Archive for the 'Health' Category
Nishanth Reddy asked:
Are there any cellulite reduction alternatives? With the rare exception, liposuction is generally considered cosmetic surgery. For this reason liposuction is not considered as medically necessary.
Because of this, the decision is up to you whether or not to undergo liposuction procedure. You may decide that it is not right for you. And you can make that determination right up to the point of actually having the procedure.
Liposuction Alternatives
Exercise.
Accept your body and appearance as it is.
Change diet to lose some excess body fat.
Use clothing or makeup to downplay or emphasize body or facial features.
Try some of the other methods such as topicals or body wrapping.
Whatever method you select for cellulite reduction make certain that, you have done your due diligence and select the most suitable method with the least amount of risk to obtain the results you desire.
There really is no alternate for good, old-fashioned, healthy nutrition and exercise. The tried and true methods do work:
1.Watch your diet.
2.Incorporate fresh and natural foods into your diet.
3.Get plenty of fiber.
4.Avoid high fat foods.
5.Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
6.Limit the consumption of caffeine and alcohol
7.Quit or cut down on smoking.
8.Get plenty of exercise.
9.Avoid medications not necessary to health and well being.
You can rid your body of excess toxins and promote a general state of health by following a regimen of good health, nutrition and exercise that is optimum for pursuing any program for dealing with cellulite.
Exercises
Cellulite exercises, which will help you to get rid of cellulite, are weight training and cardiovascular exercises. These two exercises when done together will help you a lot in reducing cellulite.
Cardiovascular exercises include walking, jogging and swimming. Where as weight training exercises are simple to complex, which include squats, lunges, leg presses, leg curls, etc. Along with this cellulite exercises a five minutes massage and drinking of plenty of water will increase the blood flow, which indeed reduces cellulite.
Walking
Walking is an incredible exercise, which is useful in many ways. Walking puts the body in continuous rhythmic motion and benefits most parts of the body. It is not just the feet and legs but also the neck muscles, shoulders, back, abdomen and arms that you are putting into motion.
Jogging
This is another wonderful exercise, which is useful in many ways. Body as a whole, will be getting benefited with jogging by strengthening the cardiovascular system, improving blood circulation, toning up muscles and thus helpful an exercise to get rid of cellulite.
Swimming
Swimming is a great activity. It tones your entire body while providing an excellent cardiovascular workout; it strengthens your heart muscle and improves delivery of oxygen to muscles. Swimming is also a relaxing activity.
Weight Training
Weight training exercises to get rid of cellulite can range from simple to complex. Exercises such as squats and lunges are easy to do at home since they simply use the weight of your own body. Free weights can be used at the gym or purchased for home use and can be incorporated into exercises like squats.
You can find different weight training machines in Gyms and health clubs that have built in weight systems and provide a range of different exercises such as leg presses and leg curls.
Are there any cellulite reduction alternatives? With the rare exception, liposuction is generally considered cosmetic surgery. For this reason liposuction is not considered as medically necessary.
Because of this, the decision is up to you whether or not to undergo liposuction procedure. You may decide that it is not right for you. And you can make that determination right up to the point of actually having the procedure.
Liposuction Alternatives
Exercise.
Accept your body and appearance as it is.
Change diet to lose some excess body fat.
Use clothing or makeup to downplay or emphasize body or facial features.
Try some of the other methods such as topicals or body wrapping.
Whatever method you select for cellulite reduction make certain that, you have done your due diligence and select the most suitable method with the least amount of risk to obtain the results you desire.
There really is no alternate for good, old-fashioned, healthy nutrition and exercise. The tried and true methods do work:
1.Watch your diet.
2.Incorporate fresh and natural foods into your diet.
3.Get plenty of fiber.
4.Avoid high fat foods.
5.Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
6.Limit the consumption of caffeine and alcohol
7.Quit or cut down on smoking.
8.Get plenty of exercise.
9.Avoid medications not necessary to health and well being.
You can rid your body of excess toxins and promote a general state of health by following a regimen of good health, nutrition and exercise that is optimum for pursuing any program for dealing with cellulite.
Exercises
Cellulite exercises, which will help you to get rid of cellulite, are weight training and cardiovascular exercises. These two exercises when done together will help you a lot in reducing cellulite.
Cardiovascular exercises include walking, jogging and swimming. Where as weight training exercises are simple to complex, which include squats, lunges, leg presses, leg curls, etc. Along with this cellulite exercises a five minutes massage and drinking of plenty of water will increase the blood flow, which indeed reduces cellulite.
Walking
Walking is an incredible exercise, which is useful in many ways. Walking puts the body in continuous rhythmic motion and benefits most parts of the body. It is not just the feet and legs but also the neck muscles, shoulders, back, abdomen and arms that you are putting into motion.
Jogging
This is another wonderful exercise, which is useful in many ways. Body as a whole, will be getting benefited with jogging by strengthening the cardiovascular system, improving blood circulation, toning up muscles and thus helpful an exercise to get rid of cellulite.
Swimming
Swimming is a great activity. It tones your entire body while providing an excellent cardiovascular workout; it strengthens your heart muscle and improves delivery of oxygen to muscles. Swimming is also a relaxing activity.
Weight Training
Weight training exercises to get rid of cellulite can range from simple to complex. Exercises such as squats and lunges are easy to do at home since they simply use the weight of your own body. Free weights can be used at the gym or purchased for home use and can be incorporated into exercises like squats.
You can find different weight training machines in Gyms and health clubs that have built in weight systems and provide a range of different exercises such as leg presses and leg curls.
Keion Moradi asked:
Botox is renowned as the top non-invasive cosmetic face lift procedure in the U.S. With wide recognition for eliminating expression wrinkles on various parts of the face, Botox has quickly become a popular alternative to face lift surgery. While the spotlight is on cosmetic benefits, most people are unaware of other uses of Botox besides stopping wrinkles. Is Botox turning into a miracle drug?
What is Botox?
Botox is derived from botulinum toxin. In large doses, botulinum toxin can be life threatening, such as with cases of food borne illness, wound and infant botulism. However, when used for medical purposes in small amounts, it prevents the muscles from unnecessary contraction, which result in creases in the skin. This is why Botox is a favorite method for diminishing crows’ feet, wrinkles around the brow, frown lines and smile lines.
Going back to the original function of Botox, which is preventing nerves from sending impulses for the muscles to contract, Botox has many other uses. Medical professionals have found that Botox can be used to treat a variety of health conditions. And the list continues to grow.
Botox History
It’s interesting to note that Botox was originally intended for other medical purposes. In fact, the cosmetic benefits of Botox were stumbled upon by accident during the 1990s. During this time, a doctor in Canada was using Botox to treat patients for blepharospasm, a muscle spasm disorder of the eyes. One of his patients requested to be kept on treatment because of the wrinkle reducing benefits. From that point, Botox became known as a non-invasive face lift treatment.
Uses of Botox for Migraines
Patients suffering from migraines and severe tension headaches are now turning to Botox for treatment. Botox injections block brain receptors from registering Migraine pain. Muscles begin to relax, reducing tension.
Botox Uses: Excessive Perspiration
Those with a condition known as hyperhidrosis, or excessive perspiration are also finding some relief with Botox. Hyperhidrosis is the result of overactive sweat glands. For some, hyperhidrosis can affect the ability to lead a normal life. Botox injections can inhibit nerves in body that control the sweat glands.
Muscle Response Disorders and Botox Uses
Botox may be of help to patients suffering from brain and spinal cord disorders. Muscle disorders can be caused by injury and illness, such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke and injury of the spinal cord. Botox injections may lessen the symptoms of these muscle response disorders.
Botox for Enlarged Prostate and Bladder Function
Patients with overactive bladders can also benefit from Botox treatments. Overactive bladder conditions are caused by sudden unwarranted muscle contractions. Botox relaxes the urinary bladder muscles, treating the symptoms of incontinence.
Recent studies indicate that Botox can be used to treat an enlarged prostate. The muscles around the prostate relax, alleviating pressure on the urethra. Many patients who receive Botox treatment for an enlarged prostate report less pain during urination.
Botox Uses: Limitations
The only drawback for Botox seems to be the temporal nature of the treatment. Botox alleviates symptoms of various illnesses, but does not actually provide a cure. However, for many patients who find riskier alternatives unsettling, Botox can be the favored option.
Botox Uses: A Look to the Future
Botox is renowned as the top non-invasive cosmetic face lift procedure in the U.S. With wide recognition for eliminating expression wrinkles on various parts of the face, Botox has quickly become a popular alternative to face lift surgery. While the spotlight is on cosmetic benefits, most people are unaware of other uses of Botox besides stopping wrinkles. Is Botox turning into a miracle drug?
What is Botox?
Botox is derived from botulinum toxin. In large doses, botulinum toxin can be life threatening, such as with cases of food borne illness, wound and infant botulism. However, when used for medical purposes in small amounts, it prevents the muscles from unnecessary contraction, which result in creases in the skin. This is why Botox is a favorite method for diminishing crows’ feet, wrinkles around the brow, frown lines and smile lines.
Going back to the original function of Botox, which is preventing nerves from sending impulses for the muscles to contract, Botox has many other uses. Medical professionals have found that Botox can be used to treat a variety of health conditions. And the list continues to grow.
Botox History
It’s interesting to note that Botox was originally intended for other medical purposes. In fact, the cosmetic benefits of Botox were stumbled upon by accident during the 1990s. During this time, a doctor in Canada was using Botox to treat patients for blepharospasm, a muscle spasm disorder of the eyes. One of his patients requested to be kept on treatment because of the wrinkle reducing benefits. From that point, Botox became known as a non-invasive face lift treatment.
Uses of Botox for Migraines
Patients suffering from migraines and severe tension headaches are now turning to Botox for treatment. Botox injections block brain receptors from registering Migraine pain. Muscles begin to relax, reducing tension.
Botox Uses: Excessive Perspiration
Those with a condition known as hyperhidrosis, or excessive perspiration are also finding some relief with Botox. Hyperhidrosis is the result of overactive sweat glands. For some, hyperhidrosis can affect the ability to lead a normal life. Botox injections can inhibit nerves in body that control the sweat glands.
Muscle Response Disorders and Botox Uses
Botox may be of help to patients suffering from brain and spinal cord disorders. Muscle disorders can be caused by injury and illness, such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke and injury of the spinal cord. Botox injections may lessen the symptoms of these muscle response disorders.
Botox for Enlarged Prostate and Bladder Function
Patients with overactive bladders can also benefit from Botox treatments. Overactive bladder conditions are caused by sudden unwarranted muscle contractions. Botox relaxes the urinary bladder muscles, treating the symptoms of incontinence.
Recent studies indicate that Botox can be used to treat an enlarged prostate. The muscles around the prostate relax, alleviating pressure on the urethra. Many patients who receive Botox treatment for an enlarged prostate report less pain during urination.
Botox Uses: Limitations
The only drawback for Botox seems to be the temporal nature of the treatment. Botox alleviates symptoms of various illnesses, but does not actually provide a cure. However, for many patients who find riskier alternatives unsettling, Botox can be the favored option.
Botox Uses: A Look to the Future
Brooke Seckel asked:
There is an anti-aging revolution occurring in healthcare today and that you are the main beneficiary. Nowhere in the field of anti-aging medicine are the breakthroughs and technological advances more exciting, more relevant and more readily available for immediate application and benefit to you than in the field of facial rejuvenation. Better, the most exciting, effective new discoveries are non-surgical methods for facial rejuvenation. Yes I said non-surgical and I said effective.
How do we change from that radiant 16 year old with smooth glowing fresh skin to the 40 something who is beginning to see her mother looking back at her in the mirror to the 65 year old with hooded eyes, puffy lower eyelids, jowls, and loose skin folds hanging under the chin. Let’s review and clearly understand what these changes are that we must look for, recognize and then take steps to correct.
Skin Texture Changes (Surface Irregularities)
The aged facial skin looks dry when compared to a child’s skin. Over half of the crucial natural skin moisturizing agent Hyaluronic Acid is lost by the time we turn 50 and you cannot replace HA by taking a pill or applying it to your skin. Loss of hormonal support during menopause accelerates this change. Dry aged skin loses its glow, looks dull, almost grey. The aged skin is wrinkled and rough and pore size is enlarged.
Uneven pigmentation, brown spots, and red spots (Pigment and Blood vessels)
Uneven pigmentation and over growth of blood vessels are characteristic of aged facial skin. These blemishes are a protective and inflammatory response of the skin to years of exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun and injury from free radicals released by harmful agents in our environment and diet.
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles are classic signs of facial aging. Static wrinkles are those that are present in the skin when the face is at rest. These wrinkles are caused by the loss of collagen in the deeper layers of the skin. Collagen is destroyed by UV light from the sun and free radicals from other sources. As the collagen disappears volume is lost beneath the skin and the skin wrinkles. This is not unlike the way a grape wrinkles after drying to produce a raisin.
Dynamic wrinkles are those that you see when the face is moving- frown lines, laugh lines, worry lines, and crow’s feet. These lines are actually caused by the pull of the facial muscles beneath the facial skin. Dynamic wrinkles can become static wrinkles after years of repeated pulling by the facial muscles.
Deep Facial Lines
Deep facial lines are those lines around the mouth called the Nasal-labial fold line and the Marionette lines. These lines are different from wrinkles in that they are caused by a combination of the pull of the facial muscles and loose sagging skin. As the face ages, the skin becomes loose and falls over the line created by the facial muscle pull, for example the smile line.
Loose skin
The skin of the aged face has lost it’s elasticity and has become loose. The cheek has fallen and created loose skin on the jaw called jowls. The skin beneath the jaw on the neck is also hanging down, a phenomenon called the turkey wattle.
What Is Facial Rejuvenation
The definition of rejuvenate is to make young or youthful again or restore to an original or new state. True facial rejuvenation requires correction of all of the above facial aging changes for the face to be made young or youthful or restored to an original state. The 6-step program mis designed to address all aging changes without surgery.
The 6-Step Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation Program
The 6-step facial rejuvenation program consists of the following 6 steps:
1. Exfoliation
2. Stimulation of new collagen formation
3. Removal of abnormal pigment and blood vessels
4. Relaxation of lines of facial expression
5. Fill deep facial lines
6. Skin tightening
The 6-Step Program In Action- How it’s Done
Step 1-Exfoliation
I start all of my patients on an exfoliation routine consisting of topical exfoliating creams and microdermabrasion or superficial chemical peels with glycolic or salicylic acid. The latter peels are no down time procedures, you leave the office a little pink but with a refreshed glow. The exfoliating creams I use are Retin A® or Tazarotine®, although for patients with sensitive skin I use Vitamin C topically.
For patients with more severe aging changes I use a deper form of exfoliation called MicroLasaerPeel®. This procedure goes deeper than a Microdermabrasion® and is more effective, but you leave the office quite red and need 4 to 6 days for your skin to look normal. This is a great improvement over laser resurfacing, which goes much deeper and requires many weeks of recovery. MicroLaserePeel® does not lighten the skin or leave demarcation lines as does laser resurfacing. Many physicians use deeper chemical peels with TCA, but I prefer the MicroLaserPeel® because of its accuracy and reliability.
Step 2- Stimulate New Collagen Formation
After deep exfoliation, this is the most important step for removal of static facial wrinkles and fine lines. This step is also the most time consuming and tedious and requires patience on your part. There is no quick non-surgical way to remove visible facial wrinkles. Laser resurfacing can quickly and effectively remove facial wrinkles but I consider laser resurfacing a surgical procedure and the prolonged recovery and down time make laser resurfacing unacceptable for most people.
While the topical creams mentioned above and deep exfoliation stimulate new collagen production, additional stimulation is required. Several new laser techniques, IPL, and radiofrequency machines can stimulate the skin to form new collagen in the deeper layers without producing damage to the skin surface. These techniques are called non-ablative, meaning they do not remove the surface skin cells as is done in laser resurfacing, which is an ablative technique. Consequently these non- ablative techniques are no down time procedures meaning that after a treatment you are pink but recover quickly within hours.
There are many different brands of machines that can perform non-ablative stimulation of collagen formation often called photorejuvenation. I prefer one called Lasergenesis® because it is easy, painless, and effective. IPL is also effective and is very useful in patients who have a lot of pigment and abnormal blood vessels, but IPL is stronger, involves contact of the machine to the skin and must be used with caution by a person who is trained and experienced in its use.
Collagen stimulation is a lengthy process. Effective results that you can see in the mirror, that is fewer wrinkles, requires at least 5-7 treatments and 5-7 months for the benefit to be visible. But, it took 30-40 years to form those wrinkles, so removal in 7 months without surgery and down time is pretty good.
Step 3- Removal of Abnormal Pigment and Blood Vessels
Although creams and exfoliation can remove many light brown spots and the lasers and IPL used in step 2 remove smaller vessels, more aggressive therapy is needed for removal of darker pigment and brown spots and larger vessels. There are many non-ablative lasers available for removing pigment and blood vessels. While these lasers are non-ablative they do leave a reddish mark which is visible for a day or two and easily covered with make up. I have used a laser called the Versapulse® for many years which works very well, but new Versapulse® lasers are so expensive that they are rarely being manufactured today. A newer laser called the Coolglide® is very effective for larger blood vessels. Today, the IPL is the choice for combined pigment and smaller blood vessels that appear as a flush similar to Rosacea.
The above therapies are effective and results are visible in about six weeks. Usually 2 or 3 treatments are needed.
Step 4- Relaxation of Muscles of Facial Expression
Botox® is a revolutionary new drug which effectively removes dynamic lines and wrinkles caused by the muscles of facial expression. The frown lines, worry lines, crow’s feet, and bunny lines all may be lessened or removed by the injection of Botox®. Lipstick lines, the fine wrinkles around the lips may also be lessened with Botox® but only small amounts can be used, otherwise the lips will be weakened.
There are several new “peptides”, one of which is acetyl 3 hexapeptide, which when applied topically as a cream are reported to have a Botox®-like effect in reducing fine lines. Eventually these agents will be perfected, be more effective and possibly make Botox® injections unnecessary.
You may read more about how these muscle relaxing, wrinkle removing agents work in Chapter 7, No Down time Facial anti-aging Procedures.
Step 5- Fill Deep Facial Lines and Contour Deformities
Soft tissue fillers such as Radiesse®, Restylane®, your own fat and other fillers can be injected into the skin beneath a deep facial line to plump the line and camouflage the line. They may also be used to plump the aging lip and to fill contour deformities caused by facial aging.
These fillers are temporary and must be repeated every 6 months to a year. Fat injections can last longer and if done properly may not need to be repeated. Remember however, the filler techniques are a camouflage, not a correction.
Step 6- Skin Tightening
Skin tightening is a very important component of any facial rejuvenation process. Prior to the past year or two, a face-lift was the only option for tightening facial skin. However new technologies using Infrared, Radiofrequency, and combined 1319/1064 wavelength laser energy are showing promising results as non-surgical skin tightening methods.
Two of these methods, Thermage®, which uses radiofrequency energy, and Titan®, an infrared device have been used for 2 years and results are improving. These methods are not a non-surgical face-lift as so often advertised, so do not be misled. They can however tighten skin by as much as 30% in properly selected patients. There have been complications with Thermage® consisting of depressions in certain areas of the facial skin so knowledge and experience with the use of these machines is very important.
As with other non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques skin tightening requires multiple treatments and takes time to see the final result, often 5 months. As with the other laser and photo techniques above skin tightening is achieved by stimulating the deeper layers of the skin to remodel and form new collagen, a process which takes time, usually 5 to 6 months to see your result.
Non-surgical skin tightening is most useful for younger patients who are beginning to have loose skin in the neck, along the jaw-line, and in the cheek. Older patients with severe facial sagging can be improved but results will be less impressive.
The 6-step facial Rejuvenation Program is a carefully structured method for the application of revolutionary new methods to obtain effective non-surgical rejuvenation. This program takes time, but the results are visible and real after about 7 months, the same time frame most people spend using creams and diets only to end up seeing no difference in their face. Remember, it took a lifetime for your face to age, does it make sense that this damage can be reversed overnight-of course not.
The non-surgical facial rejuvenation program is expensive. These new technologies are costly and of course you need to be treated by a qualified physician. However, with the six-step program you get what you pay for, facial rejuvenation without the risk, discomfort, and expense of surgery. If you total the cost of your skin creams, facials, fad diets, and spa visits and save this money for the 6-step program many of you will be very close to covering the cost. For those of you who already have facial rejuvenation treatments in a doctors office, the 6-step program will produce better more effective results and save you money.
There is an anti-aging revolution occurring in healthcare today and that you are the main beneficiary. Nowhere in the field of anti-aging medicine are the breakthroughs and technological advances more exciting, more relevant and more readily available for immediate application and benefit to you than in the field of facial rejuvenation. Better, the most exciting, effective new discoveries are non-surgical methods for facial rejuvenation. Yes I said non-surgical and I said effective.
How do we change from that radiant 16 year old with smooth glowing fresh skin to the 40 something who is beginning to see her mother looking back at her in the mirror to the 65 year old with hooded eyes, puffy lower eyelids, jowls, and loose skin folds hanging under the chin. Let’s review and clearly understand what these changes are that we must look for, recognize and then take steps to correct.
Skin Texture Changes (Surface Irregularities)
The aged facial skin looks dry when compared to a child’s skin. Over half of the crucial natural skin moisturizing agent Hyaluronic Acid is lost by the time we turn 50 and you cannot replace HA by taking a pill or applying it to your skin. Loss of hormonal support during menopause accelerates this change. Dry aged skin loses its glow, looks dull, almost grey. The aged skin is wrinkled and rough and pore size is enlarged.
Uneven pigmentation, brown spots, and red spots (Pigment and Blood vessels)
Uneven pigmentation and over growth of blood vessels are characteristic of aged facial skin. These blemishes are a protective and inflammatory response of the skin to years of exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun and injury from free radicals released by harmful agents in our environment and diet.
Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles are classic signs of facial aging. Static wrinkles are those that are present in the skin when the face is at rest. These wrinkles are caused by the loss of collagen in the deeper layers of the skin. Collagen is destroyed by UV light from the sun and free radicals from other sources. As the collagen disappears volume is lost beneath the skin and the skin wrinkles. This is not unlike the way a grape wrinkles after drying to produce a raisin.
Dynamic wrinkles are those that you see when the face is moving- frown lines, laugh lines, worry lines, and crow’s feet. These lines are actually caused by the pull of the facial muscles beneath the facial skin. Dynamic wrinkles can become static wrinkles after years of repeated pulling by the facial muscles.
Deep Facial Lines
Deep facial lines are those lines around the mouth called the Nasal-labial fold line and the Marionette lines. These lines are different from wrinkles in that they are caused by a combination of the pull of the facial muscles and loose sagging skin. As the face ages, the skin becomes loose and falls over the line created by the facial muscle pull, for example the smile line.
Loose skin
The skin of the aged face has lost it’s elasticity and has become loose. The cheek has fallen and created loose skin on the jaw called jowls. The skin beneath the jaw on the neck is also hanging down, a phenomenon called the turkey wattle.
What Is Facial Rejuvenation
The definition of rejuvenate is to make young or youthful again or restore to an original or new state. True facial rejuvenation requires correction of all of the above facial aging changes for the face to be made young or youthful or restored to an original state. The 6-step program mis designed to address all aging changes without surgery.
The 6-Step Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation Program
The 6-step facial rejuvenation program consists of the following 6 steps:
1. Exfoliation
2. Stimulation of new collagen formation
3. Removal of abnormal pigment and blood vessels
4. Relaxation of lines of facial expression
5. Fill deep facial lines
6. Skin tightening
The 6-Step Program In Action- How it’s Done
Step 1-Exfoliation
I start all of my patients on an exfoliation routine consisting of topical exfoliating creams and microdermabrasion or superficial chemical peels with glycolic or salicylic acid. The latter peels are no down time procedures, you leave the office a little pink but with a refreshed glow. The exfoliating creams I use are Retin A® or Tazarotine®, although for patients with sensitive skin I use Vitamin C topically.
For patients with more severe aging changes I use a deper form of exfoliation called MicroLasaerPeel®. This procedure goes deeper than a Microdermabrasion® and is more effective, but you leave the office quite red and need 4 to 6 days for your skin to look normal. This is a great improvement over laser resurfacing, which goes much deeper and requires many weeks of recovery. MicroLaserePeel® does not lighten the skin or leave demarcation lines as does laser resurfacing. Many physicians use deeper chemical peels with TCA, but I prefer the MicroLaserPeel® because of its accuracy and reliability.
Step 2- Stimulate New Collagen Formation
After deep exfoliation, this is the most important step for removal of static facial wrinkles and fine lines. This step is also the most time consuming and tedious and requires patience on your part. There is no quick non-surgical way to remove visible facial wrinkles. Laser resurfacing can quickly and effectively remove facial wrinkles but I consider laser resurfacing a surgical procedure and the prolonged recovery and down time make laser resurfacing unacceptable for most people.
While the topical creams mentioned above and deep exfoliation stimulate new collagen production, additional stimulation is required. Several new laser techniques, IPL, and radiofrequency machines can stimulate the skin to form new collagen in the deeper layers without producing damage to the skin surface. These techniques are called non-ablative, meaning they do not remove the surface skin cells as is done in laser resurfacing, which is an ablative technique. Consequently these non- ablative techniques are no down time procedures meaning that after a treatment you are pink but recover quickly within hours.
There are many different brands of machines that can perform non-ablative stimulation of collagen formation often called photorejuvenation. I prefer one called Lasergenesis® because it is easy, painless, and effective. IPL is also effective and is very useful in patients who have a lot of pigment and abnormal blood vessels, but IPL is stronger, involves contact of the machine to the skin and must be used with caution by a person who is trained and experienced in its use.
Collagen stimulation is a lengthy process. Effective results that you can see in the mirror, that is fewer wrinkles, requires at least 5-7 treatments and 5-7 months for the benefit to be visible. But, it took 30-40 years to form those wrinkles, so removal in 7 months without surgery and down time is pretty good.
Step 3- Removal of Abnormal Pigment and Blood Vessels
Although creams and exfoliation can remove many light brown spots and the lasers and IPL used in step 2 remove smaller vessels, more aggressive therapy is needed for removal of darker pigment and brown spots and larger vessels. There are many non-ablative lasers available for removing pigment and blood vessels. While these lasers are non-ablative they do leave a reddish mark which is visible for a day or two and easily covered with make up. I have used a laser called the Versapulse® for many years which works very well, but new Versapulse® lasers are so expensive that they are rarely being manufactured today. A newer laser called the Coolglide® is very effective for larger blood vessels. Today, the IPL is the choice for combined pigment and smaller blood vessels that appear as a flush similar to Rosacea.
The above therapies are effective and results are visible in about six weeks. Usually 2 or 3 treatments are needed.
Step 4- Relaxation of Muscles of Facial Expression
Botox® is a revolutionary new drug which effectively removes dynamic lines and wrinkles caused by the muscles of facial expression. The frown lines, worry lines, crow’s feet, and bunny lines all may be lessened or removed by the injection of Botox®. Lipstick lines, the fine wrinkles around the lips may also be lessened with Botox® but only small amounts can be used, otherwise the lips will be weakened.
There are several new “peptides”, one of which is acetyl 3 hexapeptide, which when applied topically as a cream are reported to have a Botox®-like effect in reducing fine lines. Eventually these agents will be perfected, be more effective and possibly make Botox® injections unnecessary.
You may read more about how these muscle relaxing, wrinkle removing agents work in Chapter 7, No Down time Facial anti-aging Procedures.
Step 5- Fill Deep Facial Lines and Contour Deformities
Soft tissue fillers such as Radiesse®, Restylane®, your own fat and other fillers can be injected into the skin beneath a deep facial line to plump the line and camouflage the line. They may also be used to plump the aging lip and to fill contour deformities caused by facial aging.
These fillers are temporary and must be repeated every 6 months to a year. Fat injections can last longer and if done properly may not need to be repeated. Remember however, the filler techniques are a camouflage, not a correction.
Step 6- Skin Tightening
Skin tightening is a very important component of any facial rejuvenation process. Prior to the past year or two, a face-lift was the only option for tightening facial skin. However new technologies using Infrared, Radiofrequency, and combined 1319/1064 wavelength laser energy are showing promising results as non-surgical skin tightening methods.
Two of these methods, Thermage®, which uses radiofrequency energy, and Titan®, an infrared device have been used for 2 years and results are improving. These methods are not a non-surgical face-lift as so often advertised, so do not be misled. They can however tighten skin by as much as 30% in properly selected patients. There have been complications with Thermage® consisting of depressions in certain areas of the facial skin so knowledge and experience with the use of these machines is very important.
As with other non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques skin tightening requires multiple treatments and takes time to see the final result, often 5 months. As with the other laser and photo techniques above skin tightening is achieved by stimulating the deeper layers of the skin to remodel and form new collagen, a process which takes time, usually 5 to 6 months to see your result.
Non-surgical skin tightening is most useful for younger patients who are beginning to have loose skin in the neck, along the jaw-line, and in the cheek. Older patients with severe facial sagging can be improved but results will be less impressive.
The 6-step facial Rejuvenation Program is a carefully structured method for the application of revolutionary new methods to obtain effective non-surgical rejuvenation. This program takes time, but the results are visible and real after about 7 months, the same time frame most people spend using creams and diets only to end up seeing no difference in their face. Remember, it took a lifetime for your face to age, does it make sense that this damage can be reversed overnight-of course not.
The non-surgical facial rejuvenation program is expensive. These new technologies are costly and of course you need to be treated by a qualified physician. However, with the six-step program you get what you pay for, facial rejuvenation without the risk, discomfort, and expense of surgery. If you total the cost of your skin creams, facials, fad diets, and spa visits and save this money for the 6-step program many of you will be very close to covering the cost. For those of you who already have facial rejuvenation treatments in a doctors office, the 6-step program will produce better more effective results and save you money.
Karin Manning asked:
Collagen is the body’s natural protein, and has most abundant form of natural protein found in cartilage, muscle, ligaments, tendons, and bones. It is the fundamental structural element of all connective tissue, therefore it accounts for between one quarter and one third of the body’s protein. Collagen makes up about 90 % of dermal volume and 75 % of the body’s skin tissue.
Collagen is regularly referred to as the building blocks of the skin. It functions as a chondroprotective agent, meaning it protects cartilage and synovial fluid against deterioration and is the raw material for cartilage synthesis and repair. In addition, it also reduces oxidative damage to joints and as a result, stimulates considerable decrease in joint pain, tenderness, and swelling. It plays a very important role in creating and maintaining healthy skin all over our body which is why collagen supplements have been produced.
Starting at the age of 25 our body loses 1.5% of collagen every year. As we age, the diminishing amount of collagen production of our body causes our skin to wrinkle and hair turns gray. It is the collagen’s job to join the cells and organs in our body and if the production reduces, we start experiencing joint pains and wrinkles, weakening the connective tissue that holds us together. To replenish dried out collagen, lotions and creams have long been popular. Collagen injections for wrinkles are popular as well. Lately, attention has shifted to the use of collagen as an oral supplement.
Collagen ingested orally not only works all over our body but also very cost effective and can be beneficial to the skin and other parts of our body. It naturally contains 15% glucosamine sulphate and 15 % chondroitin sulphate. Collagen is non-toxic and has no known side effects. Oral collagen supplement encourages the rapid absorption of the essential amino acid, glysine, praline, and hydroxyproline all of which can preserve and replenish lean muscle mass and progress the management of the body’s fat. Therefore, it can improve the quality of life of those suffering from aches and pains, and arthritis. That is why daily intake of collagen supplement not only improves the quality of life but also helps us to look and feel young.
It is advised that if you take collagen supplement, you should drink a lot of water of about 1-2 liters a day or other fluids but water is preferred. And it is recommended that if you have a medical condition, you should consult your doctor before taking collagen supplement.
There are many collagen supplements available in the market today claiming the benefits that collagen supplement provide like collagen revitalizes and rejuvenates, smoothens wrinkles, plumps up the skin, and relieves pain of arthritis, and the like.
Collagen is the body’s natural protein, and has most abundant form of natural protein found in cartilage, muscle, ligaments, tendons, and bones. It is the fundamental structural element of all connective tissue, therefore it accounts for between one quarter and one third of the body’s protein. Collagen makes up about 90 % of dermal volume and 75 % of the body’s skin tissue.
Collagen is regularly referred to as the building blocks of the skin. It functions as a chondroprotective agent, meaning it protects cartilage and synovial fluid against deterioration and is the raw material for cartilage synthesis and repair. In addition, it also reduces oxidative damage to joints and as a result, stimulates considerable decrease in joint pain, tenderness, and swelling. It plays a very important role in creating and maintaining healthy skin all over our body which is why collagen supplements have been produced.
Starting at the age of 25 our body loses 1.5% of collagen every year. As we age, the diminishing amount of collagen production of our body causes our skin to wrinkle and hair turns gray. It is the collagen’s job to join the cells and organs in our body and if the production reduces, we start experiencing joint pains and wrinkles, weakening the connective tissue that holds us together. To replenish dried out collagen, lotions and creams have long been popular. Collagen injections for wrinkles are popular as well. Lately, attention has shifted to the use of collagen as an oral supplement.
Collagen ingested orally not only works all over our body but also very cost effective and can be beneficial to the skin and other parts of our body. It naturally contains 15% glucosamine sulphate and 15 % chondroitin sulphate. Collagen is non-toxic and has no known side effects. Oral collagen supplement encourages the rapid absorption of the essential amino acid, glysine, praline, and hydroxyproline all of which can preserve and replenish lean muscle mass and progress the management of the body’s fat. Therefore, it can improve the quality of life of those suffering from aches and pains, and arthritis. That is why daily intake of collagen supplement not only improves the quality of life but also helps us to look and feel young.
It is advised that if you take collagen supplement, you should drink a lot of water of about 1-2 liters a day or other fluids but water is preferred. And it is recommended that if you have a medical condition, you should consult your doctor before taking collagen supplement.
There are many collagen supplements available in the market today claiming the benefits that collagen supplement provide like collagen revitalizes and rejuvenates, smoothens wrinkles, plumps up the skin, and relieves pain of arthritis, and the like.
Jan
26
Emily Taggart asked:
When the subject of the best muscle food comes up, we have to remember that protein is the body’s main building blocks for muscles and tissues. Proteins, along with carbohydrates and fats, are the body’s three fuels necessary to sustain life. However, proteins are the more important fuel for building muscles as will be explained later on.
Types of Proteins
There are two types of protein that the body needs: essential and non-essential. Lest you think that one is more important than the other, the designation is usually made to distinguish between what the body can produce (non-essential) and what the body needs from the diet (essential).
Just for educational purposes, the 11 non-essential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagines, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, praline, serine, and tyrosine. The 9 essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and tryptophan. At the very least, you will know what to look for in protein supplements.
Importance of Eating Protein-Rich Foods
Proteins are necessary to achieve the desired fitness level especially in terms of building muscles. This is because once your body is deprived of any of the amino acids, it will turn to its own muscles and tissue for fuel consumption. Basically, your body ends up eating itself just to sustain its life and, hence, you end up little more then skin and bones if and when you continue to deprive yourself of high protein food sources. It’s definitely not the way to go for bigger muscles.
Plus, keep in mind that the body cannot store protein in large quantities, unlike in the case of fats and carbohydrates. What little that can be stored in the bloodstream is quickly used up. Thus, you have to eat protein from the right food sources in order to build muscle safely, efficiently and quickly.
Sources of Protein
Generally speaking, proteins from animal sources are considered higher in quality than the proteins found in plants. This is because animal-based food sources contain almost all, if not all, the essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth.
However, you still need to take both animal and plant-based protein sources because you do need your fruits and vegetables for their vitamins and minerals. After all, muscle building is not just about bigger muscles – it is also about being healthy to sustain your muscle-building activities.
Thus, do take your legumes, beans and whole grains to supplement your animal-based proteins. These include chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish, eggs, red meats, and dairy products like yogurt, milk and cheese. However, do beware that these foods can contain fats so opt for their low-fat varieties.
Many bodybuilders also take protein supplements to improve on their muscle-building activities. It must be noted that these supplements should never ever replace foods since your digestive system is designed to process foods, not just supplements all the time. You cannot sacrifice your health in favor of muscles, can you?
Needless to say, not even the best protein-packed foods in the world will be able to achieve bigger muscles for you. Exercise is still a very important component of any muscle-building program, which often means that weight training is in your near future.
When the subject of the best muscle food comes up, we have to remember that protein is the body’s main building blocks for muscles and tissues. Proteins, along with carbohydrates and fats, are the body’s three fuels necessary to sustain life. However, proteins are the more important fuel for building muscles as will be explained later on.
Types of Proteins
There are two types of protein that the body needs: essential and non-essential. Lest you think that one is more important than the other, the designation is usually made to distinguish between what the body can produce (non-essential) and what the body needs from the diet (essential).
Just for educational purposes, the 11 non-essential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagines, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, praline, serine, and tyrosine. The 9 essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and tryptophan. At the very least, you will know what to look for in protein supplements.
Importance of Eating Protein-Rich Foods
Proteins are necessary to achieve the desired fitness level especially in terms of building muscles. This is because once your body is deprived of any of the amino acids, it will turn to its own muscles and tissue for fuel consumption. Basically, your body ends up eating itself just to sustain its life and, hence, you end up little more then skin and bones if and when you continue to deprive yourself of high protein food sources. It’s definitely not the way to go for bigger muscles.
Plus, keep in mind that the body cannot store protein in large quantities, unlike in the case of fats and carbohydrates. What little that can be stored in the bloodstream is quickly used up. Thus, you have to eat protein from the right food sources in order to build muscle safely, efficiently and quickly.
Sources of Protein
Generally speaking, proteins from animal sources are considered higher in quality than the proteins found in plants. This is because animal-based food sources contain almost all, if not all, the essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth.
However, you still need to take both animal and plant-based protein sources because you do need your fruits and vegetables for their vitamins and minerals. After all, muscle building is not just about bigger muscles – it is also about being healthy to sustain your muscle-building activities.
Thus, do take your legumes, beans and whole grains to supplement your animal-based proteins. These include chicken, turkey, fish and shellfish, eggs, red meats, and dairy products like yogurt, milk and cheese. However, do beware that these foods can contain fats so opt for their low-fat varieties.
Many bodybuilders also take protein supplements to improve on their muscle-building activities. It must be noted that these supplements should never ever replace foods since your digestive system is designed to process foods, not just supplements all the time. You cannot sacrifice your health in favor of muscles, can you?
Needless to say, not even the best protein-packed foods in the world will be able to achieve bigger muscles for you. Exercise is still a very important component of any muscle-building program, which often means that weight training is in your near future.
Jan
25
Mario Churchill asked:
Vitamin benefits are substantial. From multi vitamins that offer our body all of the missing nutrients we do not get from eating the wrong foods, to supplements that boost energy, stave off disease, increase libido, and build our immunity. There are many different vitamin benefits.
Most doctors will advise you to take a multivitamin supplement. A multivitamin supplement gives us the nutrients we lack in our daily diets. Many of us do not get the proper vitamins that are derived from certain foods for a variety of reasons. In the world of today, everyone is in a hurry and many of us do not eat right. In addition, many essential vitamin benefits are derived from foods that certain people do not like to eat. Our body still needs these vitamins, however, so taking a supplement is one good way to get the nutrients needed without having to eat foods we do not like.
Vitamin benefits vary as do the different types of vitamins themselves. Vitamin A, for example, has many different benefits. It is shown to be a proven antioxidant and can protect against cancer. Vitamin A is also very useful in curing skin disorders, such as acne. It can even reverse cornea damage in some people.
Foods that are high in Vitamin A contain carrots, broccoli, dairy products, greens, peaches, liver, cherries and squash. When taking Vitamin A, one must be careful about overdosing on this vitamin. Symptoms of a Vitamin A overdose include nausea, vomiting, dry skin and fatigue and may even include hair loss.
Another essential vitamin that provides wonderful vitamin benefits is Vitamin B-1. The vitamin benefits of B-1 include helping with respiratory disorders, acne, fatigue, weakness and effectively fighting off many different diseases. Foods that are high in Vitamin B-1 include broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, eggs, rice, asparagus, turkey, peas, and parsley to name a few.
Vitamin benefits derived from Vitamin B-2 include aiding the body during pregnancy as well as healing wounds and mouth irritations. Many women who become pregnant suffer from anemia and for this reason, Vitamin B-2, along with iron supplements, helps them avoid some of the fatigue that often accompanies the condition. If you have cracked lips, burning eyes, hair loss or insomnia, you may be suffering from a lack of Vitamin B-2. Speak to your doctor about your symptoms as a Vitamin B-2 supplement may be the answer to your problems.
Vitamin B-3 controls cholesterol levels and is used in combination of other medications to treat cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B-3 contains Niacin which has also been used to treat schizophrenia. If you are suffering from fatigue, insomnia, depression or poor concentration, you may have a Vitamin B-3 deficiency. Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-3 are many and this is one nutrient that you do not want to do without.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-4, which is adrenine, include alleviating fatigue, strengthening the immune system and balancing blood sugar. This vitamin helps with low blood sugar, anemia, allergies, infections, constipation and also stunted growth. Children who do not appear to be growing at a normal rate are often injected with Vitamin B-4 injections. Recent studies have indicated that Vitamin B-4 can help with cancer.
Vitamin B-5 is widely available in most of our foods and actually converts fats and carbohydrates to energy and protein. Vitamin benefits from B-5 are used in post surgical procedures as well as by those who suffer from obesity. Too much of this vitamin, however, can produce diarrhea.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-6 also help convert protein and carbohydrates to energy and helps with anemia and depression. If you are suffering from depression, nausea, vomiting and even symptoms of PMS, ask your doctor about taking a vitamin B-6 supplement that may alleviate your symptoms.
Vitamin B-8 is found in liver, yeast, nuts, chocolate, chicken, eggs, mushrooms, salmon, grains and cauliflower. The vitamin benefits of B-8 are needed for growth as well as the central nervous system and skin and bone marrow. In some cases, Vitamin B-8 is used to treat certain skin disorders.
Many women who are thinking about becoming pregnant are now advised to take Folic Acid, which is found in Vitamin B-9. It is believed that the vitamin benefits of B-9 can prevent birth defects as well as treat anemia. It is advised that women begin taking supplements of this vitamin prior to becoming pregnant.
Vitamin B 10, which is Paba, is not really considered a vitamin, but is used as a sunscreen and is essential for those who wish to avoid the ultraviolet rays in the sun that can cause skin cancer. Vitamin B 10 is not used orally, but directly on the skin. Years ago, Vitamin B 10 was used to fight rheumatic fever.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-12 include relief from menopause as well as anemia. It is also believed that one of the vitamin benefits of B-12 can cure warts. People who are suffering from lower back pain, mental problems, memory loss, weakness and fatigue may actually have a deficiency in Vitamin B-12. A simple blood test to measure the levels off this vitamin in your body can determine if you are indeed suffering from such a deficiency and the solution can be easily remedied with a supplement.
Clearly there are many different Vitamin Benefits from the many different types of Vitamin B. Many people take a Vitamin B complex to alleviate confusion over which vitamin B they should take. A vitamin B complex has many vitamin benefits and is usually the best choice for those who want to make sure they are getting plenty of the essential vitamins found in the B vitamins.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin C are many. This essential vitamin is proven to ward off colds, prevent some cancers and heal wounds. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and many people swear that by taking Vitamin C, they actually ward off colds. Toxicity from vitamin C is rare as it would take very large doses to cause harm. However, excessive use of vitamin C can produce a false positive in a urine glucose test.
Vitamin D is often found in dairy products and is known to promote strong bones and teeth. It is also essential in the prevention of osteoporosis, and most post-menopausal women are advised to take supplements of Vitamin D to ward off this crippling disease.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin E range from repairing skin, reducing smoking lung damage and helping with drug therapies for those undergoing cancer treatment. People who have deficiencies of Vitamin E may experience muscle weakness, anemia, increased infections and even fibrocystic breast disease.
Vitamin K is useful in controlling blood clots. This vitamin is found in many foods and is rarely toxic, even if taken to great extremes. Most vegetables contain this valuable vitamin.
Vitamin benefits vary from treating skin diseases, preventing sunburn, curing colds to preventing cancer. Before beginning on any vitamin regiment, consult with your physician. In many cases, a good multivitamin may be all you need to make sure that your body is getting the right amount of the valuable properties found in the above mentioned vitamins.
Vitamin benefits are substantial. From multi vitamins that offer our body all of the missing nutrients we do not get from eating the wrong foods, to supplements that boost energy, stave off disease, increase libido, and build our immunity. There are many different vitamin benefits.
Most doctors will advise you to take a multivitamin supplement. A multivitamin supplement gives us the nutrients we lack in our daily diets. Many of us do not get the proper vitamins that are derived from certain foods for a variety of reasons. In the world of today, everyone is in a hurry and many of us do not eat right. In addition, many essential vitamin benefits are derived from foods that certain people do not like to eat. Our body still needs these vitamins, however, so taking a supplement is one good way to get the nutrients needed without having to eat foods we do not like.
Vitamin benefits vary as do the different types of vitamins themselves. Vitamin A, for example, has many different benefits. It is shown to be a proven antioxidant and can protect against cancer. Vitamin A is also very useful in curing skin disorders, such as acne. It can even reverse cornea damage in some people.
Foods that are high in Vitamin A contain carrots, broccoli, dairy products, greens, peaches, liver, cherries and squash. When taking Vitamin A, one must be careful about overdosing on this vitamin. Symptoms of a Vitamin A overdose include nausea, vomiting, dry skin and fatigue and may even include hair loss.
Another essential vitamin that provides wonderful vitamin benefits is Vitamin B-1. The vitamin benefits of B-1 include helping with respiratory disorders, acne, fatigue, weakness and effectively fighting off many different diseases. Foods that are high in Vitamin B-1 include broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, eggs, rice, asparagus, turkey, peas, and parsley to name a few.
Vitamin benefits derived from Vitamin B-2 include aiding the body during pregnancy as well as healing wounds and mouth irritations. Many women who become pregnant suffer from anemia and for this reason, Vitamin B-2, along with iron supplements, helps them avoid some of the fatigue that often accompanies the condition. If you have cracked lips, burning eyes, hair loss or insomnia, you may be suffering from a lack of Vitamin B-2. Speak to your doctor about your symptoms as a Vitamin B-2 supplement may be the answer to your problems.
Vitamin B-3 controls cholesterol levels and is used in combination of other medications to treat cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B-3 contains Niacin which has also been used to treat schizophrenia. If you are suffering from fatigue, insomnia, depression or poor concentration, you may have a Vitamin B-3 deficiency. Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-3 are many and this is one nutrient that you do not want to do without.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-4, which is adrenine, include alleviating fatigue, strengthening the immune system and balancing blood sugar. This vitamin helps with low blood sugar, anemia, allergies, infections, constipation and also stunted growth. Children who do not appear to be growing at a normal rate are often injected with Vitamin B-4 injections. Recent studies have indicated that Vitamin B-4 can help with cancer.
Vitamin B-5 is widely available in most of our foods and actually converts fats and carbohydrates to energy and protein. Vitamin benefits from B-5 are used in post surgical procedures as well as by those who suffer from obesity. Too much of this vitamin, however, can produce diarrhea.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-6 also help convert protein and carbohydrates to energy and helps with anemia and depression. If you are suffering from depression, nausea, vomiting and even symptoms of PMS, ask your doctor about taking a vitamin B-6 supplement that may alleviate your symptoms.
Vitamin B-8 is found in liver, yeast, nuts, chocolate, chicken, eggs, mushrooms, salmon, grains and cauliflower. The vitamin benefits of B-8 are needed for growth as well as the central nervous system and skin and bone marrow. In some cases, Vitamin B-8 is used to treat certain skin disorders.
Many women who are thinking about becoming pregnant are now advised to take Folic Acid, which is found in Vitamin B-9. It is believed that the vitamin benefits of B-9 can prevent birth defects as well as treat anemia. It is advised that women begin taking supplements of this vitamin prior to becoming pregnant.
Vitamin B 10, which is Paba, is not really considered a vitamin, but is used as a sunscreen and is essential for those who wish to avoid the ultraviolet rays in the sun that can cause skin cancer. Vitamin B 10 is not used orally, but directly on the skin. Years ago, Vitamin B 10 was used to fight rheumatic fever.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin B-12 include relief from menopause as well as anemia. It is also believed that one of the vitamin benefits of B-12 can cure warts. People who are suffering from lower back pain, mental problems, memory loss, weakness and fatigue may actually have a deficiency in Vitamin B-12. A simple blood test to measure the levels off this vitamin in your body can determine if you are indeed suffering from such a deficiency and the solution can be easily remedied with a supplement.
Clearly there are many different Vitamin Benefits from the many different types of Vitamin B. Many people take a Vitamin B complex to alleviate confusion over which vitamin B they should take. A vitamin B complex has many vitamin benefits and is usually the best choice for those who want to make sure they are getting plenty of the essential vitamins found in the B vitamins.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin C are many. This essential vitamin is proven to ward off colds, prevent some cancers and heal wounds. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and many people swear that by taking Vitamin C, they actually ward off colds. Toxicity from vitamin C is rare as it would take very large doses to cause harm. However, excessive use of vitamin C can produce a false positive in a urine glucose test.
Vitamin D is often found in dairy products and is known to promote strong bones and teeth. It is also essential in the prevention of osteoporosis, and most post-menopausal women are advised to take supplements of Vitamin D to ward off this crippling disease.
Vitamin benefits from Vitamin E range from repairing skin, reducing smoking lung damage and helping with drug therapies for those undergoing cancer treatment. People who have deficiencies of Vitamin E may experience muscle weakness, anemia, increased infections and even fibrocystic breast disease.
Vitamin K is useful in controlling blood clots. This vitamin is found in many foods and is rarely toxic, even if taken to great extremes. Most vegetables contain this valuable vitamin.
Vitamin benefits vary from treating skin diseases, preventing sunburn, curing colds to preventing cancer. Before beginning on any vitamin regiment, consult with your physician. In many cases, a good multivitamin may be all you need to make sure that your body is getting the right amount of the valuable properties found in the above mentioned vitamins.
Jim Pretin asked:
You’ve probably been hearing and reading a lot about Human Growth Hormone (HGH) recently. Ever since Jose Canseco’s outing of several prominent professional baseball players and the steroid regimen employed by these athletes, there has been more attention paid to HGH recently than in years past.
HGH is a protein produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the liver to produce somatomedins, which causes the growth of bone and muscle. There is an ongoing debate as to whether HGH therapy is benefical or perhaps dangerous.
During our earliest years and adolescence, our pituitary secretes a great deal of HGH, which helps us grow tall and develop. Sometime during our late teens, HGH secretion begins to decline, and by the time we’re in our forties and fifties, we produce very little HGH and certain signs and symptoms of aging begin to manifest themselves. Our skin begins to wrinkle, our bodies lose muscle tone if we’re no longer exercising, and our energy levels begin to decrease.
Proponents of HGH therapy argue that we should fight mother nature by shooting up with HGH once we reach a certain age, but that a doctor should administer the hormone treatment so that it’s done safely and effectively. Opponents of HGH supplementation argue that by increasing one’s level of HGH to levels that are unnatural or not needed for an older person, dangerous and perhaps lethal side effects will occur. However, there is little or no evidence to support that modest HGH supplementation can cause cancer or any other deadly diseases. Most doctors argue that HGH needs to decline as we age, as this is probably our body’s way of trying to prolong our life span; if we continued to produce as much HGH when we’re 50 as we did when we were 12, we’d probably keel over and die and wouldn’t live to be 50 in the first place. So, a decline in HGH is something that every one of us experience, the question is whether it’s something we should accept.
Some people are born with insufficient HGH production to sustain normal growth, which is associated with conditions such as dwarfism. Hyperglycemia is also associated with HGH deficiency. For these individuals, HGH therapy is sometimes a medical necessity.
Sales of HGH products on the internet has exploded over the past 3 years. There are many different forms of HGH supplements sold online, ranging from natural and homeopathic HGH to actual needles with a vial of HGH that can be shipped to you through the mail (this is illegal – it’s illegal to sell or distribute HGH without a prescription, but it’s legal to buy and sell homeopathic HGH without a prescription, as homeopathic versions don’t really have any HGH in them. Homeopathic HGH is just diluted HGH meant to stimulate your body to produce HGH on its own if your current levels are below normal for someone your age).
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) have joined together to wipe out the sales of illegal HGH products online. The FTC began contacting illicit HGH distributors during the year 2005, launching a massive crackdown on all HGH sold without a prescription and any products, homeopathic or not, that make erroneous claims or make specific statements about the efficacy or performance of the product without a clinical trial.
As a result of their efforts, the FTC has won several judgements against some of these internet companies, levying fines in excess of $10 million dollars against one company, and millions of dollars in total fines against several other companies. There are still quite a few companies that refuse to listen to the FTC, choosing instead to continue to sell their products and fight it out in court.
Most doctors concur that the best course of action for the consumer is to only use homeopathic HGH as part of your anti-aging therapy routine. These products are universally recongized as being safe because they basically contain no HGH and instead stimulate your pituitary to produce HGH only if you’re deficient for a normal person your age. Don’t buy injectable HGH through the mail or on the internet, first of all because it’s illegal, and also because the suppliers are often unscrupulous and have an incentive to sell you an inferior product due to the fact that injectable HGH administered at a clinic with a prescription can cost from $10,000 – $30,000 per month, making it unaffordable to most, whereas some internet hucksters retail it at $200 for a one month supply. So, be cautious and careful when buying HGH supplements online.
You’ve probably been hearing and reading a lot about Human Growth Hormone (HGH) recently. Ever since Jose Canseco’s outing of several prominent professional baseball players and the steroid regimen employed by these athletes, there has been more attention paid to HGH recently than in years past.
HGH is a protein produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the liver to produce somatomedins, which causes the growth of bone and muscle. There is an ongoing debate as to whether HGH therapy is benefical or perhaps dangerous.
During our earliest years and adolescence, our pituitary secretes a great deal of HGH, which helps us grow tall and develop. Sometime during our late teens, HGH secretion begins to decline, and by the time we’re in our forties and fifties, we produce very little HGH and certain signs and symptoms of aging begin to manifest themselves. Our skin begins to wrinkle, our bodies lose muscle tone if we’re no longer exercising, and our energy levels begin to decrease.
Proponents of HGH therapy argue that we should fight mother nature by shooting up with HGH once we reach a certain age, but that a doctor should administer the hormone treatment so that it’s done safely and effectively. Opponents of HGH supplementation argue that by increasing one’s level of HGH to levels that are unnatural or not needed for an older person, dangerous and perhaps lethal side effects will occur. However, there is little or no evidence to support that modest HGH supplementation can cause cancer or any other deadly diseases. Most doctors argue that HGH needs to decline as we age, as this is probably our body’s way of trying to prolong our life span; if we continued to produce as much HGH when we’re 50 as we did when we were 12, we’d probably keel over and die and wouldn’t live to be 50 in the first place. So, a decline in HGH is something that every one of us experience, the question is whether it’s something we should accept.
Some people are born with insufficient HGH production to sustain normal growth, which is associated with conditions such as dwarfism. Hyperglycemia is also associated with HGH deficiency. For these individuals, HGH therapy is sometimes a medical necessity.
Sales of HGH products on the internet has exploded over the past 3 years. There are many different forms of HGH supplements sold online, ranging from natural and homeopathic HGH to actual needles with a vial of HGH that can be shipped to you through the mail (this is illegal – it’s illegal to sell or distribute HGH without a prescription, but it’s legal to buy and sell homeopathic HGH without a prescription, as homeopathic versions don’t really have any HGH in them. Homeopathic HGH is just diluted HGH meant to stimulate your body to produce HGH on its own if your current levels are below normal for someone your age).
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) have joined together to wipe out the sales of illegal HGH products online. The FTC began contacting illicit HGH distributors during the year 2005, launching a massive crackdown on all HGH sold without a prescription and any products, homeopathic or not, that make erroneous claims or make specific statements about the efficacy or performance of the product without a clinical trial.
As a result of their efforts, the FTC has won several judgements against some of these internet companies, levying fines in excess of $10 million dollars against one company, and millions of dollars in total fines against several other companies. There are still quite a few companies that refuse to listen to the FTC, choosing instead to continue to sell their products and fight it out in court.
Most doctors concur that the best course of action for the consumer is to only use homeopathic HGH as part of your anti-aging therapy routine. These products are universally recongized as being safe because they basically contain no HGH and instead stimulate your pituitary to produce HGH only if you’re deficient for a normal person your age. Don’t buy injectable HGH through the mail or on the internet, first of all because it’s illegal, and also because the suppliers are often unscrupulous and have an incentive to sell you an inferior product due to the fact that injectable HGH administered at a clinic with a prescription can cost from $10,000 – $30,000 per month, making it unaffordable to most, whereas some internet hucksters retail it at $200 for a one month supply. So, be cautious and careful when buying HGH supplements online.
Greg Williamson asked:
A popular anti skin aging ingredient is Vitamin C. In anti skin aging treatment Vitamin C is the most effective ingredient. The skin receives many good benefits from Vitamin C. Not only does this vitamin help get rid of the free radicals that can damage your skin but it also helps your body increase the production of collagen.
The biggest challenge for the skin care industry is the stability of Vitamin C. When exposed to the air, Vitamin C oxidizes immediately. When Vitamin C is oxidized it not only becomes ineffective but it is also harmful to individuals since it will increase the production of free radicals.
Manufacturers have invested lots of money on researching a way to find alternative forms of solving the major oxidation problem. Increasing the concentration of Vitamin C so it doesn’t loose its effectiveness is one solution they have found. Often time manufacturers will increase the concentration to ten percent. As the concentration of Vitamin C increases so does the price. So for this reason many consumers look for alternatives to skin products that contain Vitamin C.
Vitamin C derivatives have also been found by researchers that can be used as ingredients. Derivatives of Vitamin C that can easily penetrate the skin cells and release a proper amount of acid to help the production of collagen are ideal. The most common fat soluble Vitamin C derivative in skin care products is ascorbyl palmitate. This ingredient is more stable and less irritating than Vitamin C. Another derivative is the water soluble magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. This ingredient is also good for products that are made specifically for sensitive skin. Both these derivatives don’t oxidize as easily as Vitamin C and don’t cause as much irritation. Although they aren’t as effective as pure Vitamin C.
It is best to check a product first before buying a skin care product based with Vitamin C. You can determine which products are effective to use since Vitamin C oxidizes easily. You can determine the effectiveness by the color of the product. A product is useless and harmful if it is yellowish-brown since this means it has been exposed to the air. With Vitamin C products you should read the label carefully to ensure you aren’t wasting your money on a product that won’t work.
Depending on the individual the effectiveness of a product will vary. While Vitamin C products will work well for some they can be useless for others. Some skin care product ingredients don’t respond effectively for all skin types. To maintain and improve the efficiency of products you should make sure you store products properly.
A popular anti skin aging ingredient is Vitamin C. In anti skin aging treatment Vitamin C is the most effective ingredient. The skin receives many good benefits from Vitamin C. Not only does this vitamin help get rid of the free radicals that can damage your skin but it also helps your body increase the production of collagen.
The biggest challenge for the skin care industry is the stability of Vitamin C. When exposed to the air, Vitamin C oxidizes immediately. When Vitamin C is oxidized it not only becomes ineffective but it is also harmful to individuals since it will increase the production of free radicals.
Manufacturers have invested lots of money on researching a way to find alternative forms of solving the major oxidation problem. Increasing the concentration of Vitamin C so it doesn’t loose its effectiveness is one solution they have found. Often time manufacturers will increase the concentration to ten percent. As the concentration of Vitamin C increases so does the price. So for this reason many consumers look for alternatives to skin products that contain Vitamin C.
Vitamin C derivatives have also been found by researchers that can be used as ingredients. Derivatives of Vitamin C that can easily penetrate the skin cells and release a proper amount of acid to help the production of collagen are ideal. The most common fat soluble Vitamin C derivative in skin care products is ascorbyl palmitate. This ingredient is more stable and less irritating than Vitamin C. Another derivative is the water soluble magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. This ingredient is also good for products that are made specifically for sensitive skin. Both these derivatives don’t oxidize as easily as Vitamin C and don’t cause as much irritation. Although they aren’t as effective as pure Vitamin C.
It is best to check a product first before buying a skin care product based with Vitamin C. You can determine which products are effective to use since Vitamin C oxidizes easily. You can determine the effectiveness by the color of the product. A product is useless and harmful if it is yellowish-brown since this means it has been exposed to the air. With Vitamin C products you should read the label carefully to ensure you aren’t wasting your money on a product that won’t work.
Depending on the individual the effectiveness of a product will vary. While Vitamin C products will work well for some they can be useless for others. Some skin care product ingredients don’t respond effectively for all skin types. To maintain and improve the efficiency of products you should make sure you store products properly.
Tim Mielke asked:
The explorer Ponce De Leon was made famous by his continuous quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth. While the Fountain of Youth may be just a myth, that doesn’t stop people today from exploring various avenues to defy the ravages of time. We desire to keep our skin from wrinkling, fend off illness, and maintain the energy levels we had during the prime of our youth. Although the Fountain of Youth may not be real, there are many very real anti-aging supplements that we can use to keep our youthful appearance and energy.
At about the age of 30, our natural hormone production begins to decline. Decreased levels of testosterone (the dominant male hormone), estrogen (the dominant female hormone), and Human Growth Hormone (more commonly referred to as HGH) can lead to:
The explorer Ponce De Leon was made famous by his continuous quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth. While the Fountain of Youth may be just a myth, that doesn’t stop people today from exploring various avenues to defy the ravages of time. We desire to keep our skin from wrinkling, fend off illness, and maintain the energy levels we had during the prime of our youth. Although the Fountain of Youth may not be real, there are many very real anti-aging supplements that we can use to keep our youthful appearance and energy.
At about the age of 30, our natural hormone production begins to decline. Decreased levels of testosterone (the dominant male hormone), estrogen (the dominant female hormone), and Human Growth Hormone (more commonly referred to as HGH) can lead to:
Kevin Gianni asked:
This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni’s Fountain of Youth Summit, which can be found at http://fountainofyouthworldsummit.com. In this excerpt, Danny Dreyer shares his views on eating right and listening to your body.
The Fountain of Youth World Summit with Danny Dreyer, author of ChiWalking and ChiRunning.
Kevin: What does eating right mean to you?
Danny: I am mostly on organic diet. We cook everything from scratch. We don’t eat out of boxes or cans. I only eat meat about once a month. I mean, I will have – - that’s like red meat. I don’t drink coffee. I do drink tea but not an over abundance of it. And – -
Kevin: What about for training?
Danny: Oh, the training is really fun, you know on our break, we break part nutrition and diet as related to training so you know, what I do is that when I am going out for a really long run I want to have a lot of good carbohydrates in my system before I do that. It’s just like [pumping] for a race and not a run. And so usually I have beans and rice and peas – -
Kevin: OK.
Danny: the night before I run because it just burns really clean and even though it’s a complete protein and also a very good cover meal. And because I don’t eat pasta as a carbohydrate meal in fact I rarely eat pasta anyway. We have a law here. We don’t eat anything white.
Kevin: OK. [laughter]
Danny: Unless it’s yogurt.
Kevin: Got you.
Danny: So you want to eat a good carbohydrate before a long workout and you want to eat a really good protein meal afterwards along with the carbohydrate and sometimes during the week you always want to eat a really healthy salad like really leafy green lots of colors.
Kevin: OK.
Danny: And other than that we eat a lot of green vegetable meals. I also eat most of my meals out of a bowl, and my bowl only holds two and a half cups and when it’s full it’s full, when I sit down and that’s what I eat.
Kevin: That’s interesting.
Danny: Yeah that way I don’t ever overeat and it doesn’t matter what’s in that bowl I just don’t eat more than that.
Kevin: So how big is it?
Danny: Two and a half cups might be two and three quarters.
Kevin: OK. When you pile it up?
Danny: Pile it up, OK salads a little lighter I might pile a little higher but you know for most meals I level to the top. And then I eat two meals a day, I don’t eat three. You know I learnt something for the Europeans. They just eat the right amount. A lot of people there have taken on some of our bad habits but a lot of people in Asia especially and also in Europe are just the right body size. Because they just eat, when they are done they’re done.
Kevin: Yeah.
Danny: And a lot, the other thing that I do is, it’s a hotsy question what do I do to stay in shape? One is I run about every other day or walk and I am not afraid to stop my running and start walking at any point.
Kevin: I think that’s a fantastic point right there.
Danny: Yeah, I am not a fanatic. Yeah, I wrote the books on running or walking but I am not a fanatic of either one. Here’s one thing I do when I get across to people and what we’re trying to do is this whole thing about having to being mindful about when you’re walking and running,
Kevin: Um.
Danny: Like always doing the right thing, is that we really are on a campaign to change running and walking from a fitness regiment to a practice and if you think of what you do as a practice, you know, there is Tai-chi is a practice, Yoga is a practice, Polaris is like a practice, Meditation is a practice. All those things are practice and nobody really thinks about approaching their running or walking as a practice. Because if you did then everytime you went out to do it there would be something you’re working on to get just a little better, just a little looser, just a little most grounded or centered or relaxed or there is always something to work on to get just a little bit better. And you end up becoming a better person through your practice of walking and not just get stronger muscles and a great heart.
Kevin: Right.
Danny: It’s more about a holistic approach to whatever fitness thing you are doing.
Kevin: It’s actually the value of it.
Danny: That’s the value of it. That’s why it’s so cool because it’s not just a fitness thing. So people go “how do you stay fit”, well I don’t just use my body. I use my mind.
Kevin: Yeah.
Danny: You know, you just have to use both. Otherwise it’s not complete. You are imbalanced. So there’s a lot of jokes out there that really, you know, that’s why people get to mind over body. They don’t really listen to their body as well as they could. We have a principle called ‘body sensing’, its one of the Chi skills.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: ‘Body sensing’ is just learning how to listen to your body, how to direct it with your mind but how to really sense when it needs something, when it doesn’t need something. When something is right, when it’s not right, when you’re imbalanced when you are balanced, and if people were much more in their bodies we wouldn’t be near the disease rate, cancer rate, obesity rate anything that’s going on in the society today if people just learnt to listen what the body is trying to tell them.
Kevin: So how does somebody when they’re walking or running, how do they start to feel their body? Obviously sometimes they feel it, you know, but the body does not give them an option well – -
Danny: Yeah, you know if you are feeling, I will tell you this, it’s really simple. If you feel any discomfort in your body. Well, it starts with tension. If you feel tension then your body that’s not discomfort ness there, it’s just tense.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: So if you feel tension in your body, what I do is when you’re walking or running just do what I call a body sweep. When you start at the top of your head and just scan all the way down to your body top to bottom and if you feel just looking for any tension like you’re your own MRI, you just looking for tension anywhere head to toe, if you find any try to see if you can how to let go of that, how to just relax that part, how to breathe into it, give it a little more range of emotion to stretch it out or something, but listen to your body and just start the practice of just listening, just scanning. And then once you get good at scanning and listening then you want to know what you are listening for. And so first you are listening to tension, that’s the first, the lowest level.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: And then listen for discomfort. If the tension goes on long enough your body is going to start talking a little louder if you don’t start doing something.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: Right. And then discomfort turns to pain. Because if you don’t listen to discomfort it’s not going to get better, it’s going to get worse. And your body will start screaming, “Hey wake up, we’re hurting down here. What you going to do about it?” And then if you don’t listen to pain it’s usually either illness or injury. And it’s the people that you know just keep going no matter what the body is telling them; they end up with in the last two categories. So it’s really training to have a mindful practice that you’re always listening to your body and trying to co-operate with it and work with it, and say how can we do this better, you know how can we feel better, how can we eat better, how can we stop when we are supposed to. It’s a fabulous way to go through life listening to your body and instead of listening to what everybody else is trying to tell you what to do with your body.
Kevin: Absolutely. And you had a statistic that you told me once about runners and the average length that they run. Is that, do you recall what that was?
Danny: There’s a statistic that you know out of all runners, at least there’s a study done in the United States and that was couple of years ago when there was 22 million people that called themselves regular runners. There’s a 65 percent injury rate.
Kevin: Really?
Danny: Every year 65 percent of 22 million people get injured long enough to disrupt their training program. That’s like you’re sure of two out of three chances of getting injured if you start running unless you are doing it right. So what we tell people, it is not running that hurts your body, it’s the way you run. Its not walking that hurts your body, its the way you walk. And so if you are constantly mindful of studying how you move your body, then you are much much less likely, completely reduce your chances of injury or even discomfort, and so you get to a point where you can do your fitness program and feel great the whole way, the whole day, the next time you do it. It always feels great. And there’s no downtime.
Kevin: Now is there one thing you recommend someone do, what is it?
Danny: Move your body.
Kevin: Yeah?
Danny: Yeah. It’s got to be it. My Tai-chi says that when you stop moving your spine you start dying, that’s it. Period! You sitting on your couch watching TV, you are not moving your body you’re going to start dying. And so that’s why you got to get your Chi moving through your body. That means every time you move your body you’re activating your Chi moving through your body. The more relaxed you are, the easier it flows through your body. When you get outdoors there’s tons of Chi outdoors that your body can absorb through your eyes, through your skin, you know, and you’re gaining energy and you want to really be working at always gaining energy and it’s really your movement. And you know, unfortunately there is a large emphasis nowadays on the intellectual center. Anybody who wants to get ahead, you know, work hard and go to college and do all that and not forgetting that they have a body that also it’s the reason why you are in the planet. If you didn’t have it you wouldn’t be here. You got to take care of that as well as your mind. The mind isn’t everything. No. It tends to feed the brain too much I pod, the MP3 players, Videos, Computers, name it , it’s all brain stuff. So for as much as I am in front of the computer writing everyday whatever, I get outside move around, you know. You got to move your body. If I could say one thing, you know, and eat right.
This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni’s Fountain of Youth Summit, which can be found at http://fountainofyouthworldsummit.com. In this excerpt, Danny Dreyer shares his views on eating right and listening to your body.
The Fountain of Youth World Summit with Danny Dreyer, author of ChiWalking and ChiRunning.
Kevin: What does eating right mean to you?
Danny: I am mostly on organic diet. We cook everything from scratch. We don’t eat out of boxes or cans. I only eat meat about once a month. I mean, I will have – - that’s like red meat. I don’t drink coffee. I do drink tea but not an over abundance of it. And – -
Kevin: What about for training?
Danny: Oh, the training is really fun, you know on our break, we break part nutrition and diet as related to training so you know, what I do is that when I am going out for a really long run I want to have a lot of good carbohydrates in my system before I do that. It’s just like [pumping] for a race and not a run. And so usually I have beans and rice and peas – -
Kevin: OK.
Danny: the night before I run because it just burns really clean and even though it’s a complete protein and also a very good cover meal. And because I don’t eat pasta as a carbohydrate meal in fact I rarely eat pasta anyway. We have a law here. We don’t eat anything white.
Kevin: OK. [laughter]
Danny: Unless it’s yogurt.
Kevin: Got you.
Danny: So you want to eat a good carbohydrate before a long workout and you want to eat a really good protein meal afterwards along with the carbohydrate and sometimes during the week you always want to eat a really healthy salad like really leafy green lots of colors.
Kevin: OK.
Danny: And other than that we eat a lot of green vegetable meals. I also eat most of my meals out of a bowl, and my bowl only holds two and a half cups and when it’s full it’s full, when I sit down and that’s what I eat.
Kevin: That’s interesting.
Danny: Yeah that way I don’t ever overeat and it doesn’t matter what’s in that bowl I just don’t eat more than that.
Kevin: So how big is it?
Danny: Two and a half cups might be two and three quarters.
Kevin: OK. When you pile it up?
Danny: Pile it up, OK salads a little lighter I might pile a little higher but you know for most meals I level to the top. And then I eat two meals a day, I don’t eat three. You know I learnt something for the Europeans. They just eat the right amount. A lot of people there have taken on some of our bad habits but a lot of people in Asia especially and also in Europe are just the right body size. Because they just eat, when they are done they’re done.
Kevin: Yeah.
Danny: And a lot, the other thing that I do is, it’s a hotsy question what do I do to stay in shape? One is I run about every other day or walk and I am not afraid to stop my running and start walking at any point.
Kevin: I think that’s a fantastic point right there.
Danny: Yeah, I am not a fanatic. Yeah, I wrote the books on running or walking but I am not a fanatic of either one. Here’s one thing I do when I get across to people and what we’re trying to do is this whole thing about having to being mindful about when you’re walking and running,
Kevin: Um.
Danny: Like always doing the right thing, is that we really are on a campaign to change running and walking from a fitness regiment to a practice and if you think of what you do as a practice, you know, there is Tai-chi is a practice, Yoga is a practice, Polaris is like a practice, Meditation is a practice. All those things are practice and nobody really thinks about approaching their running or walking as a practice. Because if you did then everytime you went out to do it there would be something you’re working on to get just a little better, just a little looser, just a little most grounded or centered or relaxed or there is always something to work on to get just a little bit better. And you end up becoming a better person through your practice of walking and not just get stronger muscles and a great heart.
Kevin: Right.
Danny: It’s more about a holistic approach to whatever fitness thing you are doing.
Kevin: It’s actually the value of it.
Danny: That’s the value of it. That’s why it’s so cool because it’s not just a fitness thing. So people go “how do you stay fit”, well I don’t just use my body. I use my mind.
Kevin: Yeah.
Danny: You know, you just have to use both. Otherwise it’s not complete. You are imbalanced. So there’s a lot of jokes out there that really, you know, that’s why people get to mind over body. They don’t really listen to their body as well as they could. We have a principle called ‘body sensing’, its one of the Chi skills.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: ‘Body sensing’ is just learning how to listen to your body, how to direct it with your mind but how to really sense when it needs something, when it doesn’t need something. When something is right, when it’s not right, when you’re imbalanced when you are balanced, and if people were much more in their bodies we wouldn’t be near the disease rate, cancer rate, obesity rate anything that’s going on in the society today if people just learnt to listen what the body is trying to tell them.
Kevin: So how does somebody when they’re walking or running, how do they start to feel their body? Obviously sometimes they feel it, you know, but the body does not give them an option well – -
Danny: Yeah, you know if you are feeling, I will tell you this, it’s really simple. If you feel any discomfort in your body. Well, it starts with tension. If you feel tension then your body that’s not discomfort ness there, it’s just tense.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: So if you feel tension in your body, what I do is when you’re walking or running just do what I call a body sweep. When you start at the top of your head and just scan all the way down to your body top to bottom and if you feel just looking for any tension like you’re your own MRI, you just looking for tension anywhere head to toe, if you find any try to see if you can how to let go of that, how to just relax that part, how to breathe into it, give it a little more range of emotion to stretch it out or something, but listen to your body and just start the practice of just listening, just scanning. And then once you get good at scanning and listening then you want to know what you are listening for. And so first you are listening to tension, that’s the first, the lowest level.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: And then listen for discomfort. If the tension goes on long enough your body is going to start talking a little louder if you don’t start doing something.
Kevin: Um.
Danny: Right. And then discomfort turns to pain. Because if you don’t listen to discomfort it’s not going to get better, it’s going to get worse. And your body will start screaming, “Hey wake up, we’re hurting down here. What you going to do about it?” And then if you don’t listen to pain it’s usually either illness or injury. And it’s the people that you know just keep going no matter what the body is telling them; they end up with in the last two categories. So it’s really training to have a mindful practice that you’re always listening to your body and trying to co-operate with it and work with it, and say how can we do this better, you know how can we feel better, how can we eat better, how can we stop when we are supposed to. It’s a fabulous way to go through life listening to your body and instead of listening to what everybody else is trying to tell you what to do with your body.
Kevin: Absolutely. And you had a statistic that you told me once about runners and the average length that they run. Is that, do you recall what that was?
Danny: There’s a statistic that you know out of all runners, at least there’s a study done in the United States and that was couple of years ago when there was 22 million people that called themselves regular runners. There’s a 65 percent injury rate.
Kevin: Really?
Danny: Every year 65 percent of 22 million people get injured long enough to disrupt their training program. That’s like you’re sure of two out of three chances of getting injured if you start running unless you are doing it right. So what we tell people, it is not running that hurts your body, it’s the way you run. Its not walking that hurts your body, its the way you walk. And so if you are constantly mindful of studying how you move your body, then you are much much less likely, completely reduce your chances of injury or even discomfort, and so you get to a point where you can do your fitness program and feel great the whole way, the whole day, the next time you do it. It always feels great. And there’s no downtime.
Kevin: Now is there one thing you recommend someone do, what is it?
Danny: Move your body.
Kevin: Yeah?
Danny: Yeah. It’s got to be it. My Tai-chi says that when you stop moving your spine you start dying, that’s it. Period! You sitting on your couch watching TV, you are not moving your body you’re going to start dying. And so that’s why you got to get your Chi moving through your body. That means every time you move your body you’re activating your Chi moving through your body. The more relaxed you are, the easier it flows through your body. When you get outdoors there’s tons of Chi outdoors that your body can absorb through your eyes, through your skin, you know, and you’re gaining energy and you want to really be working at always gaining energy and it’s really your movement. And you know, unfortunately there is a large emphasis nowadays on the intellectual center. Anybody who wants to get ahead, you know, work hard and go to college and do all that and not forgetting that they have a body that also it’s the reason why you are in the planet. If you didn’t have it you wouldn’t be here. You got to take care of that as well as your mind. The mind isn’t everything. No. It tends to feed the brain too much I pod, the MP3 players, Videos, Computers, name it , it’s all brain stuff. So for as much as I am in front of the computer writing everyday whatever, I get outside move around, you know. You got to move your body. If I could say one thing, you know, and eat right.