FITLIFE
TalkingFitness
Fit & Festive
Your Fitness Survival Guide To The Holidays
Living Lupus | Build Your Chest | Fit To Row December, 2010 Issue
www.talkingfitness.com.au
Contents Features
06
Fit & Festive!
06
15 Stretch It Out
19
Nutrition
45 Regulars
Editorial.........................03 Top 10’s............................10 FitLife Kids.......................11
30
Good Bad Better
25
All In A Row!
30
Ten Part Series Chest!
33
Coach Thad......................15
Inspired Wellness
Goal Power......................18
Be Clear Of Toxins
45
Living Lupus
49
Plant | Pick | Eat.................42 MuscleIn........................43 Monthly Recipe..............48 December, 2010 Issue
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Editorial What an incredible year! In May we started a TalkingFitness social group to start a medium for information sharing to help others looking to get into shape and feel healthier to connect. Just seven months later, TalkingFitness are proudly publishing a magazine, are trialling a free fitness coaching program, started an online store and launched our very own website! The jewel, of course, is FitLife magazine. Published each month and getting bigger with each passing issue! This month we’ve got a ton of great reading for you, along with our regular content from Goal Power Training, Inspired Wellness, Firm Focus PT and Bodybuilding.com. We also welcome a new contributor, Kyle Wood, from Fitter Faster Stronger in his premier article on staying in shape over the holidays. In health, we’re talking about Lupus, after one of our members let us know they had been diagnosed with the condition, and in fitness news this month we’re hitting the rower for fat loss and cardio health, and ripping up our chest workouts! We’ve got some great ideas in FitLife Kids too for fun flexability for the little ones! A big thanks to all of our contributors for making FitLife such a great read and a big Merry Christmas to you all! Cheers, Damian Fleming December, 2010 Issue
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Fit & Festive! Finishing this Christmas with all you’ve got! By Kyle Wood The Holiday Season is just about everyone’s favourite time. There is always plenty of socialising, dinners and Christmas parties to keep you busy. Unfortunately this means that all the hard work you put into exercising regularly and eating well is in some serious jeopardy. Never fear, I have 4 awesome finishing moves that you can add to the end of any of your workouts to maximise your expended energy.
truck tyre. Pick one that you find sufficiently difficult to flip. You will also need around 30m of space to flip the tyre in. Start at one end of your 30m space. Flip the tyre just once towards the other end. Jump into the tyre and out of the other side. Run back around to the other side and repeat until you reach the other end of your space. Rest for a minute and repeat the drill in the other direction. Article supplied with thanks to: www.kylewoodfitness.com
Tyre Tipper For this drill you will need one large December, 2010 Issue
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The cheapest workout equipment ■Front Squats ■Alternating Reverse Lunges around - FREE! Tip: Truck tyres are surprisingly easy to get. Ask around your friends if they know someone or go check out your local car yard. Never pay money for tyres, companies have to pay money themselves to get these removed so you are doing them a favour.
■Woodchops Left to Right ■Woodchops Right to Left ■Overhead Triceps Extensions ■Slams
4 Cone Ladders – Lower Body Set up 4 cones in a 5m square. Start in one corner with the first exercise, run to the next corner and perform the Medicine Ball Madness Grab a Medicine Ball. Pick a weight next exercise and so on. from 3-6 kgs. If you can’t find one heavy enough that’s no problem, just perform On the first round perform 10 reps the exercises more explosively or use a of each exercise, on the second round perform 8 reps on each exercise, then dumbbell. 6 and then 4 and finally 2. Two reps Run through the following exercises doesn’t seem like a lot but trust me, back to back with the Medicine Ball it’s that last round that makes all the for 12 reps each. At the end rest for difference. You will feel this in your 2 minutes and then repeat the drill 2 legs tomorrow. more times. December, 2010 Issue
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Here are the exercises. Of course you 1.Mountain Climbers 2.Full ROM Situps OR Crunches can sub in your own too. 1.Squats 2.Alternating Lunges 3.Jump Squats 4.Bodyweight Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
3.DB Side Plank Reach Throughs 4.DB Curl To Press 5.Burpees
Feel free to sub in your own exercises Tip: Limited on space? Just perform 1 depending on your specific goals. Make burpee between each exercise too keep sure you try this one out a few weeks later to see if you can beat your record that heart rate revving. number of rounds. Bodyweight Blast – The 5x5x5 As it’s name suggests, this drill involves I hope you enjoy conquering your 5 reps of 5 different exercises for as many Christmas workouts with these kickass rounds as you can possibly achieve in 5 Finishing Move Drills. You now have minutes. Keep going from exercise to no excuses to keep that tummy fat at exercise until the 5 minutes is up. Of bay for another month. Now finish course then you should collapse onto them off! the ground. If the exercise is unilateral (one sided) make sure you perform 5 reps on both sides. December, 2010 Issue
Image Credits: PixMac.com & KyleWoodFitness.com Article Written By: Kyle Wood (For www.KyleWoodFitness.com)
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Find Us On Facebook www.Facebook.com/TalkingFitness December, 2010 Issue
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Top 10 Foods of 2010
Chicken Breast
Egg Whites
Blueberries
Oats
>High Protein >Low Fat >Versatile
>Low calorie >Great taste >High Antioxidant
Cottage Cheese >Choose Low Fat >High Calcium >High Protein
Broccoli
>High Calcium >High Vitamin C >High Fiber
Tuna
>High Protein >Low in fat >Convienient December, 2010 Issue
>Omega-3 source >Vitamins B, A, E >High Protein >Low fat >Low GI >Versatile
Spinach
>Vitamin C & E >Calcium & Fiber >Low calories
Apples
>Vitamin C >Lowers cholesterol >Fiber source
Salsa
>Tastes great >Low fat >low calories Pg. 10
FITLIFE
TalkingFitness
s d i K Bendy Stretchy
Sing-Song Bend and Stretch Bend and stretch, reach for the stars There goes Jupiter, here comes Mars Bend and stretch, reach for the sky Stand on tippy-toes, oh so high December, 2010 Issue
See me stand so straight and tall I won’t let the basket fall Eyes ahead and don’t look down Keep that basket off the ground Pg. 11
Why Stretch? Why is being bendy and stretchy important? The best thing about being a kid is all the fun you can have running around! From morning to night you’ll rarely find a child sitting around doing nothing! With that much movement, little muscles will become tired and, while they will heal quickly, a child may begin to experience some muscle soreness. As they grow, all the use and over use of muscles causes them to shorten or tighten, resulting in an increase of muscle soreness during puberty, what we know to be growing pains.
Exercising with your children is a great way to promote healthy lifelong habits and gives them the most valuable gift of all......You!
Starting a culture of flexability, bending and stretching, early will aid young muscles to prepare for the rigours of puberty and help to minimise the risk of injury as they grow from toddlers to children to teens.
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Bend, Stretch, Relax Perform each move once for 10 seconds. Repeat the round a total of 3 times
Curly Cobra
Lying on your tummy, press your hands, plams down, on the floor under your shoulders. Keep your hips on the floor, push with your hands and bring your head towards the ceiling.
Wobbly Bird
Stand with your feet together and arms by your side. Slowly raise your arms up and stretch them out to your sides. Raise one leg off the ground and try to balance on one leg.
Resting Wings
Sitting on your bottom, bring the bottoms of your feet together in front of you. Rest your knees towards the ground and relax your arms on your thighs. December, 2010 Issue
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Recipe Of The Mont h
Yoghurt Pops
Ingredients Utensils 1 x container of your favorite flavor of •small paper cups yogurt •wooden icypole sticks (available in craft stores) •plastic wrap Directions 1.Pour yogurt into paper cups. Fill them almost to the top. 2.Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup. 3.Using the popsicle stick, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup. 4.Put the cups in the freezer until the yogurt is frozen solid. 5.Remove the plastic wrap, peel away the paper cup, and eat your pop! Variations and suggestions: If you like, you can make this recipe using plastic ice-pop molds instead of the paper cups and popsicle sticks. You can also roll in nuts for extra crunch! For a cool-looking snack, fill your cups only halfway with one flavor of yogurt in Step 1. Follow Steps 2, 3, and 4. Remove your pops from the freezer, take off the plastic wrap, and spoon in another flavor of yogurt that’s a different color. Put the plastic wrap back on and freeze once more. When your pops are frozen, you’ll have two-colored treats! Source: KidsHealth.Org December, 2010 Issue
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Eliminate Excuses and Regain Focus By Thad Mangalino Greetings everyone, I am so excited to write for FitLife Magazine. It’s a privilege to contribute and to share with like-minded people who like myself take their personal health and wellness as a matter of importance.
if you are not aware back during the Vietnam War; Ali was drafted to the US Army to fight in Vietnam.
Ali was indignant and refused to go, with the pressure from the government and officials. Ali was stripped of his 2011 is just around the corner, this is heavy weight world titles and banned the time when many people reflect on from fighting professionally in US soil. the last 12 months and also prepare for the next 12 months. However, with all the turmoil and negativity from the media he still woke I know that people start with grandiose up at 4am to hit the pavement and run vision on what they want to achieve by for a few miles, he continued to train the end of the coming year, yet they Article supplied with thanks find by the time February arrives, the to: goal has been forgotten or we settle for www.firmfocuspt.com the excuses we come up with. This reminds me of the story I read on the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, December, 2010 Issue
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and kept his skills sharp even with the career, family and spirituality. uncertainty of Ali ever stepping back This is not a lecture on motivation and how to write your goals, I believe that in the ring. we all have goals; its how we associate What Ali had was not just willpower, its with it that determines what we focus called discipline; discipline eliminates on and achieve, I feel that motivation your excuses gives you focus and has to be from within. certainty on where you want go. That little voice inside you encouraging Discipline is doing something that you you to push a little harder jog a little need to do whether you feel like it or faster and eat a little less. It’s the voices inside you that says get up and make it not. happen. Its like the student doing their homework, a footballer working on Discipline however will actually make their basic fundamentals, discipline you motivated and keep you on track. in the context of your health can be How? I hear you asking, because likened to a tough mountain climb and with discipline on completing a task the view is magnificent once you reach becomes a habit, a habit becomes a part of your character and your character it. builds you. Discipline is cross-contextual, you can transfer it you all the other aspects How to get disciplined? That is the in your life from finances, business, wrong question to ask. I will remind
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you of that story about Muhammad Ali, he didn’t ask himself in the morning should he go out and run or stay in bed. He just did it! Why? Because he loved it, loved the process, the steps to complete to become a champion. I urge you to fall in love with the process of exercising and having a healthy lifestyle; you will always make time for the people and things you love. It will be a fun activity/process and not thinking twice about doing it. Just like the student I have a homework for you I want you to complete a “THINGS I NEED TO COMPLETE IN 2011” list, and below it I want you to answer the following questions in relation to the goals you listed. 1) What is it that I want? 2) What don’t I want? 3) What would happen if I achieved my goals?
December, 2010 Issue
4) What price am I willing to pay to achieve it? So in closing, Muhammad Ali got knocked down, and he did what he needed to do to make sure that doing a little bit every day as it all adds up. Disciplining ones self is the hardest task to master and the most rewarding. Remember one thing, the only reason people fail is broken focus. Until next time. If you have questions regarding making a habit of discipline, or any questions at all. I would love to hear from you and do my best to answer them, my email is thad@firmfocuspt. com or visit www.firmfocuspt.com
Image credits: PixMac.com Article Written By: Thad Mangalino (for www.FirmFocusPT.com)
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10 ‘ONE-SIZE-DOES-NOT-FIT-ALL’ TIPS FOR SUMMER…. 3. Do you really need a ‘bucket’ of latte or
cappuccino? It is not hard to ‘drink’ the calories of two small meals per day by going with the ‘bucket’ option.
4. Serve your meals directly onto plates
rather than the ‘help-yourself-buffet’
option that has become popular at our dinner tables.
5. By doing 4. above, you will actually have With the money-savvy Gen Y’ers amongst us I
am afraid the ‘good value’ upsize meal is here to stay. But when it comes to food portions, value in your wallet simply means plenty of
‘value’ on your hips!! Even worse, when it’s an all you can eat buffet – then you have to get your money’s worth, right??
So here are some tips and ideas that might help to keep those dreaded ‘Christmas Kilos’ at bay. 1. The size and thickness of the palm of your hand is a good guide for steak,
chicken, fish etc (and no, this does not include your fingers…).
2. ½ a cup of cooked rice or a cup of cooked pasta is considered a serve.
December, 2010 Issue
leftovers which can then be frozen into ready-to-go, portion-friendly meals.
6. Take a standard serving out of the packet, box or bag put it on a plate – never eat straight from the bag!
7. Avoid eating in front of the TV or while
busy with other activities. Pay attention to what you are eating and fully enjoy the smell and taste of your foods.
8. Ask for salad dressing, butter, and sauces on the side so you can control how much you use.
9. Take seconds of vegetables or salads
instead of higher-fat, higher-calorie parts
of a meal such as meats or desserts.
10. AND FINALLY, never, never, never and I
mean never, upsize or supersize anything!
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By Matt Weik
Stretching has many benefits that cannot only help you trainer harder, but it also helps you in life. Learn more about the importance of flexibility, what determines flexibility, health benefits, types of stretching, and more right here! Article supplied with thanks to: www.bodybuilding.com
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A new course is available at Weik University on flexibility. Those interested in sitting through an easy course, no need to look any further because class has just begun. Everyone is guaranteed an “A� for the course as long as you sit through the course and pay attention (you can take notes if you wish). From there, all you have to do is take what you learned from the course and utilize it during your training protocol.
What Is Flexibility? According to the ACSM, flexibility is the measure of the range of motion at a joint or group of joints and the ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion. December, 2010 Issue
ACSM Founded in 1954, the American College Of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 international, national and regional members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. ACSM Guidelines
The ACSM recommends stretching three times a week. You want to stretch 10% beyond normal length or to the point of tension (overload but do not overstretch). You want to hold the stretch anywhere from 10-30 seconds. You should ideally try to achieve 3-5 reps with 4 reps being ideal. Pg. 20
status, tissue interference, gender, age (Increased muscle temperature increases the muscles elasticity) Training The entire musculoskeletal system benefits from having good flexibility. Flexibility is essential for normal joint health. Get an update on types of stretching and some of their benefits.
What Determines Flexibility?
Flexibility is joint specific. For instance, the shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body. You can move your shoulder in more directions and has more range of motion than any other joint in the body.
There are many things that determine The elastic and compliant properties flexibility: are enhanced by regular stretching of the connective tissues. Stretching - The shape of the bones and cartilage exercises have the greatest impact on in the joint the connective tissues of the muscles - The length and extensibility of and tendons. muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia across the joint (The length of bone Health Benefits Of Flexibility segments impacts range of motion) - Your personal physical activity There are many health benefits that - Tissue interference occurs when string from working on your flexibility. either muscle or fat tissue physically By working on and improving your blocks a movement, restricting a joints flexibility, you will be able to do daily full range of motion activities much easier. - Hormonal influences on muscle elasticity generally make women more For example, those who have problems flexible than men (sorry guys, we have putting on their shoes and tying them a disadvantage) benefit from increased flexibility. - Muscle temperature, disease December, 2010 Issue
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Sedentary living Tissue injury Joint structure Injury Fat (adipose tissue) Disease Ligaments Increasing Flexibility Tendons Stretching is a technique that will Skin definitely improve flexibility. Flexibility Muscles is a component of fitness and should be worked on as if it were your cardio or No Such Thing As A Good Or Bad Stretch. - By Brad Walker weight training session at the gym. The Truth About Stretching! - By Phil Many people neglect working on their Campbell flexibility. This cannot only decrease Mobility Superior To Flexibility! - By the quality of their life (for instance, Coach Sonnon not being able to touch your toes or Other Stretching And Flexibility tie your shoes) but it can also cause Articles... injuries due to lack of range of motion. When Do You Stretch? What Decreases Flexibility? Stretching should be done after cardio Gender or weight training when the muscles are Age more pliable. Use the ACSM Guidelines Lack of physical activity above to stretch after a workout. People who play sports or workout will find that they have improved athletic performance and fewer injuries. Not to mention that people who have good flexibility have much better posture.
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It is important that when stretching, that you don’t hold your joints. It is also important that you do not overstretch. Both of these forms could help save you from an injury. Types Of Stretching There are two different types of stretching—active and passive. Active stretching is where you are taking the muscle beyond its normal range of motion with assistance (PNF or with the help of a partner). Passive stretching allows the muscles and tendons to stretch naturally without the use of additional forces acting on the muscle/tendon. The flexibility gains There is a low risk of injury with this are not as great with passive stretching technique. as it is with active stretching. PNF stretching is a much longer There are four major types of stretching session when compared to stretching—static, PNF, dynamic and the other types. It requires a partner’s ballistic. help to utilize this technique. The use of a partner is so that there can be a Static stretching is a technique where contraction and relaxation phase. This the muscle is slowly stretched and type of stretching is actually the most then held in the stretched position for effective form of stretching, but it is several seconds. This type of stretching also considered the most painful type allows the muscle to be relaxed so that of stretching. a greater length can be achieved. It is the most frequently used and most Dynamic stretching is a technique that recommended type of stretching. many athletes should be accustomed to. This type of stretching can be in the December, 2010 Issue
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form of leg swing walks or carioca just to name a few. This is a great way for teens to work on their flexibility in a fun way. It allows them to be active and it can be done with groups and teams. This type of stretching goes for more than two seconds and is done without stopping the movement. Ballistic stretching is a type of stretching, but it is not recommended for improving flexibility. This type of stretching could lead to muscle soreness and injury because it is possible that this technique could cause small tears in soft tissue due to the bouncing movements that force the muscle to lengthen. Ballistic stretching due to the bouncing, could stretch ligaments too far if the movement is not controlled.
machines that you can use while there. I find them to be extremely easy to use and I find I get a much better stretch than I would if stretching by myself. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives, so no more excuses. Start stretching!
Image Credits Bodybuilding.com Article Written By: Matt Weik (for Bodybuilding.com)
In Store!
Conclusion Stretching has many benefits that cannot only help you trainer harder, but it also helps you in life. This is something that many people either forget to do or simply don’t care to do following a workout. As you have read above, this is something that you definitely want to add to the end of your training protocol. The extra 10-15 minutes it takes you to stretch is well worth the time and effort. Some gyms even have stretching December, 2010 Issue
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Nutrition
By Joey Vaillancourt
Nutrition is a key component of any muscle building or fat loss phase. By knowing what foods to include in one’s diet, you will see better results in your muscle building or fat loss goals. Article supplied with thanks to: www.bodybuilding.com
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Nutrition is a key component of any
energy and everyone knows to avoid muscle building or fat loss phase. It still high saturated fat diets. amazes me how many people do not take nutrition seriously. That is why I However, it doesn’t stop there. You see think that it is important that I share the amount that you consume of each with you some of the choices that are nutrient is simply one factor of the available to you today. By knowing what equation. What’s more important are foods to include in one’s diet, you will the foods we choose to consume in our begin to have a better understanding everyday diets. Of course, if you are just and start to see better results in your starting to get on the healthy lifestyle muscle building or fat loss goals. baseline diet, then watching your consumption as well as focusing on The majority of people do not have a getting in lean proteins, complex carbs problem with following a nutrition and healthy fats may just be enough for plan but simply do not know what you to see results. foods to choose. After all, there are so many different opinions out there If you have been following a healthy today. Who do you listen to? I mean lifestyle diet for some time now, it at the end of the day we all know the may be time to do some upgrades in proteins are good for building muscle, your food choices to continue to see carbs are the main source of the body’s better results, more muscle gain and
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faster fat loss. Whether you’re trying to build muscle or lose fat you still need to maintain a healthy diet. More often than not your food choices should remain the same regardless of your goal. What should change is the total amount that you consume. Just because you embark on a muscle building phase does not mean that you can fill your body with junk food. Instead you should just be consuming a surplus. Good, Bad, And Better Choices
For example, one of the most common sources of protein is chicken. Chicken comes in many different forms and although it is a healthy protein, it can turn into an unhealthy protein very fast if you choose the wrong source. The Bad: The bad sources of protein that you should be avoiding are any type of fast food proteins. I’m talking McDonald’s, Kentucky fried chicken and any form of chicken that is deep fried in saturated oils and butters. These should be avoided completely.
In order for you to make the right The Good: choices you first have to be presented The good sources of protein include with choices. lean cuts of red meat, lean cuts of pork, cottage cheese and other dairy I want to take this opportunity to products. Frozen chicken breasts also share with you different food options available to you for each macronutrient including proteins, carbs and fats. After reading this list you should be able to better understand which food is bad, good and better to include in your everyday diet. Granted this is only a small list but nevertheless it will help get you on track. Proteins: We will start with analyzing some of the common sources of protein choices out there today. Proteins are the building blocks for repairing muscle tissue. December, 2010 Issue
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make the good list of protein but are not considered the better source of protein simply because frozen chicken breasts are marinated in saltwater and contain a high of mount of sodium per serving.
listed in the better category should be consumed on a regular basis.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the main source that the body draws energy from. The body requires carbohydrates each and every The other sources listed in the good day but should only be consumed in category, should only be consumed in moderation to avoid excessive fat gain. moderation. The Bad: The Better: The bad sources of carbohydrates The better sources of protein include include chips, doughnuts, French fries, fresh chicken breasts, fresh Turkey white bread, white pasta, pizza and breasts, egg whites, omega 3 whole an unlimited list of other foods. Once eggs, lean sources of fish and pure again, anything deep fried or anything quality protein powders. All of these prepared at a restaurant should only be choices are the lean as types of protein consumed on rare occasions. available. The only ones you should consume in moderation are the whole The Good: eggs. The good sources of carbohydrates Aside from the eggs, the other sources include oats, brown rice, whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables. These choices of foods should make up the prime area amount of your carbohydrates. The Better: For some the list of good carbohydrates sources may be enough, but for those of you who want to see even better results, this list is for you. The better sources of carbohydrates include organic and rolled oats, organic sprouted bread, organic brown rice and of course organic fruits and vegetables. December, 2010 Issue
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path to achieving the body you deserve. The better fats list can be considered a highly advanced alternative. Conclusion
Fats: Fats have a pretty bad reputation nowadays but the truth is when you consume healthy fats in moderation your body’s hormone levels are in a much happier place.
Now that you know the different choices that you have for each food you will now be able to include better food choices in your everyday meals. That is not to say that you should never consume food choices out of the back category but rather to say you should at the very least make the best attempt to limit the consumption of those particular foods.
The Bad: The list of bad fats should not be a surprise to anybody. This list includes ice cream, chocolate bars, butter, doughnuts (yes and doughnuts make the list twice both carbohydrates and fats) and high fat cheese sources.
Choosing the good sources of each macronutrient will get you great results. Including better sources will accelerate your results. This is of course just a small list to help get you on your way. Next time you are at the grocery store, restaurant or a way from your own kitchen you will be better prepared at The Good: The good sources of fats include olive choosing the right types of foods. oil, avocados, assorted nuts, peanut butter and fats found in fish and omega 3 eggs. The Better: The even better sources of fats include flax seed oil, Udo’s oil, organic peanut butter, and Krill oil. When it comes to fats getting enough of the good sources will be sufficient in maintaining the December, 2010 Issue
Image credits: Bodybuilding.com Article Written By: Joey Vaillancourt (for Bodybuilding.com)
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All In A Row! By Damian Fleming
For many of us, our standard cardio practice can get a little tired. Hitting the road, treadmill, bike or eliptical trainer over and over only gives us a moderate cross training effect and, for the most part, impacts our joints. December, 2010 Issue
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Performing the same cardiovascular training day in and day out will certainly continue to maintain good health, if you want considerable and consistant gains in heart and lung health, not to mention fat loss, then you need to challenge your body with something new! Rowing is the perfect choice for adding variety, cross training orputting a fire under your fat loss efforts. Benefits of Rowing When we train our body, we are asking it to respond to the stimulus we are All In A Row applying and to adapt in a way that will make us more capable the next time we For several reasons, rowing is a great option for increasing results with your attempt the same activity. training: The less capable we are at an activity, the more adaptation and energy we It’s a total body workout! Rowing will expend in the earlier stages of exercises most of the major muscle developing the skill. This is where we groups, including legs, arms, back, will use the most energy to both do the abdominals and your backside. Most of activity and to repair, or adapt, our body the stroke power is generated by your legs, then your upper body adds in the after we have completed the activity. rest. The longer we persist at an activity, the better we become and the less energy Improved flexibility! Rowing uses a we need to input. This adaptation range of motion, across larger joints, causes our body to become more that is different to many other cardio energy efficient, which is not what we exercises. For some rowers, this will cause a stretch during the rowing want for a fat loss goal. movements. December, 2010 Issue
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The Plan!
Dual Conditioning! Rowing provides aerobic conditioning as well as strength conditioning. Simple Plan: Steady State “Rounds” Calorie Burner! The more active 5 Mins Easy pace muscles and joints in your body during 5 Mins Medium pace an exercise, the more demand for 5 Mins Easy pace energy your body will make. 5 Mins Medium pace No Impact! Rowing is a smooth, 20 Mins Total rhythmic motion that is impact free. It’s rare to find an exercise that offers such a large range of benefits to such a broad range of users and rowing certainly is on such activity. Getting Started
Intensity Plan: High Intensity Intervals 5 Mins Easy pace [Interval Start] 1 Min Medium pace 1 Min Hard pace 1 Min Easy pace Repeat Interval for a total of five rounds.
Getting started with an indoor rower is easy enough if you have access to a For both programs, follow the workout gym with the equipment. with a 5-10 Min cool down performing stretches or easy cardiovascular activity. Rowers are also sold from a variety of providers, with one of the more well Intensity Guide: known commercial brands “Concept II” seen in many gyms. These types Easy - You should be able to hold short of rowers can be found for sale with a conversations. variety of providers. Medium - You should be a bit out of Get into your first row with our simple breath. You could respond to a question training guide or step it up with our with only a couple of words intensity interval plan! Get rowing, get lean and get fit!
December, 2010 Issue
Hard - Talking should be difficult, if not impossibple. If you can talk, the intensity needs ot be increased. Pg. 32
In The Gym
By Brad Borland
Do you want a massive and defined chest? This target program is designed to increase muscle mass, development and balance from top to bottom, inside and out. Find out more below! Article supplied with thanks to: www.bodybuilding.com
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The chest. It is, in many ways, what defines a man. A big barrel-like chest complete with muscularity, mass and balance exudes power, control and mastery over oneself. Most of us growing up as little boys looked up to our dads - they were bigger, stronger and taller than us. We were always impressed with their abilities to lift, pull, carry and push. Did we not look up to them with awe and inspiration? Did we not want to one day be like them?
Although many trainers spend countless hours on the bench press and pec deck machine, fewer and fewer actually build impressive muscularity in that area - instead they build monumental egos. They spend entire training sessions, sometimes lasting hours, and performing set after set of every movement known to man with little or nothing to show for it.
Sure, they may become a little stronger and may gain a little muscle tissue along the way, but wouldn’t it be nice to work The pectoral muscles are visually the with a program that is both efficient hallmark of strength on the human body. and effective and produces respectable They signify power and dominance in gains? one’s own personal space and beyond. Most men have at one point or another Hopefully this article will shed a pursued a stronger and more massive little light on the infamously elusive chest in his lifetime whether they were greater pectoral development. This the recreational lifter or competitive is not necessarily a strength program bodybuilder. (although you will reap strength gains), but is a pectoral development program designed to increase muscle mass, development and balance from top to bottom, inside and out. To have a strong, well-rounded chest can put the finishing touches on a physique whether it is for the beach or the stage. Quick Anatomy Lesson The musculature of the chest is comprised of 3 2-muscle groups. Let’s take a look at each and there functions. Pectoralis Major: Located on the front Decmber, 2010 Issue
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of the ribcage, this fan-like muscle originates on the breastbone on the center of the chest and attaches to the humerus near the shoulder joint. The Pectoralis Major’s main function is to bring the humerus across the chest.
decline presses and fly movements will all affect this area in certain ways that can dictate development in one area over another.
Additionally, the Pectoralis Minor, sometimes activated through Pectoralis Minor: Located underneath stabilization purposes, can also be the Pectoralis Major, this muscle targeted for specific development. originates on the middle ribs and attaches to the caracoid process of the Chest Slab Action! scapula. The Pectoralis Minor’s main Now that you know a little about function is to shrug the shoulder area anatomy and function, let’s delve into forward. what makes an outstanding chest. The movements and routines presented are Although the chest area is comprised designed to get the most out of each of these two muscle groups, many trip to the gym. Remember to always exercises will influence different areas use good form and not to use too much of the Pectoralis Major. Incline, flat and weight to compromise your safety.
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Flat, incline and decline bench barbell, dumbbell and Smith machine presses: these groups of movements normally make up the majority of trainers’ programs. The flat bench movements emphasize the middle and lower portions of the pectoralis major, the incline working mainly the upper and to a lesser extent the middle portion and the decline angle developing the lower “pec� area. These can all be performed with a barbell, dumbbell or Smith machine - each having their own advantages. Barbells Barbells are normally utilized for maximum loads and overall mass and development. They are good to use at the beginning of a routine so that the trainer can lift heavy amounts of weight
December, 2010 Issue
early on in their program. For barbell work, simply grasp the bar a few inches outside of your shoulder width (the best placement is a grip that positions the forearms perpendicular to the floor when the bar is lowered to the chest). Lower the bar to the upper chest for the incline version, mid to lower pec for the flat version and the lower pec line for the decline position. Without bouncing the bar, press the weight straight back up without locking the elbows. Dumbbells Dumbbells have the advantage of being used in a unilateral manner to which the trainer can not only even out imbalances from one side to the
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other, but also allows the pecs to work interdependently so that a trainer can bring the dumbbells together at the top of the movement for a strong contraction.
Flyes: These movements will carve detail and fill out key areas of the pectoralis major - such as the inside (with cables) and outside (with dumbbells) of the muscle.
Simply lie on a flat (for middle pecs), incline (for upper) or decline (for lower) with the dumbbells or cable “D” handles in your hands and your palms facing each other. For the cable version you will be using the universal cable machine and the pulleys in the lowest Be sure not to lock the elbows to keep position. constant tension on the muscles. Expand out your hands as if you were about to give someone a giant hug. Smith Machine A Smith machine is best utilized near Your elbows should be slightly bent to the middle or end of a routine when the relieve tension from your joints. Lower joints have been fatigued and proper the dumbbells or “D” rings to about chest level (or a comfortable position) balance and form become an issue. For dumbbell work, execute the movement the same way but lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest and then simultaneously press them back up and slightly toward the center without clanging the weights together.
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and then reverse the movement in the Machine Pec Deck: Another favorite of gym goers is the same hugging motion. pec deck machine. These are usually found with the pads for the forearms Quick Hint: or with the long straight-arm handles. This is where the two pieces of equipment differ. While using The most important point to remember dumbbells, do not touch the weight when performing these movements together at the top. Bring them (which is similar to the fly motions together until they are about six to discussed above) is to keep your eight inches apart - this will keep shoulders back and expand the chest tension on the pecs. For the cable out at all times. This will ensure the pecs flyes, bring the handles together for take more of the stress while protecting an intense contraction and squeeze. the shoulders. Be sure to squeeze for a second or two to increase muscle involvement and contraction. Machine Presses: Most gyms have some version of the machine press. Just be sure to adhere to Cable Crossovers: the guidelines as with presses described To get that deep inner chest development above - no lockout, slow on the way and an overall complete look to the chest, nothing beats cable crossovers. down and squeeze on the way up.
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These can be performed in a variety of Not just for boot camp anymore, this ways dependent upon what the goal is. old favorite has made a comeback lately, especially amongst functional and For the traditional high pulley cable group trainers. The push-up for most crossover grasp two “D� handles from trainers seeking a better pec landscape cables that are set above your head and can normally be reserved for the end of stand between the two cable towers. a chest routine to push just a little more You will start with a slight bend at the blood into that area. elbow to relieve pressure from the joint. Variations include incline for lower Step forward a foot or two and begin pecs (hands on a raise bench and feet with your arms wide open. Bring your on the floor), decline for upper pecs arms forward and down in a huge arc (hands on the ground and feet on a as if hugging someone with your hands raised bench) and floor push-ups for coming together at about belt-line level. overall pec torture! Slowly return to the starting position by raising your arms in the same arc Quick Hint: motion. This particular motion works mainly the lower and inner pec area. For even greater chest annihilation try performing a set or two of 3-way pushPush-Ups: ups as your last exercise. Start with
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decline, then move to flat and finally slight bend in the elbows. Lower the incline with no rest between sets - that weight back over your head in an arc is one set! toward the floor in a very controlled manner. Parallel Dips For Chest: Also used for triceps mass, the dip As you lower the weight, take in a deep can easily be turned into a major chest breath and stretch the chest. Stretch builder. Step inside a dip apparatus and only where you are comfortable and grasp the parallel bars about shoulder then reverse the motion while blowing width apart. As you lower your body, out. Remember deep breaths will help lean forward and let your elbows flare contract the pecs. out. You should feel a stretch in your pecs on the decent. For the barbell version lie back lengthwise on a flat bench and grasp a barbell While staying leaned forward, slightly wider than shoulder width with press back up focusing on the chest a reverse grip. With the barbell on your contracting. Weight can be added in chest (much like the bottom portion of the form of a dumbbell placed between a reverse-grip bench press) keep a 90 your ankles by a training partner or degree angle at the elbows. Rotate the by a dipping belt to hold plates. Note: weight up and over your head in an arc before adding weight, master the form toward the floor. first with just your body weight. Feel a deep stretch and then reverse Dumbbell And Barbell Pullovers: the motion to rotate the barbell back Another great chest expander focusing toward your torso. Remember to keep on the pectoralis minor and overall the correct angle at the elbows and depth is the pullover. Although many breathe in deeply on the decent. trainers utilize this movement for isolating the back, it is also extremely effective for “finishing off � the entire pec region. For dumbbell pullovers lay perpendicularly across a flat bench grasping the inside face of a dumbbell of moderate weight. Start with the weight directly overhead and keep a December, 2010 Issue
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Chest Slab Schedules Perform one of the below routines 1-2 times per week with at least 4 days rest between for maximum results. Feel free to interchange any workout that would best suit your needs.
Big Wide Pecs - Width Emphasis Flat Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps Incline Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 8-12 reps Note: Perform 2 sets of 10-15 reps on Dumbbell Or Barbell Pullover: 3 sets the first movement for a warm-up of 10-15 reps with light to moderate weight. Chest Pre-Exhaustion Overall Pec Builder Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of Incline Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps 6-10 reps Incline Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of Flat Bench Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps 8-12 reps Cable Crossover: 3 sets of 10-15 reps Decline Bench Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets Flat Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of 8-12 of 8-12 reps reps Cable Crossover: 3 sets of 10-15 reps Superset Blitz! Upper Chest Emphasis Superset: Incline Bench Dumbbell Press: 3 sets Incline Bench Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of of 8-12 reps 6-15 reps Incline Machine Press: 3 sets of 8-12 Incline Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of reps 6-15 reps Flat Bench Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of Superset: 8-12 reps Flat Bench Cable Flyes Or Pec Deck: 3 Cable Crossover: 3 sets of 10-15 reps sets of 6-15 reps Flat Bench Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of Lower Chest Emphasis 6-15 reps Decline Bench Barbell Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps Machine Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps Cable Crossover: 3 sets of 10-15 reps Image credits: Bodybuilding.com Parallel Dip: 3 sets of 10-15 reps or to Article Written By: Brad Borland failure (for Bodybuilding.com) December, 2010 Issue
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Plant | Pick | Eat
Eat Clean, Grow Lean, Live Green!
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MuscleIn
Chest
The pectoralis major extends across the upper part of the chest and is attached to a ridge at the rear of the humerus (the bone of the upper arm).
Anatomy The Chest muscles, or Pectoralis Major, aka “the Pecs”, are any of the muscles that connect the front walls of the chest with the bones of the upper arm and shoulder. There are two such muscles on each side of the sternum (breastbone) in the human body: pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. The pectoralis major, larger and close to the surface, originates at the clavicle (collarbone), the sternum, the ribs, and a tendinous extension of the external oblique abdominal muscle. December, 2010 Issue
Pectoralis Minor: Located underneath the Pectoralis Major, this muscle originates on the middle ribs and attaches to the caracoid process of the scapula. The Pectoralis Minor’s main function is to shrug the shoulder area forward. Function The function of the Pectoralis Major is to bring the humerus across the chest. A flye movement is the best example of this action. The Pectoralis Minor serves to move the shoulder area forward. This can be seen by shrugging your shoulder forward.
Resources: www.Bodybuilding.com www.Britannica.com
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Now available online at
www.TalkingFitness.com.au
December, 2010 Issue
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Get Rid of Toxic Chemicals on Your Fruit and Vegies
By Katrina Zaslavsky
eating fruits and vegetables daily and hopefully we are. Chemicals that we ingest, breathe and absorb daily accumulate in our bodies and have delayed effects. Long term when the body reaches toxic overload Are you aware that fruit and vegetables we begin to suffer from health problems, are sprayed with toxic chemicals often chronic ones that we don’t know designed to destroy insects via their how to deal with. nervous and respiratory systems? You That is why it is so important to lower may know them as pesticides. the toxic load on our bodies NOW so Do you think that something that is we don’t ingest so much in the first designed to kill insects and known to place and also help our body to do be toxic could possibly be good for us? its marvellous job of cleansing toxins daily. I don’t think so! When you think about it we ingest fruits and vegetables every single day along with their benefits and uninvited guests and contaminants - for the span of our entire life!
Article supplied with thanks to: www.inspiredwellness.com.au
That is pretty long term exposure by anyone’s standards (assuming we are December, 2010 Issue
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Calli™ tea and Fortune Delight™ are wonderful ways to do this very gently like a daily detox & replace other not so healthy drinks at the same time. Even kids love them and need no convincing of their benefits! If we are taking in toxins daily doesn’t it make sense to help our body to do this daily rather than detox only once a year or once a month when we go on a “health kick?”
I choose to use Sunsmile fruit and vegetable rinse to do the job quickly and easily without any hassles. This natural product derived from corn and coconut is a special formulation that effectively neutralises pesticides, destroys waxy coatings, parasites and their eggs and removes potentially harmful bacteria. As a result, the food tastes better, is safer to eat, prevents food poisoning and helps the fruits and veggies to last longer.
The good news is we CAN do something about those harmful pesticides and It is highly concentrated so a little bit nasty parasites (and this is an issue goes a long way and it works out to be whether you are eating organic or not). very economical as well so you can use it each week for the whole family. The Sunsmile fruit and vegetable rinse is a highly concentrated rinse proven effective in destroying eggs, cysts and larvae of intestinal parasites on our fruits and vegetables. Tests show that only 5ml mixed in 4 litres of water will destroy 99% of E. coli and salmonella bacteria, candida albicans (yeast) and other potentially harmful organisms naturally occurring in our everyday produce.
Order Now! December, 2010 Issue
The good news is this product is food grade and non-toxic. An apple can be taken from the solution and directly eaten with no further rinsing required. Pg. 46
This amazing product will neutralise pesticides and herbicides as well as removing the wax from your fruits and vegies.
less bitter it takes after washing and how much longer it stays fresh in the fridge. Who knows- maybe your kids will happily eat more broccoli now that its cleaner and tastier?
Spot the difference for yourself before and after washing this head of broccoli Handy hint: with Sunsmle Fruit and Vegetable Rinse for only a few minutes! Use it to sterilise your chopping boards and dishcloths, put leftover solution in See before and after pictures below: the toilet to kill bacteria, dilute in spray bottle and spray on plants to kill bugs Before and de-flea your pets! Get rid of lice from your kids heads!! This is the most economical and versatile way of eliminating chemicals and bacteria from your groceries and your home environment. It is also the first step to creating a healthy chemical - free home! After
If you have ever thought about how these toxic chemicals may be harming your health, then here is your chance to DO something about it!
Many families would love to go organic but simply can’t afford it as a long term solution. This is the most easy economical and effective way we have found to get pesticides off the menu for Notice how much greener and brighter good and your body will thank you for and less murky it looks after washing. it!! Try it at home and also taste the Image Credits: InspiredWellness.com.au difference for yourself! Notice how Article Written By: Katrina Zaslavsky (for InspiredWellness.com)
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Per Serve: Cals 169, Carb 3 gms, Fat 1 gms, Protein 33.9 gms
INGREDIENTS: 2 cups Egg White 450gm Tin Tuna 1/2 Cup Low Fat Milk 1 Cup Broccoli
TIP: Whole eggs can sometimes be expensive, not to mention messy to separate. Look for pasturised egg whites to make the job easier!
What To Do: 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 2. Mix egg whites and milk together in a large bowl. 3. Drain the tuna then break apart into a non-stick pie or cake tray. 4. Place broccoli on top of the tuna. 5. Pour the egg white and milk mixture over the top of the tuna and broccoli. 6. Bake for 40-60 mins on middle rack, or until cooked. 7. Remove from the oven and sit to cool. Note: Trying to remove the quiche before it has cooled may cause it to break apart. 8. Cut into serves and serve with a baby spinach salad. December, 2010 Issue
Recipe of the Month
Tuna & Egg White Quiche
Serves: 4
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Living Lupus
Health Feature
By Damian Fleming
In this day and age, the diagnosis of an illness such as lupus is not a death sentence. In fact, it’s far from it. Most people with lupus have to adjust their lifestyles in some way but can expect to enjoy an almost normal life. The key to living a good life with lupus is having knowledge about the condition, understanding what your limitations are and making the absolute most of what you have. Reference: www.lupusnsw.org.au
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What is Lupus? Lupus is an autoimmune disease. A normal healthy immune system recognises and destroys foreign objects like bacteria and viruses. With autoimmune diseases, however, the immune system starts to attack objects that are not foreign.
Who is most often affected? Although lupus can affect anybody, 90% of lupus patients are women. Of these, 90% develop the condition during their reproductive years. Lupus also appears to have a higher incidence among certain ethnic groups and regions, such as the Philippines and China as well
With lupus, the immune system produces an excess of proteins called antibodies that attach themselves to various structures in the body. The accumulation of these antibodies in the tissues can cause inflammation, damage and pain What causes Lupus? Despite many years of research, the cause of lupus is still not known. Scientists believe there are several things that may trigger the formation of the antibodies, including genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. Some of the possible triggers include: -Hormones (females between the age of 15 and 45 are most commonly affected) -Certain medications -Dietary factors -Viruses and bacteria -Stress -Genetics -Pregnancy -Exposure to UV light
December, 2010 Issue
as affecting African Americans and Latinos, in America. Lupus has also been known to affect children, mostly around puberty, men, at a rate of about 1 for every 9 women and with no distinct vulnerability period, and seniors, though seniors tend to have much milder symptoms. Pg. 50
Types of Lupus There are two main types of lupus:
that varies in severity. While it has many characteristic symptoms, most patients will never experience all Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), of them. Similarly, no two patients almost any organ or system of the body experience identical symptoms. Onset can be sudden and severe or can be low can be affected in this form of lupus. level, taking years before diagnosis. Discoid lupus (also known as chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus), Several symptoms are seen in the initial usually appears as a red scaly rash on stages of lupus. These can include, sun-exposed areas such as the face, fatigue, weakness, lethargy, joint pain scalp, arms, legs or trunk. Discoid lupus or swelling, skin rashes and fever. is generally a milder disease than SLE. Other symptoms that can indicate In milder forms of Lupus, such as Lupus include a rash over the cheeks, subacute cutaneous lupus, skin rashes, photosensitivity reaction to sunlight, sun sensitivity and joint aches are the nose or mouth ulcers, arthritis, main symptoms. serositis, renal disorder, neurological Drug-induced lupus is usually a disorder, haematological disorders transient form that develops as a (such as anaemia, leukopenia and reaction to certain medications. It thrombocytopenia), joint pain, hair clears up when the medications are loss, myalgia, pleuritis or chest pain. ceased. Diagnosing Lupus The signs and symptoms of Lupus Lupus is not an easy condition to Lupus is an unpredictable condition diagnose. Symptoms are often similar to other illnesses and tend to come and go. Diagnosis is usually made on the basis of clinical symptoms and on the presence of certain antibodies in the blood. Generally, experiencing four or more of the indicated symptoms might prompt further investigation by a GP to check for Lupus. December, 2010 Issue
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and thought, many Lupus sufferers can lead mostly normal lives.
Treating Lupus The aim of treating lupus is to reduce inflammation in tissues and bring under control the abnormalities in the immune system that cause the inflammation. Treatment also enables the patient to live a fuller life. As no two patients are alike, treatment is tailored to the individual, taking account of the severity of the disease and the organs involved. There are four main groups of drugs used to treat lupus. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, used for pain relief and inflammatory conditions, antimalarial drugs, particularly effective when the skin and joints are involved, corticosteroids, dampen inflammation and are very effective at relieving the symptoms of active lupus and immunosuppressants, to suppress or dampen the immune system.
QuickTips: Get plenty of rest. Get moderate exercise. Avoid stress, or learn to de-stress. Avoid excessive sun exposure. Avoid contact with people who have an infection. Knowledge is power, learn as much as you can. Eat well from each food group, or stick with your prescribed diet if on restrictions. Keep a list of your symptoms and any questions you might have for your doctor. Keep a record of your medications and inform your doctor regularly. Always take your medications as you have been instructed. Visit your doctor regularly particularly if you feel a flare up. Find a support group, remember that you are not alone. Find a support group to build your network of support, especially with others living with Lupus.
Tips For Living With Lupus Having lupus does not mean an end to living. With a bit of careful planning December, 2010 Issue
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Hit The New Year Head On!| Coach Thad | Bring It Back! FitLife Kids | Goal Power Training | And Loads More! December, 2010 Issue
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TF www.TalkingFitness.com.au FitLife Magazine is Copyright to Damian Fleming | TalkingFitness 2010
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