Guide to Natural Acne Treatments

Acne is a problem for many people. There are a variety of products that are designed to get rid of or reduce acne. However, many people do not know that there are natural ways to reduce acne, or completely eliminate it. The best way to naturally get rid of pimples is to consider the causes of acne. By avoiding the causes of acne, you can greatly reduce the amount of acne you have.

Acne is caused by hormones. When trying to prevent acne it is advisable to try to reduce your body?s production of certain hormones. The body produces a large amount of hormones in stressful situations. People who are extremely stressed have an overproduction of hormones. Relaxation techniques such as Yoga, T?ai Chi and deep breathing can help reduce stress and limit hormone production. Additionally, avoiding caffeine can help because caffeine stimulates hormone production. Finally, exercise is very beneficial for reducing acne. Exercise reduces stress and works to rebalance hormones.

Diet is a very significant factor in the presence of acne. Certain foods can foster the presence of acne. Consumption of these types of foods should be reduced or completely avoided if possible. Dairy products such as milk and cheese can contribute to the formation of acne. Additionally, refined and cooked carbohydrates such as flour, bread, and rice can also affect acne. Other foods that should be avoided are cooked fats, such as fried food, and meats like beef and pork. The foods that should be avoided are acid-forming foods in the body. In order to reduce acne, you should attempt to eat more alkaline-forming foods. Fresh vegetables, fruit, and nuts (sparingly) are very good to eat when trying to reduce acne.

Dehydration is also a very important factor in the formation of acne. The skin needs to be hydrated from the inside in order to prevent blocked pores. Drinking great amounts of water is a good practice when attempting to reduce acne. Eating water-rich foods can also help with hydration.

Finally, avoiding yeast is a great practice for reducing acne. Studies have shown that people with severe acne often have a build-up of yeast in their bodies. In order to avoid yeast build-up, you should avoid sugary foods and yeast products such as beer, bread, and mushrooms.

Acne can be a large problem for many people, but there are natural ways to reduce or eliminate pimples. Avoiding stress and exercising regularly while eating healthy and avoiding greasy foods can greatly reduce the amount of acne one has. After trying the natural ways to reduce acne, then it is a good idea to use acne medicines. But if medication can be avoided, you will save money and be healthier.

Ruth Stattmiller writes about natural health maintenance topics, including acne treatments.

Smart Cardio That Works

Even if you've got the greatest abdominal workout in the world, it?s not going to slim your waist unless you also burn off the fat. Trust me...there are many of people out there who have great muscular tone and balance in the mid-section, but don't even know it because those nice abs are covered in a layer of fat. Remember, a combination of three factors is necessary for a slim waistline: a good abdominal workout, smart cardiovascualr exercise, and proper nutrition. In this article, I?m going to explain how to choose the proper cardio workout structure for burning the most amount of calories and burning the proper ratio of carbohydrates and fat.

When it comes to cardio, the question I probably receive most is: long and slow or short and fast? This question actually reflects the most important concept behind a good cardio routine. The truth is, it depends. Let?s begin by looking at total amount of calories burnt.

Say I ask you to travel a mile on foot. I don?t care how you do it ? walk, jog, or run. Many exercise professionals will tell you that you?ll burn the same number of calories any way you do it, as long as you?re covering the same distance. This is simply not true. Studies have shown that the faster you cover that distance, the more calories you burn, period. There is a higher metabolic cost to moving quickly than to moving slowly. So you?re going to burn the most calories by pedaling, running, rowing, swimming, or doing any other cardio you do as fast as possible. The added bonus is that the faster you move, the higher your post-exercise metabolism becomes, meaning that you burn more calories throughout the day after your workout than if you had moved at a slower pace.

Here?s the catch ? the faster you ?move? across that mile, the more you rely on carbohydrates for energy, and the less you rely on fat. Although burning carbohydrates is beneficial, your body should also be learning how to efficiently use fat as an energy source. The ?fat-burning? zone varies from person to person, but a good rule is that when breathing becomes labored or the muscles begin to burn, you?ve crossed the threshold to utilizing carbohydrate as a primary energy source. The basic science behind this is that it takes more oxygen to burn 1 calorie from fat than it takes to burn 1 calorie from carbohydrate, so as your body begins to work harder and get lower on oxygen, it turns more to carbohydrate as an energy source.

So here?s the application part. If you are pressed for time in your workout, go short and fast (i.e. 10-20 minutes, at an intensity level of 8-10). You will burn more calories, both in your workout and throughout the rest of the day. Ideally, however, if you have the time, you should also be incorporating long and slow cardio workouts into your routine (i.e. 20-60 minutes, at an intensity level of 6-8), essentially ?training? your body to burn fat as a fuel. Often, I have my clients work in both zones by performing their short and hard cardio efforts prior to weight training on their ?difficult? days, then performing their slow and long cardio efforts on their ?easy? days. The added bonus is that the slow and long cardio efforts allow the body to recover more quickly from the previous day's difficult efforts, which means better results.

Let?s finish with a sample workout that will keep you in both zones during the same workout. This is an ?interval? routine. Here?s how it works:

5 minute graded warm-up, gradually working up to a hard intensity by minute 5

1 minute hard-fast effort (labored breathing)

2 minutes easy-medium effort (conversation possible)

2 minutes hard-fast effort

1 minute easy-medium effort

repeat 1x

3 minutes hard-fast effort

3 minutes easy-medium effort

4 minutes hard-fast effort

4 minutes easy-medium effort

repeat 1x

5 minute cool-down, gradually working down to a very easy effort by minute 5.

If you sign-up to work more extensively with an online trainer at www.pacificfit.net, you can receive a series of workouts that include pre-written cardio intervals similar to the one above, along with a comprehensive resistance training routine and nutritional plan, complete with exercise photos and videos. Congratulations, you?re yet another step closer to slimming the waist.

Head trainer Ben Greenfield runs the online training website Pacific Elite Fitness, and holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Sport Science and Exercise Physiology, as well as certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach (NSCA-CPT & CSCS). For over 6 years, Ben has coached and trained professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes, and helped hundreds of individuals achieve their personal fitness goals. For more information on online personal training and fitness, contact Ben at elite@pacificfit.net.
www.pacificfit.net

Life Force of Pranic Healing

The Sanskrit word ?Prana? literally means life-force and stands for the invisible life force or vital energy that is responsible for keeping the body alive and for maintaining good health. Pranic healing is a scientific ?no-touch? methodology which seeks to create balance in the flow of energy and open up the mind?s psychic awareness.

Pranic healing is a widely practiced art in ancient civilizations like India, Egypt and China. Today, it is one of the most distinctive and successful forms of modern-day holistic health care ever developed. In Pranic healing, the Prana is sent from the practitioner?s body to the diseased parts of the affected person?s body. The force stimulates the flow of blood, incites cells and tissues to restore normal activity, and allows the waste material to leave the body.

The Prana plays an important role in the life of man because it exists universally and underlies all physical actions. It is a force directed from the central nervous system and can be manipulated by an effort of will. Thus it can be USED to facilitate healing. Every individual is believed to receive fresh dosages of Prana through food, water and air. This Prana is the energy received from a primal source, and everyone can increase his own share of Prana, or give it to others as a ?gift?.

?The key to Pranic healing is a willing suspension of disbelief?, says Gin Chuk, a pranic healing Practitioner. The amount of Prana that an individual possesses can be increased through visualization. This is where the patient has to willing let go of his disbelief. For instance, a major part of the Pranic healing is for the patient to close his eyes and VISUALIZE the Prana flowing into him, circulating through the body, penetrating every part of it and dusting away the blockages.

Pranic healing places great emphasis on correct breathing. This is because it is believed that correct breathing establishes equilibrium between the negative and positive currents in man. It calms the nervous system thereby regulating the heart beat, reducing blood pressure and stimulating digestion. Pranic healing sessions almost always begin with breathing techniques that guide the patient to envision the inflow of positive energy and the outflow of negative energy.

Pranic healing is a synthesis of all the healing techniques practiced in ancient civilizations. That is what has made it one of the most advanced and comprehensive methods of directing the flow of energy in the body. Prana is a common theme that recurs in the healing practices of various ancient civilizations, though it is known by different names.

China ? Chi

Japan ? Ki

Polynesia ? Manna

Hebrew ? Ruah

Greece ? Pneuma

Pranic healing has identified three major sources of Prana ? the Sun, the Air and the Earth. Exposure to these elements can greatly increase ones reserves of Prana.

Pranic healing, though effective and useful, cannot supplant conventional medical healing. However when it complements orthodox practices, it can work wonders. As a popular method of alternative medicine, Pranic healing has saved thousands of people from pain, disease and even death.

Alternative Holistic Medicine