Lipstick, Foundation and More

More than 50% of people in the US take dietary supplements to enhance an aspect of their health. Maybe you take supplements on a regular basis…

You see, as a nation we spend an absurd amount of money on supplements, to the tune of billions per year.

The main issue here, however, is that lot of these supplements are sold with downright deceptive advertising, and in extreme cases, can cause serious health issues.

Thus, here are 4 dangerous myths about supplements:

1. Dietary supplements are 100% safe: Absolutes don’t exist and supplements are no exception here. In fact, just because a supplement is natural is no guarantee that it’s completely safe. The reality is that many things exist in nature that are deadly.

2. They are backed by valid studies: Most of the sexy charts and graphs you see on the labels and advertisements are made up. You see, the bulk of the data is performed by biased entities that are directly related to the supplement companies themselves.  Read more...

Improving core stability means improving torso strength by training muscles that make up your torso. Some muscles that help are responsible for core stability are muscles near the spine, internal and external obliques, and of course abdominal muscles. Why would you want to improve these torso muscles?

Torso or core muscles help provide support for your bones during your everyday activities. Improving these muscles will increase your general physical fitness and decrease your likelihood of back and neck pains or injuries from physical activities.

One important thing to remember when performing core stability exercises is to make sure you activate all of your torso muscle groups evenly. The following is a list of five top exercises that will help you activate all of your torso muscles evenly.

1. Straight Crunch. Although old fashion, the straight crunch helps strengthen the “6-pack abs” section of your torso.

2. Crossover Crunch. The crossover crunch is a great exercise that adds a twist of the upper body to the straight crunch movement. This strengthens the muscles that are on the side and front of the abdomen.

3. Back Extension. The back extension exercise is performed lying on your stomach, and contracting the back muscles that run along your spine.  Read more...

Trying to diet doesn’t work. But eating healthy and changing the way you think about foods does. You can find many fat burning foods that are not only good for you but taste good too. You can have some great meals and be fighting fat in the process.

Hitting the fruit section first, apples are a great fat burner and are chalked full of vitamin C as an added bonus. They also have a lot of fiber and are water based so they make you feel full. They have many benefits in addition to them fighting fat.

Also in the fruit section are berries. They are great on their own or in a shake. You can use them as toppings as well for sweetening other foods. Berries are also full of fiber and keep you regular. There are a variety of berries to mix it up and not get tired of just one kind. You can find them at fruit markets as well fresh from the vine.  Read more...

Side effects of weight loss process like tiredness, exhaustion, permanent hunger and never-ending cravings can break even strongest dieter. Hunger can be “sorted” with natural hunger suppressants which are products and foods well known to anybody and available everywhere. These products will help you feel full faster and won’t add anything to your waist or to your list of used calories so you can think about something more pleasant – your new body for example.

Number of products that are “allowed” to dieters is quite high and I’ll give you just an example that natural appetite suppression is possible. Let’s start then …

Water and soups are great appetite suppressants. Water has no calories and you can take it as much as you like. After you start feeling hunger, take large glass of water and wait for a while. Sense of hunger should be suppressed in about 10-15 minutes but if it doesn’t happen then eat (or drink) chicken or vegetable soup which will give you few extra calories and suppress your hunger even better.  Read more...

Lately, coffee and cellulite seem to be paired together more and more often. For many years, coffee has been given the ugly reputation of being the cause of a lot of different ailments including cellulite. Recent developments however now seem to link coffee as a possible solution to cellulite. What is the real deal between cellulite and coffee?

Coffee as an Antioxidant

In recent years, coffee addicts around the world have welcomed the news that coffee may actually have antioxidant properties equal to that of black tea. These antioxidant components can supplement what people normally get from fruits and vegetables. Drinking one or two cups of coffee a day can apparently fight free radical damaging molecules and may even reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Coffee in Moderation

When taken in excess, coffee has harmful effects too. Coffee has traditionally been seen as the culprit in a long list of ailments. Common sense would of course say that excessive amounts of caffeine in the body can cause such problems as insomnia and heart palpitations.  Read more...

Having bingo wings is not fun. And lots of nutrition companies know this. Thus, the market is flooded with sleeveless snake oil that really doesn’t help.

However, there are certain supplements that can make your bingo wing mission easier. Now they won’t do all the work for you, but they will lighten the load.

Thus, here are 5 supplements that can help you get rid of bingo wings:

1. Loose leaf south American tea. Specifically, yerba mate. This is the best tea for getting rid of bingo wings. Why? Because it can completely block out any cravings and give you boundless energy for an entire day. The catch? You have to start slow to assess tolerance.

2. Green tea. But not all green tea is created equal. Stay away from bags and stick with loose leaf forms. Be careful if you’re taking any blood thinners like aspirin or fish oil since green tea is also a blood thinner.

3. Glucosamine sulfate. Although glucosamine won’t have a direct and immediate impact on reducing those bingo wings, it will help you prevent joint damage. And once joints wear out there is no way to replace them.  Read more...

Are you trying to get rid of arm flab? Have you been drinking energy drink upon energy drink to keep you active and to burn more fat? Well, there are downsides to drinking these caffeine-laden concoctions.

Unfortunately, energy drinks are extremely seductive. They can curb hunger when you’re trying to lose weight, they can help you overcome a massive sleep debt and they can put you in a good mood.

But here is why you should think twice about taking energy drinks to help you get rid of arm flab:

1. Worsened digestion. Caffeine, the main ingredient in energy drinks, can wreak havoc on your digestive system. When taking in excess, it can compromise your digestive lining.

2. The covering up of poor sleep habits. Even though you may not feel the consequences of sleep loss because of the energizing drink, your body definitely feels it. And sleep loss is toned arms enemy number one.

3. Disturbed sleep. Everybody wakes up while they’re sleeping. The awakenings are so short, however, that you don’t remember them. Caffeine increases the amount of awakenings without you being aware of it. You’ll wake up, be super tired and not know what happened.  Read more...

When it comes to supplements for weight loss, the selection is quite varied. And the risks are varied as well. And the supplements that can really damage your health can be bought by virtually anybody with an internet connection.

How is it that these things are so readily available? Well, first, the US government decided to deregulate the supplement industry over a decade ago. And, second, there are multiple websites that can get you the goods with little chance of detection.

Thus without further ado, here are some weight loss hormones exposed:

1. Steroids. Many doctors would have you believe that steroids do not work. The truth is that they do work. They are extremely effective at building muscle mass and burning fat. But they can also have permanent consequences.

2. Androstenedione. This supplement was made popular by Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa back when they were hitting countless homeruns. A less powerful form of a steroid, this supplement can have the same negative side effects. Considered a powerful aid, many companies can sell similar substances with little regulation.  Read more...

Many weight loss products are out in the market right now. These seems to be giving people with wait loss issues some hope that they would lose those pounds they have been trying to lose for sometime. However, people also need to beware about some of the negative effects that weight loss products could do to their body. It is always important that before anyone takes on any of these products, they review all the positive and negative effects of using such.

At present, one of the most popular weight loss products out in the market is the acai berries. These are actually fruits from acai palm trees that often grow from the Central and South America. Many local people have been using the berries for many years due to its purposes for cooking and as a medicinal product. In fact, in countries like Brazil, Belize and Peru, people use acai berries for desert products like yogurt or cakes.

Various companies are now marketing acai berries as a dietary supplement and weight loss product all over the world. It comes in various forms like powder, juice or even as fresh or dried fruit. All this is bringing the benefits of an organic product to many people and even to places where the acai palm tree doesn’t grow.  Read more...

When it comes to health and anti-aging, it is hard to find better guidance than that offered by Oprah Winfrey. Several months ago, Oprah invited Dr. Mehmet Oz, a doctor originally from Turkey who specializes in cardiac problems and is known as an expert concerning reducing the problems caused by growing older, to speak on her show. What Dr. Oz presented was resveratrol; a scientific breakthrough in the fight against aging with which we all are forced to struggle.

Fight Toxins, Fight Aging

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that protect the body from oxidants-toxins that damage the tissues of the body, causing the visually evident wrinkles on the skin, as well as the less obvious damage to the body’s internal systems. Antioxidants help to defend the body, particularly its organs, brain cells, and the nervous system. Moreover, they help to remove the oxidants and even repair damage caused by the aging process.

Resveratrol and Sirtuins  Read more...