Vinyl Banners for the Right Occasion

The sinage marketplace is competitive! Consequently, some companies are going to focus on price and neglect quality. To complicate the situation, companies that produce stock vinyl banner material offer a bevy of different materials based on weights/thickness, color, reflective properties, ink absorption properties, etc. Take a gander at just one description of one type of banner from a leading manufacturer's website: http://www.averygraphics.com/pls/avery/avery_ext_util.display?p_name=JUPITER_13_OZ_BANNER.PDF It is not surprising that consumers get overwhelmed (sign makers too).

I will try to keep things simple and cut to the chase. The consumer needs to weigh price versus use. For example, if you are looking for an indoor banner, keep the weight to 10 oz. I also recommend hems (sewing the banner so it will be reinforced) and grommets (metal rings placed about every two feet on the banner ? usually only on the top and bottom) to make sure the banner is supported sufficiently when hung. But there are caveats. I know some business men and women that use their company trade show banner over and over again as needed. In this case, a 10 oz banner will not be able to handle the continuous wear and tear resulting from rolling it up, packing, etc. I strongly recommend a 13 oz banner for these situations.

Forgot The Ad Budget? Dont Panic!

Bob is excited about his new business. He secured funding. He leased the building. He stocked it full of new gadgets. He hung the sign. He posted a banner on his window that reads,"Grand Opening!". And now he stands behind the counter, waiting for customers to come flocking in. And he stands there. And he stands there. And he stands there.

And then it hits him: No one knows about his shiny new store!

11 Ways To Make Your Business Cards Work For You

1. Spend money on decent quality business cards. Home made cards just don't compare to the quality of professionally printed cards. Your cards reflect your business - do you really want your cards screaming cheap!

2. Always hand out two business cards ? one for the prospect and one for them to handout to a colleague.

The Art Of Fear Free Advertising

Is fear of failure an issue when you commit valuable money in advertising?

Well how about if I showed you a way to remove this fear and you know that you would be able to spend money advertising KNOWING you would get a return?

What Happened? Troubleshooting Poor Response from Ad Campaigns

Too many small business owners today run ad campaigns that get little to no results, and they have no idea why. When you have the knowledge to troubleshoot the poor responses, you also have the knowledge to make the needed changes so that - next time - your sales improve! Let's take a look at the breakdown of an ad campaign, and how to determine what went wrong.

Response vs. Results

Never Be Caught Cardless Again: Five Tips to Help You Remember Business Cards

Sorry, I Don't Seem to Have a Business Card With Me...

Those could be the "famous last words" of the forgetful entrepreneur.

The Skinny on Billboards

Several years back the billboard people put a big picture of "Sharlene Wells, Miss America" on billboards all over town. She was everywhere. The clever use of the girl had two purposes; the first was to cover up all the unsold boards. The second was to show the effectiveness of billboard advertising.

Surveys were conducted before and after the one month showing of Sharlene's pretty mug. Before, only 1.5% of people surveyed could recall her name when asked "Who is Miss America". After, the number jumped to an amazing 12%.

The Inside Secrets Of Free Publicity For Your Business

Prod

Advertising For The Long Haul and Not the Short Term Gains

Proactive Facial Cleanser For Acne

Acne can be a tough problem to fight but it can be done. The question always becomes what is the best acne treatment? The answer is always the same, the product that works for you is the best treatment. One product that many have had success with is the Proactive facial cleanser.

For those that are lucky enough not to have suffered from acne they tend to think it's just a minor problem, or that it's just a teenage problem. Nothing could be further from the truth. Acne can be can cause emotional turmoil and play on the one's self esteem. Teens are especially hit hard. In no other time in our lives is the way we look so important to us and the comments made by other teens can be really hard on ones self esteem.

Stop Squeezing Your Pimples - 7 Safe Ways to Get Rid of Pimples

It's everyone's worst nightmare. Waking up the day before a special event to discover a big, red pimple baring itself for all to see right on your face!

Here's how to get rid of it quickly and safely:

Home Remedy for Acne

Home remedies have always been most preferred way to solve any kind of problem. It is because they are truly natural and reliable. They generally do not require extra expenditure; only the things that you already have in your refrigerator or kitchen. They are quick and more effective.

You can also cure acne naturally. Try making out masks, facials, packs and cleansers of home grown stuff, and get back a smooth, gentle, clear skin within few seconds. These will also help you to stimulate, relax and tone your skin without leaving any side effects.

How Mental Attitude and Digestion Affect Acne

Mental attitude

Acne is an expression of toxins in the body that are not being released through normal channels of elimination, so they come out through the skin. Since mental attitude and thoughts cannot be separate from the body, thoughts and feelings are also being expressed as acne.

Acne Scar Treatment and Removal

Beautiful skin, without acne scars, is every woman's dream (and some men's too). But it seems only a small fortunate group with good genes ever attain it. But always remember that skin is a reflection of one's health and is the largest organ in the body.

Hence, it makes sense to cleanse and nourish from both the INSIDE and OUT. Your face and body do not need more clogging, synthetic oils and lotions. They need real nutrition that can make a difference when applied topically as well as nutrition internally to enhance detoxification and a healthy blood supply to the vessels beneath the skin's surface.

Common Mistakes Motorcycle Buyers Make When Looking For a Motorcycle Loan

Whether interest rates are high or low or it's the end of a model year with lots of incentives, motorcycle buyers tend to make the same mistakes when shopping for a motorcycle loan. Here are four common mistakes motorcycle buyers make with motorcycle loans.

Shopping for a motorcycle before shopping for a motorcycle loan. Many motorcycle buyers enter the showroom looking for a motorcycle before they determine how much money a motorcycle lender is willing to loan to them for the purchase of a motorcycle. There is no need to shop for a $20,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle, if a lender is only willing to provide a loan amount of $10,000.

It?s One Thing for People to Buy Your Product or Service, but It?s Another for Them to Tattoo Your

William Harley and Arthur Davidson, both in their early twenties, built their first motorcycle in 1903. During their first year, the company's entire output was only 1 motorbike; however, by 1910, the company had sold 3,200. Movies such as Easy Rider made Harleys a cultural icon and soon the company attracted people who loved its bad-boy mystique, powerfulness, rumbling voice, distinctive roar, and toughness. It sounded like nothing else on the road, and even Elvis Presley and Steve McQueen longed to ride one.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has had its ups and downs, and at times, the downs seemed as if they would end in bankruptcy. In the sixties, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha invaded the American market, and when sales at Harley-Davidson dropped drastically due to decreasing quality and increasing competition, the company began to look for buyers and was finally sold. However, the new owners of Harley Davidson knew little about how to restore profitability. The quality became so bad that dealers had to place cardboard under bikes in the showroom to absorb the oil leaking.

Guitar Tuning Tips

Most new guitar players and even some experienced ones have trouble staying and playing in tune. I'll try listing here some of the common mistakes and there solutions.

When putting new strings on your guitar you must always make sure you stretch them as you tune them to pitch. I always hold them down on the neck around the 24th fret with my left hand while pulling them away from the guitar body with my right hand. You don't have to use too much muscle, a few firm tugs should do the trick.

How to Download Music From The Internet

Most of you have probably heard of the RIAA's quest to crush online music piracy. The illegal sharing of copyrighted songs via the MP3 format over the Internet costs the music industry billions of dollars. This is conventionally done using illegal file sharing programs like KaZaa and iMesh. This article explores the legal ways to download and enjoy music from the Internet.

Method 1: Check out Free Music Sites

The Revolution has begun - and it will not be Televised The new Artist Development Paradigm

In reflecting on the world of the Music Business in 2004, there were some very profound and dramatic changes that changed the nature of the Music Business itself. 2004 will always be remembered as the year the 'Big Five' became the 'Big Four' and don't be surprised if you're reading at this time next year and we're telling you about the 'Big Three'! Beside the Sony/BMG merger, 2004 will also be remembered as the year labels utilized aggressively utilized video games as a marketing vehicle for the launching of many of their artists.

It will also be remembered as the year when the public finally said "No Thanks" to the Concert Business in a very loud and clear way. The summer touring season especially, was taught some very painful and costly lessons regarding who and exactly how much the public is willing to pay to see an act and what they are no longer willing to pay for! As a result Clear Channel has removed Service fees from its ticket prices and drastically reduced parking at many of its venues. The Industry also learned some very valuable (and long overdue) lessons on the volume of acts the marketplace is able to absorb as well as the actual live-viability of some of those acts.

Building A Good Relationship With Your Guitar

The guitar is considered the friendliest musical instrument there is. It is because the guitar is the handiest musical instrument that could stand on its own. A group can enjoy music with just a guitar even without the accompaniment of winds and percussions. The term "acoustic" is referred to, in the music context of today, the rendition of songs in all the glory of guitars. No percussion and piano and other instruments needed, just guitars. Sometimes, it can be the jamming of more than just one guitar. Acoustic is a favorite type of music today because of its relaxed and soulful rendition of songs.

The guitar can be carried everywhere and is one of the easiest instrument to be learned in no time. All you need is a songbook or song hits and you're ready to take the stage and perform to your heart's desire. It may sound so easy and can be done in a snap, however, playing a guitar is an art that needs to be perfected with constant practice. There are basic steps you need to know before mastering playing the guitar.

You Cant Force Play

A student once asked me; "How come sometimes the music comes freely while other times, I feel blocked and can't play?"

A perfectly valid question and one that many students of improvisation ask. You see, the problem is that many think they should be able to just sit down at the piano and play anytime anywhere. But this is unrealistic. Why? Because you can't force play!

The Post-rock Revolution (Explosions in the sky)

A lot has been said about the 'post-rock' revolution as of late. The rise of instrumental bands such as Explosions in the sky, Godspeed you! black emperor, Maserati, and The Mercury Program has raised questions about the direction that music is traveling. More and more people are looking for something different, something fresh. We are sick of the same pop songs being shoveled down our throats, we are sick of mindless rap, we are sick of mindless rock. We are sick of mindless music. So what happens when you remove the vocal aspect of music? It becomes exceedingly difficult to fall into the 'mindless' category; the instrumental soundscapes allow your mind to apply its own story to the music. It's remarkable what happens when you let the listener dictate the theme of the music.

For the most part, the success of post-rock has been an underground phenomenon. However moving into the new age of music using the internet and file sharing as a hub, what will we be seeing in the future? Explosions in the Sky have recently scored one major hollywood movie and provided tracks for another, so obviously someone is listening to their music and finding a mainstream use for it. With the rise of the internet, it's now possible for entirely new genres to expose themselves to a widespread audience with minimal financial backing. Instead of playing shows for 10 people for months before being picked up for a statewide tour, bands can simply release their album online and let the music spread on its own.

New Age Piano Tricks

One of the things that makes New Age piano so enjoyable is that it's easy to get started.

One of the "tricks" of the trade is to play an ostinato pattern in the left-hand while the right improvises a melody. Just listen to George Winston's lovely piece Colors/Dance to hear an excellent example of this technique.

Play Piano As Fast As Possible!

One of the rules of practicing we all hear over and over is "Be sure to practice slowly." (I'm guilty of this too!) Often the result of this is a feeling of inhibition, which leads to tedium. Picture yourself filled with excitement and yearning in setting out to learn a new piece. Suddenly a voice from the darkness whispers: "Don't touch those keys! Sit erect, play slowly, stay strictly in time, watch that fingering..." and your smile is gone. I'm beginning to feel a cramp just talking about it.

The fact is, a certain amount of slow practice and attention to small scale detail is absolutely necessary. But there is something lacking in the approach so many of us have taken; we set out to make music, and end up playing what amounts to no more than a series of sterile exercises.

The Dos and Donts of Getting Your Child to Love Learning an Instrument

We all know that music can be inspiring, entertaining, and exhilarating. There are few things more enjoyable than listening to good music. If you're lucky enough to be able to play a musical instrument, you know the joy that can come from strumming those strings, tapping those keys, or blowing those reeds. It's immeasurable. But, with all the amazing aspects of music, why is it such a struggle to get your child to enjoy learning how to play an instrument? Some children naturally enjoy the learning process, while others rally against it like it with all their will.

If you're the parent of such a willful musical holdout, thankfully for you there are simple ways to help your child love learning an instrument. For your benefit (and sanity), I'd like to share the following tips-the Do's and Don'ts of getting your child to love learning an instrument-so that music is always a pleasure to your family's ears.

The Acoustic Guitar

The steel-stringed acoustic guitar is usually credited with being developed by C.F. Martin and Company sometime during the 1830s. Although other "gut-stringed" acoustics were around at that time, it was the Martin Company that introduced the idea of crossbracing underneath the soundboard which enabled the guitar to support the heavier steel strings. Because there is approximately 160 lbs. of tension created by the use of steel strings, they should never be put on a classic guitar, for it is not strong enough to carry them. But thanks in part to C.F. Martin's new design, the use of steel strings on acoustic guitars became fairly common by the end of the 1800s, and by the 1930s it became a standardized component.

The acoustic steel-stringed guitar is commonly referred to as a "dreadnaught", possibly after a British battleship by that name, which was the first of it's type to use heavy armor and large-caliber guns in turrets.

The Art of Negotiation in 535 words

I wa

Better Internal Proposals

A colleague of mine has a problem. We belong to the same association and he's been trying for quite some time, without success, to get support for one of his proposals.

His lack of results came to mind when a reader asked for ideas about making internal proposals more effective. As she noted in her message, it's necessary to make a business case for proposals, including costs and returns.

Downline Swaps and Guaranteed Downline

If you have ever had a hard time getting a downline for your business I suggest you try a downline swap or a guaranteed downline. There is so many business on the internet today and downlines are very hard to get for someone new in the business. That is why so many business fail. If you want to get the word about your business you need to have people working for you which is your downline. I have tried a downline swap before and it worked out wonderful. I will go into more detail of each way to get a downline below. I hope you find the information useful.

You've built a really bitchin' site and submitted all of your promotion to the search engines and gotten free links all over the web, purchased tons of ezine advertising and now you finally want RESULTS. Is there no end to your greed? Aren't you ever satisfied? No? Good for you. That is why you need help. We have all heard the experts boast about how many millions of dollars flow through the Internet and E-Commerce each year. Have you ever wondered to yourself when you will get a chance to enjoy some of that revenue? Well, your opportunity is here! If it is true that all this money is flowing through the Internet then there is no reason that you should not have your piece of the pie and making money in business opportunity programs is a numbers game, the more people buying product and marketing products, the more money is being turned over. Clearly, the people that make the most money are those with the most people under them.

MLM Success- Blazing Top 52 MLM Success Tips- Part 1

These are time tested tactics that will set you apart from the average Network Marketer, and keep your business stoked and totally ABLAZE! Bookmark this page and refer back to it! Send it to your Team and SET THEIR BUSINESS ABLAZE!

Here are the first 26 tips of the BLAZING Top 52 MLM SUCCESS Tips:

Network Marketing Training - The Sounds of Extraordinary MLM Success

What does MLM Success REALLY sound like?

Success basically in Network Marketing is a product of the right RESPONSE. It is all about getting people to respond to you in a manner that will help you obtain the outcome that you are looking for. (A sale or a recruit).

The Multi-level Marketing (MLM) Trap

In the search for the quickest way to get rich, many people fall prey with promise of easy money. One example is the idea of multi-level marketing (MLM). Multi-level marketing (MLM) is also known as network marketing and referral marketing. MLM is easy enough to understand. Imagine you have a product to sell. A common MLM product is a vitamin or mineral supplement. You could do what most businesses do: either sell it directly to consumers or find others who will buy your product from you and sell it to other people. MLM schemes require that you recruit people not only to buy and sell your product, but who will also recruit people who will not only buy and sell your product but also recruit people thus perpetuating a never-ending cycle. Only there is an end to the supposed self-sustaining business practice of MLM.

If MLM sounds too good to be true, then maybe it is. Most traditional business people would never consider such a venture. Why would you recruit people to compete with you? Isn't that what you are doing when you recruit people to sell the same products you are selling? The MLM lure will convince you that it is reasonable to recruit competitors because they won't really be competitors since you will get a cut of their profits. This will take your mind off the fact that no matter how big your town or market, your possible recruits will never be exhausted. But the well will go dry soon enough.

EXPLODE Your Network Marketing Team Into An INCREDIBLE Recruiting Machine!

Let's face it! Most people who join a Network Marketing Company assume that their "A" number one function is to Prospect! Prospect! Prospect! ? Enroll! Enroll! Enroll! So, they spend much of their time, money, and effort prospecting and enrolling, never realizing that these new people will need training, especially if they have never marketed before.

Of course, enrolling new people is SUPER important. But, I am here to tell you; there is more that you need to do, in order to succeed!

You Can?t Spell Networking Without Serendipity

"Fear not to entertain strangers for by so doing some have entertained angels unaware."

This quotation is from the book of Hebrews, which means it probably has nothing to do with networking.

How to Generate More Business by Telling People What You Do

What do you tell people when asked what you do? Many small business owners and independent professionals repeatedly miss great opportunities to generate new business or develop leads by answering the "what do you do?" question with a poorly crafted or completely unplanned answer. If your answer does not regularly start a conversation about your business you need to change your answer.

What response do you get when you tell people what you do?

Putting The Fun Back In Networking

etworking is one of the most important skills a person can attain to be successful... in anything. I only recently realized that people don't know how to do it. Or they are uncomfortable with it and I think to myself are you crazy? Networking has always come natural to me. As a matter of fact, I was networking even bef.....

Lesson 61 - When Does Aggressiveness Turn Into Annoyance?

The Story

When attending conferences, conventions, or private events, it's guaranteed that you will talk with many people, especially those sitting at your table. Perhaps you may talk with someone you haven't met before. Some time ago, while in attendance at an event, I was introduced to an insurance/financial consultant working for a major Fortune 500 company. He was very personable and the conversation was pleasant throughout the evening.

We exchanged business cards at the end of the night and parted ways. The next week I received a telephone call from the consultant requesting that I hire his firm to manage my financial portfolio. After I explained to him that I was already taken care of in that area I figured the discussion was over. Several weeks later he called again, and once again, he offered to have his company manage my portfolio. Again I expressed that I was happy with the company who was already managing my portfolio.

For several months the consultant called me attempting to lure my business to his company after I had explicitly said I would pass on the offer. After repeatedly turning him down, the consultant recommended my name to his colleague, who wanted to borrow my mailing list for his company's marketing purposes. I blatantly refused to lend my mailing list but I offered to help in other ways. In hindsight, I began to wonder if the man's entire introduction, from our first meeting forward, was designed expressly to profit his organization.

It was during a conversation with the second gentleman that I became even more annoyed. He said, "You should allow [the consultant] to manage your financial portfolio."

I quickly analyzed the situation. The consultant definitely asked this other guy to say something to me about managing my portfolio. It was at this point that I terminated all communication with the both of them. But Horace Jones, President and CEO of ARTI, Inc. said it best "Tolerance levels vary with different people, but they depend on the type of business that is being represented and how it is being represented. If a declaration has been made and the person still becomes a problem, let them know."

Vincent Alvarez, IT Technical Manager said, "Aggressiveness is usually a tool employed to obtain a desired decision while arguing a point. Aggressiveness turns into annoyance once a decision has been made to continue making your point after the point is mute. On the other hand, if the person making the decision doesn't explicitly communicate his position clearly to the other party, this causes continuance."

Alvarez went on to say that "When this happens often to avoid problems the decision maker should re-state his position instead of putting off the person with a "maybe next week" attitude. This is because the person will keep trying to get a firm decision until satisfied, and most people will do whatever necessary to get what they want, which can be annoying in and of itself.

Jocelyn Cooley, an Executive Recruiter with America Online/Time Warner Inc., said during our interview that "Being aggressive can be a good thing, but many people become annoyed when a person doesn't give the proper amount of time to perform the task that was agreed upon. Included with that is how professional the follow-up is made. Whether by telephone, email, or written letter, remember to be savvy and know what's what. Also, remember that recruiters and hiring managers have a responsibility to give constructive feedback to prospective candidates when they have crossed over the line from aggressiveness to annoyance.

The Lesson

There are many ways people can become annoying in their pursuit of your business patronage. It is imperative that when you meet new alliances, or while in your existing partnerships, you learn to listen and don't be conniving in trying to change someone's mind or attempt to use others to do your dirty work for you. The result may be the loss of an alliance and receiving a bad reputation, so, learning to listen is key.

More importantly, it is the style and method that you approach people with which matters most. Using a non-aggressive approach each time will give you yardage on each initial contact. Keep an open mind, get a proper decision, and express interest in speaking in the future. If you follow these guidelines your party will not be annoyed, and will seek your business skills in the future.

Melvin Murphy, consummate speaker, author and seminar leader has written several books including the latest titled, "It's Who You Know! Creating Alliances and Partneships Through Networking" which this article is excerted. Comments to: MMurphy833@aol.com or Melvin@Partnershipsolutions.net

The Anatomy of a Brain Cramp; The Retainer and the Lavalava - Communication

In life, you have to successfully work with people to get anywhere. You can't avoid it.

Some people are fun, good, and wholesome, and others can feel like a thorn in your shoe. Some will be there to boost you up and be a savior, and others will be there to take advantage of you, sometimes without the slightest care.

There is absolutely no way to lead a successful life without effective communication with those who can help you reach your goals. And the secret to effective communication is to fully understand-or at least try to understand-the other person's perspective. Understanding the other person's perspective helps you build camaraderie, negotiate faster and more effectively, add value to a partnership, and build respect for each other. To communicate effectively, you've got to be on the same page as the other person.

I came home to my apartment one day after class. As usual, I changed into a T-shirt and slipped out of my pants, tying a lavalava around my waist. A lavalava is a brightly colored, flowery cloth wrap or skirt that Polynesian men and women wear, usually with nothing on underneath but underwear. I previously lived in the Samoan islands for two years and grew accustomed to wearing a lavalava to beat the humid, tropical heat. During any scorching summer, a lavalava is one of the best types of personal air conditioning systems available, despite the fact that it is rarely found fashionable on a white American male like me.

Relaxing in the coolness of my apartment and having finished dinner and a night snack, I began to prepare to go to bed just as my roommate Don came home. Don was a long-time friend, but had recently moved in with me and another good friend.

"Hey Donaldo!" I chirped my nickname for Don as I slipped my ultra-thick retainer in my mouth.

"Hey Pablo!" Donaldo responded, likewise referring to his nickname for me. I saw him glance at the colorful flash of cloth around my waist. Donaldo was somewhat new to the concept of a lavalava.

But what was stranger to Donaldo was my thick plastic retainer that I usually wore only while sleeping. And with it in my mouth acting like a loose plug, it was extremely difficult to talk coherently. It piqued Donaldo's interest as we exchanged a bit of small talk. Small talk was challenging for me as I sought to find different ways to place my tongue while forming words.

"So do you like wearing that?"

"Sure I do!" I enthusiastically garbled, thinking he was referring to my lavalava he noticed earlier.

Donaldo walked to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat while I settled down on the couch for a little reading. Don popped his head around the corner.

"Is it comfortable?" Don suspiciously asked, clearly confused at my apparent excitement to wear a cumbersome retainer.

"Of course it's comfortable!" I mangled a response, not sure how Donaldo could mistake the advantages of a free-blowing, ventilated lavalava in the privacy of one's home.

"And you wear it at night?"

"Yes, but sometimes it falls off in bed."

That sounded a little odd to Donaldo. Does Paul sometimes wake up with the retainer patiently waiting on the pillow, to be plopped back in his mouth? Don waited for his burrito to finish cooking in the microwave. Then he probed further.

"Do you have to clean it much?"

"Yeah, it gets dirty every now and then."

Dirty every now and then? Uck! If Donaldo had to wear a retainer every night, he would have been sure to religiously and thoroughly clean it on a regular basis.

"How long have you had it?"

"Oh, about five years. Do you like it?" I asked, starting to feel a little flattered. I can't say that a lot of people found a lavalava to be the most chic apparel for a straight guy, although I did know some people from my past who wanted to wear one anyway. I often gave away extra lavalavas as gifts.

I stood up and walked into the kitchen to sense if he was willing to be converted to wearing a lavalava. I sat down across Don at the dinner table. "Maybe I have a spare one you can have if you'd like," I volunteered, hoping to further the cause of Americans wearing lavalavas in my corner of the world.

"Oh, no," Donaldo quickly replied, "I mean, thanks, but that's okay, I don't need one." With his dinner in front of him, Don was beginning to lose his appetite at the thought of putting someone else's spare, rarely cleaned retainer in his mouth.

"So why do you like wearing it?" Don asked, reluctantly taking a bite of his burrito.

"Oh, it feels really comfortable, especially when the wind blows." I responded frankly.

"So you open your mouth when the wind blows?" Donaldo asked starting to feel genuinely confused.

I chuckled at the ridiculousness of his question. I mean, why would you open your mouth when the wind blows through your lavalava?

"Well I suppose I might want to open my mouth to laugh if it were ticklish," I joked.

Ticklish? Don started to feel like maybe he had underestimated the uplifting experience of wearing a retainer.

But then I began to wonder if he was trying to offend me, like asking if I was full of hot air that blew out whenever I spoke. Rather than let Donaldo see that I was bristled by his insulting comment, I brushed it off and changed the subject.

"How is it going with your new girlfriend?" I asked.

"Good. Fine," Don chewed his food pensively, still trying to piece things together. He still could not see how cold air blowing on a retainer might cause someone to feel so pleasantly comfortable. Several moments passed.

"Back to what we were talking about," Don continued, "Are there other ways to feel good while wearing that thing?"

I began to feel uneasy at the increasingly private questions. I tried even harder to change the subject back to Don's girlfriend, "Hey, I'll tell you what, I will give one of these to your girlfriend. It should look pretty on her. She'll love it-most women do."

This floored Donaldo. He spit out his last burrito bite, thoroughly disgusted and offended at my proposition that a thick retainer would make his sweetheart look more attractive. He also wondered if I was threatening to embarrass him and scare off his new love interest with whatever level of gruesome detail I could throw Donaldo's way, me being the "weird and gross roommate" that people would do best to avoid.

As his eyes narrowed in anger against me, a startling thought hit Donaldo, causing him to pause for a moment as he contemplated our dialogue. We stared at each other in deafening silence.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Well, my lavalava of course!" I exclaimed, beginning to sense a brain cramp that had been active for the past 15 minutes.

"I was talking about your retainer!" Donaldo cried, feeling sudden relief sweep over him as our entire conversation finally began to make sense.

We burst out a hearty laugh at our miscommunication as Donaldo finally agreed to accept a lavalava of his own, as a gift from me.

To this day, we still enjoy recounting how confused we were with each other that evening. Just in those 15 minutes, we learned so much about how listening can affect a friendship, either for good or ill, and can clear up or exaggerate misunderstandings.

Different cultures and backgrounds always seem funny or odd to those who did not grow up in them. Effective listening pulls down those barriers to understanding. Listening is an art you can master, and once you do, the rewards are ten-fold.

And? you get a better friend in the process.

Paul Pulley is the author of The Anatomy of a Brain Cramp. His other short stories that humorously teach about the laws of success in life can be found at his website http://www.thebraincramp.com

Cherries - The Next Wonder Fruit

Cherries?A Supercharged Fruit

The little red fruit that has been enjoyed by countless millions offer more than great taste. Are cherries truly fruit for a healthy you? Recent studies have revealed that cherries offer an assortment of health benefits including the natural ability to offer relief from joint inflammation.

So what makes the tasty red fruit so beneficial? The wonder of the cherry is the anthocyanins. According to research from Michigan State University tart cherries contain anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which inhibit the enzymes Cyclooxygenase-1 and -2, and prevent inflammation in the body. These compounds have similar activity as aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen. Further investigations revealed that daily consumption of tart cherries has the potential to reduce the pain associated with joint inflammation. Many middle-aged and elderly consumers are choosing to drink cherry juice, eating cherries or consuming tart cherry pills rather than take over-the-counter medications to stave off the pain of joint inflammation.

Linda L. Patterson is a living testimony of the soothing affects of cherries on her joint pain. "I enjoy crocheting and lately my hands have been so painful, I couldn't crochet for more than about 30 minutes.", says Patterson. In an attempt to find relief from her pain, she located Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules, a supplement made from red tart cherries. "The first night I took just one Tart Cherry capsule and by morning my hands felt so much better.", says Ms. Patterson.

Not only are cherries a great way to maintain a healthy body they are a natural product. According to Andrew LaPointe, Director of Marketing for Traverse Bay Farms, "many of our customers are looking to eat healthier and fruit products fit this trend. It's certainly better than fast food." Traverse Bay Farms sells Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules and cherry juice concentrate.

Studies Prove Magnesium Boosts Memory & Learning Ability

According to the National Institute of Health, Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions, including maintenance of normal muscle and nerve function, strong bones and steady heart rhythm. It is also involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Now, according to an important new a research study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, researchers found that rats supplemented with Magnesium, their levels of communication between brain cells was activated. Lab rats were fed the equivalent of a human dose of 400 milligrams of Magnesium a day.

The result, was that the mineral increased the activity of receptors that control learning and memory. Specifically, it enhanced the activity at the synapse, the gap between two neurons, or brain cells.

The results were most impressive in female rats. Women typically have lower Magnesium levels than men. This deficiency condition may play a critical role in why women are at greater risk for Alzheimer's.

Unfortunately, levels of Magnesium in the American diet has declined since the Industrial Revolution. Federal studies in nursing homes indicate that virtually all residents have Magnesium deficiency.

The typically high fat content of the modern diet prevents Magnesium from being absorbed. Magnesium is present in small amounts in many foods, one reason a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables is recommended.

To assure essential Magnesium intake, daily supplementation is also recommended.

Roger Jirves is an authorized dealer of the Vitamin Power line natural nutrition-science products comprehensive, reliable quality Vitamins Minerals, Herbs Weight loss products and more

Protein - The Denominator Customary to All Diets

The Human Body is in a constant flux with the environment. Matter and molecules flow in and out, casting themselves into its complexities. Although the body lends them structure, it is the intake-the diet-that decides its physique. To control what goes in a diet is to choose what stays inside. Dietary decisions reflect an awareness of metabolism and the nutrients needed to modify it. There may be a host of diets purported for each activity and illness. However, the one macronutrient that is invariably required, in substantial amounts irrespective of the physiological state, is protein.

Proteins hold this special place in every diet for a variety of reasons. They connect the DNA to the rest of the cell and modulate all cellular functions and responses. They are the scaffolds of the human body that struts a billion cells. Proteins are also the workers that shuffle around the body relaying messages, carrying out repairs and digestion. Oxygen from the lungs and many nutrients from the gut are protein packed and delivered to their destination. The motors in the muscles and the antibodies in the immune system are all proteins. If genes code life in a helix of DNA, then proteins are life in its decoded form. Their pervasiveness makes them indispensable and, protein synthesis a priority in metabolism.

Add to this myriad of functions the astronomical turnover rate of proteins, and continuous protein synthesis becomes vital. Every protein has a short life span and is soon broken down into its constituent amino acids. New proteins are required to take their place. The skin itself is renewed every seven days. Then there are proteins that get used up, damaged or excreted, and need to be produced again. Protein synthesis goes on at a frantic pace even in normal people. Then there are periods of rapid growth, like athletes in training, teenagers, convalescent patients, babies, pregnant or lactating mothers, where protein synthesis reaches an all time high. Proteins are broken down for other reasons as well. In times of stress, illness or starvation, the body just cannot find enough sources of energy. In such circumstances, proteins are taken apart into their constituent amino acids and are used as fuel. Therefore, in all physiological states, cells are constantly at work, churning out new proteins.

To maintain this obligatory and intense rate of protein synthesis, the body needs a dedicated supply of amino acids. Unfortunately, unlike carbohydrates and fats that are stockpiled, the human body has no arrangement to store extra amino acids. The persistent demand for proteins and amino acids has to be met anew every day and from three possible sources: cellular production, the diet or breakdown of other body proteins. Of these, cellular production would be most convenient. If the cell could produce all the required amino acids, there would be no compulsion to provide them in the diet. However, there are amino acids that just cannot be produced in the body. These 'essential amino acids' have to come from the diet.

Proteins, from the diet or supplements, are the best alternative. The supply of all amino acids can be ensured and in sufficient amounts. Cellular metabolism is relieved of the obligation to produce amino acids except for making minor adjustment in the supply chain. Protein synthesis can go on uninterrupted. Unless the diet meets the perpetual demand for amino acids, other, relatively expendable, body proteins are broken down to fulfill the requirement. In effect, a dietary deficiency of proteins forces the body to feed on itself.

The need for proteins in every diet is undeniable. The average American diet provides 1.2 g/kg of protein against the recommended daily allowance of 0.8 g/kg. The question, then, is whether to add protein supplements to an existing diet? While proteins from food may seem adequate, there is no telling whether all essential amino acids are supplied, and there is little way of knowing how easily those proteins are digested and assimilated into the body. A carefully researched protein supplement like Profect, when taken regularly, would remove such uncertainties.

Apart from supplying amino acids for protein synthesis, a high protein diet based on Profect has other advantages. Studies on high-protein diets have demonstrated their ability to induce weight loss. A high-protein diet produces early satiety and decreases the total energy intake. Protein synthesis, an energy consuming process, is promoted. The energy to assimilate such a diet, calculated as the 'Thermogenic effect of feeding', is high. More calories are burnt, more proteins are synthesized and the lean body mass increases while the body weight goes down. Brawn is exchanged for flab.

Proteins from Profect form bioactive peptides in the gut that can enhance gut defenses. The harmful gut bacteria are killed and normal flora is allowed to colonize the intestinal lining. Profect also protects the system from free radicals, free electron molecules produced during intense activity and stress. Free radicals are known to damage cell membranes. Their role in aging, cancer and blood clotting is being intensely investigated. Profect increases the levels of Glutathione, a free radical scavenger that mops up free radicals shielding the cell from their effects. The added water-soluble vitamins and mineral in Profect prevent the loss of calcium and other micronutrients seen on high-protein diets.

About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at www.protica.com. You can also learn about Profect at www.profect.com.

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com

The Ins and Outs of Proper Nutrition

Secretly we all want just a few things in life, none the least of which is to live a life that is healthy and energetic. One way to accomplish this is to eat a well balanced diet that fuels the body to take on life's challenges.

Did you know that one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health and well being is to eat a diet that is well rounded and nutritious?

Diet can make the difference between feeling great and feeling just o.k. But how do you know which foods will propel you to health and well being?

Proper nutrition is easy. In fact, all you need to do to ensure your health and well being is follow five simple steps, outlined below.

Top Five Tips for Maintaining Optimal Nutrition

?Eat a well balanced diet. This means you have to incorporate foods from each of the four food groups.

?Adopt the phrase moderation. At no time should you consider some foods 'bad' and other foods 'good'. Rather, all foods can be nourishing if they are eaten in moderation. Chocolate cake will not make you fat if you don't eat it every day for dinner!

?Take a multi-vitamin. Even the healthiest dieter may not get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need from diet alone. Why? Our bodies aren't always able to absorb nutrients efficiently from the foods we eat. Thus it is important to take a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily.

?Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your diet, and even contribute to weight gain.

?Exercise daily. Even 10 minutes of routine exercise can help your body maintain its peak fitness level.

Excessive consumption of alcohol can also wreak havoc on your diet. Alcohol inhibits the body's ability to absorb vital nutrients, such as calcium. In addition, alcohol in the evening can interfere with your sleep cycle.

Other things you can do to improve you nutrition include incorporating lean proteins and fish into your diet. Fatty fishes including salmon provide key nutrients called "essential fatty acids" which help your brains abilityto function properly.

Nutrition is a choice. For you to be the healthiest person you can be, it is vital that you make choices that are good for you and your well being. Adopting just a couple of the strategies above will help you tremendously on your journey toward optimal health.

Beverley Brooke, Editor of Health & Finesse - Free health, diet and fitness articles and weekly newsletters http://www.healthandfinesse.com

Policosinol and Cholesterol Reduction

The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. Indeed, one does not typically hear the word used, or see it printed, unless it points to yet another distressing fact -- that high cholesterol is the number one factor for coronary heart disease, and the number one cause of heart attacks[i].

However, cholesterol is, in itself, not a negative thing. On the contrary, cholesterol plays a vital role in forming cell membranes, regulating hormones, insulating nerves, and more. The problem with cholesterol therefore lays not in cholesterol itself, but the amount of cholesterol present in the bloodstream. For most Americans who talk and read about this subject, the scenario almost always involves too much cholesterol, or the condition known as hypercholesterolemia.

When there is too much cholesterol in the blood, it cannot easily dissolve, and thus cannot effectively be transported to cells by the carrier called low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This can create a build-up of LDL cholesterol (a.k.a. "bad cholesterol"), and start to interfere with arteries that transport blood to the heart and brain. Both a stroke and a heart attack are the most severe manifestations of LDL cholesterol build-up, and the main reason why so many people are seeking ways to reduce the LDL build-up in their bloodstream[ii].

However, reducing cholesterol has been fraught with challenges. Though reducing or eliminating certain foods from diet is a necessary first step for most individuals, some who suffer from hypercholesterolemia require medical interventions to immediately begin lowering their risk of heart attack or stroke. As such, dozens of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are currently on the market, and while some people have experienced relief due to their use, there are side effects that cause concern, including nausea, diarrhea, muscle tenderness, and increased liver enzymes[iii]. The out-of-pocket costs of these statin drugs can also be cost prohibitive for those not covered by a comprehensive drug plan.

However, a natural product called policosinol is generating an unusual amount of attention ? both positive and negative ? from the medical community in light of its purported cholesterol lowering capacity. Derived from the wax of sugarcanes and honeybees, policosinol is said by some to reduce cholesterol, offer no known side effects, be safe in high doses, increase blood flow, reduce platelet clumps, and prevent atherosclerosis (plaque buildup on the artery walls)[iv].

Studies have been conducted on policosinol efficacy, and there is some empirical research evidence that supports it as a high LDL cholesterol remedy. A 2002 study by researchers at the University of Bonn reviewed 60 clinical trials involving 3000 patients, and concluded with cautious optimism that policosinol is a promising alternative to cholesterol lowering stain drugs, and thus warrants further study[v].

However, those poised to buy policosinol and lower their cholesterol should approach with caution; and this is the message voiced by those who are less than enthusiastic about the policosinol's emergence as something of a wonder cure.

Though a natural remedy and thus far not causing the side effects associated with statin drugs, those skeptical about policosinol quickly point out that it is not an FDA approved drug. As such, it has not been subjected to the rigorous testing that comes with approving a new drug, including supervised preclinical trials and standardized testing in successively larger population of people. The fact that the FDA approves 1 out of 5000, or .0002 of the applications that it receives for new drug approval, is an indication of how highly valued ? and rare ? this approval is.

However, this instigates another debate ? whether the FDA approval process is the most appropriate way to accept drugs into drug plans, and whether doctors should be permitted to prescribe non-FDA-approved drugs without undue concerns for malpractice lawsuits. Indeed, an MD may have personally benefited from a natural remedy like policosinol, but to prescribe that to a patient requires more support than personal preference, or even personal testimony.

And it is the intersection of these two separate debates -- whether policosinol works or not, and whether the FDA approval process is fair or not ? that the situation, and verdict on policosinol, currently lies. This debate is frustrating to all sides; including patients themselves, who simply want a real solution.

However, despite these frustrations, the fact that efforts are being undertaken to develop ? or verify ? a remedy that is safe, complete, and free of side-effects ? is a step in the right direction. Additional research on policosinol will further clarify whether that step should be towards FDA approval, or towards a warning label.

ABOUT PROTICA

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

REFERENCES

[i] Source: "Heart Mender". CNN.Com. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/americasbest/science.medicine/pro.pridker.html

[ii] Source: "Cholesterol". American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4488

[iii] Source: "Statin Medications: What are the Side Effects?". Mayoclinic.com http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00587

[iv] Source: "Policosinol ". Wholehealthmd.com. http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,10127,00.html

[v] Source: "Policosinol : clinical pharmacology and therapeutic significance of a new lipid-lowering agent". Gouni-Berthold I, Berthold HK. Am Heart J. 2002 Feb;143(2):356-65.

Copyright - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com

Do You Eat Breakfast?

It is not a myth. Eating breakfast is an important part of attaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The morning meal enables your body to refuel itself after enduring a nightlong fast or 10 hours or more. It assists in re-energising your body's metabolism and providing sufficient amounts of energy and nutrients for you to survive the earliest part of the day. Remember breakfast is the first opportunity for you to replenish your body's exhausted energy reserves. Whatever you do don't waste this opportunity. While breaking the nocturnal fast is important, eating appropriately is just as essential. Eating a good breakfast, low in fat, and rich in dietary fibre and micronutrients will mentally and physically set you up for anything the day may throw at you.

Why Breakfast is Important.

By choosing not to eat a well-balanced breakfast you may be putting your health in danger. Studies have shown that people who regularly skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight and have less energy than those who always eat breakfast.

The consumption of a healthy breakfast has been shown to improve short-term memory. People who regularly eat breakfast have less fatigue and lower cholesterol level than those who skip breakfast. Research has demonstrated that children who eat correctly at breakfast perform better in class and produce higher marks than those who do not. If you want to have an improved, healthy body then it is vital to eat a nourishing breakfast. Research has shown that skipping breakfast causes a lowered metabolic rate, which means fewer calories burned throughout the day. Over time this has the potential to lead to an unhealthy Body Mass Index.

What is a healthy breakfast?

Choose foods that are natural and unprocessed. Eat whole fruit rather than fruit juice. Whole fruits provide extra fibre. Vary the colour of the fruits you eat. Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients.

Yogurt, wholegrain dark bread, high fibre cereal with soy or low fat milk, are excellent choices. Try making your own delicious museli, (email me for a recipe). Three to six servings of protein a day is recommended. Protein sources include eggs, tofu, fish, lean meat and nuts. Mix and match from the above items or add your own healthy favorites.

If your excuse is that you don't have time for breakfast, here is your answer. Herbalife has a product called Formula 1. It is a scientifically formulated dietary food that contains an exclusive blend of select proteins, vitamins and minerals. It is low in fat, cholesterol free and an excellent source of dietary fibre and essential amino acids. A Herbalife breakfast is made in a minute and fuels your body right through the morning. It is the ultimate fast food and so good for you. Find more information on this product at www.uloseweight.net/shoponline

Start The Day Right

Don't fool yourself "Fuel" yourself. Build breakfast into your basic routein every morning. You will soon notice a great improvement in your energy and well-being. A great morning leads to a great day.

Cheryl Haining is a skin care, body shape and nutrition coach. She has her own successful business. Her mission statement is to ensure everyone reaches his or her optimum body shape, size and condition. Contact Cheryl at http://www.uloseweight.net or To learn how to create an income stream from home visit http://www.keybusinesstips.info

The Benefits Of Drinking Herbal Teas

Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits as well as being tasty to drink! Some of my favorite teas are chamomile tea, jasmine tea and ginger tea. Each of these has a distinctive taste as well as health benefit.

Chamomile tea is a favorite herbal tea that many use if they have trouble sleeping. It has natural sedative, antiinflamatory and antispasmodic properties so is also good for cramps. Due to it's calming benefits it is often used to help relieve anxiety. It is rich in essential oil and can help the digestive system function properly. Chamomile is also very good for your skin and you can wet a cloth in the tea and use it as a skin cleanser or compress.

Jasmine tea is a combination of green tea leaves and jasmine flowers. It has a lovely jasmine scent and flabor with all the wonderful antioxidant properties of the green tea. Jasmine tea has long been used for it's relaxing and warming qualities and is also soothing to the digestive system. This tea also may help lower cholesterol according to recent studies and may even help with longevity.

Ginger tea has powerful medicinal properties. It is reputed to be a aphrodisiac and can help freshen your breath! It has anti fungal and anti spasmodic properties and can help sooth stomach upset by neutralizing acids and aiding digestion. Ginger is also reputed to help relieve nausea, motion sickness, dizziness, flatulence and even help to ease muscle pain.

To properly make herbal tea, use 1 tea bag per person or, if you are making it from the dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon of the herb. Add boiling water to the herb mixture and let sit for 5 minutes. Don't let it sit for too long or it will start to taste bitter. Don't drink it too soon or the herb won't have imparted it's flavor into the water enough. Typically herbal teas are taken "black" but you could add a little milk or some sugar or honey to taste if you like.

Lee Dobbins is owner and editor of Vitamin and Herb Guide For Natural Care and Healing where you can find out more about the healing benefits of herbs.

Sugar, America?s Drug of Choice

Many people use sugar as medicine. Sugar tends to change the way our metabolism uses specific amino acids to make the neurotransmitters needed for proper brain function. Eating refined carbohydrates increase the level of the amino acid tryptophan, which helps to create the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter. So when we need to relax we will crave sugar so that we can create more serotonin. This is one of the main reasons sugar is so addictive.

Refined sugars are added to many foods to improve the taste. Sugar consumption has increase dramatically since the 1950's. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated in 1993 that the average American ate 130 pounds of sugar per year, in 1998 it went to 147 pounds of sugar, and now this number is around 170 pounds of sugar per year. This includes whole sugar and many forms of processed sugars, including high fructose corn syrup. If you are tired all the time, look at your level of sugar consumption and foods that turn to sugar quickly in your system.

Sugars and other sweeteners are used in most processed foods today. Sugar can be hidden as many different names such as sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin, maltose, lactose, and high fructose corn syrup. All of these are names of refined sugars. If a food you are buying has any of these names on the label as the first ingredient, or a combination of them as one of the first four ingredients, do not buy it! It will cause blood sugar imbalances over time, and affect your immune system.

High fructose corn syrup was developed in 1966 as a sweetener to blend into processed foods. It is made from cornstarch and turns into fructose and glucose. This type of processed fructose is metabolized differently than glucose and can contribute to high triglycerides and insulin resistance. Fructose found in whole fruits does not have the adverse affect of processed fructose, and should not contribute to higher blood fats. But we are getting more processed fructose as an additive in foods. The consumption of high fructose corn syrup increased to an average of 62.6 pounds per person in 2001.

Our body, especially our brain, uses glucose for energy. Glucose is found in fruits and vegetables, and is used in the metabolism of all plants and animals. Yet, overuse of sugar, especially processed sugars in adults and children causes the adrenals to work harder, putting out more adrenaline than is necessary. With excess adrenaline there is a feeling of constant stress and anxiety in adults. In children it is seen as hyperactivity, concentration difficulties, and irritability. Concentration is affected because brain wave activity increases and focusing on one subject becomes more difficult. Over time, when the brain cells have been stressed too long, symptoms of depression will begin to occur. At this stage the whole system becomes overwhelmed, causing symptoms of fatigue and indifference, signaling that we need a rest. If depression is caused by excess refined sugar intake, no matter what medication is taken, the symptoms will not be alleviated properly.

Eating sugar is worse than eating nothing. Do not eat sugar-based foods just to try to get food into your system. Soft drinks are one of the worst drinks to consume on a regular basis. The average can of soda pop contains eight to nine teaspoons of sugar. This amount of sugar that is usually consumed in a very short period of time creates havoc with sugar metabolism in the liver. In response, the body must mobilize large amounts of adrenalin and insulin to clear the sugar from the bloodstream. Fruit juices are not much better. Juices contain about the same amount of sugar as soft drinks. They are basically sugar water with very few nutrients. Drinking juices or soft drinks regularly can lead to significant health problems as well as blood sugar disorders.

Recent studies show that 30% of our foods are basically high sugar, high carbohydrate junk foods, and children are some of the worst offenders. Too much sugar does affect our brain function. B-complex vitamins are used to process glutamic acid, which is needed by the brain. B-complex vitamins are used to metabolize excessive sugars. If you get sleepy after eating, or cannot think clearly, look at the level of processed sugars in your meals, especially the hidden ones, to see what may be causing these problems to occur. Avoiding processed sugars in our diet can prevent many potential chronic health issues.

Dr. Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in Southwest Michigan. She is the author of "Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia" and "Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder". She is a professional speaker on a variety of natural health topics, and can be reached at DoctorOelke@aol.com and http://www.NaturalChoicesforyou.com

Protein, Carbs and Fat: Learn How to Diet with Macronutrients

Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you to get rid of some food that you love. However, the three macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat) as well as the unofficial fourth, water, are all necessary for good health. Never try to eliminate any of these from your diet. If you're trying to lose weight, here is the simple truth about the stuff that makes up food.

Protein Power
Protein is the building block of all life. All life on this planet is made up of amino acids that form chains called proteins. Every function of every cell in your body involves proteins. It should come as no surprise, then, that consuming protein in your diet is essential to your good health.

Protein can come from many sources, not just red meat. All animal parts are protein-rich, from fish to chicken to pork to any animal you'd care to cook up. If you are a vegetarian, you probably already know that many beans and nuts are good sources of protein as well.

The highest concentration of protein is in muscle fibers, in humans and other animals. Therefore, if you want to build up your muscles, you must consume more protein than your minimum daily requirements. And if you consume less than your daily dose, your body may cannibalize your own muscles to get it. This is why an adequate intake of amino acids is essential.

Carb Cravings
Carbohydrates is a fancy word for something very simple: organic molecules that contain at least two hydrogen atoms for each carbon atom. All carbodydrates that you can eat are sources of energy. No matter what their composition, your body will break them down into glucose, a simple sugar, which is then used for energy when it is needed. Some carbohydrates are very long chains called "complex carbohydrates", and some are short chains called "simple sugars". Complex carbs are better for you because they provide more energy, but it takes the body longer to break them apart, which means the energy lasts longer and keeps you feeling full for a longer time. Simple sugars are broken down very quickly, which causes your blood-sugar to rise rapidly. If you don't burn it right away, your body will turn it into fat.

Carbohydrates are most abundant in foods that taste sweet. The sweeter the taste, the simpler the carb. So candy of all kinds are made up almost entirely of simple sugars. Carbs are also abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as grains. Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, while other grains and plants have shorter chain carbs.

Some modern diets suggest trying to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet, because they are a major source of calories that you're trying to reduce. Reduction of carbs will be necessary for weight loss, but it is vitally important not to get rid of them altogether. As mentioned above, carbohydrate-rich foods include fruits and vegetables that contain many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Losing all those good elements would put your body in a very unhealthy place. On top of that, your body processes carbs to raise blood-sugar, which is important to your feeling of satiety, or feeling full. If you have no carbs, you may easily be overeating fats (see below). Finally, if your body is not using carbs for energy, it will break apart proteins in your food for energy before it breaks down fats. So, you lose the benefits of amino acids you've eaten, which we discussed above. A good tactic that many people find easy to identify and follow in their diets is to get rid of "empty carbs", meaning carbohydrates that don't provide anything but energy. White bread, potatoes, refined sugar and candy are empty carbs that you should avoid.

Fat is Fine (in small doses)
The third macronutrient is fat, which is most easily thought of as concentrated carbs. One gram of fat has 9 calories, while carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram. So, if you are reducing the calories in your diet, reducing fat is the easiest way to lower the total calorie count. Not all fats are the same, though. Saturated and trans fats raises LDL cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease. Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated) do not raise these "bad cholesterol" levels, and are therefore a better choice.

Fats, unfortunately, taste very good. Fats are the major component in toppings and spreads, such as butter, salad dressing, mayonnaise, and cooking oils. Fats are also the ingredient that make desserts and snacks so tempting, like cookies, cakes and chips.

Even though some people try to get rid of all fat, some fat in your diet is important. Do not try to eliminate it. Fat aids in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. Essential Fatty Acids, namely omega-3 and omega-6, can only be found in certain fats, and it is important to consume some of these on a regular basis. These nutrients aid in the regulation of blood pressure, blood clotting and immune response.

To get the good fats without an excess of calories, try eating more fish and seafood instead of other meats. Choose margarine instead of butter. When cooking, choose olive oil to grease your skillet. And the most effective tip: read the labels on the foods you're buying. They should list the fat content, and break it down into Saturated and Unsaturated. If unsaturated is not listed, simply choose the food with the least Saturated fat count.

Water Weight
Some call water the fourth macronutrient. Technically, it is not a nutrient at all, because pure water does not provide any building blocks for your body. However, it is the element most neglected in the diets of most people. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. More if you're active.

Water encourages fat loss by keeping the kidneys working at full capacity. If the kidneys don't get enough water, the liver begins to take over some kidney functions. One of the liver's main functions is to metabolize fat. So, if the kidneys need the liver's help, then the liver can't burn fat as quickly. Drink enough water so that your liver can metabolize fat at its peak ability.

Water contributes to healthy skin by hydrating it from the inside out. Water aids in joint lubrication, reducing your chance of injury in any activity. Water is also the best cure for constipation.

Some people retain water, which is usually caused by a sodium imbalance. The solution is not to avoid drinking water, but to drink more water. When the salt is diluted, it becomes less of a problem. Also, if your body recognizes that water is constantly coming into your system, then it will realize that it doesn't need to store it. Although there have been a few cases where long distance runners have died from drinking too much water, their situation is highly specialized, and shouldn't be a concern for a normal person. For people with a normal amount of activity, there is no danger in drinking too much water, so drink as much as you can. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll visit the washroom more often, so consider it a good chance for a little extra exercise.

Now that you understand how important all the macronutrients are, how do you lose weight? Reduce overall calories, but keep a measure of each macronutrient in your diet. Reducing fats overall is an easy way to reduce overall calories, and switch all of your fats to unsaturated. Most dieticians suggest about 25% fat, 15% protein, and 60% carbs. If you're trying to put on a little muscle to burn fat faster, try to raise the protein to 20% and reduce the carbohydrates to 55%. A good weight loss plan keeps a balanced diet with reduced calorie intake and increased exercise.

David McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products. His Mr. Weightless site is dedicated to free weight loss articles and advice, primarily targeted to men. There are no banners, no pop-ups, and you will never be asked for your email address. Mr. Weightless: Wait Less for Weight Loss!

http://www.weightlessproducts.com

Enzymes and Raw Food ? Can You Cheat Time and Stay Young for Longer?

I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know that I'm only encouraging you to question and think and ideally do your own research, both theory and practice. I'm pretty confident that you'll thank me for it.

WHAT IF THE SO-CALLED 'AGING PROCESS' WAS A CHOICE?

Clearly, we can't stop time from moving on. When we have a birthday, we are another year older. That's a fact that, for the moment at least, we cannot change. But what if the weakening organs, bones and tissues and all the 'usual' signs of old age were not actually a part of the aging process we've come to accept as 'normal'? Have you ever considered that these conditions are simply symptoms of us mistreating our bodies over the course of our lives to date? Wouldn't our senior years be a whole lot more fun if we were pain and disease free and could jump around with the energy and vitality of a teenager?

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

That this is a crazy, impossible idea borne out of fantasy? Or are you willing to open your mind and accept that actually, if you treat your body right and nourish it properly, it may in fact be possible? And this is where Enzymes come in...

In his book Intuitive Eating, Dr Humbart Santillo MD writes:

"A human being is not maintained by food intake alone, but rather by what is digested. Every food must be broken down by enzymes to simpler building blocks. Enzymes may be divided into 2 groups, exogenous (found in raw food) and endogenous (produced within our bodies). The more one gets of the exogenous enzymes, the less will have to be borrowed from other metabolic processes and supplied by the pancreas. The enzymes contained in raw food actually aid in the digestion of that same food when it is chewed. One can live many years on a cooked food diet, but eventually this will cause cellular enzyme exhaustion which lays the foundation for a weak immune system and ultimately disease."

Put simply, we are born with a finite supply of endogenous enzymes. It should be enough to last us a lifetime based on current life expectancy, but if we don't supply some exogenous enzymes through our diet, we will use up our original supplies and that's when we become susceptible to the accepted 'signs of old age' including premature death! And the fact is that when we cook our food, we kill all enzymes instead of allowing them to boost our immune system, our brain function and our energy levels.

Another doctor, Edward Howell, has written a book called Enzyme Nutrition. In it, he says:

"Humans eating an enzyme-less diet use up a tremendous amount of their enzyme potential in lavish secretions of the pancreas and other digestive organs. The result is a shortened lifespan (65 years or less as compared with 100 or more), illness, and lower resistance to stress of all types, psychological and environmental. By eating foods with their enzymes in tact and by supplementing cooked foods with enzyme capsules we can stop abnormal and pathological aging processes."

THESE SCIENTISTS ARE NOT CRACK-POTS WORKING ALONE

The raw food movement is gathering pace and the practice is becoming more mainstream now. In her book You Are What You Eat, Gillian McKeith places raw or living foods at the top of her list of Good Foods and has a section entitled The Case Against Cooking. Now don't get me wrong; I'm not suggesting that you switch overnight to a 100% raw food diet. Though plenty do and never look back, it's not always wise. Instead I would give the same advice as Gillian in urging you to eat something raw with every meal.

Just before I sat down to write this, I ate a yummy Quinoa Avocado Salad which other than the cooked quinoa was loaded with raw, enzyme-, EFA- and nutrient- rich foods. I ate it on its own, but you could serve it alongside a piece of grilled chicken or fish instead of dead, heavy, sugar-rush potatoes which do little more than bloat you up. Find the recipe on my Blog at http://claireraikes.blogs.com/claires_blog/.

Claire Raikes is a Wellbeing Coach, Speaker and Writer who 'cured' herself of a chronic, disabling and potentially life-threatening bowel condition without the use of steroids, surgery or any other traditional medical intervention. She now shares her passion for natural and vibrant health through coaching, speaking and writing about the importance and power of a truly healthy diet.

She publishes a free weekly eZine, In Essence and is compiling an eBook of Healthy Fast Food with 25% of the proceeds going to The Cancer Project, a charity set up by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and nutritionists to educate the public on the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. If you have a recipe you would like to submit, visit http://www.LiveInEssence.com for further details. To book Claire to speak at your event, email her at Claire@LiveInEssence.com.

Guerilla Health Tactics: 5 Snappy Rules For a Healthier, Happier You

The subject of health care itself often seems plagued with conflicting advice, or even heated controversy. Witness the recent Cruise-Shields incident, which will doubtless occupy several chapters in future health and nutrition texts. So what to do about this advice-riddled and divisive field when you want to find out what you can do to better your own health? We suggest that you do a little research, read differing opinions, and the reasons given for them, and then go with what you feel confident about.

Although I am neither a doctor nor a health care professional, I have studied a great deal about the effects of various kinds of personal habits, vitmains, etc., and their known consequences to your health. So here I will offer what I regard as well-proven tips for really improving your own health in very practical and effective ways.

1. Eat yogurt and a banana every day. Yogurt has live cultures in it, meaning "good bacteria" that your body absolutely needs, and which any caffeine beverage or alcohol will tend to reduce or eliminate. Electricity and anti-biotics kill these off too. This good bacteria functions like millions of tiny janitors, eating up and cleaning away any sort of debris which might float about in your bloodstream or body. You must replace these daily to stay healthy in the long run, and yogurt is one of the easiest sources both for this, and for calcium. You can also buy acidophilus milk at the grocery store, or pro-biotics from your local health food store.

Bananas contain potassium, a mineral necessary for many bodily functions, including muscle development and maintaining proper hydration, and which can ? and often does ? suffer depletion from environmental and dietary factors. So, as they say, go bananas.

2. Eat fresh ? not cooked or canned - vegetables and fruit every day without fail. Once you heat a vegetable to over 120F degrees, the enzymes they contain begin to break down. These enzymes aid the digestion process, which forms the central part of good health. There are other ways to get enzymes in your diet, but eating fresh fruits and veggies remains the best way.

A great way to enjoy your daily dose of enzymes comes by "juicing." This has become something of a health craze of late, and a great one at that. You can buy a good juicer for about $200 or so, or for less if you don't mind bargain hunting. Try e-bay. To "jucie," you simply turn the juicer on and stuff your fruits and veggies down the chute. The juicer then aggressively works them over, yielding only the juice inside them out the bottom chute to fill your cup.

Fresh fruit and veggie juice is delicious, and it will really help improve your health in many little ways. Try combining different juice "partners," including oranges and carrots. They go well together. And, yes, ladies, the vitamins and minerals in fresh fruit and veggie juice can help give your skin a healthier, more youthful tone. And the anti-oxidants they offer overflow with other health benefits too.

3. Exercise For Fun. Find a game or sport you enjoy, and do it for 10 minutes a day. My children love it when I chase them around the park ? so I do. They laugh and we all exercise, but no one outruns "the claw." Studies show, time and again that most people don't exercise because they think they don't have enough time. But this is nonsense. Most people waste more than 10 minutes a day just chatting.

Start slowly if you are a beginner, and go easy. Maybe just walk for 10 minutes at a comfortable pace. Just do SOMETHING. 10 minutes of exercise every day will greatly enhance every aspect of your health, starting with your cardiovascular system. After you feel confident with your level of health, set some short term goals. Time yourself, and see if you can do it "just a little" farther or faster. If it's too hard, slow down or back off a little. Enjoy your exercise. It really can be fun.

Studies also show that you derive far more benefit from exercising if you do it at intervals. If you walk for ten minutes, walk slowly to warm up for the first minute, then speed it up with a little burst for the next minute or two, then slow way down to relax and rest up for your next, more rapid interval. This way, you are never more than a minute away from a resting point, and you don't feel so much pressure to perform. Interval training (or I.T.) has remarkable benefits (compared to mere "steady state" exercising) ? including the reducing of stress. So go alittle harder on Tuesday in your exercise routine, and a little easier on Wednesday. Then pick up the pace again on Thursday. Train at intervals.

4. Keep your house very clean at all times, especially the bathrooms and kitchen. This is where germs tend to accumulate. All houses have some dirt and mold in them. Dirty houses have a great deal more than clean ones, and over the long haul to much micro-garbage in the air will tend to cause all sorts of allergy problems and other harmful side-effects. Keep the toothbrushes well insulated when not using them, and store them in a room OTHER than the bathroom. It could tell you why, but some of you might be eating. Trust me, just do it.

If your circumstances make it too difficult to keep the house very clean, hire a cleaning service. Your health is worth the cost. And wash your hands ? and your children's hands ? often throughout the day. This simple practice can reduce illness-related "down time" by as much as 50% or more

5. This one may seem a bit odd at first, but there is good logic behind it. Try not to use the heater or air-conditioner in your vehicles much, especially if you travel on rural or dusty roads. The air blown into the cab (and blown into the faces and lungs of the driver and passengers) has NO FILTER. This is nuts, but it is true. Just think about it for a minute.

Your engine has an air filter in it because dirt blows under the hood and can clog up the mechanical works. Hence the filter. But the same dirty air, which blows across the engine and into the cab of your vehicle, doesn't have to traverse a filter before it reaches your lungs.Yikes.

It is often quite dirty ? especially if you live near a construction site or dirt road ? and this dirt can accumulate in your lungs, and possibly even your bloodstream. I have no idea why no one seems to have thought of this when they built the vehicles we drive, especially when so many now spend countless hours commuting ? sitting behind the wheel, with the heater or A/C blasting away. I know of no studies on this topic either, but common sense says "Don't blast a steady stream of dirt into your lungs over long periods of time."

If you can, instead of using the heater, put on another layer of clothes, or a very warm jacket. If you can, instead of using the A/C, just roll down the window(s) to cool off ? or drink some cold water. And remember, exercise helps keep your system stay cleaner too, so take that advice seriously and put it into practice.

Your personal health ranks very high among your personal assets, so take it seriously enough to spend some time thinking about it, and doing something to improve it. Start with our "big five." You will be glad you did.

Carson Day has written approximately 1.3 gazillion articles and essays, many with very insightful, if alternative, viewpoints. He presently writes for Ophir Gold Corporation, and specialized in the history of ideas in college. He has been quoted in the past as saying "What box?" and remains at large despite the best efforts of the civil authorities.

You can visit the Ophir Gold Corporation blogsites at http://scriberight.blogspot.com (Writing With Power), http://ophirgoldcorp.blogspot.com (OGC's Free Web Traffic), or http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (Church and State 101)

Nutrition and Exercise Tips to Walk Away From Death

Recently yet another super-heavyweight Iron Immortal died from a heart attack at age forty-five or thereabouts. Typically, when I read of these tragedies I search my memory banks and then write some sort of tribute. Rather than eulogize yet another fallen warrior, for whom it's too late, and at the risk of sounding presumptuous, I thought a slightly different approach might be appropriate and perhaps even helpful in preventing a future tragedy. It is my contention that a shockingly large percentage of retired national and international-level powerlifters and Olympic weightlifters eat too much, do nothing insofar as cardiovascular training and as a direct result unnecessarily risk premature death.

Retired super heavyweight lifters are particularly susceptible to this fatal phenomenon. Typically, the 'at risk' big-man lifter reduces or quits weight training - but doesn't quit the enormous eating habits that got him big enough and dense enough to handle world record poundage. Super-heavyweight powerlifters consume too many calories and in particular they eat way too much saturated fat.

Food is broken down for energy within the body. A gram of fat contains nine calories. A gram of protein or carbohydrate contains four calories per gram. For a man intent on bulking-up as large as possible as fast as possible, fat calories, dense and compact, are the ticket. Fat calories pack twice the caloric bounce-per-ounce as protein or carb calories and boy do they ever taste good! Allowing taste to dictate our diet can be fatal. High fat food is delicious and it gives food a wonderful, seductive flavor. The bulking lifter can eat twice as many calories when they choose fat over protein or carbohydrates.

The problem is that dietary fat is easily converted to body fat. To use an automobile analogy, the big lifter develops a body akin to that of a 1967 Cadillac Eldorado - but the heart muscle of the lifter does not enlarge to accommodate the increased bulk. Metaphorically, the lifter has a heart designed to power a 1967 VW Beetle but his 65-horsepower heart motor now motivates a 5000-pound Cadillac body: what an incredible strain on his little blood-pump. For a few short years, hugeness is okay: the human body is incredibly resilient, but if the lifter doesn't pare the pounds eventually the little heart muscle can suffer a blowout. Or will wear out from overuse.

The miraculous heart muscle pulsates 60-90 times a minute, sending blood coursing through the veins and capillaries to receptive muscles and organs with the precision and regularity of a fine Swiss watch. A hundred pounds (or more) of extra bodyweight will stress the tiny heart to the breaking point. It's a hell-of-a dilemma; to reach the top of the powerlifting game the lifter needs density in relation to their height.

Ever notice how few tall Powerlifters reach the international level? To achieve the requisite density a tall lifter (over six-foot) would need weigh 400-pounds to match the density-per-inch the typical under-six foot super heavyweight achieves. Most people who meet top powerlifter are amazed at how short they are in relation to their weight. To maximize leverage, lifters need density-per-inch-of-height and super heavyweights, unencumbered by weight divisions, always have an effective avenue available to increase their density-per-inch: eat more food and get bigger.

Big men feel they need dietary fat, 'dirty' calories, in order to gain the sheer bulk necessary to compete at the national and international level. As my old coach Hugh Cassidy used to preach, a serious super-heavyweight lifter can always "eat his way through a sticking point". Of course when Hugh retired he dropped from 300-pounds to 190-pounds bodyweight inside a year. Cassidy was no dummy (a powerlifting genius) and had the sense to reduce his caloric intake when the whistle sounded and the game was over. A lot don't and the consequences are apparently disastrous.

That giant lifter who happily scarfs down saturated fat, motivating that Eldorado body around with that VW engine, eventually has a second deadly complication rear its ugly head. Saturated fat produces plaque and as it floats through the bloodstream plaque adheres to the arterial walls leading to and from the heart. Over time the tube diameter becomes constricted with plaque buildup and when it clogs completely (assuming you don't die from heart spasms) a roto-rooter (angeoplastsy) balloon procedure or by-pass surgery is required to open constricted passageways.

It's a dastardly double whammy: the lifter's diet adds bodyweight - creating a stress-load on the over-taxed heart pump and the fat in the lifter's diet reduces the efficiency of the already taxed heart by constricting the blood flow. It's a deadly one-two combination. Often the whole situation is further complicated when the lifter ceases hard training. Now sedentary, his high caloric intake accelerates body fat accumulation at an astonishingly fast rate. If left unchecked this scenario will lead to health problems as surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

I once helped a 350-pound super heavyweight take second place at the USPF Nationals and thereby secure a slot on the IPF world championship team. He was elated and afterwards we decided to have room service send up victory pizza. I was staying on the second floor and the elevators were acting up so we decided to walk the four mini-flights to the second floor. It was an easy climb but our IPF-destined lifter was gassed like he'd just climbed Mount Everest without using an oxygen tank. He was far more blasted from the 22-step walk-up than his 881-squat or 750-deadlift. He heaved and gasped like a coal miner with black lung after smoking a Camel and took a full thirty minutes before he recovered.

I remember how when the Pizzas came he knelt down on the floor at the foot of the bed. He took his Pizza Hut extra-large, set it on the bed, opened the box, still kneeing, placed his elbows on the bed and commenced to chow-down. His huge distended stomach hung all the way to the floor and there was no daylight showing between his gut and the sunlight shining in the open window behind him. Looking like a pregnant rhino, his face hovered a scant six-inches above the pizza box as he devoured the entire thing in 10-minutes flat, steam shovel style, like he was strip mining a hill for coal. He gobbled his pepperoni and sausage and then went scavenging for leftovers from the other three boxes. Feeling better he took a nap.

I once asked George Hector how it felt to be able to squat 975 and deadlift 840 weighing 360. "For two days a year, at the National and World championships, it's great ? the other 363 days a year it sucks!" George ran into health problems (phlebitis) reduced down to 242 and set a slew of world records. But wise men like George and Hugh and John Kuc are the exceptions, not the rule. Too many huge guys are attached to their 'sea food' diet and it comes back to bite 'em at some point. And it needn't be that way. Incorporating two lifestyle changes, substitution dieting and light cardiovascular training, can spell the difference, literally, between life and death.

DIET: Rather than try and get a red-blooded powerlifter on a fancy-dan bodybuilder diet ? one which they won't adhere to anyway ? we offer the substitution diet for your consideration. All of us have bad foods we naturally gravitate towards (those high in fat and sugar) and we all have some good foods (high in protein) that we like. The idea is to identify the 'good' foods and substitute them for the 'bad foods' you currently consume in quantity. The beauty of this approach is that you never feel hungry because anytime you have a craving for bad food you eat a substantial amount of good food in its place. You smother the hunger and satiate the desire.

Plus, every time you replace a fat food with a protein or carb food, you can eat the same volume of food while cutting your calories in half (9 calories per gram of fat versus only 4 calories per gram for protein). A gram is a gram and if you previously ate a quart of Ben & Jerry's or a sixteen-ounce pizza, you now may eat an equal volume of protein or carbohydrates and eliminate artery-clogging saturated fat while simultaneously cutting your calories in half. It is a good deal: you reduce the deadly saturated fat with muscle-building protein or natural carbohydrates and still reduce overall calories. Don't eat flour carbs like cakes, bread or pastry. Stick to grains, rice, vegetables and potatoes.

Clean protein actually stimulates the basal metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more calories as it gears up to meet the challenge of digesting protein. Dietary fat, on the other hand, is easily compartmentalized into fat storage. A note of caution: avoid protein foods that are loaded with saturated fat. Fish, chicken (minus the skin), lean beef, goat, turkey, organ meats, egg whites, skim milk and protein powder are great sources of clean protein.

Man-made carbohydrates like bread, pasta and pastries will cause the body to secrete insulin. Insulin spikes cause carb calories to be converted and compartmentalized into fat storage instead of being used for energy. Avoid them. Natural carbohydrates have a far lesser impact on insulin and are recommended as the preferred carb sources. Fiber carbs actually dampen insulin spikes and a diet high in clean protein and fiber, low in refined carbs and moderate in starchy carbs, is the fastest way to lose lard.

CARDIO CONDITIONING FOR POWERLIFTERS: Powerlifters take a dim view of cardio training ? aerobics ? and contemptuously consider cardiovascular training effete, irrelevant and at odds to their stated purpose: maximizing size and strength. And there is a good case to support that viewpoint. But we are talking aerobics for health, not strength.

Aerobics, it is widely felt, weakens a competitive powerlifter and any benefits are offset with negatives. Few hard core lifters would be caught dead riding an exer-cycle, walking a treadmill or jumping up and down on a stair-stepper. The broad consensus among the power elite is that cardio is counterproductive to the stated goal. Yet, it has been scientifically and medically proven that three to five, twenty-minute sessions at 60% (or more) of age-related heart rate maximum per week will perform miracles for the heart, lungs, internal organs and glands.

Cardiovascular training flushes the human plumbing system: capillaries, veins, tubes, heart and lungs all benefit from regular aerobic exercise. Internal organs strengthen and improve function when subjected to regular, systematic doses of aerobic exercise. There is a compromise solution for the lifter intent on losing lard. There is a type of aerobic exercise that provides great cardio stimulation without being so intense as to interfere with strength building - walking.

LOW STRESS AEROBIC ACTIVITY: A big man with little or no background in cardio training can hit 70% of their age-related heart rate maximum with a brisk walk around the block. And that's all that's needed. No need to join a health spa, no need to purchase an expensive exercise bike or treadmill, forget all that stuff and get outdoors and take a brisk walk. Walk outside for ten minutes as quick as you can then put a forefinger on your carotid artery or wrist pulse and count the beats for six seconds. Multiply this number by 10 to determine how fast your heart is beating. Then compare this to your age-related heart rate maximum to determine your aerobic intensity. What's the formula? Simple: 220 minus your age are your 100% heart rate maximum. Then determine 70% of this number.

AGE 30 40 50 100% 190 180 170 70% 133 126 119 60% 114 108 102

Start with a ten-minute walk at 60%. Put on a WalkMan, get outside and take a good fast walk. Do this three of four times a week on days that you don't lift. If you no longer lift, get back in the saddle. Add a few minutes per walking session until you are hitting twenty minutes per session. When you can walk for twenty minutes at 60% try to bump that up to 65% and eventually 70% or more. Increase the intensity by walking faster and swinging your arms a little more. Suck in that good outdoor oxygen and push a little. 3-4 sessions a week at 60-70% of age related heart rate maximum would do wonders for the internal plumbing of a cardio-challenged lifter. Walking avoids the bone-jarring pain of jogging or running - no rips or tears from walking. Don't po-pah walking - I have had occasion to interview bodybuilding dominator Dorian Yates for Muscle & Fitness and one thing struck me : Yates' aerobic program often consisted of a brisk walk around his posh neighborhood with his dogs. In the off-season Yates would walk for thirty minutes three or four times a week. Weighing 300, he had no problem hitting 70% of age related heart rate maximum using a brisk walking pace. Unlike his American competitors, many of whom spent two hours a day on bikes and stair-steppers, the bull-strong Yates felt that too much cardio affected his weight training and he preferred to confine his aerobics to off-day walks. Wise advice that is applicable to the massive powerlifter who wants to incorporate some health-preserving cardio into their training.

Lifters who walk in conjunction with powerlifting report improved recovery and better digestion along with a nice increase in appetite. The metabolism kicks up when you undertake a brisk walk as this stimulates the digestive process. Food is processed better and when saturated fat is cutback the athlete sees an almost over-night improvement in the way they look and feel. If fat calories are replaced with 'clean' calories muscle is retained while the life threatening effects of body fat and artery constriction are improved. Confine cardio training to low-impact walking done on off-days and no strength loss should occur: on the contrary, the lifter will be able to train harder and longer as a result of their new-found endurance and improved nutrient assimilation. All around it's a good deal ? particularly when the alternative is so dire and bleak. So take a chance and take a walk. Hell, no one even need know you're doing 'aerobics' or going on a diet: as far as anyone is concerned, you're just taking a walk. You can literally walk away from death if you just get off the strata-lounger, exchange that cheeseburger with Mayo on Wonder bread for a lean steak and a salad and then go outside and take a walk!

Marty Gallagher is a former fitness columnist for washingtonpost.com. He is also a former world champion powerlifting coach. Marty's work has been featured in magazines such as Muscle & Fitness, Muscle Media, and Powerlifting USA. His website, http://www.martygallagher.com, assimilates years of accumulated knowledge from the athletic elite and makes them accessible to the common person. The "Purposeful Primitive" methodology has been proven effective time after time after time for complete physical transformation, losing fat, building muscle, and getting stronger.