How to meditate

If you are feeling stressed, this simple meditation method can help you to quickly relax your mind and de-stress. Sit or lie quietly, close your eyes and relax. Breath gently but naturally. Concentrate on the point of balance in your body, your centre of gravity. Locate this point in your abdomen - this is your tan tien. Keep quite still and be aware of all the forces of gravity that are held in balance. Become like a rock, immovable and strong. Picture this rock and imagine that it contains the source of all your strength, your physical, mental and spiritual. Meditate on the inner expreience of strength which you contain and which is now symbolised by this rock. Meditate on inner strength. The image of the rock is one which you can call on at any time when you need to remind yourself of your strength, or when you need support. In the stillness of meditation you can find your inner strength.

10 ways sugar harms your health

Lynn Prowitt-Smith from eDiets reminds us of the evils of sugar. 1. Sugar causes blood glucose to spike and plummet. Unstable blood sugar often leads to mood swings, fatigue, headaches and cravings for more sugar. 2. Sugar increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Large-scale studies have shown that the more high-glycaemic index foods a person consumes (those that quickly affect blood sugar), including foods containing sugar, the higher their risk for becoming obese and for developing diabetes and heart disease and cancer. 3. Sugar interferes with immune function. Animal studies have shown that sugar suppresses immune response. 4. A high-sugar diet often results in chromium deficiency. If you consume a lot of sugar and other refined carbohydrates, you probably don't get enough of the trace mineral chromium, and one of chromium's main functions is to help regulate blood sugar. Chromium is found in a variety of animal foods, seafood and plant foods. Refining starches and other carbohydrates rob these foods of their chromium supplies so think wholegrain! 5. Sugar accelerates ageing. It even contributes to that telltale sign of ageing: sagging skin. Probably another reason ever-young celebrities like Yasmin LeBon steer clear of the sweet stuff. Some of the sugar you consume, after hitting your bloodstream, ends up attaching itself to proteins, in a process called glycation. These new molecular structures contribute to the loss of elasticity found in aging body tissues, from your skin to your organs and arteries. The more sugar circulating in your blood, the faster this damage takes hold. 6. Sugar causes tooth decay. With all the other life-threatening effects of sugar, we sometimes forget the most basic damage it does. When it sits on your teeth, it creates decay more efficiently than any other food substance, and all the money in the world can't reverse this process. 7. Sugar can cause gum disease, which can lead to heart disease. Increasing evidence shows that chronic infections, such as those that result from periodontal problems, play a role in the development of coronary artery disease. 8. Sugar affects behaviour and cognition in children. It is believed that one trigger of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be consumption of sugar. All high Gi foods cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, which causes a temporary surge of energy and at the same time, hyperactivity. Soon after this energy surge comes a dip in energy, with the end result being hypoglycaemia. This will inevitably lead to irritability, poor sleeping habits and lack of concentration. 9. Sugar increases stress. When we're under stress, our stress hormone levels rise. These chemicals are the body's fight-or-flight emergency crew, sent out to prepare the body for an attack or an escape. These chemicals are also called into action when blood sugar is low. 10. Sugar takes the place of important nutrients. According to nutrition scientists, research has shown that people who consume the most sugar have the lowest intakes of essential nutrients –– especially vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Ironically, those who consume the most sugar are children and teenagers, the individuals who need these nutrients most. Slashing Sugar Now that you know the negative impacts refined sugar can have on your body and mind, you'll want to be more careful about the foods you choose. And the first step is getting educated about where sugar lurks. Believe it or not, a food needn't even taste all that sweet for it to be loaded with sugar. When it comes to convenience and packaged foods, let the ingredients label be your guide, and be aware that just because something boasts that it is low in carbs or a 'diet' food, doesn't mean it's free of sugar.

Gaining weight after first birth can cause problems in next delivery

This morning on the Radio 4 Today program it was said that recent research carried out in Scandinavia suggests that women that gain weight after their first child is born are more likely to experience complications during their next delivery. The researchers admitted that they had not been able to conclude why this is the case, but empirical evidence showed that the groups of women that had put on weight had experience more problems than those who had not. They even suggested that putting on as little as 3kg (about 7 pounds)could increase the chance of problems / complications. Hopefully some more complete research will appear soon. An article on the BBC website also covers this topic, and discuses the confusion many people have during pregnancy due to the conflicting advice regarding what can be eaten, what must not be eaten etc. Some things that are best avoided during pregnacy are: blue cheese soft cheese shellfish caffeine bagged salad bought coleslaw cigarettes alcohol flax seed pate liver raw eggs marlin shark hot baths saunas So, if you are planning to get pregant, or are already pregnant, the best suggestion is to get some advice from a reputable source and stick to it. Good luck !

Obesity is all in the brain

Recent research published in New Scientist has revealed that the brains of overweight people have more receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin than those of people of normal weight, suggesting that being overweight may be down to more than just eating habits and may have an origin in brain chemistry. And genetics determines whether or not a person is likely to have more of these receptors that average. Ofcourse, this still does not change the fact that willpower can allow and individual to overcome the urge to eat more, and a good healthy diet and exercise will help keep weight under control.

Get fit now, pay later.... a warning for those thinking about using seroids

An article on the Guardian online website talks about how more men are tempted to start using steroids in an attempt to get "fit" quick, and many of which are not aware of the serious helth implications this can have. Media pressure for years has made women feel the need to lose weight and stay in shape to be socially accepted, but recent surveys show that more men are under pressure to attain athletic physiques. Many men turn to steroids to quickly build muscles without realising that the steroids can lead to health problems such as liver problems, acne, decrease in sperm production and testes size, a stunting in the growth, and the development of breasts. So if you want to build that muscle, be patient, a lower sperm count and breasts will not improve your self esteem !

Weight lifters beware - breathe for the sake of your eyes

Research on weight lifters have shown than increased pressure on the eyes during lifting can increase the chance of developing normal-tension glaucoma. Subjects that breathed out while lifting reduced the pressure exerted on the eyes, but those that held their breath whilst lifting increased the pressure on the eyes quite significantly. "Geraldo Magela Vieira, who led the study (at the Institute of Specialised Ophthalmology in Brazil), said the problem might arise when air is forced against the closed windpipe and pressure increases in the chest. Breathing continuously throughout training would minimise the effect." See link for full article...

Weight training for the martial artist

If you are a martial artist, espeically if you are practicing styles such as a kick boxer, judo, tae kwon do or karate for example, and are thinking about weight training to enhance your technique, then you need to look into compound weight training exercises, rather than isolation exercises. So for the martial artist, ideal exercises are: Squats Deadlifts Clean Clean and Press Dips Pull ups The stabilizing muscles come into play in these exercises, producing greater core strength than can be achieved in isolation exercises, such as concentration curls, tricep extensions, leg presses. It is still beneficial to include the following exercises: Bench press Shoulder/military press Barbell curl Bent over row