Doddy Estiara

Health Guidelines for Ramadhan

2011-07-30T00:06:00.001+07:00

This article provides useful advice on how to avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadhan. The advice should enable one to fast comfortably and enjoy fully the spiritual benefits of Ramadhan.

During Ramadhan, our diet should not differ greatly from normal and should be as simple as possible. We should be able to maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadhan is an ideal time to lose weight.

We should aim to consume slow digesting foods including fiber-containing foods. Slow-digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last only 3 to 4 hours.

Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, etc. (complex carbohydrates).

Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (refined carbohydrates).

Fibre-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains, seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, methie, fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.

Meals should be well-balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.

AVOID

Fried and fatty foods.
Foods containing too much sugar.
Over-eating especially at sehri.
Too much tea at sehri. Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.
Smoking cigarettes. If you cannot give up, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadhan.

EAT

Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer.
Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is a slow-burning food.
Dates are excellent source of sugar, fibre, carbohydrates, potassium & magnesium.
Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with less fat.
Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

DRINK

As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.

*****

PROBLEMS TO AVOID DURING RAMADAN

CONSTIPATION

Constipation can cause piles (haemorroids), fissures (cracks in anal canal) and indigestion, with a bloated feeling.
Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fibre in the diet.
Remedy: Avoid refined foods, increase water intake, use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti.

INDIGESTION AND WIND

Causes: Over-eating. Excessive fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, fizzy drinks like Cola also produce gas.
Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to wind-producing foods.

LETHARGY ('low blood pressure')

Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting, paleness and feeling faint are symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This tends to occur towards the afternoon.
Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake.
Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.
Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadhan. They should consult their doctor.

HEADACHE

Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, too much exercise, lack of sleep, hunger usually occur during the day and worsen towards the evening. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.
Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadhan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganise your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR

Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), headache, and palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.
Causes in non-diabetics: Excessive sugar consumption i.e. refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.
Remedy: Eat something at sehri, and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.
Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor.

MUSCLE CRAMPS

Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.
Remedy: Eat foods rich in these minerals e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates.
Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor.

PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, AND GASTRITIS

Increased acid levels in an empty stomach aggravate the above conditions. It causes a burning feeling in the stomach area and can extend up to the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions.
Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadhan.

KIDNEY STONES

Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquids to drink. Therefore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation.

JOINT PAINS

Causes: Extra salah during Ramadhan increases pressure on the knee joints. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may cause pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.
Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadhan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Being physically fit allows greater fulfilment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease.

SOURCE: www.ramadhanzone.com/ramadhan_health.asp

Maintain Weight During Ramadan

2011-07-29T23:53:00.001+07:00

The month of Ramadan is a great opportunity to focus on bringing back a balanced and healthy lifestyle in your life. Through fasting you begin to learn how to manage your eating habits, how to improve self-control and discipline. This month requires you to give the stomach a break, and by doing so you are able to break down and expel the accumulated toxins from your body.

Balanced food and fluid intake is important between fasts. The kidney is very efficient at maintaining the body's water and salts, such as sodium and potassium. However, these can be lost through sweating. To prevent muscle breakdown, meals must contain adequate levels of 'energy food', such as carbohydrates and some fat. Hence, a balanced diet with adequate quantities of nutrients, salts and water is vital.

People gain weight when their energy intake exceeds their energy output. In other words, this happens when a person consumes calories (eating) more than he/she burns (in physical activity). Watching our weights is necessary for a healthy life. You can easily use the occasion of Ramadan to lose some weight. You don't have to stop eating or avoid going to Iftars. You just have to follow a few guidelines:

To remain healthy during Ramadan, normal quantities of food from the major food groups: bread and cereal, milk and dairy product, fish, meat and poultry, bean, vegetable and fruit should be consumed. (Vegetarians and Vegans should amend this list as appropriate). Intake of fruits after a meal is strongly suggested. In actual fact, our diet in Ramadan should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible.
Avoid eating too many carbohydrates. Most Iftar dinners are composed of a ton of carbohydrates. Pasta, rice, bread, sweets and sugars are the most common culprits. Try to avoid these. No, your host will not be offended. Instead of eating a ton of rice with the red sauce, try to cut the rice out totally and just have the sauce.
Suhoor or Sehri, the pre-dawn meal, should be a wholesome, moderate meal that is filling and provides enough energy for many hours. It is therefore particularly important to include slowly-digesting foods in the suhoor. Complex carbohydrates are foods that will help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting. Complex carbohydrates are found in grains and seeds, like barley, wheat, oats, millets, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, basmati rice, etc. Eat whole wheat or oat cereal or whole wheat bread, 1-2 serving with a cup of milk. Add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil in a salad or the cereal. Eat 1-2 servings of fruits, as a last item.
Iftar is the meal which breaks the day's fast. This meal could include dates, following the Prophetic traditions. Dates will provide a refreshing burst of much-needed energy. Fruit juices will also have a similar, revitalising effect. The meal should remain a meal and not become a feast! Try to minimise the rich, special dishes that traditionally celebrate the fast.
Eat fiber-rich foods. Fibre-rich foods are also digested slowly and include bran, cereals, whole wheat, grains and seeds, potatoes with the skin, vegetables such as green beans and almost all fruit, including apricots, prunes, figs, etc.
Consuming enough protein during each of your Ramadan meals will keep you feeling full until the next meal, preventing you from eating too many sweets. Good sources of protein include fish, skinless chicken, lean meat cuts, and legumes (chickpeas and beans), nuts and seeds.
Drinking of sufficient water and juices between Iftar and sleep to avoid dehydration and for detoxification of the digestive system should be encouraged in fasting individuals.
Fried foods, very spicy foods and foods containing too much sugar such as sweets, the delight of many, can cause health problems and should be limited during Ramadan. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems. Fasting can often increase gastric acidity levels in the stomach causing a burning feeling, a heaviness in the stomach and a sour mouth. This can be overcome by eating foods rich in fiber such as whole wheat bread, vegetables, humus, beans and fruits. These foods trigger muscular action, churning and mixing of food, breaking it into small particles, and thus help reduce the build up of acid in the stomach.
In addition to these eating habits, people should do some physical activity of any kind depending on their health status and preferences. Walking for thirty minutes after iftar, for example, is recommended. Another important point is getting adequate sleep and not exceeding the needed hours.

In addition, diabetics taking insulin should consult their doctor to see if their dose can be adjusted for them to fast during Ramadan. In all cases of Muslim diabetics fasting, they should closely monitor their blood sugar levels especially before and after meals.

source: www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/maintain-weight-during-ramadan-3081378

Weight Training Tips from Arnold Schwarzenegger: Create a monster

2011-07-28T22:04:00.001+07:00

Create a monster
by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Novel approaches to training can be the best way to shock your muscles.

I talk so much about the many common ways to add intensity to your workouts - techniques like drop sets, forced reps, rest-pauses and holding peak contractions - that I sometimes forget the not-so-obvious ones. Recently, I thought back to some of the innovative ways that my fellow bodybuilders and I achieved that extra bit of intensity in a workout, as we always pursued another 5-10 pounds of new muscle growth. Here are three of the more creative measures we took.

Partial Holds
This novel technique involves holding a relatively light weight steady at various points along the path of an exercise, which forces the muscle to maintain a constant contraction for extended periods.

Let’s use lateral raises as an example. After reaching failure on a straight set, I lifted the dumbbells out to my sides only 5 inches or so and held them there for 10 seconds. That may not sound like such a big deal, but believe me, it provides a painful end to a set. When I was seeking an even greater burn, I’d do this another time or two after resting for 15 seconds, almost like rest-pausing. Give it a try the next time you feel you’ve hit a plateau. This works similarly with pull-ups. At the end of a set, lift yourself only a few inches above the bottom of the rep and hold this position for as long as you can. What a way to force your lats to grow wider!

Multi-Exercise Sets
This one’s great, though you almost never see it done at the gym. Instead of performing, say, four sets of one exercise, do one set each of four different exercises for the same bodypart.

Using chest as an example, this might entail doing one set of barbell incline presses, resting a minute or so - this is not a superset, mind you - then doing a set of flat-bench dumbbell presses, resting, then a set of incline flyes, resting for another minute, and finishing with weighted (or bodyweight-only) dips. Think about it: By performing four different movements, you employ different angles and stresses on the same muscles each set. You can do this for your entire workout, which may require getting creative since you’ll do about 10 distinct exercises, or you can finish your routine the way you normally do, picking 2-3 more exercises for that muscle group and performing 3-4 sets of each.

“One-and-a-Half” Method
Finally, you have one-and-a-halves, which I think of as a less elaborate way of doing 21s (in which you perform the top half of a rep seven times, then the bottom half seven times, then finish with seven full reps).

With this method, you follow each full rep with a half rep. The goal, of course, is to experience a maximum burn in your target muscles. Let me explain how to do this for biceps. On a given set of standing barbell or dumbbell curls, follow every full rep with one in which you go only halfway up or halfway down. When I used this technique, I made sure that I performed every half rep very slowly and strictly. Toward the end of the set I often had to cheat the full reps up because my biceps were in such excruciating pain.

Add these three techniques to your current routine and I promise you’ll experience a new kind of soreness - and muscle growth!

source: www.muscleandfitness.com/training/arms/create-monster

Weight Training Tips from Arnold Schwarzenegger: Reach your peak

2011-07-28T21:38:00.001+07:00

Reach your peak
by Arnold Schwarzenegger

For me, developing each bodypart - and, as a result, my entire body - to its full potential was all about going the extra mile in every workout, every set and, more specifically, every rep. That’s where peak contractions came into play.

Peak contractions entail consciously flexing and squeezing a muscle at the point it’s under the most stress during a rep. Flexing your biceps at the midpoint of a curl, for example, is a peak contraction and should be held for anywhere from a brief moment to several seconds.

The primary benefit of executing peak contractions on a given repetition is that you’re able to intensify the contraction and therefore the stress on that particular muscle. The more stress you place on the muscle, the more growth you stimulate.

With most exercises, the best way to achieve peak contraction is simply to pause at the top of the movement and mentally “squeeze” the muscle. For example, when doing dumbbell lateral raises for deltoids, I recommend holding the weights at the top position (arms parallel to the floor) and pausing for a second or two before lowering. While in this position, flex your delts as intensely as possible. Just this extra moment of pause will considerably intensify the repetition.

To achieve peak contraction, oftentimes you’ll need to use less weight than you usually do. Rowing exercises provide a good example: Many bodybuilders have big, broad backs but no middle- and inner-back detail. This is likely because they use too much weight on cable and machine rows and cannot bring their shoulders back far enough to achieve peak contraction. To avoid this, try using a little less resistance on rows, and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep, holding this position for a moment to maximize the peak contraction.

To get maximum intensity when doing peak contractions, I suggest the following tips:

>> For a period of quality training, try performing peak contractions for entire workouts (using appropriate movements); remember, you’ll have to decrease your poundages. Alternatively, you might prefer to use peak contractions on only the final few reps of the last two sets of an exercise.

>> Achieve peak contraction by squeezing your target muscles at or near the apex of each rep for anywhere between one and several seconds. This is the basis of the peak contraction principle, so it’s worth repeating.

>> Some free-weight exercises, like curls and flyes, require you to stop short of the top of the rep to get the most benefit from peak contraction. Others, like lateral raises and rows, allow you to continue to the very top.

>> Cables and machines are a great way to utilize peak contractions because they provide constant tension on your muscles.

>> Practice flexing and contracting your muscles between sets or workouts, using isotension to subject your muscles to additional peak contraction intensity.

>> Remember that intensity techniques like peak contractions are for quality muscle-building. They’re not usually applicable to heavy strength-training movements such as the bench press, overhead press and squat.

source: www.muscleandfitness.com/training/arms/reach-your-peak

‘Lost’ Bornean Rainbow Toad (Ansonia latidisca) Rediscovered After 87 Years

2011-07-27T22:41:00.003+07:00

An adult female of the Borneo rainbow toad, spanning just 2 inches (51 mm) in length, hadn't been spotted for 87 years.
CREDIT: © Indraneil Das

Ansonia latidisca, commonly called the Sambas stream toad or Bornean rainbow toad, is a small true toad rediscovered in 2011 after being unseen since 1924. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Scientific classification

Kingdom Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 – animals

Phylum Arthropoda Latreille, 1829 – arthropods

Class Amphibia Linnaeus, 1758 - amphibians

Order Anura Fischer von Waldheim, 1813

Family Bufonidae Gray, 1825 - toads

Genus Ansonia Stoliczka, 1870

Species Ansonia latidisca Inger, 1966

Common name: Sambas stream toad, Bornean rainbow toad

Synonym:

After months of scouring remote forests in Borneo, researchers spotted three rainbow toads up a tree, snapping the first-ever photographs of this elusive amphibian species that hadn't been seen for 87 years, scientists announced on July 13.

Last seen in 1924, the Bornean rainbow toad (Ansonia latidisca) had been listed as one of the world's top 10 most wanted lost frogs, or those that hadn't been seen in at least a decade. Conservation scientists thought the chances of spotting the spindly-legged toad were slim.

In fact, until this rediscovery, scientists had only seen illustrations of the mysterious and long-legged toad existed, after collection by European explorers in the 1920s.

Prior to the rediscovery of the sambas stream toad (also called the Borneo rainbow toad) in Borneo after eluding scientists for 87 years, this was the only image depicting what the mysterious toad looked like.
CREDIT: Reproduced in Inger (1966); © Fieldiana Zoology.

"When I saw an email with the subject 'Ansonia latidisca found' pop into my inbox I could barely believe my eyes," said Robin Moore of Conservation International, adding that an attached image proved the unbelievable finding. "The species was transformed in my mind from a black and white illustration to a living, colorful creature." (Moore launched the campaign the Global Search for Lost Amphibians.)

Three individuals of the missing toad, including an adult female, adult male and a juvenile, were documented up three different trees in Penrissen, a region outside the protected area system of Sarawak, which is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. The toads ranged in size from 1.2 inches (30 millimeters) for the juvenile to 2.0 inches (51 mm) for the adult female. All three sported long, skinny limbs and bright skin pigments.

Initial searches by Indraneil Das of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and colleagues took place during evenings after dark along the high rugged ridges of the Gunung Penrissen range of Western Sarawak. The first few months proved fruitless; so the team decided to include higher elevations in their search. And one night last August on of Das' graduate students, Pui Yong Min, found one of the three gangly toads up a tree.

If you want to see newly rediscovered frog, however, it's probably best to look at the photos, as Das has said he won't divulge the exact site of the rediscovery right now, owing to the intense demand for brightly-colored amphibians by those involved in the pet trade.

The effort was part of the global search for lost amphibians by Conservation International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Amphibian Specialist Group, with support from Global Wildlife Conservation. The large search involved 126 researchers who scoured areas in 21 countries, on five continents, between August and December 2010.

The hope was to determine whether the lost amphibians had survived increasing pressures, such as habitat loss, climate change and disease — a fungus that causes the infectious disease chytridomycosis is devastating amphibian populations worldwide.

The only other member of the Top 10 list that has been rediscovered is the spotted stubfoot toad (Atelopus balios), which is restricted to a very small area in southwestern Ecuador.

The rediscovered Borneo species is listed as Endangered by the IUCN's Red List.

source:

Butterfly anatomy

2011-07-27T22:14:00.001+07:00

Butterfly anatomy

Butterflies belong to the order of insects called lepidoptera. Lepidoptera means "scaled wings." The purpose of their scales is to give them their bright colors. Most butterflies have the same body structure, or anatomy. Their adult bodies are made up of three parts; the head, the thorax and the abdomen.

Head - the head is the part of the insect that contains the brain, two compound eyes, the proboscis and the pharynx (the start of the digestive system). The two antennae are attached to the head.

Antennea - the antennae is a sensory appendage that is attached to the head of adult insects. Antennae are used for the sense of smell and balance. Butterflies have two antennae with little round balls on the ends.

Compound Eye - butterfly compound eyes are made up of many hexagonal lenses just like other insect compound eyes.

Proboscis - adult butterflies sip nectar and other liquids using a spiral, straw-like proboscis located on their head. When not in use, the proboscis is coiled up like a garden hose pipe.

Labial palps – labial palps help the butterfly decide what is and isn't food

Thorax - the thorax is the body section between the head and the abdomen. The legs and wings are attached to the thorax.

Forewing - the fore wings are the two upper wings.

Hindwing - the hind wings are the two lower wings.

Legs - butterflies have two short legs at the front and four longer legs at the back.

Abdomen - the abdomen is the segmented tail area of an insect that contains vital organs such as the heart, Malpighian tubules, reproductive organs and most of the digestive system.

references:

Shawn Ray’s Leg Routine

2011-07-17T07:58:00.001+07:00

Shawn Ray was 1994 and 1996 Mr. Olympia runner-up.

At the Olympia, Shawn Ray was the perennial and consistently excellent, as he flexed in a record-tying 12 posedowns there and all in a row from 1990-2001. Those were some of the strongest lineups ever seen on any bodybuilding stage, and his string of success included two runnerup finishes (1994, 1996), putting him in the argument for best bodybuilder to never win a Sandow.

Shawn Ray On Variety
“I was always changing my leg routine. I’d change big things like exercises and exercise order. And I’d also change little things, like foot position or the type of machine I used for things like leg curls and leg extensions. Every machine hit my muscles slightly differently, so for complete development I used them all. I never wanted to get too comfortable, just doing the same things the same way.”

Shawn Ray’s Leg Routine

Exercise Sets Reps

One-leg extensions 4 15

Squats 5 12-6

Leg presses 4 8-12

Two-leg extensions 4 10-12

Standing leg curls 4 12-15

Lying leg curls 4 12-15

Stiff-leg deadlifts 4 12-15

source: www.flexonline.com/training/lower-body/ray%E2%80%99s-legs

Phil Heath's Biceps Workout

2011-06-10T21:45:00.001+07:00

Phil Heath is 2010 Mr. Olympia runner-up.

Phil Heath’s beginner advice
"Know your limits. You don't want to get hurt, yet you want to go heavy. An eight- to 12-rep range is ideal. A beginner should do no more than nine sets for bis and nine for tris. You should try every exercise to find which ones work for you. Just because something works for me or someone else doesn't mean it'll work for you.

Phil Heath’s Biceps Workout

Exercise Sets Reps

Barbell preacher curls 3 10

Incline dumbbell curls 3 10

Two-arm high cable curls 3 10

One-arm high cable curls 1 10

source: www.flexonline.com/training/heath’s-biceps

Alina Popa’s Quad Routine

2011-05-26T19:32:00.001+07:00

So far, Romania’s Alina Popa is the biggest bodybuilding surprise of 2011. After a distant eighth in her only other pro show, she rocketed into third place at March’s Ms. International behind legends Iris Kyle and Yaxeni Oriquen, setting herself up as a posedown probable for this year’s Ms. Olympia. Popa told FLEXONLINE how she got the wheels that propelled her rapidly through the pro ranks--to the top three and, perhaps, next time, even higher.

Popa on quads
I like the basics best, and in the off-season I go as low as six reps on squats.

Four months before a contest, I begins my conditioning workouts, emphasizing supersets and 10-15 reps per set.

I always change and adjust the speed and/or weight from one workout to another or I try the same exercise on a different machine to hit my quads from different angles.

I train hamstrings in a separate workout from quads.

Alina Popa’s Quad Routine

EXERCISE SETS REPS

Squats 4 6-8

Leg presses 4 6-10

Leg extensions 4 8-10

Lunges 4 10 per leg

source: www.flexonline.com/training/popa’s-quads

The Best Workouts for Every Mood

2011-01-23T06:04:00.000+07:00

Fitness Fixes for Any Mood

Dreary days got you down? Don’t let that ruin your workout. Whether you’re feeling crabby or floating on cloud nine, you can maximize your mood to blast a ton of calories and bust out of an emotional rut—if you choose the right routine. In fact, studies have shown workouts to be as powerful as drugs at treating depression. And a little goes a long way—even 10 minutes has been shown to boost energy and mood. To find out how to channel emotional ups and downs into more effective workouts, we tapped Stacey Rosenfeld, PhD, a clinical psychologist and certified personal trainer in New York City who has studied the effects of different workouts on mood.

1. When you’re feeling: Stressed out, Try: Swimming
Yoga isn’t the only way to find peace of mind. If holding a pose when your brain is racing drives you crazy, you may be better off distracting yourself with higher-intensity cardio. “There’s something about the water that’s very soothing,” says Rosenfeld. “My patients also say that it helps them sleep, which is important if your stress is keeping you up at night.” To get a boost without dwelling on negative thoughts throughout the workout, get your mind off of your worries with intervals, suggests Rosenfeld. Swim as hard as you can to one end of the pool, then recover on the way back.

2. When you’re feeling: Sad, Try: A scenic walk
“The biggest thing when you’re feeling down is just to get yourself going,” says Rosenfeld. “Sadness is a low-arousal state, so it’s not an ideal time to push yourself,” she explains. Listen to your body and aim to do something rather than nothing—even a 10-minute walk has been shown to release mood-lifting endorphins.

3. When you’re feeling: Angry, Try: Kick-boxing
It may be cliché, but a healthy release can be just what the doctor ordered, says Rosenfeld. Why not channel that aggression into a calorie-blasting workout? Another good option: strength training. The combination of physically pushing yourself while mentally focusing on the workout lets you blow off steam in a productive way, leaving you clear-headed by the time you head for the shower.

4. When you’re feeling: Happy; Try: Urban rebounding
Feel like jumping up and down? Go ahead—and burn over 500 calories an hour doing it! A fat-blasting throwback to the mini-trampolines of the ‘80s, Urban Rebounding classes (offered at Bally’s and other gyms nationwide) involve jumping on a trampoline while doing full-body toning and conditioning. If bouncing around for an hour isn’t your thing, that’s okay—just try another class. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you harness your top-of-the-world mood by doing something you never thought you could.

5. When you’re feeling: Lonely; Try: Dropping in on a running club
There’s nothing like the endorphins from a good workout to help spark conversation and build new friendships. Don’t have a workout buddy on call? Most exercise groups welcome newcomers, so don’t be shy. Look for fliers at a local sporting goods store or rec center, or search your zip code at meetup.com. And even if you don’t talk to anybody, working out alongside others can help you get a better workout while feeling less exertion, according to British researchers.

sorce: http://fitbie.msn.com/get-fit/tips/best-workouts-every-mood/tip/0

30-Second Weight Loss Tricks

2011-01-21T07:52:00.000+07:00

Quick-Hit Weight Loss Strategies

We like our weight loss plans the same way we like our Wi-Fi—fast and fail-proof. Science shows that when it comes to dropping pounds, small changes can yield big results.

So even if you have less than a minute to spare, you’ve got time to cut calories and curb cravings. These weight loss tricks take a half-minute to complete, but you’ll reap the rewards long after those 30 seconds are up.

Pick Pistachios

Researchers from University of Eastern Illinois say that when people eat this snack twice a week, they’re less likely to gain weight than those who don’t.

In a nutshell, the study also found that people who snacked on in-shell pistachios ate 50 percent less than those who ate the shelled kind, yet they reported feeling just as full and satisfied.

Give Yourself a Mini-Manicure

Sometimes a few simple tricks can curtail mindless snacking. “Do a quick 30-second manicure in the evening,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “A coat of clear nail polish just makes it harder for you to stick your hand into a bag of chips.”

Slice Your Food

Can good manners help you slim down? Exhibit A for why table manners ought to make a comeback: Cutting your food into smaller portions slows down your food intake, and it also visually tricks you to think that you’re eating more. Researchers from Japan’s National Food Research Institute found that people thought piles of sliced meats and veggies were 27 percent larger than when the food was kept in one piece. Satiety is affected by visual cues, so making your portions appear larger will help you feel satisfied with less.

Weigh Yourself Daily

Think you can guesstimate how well you’re losing weight? Study after study shows that regularly stepping on the scale can help you drop pounds. How much more weight? People who log weekly and daily weigh-ins lose about 12 to 18 pounds more than those who check less frequently, concludes a review study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Just Add Flax

Sprinkle this healthy extra on your oatmeal, casserole, or soup for a light, nutty kick, says Sari Greaves, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and Nutrition Director at Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Bedminster, NJ. The extra fiber will help fill you up for only 35 calories a tablespoon, and you’ll get the added benefits of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Dress Down

Take advantage of Casual Friday. A University of Wisconsin, La Crosse study found that people who wear jeans to work take 491 more steps a day than those in business wear.

Brush Immediately After Dinner

Tap into years of Pavlovian training, and brush your teeth soon after you’ve finished supper. Traditionally, brushing your teeth is a signal to stop eating, explains Blatner, so you’re primed to resist after-hours snacking. The essence of peppermint has been reported to suppress appetite, and cleaning your chompers with strong-tasting toothpaste may help distract your taste buds from craving another flavor.

Add Air

Whipped versions of classic foods contain more air per volumetric unit, so you’re eating fewer calories per serving. Choose whipped yogurt over the regular kind (save 30 calories) or whipped butter over sticks (save 50 calories). But remember, this doesn’t mean whipped cream is a health food.

Make Your Own Salad Dressing

Bottled dressings can be a nutritional nightmare—even 2 tablespoons of blue cheese dressing packs about 140 calories and 14 grams of fat. Instead, mix together a quick dressing that’s 2 parts lemon juice to 1 part oil. Pour your homemade vinaigrette into a spray bottle and spritz on your salad for extra portion control.

Try Acupressure on Your Ear

Place your hunger on hold: The next time you have a hankering for a Mars bar, take your thumb and forefinger and squeeze the flap of skin that juts out by your ear canal (not your earlobe). Activating this pressure point may help curb cravings, says Blatner.

Switch Seats at the Dinner Table

Cornell researchers examined the eating habits of diners at a Chinese buffet and found that the fattest patrons tended to sit facing the serving area, while the skinniest sat with their backs to the food. Just seeing that you can get seconds may encourage you to eat more, so sit strategically during mealtime. Same goes for when you’re mixing and mingling at a party—talk facing away from the tables of food.

Trade Mayonnaise for Hummus

Hold the mayo and slap on some hummus instead, advises Greaves. The chickpea spread is just as creamy as mayonnaise, but you’ll save yourself about 70 calories per tablespoon.

Place a Measuring Cup in Your Pantry

Rather than eyeball portions, place a measuring cup in your pantry so that you’ll know exactly how much you’re doling out, recommends Blatner. Keep a serving of cereal to one cup, a portion of dry macaroni to ¼ cup.

Phone a Friend

Reach for the phone, not the potato skins, the next time you’re feeling blue. Emotional eating can spiral out of control really fast, so instead of turning towards food for a pick-me-up, dial a friend to vent or schedule some Frisbee to blow off some steam.

Source: http://fitbie.msn.com/slideshow/30-second-weight-loss-tricks

Caffeine Reduces Muscle Pain During Exercise

2011-01-19T08:24:00.000+07:00

Another study adds to the growing research about the effects of caffeine on reported muscle pain during exercise. A study [Effect of Caffeine on Leg Muscle Pain During Cycling Exercise among Females] published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that caffeine ingestion has a large effect on reducing leg muscle pain during exercise among females.

These findings are similar to a study by researchers at the University of Georgia [Effect of Caffeine on Perceptions of Leg Muscle Pain During Moderate Intensity Cycling Exercise] that found that caffeine taken prior to exercise can lessen the muscle pain experienced during intense exercise among men.

Both studies looked at the effect of caffeine taken one hour before exercise on reported muscle pain during exercise. Participants took either a placebo or a caffeine pill and then rode an exercise bike for thirty minutes at high intensity. Individuals reported substantially less pain in their thigh muscles after taking caffeine compared to the placebo. However, results of the 2003 study also found that the effect varied with the individual's caffeine habit. Caffeine seemed less effective at reducing pain in heavy caffeine users. This is likely due to a change in the receptors that causes tolerance to caffeine's effects.

In the past much research has shown that caffeine improves endurance during exercise. This study suggests that improved endurance may be related to caffeine's hypoalgesic properties which may reduce sensitivity to pain. The next steps are to learn more about the mechanism behind the pain reduction. Researchers are anxious to discover whether caffeine is working on the muscles or on the brain.

source: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa092503a.htm

LOU FERRIGNO’S CHEST TRAINING ROUTINE

2011-01-16T09:39:00.001+07:00

Lou Ferrigno’s tips for building bigger pecs

Best known for his role as the titular character on TV’s The Incredible Hulk from 1977 to 1982, before and after that Lou Ferrigno was a professional bodybuilder. He placed second to someone named Schwarzenegger at the 1974 Mr. Olympia and, 20 years later, was runner up again at the 1994 Masters Mr. Olympia. In his 20s as well as his 40s, Ferrigno, now 58, had two of the world’s best pecs. He shares his thoughts on the press-centric chest routine he used in the ‘70s.

LOU FERRIGNO ON CHEST TRAINING

The basics built my chest: benches, inclines, declines and flyes.
I like barbells better than dumbbells for presses, and I avoid a full-lockout on each rep to keep the tension on my chest and not my triceps.
Dumbbell pullovers supersetted with cable crossovers is a great combination. The first one stretches out your chest and the second one focuses on chest contractions, so you get two different things one after the other.
I pyramid all of my presses down to six reps. Lower than that builds more strength and less muscle.

LOU FERRIGNO’S CHEST TRAINING ROUTINE

CHEST EXERCISE	SETS	REPS
Bench presses	5	10-6
Incline presses	5	10-6
Decline presses	4	10-12
Dumbbell flyes	4	10-12
Dumbbell pullovers	4	10-12
superset with
Cable crossovers	3	10-15

source: www.flexonline.com/lou_ferrigno_chest/training/204

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER’S CHEST TRAINING ROUTINE

2011-01-01T14:28:00.000+07:00

A classic chest workout from Arnold Schwarzenegger

FLEXONLINE.COM - Four Mr. Universe titles, seven Mr. Olympia titles, Conan, Terminator, Governor...does he really need an introduction? Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most famous bodybuilder of all time, an honor he’ll no doubt still hold a century from now. Partly this is because during his Olympia reign his two best bodyparts were biceps and pecs, and these are the two tank top showboats, the muscles that everyone associates with a bodybuilder’s physique. His chest in particular is widely considered the best ever. So let’s let Arnold describe how he built it with a classic quote and a classic routine from back in the day.

ARNOLD ON HIS FAVORITE CHEST WORKOUT
“I always like to start my chest routine with barbell bench presses. I'll use the pyramid principle, starting with a lighter weight and going to a heavy weight for six reps. After that I’ll do barbell presses on an incline to hit the upper chest. These I like to do for 10 to 15 reps and get a good pump. After that I do dumbbell flyes on a flat bench to really stretch out my pecs and hit the inner part. And finally I’ll end my routine with dips, and I lean into these a lot. This also stretch out my pecs and get a lot of blood in there. Dips also focuses more on my lower pecs.”

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER’S CHEST TRAINING ROUTINE

EXERCISE	SETS	REPS
Bench Presses	5	20-6
Incline barbell Presses	5	10-15
Dumbbell flyes	5	10-15
Weighted Dips	5	15

LEE HANEY’S CHEST TRAINING ROUTINE

2010-12-29T13:52:00.001+07:00

How 8-time Mr. O Lee Haney swelled his pecs.

FLEXONLINE.COM - He had his own era. From 1984 to 1991, Lee Haney won a record eight consecutive Mr. Olympia’s before retiring from the stage at only 31. At 5'11 and 240, he was a transitional figure, ushering bodybuilding from the “lightweight era” of under-200 Mr. O’s just before him to the modern era of mass monsters that followed just after. Haney bridged this gap by combining a new level of size with a tight waist and classical lines. Call it mass with class. His torso muscles (back, chest, delts, traps) were his strength, so we got the Totalee Awesome one to speak about the chest training that spawned the Haney Era.

HANEY ON CHEST TRAINING BASICS
“I never needed a machine to train my chest. Barbells, dumbbells, dipping bars--those are the basics. About as fancy as I got was a cable crossover machine. But really what builds chest muscle is working the barbell and dumbbell presses and flyes. You just can’t improve on those basic exercises.”

LEE HANEY’S CHEST TRAINING ROUTINE

CHEST EXERCISE	SETS	REPS
Barbell bench presses	4-5	12-6
Barbell incline presses	4	10-6
Dumbbell flyes	4	12-15
Dips	3	10-12
Cable crossovers	3	10-12

Rose Periwinkle As Herbal Medicine

2010-12-15T10:46:00.000+07:00

There are several Rose periwinkle plants grown in my backyard. Some of the plants have red flowers, and the others have white flowers.

Rose periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is widely planted as an ornamental plant. It often distinguished by its flower color. Upright shrub that can reach heights up to 100 cm, is actually a common wild plant that thrives in desert or tropical rural areas. Rose periwinkle plants have a round stem with small diameter, woody, segmented and branched and hairy. The leaves are oval to oblong, 2.5–9 cm long and 1–3.5 cm broad, glossy green, hairless, with a pale midrib and a short petiole 1–1.8 cm long; they are arranged in opposite pairs; and is classified as a single leaf. The flowers are white to dark pink, with a basal tube 2.5-3 cm long and a corolla 2–5 cm diameter with five petal-like lobes. Rose periwinkle has a cylindrical shaped seed house hanging on the rod, 2–4 cm long and 3 mm broad. The spread of these plants through seed.

Scientific classification of rose periwinkle, as stated in Plantamor.com, can be seen below:

Scientific classification of rose periwinkle
Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (vascular plants)
Super Division: spermatophytes (Generate seed)
Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
Class: Magnoliopsida (seed pieces to two or dicots)
Sub Class: Asteridae
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Catharanthus
Species: Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

In Indonesia, this plant has several names such as tapak dara, kembang sari cina, kembang tembaga beureum, rutu-rutu, kembang serdadu, etc. In China, this plant is called by the name of Chang Chun Hua. In Malaysia it called by the name Kemunting China, rumput jalang. In Vietnam it known as hoa hai dang, and in Philippines is known as Tsitsirika. While other English names occasionally used include Cape Periwinkle, Madagascar Periwinkle, Rosy Periwinkle, and Old-maid. Synonym names include Vinca rosea, Ammocallis rosea, and Lochnera rosea.

Rose periwinkle is an ornamental plant that can be used as an herbal medicine. Roots, stems, leaves, flowers of rose periwinkle contain chemical compounds which are useful to treat some diseases. Rose periwinkle chemical compunds (alkaloids), among others, is vincristine, vinrosidine, vinblastine and vinleurosine. Vinblastine and vincristine are compounds that can stop cancer cell mitosis at metaphase.

This medicinal plant can be used to treat diabetes, hypertension, leukemia, asthma, bronchitis, fever, stomach ulcers, dysentery, anemia, mumps, abscesses, ulcers, burns, wounds, swelling.

Some Traditional Indonesian herbal medicine of Rose Periwinkle

Diabetes mellitus
a. Ingredients: 10-16 leaves of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: boil the leaves with three glasses of water until remaining 1 glass of water
How to use: drink water after it was cold, repeated until healed

b. Ingredients: 35-45 grams of dried leaves of rose periwinkle, fennel pulawaras
How to prepare: boil the leaves with three glasses of water until remaining 1 glass of water
How to use: drink water after it was cold, repeated until healed

c. Ingredients: 3 leaves of rose periwinkle, 15 flowers of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: boil the ingredients with 4 glasses of water until remaining 1.5 glasses of water
How to use: drink the water in the morning and evening after meals

Hypertension (high blood pressure)
a. Ingredients: 15-20 grams of dried leaves of rose periwinkle, 10 grams of chrysanthemum flowers
How to prepare: boil the ingredients with 2.5 glasses of water to boiling and filtered.
How to use: drink water every afternoon.

b. Ingredients: 7 leaves or flowers of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: brewing the ingredients with 1 glass of hot water, let a few moments and then filter
How to use: drink before bed.

Leukemia
Ingredients: 20-25 grams of dried leaves of rose periwinkle, fennel pulawaras.
How to prepare: boil the ingredients with 1 liter of water and filtered.
How to use: drink two times a day, morning and afternoon.

Asthma and bronchitis
Ingredients: 1 root of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: boil the root with five glasses of water.
How to use: drink two times a day, morning and afternoon.

Fever
Ingredients: 1 handheld (12 -20 grams) of leaves of rose periwinkle, three pieces of stem and roots of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: boil the ingredients with 4 glasses of water to boiling until remaining 1.5 glasses of water.
How to use: drink the water in the morning and afternoon with coconut sugar added.

Inflammation of the stomach and dysentery
Ingredients: 15-30 grams of dried leaves of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: boil the ingredients with 3 glasses of water to boiling.
How to use: drink the water in the morning and afternoon with coconut sugar added.

Anemia
Ingredients: 4 white rose periwinkle flower buds.
How to prepare: Soak the ingredients with 1 glass of water, then put it outside home overnight.
How to use: drink the water in the morning and do it regularly.

Shaking hands
Ingredients: 4-7 leaves of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: brewing the ingredients with 1 glass of hot water and filtered.
How to use: drink water as usual.

Mumps, swelling, abscesses and ulcers
Ingredients: 1 handheld of leaves of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: finely ground.
How to use: put on the affected part.

Burns
Ingredients: a few leaves of rose periwinkle, 0.5 handfuls of rice.
How to prepare: Soak the ingredients with water, then mashed until smooth.
How to use: put on the burns.

New wound
Ingredients: 2-5 leaves of rose periwinkle
How to prepare: chewed until soft.
How to use: put on the wound.

Notes:

Pregnant women are prohibited from taking the herbal medicine of Rose periwinkle.

Not all indications are listed can be cured with medicinal plants. This is because the properties of medicinal plants depends on their chemical content, and their chemical content can vary by region or country depending on the climate, altitude, soil type, treatment at planting (except for wild plants), and so forth. Also, how processing affects the usefulness. For example there should be brewed (infusion), should be boiled in a certain period, or must be in tim. If the medicine consists of several mixtures, such as seeds, bark, leaves, flowers, roots and tubers, sometimes there are parts that must be boiled first or boiled separately.

Clearly, the use of medicinal plants is not as simple as people think so far. Everything must be learned and requires its own experience. Wrong in identifying medicinal plants will also not cure the disease. Moreover, if wrong in combining several medicinal plants that have opposite properties.

Rose periwinkle photo gallery

Rose periwinkle and Turnera ulmifolia flowers

All Rose periwinkle flowers photos were taken using a camera phone Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot K800i.

*****

References:

IPTEKnet
Plantamor.com
Wikipedia
dr. Setiawan Dalimartha, “Atlas Tumbuhan Obat Indonesia”
Drs. H. Arief hariana, “Tumbuhan Obat dan Khasiatnya”

Markus Ruhl's Weight Training Program 2004

2010-11-29T14:51:00.001+07:00

Markus Ruhl's Offseason Training Split 2004

DAY             BODYPART
Monday           Chest
Tuesday           Back
Wednesday     Arms
Thursday         Rest
Friday               Legs
Saturday          Shoulders
Sunday             Rest

* Cardio is performed for 30 minutes every training day.

Markus Ruhl's Precontest Training Split 2004

DAY                 BODYPART
Monday           Chest
Tuesday            Back
Wednesday      Biceps
Thursday          Triceps
Friday                Shoulders
Saturday           Legs
Sunday              Triceps

NOTE: In separate morning workouts, Ruhl trains a smaller bodypart: calves (three times per week), trapezius (twice per week) or hamstrings (once per week alone, in addition to leg day).

* Cardio is performed for 60 minutes every day.

Markus Ruhl does one main exercise for each bodypart

He may change the other lifts from workout to workout, but the following main exercises stay constant.

BODYPART        EXERCISE
Chest                        Smith machine incline presses
Back                          Front pulldowns
Biceps                      Dumbbell curls
Triceps                    Lying one-arm dumbbell extensions
Shoulders               Smith machine front presses
Quadriceps            Hack squats
Hamstrings            Lying leg curls
Calves                      Standing calf raises

Trapezius Routine

Precontest, Markus Ruhl trains trapezius twice per week with the following routine.

EXERCISE            SETS REPS
Dumbbell shrugs    5-6     10-20
Machine shrugs       5-6     10-20

MARKUS RUHL'S OFFSEASON PROGRAM 2004

EXERCISE SETS* REPS

MONDAY--Chest
Smith machine incline presses                                   5        4-12
Machine presses                                                               5        8-12
Incline flyes                                                                        5        8-12

TUESDAY--Back
Front pulldowns                                                                5        6-12
One-arm dumbbell rows on an incline bench       5        8-10
Seated cable rows                                                             5        6-10

WEDNESDAY--Arms
Machine preacher curls                                                4        8-10
Dumbbell curls                                                                 4        6-10
Standing two-arm cable curls                                    4        8-10
Lying triceps extensions                                              4        6-10
(with cambered bar)
Triceps pushdowns                                                         4        8-10
Lying one-arm dumbbell extensions                      4        8-10

FRIDAY--Thighs
Leg presses                                                                         5        4-12
Hack squats                                                                        5        4-12
Leg extensions                                                                  5       10-20
Lying leg curls                                                                  6       10-20

SATURDAY--Shoulders
Smith machine front presses                                     5        4-15
Bent seated laterals                                                       5        8-12
Seated side laterals                                                        5        8-12
Lying cable upright rows                                            5        8-12

* Only working sets are noted. Ruhl also does one to four warm-up sets before each exercise.

NOTE: Markus Ruhl trains calves three times per week with only one exercise: standing calf raises. He does 15-20 sets of 10-15 reps. "I go very heavy," Ruhl says. "After a good calf workout, I can barely drive down the road home because my calves are so tight and pumped."

(source: b Bnet)

Breaking the Sound Barrier

2010-11-24T19:09:00.000+07:00

Off the coast of Pusan, South Korea, July 7, 1999 -- An F/A-18 Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron One Five One (VFA-151) breaks the sound barrier in the skies over the Pacific Ocean. VFA-151 is deployed aboard USS Constellation (CVN 64).

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- A B-1 Lancer banks left just before a rollover during an open house flyby here Jan. 16. More than 1,300 people enjoyed the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Royal Marine-hosted open house that showcased various aircraft.

(Oct. 15, 2006) - An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the "Screaming Eagles" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Two Two (VFA-122), flown by Lt. Matt Turner, pushes the limits of the sound barrier during a performance at the Miramar Air Show on board Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. This year's air show was themed "The Sound of Freedom: Celebrating the Blue Angels' 60th Anniversary", showcasing military and civilian aircraft and static displays.

(Oct. 13, 2006) - An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the "Screaming Eagles" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Two Two (VFA-122), flown by Lt. Matt Turner, pushes the limits of the sound barrier during a performance at the Miramar Air Show on board Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. This year's air show was themed "The Sound of Freedom: Celebrating the Blue Angels' 60th Anniversary", showcasing military and civilian aircraft and static displays.

(Sept. 11, 2006) - An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Carrier Air Wing Five breaks the sound barrier during an air power demonstration practice aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Currently underway in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), Kitty Hawk demonstrates power projection and sea control as the U.S. Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier.

An F/A-18C Hornet, assigned to the "Golden Dragons" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Nine Two (VFA-192), breaks the sound barrier near the conventionally powered aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Kitty Hawk and embarked Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) are currently returning to their homeport after a scheduled deployment in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to the "Diamondbacks" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Zero Two (VFA-102), breaks the sound barrier during a fly-by over the conventionally powered aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Kitty Hawk and embarked Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) are currently conducting operations in the Philippine Sea.

An F-14B Tomcat, assigned to the "Swordsmen" of Fighter Squadron Three Two (VF-32), breaks the sound barrier during the supersonic fly-by portion of an air power demonstration performed by Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3), for the Sailors and Marines aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group was recently relieved after completing nearly four months in the Persian Gulf in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

An F/A-18C Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron Two Seven (VFA-27) breaks the sound barrier during an air power demonstration conducted by Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) and USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Currently participating in the annual exercise Foal Eagle, Kitty Hawk and CVW-5 demonstrate their commitment to the Republic of Korea/U.S. alliance through joint training. Under way in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), Kitty Hawk demonstrates power projection and sea control as the U.S. Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, operating from Yokosuka, Japan.

An F/A-18 Hornet, assigned to the “Marauders” from Strike Fighter Squadron Eight Two (VFA-82), piloted by Lt. Cmdr. James Montgomery, of Yukon, Okla., reaches the sound barrier during a supersonic flyby over USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Enterprise is one of seven aircraft carriers involved in Summer Pulse 2004. Summer Pulse 2004 is the simultaneous deployment of seven aircraft carrier strike groups (CSGs), demonstrating the ability of the Navy to provide credible combat power across the globe, in five theaters with other U.S., allied, and coalition military forces. Summer Pulse is the Navy’s first deployment under its new Fleet Response Plan (FRP).

An F/A-18 Hornet, assigned to the "Bulls" of Strike Fighter Squadron Thirty Seven (VFA-37) performs a sonic boom by breaking the sound barrier during a Friends and Family Day Cruise aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

An F-14B Tomcat assigned to the “Swordsmen” of Fighter Squadron Thirty Seven (VF-32) reaches the sound barrier during a low altitude super sonic fly by, during an air wing flight demonstration for the crew aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) are currently deployed conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein.

http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/igviewer.php?gid=63

Watermelon: A Natural Viagra?

2010-11-17T08:51:00.001+07:00

ScienceDaily (July 1, 2008) — A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido.

“The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station.

“We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study.”

Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.

In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.

Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.

“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”

While there are many psychological and physiological problems that can cause impotence, extra nitric oxide could help those who need increased blood flow, which would also help treat angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.

“Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra,” Patil said, “but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects.”

The benefits of watermelon don’t end there, he said. Arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from our bodies.

Citrulline, the precursor to arginine, is found in higher concentrations in the rind of watermelons than the flesh. As the rind is not commonly eaten, two of Patil’s fellow scientists, drs. Steve King and Hae Jeen Bang, are working to breed new varieties with higher concentrations in the flesh.

In addition to the research by Texas A&M, watermelon’s phyto-nutrients are being studied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Lane, Oklahoma.

As an added bonus, these studies have also shown that deep red varieties of watermelon have displaced the tomato as the lycopene king, Patil said. Almost 92 percent of watermelon is water, but the remaining 8 percent is loaded with lycopene, an anti-oxidant that protects the human heart, prostate and skin health.

“Lycopene, which is also found in red grapefruit, was historically thought to exist only in tomatoes,” he said. “But now we know that it’s found in higher concentrations in red watermelon varieties.”

Lycopene, however, is fat-soluble, meaning that it needs certain fats in the blood for better absorption by the body, Patil said.

“Previous tests have shown that lycopene is much better absorbed from tomatoes when mixed in a salad with oily vegetables like avocado or spinach,” Patil said. “That would also apply to the lycopene from watermelon, but I realize mixing watermelon with spinach or avocadoes is a very hard sell.”

No studies have been conducted to determine the timing of the consumption of oily vegetables to improve lycopene absorption, he said.

“One final bit of advice for those Fourth of July watermelons you buy,” Patil said. “They store much better uncut if you leave them at room temperature. Lycopene levels can be maintained even as it sits on your kitchen floor. But once you cut it, refrigerate. And enjoy.”

Phil Heath’s Hamstrings Routine

2010-11-03T06:31:00.001+07:00

After a stunning Mr. Olympia debut in 2008 when many thought he should have won it all; after the illness that kept him out of contention at last year’s Olympia prejudging and his shocking transformation before the finals where he was, with Jay Cutler, one of the two best bodybuilders on stage; after his controversial runner-up finish to Kai Greene at this year’s Arnold Classic and his best-ever placing at the O — second only to Cutler — we felt there was no better time to take a closer look at two of the weapons that help separate Phil Heath from the rest: his phenomenal hamstrings.

HEATH ON HAMS

* "I train all my leg muscles together. I do quads first, hams second and finish with calves."

* "The StairMaster is crucial for bringing in my ham lines. I tense my hams and glutes with every step."

* "With hams, I usually front-load the sevens, doing them first with lying leg curls."

* "Each exercise hits your hamstrings differently, so I typically do four different exercises."

* "I don’t do stiff-leg deads first. I like to do them towards the end, so I’ve already pre-exhausted my hams and all the stress of the deads goes there and not on my back."

PHIL HEATH’S HAMSTRINGS ROUTINE
Lying leg Curls                         7              12-15
Standing one-leg curls          3              12
Stiff-leg deadlifts                     3              12
Seated leg curls                        3              12

*****

www.flexonline.com/phil_heath_legs/training/256

A Flash Flood, An Earthquake and A Tsunami, A Mount Eruption- Three Natural Disasters in Indonesia in One Month

2010-10-31T05:43:00.001+07:00

Local children observe Indonesian military personel unload relief goods for tsunami victims in the Mentawai islands at the port of Sikakap village in the Metawai islands, West Sumatra, on October 30, 2010. More than 130 people listed as missing have been found alive on high ground on a remote Indonesian island that was devastated by a tsunami five days ago, an official said (Kompas.com).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Earth is getting older, judging by the increased frequency of natural disasters in the world lately, especially in Indonesia. During this October alone, parts of the country have been seriously affected by three major disasters. The first one was a flash flood in Wasior, West Papua Province, on October 3.

The second was a magnitude-7.7 earthquake and a subsequent tsunami in Mentawai Island District, West Sumatra Province, on October 25. And the third is still going on, namely the Mount Merapi eruption, a process which began on October 26 on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta.

The Wasior flash flood killed 124 people, left 123 others missing, injured 185 others seriously, and 535 lightly. Wasior is a town densely inhabited by around 7,000 people. The flood made around 4,000 people homeless.

Residents gather to inspect the damage suffered by an area affected by a flash flood in Wasior, Papua province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010. Heavy rain unleashed flash floods and mudslides, killing dozens of people in a remote corner of the country that rescuers were still struggling to reach days after the storms began, officials and witnesses said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Abdul Muin)

Some 1,955 displaced Wasior residents were evacuated to Nabire, 890 to Manokwari and some others to the Teluk Wondama area. A total of 12 school buildings and one hospital were damaged by the flash flood.

The flash flood was triggered by incessant heavy rains that had fallen in the region from Oct 3 to 4. Those who died in the disaster were those who drowned after being carried away by the flood currents that also carried logs and rocks from a lake in the mountain.

The emergency response lasted until end October 2010, with priorities to search and evacuate victims, town cleaning up, house and school reconstruction. Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono said the government was studying the possibility of relocating the flood victims.

"The government will find the best and most secure place for them," the minister said recently.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited flash flood-devastated Wasior to meet the victims and he ordered the setting up a trauma center and temporary shelters for them. While the Indonesian people were still grieving about the devastation and fatalities caused by the flash flood in Wasior, a magnitude-7.7 earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Mentawai Island District, West Sumatra Province, on October 25, 2010.

The earthquake and tsunami killed at least 408 people, caused 303 others to go missing, injured 270 badly and 142 lightly. The disaster devastated 517 buildings and caused minor damage to 204 buildings. Around 23,000 people have been left homeless and forced to stay in refugee camps.

Obliterated: surviving villagers of Muntei Baru Baru in the Mentawai islands wander where hundreds of homes stood until the 10ft wave came ashore (London Evening Standard)

Ade Edwar of a local mitigation agency said the powerful earthquake and tsunami devastated 517 buildings and caused minor damage to 204 buildings, including four elementary school buildings, one junior high school building, four churches, 426 houses, and 10 bridges, while more than 200 houses suffered minor damage.

Around 22 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 5 to 6.2 on the Richter scale, had jolted the district up to Saturday. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was forced to leave the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi to visit Mentawai on Thursday.

He asked the West Sumatra governor and Mentawai district head to coordinate efforts at relocating the tsunami victims. Just one day after the Mentawai earthquake and tsunami, Mount Merapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcano has started to erupted on October 26, 2010.

A total of 32 people, including Mbah Maridjan, "the spiritual caretaker" of the volcano, were killed, and tens of others were injured. Mount Merapi erupted again several times early Saturday morning (Oct 30) causing residents living closest to the volcano to abandon their villages or settlements in panic.

A good sign … a vulcanologist said this eruption at Mount Merapi yesterday might stabilise it. Thirty-two people died when it first erupted, on Tuesday (smh.com.au).

Around 40,000 people have so far been evacuated to safer places following the eruption of Mt Merapi which is located in the border of Central Java and Yogyakarta and has erupted regularly since 1548. Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world because it is located on the Pacific Ocean’s "ring of fire" of volcanoes and earthquakes.

One of the worst disasters hitting Indonesia was a 8.9 earthquake and a subsequent deadly tsunami which devastated Aceh Province (northern Sumatra) and Nias Island (North Sumatra Province) on December 26, 2004. The gigantic tsunami killed at least 200,000 people and left around one million people homeless in Aceh and on Nias alone. The impacts of the tsunami had also affected badly other countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, and India.

In 2006, at least two major earthquakes rocked Java Island. In May 2006, Yogyakarta and its surrounding areas were shaken by 6.3 earthquake which killed over 5,700 people and injured at least 38,000 others. In July, a 6.8-earthquake and a subsequent tsunami affected southern coast of West Java and killed more than 650 people, while at least 65 others missing.

Another major earthquake was recorded on September 30, 2009, with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale which devastated Padang city and several other towns in the provincial capital of West Sumatra, killing at least 1,117 people. A total of 1,214 people were suffering from serious injuries, and 1,688 others were lightly injured. However, unofficial estimates put the number of victims at thousands, as many were still buried under the ruins of the collapsed buildings.

The earthquake also destroyed 101,653 houses, and caused damage to 97,995 others in West Sumatera. In 1883, Krakatoa, a volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, exploded and killed around 40,000 people.

The explosion is still considered to be the loudest sound ever heard in modern history, with reports of it being heard nearly 3,000 miles from its point of origin. The shock wave from the explosion was recorded on barographs around the globe. And the lists of possible disasters might add as currently besides Mt Merapi, some other volcanoes especially Mt Anak Krakatau on the Sunda Strait and Mt Dempo in Pagaralam district, South Sumatera, are also showing increaded activity.

Rare giant piranha-eating crocodile has been caught

2010-10-21T06:52:00.001+07:00

Mail Online - British angler Jeremy Wade looks understandably anxious as he grapples with this ferocious-looking 'giant piranha'.

The 52-year-old caught the aptly-named goliath tigerfish during a fishing expedition up the Congo River in Africa.

The brave fisherman was forced to hold the fish at arms-length for fear of being bitten by its razor-sharp teeth while posing with it for the camera.

The goliath tigerfish is one of the most fearsome freshwater fish in the world and said to be a much bigger and deadlier version of the piranha.

The giant fish has 32 teeth that are of similar size to those of a great white shark and has been known to attack humans and even crocodiles.

It has only ever been caught by a handful of fishermen due to the danger it poses and the fact its habitat is notoriously hard to reach.

Wade, the host of ITV's River Monsters show, said he took extra care when reeling in this specimen, which weighed more than 100lbs and was 5ft long.

The TV programme looks into mythical reports from around the world of humans being attacked by unknown monsters from the deep before the British host sets out to find and catch the suspect.

Commenting on the goliath tigerfish, Wade said: 'This fish is no tench. It is, for all intents and purposes, a giant piranha. It is quite a beast.

'The teeth on it are incredibly sharp and are about the same length as a great white shark.

'It also has an extremely powerful bite and has been known to consume prey the same size as itself, attack people and take pieces out of crocodiles.

'It is thought that these fish attack in a reflex response to a sudden movement or splash.

'It is very rare to catch one, especially by an outsider because they are found in such a remote and difficult location to get to. There are no guides or lodges on that part of the Congo River.'

Wade revealed he used a sizable catfish as bait for the tigerfish and a 200lbs rod and line.

He said he also took care to stand back from it until it was safely in his landing net.

'It is a very dangerous fish to handle. If you aren't careful it could easily take your finger off or worse,' he added.

Wade, who spent eight days trying to land the fish, said he returned it to the river soon afterwards.

Endangered Freshwater River Dolphins

2010-10-01T07:30:00.000+07:00

Indus river dolphin
Local men rescue an Indus river dolphin in Sind Province, Pakistan.

The endangered Indus dolphin is the only river dolphin species on the rise, with populations estimated at around 1,700 in 2006, up from 1,200 in 2001.

Bolivian river dolphin
This baby Bolivian dolphin was rescued in the summer of 2010 in the Pailas River, a tributary of the Rio Grande, when drought led to lower-than-usual water levels.

The Bolivian river dolphin comes equipped with a flexible body that allows it to make its way through the tree roots of flooded forests.

All three South American river dolphin species compete for habitat with fishers who sometimes use the dolphin as bait, according to WWF. But, the new report goes on to state that the primary threat to the Bolivian dolphin is mercury pollution from small-scale gold mines.

Tucuxi River Dolphin
A dorsal fin skims the surface of the Yavari River in Peru.

Tucuxi look like bottlenose dolphins but have longer noses and broader flippers. The species is found throughout the Amazon region, with the exception of Bolivia.

Both Tucuxi and Irrawaddy dolphins are distinct from the other five species in that they are part of the Delphinidae family of mostly ocean-dwelling dolphins. Both species have marine populations, as well as freshwater populations.

Ganges River Dolphin
A Ganges river dolphin, or Susu as it is known locally, waits at the surface of the Karnaphuli River in Bangladesh, where it comes up to breath every minute or so. WWF estimates that there are fewer than 2,000 of the endangered species left in the river system made up of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna, and Karnali Rivers in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal.

In 2009, India declared the Ganges river dolphin the national aquatic animal, a huge step toward conservation, said Ravi Singh, CEO of WWF India.

Irrawaddy River Dolphin
An Irrawaddy dolphin breaches the Mekong River in Cambodia. According to WWF, fishers in Myanmar's Irrawaddy River work in cooperation with Irrawaddy dolphins. The dolphins herd fish along side boats as they feed. The Irrawaddy dolphin's range has been limited to a 120-mile (190-kilometer) stretch of the Mekong, and small sections of the Irrawaddy and Mahakam Rivers, each subpopulation reduced to the critically endangered number of less than 75.

Ninety-two animals, more than half of them calves, died in fishing nets between 2003 and 2009 on the Mekong, according to WWF.

Amazon river dolphin
Tracking prey deep in the forest, freshwater dolphins make the most of the Amazon’s prodigious annual flood.

Legends around river dolphins abound. Amazon river dolphins are said to be shape shifters, changing into handsome men at night.

Often known as pink dolphins or "boto," Amazon river dolphins face the same risks as the other two South American species, including the habitat fragmentation that comes with dam building along the Amazon and its tributaries.

The species is widely distributed along the Orinoco and Amazon River Basins, in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, and Guyana.

Yangtze River Dolphin
The Yangtze River’s white fin dolphin, or baiji, in China, was believed to be extinct until 2007—when evidence turned up via amateur video that the species still survived.

Scientists say the mammals plied Chinese rivers for more than 19 million years before humans radically altered their habitat by overfishing, heavy freight traffic, and pollution. If any dolphins can be found, a captive breeding program might represent the last, slim chance to save the species.

Yangzte Finless Porpoise
The Yangtze finless porpoise is one of two large marine mammals that used to ply China's longest river.

Just 1,600 to 1,800 of the finless porpoises were counted in 2006 along the middle Yangtze and in two lakes. A population of the porpoise that has been protected in one of the Yangtze's oxbow lakes—remnants of where the river used to run—has grown by three or four calves a year.

To help the animals, local governments open sluice gates at 40 lakes along the Yangtze, returning, to some degree, the seasonal flow of the river and the dolphin to a larger stretch of its original habitat, said Lifeng Li, director of freshwater programs at WWF.

River dolphins, many elusive, are the canaries in the coal mine of the planet’s freshwater ecosystems, according to WWF. The threats facing dolphins are the same threats facing people, the environmental nonprofit's new report states.

“Unsustainable fishing practices both harm dolphins and erode the basis of fishermen’s livelihoods; toxic chemicals used in agriculture and mining affect the health of people and dolphins alike; and loss of natural river flows and habitats decreases the productivity of the freshwater ecosystems that sustain both human societies and river dolphins.”

source: National Geographic

Ronnie Coleman's Bicep Training Routine 1995

2010-09-30T17:44:00.000+07:00

Ronnie Coleman – Mr Olympia 1998 - 2005

The Three Bi Laws of Biceps - From Flex Magazine, October 1995

To be honest, biceps have been one of the easiest bodyparts to develop. Thus, in line with the 'you can learn best from the hardgainer' school of thought, the question might be asked, what can a fortunate Ronnie Coleman with 22 inch guns teach a beginner about building trophy - winning biceps? Quite a bit, I think, as all of my training routines have been constructed after a great deal of thought.

Debunking the Barbell Curl
I never advocate the use of the exercises cited as the kind of mass building for the biceps: the barbell curl. Like everybody else, when I started bodybuilding, I wanted bigger biceps, even tough I am blessed with good arm genetics. I though the route to follow was doing barbell curls, but my early experiences with that exercise taught me that although barbell curls allowed me to use heavy weights, the muscular stress caused by the poundage was in no way being applied 100% to my biceps. I believe that the heavy weights employed for barbell curls encourage the user to cheat through the exercise, perhaps without even knowing it. A person tends to bend the upper torso to let the momentum of the weight take over. In addition, instead of the biceps powering out the reps, forearms and front delts are called into play too much. You must analyze what kind of development you are aiming for with your biceps training. You should seek full development in terms of thickness and fullness of your biceps muscle attachments, plus optimum accentuation of the biceps peaks.

Those aspects are best achieved by exercises that isolate the biceps - ones that allow you to put maximum stress on your biceps throughout the completion of each set. Cheating on barbell curls means that at certain times during the course of a rep, the biceps are given an easy, if not free, ride. Based on the preceding thought, I came to the conclusion that cable work provided the required dual facilities of isolating the biceps while allowing them to be under constant stress throughout the completion of each set. The latter element is particularly difficult to attain during the negative (descending) part of each rep. This is where cables score heavily. With cables, you can maintain muscular stress during the negative phase to an extent that is not mechanically possible with free weights.

Many authorities claim that cables are solely for advanced bodybuilders, in order 'to refine what they've already built.' I don't agree. Cable work allows you to attack the biceps with 100% concentration, and that sort of exclusive application will make the biceps grow. Muscle fibers don't know whether the stress is being applied by free weights or a machine; they respond only to the level of muscular stress being placed on them. Whatever does the job, will do the job!

The One for All Routine
Although I'm a professional bodybuilder, I feel that the biceps routine I am currently employing for my Olympia preparation is, with minor modifications, suitable for weight trainers of all levels. Let me first detail the training program and then explain how it can be adapted for anybody from beginners on op. As a police office in Arlington, Texas, I work the 3 to 11 PM shift Sunday through Thursday. I train six days a week at around 11 M, and do my aerobic work after I finish my shift. This is the bodypart split I am using for my 1995 Mr. Olympia appearance.

Monday: Chest, triceps, calves, abs
Tuesday: Quads, hams
Wednesday; Back, biceps, calves, abs
Thursday; Chest, delts, triceps
Friday: Quads, hams, abs
Saturday: Back, biceps, delts, calves
Sunday: Rest

With my arms measuring 22 inches in contest shape, I don't have to worry too much about building size with my current biceps routine, so I keep my reps high (15 per set) to boost density and hardness.

Current All Purpose Biceps Routine Exercise
One arm cable curls: 4 sets 15 reps
Bar cable curls: 4 X 15
Cable crossover curls: 4 X 15

Beginner's Biceps Routine Exercise
One arm cable curls: 2 sets 15 reps, 2 sets 10 reps
Bar cable curls: 2 X15 , 2 X 10
Cable crossover curls: 2 X 15, 2 X 10

Bi Law One
I start my routine with one arm cable curls. You can do this exercise by finishing a set with one arm at a time (i.e., do a set with the left arm, then complete a set with the right arm) or in alternate right hand to left hand style. Whatever method you use, the main effect of this exercise is to place maximum stress on the peak of each biceps muscle. At the start of each rep, I let my arm hang fully extended, while still supporting the full pressure of the weight. Then, while keeping the rest of my body motionless, I curl the weight slowly upward. At the midpoint, I hold the weight and 'squeeze' the biceps for a full contraction. Then, I slowly release the weight to the starting position.

As stated previously, the descent phase is where cables really come into their own, as they allow you to maintain full stress on the muscles at all times. i use a weight with which 15 repetitions will be about my limit, but I train to failure, so if during a particular workout I hit 15 and still have something left, I'll continue until a full rep is impossible. I employ the failure principle with all my biceps exercises.

Bi Law Two
My second exercise is bar cable curls. In terms of adding bulk throughout the entire biceps muscle, I find this movement to be superior (for reasons outlined previously) to the standard barbell curl. The execution is along the same lines as that used with one arm cable curls; I maintain pressure on the biceps throughout the completion of each set and hold the weight in the midpoint position for a peak contraction. However, for the concluding tow sets, but only at every other session, I go past failure and finish the set with two or three forced reps. Just for the sake of variety, I'll substitute rope cable curls for the bar cable version twice a month.

Bi Law Three
I complete my biceps routine with an exercise I call the cable crossover curl, which builds maximum peaks while bulking up the entire biceps muscle. This is a much neglected exercise (it doesn't even have a standard name) but one that seems custom made for a competitive bodybuilder.

When you do this movement, you are really hitting a double biceps pose while applying weight resistance. What better biceps movement could there be for a competitive bodybuilder? I start this exercise by holding cable attachments in each hand. I keep my arms straight, fully extended and parallel with the floor. Then I hit a double biceps pose and, in the fully flexed position, I squeeze the muscles for a maximum burn. Finally, I slowly release the weight to the starting position. Again, the biceps are under pressure throughout the whole set, and as you eke out the reps, you'll find you get a great pump.

A Final Word Remember, my biceps training routine can be followed by weight trainers of all levels, though for beginners, I would suggest a slight modification to the routine. As you will notice, I advise that a beginner reduce the number of reps and increase the weight on the last two sets of each exercise. This is because a beginner's need for sheer size is more urgent than building hardness and density. The lower rep range and heavier poundages will fulfill that need. Without letting you ego carry you away, go as heavy as your strength allows for the strict execution of each movement. 'Strict' means no cheating of the exercises by calling secondary muscle groups into play. Your goal is to build the best biceps your genetics will allow, so isolate the biceps and don;t let other muscle groups assist in moving the workload.

The most common biceps training mistake is overtraining. Many bodybuilders train this showcase muscle group too often with too many sets and reps. Working the biceps twice a week with 12 sets per session is enough for anybody. You can't rush progress. As a police officer, I know that undue speed will only mean that sooner or later you will be brought to an abrupt halt.

http://www.ronniecoleman.net/trainingbiceps.html

Chris Dickerson’s 1968 Mr. USA Contest Winning Training Routine

2010-09-28T04:39:00.000+07:00

Chris Dickerson – Mr Olympia 1982

Chris Dickerson’s 1968 Mr. USA contest winning training routine

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Ab work as warm-up
1. Twisting Leg Raises – 50 reps each side
2. Hip Rolls – 50 reps each side
3. Double Leg Crossovers – 50 reps each side
4. Twisting Sit-ups Over Bench – 50 reps each side
5. Leg Raises off Flat Bench – 100 reps
6. Bent Knee Leg Raises – 100 reps
7. Seated Military Press – 4 sets of 6 reps
8. Lying Rear Delt Circles – 4 sets of 6 reps
9. Standing Dumbbell Presses – 4 sets of 6 reps
10. Lying Rear Delt Raise – 4 sets of 6 reps
11. One Arm Rowing Off Bench – 4 sets of 6 reps
12. Close Grip Chins – 4 sets of 10 reps
13. Rowing on High Pulley – 4 sets of 6 reps
14. Lat Pull downs – 4 sets of 6 reps
15. Incline Barbell Prones – 4 sets of 6 reps
16. Incline Laterals – Dumbbells – 4 sets of 6 reps
17. Bench Press – 4 sets of 6 reps
18. Bent Arm Laterals – 4 sets of 6 reps

*****

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

1. Twisting Good Mornings – 100 reps to each side
2. 3/4 Dumbbell Side Bends – 50 reps each side
3. Kneeling Back Kicks – 100 reps each leg
4. 3/4 Barbell Side Bends – 100 reps each side
5. Incline Hip Raise – 100 each side
6. One-Hand Triceps Extension on Pulley – 4 sets of 6 reps
7. Parallel Bar Dips – 4 sets of 6 reps
8. Seated Two Hand French Curl – 4 sets of 6 reps
9. Kneeling Triceps Pull down on Lat Machine – 4 sets of 6 reps
10. Leg Extension on Extension Machine – 4 sets of 6 reps
11. Front Squats – 4 sets 6 reps
12. Thigh Bicep Curls – 4 sets 6 reps
13. Hack Squats – 4 sets 6 reps
14. E-Z Bar Standing Curl – 4 sets of 6 reps
15. Seated Dumbbell Curl – 4 sets 6 reps
16. Incline Curl – Dumbbells – 4 sets of 6 reps
17. Concentration Curls – 4 sets of 6 reps

http://www.chrisdickerson.net/usa.html

Jay Cutler, The Winner of The 2010 Mr. Olympia

2010-09-27T00:59:00.000+07:00

FLEXONLINE.COM, September 25, 2010 - In a dramatic decision that had the capacity crowd at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas rocking and roaring, Jay Cutler was announced the winner of the 2010 Mr. Olympia. The win marked Iron Jay's fourth in five years.

Throughout the weekend speculation abounded that the contest would come down to Cutler and Phil Heath, with experts and fans alike being nearly equally divided as to who would prevail. In the end it was Jay's mass that trumped Phil's classical lines.

Taking third was a highly impressive Branch Warren, who slipped a notch from his runner-up placing of last year. The Texas Tornado squeaked by a near-peak form Dexter Jackson, who also fell one placing from his third place spot of last year.

In what has to be considered a victory of sorts, Dennis Wolf rose from a DNP last year to fifth place this, and rounding out the top six was the contest's dark horse, Ronny Rockel.

Seventh place went to Kai Greene, who was noticeably off from his best condition. Victor Martinez came back from a knee injury to take eighth (accompanied by the loudest boos of the evening). Toney Freeman finished in ninth and Hidetada Yamagishi took tenth.

Gallery photo of Jay Cutler’s poses at 2010 Mr Olympia

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Workout Routine

2010-09-26T04:50:00.000+07:00

Arnold Scwarzenegger – Mr Olympia 1970 – 1975, 1980

This is a sample bodybuilding workout routine Arnold frequently used, as featured in Muscle Mag - October 1991.

MON, WED, FRI

Chest

Bench press - 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Flat bench flies - 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Incline bench press - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Cable crossovers - 6 sets, 10-12 reps
Dips - 5 sets, to failure
Dumbbell pullovers - 5 sets, 10-12 reps

Back

Front wide-grip chin-ups - 6 sets, to failure
T-bar rows - 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Seated pulley rows - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
One-arm dumbbell rows - 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Straight-leg deadlifts - 6 sets, 15 reps

Legs

Squats - 6 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg presses - 6 sets, 8-12 reps
Leg extensions - 6 sets, 12-15 reps
Leg curls - 6 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell lunges - 5 sets, 15 reps

Calves

Standing calf raises -10 sets, 10 reps
Seated calf raises - 8 sets, 15 reps
One-legged calf raises (holding dumbbells) - 6 sets,12 reps

Forearms

Wrist curls (forearms on knees) - 4 sets, 10 reps
Reverse barbell curls - 4 sets, 8 reps
Wright roller machine - to failure

Abs

Nonstop instinct training for 30 minutes

*****

TUES, THURS, SAT

Biceps

Barbell curls - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Seated dumbbell curls - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Dumbbell concentration curls - 6 sets, 6-10 reps

Triceps

Close-grip bench presses (for the all three heads) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Pushdowns (exterior head) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Barbell French presses (interior head) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
One-arm dumbbell triceps extensions (exterior head) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps

Shoulders

Seated barbell presses - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Lateral raises (standing) - 6 sets, 6-10 reps
Rear-delt lateral raises - 5 sets, 6-10 reps
Cable lateral raises - 5 sets, 10-12 reps

Calves and Forearms
Same as Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Abs
Same as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_60/69c_fitness_tip.html

Lee Priest’s Biceps Workout For Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced

2010-09-24T04:53:00.000+07:00

Lee Priest – Mr Australia, 6th Mr Olympia (1997, 2000, 2002)

Lee Priest's Biceps Shock Workouts

BEGINNER
Concentration curls: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell curls : 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Alternate dumbbell curls: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell preacher curls: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Dumbbell preacher curls: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

INTERMEDIATE
Concentration curls: 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Cambered-bar curls: 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Dumbbell preacher curls: 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Seated alternate dumbbell curls: 4 sets, 6-8 reps
superset with Standing French curls: 4 sets, 6-8 reps
Seated cambered-bar curls: 4 sets, 6-8 reps

ADVANCED
Concentration curls : 5 sets, 6-8 reps
Standing cambered-bar curls: 5 sets, 6-8 reps
Cambered-bar preacher curls: 5 sets, 6-8 reps
Dumbbell preacher curls: 5 sets, 6-8 reps
Seated alternate dumbbell curls: 5 sets, 6-8 reps
superset with Standing French curls: 5 sets, 6-8 reps
Seated cambered-bar curls: 5 sets, 6-8 reps

http://www.superiormuscle.com/forums/training/40564-lee-priest-arms

Larry Scott’s Arm Workout Routine

2010-09-22T04:59:00.000+07:00

Larry Scott – Mr Olympia 1965-1966

Larry Scott’s Arm Workout Routine

Larry Scott was the first Mr. Olympia and his claim to fame was the most mind blowing set of biceps and triceps the bodybuilding world had ever seen up until the time Scott appeared on the scene. Larry Scott’s favorite arm workout routine apparatus was the preacher curl bench, which also bears his name (the Scott curl bench).

Larry believed that triceps grow the best with supersets and biceps grow the best with tri-sets (and who’s gonna argue with him?) His favorite bicep routine was a tri-set performed on the preacher bench and a superset combo for triceps. Larry also frequently employed “burns”, which were quick quarter reps (partials) performed after each set.

Dumbbell preacher curl, loose form 3-4 sets X 6 reps + 4-5 burns
Straight Bar preacher curl, strict form 3-4 sets X 6 reps + 4-5 burns
EZ bar reverse curl, loose form 3-4 sets X 6 reps + 4-5 burns

Close Grip Bench Press with EZ Bar 4-5 sets X 6 reps + 4-5 burns
Kneeling twin pedestal tricep rope extension* 4-5 sets X 6 reps + 4-5 burns

The twin pedestal bench is a special bench for the kneeling rope tricep extension. It is simply two pads for the elbows with a space for your head in between. It was originally built by Vince Gironda and Scott later began manufacturing his own version. If you don’t have the apparatus for this exercise, you can simply do a rope extension facing away from the weight stack from a high pulley in a lunge position.

http://chetday.com/armworkout.htm

Kevin Levrone's Deltoid Workout

2010-09-21T17:42:00.000+07:00

Kevin Levrone – Runner up Mr Olympia 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002

*****

Kevin Levrone's Deltoid Workout

BARBELL PRESSES

I alternate between front and behind-the-neck presses, depending on how I feel that particular day. The behind-the-neck version is often criticized for putting you in an unnatural position. I don’t agree with that. The angle is fine as long as you do the movement strictly and correctly. Both exercises hit the front and medial delt heads, though behind-the-neck presses tend to bring the medial delts into play in a big way.

Elements of Style: You can do behind-the-neck presses either with a free bar or on a Smith machine for added stability. Lift the barbell overhead and rest it on your shoulders behind your head, or lift it off of a bench-press rack. Press the bar straight up — hold for a count of one one-thousand — and lower it, keeping your elbows back and staying under control throughout.

With standard barbell military presses, which can be done either seated or standing, take a wider than shoulder-width grip on the bar. From shoulder height or at the level of the collarbone, press the bar overhead to full extension, hold for a count of one one-thousand, and return the bar to the starting position.

Do four sets total, 10-12 reps for the first two sets and six to eight reps on the next two. Select a weight that will let you reach failure on your final rep. Again, my plan calls for heavy weights on everything you do for shoulders. That’s been the secret to my success, and I want you to reap the same awesome benefits.

*****

DUMBBELL PRESSES

I really like dumbbell presses because they give me a tremendous sense of control. I’m able to focus on form, and I can feel the resistance targeted right into the delts as I press upward. For a change of pace, I occasionally do these standing, but seated presses are stricter -- you can’t cheat!

Another advantage is that the support the seat provides to my mid-upper back and lumbar spine helps to add stability. That enables me to put all of my energy into the mind-muscle connection.

A common beginner’s mistake is trying to lift too much too soon. I want you to train heavy, but don’t get carried away with the ego-driven nonsense of grabbing dumbbells that are way too heavy for you. The execution of a rep should be smooth and controlled. You should be able to feel the muscles working, and if your elbows can’t stay in a fixed position, that’s a red flag: You’re using weights that are overloading your muscles.

Elements of Style: Begin with the dumbbells at shoulder height, your elbows out to the sides. Drive the weights up in a small arc until you hear them click at the top. Then lower them as you retrace the arc.

I never do partials; I believe in using a full range of motion, all the way up and all the way down, with a full stretch at the bottom and a complete contraction at the top.

Do four sets of eight to 12 reps, reaching failure on the last rep of each set.

*****

FRONT RAISES

Arnold “The Austrian Oak” Schwarzenegger turned me on to this front-delt punisher. I get an intense pump and contraction by raising the dumbbell well above shoulder level. Many guys lift the weight up only to shoulder height, but that’s not going to get it done. Another thing you will hear from the so-called experts in the gym is that front raises put too much stress on the shoulder joint, especially if you also do a lot of heavy bench presses. That’s bull. I’ve never had any problems and I started doing these in 1988.

Elements of Style: The goal is to practice this exercise until moving one arm and then the other becomes a single fluid movement. Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand and lift your right arm over your head in a wide arc until you feel a very strong contraction in your right anterior delt. As you lower the dumbbell in your right hand, begin to raise the dumbbell in your left hand, and repeat this process, alternating arms.

Do four sets of 10-12 reps. By this time, your front delts should be pretty toasted.

*****

ONE-ARM CABLE SIDE LATERALS

I flip-flop these medial-delt killing machines with dumbbell side laterals. Cables offer the benefit of a full muscular contraction throughout the movement, whereas dumbbells don’t kick into gear until you’re halfway through the exercise.

Elements of Style: Stand with one hand on your waist and the other arm grasping the handle of a low cable pulley. Try to stand slightly away from the pulley (this helps to maximize tension on the muscle) and pull the handle across your body until it is higher than your head. Retrace the arc back to the beginning, do the desired number of reps, and repeat with the other arm.

Perform four heavy sets of 12-15 reps. Select a weight that forces your medial delts to fail on the final rep of each set.

http://www.binaraga.net/tips/tips.php

The Diet Superfoods

2010-09-20T17:09:00.000+07:00

One in three of American people is now overweight or obese, and a third of American children will develop diabetes in their lifetimes. But the answer isn’t eating less food—it’s eating more of the right foods. Below is the list of some diet superfoods:

Nuts

Nuts are New Diet smart bombs. They’re packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, those good-for-you fats that lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and, according to new research, help you control your appetite.

Researchers from Georgia Southern University found that eating a high-protein, high-fat snack, such as almonds, increases your calorie burn for up to 3 1/2 hours. And just 1 ounce of almonds boosts vitamin E levels, increasing memory and cognitive performance, according to researchers at New York Presbyterian Hospital. In another study, people who ate pistachios for 3 months lost 10 to 12 pounds, on average.

Whole Grains

It's not a magic disappearing act, but it's close: When Harvard University researchers analyzed the diets of more than 27,000 people over 8 years, they discovered that those who ate whole grains daily weighed 2.5 pounds less than those who ate only refined-grain foods.

Another study from Penn State University found that whole-grain eaters lost 2.4 times more belly fat than those who ate refined grains. Whole grains more favorably affect blood-glucose levels, which means they don’t cause wild swings in blood sugar and ratchet up cravings after you eat them. Plus, the antioxidants in whole grains help control inflammation and insulin (a hormone that tells your body to store belly fat). Whole grains also strengthen your heart, helping you live longer.

Avocados and Other Healthy Fats

Just because a food has plenty of fat and calories doesn’t mean it’s fattening. See, certain foods cause you to gain weight because they provoke hormonal changes that trigger cravings, or “rebound hunger.” One hunger-control hormone, leptin, becomes blunted by starchy, sweet, fatty, and refined-carbohydrate foods. That's why a bagel is fattening: It's a high-calorie load of refined carbohydrates that double-crosses your natural satisfaction response. Avocados, on the other hand, aren't fattening, because they’re loaded with healthy fat and fiber and don't cause wild swings in insulin levels. So enjoy the fat in avocados, olive oil, and nuts. Research shows that diets containing upward of 50 percent fat are just as effective for weight loss as those that are low in fat.

Meats (Pasture-Raised and Free-Range)

Grass-fed beef, chicken, and pork are leaner and healthier than conventional livestock—and can help trim away pounds. A 3.5-ounce serving of grass-fed beef has only 2.4 grams of fat, compared with 16.3 grams for conventionally raised beef. In fact, grass-fed beef is so much more nutritious than commodity beef that it's almost a different food.

Grass-fed beef contains more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to reduce abdominal fat while building lean muscle. It also has more omega-3s and less omega-6s than corn-fed beef. It’s the same with chickens. According to a recent study in the journal Poultry Science, free-range chickens have significantly more omega-3s than grain-fed chickens do, and less harmful fat and fewer calories than grain-fed varieties. This is important because omega-3s improve your mood, boost your metabolism, sharpen your brain, and help you lose weight.

Environmentally Sustainable Fish

Choosing seafood these days isn't easy. Some species (swordfish, farmed salmon) contain obesity-promoting pollutants (dioxins, PCBs). Others are fattened with soy, which lowers their levels of healthy omega-3s. In fact, the American Heart Association recently urged people who are concerned about heart disease to avoid eating tilapia for just that reason.

Generally, small, oily ocean fish (herring, mackerel, sardines) are low in toxins and score highest in omega-3s. Wild Alaskan salmon, Pacific halibut, rainbow trout, and yellowfin tuna are generally low in toxins and high in nutrients. And then there are fish that we should avoid at all times: farmed (or “Atlantic”) salmon, farmed tilapia, Atlantic cod, Chilean sea bass, and farmed shrimp.

Raspberries and Other Berries

A recent study by researchers at Yale University school of medicine discovered that after eating a high-carb, high-sugar meal, free radicals (rogue molecules produced when your body breaks down food) attack the neurons that tell us when we’re full. The result: It’s hard to judge when hunger is satisfied. Escape the cycle of overindulgence by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants. And berries top the charts.

The berries that give you the most antioxidant bang per bite, in order: cranberries, black currents, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates.

Instant Oats

Fiber is the secret to losing weight without going hungry. One U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that those who increased their daily fiber intake from 12 grams to 24 absorbed 90 fewer calories per day than those who ate the same amount of food but less fiber.

Instant oats are one of the easiest ways to get more real fiber into your diet. Plus, new research indicates that oats can also cut your risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and even reduce your risk of weight gain. Oats also have 10 grams of protein per half-cup serving, so they deliver steady muscle-building energy. Choose oatmeal that contains whole oats and low sodium, like Uncle Sam Instant Oatmeal, which also has whole-grain wheat flakes and flaxseed.

Cruciferous Vegetables and Other Folate-Rich Greens

The more folate you have in your diet, the lower your risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s and depression. And a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that those with the highest folate levels lose 8.5 times more weight when dieting. And cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, Swiss chard, and bok choy, are not only rich in folate, they’re also rich in potassium. Researchers at the Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, at Tufts University, found that foods rich in potassium help preserve lean muscle mass. Another stunner: New research shows that folate helps protect against damage from estrogenic chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA), which have been linked to obesity.

Apples and Other Fruits

What makes the apple so potent? In part, it’s because most of us eat the peel: It’s a great way to add fiber and nutrients to your diet. But there’s a downside: The peel is where the fruit tends to absorb and retain most of the pesticides they are exposed to, apples and peaches being the worst offenders. That’s why, for maximum weight-loss potential, we strongly recommend you buy organic versions of apples, pears, peaches, and other eat-the-peel fruits.

You’ll experience a terrific payoff if you do: In a UCLA study, normal-weight people reported eating, on average, two servings of fruit and 12 grams of fiber a day; those who were overweight had just one serving and 9 g. Credit that extra 3 g of fiber—the amount in one single apple or orange—as the difference maker.

Navy Beans and Other Legumes

Study after study reveals that bean eaters live longer and weigh less. One study showed that people who eat 3/4 cup of beans daily weigh 6.6 pounds less than those who don't eat beans. Another study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that people who eat one and a half servings of beans a day (3/4 cup) have lower blood pressure and smaller waist sizes than those who skip beans in favor of other proteins. Imagine each bean you eat is a perfect little weight-loss pill.

Dark Chocolate

A new study from Denmark found that those who eat dark chocolate consume 15 percent fewer calories at their next meal and are less interested in fatty, salty, and sugary foods. And research shows that dark chocolate can improve heart health, lower blood pressure, reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol, decrease the risk of blood clots, and increase blood flow to the brain. Dark chocolate boosts serotonin and endorphin levels, which are associated with improved mood and greater concentration; it's rich in B vitamins and magnesium, which are noted cognitive boosters; it contains small amounts of caffeine, which helps with short-term concentration; and it contains theobromine, a stimulant that delivers a different kind of buzz, sans the jitters. Dark chocolate is also one of the best foods for better sex.

Ice Cream and Other Healthy Desserts

Calcium-rich desserts like ice cream bind to fatty acids in the digestive tract, blocking their absorption. In one study, participants who ate 1,735 mg of calcium from low-fat dairy products (about as much as in five 8-ounce glasses of milk) blocked the equivalent of 85 calories a day. Plus, half a cup of vanilla ice cream gives you 19 milligrams of choline, which translates to protection from cancer, heart attack, stroke, and dementia. We’re not suggesting you have a bowlful of ice cream every night. But a scoop (the size of a tennis ball) every few days isn’t the diet saboteur it’s made out to be.

http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100251810&imageindex=1

Dieting Without Losing Vital Nutrients

2010-09-19T17:12:00.000+07:00

Popular diets that eliminate carbs or fat could also eliminate nutrients vital to your health. But you can diet without sacrificing your nutrient intake.

It stands to reason that going on a diet will impact your nutrient intake. After all, when you eat fewer calories, you eat less of everything. But according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, that logic may not hold water. The authors followed women on four well-known fad diets and found that one diet in particular actually led to a boost in nutrient intake, while all the other dieters found themselves consuming fewer key nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B12 and zinc.

The Details:

The researchers randomly assigned 311 obese or overweight women, ages 25 to 50, to one of four popular diets: the low-carb Atkins diet; the Ornish diet, essentially a vegetarian diet that excludes nearly all fats except those from low-fat dairy; the LEARN diet, or Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships, and Nutrition, which follows the USDA food pyramid and encourages low-fat eating; and the Zone diet, which stresses light consumption of lean protein and eating mostly complex carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables accompanied by healthy fats and oils.

Each participant was given a book about her diet and then attended a 1-hour training class each week of the 8-week study. However, they were left to their own devices as far as purchasing and preparing food according to each diets' requirements. Participants were called at random and asked what they ate in the previous 24-hour period, and that information was analyzed to determine nutrient intake.

All the participants consumed roughly the same number of calories per day, regardless of which diet they followed, but followers of the Zone diet were the only group to see significant improvements in overall nutrient intake. Atkins dieters experienced steep declines in thiamin, folic acid (which is especially important for pregnant women), vitamin C, magnesium, and, ironically, iron. The authors note that the primary source of iron in the American diet is not red meat but fortified breads and cereals, consumption of which is limited in the Atkins program. People on the Ornish diet saw significant drops in zinc and vitamin B12, which come primarily from animal foods, and LEARN participants saw worsened intakes for calcium, vitamin E, thiamin, and magnesium. None of those diets led to significant increases in nutrient intake (with the exception of vitamin K, which rose among Atkins dieters), but the Zone dieters, on the other hand, saw substantial increases in their nutrients with no decreases.

What it means:

Christopher D. Gardner, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine's Prevention Research Center and lead author of the study, thinks the reason Zone dieters get a wider and better range of nutrients is that the diet itself is more nuanced and less of an all-or-nothing approach to certain food groups. "The Zone diet is lower in carbohydrates but not as extremely low-carb as Atkins," he says. "And the way women, we think, were approaching this was that they were eliminating the least nutritious carbs—added sugars and refined grains." When you eliminate entire food groups, he adds, and focus only on low-fat or low-carb, you wind up eliminating foods, such as olive oil, avocados, and a colorful array of vegetables that contain nutrients your body needs.

In addition, he adds, the Zone diet calls for replacing those unhealthy simple carbohydrates with healthy, complex carbohydrates like vegetables, most fruits, and a few unrefined whole grains. "The foods they were choosing in the process of cutting back calories were more nutrient-dense foods," he says. That's not always the case with the other diets he studied. "One of the unintended consequences of low-fat diets is that people just replace fatty foods with foods that contain a lot of added sugar and refined carbohydrates. And with those come more nutrient inadequacies, and they're just empty calories."

What things can be applied:

Even if you aren't looking to go on a fad diet, Gardner says that the Zone diet encourages a lot of healthy eating habits that we should all be following. Here are a few of its basic tenets and how you can incorporate them into your meals:

Focus on thirds

The practice of dividing your plate into thirds is a basic foundation of the Zone diet, and something we at Rodale.com have encouraged as well. Reserve one third for a very lean protein, such as skinless chicken or fish, and two-thirds for vegetables. You can leave a "sliver," as they call it, for healthy fats, including avocados, a handful of almonds, or some olive oil.

Find healthy grains

The Zone diet encourages you to get rid of all grains, except for barley and steel-cut oats, but there are lots of unrefined healthy whole grains that are nutrient dense and can easily take the place of refined pastas and rice in your meal—for instance, iron-rich quinoa and whole-wheat couscous. You can read about them in our Grain Guide.

Go low-GI

The carbs encouraged by the Zone diet are low-glycemic index (GI) carbs—for instance, vegetables and some fruits. Foods that contain high-GI carbohydrates are unhealthy simple sugars—think ice cream, white bread, instant oatmeal, and popcorn. Not only can those foods cause your blood sugar to spike and make you feel tired, a recent study found they up your risk for heart disease.

Take a multivitamin

While the founders of the Zone diet say that, if the diet is followed closely, you shouldn't need to take a multivitamin, Gardiner encourages people to add one simply because it's hard to follow these diets to the letter. "If you intentionally decide to cut back 500 calories per day, you're going to increase your risk of nutrient inadequacy," he says. It doesn't necessarily mean you'll lose nutrients, he says, but the risk is there. Let a multivitamin be your backstop.

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100260615

High-Protein Diets, Are They Good?

2010-09-18T17:14:00.000+07:00

High-protein diets take a page from the low-carb craze. The goal is to lose weight by eating more protein-packed foods, which often means consuming fewer carbohydrates. The portion of total calories derived from protein is what defines a high-protein diet. In a typical diet 10%-15% of daily calories come from protein. In a high-protein diet, this number can be as high as 30%-50%.

High-protein diets may help people lose weight -- at least in the short term -- because dieters tend to feel full longer when they eat more protein. This alone can cut down on snacking and lead to fairly rapid weight loss. Combine speedy weight loss with the satisfaction of feeling full, and it’s easy to understand why high-protein diets are popular. Unfortunately, many people gain back the weight once the diet ends.

Besides curbing appetites, high-protein diets may also change a person’s metabolism. When carbohydrates are severely restricted, the body begins burning its own fat for fuel – a state called ketosis. Ketosis may shed weight, but it’s also associated with headaches, irritability, nausea, kidney trouble, and heart palpitations.

Not all high-protein diets are the same

High-protein diets come in many forms, and not all are created equal. The most nutritious high-protein plans are low in fat and moderate in carbohydrates, rather than high in fat and low in carbohydrates. The following lists present a variety of foods that fit the high-protein diet bill.

Lean beef: it’s one star of a high-protein diet.

Nothing says protein like a nice juicy steak. And if you’re careful to choose a lean cut, you can get all of the protein with far less fat. In fact, a lean cut of beef has barely more saturated fat than a similar size of skinless chicken breast.

Poultry also has a big part in a high-protein diet.

Chicken and poultry pack plenty of punch in a high-protein diet, and if you enjoy the white meat you’ll be eating a lot less fat than if you choose dark. To slim your meal down even further, remove the skin, which is bursting with saturated fat.

Pork: A tender addition to a high-protein diet.

It may surprise you to learn that pork tenderloin is a white meat. What’s more, the cuts available today are 31% leaner than they were 20 years ago. If you’re interested in a high-protein diet, you may want to plan on pork.

Seafood gets along swimmingly in a high-protein plan.

Fish is a no-brainer -- it’s loaded with protein and almost always low in fat. Even the types that have more fat, such as salmon, are a good choice. That’s because the fat in fish is generally the heart-healthy kind known as omega-3 fatty acid -- and most diets don’t contain enough of this good-for-you fat.

Eggs: Affordable, Convenient, & Tasty.

Eggs are perhaps the most classic and certainly least expensive form of protein. The American Heart Association says an egg a day is safe for healthy adults, so you may want to get cracking with eggs when you’re on a high-protein diet.

Tofu & other soy products: getting your protein from plants.

Soy products, such as tofu, soy burgers, and other soy-based foods, can offer a high-protein diet a nutritious plant-based source of protein. An added bonus: Consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily may also help lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease.

Beans: Tiny powerhouses of protein, and packed with fiber, too.

Beans pack a powerful one-two punch – they are loaded with protein and also full of fiber. Along with protein, fiber helps you feel full longer and also helps lower cholesterol. As for the protein content, 1-1/2 cups of beans is roughly equal to 3 ounces of broiled steak.

Low-fat dairy gives your diet a high-protein boost.

If you want to give your high-protein diet a tasty boost, don’t overlook dairy products as a protein source. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are not only protein-rich, they also provide calcium for strong bones and a healthy heart. Strive for 2-4 servings of low-fat or nonfat milk products daily.

High-protein cereal and energy bars can help your diet in a pinch.

Pressed for time? You can turn to high-protein cereal or energy bars to give your high-protein diet a fast boost. Just make sure the bars you choose have at least 6 grams of protein and not too much sugar or fat.

Whole grains should be part of your high-protein diet, too.

Most high-protein diets limit grains to a couple servings a day, so you want to make sure the grains you do eat are pulling their weight. That means staying clear of white breads and pastas, which have little to offer nutrient-wise, when compared with their whole-grain cousins. Whole-grain breads, cereals, and pastas, on the other hand, are rich in fiber, which might otherwise be in short supply for people on a high-protein diet.

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of every healthy diet.

No matter the emphasis on protein, make sure you leave room for fruits and vegetables in a high-protein diet. These nutrient gold mines contain powerful antioxidants that aren't found in most other foods, and research suggests that people who eat plenty of fruits and veggies may lower their risk of cancer.

What are the drawbacks of a high-protein diet?

More Protein, More Risks?

The medical community has raised many concerns about high-protein diets. These diets often boost protein intake at the expense of fruits and vegetables, so dieters miss out on disease-fighting nutrients -- which may raise their risk of cancer. Other potential health risks include high cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis, and kidney disease.

More Saturated Fat, Less Fiber

Many high-protein diets are high in saturated fat and low in fiber. This combination can increase cholesterol levels and raise the risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association does not recommend high-protein diets for weight loss.

Losing Calcium

People on high-protein diets excrete more calcium through their urine than do those not on a high-protein diet. If a person sticks to a high-protein diet long-term, the loss of calcium could raise their risk of developing osteoporosis.

Protein May Affect Kidney Function

People with kidney disease should consult a doctor before starting a high-protein diet. Research suggests people with impaired kidneys lose kidney function more rapidly if they eat excessive amounts of protein – especially animal protein.

High-Protein Diets: Still Questions

A healthy lifestyle: the one surefire way to a healthy weight.

There are no long-term studies of high-protein diets, so their ultimate health impact is unknown. But the experts are sure of one thing: the formula for permanent weight loss is a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating nutritious, low-calorie foods and participating in regular physical activity.

Note: Check with your health care provider before making major dietary changes.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/slideshow-high-protein-diet

The Most Common Diet Mistakes

2010-09-17T17:36:00.000+07:00

It’s likely that you’ve been on a diet at one point in your life. And everyone can easily name a few friends or family members who’ve been on one. Did you succeed? Did they? Or did you find yourself right back where you started?

Simple diet mistakes can derail your best efforts to get back into that favorite pair of jeans. If the scale seems stuck, or your weight drops off only to bounce back up, there’s a chance you could be making one of these weight loss blunders.

Relying on Crash Diets

Determined to lose 10 pounds fast, you turn to a crash diet. Perhaps your plan calls for nothing but grapefruit or cabbage soup each day. You slash your daily calories to fewer than 1,000 -- and sure enough, the pounds melt away. But when you eat so few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories more slowly -- and gains weight more quickly -- than ever before.

Skipping Breakfast

Skipping breakfast seems like a simple way to cut calories, but the result can be insatiable hunger the rest of the day. This may lead to unplanned snacking at the office and eating a super-size portion at lunch, making calorie counts soars. But breakfasts that are high in protein and fiber can reduce hunger throughout the day. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and you should make the time to eat it. In fact, studies show people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and you should make the time to eat it.

Losing Track of Your Snacks

Maybe you count calories meticulously at every meal, but what about all those nibbles in between? There’s the bag of pretzels at your desk, the little slice of cake at an office party, the taste of your son’s ice cream cone. All of this mindless munching adds up and could sabotage an otherwise well-planned diet. If you’re serious about counting calories, you may want to use a notebook to keep track of each bite.

Not Snacking at All

While mindless snacking can pad your waistline, thoughtful snacking may do just the opposite. People who eat several small meals and snacks a day are more likely to control hunger and lose weight. Snacking helps keep your metabolism in high gear, especially if the snacks are protein-rich. Nuts are a good, high-protein choice, and research suggests people who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't.

Loading Up on Low-Fat

Low-fat products can play an important role in your diet. Just remember that low-fat isn’t the same as low-calorie and it’s not a license to take second and third helpings. To cut the fat from packaged foods, they had to save the flavor by adding sugar, sodium or other preservatives. If you pile your plate with low-fat cake, you may end up eating more calories than if you had a smaller slice of regular cake. The best way to know how much fat, sugar, and calories you’re getting is to check the nutritional label.

Sipping Too Many Calories

When counting calories, many of us tend to overlook what’s in our drinks. This is a big mistake when you consider that some fancy coffees and alcoholic beverages have more than 500 calories. Even the calories in fruit juice and soda can add up quickly. Soft drinks, juices, cocktails and lattes are all full of calories, and empty calories at that. What’s worse is that liquid calories don’t curb hunger. You’re not going to eat any less after a high-calorie drink.

Drinking Too Little Water

This is one of the simplest diet blunders to fix. Water is essential for burning calories. If you let yourself get dehydrated, your metabolism drags -- and that means slower weight loss. Research suggests adults who drink eight or more glasses of water per day burn more calories than those who drink less. So try adding a glass of water to every meal and snack. Water fuels body processes, clears skin, gives energy and a host of other positives.

Ditching Dairy

Milk, cheese, and ice cream are taboo for many dieters, but ditching dairy foods may be counterproductive. Some research suggests the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces more fat when it’s calcium-deprived. Calcium supplements do not appear to yield the same benefits, so dairy may have other compounds at work as well. Most dietitians recommend sticking to nonfat or low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Taking the Drive-Through Bait

The drive-through is convenient after a hectic day, and you can always order the salad or other healthier option. But once you’re there, can you resist that milkshake or other treat? And if you allow yourself the ease of fast food once, it could become a habit. These meals-on-the-go are full of sodium, trans fat, calories and other food additives that a healthy body just doesn’t need. Not to mention oversized portions and the price tag. Plan meals ahead of time to avoid the drive-thru. According to one long-term study, people who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds than those who had it less than once a week.

Weighing Yourself Every Day

Weighing yourself daily is a recipe for frustration and doesn’t yield useful information. It’s more important to look for a long-term trend with weekly weigh-ins. If your goal is to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, you’ll be satisfied to see those full-pound drops when you step on the scale. The result is more motivating than the confusing swings that may accompany daily weigh-ins. Also, keep an eye on waist inches as an indication of weight loss.

Setting Unrealistic Goals

Telling yourself you’ll lose 20 pounds your first week is probably setting yourself up for failure. If you know you won’t be able to do it, you may never start your diet in the first place. If you do diet and lose 5 pounds in a week, instead of celebrating, you may feel discouraged that you didn’t reach your goal. A realistic goal is vital to successful dieting. Set small, attainable goals and as you reach each milestone, you’ll find you’re gradually moving toward that bigger goal. If you’re not sure what your goal should be, talk to a dietitian.

Avoiding Exercise

When you don’t exercise, you place the entire burden of weight loss on your diet. If you become more active, you can eat more of the things you like -- and still lose weight. It’s as simple as calories in, calories out. A combination of a healthy diet and then at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week will yield positive results. The key is finding an exercise you enjoy. If the treadmill seems tedious, try swimming, ballet, biking, or Ping-Pong, all of which burn more calories than walking. Spend time at different activities until you find one you want to do on most days.

The Weirdest Diets

2010-09-16T17:37:00.000+07:00

Over the years some truly bizarre, totally weird and downright disgusting diets have hit the market. This is a list of the weirdest diets of the past and present.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Heidi Klum and Fergie have been linked to this strange diet plan, according to Allure magazine. Before each meal you drink three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to curb cravings and cut fat. Medical experts say there's no science behind it, but that you may lose weight because it ruins your appetite. There are apple cider vinegar diet pills that doctors strictly warn against, saying the concentrated acidic formula could burn your esophagus and stomach lining.

Shangri-la Diet

The Shangri-La Diet by psychology professor Seth Roberts came out in 2006 and advised a new way of beating hunger. Based on studies of rats, Roberts theorized that individuals have a weight "set point" or average weight, which can be lowered by eating certain bland foods. He suggests drinking olive oil about an hour before each meal to suppress the appetite.

Cotton Balls Diet

Weight-loss expert David Edelson, M.D., says some models and dancers have eaten cotton balls in an attempt to feel full and not overeat. Cotton is not digestible, so the "risk is huge," he says. The cotton balls will wreak havoc on your system and can do serious harm. Nutritionists advise eating high-fiber foods to get the same effect without causing damage to your body.

Tapeworms Diet

In the early 1920s vendors were selling dieters pills with tapeworms in them. The theory was that the worm would attach to the stomach lining and eat some of your food, so you would lose weight without trying. It may sound good in theory, but in practice the parasites take necessary nutrients, cause digestive problems and may reproduce in your system. Doctors say tapeworms are a no-no, and hopefully no one is still trying this.

The Master Cleanser Diet

Celebrities like Béyoncé made this weird diet fashionable. Followers take laxatives in the morning and evening, and drink a mix of lemon juice, syrup and cayenne pepper in water whenever hungry. Experts say this cleanse is abrasive and excessive. Edelson does not endorse laxatives and says cleanses should only last three to seven days, as opposed to the 10 or more this cleanse suggests.

Breatharianism Diet

Almost a religion, followers of Breatharianism believe that food and water are unnecessary and that people can subsist on spirituality and sunlight alone. Basically it is a prolonged fast. Practitioner Wiley Brooks founded a Breatharianism institute in the U.S. but has been spotted by the press drinking soda and eating junk food. Others have claimed to only live on sunlight, but scientists have not confirmed it. Medical experts say prolonged fasting will lead to starvation.

The Freegan Diet

Those who call themselves Freegans try to reduce society's waste by using only second-hand products and discarded goods. They adopt a vegan diet (no animal products) and only eat food they can find for free. They "Dumpster dive" to find food in the trash, eat people's leftovers and forage wild plants. Doctors say there's nothing inherently unhealthy about this lifestyle--it's just kind of gross.

Fletcherism Diet

Horace Fletcher became known as "The Great Masticator" in the early 1900s for his weird diet. He proposed that people "Fletcherize" their food, meaning that they chew about 100 times per minute and only consume its liquids. Meals would consist of the juices that trickled down the throat, but anything solid left over was spit out. Even though his diet was extreme, weight-loss experts do advise that you eat slowly to curb overeating.

The Last-Chance Diet

Robert Linn, M.D., created one of the weirdest diets of all time in the mid-1970s. On his program, people ate nothing except a liquid protein elixir called Prolinn a few times a day. The blend was pre-digested animal hides, tendons and slaughterhouse byproducts combined with sweeteners and artificial flavors. The FDA stepped in after several last-chance dieters died.

The HCG Diet

A truly bizarre diet plan, practitioners inject themselves with a hormone that is naturally produced by the placenta of a pregnant woman, which is supposed to burn fat. The dieters are advised to only eat about 500 calories a day and are promised a weight loss of one pound per day. Doctors suggest you stay away from this one, as the calorie counts are too low, and hormone injections can be dangerous.

Japanese Banana Diet

This diet from Japan emerged about two years ago. Adherents to the Japanese Banana Diet ate only bananas and room-temperature water for breakfast, and claimed that this jump-started weight loss, regardless of what they consumed for the rest of the day. Really? Anything I want? Well, they did say no dessert, but other than that, anything was fair game. Other variations on the banana diet say eat 2 bananas before each meal, then whatever you want after that. Proponents of this diet do say that weight loss isn’t fast, possibly because constipation is a side effect of eating so many bananas….

Lunch Box Diet

Popular in the United Kingdom, this diet invented by a fitness trainer is simple: buy a lunch box, fill it with vegetables, proteins and fats, and graze on the contents of your lunch box all day long. You’re supposed to be eating healthy foods all day long, in order to satisfy your hunger without bingeing. The creator will sell you the diet plan for $21 USD, or you can go to Walmart, buy a cheap lunch box and fill it with food on your own. If you can adhere to the plan, this one makes a little bit of sense.

Baby Food Diet

This one’s been in the news lately as a celebrity favorite. None other than Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Madonna have tried this diet, created by celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson. A book is expected to be released soon so that the general public can follow it if desired, but what it really boils down to is, eating jars of baby food. Most baby food is free of additives, preservatives and fillers, and much of it is organic, which might be why the idea became so appealing and trendy among celebs.

Man Juice Diet

No, this isn’t just a ploy by men to get women to give them blow jobs. In 2002, a porn star named Kim Kelly became famous for publicizing the fact that she planned to eat nothing but “man juice” (aka semen) for 30 days. She planned to have six servings of man juice per day, and had more than 1000 men offering to donate “meals” for her to ingest. Because she could not “raise” enough funding to keep the diet going, Kelly only was able to attempt it for 8 days. The idea is so appealing to the providers of “man juice,” however, that it will probably rear its ugly head again one day.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/08/diet-weight-loss-health-forbes-woman-well-being-women_slide_11.html

http://www.worldoffemale.com/top-10-weirdest-diet-crazes/

Best Diet Tips For Weight Loss Success.

2010-09-15T17:38:00.000+07:00

Everyone knows the keys to losing weight are eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple enough, but in the context of real life and its demands, it can be anything but simple.

Here's what experts said about their best diet tips as listed in WebMD:

Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.
People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.

"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

"It sounds like a lot, but it is well worth it, because at the same time you are meeting your fiber goals and feeling more satisfied from the volume of food," says chef Laura Pansiero, RD.

You're also less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displace fat in the diet. And that's not to mention the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. More than 200 studies have documented the disease-preventing qualities of phytochemicals found in produce, says Pansiero.

Her suggestion for getting more: Work vegetables into meals instead of just serving them as sides on a plate.

"I love to take seasonal vegetables and make stir-fries, frittatas, risotto, pilafs, soups, or layer on sandwiches," Pansiero says. "It is so easy to buy a variety of vegetables and incorporate them into dishes."

Consider whether you're really hungry.
Whenever you feel like eating, look for physical signs of hunger, suggests Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry?

"Hunger is your body's way of telling you that you need fuel, so when a craving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it," she says.

When you're done eating, you should feel better -- not stuffed, bloated, or tired.

"Your stomach is only the size of your fist, so it takes just a handful of food to fill it comfortably," says May.

Keeping your portions reasonable will help you get more in touch with your feelings of hunger and fullness.

Be choosy about nighttime snacks.
Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sit down and relax.

"Sitting down with a bag of chips or cookies in front of the television is an example of eating amnesia, where you mindlessly eat without being hungry, but out of habit," says American Dietetic Association spokesperson Malena Perdomo, RD.

Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a low-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup scoop of low-fat ice cream. Once you find that you're usually satisfied with the low-cal snack, try a cup of zero-calorie tea, suggests Perdomo.

Enjoy your favorite foods.
"I think putting your favorite foods off limits leads to weight gain because it triggers 'rebound' overeating," says Sass.

Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag.

"You can enjoy your favorite foods, but you must do so in moderation," says Sass.

Enjoy your treats away from home.
When you need a treat, Ellie Krieger, RD, host of Food Network's Healthy Appetite, suggests taking a walk to your local ice cream parlor or planning a family outing.

"By making it into an adventure, you don't have to worry about the temptation of having treats in the house, and it is a fun and pleasurable way to make it work when you are trying to lose weight," says Krieger.

And for those times you just can't get out? Krieger stocks her kitchen with fresh fruit, which she thinks can be every bit as delicious as any other dessert.

Eat several mini-meals during the day.
If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But when you're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be challenging.

"Studies show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able to control their appetite and weight," says obesity researcher Rebecca Reeves, DrPH, RD.

She recommends dividing your daily calories into smaller meals or snacks and enjoying as many of them as you can early in the day -- dinner should be the last time you eat.

Eat protein at every meal.
Protein is more satisfying than carbohydrates or fats, and thus may be the new secret weapon in weight control.

"Diets higher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise, have an excellent potential to help weight loss," says University of Illinois protein researcher Donald Layman, PhD.

Getting enough protein helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burning while keeping you feeling full. So be sure to include healthy protein sources, like yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans, at meals and snacks.

Spice it up.
Add spices or chiles to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel satisfied.

"Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying so you won't eat as much," says Perdomo.

When you need something sweet, suck on a red-hot fireball candy for a long-lasting burst of sweetness with just a few calories.

Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods.
Having ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes staples on hand sets you up for success. You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or call in a pizza order if you can make a healthy meal in 5 or 10 minutes.

Sass stocks her kitchen with:

94% fat-free microwave popcorn (20-25 calories per cup, and you can make it in two minutes or less)
Frozen vegetables
Bags of pre-washed greens
Canned diced tomatoes
Canned beans
Whole-grain wraps or pitas
Pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts
A few containers of pre-cooked brown rice

Within minutes, she can toss together a healthy medley.

Order children’s portions at restaurants.
"When you are eating out, order a child's pizza or a small sandwich as an easy way to trim calories and get your portions under control," suggest Perdomo.

Another trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look like more, and if your mind is satisfied, your stomach likely will be, too.

Eat foods in season.
"If you don't love certain fruits or vegetables, it could be because you ate them out of season when they have little taste or flavor," says Pensiero. "When you eat seasonally, fruits and vegetables are more flavorful, at their best, and I promise you won't be disappointed."

At GiGi's Trattoria, her restaurant in Rhinebeck, N.Y., she serves simple fruit desserts, like naturally sweet strawberries topped with aged balsamic vinegar, or low-fat yogurt or fresh berries in a compote.

Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.
Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year.

"You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables," says Sass.

Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress.
Sooner or later, you're going to be faced with a stressful situation. Instead of turning to food for comfort, be prepared with some non-food tactics that work for you.

Sass suggests reading a few chapters in a novel, listening to music, writing in a journal, practicing meditative deep breathing, or looking at a photo album of loved ones.

Be physically active.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, don't use exercise either to punish yourself for eating or to "earn" the right to eat more.

"When you do, it sets up a negative thought pattern, which is why so many people say they hate to exercise," says May.

Instead, focus on how great you feel, how much better you sleep and how much more energy you have when you exercise. Physical activity is good for you whether you are trying to lose weight or not, so keep it positive and build a lifelong habit.

Porter Cottrell's Deltoid Workout Routine To Do List

2010-09-15T16:40:00.000+07:00

Porter Cottrell - Night of Champions 1993, 5th Mr Olympia 1994

Porter Cottrell's Deltoid Workout Routine To Do List

DUMBBELL PRESSES

The Rep
I use a chair with a slight incline, or I create an incline with my body by leaning against the top of an upright seat. I start with the dumbbells near my shoulders, my elbows slightly below horizontal. I press up explosively, stopping short of lockout. This ensures that pressure is kept on the delts and not transferred to the triceps. I pause for a second at the top to really squeeze the muscles, then slowly lower the weight, controlling the motion with my deltoids, until my elbows dip slightly below my shoulders to give a good stretch.

Start with warm-up sets. I do two or three warm-ups with light weight, starting in the 20- to 25-rep range. I slowly decrease the reps as I increase the weight.

Focus on the mind-muscle link. I often make noise — you’ll hear me go “cchhh” with every rep. I feel myself getting stronger when I do that.

Keep the reps high. I never go below eight reps for any set, including my heaviest. Shoulders are prone to injury, and higher reps adequately stimulate them while reducing that risk.

Don't

Perform any type of shoulder press behind the neck. That’s an unnatural position for the body and can lead to shoulder injury.

Lock out at the top. That removes the emphasis from the deltoids and allows them to rest.

Rest the weight on your shoulders or chest at the bottom of the movement. Resting midset may allow you to execute more overall reps, but it does so at the expense of muscular development.

Warm-up sets: 2-3. Working sets: 3. Reps: 8-25.

*****

LATERAL RAISES

The Rep
I prefer to perform seated lateral raises because it is a stricter movement than the standing version. While standing, it is easy to cheat by bouncing from the knees. I start with the weights slightly beneath the seat at my sides. As I raise the weights, I keep my elbows slightly bent. The movement is both explosive and controlled.

I take the dumbbells just a few degrees above parallel; at the top of the movement, my elbows, wrists and shoulders are all in line. You should feel your delts contract before lowering the weights with as much control as possible.

Stop the set as soon as you lose your form. If you can’t perform the next rep perfectly, you’re straying from your objective.

Incorporate a drop in weight for your last set. Since this is an isolation movement, your body will respond well to high repetitions. Your heaviest set may not completely exhaust the targeted middle head of each deltoid because you’re forced to recruit supporting muscles. Decreasing the weight allows you to completely exhaust the target muscles.

Don't

Swing the weights. Many people get caught up in the poundages. Moving the weight, rather than working the muscle, then becomes the objective. This is ego-based training.

Let momentum take over on the negative. Too many bodybuilders put all their energy into raising the weight and very little into lowering it. To fully stimulate the muscles, you must work as hard on the negative as you do on the positive and control the dumbbells on the descent.

Twist your wrists at the top of the movement. Instead, try to keep the dumbbells parallel to the floor throughout. When you rotate your wrists, you remove the emphasis from your side deltoids. This could result in a rear-deltoid pull or, worse, rotator cuff damage.

Warm-up sets: 1-2. Working sets: 3-4. Reps: 8-20.

*****

BENT LATERALS

The Rep
This exercise can be performed unsupported, by bending over, or supported, by lying chest down on an incline bench. I believe the supported version better isolates the rear delts. The motion is similar to dumbbell flyes. Start with the weights hanging down, and maintain a slight bend in your elbows as you bring the weights up and out to the sides. At the top of the movement, emphasize a contraction in your rear delts and concentrate on holding the weights for a brief pause. Then, lower the dumbbells, controlling them with your rear delts.

Use a rear-delt machine and perform cable bent laterals occasionally instead of just using dumbbells. All three versions have their own characteristics and, over the long haul, using all of them leads to a more complete look.

Keep your knees bent if you perform these without support. This removes the stress from your lower back and hamstrings.

Don't

Kick the weight backward. Instead, focus on bringing the dumbbells out to the sides to place as much emphasis as possible on the rear delts.

Allow the weights to drop. Recruit your rear delts to lower the weights with control.

Continue if you begin to lose your form. Rear delts are often weak, so it’s important to use strict form to hit them directly. As soon as you can no longer perform a rep properly, you’re forced to recruit other muscles. This won’t help you develop rear delts, and could lead to injury.

Warm-up sets: 1-2. Working sets: 4-5. Reps: 8-20.

*****

SHRUGS

The Rep
Shrugs target muscles that haven’t been worked up to this point in the shoulder workout — the trapezius — so I do a set or two of light warm-ups. To perform shrugs, hold the dumbbells slightly in front of you and maintain a break in your elbows throughout the movement — that prevents you from recruiting your biceps. Raise the weights using both your upper and lower traps.

Emphasize a long deep contraction at the top of the movement. I believe this is the key to trapezius development. Then lower the dumbbells very slowly with your traps, again being careful not to change the angle of your elbows.

Finish your shoulder training with shrugs. Doing shrugs earlier in your workout will prevent you from utilizing optimum poundages with lateral movements, as your traps assist with proper performance of lateral and bent raises.

Perform shrugs with dumbbells. This provides a more natural motion for the body than using a barbell.

Keep the weight fairly light and the reps high. I use about the same poundage for shrugs as for presses. If you use a weight that’s too heavy, you can’t focus on squeezing your muscles at the top or lowering the dumbbells with control. Both of these are essential for trapezius development.

Execute the entire rep slowly. I perform up to 20 reps, and a whole set may take as long as a minute and a half due to my concentrated deliberate motion.

Don't

Perform shrugs with a barbell behind your back. In this version, all you’re really doing is bending your elbows.

Roll your shoulders when you perform shrugs. That’s the best way to pinch a nerve or injure a disk in your spine, and it does nothing to develop your traps. Just use a straight up-and-down movement.

Warm-up sets: 1-2. Working sets: 3-4. Reps: 15-20.

http://binaraga.net/tips/tips.php

Making Automatic Justify Text Alignment in Blogspot

2010-09-14T17:12:00.001+07:00

According to Wikipedia, in typesetting and page layout, alignment or range, is the setting of text flow or image placement relative to a page, column (measure), table cell or tab. The type alignment setting is sometimes referred to as text alignment, text justification or type justification.

There are four basic typographic alignments:

flush left—the text is aligned along the left margin or gutter, also known as ragged right;
flush right—the text is aligned along the right margin or gutter, also known as ragged left;
justified—text is aligned along the left margin, and letter- and word-spacing is adjusted so that the text falls flush with both margins, also known as full justification;
centered—text is aligned to neither the left nor right margin; there is an even gap on each side of each line.

Some modern typesetting programs offer four justification options: left justify, right justify, center justify and full justify. These variants specify whether the last line is flushed left, flushed right, centered or fully justified (spread over the whole column width). In programs that do not offer this extra functionality, justify is equal to left justify.

By default, text in blogspot is aligned ‘flush left’, meaning that the text of a paragraph is aligned on the left-hand side with the right-hand side ragged.

To change the default text alignment in blogspot:

1. Log in to Blogspot –> Design –> Edit HTML

2. In the column of Edit Template, search for lines of code of main-wrapper and add the following lines of code:

text-align: justify;

Notes: replace the words in red to right, or center if you want it.

The lines of code will eventually become as shown below:

3. Save template.

Sergio Oliva Workout Training Routine

2010-09-14T05:44:00.000+07:00

Sergio Oliva – Mr Olympia 1967, 1968, 1969

Sergio Oliva Workout Training Routine.
Sergio Oliva stated that the following routine was his only true exercise program. His training routine involved some interesting combinations…high volume, 5×5 work, supersets, antagonistic training, a modest – but heavy – squat workout, 20 rep squat sets, and the philosophy of hitting each muscle group twice a week.

In the August/September 1973 issue of MTI, Sergio Oliva had this to say:

Since 1970 these are the only exercises I have been doing. Any other exercises printed in any other magazine are false.

Monday: On Monday, Sergio Oliva blasted his chest with bench press, dips and flyes, and also worked his back with chinups.

Bench Press supersetted with Chinning Bar.

Set 1. Bench Press 200 x 8, 15 reps on chinning bar

Set 2. Bench Press 220 x 8, 15 reps on chinning bar

Set 3. Bench Press 260 x 8, 10 reps on chinning bar

Set 4. Bench Press 300 x 8, 10 reps on chinning bar

Set 5. Bench Press 320 x 8, 8 reps on chinning bar

Set 6. Bench Press 350 x 8, 8 reps on chinning bar

Set 7. Bench Press 380 x 8, 5 reps on chinning bar

DB Flyes supersetted with Dips.

5 sets of 15 reps with 80 pound dumbbells, supersetted with dipping. The set, rep and weight scheme for dipping was not provided by Sergio Oliva.

*****

Tuesday: On Tuesdays, Sergio worked his shoulders, biceps and triceps. Most rep and set schemes followed a 5×5 pattern.

Press. 5 sets, 15 reps with 200 pounds

Extending Heavy Curls. 5 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

French Curls. 5 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

Scott (Curls) Bench. 5 sets, 10 reps, 150 pounds

Scott (Curls) Bench with Dumbbells. 5 sets, 5 reps, 60 pound dumbbell

Sitting Down Triceps. 5 sets, 5 reps with 60 pound dumbbell, supersetted with Tricep Press Downs

*****

Wednesday: On Wednesday, Sergio worked abs first, then heavy squats and calves. You will notice that there is no direct hamstring work.

Situps. 10 sets, 50 reps

Leg Raises. 5 sets, 20 reps

Side Bends with Bar Behind Neck. 5 sets, 200 reps

Squats. 300 x 5, 400 x 5, 440 x 5, 470 x 5, 500 x 4

Standing Heel Raises. 10 sets, 8 reps, 300 pounds

*****

Thursday: Sergio’s second chest and back workout of the week. You’ll also notice a fair amount of shoulder work as well.

Bench Press. 200 x 5, 220 x 5, 260 x 5, 300 x 5, 320 x 5, 350 x 5, 380 x 5

Press Behind Neck. 5 sets, 5 reps, 250 pounds, supersetted with Rowing Machine, 200 pounds

Sitting Press with Dumbbells. 80 pound dumbbells. No set and rep scheme provided

Dipping Bar. 5 sets, 8 reps with no weight

*****

Friday : Friday’s workout was another heavy arm day, but also features more back work. For the most part, Sergio used fewer sets for biceps on this day.

Press. 3 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

Extending Heavy Curls. 3 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

French Curls. 3 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

Scott Bench for Triceps. 3 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

Scott Bench for Triceps with Dumbbell. 3 sets, 5 reps, 50 pound dumbbell, supersetted with Tricep Press Downs.

Chinning Behind Neck. 5 sets, 5 reps

Chinning Bar with Closed Hands. 5 sets, 5 reps, supersetted with Tricep Machine Pull Downs

*****

Saturday : Another ab and leg day. Sergio used lighter squats, and also incorporated front squats into his routine. Again, no direct hamstring work. Also notice that Sergio performed three 20-rep squat sets.

Situps. 5 sets, 10 reps

Leg Raises. 5 sets, 10 reps

Side Bends with Bar Behind Neck. 5 sets, 50 reps

Squats. 3 sets, 3 reps with 300 pounds. 2 sets, 3 reps with 400 pounds. 3 sets, 20 reps with 250 pounds.

Front Squats. 5 sets, 10 reps, 200 pounds

Sitting Heel Raises. 5 sets, 5 reps, 200 pounds

(http://muscleandbrawn.com/sergio-oliva-training-routine/)

Ronnie Coleman’s Biceps Routine

2010-09-13T12:05:00.001+07:00

Ronnie Coleman, who entered a record 15 O’s and won a record-tying eight from 1998 to 2005, tells what makes his biceps training unique and shares a typical routine he was doing when he was scooping up the Sandow every autumn as quoted in FLEXONLINE.COM on August 27, 2010.

* “I trained biceps twice per week, and the two routines were different but always focused on three basic exercises for three sets each.”

* “The routine here is one example, the next workout I would pick three different exercises, like barbell curls, hammer curls and concentration curls.”

* “The heavier you lift, the bigger you get. I try to lift as heavy as I can but always get at least 10 reps.”

* “Twenty-one curls are a favorite. They’re demanding, so I like to do them first. It gives me a great pump right from the start.”

Ronnie Coleman’s Biceps exercise

EZ-bar 21-curls 3 sets 21 reps
Standing dumbbell curls 3 sets 10 reps
Dumbbell preacher curls 3 sets 10 reps

The Biggest Chocolate Bar in The World

2010-09-12T15:39:00.001+07:00

Armenian company Grand Candy broke the Guinness World Record for biggest chocolate bar weighing 4410 kilogramms.

YEREVAN, Armenia – When one thinks of the world centres in the art of chocolate-making the countries that spring to mind are Belgium and Switzerland. But Armenia?

The tiny country sandwiched between Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran and Georgia has just produced the world's biggest chocolate bar.

Reporters make images of a huge chocolate bar produced by the Grand Candy factory in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010.

It was made by Grand Candy factory in Yerevan, the capital of the former republic of the Soviet Union, and contains all natural ingredients, including 70 percent cocoa mass from Ghana. The chocolate bar is 224 inches (560 centimeters) long, 110 inches (275 centimeters) wide and 10 inches (25 centimeters) thick.

Guinness World Record's representative Elizabeth Smith presented the factory owner Karen Vardanyan with an official certificate during a ceremony Saturday (Sept. 11, 2010). She said she was glad to witness what she described as an 'incredible event'.

Karen Vardanyan said that the 9,702-pound (4,410-kilogram) chocolate bar was produced to mark the 10th anniversary of the company. He said it will be divided up and handed out Oct. 16, 2010.

A candy factory worker chops small pieces of chocolate for people to taste.

Vardanyan pointed out that this is the first officially registered Guinness record in industry in Armenia over the last 20 years. According to the Guinness terms, the bar is 70% made from natural primary products – 500kg of cocoa beans and 300kg of powdered sugar. The record-setter bar will be kept in special conditions. He said that an average consumer will take 450 years to eat such a bar.

The previous record was held by Italy in October 2007 with choco bar that weighed 3,580 kilograms.

Casey Viator’s Workout Training Routine

2010-09-12T05:47:00.000+07:00

Casey Viator – The youngest Mr. America (19 years old)

Casey Viator’s Workout Training Routine
by Achilles Kallos (1971)

Nineteen year old Casey Viator from New Iberia, La. is the youngest bodybuilder to have won the Mr. America title. He started training when he was fifteen, which, in my opinion, is the right time to start bodybuilding.

Casey has been fortunate in many ways, having a good physical background, sound training advice and a superb genetic potential. At the same time, however, he is an exceptionally hard trainer, in spite of the fact that he works long hours at his job as a welder.

Two former Mr. Americas have guided him: Boyer Coe and Red Lerille. For the past year Casey has been training under the watchful eye of Art Jones of Deland, Florida. As you may know, Art Jones invented the Nautilus machine. This machine enables you to train your body harder in less time with outstanding results.

According to Jones, Casey is one of the strongest men he has ever trained and no one yet has been able to exceed the poundages he uses on the Nautilus machine. Although Casey has not really bothered to exert himself with maximum poundages as he prefers to train for bodybuilding, he has done the following: Bench Press 460 lbs.; Full Squat 505 x 14 reps; Press Behind Neck 280 lbs; and Barbell Curl 225 x 4 reps.

Casey trains three times a week, working the whole body in one workout lasting about 2 to 2½ hours. He employs the Nautilus machine mainly for the arms and lats and conventional barbell and dumbell movements for the rest of the body. When he trains on the conventional exercises he does some of them one after the other without much rest. That is why he is able to train his whole body thoroughly and in such a short time.

Here is Casey’s three day a week routine:

Legs (conventional method)

1.) Leg Press 750 lbs. x 20 reps.

2.) Leg Extension – 250 lbs. x 14 to 20 reps.

3.) Full Squat – 505 x 14-20.

4.) Leg Curl – 150 x 14-20.

These exercises are done one after the other without the usual rest associated with such large poundages. I would like to see anyone else duplicate this.

Lats (Nautilus machine)

1.) Pullover – 3 sets of 20 reps.

2.) Circular Pulldown – 3 sets of 20.

3.) Chins – 3 x 20.

Each exercise is done in the normal set fashion.

Deltoids (conventional and Nautilus)

1.) Standing Laterals – 60 lbs. x 3 sets of 20 reps.

2.) Barbell Press Behind Neck – 215 lbs. x 3 sets of 20 reps.

3.) Nautilus Lateral Raise – 3 x 20.

You will note that two movements are done with barbell and dumbells and one on the Nautilus.

4.) Barbell Shrug – 280 lbs. 3 x 20.

Chest (conventional)

1.) Barbell Bench Press – 350 lbs. 2 x 20.

2.) Incline Barbell Press – 225 lbs. 3 x 20.

3.) Dips – 100 lbs. 3 x 20.

4.) Cable Crossover – 40 lbs. 3 x 20.

Arms (Nautilus)

1.) Conventional Barbell Curl – 200 lbs. 1 x 20.

2.) Combination Triceps and Biceps exercise – 120 lbs. 1 x 20.

3.) Triceps Extension (similar to pulley pushdown) – 110 lbs. 1 x 20.

4.) Compound Triceps movement – 1 x 20.

Calves (conventional)

1.) One Legged Calf Raise – 85 lb. dumbell 4 x 50.

Forearms (conventional)

1.) Barbell Wrist Curl – 145 lbs. 2 x 20.

Deadlift - 400 lbs. 1 set of 30 reps.

Many of us think we are training hard, but after looking at Casey Viator’s workout routine we might have to review our definition of hard work! You will note he employs high reps. Obviously this involves a lot of concentration as well.

(http://muscleandbrawn.com/casey-viators-training-routine/)

Dorian Yates’ Workout Training Routine

2010-09-10T05:49:00.000+07:00

Dorian yates – Mr Olympia 1992 – 1997

Dorian Yates’ Workout Training Routine

Day 1 – Shoulders & Tri’s & Abs
Day 2 – Back
Day 3 – Off
Day 4 – Chest & Bi’s & Abs
Day 5 – Off
Day 6 – Quads & Hams & Calves
Day 7 – Off

*****

Biceps

Incline dumbbell curls

1×10 warmup set

1×6-8

EZ-curl barbell curls

1×10 warmup set

1×6-8

Nautilus curls

1×10 warmup set

1×6-8

*****

Triceps

Triceps pushdown

1×15 warmup set

1×12 warmup set

1×8-10

Lying EZ-curl barbell extensions

1×12 warmup set

1×8-10

*****

Back & Read Delt

Hammer Strength pulldowns

1×15 warmup set

1×12 warmup set

1×8-10

Barbell rows

1×12 warmup set

1×8-10

Hammer Strength one-arm rows

1×8-10

Cable rows (overhand grip)

1×8-10

Hammer Strength rear-delt machine

1×8-10

Bent-over dumbell raises

1×8-10

Hyperextensions

1×10-12

Deadlifts

1×8 warmup

1×8

*****

Chest

Incline barbell press

1×12 warmup set

1×8 warmup set

1×8

Hammer Strength seated bench presses

1×10 warmup set

1×6-8

Incline dumbbell flyes

1×10 warmup set

1×8

Cable crossovers

1×10-12

*****

Shoulders

Smith machine presses

1×15 warmup set

1×12 warmup set

1×8-10

Seated laterals

1×12 warmup set

1×8-10

One-arm cable laterals

1×20 warmup set

1×8-10

Dumbbell Shrugs

1×12 warmup set

1×10-12

*****

Legs

Leg extensions

1×15 warmup set

1×12 warmup set

1×10-12

Leg presses

1×12 warmup set

1×12 warmup set

1×10-12

Hack squats

1×12 warmup set

1×10-12

Lying leg curls

1×10-12 warmup set

1×10-12

Stiff-legged deadlifts

1×8-10

Single-leg curls

1×8-10

Standing calf raises

1×10-12 warmup set

1×10-12

Seated calf raises

1×8-10

(muscleandbrawn.com)

Jay Cutler Poses Pics at 2009 Mr Olympia

2010-09-08T07:28:00.000+07:00

After the previous year was defeated by Dexter Jackson, Jay Cutler finally managed to regain the title Mr. Olympia for the third time in IFBB Mr Olympia 2009. And here are some of Jay Cutler poses pics at 2009 Mr Olympia:

source: bodybuilding.com

Dexter Jackson Poses at 2008 Mr Olympia

2010-09-07T07:18:00.000+07:00

After 10 years and 47 contests, Dexter Jackson, 39-year-old and 235-pound of weight, finally rose to the top of the sport by toppling two-time and reigning champion Jay Cutler on the way to the biggest win of his career, 2008 Mr Olympia winner. And here are some of Dexter Jackson poses pics at 2008 Mr Olympia.

source: flexonline.com

MUSCLEHEDZ Cartoons – August 2010

2010-09-04T23:59:00.000+07:00

I subscribe MUSCLEHEDZ newsletter via email, and these are the cartoons that are sent every Wednesday in August 2010:

The Shortest NBA Basketball Players, In The Land of Giants

2010-09-03T19:22:00.000+07:00

If you're not a fan of basketball, of course you would never imagine there is a professional basketball player whose height is only 1.60 m. But if you are one of the NBA basketball fan, you definitely know who is Muggsy Bogues.

Muggsy Bogues (born January 9, 1965, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) at 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. Bogues played point guard for four teams during his 14-season career in the National Basketball Association.

His career was set in stone on June 22, 1988 when he was signed to play for the Charlotte Hornets during an expansion draft as a point guard. After settling in, he was able to play for the Hornets for 10 years and became one of the team’s most popular players.

Besides playing for Charlotte Hornets, he also played for the Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors.

Since leaving the NBA, Bogues worked in the real estate business until August 3, 2005, when he was named head coach of the Charlotte Sting in the Women's National Basketball Association despite a lack of coaching experience. Notably, he was shorter than all of his players, the shortest member of the Sting being Helen Darlings who stands 5 ft 6 in (1.7 m). He lost his job as coach when the team folded in January 2007.

He currently works for the Charlotte Bobcats in their front office. His autobiography, In The Land of Giants, recounts the struggles of growing up in inner-city Baltimore and achieving success in the NBA.

*****

The current and second shortest player in NBA history behind Muggsy Bogues is Earl Boykins (born June 2, 1976, in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.) who was 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m).

Even though he was never officially drafted by a team, he often signed short-term contracts with teams to play as the point guard. He spent most of his career with the Denver Nuggets. He is well known for his scoring techniques. On November 11, 2004, Boykins scored 32 points in a 117-109 Nuggets' home win over the Detroit Pistons, making him the shortest player in NBA history to score 30 or more points during a game.

He also played for the L.A. Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, and many others. Today, Boykins plays for the Washington Wizards.

*****

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muggsy_Bogues

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Boykins

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-shortest-nba-players.php

Banana Tree Sap Can Accelerate The Wound Healing Process

2010-09-03T07:05:00.001+07:00

A group of students of Department of Dental Education, Faculty of Dentistry, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, proving that the sap of the banana tree can accelerate the wound healing process.

With 80 percent concentration of the sap of the banana tree, the wound will be closed 30-60 percent faster. This research won the gold medal in the 2010 Student Science Week National Education Ministry in July, in the category of Student Creativity Program for Research.

One of the student researchers, Rahma Ningsih (21), said the research was originally inspired by the habits of people in rural Kandangan, Sayegan, Sleman regency who treated the wound by rubbing sap of banana trunks. "From here we were interested to investigate whether it was true banana tree sap can accelerate wound healing. If that's true, how the effect, "he said in Yogyakarta, Thursday (08/12/2010).

Adjusting to the majors, the study focused on wound healing after tooth extraction. Wound healing after tooth extraction needs to be accelerated because of the potential infection when the process of healing is too long.

In this study, banana tree sap from Musa sapientum (“Pisang Raja” in Indonesian) is processed into an ointment with a concentration of 80 percent and were tested in guinea pigs. With ointment, tooth extraction wounds heal faster, from 15 days to 5 -10 days. The same thing is expected to occur in wounds in other parts of the body because the wound healing process is basically the same.

Members of other researchers, Yosaphat Rosanto Bayu (21), say, a banana tree that can be used can be from any kind of banana tree, because its content is relatively the same. Sap of the banana tree is known to contain three elements, which is useful to speed healing of wounds, namely saponins, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid.

Saponin works to increase the formation of new blood vessels in the wound so that supply oxygen and nutrients will be more. Ascorbic acid to strengthen and accelerate the growth of new connective tissue (collagen). And flavonoids may shorten the time of inflammation, which can hinder healing.

According Yosaphat, in addition to proven efficacy banana tree sap from a scientific aspect, this study also found a dose and effect. Hopefully, this research can be developed to produce large quantities of drug.

When used in the form of fresh, Yosaphat said, the healing process takes longer because the water concentration is very high. "It's more potent when it is processed," he said.

http://sains.kompas.com/read/2010/08/13/0849371/Getah.Pisang.Sembuhkan.Luka

Mount Sinabung Eruption Pictures

2010-09-03T05:47:00.001+07:00

The 2,451-metre-high volcano, Mount Sinabung, which is located in the Karo plateau of the North Sumatra province, Indonesia, has not been active ever since the 1600s.

The eruption on Sunday morning saw the volcano spewing out ash upto a mile in the air. It erupt(ed at 2:15 a.m. local time on Sunday (Auguts 29, 2010).

Mount Sinabung on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on 30 August erupted for a second time, forcing more than 20,000 people to remain in evacuation centres, officials said.

Mount Sinabung volcano spews smoke as seen from Bekerah village in the district of Tanah Karo in Indonesia's North Sumatra province (above). Monday's eruption was more powerful than the first a day earlier.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre said Sinabung's second eruption occurred at 6:30 am (2330 GMT Sunday), belching a column of smoke up to 2,000 metres into the sky.

*****

UPDATE:

The Sinabung volcano in North Sumatra, Indonesia, made the third eruption on Friday morning, which is stronger than the two previous ones, according to volcanologists.

The eruption occurred at around 4.45 a.m. local time (2145 GMT on Thursday), with thundering sounds and shocks heard and felt minutes before the eruption by residents few kilometers away from the volcano, according to The Jakarta Post.

Third Trimester of Fetal Development

2010-09-02T15:51:00.001+07:00

My wife is pregnant right now, so he wanted to know the development of the fetus from month to month. After searching for information for some time, I finally found it. This is information that I found:

7 Months pregnant, end of week 28

Length: 9.8 inches (250 mm), top to bottom
Weight: 2.1 pounds (950 g)

For most of this month, a fetus is putting on a lot of weight.
At this size, a fetus can still move around a lot—from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways. You will notice more movement or less movement at certain times of the day and night.
At about 24 weeks of pregnancy, the lungs are starting to make surfactant, which helps the lungs breathe air.
With every week after 22 weeks, a baby is a little more likely to survive after birth. A baby born before 26 weeks is not yet equipped to breathe air. Starting at week 26, the chances of healthy survival get better.
Around 28 weeks, the eyelids are open, hair is growing well on the head, and fat under the skin is making the skin less wrinkly.

*****

8 Months pregnant, end of week 32

Length: 11.8 inches (300 mm), top to bottom
Weight: 4.4 pounds (1995 g)

The fetus is putting on a lot of weight this month.
At this size, a fetus is still small enough to change position a lot—from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways. You will notice more movement or less movement at certain times of the day and night.
By 32 weeks of pregnancy, light can dilate the pupils in the eyes.
The lungs and central nervous system are working well enough that a baby born this month can breathe and keep fairly warm with medical support. With every additional week, the chances of healthy survival get better.

*****

9 Months pregnant, end of week 36

Length: 12.6 inches (320 mm), top to bottom
Weight: 5 pounds (2300 g)

Until week 36 of pregnancy, your fetus is probably still small enough to change position a lot—from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways. You will notice more movement or less movement at certain times of the day and night.
By the end of this month, the skin is pink and smooth. The arms and legs look chubby.
If your baby is born at a healthy weight during this month, chances of healthy survival are very good.

*****

Full term, end of week 40

Length: 14.2 inches (360 mm), top to bottom
Weight: 7.1 pounds (3230 g)

Your baby is full-term when you have finished 37 weeks of pregnancy.
By the time a baby is born at term, fat makes up 16% of body weight. The baby's growth has slowed in the last days before birth.
At this size, your baby does not have much room to move around. You will probably notice less "big" movement than before.
Your pregnancy is called "post-term" or overdue when you have finished 42 weeks of pregnancy. This is 2 weeks after your due date. Risks go up for the baby, so delivery is recommended.

*****

source: http://health.msn.com/pregnancy/fetal-development.aspx

Second Trimester of Fetal Development

2010-09-02T14:58:00.001+07:00

4 Months pregnant, end of week 16

Length: 4.7 inches (120 mm), top to bottom
Weight: 3.7 ounces (104.5 g)

This month, the face has become more "human." The eyes have moved from the sides of the head to the front. The ears have moved from the neck to the sides of the head.
By the end of 14 weeks of pregnancy, sex organs are starting to develop. It will be a few weeks before you can tell a boy from a girl with an ultrasound.
By now, your fetus may have started thumb-sucking, and is rolling, kicking, and moving around a lot.
If this is not your first pregnancy, you might be feeling your fetus move. The first flutters you feel are called "quickening." It takes a little longer to happen in a first pregnancy.
You might now be able to hear the heartbeat with a Doppler heart monitor.

An important time for testing

When you are 15 to 20 weeks pregnant, you can get a triple or quad serum screen. This is a simple blood test for signs of a possible birth defect.
When you are 15 to 20 (usually around 16) weeks pregnant, you can have an amniocentesis to check for birth defects and genetic problems.

*****

5 Months pregnant, end of week 20

Length: 6.3 inches (160 mm), top to bottom
Weight: .66 pound (304 g)

This is a time of very rapid growth, especially from 15 to 18 weeks of pregnancy.
By now, the head is no longer so big compared to the rest of the body.
You can see bones on ultrasound by the end of week 17.
At this size, your fetus is still small enough to change position a lot—from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways.
If this is your first pregnancy, you will start to feel your fetus move. The first flutters you feel are called "quickening."
At the end of this month, the fetus starts building up body fat.

An important time for testing

When you are 15 to 20 weeks pregnant, you can get a triple or quad serum screen. This is a simple blood test for signs of a possible birth defect.
When you are 15 to 20 (usually around 16) weeks pregnant, you can have an amniocentesis to check for birth defects and genetic problems.

*****

6 Months pregnant, end of week 24

Length: 8.3 inches (210 mm), top to bottom
Weight: 1.33 pound (598.5 g)

This month, the fetus is still building up body fat and starting to put on a lot of weight.
At this size, a fetus is still small enough to change position a lot—from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways. You will feel more movement or less movement at certain times of the day and night.
At 23 weeks of pregnancy, the eyes show rapid eye movement.
In rare cases, babies survive birth at 22 weeks, but generally, the lungs cannot yet breathe air.

*****

source: http://health.msn.com/pregnancy/fetal-development.aspx