Health and Fitness

My skin seems to be acting up a little bit due to the weather. I have fairly normal skin, not excessively oily or dry. What’s the best product to keep away blemishes? I wash my face everyday in the shower with Wet and Wild skin care, but that’s obviously not working. Thanks!

I recently received a call from a client in Dallas who noticed that one of the local stores is installing the Retul 3D Motion Capture System and wondered if it was better than the fitting she received from KGS Bikes. The explanation is a little more involved than a Q&A question so I decided to bump my scheduled ezine article for this one.

The KGS Fitting System, those by Serotta, WobbleNaught, Carmichael, Specialized, Cyfac, Body Scan, Fit Kit and others, use a procedural system that gets a specific outcome and these may or may not even use the data generated by a motion capture system.

Retul has become the gold standard in fitting tools in the past 18 months. The reason I say it is a fitting tool is that Retul can be used with any fitting system. It is 3D Motion Capture System that can accurately measure sensor points which are attached to rider or are indexed to a bicycle.

Retul has a competitor in Dartfish, which is a 2D motion capture system that I own. I am planning on purchasing Retul to augment my fitting services so here is an explanation of how I deal with fitting systems and motion capture systems. The crosshair laser that I use to measure bicycles is another reference tool that is independent of the fitting system. It helps to separate the two as there is overlap and thus room for confusion.

Fitting Systems – KGS vs others. Many of the fitting systems on the market today feature equations or benchmarks that a rider should use to calculate the best way to fit a bicycle. Fit Kit is one of the earlier systems that use a plumb line to determine Knee Over Pedal Spindle, WobbleNaught uses 33 different measurement points of the rider and the bike to get a computer generated setup for that individual rider and that individual bike. Carmichael uses angles and geometry to assure that an individual is set up within an acceptable range of angles on the bike. Serotta and others use a combination of measurements and riding on either the owner’s bike or a setup bike.

What separates the KGS Fitting System from the others are two specific processes:

1) I have developed a system of finding the best, most efficient and balanced position for an individual using my custom setup bike, through scientific analysis using a step by step approach to find that perfect setup whether the rider is young or old, fit or unfit.

2) The use of a setup bike with a power meter, that is 100% infinitely adjustable and capable of producing the workload that you as the rider really produce on the road, is critical. My system determines a proper bike setup, rather than a setup based on the limitations of a specific bike.

Fitting Tools – Setup bike. The setup bike was just described and is the core of my fitting system. It has road, mountain and time trial handlebars, different saddles, adjustable cranks from 150-230 mm and almost all modern pedal systems. Since the bottom bracket is the datum point, every other conceivable position is determined by the location of the saddle and handlebars. Since all riders interface with the bike in exactly the same place, (pedals, handlebars and saddle), if the setup bike is able to be positioned to find the rider’s best position it can be found, documented and repeated.

The setup bike is not the system any more than one’s bike on a trainer would be. In fact, my system is good enough to find the perfect setup even if it would be difficult to build a real bicycle with those specifications. This is because I don’t assume that the bicycle industry has created a stock frame for you, I assume nothing. When we get through the fitting process we know exactly how to build a frame that is perfect for you, or to specify a stock frame that works with your body.

Cross hair laser – This fitting tool is what I use to accurately measure the handlebars and saddle relative to the bottom bracket. These lasers do nothing but project two lines into space, but the accuracy attainable from this device is fantastic.

Dartfish Advanced Video Analysis – I bought the Dartfish software and used it with my fittings for a few years but found that the only thing that really worked well was the ability to show ankle placement and the time it took to show the client problems was better spent in showing a solution rather than highlighting the problem. Dartfish is a great tool and some clients can benefit from it but most are better off letting me show them how to get better form rather than see how bad their form is in the first place.

Retul – The Retul system is a 3D motion capture system. The reason I am getting one is the ability to capture the fitting session and not only save that data but analyze it with other setup data. I have the ability now to get people setup properly on the bike. That is not the point. Having a system that gives me better resolution of all the aspects of a rider’s position and being able to save it is important. Another part of the Retul system is a sensor that can be triggered when it touches parts of the bike so the critical dimensions of the setup bike can be captured more quickly and with the same accuracy that I use now. I can save a few minutes doing documentation which usually means I get more time to spend helping the client with specific problems.

In summary, a bad fitter will not do a significantly better job with Retul. All the fitting procedures and knowledge that the fitter used prior to the acquisition of Retul are used after the device is purchased so many bike shops are still stuck with the age old discovery: Bike fitting is not easy.

It has taken me years of study to get really good at bike fitting and I still learn things every day. I feel lucky to have a studio that I can use to really do a client some good. I can’t speak for other shops and studios, but I work not only hard but as smartly as I can to put the client first and get an awesome outcome. I can’t wait to get my own Retul system but the fact that I just have my knowledge, skills and setup bike means that current fit clients will get what they want and need, which is a custom setup that works for them.

At the end of the day, I still find a lot of stock bikes don’t fit grownups well. It is irritating as I have a lot of educating to do when people find out that it is not they that are abnormal, but the bike they want to buy that may not be the one for them.

Nutritional supplements come from the relationship between humans and plants that was willful by a scientist in early 1900’s China. Conditions in China at that time we shaky at best and people were given military stores to survive on during that time. One individual, Carl Rehnborg, for some deduce, had the forsight to know that if bury based compounds were eliminated from the diet there would be consequences. This speculation was proven who town dwellers emerged in indigent vigor and the poorer populations in the rural areas didn’t. It was in these areas the people we able to do what they’ve evermore done; grow their own innate foods. They also avoided the sugars, fats, and salts that the crowd stores enclosed. The incidence of disease and malnutrition in the cities was no cooncidence.

On his habitual to the United States set up a laboratory and began experimenting with combining important stand based nutrients into a dried encapsulated form while maintaining the nutritional profit of the stand compounds. That idea launched a revolution in nutritional supplementation that is really important especially in today’s souk place. We now, especially in the United States where food growers are more troubled with quantity than condition, have a want for such nutritional supplementation. Disease duty today was skyrocketing and we look to not even remark. This is the command answer of our corporate farming practices of fertilization/pesticide use, the absense of crop rotation, allowing soils to lean, upward amalgam and genetically tailored foods etc… The rapidly and processed foods diligence is uniformly liable. You just can’t get the nutritional weapons needed to permit the daily healing and rebuilding of the creature body with the non-nutrient dense foods that are available. Mix in the view of abstain foods and processed foods and we are in the median of a ruin.

We have only one of two choiced to tool from. First you must put yourself on a drinking procedure of natural foods from different sources. Organic food consumption isn’t necessarily a warranty in terms of nutritional worth and security. The cultivate raised salmon we eat today is not different. Nutrient wanting. The vital Omega 3 oily acids in farm raised salmon have been bargain so much due to dog food being substituted for the native salmon diet. There are other habits to acquire the Omega 3 fatty acids in workshop and oils but it is much more convenient and austere to consume a high property nutritional supplement to ensure limit effectiveness.

So the statement is this: If you are one of those people who have affirmed that you take no vitamins and don’t basic any, you may find yourself walking down the vomiting and disease lane closer than you think. No person could get away with depriving the body of natures healing nutrients forever. Disease doesn’t happen acutely or, because there is a need of symptom stomping drugs in the body. This is a result of nutrient deprivation for days or decades. The human body is genetically designed to live 120 days fault open before a shutdown string begins. If you want to make it to 100 wellbeing and well productive living don’t pause. Waste no time in regaining your fitness with a well rounded nutritional supplement immediately.

Up to 50 million Americans, including 2 million children, have some type of allergy. For most people, allergies are just an inconvenience. According to the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, they are a major cause of disability in the U.S. In fact, it has been estimated that allergies account for the loss of over two million school days per year.

What Are Allergies?

An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system toward a substance that is typically harmless to most people. But in someone with an allergy, the body’s immune system treats the substance, called an allergen, as an invader and reacts inappropriately resulting in harm to the person.

Who Gets Allergies?

Children inherit allergic tendencies from their parents. A few children have allergies in spite of no family member having these, but if one parent has allergies, there is a one in four chance that a child will also have allergies. The risk increases if both parents have allergies.

Do I Have an Allergy to Something?

Some allergies are fairly easy to identify because the pattern of symptoms following certain exposures can be hard to miss. But other allergies are less obvious because they can masquerade as other conditions.

How Are Allergies Treated?

There is no cure for allergies, but symptomatic relief is possible. The most effective is by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. If reducing exposure is not feasible or is ineffective, medications may be prescribed. In some cases, an allergist may recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to help desensitize you. There are also medications you might be able to give yourself, including antihistamines and inhaled or nasal spray steroids. One medical suggestion is: ZYRTEC®

Just 1 dose of ZYRTEC® (cetirizine HCl) a day can keep allergy symptoms under control, year-round. Symptoms from both indoor allergies, like pet dander and dust. And outdoor allergies, like trees and ragweed. Plus, ZYRTEC is approved to treat indoor allergies in infants 6 months and up.

Some common allergies include those to:

Grasses

Mold Spores

Marsh Elder

Ash

Pigweed

Oak

Fall Elm

Mesquito

Elm

Sage

Red Berry Juniper

Pecan

Mountain Cedar

Ragweed

Willow

Privet

Cats

Dogs

Bees

Peanuts

Dust Mites

Food

Metals/nickle:

40 percent increase in nickel allergies is blamed on the new body piercing rage. Also some ingest nickel in foods and from chewing pens and paper clips.

Cobalt and chromium can also produce allergic reactions, but to a lesser degree than nickel. once a nickel allergy develops, it lasts for a lifetime.

Animals:

All warm-blooded, furry animals, such as the average household pet, can cause allergic reactions. This is because of proteins in their saliva, dander, and urine. When the animal licks itself, the saliva gets on the fur. As the saliva dries, protein particles become airborne and work their way into fabrics in the home. Cats are the “worst offenders” because their salivary protein is extremely tiny and they tend to lick themselves more than other animals.

Pollen:

Pollen is another important cause of allergies. Pollen allergies are seasonal. Trees, weeds, and grasses release these tiny particles into the air to fertilize other plants. Most people know pollen allergy as hay fever or rose fever.

Cockroach:

Cockroach body parts and waste products are also a major household allergen, especially in inner cities. Asthma rates of inner city children are high, probably due to air pollution and also cockroach exposure in overcrowded buildings.

Mold: One of the most commen allergen.

What is Mold?

Molds are fungi that thrive both indoors and out in warm, moist environments. As with pollen, mold spores are released into the air to reproduce. Mold is produced by several varieties of fungus. These fungi are single-celled organisms that have been around since the beginning of time.

Where can molds be found?

Although molds can be seasonal, many thrive year-round, especially those indoors. Outdoor molds may be found in poor drainage areas, such as in piles of rotting leaves or compost piles. Indoor mold thrives in

dark, moist and poorly ventilated places, such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms or damp basements (especially after flooding).

How do I know if I have a mold build up?

A mold test kit can be a easy soultion but does cost money, or you can simpley check crawl spaces for standing water, look for condensation forming around windows, and dampness in or on basement walls. If you are experiencing health problems, check bathrooms, bedrooms and family rooms as well. Mold requires three things to grow and multiply. It requires dampness, warmth, and a food source. Find areas that have these three things and you will surely find mold and mildew. Also a musty odor suggests mold growth.

How does mold affect my health?

Only in recent years have medical authorities realized what a health risk the kind of mold that grows in wet basements can be. According to the New York City Department of Health, in people who are allergic to it, mold can cause:

respiratory and eye irritation

flu-like symptoms

fatigue

trouble breathing

coughing

sinus congestions

nausea

chronic headache

loss of memory

other symptoms

Also when mold starts to reproduce inside a home, it can eat away at the structure, causing thousands of dollars in damage

How can I prevent mold build up and how can I keep allergy symptoms down?

Mold requires three things to grow and multiply. It requires dampness, warmth, and a food source. Simpley make sure you dont allow all three things to take place in your house. Mold is everywhere, and you wont completly rid yourself of ever having any contact with mold, but you can surley battle it.

Mold and mildew release mold spores in the air that can float throughout the house. There are several mold cleaning, prevention, and mold removal methods to deal with this problem. 2 suggestions are: Bio-Kleen and Sure Cote Mildew Resistant Coating.

Bio-Kleen can be used in any application in which you want to inhibit colonies of mold, mildew, alga, bacteria and other odor causing organisms. Easy to apply by spraying, wiping or soaking. Allow to air dry.

Sure Cote is a clear non-yellowing , non-toxic, odorless, interior/exterior, mildew resistant coating. It is designed to protect any surface exposed to moisture, high humidity or weather. Will not discolor, stain, stiffen or harm any surface which it recommended for use and gives year round protection.

It is important to try and prevent mold and mildew growth, but if it’s too late, try mold remediation and mold removal.

Allergic reactions can manifest themselves in many different physical ways, most of them extremely unpleasant. In the case of environmental allergens such as hay fever or pet dander, it is possible to limit allergic reaction severity by focusing on a diet that boosts the body?s ability to fight off reaction effects. Many of the materials that are found in medicinal allergy relief are extracted from naturally occurring ingredients in certain foods and drinks, and including these in your diet will help to alleviate your allergic symptoms. It is important to remember that these foods are for fighting environmentally triggered allergies only, and the only way to avoid food allergy symptoms is to avoid the food that cause it.

Green tea is quickly making a name for itself as a general purpose, natural cure-all. Recent studies have shown that green tea may help to combat environmental allergies as one of its many treatment applications. In an article published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Japanese scientists claim to have isolated a compound found in green tea that blocks one of the cell receptors that is key in triggering the allergic response. Because green tea is less processed than any other kind of tea, its natural composition remains unaltered and thus the compounds within it are more concentrated and better able to produce results than those found in different varieties of tea.

The acids found in Omega-3 fatty acids also are beneficial in fighting allergies, as the acid acts as a natural anti-inflammatory

by countering the formation of inflammatory chemicals. There are several foods which are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids, including several kinds of seafood and fish; salmon, haddock, herring, trout, mackerel, and sardines are all full of these acids. Other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are soybeans, flaxseed, walnuts, and canola, and the fatty acids are also available in a more concentrated version through the oils derived from these foods. These oils can easily be included in your daily meals by adding them to the ingredients for your cooking.

Foods that have a high level of Vitamin E are also excellent in combating allergic reactions. Some of these foods include greens, which are also very strong-tasting. Spinach greens, mustard greens, chard and mustard greens are all very high in Vitamin E. The highest Vitamin E food is far and away dried sunflower seeds, which contain almost 91% of the recommended daily intake of the vitamin. Almonds are also high in Vitamin E, as are olives, papaya, and fresh blueberries. Any of these foods are an easy addition to a regular diet.

One last food to consider when thinking about intakes that will limit your allergic reactions are juices. Natural fruit juices are high in antioxidants, which help to fight the inflammatory effects that allergies produce. Make sure when you buy juice, though, that it is indeed natural. Many juices on the market do not contain a lot of natural juice, and it is the natural juice that is essential when it comes to containing antioxidants.

Article Source: http://www.findmysearch.com/allergies-resources/

Joel Santoso 2007. For answers to All your frequently asked questions about allergy information resorces, please go to: http://www.findmysearch.com/allergies-resources/

Which skin care product is the best such as Neutrogena, Biore, or Pro Activ. I was also wondering if The Wave really worked because I’ve heard good and bad things about it.