Steroids Done Right

It is a good thing that a healthy energy drink exists for teenagers, so we have a solution for the over-use of these drinks. Up till now, the want for a quick fix is causing more problems than it is solving. While it might look like we have rapid answers to our problems, they are often short-term | temporary | short-range | immediate solutions, which do nothing to repair the situation permanently. Sorry to say, one of the “quick fixes” that we are becoming more and more addicted to and which seems to be the favorite of many people is the energy drink.

But because of the abundance of these drinks, it is consistently available to teenagers and kids who can buy them for a few bucks each. Unfortunately, research has shown that kids who drink copious amounts of energy drinks are at a risk of exhibiting unruly behaviors and increased violence levels. According to the Journal of American College Health, “Miller and colleagues found that a collection of behaviors known as “toxic jock syndrome” was correlated with high consumption of energy drinks.

Toxic jock syndrome contains symptoms such as substance abuse, unprotected sex and violence”. With this research established in different related studies, it is only natural to see that teenagers and regular energy drink consumption is not a good combination. So, if you have got a teenage son or daughter, try as mush as possible to discourage them from drinking these drinks too ofter and instead teach them to live healthy lives by adopting healthy lifestyles.

As if getting excess energy drinks are not enough, research has shown that an astonishing 49% of all teenagers are into some kind of substance exploitation. This basically denotes that about 1 in every 2 teenagers you find in high schools are into some kind of drugs. Not only are they into drugs, a larger majority are into alcohol abuse. A recent survey among youths illustrated that British girls were known to be the most brutal females in the world. When you look at the proportion of alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom, you will understand why this is so.

When you look at the rate of alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom, you will understand why this is so. The average British chap somehow gets involved in binge drinking at least once a week. Binge drinking is simply drinking lots of beer at once -this could be between 5-20 bottles in one sitting. Now teenagers have discovered a very potent combination that will get them just as high as drugs or marijuana. This is the mixture of energy drinks and alcohol. This deadly combination makes it a lot more risky for teenagers because of the health implications.

A survey carried out in ten schools located in North Carolina showed that students who took a mixture of these drinks often needed medical attention and were virtually unaware of the fact that they were drunk. This is not surprising as it is possible that the large amounts of caffeine in most energy drinks is responsible for high energy levels regardless of how much alcohol you drank. So, if you find your teenager son having a lot of these, maybe you had better be on the lookout.

They found that students who mixed the drinks got drunk twice as often, were more likely to be injured or require medical treatment while intoxicated, and were more likely to perpetrate or experience sexual assault than students who drank alcohol alone. The effect was not related to the amount of alcohol consumed.

Some researchers have implied that because the caffeine in energy drinks tends to make people feel more energetic, people who mix the drinks with alcohol do not comprehend how intoxicated they are and are more likely to take foolish risks.

“You’re every bit as drunk, you’re just an awake drunk,” said researcher Mary Claire O’Brien of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Therefore, a healthy energy drink is going to make a significant difference to a teenager’s life.

The Fruits of Acai berry are mainly found in the lush tropical region of amazon and the Brazil. They have come to be known as the ultimate super food providing countless types of vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids, phytochemicals, and a host of other nutritional benefits. The downside however, is that the acai berries spoil within a day after it is harvested, so manufacturers had to come up with ingenious ways to process the fruit for distribution, yet retain its natural flavor and all its healthful benefits.

Regarded as the present day generations super food, sensational cure, the crown jewel of the Amazon, the humble acai berry has taken a big leap from the shadows as a palm fruit deep in the Amazon jungle into one of the most reliable health supplements present in the current market The demand for acai berry supplements have increased a thousand fold over the recent years, with health benefits ranging from natural weight loss, lowering cholesterol levels, strengthening veins and blood vessels to possible cures for certain cancers.

The potency level of the acai berry powder and capsules is directly dependent on the freeze drying process that the fresh acai pulp or acai berry extract is made to go through. Here, the moisture is removed from the acai berries using a very low temperature (-20C) and a vacuum. Preserves are natural deep purple color,and freeze drying keeps the nutty-berry flavors of the acai fruit.

Best of all, the freeze drying procedure ensures us that the acai berry powder and capsules have retained almost all of the acai berry’s natural vitamins, enzymes and nutrients, mainly carotene, anthocyanin (antioxidant) vitamin C.

Almost all over European countries had a habit of using red wine flawlessly .And it can reduce side effects . Acai berry juice is simply the best way to obtain the same health benefits provided by acai berry, it is a concentrated source of a kind of flavonoids which is referred to as anthocyanins - this is generally the same phytochemical that red wine possesses.

Acai berry complements are actually expensive, particularly when you search for certified organic acai berry capsules acai or acai liquid and powder. But rest assured the products are worth every penny you have spent, as ingesting fake products or those cut down with extenders all but render these acai berry supplements as useless.

Unfortunately, cancer is a fact of life in our world. People die from it every day and there are more kinds than one would like to think about. It seems every time you turn on the news, you hear another item or habit causes this dreadful disease. But what is it really? Why are there so many variations and what is the cause of it?

The basic idea of how cancer forms is a cell that should die through the normal cell lifecycle does not die. This mutation continues to grow and keep growing and turns into a tumor. This unchecked cell growth is what causes the cancer. Your natural immune system will fight it, but it’s usually treated by radiation, chemotherapy, and other treatments.

If left untreated, the tissues will keep growing. If the growth is localized and not affecting any other areas, the tumor is benign and harmless. Most benign tumors are left alone unless they are blocking something or for cosmetics reasons. Most benign tumors are treated by removing the affected area.

A malignant tumor is what we generally think of when we hear cancer. Malignant tumors continue to grow and spread throughout the body. Infections and illness will spread throughout your blood stream.

There are three main treatments for cancer. They are the removal of the infected tissue, chemotherapy, and radiation. Chemotherapy and radiation are used mostly on non-operable forms of cancers such as bone marrow cancer. Scientists are continuing to develop and research new treatments all the time.

Unfortunately there is no real cure for cancer, when a patient does have the tumor removed or the cancer is in remission. The odds of it coming back are great. Some cancers do have vaccines, but most do not. The best way to prevent cancer is diet and reduction of high risk behavior.

Hundreds of websites, such as www.canceranswers.info, offer support, information, and research. This has been a boon to survivors and those concerned with the killer disease.

Massage chairs continue to keep pace with the overall advance of technology. You can now find many different types of therapeutic massage treatments which were not available just a few short years ago. Massage chairs have replicated many of the most popular massage techniques found around the world. These are now available in a massage chair at the touch of a button.

Most of us are familiar with the stretching and pulling of muscles. This is usually done by a massage therapist. They are working the stiffer muscles to restore flexibility in relief stiffness. These types of hand movements have been replicated in massage recliners.

Massage chairs use mechanical methods to stretch and pull on different muscles in the body. For instance, for the back, neck and shoulders a roller mechanism is used. This mechanism goes up and down the length of the back and can provide a number of different massage techniques.

Massage chairs are able to perform many of the massage techniques. Sophisticated mechanical devices are used to replicate such techniques as Swedish, acupressure, shiatsu many more. Software programs guide the roller mechanism to provide these effective techniques.

These software use programs the massage chair is very sophisticated. The typical program runs a full body massage. This activate many different systems in parallel be massage chair.

Another important development in massage chairs is the use of sensors. Some massage chairs have three-dimensional body scan capability. This enables them to make a three-dimensional map of your body. The program then uses your specific coordinates to deliver a perfect massage time.

Many of the areas of the body can best be accommodated with an air compression system. The air compression system is designed to provide an effective compression massage. Compression is simply the squeezing and holding of muscles. This helps to relieve tension and to reduce soreness.

The air compression systems deliver a compression type massage. This is a squeeze, hold and release type pattern. Many of these are used similar to a pressure point release. They push on the muscle tissues for a few minutes at a time and then release this helps to soothe these stiffer areas.

Stretching is an important part of your total health program. Stretching helps to keep the muscles flexible and retain their elasticity. Massage chairs have integrated stretching systems and to their recliners.

Massage chair manufacturers are becoming creative in the use of technology to perform many treatments. Stretching systems are an excellent method to provide great therapeutic benefit. These stretching systems utilize the leg rest and airbag system. These work in tandem to stretch out the lower body.

Many athletes use heat to help reduce swelling. Generally heat is applied after physical activity. It is normally used for short durations to reduce swelling of a specific area and to help but flow. Massage chairs have heaters located throughout different parts of the chair.

You can still find vibration massage and some massage chairs. Vibration is a very effective way to relieve tension and tight muscles. It also has great penetration through the muscle tissue. This helps to provide greater relief.

Massage chairs contained advanced remote controls with built-in LCD screens. This enables the user to precisely target different parts of the body. You can also follow the massage treatments on the LCD screen. There is an amazing variety of great massage chairs available on the market today.

Siberian chaga mushroom appears as a black mass on birch trees, dead or alive. Occasionally, it may also be seen growing on hornbeam, ash, elm or beech.

Europeans have used chaga for centuries as a cure for digestive ailments, tuberculosis, and cancers of the liver and heart. [121]

Traditionally, the black “skin” of the mushroom was removed and the light inside boiled into tea. As a naturally compact remedy, it was conveniently portable to ancient healers.

Today’s scientific focus on chaga extract is primarily as an anti-tumor remedy. In fact, it was approved in Russia as a cancer drug already in 1955, successfully used to treat cancers of the stomach, lungs, breasts and cervix. [122]

A modern study conducted in 1998 showed that chaga extract does indeed inhibit the growth of cervical cancer cells under laboratory conditions. [123] Another study from the mid-90’s found the active compound betulin to cause growth inhibition and death of melanoma cells, also in lab. [124, 25]

Other research papers also confirm that some of the active compounds of chaga help retard the growth of cancer cells. [125, 126]

Although traditional healers used to peel off the black outside (probably because it looked unappetizing), the skin actually contains 30% betulin, a highly prized medicinal compound, [127] while the inside is rich in fungal lanostanes. So both parts would be valuable in preparing the tea.

Even better are chaga extracts that are made with not only the whole mushroom but also the mycelium, because the mycelium contains higher levels of medicinal proteins than the fruit body of the mushroom.

Other research has found chaga to possess powerful anti-viral properties. In 1996, two studies published results of inhibitory effects on both influenza virus [127] and HIV. [128] Considering the nature of viruses, the most likely scenario is that chaga works on viruses by enhancing the body’s own immune system, a theory confirmed by a paper published in 2002 and another in 2005. [25, 129] The same mechanism may explain the reported anti-inflammatory effect of chaga. [130]

Alcohol extract of Siberian chaga has been shown to help balance blood sugar. [131] It is also a powerful antioxidant. [132, 133]

As an amusing aside not related to human health, Siberian chaga may even be used as a tree medicine. Paul Stamets relates a story of a Quebec arborist using a chaga poultice to heal chestnut blight. Not only does it cure the tree, but the tree even becomes resistant to further infections of blight after having been treated. [134]

In his book Mycelium Running, Stamets also lists the following areas where research has shown chaga extract to have a beneficial effect: Bacteria; liver conditions; uterine cancer. [134]

Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner before using any herb (or mushroom) for medicinal purposes.

Credit: Thank you to Paul Stamets for source material.

No doubt exists now that there is a clear link between intake of Omega 3 fats found in fish oil and preventing some heart disease problems.

The American Heart Association recognizes the heart health benefits of Omega 3 fish oils.

And of course that’s all good for your heart. It helps prevent heart related problems, and keep your heart healthier than it would otherwise be. It shows a clear fish oil heart disease prevention link.

However what about people who already have heart related problems? Is there some link between taking fish oil and heart disease treatment? Or is it just prevention?

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology has just published a study combining the results of 4 different studies of around 40000 people. And they show a clear Omega 3 heart disease link, showing that more fish oils and Omega 3 oils can indeed help in treatment for existing heart problems.

This is also recognized by the AHA, they recommend minimum levels of Omega 3 dietary intake on their website, and for those people with existing heart problems the minimum level is double that recommended for people with no preexisting, or known, cardio vascular problems.

The results are on the website of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and are summarized as:

“Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid therapy continues to show great promise in primary and, particularly in secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) diseases. The most compelling evidence for CV benefits of -3 PUFA comes from 4 controlled trials of nearly 40,000 participants randomized to receive eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with or without docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in studies of patients in primary prevention, after myocardial infarction, and most recently, with heart failure.”

So there is a clear fish oil heart health link, and this includes helping in treatment of exisint heart disease and cardio vascular problems.

It is important to note though that for anyone with known heart problems a doctor should be consulted before starting any regime of Omega 3 fish oil supplementation.

And if you’re interested in finding out how to decide which are the best fish oil supplements visit my website. I tell you how to do this.

And if you’re wondering about how much to take, the study concludes that you ought to be taking about 500 mg per day if you have no cardio vascular problems already, and 800 to 1000 mg per day if you do. But there is no guidance on what ratio between EPA and DHA.

And on their website the AHA make similar recommendations.

So consider taking fish oil supplements if you’re interested in your present and future heart health. Perhaps your life depends on it.

I write much more extensively about Omega 3 supplements on my website.

Acai in whatever form - acai berry powder, frozen pulp, or juices - is getting to be one of the hottest products to hit the health supplements market today. This only goes to show that there may be some truth to what the health experts are saying: acai berry is one of the most nutritious fruits around, a super food actually. However, finding pure acai berry powder is not that easy to do. It could be a hit or miss thing. By arming yourself with the knowledge of what to look for and what to avoid, you’d be saving yourself time and money.

What are the common pitfalls?

Knowing what to avoid is difficult given how crafty some companies can be. The biggest thing to avoid is a company which produces an inferior product or skips steps to save money. Often, these products cost the same and are virtually worthless. The biggest offenders are companies which use a spray-drying process to turn their acai berries into powder. The heating process removes the majority of the nutrients from the acai fruit. To make it even worse, they have to add maltodextrin, which the body absorbs as glucose. And it is not required that they list this maltodexrin on the label so you may not even know.

What makes a reliable supplement?

Since many companies are able to hide their shortcuts, knowing what to look for in a good product can save you a lot of time and money. Since the maltodextrin added in spray-dried products does not have to be listed as an ingredient, the only way to know that you are getting a freeze-dried product is to check that the company specifically says it makes only freeze-dried supplements. You will also want to make sure they use only wild-harvested, organic berries without any additives and fillers. Wild-harvested, organic products will be free of chemical insect repellants and fertilizers.

What is the best source for acai berry powder?

With the popularity of acai supplements nowadays, it is expected that many companies would really try to cash in on this health craze if you may call it. This makes it more difficult for consumers to find a high-quality supplement that really meets the standard of what acai products should contain - more of the product and none of the gimmickry. Find a company that explicitly states that it uses freeze-dried acai berry powder. If you can, learn about other details of the company as well like if their fresh acai berries are wild-harvested (which is better) or grown on farms (which may use fertilizers).

With the help of these simple guidelines, you’ll be on your merry way finding the best acai berry powder.

An endless array of advice exists with reference to diet. This is bad for you, that’s worse, and don’t even smell that! Much of what we eat and don’t eat can lead to constipation. Lack of exercise can also lead to this result. Those who have suffered from constipation can testify to the level of discomfort this can bring. The question is what foods can we use to relieve the symptoms of this malady.

There are numerous foods that can prove beneficial in the relief of constipation symptoms. We can benefit greatly from exploring these options. Two of these foods are dates and figs; they are very high in fiber and thus useful to constipation sufferers. Being high in minerals and fiber, these fruits aid the digestion process and can banish constipation within hours.

Grape lovers will be happy to note that one or two pounds of their favorite fruit daily can provide them with relief. The fact that grapes are full of vitamins, fiber and minerals may account for this effect. The skin of these beauties also contains an antioxidant called resveratol which only adds to the health benefits of this fruit.

Papaya is another excellent choice in this area. It contains lots of fiber and when ripe is very easily digestible. The protein-digesting enzymes papain and chymopapain are incredibly helpful in creating and maintaining a free flowing system. It is also high in anti-oxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene which produce excellent results in reducing inflammation and improving overall health. Papaya can be used as part of a healthy breakfast, a quick snack or can be added to delicious smoothies.

The high fiber content of persimmons (3.6g per 100g) as well as minerals like phosphorus, potassium and magnesium makes it a powerful weapon against constipation. Vitamins A and C as well as folate complete the package. This pretty little fruit is much more than just a laxative. Add it to your diet and your body’s vitamin reserve will be replenished and you will be constipation free.

The beautiful dark purple raspberry appears on our list because it is packed with vitamins A and C. It also supplies you with large quantities of minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium. This powerhouse fruit can banish constipation relatively quickly and infuse you with essential vitamins.

Dried plums (prunes) are very effective in relieving constipation. Generally prunes are considered to be one of the best ways of relieving constipation. Forty percent of each prune is made up of insoluble fiber which assists the lower intestine in the elimination of waste. This wonderful little food outranks all fruits and vegetables in antioxidant content and contains eighteen powerful body boosting minerals and vitamins. Among these are vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin A, zinc, thiamine, sodium, selenium, riboflavin, potassium, phosphorous, pantothenic acid, niacin, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and calcium. Bite for bite there is no other food that outranks this one. So eat up, enjoy these foods and have a free flowing colon.

Acne scars are an awful memento of the having suffered pimples or even acne previously. They are unbearable because of their seeming permanence and their non-complimentary appearance. Generally speaking, acne scars are quite hard to eradicate, but tissue regrowth is not unusual these days with all the amazing technological advancements.

In general terms, by acne scarring, we are referring to the healed lesions caused by an acne infection. While most scars are temporary and disappear naturally in time, those from the more severe forms of acne can be permanent.

Acne scars can be prevented if the patient sees a doctor when it is in the incipient stage, particularly if nodules or cysts accompany the red pustules on the skin’s surface. If the bouts of acne have marked your skin, you will have to approach the problem from a different perspective, which most of the time involves surgery.

Laser resurfacing is one possibility of removing the damaged skin areas and stimulating the natural regeneration of the tissue beneath. The procedure requires only local anaesthesia and can take between a few minutes and an hour depending on the extent of the problem.

Fractional laser therapy is one of the most recent forms of removing acne scars. It means surgical intervention at deep skin layers. The treatment is superior to both dermabrasion and laser resurfacing in terms of quality and involves a much reduced healing period. Nevertheless, fractional laser therapy remains within the reach of only those few lucky people, who can afford it, since it is the most expensive acne treatment currently available.

Sometimes, other sessions are necessary to improve the condition of the superficial layers of skin, before they can tackle the deep level treatment of the acne scar. The doctor may inject collagen into the scarring in order to raise the normal skin level or she/he may recommend micro-dermabrasion for the very same purpose. Trying to perform chemical peels for acne treatment at home could be a bad idea given the risk of aggravating the condition by irritating the scars even further.

As for the kinds of acne scarring, they can be grouped by the way they look. Scarring can result because of an increase of tissue or due to a loss of tissue They both have an adverse impact on the way the face looks. Specialists’ evaluation of the nature of the scars is an extremely important factor in deciding on the selection of one form of therapy or another.

A tiny purple berry native to the rain forests of Brazil is growing in worldwide popularity. This is known as the Acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry which has great claims that have gotten everyone on earth talking about. This dark purple berry is the fruit of an Amazon palm tree and is packed full of the kind of stuff that dreams are made of. Imagine a fruit which is full of all the good things which give the human body energy, essential vitamins and nutrients plus an anti aging agent. This fruit appears to have it all.

Better than the great benefits of drinking red wine, and even better than the act of eating fresh fruit, this berry promotes good heart health and encourages digestive system health. The benefits do not stop there. The berries contain fatty acids which allow the body to absorb the omega oils to benefit the aging bodies and joints. Joints which are supple will enable the older person to be active for much longer without the aches and pains of arthritis.

The berry also lays claims to keeping insulin levels steady. Of course, this benefits not only the body because of the anti-inflammatory properties ” which if left unchecked will age the body, but also diabetics may have an easier time controlling their insulin levels which could result in them using less drugs.

Even weight watchers are catered for ” or so it may seem ” with some claiming to have lost weight after taking this supplement for some time. The juice of this small berry is also beneficial to the people suffering from cancer. No wonder then that this small berry is being hailed the ‘wonder’ food and being advertised on prestigious TV shows.

Many people are testifying to its efficacy and have literally flooded the internet with testimonials about its effects on even the most diverse of conditions. Of course, even if there is only a shred of truth in all of these claims, then someone somewhere will benefit from taking this supplement. Does it hurt to the try?