Fat-burning Supplements

This is three

fat-burning supplements

that are recommended:

Pyruvate
Pyruvate is a naturally occurring end product of our bodies’ metabolism of sugar and starch. It helps to increase energy and stimulate fat loss. Pyruvate is believed to work its magic by prioritizing the transport of nutrients. It doesn’t matter where you start out. What matters is where you end up and that you enjoy the journey. meals to muscle cells rather than to fat cells, thereby increasing glycogen,  otherwise known as “muscle fuel,” reserves for energy while decreasing  fat deposition.
It may further enhance fat loss by increasing metabolism and thermogenesis as well as by improving insulin sensitivity. Pyruvate is one of the hottest fat-burning products on the market now, but not all forms are created equal. Pyruvate works well to keep me lean, and it’s a very good alternative for people who can’t tolerate the stimulatory properties of other fat-burning products.

Guggulsterones
This is another stimulant-free, fat-burning supplement. I know, it sounds more like a medical condition you’d rather avoid than a fat-loss supplement. It’s actually a unique ingredient designed to optimize the function of our metabolisms as well as support low cholesterol levels. High-potency guggulsterones help stimulate the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormones. This action not only results in a healthier, more active thyroid but also works to keep our basal metabolic rates (BMRs) at a higher level, even when we’re following a lower-calorie meal plan. This is a time when thyroid activity and metabolism can decrease, causing fat loss to slow down or seemingly stop completely. With a high BMR more calories are burned and more weight is lost. Guggulsterones also have a few added benefits. As metabolic regulators, they help improve skin conditions, like acne, by decreasing the number and size of blemishes, and they provide the skin with specific nutrients that promote a clear, soft, and healthy appearance. Guggulsterones also lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels while maintaining high levels of HDL (good cholesterol) cholesterol. For a synergistic fat-loss effect and to maximize results, it’s often recommended to stack guggulsterones with other fat burners like pyruvate.

Evodiamine
Evodiamine is an extract from the plant Evodia rutaecarpa, which is found in Chinese provinces. It has been shown to elevate body heat production and increase resting core temperature so more fat can be burned at rest. It may also inhibit the growth and metastases of certain cancer cells in vitro and influence the secretion of catecholamines from the adrenal glands.

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Posted in: Nutrition,Supplements,Weight Loss

Metabolism Part 2 - Understanding Your Metabolism - Part 2!

This are three remaining facts of Understanding Your Metabolism!

4. Do not fear Fat

A lot of people are afraid of eating fats because they associate them with instant weight gain. Eating only carbohydrates a no sufficient amount of meat and fats can set off an insulin release, causing blood sugar to dip. You can not avoid fats and stay healthy, because fat is an energy source, your body needs a certain amount to function efficiently.

Your body cannot make essential fatty acids, which are omega-6 and omega-3. A deficiency of essential fatty acids will produce symptoms such as dry and scaly skin, dermatitis, and hair loss.

The type of fats that you eat is the most important factor in weight loss and good health.

You should at least eat 40 percent low-glycemic carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fats.

5. Controlling your insulin is important for weight loss

The most efficient way to reduce body fat and promote metabolic effectiveness is to normalize your body’s ability to manage insulin. Effectively managing insulin is based on four factors:

1. The complexity and the amount of time it takes to digest the food

2. The efficiency of your metabolism

3. Your fat/muscle ratio

4. The amount and type of physical activity and exercise you engage in

Since muscle tissue is metabolically active and fat just basically sits there, the fatter you are, the less metabolically active your body will be. There are two major situations in which a person develops a high fat/muscle ratio: the first can occur at any age and is related to high levels of stress, poor eating habits, and low levels of exercise or no exercise. The second is a natural but reversible process called sarcopenia that develops with age. Sarcopenia is basically the wasting of muscle and the gain in body fat that result from lack of exercise.

Insulin is the hormone involved in storing energy from the foods that we eat. When there is an excess of energy-giving foods in a meal, especially carbohydrates, the body will secrete insulin in great quantities. Any nutrients that cannot be used at that time will be stored. Insulin affects excess proteins by promoting amino acid uptake by cells. Insulin causes excess carbohydrates to be stored as glycogen in the liver, muscles, and circulatory system until they are needed between meals when glucose levels drop. All of the excess carbohydrates that cannot be stored as glycogen are converted into fat and stored in the fat tissues.

Since the fat cells of an overweight individual are more receptive to insulin than the muscle cells, this is where much of the remaining glucose eventually gets deposited. A vicious cycle is created, causing even more fat gain, that is, the more overweight a person becomes, and the more excess carbohydrates will be converted into fat storage.

Glycemic index

The glycemic index rates foods according to the speed at which they are digested and converted to energy or stored. Foods with a low glycemic index are more complex and require burning more calories to digest them. Foods with a high glycemic index digest quickly; therefore, if they are not burned during daily activities, they are usually stored as fat.

6. Be physically active

If you are not physically active, you will begin to gain weight. It’s that simple.

A lot of people think that metabolism slows as you get older. It is not your metabolic processes that are slowing down, however; it is your lifestyle and level of activity.

A certain amount of inactivity is directly related to the fact that more than 50 percent of all Americans are now living in urban environments where being active outdoors is not necessarily a part of daily life.

To create metabolic efficiency, you need to engage in at least twenty to thirty minutes of exercise at least three times per week.

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Posted in: Mens Health,Nutrition,Weight Loss,Womens Health

Exfoliation Reviewed - Part 3

This is the third part of Exfoliation Reviewed

Exfoliation for Your Skin Type
Each skin type has different exfoliation needs. As you begin to experiment with exfoliating, start with the following recommendations. Then you can determine if you need more or less exfoliation and make the adjustments that work for you personally.
These recommendations can’t take into account your skin’s own special needs. So go slowly and gently at first to learn what works best for you.

Normal Skin Exfoliation
Normal skin needs exfoliation about three times a week. You can use any type of exfoliant, chemical, enzyme, or scrub. You may prefer to use a combination.

Oily Skin Exfoliation
With oily skin, you may be tempted to exfoliate every day, thinking that the more exfoliation you perform, the easier it will be to control and reduce your oil secretion.
In fact, just the opposite is true.
Daily exfoliation can overactivate your skin and make it even oilier. Instead, exfoliate
a maximum of three times a week.

Any of the following products can work well for your skin:

• A clay mask. Apply the mask according to the package directions. Leave on your face about 10 to 20 minutes. Rinse.

• Salicylic acid. Look for products that contain salicylic acid and use as directed.

• Highly refined and finely ground cornmeal. You can purchase the cornmeal at the grocery or health food store. Mix a tablespoon of cornmeal with a bit of warm water. Apply gently to your skin and massage for a couple minutes. Rinse.

• Exfoliants with polyurethane or silicone beads. These are gentle and don’t over-stimulate your skin but do a terrific job of removing dead skin cells. Use according to the package directions.

• Enzymes. Use only a small amount and rinse thoroughly, being sure to get all of the product off your skin because they can continue to work for a long period of time.

Sensitive Skin Exfoliation
Yes, your sensitive skin needs exfoliation, but be careful. Your skin reacts unpredictably to skin care products, so you need a gentle exfoliant. Avoid chemical exfoliants as they can leave your skin red and inflamed. Instead, choose rice powders or old-fashioned oatmeal. To use, moisten 1 or 2 tablespoons with a small amount of water. Put on skin, relax for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse off. The oatmeal softens dry, patchy areas and soothes inflamed skin. The rice powder gently removes dead skin cells without causing irritation. If you have sensitive skin, you should only exfoliate once a week.

Oil-Dry Skin Exfoliation
Your skin really needs exfoliation. In its natural state, your skin doesn’t have enough sebum or oil. You want to stimulate oil production. You should still only exfoliate three times a week, but your skin can handle stronger exfoliants, such as glycolic acid AHAs or scrubs with polyurethane or silicone beads. Enzymes are also great for your skin type, especially for dry patches. You may want to alternate use of glycolic acid, beads, and enzymes. First, cleanse your skin, then apply the exfoliant. Rinse off and follow up with toner and moisturizer.

Acne-Type Skin Exfoliation
If your skin is inflamed with active acne, use salicylic acid three times a week. Salicylic acid helps kill germs, and that’s great for your skin. Clay masks and enzymes will also work well on your skin. You can also choose to alternate between salicylic acid, clay masks, and enzyme treatments. Always apply exfoliants to a clean face, and rinse well after using. Finish your routine with toner and moisturizer. Exfoliation makes skin more active, so restrain yourself from exfoliating more than three times a week. You don’t want active skin; you want soothed and calm skin. Avoid using scrubs, because they are too stimulating.

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Posted in: Skin Care

Exfoliation Reviewed - Part 2

This is the second part of Exfoliation Reviewed

Different exfoliants
Chemical exfoliants
Chemical exfoliants dissolve the natural buildup of dead skin cells, sebum, and sweat. As such, chemical exfoliants need to be used carefully and with caution. Too much can burn the skin. Chemical exfoliants are either alpha hydroxy acids, commonly referred to as AHAs, or beta hydroxy acids, known as BHAs. Both kinds are frequently used in the same product.

The most commonly used chemical exfoliants are:

• Glycolic acid, an AHA, made from sugar.

• Phenol, used only by physicians and paramedical technicians in chemical peels.

• Salicylic acid, a BHA, made from aspirin. Salicylic acid is the only exfoliant that helps kill germs as it clears your skin.

• Lactic acid, made from milk.

Apply a thin layer of a chemical exfoliant to a clean face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Simply apply and let sit for a couple of minutes. You don’t need to rub the product into your skin, as the chemicals do all the work.

Enzymes as exfoliants
The pulp of certain fruits contains enzymes that actually can digest the dead skin  cell buildup on the skin. Enzymes are chemicals that help digest foods and other  substances. Your stomach secretes enzymes to digest food. The fruit enzymes have been used for many thousands of years as beauty treatments to “digest” dead skin cells. Papaya and pineapple are often used for exfoliation. Papaya contains the enzyme papain and pineapple contains bromelain. Pumpkin is another great choice for enzyme exfoliants. These work on the surface of the skin, and are great for skin with little bumps. You can purchase papaya or pineapple fresh from the grocery store, mash some up, and apply directly to clean facial or body skin. It smells great, but can be a bit messy. Leave the pulp-mask on for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse off. If you face starts to feel hot, rinse it off immediately. 

Enzyme exfoliants can usually be found at health food stores, and at some boutique skin care shops. You may have a more difficult time finding packaged exfoliants at a drugstore, grocery store, or discount store.
Apply enzyme exfoliant in a thin layer to cleansed skin and neck, avoiding the eye area. Don’t rub it in, just let it sit on the skin. Keep on your skin for 10 to 20 minutes, or as directed. Rinse off with water, then tone and moisturize as you would  normally.

Exfoliant Scrubs
Scrubs feel grainy. Exfoliating scrubs are made with grainy substances that act to mas- sage away the dead skin cell matter. Scrubs made with organic matter contain grainy substances such as ground nutshells, clay, cornmeal, oatmeal, or rice powder. Man- made grainy materials include polyurethane or silicone beads. Some forms of organic scrubs aren’t very good for your skin. Ground-up nutshells can be too rough and abrasive. They create microlacerations on the skin, which wounds the skin and can cause inflammation from microlacerations. Microlacerations take time to heal and leave the skin red and inflamed, and unfortunately, wounded skin is susceptible to infection. Conversely, polyurethane or silicone beads are smooth, and they roll in and out of the pores very gently. This is also true for organic scrubs such as finely ground cornmeal. 

Use a small amount of scrub and apply it to your neck and face. Using small circular movements, rub gently on all areas of your face except the eye area. Be sure to include the sides of your nose, chin, forehead, and jaw line. Rinse well to remove all traces of the beads. Then tone and moisturize.  

Mechanical Exfoliants
Although it’s possible for you to use mechanical exfoliant machines at home, I don’t recommend it. These machines remove dead skin cells, but they’re tricky to use. It’s easy to use too much pressure or to use for too long a period of time in one area.
Both of these errors result in inflammation, microlacerations, redness, and even pain.
Examples of mechanical exfoliants are a hand-held microdermabrasion machine, rotating brush, or an ultrasound device. Using these machines correctly is difficult, and you could make a mistake that you’ll regret. This is nod recommend for home use, these types of treatments are best left to professional skin care technicians.

Combination Exfoliants
You’ll find exfoliant products in the stores that combine enzymes and scrubs, or chemicals and scrubs. They’re fine to use if they don’t irritate your skin and instead leave it looking clear and refined. Some are called gommages; others are lotions and creams.

Go To Exfoliation Reviewed - Part 3 

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Posted in: Skin Care

Exfoliation Reviewed - Part 1

This guide or review is almost everything you have to know about exfoliation, I'll start of with the basics, explaining what exfoliation is and what you have to think about. Later on I will tell you about different methods you can use.

What is exfoliation?
Exfoliation is a quick and effective health and beauty technique. In just a couple of days, your skin accumulates dead skin cells along with other natural skin waste products. As these waste products build up on the surface, your skin becomes dull and can appear sluggish and tired. Exfoliation is the application of products that remove this waste and restore your skin’s natural beauty. After exfoliation, your face feels smoother to the touch and has a more refined texture.

What should you think about?
Go soft and easy and you’ll like the results. Use a heavy hand or use an exfoliant too frequently and you’ll need time out to heal from overindulgence. For some skin types, it’s tempting to overdo it, but avoid this at all costs. You could create yet another skin problem. That problem  is called cortisol overload. The stress of overexfoliating causes an increase in your cortisol levels. Too much cortisol is bad for your health and can lead to serious disruptions.  You know you’ve gone too far with an exfoliant if your skin turns red. Your face might also peel or flake. Leave the skin peels, as in heavy-duty chemical peels, to a trained professional. If you ever accidentally overdo exfoliation, apply aloe vera gel or a washcloth dipped in soothing chamomile tea to the damaged areas. Both of these remedies are soothing and reduce inflammation and redness. Plus, they cool the skin and make it feel better. You can find aloe vera gel at the health food store, or simply snip a leaf from an aloe plant and apply the somewhat sticky gel directly to your face.

When to exfoliate?
The best time to use an exfoliant is when it’s convenient for you, either morning or evening. First, cleanse your face, then apply the exfoliant. Remove the exfoliant, then continue with your daily ritual, toning and applying moisturizer. Some exfoliants are included in cleansing products and in moisturizers. These combination products may seem to make life easier and your skin care routine simpler, but daily exfoliation isn’t necessary for any skin type. If you want to use a combined product, such as a cleanser with either a chemical or physical exfoliant, only use it two or three times a week. On the off days, use a non-exfoliating product. However, the safest way to cleanse and exfoliate is to use products specific to the task. Use a daily cleanser that does not contain exfoliants, and on days when you choose to exfoliate, use a product specifically designed for exfoliation.

Go to Exfoliation Reviewed - Part 2 

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Posted in: Skin Care

The B Vitamins Reviewed - Part 1

B Vitamins are needed for the proper functioning of almost every process in the body. Here's a review of the first four B vitamins:


The B Vitamins

• B1 - Thiamin
• B2 - Riboflavin
• B3 - Niacin
• Biotin
• B5 - Pantothenic Acid
• Folate
• B6 - Pyridoxine
• B12 - Cobalamin

The best way to avoid a deficiency of B vitamins is to eat a varied diet of fresh fruit, an abundance of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and other food as desired. Some of these B vitamins can also be made by friendly bacteria in a healthy colon and absorbed into circulation.


The Roles of B vitamins

• The primary role of the B vitamins is catalyzing energy production in the body.

• The B vitamins are needed for healthy nerve conduction and thus muscle action.

• They are needed for the synthesis of many important neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

• The B vitamins are well known for helping with stress. 

• B vitamins help with our metabolism by helping to convert fats and amino acids to glucose (blood sugar).

• B vitamins are needed to build hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body.

• B vitamins help us convert the amino acids that make up protein.

• The vitamin B complex is vital for the synthesis of fatty acids.

• The B vitamins help us make cholesterol and also help us control cholesterol.

• They are needed to synthesize steroid hormones such as melatonin, the sleep hormone.

• Some of the B vitamins are useful in protcting us from free radical attack.

• B vitamins can lower homocysteine levels to reduce our risk of heart disease.

• They work with important antioxidants such as glutathione. Also, B vitamins help us eliminate certain drugs, carcinogens, and steroid hormones.

B1 - Thiamin
Thiamin is found in rice bran and rice germ, both of which are removed when white rice  is made from brown rice. Lack of thiamin in white rice causes beriberi. Thiamin plays a key role in the metabolism of energy in all cells.
The amount of dietary thiamin needed is based on the amount needed in producing energy. Thiamin needs will be met by most normal diets if enough food is eaten to meet energy requirements.


Thiamin deficiency can result from inadequate food intake. Thiamin deficiency is common among alcoholics, who often have inadequate food intakes. Alcohol provides energy without providing many of the necessary nutrients. Alcohol also impairs the absorption of thiamin, while increasing excretion of thiamin.


RDAs for the B vitamins are bold and the Adequate Daily Intakes are not bold.

B2 - Riboflavin
Riboflavin has a greenish-yellow color, which led to one of its early names, vitamin G.
Flavins derived from riboflavin play a vital role in the metabolism and elimination of toxins, drugs, carcinogens, and steroid hormones.  Riboflavin deficiency is associated with the increased oxidative stress that can be caused by free radicals. A deficiency of riboflavin will reduce the efficiency of glutathione, an important antioxidant.
The best sources for riboflavin are whole grains and green leafy vegetables; spinach, broccoli, chard, and asparagus are all rich sources of riboflavin. Almonds and soybeans are good sources. Dairy products have large amounts of riboflavin. Nutritional yeast is high in riboflavin and many other nutrients. The RDA for men is 1.3 mg per day and for women, 1.1 mg. Riboflavin is not toxic.

B3 - Niacin
Vitamin B3 can be found in two different forms, niacin and niacinamide. Niacin is known chemically as nicotinic acid and can cause skin flushing if taken in larger doses. Niacinamide is the form of niacin commonly found in the blood and is known chemically as nicotinamide. Nicotinic acid can easily be converted into nicotinamide in the body. By the way, there is no chemical relationship to the nicotine in tobacco. Iron and an essential amino acid, tryptophan, are both needed to synthesize niacin.
When a severe deficiency of niacin occurs, the deficiency disease is called pellagra. Pellagra is characterized by the four Ds: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death.
Nicotinic acid has been used to lower blood cholesterol in large doses of 3000 mg or more per day. This has resulted in a lowering of the bad LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and also raises the good HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol.
The average diet supplies an adequate amount of niacin. Niacin is not stored in the body. Cooked whole grains, legumes, and seeds are preferred sources of niacin; enriched grains, mushrooms, leafy green vegetables, and nutritional yeast are other good sources. Pork, beef, chicken, fish, and dairy products are very high in niacin, but are also high in cholesterol. Niacin is somewhat heat-resistant and is not depleted with normal cooking. Niacin may, however, be leached into cooking water.
The RDA for niacin is 16 mg for men and 14 mg for women. For the nicotinic acid form of niacin, the upper limit to avoid flushing is 35 mg per day.

Biotin
Biotin was originally referred to as vitamin H. Deficiency of biotin has been noted in prolonged intravenous feeding where biotin was omitted. The only other example of biotin deficiency is from long-term consumption of raw egg whites. Biotin can bind to avadin, a protein found in egg whites. Cooking inactivates this bond, so cooked egg whites do not bind biotin. Biotin is made by the bacteria living in healthy large intestines. The wall of the large intestine has a specialized process for the uptake of biotin. This may be one reason why biotin deficiency is so rare. The RDA for biotin is 30 mcg both for men and for women.

Go To B Vitamins Reviewed - Part 2

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Posted in: Nutrition,Vitamins and Minerals

A 25 Minute Workout

This workout consists of five phases, each of which will take approximately five minutes to complete. Use this workout five days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Wednesday and Sunday are free days, but you can do additional cardio on one of those two days; this can be any form of cardiovascular exercise for 15 to 30 minutes in length or a recreational activity you may enjoy or you can give your body better recovery.

First 5 minutes

Cardio warm-up (75 CAL)

Do some form of cardio exercise for five minutes, gradually increasing your speed and resistance level. A good warm-up is far more effective for injury prevention than stretching. The intensity of your warm-up cardio session should be moderate to low at first. After a couple of minutes, increase the intensity slightly by either going faster or increasing the resistance level. This may require you to walk, cycle, or step faster. Or you can increase the incline on the treadmill or raise the resistance level on the stationary bike.

The second purpose of your warm-up is to get your heart in the fat-burning zone, which is 65 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your warm- up should be challenging enough that by the end you are in your target heart rate zone.

To calculate your zone, use the following formula:

(220 - age) * (0.65 to 0.85) = target heart rate zone (bpm)

To find out your heart rate get a digital clock, then use your first two fingers to gently press on your radial artery, which located just above your palm in a straight line down from your thumb. Once you have found pulse site, count how many beats there are in fifteen seconds. Multiply this number by four, and you have your heart rate.

The chart below shows you where you want your heart rate to be when you do cardiovascular exercise:

Age               Fat-Burning Zone (in beats per minute)

20                 130–170

25                 127–166

30                 124–162

35                 120–157

40                 117–153

45                 114–149

50                 111–145

55                 107–140

60                 104–136

65                 101–132

70                 98–128

75                 94–123

80                 91–119

By elevating your heart rate at the beginning of your workout, you will stay in the fat-burning mode throughout the strength and core component of the workout.

Minutes 5:00–14:59

2 and 3: strength training

For these two phases in each workout, there are two exercises, each working a different muscle group. Do them in the order suggested, and do the second exercise immediately after completing the set of the first exercise, which is called a superset. Then rest the suggested length before beginning the next superset.

During minutes 5:00 through 14:59, your week looks like this:

Level 1 strength training

Recommended for relative newcomers to strength training

Preparation Week:

2 sets of 15 reps of each exercise, with 90 seconds rest after doing the superset of 2 exercises back-to-back

Week 1:

2 sets of 25 reps of each exercise, with 80 seconds rest after each superset

Week 2:

3 sets of 20 reps of each exercise, with 70 seconds rest after each superset

Week 3:

3 sets of 15 reps of each exercise, with 60 seconds rest after each superset

Week 4:

4 sets of 12 reps of each exercise, with 50 seconds rest after each superset

Week 5:

4 sets of 10 reps of each exercise, with 40 seconds rest after each superset

Level 2 strength training

For advanced exercisers, or after you’ve successfully completed five weeks of Level I

Week 1:

3 sets of 30 reps, with 90 seconds rest after each superset

Week 2:

3 sets of 25 reps, with 70 seconds rest after each superset

Week 3:

4 sets of 20 reps, with 50 seconds rest after each superset

Week 4:

4 sets of 15 reps, with 40 seconds rest after each superset

Week 5:

5 sets of 10 reps, with 30 seconds rest after each superset

Minutes 15:00–19:59

4: Core exercises

The core is the most important muscle group (i.e., the obliques, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis), since it provides the foundation for all movements; everything from normal daily movements like getting out of bed or picking the paper up off the driveway to almost any physical activity that involves throwing or swinging. It also serves to hold in our organs and stand upright with good posture. The upper body meets the lower body in the core, in which we are able to move in three planes.

During minutes 15:00 through 19:59, your week looks like this:

Core exercise Level I

Preparation Week:

3 sets of 10 reps, with 30 seconds of rest after each set

Week 1:

4 sets of 10 reps, with 15 seconds of rest after each set

Week 2:

4 sets of 12 reps, with 20 seconds of rest after each set

Week 3:

3 sets of 15 reps, with 25 seconds of rest after each set

Week 4:

3 sets of 20 reps, with 30 seconds of rest after each set

Week 5:

2 sets of 25 reps, with 35 seconds of rest after each set

Minutes 20–24:59

5: Cardio

Perhaps unlike the first five minutes, your body will welcome the natural, steady cardio rhythm at this point in the workout.

The goal of this final workout phase is twofold. First, we are actually trying to get your heart rate back up into the target heart rate zone. While it’s important to increase the level of difficulty (speed and/or incline) as you become more fit and to vary the kind of cardio you do for a different mental stimulus (and to avoid repetitive stress injuries, especially if you’re a runner), arriving at the fat-burn zone is most important. This contributes to the overall fat-burning effect of the workout.

Second, we finish the workout with cardio to enhance recovery and to “cool-down” the body. Acute recovery from the resistance training occurs immediately. During the cardio phase lactic acid and carbon dioxide are flushed from the body following their production and accumulation, and nutrient-rich blood is produced to help your muscles recover and rebuild. The cool-down also fully loosens otherwise tight muscles and decreases something called delayed onset muscle soreness.

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Posted in: Exercise,Fitness,Workout

Metabolism Part 2 - Understanding Your Metabolism - Part 1!

This is the second part of metabolism series on healthpub.co.cc, this is for you to really understand how your metabolism works and what can be changed, here are the first three of six important facts you must remember:

1. Fat sorage is a Survival Mechanism

Early humans needed some kind of physical means to store energy so that they could do the wearing work of hunting down large animals, sometimes over great distances, and running down smaller swift animals. This energy took the form of extra body fat.

While each person has a different ideal percentage of body fat depending on gender and frame size, generally an average healthy body fat is 18–22 percent for women and 15–17 percent for men.

2. Eat more

Eating too few calories for the efficient functioning of your metabolism ultimately results in more stored fat. This might sound like a contradiction, but eating a low-calorie diet over a long period of time actually causes the body to begin to hang on to the fat supplies it has and even add to them. Almost everyone who has ever been on a low-calorie deprived diet knows that at first the pounds just melt off. But eventually you reach a plateau where you stop losing weight, no matter how hard you try. That is your body’s natural fat-storing survival mechanism kicking in.

3. Do not fear carbohydrates

People avoid carbohydrates because they think they are fattening. But you should not do that, because you need a basic amount of carbohydrates just to keep brain function and other metabolic processes efficient. That is because a low-carbohydrate diet can make you feel exhausted and irritable. If you do not eat carbohydrates at all (fasting) you can induce ketosis. This condition occurs when the body is unable to completely burn fat for energy. You should at least consume 50 grams of carbohydrates daily to avoid ketosis.

Simple carbohydrates

These are those that have been processed and broken down before being put back together again in an unnatural way such as to produce a sweet product. Sugary and over-processed foods such as candy, cake, and soft drinks are simple carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates

Bran muffins, brown rice, and whole-grain breads are complex carbohydrates. Also, each fruit, vegetable, and grain has a different rate of digestion based on the glycemic index. Carbohydrates that digest slowly and release their energy into the bloodstream gradually result in less stored fat than those that digest quickly, releasing their energy in amounts greater than the body can use.

Go To Understanding Your Metabolism - Part 2!

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Posted in: Mens Health,Nutrition,Weight Loss,Womens Health

Health Benefits of Tea

We all love the aroma of various flavors of tea and holding onto a hot tea mug which warm our hands on a cold winter morning. We also know that tea have some health benefits, but we do not know exactly what they are. So I’m going tell you about some health benefits of tea, here are the general benefits of tea:

1. Tea contains antioxidants

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee

A cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine whereas tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup.

3. Tea is good for your heart and brain

Tea keeps your arteries smooth and clot-free and it may reduce the risk of fatal heart attack by 70 percent in people who drink at least two to three cups of black tea daily.

4. Tea protects your bones

This is because tea's many beneficial phytochemicals.

5. Tea boosts your immune defenses

6. Tea protects against cancer

The antioxidants, polyphenols, found in tea may have cancer-fighting effects. Tea has also potential protective effects against cancer.

7. Tea increases your metabolism

Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day.

Health benefits of different kind of tea

Green Tea

Here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

·    cancer

·    rheumatoid arthritis

·    high cholesterol levels

·    cariovascular disease

·    infection

·    impaired immune function

Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a powerful antioxidant. It kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue and inhibits the growth of cancer cells. It also  lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.

How Much?

You should drink at least three cups of green tea a day.

Black Tea

Black tea contains theaflavins (bioflavinoids) and thearubigens which contribute to its dark color and distinctive flavor, but also provide health benefits.

Black tea:

·    May reduce risk of stroke

·    May reduce LDL cholesterol

·    May reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by fifty percent

·    May treat pinkeye and sties by placing over a closed eyes for a few minutes; bioflavinoids reduce inflammation and fight viral and bacterial infection.

·    May treat insect bites and stings: Anti-oxidant rich and astringent tea can reduce the swollen tissue caused by a bug bite or insect sting.

·    May treat diarrhea

·    May remove bruises

How Much?

You should drink at least two cups of black tea a day.

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Posted in: Mens Health,Nutrition,Vitamins and Minerals,Weight Loss,Womens Health

Metabolism Part 1 - What Is Metabolism?

A lot of people are talking about how slow their metabolism is and what they have to take pills or other compounds to increase or boost their metabolism. But yet they do not understand how their metabolism works. Therefore I’ll first talk about the basics of metabolism and later on the foods that affect metabolism;

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the chemical and physical processes continuously going on inside your body to create energy and heat as a by-product. The metabolism processes the calories from foods and nutrients at a different rate.

What affects metabolism?

Your metabolic rate is affected by your gender (men burn more calories), age, thyroid function and adrenal function. But these are actually not the major factors; there are factors that you can control, such as the amount of muscle tissue (lean body mass), affecting basal metabolic rate (BMR), whether you exercise, how you minimize stress and what you consume. So, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn regardless of how old you are and how active you are.

Here is a list of factors that can affect metabolism:

1. Muscle tissue

2. Meal frequency

3. Activity level

4. Genetics

5. Hormones

6. Food choices

7. Hydration

8. Stress

Most important details you should know about: 

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

BMR is the release of energy you use to perform the basic functions that keep you alive, i.e. the energy sufficient only for the functioning of the vital organs. BMR decreases with age and with the loss of muscle tissue (lean body mass), while increasing muscle mass increases BMR.

BMR is affected by:

- 1. Muscle Tissue (lean body mass)

As I said earlier, increasing your muscle mass, will increase your BMR. This is because muscle requires a lot of calories to maintain.

- 2. Hydration

Water is needed for the cells to work and use the energy from food, this means that dehydration will cause a low BMR as it prevents the cells from using the calories.

- 3. Hormones and Stress

Your thyroid hormone level affects the metabolism, where more thyroid hormones will cause an increase in BMR. Stress triggers release of cortisol, a glucocorticoid, from you adrenal gland which will decrease your BMR.

2. Activity

More active people will burn more calories through physical activity than less active people. The physical activity will not make any difference if you don't match your eating to your expenditure.  So, if there is a possibility to change your lifestyle to a more active lifestyle, e.g. take the bike to the work, then do it, because you’ll burn some extra calories. 



Video for explanation:


If you have any questions or thoughts, please comment!

Go to Next: Metabolism Part 2 

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Posted in: Mens Health,Nutrition,Weight Loss,Womens Health

Three reasons why women can't lose weight

A lot of people know that eating less and moving more are the keys to dropping extra pounds. But if you are already doing it right and still no results then there may be some underlying problems such as health disorders. Here are three reasons why women cannot lose weight:


1. Too Much Hormones
1/10 women of childbearing age may have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition in which a woman's ovaries produce an excess of male hormones. In addition to causing ovulation problems and infertility, PCOS may go hand-in-hand with insulin resistance, a glitch in the way your body processes blood sugar, which is often associated with excess fat storage, especially around the waist. Left untreated, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms:
Irregular periods, excess facial and body hair, acne, some male pattern balding, and trouble getting pregnant, along with unexplained weight gain.

Get tested:
Your gynecologist or internist can test your levels of sex hormones for an imbalance of testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen, She may also test your blood sugar and insulin levels or perform an ultrasound to check for cysts on your ovaries.


2. Thyroid Problems
The thyroid gland makes hormones that regulate the metabolism. If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) there may be disruptions in your metabolism, as well as many other aspects of your health.

Symptoms:
weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, dry skin, joint pain and muscle weakness, heavy periods, increased sensitivity to cold, even depression.

Get tested:
Ask your GP to run a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) screening. In general, the higher your TSH level, the slower your thyroid is. Also ask your doctor to check your levels of T-3 and T-4, the two main thyroid hormones.

3. Foods
A lot of people may food intolerances, but many aren't aware of their problem. Food intolerances can have a variety of causes, including lack of a certain digestive enzyme (as with lactose intolerance) or sensitivity to food additives. People are most often intolerant to dairy, gluten, eggs, soy, corn and nuts, which can lead to bloating and water-weight gain, among other symptoms.


Symptoms:
Bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation, but also seemingly unrelated symptoms like mild asthma, eczema, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue.

Get tested:
A GP or a gastroenterologist can help you diagnose the problem, but you can begin to remove gluten and dairy from your diet for two to three weeks. If you don't notice a difference, also eliminate eggs, corn, soy, and nuts, and consider nixing additives such as food coloring and preservatives.

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Posted in: Health Conditions,Nutrition,Weight Loss,Womens Health

Natural Supplements for Hair Growth

Hair care is not just a topical matter, it is also a nutritional matter. For good hair, good diet are a must. Here are fourteen natual supplements that are necessary for normal hair health and growth:

1. Biotin (Vitamin H)
Natural doses of biotin (vitamin H or B7) are necessary for normal hair health and growth. Biotin may reverse premature graying of hair if it’is caused by biotin deficiency.  Supplements of 400 mg can be bought as over-the-counter drugs, these should be taken one time a day.


2. Silica
Silica strengthens hair and reduces the possibility of split ends. It is found in rice, oats, sunflower seeds and potatoes. If you prefer capsules, take 300mg daily.


3. Nettle Root
Nettle root inhibits 5-alpha reductase, which is a key component in turning testosterone into DHT, the substance that causes the atrophy of hair follicles. You can buy capsulated nettle root as treatment but topical treatment is also available. You should take 250 mg/daily.


4. Saw palmetto
The saw palmetto’s berries contain fatty acids, sterols and active ingredients that inhibit DHT uptake by follicles, and block binding of DHT to androgen receptors. This reduces the effects of pattern balding.

5. Amino acid and proteins
Hair follicles need proteins and amino acids to grow, especially the amino acid cysteine, which ensures that hair fiber production proceeds smoothly. Cysteine contains sulfur molecules, which cross link with one another in the keratin protein chain to produce disulfide bonds. These bonds give hair its strength. You should eat; meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. These foods contain all the amino acids that you need.

6. Vitamin A
Dose: 50 mg

7. Vitamin C
Dose: 900mg 

8.  Vitamin E
Dose: 400 to 800 IU

9. Vitamin B complex 
Dose: 50 mg 

10. Vitamin B6 
Dose: 50 mg

11. Flaxseed Oil 
Dose: one table spoon or one tablet

12. Magnesium 
Dose: 300mg


13. Zinc
Dose: 12mg

14. Sulphur
Dose: Is found in high doses in egg, chicken and spinach. Consume more of those.

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Posted in: Anti-Aging,Hair Care,Nutrition

Get Rid Of Wrinkles

Wrinkles are caused by collagen breakdown deep in your dermis, which is the layer below the skin's top layer. For you to prevent wrinkles, you need to stimulate collagen production while keeping free radicals such as the sun, stress and pollution from causing more damage. There are several methods to prevent wrinkles;
 

1. Sunscreen.
Sun damage is the number one cause of wrinkles, so if it's daylight outside, you should use sunscreen, no matter how cloudy it is. This goes for face, neck and you hands.

2. Vitamin A (retinoid) creams
Vitamins A keep wrinkles away and keep them from worsening. This is because vitamin A creams stimulate collagen renewal and prevent skin cells from breaking down. These creams should be used nightly. You could also eat foods that contain high levels of vitamins A

Vitamin A is found in:

    * liver (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish)
    * carrot (835 μg 93%)
    * broccoli leaf (800 μg 89%)
    * sweet potato (709 μg 79%)
    * spinach (469 μg 52%)
    * pumpkin (400 μg 41%)
    * collard greens (333 μg 37%)
    * egg (140 μg 16%)
    * apricot (96 μg 11%)
    * papaya (55 μg 6%)
    * mango (38 μg 4%)
    * pea (38 μg 4%)
    * broccoli (31 μg 3%)
    * milk (28 μg 3%)
 

Some vitamin A and vitamin A-like creams:
    * Retin-A
    * Differin
    * Renova
    * RoC Retinol Actif Pur Anti-Wrinkle Treatment

3. Exfoliate
Exfoliating once a week with a alpha-hydroxy acid (AHAs) or a microdermabrasion kit will remove dead cell layer and make the skin the soft. AHA's are glycolic or lactic acid formulated to increase collagen in sun-damaged skin. But do not use both and be careful not to over-exfoliate.

4. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are chemical compounds that together with other antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are the unstable oxygen molecules produced by stress, sun light, pollution, bad eating habits and so on. In other words free radicals are really bad for your skin. Free radicals attack healthy skin cells and cause collagen breakdown, all of which lead to wrinkles. Some of the antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamins E, and coenzyme Q10 work together to neutralize free radicals.
 

List of creams with good antioxidants:
    * Prevage, a cream that is made with idebenone, a synthetic antioxidant
    * Skinceuticals C E Ferulic serum, reduces sunburned cells by a 96 percent
    * Nivea Visage All Around Protection Oil Free SPF 15 Lotion
    * Estee Lauder Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Crème SPF 15 ($45)
    * Clinique Superdefense Triple Action Moisturizer SPF 25 ($39.50)
    * Murad Energizing Pomegranate Treatment
    * DDF Daily Matte SPF 15

You should also eat a lot of food containing different antioxidants, here’s a list of different foods:

Vitamin C - Fresh fruits and vegetables

Vitamin E - Vegetable oils

Polyphenolic antioxidants - Tea, coffee, soy, fruit, olive oil, chocolate, cinnamon, oregano, red wine and green tea 

Vitamins A - Fruit, vegetable and eggs

Coenzyme Q10 - Beef, chicken heart, mackerel, sardine, soybean, parsley, spinach,  nuts and avocado

Overall Tips:

• Stop smoking
• Use sunscreen
• Moisturize
• Wash your skin frequently
• Eat a lot of vegetable and fruits

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Posted in: Anti-Aging,Anti-Wrinkle,Nutrition,Skin Care

How to Burn fat – lose weight with natural supplements!

Do you hate to exercise? Then read this to uncover the natural fat burning process, which you start at home. This natural fat burning process can’t fight out excessive weight but it can burn some extra calories naturally. The natural products that you should consume in extra are:

1. Vitamin D and Calcium
Increased calcium intake reduces the cravings for carbohydrates if it is taken together with vitamin D and this is because of that supplemental calcium directly boosts fat burning whether you are craving carbohydrates or not. Vitamin D also acts as a natural fat burning agent and gives you a smaller waistline, it also catalyzes and protects you from excessive heat.
Vitamin D can be found in eggs, fish, mushrooms and cod liver oil. You can also by it as diet supplement pills. Calcium can be found in cheese (parmesan), milk, tahini pase, molasses, hazelnuts and almonds.

2. Vitamin B complex
Vitamin B regulates metabolism and reduces the stress that acts as a natural fat burner.

List of B Vitamins:
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide) – decreases LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, or pyridoxamine, or pyridoxine hydrochloride)
Vitamin B7 (biotin)
Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
Vitamin B12

3. Curcumin
This compound is found in turmeric and can act as a healthy pigment serving the cause.

4. Green tea
Is specially consumed by the people of Asia to burn the excess fat because of its limiting effect The green tea can limit the fat production in the body. And tea can be beneficial to resolving any issues of the heart.

5. Capsaicin
Eating one tablespoon of red or green chili pepper temporarily speeds up metabolism by 23 percent for about an hour and a half.

6. Fiber
Fiber can make you stay for longer periods thus reducing hunger and reduce food consumption. General percentage is 31-37% for males and 22-28% for women. Fiber supplements can also help in serving the purpose.

7. Special Vegetables
Such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, etc. These contain phytonutrients such as indole-3-carbinol, which will indirectly burn some extra abdominal fat.

How much should you take to burn some calories?
Vitamin D - 5-8 µg
Calcium – 1000 mg
Vitamin B1 – 2,5 mg
Vitamin B2 – 1,5 mg
Vitamin B3 - 25 mg
Vitamin B5 - 9 mg
Vitamin B6 – 6 mg
Vitamin B7 - 45 µg
Vitamin B9 - 400 µg
Vitamin B12 - 9 µg

This some good natural supplements but remember that exercise is always No. 1 in fat burning and losing weight. And if you now want to do some exercise, then do it directly in the morning before you eat.

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Posted in: Exercise,Nutrition,Weight Loss

Health Benefits of Chocolate

What is Chocolate?

Chocolate is made from a number of raw and processed foods produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor. After fermentation, the beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted, and the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The nibs are then ground to cocoa mass, pure chocolate in rough form.

First of all you have to consume dark chocolate, which has 65 percent or higher cocoa content, for you to benefit from it. You should avoid consuming milk chocolate and anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate. In dark chocolate only 1/3 of the fat is bad for you.

So why is chocolate healthy?

Chocolate contains flavonoids and catechins, which are antioxidants. These antioxidants protect the cells of the body from aging and damaging caused by free radicals. Free radicals damages cells and tissue. Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

Antioxidants in chocolate:

type of chocolate    phenolics(mg/100gr)    flavonoids(mg/100gr)      

dark chocolate    578,64mg                          28,30mg      

milk chocolate    160,46mg                           13,48mg      

white chocolate    126,39mg                          7,70mg   

Heart Benefits

Chocolate lowers the blood pressure by consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday. Eating chocolate also lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin.

There is also now scientific evidence (Swedish study from August 2010) that chocolate can decrease the risk for heart failure in women. Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart is not pumping blood around the body efficiently.

To have some protection against heart failure women should consume chocolate one or two servings of high cocoa content black chocolate (high quality chocolate) per week. But those who eat the high-quality chocolate daily will not have protective benefit because of the additional calories gained.

Note that you have to buy your chocolate imported because of the low content of cocoa in USA. Even milk chocolate in Europe has a higher cocoa concentration than dark chocolate sold in the US.

Other Benefits

It stimulates your endorphin production, which gives you a feeling of pleasure, and thebromine which have a stimulatory effect. Apart from these two chocolate contains serotonin, which is an anti-depressant.

Chocolate:

·    Is an Aphrodisiac.

·    Recovers muscles faster after exercise (low-fat milk chocolate).

·    Has a low glycemic index.

·    Will not probably cause acne (there’s no supported scientific studies of that).

·    May be nootropic.

·    Have a really good taste!

So if you want the benefits from consuming chocolate, consume dark chocolate and consume it moderately (max 3 times a week).

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Posted in: Anti-Aging,Mens Health,Nutrition,Womens Health