Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin

John Cloud explains in TIME magazine why exercise alone is not the answer for weight loss.

... I have exercised like this — obsessively, a bit grimly — for years, but recently I began to wonder: Why am I doing this? Except for a two-year period at the end of an unhappy relationship — a period when I self-medicated with lots of Italian desserts — I have never been overweight. One of the most widely accepted, commonly repeated assumptions in our culture is that if you exercise, you will lose weight. But I exercise all the time, and since I ended that relationship and cut most of those desserts, my weight has returned to the same 163 lb. it has been most of my adult life. I still have gut fat that hangs over my belt when I sit. Why isn't all the exercise wiping it out? Read more

Zuzana Does One-Legged Squats

Zuzanna does four deep one-legged squats (pistols) on each leg.

100 Push-Ups by a GIRL!

Can you do 100 push ups? This girl can. She does take a short rest, which wouldn't be allowed in a physical fitness test, but even doing 100 push-ups in "sets" is still quite an accomplishment.

Strong Female Gymnast Does 20+ Pull Ups

Watch Chrissie, a female gymnast, do 20+ pull-ups. She struggles with the last few, but can you do more with better form? I didn't think so.

Chris and Faith One-Armed Push-Ups Competition

Chris and Faith compete for the one-armed push-up title, and the outcome creates controversy.

Melissa Does Handstand Push-ups

Melissa is by her own admission "awesome" at handstand push-ups. How many can YOU do?

Should You Get Your Drug Information from an Actor?

If you have osteoporosis, you might ask your doctor about prescribing the drug Boniva. After all, Sally Field takes it, so it must be good, right? Dr. Andrew Weil says, not necessarily.

Sally Field is a talented actor. But what qualifies her to promote Boniva, an osteoporosis drug that is of limited benefit, has worrisome side effects, and for which there are natural alternatives that merit careful consideration?

In "What's Wrong with American Medicine?" I point out that many high-technology treatments have a shadow side. In most areas of life, technological development has made services better and cheaper, but (with a few notable exceptions) it has made health care worse and more expensive. The result: an unhealthy populace and an economy that's lurching toward disaster. Read more

How to Work Out While Muslim and Female

So, you think you have excuses to avoid exercise? What if you were a Muslim woman who had to try to stay in shape while respecting your faith's modesty etiquette? Ever go jogging wearing a head scarf in hot weather?

For the pious Muslim woman, one of the greatest challenges of modern life is how to get a health-conscious work-out. In Iran, of course, the state mandates Islamic dress, so secular and faithful women alike must contend with religious codes that interfere with exercise. But the problem persists for individual Muslim women throughout the Islamic world and the West. It grabbed headlines this week when a Paris swimming pool refused entry to a young Muslim woman wearing a "burqini," a swim garment resembling a diving suit. In France the incident falls into a wider political debate over how to reconcile the country's Muslim immigrants to French secular values. And while the number of Muslim women in France — indeed throughout the world — who insist on such a severe covering as the burqa is small, the challenge of staying slim and Islamically proper is not. Read more

Turmeric Fights Body Fat

Could you imagine a common spice that is actually proven to help you lose weight? A recent study has shown that curcumin, the antioxidant found in turmeric, seems to reduce weight gain in mice and suppress the growth of fat tissue in mice and in cell models.

A diet high in turmeric may help reduce weight gain by suppressing the growth of new fat tissue, according to a study conducted by researchers from Tufts University and published in the Journal of Nutrition.

The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a grant from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

"Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue, which cannot happen unless new blood vessels form, a process known as angiogenesis," senior author Mohsen Meydani said. "Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets."

Curcumin is an antioxidant chemical in the polyphenol family that naturally occurs in turmeric. In contrast to some phytochemicals, it is easily absorbed by the body. Read more

Weight Training Helps Breast Cancer Survivors

A new study says that breast cancer survivors who engage in a progressive, supervised weight training program fare better than their counterparts who do not lift weights.

Occupational therapist Cathy Kleinman-Barnett works with breast cancer patients, but she has never encouraged women with lymphedema, a breast cancer-related swelling of the arm, to lift weights. A new study contradicts recommendations that breast cancer survivors avoid weight lifting, because of swelling.

However, she may be changing her tune, thanks to a new study in the August 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. It turns out that breast cancer survivors with lymphedema who engage in a progressive, supervised weight-lifting program fare better than their counterparts who do not lift weights. Read more

Marijuana Is Far Safer Than Alcohol

Marijuana is far safer than alcohol, so why are the feds prohibiting it and driving people to drink?

For 35 years the federal government has been well aware – yet publicly denied – that cannabis possesses potent anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. Even under the Obama administration, which promised to "base [their] public policies on the soundest of science," the myth that pot promotes cancer persists. In fact, the White House’s website, whitehousedrugpolicy.gov, presently warns, "Marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract."

Or not.

In a clinical abstract published online on journal of Cancer Prevention Research website in July, a team of U.S. investigators reported – with absolutely no mainstream media fanfare – that lifetime marijuana use is associated with a "significantly reduced risk" of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Read more

5 Home Remedies for Hair Loss

It is common for people to lose strands of their hair, especially when it is wet or when they comb it. Experts say that there is a need for some strands of hair to fall, so these can be replaced with a new set of hair strands. The average strands lost should about a hundred. Once there is excess in this number, then you might be suffering from hair loss. The following five home remedies can be used to deal with hair loss at home:

1. The wonders of massage

Ancient people have proven that massage can help stop excessive hair fall because it makes the follicles of the hair stronger. Aside from that, it is also good because it aids hair growth by putting the right amount of pressure on the scalp. Usually, this is done manually. You can do it yourself, or you can ask somebody to massage your scalp at home. If you don’t have enough energy to do manual massage on your own scalp, you can use an electric hair massage available in most wellness stores.

2. Hot oil treatments

Experts say that people who are prone to hair loss can benefit from hot oil treatments because these can help prevent falling hair and can cure minor scalp disorders as well. To get effective results, at least three treatments are advised weekly. You can do this at home with the use of a shower cap. You can buy ready-to-use hot oil treatments that contain oils of several herbs, such as sesame, olive, and coconut. For more relaxing hot oil treatment at home, choose those that contain essential oils such as thyme, lavender, and others.

3. Aloe vera extracts

Considered as a "wonder plant," aloe vera is popular with many people, especially those living in tropical countries, as a remedy for hair loss. Depending on the degree, aloe vera can be used as a shampoo by using fresh pulp that is directly applied on the hair and scalp, as a hair tonic along with other herbs, and a drink or oral aloe juice for the body to absorb its ingredients faster.

4. Mixture of cinnamon and honey

Many people say that one of the effective home remedies for hair loss is the combination of cinnamon powder and honey with olive oil because these contain properties that make the scalp as well as the hair stronger. By coming up with a paste that can be applied directly to from the hair's roots down to the scalp, people can make use of it before they use their favorite shampoo.

5. Extracts of ginger

A piece of ginger, once chopped and directly applied to the area of the head that has bald spots, can be an effective hair remedy for hair loss because it aids the healthy growth of hair follicles. Since it can be smelly, you can also use its extract that is combined with fine lead powder to get the best results.

Having a robust hairline does not make you a healthy individual, but for many, a receding hairline leads to declining self-esteem. With the right knowledge, you can reverse hair loss and stop it in its tracks. Armed with the most effective hair loss home remedies, you can start to fight back and regain your self-esteem.

For more information about inexpensive, natural programs to reverse hair loss, read my review of the two best programs I've found to reverse hair loss at my blog Reverse Hair Loss.

Hannibal for King

This video illustrates incredible upper body strength though I don't know what you call some of these exercises.

10 Ways to Fall Asleep More Easily

What are the top ten ways to fall asleep more easily? Find out and vote on your favorite.

For people who have trouble falling asleep, bedtime is the start of the most stressful part of the day. Instead of tossing and turning, try some of our suggestions to help you rock yourself to sleep. Some are not new, but are so often forgotten. Consider this your reminder. Read more

Eat Your Way to Health and Fitness

Eliminate carb confusion and lighten your glycemic load, says Dr. Julian Whitaker.

The diet and weight loss industry is booming. Everywhere you turn, there's one gimmick or another guaranteed to melt the pounds away. From billboards and magazines to TV and radio ads, you can't escape the promises of the latest and greatest. Trying to figure out what works and what doesn't is enough to drive you crazy.

Folks, forget about low-fat this, carb-free that, and diets that require rocket science-level math to compute portion sizes and caloric intake. There's an easy way to eat your way to health and fitness. Read more