Women Body Building

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Female bodybuilding has always attracted lot of discussion throughout the world, Although Asian countries are hit by this much later than the western countries. Though most of the people do not ever intend to step in to bodybuilding but yes almost every one would want to have a set of nice abdominal muscles. Female bodybuilding is now in demand and popularity is increasing. Bodybuilding has become a wonderful way for women to both loose weight and then become extremely fit and also to look great. There are chances of becoming too masculine and unattractive though. However, if a woman concentrates and has a perfect diet regime and proper guided physical exercise would give those good muscles and also would retain the sexuality.

Bodybuilding for woman has become popular during 1970s, with the launch of movie ‘Pumping Iron’ of Arnold Schwarzenegger. During the same time the women liberation movement was catching the heights of its fire. This ultimately led to increasing the strength and power of women. This was the basic reason why women had joined this masculine area of bodybuilding.

Bodybuilding for women can be put in to 2 different classes. One is doing it for weight loss and the other class would be to participate in bodybuilding competition. Whatever might be the reason, one fact remains that women’s anatomy is quite different from that of a man and it is very difficult for a woman to naturally produce the required amount of testosterone hormone in the body which aids in huge muscle building. So, women who are scared of building masculine shoulders, legs and arms, need not worry so much. There are lot more benefits for women when it comes to body building. Like for example, increased self confidence, self esteem and over an above there is this ‘feel good factor’, which makes you feel self-worth.

Well till date few people still do not accept the fact of women in bodybuilding, which was considered completely a man’s world of interest at one point of time. Most of the women consider this as a manly act. There are different opinions that are popped up when some one is asked if they would consider female bodybuilders hot or not. It is basically on the kind of taste one has for the counter part that attracts or does not attract. What ever may be the reason, there is lot of awareness among women on the beneficial affects of the bodybuilding exercises and are opting for this in their daily regime. Lots of women have taken bodybuilding as a profession and they look fabulous with those muscles.

However, the female bodybuilders should keep in mind the fact that they should not be overdoing it as it then would make one look very masculine and might look manly. One needs to avoid using steroid and other sort of drug to enhance the muscles which would lead to lot of other side effects. There are women bodybuilders who are both hot and sexy and a quite successful in their profession. At the end of the day, it is on personal tastes that affects likings. It is very difficult to understand the human mentalities. What ever might be the reason, Female bodybuilding is a hot stuff now and lots of young women look for this as their profession.

Why do you Need a Fat Burning Supplement

The important thing to understand about fat burning supplements is that they are not used solely for fat burning. However, they are used but in a different mechanism. The variation of fat burners most commonly thought of is thermogenics. These do help in speeding up of the metabolism thus helping you burn fat. There are other types of fat burning supplements which work indirectly. When people are on diet they can not just stop feeling hungry which drives them crazy so much so that you start craving for any kind of food including the leftovers, which otherwise would have been in the dustbin. It is during this time one would need fat burning supplements, which do not directly burn fat like thermogenics but yes they would calm your stomach and give a full stomach feeling.

When you are on hypocaloric diet, which is obviously necessary if you are planning to loose fat from your body, the energy levels of your body are going to be hampered. As it is the consumption of food is also lesser so the energy levels would go down drastically which ultimately effects lesser muscle energy. In these cases, fat burners like caffeine that would serve to help increase the energy levels with out adding more calories to the body. This is one reason why you should be looking at using fat burning supplements. More energy is more workout which in turn means better retention of the already build muscles.

For some people, using fat burning supplements continuously have shown increased concentration levels. As already discussed, this is not a direct effect on one’s fat burning process though. When some one is on a diet, their mind is constantly deviated from the any topic and the concentration is actually on the food. However, with this fat burning supplements making you feel full and reducing the hunger levels, one can concentrate more on the exercises and work outs.

One other reason why one should go for fat burning supplements is to improve overall health and well being. These supplements are found to have no side effects. There are certain supplements which not only aid in fat burning but also help in increasing the blood flow to the extremities and appendages.

However, anything taken in excess is dangerous. These supplements are good if you are dieting to provide you with the energy required, but abusing of this would cost your even more. Rather than attaining a healthy body your body would need even more medical attention. Like for example, high doses of caffeine in the body which is more than 500 mg per day might cause nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, reddened face, a diuretic effect, heart burn, speech problems, gastrointestinal upset, nausea etc. Remember one thing no artificial substance is good for health when consumed in excess.

There are certain precautions that we need to take before choosing for any fat burning supplements. Before you try any product read the label carefully. Consult your personal physician for its suitability and known side effects. Follow the dosage pattern carefully. Make sure you are choosing a supplement that you would best meet your requirement and not because it worked for your friend.

White Willow BarkO¦êA Cure for Arthritis

White Willow Bark…A Cure for Arthritis
No matter what advertisements say, no matter what your therapist tells you, there is no absolute cure for arthritis. Through experience, people who suffer from the debilitating effects of arthritis are most certainly aware of this fact. Why then do people jump every time they hear a “wonder drug” that would cure their arthritis? Simply, because people hate pain and arthritis pain impairs mobility and has a great effect on the life of the sufferer. Mobility impaired arthritic people do not lose hope, they would grasp at anything that will cure the pain.
Despite the immense discoveries in the field of medicine, drug treatments that would cure a number of diseases are yet to be discovered. One of these incurable diseases is arthritis. While alternative medicine that uses herbs have alleviating effect on the excruciating pain, these health practitioners are often ostracized by society and dubbed as quacks.
Some arthritis sufferers have asserted that using herb preparations have alleviated the symptoms and prolonged use has manifested favorable effects. White willow bark is used many centuries ago by Europeans for fever relief. White willow bark is a tree commonly found in Europe and Asia that is widely used for the treatment of arthritis. Ancient Egyptians use this concoction to reduce inflammations. Early American settlers use the bark of white willow tree (Salix Alba) to relieve pain.
Salicin is an active ingredient found in the white willow bark. Once ingested, it is converted into salicylic acid by the body. Acetylsalicylic acid is contained in aspirin thus white willow bark is also called the herbal aspirin. Salicylic acid is proven to lower the level of prostaglandins in the body. Prostaglandin is the compound that sets off the pain and inflammation in the joints.
White willow bark is as effective as aspirin in reducing the painful swelling of joints.  Although the pain relief is a little slower than that of aspirin, it does not have the side effect of irritating the stomach lining.  About 1 to 3 grams of white willow bark is boiled and steeped into tea and taken by people suffering from severe joint and muscle pains 2 to 3 times a day.
Herbal preparations like this can be taken by individuals in higher doses without fear of side effects. Arthritis patients can take this brew until the symptoms are no longer evident. White willow bark lowers prostaglandin level in the body. Asians who have been suffering from arthritis found relief when they continued taking white willow bark. When the swelling in the joints, knees and back subside, the pain was eased and their mobility was increased.

What you need to know about HIV

What you need to know about HIV
Infection with HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is one of the most deadly diseases known to man. Based on the World Health Organization’s estimate, 25 million people have already been killed by this pandemic since December 1, 1981 when it was first recognized. HIV is a retrovirus that causes a person to develop a condition known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Once a person gets this, his immune system loses the ability to protect the body making the patient more vulnerable and open to other infections.

Anybody can be infected by the HIV infection even newly born babies. They can easily acquire the virus at birth from their infected mother in a transmission called as Mother-to-Child transmission (MTCT). It can happen during the pregnancy at the uterus of the mother or during the intrapartum on the delivery of the child. There is also a risk of infecting the baby through breastfeeding if the mother has the virus.

The virus can also be transmitted through blood route. There are several ways in which this can occur. One is by blood transfusions. Although hospitals are obliged to check donated bloods for HIV, there are still reported cases of blood recipients acquiring the disease after the said procedure. Reusing of needles is strictly prohibited in hospitals and clinics because it also serves as a way of transferring the virus. Drug users as well as people who give and receive tattoos, piercing have a possibility of getting the disease.

The most common way of transmitting the HIV infection is by unprotected sexual intercourse. Since the virus can be passed through sexual secretions like semen and vaginal fluids, it is not advisable to perform sexual intercourse with a stranger.

HIV -1 and HIV – 2 are the two specie of the virus that infect humans. The more virulent virus is HIV-1 and it can be transferred easier compared to HIV-2. According to medical reports, majority of HIV infections globally is caused by HIV-1. Based on studies, this virus originated from a chimpanzee while HIV-2 is believed to come from Sooty Mangabey, also a type of monkey.

HIV infection has three stages, namely the Primary HIV infection, Asymptomatic Stage and the Symptomatic stage. The primary stage of infection lasts for a few weeks. The infected person usually experiences a flu-like illness. At this stage, there is already a large amount of HIV in the blood and the immune system starts to fail and resist the virus. During stage 2, the asymptomatic stage which often lasts for ten years. No symptoms can be observed during this period except from some swollen glands. The level of HIV in the system drops at this stage but still, the person remains weak. Unlike in the primary stage where the virus is difficult to detect, here, tests can be made to spot HIV antibodies. One procedure that can be done is the Viral Load Test that measures the genetic material of the HIV. The point where the immune system of the patient becomes severely damaged is known as the Symptomatic HIV Infection. After long years of exposure to the virus, the lymph nodes and body tissues become so burnt out they can no longer function properly. The virus also becomes more pathogenic enabling it to destroy more healthy cells specifically the T helper cells.

Until now, there is no cure for HIV infection. Specialists say that it is hard to deal with this kind of virus because they have the ability to mutate and adapt to the environment they’re presently in. The best method they can suggest is to avoid activities that might expose them to the deadly virus.

Weight Loss Tips and Tricks

If you do a research on New Year resolutions of every one across the world, 75 percent of the people’s list would include weight loss. Loosing weight is not an easy task however it is not mission impossible either. It is very much doable if you plan it properly and following few things diligently. Here are the few tips for weight loss.

First and foremost, never skip meals. This would make you metabolic activity very slow and the body would starts conserving calories during this time as the body conceives this as a critical situation. So instead of skipping meal, plan out increased number of meals but in little quantities. This would help your body to increase metabolism. Do not under any circumstances go for fancy crash diet programs to loose weight. This would only ruin the entire body composition in future.

Make sure to eat 3 small meals and 2 snacks daily rather than 2 or 3 big meals. The best way to eat is to eat slowly and chew every bit completely. This would actually make your food taste good.

Make sure your diet includes lots of fruits and veggies. Make sure you eat the fruits with skin and eat the whole fruit. Do not make juice and consume. It is necessary to eat with skin as all the nutrients are concentrated under the skin.

Drink lots of water all through the day. You might want to replace all those soda that you consume in a day to water. Cut down on your junk and fast food. These are the real sources of unwanted and unhealthy calories.

Exercise regularly and consistently. This would ensure to increase your metabolic activity and thus burn your calories. It could be just a 30 minute jog around the park or your home. It’s not necessary to spend lots of money and go to popular gym to loose weight. Make sure to avoid eating food 3 hours before going to bed.

It is suggested to go for natural way of weight loss rather than going for artificial ones like liposuction and surgery. It is important to meet your physician and get a complete body check up to check for any deficiency or any other kind of medical problems that might be affecting your body weight. It is always good to take an opinion from the physician even to start an exercise regime. You need to find out your body composition and then try different things that would suit you.

The ideal way to loose weight is to loose it slowly and steadily. It is not advised to loose weight in short period of time. It would lead to sagging body masses, stretch marks, fatigue and other medical situations might be the side effects. The best way to diet is to correct your dietary habits and not to cut down on your meals.

These weight loss tips would help you focus on your goal and start loosing those extra pounds. Losing weight is quite possible however it is not easy either. Positive attitude is what would help you reach your goal.

Weight loss

Weight loss

As the majority of peoples in the world are overweight therefore weight loss clinics have become a big business in world. The reasons for the overweight of population are simply wafers, pastries, chocolates, burgers, or ice creams. Many people in the world are not conscious of calorie intake or calorie burning. So the question arises how can they make them slim when they do not know the reason that makes them fat?

Simply there are some simple tricks to staying slim. These are
As the junky foods are always attractive and always lure us to eat them but healthy fruits and vegetables are not attractive and delicious therefore we don’t eat them but at that time we forget that these junky foods are the major cause of the overweight. Therefore to prevent to be fat you can force yourself to eat fruits and vegetables by: -

 Don’t keep fattening food at home. Instead of these things fruits like apples, grapes, oranges or Pineapple and some vegetables that can be eaten raw like radish cucurbit, tomato etc. should be kept at home. So in this way you can easily escape to eat such fatty things because of you want to each things that makes you fat but at that time they are not available then you will be forced to each fruits and vegetables which contains less calorie intake and fill your stomach.

So self-control is the major factor that helps an individual in weight loss. There are many miracles diets in the world but it is individual’s desire that finally works. If he has that desire than he ate right food than he will be succeeded but if that desire is absent than junk food will tempt him.


 Dieting is another way of weight loss but dieting requires the knowledge of foods which are rich in calorie and which are not. Lack of knowledge of food may increase your weight while you think you dieting. Dieting should be done in the appropriate; manner there should be proper plan of dieting. You should not eat food with low nutritional value like burgers etc because only a single burger adds thousands of calories to your daily meals and disturbs your whole dieting plan.

 A glass of fresh lemonade without sugar is when taken daily reduces weight to a larger extent.

 Regular exercise is another very important method of weight loss. Regular exercise decreases daily calorie intake and makes the body slim and active.

Many companies have released their branded products that reduce weight to a great extent. But before buying any such product one should be sure that these products are not harmful and safe. In case of allopathic weight loss medicine one should be sure that they do not cause any side effect or allergy in the body.
But in many parts of the world homeopathic and herbal medicines are largely accepted as these medicines are safe and do not cause allergy but some people reject to use such medicines because they impact time is much more as compared to allopathic medicines.

Harmful effects of overweight

According to the new researches it is found that about 90 percent of the overweight persons are easily attacked by the heart disorders and may die due to heart attack.

They feel restlessness due to which depression is common in such persons. Generally overweight persons are also not liked by everyone.

Vaccine and Antibiotic Dispute Concocting a Cocktail of Intrigue

Vaccine and Antibiotic Dispute: Concocting a Cocktail of Intrigue


His career is exceptional. His bravery and consistent fight for truth is unwavering. His name is Dr. Shiv Chopra, a vaccine and medicine regulator for Health Canada, and for decades he has fought for the public’s protection from unsafe drugs, harmful vaccines and even carcinogenic containing antibiotics.

Dr. Chopra is never fearful of his own protection, even going public with the findings of his studies, initiating a legal battle that put him in the government’s hate list. His yet unpublished book documents the crimes the government willingly and knowingly commit against public safety, most particularly adhering to corporate interests and passing unsafe substances that held adverse effects for its users.


Vaccine Misuse

He expressed alarm particularly over startlingly enlarged vaccine lists that were being administered on young children. He said that the list involved vaccines intended for a number of viral and bacterial infections which had insignificant or no scientific basis.

An example of which were vaccines against Hepatitis B and the bird flu, called Tamiflu, both of which allegedly protect against a cervical cancer-triggering virus. To note, Tamiflu distribution has been brought to a close in Japan due to deaths that were supposedly linked with serious and sudden psychiatric illnesses brought about by Tamiflu drug use.

Furthermore, Dr. Chopra finds it absurd how the Hepatitis B vaccine still continues to be routinely administered on young children despite it being a disease for adults. This notwithstanding how no epidemiological evidence exists pertaining to such practice.

Despite this string of chaos and controversy over vaccine administration, the vaccine business does not show signs of commiserating over the harmful effects these may inflict on public health. The MMR vaccine for example, was the subject of public outrage when 4,900 families in the US filed lawsuits, complaining how their children became autistic within days of being administered with MMR vaccine.

Antibiotic resistance issue

Antibiotic resistance was another issue being addressed by Dr. Choprra and his team. The surge in this incidence was a phenomenon he attributed greatly to the prophylactic use of antibiotics on animals which are food producers coupled with the over prescribing mannerisms of doctors.

Doctors frequently overlook the importance of checking keenly whether an infection is bacterial or viral in nature and proceed without caution in prescribing the broad-spectrum antibiotics variety. The World Health Organization has placed emphasis on this practice, seeing how antibacterial resistance of one simple bacterial infection could end up in a development of resistance to all existing antibiotics.

The vaccine and antibiotic dispute makes us think twice and reexamine science objectively, lest we risk our health and that of our children’s. The fight for overall safety of public health is not over yet.

Top 10 Weight Loss Supplements

As per the latest statistics, 50 percent of American adult population is overweight and 25 percent of American adult population is obese. This is basically due to dietary habits like junk food and fast food, lack of exercise, genetic and hormonal disorders.

There are many ways to loose weight like surgery, liposuction, exercises, diet programs and weight loss supplements. Of this entire list the most popular way of losing weight is to intake best weight loss supplements combined with a proper weight loss program.

The best weight loss supplements are the one which balance the required nutrients in the human body although they do not have much effect in reducing body weight. There are lots of weight loss supplements in the market. Here are the top 10 weight loss supplements.

Chitosan is a supplement made out of lobsters and shellfish shells. It is an indigestible fiber and is supposed to help weight loss by binding with the fats that are consumed and thus by stopping its absorption but with little side effects like gas and constipation.

Chromium is a supplement that boosts lean mass and reduces body fat. It is mostly present as chromium picolinate. Studies show that supplementing with 200 to 400 micrograms of chromium would result in around 2.5 pounds weight loss per week. However the effect is different from person to person.

Citrus Aurantium is an herbal supplement extracted from synephrine. It is similar to ephedrine. However, there are no proper published studies on its effectiveness. Like any other supplement, it has side effects like blood pressure etc.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is supposed to reduce body fat and increase lean mass. It has been researched on both animals and humans. Currently they are working on its affect when combined with chromium picolinate. CLA is found in beef and dairy foods.

Garcinia Cambogia is an extraction made from the same fruit and supposed to contain hydroxycitric acid. HCA (hydroxycitric acid) is supposed to reduce the appetite and cut down on fat storage and subsequently reduce body weight. Upper respiratory symptoms are most common side effects.

Guarana plant seeds has got high amounts of caffeine levels in it and this is suppose to suppress appetite but this is only for short period of time.

Hydroxymethybutyrate is a natural byproduct which helps in breaking down of complex amino acids. Most of the body builders use this supplement in order to increase their lean mass and decrease fat.

Plantago Psyllium is a water soluble fiber made from Plantago seeds. It is suggested to take before a meal and is supposed to make one feel full and thus reduce the food intake.

Pyruvate supplements stimulates fat mobilization and reduce stored body fat. Pyruvate is found naturally in food and in the human body formed due to the break down of carbohydrates and proteins. Studies show if taken in proper doses it would lead to weight loss.

Yerba mate is again high in caffeine and bitter in taste. If used in combination with other caffeine rich substances found to increase the stomach emptying time and thus assist in weight loss.

Of all these top weight loss supplements, only CLA and chromium picolinate are the ones which had more studies and are popular.

Tips for Gaining Muscular Weight

The best way to learn on how to gain muscle weight is to learn more about the dietary facts and exercise. Dietary habits play a very big role in weight gain process. There are many people who are trying to gain muscle weight and not to loose it. Recent studies show that at least 35% of the population is constantly trying to gain weight. There are different reasons why some people actually want to put on weight. There could be a drastic weight loss due to some medical problem like gastrointestinal problems or hormonal problem. For some people the problem could be fast metabolism because of which they loose lot of weight and are naturally thinner than required or could be a malnourishment instance during infancy and childhood. It could so be athletes who are trying to increase weight. What ever could be the reason, first one need to decide what type of life style one is leading and the requirement and based on this one could plan on a detailed dietary program.

Let’s look at the dietary inclusions in order to increase the body weight. One needs to spend good amount of time for breakfast, lunch and dinner and also need to spend time on snacks in between. This kind of a schedule combined with proper exercise would force in increasing body weight. Proteins are the primary food element of every meal. One needs to add in necessary amounts of carbohydrates and fats however the entire concentration would be on the proteins. One needs to make sure the meal is protein rich. For example, include eggs and milk for breakfast, meats like roasted beef, turkey or Soya beans for lunch and chicken or steak for dinner. Over and above this you could add your choice of carbohydrate source like pasta for dinner, brown bread toast for breakfast and rice for lunch. Between these meals one needs to add few protein rich snacks or drinks. The ideal thing to do is to supply the body with proteins consistently for every 3 hours all through the day.

When it comes to exercise, you could opt for muscle gain lifting manual which is a good source to know on what kinds of exercises to perform in order to gain weight. It would give you two very basic kinds of exercises like squatting and deadlifting. These exercises are called the bulking exercises that you could focus on. These exercises have been proven to be far superior to any other weight gaining exercises.

As far as weight lifting is concern, make sure you keep your weight under control at all the time. Choose a weight that you can lift in a stable form. Always concentrate on your muscle building weights and not on your ego. Make sure you are exercising under an expert supervision.
You could also try taking multi vitamins and mineral supplements every day. However consult a physician before you do so for suitability to your body composition. The most important thing to remember to gain weight that is healthy as some people tend to put on unnecessary fat rather than muscle.

The Truth Behind Fat Burning

Is “The Fat Burn Zone” really a myth or does it really work!  This is what every one keep asking the gym instructor, who is training them to burn more fat. Any local gym you visit and jump on any of the cardio equipment, you will find a “Fat Burn Zone” programmed right in it. This is supposed to be the heart rate zone, in which you are supposed to stay if you are planning to burn fat. This zone would make you feel less worked out due to its very light intensity and suppose to be very effective in fat burning. If this is true, then we should be loosing more fat while we are asleep rather than jogging on these equipments. Wondering how?

Calories are burnt, when the body is working, be it exercising or just walking in the house. Basically the source of these calories is from dietary fat, carbohydrates and proteins. Which source of calories is used is determined by the body itself. To make it more precise, if the body is doing little work like just sitting around, it chooses to use dietary fat as its source of energy. Which means, the body fat is still intact and not been used or in other words, the fat that was consumed in the food is used for all these light activities.

This is how the myth began. It is true that the body is using more fat for energy in this zone. However, as the intensity is lesser there is not actual body fat that is getting used. It is just the fat that you consumed that is getting used. Now, this is the reason why it is a myth that low intensity work outs or “The Fat Burn Zone” is a myth as the body actually would use more fat for energy while sleeping. So, if The Fat Burn Zone is true then all you need to do to burn those fats is to sleep all the time!

In reality, body fat can be burnt only when the calories burnt in higher than the calories intake. The source of the calories is not a matter at all. If you regularly eat little lesser than required and exercise more, then would it affect the body fat consumption. So, if you really want to loose that excess body fat, you need to burn more calories than the calorie intake. This makes the Fat Burn Zone simply a myth and not a properly investigated theory.

For people who are quite new to this exercise regime here are few suggestions. Start your exercise in low intensity i.e. 60% to 70% of maximum heart rate. For the first few weeks you would experience a little bit of fat loss also. However, after this beginning step you need to increase the intensity gradually till you reach 70% to 85% of maximum heart rate. Once you reach this goal, you need to maintain this intensity however the time that you are spending at this intensity should increase. The best way to do this is to increase the intensity for a short period of time say between 30 sec to 2 min and then return to low intensity. Alternating this kind of regime would be more beneficial than counting on Fat Burning Zone work outs.

The Cabage Soup Diet

The Cabbage Soup Diet isn’t suitable for long-term weight loss and shouldn’t be used for this, but it should be utilized as a fast diet to lose weight. Whether you want to lose weight quickly for something special that’s coming up or you have a job interview and need to shed a couple pounds then the cabbage soup diet might be very suitable for what you’re looking for. The cabbage soup diet will help you become more fit in a short period of time and this can be a great beginning to a longer-term weight loss plan.

Probably the best thing that comes from the cabbage soup diet is the fact that you will lose weight quickly, and this is helpful in many ways. One thing that the cabbage soup diet isn’t though is a long-term weight loss diet, and the actual is only a seven day plan. You can follow the diet for up to seven days at a time and then after the seven days you’ll need to wait at least two weeks before using the diet once again. Typically you should only need to use the cabbage soup diet once though and then have a new weight loss diet that is more ideal for longer-term weight loss. There are a few drawbacks which are the fact that the soup isn’t very tasteful to most people, and some people have even reported that they have felt drowsy and unable to concentrate. This isn’t something that has been reported often though and there are many more people who have said that the cabbage soup diet is excellent then any amount who have complained about the weight loss diet.

Most weight loss diets are either unnatural in some way or they just don’t offer the fast results that are sometime needed by people. The cabbage soup diet is suitable for both men and women and you should notice that it works quickly when you use it. Compared to most of the products and diets I’ve seen the cabbage soup diet is one of the best and fastest I’ve seen.

Tips To Follow While Using the Cabbage Soup Diet

- Make sure you follow the diet in its entirety and don’t miss a day.
- Be sure that you drink a minimum of four cups of water daily and even more if you’d like.
- Remember that the diet is only seven days and not any longer.
- You can still utilize vitamins throughout the cabbage soup diet.
- Eat a ton of the cabbage soup so that you don’t become overly hungry as you most likely will.
- You’re aloud to use spices of your choice to add some taste to the tasteless cabbage soup.

Only adults should embark on the cabbage soup diet and teenagers and children shouldn’t use this diet at all as it isn’t good for them. Adults who do decide to follow the weight loss diet will need to ensure that they don’t miss any of the seven days and that they follow the plan strictly. Many people have said that if you need to lose weight quickly that the cabbage soup diet is the absolute best for this need.

The Acupuncture Option for Arthritis

The Acupuncture Option for Arthritis
Some older people have an unnatural abhorrence to pain relievers. My grand mom would rather stay in bed nursing a severely aching knee joint rather than take a pill to ease the pain. Researchers conducted a study of senior citizens suffering from mobility impairing arthritis. While some have taken pain pills, most respondents chose to downplay their pains and ignore pain killers.
Although arthritis related pain can restrict their mobility, they would rather endure the pain rather than be “addicted” to pain killers. They would reason that at their age, pain is to be expected. Others would say that they have high pain tolerance and that pain would show them that they can still feel…that they are alive.
Arthritis is a mobility impairing disease that is typified by stiffness and painful joints, knees and back. Arthritic people who have negative attitudes towards pain killers need not suffer from discomforts, sleepless nights and restricted mobility as they have an available option for arthritic relief- Acupuncture.
This holistic approach to the treatment of illnesses was started in China over 2000 years ago. In 2001, a study was conducted in the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine. From the 570 osteoarthritis patients, a group was selected to undergo acupuncture sessions. At the end of the first week, the group experienced minimum relief from pain. The sessions were continued and at the end of the study, forty percent reported to have lesser pain and another forty percent have increased mobility.
Acupuncture makes use of hair thin needles to unblock congested energy channels. The Chinese believed that qi (pronounced chee) a vital life force flows through the body in channels termed as meridians. Nourishment flows through this meridians to feed the tissues. Any obstruction on the meridian would block the flow of energy causing pain, discomfort and ultimately diseases.
Our body has more than 2000 specific points. To unblock a clogged meridian hair thin needles are inserted to stimulate these specific points. Three to fifteen smooth rounded needles are inserted in specific points which cause a slight stinging sensation. Inserting needles in acupoints will result to biological responses, one of which is the release of endorphins. This chemical is the body’s natural pain killer. Western scientists are skeptical about the existence of the Chinese’s meridians. However, this does not mean that acupuncture is an ineffective cure for arthritis.
Generally, an acupuncture session would last for more than one hour. Two or three weekly session for several months would guarantee complete relief from arthritic pains.

TEstosterone Booster

Testosterone is a hormone found in human body. It is found in higher levels in men and very minute levels in women. Testosterone is also called the Male hormone. Testosterone is the hormone which affects the energy, sex drive, building up of muscle mass and all other masculine characters in a man. When the testosterone levels are low in men, it leads to symptoms like lack of energy, memory loss, reduced sex drive, reduced muscle mass and lack of masculine characters. This particular condition is called Hypogonadal. To treat this condition, there is a supplement available in market and it is called testosterone booster. They are used to increase the testosterone levels in the blood. They are quite often used for other purposes also but it is used mainly on Hypogonadal men as a treatment.

These days the most popular way of increasing sex drive is through testosterone boosters. It is also know for its energy boosting in athletic performance and body muscle building. Certain symptoms like erectile dysfunction, which is caused by other health aliments, are reduced by testosterone booster. There are different types of supplements available now in the market like natural products, vitamins and synthetic chemicals to boost this hormone levels.

Like any other supplements, testosterone also comes in both legal and illegal forms. The best legal form is Creatine supplement, while the illegal variety like anabolic steroids often used by bodybuilders are available in the market now. There is a very big difference in taking Creatine supplements and using anabolic steroids. While Creatine is comparatively safer and effective testosterone booster, the anabolic steroids might effect the blood lipid profile and might lead to coronary diseases.
However, the best way to increase the blood testosterone is to increase it naturally. There are simple ways to boost testosterone levels naturally. Dietary habits, herbs and exercise are the best natural way of increasing testosterone.

A testosterone diet is quite easy to maintain. One need to choose any foods that is high in Zinc. Recent studies have shown that the testosterone levels and sperm count have increased in men who were given zinc daily for 45 to 50 days. Oysters are the best and have highest levels of zinc in it and are supposed to be the best testosterone booster food. Red meat is also high in zinc and would constitute a good testosterone booster diet. Poultry also has good levels of zinc, especially, chicken breasts, wings and thighs are all high in zinc. Turkey, duck and goose are also considered under poultry and are high testosterone food and could be a part of the testosterone boosting diet.
For people who do not prefer meat, the best testosterone boosters are the beans. Beans have high zinc content. Nuts are also very high in zinc and are good inclusions in the testosterone booster diet. Fortified cereals are also very high in zinc and hence would become good inclusions too. Dairy products are very good testosterone boosters. Yogurt, cheese, milk etc are all very high in zinc and is a very good inclusion in the daily diet.
There is are certain herbs like eurycoma longifolia available in the market and are used by body builders without any prescription, but there is no direct affect of these herbs on testosterone. So the best testosterone boosters are zinc rich diet and exercise.

Steriods and their Side Effects

When ever some one mentions steroids, the thought of athletes using them for running fast or lifting weight or home run hits or huge number of balls in the baskets comes in to the mind. There are lots of stories that are told with regards to steroids. There are enough TV serials and movies highlighting the affects of steroids on youngsters almost like a horror show. However, when you look at the actual side effects it might not be that huge horror show. It is said steroids are dangerous drugs when they are used in inappropriate levels for a continuous period there are very sever side effects that would last for longer time and most often cause irreversible negative health consequences. The steroids are used and most often abused by to build body mass. Basically they abuse this for different reasons like to boost up their self esteem, to improve confidence and more basic thing like attracting female counterpart.

The initial effect of the steroids on the human beings is the heavy hair loss and that too patchy. Steroids used for long period of time have shown effects on mood and found to cause depression. This is basically affecting the nervous system of the human body.

Let’s look at the side effects in detail. One of the biggest and common effects of steroids is on the hormone system. Steroids inhibit the natural hormones. All most all cases, addition of any hormone to your body would send a message to the endocrine system to stop producing the same. This happens when the body attempts to maintain the balance. Therefore it would affect the hormonal balance of the body.

The next affect is liver damage. However, all steroids do not cause liver damage. There are no studies that proved the direct effect of steroids on liver. Some steroids are avoided to the patients who are already down with liver damage.

Steroids are found to affect the sexual organs like testicles. In few of the male population who used the steroids continuously experiences testicle shrinkage. There are some very drastic affects of Steroids. It is supposed to aggravate infertility and reduce the sperm count. It is also found that people who abuse steroids have higher risk of prostate cancer. Some men have experiences development of breasts. It is also increases the risk of Hepatitis and HIV.

The other side effect is steroids can cause acne development. It is found to affect the skin causing skin allergies and acne. This is because of the increased activity of sebaceous glands combined with the bacterial infestation and dead cells together causing acne.

Increased aggressiveness is also reported by the anabolic steroid users. Few studies have shown that people have actually experienced increased aggression and increased violence, mania and also psychosis. Few studies have also shown development of baldness especially with men population. Anabolic steroids have been linked to cardiovascular problems, partly because of its affect on blood lipids. In some women, these steroids have shown development of masculine or male sexual characters. Some of the characters are development of deeper voice, excess growth of hair all over the body, enlargement of external genitalia etc.

Steroids are not to be taken without physicians directions. It has good medicinal values to help certain population with the medical conditions.

Steps to Safety from Electromagnetic Radiation

Steps to Safety from Electromagnetic Radiation

Ours is an era that makes exposure to harmful electromagnetic radiation easily attainable. While scientific technology makes it possible for advancement in man’s convenience, health and safety from toxic electronic forces is overlooked. This must be corrected. Here’s how.

Mobile Phone mania

Mobile phones are now considered to be prime commodities. Majority bring their phones everywhere, even placing them nearby when sleeping. But radiation from mobile phones is not an aspect we pay keen attention to. Mobile phones are reported to cause heat to the brain, creating major disruptions in its normal functioning.

Device demise

Majority of us have homes laced with all types of electronic devices like microwave ovens, TV sets, personal computers and the like. But reports admit that this may do more harm than good. This is said to increase health hazards associated with repeated exposure to disease triggering and harmful electromagnetic field energy.

Computer abuse

Sitting in front of a computer until the wee hours of the morning is tantamount to submitting yourself to health abuse. Aside from eyesight strain, excessive computer use also wears out the body systems brought about by powerful energy emitted by computers. It would do good to limit computer use to 3 hours and to take a 30 minute rest before tinkering with the PC once more.

Microwave hazard

When heating something in the microwave oven, it would be safe to stand back more than 2 foot apart from it. Harmful electromagnetic fields of this device continue to transmit within 18 inches of its range. It has also been suggested that we let 4 to 5 seconds pass before proceeding to take the food being heated inside the microwave oven as it takes this amount of time for microwaves to dissipate fully.

Broadband disservice

The frequencies being transmitted by broadband internet connections are extremely deleterious to your health as this is linked strongly with bodily weakness and fatigue. Staying in establishments that blanket their areas with high energy frequencies like Wi-Fi supporting coffee shops should also be decreased.


Practice unplugging

Make it a habit to unplug TV sets that are not being used. This in particular is for homes that have cable TV, as this is an avenue for unwanted electromagnetic frequency to invade your home.

The Perils of GPS

Repeated GPS systems exposure is also connected with high health risks. Doing so particularly puts you in more damaging electronic frequencies so stay away from areas that have GPS systems activity.

Safety and security in a high-tech era is imperative. Follow these steps carefully and learn to look out for your own health and general well-being in this high tech world.

Pros and Cons of Steroids

Sporting community has been availing Steroids for more than half century now and the usage has been continued even now more because of the excess pressure on athletes to perform. Steroids have been developed in during late 1930 actually to treat Hypogonadism. This is a medical condition in which there are lower levels of testosterone produced in the body resulting in developmental and sexual problems in men. Steroids are the drugs that are variants of the testosterone that stimulated, through various hormonal pathways, tissue building and energy producing and masculine characters.

Steroids can be classified as anabolic and androgenic. Anabolic steroids assist in body building while androgenic steroids assist in promoting masculinity. The effects of androgenic steroids are experienced by males during puberty while anabolic steroids enhance protein synthesis and thus affecting the muscle mass building. It is these type of steroids that athletes and bodybuilders desire.

As per the recent studies they have two different concepts regarding steroids. For any kind of drug there would be certain uses and disadvantages. Steroids also have pros and cons for its use.

Anabolic Steroids are man made steroids which helps in increasing male hormones. The only legal way to get these steroids is through physician’s prescription. These are not available across the counter. A doctor usually prescribes this drug when adolescent boys experience delay in puberty and for men with lower levels of testosterones.

Except for the reason mentioned above, these steroids are used and most often abused by the bodybuilders and athletes to build body mass. Basically they abuse this for different reasons like to boost up their self esteem, to improve confidence and more basic thing like attracting female counterpart.

The good part of the steroid use is, it gives faster results and works amazingly well within short period of time. They would make one look thinner, bigger, stronger and would give much better endurance with in weeks of use. One might be able to lift 210 for 6 repetitions. It would help one look very manly and very attractive and that too in a very short period of time. If taken under the supervision of the physician it would is very effective and a very useful drug.

The bad part of these steroids is very scary. The initial effect is heavy patchy hair loss. Continuous use of steroids leads to mood swing and depression. It would also affect liver leading to severe liver damage. It would also affect the sexual organ like testicle shrinkage, infertility, reduced sperm count, high risk of prostate cancer and development of breasts. It also increases the risk of HIV and Hepatitis in case of needle sharing. As a result of all this there would be other problems like decreased academic and athletic performance, bad influence on personal relationships, end of athletic career etc,. With all this going wrong, there would very negative effect on the attitude and all this might finally result in death. There are many such cases seen in athletes these days.

Any drug is useful if it is used in the correct way. Any drug abused is harmful to the body. The same applies to steroids also. It is a wonderful drug to assist few people with deficiency. However, abusing it might give short term happiness and fulfillment but would ultimately lead to lot of suffering and sometimes might lead to death. So just think twice if it is worth it!

Narcolepsy, a lifelong struggle to stay awake

Narcolepsy, a lifelong struggle to stay awake
It seems funny to see someone literally fall asleep in a middle of a rock concert or in a midst of a natural disaster like an earthquake. But there are actually people who experience this kind of weird things and they are called narcoleptics.

Narcoleptics are individuals who struggle with a condition known as narcolepsy. It is a chronic neurological disorder due to the brain’s inability to control the sleep-wake cycles normally. Narcoleptics’ number one problem is falling asleep at any time of the day whether they are busy doing something or not. The attacks vary. The unwanted sleep my last from a few seconds to several minutes even for hours in some cases.

Aside from the Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS), narcoleptics also suffer from cataplexy in which they suddenly lose control over their voluntary muscles. Sometimes, at the beginning or end of their sleep, they experience a total paralysis which lasts for some seconds. Hallucination and lucid dreaming are also part of being a narcoleptic. When trying to sleep, they may see some visions that they think might be real but actually, they are just symptoms of the disorder. What’s more scary about this is that a diagnosis on a patient can only be made 10 to 15 years after the first symptoms appear. Also, it is a lifetime condition in which the cause is unknown.

People with this ailment not only suffer from the hazardous symptoms of narcolepsy. They also endure the lapsed judgments thrown to them by people who don’t have a full understanding of their disorder. Their social lives are usually in peril. Just imagine not being able to drive a car, always in need of a companion when traveling and going to places and falling asleep in a middle of an important conversation. That is why there are support groups present to give help to narcoleptics and their families.

Several drugs are presently prescribed to persons diagnosed with narcolepsy. Modafinil, an FDA approved drug is said to be effective for treating EDS. For cataplexy, antidepressant drugs like tricyclics, imipramine, desipramine, clomipramine and protriptyline as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be taken. Narcoleptics may also practice setting a “sleep schedule” where they would try to maintain a regular sleep so as to avoid attacks during daytime. They are advised not to drink alcohol and other beverages with contents of caffeine especially at bedtime to help them have a good night sleep.

If not all the symptoms are present, narcolepsy is difficult to diagnose. But there are several procedures that can be used to find out whether a person has this kind of sleeping disorder. Polysomnogram and Multiple Sleep Latency Test are the two commonly used tests in diagnosing narcolepsy. Polysomnogram is done by the continuous recording of the sleep brain waves as well as the number of nerve and muscle functions during a sleep at nighttime. It can also detect other possible sleeping disorder aside from narcolepsy. In the Multiple Sleep Latency Test, the patient is advised to sleep every 2 hours during the day and observations on the sleep onset latency or time taken to reach various stages of sleep are recorded. It assesses the degree of daytime sleepiness experienced by the patient.

Memory Loss Is It Just A Simple Sign Of Aging

Memory Loss: Is It Just A Simple Sign Of Aging?

It is not surprising when our aging grandparents begin misplacing their spectacles or forgetting snips of information.  In fact, sometimes, we even find it quite amusing as it is accepted as a natural occurrence in older people to become a bit forgetful.  Memory loss may not be at all alarming if it does not escalate in such frequency and magnitude as one where daily activities are seriously impaired.

There are many causes of memory loss such as insufficiency of vitamins and minerals, unhealthy eating habits, thyroid problems, side effects from medications, extreme alcoholism, melancholy and specific infections.  A significant concern in the recent years until today, however, is another cause of extreme memory loss --- Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease is an incapacitating cranial nuisance that negatively impacts a person’s ability to think, perform daily activities and, yes, causes memory loss.  It is not a typical part of aging.

There are many tell-tale signs of Alzheimer affliction. Memory loss is just the first one.  But since it is the most common symptom, let’s take a closer look.  What distinguishes normal age-related memory loss from an Alzheimer’s memory loss symptom?

When your grandfather forgets the beautiful peacock you saw at the zoo a month ago, stay calm.  This lapse may simply be a sign of old age.  But, if he forgets the zoo trip altogether, maybe it would be wise to be vigilant of other signs.

If he remembers the trip after a little while of memory crunching, maybe it’s still ok.  But, if he never remembers after some time, that’s another sign.

Let’s take another example.  If you ask your grandfather to help you call for pizza delivery by dialing the restaurant’s number posted on the refrigerator door and he is unable to do it for some unknown reason, he could be exhibiting another serious sign of Alzheimer’s.  Patients with Alzheimer’s encounter much difficulty in following directions, whether written or verbally given to them.

It is very important that members of the family are alert of these simple signs of Alzheimer’s.  Once there is the slightest hint of doubt in the mental state of your elderly, it is vital that a doctor’s opinion is sought. By going to a doctor, the presence of Alzheimer’s can either be negated or confirmed.  And, in such case that it is confirmed, an early detection will always be better.  Not only can the disease be treated, the patient is also given the chance to actively participate in decisions pertaining to his future as an Alzheimer’s victim.

Massage Therapy to Ease Arthritic Pains

Massage Therapy to Ease Arthritic Pains
These days it would be very rare to find a person who has not suffered from any kind of disease or someone who has not felt sick even for one single day of his life. If such a person exists, he should let us in on his secret to a healthy life as most of us are not so lucky. One of the debilitating diseases that afflict young and old people is arthritis. There is a notion that arthritis or rheumatism is the ailment of old people. People who suffer from joint pains are joked as someone over the hill. However, this is no laughing matter as even young individuals can suffer from this disabling sickness.
Millions of people are afflicted with arthritis. You may know someone suffering from this discomfort or you yourself may be losing sleep due to severe joint and muscle pains. There is no known cure for arthritis. Medications prescribed by physician may work for a time. But aside from the known side effects, these pills are not effective to some people. Massage is one of the alternatives that will ease the discomfort felt by arthritic people.
The efficacy of massage therapy was once considered controversial as medical practitioners believe that massage has no bearing on the cause of the pain. However, this was refuted by people who have found relief from pain. The therapeutic capability of this treatment was further acknowledged by athletes who have used massage to alleviate the muscle cramps after a strenuous activity. Now, the medical society has recognized the benefits derived from massage therapy. As long as the massage therapy is prescribed by a doctor, medical insurance allows coverage for the treatment.
Massage is a very old process that has been used more than 3000 years ago to relieve aches and pains resulting from strenuous physical exertion. Aside from relieving tension, massage therapy is used on arthritic people to lessen pain and reduce inflammation. By rubbing, kneading and applying methodical pressures on the affected area, toxins within the body will be eliminated.
Various massage strokes is being used by the massage therapist to clear the blockages to achieve improved blood and oxygen circulation.  A massage therapy session could last for an hour to an hour and a half. After several sessions, the patient should be able to have more flexibility and mobility. With repeated massage sessions, an arthritic person’s quality of life will be greatly improved as the pain attributed to the disease will at least be lessened if not totally eliminated.

Lose Weight based on your Blood Type

Lose Weight based on your Blood Type
People nowadays are becoming more and more conscious about their health and body figure. Before, men dislike women who are very slim to the point that bones can be seen from their neck whenever they smile, laugh or move. So as with women, during the previous eras, they don’t pay attention to those “six packs abs” that models and actors usually flaunt these days. In short, our folks before were not as superficial as we are right now when it comes to physical attributes, specifically body weight.

As previously mentioned, most of us never get tired of looking for ways to attain the “supermodel” type of body. That is why several types of diets are coming out. It’s up to you which type of diet seems to be effective and easy to follow.

One way to lose weight that can be added to your options is the diet that recommends food based on your blood type. This form of diet was first introduced in 1997 but got popularized years later by Dr. Peter D’Adamo, a specialist in naturopathic medicine. The diet was based on researches done by Dr. D’Adamo’s father with his colleagues back in 1950’s. It was about the connection between a person’s blood type and his ability to absorb nutrients specifically, lectins. Lectin is a protein found in many popular foods. This protein may clump red blood cells which may lead to some health disorders.

According to this diet, people should base the food they eat on their blood type. Dr. D’Adamo explained that food has different reactions with various blood types. He based this on certain data about how human evolved specifically on the occurrence of different blood types. In his book EAT RIGHT FO RYOUR TYPE, he presented that type O was the first blood type of our ancestors between 50,000 BC and 25,000 BC. As what we learned from our human evolution class, people during those times didn’t know agriculture yet so mostly, meat was their only food. Between 25,000 BC and 15,000 BC, when men started to dig the land and plant some greens, type A of blood began to emerge.  Due to the climatic changes, as years went on, Type B existed and the blending of type A and B made way for type AB.

With all this findings, Dr. D’Adamo stated in his book that vegetable proteins are better absorbed by individuals with type A than type O who on the other hand are more likely to be in good shape with animal protein.

For a more specific scheme, here’s a short list of food which are compatible with your blood type. For type O patients, beef, lamb, veal, cod, salmon, sardines, walnuts, wheat, prunes, pineapple juice and most vegetables with the exception of cabbage, potatoes and mushrooms should be eaten. Now, If you love eating pork, ham, bacon, caviar, catfish, eggs, dairy, beans, melons, oranges, coconut, berries, coffee, tea and soda and you happen to be a type O, sorry because these are the foods that you should avoid. Type A’s are advised to take in more soy, carp, cod, sardines, Soya, peanuts, lentils, rice, most vegetables  and fruits except potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, pepper, bananas, mangoes, melons, oranges, papaya, garlic, ginger, coffee and red wine. People with this blood type should also consider taking minute amount of meat, shellfish, dairy products, cashews, coconuts, gelatin, vinegar, tea, beer and soda. When it comes to type B’s, lambs, sardines, almonds, oats, rice, most fruits and juices are good  Vegetables are also preferable except tomatoes, olives, bean sprouts, chicken, bacon, ham, pork, anchovy, sea bass, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, corn, tofu and soda are said to be not compatible with this type of blood. Foods under Type A and B combined make up the list for those who have AB as their blood type.

Know the Factors Affecting Alzheimeri¦üs Disease

Know the Factors Affecting Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is a very sneaky yet devastatingly life-altering illness.  It not only affects the inflicted individual but it also changes the lives of everyone around him. Needless to say, lives are changed in terms of time, care-giving efforts as well as finances.  However, the greatest altering effect of Alzheimer’s is the crippling emotional consequence it has in many levels.

So, what are the basic demographic niches that are primarily targeted by Alzheimer’s Disease?

First and foremost are the elderly.  It is believed that the aged population beyond 65 is categorically at a high risk for Alzheimer’s. The probability of becoming afflicted with Alzheimer’s after 65 is doubled every five years.

The second risk factor is genetics.  Yes, family histories of Alzheimer’s are part of the consideration for probability of contracting the disease. Studies have shown that most of the patients have one or more relatives who have suffered the same disease in their later years.  In fact, scientists have already isolated probable gene samples that may be the contributing factor the development of Alzheimer’s.  Nevertheless, as studies of this illness continues, doctors still believe that genetics must not be solely blamed for the occurrences, but rather, its combination with non-genetic factors.

Sadly, these first two risk factors – age and genetics – are two areas that are beyond a person’s influence and control.  So, in today’s scientific studies on Alzheimer’s, more focus is invested on risk factors that can be controlled and influenced by the people themselves or by medical advancements.

The overall health status of the human brain is a basic factor to be considered in the development of Alzheimer’s.  It is common knowledge that illnesses generally disturb human processes.  Doctors believe that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and keeping up with a regular exercise routine, the chances for developing Alzheimer’s is decreased. Furthermore, in the subject of keeping the brain healthy, prevention of head injuries and trauma are also highly preferred.

Finally, a very recent study on Alzheimer’s has also shown that another risk factor is the well-being of the human heart.  Since the heart is responsible for blood circulation throughout the body, including the brain. Any health nuances like diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure all affect the efficiency of the distribution of blood through the blood vessels in the brain as well.  With poor circulation in the cranial vessels come higher chances of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

Know All About Salmon, Omega 3 and Cholesterol

Know All About Salmon, Omega 3 and Cholesterol
A plateful of mouthwatering grilled wild sockeye salmon with Omega 3; Salmon Mouse garnished with dill and parsley rich in Omega 3; Poached salmon on a bed of lettuce a good source of Omega 3. I know salmon is delicious and healthy but do you know what the heck Omega 3 is!? Does salmon really help in lowering cholesterol?
Actually, salmon is an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acid is one type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that can be found in fish oil and sea foods like salmon. Other sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids are soy, corn and sunflower. Everybody needs fats as it is essential in nutrient absorption. However, too much consumption of fat would result to weight gain, heart diseases and other ailments. Omega 3 fatty acid is a good kind of fat that can effectively reduce high cholesterol level.
Much is said about cholesterol but did you notice that most people would talk about lowering it? Actually cholesterol is needed by the body to function normally. Cholesterol is needed in the production of hormones; Vitamin D as well as the bile acid that is needed to digest fat. When cholesterol exceeds the normal level then it becomes harmful to the body. This is when omega 3 is needed… to lower the cholesterol level.
When you consume your salmon, the omega 3 fatty acids lower the level of triglyceride. The build up of plaque that is associated with heart diseases will be avoided. Obviously, we will get many health benefits if we eat foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. The dietary guidelines issued by the American Heart Association encourages people to eat salmon and other fatty fish at least twice a week as these are good sources of Omega 3 which can effectively lower cholesterol level to alleviate heart diseases.
For women, eating fish two to four times weekly reduces heart disease risk by 30%. The same thing goes for men too.  Eating sea food would lessen the risk of dying from stroke by 40%.
Omega 3 fatty acid lowers LDL, the bad cholesterol. Low Density Lipoprotein is the yellowish plaque in your arteries that narrows and blocks the blood vessels. Omega 3 also increases HDL, also known as the good type of cholesterol.  If LDL is the enemy then HDL is the hero that vanishes the LDL to the liver where it is destroyed. It is therefore advantageous to increase HDL and to lessen or decrease LDL to ward off the possibility of heart diseases.

Ketogenic Diets

Ketogenic diet is a diet consisting of low carbohydrates, high fats and adequate amounts of proteins. Basically this type of diet is used in the treatment of children with epilepsy and also used popularly for weight loss programs. This diet apes few unorthodox methods of starvation by forcing fat to burn rather than carbs. Normally, the body metabolism generates glucose as a fuel to the body and brain from carbs. If these carbs are restricted then the liver is forced to convert fat in to fatty acids and ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are then passed on to brain and are used as a fuel.

This diet is basically calculated to have adequate amount of protein in the body to help in repair and growth of the body mass and also aid in maintain of the correct body weight as per height and age. The classic Ketogenic diet suggests 4 : 1 ration; 4 parts fats and 1 part protein kind of a diet.

Ketogenic diet is a scientifically developed therapeutic diet to improve the limitations of the non-scientific use of fasting to treat epilepsy.

The main use of this diet is that it forces the body to use fats for fuel, which other wise gets stored in the body because all the fuel is supplied by high carbohydrate diet. Carbs are easily digestible and easily absorbed and easy to produce fuel so the body does not even both to use the fats for its fuel. This is regularized so the body is forced to use fats for energy which in turn reduces that extra fat in the body.

The other use of this diet is that once the fats are broken down in to ketone bodies for fuel and once done with the fuel, the extra ketone bodies are simply excreted from the body through urine as a waste product rather than storing them as extra fat in the body. During this diet the body uses proteins and carbs sparingly and thus allowing the fat to be consumed for fuel. This diet helps in reducing the insulin levels in the body, which otherwise has greater lipolysis and free glycerol release. Insulin is supposed to cause blocking of lipolysis in the body. Ketones in the body are supposed to blunt the hunger in many people. This indirectly helps in lesser consumption of food and thus aiding in weight loss.

Basically ketone bodies are insufficient source of fuel in the body. It is said that 1 pound of fat has less than 3500 calories. As a result the body uses more of the fat for fuel in the body and thus helps in better weight reduction than any other kinds of diets. The state of being on Ketogenic diet is called ketosis. This ketosis is mostly controlled by hormones like insulin, glucagon and blood glucose levels.

There are certain affects or symptoms experienced by the body during the first week of this diet. Certain people would experience fatigue and brain fog due to the shift in metabolism. Once the body is used to the ketosis process these symptoms vanish. There are other issues like, few people have experience increased cholesterol levels during this diet and some people had fallen in vitamin deficiency due to lower carb diet. The biggest danger out of this diet is when the ketosis goes out of control. Increased levels of Ketones in the body would change the ph value of the blood and this could result in death. So what ever is the type of diet one is following, they should make sure to consult the physician first and then follow the diet properly.

Is the Atkins Diet Most Effective for Fat Loss

For centuries now, we are taught that a diet that is low in fat and high in carbohydrates helps in loss of fat and also would decrease the risk of chronic diseases. However, there is no proper study or evidence supporting this notion. In fact, the present condition of obesity and over weight has been accompanied by significant decrease in fat and increase in carbohydrate consumption, which further lead to different kinds of study that involved the other way round for the weight loss.

The Journal of American Medical Association has recently published a low-carbohydrate diet as a way to cut down those extra fats and there has been substantial evidences enclosed for the same too.  The study done at Stanford University Medical School provides more support to this diet. 311 randomly selected women who are obese and over weight were suggested this very low carbohydrate Atkins diet, the moderate carbohydrate diet, the traditional high carbohydrate diet and extremely low fat diet.

When the results were compared, the women who were following the Atkins diet had lost more weight than any other women following any other kind of diet. Apart from this, there were absolutely zero side effects and some have observed that there has been significant improvement in blood lipids in the women who followed Atkins diet.

Now the question is whether relatively high intake of saturated fat is healthy for the body or not. Well, when on look at the effect of saturated fat on the body, then one needs to consider the intake of carbohydrates too. However, recent studies show that when carbohydrates are replaced by fats, the good cholesterol levels increased and the bad cholesterol levels have come down. Which mean, relatively high intake of saturated fats has got good effect on blood lipids only when it is combined with relatively low intake of carbohydrates.

While on Atkins diet, the affect of high protein consumption is not yet established study. Ideally speaking, higher protein consumption would preserve muscle mass and provide satiety during dieting. However, there are cases when patient with kidney diseases are restricted on protein intake. The reason for this is not yet known.

The other biggest misconception is the effect of Atkins diet on brain. Many wonder if this low carbs diet would effect brain cells. Well the answer is a big no. Our body can quickly adapt to the low carbohydrate diet and can make all the glucose it needs from other sources. It is also observed that during a low carbohydrate diet, the brain does keton body metabolism and thus displaces glucose utilization, which means, the brain derives most of its energy keton bodies when the body is placed on a low carbohydrate diet.

The key point in Atkins diet is to keep the carbohydrates intake at a very low level. One might have to choose only low glycemic and high fibre carbohydrate sources like vegetables for better results. This should be combined with adequate intake of proteins in every meal. Also include vitamin and mineral supplements in your diet to avoid any kids of B complex deficiencies. Remember the most important thing to do is to drink lots of water and other calorie free fluids during this diet apart from intake of adequate amounts of potassium and sodium.

Is the Atkins Diet Most Effective for Fat Loss

For centuries now, we are taught that a diet that is low in fat and high in carbohydrates helps in loss of fat and also would decrease the risk of chronic diseases. However, there is no proper study or evidence supporting this notion. In fact, the present condition of obesity and over weight has been accompanied by significant decrease in fat and increase in carbohydrate consumption, which further lead to different kinds of study that involved the other way round for the weight loss.

The Journal of American Medical Association has recently published a low-carbohydrate diet as a way to cut down those extra fats and there has been substantial evidences enclosed for the same too.  The study done at Stanford University Medical School provides more support to this diet. 311 randomly selected women who are obese and over weight were suggested this very low carbohydrate Atkins diet, the moderate carbohydrate diet, the traditional high carbohydrate diet and extremely low fat diet.

When the results were compared, the women who were following the Atkins diet had lost more weight than any other women following any other kind of diet. Apart from this, there were absolutely zero side effects and some have observed that there has been significant improvement in blood lipids in the women who followed Atkins diet.

Now the question is whether relatively high intake of saturated fat is healthy for the body or not. Well, when on look at the effect of saturated fat on the body, then one needs to consider the intake of carbohydrates too. However, recent studies show that when carbohydrates are replaced by fats, the good cholesterol levels increased and the bad cholesterol levels have come down. Which mean, relatively high intake of saturated fats has got good effect on blood lipids only when it is combined with relatively low intake of carbohydrates.

While on Atkins diet, the affect of high protein consumption is not yet established study. Ideally speaking, higher protein consumption would preserve muscle mass and provide satiety during dieting. However, there are cases when patient with kidney diseases are restricted on protein intake. The reason for this is not yet known.

The other biggest misconception is the effect of Atkins diet on brain. Many wonder if this low carbs diet would effect brain cells. Well the answer is a big no. Our body can quickly adapt to the low carbohydrate diet and can make all the glucose it needs from other sources. It is also observed that during a low carbohydrate diet, the brain does keton body metabolism and thus displaces glucose utilization, which means, the brain derives most of its energy keton bodies when the body is placed on a low carbohydrate diet.

The key point in Atkins diet is to keep the carbohydrates intake at a very low level. One might have to choose only low glycemic and high fibre carbohydrate sources like vegetables for better results. This should be combined with adequate intake of proteins in every meal. Also include vitamin and mineral supplements in your diet to avoid any kids of B complex deficiencies. Remember the most important thing to do is to drink lots of water and other calorie free fluids during this diet apart from intake of adequate amounts of potassium and sodium.

Is It True That Garlic Can Lower Cholesterol

Is It True That Garlic Can Lower Cholesterol
Garlic (Allium Sativum) or the stinking rose is a plant that is widely known for its one of a kind odor. This herb that resembles the onion dates back over 6000 years. Garlic is a staple seasoning in Asia, in Europe as well as in the Mediterranean region. It would seem that ancient civilization use this pungent bulb as clay models of garlic was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb.
Folktales states that garlic is used to ward off evil. Bullets are ineffective to repel vampires but the smell of this inconsequential bulb would fend off a vampire attack. Aside from being used as seasoning and an important ingredient in recipes, garlic is most sought after for its aphrodisiac effects.
Several scientific studies conducted on garlic proved that this pungent bulb can effectively fight cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and can lower the bad cholesterol level. There are about thirty sulfur compounds in garlic. Allin is one. This compound does not have any therapeutic effect. But once the garlic is crushed, an enzyme called allinase is set off and changes allin to allicin. It is therefore advised to let several minutes to pass before eating crushed garlic as allicin is the potent compound.
Allicin, a chemical found in garlic is proven effective to eliminate fungi and bacteria as well as well as treat stomach disorders. Allicin is a very strong antioxidant. Garlic is known to thin the blood and lower its clotting properties. In recent years, the most remarkable and extolled quality of garlic is its capability to lower cholesterol levels.
Garlic contains polyphenols that is good for the heart. It was proven that garlic raises High Density Lipoprotien (HDL), the good cholesterol and at the same time prevents the build up of Low Density Lipoprotien (LDL), the bad cholesterol. Because of this, plaque formation on the arteries will be greatly decreased.
The cholesterol lowering ability of garlic seems to be dose dependent. This means that if you want to drastically lower your cholesterol level you have to take a lot of garlic whether in powder form, raw, tablet or oil extract. Garlic has no notable side effect apart from the not too pleasing distinctive breath and body odor. Although no limit is given on the amount of daily garlic consumption, some studies have disclosed that too much garlic can have harmful effects on the liver. Garlic is a cost effective home treatment for a lot of diseases but as it could also damage the liver, it would be wise to consult your doctor for the right dosage.

Indulge with red, avoid Anemia

Indulge with “red”, avoid Anemia
Are your friends starting to tell you that you have a very pale skin? After a short walk, do you usually experience shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue and feel the rapid beating of your heart? Are you constantly experiencing lightheadedness and headaches, confusion and having memory loss plus unexplained irritability, numbness and loss of balance? If the answer is yes, then you better start contacting your doctor and set a date for a check-up. Don’t be surprised if the diagnosis tells you that you have anemia.

Anemia is a condition that refers to the qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is found in the red blood cells and is responsible for transporting the oxygen coming form the lungs to the different parts of the body. Having sufficient amount of hemoglobin is very important since human cells depend on oxygen. Now, when a person has anemia, lack of oxygen in organs or hypoxia can be expected resulting to the different symptoms mentioned above.

Anemia can be classified into its several kinds, each kind caused by different factors. People with relatives having anemia have a possibility of acquiring the disease because it is hereditary. One form of inherited type is the sickle cell anemia. Patients diagnosed with this disease suffer from pain in the joints and bones plus infections and sometimes, heart failure. Most African Americans have this medical condition in which sickle-shaped red blood cells are stiff and unable to squeeze through the blood vessels.  Another inherited type of anemia is called Thalassemia. The problem here lies on the defective genes producing hemoglobin. It has two known forms, thalassemia minor and major. Thalassemia major or Cooley’s anemia usually requires a bone marrow transplant in treating the patient.

Aplastic anemia, also hereditary is considered as one of the deadliest but rare form of anemia usually found in adolescents and young adults. Statistically, only 2 to 6 people per million have this disease caused by the unexplained failure of the bone marrow to produce the necessary types of blood cells. Aside from acquiring it hereditarily, constant exposure to benzene and certain pesticides may also lead to this type of disease.

Not having the proper diet may also make a person anemic. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat”. One of the common causes of anemia is the lack of iron in the system. Iron is an essential element of hemoglobin. Having insufficient amount of iron in our body decreased the incorporation of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. Generally, people need 18 milligrams of Iron daily but menstruating women are advised to have more. Good sources of iron are red meat, liver, eggs, seafood like tuna, salmon and oysters. Grains such as wheat and oats, along with beans, soy, leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, mustard and some dried fruits can be taken too to avoid Iron deficiency.

Vitamin B-12, like Iron, is also essential in the production of hemoglobin. This vitamin is absorbed form food via a chemical secreted by the stomach. However, there are cases in which the person can’t readily absorb the vitamin. As a result, they develop a condition called Vitamin B-12 deficiency or Pernicious anemia. Excellent providers of vitamin B-12 include meat, dairy products and eggs.

A complete blood count test is the first step in diagnosing anemia. Here, the number of red blood cells and level of hemoglobin are recorded. At present time, other tests are also available not only for detecting anemia but also for telling what kind of anemia it is.

How Much Protein can your Body Absorb

Protein digestion occurs in different stages. The first phase of digestion and absorption occurs in the stomach and then in small intestines. Proteins are digested into smaller portions called amino acids, which are essential for body muscle building. Human body is unable to generate its own amino acids so it has to depend upon other sources for its proteins. There different kinds of enzymes that help in breaking down of proteins in to amino acids and there are set of enzymes which helps in absorption of these amino acids in the body. The kind of enzymes found in stomach is pepsin which helps in breaking down of proteins in to amino acids and this enzyme works best in acidic conditions of the stomach. In the small intestines there are few more enzymes which help further breaking down of proteins in to simpler forms for absorption.

Protein is quite a hot topic when it comes to body building. The biggest question is how much protein would the body absorb in one sitting and how much it would affect my body mass. Well, firstly, it depends upon ones genetics constitution in the ability of increasing muscle weight. However, there is possibility to increase muscle weight by protein in take also. Protein is one of the important nutrients in increasing of muscle. Most of the people think that more the protein intake more will be the benefits of building up of the muscle. This is true to the extent because when you exercise, the fiber gets torn up and we need proteins to rebuild this fiber. Now when the fibre is rebuilt, it is built much stronger and bigger and that’s how one increases in size.

There has been rigorous talks around which food is absorbed the most. The basic rule is your body would absorb only till its capacity, beyond which it can not absorb. What ever extra proteins that are consumed with then get converted to fats or they would be excreted. If protein in take is not accompanied by exercise then the excess proteins are converted in to fat again. Also absence of food and rigorous exercise would cause net catabolism. So ideal thing to do is to consume as much food in the ration of Proteins: Carbohydrates: Fats in as many time gaps as possible. This would help in maintaining metabolism in optimal levels through out the day.

When it comes to post workout meals a combo of carbohydrates and proteins, 4 hours before and 20 minutes immediately post work out is an ideal thing to do to increase muscular size. After an exercise one is supposed to intake protein and carbohydrates immediately. This is when maximum absorption of the proteins happens due to the blood circulation from the exercise.

The recommended intake of proteins is as follows. For a sedentary person, the intake should be around 0.8 grams per kg bodyweight. For endurance athlete, the intake should be around 1.8 to 2.0 grams per bodyweight. For resistant trainers, the intake should be around 1.8 grams per body weight. Remember these are ideal absorption capacities of individuals based on the body work out. So there is no standard absorption capacity for one sitting. It basically depends up on the exercise levels of the body and when is the proteins intake happening.

How Electropollution Affects Breast Cancer Risk and Hormone Regulation

How Electropollution Affects Breast Cancer Risk and Hormone Regulation

With the continued advancements done all in the name of technological science, our irrepressible interest for all things acquainted with electricity is higher than ever. So much so that we now live in an environment that is laced with a condensed sea of electromagnetic energy waves or more commonly referred to as electro-magnetic radiation.

The power of EMR in current times is actually said to range from 100 to 200 million times more massive than they initially were a century ago. Talk about horse power!

But with the explosion of the age of technology comes electropollution. The effects of electropollution towards body health, particularly hormone regulation and risks linked with breast cancer augmentation have been disregarded and are unpopular, but a word of caution: repeated tampering with electronic devices may not be too wise.

Electropollution-induced stress

Electropollution-induced stress inflicted on the body has been found to compromise regular physiology and communication between networks of cells in our body immensely. This is because the human body’s trillions of cells communicate with one another via delicate electromagnetic signals as well as biochemical reactions. As research suggests, repeated exposure to EMR adversely affects cellular communication paths thus resulting in abnormal cellular metabolism and consequently, disease.

Hormones in particular, are small but powerful substances produced by the endocrine glands and are responsible for major body processes. Rightfully so, that even with minor hormonal fluctuations, our body’s ability to control basic systems will go berserk.

Melatonin

An example of which is the multi-functioning hormone melatonin. Melatonin has a number of responsibilities including:

 Aiding in the repression of breast cancer development
 Increasing the virulence of our immune system’s lymphocytes, which act as the killers of foreign and potentially harmful organisms
 Enhancing tumor-combating power of Vitamin D, amplifying its ability to hinder tumor growth

Melatonin plays a vital role in protecting the human body from cancer risks and other health problems. With continued EMR exposures however, studies have proven that this ability can be vastly impaired.

EMR and Cancer Risk

Masami Ishido at the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Japan demonstrated how breast cancer cells that have undergone treatment with melatonin would significantly re-grow once exposed to power-frequency EMRs. Statistics also point out that there is a 43% higher risk for breast cancer pertaining to women who are frequently exposed to magnetic fields in their occupational environment such as electrical jobs, and working with computers.

This augmented incidence has been linked directly to the melatonin-suppressing powers of EMR. EMR is posing a grave threat to the health of the human body. The best would be to do preventive measures and decrease our likelihood to be exposed to EMR emitting devices to secure proper health conditions.

Growth Hormones

Somatropin is another name for Human Growth Hormone. It is produced in the pituitary gland in human body which promotes the growth cell. Human growth hormone is made up of amino acids. It preserves organs and tissues, stimulates protein construction in the muscle. It is in higher levels during the youth and starts being produced lesser after 30 years.

The basic function of Growth Hormone is to trigger muscle accumulation, regeneration of organs, remove wrinkles and keeps the skin look younger, hair re-growth, better immune function, increased energy levels, enhance strong bones, controlled blood pressure, better cardiac function, maintain cholesterol levels, etc.

One of the other functions of growth hormone is to control our body metabolism. It controls protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Lifestyle of a particular person can have an enormous impact on the level of growth hormone produced in his or her body. Dietary habits, exercise, adequate sleep and stress highly impact the growth hormone and indirectly affects our ability to build muscle and metabolize fat.

There are affects of growth hormone produced in higher levels also. It would lead in Gigantism, enlarged skull, hands, feet, neck and tongue and skin would become harder and tougher.

Usually, children suffering from this hormone deficiency can be put on growth hormone in supplement form. There is artificial growth hormone available in the market. Earlier it was extracted from human pituitary gland but these days these supplements are developed artificially in the lab.

While natural human growth hormone supplements are widely accepted, especially with children with deficiency, artificial human growth hormone supplements are spawned in controversial market. The marketing strategy for this hormone supplements targets for those people who want to delay aging. Everyone is attracted to the functionality of this hormone supplements such as increased muscle mass and youthful skin. If this growth hormone is taken without any expert supervision, the chances of side effects like excess fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure and diabetes. This is the reason why American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists have warned that human growth hormone supplements should not be used as anti-aging treatment.

One other use of human growth hormone supplements is in body building. It is but obvious, if a supplement has the capacity to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass would be attractive to body builders. However, it is known to cause undesirable swelling of breast tissues in men. Even though doctors warn against unmonitored use of this supplement, its role as an official form of treatment has grown in recent years. The FDA now approves of the use of this supplement in order to treat adult population who are suffering from deficiencies related to the pituitary glands.

If used properly and under medical supervision, the use of this human growth hormone supplements could be a valuable asset those people whose bodies lack the natural hormones to maintain healthy body mass, skin and bone density. While studies have been conducted regarding the effect of growth hormone treatment on aging, there is very little evidence of success and so the question of its safety still remains a question to be answered.

Fat Burning Foods

Fat is out of fashion in this era. Gone are those days, when fat is considered to be beautiful and strong. This genre is all about fat free zone. One needs to stay fit to meet up with the core challenges, be it professional or personal life, be it dealing with your boss or dealing with your partner! There have been lots of studies done on this subject for the sheer hotness of the topic. One of the biggest subjects has been “Is there any food that one could eat and be able to burn body fat?”

Interesting isn’t it! Well good news. Few recent studies shout aloud that there are foods that could burn fat. So there is no need for those exhaustive crash dieting and vigorous exercising and all that pain. No pain, no gain stands ruled out!

Food stuffs that have the capacity to burn more calories than the number of calories in the food that is consumed itself are called the Fat burning foods. They are also called Negative calorie foods.

To make things even more clear, let’s define the two words Food and Burn. Food is substance consisting of proteins, carbohydrates and fats used by the body to sustain growth, vital and repairing processes and to provide with energy. Burn is to use fuel and produce heat or energy. So basically we can analyze and redefine these 2 processes as the fat stored in the body is used as fuel by the body to produce energy required by the body. So, fat burning foods are nothing but substances that encourage or boost the above described process. Fat burning foods are not specific to one macronutrient.

Sustaining of Growth and repairing process are the two key processes that work in sync with fat burning foods to maximize fat burning. So, by selecting foods carefully would help to achieve the hormonal balance and affect the metabolism, thus increasing the above specified effect. If you look at the complexity of ways in which fat burning foods affect the fat burning process, might result in infinite number of criteria according to which fat burning foods can be divided or classified.

If we really want to classify these fat burning foods, we would have to look at the complete human metabolism and nutrient use and also the perfect hormonal environment for fat cell metabolism. The use of nutrients is to provide building blocks for all parts of the body as there is a constant break down and building up of the cells and supplying energy to all organs and tissues. Hence, fat burning foods would contribute to growth, repair process and also the use of fat as energy. Now, what role does the hormones play in this entire process? For Fat storage and loss, there are two different types of hormones that enhance the process. They are, Lipolytic, which is hormone that assists in fat- releasing and Lipogenic, which is hormone that assists in fat-depositing. So basically, fat burning foods should increase the levels of Lipolytic hormones as well as decrease the levels of Lipogenic hormones.

All plant foods are considered to be Fat burning foods. Vitamin C rich foods like lemons, oranges, limes have fat burning properties. Other fat  burning foods are beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, apple, blue berries, asparagus and watermelon.