Hey Tattooed Fans and Friends! Have you noticed all these people hanging by ropes and HOOKS from the rafters lately? They are practicing the Art of Body Suspension or Body Modification Suspension – suspending the human body from hooks that have been placed through body piercings. These piercings are usually temporary and are performed on-site just prior to the actual suspension.

Body Suspension is blend of modern body modification and ancient spiritual practices. Once practiced by North American Plains Indians and Southeast Asian aboriginal tribes as a “rite of passage”, recent growing popularity can be directly attributed to Australian suspension artist Stelarc; Fakir Musafar – the “Father of the Modern Primitive movement”; and more recently the television show Mindfreak, whose host Criss Angel suspended himself from hooks attached to a flying helicopter.

Body Suspension is a delicate and detailed process and preparations and suspensions are usually performed by Suspension “Teams”. These Teams often include one or more Professional Piercing Artists. The Team also handles the detailed preparations, body hook placement, safety and sanitary precautions and finally, the actual suspension. Until recently, the suspension hooks were large fishing hooks that had been modified for body suspension by removing the barbs. The growing popularity of suspension has prompted piercing jewelry and piercing supply companies like Painful Pleasures to develop, test and market 4, 6, and 8 gauge hooks designed specifically for suspension. The remaining body suspension hardware can be as simple as a pulley and nylon rope, or as elaborate as an entire suspension “cage”.

To read the rest of this article and learn more about Body Modification Suspension including the Suspension Styles and Positions check out the full-length article at the SABodyArt.com Tattoo and Piercing Article Page! To see detailed (graphic) photos of a recent local Body Suspension visit A Night of Suspension and Suspension at the Slinging Ink Tattoo Expo. Thanks! Kevin at SABodyArt.com – Promoting the Tattoo (and Tattooed!) Lifestyle in San Antonio!

Kevin at SABodyArt.com also known as The Tattooed Blogger, is busy promoting the Tattooed (and Pierced) Lifestyle in San Antonio, TX on his website Tattoo San Antonio at http://www.sabodyart.com and spreading Tattoo Love at http://www.tattooeddivas.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/introduction-to-body-modification-suspension-914901.html

If you are over the age of 65, under 65 but have a specific disability or permanent kidney failure and have been a legal us citizen for at least 5 years, then you are eligible for medicare.  Medicare has come as a product of a law passed by Congress in 1965.  Since it is a federal program you are required to contribute to medicare through your paychecks during your working years,  you will also discover that the guidelines for eligible are similar from state to state.

Medicare consists of two parts:

Medicare Part A – This helps to pay for care if you are a patient in a hospital, nursing home or hospice and for care in your home under certain conditions. Many do not pay a month premium for this because it is paid for by taxes that you have paid while working.

Medicare Part B – Helps to pay for doctors services and outpatient care that is medically necessary. It also pays for preventative services such flu shots.  In 2008, the standard monthly premium was $96.40.

During the first seven months after your 65th birthday, medicare enrollment is free. Individuals covered by medicare as called beneficiaries and will have help paying for most of their medical needs.  Medicare does not cover care given at home, or in a nursing facility, for those with recurring disability or longtime illness.

Medicare also provides Advantage Plans, although it is not available in every state.  These plans offer prescription programs to the beneficiaries.  Specific details depend on the program you choose and your eligibility.

Signing up for Medicare is very simple, but there are different plans and enrollment periods. If you are receiving Social Security benefits before you turn 65, you will be enrolled in Part A and Part B automatically the month you turn 65. You will receive your Medicare card in the mail three months before your birthday.

Whether everyone searching for health insurance or medicare go to www.gohealthinsurance.com. They have all the information everyone need to choose an insurance plan that it right for everyone.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/medicare-913173.html

Mindfulness is healing for not only physical illness, chronic pain, but also anxiety and everyday stress.

Contemporary living is hectic and stressful. This is mainly because we focus too much on the “self.” In our lives, everything seems to evolve around the “self”: the errands we have to run, the goals we have to achieve, and the deadlines we have to meet. Such demands have evolved into our everyday stress.

Because we focus too much on the “self,” we have become oblivious to the needs of others: in other words, we lack mindfulness. In addition, due to our ingrained “mine-is-better” attitude, we often create conflicts in our everyday encounters with people. This is another major source of everyday stress.

How does mindfulness reduce everyday stress?

Researchers have found that mindfulness – in particular, mindfulness meditation – promotes a state of relaxation through changing the brain chemistry. Thus, mindfulness can heal depression. In addition, research has indicated that mindfulness can enhance the immune system, and thus vindicating the healing power of mindfulness.

What exactly is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a deliberate act of focusing the mind on the present moment.

Many of us are living in the past, the present, and the future simultaneously. The past affects our present as well as the future. To illustrate, an unpleasant past experience, such as a bad financial decision or investment, may play a pivotal role in our decision in the present by creating a setting for anxiety and worry, and accordingly with profound implications on the future.

Mindfulness brings our minds to what is happening at this very present moment, to the exclusion of everything else in the past or in the future. It is this “concentrated” relaxation through mindfulness that we can reduce, if not eradicate, everyday stress.

As mentioned above, we are living in a high-wired society in which multitasks are performed concurrently. A simple illustration is a driver talking on the cell phone, listening to the radio, while driving. We are on a fast lane, which is full of distractions and interruptions. Mindfulness is an inconspicuous sign on that fast lane, and it is small wonder that many of us miss that sign. As a result, we often take a turn into the lane leading to stress and distress.

In life, at the ordinary moment of the present, we often miss what is extraordinary at that moment. This “extraordinary” experience, such as rich sensory experiences that touch the nethermost of our souls, is felt only through mindfulness. How often do we eat while we watch a football game. Our focus is on the game, not really on the taste of the food. Mindfulness is savoring the food we eat, pondering on how it affects our senses as well as our health. Mindfulness is focusing on the ordinary that we often take for granted.

Lao Tzu, the great ancient Chinese philosopher, once said: “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.” Because of all the hustle and bustle around us, we do not experience that “stillness” that Lao Tzu described. For this reason, we tend to feel that the whole world is against us. What we really need is self-reflection and depth of understanding of what we are doing at the present moment. Let mindfulness reduce your everyday stress in a stressful world.

Stephen Lau is a writer and researcher. He has published several books and many websites on health, healing, depression, eating disorders, and golf. For more information on emotional and mental wellness, and also get your FREE copy of the 143-page e-book “All-Round Weight Loss” by Stephen Lau, go to: http://www.stephenlau.name/ei.html

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/use-mindfulness-to-reduce-everyday-stress-911750.html

Natural relief for any disease is preferred by many people these days because of the fact that many medications give unpleasant side effects and they minimize the resistance power of the body. Even though it is very easy to take care of headache with some of the medications, there are as many natural therapies available to take care of headache. With these therapies you don’t have to worry about the side effects created by drugs and chemicals.

Herbal remedies for headaches are there since the cavemen used the plants to treat their ills but from recent past, we have moved more towards the chemical solutions to get the faster treatments. But, time has come that we should come back to the basics since natural pain relief techniques are not only effective and having no side effects but they are cheaper compared to the chemical solution medications.

Here are some of the natural ways to get rid of headache:

Drink Cup of Tea:

Herbal treatments are one of the best remedies when it comes to relieving the pain particularly the pains related to migraines and tension headaches. In such conditions person should get relaxed and should have one cup of tea. One should take care that the tea have enough herbs of right content and they can have powerful natural pain killer in your hands very easily. One can also try the chamomile mixed with a feverfew for a soothing tea that can eliminate or at least reduce the headache.

Take a Massage:

Headaches related to tensions are caused by the muscle tightening, that is often due to the stress of overwork or unaccustomed exercise. A massage to swiftly stretch these tightened muscles will help a person to release the tension. With manipulating the muscles particularly in shoulders and necks and at the base of the skull, the tightness will be eased and pain in the muscles will go off. This is the exercise that can be done by you. Here you have to work on the areas where your neck muscles attacked to the skull but it does work best of if it is done by somebody else with the experience and it will give you pain relief very soon.

Drink Water:

Do you know the fact that 75% of Americans are dehydrated most of the time? Most of the people prefer the soft drink with the snacks and meals. Unfortunately, having a cola will not going to rehydrate and in the worst case if you will take the soda, you will avoid to drink water. If this is the case, the state of dehydrations can cause headaches. So, drinking water is very important to prevent the headaches and also can be used to treat the headaches as well. If you have a doubt that the headache is because of the dehydration, drink two to three glasses of water and you will be alright in sometime.

Use Acupressure:

Acupuncturing is one of the very famous alternatives to the medical care required for some of the health problems, but the good part about this is that it can be done even without needles. Try to squeeze the fleshy area between thumb and forefinger for 5 minutes for quick headache relief.

You may be interested in reading Increase Memory and Relieve Stress. Also visit Natural Stress Reliever

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-treat-headache-naturally-910874.html

If you are suffering pain and are seeking an alternative method to address it, you may think about a magnetic therapy bracelet. This is a good method to treat chronic or acute pain and is a great alternative to costly prescription medications.

A magnetic therapy bracelet can relieve any pain you may be having. Arthritis pain is one of the top reported pains with many doctors. Usually an anti-inflammatory is prescribed and you have to take medication for usually the rest of your life. A magnetic therapy bracelet has an anti-inflammatory consequence on the body and is beneficial to treat stubborn arthritis pain. Magnets are created of negative and positive ions and they work by counteracting each other and creating a balance. And this balance wants to be maintained in the body as well. Magnetic therapy also helps promote oxygen to any area of the body where they are worn. A magnetic therapy bracelet is great for shoulder and arm pain and you can even wear it on your ankle to help with any leg, foot or hip pain relief.

With a magnetic therapy bracelet you merely make one purchase and you only put it on and wear it. With prescription pain relief, you have to buy prescriptions regularly and often insurance only covers a portion of this expense. You may have been living with the soreness because you cannot pay for costly prescriptions. You do not have to live like this and you do have an alternative with magnetic therapy.

A magnetic therapy bracelet arrives in many forms and you can get a style and color that look good on you personally. You may want to buy several bracelets that you can wear with diverse styles in your closet. There are many choices available and you will want to shop around before you make a decision.

You may also want to incorporate your magnetic therapy bracelet with other magnetic products. You may need to wear a necklace or earrings too, which can help with head or neck pain. There are even magnetic mattresses on the market that can help you address your pain issues while you sleep.

A magnetic therapy bracelet can make easier you to gain control over your pain and this can improve your whole life. No one should have to live with chronic pain and even if magnets do not provide you with full relief, if you can find a way to carry out your daily activities with minimal pain this may be a tremendous difference in your life.

Zahari Ibrahim A.K.A Zaharey the magnetic therapy user now is residing in Malaysia and who has used up a vast amount of researching the special ways for relieving pain. Find out why magnetic therapy great for you. Please visit: => http://www.magnetic-therapy-greatness.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/ease-your-aches-and-pains-with-magnetic-therapy-bracelet-909458.html

Copyright (c) 2009 Jim Suzak

These are some of the best muscle building weight training tips that a beginner can use to gain muscle. By following these guidelines, you can get started on the right track to help get the most out of your muscle building weight training routine.

A warm up of ten to fifteen minutes should be sufficient. It does not matter what you do to warm up, you just need to get your heart pumping. Also, you should move all parts of your body to loosen up. Cardio types of exercises are excellent for warm up. By doing this you will prevent injuries to the muscles by increasing your core body temperature.

While weight training you will need to do your workout as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Do this by focusing on a smooth, flowing, and continuous type movement. By working out in a fast or jerky manner, you can cause muscle injuries because of the unnecessary strain being placed on your muscles.

Do not hold your breath while weight training. Your muscles always need oxygen to produce energy. Make sure you freely breathe throughout the exercise workout and the timing of when you breathe in or out during does not matter.

Doing exercises with less weight will not challenge your muscles to grow big and strong, so you need to choose the right weight. When you weight train with too heavy weights your muscles can be damaged. Select a weight that you are comfortable with and one that tires the muscles out within 8-10 repetitions.

Focus and concentrate on your workout and do not forget to count repetitions. By not focusing, your work out can result in doing an exercise incorrectly. One set done properly will help you more than doing two or three sets the wrong way.

Avoid focusing your workout on just a few muscle groups by balancing your muscle building weight training workout. You will need to work all your muscle groups for the greatest benefit.

Do not exaggerate and overdo your muscle building weight training. This can cause damage or serious injury to your muscles. Actually, with just one set of 10-12 repetitions of each exercise, being done slowly and using the right technique, is when most people can get their optimal results.

Your muscles will need at least 48 hours to recover after a vigorous weight training workout. Within this time, your muscles are recovering and growing. For maximum benefit, you should try to workout once every 3 days. Also to help in muscle growth, you should drink a good body building supplement after your weight training workout.

You will need to set goals you can reach your destination. Think about what you want. Do you want to lose weight, gain muscle or become a professional body builder? By setting a goal, it will be easier to make a weight training road map for yourself.

It is important that you get a good muscle building weight training book. Find one that has good pictures and descriptions of the exercises that you want to do.

As a beginner, by following these weight training tips, you will be able to achieve the body that you have always desired. Along with your new look, your health and self confidence will also be greatly increased.

The author is a professional trainer and muscle builder that has researched, written and published many articles on how to build muscle and loose fat. He specializes in weight training the beginner as well as the intermediate muscle builder. Check-out his website for more information,details and programs that will help you build your self-esteem through muscle building and fat loss. –> WeightTrainingInfo.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/best-weight-training-tips-for-beginners-908698.html

Assignment from the last session:

Lets start with some of your success stories (Memories): It will be easy for you to remember three events when you performed at your best, felt excited, perhaps happy, or had this great feeling of success. Imagine yourself clearly and vividly in these situations. You can see the colours around you, is there any sound? What do you say to yourself? Are there people around you? What do they do and say? How would you describe the dominant feeling? Describe these three situations as clearly, as possible using all of your senses including sight, sound, smell, touch and feelings…

How did that work for you? Can you recall one of those situations before an important meeting, a job interview or an important telephone call where you felt like all your energy was simply drained out of you?

Now, many times we think that a coffee will help, but does it really help? Another thing we might do is to postpone it, or tell ourselves I’m just too tired for that today, or I’m feeling sick, feeling overwhelmed and so on… There are many strategies we employ when it comes to avoiding scary tasks that all feel like totally valid reasons at the time.

But, what is the real solution? Is there a way to change our energy level in an instant and get the motivation to go through with the task that we are afraid of doing? Good news, there is more than one simple and easy strategy. These techniques are research based and proven to produce outstanding results!

Solutions to instant “Life Energy”: Lets start with an example using the strategy we introduced last time:

Memories As you have learned from the previous newsletter: Your first step to vibrant health and life energy Good memories build our “Life Energy” up in an instant. Yesterday I had a client and we went through this process to see if we could overcome a problem she was having. Until now, when she had to solve a problem she felt it was easy to become overwhelmed and in this overwhelmed, drowning state it is just impossible to come up with good solutions. After recalling a wonderful memory and re-living the experience she commented “Wow that is fantastic! Just with activating a great memory, I am living it again, the excitement in the feelings, and the generation of my uplifting self talk”. From this point she was easily guided to find a great solution for the problem she was having. We call this, getting into the Resource State.

So, the meeting starts in 20 minutes and you feel the energy inside of you diminishing, what can you do?

1. Stand up, lift your arms and breathe in as long and deep as you can, then breath out slowly. While you are doing this, think about something you can be grateful for, or a good memory or somebody you love. Feel this feeling in your heart and with each further breath you take allow this sensation to grow and grow.

In total you take 10 deep breaths and enjoy this feeling, it might be love, gratefulness, happiness, or success energising every cell of your body. It is like a bright light floating through you and vitalizing you.

So, now you are ready, you are in your resource state, where you have access to your whole potential. Now see if you can’t find the energy to get into that scary task!

Real Life Example from Simon Thompson, professional triathlete (member of the Australian Olympic team)

I often feel nervous before a big race. If I let it get to me this fear can become overwhelming and it actually inhibits movement, which is not an ideal situation to be in! I will often take a few moments before warming up for the event to focus my mind and put myself into the resource state. I will make a visualisation where I combine thoughts, feelings and memories of the past when I’ve competed at my best and project them onto the race I’m about to have. I picture the start of the race and see myself as I have been on occasions when I’m brimming with confidence and look physically and mentally ready to go. I then move into the race itself and feel myself swimming, riding and running to the best of my ability and the ease at which the movements come to me. Finally, I can visualise myself crossing the line in first place and the wonderful sensations that go with it. Once I’ve completed this visualisation I’m no longer feeling nervous, but I’m definitely excited to race!

Give it a try for yourself and let me know how you are going with that, or if you need any help.

Energise your life, all sessions on:
http://energeticlifesolutions.blog.com/
free videos on: www.energetic-life-solutions.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-boost-your-energy-level-in-an-instant-908486.html

When researchers at Ohio State University calculated the body mass index of 8,550 Asian, black, Hispanic, Native American and white 4-year-olds born in 2001 and 2005, 18.4% were obese. The difference in percentages between racial/ethnic groups ranged from 31.2% of American Indian/Native Alaskan 4-year-olds to 12.8% of Asian 4-year-olds. The difference in percentages was attributed to lifestyle differences both culturally and socioeconomically. Children obese at age 4 can have high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. “The heavier you are as a child, the likelier that extra weight will follow you through life” is a quote not to be taken lightly.

Also not to be taken lightly is an experimental program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, which helps pregnant women control their weight. The program is based on new research showing excessive weight gain during pregnancy hurts both mother and fetus. It increases risk of complications during pregnancy and puts children at risk for obesity and diabetes later in life. Animal studies have shown the environment in which fetuses grow influences genes and children can be imprinted with a vulnerability to be overweight. Because nearly one-quarter of the 4 million U.S. births annually involve obese women, further research can’t “weight”.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, food labels can state zero grams of trans fats if the trans fats are less than .49 grams. To avoid even trace amounts of these harmful fats, avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils – which are trans fats. Manufacturers use these oils to add shelf life to products. Trans fats can raise triglycerides and LDL and lower HDL, increasing risk of heart disease. LDL starts going up when 3.8% of caloric intake is trans fats. In a 2000 calorie diet, that’s 8 grams. The process of maintaining good health is avoiding trans-fat-containing, processed foods.

Helping to maintain good health, a federal study of 545,000 AARP members – which took into account other risk factors like smoking and family histories of cancer and obesity – found eating large amounts of red meat increases the likelihood of dying from heart disease and cancer. People who eat the highest amounts of red and processed meats are about 20% more likely to die of cancer. Heavy consumption of red meat also increases the risk of death due to heart disease 27% for men and 50% for women. Now the FDA is getting down to the meat of the matter.

Knight Pierce Hirst has written for television, newspapers and greeting cards. Now she writes a 400-word blog three times a week. KNIGHT WATCH, a second look at what makes life interesting, takes only seconds to read at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/why-does-health-news-sound-so-unhealthy-907583.html

Although we are still discussing journaling as a tool for weight loss, now we are going to spend a few minutes each day on you.

Journaling on Your Road to Health In

Here is the next step in journaling as a weight loss tool, writing down your thoughts and feelings each day. Though you may balk at this step, it is an integral part of your success.

This doesn’t mean you need to write a novel every day. It isn’t rocket science, it can be just taking a couple of minutes in your day and writing a few sentences down. No dings for spelling or grammar, after all this is your journal and it isn’t necessary for anyone to see it but you.

Still not convinced? Just some of the benefits are listed:

Writing your feelings down is a release, it helps you work through them Holding onto, or “stuffing” down your feelings can actually keep weight on your body. (Negative feelings can literally be toxic to your body) It is a record of your journey that you can go back and review (this can become very encouraging if you’re having an off day, it helps you see how far you’ve come) You can learn where certain situations lead to cravings and learn how to deal with them in a healthier way These are only some of the benefits! Imagine, losing some of that weight can be as easy as getting your feelings off your chest! Isn’t that an amazing concept?

Here’s one more.

Gratefulness

This is a suggestion made by Oprah a few years ago, that has always made sense to me. It is something you can incorporate into your journaling weight loss tool along with your daily notes.

Every night before bed, write down three things you are grateful for. It’s good to think about the good things in your life.

Even if you’ve had a horrible day and can’t think of anything more than “I’m grateful I’m alive” it is still something worth being grateful for. That way, as you are drifting off to sleep you are thinking about positive things instead of dwelling on the negative aspects of your day.

There are many things in our lives that we can be grateful for.

Zach Hunt is a Personal Trainer Spokane WA expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: personal trainer Spokane WA for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/weight-loss-use-journaling-as-a-tool-904937.html

Do you believe that success relies somewhat on a person’s self-confidence levels? What happens to your teen’s ability to succeed if their weight issues are causing their self-esteem levels to plummet? Studies have shown that kids and teens that have issues with their weight are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem – how can you help you teen deal with both of these problems?

Will poor self-esteem lead your child to avoid risks and opportunities out of fear? If they would love to act, will they try out for the school play or shy away because of their weight? Your teen may not participate in classroom discussions or become a leader if they don’t feel confident. These issues can have long-term impacts that can negatively impact their ability to function or be successful later in life.

If you try to help your teen lose weight, your efforts might backfire. It can be difficult to encourage healthy eating and exercising habits without making your teen feel as though that’s all you care about. Constantly making food an issue may lead your teen to feel as though you don’t accept them for the way they are. This can lead to a negative body image.

A teen weight loss camp can take this battle out of your house and put things in proper perspective. Trained nutritionists and trainers can help empower your teen to make better, healthier choices and begin to lose weight.

These skills will come home with your teen. Eventually, this may lead to a much healthier home environment all together. Once your teen begins to make healthier choices on their own, the whole family may get involved. Your teen will be the one who lead this effort, which will also make them feel good!

Your teen will find acceptance with the other teens who share similar problems and issues. Becoming a part of a group will help your teen deal with emotional issues involved with weight problems. This type of support might not be something that you can offer your child the way his or her peers can. Anyone who has ever had to deal with any sort of emotional problems understands that it can be much more comfortable and beneficial to talk about these things with others who are in the same situation or who have previous experience dealing with them. This is accomplished wonderfully at weight loss camps.

Improvements in self-esteem and self-confidence begin almost immediately as a result of the efforts they are making. It feels good to exercise and your teen will begin to see results early. With empowerment comes self-confidence. They feel good about themselves because they are making better choices. This self-confidence will extend to other areas of their life.

Now, trying out for a play might not seem as daunting. Participating in sports becomes more of a possibility. Improve self-confidence will allow them to focus less on how they appear when it comes to popularity and acceptance.

The empowerment they feel over their weight loss issues will help them see that if they can accomplish this, then many things are possible. Self-confidence and empowerment will help them succeed in many areas of life, and getting help dealing with their weight issues will ensure that they live a healtheir life overall, allowing them to enjoy their success in life for much longer.

David Kraft is a freelance author with many areas of specialization. He promotes healthy living for youth and provides information about weight loss camps. You can learn more at his weight loss camp for teens site.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/promoting-teen-success-with-a-weight-loss-camp-900880.html