Mindfulness Meditation will improve your brain function and memory

There was a time when meditation or no meditation was a serious question for me. I come from a Protestant background where in my view (which is admittedly biased) prayer was a practice of reciting important-sounding words. I struggled for years with the concept of prayer.

It did not make sense to me that in church other people should pray on my behalf, but then I thought that was just me being the rebel again, and I kept quiet about it.Outside of church I read books about prayer, and the prayers of other people. Still, there was this feeling inside of me that it is not quite right. Eventually I gave up on figuring out what prayer is about and just got on with life.Of course I had conversations with God in my head, but none of the books that I read described these conversations as prayer. The conversations were also quite one-sided, because I told God what he/she needed to know about my life. Listening to God did not even cross my mind, because at the time I tho ught "If I cannot see God, then I also cannot hear God". I intuitively knew that there must be something or someone out there, but the thought that this someone or something was able to actually speak to me was too far-fetched for me to accept.

You will agree with me that having a one-sided conversation is quite lonely, especially when you want reassurance in times of need and encouragement in challenging times. All the time I felt a need to confirm that there is someone on the "other side" that was hearing me.I kept searching and was introduced to meditation. I tried it initially because it was not recommended in my culture - the church was there to take care of my religious needs and that should have been enough. However, sometimes the way to get me to do something is to put obstacles in my way - especially if the obstacles are based on fear and misconceptions that I can expose.I found meditation to be quite an interesting experience.

It definitely h elped me to relax. I always felt calmer and more secure after meditating.I was surprised when I discovered that meditation does not mean losing your consciousness. I had this perception that when you meditate you actually leave your body, only to discover that during mindfulness meditation I am still fully in charge of the process. I could compare it to driving a familiar route every day. I know exactly where to slow down, where to turn, how long it will take me to get to my destination, and I simply drive.If you show me detail pictures of buildings or other landmarks along the route, I might not be able to recognise them, even if I have travelled the same route every day for a year. The reason for this would be that I in fact go into a meditative state while driving when the route becomes familiar, and my mind gets occupied with other things like planning my day or having a conversation with a passenger.
The same happens during meditation. This is because meditation is an inner journey. I still remain in charge of the route, and I can return to "reality" any time I want to.I initially found that guided meditations work much easier for me. Meditation requires a still mind, but at the same time meditation stills the mind. Getting the balance right is not so simple when your life is in turmoil or when finding a quiet place to meditate in a busy household is a challenge.Saying to yourself that you must clear your mind of all thoughts so that a meditation can be successful is like saying to yourself that now is not a good time to think of a yellow elephant. Guess what picture just popped into your mind? Yes - the same happens when you focus on having no thoughts in your mind. Suddenly all the thoughts tumble into your mind.This is where guided meditations made a huge difference to me. Rather than focusing on clearing my mind, I was able to focus on the guided meditation. As a result I experienced the benefits of meditation much sooner.Before I got to understand that I create my own reality and my own future, I experienced fear, anxiety and even depression.

These also disappeared with meditation.Probably the biggest surprise for me was to discover that while in a meditative state I have access to images, thoughts and information that made a massive positive difference to my life. Initially I thought that these images, thoughts and bits of information are just my imagination, and I was surprised at how active my imagination was.But then I discovered that what I received during meditation somehow had a either a direct or a subtle link to what I experienced when I was not meditating. I tried to ask questions while I was "awake", and found that I received very interesting answers while I was meditating.Eventually I realised that meditation is probably a form of prayer - but meditation is about listening rather than about talking.I am sti ll working on this, but I think that prayer is a way of asking, whereas meditation is a way of getting answers.

This definition works for me, because I get many answers during meditation - and it works even better when I first ask the questions and then do my meditation.Not all the answers come during meditation. I have discovered that there are more coincidences and more synchronicity in my "waking" life, and often things just happen around me that make me feel "yes - there is another answer".The fears, anxieties and depressive feelings have disappeared, and instead I am much more at peace with myself, especially during uncertain times. And I believe that I have found a way of listening to God. It is quite comforting to know that my communication with God is no longer one-sided.I have decided to use my experiences and provide guided meditations to other people who may want to try meditation but are not sure how to do it. I still benefit even from recording the g uided meditations. Every time I do a meditation, I feel more in control of my life and my thoughts.An link to an example of a guided meditation, as well as guidelines on how to practise meditation, is available on my purple blog.I wish you a lovely journey, and trust that you will benefit from meditation as much as I do.You can learn how to meditate quickly and easily, visit our website and get the information you need to get started today. Advanced meditation is brought to you by Steven Sashen, an experienced meditation expert. http://www.advancedmeditation.com

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The trouble with meditation

The trouble with meditation!

The trouble with the word meditation' is that today it is a catch all for a diverse range of mental and physical activities to achieve on the one hand calmness and relaxation or altered states of consciousness and on the other hand to attain spiritual awareness. How one chooses what kind of meditation to do from the myriad of choices is a problem.

For followers of a specific belief system, the type of meditation to be used may already be defined by their code of practise. But for the rest of us, there needs to be serious consideration of what type of meditation to follow. It may be helpful to look at various systems and what they do before embarking on any particular one.

Physical meditations can include walking meditation, tai chi, qigong and yoga. These are generally carried out in a slow, measured way so that each aspect of the activity can be fully experienced gradually to the point of awareness at a cellular level. These practises take concentration, focus and physical effort to attain such awareness. The mind and body are honed to focus on the physical activity to block out any other thought, sensation or movement other than the action in progress.

Contemplation on a fixed inanimate object such as a candle flame, a flower or a crystal also requires a level of concentration and focus. This method certainly quietens down the activity of the mind and body, but it is easy to feel distracted and disappointed in one's ability to stay focussed. Again it takes regular practise to attain a state of unity with the object, and it can be disheartening and may begin to feel pointless.

Concentration on a particular theme is another form of mental activity that can be used to experience a particular type of energy. For example, you can contemplate and focus on a quality embodied in a sage or saint such as compassion, truth, love, peace, by envisioning the quality in the human form. Or you can use an energy such as light, contemplating on a sunset. This type of inner work is done with the specific intention of bringing a certain energetic quality to help one resolve a personal difficulty.

Creative visualisation is very popular and often described as meditation. These are readily available on CDs in many styles. For the most part, the listener is taken on an imaginary journey as a means of relaxing mind and body, which of course can be very enjoyable and escapist. Some creative visualisations are a journey to help the listener communicate with higher energies, or to seek the answer to a problem. If the creative visualisation is used for relaxation, then the CD can be used over and over, but if it is used for the latter, it can become limiting very quickly, as one's imagination tends to repeat itself given the same CD. Creative visualisation work relies on someone else's ideas to influence and stimulate your imagination. There is no right or wrong way being judged here, just that it is important to question the purpose and value of the visualisation before using it, and to recognise what is taking place.

Meditation using sounds, as in chanting and mantras, spans the centuries and are used by many different cultures. The most frequently used mantras, like Om mani padme hum', come from the Vedic tradition and are written in Sanskrit. Repeating the words of a mantra is one very helpful way of developing meditation practise, as it can be carried out in any situation without any props' and a state of inner quietness can be achieved quite easily. Some mantras have no meaning, so the mind cannot get distracted by thoughts about the words. The sound of the mantra creates an inner vibration which is said to clear the body of negativity and is used in self healing. Thomas Ashley-Farrand's book Healing Mantras' is an excellent reference for anyone interested in this form of meditation. There are thousands of different mantras to be intoned for different spiritual purposes. Some are used for sending love and healing energy to others, and to the planet. For example, the Buddhist medita tion called Metta (Loving Kindness) meditation is derived from the Vedas, and is a form of meditation frequently used for oneself and others.

Meditation on the breath is a technique found mostly in the many traditions of Yoga and Buddhism. There are various methods used in breathing meditations and interpretations to go with them. For example, breathing in through one nostril and out through the other, alternating mouth breathing with nose breathing, or holding the breath and counting. It is quite surprising the number of variations there are, and so it can be confusing for a beginner to understand the purpose of the techniques.

I have worked with many styles of meditation and do use various techniques for different purposes. But I always start the day with the simplest meditation of all which is sitting in silence, noticing my breathing pattern that takes me to stillness within. The benefit of this meditation technique is there is no effort, or concentration required, just simply conscious awareness.

This overview of meditation techniques, with no doubt many omissions, has been given to stimulate your curiosity to find out more about meditation and which style will best suit you. Now you may need to know where and how to learn to meditate.

Until fairly recently, there were only exclusive groups teaching meditation; these were brought to the West by Masters who charged large sums for the privilege of sharing their system, or by individuals attached to religious organisations. These are still available, but in truth there is nothing exclusive about meditation. It is as ancient as mankind! If you look in your local paper or locals complementary therapy magazine you will find a meditation group you can join. Before you go along check out the style of meditation being taught and avoid religious based methods (unless that is definitely your path).Meditation in a group setting can be really beneficial. The energetic rapport of the group increases over and above the sum of the individuals taking part. It is also an opportunity to ask questions about your own meditation experience. The downside is the possible element of competition among members, and the tendency for the group to use each meeting to try different st yles.

When you first learn to meditate it is better to stick to one basic style for at least a month before trying other techniques. Of course, the mind loves to be entertained by different ideas and experiences, but in order to achieve inner calm, you have to let your mind and thoughts settle, and one basic style is the best way to achieve this.

You may prefer to learn meditation on an individual basis with a teacher. This is also a good way of learning because you are able to validate your experiences with someone else to reassure you that you are doing okay. In the beginning all sorts of doubts can arise and it is so helpful to get these checked out with an experienced meditator. As with the group, find out beforehand what method is being taught, what time is involved and the cost before you commit to it.

There are thousands of books, CDs, and websites selling meditation techniques. Some of my clients have bookshelves full of instructions on how to meditate in this style and that. Unless you are really committed or have had some previous experience of meditating it can be really difficult to learn from a book especially when the technique seems complicated. It's a bit like learning to ballroom dance from reading a series of foot positions in a book. You have to keep stopping to see what the next steps are! Using a CD is a better way to learn to meditate as long as you don't come to depend on it .The aim is to be able to meditate without any aids. Avoid CDs with music as this can lull the listener into a dream like state. Choose a CD that avoids explanations and be sure you like the voice of the teacher or you'll soon give up. Even if your choice is to go to a group or a teacher, you will be meditating at home on your own in between meetings. So whatever way you choose to le arn, developing a meditation routine at home is the key to success in order to establish meditation as part of your daily life. In my experience it is most beneficial to meditate for twenty minutes early morning and early evening. But if your schedule will only allow ten to fifteen minutes a day, choose the morning; for two reasons. Firstly, the morning meditation, when you are fresh and alert, sets you up for the day and secondly there is always a tendency to make excuses to miss the early evening session! Choose a place in your home where you can meditate everyday. Make this little area feel pleasant, perhaps some flowers, a candle or an oil burner. Use an upright chair so that when you sit down your back is straight and your head and neck are unsupported. If you prefer, sit crossed legged on a cushion (but only if you feel comfortable like this). Have a little clock in view so you can check how long you have been meditating. Then begin your daily meditation and enjoy it! What could be simpler than this? The hardest thing about meditation is making the commitment and turning up to do it.

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10 Top Meditation Benefits: How Does Meditation Help the Human Body?

Meditation benefits are numerous, but what are the ones that really help us feel great mentally, emotionally and physically? These ten benefits of meditation top the list for mental, emotional and physical well-being.

TOP BENEFIT #1: STRESS RELIEF BY LOWERING "STRESS" CHEMICAL
One of the best meditation benefits is reducing the well-known stress hormone Cortisol. In fact, Cortisol does significant damage to our bodies. With today's fast-paced society, it is common for many people to have too much cortisol surging through their bodies. High levels of cortisol have been found to increase heart attacks, increase undesirable cholesterol, lower bone density, increase blood pressure, cause hyperglycemia, suppress healthy thyroid and lower immunity all around. Regular meditation significantly lowers cortisol levels and thus reduces the risk for these diseases.

TOP BENEFIT #2: ELIMINATES ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Regul ar meditation increases levels of the neurotransmitters SEROTONIN and GABA which are mood stabilizers. Lowered levels of GABA have been associated with increased anxiety, tension and insomnia. Lowered levels of Serotonin are associated with depression. Increasing serotonin levels is one of the most significant meditation benefits in my opinion since so many people today use anti-depressants to influence Serotonin levels.

TOP BENEFIT #3: IMPROVED AND LASTING SENSE OF WELL-BEING
One way to get a "natural high" is to increase the endorphins in the body. Many people have experienced this "high" from exercise. Meditation also increases endorphin levels in the body.

TOP BENEFIT #4: QUIETS MIND CHATTER
When the brain enters a meditative state, one of the benefits of meditation is that the brain has actually "shifted gears" from a "busy mind of Beta frequency" down to a relaxed, calm state of Alpha, Theta or for deep meditation, Delta. Our bodies automatically respond to each brainwave frequency (of Beta, Alpha, Theta or Delta) and become nervous or anxious (in Beta) or calm and relaxed (in Alpha.) Easy meditation techniques such as brainwave meditation automatically put the brain into different states, thus directing the body to respond accordingly and produce appropriate chemicals.
TOP BENEFIT #5: INCREASED EMOTIONAL MATURITY
Regular mediation not only quiets the mind and body, but also gives rise to increased self-awareness. This gives many people the opportunity to see themselves more objectively and to effectively make change.

TOP BENEFIT #6: SPIRITUAL INSIGHT
Another one of the emotional meditation benefits is that regular meditation puts many people in touch with a "higher power." This increases intuition, creativity, purpose, and can change the perspective from viewing something as a "problem" to instead viewing it as an opportunity for spiritual and emotional growth. These higher emotional states are a natural progression because the mind and body are kept more balanced through the other physical and mental meditation benefits discussed herein.

TOP BENEFIT #7: FEEL MORE EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED TO SELF AND OTHERS
Can meditation actually improve relationship s? Yes, because when the mind and body's chemicals are working well through regular meditation, many people find the composure, patience and inner peace to handle their relationships and other facets of their lives better. A better connection with self is established and with this connection, there is an open doorway for better emotional connections with others.

TOP BENEFIT #8: ANTI-AGING BY BOOSTING "YOUTHFUL" CHEMICALS
Can one of the meditation benefits be that meditation actually keeps us young? Yes, because meditation has been found to improve chemicals such as DHEA, human growth hormone and melatonin, all of which help our bodies fight aging.

TOP BENEFIT #9: INCREASED IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTIONING
When discussing meditation benefits, it becomes apparent that meditation has significant impact on how well the immune system functions as we have already seen by the decrease of cortisol and the increase of "health y" chemicals such as DHEA, human growth hormone and melatonin. But another way the immune system regenerates itself is when we sleep and people who meditate sleep better. Deeper sleep increases renewal, rejuvenation and increased immune system functioning.

TOP BENEFIT #10: SLEEP REPLACEMENT
One of the truly best meditation benefits if you use an appropriately engineered brainwave meditation mp3, is that your brain can be put into a brain frequency that actually replaces sleep. For example, 2-3 hours of sleep can be replaced when your brain is put into a certain "meditation frequency" for 30 minutes.

SUMMARY
When starting out, many people want easy meditation techniques. Some types of meditation that are good for beginners are brainwave meditations, breathing meditations or hypnotic meditations. Using a meditation audio that puts you into the meditative state is a very easy way to obtain some of the meditation benefits discussed in this article.

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Meditation for Pain Relief: How to Meditate Your Pain Away

Mindful meditation for pain relief has been proven to decrease the mind's response to pain by 40-57% according to a discovery published in The Journal of Neuroscience. But how do you get these benefits when you're in so much pain you can't think? This article offers you easy meditation techniques to use for meditation for anxiety and pain relief.

But let's briefly discuss the research behind this great discovery.

THE RESEARCH: According Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D., in The Journal of Neuroscience, "Mindfulness meditation... significantly reduced pain unpleasantness by 57% and pain intensity ratings by 40%... Together, these data indicate that meditation engages multiple brain mechanisms that alter the construction of the subjectively available experience..."

So, what is Dr. Zeidan really saying? Not only is the brain "too busy meditating" to experience pain, but that meditation in and of itself significantly changes the structure o f the brain to reduce pain. This research gives great significance to using meditation for pain relief.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION: While this research shows one of the best benefits of meditation, i.e., pain relief, there are a few other physical benefits well worth noting:

Meditation lowers stress chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline, both of which increase pain, anxiety and depression. Meditation increases good chemicals such as endorphins that help the body stay healthier overall, which in turn lessens pain, anxiety and depression. Meditation also boosts whole brain power which answers the question that many people are asking, "How can I increase my brain power?" Meditation is one of the best relaxation techniques because of long-term and cumulative effects.

MINDFUL MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS: When learning how to meditate, it is important to find easy meditation techniques. Why? Because learning mindful meditation can take years of study and practice, and unless you are completely devoted, the task may seem to be "too much work."
In particular, when you want to use meditation for pain relief, to put forth the effort to learn mindful meditation while feeling such pain can seem a bit daunting.

BRAINWAVE ENTRAINMENT: When you enter into a state of mindful meditation, your brain "shifts gears" to different electrical frequencies. Just like when you change stations on a radio, so your brain "changes stations" to vibrate at a different frequency. Brainwave entrainment is a way to electronically induce meditation and is one of the best types of meditation for beginners who want to use meditation for pain relief because it electronically "shifts your mind's gears" into the various states of alpha, theta or delta.

Alpha brainwaves: This is a light meditative state where you feel calm and relaxed. If you are doing meditation for anxiety or meditation to relieve stress, this light meditative state is fine.

Theta brainwaves: This brain state is a deeper sta te of meditation and is used for increased memory, focus and overall well-being.

Delta brainwaves: Now this is "where it's at" when you want pain relief. When your mind is in the delta frequency, you have increased immune function as well as put out chemicals that have a deep renewing benefit to your body.

But the delta brainwave state of mind is only achieved when we are in deep, restful sleep. So, if you have pain, which leads to insomnia, which leads to decreased sleep, which leads to less "delta time" for the brain, you are in a downward spiral.

HOW TO GET STARTED: It is easy to get started using brainwave entrainment:

Find a good brainwave entrainment audio that puts your brain down into at least 2.5 Hz for 20-30 minutes. Set aside 30-45 minutes a day to listen to a brainwave meditation audio that puts you into the delta frequency. The best time to listen to it would be as you go to sleep at night. Give yourself time to reap the benefits of this pain management technique. Your body has its own rhythm for healing, so give yourself time to develop your body's reserves to renew itself and feel good again.

SUMMARY: Meditation for pain relief has been scientifically proven to work. Using a brainwave entrainment meditation to put your brain into the appropriate brain frequency to achieve these results gives you one of the best types of meditation to use to get started right away and to keep going because you can meditate your pain away while you sleep!

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Weight Loss Through Running

Running to lose weight facilitates the loss of weight, remodel the body and improve the sensation of well being. Running to lose weight can be a great way to exercise if you follow certain guidelines. Although you want to make sure that you have the right equipment like the proper running shoes and are eating healthy. Additionally, I strongly advocate that you invest in two to three pairs of high quality running shoes. Then, alternate the shoes each time you go out running to lose weight. The great thing is running shoes do not have to be expensive. In fact, this activity is one of the cheapest cardio workouts that you can engage in.

If you're just starting out, you might want to begin with the suggested pattern, especially if you haven't been exercising for quite a while:

Start walking, gradually add running, and build by no more than 10% per week.

Exercise will enhance all areas of your body and improvements will appear as you progress. B y recording a log of your exercise routine, you will be able to see a progression of your improved fitness levels over time. Exercise that has the most benefit for minimizing cancer risk is probably that done at moderate to vigorous levels. The benefits of working out are tremendous, but the American lifestyle has become sedentary. Working out need not be an backbreaking or difficult job -- it can be fun, exhilarating and provide great moments for families to not only exercise together but to talk and share other significant aspects of their lives.

Running can the likeliness of everything from the common cold to cancer. Your toughness will increase. Runners World magazine is a great resource and the online version can be accessed. The Chicago marathon website is one of the best that I have seen provide information, running schedules , information on running shoes and running tips for the beginner runner , route maps with inclines, water stops, energy drink stops, spectator and cheering squad stands and locations, expected weather and other information.

However, there are some dangers especially if you have been on extreme diets recently. Runners who attempt to lower their body fat percentages to unhealthy levels run the risk of injury, illness, infertility, and at the very least, decreased performance. You may experience performance problems if you've been dieting religiously to lose weight.
When you exercise, do it at least five days a week. If you are able to make it 7 days a week, it's even better. No matter whether you run five days or seven, remember to make it enjoyable. And if you are stressed, aerobic workouts, walking, cycling, swimming, or running can help loosen those tight muscles and produce endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that can help counteract stress. Exercise in moderation may also help you control your blood pressure.

Beginner runners especially can get injuries if they set the bar too high. There are numerous books and magazines that give specific information programmes for all levels of running such as Runners World and Running Fitness. Novice runners need speed play to remind them how to run properly; all runners need speed training for running enjoyment and for muscle stimulation-especially during the high mileage training which builds base. Low level aerobic exercise is the safest way to build aerobic enduran ce for running.

When you've been running for a while, you'll realize that running becomes your own work of art. You'll learn how to manage your pace, your stride length, even the way you land and push off the ground. As a beginner runner, run the designated mileage at an easy, conversational pace. Use your breathing as your guide to manage your running pace.

To make your running more pleasurable and less routine, Run/Walk in different places or at different times of the day. The Sacramento area offers some incredible places to run/walk. Run more so long as it's pain-free. Always stop when you're experiencing pain. Run to the beat of your favourite music on your next run and concentrate on short strides. If while running you are really tired it just means you are trying to take large strides AND keep up a faster cadence.

Take it slow at the beginning, because your target is to build a habit and make running your regular routine. You won't expe rience weight loss immediately, except through water loss. However, given a period of weeks to months, you'll start to experience both weight loss AND improved health levels.

If you want to add intensity to your run, hills will obviously drive your heart rate up. But that does not mean you should get rid of hill work outright. As you improve in your health and fitness levels, adding runs up hills are an amazing way to improve your strength and challenge your anaerobic system. The first thing you need to do, however, is find a hill with a fairly steep grade.

Additionally, training through extreme weather conditions in the winter or summer can be emotionally exhausting as well as physically challenging. If there's one in your area, running in the pool provides a change of scenery from familiar running paths or treadmills and training at an indoor pool allows for consistency when weather conditions make outdoor running uncomfortable.

Rest days are as important as training days. They give your muscles time to rest so you can run again.

To see how far you've come since you first started running to lose weight, track your workouts, meals, calories, nutrients, measurements, dieting progress, general health and more. Visualize your progress, judge the effectiveness of diets and workouts, and you'll be able to reach your goals sooner.

If you find maintaining your run routine difficult then use walking as a starting point. Walking during a cool-down is a form of active recovery, which helps clear the lactic acid out of the muscles faster than if you come to a dead stop. Jogging may be more effective after a hard workout, but usually walking is a more comfortable way to cool down especially in the heat.

Combined together with a sensible, sound nutrition program, running to lose weight will quicken your advancement towards your weight loss goals. And you'll be slimmer and healthier sooner than you think!

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Which Weight Loss Diet?

Diet and Weight Loss - attention

When a lot of people contemplate a diet or weight loss system, they often need to lose weight quickly. Being on a diet or weight loss system and trying to lose weight quickly just isn't a fantastic thought, and just isn't really excellent for your physique. It really is not like pumping gasoline (petrol) where you'll be able to just pump out several gallons of body fat and you might be instantly thin. Your physique can be a small bit a lot more complex than that. Though you could need to drop the bodyweight quickly from the diet or weight loss system, it really is not really excellent for your physique. Nearly all of us realize that although on the diet or weight loss system, to lose weight we need to melt away a lot more calories than we get in. A pound of body fat includes around three,500 calories, but what exactly is a calorie specifically? A calorie can be a scientific unit of power. This can be calculated by a unit of power equal for the amount of heat necessary to b oost the temperature of one gram or 1 milliliter of drinking water by 1 diploma Centigrade.So should you took one pound of body fat and set it 1 fire below a pan of drinking water, you might warmth up 3,500 milliliters 1 degree Centigrade. Yet another alternative would be to heat up a hundred milliliters of drinking water 35 degrees Centigrade. In any event the very same amount of power is employed.

Diet and Weight Loss - calorie consumption

Now a number of these diet and weight loss plans on the market declare you'll be able to drop 3 to 4 lbs of body fat each and every week. That will equate to some exactly where inside the area of 14,000 calories each and every week you'd have to melt away in your diet or weight loss system.

I am not declaring which is unattainable, but it is around 2,000 calories each day you must melt away although on your diet or weight loss system. Which is a really higher amount of calories to melt away each and every and every single day when beginning out with any diet or weight loss system. Once you commence a diet or weight loss system, you might be in some techniques teaching your physique to acknowledge a brand new set of codes to have the ability to lose weight. Examine it in this way, for or a long time you've got followed a set of codes or consuming behavior and routines that have lead you to achieve bodyweight. Your new diet or weight loss system will probably train you a new set of codes, but very first we have to realize the previous types. These strategies are set within your method as difficult code for your physique to comply with. You see you've got invested day in working day out, 12 months right after 12 months teaching your physique to respond to those codes. We are all creatures of practice, and so reside our lifestyle by a set route each and every and every single day. Take into consideration how you commence your working day each and every and each morning. You may locate you typically commence it the very same way over and over. Nicely which is what your physique does together with the foods you consume.

Diet and Weight Loss - duplication

You possibly do all the very same points inside the very same buy since your brain continues to be skilled that way. Which is why you'll be able to be nevertheless 50 percent asleep and get prepared for work with out thinking of it. Now try just when to alter the buy you do your early morning program in and I assure you may overlook to do something. The reason you do overlook is since your body and brain have already been skilled to complete points in a set buy. Once you skip a phase the brain instantly picks up within the following phase and completes the remainder from the jobs it's got to complete inside the buy it absolutely was skilled. The very same concepts utilize when eating. All of us have a tendency to comply with a set regime of behavior when we consume or snack. Let's get a bottle of pop as an example, you possibly drink the very same flavor each time and also you consume it at the very same time each and every working day. This can be since your body is emplo yed to acquiring that pop at that time. It's got set a psychological clock to get that liquid sugar at that time, since its practice as well as your physique reply to behavior. Take into consideration all the junk foods you take in as well as the occasions once you take in it. When you commence to acknowledge the patterns you'll be able to commence to alter them. When beginning your diet or weight loss system don't rush out and alter each factor more than evening as your physique won't adapt to that really nicely and you may shortly locate your self back again within your previous way and possibly consuming a lot more junk foods since of it. Attempt to publish down every single day for per week every little thing you consume and drink. Then commence to substitute objects inside that record gradually with much healthier options from the diet or weight loss system. As an example that pop that you consume every single day, substitute it with drinking water or an herbal tea. Rig ht after numerous days of alternative commence on yet another merchandise. You may be shocked at how swiftly you'll be able to alter your whole eating behavior to a much healthier set. Just bear in mind that your physique is nevertheless gonna attempt to get the sugars you might be taking away from another portion of the diet. Don't fall for it, remind your self that you don't want that sugar and may get far better sugar from organic items that don't cause you to achieve bodyweight. Sugars arrive from a variety of excellent items like honey or fruit. These organic sugars will melt away up quicker and preserve you from gaining bodyweight, which can be what you might be attempting to do although on any diet or weight loss system. So beginning your diet or weight loss system needs to be gradual. Although you might be starting to study up in your diet and what you have to do, make excellent use of this time by exchanging poor eating behavior for excellent types. That way once yo u commence your diet or weight loss system you may be less probably to crave a number of your previous food items. You may have skilled your body to anticipate the new foods stuffs as an alternative which can be excellent for the new diet or weight loss system.

Diet and Weight Loss - Talk theTalk

Often integrate physical exercise into your diet or weight loss system. This can be a huge need to do, even when it really is only strolling for 30 minutes twice a day. Making use of your muscle tissue will melt away a lot more body fat and enable you to create a leaner physique. Although in your diet or weight loss system don't fall for that previous scales are not going down syndrome. It really is really achievable that you are acquiring thinner each and every and every single day but your bodyweight just isn't altering. In some circumstances I have observed folks achieve bodyweight but drop gown dimensions although on a diet or weight loss system. This can be since when you understand to exercise, your muscle tissue start to reshape. Muscle is really, really dense and takes up less room than body fat, which can be bulky. So as your body gains a lot more organic muscle back again you commence to shrink in dimensions but do not lose weight, which can be discouraging when on the diet or weight loss system. When on your diet or weight loss system, merge weighing and measuring to keep an precise report of the adjustments. When you physical exercise a lot more your body body fat will reduce but your bodyweight may possibly not. It really is an excellent factor to create muscle because it helps to melt away body fat quicker. This boosts your metabolic rate, which can be what each one who goes on the diet or weight loss system wants to do. Stay away from the fad diet plans or weight loss plans as they can lead to you burning muscle tissue which can be really poor. Final of all bear in mind that you did not achieve this bodyweight more than night also to drop it on any diet or weight loss system won't take place over night.

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Factors influencing weight loss & how to maximize weight loss

The number one goal of 90% of my clients has been weight loss. Some people are obese and need to lose a substantial amount of weight for health reasons and other people with a healthy BMI just want to get rid of a few pounds to look and feel better (we all want six pack abs). Weight loss depends on how much energy is used to do work (i.e., to move, digest food, think etc.,) relative to how much energy is consumed and stored (caloric intake). Energy is constant so if the energy output (work done) is greater than the energy input (calories consumed) there will be a negative energy balance which forces the body to tap into fat to make up for that deficit. The energy output consists of a person's resting or basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the total number of calories a person uses while at rest, and a person's active metabolic rate (AMR), which is the total number of calories a person uses if they incorporate movement. If you want to lose fat then you have to create a dai ly negative caloric balance by limiting your caloric intake or increasing your BMR and AMR or a combination of both.

There are several factors that influence the BMR, AMR and the rate of weight loss. The BMR is influenced by body composition, age, gender, level of stress, body type (or somatotype), hormones and food intake. The AMR is influenced by the activity level. A negative energy balance is created by controlling the caloric intake. All of these need to be carefully balanced in order to achieve your weight loss goal without compromising your health or losing muscle.

The higher the percentage of body fat the quicker the rate of weight loss. I've trained obese people around 40% body fat who could shed up to 3lbs a week by following a rigorous program. However if you are around 15% body fat then the rate of weight loss is exponentially lower. At you'll be extremely lucky to lose 1 pound per week (the typical amount is 0.5lbs/week). Having a higher percentage of muscle also contributes to quicker fat loss but not as much as many people claim. The common misconception is that muscle is 20x more metabolically active than fat and therefore having more muscle raises your BMR accordingly. Recent studies found that 1 pound of muscle burns about 6 calories per day, not 50 calories as is popularly believed. This is still higher than fatty tissue which burns 2 calories per pound per day.

A person's age and gender also influence the rate of weight loss. As you get older your metabolism slows down because your body tends to lose muscle and gain fat which slows down your ability to burn calories. However this can be attenuated by doing regular cardio, strength training and keeping a healthy diet. There is a slight difference between men and women because men have more testosterone which helps to build muscle and so men will have a higher BMR than women on average because they have more muscle.

The level of mental and physical stress affects the rate of fat loss. Cortisol is a hormone released when the body is under stress such as in a fight or flight situation. It serves a biological function of freeing up energy by breaking down fat and muscle tissue during a stressful event so that the body can use it to fight or flee. However, in today's society we do not use that energy to fight or flee and so it gets deposited back into fat around the abdominal region. Prolonged stress can increase the resting level of cortisol making it very hard to burn fat in the abdominal region.

Humans come in three different body types or somatotypes that are genetically determined: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph. These body types represent a continuum of body composition and the ability to gain or lose weight (either muscle or fat). Ectomorphs have the least total body mass (made up of fat, muscle and bone). Ectomorphs tend to be tall and skinny and have difficulty gaining weight because they have a fast metabolism. Weight loss for ectomorphs is not an issue but muscle gain is. Mesomorphs have an average total body mass and can change their body composition very easily. Mesomorphs have an intermediate metabolic rate. Endomorphs have the greatest total body mass and tend to put on weight very easily. Endomorphs have the greatest difficulty in burning fat because they have the slowest metabolism.

The BMR is influenced by the levels of thyroid hormones and the catecholamines epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. Thyroid hormones are thermogenic raising body temperature and BMR. People with hypothyroidism (low level of thyroid hormones) have a very slow metabolism, tend to put on fat very easily and have difficulty losing fat. People with hyperthyroidism (high level of thyroid hormones) have a very fast metabolism, tend to be skinny and have difficulties putting on weight. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for arousal and utilizing energy to be used in times of stress or arousal. The primary hormones that activate the sympathetic nervous system are epinephrine (adrenaline) and nor-epinephrine. Both of these hormones will increase heart rate and force of contraction, increase blood flow to muscles, suppress hunger, and utilize the body to break down fat and glycogen to produce glucose. Most weight loss pills are stimulants that increase the activity of the symp athetic nervous system. Caffeine is often used in over the counter weight loss pills in conjunction with other stimulants because it increases cardiac output, helps the body to utilize fat as a fuel source by increasing epinephrine levels, and suppresses hunger.

Food intake has the greatest effect on basal metabolic rate. The body has to expand energy when digesting and processing food. This is called the thermic effect of food or diet induced thermogensis. The quantity and type of food ingested influences how much energy is required to process the food. Research indicates that proteins are harder to process than fats and so have a much higher thermic effect. Therefore increasing the quantity of protein in your diet will raise your BMR. Foods that are high in fiber such as celery and grapefruit are the hardest to process and have the highest thermic effect. These foods also have what is called a negative caloric balance because they take more energy to digest than the energy they release from digestion.

Increasing the level of physical activity increases the AMR. The more active you are the more calories are needed. The type of activity you engage in as well as the duration and intensity of that activity influences how many extra calories are needed and from what food source these calories come from.

Contrary to popular belief low intensity and long duration cardiovascular activity doesn't burn more fat than shorter duration high intensity cardio. Numerous studies have demonstrated that high intensity interval training (where the heart rate is between 80-90% of its maximum) is more effective for fat loss than low intensity endurance activity because the body has to make up for the oxygen deficit produced during exercise and it burns calories for up to two hours after you stop exercising. This phenomenon is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Resistance training is also recommended for fat loss because not only is energy needed during the workout but also after the workout because the body has to repair and build new muscle and this takes energy. Activities with a heavier weight or resistance level and a lower rep number per set are recommended over activities with a light weight and a high rep number per set because lifting heavier weights produces m ore microtrauma in muscles which is a stimulus for repair and synthesis.

Carbohydrate is the primary source of fuel for the body and it is the only fuel source besides ketones that the brain can use. Whereas fats and proteins must be converted into intermediate forms before they can be used as fuel. Before, during and after higher intensity physical activity the body needs carbohydrates otherwise the blood sugar will get too low and a person will crash, feel nauseous and throw up. Carbohydrates and proteins are needed to build muscle after heavy resistance training. Therefore, when incorporating physical activity into a weight loss program the body will need an adequate supply of proteins and carbohydrates. I found that when incorporating higher intensity cardio and resistance training into a fat loss program a person's diet should be roughly % 35 carbohydrates, % 45 proteins, and % 20 fats and the maximum daily caloric deficit should not exceed 750 calories.

In order to burn fat a person must maintain a proper caloric intake. Exercise itself is not enough if there isn't a sufficient daily caloric deficit. Fatty tissue is a medium the body uses to store energy. One pound of fat stores 3500 calories therefore 3500 calories have to be used in order to burn one pound of fat. In order to burn fat a person must eat fewer calories everyday than they eat regularly to maintain their current weight. If a person eats 500 fewer calories per day then they can lose 1 pound of fat in 7 days. This rate of 1 pound per week is widely acknowledged by health and fitness professionals as a safe and healthy rate of weight loss. Starvation diets (anything above a 1000 caloric deficit) are unhealthy because the body burns more muscle than fat (fat is needed as an energy source when food is scarce) and because the body isn't getting the essential amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytonutrients that keep us healthy.

Now that you have a better idea of the factors involved in metabolism and fat loss you can incorporate some of these into your weight loss program. However a professional weight loss program incorporates many of these factors at the same time and these factors have to be carefully balanced in order to achieve optimum fat loss results without depriving yourself of essential nutrients and losing muscle and strength. I design fat loss programs that are personalized (I take into account your metabolic profile, activity level, and other relevant physical attributes) and comprehensive (I take multiple factors into account attacking fat from every angle).

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Weight Loss In No Time

Weight Loss In No Time

Finding a plan for weight loss in no time , can be difficult. Nowadays overweight has become a really problem for many people and causes them many troubles, stimulates cruel scoffs from other individuals. As well, overweight people may have a difficult time in building new relationships, particularly with the other gender. They would even find it tough to establish eye contact when transmitting whatever. They become introverted and withdrawn from the society.

In critical instances, people, especially teenagers and individuals that do not have the age of thirty, may develop social phobic disorder. So, finding a plan for weight loss in no time is needed fast. Likewise, this overweight can act upon decision making in daily life of people, like that when acquaintances invite them for a swim but they refuse the invitation because of the overweight might only embarrass them.

It is very important to have your weight loss in no time plan cause If you are overweight, you are more likely to develop health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, gout (joint pain caused by excess uric acid), and gallbladder disease. Being overweight can also cause problems such as sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep) and osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints). The more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have health problems. Weight loss can help improve the harmful effects of being overweight. However, many overweight people have difficulty reaching their healthy body weight. Studies show that you can improve your health by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds, and we are going to help you for weight loss in no time.

Most proper plan for weight loss in no time is never easy to find, but you must keep trying until you see visible results. It is very important to combine more treatment methods in one good weight loss in no time treatment.

Weight Loss In No Time the Effects

weight loss in no time is really important cause overweight affects besides the appearance, the quality of the man himself. Some other individuals may encounter difficulties to realize how big the impact of this overweight is over self-esteem and self-confidence and viewpoint in life. You must treat overweight and have your own weight loss in no time plan. Go to a good specialist doctor, ask him for advice. Doctor will give you a proper Overweight treatment or a combination of several treatments depending on your case and you can decide if the treatment for overweight is right for you. Early intervention should be finished before the self-esteem of the person is broken. If the overweight treatment is good for you, you should see some visible results in two or three weeks. Improvements of the overweight condition and having a weight loss in no time plan may as well ameliorate one's self-pride, as considerably as the quality of life.

Weight loss in no time the conclusion

Finally, weight loss in no time support systems can besides be helpful in taking out feelings of hopelessness and isolation for people who are having overweight problems. You must never lose your hope because this condition can be treated. There is no overweight treatment that works for everybody. Each individual must take a different treatment for overweight and sometimes it takes time before fiddling the most proper overweight treatment. You must arm yourself with patience and never give up hope to have your weight loss in no time plan.

Treating overweight in the right way must be done properly, depending on your overweight type and stage of overweight. Try some natural testaments, it is always recommended to combine a natural treatment with an overweight treatment product. Overweight can be cured -when you execute a weight loss in no time plan - If you want to get rid of overweight.

Make your Decision, start right now and have your plan for weight loss in no time.

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Best Weight Loss Diet Programs

Losing weight is a very serious issue for people who are overweight. They try out many weight loss programs and products, which can help them in reducing some fat from their body. There are many powders, milkshakes, slimming machines available on the market for weight loss. These products can sometimes work for you and sometimes not. Choosing the best weight loss program for yourself can be a very difficult task. And, this task is made more difficult by the hundreds of weight loss programs available in the market and also online. Today, you can also find many weight loss programs on the internet too.
Out of those hundreds of weight loss programs, some are actually genuine and effective and can help you in actually losing some weight. The weight loss programs, which are one can considered the best amongst among other program or methods, are given below.

Online weight loss programs- you have the access to many weight loss programs on the internet. Some of them have the best weight loss programs and even have many satisfied customers. The weight loss products of these programs are often reasonably priced and are of exceptional support and quality. These programs are created and provide their customers with those weight loss products, which have been proven effective and tested thoroughly. These weight loss programs constantly look forward for new ways of educating people on fitness, health and other related benefits of maintaining a fit and slim body along with motivating them in their quest for weight loss.

Fitness trainer's weight loss programs- today, there are many renowned trainers who offer the best weight loss programs to their clients online. These trainers provide effective, motivational and personalized fat loss programs, which anyone can follow. You can even get your own personal trainer for holding your accountable along with a nutritional guide, which is easy to follow. Many people have tried out these weight loss programs and found them very effective, affordable and very personal way to lose weight.

Diet weight loss programs- these weight loss programs have been derived from much research and experimentation by experienced dieticians and weight loss trainers. These programs focus towards helping people in weight loss by making some lifestyle changes along with community support. These programs customize some diet plans, which match the unique characteristics of an individual along with some other factors, which help them to lose weight without struggling.

These are the best weight loss programs, which has helped many people in getting a slim figure and losing their extra weight.

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Drop Weight Quickly With The Best Ever Weight Loss Diet Plans Online

The speedy weight loss diet plan for free strategy is actually uncommon to uncover. Although there isn't any this type of point because slimming down over night, you will find weight loss programs that may really assist you to shed some weight quickly in just a few days or even as much as 3 days according to a couple of aspects concerning oneself. Many people who're buying speedy method to decrease pounds quickly do need an eating plan which functions and it is balanced to begin with. The rapid loss of weight diet plan isn't essentially determined by hunger to be able to reduce pounds. Depriving you to ultimately slim down is actually harmful. Continue reading to obtain the very best weight loss program I can recommend.

Very best On-line Rapid loss of weight Diet plan

Weight-loss four Dummies: This particular is among the the majority of well-known down loaded diet plan on the web. During the past couple of years, weight-loss four dummies continues to be taking over on-line within the weight-loss sector among the greatest weight loss programs with regard to rapid weight-loss. Lots of people purchased the program as well as dropped pounds and that's most likely among the explanations why weight-loss four dummies is actually well-liked. What exactly is actually the program exactly about? Fat reduction some dummies is dependant on an idea associated with "Calorie Shifting" instead which consuming reduced carbohydrate, low-fat or even reduced calories from fat. Calorie moving isn't regarding depriving your self possibly. This means to alter the actual proportion associated with meals such as protein, carbs as well as extra fat. Weight loss diet plan for free isn't a minimal calorie reduced carbohydrate weight loss plan however it includes a percentage manage area which regulates the actual calories from fat as well as carbohydrates a person eat so that you will merely do not consume whatever you would like anyhow.

The principle causes of moving calories from fat would be to permit metabolic process to sit in your diet plan as well as to not obtain bored to death ingesting exact same foods on a regular basis. If you use the actual moving calorie technique like the 1 present in this particular rapid loss of weight diet system, a person accelerate your own metabolic process as well as maintain this higher on a regular basis. Marketing campaign results will probably be burning up much more calories from fat compared to you believe. Fat reduction four dummies also offers a good on the web dinner electrical generator that enables you to choose the meals you want from your checklist which has a wide selection of healthy food. This particular quick weight reduction on the internet plan really is easy to follow along with and also the methods which are layed out in the system by itself tend to be which may function. Weight loss four dummies is actually deserving attempting as well as my pers onal just complaint is actually which it does not stress working out. The program will help you slim down quick fast will be far better in the event that coupled with a fundamental exercise program. Weight loss four Dummies promises that you could shed 9 lbs within 11 days which may be impractical to many individuals.

Remove Which Excess fat Weight loss plan for free: This is the fresh weightloss program which i is only going to state this resolves exactly what weight loss regarding dummies hasn't already resolved. This runs on the "calorie moving method" similar to the system examined previously mentioned also it enables you to customize your own diet programs how you would like as well. Remove Which Body fat Plan Program to make use of as well as easy to stick to. This can be a easy to use system that will fix unwanted weight reduction difficulties. By using this rapid loss of weight diet regime, you are able to produce your own diet programs utilizing It is device known as STF diet plan application. It's more than forty, 000 various bi weekly diet plan combos that you could produce. This statements which inside 2 weeks, it is possible to drop as much as 10 lbs. This particular declare is actually much more practical compared to weight loss four dummies declare where one can shed 9 lb s within 11 times. The actual quick weight loss methods found in Remove Which Body fat diet regime tend to be useful as well as easy to put into action. implement assist you to slim down quick plus they are relevant with regard to long term weight-loss. Pay attention for those who have already been depriving your self with regard to reducing your weight, With this particular plan, you are able to consume just as much healthy food through it is menus while you need when you are reducing your weight.
Remove which body fat handles the importance associated with attaining muscle mass to improve metabolic process. In contrast to weight loss four dummies, this suggests the best workouts that you can do to be able to boost muscle tissue as well as burn off much more calories more quickly. The program as a result can stress the significance associated with working out to lose pounds quickly. It's also less expensive along with a lot up-to-date, helpful and also in depth details in comparison to weight loss four idiots. Consuming healthy food along with a wholesome well balanced weight loss diet plan for free like the selections supplied by deprive in which excess fat might have an instant optimistic impact on weight reduction.

The particular confirmed concept of calorie changing also needs to improve weight reduction as well as alllow for a highly effective eating habits. For individuals who have been in visit a rapid loss of weight diet program, remove which body fat is actually deserving to consider.

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Cinnamon Weight Loss – How Can Cinnamon Increase Weight Loss?

Even though in recent years there is an increased in research papers on cinnamon weight loss and its health benefits, this spice is nothing new to the human race. Since centuries ago, cinnamon has been used widely by the Chinese and Indians as medicine and preservative. This herb is used to treat sickness such as cold and indigestion as well as a natural preservative to inhibit bacterial growth.

Most recently, it was found that this spice possesses other health benefits including lowering of LDL cholesterol, relieving arthritis, protecting the heart against disease and regulating blood sugar (or glucose) level. With overweight and obesity issues worsen globally, the possibility of dropping pounds with cinnamon weight loss shortcuts are worth exploring.

So how can cinnamon increase weight loss? Unlike fat burners, this herb does not increase metabolic rate. Rather, the secret to cinnamon weight loss lies in its reg ulatory effects on our blood sugar level.

By regulating blood sugar level, the body also reduces insulin production, which plays an important role in fat loss. How does insulin aid fat loss? Insulin level and your appetite and food cravings go hand in hand; as your insulin level goes down, so does your appetite and food cravings. This means that the ability to control insulin levels also control your appetite and cravings without drugs. This is how cinnamon weight loss helps any individual to lose fat on an observable level.

Things are more complex on the cellular level. Lowering insulin level facilitates lipolysis (fat mobilization) from fat cells. In parallel, it also regulates the level of acylation stimulation protein (ASP) which has been described as "the most potent stimulator of fat storage in the fat cell". Simply put, cinnamon weight loss works by preventing accumulation of fat.
In The 4-Hour Body, independent cinnamon weight loss study by Tim Ferriss also found the herb to be effective in controlling the blood glucose level. In his test, the Saigon species was the most effective cinnamon weight loss solution.

By now you must have realized the secret behind cinnamon weight loss. It works by controlling the blood sugar levels to make you lean.

How to turn this cinnamon weight loss information into a practical tip? You can take cinnamon supplements for weight loss before meal or add cinnamon powder to food like smoothies, yogurt or even a cup of hot tea.

Here's how you can supercharge your cinnamon weight loss effort add honey to it. If you like to try the honey and cinnamon drink, we recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) of cinnamon powder and 1 tsp of honey to 8 ounces of water. Mix them together and drink half of it before going to bed. Refrigerate the balance and drink it the first thing in the morning with an empty stomach. Do not heat it up. Personally, I like mixing honey and cinnamon powder to my oatmeal during breakfast.

Drinking this honey and cinnamon weight loss mixture daily has helped individuals to achieve good fat loss results. They were able to get rid of body fat particularly those around the stomach area and drop pounds. Be forewarned that 4 grams of this herb per day (about 1.5 tsps) is possibly the maximum amount anyone should consume as suggested by Tim.

So far so good but are there any cinnamon weight loss side effects? Pregnant women or anyone on medication should consult their doctor before embarking on any type of cinnamon weight loss plan. This is particularly important for people with diabetic condition because this herb may interfere with the diabetes medication causing the blood glucose levels to plunge to an unsafe level.

The second thing is that cinnamon contains the chemical compound, couma rin. At high concentration, coumarin can damage the kidney and liver. All 3 species of the herb contain coumarin but the level is significantly lower in Ceylon (true) cinnamon compare to Saigon or Chinese (cassia) species.

Further to that, coumarin can have a "blood-thinning" effect, so for those on anti clotting medication or suffer from bleeding disorders please abstain from going on cinnamon weight loss plan unless with doctor's approval.

If coumarin is holding you back from embarking in a cinnamon weight loss plan, you may be glad to know that this chemical compound is only dangerous at high concentration. According to health experts, as long as you are a healthy individual, 1/2 tsp cinnamon a day is highly unlikely to give rise to any health issue. Of course if given a choice, it is better to use the Ceylon species in your cinnamon weight loss plan.

Now that you know the truth behind cinnamon weight loss, and how can cinnamon incre ase weight loss, you may be eager to grab this herb and honey to try out. However, if you want a lean and sexy body, you also need to focus on diet and exercises. Fat burning foods and strength training are 2 important parts of the natural weight loss equation. They compliment you cinnamon weight loss efforts and put fat loss on autopilot. Include proper foods and exercises with the honey and cinnamon weight loss strategy and achieve your ideal weight starting today.

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Cinnamon Weight Loss – The Little Known Secrets of Weight Loss with Cinnamon

Of late, cinnamon weight loss benefits and tips are the common topic among my girlfriends. This spice appeared to have done wonders to their fat loss and they were raving about it. No drugs, no pills, just honey and cinnamon weight loss drink to lose weight.

My girlfriends experienced the amazing cinnamon weight loss effects and swore by it. I learned that a mixture of raw honey and cinnamon drink produced good results. They were able to lose belly fat fairly easily. That was something they could not do despite cutting down on carbs. With this honey and cinnamon weight loss concoction, getting rid of flab around the stomach isn't hard all especially when only 2 ingredients needed.

Here's their honey and cinnamon weight loss recipe:

Add and mix 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) cinnamon to 8 ounces of hot water Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature Add 1 tsp of honey to the cinnamon mixture. Mix well and drink half of the honey and cinnamon drink before going to bed. It is best to use raw honey for maximum benefit. When preparing this honey and cinnamon weight loss drink, use plastic or porcelain spoon only Cover the remaining 1/2 glass of the honey and cinnamon weight loss mixture, refrigerated it overnight. Do not heat it but drink up the balance with an empty stomach the next morning before breakfast

What's the secret behind cinnamon weight loss? All the years, we know that cinnamon is used for cooking, and the Chinese and Indians took it a step further by using it as medicine. Researchers have also reported health benefits of cinnamon. But cinnamon weight loss solution as an aid for healthy and natural weight loss is really news worthy.

Were my girlfriends' fat loss results coincidental? I was intrigued. Through careful research, I unearthed the truth behind cinnamon weight loss. Here's what I found out:
This spice does not increase your metabolic rate the way most fat burners do. Instead, it regulates your blood sugar (glucose) level to help you lose weight. Hard to grasp that? To understand the truth of cinnamon weight loss, we need to understand the effects of insulin levels on your weight loss.

On the noticeable level, the ability to control your insulin level controls your appetite and food cravings; when you lower the insulin level, your appetite and craving follows.

At the same time, at the cellular level, reducing the level of insulin facilitates a process call lipolysis, which allows mobilization of fat from the fat cells. It also controls the level of acylation stimulation protein (ASP), which is a "potent stimulator of fat storage in the fat cell".

As you can see, insulin plays a huge part in fat loss, and the good news is that by regulating blood sugar level, you'll keep the insulin level under control automatically. T herefore, the true secret of cinnamon weight loss lies in its ability to regular blood glucose levels. Further research revealed similar findings by Tim Ferriss of The 4-Hour Body. He also concluded that cinnamon was an effective spice for regulating blood sugar level, with Saigon cinnamon showing the best result.

How can you include cinnamon weight loss strategy as part of your diet?

The most effortless and effective way is through the honey and cinnamon weight loss concoction. For variation, try adding cinnamon powder to smoothies or yogurt. If you prefer something fast and simple, take cinnamon supplements for weight loss before meal then.

Is cinnamon weight loss solution safe? If you are diabetic, pregnant, or on medication, consult your physician first before trying it out. As cinnamon is a blood sugar regulator, blood sugar can drop to an unsafe level if taken too much.

Do not get lured into consuming huge quantity of cinnamon as it can be dangerous. At high dosage, the chemical compound, coumarin in the spice can potentially damage your liver and kidney. Tim Ferriss warned against exceeding 4 grams of cinnamon per day (about 1 and 1/2 tsp). If you are planning to consume the honey and cinnamon weight loss concoction, you will be way below the recommended limit. However, if you are still worried, you may want to use Ceylon cinnamon only. Out of Chinese, Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon has the lowest level of coumarin even though it is not as effective in controlling blood sugar level compare to the other two according to Tim.

Before you rush off to get your cinnamon weight loss concoction, it is important to know that, even though this spice can aid weight loss, it can't get you a lean, toned and sexy body. That requires proper diet and exercises.

Therefore, be it men or women, if you are serious and determine about getting lean, plan your diet around fat burning foods and focus on interval and resistance training too. Just sprinkle cinnamon powder to your meal or simply include a glass of honey and cinnamon weight loss concoction into your daily diet and watch your body transform as obesity become a thing of the past. Of course it is optional to use cinnamon weight loss shortcuts to reduce weight as focusing on mindset, foods and exerci ses can help you drop pounds and get lean, and we want to show you how.

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Top Stress Management Techniques for Stress Relief

Stress influences our life and health quite significantly. Stress can be defined as any psychological or emotional condition that leads to an overall imbalance of the system. The effect of stress can be profound. It may cause several complications ranging from simple headaches to severe heart attack.

Not all stresses are bad. When you are doing exercise you are experiencing stress, but it is temporary with a promise of health benefits if it can be performed in effective fashion. However, if you are continuing your exercise module for longer period than is actually needed, it has all the possibilities that you are welcoming some disputable stresses in your life. Hence, as it reveals, it is all in the way how you manage stress rather than how you experience it. So learning and adopting various stress management techniques in your daily life can actually make you able to manage your life with full potentiality.

Managing Stress

Typically, stress is associated with two interrelated factors. One is external and the other one is internal. External factors may include all and everything related to your physical world, the world of job, home, relation, events, diseases and others. On the other hand, internal factors determine the bodily abilities. Stress management techniques focus on alteration in the external factors contributing stress or on internal factors in terms of making them strong to deal with external ones. Now we will focus our attention on few effective stress management techniques.
Exercise

We do physical exercise because it perks up our health - not only in physical terms, but also in emotional terms. Exercise helps us to maintain a healthy balance in holistic sense. When you feel that you are physically fit and healthy, it feels good to your mind and eventually it helps to develop confidence to fight against stressful conditions.

Relaxation and Meditation

Relaxation and mediation technique are really worthy as it promotes the overall mind-body enhancement. There are a great variety of these two techniques. Some of the relaxation and meditation techniques can not be learned without any expert guidance; however, there are some that can be achieved by own effort. Here is a brief overview of some of the relaxation and meditation processes that are integral part of any standard stress management techniques.

Meditation: Since ancient ages meditation is considered as one of the best stress management techniques to acquire a total mind-body relaxation. In practice, there are more than thousands meditation techniques available, some of them can be learned by own. The meditative state is achieved when someone may have a deep focus upon the core of his own being. This is a state of absolute calmness and tranquility. A regular and structured practice can induce the same. Transcendental meditation is a particular form of meditation which has been popularized in last decades.

The primary objective of transcendental meditation is to achieve the state of transcendental awareness, the non-complex form of consciousness. Another form of meditation technique known as relaxation response is designed to inducing the opposed reaction to the stress stimuli experienced. It is effective lowering high blood pressure and other bodily stress response.

Qigong:

Originally evolved as a part of ancient Chinese health care system, Qigong offers a blend of physical activities in essence with Eastern philosophy and relaxation techniques. It may include different activities ranging from standing, walking, sitting to body massage and many others. Recognized as one of the most effective stress management techniques, Qigong demands patience, time, commitment, group cohesion, and determination.

Visual Imagery:

This is also known as guided imagery. It offers a calmness of mind and soul by using pleasant visualization through imagination. In this process, you will learn to regulate your breathing pattern in addition to visualize a soothing image in your mind. Controlling these two factors, you will gradually reach at the state of absolute relaxation. This method is easy to learn and virtually any one can take advantage of this technique. A regular practice can ensure a good control over stress.

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The Good News About Stress Management: How "good" Stress Keeps Us Going & Growing

Every health and lifestyle magazine contains articles claiming stress is bad for us. They list dozens of ways to relieve stress, from exercise to eating healthy foods. A wide range of relaxation techniques have also been proven to help manage stress in our crazy-busy world, especially for people who take care of others and tend to neglect themselves.

But stress is not always as bad as these cautionary articles insist. In fact, some stress is actually necessary to keep us going and growing.

Our individual responses to different types and levels of stress can either drain or energize us. It is how we perceive and process both ongoing and unexpected stressors that intensifies or reduces their impact on our bodies, minds and emotions.

The term "stress" was first used in the mid-1950s by endocrinologist Dr. Hans Selye in his book "The Stress of Life." In his research experiments, Selye discovered that we experience stress not only when we hear bad news but also when we receive good news. He differentiated these two types of stressors by calling negative stress "distress" and positive stress "eustress" (the Greek prefix "eu" means well or good).

The idea that we naturally feel stressed by positive experiences -- like getting married, having a baby, graduations, promotions, winning awards or races -- is echoed in the Social Readjustment Ratings Scale. Devised by University of Washington medical researchers Holmes and Rahe, the SRRS ranks the impact of good stress-events as well as bad stressors like death, divorce or losing a job.

They discovered it is the accumulation of minor plus major changes over a period of time that increases one's chances of developing stress-related ailments like heart disease, cancer or a weakened immune system. Stress effects also intensify when several changes occur without enough time between them to recharge our physical and mental resources.
When dealing with normal life changes, Holmes and Rahe also concluded that a single event is rarely stressful enough to cause significant illness if we have some control over the situation and are able to view it as a challenge or opportunity instead of a threat.

So stress is not always bad or unhealthy. It can actually keep us from becoming complacent or staying too long in jobs, relationships or environments which are not good for us. When bad stress builds to the "breaking point," it usually forces us to make choices and change our behavior or environment with positive and healthier results.

Stress is also necessary to keep us moving forward while working toward a goal -- like a creative or business project -- or training for athletic events like championship games or marathons. This type of eustress prevents us from slowing down or giving up too soon and helps us build momentum in the early stages to empower us to reach the "finish line."

So positive stress management can actually give us a Competitive Edge via increased focus and drive. As we move forward on what researchers call the Performance Stress Curve, eustress helps us make choices, take actions and communicate more clearly.

When it comes to managing stress, there are two basic approaches: Defensive or Offensive. If we take a Defensive approach, we subconsciously distort reality by hoping the situation will change without having to do anything about it. But this keeps us in a state of denial and often amplifies the internal impact of distress, contributing to disease or depression.

Taking an Offensive approach, however, enables us to manage stress by using it to our advantage. By consciously changing or adapting, we adjust to life-changes organically and can view things in perspective that at first feel like problems. Then we can reframe these "problems" as opportunities or challenges and take appropriate acti on.

Offensive ways to manage stress include:
1.Changing our situation whenever possible
2.Increasing our ability to cope with the situation as it is
3.Changing our perception so the situation looks and feels different
4.Changing our behavior, as this is truly where we have the most control

Whenever we feel stressed, it can be useful to first determine whether it's Distress or Eustress. Then we can decide whether to become Offensive by utilizing or adjusting it, or remain Defensive and wait to see if the situation changes on its own. Sometimes choosing to live with stress is appropriate, like when it energizes our Competitive Edge.

We can also balance our stress levels to avoid being thrown off-center too easily or often. Ongoing stress management techniques for creating balance include sleeping well, eating healthy foods, exercising, meditating &/or focusing on the positive things in our lives. These are simple a nd inexpensive ways to relieve pressure, especially when we're faced with unexpected events or must manage stress over a long period of time.

While the bad news is that it's nearly impossible to avoid stress in our crazy-busy world, the good news is that using stress management techniques and being mindful can actually make stress empowering instead of draining. This puts us in control of the stressors in our lives so they can't stop us from continuing to go forward and grow more joyfully empowered every day.

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Stress Management is an Important Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

Stress is your response to any physical, emotional or intellectual demands. Stress is a major contributing factor either directly or indirectly, to coronary artery disease, cancer, respiratory disorders, accidental injuries, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide; the six leading causes of death in the United States. Although we cant eliminate stress, we can all do a better job in managing it. Stress management includes following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and making time for uninterrupted relaxation.

Symptoms

Symptoms of stress can be either behavioral or physical. They are different for everyone, but some common signs that you've had too much excitement and need to slow down include:

Impatience or Edginess - Lack of Enjoyment - Sleep Problems - Exhaustion.

Common physical symptoms of stress include: muscle tension, headaches, low back pain,

insomnia and high blood pressure.

These symptoms may manifest themselves psychologically as irritability, anxiety, impaired concentration, mental confusion, poor judgment, frustration and anger. And some people who have a chronic illness may find that the symptoms of their illness flare up under an overload of stress.

Healthy Lifestyle

Stress management should be a major concern for a healthy lifestyle. Effective stress management is a lifestyle and we must learn to incorporate into our daily lives. A commitment to live a healthier lifestyle should never take a back seat, especially not to stress. Stress management is not only an urgent need in todays fast-paced lifestyle, but an important factor in both physical and mental health. In the alternative, if stress is more the result of ones lifestyle, eliminating the stress causing factors and/or gaining healthful insight on how to alleviate stress the right way might just be the best thing for an individual to do for themselves.

Stress Nutrition

Nutrition is one area where stress can be reduced most effectively, because we eat every day at least 3 times a day, so even the smallest of changes could bring about significant benefits. Stress can and does also result from unbalanced and inappropriate nutrition; excessive use of socially acceptable intoxicants; suppressive drugs and vaccinations; environmental toxins; negative emotions; lack of physical exercise; genetic factors; and improper body alignment. Stress nutrition is a program specifically designed to combat stress dysfunction and attempts to meet individual biochemical requirements by providing the right amount of each nutrient in proportion to every other nutrient.

Fitness

For decades, fitness professionals have had various degrees of success motivating clients and making them accountable for a healthy lifestyle. There is evidence that you can reduce stress, prevent ch ronic diseases including depression and improve happiness through ongoing mental fitness training. A complete nutritional approach, combined with proper fitness maintenance and stress management is most important. Exercise and physical fitness act as a buffer against stress, so that stressful events have a less negative impact on psychological and physical health.

Exercises And Sports

You can help trigger the relaxation response by learning simple breathing exercises and then using them when you're caught up in stressful situations. Other people rely on exercise and participating in their favorite sports and games to spend pent up energy. Not all stress is bad and an example would be in sports. Joining a sports team, even with your co-workers can increase the work fun level, and reduce the tension. Exercises such as golf, tennis, handball, biking, and other sports have shown to help people relax.

Conclusion

Stress management is the application of methods to either reduce stress or increase tolerance to stress. The tricky part of managing stress is that, when dealing with stressful events that are enjoyable the good stress, you may not always notice how stressed you feel until you experience the more serious stress symptoms, or until you feel overwhelmed. Positive stress is desirable for your own good, and also for the good of your family and also for the society as a whole.

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10 tips for practicing yoga at home

Practicing yoga at home has never been easier. If you are a beginner to yoga or relatively new and want to establish an at home yoga practice, it is important to do some groundwork before jumping into the fray. To prevent injury and maximize the power of your yogic experience, careful preparation and modest investments can make learning yoga at home viable, efficient, and fun. Here are ten tips to help you establish an at-home yoga practice. 1) Create a space Set aside a space dedicated to your yoga practice. Make sure it is free from furniture that could create a hazard to you as you do various yoga asana. Your yoga space should be clean and serene. Decorate it with images and objects that create a peaceful and sacred feeling in your heart. 2) Invest in tools of the trade If you do not already have a yoga sticky mat, purchase one. There are yoga mats for every budget and taste. A mat cleaner will keep your mat smelling fresh after tough workouts. Make sure you have two blocks and a strap for modifications and consider getting a yoga blanket. Not only will they keep you warm when you relax in savasana but they can also be rolled up to help you modify poses. You may need two bolsters for under your knees, and you will probably want at least one style of zafu or meditation cushion. 3) Carefully prevent injury If your grandmother told you that an ounc e of prevention is worth a pound of cure, she was right. When you practice yoga at home, it is your job to make sure that you don't injury yourself. Keep your space clear of obstacles like furniture and children's toys, and if possible, do your yoga in a room with hardwood floors. Soft surfaces can injury joints and thick carpet makes balancing difficult. Lifeboard is a hard surface that you can put on top of carpeting to make a transportable yoga floor if necessary. Christel Pierron (Seva Simran Kaur), an experienced teacher of Hatha Yoga, YogaDance, and Kundalini Yoga in Cape Cod, cautions, "Never force a posture. If you are going to tip over your edge, it is better to have a teacher who can watch you and help you go further. At home, take it easy. Don't compete with your body. Love your body, nurture your body, and be present. Be present, warm up, fully get into the poses you knowthat is how an at home practice should be. More difficult poses should be in a class, where your teacher can make a safe environment for you." 4) Choose your yoga style There are so many styles of yoga to choose from that it can be a little daunting at first. But rather than be overwhelmed, be excited! There are so many forms to choose from that if you don't like one, you have several others to test out. Hatha yoga is the most common form of yoga, but there are several schools of Hatha yoga to choose from. Pierron recommends that beginners try something like I yengar yoga or Kripalu yoga to help them learn the mechanics of a pose. If dynamic movement and deep meditation is your true love, Kundalini Yoga might be the perfect style for you. Shop around for teachers and styles that appeal to you, so that you know what will inspire you at home. 5) Get Instruction Once you find a style and a teacher you like, go to a few yoga classes. Then you can develop yourself privately. You can work with a teacher to find a series appropriate for you to do at home. Says Pierron, "Nothing replaces a teacher giving you personal instruction." 6) Do further research If you cannot find a teacher in your area, or if you want to further educate yourself about yoga, invest in some yoga books or flash cards. They are handy references to have while learning about the finer points of asana. Magazines such as Yoga Journal can provide inspiration and a feeling of connection to a larger yoga community. The internet is a wealth of resources for an at home yoga practice. You can go onto Itunes and find a yoga podcast that works for your level and interests. You can also join an online yoga club such as Gaiam Yoga club, which will give you access to videos, podcasts and guides with master teachers Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman-Yee. You can join Yoga Glo which films their yoga classes and allows you to participate from home. I Yoga Life has many videos that you can watch and participate with that are appropriate for a variety of levels. Purchasing some yoga DVDs with master instructors can help you take your practice to the next level. Rodney Yee is an excellent source of instruction for Hatha yoga. If you fall in love with Ashtanga yoga and want to create a solid at home practice without having a lot of time, a video such as David Swenson's Short Forms is a wonderful resource. Vinyasa yoga is a more fluid and often physically demanding form of yoga, but a Shiva Rea video migh t be just the ticket for your at home practice. If Kundalini Yoga is where your heart is, try a video by Gurmukh. 7) Take your yoga with you Even when you are not at home, you can be enhancing your home yoga practice. Iphone applications are a great way to study yoga asana on the go, or even practice your pranayama. Many yoga applications are free and others, such as Long Deep Breathing to help you learn to control your breath, are very affordable. Going for a hike in the summer months? Do some simple yoga and breathwork along the trail to connect more deeply with yourself and with Mother Nature, or learn Breathwalk as a spiritual practice. 8 ) Be gentle "If you are a beginner to yoga, start as such, whether you are in shape or not," counsels Christel Pierron. Start with small increments of time. Even 20 minutes of yoga to begin with is stretching areas of your body in a new way. Start slowly when beginning a yoga practice. Yoga was not designed as a fitness routine, but as a way to achieve spiritual union with the divine and purify the body to prepare it for meditation. Respect the discipline and your body enough to give it time to adjust to your practice. 9) Set the mood For many, good music during yoga is one of the best parts of the practice. Consider keeping ipod speakers and your ipod in your yoga space. Begin collecting music conducive to a beautiful yoga experience or make a playlist just for your practice. Spirit Voyage has an extensive collection of Yoga Music, including a Yoga Living Series. Decide what style of music will support you in your yoga practice. Love Kundalini music? Try Snatam Kaur. Like groovy Sanskrit mantras? Listen to some Wah! For mellow instrumentals, Deuter is a favorite. Shiva Rea has even compiled a collection of trance music suitable for Vinyasa flow. 10) Meditate The purpose of yoga was to support meditation. In your home yoga practice, do not forget to take the time after your workout to meditate and relax the mind while you are relaxing your body. There are so many forms of meditation. Try something simple, such as sitting with a straight spine, closing your eyes and focusing on your breath. The benefits of meditation include everything from lowering your blood pressure to improving your mood. Remember that yoga is a practice of honoring yourself and your body. Take the time to rediscover your body and soul in a nurturing, self-supportive way. Try to find the time in your busy life to take even ten minutes for yourself in your new sacred space. The stresses of the day and world outside your yoga space might seem pressing and urgent, but ultimately whether the dishes are put away and the laundry is done is not as important as whether or not you feel at home in your body and are in touch with the divinity within you. Start your yoga practice at home slowly, continue steadily and gently, and while you look at your hamstrings stretch, watch your spirit soar.



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Yoga in Nepal

Some years back, I was in Lonavala, an idyllic location between Mumbai and Pune, participating in a ten days long retreat program for executives. The program included a daily morning schedule of yoga under the guidance of a sage like guru, long beard, et al. The exercises started at 5 AM sharp and lasted for about one and a half hours each day. Used as I am to more rigorous forms of exercise, martial arts and football for example, yoga seemed to me to be a comparatively easy form of work out. Downright benign, in fact. After every few minutes of bending and stretching and breathing deeply, we were told to drop dead. Literally. It was supposed to the sabh asana (corpse posture) and it required us to lie still with our eyes closed and with our limbs all limp and relaxed. I did wonder then about this when none of the exercises were in any way at all strenuous, where was the need to fall into this drop-dead posture every few minutes? Later on of course I began to realize that yoga is in fact a relaxed form of work out, one in which more emphasis is laid on proper posture, correct breathing and meditation rather than on vigorous movements requiring considerable stamina. In later years too, I did witness some yoga practitioners chew steel plates and glass bulbs and I also did see some who sucked in air in such a way as to make their stomachs virtually disappear. Oh yes, yoga now does seem to be a much more fascinating art than I had heretofore imagined.

The fascination was further reinforced by a visit to The Healing Hands Centre' in Maharajgunj. Rahul Bharati, the thirty something who says he earned a PhD in Physiotherapy from Switzerland when only 21 years of age, also claims to be have revived a technique known as Nuad-Bo-Rarn (in Sanskrit), or more understandably, Ancient Thai Massage. Supposedly based on yoga postures, this technique is, as Rahul puts it very succinctly, "Yoga for lazy people". This of course shouldn't be taken literally. Rather, Nuad-Bo-Rarn is for those people who, either due to old age or disability, cannot do yoga by themselves but need a helping hand to do so and in the process, gain the inherent benefits of the art. In fact, according to the young teacher, the centre was previously known as Himalayan Yogic Institute' in which he served as a teacher from 1989 to 1994. Later on, the name was changed to The Kathmandu Centre of Healing', and finally, is now called, The Healing Hands Centre'. Whatev er the reasons for changing names, one cannot doubt that yoga is the basis of all teaching here and this should give a good example of the wide extent of yogic practices. Ancient Thai Massage claims its roots to be in India and is said to be based on the concept of energy lines running throughout the body, in line with the yoga philosophy that life energy (prana) is absorbed with the air we breathe in and the food we eat. Again, in line with yogic practices, Ancient Thai Massage believes that in addition to the physical body, there is thus a second body comprised of many energy lines. In the case of Ancient Thai Massage, ten main lines are selected along which there are believed to be specially important pressure points.

Similarly, Arogya Ashram' in Tangal, under the auspices of the International School of Yoga System of Medicine and Hospital, describes itself as The Natural Health and Yoga Centre' and runs a clinic under Dr. Pramod Gautam's supervision who practices the art of naturopathy. Arogya Ashram, established some 35 years ago by Dr. Pramod's father, the late Yogacharya Dr. Kashi Raj Upadhyaya, believes in the credo, Prevention is better than Cure'. "We believe that chemical medicines are harmful and most of the treatment we practice is based on the concept that toxins are the major problems of all disease. So our goal is to detoxify the body," reveals the doctor. This is done, according to him, through various treatment regimes such as clay therapy, hydrotherapy, solar therapy etc. In fact, much of the therapy is derived from the philosophical aspect of Panchakarma', i.e. the five elements fire, air, earth, water and akash (vacuum) and the practice is said to be a yoga system of medicine.

"We believe that yoga is a discipline," says the doctor. "And yes, ultimately, besides the medicinal aspects, yoga develops personality." Dr. Gautam has 20 years experience to his credit so what he says should hold water. According to him, the centre conducts a regular yoga class everyday under the guidance of skilled practitioners. Besides this, and a major activity of the centre, is of course naturopathy the curing of diseases through the natural way'. "Naturopathy is efficacious for treating many gastro, osteo and neuro-related diseases as well as ENT problems," he asserts. "Also, for problems of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, asthma and gout, naturopathy has proved to be a boon." He adds, "Our treatment is specially good for pain management." At the same time, the doctor reminds, "Our system of yogic medicine is actually geared towards changing bad habits and degenerative lifestyles." For those interested, treatment usually lasts for a month in most case s and costs Rs.200 for a two-hour session everyday. However, for more chronic problems, therapy can continue for upto six months. Early treatment is advised. The doctor also believes, "If only people are made more aware of good eating habits, it would revolutionize health." He concludes with, "Naturopathy is a sort of mother therapy' because it can be combined with any other form of treatment." Indeed, this yoga system of medicine is free from the much-dreaded side effects that are so prevalent through use of chemical drugs, and indeed, this yoga system of medicine is certain to transform habits, improve lifestyle and in fact, transform lives. Actually, all that yoga states its goal to be.

Both the above examples demonstrate the many different ways in which yoga philosophy is applied. Yoga, as such, is an ancient art with a 3000 year-old history. Its history has five broad divisions that include Vedic Yoga, Preclassical Yoga, Classical Yoga, Postclassical Yoga and Modern Yoga. Although the ancient Vedas contain the oldest known references to yoga, and so is called Vedic Yoga, the classic text of yoga is Patanjali's Yoga Sutras' (200BC-200AD) - Classical Yoga. In between the two, around 500 BC, the Bhagavad Gita was created and is therefore it is the oldest yoga scripture. This was Preclassical Yoga. The Gita talked about bhakti (loving devotion), jnana (knowledge or contemplation) and karma (selfless actions). However, it was Patanjali, around the second century, who really tried to define Classical Yoga. The four systems of yoga were classified as jnana yoga, karma yoga, raja yoga and bhakthi yoga. Patanjali's Yoga Sutra' comprises of 195 aphorisms or sutra s that expound on the raja yoga and its basic principle: the Eightfold Path of Yoga. These include yama, meaning ethics, niyama, implying personal observance of purity, tolerance and study; asanas, or physical exercises; pranayama breath control; pratyahara, signifying sense withdrawal to prepare for meditation; dharana concentration; dhayana meditation and samadhi, denoting ecstasy. During the 6th Century, Buddha started his teachings which laid heavy emphasis on meditation and physical postures he could be said to be the first Buddhist to have studied yoga. Later, in the Postclassical period, yoga gurus started to explore unknown potentials of the human body and began to think of new yogic practices, such as Hatha Yoga which is very popular today, that would revitalize the body and lengthen life. Hatha Yoga's goal is to facilitate concentration and meditation through asanas and pranayama, thus preparing the practitioner for achievement of samadhi.

Swami Viveknanda introduced yoga to the west during the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. Around 1920, Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi', established his self-realization fellowship in Los Angeles. In the early 1930's, J. Krishnamurthy and his expositions on jnana yoga became popular in the west. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, famed for his famous disciples, The Beatles, entered the picture in the 1960's and introduced Transcendental Meditation. Around the same time another famous yoga guru, Swami Sivananda who is credited with modernizing yoga, opened ashrams in America and Europe. He propagated his modified Five Principles of Yoga that consisted of savasana or proper relaxation; asanas or proper exercise; pranayama or proper breathing; proper diet, and dhayana or positive thinking/meditation. He was blessed with some outstanding disciples. Disciples like Swami Satchinanda who initiated yoga chanting during Woodstock, Swami Sivananda Radha wh o investigated the relationship between psychology and yoga, and Yogi Bhajan who, in the 1970's, introduced Kundalini Yoga. Another famous disciple, Swami Vishnudevananada wrote the book, Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga'. In 1965, Shrila Prabhupada founded the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) in the US and popularized Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion). In the 1970's, Osho Rajneesh became one of the most illustrious yoga gurus the world over. Sathya Sai Baba too is said to be one of the best-known living yoga gurus today. Another is of course, Swami Baba Ramdev, who is certainly the one most in the limelight at the moment.

Coming back to Nepal, according to Swami Badri Bishal, founder of Bishal Ayurveda Ausadhalaya and Yoga Centre in Anamnagar, Kathmandu, there are probably around 25 to 30 proficient yoga gurus in Kathmandu. Among these, Dr. Yogi Vikashanand of Ananda Yoga Centre, Satungal, Kathmandu, is probably the best known, thanks to his frequent appearances in the media. This, no doubt must be credited to his high degree of expertise in this most ancient of arts. One must also mention Acharya Swami Anand Arun of Osho Tapoban in Nagarjun, who teaches the path of self realization as revealed by Osho Rajneesh. Speaking of centres of learning, it is interesting to note that the Jain Mandir in Gyaneswar, Kathmandu, imparts yoga lessons free of cost every day to the almost one hundred students who practice yoga there. And speaking again of Badri Bishal, although he is a long time disciple of Satya Guru Bhakta Sanka of Lamjung and is a guru himself, he reveals that he has enrolled in the Balm iki Vidyapeeth in order to learn still more about yoga. He teaches Patanjali Yoga and believes that for a serious student to attain the necessary expertise, at least three years of continued practice is needed. His training schedule includes about ten minutes of jogging with emphasis on balanced breathing followed by a period of Om dhoni (humming the Om sound). In fact, it is only after a beginner has gained some proficiency in the above that he is allowed to proceed further, i.e. to the asanas, then to pranayana and dhyan.

Undoubtedly, every teacher has his own individual approach to the teaching of yoga, and it is a fact that there are many systems of yoga practiced today, as it has been through the ages, but whatever the method or the system or the path taken by various gurus, yoga's ultimate purpose is to transform a person through the transcendence of ego. "Yoga is a spiritual discipline," declares Dr. Pramod Gautam. And self-enlightenment is yoga's avowed goal. In recent days, with the visit of that new messiah of yoga, Swami Ramdev, to Kathmandu, the ancient art has attained added popularity and one can safely say that yoga is here to stay.

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