The Eight Week Cholesterol ChallengeWritten by Barrett Niehus
The Eight Week Cholesterol Challengeby Barrett Niehus http://www.freetrainer.com When I first started down this path I was looking for something to reduce my cholesterol levels without giving me a heart attack. My doctor recommended Lipitor, but I had read an article in American Heart Associations web site that indicated Lipitor and other statin drugs may possibly be worse for me than my high cholesterol. (The article that I read is here: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3001036 ) Subsequent research led me to two compounds that have been clinically proven to improve cholesterol levels without side effects. Being a chemical engineer myself, I was skeptical about any claim that did not have sufficient research behind it. However, two compounds that I found have been clinically verified to be effective in improving cholesterol levels. It was these two compounds that have dramatically changed my condition, and motivated me to solicit this challenge. What are two compounds? Well, first is niacin. That’s right, inexpensive mineral that is occasionally listed on food label of our bread, breakfast cereal, sports drinks, or other enriched food. The other compound is pantethine. Strangely enough, pantethine is a compound that our body makes as it created Co-Enzyme A which eventually creates cholesterol. Between these two chemicals, extensive research has demonstrated dramatic, statin-like, effects on cholesterol levels. In addition, because they are already needed by your body, two compounds don’t create dangerous side effects that have been demonstrated with statins. The two compounds act together to balance out levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol and good (HDL) cholesterol in your blood stream. Clinical trials have demonstrated that niacin is effective in reducing level of bad cholesterol in your blood stream. In addition, clinical trial on pantethine in Japan have demonstrated that compound significantly improves level of good (HDL) cholesterol in your blood stream. Subsequently, combination of two may have an amazing effect on your overall cholesterol level.
| | Top 5 Exercise Plateau BreakersWritten by Gillian Hood-Gabrielson
“Plateau”. That dreaded word that you do not want to hear, let alone experience. Especially if you have been diligently exercising in an attempt to get fit or lose weight. We have all experienced a plateau at some time – all of a sudden you stop losing weight or you just can’t seem to run any faster. When you hit a plateau, don’t panic. It doesn’t necessarily mean you need to work harder or spend more days at gym. Here are five ideas that may help you break through in record time.Take an Active Rest If you have hit a plateau, it may be time for an “active rest”. Take a week off from structured exercise, and instead take leisurely walks, play ball with kids, or take a yoga class. Active rest rejuvenates mind and body and allows for overworked muscles to rest and rebuild. You will return to exercise stronger and ready for new challenges. Time to Eat As you increase your fitness level, your body’s metabolism may increase and so will your calorie needs. If you hit a plateau, evaluate how much you are eating. You may need to eat more than you have in past for your body to continue to increase its fitness level. If you find you are often hungry, this is a clear sign you need to eat more to sustain your exercise program. Mix it Up If you do not vary your workout routine your body will eventually run on “cruise control”, and you will experience a plateau. Try new cardiovascular activities, or use free weights if you always use machines for strength training. Changes in your routine will surprise body and force it to adapt, bringing you to new levels of fitness. Different Day, Different Intensity Varying your activities, or cross-training is important to avoid or break through a plateau. While cross-training type of activity is often recommended, it is also important to cross-train intensity of your workouts. Specify different days of week as low, moderate or high-intensity days. Try interval training – work at a low intensity for a couple of minutes and increase to a high intensity for a couple of minutes, and repeat. If you use a heart rate monitor, be sure your average heart rate for your exercise sessions vary from day to day.
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