Is Cardio Good for Fat Loss?

20 years or so ago, if you were searching for a way to lose weight, you would most likely have been directed to get on the treadmill or the elliptical machine for 30 minutes at a minimum. This would have been considered sound advice and a sure way to get those unwanted pounds off. Those were the days in which cardio workouts reigned supreme as the one true way to lose weight.

In recent years, this point of view has been challenged. Some trainers even go as fat as create programs which include no trace of the sort of cardio workouts that we know. They claim that it is simply a waste of time to do cardio, at least the way it has been done in the past.

Which of these two points of view is correct? Is cardio good for fat loss or is it merely a waste of your valuable time?

The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

The basic rule of weight loss is that when you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. It's that simple. The more active you are, the more calories you burn so your overall calorie deficit can become bigger.

Cardio is an activity. When you perform a cardio workout you burn more calories than you would have done in an inactive state. So, cardio is good for fat loss because it does generate an increase in the amount of calories that you burn.

However, it is not the ultimate solution to weight loss that it was thought to be. There are other ways to train which may provide better and faster results.

The first of such methods is known as HIIT, or interval training. This is a form of cardio, but it is very different from the way most people do it. When you do intervals you do not spend an hour on a treadmill or a recumbent bike, exercising at a medium but steady pace.

When you do intervals you change your pace in short intervals, moving from high intensity to low. This has been shown to produce faster fat loss results than traditional cardio.

The second method is strength training. This is something that a lot of people, women in particular shy away from. This is unfortunate because weight lifting is excellent for fat loss as it boosts your metabolism.

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Aerobic Activity For Healthy Lungs: How Aerobic Activity Makes Lungs Work More Efficiently

Aerobic activity is defined by Wikipedia as "physical exercise that intends to improve the oxygen system and refers to the use of oxygen in the body's metabolic or energy-generating process." The ability to absorb oxygen is what it's all about. The body of a well-conditioned person absorbs oxygen much more efficiently than the body of an inactive person.

The lungs of a normal-sized adult carry about 300 million tiny, microscopic sacks called alveoli. The walls of these sacks are only one cell thick and are each covered with a mesh of blood vessels. When the lungs fill with air the oxygen flows through the sack walls into the blood vessels and enters the blood stream. These 300 million microscopic alveoli have a combined surface area of about 150 square meters (about the size of a tennis court) through which the oxygen is absorbed.

The problem is that nobody can use all of his 300 million alveoli when he breathes. Everyone has a certain portion of his lungs which can never expel the air that is in them. The portion of the lungs which always retains its air is called "residual volume," and its purpose is to keep the lungs from collapsing. The portion of the lungs that is useful for breathing is called the "vital capacity." In an unconditioned body, a much smaller portion of the lungs is vital capacity and the residual volume is much larger than what it needs to be. As a body becomes conditioned with regular aerobic activity, the vital lung capacity increases substantially. In a well conditioned body the vital lung capacity will be about 75%.

A body needs aerobic exercise to prepare it for the maximum stress that it will face. When a person is at rest his body expends very little energy and requires a relatively small supply of oxygen. But when a person exerts himself, his body may demand as much as 20 times the oxygen that it needs when the body is at rest. If the lungs are not capable of delivering the oxygen supply that the body needs, the heart may suffer serious damage or complete failure as it over works itself in an attempt to compensate for inadequate vital lung capacity.

The lungs have no muscles of their own. They depend on the surrounding muscles to inflate them as the diaphragm lowers and the rib cage expands. As a person conditions himself with regular aerobic exercise, these muscles become toned and acquire more tissue to make them stronger. Regular aerobic activity also programs the breathing muscles to work much faster. It is an experimental fact. An unconditioned person will normally be able to breathe about 10 times his vital capacity in one minute. After just six weeks of substantial aerobic activity, that same person will be able to breath 20 times his vital lung capacity in one minut

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Expanding With Acupuncture Marketing

Despite the relative success achieved by acupuncture there are still those who are not very keen on the idea of sticking a lot of thin needles into their body to cure their disease. This is why for many practitioners of acupuncture the use of acupuncture marketing is very important. Essentially with acupuncture marketing you not only attempt to expand your business coverage but also would like to educate people so that they can correct any wrong notion that they may have with the alternative medication method. This is where acupuncture websites can be of great service. Acupuncture websites essentially host various information like acupuncture centers in a particular state or certified acupuncture professionals that you can call among others. With acupuncture marketing you attempt to let people in your area know of the services that you provide. In the same manner, you would like those in nearby states to be aware also in case that there is no one in their locality that provide the same services that you do.

Basically, there is no standard system of marketing when it comes to acupuncture which means that you need to be a bit more creative to get your message across. And because of the lack of this support system many acupuncture practitioners find themselves struggling financially to keep their practices alive. With the growing alternative medicine industry you need something which can deliver predictable results via acupuncture marketing capitalizing on the use of acupuncture websites. When you use acupuncture websites you actually have a means of measuring your results with acupuncture marketing basing on the number of visits that the website receives for a particular day, week, or month. Having this basis for your acupuncture marketing techniques you will now be able to find out which is actually working and which is not via the number of patients that you receive from the acupuncture marketing strategy.

The acupuncture websites can provide potential customers with a way of directly getting in touch with you. This will give you a type of feedback system on how useful your invest in acupuncture websites are. Keep in mind though that by subscribing to acupuncture websites you would want primarily to educate people first so that they will go to you willingly instead of feeling that they have been sold. If you believe that you can be an effective educator part of your acupuncture marketing strategy would be to hold seminars or speaking engagements to reach more people. Do not lose track of your main goal which is to get greater exposure. Remember that you may not be the only acupuncture practitioner in your area and the more you present yourself as knowledgeable in the field, the more advantages you will have against your competitors in the same industry. You must concentrate on reaching the most number of people possible in the least amount of time with the least effort possible. Establishing yourself as an authority in the field now will give you more opportunities for expansion in the future.

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Does Acupuncture Work and How Many Sessions Will I Need?

In Chinese Medicine, the goal is to provide the patient relief from their symptoms, as well as to address the underlying cause of the symptoms. Symptoms are the last piece of the puzzle to appear. In general, the conditions that created the symptoms were in place long before the symptoms actually started to appear. The underlying conditions are often multi-factorial and tend to go unnoticed by the patient for years... until the symptoms become more frequent and intense.

Let's use the "Leaky Roof" analogy: Imagine that your roof has a leak, and every time it rains, water begins to drip in to the house, making the floor and carpets wet. After some time, the roof and the carpets begin to mold and the wood and ceiling begin to rot. If we were to just fix the SYMPTOMS, we would place a bucket under the leak, catching the water, so that the floor stays dry. However, over time, the ceiling continues to rot and mold and if the outside stressors are strong enough (eg. Heavy rainstorm), the bucket isn't big enough to hold all the water and overflows on to the carpet and floor. Over time, the temporary, symptom relief approach becomes inadequate, and doesn't actually solve the problem (the mold and rotting), because we didn't actually address the cause (the leak in the roof).

Now, let's say the home owner still does not want to spend the time and money to fix the CAUSE of the problem. So instead, they tape a piece of plastic over the leak in the roof. This seems to be effective for a while, however, the roof continues to rot and mold, and eventually the plastic breaks. You get the point. Sure, you could continue to cover the leak with plastic over and over, or use the bucket approach each time it rains, however, eventually, the mold and rotting will cause further problems. People in the house start to develop allergies to the mold that is growing, and after awhile, the rotting causes structural damage to the house, and the roof begins to buckle. You now have more and more symptoms developing from the same root cause. It no longer is safe to leave it as it is. The amount of time and money that is now needed to replace the roof is significantly more than it would have been to fix the original leak when it was still small and manageable.

Symptom Relief = the bucket and the taped plastic
Correction = fixing the roof

Like the roof, our bodies will give us subtle signs that there is a problem (eg. elevated cholesterol as a precursor to heart disease, or occasional aches & pain becoming chronic pain). If we continue to ignore those signs, or are not aware of them initially, they will often turn in to larger problems, causing more frequent and more disruptive symptoms. In an ideal world, if a patient came in soon enough, Chinese medicine is able to look for these subtleties and treats them BEFORE they become a problem. However, it is often the case that patients do not seek treatment until they are actually experiencing bigger symptoms. Chinese medicine and acupuncture focuses on providing the patient with relief from their symptoms, as well as treating the root cause of their problems, to prevent the symptoms from returning, and to provide long-lasting relief and well-being.

An additional step to making sure that symptoms do not return is maintenance. In the case of the leaky roof, maintenance would entail inspecting the house and treating minor damage BEFORE it becomes a bigger problem.

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10 Major Health Conditions That Can Be Treated by Acupuncture

The traditional Chinese treatment called the acupuncture is done by the insertion or manipulation of thin acupuncture needles to distinct points of the body. It has many benefits in our overall well being as it promotes good health. It not only enhances the body systems' functions but it can also treat alarming health conditions.

Acupuncture directly works with the body's energy channels, known as the meridians. When these meridians are clogged, the body becomes more prone to suffer from certain illnesses. The good thing is that the acupuncture needles restore and unclog these meridians. This will enable the energy flow and the blood circulation of the body to be normalized and balanced. 
Here are 10 major health conditions that can be treated and prevented by acupuncture.

1. Insomnia or Sleep Disorder
Insomnia may be brought by daily stress or anxiety, depression, irregular work schedules, environmental changes, medications, drugs and alcohol, or other medical conditions such as asthma, chronic pain, hyperthyroidism, arthritis, etc. It should be approached with acupuncture.

2. Headaches
It is proven that acupuncture alleviates any type of headache. Headache is classified into two: primary and secondary. Primary headaches are not caused by other health conditions while the secondary headaches are resulted by such, including sinus disease, allergies, dental problems, head injury or brain tumors.

3. Infertility
The inability to get pregnant after a year of intercourse is called the infertility. It is categorized into two types: primary and secondary. Primary infertility happens to those who haven't got previous pregnancy. Secondary infertility is the case when a woman has been pregnant before. This health condition can be treated by the acupuncture therapy.

4. Neck and Shoulder Pain
Acupuncture is an effective remedy for neck and shoulder problems. Neck and shoulder muscle stiffness and tension are the common concerns by the people who work in the office.

5. Urinary Infections
This may be caused by sexually transmitted diseases, catheters or tubes that are placed in the bladder, sexual intercourse, diabetes, or diaphragm use. Acupuncture can help in correcting this matter.

6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Acupuncture is a good approach in treating this health condition. Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS may be the result of improper diet, chronic stress, bacteria, hormones, etc.

7. Obesity and Weight Control
When patients gone through acupuncture, they will feel sudden reduce in their appetite.

8. Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Acupuncture makes you feel relaxed and relieved from your everyday stress, anxiety or depression.

9. Sinus Problems
This is usually caused by viral or fungal infections, air pollutants, damp weather, fever or seasonal allergic problems. It can be treated by acupuncture.

10. Arthritis
Acupuncture helps alleviate most kinds of pain including arthritic pain.

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Does Acupuncture Increase Sperm Motility?

The cause of a couple's infertility may lie with either the man or the woman in the relationship, as both sexes are affected by fertility issues. When experiencing infertility, it is important to see a fertility specialist to help determine what may be causing the issue so that treatment may be administered. One treatment that has been used by many couples and individuals is acupuncture.

This is an ancient Chinese treatment that has been used for thousands of years to provide relief from various conditions including pain. It has been used more frequently in the West as well. Practitioners believe that a life energy called Qi flows through the body and when it becomes blocked, it may manifest in certain conditions such as infertility. Acupuncture works to unblock this energy.

While the reasons for acupuncture's success are not fully understood, it has been successful in improving circulation in the reproductive organs, increase thickness of the uterine lining, improve egg quality and may improve the effectiveness of fertility medication.

For men, acupuncture may increase sperm count and may help to improve sperm motility. Acupuncture may be a good way to reduce stress as well, as stress may be a major inhibitor to fertility. There are numerous benefits of acupuncture and it is often helpful to speak with a specialist to learn more about what this treatment may do and what to expect during and after treatment.

In one study involving 28 men with idiopathic infertility, meaning the cause was unknown, who were given acupuncture two times a week for five weeks, motility levels were improved in men who received acupuncture compared to those who did not. Those who received acupuncture also saw changes in sperm structure and quality of sperm.

Men whose sperm quality, motility or count may be in question may find acupuncture a helpful treatment. What's more, in cases in which the cause of infertility is unknown, acupuncture may be recommended as well. Simply reducing stress may be helpful in some cases and may lead to success.

For many, acupuncture may be recommended in cases of endometriosis, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), poor egg quality, low ovarian reserve, advanced age, recurrent miscarriage and others. Men with low sperm count or sperm DNA fragmentation may be encouraged to give acupuncture a try. What's more, acupuncture may be recommended for couples or individuals who are undergoing infertility treatment such as in vitro fertilization or other assisted reproductive technologies.

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Improved Eyesight Using Acupuncture

As we grow old, we experience different changes. Our skin get's dry, our muscles become weak and we experience different eye conditions like having blurred eyesight. Blurred vision is not new in our generation. Even youngsters have blurred eyesight and need to wear glasses at their early ages. Whether you are near sighted or far sighted, blurred vision is not a healthy condition and it can affect your daily living.

There are several causes of having blurry visions. It can be caused by over using your eyes, by reading books in a dark room, staring at the computer the whole day, too much exposure from a blinding light like the sun and having insufficient sleep. Sometimes, we can't stay away from doing these activities and it becomes our daily routine. If you still continue to do these kinds of activities, you will have a potential to acquire different serious eye complications like cataract. You need to undergo surgery to remove those complications. And in every medical operation, it will cost you money. If you don't want to end up having eye surgeries, it is best to take care of your eyes.

Today, there are different ways in improving your eyesight and one of them is by the use of acupuncture. This treatment allows your body to promote its natural healing ability. It relaxes your body and keeping you out of stress. And recent research shows that acupuncture treatment helps improve blurred visions.

In the recent studies, various MRI brain scans discovered that when acupuncture needles are inserted in the body's points, it will stimulate a brain response that corresponds on the inserted points. According to the experts, the located points for improved vision can be found at a person's foot. Several causes of blurred vision can be also found in the liver. Inserting needles in the liver area has also been proven effective in improving a person's eyesight.

Acupuncture uses thin needles that are painless compared to the usual sewing needles. It has been proven to have numerous good effects like to help improve person's well being, promote better health and stronger immune system. It also enables your body to regenerate faster and repair damaged cells.

There are many acupuncturist, today. It is also important to know the skills and abilities of the acupuncturist. Be wise on choosing because one wrong insertion can lead to major problems. But if handled with a professional, numerous beneficial effects can be definitely achieved.

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