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178 Ways to reduce & burn Calories

2007-08-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. ATTITUDE
3. TAKE ACTION
4. DIET
5. EXERCISE
6. YOUR DESTINATION

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is
for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to
be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any
questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard
professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you
have read.

Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement
has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease."

1. INTRODUCTION

If you struggle with your weight it’s a good bet that you have tried at least one of
the “fad” diets that crop up on a regular basis.
The truth is that some of these diets may grant you temporary weight loss, but
usually, the pounds pile back on as soon as you stray from the diet.
The bottom line is that you gain weight because you consume more calories than
your body uses up and no diet is a substitute for good eating habits.
Your body requires a certain number of calories in order to function properly. If
you truly wish to lose weight, you must burn off more calories than your body
requires.

In this guide you will learn ways to reduce the number of calories you ingest as
well as tips and techniques to help you burn off unnecessary calories.
Before we begin, however, it’s important that you fill your arsenal with every
possible tool available to insure your success. The most important tool in your
weight loss program does not include diet or exercise.

There is no special equipment you need to purchase. You don’t need to join a
gym or health club. And, you already have every component you need to put this
tool to work for you and begin a successful weight loss program. What is it? It’s
your mind. Having said that, let’s get started, shall we?

2. ATTITUDE

If it seems that you have tried every diet on the planet, every exercise program
from the latest fitness guru and repeatedly failed to achieve your weight loss
goals you probably need a “check up from the neck up.”

Successful weight loss doesn’t just happen. It took more than a few days to
reach the point where you are at right now. Give yourself a break and expect it to
take awhile before you see measurable results. Take a leap of faith and follow
some basic principles.

Begin with your “self talk.” This is the conversation that runs through your brain
continuously. What kind of conversation do you have with your self-talk? What
type of negative self-talk has kept you from reaching your goals in the past?
If you had a chance to do it over again, would you change the dialogue? That’s a
no-brainer isn’t it? Well, the good news is that you can turn the tide of negative
self-talk beginning right now. It’s never too late to begin and you start by
reprogramming your self talk.

A good starting point is to begin with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations
spoken aloud with authority and belief, positively affect your attitude, focus your
thinking and lead to a course of action that will help you become the person you
want to be and have the things that you want to have.

Begin by writing your affirmations on paper. You can begin with something like, “I
want to lose 25 pounds before Christmas.” That’s a worthy goal and attainable,
but we need to put some work into structuring the affirmation.

First of all, “I want” gives the impression that what you desire is always in the
future. In order to re-program your self-talk, you need to trick your mind into
believing that you have already achieved success. This is how every ones
subconscious mind functions.

Your subconscious mind has no capacity for understanding the concept of time.
Everything is in the moment . . . here and now. When you tell your subconscious
mind you “want” that is exactly what you will get … want. You will get "want",
without ever achieving fulfilment.

Unless you change your mental tape recorder, you will achieve exactly what you
are telling your subconscious, that you “want to lose 25 pounds.” You will “want
to lose 25 pounds” for the rest of your days unless you change your self talk.
If your weight is 150 pounds and you desire is to weigh 125 pounds, then you
need to “be” 125 pounds from the moment you make the decision to change your
self-talk.

What if you write your affirmation to read something like this: “I am healthy and
fit, weighing 125 pounds.”

What are you telling your subconscious now? It’s extremely important that you
phrase your affirmation as if you have already accomplished what you desire.
Work on writing it out until you have it precisely as you wish to become.
It is particularly important that your affirmation is crystal clear because what you
affirm is exactly what your subconscious mind will bring you.
You needn’t limit yourself to one affirmation either. Write another one that
reflects your new exercise program. “I enjoy my healthy new exercise program,”
or, “I love the healthy foods I eat.”

Write and rewrite until you are absolutely certain that you have written your goals
“in the here and now” AND to represent precisely what you desire. Then, and
only then, begin to speak it aloud and do so several times a day, especially first
thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Remember to use the present tense. “I acknowledge achievement in all my
weight loss goals.” “I have the skill and talent to exercise every day.” “I am a
winner.” “I am grateful for all of my accomplishments no matter how small.”
At first you will feel awkward and uncomfortable and you may not feel or believe
what you are saying. You may feel silly saying them out loud. It doesn’t matter.
Continue to speak the affirmations aloud with as much conviction as you can
muster.

Try using driving time in your car for firm, strong voiced self-talk. It’s taken a long time to train your subconscious to use negative self-talk. If you will persevere
with speaking your affirmations aloud, firmly and confidently, you will be amazed
at how quickly you can turn your thoughts around.

You didn’t hop on a bicycle the first time and just take off down the street. It took
practice to train your body to balance on those two wheels. This will take some
practice as well. Continue to repeat your affirmations aloud, several times a day
for the next 30 days and you will be amazed at how much you change your
thinking and attitude.

Let’s investigate how words affect you in your everyday life. Take a trip down
memory lane and recall some real life experiences that made you happy, proud,
and successful or any combination of the three.

Spend some time recalling how you felt. Maybe you won a spelling bee as a
child, or hit a home run. Who was there? This will help you remember. You had
those feelings once and you can achieve them again. What words did others use
while you were experiencing those feelings of joy and happiness?

Recall those words, and write them down. Then, put them to work in your daily
conversations. They are words that are already proven to have a positive affect
on your well being. Recalling and including them in your day will trigger those
feelings again because your subconscious already has an association with those
words and their results.

Above all, take action. If you have become a slave of procrastination, decide to
rid your life of it once and for all. Yes, you can create affirmations to help you
there as well. “I have the attitude and skills to take action today.” “I am winning
in my life by turning my attitude into action.”

Do nothing and nothing gets done. Do something and many things are placed in
motion. Regardless of what you are doing in life, you need to take action. Do
something every day to put your plan in motion.

How is your attitude? What are your first thoughts when you awake in the
morning? You’ve got quite a lot to choose from. Do you begin the day by
dragging out of bed bemoaning the fact that you have to get to work? Or, do you
embrace the morning as another great opportunity to do great things?
Put the universal law of reciprocity to work in your life every single day. Did you
know as much as ninety nine percent of our conversation is negative? There are
some folks who can hardly wait to get their mouths open so they can “one up”
another person's current negative situation.

Hmmm, think back to that self-talk. If what you hear every day is negative, it’s no
wonder your self-talk brings you down and prevents you from being, doing and
having everything you desire. Try this exercise. Make a decision today, right
now, from this moment to spend the rest of the day contributing to conversation
in a positive way.

Impossible, you say? Not so. Say that somebody complains about another rainy
day. Your response might be, “yes, isn’t it great? See that beautiful rainbow!”
Try and create the habit of saying something positive to everyone. If you are
learning to say something positive to everybody about everything every time, you
are disciplining your subconscious for positive results in everything that happens
to you.

3. TAKE ACTION

Before we can begin, we need to grasp an understanding of the problem.
Two out of three Americans are overweight. The primary cause is that we eat
more and exercise less. There is no doubt that the more advances we make that
enhance our lifestyle the heavier we become.

Wait a minute! What about all those low-fat foods that we eat now? How come I
reduced fat in my diet but I’m still gaining weight?

There is a simple answer to that question. A few years ago we all became aware
of the detrimental effects of fat in our diet. What did we do? We began to
concentrate on lowering cholesterol and taking fat out of our diets.
This is a good thing. However, The National Center for Health Statistics studied
eating habits of 8,260 adult American between 1988 and 1991. Their research
showed that Americans had significantly reduced their fat intake but still packed
on the pounds.

How could this happen? Again there is no mystery. In the process of counting
fat grams, we stopped counting calories! Many of us bought in to the theory that
if it is “low-fat” it won’t make us fat.
WRONG!
You can’t forget about counting calories. If you eat more calories than you need
the body will store them as fat. It doesn’t matter whether the calories are from fat
or carbohydrates.

One school of thought believes that eating small amounts of fat can actually keep
you from over indulging on total calories. The theory is that dietary fat causes
our bodies to produce a hormone that tells the intestines to slow down the
emptying process. You feel full and therefore are less likely to overeat.
Adding a little peanut butter to your rice cake may satisfy your hunger for a longer
period of time, thus preventing you from eating more than you need.
Here’s more news that is surprising. Tufts University scientists put 11 middle
aged men and women volunteers on a variety of average, reduced and low-fat
diets.

And the results? Extremely low-fat diets which provided only 15 percent fat from
calories (this is a diet near impossible in real life) did have a positive effect on
blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

However, a reduced-fat diet (much more realistic) only affected those levels if
accompanied by weight loss.

In fact, they concluded, cutting fat without losing weight actually increased
triglyceride levels and decreased high density lipoproteins (HDLs), the “good”
cholesterol that helps protect again heart disease.

We can deduce, therefore, while excess fat isn’t healthy, fat is also not
necessarily a bad thing. Without some fat in our diet, the body won’t make nerve
cells and hormones or absorb some of the fat-soluble vitamins.
Okay, so how can you determine your ideal weight? Just how much fat and how
many calories should you consume to reach and maintain a healthy weight?
One answer does work for everybody. So you need to do some calculations to
determine how much fat and how many calories you can have. First, you need to
determine your ideal weight. Here is a simple method to determine what that
weight should be:

For Women

The ideal weight for a woman who is exactly 5 feet tall is 100 pounds. For every
additional inch above 5 feet, add five pounds. If you are shorter than 5 feet tall,
subtract five pounds for every inch you measure below 5 feet.
Next, determine whether you have a small, medium or large frame. Using a
measuring tape, measure your wrist. If your wrist measures exactly 6 inches,
you have a medium frame and the weight number you calculated above, does
not need to be adjusted. If your wrist measures less than 6 inches, subtract 10
percent from your ideal weight. If your wrist measures more than 6 inches, add
10 percent to your ideal weight.

For Men

The ideal weight for a man who is exactly 5 feet tall is 106 pounds. For every
additional inch above 5 feet, add 6 pounds.
To determine whether you have a small, medium or large frame, measure your
wrist. If your wrist measures exactly 7 inches, you have a medium frame and you
do not need to adjust your ideal weight.
If your wrist is smaller than 7 inches, you have a small frame and should subtract
10 percent from your ideal weight. If your wrist is larger than 7 inches, you have
a large frame and should add 10 percent to your ideal weight.
Okay, now that you know what your ideal body weight should be, let’s take a look
at how many calories your body needs each day. Before we do this however,
you need to take into account your level of activity.

If you are totally inactive and usually get no exercise, multiply your adjusted ideal
weight by 11.

If you get regular exercise two or three times a week, multiply your adjusted ideal
weight by 13.

If you get regular exercise four to five times a week, multiple your adjusted ideal
weight by 15.

And finally, if you get regular exercise six to seven times a week, multiply your
adjusted ideal weight by 18.
Now that you know your ideal weight and how many calories you need each day
you can easily figure out how much fat you can eat.

Most nutritionists recommend that you limit daily intake of fat to 30 percent of
your total calories. However, if you want to lose weight or have a history of heart
disease or cancer, limit your daily fat intake to 20 percent of your total calories.

Let’s take a look at a real life example.
If Jane is a 5 foot 4 inch woman with a medium frame her ideal weight is 120
pounds. Jane is trying to lose weight so she needs to keep her fat calories down
to about 20 percent.

Jane is exercising two to three times a week so we can multiply her ideal weight
by the number that matches her activity level, which is 13. Now we know that
Jane needs 1,560 calories each day.
If we take 20 percent of 1,560 (1,560 multiplied by .20) we get 312. Next,
translate fat calories into fat grams (this will make it easier for you to read food
labels).

One gram of fat equals 9 calories. So if we divide 312 by 9 we know that Jane
can eat abut 35 grams of fat per day.

Because Jane is over weight and trying to lose, her ideal weight and current
weight do not match up. Jane needs to adjust her total calorie consumption. In
order for her to lose one pound, she needs to eliminate 3,500 calories.
One simple solution is to lose a pound a week. That’s a worthy, healthy goal and
we’ll explore methods that will help you achieve that goal in the upcoming
segments.

4. Diet

Avoid “fad” diets. If you don’t believe me, ask your doctor about these: negative
calorie diets, extremely low calorie diets, low carb diets, and any other type of
“fad” diet that is unbalanced.

Changing diet should be a matter of healthier life style. Learn all you can about
different foods and nutrition. The more you know the easier it is to implement
healthy nutrition in your diet.

1. Substitute fruit purees for butter or margarine. They are easy to prepare in a
food processor and will significantly reduce calories and fat.

2. Cheese is good for you, but the fat is not. Try this: Zap cheese in the
microwave and drain off grease.

3. Exercising before you eat just makes you hungrier. Exercise AFTER eating
when the body has to work harder to digest food.

4. Don’t eat while watching television. You can become so engrossed in your
program that you don’t realize how much you are eating.

5. Too many people skip breakfast. Eat in the morning when the body burns
more calories.

6. Water mixed with fructose suppresses appetite better than glucose with water
or diet drinks. Drink a glass of orange juice one half to one hour before a
meal.

7. Avoid trans-fatty acids. Use olive, corn or canola oil when cooking.

8. Switch from whole to skim milk. All the nutrients are there without the fat.
Okay, at least cut back to low fat!

9. Limit yourself to just four egg yolks a week.

10. Trim all fat from meats before cooking. You’ll be amazed at how much you
reduce your fat intake if you take this one small step.

11. Eliminate fried foods. Do we need to say why?

12. Cream sauces like Alfredo and hollandaise are loaded with fat. Use tomato
based sauces instead of cream.

13. Use lemon juice or low sodium soy sauce for flavor.

14. Don’t skip meals. When you do, you eat more at your next meal and usually
eat the wrong foods.

15. Read labels – check fat, sugar and carb content.

16. Stop buying on impulse. Never shop for groceries without a list.

17. Avoid shopping when you are hungry – eat first!

18. Shop for groceries once a week and only buy from your prepared list.

19. Head directly to the fruit and vegetable aisles when you enter the grocery
store. Fill up your basket in these aisles and you’ll be less likely to buy binge
food.

20. If you have a local “farmers market” where you can buy your fruits and
veggies off the truck, by all means do so. They’ll be fresher and tastier.

21. Make sure you buy everything you need for your weekly meal planning.
Returning to the grocery store numerous times increases the risk of buying
what you shouldn’t. The grocery stores know their business very well and
present items that are hard to resist.

22. Vary your foods – introduce something new each week. Menu planning can
become boring when you eat the same things. That boredom translates into
over eating. Try new healthy recipes each week.

23. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Yes, they are very
convenient. They are also loaded with fat and/or sugar, not to mention the
chemicals.

24. The ads are soooo compelling. Cut fast food from your diet!

25. Eat more fish but avoid breading or batters. Fish oil is good for you.

26. Eat more vegetables. Try mixing and matching fresh vegetables for variety.

27. Steam your veggies instead of boiling them. They’ll taste better and you’ll
retain more of their nutritional value.

28. Use fat free or low fat salad dressings or make your own using lemon juice,
spices and a tiny amount of olive oil.

29. Exchange water for soft drinks – yes, even diet drinks!

30. Slim down with casseroles – just use lean meat and veggies.

31. Go ahead and snack, just snack on good stuff, like raisins, nuts veggies and
dried fruit.

32. Never eat while you are standing.

33. Don’t sample when you are cooking. A taste here, a little bite there and
before you know it you’ve eaten an entire portions without sitting down at the
table!

34. Don’t give up potatoes. A baked potato has 0 grams of fat and only 160
calories. Just don’t eat fries that weigh in at 13 fat grams and 480 calories!

35. Stay away from pastries. They are loaded with fat and are also loaded with
sugar.

36. Eat more salads but don’t let salad become boring. Add different ingredients.
Throw in a few raisins, canned beans like garbanzos and vary your dressings.
Leave out the mayo!

37. Limit your intake of meat to just two or three meat choices per week and
select more “white” meats than red.

38. You don’t have to give up dessert, just rearrange it. Try mixing fresh fruits
with low fat yoghurt. Strawberry with banana yoghurt is delicious!

39. Add nuts to your yoghurt and salads. Chopped nuts make a great alternative
to “breaded” style garnishes like croutons.

40. Replace white bread with whole grain bread. If you can find bread that still
contains the “wheat germ,” buy it!

41. When baking, applesauce makes a great substitute for shortening.

42. Prepare foods in different ways. Instead of traditional frying, try stir-fry and
use a low fat spray or non-stick pan.

43. Reduce portions at mealtime. We live in a “jumbo size” world. There’s no
reason why the portions we consumers need to be super sized as well.

44. Measure portions one time to get an idea of what a portion of any given food
should be. Do it once for each food that you commonly eat. Eventually, you
will be able to “eyeball” a proper serving.

45. Keep a food diary of everything you eat. This is the first step to acquiring a
new, healthier life style.

46. Wait no more than five hours between meals or snacks. This regiment will
help to stabilize your metabolism.

47. Specific food combinations can help to burn calories by enhancing your
metabolism. Eat carbs that are rich in fiber. They take longer to digest and
you will feel “fuller” for longer periods of time.

48. Use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Canned veggies are okay in a
pinch, but generally include more salt than you need. By the time they are
canned and processed, they have lost much of their nutritive value.

49. Eat more yoghurt. Yoghurt is a protein as well as a carbohydrate therefore
giving you the small amount of energy needed to burn the protein.

50. Add more tuna to your diet. You can grill it, broil it, steam it and poach it, all without any added fat.

51. Try different varieties of beans rather than sticking to the same old type you
are accustomed to. Beans are a great source of energy, protein and fiber.

52. Beware of misleading claims. Reduced fat merely means that the item has
25% less fat. Use common sense. If something “normally” contains 300 fat
grams, then reduced fat means it still has over 200 grams of fat!

53. Salads to avoid are tuna, chicken and egg. It isn’t the meat or egg that’s the
problem. It’s the mayonnaise. Try making them with plain yogurt and spices
to dress it up and you’ll have a healthy combination.

54. If you absolutely must have your fatty salad dressing, try this. Have the
dressing on the side and dip your fork into the dressing before you spear the
salad ingredient. You’ll have your taste but without dredging your salad in fat.

55. Love avocado? Go ahead and indulge a quarter cup but don’t mix it with sour
cream!

56. Roasted, flavored almonds make a great snack.

57. Make your own potato chips. It’s simple. Thinly slice a large baking potato
and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet sprayed with low fat aerosol
spray. Spray the slices lightly as well. Sprinkle with paprika and any other
spice of your choosing. Bake in a 400 degree oven for thirty minutes making
sure to turn once. ‘Voila! Your own home baked potato chips and a great
snack.

58. Switch from cream of wheat cereal to oatmeal. The whole grain in oatmeal is
much better for you and won’t leave you hungry an hour later like the cream
of wheat.

59. If you plan on eating out at a buffet, eat something before you go. Don’t skip
a meal and plan on chowing down at the buffet.

60. Grab a table as far from the buffet as possible. You’ll lessen the temptation to
graze or go back for seconds.

61. Go through the buffet line one time only.

62. Load up at the salad bar. Gelatin or plan green salads should be abundant.

63. Look for baked roasted or grilled entrees like fish or lean roast beef.

64. Avoid the breaded fish or fried chicken.

65. Select soups you can see through. If you can see through them, they are
broths with fewer fat and calories.

66. Eat slowly. Savor each bite. Take your time and enjoy eating. If you eat too
fast, your stomach will be full long before the message to stop chowing down
reaches your brain.

67. Ask yourself if you really tasted and enjoyed that last bite of food. If your
answer is no, it’s time to slow down.

68. To help downsize your portions, use a smaller plate. Instead of a dinner
plate, use a salad plate for your entire meal.

69. When eating in a restaurant, ask for a child’s portion or ask to have the entrée
split and have the second half packaged as takeout.

70. As an assist to making certain you are getting the right nutrition from your
vegetables, alternate the colors from day to day. One day eat fresh yellow
and orange vegetables like squash, pumpkin, and carrots then switch to
green the next day, like spinach, or dark leafy lettuces.

71. Pass up peanuts for snacking. Two ounces of salted peanuts has 328
calories. Nibble on pretzels instead. 20 of the small ones have as little as 80
calories and most are fat free.

72. Skip fried shrimp. A three ounce serving has 206 calories while the same
weight when boiled is only 84 calories.

73. If you love pie, stick with the fruit pies. Pumpkin and other fruit pies are lower in calories. Pecan pie has about 430 calories while the same slice of pumpkin
pie is only 240. You can drop another 100 calories if you don’t eat the crust!

74. Try Canadian bacon instead of regular bacon. One ounce of regular bacon is
about four medium cooked slices and carries 163 calories. A one ounce slice
of Canadian bacon is much leaner and only has about 57 calories.

75. Avoid the high fat temptations when dining out. Call ahead. Many high
quality restaurants will accommodate your needs if you give them sufficient
time beforehand. Explain that you are on a low fat diet and ask if they can
prepare your food without frying.

76. If you frequent a specific restaurant, ask to take a menu home so you can
study what they offer and learn how to plan your meals out.

77. Steer Clear of fast food restaurants. Most of their food is 40 to 50 percent fat.
Many are finally wising up, however, and you can get salads, plain
hamburgers or grilled chicken. You can also ask for the restaurant’s
nutritional information. Many now offer that.

78. Stay away from the appetizers unless you request crackers, pretzels or fresh
vegetables like carrots or celery with a honey-mustard dressing (not ranch).

79. Put your waiter through his or her paces. Ask lots of questions and don’t stop
until you are satisfied. How is the fish grilled? If it is in butter, ask for it dry. If a fried entrée is offered on the menu, ask if the chef can bake it, broil it, grill it or steam it to cut down on the fat. Make sure they follow up. It’s your meal and your money paying for it and within reason you should be able to get it
the way you want it.

80. If a restaurant won’t split a portion in half for you, preparing half of it “to go,”request a doggie bag or box be delivered with your meal and split it yourself
immediately before you begin to eat.

81. You can also carry a “survival kit.” Use a small plastic sandwich bag and
carry packets of low fat dressings, herbal teas, spices or other essentials that
may not be readily available at a restaurant.

82. Split a meal with a friend. Order soup or salad a’ la carte with one entrée and
ask the waiter for an extra plate. It will save you money AND reduce the fat in
each meal.

83. Visit pizzerias that offer salads and pizza by the slice. Don’t order pizza with
meat. Stick with vegetable toppings and, if possible, a wheat crust. Some
pizza places do offer that option.

84. Eliminate tartar sauce. If you order a fish fillet sandwich ask that the tartar
sauce be left off the bun.

85. Bake with cocoa instead of chocolate. For each ounce of unsweetened
chocolate called for in a recipe, substitute 3 tablespoons of unsweetened
cocoa powder.

86. Use evaporated skim milk for sauces and soups. It has the texture and the
flavor of cream but without the fat. Each cup contains 80 grams less of fat
and 600 few calories than heavy cream.

87. Plain nonfat or low fat yogurt is a great replacement for sour cream. Use it to
make salad dressings. It’s also good as an add-on to breakfast cereals and
desserts.

88. Low fat foods may seem less flavorful when you first try them because fat
adds flavor to some foods and you are used to that. Add zip with lots of herbs
and spices like basil, garlic, ginger, onion powder tarragon and oregano. Vary
the spices and come up with your own combinations.

89. Yogurt can help you lose weight while protecting muscle. A recent study of
overweight people who ate three servings of yogurt daily for 12 weeks lost
22% more weight, 61% more body fat and 81%more abdominal fat than
people who ate a similar number of calories but no dairy products.

90. Spicy foods curb appetite as evidenced in a recent study. People who ate a
sauce containing capsaicin (the compound that makes hot pepper spicy),
consumed an average of 200 fewer calories over the next three hours than
those who didn’t eat the sauce. Consider eating more spicy foods.

91. A 12 ounce cola has 150 calories, two tablespoons of full fat salad dressing
150, a glazed doughnut 250 and a four ounce bagel, 300. Just eliminating
these items will help you to lose weight.

92. Another recent study shows that calcium from diary foods is more effective for
weight loss than supplements. Why? Food is a complex mixture of known
and unknown components. There is a co-operation among the components
that can’t be reproduced in a nutritional supplement. Dairy contains calcium
and a host of other biologically active components including the amino acid
leucine. Recent research reveals that leucine may increase the ability of
muscle to use fat. Have low-fat or skim milk before a meal.

93. Studies show that getting a liquid from dairy before eating helps you feel fuller
sooner at that meal and eat less at the next meal. If you are lactose
intolerant, try yogurt with live culture (it has very little lactose) or take a
lactose supplement when consuming dairy.

94. Eat fish at least twice a week. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish have been
shown to reduce heart attack and stroke risk in addition to helping you
maintain a nutritional diet.

95. Sometimes you can go with fast food. Burger Kings BI Veggie Burger with
reduced fat mayonnaise contains 340 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat.
It’s better than just about any burger at any other food chain.

96. McDonald’s Fruit and Yoghurt Parfait is low fat vanilla yoghurt layered with
berries and topped with granola. It’s a nutrient rich bargain at only 380
calories.

97. Subway’s 7 subs with 6 grams of fat or less include ham, roast beef, chicken
and turkey and range from 200 to 300 calories for a six inch sub.

98. Wendy’s Mandarin Chicken Garden Sensation Salad is a creative salad
alternative of mixed greens, with chicken and mandarin orange sections,
roasted almonds and a half packet of Oriental sesame dressing. It is a great
alternative at just 470 calories.

99. A veggie sandwich may not always be the ideal choice. The two ounces of
cheese added to these popular lunchtime meals contain three quarters of a
full day’s allowance for saturated fat. Tuna salad (because of the
mayonnaise), has 720 calories and chicken salad is 550 calories. Stick with
turkey, roast beef, chicken breast or veggie sandwich without the cheese.

100. All salads are not created equal. A taco salad is served in a fried taco
shell filled with ground beef, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. It contains
1,100 calories and a full day’s quota of saturated fat!

101. Not only is a single order of Fettucine Alfredo an artery clogger, it also
weighs in at a whopping 1,500 calories! When eating Italian food, opt for
pasta topped with marinara or meat sauce (skip the meatballs), red or white
clam sauce or chicken Marsala.

5. EXERCISE

Well, you knew it was coming, didn’t you? We’ve discussed at least 100 ways to
adjust your eating habits. Some of the tips we covered will help your metabolism
burn extra calories, but the bottom line is that you still need to burn more calories
than you consume if you wish to lose those extra pounds.
The dawn of the Information Age has given us more labor saving devices than
any other period in history. Along with this knowledge we have settled into a
more sedentary lifestyle.

Taking a little trip back in time can really open our eyes. A typical day for your
great grandmother began long before the sunrise. She was usually the first to
awaken so she could have a hearty breakfast on the table for the rest of the
family.

She would probably stoke her range with wood brought in the previous evening.
Unless one of the children was old enough to be charged with the task, she
would put on her coat, scarf and gloves and trek out to the barn to milk the cow,
stopping on her way back to gather eggs from the chicken coop, home-cured
ham and sausage from the smoke house, cheese (that she had made herself)
butter (that she churned) and potatoes from the cold storage cellar.
Returning to her kitchen with her collection in tow, she would prepare a breakfast
that most likely consisted of ham, sausage and eggs fried in lard she had
rendered, biscuits, gravy made from the leavings in the frying pan, flapjacks,
whole milk and strong coffee.

That picture can pretty much turn your veins to instant concrete!
Bear in mind that after her pre-dawn preparations she would spend the
remainder of her day, sweeping, dusting, polishing, scrubbing clothing using hot
water that she boiled herself, hanging the laundry out to dry, tending her
vegetable garden and often toiling in the fields with the men.
The comparison between your great grandparents is not so much what they ate,
as how they used the calories they consumed. Life was hard. Normal physical
activity usually burned off the calories they consumed. They worked hard and
ate hearty and, yes they did have a shorter life expectancy.
Today we eat foods that are processed and contain more fat and chemicals than
nutrition. To top it off, we also live sedentary lives.
Unlike grandma’s hearty breakfast we are more likely to grab a cup of coffee on
the run. We rush to an office, only to spend the next 8 hours sitting in front of a
computer screen, just as you are doing now.

Getting a handle on your diet is just the first step toward losing weight and living
a healthier lifestyle. In order to tame the weight loss beast, you MUST change
your physical habits as well as your eating habits.

You don’t necessarily have to exert yourself as if you were training for the
Olympics, but you definitely need to learn how to burn off more calories than you
consume. Once you have accomplished that, you can step in to a regimen to
maintain your ideal weight.

Before you begin a fitness/exercise program, you need to know what you want to
accomplish. Use the information in the chapter on “Where To Begin” to
determine your ideal weight. Once you have your plan firmly in place (we will
discuss this further in the next chapter) you can begin to incorporate the following
tips.

102. Always warm up before beginning your exercise activity using smooth and
fluid movement. The purpose of the warm up is to minimize discomfort and
prevent injury and loosen up your muscles for the exercise to come.

103. Begin with a couple of deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and
exhaling from your mouth.

104. When you plan to walk or run, do just a few hundred yards at a slower
walk or a gentler jog.

105. Use the cool down routine in the reverse of the warm-up, gently slowing
down. This will enable your breathing and heart rate to return to normal.

106. Learn to listen to your body and differentiate between good pain and bad
pain.

107. Never exercise on a full or empty stomach.

108. Drink plenty of water to reduce the chance of dehydration. Experts usually
recommend 16 ounces either one or two hours before exercising.

109. Always use stretching routines. These are not just for jocks and fitness
gurus but should be used by everyone. The older you are, the more
important this becomes as you can help retain flexibility and good range of
movement for all your daily activities.

110. When warming up and stretching, use the movements for five to ten
minutes. This will help to loosen your muscles.

111. Do not bounce when warming up with stretching as you can cause tears in
your muscle fibers.

112. To increase your flexibility, hold each stretch for fifteen to twenty seconds
or longer.

113. Be sure you stretch lightly during warm up to prevent stretch reflex. This
is caused by over using a cold muscle.

114. Breathe slowly and evenly throughout your warm up.

115. If you have a tendency to become stiff, take a hot shower or bath before
beginning your warm up.

116. Breathing is extremely important when exercising as your body needs to
process oxygen that will transfer from your lungs through the bloodstream to
the muscles that are being worked. Normal breathing is shallow meaning that
the air is not reaching deep into the lungs. This can tighten neck muscles,
which can cause stiffness and pain in the neck, shoulder upper back, and
chest.

117. Always inhale before you lift, exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower the
weight for maximum benefit.

118. Turn everyday activity into exercise. Try balancing on one foot without
support while putting on your shoes and socks.

119. Forget about the elevator and use the stairs.

120. Take the stairs two at a time.

121. Instead of shoving your chair, lift it bending your knees and keeping your
back straight.

122. Hide your remote control and get up and down to change the channels.

123. Walk your dog and keep pace.

124. Take a Frisbee along and play in the park with your dog.

125. Park in the furthest parking space from your destination.

126. Instead of sitting in the stands while watching your kids play at a ballgame,
try pacing the field instead.

127. Clean your house (changing bedding is great exercise!).

128. Take a brisk ten minute walk each morning, afternoon and evening.

129. Plant a vegetable garden. You’ll have all that terrific food to eat and
exercise in the process!

130. Learn how to snorkel.

131. Learn a new dance.

132. Join a gym.

133. Join a lunch hour aerobic class.

134. When exercising, use a multi-purpose squat to improve strength in the
lower body. This will strengthen all of the major muscles of the lower body
including hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and gluteals.

135. Use balance-training exercises to help in performing daily living and
activities. Try a one-legged balance exercise by standing on one leg for 10 to
15 seconds, switching legs and repeating the process for three to five sets.

136. Jump in place with feet together. Touch the left and right heels alternately
in between jumps with both feet.

137. Target the triceps with a bench dip. Seated on a bench, grasp the front
edge with your hands shoulder-width apart. With your heels on the floor,
extend your legs straight out from your body. Move forward until your hips
are off the bench. Lower the hips slowly toward the floor then press up to a
full extension of your arm without locking your elbows.

138. Try a bent over row to target the latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior
deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids and biceps. While standing, begin with your feet
shoulder width apart. Bend the knees and flex forward at the hips. Tilting the
pelvis slightly forward, engage the abdominals and extend the upper spine to
add additional support. Hold a weight or bar beneath the shoulders with your
hands approximately shoulder width apart. Flex your elbows and lift your
hands toward the sides of your body. Pause and slowly lower your hands
back to the starting position. Be sure to keep your shoulders stationary.

139. A simple shoulder shrug can help to strengthen your back. Stand erect
with dumbbells or other weight in each hand. Lift your shoulders toward your
head by elevating your shoulders and slightly retract and roll them back.
Pause for a moment then return to the starting position. Make certain that
you do not rock or use your legs and keep your knees slightly bent. A
variation on this exercise is to do one shoulder at a time.

140. Another exercise to strengthen the back is a scapular retraction. Begin
with your feet shoulder width apart and your pelvis tilted and slightly forward.
Engage your abdominals so you can maintain neutral spine. Flex forward and
hold dumbbells extended down and away from the body. Flex the shoulder
blades together, pausing then slowly returning to the start position. Avoid
bending your elbows and vary the exercise by using a single arm at a time.

141. Remember to keep it slow. Perform all exercises slowly. Spend two to
five seconds in the lifting phase of an exercise and four to six seconds in the
lowering part. If you move too quickly, you won’t get the muscle
strengthening benefit of the exercise and you could hurt yourself.

142. Work up to the point where you can do three sets of each exercise, with
five to 15 repetitions of the exercise in each set. Don’t rest within the sets,
you can rest briefly between each set. As the work becomes easier ad
weights or increase the number of repetitions you do.

143. Bicycling gives a great whole body exercise. Begin with short jaunts
around your neighborhood. Each day widen your travels until you are able to
bicycle for at least a mile.

144. Exercise should give you additional energy. If you are excessively
exhausted after exercising you have overdone it.

145. Again, listen to your body. If you experience a feeling of nausea or
faintness, your efforts may be too intense for your body or you aren’t
spending enough time on your cool down process.

146. Your rate of breathing will increase while exercising but you should still be
able to carry on a conversation. If you can’t talk and walk or talk and lift at the
same time, your pace is probably too intense. Cut back and lighten your
weight load.

147. While you may experience some next day soreness when you begin,
exercise isn’t supposed to hurt or leave you feeling stiff. Devote more time to
warm up and cool down exercises as your body adjusts.

148. Being overweight, your knees may not be strong enough to support you. If
you experience pain, then shorten (or eliminate) your walks, jogs or bicycling
and concentrate on strength building sessions to build up your muscles and
tendons.

149. If you have been sedentary, you may experience lower back pain when
you first begin to exercise. This is because your hamstring muscles have
shortened. When you walk or exercise the shortened hamstrings pull on the
buttock muscles, which in turn will grab your lower back muscles. If your
abdominal muscles are not strong enough to assist in supporting your lower
back, you will definitely feel it. To get rid of the pain, include abdominal
strengthening exercises with your warm up and cool down.

150. If you get a headache, cramps or heart palpitations, or feel dizzy, faint or
cool while exercising, consult your physician.

151. If you have an infection such as bronchitis, put off exercise until all is
normal again.

152. If you just have a cold or the ‘flu, wait until all symptoms such as fever,
have been gone for two days before you exercise again.

153. Walking is the aerobic exercise of preference if you are over 60. This is
because when you walk, the pressure on your joints never rises about 1.5
times your body weight. Jogging, dance or step aerobics can put as much as
four times your weight or more on your bones. This is wonderful for younger
people, but can put too much strain on the more brittle bones of the elderly.

154. Start your walking exercise by timing yourself. You don’t want to become
too tired to make it back home. Check your watch when you begin, and walk
around one block over and over until you get a little tired. Check your watch
to see how long you have walked. That’s the length that your walks should be
for the first week or two. Be sure to turn around and head toward home when
half the time is up. If you get tired on the way home, stop, rest then walk
some more.

155. Maintain the same level of exertion for your entire walk. You will be asking
your heart to work hard (but not too hard) for your entire session. Your heart
gets the biggest benefit from a sustained workout. If you come to a hill, slow
your pace to maintain the same level of exertion that you had on flat ground.

156. If the temperature is hot or humid, your workout will seem harder. Adjust
the speed and intensity so that you stay at the appropriate exertion level.

157. If the temperature soars over 95°F with 80% humidity, limit outside
exercise to no more than 30 to 45 minutes.

158. Establish a rhythm to your exercise routine. Using music can help you to
do this. The rhythm helps you perform each repetition within a set with the
same gusto! You can also use the tape or cd as a timing reminder if you
check the playing time before you start.

159. Be kind to your feet. Exercise in shoes that were designed for the job or
you are giving an open invitation to aches, pains and even stress fractures in
your feet and legs.

160. Pick the right kind of shoe. Walking or running shoes absorb the shock of
your stride. This is thanks to a slightly elevated heel that also helps to
prevent injuries to the leg muscles and tendons.

161. Tennis and other types of athletic shoes absorb the impact of sideways
movement and quick turns.

162. Women who typically wear high heels should avoid flat tennis type shoes
because the sudden shift in foot position could cause strain.

163. Buy new shoes often. They may last for years, but looks are deceiving.
They will lose their shock absorption within just a few months. If you walk
fewer than 25 miles a week a new pair is in order every four to six months. If
you walk more than 25 miles a week, they should be replaced every two to
three months.

164. Examine the patterns in your existing shoes and/or take them along when
shopping for new ones. Your wear patterns might help the salesperson pick
out the best pair for your feet.

165. To get the best fit, wear or bring along the same kind of socks that you will
be exercising in. In case your feet swell during the day, plan to shop in the
afternoon

166. After your warm up, exercise for more than 30 minutes per session if you
want to lose weight. Otherwise, three 10 minutes sessions per day will
protect against disease and a healthier lifestyle.

167. Wear loose fitting clothing that breathes well. You can use layers of
clothing to stay warm and dispel perspiration and heat.

168. Avoid drinking coffee, alcohol or other diuretics before or while you
exercise.

169. If you are a morning person, exercise after you have been up and about
for at least 10 minutes. While sleeping, sometimes fluids can pool throughout
your body even in disks in the spinal column, ligaments and muscles. If you
get up and immediately begin to exercise, the accumulated fluids can cause
major injury such as a herniated disk.

170. Avoid exercise right after eating. Both your intestinal tract and your
muscles will need extra blood to function. The conflicting needs of each
system may leave you with cramps or a feeling of nausea or faintness. Give
you body two hours to complete its digestive duties.

171. If you have diabetes, avoid injecting insulin into a muscle that will soon be
used for exercise. Working muscles process insulin differently than
nonworking muscles.

172. Learn how much activity is required per hour to burn calories. For
instance, one hour of bicycling at 6 miles per hour burns 240 calories; at 12
miles per hour, you will burn 410 calories. Jogging at 5.5 miles per hour
burns 740 calories but at just 2 miles per hour more at 7 miles per hour you
will burn 920 calories.

173. Walking at just 2 mph, burns 240 calories; increase it to 3 mph and you
are burning 320 calories and at 4.5 mph you are burning a whopping 440
calories! *Note that this is based on a healthy 150 pound woman. A lighter
person burns fewer calories, a heavier person burns more.

174. Walking need not be a chore. Visit your local museums and art galleries
spending time browsing the exhibits. Not only will you add additional exercise
with the walk, you’ll improve your mind!

175. Eating a handful of raisins (about 1 ounce) approximately 15 minutes
before your workout can significantly lower free radicals and the damage they
cause. Raisins are rich in antioxidants.

176. In addition to your daily workout here is a simple exercise to do while
sitting at your desk, driving or watching television. While seated with back
straight, pull your abdominal muscles inward, and lift your chest and rib cage
as you inhale. Hold that position four to six seconds then release slowly as
you exhale. Repeat eight to 12 times. Try doing this while driving. Change
your rearview mirror so that it can only be seen when you are sitting straight.
Just changing your mirror can help you to remember to sit up straight.

177. Here is a quick way to tone up your buttocks while standing. Squeeze
muscles in both cheeks tightly, hold the contraction for two seconds. Relax
for two seconds then repeat eight to 12 times.

178. Need to strengthen your calves? Stand on a telephone book, a block of
wood, a step or a curb. Face toes in the direction of the spine of the book.
Hang heels over the edge opposite the spine. For better balance while trying
this outdoors, hold a railing or a signpost on at curb. Keeping your back
straight, push up onto the balls of your feet while counting for two seconds,
hold for another two seconds, and then count for four seconds as you lower
yourself back down. Tighten up your abdominals and buttocks to help stay
balanced.

6. YOUR DESTINATION

I’d like to leave you with a few thoughts that may help you on your weight loss
journey. At the beginning of this report, we discussed how the words we speak
are very powerful and how those words create an attitude.
How often have you used the term, “my weight?” You may have made the
comments like these:
“When I lose my weight. . . .”
“My weight doesn’t let me. . .”
“I can’t . . . . because of my weight”
Do see a common thread throughout these statements? Can you make an
educated guess at how many times you have said one of them or something
similar?
From our earlier discussion, you probably already noticed the “negative”
affirmations . . . when . . .doesn’t . . . can’t. . . Read them again more carefully.
Do you see the other critical factor in each statement?
Each of those statements re-affirms that you “own” your weight. Therefore, each
time you make that comment not only are you re-affirming your current weight,
you are pronouncing to the world that you are not willing to let go.
Using a personal pronoun is powerful stuff, because not only are you claiming
ownership, you are training your subconscious mind to believe that you can’t let
go.
Starting today . . . right now . . . this very minute, make a conscious decision that
you no longer accept ownership of excess weight. You are not what you weigh.
You are a unique human being and entitled to all the gifts that this life has to
offer.

151 BEAUTY SECRETS

2007-08-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

1. INTRODUCTION
2. BEAUTY THROUGHOUT THE AGES
3. IS BEAUTY REALLY ONLY SKIN DEEP?
4. THE EYES HAVE IT!
5. HAND IT OFF
6. THESE FEET WERE MADE FOR WALKIN’
7. HOW TO AVOID BAD HAIR DAYS
8. HOW IS YOUR SMILE?
9. IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
10. FINAL THOUGHTS
11. RESOURCES

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is
for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to
be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any
questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard
professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you
have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement
has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to
"diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

1. INTRODUCTION

Ever since Eve took that first bite of the apple, the human race has been
obsessed with beauty. Granted, each civilization has had it's own definition of
what attributes are used to define beauty.

Ancient Egyptian women AND men used various natural pigments to color their
bodies in an attempt to appear more favorably to the “gods.”
Headdresses and jewelry have adorned peoples throughout history with the
expectation that these items might improve their appearance.
Roman, Grecian, Arabic and Hindi women used henna to color their hair and
tattoo their bodies. The historical artwork of Botticelli depicts women as round as
cherubs.

Interestingly, current trends toward body piercing and tattooing are nothing new
but merely a resurgence of historical practices.
We will take a look at specific tips, old and new, to help you meet the current
perception of our societal definition of beauty. Let’s begin.

2. BEAUTY THROUGHOUT THE AGES

If you think today's obsession with beauty is something new, think again! Men
AND women have been in touch with their bodies and beauty dating back as far
as the ancient Egyptians.

The Egyptian's concern was based as much on pleasing the “gods” of their time
as it was for personal adornment.

In fact, it could be said that they prepared their bodies more for the “afterlife” than the current time. All one need do is read about the tombs and mummies that
have been excavated and study what was found. Lavish pictorial examples
reveal how extravagantly the aristocracy lived their lives.

Just take a look at the detail the next time you have an opportunity to view
Egyptian archaeology in a museum. Gold and silver bracelets, lapis and jade
pendants, rings of gold studded with semi-precious stones. All are evidence of
just how deeply involved the human race is with beauty and adornments.
Many wore wigs and false braids with jewels threaded through them. Women
wore elaborate combs and pins made of copper, bronze and silver.
Oddly enough, silver was considered a more precious metal than gold and was
widely used to decorate boxes and pots where they stored their implements of
beauty.

For all of their elaborate trappings, much of it was not just an attempt at satisfying their vanity. They held the belief that certain metals and elements were
specifically tied to powers that were bestowed upon them by the “gods,” so a
great deal of the adornment was steeped in spiritual belief.

Women and men both used a paste made from copper material to paint their
eyes a vivid green. Ochre, a type of red clay, was used to tint their lips.
Ancient Grecians displayed their vanity through elaborate hairdos. Each hairdo
was a visual message letting you know their age, if they were married and how
far up the socio-economic scale their class. The Romans used the same
practices.

The ancient Chinese women enjoyed wearing jewellery as well, choosing gold
and jade. Here is another example of a gemstone that was revered more highly
than gold. Jade was available only to the very rich.

Next time you think that we are society is more focused on beauty than any other
time in history, remember we are just part of a long line of beauty seekers.

3. IS BEAUTY REALLY SKIN DEEP?

The answer is yes and no. It’s a paradox, isn’t it? True beauty begins from the
inside out. Don’t you wish there were some way to “wriggle your nose” and
regain that soft skin you had as a child? Well, until someone comes up with the
true “Fountain of Youth,” we have to work with what we have.

The best route to healthy skin is to take care of what you have. Sounds simple,
doesn’t it? The truth is that your skin takes a beating from the environment, is
effected by the food we eat, and also by how we feel about ourselves every
single day. Here are some of my favorite tips for keeping your skin fresh and

healthy:

1. Stay hydrated, and drink plenty of water! That doesn’t mean soda, caffeine or
any other type of liquid even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high
concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that will
hydrate and flush your body free of toxins. Make sure you are drinking at
least 8 glasses of water a day!

2. Protect your skin from harmful ultra violet (UV) rays. We all love the sun. We
love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is you can
poison yourself with too much sunshine. UV rays cause skin cancer, and if
that isn’t bad enough, it causes your skin to age faster than it should,
contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make certain
you cover up between the hours of 11.00am and 3pm and are using an
adequate sunscreen. Don’t leave home without it!

3. Apply your sunscreen even if you only make a quick trip to the grocery store.
Yes, you can get harmful UV rays even while driving your car! Skin cancer on
long distance drivers’ forearms is becoming more prevalent.

4. When you purchase sunscreen, make certain you are buying the right tool for
the job. There are different types of UV rays and they don’t all affect our skin
in the same ways. The time of year also has a bearing on how much damage
the sun can do to your skin. Altitude is another important factor. UV rays are
more intense at high altitudes. Sunshine alone is not the culprit. You can do
just as much damage to your skin (or in some cases even more) on a cloudy
day! Ensure your sunscreen provides protection against UVA and UVB rays.

5. Don’t forget sunscreen for your lips. They want to be healthy too!

6. Apply your sunscreen BEFORE going outdoors and allow plenty of time for it
to adequately absorb into your skin cells rather than just sitting on top of the
skin.

7. Read the labels on skin care products. The truth is that some ingredients
may do more harm than good. The more ingredients are listed, the more
potential harm they can do to your skin. Here is a list of some of the common
ingredients found in skin care products that have the potential to irritate your

skin:
Ammonia
Balsam
Bergamot
Citrus juices and oils
Coriander
Eugenol
Fir needle
Horsetail
Lemongrass
Marjoram
Mint
Papaya
Sandalwood oil
TEA-lauryl sulfate
Arnica
Bentonite
Camphor
Clove
Cornstarch
Fennel
Geranium
Lavender
Lime
Melissa (lemon balm)
Oak bark
Peppermint
Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate
Thyme
Balm mint
Benzalkonium chloride
Cinnamon
Clover blossom
Eucalyptus
Fennel oil
Grapefruit
Lemon
Linalool
Menthol
Orange
Phenol
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Wintergreen
Witch hazel
Ylang-ylang

8. There are a few ingredients that are totally banned by the Food and Drug
Administration and should be avoided:

Bithionol
Mercury compounds
Vinyl chloride
Halogenated salicylanilides
Zirconium complexes in aerosol cosmetics
Chloroform
Methylene chloride
Chlorofluorocarbon propellants
Hexachlorophene
Methyl methacrylate monomer in nail products

9. Keep your skin clean. Use a soft warm cloth. Skin does not require
scrubbing. You will do more harm than good if you do.

10. Exfoliate dead skin cells every night.

11. Create your own facial masks. Here are a couple of excellent masks that you
can create with ingredients right from your kitchen:
Oatmeal mask: Mix oatmeal with skim milk and apply.
Eggs: A raw egg yolk makes an excellent face mask. Try adding a little honey
to the egg yolk for a change of pace.
Mayonnaise makes another terrific face mask and will leave your skin feeling
very soft.

12. Try a milk of magnesia facial. Apply directly from the bottle and leave on for 5
to 10 minutes then rinse with warm water.

13. Moisturize dry skin with essential oils. A combination of juniper, cypress,
mandarin and grapefruit will work as an astringent that will leave your skin
feeling tighter. If your skin is extra dry, premix the essential oils with a
teaspoon of carrier oil (mineral oil) and ad ¼ cup of milk or a tablespoon of
honey to give you added moisturizing.

14. If you have particularly sensitive skin, try a Pepto Bismol facial. Apply with a
soft cotton ball directly from the bottle; just as it soothes the stomach, it will
soothe your skin. Cover your face and neck and allow it to dry before rinsing.

15. Use an antioxidant cream. You are bombarded every day with environmental
toxins that attack the surface of your skin. In fact most damage to the skin
can be attributed to free radicals. When you expose yourself to toxins like air
pollution, free radical production increases. Apply an antioxidant cream to
your skin before applying your sunscreen.

16. If you have oily skin, only apply a toner in the T zone, your forehead and
nose.

17. The best cure for wrinkles is to never have them in the first place! If you are
like most of us, you didn’t listen to your Mom when she tried to tell you to stay
in the shade, stand up straight and stop squinting! Limit the damage by
adopting these practices now and invest in some good quality sunglasses.

18. Unlike Cleopatra, we live in the nuclear age and wrinkles can become a thing
of the past. Consider “laser skin resurfacing.” It is supposed to work for
those fine lines and wrinkles of any depth. This technique reminds me of the
“lightsabers” in the Star Wars movies. It literally zaps and vaporizes away the
lines and wrinkles. The procedure is conducted in the doctor's office and it’s
said that you heal within a week or so. Expensive? Yes. Fast? Yes, much
faster than deep chemical peels or dermabrasion.

19. If your budget won’t handle laser skin resurfacing you might try a skin peel.
There are several types. There’s dermabrasion as we mentioned. This
procedure literally sands the top few layers of your skin off, just like refinishing
furniture! It’s done with a wire brush that rotates and is said to remove even
deep wrinkles.

20. Maybe you would prefer something a bit less abrasive, pardon the pun. If so,
you might consider a deep peel. This process is accomplished using an acid
and is for moderately deep wrinkles. There are some risks associated with
the acid procedure. It isn’t as stable as the laser resurfacing because there is
less control of the acid solution.

21. Have a glycolic or beta peel. This process won’t do much for your wrinkles,
but if you are only looking to improve general skin tone, this is the one for you.

22. Try Retin A. If you want to see a smoothing of fine wrinkles and an overall
healthy glow that will remove mottling and give your skin a youthful blush,
then this is the route to go.

23. You can avoid all the nastiness of the previous treatments by choosing
collagen injections. The biggest challenge with this choice is it is temporary,
lasting just a few months, so you have to repeat the procedure frequently.

24. Stop shaving your legs and use hot wax. It is much gentler on your skin.

25. Mix up a tablespoon of brandy along with a smashed up peach and apply to
your face for twenty minutes then rinse. Makes for a great summer facial.

4. THE EYES HAVE IT!

They don’t call them the “windows to the soul” for nothing! The eyes never lie. If
you’re feeling and looking great, your eyes will shine and sparkle. If you’re sad
and lonely your eyes will give you away every time.
So here are some tips to make your eyes look bright and healthy.

26. If you have red, watery eyes due to allergies, deal with them! There are
plenty of medications available to eliminate allergy symptoms. Nothing will
detract from your appearance faster than red eyes.

27. If you wear eyeglasses make certain that they do not detract from your
appearance. Eyeglasses should complement your eyes, not cover them. If
your frames are unattractive, it means you had the wrong sales person. Try
again.

28. If you can wear them, consider switching to contact lenses. Make sure you
remember to remove them when swimming. You can easily lose them in the
pool or worse, if you wear soft lenses you could contract a cornea infection
that comes from a parasite found in water. The chlorine won’t kill it and the
result of this nasty little dude is not pleasant. You are inviting painful corneal
infection that could cause partial or total blindness.

29. Try buying different colored lenses. You might discover a whole new you
behind different colored eyes!

30. Better yet, check out lasik. If you are a candidate it might give you a whole
new lease on life. Of course, it’s a treatment for nearsightedness only, but if
that’s your reason for wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses, you might want
to look into it. Just remember, even though the procedure is done with a
laser, it is still a surgical procedure. Take your time and investigate to make
certain that you visit a skilled surgeon who has completed many lasik
procedures.

31. Take vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene to improve your sight and overall
health of your eyes.

32. Avoid caffeine. It negatively impacts the system that the eyes use for
focusing. That includes coffee, tea, sodas and chocolate. Well, okay, if you
can’t quit, at least cut back!

33. Do not over use eye drops. You may just make your eyes redder. Artificial
tears are okay, but you should limit or avoid using vasoconstrictors. They will
shrink the blood vessels on the surface of your eye. Check with your doctor if
you need further explanation on the differences.
Did you know . . . eye makeup worn by the ancient Egyptians served more
than just a cosmetic purpose? Men and women wore it alike. It was
decorative for certain but they also wore it for medicinal purposes as well as
magical reasons. The Egyptian word for eye-palette is a derivative from their
word for "protect." An eye that wore no makeup was considered to be
“unprotected.” An unprotected eye was therefore at risk from the Evil Eye.
The next time you are standing in front of the mirror applying your eye
makeup just remember that it is a rite of protection passed along from
Cleopatra to Betty Boop!

34. Replace eye makeup frequently. An enlightened woman of the 21st century
would not be complete without her drawer full of makeup magic.
Unfortunately, you are just as apt to have the same tube of mascara that you
used the night of your high school prom! If this describes you, throw it away.
Using the same mascara over and over again leaves you wide open for
possible infection. Bacteria are alive and well and flourishing on your trusty
little mascara wand. Ditch it before it gives you trouble. Mascara should be
replaced at least every 6 weeks.

35. Use special eye moisturizer to keep tissue around the eyes soft and pliable.
The skin around the eyes is very thin and easily damaged.

36. If you prefer not to use an eyelash curler, shop for mascara that is specially
formulated to self curl.

37. To obtain a smoky, sultry look, use an eyeliner pencil and liquid. Apply the
pencil first and gently smudge. Then apply the liner. Be careful, a little goes
a long way. You’ll love the look!

38. Powder your lashes before applying mascara. It will create a better bond for
the mascara to cling to.

39. For “puffy” eyes, soak two teabags in cold water then apply to each eyelid.

40. User a haemorrhoid cream to shrink puffy eye tissue. It will reduce the
swelling almost immediately.

41. Slices of raw potato placed under each eye will reduce the dark circles.

42. Define and tame contrary eyebrows by using a toothbrush lightly sprayed with
hair spray. Gently brush into the eyebrow and ‘voila they’ll stay right where
you brush them.

5. HAND IT OFF!

Did you know . . . many ancient beauty treatments are still in use today? An
example is the East Indian art of painting the hands and feet with Henna.
It is known in India as Mendhi and is an ancient Indian art form, which has been
performed for generations not only in India, but the Middle East, Pakistan and in
Africa as well.

Women in India traditionally painted henna on their hands and feet, insides of
their arms and up their shins most often for a wedding, or other special occasion.
The intricate patterns on the hands are particularly beautiful.
Nothing will give away your age quicker than the condition of your hands. Let’s
take a look at some tips to try and hold off the ravages of time.

43. While we don’t particularly recommend the practice of Mendhi for everyday
USA, it would be helpful in covering up some of those age spots, wouldn’t it?
Try this tip instead. Apply vitamin E oil directly to the spots to fade the
discoloration.

44. There is also a product that’s been around since Grandma was a youngster.
Its called porcelana and women have credited it for removing age spots for
decades.
45. If you spend hours at a time on the computer, be sure you use a rest for your
wrists. It will help ward off carpal tunnel syndrome.

46. Your nails. Press on? Glue on? Paint on? Take your pick; there is nothing
but choices out there. If you have your acrylic nails done in a nail salon,
understand that you do so at your own risk! It seems as though there is a nail
salon on every corner in every city in the USA. If the salon you are using
does not replace or sanitize their instruments (files, nippers, brushes, etc.)
between customers, run, don’t walk for the door. When trying out a new
salon, arrive early for your appointment. If you are using a “walk in” shop,
make certain you let someone go before you. Sit or stand where you can
“catch the action.” Pay close attention to how the nail tech prepares for the
new client. Watch carefully to make certain that he/she is skilled in the trade
and does not accidentally break the skin especially if they haven’t sanitized
their instruments. You’ve got a lot at stake here. With the prevalence of
AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases, you can’t be too careful. If you see
something that just doesn’t seem right, get up and leave. Try a more
“upscale” shop next time.

47. Do not file the corner of your fingernails. It weakens, causing them to break
and crack.

48. If your fingernails are brittle, it may be the soap you are using or a hand
cream that is perfumed. Most perfumed hand creams contain alcohol that will
dry the nails, causing them to become brittle.

49. Are your nails cracked, brittle and breaking? Try drinking more water . . . yep.
. . back to the water. At least 8 glasses a day . . .and that’s 8 ounce glasses.

50. Combat dry and brittle nails by increasing your vitamin A and calcium.

51. Have a problem hang nails? Try adding more protein to your diet. Throw in
some folic acid and vitamin C as well.

52. If you have white bands across your fingernails, you need more protein.

53. Splitting nails can be reversed. Add some hydrochloric acid to your diet.

54. Add more vitamin B12 to your daily vitamin regimen to help fight dryness.

55. Got white spots on your nails? Try taking zinc.

56. You need more liquids if you have cracks or cuts in the fingernails.

57. Do your hands feel like sandpaper? Soften them up with a coating of
Vaseline then slip them into inexpensive cotton gloves. Do this just before
bed and by the time you wake up in the morning, your hands will be silky
smooth.

58. Yes, they are awkward, but wear rubber gloves while cleaning. Chemicals in
the cleaning products are doing a number on your hands.

6. THESE FEET WERE MADE FOR WALKIN’

Did you know . . . an average human being loses almost a cup of liquid a day
through their feet? Or that a baby’s foot is made up almost entirely of cartilage?
They will harden as the feet grow.
Here are some tips to keep your feet healthy and happy!

59. Keep a pumice stone handy so you can put it to work on those heels as you
step out of the shower.

60. Use a few drops of essential oil in your next footbath!

61. Pamper your feet. Treat yourself to a pedicure!

62. Try a foot massage. It’s relaxing and rejuvenating. Try it on yourself or ask
your partner and trade off. Everyone wins!

63. If your ankles and feet are swelling, it’s a sure sign you are holding fluids. Try to avoid sitting for long periods at a time and cut down on your salt intake.

64. Stilettos are beautiful and yes, they do make you look sexy, HOWEVER, you
should avoid long walks while wearing them.

65. In fact, you should always wear sensible shoes. Ha! Fat chance, right?
Seriously, what about a compromise? Wear sensible shoes when you are
coming and/or going from work and keep the heels in a tote bag.

66. For extremely dry feet, lather on a layer of cocoa butter to each foot, slip your
feet into plastic bags and pull on a pair of oversize socks. Leave on overnight
while sleeping and when you awaken the next morning your feet will feel
smooth, silky and soft.

67. Add milk to a footbath for softening the feet.

7. HOW TO AVOID BAD HAIR DAYS

They say that a woman’s hair is her crowning glory. Even so, all women have
days when we wish we could cover every unwieldy strand!
Here are my tips to regain healthy hair.

68. Get a good hair cut! It all begins right here. Without a good hair cut, nothing
else you do will give you the results you want.

69. In order to have a good hair cut, you need a great hair stylist and when you
find one, keep him/her! Jumping around from stylist to stylist can be
hazardous to your hair. The old adage about “getting what you pay for” is
very true when it comes to something as important as your stylist. Yes, it’s
possible to find a good stylist at the “fast hair” shops, but the cost to your hair
while searching may be more than you care to spend. Fast hair shops usually
employ new, young stylists with little experience. They earn a minimal wage
and do not have to invest in hair care products to use on their clients. Stylists
that you find in upscale shops and salons are usually independent contractors
leasing space in the salon. The salon provides the workstation, utilities and in
some cases a receptionist to service the stylists. These stylists are generally
more experienced and have built a solid clientele. They purchase their own
products used in servicing their clients either from the salon or other suppliers
and set their own prices.

70. If you absolutely must trim your hair at home, do it right! Purchase a pair of
professional hair cutting scissors and use them for nothing else. Not to cut
out pumpkins for the kids at Halloween, not to trim a frayed edge off of a
piece of clothing. Use them for cutting hair . . . period! Take care of them
properly and they will last you for years to come.

71. Trimming your own hair isn’t as easy as it sounds. Try just evening up the
hair that frames your face. Grasp a small section of dry hair (just a few
strands at a time) and hold it gently. If you tug at it the hair stretches and you
will end up cutting off more than you’d like. Try cutting beneath your fingers
instead of on top of them. This will also help to prevent cutting off too much.

72. Keep your hair clean! There’s nothing worse than dirty, oily hair that hangs in
clumps.

73. Use the correct shampoo for your hair type. Not all hair is created equal.

74. If you have oily hair, do not shampoo every day. As paradoxical as it seems,
clean hair makes the problem worse because it allows the oil to seep into the
glands making it much more difficult to deal with. Stay away from those “all in
one” shampoos. Use a ph-balanced shampoo when you do wash your hair
and scrub it well. You may need to change shampoos, so ask your stylist
what he or she recommends. Another tip is to avoid oily foods as much as
you can. It just contributes to the problem. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Whatever you do, stay away from products that are supposed to make your
hair shine! Also do not use conditioner unless you apply it only to the ends of
the hair strands. Keep it away from the scalp!

75. Hair looking drab? Need a change? Try a few highlights. It can do wonders
for brightening up your hair and face.

76. Want to try some curls but don’t want the damage of a perm? Try a curling
iron and/or hot rollers. Hot rollers will give you more control, but you won’t get
those wispy, trailing curls. That you will have to do with the curling iron.

77. Do not try and curl freshly cleaned hair. Try and remember to shampoo the
night before. Squeaky clean hair can sometimes give you difficulty with
holding a curl.

78. Never use a “sticky” hair spray before curling your hair with a curling iron or
hot rollers. You can cause damage.

79. If you are fortunate to have naturally curly hair, have your stylist cut it in layers to take advantage of the new cascading curly look.

80. If you are athletic, keep your lifestyle in mind when selecting a “do.”

81. If you are blonde or have gray hair do not use any coal tar shampoo product
for dandruff as it may permanently stain your hair.

82. Have a problem with the dreaded “dandruff?” Here’s the “sure cure” and
you’ll find it in your kitchen. Vinegar! Yep, pour vinegar into your hair, let it
dry for a little while, then shampoo. Just keep repeating it daily until the
dandruff disappears . . . and it will!

83. Have you ever almost fallen asleep in a stylist's chair because you felt sooo
relaxed? Another good reason for visiting the salon!

84. Have dry hair? Use a hot oil treatment. Alberto V05 is a great over the
counter solution for dry hair.

8. HOW IS YOUR SMILE?

Did you know . . . a knocked out tooth may be replanted if you act quickly? Don’t
clean the tooth, just wrap it in a damp cloth and hustle off to the dentist. If you
can get there within 30 minutes you’ve got a 90% chance of saving it.
Here’s some other interesting tips for healthier teeth.

85. If you wear braces, get extra calcium. Adjusting the position of teeth can
leave small gaps in the jawbone. These need to be replaced with new bone.
Take it as a supplement or eat plenty of green leafy vegetables.

86. Your smile is one of your best assets. Don’t ruin it with bad breath.
Mouthwash does not kill the bacteria that create bad breath. Brush your
tongue and gums and use floss often. If it still persists, consult your dentist.

87. Do you wear full or partial dentures? First, ask your doctor if your denture
contains any metal. If not, place your denture in a safe container, cover with
water and microwave for about two minutes. This kills more bacteria than
soaking in denture cleaner.

88. Are your teeth discolored? This condition will really detract from your overall
appearance. Visit your dentist for a cleaning and ask for the whitening
procedure. Or, try some of the new teeth whitening products you can use at
home.

9. IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

Did you know . . . even in the enlightened period of time we live in, most women
do not conduct regular breast exams on themselves? So what is a segment on
breast exam doing in a beauty book? Well, in order to use the tips in this guide,
you have to be around to do it!

89. Make a self-exam of your breasts part of your daily beauty routine. It doesn’t
take long and you can do it in the shower or in the bath. Just do it. More than
90 percent of all breast lumps are discovered by women themselves. The
majority of all breast lumps are benign. One in ten women will develop breast
cancer at some time in her life. Thus far, breast cancer cannot be prevented.
But, with regular breast self-examination (BSE) and periodic screening, breast
cancer can be detected early and treated properly! If you don’t know how to
conduct the exam, ask your doctor for a chart that will teach you how. Then
just do it!

90. Stop stressing! Easier said than done? All that stress that you keep bottled
up inside creates those worry lines and wrinkles.

91. Have a sea salt massage to rid your body of toxins.

92. Take a walk on the beach, in a forest or around the block.

93. Eat cheese to block bacterial growth in your mouth and to prevent cavities.

94. Join a fitness group.

95. Be kind to yourself. Instead of telling yourself you “can’t” do something,
remind yourself that you CAN!

96. Get a collegen boost. Eat more fruit!

97. Help others. Outer beauty will only appear when you’ve practiced beauty
within.

98. Don’t be afraid to say no. A polite, but firm, refusal allows you to stay in
control of your own life.

99. Talk about your concerns with a friend, relative or counsellor. It’s the best
way to release your anxieties.

100. They don’t call them love apples for nothing. Eat more tomatoes for
potassium, and vitamins A and C.

101. Learn to pace your activities and stop before you get worn out or tired.

102. Get enough exercise.

103. Take time for hobbies or other activities. All work and no play will make
Jane a dull girl or John very boring!

104. Do one thing at a time. If you feel overwhelmed, break up your list of
tasks into bite size pieces.

105. Limit your red meat intake and eat more fish and fowl.

106. Set priorities, not everyone can be Superman or Superwoman.

107. Learn how to solve problems easily. Begin with identifying the problem
and write it down so you are clear in your mind about the scope of the
problem. Then list your options showing the pluses and minuses of each.
Next, choose a plan. Now list the actions you need to carry out the plan. And
last, give yourself a deadline for completion. Often, just having a plan will cut
the stress related to the problem.

108. Focus on the positive and if you falter think about all the good things
you’ve done.

109. Avoid standing for long periods of time to avoid varicose veins in your
legs.

110. Eat properly.

111. Get enough sleep. When is enough really enough? When you no longer
feel tired. Not everyone requires the same amount of sleep.

112. Laugh a lot. Remember what they say . . .it takes more muscles to frown
than to laugh.

113. Take a bubble bath. If you have to lock the bathroom door and play a
radio loudly to block out the kids, go for it!

114. Go shopping! Treat yourself to a special shopping day; better yet, do it
with a pal.

115. Buy clothes that fit! If you have no fashion sense, make doubly sure you
shop with a friend who will be honest with her opinion. There’s nothing worse
than to be caught wearing a wrap around stripe when the derriere should not
be the focal point!

116. Are you buying unscented cosmetics and still experiencing a bad
reaction? Read the labels and buy “fragrance fee” instead.

117. Wear red lipstick for a change.

118. Take a vacation! Getting away, even if it’s a “mini vacation” can give you
a whole new perspective on life. And a good excuse to pamper yourself as
well!

119. Surround yourself with scents. Put an aromatherapy candle in the kitchen
and another in the living room.

120. Listen to music! It soothes the savage beast!

121. Have a full body wrap. Try it, you might just like it!

122. Meditate.

123. Use a few drops of your favorite essential oil in your next bath.

124. Buy some new sexy undergarments.

125. Is a tattoo right for you? Your choice, but discreetly placed it might be
alluring.

126. Be kind.

127. Learn something new.

128. Try a bronzer instead of your normal makeup.

129. Massage vitamin E oil on stretch marks to help fade them away.

130. Who can feel beautiful when they are suffering from menstrual cramps?
You can take the standard Midol, or try something a bit more natural.
Raspberry relaxes the uterus. Try some raspberry leaf tea. It can’t hurt and
it’s sure more pleasant than the alternative.

131. Do something just for yourself every day!

132. Use a white eyeliner pencil directly under the eyes to make your eyes
appear larger.

133. Eat for beauty! Carrots will give you the same compounds as Retin A as
well as reducing fine lines around the eyes.

134. Remember your face is your mirror to the world. Use a light foundation to
prepare the canvass.

135. Use baby oil for removing makeup.

136. Bug bites aren’t beautiful! But who wants to smell like chemicals on a
great summer outing? Nobody does! Try preparing your own bug repellent
using any of the citrus based essential oils. For some reason, the bugs don’t
like it. You solve your problem and don’t have to smell like a refinery.

137. Next time you are at the beach, give yourself a body rub with sand. It will
help exfoliate dead skin cells. Be sure to reapply your sunscreen afterward!

138. Mix your own perfumes and scents using essential oils. Using mineral oil
as a carrier, mix a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

139. Have someone give you a scalp massage. A great rejuvenator.

140. Be daring, get a bikini wax!

141. Use Shea Butter for the ultimate softening of the skin.

142. Stop smoking. Do we need to say more?

143. Deal with PMS! There’s nothing beautiful about a “cranky lady.” There’
just no getting around it; PMS is here to stay. We still don’t know for an
absolute certainty what causes it, but unless you’ve had surgery, you still
have to deal with it every day. For some women it’s very mild. For others it’s
the equivalent of a Mt. St. Helens' eruption! Here are some tips to help you
cope. Believe it or not, PMS is improved with a low fat diet. You might also
try an herbal approach. Taking 500 milligrams a day of fish oil, evening
primrose oil, or flaxseed oil might help. PMS and sore breasts improve with
this regimen because they are high in gamma-linolenic acid. You can find the
oils in most health stores. Magnesium and beta-carotene are also known to
improve the symptoms of PMS.

144. Here we go with another one of those “impossible to feel beautiful” topics.
Yeast infections. Yuck! You know, this nasty little fungus lives in the vagina
365 days a year generally giving us no trouble at all. The medical community
is somewhat at odds about what triggers a “wake up call” for this little devil,
but the majority do agree that it could be caused when you have to take an
antibiotic medication for some other malady. They are also pretty much in
agreement that it can be triggered by something as simple as hormonal
changes prompted by your menstrual cycle. No matter the cause, when this
nasty critter wakes up it’s enough to drive a woman crazy! You can call your
doctor and get a prescription for that ugly cream and get rid of it fairly quickly.
But, if you’d like to try a more natural approach, here are a few tips.
Fermented foods and sugar cause an increase in the growth of yeast in your
intestinal tract which, no surprises here, will result in yeast infections.
Eliminate refined sugar, baked goods, alcohol, caffeine and vinegar.
Bummer, maybe that cream is the best answer after all! You can also try
eating yogurt, if it contains acidophilus. Acidophilus is friendly bacteria, which
fight off the nasty yeast guys. Another tip is to be absolutely careful about
cleanliness after urinating or having a bowel movement. Gosh, it’s tough
being beautiful isn’t it?

145. If beauty can sometimes be a bummer, sometimes love can really, really
hurt. There’s nothing beautiful about genital herpes. There’s no mystery
about how it is spread. Have sexual intercourse with someone who is
infected and you’ll end up with the disease and a lifetime of heartache.

146. Have you ever been stung by a bee and got a huge red bump because of
it? Hopefully, you aren’t allergic to bee stings. If you are, you know what to
do: follow your doctor's instructions. The rest of us can deal with the red
bump by dabbing a little bit of meat tenderizer on it to reduce the swelling and
minimize the pain. Or, you can try dabbing it with the Calendula flower or
garlic. Yep, you can eat it or create a poultice that will break it down quickly.
Onions work as well.

147. Insomnia is not part of a beneficial beauty routine. If you have trouble
sleeping, try lemon balm tea. There are other herbal teas that also work well,
but none have the same reputation as lemon balm for a bedtime herb.

148. How beautiful do you feel when you’re pregnant? All that stuff about how
beautiful a pregnant woman is was obviously written by men! Take all the
beauty treatments and tips in this guide, multiply them by three and maybe,
just maybe we might feel a little bit better about how we look and feel. All
kidding aside, probably one of the worse side effects of pregnancy is “morning
sickness,” no matter what time of day it hits you personally. You have to be
careful about what you ingest. Try Peppermint or any of the other “mints.”
Brew a mild tea and sip it slowly. Believe it or not, one of the old home
remedies for nausea is raw or cooked cabbage. Sauerkraut is reported to be
of particular benefit, soothing the intestines.

149. If you have avoided our recommendations and have got sunburnt, you
certainly aren’t feeling very beautiful! Try breaking a stem off an aloe plant
and rubbing on the affected areas. Another tip is to apply cooled black tea to
the burn areas. And, while we don’t recommend this often because it is a
very strong astringent, witch hazel will work wonders on sunburn.

150. Maintain a *balance* in everything you do, from eating to exercise to daily
activities. Balance is an important key to beauty.

151. Remember to keep a smile on your face!

10. FINAL THOUGHTS

In the beginning man worked hard to survive. He had many things to do. Hunting,
keeping warm, finding berries, and taking care of his family. He did not have time
to worry about being fat, as there wasn't an issue of fat. It was survival of the
fittest, those that were not fit, perished, or had someone to watch over them.
Man's goal was survival.

Women labored hard, and many died in childbirth. There were many deaths of
their infants, so women kept reproducing to keep the family surviving. They
scrubbed, cooked, gathered food and wood and tended after the children. They
did not have time to worry about things that made them happy or not happy.
Their goal was survival.
Well, times have changed, people don't work physically as hard as their
ancestors did, they lose fewer children and the dying in labor has been brought
down to a small percentage. Emergency hospitals with ambulances and new
technology and medicines have saved the lives of countless people.
Most families plan on 1 to 3 children, and now to keep up with the economy (or
the Jones') there are usually two working parents for those children. Men are
learning skills that were unheard of for men 50 years ago. They are doing
household chores, changing diapers, picking kids up at daycare, and doing a
whole lot more bonding with their children in the child's infant stages.
In the bustle of an age of living and learning at a light speed compared to their
ancestors, people start worrying about their health. With the information highway
thick with one company after another along with the vast info commercials, it is
hard to decide what vitamins you need, what foods should you eat, and how
much exercise you need. And, even what ratio of fats, carbohydrates, and
proteins should you feed your body and your family's bodies. It takes a lot of
reading and trying to figure it all out.

Living a Healthier life is rather simple. It is the matter of knowing some essential
ingredients to happiness.

Statistics tell you the following:
Those who are married are far happier than those who are not.
Those who have some kind of faith or religion are happier
Those who go to bed at night and sleep an average of 8 hours are happier
Those who have friends and family are happier
Those who are mentally and physically healthy are happier
Those who have a regular schedule to live by are happier

Sure, having extra money makes people happier too. However, the above
ingredients are the true essence of happiness. Money just adds extra. Having
money and not the above can end up feeling pretty empty.
Knowing how and what to eat can make a huge difference in how you feel.
Improper eating habits can cause depression, overweight, illness and an overall
lethargy.
Sure, when you are young you can throw junk into your body. It is growing and it
is generally a busy body, provided it has some nutrition along with the junk. But
after awhile your body just can't handle it anymore.
Those years of bad eating add up. Soon, the arteries get clogged, the cholesterol
goes up, nights without sleep and partying add up ... and soon you wake up and
you wonder what the heck happened to your energy and your youth.
Being young is great, but youth is only for a quarter of your life. The rest of it is
plain aging, and fighting that downhill battle. Older people who have taken care of
themselves over the years, wake up just as bouncy as young people. They are
excited to see the new day, and are alert to the world and full of pep.
Being old does not mean you have to be sick. It also doesn’t mean you can’t be
beautiful. Don't forget to wake up in the morning and think positive thoughts.
People who live in families who compliment each other live happier lives. Find
something positive and reinforcing to say to your loved ones every single day.
Let’s talk about changing your eating and exercising habits. You can do this. Do
not try to change everything at once, unless you are just one of those rare
individuals that can do that.

We start with our diet. Diet does not mean just losing weight. Diet means the
food you put in your daily eating habits.

A rule of thumb for good eating habits is ... don't eat more calories than you burn
off. Don't go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at
least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of
vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.
ADD IT TO YOUR LIFE....
Water, you need water. Try to add at least 4 more glasses of water to your daily
diet. The rule of thumb for water is 8 glasses per day; and one extra for every
ten pounds overweight you are.

Fats, you need to know about fats. There are different kinds of fats. Some fats
are better for you than others. A rule of thumb on fats is, stay away from
hydrogenated fats. These are fats that solidify. They are in store bought cakes,
cookies, crackers, chips and even in bran muffins. Read the labels.
Choose fats that are polyunsaturated or fats such as olive oil. And, eat some fish
to get some omega-3 fats.

Carbohydrates are your immediate fuel source. An average is about 55 percent
of your diet in carbohydrates. So, a rule of thumb is, figure your protein grams,
get around 25% fat per day, and the rest would be in carbohydrates.
The heavier you are, the more protein you need and the fewer carbohydrates you
will need.

Fiber - work up to getting 25 grams of Fiber per day
Protein - averages about 20 percent.
Women divide weight by 2.2 and multiply that by .8 to get the kilograms.
For men it averages one gram per each kilogram of weight. So, a man would
divide his weight in pounds by 2.2 then multiply that by .10
Fats - try not to exceed more than 25 percent fat in your daily diet. 30 percent is
acceptable, too. That does not mean you can't have a junk food fast food
hamburger ... it just means that if you do eat that 55 percent fat burger that you
are going to have to cut down on other fat filled foods for the rest of the day to
balance it out.

Make exchanges gradually. Suppose you drink whole milk ... work down to 2
percent, replacing two of your cups per day until you can completely change
over. If you are on two percent milk, work down to 1 percent.
Add bran to your cereals for extra fiber. Also, add it in your baking.
You need to balance your diet with vegetables and fruits, too. Try adding
different colors to your plate. Maybe an orange yam, and some green beans, to
add color. More variety of food colors brings more variety of vitamins.
Eat more raw foods.

Exchange things, add things, and do it gradually. Remember, live all things in life
in moderation and soon you will be bouncy and vibrant and well on your way to
living BEAUTIFULLY!

11. RESOURCES

National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) – Online at
http://www.cdc.gov/
Offline at:
CDC/DCPC
4770 Buford Hwy, NE
MS K64, Atlanta, GA 30341
Toll-free information line: 1-888-842-6355
FAX: 1-770-488-4760
E-mail cancerinfo@cdc.gov
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services – Their department of U. S.
Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has
a boatload of information at http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov
Find out the latest warning and tips for skin care products.
Contact them offline at:
Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20857
1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332)

Stay Young n Stay Healthy

2007-08-17T21:23:00.001-07:00

A guide to anti-aging techniques that turn back the clock Stay Young, Stay Healthy

*Introduction
*How and Why Do We Age?
*The Three Types of Exercise That Stop Aging
*Preserve Your Body With Nutrition
*Vitamins and Supplements for Healthy Living
*Stress: The Silent Killer
*Conclusion

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is
for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to
be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any
questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard
professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you
have read.

Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement
has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to
"diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

INTRODUCTION

For centuries, ever since the legendary Ponce de Leon went searching for the
elusive Fountain of Youth, people have been looking for ways to slow down the
aging process. Medical science has made great strides in keeping people alive
longer by preventing and curing disease, and helping people to live healthier
lives. Average life expectancy keeps increasing, and most of us can look forward
to the chance to live much longer lives than our ancestors.

Many researchers think that the key to our own personal Fountains of Youth
resides in our hormones and endocrine system. These are the various organs
and glands that make hormones in our bodies.

Yet we are all aging constantly. The unpleasant fact is that every single one of us
begins aging the moment we are out of the womb. If you’re living, you’re aging;
you can’t avoid it. But there are a number of things that you can do to keep
yourself healthy and active, and to eliminate or at least slow down many of the
factors that contribute to aging.

Yes, it is possible to turn back the clock.Your body was actually designed
with the inbuilt ability to fix itself, as long as you take care of it properly. Your
body is made up of something like 100 trillion (100,000,000,000,000) living cells,
which keep themselves strong and healthy with the proper food.

Each and every one of those trillions of cells dies off and is replaced with a new
cell at regular intervals. Your entire body is literally completely replaced every few
years – you really aren’t the same person you used to be!
What happens with your cells is the key to anti-aging. When a cell dies, one of
three possible things must happen:

If the cell has not been receiving proper nutrition, its replacement will be a
weaker version of the cell. In this scenario, your body is degenerating.

The replacement cell may have the same strength as its predecessor. In this
case, your body essentially remains in the same place.

The third possibility is that the new cell is stronger than the previous one. Now
you’re actually regenerating the body, and reversing the aging process. This can
only happen if you give your cells plenty of the right kind of food energy to work
with.

Somewhere in our thirties, many of us start noticing those first signs that we
aren’t kids anymore – a few gray hairs appearing, lines in the face, skin starts
sagging. As more time goes by, other signs slowly and gradually appear – it’s a
little harder getting up in the morning, our vision and hearing aren’t what they
used to be, our sex life isn’t as lively as we remember. And we look around us
and see the same things apparently happening to our friends and family. Most of
us pretty much automatically accept what we see as an inevitable process of
nature.

Unfortunately, this is a mistake, because as the old cliché goes, you’re only as
old as you feel. And if you feel and think that you’re getting older – well, then you
are!

Your mindset does influence what goes on in your body. Meanwhile, you see
your body getting older, and so you feel older, which reinforces the aging
processes in your body. It becomes a vicious circle.

Fortunately, you can turn this around by using the tips and principles explained in
this book. As you notice your body looking and feeling younger, your mindset will
improve, which motivates you to continue your anti-aging practices, which sets
up a positive feedback loop, instead of a negative one. And so the process
accelerates.

People are living longer than ever these days, due to advanced medical
breakthroughs, increased awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and
other related factors.

The human body can take an awful lot of abuse and neglect. We don’t always
think about our bad habits, since it may take years or decades for the effects to
become apparent. But neglect yourself long enough, and you may one day find
yourself suffering through the latter period of your life with a wide range of
maladies and complaints, from difficulty seeing and hearing to cancer, heart
disease, brittle bones, and many other problems.

Yet it only takes a little knowledge and a bit of work to prevent most, if not all, of these common old-age problems from manifesting. There’s no magic pill or
instant cure, and it will take some effort on your part. But the results will be well
worth it -- how much would it be worth to you to enjoy your final years as a
healthy, active adult, able to continue doing many of the things you most love?

CHAPTER 1: WHY AND HOW DO WE AGE?

Most people just shrug and accept aging as something that can’t be avoided –
like death and taxes. Perhaps we haven’t figured out how to cheat death yet, but
recent scientific discoveries have shown that common conceptions of aging are
largely mistaken. For most species on the planet (as well as humans until only
very recently), it was unlikely for anyone to survive long enough to die of simple
“old age.” Events such as starvation, accident, being eaten by a predator,
disease, and other causes were the usual reason for death.
There are number of theories about exactly why and how we age. You may have
heard of free radicals – a free radical is a special type of molecule with an extra
electron that steals electrons from other molecules as it passes through your
bloodstream, causing damage to your body’s cells. The exact role of free radicals
is still uncertain, and much research is still being done, but studies have
established that the presence of free radicals plays a part in diseases such as
Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, hypertension, and other health problems.
Studies have also shown a definite relationship between a strong and healthy
response to stress and aging. Free radicals can cause progressive damage to
the body’s tissue and functioning, and thereby increase the rate of aging. Good
stress fights off the free radicals, which in turn slows down the aging process and
increases your lifespan.

There are a number of substances that function as anti-oxidants which, work to
bind the unstable free radicals and render them harmless. Many of these
substances will be discussed further on in this book, but they include Vitamin C,
Vitamin E, beta-carotene, grape seed extract, Melatonin, and other substances.
It’s only in modern times, when increasing numbers of people live long enough to
die from so-called “natural causes,” that the role of phenomena such as free
radicals has become important enough to study.

Another theory of aging focuses on how our DNA works. DNA is the blueprint of
our individual body and life, and is inherited from our parents. The theory here is
that our individual code ages us at a predetermined rate, possibly to keep
humans from overpopulating by making sure we don’t stick around too long
taking up room. But this code can also be altered or “fooled” into aging much
more slowly, through improving our diet and lifestyle and avoiding pollution and
other environmental toxins as much as possible.

Another theory posits that the nucleic acids, or telomeres, in our cells shorten
slightly every time one of our cells replicates itself. Each time the cell is
duplicated, it’s a less than perfect copy of the previous version, and this
eventually leads to the body’s aging, breakdown, and death. In other words, like
your car, you can only repair the machine so many times – eventually it just
simply wears out.

Scientists have recently found a direct link that indicates that excessive fat in
your body speeds up the aging process. Studies found that the more that
someone weighs, the older their cells are. The exact mechanism by which this
process happens is still uncertain, but possibly the fat cells help weaken and
destroy important genetic structures.

It was found that being overweight effectively makes a person nine years
older, on average!

Many of the most common health problems we encounter in Western societies,
such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other greater and lesser maladies,
may occur due to fat cells hurrying up the process of aging.

A lot of it boils down to proper nutrition and exercise. We know that the proper
nutrition and exercise can and will make a difference on how healthy our bodies
age. Just as smoking, sugar, and alcohol may not show effects for years and
years but very few get away without repercussions. Cardiovascular disease,
cancer, and osteoporosis are three debilitating diseases that diet and exercise
Stay Young, Stay Healthy

can have an intense effect on. Let me share with you what we know about
keeping our bodies healthy.

CHAPTER 2: THE THREE TYPES OF EXERCISE THAT STOP AGING

Studies have shown that living a sedentary lifestyle actually presents a higher
risk for heart disease than high cholesterol or even smoking! No matter what your
age, whether you’re closing in on 40, racing past 50 or 60, or older, you will
improve your health and mood by exercising regularly. Even nursing home
residents in their 80s and 90s became stronger and more independent through
exercise. You’ll feel better and have much more energy than you did before.

Some of us are better than others at sticking to our exercise plans, but the
benefits of regular physical activity are almost too numerous to list here. Regular
exercise will keep excess weight off, put calcium in your bones and keep them
healthy, keep your cholesterol down, make your metabolism more efficient, and
help clean your body of toxins through sweating and regular bowel movements.

Even better, regular exercise strengthens your heart, lowers your cholesterol,
lowers your stress, and helps you to sleep better. When you’re in good physical
shape, your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and even some kinds of cancer lower
dramatically. It also has been shown to help reduce depression.

Sound good? And you don’t have to become a marathon runner or torture
yourself through an Arnold Schwarzenegger-style bodybuilding program in order
to enjoy the benefits – just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity several times
a week will do the trick. Just do something – anything to get started, even taking
short walks every day.

If you’ve never exercised regularly, or have been sedentary for quite a
while, you should have a routine medical checkup before starting any new
program (just to be on the safe side!).

Once you’ve gotten your doctor’s okay – take it slow to begin with! Slow and
steady wins the race, as the old saying goes. It’s much more effective to start a
reasonable program that you’ll actually stay with for the long run, rather than
racing out of the gate like gangbusters and burning yourself out after a week.
Thirty minutes a day is all you need, and it doesn’t even have to be all at one
time. Taking the stairs instead of using the elevator, mowing the lawn, even
chores around the house, can easily add up to 30 minutes over the course of a
day.

Before starting your activity, if it’s going to be anything more strenuous than
walking, it’s a good idea to spend between 5 and 15 minutes stretching. This
gives you more flexibility and ease of movement, and decreases your risk of
straining your muscles or otherwise injuring yourself. A similar period of
stretching after your exercise is useful for cooling yourself down and relaxing.
It’s best to vary your exercise routine. Not only is this more beneficial to your
health, you’ll be much less likely to injure yourself or get bored. You should be
working hard enough that it’s difficult to carry on a normal conversation at the
same time, but you shouldn’t be working so hard that you’re gasping for every
breath.

Also try to find something that you enjoy doing. Obviously, that will make you that
much more likely to continue doing it.
• Try to mix these three types of exercise: aerobic, strength, and flexibility.
Aerobic exercise helps to strengthen your heart, increases your lung capacity,
and improves your blood circulation.
• Strength conditioning helps make you stronger and increases your
metabolism and bone density.
• Flexibility exercises, besides helping you to move more easily (obviously!),
keep your joints in good shape and make it less likely that they will be stiff and
painful as you get older.

One way to do this is to join your local health club. Then you’ll have access to a
wide range of stationary bicycles, stair-steppers, and other aerobic machines.
Plus, there are usually qualified trainers on staff who can help you design a
personal program that’s safe and appropriate for you. But you can also do a very
effective exercise program at home, either by yourself or with a friend or
spouse. Then the only financial investment you’ll have is for a pair of decent
athletic shoes.

The better condition you are in, the more efficient your body will be at burning fat.
So, while you still want to keep healthy dietary habits, if you want to lose weight it will be far more effective if you exercise regularly and eat what you like, rather
than starving yourself.

Each of three types of exercise are explored more fully below:
Aerobic:
The best way to strengthen your heart muscle is through cardiovascular, or
aerobic, exercise. This is activity that will get your heart rate pumped up to
between 60 and 90 percent of your recommended maximum heart rate. (To
figure your maximum rate, just take 220 and subtract your current age.)
While your body does burn calories constantly through normal functions such as
breathing and blood circulation, if you do anything more exciting, your body
needs to find some extra energy. It does this by burning glycogen, which is the
carbohydrates and fat stored in your body. The most efficient way of burning fat
is medium-intensity activities that can be done for a longer period, such as
swimming or power walking.

Almost any physical activity you can do will help. Take the stairs instead of the
elevator, park a little further away from your destination than usual, walk or ride
your bike instead of driving. There are ways you can insert regular exercise into
your regular life in an organic way – for instance, if you normally watch a lot of
TV, get a stationary bicycle or a treadmill and put it in front of the TV, and use it
while you’re watching. Thirty minutes a day is all you really need, and three 10-
minute bursts of activity will work as well as a single 30-minute workout. The key
is to take action and just do something – it almost doesn’t matter what that
something is.

If you want something a bit more challenging, you can attend one of the wide
varieties of aerobic dance classes at your local health club or community center.
The important thing is to find the activities that you enjoy doing, and that fit your
current lifestyle and fitness level.

If you have illnesses that restrict your activities, talk to your doctor – there’s most likely something that you can do. For instance, if you have arthritis, swimming is a very beneficial activity that won’t strain or injure your joints.

Strength:

Lifting weights is a great way to build strength, become more flexible, and
increase your bone density, which is especially of concern to women as they age.
Increasing your muscular strength in this way will make such everyday things like
climbing stairs or rising from a chair easier when you get older.
By strengthening your muscles in this way, you have more energy and better
posture; you’re less likely to suffer muscle-related tears or other injuries; and you
will look and feel more attractive.

In addition, building muscle mass increases your metabolism rate, which means
you burn fat more efficiently, without going on any unhealthy crash diets. (You
may not weigh less after lifting weights for a while, but an increasing amount of
your body fat will be transformed into muscle!) Weight training also lowers your
cholesterol, reduces stress, and helps prevent a wide variety of diseases.
There are a variety of brands and types of equipment that are commonly used in
weight training, from individual dumbbells or barbells to freestanding machines.
There are pros and cons of each type of training, although a lot of it will come
down to personal preference and what works best for you.

In any strength-training program, the number one concern is always your safety.
If you haven’t done any weight training before, take it easy at the beginning.
Machines with adjustable resistance are the best place to start out. This gives
you the chance to work on specific, isolated muscle groups of your choice, and
also lets you keep track of your progress, by slowly increasing the weight and
resistance that you’re lifting.

On the other hand, free weights tend to develop your strength more quickly. They
develop more muscles at once, as opposed to resistance machines that isolate
single muscle groups.

Free weights are more versatile, since you’re not restricted to the machine’s
specific motions, although as a result, more coordination is needed to use free
weights safely and effectively. Free weights are also much cheaper than
machines (if you’re purchasing them for personal use rather than joining a health
club), and take up much less space when you’re not using them.

The ideal strength-training program would involve a combination of free weights
and resistance machines. If you belong to a health club, there most likely are
trainers on staff who can help you develop a personalized strength-training
program that’s best suited for you.

Flexibility:

Of the three main types of exercise, flexibility is most likely to get overlooked by
most people. The benefits from aerobic and strength training are fairly obvious
(lose weight, build muscles and strength, get fit generally), but flexibility has its
own important part to play, even if its benefits are less obvious.

As you age, however, you will learn more and more to appreciate the benefits
you get by regular stretching and other flexibility exercises. Keeping flexible
keeps you more limber and makes many ordinary day-to-day activities much
easier and more enjoyable. Being more flexible also helps prevent many kinds of
injuries.

If you belong to a health club or otherwise can get access to a qualified personal
trainer or physical therapist, you can work out a stretching program tailored to
your individual needs, much more beneficial than doing a few generic stretches.
Stretching helps get rid of the tension in your body. Many of us habitually hold
tension in various parts of our bodies, often without even being consciously
aware of it. The most common tense areas are the chest, shoulder, hamstrings,
and hips. When doing any kind of stretching, pay attention to what your body is
telling you. Take it slow and easy, especially if you are older, pregnant, or if you
are suffering from any kind of injury or disability.

Yoga is an increasingly common practice for people attracted to its many
physical, mental, and psychological benefits. There are many different types of
yoga, but generally it refers to a system of stretching exercises that improve the
functioning of your body’s circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems, as well
as making the body stronger and more flexible. Many people also say that
regular yoga practice brings them increased clarity and peace of mind and more
emotional stability.

The idea behind yoga is that the health of your spine determines your real age –
regular yoga practice keeps your spine flexible, firms up your skin, keeps your
chin single (and not double or triple), and helps tone your body and improve your
posture. You’re only as old as you feel, and if your body looks and feels younger
than your years, then you are younger than your years.

Doing yoga postures stretches your body in many ways and increases the blood
flow to areas of your body that don’t always get enough. Your brain and other
internal organs will like the increased oxygen that comes from the improved
blood circulation. Besides the immediate benefits to your well-being, a regular
yoga practice will keep you active and alert in your older years.

Besides the actual physical stretches and postures, a typical yoga class may also
include instruction on better breathing, and using various meditation and
visualization techniques that help your mind and body to function together at a
higher level.

Another popular type of exercise widely taught in classes is the Pilates system,
named after its originator, Joseph Pilates. The system dates from the time of
World War I, when Pilates wanted to improve the health and morale of his fellow
soldiers. Later on, he added the use of resistance springs, and then developed
the machines and other equipment now commonly used in Pilates classes. For
years the system was mainly used by professional dancers, until the 1980s,
when Pilates became widely popular through classes at health clubs and
community centers.

The key goal of the Pilates program is to help you improve your mental focus,
learn muscle control, and make movements more efficiently and effectively.
Some of the ways this is achieved include learning to align your spine properly,
strengthening your back and abdomen muscles to promote the healthiest
posture, and using your breath to calm and focus your mind and reduce mental
chatter.

CHAPTER 3: PRESERVE YOUR BODY WITH NUTRITION

Looking and feeling younger is a lot more under your control than you may think.
A lot of the signs of aging that we assume are natural and unavoidable, such as
wrinkles, decreasing mobility, less acute sight and hearing, disease, and
assorted chronic aches and pains, come in large part from not taking proper care
of ourselves. The choices you make when feeding yourself are just as important
as exercise and other elements of your anti-aging strategy.

Studies have shown that putting lots of fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet
gives you more energy, helps manage your weight, and lowers your risk for many
diseases. The reasons for this include the fact that most fruits and vegetables
have no fat or cholesterol, and they are low in calories, which means you can fill
yourself up without gaining weight.

Fresh produce also contains lots of fiber, which helps prevent cancer, diabetes,
high blood pressure, and heart disease. They are also filled with important
vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, folic acid, iron, calcium, and betacarotene.

Fruits and vegetables are also chock full of antioxidants (discussed in Chapter 1),
which get rid of those destructive free radicals that attack and damage our cells.
Eating a diet that contains plenty of antioxidants is a good way to combat aging,
in addition to preventing many types of disease. Antioxidants also build up the
immune system, help prevent heart disease, and reduce the risk of prostate
cancer in men.

Another aspect of a healthy anti-aging diet is to simply eat less. Numerous
studies have shown that people who don’t eat at every meal until they’re stuffed
live significantly longer and have much lower rates of all those lovely age-related
diseases you’ve heard me mention so many times already, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and many others. (They bear repeating, because the
stakes are so high here!)

But when I say eat less, that doesn’t mean starving yourself or neglecting to eat
the right kinds of food. Decrease your portions of sugar, fat, fast food, and other
empty calories, but consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and
whole grains.

Eat less red meat, and more fish. Fish are rich in a good kind of fat, the omega-3
fatty acids, which are good for your heart and your immune system. Omega-3
also helps prevent the growth of cancer cells.

Fruits, vegetables, and many plant extracts also have chemicals called
phytonutrients, which help keep your skin looking nice and healthy. The role of
phytonutrients in plants includes giving them their color, repelling insect enemies,
and attracting bees for pollination. (Antioxidants are a type of phytonutrient.)
Another aspect of good health that will keep you young longer is a healthy
digestive system and colon, including regular bowel movements. While not the
most glamorous of topics, it’s still vitally important. When John Wayne was
autopsied after his death from lung and stomach cancer, over 40 pounds of hard
fecal matter was found stuck to the sides of his intestines! Keeping yourself
regular prevents this from happening to your insides.

The best ways to promote good digestion and elimination are to get regular
exercise, drink plenty of water every day, and eat a good diet with plenty of fiber.
Other obstacles to a healthy colon include high levels of stress, a sudden change
in your daily routine, pregnancy, and taking certain medications.

CHAPTER 4: VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEALTHY LIVING

Vitamins are organic nutrients, usually separated into two categories: watersoluble,
which includes the B vitamin group and Vitamin C, and fat-soluble, which
includes Vitamins A, D, E, and K.

When you take fat-soluble vitamins, they get stored in your body’s fat tissues until
the body needs them. They may wait in your tissues for anywhere from a few
days to six months. The water-soluble group of vitamins stays in your
bloodstream, and any unused part is quickly eliminated in your urine, so the
water-soluble vitamins need to be replenished much more often.
When we get older, generally our bodies find it more difficult to process the
nutrients we put into it. We can make up for this inefficiency with the intelligent
use of various vitamins, minerals, and other anti-aging supplements.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A keeps your skin and mucous membranes strong and
resistant to viruses and bacteria. It also helps keep your immune system strong.
Vitamin B: Our bodies become less efficient at absorbing the B vitamins as we
age, so taking supplements is a good idea. Three specific B vitamins are
especially important to your health: B6, B12, and folic acid. Deficiencies in these
vitamins raise your risk for heart disease and loss of memory. Recommended
daily doses are 5mg of Vitamin B6, 10mcg of Vitamin B12, and 400mcg of folic
acid. Pregnant women should double their dose of folic acid.

Vitamin D: Getting enough Vitamin D is a good way to prevent osteoporosis.
Being out in the sunlight is one way to get Vitamin D in a natural and enjoyable
way, but as we grow older, our bodies absorb it less efficiently and we need
supplemental amounts. A daily dose between 400 IU and 600 IU should be
sufficient.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an excellent antioxidant, and helps lower your blood
pressure.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K is thought to be an even stronger antioxidant than Vitamin
E. A good place to find naturally occurring Vitamin K is in green leafy vegetables,
or it can be taken as a supplement. Vitamin K is unique among the fat-soluble
group of vitamins in that it is not stored in the body.

Amino Acids: There are only 22 different amino acids, divided into two groups
called essential amino acids and nonessential amino acids. They combine
into long protein chains that produce the various enzymes and hormones
necessary to the healthy functioning of all your essential body organs, including
your heart, brain, liver, and kidneys.

The essential amino acids do not occur naturally in the body, and must be
obtained through eating protein-rich foods. The nonessential amino acids are
made within the body by combining two or more essential amino acids.
Since so many of us eat diets that include a lot of processed foods, which often
do not contain the right kinds of protein that provide amino acids, a lot of people
can benefit from taking amino acid supplements.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): This enzyme helps turn fats and sugars into energy.
As you get older, you have much less CoQ10 in your body. It’s essential to have
plenty of it for healthy cellular growth.

Green Tea: Green tea has many benefits – it helps keep the DNA of cells intact,
it helps prevent cancer cells from developing, and it’s an excellent antioxidant
(one cup of green tea has more antioxidant power than a serving of spinach,
carrots, or broccoli).

Fish Oil: As noted earlier in our chapter on Nutrition, fish are a good source of a
good kind of fat called omega-3 fatty acids. Besides eating fish, you can get this
important fish oil in capsule form. Fish oil has been shown to reduce the risk of
heart disease by promoting healthy blood flow in your body. Flaxseed oil and
primrose oil also give you similar benefits.

Garlic: Garlic builds your immunity, helps prevent infections, lowers your
cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduces your risk of contracting colon or
stomach cancer. It can either be eaten directly as a food seasoning, or taken in
capsule form.

Spirulina: Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that grows in the water in warm
parts of the world, including Africa, Hawaii, and Central America. Spirulina is an
excellent source of protein, and contains all of the essential amino acids. It also is a strong antioxidant and helps prevent cancer. And if that’s not enough, spirulina
is also good for your immune system and lowers your cholesterol.

CHAPTER 5: STRESS – THE SILENT KILLER

Stress by itself is not necessarily bad – depending on how much stress and how
we react to it. Too much stress contributes to a lot of our physical ailments,
including cancer, heart disease, and many other diseases. Our psychological
well-being is also threatened by stress, which can cause anxiety and depression,
among other mental problems.

Stress comes from many sources – financial problems, relationship problems,
stress at work, fighting traffic, noise, even getting ready for a vacation. People
react to stress in different ways, and some handle it better than others. Too much
stress can cause you to be tired all the time, depressed, and withdrawn. You
might develop skin problems or other annoying physical symptoms, get
headaches and digestive problems, and lose your appetite and your sex drive.
Another common source of stress is major life events, such as divorce, the death
of a spouse or other loved one, losing your job, or even just a major change of
your daily routine. Too many of these major events in too short of a time may
give you significant physical or psychological symptoms.

The body reacts to stress by releasing hormones that have the effect of lowering
your white blood cell count, which in turn weakens your immune system. This
process is more commonly known as the “fight or flight” response. Even though
the overwhelming majority of us seldom if ever find ourselves in a truly lifethreatening situation, our bodies become accustomed to being in a constant state
of low-grade emergency response. This takes its toll over time.

There are a number of proven methods for relieving excess stress, all of which
also help with the anti-aging process. One is exercise, which we’ve already
talked about earlier. Even a simple walk will help relax you and clear your mind.
Here are some other relaxation methods:

Deep breathing: It may sound ridiculous to say that you need to learn how to
breathe, but many of us have unconsciously learned poor and inefficient
breathing habits, learned from years of being constantly stressed out. When you
are feeling especially anxious, just find a comfortable place to sit, and take slow,
deep breaths. Count slowly from 1 to 4 while you inhale, and then exhale just as
slowly, again counting to four. Do this for a few minutes, and the extra oxygen in
your body will make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

Visualization: To rephrase an old cliché, you are what you think. Try and catch
yourself next time you start thinking anxious, angry, or otherwise negative
thoughts. Your emotions follow your thoughts, and you will begin to feel anxious,
angry, and negative. To counteract this, find a comfortable, quiet place to sit,
close your eyes, and see in your mind’s eye a place (either real or imagined) that
makes you feel relaxed, safe, and happy. It doesn’t really matter what you
imagine, as long as it makes you feel good. As your mind calms down, your body
will, too.

In addition, you can put on a CD, tape, or MP3 of relaxing music while you’re
visualizing.

Meditation: Meditation is a huge subject that we’ll cover fairly briefly here – you
can find plenty of additional information and techniques online or at your local
library. Various forms of meditation have been used around the world for
thousands of years. Frequently, it has been part of religious and spiritual
practices, but you can also use it for simple relaxation and stress reduction.
Meditation really isn’t all that complicated. The main idea is that you consciously
relax your entire body while concentrating all of your mental focus, like a laser
beam, on one thing. This focus can be on an object (such as a burning candle,
for instance), or a sound, or even your own breath. The main goal is to
concentrate on the chosen thing for a sustained period of time. This keeps your
mind occupied and helps quiet down the incessant monkey-like chatter that
normally occupies our minds from the moment we awake in the morning until we
fall asleep at night. You become calmer and your body gets a chance to
recuperate from the everyday stresses.

Some ways to get started meditating:

• Find a meditation technique or style that fits your personality and
doesn’t conflict with your beliefs. You can incorporate a meditation
session into a yoga or tai chi routine, or use it as part of your morning and
evening prayers.

• Make meditation a set part of your day and your life. Take it slow and
easy at the beginning. You’re doing well if you can do it for five minutes
once or twice a day. As you get comfortable with the procedure, work your
way gradually up to 20 minutes at a time. You can set a clock nearby
within your peripheral vision, or set an alarm that’s not too loud and jarring.

• Be persistent, the results may not happen instantly. Take it easy on
yourself, too. It doesn’t make too much sense to get stressed out at
yourself because you’re not relaxing quickly enough! While you’re trying to
concentrate on your chosen object, your mind will inevitably wander
constantly. That’s fine; just gently return your focus to the object.
Meditation is one of the simplest and cheapest therapeutic stress-reduction
techniques around. You can do it anytime. It just requires a little bit of time and
practice.

CONCLUSION:

The nice thing about all the anti-aging techniques given in this book is that you
can use any of them individually, and it will make a difference in your life. But if
you use more than one of them, or all of them, the effect is much greater than the
sum of the individual parts. There is a synergistic effect, with each technique in
your strategy mutually and simultaneously strengthening the others. Eating right
gives you more energy, which makes you feel more like exercising, which gives
you even more energy, which reduces your stress and relaxes you, which makes
meditation that much more effective…you get the idea. You should have plenty of
ideas now about how you can slow down, halt, and even reverse the aging
process in your body and mind. If you want to know more, there’s plenty of
additional information online and at your local library. Good luck, good health,
and have a long and happy life!