doctor, and ask him how this compares to Fosamax or Miacalcin.)

A patient of mine who consistently ran 20 miles, three times a week (60 miles a week - how much more "aerobic" can you get?!) had an average HDL of 36-38. For the past year, on only the program described above, his HDL averaged 56-59. (Okay, I guess you'd better show that one to your doctor also!)

I believe we are coming around to the conclusion that what was recommended for years by the medical community (30 minutes of "aerobic exercise" 3-5 times a week, getting the heart rate up to 80% max. for age, etc.) has been inadequate, and of too low an intensity level. When an activity is of sufficient intensity, and not of a certain duration or repeated a certain number of times, the body will initiate a total-body response (metabolic, HDL, glucose tolerance, blood pressure, bone mineral density, immune competency, etc.) It appears that if this level of intensity is never reached, regardless of the amount of time spent or the frequency it is repeated, the beneficial response by the body never occurs, or is at least blunted.

Also, it stands to reason that if something is done that is very intense, it can't be done for very long, or very often. Therefore, we could walk on a treadmill for an hour, and do that daily, without much problem - or gain. But an activity that is very intense, by necessity, can be done only briefly, and infrequently (to give the body time to recover, and then to compensate, which means growth). The Superslow protocol is only a means to an end; and that end is to provide exercise to the body that is intense enough to stimulate the body to make its own internal improvements.

I didn't mean for my two cents to be this long, but I thought you might like an update on how this is all working out in the real world.

Philip Alexander, M.D.
Chief of Medical Staff, College Station Medical Center, Texas A&M University College of Medicine



BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING

• Increased muscular strength to a level appropriate for human beings
• Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
• Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
• Allows improvements in posture
• Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
• Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
• Positive changes in blood cholesterol
• Improved carb metabolism, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity
• Improved bone and joint diseases
• Optimal strength, balance, and functional ability as you age
• Helps prevent an abnormally fast "aging process" at the cellular level

Tips for effective and efficient exercise:

1. Work out no more than once every seven days. (Why work out more often than that if you don't gain anything from it, and it hinders recovery and growth?) If, by necessity, it occasionally is every six or eight days, that's fine!

2. Do only one set of each exercise. Doing multiple sets is wasteful and counterproductive. Numerous research studies have shown that there are no significant differences when performing either one, two or three sets of an exercise, provided, of course, that one is done with an appropriate level of intensity.

3. Move v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y but smoothly. "Explosive" movement is not only non-productive, but also dangerous. Plus, moving slowly eliminates momentum, which ensures constant muscle loading. Make a movement last about ten seconds. (A chin-up should take about ten seconds from the lowest to the highest point, and then another ten seconds from the highest to the lowest point. Same goes for a push-up.) There is nothing to be gained from fast movements. Moving slowly prevents injury. (There are over 30 million exercise related injuries annually in this country; most of these can no doubt be attributed to high-force movement.) Keep your movements low-force and high-intensity. An analogy: If you attempt to lift your car quickly, you will likely injure yourself even if using proper form. If you try lifting it slowly and intensely, your chances of injury are nill. Think of how you drive your car over speed bumps... fast will cause damage to the car's suspension, slow will not.

4. Don't do X number of repetitions. The number of repetitions isn't the key factor - time is. Simply exercise until momentary muscular failure (when you absolutely cannot do another rep no matter how hard you try).

5. Even when you can't complete another repetition, keep trying to complete this "impossible rep". Even though you aren't moving, metabolic work is being done, and a more thorough "inroad" to muscular failure is accomplished. "Pushing to failure" signals the body to upgrade its capabilities ("adaptive response")... something it will not do unless given a good reason to.

6. If an exercise can be done for more than 90 seconds, increase the resistance so that momentary muscular failure occurs within 45 - 90 seconds (this is considered "high-intensity" exercise). If you can do sit-ups for ten minutes, the intensity is insufficient to cross that threshold mentioned above, and you're just wasting valuable physiological resources. If you can't do even one rep, reduce the resistance (i.e. if doing a push-up, change from being on your toes to on your knees, or start from the top and slowly lower yourself; if using a machine, choose a lower setting; if using free-weights, pick a lower weight; if doing a chin-up, use a chair to boost yourself up to the top, then take your feet off the chair and slowly lower yourself).

7. Movements should be over a full-range of motion for the joint(s) involved. Walking/running works muscles through a limited range of motion. Studies have shown that full-range exercise is necessary for a full-range effect.

8. Move from one exercise to another as soon as you "catch your breath"... optimally within 30 - 60 seconds.

9. Do exercises that involve multiple muscle groups, as opposed to isolating a particular muscle. Chin-ups are preferable to biceps curls with a dumbbell.

10. Work the whole body during one session. Exercising different muscles groups on different days is counterproductive. Your whole workout should take no longer than 45 minutes! (Forty-five minutes, once a week for a high level of fitness... who can't find time for that!)

11. Never hold your breath. Keep breathing as you exercise.

12. Cool down after you finish your workout. This prevents blood from pooling in your exercised muscles. Walk around, move your arms in slow circles, get a drink of water, keep moving until your breathing has returned to normal and your heart rate has slowed.

13. Stretching is useful only upon awakening from sleep... it is not necessary prior to working out. As muscles become stronger, their associated tendons and ligaments will be stretched appropriately during the actual exercise, and you will have "functional flexibility", which is all you need. Many people are over-stretching their ligaments, and this leads to joint instability, which increases the chances of injury. Unless you are engaged in martial arts, ballet, or are training for the Olympics, you do not need to consciously stretch anything prior to a workout performed as outlined here.

14. If you don't feel like working out, don't! Listen to your body. Just because it's your "scheduled day" doesn't mean you must workout. If your body is taking a little longer to recover than usual, so be it. It won't hurt you to lay off for an additional day or two; you will not lose anything you've gained. If your body isn't ready, it's better to skip days than to workout anyway. Every seven days is only a target (some people have found every eight or nine days reap the same benefits).

15. Make sure you get a good night's sleep, especially on the day you've worked out. This is crucial! Repair takes place during deep sleep. Your body normally gets a few deep sleep cycles during the night. If your alarm clock cuts short or eliminates one of these cycles, it's not a good thing. On your exercise day, you'll need to get a bit more sleep than usual; plan for it! Go to sleep a little earlier. Don't worry, after an intense workout you'll have no trouble falling asleep.

16. Make sure you stay hydrated! Even mild dehydration hampers recovery. The drink of choice? Water! And for mineral replacement, especially sodium, I make sure my diet includes various amounts of celery, romaine lettuce, and kale.

17. If you're getting a normal amount of usable protein (about one gram per five pounds of body weight), your body will require a bit more protein than usual as you increase lean muscle tissue). Uncooked protein is preferable to cooked protein (cooking denatures proteins, damaging them, and making them appear as a foreign invader to the body which can trigger an autoimmune response). A good source of protein is fruits, vegetables, and nuts. (Yes, nuts have fat too, but it's "good" fat, and your body needs fat in your diet; you can have a lean body while eating the right kinds of fat!) Give your body the additional protein as it asks for it. Listen carefully, and you'll know when. Remember, it's very difficult to get too little protein; most people get way too much, and too much protein is a cause of degenerative disease. (See Fact or Fiction: High protein diets are great for losing weight)

18. If you experience pain while working out, STOP! Although moving slowly drastically decreases the probability of injury, common sense dictates that if you feel pain, stop and try again a week later. Maybe you weren't hydrated enough, and maybe you need to reduce the resistance. And pain is not to be confused with a "burn". The expression, "No pain, no gain" is misleading. Pain is a warning to stop. A burning sensation simply means you've worked the muscle very intensely.




Points to Consider:

* Exercise isn't supposed to be fun or enjoyable (that's what recreation is for). Exercise is a means-to-an-end. It shouldn't be something you look forward to, nor should you dread doing it; it should just be part of your lifestyle... like eating or sleeping.

* Strength building exercises will improve cardio-pulmonary efficiency. The cardio-pulmonary system exists to service the musculature (among other things). You "get at" the cardio-pulmonary system through the skeletal muscles. When demands are made of the musculature which strengthen it, all systems that service the musculature will be strengthen accordingly. The cardio-pulmonary system doesn't care what exercise you do. (However, the joints, ligaments, and tendons do; and while they don't mind the occasional sprint, they'd rather you not pound them with high-force activities for hours-on-end.) If the exercise protocol outlined above results in excellent cardio-pulmonary fitness, why would you want to do more than you need to do? (And there are studies which suggest that doing more than you need is actually harmful to the heart!)
"Consider this: Dr. Kenneth Cooper (author of Aerobics, The New Aerobics, Aerobics for Women), the U.S. Air Force Cardiologist who coined the term 'aerobics" (meaning a form of exercise) and has promoted their use for over 25 years, now admits that he was wrong! According to Dr. Cooper, further research has shown that there is no correlation between aerobic endurance performance and health, longevity, or protection against heart disease. He will admit, however, that such activities do carry with them a great risk of injury. Further, he admits that gross-overuse activities such as running are damaging to the body." - Ken Hutchins, SuperSlow Exercise Guild


* The more walking, the better. It's great for stress reduction, good for digestion, and wonderful for the lymphatic system. And stick to natural-stride walking as opposed to "power-walking", but do try and walk with a "spring in your step", also called "spirited walking".

* If you're looking to control your weight, exercise is the least efficient way to do it. You'd have to run for hours to keep the cookies you ate from adding to your waistline. It's far more effective to not eat the cookies. Making fruits and vegetables a larger part of your diet will help crowd out the foods that don't offer much in the way of nutrition, and that add weight that shouldn't be there. Also, as you build lean muscle tissue, your body will lessen its fatty tissue, and your shape will change. If you're overweight, you're not trying to lose weight, you're trying to lose fat. If your goal is to look and feel great, strength building exercise will accomplish this while making you fit in the process. Doing only aerobics will not.

* After you reach your peak of development, you lose muscle tissue every day up until your death. The rate at which you lose muscle tissue significantly affects how fast you "age". Strength building exercise will slow this natural loss of muscle tissue. Would you rather age quickly or slowly? What kind of shape would you prefer to be in when you're in the Fall and Winter of your life?

* No. Strength building exercise will not make a woman look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. It will, however, reshape ones body (male and female). Toned muscle will displace fatty tissue. And with less fat and more lean tissue, you will, without a doubt, look (and feel) better.

* Exercise produces no benefits. Only the body can produce benefits. The only things exercise can produce directly are the stimulus to attain those benefits, and injury.

* Strength building is an expensive metabolic process. Although we see it as building muscle, our body is making global metabolic adaptations. It is upgrading its metabolic efficiency by synthesizing more enzymes to make metabolism more capable. This includes aerobic metabolism, anaerobic metabolism, gluconeogenesis, glycogen breakdown and transport, blood buffering agents, and of course new muscle fiber growth. All of this new synthesis is extremely metabolically expensive; that is why your body will not make these changes unless an intense stimulus is applied, and the organism is left undisturbed afterwards to make these changes.

"Train intensely, train briefly, and train infrequently - it's valid, and will work for everyone." - Mike Mentzer, trainer to Dorian Yates' (1992-97 Mr. Olympia)



For more information...

Too Much Exercise Can Damage Your Heart

Exercise for the Heart?

An article about the above technique