Study Skills - Find Your Motivation Fast

The single biggest reason cited for not competing tasks is the lack of motivation. If you're like everybody else in the entire universe (and you are) then at one point or another you will lack the motivation to do something. Welcome to the club. There are about 6 billion human members plus a few million animals as well (that's right animals can be lazy too).

Whilst a lack of motivation may not be your biggest challenge personally, it is one of the biggest challenges that students face as they try to find the strength of character to push through high school and College.

When lacking motivation, simple and seemingly innocuous tasks can somehow become huge mountainous challenges. But why?

If you lack the feeling of motivation, your focus will be low, your effort will be down and your output will suffer the consequences. But when you are feeling motivated the amount of work you can complete is astronomical, your effort is through the roof, the challenges seem small and anything seems possible! It's a feeling we'd all love to have all the time. So how does it come about?

As a general rule, most people are operating on the base level of motivation - which is fear of negative consequences. What do I mean by this? Well, we act out of concern about what will happen if we don't act. For example, you may complete your homework because if you don't you will be grounded. You may strive to get an A on your Maths test because if you don't your average will drop which will impact your ability to get into University or College. It's not necessarily a "bad thing" but it's the way we are conditioned to behave.

If there was no deadline and no consequence for not handing a paper in on time, would we ever even hand it in? Would we even start the stinking paper? Would anyone ever do anything they didn't want to do?

Fear of negative consequences (i.e. negative motivation) is important in the world. We need to have rules and social conventions. We need to treat each other with respect. But that doesn't mean you should operate your entire life this way. There is more to life than just constantly doing what everyone wants so that they (and society) will be happy with you. That's not a joyful life experience.

Whilst "existing" may work for you for a period of time (and for many people it works for their entire lives) it doesn't both work and lead to a positive approach to life. The motivation we seek to promote is one where you want to complete the tasks you do for positive reasons.

Want to find real motivation? Act only out of possibility. Never act out of fear. Act out of the possibility of what may come from doing what you're doing. If you're doing homework, ask yourself what the possibility may be. Is the possibility that you learn something new? Is the possibility that you are smarter than you were before? Is the possibility that you are closer to your ambition of a good grade? Is the possibility that you are one step closer to College? What is your possibility? Every act has a possibility. Find yours and you will have found your true motivation. The power of possibility always crushes the fear of negative consequences - if you harness it correctly.

The answer to finding motivation is actually simple. Whenever you are doing something and don't feel motivated simply ask yourself "What is the possibility here? What positive outcome is going to occur from this?" If you can't find a simple possibility (like I could learn something new, I could earn some money which I can spend on something important to me, I'm a step closer to something I really want to achieve) then you really aren't searching hard enough. There is a possibility in everything. Good luck.

By Lachlan Haynes

About the Author:

Discover much more about your motivation here: Help Me Study | Get Motivated

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What Are Antioxidants And Why Are They Important?

A number of physicians are advocating veggies and fruits to be included in a daily diet. There are plenty of great reasons to the advice, but one of the reasons is definitely the antioxidants that almost all fruits and veggies offer. What exactly are antioxidants? Why are they extremely important?

Process of oxidation takes place in every single place from piece of banana turning brownish color to rust on a piece of metal. It is a normal process that also happens inside a human body. Our body usually deals with oxidation well, but at times it results in cell damage. The damaged cells are referred to as free radicals. They are molecules with unpaired electron. Since it is unpaired, it will attempt to steal an electron from another molecule. Once this activity becomes excessive, it may trigger various health problems which include cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke also add up to the growth of free radicals. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals.

By giving the missing electron to free radicals, antioxidants protect against cell damage. It is vital to take foods that give antioxidants regularly to remain in good health. Many fruit and veggies are a fantastic supply of antioxidants thanks to vitamins C and E. Vitamins are known to be among the best antioxidants. Fruits and veggies such as strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are a good supply of vitamin C and E. But these vitamins are not the only supply of antioxidants and actually they are certainly not the best source.

An increasing number of dieticians agree Epigallocatechin or often called EGCG may be a more powerful supply of antioxidants compared to vitamins C and E. Many researchers agree that EGCG is 100 times more beneficial than vitamin C and 25 times more efficient than vitamin E in eliminating free radicals. EGCG is a compound found in green tea extract. Several of the known green tea extract health benefits include preventions against bad cholesterol, depression, heart disease, cancer and gaining weight.

There were a large number of clinical tests concerning the effects of green tea on cancer cells. The end results suggest the dosage of 300mg of EGCG on a daily basis to be the best amount. A cup of tea provides roughly 100mg of EGCG. A lot more research studies are on the way, however as for now 3 cups daily looks like a good amount.

Currently there are quite a few methods to take in green tea. Traditional way is to brew and to drink the tea. This really is good particularly when consumed while eating meals. One other preferred way is to add tea powder to water. Mixing citrus juice with EGCG has been known to maximize the health benefits. A practical way is to have green tea tablets. This is wonderful for folks disliking the taste.

By Tom Nelson

About the Author:

If you are looking for more information regarding green tea benefits or green tea extract weight loss pills, visit livinggreenteatablets.com

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AEROBICS - HOW TO SUCCEED

Aerobics
Background

 Aerobics refers to the type of physical exercise that involves aerobic routines, which refers to exercise that involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body, by the application of rhythmical movements. In particular, it defines the concepts of: Flexibility, which is the amount of movement in a joint or muscle that is attainable with the help of a partner or the use of a certain piece of equipment.

Aerobics are usually performed to a background of music and is normally enacted in a group setting led by an instructor, who leads and guides the group to ensure continuity. However, it can also be undertaken as a solo exercise, and without musical accompaniment, although it is argued that this is not as beneficial as in the group setting.

The benefits of aerobics are not only the development of physical fitness, but also the ability to either prevent, or at the very least, reduce the incidence of certain illnesses.
The prescribed actions involve the participants performing a series of different dance-like exercises. In order to achieve the best results from the participants, aerobics classes are normally performed at different levels of intensity and complexity depending on the abilities and physical fitness of the performers.

Many gyms offer the facility of aerobic classes. Each class is designed to accommodate a certain level of experience of the performers and is taught by a certified instructor with experience related to their particular class.

Photo credit: Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games /     Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Aerobic gymnastics
 
Aerobic gymnastics, also known as sport aerobics or competitive aerobics, refers to performing complicated and high activity movements to music, which originate from traditional aerobics, with a high level of perfectly executed movements which are defined as difficult.
It combines aerobics, sports aerobics, coordinating gymnastics with music, dance movements and choreography of the entire performance.

In order to introduce fairness, the performances are structured under various categories according to the age, gender and composition of the group, whether individual, mixed pairs or trios.
The judging is based on the following movements: strength exhibited whilst stationery and in motion, jumps and leaps, kicks, balance and flexibility. There are three compulsory exercises: four successive high leg kicks, four successive push-ups, and a programme which begins with four jumping jacks, and leads into 32 elements of standing movements and patterns. Performers are allowed to choose up to ten techniques from following selection: push-ups, supports and balances, kicks and splits, jumps and leaps. However, the following maneuvers may not be included in the routines: handstands, tumbling, back flips, handsprings, or aerial somersaults.

The performances are judged on the basis of the quality of the artistic content, the creativity exhibited, how well the performance was executed, and the extent of the difficulty of the routines presented.
Sport aerobics is represented in competitions at state, national, and international levels, but is not established as an Olympic sport.

by peter radford

About the Author

______________________________________________________
Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a range of subjects, under the heading: Subject - How To Succeed. Aerobics Articles cover........ Background, History, Types of Exercise, Benefits, Aerobic Capacity, Other Issues, Commercial Success. Website has many more.
View his Website at: aerobics-how-to-succeed.com
View his Blog at: aerobics-how-to-succeed.blogspot.com
___

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Learn How To Begin Running

 It is not difficult to learn how to begin running. You basically have to put one foot after the other and gradually increase your speed. However, you do need a few techniques which will help you to improve. You will also need motivation, especially in the beginning because it may be more difficult for some who are unfit and a little overweight.

However, not everyone is suited to run marathons and you may want to just run shorter distances. Some people are happy to keep a slow steady pace and others are more competitive. There are different sorts of terrains that you can specialize in as well.

If there is a marathon coming up and you are not sure if you are going to manage it, rather skip it and wait until you are completely prepared. It can be really disappointing when you do not finish the race. There will definitely be for marathons coming your way.

This is something you should avoid. Make sure you go to a proper running shop and ask someone who has knowledge in the field. They will be able to see the way you walk and can tell you what kind of shoes you will be needing. Different people will need different kinds of shoes so it is important that you do not skip this step.

Everyone is different. You can set short term and long term goals. You may want to run a certain amount of kilometers in a certain time frame. You could also reward yourself once you get to your goal.

Many people like to start their day with a run. This will depend on your preference. Some people find that they are tired after a long run and will rather wait until after work. The disadvantage of that is that you may not feel motivated to run after a hard day at the office. Motivation is something that is very important here.

People work on their motivational skills in different ways. Some people will watch professionals; others will go to motivational talks. It is recommended that you join a running club and run with others. This is a great way to motivate each other and socialize after a run at the same time. This is something to look forward to after you have been at the office all day.

It is also good to vary your running conditions. Make sure you run in different areas so that you do not become bored.You should run on trails as well as on the road and even on the road.

Once you learn how to begin running shorter races, you may want to train further and find that longer distances are more your thing. Some people find that trail running is also quite unique and it can also be relaxing.

About the Author:

For helpful advice on how to begin running click www.runnersrealm.com. You will find a great deal of information on the subject when you visit http://www.runnersrealm.com today.

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Stop Smoking Tips

You know that smoking is bad for your health. You know that it will kill you. You are desperate to stop, but you can't! If you are wondering how you can stop smoking forever, read this article if you dare to try these methods! They have not been discussed before, but I have found them to be very effective!The smoking method. This sounds crazy, but it works for me! Find a room and close all the windows and the door. Then lit a few cigarettes and leave them to burn. []

There are a number of quit smoking aids available that can help you give up your smoking habit. These aids include nicotine patches, hypnosis, counseling, herbal and non herbal medication. You may want to consult your physician and choose one of the aids that suit you the best.

Please note that the more you actively carry out and engage with the tips below, the more you increase your chance of success. Good luck!Be clear about your reasons for wanting to stop.Create a list with your reasons for wanting to stop smoking. What will the benefits be? List all the things that you dislike about smoking or the things that you are fed up with that relates to smoking. This could potentially include things such as the smell, putting yourself out socially as a result, the cost involved, the negative effects on your body, etc.Set a date and commit to it.

Once you know when you want to stop, you can start to organise yourself to get your head around the idea of stopping. There are many things that you could do. Why not share your experience with a friend and ask for their support?Visualise.It will be well worth your while if you practice to see yourself as a non-smoker. Remember that if you can see yourself as a non-smoker, then you are a non-smoker! Twice per day for the first three weeks, sit quietly for a few moments, relax the muscles within your body for a while, focus on your breathing and being calm. Then pretend that you find yourself in all the places/scenarios where you used to smoke, but this time imagine that you are a non-smoker with calm and relax hands. Imagine yourself breathing freely and easily.Expect to feel uncomfortable.

If you have stopped smoking in the past and not felt much of a desire, then you may well fall into the same pattern whenever you make an attempt to stop.The best way to help yourself when quitting smoking is by deliberately inducing your desire to smoke, so that you can retrain yourself to manage it and consciously accept it. This might look as though you are making things more difficult for yourself, but in fact you are simply facing up to a difficulty that already exists.Inducing a desire to smoke is a conscious mental exercise. It means deliberately interrupting your thoughts about the other things in your life, and, with your cigarette packet in front of you, focusing on the feelings inside you of wanting to smoke.There is a reason you are avoiding feeling your desire to smoke: you are no doubt afraid of it because you think it might make you smoke. You see it as an enemy, a nuisance and an unnecessary pain. When you deliberately induce it, you break down this negativity and fear, and turn the desire into something you have power over.

Reduce your intake gradually. It is really very difficult to stop smoking overnight because your body will feel a lot of discomfort. If you get rid of your cigarettes overnight then you are likely to start the habit all over again because you can't do without the nicotine.Do not set very high expectations of yourself when you do stop smoking entirely. It is not just a question of will power. You will only feel bad about yourself when you inevitably pick up your habit all over again. In fact, you should expect to have relapses a few times at least before you are eventually successful in quitting the habit.

Try and reduce your stress levels so that you do not have an excuse to start smoking once you have quit the habit. Take up yoga, meditation or exercise so that you feel good about yourself and have no excuse to resume the habit.Stay away from people who smoke cigarettes. If you are exposed to second hand cigarette smoke very frequently then you might reach out for cigarettes without even thinking about it. Get all the assistance you need in order to increase your chances of success. There are many products available in the market that can help you achieve your objective by supplying your body with nicotine in order to reduce your levels of discomfort.

Out of Sight, but Not Out of Mind.Some people avoid resolving this conflict by ignoring their desire and quite often feel confident that they have conquered their addiction. One of the more unhelpful things about repression is that, at the time you use it, it appears to be effective, and is therefore rarely perceived as being a problem.You can see from your own experience that it is a problem, though, if you have ever stopped before. The first cigarette you smoked when you went back to smoking was preceded by a desire to smoke, even though you may have only been dimly aware of that desire at the time.

For other people, repression only becomes a problem a few days or weeks after stopping. What happens is that the desire is so persistent at first that it is impossible to repress it, but as it fades in strength and frequency, it becomes increasingly possible to ignore it altogether.After a few weeks into quitting smoking, you might need to induce your desire to smoke only once or twice a day. But it's important to do so because it's only while you stay in touch with your desire to smoke that you can stay in control of it.

Take advantage of familiar situations where you would have smoked, such as the end of a meal, as opportunities to induce your desire. Instead of jumping up from the table to get on with the washing-up, sit there for a while, as you would have done, let yourself feel your desire to smoke and think through your choice not to smoke - for now.Later on, as you become more familiar with these methods of how to quit smoking, your desire may only last a few seconds, but making a deliberate effort to acknowledge it by inducing it can make the difference between success and failure in the long term.If you lead a very busy life, inducing your desire will be especially important. Busy people can stop smoking for days or weeks, barely aware of their desire to smoke in the background of their crowded minds. But just because you don't take the time to deal with it properly, the desire doesn't vanish; it keeps coming, like a nagging child demanding attention. Or it can suddenly and unexpectedly explode, perhaps at a time of crisis, arid, because your conscious mind hasn't practiced dealing with it, you can suddenly find yourself on the verge of smoking.If you stop to induce a desire - and this only takes a few moments - you give your desire the attention it requires. As a result it becomes easy to live with and, most important of all, you are in control of it.

By Kelly R. Crumble

About the Author:

Find Out more about How To Stop Smoking and stop smoking tips ,now.

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Why Motivational Products Are Used

We all need a slight push at some point in our lives. It may be that someone special has died and we are feeling depressed. Recently, a lot of people have lost their jobs due to the bad economic times that we are surrounded by. This means that people are not as eager to get up in the morning in order to get a job. Motivational products are required in cases like these.

When you lose a job, it can have a bad impact on your self esteem and your ego. You may have once been a very driven person who liked to set their goals high, but once you have been retrenched, everything seems to change overnight. You can start to get depressed very quickly.

However, most people don't get that far because they would rather sleep all day and not move out of the bedroom. This is why support is important at this stage. You can only do so much because the person needs to take the first step, but you can take them off to a talk or you can show them a DVD.

It is natural for someone to feel depressed in this day and age. So many jobs have been lost in the economic recession that we are living in and this does not do anything for the self esteem of people. When job interviews don't go well, things will get worse, and the person will get even more negative. This is where they need more support.

There are a lot of products on the market that claim to do great things, but not all of them work. You need to know which ones stand out as the best if you want to get ahead. At the end of the day, it is you that has got to take the first step, but these products are going to help you get to the next level.

There are books, DVD and courses available that will help people get back on their feet. There are famous speakers who travel all over the world and have helped many people who have been depressed for months, come to terms with what they are feeling and find their way back into the world. However, it starts with the person who feels he or she needs to be motivated.

There are lots of motivational speakers who are making money, but at the same time they also care about the people they work with. They speak from the heart and they tell you about their experiences, which is better than going to a psychologist who will only relate according to what they have learned at college.

It is important that you find something that is right for you because there are a lot of motivational products out there, but there is something that is perfect for you. There might be something else that is ideal for someone else, however, it depends on what you are going through and what your needs are. This is very important and so you need to take this into consideration.

By Rosetta Drake

About the Author:

Read more about Why Motivational Products Are Used visiting our website.

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Top 5 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

Green tea has been hailed as a natural remedy for thousands of years, originating in China and widely used across Asia. A lot of scientific research has gone into green tea and its benefits are said to range from increasing metabolism to lowering weight loss and preventing cancer. So what reasons are out there for including green tea in your daily diet?

1) Prevent cancer

There is some evidence from early studies suggesting that green tea reduces the risk of some cancers. Whilst there is not yet enough evidence to conclusively say that green tea prevents cancers, many people believe that the low rates of cancer in Asia are due to the high intake of green tea.
Some studies have shown that a substance within green tea called polyphenols give the drink antioxidant properties. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals in the body, which damage cells and DNA causing diseases such as cancer.

2) Reduce bad breath

Polyphenols are not just antioxidants; they are also useful for relieving bad breath. A study from Israel’s Institute of Technology found that a particular polyphenol called epigallocatechin 3 gallate (EGCG) destroys a number of compounds in the mouth that lead to bad breath and tooth decay.

3) Increases metabolism

A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently found that green-tea extract increases your metabolism by 4% over a 24 hour period; and three to five cups a day can help you burn an extra 70 calories a day. A particular antioxidant found in green tea inhibits the breakdown of fats and the production of an inflammatory substance that triggers hunger, keeping you trim.
So rather than starting faddy diets, why not replace your cups of regular tea and coffee with green tea- it will help you lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.

4) Prevent neurological disorders

Drinking tea is linked with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, even when other factors such as smoking, age and body mass index are taken into account. It is thought that polyphenols in green tea help maintain the parts of the brain that regulate learning and memory, so it may also be effective at preventing degenerative neurological diseases such as dementia.

5) Protect your heart

Green tea is thought to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Studies suggest that green tea raises levels of good cholesterol and lowers levels of total cholesterol in both animals and people. Researchers estimate that the risk of heart attack decreases by 11% with 3 cups of green tea drunk a day.

So how much green tea do you need to drink to start reaping the benefits? No one seems able to say for sure, but it is thought that anything from two cups to ten cups a day will give your body a healthy boost. Remember most green tea contains caffeine so it will act as a stimulant, so make sure you don’t drink it before bed or you may find yourself being kept awake at night!

Published At: Isnare.com Free Articles Directory - http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1798064&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

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Staying Motivated Through Your Fitness Program

Exercise is a great way to lose weight and stay healthy. But all of those benefits won't matter at all if you aren't getting your exercise done. The most important part of exercising is sticking with your program.
We all know how easy it is to put off exercise, especially if you have a busy life, but here are five key ways to keep yourself motivated:

1. Track your progress.

Find a method to track how many miles you've walked, how many calories you've burned or how many steps you've taken. Consider making a wall chart with milestones written out along a line. Make a check mark each day when you make progress toward your next milestone. You can even create a little character of yourself to move along the line. Each day, you can see how far you have to go until your next milestone, and how far you've come.
You can also track your progress on a simple calendar. Mark off the days that you complete your exercise routine. Once you get to the end of the month and see how often you've stuck to your plan, you'll be motivated to keep going.

2. Reward yourself.

Once you've reached a milestone on your chart, or checked off a certain number of days on your calendar, be sure to reward yourself with a non-food reward. Buy yourself some new music on iTunes to exercise to. Treat yourself to new workout clothes. Enjoy a movie out with your spouse. If you reward yourself for a good behavior in a way that matters to you, you'll make the effort to work out more.

3. Give yourself a break.

If you miss a day due to illness or a busy schedule, don't beat yourself up about it. You won't get anywhere by putting yourself through a guilt trip. If you end up getting down on yourself each time you make a mistake with your exercise program, you'll probably get rid of your program entirely. Just plan to make up for a missing session on another day.

4. Mix up your exercise routine.

One of the main reasons that people stop exercising is out of boredom. While your exercise program may be exciting and fresh when you first start, even the most fast-paced workout DVD can get boring after a while. Mixing up your routine will keep you interested enough to want to keep working out. In addition, changing your workout from time to time will help you lose more weight and get more fit. Over time, your body gets used to the same repetitive motions and figures out ways to make the exercise easier. By introducing different types of movement, you'll keep your body guessing and get more from your exercise.

5. Work out with friends or family.

Exercise is a lot more enjoyable when you do it as a group. The best way to stick with a program is commit to another person to work out together. You can motivate each other to keep going. It won't be as easy to skip a workout session if you have promised someone else that you'll work out.

by Claire Schintler

About the Author

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com, where you'll find reviews and coupons for popular online diet plans, including Medifast Coupons as well as discounts on Think Right Now behavior modification programs.

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10 Ways To Boost Your Immune Systems

Many people don't realize how important a healthy immune system is and how it can affect our everyday life. The immune systems helps to the body to defend against bacteria that may cause infection, viruses, diseases and then some. When your immune system is low and/or not functioning properly you can be more susceptible to these common everyday problems. Also if your immune system is low you may feel low on energy, irritable, and sluggish. On the other hand when your immune system is functioning properly you may have energy, be in a better mood, and have better focus.

Down below are 10 ways that can help to boost your immune system.

1- Exercise- try to exercise on a regular basis this will help to boost circulation and boost your immune system. This will also help you to get better in shape.

2-  Drink plenty of water- this tip is very important are body needs the proper amount of water to be able to function properly. Water also flushes toxins and impurities that are in our body.

3-Proper rest- 8 hours of sleep is a good amount of time to sleep. Try your best to get your proper rest. Are body needs to rest in order to re-cooperate for the next day. When you do not get the proper rest that can have a great effect on your immune system.
  
4- Eating right- eating the right foods can provide great benefits to your immune system. Try to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet. Especially vitamin c this is very good for your health. Try you best to stay away from unhealthy foods that contain a lot of grease, fat, preservatives and toxins. These food can have a very negative effect on your overall health.

5-Clean hands- washing your hand more frequently can help to cut down to bacteria and germs. You should especially make sure your hands are clan before you eat or are touching anything that may be entering your body. If possible try to keep hand sanitizer on hand the are many germs an surfaces everywhere in are everyday life.

6-Stress- stress will have a great effect on your health. Try so stay stress free the best that you can. Try to stay out of stressful situations or try out different stress relievers like taking a walk, listening to music, laughing and/or taking up a hobby.

7-Watch toxins- toxins such as smoking cigarettes and/or drug abuse is very harmful to your body as well as your overall health. Try to stay away from these or environments that may contain these toxins. Even second hand smoke can have a effect on the well being of your body.

8-Harsh weather- if you do have to deal with the harsh elements take the proper precautions. If you are dealing with extreme weather like during the cold months in the winter bundle up and be sure that your are properly covered and warm. Also especially sure that your chest is properly covered if not that is the best way to catch a cold. If you are dealing with the harsh heat in the summer be sure to stay hydrated and that you have plenty fluids in your body to help to eliminate the risk of dehydration.

9-Changing your clothes- try to change into your house wear when you arrive home if you have no place else to go. Your clothes have been exposed to the outside environment that may carry germs and bacteria. If you have had a long day and are tired and do not have the energy at that moment to change your clothes try laying on the couch for a second instead of your bed.

10-Clean house- try keeping your house as clean as possible. Try cleaning and dusting on a regular. If dust is accumulating in your house you are breathing that in which can effect your health and immune system.

 

 By Christal M Miller
http://www.beautyadvisorusa.wordpress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christal_M_Miller

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Top Health Benefits of Coffee

Most people start out their mornings with a cup of coffee to help them wake up and prepare for the day and it now seems as if people have another reason to make sure they start their days with this tasty hot beverage; the nutrients within it that impart the health benefits of coffee.

The Legend of Coffee

Legend has it that goats discovered the wonders of coffee in the Arabian peninsula. Kaldi, the goats' shepherd, found them joyously dancing around after having ingested coffee beans, so he decided to try them himself. Then Kaldi discovered what most people in America know about coffee; it helped to wake him up. From then on, the monks in the area began to take advantage of its effects for keeping them awake during their extended prayer sessions. It worked so well that the monks began to offer it around to all of the other monasteries.

That's an interesting story about the goats discovering coffee, but the truth is a bit more mundane. Coffee actually was believed to have been discovered in Ethiopia. Someone took it to Yemen where the people began to grow coffee extensively in the 6th century. Then the coffeehouse first made its way into the world in Cairo, Egypt and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Now they are everywhere, practically on every street corner.

Two Main Coffee Species

The two main coffee species being grown currently are called Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee. The more popular coffee type is the Arabica, and it gives a better flavor than the Robusta. The Robusta has higher caffeine content, but its flavor isn't as well-liked.

Health Benefits of Coffee

As people research coffee and the differences between those who drink it and those who don't, they discover very interesting facts about the good things coffee can do for the body. For example, those who drink coffee have fewer instances of the following diseases:

• Type II Diabetes


• Parkinson's Disease


• Dementia


• Some cancers


• Heart Disease


• Strokes

Type II Diabetes

In order to help prevent Type II Diabetes, people will need to drink at least six to seven cups of coffee per day. This amount of coffee each day lowers a person's risk of Type II Diabetes by 35 percent. Because patients diagnosed with Type II Diabetes also have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, coffee is also given the credit for decreasing the amount of heart disease and strokes that people experience.

A further effect of coffee is that it reduces the instances of disturbances in heart rhythm. These disturbances have been found to increase both men's and women's rate of heart attacks and strokes. Because coffee lowers the number of people who have disturbances of their heart rhythms, it also indirectly decreases the numbers of heart attacks and strokes that all people endure.

Parkinson 's Disease and Dementia

Coffee drinkers have a decreased risk of Parkinson's disease. Researchers are confident of the link between Parkinson's disease and the caffeine that coffee contains, although they cannot explain what the effect caffeine has on preventing Parkinson's disease. It also benefits dementia; drinking between three and five cups of coffee per day was found in one study to reduce dementia by 65 percent.

Coffee and Liver Cancer

Researchers can't state definitively how, but coffee appears to decrease the instances of liver cancer. With every test researchers have done on this issue, they have arrived at the same results; liver cancer is less likely in people who are regular coffee drinkers.

Nutrients in Coffee

Coffee is full of antioxidants that are believed to be the reason that the number of people who contract Type II Diabetes can be kept lower. These nutrients, oxygen-free radicals, keep the cells from being damaged. Coffee also contains minerals that are highly important in the body's process of regulating insulin. Magnesium and chromium aid in the body's use of insulin in controlling the amount of sugar that runs through the blood. People with Type II Diabetes lose the ability to control their blood sugar on their own, so the help that magnesium and chromium provide is very useful.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

The body needs omega-6 fatty acids and it's not capable of producing them itself. Coffee is a great source of omega-6 fatty acids containing 27.6 milligrams in each fluid ounce. Omega-6 fatty acids, also called polyunsaturated fats, are essential for maintaining brain function, promoting growth, encouraging the growth of healthy skin, bone growth, keeping the body's metabolism in its healthiest state and keeping the body's reproductive system in good shape.

Coffee Allergies

Coffee has a large amount of caffeine, 0.3 milligrams per fluid ounce, and it may be the cause of some people's allergies. Those who develop an allergic reaction to caffeine may experience hives, skin rashes that can be extremely itchy. This condition can spread all over the body and create a condition called anaphylaxis where the sufferer can no longer breathe and loses consciousness. It's a condition that needs to be treated with immediate medical attention.

Who Shouldn't Drink Coffee?

It's a concern for doctors that pregnant women who drink large amounts of coffee might have a higher risk of miscarrying. They generally advise their patients to drink around 12 ounces of coffee per day; this number means that less than 200 milligrams of coffee is being ingested which is the amount that is considered to be the safest for women who are expecting. The less than 200 milligram number appears to be safe because research has shown that there isn't an increased incidence of miscarrying or promoting a premature birth; it also doesn't seem to affect the growth of the foetus in any way.

Coffee, rather the caffeine in coffee, may present people who have urinary issues with a reason to limit their consumption. The caffeine is known as a property that will increase a person's need to urinate more often. The answer isn't going to be to drink decaffeinated coffee because it has been found that decaffeinated coffee has the same diuretic effects as regular coffee.

Another group of people who might want to decrease the amount of coffee they drink, both regular as well as decaffeinated, are people who experience heartburn. Acids that can worsen heartburn's symptoms are present in both types of coffee, so it can make a heartburn sufferer even more uncomfortable. If heartburn is worse in the morning and the person didn't know what was causing it, it just might be the coffee.

Summary

Like with anything, coffee has its good side and its bad side but when taken in moderation, the health benefits of coffee outweigh the bad.
  
by Jeff Andrews

About the Author

Jeff Andrews writes about the many common foods that are beneficial for health. For more on the health benefits of ginger or how grapes benefit your diet visit thehealthbenefitsof.com.

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