Personalize Your Nutrition

by Dr. James P. Urban

Caution!!! This Article contains information that could quite possibly change your life...that is, if you are willing to be open to what I am about to share with you. Just imagine for yourself, a nutritional program (measurement of food ingredients) that removes all of the guess work. Finally, a scientifically proven way to create endless energy, lose weight, avoid any unnecessary illnesses and just simply feel good!

Let me explain! Over the last year or so, I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to a colleague and now good friend of mine - Dr. Greg Tefft. Dr. Tefft is the founder of, "Personalized Nutritional Consultants" and is one of the world's leading experts in personalized nutrition. Dr. Tefft helped to develop a system of nutritional testing based on over 60 years of orthomolecular medical research with the help of a data base of over 7 million clinical testings. The specific food ingredient testing measures each individuals exact biochemical makeup and reveals precisely what excesses, deficiencies and toxicities are present in your body, right now. With this information, a program, based on years of research, has been developed to correct these imbalances and bring you back to your best state of health so that you can feel your best.

Sounds great huh!!! Believe me when I say, I have yet to find a nutritional system that supports the body like the one Dr. Tefft utilizes for his clients...many times more specific than the typical one-size-fits-all type of diet or supplement program commonly used by a majority of our population!

Are you intrigued yet?

I have always considered problematic diet, supplements and lifestyle to be one of the main underlying issues that brings ill-health to a majority of our population. Unfortunately, our current system of health does not recognize this as a priority. Sadly, the motivation, I feel, is more monetarily related. Certainly, more money can be made from a sick society rather than a healthy one.

Let me share with you the experience that I've had by personalizing my nutrition program.

At the time I had met Dr. Tefft, I had been eating a strict raw food diet for a little over a year. My diet was truly raw...raw milk, raw eggs, raw honey, raw juiced vegetables and yes, even raw meats (organically grown and free range, of course). Not to take anything away from this diet. There are certainly many benefits to eating raw foods. One of course is the benefit of live enzymes. I for one encourage a diet rich in live, organic raw foods. I don't debate this! Certainly, more people could benefit from a diet high in raw foods. The problem, I found was, which foods, raw or cooked, did my body truly require - or not!

Now hang on! There is more to this.

Dr. Tefft and I wanted to see the kinds of results I was having with my raw food diet...put the science to the test!!! Now mind you, I have tried many different diets (diet, by the way, is what you eat, without knowing much about what’s in what you eat) besides a raw food diet. I would say that during the past 20 years, I have tried - vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, low carb, high carb, high fat, low fat...you name it! I'll try just about anything if it brings me consistently noticeable results in how I feel...very few diets have done this for me.

Ok, let's get back to the test. The test kit that was sent to me by Dr. Tefft required a sample of hair from the back of my scalp...not an easy thing for someone who chooses to go bald. Around the time of testing, I just plan on taking about 3 weeks to grow a sufficient amount of hair for the lab to test. For those of you concerned about your thinning hair, the lab really does not require a huge amount of hair to be cut away from the scalp. Just enough to tip a small paper scale that is sent to you with the hair analysis kit!

Ok, back to the test!

About 2 weeks after I sent my hair in to be analyzed by the lab, I received my results. The report contained about 15 pages sent in an email...more information than I imagined! Fortunately for me, I was scheduled to have a 1 hour call with Dr. Tefft to review and interpret the results of my lab test - By the way, anyone who signs up for a hair analysis with Dr. Tefft can expect to have their results reviewed and interpreted by him...much the same as I did. This is only a bonus for now for those that sign up with him. I've been told, due to the huge demands on his time now, this won't be lasting much longer and the phone consultations will be in groups. Soon, private consultations will necessarily be fee based arrangement. For those of you who would like to know, instead of guess about how to feel good, please contact me to find out how to sign up for a test and phone consultation with Dr. Tefft.

Let me say this about, "why a hair analysis?" Hair analysis is the most comprehensive method for measuring mineral imbalances that are the basis for over 223 degenerative diseases that modern society suffers from. It pin-points and identifies an individual's specific state of health. Because hair grows slowly, it doesn't create inconsistent fluctuations in the testing data. Meaning, what you might eat during the day will not affect the overall test results compared to that of blood. Hair provides you with long term information about the body...typically a 6-8 week period of crucial information. Also, through hair analysis, the emphasis is focused on treating the patient's cause of illness rather than focusing on a symptom...this is where it becomes literally "life-altering".

Ok, about my results!

The information that I received from the results of my test have given me great insight into what types of foods work well for me, and which one’s don't! Before starting my raw food diet, I was considered a "fast metabolizer". After being on a raw food diet for nearly over a year, I became a "slow metabolizer". This may seem insignificant to most people but this clearly explained some of the symptoms I was experiencing while on this diet - i.e. fatigue. Raw foods are excellent but the question remains - which raw foods are best for you? There were other things that Dr. Tefft and I discussed...much more detailed. The point is, I continue to receive more vital information with subsequent re-testing and the lab tells me exactly how to stay on track. Just so you should know, I am back to being a fast metabolizer with way more energy than I had previously. Also, the supplements that are recommended from the lab after each testing help me to properly utilize the foods that I am currently taking in. It’s just that easy.

I find that just eating 3 square meals a day, following the recommended food groups and taking a multiple vitamin is just guesswork. Keep in mind, most of the foods that are eaten by the general population are processed and refined and saturated with significant amounts of harmful chemicals. It's obvious that a more exact science is needed to help us individualize a program that is right for each of us. Let's face it, we no longer all come from the same tribe or location. Our individual biochemical make-ups are not all the same.

Do yourself a favor! Stop guessing and have a hair analysis test done. Have it reveal your innermost uniqueness. Learn which food ingredients and supplements are right and wrong for your body. Then determine what can be done about it. This takes away the guess work and leaves you with the science of feeling good. I know that you will be just as happy as I am to benefit from this amazing technology.

Here's how you can get started:

Contact me at jurban (at) NaturalHealingTools.com. I'll help you get signed up.

http://www.naturalhealingtools.com/

3 Tips To Lose Belly Fat You Can Start Today

By Ian Henman

There are a lot of weight loss plans floating around the Internet. The sad thing is a lot of them don't work, they promise over night results but that isn't what happens. I want to share with you 3 tips to lose belly fat that you can implement starting today.

These aren't secret tips to lose belly fat they're common sense, although in today weight loss crazy world a lot of common sense seems to be forgotten.

1.) Cut empty calories: There's no doubt in my mind everyone can cut some empty calories from their daily intake. Whether it be cream in your coffee, or the snack you have at break change it up for something with more fiber and less calories and it will make a difference. The key here is consistency, don't just do it today, but do it tomorrow and every day there after.

2.) Eat bran for breakfast: Bran is low in calories, high in fiber and fills us up. In reality bran is really a secret weapon to belly fat loss. Fiber makes up feel fuller for longer, and being low in calories means our body has less to burn off. Make this change and you'll find you won't be as hungry every morning come coffee break time at the office.

3.) Swap carbs for vegetables at dinner: Most North Americans enjoy their carbohydrates, whether it be breads, potatoes, or rice we love them all. At dinner time try cutting back your normal serving of rice or potatoes and add more vegetables to your plate. Vegetables are higher in fiber and generally less calories then most carbohydrates. This will server the same purpose as the second tip, help us feel full while taking in less calories.

Work these three tips to lose belly fat into your daily routine and you will start to see a difference.

Before you start any diet make sure you understand how to lose stomach fat by visiting http://www.stopbellyfat.com a popular website for people trying to lose weight with a natural belly fat diet.

10 Reasons For Heart Rate Monitor Training

By Brandon Johnsonn

Measuring your normal resting heart rate is simple enough: Wake up, take your pulse, and you're done. But, what about tracking your active heart rate while you're exercising. Depending on what type of movements you're performing and how many hands you have, it may not be as easy to simply track your pulse while watching a clock.

That's where heart rate monitors come in, and below are 10 reasons you should use one.

10 Reasons for Heart Rate Monitor Training

1. Though no method or device is 100 percent accurate all the time, a good heart rate monitor will provide consistent and reliable results.



2. You don't have to stop mid-workout to use the traditional "count the pulses" method. Just glance at your monitor and the information is right there.



3. You can train in different "zones" and intensities, without having to estimate if you're staying on track.



4. Seeing your heart rate can provide motivation and make you feel like you are really working hard.



5. It will alert you if your mind wanders to the nearby TV or radio and remind you to pick it back up!



6. By keeping you "in the know," a monitor will allow you to get in and out of the gym with more efficient, well-defined workouts.



7. If you see your BPM's (beats per minute) are higher than they should be for too long, you can slow down to prevent over-working yourself and causing any damage.



8. The results allow you to increase or decrease your performance with each workout by accurate and tangible increments.



9. At the end of your workout, most monitors show you your stats for the day: average heart rate, elapsed time, calories burned, etc.



10. Using a heart rate monitor makes your workouts more fun!

If you're not completely sold on the idea just yet, at least borrow one from a friend to try out. Then, if you do decide to buy one, be sure to get a quality product, because many of the cheaper brands and models are virtually useless.

After you've done your heart rate monitor training for the day, come check out other pulse-pounding tips and advice at http://www.fitbuff.com

Building Biceps With Dumbbell Curls

As many of you know I started my weight routine on Wednesday, Day 15. I wanted to wait until the holiday season officially came to an end. Now that it has I am on my weight routine of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

For now I will do a 3 day schedule to give my body time to recoup, get over muscle soreness and things of that nature.

In my previous article I talked about the back exercise I am using, the one arm dumbbell row. Today I want to tell you about how I am working the biceps or the muscles of the front upper part of your arms. Most notably called by many men, "the guns".

In any event, I have chosen to build this muscle group performing dumbbell curls. The exercise can be performed with many variations, for the sake of this article and of course the way I am doing them is, I will be standing. You can do them standing, sitting, kneeling, you name it. That's the beauty of dumbbells. It gives you the opportunity of a lot of variety. There are some downfalls of them, which we will get to in a later article. For now lets concentrate on building those arms.

The exercise is performed by holding a dumbbell in each arm with your arms at your sides. Slowly lift the weight (you can lift them together or alternate, it is up to you, I alternate them) turning the dumbbell as you lift, so that the palm of your hand would then be facing towards you, bending your elbow (of course) until the weight touches your chest.

Now slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Repeat with each arm until you each the desired amount of repetitions to complete your set. Right now I am doing one set of twelve reps. That number will change as my body adjusts to the routine. This way my body never gets adjusted to what I am doing.

I have read many articles that say in order for your body to respond to your exercise program you must change it every 4 to 6 weeks. That is what I plan on doing.

Again, and I will state this in every article that I write. I am not a personal trainer, dietician or doctor. Please, if you are going to start a diet and nutrition program, like I have, see your doctor before you begin so they can take all of your vitals and let you know what you can do and can not do.

In my next article I am going to go over working the chest muscles or pectorals.

Regards,
Mike P.



About the Author
You can follow Mike's weight loss program on his Blog at http://followmyweightlossprogram.blogspot.com/.

There you can follow his progress as he details his daily fitness and nutrition program on his way to losing 50 pounds by December 31st, 2008.

Follow My Weight Loss Program: The Hardest Part Is Behind Me

So the holiday season has come to a close and even though I can't say everything went perfect, I can say that I did ok. Like you I was confronted with many unhealthy options this season. From cookies, to pies, to mashed potatoes filled with lots of butter and heavy cream, and the list goes on and on.

Now that the unhealthy part, well the overload of unhealthy items is behind me, I can begin to concentrate on what I need to do to lose that fifty pounds by 12/31/2008. Also now that it is 2008, the countdown truly begins.

Over the course of outlining my weight loss program and giving you daily updates, I will be posting various recipes and workout routines that I try. Like I said in a previous article, I would never post or recommend anything unless I try it first.

In today's discussion I want to begin my series on the exercise routines I am doing, the proper form and so on. Today I want to cover the back muscles. I start with the back, because that is how my routine begins. Before I continue, let me say this. I am not a physician, personal trainer or dietician. The information that I provide is what has worked for me and what I enjoy. My results are my own and yours may differ if you are following along with what I am doing.

Never perform heavy exercise without consulting with your physician first. Now that is out of the way, let me tell you about the back exercise I perform.

I have decided to start my weight program by performing one exercise for each of the muscle groups. Since I have not worked with weights in sometime, and now that I am little (cough, cough) older, I am starting by doing one set of twelve reps.

Reps stand for repetitions, or the number of times the same exercise is performed. A set is the number of times you complete the desired number of repetitions. For example, three sets of 12 reps would be the same as saying I lifted the weight 36 times taking a rest after I completed the exercise 12 times.

There are other ways of writing it, but you get the basic jist.

This morning I completed one set, 12 reps of one arm dumbbell rows. Using a bench, I would brace myself with the hand I wasn't using, along with the my knee from the same side of my body and then slowly lift the weight from the floor to my chest. I would repeat this exercise 12 times for each arm. It really works those upper back muscles.

For now I have the one back exercise which works primarily the upper back. As my body adjusts to a weight routine I will add in lower back exercises as well.

I can say that this exercise is a real good one and I can definitely feel the muscles being worked. Hopefully I can get some pictures posted for you so you can see the way I doing the exercise if you want to give it a try.

Tomorrow I am going to go over biceps and the exercise I am starting with for that muscle group. In the meantime, give the one arm dumbbell row a try for those upper back muscles. Just remember to start off with some light weight like I am doing.

Regards,
Mike P.



About the Author
You can follow Mike's weight loss program on his Blog at http://followmyweightlossprogram.blogspot.com/.

There you can follow Mike's progress as he details his daily fitness and nutrition program on his way to losing 50 pounds by December 31st, 2008.