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Workout guidelines for any woman, any age

How to find and stick to an exercise regime that works for you

More than perhaps ever before, working out is important for women of all ages. With an increasingly sedentary lifestyle requiring little physical activity, we now find ourselves having to make a real effort to remain fit. It is the key to a long life, good health, and a happiness whether we like it or not!
We have all taken part in the excuses; I don’t have the time, I can’t afford the price of the gym, I have more important things to do with my time, my husband and family need me etc…
There is some truth in this; time is certainly a factor. I, like many others, lead a busy life. I have an ill parent to care for as well as a husband and a home to take care of. On top of that, I also have both a job and a career. Like many of you, my schedule is hectic. Also like many women, I can’t afford the price of a gym. My money goes on family, friends, and charity; not for me.
But for all that, we women have to stop putting everything and everyone else before ourselves. It is a habit that is hard to break, for sure, but if we do not, we won’t be around to take care of the very people whose welfare we put above our own. So how can we fit exercise into our lives despite all these conflicting priorities and demands on our time?
There is no perfect form of exercise to fit everyone’s individual needs. The trick is to find the right one that fits into our lifestyles and that will help each of us to achieve the results we seek. Some of us may want to simply slim down. Others may want to tone and shape. Still others may seek to build strength or flexibility. And some of us want a combination of any or all of those things.
Another key component in finding the right workout is to find something that we will enjoy. Most people associate working out with pain, anguish, and discomfort, but that need not be the case, if we can find the type of workout that fits who we are as individuals.
Amongst others, there is yoga or Pilate’s to slenderize, tone, and increase flexibility. There is kickboxing for gaining strength, self-confidence, and obtaining a sense of self-empowerment. There is dancing for flexibility, grace, and heart healthy aerobic exercise. There is weight lifting for shaping muscles and building strength. There are hundreds of different types of workout possibilities open to women today; no matter their age, their physical condition, their income, or the amount of time they have to devote.
No program will be easy at first, particularly for those who have not exercised in a while. The change will be a shock to the body’s system. However, it will eventually become easier for those who stick with it and commit to a long-range program. It is important not to get disappointed when instant gratification doesn’t happen. Remember the old saying: Nothing worth having is easy or better yet “No Pain: No Gain.”
Here are some workout guidelines for women of all ages. Follow them and I promise that you will be on your way to a healthier, happier, and more satisfied you.

1. Choose a workout program that fits what you want to accomplish and your own individual personality and lifestyle. Don’t decide to lift weights just because your husband already has some. You may not really want to “bulk up” and unless you enjoy weight lifting, your commitment will wane quickly.
2. Make sure your physician is on board with the workout program you have chosen. If you have one or more medical conditions, it is crucial that your doctor pre-approve any and all workout programs.
3. If you want to lose weight while you work out, determine if you also need to adjust your eating patterns in order to get the most impact out of the change. If so, make those changes before or at the same time as you begin your new work out regimen.
4. Always warm up before you start a workout. You want to strengthen and/or flex your muscles, not damage them.
5. Wear appropriate clothing. It should be loose fitting, comfortable, and stretch as you exercise. Shoes should provide the proper support.
6. Make sure you have the right equipment. If the program you have chosen requires equipment, make sure you have it on hand. For example, if you intend to lift weights, make sure you have the right type and size of weights for your program requirements.
7. Never exercise right after eating. Give your body time to digest your food. Otherwise, you may upset your system and impede your workout.
8. Don’t exercise when you are sick. You could further wear down your body’s immune system and prolong your illness. Wait until you feel better.
9. Follow the workout program’s instructions. No matter what program you are following there will be a set of “do’s” and “don’ts”. Follow them. They are there for a reason - to protect you!
10. Set up an appropriate routine. With some programs it may be okay to exercise every single day. However, with others, it might be better to take a day off in between. If you are uncertain, consult the experts in the area. Once you set up a working routine, stick with it as much as possible. If you get off of it do to illness or something else, get back on at your earliest convenience and keep moving forward.
11. If you feel pain at any time during your workout, STOP! Do not workout further until you determine the source and cause of the pain. That may require a trip to the doctor. However, don’t risk your health. Do whatever is required to insure that continuing to workout will not damage it.
12. Breathe! No matter the workout program chosen, breathing is key. You may have to learn to breathe differently than you normally do. That’s a small price to pay for long-term health benefits.
13. Cool down after exercise. Stopping a workout abruptly, without proper cool down, can be as dangerous as starting to workout with warming up. Take the time to bring your heart rate down and cool off your body.
14. Follow your workout with a hot shower or warm bath to soothe and relax your muscles.
15. Don’t give up too quickly. Just because you don’t get immediate results that you can see in the mirror, that doesn’t mean that the program isn’t working. Give it time. Commit to a certain length of time before changing your program or abandoning it.
16. Form a support group. Make sure you have someone to cheer you on in your efforts. It can be people that workout with you, family, or friends. You will get tired and discouraged if you don’t have support.
17. Continue to increase your efforts. That might mean that you workout a little longer, add a little more weight, or try something a bit more difficult. But once your muscles are used to the regular routine, it is important to give them something new to keep them active.
18. If the first program you choose doesn’t work, try something else. Don’t abandon working out altogether because the program you chose isn’t working. Perhaps you just chose the wrong program. This is your health. Take it seriously!
19. Have fun with it! Just because you are working out, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun too. Add some music, try a new routine, join a group, or do anything and everything else you can think of to keep yourself interested in continuing the program.
20. Be proud of yourself! You have taken a big step forward not only for yourself but also for those people that you love most in your life. Pat yourself on the back. Buy yourself a new outfit. Celebrate your success.

Author: Charlotte Kuchinsky

Fighting middle-age spread

What your waist and your BMI tell you about your health

With the influx of food programmes on TV telling us how we should be eating to stay healthy and to slim down, it appears that we have become a nation enthused by weight loss.
If you’ve been watching any of these programmes, you will have heard the term BMI (Body Mass Index), which indicates your recommended weight taking into account your height. Experts have been popularising the term BMI to assess whether you are in your healthy weight zone. If you haven’t already done so, to calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kg by your height in metres, or just look use a BMI Calculator to have it done for you.
Having taking your BMI as a rough guideline, the next thing you have to do in the name of your health is to get out your tape measure. Measure your waist at the narrowest point and your hips at the widest, and divide the waist by the hip measurement.
For men, the result should be less than 0.95, for women less than 0.8. Some experts recommend waist measurements of less than 31 inches for women and less than 37” for men, but I prefer the waist to hip division as this comes out fairer for the curvier figure.
If you are above the 0.95 or 0.8, or if your waist is more than 34” women or 40” men, you could be putting your life at risk. Extra fat around the waist and within the abdomen is linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, the BMI does not take into account a bulging waistline, which is why measuring yourself is a good habit to get into. You could be a fit athlete bulked up with muscle and very little fat, but as muscle weighs more than fat, your BMI could register you as obese in this case!
Why is waist to hip measurement so important? Fat on the hips is harmless, it just sits there and gives padding. Fat around the middle – a different story. It can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer. We are pre-disposed to deposit fat there. As we reach our 40s, our bodies start to hang onto fat, because it produces oestrogen (in preparation for decreasing levels during menopause) and it’s easier for the body to find the oestrogen if it’s around the middle.
Secondly, stress causes fat to be laid in this same area because when you are stressed, your body thinks you’re in a “fight or flight” situation and you will need energy. It is quicker for the body to source energy from the middle than from your hips. In addition to all this bad news, our metabolism - the rate at which our bodies burn off energy - slows down. As we get older, muscle decreases and is replaced by fat, and the less muscle we have, the lower our metabolism, therefore the fewer calories we need to consume.
However, if you’re still in your 20s, don’t think you’re safe for long - middle age spread can begin in your 30s. The growth hormone somatotropin is our best friend when we’re young. Secreted by the pituitary gland, it helps maintain strong bones and muscles, reduces glucose in the liver and breaks down stored fat.
In our 30s, the production of this hormone starts to decline. With rises in glucose levels, there is increased insulin. Insulin packs excess glucose away as fat to be accessed later and, as there is less breaking down of body fat, the result can lead to visible bulges. Look up the word “somatopause” on the internet and you will find a plethora of articles on the subject.
So, what do you do if you haven’t got the ideal waist to hip measurement? Well, if you have curves, embrace them. In fact, scientists even endorse the good health of having a large behind, and a large bottom equates to large hips. So don’t fret about hip slimming exercises, leave them alone and concentrate on the waist!
Firstly, your diet. What you eat will help, especially if you have discovered that your BMI is also not within the ideal range. Consuming fewer calories will have a fairly fast effect, but may not teach you much about eating for a healthy life, and I would not personally recommend the popular low fat diets.
You could try the Reverse Diet by Tricia Cunningham, or the Low GL Diet by Patrick Holford. Some people recommend fasting every other day if you cannot control your calorie intake, whereas other experts go for the opposite approach and prefer 3 meals a day plus nutritious snacks (nuts not crisps) so that your body doesn’t think it’s going into starvation mode.
Leslie Kenton recommends that you try to eat more of your food raw. If you already eat raw, double the portion. Eat raw at the beginning of each meal. Apart from keeping all their nutrients, raw food has the advantage of making you feel full quicker. Soup enthusiasts similarly recommend soup because of its effect of making you feel full for longer. The mix of solids with liquid passes through the stomach at a constant, slower pace than just solids alone.
One recommendation that may sound obvious is to allocate time to your meal and chew properly. Chewing accounts for a lot of the digestive work. Bolting down your food means that, no matter how healthy it is, the food is not going to be fully digested. Drink plenty of water, aiming for 8 glasses a day as this can raise your metabolism by 30%. Green tea raises your metabolism by 35% (source Marilyn Glenville).
The second thing to do is exercise. Perhaps a dirty word to some but it is essential and regular exercise can also boost your metabolism and stimulate production of the growth hormone somatotropin. Anaerobic exercise is recommended. This is where you do short bursts of power then follow this with steady movements. Stomach exercises are an excellent way to reduce a bulging middle and, reducing your stomach will also reduce your waist.
Lastly, chill. The more stressed you are, the more fat you will lay down, so give yourself some time off. Yes, you could go out for a meal with a friend, but remember you’ll be working it off later. Even if it’s just giving yourself 30 minutes for a bath, relaxing with a face mask or a taking time for a massage; if it reduces your stress levels, it’s good for your waist and your long term health.
Recommended reading:

• Fat Around the Middle – Marilyn Glenville (easy to read and easy to understand)
• GL Diet – Patrick Holford (note GL not GI)
• Ready Set Go! Synergy Fitness for Time-crunched Adults – Phil Campbell
• The Waistline Plan – Sally Lewis

About the Author

Doreen has had a passion for massage since she was 15 years old. She still has that passion, and offers massage, specialist facials and other beauty treatments in her home-based salon in Surrey. With any energy left over she will devour all the beauty pages of all the magazines she can lay her hands on!
Doreen's homepage: Bellessence
Author: Doreen Corbey

How to get the best haircut

How to get the best haircut for your face shape

Choose the hairstyle that matches your face

Have you ever gone to the salon, hairstyle magazine in hand, hoping to have your locks transformed into the latest trend featured on the front page only to have your stylist tell you that you do not have the right shaped face to wear the style, or, worse yet, your stylist puts that exact haircut on you, but you look nothing like the model wearing the cut in the magazine?
We’ve all had horrible experiences in the stylist chair. Most of the time they are not technical errors, but errors when it comes to choosing the right style to compliment our facial structure and build.

When choosing the perfect hairstyle for your unique look, stylists should take into account your build. For example, close cropped styles would not suit a person with a large frame, nor would a full-bodied style compliment a person with a small frame. Making sure that your style and frame balance is the key here.
Stylists also should look at your face shape when choosing the best look for you. There are five basic face shapes: oval, heart, round, square and triangular.
All of these shapes can be beautiful, but one is ideal: oval. No matter what shaped face you have, achieving the perfect look involves picking the right cut or style that will make your face appear more oval.

Oval face shapes are identified by the perfect symmetry of certain facial features, such as the distance from the hairline to the bridge of the nose (between the eyes), from the bridge of the nose to the lips, and from the lips to the bottom of the chin. If your face is oval shaped, you can consider yourself to be very lucky. This shape is the only one that is complimented by almost every hairstyle imaginable.
Heart shaped faces are usually broader through the forehead and taper to a point at the chin. You can make this shaped face appear more oval by positioning the weight of the haircut at chin level, or by wearing bangs in shorter styles. Keep in mind that the goal is to minimize the forehead and to bring prominence to the chin.
Round faces are just that: round. They have wide cheekbones and are usually smaller through the forehead and chin. The goal here is to minimize the cheekbones. Styles with height in the bang and sides cut toward the face usually work best.
Square faces have a bold forehead and an angular jaw line. Styles with soft edges, and a great deal of texture directed toward the face really suit this shape. The length should be kept longer than jaw length to draw attention away from the jaw, but, at the same time, that length should be layered. A straight, sleek style would only serve to accent the angular lines of the face.
Triangular shaped faces are angular at the jaw line, but narrow through the forehead. They can be treated much the same way that square faces are treated, with one exception; more height and fullness is needed throughout the crown and bang areas to make this section of the face appear larger.
Now that you know what your stylist knows, take this knowledge with you on your next salon visit. This time, when you thumb through the style books and magazines, you will be able to zero in on your perfect new cut. Good Luck!

Abou the Author

Jenny Andrews writes articles for the Beauty Biz on beauty, fashion, diet and fitness.
Jenny's homepage Author: Jenny Andrews October 26 2006

Facial hair removal for women

Facial hair removal for women - what are your options?

A review of both permanent and temporary methods of removing unwanted facial hair

These days, thanks to all the hair removal techniques available, unwanted facial hair should not be a problem for women. If you want a permanent solution and are prepared to pay more money up front, there's a choice of electrolysis or laser hair removal. Alternatively, there are several non-permanent methods such as waxing, sugaring, tweezing or the use of depilatories. These treatments can be received in a beauty salon or performed in the comfort of your own home.
So here's a quick guide to the most popular methods of facial hair removal. The first two options are permanent treatments while the other techniques must be repeated on a regular basis to achieve lasting results.

Permanent Treatments

1) Electrolysis

Each hair follicle is treated in turn, using a tiny needle that reaches the hair root and applies a low electric current. This destroys the hair's ability to continue growing.
Although this treatment can take a long time (some people require several hours of treatment while other people may need regular treatment for several months) it is permanent and is the most reliable long term hair removal option.
On the negative side, the treatment creates mild discomfort and can cost a substantial amount. For example an upper lip may take up to 10 hours, while the chin area can take up to 15 hours. And these figures can be increased substantially for people who have strong hair growth and high hormone levels. So when you consider that a qualified practitioner may charge anything from $25 to $100 an hour, it's easy to see how the costs can mount up, especially if you have more facial hair to treat.

2) Laser Hair Removal

This is one of the quickest and most reliable ways to remove hair from your face permanently. Short bursts of intense laser light are used to heat the hair follicles causing them to stop producing hair.
As one session can cover thousands of hairs and only three to six sessions are usually needed to achieve permanent results, this treatment option is much quicker and more convenient than electrolysis. For example, your upper lip might only take one minute to treat and your chin area could be covered in less than five minutes. It also avoids the need to keep using techniques such as waxing or sugaring on a regular basis.
However, laser hair removal is initially much more expensive than any of the other treatments covered here. For example, a one hour session could cost $500 and you may need 3 to 6 sessions to achieve permanent results. However, you have to balance that against the ongoing cost in terms of the time and effort required by the other treatments.
However, this treatment will not work on certain people (the hair must be darker than the surrounding skin) and regrowth of hair can occur in other cases.

Regular Treatments

3) Waxing/Sugaring

The popularity of this facial hair removal technique is down to the fact that it doesn't cost much and can be done in the comfort of your own home. There are hundreds of waxing and sugaring kits available for home use and with a little practice it's possible to achieve fairly professional results for a fraction of the salon cost.
The basic idea is simple. Waxing involves applying the wax preparation to the intended area. The wax adheres to the hair and skin. It's then covered with a thin strip of material and removed at high speed to remove all the hairs from the skin.
Sugaring is similar, although the sugar paste only adheres to the hair and not the skin, which can cause less pain when the strip is pulled off. Sugaring pastes also tend to be more natural which can be kinder to the skin than many of the chemical which are used in various wax preparations.
Once an area has been treated, it should remain free of hair for three to six weeks depending upon the rate and strength of hair growth in the area.

4) Tweezing

If you have a small number of facial hairs that you want to remove, tweezing may be the quickest and most convenient option. All you need is a good pair of tweezers, a magnifying mirror and plenty of light (daylight is best). Pull the skin taut and use the tweezers to pull the hair in the direction of growth.
One of the best times to remove hair with tweezers is after a bath or a shower, as the skin pores will have opened up, making it easier for the hairs to slip out. There are also many products available that will help to soothe and reduce any redness or irritation caused by the process.
As with waxing or sugaring, the results should last three to six weeks before the hair starts to appear above the surface of the skin.

5) Depilatories

This method of facial hair removal is also popular due to the low cost and ease of use. However, due to the strong chemicals which are used to dissolve the hair, great care should be taken when using these products. Follow the application instructions carefully and before you begin, do a small test for adverse skin reactions on a part of your body that's less visible than your face. These treatments should provide you with hair free skin for up to two weeks.

6) Hair Inhibitors

These products do not remove hair. Instead they act upon the hair follicles to slow down or inhibit the rate of hair growth. Hair in the treated area will be thinner and take longer to grow. Use of hair growth inhibitors will also make sugaring, waxing and tweezing much easier and the results will last for longer.
These products often take the form of prescription creams which must be massaged into the skin twice a day. After one or two months of use, you should start to see noticeable results in the speed and thickness of hair growth. However, these hair inhibitor products are not foolproof and won't work for everyone. So it's just a case of experimenting until you find the product that works best with your skin.
And finally, shaving should be avoided at all costs as it blunts the end of the hairs causing them to appear thicker, making them more noticeable.

About the Author

Hannah Garcia writes articles for the Beauty Biz on beauty, fashion, diet and fitness.
Hannah's homepageAuthor: Hannah Garcia April 25 2007

Honey - the perfect natural beauty product

Find out how honey is great for your body, inside and out

Nutritional value

Honey may well be one of nature’s most perfect products. It has nutritional value, containing lots of vitamins and minerals including B6, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, sodium, thiamin and zinc. It is packed with antioxidants and assists the human body in absorbing and retaining both calcium and magnesium, which can be helpful in building a strong immune system.

Honey as medicine

Many cultures have used honey for medicinal purposes. Some use it as a healing paste for dealing with the pain of arthritis. Some oriental cultures use honey in their tea to help reduce the amount of bad cholesterol. Some believe in its ability to soothe sore throats and treat common head colds, and others that it can help with upset stomachs, indigestion, and even gastroenteritis and diarrhoea. There is also evidence that honey has cleansing properties to keep the human body healthy and in tip-top working order all year round.

Honey for your hair

Honey will also have a positive impact on both hair and skin. It contains natural humectants to help attract moisture to the hair, making it a very valuable tool in treating dry and damaged hair. Adding honey in with any hair conditioner can increase the efficiency of the conditioning product, allowing it to better penetrate into the hair shaft to both moisturize and soften it
To improve the elasticity of the hair, mix honey together with buttermilk for a luxurious rinse that leaves hair feeling soft and looking beautiful. Another hair treatment involves honey mixed with olive oil; used in that way, it adds incredible shine to tresses and makes the hair much easier to manage. A mixture of honey and lemon juice can also be used to naturally lighten hair over a period of time without damaging the hair.

Honey for your skin

Honey is equally good for the skin. It wasn’t uncommon in ancient cultures for it to be used in bathing, Cleopatra often mixed honey in with her milk baths to keep her skin soft, supple, and beautiful. She also used honey on her face for its natural moisturizing qualities, sometimes mixing it with nuts in order to produce a natural facial scrub to remove dead skin. Mixed with certain fruits, honey is also a great toner, leaving skin glowing and looking its healthy best. Mixed with cornstarch, it works as an astringent to get rid of pimples and subsequent minor infections.

Anti-microbial

Because honey has anti-microbial properties, it can be used to treat sunburn, rashes, and other minor skin irritations. It not only helps to heal the irritations, it also soothes skin while fighting against the signs of aging, all the while leaving skin with a beautiful, healthy glow. Honey is even good for treating cuts and skin punctures, aiding in tissue regeneration and reducing scarring. Because it inhibits the growth of bacteria as well as fungus, honey makes a great product to use for athlete’s foot as well.
These anti-microbial qualities also make it useful in dental care. When mixed with cinnamon, honey helps to combat bad breath and is even used to help treat minor tooth pain. On its own, honey combats the growth of plaque, naturally reducing acid production and killing other forms of bacteria that can inhabit the mouth.

The perfect natural beauty product

Universities and science labs continue to explore honey’s ability to ward off or cure hundreds of different ailments, so in the future we may have even more uses for this fantastic natural substance, a near perfect beauty product for the human body both inside and out.
. Author: Charlotte Kuchinsky November 19 2008

Beauty blunders - the mistakes we all make

Beauty blunders are common makeup, fashion or hair mistakes that set an individual apart in a negative way. We all make them; sometimes every single day. As long as we are happy with how we look, in the long run, that is all that really counts. But for the rest of us who would prefer to avoid those little blunders that set us apart, here are some of the most common.

Lipstick that is too dark

There are certain shades of lipstick that are chosen each season as the shade to wear. Unfortunately, not every shade of lipstick is suitable for every woman, particularly if they are overtly dark in color. It might be because of the woman's age, or it might have more to do with her skin tone. It could clash with the colors she has in her wardrobe. Whatever the reason might be, sometimes a popular dark lipstick color just can't be worn by everyone.
It is important to keep in mind that beauty trends are guidelines and not absolutes, so only choose lipstick colors that compliment your complexion, coloring, and wardrobe. You want to stand out positively - because you look beautiful - not because of the color of your lipstick.

The wrong hair color

We have all seen it happen - a woman with gorgeous raven tresses decides to go platinum blonde. Sometime it works but sometimes the results are disastrous. Just because "blondes have more fun" or "redheads are sexier" isn't a good reason to change the color of your hair. Hair color should be an extension of who you are as a woman, not a response to some popular new fashion.
Avoid making drastic hair changes right off the bat. Instead, buy a wig in the color you think you want to go and wear it for a while, then ask yourself how it makes you feel. Do you still feel like yourself? Does it give you more confidence or make you fade away? How does it look with your makeup colors and with your fashion choices?
Even if you are set on coloring, never make an immediate drastic change. Go one or two shades darker at a time until you reach the color that screams "I am woman, hear me roar!" Sometimes a woman really is a blonde just waiting to get out. Other times, she is exactly who she was meant to be all along. Hair color should enhance your personality and make you feel better about yourself. It should never define you!

Being too trendy

Let's face it. Not all women can wear Boho chic or whatever else the trend might be. It simply isn't who we are, and if we try to buy into the fad of the moment, we won't likely feel any better about ourselves. In fact, we may end up feeling worse.
Fashion trends are fun but that doesn't mean you have to change your entire wardrobe. Instead of broom skirts and peasant blouses, try a bohemian handbag or a cute pair of Boho shoes. That way you can take part in the fashion of the moment without completely changing who you really are.
The rule of thumb should be this: stick with fashion "must haves" for your basic wardrobe. Add trendy pieces in your accessories or even in a piece or two of fashion. There is no need to go overboard; your money can be better spent another way and you will have pieces that can adapt to new trends as they come along.
Check back in the future for more "Beauty Blunders: The Mistakes We All Make."Author: Charlotte Kuchinsky March 14 2010

Are you drinking enough water?

Avoid the perils of dehydration

Although it contains no nutrients, water is essential to life and for the growth and maintenance of our bodies. Many people are dehydrated without even knowing it; this is typically caused by a variety of factors:

• not drinking enough pure water
• consuming excessive amounts of caffeine-containing drinks such as coffee and alcohol. Caffeine is a diuretic ie it causes fluid loss from the body
• spending long hours in dry environments such as offices, with exposure to central heating, air conditioning and electrical equipment.

Many natural health practitioners believe that dehydration is the root of some degenerative diseases and health complaints, and studies show that dehydration can contribute to many common ailments such as migraines, allergies, asthma, constipation, kidney stones and even arthritis. This should perhaps be unsurprising, given that our bodies are made up of 70% water, which of course needs to be constantly topped up.
Lack of hydration in the body has also been shown to cause backache: major muscles in the body do not perform properly unless the body has sufficient water intake. One of these, the psoas muscle, which runs from the thigh to the lower back, is the muscle that causes stiff hips and lower back pain.

How much is enough?

The best way to tell if you're drinking enough water is from your urine – it should be a light straw colour. The darker your urine, the more water you need to drink.
The recommended amount of pure water (excluding the water contained in soft drinks, tea and coffee) is 8 glasses or 2.5 litres per day. You should drink more if your caffeine intake is high, when exercising and on hot days, or if you've been sweating excessively.

How and when should you drink

Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and another last thing at night ,as the body loses water during sleeping.
If you're out and about, take a couple of small bottles of water with you to ensure you drink enough.
Avoid drinking water with meals as it interferes with digestion. Instead, drink a glass half an hour prior to each meal.
Try not to drink ice-cold water; room temperature is best, as it is kinder to the body. Ice-cold food and drink can interfere with your metabolism.
There is some controversy regarding which type of water to drink: mineral, bottled or filtered tap water. Some argue that even mineral water contains some undesirable chemicals. To be safe, drink a combination of mineral, bottled and filtered water. Invest in a good filter, such as the Aquathin range.
Further reading:

• "H20" by Anna Selby
• "Your Body's Many Cries For Water" by F. Batmanghelidj 
• Author: Becca Teers April 5 2007

For better health just breathe

How breathing properly can make you feel better

These days we are all in search of better health for ourselves and our families. To achieve this we tend to look towards improving our diets and exercise levels and other lifestyle changes, such as more relaxation time. Whilst these factors are extremely important and relevant one of the simplest and most fundamental ways of improving both our mental and physical health is often overlooked! What is it?
It is the simple act of breathing - that is, breathing properly!
For thousands of years spiritual seekers, mystics and yogis have realized the spiritual, physical and mental benefits of the breath. Yet in modern day society many of us do not breath properly- that is we 'shallow breathe' (rather than breathing deeply into the belly we take smaller breaths, which reach the top of the chest only).
Taking proper deep breaths supplies us with all of the oxygen that our body needs to work at it's optimum rate. The out-breath helps the body rid itself of gaseous toxic waste ie carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of digestion. Research has shown that shallow breathing, instead of breathing properly, can contribute to 50-70% of medical complaints.

The physical benefits of proper breathing:

• It provides sufficient oxygen for the efficient functioning of every body cell, enabling the body to function at its optimum level.
• The oxygen also enables the body to metabolize food properly and thus absorb nutrients, including essential vitamins and minerals.
• It allows the body to rid itself of toxins - particularly carbon dioxide.
• It can increase energy levels, as oxygen fuels the body.

Shallow breathing can also affect our moods! The brain uses more energy and so requires more oxygen than any other organ of the body. A lack of oxygen can cause a loss of mental control, with symptoms such as concentration problems and mood swings.

The mental benefits of proper breathing:

• Improved concentration and greater clarity of thought
• Increased ability to deal with complex situations without stress
• Better emotional control and equilibrium
• A more positive outlook on life

Try the following exercise for just 10-15 minutes each day and you will be amazed at both the mental stillness and physical energy you will feel!

The Three-Part Breath

You can do this at anytime and anywhere - just make sure you are comfortable, whether you are sitting or standing.

• Take a deep breath into the abdomen through the nose, continue the inhalation until the abdomen expands out like a balloon
• Continue to inhale so that your breath now also fills the ribcage with air
• Continue to inhale further to expand the chest all the way up to the upper chest
• Hold the breath for 5 seconds
• Next reverse the process by exhaling out first from the chest, then the ribcage, then the abdomen. Pull in the abdominal muscles at the end of the breath to totally rid the body of breath
• Then reverse the process by breathing in again. Imagine that you torso is a glass and that the glass fills up from the bottom to the top and then empties from the top down to the bottom.

Further reading : "Free your breath, free your life" by Dennis Lewis 
Author: Becca Teers April 5 2007

Bio-energiser Aqua Detox treatment

How you can relax as you detox with a salon foot spa treatment

Detoxing has become a big topic in the world of health and wellness. But what exactly is it, and why is it important? This article will look into the science and benefits of detoxing in general, and in particular at the increasingly popular Bio-energiser Aqua Detox footspa treatment.

What is detoxing?

Detoxing is a chemical process that happens naturally in our bodies at the cellular level. During the day sodium and calcium enter our cells, creating an acidic environment. At night potassium and magnesium enter the cells, recreating an alkali balance for the start of the new day. This cycle is the day/night cleanse or detox, and maintaining it is crucial to good health.
Many aspects of the modern lifestyle unfortunately disrupt this detox process. For example excess cholesterol can coat cell membranes and impede the chemical exchange. Dehydration can have a similar effect, and one of the causes of dehydration is stress – and there is no shortage of stress in the modern lifestyle.
The increased level of toxins in the air we breathe and the food we eat, and the increasing acidity of that food, is also making it harder for the detox cycle to do its job. The result of all this is a body that is under more strain, and more liable to break down and become diseased.
Our skin is the body’s first port of call for eliminating toxins, which is why it becomes ‘sensitive’ or ‘breaks out’, and we glumly see it becoming dull, lifeless and spotty, with dark circles under the eyes. All these things are the sign of a toxic system.
Apart from skin problems many other common medical complaints such as menstrual pain, arthritis, insomnia, headaches, chronic fatigue, cellulite or sinus problems can benefit from assisting the body’s own detox process.

Helping the body detox

Taking nutritional supplements such as milk thistle may help, but such methods only attempt to treat a single part of a balanced system, so more holistic methods are needed too. Other dietary approaches call for large change in the our diet, an approach that men especially can find hard to keep up, as these changes my involve expensive shopping trips for wheatgrass and other ‘exotic’ juices.
Another way to help the detox process is to receive treatments such as massage, which help create movements in the fluids of the body and can assist in removing toxins from cells.Anything that keeps the skin clear can be beneficial, such as exfoliating, skin brushing, and steam rooms is also beneficial.
And now there is an increasingly popular salon treatment known as ‘Bio-energiser Aqua Detox’.

Bio-energiser Aqua Detox treatments

The Bio-energy Detox Spa was invented by Dr Mark Draper, who trained and practised at Guys Hospital in London, going on to specialise in nutrition and complementary medicine.
Dr Draper noticed how the body expels toxins through the skin, especially the palms of the hands and soles of the feet (which have approximately 2000 pores designed for that very purpose), and this observation became the basis for the Bio-energiser Aqua Detox treatment.
Aqua Detox is performed by placing your feet into a specially-designed salt water detox footspa which contains an electrical device that passes bio-energetic electrical energy around your whole body.
Over the course of a half-hour treatment this energy gently resonates to every cell as the blood does a complete circuit of the body, helping the cells to offload toxins and take up fresh oxygen, nutrition and hydration.
The toxins are carried out, via blood and lymph, through the skin, in particular through the pores of the soles of the feet, and are sucked into the bowl of the Aqua Detox foot spa.
The effect can be clearly seen as the toxins mix with the saline and change its color, the salt water turning anything from a weak tea colour to a green so dark it is nearly black. Smokers often notice a strong smell too. Typically, the more disgusting the colour, the more horrified women are, and the more pleased men tend to be.

The effect of Bio-energiser Aqua Detox

After detoxing, people often report that their symptoms have improved as the toxic load that caused them is removed. Energy levels go up and people feel revitalised.
Dr Draper is currently involved in trials assessing the benefits of this system for people with a variety of different conditions. Healthcare professionals are learning more about its benefits in cases of skin conditions such as psoriasis, circulation problems including lymphodoedema, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and arthritis.
And there is an additional reason for the increasing popularity of Bio-energiser Aqua Detox as a detox method. Sadly, we are a nation, if not world, of quick fixers and are often not prepared or able to take the time out of our busy lifestyles to cleanse ourselves.
The big advantage for many people of Bio-energiser Aqua Detox is that it is a simple salon treatment that offers the benefits of detoxing for those – often men – who find making wholesale lifestyle changes difficult but still want to cleanse their bodies and feel better and healthier. So Aqua Detox is not just effective, but compared to many other detox treatments it is very simple and easy, and so ideally suited to many people. Author: Angela Squires June 10 2007