Vector Gnosis Blog

Learn to recognise the signs before you end up in a crumpled heap!

Stress – it’s part of life isn’t it? Stress is good!

We subject ourselves to stress all the time, we need some stress, at work and in our daily lives. Without pressure and stress we would simply get nothing done, we wouldn’t achieve anything! Stress is a positive force when it invigorates your life and enables you to realise your dreams. So, the more, the better then?

Well, think about it for a moment and be careful what you wish for. Just as we need oxygen in the air that we breathe to survive, pure oxygen will kill us. So it is with stress, we need some, but at what point does stress then becomes counter productive and a destructive force in our lives?

How do YOU perceive stress?

Do you need the “Buzz” of that last minute deadline? Do you get a “Rush” from the responsibilities of a high-pressure situation? Do you get a “High” by creating a situation that produces anger or fear? Do you say to your workmates “I thrive on stress”? Do you “live in fear” for your job? Do you “Worry” constantly about your abilities at work? Do you “Fear” competition at work? Do you “Change” behind the wheel of your car?

Our physiological response to stress manifests itself in our bodies, by producing stimulants and other stress hormones, which act as mood altering devices, so we become much less conscious of pain, both physical and mental. We can set ourselves a dangerous precedent here, if we choose to ignore the signs that our bodies use to warn us that we are making ourselves vunerable to breakdown. Ignore this advice at your peril!

A common symptom of stress is a persons lack of respect for and enjoyment of, eating. The stimulants and other stress hormones which makes us tired, irritable and angry, totally disrupts our digestive function. We also tend to make poor choices about eating when we’re stressed either through time constraints or a desire to eat comfort food. According to your disposition this will either cause a loss of appetite, depleting your body of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, leading to weight loss and poor health, or weight gain, through a diet of junk food eaten in a rush, leading to digestive disorders and other weight-related problems. Poor nutrition will further weaken your resistance to illness and allow other symptoms of stress to develop. It’s a downward spiral.

Stress hormones are immensely powerful and have side effects that can quite literally kill you. Stress becomes a bad thing when it reaches a level beyond which you feel in control any longer, when you find yourself feeling tense, tired and uncomfortable. It’s not just the guy that seems most likely to drop dead from a stroke or a heart attack that’s at risk here. Stress hormones can contribute to ulcers and other severe gastro-intestinal problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. These chemicals are also causal factors in a host of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. It can also weaken the immune system, which makes you more susceptible to illness and affects the body’s ability to heal.

Ask yourself – am I stressed or am I in denial? How much stress is too much stress?

Well, we’re all unique, and everyone experiences stress differently.

So how do we go about recognising the signs before it becomes a serious problem? First, check the following lists and be honest with yourself. If you start to exhibit some of these symptoms, they may be warning signs that your stress levels are becoming a cause for concern. Your body and your emotions are attempting to give you a “wake-up” call. Listen to what your body is telling you.

- Upset stomach – Stomach pains – Loss of appetite – Severe headaches – Dizziness – Irritability – Nervous Tick or Blinking – Insomnia – Chronic fatigue – Pain in the neck and shoulders and back – Stiff neck and shoulders or back – Teeth Grinding – Poor focus and memory

How you feel can indicate signs of stress too, look for the following: – Anxious – Depressed – Frustrated – Hustled – Overloaded – Pressured – Tense – Worried

Identifying stress at the early stages makes it so much easier to treat. Good habits can be adopted to ensure that you have a good work/life balance and stress reduction becomes a manageable exercise.

Learn to recognise the signs that stress is starting to build up and be prepared to act quickly on the problems causing this, because problems seem to grow in intensity if they are not dealt with. The relief will be instant and you’ll be glad that you did. It’s important to realise that you always have choices and learning how to properly manage stress will make you a happier person and really will improve your life.

If we are honest with ourselves, we can recognise the signs that stress is reaching an abnormal level, but of course it’s different for everyone. The situation can become more serious when the sufferer is in denial of the obvious, when stress levels can then reach intolerable levels before the sufferer has a serious, sometimes catastrophic health crisis.

Stress can cause serious illness and even if it doesn’t go on to do that; it can make you thoroughly miserable in the meantime. This article isn’t supposed to scare, but to make you aware and to inspire you to take preventative action before it’s too late.

In Part 2 of this article we’ll look at stress reduction and explore lots of simple ideas that you can apply, which are sure-fire stress busters that will help you clear the clutter and return the sparkle to your mind.

An estimated 23,000 people die each year in the United States from Alzheimer’s disease. It is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, making it the eighth leading cause of death among that age demographic. Alzheimer’s cannot currently be cured, but understanding the seven stages of the disease can help researchers, care-giving family members and those afflicted.

Alzheimer’s disease most often affects those over 65. It is extremely rare for the conditioner to occur earlier.

Alzheimer’s affects the cortical tissues of the brain, causing them to atrophy. On autopsy tangled webs of brain tissue filaments (neurofibrillary tangles) and patches of degenerative nerve endings, called senile plaques are found. It is believed that these abnormalities cause a disruption of the electrical impulses in the brain.

It is a devastating disease, robbing the individual of their memories and ability to recognize their loved ones or care even to complete simple tasks for themselves, but there are treatments available to help slow the course of Alzheimer’s disease and researchers are working hard to find a cure. Understanding the stages of the disease is the key to both.

There have been a number of attempts to describe the disease using a medical model but for caregivers and the rest of us it is easier to use the seven step functional stages to understand the changes brought on by the progression of the disease.

Stage 1 is described as a normally functioning adult without noticeable symptoms and no changes in memory.

Stage 2 is often mistaken as part of the normal aging process. The individual notices their declining memory issues and some functional loss as well. They may have trouble remembering the names of familiar people and places.

Stage 3 is defined as early Alzheimer’s disease. There is progressive difficulty with involved tasks in demanding situations and often growing anxiety and denial. Memory and recall difficulties become apparent, concentration becomes effected and there is generally a loss of productivity.

Stage 4 or mild Alzheimer’s, disease is characterized by a flattening of mood and continued denial of the disorder. Familiar faces, following directions to frequently visited places and orientation of persona and place are still intact, but assistance with complicated tasks becomes necessary.

Stage 5 Alzheimer’s disease is considered moderate and the person in this stage can no longer get along in daily life without the assistance of others. They can remember major information about them selves and others but recall of newer information is difficult. An individual at stage 5 needs assistance picking proper attire and making most decisions.

Stage 6 is considered moderately severe and people begin to forget large amounts of information about themselves and others including the names of their spouses and children. They will need help with all the activities of daily living and disturbed sleep patterns becomes problematic and delusional or obsessive behavior, acute anxiety and violent behavior can arise.

Stage 7 is the last stage of the disease, and in severe Alzheimer’s disease speech is reduced to only a few words and is mostly unintelligible. Individuals lose their ability to sit up or walk. They cannot smile and even lose their ability to hold up their heads. The brain seems unable to direct the movement of the body.

Alzheimer’s disease isn’t curable but there are treatments that can slow its progress and promising research that may one day lead to a cure. Understanding the stages of the disease and its progression can help those who are afflicted, their loved ones and researchers ensure the best treatment now and promote hope for the future.

Today Sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com are pleased to have as our guest, Jim Kaese, an elite amateur triathlete, entrepreneurial businessman, and endurance sport coach.

Author of The Athletic-Minded Traveler: Where to Work Out and Stay When Fitness Is a Priority, Jim visited America’s top 78 travel destinations to find the very best hotel/fitness-venue combinations.

Welcome Jim to Sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com.

Norm:

Could you tell us something about yourself Jim and what provoked you into writing about the very best hotel and fitness venue combinations?

Jim:

Through the years, I traveled quite a bit for work and pleasure. In addition to finding places to stay that matched my budget and amenity preferences, I always tried to identify hotels that offered good fitness options. However, time and time again, I would show up at the hotel and discover that the state of the art fitness center was a closet-sized room with old or broken equipment. Or, the lap pool was a short oval without lane lines. Or, the running routes consisted of a map provided by the concierge that directed guests to jog around the streets of the hotel 10 times. It boggled my mind how these hotels could make such blatant misrepresentations. So, I decided to write the first cross-country guide that objectively recommends the BEST places to stay for those who enjoy healthy living and staying fit.

Norm:

Do you believe that if couples are looking for an ideal romantic getaway they should also take into account the fitness facilities, and if so, why?

Jim:

I believe everyone should take into consideration the quality of the fitness facilities including couples on a romantic getaway. Exercise not only helps boost your immunity system, lower stress, and improve your sleeping habits; it also helps your sex life. Studies have shown that healthy people have better sex and tend to be happier. And, I believe it is important to emphasize that when I say exercise,I am not talking about an hour of hard-core running or lifting weights at the gym- 20 minutes of brisk walking can do the trick.

Norm:

If you had to name 5 ideal romantic getaway hospitality properties that combine a unique romantic ambience with great fitness facilities, which ones would you choose and why?

Jim:

San Francisco is one of my favorite romantic cities—the bridge, the fog, the rain, the restaurants, and the cultural offerings create a perfect stage for a wonderfully romantic trip. Any of the SFO hotels in my book would be great fitness/romance combinations, but the Hotel Rex is the best deal for the money. A small, intimate hotel property just steps from Union Square and China Town, Rex also provides guests with a discounted pass to a fantastic (but small) health club down the street, Club One.

If money is no object, The Miraval Spa and Resort in Tucson is a marvelous getaway for couples looking to stay fit and be pampered. All meals are included as well as any type of exercise option you can imagine—horseback riding, lap swimming, rock climbing, etc.

For those looking to add a little more party to their trip, Miami’s South Beach hotels are filled with romance. The Shore Club, Delano, Ritz and National are all in the book, bestowing lots of love and liveliness to their guests.

Colorado Springs’ Broadmoor Hotel is a breathtaking resort beset by serene lakes and mountain landscape. Broadmoor’s Fitness Center and Spa is well-equipped with modern machines and a regulation lap pool. And, the nearby trails create fantastic jogging and mountain biking opportunities.

New York City can never be left off the romance list. Several properties make exceptional romantic destinations, but Le Parker Meridien, across the street from Central Park, tops my list. It’s NYC, so expect small yet cozy hotel rooms. The Scandinavian flavor, tremendous views, and extensive on-site health club make it one of the best.

Norm:

Why should couples be concerned about fitness activities when they are away on a romantic getaway or on their honeymoon?

Jim:

Exercising for only 20-30 minutes each day will allow you to start the day healthy and help you make better choices throughout the rest of the day. Then, enjoying small indulgences like your favorite piece of pie or a few cocktails or sitting around by the pool for six hours will not seem like a big deal. Don’t forget about that improved sex too!

Norm:

How can we determine the quantity, quality, and brand of exercise equipment at recommended hotels if we never have been there?

Jim:

Buy The Athletic-Minded Traveler (laughs). In addition to providing a comprehensive written review covering everything you want to know (room appearance, room service, free breakfast buffets, sheet thread-count, etc.) about each property, we also specifically detail in chart form the quantity of exercise machines, their condition, the brands, weight/strength options, pool dimensions, running routes, etc. But, if you’re going to a city that’s not covered in the book, the best you can do is call up the concierge and ask him/her your specific questions. Sometimes it even helps to confirm with the maintenance workers.

Norm:

Very often when we vacation we seem to return home fully relaxed, however very much out of shape. How do we avoid this?

Jim:

Make exercise part of your daily routine, just like showering or brushing your teeth. When you think about it, 20 minutes is not that much time at all. Especially while on a vacation, when you don’t have to worry about going to work and all of the other hassles at home.

Norm:

There is always a temptation to overeat when we are on vacation. How can we fight off this temptation while at the same time still enjoy ourselves?

Jim:

Like I was saying before, exercise will allow you to not fret so much over what you’re eating and drinking. You may end up taking in more calories, but being active and exercising should help to burn those off fairly easily.

Norm:

Are there any food we should avoid when we are on vacation and if so, why?

Jim:

Vacation is supposed to be a break from all that troubles and worries you, right? When I go away, I like to eat the local food and experience the local customs without concerns about how many calories are in my dinner, etc. Knowing that I performed my daily workout reassures me that anything I take in will be worked off either that same day or the next. So, no, don’t worry about avoiding certain foods—just make sure to get in a daily sweat.

Norm:

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Jim:

Only that I’ve been really touched by the large number of people who have written us saying that they are so happy we wrote this book because they too were constantly frustrated by the travel industry’s ignorance about fitness preferences. Letters and emails have come from hard-core athletes as well as recreational exercisers who just like to put in 20 minutes on a good elliptical machine or bike. Our goal all along was simply to provide a reliable resource that would help people enjoy a healthy lifestyle while on the road. So far, it seems that we’ve succeeded.

Visit SOCAL PRESS.COM to view a sample chapter and find more information about The Athletic-Minded” Traveler, a first-of-its-kind travel resource for those who enjoy a healthy lifestyle and working out while on the road.

Copyright 2005 Wendy Owen

Relaxation techniques for stress management

There are three main types of relaxation techniques you can practice when you feel upset and stressed out. If you practice them regularly, they will become part of your lifestyle and you may find yourself habitually more relaxed as a result.

This article contains a breathing relaxation technique and an autogenic relaxation technique.

Part 2 will have a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) exercise to release negative thoughts and situations and a progressive muscle relaxation technique too.

Because of the mind/body connection, exercises to relax the body will also flow through to the mind.

A lot of the stress we feel is due to our resistance to certain feelings, or emotions. Try to relax and let the feeling flow through you. Sometimes just by doing this the feelings will tend to dissipate on their own.

So let’s begin. Find a quiet empty room for 15 to 20 minutes and take the phone off the hook.

Breathing Exercise.

Do this lying down if possible, arms by your side and legs uncrossed. Loosen any tight clothing. If you can’t lie down, sit and make yourself as comfortable as possible. This exercise will calm and energize you.

Take a couple of deep breaths, roll your eyes up and let them close. Concentrate on the effects of your breathing on your body. As you breathe in your stomach rises, as you breathe out your stomach falls.

Be aware of the life energy in your body, as you breathe in imagine this energy circulating throughout your body. As you breathe out, mentally say the word “peace” in your mind.

Thoughts will attempt to distract you. Rather than trying to force them out, acknowledge them then imagine them just floating out of the back door of your mind. Go back to concentrating on your breathing.

Continue until you feel relaxed. Then gently arouse yourself keeping the feeling of relaxation with you.

Autogenic Relaxation Exercise

You can do this one sitting or lying down. Loosen any tight clothing and make yourself comfortable.

Take a deep breath, hold for the count of three and exhale slowly. Repeat a couple of times. Let your eyes close.

Imagine lying on a deserted beach, you can hear the gentle waves breaking on the sand. In the distance there is the sounds of seagulls.

The sun is shining on your left arm making it warm and heavy. Concentrate on how warm and heavy your left arm is feeling.

Now the sun is moving over to your right arm and making that warm and heavy too.

Go through the same procedure with your left and right leg, your head and neck and your stomach.

Finally focus on your whole body. Feel how warm and heavy your body is. Let your body sink down into the bed or chair.

Stay in this relaxed state for a few moments before gently arousing yourself. Take the calm relaxed feeling with you for the rest of your day.

PS. If you have trouble sleeping, these relaxation techniques will definitely help!

We wear contact lenses mainly because we are vain.

But, they come in handy for any kind of sports, people even wear them while swimming although you have to watch they don’t float out.

The Inventor of the contact lens concept was Leonardo da Vinci in 1508,who sketched and described several forms of contact lenses.

Hard contact lenses

Hard contact lenses are manufactured from a rigid material, PolyMethylMethacrylate (PMMA). This substance is also combined with other plastics to increase the oxygen permeability. Visual acuity is perfect.

In 1632 Rene Descartes of France suggests the first hard contact lens, which idea was actually developed in 1801 by Thomas Young; resulting in a quarter-inch-long, water-filled glass tube, the outer end having a microscopic lens,and he is the first user.

In 1887 a German Glassblower, F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden,fabricates the first piece of glass acting as a contact lens which could be seen through seen through and tolerated.

Soft daily wear lenses have the main advantage that they allow the eyes to be oxygenated through the lens.

They’re also easy to adapt to and difficult to lose. You can get them in all kinds of colours. Fantastic for wearing in sport activities.

Not a panacea for all vision problems and they have to be thoroughly cleaned. Maximum lifespan 1 year.

In 1936 William Feinbloom, a New York optometrist, manufactures the first American- made plastic contact lenses. These were still hard lenses.

The first soft, water-absorbing plastic lenses were developed in 1960 by Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lim .

Disposable lenses

1.Extended-wear disposable

Soft lenses that you are able to wear for an extended period of time, up to six nights, and then you can throw them away. They hardly require any cleaning and have virtually no chance of causing eye infection if user instructions are followed…

You can get them tinted and as bifocals. Your Vision may not be as sharp as with other lenses and they do not correct all vision problems. More difficult to handle.

2. Planned soft daily replacement lenses

Soft daily wear lenses that you replace on a planned schedule, either every two weeks, monthly or quarterly. Require thorough cleaning and disinfection. all vision problems. Not easy to handle.

Colored lenses

There are 4 types of colored contact lenses:

visible tints, tints to enhance, color opaque tints and tints that filter light Most of these colored contact lenses are available in plano form (without visual correction), as well as for astigmatism, who need bifocal correction, or who want a disposable or frequent replacement lens.

Astigmatic lenses (toric) were first introduced in 1978 and approved for distribution in the United States.

These lenses contain both a spherical and cylinder component to correct prescriptions which have astigmatism. Lenses may be thicker in one meridian or have modified thickness profiles to enable the lens to maintain the correct orientation on the eye.

Bifocal contacts became available in 1982 for commercial distribution.

There are a variety of designs in bifocals, essentially all trying to provide a transition or reading zone for use at near distances. The different designs include; + aspheric multifocal – + simultaneous vision concentric – has either a central near or distance zone with surrounding zone of opposite type to centre (eg, centre near,distance surround) + diffraction/holographic – based on diffraction grating principles.

Eye exercises There seems to be a natural alternative to eyeglasses, contacts, intacs, and even Lasik surgery, which is a series of eye muscle exercises over a period of 30 days that supposedly corrects your vision to quite an extent.

The validity of this method of vision correction has not been fully proven.

With all the talks of obesity and America’s race for thin bodies, cholesterol has suffered a beating. It is even one of the main figures in the development of hypertension, that contribute much to coronary heart disease. Often seen as the culprit in “fattening” America, cholesterol has become a food taboo, something that must be avoided at all costs.

What people do not know though is that there are two kinds of cholesterol and one kind is actually beneficial to the body. In fact, it is one of the essential substances that our bodies need to maintain balance.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a substance that can be found in fats or in lipids. Lipids are important because it is used to form cell membrane, used to balance hormones and help in other bodily functions. Too much cholesterol though tends to clog the bloodstream, eventually leading to heart disease. And because cholesterol cannot easily dissolved, only transported, the risk of build-up is great. As mentioned earlier, there two kinds of cholesterol, the LDL and the HDL cholesterol.

The bad cholesterol

The LDL cholesterol is frequently referred to as the “bad cholesterol” because too much of these can accumulate in the walls of the arteries and clog the blood stream that leads to the heart and the brain. This build up, called atherosclerosis, which can eventually lead to a heart attack or a stroke (brain attack) depending on where the arteries are leading to.

High LDL increases the risk for heart disease so it important that it is kept at normal range, which is below 100 mg/dL.

The good cholesterol

The HDL cholesterol on the other hand is referred to as the good cholesterol as high levels seem to protect a person from heart disease and hear attacks. According to some experts, instead of staying at the arteries like the LDL, HDL leaves the arteries and instead goes to the liver. In contrast with LDL levels, a low HDL increases the risk for heart attack. Levels of HDL should not be below 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women. Regular exercise has been found to increase the levels of HDL.

Cholesterol in food

Foods that come from animals contain cholesterol levels. Just how much depends on the kind of animal food. vegetables however do not contain any cholesterol.

In addition to the cholesterol that we get from food, the body is also capable of producing its own cholesterol. This creates a problem in overproduction since we also take in cholesterol through the foods that we eat. Average individuals or those who do not have any heart problems should only take in about 300 milligrams. For people who are already at risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack, physicians recommend the reduction in the intake of cholesterol. They should only take in less than 200 milligrams. Everyone is also advised to keep their consumption of saturated fats to a minimum, as these can significantly help in lowering the risk for heart disease.

People, who have severe high blood pressure, are however advised to take in no more than six ounces of lean meat and fish daily. They should also choose the products thatv they buy and ensure that they are fat free or low-fat.

Alcohol abuse effects can be far-reaching and devastating. The effects of alcohol abuse not only have consequences for the drinker but those around her or him as well. Alcohol abuse effects can be both psychological and physical. Alcohol consumption causes changes in behavior. The physical effects of alcohol abuse can be experienced with as little as one or two drinks. Impaired judgment and coordination needed to operate a car safely may result in the drinker having an accident.

Alcoholism is an illness where alcoholic beverage consumption is at a level that interferes with physical or mental health, and negatively impacts social, family or occupational responsibilities. Alcohol abusers are drinkers that may drink excessively at various times with resulting immediate alcohol abuse effects at the time of excess alcohol consumption.

The immediate physical effects of alcohol abuse can be experienced as soon as ten minutes after drinking begins. With continued alcohol consumption on that occasion, the immediate effects of alcohol abuse worsen and become more serious.

Here are five of the immediate physical alcohol abuse effects:

1. Inhibitions Become Reduced – at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05, changes in a person’s behavior begins to be noticable. Alcohol abuse effects and reduced inhibitions can put a person at higher risk for actions they would otherwise not participate in, such as sexual activity, continued drinking or illegal drug use.

2. Loss of Muscle Control – at the level of 0.10, slurred speech will likely be evident. Impaired judgement and poor coordination are physical effects of alcohol abuse that can lead to falls and accidents.

3. Memory Loss and/or Blackouts – since alcohol depresses the brain’s control mechanisms, as blood alcohol levels increase, periods of time and certain situations and events may not be remembered afterward.

4. Stupor – at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.40, a person can hardly function, acting seriously dazed and confused.

5. Coma – at a blood alcohol level of 0.50, a person is at risk for coma, which can be life-threatening. And at this level or higher, respiratory paralysis and death become very much a possibility.

Other alcohol abuse effects that are short-term include nausea, hangovers, headaches and fatigue. The longer a person abuses alcohol over time, the higher the chances of other alcohol abuse effects being experienced and alcohol dependency developing. The most severe form of alcoholism is ‘alcohol dependency’. Physical alcohol dependence is characterized by withdrawal symptoms when alcohol consumption is interrupted, by tolerance to the effects of alcohol abuse and by the presence of alcohol-related illnesses.

Malnutrition can develop from a reduced appetite plus inadequate absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract and from consuming ‘empty’ calories in alcohol. Calories from alcohol are called ‘empty’ calories since alcohol contains no beneficial nutrients, vitamins or minerals.

And with continued alcohol consumption and abuse over years, many of the body organs will be affected. Alcohol is especially harmful to the liver since the liver does most of the work of breaking down alcohol. Alcohol destroys liver cells, and it destroys the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This condition leads to progressive imflammatory injury to the liver and eventually can result in cirrhosis of the liver.

Additional long term alcohol abuse effects include damage to the brain, high blood pressure, heart muscle damage, nerve damage, pancreatitis, bleeding in the esophagus, erectile dysfunction in men, fetal alcohol syndrome in the offspring of alcoholic women, insomnia, depression and increased cancer risks.

If you or someone you know may have problems with alcohol and you’d like to learn more about alcoholism and perhaps seek help, there are proven resources available. It is never too late to begin recovery from alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse effects.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

The Reebok Elliptical 525 is one of the best elliptical trainers for home use. You may be asking yourself what sets for 525 apart from other elliptical trainers? Well to put it simply the Reebok 525 elliptical trainer has an innovative design and tons of club quality features.

This elliptical trainer which is produced by Reebok has a price estimate of around $699. Compared to similar price machines like that clips 4000 elliptical trainer the Reebok 525 trainer is in the league of its own.

Reebok also stands behind its warranty which on this product is 90 days.

One of the main benefits is this elliptical trainers produced by a trusted company in Reebok. Some special features include IFit technology, patented elliptical motion and a magnificent power incline.

The IFit technology allows you to download custom workouts in dozens of other interactive programs on both CD or VHS.

The power incline feature allows you to adjust workout intensity from 10 to 30 percent and allows you to closely monitor your workout at almost club quality.

If buying a new Reebok elliptical 525 trainer is out of your price range of good option is getting it on the eBay. EBay allows you to find a perfectly good elliptical trainer and often you’re paying less than half the price.

One thing to consider if you are not purchasing locally buying off the Internet can have hefty shipping prices for something that way so much.

I must admit that I don’t usually write articles with such a chilling headline, so I feel that I should give a little background on a relatively innocent experience which prompted me to write this piece.

I would also say quite candidly that there is nothing really new in the main context of it, in fact most probably, everyone is concious of these facts in some way or another.

What I really do wonder though, is just exactly how many of us are actually making any real attempt to seriously look after ourselves, healthwise that is!

I live in Central Scotland in the UK, and according to statistics, we have one of the highest mortality rates from such things as coronary heart disease, strokes, obesity, etc, etc, and I often wonder why this should be the case!

Of course many things are contributory factors to this, and I am no medical expert, but there is one very important factor involved which I have studied extensively, and that is diet!

In Scotland we are renowned for our love of deep-fried foods such as fish and chips, pies, takeaway meals, our alcohol consumption, and so on. Every region of the Western world has its favourite “goodies” I suspect, so I am sure that you get the picture.

I must hand it to our Health Authorities however, because for some considerable time now there has been an extensive and on-going campaign of Health Education, including some excellent TV and Radio ads, outdoor billboards, and similar such things.

It was one of the latter that really caught my eye recently, so much so, that I can’t quite get the image out of my mind. It is a large billboard, which contains a graphic picture of a human heart with two giant grey hands sueezing the life out of it. Very very effective,(at least I thought so),my congratulations go to the person who devised it!

This was the spur that prompted this article, and as I said at the beginning, there is nothing really new in it, but I think it bears repeating nonetheless. Life is a precious gift, and although we are not immortal, there are many many things that we can do to prolong it, and preserve our health.

As far as diet is concerned therefore, here are some of the important ones again:-

Cut down on the fat,and cut down on the carbs.

You’ve heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut thefat! Cut the carbs! Cut the calories! Eat a balanced diet! But how can you cut though all of the confusion, and eat a diet that is balanced and healthy. Not always easy is it! Here is some advice from nutritional science,which might help.

Cut down on the junk fats.

Most people do not need an ultra low fat diet, but most of us could improve our diet by cutting out the junk fats. These are processed fats, hydrogenated fats, polyunsaturated oils that have been heated, and fats that are combined with junk carbohydrates. Processed fats are those fats most likely to put on flab and clog your arteries. We do all know this don’t we!

Cut down on the junk carbohydrates

The majority of people do not need an ultra low carb diet, but unfortunately, many people who do go on a low fat diet continue to eat highly processed foods. They switch from processed high-fat foods to processed low-fat foods, and then when the food manufacturers create low fat foods, they tend to replace the fat with junk carbs.

These can actually pile on the pounds, because basically junk carbs are low-fiber carbs, like sugar, fructose (and all the other *oses), flour, cornstarch, fruit juice, and such. Yes, fruit juice is a junk carb too you know! After all, how much fiber is there in fruit juice. Virtually none, simply because it’s yet another junk carb. You would be better to eat the whole fruit instead, with its fiber intact.

Cut down on the junk calories.

Most people do not need an ultra low calorie diet, but just think what your diet could be like if you dropped the processed fats and the low-fiber carbs. You would then be eating mainly natural proteins, with lots of vegetables plus whole fruits, and the odds would be that you would be eating far fewer calories as well. That’s the kind of calorie cutting most of us should be doing!

Make every attempt to eat a balanced natural foods diet.

By natural foods, we mean those kinds of foods that would have been eaten by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. They would have had lots of whole vegetable foods giving them vitamins and fiber for instance, and also moderate to small portions of meats, fish, seafood, and other animal and protein foods. These they would have grilled, stewed or baked, not deep fried! They would also have eaten small portions of fresh whole fruit in season, which is the diet on which the human race evolved!

So the next time you’re about to order a meal with fries and a sugary soda, stop and think about how it could be improved. Replace the fries with a salad for example, and the soda with a mineral water say. It would probably surprise you, how much significant progress you have already made towards a healthier balanced meal.

Just simple sensible changes can work wonders!

When you are at home, look for recipes that use whole fresh foods, with a minimum of processing. Try and make sure that your meals include natural unprocessed foods, with lots of healthy vegetables, both cooked, and raw when in salads. Avoid processed fats and processed low-fiber foods.

Here is a little simple menu that I often use and enjoy.

Grilled fish with steamed green beans and peppers. Large mixed salad, dressed with small amounts of olive oil and,vinegar or lemon juice. Then a fresh fruit platter to finish off! A healthy balanced diet can actually be that simple you know!

Life is there to be enjoyed, but moderation in all things is the watchword in my opinion. I do hope this article has given you some food for thought however!