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Topical Agents

Topical treatments for relieving joint pain include gels, patches and liquid. Topical agents have different strengths depending on whether the pain is low, moderate or high. However, these are not given without prescription.

It’s been seen that topical agents have the same effect on pain as NSAIDs but they have more benefits than side effects. These agents might not be suitable for everyone but people who want to avoid oral treatments can benefit from them.

Diclofenac sodium 1% gel is a topical gel that is used for treating patients of osteoarthritis. This gel is suitable for hand, wrists and elbow arthritis. The patient has to apply 2 grams of the gel on affected area four times in a day. It can also be used for knee or ankle arthritis but then 4 grams of the gel have to be applied.
The amount used in a day should not be over 32 grams. When you buy the gel, a dosing card accompanies it so you can measure the amount for daily usage.

A diclofenac epolamine 1.3% patch is also available for pain relief. You just have to apply the patch twice a day to the painful joint.

Topical treatments may also be in form of drops such as diclofenac sodium 2% liquid. To apply this, you have to put 40 drops on each knee four times in a day, as it is best for knee arthritis.

Other than these topical treatments, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can also be made into topical solutions. Topical agents are best for joints that are closer to the surface. So, they’ll help relieve pain that comes with hand, elbows and ankle arthritis.

Those who can’t take oral medication because they are diabetic or have heart problems can use topical agents instead. Likewise, people who have a history of gastrointestinal problems or ulcers should opt for topical agents rather than oral NSAIDs.

Injections

Injections are the middle ground between surgery and oral medication. If oral NSAIDs don’t work for you and you’re not yet ready for surgery, then injections are your fix. Hyaluronic acid injections are given for knee arthritis to supplement the natural hyaluronic acid present in the joints.

When injected into a joint, it helps reduce pain and inflammation. These injections are given three to five times a week. The doctor would first insert an empty syringe into the knee to remove fluid from the knee to make room for hyaluronic acid. Then, hyaluronic acid supplement is injected into the emptied area.

Corticosteroid injections are also given for reducing pain and inflammation. These injections are also given directly and are most suitable for knee osteoarthritis. The benefit of these injections can last for a few weeks or even six months.

Although these injections don’t have as many side effects as oral medications, it doesn’t mean that they have no risks associated with them. Doctors normally limit the number of injections you get since excessive use of these injections can actually contribute to cartilage breakdown.

Arthrocentesis is a process in which a hollow needle is inserted into the joint and the joint fluid is removed. Oftentimes, this fluid is removed so that it can be tested in labs but when excess fluid is removed, pain and inflammation is also sufficiently reduced. Sometimes, doctors can insert corticosteroid injections into the same place from where the joint fluid was removed.

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Introduction

Dear Readers,

Ever thought of making money in an industry with a HUGE market demand, UNPARALLELED growth potential and MASSIVE income possibilities?

How would you like to position yourself strategically and tap into one of the largest trends in the history of mankind?

Look no further. This book will reveal to you how the HEALTH and WELLNESS industry holds the key to any budding entrepreneur on how to cash in on a rising trend.

Now, think back:

What trends were the hottest at their time?

• The Microwave
• The VCR
• The Computers and the Internet

What next?

Imagine if you were there and you started it. Or what if Bill Gates was to form Microsoft in the beginning and was looking for shareholders and investors, what would you be doing?

Would you be telling your grandchildren how you cashed in and made a fortune? Or would you tell them how missed it and how OTHER PEOPLE are making theirs?

In this book you will learn all about how

• Baby-boomers in America changed the markets in the world forever
• What are the current uptrends and downtrends yesterday, today and tomorrow
• What a multi-billion dollar demand will look like in a few years time
• How network marketing companies are cashing in on the wave
• How YOU or Anyone can tap into this market and make a fortune! Read on to unlock the secret…

CHAPTER 1

Who are the baby-boomers?

The growth of an unstoppable market

This is the definition of the baby boomers from Wikipedia.

A Baby boomer is someone who was born during a period of increased birth rates, or Baby boom, and the term is particularly applied to those born during the post-World War II period of increased birth rates. In the United States, the term is iconic and more properly capitalized as Baby Boomers.

These people are significant in the formation of a new economy of supply in demand. Never in the history of man, has the baby boomers generation sparked such a massive market gap to be filled.

We all heard of first mover’s advantage, where the pioneer of a new market has considerable advantages. If successful, his market dominance gives him a considerable advantage compared to the others who come in later and try to differentiate themselves either on price or service rather than innovation. Furthermore, market dominance allows one to set the barriers of entry or the standard of quality.

Back to the example of Bill Gates:

If you were to own a large portion of Microsoft shares during its inception, where would you be today? Of course not all of us will be able to proudly proclaim that I was there when it started. Most people didn’t identify the trend and come in when it is too late!

The same would also apply to big name companies like Yahoo! and Google.

It is no point trying to get into a saturated market. There will be too much barriers of entries and competitive forces in the market. What we need to do is identify the needs of the market BEFORE it saturates or even better, before it starts.

We can set the trend instead of following one!

The baby boomers are the main key to this role because of their buying power as well as their sheer numbers. Large numbers will be the key because the first movers, who position themselves strategically, will sell product after product to a hungry market and have his or her financial position secured for decades.

In the next chapter, we will explore where these baby boomers come from and how to anticipate their demands from a historical perspective.

When did it happen?

The baby boomers applied to people who are born after 2nd World War II and before the Vietnam War, thus possibly comprising more than one generation. Most people speculate that year will be around 1946 to 1964 but the exact year is hard to determine because it might vary from place to place. These boomers within that time frame is significant to predicting the market demand and the timing as well.

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Abbreviations & Units

Several common abbreviations are used in the recipes to for different measurements. These are:

Abbreviation: Definition:
c. cup
tbsp. tablespoon (US)
tsp. teaspoon
oz. ounce
g gram
lbs. pound

The units are standard US measurements. The following table can be used to convert these to metric units:

Unit: Conversion:
1 cup ~ 240 ml (236.6)
1 tablespoon (US) ~ 15 ml (14.8)
1 teaspoon (US) ~ 5 ml (4.9 ml)
1 ounce 28.3 grams
1 pound 453.6 grams

Ground Turkey Omelette

Serves 2
Ingredients
8 large, fresh egg whites
2 large whole eggs
2 small, raw onions, diced
3 oz. ground, raw turkey
1 1/2 cups canned kidney beans, drained (any type)
1 c. chopped green bell peppers
1 c. chopped red bell peppers
1 c. raw mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 dash ground black pepper.
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce.
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3 cloves raw garlic, minced
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

Directions

Saute’ turkey, vegetables and spices - except turmeric - in a non-stick skillet w/1 tsp olive oil until tender. In mixing bowl, whip the eggs, egg whites and turmeric together. Pre-heat 2 tsp olive oil in a second skillet, then add 1/4 egg mixture and cook until omelet is formed. Repeat to make 4 omelettes. Place 1 omelette on plate, top with 1/2 of the turkey mixture, then place 1 omelette on top to form a sandwich. Repeat to form 2nd sandwich. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information
Calories (Per Serving): 508
Protein (g): 42
Carbohydrates (g): 50.5
Fat (g): 17
Carb - Protein - Fat % Ratio: 39 % - 32% - 29%

The perfect omelettes you’re served in restaurants are flipped. Flipping an omelette is a skill that takes some practice to master. If you’ve never done it before, you may have a mess on your hands. A simpler solution is to use a rubber spatula to gently lift up the layer of cooked eggs, and let the uncooked, liquid portion slide underneath. Hold the pan underneath the broiler for a few moments to completely set the top.

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CHEST BEGINNER

FOR MOST GUYS, “CHEST DAY” IS the best day of the week, training-wise. Here we set you on the right path in your chest quest with a machine-heavy routine that primes your pectorals for more specialised training down the road.

Some things to keep in mind...

>> As a beginner, err on the light side when choosing a weight. If you can’t finish the listed reps, it’s too heavy.

>> As a note for here and throughout the issue, if you see a decreasing rep scheme, pyramid up the weight each set; if the reps are the same set to set, choose one challenging weight and use it for all the listed sets of that exercise.

SMITH-MACHINE INCLINE PRESS

START: Position yourself on an incline bench (about 45 degrees) so that the bar touches the top of your chest just below your collarbone. Once your position is set, get up and load the bar, then lie back onto the bench and grasp the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.

MOVE: Press the bar straight up, stopping just short of elbow lockout. (Feel your pecs contract to bring your arms up above your torso.) Pause at the top and lower the bar under control to your upper chest.

10 MUSCLE&FITNESS DECLINE

BARBELL PRESS

START: Lie back on a bench set to about a 30–40 degree decline. Grasp the barbell with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Lift the bar from the supports and hold it over your lower chest, arms extended.

MOVE: Lower the barbell to your chest, touching down to your lower pecs lightly before pushing the bar back up to full extension.

#1 EXERCISE SETS REPS

Smith-Machine Incline Press (or) 3 15, 12, 10 Decline Barbell Press* 3 15, 12, 10 Machine Pullover 2 10 Pec-Deck Flye 2 10 Push-Up (or) 2 10 Parallel-Bar Dip* 2 10

* On your first and last exercise, switch back and forth between the two listed options, workout to workout.

MUSCLE&FITNESS 11 ROBERT REIFF MACHINE PULLOVER

START: Sit in a pullover machine, grasping the handles with both hands while placing your elbows against the elbow pads.

MOVE: Bring the handles down in front of your torso, pause for a moment, then return back to the start under full control. To keep your pecs active, put more emphasis on pushing the bar down with your hands, rather than leading with your elbows pressing against the pads. In addition, actively flex your entire chest as you pull the bar down; using this “flexing” technique on all your chest exercises will help you develop the mind/muscle link that in time gives you pinpoint control over your muscles and their actions.

PEC-DECK FLYE

START: Sit in a pec-deck station, placing your elbows and forearms on the pads. For best results, position your arms so that your elbows fall just below your shoulders, and limit the stretch to just behind your chest. MOVE: Squeeze your pecs to bring the pads together in front of your chest. Flex your chest hard at the moment in the exercise when your elbows are together and always lower the weight under strict control. Don’t bounce.

PUSH-UP

START: The traditional “drop-and-give-me- 50” push-up is done with a flat back and hands just outside your shoulders (on steps or the floor).

MOVE: Press to full extension, keeping your elbows pointing out, and lower under control. Don’t sag in the middle.

PARALLELBAR DIP

START: Grasp the bars with your arms extended and locked. Lean forward, bend your knees and cross your legs.

MOVE: Keep your elbows out to your sides as you lower yourself down, dropping until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor. Squeezing your palms toward each other in an isometric fashion, begin pressing back up until your arms are again fully extended. Be sure to keep leaning forward or the exercise focus will shift more to your triceps.

12 MUSCLE&FITNESS CHEST 15-MINUTE DO YOU ALWAYS FIND YOURSELF

short on time? No problem — we give a 15-minute workout for every bodypart in this issue, starting with chest.

>> The first two exercises and the last two are compound sets, which are two exercises for the same bodypart done back to back with no rest in between. For instance, on your first set you’ll do the Smith-Machine flat-bench press for 12 reps, then immediately pick up two dumbbells for 8 reps of the neutral-grip flat-bench press.

>> Rest 30–60 seconds between

compound sets (by the way, this general guideline applies to all compound sets within this book).

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Introduction

Kettlebell is one of the exercises that most people regard as cool and interesting. If you have not seen a kettlebell before, you may be curious how it looks like. Well, it's pretty straightforward. It is a black cannonball with a handle that is cast of iron. While there are so many other workout tools that you can employ to achieve your health goals, kettlebell training has many unique health benefits if you choose to incorporate it into your workout routine.

Part of what makes kettlebells exercises mystical lies in its origin. They were popularized in Russia in the 18th century. During this time, the kettlebell was used as counterweights when measuring things like cereals and other dry products.

Soon enough, the farmers started challenging each other to lift the heaviest kettlebells and eventually, they found their way into the hands of strong circus men. After the Second World War, the Soviet Red Army took up the kettlebells in training their soldiers and later in the 1970s, lifting kettlebells was declared an official sport.

While kettlebells have been around in the US for over a century, they have enjoyed its fair share of resurgence and eventually found their way into the gym and fitness stores. It comprises a bell, a handle, and horns. The bell, in this case, refers to the round cannonball shaped weight, and the handle is what connects the kettlebell by simply sloping downwards on each end, hence referred to as the horns.

It is this design that makes the kettlebell quite a unique tool. You may be thinking “what is the difference between kettlebells and dumbbells?” Well, one thing that you have to take note of is that unlike the dumbbells in which the handle connects two weights that are evenly distributed and lies at the center of them, the kettlebell’s center of gravity is usually offset from its handle. This is mainly because it rests several inches away from the center.

It is also important to note that with a kettlebell, it is quite easy to grasp it by the handle, bell end or horns. It is the mainstay to grip the kettlebell by its handle. However, when it comes to certain exercises like squats, it is much easier to grasp them by the horns. To achieve a greater grip on certain poses like rowing, it may be better if you hold the kettlebell by the bell itself. This is because it will help force the hand to squeeze harder to prevent slipping.

Chapter 1: How To Choose A Kettlebell

According to a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, there are so many ways in which you can choose a kettlebell. Mostly, the kettlebells vary in designs. There are those that are coated with rubber to protect the floors from the resulting impact. Other designs are designed specifically for competitions. Such kettlebells have a straight handle and are uniform in shape and size irrespective of the weight.

Over the years, some manufacturers have designed kettlebells with a concave face for ergonomic factors. Others like the newfangled kettlebells work the same way as dumbbells, which means that they can be loaded with plates for weight adjustments with just a single implement. For instance, kettlebell swings and getups are said to get the heart rate up and burn more fats in the same manner a cardio machine does but can do more in re-enforcing good mechanics.

Therefore, if you plan on buying your first kettlebell, it is important that you do the test before making the purchase. Start by holding up your hand and touch your thumb to the tip of your pinkie. Take note of the channel that forms on your palm. This is the point at which the kettlebell handle is supposed to rest most of the time. That is from the outside knuckle of your index finger down to the opposite side of your wrist in a diagonal orientation.

Follow this by picking up the weight and then holding the handle in the middle so that it fills the channel. Ensure that the bell rests on the back of your forearm and that the wrist at this point is straight. It is important that it does not impinge on the boney profile of your wrist. If at some point you pick up the kettlebell and it rubs against the bone protruding on the lateral side of your wrist, then this means that the weight displacement from the handle is not ideal. In other words, there is a high risk of you getting injured.

The best safety tip at this point is for you to avoid choosing a kettlebell that has a thick handle. You will realize that Onnit's handles have a diameter that is a little over an inch. This is enough when it comes to working your grip strength, while not causing unnecessary fatigue.

When performing an exercise like a swing, there is a possibility that you will be making so many reps in a single workout. The key here is to ensure that your grip does not burn out. This is mainly because it is counterproductive from a technical standpoint. When the grip is overworked, there is a chance that you will see a whole slew of mechanical problems that will occur. As for how much weight you should begin with, men can typically lift 16 kilos while women can lift 8 kilos.

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Foreword

There are tons of reasons why obese or overweight people try to lose weight. Some want to be healthier, to feel and look better while others want to have more energy to accomplish their daily tasks.

No matter what the reason is, healthy weight management and successful weight loss depend on sensible goals as well as expectations. If you set goals for yourself, it is not impossible to meet them and have the chance to maintain your weight.

Anyone can lose weight effectively. Get to know all your needed information here.

Wonderful Weight

How To Maintain The Weight Loss From Your New Year’s Resolution

Chapter 1:

Weight Loss Resolutions Basics

Synopsis

Weight loss is the term that is on many people’s minds. Some need it for medical reasons and others for aesthetic purposes.

While there are many solutions available in today’s market and advice can be found easily over the internet, achieving weight loss goals is totally a different matter. People struggle to lose weight mainly because of wrong expectation and misguidance due to the different product marketing.

Before you rush and start on your weight loss plan, consider the weight loss basics first.

The Basics of Weight Loss

Decreasing one’s pounds is one aspect of an effective and successful weight loss. This is the main idea that everyone can relate to. It is also measurable and can bring visible results. The words “weight loss” convey these notions.

Losing weight revolves on various important aspects including restoring and improving one’s health, staying on the track to achieve all your weight loss goals, and transforming and keeping a leaner body. For you to achieve successful weight loss, you have to keep in mind the weight loss basic principles. These include the following:

- Lose fat
- Stay motivated
- Gain muscle

In order for you to be successful, you have to take note that you need to make extra effort as there’s no shortcut in shedding those unwanted pounds of yours.

Lose Fat: Diets Can Help You

Eating correct and healthy balanced diet is important when losing weight. Choose and follow a diet that is rich in fiber and protein and low in refined carbohydrates.

Once you have increased your intake of fiber and protein, you will lose your weight gradually and your strong muscles will develop. Also, if you consume less refined carbohydrates, you get rid of piling calories, which don’t provide the needed nutrients of your body.

Gain Muscles: Do Some Workouts

When losing weight, gaining muscle can help. It is because fat will be burned to provide you the right you the right energy in which muscles require in staying alive. It’s interesting to note that a pound of fat requires only three calories while a pound of muscle needs 75-150 calories every day to work. Therefore, if you want to see results when losing weight, it’s imperative that you do workouts.

You can consider any exercises or workouts. But, anaerobic and aerobic exercises are essential for your body to work harder. For better results, alter your exercise routines to maintain the stimulation of your body.

Some consider weight loss programs just to do workouts. There are even others who enroll to a gym class. You don’t need to spend a huge amount of money when doing workouts. You can do workouts at your home. Just choose those exercises that will not require gym equipment.

When doing workouts, take it seriously and stick on your plan. Learn to be motivated. Exercising regularly with consistency and commitment is a must. Do not make mistakes and expect for quick results like most people do. You have to take note that it also takes time to see results.

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Chapter 1: Physiology of Stretching 3

1 Physiology of Stretching

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce you to some of the basic physiological concepts that come into play when a muscle is stretched. Concepts will be introduced initially with a general overview and then (for those who want to know the gory details) will be discussed in further detail. If you aren't all that interested in this aspect of stretching, you can skip this chapter. Other sections will refer to important concepts from this chapter and you can easily look them up on a "need to know" basis.

1.1 The Musculoskeletal System

Together, muscles and bones comprise what is called the musculoskeletal system of the body. The bones provide posture and structural support for the body and the muscles provide the body with the ability to move (by contracting, and thus generating tension). The musculoskeletal system also provides protection for the body's internal organs. In order to serve their function, bones must be joined together by something. The point where bones connect to one another is called a joint, and this connection is made mostly by ligaments (along with the help of muscles). Muscles are attached to the bone by tendons. Bones, tendons, and ligaments do not possess the ability (as muscles do) to make your body move. Muscles are very unique in this respect.

1.2 Muscle Composition

Muscles vary in shape and in size, and serve many di erent purposes. Most large muscles, like the hamstrings and quadriceps, control motion. Other muscles, like the heart, and the muscles of the inner ear, perform other functions. At the microscopic level however, all muscles share the same basic structure.

At the highest level, the (whole) muscle is composed of many strands of tissue called fascicles. These are the strands of muscle that we see when we cut red meat or poultry. Each fascicle is composed of fasciculi which are bundles of muscle bers. The muscle bers are in turn composed of tens of thousands of thread-like myofybrils, which can contract, relax, and elongate (lengthen). The myofybrils are (in turn) composed of up to millions of bands laid end-to-end called sarcomeres. Each sarcomere is made of overlapping thick and thin laments called myolaments. The thick and thin myolaments are made up of contractile proteins, primarily actin and myosin.

1.2.1 How Muscles Contract

The way in which all these various levels of the muscle operate is as follows: Nerves connect the spinal column to the muscle. The place where the nerve and muscle meet is called the neuromuscular junction. When an electrical signal crosses the neuromuscular junction, it is transmitted deep inside the muscle bers. Inside the muscle bers, the signal stimulates the ow of calcium which causes the thick and thin myolaments to slide across one another. When this occurs, it causes the sarcomere to shorten, which generates force.

Chapter 1: Physiology of Stretching 4

When billions of sarcomeres in the muscle shorten all at once it results in a contraction of the entire muscle ber.

When a muscle ber contracts, it contracts completely. There is no such thing as a partially contracted muscle ber. Muscle bers are unable to vary the intensity of their contraction relative to the load against which they are acting. If this is so, then how does the force of a muscle contraction vary in strength from strong to weak? What happens is that more muscle bers are recruited, as they are needed, to perform the job at hand. The more muscle bers that are recruited by the central nervous system, the stronger the force generated by the muscular contraction.

1.2.2 Fast and Slow Muscle Fibers

The energy which produces the calcium ow in the muscle bers comes from mitochon- dria, the part of the muscle cell that converts glucose (blood sugar) into energy. Di erent types of muscle bers have di erent amounts of mitochondria. The more mitochondria in a muscle ber, the more energy it is able to produce. Muscle bers are categorized into slow- twitch bers and fast-twitch bers. Slow-twitch bers (also called Type 1 muscle bers) are slow to contract, but they are also very slow to fatigue. Fast-twitch bers are very quick to contract and come in two varieties: Type 2A muscle bers which fatigue at an intermediate rate, and Type 2B muscle bers which fatigue very quickly. The main rea- son the slow-twitch bers are slow to fatigue is that they contain more mitochondria than fast-twitch bers and hence are able to produce more energy. Slow-twitch bers are also smaller in diameter than fast-twitch bers and have increased capillary blood ow around them. Because they have a smaller diameter and an increased blood ow, the slow-twitch bers are able to deliver more oxygen and remove more waste products from the muscle bers (which decreases their "fatigability").

These three muscle ber types (Types 1, 2A, and 2B) are contained in all muscles in varying amounts. Muscles that need to be contracted much of the time (like the heart) have a greater number of Type 1 (slow) bers. When a muscle rst starts to contract, it is primarily Type 1 bers that are initially activated, then Type 2A and Type 2B bers are activated (if needed) in that order. The fact that muscle bers are recruited in this sequence is what provides the ability to execute brain commands with such ne-tuned tuned muscle responses. It also makes the Type 2B bers dicult to train because they are not activated until most of the Type 1 and Type 2A bers have been recruited.

HFLTA states that the the best way to remember the di erence between muscles with predominantly slow-twitch bers and muscles with predominantly fast-twitch bers is to think of "white meat" and "dark meat". Dark meat is dark because it has a greater number of slow-twitch muscle bers and hence a greater number of mitochondria, which are dark. White meat consists mostly of muscle bers which are at rest much of the time but are frequently called on to engage in brief bouts of intense activity. This muscle tissue can contract quickly but is fast to fatigue and slow to recover. White meat is lighter in color than dark meat because it contains fewer mitochondria.