Showing posts with label strong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label strong. Show all posts

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

Caffeine: The Right Way


The word “coffee” comes from the ancient Arabic word qahweh which means “gives strength”. The computer data-base at the Colgan Institute contains over 600 citations on caffeine, stretching back two centuries. So the effects of caffeine, the main stimulant in coffee, have been known for thousand of years.

Properly used, caffeine is a bonanza. Dr Melvin Williams and his colleagues at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia have produced excellent reviews, showing that caffeine stimulates the our  central nervous system, increases the release of adrenalin, increases the use of body fat as fuel, and spares glycogen.

There are also two detrimental effects of caffeine that commonly being cited: it is a diuretic which will make us lose water in our body, and is a thermogenic which means that it raises our metabolic rate and our body’s temperature.  The athletes are frequently being warned that taking caffeine can make them dehydrated. But nearly all the studies showing these effects were done with inactive folk.

Recent research using athletes as subjects, found no diuresis or thermo genesis. Dr Baraket Falk and his colleagues at McMaster University, Ontario, gave endurance runners caffeine at 7.5mg/kg bodyweight (560 mg for a 75kg man). The dose had no effect on water loss, and did not raise temperature any higher without it, in men running a treadmill to exhaustion at 70-75% of VO2max. That's about as fast as you can go in long endurance exercise. So forget those two old bogeys of sedentary caffeine use. Caffeine on the run is a different animal.

The most common beneficial finding on caffeine use is an increase in burning of body fat as fuel. Compared with controls, up to 100% more body fat is used by subjects given with caffeine. If your body is using more fat for energy, then it is sparing your muscle glycogen, and therefore will extend your time to exhaustion in long endurance events. One proviso: if you load carbohydrates, so that your muscles are filled with glycogen above its normal levels, then your body is more primed to use glycogen, and caffeine fails to increase the burning of fat. Your body always takes the easiest of its many alternative routes. Supercharge one fuel source and it will use that first.

We also have to take the caffeine at the right time. Although many exercise studies have given caffeine one hour before exercise, studies that centers on measurement of our body’s free fatty acid metabolism, show that our body's fat-burn reaction to caffeine will only begin 3 hours after ingestion. 

As a final tip. If you drink coffee to get your caffeine, which is a better way to do it than taking pills, keep away from the inexpensive coffees prepared from the beans of Coffea Robusta. They make a sour brew, brown that is hell on the gut. Go and get Coffea Arabica, like Guatemalan Antigua, Kenyan AA or 100% Columbian.  




Image 1: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1982
Image 2: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=413
Image 3: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1499








Monday, 28 November 2011

Making it a Good Healthy Habit



Having a healthy body is very essential to all of us. There is a need to be fit, strong and energetic, have uninterrupted sleeping, and be in shape and have an ill-free body, which for sure will provide us with an excellent overall well-being. And for us to always be in shape and fit, we need to put into practice different vigorous lifestyles along with eating the right and healthy food and of course, by doing exercises.

Laziness is a barrier in achieving a good health for the body. Focus, determination and working hard is what we call for both mentally and physically in order for our body to be on top form and healthy. Aside from doing exercises, we must also avoid taking into our body some unhealthy foods that usually make us sluggish and slow such as junk foods and only eat foods that will makes us healthy and strong. Problems relating to health will surely make you suffer in the presence of obesity and overweight. So there is really a need to preserve an optimum body weight to keep in good physical shape.

Having healthy and positive lifestyle is something that you as a person need. It is very vital to keep having a positive mindset in order to be fit. It is best to always clear your mind, eliminate different stressors and negative feelings and fill it up with a ton of positivity. Optimistic feelings like this can be very revitalizing and at all times will lead you to great things in life. You can also be engaged in different activities such as yoga or even meditation to throw out that negativity and strengthen your mind with positive thoughts.

Consuming healthy foods is also essential for you to be healthy and in shape. Food such as fruits, lean meat, nuts, vegetables and even tubers can maintain your body and keep it strong. You should avoid eating foods with preservatives. Taking in improper food is the main reason in getting diseases and ill health. Due to this, a lot of people are being diagnosed to have illnesses like cancer, diabetes, obesity, etc. Effortless change in your lifestyle or diet routine can root a huge difference and can better develop your health significantly. Make an effort to stop consuming alcoholic beverages and smoking.

To ensure a good health, you need to do some exercises daily. Doing some exercise especially in the morning can make you feel refreshed for the whole day. It can set your good mood and it will help you to think positively and only consume healthy foods. Activities such as walking, biking, playing your favorite sports, swimming, etc will surely help to keep you in shape. Go for an activity that you will enjoy. Why not try to have your work outs done in an open air or an open field? This way, your feeling will be refreshed.

In addition to exercises, getting you with a good sleep and rest will keep you healthy. It will refresh your mind and can help you feel healthy if you are getting Sound sleep or quality sleep every time.

Never make sudden severe changes in your life style. Start with the simple changes and just enjoy it. You should try to put together these simple changes into a customary routine for you to achieve a long term health success. It is very essential to make progress into your health for you to be happy and enjoy your life.