Exploring Benefits of Magnetized Water

There are many kinds of water. Steam and ice are 2 extremes. Water used to drink is liquid. Liquid water can be affected greatly by the way it is obtained. Distilled water is usually clear of toxins but is also devoid of minerals. Municipally treated water is not too risky from a microbial perspective but contains chlorine and possibly other water treatment and sewage contaminants. Municipal water treatment systems do not remove other waste water contaminants such as excreted drugs, metals, pesticides, insecticides, etc. This is why municipal systems that use deep artesian water are the safest. The best water is obtained from deep artesian wells, uncontaminated by human agency or biologic accidents, where it has filtered through many layers of stone, earth and rocks. The rain water you may drink is very much like distilled water, except it carries with it whatever contaminants are in the atmosphere.

Brain Foods - Aka Raw Food

It has been said that we only use less than 10% of our brains. Whether this is true or not, there is no doubt that many people would like to be able to use their brain better, to get the most out of their life. In this article, I will list some foods that have been shown to help our brains function at their best, and the main vitamin or mineral that qualifies them as brain foods.

Calcium - An Essential Vitamin

Calcium is essential for building and maintaining bone. Calcium combines with other minerals, particularly Phosphorus and to a lesser extent Magnesium to form the hard crystals that give bone its strength. Approximately 99% of the body's Calcium is found in the bones. The remaining 1% of Calcium is dissolved in blood and other fluids and is essential for maintaining healthy functioning of the heart, muscles, blood and nerves.

Calorie Intake for Men

When calculating how many calories you need in a given day, it is important to remember that the calorie intake for men will be different than the amount of calories women need. There are a few reasons for this, but the most important is weight.

The average woman weighs quite a bit less than the average man. It is an easily observed difference between men and women that has some important consequences with regards to calorie needs. A 125 lb woman that gets an average amount of exercise throughout the day will need about 2,000 calories.

Something to Enjoy Regularly

A diet is something that we eat or drink normally, and in some definition it becomes something that is provided for or enjoyed regularly. Diet can also mean restriction of a meal, or reducing calories for purpose of weight loss. While some of us live to eat, others may eat to live, especially those in famine wrought countries.

Green Lipped Mussel Supplements Have Many Important Health Benefits

Do You Know The Health Benefits Available From Green Lipped Mussel Supplements?

It's difficult for most people to maintain a healthy, balanced diet while living their busy schedules, which is certainly why supplements and vitamins have become increasingly popular over the past few years. And one such product that is really beginning to catch on is green lipped mussel supplements, and when you look at all the related benefits, it's easy to understand why.

How to Stop an Acne Outbreak

Introduction

So you have acne outbreak, well we will discuss how you can control this type of outbreak, but first let's find out how you can stop your current outbreak.

Important Facts About Cystic Acne

What is this form of acne?

There is a variant of acne vulgaris that is called cystic acne. It does require specialized care because it has enough differences from acne vulgaris thus allowing it to be considered a form of acne that is independent from others. It has far more severity than acne vulgaris, and even though it is less likely to occur than acne vulgaris it is a variant that occurs quite often. Acne vulgaris is a variant that occurs in the vast majority of people albeit on a small-scale, and such people may not have this regularly afflicting them and may not even be at an adolescent age.

Acne Prevention For Teens

Introduction

If you are a teenager, you probably want to get rid of the pimples that have developed on your face. Well you are not alone, over 48 million teenagers have this problem and it is linked to puberty. Puberty causes you to develop a hormone imbalance that is believed to cause excess sebum (oil) to be secreted by your skin.

Best Face Acne Treatment For Teenagers

The early teen years leading into adolescence often propel young adults in search of the best face acne treatment currently available. Over-the-counter acne products or medications prescribed by primary care physicians are usually the first course of treatment for clearing skin; however, other therapies prove to yield positive results.

Inflammation And Acne Scarring

Introduction

Acne scarring is one of the conditions teenagers really want to avoid. Though over 44 million teenagers will develop acne, there is action you as a teenager can take to reduce or even eliminate the chance of scarring caused by acne.

First you need to understand what can cause the scarring and then how you can take action to prevent it.

Living in Your Own Fairytale? Time to Wake Up to Reality

When life gets too hard, everyone has their own way of coping. You could be eating tons of ice cream or reading books to pass the time and frustration. Some people who have it harder than others often retreat to their own world where there are no problems and they only live with people that they care about. In this make-believe world, there are no problems like acne scars and everything obstacle is solved at the end of the day. Unfortunately, that's not how you should deal with problems, especially those involving acne scars.

Tune Into Your Food Intake for Better Skin!

Spring Cleaning may be necessary! Everyone needs to do it... Regardless of how much you wash and scrub, ACNE can still raise its ugly head... literally! Unfortunately many individuals think they aren't clean and worry that other people are thinking the same thing about them. Having acne doesn't usually have anything to do with being a "clean individual" actually many times it's the very opposite. Those that have acne probably wash, scrub, and treat their skin more often than those that don't have acne because they are trying to get rid of it. How much or how often you scrub can often cause your skin to be worse off. Put down the wash-cloth and take a look at what you're putting INTO your body as well as ON your skin. You may have an imbalance of whatever your eating, drinking or ingesting... too much and even too little of something can throw off your skin. Before you turn to antibiotics or invasive and expensive medical treatments, consider some of these natural treatments to coincide with your skin care regime:

INCREASE ZINC- Zinc can boost your immune system, reduce inflammation and can heal damaged skin. Great sources of Zinc ar Nuts (like almonds), wheat bran cereal, chickpeas and of course supplements are an easy option.

GOT MILK?- Milk contains hormones that can cause acne breakouts. Several studies have shown that milk drinkers appear to develop more severe acne than non-milk drinkers. There's some correlation here so experiment with your milk intake.

MINIMIZE SODIUM- Are you a soda drinker? Let's take a look at reducing your excess sodium and sugar from carbonated drinks! This will also benefit your waistline.

THAT'S THE FAT OF IT- Saturated Fats and Trans Fats are additives that can contribute to oily skin. Avoid them!

OMEGA-3 PLEASE- Omega 3 promotes healthy skin therefore preventing acne. Some of my favorite, easy to find sources are Walnuts, Oregano, Flax Seed, Grape Leaves and Broccoli. If you're really brave you can also buy Omega 3 in a liquid form. Mix it in your salad dressings or smoothies!

LIVER DETOX- Stimulate your liver by drinking a warm glass of Water with Lemon first thing in the morning. Adding some Garlic into your diet, juice some Beets and Veggies such as Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and Broccoli (gotta love broccoli!) will also help detox the liver.

I hope this information gets you on the right track and you're considering what you're putting INTO your body as well as ON your body!

Getting Great Abs Through Running

One of the effective ways to achieve weight loss is running. Running requires hardly any equipment. And compared to walking this requires more energy and allows you to burn calories faster and effectively. Effectively doing this exercise can improve your endurance and promote lower body strength. So apart from weight loss, stamina and strength; can this common exercise help up in developing abs?

Abdominal muscles have been the bane of our existence. Vain as it may seem, we incorporate rock-hard, six-pack abs as the proof of fitness. Having great abs is like getting a badge of honor in the world of fitness. Crunches and curl-ups are known to be effective exercises to develop the abdominals. We often see runner and sprinter to fashion taut tummy and defined abs. Is running able to get us drool-worthy abs?

Running is known to workout muscles in the leg area, the buttocks and the core. The core are includes the abdominals. In running, you are able to work out the core, slightly focusing more on the lower abs. This workout and the muscles that are involved in the process give you more stability and improve your balance. A well-worked out core not only give you good balance but also promotes better posture. But running focuses more on lower body strength and fairly little resistance is allocated on the abs. If you are focusing on developing your abs, you would have to do crunches on the side.

Runners and athletes are known to have great physique. Runners not only work on their lower body strength but also the rest of their body in order to perform well and to improve their balance. You would also notice that runner on a marathon have a different form as they run. Hand movements, leg abduction and adduction and even how they seem to tilt forward to tilt their weight. Developing your muscles has to do with your form when you exercise. Tilting their body forward creates a more pull in the gravity and pushes you forward and also creates a tension to the abs. This form adds to the intensity and thus creates more muscle activity to your core and develops your abs. You can mimic this form by running uphill. The right form and the right way of doing your exercises like proper breathing would lead you to better results.

Apart from running in good form, you can now purchase equipment to also help you work out your abs while running. Rocker-bottom fitness shoes or barefoot running shoes are now available. Rocker bottom shoes are known to improve the dynamics of walking and running and relieve unnecessary tension and stress to impacts of running. This also improves the resistance and the muscle activity that is distributed to your legs, buttocks and abs. These equipment makes the most out of your regular running to provide better results.

Running is great for weight loss, cardiovascular fitness, improve endurance and strengthen your lower body. But it does little to give you a whole body work out. So if you would like to get a taut tummy, make sure you incorporate crunches to your regular routine. To improve your upper body, carry a little amount of weights as you run. Doing this not only allows you to workout other part of the body but also double the amount of calories you burn than just plain running. Just make sure to mind you form and keep breathing.

How to Create a Mindset for Fitness

So many people tend to make excuses as to why they can't get fit or even be consistent in their exercise program. You may have heard things like, "I don't have enough time," or "the gym is too far away," or "my children take up too much of my time." Those are all excuses. The reality is that we all can exercise. The problem is that the great majority of people don't really want to. They look for some magic pill solution to getting fit. Folks, let me tell you, there are none.

In order to get fit, you've got to want to get fit. Changing how you look at fitness is a big part of the real solution. It's a mindset change.

How you think about fitness starts with your attitude towards it. That may stem from your childhood, the people you hang around the most, and so forth. Those that have been lifelong athletes tend to keep that mindset. Fitness has always been a part of their daily activities. The average people, and especially in today's world, tend to be couch potatoes. Many are not engaged with their bodies.

In order to develop a mindset for fitness, you've got to take action. The reason for this is the development of habits. Now you may be thinking, "If I'm gonna have a mindset for fitness, you mean I gotta get fit?" Well, sort of. You see, athletes have that natural desire to work-out because they've been doing it most of their life. It's a habit for them.

What I'm telling you to do is to start taking some sort of action based on a goal and a plan. Baby steps at first and then increase it. I will give you some techniques that will help you achieve this mindset faster.

One of the ways that has helped many is to use visualization. Imagine that you are already an athlete and doing the kind of workouts that they engage in. Make sure this takes place in the future in your mind. What you want to do is to work towards that goal. And speaking of that, having a goal is important. Working towards some purpose will help engage you longer into working out.

In fact, any physical activity that you shoot for will help create the desire necessary to achieve it. Consistent and increasing challenges will help keep you motivated. Hanging out with athletes also will help you develop that mindset. It's been said that we are the sum average of the 5 people we associate with the most. So, if you associate with really fit people, you'll start to be more like them. You should be able to find fitness-oriented people within your own community as well as on social media sites, like Facebook.

One tool that will help keep you on track is a journal. Get one and start using it. What you want to is to keep track each day of your activities. Write down all that you did in terms of physical activity and what you ate to feed and fuel your body for performance. The simple process of writing this down will help to install into your subconscious mind that you are fitness-minded. And if you have any challenges that you met and exceeded, write that down too. This adds to what you already did within your own mindset.

BTW, any activity that challenges you physically counts. You don't have to do to the gym to get a good work-out. Having a fitness mindset, you will learn that anywhere is your gym. I recently used what I had in a hotel room to work-out. For my back I simply held on to the top edge of the desk and let my body hang below and did body weight rows. I also was able to do body weight squats and push-ups. There was no excuse from me as to why I could not work-out. I just did it. It's my mindset that led me to figure out how.

I wish you the best in your efforts to develop that mindset. Again, keep on track with your journal. Make sure it matches with you personal goals. And take consistent action with ever-increasing challenges. That's even if you're simply starting a walking program, like 10,000+ steps a day. Just do it.

The Great New Sport of CrossFit

CrossFit is a buzz word on the lips of many fitness enthusiasts all over the world. It was born in the mid 90's when Californian gymnast Greg Glassman and wife Lauren opened the first CrossFit gymnasium. Their initial goal was training a police department - not surprisingly CrossFit became popular amongst the service men and women such as the police, firefighters and the military, and this continues to this day.

The CrossFit philosophy of 'constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement' rapidly grew, resulting in the thousands of CrossFit gyms currently spread across the USA and the World.

The beauty of CrossFit is that it is aimed at everyone and anyone - no matter what their fitness level or goals. It's not just a fitness program, it's a sport - the sport of fitness. Whilst CrossFit is often referred to as a strength and conditioning program based on varied functional movements performed at high intensity, the intensity level is customised to the individual - taking into account age, fitness level and experience.

Some of the many benefits of CrossFit are as follows:-

1) The variety of CrossFit means that it prepares people for physical activities in everyday life. The emphasis is on good performance in every task imaginable.

2) Gaining overall fitness by improving strength, endurance, flexibility, power, stamina balance, speed, co-ordination,mental focus, agility, motivational peaks and will power.

3) Following a healthy lifestyle with regards to diet and nutrition.

4) Varied exercises and varied equipment. Many gym users do the same routines and workouts over and over again, which is boring and can reduce results. With CrossFit the variety is unlimited. From gym favourites such as Kettlebells and medicine balls to previously non-conventional training aids such as ropes and wagon tyres - CrossFit has incorporated anything that can create new movements and methods.

5) Three element Workout of the Day (or 'WOD' as they are commonly referred to) which include nine exercises or movements, three in each of the elements. The elements are squats, presses and deadlifts - but there any many variations of each. The workouts are often timed, thus giving a benchmark for progression and comparison with fellow competitors.

These are just a few of the present benefits of CrossFit, and these will only increase with the evolution and growth expected year on year. You can find out more information about this great emerging sport on the CrossFit website - be sure to check it out.

Building a Strong Back Is Not Complicated

A strong back is foundational to healthy living. The good news is that building a strong back is not complicated - actually, it's rather simple. In this article, I want to share with you a basic, yet complete back exercise program for working your entire back.

First though, let's understand your back's basic functions. To my pedestrian mind, your back does 3 things:

• It keeps you upright and head up - in conjunction with your shoulders, hips, glutes, and hamstrings.
• It pulls your elbows back - in all planes
• It protects your ribcage - and obviously your backbone

While these are rudimentary statements on the back's function, it does capture the overall gist of what your back must do. It must keep you upright and protect your vital organs and ribcage. It allows you to pull back, pull down, pull up, and pick up. When climbing a tree to escape a bear or a rocky face from a sabre-tooth tiger; it is your back that gets the job done.

Okay, so maybe the sabre-tooth tiger is not such a big worry of late.

This simple, yet hard routine will increase your strength - if you need it - to get up that tree or close that window for your significant other. It will protect your vitals by building a dense layer of muscle around your spinal cord and ribcage.

The Routine:

Wide Grip Pull-ups: Is it a chin-up or a pull-up? Who cares? You grab a bar about half a foot wider than shoulder width on both sides. You pull up as far as you can, but at least get your chin over the bar. If you work out at home and are using a door pull-up bar, then you are limited on the width - work with what you have. If you're not strong enough to do a pull-up, then you can start with the lat pulldowns. But I rather you stay with the pull-up, even if you can only to 1 rep. Instead of doing 3 sets of 8 reps or whatever, you need to pick a number. I'll give you the number; it's 30. You must do 30 reps in as many or as little sets as it takes.

T-Bar Rows: This is a classic. In the old days, I'd stick one end of a barbell in the corner of the basement. I'd loaded the free end, grab it behind the plates and pull the stack to my chest. I'd keep my rear lower than my shoulders and push back as I pulled up to keep the one end firmly in the corner. Your gym should have a T-bar machine. I loved seeing those old pictures of Franco or Arnold doing it with 5 to 7 45lb plates. You should perform 4 to 5 Sets, pyramiding from 12 to 6 reps.

Stiff Arm Pull-downs: On the lat down machine, grab the bar shoulder width, and while keeping your arms stiff (basically straight with a slight bend in elbows); pull the bar down to your upper thigh area. You don't need to actually touch your legs. Imagine that you are reaching up and putting your hands on the top of a window that is open, and then closing it. As you perform this exercise, you will feel it in your outer lats (and a bit in your triceps - most back exercise involves your biceps, except this one). You should perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

This routine does 3 things:

1. It builds overall lat and back strength with the pull-up. There is something about bodyweight movements that really stresses the body - think dips and leg raises.
2. It builds muscle along your spinal cord and lower back with the T-bar row. It also ties in your lower back and lats with your hips, glutes, and upper legs (statically)
3. The stiff arm lat pull-downs builds functional strength along a different plane, while integrating your lats with the ribcage and core muscles.

This routine is simple but hard. If you give it your all, at the end; your back will feel 3 feet wide. And who knows - after 3 months, you may even look it.

Why Are Six Pack Abs So Tough to Get?

Let's start by saying six pack abs are not an impossible to achieve task, in fact knowledge makes the difference. There are various myths and assumptions that inhibit many peoples results when attempting to get those highly coveted six pack abs. There is also more to your six pack than simply doing crunches. Keep reading to learn how fat, hidden muscles, and writing can help you to get your six pack to stand out!

We are born with everything we need to get six packs to show, meaning exercise is not the main problem for a lack of results. Although it is a foolish question, where are six packs located on the human body? If you said the torso area you are absolutely correct. What else is located in the torso area of many in the United States? A wall, of fat is not the most popular answer, however, it unfortunately is the answer. That fat wall is also a major reason toward why six pack abs to many appear to be nothing more than a pipe dream. With that being said, reducing the fat surrounding your abdominal cavity and torso area will make having a six pack that stands out much easier to obtain.

We now know a wall of fat is a reason a six pack may not show as defined as we would like, and that fact should make a great deal of sense. Another reason your six pack stays in hiding is due to a lack of proper exercise and muscle targeting. Traditionally, and according to randomly polled individuals, performing crunches is how you get a six pack that stands out. That statement or thought is not incorrect, however neither is it the entire answer. Doing traditional crunches is one item in your six pack abs arsenal, however should not be the only abdominal exercise you do for a very good reason. The reason traditional crunches should not be your only exercise is that they only target one set of muscles! There are a couple different muscle groups that form the highly chased "wash board abs". Transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, as well as the rectus abdominis.

Another practice that will increase your results involves a pen and paper. You need to plan for a six pack, just as you need to plan for a career, or anything else that will effect your lifestyle. Knowing what your battle plan is allows you to conquer your obstacles much easier. It also subconsciously makes you hold yourself accountable by having your plan in writing.

In the end, we now know getting a six pack is not impossible, we also know there is some effort involved with getting your six pack abs to show. To get those six pack abs there is a group effort needed that is greatly helped by a solid and concise plan, demolishing that fat wall, and targeting those hidden muscle groups.

Five ADHD Myths Debunked

Of the many psychological conditions that emerged in the 21st century, none has elicited more discussion and controversy than attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Until today, a surprising number of people continue to believe in mistaken beliefs about the disorder. Here are five ADHD myths and five good reasons why they are not true.

ADHD does not exist

The notion that ADHD is a made-up disorder is expressed by people who believe that doctors, together with pharmaceutical companies, diagnose kids with ADHD to boost sales of stimulant medications. However, an international community of doctors, psychiatrics, and researchers do agree that ADHD is a real disorder with serious consequences. Children with ADHD not only have higher chance of having related psychiatric conditions like anxiety or depression; if the disorder is not treated, kids with ADHD are at risk of dropping out of school, have fewer friends, experiment with drugs, or get in trouble with the law. Children with ADHD have real problems, and they need real help before the consequences of the disorder start to manifest.

ADHD is over-diagnosed

In conjunction with the first myth, it is often thought that most children diagnosed with ADHD don't actually have the disorder. There is no hard evidence that suggests that ADHD is over-diagnosed; in fact, many experts believe that ADHD is under-diagnosed, especially among women and adults. Additionally, there is nothing wrong with getting diagnosed with ADHD, because it provides parents and children with a deeper understanding of what's wrong. The real issue is that too many doctors prescribe stimulant medications at the slightest signs of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. While it's likely that some children are quickly labeled with ADHD, without going through proper testing, it doesn't mean that ADHD is not a real disorder or that these children don't need help.

ADHD is caused by poor parenting

When an ADHD child says inappropriate things, it has nothing to do with how he was raised; it's because kids with ADHD have a hard time controlling their symptoms. Although genetics and parent-child conflicts do aggravate ADHD symptoms, there are also a number of factors that contribute to the onset of ADHD. These include poor nutrition, exposure to toxins (e.g. cigarette smoke), and birth complications.

ADHD is a childhood disorder

One of the most misleading notions about ADHD is that it's a disorder that children eventually outgrow in their teens. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Studies show that 70% of children with ADHD will continue to experience symptoms in their teens, while up to 50% will struggle with the disorder during adulthood. This is why there is no "cure" for ADHD - like diabetes, ADHD is a disorder that needs to be managed throughout one's lifetime.

Medication is the best treatment for ADHD

While popping a pill can instantly calm down a hyperactive child, ADHD medications are only a band-aid solution to the disorder. Not only do medications have a short-lived effect; they can also cause side effects like poor appetite, insomnia, and headaches, which interfere with a child's attention, concentration, and overall neurological function. In addition, there are many causes of ADHD that have nothing to do with biology and thus cannot be treated by medication. The "best" treatment for ADHD varies from child to child, but it is recommended that a variety of interventions be used for a more complete approach to the disorder.

Recognizing and Managing ADD Symptoms

In many cases, it is assumed that ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder is only a condition that affects children between infancy and their adolescent years. The truth of the matter is that ADD symptoms can continue well in adulthood. When they are left untreated, they can hinder one's completion of their daily activities and tasks as well as negatively impacting their relationships.

Although ADD can affect adults as well as younger children, ADD symptoms will vary considerably. For instance, instead of the hyperactivity factor that typically exists with children, the adult may experience restlessness. Another problem that the adult has which children do not is that they will have difficulties with employment and their relationships. What is important is that you not only have to learn to recognize ADD symptoms, you have to know how to manage them as well.

The types of ADD/ADHD

ADD symptoms have been classified into three subcategories of the disorder which are:

Combined ADD/ADHD - this is the most common form of the disorder and involves all of the symptoms

Hyperactive-Impulsive ADD/ADHD - characterized by hyperactivity without the inattentiveness factor

Inattentive ADD/ADHD - this type was previously diagnosed as ADD and is characterized by impaired attention and an inability to concentrate

For the disorder to be diagnosed properly, some of the impairment causing ADD symptoms must be present by the time the child has reached the age of seven. Additionally, this impairment must be present in multiple settings. For example, the individual needs to be experiencing the impairment in school or at work as well as at home. Finally, there needs to be clear cut evidence that the ADD symptoms are interfering with the individual's ability to function properly at home, in social environments, and at school or work.

Possible signs of ADD

If you think that a child in the home has developed ADD/ADHD, you might want to ask yourself the following questions in order to determine if these are actually ADD symptoms. Is the child:

o acting out before considering the consequences of their actions
o blurting out or speaking out of turn
o disorganized most of the time?
o distracted easily?
o encountering difficulties when they are concentrating on only one thing?
o encountering difficulty when trying to find things around the home or misplacing items
o experiencing difficulties with prioritizing?
o feeling antsy and/or restless regularly?
o forgetting things such as schoolwork and tasks around the home?
o frequently taking risks?
o getting bored easily?
o getting impatient easily?
o having difficulties paying attention to others in conversations, listening to other individuals, or whenever they are reading?
o having difficulty managing their time or losing track of time?
o having problems following multiple steps in a set of directions?
o making careless mistakes whenever they work on difficult or tedious projects?
o procrastinating more often than not?

If you notice any of these symptoms or a combination of them, consult with your child's pediatrician or the family physician so they can evaluate them.