Natural Physiques Newsletter Volume I Issue 2 April 9th, 2004

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Table of Contents

1. In this Issue
2. Quotes
3. Editorial
4. What's New
5. Exclusive "Become the Journey" Excerpt: Fear
6. How to Lose the Last Few Pounds of Ab Flab
7. Health News
8. Doing the Remarkable
9. Business Development
10. Closing Thoughts
11. Subscription Information

1. In this Issue

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Welcome to the second issue of the monthly Natural Physiques™ Newsletter! I hope you enjoy this issue, and look forward to hearing from my readers. Feel free to contact me with your comments, suggestions, and constructive feedback!

First, I am so excited to share a powerful, inspirational story from a team member and good friend of mine. It is amazing!

BRAND NEW!!! Visit the Natural Physiques™ forums to share your story, seek advice, and offer knowledge to others!

This issue begins with a few Quotes. For the editorial this month, I've shared a few views of my own about the low-carb trend. Read recent articles we've published in the What's New section. This month, I have an exclusive excerpt from "Become the Journey" - the chapter related to facing your fear. Summer is rapidly approaching, so it is great that Tom Venuto has written How to Lose the Last Few Pounds of Ab Flab. Health News covers several topics this month, ranging from glucosamine and folate to a link between micronutrient deficiencies and cancer as well as information about the two most common (preventable) causes of death in the United States. Jim Rohn writes about Doing the Remarkable in his motivational article. In Business Development, I focus on the network marketing industry to explain how the residual income and geometric growth works. Empower others by sharing this newsletter with friends and family!

Special - From the Depths of Despair (by Ed Orlowski)

In the not too distant past, I was among the walking dead. Physically I was a complete mess. I weighed 352 pounds, my diet was atrocious and physical exertion did not exist in my vocabulary. I was having chest pains and my breathing was labored. I went to my doctor for a physical. He was so concerned about my condition that he immediately sent me to a cardiologist. My cardiologist prescribed some tests. The first of which was a complete blood work. My cholesterol was at 280 mg/dl, the good news was that my LDL levels were fairly high, but I was still at high risk. My blood sugar was in excess of 180 an indication of adult onset diabetes. But it was not only the results of the blood test that worried this physician. My medical history is awful. My Dad had just had a triple vessel bypass not 3 weeks earlier. He also suffers from adult onset diabetes. My Mom had her first heart attack when she was 54 years old. She had another in her late 60s. She also suffers from adult onset diabetes. Her case is bad enough that she now is on kidney dialysis because of the damage caused by the diabetes. All of these things combined had my doctor quite worried.

Next he prescribed a stress test, which showed an abnormal EKG under stress. He immediately admitted me to the hospital and performed an angiogram. The angiogram proved that there were no blockages at the time for us to worry about. Whew, I dodged a bullet. But my cardiologist said that he was going to treat me as if a heart attack was imminent and hopefully we could fend off a fatal heart attack.

This news along with the fact that I was working in a high stress dead end job with a very long commute each day really had me on the ropes emotionally. I felt like there was absolutely no hope for me. If I lived, what did I have to look forward to? I didn’t want to live my life taking 14 different medications like my Mom does. I certainly did not want to continue working in a job that provided no inspiration, no hope. Everything looked very bleak. I was so distraught that I started alienating friends and family. If you didn’t agree with me then you were against me. And at this point in my life, I was disagreeable with everything that crossed my path and some that didn’t.

But I had one friend, one shining star that wouldn’t let me dull his light. He refused to dim in the darkness. Though at that point we had only spoken via the Internet, I had a great deal of respect for him. He is a highly respected for his integrity and honesty. He is also considered a guru on some of the health and fitness message boards I frequented. This friend at the time had become involved with USANA. He emailed me frequently. Sending words of encouragement and hope. Out of curiosity, I asked him about the USANA products. He was so convinced that they were the best on the market so I decided to try them. I first tried out the USANA Essentials. I hadn’t taken a vitamin in so long and my friend claimed that he and others who have taken the Essentials experienced better sleep and more energy than ever before. And boy was I in need of some energy.

I took the Essentials for a month and sure enough I felt more energetic and I was sleeping sounder. So I continued on. All the while my friend was feeding me a strict diet of inspiration and hope through his own actions and the words of Jim Rohn, John Milton-Fogg and others. I was reading and I noticed that I felt better both physically and emotionally.

Soon I was introduced to Dr. Raymond Strand and his Fat Releasing program. After researching the program and talking to whomever I could about it I realized that this was the program for me. I enrolled in the program. I was so happy. I felt like the world was lifted off of my shoulders.

Only a few nights later, I decided to become a USANA associate. The team conference calls, and the training are very helpful. I’m not the guy who would have taken to this type of business easily. But the Dream Team members are just that, The Dream Team. The team meetings are fabulous. Everyone is there to listen and to help as long as you are willing to be helped. I’ve learned many lessons during these team meetings. Some of them are a little painful, some not. But I am never afraid to bring any issue I have to the table because I know the Dream Teamers are there to help me. They are truly concerned about me and they really will help. There are never any antagonistic remarks. You never worry about be laughed at or looking foolish. These people are genuine and always respond with a great deal of respect and caring.

As for this guy who had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, he is doing great. I’ve got a long way to go, but I am making strides. Big strides. And heading in the right direction. You may be surprised to learn that it was only December 9, 2003 since I took my first dose of Essentials, January 15, 2004 since I became a USANA associate and January 21, 2004 since I started Dr. Strands program.

Physically I’m doing great. I have not cheated nor have I even been tempted to cheat on Dr. Strands program at all. I’ve lost 2 pants sizes (about 25 pounds) and my cholesterol and blood sugar numbers are well within the normal range. As far as the USANA nutritionals are concerned, I have more energy than before and I sleep sounder than before. I’ve also noticed a couple of other improvements that I can only attribute to the USANA products. I had some very painful arthritis in my thumbs. Sometimes they are so sore and tender that I could barely touch them without searing pain. I would take 6 ibuprofen at a time and get very little relief. Suddenly about 4 weeks ago I realized that I had not taken an ibuprofen tablet in quite some time. And the pain was almost non-existent. Another benefit is that I’ve noticed that there are far fewer times that I need my reading glasses. Before USANA, I needed to use my reading glasses for almost everything.

Emotionally I feel much better. I believe that it is a combination of now having hope and determination to succeed. The Dream Team has a lot to do with this. I cannot say enough what a nurturing environment like what the Dream Team has provided will do for your mental health. If you want to keep a positive mindset, surround yourself with positive minded people. The Dream Team has plenty of them. I am so proud to be associated with this wonderful group of people.

Ed Orlowski
Visit Ed at http://www.unitoday.net/edorlowski

2. Quotes

Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have. - Jim Rohn

It is surprising what a man can do when he has to, and how little most men will do when they don't have to. - Walter Linn

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. - Proverbs 15:13

3. Editorial

In 1825, John Quincy Adams was elected President of the United States, after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. The Creek Indians ceded their land to Georgia, Bolivia gained independence from Peru, and Russia suffered the Decembrist Revolt.

That was a busy year. That was also the year that a publication made its way to print, called "The Physiology of Taste" by Jean Athelme Brillat-Savarin. Haven't heard of this book? That's okay, not many have. This was, however, the first publication that I know of to introduce the low-carb diet.

The book was not very popular, and the unsuspecting citizens of the world continued to graze on carbohydrates until 1863, when William Banting was kind enough to emancipate them through the proclamation called "Letter on Corpulence." This letter, too, attacked the consumption of carbs and warned us to "avoid any starchy or saccharine matter which tends to the disease of corpulence ... whether it be swallowed in a direct form or produced in the stomach by combination."

Bodybuilding, an underground society in the early 1900's, also embraced more of a low-carb regimen, but these guys were muscular misfits, disdained by the mainstream and treated more as circus side-show freaks than authorities on diet and nutrition. It would not be until years later that the mainstream would come to accept the merits of building muscle and training for strength ... and also come under attack from die-hard opponents of anything remotely related to a sugar molecule. As excited as we were in the 80s to run through the streets screaming "Die Evil Fats" and then smother ourselves in the low-fat fare that vendors couldn't manufacture quickly enough to satisfy our insatiable desires, the torrid love affair soon ended and we instead romanced the idea that we could drop pounds while watching Oprah and eating plates piled high with eggs, cheese, slabs of greasy bacon and lard.

What is going on in the world today?

It seems like everywhere we turn, there is someone trying to sell something new. I've been accused myself of being a sneak and proponent of evil for daring to earn a living plying the trade that I am passionate about, or from earning a slight commission from the recommendations for products and services I make. My wife and I laughed about this today, my sinister plot to spend several years offering my advice for free on forums only to ensnare hapless victims by forcing them to max out their credit cards because I have a picture of bodyfat caliper on the same page that I describe the best ways to measure your progress.

I was in the breakroom at work today - I have three weeks remaining before I leave corporate America once and for all to jump headfirst into the realm of free enterprise - and I had to smile. There, sitting open on the counter, was a nice box of processed blueberry muffins. These are the same muffins that just ten years ago would have been quickly ushered into the shadows with concerned cries of "They have FAT!" Now, they were proud, almost defiant, and the box boldly declared why. These were OFFICIAL - they were members of the low-carb club, and proudly announced the count of ONLY eight grams of the offensive carbohydrate virus. Suddenly, these poor little pockets of empty calories had a purpose, a meaning in life.

I've noticed this is happening all over. A writer will quickly denounce the absurdity of candy manufacturers putting "Fat free" on their wrappers because the product contains nothing but sugar, and then quickly jump into a recipe that shares how to fix lasagna without the pasta. Sandwich makers are happy to charge you the same price for the same sandwich ... without the bun. They put it in a neat little tray and affix a sticker providing the carb count, and suddenly everything is okay. The companies that are not so lucky - whose products have banked on their ability to provide a sugar high - are scrambling to turn what was once a lump of glucose into something with so many chemicals you'd have to earn a doctorate in Latin to read the ingredients list. Why? So it can be carb-free and taste the same. All in the interest of the consumer, right?

Now we are at a transition point. The enthusiastic New Years resolution-getters have faded back into the woodwork, leaving the same, smaller population going to the gyms and ordering salad instead of super-sizing their burgers. Summer is just around the corner, however, so many will either dust off those resolutions, or set a new goal to lose 20 pounds in 3 weeks so they can walk like a billboard advertisement with a six-pack and pearled smile on the beach. The media makes it pretty clear to us - you can drink vodka and down beers and still maintain a nice figure, and no one is going to appreciate you unless you are shredded, ripped, down to the bone lean. Women, I'm sorry, but forget muscle definition - just drop weight, get skinny, smile and giggle and you're in.

Seriously, let's snap out of it and get real. You do not have to have 6% body fat to be in shape. Your health is precious, and it is lifelong. Trends come and go. In the 80s it was fat and now it's low-carb and I'm sure there is going to be an anti-protein crusade and who knows what else. Leave those trends for the advertisers - let the products run their course. I read somewhere that the market has suddenly been saturated with several thousand new, low-carb items. Do you think this is because someone is on a mission to improve your health? Or is it the age old adage, Capitalize on the Trend? I have to admit, it has always intrigued me that I could simply post an article saying "cut out your carbs and lose fat" and suddenly triple the visitors to my site. But you know what? I'm trying to hang onto a little integrity here - I'd like to think I'm better than that.

When I wrote "10 Fat Mistakes" several months ago, I had no idea how popular it would be. I wrote it for a very important reason. I had found a new voice at a website that reaches literally thousands of people, and realized I had the opportunity to share the truth about getting lean. I know "losing fat" - not just because I've done it, or because my wife has done it, but because I've surrounded myself by people who have done it, and coached clients who have done it. And I'm here to tell you the bottom line - I still stand behind the opening quote that is 2,500 years old:

"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health." -- Hippocrates c. 460 - 377 BC

Now that is good advice. You might have also heard it summed up like this: all things in moderation.

If you haven't read this mini e-Book, please click here and check it out. I hope I have presented a sane, balanced view. I've packaged it in PDF format so that you can distribute it to your friends, family, and anyone who will benefit. Is there something in it for me? Of course. I am a huge fan of "win, win" situations, and I think this is one of them. Whoever reads this wins by possibly having the freedom to break away from this low-carb hype and do something reasonable with their life. I benefit by introducing myself to someone new and possibly having them visit my site. You don't mind that too much, do you?

Am I completely against low-carb diets? Absolutely not! I have used them myself at times to lean down. I believe that many different types of diets work because I have witnessed the success stories myself. What irritates me is when someone finds a solution and declares without reason, "MY WAY IS THE ONLY WAY." Let's not capitalize on trends. Instead, let's focus on moderation. Let's empower others through education - instead of telling them what to do, why not teach them how to do it. Then, they can take those skills and independently create health in their own lives, without having to ask for their next order sans hoagie in a black tray with a little sticker that has a carb count on it.

Have a great month! This is Jeremy Likness, and I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue.

4. What's New

Featured Calculator:

Use the One-Rep Max Calculator to estimate your one rep maximum. This is the theoretical amount you could possibly lift one time. An added benefit of this calculator is that it provides 5-rep, 10-rep, and 15-rep maximums as well. If you bench press x pounds for 12 reps, for example, you can key this in and find out around what you might be able to bench for 1, 5, 10, and 15 reps!

Then, take it a step further. Check out the Workout Professor to design and print out full workouts!

Featured Articles

• Pioneer Bryan Haycock has been kind enough to allow me to reprint an article describing his ground-breaking Hypertrophy-Specific Training. A must-read for anyone serious about gaining mass!
• LaRue E. Cook is back with another terrific tennis article.
• Christina Chapan shares with us a fun and motivating way to help children learn exercise, with Animal Parade.
• Three amazing success stories have been added: Jodie Arnold - Inches to Energy, John Stone - Sedentary to Celebrity, and Marie Hallock-Sweet - Top-Heavy to Top of the World.
• Read a technical paper about Applied Chaos, modify your routine with Squat Variations, learn about the rewards of Living by Giving, go on a healthy vacation with our Travel Tips, learn how to do Your First Pull-up and get to the bottom of your Core and Abdominal Training!

5. Exclusive "Become the Journey" Excerpt: Fear

Fear drips like honey onto the great land,   Trickling down banks into swift-flowing streams. Hidden is its face, strong is its hand   As it creeps slyly into innocent dreams     It grabs the heart and poisons the mind,     Always searching for a soul to grind.   It hides in the rafters and hangs from the beams In an unlimited supply with a zero demand. -- Jeremy Likness

As you prepare to take your first steps, could there possibly be something holding you back?

Maybe you have heard the phrase, “false evidence appearing real.” It is a common acronym made from the one word that can and will stand in your path to success. We all suffer from fear in one form or another. Sometimes, overcoming fear is as simple as programming the body to perform the motions that the mind is resisting. Other times, the fear can be so crippling that it takes a tremendous breakthrough – even revisiting old events or memories that have been buried for years – in order to overcome its grasp. Unfortunately, many people never overcome their fears, and remain a victim of them all of their lives. Are you a victim, or a victor?

When I began working with others to help them achieve physique transformations in the year 2000, I discovered an amazing thing. Some people literally sabotaged their own progress out of fear. What was more incredible to me is exactly what their fear was: a fear of their own success! Even when the science works – when the changes in nutrition and training help a person begin to lose fat – if they are not prepared to change on the inside, they can become crippled by the change. These people would watch the pounds melt away, and suddenly the fear would paralyze them. They had spent so long hiding behind the extra weight and using their obesity as a shield to the world, that when that wall began to crumble they had nowhere to run.

I vividly recall a night when I pressed my body against my wife's and she began to softly cry. When I asked her what was wrong, she replied that I felt like a different person. She wasn't used to feeling my bones or contours, only the softness of my fat. Suddenly, her world was changing and she had not completely adjusted to it. I realized that I, too, had not kept pace with the physical changes. I did not know how to take compliments, and would often simply stammer or make small talk when someone would comment on my progress. I was not so much afraid of my success as I was afraid of the change in my life and not knowing how to live with it.

Even though I successfully overcame those fears early on, another type of fear limited my ability to grow my own career: a fear of my ability to become a successful entrepreneur. Despite having run a thriving part-time training business, and being able from the start to charge nearly double the average, local rate due to the quality of service that I provided, I did not think I had what it took to do well. After writing countless articles and receiving feedback from numerous readers, I still believed I was not ready to submit my articles to publications or attempt to write a book. Fear was sucking the life out of me!

It was only recently that I began to look at fear a new way.

An interesting thought occurred to me: simply changing my perception could empower me to overcome my fears and break through to new levels. The concept is quite simple. I realized that fear and faith are mutually exclusive. They occupy the same space in our lives. And we cannot have both in the same space at the same time – it is either one or the other.

Fear is an emotion related to failure. It is the belief that something is not worth trying because of the negative outcomes that are possible. Fear is a learned emotion. It takes the “space” ordinarily occupied by faith, and perverts it into something that holds us back. If you are not convinced, just take a look at a child learning to walk. Often, as they take those first tentative steps, they may do something that we, in all our wisdom, would consider failure. They fall. Or they bump into something. Or they are forced to grab hold of something to steady themselves. All of these actions are not pleasant, and they are not the intended result. For the child, however, what we would call “failure” is an integral component of their success.

The child does not give up. It does not occur to them that if they are going to fall, they should simply not try to walk. They might bump their head, but after the tears are dried and the bump has gone away, they will stand on their two wobbly legs once again and attempt the feat. In fact, children are the incredible pioneers of our world. They consistently drive confidently into the unknown and face failure after failure without becoming daunted. When they attempt their first words, the sounds will tumble out over and over until they are voiced correctly. When they begin to wave with their hands, they persistently move their arms and fingers until they follow the appropriate, nearly universal pattern for saying “Hello” or “Goodbye” through body language.

The children have faith in their ability to succeed through failure. Faith is not learned. We are born with it. Our survival depends upon it. If we did not entrust our lives to our parents, guardians, family, peers, and others who influence and “raise” us from birth, we would be lost. In all our learning, however, we seem to pick up one lesson that could have an incredible impact on the rest of our lives, depending upon how we learn it. That lesson is fear. Fear is a learned response. Fear is the absence of faith. With faith, you can try over and over again because you know your success is guaranteed. With fear, you decide without trying that your failure is predetermined, and you no longer give yourself the opportunity to succeed.

Do you have faith? Or fear? Or a mixture of both? It is time to make a conscious decision about what you are willing to do to turn your fear into faith. This is an incredible balance that can have a tremendous influence on your ability to transform. Think about it – your capacity is limitless to hold both fear and faith. If you have a lot of faith and a little fear, then you are only a short distance from overcoming those fears and breaking through to great things in your life. On the other hand, if the depth of your fear is enormous – take hope! Because fear and faith occupy the same space, but you can focus on only one at a time. Therefore, your depth of fear implies incredible potential for deep, enduring faith. You need only need to take action to overcome those fears and replace them with faith.

So how do you overcome your fears? By reinforcing your faith! As faith grows, fear dwindles. When you accomplish something on your own, you gain faith in that accomplishment. Even when you fail a second or third time, you continue to try because you know “I have done this before, and I can do it again.” For things you have not accomplished, you learn faith from those around you. When a close friend has successfully achieved some amazing success in their lives, you say, “Wow. If they can do it, certainly I can do it.” Sometimes, you simply draw on the depths of your own soul, and decide that you are either living or dying. You want to live, so in order to live, you must have faith. You simply create the faith and move past the fear.

While some people have made amazing changes in a simple instant by changing their mindset, I have found that certain breakthroughs in my own life took much more time. For example, I still have a small amount of fear when I stand to speak in front of a large group of people. In the past, this fear was nearly debilitating – I could barely talk for all of my stuttering and shaking. I forced myself to get in front of people to share my story, however, because my heart told me it could help others. In this case, I believed the need to help others was more important than the fear that was holding me back, so I pushed through. And I talked. And I talked again. And again. Each time I stood in front of a group of people, I realized that I could do this. Every time I sat back down and was still living and breathing (and no one had thrown tomatoes at me or pointed and laughed) I realized there really was nothing to fear. Eventually, I began to replace my fear with faith, until now I have only a little fear and a lot of faith in my ability to stand before a crowd and share my story.

To successfully transform, you will need a lot of faith. You may be afraid of many things – of how your life may change, of how hard the effort may be, or even of your own success. The key to overcoming this fear, however, is to keep doing. As you succeed, little by little, you will grow in faith. As you practice over and over, and commit to each new day, you will not only grow in faith, but you will increase your capacity for faith. When you increase your faith, you will stifle your fear, and it will dwindle until it eventually disappears with a whimper instead of a bang.

6. How to Lose the Last Few Pounds of Ab Flab (by Tom Venuto)

Developing a lean, flat stomach takes time and patience, especially when it comes to those last few pounds in those hard to lose places. The lower abs and "love handles" can be two of the most stubborn and exercise-resistant areas from which to lose fat. In fact, it can sometimes seem so hard to reduce those spots that many people become frustrated and resort to dangerous diet drugs or liposuction. Other people slave away day in and day out on the latest new-fangled ab device or do countless sit ups, side bends, and leg raises every day, all to no avail. There is only one way to lose fat in the so-called "stubborn areas," and that is with the correct combination of proper diet, aerobic exercise, abdominal training, and weight training.

The first thing you need to realize is that it is impossible to "spot reduce" fat from one specific part of the body. Fat loss occurs systemically, meaning that you can’t control where the fat comes from. When you burn fat for energy, you will draw it from all areas of the body, and the first place you tend to put it on will be the last place it comes off. The reason everyone has those "stubborn" spots is because each of us is born with a genetic pattern of fat storage, just as we inherit hair color, eye color, and other physical traits. In women, the stubborn areas tend to be hips, thighs, and the waist. In men, the troublesome areas are usually the lower abs and the "love handles." Many people labor away month after month trying to exercise specific areas of their body with the idea that fat will be burned directly off the area they are working. Training the abdominals every day with hundreds of repetitions will certainly tighten and tone the muscles, but it will do almost nothing to remove the fat obscuring the muscles. In fact, it is possible to have a great set of abs that you can’t even see because they are covered up with a layer of fat!

Contrary to popular belief, the best way to burn the layer of flab from your midsection is not to do more abdominal exercise, but to do more cardiovascular exercise. Aerobic exercise is the real secret to burning fat. Walking, jogging, bicycling, elliptical exercise and stairclimbing are all great fat burners. Most people give up too early in the workout. During the first 20 -30 minutes of aerobic activity, glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is the primary fuel source. If you stop after 20 minutes, you’re only getting half of your workout done! You get the cardiovascular health benefits, but you don’t get much fat loss. Because you don't burn significant amounts of fat until glycogen stores are depleted, the key to maximum fat loss is to work out aerobically for 30-60 minutes continuously per session. You should do this at least three or four days per week, but five, six, or even seven days a week will take off fat at the fastest rate possible!

Even if you’re doing cardio every day, without a good diet, you still won’t see results. Fat loss is a 50% exercise, 50% nutrition combination. A fat loss diet must be low in calories. Regardless of how much you work out, if the number of calories you take in is greater than the amount you burn, you’ll still put on bodyfat. Ideally, you should spread your calories out into five small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones so that you don’t overeat in one feeding. Eat a variety of foods that are all natural, low in fat and low in sugar, with about 55% of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 15% from fat. If you’re having a really difficult time losing the last few pounds, keep the protein up and decrease your carbohydrate intake, especially late in the day and at night. This will deplete your glycogen stores and force your body to burn more fat for energy. Be careful not to drop your calories or carbohydrates too much, because this will be interpreted by the body as starvation and will result in a decrease in metabolic rate.

Next to "spot reduction," the second most common myth about abdominal training is that sit ups and leg raises are the most effective exercises. Actually, these movements don’t even isolate the abs; they recruit the hip flexor muscles, which are the same muscles used to punt a football. The hip flexors attach the thigh to the spinal column, so working them with exercises such as straight leg raises creates a strong pull on the lumbar area, which is one of the most common causes of lower back pain. Safer, more effective alternatives are crunches, crunch machines (or ab rollers), hip lifts, and reverse crunches.

The crunch is simply a partial sit up. You lie flat on your back and curl your head, shoulders and upper back off the floor. Your lower back stays on the floor at all times. This isolates the abs because when the feet are not anchored, and you don’t sit all the wayup, the hip flexors are not activated. The reverse crunch, unlike the straight leg raise, is a rolling movement, where the knees are rocked back over the chest. This is a great movement for working the lower abs without putting undue stress on the lower back. To hit the oblique muscles on the sides of the waist, you can do your crunches with a twist (elbow to knee) or you can lie on your side and do side crunches.

The final component of your ab flab-reducing program is resistance training. It is important to train the entire body. Working one muscle group to the exclusion of others is a common cause of muscular imbalance. Building strong abdominals without also developing the antagonistic spinal erectors of the lower back could easily lead to injury. Many people are under the impression that they should only do cardiovascular activities until the weight comes off, then add weight training later on. It’s true that weight training is an anaerobic activity, so it burns more glycogen than body fat. However, working out with weights will increase your lean body mass, which in turn raises your resting metabolic rate. The faster your metabolism is, the more fat you will burn! A complete program should always include aerobic exercise and weight training for every muscle group.

Before you decide to resort to drastic measures, give these guidelines an honest try. Losing fat is not easy, but it is simple if you know the formula. To recap, the formula for losing the last few pounds of ab flab is as follows: (1) Losing fat takes time, so get started now! Be patient and don’t expect to get "ripped" overnight (2) Burn the fat off the ab muscles with lots of cardiovascular exercise or you won’t be able to see them. (3) Choose biomechanically correct exercises to train the abs, including crunching type exercises and avoiding hip flexor exercises, (4) Eat natural, low fat, low sugar, low calorie foods in small servings throughout the day, and (5) Work out with weights; don’t just train your abs, train your entire body.

For More Information About Fat Loss, Check Out Tom's #1 Best-Selling e-Book: Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

Discover an all natural method to lose body fat permanently... even in your mushiest spots...without drugs, supplements or fad diets.

Click here for information on the instantly downloadable e-book!

Note: I heard so much incredible feedback about this book, I had to purchase it for myself. I am a huge fan of Tom's, and love everything I have read on his site and in his newsletter, so I was very happy to recommend this to others. Now that I've downloaded the package for myself, however, I am even more excited. This is not a book loaded with hype and flashy ads or empty promises about magic bullets. Tom does a great job of breaking it down for YOU - from setting goals, learning about calories and macronutrient ratios, to getting rid of those last stubborn pounds and how to maximize your training and cardio. With the other reports that are provided, such as a food guide and a special report about self-image, I feel I received far more value than what I paid for! -- Jeremy Likness

7. Health News

Folate Intake may be Linked to Ovarian Cancer

There is mounting evidence that a low intake of the B vitamin folate is associated with breast and colorectal cancer, especially among alcohol drinkers. Until recently there has been little data linking folate intake and ovarian cancer. A newly published study involving 61,084 women, aged 38-76 years, examined the association between dietary folate intake and the incidence of ovarian cancer.

Overall, a lower dietary folate intake was weakly associated with total ovarian cancer risk. The association of folate intake and ovarian cancer was strongest among those women who consumed more than 20 g of alcohol (approximately two drinks) per week. Therefore, a high dietary folate intake may play a role in reducing the risk of ovarian cancer, especially among women who consume alcohol.

Larsson SC, Giovannucci E, Wolk A Dietary folate intake and incidence of ovarian cancer: the Swedish Mammography Cohort. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004 Mar 3;96(5):396-402.

Folate Intake Related to Stroke Risk in Men

It is known that folate (folic acid), vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 deficiency are related to elevated blood homocysteine level. Abnormally high homocysteine levels are considered a risk factor for heart disease. However, until recently the effects of intakes of these B vitamins on the risk of stroke have been uncertain. Researchers at Harvard recently analyzed the dietary habits of a group of 43, 732 men, aged 40 to 75 years, who had been followed from 1986 to 2000. All participants were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes at the beginning of the study. The incidence of ischemic* and hemorrhagic stroke were documented during the 14 year follow-up. After adjustment for major lifestyle and dietary factors, intake of folate was associated with a significantly lower risk of ischemic stroke. Intake of vitamin B12, but not vitamin B6, was also associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke in this group. Conclusion: Increased folate intake, and to a lesser degree vitamin B12, is associated with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke in men.
* Ischemic stroke - A stroke brought about by a decrease in the blood supply to the brain caused by constriction or obstruction of the blood vessels.

He K, Merchant A, Rimm EB, Rosner BA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Ascherio A Folate, vitamin B6, and B12 intakes in relation to risk of stroke among men. Stroke. 2004 Jan;35(1):169-74. Epub 2003 Dec 11

Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000

Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a list of the leading causes of death in the United States. The findings and analysis were published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The results are very interesting. The two leading causes of death in 2000 were tobacco (435,000 deaths; 18.1% of total US deaths) and poor diet and physical inactivity (400,000 deaths; 16.6%). While neither of these causes appear on a death certificate (it would listed as heart disease, cancer, lung disease, etc.), it is interesting to note that the two leading causes of death in the US are preventable.

It is also alarming to see that poor diet and physical inactivity, or in other words obesity, is recognized as the second leading cause of death. Moreover as the authors conclude "poor diet and physical inactivity may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death. These findings, along with escalating health care costs and an aging population, argue persuasively that the need to establish a more preventive orientation in the US health care and public health systems has become more urgent."

The message is simple. Don't smoke, start eating right and get physically active.

Mokdad AH, Marks JS, Stroup DF, Gerberding JL Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA. 2004 Mar 10;291(10):1238-45.

Glucosamine May Do More Than Simply Reduce Osteoarthritis Pain

New findings, published in the March/April 2004 issue of the Journal of Menopause, indicate that glucosamine may actually reduce or reverse disease progression in some people. These findings originate from two studies involving 414 mostly postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis. Half received 1,500 mg of glucosamine sulfate daily while the other half received a placebo. After three years, those taking glucosamine had no further loss of cartilage whereas the placebo group continued to experience cartilage destruction. Pain reduction and joint function also improved significantly in the group receiving glucosamine sulfate. Previous studies published in Archives of Internal Medicine and The Lancet, also found similar levels of improvement using the same daily dosage of glucosamine that was used in this study.

Although there is still no good evidence that glucosamine should be taken as a preventative measure in younger adults, the results of this study confirm that if you already have osteoarthritis, taking glucosamine may be beneficial.

Bruyere O, Pavelka K, Rovati LC, Deroisy R, Olejarova M, Gatterova J, Giacovelli G, Reginster JY. Glucosamine sulfate reduces osteoarthritis progression in postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis: evidence from two 3-year studies. Menopause. 2004;11(2):138-143.

Pavelka K, Gatterova J, Olejarova M, Machacek S, Giacovelli G, Rovati LC. Glucosamine sulfate use and delay of progression of knee osteoarthritis: a 3- year, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Arch Intern Med. 2002 Oct 14;162(18):2113-23.

Reginster JY, Deroisy R, Rovati LC, Lee RL, Lejeune E, Bruyere O, Giacovelli G, Henrotin Y, Dacre JE, Gossett C. Long-term effects of glucosamine sulphate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lancet. 2001 Jan 27;357(9252):251-6

Micronutrient Deficiency and DNA Damage

The following abstract and conclusion were published by Dr. Bruce Ames of the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Ames is a leading expert in Molecular Toxicology and Nutrition. The research was published in two major journals:

Micronutrient deficiencies. A major cause of DNA damage Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999;889:87-106

DNA damage from micronutrient deficiencies is likely to be a major cause of cancer Mutat Res. 2001 Apr 18;475(1-2):7-20.

A nice printable version of the entire article is found at

http://ehscenter.berkeley.edu/publications/01_ames_1.pdf

ABSTRACT
DNA damage from micronutrient deficiencies is likely to be a major cause of cancer. A Deficiency of any of the micronutrients: folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, iron, or zinc, mimics radiation in damaging DNA by causing single- and double-strand breaks, oxidative lesions, or both. For example, the percentage of the US population that has a low intake (<50% of the RDA) for each of these eight micronutrients ranges from 2 to >20%. A level of folate deficiency causing chromosome breaks was present in approximately 10% of the US population, and in a much higher percentage of the poor. Folate deficiency causes extensive incorporation of uracil into human DNA (4 million/cell), leading to chromosomal breaks. This mechanism is the likely cause of the increased colon cancer risk associated with low folate intake. Some evidence, and mechanistic considerations, suggest that Vitamin B12 (14% US elderly) and B6 (10% of US) deficiencies also cause high uracil and chromosome breaks. Micronutrient deficiency may explain, in good part, why the quarter of the population that eats the fewest fruits and vegetables (five portions a day is advised) has about double the cancer rate for most types of cancer when compared to the quarter with the highest intake. For example, 80% of American children and adolescents and 68% of adults do not eat five portions a day. Common micronutrient deficiencies are likely to damage DNA by the same mechanism as radiation and many chemicals, appear to be orders of magnitude more important, and should be compared for perspective. Remedying micronutrient deficiencies should lead to a major improvement in health and an increase in longevity at low cost.

Conclusion
Optimizing micronutrient intake (through better diets, fortification of foods, or multivitamin-mineral pills) can have a major impact on public health at low cost. Other micronutrients are likely to be added to the list of those whose deficiency causes DNA damage in the coming years. Tuning-up human metabolism, which varies with genetic constitution and changes with age, is likely to be a major way to minimize DNA damage, improve health and prolong healthy lifespan.

Celiac Disease: More Common than we Thought

Gluten-sensitive enteropathy (celiac disease) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the small intestine that is caused by the intake of gluten, a component of wheat protein, in genetically susceptible persons. Gluten is also found in similar grains such as barley and rye. Studies conducted in Europe estimate the prevalence of celiac disease to be one case per 130 to 300 persons.

By contrast, celiac disease has been considered relatively uncommon in the U.S. Previous figures suggested that the incidence of celiac disease in the U.S. was one in 6,000 persons.

However, population studies published in the past several years suggest a much higher prevalence. Results from several recent U.S. studies have reported celiac disease incidence as high as one in 22 persons among groups at high risk, and one in 133 among non-risk groups. The prevalence of celiac disease in symptomatic patients and not-at-risk subjects appears to be similar to that reported in Europe. Celiac disease, therefore, is a more common but neglected disorder than has generally been recognized in the United States.

Likelihood of the disease increases significantly in those with a family history of the disease or personal history of type I diabetes. Since early diagnosis and management are important to prevent serious consequences of malabsorption (i.e. osteoporosis and anemia), people who have chronic diarrhea, unexplained anemia, chronic fatigue, unexplained weight loss, or a genetic predisposition should consult with their medical doctor about the possibility of gluten-sensitivity.

Fasano A, Berti I, Gerarduzzi T, Not T, Colletti RB, Drago S, Elitsur Y, Green PH, Guandalini S, Hill ID, Pietzak M, Ventura A, Thorpe M, Kryszak D, Fornaroli F, Wasserman SS, Murray JA, Horvath K. Prevalence of celiac disease in at-risk and not-at-risk groups in the United States: a large multicenter study. Arch Intern Med. 2003 Feb 10;163(3):286-92.

Hill I, Fasano A, Schwartz R, Counts D, Glock M, Horvath K. The prevalence of celiac disease in at-risk groups of children in the United States. J Pediatr. 2000 Jan;136(1):86-90.

Not T, Horvath K, Hill ID, Partanen J, Hammed A, Magazzu G, Fasano A. Celiac disease risk in the USA: high prevalence of antiendomysium antibodies in healthy blood donors. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1998 May;33(5):494-8.

A Note on Pharmaceutical Grade Supplementation

It seems every day a news headline flashes by and demonstrates how powerful antioxidants are for general health. Unfortunately, most people are not well-educated regarding the benefits of multi-vitamins and therefore "settle" for far less than what their body deserves. Research is typically performed in a quality environment where the ingredients tested are high potency: when the research reports a specific amount, you can be certain that is well within the range of what was indicated. Are supplements that you take off a supermarket shelf subject to the same standard of quality? The answer is NO! The supplement industry is only loosely regulated, and many manufacturers choose to avoid quality control processes. Some use their own, proprietary techniques that are not verified by third parties. Often when they embrace what is known as General Manufacturing Practices (GMP), they adhere to the "food" standard, which is far less stringent than the "pharmaceutical" standard. You can read more about these standards by clicking here.

There is a great guide to multi-vitamins called the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements by Lyle MacWilliams, B.Sc., M.Sc., FP. Lyle is a former Canadian Member of Parliament and Member of the Legislative Assembly for British Columbia. His book not only introduces the importance of antioxidants, but has several chapters explaining how they impact health. It covers the research behind vitamins and minerals. Most importantly, Lyle pulled together a panel of leading nutritionists (all doctors) to find the recommended levels for optimal health. This was called the "Blended Standard" and over 1000 multi-vitamins were compared against the standard. Only 500 made the cut, and of these, only 5 ranked in the 90th percentile or higher! Lyle published the scores for these top 500 in his book.

If your vitamin scored in the top 10%, that is fantastic! Congratulations for taking steps to protect your health - the monthly investment in a pharmaceutical-grade multi-vitamin is, in my opinion, a true health insurance policy. If your multi-vitamin is not superior quality, or if you are not currently taking a multi-vitamin, then I encourage you to click here to appreciate the value of the multi-vitamins I sell (it took me 4 years to find a company with this level of quality and integrity), and then contact me or call toll-free 1-888-472-2829 to place your order and get started right away! Your health is precious, and I would not ask you to invest in something so important without offering the opportunity risk-free. Our products adhere to pharmaceutical-grade GMP, come with a potency guarantee that what is on the label is in the bottle, and are backed by a 100% 30-day money-back guarantee.

8. Doing the Remarkable (by Jim Rohn)

When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question: what can you do, starting today, that will make a difference? What can you do during economic chaos? What can you do when everything has gone wrong? What can you do when you've run out of money, when you don't feel well and it's all gone sour? What can you do?

Let me give you the broad answer first. You can do the most remarkable things, no matter what happens. People can do incredible things, unbelievable things, despite the most impossible or disastrous circumstances.

Here is why humans can do remarkable things: because they are remarkable. Humans are different than any other creation. When a dog starts with weeds, he winds up with weeds. And the reason is because he's a dog. But that's not true with human beings. Humans can turn weeds into gardens.

Humans can turn nothing into something, pennies into fortune, and disaster into success. And the reason they can do such remarkable things is because they are remarkable. Try reaching down inside of yourself; you'll come up with some more of those remarkable human gifts. They're there, waiting to be discovered and employed.

With those gifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. And I challenge you to do that because you can change. If you don't like how something is going for you, change it. If something isn't enough, change it. If something doesn't suit you; change it. If something doesn't please you, change it. You don't ever have to be the same after today. If you don't like your present address change it — you're not a tree!

If there is one thing to get excited about, it's your ability to make yourself do the necessary things, to get a desired result, to turn the negative into success. That's true excitement.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to:
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/friends/jim-rohn.html

Copyright © 2000 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

9. Business Development

This month we are going to focus on the concept of network marketing. Network marketing has many different names associated with it, from multi-level marketing (MLM) to relationship or even referral marketing. While it is beginning to gain much popularity (an estimated 2 million or more are involved with NWM in the United States today, and many well-known companies are using it as a method to distribute goods and services) there are still some negative stigmas associated with the industry.

In a nutshell, network marketing has two basic aspects. The first is the direct selling and word-of-mouth component. While large corporations spend millions and billions on advertising (often from 30% to 50% of their gross income), network marketing companies instead pass this budget onto a network of distributors as commissions. This a very viable method to market a product because distributors often share thier products with friends, family, and associates who are looking for positive referrals from someone they know. For the company, paying commissions to this sales channel rather than spending on advertising means they have guaranteed returns on investment - essentially, they only pay when an actual sale of product has taken place! When done correctly, it is truly a win-win situation.

The second aspect of network marketing is the multi-level structure, where commissions can be paid not only on direct sales, but the sales of the organization that you create within the company. A common misconception about network marketing is that it employs a pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are illegal and any legitimate company simply cannot operate in this fashion. Instead, today's companies pay commissions based on actual product sales rather than signups of new distributors. The only way an organization generates income is through the movement of genuine product.

Another common misconception is that people must go door-to-door and hold parties. While some companies encourage this type of marketing, it is definitely not neccessary. Many companies now provide complete, turn-key solutions - electronic store fronts so that distributors can operate exclusively from the comfort of their own home. This is another great advantage to the industry: most people can build their network marketing business part time! This is one reason why Robert Kiyosaki (best-selling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) considers a network marketing business to be an asset rather than a job.

Network marketing is not a get-rich quick scheme. Many people have been burned through false promises that they can earn six-figure incomes in an extremely short period of time with little work. NWM is a business, and must be run as a business. This means that hard work and consistent action are necessary for growth. However, unlike a full-time job where you work for someone else, and must depend on them to give you a raise or promote you, in NWM, you have the power to give yourself a raise and promote yourself based on your efforts! While the vast majority of people quit NWM after only a few months in the business, those who stick with it and consistently take action are often able to build substantial, full-time incomes within an average of 2 to 5 years.

So how is this possible? As Jim Rohn says, "Profits are better than wages." In NWM, profits come from the leveraged activity of your team, and not just yourself. NWM has the potential for geometric growth. You may have heard of the ideal situation: you bring two people into your business. You get commissions from their own sale of products. Those people bring two more each into the business - now you receive commission from an organization of six (seven, including yourself). And so on and so forth. While this helps illustrate the power of geometric growth and leveraged income, the reality is that your business will not grow this way. Instead, many of the people you introduce to the company will drop out after a few weeks or months. Others may take massive action and build a tremendously large organization.

To see just how viable a network marketing business could be for you, check out this MLM Income Calculator. You will be able to enter some hypothetical numbers and view projections, by month, of how your business could grow. This is not based on ideal geometric growth, but rather extensive research into how successful marketing organizations have been built. If you have no idea what numbers to enter, I can provide an example based on my own, personal experiences with NWM. For "distributors over the past 90 days" enter the number 3 (I was introducing, on average, one person per month to the business when I first started NWM). For average commissionable volume, put $550. Now set the payout (commission) for each level to 20. Enter your own goal for monthly income, and click the calculate button.

Once you have experimented with this calculator, you'll begin to realize the power of NWM. While the initial months yield little profit compared to your efforts (which is why so many people give up and drop out early in the process), subsequent months begin to yield exponentially higher profits and growth, to the point where the same amount of effort can provide substantial income! Here is the kicker: because a team is being leveraged to grow this income, much of that income is actually residual - meaning that you could stop actively recruiting and selling, and still receive a check! Now that is a powerful asset, indeed!

For more information about Network Marketing, click here. If you are truly serious about looking into starting an NWM organization of your own, feel free to contact me and I can share with you the information about my own company!

10. Closing Thoughts

That's it for this issue. I hope you enjoyed it! Please share this with anyone who might benefit. Send your feedback, comments, and suggestions. If you wish to contribute to my site or newsletter, contact me. Have a blessed Easter Sunday!

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