Fiber Supplements to Beat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
May 31, 2008
Fiber supplements can be tremendously beneficial for IBS sufferers. Although supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are generally marketed as laxatives, and are very useful for constipation sufferers, they can also be used to combat diarrhea because they add bulk to the diet and can make waste food more solid.
These supplements are not really medications ? most are simply fiber products with no added drugs or herbs, and so they can be taken long term on a daily basis without worrying about side effects. They’re just the equivalent of adding lots of fruit and bran to your diet, but without having to eat daily apples or worry about bloating from the bran.
Do check, though, that the supplement you choose is just made up of fiber and nothing more, as you will occasionally find one that has added chemical laxatives or other ingredients that can upset your stomach.
It is important to make sure you find the fiber supplement that’s right for you, as IBS sufferers often have very sensitive stomachs. Some people find that the psyllium fiber in supplements such as Metamucil can irritate their intestines, so if that happens to you try one of the methylcellulose products such as Citrucel, or other types of fiber such as acacia fiber.
Inner Awareness
May 30, 2008
Inner Awareness
by: Arthur Buchanan
What exactly is this thing we call inner awareness? Does it have anything to do with me and my family AND HOW CAN WE TELL WE HAVE GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE SUCH A THING AS INNER AWARENESS? PLEASE LET ME ASSURE YOU EVERYONE HAS INNER AWARENESS, FOR SOME PEOPLE IT IS STONGER, THAN IN OTHERS, YET NO MATTER HOW SMALL IT MAY BE, IT IS THERE.
Some will let it go so long under used that they are not sure that they even have the power anymore; rest assured they have it, yet it is now so weak that they can no longer feel it. It’s like this, now it’s like a very small weak muscle that needs to be worked its way back into shape.
Then it will be like it’s old self and be able to lift the new you out of the old lackadaisical self you used to be before you started lifting and built all those muscles up to were they are now and that is the fact that you can tell you have inner awareness and you won’t be pushed around.
Folding Vs. Non-Folding Treadmills - Whats the Real Difference?
May 29, 2008
Most people buying a treadmill will be probably be faced with the choice: “Do I want a folding or non-folding treadmill?”
Folding treadmills (also called fold-up, foldable and fold-away) are a popular choice among treadmill buyers.
But apart from the obvious reason to choose a folding treadmill (to save space) - what are the REAL differences between a folding vs. non-folding treadmill? Here’s a quick overview:
The main advantages to choosing a folding treadmill are:
- you save space - if you have a small home gym or space is at a premium, folding your treadmill up and/or wheeling it out of sight is a great option to have
- it makes cleaning easier - just fold it up and you can vacuum or clean the floor area under the treadmill easily
Because of these advantages, having a treadmill that folds is often seen as just another added feature to the treadmill - like an extra water bottle holder or a pair of handweights.
However there are also distinct advantages to buying a non-folding treadmill that might make you think twice before purchasing one that folds.
Thank God It’s 2006!
May 29, 2008
Thank God It’s 2006!
by: Dr. Rita Louise
Happy New Year and Thank God it’s 2006!
Energetically speaking, there was a huge shift in the energy on the planet in the end of October 2004; a shift that put all of us through our paces.
I’ve had clients who became very ill during the past year or had a close friend or family member suffer from some kind of intense health crisis. I’ve had clients who have lost their jobs, filed for bankruptcy, closed their businesses after years and years of service, while others lost everything they owned. I don’t know anyone who wasn’t touched by the passing of someone they knew, loved and respected - a number that seemed greater this past year than in any period before it.
And that was just in our personal lives. We watched as the tsunami hit south east Asia, killing thousands. Then there were hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and before we could even catch our breath, a huge earthquake hit the mountainous areas of India. Each of these events devastated the lives and livelihoods of thousands, if not millions, of innocent people.
School for Overweight Teens
May 28, 2008
Getting Kids Moving - Help for Overweight Teens
A residential school program for overweight teens comes with a hefty price tag (some in excess of $5,000 per month). These programs rely on the same formula for weight loss as is commonly recommended; strict eating guidelines and increased activities. In other words, better nutrition and exercise. Hopefully some counseling is offered, and college prep courses are usually on the curriculum, but what about those kids? Are they getting a realistic head-start on a lifetime of healthier habits or are they simply doing what they are told, only to be fed to the wolves when they leave the safe environment of the school?
I tried to find stories of teens who had successfully completed these programs and gone on to healthy lives, and came up empty. If you are one or know of someone who’s been through one of these live-in school/weight loss programs, please drop me a line. I’d love to hear a success story. If you want to be everything you can for your kids, here are ideas for getting them (and you) up and moving again.
Exercise Should be Fun
Humility, Not Pride: Keeping Ice Off Your Bow
May 27, 2008
Tony was a professinoal salt-water fisherman. He explained how he cruised out to sea each morning, coming back each evening with his catch.
"Is there a part of the year you can ‘t go out?" I asked. "The winter–too risky. Below freezing, the spray starts forming ice on the bow. The added weight makes the bow of the boat lie lower in the water. Inexperienced guys fishing in winter have allowed so much ice to build up on the bow that in heavy seas the bow starts to dip beneath the waves. One dip too deep, and she goes down. Only thing to do for it is to grab and ax and knock the ice off once in a while. If you forget and let it build up, you’re dead."
Think of that bow-ice as representing sinful pride. Little by little it builds up until you can’t stay spiritually afloat a moment longer.
Look at the Pharisees. They didn’t intend to be so arrogant. Jesus called them blind because they were unaware they had this problem. But little by little their self-congratulatory attitude expanded their egos until their spirituality was shipwrecked.
We modern believers face a similar challenge. What can we do to knock off the pride weighting us down? Here are a few principles from Scripture.
Little by little, day by day, let’s keep the "ice" off our bows. Disaster awaits anyone who ignores this warning.
Finish the Job: a Lesson On Discipline
May 26, 2008
Finish the Job: a Lesson On Discipline
by: Cameron Elliott
Growing up, my two main chores were to take the recycling out to the curb every Sunday night, and helping with the yard work. There was grass to mow, hedges and trees to trim, plants to water, seeds to plant in our small garden.
Most importantly, trimming that hedge, pruning that tree, resulted in branches that needed to be taken care of. This task was often delegated to me. I’d hack large branches down into a manageable size, scoop up the piles of leaves and dead plant debris, and place them all in the heavy brown yard bags.
As I got older, I was promoted from bag boy to actually doing the yard work myself. One summer day, when I was 14, I was asked to trim a hedge in the backyard. I did so, pleased that my parents trusted me with the sharp clippers. I trimmed that hedge to the best of my ability, leaving a huge pile of branches and leaves. I knew I wasn’t supposed to leave the pile, but in my adolescent logic, I figured that I bagged my parents clippings so, naturally, they would return the favor.
Increase Your Training Intensity - Partial Repetitions
May 25, 2008
You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions, so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.
In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we’ll focus on the role that partial repetitions have to play in intensifying the training effect.
One of the biggest dangers confronting serious bodybuilders is the tendency to overtrain. Bodybuilders at the advanced level must resist the temptation to seek improvement by simply adding more exercises or extra workouts to an already demanding schedule.
One way to maintain progress yet avoid overtraining is to make constructive use of partial repetitions. This allows the introduction of additional intensity without adding significantly to the duration of training. To get the most out of partial repetitions you should follow these simple steps:
1. Use a much heavier weight than you would for the full range version of the same exercise.
2. Perform partial reps only from the halfway stage or mid-point of the exercise.
The Miraculous Claims of the Zone Diet
May 24, 2008
One way of recognizing a fad diet is said to be the promise of multiple miraculous effects upon health. And Zone diet promises a lot.
“Why is the Zone diet so controversial?” “Beats me!” Extract from an interview with Dr. Barry Sears, by Harper&Collins Publishers
Five cover promises
At first glance, Barry Sears’ first published book “Enter The Zone” has the following main points:
These five statements should make us buy. I think I would buy if only one of them were true, point three, preventing disease.
How can a diet not be controversial when it says it can “prevent diseases”? But, to be fair, Dr Sears provides further details of his ambiguous statement somewhere between the covers of the bestseller. We find out that Zone diet can help to:
- prevent type II diabetes, as Zone diet is nothing more than permanent and accurate insulin control through food we ingest
- prevent cardiovascular diseases (cardiomyopathy, arthritis, artherosclerosis, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia)
- prevent or cure “mental diseases” such as depression and alcoholism
- restore energy in conditions such as CMS, PMS or even HIV infections
- prevent cancer development and make antibodies fight tumors with greater success.
I really want to believe Zone can be that magic recipe that can help me live a longer and healthier life, without too much effort. But I expected some scientific proof for all these promises. And what did I find instead? Some stories about people who successfully solved their problems by following Zone diet, and their everlasting gratitude to diet guru Barry Sears! I’m sorry, but I’m not buying that.
A Monster Of A Leadership Challenge: “The Creature That Ate Your Career”
May 24, 2008
A Monster Of A Leadership Challenge: “The Creature That Ate Your Career”
by: Brent Filson
Summary: All leaders experience fear, failure and self-doubt many times throughout their careers. The author combines the three into one creature he calls Ghidora. Ghidora is the name of the three-headed movie monster that engaged Godzilla in a titanic struggle. You’re not a Godzilla, of course, but you can go a long way in defeating this beast through tips provided here.
In the 1964 movie, “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”, King Ghidorah was a gigantic, dragon-like creature that came from outer space. It had three heads on long necks, bat-like wings, no arms, and twin tails. It terrorized Tokyo until Godzilla, in a role reversal as protector rather than destroyer, defeated it in a terrible battle and chased it back into outer space.
As a leader, you don’t have to go to the movies to face Ghidorah. You do it every day. Ghidorah is the three-headed monster of fear, failure, and self-doubt. How you deal with the triple threat will determine to a great extent how your career develops.
