AUDIO: Southern Cross care 'will continue'

Landlords owning all 752 care homes in the Southern Cross Group have said they want to leave the group.

Former NHS Trust chairman Roy Lilley, an independent health policy analyst, explains the background of the story Christopher Fisher, chairman of Southern Cross, discuses what will happen to the 31,000 elderly residents currently looked after by the healthcare group.

Mr Fisher said: "Throughout this period the continuity of care in the homes has been our first priority and we will achieve that outcome."

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Vegetables For Lean Muscle Growth?

Is there anything green leafy vegetables can't do for you?

We already knew that eating plenty of vegetables reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Vegetables can also help you to maintain a healthy weight and they protect against inflammation.

But research now shows that vegetables are also fantastic for building strong, lean muscle mass.

According to a study published last February in Cell Metabolism -- and summarized in Science Daily -green leafy vegetables can help the mitochondria in body cells, including muscle cells, work more efficiently. What are mitochondria? Sometimes mitochondria are called the "power plants" of the cells. They are the organelles that produce energy so that cells can operate properly. They also convert molecules of food nutrients into energy that the entire body can use.

When you eat plenty of spinach, parsley, kale, or other green leafy vegetables, you provide your body with nitrates that make your mitochondria work better and cause you to need less oxygen during your workouts. In other words, you can work out more comfortably, without feeling as though you are gasping for breath.

You'll also have more energy as you go about the rest of your day, but I suspect you'll notice that energy the most during your workout!

You can't reproduce the effect of eating a big green salad by taking a supplement (in case you were thinking of it!). Nitrates in food need to be processed by bacteria in your mouth in order for the body to make efficient use of them. In fact, the bacteria in your mouth play such an important role in processing nutrients that scientists are now speculating that powerful antibacterial mouthwashes could block the effects of green leafy vegetables.

Green leafy vegetables are also high in glutamine, an amino acid that is often taken by body builders as a supplement. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and protein helps the body to build muscle mass. Believe it or not, green leafy vegetables are fairly good sources of protein, though you'll want other protein sources in your diet as well. While glutamine can be supplemented, you will get other benefits, such as the effect of the nitrates on your mitochondria, not to mention the fiber in your vegetables, if you get your glutamine from dietary sources, such as parsley, spinach, and asparagus.

However, if you really don't care for salad, there are alternatives. One is to juice your greens in a smoothie.

Try this simple recipe:

Fill a blender halfway with spinach, and then add three bananas and two cups of water (and as much ice as you'd like). Puree and you'll have a sweet green smoothie, that won't taste like spinach no matter how green it looks. You could also add some red beets, which are also high in nitrates.

Vegetables are helpful for muscle-building at any age, but they are especially important for older adults. A 2008 study showed that an increase in the blood plasma content of carotenoids (the substances that produce vibrant colors in vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, and tomatoes) is connected with higher hip, knee, and grip strength in older adults.

The same year, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that older adults who had increased levels of potassium in their urine also had higher percentages of lean muscle mass. Potassium, a mineral which is important in muscle contraction and relaxation, can be found in chard, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes. In general, the greener and leafier the vegetable, the better or, in the case of a nongreen vegetable, the more vibrant the vegetable's color is, the better.

Certain vegetables will also protect your muscles from damage incurred as the result of exercising to the point of exhaustion. Overdoing exercise can cause a decrease in the antioxidant capacity of muscle tissue. But according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, eating cruciferous vegetables was associated with an increase in the antioxidant capacity of muscle tissue after acute exhaustive exercise. In other words, eating your vegetables regularly will mean that your muscle tissue will recover faster after an intense workout.

To think that these are not the only benefits of eating vegetables! As you must know (unless you've been living with your head under a rock), vegetables (and fruits for that matter) are also powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This is a subject for another day, but green leafy vegetables are actually better, more bioavailable sources of calcium than milk and, therefore, can play a critical role in protecting your bones, as well as your muscles. Again, I have to ask -- is there anything green leafy vegetables can't do?

Written by Brett Warren, a biochemical research scientist based in Boston, Massachusetts. He puts his expertise to work on a daily basis by developing sports supplements for Force Factor. Brett loves weightlifting and working out at the gym almost as much as he loves his job. In addition to his work with Force Factor, Brett spends lots of time with his family hiking, biking, and enjoying the outdoors.

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British Gas puts energy bills up

8 July 2011 Last updated at 12:31 British Gas director Ian Peters said the rises were fair and justified

British Gas, owned by Centrica, is putting up its domestic gas and electricity prices from 18 August.

Gas bills will rise by an average of 18% and electricity bills by an average of 16%.

The change will affect nine million households with the average dual fuel customer paying an extra £190 a year.

The company blamed the rising wholesale cost of gas, which has gone up by 30% since last winter.

British Gas managing director Phil Bentley said its bills were being driven higher by the fact that the company buys 50% of its gas on the international wholesale market.

"We are buying in a global energy market and have to pay the market rate," he said.

"Rising wholesale costs is an issue facing all energy suppliers," he added.

The company said it had been selling energy at a loss for the past three or four months.

"After we put these prices up we will be making a fair return," Ian Peters, a British Gas director told BBC News.

"We are investing in the future energy supply of the UK... and energy efficiency in our customers' homes," he added.

'Healthy profits'

Centrica had already warned that it was likely to raise prices this year.

In May, the company said its customers were not paying enough to reflect the increased cost of gas on the wholesale markets, and that this would depress its profits for the first half of the year.

But this argument was rejected by Mike O'Connor, the chief executive of Consumer Focus.

"Wholesale costs have gone up but they are still around a third lower than their 2008 peak," he said.

"Yet in this time British Gas' prices alone have risen by around 44% on gas and 21% on electricity and suppliers have made healthy profits."

Last year, British Gas' residential business made £740m.

Spending squeeze

In June, Scottish Power became the first of the big-six energy suppliers to announce another set of price increases.

It said it would raise the cost of gas by 19% and the cost of electricity by 10% at the start of August.

The latest increase in energy bills, which is likely to be followed by other big energy suppliers, comes after a round of increases last winter which saw British Gas put its charges up by 7% in December.

"Average household bill for a dual fuel British Gas customer will now go up from £1,096 to £1,288," said the price comparison service Uswitch.

"In total, British Gas customers will have seen their bills shoot up by £258 or 25% within a year, taking them from £1,030 a year to £1,288," Uswitch added.

Richard Lloyd, of the consumers' association Which?, said the energy firm's announcement was an unwelcome move.

"Many people are already having to cut back on essentials because of the rising cost of living, and with energy bills rising further, this could be a cold winter for many," he said.

The Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Chris Huhne, said the increasing burden of energy bills highlighted the need to move away from generating electricity by burning gas and coal.

"The UK electricity market has to change, so that we escape the cycle of fossil fuel addiction," Mr Huhne said.

"Alternatives like renewables and nuclear power must be allowed to become the dominant component of our energy mix. "

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Cheque use will not be scrapped

12 July 2011 Last updated at 18:28 Cheque use has dropped sharply since its peak in 1990 The banking industry will not scrap the use of cheques after all, it has been announced.

The Payments Council, a banking industry body, had been planning to replace them by 2018.

However, after widespread criticism from MPs and charities, it has now decided they will be kept "as long as customers need them".

The Payments Council admitted it had been forced to change its mind by the weight of public opinion.

Richard North, the chairman of the Payments Council, said: "It's in the DNA of the Payments Council to consult and listen to all those people who actually make payments and use cheques."

"Listening to over 600 stakeholder groups, working with the banks and following our appearance before the Treasury Select Committee, we have concluded we should reassure customers that the cheque is staying."

Strong defence

The decision was described by the Nationwide building society as a victory for the consumer and a common sense approach.

"Scrapping cheques would have had serious ramifications, not only for the elderly and most vulnerable in society, but also for small businesses and charities that rely on this payment method," the society said.

Continue reading the main story 1.1 billion cheques issued in 2010Use of cheques has fallen by 70% since 1990Further 40% fall expected in the next five yearsThe industry's search for a "paper-based" alternative to cheques, announced only last year as a way of accommodating critics, has also been cancelled.

"All work to prepare for closing cheque clearing in 2018 has stopped," the Payments Council said.

"Because the cheque is continuing, there is no need for a new type of paper-initiated payment," it added.

Continue reading the main story

We are delighted that the Payments Council has listened to the many people who said how difficult the loss of cheques would be for them”

End Quote Michelle Mitchell Age UK Criticism of the industry plan reached a peak this year, with a hostile reception for the idea given by the Parliamentary Treasury Committee of MPs in April, and severe criticism from Mark Hoban, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in June.

He said there was no "credible and coherent case" for the abolition of cheques before an alternative had been fully tested.

Last year 1.1bn cheques were used, but this represented a 40% decline over the past five years and a 70% fall over the past 20 years.

Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Treasury Committee, welcomed the Payments Council's decision.

"At last the Payments Council is concentrating on the right thing: making the existing cheque system faster and cheaper to operate. This will benefit both banks and customers," he said.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director at Age UK, said: "We are delighted that the Payments Council has listened to the many people who said how difficult the loss of cheques would be for them."

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Delivering tragedy?

Scam mail has been arriving in Britain's letterboxes in a steady stream for years, targeting the most vulnerable and robbing many of their savings. But what role does Royal Mail play in getting it to your front door? Panorama's Tom Heap reports.

Last year alone, Royal Mail delivered 1.7bn pieces of junk mail to British homes.

And while local authorities grapple with the cost of disposing of the masses of paper involved amid squeezed budgets, others worry about a darker side of the Royal Mail's letters business - the delivery of scam mail.

Scam mail letters are sent by fraudsters from overseas countries who try to persuade people to part with money on false promises of winning cash prizes.

If a victim replies to one of these "tempter letters" their name can end up on a so-called "suckers list" of vulnerable people that can then be sold on to criminals all over the world.

These cons are estimated to cost their victims £2.4bn a year and have prompted one MP to call for a change in the law so that scam mail can be intercepted as it enters the UK.

Once scam mail has entered the UK postal system Royal Mail have a legal obligation to deliver it.

'Local look'

But a BBC Panorama investigation has highlighted that Royal Mail owns 33% of the Netherlands-based company that is enabling large amounts of the scam mail to get into Britain.

Spring Global Mail handles vast amounts of mail for legitimate international business, but it is also being used by scam mail fraudsters. The balance of the company is owned by the Dutch postal service, Post NL.

Worrying for some critics is the "local look" service offered by Spring Global and Royal Mail whereby letters from abroad bear the Royal Mail postmark and have no trace of their overseas origins.

Fraud investigator Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Head of City of London Police said the Royal Mail logo is seen by some victims as a stamp of legitimacy.

Most scam mail comes from abroad but carries a 'local look'

"I think the downside is that when people get that and they see that Royal Mail brand, that brand counts for something," he said. "That whole idea that in actual fact there is this local look, somehow gives that mail that kind of credibility."

Mike Haley, director of the National Fraud Authority, which is working with Royal Mail to tackle the issue, said more needs to be done.

"We're trying to make Spring Global and Royal Mail more aware of the human tragedy that this type of fraudulent mail impacts on victims. I think they need to understand the terrible consequences of delivery of this mail to some people."

Marilyn Baldwin, whose late mother Jessica Looke was scammed out of £50,000 after becoming addicted to scam mail, said in her mother's case, the Royal Mail stamp of approval was a factor in her belief that the scams were real.

"My mother used to say, it isn't a scam, it's genuine. This is the Queen's mail."

She said Royal Mail has a responsibility to society's most vulnerable.

"The Royal Mail are delivering, in effect, coach loads of criminals to the houses of elderly and vulnerable people. They are the link between the victim and the scammer."

Big business

In a statement, Royal Mail said it was working closely with police to stop scam mail from entering the system: "We very much understand the upset and disquiet that scam mail can cause households across the country, including vulnerable people.

"We do not want our postmen or women handling or delivering mail that causes harm. We have made significant progress in our efforts to root out scam mail as we intensify our drive against it."

Royal Mail said it has acted on complaints to halt distribution of some scam mail and is following up other leads to put a stop to even more.

Tom Heap turned his family's junk mail into a briquette for the fireplace

"If this turns out to be scam mail harmful to the recipients, we will stop it, irrespective of the cost and loss of revenue to Royal Mail," the statement said.

Spring Global said it too is working closely with police and other agencies to prevent scam mail slipping through. Of the "local look" postmarks, it said in a statement: "Local look is a recognised international marketing activity to prepare mail with a foreign postal indicia. This happens across the world and not just in the UK. The vast majority of companies using such a service are legitimate businesses that are looking to reduce costs and improve response rates."

Since January, Spring Global said it has worked with the Metropolitan Police and Royal Mail to get an estimated 6m items of scam mail out of the system.

Legitimate junk mail - or advertising mail - is, according to Richard Hooper, who authored a report for the government on Royal Mail's future, central to the financial viability of Royal Mail.

Mr Hooper found that income from legitimate advertising mail accounts for nearly a quarter of Royal Mail's letters business - £1.3bn out of a total of £5.4bn.

"The supreme irony is that without advertising mail, you would not have a universal postal service," he said.

Rubbish issue

Local councils are facing the cost of getting rid of the 1.7bn pieces of advertising mail which come through our letterboxes each year.

In Cornwall alone, the local council estimates that 4,000 tonnes of junk mail from various sources are ending up in landfill every year - enough to fill about 500 dustcarts that amount to about 3% of the overall waste Cornwall dumps into landfill.

Esther O'Bearagh, from Cornwall council, said it costs around £700,000 to landfill junk mail each year.

"It's quite incredible when you start doing the maths," she said.

Even if all that junk mail were successfully diverted to the recycling box, the cost to the county would sill be close to £500,000 a year at around £119 a tonne.

And it is a scenario that is believed to be replicated across the UK.

The Direct Marketing Association defended the junk mail onslaught, pointing out that sales due to junk mail amount to £16bn a year.

Executive Director Chris Combemale said more than half of the UK population made a purchase as a result of a piece of direct mail last year.

"I don't really like the phrase junk. Junk is untargeted, unuseful, unvaluable."

Royal Mail said junk mail accounts for 0.4% of average household waste in the UK.

Panorama: Why Hate Junk Mail? BBC One, Monday, 4 July at 2030 BST and then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer.

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VIDEO: Is inflation good or bad?

11 July 2011 Last updated at 20:48 Help

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VIDEO: 'Crash for cash' caught on tape

With an average rise in car insurance premiums of nearly 40% in the past year, Panorama infiltrated a "crash for cash" ring to investigate how criminals are a factor in steep premium hikes and the compensation claims industry is adding even more to the cost of being on the road.

Declan Lawn reports.

Panorama: The Great Car Insurance Scandal, BBC One, Monday, 11 July at 2030 BST and then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer.

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VIDEO: Council workers face pay cuts to keep jobs

11 July 2011 Last updated at 08:07 Help

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VIDEO: 'Crash for cash' caught on tape

With an average rise in car insurance premiums of nearly 40% in the past year, Panorama infiltrated a "crash for cash" ring to investigate how criminals are a factor in steep premium hikes and the compensation claims industry is adding even more to the cost of being on the road.

Declan Lawn reports.

Panorama: The Great Car Insurance Scandal, BBC One, Monday, 11 July at 2030 BST and then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer.

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Trump card

2 July 2011 Last updated at 00:01 By Louise Greenwood BBC Business Report "I was a little bit worried" says Shabna Mugal Anyone who has paid a deposit on goods from an insolvent retailer is unlikely to get their money back, if they paid by cash, cheque or debit card.

Now consumer groups want a change in the law, to at least protect those who used a debit card to pay.

The recent spate of high profile retailer insolvencies makes for worrying times on the high street.

For thousands of customers with goods on order from stores that have called in the receivers the issue is pressing.

Among the firms that have gone to the wall this past week are the Liverpool-based discount department store TJ Hughes, home furnishings group Habitat, and Homeform, the parent company of Moben and Sharps Kitchens and Dolphin Bathrooms.

Potentially tens of thousands of customers may have paid deposits on big ticket purchases, like furniture or a bathroom suite, who now stand to lose their cash.

'Worried'

Shabna Mugal of west London paid a deposit of £2,000 for her new Moben kitchen.

With no-one responding to phone enquiries, she had arrived at the Ealing branch in west London only to find it closed.

Continue reading the main story

We would like to see the same protection, under law, for consumers who pay by debit cards”

End Quote Adam Scorer Consumer Focus "I was a little bit worried," she says.

"I was a little bit stressed as well, because I don't know whether I'm going to get my kitchen... and I'm desperately trying to get hold of somebody at some point to be able to help me"

In fact customers come at the bottom of the list of creditors when a firm calls in the receivers.

Secured lenders, such as landlords and banks, are top of the list, followed by the administrators employed to wind up the business, who need to have their fees paid.

Customers who are owed money rank alongside staff, who may be waiting for unpaid wages.

Protection

For customers who pay with credit cards, there is considerable security.

The rules should change, says Adam Scorer

Under Section 75 of the 1974 Consumer Credit Act, all purchases between £100 and £30,000 are covered by the credit card provider.

This ensures consumers are not left paying for goods and services they never received.

For customers paying by Visa debit there also exists the "chargeback" system.

Under this, the bank issuing the debit card will recoup the value of the purchase from the store's bank, and hand it on to you.

But for those paying with cash, cheque or Maestro card there is no such protection.

Adam Scorer of Consumer Focus says this anomaly needs clearing up.

"I think it's a bit ridiculous that consumers who have to pay by debit card don't have the same legal protection as consumers who are able to pay by credit card," he says.

"So we would like to see the same protection, under law, for consumers who pay by debit cards, as is enjoyed by consumers who pay by credit cards."

More to come?

But there are warnings that banks and retailers, who suddenly find they are liable for losses, will seek to push up costs elsewhere.

Retail sales fell by 1.4% in May and experts say more pain could be on the way, particularly for the home furnishings and improvements sector.

Tim Danaher editor of Retail Week says: "[They are] particularly vulnerable at the moment because generally they tend to be bigger ticket items and so there has to be more of a conscious decision by the consumer to go out and shop.

"At the same time people aren't moving house [and] with housing market transactions at very low volumes historically, people don't have that same need to spend."

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VIDEO: Your Money: Rising energy prices

9 July 2011 Last updated at 14:46 Help

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Looking beautiful with Detox Beauty?

Clinical Nutritionist, Kimberly Snyder, published its first book, diet and beauty in March called, Beauty Detox solution.

Kimberly is best known in the media as a nutrition and beauty expert to the stars. Celebrities promote diet helps, but will its tips work for you?

The book focuses on comprehensive care for the improvement of the body and inside. The applicant maintains, its methods will help you improve your nails, make your hair shiny, reduce Acne and wrinkles and eliminate the source.

There are a lot of food in the diet eliminated. If, following the solution, you can not Detox Beauty eat dairy, soy, beans, peanuts, most meat, eggs and most fruit! I would never advocate eliminating fruits average, because studies consistently support the fruit as part of a healthy diet.
It is recommended to combine food. Kimberly suggests eating foods in a particular order, and this can be tedious and impractical for most people's schedules. For example, you can not eat hummus with vegetables. In addition, there is no research to support the food combining.
There is little research on food, which can improve the skin, hair or nails. The only thing close is Omega 3 and Multivitamin. If the diet allowed to eat foods rich in Omega 3 and has a balanced diet, that can help improve your skin, hair and nails.
The book advocates a diet vegan, which is a healthy way of life for many people. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole foods is an important part of healthy eating.
In the short term would be likely to lose weight and see some detoxifying results. However, in the long term, this diet is not sustainable.

Solution to issue more cleanse Detox Beauty, with the exception of will be able to eat all the food. You can understand why people would lose weight on this plan since the level of calories is likely to be low and are limited to a smaller number of food. Poe is that this plan diet/detox unrealistic and not scientifically backed up. The most suitable for those wishing to do cleanse by week, or for the personalities, who have the resources to feed in this way would be to diet.

Detox solution can be purchased with discount Beauty here.

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More secure than conventional milk is organic milk?

Earlier I wrote about buying only organic milk strict a few years ago, but finally I heard due to the rising costs. Buy organic milk has me were about the support of the right crops feel, and I thought that I was in my body of clean food.

Now, in 2011, it seems our conventional milk supply and farming practices was adjusted. We buy should so, organic or conventional milk?

Did you know that most all milk free of charge is antibiotics? There are strict rules and tests in most countries. If a cow must have antibiotics for a disease, is either from milking the cow, removed or treated and reset if antibiotics are no longer recognized in the cow in the milking.

All cows produce a small amount of Monsanto--the hormone that causes milk production. But in 1994, Monsanto first produced an artificial growth hormone, rBGH or rBST. In 2000, rBGH banned over 25 countries. The United States has not been banned rBGH, but the most milk farmers use it not due to public demand. In the United States it is expected that about 5 to 15% of farmers still rBGH use. Even if the FDA says rBGH milk is safe, I avoid it.

So, if you can buy hormone and antibiotic conventional milk, it is basically on the crops. The most milk comes from Kleinbauern.Meist all farms have no 100% grass fed cows. organic cows are not fed GMO foods.Organic farms use no synthetic chemicals that may end up in the milk.Organic cows treatment get higher quality, but it's hard to say how this is "high quality".Some researchers speculate that organic milk is a higher quality and higher in omega-3.
It's really a personal choice whether you choose organic or conventional milk. Some have a taste preference for one over the other. Regardless, low-fat milk is a high-quality protein, good source of calcium and healthy drink in moderation. For me, I will try, buy organic when I can. What about you?

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5 Tips for Raising Fitter Kids

Allow me to be blunt: Our children are fat and they are getting fatter.

While there are many opinions as to the solutions to this epidemic problem - one thing is certain: It starts in the home.

Here are 5 basic strategies for raising healthier, fitter children.

This one may border on harsh. I don't know how many times I've heard parents tell me "he only eats french fries". If french fries were an option every meal, I'd probably only eat them too, if I were 4. As parents our jobs aren't easy. Despite what big food companies would have us believe, children should not be placed in charge of what they eat. Placating a whining child with a sugar/fat/salt bomb does the trick short-term, but making high/empty calorie foods a daily option will send them down a very unhealthy path.

It doesn't matter what you do, just get out there and play. Take the lead and bring the kids outside or to a community center or an indoor pool if it's raining outside. On that note, why let a little rain stop you? Put on the raingear and jump in some puddles.

With non-traditional working schedules and dual-income families, meal times are often on-the-go, fast, or even non-existent. Aside from the obvious benefits of generally healthier meals, it makes for great family bonding time and reduces the likelihood of children taking up smoking, drinking, and drug use. Make time for this at all costs.

Contradiction to point #1? No! Giving choices within the context of healthy eating should be encouraged. Have children pick a recipe, pick their own fruits/veggies and have some say in meals, as well as help out with preparation. This will help empower them to make decisions.

Or an individual sport - something active. Even if your children are less oriented towards athletic pursuits, there are a wide range of active options that will appeal to a wide variety of interests. In addition to helping keep kids fit, being part of a team or a sport in general can help foster teamwork, cooperation and build self-esteem.

Image Credit: icultist

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5 Simple Fitness Tips For Losing Weight

Many people at the beginning of their weight loss journey, want to find easy to implement fitness tips that will help them get started on the right foot.

If that's where you're at, there a few things that you need to consider and focus on so that you'll experience positive results as quick as possible.

Knowledge is the secret to getting the strong, slender body that you have always wanted. If you are ready to get in the best shape of your life, the right fitness tips for losing weight can make a huge difference in your life.

One of the most important aspects of weight loss and exercise is a strong core. In fact, if you do not have a strong core, it will be difficult to perform several exercises in the average workout routine. A strong core improves both balance and coordination.

Keep in mind that sit-ups are your friend, so do as many of them as you can. In the past, many people did not believe doing sit-ups was an adequate way to build the core. However, these days that tune has changed. Sit-ups effectively increase range of motion, which in turn causes your abdominal muscles to work even longer and harder.

If you prefer, you can do crunches on a stability ball or use a rolled-up towel underneath your lower back which are also effective ways to build core strength. Remember to avoid doing sit-ups or crunches with your feet anchored because you will risk injury to your lower back.

You would not wear sweatpants to Sunday school or a bathing suit to the grocery store, so it is understandable to wear appropriate attire during your workout routine.

The clothes that you wear when you're working out should be tight enough to stay in place and out of your way, yet loose enough to allow easy flow of movement. You do not want to be constricted in any way as you exercise. Clothes that are too loose may wrap around your limbs, entangling you as you move. Likewise, clothes that are too tight can cut off circulation and cause serious discomfort or pain.

It is also important to wear appropriate footwear when exercising as well. Exercises such as running, jumping rope, plyometrics, etc. can jar the joints, leading to pain, discomfort, or even serious injury. Your best option is to purchase a good pair of shoes for working out and for working out only. It is acceptable to go without shoes if you are performing exercises such as yoga or Pilates.

Make it a point to shop for your workout shoes later in the day when your feet are at their largest. You want to make sure that you have about a half of an inch of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. You should be able to wiggle your toes with ease.

Stretching and keeping your muscles limber are just as important as fat burning exercises. As you grow older, you muscles will become less and less pliable. Fight the aging process by staying loose.

Never stretch cold muscles. It is important to warm up your muscles before you stretch to prevent painful injury. Hold each stretch for fifteen to thirty seconds in order to get the full effect.

Staying fit and healthy is more than working out for an hour or so per week. In order to get fit and stay healthy, you need to move as much as possible. Take the stairs when possible and park a little further away from the front door to squeeze in a little extra fitness in your day-to-day life.

These are only a few fitness tips for losing weight. The key to getting fit is to try out a few things to determine what best fits into your life and then stick to it.

About The Author:

Scott Gray is a fitness enthusiast and website publisher. He maintains a health and fitness tips for beginners website where you can find information about best stationary bikes, exercise equipment and tips for getting and staying in shape.

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Organic milk is safer than conventional milk?

Only organic milk a few years ago about buying to strictly use stops eventually due to rising costs. I feel the goods I buy organic milk to support appropriate agricultural practices, and I was putting into my body clean food.

Now, in 2011, conventional milk supply shortage, agricultural practices has been cleaned up. Therefore, organic or buy a traditional milk?

Did you know that almost all milk free antibiotics? Strict regulations and is a test in most countries. Back when illnesses antibiotics cows removed from milking cows need or treated, antibiotic cattle again undetected milking.

First of all cows that bovine growth hormone-causing hormone milk production of the produced in small quantities. However, the production in 1994, Monsanto's first artificial growth hormone, rBGH or rBST. In 2000, more than 25 country rBGH is prohibited. Avoid most milk farmers public demand for does not prevent United States rBGH. In United States, about 5-15% of farmers still use rBGH is expected. Although the FDA rBGH milk is safe;

You can buy traditional antibiotic and hormone free milk is so, it basically agricultural practices comes. Most milk comes from small farms. It is not almost all farms in the 100% grass fed cows. Genetically modified foods are not fed organic cows are. Do not use synthetic chemicals can end the organic farm milk. Is difficult to say organic cows receive higher quality treatment this is how high quality. Guess some researchers on organic milk, quality higher Omega-3.
Organic or conventional milk choice is whether or not is a personal decision. Some taste preference for another one on there. Regardless of the skimmed milk is a good source of calcium of high-quality protein and healthy beverages moderation. For me, I tried to buy organic can be. How about you?

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Vegetables for Lean muscle growth?

Is there a green leaf vegetables can do for you?

We knew that eating lots of vegetables reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Vegetables may also help you to maintain a healthy weight and they protect against inflammation.

But research now shows that vegetables are also great for building strong, lean muscle mass.

A study Published in February in Cell Metabolism--and summarized in Science Daily-helps green leafy vegetables mitochondria in somatic cells, including muscle cells, work more efficiently. What is mitochondria? Mitochondria are sometimes called "power station" cells. They are the organelles that produce energy, so that cells can function properly. Also convert the molecules of food nutrients into energy which the whole body can use.

When you eat lots of spinach, parsley, kale and other green leafy vegetables, give your body with nitrates which makes your mitochondria function better and you need less oxygen during your training. In other words, you can work more comfortably, without feeling like you're gasping for breath.

You'll also more energy as you go about the rest of the day, but I suspect that the energy you will notice the most during your training session!

You cannot reproduce the effect of eating a large green salad with an add-in (if you thought about it!). Nitrates in foodstuffs must be processed by bacteria in the mouth for the body to make efficient use of them. In fact, bacteria in the mouth plays an important role in the processing of nutrients that scientists now speculate that powerful antibacterial mouthwashes could block the effects of green leafy vegetables.

Green leafy vegetables are also high in glutamine, an amino acid that is often by body builders as a supplement. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and protein helps the body to build muscle mass. Believe it or not, are green leafy vegetables pretty good sources of protein, but other sources of protein in your diet as well. While the glutamine can be completed, you will be given other benefits, such as nitrates impacts on your mitochondria, not to mention the fibre in your vegetables, if you get your glutamine from dietary sources, such as parsley, spinach and asparagus.

But if you really do not care for salad, there are options. One is to juice your Greens in a smoothie.

Try this simple recipe:

Fill a half-way Mixer with spinach and then add three bananas and two cups of water (and as much ice as you'd like). Mos and you have a cute green smoothie, which does not taste like spinach, regardless of how green it looks. You can also add some red beet, who also is high in nitrates.

Vegetables are useful for muscle-building all ages, but they are particularly important for older adults. A survey in 2008 showed that an increase of carotenoids (substances that produce vivid colors in vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens and tomatoes) blood plasma contents connected with higher hip, knee and grip strength in older adults.

The same year, a study published in American Journal of clinical nutrition noted that older adults who had increased levels of potassium in their urine also had higher percentages of lean muscle mass. Potassium, a mineral that is important in muscle contraction and relaxation, can be found in chard, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, Zucchini, Eggplant and tomatoes. In General, greener and leafier vegetables, the better, or, in the case of a nongreen vegetable, the more vivid the vegetable color is, the better.

Certain vegetables also protect your muscles from damage arising from the exercise of the point of exhaustion. Excessive exercise can cause a decrease in antioxidant property of muscles. However, a 2009 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, eat cruciferous vegetables was associated with an increase in antioxidant capacity after acute muscle exhaustive training. In other words, eat your vegetables on a regular basis will mean that your muscles will recover more quickly after an intense workout.

To believe that these are not the only benefits of eating vegetables! You need to know (if you have been living with your head under a rock), vegetables (and fruits, for that matter) as a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This is a topic for another day, but green leafy vegetables is actually better, more bio-available sources of calcium than milk and therefore can play a crucial role in order to protect your bones, as well as your muscles. Once again I have to ask--is there a green leaf vegetables can not do?

Written by Brett Warren, biochemical researchers based in Boston, Massachusetts. He puts his expertise to work on a daily basis through the development of Sport supplements for power factor. Brett love Weightlifting and work on the gym almost as much as he loves his job. In addition to his work with power factor devotes Broad much time with his family, hiking, cycling and outdoor.

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Thrive diet

The thrive diet was created by professional ironman, Brendan Brazier, and is based on following a vegan diet to achieve optimal performance and health.

He designed his vegan program for anyone, no matter if you are an athlete or not.

This restrictive plant based diet can improve the performance and the ability for balanced diet?

The thrive diet allows no dairy, gluten, wheat, soy, corn, refined sugars or animal products. Specific energy drinks gels and sport is permissible. Foods that are recommended are legumes, vegetables, seeds, some cereals, fruits, oils, and nuts. Lower body fat and increase muscle toneDecrease signs of agingIncrease energy and mental clarityIncrease sleepImprove moodStrengthen immune systemLower cholesterolDecrease junk food cravingsThe main struggle when going vegan and soy-free is to find out how to get your high quality protein diet. Brendan recommends specific legume powders to add smoothies and homemade energy bars to sneak in for more complete proteins. This can be done, but it is difficult to consume more than 80 grams of legume/nut/grain protein in one day.

Only other worry is enough vitamin and mineral intake. If, after this diet, perhaps you need supplementation of B12, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and possibly iron.

This diet will probably reduce your cholesterol, as it is practically a cholesterol-free diet, and will likely lower your body fat percentage, when you want to eat fewer calories. I'm doubtful the diet could improve your immune system or sleeping habits much, but all the other claims seem reasonable.

Since this diet is fairly restrictive, it would be difficult for the average athlete. It takes more time, energy and money to prepare a diet like this. This can be done, but you want to focus on getting enough calories, protein and fuel for your lifestyle.

The book is on amazon here.

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Diet to thrive

Thrive diet was created by a professional Ironman, seated of Brendan, and it is based on the following diet htavoni for best performance and health.

It is designed for its htavoni program, no matter if you are an athlete or not.

This can be restrictive plant based diet improve performance and enable balanced diet?

Thrive diet without gluten, milk can, wheat, soy, corn, sugar, animal products or mzochch. Sports drinks and gels and of specific energy are allowed, however. Foods that are recommended are legumes, vegetables, seeds, grains, fruits, oils, nuts. Lower body fat and increase muscle toneDecrease signs of agingIncrease energy, moodStrengthen sleepImprove clarityIncrease systemLower mental cravingsThe food cholesterolDecrease vaccine main struggle when going soy-free htavoni and figuring out how to get a high quality protein into your diet. Brendan recommends specific to add beans powders milkshakes, homemade energy bars to sneak more fully in proteins. You can also do this, but it is difficult to consume more than 80 grams of protein legumes, nut, cereal in one day.

Only other concern is proper, mineral and vitamin ?????????. If, after this diet, you may need supplementation of B12, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and iron.

This diet will probably reduce your cholesterol diet since he actually cholesterol-free, and will likely lower your body fat percentage since should eat fewer calories. I doubt the diet could improve the immune system or sleep habits much, but all the other claims seem unlikely.

Since this is a fairly restrictive diet, it will be difficult for the average athlete. It takes more time, energy and money to prepare a diet like this. It can be done, but you need to focus on getting enough calories, protein, fuel for life.

The book can be found bamazon here.

View the original article here

The thrive diet

Thrive diet was created by professional ironman, Brendan Brazier and is based on the follow-up to a regime vegan to achieve optimal performance and health.

He has designed its program vegan for anyone, no matter if you are an athlete or not.

This restrictive regime of base of plant performance and provide balanced nutrition?

The thrive diet allows without dairy, gluten, wheat, soybeans, corn, sugar refined or products of animal origin. Energy specific gels and sports are allowed, however. Foods that are highly recommended are legumes, vegetables, seeds, cereals, fruits, oils and nuts. Lower body fat and increasing signs of toneDecrease of the muscle of energy agingIncrease and mental clarityIncrease sleepImprove moodStrengthen the cholesterolDecrease immune systemLower cravingsThe of the main junk food fight when you vegan and soy-free is to determine how to obtain high-quality protein in your diet. Brendan recommends specific pulse powder to add to the smoothies and homemade energy bars to stealthily in the more complete protein. It can be done, but it is difficult to consume more than 80 grams of protein legume/nuts/grain in a single day.

The only other concern is adequate vitamins and minerals intake. If following this scheme, you need to supplementation of B12, vitamin D, calcium, zinc and iron possibly.

This scheme will probably reduce your cholesterol levels, since it is almost cholesterol-free diet and will probably be less your percentage of body as fat you eat less calories. I doubt that the diet could improve your immune system or even sleep patterns, but all the other claims seem reasonable.

This scheme is fairly restrictive, it would be difficult for the average to track athlete. It takes more time, energy and money to prepare for a diet like this. It can be done, but you need to focus on getting to enough calories, proteins and the fuel for your lifestyle.

The book can be found on amazon here.

View the original article here