Accurate self assessment when wanting to Gain weight

Accurate self assessment is a very important part of achieving your weight gain goals. For example if you were to miscalculate your Body fat percentage at 15% and it actually was closer to 10% then you will most likely not have an accurate time line to diet by. One of the most important things to achieving your weight gaining goals that you will ever learn is that gaining weight is a recipe or a scientific formula and you need to know how long to leave the cake in the oven. You can gain weight, as much as you desire, and figure out to the week that you will achieve your goal.

Once you understand that weight gain is the simplest thing in the world you instantly take control of your destiny. Want to know the secret, OK here it is. Its simple math combined with intense discipline. I’ve seen so many guys train there asses off, they spent tens of thousands of dollars on drugs and supplements not to mention food, just to look as scrawny as they were previously by the time the spring rolls around. They had a plan but no time line and with out clearly defined goals and rigged deadlines you'll never realize your potential! If you don't know where your going it's a pretty safe bet you'll never get there.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis- a Herculean Task?

Mesothelioma is the cancer of mesothelium, the covering of the internal organs of the body. The mesothelioma diagnosis is in fact not that easy. The reason is that there are no symptoms that are specific only to mesothelioma. The mesothelioma symptoms are similar to the ones that are noticed in many disease conditions, which make mesothelioma diagnosis difficult.

The doctor must start with the history of the patients. In case the exposure to the asbestos was recorded at the time of history taking, then there is a good chance for the presence of mesothelioma. Physical examination will be performed after history taking. This will be followed by lung function test and x- ray of the chest.

Other commonly used diagnostic procedures for Mesothelioma include CT scan , MRI scan, biopsy test, thoracoscopy, and laparoscopy. Once Mesothelioma is diagnosed, immediately treatment procedures should be started ASAP to contain the spread of the disease.

Aromatherapy Guide

Let me introduce you to my favorite aromatherapy website, AromatherapyPoint.com. It has simple appearance, easy to navigate pages but the main advantage of it is that it includes all the basics for an Aromatherapy newbie who want to benefit from the healing properties of the Aromatherapy Essential Oils and improve his wellbeing. Not only it provides accurate information about the essential oils, base oils and hydrosols that are used in Aromatherapy sessions, but it contains many valuable time-tested Aromatherapy remedies and instructions for use. Visit the site and have a look at the remarkable article about the History of Aromatherapy. Do you know that Aromatherapy dates back at least at 4000 years BC, although the term was first used in 1920?

Vitamins and your Body

Vitamins are the most important compounds which help in the proper metabolism in the body. Some of the types and the functions of vitamins are:

Vitamin A

Uses: Vitamin A is necessary for normal eyesight, body tissues, growth and bone formation, and resistance to infection.

Sources: Liver, fish liver oils, whole or fortified milk, eggs, carrots and dark-green leafy vegetables, like kale.

Signs of Deficiency: Poor night vision or night blindness, loss of appetite, increased susceptibility to infection, and changes in the skin and teeth.

Vitamin B-1

Uses: Vitamin B-1 (thiamin) is useful for the normal functioning of all body cells, nerves cells. It also helps to break down carbohydrates, protein, and fat for energy.

Sources: Green peas, brewer's yeast, organ meats, lean cuts of pork, dried beans and peas, oranges, wheat germ, breads and cereals whole grain, peanuts, oysters.

Signs of Deficiency: Fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, gastrointestinal problems, nausea and weakness. Signs of a severe deficiency include mental confusion, muscular weakness, paralysis, heart problems and loss of reflexes.

Vitamin B-2

Uses: Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin) is necessary for the normal release of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat in food. It's also important for normal production and regulation of certain hormones, and formation of red blood cells.

Sources: Dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, enriched and fortified grains, cereals and bakery products, and green vegetables such as broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus and spinach.

Signs of Deficiency: Soreness of the mouth, lips and tongue, burning and itching of the eyes, loss of vision, sensitivity to light.

Vitamin B-3

Uses: Vitamin B-3 (Niacin) is essential for the release of energy from carbohydrates, synthesis of fats and formation of red blood cells.

Sources: Meat, poultry, fish, enriched cereals and grains, and nuts.

Signs of Deficiency: Weakness, loss of appetite, indigestion, skin inflammation, and lethargy. A severe deficiency results in the disease pellagra, which causes scaly skin, swollen tongue, tremors and damage to the central nervous system.

Vitamin B-6

Uses: Vitamin B-6 helps to break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It plays a key role in the processing of amino acids and maintenance of the nervous system.

Sources: Chicken, fish, kidney, liver, pork, eggs, unmilled rice, soy beans, oats, whole-wheat products, peanuts and walnuts.

Signs of Deficiency: Depression, vomiting, increased susceptibility to disease and infection, skin and nerve inflammation, anemia, nausea and lethargy.

Vitamin B-12

Uses: Vitamin B-6 helps to break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It plays a key role in the processing of amino acids and maintenance of the nervous system.

Sources: Meat, poultry, fish, milk, dairy products and eggs.

Signs of Deficiency: Anemia and neurological problems.

Vitamin C

Uses: Vitamin C is necessary for the formation of collagen protein, which gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels, and contributes to the proper maintenance of capillaries, bones and teeth. Vitamin C promotes the healing of wounds, bone fractures, bruises, hemorrhages and bleeding gums.

Sources: Green and red peppers, collard greens, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, oranges and other citrus fruits.

Signs of Deficiency: Bleeding gums, nose bleeds and wounds that heal slower than normal. Other signs include damage to blood vessels, swollen, tender joints and aching bones, general weakness, loss of appetite and dry, scaly skin. Severe deficiency leads to scurvy a disease which is characterized by anemia, tooth loss and bleeding under the skin.

Vitamin D

Uses: Vitamin D is essential in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth by regulation of calcium and phosphorus. It also aids in the maintenance of a healthy nerve and muscle system.

Sources: Sunlight, fortified milk and margarine, eggs and butter.

Signs of Deficiency: A prolonged lack of this nutrient results in changes in the bones of children and adults. Severe deficiency causes rickets disease.

Vitamin E

Uses: As an antioxidant, Vitamin E stabilizes cell membranes and protects tissues that are found throughout the body.

Sources: Vegetable oils, margarine, nuts, wheat germ and green leafy vegetables.

Signs of Deficiency: Anemia in infants and nerve damage in adults.

Vitamin K

Uses: The main function of Vitamin K is to regulate blood clotting.

Sources: Sunlight, fortified milk and margarine, eggs and butter.

Signs of Deficiency: Vitamin K deficiency is very rare. But certain medications that affect vitamin K absorption may lead to abnormal blood clotting.

Biotin

Uses: Biotin is used by the body to manufacture and break down fats, amino acids, and carbohydrates.

Sources: Liver, egg yolk, soy flour, cereals and yeast.

Signs of Deficiency: Skin inflammation, depression, conjunctivitis, hair loss, elevated blood levels of cholesterol, anemia, loss of appetite, tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, nausea, lethargy, muscle pain, and enlargement of the liver.

Folic acid

Uses: Folic acid is essential for the normal growth and maintenance of all cells. It's main function is to maintain the cells' genetic code.

Sources: Folic acid is found in many foods, but fifty percent of it is destroyed during cooking, food processing and storage. Especially rich sources include liver, yeast, leafy green vegetables and legumes.

Signs of Deficiency: Anemia, poor growth, digestive disorders, malnutrition, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weakness, irritability, sore tongue, headaches, heart palpitations and behavioral disorders.

Pantothenic Acid

Uses: Pantothenic Acid is a B-complex vitamin required for the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, and protein for energy. It also functions in the production of fats, cholesterol, bile, vitamin D, red blood cells, and some hormones and neurotransmitters.

Sources: Pantothenic Acid is found in many foods, but it is most abundant in meat, poultry, fish, whole grain cereals and legumes.

Signs of Deficiency: Fatigue, heart and digestive problems, respiratory infections, skin inflammation and lack of coordination may develop under severe conditions.

Diabetes: A Deadly Problem

When we eat, our body normally turns food into glucose, and a hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into body cells. In diabetes, however, too much glucose stays in the blood. As a result, two problems occur: body cells become starved for energy, and, over time, the high glucose levels can damage the nerves, eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

There are two main kinds of diabetes:

1.) Noninsulin-dependent diabetes (type II diabetes): The most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of all cases. People with this condition either don't produce enough insulin to control glucose levels or their cells simply do not respond to the insulin.

2.) Insulin-dependent diabetes (type I diabetes): It is much less common but more severe. This condition is caused by damage to the pancreas, an organ near the stomach that contains beta cells, which produce insulin. Without insulin-producing beta cells, glucose builds up in the blood.

Researchers think diabetes is caused by a combination of genes and also by lifestyle. Some of the factors put many people at risk like: Obesity, Inactivity, A family history of diabetes, Belonging to certain ethnic groups (genetic susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes is higher among blacks, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Asians and Pacific Islanders), Developing gestational diabetes during a pregnancy or giving birth to an infant that weighs nine pounds or more.

Treatment of diabetes

1.) Eating a healthy diet
2.) Exercise
3.) Glucose Testing
4.) Drugs: Rezulin, Rezulin--Avandia and Actos (for type- II diabetes), other pills like sulfonylureas, Prandin
5.) Insulin Speeds:

a. Fast-acting (regular) insulin. Regular insulin reaches the bloodstream in only 30 minutes. It reaches its peak action in two to three hours.

b. Intermediate-acting (NPH or lente) insulin. Lente insulin takes two to four hours to reach the bloodstream. And reaches peak action in four to 12 hours.

c. Long-acting (ultralente) insulin. Ultralente insulin reaches the bloodstream in six to 10 hours, and lasts in the blood 18 to 20 hours (it doesn't have peak action).

All About Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a a lipid, a soft, fat-like substance or a component of cell membranes, is found in all body tissues, and is converted into various hormones. Cholesterol comes from two sources: it's produced by the body, mainly in the liver. And it's found in food, especially animal products such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products and eggs.

Like other nutrients, cholesterol has to travel to the body's cells through the blood. However, since it is not water soluble, the substance must be transported to organs by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds of lipoproteins, but low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL cholesterol is a bad one because it can form plaque (a thick, hard deposit) that restricts the flow of blood through the arteries and can result in a heart attack or stroke. On the other hand (HDL) is good cholesterol because it not only carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's removed from the body, but it sweeps away the cholesterol dumped by LDL.

Preventive measures

1.) If you are a healthy adult over 20, test your blood cholesterol levels at least once every five years.
2.) Eat no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. One egg yolk has about 213 milligrams of cholesterol. Egg whites, on the other hand, have no cholesterol or fat and are a great source of protein. You can substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk in many recipes that call for eggs.
3.) Limit your total fat intake to less than 30 percent of calories, with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fats. You can accomplish this by:
4.) Choosing more fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead of fatty meats and bakery goods.
5.) Eating fish, poultry without skin and lean meats instead of fatty ones.
6.) Consuming low-fat or skim milk dairy products instead of whole milk dairy products.
7.) Exercise regularly it will also help you to decrease the level of cholesterol in your body.

Antioxidants

To understand the importance of antioxidants, it is first necessary to understand oxidation. The oxidation process causes metal to rust, fruit to turn brown and oils to go rancid. Inside the body, oxidations severely damage the cells and allow diseases to get a foothold. Free Radicals which are destructive oxygen byproducts, , are produced both in our bodies and in the environment due to factors like cigarette smoke and polluted air. Antioxidants seem to deactivate free radicals, and therefore protect cells from damage and so the body from diseases.

Antioxidant vitamins (including beta carotene which is the building block for vitamin A), and vitamins C and E may also help prevent some of the adverse effects of smoking, and they may help prevent the buildup of low density lipoprotein (LDL), known as bad cholesterol, in artery walls. In addition, antioxidant vitamins, especially vitamins C and E, appear to play an important role in protecting the body against cancer. They seem to block the formation of chemical carcinogens in the stomach, protect DNA and fats in the blood from damage, and enhance the function of the immune system. So experts recommend eating a balanced diet that includes at least five to six servings of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants each and every day. Antioxidant nutrients can be obtained by taking supplements too. So we can take the balanced diet consists of antioxidants everyday in a week:

Monday:
Lemon Blackberry Parfait, Shrimp Artichoke Salad and more yummy menu choices.

Tuesday:
Artichoke, Goat Cheese & Potato Omelets, Glazed Plums and other power packed snacks.

Wednesday:
Black Bean Burgers and Plum and Pecan Salad are just a few of the delicious items on today's menu.

Thursday:
Verry Berry Smoothies and a scrumptous Three-Apple Salad top off Thursday's list.

Friday:
Thank Goodness it's Friday, with Pecan Crusted Snapper and a Red Berry Wine Sauce.

Asthma: A Chronic Illness

Asthma is a drastic disease. It can affect a person in any age. Asthma is an allergic inflammation of the lungs. It can be caused by air pollutants, pollens, molds, dust, chemicals, foods or even changes in temperature. These causative agents produce allergens, which are then absorbed into the blood stream causing the B cells or white blood cells to produce billions of molecules of the antibody IgE. These IgE molecules are in the bloodstream and then they combines with the mast cells, which are used for lining the blood vessels or basophils, which are a type of white blood cell.

Mast cells and basophils both contain histamine and serotonin, and the antibody IgE causes the mast cells and basophils to remove the histamine and serotonin into the blood stream. In addition to this, the production of a group of fatty acids called lucotrienes or Lt's are the primary cause of asthma symptoms. Lt's are formed by the combination or action of two enzymes, phospholipase A2 and lipxygenase. When you experience an asthma attack, the walls of the lungs become inflamed and the mucus membranes fill with fluid and thick, sticky mucus making it difficult to breathe.

Symptoms:

1.) Common asthma symptoms are a scratchy throat, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and a tight feeling in the chest.
2.) An asthma attack can be mild, moderate or severe and lasting for a few minutes, hours, or even several days.
3.) Extreme difficulty in breathing, talking and walking,
4.) Your fingernails or lips are turning blue,
5.) Chest feels tight and your ribs are pulled inward as you breathe,
6.) Nostrils are flaring when you breath

From 1982 to 1994 the annual death rate from asthma rose 75% and is continuing to rise. Doctors and researchers agree that the single most important thing that parents can do to prevent their child from developing asthma in the first place is to eliminate or significantly reduce dust mite allergens in the home. Dust mite allergens are known to play a major role in asthma development. Researchers have determined that other important allergens also need to be eliminated from the home are cats, certain types of mold, dogs, cockroaches and tobacco smoke. Long term use of steroid drugs is not recommended by doctors and has serious side effects. Making these preventative environmental changes is a much more viable, healthy and preferable alternative.

How to Loose Fat

Weight training is helpful to reduce your fat by increasing your muscle mass and more muscle means more calories burned (faster metabolism). It also helps to give your skin a more tone, tight appearance, lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your bones, improves your agility, increases your flexibility, strengthens your immune system and gives you more energy and a brighter outlook on life. For women, lower body fat and cellulite are very common problems. In this area there is very little circulation of blood. In other words, the lack of blood vessel activity in those areas make it very difficult for the body to move that fat into the bloodstream where it can be used as fuel by the body. The only non-surgical way to remove the cellulite is to simply go on a long-term fat loss program.

Men have a similar common fat storage area around their stomach and waist. Women do tend to lose fat at a slower rate than men. Women simply store fat more efficiently than men because it is needed during and after pregnancy. The most difficulty arises to lose fat usually at centers around the waist, belly and lower back areas for men, and the upper thigh and buttocks, area for women. These areas are comprised of mostly brown adipose tissue (fat). This type of fat is difficult to lose because of the low blood circulation in these areas hinder the fat mobilization. Many thermogenic agents like ephedrine and blood thinning supplements like aspirin help to improve fat loss - they increase blood circulation into these hard to reach areas and mobilize the stubborn fat. The only way to decrease the amount of fat in certain key areas is by lowering your total body fat levels. As you lose fat, it will come off all over your body, not just in specific areas. If you follow a complete diet and weight training program for at least 12 weeks, you will begin to see psychological and physiological changes occurring with your body. You can expect lower body fat, increased muscle mass, increased metabolism, increased sense of well-being, more energy, lower blood cholesterol level, decreased risk of heart disease, and most important, increased self-confidence.

Your fat loss program should include the following:
1.) A calorie restrictive diet, which requires you to eat no less than 10x and no more than 15x your LEAN bodyweight in calories.
2.) Regular cardiovascular activity for at least 30-45 minutes 3-4 times per week.
3.) Weight training.
4.) Your diet should include the supplements like vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Your diet should include the adequate dietary fat, including high amounts of Essential Fatty Acids like Omega-6 and Omega-3.

You Should Be Self Confident

You are lacking self-confidence when you feel anxious about mingling at a party wondering if anyone will talk to you or if you will say anything engaging. You repeatedly check your appearance in the mirror. Perhaps, you failed at something you worked on and feel inadequate.

Due to lack of confidence a person can’t be able to get success that he wants. And he always thinks that he is going to be defeated. So how do you generate confidence and keep it going? It requires a leap of faith in yourself believing that if you work hard, are persistent, and connect with positive people, you will reap the rewards. Otherwise you will always stay behind in the race of life.

Here are some steps to boost your self confidence. By applying these steps you can get victory in the race of life:

• Write down your goals, objectives and then specify them. You know that its human nature that he thinks effectively only when he writes.
• Express yourself that who you are by letting your inner self out.
• Dress the way you want and put on less make-up. Wear what is comfortable and makes you feel good.
• Close your eyes and think only about success. Believe that things will work out. See yourself successfully completing. Rehearse the steps in your mind, so that you become proficient. So that you will become more proficient by doing less effort.
• Don’t think about the bullies in your mind who provide the reasons why you can’t, or shouldn’t do the thing. If you will think these types of things you will ultimately fail.
• Always think positive because you know that nothing is impossible to a willing mind.
• Find friends who will serve as your coach to inspire you to victory. You need a nurturing environment to grow. Imagine a sports team whose coach told them they were no good and would lose. Ultimately the team would lose.
• Be a responsible person that If you fail in anything, you shouldn’t blame anyone else because then you give away your power. Learn from your mistakes. Victims are helpless. Don’t let anger control you and defeat you.
• You don’t have to excel at everything. Find the something you do well and build on it. Let that something be your identifying success.
• Become so strong inside that you do not have to demonstrate your power. It is a part of you, readily observable in your stance with shoulders back, heart open and head erect.