When people begin a program to start loosing weight they usually do not think about the different tools that are available to help them make an accurate judgment on their weight loss progress. Most people’s decision on whether or not their diet program is successful is solely based on the readings from the scale. Now don’t get me wrong, the scale will give you an accurate reading on how much “weight” you have loss but it does not accurately tell you how much body fat you have lost. For example, what if most of the weight you lost was water weight? Your water weight can easily fluctuate within a few pounds every day depending on your activity levels, water consumption and diet. Even worse, what if you have lost muscle weight? If you eat too few of calories on your diet or exercise improperly you do stand a chance of burning up muscle.

I understand that in our culture we associate ones weight with their overall health but the real goal should be fat reduction not just weight reduction. Lets use an example of someone that has lost 10 pounds in one week to get a better understanding of why weight loss alone is not a good method for tracking fat reduction. In our example, lets assume that our imaginary person is on a 1500 calorie a day diet. So in one weeks time our imaginary friend has consumed 10500 calories (1500 calories x 7 days in the week). It takes around 3500 calories to burn one pound of body fat, so for our imaginary friend to lose one pound of fat a week he would need to burn an additional 500 calories a day. Now if we assume that our friend lost 10 pounds then that means he had burned an additional 35000 calories that week (or 5000 calories a day). It is unrealistic to assume that the person in our examples weight loss is from fat loss alone. In our example our friend must have also lost additional weight to either water loss or possibly even loss of muscle. Now a lot of people will lose water weight when they start a new diet program and change the way they eat but loosing muscle weight should always be avoided. The more muscle you have the more calories your body is going to burn so we definitely want to maintain the muscle that we currently have.

So, if the scale alone is a bad idea for judging fat lost then what should we use? There are a variety of different types of body fat monitors that will help you make a better judgment on your actual fat loss. There are body fat scales that not only track your body weight but can also be used to track your estimated body fat percentage. If you are not interested in replacing your scale, you could also use a handheld body fat analyzer or calipers to calculate your body fat percentage. The body fat scales and analyzers are easy to use but considerations need to be taken on when you do your readings. Since a persons body weight and temperature changes throughout the day you will want to be consistent on when and where you take your readings. Also, calipers provide good results too but do require an additional person to get all of the readings.

Now keep in mind that all the body fat monitors provide and estimated calculation on where your body fat percentage is. None of them are 100% accurate but they will give you a good indication on how much body fat you really are loosing. The key point is that for a relatively inexpensive price you can quit guessing and start getting a better understanding for your fat reduction success.

Gerald is the owner of One4Fitness.com For more information on Body Fat Monitors visit One4Fitness at http://www.one4fitness.com.

What Does It Take To Lose Body Fat?

To lose body fat, you need to incorporate sheer simplicity, plus ultimate science because understanding how to lose body fat comprises your awareness of BOTH concepts. Now is the time to prepare your heart and mind for non-stop challenge, consistent focus, and utmost care.

You are here seeking some viable remedy, correct? Our time together here is far more worthwhile if I just go ahead and tell you, right now, what it takes to lose body fat. In a nutshell, your biggest key is mental preparedness. Yep. That’s the biggie!

As soon as you discover how to convince your mind to issue “lose body fat” commands, you are well on your way to fitness success. To lose body fat, then, is a quite simple matter. Ye, of course, the difficulty you may face lies in your initial THINKING, then the reality of DOING.

There are a few things you will have to do in order to lose body fat. If and when you are willing and ready to do these things, you are SURE to lose body fat, without question.

LONG-TERM “LOSE BODY FAT” SOLUTION

Does It Really Pay To Seek A Short Cut To Lose-Body-Fat Satisfaction?

After you spin yourself virtually all the way around in a lose-body-fat circle by asking questions from sources that either really don’t know the truth, or even worse, only care to tell whatever it takes to separate you from your checkbook, credit card, or wallet — the simplicity and long-time duality of how to lose body fat remains unchanged. Ease versus complexity… long way around versus short-cut solution.

Somebody or someone (meaning YOU) has to do the work! You want to lose body fat, that’s why you’re here. So, your body needs to engage required, time proven, professional principles that prove themselves for you over and again. In short, to lose body fat you clearly build independence, self-assuredness, confidence, and other lose-body-fat skills that surprisingly emanate from your mental intellectual potential rather than merely your present physical ability.

HOW TO LOSE BODY FAT - HERE IS YOUR 3-STEP CURE

Simply do these three things to lose body fat:

ONE: Once and for all, learn how to find out your daily caloric consumption AND your energy expenditure numbers. Both of these numbers are absolutely crucial because they tell you exactly what your body is doing, right down to the very calorie. Once this calculation process becomes second nature to you, full control of the amount of body fat you carry lay right in the palms of your very hands.

In other words, you can shape your “lose-body-fat” fortune and alter your lean body appearance almost exactly how you want it to be.

TWO: Work out for the most part, using much more drive and intensity than you ever have before in your entire life! I say this to you primarily because of 1) remotely conscious human tendencies that we all have toward relaxation and taking the easy way out of a challenging situation rather than facing and conquering its root cause, plus 2) endorsed exercise science knowledge says that performing at higher thresholds gives you life-extending benefits and burns higher amounts of calories from excess body fat. So, to enormously yet safely lose body fat, begin to train yourself towards high intensity interval exercise.

You may burn twice as many calories as you did before, plus feel better and look better, too.

THREE: Lastly, know that the entire weight-loss-lose-body-fat scenario revolves around one, vital and never-changing concept: Being overweight, thus, needing to lose body fat, remains a direct result of eating too much food and not getting enough exercise. Now, with this last one, allow me to isolate your biggest probable obstacle. The number one problem is that you hear this very same lose-body-fat news so much and so often that your brain instantly goes into SHUT-DOWN or shut-off mode. That is, the tendency to assume the “I’ve Been There Before, Heard It All Before, Done It All Before, and It Never Works for Me” syndrome kicks in immediately.

The solution? Put on some new “lose body fat” ears today, starting right now. Allow yourself to hear the deeper gist this message carries. Cease to dismiss the seemingly small yet crucial matters that make the difference between your continued frustration and your lose body fat reward.

If you need any kind of help whatsoever, just contact us because 1) we care, and 2) lose-body-fat assistance online is both professional and affordable. So, don’t worry yourself about spending lots of money to lose body fat.

Understanding the true meaning of what it takes to lose body fat requires acceptance, open ears, and action. So, learn your personalized details, do the required work, plus know confidently and securely almost all about what it takes to lose body fat.

Ken Dockins is an American Council On Exercise member holding two professional certifications: 1) Certified Personal Trainer, and 2) Certified Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. Caring, expert professional with over 17 years experience, specializing in body fat weight loss. Discover how to lose body fat with Ken at Better-Body.Biz

When buying diet pills, there are a couple of different ways to go about it. Some pills are only available by prescription, while others can be purchased over the counter (OTC). There are several different types of weight loss supplements, which will be discussed in the following few paragraphs.

Some of the more popular prescription drugs are: Bontril, an appetite suppressant; Xenical, a pill which helps the body absorb fat; Meridia, a supplement that encourages your body to shed pounds, and Phentermine which is easily the most popular appetite suppressant in the United States today. Whereas prescription drugs are available only from a licensed physician, over the counter supplements can be purchased by anyone and contain such ingredients as amino acids, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, herbs, etc. They typically come in capsules, powder, and pill form but are not a substitute for proper diet and exercise. When combined with a healthy well balanced diet and exercise, these pills can be effective in helping you lose weight.

When purchasing any weight loss supplement, it is important to speak with your doctor beforehand. When buying an OTC supplement, it is especially important that you check the ingredients, and read the labels carefully. Some serious side effects can occur when using drugs with Ephedra in them, such as arrhythmia, heart valve lesions, and high blood pressure. Fortunately, Ephedra is no longer widely available. Even the most popular weight loss supplements can cause problems, with or without Ephedra present! High doses of caffeine (which many weight loss products have) have been known to cause problems with the heart, and still other drugs are under the suspicions of the FDA. The bottom line when taking any supplement designed to expedite weight loss is to check the ingredients list carefully, make sure it will not react with any other medications you are taking, and speak with your doctor before going on any weight loss plan.

It should be noted that even weight loss drugs prescribed by a physician carry risks. If a doctor has prescribed a supplement for you, generally they feel that the benefits outweigh the risks but that does not mean it is safe. You must always follow instructions exactly as prescribed, and stop taking them immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms. Even prescription drugs must accompany a healthy diet and exercise to work. Contrary to what diet pill manufactures want you to believe, no one pill is going to make you lose weight. It takes time and effort, and only a willingness to invest in both will ensure success.

If you are serious about losing weight and would like to purchase a weight loss supplement to aid you in your goal, make sure to incorporate a well balanced diet and exercise into your plans. Buying diet pills can be beneficial to your weight loss plans, but only if you are smart about your lifestyle choices.

Ken Black is the founder of Weight Loss Discovery at www.weight-loss-discovery.com, a site that provides helpful information on weight loss.

Consumed by millions in the Far East we are just beginning to get used to seeing this unfermented cousin of the black tea most Westerners are accustomed to drinking. For hundreds of years this very popular drink has been praised for its health benefits, which are now backed up by recent scientific study. Breast and prostate cancer are among the leading causes of cancer death in the US. Even with our advances in medicine these two types of malignancies claim 200,000 new victims annually and up to 50,000 deaths per year. Because of the latency in development of these two particular cancers there is opportunity for prevention. Further more, reduction in the risk of recurrence if one is unlucky enough to be stricken with them in the first place also applies. While there are several treatments for these cancers, prevention would be a person’s wiser choice. Since it can take 20 to 40 years to develop breast and prostate cancer, anyone wishing to prevent these cancers would search for something that was safe and effective for long-term use to radically diminish the chances of acquiring these cancers.

Green tea, a very popular beverage in the East has been studied as a chemopreventive agent against cancers. This beverage, popular for over 4000 years and consumed in quantity only second to water, has stood the test of time so to speak. It is has been around long enough and consumed by millions of people to judge its safety and efficacy. Green tea comes from the evergreen Camellia sinensis and the dried leaf is infused with hot water to yield the beverage. Green tea has been scientifically studied and shown to diminish primary occurrence as well as recurrence of cancers of the colon, ovary, breast and prostate. There are certain flavonoids and polyphenols in the tea that once absorbed have potent antioxidant properties. This is just one of many mechanisms of action on inhibiting cancer. Studies have shown that these flavanoids and polyphenols are very well absorbed when taken orally either in the form of a drink or in capsules. Unlike pharmaceutical agents that act on a single target when fighting cancer, the green tea polyphenols harbor a multidimensionality against tumorigenesis (tumor formation).

In mice, Interluken-2 deficient specimens prone to cancer survived when given green tea polyphenols which were found to lower interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In human studies, there is overwhelming evidence that green tea reduces incidence of breast and prostate cancer as well as reduces recurrence in those treated for these cancers. Epidemiological studies have found a two-fold reduction in breast cancer in women who consistently consume green tea. Another study involving men found the relative risk for prostate cancer nearly one-fourth in those who drank at least three cups of green tea daily. This is big news for those at high risk or cancer survivors.

Although safer than most chemotherapeutic drugs, one has to be concerned about caffeine if they are sensitive (there are decaffeinated formulas available) and the possible interaction with the blood thinner warfarin, since green tea contains vitamin K in significant quantities. Vitamin K counteracts the effects of warfarin warranting careful monitoring for those taking this drug.

How much is enough? According to studies the average cup of green tea yield 50 to 150 mg of polyphenols depending on the amount of leaves used and the steeping time. Based on this at least three cups of (heartedly steeped) tea daily should provide 300 mg of the polyphenols. If you are not that big a tea-totter, you can also obtain this amount in a 400 mg (80% standardized extract) capsule. While higher doses seem to be very well tolerated the effect is dose dependent. Better protection against cancer is achieved obviously with higher doses, but one should consult a nutritionally minded physician or herbalist for guidance.

References:

Krochmal, R., Hardy, M. L., Green tea and breast and prostate cancer chemoprevention. Atlernative Medicine Alert, July 2004, 7:7:73-84.

Kohlmeier L, et al. Tea and cancer prevention: An evaluation of the epidemiological literature. Nutr Cancer 1997;27:1-13.

Varilek GW, et al. Green tea polyphenol extract attenuates inflammation in interleukin-2-deficient mine, a model of autoimmunity. J Nutr 2001;131:2034-2039.

Jatoi A, et al. A phase II trial of green tea in the treatment of patients with androgen independent metastatic prostate carcinoma. Cancer 2003;97:1442-1446.

Mittal A, et al. EGCG down-regulates telomerase in human breast carcinoma MCG-7 cells, leading to suppression of cell viability and induction of apoptosis. Int J Oncol 2004;24:703-710.

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(c)2005

JP Saleeby, MD is assistant medical director of the Emergency Room at Liberty Regional Medical Center. He holds faculty position at GSU School of Nursing and is a proponent for preventive and integrative medicine. He can be reached for comment at jpsaleeby@aol.com. Telemedicine consultations in integrative preventive medicine available via http://www.saleeby.net

Hiring a personal trainer can be an anxiety producing experience!

Hiring a personal trainer is expensive and your concerned because you want the most “bang for your buck.” In other words you want results and you want to get those results as soon as possible, but you don’t want to hurt yourself in the process.

As in any other profession, there are good personal trainers, a few bad ones, and some nightmares!!!

As a fitness and weight loss professional for the past five years I’ve seen it all…the good, the bad and the ugly. So you see, I feel that it’s now my duty to reveal the Truth about Trainers and to make sure you get the best…and more importantly…avoid the worst!

What do all those credentials and degrees really mean?

Credentials mean nothing and the reason I say this is because when I graduated with my exercise science degree from the University of Florida, and I passed the National Strength and Conditioning Associations certification exam (one of the toughest in the industry), I knew absolutely NOTHING about working with clients and getting them results.

This is an completely unregulated industry we’re talking about here, no licensing, no state certification, no national certification, and over 75 certifying organizations for personal trainers. You could get a trainer that completed a weekend study course or one that has a Ph.D. in exercise physiology.

Now of course you’re asking…

So Adam, “If credentials mean nothing, how do I evaluate a trainer?”

The answer is simple…

Proof. Proof. Proof.

1. Proof in the form of at least 3 client testimonials or success stories.

2. Proof in the form of at least 3 fitness related professional references.

3. Proof in the form of publications they have written.

4. And finally…Proof in the form of actual before and after pictures making it crystal clear that they know how to get the results.

If the trainer can provide you with 2 out of 3 of these forms of proof then you’ve got a winner and be willing to pay a premium for their services…otherwise move the heck on because these trainers do exist.

Adam, “What about private v. semi-private v. small group training?”

Small group training and semi-private training are two of the fastest growing trends in the personal training industry. There is one simple reason for this…profit.

Yes, it may seem like you’re getting a deal with semi-private and small group training, but what kind of a deal is the trainer getting???

Let’s look at a simple example…

Let’s say that I’m a trainer who charges $65 per session for private, one-on-one training and I decide to begin offering small group training (typically 3 to 6 people training at the same time). Each person training in the small group will pay me $20 per session…not bad right?

Now look at it this way…that same trainer has now increased his per session rate by $55 to $120…and you are no longer getting the private one-on-one attention that you would otherwise.

Great deal for the trainer but what about YOU???

Now, in no way am I suggesting that you won’t get outstanding results by working in a group rather than training one-on-one. Because reports and testimonial have shown that semi-private and small group training can sometimes be more effective than one-on-one training.

The bottom line is that if you want to know what’s going on behind the scenes then you need to know why the industry is moving in the direction of semi-private and small group training and the answer is leverage!

If you decide to go with small group or semi-private training, I strongly suggest that you don’t pay for a large package of sessions up front. The reason I’m telling you to do this is because you might find out after the first session that group training is not right for you.

Adam, “Are there any trainers that actually guarantee results?”

The answer is yes and you shouldn’t hire a trainer that won’t agree to give you 100% of your money back if you do not achieve the results you desire. This is just another way for a trainer to show what they can do, and shows they stand behind their work.

There is a catch however that any smart fitness professional would include with their money back guarantee…that catch is that you must keep up your end of the bargain by doing what the trainer says, and if you don’t…the guarantee is void. And I think this is fair.

What about rates???

Adam, “What about rates for hour v. half hour sessions?”

Average rates are a difficult subject because it’s really dependant on where you live. Here in Central Florida, where I live, I would say the average rates are between $50 and $60 per hour and $25 and $45 per half hour.

Now, if you want to look at South Beach, Miami…the average rates for an hour are more like $75 and $100 and half hour sessions run $55 to $75. But…that’s South Beach.

Again, if you are evaluating a trainer that has several of the 4 forms of proof that I gave you previously, be willing to pay a premium because you are guaranteed results.

The truth about half hour sessions v. hour sessions is this…

Honestly, for most people, an entire hour is just way too long to spend training. A good trainer can get you the same results, in 30 minutes than they could in 60 minutes. But if they really, really push the hour…you should be concerned about their skill level and are they just trying to make more money.

Again, unless you are a real body builder or an athlete with some intense physical challenge ahead of you…hour sessions are just too much. Go for the half hour!!!

“If a trainer tells you this, run like heck!!!”

Almost anyone who lives in the USA has heard this age-old (annoying) mantra of the health and fitness professionals…

They say it’s unhealthy to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week.

Pardon my French here…but that is utter B.S.

You are born with a natural weight set point…It’s not talked about much because basically the diet, drug, supplement, and weight loss surgery industries don’t want you to know about it.

Your natural weight set point is programmed in to your genetic code…and guess what…It’s not programmed to OVERWEIGHT!

It is a proven fact that if you put the eat the rights things at the right times and exercise the right way…your body will return to it’s natural weight set point. This is the secret to accelerated weight loss.

It’s perfectly healthy to lose weight rapidly!

Here’s urging you to stay strong!

I’ve written an entire e-book about this topic and it’s called, “How I Lost 16 Pounds in 21 Days Without Diets, Drugs, Supplements, or Surgery!”

16in21 is a true account of how I lost 16 pounds in 21 days using the principles behind the body’s weight set point. It worked for me and it can work for you to.

The e-book is available for immediate download at http://www.16in21.com/

I hope I’ve helped you become better educated with this information. If you have any further questions or concerns don’t hesitate to email me at adam@16in21.com, and I’ll be happy to address them at my earliest convenience.

Quite understandably - and quite rightly, in fact - diet pills used to have a bad reputation. It’s easy to see why - the diet pills of the sixties, seventies and eighties were barbiturates - street name ’speed’. That’s what they did - they sped you up, increasing energy to an often frenetic level while cutting your appetite. An overdose could be fatal, and even a mild overuse of these diet pills could keep you ‘going’ for days and days - hardly the effect anyone was going for! But yes, they did make people lose weight, sometimes quite a lot of weight. All too often, though, any benefit that patients got from their weight loss was more than counterbalanced by other health problems that the diet pills themselves brought about.

The new generation of diet pills is much different. Nowadays, people are more likely to take ‘natural’ diet pills that are make from herbal preparations, and these are safer, for the most part, but not nearly as effective as the diet pills of the past. Of course, there is (and probably always will be) a market for them, because people love the idea of a quick fix - a pill to make you lose weight!

One new diet pill is called “Acomplia” (generic name ‘rimonabant’). It works by blocking the brain’s hunger receptors, so as a result, you feel less hungry or don’t realize that you are hungry. Depending on your precise behavior that caused you to gain weight in the first place, this may or may not work for you. Some of us eat too much because we make poor food choices in response to hunger. Others, however, engage in emotional eating - eating when we’re not even hungry at all - for other emotional or psychological reasons. The diet pill may or may not do much for your individual diet program. Studies indicate, however, that this diet pill does help you lose weight to a certain extent. In a European study, the subjects who took Acomplia lost twenty pounds as opposed to only 8 in a control group who received a placebo or ‘dummy’ pill. This was a one-year study that included 1,500 people, all of whom had weight to lose.

The manufacturers of this pill expected that it would have a positive effect on weight loss. They - and the researchers - were surprised to find that it had another benefit as well. This diet pill proved effective in lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol (triglycerides) by 7%, and even more significantly, it raised ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) by 27%. This means that this pill, independent of its weight loss benefits, it also an effective means of improving your cholesterol profile and lowering your risk of heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Some of this change in cholesterol level may have been due to the fact that Acomplia does facilitate weight loss, and weight loss generally does improve one’s cholesterol profile. However, it does seem as though it would do so even if no substantial weight loss is sustained.

Interestingly, this pill is also effective for other addictive behaviors, such as smoking. It’s not known why - as far as we know, its physical effects are limited to the elimination of reduction of hunger. It seems as though there might be link between these two compulsive behaviors - overeating and smoking - though precisely what that link is is open to speculation at present.

Acomplia is not yet available to the pubic, but it will be by next year. Ask your doctor about it if you think it would be of benefit to you, and do some internet research. So far, it seems very promising, and the side effects are virtually non-existent. Time will tell, however, whether any concerns regarding this product come up - it’s still in the clinical trial stages.

The decision to rely entirely on a pill for weight loss is usually a misguided one. Essentially, you have to do the work - you have to change your eating, and start exercising - and there’s no real substitute for that. That having been said, however, it does seem as though this pill is an effective tool you can use to help you on your way. Ask your doctor about Acomplia, particularly if your cholesterol profile could use a bit of improvement!

For more great information visit Gabae Weight Loss the premiere resource for weight loss, diets, nutrition and living a great healthy life style!

Also if you’re looking for more informative articles check out Gabae Weight Loss Articles.

If you’re a smoker and want to stop smoking this article is for you. You know the bad health effects of smoking, those are listed and repeated time and again. But you’re still smoking. Ever wonder why you’re doing that when you think you should stop?

It’s not easy to quit smoking. Let’s face it. Smoking is addictive and the habits of smoking are hard to break. You get used to having that cigarette at certain times and when you’re at certain places. It becomes part of your style. Shoot, for some folks, they even like the image of being a smoker… maybe you still think that you’re the Marlboro man when you smoke. Have you been smoking so long that you remember who the Marlboro man is? As a smoker do you see yourself as a cowboy, a renegade? Sure smoking is bad for you, it makes you smell, and other people who don’t smoke probably don’t like the way you smell or being around you. But if you think you’ve got a rugged image from smoking what do you care what other people might think? Ever since that movie Brokedick Mountain came out, the image of being a cowboy doesn’t seem all that rugged. There comes a time when you need to re-think what you’re doing and why. Smoking is one of those things to put aside. It’s just not doing you any good. It’s an expensive, nasty behavior. You can stop it if you want.

Do you want to quit smoking, and I mean really quit smoking? I’ll show you how. Take a look at http://www.quit-smoking.5×1.net where I’m going to show you how you can stop smoking and not have to spend weeks or months trying to quit. You’ll learn how to quit now.

If you want to quit smoking then this is going to be the most exciting message you ever read. See the Resource Guide for more information on how to stop smoking for good.

(c) 2006

The author writes on a variety of health and wellness topics. See http://www.quit-smoking.5×1.net for more.

PROBABLY one of the most powerful preventive medicine tools available to us is that of Massage. It is one of the oldest forms of treatment and can be traced back many thousands of years to the ancient Greeks, Persians and Chinese who are said to have practiced massage as a spiritual art. The word Massage comes from the Greek ‘massein’ meaning ‘to knead’.

Today in this fast paced 21st century, it could be argued that we’ve never known a more hectic style of living. When we become stressed our activity becomes strenuous and our energy requirements exceed supply. Our bodies can become tired and stiff, our muscles cramped and sluggish with the overall feeling of being tense, fatigued and stressed. But do we take time-out? Do we look for ways to relax and slow down? Do we decide to nurture ourselves a little? Usually not! Let’s face it, most of us just soldier on. We are so caught up on the treadmill of our busy lives that we have forgotten how to listen to our bodies.

The experts and their statistics tell us that we are living longer than ever before. Our life expectancy is extending every few years with a result that most of us can now expect to live well into our eighties! Perhaps this is one of the reasons that more and more people today are now taking responsibility for their own health and well being. People are looking to complementary therapies to aid the recovery from tension, stress and fatigue. In our determination to be healthy and remain healthy many of us now use massage as a powerful form of preventative medicine and as part of an integrated approach to our personal health care.

THE POWER OF TOUCH

It has long been recognized that the power of touch is crucial to us as humans. We are all sensual beings and as a result our bodies respond well to massage and human contact. Research in the UK has proven that in many health institutions, such as hospitals and nursing homes, etc. patients responded better to treatment and were more content when there was more physical contact between their carers and themselves.

Here’s why it works - There are many types of massage techniques which can include, sports massage, mother and baby massage, Swedish, Shiatsu and Reflexology, but the basic principle of each is very similar. Massage improves circulation allowing your blood to send oxygen and nutrients to your muscles where ultimately they are converted into energy. Furthermore it assists the filtering out of toxins and drains the essential lymph system which is so important for a strong immune system. The result? A nourished, cleansed and relaxed body and a wonderful sense of well being that can last for many days afterwards!

POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN

VISITING A MASSAGE THERAPIST: -

1) A qualified massage therapist will have undergone a substantial period of training and should be a member of an international association relating to his/her specific field of expertise. There are a number of excellent therapists in your locality and referring to your telephone directories should provide you with a qualified massage therapist or clinic in your area.

2) Your therapist will want to get to know about you on your first visit and will prepare a personal case history based on a number of questions he/she will ask. In order for the therapist to provide you with the best suited therapy during your session these questions are important and will touch upon medical, social, personal information as well as your family history of illnesses, etc. Based on the information compiled the therapist will then design a treatment specifically for you.

3) It is important for you to feel at ease with your therapist and it is the practitioner’s job to make you feel comfortable and explain to you what they will be doing.

4) Always let your therapist know what you are planning to do after your massage.

5) If you are planning to have an Aromatherapy Massage, i.e. a massage combined with pure essential oils, it is best not to have a shower or bath for approximately eight hours as this period of time is needed to allow the full absorption of the oils into the body.

6) Finally when your session is complete your therapist will allow you some quiet time to relax on your own before getting up and heading off and continuing your day.

So, as and from today, make a promise to yourself, commit to having a healthier body, system and rested mind and book that massage appointment now - aren’t you worth it?

Paula Hynes is a Lifeskills Consultant and Educator specializing in stress, touch therapy and self care. She is also the founder of The Natural Therapy Training Centre in County Westmeath Ireland. e-mail: naturaltc@eircom.net

This is the second article in a series I am writing about how to raise happy diabetic children. You can find the first article titled Help Your Child Develope Self-Confidence in our article archives.

Sometimes the phrase “happy diabetic kids” seems to be an oxymoron. Often it seems all of the dark powers of the diabetes universe are aligned against you. You wonder if there isn’t some evil house elf behind the scenes just making everyone’s life miserable on purpose. Not being graduates of Hogwarts School Of Magic we can’t just wave a magic wand and make it all better. We must prepare for life with diabetes and we must prepare our children. Self-Reliance is a critical skill for diabetic children to master. Think of all of the responsibilities that go into daily diabetes care. We all realize that we must keep the responsibilities we put upon our children age appropriate. Non the less, in most school aged children the ability to take some responsibility for their own care goes a long way in giving them some feelings of control over their diabetes. Last month I mentioned there are three components to raising happy children. Self-Confidence, Self-Reliance and Self-Control. No I still haven’t forgotten Self-Esteem we’ll get there. I’m still of the opinion that with these first three components your child can’t help but develope Self-Esteem.

What is Self-Reliance?

Self-Reliance is the ability to manage on your own: to know how to manage your time, to function and think independently, combined with the ability to solve problems. With self-reliance, there is no need for other people’s approval before moving forward or doing something new. It’s also un-neccessary for constant guidance on how to achieve a goal. you can rely on yourself. Self-reliance is about tasks and skills — knowing how to do things, how to achieve things or how to manage things. It also includes the ability to be alone and to think things through on your own.
Self-reliance is broader than self-confidence. Self-confidence relates to what we can do, to specific skills. Self-reliance is about being independent, creative and self-sufficient; having confidence in our inner-selvs to enable us to adapt and manage on our own.

Self-Reliance helps us become:

Self-reliance is also having confidence in your own ideas. It is about being able to see things through to completion. It is about not being afraid of setting goals, and not being stopped by fear of failure. There is a common belief that the world is made up of three diffrent types of people:

those who make things happen;

those who watch things happen;

those who notice nothing until after then ask, “What happened?”

Those who have good self-reliance (and self-confidence, and self-control) develope self-esteem and make things happen. If we want our children to be able to make things happen, we don’t have to think on a grand scale. It doesn’t mean we all should want our children to be like Bill Gates, or Nobel Prize winners. We don’t need to have our children achieve on a scale that makes a difference to others, We should aim to give our children a measure of self-reliance that allows them to keep better control of their own lives and keep choices open for them.

Self-Reliant at What?

We can encourage self-reliance in our children from a fairly early age. As soon as your child shows they can manage things for themselves, however slowly or clumsily, we should allow them to do so. Self-reliance is best introduced and experienced stage by stage, starting early and building up slowly as they become more more competent and responsible. When children are very young they have this almost unstoppable drive to become independent. Before they learn adult concepts of failure, they are willing to try over and over until they master whatever they are trying to do. This is especially true if they have older brothers or sisters. They desprately want to do what the older kids can do. If we stand in the way of letting them try or show disapproval when they don’t do it quite right we can damage their belief in themselves. The more we do for them the more we prevent them from developing the ability to make judgements and decisions for themselves. The stages of self-reliance are fun to watch. The first time your baby grabs a hand full of baby food and finds their own mouth with it. When they learn to “go potty” all by themselves. When they put their own shirt on, usually backwards after wrestling with it for ten minutes. When they pick up their own room. When they start to earn an allowance. When they do their homework without you holding a gun to their head. When they go off on their first baby-sitting job. When they show you their first apartment, where you should promptly go through it turning on and leaving on every light in the place, leave the refridgerator door open and put your feet up on their new furniture. These stages progress until they present you one day with a grandchild. Clearly you cannot encourage self-reliance in your child if you are not prepared to stand back and progressively let go. Doing that in the right amounts and at the right times is hard to judge. Add the dangers of their not managing daily diabetes treatment into it and you realize just how careful you need to be. Giving them responsibility and independence depends on the age and personality of your child and on your own particular circumstances. Children can become self-reliant only if we have encouraged their independence, given them practice in making decisions that concern themselves and their health, and shown them that they can be relied upon.

We have been given a special task, raising a diabetic child. This makes us special people. If we weren’t up to it we wouldn’t have been entrusted with it. Self-reliance is a critical part of raising any child, diabetic or not. Diabetes just makes it more difficult and more important we help our children develope this skill.

Next month I’ll talk about Self-Control.

Russell Turner is the father of a 10 year old Type 1 Juvenile Diabetic daughter. When she was first diagnosed he quickly found there was all kinds of information on the internet about the medical aspects of this dsease. What he couldn’t find was information about how to prepare his family to live with this disease. He started a website http://www.mychildhasdiabetes.com and designed it so parents of newly diagnosed children would have a one-stop resource to learn to prepare for life with diabetes.

If you have diabetes, it may be better to be short than tall.

Why? Well, it has to do with those pseky foot and leg ulcers that can cause anthing from minor inconvenience to amputation. When ulcers become series, it’s becaue they have become infected, perhaps even leading to gangrenewhich is the major reason for amputation.

In the general population, a simple cut or other open wound isn’t usually a problem, because it causes some degree of pain that alerts the person to its presence and allows him or her to seek treatment.

Diabetics, however, are prone to nerve damage, which can mean they have ulcers on feet or legs and aren’t even aware of them until they have become serious problems.

That’s where the height difference comes in. According to a study by the National Taiwan University Hospital, reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, taller diabetics are more likjely to need amputation than those who are shorter.

The reason? The nerves that lead to the legs and feet are the longest in the body, making them especially vulnerable to diabetic nerve damage. Naturally,the taller you are the longer those nerves are, and the more susceptible they are to deterioration and loss of function.

The shorter nerves of shorter diabetics are not as open to damage, so those people are better able to feel the pain when a cut or other wound happens, giving them a chance to deal with it before it causes serious damage.

So if you are a tall diabetic, is this cause for panic or despair? Not at all. It just reinforces the advice we diabetics have always been given: look after your feet and legs carefully, check regularly for wounds, ulcers or anything unusualand get them treated right away.

And yes, that goes for diabetics both short and tall!

Bob Fleming suffers from Type 2 diabetes, but he does everything he can to suffer as little as possible! Visit his website at www.thediabetesinfoplace.com for informative articles and resources, and sign up to receive Bob’s free weekly diabetic-friendly dessert recipe!