I. Straight Sets With Varied Weight

(You do a set, then rest for a minute, then do
another set of the same exercise.)

a. Pyramid (light to heavy)
You start with a light weight with fifteen reps. For the next set, you add
enough weight so you can only do about ten to twelve reps. Continue to add weight
so for your next set, you will only be able to do about eight to ten reps.
b. Reverse Pyramid (heavy to light)
Make sure your muscles are warm before you try this routine. You start with
your heaviest weights first while you are the freshest, and decrease the weight each
time in the following sets while increasing the number of reps in the sets. Rest
between sets for this routine is minimal.
II. Multiple Sets

(You do two or more sets in a row with no rest for the same or
different body parts.)
a. Supersets (with opposing muscle groups)
Common supersets are done with biceps and triceps, quads and hamstrings,
and back and chest. You do one set of one muscle (biceps) and immediately do one
set of the opposite muscle (triceps). This increases your intensity, saves time, and
promotes muscular balance.

b. Supersets (with non-related muscle groups)
You do one set immediately after another using non-related muscle groups
like squats (legs) and bent over rows (back). Since you aren’t using opposing
muscles, one group can recover while you are doing a set of the other. This saves
time, burns calories, and increases overall conditioning.
c. Compound Sets
You do two or more consecutive exercises for the same muscle group. Each
exercise is different but works the same muscle group. You work the muscle from
different angles, get a great pump, and stimulate a greater number of muscle fibers by
doing multiple sets in a row.
III. Shocking Your Muscles
Beginning strength trainers should use straight sets with constant weight in
order for the body to adapt to the new stress being put upon it. You should
concentrate on proper technique and form to avoid possible injury.
If the same stress—exercise—is put on the muscle continuously, the body
adapts to it and eventually stops producing results. After you have learned the proper
form and technique and have built a solid foundation, you will want to start trying
new things to shock your muscles into continued growth.
Shocking Techniques
• Changing the order of your exercises. Always work larger body parts before
smaller ones, but change around the order of the exercises you do for each one
of them.
• Work weak body parts twice a week instead of once. Make sure you wait at
least forty-eight hours before working out the same body part again.
• Switch your exercises for body parts. Try new ones that hit the muscle from a
slightly different angle.
• Try using a light weight and holding the weight still at the peak of contraction
for five to ten seconds on each repetition. This is basically isometrics using
weights.
• Try using a medium weight and wait two seconds to start each repetition after
completing one. This takes any possible momentum out of the picture. It
requires greater concentration and focus to get the weight moving and will
result in some good gains.
• Try doing “negatives.” After contracting the muscle, release the contraction
slowly and smoothly back to the starting point.

By Doctor Joseph Mercola

Supposed common knowledge is that whey isolate is the best form of protein powder. Many supposed experts favor whey isolate. Here are some of the reasons I’m NOT in favor of using isolates in any protein powder… because whey isolate…

• Is derived from pasteurized dairy and processed with heat and acid.
• Goes through a process that removes the fat, which in turn removes important components of whey’s immunological properties… healthful properties such as phospholipids, phosphatidylserine, and cortisol.
• Cheats you out of IgG immunoglobulins, which are excellent sources of glutamine and cysteine bound to fat globules.
• Hinders your body from effectively assimilating proteins in this isolated form.
• Is deficient in key amino acids and nutritional cofactors.

The bottom line with whey isolate… if you over-process the protein and remove the fat, you’re left with clearly inferior whey protein. That’s why I like whey concentrate… from raw unpasteurized milk… from grass-fed cows… and cold processed to avoid over-processing and heat damage.

Avoid Soy Lecithin

Many whey protein powders are not GMO free. And often at the heart of this matter is a cheap soy-based compound called soy lecithin. Soy lecithin is the part of the soy that’s left over as garbage after petroleum processing and bleaching. It’s the heart-destroying oil that makes up the trans fats in every kind of junk food you can think of. Sound like something you want to eat?

RICO’S COMMENTS:

All protein is not created equal. You get exactly what you pay for. You are what you eat and supplement with. All whey protein isolates are devoid of alkalizing minerals, naturally occurring vitamins, and lipids, which are lost in the processing. This renders them deficient and overly acidifying (Unlike whole protein food concentrates which does not acidify your body due to its alkalinizing minerals). Remember one of the most important keys in optimal health is to have an ALKALINE pH.  A word of warning: soy lecithin is in many isolate AND concentrate powders out there. READ YOUR LABELS!

This new info is very non-mainstream knowledge that needs to get out. I doubt most protein companies would like it if it did!  95% of all supplements in a health food/supplement store are terrible for you. They are full of additives, food dyes, sugar, toxic sugar, chemicals, etc. Some have almost all good ingredients but are sweetened by SUCRALOSE, a toxic sweetener that has numerous health risks. One of the worst is that it kills the good gut bacteria in your stomach, resulting in an imbalance in good and bad. This results in Candida, yeast overgrowth which surfaces as over 30 DIFFERENT HEALTH PROBLEMS that a western doctor will never diagnose. Most people in our country have messed up digestive systems because of this (and taking antibiotics) with an inability to digest and absorb what they eat and supplement with. It also affects their immune system and production of Serotonin, which primarily are located in the gut: our second brain.

Practice GOOD GUT HEALTH. Most Americans have Candida, resulting from an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in their gut and intestinal tract. This surfaces as over 30 health problems that Western Doctors hardly ever diagnose. This is caused by antibiotics that doctors prescribe like candy, and the consumption of sugar-free sweeteners such as SUCRALOSE, which is in almost everything you buy in a store these days. (but who reads nutrition facts panels?!) . Both of these kill the good bacteria in your gut. Your gut bacteria outnumber your cells by 10 to 1 (100 trillion to 10 trillion). Did you know that 80% of your immune system lives in your gut? If you aren’t eating organic chicken and grass fed beef then you are eating everything the cow/chicken was injected with or ate. Take a strong PROBIOTIC every morning 15 minutes before your first meal of the day. They will resupply your intestinal tract with proper bacteria and help ensure proper digestion, keep a strong immune system and to rid yourself of stubborn belly fat.

Research has shown that every ten years the body’s production of enzymes decreases by 13%. With age comes the need for supplementation. The typical American diet consists of considerably more enzyme-deficient cooked food than enzyme-rich raw food. When you eat cooked or processed foods, you are depleting your enzyme potential.

Think about this—if you cook your food in any way—grill, microwave, broil, bake, steam, etc.—your food is frozen, canned, or pasteurized, the enzymes have been destroyed. Most of our foods are cooked or processed, so it’s easy to see that we routinely deprive our bodies of much-needed enzymes on a daily basis. Our digestive system is working overtime to try and process the foods we eat. Anyone over 40 needs to take DIGESTIVE ENZYMES with every meal to properly absorb and utilize the nutrients in your food. You are only what you eat and ABSORB and ASSIMILATE.

FOOD COMBINE. The typical American diet is unbelievably bad. We put everything on a plate (proteins, starches, fats and sweets) and eat it all together without thought of the problem of digesting it that way.  Protein foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and nuts require acid based digestive juices to break them down. Starches such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes require an alkaline base for proper digestion. If you mix an acid and an alkaline they neutralize each other.  If you give your body a mixed food of protein and carbohydrate at the same time, the digestion process is more complicated, needs more time, the food is not digested completely, decomposes and ferments and putrefies, losing many nutrients.

There is no known need to eat sugar or starches. If there were, it would be an essential nutrient, which glucose is not. It is not listed on any list of essential (or even conditionally essential) nutrients (that we must obtain from our diet because we cannot make them sufficiently ourselves)

In correct food combining the food is correctly pre-digested, passes your stomach in maximally two hours, is digested properly and excreted daily. You feel easy, brisk, and healthy. It helps you lose weight, have better digestion, better waste elimination, more energy, a higher rate of metabolism, and you’ll feel hungry less often

 The Basic Rules of Food Combining

1. Eat proteins only with vegetables
   2. Eat protein foods and starches at separate meals
   3. Eat starches with vegetables and other starches
   4. Eat fats and proteins at separate meals
   5. Eat fruits alone
   6. Eat melons alone

You can avoid GM foods that are not found in processed foods, if you know what to look for.

There are currently eight genetically modified food crops on the market:

Soy
Sugar from sugar beets
Corn
Hawaiian papaya
Cottonseed (used in vegetable cooking oils)
Some varieties of zucchini
Canola (canola oil)
Crookneck squash

This means you should avoid products with corn, soy, canola, and any of their derivatives listed as an ingredient, unless it’s labeled USDA 100% Organic.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

GMO foods mess with NATURE. They are so wrong in many, many ways. If you don’t know this you need to do your homework. They are hidden in most things (about 90%!) in your local grocery store. Use this list to check what you are buying to make sure they are not in it. The closer you stay to nature in your diet the healthier you will be.

CHLORELLA

* From The Underground Health Reporter

Chlorella is the No. 1 anti-aging food that not only helps keep your skin  youthful and wrinkle-free, but also enables you to live longer?

Chlorella is a single-celled, water-grown algae that contains more chlorophyll per gram than any other plant.  It is extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and many other nutrients that are beneficial to health.

Chlorella also abounds in nucleic acids, which control cellular function and heredity.  Two forms of nucleic acid are DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).  It is chlorella’s nucleic acid content that gives it rejuvenating properties.

Of the nucleic acid-rich foods Dr. Frank recommended, sardines top the list. He recommended consuming one or two cans of sardines each day, and claimed that his patients not only looked and felt more youthful because of it, but also alleviated health problems such as heart disease, emphysema, arthritis, memory loss, dimming vision and depression.

Sardines contain 1.5% nucleic acids, compared to red meat, which contains only 0.05%. Chlorella has 17 times more RNA than canned sardines, making it the top anti-aging food with longevity factors, according to the latest research of Dr. Minchinori in Japan.  That’s exponentially more rejuvenating power than Dr. Frank’s sardine recommendation!

Chlorella is not just the top anti-aging food, but it’s a super food that has been used to treat some of the world’s most devastating diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s and even AIDS.  This all-natural healing food is believed to effectively reduce the symptoms of  other chronic diseases.

The phycocyanin found in chlorella also helps the body produce more stem cells, which is a great immune booster and can actually be used to destroy bacteria and viruses within the body.

One of the stellar aspects of chlorella is something called its growth factor, which allows it to quadruple itself every 20 hours — faster than any food crop on earth.  This amazing ability is one reason why chlorella works so fast at healing and repairing tissues and cells.  Since it quickly multiples the growth of good bacteria in the bowel, it is able to help the body eliminate dangerous free radicals more easily.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

I take chlorella 3 times a day. It’s not a pill or a prescription. It’s nature in it’s purest form. As you can see it combats several health conditions naturally. There are all the cures you need in nature, not in a drug. Eat as nature intended you to eat: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean meats.

from http://www.easyhealthoptions.com

Those of us who try to eat a healthy diet usually pick out our foods with care. Besides being concerned about what we eat, though, we need to pay attention to what our food is eating. Recent studies of supermarket chickens show that they are being fed arsenic, banned antibiotics, Benadryl and caffeine. Much of this undoubtedly ends up in our chicken dinners.

Despite the recent findings of undesirable chemical residues in chicken, we’re supposed to believe that the levels are too low to affect human health. But reassurances from the agricultural industry about the harmlessness of these toxins are not too reassuring — not when analyses show the birds are consuming drugs like Benadryl that you would never expect to be in your drumsticks and chicken wings.

Banned Antibiotics

Originally, the tests on chicken were designed to check the birds only for antibiotics. In those experiments, the researchers found evidence the chickens were being fed floroquinolones, broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat serious bacterial infections in people, particularly those infections that have become resistant to older antibiotic drugs. These findings were an unpleasant surprise because floroquinolones have been banned for use in U.S. poultry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2005.

“The discovery of certain antibiotics in feather meal strongly suggests the continued use of these drugs, despite the ban put in place in 2005 by the FDA,” says David Love, another one of the researchers. “The public health community has long been frustrated with the unwillingness of FDA to effectively address what antibiotics are fed to food animals.”

The laboratory tests of feathers also showed the presence of acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and caffeine. Chicken from China was found to contain ingredients linked to Prozac.

“This study reveals yet another pathway of unwanted human exposure to a surprisingly broad spectrum of prescription and over-the-counter drugs,” notes study co-author Rolf Halden, of Arizona State University.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

This is factory farms growing chickens as fast as they can for profit. YOU ARE EATING WHAT THE CHICKEN ATE AND WAS INJECTED WITH when you eat conventional chicken. Not for one second do they care about your health, as you can see. There is only one way to live healthy. BUY ORGANIC, FREE RANGE CHICKENS, raised without hormones, antibiotics and all of the other nasty stuff that factory farms feed and inject  chickens with.

Magnesium Stearate

	Magnesium Stearate in supplements

Magnesium stearate is a white substance, solid at room temperature, used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical and supplement tablets and capsules. It is composed of magnesium and stearic acid, and oftentimes, palmitic acid as well.

It’s in 95% of all Supplements!

The primary role of magnesium stearate in supplements is to act as a lubricant to prevent tablet and capsule contents from sticking to the machinery that processes them. This ensures that production machinery can operate at maximum speeds and profit targets can be met. In other words, it is primarily used for financial reasons.

What are the Pros and Cons of Magnesium Stearate?

Pros

The pros are for manufacturers that want to improve profit margins. It is far more costly and time-intensive to produce supplements without magnesium stearate.

Cons

Reduction of dissolution time

It is commonly noted in medical literature that magnesium stearate increases the time it takes for tablets and capsules to dissolve due to the film it forms on capsule or tablet ingredients. Magnesium stearate coats a good portion of the molecules in a tablet or capsule, requiring digestive enzymes to break down the magnesium stearate coating before being able to access the nutrients it envelops.

In a study published in the journal Pharmaceutical Technology (April, 1985), the percent dissolution for capsules after 20 minutes in solution went from 90% without stearates to 25% with stearates. In other words, stearates reduced the rate the capsule dissolved by 65%! This may result in the nutrients not dissolving in the appropriate section of the intestines as intended. We are particularly concerned about individuals with impaired digestion who may have more difficulty absorbing nutrients coated with magnesium stearate.

Are there metal catalysts in your supplement?

Hydrogenated oils are a common source for the magnesium stearate used in pharmaceuticals and supplements. The stearates are made by hydrogenating cottonseed or palm oil. Cottonseed oil has the highest content of pesticide residues of all commercial oils; cotton crops are heavily sprayed. In the hydrogenation process, the oil is subjected to high heat and pressure in the presence of a metal catalyst for several hours, creating a hydrogenated saturated fat. Hydrogenated vegetable fats contain altered molecules derived from fatty acids. According to Udo Erasmus in Fats and Oils, the metal catalyst used in the hydrogenation process may also contaminate the stearates produced.

RICO’S COMMENTS: If it isn’t one thing, it’s another! This is why I always tell you to read your nutrition facts panel very carefully. No one ever reads the part that says “other ingredients”. Only super conscientious  companies use 100% quality ingredients in all their pills and capsules. It’s harder today, than at any other time in our history to be healthy. 

rom www.mercola.com

Artificial sweeteners are frequently recommended as a practical way of replacing sugar found in the modern diet. But the research on nonnutritive sweeteners such as these three shows they’re far from healthful alternatives to sugar. First of all, contrary to popular belief, research has shown that they can:

• Stimulate your appetite
• Increase carbohydrate cravings
• Stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In fact, diet sodas, which are well-known sources of artificial sweeteners, may actually double your risk of obesity!

So much for being a dieter’s best friend… Furthermore, aspartame (rebranded Aminosweet two years ago)—best known under the names of Nutrasweet and Equal—is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined.

The artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (Acesulfame-K) has been linked to kidney problems, and sucralose—best known as Splenda—has been found to wreak havoc with the healthful bacteria in your gut…  ALL artificial sweeteners are bad news for your health.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

Stevia—The Healthy, Safe Sweetener   

Stevia is a South American plant and it is estimated to be some 150 to 400 times sweeter than sugar, so it is used in extremely small amounts.  It’s a safe, natural sweetener that is virtually calorie-free. Stevia has been used safely for many years by millions of people all over the world. There are hundreds of scientific studies showing stevia’s safety. Check out www.stevia.com

from www.theherbalspirit.com

Today, there are more than 77,000 chemicals in active production in this country.  Our exposure to these chemicals is greater now than at any time since the beginning of the industrial revolution.  When ingested, these chemicals can remain in the body for years, altering our metabolism, causing enzyme dysfunction/nutritional deficiencies; creating hormonal imbalances and lowering our threshold of resistance to chronic disease.  These toxins block the cells’ ability to exchange oxygen, receive nourishment and produce energy.  We are continually subjected to poor air quality, chemically contaminated food and water, household cleaners, paint fumes, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides and heavy metals.  When our bodies exceed the limit that we can excrete, we begin to store these toxins (in the blood, musculature, organs and lymph.)  This toxic accumulation compromises our physiological and psychological health and leads to chronic diseases and other ailments.

The average person who uses a Far Infrared Sauna is exposed to temperatures in the range of 100°F to 130°F for approximately 30-45 minutes compared to 10-15 minutes in a Finnish sauna.  Traditional Finnish saunas usually operate at temperatures of 110°F to 150°F.  Most people cannot tolerate temperatures in this range for extended periods of time, as it can cause excessive perspiration and the drying out of mucous membranes.

Many symptoms that are associated with chemical and heavy metal toxicity include allergies, acne, anxiety, chronic fatigue, depression, eczema, frequent colds or flu, insomnia, memory loss, mood swings, muscle and joint pain, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia and many more. The Far Infrared Sauna is recognized by health practitioners world-wide as perhaps the most effective heat method of removing chemical and heavy metal toxins from the body.  Its relatively low heat emission makes it the detox method of choice for chronically ill patients as well as those that are in good health and wish to stay that way by reducing the level of toxicity in their bodies.

A typical sauna session will cause a brief 1°F to 3°F increase in body temperature.  This is the equivalent of a mild fever, which is the body’s natural defense against bacteria/viruses.  This beneficial side effect of the Far Infrared Sauna triggers the production of white blood cells and T cells, stimulating the immune system.

The body’s natural response to heat is to maintain homeostasis.  It does this by diverting blood from the organs to the extremities and skin.  This increases heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate.  Medical research indicates that use of a Far Infrared Sauna may be as effective a means of cardiovascular conditioning similar to but not a substitute for regular exercise.  This is important to those individuals who are not physically capable of regular exercise.

Additionally, Far Infrared Therapy may assist in weight loss and weight control.  It does this by reducing heavy metals, which are directly related to metabolic imbalances in the body. Metabolic imbalances in the body cause poor digestion and weight gain.  It also decreases the amount of toxins stored in fat.  Fat-stored toxins can prevent the body from eliminating the fat itself.  Although weight loss due to perspiration is quickly regained, sending more blood to the capillaries and converting fats and carbohydrates results in as much as 600 calories burned during one short session.

Continuous strain on the nervous system often leads to a high level of stress, one of the elusive causes of many chronic diseases.  Repeated sessions can result in a considerable drop in average stress levels and promote a calming atmosphere, especially if aromatherapy is used.

The Far Infrared Sauna can help restore health and balance to your body.

HOW DOES IT WORK?:

FIR has the ability to penetrate, refract, radiate and reflect. The human body can absorb FIR because of its deep penetrating ability. When FIR penetrates through skin to the subcutaneous tissues, it transforms from light energy into heat energy. The thermal effect within the deep layers of the tissues causes bloods vessels and capillaries to dilate, promoting a better blood circulation, and the heat so produced helps to get rid of body toxins and metabolic wastes through sweating.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

I have had a Far Infrared Sauna Dome for several years now. As you can see above it’s an amazing machine with many, many health benefits. As a health expert I know that the MOST IMPORTANT KEYS in achieving optimal health, PREVENTING DISEASE and slowing down the AGING PROCESS is maintaining an ALKALINE pH and DETOXIFYING your body. Unless you have an ongoing system of ALKALIZING & DETOXING your body, you will become a statistic. 7 out of 10 die from PREVENTABLE chronic disease: Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. Most people I know don’t practice ANY detoxing. It’s just a matter of time before chronic disease sets in, in the form of some type of cancer, heart problem, Diabetes, etc. Trust me it’s a 100% sure thing with the amount of toxins, even very careful people absorb on a daily basis.. This machine is worth it’s weight in gold. They have come way down in price as technology has gotten better: a great investment for it’s tremendous benefits.