Students Of Success

Are you looking for a healthy mindset, fitness, spiritual
guidance, holistic health, self-improvement, success, or just
more oxygen? Yoga can deliver all of these, but I doubt you find
all of this “under one roof.” The reason is that there are many
kinds of Yoga, and some ashrams, or Yoga schools, will address
some of the above-mentioned needs as priorities.

Do you ever wonder why some people are so successful in life? I
am not talking about someone who has “everything handed to
them.” What I am referring to is someone who has taken the time
to know what they want from life, pursues it, and then attains
it. This comes from self-analysis, meditation, and goal setting
skills.

Do not confuse yourself with someone else’s dreams or
expectations of you. You must know your particular strengths,
weaknesses, passions, and desires to move forward in your Yoga
practice. Remember when you were a child and adults asked you,
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

If you are not sure, you should compile a list of ideas. Here
are some things to consider when deciding “how to find yourself”
and “where to go from here.”

What is your concept of happiness?

Please be honest with yourself and go after your dreams. You
cannot abandon responsibility, but you can make small changes in
your lifestyle. Wake up each day and pursue your goals with
happiness in your heart.

What are your real passions, obsessions, and desires?

These are ideas you think about all the time. Listen to your
heart; the answers are within. They should not cause harm to
anyone and should be morally sound. Whatever they are, they will
keep you going when you have any doubts. This is your fuel for
daily motivation.

What does any of this have to do with Yoga?

Everything - Yoga is a daily path of self-discovery and
self-improvement. Yoga literally means “Unity,” and applies to
all things. If you know yourself, you can help yourself. Help
usually starts from within. Most of us have to ask for help, and
you must know when, and who, to ask.

Seek and find the Yoga that will help you find yourself. Yoga’s
many branches are over 5,000 years old. They are the origin of
many self-improvement and health maintenance systems.
Achievement is realized by habits. You alone, have the power to
create or change your habits.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

In most of my newsletters, I like to provide a healthy snack or
meal recipe that not only is delicious, but also helps to get
you closer to that hard-body appearance that everyone is looking
for. In this article, I’d like to give you healthy food ideas in
a different way. This time, I figured I’d just give you some
ideas of what I stock my fridge and cabinets with. Remember, if
you don’t have junk around the house, you’re less likely to eat
junk. If all you have is healthy food around the house, you’re
forced to make smart choices. Basically, it all starts with
making smart choices and avoiding temptations when you make your
grocery store trip. Now these are just some of my personal
preferences, but perhaps they will give you some good ideas that
you’ll enjoy.

Alright, so let’s start with the fridge. Each week, I try to
make sure I’m loaded up with lots of varieties of fresh
vegetables. During the growing season, I only get local produce,
but obviously in winter, I have to resort to the produce at the
grocery store. Most of the time, I make sure I have plenty of
vegetables like zucchini, onions, fresh mushrooms, spinach,
broccoli, red peppers, etc. to use in my morning eggs. I also
like to dice up some lean chicken or turkey sausage into the
eggs, along with some swiss, jack, or goat cheeses. Coconut milk
is another staple in my fridge. I like to use it to mix in with
smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt for a rich, creamy taste. Not only
does coconut milk add a rich, creamy taste to lots of dishes,
but it’s also full of healthy saturated fats. Yeah, you heard
me…I said healthy saturated fats! Healthy saturated fats like
medium chain triglycerides, specifically an MCT called lauric
acid. If the idea of healthy saturated fats is foreign to you,
check out my article at
http://truthaboutabs.com/dietary-fat-article.html

Back to the fridge, some other staples:

* Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and yogurt - I like to mix
cottage or ricotta cheese and yogurt together with chopped nuts
and berries for a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon meal.

* Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds - delicious and great sources
of healthy fats.

* Whole flax seeds - I grind these in a mini coffee grinder and
add to yogurt or salads. Always grind them fresh because the
omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and prone to
oxidation, creating high levels of free radicals in pre-ground
flax.

* Eggs - one of natures richest sources of nutrients (and
remember, they increase your GOOD cholesterol).

* Nut butters - Plain old peanut butter has gotten a little old
for me, so I get creative and mix together almond butter with
sesame seed butter, or even cashew butter with macadamia
butter…delicious and unbeatable nutrition!

* Salsa - I try to get creative and try some of the exotic
varieties of salsas.

* Butter - don’t believe the naysayers; butter adds great flavor
to anything and can be part of a healthy diet (just keep the
quantity small because it is calorie dense…and NEVER use
margarine, unless you want to assure yourself a heart attack).

* Avocados - love them…plus a great source of healthy fats,
fiber, and other nutrients. Try adding them to wraps, salads, or
sandwiches.

* Whole grain wraps and whole grain bread (look for wraps and
bread with at least 3-4 grams of fiber per 20 grams of total
carbs).

* Rice bran and wheat germ - these may sound way too healthy for
some, but they actually add a nice little nutty, crunchy taste
to yogurt or smoothies, or can be added when baking muffins or
breads to add nutrients and fiber.

* Leaf lettuce and spinach along with shredded carrots - for
salads with dinner.

* Home-made salad dressing - using balsamic vinegar, extra
virgin olive oil, and Udo’s Choice oil blend. This is much
better than store bought salad dressing which mostly use highly
refined soybean oil (full of inflammation-causing free radicals).

Some of the staples in the freezer:

* Frozen fish - I like to try a couple different kinds of fish
each week. There are so many varieties out there, you never have
to get bored.

* Frozen berries - during the local growing season, I only get
fresh berries, but during the other 10 months of the year, I
always keep a supply of frozen blueberries, raspberries,
blackberries, strawberries, cherries, etc. to add to high fiber
cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt, or smoothies

* Frozen veggies - again, when the growing season is over and I
can no longer get local fresh produce, frozen veggies are the
best option, since they often have higher nutrient contents
compared to the fresh produce that has been shipped thousands of
miles, sitting around for weeks before making it to your dinner
table.

* Frozen chicken breasts - very convenient to nuke up for a
quick addition to wraps or chicken sandwiches for quick meals.

* Frozen buffalo, ostrich, venison, and other “exotic” lean
meats - Yeah, I know…I’m weird, but I can tell you that these
are some of the healthiest meats around, and if you’re serious
about a lean healthy body, these types of meats are much better
for you than the mass produced, hormone-pumped beef and pork
that’s sold at most grocery stores.

Alright, now the staples in my cabinets:

* Oat bran and steel cut oats - higher fiber than those little
packs of instant oats.

* Cans of coconut milk - to be transferred to a container in the
fridge after opening.

* Various antioxidant rich teas - green, oolong, white, rooibos
are some of the best.

* Stevia - a natural non-caloric sweetener, which is an
excellent alternative to the nasty chemical-laden artificial
sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose.

* Organic maple syrup - none of that high fructose corn syrup
Aunt Jemima crap…only real maple syrup can be considered real
food. The only time I really use this (because of the high sugar
load) is added to my post-workout smoothies to sweeten things up
and also elicit an insulin surge to push nutrients into your
muscles.

* Raw honey - better than processed honey…higher quantities of
beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Honey has even been proven in
studies to improve glucose metabolism (how you process carbs). I
use a teaspoon or so every morning in my teas.

* Whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta - much higher fiber
than normal pastas

* Brown rice and other higher fiber rice - NEVER white rice

* Cans of black or kidney beans - I like to add a couple scoops
to my Mexican wraps for the fiber and high nutrition content.
Also, beans are surprisingly one of the best sources of youth
promoting antioxidants!

* Tomato sauces - delicious, and as I’m sure you’ve heard a
million times, they are a great source of lycopene. Just watch
out for the brands that are loaded with nasty high fructose corn
syrup.

* Dark chocolate (as dark as possible) - This is one of my
treats that satisfies my sweet tooth, plus provides loads of
antioxidants at the same time. It’s still calorie dense, so I
keep it to just a couple squares; but that is enough to do the
trick, so I don’t feel like I need to go out and get cake and
ice cream to satisfy my dessert urges.

* Organic unsweetened cocoa powder - I like to mix this into my
smoothies for an extra jolt of antioxidants or make my own
low-sugar hot cocoa by mixing cocoa powder into hot milk with
stevia and a couple melted dark chocolate chunks.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean
body meals and how I stock my cabinets and fridge. Your tastes
are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave
you some good ideas you can use next time you’re at the grocery
store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of
groceries.

Nearly everyone today has been educated on the benefits of getting regular exercise. Yet still there are an average of sixty percent of American adults not getting enough exercise, while twenty-five percent of the population isn’t active at all. Whether this comes in the form of housecleaning for an hour or strength training at the gym–exercise keeps your muscles strong, your heart strong, and your body in shape. You may find that having home gym equipment to exercise on is a great way of staying active so that you can stay healthy.

Doctors have found that the more active you are the healthier you are in many studies. There is a direct correlation between physical activity on that home gym equipment and a lowered risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and muscle, bone and joint problems. Also if this wasn’t all ready enough to have you looking up home gym equipment reviews on the internet, exercise can literally make you feel better mentally and emotionally.

Plus you don’t have to exercise for hours a day every day of the week to receive these benefits. Most doctors suggest that you exercise three to five times a week for about a half an hour each time to remain happy and healthy. On a piece of your home gym equipment that’s only one and a half to two and a half hours of exercise each week. More than likely you’ll get addicted to the exercise once you get into a routine and end up exercising more than that on a weekly basis.

Anyone can benefit from the exercise that they get from using home gym equipment. As mentioned previously there are many home gym equipment reviews available online for you to look at in order to get an understanding of the wide variety and availability of home gym equipment on the market.

Read more home gym equipment articles and home gym equipment reviews news or visit our home gym equipment site.

Reprogramming the Overweight Mind 7 Steps to Taking Control of
the Subconscious does not follow the usual weight loss and diet
book formula. There is not even a diet in the book. Instead the
primary focus is on the behavior of eating and over 20 years
have been spent perfecting the clinically proven program
contained within the book. Every other book on weight loss has
taken the position of attacking the body to try and change the
mind.

The health of your body is dependent on your mental health and
taking control of the subconscious is the key to lasting
permanent change of any behavior. The subconscious mind is like
a car without an off switch and an unknown driver. If you decide
not to drive because you do not know how, it is going to drive
itself. To give you an idea of the power of the subconscious,
you can speak at a rate of about two to three hundred words per
minute. Your subconscious runs at a rate of about one thousand
to twelve hundred words per minute which is about four times
faster than you can speak. This is why you can talk on the phone
and perform other tasks like typing on the computer or driving a
car because the subconscious is already programmed to do the
other tasks.

You can look at the conscious mind and the subconscious mind
like a tug of war with a vat of mud in the middle for whom ever
loses. The conscious mind is one person on one side against the
subconscious, which are four people on the other side. If the
conscious mind decides to move in a different direction like
changing your diet, losing weight, increasing your fitness
program or any other change in your behavior, it is usually a
losing proposition because you are simply out numbered with
information. The only way you can insure permanent behavior
change is take control of the subconscious.

The Audio/Data CD included with the book is what makes this book
the Best Weight Loss Program and Ultimate Self Help Book for the
New Year? The audio portion of the CD is a guided meditation
that is based on information collected in the first six steps of
the program as opposed to using generic information. The Data
portion of the CD includes all the documents necessary to
perform a study that measures the dramatic improvement of the
emotional state of the person using the program. The program
process is based on the reality that all behavior is emotionally
driven so if you understand how an emotional state comes about
you can intervene and change the behavior. This is the
foundation of the book and why it works for the full spectrum of
behavior, not just weight loss, fitness motivation and eating
disorders. All of this would not have much meaning if the book
did not answer the most fundamental question first. What
determines human (your) behavior? I have worked with people who
have been in therapy for 20 years and can not answer this
question. They can not answer the question because the therapist
they are working with can not answer it. How can you help
someone change a behavior if you do not know what brings a
behavior about to begin with?

Many people have reported that just the first two chapters of
the book have made a significant difference in their lives.
Because of this response Kelly has released the first two
chapters for distribution free of charge.

Regardless of weather your health goal is a change in diet for
weight loss, an increase in your fitness program or to take
control of an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. In
the end the question you need to ask yourself is…Am I
completely happy with the mind running itself or do I need to
take control of it? If your answer is I need to take control of
it, then Burris MIND/FITNESS is the answer.

“Opportunities are usually disguised…so most people don’t
recognize them.” - Ann Landers “The journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step.” - Lao-tzu Physical activity is the
best first step to health. It is the most direct way for you to
discover, or rediscover, the wonder of your body. It allows you
to experience vitality and provides an immediate sense of
control of your body’s health and well-being. In addition to
having its own inherent benefits, physical activity is a great
physical and mental health facilitator, and wonderfully
regenerative. Your senses come alive and are attuned more
delicately when you engage in regular physical activity.

There is good news about actually doing physical activity.
Research has shown that one can obtain its major health benefits
with a minimum amount of effort and a minimum amount of time.
The old myth of “no pain, no gain” and of long-distance jogging
as the only way to achieve meaningful health results have been
put into perspective. The evidence is clear: you can enjoy the
benefits of physical activity with the equivalent of walking a
half an hour a day, four or five days a week.

The Institute for Aerobics Research in Texas evaluated the
fitness levels of more than 3,000 people and followed their
progress for eight years. While the sedentary did have a
mortality substantially higher than the more fit, the principal
benefits of physical activity came even after very little
physical activity. Those who simply walked an average of 30
minutes a day decreased their risk of heart disease by almost
half.

The American Heart Association has stated that a sedentary
life-style is a risk factor for heart disease comparable to
smoking, cholesterol abnormalities, and high blood pressure. It
also pointed out that low-intensity physical activity, performed
regularly, can lower the risk of heart disease.

Any physical exercise is better than none! Housework, gardening,
shuffleboard–anything that causes us to move–is beneficial.
And, the benefits are not limited to heart disease alone.
Physical exercise reduces stress, improves eating habits and
weight control, increases good (HDL) cholesterol, and decreases
triglyceride levels.

When beginning an exercise program, choose an activity that you
think will be fun. Try walking, cycling or doing aerobics with a
friend, a family member or as part of a class. The company may
reinforce your commitment. If exercise is new for you, begin
slowly, and keep in mind that there are a host of activities
that you can try. And, for those of you who have been sedentary
most of your lives, the good news is that you have the most to
gain from even the simplest physical activities. Gradually work
them into your daily life. Start with small, comfortable
activities, for instance: (1) Walking to your destination
whenever feasible (2) Taking the stairs rather than relying
exclusively on elevators and escalators (3) Doing more physical
tasks around the house or yard. (4) Strolling around the block,
around your neighborhood, in the park, at the mall. Keep your
activity comfortable, keep it easy, and above all, keep it a
part of your life.

Do you remember what it was like when the three year old was
screaming bloody murder, the TV was blaring Barney songs at
levels that could break glass, and you were hanging by your last
thread of sanity? (Parents of teenagers say the same thing
happens in their household now, except it is another cartoon
character called “50 Cent”)

When the levels of stress got so bad, we would declare that it
was quiet time. For fifteen or twenty minutes, Barney was
switched off, we moved to our inside voices, and we played
quietly with books and toys. There was a brief respite from the
noise and confusion, and for a moment everything was good,
peaceful. It made a difference in our day. We even looked
forward to the next quiet time.

Consider incorporating quiet time into your stressful day at the
office. Life there doesn’t have to be chaotic and bustling with
activity. You can take control of your day by declaring quiet
time at work. Here are some suggestions that are actually
practiced by people who know stress all too well:

Turn off all electronic goods for 15-20 minutes- You will not
miss your emails, people will call back, and you will feel
better having the break from electronic pressures.

Get out of the office for 15-20 minutes; take a brisk walk
without a cell phone or iPod- A little exercise is always good
for you. The mental benefits will far outweigh the physical.

Sit comfortably, close your eyes and breathe deeply for 15
minutes- Deep breathing helps relieve all kinds of stress,
reduces blood pressure, and is great for relaxation. A relaxed
body can calm a racing mind.

Carry a book that has nothing to do with job or career with you
to work. Take quiet time and enjoy some fiction (or cartoons)-
Japanese businessmen are notorious for carrying around manga
(cartoon books). One of the reasons that the Japanese work day
is so long is that they spend time managing the stress of the
day.

Take your lunch to a park or a quiet place away from colleagues
and co-workers–enjoy the quiet- Eat lunch with your colleagues,
and work never ends. If you are in need of a break, spend
lunchtime alone. You will be more ready to tackle the afternoon,
your head will be clearer, and you might just eat healthier.

Remember how great it was when the three year old collapsed for
a nap after instituting quiet time? Here is a last suggestion
for quiet time at the office:

Set an alarm (you may be surprised that you can fall off to
sleep easier than you expected).

Accidental Poisoning from Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen is the most popular painkiller in the US. It is
best known by the brand name Tylenol but is sold under 97
different brand names. It is known as paracetamol in many parts
of the world. It is also sold in combination with other drugs in
more than 100 products.

During cold and flu season, people who take acetaminophen for
arthritis are at risk for acetaminophen poisoning. Taking just
twice the recommended dose of acetaminophen can cause acute
liver failure. Unfortunately, this has already happened to an
alarming number of people because it isn’t hard to do. Two years
ago, more than 56,000 people visited the emergency room due to
accidental acetaminophen overdoses and 100 people died from
unintentionally taking too much. Worse yet, the numbers appear
to be growing.

How Can This Happen?

This happens so easily because acetaminophen is found in many
different products. If you are taking the maximum recommended
dose of just two acetaminophen-containing products, you can
easily take an overdose.

For example, the maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen per
day is 4000 mg. That equals 8 extra strength acetaminophen pills
per day. You might easily take that much for arthritis pain.

Now let’s say you get the flu and decide to take a Cold & Flu
product for your aches and stuffiness. Many of them include
acetaminophen as the primary ingredient for reducing fevers and
aches and pains. So, that will dose you with 1000 mg of
acetaminophen every 6 hours or another 4000 mg a day.

By taking both products at the maximum recommend dose, you put
yourself at risk for acute liver failure.

The problem doesn’t end there. You might get a head ache and pop
some Excedrin. That’s 500 mg more acetaminophen per dose. Maybe
you are in a car accident or have some dental work done.
Prescription narcotics like Vicodin and Percocet contain from
325 mg to 750 mg of acetaminophen inside each pill. That can
quickly add up.

Other Acetaminophen Complications for People with Arthritis

For some people, arthritis is caused by suboptimal
detoxification pathways. Such people do not have the level of
enzymes necessary to carry out the sulfoxidation necessary for a
body to properly process and detoxify acetaminophen. In these
circumstances, even the recommended level of acetaminophen may
cause acetaminophen poisoning.

Furthermore, this same pathway is necessary for detoxifying many
of the chemicals we are exposed to in our environment and
through our food. This means that our detoxification system can
also be weakened through chemical exposure. Similarly, if we
swamp our system with acetaminophen, we don’t have enough
detoxification power left to fully deal with all the other
assaults in our daily environment.

If you have any known food sensitivities or chemical
sensitivities, it is best to assume that your sulfoxidation
pathways are already challenged enough, without adding the extra
burden of acetaminophen in your system.

How to Avoid Acetaminophen Poisoning

Carefully read the label of any cold or flu medicine or
painkiller that you are considering to ascertain how much
acetaminophen it contains. Healthy young adults should never
exceed 4000 mg/day total from all sources for short term use.
For long-term use healthy young adults should never exceed 3250
mg/day, according to clinical pharmacist Sandra Dawson, RPh,
MSHA who lectures on pain management in long term care.

People who are vulnerable to damage from acetaminophen should
take no more than 2000 to 3000 mg per day, according to Dr
William Lee of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center. This lower maximum dose includes the healthy elderly
since liver and kidney function generally decline with age.

Ginseng is yet another addition to the category of Hot
supplement topics. Of course - if there is a naturally occurring
substance that helps to stimulate mental and physical energy,
decrease incidence of cancer and ward off colds and flu - I
certainly want answers! Although I’m still left a bit confused
about all the different varieties - Siberian ginseng appears to
be a popular, commercially available and beneficial form.

The Claims:

Decrease/Prevent Stress and Stress Related Illness: Created from
the root of the Eleutherococcus senticosus plant native to
Siberia, Siberian ginseng has been used as an energy tonic by
the Chinese for over 5,000 years. This is exciting news as it
appears that ginseng improves both mental alertness and
attention to detail. It has been noted in many studies to
improve endurance and increase overall energy in many athletes.
For me, this begs the question: “Could ginseng be a natural
solution to ADD?” It does appear so. And where stress is
concerned - in documented patient studies, rates of stress were
lower in individuals who supplemented. Ginseng has shown promise
in both the relief of stress and decreased incidence of stress
related diseases, such as arteriosclerosis, by improving
circulation and normalizing blood pressure.

Relief of Menopause Discomforts:

Siberian ginseng - in many of the articles and studies I found -
works to stabilize hormone levels to decrease or relieve the
discomforts of menopause, i.e. emotional instability and hot
flashes. Also ginseng is used in much the same way to stimulate
the endocrine gland and also assimilate vitamins and minerals.

Increase Male and Female Fertility:

In females - many of the studies suggest - ginseng supports
uterine function. This will strengthen the female uterus and aim
to make it more fertile. In males, ginseng acts in much the same
way by stimulating testosterone levels.

Treatment of Cold and Flu:

In many cases, Siberian ginseng has helped to stimulate the
immune system to both decrease the symptoms of cold and flu and
support the body by warding off infection of cold and flu,
entirely.

Other Noted Pathologies Relieved by Siberian Ginseng

* Decreased symptoms of Alzheimer’s * Decreased symptoms of
rheumatoid arthritis * Decreased symptoms of chronic fatigue
syndrome and fibromyalgia * Decreased symptoms of multiple
sclerosis * Decrease in general fatigue associated with PMS

The Bad News:

As customary, I always want to know “what’s the bad news?”
First, my usual disclaimer: Always check with your doctor before
beginning any supplementation - in this case especially.
Ginseng, it’s known, could mimic a period in menopausal women.
Also check with your doctor about any drug interactions. Other
bad news - there has been mild diarrhea in rare cases associated
with Siberian ginseng supplementation and - oddly enough - it
should be avoided if you have high blood pressure, are
menstruating or are pregnant. Otherwise Siberian ginseng appears
to be very safe at recommended doses. With high doses, insomnia,
nervousness, irritability and anxiety have been reported.

How To:

In everything I’ve read, the information was consistent: Take
ginseng on an empty stomach, before breakfast or 1 hour prior to
meals. To decrease risk of insomnia, avoid taking ginseng close
to bedtime. Also consistent: Make sure you obtain your Siberian
ginseng from a reputable source. Other tips: Be sure the ginseng
is “standardized” and contains at least 0.9% of it’s active
ingredient “eleutherosides.”

When supplementing Siberian ginseng - according to my favorite
source, Dr. Earl Mindell (see sources below) take 2-3 caps of
100-200mg daily as a preventative. There are many
recommendations for different ailments - including rotating
different varieties of ginseng. If you have a pathology you
think may be helped by ginseng - discuss with your doctor how to
treat it accordingly. It is also known that the body likes a
breather from ginseng - therefore, according to all sourced
noted, be sure to take two weeks off every three months.

In addition to WebMD - my favorite resources (and research
sources for this article) Include:

Balch, Phyllis A., CNC. Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing.
New York: Penguin Putnam, 2004. Khalsa, Dharma Singh, M.D. Food
As Medicine. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. Mindell, Earl,
R.P.h., Ph.D. The Vitamin Bible. New York: Warner Books, 2004.
Mindell, Earl, R.P.h., Ph.D. Prescription Alternatives. New
York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

At the Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Ariz., guests find
healing in the water. The resort’s 11,000- square-foot Aquatic
Center features three Watsu pools, a cross-training pool with
conditioning equipment, two aquatic therapy pools and a
whirlpool. There is also a complete Water Workout Station and it
is making a big splash with guests.

“Water is the wave of the future,” said Karma Kientzler, an
aquatic therapy expert and outside consultant for Canyon Ranch
in Tucson. “People are using their bones and joints to such
excess that water will become the means for most people to stay
healthy. It is a means to life enhancement and enrichment,
especially in a spa and health care environment.”

The Aquatrend, a scientifically designed piece of stainless
steel equipment, was installed at Canyon Ranch about 10 years
ago to help take the “work” out of workouts, Kientzler said. It
makes working out a pleasurable experience, especially for those
suffering from arthritis, knee and hip replacement or sports
injury recovery. The power of water has become an integral part
of spa relaxation and rejuvenation — it’s a healer, a stress
reducer, and an amenity that everyone can enjoy regardless of
age or physical condition,” she said.

For the physically challenged or non-swimmer, water exercise is
safe because there is always something nearby to hold onto. On
the flip side, those who are more fit or who are interested in
the resistance benefits from ‘Aquacise’ or aqua therapy can use
a water workout station to work isolated body areas to lose
weight and inches, and to facilitate aerobic and anaerobic
training. It provides the basic exercise everyone needs to
strengthen cardiovascular and respiratory systems while building
strength and endurance.

‘The Value of Aquatic Exercise’

According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, Aquatic fitness
is defined as activities performed in the water that promote and
enhance physical and mental fitness. Aquatic fitness is
typically performed in a vertical position in shallow or deep
water. There are numerous applications to appeal to a wide
variety of participants.

Here’s how it works . . . and why it works. Water buffers the
body from gravity and makes a person virtually weightless when
they are totally submerged. When a person’s head is out of the
water, he or she weighs approximately 10 percent of normal body
weight. Therefore, exercising in the water offers protective
cushioning that land-based exercise cannot.

Researchers tell us that exercise injuries are usually related
to impact. Every time a person’s foot comes in contact with the
floor, impact occurs. Because a person weighs so much less in
the water, the impact on the body is reduced. Water has the same
advantages to toning as it does in cushioning. In order to get
muscles in shape or “toned,” a person has to work against
something. On land, a person fights gravity, but water limits
the effect of gravity on the body.

Aquatics: ‘Hard to Resist’

Mike Jandzen, Aquatics Director at the Sea Colony Resort in
Bethany Beach, Delaware, who is responsible for managing water
fitness programs at the property’s 12 pools and fitness center,
said hardcore athletes are drawn to exercising in a gym because
they prefer a more gravitational type of resistance for muscle
toning and strength training. However, Jandzen said he is seeing
more and more interest in the property’s aquatics programs, such
as water aerobics and water exercise, because they can be
enjoyed by young and old alike and offer cardiovascular
conditioning, strength training and muscle toning while greatly
reducing the impact on muscles and joints.

“Over the past several years we’ve seen aquatics becoming the
exercise vehicle of choice,” he said. “We’ve had a water
exercise unit in our aqua therapy pool for many years, and it’s
constantly in use. Our senior guests enjoy it for therapy as
well as for strength training and muscle toning. The water
aspect makes it low impact. It’s easy to use, easy on joints and
easy on muscles because buoyancy relieves the demands placed on
all body parts.”

Every time a person gets into the pool, he or she is losing
weight from the resistance that water provides, noting that the
resistance of water is 12 times that of air. When exercising in
water, the body still creates extra heat because muscles are
being used. However, the body has a much easier time
transferring your exercise heat to the water than it does to the
air. The result is a workout that immediately feels refreshing
and cool, and not hot and soggy from sweat.

A quality Water Workout Station provides Body Sculpting
exercises, including standing squats, lateral pull ups, hanging
leg pulleys, closed-grip pull ups, forward dips, single knee
extensions/curls, leg diamonds, abdominal press, reverse
abdominal and straight abdominal curl. Cardio Circuits provide
13 exercises, including: squat and lift, reverse lunge, chin
ups, cardio-sprint, single bicep curls, body swings, cardio
bobbing jumping jacks, single knee tucks, seat push ups,
cardio-seated bicycle, oblique reach, reverse leg pull-downs and
cardio-seated bicycle. There is also a Power Circuit, which
incorporates aerobic and muscular conditioning, including: lat
pull up/body swing combo, closed grip pull-up/reverse curl
combo, cardio hurdles, reverse dip abductor/adductor cross
combo, hanging curl-skate kick combo, cardio-cross country ski,
body pike push-up combo, cardio seat down sprinting, straight
curl-alternating elbow and cardio - seat down leg flurries.

Excellent choices for your fitness regimen are elliptical exercise machines. When compared to a treadmill, these pieces of equipment can give you a better workout without giving you all the damaging side effects of running on the treadmill belt. One of the common problems with the treadmill is that they can do a good amount of damage to the knees, back, and hips from the shock of hitting the hard surface time and time again. With the elliptical, you lose most of this painful shock because you are not running but moving in an up and down motion. Elliptical exercise machines are fast becoming the type of machine to own and use for a healthy workout.

How To Choose The Right Machine

If you head to a local department store, you are going to be overwhelmed with your options in these machines. Elliptical trainers should be purchased based on several key factors including these.

· The machine should be of high quality. The most important factor is to determine if the equipment will take the beating you are going to give it. When looking at a price scale, the lower end models are often the least quality. But, that doesn’t mean that you have to go with the highest cost either. Middle ground is often the best in quality.

· Look at what the machine is designed for. For example, if you belong to a health club where they use these machines, notice how well the product works for you. Do you enjoy it? Is there one type that you like better than others? If so, then gravitate towards the purchase of that one instead of the other. Also, if you are used to a commercial choice, you may want to purchase one of this quality. You’ll have a tool that lasts a lot longer than others and it is one that is often high in quality and use.

· If you are new to home fitness equipment, you may want to invest in a lesser expensive model until you know for sure whether or not you like it. Then, you can always improve on it down the road.

· Use consumer reviews to get the best idea of how well a product works out of the box. You’ll find these reviews available throughout the web for various machines. You are more than likely going to find a wide range of opinions but instead of looking just at the surface of these reviews, find out why people rated them the way that they did. For example, if they thought the product was too hard to use, perhaps this is something that you should consider.

Getting A Good Price

You’ll also be able to find great prices on the equipment you are after by thoroughly comparing models. You’ll also find a wide range of opportunity online to get a lower price such as through discounts, sales and even by purchasing wholesale. Elliptical exercise machines are an excellent tool, but if you want to get a good quality product as well as one that will not break the bank, you’ll need to invest some time in researching them.

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of
http://www.elliptical-trainers-shop.com/ Visit her site for a help & tips on selecting the best elliptical trainer to buy.