Health and Fitness Tips

Health and Fitness Tips : fitness, health fitness, health,weight loss, diet nutrition

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Hi every body, my name is Helen. I am working as medical doctor in Thailand. Thank you for vising me. Hope you like my blog.

Get Enough Sleep

Your parents told you this when you were young and it surely pays to listen to them. We’re talking about getting enough sleep – that means from six to eight hours every day. This is in order for our body and brain to recharge and function well the following day.

Information on Asthma and Allergies

Allergies may be described to the layperson as aversion against or hypersensitivity towards any particular object. These objects range from pollen grains and other polluting factors present in the air, to any kind of artificial flavoring in edible goods. The most prevalent and troublesome form of allergy is asthma, which is mainly related to the respiratory system.
Asthma is defined simply as reversible airway impediment. It is a chronic ailment that involves the respiratory system, within which the airway occasionally gets constricted, becomes irritated, and is lined with undue amounts of mucus, often in response to one or roots. These episodes may be triggered by things like exposure to an allergen such as cold, warm or moist air, perfume, exertion, or emotional pressure. Various allergens are responsible for its manifestation. In children, the most common triggers are viral illnesses. The narrowing of the airway causes signs such as wheezing, short breath, tightness in the chest and coughing. Between attacks, most patients feel well but they may remain quite short of breath after exercise for longer periods of time than an unaffected individual. The symptoms of asthma, which range from mild to life threatening ones, can be controlled with a combination of medicines and environmental changes.
Asthma is caused by a composite interaction of genetic and environmental factors, and researchers have not fully understood them yet. These factors can also influence the severity of a person’s asthma is and their response to medication. As with other multifaceted disorders, many factors have been recommended as causes of asthma, but not all of them have been acknowledged. Many environmental factors have been associated with the disease, but a few stand out as they have several studies to support their direct association. Many genes are also related to this disorder. However, even among the long list of highly replicated genes associated with asthma, the results have not been consistent. This indicates that these genes are not associated with asthma under every condition.
The most effective treatment for asthma is identifying the triggers that cause the disorder, and limiting or eradicating any kind of exposure to them. If trigger avoidance is inadequate, medical treatment is available. Desensitization is at present the only known "cure" to the disease. Current treatment protocols recommend prevention medications, which help to suppress any inflammation and reduce any swelling in the lining of the airways. If symptoms persist, additional precautionary drugs are added until the asthma is controlled. With the proper use of prevention drugs, asthmatics can avoid the snags that result from the overuse of relief medications. Other kinds of treatment include prevention medication, relief medication, long-acting β2-agonists, and emergency treatment.
Asthmatics sometimes stop taking their preventive medication when they begin to have no problems breathing. This frequently results in further attacks, and no long-term improvement.
Asthma prevalence, morbidity, mortality, and drug response vary greatly across different populations. The occurrence of asthma is highest among the low-income populations, which in the western world are ethnic minorities, and are more likely to live near industrial areas. In addition to this, asthma has been strongly associated with the presence of cockroaches in dwelling places, which is more likely in such neighborhoods.

Three Tips to a Proper Diet for Six Pack Abs

Doing all the exercises and workouts to develop 6 pack abs is only the first step. Before you can show those abdominals off to the world you must first adopt the proper diet for six pack abs. This article is going to give

you three tips to implement when trying to shed those last pounds of tummy fat to reveal a ripped set of abs. More exactly we'll talk about how tracking what we eat is important, how planning your meals keeps you

lean, and lastly why drinking lots of water is a must. By the end of this article you'll feel confident that you can me the required changes to your current diet in order to lose the remaining belly fat stopping you from

having the abs you want.

We are what we eat so Track it!

Do you know how much or even what you're eating in a day, or during the run of a week? If you don't then it's time you figured it out. I suggest getting an inexpensive notebook or scribbler for this task. For at least one

week, but better yet a month track everything you eat. From the scones at break with your coffee to that afternoon binge when you ran over to the vending machine in the office. Be sure you jot it down. We want to get

a birds eye view of what your diet actually looks like. This way you can see where you're snacking or eating high fat foods, and either cut them out or replace them entirely.

Plan your meals to save calories and money

Planning your meals for a week serves two purposes.

1.) It ensures you only buy what's needed for your meals this week at the grocery store (this saves money)

2.) You know exactly what you're making each night, so there's no question or chance of slipping and ordering out etc.

This can seem like a chore at first, but trust me you'll get into it and it actually automates this part of your life. Sit down at the beginning of each week and write out what you're going to have for your major meals. Of

course also take inventory of what you have on hand for breakfast foods (always eat breakfast), lunches etc. If you work outside the home it can be ideal to either make recipes that will have left overs for you to take to

work, or plan lunches to brown bag to avoid the temptation of fast processed foods at lunch time.

Drink water you're body will love you

Do you drink enough water in the run of a day? You probably don't even know. Well while you're tracking what you're eating start making a tally each day for the number of glasses of water you're drinking. You should

strive for eight 8 oz. glasses a day. So why is this part of a proper diet for six pack abs? Numerous reasons:

1.) water is an appetite suppressant

2.) Water increases energy and stimulates our mind

3.) It naturally detoxes and cleanses our systems

So water isn't a direct weight loss stimulant, but it's a required by product of everything else you're doing. Without water you're over all body suffers.

There you have it three things you can change to create the proper diet for six pack abs. Don't procrastinate on these, get yourself a notebook and start tracking what you're eating and your water intake, and next week

plan those meals you'll be amazed at just how easy grocery shopping and deciding what to cook and eat will be.

To learn more about how to get 6 pack abs visit http://www.stopbellyfat.com a popular website providing worth while information and articles about

fat loss programs.

Curcumin inhibits cancer cells growth?

Curcumin, the active ingredient found from the herb Turmeric, is actually a spice and food coloring compound has long been used in Asian countries as medicines to treat many difficulties from heartburn to arthritis. It was listed as an Assyrian herbal in 600 BC, used by ancient Greeks. But the most interesting and important news is that some recent studies recommending that Curcumin has adequate potential as an anti-cancer agent. Scientists showed that Curcumin re-establishes key immune cells that fight off Cancer.

Curcumin has antioxidant properties thus can decrease swelling and inflammation. It’s being explored as a cancer treatment as inflammation appears to play a role in cancer. Curcumin has the property to slow down the progress of cancerous cells and also prevent the growth of new tumor blood vessels. Studies revealed that it has an effective impact in treating or preventing colon, skin and breast cancers. It also suppresses angiogenesis and metastasis in a variety animal tumor models. Scientists have shown that Curcumin increases the production of proteins that cause immune cells to propagate and reduces the production of proteins which can destroy immune cells.

The evidences which are coming from the laboratory research are overwhelming. As per the results Curcumin is quite effective in reducing inflammation and pain. It appears to be quite an incredible nutrient. How does Curcumin work to prevent inflammation? It blocks the formation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a compound which promotes inflammation within the body.

As per the research, Phenethyl Isothiocyanate (PEITC) and Curcumin could be effective in treating established prostate cancers.

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Julia Clerk is contributing the article for http://www.naturalplaza.com/

Insomnia Medications: What Are The Limitations And Side Effects

Insomnia medications are one of the most easy-to-use treatments to help get a good night's sleep. They usually come in two variants--short-term and long-term drugs--depending on the length of the period of administration. Most are designed for a maximum course of three weeks. Every dose taken beyond such a limit exposes patients to the risk of addiction or aggravating the sleeping problem. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind about sleeping pills is that they do not work to develop a regular sleeping pattern; they merely act as chemical sleep inducers and nothing more. Finding the root cause of the sleeplessness is essential to bring about a lasting improvement.

There is a whole series of restrictions and precautions that should be followed when using insomnia medications. The first thing to keep in mind is that these are not over-the-counter drugs and can only be prescribed by a doctor. Another consideration is the common side effects specific to each drug, depending on the severity of your condition and the concentration of the dosage. Never take more sleeping pills than the amount recommended by the doctor. Never drink alcohol with sleeping pills. Never take sleeping pills that have been prescribed to someone else. Do not take other drugs with sleep medicine unless cleared by your doctor first. The risk of a potentially fatal overdose is too high with such practices.

One major problem associated with insomnia medications is the possibility of extremely nasty adverse reactions, including sleeplessness, if the treatment is discontinued abruptly. A health care provider's advice is essential and medical observation is a must throughout the whole period of administration. Insomnia medications are usually prescribed in the lowest dosage and for the shortest period of time. Towards the end of the treatment, the doctor will create a gradual withdrawal schedule to follow, decreasing the dosage progressively to prevent such reactions from occurring.

When should one turn to insomnia medications? As legitimate as this question may seem, the answer can only be given by someone with professional medical training in the field. Most people who are prescribed sleeping pills suffer either from difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep due to transitory issues that interferes with this natural ability. Sleeping pills bring about only temporary alleviation of the problem. Without proper treatment of the root causes of insomnia, medications are not only an ineffective treatment, but even potentially harmful to the patient.

Get more honest and useful information about the causes and treatments for insomnia by visiting www.insomniaputtorest.com

Dietary Supplements Can Cause Liver Damage

Dietary Supplements Can Cause Liver Damage
By Sandy Powers


Dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, and herbal products can cause liver damage. I learned this the hard way.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer and scheduled for a mastectomy, my pre-opt tests revealed my liver enzymes were higher than normal. Liver enzymes are an indicator of the health of the liver. When the liver is healthy, the liver enzymes reside within the cells of the liver. When the liver is injured or unhealthy, the enzymes are released into the blood stream. Liver function tests—a certain type of blood tests—are used to detect liver disease or damage. My liver function tests revealed my liver enzymes were 3 times higher than normal. So high that my cancer surgery was put on hold to run additional tests to try to determine the cause. The tests were inconclusive. Even though my doctors were concerned about the liver, I had no choice but to have the mastectomy. Follow up cancer treatment was not advised because of my unhealthy liver. For the next year, I took a liver function test every 3 months. The results were always the same: liver enzymes 3 times higher than normal.

During this year after surgery, I did extensive research on the liver. I used myself as a guinea pig and put my research to the test. I stopped all vitamin and mineral supplements. After 6 months, I returned to my doctor for blood tests. The results: my liver enzymes were normal, my overall cholesterol dropped 40 points, my “good” cholesterol rose 40 points, even my “bad” cholesterol dropped a few points.

Dietary supplements do more harm than good. The supplement industry—a 20 billion dollar-a-year industry has no regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. Most of these supplements are produced in China where quality control is a problem.

Herbal products like ginkgo bibola can react with ibuprofen (Motrin), Lipokinetix, a weight loss supplement can cause internal bleeding, kava, Jin Bu Huan, germander, chaparral, shark cartilage, mistletoe, and, yes, synthetic vitamins and minerals can cause serious damage to the liver. Unless your doctor prescribes a product, don’t take any supplement.

Sandy Powers
Organic for Health
http://www.organicforhealthsite.com
sdepour@comcast.net

What You Must Know About Anorexia Causes

Unlike other diseases where the main cause is identified, anorexia causes could be perplexing. To arrest this eating disorder, one should have an understanding of the anorexia symptoms.

In our present society, it is fashionable and in to be thin. This standard of beauty is further motivated by media hype. Women are constantly exposed to advertisements of diet pills, of cosmetic surgery centers where body enhancement procedures are ordinary occurrences. One of the major anorexia causes is cultural pressure. Women who are inordinately dissatisfied with their bodies often start excessive dieting.

Anorexia can be the result of a medical condition. This eating disorder may also be the side effect of a medication. Kidney failure, diabetes, and liver disease could result. Fortunately, once the illness is treated, the anorexia symptoms will be eliminated too.

Depression, stress and anxiety could cause a person to stay away from food. Psychological anorexia symptoms are more difficult to treat. Anorexia causes people to have a notion that they are fat even though the bones in their body are sticking out and they have an emaciated appearance. In some instances the family’s lifestyle can contribute. Parents’ over protectiveness may suffocate the child, causing him/her to rebel and to refuse to eat as a sign of independence.

People who have suffered from physical and sexual abuse are most likely to be afflicted with anorexia nervosa. These people would starve to death to avoid the sexual demands of the abuser. The same thing is true with physical abuse. Anorexics have this notion that self starvation is the only way by which they can avoid physical abuse.

Whatever the anorexia causes may be, it should be understood that anorexia is a serious eating disorder. Anorexia people may inadvertently cause severe damage to their own vital organs by self starvation. So if you see a family member, a loved one or a friend with a compulsive desire to lose weight to the point that she/he is no longer eating proper meals, if you see that he/she is using large baggy clothes to hide an emaciated body, if you notice that she/he is exhibiting drastic mood swings…this person has anorexia symptoms. Act at once for your help is urgently needed!

Learn the true anorexia causes and about diabetes Medicare supplies at http://thehealthgenie.com/

Endometriosis

More than five and half million women in North America have endometriosis (abnormal growth of endometrial cells), making it one of the most common female afflictions.

Pain and infertility are the two most common symptoms of the disease. Quality of life can be adversely affected by the pain, which may occur before/during/after sex, in association with menstruation, during urination or bowel movements.

Some of the other symptoms include frequent miscarriage, intestinal upset, fatigue and PMS. It is possible to have endometriosis without ever experiencing pain, in which case a woman doesn't even know she has it until she is diagnosed when the inability to get pregnant leads her to a doctor.

Medical experts do not agree on the exact cause of endometriosis. There are a number of theories that try to describe the causes of the disease.

A major theory about the cause of endometriosis involves genetic structure. The disease could be inherited, or result from genetic errors, making some women more likely than others to develop the condition. If scientists can find a specific gene or genes related to endometriosis in some women, genetic testing might allow health care providers to detect endometriosis much earlier, or even prevent it from happening at all.

There are other possible causes, as well. Estrogen, a hormone involved in the female reproductive cycle, seems to advance the growth of endometriosis. Research is currently looking into endometriosis as a disease of the endocrine system (the body's system of glands, hormones, and other secretions).

Or, it may be that a woman's immune system does not remove fluid in the pelvic cavity properly, or the chemicals made by areas of endometriosis may irritate or promote growth of more endometriosis. Which is leading to the study of the role of the immune system in either starting or growing endometriosis.

There is much research that focuses on determining whether environmental agents, such as exposure to synthetic chemicals, cause the disease. Another important area of research is the search for endometriosis markers. These markers are substances made by or in response to endometriosis that health care providers could potentially measure in the blood or urine. If markers are found, scientists could diagnose endometriosis by testing a woman's body fluids, thereby reducing the need for surgery to confirm the disease.

Currently, physicians have several tests at their disposal for endometriosis diagnosis. Imaging tests produce a "picture" of the inside of the body, which allows them to locate endometriosis areas. Two major imaging tests are ultrasound (use of sound waves) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (use of magnets and radio waves to make the picture). Laparascopy is usually performed to verify the presence of endometriosis.

Probably the most common symptom of endometriosis is pain, mostly in the abdomen, lower back and pelvic areas. The amount of pain felt does not correlate to how much endometriosis there actually is. Some women have no pain even though their endometriosis is extensive, meaning that the affected areas are large or that there is scarring. However, some women have severe pain even though they have only a few little endometriosis areas.

There a number of treatments for pain related to endometriosis. Pain treatments include:

· Pain medication -- if pain is mild, medication may work well. The medication can possibly be an over-the-counter remedy, but strong prescription drugs for managing pain are also available.

· Hormone therapy -- hormones can be delivered in pill form, injection, or in a nasal spray. Common hormones used to treat endometriosis are progesterone and progestin, GnRH (gonadatropin-releasing hormone) birth control pills, and danocrine. Current research is exploring the use of other hormones in treating endometriosis and its related pain.

· Surgical treatment -- when the endometriosis is extensive, or in the presence of severe pain, surgical treatments are generally recommended.


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Exercise and Injuries

Anytime you exercise, your brain releases chemicals known as endorphins that produce a feeling of euphoria. This is also known as a "runner's high", which is very easy to become chemically addicted to.

Without this adrenalin rush, you'll feel irritable until you exercise again. Therefore, you'll go on exercising and not listen to what your body is actually telling you - which is to stop.

The reason exercise addicts continue to push themselves lies in what occurs when they don't work out. When they are unable to exercise, they will exhibit signs of depression, anxiety, confusion, and be less happy with themselves.

Exercise injuries doesn't only affect the body, it affects the mind as well.

Exercise will give you a fit body but once you surpass your limit it can lead to exercise injuries. Muscle damage, osteoarthritis, and heart problems will all be waiting in your near future if you continue to over exercise. The body has limits and if you push beyond that limit, you'll only create unwanted exercise injuries.

Exercise injuries tend to happen among those who are new to exercise. Therefore, if you are to reap the benefits of getting fit, be aware of possible exercise injuries and do not overstep your limits.

The initial signs of over exercise are exhaustion, which can lead to fatigue.

Keep in mind that it isn't only the muscles that are at risk, but the bones as well. Many people who exercise push themselves to the point of injuries such as shin splints or even stress fractures, then refuse to rest, which causes greater and sometimes even permanent injuries.

A brisk walk in the morning doesn't come without risk of injury, as walking too much can lead to osteoarthritis. When you walk, you are working against gravity. Even though you are exercising your muscles, you are also injuring your knee joints as well.

Many people who walk up to an hour or more everyday end up with complaints of aches in the knees. The fact is, jogging also injures the knees, and too many sit ups can hurt as well. As with any type of exercise, moderation is the key.

You should always start off exercising gradually to evade injuries, and combine several different types of workouts, which is one thing that obsessive exercisers forget to do. One complication factor of people who get addicted to exercise is that they will tend to perform the same workout each and every day, which puts them at risk of permanent injuries.

Think right! You should never work out to the point where you feel completely exhausted. Exercising to the point of exhaustion can lead to injuries. Your limit with exercise should be 45 minutes to an hour, four or five days a week to avoid any possible exercise injuries. Your workout should leave you feeling fresh and energetic, without any injuries. Every week you should make it a point to take a break - as your body will need to relax and rejuvenate to avoid any possible injuries.

The key to achieving your goal lies in your attitude, as exercising without causing injuries is the way to a healthier life.

If you take things one day at a time and don't over exercise, you'll be well on your way to a healthy body. Exercising can be a lot of fun and a way to relax, if you don't rush it. Start slow and gradually work your way up to avoid exercise injuries. Before you know it, you'll know how to prevent injuries before they happen and you'll know exactly what you need to do to remain healthy.


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Steven Godlewski is a self-made millionaire and is currently working with Life Force International products. He has an extensive background in nutrition as well as other health related fields. For more health-related articles and a FREE bottle of Liquid Vitamins see their website at: http://www.pillfreevitamins.com SEE video at: http://www.emii-dcf.org

Walking For Weight Loss

Walking for weight loss is a great way to get the ball rolling towards fitness. If you have not engaged in any exercise for number of years and you have reached the decision that you want to lose weight and are really prepared to do something about it, then exercise will play a major and vital role in your success.

Conventional wisdom suggests that you will have to do cardio 3 or 4 times a week for at least half an hour. Cardio exercises may include running, jogging, cycling, stepper, and aerobics and so on. However at the point of starting your fitness levels at the present time may not allow you to do these types of exercises. If you try to push yourself too hard, all that will happen is that you will give up trying and come to detest whatever cardio exercise you are doing.

Fitness and weight loss is progressive. Meaning that it is going to take time to get to where you want to be, and that it has to be done in stages. You are not going to start exercising on Monday and be fit the following Sunday. The same can be said of trying to lose weight. The more you try to force yourself initially, the less chance of success you will have. You need to accept where you are now and what your capabilities are at the present time. Once you have done this, realise that as long as you keep doing what you need to be doing on a regular basis, and increase in small steps, then you will eventually reach your goals.

Walking is a good way to start building your fitness levels so that you can do more different and difficult cardio exercise further down the road. The first thing you will need to do will be to make up a walking program, consisting of where you will walk, how long for, and how often. Previous generations were forced to walk everywhere as there were not many cars. There was never an issue of obesity or weight related problems for these generations.

There are many ways how you can incorporate walking for weight loss into your life. Find a park and walk around it, try to keep a brisk place and see how you feel after you have been around it once. If you feel it was ok try another lap. To keep losing weight and to keep getting fitter you must be progressive. This means you should always do more than you did last time. Even if it's only an extra 50 or 100 yards, you should always increase what you do. The more you do the fitter you get, the fitter you get the more you can do.

The best thing about walking is that it is free; there is no need for any gym fees and no need for equipment, apart from some comfortable walking shoes. As you become fitter and are able to do more and more laps, it will at some point become a little boring. It's fine when you are doing a few laps and you find that a little challenging. However after a month or two when you are doing 15, 20 or even more laps, you will began to become a little bored at having to walk for this amount of time.

Get yourself a personal CD player or even an mp3 player, which is relatively cheap to buy these days. Fill the mp3 player with lots of your favourite songs and listen to them as you walk. This gives your brain something else to focus on apart from the drudgery of walking greater distances.

A time will come when the walking becomes too easy. When you reach this stage, look back at how much you were doing to begin with compared to how much you may be doing now. You will find that you have improved beyond measure. This should make you feel proud and let you see how much improvement you are capable of. This should then motivate you to go to the next level.

The next level could consist of various methods; it will depend on your preferences. You could start jogging or running instead of walking. You could find an area of hills and begin walking up and down them. Hill walking is a fantastic way to get fit and burn calories. You could start cycling, start using a stepper, join an aerobics class; there are lots of different ways to improve.

Whatever next step you take you should follow the same pattern as before. Always do a little more than before. Your body can improve far beyond what you may think at the moment. Your body was designed to adapt and cope with change, and this is a fact. It will get fitter, leaner, and stronger and endure more, to cope with what you are doing, as long as you keep doing more in small steps Start getting the benefits and begin walking for weight loss.


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Foods And Herbs For Resisting Disease And Fightlng

Copyright (c) 2008 Duanphen Singhaphan

Back when I was a kid the toy section in most department stores sold kaleidoscopes. These were cylindrical shaped tubes through which you could look at one end. At the opposite end were a few pieces of colored glassy that when turned council form an infinite number of geometric patterns.

In some ways, your own immune system is much like this apparatus that I enjoyed in my childhood. With only a limited number of weapons, it puts up an almost endless variety of defenses against diseases.

Personal immunity is threatened whenever there are antigens in the system. Antigens are viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, fungi, protozoa, particles and anything else that might challenge the integrity of personal immunity. In fact, antigens are the very reason that an immune defense exists at all.

The immune system employs different methods of fighting these antigens. One way is for some immune cells to "eat" antigens; these specialized white blood cells are called phagocytes. Another way is to cut a hole in the surface of the bacteria's cell. This then destroys the bacteria by permitting water, sodium, and other substances to leak in and out of the cell, upsetting its homeostasis or state of steadiness. Poison can be used to kill antigens. Or a cover can be slapped over that part of the antigen which does the damage (The toxic sited).

There are different types of white blood cells, each with its own name, size, shape, and function. Besides a variety of phagocytes and leukocytes, there are also a number of different lymphocytes originating in the lymph glands of the body: T-cells, natural killer cells, helper cells, suppressor cells, and B-cells. But behind these immune troops is further backup in the form of the complement system, immunoglobulins, interferon, and interleukin. Everything that I've just mentioned forms your defense network. And as antigens float around in your system trying to form some pattern of disease, your immune system like the kaleidoscope mentioned earlier is forming endless arrangements to stop this process from ever happening.

Garlic To The Rescue

In keeping with my medical friend's recommendation, I wish to share with you something about garlic. Garlic, as most herbalists know, is outstanding for high blood pressure. But no one seems to understand exactly how it works within the body to accomplish this.

That is, until now. I've finally figured out how the stuff works so well for hypertension. Now high blood pressure, as everyone knows, is induced by stress. And stress, of course, is caused by people. Therefore, it stands to reason, that if you eat lots of garlic, it will make the people go away, which in turn relieves the stress. And when this sequence of events happens, then blood pressure returns to normal.


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More resource at http://www.diabetic-diet-plan.com

The Pure Sounds of Nature

To relax listening to the sounds of nature can be a wonderful and therapeutic experience. You don't need to mediate to appreciate the connection with the Earth, though many do. Just to listen to the wonderful sounds of mother nature is really all that needs to be done.

Being outside in a forest, mountainside or near a river is preferable where one can savour the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside but that's not so easy in today's hectic world.

Even if you did manage to 'get away' there are no guarantees that you can avoid unwanted sounds such as aircraft, trains, cars, barking dogs and noisy children. It may also turn cold and start to rain.

However for a quick pick me up, or a complete chill out listening to pure nature sounds on a music center, computer or mp3 player can be almost as good as being there.

A great variety of different and inspiring nature sound CD's are available to buy these days. From popular favourites such as a mountain stream, ocean waves or tropical rainforest, there are many more specific ones available such as underwater whale sounds or recordings made at a particular location on the planet.

Although music can be relaxing I find that the best nature Cd's are those that are pure nature sounds and do not have accompanying music or chants. Avoid also those that flip from one sound to another for variety. If you are going to relax by a mountain stream for example you will want to do it for an hour or more and not be interrupted by music or a change in location!

The sounds of a secluded waterfall for example can be particularly enchanting as the water cascades downwards into the lake below. Shut your eyes and you can almost feel the spray on your face as you are mesmerised and relaxed by the falling water as it dashes off the rocks below.

Pure nature sounds can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Some choose to meditate with them at the start of the day, others listen to them as they fall asleep at night.

A ten minute recharge may suit some people, whilst others may listen to them as they work on their PC. People use them to help concentration while studying or to mask over unwanted sounds.

People spend so much of their time, working and rushing from one thing to another that they often forget what a wonderful planet we are living on and that they can be transported instantly to relaxing places at the touch of a button.


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More information about the enjoyment of pure natural sounds can be found at http://www.bright-days-ahead.co.uk