Jogging Bras

There is no delicate way of putting it; any woman runner knows that using good jogging bras can make all the difference between an excellent run and a bothersome one.

A lot of things can go wrong when you are not wearing a good bra, least of all is a chafing burn that can hurt for days beyond the run. Thankfully, there are tips you can follow to pick the best jogging bras for your running convenience.

1 - The most important consideration in all jogging bras is fit and comfort while in motion. Do not trust your shopping for jogging bras to just anybody, rather take the time to go to the store and do the fitting yourself. Make sure to go straight to running specialty stores so you only have the best options available including specialized applications such as high impact jogging bras. Some stores even let you wear the bra while running on a treadmill!

 2 - Chafing can be a painful problem especially if you are running longer distances. Pick cloth that is comfortable and not irritating to the skin so you can spare yourself from the extra pain.

 3 - The best jogging bras are those that do not have seams or use seamless fabrics. Seams are extra areas for irritation and should be avoided in jogging bras.

4 - Underwire bras work just as well as other sports bras in terms of regulating breast motion but there are important things to remember when buying sports bras with underwire. Always make sure that the wire is not exposed in any way so you don't incur unnecessary wounds from the wire cutting into your skin. In the same way, throw away all jogging bras showing signs of the underwire coming out as this can become a serious hazard while on the run.

5 - For fit, be adventurous in the fitting room by considering various sizes and try to jog in place to see how your breast moves while in motion. The cut and design has a lot to do with the fit and even cup sizes can differ from those you ordinarily use depending on the overall construction. The best gauge of fit for jogging bras is if the material doesn't bunch up in places and you can feel the fit without restricting your breathing. Always look into regularly replacing your jogging bras when you feel that the fit has changed or if your weight changes over the period of a few months.

Strive to maintain a perfect fit at all times and do not compromise on the comfort of your breast while running so you can be assured of enjoying the run and not worrying about any side effects afterwards.

Jogging is an enjoyable and healthy experience but only if you take the necessary precautions so you can focus on road and not on your clothes. Note - If you have never jogged before or you know you are extremely out of condition it is always a good idea to have a checkup before beginning your jogging exercise program.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Jogging-Bras&id=7735030

Herbal Teas Are Natural Infusions and Very Healthy For You

It is suggested that when making herbal teas, you cover them while steeping, and allow them to steep for ten to fifteen minutes so you receive the full nutritional benefits.

As you uncover your tea, you will receive an aromatherapy session, as an added bonus. Drinking teas whether it is Camellia sinensis, or herbal infusions (herbal teas as we know them), everyday definitely has health benefits, that should be taking seriously. 

There are many reasons as to why you should choose tea throughout the day as a drink. Maybe you are feeling nauseous or are having a lack of energy. There are herbal infusions that can help with just about anything, naturally and provide natural energy plus relieve feelings of nauseous.

Peppermint tea, is a refreshing and very aromatic, tea. If you have a cold or flu, peppermint may help you feel a little better. It has vitamin B, potassium, and calcium and they help your body fight against the flu or a cold. Peppermint helps sooth your tummy with several digestive issues even irritable bowel syndrome. It also helps you relax, so drinking some in the evening, can help you get better nights sleep.

Blackberry tea is an infusion of blackberry leaves, roots, or even the berries themselves. This tea has tannins and a few other vitamins. Blackberry tea has some surprising items on its list of benefits which includes everything from rehydration, fighting cancer, heart disease, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins are just a few. It just seems to be a healthy and tasty boost for your immune system. You can make your own blackberry tea, by drying some leaves in sunlight, crush them up (approximately 2 tsp) and steep while covered for approximately 10 minutes. There is another way to make this tea.You can make an infusion out of the berries themselves, the directions can be found on the internet. You can then enjoy this tea hot or cold.

Sorrel, yes the lovely flower, otherwise known as Hibiscus, is rich in antioxidants. It can be infused into a lovely blood pressure reducing tea. It is full of health benefits like so many other infusions. Some of these benefits are hypertension reducing and it also helps in reducing high cholesterol, and fighting free radicals, and helps to strengthen your overall immune system.

Conclusion Herbal infusions are a great way to add vitamins and minerals to your body. Enjoying what you're drinking, making yourself healthier, while you're doing it. Try sharing them with your family, you'll be helping them get healthier too, and they will not have a clue.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Herbal-Teas-Are-Natural-Infusions-and-Very-Healthy-For-You&id=7732158

Raw Food Examined

Over the last week or so, I have been listening to a lot of inspirational people in the raw food world talk about various aspects of following this type of diet (whether a completely or only in part raw food diet). The experts talked about all kinds of aspects related to eating and food: nutrition, emotions, social, spiritual, eco and ethical. It was a bit of a "whirlwind" as there was so much information presented in a short space of time.But in the last session, the host, Steve Prussak, actually presented a summary of the main points of agreement between the various speakers, and I thought it would be useful to share that information with you. So here are the main points on which many (not all) of the speakers, prominent people in this field agreed:

A diet that consists of 100% raw foods is healing, and can reverse diabetes and other chronic diseasesA 100% raw food diet can reverse obesityIt may or may not be necessary to stick to 100% raw foods once your body is "clean" and free of chronic diseaseA diet that is high in raw fats (ie avocados, nuts and seeds) is not recommended (raw fats may be less unhealthy than cooked fats, but they are still fats and not optimal for the body in large quantities.) Similarly, eating a lot of gourmet raw food, and dehydrated raw food is not healthy for similar reasons. 

Steamed vegetables would be more healthy than this.Juicing fruits and vegetables and making fruit and green smoothies is beneficial for health.Health is about more than just food. Relationships to oneself, and other people are crucial. 

Exercise, spirituality, being outside and connecting with nature and the earth, light and sunshine and surrounding yourself with positive people are all really important.This all resonates with me and my healing journey. Changing my diet slowly over the years from an "ordinary" meat and 2 veg diet to a vegetarian diet, to a vegan diet and then finally to a mainly raw vegan diet has definitely been a huge part of my healing journey - from chronic fatigue syndrome / ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy) to a life as an energy healer.For me, diet alone was never enough. I used to find that the detox emotional symptoms that came up for me when I was moving towards eating more lightly were not bearable, and generally eating more lightly was unsustainable.It was when I discovered energy healing and the Emotional Freedom Technique that I really had tools to help me move through the emotional aspects of this type of diet.

Nowadays, with clients, I tend to recommend increasing the amount of living, raw food in your diet, as well as working on the emotional side through energy healing and the Emotional Freedom Technique. And of course all the other things I mentioned above - as good social network connecting with nature, being in the sun, and having some kind of spiritual path (whether or not you would use those words.) I think this "multi-faceted" approach is particularly important in healing chronic illness, such as chronic fatigue syndrome / ME.

Health and Fitness Failure Is a Choice

I'm sure everyone has heard the old saying, "Failure is not an option". Usually it involves some type of spy or military action movie where the hero has declared that the characters must win at all cost. In life, especially in the area of fitness, however, failure is an option.

That is you do have a choice to give up or keep going from wherever you find yourself in your journey to health and fitness. Failure occurs the moment you quit trying to succeed whether it's fitness, business, sports, or anything in life a person might strive to achieve a certain goal.

Quitting any goal removes all hope that you will ever achieve that goal. As long as you keep moving forward toward a goal no matter what the odds are against you, you retain the hope of success. Take away hope, and you take away a person's will and chance at happiness. The hope or promise of something better makes today all the more enjoyable. Don't get discouraged if you try and fail to lose weight, build muscle, ran that mile faster, or whatever your goal is.

As long as you get up every morning with that goal still in your heart and mind, and you keep putting one foot in front of the other toward that goal you haven't failed yet. The quitter is the only one who we can say has truly failed. The person that chooses to stop trying, chooses to accept failure. Considering how vital hope is to the individual, it's important to make smaller short term goals to go along with long term goals.

Seeing success at any level does wonders to motivate and keep us going toward our more long term difficult goals down the line, and it's much easier to reach those small steps than the ones much farther away. Proverbs 13:12 KJV Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

While fitness takes a lot of resolve and determination sometimes, don't make it out as an all out war all the time. Having a warrior's mentality toward fitness isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for the sake of not getting burned out, try to keep it fun along the way.

Switch out to different exercise programs from time to time to keep things fresh even if they don't necessarily directly correlate with your specific fitness goals. Having a wide variety of exercises and fun things to do make it a lot easier to be fit overall. There's a million things a person can do to live a fit life and have fun at the same time. Go walking, bike riding, swimming, play sports, toss a Frisbee, play with your dog, chase the kids, mow the lawn, garden, run, lift weights, chop wood, etc. Just whatever you do, don't stop.

The same thing goes for eating right. If you jump off the wagon and eat ice cream one day, that's no big deal. Just start again the next day, or the very next meal, eating healthy again. Besides, occasionally eating something fattening is fine, but just as I recommend in my book, Common Sense Biblical Approach to Health and Fitness, don't bring unhealthy things home. Make drinking a coke, or eating ice cream something you do only on a special occasion. Junk food you take home usually comes in larger quantities, and, once you have it opened, the temptation to keep eating it will be too great. A serving or two once a week, is one thing, but all day, and part of the next is way too much. Still even if you mess up a whole day, or even a week don't quit, just get started again.

As I've said before, the best way to eat right is not bring junk food home period. Make home a junk food free zone. In the end, failure is never final, and not even a reality until or unless you allow it to be. As long as you purpose in your heart to keep trying, and mean it, then failure is truly not an option.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-and-Fitness-Failure-Is-a-Choice&id=7740596

Proper Nutrition for Building Muscle

The proper nutrition is one of the obvious requirements for the muscle building. The protein rich foods can help you in gaining well toned muscles.

Various workouts are required for building the muscles. The professionals suggest various workout routines to build the muscles. But the results from these workouts will not come if your body suffers from nutrition deficiency. If you continue your hard exercises without proper diet then definitely you will damage your muscle tissues.

The growth and the maintenance of the muscle depend on the essential nutrients. A nutritious diet must contain an adequate amount of protein along with healthy fats and carbohydrates. Effects of Various Nutritious Elements of Muscle Building Proteins The healthy and nutritious diet always contains three main elements like protein, carbohydrate and fat.

The main key to the muscle building is a protein rich diet. It is applicable for any bodybuilding diet also. The experts often advise the weightlifters to include some protein rich foods in their regular menu. The proteins are known as the building blocks of the muscles. Therefore, if you can increase the intake of protein then your muscles will be built strongly and efficiently.

The proper protein intake will provide the maximum benefit. There are several foods that can be a great source for the high amount of protein. If you can include them in your food list then you will be able to build the muscle mass. A nutrient like whey protein can be very effective in this case. They are very easy to digest too. It also creates a positive impact on the immune system.

Healthy Fats The healthy fats are helpful in gaining the muscle mass. They are also useful for muscle growth. Therefore, you need to add the healthy fats in your diet list. But, remember to avoid worst fatty foods in order to prevent yourself from the excess body fat. Another important fact about the healthy fats is their enormous effect on boosting the immune system. They also help in maintaining the normal body functions too.

Try to avoid foods that contain unsaturated fats. The Carbohydrates The effects of carbohydrates are also significant in building the body muscles. Therefore, the foods containing high amount of carbohydrates should be included in the regular diet list of any person. As the carbohydrates are one of the major sources of energy; therefore, they can affect the building process significantly. The energy provided by the carbohydrates is used in performing the workouts and exercises. 

Take Plenty of Water The body loses water during the exercise period in the form of sweat. Therefore, you need to ensure that this scarcity of water does not hamper your regular workout activity. So, you need to drink plenty of water to compensate that situation. Plenty of water intake will also help you in avoiding the dehydration. Therefore, you need to follow the regular exercises and eat the right foods to ensure the perfect growth of your body muscle.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Proper-Nutrition-for-Building-Muscle&id=7670957

How Yoga Will Promote Weight Loss

If you are battling with weight gain or obesity due to unhealthy eating habits or lack of sufficient exercise, then yoga should be of interest to you. It is possible to lose weight as well as to relax by engaging in yoga. Yoga will strengthen your core, tone you up and increase your flexibility with the various poses, techniques and diets.

Here is a look at a plethora of ways in which yoga can lead to weight loss. Yogic poses (asanas) These poses are geared towards fitting your health needs and age. A yoga instructor keeps in mind your health issues before prescribing certain yogic poses that may help you lose weight effectively. These asanas include sun salutation, shoulder stand, fish, wheel and bird poses, triangle poses among others. In addition, these poses help to check weight gain due to hormonal imbalance as well as allow the endocrine glands to run smoothly.

The immune system is strengthened and indigestion and allergies are reduced by these yoga poses. Yogic techniques The Prana Shakti is a very effective and ancient method of balancing one's weight. This technique is void of physical movements but deals with the invocation of the life force called Prana through breath. The Prana converts into heat that burns fat and consequently weight loss. Mastering this technique takes only a few weeks of practice.

Yogic diets Postures, poses and techniques work hand in hand with the yogic diets to lose weight effectively. Healthy eating habits, detoxifying frequently and avoiding junk and sugary foods, while eating a balanced yogic diet with lots of water intake are a must if you want to lose weight. Yoga alters your taste of food naturally, without deprivation or any effort. Yoga helps you to be in touch with your body and hence get to refrain from energy draining foods or sugars. Yoga will help you eat in a healthy manner leading to weight loss and consequently better health.

Positive mental attitude Accepting that you have weight issues that need attention is the first step to the weight loss journey. Changing your attitude towards exercise and healthy diets in relation to your desired weight is of importance. Yoga allows for holistic thinking that integrates the whole person. It requires the presence of the body, mind, spirit and heart to have a unified way of living and a new positive attitude. This naturally controls your emotional, physical and spiritual needs and hence you are able to say no to overfeeding, laziness and poor feeding habits without strain and be on the path of losing weight.

Yoga motions First timers who intend to lose weight should partake yoga but at small steps. Start small and grow with practice until you can withstand intense activities or poses. The intensity and aggressiveness of the superior yoga movements, act as workouts that lead to weight loss but should be carried out with care and under an instructor. Certainly, yoga is one of the best ways to lose weight smartly and as a long term measure. You do not have to force your body to accept certain crash diets or hectic exercises but in the relaxing and meditative poses, techniques, diets, motions, and attitude change, weight loss is achievable.

If you plan to start your yoga sessions for your weight loss journey, find the nearest yogic instructors in your area at www.wellnesscircle.com.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Yoga-Will-Promote-Weight-Loss&id=7505463

When Is It Too Much Sugar?

There is much in the news this month about sugars in our foods. Just check out the Huffington Post, New York Times, TV News shows . . . The reports discuss types of sugar, physical reactions to sugar, cravings for sugar, addiction to sugar and the seeming need to reduce sugar in the average diet.

Duh~ None of these reports has a clear cut answer to how much sugar is safe or healthy. Short of going into a diabetic coma, most people do not listen to medical suggestions on reducing sugar anyway.

It would not matter what they suggest because this is something people decide for themselves. Yes, it exists At home I have ketchup that is made with Splenda. The bottle lasts forever because I have put it on only two foods that I eat. Perhaps when I am not home I can just not eat those two foods? Maybe I can just eat them without ketchup and let the ketchup go.

I know you are reading this thinking "Come on already, it is only ketchup," but really it is more than that. Like it or not, this is life or death. I am a food addict. Losing over 220 pounds does NOT mean I am cured and it does not mean I have built up any immunity to the physical and mental reaction my body has to certain substances.

Patiently waiting . . . . I lost almost all but the last 8 pounds of my current weight while still having sugar in my diet. The amounts were greatly reduced from the sugar I ate when I weighed 385 pounds but still, sugar was in my food plan. If sugar was listed on the label I could still have it. I did not add sugar to foods and I gave up food with high fructose corn syrup (or anything corn sugar) years ago. If I needed to add a sweetener to a food I used Splenda or Truvia. Eventually I had to accept that sugar in occasional items was leading me to want sugar in other things and I made the decision to remove most forms of sugar from my food plan, just as I removed most milk fat from my food plan two years ago. It is not easy and I am not perfect at it.

When we away from home and I have ketchup on something, I know it has sugar or horrors of horror, hfcs. Does the relatively small amount of sugar in certain foods when added to my normal plan of eating cause me to begin to crave more sugar? If so, then what about the natural sugars in raisins or grapes? What about the natural sugars in skim milk? Will I become someone who is so addicted to sweet taste that I have to refrain from artificial sweeteners along with sugars. I am feeling fear about this. I do not want my life to be lived in fear of food. There are enough real things in the world to fear without being afraid of a grape.

Two years ago I made a decision about milk fat. I accept that for me to eat mozzarella or cheddar or brie or any fatted cheese will bring me back into the addiction of compulsive overeating. At the same time I do not believe the small amount of cheese in a meatball mixture or the small amount of milk fat in a waffle will trigger my addiction. Maybe I am wrong and someday I will stand on street corners weighing 400 pounds and carrying a sign that reads "Milk Fat Kills." But for today, I am simply not having food where milk fat is obvious: butter, cream, whole milk, cheeses and baked items made with milk products.

Applying that same principle to products containing sugars, I do not eat products with obvious sugars: jams, syrups, glazes, candies; or processed foods where the added sugar is more than 2 grams per serving. Oh wait - regular ketchup contains more sugar than that. . . . and there is my answer. Yes, it is only ketchup to some.

For this food addict it can be life or death. Right now it is the answer to how I will continue keeping the pounds off today and hopefully tomorrow. What food do you think puts you on a slippery slope today?

http://www.keepingthepoundsoff.com/2011/01/when-is-it-too-much-sugar.html

Green Tea - The Miraculous Drink

Green tea is a beverage inherited from our ancient forefathers, one found to have many benefits. In fact, you could say green tea is a miraculous drink. Originating in ancient China, almost 4000 years ago, it is made, like many other Chinese teas, of the leaves from Camellia sinensis. But unlike other teas, green tea is manufactured differently and that is what retains its beneficial properties. Today, because of its nutritional and healing powers, it is famous the world over.

Herbalists suggest everyone drink at least two cups a day, or take it as an all natural supplement. The benefits are enormous. It is known to reduce cholesterol, help in the loss of weight, but best of all it reduces the chances of getting cancer, and eliminates cancer cells when they already exist.

Anti-Cancer Properties Results of an epidemiology study made in 1994 by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, show that drinking this tea reduces the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by almost 60%. The results also suggest that green tea ingredients hamper the growth of cancer cells. It is rich in catechin polyphenols and specially (EGCG), a strong antioxidant. The antioxidants in green tea, eliminate free radicals that can damage DNA and this results in cancer growth.

However, aside from being an anti-cancer nutrient, this tea can be beneficial in weight loss. It reduces the cholesterol levels, offers energy and calms the nerves. Additionally, green tea prevents tooth decay and kills bacteria. Weight Loss Benefits If someone wants to reduce his or her waist, adding green tea into the diet plan improves results. Recent research shows that this special tea extract increases the rate of the body's calorie burning activity and decreases the fat in the blood, cholesterol and controls appetite.

Tea supporters claim that it burns body fat too and leads to enhanced muscle endurance. It is a natural energy booster and increases the metabolism. Offers Hydrating Benefits This tea offers hydration benefits too. Much like water does. It helps patients with diabetes control their sugar levels and it helps anyone stabilize glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar. Again the EGCG, powerful antioxidant, combats harmful toxins with free radicals thus slowing down the aging process and increasing longevity. Added to this, the Polyphenols and Flavonoids contained in the tea make the immune system stronger and more resistant to diseases.

Prevents Baldness Ingredients also seem to have positive effect on those that undergo the frustration of baldness. Recent research shows recent that the anti-inflammatory properties in the tea can promote hair growth. The regular consumption of green tea increases the levels of sex Hormones too. SHBG regulates the hormones in the body by restraining the tissue and cells that use testosterone. Because Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is held responsible for hair loss, the tea reduces and restricts the production of DHT, thereby preventing further loss.

A Great Pick-Me-Up If you are a night owl, workaholic or just need to stay energized for any particular reason, this beverage can help too. The properties are known to keep you alert. So whether school work, work or other things keep you awake, this is going to be your drink! Caution There is some evidence that suggests that consuming excessive volumes of this beverage may cause liver toxicity and oxidative stress. For this reason, this oriental tea is not suitable for those suffering with severe hypertension problems. In some people green tea is known to o cause heartburn and chest pain, but the risks are minimal.

As with everything, excesses are not a good thing. Still, drinking green tea is quite healthy, but only if it is consumed in reasonable amount. As Good As Resveratrol Experts also believe that the tea is the solution to the French Paradox (the French have diets that are rich in fats, yet have a longer longevity due to the resveratrol and polyphenol contained in wine). It may be twice as powerful as resveratrol which explains why the Japanese have significantly low rates of heart disease.

Bottom Line The secret of this ancient tea is the catechin polyphenols, especially the epigallocatechin gallate or (EGCG). This is a powerful anti-oxidant that inhibits the growth of cancer cells, but also kills those that are already growing. It is also effective at lowering LDL and inhibiting the formation of blood clots. The latter is important as thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) cases heart attacks and stroke.

What makes this different from other Chinese teas, is the way it is processed. The leaves are steamed which prevents the EGCG properties from being oxidized. By contrast, other teas made from the Camellia sinensis plant are fermented, so the ingredients are not as effective at fighting off disease. While there is no significant proof that green tea is effective at helping weight loss many people do swear by it. At any rate, its other beneficial properties help reduce some of the negative symptoms of dieting (loss of energy, motivation, faintness and dizziness), allowing you to complete a diet successfully.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Tea---The-Miraculous-Drink&id=7659953