Scientists say that your brain is one of the most complex structures in the universe with trillions of cells and neurons interconnected in a network allowing your body to function, heal, and recreate subconsciously. The brain is connected to the rest of your body through your spine and nervous system. Your spine is your LIFELINE.

Look well to the spine as the cause of disease

-          Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine

A fundamental predictor of health and lack of health is how well your spine is functioning. Determining how your spine is positioned and performing tells you whether you are in a state of health or in a state of dis-ease (a precursor to disease).

Checking Out Your Spine

Two primary methods of assessing your spine is posture and X-ray.

Posture

When you look at a person from the front, their spine should

One of the most curious things I’ve found over this past year researching and discussing weight loss  is that everyone has their own mantras, philosphies, and tactics that help them lose weight.  Some of them make sense, but the majority of them are a little extreme, and require the person to be totally “dialed in” to the process.

As much as this doesn’t suit my desired lifestyle, its important to understand that in the war against body fat, you have to do whatever works to get you to your goal… as long as its not harming you or anyone around you.  John Durfee, literally looks at fitness and weight loss as a war and he explains his strategic and tactical manifesto in this article. Enjoy!

When you think of drinking tea does the Queen Mum sipping in white gloves immediately pop into mind? Or do you instantly think of grandma and the girls playing bridge all afternoon? Well push those old memories aside because Oolong tea is good for your body, good for your looks and not just for old people and the British anymore!

[You don't have to be crazy to join the Oolong Tea Party!]

Taken from the Chinese, “wu long” translates literally as black dragon. Oolong is a semi-fermented tea, giving it a flavor very different from green and black teas. Despite what you may have heard, oolong can help make you healthier while you lose fat! Click here to continue reading

It seems lately that every celebrity, young and old, is extolling the benefits of the P90X workout program. This program has purportedly helped Usher keep his dance grooves moving, while Taylor Lautner swears P90X allowed him to bare his totally buff chest in those vampire flicks. The real question is, can P90X help you pursue your weight loss goals?

[Lautner credits P90X for his buff bod....are these results you could live with? 'Cause I totally can!]

What IS p90X?

P90X, also known as Power 90 Extreme, is a weight loss program designed for home use. The claim made by P90X creator Tony Horton is that this weight loss program will improve overall physical fitness in…90 days! Sounds good, right?

Put aside what you may have heard or read about guarana. If you want the real truth, we’ll let you know and we won’t overdo it or sugar coat anything.

Guarana has been increasing in popularity majorily because of the increase in popularity of energy drinks. All of the major brands of energy drinks include guarana as one of their many ingredients.

As far as energy drinks go, they can be dangerous but are okay in moderation. Check out the study here on the adverse effects and possible medical problems that can occur through the use of energy drinks.

[ Guarana is a very popular soda flavor in Brazil and has been for years, long before it became a diet substance.]

To get the straight facts on guarana side effects

Life is normally not very exciting. Most of us get up in the morning and live each day almost as an exact mimic of the one before.

We rise, brush our teeth, wash away our less than lovely aromas, go to work, deal with it on a reactive level, come home, toss in a frozen dinner, watch a little TV, and get ready to shut ‘er down and start it all over again the following day.

Personally, fitness is just one weapon I use in my arsenal to break up this boring cycle. Three or four times a week I’ll step into a gym, or onto a running trail and tell myself, “Self, you are going to be better than you were the last time we were here.” Then I don’t just “work out”, I train.

To be stronger. To be faster. To be better than I currently am.

Whether you are a professional athlete or playing on team at your local YMCA or aiming for a personal best in your next workout, what you eat and drink day-to-day will affect how well you can train.

If you don’t eat well you may lack the energy to train with intensity and duration, break down your body’s lean tissue (muscle) for energy, lose bone strength, or get sick or injured.

In today’s post, we take a look at the importance of three key ingredients (carbohydrates, fat and protein) in your daily caloric intake and provide estimates on appropriate amounts for those individuals who have established a regular exercise routine.

Carbohydrate

Why do we need it? Everybody, from marathon runners to body builders, need carbohydrates. It provides quick energy for your muscles

In order to reach your fat loss goals or improve your performance, people are often tempted to turn to supplements. Ever flipped through a fitness magazine? You are bombarded with glossy before/after pictures, medical and chemical diagrams, all the while trying to convince you that your efforts are going to waste without their products.

Sometimes supplements can be helpful when you have established appropriate eating habits and exercise regularly. However, sometimes they can be harmful with risks ranging from mild nausea to organ damage or even death. There is no shortage of supplements on the market. Unfortunately, many of them don’t work as claimed and haven’t

You read, you see, and you hear about all these diet fads and tricks that are supposed to help you lose fat quickly and build hard muscle. You start to follow them religiously and think your on your way to a bikini body in no time.

But when you look in the mirror or step on the scale you actually.. gulp.. gained weight! What the fudge? Frustrating, I know. So let’s blow the whistle on these tricks and find out what you really should be doing.

Your favorite foods are now low-fat and sugar-free

Research suggests that when a food is described as a low-fat or sugar free, we’ve subconsciously given our ourselves the green light to eat

With the first day of spring officially here yesterday, you may be tempted to pull your bike out of storage and start commuting everywhere and anywhere immediately.

I don’t blame you since the benefits of biking (as with any endurance activity) are many such as improved physical fitness, weight loss, decreased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Additionally, biking is great for the environment and easier on your wallet (gas and parking money be gone).

However, before heading out on your first biking adventure, here is a safety checklist to complete first: