A Dazzling Health Gem – Infrared Sauna Health

Posted on March 8, 2009
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Many people know that using an infrared sauna helps your health. But many don’t know that the benefits of this kind of sauna actually surpass the benefits of using a older sauna.

Improved blood circulation and oxygenation are perhaps the most often cited benefits of sauna therapy. In a sauna, the infrared energy penetrates deep into the muscle tissue. This penetration stimulates the cells and improves circulation. With increased circulation, the blood is better able to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Enhanced oxygenation can shorten the time to heal sprains and strains as well as alleviate some of the pain associated with those conditions.

The skin, our largest organ, also benefits from infrared sauna use. Up to 30% of the unwanted chemicals and compounds in our bodies are eliminated through the skin. Sweat increases this detoxification, so sweating has long been considered a good way to decrease the waste in our bodies. Infrared saunas enhance this process by heating the skin directly, which makes the user begin sweating more quickly than with a traditional sauna.

Saunas are also known to play some role in maintaining a healthy weight or in losing weight. While it is not used as a primary weight-loss method, sweating does remove water from the body and expends calories, the same way exercise does.

Don’t forget that rest and relaxation are also crucial benefits. In our fast-paced lives, we often don’t take time to allow our bodies to have a chance to recover. Giving ourselves an opportunity to relax in the sauna can combat stress, which is known to cause a wide variety of health problems. Taking a break is good for the mind.

Cardiovascular health is also increased by using a infrared sauna. The heat of the infrared saunas stimulates vasodilatation, a widening of the peripheral blood vessels. The heart rate also increases, which provides cardiovascular benefits similar to those attained by moderate exercise.

With the wide variety of soaps, creams, and other things we use everyday, our bodies are not able to sweat the way they were designed to. Chemicals from these products accumulate on the skin, blocking some of our sweat. The increased circulation that comes from sauna use brings more of our bodies’ nutrients to the surface, making the skin healthier (and making it look healthier as well).

Although there is proof that infrared saunas, there is not much scientific research about the health benefits of “taking a sauna”. But lot’s of experts of natural, homeopathic, and alternative medicine regularly advise their patients to take advantage of sauna use. Research into infrared sauna health is certain to continue.

Are Low Carb Diets A Good Weight Loss Solution?

Posted on March 6, 2009
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Are Low Carb Diets Good or Bad for Weight Loss Success? These have been around for a while, but do they really work? …And if so, are they the solution to weight loss that everybody is looking for?

We don’t think so, because most low carb diets have several problems which make losing weight very difficult for the “average” dieter.

For example, if you follow the Atkins diet (a popular low carb program) then the restriction on carbs for the first couple weeks is very severe (by almost any standards).

The Atkins program allows just 20 grams of “net carbs” per day during the first phase of the diet (which usually lasts for 2 weeks).

Just to give you an idea of how few carbs that really is – even a large apple has more than 20 grams of “net carbs”.

This low level of carbs is often too severe for the “average” dieter to tolerate for 2 weeks straight, and in fact eating such a low level of carbs can make a person feel “weak” and “miserable” all day long (because your body needs more carbs than that for energy).

Other low carb diets (such as the South Beach Diet) are not quite as severe as the Atkins Plan, but in our opinion even the South Beach Diet is not as easy to follow as it could be.

We believe that a successful diet needs to be easy to follow – because that’s the only way that people will stick to the diet and lose weight.

We believe that diets should not make average people feel “miserable” and “weak” all day long, because if a diet makes people feel miserable and weak then it’s going to be very difficult for average dieters to adhere to such programs.

We’re not saying that all low carb diets are as restrictive as the Atkins Diet is, but we’re saying that most low carb diets are so hard to follow that “average dieters” will probably wind up feeling hungry and weak all day long (which is not a good thing for dieting success in our opinion).

We believe that “low carbs” is not the answer to losing weight, since your body needs a reasonable amount of all 3 types of calories to lose weight consistently (protein, carbs, and fat).

To lose weight quickly you must eat all 3 types of calories in the right proportions, and that’s why most dieters fail they just don’t pay proper attention to portion size.

Grow By Volunteering In Kenya And Other Destinations

Posted on March 5, 2009
Filed Under Nutrition | Leave a Comment

Africa is a vast continent but most of it lies in the shadow of poverty, malnutrition, drought, lack of education and civil wars.

From the famines of Ethiopia to the poaching of wild animals in Kenya, Africa has seen it all. Volunteering in Africa has been a major consideration of Non-profit organizations worldwide.

Different people have different reasons to opt for volunteer work and it can vary from the desire to learn new things about new cultures and societies to travel and gratification through social work and helping mankind.

Some people are so devoted to the cause that they have spent their entire lifetime in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nairobi etc, while others do as much they can.

Volunteering abroad and in continents like Africa, South America and Asia can be an enriching experience with a satisfaction or gratification that is almost incomparable.

There are different organizations requiring volunteers overseas and especially in Africa. Some of the organizations and projects involving volunteering in Africa are:

The Cheetah Recoil Program: This program is being organized at the Marsabit National Park, Kenya as a part of providing opportunities for volunteering in Africa.

The Cheetah is the fastest animal on land but off late, due to extensive poaching, the population of Cheetah is almost near extinction. This Cheetah program has been designed specifically for volunteers who have an interest in wildlife conservation and are willing to travel overseas to Kenya.

The requirement is for volunteers in groups of 20 who will work in a specific area along with some senior research co-coordinators, game wardens and scientists.

The Azafady Project: The project is being run by an U.K. charity organization and they need volunteering in Africa to effectively alleviate poverty, and at the same time improve and protect the unique and beautiful environment and wildlife. Their overseas volunteer program is two fold.

One program is called the Pioneer Madagascar and it offers opportunity for volunteers to work at the grass-root level and create a system through which environmental degradation and poverty can be fought.

The second project is called the Lemur Venture which is a lemur conservation project focused on protecting the already threatened population of lemur.

Global Service Corps (GSC): They are an organization who offers overseas volunteering opportunities and this includes projects in Tanzania, Africa.

Their volunteering in Africa program involves participants to stay with Tanzanian people in their homes and learn about their life and culture. Volunteers share their own experiences and culture and through daily interaction educate the people of Tanzania.

The project areas for volunteers include HIV/AIDS prevention, health, creating sustainable agriculture to prevent hunger, working with hospitals, farms, schools to impart information and create a social community.

There are many more organizations who offer opportunities to volunteers to visit Africa and make a difference. You can also take up volunteering in Africa and the benefits are:

1.You will be able to give something back. There are many people who feel the need to give back to the society and are passionate about their cause. If you are such a person then volunteering in Africa programs can provide you with a great opportunity to pursue such a cause.

2.If you are looking for a unique opportunity: There are many projects focusing on people, poverty, social issues, disease or health etc., but there are not as many projects on wildlife and ecosystem conservation. If you are interested in a wildlife conservation project and want to become a volunteer and pursue a related program, then it will be a unique opportunity that will ultimately provide satisfaction.

3.If you are looking for experience: There are many people who take part in overseas volunteering projects to gather experience required for their career goals or to start their own non profit organization. Either way, volunteering in Africa will provide the necessary experience and much more. Visit starving children in africa for further information.



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