Monthly ArchiveJuly 2008
Wellness 31 Jul 2008 10:11 am
Get Back Pain Relief Using a Hawaiian Massage Chair
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Maybe you get pain or aches in the back. Do you just live with it or have you tried to seek treatment? Many times treatments for back pain will include massage therapy. Massage therapy eases aches and pains, increases blood flow and helps the healing process. One massage technique, the Hawaiian massage is good for back pain relief. The Hawaiian massage therapy uses swaying motions with deeper tissue penetration and some stretching.
Hawaiian Lomi massage means “Loving Hands” to represent working gently, yet deeply to relieve those problem areas. The Lomi Lomi massage is a holistic massage used throughout the entire body, but it is particularly effective up and down the spine. The Lomi Lomi massage originated with the ancient Polynesians and then was further developed by the master healers of Hawaii.
These ancient practitioners saw the total energy flow through the body. They say that energy flow was sometimes hindered in certain regions, yet flowed in others. In time a holistic approach to healing and well being was developed. But specifically what they found was areas of energy blockage could be manipulated. With the development of different massage techniques, the energy flow of the body could be restored. This restoration brought back balance to the body.
The gentle swaying motions of the Hawaiian massage set it apart from other techniques. These rhythmic movements help to reduce the tightness of muscles. Muscles become tight when used, so loosening the muscles helps to restore their elasticity and flexibility. These massage therapy also uses elements of deep tissue. Deep tissue is used to relieve the whole muscle down to the bone, not just the surface areas. Firm pressure is used to penetrate through the muscles.
Hawaiian massage techniques are now being integrated into the best massage chair brands like Panasonic and Omega. Panasonic has developed software programs that replicate the key techniques of Hawaiian massage. You can find one-touch massage buttons just for this specialized therapy technique. Other companies like Omega have integrated some of the more effective movements like the gentle swaying motion. Omega also includes stretching or lower body traction in its recliners to help the stretching and loosening of tight muscles for great relief.
You may be surprised how far massage recliners have advanced. They provide full body therapy and an astonishing array of massage techniques. The Lomi Lomi massage is the one of the latest to be integrated into these tireless mechanical masseuses. If you have back pain, check with your health care professional about a massage chair. They offer tremendous capability and with the addition of Hawaiian massage can take to higher states of relaxation and tranquility.
Exercise 31 Jul 2008 03:47 am
5 Important Features of Massage Chairs
We present the 5 top features you should consider when buying a massage chair. These features help you really tailor the massage chairs to your needs. There are so many choices when it comes to massage chairs. You want to sort the wheat from the chaff. If you are seriously considering a massage chair, then think about these most important features and how they might help you.
Finger Press Massage: The pressing massage is usually available in most massage chairs. The finger press is a straight up and down rolling massage on your back. This is great to adjust your cervical discs. The rollers press up and down your spine for great relief. Make sure that you can adjust the width of the rollers. Most have 3 width adjustments and some as many as 5. Varying the width enables you to hit a wider area more accurately.
Heat Therapy: Heat has great healing abilities when applied in the right situations. Many of the top robotic recliners have integrated heating elements into their chairs. Some chairs have the capability to heat only one area while others can heat multiple areas. If you can get the heating with individual area controls, this way you can apply heat to just the area(s) you really want. Heat is very relaxing and helps reduce swelling and increase blood flow.
Auto Programs: Most massage chairs come with automatic programs. Just press a button and the massage chair takes over and delivers the massage. The auto programs follow pre-set programs as designed by the manufacturers. The auto programs are set to control the various massage techniques, locations, massage systems and durations. All auto programs are not created equal. You want to make sure that the auto programs will perform massage therapies that you want. If you have lower back pain, then you want to make sure the program can adequately cover that area.
Hip Air Bags: Many of the best massage chairs have integrated hip air bags into the recliner. The hip air bags inflate to provide an air compression massage to the hips. These air bags wrap around the sides providing soothing relief. The hip air bags are built into the seat unit and are sequenced in the software program of the automatic massages. Usually, the user can select the air bags individually, allowing one to just focus on the hips.
Music - Massage Synchronization: The top massage chair manufacturers have incorporated a music and massage synchronization function. This is a fascinating technology. With the touch of a button, the massage will synchronize its movements to the rhythm of the music. The intensity of the massage also varies with the tempo. Rock music will produce a more invigorating massage then say classical music. It is an interesting technology and when coupled with the right music can be very effective in reducing stress.
We are presenting the five key features that are available from the best massage chairs on the market today. These features represent some interesting innovation on the part of the massage chair manufacturers. These chairs continue to advance rapidly and the choices are getting wider and the features more effective. Make sure you determine the important results you want for your longer term massage therapy needs. Find the right chair just for your needs.
Exercise 31 Jul 2008 03:44 am
Can’t Lose Weight and Lost Interest?
It is not a bad idea to lose some weight, because it’ll make you look and feel better and healthier. However, it is easy to lose interest in your diet, because it’s not easy to lose weight.
The aim of most diets is to reduce the calories you consume, most of them are healthy but they will leave you feeling hungry and irritable.
Dieting also makes us crave the foods we can’t eat, while dieting. These are a few good reasons you lose interest in diets. The payoff of dieting is, we lose the extra pounds and look better for it. Yet, many people will gain much of the lost weight back, within a short time. Why is that?
Maybe we need to look at our eating habits, basically our lifestyle, more closely. The way we were eating was making us gain weight and affecting our figure, so we address it by changing to a weight loss eating plan.
When we all embark on a weight loss program we’re all motivated and ready to go, even more so if we lose a couple of pounds, and that’s a very good thing, but healthy plans take a few weeks to a few months to get us to our target weight. Keeping ourselves motivated for this time is very difficult especially because we’re craving our favorite foods.
The majority of people lose interest in their diet within 2 weeks, maybe even sooner. The secret is to look ahead and maintain your motivation for what will come, you have to be patient.
Many people have been on quick crash diets, they lost weight but then gained it back again. The lesson they learn is to make small changes in lifestyle and eating habits.
Perhaps finding a diet plan or creating a diet plan that you will be able to follow for life is the key to not losing interest in it. There a lots of creative plans that allow you to still eat your favorite foods, perhaps just not as much, but it will get you excited.
Exercise is a large part of losing weight. Finding aerobic exercises that you enjoy doing, will make a significant difference in your weight loss outlook. Some people enjoy biking and swimming. Other individuals like to run and jog. Finding a type of aerobic that you enjoy, can make a world of difference.
You will be rewarded if you give yourself enough time to get into the new routine, which means you will stay motivated, which means that changes to your eating and daily exercise will become a habit, which means you will lose weight and keep it off.
Exercise 31 Jul 2008 03:33 am
9 Core Strength Training Focus Points
The “core” is a collection of hundreds of muscles - the abs (all layers), lower to mid back, upper pelvic region, the obliques and the world famous ‘love handles’ areas are loaded with muscles of all different sizes, shapes, lengths and angles. All these muscles require specific core exercises to get the desired core strength training effect.
The wonderful thing about these muscles is that they are placed so closely together and some of them are even placed one behind the other in a layered fashion. When all these are worked on properly with the right exercise program you will get an amazing core. No doubt about it. But the question is when?
Unlike most so called “core” fitness workouts that are now so widespread, the best core exercises are the ones that work on everyone of these muscles and together build the entire core of the body.
Avoiding your upper, middle and lower core - the love handles - the obliques - the lower and mid back areas will not only make it impossible for you to get killer abs, but also can lead to serious injury. And you think these injuries are rare? People get injured everyday because of the lack of proper guidance when it comes to workout, and that’s one reason why physio-therapists are so busy nowadays.
The best core workouts don’t even require a single machine or some silly but expensive gadgets.
Ideal core workouts can be done anywhere, anytime. The only thing these exercises need is our body, our natural movement patterns and how your muscles work in real world gravity.
One of the biggest mistakes folk like me make is that they try to copy the technique of body builders and power lifters. The fact that most people don’t realize is that they are not bodybuilders or power lifters. In the process they tend to over train themselves leading to a lot of wasted time and injuries that are serious and injuries that sometimes even last for a long time.
A proper abs workout should be able to most effectively work out the entire mid-section and core, in minimal amount of time with no risk of injuries. Finding such an exercise is very difficult but here are some things you should focus on when planning your core workout.
1. Choose a collection that provides you with proper stimulus to become lean, defined, flat, strong and solid. These core workouts should work on your entire midsection.
2. There a certain exercises that are specifically responsible for creating those lines that give the abs that “six pack” look.
3. There are several functional moves that create the small diagonal muscles on the sides of the ribcage.
4. Exercises that target the love handles, those that diminish them to zero or at least firm them up.
5. Any time, anywhere Core workouts.
6. Exercises those are appropriate for both men and women.
7. A truly effective core workout should not kill the person doing it. No injuries, no six days worth of soreness. The core exercises should be workable on behalf of the person doing it. Many trainers and fitness freaks misinterpret the word ‘killer’ as in ‘killer ab workout’.
8. Choose a blend of exercises that will build you evenly on every side of your abs.
9. Choose specific exercises that are derived from injury rehab programs. These exercises should be able to strengthen and tone the deepest layers of the ab , the core and the most sensitive muscles of the lower back region.
Exercise 31 Jul 2008 02:57 am
3 Food Groups That Are Vital For Muscle Growth
You’ve been diligently training day in and day out, lifting those weights and are encouraged with some results you are getting. Now you want to be a little more serious, you want to know what foods you want to eat so as to help you with your building.
These 3 main food groups that you should include in your diet to build muscle are:
#1 - High Quality Protein
High quality protein is easily absorbable and is available in foods like lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, skim milk, cottage cheese, peanuts and whey. Protein repairs and builds muscles that are damaged. It also plays a major role as a nutrient for people who are increasing their lean mass.
#2 - High Fibers, Low Glycemic Carbohydrates
Include Carbohydrates in your diet to help you build muscle and maintain maximum hormonal environment within your body. Carbs help absorb proteins and most importantly, provide your body and brain with necessary energy to last you all throughout the day.
Foods like oatmeal, yams, brown rice and whole wheat products slowly release low glycemic sources of carbohydrates which will enable a steady flow of sugar all throughout the day.
#3 - Healthy, Unsaturated Fats
Essential fatty acids enhance testosterone levels in your body which helps in building more muscle and also improve metabolism which helps in absorbing your food faster. They will not make anyone fat, in fact, they are very beneficial in the muscle growing process.
Foods that are rich in these fats are to occupy major part in your diet. fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and liquids like flaxseed and olive oil etc all come under this category.
The three food groups that are included in the above discussion must form a major part, if not all, of your diet. Your meals should be spread over 5 to 7 meals a day. It might be really hard to juggle between training and healthy eating, however, these small things can reap great benefits in the longer run.
Motivation 30 Jul 2008 11:10 pm
5 Simple Success Tips
Here are 5 success tips that are not only powerful, but also easy to understand and simple to implement. You can use these ideas to accelerate success in your work, life and business.
1. Remove the clutter — We are a society of consumers. You can buy a product that promises to fix or enhance almost anything. There are products that will teach you how to get out of debt, make more money, or improve your tennis game. You can even buy tips for success.
As a result, we are overflowing with stuff. We have too many products that we never use. Much of it doesn’t perform as we expected when we do use it.
We have cable TV channels and DVD movies that we never watch. We own bikes we never ride, and books we never read. We have sofas we never site on and exercise equipment we never use.
Getting rid of the clutter opens us up to receiving new things, and having new experiences. Too much junk clogs up the pipes, so to speak.
Removing the clutter means having fewer, but more powerful and effective thoughts. It means being more focused and more effective. It also means taking fewer, but more powerful and efficient actions, and having fewer, but more meaningful relationships.
2. Don’t chase after success — Instead of chasing success, become task oriented and tackle and complete each task set before you. Envision in your mind what it is you want, and then break down the steps into tasks that are easy to do. Taking this approach prevents overwhelm, and avoids the top success killer; giving up.
3. Create daily habits — Choose 10 things that inspire you and create habits around those things. Don’t choose things that you feel you should do. Instead, choose things that juice you up and replace any old bad habits with these instead.
4. Get your work done in record time — Most of us have been there. You’ve had a month to complete a project, but you’ve hardly worked on it. It’s 3 days before the deadline, and you finish, just under the wire.
If you can complete a project in 3 hours instead of 3 days, then complete it in the first 3 hours. Then use the remaining time to reward yourself and do something that inspires you. Spend time giving to others, or work on personal goals or your part-time business.
5. Know what you want and determine your outcome — Decide on what you want up front. Make a commitment. Decide to commit to taking the necessary actions, to following through, and decide to accept the consequences of your actions.
Add each of these success tips to your life, one per month for the next 5 months. You’ll see an improvement in your productivity and your results in a short time.
Exercise 30 Jul 2008 08:18 pm
Does your golf swing need improving
Three Often Overlooked Tips to Improve Your Golf Game Every golfer is always looking for a way to improve their golf game. It does not matter if you are trying to break 100 for the first time or if you are trying to shoot your first subpar round, every golfer is looking for the best way to shave strokes off their game. There are actually several ways to help you improve your golf game and here we will talk about a few that many golfers actually overlook and they can quite easily help you save a couple of strokes off your game almost immediately.
Allow a professional take a proper look at your swing, every golfer should at least once a year let a golf pro take a look at their swing. That way we could have our swing checked for bad habits we are starting to develop. For instance a lot of folks assume bad habits quite quickly and do not realize how it comes their golf game has suddenly turned terrible. Often it derives from bad habits you easily get into the habit of doing. These habits may be comparatively minor like adjusting your grip or not squaring yourself to the ball properly or some bigger mistakes like coming across the top. Having your swing checked might save you lots of aggravation on the track and assist you in shaving some shots off your round. Get the best Clubs
The greatest errors that the nonprofessional golfers make is purchasing golf-clubs that do not make it for them. By buying the right clubs your can improve your golf game right away . This could be for a lot of reasons, like having the correct shaft is paramount; you could lose distance for having a shaft that is either too light or too firm for your swing. Other examples could be to have clubs that the loft does not fit your swing. If the loft is not right you will not systematically hit the ball on the “sweet spot” and you will not get everything you can from your club and you will be very inconsistent on the course.
Find the Proper Ball Many golfers look at the pros such as Tiger Woods and they think to themselves if they just used the same ball as he does their ball would probably go much further. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact there are very few golfers that should even consider using the exact ball as Tiger. This is because you cannot copy the same club head speed as he has, there for the compression on the ball is not the same. So find a ball that actually works with the club head speed that you generate. This will help improve your golf game as you will begin to learn what distance your ball travels and what type of action you get on your ball. Once you find a ball that works for you always use that type of ball during your rounds, do not switch them.
When you are trying to improve your golf game you need to look at everything that you do. These three tips are often times underestimated to how important they are to lowering your score. So have your swing checked by a professional, get properly fitted for clubs, and find a ball that actually works for the club head speed you generate.
Exercise 30 Jul 2008 07:17 pm
The 4 Eternal Pillars of Muscle Building
No body wants to be “fluffy.” Being muscular is not only healthy but it is also physically attractive, cool and… really sexy.
A body that features a pair of “love handles” and a nicely rounded belly isn’t very attractive or sexy anywhere or anytime… but it’s especially unattractive and definitely not sexy when you stick it in a swimsuit and take it out to the pool or beach. Like it or not, MUSCLE is more attractive than fat!
Physical fitness is based on the development of muscle and the simultaneous loss of fat. You want to KEEP the muscle that you have and build on it, while getting rid of that “fluffiness.”
These four pillars of muscle building are eternal and unchanging, no matter your age, sex, or starting weight:
1. Strength Training 2. Cardio Training 3. Diet 4. Mental Training
If you leave out any one of these four pillars of muscle building, your efforts will fail. Also you can’t build muscle on just one pillar at a time. ALL of the pillars must be used from the very beginning of any muscle building program for you to be successful.
Muscle Building Pillar #1: Strength Training
All of the muscle building programs that I’ve ever seen start with strength training… generally weight lifting. Weight lifting is a good strength training option but it isn’t the only one.
Body weight exercises can be used instead of or in conjunction with weight lifting. If you do a push up, you’ve lifted your body weight. If you do a chin-up, you’ve lifted your body weight.
Muscle Building Pillar #2: Cardio Training
Cardio training is usually called aerobic exercise. Walking, jogging, cycling, cardio machines, aerobic exercise classes are all cardio training options.
Muscle Building Pillar #3: Diet
The idea here is to nourish the muscle while dropping the fat, and doing it without starving the whole body. Starvation diets and “fad” diets simply don’t work over the long haul and “low carb” diets are not good for producing results when you want to build muscle.
A rather reduced calorie - but nutritionally balanced - diet is the one that will work. Eat healthy and depend on the extra exercise to burn the fat.
Muscle Building Pillar #4: Mental Training
Most people think that the insurance height/weight tables can tell them how physically fit they are. They also believe that a scale is the only tool needed to find out whether a physical fitness program is working. That’s just wrong.
The weight to height ratio is important, but it’s NOT the only factor. The mind must toss out old worn out fitness ideas and accept the fact that percentage of body fat is a much more important factor than a number on the scale - and the way that clothes fit and how you look is an even more important factor.
Exercise 30 Jul 2008 07:01 pm
10 Weight Loss Secrets of “Big Losers
It’s no wonder shows like “The Biggest Loser” are so popular. The money spent on junk food companies that push fat and sugar rivals the rating for the weight loss shows.
Studying what all the most successful “losers” have in common, I’ve come up with these 10 “secrets” of the “big losers.”
1. Make a plan 2. Set reasonable, reachable goals 3. Write it down 4. Exercise! 5. Find encouragement 6. Drink Water! 7. Get enough rest 8. Eat a balanced diet 9. Eat more often 10. Prepare for temptation!
Secret #1: Make a plan!
Think carefully about how you are going to achieve your desired weight loss. What will you need to change as far as shopping, schedules, eating out, etc.?
Secret #2: Set reasonable, reachable goals!
You didn’t put those extra pounds on overnight, so they won’t come off overnight. Start with something you KNOW you can do - one pound a week is much more realizable than two pounds a week. Be ready to alter your goals and not beat yourself up about it.
Secret #3: Write it down
Take out some paper. Write down exactly how you are going to lose those pounds. Also write your long and short term goals. A long term goal might be “lose 50 pounds.” A short term goal might be “lose one pound this week” or “don’t eat junk food this week.”
Secret #4: Exercise!
Weight is lost in two ways. One is to eat fewer calories than the body burns. The other is to burn more calories than the body consumes with work out. So be sure to include the correct kinds of exercise in your plan.
Secret #5: Find encouragement
A diet and exercise program is feeling alone business. Find online and offline weight loss groups for support. You can also find encouragement in books written by those who have done it.
Secret #6: Drink Water!
Water cleans out your system, flushes toxins, and prevents dehydration. It’s vital to stay fully hydrated, particularly when you are dieting.
Secret #7: Get enough rest
And let’s face it, when you’re sleeping you’re not eating or THINKING about eating ;-)! It’s easier to keep going when you aren’t sleep deprived and cranky.
Secret #8: Eat a balanced diet
You can stay on a balanced diet for a lifetime, and that’s the whole point. Forget low carb, low fat, no carb, no fat, no this, no that. You need a little of everything. Eat good quality food that’s heavy on the fruits and vegetables and lighter on everything else.
Secret #9: Eat more often
Eating six small meals a day is better than eating three bulky meals. Your body doesn’t get too hungry, and your blood sugar and metabolism are more stable.
Secret #10: Prepare for temptation!
When you know that you are going to be in an over-eating temptation situation, prepare for it! If you aren’t hungry, it’s a lot easier not to cheat but when you are Eat a substantial but low calorie snack before you leave home.
Exercise 30 Jul 2008 06:22 pm
Tired Of Not Losing Weight? Lose Pounds, Avoid These Mistakes
Some don’t lose any weight, even after trying very hard and committing to look better
Diets make us crave the things we shouldn’t have, even though they may be healthy, but you end up feeling miserable and hungry.
But, do not despair; you can lose weight if you know what mistakes to avoid.
1. Avoid Crash Diets
A big mistake is opting for a crash diet for short term results.
Thousands of people follow these diets every year hoping to lose weight quickly.
Most people put back all the weight, with interest, because these diets are not sustainable.
2. To Be Obsessed About The Diet
You shouldn’t waste time thinking about the diet, this is another big mistake.
This can cause you to think more about food and that is one of the last things you want to dwell upon when you are trying to lose weight.
3. Make an effort to do some exercise
Whether we like it or not, exercising plays a big part in losing weight. To really lose pounds it is not enough to just reduce the amount of calories we take in. Although cutting down on calories is very important, exercise is the engine that burns calories.
Finding aerobics exercises that you enjoy doing, will make a huge difference in your weight loss outlook. This will help your body to burn calories a lot faster than by doing no exercises at all.
4. Don’t Rush It
You will have to give the diet some time to start working, it’s a big mistake thinking that you will see results from the beginning.
You will end up throwing in the towel if you set unrealistic goals and expect to reach them in the first week.

