Jumat, 02 November 2012

Herbal Hair Loss Remedies For External Use


In a separate article in this series we looked at some of the most popular herbal hair loss remedies for ingestion. Here we'll expand that theme to include some potentially useful herbal remedies for external use. 
Aloe vera - some Indian tribes of Mexico attribute their thick, healthy hair to regular use of aloe vera gel which they rub into the scalp and hair each night. Herbalists believe that the herb activates the production of nitric oxide and contains an enzyme known as superoxide dismutane. Some experts feel that these two substances combine to stimulate hair regrowth in those suffering from male pattern type baldness. 
Onion (Allium cepa) - this has a high sulfur content that is believed to have hair-healing properties. Some herbalists believe that rubbing the scalp with half an onion before washing hair encourages hair growth. 
Red pepper (Capiscum) - a popular folk remedy that involves the application of a red pepper poultice to the scalp to act as a skin irritant. This draws blood and nutrients to the scalp and encourages the release of histimines to stimulate cell division and hair regrowth. 
Safflower oil (Carthamus tinctorious) - Eastern health practitioners believe that safflower oil applied to the scalp acts as a vasolidator that dilates blood vessels. This allows more blood to deliver nutrients to the hair follicle thus creating an environment conducive to hair regrowth. 
To find out more about these and other herbal hair loss remedies, please visit the site listed below.

Selasa, 18 September 2012

The best thanks to shield your skin from acne


However it's typically true that individual who {are suffering} from skin disorder is unable to stop future scarring sufficiently. In fact, it's calculable that over ten million Americans find yourself with scarring caused by skin disorder. 

There square measure several degrees of acne-related scarring. Sometimes, the scarring is incredulously lowest and laborious to note. However in different cases, scarring is severe and may cause long-run emotional injury. Several teenagers UN agency have severe scarring caused by skin disorder suffers from depression and a loss of sureness. They will become showing emotion withdrawn and isolated, sad with their look. 

There square measure many alternative factors that contribute to the amount of severity of acne-related scarring. Medical specialty studies show that biological science could play an outsized role in crucial however delicate or severe a human scarring is also. It's additionally evident that adolescent who are suffering from significantly problematic skin disorder is also a lot of doubtless to possess severe scarring in adulthood. 

Luckily, several therapies and medical procedures are developed to help ease acne-related scarring. The sooner somebody begins acceptable treatment, the higher the prospect that scarring are going to be diminished. 

Those who square measure considering undergoing medical care or medical For skin disorder Blemishes 
procedures to combat acne-related scarring ought to discuss the probabilities with their dermatologists. 

Laser treatment is one approach to help with acne-related scarring.  
There square measure two major types of optical devices that square measure used in skin disorder scar laser medical care. They're ablative lasers and non-ablative lasers. 

Ablative lasers work by removing the outmost layers of the skin. These lasers burn connective tissue and cause a modification within the dermal scleroprotein. This reduces the visibility of the scarring. The traffic light optical device, a somewhat ablative optical device, will ease to treat keloidal scars by reducing redness and flattening the surface. Traffic light lasers additionally cut back cutaneous sensation of raised scars. 

Laser treatments performed with ablative lasers really injure the skin and leave it exposed while not its outmost protecting layers. People who receive this kind of optical device medical care should take extreme care to help wounds heal and forestall potential infection from occurring. The skin could seem reddened for a many months or maybe a year once the optical device treatment.  
Non-ablative optical device treatments have an affect on the stratum directly and do not injure the outmost layers of skin, or the stratum. Smoothbeam could be a non-ablative optical device recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Smoothbeam works by heating the sebum-producing oil gland, that helps to scale back skin disorder formation. Smoothbeam additionally heats the scleroprotein, that causes a modification within the stratum, creating scarring less apparent, 

Before non-ablative optical device treatment is performed, a topical cream is applied to the skin. So as to stop dermal injury, the skin is cooled. The patient receiving this treatment can expertise some stinging and a few sensations of warmth throughout the procedure, however the topical cream helps ease these sensations. The procedure lasts for concerning AN hour. three sessions square measure typically suggested to realize noticeable improvement in acne-related scarring.

Minggu, 05 Agustus 2012

The Right Way Is The Best Way

Everyone gets excited about working out every now and then, and once the excitement hits you all you want to do is start right away. Some get results they are after others complain about why their workouts haven't been much effective. The only reason these people aren't getting results is the lack of proper information. Beginner or no beginner, there are some things you should always keep in mind before you start, especially before aerobic exercises.

There are many people out there who think they are doing aerobic exercises but these exercises haven't been performed correctly hence they don't give results. For results that speak for themselves and help you maintain fit, healthy bodies here are some very basic tips on how to do aerobic exercises.

Making the right choice

Aerobic exercises are very different from normal exercises. An aerobic workout session should have continuous intense movements that raise the heart rate for a certain amount of time. So when you are doing group exercises in class sessions at your fitness center or your local gym, it doesn't always necessarily mean that you are doing an aerobic exercise. Many of these classes don't actually qualify as an aerobic class. Dance-based, stepping, and martial arts classes can still very much be considered as an aerobic class but exercises like yoga, Pilates, stretch and tone do not qualify as an aerobic exercise. Please ensure you have gathered all the correct information from your fitness instructor before joining any of the workout programs. It is always better to do an online search or seek guidance from your personal trainer or doctor and then choosing the program that best suits your needs.

Warming up before you get started

Warming up is very important before you start a routine. It is essential but most people don't actually bother practicing it. Although the starting of many aerobic exercises is of low intensity by nature, you will still need to do some warming up before you start your workout. Warming up helps your body to slowly open up, making your muscles contract and prepares your body for the upcoming exercise. One of the best ways to do a warm up is to start doing the same exercise that you are about to do for the workout at an easy and slower pace for a couple of minutes. Say for instance, if you are going for a run, then you can start with a slow jog first. Stretching and relaxing will also aid your purpose for warming up. Once you've warmed up you are good to go for the rest of your fitness routine.

So, if you want to really want do an aerobic workout, make sure you choose a class that includes at least 20 minutes of continuous movements that can actually raise the heart rate and breathing such as hip hop classes, step aerobics and kickboxing. These will lead your body into having a better, healthier cardio- respiratory system.

Minggu, 01 Juli 2012

Cardiovascular Training With Aerobics

Let's be honest here, the moment someone mentions the word "aerobics" we get a little scared because the first thing that comes to our mind is the thought of strenuous and breath ceasing exercises.

Dance based aerobics are one of the best and fun ways to stay fit and healthy. For the past thirty years, dance-aerobics have made going to the gym a fun experience. Back in the 80's these forms of cardiovascular training were extremely popular, movies and television shows have been made around this fun exercise program. More and more fitness clubs in the country are providing their clients with the option of dance based fitness training that will not only help them burn off calories, but also strengthen their heart muscles and keep them healthy.

When you conduct your search for dance aerobics in your area, you will notice that some of these classes have fascinating and unique names.

Not everyone enjoys conventional exercises; a lot of people find it really boring and will invent excuses to avoid taking part in any exercise that will get them to lift heavy stuff or do push-ups. Dance movement based aerobics offers you the opportunity to have loads of fun and stay fit using dance routines that are not only interesting in a "Fame" kinda way but are also quite easy to learn.

Nowadays, a large number of fitness centers and health clubs in the country usually offer a wide variety of aerobic classes with interesting dance routines. The classes have a various names, descriptions, and use different types of formats. Currently, the common formats for aerobic classes incorporating dance in the United States include Latin, hip hop, martial arts-based aerobic routine, jazz, and Hi-lo. You will quickly be attracted to taking a dance based aerobic classes when you see people of various ages perform awesome dance moves. You will also be surprised at just how easy it is to learn the steps. Get great cardiovascular training, while looking great on the dance floor.

When you have decided to sign up with a local fitness center or health club, ensure that you are quite familiar with the variety of dance based classes offered and take time to study the class description. By doing this, you will be able to choose the class that will best suit cardiovascular training needs perfectly.

The aerobics section follows the warm-up. This particular section is chiefly aimed at improving your body composition and your cardio-respiratory endurance and makes use of large body movements that are continually performed to increase your heart rate. The classes typically end with stretching and relaxation exercises - these exercises are performed to help lower the heart rate and avoid muscle soreness, develop flexibility and also re-establish homeostasis.

Jumat, 29 Juni 2012

Cardio For Beginners - What You Must Know!

Let's face it, there's a good chance you hate doing cardio. There was a time when I did too, until I had my light bulb moment which I am going to share with you now. After making this simple change to my cardio programs, not only did I start to enjoy doing my cardio, but I also improved by leaps and bounds (hah) in both speed and endurance. So what is this magic method that I discovered?


I started wearing a heart rate monitor. If you're scratching your head wondering what it is, wait no longer! A heart rate monitor is a small strap that you put around your chest which has mini sensors that press against your ribs. These sensors pick up on your heart beats and report them via signal to a wrist watch which tells you how many beats per minute your heart is putting out.

You need to know your maximum heart rate (MHR) first. This is simply the number 220 minus your age. Then, the aerobic heart rate zone is between 70% and 80% of your MHR. I personally stick with 75% and try to keep it within a few beats + or - from that number. By finding 75% of your MHR, you have found the HR you need to maintain for the full 45-minute cardio workout. For me, this equation is 220 - 25 = 195. Then 195 *.75 = 146 beats per minute. This is the number of beats of minute I want to stay at for 45-minutes of aerobic endurance training.

Here is where the good news really starts to kick in. Training in this zone, whether you are a complete beginner to cardio or a complete cardio rockstar, is the most efficient way of improving your aerobic endurance. When I first started, I was walking at a moderate pace and my heart rate was hitting 146BPM pretty easily without the pesky burning legs and lungs. Does that mean someone my age who is full-on-running at 146BPM is getting a better aerobic endurance workout than me? NOPE! We are getting the exact same workout, as we are both operating at 75% of our maximum heart rates, and they are having just as easy of a time running as I am while walking! The only difference is they are burning more calories since they are moving at a faster speed. However, the quality of our workout in terms of improving our aerobic endurance is exactly the same.

Over time, I found myself needing to jog intermittently to keep my heart rate around 146BPM, as walking was no longer cutting it. I would jog until it hit around 150BPM, then walk until it fell to around 140BPM. Again, after a couple weeks, I found myself in a full jog for the entire 45-minutes while my heart rate hovered at 146BPM. Before I knew it I was running faster and faster, keeping my heart rate at 146BPM. My heart was becoming more efficient, and that intense burning sensation in my legs and chest was nowhere to be found. I started to not hate cardio anymore. Woo!

If you have been struggling with improving your endurance, I highly recommend you get a heart rate monitor. Try to spend no less than $60, but no more than $80 on a heart rate monitor. Less than $60 and it is going to break or give you inaccurate numbers, and if it's more than $80 it is going to have lots of features that you quite frankly do not need there is no need to pay that much. Doing your cardio without a heart rate monitor is like lifting weights in a pitch black room. How do you know if you are doing too little or too much weight if you can't see it? That same applies with cardio! You HAVE to see your beats per minute to get the most out of your cardio workout.

Senin, 04 Juni 2012

Proper Aerobic Training Will Take in These Five Aspects

In order to be effective, cardio training doesn't require a lot of time, but requires that you remain consistent with it. Most experts maintain that a half hour to forty-five minutes a day three or four times a week is ample. Obviously the more you are able to do without getting exhausted the more benefit you will gain. With a proper plan that you stay disciplined with, anyone should be able to commit that much time. Remember, this is a time commitment to provide you with a longer and healthier life.

1. When is the best time to start? Obviously, the time to start is now. You have to have a well thought-out game plan, but that doesn't mean you have to wait until it is fully formulated. Start today to eat healthy, and if you haven't joined a health club or bought your training gear yet, go out now and power-walk or ride a bike.

2. Vary your fitness routines. Keep your body guessing as to what you are going to throw at it next. It will get bored if you keep doing the same stuff every day, so look to use multiple exercises to work out the same muscle groups. Also, as you can take on more as your strength and endurance increase, intensify your workouts. Don't make them longer, make them more intense.

3. The right time of day to exercise. If you exercise prior to bedtime you may have trouble sleeping. The National Sleep Foundation has recommended not exercising at least two to three hours before bedtime. That high level of energy that you have built up will stay with you that long. If you also are doing weight training the same day, do that prior to your cardio work.

4. Eating habits. If you are doing cardio training to lose weight that certainly doesn't mean you shouldn't eat. Fat burning cardio workouts only work if you fuel the body with proper diet, and training on an empty stomach will shortcut all your hard work. What kind of foods should you be eating and when. Your optimum nutrition should come both prior to your workout as well as after.

5. Make your cardio exercises fun and interesting. How about doing your exercising outdoors? This way you can easily interact with nature and breathe fresh air. You can also simply enjoy going around the neighborhood as you get your system healthier by the minute. It is possible to make some friends among the people who also do their exercises.

When you are getting into a cardio program, there are some things that you have to be very disciplined with, such as what and when you eat and the time of day you set your training for. But there are other aspects when you should be creative and let your mind run wild. This involves the methods of exercise you use, how and where you accomplish the job, and the way you reward yourself for a job well done. If you make it fun, being consistent over the long run will be easy.

Selasa, 08 Mei 2012

Get Started With High Intensity Interval Training

Adding some high intensity interval training routines to you exercise regimen is an excellent way to boost your cardiovascular performance and improve your endurance. There are also many other side benefits to interval training, such as burning fat, but we will get into that in a bit. We will also go over some typical interval training examples.

High intensity interval training, or 'HIIT', is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. The basic premise is to perform a series of exercises where you alternate between periods of high intensity and low intensity. So what are some interval training examples? Well, ideally, you want to perform some type of activity where you can easily increase the intensity of your workout and then slow it down. A good example of this would be doing a full out sprint, followed by a slow jog and repeating this a set number of times. Of course, running isn't the only form of HIIT that you can do. It can be applied to almost any form any exercise, from swimming to cycling to elliptical machines.

They key to the training is the interval, an interval being a cycle of exercises that you repeat a fixed amount of times. But what is the best way to structure the exercises? For HIIT, you want to perform an activity that can get your heart rate up somewhere between 75-85% of your max heart rate, followed by a period of low intensity activity, and you want to repeat this cycle anywhere from 4 to 12 times (depending on your current level of fitness), that complete cycle is considered the 'interval'. (Calculate your max heart rate by subtracting your age from 220.)

How long should these cycles last? Well that again depends on your current fitness level. If you are just starting out, try doing 10 seconds of intense work, followed by 20 seconds of rest. This would be known as the work/rest ratio and in this example it is ½ (10 seconds divided by 20 seconds). You can vary this ratio anyway you like, while the higher the number the harder the workout will be. You might like to do 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest (ratio of 1). The key thing is to just repeat this for set amount of cycles.

Lets assume for a second that you don't have a way of monitoring your exact heart rate. That is, you don't have a heart rate monitor or aren't using a machine that tells you your heart rate. Luckily, that's really not an issue. Although not as precise, you can simply exert yourself to what you feel is about 80% of your maximum effort. For example, you probably know what it feels like to sprint as fast as you possibly can, so then simply sprint at about 80% of that maximum effort. This may take you a little practice, but with a little trial and error you can get a good feel for hitting the proper peak of your interval.

This is actually our preferred way of doing our high intensity interval training routines. It makes it a lot less complicated and a bit easier because you aren't constantly calculating and monitoring a number.

It simply boils down to this: perform the given activity with everything you've got and follow it with a rest period. It is important to remember when you are on the resting part to make sure you are still doing an activity. In other words, don't just stop and sit down. You want to keep the heart pumping. So if you are swimming, just swim really slowly, or if you are jogging, just jog at a slow pace.

Depending on how you choose to structure your interval, you can see it really won't take very long to complete (roughly 10-25 mins depending on your method), but since you are working your body so hard, you'll get a lot of benefit in just a short period of time. In fact, studies show that you can drastically improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance in just a few short weeks by incorporating high intensity interval training routines.

Also, with interval training it is important to make sure you warm up as well as cool down. So do a light warm up for 5-7 minutes. This will get the blood flowing and muscles warmed up. Then, after performing your interval, cool down for at least another 5 minutes, with a walk or some other form of very light exercise.

High Intensity Interval Training Routines

So then, lets layout a few routines you could try out for yourself. We'll provide 2 different types of interval training examples: one for running and one using an elliptical. You can really adapt these to any exercises your prefer, the important thing is to focus on the timing while exerting the appropriate amount of effort.

Sprinting:

Start with 5-7 minutes of moderate paced walking
Run almost as fast as you can for 10 seconds
Walk for 20 seconds
Repeat steps 2 and 3 six to eight times
Walk for 5 minutes

Elliptical:

Use the elliptical on a low setting for 7 minutes
Crank it up to high (whatever setting is high enough for you to be well out of breath after 30 seconds) and do that for 30 seconds
Do the low setting for 30 - 45 seconds
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for to 10 times (depending on your ability)
Cool down using the low setting for 5-10 minutes

That's really all there is. Just follow these guidelines and adapt a routine that works for you. Interval training is taxing on your body, so try to limit it to no more than a couple times a week. Its also a good practice to use different work/rest periods each time as well. For example, some days try the high intensity for 1 full minute, followed up by 2 minutes of rest, but then repeat just 3 to 4 times.

As we mentioned before, there are a number of other benefits of high intensity interval training besides improving cardio function and endurance. They include increased lactate threshold. This is your body's ability to handle lactic acid buildup. The higher the threshold, the less you tend to experience muscle 'soreness'. Also, because you are performing high intensity activities, you are maximizing fat burning.

There is also an effect known as the afterburn effect, referred to as EPOC, or excess-post oxygen consumption. What this means is that your body experiences increased metabolism and burns more calories post exercise for up to 24 hours after your interval training. This does not happen with normal exercising alone, such as simply going for a run or swim.

Finally, there is an anabolic effect to HIIT. Studies show that it can actually aid in helping your body build muscle. This is why you often see a lot more muscle mass in sprinters as opposed to long distance runners, who are generally skinny by comparison.

Rabu, 04 April 2012

Tabata Training - 4 Minute Workout

Are you one of those people who claim that you do not have time in your busy schedule to exercise? Have you used that lame excuse, I mean excuse, before? Boy (or girl) do I have a treat for you today! It's called Tabata training and it is HIIT training (high intensity interval training) that can be done in only 4 minutes. Sounds too good to be true, right? Wait just a second. So you're telling me I could get fit by working out just 4 minutes per day 3 days per week? Well technically yes! But first, perhaps you should see what this circuit workout routine entails.

What is Tabata Training

Tabata training is a form of HIIT training that was developed by Japanese Professor Izumi Tabata. This training regimen uses 20 seconds of super intense work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 8 cycles. Now, in regards to a cardiovascular workout, 10 seconds of rest does NOT mean you stop completely. It simply means you go slowly for 10 seconds following the 20 seconds of going as fast as you can go. Make sense? Not including warm up and cool down, Tabata training takes only 4 minutes to complete (you can do the math yourself). One great thing about this amazing workout is that it can be used for both cardiovascular exercise and strength resistance training!

How to Use Tabata Training for Cardiovascular Exercise

Although this training method can be used in both cardiovascular exercise and strength resistance training, I will use cardiovascular exercise for illustration purposes, and an exercise bike for the cardio machine. To do Tabata training on an exercise bike, simply alternate between 20 seconds of super fast cycling followed by 10 seconds of slow cycling. Easy right? Let me further explain. Say the max speed you can go on the exercise bike is 7 mph. To complete a training session, you would therefore try your absolute hardest to cycle at a speed of 7 mph for 20 seconds nonstop followed by 10 seconds at a slow pace. The only catch is you have to do that cycle 8 times total! Wow!

How to Use Tabata Training for Strength Training

This type of HIIT training can also be used in strength resistance training. Say for example you want to do the workout using pushups as the exercise. To do this, complete as many pushups as you can in 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds. Complete the alternating cycle 8 times total and you are finished! However, if you really want to spice up the workout add a different exercise for each 20/10 second interval. For example, perform as many pushups as you can in 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. Then, instead of doing pushups again, perform as many bodyweight squats as you can for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. Then perform as many pullups as you can for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. Got it? Good! If you manage to complete 8 total intervals of alternating between 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise and 10 seconds of rest, pat yourself on the back. You have completed a Tabata training workout!

How to Monitor Progress during Tabata Training

Fortunately, it is very easy to monitor your progress to when doing Tabata training. For cardiovascular exercise, monitor your progress by calculating either total distance covered or max speed. For example, if you are using an exercise bike for your Tabata training session, record the total distance traveled (typically calculated in miles or kilometers). Another way to monitor progress is by recording max speed. For example, say your max speed on an exercise bike during a Tabata training session is 7 mph. Record this speed and on the next workout see if you exceed that speed during one of the 20 second intervals. Get it?

For strength training, the easiest way to monitor your progress during Tabata training is to record the total amount of repetitions completed during the 20 second intervals. Now, this may be difficult since you only have 10 seconds of rest to record the repetitions so you better write fast! After the interval training workout is completed, add up all of completed repetitions and record the total. As you become physically fit, you will be able to complete more and more total repetitions each workout.

Final Note

As you can see, this interval training workout is freakin awesome. Here is a recap of what was discussed:

1. Tabata training consists of 20 seconds of maximum intensity work followed by 10 seconds of rest.

2. Tabata training can be used for both cardiovascular exercise and strength training.

3. In regards to cardiovascular exercise, 10 seconds of rest does not mean to completely stop; it simply means to continue at a slow pace for 10 seconds.

4. In regards to strength training exercises, such as pushups and squats, 10 seconds of rest means just that. For 10 seconds you stop the exercise completely.

5. To monitor progress during cardiovascular exercise, record either distance covered or max speed.

6. To monitor progress during strength training exercises, record the total amount of repetitions completed over the course of the Tabata training workout.

7. Perform Tabata training 1 to 3 times per week (after consulting your doctor).

As always, consult your doctor before beginning any type of exercise regimen. You should not do HIIT training if you have any serious prior injuries or a debilitating medical condition.