by Chris Kelly

In the gym, it is not uncommon to hear the wails and grunting of lifters hunched over machines and free weights jerking out reps-- attempting to exercise away their nagging back, neck and shoulder pain. Exercise can be the perfect cure for pain. But even stretching, followed by ab crunches usually lead to the massage table. And while the traditional workout routine may fill the pockets of your masseur, it is unlikely to bring you lasting relief. Lower back pain is the second most common cause of missed work days in the United States, yet 85% of cases remain unexplained.

"There is no such thing as generic pain" said Stuart McGill M.D., a professor of Spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo. "Somewhere a weak link has been created and this link will eventually breakdown"

Over the last century, Americans have seen a marked rise in chronic lower back pain as heavy labor jobs have been replaced by occupations which require workers to remain sitting for long periods. McGill says that daily habits which lead to poor posture are often the source of chronic back pain (think leaning forward at the computer or twisting your torso while bending over). Some tell tale signs of bad posture are slouched shoulders and a rounded lower back.

"Leaning forward continually shifts pressure on to the back. Pulling back the shoulders back, and tucking in the chin can often bring immediate relief by taking significant load off the back" said McGill.

Do you take short steps and lean forward when you walk? Walking is one of many activities which can help or hurt the lower back. Common walking posture mistakes are leaning forward, leaning back, and failing to keep the head up and eyes forward. Simple corrections to your posture can help to relieve low back pain.

But regardless of posture, the source of back pain remains different for everyone. Factors such as the genetic, neurological factors and aging process play a key roles in determining your pain. And the cycle of injury can begin early in the morning. During sleep, the disks in your back act as packets which fill with water. But while this may make you feel taller, it also makes the back up to three times more likely to sustain injury in the morning.

Stretching in the morning is an example of something which most would assume would help to relieve pain. But bending over at a time when your disks are filled with fluid places extreme stress disks When it comes time to exercise, stretching can actually decrease performance by stiffening the muscle. As an alternative warm-up, McGill suggests exercises such as birddogs, side planks, wall squats, and dragon walks-- keep the spine in a neutral position while mobilizing the hips through a range of motion. The idea is to keep the muscle under load and motion during the mobilizing warm-up.

In the gym, effective lower back rehabilitation focuses on free weight exercises which work multiple joints to create stability such as squatting and dead lifts. But before progressing to strength training, it is important to address the underlying cause of back pain-- by correcting the source of your imbalance.

This process begins by strengthening weak gluteual (rear) muscles which provide stability to the pelvis and trunk. This can be done without weights, using exercises such as front, and side bridges which keep the spine in a neutral position. The next step is to create stability in the muscles around the back with exercises for the abdominal, oblique and back extensor muscles.

Once proper posture has been established, training with light weights can be safely resumed to build up muscular endurance. McGill says those experiencing common lower back pain should engage in weightless exercises for at least the first 3 weeks before weight training is resumed. Significant pain relief can be noticed in as little as 3 months, but whatever exercise you choose, it is best to stay away from lower body machines.

Lower body machines like leg press, and the roman chair shift additional load on to the back. Sitting down and pressing against the spine against the back pad of a machine a is a great way to re-aggravate your pain.

The jury is still out on the best workout program for lower back pain, but here are a few guidelines and exercises guaranteed to bring relief:

* Birddog: This exercise works the lower back. Start on all fours with hands under the shoulders and the knees directly under the hip. For the patient with the a stiff lower back, the first step is simply lifting a hand or knee off the floor. After you are able to raise your hand or knee without pain, progress to raising the opposite hand and knee together. The objective is to hold the limbs parallel off the floor for six to eight seconds. Good form includes a neutral spine and sucking in your gut.

* Bridges: This exercise is for the glutes and abdominals. Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Squeeze your glutes and then push your hips up until there is a straight line through knee and hip to upper body. Shoulders remain on the floor. Beware of raising too high or of flaring the ribs, which pushes the back into hyperextension. Hold this position for an increasing length of time up to a maximum of one minute. Perform two to three sets.

* Side bridges: This exercise strengthens the side obliques glutes, quads, and lats. Lie on side, support yourself on one elbow and stacked ankles. Lift midsection from the surface of the table. Maintain neutral to hold this position as long as possible, until you begin to lose neutral or note discomfort. Repeat this on the other side.

* Cat/Camel: This is an exercise for the neck. Kneeling down on all fours begin with your head looking down at the floor. Now, nod your head up and down in a continuous, rhythmic motion for 15-30 seconds at a time. Note that this exercise is performed with continuous motion.

* Abdominal bracing: Abdominal bracing is the act of "stiffening" or tightening the muscles of the midsection. An abdominal brace protects the spine by forming a brace of muscles around the spine. This stiffening of the core muscles should be done during all activities to protect the low back.

Exercise program progression:

1. Start with bridges and side bridges to strengthen the glutes. 2. Proceed to birddogs, and bridges for back stability. 3. Hold out repetitions in each exercise for no longer than 8 seconds. The goal is to build muscular endurance, by gradually increasing your repetitions.

Women have a much harder time with depression symptoms than their male counterparts. Depression hits them for more reasons and during times when they cannot always do something about it. That includes when they are pregnant. A pregnant woman, whose hormones levels are going off in all directions, cannot take antidepressants for fear it many have a detrimental effect on the baby that is growing inside of them. Depression is something that way too many people fight daily and if there is a way to treat it without the use of unending antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood enhancers than that is a method many people are looking for.

One method presented to them for this purpose has been acupuncture. There are many non-believers in the scientific and medical fields who do not see how acupuncture can do anything to help those who suffer from depression, but studies are turning up with very different results. Studies have shown that since acupuncture in itself is a relaxing treatment it leads the way in alternative medicine helping to deal with depression. Studies have shown that after a routine of several weeks of acupuncture sessions to treat depression that sixty six percent of those women treated felt better and functioned better after treatment.  Follow up visits showed that they dealt better with their daily lives and the people in it.

Other studies conducted specifically on women suffering from major depressive episodes showed that sixty four percent of them had relief from the symptoms that they had to deal at least as successfully as when they took medication or sought counseling. These were very encouraging results for patients who are tired of using medication and are looking for an alternative that is a little more natural to try to ease their symptoms and help improve their ability to lead a more normalized existence. Many have been surprised at what a good alternative acupuncture has turned out to be.

Depression is not just the day to day problem of a person suffering a chemical imbalance. It can also be a problem suffered by women who are pregnant. Firstly because many women who suffer from depression do have children, but as well being pregnant with the rampant hormonal changes can cause a bout of depression for someone who normally does not suffer from this serious condition. Studies conducted on pregnant women showed almost the same results as the others, with sixty nine percent of them responding to the treatment successfully. This was after only twelve sessions. One of the reasons the improvements were so noticeable was that the women did not have a return of symptoms by as late as ten weeks after delivery. This means that women who suffer from depression during pregnancy have an alternative that was not open to them before. They can be treated with acupuncture and feel better and they can do this without fearing that what they do to improve their health will have any adverse effects on the health of their unborn child.

Acne is not a serious health threat but it can cause both physical and mental scars for sufferers of this dermatological condition. The bad news is, acne is not an adolescent disease - although it is more common amongst them - older males and females can be affected too. Trying to determine what is causing your acne is definitely a good place to start. While acne is not curable, it is 100% manageable.

Natural remedies can be just as effective as medications. Natural remedies for acne come in the form of lotions, creams, herbal formulations and home-made products.

Here we will have a look at some of the natural remedies that you can either buy from your herbalist or make using ingredients from your store cupboard.

Echinacea and Tea Tree oil are two of the more common natural remedies for acne and are widely available.

Echinacea (and Oregon grape for that matter) - Can help boost the body’s immune system.

Tea Tree oil – It contains constituents called terpenoids, which have antiseptic and antifungal actions.

Green Tea - Since acne is partly caused by hormones, green tea is used as an antibacterial defense decreasing hormone activity.

Almond oil is another natural gem that can actually help with the removal of acne scars.
 
There are several juices (for example apricot and citrus juices) that you can use - you may well have most of them in your larder already.  Apricot juice helps to alleviate the presence of cysts and lemon juice serves as a natural exfoliate; removing the dead skin cells which might cause clogging of the pores.

Put distilled white vinegar on the affected area as a topical solution, it will help to cleanse the pores.

Apply a honey mask to your face.  It has naturally occurring anti-bacterial qualities, which will help in the healing process of your acne.

It is also worth mentioning that some dietary deficiencies have also been linked to acne.  Supplementary Vitamins and Minerals can be purchased from your local health food store.

Important: If you do take supplements, you should be careful not to get more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for a particular vitamin or mineral.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).  Pyridoxine deficiency in adults principally affects the peripheral nerves, skin, mucous membranes, and the blood cell system.

Zinc helps to support a healthy immune system and also supports normal growth through childhood and adolescence.

Finally, try to ensure that you drink plenty of water.  It cleanses your body of toxins that can contribute to the development and spread of acne.  The recommended daily amount is 7-8 glasses.

The cost of acne treatments can vary depending on the treatment your physician prescribes for you and the area of the country where you live. In addition to the savings in cost, natural acne treatments can also be less damaging to the skin than their over-the-counter equivalents. The direct cost of acne in the United States is estimated to exceed $1 billion per year, with $100 million spent on over-the-counter acne products.

Acne is the most common skin disorder seen by doctors. It is a common skin condition and there are many ways to treat it.  The effectiveness of these acne treatments depends on the individual patient and the extent of the acne scarring.

In this day and age with the abundance of advice available and easy access to Natural Remedies, help for acne sufferers is never very far away.

Fat is one of the main problems of our diet today.  It is contained in lots of the foods that we eat; animal fats, eggs, milk, liver and kidney.  It is also a contributory factor to high cholesterol.  People with a high cholesterol reading should be eating a low fat diet, reducing their saturated fats intake.

There are two types of cholesterol LDL (low density lipoproteins) and HDL (high density lipoproteins).  The HDL cholesterol helps to take the LDL cholesterol from your blood stream.  LDL is the bad cholesterol in your body; it is carried as solid fat in our blood stream, and sticks to the walls of your arteries clogging them and causing cardiovascular problems, which involve strokes and heart attacks.

Saturated fats increase your LDL and HDL levels.  It is hard at room temperature and can be found in lots of the foods that we eat daily, for example lard, butter, suet, cream and cheese and also in foods that contain these ingredients, such as pies, cookies and cakes.  It can also be found on our joints of meat that we cook for our Sunday roast.  Trim the white fat off before cooking or buy the leaner options from your supermarket. 

Trans fats are worse than saturated fats.  Your body is unable to process trans fats fully and you will not be able to get the weight off.  Avoid your daily visit to the fast food counter and convenience meals because they contain large amounts of trans fats. They occur naturally in animal and dairy foods and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

However, not all fats are bad for you.  Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are a healthy alternative to saturated fats.  They come from vegetable sources and can be found in avocados, soybean, canola, olive oil, and oily fish such as sardines, pilchards and salmon.  You may have read that the FDA had recommended that you do not eat more than 30% of your daily calorie intake.  New guidelines now eliminate this.

So, what can you do?  By simply replacing some of your saturated fats with unsaturated fats you will be helping to reduce your cholesterol levels.  Think about what you eat.  Eat some fresh fruit instead of a chocolate bar or a biscuit.  Use low-fat spread instead of butter; switch to vegetable or olive oil for cooking and drink semi skimmed or skimmed milk instead of full fat.

There are two main reasons why the majority of people are overweight. The first is a high intake of calories. We are all so busy that no one has time to prepare a healthy meal at home. So what do we do? We hit the local fast food restaurant. The food is delicious, dripping with grease and special sauces, but also loaded with calories.

The second reason people are overweight is low activity levels. The world has evolved into a network of high technology. But it has come at a price. The people of the world have become more sedentary. Hours and hours spent in front of our computers and video games are telling the tale on our waistline and butts.

So if you combine fast food meals with sedentary lifestyles, what could you expect to get but an epidemic of overweight people?

So now it is up to you to make a change. The goal is to burn more calories than you consume. I am going to give you a few tips to make this possible.

1. Eat six times a day. Have your 3 regular meals and 3 small, healthy snacks in between. This will boost your metabolism to burn fat.

2. Eat lean meats, skinless chicken and fish. If you feel like you must have that hamburger, choose ground chuck which has less fat.

3. Eat smaller portions. Here is a good link to clarify portion size:    http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/servingcard7.pdf

4. Eat slower. Give your stomach time to signal your brain that it is full.

5. Eat more fruits and vegetables. For snacks in between meals, eat fruit instead of cookies or chips.

6. Drink more water. Replace at least one soda a day with a glass of water. Drinking a full glass of water before a meal may help you eat less.

Next, it is important to increase your activity. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. If this is not possible starting out, here a few simple things you can do to increase your activity.

1. Park your car farther away in the parking lot of work or the shopping mall.

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

3. Put away the TV remote and get up to change the channel.

4. Dance!

5. Water exercise is especially good for larger people who may have trouble with standing or walking. It puts less stress on the joints. Check with the local YMCA or health club to see if they have water exercise classes.

6. Invest in a stationary bike. This is good for cardio exercise.

7. Get a partner. Find someone who will keep you accountable and give you support.

Warm up with stretches before any type of exercise. Cool down slowly after exercise to protect your heart and help relax your muscles. Most importantly, always practice any lifestyle change under the guidance of your physician.

Weight loss is up to you. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to become healthier. Losing weight is not about dieting or starving yourself.  It is all about a lifestyle change. Commit yourself to eating better and exercising more and your life will definitely change for the better!

Feel free to use this article but please ensure that you leave this author bio in tact:  Dawn Robertshaw has written numerous articles and ebooks on coping with life in the 21st century. For more free articles, tips, advice and a range of health and relationship targeted information products in written and audio form for immediate download visit us at : http://www.inthe21stcentury.com

What is Fiber?

Fiber is made up of the indigestible parts of plants which pass through the stomach and intestines.  Its main role is to keep the digestive system healthy.  Fiber is a carbohydrate and can help to stabilise glucose and cholesterol levels.

Not enough high fiber food in your diet may result in you getting one of the following disorders:

Constipation; this is a difficulty in passing hard faeces and in some cases can be extremely painful.  In later stages of constipation, the abdomen may become distended and tender.

Irritable bowel syndrome; you may experience some pain, flatulence and bloating of the abdomen.

Diverticulitis; these are small hernias of the digestive tract.

Heart disease; a narrowing of the arteries caused by high cholesterol

Colorectal cancer; also called colon or bowel cancer; includes cancerous growths in the colon and rectum.

Haemorrhoids; also commonly known as piles; are varicose veins or swelling and inflammation of the rectum and anus.

It is also worth mentioning that the digestive system slows down with age so a high fiber diet is more important for older people.

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber can be found in a variety of foods; vegetables such as carrot, celery, green beans, cauliflower and potato skins, whole grain foods, bran, nuts and seeds, and the skins of some fruit (including tomatoes)

Their major role is to bulk faeces and prevent constipation and associated problems.  It provides bulk to the diet and speeds everything through the bowel and may help to prevent bowel cancer.

Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber can be found in fruits such as apples, bananas and berries, vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, potatoes and yams, peas and beans, oats, rye and barley.

Soluble fiber also lowers cholesterol levels and helps to prevent heart disease.  It can also help to prevent constipation.

Resistant Starch

This is found in many foods like grains, firm bananas, lentils and potatoes.  It helps to improve bowel health.

How Much Do You Need?

Opinion varies around the world, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) ranges from 12 – 30 grams per day for adults.  Children should eat 10 grams plus 1 gram per year of their age.  For example, a 4 year old should eat 14 grams per day.

Tips To Help Boost Your Intake:-

• Change to wholemeal or wholegrain breads or rolls – these contain all 3 parts of the grain.

• Eat breakfast cereals which are wholegrain or contain wheat, bran or oats.

• Eat wholemeal pasta and brown rice.

• Fresh fruit rather than fruit juice because fruit juice is often sweetened and contain artificial colors and flavors but fresh fruit has natural sugars and is full of essential vitamins and minerals.

• Add beans, barley and lentils into your soups and casseroles.

• Eat a variety of fruit and vegetables.  They are low in fat, salt and sugar and a good source of dietary fiber.

• Make sure that you drink lots of fluid to enable your body to digest the fiber.

Fiber can help in weight loss because foods high in fiber are often bulky and more filling.  Therefore, you will get fuller quicker and will not eat as much.

Fiber slows glucose absorption from the small intestine into the blood and therefore reduces the possibility of a surge of insulin.

Although fiber is an important factor in your diet, it is also important to gradually increase your fiber intake, a sudden increase could cause increased flatulence and abdominal pains.

Always remember to contact your Family Practitioner, Dietician or Child Health Nurse for further advice before making any changes to your diet and health program.