Benefits of CARDIO Interval Training

Among the highest risk factors are male sex, age over 35, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high levels of certain blood fats, and a family history of cardiovascular disorders.

Photo  by mariachily 

Other researchers have added to this list another risk factor: the compulsive, hard-driving, highly anxious personality. The greater the number of severity, the greater the person's overall risk.

These threats to the heart can be divided into two main categories: those beyond individual control, such as age, sex, and heredity, and those that can be controlled, avoided, or even eliminated. Among those in the second category are what cardiologists call "the triple threat." These are the high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and high cholesterol levels in the blood.

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, your risk of having a heart attack is twice that of a nonsmoker. If you smoke, have hypertension, and eat a diet high in fats without any exercise at all, your risk is five times greater than normal.

The Healthy Heart

If these risk factors endanger the heart's health, what enhances its well-being and improves its odds of working long and well?

Obviously, quitting cigarettes and eating a low-fat diet will help. The next best thing you can do for your heart's sake is to give it what it needs: regular exercise or a complete cardio interval training.

The heart is a muscle, or, more accurately, a group or "package" of muscles, similar in many ways to the muscles of the arms and legs. And just as exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it enhances the health of the heart muscles as well.

Since World War II, several large-scale statistical studies have evaluated the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease. One well-known survey compared 31,000 drivers and conductors of some bus companies. The more sedentary drivers had a significantly higher rate of heart disease than the conductors, who walked around the buses and climbed stairs to the upper level.

The why and how behind these statistics were bet explained by classic experiments with dogs whose coronary arteries were surgically narrowed to resemble those of humans with arteriosclerosis. Dogs who were exercised were had much better blood flow than those kept inactive.

The exercise seemed to stimulate the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so exercised dogs had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart. The human heart reacts in the same way to provide blood to the portion that was damaged by the heart attack.

To enable the damaged heart muscle to heal, the heart relies on new small blood vessels for what is called collateral circulation. These new branches on the arterial tress can develop long before a heart attack - and can prevent a heart attack if the new network takes on enough of the function of the narrowed vessels.

With all these facts, it is now boiled down to a single question: What should be done in order to prevent such dilemmas?

Some studies showed that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice often.

The general rule is that exercise helps reduce the risk of harm to the heart. Some researches further attested the link between exercise and healthy heart based from the findings that the non-exercisers had a 49% greater risk of heart attack than the other people included in the study. The study attributed a third of that risk to sedentary lifestyle alone.

Hence, with employing the cardio interval training, you can absolutely expect positive results not only on areas that concerns your cardiovascular system but on the overall status of your health as well.

This particular activity that is definitely good for the heart is a cycle of "repeated segments" that is of intense nature. In this process, there is an interchange periods of recuperation. It can both be comprehensive activity and moderate motion.

Consequently, the benefits of merely engaging into this kind of activity can bring you more results that you have ever expected. These are:

1. The threats of heart attack are lessened, if not eliminated

2. Enhanced heart task

3. Increase metabolism, increase the chance of burning calories, therefore, assist you in losing weight

4. Improves lung capacity

5. Helps lessen or eliminate the cases of stress

Indeed, cardio interval training is the modern way of creating a healthy, happy heart and body.

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Genes and WEIGHT LOSS pills

Ever wonder why people try to lose weight by dieting and weight training and only see minimal results?  What are they doing wrong? Medical specialists believe that genes play a major factor in this losing weight. These specialists believe that genes determine one's body type. Some body types contain more body fat than others and vice-versa. They believe that everyone has inherited and specific body types. Body types have been categorized into three basic categories: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

Body types elaborated

Photo  by Alan Cleaver 

The ectomorph body is tall and thin. This body can be distinguished by light bones and small muscles. Studies show ectomorphs  encounter difficulty gaining weight and body mass no matter how hard they train or even if they eat the right food. Some see it as a blessing, others see it as a disadvantage. Other noticeable physical qualities of an ectomorph include a slightly built body, flat chest, and small shoulders. People with this kind of body usually have low body fat. These people may experience difficulty in terms of weight gain and muscle development.

The endomorph body, on the other hand, is round and soft. People with this body type carry more fat in their body. Their body weight and body fat refuse to drop no matter how hard they exercise and diet,  which can be attributed to metabolic problems. According to researchers, endomorphs produce too much insulin as they metabolize carbohydrates. When this happens, fat storage is increased and difficulty in losing existing fat occurs. This is the reason why weight loss is extremely difficult for endomorphs. These people may take prescription weight loss pills and still notice minimal or no weight loss at all.

The mesomorph body is generally muscular and short. The mesomorph possess toned muscles and huge bones.  Specialists believe that  people with this kind of body tend to develop muscle mass when they do strength training because of high muscle growth rate and high proportion of muscle growth tissue.

The best weight loss pills may fail

Healths specialists claim that no matter how hard people workout, eat the right kind of food, or seek medication some people may never lose their flabs. When people seriously and earnestly try to lose weight yet still fail, it may be their genetics that is working against them. They may even take diet pills and fail. For some people, being fat is just a “genetic fact” of life.

It is important to understand that one's weight and body fat percentage is not necessarily the measure of one's health. Poor diet and lack of exercise may be the more serious causes of health problems rather than the mere presence of flab.

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Brewing BEER

Beer drinkers see a pint of beer as a magical golden brew. Many have said that it's surely the Nectar of the Gods. In reality, most beers are based on a basic four-ingredient recipe, and undergo a simple brewing process before bringing joy to the parched bar patrons of the world.

A blend of milled malted barley for beer brewing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Beer is created using a basic mixture of water, hops, malted barley and yeast. Depending on the type of beer being brewed, taste enhancements such as flavourings and sugar will be added. Starches are also incorporated into the beer so that sugars will easily ferment during the brewing process. The fermented sugars add body and flavour, while increasing the alcohol content.

Water

Beer is mainly composed of water, so the source of the water and its characteristics has an important effect on the character of the beer. Many beer styles were influenced by the characteristics of water in the region. Some beer makers claim that spring water or mountain water create their unique flavour and body. Understanding the effects of water minerals can be complex, but basically soft water is suited to light brews, where hard water is more suitable for dark beers.

Hops

Since the seventeenth century, hops have been used as a popular bittering agent in beer. Adding hops is important, as the bitterness helps to counteract the sweetness of the malts. Hops also contribute a variety of aromas ranging from herbal to citrus. The bitterness in beer is generally measured using the International Bitterness Units scale. Hops also provide an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms.

Malt

Every beer requires malt in its basic recipe. Brew masters can choose to use malted oats, rye, wheat or rice, but malted barley is most commonly used. Malted barley has high amylase content, and a digestive enzyme that helps break the starches down into sugars. The choice of malts depends heavily on what grains are cultivated locally. To create malt the grains are soaked in water, allowed to germinate, then dried in a kilt. As grain is malted, naturally occurring enzymes work to gradually convert starches into fermentable sugars.

Yeast

Yeast is a living microorganism that creates fermentation. The brew master will choose from different strains of yeast, depending on the type of beer produced. Yeast helps metabolize sugars extracted from the grains, and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as a result. Before the functions of yeast were fully understood, beers were fermented using wild or airborne yeasts. Today there is a variety of yeasts available, with ale yeast and lager yeast being most commonly used.

Clarifying agent

Many brewers prefer to add one or more clarifying agents to beer, but are not required to publish these agents as "ingredients". Isinglas, bentonite, gelatin finings and Irish moss powder are all commonly used as clarification agents. Isinglas is a gelatinous substance obtained from the swim bladders of fish, so if you're concerned about consuming animal products, be sure to ask of detailed content information from the brewer of your preferred beer.

Next time you pour yourself a cold pint, stop to consider the careful choice of ingredients and the lengthy brewing process that were involved in creating your little glass of heaven. Raise a toast to your brew master, and leave your car keys at home.

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When AMERICA Proved that Anything is Possible

It was one of those moments in American history that the people who were able to watch it for the first time felt like they were in a science fiction movie.  But with televisions cameras on every move, the nation and the world watched on July 20, 1969 as three American astronauts landed on the moon.  

December 7–19: Apollo 17, the last manned Moon mission
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The project had been in the works for years to be sure.  You have to wonder with the phenomenal amount of work, expert engineering and the amazing genius that created the rocket ships and everything that would be needed to make the flight possible, if even those in NASA sat in mute wonder and had goosebumps when “Buzz” Aldren was the first man in history to put his foot on another world and pronounce those famous words –

“That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

That phrase, which itself was carefully prepared, has a lot of wisdom in it.  Sure, touching another world for the first time in human history was a tremendous accomplishment for America.  But more than that, it signaled a new era for humankind everywhere.  All of a sudden, the moon wasn’t a far away myth, full of mystery and magic.  All of a sudden, people everywhere felt like they too could touch the stars if they put out their best efforts too.  

It was also a huge moment for the unity of all people.  Few things cause the world population to come together and link arms and be one people, not separate countries.  Most of the time, it’s a terrible global disaster that makes us all bond together.  But this time was different.  This time is was a moment so phenomenal that everybody stopped and watched and everybody knew that this was not just a great accomplishment for three astronauts and scientists that put them there.  This was a great accomplishment for mankind.

American history is populated with tremendous events, both bad and good.  But it’s worth a moment to sit back and reflect on what the first moon landing meant and continues to mean for Americans and the American spirit.  You have to wonder if any other nation would have had the ability, the creative powers, the powerful minds and the collective will to see this kind of amazing accomplishment through to success.  

It’s even more amazing when you remember that just a few years earlier, on September 12, 1962 that President Kennedy challenged American to rise to this challenge in a speech at Rice University.  It takes a lot to make something as historic and earth shaking as landing on the moon a reality and visionary leadership such as Kennedy showed that day was a big part of why this landing made history.

This amazing achievement points out something outstanding about the American spirit.  Americans are a people who dream big.  And to land a man on the moon took big dreams.  But we didn’t just dream to put a man up there, it was not acceptable unless we got everybody home safely as well.  

For the most part the American space program has had a phenomenal history of success in breaking through barriers that nobody had every done before.  Yes, there have been set backs and tragedies along the way.  But Americans are not quitters and through all the struggles we face, we face them together.  But we never forget to look up at the stars and dream of the day that yet again we see an American set foot on another world and plant out flag in that soil to be signal forever that America was here!

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Family History Search Resources to Revisit the Glorious Past

Surely one would really want to know about how family trees or genealogies play key roles in determining a good family ancestry and one could surely make good use of a family history search resources to revisit the glorious past.

Ahnentafel von Herzog Ludwig (1568-1593) Holzschnitt Württembergisches Landesmuseum, Stuttgart
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With the current advancement in computers, information technology and database resources, gaining access to any form of information is now as easy as a push of a keyboard button or the click of a  computer mouse button.

There are quite a number of good things things one can do to make good use of family history search engines over the world wide web or the Internet, with a long range of valuable family –related information that may not have been available in the past, with limitations ranging from an extensive linked network to merging of information closely related with one another, which was virtually unheard of in the past, say, even about 10 to 15 years ago.

Getting started is actually very simple and uncomplicated, as some may disagree with, most especially if modern research techniques are applied, compared to the manual and nerve –wracking process of digging through voluminous public and private documents or antiquated files that have collected dust throughout the years.

In the olden times, establishing family history data was such an unthinkable and insurmountable task that discourages people from pursuing such an endeavor, where people usually commissioned researchers or groups of people to do the research for them, especially looking for those industrious enough to dig through tons of paperwork, public and private documents and mountains of information database sources.

Nowadays, it is as easy and as fun as discovering new things, even make the activity more fun and enjoyable.You can actually get started by doing the traditional investigative work and making sure that you have prepared well by organizing your outline and here are some tips that would help you get on your way.

Firstly, ask around from family members or direct relatives for possible linkages to family names, ancestral places of residence and collect as many names as possible, no matter how funny, weird or trivial it may be.

You may also search through public or census records, since it does provide valuable clues that could lead to better results in getting access to legal case historiesmn\, obituaries, tax records and other important data that you may relate with the your quest for your genealogy.

Make very good use of internet search engines to find the information you need, especially when searching through the internet using family names or key words you wish to look into.There are also free and fee –based online family search applications you can use and each one presents unique features that can help you track down any information you may need to start working on setting up your genealogy record or family tree.

Although free online search applications are useful resources, however, fee –based applications offer better tools or features that could not just speed up your search process, but also provide broader access to online databases and other advanced features.Never be too ashamed to ask for help. Be it from a close family member or you could even ask around from online subject forums and there are numerous online sources that you are not aware that could provide you with the key to getting that important family information that you need.

But don’t be too hasty in jumping to an immediate conclusion without verifying your information or validating the information that was provided to you, this is so because some information that may be provided may be too tempting to ignore or one that you may find to be a vital component to completing that family tree.

Another useful source of information such as these would be cemeteries, like those names and dates etched in tombstones that can provide you with important clues to establishing that missing link to your family tree information or genealogy.

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It may sound a bit morbid, but it does help a lot in sometimes providing you with the missing link to the information you need, especially with your family history or background.

Another common practice that could use would be that families and close relative usually make it a common practice to bury their dead next to other deceased family members.

These processes may take a considerable period of time, but surely the discoveries made during a family history search to revisit the glorious past is well worth the effort.

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WALKING MEDITATION: A Simple Way To Meditate Almost Any Time

Most Westerners think of meditation as someone sitting down, cross legged with their eyes closed and probably chanting some kind of mantra over and over again.

But that is only one of the ways that people can practice meditation.

Meditating can also be performed standing up, lying down or walking.

A woman walking a prayer labyrinth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, we're going to look at walking meditation. In this situation, the walking itself is the focus of your meditation, rather than a candle or a mantra or your breathing.

Obviously, depending on where the walking is taking place, you may also need to be aware of other external influences as well, such as joggers and cyclists.

In a walking meditation, you should concentrate on the actual experience of walking. Notice the pressure on each foot as it touches the ground and the relief of that pressure as your foot rises again. Take in the experience of the muscles in your legs. Notice when they tense up and when they relax. Feel the changes in your toes as they meet the ground. Recognize what is happening to your ankles as you walk along.

As well as the stress relief that a walking meditation naturally brings, you should also experience a feeling of energy and invigoration. Walking is a more active meditation than some other types (although breathing meditations can get pretty energetic as well, if you choose to let them). You also benefit from the exercise of walking, which is an aerobic exercise in itself. It follows that a walking meditation can be of overall benefit to your health and can even help keep you fit.

If the thought of sitting or lying down to meditate has put you off in the past, then taking the walking meditation course could be just the ticket. Give it a try and see how refreshed you feel afterwards!

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Enhanced FAT LOSS with Interval Training

In this article I want to compare traditional long, slow cardio with interval training  for fat loss. From a fat loss standpoint, the more calories you burn, the better. Let's see how good long, slow cardio and interval training are at burning calories.

Robert Cheeke, an American bodybuilder. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Long, slow cardio burns more calories during training, but interval training burns more calories overall (during and after training), because it makes you burn calories between training sessions since your body must recover from the intense bout. It's "hard" on your body. Winner: interval training.

Long, slow cardio won't help you gain muscle mass. On the other hand, interval training makes you gain muscle mass, because to sprint or bike like crazy you need to push on the pedal really hard. This builds muscle (think of a sprinter). Since the more muscle you have, the higher is your resting metabolic rate, interval training makes you burn more calories all day, every day. Winner: interval training.

Another benefit of interval training is that it takes much less time (about 30 minutes per session). Winner: interval training.

On the other hand, interval training is too hard for beginners. If you're a beginner, stick to slow jogging first for two weeks, and then experiment with increasing the pace for 5 minutes and walking for the next 5 minutes. Once that becomes easy, shorten the work interval and increase its speed. Winner: long, slow cardio.

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Overall, if you're fit, interval training is best. But since it's very hard on the body, no one (even elite runners) does it more than twice per week. So, to lose fat quickly, your best bet is a combination of interval training (1-2 times per week) and long, slow cardio (2-3 times per week). Plus it brings variety to your training, which is good. Winner: both.

To sum up, if you want to maximize fat loss, I suggest you do interval training alone on the days you do it, and that you do some weight lifting and then long, slow cardio on the other days you train.

This being said, the specifics of interval training can get tricky. Hopefully I can share with you the method I prefer later. Athletes and smart trainers use interval training: you also should.

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