Nestled among the beautiful coastal foothills of Carlsbad, CA, La Costa Resort and Spa boasts the 43,000 square-foot Spa at La Costa, 610 spacious and well-appointed guestrooms, suites and villas, a Clubhouse with a fitness center, two acclaimed restaurants – Legends and BlueFire Grill and two championship golf courses. Here a few gift specials to delight the most finicky on your list from La Costa Resort and Spa:

Holiday Traditions Package

     • Accommodations
     • $50 free bonus resort credit, valid towards spa, golf, Kidtopia, or holiday dining

Rates begin at $239 per room, per night
(rates do not include taxes or $22 daily resort charge)

Legendary Golf Courses

Golfers who play La Costa’s courses walk in the footsteps of the greats – Nicklaus, Woods, Palmer, Trevino, Player, Miller, Crenshaw. It is the only resort in Southern California that boasts its own two 18-hole tournament-caliber courses. Golfers of all abilities can measure their performance against the best players in the world when they play on either of La Costa Resort and Spa’s two golf courses, both designed by golf architect Dick Wilson. Both North and South courses feature lush fairways, flawless greens and plenty of challenges, including large, high-lipped bunkers on many holes, expanses of water and sneaky streams with fast bent grass greens.

Kidtopia

The resort’s supervised children’s program, Kidtopia, is divided into three areas based upon age groups: 6 months to two years; two-four years; and four-12 years.  Each area contains interactive attractions such as a tree house, dance floor, large saltwater aquarium, small animal display, high-tech entertainment stations with computers and an endless selection of games, books and toys. The infant/toddler area offers a calm, nurturing environment complete with age-appropriate toys, cribs, changing tables and high chairs. Children 4-12 can participate in full or half day programs. Children 3 and under can enjoy Kidtopia for up to two hours per day.

Signature Dining

Dining at La Costa Resort and Spa ranges from light fare to California casual, with award-winning cuisine and lovely indoor or outdoor seating. The signature BlueFire Grill serves flavorful Southern California fare and boasts a large, outdoor seating area that overlooks the plaza. Serving three meals a day, the family-friendly Legends Bistro offers a chic, natural interior and a tempting array of comfort foods with an international twist. Other dining options include the Lobby Lounge, Spa Café, Splash Poolside Bar & Grill, Garden Poolside Bar & Café and room service.

Spa Gift Card

• Give the gift of relaxation and wellness with a Spa at La Costa gift card. Available in any dollar denomination.

Holiday Spa Treatments

• Apple Butter & Cinnamon Body Wrap 50-minutes/ $135
  A decadent body wrap that is ideal for rejuvenating dry winter skin. This aromatic lotion goes on smooth to hydrate leaving your skin soft to the touch.
• Pumpkin Spice Body Masque 50-minutes/ $135
  This vitamin-rich Pumpkin Spice Masque naturally exfoliates dead skin cells and stimulates lymph circulation.
• Peppermint Reflexology 50-minutes/ $135
  Revive your tired toes with our invigorating Peppermint Foot Scrub.  Natural peppermint essential oils cool inflammation and leave your renewed skin feeling soft and your mind relaxed.

Ultimate Spa Pampering

The Spa at La Costa is an elegant sanctuary envisioned by world-renowned spa specialist Sylvia Sepielli. The building is designed in California Colonial architectural style, with walls of smooth stucco, terracotta tile roofing, cathedral ceilings, wrought iron embellishments and a magnificent 25-foot bell tower. Feng Shui-inspired features are found throughout the spa, including a fountain topped with an “eternal” flame that welcomes guests.

The spa features 42 treatment rooms, including 20 massage, eight facial, two multi-purpose, two Thai, six body treatment, one Vichy shower, one hydro-tub and two VIP spa suites for couples.  The VIP spa suites include side-by-side massage tables, shower, bathroom, fireplace and a private, outdoor garden patio with a whirlpool tub. In addition, the Spa at La Costa houses the full-service Yamaguchi Salon, a spa boutique, spa café and movement and fitness training studios.

Chopra Center for Wellbeing

Founded by world-renowned holistic physicians Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D., the Chopra Center for Wellbeing is located on the grounds of La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, CA. Throughout the year, guests from throughout the world come to the Chopra Center to heal their body, find emotional freedom, and connect to their essential self and life’s purpose. While attending the Chopra Center’s programs and workshops, they experience La Costa’s lush coastal setting, soothing atmosphere, and luxurious accommodations.

For more info on specials and gift certificates at La Costa Spa and Resort, visit: www.lacosta.com or call 800.854.5000

You’re sitting at the doctor’s office or at your hair dresser’s, under one of those space helmet style dryers, and your eyes clasp onto it, the headline that reads like a chilled Aquafina amidst a hot, dry desert. “FOODS THAT FIGHT BELLY FAT”, it reads. Thank god! Another expert has staked claim to a magical diet do’s and don’ts list that targets and eliminates belly bulge. I hate to break it to you but the “expert” is actually versed in marketing, not nutrition, and knows full well that particular buzz words amp magazine sales tremendously. ‘Flat’ plus ‘belly’ equals a beeline to the bank for Mr. or Mrs. Marketing Jo.

Food as Fuel

Foods are designed to contribute to our bodies and our health, not to remove ounces, pounds or self esteem. A moderate diet that focuses on getting plenty of nutrient-dense foods into your body (fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, lean proteins and healthy fats) is key to healthy weight and wellness.  Add moderate, regular activity and you’re further prepared for success. But there is still something substantial missing.

Attitude is Everything

Many health and nutritional articles fail to address the importance of peoples’ attitudes pertaining to food, their bodies and themselves. Consider this: those who are grateful for their food seldom feel shame over eating it. Those who aren’t shameful are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. And those who find pleasure and joy in eating struggle less often with stress, obesity, eating disorders and the whole array of ailments that accompany these. When a person shifts their perspective from, “How can I get smaller?” to, “How can I live larger?” everything, including one’s belly, will fall into place. It may sound obscure but you’ll find it to be true as you get there. Indeed, the proof is in that darned proverbial pudding. I challenge you to take a bite.

Ten Steps to A Flatter Belly:

1)    Wear comfy clothes that fit.
2)    Stop comparing yourself to skinny, air-brushed models.
3)    Give yourself compliments every day.
4)    Eat fruits and veggies daily.
5)    Drink plenty of water.
6)    Slow down while you’re eating.
7)    Breath.
8)    Find physical activities you enjoy and do them because you want to.
9)    Keep a gratitude journal.
10)    When you have negative thoughts about your body, remind yourself what you’d remind any close friend who expressed the same: You are not your waist size, weight or the size of your belly.

You’re beautiful precisely as you are.

For additional information or to post questions to be addressed on LA’s The Place, visit August’s blog: www.healthynutritiontalk.com.

All-star athletes to heroic astronauts to business leaders along side 1,300 others guests were hosted by NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti for the 24th Annual Great Sports Dinner to benefit the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.  Together, uniting their powerful resources, they raised more than $6.3 million to help find a cure for paralysis. An additional $10 million was also pledged by an anonymous donor to fund the human clinical trials initiative at The Miami Project.

Olympic swimmer Dana Torres, Marc Buoniconti, and Mike Piazza.

Sport Legend Honorees
At the 24th Annual Great Sports Dinner, which too place at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on October 6th, 2009, the 2009 Great Sports Legend honorees were Troy Aikman, Clyde Drexler, Mike Piazza, Ivan Lendl, Rusty Wallace, Brett Hull, Dara Torres, Pat Day and Chris Waddell.   Sports broadcaster Bob Costas returned as Master of Ceremonies and Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin made a special appearance.

Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin and honoree Chris Waddell.

Other Honorees were President, CEO and sole owner Kinray Stewart Rahr who received the 2009 Outstanding Philanthropist Award; Chairman Emerita of TotalBank, Adrienne Arsht who received The Buoniconti Fund Award;  Managing Director, Allen & Company, Chairman of The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, Jack Schneider who received The Barth A. Green Spirit Award;  and Writer, African-American activist and educator, Dr. Maya Angelou who received the Buoniconti Fund Humanitarian Award.

“It’s always a thrill to be in the presence of such legends and leaders in the sports and business arena.  The support that we continue to receive year after year is astounding and validates the work we are doing as significant and meaningful.  I look forward to when we can walk side by side with those who are paralyzed by spinal cord injury.  We all know that this can happen to any one of us, which is why we need to stay focused on a finding a cure,” says Nick Buoniconti, founder of The Buoniconti Fund.

Dr. Maya Angelou receiving the Buoniconti Humanitarian Award.

Legendary Fundraising
The Great Sports Legends Dinner honors an All-Star roster of athletes who have been recognized for their outstanding athletic achievements and have helped raise millions of dollars for the spinal cord injury research programs at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.  The dinner has become known for uniting individuals from the sports, business and entertainment industries and this year’s event was again a sell out with the capacity crowd enjoying a moving and inspirational program. The live auction was an exciting moment of the evening with six-figure bids for several dream packages, including golfing with Jack Nicklaus and a Dream Hawaiian Vacation.

Honoree Troy Aikman, Marc and his dad, Nick Buoniconti.

MVP Guest List

Other notables in attendance included NFL NY Giants Hall of Famer Harry Carson, Sportscaster from CBS Lesley Visser,  Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, New York Knicks player David Lee, 1968 Olympic Long Jump Medalist Bob Beamon, 10 x Olympic Medalist in Swimming Gary Hall, Jr, Crystal Hunt and Kristen Alderman from ABC’s One Life to Live, Vincent Piazza from HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Boston Celtics Hall of Famer John Havlicek,  Former Knicks player John Starks, MLB Great Rusty Staub, Captain of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Team Mike Eruzione, Former Miami Dolphin Earl Morrall, NY Giants Great Brian Kelley,  Former Miami Dolphin Nat Moore, Former MLB Player with the Mets and Yankees Phil Linz, Former Miami Dolphin Tommy Vigorito, Former Miami Dolphin Dick Anderson, NYC Sports Commissioner Ken Podziba, NY Jets Linebacker Greg Buttle, Former Race Car Driver Brendan Gaughan, Former Bills player Leo Hart, Former Jets players Richard Caster and Greg Murphy,  and many others.

NASCAR past champion Rusty Wallace signs autographs at the cocktail reception at The 24th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner.

Great Sports Legend History

Over the course of the past twenty-three years, the Great Sports Legends Dinner has honored 253 of the world’s greatest athletes and individuals. They are recognized for their contributions to the world of sports and acknowledged for their commitment to high ethical standards, dedication to their community, worthy causes and achievements as positive role models.

2009's honorees at the 24th Great Sports Legends Dinner.

In 1985, Barth A. Green, M.D. and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti helped found The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis after Nick’s son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a college football game. Today, The Miami Project is the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center and is housed in the Lois Pope LIFE Center at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. The Miami Project’s international team of over 200 scientists and clinicians take innovative approaches to the challenge of spinal cord injury.

Buoniconti’s Vision

Committed to finding a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury and to seeing millions worldwide walk again, the Buoniconti family established The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis in 1992, a non-profit organization devoted to assisting The Miami Project achieve its national and international goals.  The Buoniconti Fund serves as the national fundraising arm of The Miami Project. It is designed to complement the scientific accomplishments of The Miami Project by generating funds and high levels of awareness.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

“Born to Stand Out” reflects Bauer’s physical fitness regimen, and shares his belief that good conditioning adds to one’s mental well-being, as well as provides a spiritual strength that contributes to all areas of one’s life. By combining balance, flexibility and strength, Bauer teaches readers how to use these principals in order to achieve peek physical fitness, while adopting a whole new outlook on life.

The Man Behind the Book
An athlete himself, Stephen Bauer has worked with many sports figures, including Maria Sharapova, who he currently coaches, as well as Conchita Martinez, who he helped climb up the ranks from number 42 to number 2 in the world in the Women’s Professional Tennis Tour. Stephen also guided junior tennis player Michael Joyce from number ten, to number one in the U.S. and number five in the world and was responsible for helping Hugo Perez make the United States World Cup Soccer Team.

Ewen McGregor, Stephen Bauer, Hugh Jackman

In addition, Stephen has trained members of the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, New York Kicks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, U.S. National Soccer Team, Oakland Raiders, as well as Pro Volleyball players, WTA/ATP tennis players and USC, UCLA & Pepperdine athletes.

With 10 years coaching on the WTA Tour, 18 years teaching professional tennis in Los Angeles and 2 years of coaching footwork and conditioning at Pepperdine University behind him, Stephen also trains many members of the Hollywood elite.

Stephen has also shared his considerable knowledge with media outlets such as, “People Magazine”, “Runners’ World”, “GQ”, “Vogue”, “Vanity Fair”, “Muscle & Fitness”, ”Tennis”, “Tennis Weekly”, “CBS”, “BBC”, “USA,” and the “LA Times.” 

When he’s not training or coaching, Stephen donates his time to many worthwhile charities. Working with the US Open Tennis Foundation, he brought Jim Carrey in to play in the tournament, lined up pro players to participate in the Bank of the West Pro Celebrity Tennis Tournament and works with the Make a Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society.

Born to Stand Out
Bauer’s book includes exercises for every part of the body, as well as demonstrates how to build the foundation for a complete lifestyle makeover by focusing on:

*The elimination of negative thinking
*The uses of positive reinforcement
*The benefits of visualization
*Making time for yourself
*Cleaning up your space
*Bringing on supporters
*Dealing with and eliminating distractions
*Finding your inner child
*The necessity of good nutrition

We sat down with Stephen Bauer to find out more about his life and philosophy: 

LA’s The Place:  What lead you into an athletic career?

Stephen Bauer:  In high school I started playing tennis and joined the track team as a 400 meter runner.  While in college I continued to excel at both sports and considered competing at the professional level. I then had an opportunity to coach on the pro tennis tour and found it to be a perfect fit as I enjoyed helping people improve themselves.

LATP:  Why tennis?
SB:  Tennis had always been a significant party of my life, I had started when I was 6 years old.  I could identify much more with the sport and found it full of opportunities worldwide.

I also appreciate the complexity in the range of techniques involved with tennis. There are so many different parts to the game (different swings, footwork, strategy, etc.).Tennis is a the kind of sport in which someone can integrate into their whole life. Finally, I like the fact that tennis is an individual sport, 1-on-1. Your success is completely in your hands, you take full responsibility for your results.

LATP:  How did you get involved in teaching celebrities?
SB:  Originally coaching with pro-tour tennis players as well as cross training athletes from other sports such as the NFL and NBA.  I met Tim Caviezel while sprint training and he suggested I start training his brother, Jim Caviezel (Jesus in Passion of the Christ).  Since then my client list has had a snowball effect, growing by word of mouth. Now I coach about 10 A-List celebrities in tennis and conditioning.

LATP:  What do you attributed to your success?
SB:  I really love working with people, very positive, never negative. I’m honest, loyal, punctual. I enjoy bringing happiness into people’s lives with success and achievement.
Helping my clients achieve their goals and improve their lives is more important to me than picking up a paycheck.

LATP:  What is different in your approach?
SB:  I am extremely visual. My coaching is very tailored to each individual. Once of my key strengths is being able to relate tennis to their personal lives in order to help them understand and learn new skills. One of my current clients, Loren Levine, was a world champion wakeboarder. I will talk with him about his wakeboarding skills and then interpret them and apply them to tennis. Regarding kids, I treat them on an equal level like adults. I can really relate to kids. Most of all, all my clients become my friends.

LATP:  What is one of the most important things you want to get across in your book?
SB:  The discipline, strength, and balance of an athlete can directly translate into balancing an maintaining the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of anyone’s personal life.

In addition to reading the success stories of Bauer’s well known clients, readers will learn how to become physically fit by participating in different types of workouts, finding the right trainer and figuring out the best workout for the individual.

Some of the top celebrities Bauer is the personal tennis coach/trainer for include Jim Carrey, Jenny McCarthy, Tom Arnold, Mariska Hargitay, Jodie Foster, Eric Braeden, Jack Huston,  Ben Stiller, Sam Mendes, Brian Robbins, Renee Taylor, Kirsten Dunst, Jeremy Piven, Ewan McGregor, Martha De Laurentiis, Mark Ruffalo, Joe Bologna, Hugh Jackman, Jim Caviezel, Christine Taylor, Morris Chestnut, Kate Winslet, Deborah Gibson, Chris Roberts, Euzhan Palcy, Kathy Bates, Stephen Schwartz, Sheryl Lee, Chris Spencer, Mike Medavoy, Cynthia Margolis, Nastassja Kinski, Charlie Sheen, Harry Abrams, Bill Bindley, David Ladd, Cybill Shepherd, David Arnold and more.

Stephen has coached members of the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, U.S. National Soccer Team, Oakland Raiders, USC & UCLA & Pepperdine Athletes, Pro Volleyball Players, WTA/ATP tennis players.

The differences between Protandim and your garden variety supplements and vitamins are so pronounced that they shouldn’t even be in the same sentence together. Protandim confronts the body’s aging processes with a scalpel’s precision, directly targeting the bio-chemical indicators of getting older. Protandim is made from five natural ingredients; silymarin from milk thistle, bacopa extract, Ashwagandha, green tea extract and curcumin from turmeric.

What Protandim Targets

From fading colors in clothes to paint that begins to chip, we can actually see the signs of something getting older. Yet the body also has an internal way of chronicling its aging, and we can observe our own fading and chipping in the form of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances). TBARS are the toxins in your blood produced by the free-radicals in your cells. The sum of these TBARS has a direct correlation to the rate at which you age; as we get older, the amount of TBARS increases.

Stopping Free-Radicals

Not only does Protandim throw up a stop sign to the TBARS by freezing the increase in toxins, it actually reduces our TBARS level, effectively hitting the rewind button on our toxic stress level. In fact, many adults taking Portandim will see their TBARS level revert to the stress quotient that a baby would have.

Protandim actually signals the cells in your body to produce its own antioxidants enzymes, which provide thousands of times more antioxidant power than any food or conventional supplement. More enzymes results in fewer of the free-radicals that harm the body.

Protandim’s Clinical Trials

Dr. Joe McCord conducted the clinical trials of Protandim by measuring the TBARS in men and women of a variety of ages. The amount of TBARS in their blood was consistent with their age; the older the subject, the higher number of TBARS in their blood.

Test subjects took one Protandim pill each day as part of the study. After 30 days, the study revealed that TBARS levels in the study’s subjects achieved an average decrease of 40 percent in TBARS, equivalent to the aging rate of a 20 year old.

Dr. McCord’s study validated that the precise combination of natural phytonutrients in the patented Protandim formula consistently and significantly boosted the body’s own production of two protective antioxidant enzymes, SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase). These two antioxidant enzymes are fundamental to neutralizing the cell-damaging free radicals associated with aging and a variety of health conditions.

Reducing Inflammation

Protandim was issued its third patent on August 25, 2009 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent acknowledges Protandim’s effectiveness in reducing important inflammation Bio-marker C-reactive Protein. Suffering from elevated basal levels of C-reactive protein is considered a risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

In response to the additional patent, Dr. McCord said “This patent further underscores the unique and powerful actions of Protandim as a tool against not only oxidative stress, but also inflammation. Chronic, low-level inflammation is now known to be associated with many of the major diseases we face as we age, including atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases.”

Potential for Fighting Diseases

Inspired by Protandim’s dramatic effect on the level of TBARS, scientists and academics have made Protandim the subject of over 20 current scientific studies at leading universities and research facilities including Ohio State University, University of Minnesota, Virginia Commonwealth, Children’s Hospital Denver, Vanderbilt University, University of Florida, University of Michigan, University of Kentucky, Louisiana State University, Denver Health Medical Center, and University of Colorado.

These studies are researching Protandim’s potential for fighting disease. The diseases being studied include skin cancer, photoaging of the skin, renal failure, osteoarthritis, HIV/AIDS, pulmonary hypertension, periodontal disease, heart disease, asthma, coronary artery bypass graft failure, muscular dystrophy, optic neuropathy, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome.

Purchasing Protandim

Protandim can be purchased for 40 dollars a month at www.ProvenYouthScience.com. For more information to purchase or to distribute, contact LifeVantage distributor Dale Ross at (800) 901-7016.

To learn more about Protandim studies, visit http://info.lifevantage.com/provenyouthscience/news.html
View the ABC Prime Time Live feature on Protandim and Dr. McCord on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdRVs8MRa8.

Now you can have baby soft feet and help a great cause. The makers of the PedEgg®, the revolutionary foot file, are introducing the Limited Edition Pink Ped Egg, and enables you to make a difference in the look and feel of your feet and in the lives of others.

The Limited Edition Pink PedEgg® is decorated with the internationally recognized pink ribbon. This is special because Telebrands, the company behind PegEgg, is donating $30,000 of the proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Just like the original, the Pink PedEgg® is engineered with over 135 precision stainless-steel micro-files that gently remove calluses and dead skin to give your feet the incredible baby soft look and feel that you will love.

The combination of the two, high-quality emery buffing pads and the  ergonomical design that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, makes for easy and convenient use.

The best part is, there is no mess. PedEgg® has been designed to collect all the skin shavings in a convenient storage compartment allowing you to use it anywhere.

With this Limited Edition Pink PedEgg®, you can help your feet and help find a cure for breast cancer.

PedEgg® is available at major mass retailers such as Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sally Beauty Supply, Target and CVS, among others, with a suggested retail price of $9.99.

When you purchase through their internet site ($10 plus $6.99 S&H), you’ll get a second Pink Ped Egg and a tube of Soft Silky Soles foot cream to repair dry, cracked skin. You’ll have to pay a separate $6.99 shipping and handling.

This special offer for 2 Pink PedEgg® and a free tube of Soft Silky Soles is only available on their site, not in stores: www.mypinkpedegg.com

In 1998, Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN founded the Global Healing Center, widely recognized today as one of the largest alternative, natural and organic resources on the internet. Formulator of the groundbreaking supplement Oxy-Powder, , has studied natural healing methods for over 20 years and currently teaches individuals and practitioners all around the world.

Dr. Edward Group III, DC, ND, DACBN with Erie Hudson at the MTV Movie Awards Gifting Suite.

Currently the Chief Executive Officer for Global Healing Center, Dr. Group is also responsible for steering the Center’s research and development team as they produce new and advanced degenerative disease products and information. He no longer sees patients, now choosing to solely concentrate on increasing health and wellness knowledge for the global community.

Oxy-Powder

One of the most unique products we have run across, is the groundbreaking Oxy-Powder. One of the basic causes of all disease is bowel problems. As common and long standing as constipation is, people have been left relying on common laxatives that produce only superficial results and can be harmful for your body.

Oxy-Powder offers a comprehensive alternative to both chemical laxatives and herbal colon cleansers. It does something that nothing else on the market does; Formulated by Dr. Group, Oxy-Powder is a colon cleansing supplement that oxidizes and melts away compacted material within the body.

How It Works

While many fiber products simply scrape bits of waste matter from the center of a clogged colon, Oxy-Power removes old and impacted waste as it detoxifies and cleanses the entire intestinal tract. Oxy-Powder carries on where others relent by cleaning out the small and large intestines in addition to cleaning the colon. This approach works along the entire intestinal tract as it liquefies and assists in the removal of unwanted waste matter.

Avoid Dangerous Colon Cleansers. A Healthier Alternative

Another distinction that separates Oxy-Powder from harsh laxatives and potentially dangerous herbal colon cleansers is the effect the supplement has on a person’s overall health. Oxy-Powder provides essential oxygen to the intestinal tract and bloodstream to promote efficient internal health.

The high quality oxygen based supplement avoids harsh side effects from chemical laxatives and enemas. Oxy-Powder oxygenates internal organs for optimal functioning, encourages growth of beneficial intestinal flora, and promotes optimal colon health by flushing out toxin-laden waste.

Oxy-Powder’s slow release of mono-atomic oxygen helps natural defenses form an inhospitable environment for anaerobic bacteria. However, Oxy-Powder does not harm the friendly bacteria needed for proper digestive health.

Using Oxy-Powder For Weight Loss

Oxy-Powder is taken in vegetarian capsules. Packaged in a bottle of 120 capsules, a single bottle is sufficient for two months of constipation maintenance or can be used over a period of one month for thorough colon cleansing.

While Oxy-Powder can help to restore regular bowel movement, the effect of using Oxy-Powder isn’t limited to combating constipation. In addition to providing relief for constipation symptoms, Oxy-Powder promotes weight loss by removing compacted fecal debris, thereby complementing the effectiveness of dieting programs.

Dr. Group’s Mission

Dr. Group founded Global Healing Center in 1998 and is currently the Chief Executive Officer. Heading up the research and development team, Dr. Group assumes a hands-on approach in producing new and advanced degenerative disease products and information.

Dr. Group has studied natural healing methods for over 20 years and now teaches individuals and practitioners all around the world. He no longer sees patients but solely concentrates on spreading the word of health and wellness to the global community. Under his leadership, Global Healing Center, Inc. has earned recognition as one of the largest alternative, natural and organic health resources on the Internet.

Dr. Group’s Books

“The Green Body Cleanse”: The updated and revised version of his recent book “Health Begins in the Colon”. The Green Body Cleanse reveals what Dr. Group has learned throughout his years of counseling people with serious health conditions. It’s information that everyone should possess to help them make healthier choices. For more information go to www.thegreenbodycleanse.com.

“Health Begins in the Colon”: Released in December of 2007. This hard copy book includes everything you need to know about cleansing your intestinal tract, body and living environment. For more information go to www.healthbeginsinthecolon.com

“Complete Colon Cleanse”: This is the hard copy book he was commissioned to write for a publishing company. This book is available in bookstores and is an abridged version of “Health Begins in the Colon”. For more information go to www.thecompletecoloncleanse.com

“Ten Super Secrets for Weight Loss”: Includes 10 ancient secrets to losing weight naturally. This e-book will provide you with everything you need to jump start you on your path to weight loss. These are weight loss principles that are not well known, but ones that, when implemented correctly, will provide you with a healthy body — which includes a body that is at its optimum weight. For more information go to www.globalhealingcenter.com/super-secrets-for-weight-loss.php

“Surviving Flu Pandemics” Co-Author: This E-book was written to teach people how to survive a Flu pandemic or biological terrorism attack.  For more information on this book call 713-476-0016

To learn more about their studies, visit Dr. Group’s blog at http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health or visit the Global Healing Center website at http://www.globalhealingcenter.com.

Inventive Health Care Products

Dr. Group’s has many great formulated products, such as:

Paratrex®: A natural supplement used to help the body eliminate internal harmful organisms.

Livatrex™: An energetically enhanced blend of powerful herbs supporting detoxification and normal function of the liver and gallbladder.

Slimirex®: This natural weight loss product contains 9 patented weight loss ingredients and has been recognized as the most advanced formula anyone has developed in the last 20 years.

IntraCal®: A high quality form of calcium orotate and magnesium orotate. Orotates are mineral salts of orotic acid used to make DNA and RNA. They pass easily through cell membranes and in effect ferry mineral atoms into cells and tissues.

Hematrex™: A specially formulated product to promote normal venous circulatory health by increasing vein permeability, wall strength and elasticity. This promotes normal blood flow and helps keep blood moving through sensitive areas where vein constriction and blood pooling can cause daily – even constant discomfort.

NutraCool®: A topical cream especially recommended for those with back pain, sprains, and strains. Made with all natural and organic ingredients.

Organic Oregano Oil Blend: Most people are familiar with oregano containing only small amounts of the supplemental compound Carvacrol. Our Organic Oregano Oil Blend contains a minimum of 80% of this beneficial ingredient!

Silver Fuzion®: Global Healing Center’s unique process of using the finest quality water and silver available ensures a highly effective and absorbable ultimate micro-particle form of silver.

Parfait Visage®: Lubricates the skin and produces a silky smoothness, while accelerating penetration, keeping skin looking younger and feeling great. It helps restore the skin to a fresh, radiant firmness without preservatives. It is the purest, organic skin care product available.

Aquaspirit®: Oxygenates the blood in the face and skin, which in turn energizes the cells and promotes healthier more radiant skin. Provides circulation-stimulating properties, bio-available oxygen and aromatherapy benefits to the skin.

O2-Zap®: Europeans are now using this as their #1 beauty secret for oxygen facials. O2-Zap® is a super-saturated formula containing 98.5% pure oxygen with 1.5% ozone in organic cold pressed virgin olive oil!

For instance, Hawaii tried a system with a public option intended to cover more individuals; the program was dropped within seven months as costs spiraled out of control.  Other states have had similar experiences.

A major problem with the current insurance model is that it does not work for services used on a routine basis. Insurance is designed to work for services that are unexpected and is a very poor and ineffective method of delivery for routine, expected services. With such a system, costs skyrocket and care is poor.

With the current insurance model the only cost containment is denial of service by the insurer. Patients with insurance pay a premium, so rightfully they want to get as much as they can for their money.   Similarly, doctors seek as much treatment as they can from the insurance company, being naturally drawn to procedures that are paid the most by the insurers. Thus, to contain costs insurance companies must deny treatment.  Medical decisions are influenced more by what the insurance company will likely pay for than what is medically appropriate. Routine medical treatments are routinely denied payment or require “prior authorizations” from doctors, meaning they must fill out multiple forms to prove their patient needs a particular treatment. As a result, costs rise and care declines.

Doctors start to realize what the insurance company will pay for, which is usually high price procedures and specialty services.  Over time this results in huge amounts of unnecessary costs and an overabundance of specialists (lack of primary care physicians). Care further declines because physicians find that they can make much more money by spending little time with patients.  Doctors are no longer doctors but rather now serve as intermediaries between the insurance company and patients.

The system needs to change so that it empowers patients and physicians to work together to provide the most appropriate treatment in the most cost-effective manner. Medical savings accounts – with negotiated rates to prevent overcharging – would be a step in the right direction.  An even more significant change would be converting to payment on a cash basis. We have found that, almost without exception, laboratories, doctors, and other services will happily take 70% less if paid in cash at the time of service. They have found that their costs are increased by that much if they have to bill insurance companies and incur other expenses – plus the risk of denial – in an effort to obtain payment which, if approved, generally arrives 30 to 300 days after initial billing. For instance, we have contracts with the major laboratories at 70% less than what they bill insurance companies. CT scans and MRIs, usually billed $2500 to $3000 to insurers, are contracted at a rate of $300; colonoscopies that doctors bill at $1500 are done for $400. The cost savings are not in the care but rather the system.

Most patients with “good” insurance are relieved when their insurance pays 50-70% of the bill. They are of course surprised to find, however, that their co-pay is usually more than the cash price would have been for the service. An example is patient SC who visited our office. Extensive lab work was done (21 tests). The lab billed the insurance $1800 and the insurance paid $1200; the patient was billed a $600 co-pay. The cash price would have been less than $400.

What is the solution? It is to expand medical saving accounts. But in doing so, the government must require that all doctors, laboratories, hospitals and other services post their rates, and cash must be the least expensive rate. With these entities competing against one another, costs will plummet and quality will improve.

You ask what about those who cannot pay out of pocket. Instead of an employer paying, say, $500/month to a third party payer, $400 per month goes into the medical saving account and $100 towards catastrophic care insurance. Most of the money rolls over each month to be potentially used in the future, but some can be returned to the patient. This is a big incentive to keep costs low. With all the money saved on routine and semi-emergent care, better insurance can be provided for those most in need. Under this model, physicians would be able to provide the best medical care possible at the most cost-effective price.

Read more articles from Dr. Holtorf here in his column here in LA’s The Place…

Built on dreams rather than profit margins, co-founders Grant and Kelsey Gottfurcht have reinvented what a studio ought to be, from operating solely on a donation basis to offering addiction recovery classes. Grant and Kelsey recruited their favorite teacher and mentor Tamal Dodge to join YogaCo as their partner and head teacher. Their collaboration is driven by a desire for an environmentally conscious, physically empowering and emotionally enlightening institution.

The Studio

When YogaCo founders Kelsey and Grant searched for a place to build their vision, they discovered a neglected 7,000 square foot interior amid the action on the 3rd Street Promenade. Leave it to two yoga enthusiasts to see the hidden potential beneath the surface of a place that had been dormant for 25 years. Kelsey and Grant rolled up their sleeves and went to work on stretching the space as though it were the body of a Yoga master, carving out three lounges, a Teachers’ Lounge, two Yoga rooms, stores and bathrooms. A third Yoga room is in development. The studio also features a stunning lobby and relaxing courtyard.

The interplay of bold neutrals against the backdrop of pristine, white walls is revealed by low lighting that illuminates without intruding. Bamboo palm plants are placed throughout the studio to complement the ambience and the environmentally friendly bamboo is used in constructing many of the studio’s elements, including the flooring, shoe cubbies and benches. A deliberate use of elegant artwork and portraits adorn the walls. Select walls within the studio also showcase grand and classic lettering that express messages like “Breathe” and “Namaste”.

The Environment

YogaCo transcends the atmosphere of other yoga locations by promoting a wholly Green environment in their studio. The aforementioned bamboo is a renewable resource. For water conservation, YogaCo conserves up to 40,000 gallons of water a year via waterless urinals and low-flow toilets. Quadruple-paned windows work to mitigate the loss of heat and air for maximum energy efficiency. Hepa-filters are used in the studio and filter 100% of existing air 2 to 5 times per hour while oxygen-producing plants removed harmful elements like Benzene, Formaldehyde and TCE.

 The champion plants in removing benzene used in the studio are: ivy, gerbera daisies, pot mums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and Mother-in-law’s Tongue. Chinese Evergreens and pot mums extract benzene coming from detergents, while Dracaena extracts it from ink, dyes, tobacco smoke and rubber. Ivy extracted easily the toxins coming from petroleum products, while benzene from plastics was rapidly sucked up by Gerbera daisy.

While this allows YogaCo’s visitors to feel good about practicing in an environmentally responsible studio, these green enhancements also elevate the quality of the workouts themselves. For example, the filtering out of Formaldehyde cleanses the air breathed by all as the chemical is an irritant of the eyes, nose, and throat. Formaldehyde causes dermatitis and headaches, is a common cause of asthma and has been connected to throat cancer.

The Cost

YogaCo does not charge a standard rate for classes. They don’t believe that people should be deprived the opportunity to practice because of an arbitrary cost, particularly in light of the strain many are experiencing in today’s economic climate. Instead, they simply encourage their visitors to pay whatever they can for a class. On their website, they poetically express, “In the yogic sense of karma, as we are giving to you a gift, it is our hope that you will give back.”

The Classes

YogaCo thinks outside the box (or off the mat) in developing the studio’s curriculum and class options. All of the preferred types of yoga are taught, including Power Yoga, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Anasura, Vinyasa, and Yin Yoga. The studio also offers pre-natal and meditation classes.

In addition to Mommy&Me sessions, YogaCo has created separate Daddy&Me sessions. For those looking for an alternative or even supplement to AA meetings, the studio has recovery classes through specific forms of Yoga for drug and alcohol addiction.

The Teachers

If you’ve attended a yoga studio you also know that just as important as the classes offered are the instructors who teach them. YogaCo has one the most extensive and diverse assortment of Yoga instructors on the Westside

Their instructors are encouraged to incorporate their own personality and life experiences into their teaching. The faculty of YogaCo all discovered yoga for a variety of reasons and found it at various points in their lives. YogaCo’s teachers include everything from athletes to musicians to published authors. Many have multiple professional accreditations and experiences. All bring a passion for their craft and working with yoga students.

The Leader

While the instructors offer unique experiences in their classes, the influence on YogaCo’s energy and tone by lead teacher and co-founder Tamal Dodge is unmistakable. Tamal derived an appreciation for yoga at an early age as he was born into a family that founded and ran a yoga center in Hawaii. As a young boy, Tamal discussed yogic philosophy while learning the art of yoga postures and deep meditation.

The Founders

YogaCo began as the dream of co-founders Grant and Kelsey, who poured their life savings into the studio. Grant discovered yoga while backpacking across India 14 years ago. As Grant describes it, his first “yogic breath” was filled with the fresh aroma of trash and cow dung along the River Ganges in the city of Varanasi. Incredibly undeterred by the experience he continued to practice yoga and calls it a calming and centering power in his life.

By the time Kelsey was 19 years old, she had already lived in 7 different countries. However, her discovery of yoga came not from her world travels but from dealing with personal tragedy after her return to the U.S. After years of practicing she became a teacher herself. YogaCo is the culmination of her experiences and a testament to Kelsey’s love for the peace of mind that Yoga brings.

 YogaCo, 1408 3rd St. Promenade, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica

(310) 395-0600

For more information, visit: www.yogaco.com.

“My dream was to create a beautiful place where people are surrounded by healers and healing elements,” says Niki Han Schwarz. “We care for each guest as an individual, as a whole person whose specific needs for restoring wellbeing might be fulfilled by a massage or maybe a session with our naturopathic doctor.”

Tikkun Holistic Spa

Inspired by tikkun olam, an ancient Hebrew phrase that means “repairing the world”, the services offered at the spa definitely live up to the standard set by its namesake. Tikkun Holistic spot advances the ultimate in luxury, framed by a uniquely stylish setting for traditional Korean spa treatments. Modern sensibility meets cultural distinction; a warm and contemporary space hosts an assortment of restorative treatments, holistic health consultations and Korean spa facilities.

Tikkun pays homage to time-honored Korean spa culture, advocating a holistic approach to health through an approach that favors the balance between personal well being and its peaceful, healing expression in the world. The result is a Santa Monica home for wellness that allows visitors a well deserved reprieve from the stress of the outside world.

A Truly Korean Spa Experience

In keeping with Korean spa tradition, Tikkun offers heated, mineral-lined chambers aimed at restoring vitality. A variety of minerals are featured at Tikkun, each targeting a unique realm of relaxation. For example, Green jade is considered beneficial for the acid-alkaline balance of the body and assists in the removal of toxins, Korean Hwangto clay helps speed metabolism and improve the immune system, and the negative ions of Himalayan salt help generate a sense of well being.

The common denominator among these toxic cleansing stones is the infrared heat found in each chamber. The heat enhances the impact of the minerals as sauna heat has been clinically shown to increase blood circulation, metabolism and the efficacy of the lymphatic system.

The Tikkun Spa Clay Sauna

Each room in the Tikkun Spa conveys its unique personality. Step inside the Korean Hwangto Clay Room and you’ll find yourself surrounded by beautiful and well crafted clay tiles that decorate the walls, hiding the far-infrared panels that soothe and cleanse the skin. Even laying down is stimulating as resting on a mat on the clay floor reveals aged charcoal on the ceiling that enhances air purification.

While at Tikkun Holistic Spa, you’ll want to explore the Himalayan Salt Room. Visually stimulating, Himalayan salt blocks are seemingly intricately laid out throughout each wall, concealing the panels on the walls and Tikkun’s far-infrared heating. As you step, you’ll feel the loose salt rocks that cover the floor. The Salt Room has a mat on the floor that is accompanied by a wooden neck support, putting the final touch on the rugged and earthy inspired room.

Tikkun Spa Himalayan Salt Room with Infrared heat.

It’s not just about bringing the heat. Tikkun Spa alternates the sauna like conditions with the Ice Room, Tikkun’s single cooling chamber that works in coordination with the infrared heat. The contrast therapy supports the optimal function of the immune and cardiovascular system and reduces inflammation.

Services From Tikkun

Tikkun offers their Specialty Consultation with a menu that includes a broad range of holistic services. A signature Holistic Skincare consultation from Tikkun includes things like a lifestyle review and nutritional analysis along with dietary and product recommendations.

Tikkun will also be offering additional integrative health services such as bioidentical hormone replacement, acupuncture, nutrition and naturopathic treatments.

Massages

No Spa is complete without a massage and Tikkun’s take on our favorite spa pastime raises the bar for nourishment and indulgence. Tikkun’s Traditional Korean Scrubs and massages use natural products such as botanically-based skin polishers, organic argan oil hair products, grape seed massage oils and  warmed milk for a skin-softening finish.

Their signature massage treatment is the Jade Stone Hot/Cold Stone Massage. It balances the healing energy of gemstones with the previously mentioned contrasting temperature therapy. Tikkun Holistic Spa uses smooth jade stones of different weights, shapes, sizes and temperatures in combination with massage techniques specifically combined to remove tension and restore energy. Jade strengthens the body’s filtration and cleansing systems and assists in the removal of toxins.

Tikkun Spa Reflexology Room

The spa hosts many other popular massage techniques, including Thai, Reflexology, Acupressure, Deep Tissue, Shiatsu, and Sports Massage.

Women and Men Benefit

The steam room in the pristine and accommodating women’s locker room is a combination of multiple heating elements. Mountain granite produces oxygen and covers three walls in the steam room while the back wall is composed of ocean rock and real. In a nod to traditional Korean bathhouses, Tikkun has also built a green tea soaking pool.

Men aren’t forgotten as they will certainly enjoy Tikkun’s traditional wet treatments in their Spa Journey Rooms. These rooms include oversized hand carved stone bathtubs from Bali.

Privacy is held in high regard, as visitors receive comfortable attire in the form of loose fitting cotton shorts and tops.

Couple Friendly

Tikkun Holistic Spa is perfect for couples who are looking to share an experience in luxurious escape. Heat therapy facilities at Tikkun are co-ed and the spa has their Spa Journey Suite, a VIP suite that features a hydrotherapy spa tub for two, massage tables, pale gold onyx lined resting chamber and private bathroom and shower. Tikkun describes their couples experience as a retreat within a retreat. It’s designed to be a sanctuary for couples, friends or anyone seeking a private, highly nurturing experience.

Charles and Niki

When orthopedic surgeon Dr. Charles Schwarz married Reiki master Niki Han, it was a marriage of love and culture. Niki converted to Judaism and discovered her purpose in life through healing others. In co-founding Tikkun Holistic Spa, Charlies and Niki have created a testament to the marriage of life experiences as the luxurious facility masterfully weaves the principle of tikkun olam (healing the world) through Korean heritage and treatment.

Dr. Charles Schwartz and Niki Han Schwartz

For more information, visit www.tikkunspa.com, the Tikkun Holistic Spa website (www.tikkunmedical.com) or call (310) 319-1111.

Tikkun Holistic Spa   -   1460 4th Street   -   Santa Monica, CA   -   90401

LA’s The Place:  So you are a respected plastic surgeon and suddenly you find yourself on an Emmy-nominated syndicated series. How do you feel about your show’s success?

Dr. Andrew Ordon:  This experience has made me grateful and proud. I’m grateful for the opportunity and proud with what our team has done with it. I’m proud of my fellow doctor-hosts to our producers, technical staff and even the audience and guests.  Everyone has come together to create a never-seen before phenomenon in informational television. What we love best is that it is a viewer-driven show. It’s all about giving our viewers the useful information they need.

LATP:   How did you get the co-hosting Position on “The Doctors”?

Dr. O:  I had become friends with Dr. Phil McGraw through our kids attending the same school. I became a resource for his television show, “The Dr. Phil Show”. He then turned to me when he and his son, producer Jay McGraw created “The Doctors”. I had what they were looking for: an experienced Beverly Hills plastic surgeon with a history of television appearances and vast surgical experience. I must humbly add that I was in the right place at the right time. But the kicker was the chemistry between us four hosts. Travis, Jim and Lisa are all great people. I will always be friends with them-show or no show.

LATP:  We understand you have a wonderful family: a beautiful wife with a flair for interior design, a son who recently graduated from college and a daughter who is finishing her college years. How does your family feel about Dad’s new- found celebrity?

Dr. O:  Robyn, my wife has been totally supportive and doesn’t allow any of this to go to my head. We may be the happiest couple in Hollywood. Like most fathers, what I am most proud of are my two children. My son and daughter attend college back east and make me proud each and every day. I don’t think anyone is ever a celebrity in their own home. I certainly am not. My family life has not changed one iota. My kids still don’t listen to me! They often laugh at my expense. 

LATP:  You and your co-hosts seem to have great chemistry and you all seem to get along very well. What is it like working with three very qualified doctors with very different personalities?

Dr. O:  Lisa, Jim and Travis are the best! We do get along very well, indeed. The energy that flows back and forth between us is electric. We don’t go up there with a script, by the way. What you see on The Doctors is an honest, open and completely genuine repartee between three doctors who are friends. At the same time, we are different in age, background and training. We aren’t afraid to disagree with one another, which only makes the show better. We keep our egos in check and we can take a joke as well as make one.

LATP:  You are on television 5 days per week for an hour each day.  There is so much valuable information given out in each show. How often do you tape your shows and how much preparation is needed for each segment?

Dr. O:  More preparation than you would think… It’s like studying for mid-term exams every week! We each get a big, fat three ring binder full of tear sheets from our research staff. We then have to muddle through all that data and come up with bullet points to guide us through the labyrinth of the topic being discussed. I must say that all the work that I do for the show has made me a better, well-rounded surgeon.

LATP:  To date, what segment that you have participated in is your personal favorite?

Dr. O:  Working with Joan Rivers. She is an off-the-hook talent and a terrific person.
 She is such a professional to boot! She makes it look easy. And, she does know plastic surgery! We had to cut so much of what we did together because it became a bit too risque for daytime TV. Joan assisted my partner Dr. Ritu Chopra and I doing injections on stage. When I say assist, I mean she wore a white coat and make jokes as we worked. I am a pro at what I do but I must admit it isn’t easy concentrating on performing plastic surgery when you have tears in your eyes from laughing. I was always a fan of Joan Rivers but now, having worked with her, I look at her in a whole new way. She is an articulate comedic genius who is so witty and quick that it’s hard to keep up! I would work with her again in a New York second! 

LATP:  Speaking of celebrity, the world is fascinated with “Celebrity”. This past season you had the gorgeous and talented Lisa Rinna as a guest. The viewers were moved and touched by Lisa’s open attitude towards her experience with Plastic Surgery. She came across as brave, real and honest. Can you comment about that episode?

Dr. O:  Lisa opened up quite a bit in her book- way more than most celebrities would, and I have to say I really respect her for that. She made a lot of new fans that day, myself included. I jokingly admit to botox and dermal filler injections and I have no regret about going public, as Lisa did. Being in the profession, I have access to the best of the best in my field. Lisa bravely opened up about the fact that some times even celebrities make a mistake with regard to their plastic surgery decisions. She is amazing and she is one in a million! 

LATP:  We understand that you are a Founding Board Member of the Surgical Friends Foundation (www.SurgicalFriends.org). Can you please tell us a little about the inspiring work you and your colleagues do for this organization?

Dr. O:  We select needy patients and provide free services for reconstructive surgery.  Some people think of me as a beauty doctor, but I have extensive experience in reconstructive procedures. I am talking about real medical/surgical problems that some of our patients thought there was not way back from. Some of our patients have called us “miracle workers”. I am not alone in this. I am part of a network of providers, part of a team of top notch surgeons and anesthesiologists who change lives. I enjoy giving back in this way. I would like to see the organization grow into a worldwide phenomenon.

LATP:  Where do you see your career taking you in the next five years?

Dr. O:  I am just enjoying the ride. I am still a working plastic surgeon, operating weekly with my team in my private practice while managing a television career two or three days a week. That schedule gets hectic, but with my support staff we are managing to do both.

My only aspiration with regard to celebrity is to use whatever fame I have to help people who need it and raise money for good causes like the Surgical Friends Foundation.

To learn more about Dr. Andrew Ordon and “The Doctors” go to www.TheDoctorsTV.com.

Significant controversy over the safety of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has given both physicians and patients pause when treating symptoms of menopause, perimenopause and post-menopause. While synthetic forms of HRT such as Premarin, Provera and Prempro present real health risks with increased risks of breast cancer, stroke and heart attack, the most comprehensive analysis to date published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal, a leading peer-reviewed publication for practicing clinicians, showed that  non-synthetic or bioidentical HRT are associated with reduced health risks and are more efficacious than their synthetic counterparts. Conducted by a leading expert in hormone replacement, Kent Holtorf, M.D., medical director of the Holtorf Medical Group Center for Hormone Imbalance, Hypothyroidism and Fatigue, in Torrance, California, the paper reviewed and evaluated results from more than 200 physiological and clinical studies.

“A thorough review of the medical literature clearly supports the claim that bioidentical hormones have some distinctly different, often opposite, physiological effects to those of their synthetic counterparts,” said Dr. Holtorf whose practice treats more than 7,000 patients each year. “Medical literature demonstrates that bioidentical hormones are highly effective and carry a reduced rather than an increased risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.”

The review also showed that patients taking bioidentical HRT were less likely to experience sleep problems, anxiety, depression and cognitive effects – common side effects of synthetic HRT.

 “While larger, randomized clinical studies are needed, the review of current medical literature demonstrates that bioidentical hormones are a safer, highly effective option for women and should be physicians’ preferable method of HRT,” said Dr. Holtorf.

1. Pitocin, a hormone that peaks at orgasm and can stimulate libido, climax sense of closeness and bonding. It is active in both sexes and helps stimulate pleasurable sexual interactions between males and females and is also involved in and social interactions between family and friends. It can be prescribed by a physician and can be made into a nasal spray to be used before intercourse. It can also be effectively used on a daily basis for anxiety and depression and to counteract the loss of libido associated with antidepressant use.

2. Testosterone is not just a male hormone and is important for sexual desire in both sexes. Supplementation to more youthful levels can dramatically increase libido, sense of well-being, energy and quality-of-life. A common cause of low testosterone in men is stress and exposure to environmental contaminants such as bisphenol-A, which is a component in many plastic containers including plastic water bottles, In women, a major cause of suppressed testosterone levels is the use of birth control pills. Unfortunately, testosterone levels will usually not return to normal even after stopping the birth control pills. A knowledgeable physician can test the total and free (active) testosterone levels in the blood and prescribe appropriate replacement for both men and women.

3. Studies show that even slightly reduced thyroid levels, even considered still in the “normal” range can dramatically decrease libido in women as well as causing fatigue, weight gain and depression. The problem is that this almost always goes undetected by standard blood tests based on the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which is used as a simple method by most physicians to test thyroid levels. People need to find a doctor that uses the more sophisticated method of testing that includes the freeT3/reverse T3 ratio.

4. Menopausal women will often complain of low libido. Unfortunately, synthetic hormone replacement will often not alleviate the problem. The use of bioidentical hormones, hormones that are exact copies of hormones naturally produced by the body, can be very effective at returning the vigor and sex drive of youth.

5. Aminoacids such as L-arginine can boost nitric oxide, a compound that works to relax blood vessels and allow more blood to flow through arteries and this of course includes to the sexual organs. Supplementation can improve sexual satisfaction in women and erectile function in men. Ginko may also be of some, although mild, benefit, as well.

6. Viagra/Cialis/Lavitra, we have all been inundated with the commercials for these products to treat male erectile dysfunction. They typically do not increase libido in men, but desire and orgasm is more complicated in women than in men. These medications can effectively improve the cascade of arousal in women and can increase libido and sexual satisfaction for about 30% of women and also can help women suffering from sexual dysfunction due to use of antidepressants.

They key is to find a knowledgeable physician that you feel comfortable with. Having proper testing done is also important so that if there are hormonal imbalances which are causing the issue, they can be addressed and treated. Remember what works for one person may not for another, it is important to find what works best for you.

The Program

The Power Plate program is designed to create visible results in a finite amount of time through its Advanced Vibration Technology. Power Plate began in Paris and London and is gaining prominence among celebrities, including fitness connoisseurs like Courtney Cox and Madonna.

How It Works

While typical workouts only engage 30 to 50 percent of muscle fibers, Power Plate’s Advanced Vibration Technology high speed workout recruits 95 percent of muscle fibers. The Advanced Vibration Technology naturally causes muscles to contract and relax multiple times per second while you exercise.

The result of using these sleek, user friendly Power Plate machines includes building a stronger core, improving posture, aiding relaxation and enjoying a deep muscle massage. The Acceleration Training reduces stress hormones and helps reduce body fat.

Program Benefits

The Power Plates program offers increased flexibility, strength, bone density, range of motion, lymphatic return and blood circulation while promoting decreased joint and muscle pain. Aesthetic benefits include enhanced skin tone through increased collagen production and cellulite reduction. The program also aids in maintaining a youthful appearance by advancing greater production of regenerative hormones.

Improving Athleticism

In addition to aesthetic enhancement, Power Plate – the experience benefits you athletically. Athletes find that the programs can enhance the results of conventional training, speed training recovery, and increase explosive strength and power. Acceleration Training also brings increased flexibility and overall body conditioning. From celebrities to athletes and everyone in between, the Power Plate program and machines offer a low impact, yet potent alternative to other fitness programs.

The Studio

Power Plate’s Advanced Vibration Technology and Acceleration Training are now available to the Los Angeles area with the opening of Power Plate – the Experience. The fitness facility offers 25 minute small group sessions as well as one-on-one personal training available on a scheduled basis. Power Plate – the Experience is located on the 2nd Floor at 13050 San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood, CA. The facility is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.powerplate.com/bemoved or call (310) 394-8600.

Powered with EpiCor

Acai Immune Booster is the first nationally distributed nutritional beverage to include EpiCor, a nutrient rich ingredient composed of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants that’s manufactured by Embria Health Sciences (www.embriahealth.com). It’s EpiCor that provides the powerful and long lasting nutritional punch found in Acai Immune Booster. EpiCor essentially “educates” the immune system by providing the proper immune response to both over and under-stimulation.

Superfruit of the Amazon

AgroLabs developed this groundbreaking nutritional drink by combining the wellness potency of EpiCor with the Acai Berry. Known as the “Superfruit of the Amazon”, the Acai Berry promotes a healthy lifestyle by supporting healthy energy levels, the cardiovascular system and the immune system.

Available Now

Together, the Acai Berry and EpiCor make Accai Immune Booster a nutritional drink that can keep pace with the busiest of lives by improving wellness well after your thirst has been quenched. Accai Immune Booster can currently be found in club stores like Sam’s Club and Costco. It will soon join other AgroLabs products in retail outlets like Wal-Mart, Walgreens and CVS. For a full list of stores where AgroLabs products are available, visit www.agrolabs.com/whereToBuy.html.

Drink C20 for Energy and Longevity

Nature’s Best for Your  Body
Coconut water is the liquid found within young coconuts before they reach maturity (not to be confused with coconut milk). While the leading sports drink contains 14 g of sugar, 110  mg of sodium and 30 mg of potassium, C20 coconut water has only 10 g of sugar, 42 mg of sodium and 244 mg of potassium. In addition to potassium, C20 also contains the vital minerals, calcium and magnesium, which sports drinks primarily lack. With a natural balance of necessary salts and minerals and a comparable amount of electrolytes to that found in the human blood, it is no wonder that C20 coconut water has emerged as the perfect alternative to the average sports drink.

The Fountain of Youth Beverage
Coconut water is known to have a plethora of benefits that help promote a healthy lifestyle. As a naturally isotonic beverage, coconut water orally rehydrates your body and helps it maintain the proper,cool temperature. This benefit, in addition to its ability to carry nutrients and oxygen to cells and replenish bodily fluids, is what makes coconut water such an ideal sports drink. Coconut water is also able to raise your metabolism, boost your immune system, help fight viruses, cleanse your digestive tract and reduce the risk of cancer by balancing pH levels. Other sport drinks may be able to supply you with the energy to finish a workout, but can it also help lengthen your life?

History of C20
Coconut water has been popular throughout the world for a long time, though it has only recently reached the United States and California as a phenomenon. The founders of C20 discovered the wonderful benefits of coconut water at a roadside stand in Laguna Beach, California while mountain biking. After  experiencing firsthand the high energy and long lasting endurance of this performance-enhancing drink, the founders created their own coconut water company, C20, in order to share its benefits with the greater public.

To purchase C20 Pure Coconut Water or obtain more information, please visit:

www.c2o-cocowater.com

Tune-Up for Your Body

When Sylvie Beljanski, daughter of the late biochemist/biologist and environmental medicine pioneer Dr. Mirko Beljanski, was feeling fatigued and sick, her doctors could not pinpoint what was wrong. After months of having no energy, she went to see a chelation specialist who tested her for heavy metals. They discovered she had an overload of arsenic, and used chelation therapy to rid her body of the excess toxins. After the chelation, Sylvie rebounded in energy and felt much healthier and resilient.

From drinking water to food like fish and other seafood, trace levels of arsenic are found in daily life. The problem comes when the trace levels build up and our bodies can no longer eliminate the arsenic. This can be true of other daily toxins as well. In today’s industrial world, there is no escaping the consumption of toxins. Through chronic exposure to everyday items like mercury, lead, and arsenic, we are exposed to a variety of dangerous toxins daily. Traditionally, chelation therapy, the administration of chelating agents (compounds that bind to metal ions) to the blood stream, is administered intravenously and is performed several times a year.  However, Sylvie realized that she, as well as many others, wanted a more convenient, less invasive method to rid the body of toxins.

This inspired Sylvie to create “Signature Chelate,” an innovative oral chelation formula which uses high-quality, natural ingredients to help support the body’s natural process of detoxification. The formula combines L-glutathione – a tri-peptide containing L-cysteine, Humifulvate™,Chlorella and Chitosan.

Humifulvate™, a key ingredient in Signature Chelate is obtained from a 3,000 – 10,000 year old geologically young peat deposit on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary. These peat deposits contain many types of humic and fulvic acids, chemical by-products of decomposition of organic matter. Humic and fulvic acids are very efficient chelators and ion exchangers.

Get your system optimized to experience boundless energy and restore vitality by ordering Signature Chelate today for 60 capsules, $38:

http://www.natural-source.com/engl/Signature_Chelate.php
Or call toll free: (888) 308-7066

JASON Quit Bugging Me

The insect spray works against mosquitoes (carriers of the West Nile Virus), gnats,
horseflies, and black and biting flies. JASON Quit Bugging Me has a suggested retail price of $9.45 and is available at Whole Foods markets. The product comes in a convenient and easy to grip bottle with trigger sprayer and is safe for use on children six months and older.

Healthy Alternative

A natural insect repellant, JASON Quit Bugging Me spray is free of harmful ingredients like DEET and PABA, and Paraben. In rejecting chemical components for healthy ingredients, the insect spray offers a safe alternative for families while still stopping bugs from biting and providing quick, soothing relief from previous bites. The added benefit of Jason Quit Bugging Me’s non-staining, light oil formula is the refreshed feeling that comes with leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth. www.jasonnatural.com

Sunscreens, energy drinks and high-tech clothing are just a few of the 800-plus consumer products made with nanomaterials: those manufactured at the scale of atoms and molecules. Sunscreen that turns clear on the skin contains titanium dioxide, an ordinary UV-blocker in extraordinarily small particles. Odor-eating socks are made with atoms of germ-killing silver. Supplement makers boast of amazing health effects from swallowing nanosolutions that are completely untested for effectiveness or safety.

Nobody — not even the world’s leading nanoscientists — knows what nanoparticles do inside the body or in the environment.

Nanotechnology, a fast-growing global industry, is essentially unregulated. “This is basically virgin territory,” says Rutgers University environmental scientist Paul Lio. “The fact that it’s virgin territory is not good for the field, and it should be fixed really quickly.”

Advocates and independent scientists agree that we need to get ahead of the risks before it’s too late. They are worried about unleashing a powerful new technology that could have vast unintended consequences.

Understanding Nano

Nanotechnology describes the ability to manufacture and manipulate minuscule materials into forms such as quantum dots, spherical buckyballs and cylindrical carbon nanotubes. These engineered nanomaterials take on unusual properties — changing color, for example, or becoming electrically conductive or penetrating cell walls. And they have many uses. Carbon nanotubes, or CNTs — made by rolling up sheets of graphite just one atom thick — are extremely light and strong; they show up in high-end tennis rackets and bicycle frames. Nanosilver is used as an antimicrobial agent in everything from paint to toothpaste to teddy bears. Nanometal oxides are blended into ceramics and coatings, making them more durable.

Nanotech offers enormous potential benefits. Medical researchers are investigating ways to use nanomaterials to target tumors and then deliver tiny amounts of drugs directly inside the cancer cells, sparing the healthy cells. Possible green tech applications include cheaper, more efficient solar panels and water-filtration systems, energy-saving batteries and lighter vehicles that use less fuel.

That’s the upside. But early research on the potential hazards of nanotech is producing major danger signs. Workers handling nanomaterials face the biggest risks. But there are concerns for consumers, too, especially with products — like cosmetics, food and supplements — that go directly on or in the body. And with potentially toxic nanomaterials washing down the drain and into the water and soil, there’s reason to worry about environmental damage as well.

Ignoring the Dangers

Studies on nanotech’s downsides are a mere nanospeck compared to the research that’s being done on how this technology can benefit humanity — and corporate profits. Of $1.5 billion in federal nano spending each year, only between 1% and 2.5% goes toward studying environmental, health and safety risks. Worse, there’s no national strategy for deciding what questions need to be answered, or what to do with those answers as they arrive.

Of the studies that have been done, results are alarming:

Last year, British researchers reported that when long, straight carbon nanotubes — shaped like asbestos fibers — were injected into mice, they caused the same kind of damage as asbestos. A follow-up study this year, by this country’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), found that when mice inhaled CNTs, the tiny tubes migrated from their lungs to the surrounding tissue — the very spot where asbestos causes the rare cancer known as mesothelioma.

One reason nanomaterials can cause trouble is simply that they are small enough to evade the body’s defenses. In a University of Rochester study of the accidental nanoparticles known as ultrafine pollution, they bypassed the protective blood-brain barrier and slipped directly into the brain’s olfactory bulb. Other research demonstrates that nanomaterials can penetrate into the deepest parts of the lungs. From there, they cross into the bloodstream and various organs.

Based on evidence like this, the European Union’s occupational health and safety agency issued an expert report in March, citing nanoparticles as the number-one emerging risk to workers. In the U.S., NIOSH has issued a guidance document urging employers to avoid exposing workers to nanomaterials — for example, by enclosing equipment and using ventilation to reduce dust and fumes. But NIOSH has no regulatory power; it can only suggest.

And concerns continue to grow regarding the ability of nanoparticles to contaminate other people or the environment as they come loose from our sunscreens and clothing. Nanoparticles might also wash down the drain and create dangerously toxic environments for microorganisms — or inhibit good bacteria in sewage treatment plants from doing their work.

“The take-home message for me is, the behavior of these particles is very complex,” says Cyndee Gruden, a civil engineering professor at the University of Toledo in Ohio. “When you take a nanoparticle and put it into the environment, you have to know how it’s going to behave. And we don’t”.

E – The Environmental Magazine distributes 50,000 copies six times per year to subscribers and bookstores. Its website, www.emagazine.com, enjoys 100,000 monthly visitors. E also publishes EarthTalk, a nationally syndicated environmental Q&A column distributed free to 1,750 newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the U.S. and Canada ( www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek). Single copies of E’s July/August 2009 issue are available for $5 postpaid from: E Magazine, P.O. Box 469111, Escondido, CA 92046. Subscriptions are $29.95 per year, available at the same address.

Nino Schembri

Nino Schembri, a world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts fighter, has dreams of teaching his infamous Jiu Jitsu techniques to American students and students around the world. Considered one of the best fighters in the world, Nino Schembri shocked the world when he defeated Japan’s greatest fighter, Kazushi Sakuraba in PRIDE 25.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Antonio (Nino) “Elvis” Schembri has spent more than twenty years perfecting his style of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. By defeating some of the best fighters in the world, Nino has become a living legend within the martial arts community.

Using his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt techniques, Nino moved on to the world wide arena of mixed martial arts (MMA) with impressive performances that eventually gave him name recognition along side Brazil’s super-star fighter, Rickson Gracie.

With Jiu Jitsu ground training at the Barra Gracie Academy with Carlos Gracie Jr. and learning stand up training at Brazil’s Chute Boxe Academy, Nino developed an all inclusive fighting style that provides aggressive Muay Thai style stand up game and an unstoppable ground attack.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nino has also trained extensively with Renzo Gracie as well as well as many others. Using extreme flexibility and mobility, Nino has invented and perfected such high level moves such as the Gogoplata, butterfly guard, rubber guard and the crucifix. With such advanced techniques, Nino has trained such world class fighters such as Shogun, whom was given his black belt in 2005 by Nino, and Lyoto Machida, an undefeated MMA fighter and current UFC light heavyweight champion.

Who would be the winner, Elvis Presley or Nino “Elvis” Schembri?

Best known as “Elvis,” for his love of famed American singer Elvis Presley, or “Mr. Schembri,” as his reputation certainly deserves respect, Nino Schembri has a world wide fan base and is one of the most sought after instructors in Brazil.

You can reach Nino at ninoschembri@hotmail.com or call 310.863.8421.

Vemma - Everything healthy you need in a bottle

Vemma has been touted by Dr. Mehmet Oz a the “best multi-vitamin for a man under 60”. Designed to be body-ready, you’ll get the most of your supplement from the tasty liquid. To meet the nutritional value for Vitamins C, E, D, A, B-12, B-6, Iron, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, ORAC Value and Pantothenic Acid that a 2 oz daily serving of delicious Vemma supplies, you would need to consume 2 oranges, 9 avocados, 3 stalks of broccoli, 55 eggs, 1 cup spinach, 3 cups of peas, 19 medium bananas, 62 oz. cheddar cheese, 5 large potatoes, 61 cups tomatoes, 2 large watermelons, 17 oz. of cherries and 37 medium mushrooms.

Vemma’s good-for-you ingredients are also the base of Verve, Vemma’s new line of energy drinks.

For more information on getting your daily shot of health, visit www.vemma.com.

A Shot of Healthy Energy

If the thought of downing a bunch of sugar or experiencing the dreaded post-energy-drink crash has you hesitating, worry no more. Vemma Nutrition Company introduces Verve, a line of natural, good-for-you drink and shot blends that give your body vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidant ingredients designed to naturally boost your energy level.

Verve is designed to meet active lifestyle challenges with its blend of 12 full-spectrum vitamins and 65 minerals. Added to the functional and refreshing mix is their exotic anti-oxidant laden mangosteen and glyconutrient-rich aloe vera superjuice blend, which promotes good health and helps fight free radical damage.

Because choosing the right amount of energy you need is difficult, Verve comes in two variations: Verve Energy Drink and the Verge Energy Shot. The Verve Energy Drink is a tropical fruit flavored beverage for anytime energy, containing 80 mg of caffeine (about the amount in a cup of coffee). The Verve Energy Shot, on the other hand, is a pocket or purse-sized 125 mg caffeine blast that will carry you through the most demanding day. Both products contain a full serving of Vemma®, powerful liquid nutrition. The Energy Shot does not require refrigeration so it’s ideal for long days or traveling. No excess sugar in either of these products – they are both available in natural low sugar or sugar free variations.

For more information on these vitamin-packed, fast-acting energy drinks, visit www.verve.com.

This Beach Body Challenge is used by some of the biggest names in music, TV, film and sports and developed by experts in the health and fitness industry with over 30 years of experience.

The Body Challenge Giveaway is sponsored by a trio of products designed to get you in shape and healthier. The Giveaway winner receives one month’s supply of VITAFORCE, the complete Dynamics of Motion 3 level system, an all-natural ultralight moisturizer with SPF 25, plus a special 7-Day Detox Diet, all valued at over $160. Read more about the products and how to enter below.

Step #1: Start Your Day Off Right With VITAFORCE:
www.dynamicsofnature.com

If you want to lose weight and get healthy, you need more than just a good exercise program…you also need a healthy and balanced diet. That’s why the Beach Body challenge consists of starting your day with VITAFORCE, the only whole food powder that provides all of your daily vitamins and minerals as nature intended – from real food. You will never have to take a synthetic multivitamin again. With each serving of VITAFORCE, you are also getting a rich source of antioxidants, phytonutrients and enzymes along with 2 billion probiotic cells per serving. Created by brothers Josh and Scott Malin at Dynamics of Nature, VITAFORCE is 100% vegan and is very mild in water and delicious with juice or mixed into a smoothie every morning. It is also available in tablet form.

VITAFORCE as seen in OK Magazine

As seen on page 50 of OK! Magazine this week, and recommended by trainer to the stars Jason Walsh, (whose clients include Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake, Reese Witherspoon, Ben Affleck and Jason Taylor) as one of his get fit secrets, VITAFORCE can be purchased online at:
www.organichealthandbeauty.com or
www.dynamicsofnature.com for a store near you

Step #2: No Gym Membership Required With The Dynamics of Motion System:
www.dynamicsofmotion.com

Dynamics of Motion is developed by certified personal trainer and VITAFORCE co-founder Scott Malin, along with health and fitness enthusiast Cory Brusseau. The system can take anyone (at any age and fitness level) and transform their bodies and health to an advanced level that they would not have thought possible. The program is specifically designed so that it can be done anytime, anyplace, anywhere. You will no longer be chained to a gym or have to buy expensive workout equipment – now you can workout at home, in a park or anywhere else you like and watch your body get sculpted into a lean, fit and beautiful physique.

With Dynamics of Motion you can take your workout outside

In addition to the extraordinary physical benefits, the comprehensive Dynamics of Motion system will dramatically aid in correcting postural distortions, muscle imbalances, inflexibility and increasing strength, balance, agility, coordination and endurance that will carry over into the real world. This provides two extraordinary benefits: reducing or even eliminating chronic pain in the body and developing the ability to move safely, naturally, powerfully and gracefully in daily life. Take advantage of the beautiful Los Angeles sunshine and workout with the Dynamics of Motion System outside to reap the added benefits of stress reduction and relaxation. For just $50, you can download Levels I – III of the Dynamics of Motion system at www.dynamicsofmotion.com. Whether you are a Navy Seal, Olympic athlete, weekend warrior or just need to get back in shape, the Dynamics of Motion system works for everyone.

Step #3: Keep Your Face and Body Beautiful with Organic Health and Beauty:
www.organichealthandbeauty.com

Organic Health and Beauty is your one-stop-shop for the finest health and beauty products. Combining the latest technology with nature’s powerful ingredients has helped OHB to create the most potent and safe health and beauty products available anywhere in the world. Study after study by the world’s top peer reviewed medical journals have shown that the infinite intelligence and power of natural, organic ingredients are far more effective and safe than the synthetic chemicals, drugs and poisons designed by man. But, the products must be made from the highest quality and use the right potency in order to harness the extraordinary power of nature. This means using the best organic botanical ingredients and combining them synergistically to bring the body back into a state of health and beauty without any negative side-effects. OHB carries a wide variety of organic and natural health and beauty products as well as some amazing 7 day detox and wellness programs. Now that you have a healthy and toned beach body, you can keep it looking good with the finest organic products.

If you follow the Beach Body Challenge and drink a VITAFORCE shake each morning, train with the Dynamics of Motion system and use the incredible natural products on OHB, the sponsors say you will start to notice the difference in a few days. From an increase in energy to a tighter, leaner and more toned physique and amazing glowing skin, you will be on your way to having a hot body in time for summer.

Enter to Win

To enter, just subscribe to LA’s the Place (it’s free) and your name will automatically go into the drawing. If you’re already a subscriber, don’t worry; you can still be entered into the giveaway by leaving a comment sharing your thoughts on getting in shape for summer. You can also refer a new subscriber, and both you and that person will be entered (just leave a note with your email address below letting us know). Your chances of winning are high, so subscribe, leave a comment or refer a friend now and start planning for a great summer. The winner’s name will be listed the end of the contest.

VITAFORCE and Dynamics of Motion are also offering LA’s the Place readers a 10% discount on all products. Use the discount code LAPLACE when making your purchases online at www.organichealthandbeauty.com and www.dynamicsofmotion.com.

Good luck and see you at the beach!

The last home workout article, Homegrown Muscle: Building a Home-Based Gym, focused on the essentials and recommended simple budget-friendly add-ons. From paper plates to stability balls and kettlebells, we ran the gamut with options that kept you motivated and on the path to weight loss success.

This time around we’ve found some “break-out stars” to supplement, or even replace, your home gym. Below each item you will find a “Trainer’s note” with my observations and comments.

[Trainer's note: I do not receive endorsements for any of these products. They are items I actually use myself or with my current clients. ]

Burn More Calories

Using your body weight engages more muscles, which in turn burns more calories. Two of this year’s products do exactly that: The Gravity Bar from GoFit, and the Perfect Pullup from BodyRev.

Use Gravity with the Gravity Bar

GOFIT GRAVITY BAR®
$99.95 – www.gofit.net or Dick’s Sporting Goods stores

With the Gravity Bar you utilize your own weight to work virtually your entire body. Almost any exercise imaginable can be performed with the Gravity Bar’s pull up bar and adjustable straps with handles/harnesses. Angling your body at different degrees makes the exercises easier or more difficult, allowing you to adapt to your changing fitness level. This system also encourages you to focus on keeping your balance, engaging more muscles overall.

In reality, the Gravity Bar could potentially be all the strength training equipment you need. It mounts fairly easily in any standard doorframe and, while similar in function to the TRX® Suspension Trainer® (read review here), it has the added benefit of a pull up bar and ab straps.

[Trainer's note: I love a challenge and the Gravity Bar gives me one. It's fairly inexpensive and I have discovered many more exercises than the DVD or handouts show. It's amazingly versatile and very effective. The only drawbacks are its lack of portability and its visibility in my doorway. It took about 15 minutes - for a guy - to install. Despite warnings not to swing and climb on it, the unit has held up to well to mistreatment from kids. ]

Perfect Pullup Builds Strength

THE PERFECT PULLUP
From $59.95 – www.perfectpullup.com and major online retailers

The Perfect Pullup joins the Perfect Pushup (read review here) in leading the home fitness equipment pack. With these two items in your house you may have a complete home gym, provided you are creative with exercises. The Perfect Pullup is close to perfect now that they have replaced the plastic hooks with metal ones (the old plastic clips tended to break after just a few uses). The Perfect Pullup comes with the famous rotating handles that hit your muscles from different angles and the challenging ab straps.

What makes this product more multifaceted than the average pull up bar is the unit’s swing-down arm, which allows a whole other range of exercises, from triceps presses to single leg squats. Again, many more exercises can be done than the ones shown.

The Perfect Pullup installs in any standard doorway and is easy to make virtually unnoticeable.

[Trainer's note: I had a client install the Perfect Pullup in his home in about 20 minutes and tested it there. It did everything it was supposed to do and more. Much more innovative than originally imagined. My client uses it religiously along with the Perfect Pushup and has already seen results. I would recommend some self-sticking felt on the doorframe when bar is in "down" position to keep it from scraping.]

For Fun and Fitness

Hoop Girl - Hoop for Fitness

HOOP GIRL HULA HOOP
$29.95 and up – www.hoopgirl.com

Hula hooping may seem to be a silly, ineffective endeavor, but a few minutes with a Hoop Girl hoop may change your mind. Hula hooping is both stimulating and relaxing, leaving you feeling invigorated and in a better mood. The Hoop Girl hoops are made of heavier weight and friction tape, which lets even the most uncoordinated person hoop after just a few attempts. Hula hooping burns calories, strengthens the abdominals and releases tension in the low back.

Available in a variety of weights and colors the hoops, created by Christabel Zamor, are designed to be fun and easy for adults to spin. An instructional DVD is included, though some of the music and clothing are a little odd. You will be surprised at how easy it is and how fun hula hooping can be.

[Trainer's note: I take five minute "hoop breaks" when I am working at my desk. It helps me think and be more creative. I've used it in my circuit training classes and the participants, after their initial resistance, loved it. It's a fun, heart-rate raising, pressure-relieving add-on to many fitness programs.]

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Helen M. Ryan is an ACE-certified trainer, certified Spinning® instructor, author and speaker. She specializes in helping people fit weight loss and exercise into their busy lives. Read Helen’s story or download her free LA’s the Place Fit Life e-book.