Posted by Admin | Posted in Weight loss | Posted on 16-01-2010
Try asking people how to gain weight and you’ll likely see some bewildered faces staring back at you. For the majority of people, hearing that question is akin to hearing the questions, “How do I stub my toe?” or “How do I run out of gas?”
Those confused faces not withstanding, the question is a legitimate one and one that frustrates those who find themselves on the light end of the scale. While those on the heavy end can’t get through a commercial break or flip through more than five pages of a magazine without someone offering up a solution to their weight problems, it can be a lonely struggle for those who want to put on weight.
If you are lucky enough to get a reasoned response to your question, it will probably involve the words “eat more.” That, despite being obvious, is great advice. Quite simply, to gain weight you will need to up your calorie consumption to the point where you consume more calories than you expend. Couple an increased caloric intake with a little weight training and you have the recipe for healthy weight gain.
You may think you eat a lot, even enough to keep pace with your more weight-furnished friends, but you are probably over-estimating your intake. After a trip to the doctor’s office to rule out medical causes for your inability to bulk up(thyroid disease and other medical problems can hamper weight gain), a first step to designing an effective weight gain program is to journal your eating habits. Counting calories for a week will give you an accurate view of your diet.
From there, increase your daily caloric intake by about 300-500 calories until you start putting on the pounds. Keep in mind though, while your caloric intake will directly influence your bodyweight, it will be other factors like the types of food you eat and your weight training regimen that decide the type of weight you are putting on. So if you are after an aesthetically pleasing weight gain, that of lean muscle weight as opposed to just some extra body fat to lug around, it will be important to pay attention to these factors.
To get the most muscle out of your weight gain, avoid the junk food and focus on eating whole foods. A good weight gain diet should be composed of 30-50% protein, 20-50% carbohydrates and 20-40% fat (the majority of which should be essential fatty acids). Different ratios within these ranges will work differently for different people. Keep up your food journal and experiment to find the ratios that work best for you.
Providing your body with the materials it needs to build muscle is only one piece of the puzzle. A weight training program designed to give the body a reason to add some muscle will be very important to achieving your goals. Your workout routines should concentrate on compound weight lifting exercises (those that involve multiple muscle groups like the squat or bench press) with weights that allow you to do 6 to 12 reps per set. Higher rep ranges will tone your muscles but may not sufficiently signal the body into muscle growth. Try to either increase the amount of weight lifted or the reps completed with each workout.
Don’t go overboard with your workouts. Two or three one-hour workouts per week done with intensity should do the trick. Too often those that have trouble gaining weight (hardgainers) spend too much time in the gym. This can be counterproductive in two ways. First, it means you are burning off a lot of the calories that could otherwise be used to build muscle and, second, you can over-train your muscles by working them too hard, basically making them unresponsive.
If you are looking for some company in your quest to gain weight, venture into the bodybuilding community. There you will find many people also seeking ways to put on lean muscle mass. You will also find many products marketed to help you gain weight. Be very cautious when looking at these products. Gaining weight may not be as in demand as losing weight but it is still big business and there are a lot of companies out there looking to take your money. While some of these products can help, others aren’t necessary.
With a little motivation, a weight gain diet and a solid weight training program in place you will have all you need to achieve your gain weight goals. Better yet, you will never again have to ask that question that gets all those funny looks aimed back at you.
Posted by Admin | Posted in Hair Loss | Posted on 16-01-2010
Herbs hold an obvious appeal for many people because they support the body’s natural healing mechanisms to target the cause of the problem, as opposed to merely tackling the symptoms. It would be wrong to present herbal hair loss remedies as a miracle solution for all sufferers – there is however growing evidence to support the view that some herbal remedies offer real hope to many people.
Let’s examine the case for some of the more popular remedies to determine if they’re worth trying.
Ginkyo biloba – this popular herb is thought to improve blood circulation to the brain and skin. Herbalists believe that the increased flow of blood to the brain area delivers more nutrients to the hair follicle thus promoting hair regrowth. The recommended dose is 120-160mg of dry extract each day spread over three doses.
Green tea (Camellia sinesis) – it is thought that catechins found in green tea may inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone into hair-unfriendly DHT. It is therefore believed to be effective in preventing and treating male pattern type baldness. You should drink several cups of green tea each day or take it in capsule form as instructed by the manufacturer.
He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) – also known as Fo-Ti, this Chinese herb has traditionally been used to reduce hair loss. It is found in many commercial preparations, or in tea and capsule form.
Pygeum (Pygeum africanum) – derived from the bark of an evergreen, it works in a similar way to green tea. It is widely used to treat prostate problems and male pattern baldness. Users should take 60-500mg per day in pill or capsule form.
Saw palmetto (Seranoa repens) – this is the current treatment of choice for many men due to its ability to protect the prostate, slow hair loss and encourage hair regrowth. It forms the core element of many commercially prepared hair loss treatments but can easily be obtained in its pure form. The recommended dose is a 160mg capsule twice each day, but make sure the ingredients are made from the berry extract not the dried berries themselves.
Stinging nettle (Urtica diocia) – this has long been favored as a means of preventing hair loss due to its ability to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT. It can be taken in pill or capsule form with an optimum dose of 50-100mg per day. It is particularly effective when combined with pygeum and saw palmetto.
Posted by Admin | Posted in Hair Loss | Posted on 16-01-2010
Billions of dollars will be spent on hair loss solutions this year. Much of this money will go to waste. Ineffective products and misleading advertising are only partially to blame. Many consumers are not using these hair loss products in an effective way. Fortunately there are a few simple ways that consumers can increase their chance of success. Following these guidelines will ensure that your money does not go to waste:
Start a Journal
People usually try several different hair loss products before they find something that works for them. Many use two or more products simultaneously. Keeping track of all this information can be frustrating and difficult. The best way to figure out what is working is to keep a journal detailing your progress. You should record all relevant information about the treatment process: when you started, the dosage, cost, and any side effects you experience. This documentation will tell you which products are effective, which ones are not, and allow you to make changes as you see fit.
Take Pictures
Noticing small changes in your hairline over time is extremely difficult. Taking pictures on a regular basis is the most effective ways to track your progress. Always photograph your head from the same angle, in similar lighting conditions. Use a digital camera for best results, most will automatically record the date and time for you. When combined with a treatment journal, these photos provide an invaluable tool that will allow you to judge the effectiveness of products you use.
Do Your Homework
The Internet is flooded with products claiming to cure and treat hair loss. Finding out which ones are legitimate can be a difficult task. When researching products online, beware of those that sound too good to be true. If the company has before and after pictures, examine them closely. If the images were shot from different angles, or in different lighting, be suspicious. These techniques are common camera tricks used to fool the eye, and the consumer. When a company claims their product has a “98% success rate”, look for documentation of their clinical study. If the clinical information they provide is vague, or even missing altogether, be wary.
If you follow these steps during your treatment, your chances of success are excellent. One last tip – any successful regimen requires dedication. Whatever the treatment is, carefully follow the instructions from your doctor or the product manufacturer.
Posted by Admin | Posted in Healthy Foods | Posted on 16-01-2010
Are there any foods that burn body fat? If yes, how is it possible? It should be possible to lose weight by simply eating such foods. What are these foods?
The fat burning foods are foods that burn more calories than the calorie content of the foods itself. There are certain foods which actually burn more fat than the calorie content of the food itself. These fat burning foods or so called negative calorie foods are natural plant foods.
Fruits rich in vitamin C like limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines have fat burning properties. Some of the other fat burning foods are asparagus, beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, apple, blueberries, and watermelon. It you eat these fat burning foods and do some exercise, it will boost your metabolism and burn calories at a faster rate for several hours even after exercise.
A recent research reports that calcium in dairy products can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. If you compare a dairy-rich versus a dairy-poor diet you can nearly double the rate of weight and fat loss with the same level of calorie restriction.
Not eating enough will slow your metabolism and deteriorating your health. Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating negative calorie foods. This will help your body burning up the excessive stored fat.
Posted by Admin | Posted in General tips | Posted on 16-01-2010
Performance anxiety is a very real issue for most men at one time or another. The fear of not being able to perform adequately, dissatisfaction with penis size, and self-consciousness about body appearance can all lead to the very thing that most men wish to avoid – failure to get an erection.
Sadly it seems that for a large number of men, their ability to get an erection and have sex is viewed as an integral part of their masculinity and potency. So it’s no wonder that the onset of impotence, even when triggered by an underlying physical condition, can produce psychological problems that further impact on the impotence.
Overcoming impotence often gives men unrealistic expectations about their ability to immediately cure their emotional problems as well as their physical ones.
Because of the emotional pain associated with ED, it’s common for men to make excuses or avoid sexual situations with their partners in an effort to forget about the condition. Whether intentional or unintentional, these actions can make a woman feel inadequate within the relationship, often resulting in rejection, loneliness and depression. Some women may fear they are no longer attractive to their partner, or that his attitude is the result of something she may have done. Others may worry: “Is something wrong with our relationship?” Or, “Is he having an affair?” Thus, a man’s failure to communicate his condition may contribute to feelings of anxiety or depression in his partner, or lead her to express anger and frustration.
How erectile dysfunction is treated depends on what things are causing it. After your doctor checks you for medical problems and medicines that might cause erectile dysfunction, he or she may have you try a medicine to help with erectile dysfunction. Some of these medicines are injected into your penis. Other medicines are taken by mouth. Not everyone can use these medicines. Your doctor will help you decide if you can try them.
There is no doubt that Viagra, the little blue pill that revolutionized the treatment of impotence has had a profound effect on men who have erectile dysfunction. But simply finding a “quick fix” for impotence doesn’t overcome other problems that may have been there before treatment began.
Some real things we have figured out with viagra are:
Percentage of time Viagra use results in sex: 66%
Percentage of Viagra users who have sex at least once after using the drug for a few weeks: 83%
Average duration of erection with 100 mg of Viagra and 20 minutes of sex videos, among men with erectile dysfunction: 1 minute
So use the drug properly under prescription and feel better and much more comfortable than ever before.