Posts Tagged ‘Don’t’

How to Get Rid of Man Boobs – Don't Choose the Surgery Just Yet

January 31st, 2010 admin

Are you distraught by the fact that you have man boobs that are considered enviable by women’s standards but laughable in the eyes of men around you?

Perhaps you have considered a Gynecomastia surgery but let it be known that this is not your only way out. You don’t have to go under the knife. There are other techniques that you can apply to your situation so let us take a look at these methods before you commit yourself to a Gynecomastic procedure.

Can you imagine a large percentage of male adults enter and exit their adolescent period with enlarged breasts, which are also shamefully known as man boobs? This could be due to an imbalance of hormonal substances during puberty prior to entering the adult phase in life. These male “mammary glands” are most likely to melt away when his hormone levels tend to gradually be on the balanced end as they embrace adulthood.

These types of adults have no need to worry or run off to the surgeon’s office in order to have Gynecomastia done. However, some may find that their male boobs refuse to disappear even when they are in their late twenties or thirties, way after puberty has ended.

The best way to get rid of man boobs without resorting to surgical procedures is to speak to your doctor first. Do not be ashamed because your doctor has every right to know your problem and help you solve it. You should be all ears when it comes to listening to what your doctor has to say about possible treatments before signing on the dotted line when it comes to surgery to remove your male boobs.

The underlying reason for your man boobs could be treated using medicine prescribed by your doctor who can even recommend a good dietitian if obesity is your core problem.

Speaking of obesity, this is considered a huge problem suffered by men with enlarged breasts. All is not lost, as this can easily be remedied with weight loss techniques. With optimal adjustments made to their daily diets, physical activities and lifestyle habits, men suffering from engorged boobs can very well be on the path to recovery.

Gynecomastia surgery can cost thousands of dollars, which you can easily save if you took another path to correct your man boobs. And let’s not forget about the obvious discomfort after surgery has taken place. You may need to take several weeks off work in order to recuperate which again will set you back in terms of productivity.

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Don't Be Afraid to Use Training Supplements

January 29th, 2010 admin

Thanks in large parts to baseball the public has been hit over the head with information telling all of us about the dangers and risks of steroids. The fact is Anabolic Steroids are dangerous, and people shouldn’t take them unless under certain situations when Anabolic Steroids help in the treating of a disease. Much in the same way that you wouldn’t want to send concentrated amounts of radiation through your body for fun, but you would if you have cancer and are using chemotherapy.

One side effect of all the talk about the harms of Anabolic Steroids has been the fear it has created in people about using supplements when they are exercising and training. This is to the disadvantage of anyone who is trying to get the most out of their workouts. While caution and research should be used before anyone starts to use any supplements, there are certain products that will help people to burn more calories, build more lean muscle, and loss more weight. These products are safe and generally work for everyone.

Whey Protein is a generally used supplement for people who are exercising. The addition of protein to people’s diet allows their muscles to have the building blocks on hand to build lean muscle. For the best results people should always take the supplement within thirty minutes of completing their exercise. That will allow your body to effectively use the protein during post-workout recovery. Whey Protein, as its name indicates, comes from Whey, the dairy by-product when cheese is made. Since Whey Protein is dairy based it is more digestible than soy based proteins. It also contains a higher percentage of protein. Isolated Whey Protein supplements contain 90% pure protein. It also doesn’t have any fats or carbohydrates that are inside of Whey Protein Concentrates. People shouldn’t be afraid of taking a protein supplement. Proteins are easily handled and used by your body. Proteins are also hardly ever used by your body to create fats cells. Like any supplement a person should research, and use the supplement according to the directions. The addition of protein into a healthy diet will bring greater success to anyone who is looking to get more out of their workouts.

Creatine is another supplement that has been lumped together in stories involving harmful steroids. Creatine might not be for everyone; however, people shouldn’t discount using it, and gaining the advantages that Creatine would give there workout, due to false myths. Creatine isn’t a steroid. Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced hormones, while Creatine is a protein. Your body naturally creates Creatine. People often have the misconception that Creatine is a steroid due to steroids users using Creatine in conjunction with Anabolic Steroids. Steroid users just wanted to get the benefits that Creatine has to offer. People should do their research before taking Creatine, but people shouldn’t discount using Creatine simply due to its link to steroid users.

Good information exists about the proper use of supplements, and their benefits to people who are trying to get into shape. People shouldn’t reject using supplements, to increase the effectiveness of their workouts, due to myth and rumors. Just do some research first to see what supplements will benefit you.

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Fad Diets Don't Work – Fad Exercise Does!

January 29th, 2010 admin

As long as there are people trying to lose weight and get fit, there will be trends and fads that cater to them. However, the tried and true statement for anyone on New Years is, “I resolve to eat healthier and exercise more” and that remains the singular truth about losing weight. Just because the latest diet fads don’t work doesn’t mean there aren’t trends to dive into in order to lose weight. In fact, fad exercise can be a great way to lose weight provided you jump into it smart and with the proper foundation.

The foundation of all exercise is having the right nutrition in your body to promote lean muscle gain. During exercise your muscles will need protein to repair torn tissue and promote new muscle growth. The easiest and most fat free way to supply this protein is through a protein supplement. Whey protein shakes make a good choice for people trying to lose weight, because the whey protein is quick to absorb and easy to digest. Whey protein is also low-fat, which will help the muscles grow in a lean way, without added fat tissue.

Once you start with a proper foundation, jump into fad exercise and lose weight in a fun and trendy way. Here are some great fad exercise trends that can be great for burning fat and losing weight.

Pilates has become a very popular way for people to strengthen and develop core abdominal and torso muscles. The point of pilates is to provide a low-impact method of core strength and training. With a powerful core, other strength training is easier and safe, and developing core muscles by themselves promote better posture and health. The best part of pilates is that they promote development of core muscle tissue without having to do endless crunches, pushups and squats. Pilates groups exist almost everywhere, so join a pilates group and get fit in a social and trendy way.

Yoga is another way to strengthen and develop their core muscles without having to go through repetitive cycles of boring exercises. Like pilates, yoga emphasizes the core torso and postural muscles but it goes on step further. Yoga involves balance and strength training in the lower and upper body as well by moving fluidly from posture and posture and involving dynamic stretching. Yoga is a great way to tone muscles throughout the entire body as well as provide cool down stretching after more rigorous activity.

Another trendy way to stay fit is to start hooping. Hooping is when you use a fitness hula hoop to generate an aerobic and core exercise. A fitness hoop is weighted to provide more resistance throughout the body and promote an easier balanced motion. While it may sound childish, pick one up for 10 minutes and you’ll already feel the burn throughout your entire body. What could be a funner way to tone up and lose weight than to work out with the 1950s favorite fad?

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Don't Be Afraid to Use the Gym (Weight Loss, Weight Lifting, and Whey)

January 28th, 2010 admin

Congratulations you have just joined a new gym. You have made a commitment to losing weight, gaining muscle, and trying to improve your body the best that you can. You have done your research and have a training program in mind that will help you to reach your goal. Purchased gym clothes are in you new gym bag waiting for your first day. You arrive, change, and then make it out to the gym floor looking for the first exercise equipment that you will use. That is when you see them. It would be hard not to see them. The muscle bound hulks of the gym. They are picking up amounts of weight that you are sure would crush every bone in your body. They are moving from apparatus to apparatus doing exercises that you have never seen before, and have no idea what it is doing to their body. Each of them are talking about training strategies and muscle groups that sound like a foreign language to your ears. Plus, they have their special blends of training supplements that they are drinking throughout their workout, while you just have a simple bottle of water (and you felt smart bringing that when you entered the gym).

It is daunting no matter how prepared you are to workout out next to the gym hulks. It is hard for you to be struggling with your fifteen pound dumbbell, while the hulk next to you is picking up a dumbbell ten times that heavy, as a warm up. Many times people will withdraw from the free weight section of the gym, and just use cardio equipment to avoid being around the gym hulks. Or they will still try to weight train, but use the machines that the hulks of the gym avoid.

It is important, no matter what shape you are currently in, not to be ashamed or bashful about using the different equipment in your gym. There is a reason that the hulks are usually in the free weight section of your gym. Free weight training gives you a much better resistance based exercise compared with weight training on machines. Free weights require you to balance the weight, which helps muscle growth, and you can’t cheat with free weights and over use your dominate arm/leg, which means that you will get an even workout. Don’t be afraid to go over and use the free weight, no matter how little you are lifting. What you have to remember is everyone started getting the benefits of weight lifting at some point in their lives. The hulks were once mere normal looking people like you and me. Plus, the hulks are usually very helpful if you have questions about weight training. Remember they have already walked the path (maybe at an extreme level) that you are about to walk. They will provide tips and techniques to improve your own results.

Just as you shouldn’t be afraid to use any part of the gym to train, you shouldn’t be afraid of using supplements, like the hulks, to get better results. Whey protein is an excellent product that will help you to gain lean muscle growth in your body. Your body uses protein to build muscle, and helping your body to have a high supply of protein will increase muscle growth. Muscle creation also burns large amounts of calories, which will help you to lose weight.

You might not want to turn into a gym hulk, but you shouldn’t be intimidated by their presence. Nor should you avoid using their knowledge and products to your advantage.

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Ovarian Cancer – Don't Ignore the Warning Signs

January 24th, 2010 admin

Around 1.5 percent of women are likely to develop ovarian cancer at some stage of their life. It is less common than breast cancer but is considered as the most serious and fatal of all gynecological cancers.

The reason for this is that the cancer is usually advanced before it is diagnosed, making treatment difficult. The ovaries cannot be easily examined and, because the warning signs are unclear, late diagnosis is common.

Because of the lack of screening tests available, it is imperative to know the early symptoms and the possible risk factors.

Understanding ovarian cancer

The ovaries are two small organs that are a part of the female reproductive system and they are situated each side of the uterus. These ovaries contain germ cells that become eggs which are released when the woman menstruates.

They also produce estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that adjust the menstrual cycle and have an effect on the growth of breasts and body hair as well as affecting the development of the female body shape.

What types of tumors are there?

This normally happens in an organised manner but occasionally they grow abnormally and form a growth that we know as a tumor.

This tumor may be benign or it may be malignant. If it is benign, it is not cancerous and does not spread to other parts of the body. A malignant tumor, on the other hand, is cancerous and will often spread, making mestastases or secondary cancers.

Ovarian cancer is malignant and can occur in either one or both of the ovaries. There are three main groups that are related to the cells where the cancer starts.

Epithelial ovarian cancer, as its name implies, grows in the epithelium which is the surface of the ovary. It is the most common and accounts for around 90 percent of ovarian cancer. It mainly affects post menopausal women.

Another kind of epithelial tumor is a borderline tumor which grows much more slowly than its regular counterpart. These can normally be removed successfully even if diagnosed at an advanced stage.

There is a very rare form of ovarian cancer called germ cell ovarian cancer that starts in the cells that develop into eggs. This only accounts for about 5 percent of ovarian cancers and usually occurs only in women under 30.

The other five percent of ovarian cancers are generally sex-chord stromal cell ovarian cancer that affects the ovary cells responsible for female hormones. It can affect women of all ages.

Who is at risk of getting ovarian cancer?

The cause of ovarian cancer is unknown but there are some risk factors that have been identified through research. Although having these risk factors may increase your chances of developing ovarian cancer, they do not mean that you will necessarily get the disease. However, knowledge of these risk factors can be helpful. If you are concerned by having any of these risk factors, it is important to talk to your healthcare professional.

Factors that may increase your risk of ovarian cancer include:

Age- Around 90 percent of ovarian cancers affect women over 40.

Cultural background – Caucasian women in western society have higher rates of ovarian cancer than African or Asian women.

Number of pregnancies – Women who have never been pregnant appear to have a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

Family history – Between 5 and 10% of ovarian cancers are genetic. Researchers believe that the genes responsible for breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are involved in almost all cases of familial ovarian cancer as well as familial breast cancer. It is also thought that these same damaged genes may be responsible for some endometrial and colon cancers. If you are genetically predisposed to any ovarian, breast, endometrial or colon cancers, you may have an increased risk of getting ovarian cancer.

Infertility and taking fertility drugs – Women who have had fertility drugs may be at a higher risk although infertility itself is a risk factor so this cannot be taken as a clear indication.

Hormone Replacement Therapy – The use of estrogen only HRT which is usually when you have had a hysterectomy, has been identified as a possible risk factor for ovarian cancer, particularly if you have been on this therapy for over ten years.

Lifestyle factors – Obesity is a risk factor associated with ovarian cancer as is a diet that is high in fat.

Can I reduce the risk of ovarian cancer?

Currently, there are no known procedures to prevent or detect early ovarian cancer but there are ways to reduce the risks. Some of these are:

Oral contraceptives – Research has found that the use of oral contraceptives can cut the risk of ovarian cancer by up to 60 percent if taken for a period of five years during your life.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding – Breastfeeding delays ovulation after childbirth and therefore decreases your risk of ovarian cancer. However, there is no guarantee that breastfeeding will stop you from developing ovarian cancer.

Enjoy a low fat diet – A high fat diet has been identified as a risk factor in ovarian cancer. Therefore, it makes sense to stick to a low fat diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Tubal ligation or hysterectomy – These operations are only performed with a valid medical reason but it is believed that they both reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

People with a strong family history of ovarian cancer may opt to speak to a genetic counselor that can assess whether you are at risk of developing the disease. If your family history suggests the damaged genes associated with ovarian, breast, endometrial, or colon cancer, it may be wise to have genetic testing. If these tests show the damaged BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, you may be refe.rred to a gynecological oncologist to consider ways to reduce your risk.

Early symptoms of ovarian cancer

Because there is no screening test available for ovarian cancer, it is recommended that you have a regular pelvic vaginal checkup to see if there are any changes in your ovaries. It is also vital that you consult your healthcare specialist if you notice any possible signs of this illness. Because the symptoms are often common to many other medical conditions, diagnosis of ovarian cancer can be difficult

However, if you have any of the following symptoms that are unusual for you and that persist for more than a week, see your doctor without delay.

Some symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

Stomach discomfort of pain in the pelvic area

Persistent nausea or wind.

Feeling constantly bloated or ‘full’.

Unexplained weight gain.

Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss

Bowel changes

Frequency or urgency in urination

Lethargy.

Pain during intercourse.

Unexplained vaginal bleeding.

Sometimes, ovarian cancers are wrongly diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or menopause so if you are concerned, ask to be referred to a gynecological oncologist who can order tests to rule out ovarian cancer. It is rare that these symptoms will be ovarian cancer but if it is, early detection gives an excellent chance of survival.

Diagnosing ovarian cancer

If your doctor suspects ovarian cancer, you will be referred to a gynecological oncologist who will organize tests which may include any or all of the following:

An internal pelvic examination.

Blood tests

Chest and stomach x-rays.

A barium enema to rule out bowel problems

Ultrasound scans

If the results show a likelihood of ovarian cancer, you will be recommended to have an operation to confirm the diagnosis (none of the abovementioned tests can be sure). During the operation, if the surgeon finds ovarian cancer, they will normally remove the cancer as well as the ovaries.

It is important to understand before the surgery that this may happen so learn all you can about your illness and the outcomes before the operation.

Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director of http://www.magnetic-health-online.com and http://www.betterhealthshoppe.com which are both information portals with many interesting medical articles. She is also an associate of http://www.timzbiz.com which features many articles on internet marketing and resources.

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Don't Just Quit Smoking – Plan to Quit Smoking

January 23rd, 2010 admin

Have a chat with your friends and people you know and ask for their general opinions on smoking in general, and how they feel about you smoking. Have a look around you and take note of how smokers are recognized by those who don’t smoke. Check out the negative aspects of smoking and any effects it may have on people near you.

Ask some ex-smokers what methods they used, which they failed with as well as those that where successful, tell everyone you know about your plan to quit smoking; it’s likely that they can suggest some different things that you can do which will help avoid smoking. If you have a bad urge to smoke, do everything you can to put it off and delay lighting up, slow down your brains demands for nicotine, think about why it is that you want to smoke, also try and think about the way other people would react if you gave in a lit up. With practice and by using delaying tactics

You will educate yourself and find yourself becoming more attuned to your own patterns of smoking.

A lot of quitters have discovered that it is a great idea to keep some kind of record or journal (perhaps even an online blog from wordpress.org) as a way of keeping track of the patterns of their own smoking habit. Try and find out the times when you are more likely to light a cigarette, as well as the times when you hardly smoke at all. Browse the net for some stress reduction techniques. Consider starting a new hobby, activity or sport that would make it more difficult to smoke, i.e. it’s quite hard to smoke when skydiving!

Prior to any actual attempt to stop smoking get a notebook and attempt to compile a true account of the money you spend on smoking each day, a lot of people are pretty stunned when they add up a weekly total as they admit that they smoke less than 10 a day but the true figure is double!

Stop bulk buying cigarettes, buy single packs when you go out, not the bulk packs of 200 or 500.

Put together a bullet list of the reasons you want to quit smoking and tape it to your fridge. One method worth trying before you actually quit is to light up your first cigarette 10 minutes later every day, by the end of a week your first nicotine fix is already an hour later.

Ask everyone you know for their favourite quit smoking methods, there are of course loads of different ways that people use so never giver up on giving up!

As soon as you have decided on the date that you are going to stop smoking, let everybody know about it so that they are aware of what you are doing, avoid areas where people smoke and be ready for the times when your need to smoke is high, try to be ready for these moments with a contingency plan already in place to distract you, something as simple as spearmint gum or extra strong mints can be enough.

As you get nearer and nearer to the date you have set for quitting try and increase the gaps between lighting up, try and cut out every 2nd or 3rd cigarette completely, this will gradually reduce your nicotine intake and help make actually stopping less stressful (both for you and those around you!)

Approach your quitting date make the gaps between lighting your cigarettes longer and longer, if you can cut out ever other cigarette, as your nicotine levels are reduced you should find quitting easier. Try to stay away from drinking alcohol; alcohol will almost certainly lessen your willpower. Try and put away the money you spend usually on smoking – you will be surprised by how much it is and how fast it mounts up.

Try and reduce the remnants of your smoking habit in your surroundings, was your car inside and out, vacuum your house and have your clothes professionally cleaned, destroy all your ashtrays, discard your lighters and prepare yourself for your first 24 hours smoke free.

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