The Book Fiend Info Center

Confronting the possibility of a potentially devastating human bird flu pandemic, the United Nations system – from Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to the UN health and agricultural agencies – today laid out a blueprint for immediate preventive and mitigating action.

“We may not know about the future course of H5N1, we do know this: once human-to-human transmission has been established, we would have only a matter of weeks to lock down the spread before it spins out of control. That is why the international community must take action now.” Mr. Annan told the Time Global Health Summit, a three-day event in New York held to discuss key health issues.

In light of these concerns, and likely rationing of available flu vaccines, it is advisable that people also look at other areas which complement good health. In the United States, the average American diet is high in sodium, fat, sugar, and preservatives and low in nutrition. These are typically not the ingredients associated with the support of a healthy immune system. It is the beneficial components of food which feed the cells of the body and support the normal function which allows each cell the potential to restore, protect and defend itself from the effects of injury and disease. A poorly nourished body is less able to carry out these activities as the basic building blocks for cell function are in limited supply.

People should therefore seek to improve their dietary intake of beneficial sources of nutrition and limit their intake of the more commonly eaten foods which are known to be more harmful to the body than their unprocessed counterparts. Will the support of a healthy immune system ensure a perfect defense against invading flu virus particles? Certainly not. However, a healthy immune system may mean the difference between someone who contracts the flu and recovers quickly and someone who suffers greatly.

The most important factor in the improvement of any person’s diet is to improve the quality and variety of food eaten. While dietary supplements may provide some excellent health benefits they are intended to supplement, not substitute, the benefits of a good diet.

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Copyright 2006 Geoff Morris

London February 2006

Here you are, trying another way of keeping down your body fat, so you look in your special diet cupboard, and look at the rows of different protein shakes. You hesitate because your mouth does not salivate; how many times has your mother told you ‘If it doesn’t taste good – it must be good for you…’

So why not try and get over the normal state, that protein shakes containing whey powders produce may not be the best tasting drinks you’ve ever had?

Well what about trying to make your own? I do and they are much, much better, so give it a go!

Try this out

Choosing What to Put in Your Protein Shakes

Before rushing off to your refrigerator to blend everything in site, let’s go through some basic principles you will want to consider first. Not only do you want to create the best tasting shakes but you should also aim to make the most effective protein shakes for your dieting requirements. This is important because there is no point throwing full fat ice cream, chocolate sauce, peanut butter and full fat milk all together to create a wonderful tasting fat gaining shake. You need to be a little wise when choosing your ingredients.

So what kinds of ingredients make good choices for your shakes? Try using the following tips when getting your ingredients from the supermarket or refrigerator:

1. Try to keep as many of your ingredients as natural as possible. A good example of this is using natural peanut butter instead of regular peanut butter. The natural version has better protein content and also natural fats that are important in your diet.

2. Fresh fruit should be used whenever possible. Fruit contains the carbohydrates that will fuel your workouts and your day. The complex sugars in fruit are important to any diet (unlike the simple sugars in sweets, sodas, etc).

3. Think about ingredients that will boost your shake’s protein content. For example, you could throw a handful of nuts into the blender for a little extra protein without making the shake much thicker. You could add a few raw egg whites (if you are worried about eating raw eggs you may be able to find treated egg whites in cartons at your supermarket). You could always simply dump an extra scoop of whey powder in there as well.

4. Make sure you have enough liquids. If you get a little too carried away you may discover your shake is easier to eat with a spoon then drink from a glass. When you first start creating your shakes it is a good idea to add your liquids (water, fat-free milk, fruit juices, etc.) in stages so that you get your desired consistency.

5. Examine the nutritional information for each ingredient and consider the impact it will have on your dieting goals. For example, you may be opting for fat free (skimmed) milk if you aren’t trying to gain weight.

6. Always know what your goal is and make your shakes accordingly. If you are trying to shed the fat you will be skipping the types of ingredients that add too many carbohydrates and fats while trying to increase the protein content.

7. Think of how you might create a unique flavor. You can try things like cinnamon, vanilla, honey, coconut milk, etc. Once you get the hang of this you will see the possibilities are endless. Making Your Protein Shake.

Always add your main liquid source to the blender first so that everything else you add afterwards is easily blended. Following this, add your protein powder and give your blender a quick ‘burst’. Now you are ready to add the rest of your ingredients and blend until you get the right consistency. At this point you may want to add a little more liquids to tweak your shake’s thickness. Throw in five or six ice cubes to make your shake more refreshing.

Now if you discover any really good shake combinations why not send them to me and I will publish them for you to share with our fellow enthusiasts!

Looking for a leaner, stronger body, then now’s the time to look at a good ‘weight-lifting-routine’ and add in a little exercise with your tasty protein drinks.

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An understanding of asbestos is necessary before we try to understand mesothelioma lung cancer. Asbestos, a natural fibrous mineral, used commonly in construction process and manufacturing industries is detrimental to human health. Continuous inhalation of its fibers enhances the susceptibility to respiratory disorders and can lead to many dangerous diseases. A leading example of such dangerous disease is Mesothelioma lung cancer. Actually, mesothelioma lung cancer is misnomer because mesothelioma cancers affect the lining of lungs (pleura) and abdomen and not the lungs. Since mesothelioma cancers mostly affect the lining of the lungs, it is generally called mesothelioma lung cancer. The workers who had worked in industries such as shipbuilding, asbestos mining, and asbestos production are vulnerable to mesothelioma cancers.

Mesothelioma and the Role of Carcinogens:

What is mesothelioma cancer and how does the lining of the lung become cancerous? Cancer is a tumor that is malignant in nature. Tumor is formed when there is abnormal cell division and cell multiplication in the cancerous cells. Exposure to carcinogens or cancer-causing material like cigarette smoke, asbestos and silica dust is instrumental in this abnormal cell division and formation of tumor.

Mesothelioma cancer is directly linked to asbestos exposure. However, those already exposed to asbestos have a greater chance of developing lung cancer if they are exposed to other carcinogens such as cigarette smoke. A study reports that the workers with a history of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoke are more prone to lung cancer than the non-smokers and those with no history of asbestos exposure.

Complications Associated with Mesothelioma Cancer:

Normally, the latency stage for asbestos-related diseases in general and mesothelioma cancers of the lining of lung in particular, 20-50 years, which makes detection of Mesothelioma a complicated issue. This situation is further aggravated particularly where the worker is also addicted to cigarette smoking. By the time, the disease shows its symptoms, a considerable exposure to additional carcinogens linked to cigarette smoking has already taken place. This makes a worker more vulnerable to lung cancer besides the vulnerability to mesothelioma cancers.

Mesothelioma Cancers and Legal Redress:

The Government is conscious of the ill effects of asbestos exposure and the seriousness of mesothelioma cancer. The employees working in factories with significant risk of asbestos exposure are eligible for Mesothelioma compensation, if the exposure is the cause of Mesothelioma. There has been a spate of lawsuits for seeking compensation for mesothelioma and lung cancers. In many cases, the courts have awarded heavy sums as compensation against the asbestos manufacturing companies.

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It’s no secret that every serious lifter out there desires an impressive pair of strong, muscular arms. Who wouldn’t be happy with tall, peaking biceps sitting on top of rock-hard, horse-shoe-shaped triceps? Who wouldn’t love to have a pair of ripped, well-developed guns forcefully bursting through the sleeves of their shirt? While developing muscular arms is usually at the top of many peoples’ agenda, the reality is that the majority of lifters out there have a very poor understanding of how to properly train their arms for maximum gains. In order to gain the proper insight into effectively stimulating arm growth, we must first recognize three basic truths:

1) Relatively speaking, the biceps and triceps are small muscle groups. 2) The biceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pulling movements for the back. 3) The triceps receive heavy stimulation during all basic pressing movements for the chest and shoulders.

What do these 3 points tell us about effective arm training? The most important thing for you to realize is this:

For maximum gains in muscle size and strength, the biceps and triceps require only a very small amount of direct stimulation!

So why is it that every time I enter the gym I see the same misinformed people, week in and week out, slaving away on endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions?

It’s very important to understand that the biceps and triceps receive a very large amount of stimulation from all of your chest and back training. In fact, a lot of the time when you reach muscular failure on a chest or back movement, it is actually your biceps or triceps that give out first! Couple this with the fact that your biceps and triceps are already small muscle groups to begin with and it becomes quite clear that direct arm training is of minor importance.

Remember, your muscles do not grow in the gym. The work that you accomplish as you train with weights is merely the “spark” that sets the wheels of the muscle growth process into motion. The real magic takes place out of the gym while you are resting and eating, as this is the time when your body will actually be synthesizing new muscle tissue. Because of this, it is vital that you do not overtrain your muscles. You must always make sure to provide them with sufficient recovery time if you want to see impressive results. Overtraining can actually make your muscles smaller and weaker.

If you’re looking to achieve serious arm growth, you must stop placing so much emphasis on direct arm movements. Forget about performing endless sets of concentration curls and tricep pressdowns. Strong, muscular arms are mostly a product of heavy chest and back training. If you are able to accept this basic truth and place the majority of your focus on building up the muscle size and strength in your major muscle groups, you will prevent yourself from overtraining your arms and will therefore yield greater overall gains in bicep and tricep size.

This is not to say that no direct arm training is necessary, just not very much. Here is a sample arm routine that you can use as a part of your program:

Barbell Curls – 2 sets of 5-7 reps Standing Dumbbell Curls – 1 set of 5-7 reps

Close-Grip Bench Press – 2 sets of 5-7 reps Standing Cable Pushdowns – 1 set of 5-7 reps

Take all sets to complete muscular failure and focus on progressing each week by using slightly more weight or performing an extra rep or 2.

If you can incorporate this way of thinking into your arm training, you will achieve arm size beyond anything you previously thought possible!

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A treadmill is a great investment in fitness so when thinking about choosing a piece of fitness equipment, a treadmill is often a popular choice. Studies have shown that people get more out of a treadmill than other fitness equipment, because it is natural to walk or run and you are more apt to stick with it for longer each session and keep using the equipment itself over a sustained period of time.

You get what you pay for when it comes to treadmills, but for most of us choosing fitness equipment of any type is going to be a significant investment. When you shop by price you must be even more careful to select the best in that price range. The price ranges generally break down into three groups – Budget $500-$1500, Mid-Range $1500-$3000 and Superior $3000 onwards. There are often significant sales and discounts though so you should keep an eye out.

The motor is what is important in a treadmill as it gets the heaviest workout. The figure you want to look at is the “continuous duty rating” and shop for 1.5 to 2.5 HP “continuous duty”. The “peak duty” rating is less valuable. The “treadmill duty” rating falls between continuous and peak but you will spend less time in peak.

You should test treadmills – just as you when choosing fitness equipment of any type – by wearing your workout shoes and clothes. A shaky or jerky ride is not acceptable. The hand rails should feel sturdy enough to support you and be in a good position to grip easily and not block your arm motion. The belt must be wide enough and long enough for your stride.

Choose a model that has the most pre-set and programmable workouts to vary pace and incline. The incline and speed should be easily adjustable from the console. A pulse monitor is good. A water bottle holder and book rack are essential for many people too – but this is a matter of personal choice.

The treadmill needs to work in your space too so think about where you will put it when you get it home. If you plan to watch TV or listen to music, you need to be able to hear those over the treadmill itself. A model that looks small in the store can turn into an elephant in your spare room. Check its size when folded or stored and test how easy it is to move after all, you will be the one who is moving it.

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Elliptical trainers provide a great cardio vascular workout but is low impact. That is there is less pressure, which is put on the joints of the legs. Thus it’s not as strenuous as a treadmill. Therefore they are ideal for all age groups. Those in there 60s and 70s, who want to keep fit, can also easily use them. There are many versions, and options of elliptical trainers that are available in the market. The cost for an elliptical trainer starts at $300 and can cost up to $3000 dependent upon the functions and the features of the elliptical trainer.

To consider an elliptical trainer, one must make sure that it has a 21″ stride. This length is ideal for an average person. There are many elliptical trainers that also come with a 14″ stride. These are the foldable elliptical trainers, but can be quite inconvenient. Thus before you actually purchase one, look at reviews of the elliptical trainers and compare the various elliptical trainers that are available in the market. The comparison is done on the basis of cost, the type of material used, the stride length, the functions and the control panel.

Hence its important that before a purchase decision is made, you should have read all the reviews. The showroom and well as many supermarkets also retail the elliptical trainers. Hence you can make a comparison and reviews of the elliptical trainers can help you make an informed decision. The various factors that you should look into are the length of the stride, whether there are harms or not, the price factors, the various levels of intensity, the display of the control panel, the warranty that would be given with the elliptical trainers and your budget.

If you enjoyed this article check out this list of elliptical trainer related articles. And here you’ll find our most recently added elliptical trainer article for your reading.

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Many people assume a child with ADD will run screaming like a wild banshee through the supermarket, school, or any other inappropriate place they happen to be in; however, that is rarely the case. The term “hyperactive” and ADD are sometimes used interchangeably, but this is not accurate. The true symptoms of ADD may be less obvious than that of the tantrum-thrower in the mall.

Attention Deficit Disorder most often makes itself apparent as extreme inattentiveness. While most children go through spells of lack of concentration, with an ADD child, it actually hinders day to day activities. This is displayed by having a short attention span, being easily distracted, and not paying attention to details, all more so than an average child of the same age. You may notice a child with ADD becoming sidetracked with very little noise or activity that other people may not even notice.

Impulsiveness is another symptom of ADD. A child that interrupts constantly, has an inability to wait their turn, or blurts out answers in class may be exhibiting signs of Attention Deficit Disorder. This characteristic shows a lack of process in action – not thinking before acting. For most people, a thought comes to mind, they consider it, and then choose to act or not act on it. However, with ADD, the idea enters a child’s mind and is almost instantly enacted, with little consideration to consequences. This comes across as the child not being able to control themselves.

Another possible symptom of ADD is hyperactivity. Although this is not present in all children, it is exhibited in many. A child with ADD and hyperactivity may talk excessively, fidget, have a difficult time sitting still, climb or run excessively, and often displays these behaviors at inappropriate times. Most children are active; however, interference with daily life is a sign of a problem.

The key to diagnosing Attention Deficit Disorder is excessiveness in the above characteristics. Almost all children will exhibit these traits occasionally, but they must actually create a difficulty on a regular basis to point to ADD. They must also be inappropriate for the age of the child. Most younger children will be more inattentive, impulsive, or hyperactive; however, with age, these behaviors are usually controlled. For this reason, a child must be compared to other children of the same age to accurately analyze if their actions are excessive. More in-depth information is provided on the symptoms and signs of ADD in ebook 2 of “Attention Deficit Disorder Explained – From Child to Adult”.

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We have done some research on the term corporate treadmill test and the results are quite confusing. Many different types of sites use this keyword, each of which have a different definition. This page is simply to brief you on the different meanings.

First meaning

The first meaning to “corporate treadmill test” is the more logical one. In fact, it is literally a treadmill test that corporations do on their employees and future employees. Not all companies enforce a treadmill test; however, it can be beneficial for the tested individual.

Some companies care much about the well being of its staff and will encourage a health and fitness test. They will typically look for any signs and symptoms for cardiovascular, diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

By incorporating a treadmill test, employees will find out if there is any intermediate to high risk in their health. The treadmill test is also called an exercise stress test. The examiners slowly yet gradually increase the speed while examining the health performance of an employee.

There are many debates whether a corporate treadmill test should be encouraged or not, but there are many health experts that have their own opinion to this matter.

Second meaning

The second meaning to this term is not so much a fitness test, but rather a test on the treadmills themselves. Some sites will use this keyword as a way to describe their reviews on certain treadmill brands. It’s perhaps a way of giving them better credibility.

We feel this way because this search term is often used; however there is no fitness site that explains the meaning of this term. It’s almost as if they used the term as a test they have done on treadmills to increase their integrity.

There isn’t any concrete information on the internet regarding a corporate treadmill test. We hope to have clarified the meaning of this often searched term.

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Many studies have been conducted to determine which areas will benefit from an extended practice of yoga. Yoga practitioners are most likely to see improvements in the areas of physiology, psychology, and biochemistry.

Furthermore, practitioners of yoga speak of a unification of the body, mind and spirit achieved through the practice of yoga exercises and breathing techniques. But, of course, that is a bit difficult to test scientifically.

Yoga Is An Ancient Way of Life

Yoga is not a recent development. It has been practiced for thousands of years, during which time people have greatly benefited from it. 1 of the fundamental beliefs shared by yogis is that the mind and the body are a unified system, which in a proper environment, can find harmony and self-healing.

Demonstrated Health Benefits

Many doctors consider yoga to have therapeutic results, and recommend it for several illnesses and conditions, mainly related to the nervous system.

>From the physiological point of view, extended yoga practice can benefit: – pulse rate – respiratory problems – blood pressure dysfunctions – help stabilize the nervous system – gastrointestinal functions – endocrine function – the range of motion in joints – endurance – energy level – immunity to diseases – cardiovascular efficiency – improve eye-hand coordination – reaction time – dexterity – depth perception – sleep – etc.

Yoga’s psychological benefits include: – enhanced somatic and kinesthetic awareness – self-acceptance – self-actualization – social skills – well-being – concentration – memory – attention – mood – learning efficiency – and more

As for the biochemical benefits of yoga, tests have shown improvements in: – glucose – sodium – cholesterol – total white blood cell count – vitamin C – total serum protein – hemoglobin.

Deep Organ and Joint Stimulation

Various studies revealed that yoga exercises are extremely effective at increasing joint flexibility, and at lubricating and strengthening the joints, ligaments and tendons. Another interesting finding is that yoga is one of the very few forms of exercise capable of massaging all the internal organs and glands. This includes organs that are rarely stimulated, such as the prostate. The stimulation and massaging of the internal organs proves to be extremely beneficial for health.

Elimination of Toxins

These ancient and efficient yoga techniques also provide a thorough detoxification of the body. Stretching the muscles and performing a complete yoga workout acts as a massage, thereby ensuring the optimal blood supply to every organ. Consequently, toxins are eliminated from the body and certain undesired processes, such as aging, are delayed.

All of these remarkable health benefits are available from yoga practice. What are you waiting for? Let’s go find a yoga school!

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Maximizing protein content while minimizing fat and calories is a goal of many people who are trying to lose weight, gain fitness or just enjoy a healthier diet. There are few foods that combine low fat, low calories and high protein the way fish and seafood do.

In addition, the protective oils in many cold water fish are being studied for their possible role in preventing heart disease and lowering levels of cholesterol in the bloods.

In addition, fish dishes are delicious, easy to prepare and often inexpensive. Many people have avoided buying more fish because they were unsure of how to cook and prepare it. While fish dishes can sometimes be a challenge, there are many recipes, both online and in cookbooks, that make it easier than ever to prepare fresh fish for yourself and your family.

Many nutritionists recommend that everyone eat fish at least twice a week. Substituting low fat, low calorie fish dishes for more calorie dense, fatty meats is a great way to lower the amount of total fat in your diet, and this can boost your level of fitness or help you lose weight.

The amount of protein in fresh and frozen fish and seafood is very high, certainly comparable to higher fat sources like beef, pork and lamb. And fish is generally thought to be a healthier choice, since all that protein comes with less fat and fewer calories. Everyone knows about the importance of protein in the diet, for both children and adults. Protein is a vital building block of muscle, and it plays a role in repairing muscle damage, growing strong nails and hair and other important bodily functions.

While protein is found mainly in animal based foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products, there are plant based sources of protein as well. These non animal sources of protein include peanut butter, lentils, peas and nuts. The downside to many protein laden plant based foods, however is their high content.

This is yet another feature that makes fish so appealing as a source of protein. Fish contains just as much protein as many of these higher fat, higher calorie sources. Eating fish provides – shall we say – a greater protein bang for the buck than many other sources.

You may have heard that salmon contains a lot of fat, and it is true that salmon does contain more fat than many other fish. Compared to high fat meats like sausage and bacon, however, salmon is still a relatively low fat source of protein. Like other fatty foods, however, it is important for those watching their fat intake to limit their consumption of salmon.

One advantage fish has over other types of meats is the type of fat it contains. Most meats contain saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature. Unlike cattle, pigs and other land animals, the fat in fish is of the polyunsaturated variety. Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they are healthier fats for the people who consume them.

Saturated fats are thought to play a greater role in heart disease, stroke and hardening of the arteries. That is why healthy cooking typically involves the use of polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil and olive oil, instead of saturated fats such as beef lard and butter.

Many people worry about the level of pollution in general, and mercury contamination in particular, in fish. While it is true that polluted waters are of some concern when it comes to fish, seafood products are actually quite safe to eat.

In addition, many types of fish, like salmon and sardines, are farm raised, and their diet and environment is strictly controlled. It is recommended, however, that fishermen and fisherwomen limit the amount of their catch that is eaten if they live near a polluted river or stream. The local fishing and hunting authority usually issues guidelines for eating fish in areas where pollution is a problem.

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