The Most Important Video You Might Ever Watch

If you are my friend, you know that I credit of the remarkable turnaround of my health, which kept me bedridden for over eight years, to nutritional cleansing.  I am on a mission.  I believe that everyone who is living, breathing, and eating in this world should be cleansing.  The reason?  We are so bombarded by toxic elements in our environment, food and air that we have opened ourselves up to all sorts of diseases and cancers.

I hope that all I know and love will view this video .... I think it is one of the most important videos I have ever seen.  Please watch because I love you.
.

If you want to know more, please contact me at newtraditions99@yahoo.com.

Important: Heart Attacks, Water, Aspirin by Sue Lawrence

 

How many folks do you know who say they don't want to drink anything before going to bed because they'll have to get up during the night.  This information may change your mind.

I asked my Doctor why people need to urinate so much at night time. Answer from my Cardiac Doctor - Gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright (legs swell). When you lie down and the lower body (legs and etc.) seeks level with the kidneys, it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier. This then ties in with the last statement!

I knew you need your minimum water to help flush the toxins out of your body, but this was news to me. Correct time to drink water...

Very Important. From A Cardiac Specialist! Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body:

2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

I can also add to this... My Physician told me that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.

Mayo Clinic Aspirin Dr. Virend Somers, is a Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic, who is lead author of the report in the July 29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A.M. and noon. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.

1. If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night.
The reason: Aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life"; therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee hours of the morning, the Aspirin would be strongest in your system.

2. FYI, Aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest, for years, (when it gets old, it smells like vinegar).

Why keep Aspirin by your bedside? It's about Heart Attacks.

There are other symptoms of a heart attack, besides the pain on the left arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating; however, these symptoms may also occur less frequently.

Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack. The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.

 If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water. Afterwards: - Call 911. - Phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by.- Say "heart attack!" - Say that you have taken 2 Aspirins. Take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and ...DO NOT LIE DOWN!

A Cardiologist has stated that if each person after receiving this e-mail, sends it to 10 people, probably one life could be saved!

That Doughnut Will Cost You 88 Minutes of Cruches ... and More Bad News!!!

This chart really DOES make me think!!!  Now that I am exercising regularly, I am much more careful about my food choices!!

Why Isagenix? Your Body Will Love You!!! -- Video

I am so grateful that I found Isagrenix. My husband and I have lost a ton of weight, I have turned my poor health around so now I am healtier and more vibrant. We have also supplemented our income to we can live a life of comfort.

 If you would like to know a little more about our products and and company, please watch this video.  If it sounds like something you would like to know more about write to me at newtraditions99@yahoo.com or log on to my website: http://www.thehealthyhelms.com.

 

WHY ISAGENIX?

Contact us Today!!

What is High Intensity Interval Training and What Are The Benefits?



Image from WhyExercise.com

No Time for Exercise? Try High-Intensity Interval Training (HIT)

FROM: Isagenix Health

April 24, 2013

 With high-intensity interval training, you reap the benefits of exercise without spending hours at the gym.

We all know that exercise is good for us, and we’ve heard that we should be getting 30 to 60 minutes per day most days of the week. But in today’s fast-paced world, where the demands of work, child care, and home maintenance seem to endlessly steal from our ever-shrinking depot of availability, finding the time to meet these recommendations can be quite a challenge.

What if there was a form of exercise that would allow you to reap the many health benefits of regular physical activity in just a quarter of the time? According to a recent review written by Australian researchers, high-intensity interval training (HIT) is a form of exercise that may do exactly that. Mounting evidence cited by the authors suggests that HIT is a time-efficient and effective alternative to traditional endurance exercise for boosting weight loss, aerobic stamina, and cardiovascular and metabolic health (1).

What is HIT?

HIT involves alternating intense bouts of exercise, ranging from 30 seconds to several minutes, with recovery periods spanning one to five minutes. For example, a cyclist might incorporate HIT by pedaling as fast as possible for 30 seconds against a strong resistance, lowering the resistance and leisurely cycling for 4 minutes, and then repeating this alternating schedule 4 to 6 times per session.

Such a training regimen adds up to about 20 to 25 minutes of exercise, which has shown substantial benefits when performed as few as three times per week (2). Just 2.5 hours of HIT completed over a total of 2 weeks has demonstrated benefits that are equivalent to 10.5 hours of continuous moderate exercise.

What are the benefits of HIT?

1. Improved Body Composition

Many turn to traditional endurance exercise in the attempt to lose weight and improve their physical appearance, yet HIT may deliver even better results. HIT has been shown to reduce body fat, particularly abdominal fat (1, 3). In comparison with continuous moderate exercise, HIT increases energy expenditure and fat burning to a greater extent in the minutes and hours after a workout (1). This “after burn” is formally known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and reflects the body’s extra use of energy to replenish depleted fuel stores, repair cells, and restore hormonal and other body systems to their pre-exercise state. (This is also prime time for consuming IsaLean Shake or IsaLean Pro to fuel greater muscle growth!)

In addition to increasing EPOC to a greater extent than traditional endurance exercise, HIT also promotes greater releases of growth hormone (4). This transient increase in growth hormone may be important during the post-workout period when muscles are primed for growth. During exercise, muscle damage occurs and muscle synthesis stops. Spikes of growth hormone promoted by HIT may quickly mitigate protein breakdown after exercise and serve as a signal for muscle growth (5).

HIT may also help preserve muscle mass in other ways. During long bouts of steady-state exercise, glycogen (the storage form of sugar) becomes depleted, and the body begins to break into its muscle reserves to get protein that can be used for energy. Because HIT relies on intervals of intense exercise broken up by intervals of more leisure, less intense exercise, muscle reserves are better preserved. Together, increases in growth hormone and the protection of muscle protein results in the preservation of muscle mass, which keeps metabolism running high and supports greater fat loss over the long term.

2. Improved Cardiovascular Health

It is well known that several different markers of cardiovascular health—such as VO2 max, blood vessel wall elasticity, and blood pressure— can be improved by steady-state endurance training. HIT has also demonstrated equivalence or superiority over traditional endurance training in improving these markers (1). VO2 max is a measurement that determines the physical fitness of a person. It detects the maximum ability of the body to transport and use oxygen during exercise. The higher the VO2 max, the more efficiently a person can get oxygen to working muscle, and the more rapidly this oxygen can be used to power performance. Because the heart is a muscle that can be strengthened by exercise, HIT can improve the heart’s ability to contract, increasing the amount of blood and oxygen that can be pumped to muscle. HIT has been shown to increase VO2 max to an even greater extent than traditional endurance training (1).

An important indicator of cardiovascular health is blood vessel wall elasticity, often referred to as endothelial function; the better the endothelial function, the greater the capacity of the blood vessel to expand or contract when necessary. Unhealthy arteries tend to be harder and less flexible. HIT has also demonstrated improvement in endothelial function and in reduction of blood pressure (1).

In addition to increasing VO2 max, improving endothelial function, and lowering blood pressure, HIT may help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), while also increasing blood levels of HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) when combined with a balanced diet. Improved levels of cholesterol, as well as better blood pressure and endothelial function, can lead to reduced cardiovascular disease risk.

3. Improved Metabolic Health

Another well-known benefit of regular exercise is improved blood sugar control. Exercising muscle has a high demand for sugar as a fuel source. The more intense the exercise, the more muscle relies on sugar from the bloodstream and stored forms of sugar (glycogen) for energy. HIT has been shown to be effective in reducing blood sugar, and has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity (1).

As a gatekeeper of sugar’s entry into body cells, the hormone insulin has a primary role in keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy range. Resistance to insulin ultimately leads to high blood sugar levels and impaired energy production. The ability of HIT to enhance insulin sensitivity helps ensure the delivery of sugar to the cells that need it as well as proper blood sugar control.

4. Improved Aerobic Stamina and Exercise Performance

Although steady-state endurance training is notorious for improving aerobic stamina and conditioning, studies show that HIT is also an effective exercise strategy for achieving this goal. Not only does HIT increase VO2 max, it also increases time to exhaustion during exercise. In one study, the length of time that a group of eight athletes were able to cycle at 80 percent VO2 max nearly doubled—from 26 minutes to 51 minutes—after undergoing six HIT sessions over two weeks (6).

Another factor that contributes to endurance performance is the ability of the muscle to store sugar as glycogen. Glycogen is used for energy as exercise progresses. There is a limit to the amount of glycogen that each person can store, but HIT has been shown to increase this amount (1, 2, 7). HIT also causes muscle to lower the rate at which it uses glycogen for energy, resulting in a greater reliance on the use of fat for fuel. Increasing and preserving energy stores in the form of glycogen will extend time to exhaustion, ultimately improving exercise performance (1, 2, 7).

HIT is for (Almost) Everyone

Most people can benefit from HIT. Studies have shown that it is safe and effective for those with health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and offers numerous advantages for healthy people simply looking to save time or switch up their workouts (1). Even professional endurance athletes are using HIT to improve performance by incorporating it alongside traditional endurance exercise in a comprehensive training program.

HIT is a fun way to break up the monotony of conventional workouts, and according to the Australian researchers, may even be easier to stick to than traditional endurance training. HIT can yield substantial health and fitness benefits with minimal time commitments, making it the perfect prescription for those who don’t have 30 to 60 minutes every day to meet the current exercise recommendations. However, before starting HIT or any other exercise program, a consultation with a person’s physician is advised to determine if appropriate.

References

1. Shiraev T, Barclay G. Evidence based exercise – clinical benefits of high intensity interval training. Aust Fam Physician. 2012 Dec;41(12):960-2.

2. Gibala MJ. High-intensity interval training: a time-efficient strategy for health promotion? Curr Sports Med Rep. 2007 Jul;6(4):211-3. Review.

3. Boutcher SH. High-intensity intermittent exercise and fat loss. J Obes. 2011;2011:868305.

4. Pritzlaff CJ et al. Impact of acute exercise intensity on pulsatile growth hormone release in men. J Appl Physiol. 1999 Aug;87(2):498-504.

5. Post-exercise hypertrophic adaptations: A re-examination of the hormone hypothesis and its applicability to resistance training program design. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print]

6. Burgomaster KA, et al. Six sessions of sprint interval training increases muscle oxidative potential and cycle endurance capacity in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2005 Jun;98(6):1985-90. Epub 2005 Feb 10.

7. Gibala MJ, McGee SL. Metabolic adaptations to short-term high-intensity interval training: a little pain for a lot of gain? Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2008 Apr;36(2):58-63.

Wanting to get into shape? 

Contact me at newtraditions99@yahoo.com

or go to http://thehealthyhelms.com

 

EFT Video for Weight Loss Self-Sabotage -- Video

I had a little problem yesterday by eating something that was not in my game plan for the day.  I realized that this has happened to me often as I near my goals.  I decided to tap (use EFT techniques) on the issue of self-sabotage.  Here is a video you can tap along with if you are also experiencing self-sabbage within your weight loss program.

Ending Self-Sabotage with Kim

 

 

Body Brushing How-To -- Video

I read this testimony from one of my friends on Facebook and I decided to look into this technique further.  She said "brushing does AMAZING things for tightening skin. Since doing it I haven't seen a lot of those results because I still have lots more to lose. But I have a friend who started the same time and she had a "tummy" of loose skin from when her youngest was born (19 years ago) , after 6 months of consistent brushing... GONE! It's amazing!"

Why is Body Brushing Good for Your Skin

Body brushing is an easy and inexpensive way of stimulating your circulation and lymphatic system, helping to eliminate toxins.

The skin is an organ of elimination, just like the kidneys and liver and even without extra help, it discharges more than a pound of waste products every day. Given the extra boost of daily body brushing, this elimination process can become much more effective, not only improving the appearance of your skin but also giving general health benefits - such as improved blood circulation and immune system.

In this video, Kate Leinweber demonstrates HOW to dry brush:

 

Body Brushing Directions from Liz Earle's Skin Care Website

The traditional Chinese version of skin brushing uses the dried fibers of a ground fruit called 'silk squash' - more commonly known as loofah - but natural bristle brushes are proven to be far more effective. The brush should have a long handle (making it easier to reach all areas of the body), firm, natural bristles and must always be kept dry.

Once a day, preferably first thing in the morning before you take a shower or a bath, sweep the brush over every surface of the body except the face or any areas of sensitive or delicate skin. It's important to brush in the right direction (always towards the heart) starting with the soles of the feet and working upwards. Use long, smooth strokes and brush arms, legs and buttocks in an upward direction. Then brush your back and torso in a downward direction and finally sweep across the shoulders. Concentrate on the hips and thighs to help improve the appearance of cellulite and dimpled skin. It may seem laborious to begin with but it will soon become second nature and is truly invigorating! Start off with gentle strokes but gradually increase the pressure after the first few days or weeks as you get used to the sensation.

For reasons of hygiene, we recommend you keep a separate body brush for each member of the family and wash the brush itself every couple of weeks;  and allow to dry in an airy place. Sensible precaution: a body brush should not be used on cut, broken or very tender skin or over varicose veins.

My Recommendation for Skin Care Products

For your shower I recommend the Isagenix Refreshing Body Wash (IsaDermix Skin Care Line) because it boosts your skin’s natural repair process after daily exposure to environmental aggressors that can damage and prematurely age the skin. It also nourishes, hydrates and softens the skin using beneficial botanicals—aloe vera, green tea, pomegranate, grape seed, and oat kernel extracts.

Then follow your shower by applying the IsaDermix Ultra Hydrating Hand and Body Cream.  This rich formula absorbs quickly to provide deep, all-day moisture. Nourishing botanicals and antioxidants restore, replenish and revitalize your skin. Shea butter, sweet almond oil and sunflower oil provide deep hydration, and Vitamin E and other antioxidants such as green tea, pomegranate, grape seed, cucumber and oat kernel extract nourish and protect.

How Does Cleansing Work?

If you would like to get started with your own Cleansing Routine,

visit my website: The Healthy Helms or

write me at newtraditions99@yahoo.com.

 

Poster Image from www.IsagenixHealth.net

Nutritional Rebalancing Is NOT a Diet

This is why I have been successful with the Isagenix program.

It really does work!!

For more information go to http://www.thehealthyhelms.com

or write me at newtraditions99@yahoo.com.

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate

I am exercising more now and to be sure that I am getting workiing in the best heart rate rate to burn fat during my workout, I need to figure out my Target Heart Rate.  Here is a Chart and a Worksheet to help me (and you) make this all important calculation.

 

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR TARGET HEART RATE

1.  Average resting heart rate (RHR)
    Count your pulse for one minute as soon as you wake up, for 3 days.

 

Average RHR = ( _______ + _______ + _______ ) ÷ 3
                               Day 1         Day 2        Day 3

Your average RHR = _______

 

2.  Maximum heart rate (HR_max)

 

HR_max = 220 - __________
                         your age

Your HR_max = _______

 

3.  Heart rate reserve (HR_maxRESERVE)

 

HR_maxRESERVE = ____________ - __________
                           your HR_max         your RHR

Your HR_maxRESERVE = _______

 

4.  Lower limit of your target heart rate (THR)

 

THR (lower limit) = ( ___________________ × 0.6 ) + __________
                                    your HR_maxRESERVE                      your RHR

 Your THR (lower limit) = _______

 

5.  Upper limit of your target heart rate (THR)

 

THR (upper limit) = ( ___________________ × 0.8 ) + __________
                                      your HR_maxRESERVE                      your RHR

Your THR (upper limit) = _______

 

6.  Target heart rate (THR)

 

THR = ( ________________________ + ________________________ ) ÷ 2

                  your THR (lower limit)                your THR (upper limit)

 Your THR = _______

 

We made the Paper!!

Weight-loss competition organizer hopes to inspire community

By Anthony Rimel, Corvallis Gazette-TimesCorvallis Gazette Times

Next Wednesday marks the end of a competition between a small group of local residents who have been waging one of modern society’s most perennial battles over the past 12 weeks: trying to shed their excess weight. Modeled after the NBC show “The Biggest Loser,” the competition is called the “Corvallis Greatest Loser,” and its 12 participants already have lost 139 pounds collectively.

Sue Long, a Corvallis real estate broker who organized the competition, said she hopes their efforts will inspire other local groups to organize similar competitions.“My goal is to make Corvallis the healthiest community in America,” she said. Long, who was a dietitian before she became a broker, said she modeled parts of the program on a similar competition in Lebanon.

At the start of the competition, participants each contribute $20 to a pool and agree to pay an additional $10 if they miss their weekly weigh-in at Long’s office, or if the weigh-in indicates that they’ve gained weight. At the end of the competition the money collected will be split between the male and female contestants who lost the greatest percentage of body weight.

Participants meet every few weeks for a discussion with experts on various exercise, health and nutrition topics. Long said they also have weekly challenges aimed at healthy living, such as drinking a total of 64 ounces of water each day for a week or getting eight hours of sleep every night.

Long said she participated in the competition herself, so she “felt the pain of what was going on, too.”
Being the leader of the group inspired her to stick with the program — even after she broke her ankle four weeks in — because she felt accountable to the group.

Donna Helm, a wellness coach from Corvallis, was one of the contest’s participants, and she said that she and her husband participated because they thought it would help to motivate them.  “I think accountability is the big thing we needed. That, and support,” she said.  Helm said she has lost 23 pounds over the course of the competition; she has lost 85 pounds since June 2011.  She chose to participate in part because, she said, she had reached a plateau in her weight loss, and she thought this would be a good opportunity to push herself more.

“My husband and I tended to not make the best food decisions,” she said, and now they eat less meat and more vegetables. She added that they are exercising more, and have started to use the gym equipment they had bought in the past, but never used.  “We kept thinking buy the machine, and you’ll get thinner. We forgot you had to use it, too,” she said.

After the competition ends next week, Long plans to start it again April 15. Helm said that she will participate again.  “It has been really beneficial to be part of this challenge,” she said.

Anthony Rimel covers K-12 education. He can be reached at 541-758-9526 or anthony.rimel@lee.net.

Benefits of Oregano Tea plus Recipe

I am starting to plant my herbs in my greenhouse. Oregano is one of my favorite herbs for cooking, but I never thought of using it as a tea.  After seeing this poster with all the benefits I think I am going to brew some ... it should be an interesting taste.

This idea is from Edible Harmony.

Recognize New Signs of Stroke -- Save a Life

 

 

I URGE ALL MY FRIENDS TO READ & SHARE THIS; YOU COULD SAVE A LOVED ONES LIFE BY KNOWING THIS SIMPLE INFORMATION!!!

Stroke has a new indicator! They say if you ...forward this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life. Will you send this along? Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
>>RECOGNIZING A STROKE<<

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. Chicken Soup)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is

'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I have done my part. Will you?

How to Reduce Your Body Fat Percentage

Image from LiveStrong.com

Wonder how to reduce your body fat percentage?  Here is a great presentation from the LiveStrong  blog.

Click HERE for presentation.

Why I LOVE Love Apples (Tomatoes) plus Recipe

I love using tomatoes in my cooking which is evident in how many tomato varieties I have already planted this year.  Here is a great poster from Farmers Market which explains good reasons that you should love tomatoes too!  Followed by a great recipe for Baked Tomatoes Oregano.

Baked Tomatoes Oregano

Prep Time: 15 minutes                   Cook Time: 20 minutes                  Serves: 4



Image from AllRecipes.com



Note:  Ripe tomatoes are baked with Romano cheese, fresh bread crumbs, garlic and herbs.  It reminds me of pizza without the crust!  I love this simple recipe on nights we are grilling.

Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
1/8 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Sprig of basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place tomato slices close together in prepared  baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano.

3.  Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is lightly toasted.

4.  Garnish with a sprig of basil.

Nutrition Info: Calories: 110     Total Fat: 5g     Cholesterol: 4mg     Sodium: 103mg
Total Carbs: 14g (Dietary Fiber 3g)     Protein: 3g



Four Days in Gym May Be Better than Six! Just Sayin'

Feeling guilty about not hitting the gym every day? Maybe you shouldn’t, new research suggests.  The New York Times reports on a new study.

Working out four days a week may be at least as beneficial — or even better — than six, according to a new study by sports scientists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. What’s more, working out as little as a couple times a week can provide substantial health benefits.

The UAB study, published in the journal Exercise & Science in Sports & Medicine, tracked 72 sedentary women — aged 60 to 74 years — who were divided into three groups and asked to follow different exercise regimens for a 16-week period.

The first group exercised twice a week, lifting weights one day and doing aerobic exercises (bike riding or jogging) on another. The second group engaged in four workouts a week, lifting weights twice and riding a bike or jogging on two other days. The third group exercised six days a week, lifting weights three days and doing aerobic workouts on three others.

For each group, researchers gradually increased the intensity of the workout routines to moderate levels to build endurance and muscle strength. By the end of the study, the workouts were 40 minutes long on each exercise day.

The results showed that all of the women lost weight and improved their strength and endurance. In addition, the researchers noted there was virtually no difference in fitness or strength levels among the groups, regardless of whether they exercised two, four, or six times a week.

But the results also indicated that, after four months, the women exercising four times per week were expending far more energy on workout days — by more than 200 additional calories — than they were at the start of the study. They were also burning more calories per workout than either of the other two groups.

The twice-a-week group was expending slightly more energy on each workout day — about an additional 68 calories — than at the start of the study. But, unexpectedly, the six-times-a-week exercisers were actually burning less daily energy — about 150 fewer calories — than at the start of the study. They also complained that the workouts took too much time out of their weeks, and made them less likely to be active when they weren’t formally exercising.

But even the six-day exercisers were not overly fatigued. The researchers also found that their blood levels of stress-related cytokines, believed to measure nervous system changes that may signal stress in the body, were not any higher than women in the other two groups.

The findings contrast with some past studies that have suggested working out only a couple times a week isn’t enough to be beneficial, boost fitness, or lose weight. They also differ from previous research that has indicated vigorous daily exercise may be too physically taxing and can cause problems with the central nervous system and increase stress in the body.

In fact, the UAB team’s findings suggest even two workouts a week can produce substantial benefits and that people who have time and like to exercise almost every day don’t suffer ill effects.

“All groups increased fat-free mass, strength, and aerobic fitness, and decreased fat mass,” the researchers concluded. “No changes were observed in cytokines or perceptions of fatigue/depression.”

University Study Finds Isagenix Superior to Leading “Heart Healthy” Diet

September 20, 2012 IsagenixHealth.net

Dr. Krista Varaday
University of Illinois
Chicago College of Applied Sciences

Dr. Krista Varady discusses clinical research on Isagenix products.

The highly anticipated results are in—Isagenix products are superior to a leading “heart healthy” dietary plan for weight loss and visceral fat loss. The manuscript has been submitted to two peer-reviewed journals and is still under review; however, you can read more details about the study on our clinical research summary and marketing flyer.

Krista Varady, Ph.D., the lead investigator of the study, is a prolific researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Applied Sciences with more than 30 peer-reviewed research publications. She has a Ph.D. in nutrition from McGill University—one of the top universities in Canada. Dr. Varady has devoted much of her time to investigating the ability of weight-management strategies to decrease cardiovascular disease risk and is one of the pioneers in research on alternate-day and intermittent fasting.

Dr. Varady’s research was presented in August at the 10th annual Isagenix Celebration in Phoenix. Eager to share the exciting results, Dr. Varady answered questions from Isagenix Chief Science Officer Suk Cho, Ph.D.:

Q: What did you think when you tried Isagenix?

A: I always try things before I make my subjects do it. I used Isagenix for three weeks in January before we began the study. I didn’t want to lose a ton of weight, but I did want to see if I could lose a few pounds with it. The easy of use was great—no dishes at breakfast or lunch; you didn’t even need to have milk at home. I went out and bought a few shake products to compare it to and I’m not sure what you guys do, but the consistency is like a smoothie. The other shakes were clumpy and it made them less appealing.

Q: What else impressed you about Isagenix products?

A: I was impressed by the Cleanse Day and the high-protein IsaLean® Shake. All the ingredients actually seemed wholesome. I had thought the shake would be a high-sugar beverage, but I found it to be really nutritionally complete.

Q: What attracted you to collaborate with Isagenix on research using their products?

A:  The main thing was that Isagenix incorporates fasting while on Cleanse Days. I find that really novel. If you look at other meal-replacement diets, they never really incorporate fasting or cleansing. Usually it is a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch, but they don’t use all the other products Isagenix uses. I like that it is a multifaceted approach. You are also using supplements that may provide metabolic benefit and protect against free radicals—I thought that was really neat too, but the main thing was that there was a Cleanse Day every week because I am really interested in fasting research.

Q: What can you tell us about the study’s results?

A: Our main finding was that weight loss was actually greater in the Isagenix group. On average they lost 3.9 kg, so that works out to be around 9 pounds or so. Obviously, some lost more and some less, but the Isagenix group lost 3 pounds more on average than the other diet. We also saw those changes with fat mass. With Isagenix, we saw slightly greater reductions (although not significant) in fat mass. Neither group lost a significant amount of lean mass, which is great because you want to maintain your muscle mass to keep your metabolic rate higher and that allows you to burn more calories per hour.

Q: What are the results for visceral fat (fat that surrounds the organs)?

A: Even though it wasn’t statistically significant between groups, we found that there was a much greater reduction in visceral fat in the Isagenix group—about twice as much. They lost 0.7 kg, about 2 pounds. I find that amazing—they lost 2 pounds around their organs—that’s a lot!

Q: What other part of this study’s results do you find most exciting or intriguing?

A: What I found most intriguing at first was the adherence of the Isagenix group; they seemed to adhere better because of the convenience factor of the Isagenix system. Also, the Isagenix group lost more weight and more fat (especially visceral fat); and the blood chemistry looked wonderful.

Q: What other personal observations have you made about the Isagenix products and how they affect subjects?

A: Isagenix people just seemed happier. Also, the satiety (or fullness) aspect; people didn’t feel motivated to binge after a shake or cheat on the diet because they really did find those shakes quite filling, so I was pretty impressed with that. That is the main reason that I am even testing out these diets—to find diets that people will actually do and adhere to over the long term. They liked the taste of the shake and just in terms of the easiness too, they said small things like “there were less dishes to wash” and “for breakfast all you really have to do is keep the blender clean, there’s not that much prep involved and it is a portable system.” But those are actually really important things—if a diet is hard to do, people aren’t going to do it for very long. So making it easy, making it easy to clean up after—all those things add up for long term weight loss.

Q: You had some products left over after the study and people asked you for them, right?

A: Yeah, I had 3 boxes left of the shakes and I have never seen women diving in there, fighting with each other. They were all over each other. Those were gone pretty quickly after we opened them up!

Dr. John Gray's Bounce, Shake & Flex Technique

Excerpt from:  The Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution, pg. 195-200, St. Martin’s Press, 2003

The Method:

1. Stand with your knees slightly bent, feet comfortably apart, bounce up and down easily without lifting your feels off the ground.

2.  As you bounce, let your arms hang in a relaxed and floppy manner by your side.  Shake your hands by your side as you bounce.

3.  While you gently bounce and shake, slowly nod your head up and down in a comfortable range of no more than two to four inches.

4.  As you nod back and look up, breath in through your nose to the count of five seconds, and then exhale to the count of five seconds as you lower your head.

5.  During the first minute, breathe in and out through your nose.  During the next minute, breathe in and out though your nose while making a noise originating at the base of your throat.  This sound comes from the air flowing through your throat and not your vocal cords.  You will sound like you are quietly snoring.  During the remaining one to three minutes, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.  When you exhale through your mouth, pucker your lips and blow out as if you were trying to put out a candle two feet in from of you.

6.  Stop bouncing and shaking.  While standing in a relaxed position, take a quiet minute simply to feel the tingling in your body.  This is best felt while standing straight with arms relaxed by your side and knees slightly bent.  Besides the important aspect of activating your lymphatic system, this vibration is the activation of billions of cells to make you healthy.

Tips from Dr. Gray:

·         Do this technique before and after doing a light to moderate exercise program.

·         Start your exercise session with John Gray’s energized water – One ounce of cold process, undiluted, pure, whole leaf Aloe Vera.

·         Don’t over exercise because it interferes with the brains ability to create balanced brain chemistry.

·         If you are overweight, avoid intense exercise until you are closer to your goal weight.

·         After doing the Bounce and Shake routine, do about 20 minutes of low-intensity exercise with stretching and flexing your body and spine.

Benefits of the Bounce, Shake and Flex Routine:

·         Burns fat, tones muscles, increases lean body mass due to increased cellular vibrations.

·         The rhythmic flexing of the spine increases vitality and stimulates healthy production of brain chemistry.

·         Increased oxygen to your body and stimulates metabolism to burn more fat throughout the day.

·         The gentle whole body movement stimulates the lymphatic system to purify and cleanse the body.

Read more about this great technique and Dr. Gray’s other important solutions for diet and exercise whether you are from Venus or from Mars in his book, “The Mars & Venus Diet & Exercise Solution.”

The Benefits of Body Brushing

Image from terawarner.com

Your skin is your largest single organ within your body, and the one responsible for removing about a quarter of the toxins from your body daily. Because of this, it is the most important of all of your waste elimination organs!

The History of Dry Brushing:

In her article entitled “The Key Benefits of Dry Brushing and How to Do It,” Vanessa O’Neill explains that dry brushing is an ancient technique and aids the skin in the process of releasing and removing toxins from your body. Many cultures have historically practiced dry brushing. For example, the Japanese have traditionally used the dry brush techniques (or loofah) to vigorously brush their skin prior to taking a hot bath.  In our own country, Comanche Indians traditionally used river sand to scrub their skin, and Cherokee Indians used dry corn cobs in order to enhance the strength and beauty of the skin.

Benefits of Dry Brushing:

There are many benefits of dry skin brushing. Dry skin brushing works to exfoliate dead skin cells, aids in stimulating circulation, assists the lymphatic system in removing toxins from the body, and promotes healthy, glowing skin. It is probably one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of promoting overall health and beauty available.

1. Dry brushing cleans the lymphatic system. The lymph system is an important part of our immune system because detoxification starts here.  This system is made up of white blood cells (called lymphocytes) and interstitial fluid. The combination of the blood cells and interstitial fluid bathes our cells, removes cell waste and delivers nutrients to the cells.

2. Dry brushing strengthens the immune system. Dry skin brushing may reduce the duration of infections and accelerate the clearing of toxins. One example of the benefit is that the brushing helps support the immune system during cancer and other chronic illness treatments. By stimulating the lymph vessels to drain toxic mucoid matter into organs of detoxification we can purify the entire system. After several days of dry brushing, sometimes you may notice a gelatinous mucoid material in your stools. This is a normal sign that the intestinal tract is renewing itself.

3. Dry brushing stimulates the hormone and oil glands, which helps all of our body systems perform at peak efficiency. The skin is your body's largest organ. If your skin is not properly taken care of the process of eliminating toxins from your system fall on your kidneys.  Daily brushing before you bathe or shower will keep your skin clean and rejuvenated.  This daily routine allows blood to flow to the skin surface making it easier for the toxins to escape.

4. Dry Brushing tightens the skin by increasing the flow of blood.  Believe it or not, dry skin is a sign of detoxification. With daily brushing, you are removing dead skin cells and revitalizing the skin and improving the skin texture and cell renewal. This process moves toxins and lessens the appearance of cellulite. Our bodies make a new top layer of skin every 24 hours. Skin brushing removes the old top layer, allowing the clean new layer to come to the surface, resulting in softer, smoother skin.

5. Dry Brushing tones the muscles. Hate doing free weights but still want to tone those muscles? Dry skin brushing helps to tone muscles by stimulating the nerve endings which causes the individual muscle fibers to activate and move. Brushing also helps mobilize fat and helps to even out the distribution of fat deposits.

6. Dry brushing stimulates circulation. I mentioned that brushing helps stimulate blood circulation earlier in this post, but did you know that your skin actually breathes? For most people, their pores are so clogged with dead skin cells and un-removed waste (which was excreted through perspiration), the toxins are unable to eliminate your body’s metabolic wastes.   The increased blood flow to your skin will increase electromagnetic energy and you will feel more energized and invigorated.

7. Helps digestion. Dry skin brushing helps your skin to absorb nutrients by eliminating clogged pores. Healthy, breathing skin contributes to overall body health. When you brush, the pores of your skin open allowing your skin to absorb nutrients and eliminate toxins. Healthy, breathing skin contributes to overall body health.

How to Choose the Right Brush:

When choosing a body brush for dry skin brushing, you will want to choose a natural bristle brush because synthetic bristles can actually produce toxins themselves. Body brushes generally come in two different styles – ones that fit in the palm of your hands and ones with a handle on them. Sometimes you can find a palm brush that includes a handle to extend it. Body brushes with handles work well on the back of your body, but may be a little difficult to use in close in areas such as your feet. Choose the stiffest bristles you can stand. The stiffer the bristles are on your body brush, the better as you will be able to generate more lymphatic system stimulation. If your skin is really delicate currently, you may have to work your way up to a stiffer brush over time. Cactus body brushes are excellent for this technique and aids in stimulating circulation, assists the lymphatic system in removing toxins from the body, and promotes healthy, glowing skin. It is probably one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of promoting overall health available.

Dry Skin Brushing Technique:

Image from veggienook.com

1. Always use brush strokes inward and upward toward your heart. Brushing towards the heart facilitates detoxification, while brushing away from the heart can adversely affect circulation in the blood vessels and lymph system.

2. Start with the bottom of your feet first.  Acupuncturists tell us that the nerves in the soles of our feet are connected to every other area of your body. Include clockwise and counterclockwise strokes on the bottoms of your feet.

3. Move up from the feet to the legs, brushing up your torso. Start at the fingertips and move inwards towards your heart. When brushing the sensitive areas like your breast and neck, begin with gentle strokes and work up to stronger strokes as you become more accustomed to dry brushing. Use several clockwise strokes on the stomach, both sides of the chest, and your arm pits. Then repeat these areas with counterclockwise motions. You can also brush in a circular motion on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. Concentrate on areas which suffer from dryness or cellulite, but avoid areas of broken skin or rashes.

Tips:

■Its best to sit or stand on a towel or in your tub to collect any dead skin from exfoliation.

■Do not wet yourself or the brush – this will stretch your skin and you will not get the same benefit.

■Wash your body brush after use to every few weeks and allow it to dry completely before using again.

■It is generally recommended to use dry brushing once or twice a day.

You can experiment to find a method of brushing that is comfortable to you

So now you know the facts. Keep up your dry brushing and you will assist your body in its detoxifying process, increase your circulation, and increase the natural beauty of your skin.  Skin brushing is also notorious for increasing your energy level because of these effects.