Monday, November 30, 2009

Nicotine Addiction Don't Believe The Hype

I'm a person who smoked cigarettes for more than 15 years and learned a few things through the process of quitting. I'm going to pass on what I learned from quitting with the hopes that these things might help you quit as well. The biggest thing to understand is exactly what the title of this article saysDon't believe the hype. There is a TON of hype surrounding the subject of nicotine and being addicted to nicotine. From someone who's been through it, let me clue you in. Almost every bit of what you hear is hype. Hype designed to sell you something to help you 'kick' the habit. That something designed to help you might be in the form of a patch, gum, lozenge, or pill. The point is that there are people and companies who want you do believe that quitting nicotine is going to be the most difficult thing that you've ever done. That way you're much more apt to spend your money on their product for help. It's really a vicious cycle that you need to come to terms with. So now that we know not to buy into the hype, what do we do? The most important thing that I did was change my thinking about smoking and quitting smoking. When people would say how difficult quitting smoking was going to be, I would simply not engage in such conversations. I stopped even thinking about the supposed negative aspects of quitting the use of nicotine. I told myself, as often as I could, how simple quitting was going to be. I would even go so far as to actually talk to the cigarette that I was smoking. I did this when I was alone of course. I would hold up the smoking cigarette and say something like, "this is going to be no problem at all". You see, I heard it said somewhere that you become what you think about, all day long. That is, if you think quitting nicotine is going to be hard, it is! If you think it's going to be easy, it is! It may sound crazy, but that's what I did. It took about six months and then one day I went into my pack for a cigarette. There was only 1 left. I removed that cigarette, looked at it, and said, "This is it, I'm done." I smoked that cigarette, and it was the last one that I've ever smoked. We're there times I wanted one? Sure, but I didn't smoke any more, so I didn't. It was as simple as that. No stress, anxiety, or difficulty about it. I had changed the way I though about smoking, so changing the act was more or less a natural progression. Remember; You become what you think about.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Say Goodbye To Styrofoam Containers Forever

Now I'm not a health nut, or member of Greenpeace, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for this rock we all live on. Especially when it comes to the rivers, streams, and lakes that fish swim in. Why? First of all, because I love to catch those fish. Not only that, but I love to catch healthy fish. I also enjoy the beauty of Nature almost as much as I do the act of fishing itself. I agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, "Nature is a mutable cloud which is always and never the same." That quote, I think, is a big reason that I spend so much time in nature, attempting to catch fish. What I don't like when I'm out there attempting to catch fish is to see empty Styrofoam containers, that at one time carried worms, sitting along the shore. This is completely unnecessary, and there's a simple solution to this problem. That solution is called a bait bag. I'm a huge worm fisherman, and spend 90% of my fishing time fishing with live worms. Yet I never leave a Styrofoam container along the bank of the water because I use a bait bag to carry my worms. I simply take the worms out of their Styrofoam container at my vehicle, place the worms into the bait bag, and I'm ready for a day of fishing. Using a bait bag enables the angler to leave the Styrofoam container in their vehicle to be discarded later, rather than along the water. Where do you get your hands on one of these bait bags? You can go somewhere like JRWfishing or you can make your own. An old sock works well. Just cut the toe end off and use a safety pin to attach it to your fishing vest. Using a bait bag also keeps your worms right on your body for easy access. No more digging through the container, looking for a fresh worm. The bottom line is that using a bait bag eliminates the need to carry those Styrofoam containers with you while fishing, and that means there will be many less Styrofoam containers left along the banks of our rivers, streams, and lakes. Not only that, but by using a bait bag to carry your worms, you'll spend more time fishing and less time fumbling around for bait. Your bait will be right there at your fingertips.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Choosing a good doctor

The public impression is that a neatly dressed one, a good looking, sweetly speaking doctor is a good doctor. But in reality the knowledge, skill, genuine interest in healing may not match the outward expression. An outwardly smart looking doctor with best skill, knowledge and good interest in patients outshines. When you choose a doctor, go by his qualification, experience, attitude and treatment records. Assess his genuine interest. Don't have to hurry for treatment if not an emergency. Ask him about your problem, treatment options, expense involved and whether there are any methods to reduce your expense. A reasonable doctor would never deprive you from the adequate information. Whenever a surgery is involved ask for previous surgery out comes, patient references and counter check them.. Whenever a intervention is needed find out how urgent it is and on what basis. Enquire among the medical professional who is best in that field. Who is the next choice. And also enquire among your friends and relatives.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Cut or commission practice in medicine

Cut pratice or commission practice in medical profession has been there since years. This is no doubt due to craving for earning more money. What is changing recently is the percentage is on the rise, the number of persons giving / taking cut or commission has increased also becoming more and more unethical. I shall touch upon what do I mean by unethical or ethical cut practice in my future postings. Partly it is due to changing technology, newer medical gadgets along with changing life style. The commission is given for minor tests like urine test, consultation to newer high cost investigations and interventional procedures. Many times unnecessary investigations and procedures are done purely for monetary gains both to the performing person and referring doctor. The patients need to know about this and be diligent. It is not possible to guess who is or who is not in to it. It is so rampant that the commission is in fact paid in advance to the referring persons in lump some. The superspecialists and consultants also take commission. The percentage of people who are not into it may be less than 5-10%. The person however skilled or knowledged he may be will be avoided by the referring doctors if he does not "entertain" them. Some doctors maintain a clean note book indicating the name of the patient, amount due, from which doctor / lab etc. Now patients in private practice may not be able to avoid this , at the most can hope that only indicated procedures or investigations are done by a relatively competent person

Monday, November 23, 2009

Automobile Accidents and Chiropractic

Automobile Accidents happen every day. Did you know that a five mile per hour accident can leave you with permanent injuries. I know first hand. Several years ago I was rear ended. The women was probably going five to ten miles per hour. I still have occasional pain to my neck and upper back. I am a chiropractor in Tampa, Florida. I have treated people who have been injured in auto accidents for 12 years now. Medical doctors usually treat similar injuries with medication. Medication covers up the symptoms but do not address the cause of the problem. Chiropractors are supportive of the personal injury claims process too. It is the job of a chiropractor to help their patients recover, both physically and financially. That does not mean that they will make up false information: instead what it means is that they will write good thorough reports of the severity of your whiplash and soft tissue injuries so you are supported in pursuing your personal injury insurance claim. These days, reports from doctors of chiropractic stand up pretty well against the opinions of the medical doctors. In prior years, orthopedic surgeons were called by the defense to testify against chiropractors who were treating the claimant. It was difficult for the plaintiff to sell a jury on the concept that a chiropractor's belief and testimony could outweigh that of a respected medical professional. However, the situation has eased in the last decade. Chiropractors have treated much of the population. As a consequence, chiropractic opinion, if presented by a doctor with a sound foundation, can stand up well against the best of medical testimony. A chiropractor is a lot more likely to support your personal injury insurance claim than an orthopedic surgeon. It is, of course, difficult and often useless to generalize about categories of professionals. However, experience shows that, on the whole, medical specialists at the higher end (such as orthopedic surgeons) are less likely to display an interest in the quality of your insurance claim settlement award, especially if it is "only" whiplash or soft tissue injuries, as opposed to broken bones, which form the staple of the surgeon's practice. An automobile accident is one of the single most traumatic events a person can experience. The possible damage to the spine and surrounding musculature can have a detrimental effect on a person's health and well being for the rest of their lives. Doctors of Chiropractic are experts in determining the effects of traumatic injuries have on the spine. Early treatment is the key to a successful recovery when you are involved in an accident. Pain and dysfunction due to an accident sometimes appear weeks or months later. Having your injuries checked and documented early, may help avoid needless pain and suffering for a lifetime.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Can Vitamins Regrow Hair?

Having a luxurious head of hair is associated with attractiveness, as evidenced by countless shampoo advertisements with women swinging their thick, shiny head of hair around while groaning ecstatically! That's not to mention scores of advertisements for prescription medications, over-the-counter creams and hair transplant surgeries. Many would be willing to stand on their heads in a bowl full of green Jell-O for 15 minutes a day if they were told it would regrow their hair! Most of us lose around 100 hairs a day - this is perfectly normal, as evidenced by your hairbrush! However, at least 50 percent of all adults will experience hair loss or thinning hair by age 60, and this affects approximately 40 million men and 20 million women. There are many types of hair loss: Androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness. This is the most common type of hair loss. Male pattern baldness usually occurs in the front, crown and sides of the hairline. It's not uncommon for male hair loss to begin in the 20's. An androgen receptor gene on the X chromosome explains why a man's baldness resembles that of his maternal grandfather more than his father. However, baldness can be inherited from the mother's or father's side of the family with equal frequency. Female thinning is most likely to occur on the crown and in the front. In both men and women, this type of hair loss is heredity and permanent. The hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is also related to male pattern baldness. DHT binds with receptor sites on hair follicle cells to cause balding and decreases the length of the hair growing cycle so that each new regeneration of hair becomes smaller and thinner. That's why you see so many advertisements for hair loss products extolling their virtues as DHT blockers, such as Propecia. DHT blockers also include natural supplements for thinning hair such as saw palmetto, nettles, pumpkin seed oil, green tea, emu oil, and soy isoflavones. Telogen effluvium occurs in response to stress. This can be triggered by childbirth, major surgery, serious psychological stress, or serious illness such as high fever or severe flu. However, hair loss may not occur until three to six months following the stressful incident, so it's difficult to connect the stress with the loss. Hair usually regrows within six to nine months. Alopecia areata is temporary hair loss characterized by round patches of hair falling out of the scalp. This hereditary disease of the immune system can affect children or adults and is caused by white blood cells attacking the hair follicle. Hair loss can also be affected by these other factors: · Side effects of medications or treatments, including medications to treat arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure and gout - plus chemotherapy and radiation therapy. · Symptoms of illness, such as diabetes, lupus or thyroid disorders. · Overuse of hair treatments and products such as hair dye, permanents, straighteners, hot rollers, curling irons and blow dryers. This is called traumatic alopecia. · Poor nutrition. This is especially true if you don't get enough protein or iron in your diet. Given all this, is vitamin E good for hair? Despite what all those exciting commercials say, current research shows that there is no absolute direct correlation between taking vitamin supplements and permanent hair regrowth. There's a popular misconception that Vitamin E regrows hair. You can take all the Vitamin E supplements you want to, and even rub it on your head, but it won't magically transform you into a Muppet in dire need of a haircut! However, non-hereditary hair loss is an indicator of poor health. As a result, you should ensure that you're eating a healthy diet and taking the right vitamins and minerals that help to prevent hair loss. Unexplained hair loss should be evaluated as a symptom of other health problems - if you experience this, check with your physician. Although no particular vitamin or product will give you a head of hair like Cher's in the 70's, you should take minerals and vitamins that help prevent hair loss to complement your nutritious diet. Good nutrition is important to overall health and healthy hair growth. The following vitamins and minerals have been shown to help to prevent hair loss: Vitamin A: This antioxidant produces healthy scalp sebum. Daily dose is 5,000 IU. Caution: Ingesting more than 25,000 IU of vitamin A daily is toxic - it can cause hair loss and other serious health problems. Food sources include fish liver oil, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches. Vitamin B 3, or Niacin: Promotes scalp circulation. Daily dose is 15 mg. Food sources include brewer's yeast, wheat germ and fish. Vitamin B 5, or Pantothenic acid: Helps prevent graying and hair loss. Daily dose is 4 to 7 mg. Food sources include whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast and egg yolks. Vitamin B 6: Helps prevents hair loss and assists in the production of melanin, which gives hair its color. Daily dose is 1.6 mg. Food sources include brewer's yeast, whole grain cereals, vegetables and egg yolks. Vitamin B 12: Helps prevents hair loss. Daily dose is 2 mg. Food sources include fish and eggs. Vitamin C: This antioxidant maintains healthy skin and hair. Daily dose is 60 mg. Food sources include citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green veggies. Vitamin E: Does vitamin E promote hair growth? Well, this antioxidant does encourage scalp circulation. Daily dose is up to 400 IU. Food sources include cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green veggies. Biotin: Helps produce keratin, which may prevent graying and hair loss. Daily dose is 150 to 300 mcg. Food sources include brewer's yeast, whole grains, egg yolks and rice. Inositol: Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. Daily dose is up to 600 mg. Food sources include whole grains, brewer's yeast and citrus fruits. Calcium: An essential mineral that boosts hair growth. Daily dose is up to 1,500 mg. Food sources include tofu, fish, nuts, brewer's yeast, beans, lentils and sesame seeds. Chromium: Helps prevent hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, which can cause hair loss. Daily dose: Up to 120 mg. Food sources include brewer's yeast and whole wheat bread. Copper: Helps prevent hair loss and defects in color or structure. Daily dose is up to 3 mg; but more than that can lead to dry hair, hair loss and severe health problems. Food sources include shellfish, green vegetables, whole grains, eggs and beans. Iodine: Prevents dry hair and hair loss. Daily dose is 150 mcg. Food sources include fish, seaweed, kelp, iodized salt and garlic. Iron: Prevents hair loss. Daily dose is 15 mg. Food sources include eggs, fish, whole grains, green vegetables and dried fruits. Magnesium: This is one of the vitamins to regrow hair; it works in tandem with calcium to promote healthy hair growth. Daily dose is 280 mg. Food sources include green vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, nuts, soy beans, chickpeas and fish. Potassium: This is another one of the vitamins that make hair regrow; potassium promotes healthy hair growth. Daily dose is 3,500 mg. Food sources include avocados, bananas, lima beans, brown rice, dates, figs, dried fruit, garlic, nuts, potatoes, raisins, yams and yogurt. Selenium: Keeps scalp supple and elastic. Daily dose is 55 mcg, but more than that can cause hair loss. Food sources include brewer's yeast, grains, tuna and broccoli. Silica: This natural supplement for thinning hair strengthens hair and prevents hair loss. Daily dose is 55 mcg, but excessive amounts can lead to hair loss. Food sources include seafood, rice, soybeans and green vegetables. Sulfur: Sulfur is a main component in hair structure. Daily dose is 1 to 3 g. Food sources include onions, garlic, eggs, asparagus, fish and dairy products. Zinc: Zinc works in tandem with vitamin A; a deficiency in either can cause dry hair. Daily dose is 12 mg. Food sources include spinach, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, whole grains and brewer's yeast. In addition to vitamins and minerals that boost hair growth, you should also include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet to prevent hair loss. Good sources include wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, flax seeds and walnuts. Instead of trying to take each one of these vitamins and minerals separately each day, consider a complete multivitamin. A good one will provide all these nutrients in the sufficient, yet safe dosages. In addition, here are some helpful hair care tips: · Use all-natural biotin-based shampoo and conditioner to help your hair appear thicker. · Be easy with your hair; brush it gently, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Don't ever harshly tug downward on tangles. · Don't blow dry your hair, use curling irons or hot rollers. Try some firm hair gel and a round styling brush instead; style your hair, then let it air dry. · Don't frequently put your hair in ponytail holders or barrettes, and never use rubber bands on your hair! · Shorter hairstyles make hair look thicker. · Avoid the Donald Trump comb over style at all costs! To improve your hair's health and the overall physical condition of your body, take the next step and improve dietary nutrition, take the right vitamin and mineral supplements, and minimize the stress in your life.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

How to Adjust Your Neck

Almost everyone has experienced waking up with a sore neck. Or something happens and the neck just hurts and you can barely turn your head. Most chiropractors charge around $75 for a ten-minute visit to force the neck back into position, almost always causing soft tissue damage. Some chiropractors even ice their clients after an adjustment! Another case of the cure being worse than the condition. Now, with Self Adjusting Technique, you can take maters into your hands. Not only that, but it can be done without force, cracking, or pain. The most common misalignment in the neck is a rotation. That is, the vertebra rotates to one side or the other. The first thing you would do is to feel around and find where the neck is tender. It will probably be more tender on one side of the vertebra than the other. The part of the vertebra that protrudes at the back of the neck is called the spinous process. Many muscles attach to it, and when you press into those muscles, you find the tenderness where they are bunched up from the vertebral rotation. Finding what is out and which way is very important, so you know which way to adjust. Feeling for the sore or tender areas is one way to do this. Feel around; get to know what is really going on in your neck. Adjusting takes a little pressure into the muscles and a rotation of the neck. Pressing into the muscles help them to release, and the natural movement of turning the head brings things back where they belong. For example, say the third cervical which is about two and a half to three inched below the base of the scull has rotated to the right. To adjust, take your left hand behind the back of your neck and press on the right side of the vertebra. The middle finger works well, but it doesn't matter, just so you can pull into the muscles just to the right of the vertebra and pull it to the left. Gently press into the muscle to release and encourage the spinous process to the left. Drop your chin a little and slowly turn your head to the right allowing your finger to follow along on the muscle as you turn your head. It only takes about four ounces of pressure, sometimes even less. That is the basic Self Adjusting Technique for adjusting the neck.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Is it really possible to enlarge your manhood?

Since time immemorial, men (and maybe even their women) have been obsessed with a bigger manhood. Its seems nothing is big enough for most. With this obsession comes a desperate search for a remedy - to enlarge his manhood. But can a man really have a bigger manhood than that naturally endowed upon him? The answer is a surprising YES. Sure, some may disagree, but it is indeed possible to enlarge the penile tissues, provided you use the correct methods. Penile enlargement, as a science, is still relatively unrecognised. Its even being frowned upon. But that does not mean that it is impossible. There is a still a lot things that mainstream medicine does not know and medical doctors will be the first to agree that nature is still a big mystery to men. Take the case of a cancer cure. Doctors swear that cancer is incurable yet there are people who survived cancer without chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Penile enlargement is certainly possible. This has been proven by the countless posts on penile enlargement forums and also emails we received from satisfied clients. But if you want to enlarge your member, it is crucial that you use the correct products and methods since there are scams everywhere. How do you know which ones really work? Read on... So, which penile enlargement methods really do work? There are several options in penile enlargement and some work better than others. Some are clear scams or hype. To clear the confusion, we present here the various penile enlargement or enhancement methods available in the market today. Discover which ones work and which ones don't. So, here are your various options to make your dream of a bigger manhood come true.. . You may want to consider these methods : 1. Penile Augmentation (Phalloplasty) Surgery to lengthen and thicken the penile shaft. Not a recommended option due to the risks involved (surgical failure is common) and its high price.Will set you back a cool $4,750. 2. Penile Traction Devices [ Popular ] A penile traction device employs the same principle of traction used in orthopedic surgeries. This principle states that when human tissue is exposed to a traction force, it reacts by increasing its size. In the case of the penile traction device, a constant traction force is applied triggering the growth function of the penile tissues. This increase in the length and girth of your member is said to be permanent. A penile traction device is affordable and reliable although you may need to "wear" for a few hours a day. 3. Penile Enhancement Exercises Penile enlargement exercises have now been curiously termed "jelqing". They seem to work pretty well for most men. Basically involved stretching your member as in the case of a penile traction device. But this is a more crude way and some precautions need to be observed so it is not advisable for you to attempt it without proper guide. 4. Penile Enlarging Pills The penile enlargement pill is perhaps one of the most popular of all options due to its simplicity and convenience. However, pills will never be able to enlarge your manhood on their own. At best, they may give you a longer, harder, fuller erection and thus give the impression of a bigger phallic shaft. But this "increase" is not permanent. Pills do help in the enlargement process provided always that you do the enlarging exercises or use a traction device as well. 5. Penile Enlargement Patches Based on the principles of trans-dermal delivery technology - medication is delivered through the skin of your member. Again, like pills, patches can't enlarge a man's manhood on their own. You still need the exercises or the device for permanent gains. So, there you have it, the various methods for enlarging a man's member. Whether you believe it or not, scores of men are benefiting from a bigger manhood by using these methods.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Secret Tips To Give a Female An Orgasm and Those Things That Can Prevent It

That famous question of " how to give a woman an orgasm " is no longer a shrouded mystery that only the select few have access to, in fact the answers are so simple that you will probably kick yourself when you find them. In an ideal world, where there is no hormonal imbalance, fatigue, emotional baggage, traumatic past or disconnected present, all women have the ability to enjoy having sex with their partner. All women have the capability to orgasm on that outrageous level. Yet many don't or can't or won't get there. Tips To Give a Female An Orgasm Sexual fears and frustrations can be a dominating reason why many women can't experience a simple orgasm. The very nature of the woman is complex and rooted in psychology, and one of those things that can prevent orgasm and sexual enjoyment is the lack of closeness and security within their relationship to a degree as well as continuous hormonal changes throughout our lives. The first of the tips to give a female an orgasm is that you should know women are somewhat hard coded to desire an emotional connection along with their sexual activity. For those whose relationships match up with their needs for intimacy and security, and generally get their emotional needs met (at least some of the time) by their partner, sex is a positive medium for self-expression and enjoyment. If there are sexual problems within the confines of an otherwise healthy relationship, look to some of the explanations that follow: 1. A Traumatic or Abusive past A frighteningly high percentage of women in America have been sexually molested or abused. Many women work their way back to a healthy attitude towards sexual activity either on their own or through counseling but for some the pain can linger and effect them later on in life. Other tips to give a female an orgasm are being soft and easy with gentle approaches, men should try and pile on the love, the care, the softness and most importantly learn how to listen and talk. You will be shocked at how much of a response you will get just by listening and lending a sympathetic ear to what you might consider, pointless! Being open to suggestion and focusing on her enjoyment and pleasure is the right road to tread and amongst the top tips to give a female an orgasm . By showing your concern for her needs, you are automatically breaking down barriers and making her feel more at ease and relaxed, but be patient! Try using simple pampering techniques like massages, cooking for her, allocating a specific time for only her, having a long bath together and after all these relaxation techniques you should use a natural heat-based stimulant, like vigorelle that will heighten her mood and feeling. 2. Common Hormonal problems Common things like childbirth and aging can cause a jolt to the hormonal balance of a woman, which can lead to poor sexual response. A doctor can help women by addressing the underlying hormonal causes, and may even prescribe hormonal treatments that bring the condition under control. At the same time there are some natural tips to give a female an orgasm even with hormonal problems. Natural cures like Provestra, an all natural supplement that works to bring back hormonal balance and deal with loss of libido in women. As well as a natural topical lubricant like vigorelle that contains transdermal ingredients in close contact with the genitals for immediate sexual boosting effects. 3. Relationship issues When love goes sour, the first casualty is in the bedroom. Why? Because women attach so much importance to love and romance, that when those things are compromised, she may have trouble making the leap to sexuality. When love between couples takes a nose dive, the first place to take casualties is the bedroom. As we attach so much importance to love and romance, when these vital ingredients are not in the equation, our Interest in sexual relations with our partners becomes almost obsolete. Experienced men will know that to keep the woman in his life drawn to him than he must keep her sexuality alive! If your relationship is taking a battering, then no doubt your sex life is going to get hurt, so that's why you need to take evasive measures to keep it alive. By knowing specific tips to give a female an orgasm , you can undoubtedly avoid a major roadblock in your sex life. Here are a few good additions to your love toolbox: Vigorelle creme - a nice, sweet and slightly warming crÚme to add lubrication and heat to her private parts. Nice surprise when given by a beloved partner or used in any type of sexual action Provestra - As a daily rev-up to the woman's libido, this all-natural, herbal-based supplement nourishes the entire female reproductive system. So powerful, a popular herbal guidebook listed it with this warning: May dramatically increase libido. Bottom line, despite all the other things we can offer in terms of a woman's sex life, the best thing of all is for the woman to take charge of her own pleasure. By that we mean: any fantasy is OK, whether you involve your partner or not. Any method of achieving orgasm is OK (so long as no one else is hurt). Anything the woman wishes to bring to the bedroom that will encourage her pleasure, right on.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

GOD AND THE MANKIND

According to the Holy Bible, God created the Mankind to their image and likeness (Genesis 1,26) Personally I think such Biblical paragraph refers to the characteristic that makes us different from the rest of animals, specifically such characteristic refers to our ability of thinking. I don't believe in physical likeness between God and us, but I do believe in our similar ability to create things coming from our intelligence, I do believe in our ability to focus our thoughts toward concrete objectives and our capacity of being able to carry out them. A simple comparison would be enough. According to the Bible God created the skies and earth and the whole universe. The Mankind made cars, airplanes, heating, computers, space crafts, and much more. Who else could make some things like those? You and I are part of the same mankind that has transformed completely the world we living in. Such power of creation and transformation the mankind has, is present in each one of us, we are all sharing it! So, Why, in the heck, should we have to suffer daily life frustrations? Aren't we too much more than that? Of course we are! We are too much more than any other alive being in this world! Therefore it is not acceptable under any point of view that you or I have to live with some kind of frustration. The small events of our lives should not be enough to collapse us in any kind of frustration. You and I deserve a worthy life! Life is to enjoy, not to suffer it! You and I and any other person have a spark of the divinity that we can use, to our pleasure, to CREATE US a better life. If we were able to create; with thoughts as fundamental tool, things like airplanes, mobile phones, and computers; then we also should be able of creating a life of peace and calm for ourselves, without frustrations. Don't you believe it? If most of the people didn't make it yet it is simply because they have not been devoted to. Most of the people live crawled by daily routines imposed by the mankind's industrial development: home-work-home. Few people have stopped to THINK what they could really make with their lives. Among them is Napoleon Hill who wrote the "Think and Grow Rich" book, more recently is Robert T. Kiyosaki with his book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and among them we can find several other people that have known the secret of being forged a healthy life for themselves. I believe we don't need to be genius to realize which secret all of them have discovered and have learnt to apply to their own lives: The Real Power Of Thoughts and their influence in our daily routines, in our habits, in our state of mind, in our mood, in our answers to adverse situations,... however, how many of the people that have read books like those of Napoleon Hill and Robert Kiyosaki have put in practice their teachings? How many had the perseverance of putting in practice their teachings for more than a couple of weeks? Does a better life does not worth a little more effort on our behalf? Have you, dear reader, read those books? Have you put in practice their teachings until achieving real results in your life? Or, on the contrary; have you gave up early as many others in a weak intent to change your life? FINAL WORDS. We like it or not, sooner or later we will have to give to our thoughts the importance they deserve. Sooner or later we will have to learn how to make them to work for us, in our benefit. I already did it, and you, dear reader, when will be the right time for you to do it? I summarized the whole process in 3 simple steps easy to apply that gave me amazing results. If you like you can find them in my book "How YOU Can Overcome Frustrations In An Easy, Cheap & Simple Way." That would be a good investment you could do for yourself. What are you waiting for to change your life for good? I think, with humbleness, that NOW is the right time for you to change your life. NOW is the right time for you to build a better life for you. NOW is the right time to leave frustrations behind.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

If You Smoke And Eat Junk You Will Want Cardio Interval Training As Another Habit

The U.S. Public Health Service ongoing study of the lifelong effect of health within the population of the United States had recorded the chances of heart disease developing among the different categories of people. Epidemiological research is the study of circumstances that is causing the health and illness of populations. The research are able to determine groups of people in the high risk zone even before they showed any signs or symptoms. The study have identified a group with the highest risk as being a male, with the age of over 35, a cigarette smoker, having a history of high blood pressure, maintaining a high levels of some types of blood fats and having a family history of cardiovascular complications. To add to that list, some researchers have included the uncontrollable, hard-driving and extremely anxious personality as another risk factor. The bigger the amount of severity, the higher the person's total risk. There are two fundamental categories for these warning signs. First are those that are not in the control of the individual such as sex, age and heredity. The second one are the ones that is controllable, avoidable or even can be eliminated. It is among those within the second classification are what cardiologists term as "the triple threats". "The triple threats" category consist of cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol level in the blood. Whenever a smoker puffs a pack of cigarettes per day, their risk of getting a heart attack is about twice that of a non-smoker. What is worse if you smoke, living with hypertension and consume food with enormous amount of fats without any exercise at all, the risk that you put yourself in is five times more than the normal people. Now if this risk criteria are causing heart's health to be in danger then what will improves its well-being and better the odds of being functioning long and well? It is definitely obvious that giving up smoking and eating nutritious diet that is low in fats will help you. Nonetheless, the next best action that you can provide for your heart's sake is to supply it with what it needs naturally and if you had guessed consistent exercise sessions or a complete cardio interval training then you are right. What we know about the heart is that it consists of a group of muscles and it is no different to the muscles of the arms and legs. These limb muscles are strengthened and improved with regular exercise and it will no doubt boost the health of the heart muscles too. Many prominent statistical studies since the World War II have assessed the dependency between physical exercise and cardiovascular disorders. There is a famous survey which compared over 30,000 drivers and conductors of a few bus companies. The drivers who are mostly in a sedentary sitting position had a very much higher rate of heart disorders than the conductors. The conductors had the chance to roam around the buses and climbed stairs to get to the top level of a double decker buses. Another fine experiments involving dogs with coronary arteries that are surgically narrowed to mimic a human arteriosclerosis can clarify the why and how behind those statistics. Compared with inactive dogs, those that are allowed to exercise had a healthier blood flow. A new development between the connections of the imperfect and almost normal blood vessels seems to be stimulated by the workout. This mean dogs that are exercised had a healthier blood supply provided to the muscle tissue of the heart. Looking at the human heart, it reacted exactly in the same fashion to transport blood to the part that was ruined by the heart attack. The heart uses a new tiny blood vessels for a process called collateral circulation so that it can go about healing the damaged heart muscle. These latest branches on the arterial tress are able to appear a long before a heart attack. If the new structure can take over efficiently the function of the narrowed vessels then heart attack can be avoided. Gathering all of this facts, what action can we take to avoid such predicaments? In constructing these subsidiary pathways, some studies have found that moderate workout a few times a week is more efficient for the task than an intensely vigorous workout done two times that frequency. More supporting researches concluded that there are proven connection between exercise and a healthy heart based from the data that shows the group that do not exercise had almost 50% higher risk of heart attack than the other control group of people. The cause of a third of that danger, according to the study, is due to sedentary lifestyle alone. Thus by getting involved in cardio interval workout, you can be sure to achieve positive development not only on aspects that concerns your cardiovascular system but also on the overall condition of you health too. In a nutshell, merely committing into this type of exercise can lessen the threats of heart attacks, allows the heart to perform efficiently, increase metabolism, improves the lung capacity and decrease stress. Have no doubt that cardio interval training is the sensible way of actualizing a healthy heart, mind and body.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Amazing Benefits In Boxing Workouts That Achieve More Than Just A Toned Body

You may want to get your health on track and build up a physically fit body by committing to the training in boxing fitness programs. This is the ultimate way for you to achieve a tougher body and boost your confidence. Your fighting condition could be improved too with such boxing workouts. Some positive results that many people can see after a few sessions of boxing training includes a strengthened and more defined arms and legs. Beside that, these sessions and classes will assist you in developing a sense of inner strength and emotional balance. The mainstream physical fitness industry had boxing workout classes introduced to their routine sessions a few years back. People are convinced when they saw the improvement in the areas of cardiovascular and toning of the muscles that are produced by this workouts. If you are familiar Tae Bo training videos, you will know that boxing and kickboxing exercises are made popular by it. The movement in aerobic exercises share a lot of similarities with boxing training. In cardio boxing classes you will immediately realize that the clever variations of aerobic movements is evident in their sparring jabs, power punches, defenses, leg works and overall body positioning. To step up towards a more demanding workout you will need to learn the proper techniques of the punch and kick combinations. With knowledge of the right techniques, you will build up your confidence and thus your strength will develop faster. All the combination that you execute on the jabs, blocks and kicks are done against an imaginary opponent. These are classes where students throw punches and stab their feet onto the air. An emerging trend in this form of exercise can be seen at some sessions where robust equipment like punching bags or padded hands are utilized to add variation to the routine. Whenever you commit to an hour of cardio kick boxing workouts, about 350 to 500 calories are burnt so you enjoy more benefits aside from the physical aspects. Another thing to take note is that your heart rate can achieve 75 to 85 percent of regular heart beat and this is in the zone of recommended range during training any exercise period. After a while you may also enjoy an improvement in your speed, resistance and enhanced flexibility and reflexes of your muscles. Try doing a repetitive movement on arms by sparring and punching while jogging to get your arms and legs strengthened and become powerful. All this types of movement will improve your joints, develop balance and coordination which allows your body to be stable and have a great form. There are other benefits of boxing or kickboxing beside the physical aspects. At the same time you will learn skills in self-defense which you may call upon in an unwanted situations. The feeling of satisfaction and achievement can be felt whenever you execute a proper punch or kick. Some people will take it as a form of relaxation and to nurture a character of self-motivation. Stress can be greatly reduced from your everyday life and you will feel a sense of relief. With stress minimized, you will be able to eliminate any feeling of anger that is within you. You might remember an experience where you are very relaxed and free from stress or anger like on a vacation or a simple walk at the beach. Without such negative elements, your body will feel light and somehow you get the peace of mind you had been longing for. If you asked around, many fitness trainers will recommend boxing workouts if they see that you are a beginner. No matter what your body condition is right now, boxing training allows you to immerse in the session at the pace that you feel comfortable. The classes encourages you to push the boundary of your limit as long as you do it safely and are conditioned for it. Boxing training will bring about a huge number of positive results. Get the physically fit body that you can be proud of and that will keep you in a superb shape. Since you have the choice of working out and exercising at your own comfortable level, do have a great time and enjoy the fun of these boxing workout programs.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Explode Your Strength Using Resistance Training Without Making Your Body Bulky

Have you ever thought or daydream about having a more powerful and a simply stunning body? You can achieve such results by getting up on your feet now and start working out the resistance training way. If you have seen exercises that work the muscles properly by including the use of weights, machines and even one's own body weight then you are most likely to be looking at resistance training in action. Some people calls it strength training or weight training and this techniques are very effective in shaping a healthier body. Usually training method like this is used by athletes who need to build up their bodies. So it is no surprise that many people would assume that when resistance training is executed, the body will grow larger. The truth is that it will not become that way at all. It is the strength of the body that will rise and not the muscle size whenever resistance training is applied. This methods can be trained by anyone since what it does is to build and tone the body's muscle thus giving it a more pleasing look. Even the senior citizens can be allowed into this program. This group of people will undergo training steps that are suitable for them like standing free-weights resistance or the medium intensity seated machine training. Bench press, dumbbell or barbell are some of the many workout equipments and machines that is associated with a resistance training program. When such equipment is used, the muscle is put to the challenge against those weight. By adapting to the extra weight, the cells of the body will then result to hypertrophy or the expanding and increasing of the nerve cells to assist with the muscle contraction. It is a good practice to first consult with your doctor before commencing any form of resistance training. This is especially important for people who are diagnosed with any medical conditions or are overweight. Take note that this kind of program is not one of those thing that you can delve into on your own. The knowledge of getting the proper equipment according to the needs of your body is essential. Another crucial aspect to consider is to have your body conditioned initially before you start working with the weights. Although the weights provide great leverage for your workout sessions, resistance training can also be achieved without applying those equipments. Push-up is one wonderful example because it can be done at any place as long as you have enough space for movement. In this case, your muscles are being challenged by you own body mass. The various benefits of resistance training are as follow. Throughout your resistance training program, the bones are consistently remodeling. What this mean is that the muscle tissues break down at the very same moment they build up. The peak of this modifying process occurs during puberty but as you grow older there may be issues with the bone mineral density since the remodeling may not be as functioning as before. Post-menopausal women will experience this problem more apparently. Bone mineral density is mostly backed by the hormones. To solve the issue of the lack of hormones to keep up the bone mineral density, physical workout is the option to take with resistance training as one type of activity that you can consider as a solution. Resistance training program will produce strong bones and muscles as long as you commit to the workout. When your body can perform the exercises with considerable amount of weight, your capabilities to tackle a more strenuous activities will great increase. You are more likely to lead an active lifestyle because that lazy feeling is minimized. Challenging your muscle with the weights will definitely melt away those undesirable fats. Believe that the body tone will shape up and as you become leaner, you will start to look better. For the elderly, committing to resistance training will assist in their recuperation process and minimize the risks associated with the age. They are able to perform basic task without the need of help from other people. Being more independent like this can absolutely decrease the danger of injuries to them. With consistent sessions of resistance training, you can be assured of a lowered heart rate and also lowered blood pressure. This is especially true after any exercise and the risk of heart disorders is reduced greatly. However, this kind of program must be done correctly with commitment and long term consistency. Follow the schedule as recommended by your doctor or trainer and do it regularly. If not done properly, the benefits of the training may not be achieved and could result in injury. The main point here is to just take your time by doing the motion correctly one step at a time. Once your body is conditioned to take the training, you can proceed to a more demanding tasks. How strong your body will become and its look on the whole are at stake in such resistance training program so just be sure to enjoy it properly.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Did You Know that Breathing Deeply Can Help You Lose Weight?

Learning the correct way to breathe deeply can make a total impact on your health and also help you lose weight. Breathing deeply is something that most of us never really think twice about but maybe it's time to focus on breathing and train ourselves to breathe properly. The beauty of retraining ourselves to breathe properly and implementing some easy breathing exercises into our daily routine is that in a rather short time, you will feel the difference and it's not that difficult. Let me explain. . . -- Simply lay down totally flat on your bed, your couch, or floor. Relax for a second or two before taking a deep breath. Now breathe in deep through your nose. Push your belly up while taking the air inside. Stick your chin on your chest and watch your belly rise. When you've got as much air as you can hold, stop and hold your breath. Try holding it for ten or twenty seconds. If you're like most people, you're dying to let it out at the end of the twenty seconds. Go ahead. Pitiful isn't it? Not only that, but did you feel your lungs stretching out? You don't feel that very often do you? It feels good and bad at the same time, right? That's because you're not used to it. -- Try it a couple of more times. It gets easier each time, right? Don't you feel relaxed and refreshed at the same time? Your body is saying thank you, thank you! Just that very tiny bit of deep breathing and your body feels better. This is an immediate reaction. Now, think about this and how it works. . ..that extra oxygen you allowed into your body is now moving through your bloodstream, slightly increasing your flow, and getting rid of excess waste and fat. All that in a matter of seconds! Makes sense doesn't it? Think about it... Oxygen is fuel for your body as is food. There are no calories in oxygen. You can breathe in all you want for as long as you want and still no calories! Not only that, but the extra oxygen you take in will cause the chemical reactions in your body to take place much faster, thus, you burn more calories than you take in. This in turn speeds up your metabolism and makes you burn more fat. There are many other benefits to making breathing deeply a part of your daily routine. They include improving your immune system, flushing out those unwanted toxins, makes your blood pressure rock steady, helps you sleep deeply like a baby, adds more oxygen in your body which increases your energy, and increases blood circulation. The list of benefits goes on and on. Clean and unpolluted oxygen is the key. -- Keep practicing. Get used to how deep breathing feels. Close your eyes and sense the rhythm of the deep breath you're taking. Memorize it. Now sit up. Again, try to accomplish the same deep breath while sitting up. Sit up straight. Start breathing in through your nose -then slowly stick your chin on top of your chest and watch your belly inflate with air. This may be a little harder because you might unconsciously revert back to shallow breathing. You'll know that this is true if your belly isn't inflating and you feel all the air in your lungs high in your chest. Don't give up. Concentrate on inflating your belly. Once filled as much as possible, hold it for twenty seconds and release through your mouth. You should practice sitting up and deep breathing a few times to get used to it. Now you can do it anywhere! You should, by now, have a real sense of how to breathe deep. Take a day or two and just practice the techniques (lying down and sitting up). After a day or two of practice, you're ready to make deep breathing a part of your daily program and routine.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

The Nicocure Review: Does Nicocure Work Or Is It All Marketing Hype?

Quitting smoking may just be the hardest thing anyone will have to do in their life. It was definitely difficult for me. I took the hard-core, cold turkey route as opposed to using any stop smoking aids, but today those looking for relief and freedom from their nicotine addictions may not have to fight so hard. Nicocure is a new, all-natural stop smoking aid that claims anyone can quit smoking in 30 days or less. That certainly is quite a claim, but is it all just marketing hype and fluff? I am not 100% sure what to think about nicotine addiction. I quit smoking myself cold-turkey without the use of any stop smoking aids such as Nicocure. I felt that if my desire was truly strong enough that I would be able to overcome anything. It still took over 20 attempts even then. My own mother struggles with it daily and has tried to quit numerous times with a variety of methods. Maybe this really has nothing to do with willpower or desire, but instead we should recognize that this addiction is so powerful we could all use a little help. So where does one turn? Nicocure claims to have that answer. There are so many different products on the market today all claiming to help people quit smoking. This is definitely BIG business, but if these products all did what they claimed they could do, I do not think I would see so many people struggling. The developers of Nicocure would agree and they cite one major reason for the failure of these other products that really caught my attention. The two major types of stop smoking aids on the market today are gums and patches. According to Nicocure, the problem with all of them is that they contain nicotine. nicotine is the substance of the addiction in the first place so a serious question arises here. Is it beneficial to fight nicotine addiction with nicotine? Once you finish the gum or patch program what have you accomplished? It seems to me that you have accomplished nothing except keeping nicotine in your system. You get off the patch and the gum and you still have the same problem. Withdrawal is just around the corner. This is why Nicocure was developed and why it claims to make the difference that other products cannot. Nicocure patches offer what seems to be an effective and alternative to the nicotine-derived products we are so used to seeing today. As a 100% all-natural and herbal formula, Nicocure claims to mimic nicotine just enough, so that the brain is satisfied, while the body completely removes the addictive chemical from its system. It allows your brain to continue releasing dopamine just as it did while you smoked. The point here is that you will be able to rid your body of that nasty nicotine chemical without having to go through the physical and psychological anguish that causes so many to fail early on. So the question remains...does it actually work? Nicocure wants to put this question to rest, so they offer a guarantee. If Nicocure does not help eliminate your cravings for nicotine, and end your smoking habit permanently within 30 days of purchase, they will refund 100% of your money. As always I remain skeptical, but I also know how much easier my battle could have been if Nicocure was available at the time. With the dangers of nicotine so great, and the benefits of quitting so numerous, this is a guarantee I would be willing to accept, and one I will be introducing to my mother.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Be Able To Move Tomorrow By Stretching Today

The body is designed to be flexible. If you dropped anything to the floor, you should be able to bend and get that thing back. That novel on the top shelf should be able to be easily attained by you. For most people those are uncomplicated movement. Not a big deal about them since you barely need to stretch out. However, if you face complication in performing such basic motions then you have to push the boundaries of your stretching limits and this article will give you an introduction into stretching program. The action of extending your body to its entire maximum length or even a part of it is known as stretching. This exercise involves stretching or straightening the build or the limbs. To execute stretching is quite easy. As mentioned above, it is involved in our daily activities and can be performed by anybody no matter what is their age. The difference though is that the amount or magnitude of stretching and flexing are unique to each individual. The array of joint mobility can be limited and thus preventing a more active lifestyle. So as a person aged, they will realize that bending and flexing motions are minimized. This is the reason that you need to incorporate stretching as an important part of your routine. Basic stretches can be practiced everyday and it will easily gel with your daily tasks and lifestyle without taking much of your time. Stretching has a critical role in any training program or sport and are advisable for you to perform it before any strenuous sessions. By stretching your body and limbs you will be in better shape for a more rugged activities. You can observe that some athletes would perform the sit and reach whereby they sat on the ground with their legs extended and start reaching for the tip of their foot using the tip of their hand. Such stretching activities are demanded by athletic coaches before of their games or training sessions. The optimal length of time to do the stretching is 10 minutes. By giving it that much time, you allow the body adequate opportunity to flex the muscles and put it into motion. This will help the body to adapt better for more rigorous and elaborate movements. However, fitness experts would not recommend going too far beyond 10 minutes. If you do stretching for 30 minutes or more, your body will already grow weary. This would not be a good idea If you are preparing for a competition. There are many benefits in performing stretching consistently. You will get to increase your range of bodily motions. As you perform your stretching exercises regularly, the length of the muscles and the tendons are extended. This way the limbs and joints are able to maneuver, way before an injury can occur and you will absolutely be able to count yourself as physically fit. Your ability to carry out a certain skills will be boosted. The various range of movement that you possess will allow you to do more activity. You can leap higher and when you land back to the ground, you will not feel any discomfort in your body. You can take up a new sport or sharpen your skills better in your current sporting activities. This ensure that you maintain an active lifestyle. Stretching is known to help avoid injury to joints, tendons and muscles. Having a well-flexed muscles and tendons will maintain them in good working order. It promotes rapid recovery and will help minimize any soreness. The muscle of the body will be able to absorb strenuous and rigorous motions with low chance of being injured. Your muscle are less like to contract due to regular workouts and stretching and this can reduce muscle tension. Any muscle pain or complications can be avoided. With stretching, you will discover that your body is capable of performing many things that seems impossible before. This will motivate you to participate in new activities in the future and thus enhancing your energy level. Prolonged stretching like yoga are proven in research to be effective in the reduction of cholesterol in the body. It works best with a diet of healthy food. Such activities like yoga could also stop and even reverse the hardening of the arteries that can cause some coronary disorders. You will get to enjoy a lot of things in the future if you integrate stretching into your daily lifestyle. The benefits are something nobody can say no to. It is not a hassle at all since it can be activities that you do as you go about your everyday life like bending and flexing. Go ahead and do what it takes to maintain a healthy body as fitness is everything.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

TENSION 101

Imagine a car that's idling too fast. It's revved up and working hard but nothing useful is happening. The motor's burning more fuel, creating more pollution and experiencing added wear and tear. Well, it's kind of the same with muscle tension. It doesn't help you move and it certainly doesn't make your muscles stronger. So really your muscles are working hard but not doing anything useful or accomplishing anything. In fact, muscle tension causes a lot of wear and tear on your body. It strains tendons (which hold your muscles to your bones). It pulls joints tighter together (leading to grinding/crunching sounds and worn out cartilage). It limits your movement, interferes with your co-ordination and may even make you more accident-prone. Tension also burns up the fuel in your muscles (which makes you feel tired) and creates toxic waste products called "metabolites" (the equivalent of car exhaust) which fatigue your muscles and make them feel sore and achy. WHY CONTROL TENSION ? • You'll feel more comfortable. • You'll prevent problems from occurring (like kinks in your neck). • You just know from experience that tension isn't good. 2 CAUSES OF TENSION 1. Stress is one of the major sources of muscle tension. When under stress, you become like a turtle trying to pull its head into its shell. So your shoulder muscles might simply tighten up or they might round forward and lift up as your head pulls back. And if your stress level is high, you may actually notice your shoulders around your ears. 2. Just sitting or staying still for periods of time causes your muscles to tighten up. By remaining "static", you're basically training your muscles to lock your back or neck in a certain posture. Then when you begin to move, your muscles remain tense in an effort to maintain your position. Plus it takes some time for your muscles to realize that they can let go and relax. So the longer you sit without moving, the more you train your muscles to lock into position and the longer it takes to release them. KEY TENSION AREAS Simply based on the way tension is created, the areas most vulnerable to tension are your neck, shoulders and back. Although tension can develop in any muscle in your body, these are the areas that are most commonly affected. TENDERNESS AND TENSION One of the best indicators of tension is tenderness, which is the discomfort you feel when you press on a muscle. Blood vessels normally deliver oxygen and nutrients to a muscle and flush away waste products. But, when your muscles are tense, they're essentially squeezing their own blood vessels. So now, the muscles are working hard and creating lots of waste that's not being washed out of the muscle. And as these "metabolites" (i.e. waste) begin to accumulate, they start to irritate pain nerves. If the tension is significant, you'll actually start to feel achy. If the tension is less severe, the nerves become sensitive and any added stimulus, like a squeeze to the muscle, can cause discomfort. 1 EASY WAY TO RELIEVE TENSION Massage can play an important role in helping you deal with your tension and your massage professional, like a mechanic, can adjust how fast your "muscle motors" are idling. Basically, massage does two things: First, it helps induce a relaxation response. This reduces the common defensive reactions in your body, including that "turtle-in-the-shell" action of your neck muscles. Relaxation also causes your brain and nervous system to slow down, which in turn lowers the tension level of all the muscles in your body. Second, massage pulls and stretches, which physically releases the muscle. In addition, the sensations that your muscles feel, both conscious and subconscious, give your brain information about the level of tension that exists in your muscles. This helps your nervous system adjust your muscles to a normal level of tone. Remember too that the effect of a massage on tension is almost instantaneous. You feel the tension leaving your body immediately. You don't have to wait days or weeks to see results. Also, regular massage both reduces your tension and trains your muscles to maintain a lower level of tension. And when your muscles are healthy and relaxed, they won't be tender and you won't feel any discomfort, even when you're receiving a massage. 1 EASY WAY TO PREVENT TENSION One of the areas most likely to get tense is the shoulders. (In the nearly 8 years that I've been doing chair massage, the shoulders are still the Number 1 area people ask to have massaged because they're experiencing tension there.) The muscle that makes up the shoulders is called the trapezius, often referred to as the "traps". It's an easy name to remember because this is the muscle that "traps" a lot of tension. The good news is you can help prevent tension from building up in this muscle. If you're sitting or standing still for any significant period of time, be sure to move this muscle through a full range of motion, at least once in a while. Something you can try is the "20/20 Rule": For every 20 minutes that you are inactive, spend 20 seconds moving. This helps ensure that your muscles don't have the chance to lock into any particular position. Use the two simple exercises in this article to bring your "traps" through a full range of motion and keep your muscles relaxed and tension-free. Download your exercise illustrations here: http://www.bodyworkbiz.com/courses/downloads/illustrations/s7937ks9.zip If you have specific health concerns, consult your medical doctor. The information in this article is educational only and is not intended to replace the advice of your personal health care provider(s). Chris Simon is a Certified Chair Massage Practitioner specializing in relaxation massage for muscle tension and stress. He's been providing on-site chair massage to people in their homes and employees at their workplaces in Hamilton and throughout Ontario since 1999.