15 Ways to Fight Stress

Mark sisson offers 15 ways to fight stress naturally.Do I need to really even say the holidays are a stressful time of year? Every lifestyle blog, magazine, evening news program, and newspaper will have a stress-related feature right about now. I bet Dr. Oz has a “holiday stress relief” show airing. It’s part of the culture – we expect holiday stress and seem to love wallowing in it. So I’m not going to go on and on about how stress is a problem, or even why it’s a problem (I’ve already done that), because we know it. So, how do we avoid it and, once it’s here, how do we deal with it? That’s the important part. How do we hack it?Well, we don’t want to hack it all to pieces. We need stress, too – just not too much. It bears mentioning that many things can be considered stressors depending on...

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Posted in: anxiety,natural stress relief

Too Much Internet Porn May Cause Erectile Dysfunction

Since starting this blog almost four years ago, I have been shocked at the number of comments and emails from men in their late teens and twenties who have some degree of erectile dystfunction. Premature ejaculation you might expect, but erectile dysfunction... ? I had no clue as to how healthy, young men could develop this condition, but sex therapist Ian Kerner thinks he has discovered the cause - too much internet porn.As a sex therapist and founder of Good in Bed, I’ve seen a sharp increase in men who suffer from a new syndrome I’ve dubbed “Sexual Attention Deficit Disorder,” or SADD. And the source of this problem is just a click away -- too much internet porn.Just as people with ADD are easily distracted, guys with SADD have become so accustomed to the high levels of visual novelty and...

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Posted in: erectile dysfunction,internet porn,premature ejaculation,Sexusl Attention Deficit Disorder

The 5 Myths of Aging

Growing older is inevitable, but poor health is not, says Lauri Aesoph.If you were an alien visiting our planet, you might think Earthlings never age. Even as awareness about aging rises, most major magazines and television stations still fail to display vital, older people. Medical journals, on the other hand, harp on the infirmities of old age. It's no wonder we fear and even deny our own inevitable aging.Grower older can't be avoided, but it doesn't have to mean the loss of health, mind and independence. In fact, research seems to indicate the opposite. By paying a little attention to lifestyle, most older individuals can live active, healthy lives and we can all shatter those old age myths. Read m...

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Posted in: anti-aging,longevity

Advanced Bodyweight Exercise Workout

This advanced workout by personal trainer Stephen Cabral is a total body workout using only your body weig...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise workout

What's Missing from The New Vitamin D and Calcium Recommendations

Dr. Mark Hyman makes recommendations about vitamin D and calcium intake based on the latest research.One day, vitamin D seems like the cure for everything, and the next, we are inundated with warnings about dangers and lack of science. Confusion is rampant about the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI's) for Calcium and Vitamin D recently released from the Institute of Medicine.I have reviewed the report carefully and gathered input from international experts on vitamin D and the clinical team at my medical center -- which includes four master's degrees in nutrition, authors of textbooks on nutrition, and international leaders in nutrition education for physicians and dietitians. Collectively we have 100 years of reviewing nutrition research and applying it with thousands of patients. Here is what...

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Posted in: calcium,nutrition,vitamin D

Study: Abstaining from Alcohol Significantly Shortens Life

New research shows that abstaining from alcohol significantly shortens life.A newly released study shows that regular drinkers are less likely to die prematurely than people who have never indulged in alcohol. You read that right: Time reports that abstaining from alcohol altogether can lead to a shorter life than consistent, moderate drinking.Surprised? The tightly controlled study, which looked at individuals between ages 55 and 65, spanned a 20-year period and accounted for variables ranging from socioeconomic status to level of physical activity. Led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin, it found that mortality rates were highest for those who had never had a sip, lower for heavy drinkers, and lowest for moderate drinkers who enjoyed one to three drinks...

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Posted in: alcohol consumption,longevity

Warrior Bodyweight Viking Workout

This Viking workout is great for developing strength and conditioning while getting ripp...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise workout

4 Fun Ways to Help Prevent Prostate Cancer

Preventing diseases like prostate cancer doesn't necessarily require a daily dose of medication. Check out these fun alternative prevention techniques from AskMen.com.Prostate cancer is the single most common cancer in men. It’s also the second deadliest cancer, behind only lung cancer. So, if you’re a man -- and presumably most AskMen readers are -- you should be aware of how to prevent this malignant menace.Unfortunately, however, proper prevention might mean denying yourself of things that you as a man enjoy (take, for example, your red meats, your beers and your fried foods). Thankfully, AskMen has decided to keep prevention pleasant as we present four fun ways to help prevent prostate cancer. Read m...

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Posted in: cancer prevention,prostate cancer

Can Exercise Help Curb Your Appetite?

Research suggests staying active can help you feel full.Pharmaceutical companies and scientists have been working for decades to find a magic pill to make us feel more satisfied and eat less. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Campinas in Brazil may have found a link to making us feel full—without the use of drugs.Some of our eating habits—particularly if they involve a lot of fatty foods like fries and pizza—may cause us to lose the ability to know when we're full. Some research suggests that eating excessive amount of fat creates failures in the brain's signals that control satiety in the hypothalamus (the area of the brain that manages hunger). These failures can lead to uncontrollable food intake and, thus, obesity. Brazilian researchers, led by Jose Barreto C. Carvalheira,...

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Posted in: appetite,Weight Loss

Hobart Personal Trainer's Playground 250 / 500 Rep Challenge

Hobart Personal Trainer demonstrates the playground 250/500 rep challenge - a simple, effective, fat loss workout using your body weight, some playground equipment, and a bit of desi...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise,bodyweight exercise workout

3 Powerful Cancer Prevention Strategies

Cancer is a man-made disease, says Dr. Joseph Mercola, who offers three powerful cancer prevention strategies.... I am firmly convinced that you don't have to die from cancer if you follow a healthy lifestyle. I'm fairly convinced that cancer or heart disease will not be the cause of my death. If you follow these strategies and start at an early enough age your body will be able to limit the progression of any malignant cells.We see dramatic reversals in so many people with advanced cancers that apply these strategies, but what we fail to see are the millions of miracles that occur every day that eliminate cancers that have yet to surface because the body's healthy immune response suppresses them.Remember it is exponentially easier to prevent cancers than it is to treat them. So just what...

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Posted in: cancer prevention,low carb diet,vitamin D

How Much Vitamin D Do You Really Need?

How much vitamin D do you really need? A lot more than you need just to prevent rickets, says cardiologist Donald Miller.... Early in the 20th century an investigator found that cod liver oil could prevent rickets in puppies. The nutritional factor in the oil that promotes skeletal calcium deposition was named "vitamin D," alphabetically after already-named vitamins A, B, and C. Rickets was thought to be another vitamin-deficiency disease, and the curative agent, a steroid hormone, was mislabeled a "vitamin."Now, a century later, a wealth of evidence suggests that rickets, its most florid manifestation, is the tip of a vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency iceberg. A lack of Vitamin D can also trigger infections (influenza and tuberculosis), autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes,...

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Posted in: nutrition,vitamin D

5 Budget-Friendly Ways to Stay Fit during Winter

Charlotte Hilton Andersen has five budget-friendly tips to stay fit during the winter.I do not like being cold, but I am cold all the time. These two facts will tell you, pretty much, everything you need to know about me. It's why I hate swimming (also known as controlled drowning). It's why big fuzzy socks are my go-to gift (both for others and for myself). It's why I avoid Black Friday like the plague. (Cyber Monday, however, did some wallet damage.)If I won't venture outside of my toasty house for even Black Friday, it goes without saying that outdoor running, biking, hiking, swimming and frisbee are out of the question too. At least until I can breathe without snot-cicles forming. But a girl's still got to get her sweat on, even if she lives in the frozen wasteland of the North.Of course...

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Posted in: exercise,winter fitness

Propecia Can Lead to Erectile Dysfunction

If you're losing your hair, the good news is that the baldness drug Propecia works to regrow hair. The bad news is that it also causes erectile dysfunction.The old adage “the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away” (which is really just a fancy way of saying that the Lord is kind of a dick) must really be true. A new study published in the Archives of Dermatology has revealed that while the widely used baldness drug Propecia is in fact quite effective at growing more hair, it also causes erectile dysfunction in 1 out of 80 men. Now, if that isn’t (literally) a total dick move, then we don’t know what is. Read m...

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Posted in: balding,erectile dysfunction,hair loss,Propecia

Walking Six Miles Weekly May Reduce Chance of Getting Alzheimer's

Can't remember where you left your keys? Walking just six miles a week can ward off cognitive decline, says Jenny Hope.Walking is the best medicine to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s – and cut your risk of getting it, claim researchers.They prescribe five miles of walking a week to reduce the chances of the disease getting worse.Healthy people should walk six miles to reduce their chances of developing it, says a new US study.It found regular daily walking strengthens the brain’s memory circuits and also helps people who are starting to become forgetful. Read m...

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Posted in: Alzheimer's disease,dementia

No Exercise Equipment Routine

Personal trainer Stephen Cabral takes Sarah through a total body work out that uses just body weig...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise routine,calisthenics routine

Does Sleep Deprivation Pose a Risk of Colon Cancer?

We know that loss of sleep can lead to health problems, but does sleep deprivation pose a risk of cancer?  A new study has found a link between sleep duration and risk of polyps, which are tied directly with the risk for colon cancer.Perhaps nothing is scarier than receiving a diagnosis of cancer, even if it's caught early and therefore treatable. Theories abound on ways to prevent cancer and even help heal the body during treatment, from changing one's diet to managing stress and engaging in mind-body activities like meditation and deep breathing.But what about paying attention to sleep? Have there been any connections made between sleep and cancer?There's no question that getting restful sleep is beneficial for both healthy people and those battling cancer, but now we have evidence...

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Posted in: better sleep,colon cancer,sleep deprivation

10 Organic Foods That Are Worth the Money

Stay away from these highly contaminated common foods and buy organic instead, says Joseph Mercola.1. ApplesThe FDA states that more pesticides are found on apples than are found on any other fruit or vegetable – a grand total of 36. One test found seven chemicals on a single apple. Sounds like a good reason to switch to pesticide-free organic produce to me.Of course, if you do eat apples or any other fruit, use them sparingly and never consume them in the form of fruit juice, which is basically just a glass full of fructose.2. Baby FoodsAn infant's immune system is less developed than an adult's, and more vulnerable. Nonorganic baby foods tend to use fruits and vegetables that have been treated with chemicals. Read m...

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Posted in: contaminated foods,nutrition,organic foods

550 Rep Fat Massacre Workout

How many of you can even complete this workout routine - much less beat Zuzana's score? Full workout details he...

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Posted in: advanced bodyweight workout,calisthenics routine

Health & Fitness Solutions Makes Top 25 Best Exercise & Health Websites

Health & Fitness Solutions made a list of top 25 best exercise and health websites.The web is a vast resource of fitness tools and information — it can sometimes be difficult to discern the quality sites from the fluff. So we’ve put together a list of sites that we admire to help get you started. Many of these are very well known, others are hidden gems that we chose to give some well-deserved exposure.The sites with blogs are regularly updated and focused on sharing useful information, with a focus on reader interest rather than just advertising and product promotion. The sites with community aspects aim to get people together in a supportive atmosphere to help each other with fitness goals and challenges.The list is organized in no particular order. A true fitness portal may be followed...

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Posted in: best fitness blogs,fitness blog news

Is Stubborn Body Fat Caused by Excess Estrogen?

If you're creating a large calorie deficit through diet and exercise and still have a bit of fat that you can't shake, Rusty Moore says the estrogen mimicking effects of "Xenoestrogens" might be to blame.(Is this how the term "girly men" originated?)So all of us have at least a little stubborn body fat. For the most part it is the last little bit of fat that stops you from having the muscle definition you are after. So what if you are creating a large calorie deficit through diet and exercise and still have a bit of fat that you can't shake? Well you might want to blame the estrogen mimicking effects of "Xenoestrogens". Don't know what xenoestrogens are? Keep reading…[I'm going to talk about ways to limiting your exposure to xenoestrogens...as well as foods to eat that counteract the xenoestrogens...

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Posted in: estrogen,Weight Loss,Xenoestrogens

How Almonds Can Improve Your Sex Life

 Almonds contain an amino acid called arginine that helps to relax blood vessels and improve blood circulation.A word of advice for men who want a healthy sex life — take more almonds, reported Sin Chew Daily.The daily said a study showed that almonds have a high quantity of a type of amino acid called arginine, which helps to relax blood vessels and improve blood circulation.It, however, added that if almond was not a person's cup of tea, other food items that are high in arginine were beans, salmon and wheat. Read m...

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Posted in: almonds,better sex,male sexual health

Tired? Moody? Put on Some Shades and Reset Your Body Clock

Tired? Moody? Got the winter blues? Put on some shades and reset your body clock, says Lucy Elkins.Suffer from daytime tiredness? Poor concentration? Feel you’ve lost your ‘get up and go’? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then lack of daylight could be to blame.We all know that, at this time of year, exposure to daylight is important for avoiding the winter blues.However, scientists have now found that exposure to bright daylight is actually vital throughout the year.Without enough light – and, at the right time of the day – our body clock isn’t set properly. It then races ahead – or occasionally lags behind – the actual time. Read m...

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Posted in: seasonal affective disorder,winter blues

The Evils of Trackable, Traceable Microchipped Drugs

With the introduction of trackable, traceable microchipped drugs, even the police could know what you're taking, says Mike Adams.The age of pharmaceutical microchipping is now upon us. Novartis AG, one of the largest drug companies in the world, has announced a plan to begin embedding microchips in medications to create "smart pill" technology.The microchip technology is being licensed from Proteus Biomedical of Redwood City, California. Once activated by stomach acid, the embedded microchip begins sensing its environment and broadcasting data to a receiver warn by the patient. This receiver is also a transmitter that can send the data over the internet to a doctor. Read m...

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Posted in: Big Pharma,microchipped drugs

6 Ways to Make Push-ups Harder

Push-ups are a great exercise, but beyond a certain point (20-30), you shouldn't try to make progress by doing more of them. Instead, make them harder. Parth of At Home Intense Workouts suggests six ways to make push-ups harder.... Here are a couple of other ideas to make your pushups harder:Stability Ball PushupsGet into pushup position with your feet on a stability ball. Perform the pushup. This is a tough variation, especially if you have poor abdominal strength. To make the movement easier, place your shins on the ball. Read m...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise,calisthenics,push-ups

Top 10 Natural Ways to Reduce Inflammation

Puffy, bloated, swollen. Sound attractive? Sounds like inflammation, says Mark Sisson.On the most basic level, inflammation is the way in which the body reacts to a disturbance, be it infection, irritation or other injury. More specifically, however, the inflammatory response – which in addition to swelling can also include redness, warmth and pain – occurs when blood, antibodies and other immune system components rush to the scene of the crime to attempt to repair the damage.In most areas of the body, the pain associated with inflammation informs you of the damage, the swelling limits injury site mobility and prevents further irritation and the increased heat, redness and occasional itching are all signs that the immune system is doing its job! However, if this inflammation goes undetected...

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Posted in: inflammation

Why Does Lack of Sleep Affect People Differently?

Why does lack of sleep affect people differently? A new study suggest that in may be in our genes.Ever wonder why some people breeze along on four hours of sleep when others can barely function? It may be in our genes, according to new research and an accompanying editorial published in the October 26, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Read m...

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Posted in: better sleep,insonia

Alcohol More Harmful to Health than Crack Cocaine or Heroin

A new study claims that alcohol is more harmful to health than crack cocaine or heroin. The takeaway from this is not how harmful alcohol is when it's abused. That isn't news. It's how misguided the "War on Drugs" is.Scientists from Britain's Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD) recently released a study that assessed which drugs cause the most overall harm to both users and society. According to their analysis, alcohol is the most harmful drug, scoring higher on the list than both crack cocaine and heroin.Published in the journal Lancet, the study used a system called multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) to assess damage caused by various drugs. Nine of the criteria evaluated specific harm inflicted on users of the drug, while seven criteria looked at the harm caused to others....

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Posted in: alcohol,crack cocaine,heroin

Can Cutting Carbs Make You Live Longer?

Professor Cynthia Kenyon says you can extend your life AND stay fit throughout old age just by a change of diet that switches on your youth and longevity genes. Kenyon isn't waiting for more research to be done. She's already changed her own diet.... a U.S. geneticist is thought to have discovered the secret to a long life, full of health and energy. And the answer might be as simple as cutting down on carbohydrates.Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into ageing, has discovered that the carbohydrates we eat – from bananas and potatoes to bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes – directly affect two key genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.She made her remarkable breakthrough after studying roundworms, specifically the C.elegans,...

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Posted in: anti-aging,low GI/GL diet,nutrition

Top 10 Best bodyweight Exercises

The Renegade Health Show has compiled a list of the top ten bodyweight exercises. This list is actually a double top ten since a beginner variation of each exercise is demonstrated for those who are working on building their streng...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercises,fitness

What Flax Seed Oil Can Do for You

Flax seed oil is a natural wonder for every part of your body, says Margaret Durst.Flax seed and flax seed oil are popular health food items that have been around for thousands of years. Flax seed is high in beneficial omega 3 oils which are the “good” fats that are missing from the standard American diet. In addition to the oil, the fiber and the lignans from the ground seed are also good for you.Here are just some of the benefits of flax seed oil. For the cardiovascular system, flax seed oil helps to prevent atherosclerosis and abnormal blood clotting. It also helps to lower blood pressure and helps to prevent heart attacks. Flax seed oil helps lower total cholesterol by up to 9 percent and helps to lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 18 percent. Read m...

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Posted in: flax seed oil,nutrition

What if Bad Fat Is Actually Good for You?

For decades, Americans have been told that saturated fat clogs arteries and causes heart disease. But there's just one problem: No one's ever proved it.... The first scientific indictment of saturated fat came in 1953. That's the year a physiologist named Ancel Keys, Ph.D., published a highly influential paper titled "Atherosclerosis, a Problem in Newer Public Health." Keys wrote that while the total death rate in the United States was declining, the number of deaths due to heart disease was steadily climbing. And to explain why, he presented a comparison of fat intake and heart disease mortality in six countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Italy, and Japan.The Americans ate the most fat and had the greatest number of deaths from heart disease; the Japanese ate the least...

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Posted in: cardiovascular health,saturated fat

Is Your Doctor Getting Cash Payouts from Big Pharma?

Are doctors prescribing pharmaceuticals for their patients' benefit or for their own financial benefit? It may be the latter, says Mark Sisson.... A public interest group, ProPublica, in partnership with Consumer Reports and National Public Radio have compiled and released a series of reports assessing the pharmaceutical companies’ payouts to doctors and the public’s discomfort with their physicians’ industry ties.Although the industry’s financial dealings are still private material, lawsuits aimed at Pharma’s marketing have required many of the larger companies to disclose much of their payout information. Although the details are scattered in public websites and documents, ProPublica compiled the information from these various resources. The result? A list of 17,000 doctors and $257 million...

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Posted in: Big Pharma,medical malpractice,pharmaceutical companies,pharmaceuticals

12 Pull-up Variations

The pull-up is the king of upper body exercises. (See my post Double Your Pull-ups in Six Weeks or Less.) Different types of pull-ups develop your upper body in different ways. This video gives you twelve variations to t...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise,calisthenics,pull-ups

Cancer Is Purely Man-Made Say Scientists

Cancer is purely man-made say scientists after finding almost no trace of disease in Egyptian mummies.Cancer is a man-made disease fuelled by the excesses of modern life, a study of ancient remains has found.Tumours were rare until recent times when pollution and poor diet became issues, the review of mummies, fossils and classical literature found. [...]Despite slivers of tissue from hundreds of Egyptian mummies being rehydrated and placed under the microscope, only one case of cancer has been confirmed. Read m...

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Posted in: cancer,Egyptian mummies

Half a Teaspoon of Cinnamon Each Day Can Optimize Cholesterol Levels

Joseph Mercola explains what just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day can do for you.... As I discussed in yesterday's article on the insanity of Avandia, drugs are not the answer for type 2 diabetes. In that article, I described the natural and most effective way to address type 2 diabetes. If you haven't already read this article I would strongly encourage you to do so.The two reports above are related in the sense that they demonstrate the power of natural therapies – as opposed to drugs – to combat this epidemic problem.However, like drugs, supplements such as cinnamon or magnesium should not be misconstrued as cures. They are safer alternatives than drugs, but you cannot properly address your diabetes if you still maintain a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet – with or without helpful...

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Posted in: cholesterol,cinnamon,diabetes,natural remedies

Nasty Girls Crossfit Workout

This video highlights the Nasty Girls Crossfit workout. The workout is, 50 squats, 7 muscle ups, 10 hang power cleans at 135#’s. This of course is done 3 times for time. If you don’t have a place to do the muscle ups or can’t do them, do 7 pull-ups and 7 dips (or do 25 push-ups and 10 dips). If the weight on the power cleans is too much, drop it to where you can get the 10 do...

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Posted in: Crossfit,full-body workout

Body Builder Protein Powder May Extend Life

Body builder protein powder could increase life expectancy by ten years, says Fiona McCrae.A protein powder favoured by body builders could hold the secret of a long and healthy life, scientists believe.Dissolved in water, the mixture built muscle, boosted fitness and improved balance and co-ordination.Tantalisingly, the powder, which can be bought from health food shops and online, increased life expectancy by 12 per cent. Read m...

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Posted in: anti-aging,protein powder

The Best Position to Prevent Premature Ejaculation

Many men experience premature ejaculation at some point in their lives, but when it persists, it can be an embarrassing and frustrating problem. One way to achieve ejaculatory control is to change the sex position you use, says Svetlana Ivanova.Premature ejaculation is a condition in which a man ejaculates earlier than he or his partner would like him to. There are numerous reasons why a man ejaculates too quickly. Some are stress-related, some are mental, and some can be physical. When there is to much friction, or continual thrusting, or a great deal of mutual movement, a man’s ejaculation can be too quick, for both partners. To delay premature ejaculation, a man needs to avoid some sexual positions completely. Furthermore, there are two sex position that can be used that are guaranteed...

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Posted in: ejaculatory control,premature ejaculation

33 Tips for Better Sleep

Joseph Mercola gives 33 tips and tricks for getting a good night's sleep.Sleep is one of the great mysteries of life. Like gravity or the quantum field, we still don’t understand exactly why we sleep – although we are learning more about it every day.We do know, however, that good sleep is one of the cornerstones of health.Six to eight hours per night seems to be the optimal amount of sleep for most adults, and too much or too little can have adverse effects on your health.Sleep deprivation is such a chronic condition these days that you might not even realize you suffer from it. Science has now established that a sleep deficit can have serious, far reaching effects on your health.For example, interrupted or impaired sleep can: Read m...

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Posted in: better sleep,overcoming insomnia

Why We Need and Love Saturated Fat

Mark Sisson explains why we need and love saturated fat.It’s probably the one thing that prevents people from fully buying into the Primal Blueprint. Almost anyone can agree with the basic tenets – eating more vegetables, choosing only clean, organic meats, and getting plenty of sleep and exercise is fairly acceptable to the mainstream notion of good nutrition. The concept of Grok and a lifestyle based on evolutionary biology can be a harder sell, but anyone who’s familiar with (and accepts) the basics of human evolution tends to agree (whether they follow through and adopt the lifestyle is another question), at least intellectually. But saturated fat? People have this weird conditioned response to the very phrase. “But what about all that saturated fat? Aren’t you worried about clogging...

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Posted in: nutrition,saturated fat

How to Cure a Sinus Infection

You can cure a sinus infection by adding apple cider vinegar or lavender to steam, clearing the sinuses with ginger tea and cayenne pepper, or by taking eyebright or golden se...

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Posted in: natural remedies,sinus infection

Don't Get the Flu This Winter

You can resist the flu with natural immune boosters, says Margaret Durst.Flu – we all want to avoid it. Here are some natural options that will help build your immunity so you do not get it.Olive leaf enhances immune function and helps keep viruses from replicating. I see many people who tell me that they have not been sick since they began taking olive leaf daily. With olive leaf, quality is very important. The active component, oleuropein, should be 18% at a minimum. The best brands contain over 20% oleuropein.Elderberry is another herb that builds immunity and keeps viruses from replicating. Read m...

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Posted in: flu,immune system boosters,natural remedies

Intense Parkour Strength and Conditioning at the Park

Fitness enthusiast/free runner Ramon "Razor" Dickenson performs an intense strength and condition workout to increase speed, strength, and agility. Not every park has a parkour course, but most parks have playground equipment that can be used for dips, pull-ups, e...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise,parkour

Reduce Cholesterol Naturally

There are many ways to reduce your cholesterol naturally, says Margaret Durst.It seems like everyone wants to reduce their cholesterol. There are some great natural ways to do this, but everyone is unique – so what works for one, may not work for another. Cholesterol is necessary for many body functions, meaning that you don’t want to reduce it completely, but you don’t want unhealthy levels either. Read m...

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Posted in: high cholesterol,natural remedies

12 Medical Myths Most Doctors Believe

Joseph Mercola says there are twelve medical myths even most doctors believe, from cardio being one of the best types of exercise to low-fat diets being healthy.... With all the medical misinformation we’re currently exposed to on a daily basis, it’s disappointing to see CNN waste time and space on yet another entertainment-style fluff piece, discussing “health myths” that have no real bearing on your health whatsoever.Because, believe me, there is no shortage of real health myths that can, and do, have a massive impact on tens of thousands if not millions of people.Here is my list of the top 12 health myths, none of which CNN bothered to mention: 1: Cardio is One of the Best Types of ExerciseIn recent years, researchers have begun to realize that conventional cardio, such as jogging, is not...

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Posted in: medical myths

Time/Volume Training for Mass

A lot of people say that you can't build muscle mass with bodyweight exercises, but that's because they're ignorant. There are several ways to build muscle mass with bodyweight exercise, and time/volume training is a good one. Nick Nilsson lays out a complete, easy-to-follow bodyweight workout program for trainers whose primary goal is building muscle. ... Time/Volume Training is relatively simple. I'll use back training for my example (chin-ups, specifically).For working back, I use a 15 minute block of time (this will vary according to bodypart - less time for smaller parts - e.g. 10 minutes for biceps).First, start by doing a set of 3 reps. Then stop and rest 10 seconds. Now do another set of 3 reps. Stop and rest 10 seconds.Keep going using 3 rep sets and 10 seconds rest until you can't...

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Posted in: advanced bodyweight workout,bulding muscle,time volume training

Basic Plyometric Exercises

My post Improve Your Speed with Plyometrics described some basic plyometric exercises and workouts. This video demonstrates a few of those exercises.There is a common misconception that people are born with speed, but speed is like intelligence; it is invisible until developed. An amazing new book called Developing Killer Speed reveals how you can decrease your forty yard dash By .4 seconds in 2 weeks! To discover the simple formula that can increase your speed and decrease your times, click he...

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Posted in: plyometrics,speed drills

Natural Remedies for Prostate Health

Dr. Aaron Katz offers alternative natural remedies to keep the prostate healthy and treat prostate symptoms and conditio...

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Posted in: natural remedies,prostate health,saw palmetto,stinging nettles,zinc

Cherries May Help You Sleep Better

This sounds better than sleeping pills: cherry juice reduces insomnia with older adults, according to a recent study.Hopefully the cherry growers and distributor industry won't publicize this to bring more threats from the FDA upon them, but a pilot study by research scientists showed that tart cherry juice reduced insomnia with older adults. The study was conducted by researchers from two universities at the VA Center of Canandaigua, and the findings were published in the June 3, 2010 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food. Read m...

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Posted in: better sleep,natural remedies

Could This Simple Habit Actually Reduce Cancer and Diabetes by 50%?

Dr. Joseph Mercola discusses why you need more vitamin D than you're probably getting and the best ways to get more.In recent years vitamin D has emerged as a star of the “vitamin” world. For example, there are currently over 800 studies showing vitamin D’s effectiveness against cancer. Optimizing your vitamin D levels can literally cut your risk of several cancers by 50 percent!Further, middle aged and elderly people with high levels of vitamin D could reduce their chances of developing heart disease or diabetes by 43 percent. Read m...

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Posted in: cancer,diabetes,vitamin D

Benefit from Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting

Calorie restriction is the one method proven to extend life, but you don't have to do it every day to benefit. Occasional or intermittent fasting is an alternative way of reducing your calories without feeling deprived all the time. Part I reviewed the latest findings in longevity research. In a word, dietary restriction (DR) creates physiological changes that slow down aging and protects against age-related diseases. It is now known that these effects are related to insulin and that reducing insulin secretion plays a major role in extending life.Therefore, one must learn to efficiently burn foods that do not provoke insulin secretion - fats. Fats are stable, slow burning sources of energy that do not create advanced glycation end-products and that naturally satiate. They have many...

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Posted in: calorie restriction,intermittent fasting,longevity

Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers, Study Finds

In another blow to the convention wisdom, a new study has found that heavy drinkers outlive lnondrinkers.One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink actually tend to die sooner than those who do. The standard Alcoholics Anonymous explanation for this finding is that many of those who show up as abstainers in such research are actually former hard-core drunks who had already incurred health problems associated with drinking.But a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that - for reasons that aren't entirely clear - abstaining from alcohol does actually tend to increase one's risk of dying even when you exclude former drinkers. The most shocking part?...

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Posted in: alcohol,longevity

Why Eating Grains Is Bad for You

Mark Sisson explains why eating grains (bread, cereal, pasta, etc.)  is bad for you.... Grains. Every day we’re bombarded with them and their myriad of associations in American (and much of Western) culture: Wilford Brimley, Uncle Ben, the Sunbeam girl, the latest Wheaties athlete, a pastrami on rye, spaghetti dinners, buns for barbeque, corn on the cob, donuts, birthday cake, apple pie, amber waves of grain…. Gee, am I missing anything? Of course. So much, in fact, that it could – and usually does – take up the majority of supermarket square footage. (Not to mention those government farm subsidies, but that’s another post.) Yes, grains are solidly etched into our modern Western psyche – just not so much into our physiology. Read m...

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Posted in: graom consumption,nutrition,paleolithic diet

"Thug Workout" at the Local Park

This is a simple version of the popular "Thug Workout" that can be done at the local park. All it takes is ten minut...

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Posted in: bodyweight exercise,calisthenics,street workout,thug workout

Simple Home Remedies to Stop Snoring

If you notice your spouse is sleeping more frequently on a different room, you’re probably making disastrous music while you’re asleep. This music may be keeping you asleep but this kind of music will drive your spouse nuts.This music you’re making while you’re asleep is called snoring. The musical instrument you play with this kind of music with is your throat muscles. Snoring can ruin your relationship with your spouse. It is a fact that some people in the United States have filed divorce cases on the grounds that their sleeping partner is always snoring.Not only will snoring ruin your relationship with your sleeping partner, but it can be a sign that your body is malfunctioning. Studies have found that snoring is a sign that you have diabetes, you are obese, and you may also have undiagnosed...

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Posted in: better sleep,insomnia,snoring

Get Ready for More Government Flu Hysteria

This year's propaganda and vaccine will be more dangerous than ever, says Joseph Mercola. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the swine flu pandemic officially over on August 9th. The swine flu, which we were warned would kill millions, if not tens of millions of people, turned out to be a complete "dud" as far as pandemics go, but health agencies and governments around the world still managed to create massive fear of this hybrid flu virus.And, of course, vaccine makers made millions off their novel H1N1 vaccines.For those in the southern hemisphere, like Australia, the flu season has already begun, and the health hazards of this year's seasonal trivalent vaccine have already become evident.For the rest of you, the flu season is nearing, and another round of advertisements for flu...

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Posted in: flu,flu vaccine,H1N1 swine flu

10 Tips on Surviving a Trip to the Hospital

Hospitals are dangerous. Michael Miles gives ten tips for surviving a trip to the hospital.... Given the scope of this subject, I will focus primarily on food. If food is important to you (and if you are reading this blog it most likely is very important), you must have an advanced strategy in place should the day come you have to make the trek. Below are ten ways to protect yourself before a hospital visit.10 Tips On Surviving A Hospital Stay1. Have a like-minded friend present at all times.This is extremely important if you make an emergency trip to the hospital and don't have control of all your cognitive faculties. You will need an ideological nutritional soul mate running interference to make sure your best interest – not the doctor or the hospital – is always first and foremost.Ideally...

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Posted in: hospital dangers,medical malpractice

Diet and Lifestyle Determine Longevity More Than Genetics

Though genetics is one factor that determines longevity, diet and lifestyle play a bigger role, says Dr. Joseph Mercola.... Death is surely inevitable, but I do believe you can live far longer than the average life expectancy, which, in the US, is around 78. Genetics may play a role, but is NOT the final determining factor for whether you'll live a long healthy life.Barring an accident, your lifestyle has everything to do with your longevity. It's already been established that diet can override genetic predispositions for disease, for example, so don't fall into the trap of believing your health and longevity is somehow the inevitable result of what's in your gene pool.Please understand that the list in the summary above is from US News and World Report and it is THEIR concept of what contributes...

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Posted in: anti-aging,diet,exercise,longevity

6 Common Mistakes of Atkins Dieters

The Atkins diet is one of the simplest weight loss plans to follow. Although the principles are clearly set out in the books, there are some common misconceptions that occur for dieters. These mistakes can make a big difference in the amount of weight you lose and effectiveness of the diet overall. If Atkins isn’t working for you, or you find yourself suddenly gaining weight after weeks of effective dieting, make sure you aren’t making any of these common mistakes.First, make sure to be patient with your weight loss. If you lose eight poundss per week on the Induction phase and then slow down once you enter ongoing weight loss phase, this is perfectly normal. The level of carbohydrate grams that are acceptable on the Induction portion of the diet are not meant to carry you through the rest...

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Posted in: Atkins diet,nutrition,Weight Loss

Is Your Workout Helping You or Huring You?

Your workout may be hurting you more than helping you if you believe any of the following three misconceptions about fitness.Working out should be something that is both fun and beneficial. The body responds almost immediately to proper training, but it also responds to improper training. Improper training can lead to aches and pain down the road, or even muscles tears. Are you working out the right way?Misconception #1: The Longer, The BetterContrary to what you have heard from old school bodybuilders, a longer workout does not lead to better muscular gains. In fact, a longer workout can be detrimental to your muscular gains. Read m...

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Posted in: exercise,fitness misconceptions,fitness myths

The Cholesterol Con

Was the myth that high cholesterol causes heart disease invented just to benefit Big Pharma?Cholesterol could easily be described as the smoking gun of the last two decades.It's been responsible for demonizing entire categories of foods (like eggs and saturated fats) and blamed for just about every case of heart disease in the last 20 years.Yet when I first opened my medical practice in the mid 80s, cholesterol, and the fear that yours was too high was rarely talked about.Somewhere along the way however, cholesterol became a household word – something that you must keep as low as possible, or suffer the consequences.You are probably aware that there are many myths that portray fat and cholesterol as one of the worst foods you can consume. Please understand that these myths are actually harming...

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Posted in: cholesterol myths,heart health

The Pros and Cons of the Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet is one of the most popular low carbohydrate diets on the market today. Its popularity has sparked dozens of imitators who center on the same principles of high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating. However, the Atkins diet is one of the few with a long, proven record of success.Studies have shown that low-carbohydrate eating has many benefits. There have been scientific results that low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins do create significant weight loss without having to restrict calories. People who use the Atkins diet have also reported this. There are studies that show that low-carb eating improves triclycerides, reduces blood glucose for diabetics and pre-diabetics and increases good cholesterol (HDL). Low-carbohydrate dieting has been scientifically proven to improve insulin...

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Posted in: Atkins diet,nutrition,Weight Loss

Are Push-Ups Necessary If You Have Access to Free Weights?

Rusty Moore explains why bench presses should supplement push-ups in your workout, not replace them. People who have trained in the gym for years often look at something like the simple push up as a beginner's exercise. I mean, why would they want to perform push ups when they can get a "real" chest workout with heavy sets of bench presses. This is a big mistake, and one that I have been guilty of. It is easy to look at the simple push up as working the exact same muscles as the bench press, but with less resistance. I would like to talk about why you should include the push up in your routine, even if you are someone who trains with free weights. Read m...

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Posted in: bench press,push-ups

Use Natural Solutions and Styling Tips for Hair Loss

If you're suffering from hair loss, it may be due to the toxic hair products that you're using.  Natural alternatives may prevent hair loss and balding. Scalp inflammation, poor diet, dehydration, stress, genetics and hormone imbalances are factors that can cause hair to fall out. Toxic hair products and over-styling can also damage the hair, causing it to thin. Incorporating vitamins and whole foods and choosing all natural hair products can prevent hair loss, thinning and balding. Read m...

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Posted in: baldensss,balding,natural remedies,reverse hair loss

Atkins Diet Basics

I get quite a few questions from readers about how to lose weight. My answer is the Atkins diet. The Atkins diet is not a new phenomenon. The diet first appeared in the late 1970s and has grown popularity in recent years in response to the low-fat diet craze. As dieters had trouble with low-fat plans, they searched for a new solution, and Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution book found a new audience.What are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, the overconsumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories that you consume. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called “insulin...

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Posted in: Atkins diet,nutrition,Weight Loss

How to Work Out Your Transverse Abdominals

A group of muscles that often gets neglected in stomach exercise routines are the transverse abdominals, the core muscles that lie below the rectus abdominus. Most abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominus and the vertical abdominals, ignoring the transverse abdominals. Even crunches, the staple of most abdominal workouts, do nothing for the transverse abdominals. These muscles are actually the most important to target, however, as they connect to both the lower back muscles and the rectus abdominus and for a girdle for the entire abdomen.Any routine aimed at flattening the stomach should include the transverse abdominals as a focus. Using the following exercises, you can work out your transverse abdominals and really...

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Posted in: abdominal exercises,beginning fitness,exercise,transverse abdominals

Chromium to Increase Muscle and Decrease Fat

Chromium is a nutritional supplement that works to increase the efficiency of insulin to optimal levels. The most common use for chromium is as a weight loss aid.Chromium is an essential mineral because it helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels through proper insulin utilization. It can be helpful both for people with diabetes and also those with hypoglycemia.Chromium is also known as glucose tolerance factor, meaning that it improves the activity of insulin and facilitates the uptake of glucose into the cells. It is vital in the synthesis of cholesterol, fats, and proteins.Chromium facilitates weight loss. Although it is not a miracle cure for obesity, chromium does increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat. Read m...

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Posted in: chromium,fat loss,muscle mass,nutrition

8 Reasons to Stay out of the Hospital

Dr. Joseph Mercola cites 8 reasons why hospitals are more dangerous than ever.Mainstreet.com offers a few essential facts about hospitals that you should know before you check in:Stay Healthy in JulyJuly is the most dangerous month to visit a hospital. That's the month when students graduate from medical school and start doing residencies at teaching hospitals. Deaths due to hospital medication errors spike by 10 percent in July.Hospital Wait TimesHospitals have terrible wait times, which may actually be endangering patients. Patients who need to be seen within 14 minutes of arriving ended up having to wait more than twice as long. Read m...

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Posted in: hospital dangers,medical malpractice

10 Antidepressant Alternatives Proven to Work

As of 2009, more than 10% of the US population was taking one or more antidepressant drugs. Unfortunately, the millions of people taking these drugs often know little to nothing about their side effects. More importantly, they don’t know that effective, safe, and natural alternatives to antidepressant drugs exist. In fact, there are at least ten antidepressant alternatives that are proven to work. If you are suffering from depression, but would prefer to try something natural before going the traditional pharmaceutical route, here are some remedies that have stood up to rigorous testing. 1. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)Cognitive Behavioral Therapy seeks to help people change how they think about things. Unlike more traditional...

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Posted in: antidepressant alternatives,antidepressant drugs,antidepressants,depression

Improve Your Speed with Plyometrics

Plyometrics are dynamic movements that increase agility, strength, coordination, and power while decreasing your risk of injury. They are a valuable tool in a sprinter's toolbox to increase speed. If you don't incorporate plyometrics into your training program, then you should definitely think about it. Plyometrics are a perfect complement to the sprint workout I outlined in my post Don't Just Run: Sprint!There are dozens of different types of plyometric exercises. I’ve narrowed the list down to the ones a beginner could easily try. Before we get to the exercises, though, let’s discuss some general guidelines to keep in mind as you get started.When you first add plyometrics to your routine, take it slowly and focus on performing the exercises...

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Posted in: plyometric workout,plyometrics,sprinting

The Cancer-Preventing Vitamin Your Doctor Knows Nothing About

Can you help prevent cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis with vitamin K, which nearly everyone is deficient in?... Vitamin K may be "the next vitamin D" if research continues to illuminate the growing number of benefits to your health.Dr. Cees Vermeer, one of the world's top researchers in the field of vitamin K, founded a vitamin K research group in 1975, which is now the largest group investigating this area of nutrition science.How many people have adequate vitamin K… care to guess?Just about zero, according to Dr. Vermeer and other experts in the field.Most people get just enough K from their diets to maintain adequate blood clotting, but NOT enough to offer protection against he following health problems – and the list is growing: Read m...

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Posted in: cancer,heart disease,osteoporosis,vitamin D,vitamin deficiency,vitamin K

Dust Mites, Off-Gassing, and What to Do with Your Mattress

Are creepy, crawly, allergy-producing dust mites thriving in your bed? Mark Sisson reveals what may be inside your mattress and what to do about it.Dust mites are everywhere. They are true survivors, able to make it in virtually all climates and at any altitude. They thrive, however, in our homes, especially bedrooms, enjoying the humidity generated by all the breathing, perspiring, and drooling we do at night and feeding on all the skin flakes we produce. For these tiny creatures, we’re living, breathing humidifier-refrigerator-landlords who charge extremely competitive rates. Why wouldn’t they infest us?In the last couple weeks we’ve taken a look at sleep posture, how to improve it, and modern bedding. Today we’ll take a closer look at your mattress, investigating what may be lurking inside...

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Posted in: allergens,better sleep,dust mite detritus,dust mites,off-gassing

Total Body Warm-up and Interval Training Workout with No Equipment

Sprints are still one of the best ways to perform your interval workouts. Here’s a great sprint and bodyweight workout by Craig Ballanty...

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Posted in: bodyweight workouts,intervals,sprints

Spicy Peppers May Cause Your Body to Burn More Calories

Indulging your taste for spicy food may help you lose weight. Scientists believe that the capsaicin compounds found in peppers that give them their spicy taste actually help to burn calories as well.Losing weight is just a few spicy peppers away, according to a recent report out of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Researchers there say that the capsaicin compounds found in peppers that give them their spicy taste, actually help to burn calories as well.Scientists believe that the reason why capsaicin burns calories is because the compound uses energy to raise a person's body temperature, which provides a similar effect as the one obtained by engaging in traditional exercise routines. Read m...

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Posted in: Capsaicin,fat burning,fat loss,Weight Loss

4 Tips to Help Stop Snoring

Snoring is a laughing matter for some people, but what they don't realize is that many conflicts have developed from snoring. Almost half of normal adults suffer from occasional snoring while an estimated 25% of them are known to snore habitually. It is good to point out that these figures did not choose to have fallen as victim to this nighttime dilemma. Instead, they just happened to be less lucky than most of us.Driven by the need to resolve the disturbances caused by snoring, patients often seek relief from various stop snoring products such as devices, pills, and sprays. You should realize, though, that there is still no sufficient data to back the claims of these products. To help find relief for those people who only want to have restful sleeps, here are four tips that can help you...

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Posted in: better sleep,insomnia,overcoming insomnia,snoring

To Build Muscle, Lose Fat, and Get Healthy, Go Caveman

To build muscle, lose fat, and get healthy, go caveman.Our Stone Age ancestors lived in an uncomfortable world, spending their 30-year life spans hunting and gathering without air conditioning or heat.But some say the cave men ate better than we do.That's the premise behind the Paleo diet, a health and weight-loss trend that encourages people to eat modern-day versions of Paleolithic food. Read m...

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Posted in: nutrition,paleolithic diet,paleolithic lifestyle

How to Improve Your Sleep Posture

If you're not getting restful sleep, it may not be your bed that's the problem. It may be your sleep posture.Yesterday, I posited that it’s not so much the bedding that matters in making for rejuvenating, nourishing sleep, but rather our sleeping position/posture. Man is the supreme adaptor, having proven himself capable of surviving in just about any natural environment, no matter the climate, topography, and available selection of edibles – and our bedding is no different. Of course, there is a limit to our adaptability. We couldn’t survive in the Antarctic or get a good night’s sleep in a mud pit. Thriving in the current food environment is definitely doable, but, as you well know, it takes a lot of effort to make it work. Luckily, we aren’t dealing with hydrogenated mattresses or high-fructose...

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Posted in: better sleep,sleep posture

Give Your Body a Clean Sweep

Fiber is an inexpensive essential for good health, says Margaret Durst. She explains how much you need and the best places to get it.Fiber is essential to good health. It is the bulk that helps move food and waste through our digestive tract. It acts like a broom in sweeping our digestive system clean, and it also acts like a sponge in absorbing toxins, hormones, cholesterol and bile salts so that they will not be reabsorbed by our body.In addition to keeping things moving through our digestive systems, fiber nurtures healthy bacteria in our gut that balances pH, keeps harmful bacteria in check, and detoxifies chemicals in the gut that can cause cancer or other problems. Lack of fiber, seems to be the precursor to some common complaints such as diverticular disease, bowel cancer, appendicitis,...

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Posted in: diet,digestion,fiber,nutrition

Anti-Snoring Exercises for Better Sleep

Relationships are not only ruined by irreconcilable differences, third parties, or simply falling out of love. Some relationships are ruined by snoring. Studies show that 23% of couples suffer from snoring problems. In fact, 80% of couples usually end up sleeping in different rooms because they can’t stand their partner’s snoring.But more than the danger of ruined relationships, snoring can also lead to a serious case of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a condition common among the depressed and those who are always exhausted. Sleep apnea can increase blood pressure, reducing the flow of oxygen to the brain and eventually, leading to stroke, heart attack or even worse, death.Other studies further show that it can lead to diabetes. Since snoring reduces the intake of oxygen, the body produces more...

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Posted in: better sleep,natural remedies,sleep apnea,snoring