Anyone who is concerned with teen health, teen fitness and college health, need to look no farther than your local gym floor to see why there is such a problem with teen fitness today.

Students don’t know the first thing about college health or teen health, and that is drastically affecting their expanding waistline. Students who are concerned with teen fitness need to alter their workout easier in order to become more fit.

College health is tough to regulate because of the late night parties, all you can eat buffets and drastically different lifestyle. Also, college students are much less likely to be as active as they were in high school, then teen health was much easier to come by (think 3-sport athlete).

Most teens, unfortunately, know nothing about teen health and teen fitness, and it shows in gyms across the country. Teens are showing up to the gym to workout, but we will not address the issues of teen health and teen fitness until we alter their workouts.

Here are quick tips to improve teen fitness, teen health and college fitness:

1- Rest less and workout more. It’s tough for teens to lose weight while they are resting five mintues between sets. You need to get up and workout more. Do a set of jumping jacks between sets, it’ll work! That’ll help out teen health and college health.

2- Lift weights to lose weight. Teen health is terrible because they, especially females, waste their time on the treadmills and elliptical. College health would greatly improve with shorter workouts with lifting more weights, and teen fitness wouldn’t be such an issue if teens lifted.

3- When doing cardio, do it right. Long distance running or walking will not improve teem health. In fact, there have been studies done to prove that adding aerobic training to a workout showed nothing that dieting alone wouldn’t help. Do a short run (less than a minute) followed by a shorter walk. That’ll greatly help teen fitness and college health. It’ll help lose weight!

4- Don’t isolate muscles. Teen health, teen fitness and college health will not improve unless they learn to workout right. Bicep curls will not improve teen health and teen fitness. Neither will triceps kickbacks or sit ups help out college health.

5- For college health, try to stay active. Easier said than done, but college health is just as big of a concern as teen health and teen fitness. Stay active. Go to the gym more. Remember, if you were an athlete last year, and now you do nothing, your college health will deteriorate.

Teen health, teen fitness and college health are a growing concern. But staying fit during your student years can be very simple. Lift weights, rest less, and you will melt the fat away! Remember, college health isn’t all that hard.

Matt Elder is the owner of http://www.generationyfitness.com , the world’s only website designed just for high school and college students. The site is exclusive to members, but is completely free.

Tip 1: Drink 2 Litres of Water per day

The cells in your body are made predominantly of water and they need to stay hydrated in order to function well.
2 Litres = approx 8 glasses
If this is a lot more than you currently drink increase your intake by an extra glass every 2 days until you reach 8 glasses.
Place a 1 litre bottle or jug on your desk to help you monitor intake. Sip slowly all day rather than gulp several glasses at a time.
Drink before you feel thirsty. When your body feels thirsty it is already dehydrated.
Tea, Coffee and Softdrink (Soda) do not count towards your 8 glasses. Minimise your intake.
If you are exercising you need to drink extra water before, during and after your workout.
Tip 2: Exercise 3 times a week

30 minutes of exercise that gets your heart and lungs working is the minimum.
Choose an activity that you enjoy – walking, dance class, tennis, gym, swimming etc
3 x 30 minutes is better for you than 1 x 90min
Join a club, social group or find a buddy to help you stick to your plan.
Tip 3: Eat Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Your metabolism slows down while you sleep and does not increase until you eat something. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day.
If you are not a big breakfast eater start with something light such as fruit salad and yoghurt.
Choose cereals that are low in sugars and high in grains.
Choose Wholemeal or Multigrain bread rather than White bread. It will keep you full for longer and has more nutrients.
Tip 4: Eat more Greens

Increase the amount of green vegetables on your dinner plate each night.
Green Vegetables have lots of antioxidants and can decrease your chances of diseases such as cancer.
There are so many green vegetable to choose from – you don’t have to eat the ones you don’t like.
Tip 5: All things in moderation

Having a balanced diet does not mean you can never eat chocolate, a hamburger or a glass of wine. It means eat in moderation.
Most of your diet should consist or fruit & vegetable, wholegrains/cereals, dairy, lean meat or protein and water.
Minimise use of salt, saturated fats and sugars.
Take responsibility for your eating choices. Nobody is force feeding you so choose wisely.
Tip 6: Have regular checkups

Are you up to date with your health checkups? Dental, Eyes, Ears, Cholesterol etc
Mark the due date in your diary or Outlook calendar so you don’t forget – time flies!
Make it a priority – health problems caught early can be dealt with.
Tip 7: Sleep & Relaxation

Sleep and relaxation are essential for your body’s rejuvenation and immune system.
Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Create a habit of going to bed at the same time most nights and getting up at the same time each morning. Routine make sleeping easier.
Relaxation during the day will help manage stress levels in your body.
Yoga, mediation, reading, listening to music are all easy ways to relax.
Put a journal by the bed. Write anything you are worried about or wanting to remember in the journal 30 minutes before bedtime. That way you can sleep knowing the thoughts will still be there for you in the morning.
Tip 8: Laugh Daily

Have one really good belly laugh every day.
Laughter assists the immune system
Laughter is generates endorphins. Endorphins are nature’s anti depressant.
Children laugh 400 times a day; adults laugh about 15 times. Drs.Gael and Patrick Flangan. California Loma Linda University
Tip 9: Fresh Air

Feeling sluggish late in the afternoon? Instead of making another cup of coffee take yourself outside for 10 minutes if fresh air.
Go for a walk around the block or sit quietly under a tree and breathe deeply.
Fresh air will help you feel more alert
Fresh air will give more oxygen to your body helping it work better.
Tip 10: Listen to your Body

LISTEN to your body .. it knows what you need. RESPECT your body … it is the only one you’ve got!
Your body will keep talking to you until you listen. If you don’t hear the gentle message your body is forced to get nasty with you!
Your body gives you messages about things like stress, fitness, what you are eating, and emotional health.
If you need a day off work – take it. If you need to cancel a social engagement – cancel it. If you need to say “no” to a request – say it.
“If anything is sacred the human body is sacred.” Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass
Linda Anderson is a Certified Professional Coach working with Small Business Owners and Professionals in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Linda helps her clients lead bold and successful lives. In 2002 Linda and her partner sold all their belongings, hit “pause” on their respective careers, and spent 365 days traveling the world. Linda brings this passion for challenge, new experiences and adventure to her coaching. Visit Linda at: http://www.a2acoaching.com

What would you like to achieve? Receive a free chapter of best selling e-book “Don’t Just Dream It … Do It!” http://www.a2acoaching.com/page/page/2849956.htm

How can stress affect your overall health? Several ways. First of all stress is linked to two very common, yet very difficult problems: Depression and Anxiety. Sometimes stress is a good thing, if it brings out the best in us. However other times when the stress is too much, which can be different for everyone because each person responds differently to things, the stress causes either fear or withdrawal, which lead to anxiety and depression.

The fight or flight feeling we get when we are sometimes over stressed causes physical symptoms. Dry mouth, increased adrenaline, sweating and sleeplessness are all common instant signs of stress, but stress goes deeper.

Did you know that stress causes a certain part of your body, your nerves to sort of cut off blood flow to organs (though not completely) that are not pertinent to fight or flight. One main organ system that gets a shortened blood supply is your digestive system. This causes poor digestion, you aren’t able to digest all of the nutrients you are suppose to, your body is not processing your food the way it is intended to. Other organs get a lower blood supply also. In effect healing and organ function suffer.

What is more is that all of this is even worse today. So many people are stressed in our fast paced, no break world. Think about it, when was the last time you didn’t feel stressed? The last time you didn’t have something important to get done now? Stress is causing way more problems than needed, and we are actually putting ourselves, our health, our digestion, healing and other organ functions on the line by not taking breaks.

It is important to remember also that taking a break is good for us mentally. Avoiding meltdowns, a mid life crisis, and anxiety and depression.

Do you know how stressed you are? Most of us do not, and most of us do not realize what it is doing to our bodies and minds. There is a stress test (scale) on wikipedia (online encyclopedia) by Holmes and Rahe. It is an interesting test scale to check, because although most of us can tell when we are stressed this scale can give us a better idea of how stressed, and what it is doing to your health. Check out the scale here.

Now that you know how important it is to control how much stress you have in your life, it might be a good idea to check out 10 Free Tips to Be Stress Free, to start learning how to keep the stress levels in your life to a minimum, and relaxation to a maximum.

Mary is an online content writer and stay at home mom. She runs her own blog at http://www.theathomer.com

If you are someone you know is going through breast cancer, you know what an emotionally and physically trying time it is. Many forms of cancer treatment only add to the discomfort that the breast cancer patient experiences. Radiation treatments, for example, can cause a great deal of fatigue and it can take up to two months for your normal levels of energy to return. Therefore, it is important to follow a few health tips in order to minimize these side effects, as well as to help you get better sooner.

One of the most important things you can do for yourself while fighting breast cancer is to get plenty of rest. Do your best to get a full nights’ sleep. And, if you feel tired during the day, take the time to sleep or rest to allow your body time to recover.

Another thing you can do is eat a healthy diet. The healthier your body is, the better prepared it will be to fight the cancer and to recover from the treatment. Be sure to include plenty of protein in your diet because the amino acids found in protein are used by your body to help repair damage.

Sometimes, eating can be a difficult task if you are undergoing treatments for breast cancer. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and medications can adversely affect your appetite and digestive system. You might experience nausea, vomiting, changes in taste and smell, difficulty swallowing and chewing, constipation, and pain. If you are experiencing these problems, you need to take steps to increase your appetite and to make eating easier.

Firstly, try to make mealtime enjoyable by eating with friends and family or making eating as comfortable as possible. To add variety for your taste buds and to make eating more enjoyable, try new foods or new recipes. If you engage in mild exercise ½ hour before you eat, it can also help increase your appetite. Of course, you should check with your doctor before starting any type of exercise routine. Anti-nausea medicine can also be helpful if you are vomiting or experiencing nausea.

It is also helpful if you prepare meals ahead of time while you are feeling better and freeze them. These meals can be easily reheated when you are not feeling well. You should also keep small snacks on hand to munch on when you are feeling good enough to eat. In fact, it is best to eat small meals or snacks frequently throughout the day than to eat large meals. All foods you purchase should be easy to prepare or should be ready to eat. You should also look for foods that are high in calories and protein in order to help keep your weight on. Even the fluids you consume should be high in calories and protein. If you are having a hard time chewing and swallowing, you should puree your foods or purchase foods that are easy to swallow, such as applesauce, soup, baby food, pudding, and yogurt.

Additionally, there are a number of, herbs and vitamins which promote breast health.

For information about these, please visit the Woman’s Health Network to learn more.

By following these health tips for breast cancer patients, you will be able to keep up your strength and be better prepared to beat the disease. In addition, you can actually help boost your body’s immune system and its ability to make you better.

For more information about breast cancer and health tips for breast cancer patients, please visit the Woman’s Health Network and check out the Women’s Breast Health Resource page to educate yourself and your loved ones about breast cancer and natural breast cancer treatment. Additional information can also be found in the women’s health forum.

As patients, we all like to think our doctors are on top of their game — they know everything there is to know about our particular health problem. We like to think this because we are putting our health and our lives in their hands.

However, what we really should be thinking is how can doctors stay current on all the new developments, knowledge and recommended treatments available? After all, there are so many new medical findings/reports given everyday it is impossible for any one doctor to stay current in all areas of medicine. It is even a challenge for a doctor to stay current in one specialized area of medicine.

Yes, doctors are required to take continuing education classes, but the number of hours required per year is minimal compared to all the new medical information available each and every day. To stay current, doctors need to make a concerted effort to learn what is new in their particular practicing area. Doctors who are expert lecturers even hire full-time staff to review all the available new medical information. That is how they stay current and can be considered experts.

The point of sharing these thoughts with you is, no matter how good your doctors are there may come a day when they cannot answer your specific questions. They may not know about a particular new treatment, may not know about a change in the current standard of care. You, the patient, may find yourself educating your doctors about something you have read. Think this is not likely to happen, then think again! This happens much more often than we like to admit. Here is an example of a real-life situation a friend recently shared with me . . .

Sarah (not her real name) recently told me she had been feeling very tired and was gaining weight. Her doctor was running some blood tests and was checking her thyroid function. She would know about her test results in a few days. A few days later she told me her blood tests came back fine, within the normal lab ranges. I asked her what her TSH value was and she said it was 4.8. Her doctor thought they could repeat tests in about 3 months.

I was shocked to hear her doctor thought a TSH of 4.8 was normal. I thought she was probably becoming hypothyroid. I explained to her that the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) established new guidelines in 2003 for the TSH range and the new normal range for TSH is now 0.3 to 3.04. Using this narrower range, Sarah would be considered hypothyroid (not enough thyroid hormone) and would be given thyroid supplements.

I suggested Sarah visit the AACE website http://www.aace.com/newsroom/press/2003/index.php?r=20030118 or Mary Shomon’s thyroid column at www.about.com to learn more. (Mary Shomon is the guide for thyroid issues and she provides patients with a great deal of helpful thyroid information.) I encouraged Sarah to speak with her doctor now and not wait three months. Sarah’s doctor was following old standards and most likely did not know about the narrower TSH range. Her doctor was just reading the range the laboratory provided instead of following the new guidelines.

Sarah’s situation is just one example of a doctor not knowing the latest information. In case you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some helpful tips when educating your doctor:

Do your health homework. No matter what doctor you see, you need to verify and discover information yourself. Go to reputable medical sources on-line and print out copies of information you want to discuss with your doctor. Reputable medical sources are sites run by well-known doctors, organizations, or universities like www.webmd.com or www.americanheart.org. Avoid sites written by unknown individuals merely express an opinion and not verifiable facts. For rarer medical information, visit medical libraries and ask the librarian for assistance in finding answers to the questions you have. No matter how you do your homework — have a hard copy to show your doctor.
Ask your doctor for some time to answer your questions and show him or her printed material. They may want to see the specifics for themselves before they can comment. One of several scenarios should then follow:
The best scenario would be for your doctor to already be aware of the information you are providing and for you both to have a thorough discussion about it.

The next best scenario would be for your doctor to be unaware of the information and for him or her to be willing to look into if further for you or refer you to someone who is more knowledgeable in that area.

Perhaps the worst scenario would be for your doctor to be unaware of the information and be unwilling to take the time to discuss it with you.

Smart doctors will react to information a patient presents by either already knowing the information or by wanting to know more about the new information. Smart doctors know they can always keep learning and they are not offended by patients asking questions and providing information. They are often grateful for patients who bring important issues to their attention because it may help them treat other patients better in the future.
You should seek out doctors who are willing to discuss information with you and have a true partnership relationship when it comes to your care.

On the flip side, you should avoid doctors who are unwilling to discuss new information with you. If they are too busy to answer your questions, then you don’t need them. Stay with them only long enough to find a new doctor who will have a quality doctor-patient relationship with you. You need a doctor who has your best interests in mind. Remember in the end, it’s your or your loved one’s health at stake.
Doctors are human beings too. They genuinely want to help people. That is why they went into medicine in the first place. Just like you, they have many time pressures on them and in this fast-paced world it is not easy to keep up on everything new in medicine. Give your doctors the opportunity and flexibility to help you before you decide to move on. If they are willing to spend time answering your questions, but ask to do so at an alternative time or by an alternative means, then try being understanding and work with them. Some doctors have a time during the day when they are more easily able to speak with patients by phone or some will even communicate with patients via e-mail. The best solution is to find a way to get your questions answered that works for both you and your doctor.
Dr. Donna Pikula is an award-winning health care writer and speaker who helps people become smarter patients. Smarter patients know how to receive the health care they deserve for themselves and their loved ones, while reducing their chances of suffering from medical errors. Dr. Pikula invites you to visit http://books2helpyou.com to learn more about the award-winning book After the Diagnosis: How to Look Out for Yourself or a Loved One and its companion notebook, My Medical Organizer. While visiting, we also encourage you to discover other SMART patient tips and sign-up for our monthly health newsletter!

Dr. Pikula holds a D.D.S. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Orthodontics from the University of Tennessee.

Copyright 2008 – Donna L. Pikula, D.D.S, M.S. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and follow all the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.

Since 2001, major health insurance providers have been allowing consumers to buy policies online. Through the convenience of the internet, consumers are able to compare prices and coverage to find the best insurance policy for them. Before you sign up with a health insurance provider, you should consider price, company history, and coverage to make sure you find a good plan for your situation.

Identify Your Coverage Needs

Before you start gathering quotes for health insurance policies, identify how much coverage you will need. Start by looking over your past medical expenses for the last three years. Do you need a lot of coverage or do you rarely need to see a doctor?

Next, consider your future expected medical expenses. Are you looking to cover typical office visits through the year? Or do you want to protect yourself from a medical catastrophe? Based on these answers, pick the coverage plan that will meet your needs.

Compare Costs

If you want to make sure you are getting the best deal on health insurance, compare prices. Online insurance websites make this process easy. You enter your basic information online, and then get several quotes from different health insurance companies.

Check The Coverage

Before you sign up with a health insurance provider, check the coverage that is being offered. Compare deductibles and co-pays, covered procedures, and hospital visits amongst offered policies. The more coverage provided, the higher the premiums. But this could save you more money in the long run, so in your decision also factor in how much you will use medical services.

Find A Doctor

There are two types of insurance plans – those that allow you to see any doctor and those that require you to use approved network doctors. Be sure to check that the doctor you want to see for typical office visits is covered by your plan. Managed plans that require you to see a network doctor usually have several doctors to choose from in populated areas.

Research The Company

Once you have quotes from a couple of health insurance providers, take the time to research the company to make sure you are comfortable with them. Check to see how you can contact them if you have a problem and their financial records. You can do all this online.

To view our list of recommended companies online that provide health insurance and can help you compare quotes, visit this page: Recommended Insurance Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website with articles and information about various topics

The cost of health care has increased substantially over the past decade, so it should be no surprise that the cost of private medical insurance has followed suit. With premiums up from around annually to 18 according to Data Monitor, it is becoming harder for many people to afford private medical insurance at all.

There are ways to cut costs and still get quality cover and quality medical care, though. Here are a few suggestions for getting quality health insurance for you and your family on a budget.

Downgrade from comprehensive cover

If you’ve been paying for comprehensive PMI, you may reduce your costs by downgrading to a budget plan. There are a number of budget plan types available. One of the most common methods of reducing costs on PMI is to exclude cover for some types of treatments. Those treatments may include tests, complementary health care and psychiatric care. Exclusions are one way to cut costs t if you end up needing tests, scans or physical therapy, or any other type of treatment not covered, you could wind up paying far more out of your pocket than you would have paid for the extra cover. Agree to a higher excess

Another popular way to lower premiums is to opt for a higher excess. You can lower your premiums by well over 50% if you choose to accept a high excess. If you do choose to take on a higher excess payment, be sure to check how the excess is charged. A per claim excess can wind up being far more expensive than a full cover excess.

Share the responsibility

A third way to cut the cost of your premiums is to share the cost of your medical expenses with your insurance provider. Rather than paying a fixed excess cost, you agree to pay a percentage of your treatment cost up to a predetermined cap.

Pay for your own treatment

A new class of payment type for private health care costs is to pay for your own expenses without insurance. There are private hospitals that offer fixed rate operations to allow you to shop around and budget for an operation rather than wait for your turn on the NHS.

Private treatment at NHS facilities

If you opt to pay your own medical expenses, one option to look into is using private facilities at NHS hospitals. The cost may be cheaper than the same treatment at a private hospital.

Employer based PMI

Check to find out if your employer offers PMI as a company benefit. Group rates for private health insurance are considerably cheaper than individual, so even if your employer requires you to make a contribution, it’s likely to save you a good amount of money on your health insurance policy.

Depending on the policy and the company, you may also be able to get cover for your spouse and children. In some of the larger companies, you may even be able to get cover if you have a pre-existing condition.

Shop around for the best deal

Comparison shopping will always get you the best deal, so do shop around and compare premiums. Ask for quotes from several insurance companies but be sure to know before hand what type and level of cover you want so you can compare like with like.

For further information please visit Health Insurance