Super Muscle Growth Without The Pills
Copyright 2006 Keeper Skool
Let me tell you a little scientific secret. You can gain muscle without popping the latest fad supplements. Don't be shocked...let me give you a scenario. You are looking at increasing muscle mass and strength, so you sign up for a $100 per month gym membership. You then feel that you can't get fit without a little push, so you hire a personal trainer who locks you into a 12 week agreement at an upfront cost of say $600 dollars. After a few weeks, you feel that the trainer was unreliable, because instead of helping you squat a 1000-pound bench press, which almost cost your life, he was busy talking to a cute girl on the treadmill. Now here is the tricky bit. Because you signed up with the personal trainer, the gym he works for has included a little bonus if he can up sell you the latest, cutting edge supplements.
See where this is going. It's a vicious cycle that all too often leads people who are searching for better health unmotivated, quick to give up and with empty pockets, because some gyms and personal trainers want to gain a quick payday. I've worked in health clubs in London where unscrupulous gym managers told us to up sell the latest supplements to unsuspecting first timers just so they can increase revenue. You don't have to be a victim. What one has to understand is that supplements are not the be all and end all of your training regime. Your body must be in peak physical condition for supplements to be of any value. Supplements can only help when you are training regularly and intensely along with a good wholesome diet.
On the flipside, supplements can also be quite beneficial if your dietary intakes of certain nutrients are inadequate or if you are training intensely. Intense exercise means that if you are looking for muscular growth, make your weight training workout short (at least 30 minutes), intense (at around 80-90% of your maximum) and you'll get sweet rewards. Remember to drink fluids regularly, and rest and recover for at least 4-5 days after an intense session.
When it comes to training for muscle growth, the following exercises are the big guns, for big muscle gains:
- Dead Lifts - Squat - Bench Press - Military Press - Bent Over Barbell Row
There are whole universes of exercises you can utilise but the above exercises are considered the grand daddy of all muscle growth-training regimes. Exercises that increase muscle mass such as those listed above, are considered “compound” movements. This means that you are using multi joint movements that target a wide range of muscle groups for maximum muscle growth.
With compound exercise regimes you facilitate a natural anabolic state. This means that taxing the muscles, increases your ability to grow muscle, as natural growth hormones are released to help repair damaged muscle tissue from intense activity. Good nutrition will help replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores and help you maximise your muscle growth.
To maximise your muscle growth after building a solid base, try the compound exercises stated above. Remember to rest, drink plenty of fluids and maintain a wholesome diet full of variety and natural foods. Supplements are not the be all and end all of a training regime, but can help incrementally as you reach peak physical condition.
------
John Stevanja is an internationally certified fitness instructor who runs Keeper Skool for athletes and soccer players. Find a wealth of fitness and nutrition information at http://www.keeper-skool.com today!
Simple Over the Counter Acne Treatments That Work!
Copyright 2006 Tony Buel
Everyone deals with acne at some stage in their life. Some will experience it worse than others. Some forms of acne will be more mild than others. The vast majority of people will, however, be in the middle somewhere.
Although there may not be a direct linkage, acne may be aggravated by factors such as stress, diet, air quality and life-style choices. But the main factors causing acne are: hormonal imbalances and genetics. Everyone, at some time in their lives will go through a period of time when their hormones seem to get messed up (puberty and pregnancy are prime examples) and if acne is your genetic trait -- you're stuck with it.
Fortunately, there are many over the counter (OTC) medications available to help people deal with acne. How well they work for you will pretty much be determined by three factors: the product's active ingredients, the cause of the user's acne and the user's skin type.
Not all acne products will work the same way because of the different ingredients used. The active ingredient salicylic acid works by reducing the amount of dead skin. The active ingredient benzoyl peroxide works by reducing the P.acnes bacteria (a naturally occurring bacteria in the skin).
Following are descriptions of the active ingredients you will find used in most over-the-counter acne medications:
Benzoyl peroxide: Benzoyl peroxide is the 'wonder drug' in the acne treatment industry; it works by reducing the natural P.acnes bacteria and reduces the quantity of dead skin cells. By performing these two actions, benzoyl peroxide manages to lessen the effects of two of the main causes of comedones (the large, deep, pus-filled pimples that are the trademarks of acne). Benzoyl peroxide has been used for years in acne treatment medications since being discovered to be very effective in treating mild acne.
You will find (on the Internet) many 'personal' recommendations for benzoyl peroxide and details about how it was used to successfully treat acne. But as with all medications, use an acne product with benzoyl peroxide as instructed on the product label or as instructed by a physician. Benzoyl peroxide, when over-used, has the side-effect of drying out your skin and can also discolor any fabrics or materials it comes into contact with, e.g., shirts, towels, sheets, etc.. Benzoyl peroxide is available as a lotion or gel and can be used as a preventative acne treatment even after your acne has cleared up.
Alcohol and acetone: Alcohol and acetone are used together in some over-the-counter acne medications. The alcohol kills external bacteria while the acetone makes the skin less oily.
"Herbal", "organic" and "natural" products: You will find some OTC products with labels such "herbal," "organic" and "natural;" these products are generally put on the market to appeal to the people who are attracted to products with those labels. The products themselves may or may not be beneficial for acne and actual results have proven inconclusive.
Resorcinol: The active ingredient resorcinol has been found to work well on small acne blemishes and can be found in some OTC products combined with sulfur.
Sulfur itself has been used in a number of OTC medications for decades. You will find this usually in combination with active ingredients such as alcohol, salicylic acid and resorcinol. Sulfur has been found be an effective acne treatment for some people but it does not seem to be known exactly how it works to clear up acne. Also, products with sulfur will tend to have an unpleasant smell.
Salicylic acid: The active ingredient salicylic acid is generally effective for acne blemishes when there is no inflammation present. Salicylic acid acts by unclogging clogged-up pores to reduce the number of acne blemishes formed -- it does this by minimizing the amount of dead skin cells; it has no known effect on the production of sebum or the production of the P.acnes bacteria. Just as is recommended with products containing benzoyl peroxide, products with salicylic acid as the active ingredient should be used even after the acne clears up to prevent its return. One possible side-effect of salicylic acid is skin irritation in some people.
Remember -everyone's skin is different! Some people have generally dry skin, some have generally oily skin and most people have a combination of the two on different areas on our bodies. Acne in areas of oily skin will respond better to a gel based acne product. Acne on dry skin will respond better to a cream.
Those with sensitive skin should not use real strong acne medication. It may lead to skin irritation or even make your acne worse!
Some of the milder acne treatments can be used as a preventative measure and some (like those with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid) are recommended as post-acne preventative measures but many are too strong and will irritate your skin.
If you have anything but a mild, seemingly manageable case of acne, an OTC medicine may control it and eventually get rid of it. If, however, your acne seems out of control or painful or too stressful to handle by yourself, be sure to see a get to a dermatologist!
------
This article written by Tony Buel may be found at:
http://www.acnetreatment-101.com/Simple-Over-the-Counter-Acne-Treatments.htm
Much more information on this subject can be found on his website:
http://www.acnetreatment-101.com
How Much Water Should You Drink
Copyright 2006 Linda Symonds
How much water should you drink each day? a simple question with no simple answer. Various studies have produced recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water intake will depend on many factors, including where you live, your health, and your activity level.
Health benefits of water
The health benefits are fairly well known and not very profound. The human body is 55%-65% water, depending on age, sex, and overall health. On average, women have less water than men, and overweight people have less than thin people (fat tissue contains less water than lean tissue).
So how much water do you need?
Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.
There are generally two approaches:
* Replacement: The average urine output for adults is 1.5 liters a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food counts for about 20% of our daily fluid intake, so consuming 2 liters of water will typically replace lost fluids.
* Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3.0 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.
It is generally the case that if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce between one and two liters of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.
Factors that influence water needs
Your total fluid intake may need to be modified depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
* Exercise. The more you exercise, the more fluid you'll need to keep your body hydrated. An extra cup or two of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but during long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Fluids should also be replaced after exercise.
* Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime.
* Illness or health conditions. Signs of illnesses, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, cause your body to lose additional fluids. In these cases you should drink more water and may even need a sports drink to replace lost sodium.
* Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are lost especially when nursing.
Dehydration and complications
Failing to take in more water than your body uses can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can sap your energy and make you tired. Common causes of dehydration include strenuous activity, excessive sweating, vomiting and diarrhea.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
* Mild to excessive thirst * Fatigue * Headache * Dry mouth * Little or no urination * Muscle weakness * Dizziness * Lightheadedness
Mild dehydration rarely results in complications as long as the fluid is replaced quickly but more-severe cases can be life-threatening, especially in the very young and the elderly.
Staying safely hydrated
It's generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time one becomes thirsty, it is possible to already be slightly dehydrated.
To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs. Nearly every healthy adult can consider the following:
* Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal. * Hydrate before, during and after exercise. * Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings.
If you drink water from a bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often. Refill only bottles that are designed for reuse.
Can you drink too much water?
Though uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in a condition called hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood). Endurance athletes who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who consume an average American diet.
If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.
------
Linda Symonds grew up on a small island in rural Canada where she developed a love of the natural world. Linda believes that the polluted and toxic environment that we live in poses significant risks to our health and the health of coming generations. For more information about the plight of our water supply visit http://www.thebestwaterfilters.com
ukryj reklamę