Why use any massage oils at all ?

If the body is rubbed dry, the friction created generates

heat and pain, which aggravates the element of vata (wind) and thus disturbs the gasses in
the body.

Massage oils eliminate friction and disperse heat evenly through the body. Massage oils are
a nutrient for the skin and strengthen the nerve fibers that are connected to the hair
follicles. The small amount of massage oils remaining on the skin afterwards, and after the
shower or bath that follows, provides resistance to environmental temperatures and
pressures. Application of massage oils to the navel before going to sleep cures dryness of
the whole body. When massage oils are applied at the junction of spine and skull, they
calm the entire nervous system, strengthen memory and improve the eyesight.

Many types of massage oils are used in Ayurvedic massage. For general body massage,
mixed formulas of massage oils are widely used in ayurvedic massage, of which some
examples :

Massage oils for women and children : To 4 cups of sesame oil, add 2 tablespoons each
of almond oil, wheat germ oil and jasmine oil.

Massage oils for men : To 4 cups of sesame oil, add 2 tablespoons of mustard oil, heated
with ½ a teaspoon of asafoetida. Filter the mustard oil, then add 3 tablespoons of turmeric
(kurkuma) powder and cook until the turmeric turns dark brown. Then add to the sesame
oil.

The following massage oils are primarily used to stabilise an aggravated or simply
dominant dosha :

Aggravated or dominant dosha Primary massage oils

Vata Sesame
Pitta Coconut
Kapha Mustard or Olive Individual massage
oils may have particular therapeutic use, such as Babuna (Chamomile) oil for relief of
muscular pains or coriander oil that removes excess body heat. Some indian formulas for
massage oils have becomes particularly popular, such as Bringaraj oil, Brahmi oil and
Mahanarayana oil.

Ice and Heat Treatment for Injuries

This leaflet gives a general overview of ice and heat in the treatment of
injuries. If in doubt about the use of ice or heat, consult a health
 professional such as a doctor, nurse of physiotherpist.

Ice

With any sprain, strain or bruise there is some bleeding into the underlying tissues. This
may cause swelling, pain and delay healing. Ice treatment may be used in both the
immediate treatment of soft tissue injuries and in later rehabilitation.

During immediate treatment, the aim is to limit the body's response to injury. Ice will:

• Reduce bleeding into the tissues.

• Prevent or reduce swelling.
• Reduce muscle spasm and pain.
• Reduce pain by numbing the area and by limiting the effects of swelling which
causes pain.

These effects all help to prevent the area from becoming stiff by reducing excess tissue
fluid that gathers as a result of injury and inflammation.

In the later, or rehabilitation, phase of recovery the aims change to restoring normal
function. At this stage the effects of ice can enhance other treatments such as exercise by
reducing pain and muscle spasm. This then allows better movement. If you have to do
exercises as part of your treatment it can be useful to do them with ice in place or
immediately after it is removed when the area will still be a little numb. This reduces pain
and makes movement around the injury more comfortable.

How do you make ice packs?

Ice packs can be made from ice cubes in a plastic bag or wet tea towel. A packet of frozen
peas is also ideal. These mould nicely and can go in and out of the freezer. Purpose made
cold packs can also be bought from pharmacies. Take care when using ice and cold packs
from a deep freeze. These are very cold and can cause ice burns quickly if used without
care and proper protection.

How are ice packs used?

• Ideally, rub a small amount of oil over the area where the ice pack is to go (any oil
can be used, even cooking oil!). If the skin is broken or there are stitches in place,
do not cover in oil but protect the area with a plastic bag. This will stop the wound
getting wet.
• Place a cold wet flannel over the oil (do not need if using plastic bag).
• Place the ice pack over the flannel.
• Check the colour of the skin after 5 minutes. If it is bright pink/red remove the
pack. If it is not pink replace the bag for a further 5-10 minutes.
 • Ice can be left on for 20 to 30 minutes but there is little benefit to be gained by
leaving it on for longer. You run the risk of damaging the skin if ice is left on the
skin for more than 20-30 minutes at a time.
• The effect of the ice pack is thought to be improved if it is pressed gently onto the
injured area.

Ice can burn or cause frostbite if the skin is not protected with oil and/or other protection
such as a wet flannel.

How long should ice be applied?

Ideally, ice should be applied within 5-10 minutes of injury for 20-30 minutes. This can
be repeated every 2-3 hours or so whilst your are awake for the next 24-48 hrs.

After the first 48 hours when bleeding should have stopped the aim of treatment changes
from restricting bleeding and swelling to getting the tissues re-mobilised with exercise
and stretching. Ice helps with pain relief and relaxation of muscle tissue.

Heat

Do not use heat on a new injury (for example soaking in a hot bath, using heat lamps, hot
water bottles, deep heat creams, etc). These will increase bleeding and make the problem
worse.

When an injury is older than 48 hours, heat can be applied in the form of heat pads, deep
heat cream, hot water bottles or heat lamps. Heat causes the blood vessels to dilate (open
wide) which brings more blood into the area. It also has a direct soothing effect and helps
to relieve pain and spasm. If heat is applied to the skin it should not be hot, gentle warmth
will suffice. If heat is applied there is the risk of burns and scalds. The skin must be
checked at regular intervals.

Ice often gives better and longer lasting effect on the circulation than heat. The pain
killing properties of ice are also deeper and longer lasting than heat.

Precautions when using heat and ice

Do not use cold packs or heat:-

• over areas of skin that are in poor condition.

• over areas of skin with poor sensation to heat or cold.
• over areas of the body with known poor circulation.
• if you have diabetes.
• in the presence of infection.

Also, do not use ice packs on the left shoulder if you have a heart condition. Do not use
ice packs around the front or side of the neck.
Why is it necessary to remove an ice pack after 15 to 20 minutes, wait 15, then reapply,
for treating sprains, for example? Why not just leave the ice pack on after your ankle or
finger, etc., gets used to it?

Dear Reader,

Injuries are no fun, but too little or too much ice can leave the body's healing mechanisms
out in the cold. Appropriately applying ice packs to injuries can, however, help the healing
process in a few ways. First, the cold constricts blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to
and swelling around the injury site. Ice also numbs the area, which reduces your pain and
helps to prevent muscle spasms. Finally, lowering the temperature of the injured area
slows the area's cellular processes, which can actually help to limit tissue damage.

Removing an ice pack after a brief cooling period is important because your skin is
sensitive and doesn't get "used to" the cold from directly applied ice packs or bags. Believe
it or not, you risk developing frostbite and, in severe cases, nerve and tissue damage when
you leave your body exposed to extreme cold for long stretches of time. Also, when the
skin cools below 59º Fahrenheit, the body tries to counteract the cold by opening blood
vessels in the affected area to increase blood flow — this is exactly what you don't want if
you're hoping for a speedy healing process!

So, next time you get a boo-boo, try an hour of icing: on for ten minutes, off for ten; on
for another ten minutes, off for another ten. You can repeat this cycle several times during
the day to maximize the benefits of ice without risking further tissue damage. Whether
you're using a bag of frozen veggies, an ice pack, or plain ol' ice in a plastic bag, make sure
to wrap a thin towel or elastic bandage around either the ice or the injured area to
protect your skin.

It's always a good idea to consult with your health care provider or an athletic trainer
following an injury; these professionals will be able to assess the nature of your injury and
will make sure you are on the right path towards full rehabilitation and recovery.

Cardiovascular Exercise - Basics Of

Aerobics For Fat Loss
Cardiovascular Exercise Basics - The Fat Burning Zone
Aerobic training such as walking, riding a stationary bike, or running is a good way to
accelerate the fat burning process, as long as it is not overdone and as long as it is used
only in addition to a good weight training program. It should never be used as a substitute
for weight training since it does not permanently increases your metabolism and since it
does not has the ability to re-shape your body.

Fat Burning Zone

In order for aerobic exercise to be effective, it needs to be performed within the fat
burning zone. The fat burning zone is the zone at which you are doing enough work to
burn fat. Your pulse (how fast your heart is beating per minute) determines this zone.

The fat burning zone formula is the following:

Fat burning zone=220-(Your Age) x (.75)

The result of your formula will give you an approximate value of how fast your heart
should be beating per minute. For example, a 20-year-old would need to reach a pulse in
the neighborhood of 150 beats per minute in order to be in the fat burning zone. It is
important to remember that this is not an absolute figure, this is an approximation. So as
long as you are plus or minus 10 beats from the number that the formula provides you
with, then you can rest assured that you will be burning fat.

Best Times To Perform Aerobic Activity

Another important point that needs to be raised is that in order for aerobic exercise to be
an effective fat burner it needs to be performed at the appropriate times. There are only
two times that aerobic exercise is effective in burning fat.

1. In The Morning On An Empty Stomach: Best time to perform cardiovascular

exercise is first thing in the morning on an empty stomach after drinking 16 to 24
( 33.8140226 ounces = 1 liter; 1 ounce = 1/16 th of a pound ) ounces of water
in order to prevent dehydration. When performed at this time you burn 300%
more body fat that at any other time in the day because your body does not has
any glycogen (stored carbohydrates-sugar) in the system to burn. Therefore, it has
to go directly into the fat stores in order to get the energy necessary to complete
the activity.

2. Right After Weight Training: The other time when aerobic exercise is effective
is immediately after the weight training session. The reason for this is that when
exercise is not performed first thing in the morning it takes your body
approximately anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes to start burning fat. This is
because that it how long it takes the body to deplete its glycogen stores and switch
to a fat burning environment. Therefore, it would not be efficient to perform
aerobic exercise by itself at any other time during the day because you would
need to perform it for 20-30 minutes just to get to the fat burning stage and for an
additional 20 minutes just so that you burn fat. This would give a grand total of 50
minutes a day and in my opinion, I think that unless you are a competitive
bodybuilder with a perfect diet and a superb supplementation program designed to
protect muscle mass, aerobic exercise should not be performed for more than 6
sessions a week of 20-45 minutes a day for males and 30-45 minutes for females
since this would put you at a risk of losing muscle mass. Only competitive
bodybuilders sometimes need to go as high as 45 minutes, twice a day, for seven
days a week. Keep in mind however that this is performed for a short period of
time and only in conjunction with a pre-contest diet which consists of a high
 frequency of meals and with supplementation like glutamine, which helps to
protect muscle tissue. Remember that more is not always better and this is
especially true when it comes to aerobic exercise.

fat burning zone

Fat burning zone - Why athletes, fitness enthusiasts and slimmers
should steer clear of the fat burning zone

Gary O'Donovan explains why high-intensity exercise is the best bet for training and
weight loss The concept of the fat burning zone is highly attractive to the exercise
enthusiasts of today, many of whom are more interested in weight loss than the pursuit of
fitness. Training zone charts adorn the walls of fitness centres up and down the country,
and body-conscious exercisers religiously adhere to the recommended limits for
exercising heart rates.

However, while moderate-intensity exercise may be appropriate for beginners, athletes

and serious fitness enthusiasts should avoid the fat burning zone like the plague, except
on light days or recovery runs - unless they want to see a decline in energy expenditure
and fitness.

What is the fat burning zone?

Although the origin of the fat burning zone (FBZ) concept is unknown, the fitness
industry probably seized on the following key facts:

1. low- to moderate-intensity exercise is fuelled predominantly by fat;

2. an optimum fat burning rate has been identified (Figure 1) at 65% of maximal oxygen
consumption (VO2 max) - the body's ability to take on board and use oxygen during
exhaustive exercise.

Because fitness centres don't usually own the gas analysers that measure VO2 max
directly, the FBZ is instead located indirectly, with a heart rate monitor, at 60-70% of age-
predicted maximum heart rate (1). Age-predicted maximum heart rate is derived from the
formula 220 - age, giving a 25-year-old, for example, a FBZ of 117-136 beats/min. The
use of this formula involves two considerable assumptions:

* that exercise heart rate can be used to predict oxygen consumption and
* that maximum heart rate is the same for everyone of a given age.

These assumptions will be questioned later.

Exercise intensity and fuel use

Supporters of the FBZ advocate a reduction in effort in return for the promise of
increased fat metabolism. However, fitness professionals should receive the suggestion
that such moderate-intensity exercise will improve fitness or body composition with
scepticism. Inherently we are aware that performance becomes less efficient as exercise
intensity increases and that, if exercise duration is held constant, an individual will burn
more calories with high-intensity work .

At the start of exercise (regardless of the intensity), a cascade of biochemical events is

initiated by neurological stimulation. Glycolysis (an anaerobic means of ATP/energy
provision, fuelled by carbohydrate) is primed by hormones and neurotransmitters to take
over from phosphagen-mediated energy sources (2). Thereafter, if the exercise is of a
low- to moderate-intensity, energy demands are met increasingly by fat in the form of
muscle triglycerides and plasma free fatty acids. If the exercise is of a high intensity,
energy from carbohydrate-derived fuels predominates (3).

This shift from fat to carbohydrate oxidation during high-intensity exercise is

essential to increase both the magnitude and the rate of energy release. Muscle can extract
more energy per litre of oxygen consumed from carbohydrate than from fat. Table 1
shows that more than 5 kcal of energy are liberated per litre of oxygen consumed if
carbohydrate alone is oxidised. On the other hand, the mixture of carbohydrate and fat
oxidised during moderate intensity exercise releases only 4.86 kcal per litre of oxygen.
Thus, although oxygen uptake may be a limiting factor, the greater energy demands of
high-intensity exercise can be met. Unfortunately, though, the 'fast-twitch' muscle fibres
recruited in high-intensity work are relatively inefficient and bring about the decline in
power associated with intensive exercise.

The myth of the fat burning zone

We all know that the only reliable route to weight loss is to take in less energy from food
than we expend in activity - regardless of the fuel for that activity. We also know that
energy expenditure increases in line with exercise intensity: Table 1 shows that 404 kcals
of energy are expended in 20 minutes of very high-intensity exercise, compared with only
244 kcals in moderate-intensity exercise performed for the same duration. Consider this
also: Figure 1 shows that at 25% of maximum oxygen consumption, the demands of
exercise are met entirely by fat. However, the minimal calorie cost of such exercise is
unlikely to make any meaningful contribution to daily energy expenditure. Thus it is clear
how the principles of substrate metabolism have been misinterpreted: when it comes to
weight loss it is not the proportion of each fuel metabolised but the total calorie
expenditure that is crucial.

The real fat burning zone

There are two components involved in the total energy cost of exercise: first, the energy

cost of the activity itself, which accounts for most of the caloric expenditure; secondly,
the energy expended in recovery while the metabolic rate remains elevated above resting
levels. This 'excess postexercise oxygen consumption' (EPOC) is fuelled by fat.
Intriguingly, not all exercise is sufficient to bring about a meaningful EPOC: it is
generally agreed that such exercise must be carried out at more than 70% of VO2 max
(4). Although this mechanism is not entirely understood, it seems that the metabolic
disturbance of exercise determines the magnitude and duration of EPOC.

In order to recover from exercise, the body undertakes several active (energy-consuming)
processes for up to an hour afterwards: phosphate is reunited with creatine and ADP;
haemoglobin and myoglobin (oxygen-carrying pigment within the muscle) are
resaturated with oxygen; lactate is oxidised or resynthesised to glycogen; circulation and
breathing increase. In addition, the return to homeostasis following high-intensity
exercise is further delayed by the demands of glycogen resynthesis and increased
hormonal activity. Interestingly, in the glycogen-depleted state, this prolonged EPOC
period is fuelled by lipid as blood glucose is used to replace muscle glycogen (3).

This postexercise fat burning zone barely exists after moderate-intensity exercise. In a
1992 study, participants cycling for 80 minutes at 29% of VO2 max experienced an
elevated oxygen consumption (and energy expenditure) for 0.3 hours, compared with 3.3
hours for those exercising at 50% of VO2 max and 10.5 hours for those at 75% (4).

Clearly, the calorific value of EPOC has implications for those seeking to reduce body
weight. Indeed, after 20 minutes of high intensity exercise (70% VO2max), Sedlock et al
(5) observed an EPOC of approximately 30 kcal and calculated that if such exercise were
performed five times a week for 52 weeks, the EPOC period alone would amount to
7,800 kcal or the energy equivalent of approximately 1 kg fat.

The fat burning zone and the training response

Trained individuals are better able to burn fat during submaximal exercise than their
untrained counterparts (3). This adaptation delays the fatigue associated with the
depletion of muscle glycogen - also known as 'hitting the wall'. There is also evidence to
suggest that resting metabolic rate (RMR) is increased with endurance training. For
example, Lawson et al (6) noted a 13% increase in the RMR of six subjects following 10
weeks of training (17 min 3 times/week during the first week, progressing to 77 min 4
times/week by week 10). Conversely, when exercise training is stopped for as little as
three days, RMR has been shown to decline by 7% (7). Since RMR is the primary
component of daily energy expenditure, elevation of metabolic rate with exercise may be
an invaluable tool in weight loss. These training responses are muted with moderate
intensity exercise performed within the FBZ.

Exercisers and personal trainers alike should also be aware that the FBZ is identified
from an unsubstantiated prediction equation. The research which gave rise to the formula
for maximum heart rate (220 minus age in years) has never been published (8).
Moreover, it assumes that the maximal heart rate for a particular age is uniform. Given
the considerable individual variation in maximum heart rate (9), this assumption will
inevitably result in some people overtraining while others undertrain.
Equally invalid is the assumption that percentage maximal oxygen uptake and percentage
maximum heart rate are directly comparable. Oxygen uptake scores are approximately 5-
10% lower at any given intensity than those predicted using maximum heart rate values.
An intensity of 65% maximum heart rate, therefore, is likely to elicit only 55-60% of
maximal oxygen consumption. Crucially, this may not reach the lower threshold for
improvements in aerobic fitness of 60% VO2 max set down by the American College of
Sports Medicine in 1995 (10).

In conclusion...

* The fat burning zone is not the optimum exercise intensity for weight management,
fitness or performance.
* Although a greater proportion of energy is derived from fat within the FBZ, total energy
expenditure is greater with high-intensity exercise.
* It is total energy expenditure, regardless of the source, that is paramount for achieving
sensible weight loss via negative energy balance.
* Energy expenditure is greater both during and after high intensity exercise.
* The moderate-intensity FBZ is unlikely to bring about a prolonged excess postexercise
oxygen consumption (EPOC).
* The prolonged EPOC component is fuelled by fat and may add an additional 30+ kcal
to each workout.
* It is unlikely that aerobic fitness will be maintained or improved within the FBZ.
* Training within the FBZ will not bring about the preferential metabolism of fat during
exercise or higher resting metabolic rate enjoyed by endurance-trained subjects.
* The variation in max heart rate undermines the use of prediction equations in exercise
prescription.

Most people do not get enough water in their system. Water is your body's principal
chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 to 80 percent of your weight. Every
system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital
organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and
throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have
enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. To determine if you are getting
enough water use this simple formula.. Take your weight, for example 150 pounds and
divide by 2. Take your answer which is 75 lbs and change it to ounces, in this case 75
ounces. That is how many ounces of water you need a day. Your body performs mostly on
water. If you make sure you get enough water everyday your body will perform at top
notch and your body will no longer have the cravings of junk food. You will have a better
performing body system to help you work out and feel better thru out your day.