Fight the Underarm Flab

Underarm flab, also referred to as shopping bag arms, Mrs. Jiggles, or flappers, can often be a very embarrassing thing. To make matters worse, spring and summer come around every year, calling for tank tops, bathing suits, and other sleeveless apparel. As embarrassing as this menace can be, it is equally challenging to rid your body of the diligently clinging fat in that hard to target area. When body toning and gearing towards getting into shape, toned underarms and their smooth, sleek, beautiful appearance is right up their with a six pack and perky booty. It is also up at the top for last to achieve, too often than not. Here are some tips to make sure you are able to conquer the furious flab.

First of all, as with any consequential decisions, diet and exercise must become a priority. There are no magic pills to slenderize your arms, and lipo is downright dangerous (need I mention expensive). Eat right to win the fight! Fight against the fat that almost certainly deliberately dwells in hiding just underneath those otherwise lovely arms. Taking in proper nutrients and minerals, along with ample water supplies, will create a healthy, metabolically enhanced foundation to begin your new endeavor. While increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables, you are inadvertently reducing your fill of sweets. Cookies, ice cream, sodas, alcohol, chips, and candy are all lovely to taste, but the aftermath can turn out unsightly. When you hydrate yourself with enough water, your body will stop fooling you to think you are hungry when you are not. When you increase the amount of fruits and vegetables, you will not only be leaving less room for the high in fat, unhealthy food most of America considers part of a normal diet, but in time, you will also be decreasing the cravings for such junk overall.

Exercise plays an equal role in the fight against flab. It only make sense that if weight gain is directly correlated with the amount of fat and calories consumed on a daily basis; then the only way to reverse the affect is to either decrease such amounts to a level far lower than the amount one naturally burns throughout the day, or deliberately do physical activities that increase the amount of calories (and in turn, fat) burned in order to proactively begin shedding pounds. The latter is the wiser, and longer lasting. Such exercises may include walking, jogging, swimming, biking, roller blading, aerobics, elliptical, etc.

The combination of the diet and exercise will help shed weight throughout the entire body. Certain fat pockets are bound to go before others. This is where the underlying (get it?) problems arises. Underarm fat seems to be one of the last areas to disappear. As with everything pertaining to the body, especially muscles, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. Honestly now, carrying shopping bags will not do the trick. Carrying weights on the other hand, should. Add some simple weight lifting and toning exercises and you should be on your way to the proudest moment your arms have felt in a bikini in a long time. Light weight lifting begins to tighten up the area in need and strengthen your overall arms. Muscle helps to burn fat. Not only will the tightened, toned muscles create definition that is much more aesthetically appealing than bulging fat, but the muscle will speed up the weight loss process. Even if you don’t belong to a gym and can’t afford weights, simple exercises will make do. While sitting at your computer or watching television you can press you palms together at chest height, firmly, and begin to feel your arms burn. Pushups (even girl pushups on knees), pressing against walls for isolated muscle friction, pull-ups, lifting water jugs, curling grocery bags, even simple muscle tenses will start you off. The more often, the better. Get creative. While cooking, lift cans or jars of food, do shoulder circles with your arms straight out and rotating around the shoulder joint. Work specifically on the triceps which will greatly affect the underarm flab. Tighten those babies up and you will have earned yourself the spotlight for looking firm and trim in a tank top. Face it, we all want fantastic arms, and we all want to fight the flab. When facing an obstacle such as this, targeting the trouble spot and working it is only half the battle. The other half is making sure weight loss in general is happening by eating right and getting that much needed, very rewarding exercise in at least 3-5 times a week. I’ll happily raise my right arm to swear to it.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Please take note. This article is about a simple substance that has literally caused an epidemic of obesity and other health problems to the masses of people who consume processed foods: partially hydrogenated oil. Scientists and nutritionists alike label this chemically enhanced ingredient a poison, and by true definition of the word; it is.

Partially hydrogenated oils are naturally occurring oils that are altered by an unnatural process. Hydrogenation is the action of passing hydrogen bubbles through oils during extreme temperatures of heat treatment which range from 500 and 1,000 degrees under several atmospheres of pressure. At this point the oil is infiltrated with some sort of catalyst (one of a handful of metals) and hydrogen bubbles are passed through for hours. Common catalysts are nickel, platinum, or even aluminum. This process changes the molecular structure of the oils and causes a state of semi-solid in room temperature, instead of the normal liquid consistency. The consistency thickens along with the density of the oil, leaving it to be a very marketable product that is far cheaper than butter and creates a desirable texture when cooking. The refinement process after the hydrogenation is essentially put into place to eliminate the rancid odor of the oil after being processed. Figure that without the refinement in the final stages, you would literally be consuming a form far worse than rancid butter. Hydrogenation also causes a naturally spoilable food product to gain serious shelf life, alluding to the fact that it has become so processed it is more like a synthetic version of food, and is ultimately very bad for you; containing high levels of Trans Fats (the worst kind).

Partially hydrogenated oils are one of the worst ingredients one can consume. In fact, they are only one molecule away from plastic. If this doesn’t sound an alarm, I don’t know what will. The body is not equipped to process such a foreign agent, and instead the chemical becomes trapped within the cell walls. On the other hand, essential fatty acids (EFAs) are literally essential to absolutely every bodily function including: brain cell function; glandular function and immune system operation; cell wall functions such as passing oxygen to the cell, passing nutrients to the cell, and keeping foreign bodies out of the cell; digestive tract operation; etc. Trans fats take the place of essential fatty acids, clinging to the cell walls so that the essential fatty acids are unable to perform their vital functions. Taking the place of a natural substance that performs a critical function defines the term poison. This substitution also makes you fat. Considering that your body requires the essential fatty acids but will not be receiving them since the trans fats take the place of them, your body will require you to continue eating until it is satisfied with the levels of EFA it requires in order to properly function. Taking in all that additional storage of fat is detrimental and will show unwanted results quickly. Plus, considering the cellulose type makeup, it is difficult to lose weight caused by these plastic-like partially hydrogenated oils.

Aside from causing an epidemic of obesity, partially hydrogenated oils slowly kill you. Just as the partially hydrogenated oil becomes thicker and more viscous due to the intense processing, so does your blood. This is one reason that partially hydrogenated oils contributes to high blood pressure. There have literally been instances where surgeons have pulled out gummy like substances from arteries of patients, to later find out it was the aftermath of fast food fried in partially hydrogenated oils. That is disturbing. There are even studies that have shown the effects of partially hydrogenated oils taking a toll on the body within as little as ten minutes after consumption!

Countless health issues have been directly correlated to partially hydrogenated oils. Slowing the micro circulation of blood through to the brain causes physical as well as mental ailments including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ADHD, learning disabilities, and simply impaired thinking in general. Trans fat increases the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and decreases the “good”(HDL) cholesterol levels in the body. This leads to an increase of heart disease. Trans fat has also been linked to diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. New results show that liver disease and even birth defects are now linked to this detrimental chemical we so often consume.

The good news? Following the awareness of how terribly poisonous partially hydrogenated oils are for you, is the empowerment to actually do something about it. Read labels. It’s that simple. Of course, stick to natural, healthy fruits and vegetables and essential fatty acid rich foods such as fish and nuts. In addition to that, simply read the labels of everything you purchase. Don’t let healthy advertisements on the labels mislead you. There are companies that label their products as healthy and still use this ingredient, which is a grave injustice to the health food industry, and ultimately false advertisement. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor: do not purchase anything with partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients. If you are eating out, do your best to stay away from fried foods as they are often fried in this type of oil. By eliminating this deleterious chemical from your diet, you will no doubt be shedding pounds while ultimately adding years to your life. Take this seriously. After all, you wouldn’t consume a bottle of rat poisoning would you? Poison is poison, no matter how it tastes.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

We have all heard the expression “No pain, no gain,” which still seems to be a motivational phrase traveling throughout many gyms and training facilities. Of course, severe, debilitating pain is never a good thing, and it can also indicate a possible serious injury. On the other hand, moderate to intense muscle soreness is a welcome sensation for many athletes and workout buffs. Even further; Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, otherwise known as DOMS, is a great reminder of a job well done.

So regular muscle soreness during exercise is simply the reactive feeling one experiences once his exercise has extended past the normal range of his body, and his muscles become fatigued. Some people will be more apt to feel this type of soreness during exercise over others, which is often quite markedly based on the level of fitness they are already accustomed to, as well as what kind of shape they are in (or out). Delayed onset muscle soreness is totally different. It typically has an onset between 24-48 hours, but it arrives more commonly on the second day after an intense workout. Delayed onset muscle soreness can often be described as severe muscle soreness. Some people experience a level of soreness that restricts their normal everyday functions such as walking down stairs easily, bending down, even simply walking. It is a result of a workout that pushes the body past its normal capacity. This, in turn, causes microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, and causes inflammation and pain. It is relative to compare the extent of the workout to the level of pain to follow, along with the number of days it may last. DOMS usually sticks around for a few days and then completely vanishes, leaving this a self inhibiting condition that does not need a physician’s care, nor should it be an overly alarming experience. Of course, for those who are new to exercise, it may be an absolutely unwelcome surprise that burdens the activities of everyday life for a while; in the same token it should be a welcome one because it is an “in your face” reminder that you have work to do, all the while that you have effectively begun it.

Many people let the pain of DOMS deter them from their projected workout regimen. This is the worst injustice one can do for himself. Instead, allow the muscles to recuperate. This usually takes a total of 3-7 days. Then pick back up and keep on trudging. Though there haven’t been any miraculous discoveries as to the exact cause of, or an utterly effective treatment of, delayed onset muscle soreness, certain responsive actions are taken by some in an attempt to relieve the pain. First of all, though research has shown that stretching does not speed up the muscles’ recovery, it may help prevent the severity of pain brought on by DOMS if you stretch before and after your exercise. This helps warm the muscles up and elongates them to prevent possible injury in general, and also may help simply by increasing a bit of blood flow to the areas that are about to be stressed. Secondly, though intense exercise should be put off until the damaged muscles have healed, light aerobic exercise such as simple jogging may help speed the recovery process by increasing that much-needed oxygen and blood flow to the afflicted areas. This has been one of the only known tactics that has scientific support behind its effectiveness. On the other hand, it is still not a cure-all. Another technique many elite athletes practice is ice baths. Though it is painful to even think about, the temporary freeze of about 10-20 minutes is well worth shrinking the delay in getting back to work on your body. Again, this is very popular to some of the best athletes in the world who cannot afford to take 3 days off for recovery. Other suggestions entail using a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen. This may help reduce the swelling of the muscle, but will not speed up the actual time it takes to rebuild it. The RICE technique or contrasting hot/cold compresses is another suggested tip to relieve some of the soreness. Some even swear by massage, though this is a much more costly endeavor.

All in all, DOMS is nothing to frown about. Though the pain can be agonizing and more irritating than anything; it is actually a positive indicator that your exercise has worked well for you. In order to build stronger muscles, they must first be broken down. The delayed onset muscle soreness you feel days later is indicative that you have broken down the muscles you intended on working, and they are now in their recovery stage so you can do it all over again. Note: if you do not feel pain, it does not mean you have not done an extensive enough workout. People’s bodies are very different and they respond to physical activity in a variety of ways. On the other hand, if you are experiencing severe sharp or chronic pains resonating particularly around joints, this is most likely an injury and should be checked out as soon as possible. Injuries are always bad and need immediate attention in order to prevent an ongoing problem. The bottom line is this: don’t let muscle soreness, specifically DOMS, stop you from continuing your workout regimen. Rather, let this be the encouragement you need to continue pushing towards a future that leaves you in such great shape that your workouts will no longer cause any pain what so ever! Of course, by that point, you will want to change, increase, and further explore your body’s capacity by pushing for that eventually welcomed sensation of pain all over again! Let’s face it, the more you push, the more you feel, the more this totally normal, healthy pain is likely to grow on you.

Taurine

It’s all too easy to grab an energy drink on the go to give you a little pick-me-up. Now days everyone crosses that path where they are over-pressured, under-rested, and still need to keep on going. The answer to this dilemma has become a no brainer thanks to ample advertisement and the abundance of brand after brand claiming to be the cure-all for your midday grogginess. Take the average college student, for example, who is piled with more homework hours than there are in a day. Ask him what he had for dinner and you will likely get an answer involving some type of amped up name like Monster, Red Bull, Rockstar…the list goes on. Though there are warnings attached to these energy drinks to limit 2-3 per day, there isn’t an explanation attached to such a label as to why. There is, however, much controversy as to whether the ingredient packed drinks are bad for you. More acutely the question resounds around which, if any, of such ingredients might be. One of the common ingredients in nearly all energy drinks, alongside caffeine, is Taurine.

Taurine is an amino acid-like compound that has actually been deemed essential to our bodies. It is essentially an organic acid and is also a major constituent of bile, which can be found in the lower intestine. This component is not actually a part of the human body’s structural proteins; it is rather one of the most abundant free floating amino acids amidst the bloodstream and tissues. It is most predominant in the heart, skeletal muscles, and nervous system. Often times when one performs strenuous physical activity, his body stops producing the compound which can result in a deficiency that is linked to illness and ailments. Some studies have recommended daily supplemental doses of taurine to aid in brain functions as well as to help the heart. Other studies acknowledge that taurine acts as an antioxidant by combating the destructive effects of oxygen free radicals, that it can be detoxifying, as well it is essential in proper growth and development.

Although caffeine and taurine as a pair have been claimed to enhance athletic and mental performance, the statement remains controversial. Unlike caffeine which is a stimulant, taurine is not. Caffeine is a diuretic, while taurine has not been found to cause the same effect. Not enough studies have been executed in order to fully examine and provide an in depth exploration as to the long term effects of taurine, the coupling effects of taurine and caffeine in energy drinks together, or any toxicity related to an overabundance of the ingredient. Separate studies on just taurine, however, have proven the component to be safe in even relatively high doses, though little is known regarding any long term effects. Results have shown positive response that taurine seems to be linked with mood enhancement, more optimum motor response, focus and alertness, and an overall greater mental performance. Taurine is also used in Japan to treat ischemic heart disease as well as certain heart arrhythmias.

There are many claims exalting the positive effects of taurine which then support the suggestion to ingest daily supplemental doses of the compound. The aspects of probable health benefits are encouraging. Still, everything in moderation is the key. Consider when consuming products such as energy drinks, you are combining ingredients that may completely alter the effects of each other. Until further studies are able to present a clearer picture, it is safe to assume that there may always be a risk. Contrary to the supplemental version of taurine that apparently provides mental clarity, plus many other physiological benefits, too many energy drinks may cause an adverse effect. Until otherwise proven; do yourself a favor and drink responsibly.

When to Eat Fruits

We all know the daily recommendations of healthy consumption. They include getting as many servings of fruits and vegetables as possible. Sometimes by trying to adhere to this healthy lifestyle, we actually unknowingly hinder ourselves. Reaching those 9 servings of raw foods can seem a bit tricky, and we often simply throw a few fruits into our lunch or dinner in order to reach our daily goals. Unfortunately, though, mixing fruits with other type of foods can produce unwanted adverse effects.

There are many digestible myths floating around out there pertaining to when to eat fruits, when not to eat them, and with what-if anything-to eat them. Though many of these little rules can be beneficial, there are only a couple of them that create a large impact if they are not adhered to. The most important rule of thumb when consuming fruit is to avoid eating fruit with meals or directly after. Unfortunately, this definitely puts a damper on the delicious fruit riddled desserts so colorfully offered after a large dinner by most restaurants. But there is a rhyme to the reason, and the fruity dessert may have to either wait until later, be swapped out for chocolate cake (what a bummer), or hey-why not eaten first? Digestively speaking, fruit will wreak havoc on your insides because the enzymes of the fruit break down in the intestine and much quicker than most other foods. If the fruit is eaten after dinner for example, it will have digested much faster than the rest of the food sitting in the stomach, but it will not be able to pass through so the fruit will begin essentially rotting. This creates bloatedness from gas, discomfort, and an otherwise unbalanced digestion. Typically most fruits (aside from bananas which take about 45 minutes) contain simple sugars and so fully digest within a half an hour or even less. Other foods that contain starch, proteins, fats, etc. take much longer and sit in the stomach for long periods of time. Eating fruit during or after meals will cause the foods to mix, ultimately leaving the fruit to ferment and even rot as it waits to be digested together with the other foods. In a situation like this all the nutrients will have been a waste, which completely diminishes the purpose of consuming the fruit to begin with.

The remedy to this is simple. Just don’t eat fruit during or after meals. Ideally, fruit should be consumed on an empty stomach. Not only will this balance the body’s natural blood sugar levels, it will ensure optimum ease of digestion, and the greatest reception of the fruit’s nutrients. It is also suggested to eat fruit throughout the morning to stabilize the body’s natural energy and balance out the state of hunger while initiating the digestive system for the rest of the day. Allow at least half an hour before meals if you intend on consuming a naturally sweet snack prior to. This way, the fruit will have passed through the digestive system before it mixes with the other foods. It has also been suggested that mixing berries with dairy reduces the nutritional intake by up to 70%. This should maintain a rule of thumb for all fruits.

It is evident that fruit can be more beneficial, just like vitamins, depending on how you consume it. Though it is often advised to eat it in abundance during the first half of your day, it is great to enjoy it at any given time. The most important advise to follow is to refrain from throwing it into the mix of a regular meal, or shortly thereafter. If you can relate sweet fruit filled desserts with putrid, rotting fermentation stuck in the gut, you will most likely hold onto this suggestion just as easily as you do to the pertinence of your daily dietary servings. It seems to put things in a totally different perspective.