Well for one thing, avoiding any type of injury should be a positive. Having an injury that prevents you from training can really hinder your goals. On another note, being flexible will help increase your range of motion. Having this will help you in weight training by allowing the you to recruit as much muscle fibers within the muscle as much as possible. This is accomplished by targeting the muscle through a wider range of motion rather than a partial range.

Another positive is the increased flexibility. Many people lack flexibility due to their lack of attention towards stretching. Many people cannot touch their toes since their range of motion is so limited. As a result, many often experience tightness in the lower back and along the back of the leg. This will eventually lead to more problems later on in life if not treated.

Stretching also helps improve blood circulation in the body. Using stretching before a workout can help warm it up before hand. Dynamic or ballistic stretching before is more ideal at this time rather than after a workout. Ballistic or dynamic stretches involve using quick, bouncing movements that force the muscle to lengthen. For example, leg swing walks or arm swings. Passive stretching would be more suitable after a workout since passive stretching involves holding the stretch for a few seconds. An example would be, bending over to touch your toes and holding it for 5-10 seconds.

Now let me recap on why stretching is essential not only for muscle growth, but overall health. First it prevents any injury from occurring or re-occurring. Using heavy weights will magnify the potential for injury. Doing stretching will help lessen its effects. Second, it helps increase range of motion. Better range of motion equals greater damage to the muscle allowing for a much stronger and bigger muscle to form. Lastly, it helps draw more blood into the muscle. More blood into the muscle will allow greater entry of nutrients that will help assist in the recovery process.

Most people can sense temperature changes and have normal responses to hot and cold temperatures. However, there are some people that react in ways you wouldn’t believe. One man, The Iceman, from the Netherlands has an extreme resistance to cold temperatures. He holds several Guinness world records like swimming under ice at the North Pole, and even climbing Mount Everest in just some shorts. Doctors believe he is able to do this due to the way his brain is wired. Unlike The Iceman, some people actually have a condition called cold urticaria, which is an allergy to cold temperatures. People who suffer from this strange allergy will form welts or painful, itchy bumps where their skin is exposed to cold temperatures such as ice, snow, a cold shower, or a cold winter’s day. For some people this allergy can actually be fatal depending on how long they were exposed, how much of their body was exposed, and what temperature.

When it comes to conditions that involve the brain, some people may not actually believe that it is in fact a condition. For example, Foreign Accent Syndrome which occurs normally after a blow to the head or stroke and causes the sufferer to begin talking in a completely different accent, one they probably have never heard for themselves. People with Foreign Accent Syndrome may undergo speech therapy in hopes to regain their regular speech pattern, but there are no promises. Another condition is Synesthesia which is the crossing of senses. This condition isn’t a disease and is normally something people are born with. People with this condition may smell or feel colors, hear tastes, or relate numbers to words and objects.

Some people suffer from some disorders that can be sometimes embarrassing or make them feel as though they are the only ones in the world with their disorder. One of these conditions that affects women is called Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome, or PSAS. This syndrome gives women the feeling of constantly being on the edge of achieving orgasm. While some may laugh and giggle and think that it would be nice to have, it is actually a condition that constantly interrupts the daily lives of those who suffer from it. Many find that there is no relief and having sex and reaching orgasm can actually make it worse. Another condition is Hypertrichosis is Human Werewolf Syndrome. This syndrome causes people to grow abnormal amounts of hair all over their body, even where hair isn’t supposed to grow. One condition that is slightly similar is the Tree Bark Skin Disorder, or Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis. People who have this disorder develop odd skin growths that resemble tree bark all over their body. This disorder is actually caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which actually causes many common warts like a plantars wart.

Lust

An intense desire or craving for self-gratification

We sometimes want things that are not good for us. We see something very appealing, a feast for the eyes, and we long for it. But in the end it will cause more harm than good. The big juicy cheeseburgers and the ice cream get our attention. But you’d be better off leaving it alone. All that glitters isn’t gold.

Gluttony

The over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink and intoxicants to the point of waste

When we do indulge in the “guilty pleasures” – don’t overdo it. Don’t make it a habit. Don’t eat red meat or cookies every single day. Show some self-control. Moderation is the key to success. Unless your doctors advise you against it, you can eat almost anything, if you practice moderation. You don’t have to eat the whole cake. You don’t need that 5th slice of pizza or that second plate at the buffet.

Sloth

A disinclination to work; laziness, apathy

Come on now, we all know that we have to exercise. There’s no way around it. There’s no magic pill you can take that will eliminate the necessary work to maintain good health. If any pill makes that claim, (and I’m sure there are some) stay away from it because it is a scam!

You must exercise and eat right and eliminate as many of the harmful things from your body that you can. This doesn’t mean you have to be a vegetarian or a yoga instructor or run a marathon. Start small. Take a walk, a short jog, eat more fruits and vegetables, and stop smoking. You must take a proactive approach with your health. Sitting on your butt, being a couch potato and eating junk is not the answer.

Envy

Spite and resentment at seeing the success of another

Don’t be angry because your best friend, who has 4 kids, stays so fit. Or that you look worse than your next door neighbor who is actually 15 years older than you. Unless you use it as a motivator, envy is useless and dangerous. If you want something that someone else has, then go for it. People aren’t healthy by accident. “good genes” and heredity only go so far. You too can be just as beautiful and slim and fit as the person you’re envious of. It won’t be easy. But most things worth having rarely are.

Wrath

Intense anger or belligerence caused by a real or supposed wrong

One of Newton’s laws of motion is “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So imagine when a person does harmful things to one’s body by smoking, drinking, eating poorly and not exercising. The result will be WRATH from your own body, in the forms of heart attacks, strokes, obesity, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Years and years of neglect and abusing your body has come back to haunt you. And now it’s time for payback. And the sad thing is that you are only hurting yourself. So do everything you can to avoid this. Treat your body right and your body will treat you well

Ignorance

Lack of knowledge, unaware

They say, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you”. In this situation that is absolutely false. In this case, ignorance could get you killed. You want to know as much about your body as you can. We can’t claim “ignorance” on many things. But sometimes we avoid what we should be doing and choose to do what we should not. We all know smoking is terrible. The surgeon general warned us about the hazards decades ago and now it’s common knowledge. Smoking remains as the single most preventable cause of death in America. 1 out of 5 American deaths can be attributed in some way to smoking,

We know that eating too much salt, fat and sugar is bad for our bodies. This excessive intake can lead to heart attack, diabetes, obesity, etc. 1 out of every 5 deaths is from a heart attack. Coronary heart disease is listed as the leading cause of death in America. Approximately 1,200,000 new and recurring heart attacks occur each year, with 38% of those not surviving the attack. Stroke is the third leading cause of death.

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death of Americans. Approximately 1 in 3 Americans will develop a form of diabetes within their lifetime.. 90 to 95% of diagnosed cases of diabetes are Type II, a type of diabetes that usually strikes people who may be overweight and inactive. So we need to know enough and care enough about ourselves to make the right decisions and live healthier. Remember that knowledge is power.

Pride

The name of the emotion that refers to a strong sense of self-respect, to the point that you feel superior to others. This sin is very dangerous. Many people fool themselves into thinking that no harm could possibly come to them. Some believe they are indestructible. Then reality hits them and they are shocked. Illnesses and diseases can affect anyone at any time, even healthy people.

]]> http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/22/the-7-deadly-sins-of-health-and-fitness.html/feed 0 http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/20/the-enzyme-factor.html http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/20/the-enzyme-factor.html#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:39:17 +0000 admin http://www.bamadelt.com/?p=342 The rate of chemical reactions is dependent upon the abundance of the reactants. If you burn a cigarette in an environment of pure oxygen, the cigarette will burn hot enough to melt steel.

In biology the reactants are never seemingly that concentrated and in fact may be so typically low, left to their own, that it would make life impossible if it were not for the work of enzymes. Enzymes in living cells are protein structures that function to catalyze reactions. There are two main types, metabolic and digestive.

Cellular energy production is based upon Glycolysis, Krebs’, and the Electron Transport Chain. These are all high energy mechanisms that are all supported as enzyme catalyzed metabolic reactions.

Digestion is a critical investment for organisms and it is also represented by the enormous and somewhat hazardous resources devoted to it. The most dangerous by far, and most critical one is protein digestion. The pancreas produces bile to emulsin fats. In the mouth and in the pancreas amylase is produced to digest complex carbohydrates. In the stomach hydrochloric acid is produced to break up amino acid bonds and this makes the stomach environment such a highly inhospitable place. The average stomach cell only lives about 3 days as a result.

Why would the body afford these perils if proteins were not important? The fact is that they are and your body knows it.

After about 3 hours brewing in the acidic stomach the food is finally released into the small intestine where the pancreas releases calcium bicarbonate into it, in order to lower the ph for two reasons.

Firstly, to protect the intestines from being turned to mush by the toxic acidity, and secondly so that the digestive enzymes for proteins can function without being destroyed. They need a much higher PH in order to function(not denature) and complete the process of protein digestion.

Your body will not tolerate intact proteins from food sources and they must be broken down into their amino acid building blocks to be useful and not be identified as a foreign body. In fact the adsorption of in tact proteins via leaky gut syndrome is the main mechanism for food allergies. Chicken proteins floating around in your blood stream are recognised as foreign and this initiates very uncomfortable immune system responses. Perhaps your body knows that you are not a chicken? A chicken wouldn’t have a problem with this?

Amino acids from proteins in your diet provide the platforms for both digestive and metabolic enzymes. In fact it is possible to have a metabolic crisis originating from the lack of a particular amino acid. If you lack an amino acid in adequate supply, then none of the enzymes or other structures can be formed that utilize this amino acid, they simply will not be built! This can result in a body wide shortage of a particular amino acid.

If you need an amino acid but it requires an enzyme to brake its bond within a protein but an amino acid is deficient to form the enzyme required to do the job, then you have a critical situation. You cannot get the enzyme because of a deficiency and you cannot create the enzyme to get the amino acid from your food like it’s supposed to happen for the same reason.

Cellular energy production is as dependent upon enzymes and amino acids and vulnerable to the same deficiencies. All cellular energy production reactions are enzyme catalysed reactions dependent upon enzymes.

Do you feel old and lack energy and vitality? Are you ingesting enough high quality proteins?

Limit sun exposure

Spending a lot of time in the sun can accelerate the aging process as well as increase the chance of developing skin cancer. You should try to avoid spending a lot of time in the sun during the peak hours, which are usually between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 P.M. If you have to spend a lot of time in the sun, you should make sure that you protect yourself by applying sunscreen.

Do not smoke, if you do, quit

Smoking is a bad habit that not only damages the skin, but it also contributes to poor overall health. It causes the blood vessels to constrict, which deprives the skin of the oxygen and nutrients that it needs. It you do not currently smoke, it is best to never start. If you do smoke, you should consider quitting.

Eat a well-balanced diet

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein provide the skin with the nutrients that it needs to stay healthy. You should also make sure that you limit your intake of unhealthy fats and sugary foods. Researchers have not yet been able to confirm whether a healthy diet can prevent acne, but they have found that people who eat healthy have younger and healthier looking skin.

Reduce stress

Chronic stress can lead to acne breakouts and numerous other skin problems. If you are feeling stressed, you should make sure that you take a few moments out of the day to relax.

Do not over cleanse your skin

Washing is very important, but you should make sure that you limit the time that you spend in the bathtub or shower. Over cleansing the skin can remove essential oils. You should also make sure that you pat the skin dry so that it maintains moisture.

Maintain good hand hygiene

The importance of frequent hand washing cannot be reiterated enough. Germs are often spread through direct contact. Washing one’s hands is the best way to prevent the spread of germs. Even if you do not have access to water and soap you can have a hand sanitizer with you at all times.

Did you know that Google Tracks anonomized data for certain searches such as Flu Symptoms and is able to help the CDC with invaluable data as to how the fast and in which regions the flu is spreading? Think of the importance of this to get medicines in the right place, in the right quantities, on time, or JIT?

Okay so, today, I had a thought, an add-on to a former project we did with regards to using smart phones to help track the users diet and assist them in staying healthy, but before I give you my idea, let me tell you of something recently in the media, new research, because I ‘d like to take this one-step further if I might.

There was an interesting article on Kurzweil’s “Accelerating Intelligence” online newsletter on January 9, 2011 titled; “A ultra-high-res 100 nm microscope on your cell phone?” which was posted by the editor. The article stated;

“Researchers at Michigan Tech have taken a major step toward creating a superlens that could use visible light to see objects as small as 100 nanometers across. The secret lies in metamaterials called plasmons, special nanostructures with charged oscillations near the surface of thin metal films. When excited by an electromagnetic field, they gather light waves from an object and refract it in a way not seen in nature, called negative refraction. This lets the lens overcomes the diffraction limit.”

But it now turns out that they can bypass this diffraction limit. Okay so, rather than get into the light-science in here, as I don’t want to bore any of you non-science techies, let’s switch to the incredible applications this might create in the future, some of the “killer apps” which will inevitably change the way we live, and enhance our lives.

Imagine taking a high quality picture of let’s say your spit or mucous with your smart phone. It would then upload that picture to the cloud data center, which would use Optical Recognition to determine what bacteria, virus, or flu was getting the best of you? In other words it would find out what virus or cold you have, then buy the medicine online from your smart phone, and a doctor could approve it based on the data instantly.

Imagine that?

]]> http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/20/smart-phone-apps-will-one-day-replace-the-family-doctor.html/feed 0 http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-risks-of-posting-geographical-tongue-pictures-for-online-diagnoses.html http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-risks-of-posting-geographical-tongue-pictures-for-online-diagnoses.html#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:55 +0000 admin http://www.bamadelt.com/?p=297 Individuals who believe that they are suffering from geographic tongue (GT) might often turn to the Internet for a diagnosis, but there are risks to posting one’s geographical tongue pictures online. The changes in the tongue’s appearance that this malady causes can be alarming, and although it is understandable that people would want a quick diagnosis or some peace of mind that it is nothing to worry about, posting a photo is medically risky. While Internet health forums can sometimes offer great advice, they cannot replace a doctor’s diagnosis and expertise. Before any individual posts a picture of their tongue on a health forum or any message board, he or she should understand the dangers of doing so.

There are several reasons that someone might post geographical tongue pictures on a health blog or an open forum where anyone can answer it. He or she may lack medical insurance or the money to see a doctor, or symptoms may appear on a Sunday or in the middle of the night when no doctor is available and a trip to the emergency room is too costly. While there are forums that are developed and maintained by physicians, a lot of people will bypass those to get a more immediate response from an open query site. This is where the danger lies; although geographic tongue is in itself not harmful, posting a photo of it in order to get quick answers may be.

One of the biggest risks is receiving an incorrect diagnosis. Geographic tongue pictures may sometimes be mistaken for photos of thrush, which is an infection, whereas GT is not. Moreover, people who are told they have the condition when it is actually a sign of a deeper problem, like for example, as sores from an infection or developing cancer, might be lulled into a false sense of security if they are told it is harmless. If this happens and they believe they do not need to see a health specialist, infections and tumors are given time to progress. By the time they realize that they do not have GT, it may be too late. Also, there are many people online who have time to waste, and they might try and frighten individuals who have posted a photo by telling them it is aggressive cancer or some kind of venereal disease. This leads to high anxiety and unnecessary worrying as people rush to the doctor with the belief that they have been stricken. Overall, while the Internet does contain a wealth of medical information, none of it can replace a medical exam and a proper diagnosis.

There are many reasons for Geographic tongue, read about a simple and easy home remedy for Tongue fissures and Geographic tongue on the link below! You will have a healthy new tongue in days!

]]> http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-risks-of-posting-geographical-tongue-pictures-for-online-diagnoses.html/feed 0 http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-pitfalls-of-joining-a-gym.html http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-pitfalls-of-joining-a-gym.html#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:55 +0000 admin http://www.bamadelt.com/?p=295 Every year, millions of folks take on the adventure of getting in shape by joining a health club. From losing weight to increasing muscle, the goals are a plenty and are of wide variety. The cheapest way to getting in great shape is joining a local fitness center but there can be some serious pitfalls to watch out for. Here are some tips to use when out searching for the right fitness center for you.

First, and foremost, most fitness clubs will offer up a free trial ranging anywhere from a single day pass all the way up to a week. Be sure to take advantage of this as the nostalgia of being on the road to a brand new body will quickly go away as soon as you experience the first little checkstop.

When you take advantage of your trial your tour guide who usually is a commissioned salesperson, will take you through to show off all of the features and benefits the club has to offer. The reason why commissioned salesperson is noted is because many health club salespeople are aggressive in trying to close a deal. Lesson number 1 is never sign up for a health club membership on the first visit, no matter how much you like it. By walking away at the first offer you’re setting yourself in a strong position. First a lot of times, depending on how bad they want your business you can find a phone call the next day with an offer that’s better than the first one.

The second reason is for the one listed above. You want to learn how much your business is wanted. By walking from the first deal, you’re finding out first hand.

Another thing to look out for is how busy it is in the gym at different times of the day. Be sure to work out at least once in the morning peak hours and evening peak hours. This way you can see just how congested the facility can get. Many people are very suprised to see the inconveniences of not being able to find an open machine.

Finally, pay close attention to how clean and orderly the club is. It isn’t odd to hear of outbreaks of staph infections in health clubs, not to mention common colds and flu’s transferred very easily through the health club. Look to see when and how often common areas are mopped and sanitized.

These are just basic steps you can use to protect yourself from getting a bad deal when signing up at a health club. Some additional tips of course are to check local reviews, social media accounts, asking friends for reviews and checking with resources like the Better Business Bureau.

]]> http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-pitfalls-of-joining-a-gym.html/feed 0 http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-zen-of-health.html http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-zen-of-health.html#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:55 +0000 admin http://www.bamadelt.com/?p=293 Feeling overwhelmed with everyone talking about resolutions? I’m not surprised. Before the end of a year everyone starts talking about what their new year resolutions are going to be, then after new year everyone tells you about the resolutions that they’ve set and asks you about yours. Every single health magazine has at least one article about resolutions and twitter is full of resolution tweets. By week 5 or 6 they’ve faded, been forgotten or failed. That is until next year.

I think it’s time to change our thinking. I think we should toss New Year’s resolutions out of the window as well as diets that start on Monday’s. Rather let’s have an ongoing goal to change one thing at a time. When we’ve mastered that move onto the next. It should be ongoing, one week rolling into the next, month after month and year after year regardless of the day, date or year.

A healthy lifestyle is about simplicity not complexity. Here is my take on the Zen of Health.

Have faith -

in yourself and in the processthat if you keep doing the right things often enough you will get results

Be mindful of -

how you treat your bodywhat you put into your mind and bodywhat you want to achievethe choices you make and their impact on your life

Apply wisdom -

Be your own guru – no-one knows you better than yourself. You know your strengths, weaknesses as well as what motivates you and what triggers your bad habits.Know that it’s OK to go off track – apply the 80 /20 principle i.e. make healthy choices at least 80% of the timeLeading a healthy lifestyle is not about complexity – it is about simplicity.Apply wisdom, logic and common sense to offers of quick fix remedies and promises of easy and fast weight loss solutions.

Be authentic -

do what you say you are going to dotalk less and do more

Focus on -

what you are trying to achieveone thing at a timemaking healthier choices more oftenthe present – not on yesterday or tomorrowwhere you put your attention and energyleading a healthy energizing lifestyle – not on weight losssimplifying your life and removing the clutterfinding balance by feeding your mind, body and soulbeing consistentthe big picture

If you want to lose weight decide on what one thing you’re going to change and do it. If you want to lead a healthier lifestyle, decide on the one thing you want to change and start. When you’ve mastered that one change select the next one. Small changes, big impact. Forget New Year’s resolutions, forget Mondays. Start now, don’t wait.

]]> http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/12/the-zen-of-health.html/feed 0 http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/10/tips-that-will-help-you-to-improve-your-tummy-health.html http://www.bamadelt.com/2012/02/10/tips-that-will-help-you-to-improve-your-tummy-health.html#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:55 +0000 admin http://www.bamadelt.com/?p=303 One thing that most people do not think about very often unless they are having a problem is their tummy health. Digestion is defined as the process by which the human body takes in food and passes the nutrients along through the bloodstream to other areas in the body. Research has shown that poor digestion can lead to a variety of health issues such as stomach ulcers, nausea, vomiting, and possibly irritable bowel syndrome. There are many people who do not understand what they should do to help take care of their digestive system. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help them out.

The first thing that you need to know is how to eat well. This includes not only knowing the right types of foods to eat, but also the process of eating itself. You probably remember you parents telling you as a child to chew your food up well before swallowing it and there is a lot of truth in this. This helps to aid in the digestion process because your stomach acids will not have to work overtime or need to be produced in larger measures to digest your food. If you know how to eat slowly, you will also not have to worry about overeating because it is a proven fact that it takes twenty minutes for your brain to realize that you are full. Eating slowly will also decrease smelly burps because when you gulp your food, you tend to swallow a lot more air. Experts will also tell you to limit your intake of highly acidic foods such as citrus fruits, juices, coffee, alcohol; and soda because they increase the acidity level in your stomach. If you are one of those who are lactose-intolerant, it would be wise for you to stay away from dairy products.

You can also improve your tummy health by eating a diet that is rich in fiber and probiotics. These components will aid in the digestion process. Fiber will help you to prevent constipation and it helps your intestines to move your bowel down at the proper times. Probiotics are known as friendly bacteria that live in the intestines and they not only aid in indigestion, they also fight bad bacteria. You can get them by eating yogurt and this can also help with constipation, diarrhea and can even relieve irritable bowel syndrome. Studies have proven that the bacteria found in yogurt speeds up the travel of wastes in your intestines and it also builds up your immunities in your intestines.

Another important step in taking care of your digestive system is to make sure that you drink plenty of water. The rule of thumb is to drink at least eight glasses of water daily, but that can vary depending on your body weight and how much you sweat as you may have to adjust your daily intake to suit your needs. Water is good for your intestinal tract as it helps digestion there. If you drink plenty of water, it will also deter you from drinking a lot of carbonated drinks which are not good for your body. You should also get into the habit of drinking a glass of water before your meal because this will make you fell less hungry and prevent you from gulping your food down quickly.

Last of all, you should have some form of daily exercise as this can also benefit you digestive system by keeping your body in shape and in good working order. Regular exercise can also help you to regulate your appetite and prevent you from going on eating binges when you sit down at your dinner table.

If you are able to apply these tips to your life, you should see an improvement in your overall health as your tummy gets better. Hopefully you will experience less hyperacidity and see constipation problems disappear. As you can see, knowing how to properly take care of your tummy will definitely benefit everything else in your body.

I hope that you enjoyed this article and if you would like some great free tips on eating healthy, please visit my site where you will find great information to help you live a long and healthy life.