Guide to the Better you

  It’s Halloween, and you know what that means:   sugar, sugar, sugar!   Beginning in late summer, stores begin taunting and tantalizing us with prominently displayed festive treats conveniently packaged in small, easy to eat servings.   By the time the actual holiday rolls around, we’ve been wading through candy corn and “fun sized” candy bars for months. All holidays have their peculiar food traditions, but Halloween perhaps wins the prize for being the most focused on candy and other sweet treats as the center of attraction. And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will undoubtedly find yourself staring down a confection before all is said and done. Will you give in?   While one piece of candy won’t make or break your health, few of us stop at just one.   In fact, most of us see Halloween as we see every other festive occasion from Thanksgiving to our neighbor’s cookout:   as a perfectly good time to indulge in whichever kind of sweet temptations are presented to us.

  Hiring a personal coach comes with a lot of benefits, and the truth is, you should definitely consider hiring one! It doesn’t matter if you are an absolute beginner or preparing for a bodybuilding or powerlifting competition. Having a coach means you will have a person who supports you in the most challenging moments of your training career. Sure, having your loved ones nearby might be helpful, but if they are not into the sport, the chance they know what’s going on in your head is minimal. That’s why having a person who has gone through all of this might be helpful. In today’s article, you will learn why it is crucial to hire a personal coach. Hiring a personal trainer as a beginner Remember the first time you entered the gym. How did you feel? Were you nervous? Did you have someone with you? You’ve probably gone with a friend who was more experienced than you. He showed you some of the basic movements, and he directed you throughout your training. Now, imagi

  Chances are you have heard of adrenal fatigue, but you may not be quite sure what it is.   Understanding this condition is important however, because some experts suggest that 80% of the Western world will be affected by adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys and are responsible for secreting more than 50 different hormones that are essential for life.   Among these are adrenaline, cortisol, progesterone and testosterone.   Because they regulate so many important hormones, their proper function is critical for many functions essential to life such as producing energy, balancing electrolytes and storing fat. These glands also help you deal with stress.   When you are under stress, the adrenal glands engage many different responses in your body to make it easier for you to handle that stress. But during periods of intense, prolonged stress or chronic illness, the adrenal glands begin functioning below the level needed to mai

  If you have ever tried to ignore a box of doughnuts at work, you know how hard it is to keep your hands to yourself and walk on by.   And once you walk on by, the battle isn’t over.   Even if you are in a different room and down the hall, you can’t stop thinking about those doughnuts.   Why is it so hard to resist something as small and seemingly innocent as a doughnut?   It has to do with habit—and mind set. Hardwired habits The draw you feel from that doughnut goes way beyond just a mild interest:   you are wired to want it, and resistance is hard .   In his book, The End of Overeating , Dr. David Kessler MD explains the breakdown: When you taste foods that are highly palatable (such as foods containing excess sugar, fat and salt), your brain releases opioids into your blood stream. Opioids are brain chemicals that cause you to have intense feelings of reward and pleasure, as well as relieving pain and stress.   The pleasurable effect is similar to the feelings that morphin

  Fall is here, and that means that cold and flu season has arrived.   Have you ever noticed that some people seldom get sick?   Or maybe you have wondered why after being exposed to the same virus, one person gets ill while the other remains well.   The reason lies in the strength of the immune system.   And the strength of your immune system is largely dependent upon the condition of your digestive system. When you are exposed to bad bacteria or viruses, it is up to your immune system to protect you from being infected.   If your immune system is strong, your body will fight off the threat.   If your immune system is weak or compromised, you may end up sick. Microbes:   the good, the bad, and the ugly Inside your digestive system are many microbes.   Microbes are live organisms that affect your overall health.   Some of these organisms are beneficial and protect you from disease.   These good bacteria recognize when illness-producing intruders enter your body; they promptl