Natural Health Journals

What is Attention Deficit Disorder?

ADD stands for attention deficit disorder and is a learning disability that primarily affects a person’s level of concentration. It also has a diverse affect on concentration span and can cause sufferers to lose focus on the task at hand. ADD sufferers have a tendency to forget routine tasks like household chores and are seen to daydream a lot and appear inattentive. They will also lose possessions regularly and despite possessing the desire to complete routine tasks, will face difficulties doing so.

Many sufferers are wrongly seen to be stupid or slow, and these feelings can lead to a deep depression or resentment.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is much easier to recognize because as well as the usual problems with concentration and attention people with ADHD often suffer from behavioral problems that are picked up on very quickly.

What is the Best ADD Treatment?

There are a number of prescription drugs that are used as ADD treatment, including Ritalin and Adderall, although many drugs prescribed by doctors only tend to mask the symptoms and the problem instead of finding the cause and counteracting it.

The Side Effects.

A majority of the ADD treatment obtainable on prescription is very strong and can cause undesired side affects. While many believe the relief far outweighs the side effects, it is important that you consider all the options before you decide on the best course of action for you. Side effects can be as seemingly mild as dizziness and nausea or as serious as dependency, Tourettes syndrome and even toxic psychosis.

Alternative ADD Treatment.

It is widely believed that ADD is caused by a malfunction in the neurotransmitter in the brain. This is usually caused by a deficiency in nutrients being absorbed by our bodies. Among the natural remedies for attention deficit disorder are Glyconutrients, also known as miracle sugars, which give our bodies the eight essential sugars that are becoming less and less frequent in our everyday diets. These help fight toxins that are on the increase in the atmosphere due to car pollution and air pollution. The advent and increased use of processed foods is stripping our diet of these essential nutrients but by the use of glyconutrients we can help our bodies fight many ailments associated with a lack of nutrients.

Glyconutrients can also help with the causes of symptoms of ADD and ADHD by increasing attention span and concentration and decreasing distractibility.

Young children are full of dreams of what they will do, be, see when they grow up. As adults most of us have given up the habit of having big dreams. Or if we do, never following through with them. Why do so many people let their dreams die unlived?

One reason is the negative cynical attitudes of other people. These people are not enemies they are friends, even family members. If our friends are negative towards our dreams or aspirations –our friends can kill our dreams.

A person gets excited about the possibility of losing weight, getting in shape or exercising. They see the opportunity to make a healthy life change, do more meaningful work, rise to a personal challenge, change their lifestyle. They get excited about this stimulating new prospect. But then they tell their neighbour about it over the back fence one evening. The neighbour gets a smirk, a laugh that says, “You can’t do that”, a foot long list of all the problems and obstacles and fifty reasons why they will never make it and are better off to stay where they are.

The person’s enthusiasm disintegrates. They lose all their excitement and self-confidence and begin to think of all the reasons why they can’t succeed this time, when they have failed before, instead of the reasons they can succeed in their new healthy life plan. They have let the negative attitude of someone else become more powerful than their belief in their dream of a thinner, fitter person, whose health is greatly improved.

Friends can do more damage than a dozen enemies. Remember, the easiest thing to find on earth is someone to tell you all the things you cannot be. Don’t listen to them. Often they have the best intentions. They don’t want you to be hurt or disappointed. Sometimes they have a vested interest in you remaining overweight and perhaps less attractive. Often those that try to steal your dreams are really thinking of themselves.

If you have a dream of a new you give it a chance to happen. Don’t let your sister-in-law, the plumber or the person in the next office, rob you of that faith in yourself and your new body shape. It is that belief in your dream that makes it into a reality. Don’t let the person who lives on the couch and watches TV every night tell you how futile life is.

Don’t take on other people’s negative attitudes. Surround yourself with positive people. Read inspiring authors. A few suggestions are Susan Jeffers, Paul Hanna, Anthony Robbins and Jim Rohn. Spend at least half an hour a day nourishing your dream. Believe in yourself and you will make your dreams a reality.

If you have that flame of a dream deep down inside you somewhere, do something about it. And don’t let anyone else blow it out. Believe you can, and you will find you can. TRY! You will be surprised at how many good things can happen to you.

What Goes On Inside? (Your digestive System)

Your well-being depends on what you eat, when you eat, how you eat, fluid intake and how well your food is absorbed. We absorb everything we need to sustain life through our lungs, digestive system and skin. A robust digestive system is central to our well-being, tirelessly extracting the fuel and nutrients we need from the food we eat. It is vital that we are aware of protecting our digestive system.

We ingest many negative things that upset out well-being. Junk food, inadequate or poor quality fluids, pollution, alcohol, tobacco and other smoke and stress, all effect the efficiency of the digestive system. When our digestive system is not functioning at it’s best, the rest of the body suffers. Nearly all the nutrients we need come from the food and drink we consume. Some things that affect the digestive system and our health are

• Poor diet that is lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables and/or has excess intake of sugar ad saturated fats
• Eating when stressed or angry
• Irregular eating, missed meals
• Eating just before going to bed
• Eating too fast, not chewing foods
• Lack of fibre (you need 20 – 35 gms per day)
• Lack of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut
• Lack of gastric juices in the stomach
• Lack of digestive enzymes
• Drinking less than 2 litres of water a day

This is now explained in more detail

Junk food, processed foods, refined sugars and flour products are more difficult to digest and do not supply good nutrition to the body. Make sure that natural whole foods and fresh products provide most of your daily food intake. These help your digestive system to work as it should.

When you are under pressure the chemicals in your body change. This effects the digestive system. Food is not properly digested and you absorb fewer nutrients. Try to be relaxed when you sit down to eat. Concentrate on what you are doing and enjoy the food you are eating.

Water helps rid the body of waste. Kidneys cannot function efficiently without adequate water. When they do not work to capacity, some of the load is dumped onto the liver. When the liver has to do some of the kidney’s work it cannot do it’s own energizing function. Lack of water can also result in constipation. When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, its fluids are perfectly balanced.

The digestive system cannot function without sufficient fibre. Chitosan fibre complex is an amazing dietary fibre, blended with Fenugreek to assist with the maintenance of regularity. Another amazing benefit of Chitosan is its ability to absorb fats. When we are eating more fatty foods, it is a MUST as a dietary supplement. A herbal aloe beverage helps soothe the digestive system and assist the natural self cleansing action of the body. Visit www.uloseweight.net for more information on these amazing products.

Dr David Heber has written a book “What Color is Your Diet” which explains how to build a healthy diet based on colourful fruits and vegetables. This is a very brief précis of his healthy eating model.

Colourful foods have no preservatives or added colour. They provide plenty of vitamins, mineral, antioxidants, fibre, water and trace elements. (All necessary for good nutrition.) They look appetizing and have a high water content. They have a firm texture which means we need to chew them well. This aids the digestive system. These foods are quickly and easily processed by the body, meaning less work for the digestive system. They are natural, that is, not processed and pre-packaged with extra chemicals. Look for different coloured vegetables and fruits when you shop. Experiment with ones you have never tasted. Visit a market for more variety and fresher foods. Eat at least one from each group every day.

To ensure you maintain your digestive system energy levels, keep stress to a minimum, concentrate on eating a wide variety of natural colourful foods, drink plenty of water, consider adding supplements to your diet. This will protect your digestive system and help you to maintain good health and avoid colon cancer.

A few simple changes can make all the difference to the long-term health of your body. Here are some tips and suggestions to assist with weight loss and to improve your body and your health.

Food Choices

What you eat and drink gives your body the fuel and energy to carry out all the physical and mental activities that you do every day. Some foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables provide excellent fuel for the body, with lots of beneficial nutrients.

Other foods provide poor quality fuel. These include high sugar content foods and ‘junk’ foods. What percentage of your current diet is giving you energy efficient, nutrient rich food? Try keeping a diary for a week then analyse where your major energy and body fuel comes from.

Healthy Choices

Choose meals and snacks that are kind to your body. These are natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, salads, grains and pulses. These are ‘living’ foods. Avoid foods that are over processed, stored too long, high is sugar or fats. These are ‘dead’ foods with little to offer nutritionally. Variety is also vital, helping you obtain the broad range of nutrients your body requires.

Fibre

Your body needs between 18-35 gms of fibre a day. Fibre, together with water, is essential for proper digestion. Fibre provides the food for ‘friendly bacteria’ in the colon, which manufactures various essential vitamins. One cup of the following is equal to 10gms of fibre: – oats, peas, dried apricots, peanuts, prunes and sunflower seeds. Half a cup of wheat bran or almonds also equals 10 gm of fibre.

Water

Your body is 70% water and it needs a fresh daily supply to ensure cells are hydrated and energized. Water is essential for the digestion of food. Keep your body properly hydrated by drinking 6-8 large glasses a day.

Less is more

Eating large meals puts a great strain on the digestive tract. Choose smaller, more frequent meals. This will keep your fuel tank topped up through out the day. Remember the more you eat the more your body has to either burn off, or store as fat. So eat to live – don’t live to eat! Slow down eating and enjoy your food. Chewing is essential to assist the digestive process. Eating food quickly, or while stressed, disrupts digestion and the absorption of nutrients.

Get Active

You need enough activity to keep all your moving parts in good working order. Choose the form or exercise that suits you best. Remember to incorporate warming up and cooling down exercises to avoid pulling or straining any muscles.

Relax

Find time every day to relax. Take time out once or twice a day for at least 15 minutes. Sit or lie comfortably, close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly. Listen to some relaxation music. No interruptions just focus your attention on your health, happiness and abundance of all you need.

Love

Love makes everything workable. For complete harmony of mind, body and spirit surround yourself with people you love and who love you. Follow these steps and watch your body reach its optimal potential.

Working as a fitness professional, there is one type of question I get all the time that shows that many people are missing the big picture regarding the benefits of strength training. This popular question usually goes something like this:

“What exercise can I do to isolate my _______ (insert your muscle of choice – abs, quads, biceps, triceps, etc)?”

It doesn’t matter which muscle someone is asking about, they always seem to be asking how to ‘isolate’ it. My first response to this question is always – “Why in the world would you want to isolate it?”

The first thing I try to teach my clients is that the body does not work well in muscle isolation. Rather, it works better in movements along a kinetic chain; that is, large portions of the body assist other portions of the body in completing a complex movement. In fact, there really is no such thing as true muscle isolation. There is almost always a nearby muscle group that will assist in some way with whatever movement you are doing. However, this article compares attempting to ‘isolate’ body parts via single-joint exercises to the much more effective strategy of performing multi-joint complex movements.

When you attempt to ‘isolate’ muscles by performing single-joint exercises, you are actually creating a body that is non-functional and will be more prone to injury. Essentially, you are creating a body that is a compilation of body parts, instead of a powerful, functional unit that works together.

Now if you really want to end up hobbling around in a body bandaged up with joint problems, tendonitis, and excess body fat, then by all means, continue trying to ‘isolate’ body parts. On the other hand, if you would rather have a lean, muscular, injury-free, functional body that works as a complete powerful unit to perform complex movements (in athletics or even everyday tasks), then you need to shift your focus away from muscle isolation. Believe me, focusing on how well your body functions will give you the side effect of a body that looks even better than it would have if you focused on muscle isolation. For example, take a look at the physiques of any NFL running backs, wide receivers, or even world class sprinters. Trust me when I say that these guys pretty much NEVER train for muscle isolation (their strength coaches wouldn’t be crazy enough to let them), yet they are absolutely ripped to shreds! Just look at guys like Maurice Green or Terrell Owens and tell me who wouldn’t want a physique like those guys.

Another benefit to moving away from the ‘muscle isolation’ mindset to a more ‘complex movement’ mindset is that you will find it much easier to lose body fat. The reason is that by focusing more on multi-joint complex movements as opposed to single-joint muscle isolation, you not only burn a lot more calories during each workout, but you also increase your metabolic rate, and stimulate production of more fat burning and muscle building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone.

Let’s look at an example. The machine leg extension is a single joint exercise that works mainly the quadriceps, can potentially cause knee joint instability in the long run, and doesn’t even burn that many calories. On the other hand, exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are all multi-joint complex movements that work hundreds of muscles in the body (including the quadriceps) as a functional unit, create more stable and strong joints in the long run (when done properly), and also burn massive quantities of calories compared to the single-joint exercises.

If you’re interested in discovering more ways to create a body that looks as good as it functions, please visit http://truthaboutabs.com

Lunesta! What’s all the fuss about?

It even sounds festive doesn’t it ? And it appears that with this sleep medication, there may well be cause for celebration!

It’s been some months now since Lunesta first appeared on the scene and was blessed by the FDA. So how has this non-narcotic, non habit forming sleep aid been performing?

Well from the information I have gathered, it seems Lunesta is stacking up very well compared to the other available forms of prescription sleep medication.

Lunesta (generic name Eszopiclone) was brought out by a company called Sepracor which has done extensive tests on the medication, the majority of which have had positive results so far, although the tests are still ongoing.

One of the greatest advantages of Lunesta is that it is the only sleep medication approved for long term use. This is a boon for those with chronic insomnia. In some cases the insomnia has been known to disappear altogether. Tests have shown those who have stopped taking Lunesta haven’t suffered any rebound insomnia or withdrawal, both well known problems for those taking the benzodiazepine medications.

Another major advantage is that Lunesta is useful for both sleep onset and sleep maintenance insomnia. Meaning it will work as well for those who for have trouble falling asleep as for those who have trouble staying asleep. A caveat here though, Lunesta should be taken just before going to bed as it a fast acting medication. Don’t take Lunesta and then take a trip to the movies! Also make sure you have eight hours set aside for sleep as it is also long lasting (no driving the car please before that time!)

Lunesta is available in 1, 2 and 3 mg tablets. It’s best to start with a low dose and increase if needed.

Possible Side Effects

Every medication can have it’s side effects and those that are possible with Lunesta include:

• Next day drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Uncoordination

Lunesta should not be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding women as the effect on infants is not yet known. See your doctor first.

Lunesta and Depression

If you’ve ever been depressed, you’ll remember those agonizing hours between 2 and 4am tossing and turning and worrying about everything! What can you do when your depression medication precludes taking any form of sleeping aid? Never fear! Tests have shown that Lunesta is well tolerated by those taking Prozac (an anti-depressant drug) A ten week survey was done comparing patients on Prozac and Lunesta with patients on Prozac and a placebo (sugar pill)

Results found the Lunesta patients showed significant improvements. They fell asleep more quickly, stayed asleep longer and were more alert during the day.

Lunesta is available on prescription in the US. It’s not yet available in Australia (that’s why they call us “down under”!) Those in other countries would need to ask their doctor.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace individual medical advice from you health care provider.

Copyright 2005 Wendy Owen

This article will reveal one easy change you can make that will help better your health…

It’s absolutely crucial that your body gets the nutrients it needs to function effectively and efficiently. The daily stress of pollution, fatty and processed food and stress deplete your body of nutrients and it’s up to you to replace these nutrients. You can do this through healthy nutrition, or even better, through healthy nutrition and quality nutritional supplements.

For the average person, it’s difficult to get the proper amount of nutrients needed from food alone. Even the healthiest of eaters might not be getting the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals. This is because it’s hard to judge exactly how many nutrients you are getting from the food you are eating, not to mention certain forms of cooking actually destroys the vitamins and minerals in the food.

The best thing you can do for your body is to eat a balanced diet and supplement it with a quality multivitamin. You’ll get some of the nutrients your body needs from the food and then back it up with a multivitamin for a very effective one-two punch.

There are five forms of mulivitamins you can buy: capsule, tablet, softgel, powder and liquid. Avoid tablets at all costs because they are the hardest for your body to breakdown and absorb. Liquid multivitamins are the easiest for your body to absorb because there’s nothing for your body to breakdown. Both capsules and softgels, and powders, are also good forms of multivitamins in reference to absorption rate.

So which multivitamins are good ones to buy? Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. The cheap supermarket multivitamins are inexpensive but can’t compare to a quality, more expensive multivitamin. Your best bet is to decide how much you can afford to spend and then do research on the Internet for the multivitamins that fall within your price range.

Multivitamins are probably the single most important supplement you can take. If you aren’t taking one, you really should consider doing so. Combine this with good nutrition and a solid exercise routine and you’ll be amazed at how great you look and feel!

Copyright 2005 Ryan Cote

If you are like most headache sufferers you can describe in great detail what it feels like to HAVE a headache but you cannot describe the signals your body gives you BEFORE you get the headache. Most headache treatment tries to just stop the pain but not stop what caused the headache in the first place. Real lasting relief is beyond your reach unless you learn how to respond to your body differently.

Natural headache relief is possible because you have habits that you are unaware of which trigger your headache pain. These habits occur in two areas. The first is physical. Anything that involves your body: how you hold your jaw, chronic clenching of your teeth and tense shoulder muscles, just to name a few. The second area is in how you respond to life stresses both positive and negative. We know from working with many long time headache sufferers, that your coping mechanisms now involve muscular tension and you no longer have a reference point for deep relaxation. That is what makes medicine so ineffective and a natural headache cure which works to prevent your headaches before they start so effective.

In our private practice we used biofeedback equipment to monitor levels of muscle tension in 6 different muscle groups of the head, neck and shoulders. It was without fail a shock to the headache sufferer, who sat down THINKING they were relaxed only to see from the objective equipment that they weren’t. Over time their ability to recognize a truly relaxed state had been seriously impaired and their body had accommodated to what it thought relaxed felt like, but it no longer was. In order to find and experience deep, restorative relaxation a coach is needed to point the way.

So, using a process of natural headache relief means first that you learn to pay close attention to your body signals so that you can change them. For example, once you are aware you are clenching your teeth, you can train yourself to stop. It will require some help to be able to sense how your long-standing habits feel because the sensations you notice seem normal to you.

How do you know a natural headache relief approach will work for you?

1. You have tried “everything”
2. Is your life worse because of frequent headaches?
3. You have migraine, tension, or mixed headaches more than once a month
4. Do you find yourself anticipating headaches?
5. Do you still depend on medicine for pain relief?
6. Are you searching for a natural headache remedy?

Once you remove the behavioral triggers you can stop your headaches because you are eliminating the cause of the problem not just relieving the pain.

LifeMatters.com
Champions for Living Well
Natural Headache Relief Program
http://www.lifematters.com/natural_headache_relief.asp

What if by making a few small changes in your nutrition and eating habits you could add up to a 50% gain in muscle mass and loose up to 18% extra fat.

Well you could be robbing yourself of these gains just by not eating correctly and at the right times. You see by eating at the right time you can catapult your body into a fat burning anabolic state which will not only help you gain more muscle but also loose more fat at the same time.

You will be surprised at how easy it is to make a few simple changes in your eating habits and times and the gains that you will get from these very small changes.

In a recent study in the U.K it has been shown that eating irregular meals promotes fat gain. It all comes back to our body’s “will to survive” mechanism. When you skip or prolong a meal your body will automatically go into saviour mode and start storing extra fat to be used at a later date. Consequently your next meal also stores a lot of extra fat.

By eating smaller meals more frequently you can not only counter this effect but also put your body into an anabolic state, which will also increase your base metabolic rate. In plain English this leads to higher fat loss and more muscle gain.

A haphazard supplement program coupled with a haphazard diet will make building muscle and loosing fat a next to impossible task no matter how you train

Why would anyone put in all that effort in their training and not back it up by proper nutrition and eating habits? Lack of knowledge would be the most likely answer.

Ideally you should be eating 5 or 6 smaller meals a day that are low in fat, with high protein and medium carbohydrate.

Here is an example of my Meal plan each day

Meal 1: 6AM
1 packet of Ny-Tro PRO-40 mixed with 16 ounces of skim milk and 1 serving of Micronized Creatine

Meal 2: 9AM
2 servings VP2 Whey Isolate mixed in 10 ounces of skim milk
1 large apple

Meal 3: 12PM
2 grilled chicken breasts
1 Serving Rice
1 cup of low-fat Yogurt
1 serving VP2 Whey Isolate in 8 ounces skim milk.

Meal 4: 3PM
1 packet Ny-Tro PRO-40 mixed with 16 ounces of skim milk and 5 to 10 grams of GL3 L-Glutamine
1 large banana
Pre-Workout
2 Dymetadrine Xtreme
1 VyoPro Protein Bar

Meal 5: 6PM (Post-workout)
2 servings VP2 Whey Isolate combined with 1 serving Creatine HSC mixed in cold water. (This is an important meal and is designed for an insulin spike at just the right time to increase creatine and amino acid uptake by the muscle cells.)

Meal 6: 7PM
8 to 10 ounces of lean round or flank steak
1 large serving of rice
1 medium baked potato
1 large green salad

Meal 7: 10PM
1 packet of Ny-Tro PRO-40 mixed with 9 ounces of skim milk
1 large banana
3 to 5 grams of GL3 L-Glutamine
(Mix the Ny-Tro PRO-40 and GL3 in a large bowl into a smooth pudding. Slice the banana on top and eat. It’s a dessert.)

I take my meal plans from the Max OT training program, which can be found at http://www.ast-ss.com/max-ot/max-ot_intro.asp

You do not need to supplement the way I do and by just eating 5-7 smaller meals per day you will already be on your way to a healthier life with better gains from your gym workouts.

Copyright 2005 Marc Lindsay

The world of weight loss and fitness is certainly vast, and the American consumer can absolutely get lost in the thousands of easy effortless and ostly useless ads if not careful. With my books and research I want to clear the air about the various myths and false statements regarding our health and fitness that have clearly muddied the waters for many Americans.

What I want to stress in particular is that there is no magic answer, potion, or diet pill that is going to make everything better. The ad on TV where the pretty lady says “it’s easy. you’ll love it”, is appealing to our need for instant gratification with no effort. We don’t want to hear the facts so we continue to look for the instant solution. If there was a magic diet pill, or diet plan, over 60% of Americans wouldn’t be overweight, in spite of spending over $35 billion annually on diet products.

Achieving weight loss and fitness requires a commitment on your part to strive for a healthier you. What you will get in return for all of your hard work and dedication is a fit body, a renewed clarity of mind, better quality sleep, and perhaps even a pronounced increase in your libido. I have found that through the positive changes I have made in my own life regarding weight loss and fitness, all areas of my life are exponentially better. I wake up energized, I feel excited about my day and my interactions with people, my body feels strong and capable, and my entire outlook on life has improved significantly.

The Weight Loss and Fitness Commitment show that claims that teach you shortcuts on how to drop 30 pounds in 30 days are improbable at best and unhelathy at worst.

That claim is water loss pure and simple. You do the math: 1 pound of fat = about 3500 calories 30 pounds of fat = 105,000 calories. To lose 30 pounds of fat in 30 days you would need to reduce caloric intake by about 105,000 calories or about 3500 per day. If you are eating 3,000 calories a day now, that might be tough. OK you say I’ll exercise it off. 1 hour on a stationary bicycle running at an average over 20 miles an hour burns about 400 calories. Meaning to burn 3,500 calories a day on the bike, you’d need to ride it for about 9 hours.

If you are looking for a quick fix, you will continue to be frustrated about health and fitness.

However, if you are tired of feeling fatigued and know for sure that you are ready to make a solid commitment to your own health and mind, Living to Be Younger can act as a guide. It is my hope that you will read each page with an open mind and a willingness to make some changes that will enable you to break out of your rut.

First, lose the idea that there is a magic diet pill or supplement that will transform your body to a svelte shape. Losing weight requires that you expend more calories than you ingest—plain and simple. This means that you must get up and moving at least three to five days per week, for at least 30 minutes each session. If you were considerably overweight, it would be ideal to aim for at least five workout sessions per week. Always consult with your physician before embarking on any new exercise plan. Second, take a good look at what you are putting in your mouth on a daily basis. Aim for natural foods that are high in vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Limit your intake of foods high in saturated fats, sodium, refined sugars, and preservatives. When you take the Living to Be Younger Challenge, you will find that your zest for life isn’t gone—it’s just been hiding. Congratulations on taking this first step towards a healthier you.