fitness and health

3
Simple Factors to Beating Cocaine Addiction
Ok
someone you love and care about has a Cocaine Addiction Problem. Now what?

At this point many thoughts will go through your mind. Most people actually follow a common series of thoughts
believe it or not. The first thought is denial. The addict actually goes through this several times as well.

When the actions of the Cocaine Addict make this impossible to consider further
the next thought is that there is only a minor problem
not a drug addiction. This is where the majority of Cocaine Addicts fail to get the help they really need. It is the extreme exception that someone is a true casual cocaine user. There are no casual crack users as this is clearly the most addictive drug known to man. So the answer is clearly a cocaine addiction program. But how to you choose the right one?

Ultimately
you want your loved one back. You want that person free from drug addiction. You want that person to live a healthy and productive life. The answer is the right drug rehab program. But how do you find that one? The answer is actually much easier than most people think.

The majority of people do look into a number of drug rehab programs before making a selection. However
no one really knows the right questions to ask. In fact
because most people really have no understanding of effective drug rehabilitation
they actually eliminate the right program very early in their search. This is unfortunate simply because all that time and money invested then becomes a waste.

There are only 3 issues you need to address for any drug rehabilitation program to make sure your loved one is getting the best and you are getting not only your money's worth
but your loved one off drugs for good.

#1. What is the Program Success Rate?

This is clearly the most obvious question to ask. What few people know is that the very best programs have a better than 75 success rate and try to convince you that this is somehow the best that can be done. Obviously
these programs are a waste of time and should be avoided. All you need to know is to look for the program with a 75% success rate or better.

#2. What is the Drug Detoxification Method?

Any Drug Rehab Program that you would choose simply must have some sort of drug detoxification method. This is an absolute requirement if there is to be any serious chance that the addict will really get off drugs for good. The single greatest cause of relapse was drug residuals remaining in the body. This is why a drug detox program is required.

All drug detox methods are not the same. There are many detox methods that are very expensive
but no better for the addict. There are several hospital monitored detox methods that are not only very expensive but may also put your loved one into a coma-like state for a day or more. You want a simple
risk free drug detox program and the best of this is the time-tested sauna based detox method. This is not only the lowest cost method
but offers nearly zero risk to the addict. The drug rehab program that uses this approach is more concerned about getting your loved one off drugs permanently than trying to make a profit from you.

#3. What Guarantee do you offer with your Program?

Only the best programs will offer a rehabilitation result guarantee. Most people have never heard of this simply because so few programs actually offer it. You know that a program that will offer not only a medically safe drug detox
but extensive life skills training plus a long term follow-up program really cares about addicts. But a program that offers all this and a guarantee where the relapsing addict is re-treated at no additional cost really has the best interests of your loved one in mind. This is a program that is more concerned about the full rehabilitation of your family member back into the family and society than making profits.

If you simply use the above three questions in your rehabilitation program search
you will find the right program for your loved one
simply
easily and quickly.

Can you see your self walking down the street at your favorite location looking and feeling great. Or as you stroll down the beach and you notice people glance over there shoulders to admire your beautiful ripped abs that belong to you. Feeling so confident in your self that your vacation seems perfect like a dream. You pinch yourself and realize that you have arrived.

Everyone in this green earth would love to have six pack abs and be fully healthy. Can everyone archive this goal? Yes. We people where created for excellence so yes
anything is possible. Although some may find it difficult to reach personal goals
anything is possible if you have an optimistic and positive outlook on life.

Life is not fair
We can begin our day very positive
but by the end of the day if you are not fully focused of your objective and constantly thinking of your aspirations you can be a victim of procrastination. We as humans tend to enjoy the path of least resistance. Justifying our excuses and having procrastinations of our objectives. Nobody said that being discipline was easy. As a matter of fact here are some examples of things we tell ourselves unconsciously that keeps us from hitting our goals: "I would love to workout
but I don't want to be sore for tomorrow's barbeque."
I will have a free day this weekend therefore I will stuff my face with cookies and milk.
I love the gym, I just don't have time to go anymore.

The interesting thing is that we make ourselves believe such things. When in reality it is just bogus. The secret to success is not overworking but being in control of your thinking and outlooks in life. Whether you are looking to lose a few pounds or get in shape for bodybuilding competition
please under any circumstances don't let yourselves of any excuses. Here are some helpful mindsets that will help when you get back on track when you feel you are buying your excuses:

One: Always tell your friends and family about your goals. Telling your acquaintances about your goals is great. Some will take you serious and some won't. But the reasoning behind this is that they can help you be on track. When you are genuine with people they respect that
and sometimes are willing to help you out.

Two: Setting goals with a partner or friend. Often times having a workout partner or a dieting parter will make things better for everyone. Besides a little competition
a little encouragement from a workout buddy makes a huge difference. Pick someone that you enjoy being with and someone that you know will help you when you feel a bit down on your self. Friends are incredible at picking one up and making us feel great.

Three: Writing down your aspirations and visions. Get a notepad right this moment
and jock down all of your goals and aspirations. On a piece of paper make a line down the middle. In one side have your "goals" and the other have "aspirations" example. Goal #1 Lose 10 pounds this month. Aspiration #1 Lose 10 pounds so I can buy a new pair of jeans
and so on. Make sure they are in detail and also try to make them very personable. Soon you wil develop these mental changes that will change your life forever subconsciously. Also Take note of the times you are at your lowest in energy and pull out your sheet and read those to you out loud. Might sound kind of weird but it works. Professional athletes do it everyday. Why not you?

Getting in top shape is harder than it looks. It takes discipline and full commitment. Its rewards are priceless and the amount of confidence you get when you are watched or check out is amazing. Or even if you simply just want to live an incredible healthy lifestyle and carrying on that mindset to your family and kids
is absolutely worth it. Stay focused
stay in the fight and we will see you in the beaches of the world sporting your ripped abs.

Did you know that buying fitness equipment for your home isn’t really that difficult?
It’s true that the world of fitness equipment can seem like a maze at times and that there are literally hundreds of different types of fitness equipment pieces that might work well for your home arrangement. However
with a little guidance
the process really isn’t that hard and you will be amazed at the bargains that you can find if you just dig a little deeper than the average consumer is usually prepared to. Let’s take a look at some tips to help you out in your quest for new fitness equipment.

1. Look at used equipment. This is where some good deals can be found. Fitness equipment can obtain a weird status in a person’s home. They might have been really excited to buy it initially and dreams of a fit body and monthly gym savings might have filled their head. However
after 3 months
the equipment often sits vacant in that person’s home. Used equipment can be a really good deal due to the fact that it’s often times almost as good as new but now it’s for sale. To you. For cheap. Check out newspapers
Ebay
and other places; compare prices and get a deal.

2. Consider commercial fitness equipment. Often times
you can buy the same equipment that your local gym has. Imagine
you can have that same (gasp!) Stairmaster that has dogged you for years at the local Ballys
right in your basement. This might be appealing to some who have the capital to invest in a large piece of equipment. If you no longer have to pay a $50 monthly fee to go to a gym every month
this might be a really smart investment. Look into commercial equipment
you might be pleasantly surprised.

3. The first two points are almost worthless without considering the financing of your new fitness equipment. When looking to finance your new set of fitness equipment there are tons of important factors to keep in mind. You really don’t want to be paying too much for equipment that might be found at a cheaper price (after everything is considered) elsewhere.

This may come as a surprise to you
but sleep apnea is more common than you think. Yes
while it might seem like you are the only one who suffers from sleep apnea
we’d be willing to be that at least a few of your close neighbors suffer from it to. Well
the information age now allows you to listen to thousands of different opinions and possible cures for whatever ails you. Sleep apnea is no different. Follow these three tips and you should be all set in your quest for more information.

1) Start with a basic search on multiple websites. Try the regulars like Yahoo
Google
and MSN. Try searching for ‘sleep apnea symptoms’ or ‘sleep apnea treatment.’ Getting multiple sources of information can only make your information quest easier. Some search engines are better for some types of information (Google seems to be especially handy for scientific searches) while others are not. Get a lot of different information sources.

2) Another great source of information for everything is wikipedia.org. While we definitely don’t recommend trying to treat your sleep apnea yourself based upon the information you find (always see a physician
we aren’t physicians and can’t give a medical opinion)
wikipedia.org is a good place to start looking for any information as it is “user edited”. “User edited” means that anyone can conceivably change the information on wikipedia.org. It’s almost like a democracy of information presentation. It’s definitely worth a look in your sleep apnea research.

3) Don’t forget to look for information specifically on understanding sleep apnea. If you can’t understand what sleep apnea is
you are going to have a tough time even if you follow tips #1 and #2 to the letter. Get informed and try to understand what sleep apnea is. There are a ton of great resources out there if you look hard enough.

After reading this
I hope you can still sleep well. Sleep-inducing medicines
popularly known as sleeping pills
have a reputation of helping people get some peace and quiet at night. Sleep deprivation is such a difficult condition to have since it literally zaps a person's energy to do the more important things in life
at work and at home. Specifically
it is used by chronic insomniacs who desperately need to get that well-deserved rest. Insomniacs often flip over the hundreds of cable channels each night hoping to get tired enough to sleep. For them
it does not matter if they sleep in from of the t.v. as long as they do get to sleep eventually. But t.v. surfing loses its effectiveness after a few nights
leaving the insomniac up and awake the whole night
and
yes
bone-weary the next morning. Manic workloads
job-related stresses
and the ever-toxic idea of work itself leaves a person with no other option but to trust the “fast” relief. Studies show that people who are prone to stress and other everyday worries are the ones who would most likely resort to the use of sleeping pills. Other studies
however
also show that long-term use of sleeping pills could cause unwanted side effects or health problems. People who often take refuge or rely mostly on these sedatives are more prone to negative effects and even life-threatening situations as:

*Degradation of activities

Studies prove that continuous use of sleeping pills can reduce brain cell activity
affect short-memory term and cause hang-overs. The aftermath of taking these sedatives may seem manageable
but in the long run
these effects may escalate into more serious problems such us forgetfulness and lack of focus. You wouldn't want to report to your workplace with confused and groggy
right? Also
it's a bad thing to forget certain work errands just because of sleeping pills.

*Dependence

Just like how the body forms its natural defense through the production of antibodies
the body may also develop an immunity to the drug. The frequent intake of a certain drug would lessen the potency of the active ingredients. Eventually
the user would have to take higher doses of the drug
and be open to the risk of developing a drug dependence or addiction. Sleeping pill addiction is
in fact
fast becoming a common health concern.

* Death

People who use sleeping pills have undeniably higher mortality rates than those who don't. Sleep apnea patients are advised to refrain from taking sleep-inducing pills. As sedatives
sleeping pills tend to lengthen the pauses in breathing when one is asleep. This situation can jeopardize the health of people with sleep apnea. Every year
many cases of death are attributed to the effects of these drugs.

As the saying goes
we can buy luxurious bed but we can never purchase a good night's sleep. This proverbial statement just proves that many people are really struggling to board another express train to Dreamland. And the struggle goes on. For some people
a good night's sleep is like a rare commodity. The artificial inducement of sleep may be necessary but caution must always be exercised to prevent sleeping pill overdose. Getting some “shut-eye” with the help of a pill or two need not lead to the sleep of death.

There are times on your weight loss journey when progress can come to a halt. Days or weeks can go by without you seeing movement on the scale
and it can get downright frustrating. After working with thousands of clients
I’ve noticed certain patterns that can cause this weight loss stoppage. Here are 3 of those patterns.

1
Eating more than you think you are.

Weight Watchers
Jenny Craig
Zone Delivery Service
and other diet systems have one undeniable benefit to them – they define for the average person how large an actual “serving” is. Most of us underestimate the volume of food we eat (and consequently
underestimate the number of calories we consume in a day).

By fixing in your head what a serving size or “portion” of food looks like
we can better estimate (and consequently
evaluate and calibrate) the amount of food we eat at each meal. Keep in mind
when it comes to weight loss
you need to take in less calories than you burn each day.

Two good rules of thumb:

A portion of meat (3 oz.) is the size of a deck of cards.
A portion of carbohydrates (1 cup) is the size of a tennis ball.

Please remember to fill up on non-starchy vegetables – they are full of nutrients
have very little impact on blood sugar
and contain little in the way of calories.

2
Not eating frequently enough.

It is a social custom to eat “three square meals” a day. While this may do for social purposes
for weight loss
you will want to aim for more frequent feedings. It is recommended that you consume a minimum of 5-6 small meals each day. By doing so
your body gets the signal that food is abundant
and there is no need to conserve energy.

Additionally
frequent feedings maximize your metabolism
as your body is constantly busy
burning calories by digesting your meals. By not letting too much time pass between meals
you stabilize blood sugar levels since they never really get the chance to drop. By keeping your blood sugar stable
your hunger levels are minimized
decreasing the chances that you will be tempted to overeat at your next meal.

3
Choosing to drink your calories instead of eating them.

This is a very common problem among those attempting weight loss
due to the abundance of “healthy” diet smoothies
protein concoctions
and weight loss shakes. There are 2 factors to keep in mind when relying on these liquid meal replacements.

First
many of the liquid diet shakes on the market and all fruit smoothies have an abundance of sugar in them. This causes an immediate surge in energy followed by a huge crash due to the release of insulin to control the blood sugar rise. This dramatic shift in blood hormone levels (particularly insulin levels) is something you want to avoid
both for health reasons and for weight loss.

Secondly
most weight loss shakes are devoid of fiber. Fiber is one of your most precious allies when you are dieting. It helps you feel full and blunts the rise in insulin levels when all that sugar hits your bloodstream. While fruit smoothies do contain some of the fiber from the pulp of the fruit
a better strategy would be to eat the actual fruits contained in the smoothie.

Lastly
the amount of calories that can be concentrated into a shake or smoothie is far greater than the equivalent volume of actual food. A 16 oz fruit smoothie may contain as many as 600 calories
and will not fill you up all that much! On the other hand
eating 600 calories of fruit will prove to be much more than the typical person can manage in a single sitting (at least
I personally don’t know anyone that can eat more than 2 pounds of bananas at a single sitting!).

Think about it- when making major dietary changes
you want to get the most out of your calories. Wouldn’t you rather fill up
rather than drink something and be hungry again soon after?

Losing weight and maintaining the weight loss for an extended period of time requires some simple lifestyle adjustments. As long as you keep your adjustments within a sustainable reach
you should be able to lose weight and keep it off without much shock and interruption to your daily life.

Not surprisingly
losing weight does not have to require extended trips to the gym or engagement in some fad diet. Here are there steps to a healthier day that can help you slim down on weight without slimming down on your free time.

Exercise Daily

Daily exercise can make a difference in your body shape and in the way your body processes calories. When you exercise
you work your heart
mind and body. You are building your muscle mass
which in turn will increase the effectiveness of your metabolism.

Additionally
you encourage your heart to pump blood throughout your body more effectively
which means that you will have healthier blood and a reduced risk of heart disease. You reduce fatty deposits
which in turn helps reduce your risk of many health problems
such as diabetes. You also increase the number of endorphins that flow through your body
which means that you will note an increase in your positive attitude.

It does not require a large amount of time exercising to receive all of the above benefit. You simply need to workout regularly for a minimum of half an hour. Working out means taking a two-mile walk at a fast pace
throwing a Frisbee or riding a bicycle. Whatever the workout is
keep in mind that it should elevate your heart above it standing heart rate and it should make you breathe slightly heavier than normal. It is also good if you can break a sweat or feel your muscles challenged.

Eat All Things in Moderation

When you are trying to lose weight or sustain lost weight
it is vital that you allow yourself to eat all foods
but eat the unhealthy ones in moderation. The primary reason for many diets to fail is that people reduce the foods that they allow themselves to eat so drastically that they feel anxious after awhile eating the same things time and time again. When you allow yourself to give into simple cravings
you are rewarding your body and making it less tempted to crave larger portions of the bad foods.

You should also eat small portions of every food
regardless of its nutritional content. Eating smaller portions will help your stomach adjust to consuming less food. You can also drink water to help you feel full. American’s especially have a habit of eating more than one portion of food per meal – so be aware of your food portions!

Call a Buddy

Studies prove that having a Buddy help you work out increases your chances of maintaining a diet
exercise routine
or long-term weight loss. Buddies are fabulous motivators. They will keep you attuned to your habits and help you feel accountable throughout the day. If you must
enlist the help of a partner to be an appointed weight loss guardian. He or she will be tasked with ensuring that you stick to your weight loss goals by encouraging you to report your progress several times a week.

Copyright 2006 Brad Howard

Establishing clear expectations while working out often can be the difference between success and failure. Too many people try to do too much and get frustrated. Instead of “lasering” in on a few great strategies
they try to do as many things as possible. As they say
“Jack of all trades
master of none” applies here.

To help renew your spirits of why proper diet and exercise is important for the New Year
I’ve compiled a somewhat comical list. See how many apply to you:

• Because it costs you (or your loved ones) over 5 million pennies in future health care if you aren’t

• Because feeling better tomorrow starts today

• Because torture is a bad persuasion technique

• Because studies show that fit people make more money

• Because if you don’t
you suck

• Because movie stars do it

• Because performers do it

• Because everyone that is cool in your life
does it

• Because you CAN commit 1.5 hrs/wk out of 176

• Because avoiding a wheelchair is a good thing

• Because hugs are better when you can actually wrap your arms around someone

• Because your kids really don’t want to put you in a rest home

• Because no matter what you keep telling yourself
thick is not sexy

• Because feeling grandpa’s muscles at Thanksgiving can be a yearly ritual

• Because cottage cheese is for fruit

• Because squeezing into a size 6 means you’re not a size 6

• Because love making is much more fun without the extra rolls

• Because being able to see your toes……hmmmm

• Because bigger clothes cost more money

• Because shopping for smaller clothes raises spirits

• Because hitting the State Fair and observing everyone shouldn’t be the only thing that puts a smile on your face

• Because having the woman in your life open a stuck jar of pickles for you is embarrassing

• Because no matter what anyone says
women are always in competition with each other. You do want to win
right?

• Because you had to ask your 10 year old son to take out the trash…..after all you couldn’t lift it

• Because beer makes everyone else look better while making you look worse

• Because weight training makes you look better while making everyone else look worse (see competition in women)

• Because yelling at the gym is a lot better than yelling at work (unless you are a cheerleader)

• Because “Shut your mouth or I’ll kick your ___
” now actually has meaning

• Because being told you look 40 when you are actually 60 does something strange to self confidence

Again
make sure to renew your sense of self worth this holiday season and strive to become a healthier you. Great information is always key but watch out for the dreaded “information overload.” Get equipped and make ’06 the best year of your life.

You know that you have got a problem with booze when:

1
before every party or social occasion your partner asks you “not to drink too much tonight”.

2
you feel that everyone in your company drinks too slowly or doesn’t know how to let their hair down and have a good time – like you.

3
you are having extra drinks when you go to the bar
because (see number 2).

4
you hate going to any social occasion if there is no opportunity to drink.

5
you think about drinking constantly
can’t wait to finish work to go and have a drink
can’t wait to be finished ..anything.. to go and have a drink.

6
you hide alcohol around the house
garage
office
wherever.

7
you lie about how much you drink and how often you are drunk
always minimising the amount.

8
you can’t
or find it difficult
to set a limit on the number of drinks and keep to it.

9
you drink too much at inappropriate times
embarrass your family
friends and self.

10
you feel guilty about the night before and have difficulty looking people in the eye.

11
your hands shake in the morning

12
you feel sweaty on waking and for most of the day

13
the previous night’s drinking is a bit of a blur
or worse still a blank.

14
your partner increasingly criticises your drinking

15
your friends increasingly criticise your drinking

16
your co-workers and/or boss increasingly criticise your drinking

17
you don’t count your money in dollars or ponds but in the number of drinks that it will buy

18
you are always the last of your group to leave the bar and the first to suggest another bar or another drink somewhere else.

19
you find it increasingly difficult to talk to people or socialise without having had a drink.

20
you want a drink as soon as you wake up

If you experience a couple of them occasionally it does not necessarily mean that you have a problem with booze. It is when these signs are regular features of your drinking that they are significant. We can all overindulge on occasion but if these occasions are becoming more frequent and you are experiencing an increasing number of these signs then maybe you need to take a hard look at your lifestyle and your drinking. Also you do not need to be experiencing all of these signs to have a problem
a few of them is more than enough. If you do feel that you need help check with your family doctor sooner rather than later. Like most problems
drinking problems are easier to treat when they are detected early.

This article was published using Article Submitter

First off
I want to mention that
for most people
getting six pack abs is not an easy task. It requires dedication
but it is possible! Below is a general 2-step guide that
if followed religiously for 3 months
will produce results.


Step 1: Nutrition

This is the single most important part of the puzzle
hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs
but if they're covered with a layer of fat
you won't see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jump starts your metabolism. And stop eating the food that is preventing results: white bread
loads of pasta
soda
candy
fast food
hydrogenated oils
sugars and fructose corn syrup.

Instead
replace them with foods that will help you reach your goal: oatmeal
olive oil
whole grain breads
fruits
vegetables
nuts
eggs
natural peanut butter
chicken
fish
protein and water. Be realistic- you'll slip here and there
but make a conscious effort to radically improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.


Step 2: Exercise

You need to concern yourself with 3 different exercises: cardio
weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to workout 3- 4 times a week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking
running
biking
swimming....whichever cardio you don't mind doing so that you'll stick with it. Aim for 30-45 minutes
a minimum of 2 times a week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog...and this is while you're just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes
a minimum of 2 times a week. If you're confused as to what exercises to do for each body part
check out out the following website. It features professional bodybuilders
but the information is great and can be used by anyone.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout is ab exercises. Aim to work your abs a minimum of 3 times a week. There are a ton of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing so you can mix it up. A good database of different ab exercises is:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals


Tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and changing. Add or take away different weight or ab exercises
or at the very least
vary the weight
reps or form of cardio you do.

Well
there you have it. Follow the above for 3 months religiously
and while results will vary from person to person
you will experience improvement.

It will take dedication on your part
but imagine the feeling you'll get when you look in the mirror and like what you see.

Only 2 months of using the Acne cure method
my acnes have completely under control. Face cleared up twice as fast and pigmentation lighten. I have combined 3 steps of curing methods using mother nature natural resources to control my Acne
NO expensive creams
lotions
or prescribed medicines. Sorry this is not a 1 or 2 days cure method but you will see results in one or two week’s time. Usually I have outbreak after SEX
yes after sex… Not sure whether other acne suffers have this problem
but after using this Acne cure methods
NO more outbreaks!

Here comes the cure…

Step 1.

Daily routine - THE NIGHT BATH

You must do this every day or twice a day if not convenient for you. THE NIGHT BATH ingredients you need are:

4
Cups of Dead Sea Salt (Normal sea salt will do but not as effective)
4
Cups of Epsom Salt

Why Dead Sea salt and Epsom salt? Epsom salt is well know for expelling toxins out of your body and Dead Sea salt contains minerals and naturally occurring chemicals found in dead sea which could replenish your body lost minerals and also for its antiseptic properties.

Fill your bath tub with the mixtures and lukewarm water
soak yourself inside for about 20-30 minutes. If you are not afraid that the salt will irritates your eyes
you can sink yourself totally into the water as long as your breath can hold. About 20-30 minutes later RINSE YOURSELF WITH COOL WATER.

Note: If you can’t access to bath tub
than mix 3 tablespoons of Dead Sea salt and Epsom salt with 1 tablespoon of warm water (not too watery) and a few drops of tea tree oil in a bowl
mix them well. Choose a comfortable area to lie down and apply the mixture on your face
neck or back. Avoid broken skin area
rinse with cool water after 20-30 minutes. This method is not as powerful as soaking yourself in the salt water
but it does helps.

You will have a very relaxing feeling with just 20-30 minutes of miracle salt bath. As I mentioned earlier
this step has to be done everyday until your skin condition improved. After I found this cure than remember when I was 8-12 years old
my dad used to bring me to swim in the sea and my skin was flawless. So if possible
go swim in the sea few times a week. So much for step 1 and if you do it consistently
you can see results very soon.

1
Physical exercise. Physical exercise strengthens your brain. Exercise benefitsyour brain cells. The blood vessels inside your brain dilate and increase blood flow when you engage in regular exercise. Exercise helps to elimin toxins and allows oxygen and other nutrients to flow into your brain strengthening your brain cells.
2
Mind exercises. Concentration and clear thinking are more or less automatic once you remove distractions. Learn to stop and watch your busy mind. As you notice things that are subtly bothering you
deal with them. This might mean making a phone call you need to make
or putting things on a list so you can forget them for now. With practice
this becomes easier
and your thinking becomes more powerful.
3
Healthy breakfast. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast affects your brainpower and performance at home
school or work. Minimize your eating during the day to mostly live raw fruits and veggies and their juices. This will help you detoxify and nourish your brain with essential nutrients and antioxidants to protect your brain from daily free radicals assaults.
4
Increase Water Intake. Given that your brain is about 80 percent water
the first rule of brain nutrition is adequate water to hydrate your brain. Even slight dehydration can raise stress hormones
which can damage your brain over time. Drink at least 84 ounces of water a day. It is best to have your liquids unpolluted with artificial sweeteners
sugar
caffeine
or alcohol. You can use herbal
non-caffeinated tea bags
such as raspberry or strawberry flavored
and make unsweetened iced tea. Green tea is also good for brain function as it contains chemicals that enhance mental relaxation and alertness.
5
Keep journals and notebooks. All the smart people write down their ideas
thoughts and observations. Writing things down lets
your brain know that you value “it’s” ideas. How does it reward you? By providing more ideas and better ideas. Writing things down creates a feedback loop that makes you smarter. You objectify your thoughts onto paper and that helps you think about them in a more powerful way. This is a great way to improve your brainpower.
6
Think positively. Thinking positively enables you to access your higherthinking abilities. When you are positive and feeling good
your mind functions smoothly. Ask yourself emotion-leading questions like
“What am I grateful for right now?” and “Who do I love and who loves me?”
7
Make sure you sleep enough. Your brain is rejuvenate during those sleeping hours. Research from the University of California suggests that if you have been awake for 21 hours straight
your abilities are equivalent to someone who is legally drunk. Sleep allows your brain to process new memories
practice new skills and solve problems. Therefore
a good night’s sleep is essential to boost your brainpower. How many hours sleep constitutes a good night’s sleep will vary between individuals
but between 6 – 8 hours
sleep is normally considered sufficient.
8
Creative Visualization. Use the power of Creative Visualization. Creative Visualization is a technique that involves the use of mental energy to transform and improve the life of the individual who uses the technique. You can use your brain’s mental energy to improve your life because your imagination is incredibly powerful and
when used correctly
can enhance your life by creating what you really want. Creative visualisation can be used to accelerate learning
improve memory and motivation
and of course
improve brainpower!
9
Develop your creativity and your intuition. Creativity gives power to your thinking. Raw computation can be done by computers now
but humans provide the creative thought that shapes our world. Intuition can be an important part of brainpower. Einstein and others have relied heavily on their intuitive hunches.
10
Make a brainpower plan. It takes about twenty to thirty days of repetition to establish new habits
many psychologists will tell you. This means that when you create your plan for improved brainpower
be sure you plan to use that new problem solving technique
or eat those new brain foods for at least three weeks. You can use many of the brain boosters here and get immediate results
but it is creating new habits that will give you the most brainpower.