How Glutamine Supplements May Be Able to Help Heal You

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Jimmy O

Glutamine is an amino acid, which comprises about two thirds of the total free-form amino acids within skeletal muscle and is the most abundant amino acid in human blood. Glutamine has been studied extensively over the last 10 to 15 years. It is known as a conditional amino acid. Essential amino acids are amino acids that you must get from dietary sources and nonessential amino acids are amino acids that your body can produce. Glutamine, being a conditionally essential amino acid, means that the body can produce it, however, it does not always produce enough. You may need more glutamine than your body can produce during times of stress, illness or injury.

The healing properties of glutamine are very powerful. Glutamine can help heal many different types of injuries, illnesses and conditions. Hospitals are known to use glutamine as a tool to help burn victims recover more quickly. Not only does glutamine have healing properties, but it is a known immune enhancer. White blood cells fight off infection and glutamine is a key substrate for fast-growing and multiplying cells, including white blood cells. It is used to help improve the immune system of surgical patients. Clinical trials in patients have proven that glutamine has aided in recovery without any side effects.

Athletes and bodybuilders use glutamine to keep their bodies in an anabolic state and for recovery after intense training. Glutamine helps to maintain muscle mass and prevent further damage to muscle tissues and fibers. It is the major amino acid lost during any tissue injury, implying that it has a significant role in the preservation of lean body mass. Another benefit of glutamine is that it may also increase human growth hormone levels. When growth hormone levels are higher the body has more energy and muscle mass is increased, because the rate of new cell growth is increased. Glutamine can also increase nitrogen balances. Positive nitrogen balances are often found during periods of growth, tissue repair or pregnancy.

Glutamine is also a very useful supplement for healing the stomach and digestive tract of various conditions. Glutamine may help to protect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract or mucosa. Scientists have discovered that it’s an effective anti-ulcer drug as well. It is actually the most prescribed ulcer medication in Asia. Glutamine is also helpful for dealing with diarrhea as it diminishes the loss of electrolytes and water from the intestines.

Foods that are rich in glutamine include milk, yogurt, ricotta cheese and cottage cheese, beef, chicken, pork, and all types of fish. Most foods rich in protein are rich in glutamine as well, however, Glutamine must be supplemented to have the desired healing effects. These properties are effective in wound healing only when present in amounts 2 to 7 times greater than required in healthy persons. For stomach ulcers, as little as 1-2 grams per day may be effective. For training and anabolic purposes 5-15 grams daily may be effective. For gastrointestinal problems anywhere from 5 -20 grams daily may be effective. Glutamine can be purchsed online and at health-food stores. It is much less expensive than most medications that it can be used as a substitute for.

Glutamine is a natural healing agent that works with the body. If you suffer from an ulcer, gastrointestinal problems, any type of tissue injury, post-surgical wounds, common illness, stress or muscle soreness due to training, you may very well benefit from supplementing glutamine.

Sources

The Principles Taught in Food Safety Courses

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Jimmy O

When a person goes to take a food safety course, they will learn a lot of information. This information that they receive is based on a few principles. Some might not know what these principles are.

The first principle that these courses , Serv Safe certification for example, are based around is that they are to prevent contaminating food with the pathogens. These pathogens can come from other people. They can come from pets. They can also come from pests. That is why the area has to be clean so that pests do not invite themselves into the work area. That is also why people have to practice personal hygiene such as washing their hands and cleaning work clothes. This is just the first principle.

The next principle is that they are to separate raw foods from cooked foods so that they cannot cross contaminate foods. The reason for this is that unless food is cooked all the way through, there might be salmonella poisoning or more. Therefore, they need to be sure that they clean off counters and use new cutting boards when they have cooked with meat. The reason for this would be that this can have the raw juices that could poison other food that they cook. The other thing would be that if they do not do this, they could really make a person sick. There are other points to this.

Another principle that they center these courses around would be that they need to cook foods for the appropriate length of time as well as the proper temperatures. This will kill the pathogens. Some people like raw meat, but what they will suggest is that if they do not cook the food around such as if this is a burger joint, then they do have to let people know that this could make them sick. If people are not sure if they are cooking meats at the right temperature and for a long enough time, then it is essential that they learn how to use a thermometer.

The next to last principle would be to store foods at the proper temperature. This is why there are some who fear eating at cook outs. With things being made that need to be refrigerated and the cook out lasting for a long amount of time as well as when they are sitting in the sun can cause it to spoil. There are issues with a salad bar as well for this reason.

The last principle they will center around teaching would be to use clean water and safe materials. This means making sure that any canned food is not dented and things that they use are fresh. Water should come from the tap, but if for some reason it is not safe, they should boil it before hand. These are some of the major things that people will learn. These are the basics.

How I Discovered That Caffeine Pills Can Improve My Productivity

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Jacob M

The way I discovered caffeine pills work for me was a rather interesting twist – I have problem with my back because of chronicle injury due to bad postures. When I woke up one day, my back was killing me – it really hurt. I went to the chemist and bought a packet of Panadol over the counter, quickly swallowed 2 pills and went on about my usual business. Later in the day I took another 2 pills.

Something interesting happened in that night, I didn’t feel tired at all and kept on working for my new book. I kept writing and the ideas flew in my brain non stop. It wasn’t until 4 am, I realized that I need to have some sleep then went to bed.

The next day morning I got up at the usual 7.30am mark. , Although the back pain remained, feeling refreshed and no hint of tiredness, I was really amazed. Picked up a glass of water and ready to swallow another 2 Panadol pills – I noticed the pills are not the same ones that I’ve been taking for my back problem. They are Panadol “Extra” not Panadol “Advance” – for those whom are not familiar with “Panadol”, it’s a brand name of fast absorbing paracetamol pills by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

The difference between the “Extra” and the “Advance” version is that there is an extra ingredient – caffeine in the “Extra” pills. Each pill contains 65mg, equivalent to almost a cup of instant coffee. I am not a regular coffee drinker and took 4 pills a day, that’s 4 cups of coffee worth of caffeine!

I work long hours sometimes because of the nature of my job – I am a freelance Spanish writer. I don’t really remember not feeling tired. I’ve tried coffee, tea, energy drinks and all sort of other things to keep me awake so I can meet my deadlines. None of them worked. This accidental find made me go on to buy a bottle of Prolab Nutrition Maximum Protency Caffeine Pills from Amazon. It’s a 200mg x 100 tablet bottle and only cost $8. I was just going to experiment it to see if caffeine works for me or not.

I believed that the extra caffeine in Panadol Extra helped to boost my energy level. After I’ve taken the first 200mg pill, my theory was proven to be correct. I wrote faster, my brain worked better, my concentration level was very high and my productivity has increased dramatically – these are the known effects of caffeine!

Ever since then I have been “hooked” with caffeine pills. Everyday when I am working, I take a tablet of 200mg just after lunch, when I feel drowsy or sleepy so I can continue to work in the afternoon and sometimes late into the night, efficiently.

However, I try to avoid taking the pill whenever possible, so I don’t become dependent or even “addict” to it. So far, I’ve not developed any tolerance, meaning I’ve never needed a higher dose to achieve the desired outcome from the pills. If you are looking into buying or trying caffeine pills, I can give you some advices from my personal experience:

1. Start from a lower dose, if it works, don’t increase until it stops working for you;
2. Caffeine pill may not work for you – each individual has difference reaction to caffeine. Don’t keep on trying higher dose if two 200mg tablets doesn’t work for you, try something else, or you are putting your health in danger by having caffeine overdose.
3. Don’t take caffeine pills less than 2 hours before you normal bed time – it may result in insomnia in many individuals.

My Own Personal Experience With Stevia Side Effects

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Jimmy O

Not too long ago I was exposed to a magnificent sweet plant – Stevia. Before that moment, I was using sugar for a very long time, and could never see any real alternative available to enhance my foods and drinks. Stevia promised to be everything that I ever hoped for – super sweet, not bitter in big amounts, having no caloric value whatsoever, and above all – healthy. So, being very excited, I planted these strange looking seeds inside my garden and let them grow, religiously checking their status every morning.

After a while of using it, I can clearly say that Stevia is a winner for me in the field of sweetening. Not only is this plant far, far sweeter than sugar – but it is also a lot healthier, and a lot cheaper as well. I have started devouring information and researches in order to keep myself unworried of its potential side effects, as many people have warned me.
From everything that I have read, there are absolutely no Stevia side effects, even though the warnings are very intimidating. Seems like most or all of them were produced by the dreaded and ever-dancing industries. Especially the sugar and artificial sweeteners ones.

It all made perfect sense for me, as knowing the fact that the South American tribes of Paraguay to Brazil have been using this plant for ages. I have seen these people from a very close inspection, asking them about this plant, and gathering information from them, and the people I have spoken to have zero experience with any side effects, nor are there any rumors in any of the tribes I have visited of some past experiences.

I feel very comfortable recommending you this amazingly sweet plant. It is really refreshing to start the morning with something as natural as Stevia with your coffee or tea, instead of any kind of sugar or sweetener that is subject to cause you some major sugar spikes in the blood, and potentially increase your risk of developing either obesity or diabetes.

One thing that I have read though, is that Stevia has been proved to be toxic. I have closely examined this specific study, and apparently, Stevia has indeed been proved to be toxic, but only in amounts that would even make water toxic. I need not tell you what would be the potential side effects of Stevia’s alternatives in these doses. Any way, as I dived even deeper on this particular research, I found out that it was sponsored by the sugar industry itself! How honest of them.

So, to sum things up, I would say that you can feel safe to continue using it if you are already using it, or start using it if you already haven’t. Generations of generations of South Americans just can’t be wrong. They would not be here, after all, if it had any complication, on a long-enough statistical timeline. I might even go wild and advise you to grow this amazing plant on your own garden. It is cheaper on the long run as well.

Using Niacin To Treat Depression

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Jimmy O

Introduction

One of the most overlooked cures for depression is the use of micro-nutrients. People who are deficient in nutrients like niacin often become depressed. While, undergoing a niacin flush every now and then, could cure the depression and other anxious feelings. Niacin flushing entails consciously taking an overdose of niacin in order to ‘flush’ the body. It was already known for a long time that niacin could help improving cholesterol and detoxes the body; however recent scientific research has shown that niacin is also a sound treatment for depression and angst. This article will explain how this is possible, how you can do it yourself too, and how you can avoid side effects.

Serotonin, the hormone of happiness

When you go to a third world country for a time or you go out binge drinking, there is a chance that you will develop a niacin deficiency. The body then will use the amino acid tryptophan in order to produce enough niacin itself. However, tryptophan is also used for the production of serotonin, a hormone that causes happy feeling. If all tryptophan in the body is allocated to the production of niacin, this will definitely lead to a depression. In order to prevent this, you will have to consume the daily recommended dose of niacin. Recently, scientific research has shown that niacin overdoses can also help treating (social) angst.

Niacin intake

The daily recommended dose of niacin is 15-20 mg per day for healthy human adults. However, you might need more when drinking a lot of alcohol, since alcohol destroys niacin in the body. In order to overdose niacin and treat social anxiety, you will need at least 100 mg per day.

Fortunately, it is not very hard to reach the daily recommended dose if you live in a developed country. Almost all diary and whole grain products seem to contain amounts of niacin. However, in order to overdose, it is not convenient to eat niacin by dairy and whole grain products alone. It is easier to consume niacin dense foods or supplements like Slo-niacin. The following foods contain the most niacin:

Raw Crimini mushrooms (5 OZ-wt). These mushrooms contain 7.40 mg niacin.
Chicken breast (4 OZ-wt). This equals 12.40 mg niacin.
Tamari (1 tabs). This soy sauce has 0.9 mg niacin.

For vegetarians I would recommend:

Peanuts
Dates
Apricots
Champignons

Side effects

One of the disadvantages of niacin overdosing is the side effects. The most common side effect is a burning feeling in the chest. Your skin will feel like you have some sort of intense sunburn. However, do not freak out. These effects will last for approximately 30 minutes or less, depending on the amount of overdose you took in.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce the intensity of the side effects. It is a good idea to take in an aspirin 30 minutes prior to consuming your niacin rich meal or niacin supplements. Other things that may help are vitamin c tablets and garlic extract. In this way you can benefit from the positive aspects of niacin, such as curing niacin depression, without having to endure the uncomfortable feelings.

Why Animal Products are Important for a Healthy Diet

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Jimmy O

Ever since the beginning of the fat and cholesterol scare in the 1950s, many health enthusiasts have made a point to avoid animal products and some have even chosen vegetarian or vegan lifestyles. While these people were and generally still are well-meaning, the initial research that lead to such widespread fear of saturated fat and cholesterol was fundamentally flawed.

The 7 Countries Study
Much of what we believe about health today stemmed from a single study. Starting early in the 1950s, researcher Ancel Keys conducted what is popularly known as the 7 Countries Study. Following the study, Keys published findings that showed that the countries with the highest saturated fat consumption and dietary cholesterol seemed to have the highest rates of heart disease. Unfortunately, however, there were several big problems with the 7 countries study.

The first was that Ancel Keys left out various data from the vast majority of the countries in his study. He only published data from the 7 countries that supported his findings, and when all countries were included in the data set, he had no statistically significant results.

Animal products are the sole source of natural B12

Animal products are the only sources of natural Vitamin B12

Second, the study said nothing about causation, meaning it in no way showed that either saturated fat or cholesterol actually caused heart disease. Despite a massive body of evidence, subsequent studies have also failed to implicate either saturated fat or dietary cholesterol in actually causing heart disease, or virtually any other common disease.

One important issue is that standard low-cholesterol, low-fat diets are typically far less healthy than whole food diets that include meat, poultry, fish and other animal products, along with fruits, nuts and vegetables. These diets, despite being slightly higher in dietary cholesterol and fat, are richer in vitamins and minerals, and tend to lead to better overall health.

Vitamin B12 and B12 Deficiency
The larger issue with these dietary choices, however, is the potential dangers for uninformed vegetarians and vegans who fail to get a sufficient amount vitamin B12, as B12 occurs almost exclusively in meat and other animal products. So what does vitamin B do for the body? It helps with proper brain function, nervous system function and hemoglobin formation in the blood. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 often result in anxiety, depression, fatigue and higher incidences of various other diseases, particularly those related to brain function, but also in the blood.

To this day, studies attempting to implicate animal products as a cause of heart disease are flimsy at best and downright contradictory at worst. Meat – along with other animal products – especially those that are organic or pasture-raised, are an important part of a healthy diet, and B12 deficiency is far more detrimental to health than eating animal products will ever be.

Unconventional Benefits of Niacin Flushing

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Jimmy O

Niacin: Improve cholesterol, perform better in bodybuilding and treat depression

One of the latest trends in the health & wellness world is niacin flushing. Many people know niacin as vitamin b3, and niacin flushing entails that you consciously take in an overdose of niacin in order to ‘flush’ your body. Because of this, you can detox yourself, by taking in niacin supplements or eating a lot of niacin rich foods. However, there are more benefits of consuming high amounts of niacin that not many people seem to know. This article will inform you how niacin exactly can benefit you and more important: How to achieve niacin overdoses.

Cholesterol
By taking in an overdose of niacin, your veins will instantly widen. This will stimulate blood flow and improve circulation through the capillaries. Capillaries are small branches of veins, where normally the blood flow is relatively weak. Because of this, toxic wasted often gets cluttered here. By undergoing a niacin flush, you basically give your body a chance to get rid of the waste.

Bodybuilding
Niacin can help bodybuilders in two ways: By improving vascularity and increasing the production of growth hormone. The effect on vascularity is temporarily. By undergoing a niacin flush, your veins will be more visible. This is especially handy during a bodybuilding contest.

Natrol (incl Laci Le Beau Teas) Niacin Tr

Vitamin b3 also stimulated the production of growth hormone. Growth hormone is essential in muscle growth and becoming stronger. Normally, growth hormone is only produced in higher amounts if you do very have compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts and bench press. But with niacin, you can stimulate production of growth hormone too. To guarantee optimal results you have to take it in on an empty stomach and the best time to take it in is just prior to sleeping.

Depression
One of the most overlooked causes of depression is deficiency in micro-nutrients like niacin. It works like this: When your body is deficient in niacin, it will use the amino acid tryptophan in order to produce niacin itself. However, tryptophan is also used for the production of serotonin, a hormone that causes happy feelings. So if all tryptophan in the body is allocated to the production of niacin, your body will produce no serotonin. This may cause depression.

Niacin consumption
In order to enjoy the benefits of niacin, you will have to eat niacin rich foods (champignons, tuna, chicken breast) or take in supplements like Slo-niacin. However, be sure to not consume too much niacin, because it can lead to some pretty nasty side effects.

Natural Remedy for Heartburn

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Jimmy O

Over 90% of people suffer with the problem of heartburn because of their false eating habits. The common food that causes heartburn is:

Drinks containing caffeine
Chocolate
Fried and fatty foods
Tomatoes and tomato-based products
Alcohol
Tobacco
Citrus fruits and juices

Other reasons could be wearing skin fit clothes, eating more than capacity and within 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. As it is a very common everyday problem so heartburn home remedies will be the quickest way to get relief. Herbs are the safest remedy of all as they have no side effect and are the best Natural Remedy for Heartburn through herbs.

Following is the list of herbs (a natural cure) which play an important role in fighting heartburn:

1. Celery:
Celery is a good home remedy for heartburn as it relieves muscle spasms, improves appetite and increases digestion. Good for conditions such as gout and heartburn.

2. Fennel:
Relieves abdominal pain, colon disorders, and gastrointestinal spasm. It works effectively against heartburn.

3. Marshmallow root:
This herb soothes heartburn. It shows topical anti-inflammatory activity and has been used for centuries to relieve the pain associated with heartburn.

4. Ginger ( Zingiber Officinale.):
Ginger can be eaten by itself. It surely has very positive effects on the gastrointestinal system and the stomach. Ginger’s fleshy rhizome has a gentle digestive action that is used to treat disorders such as heartburn and nausea. Ginger’s active agents, the pungent phenols, shogaols and gingerols, give this herb its digestive action, and work by stimulating, while soothing the digestive system. This herb also protects the stomach by decreasing its acidity and in turn lowering gastric secretions which reduces the heartburn. Ginger is not prescribed for children less than two esp. if gallstones are present. Ginger can be taken fresh, juiced or in tea with a maximum dose of 2-4 grams daily. Fresh ginger is ideal as a heartburn remedy.

5. Peppermint (Menthe Piperita):
Peppermint oil is yet another remedy of all the heartburn home remedies, having healing properties. It cannot be taken by itself. You can take it with a cup of tea. It neutralizes the acid from the stomach can be taken after meal. For best result, some experts in herbal heartburn remedies recommend taking peppermint with caraway fruit.

6. Chamomile:
Chamomile flowers have been used for hundreds of years to treat heartburn. Chamomile contains the triterpenoids, bisabolol and azulene; which reduce cramping and inflammation in the gastro intestinal tract. In treating heartburn, azulene will stimulate peristalsis and act to reduce irritation in the gut which leads to heartburn.

Homeopathic Eating Plan for Health

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Jimmy O

If you want to lose weight, you should start now. There are so many benefits that you can enjoy when you have your ideal weight. First of all, you will not feel heavy and you can move freely without feeling easily exhausted. Also, you know that you are healthy from within and far from sickness or illnesses associated with being overweight. If you feel like you are gaining too much weight, it is time to put discipline in your eating habits and be healthy again. This is when a weight loss program comes in handy.

There may be lots of weight loss programs available. But one of the most effective is the HCG healthy eating program. This weight loss program makes one turn to eating healthy foods and having the discipline when it comes to their lifestyle. This program focuses on achieving better overall health and wellness.

To get started with the HCG slimming diet plan, one will have to take foods that are low in calorie content. This will make one get rid of foods that are fattening. Instead of taking just about any food you want, you will be disciplined and will be following a strict low calorie diet.

Here are some examples of dishes you can prepare under the diet paradigm:

- White fish chowder in light clear broth

- Peppermint fruit salad

- Chicken and parsley medley

- Asparagus steamed in rosemary and lemon water

- George Foreman cooker grilled beef and onions

- Sea salt crusted fish

- Cajun crab and vegetable cakes

- Carolina braised veal and baby vegetables

- Lobster wraps in lettuce leaves

- Egg white supreme with baby spinach

- Chinese beef on a stick

- Savory sliced chicken and strawberry salad

- Tuna soup with green scallions

- Lobster pie topped with zuchinni squash

- Savory veal and baby beet greens

- Green tea lemonade

You can see that, although the portions are controlled, the taste and eye appeal can be out of this world. If you are a great home chef, you will not feel restricted or tied down to boredom with this approach to healthy cuisine.

Along with the food, one will also take an HCG oral product. This can help speed up the effects of weight loss. HCG is a known product that suppresses appetite and can make one feel full for a longer period of time. This will help one decrease the number of times that a person will eat within the day. It is also known to make the fats work for the body so that energy can be generated. This can be an effective way to lose weight faster and safer. One can depend on this program for food variety and for addressing the problem of weight gain.Low calorie eating can be the key to lifelong weight loss.

Craving Control and HCG Weight Reduction

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Jimmy O

Every serious dieter knows that managing food cravings plays a very vital role in achieving the desired weight loss. The irony here is that the more we try to follow our diet plan, the more magnified food cravings become. The joke of, the less we try to eat food, the more we actually ended up eating it, could be very well not a joke at all, but a serious concern.

Psychology has come up with various studies when it comes to food cravings management. It seems as though those kinds of food that are literally limited or discouraged, are those that most people crave for. Say, for instance you are advised and recommended to stop drinking sugary drinks. It is maybe a natural reaction, that after a few days and weeks of actually distancing yourself from that same kind of drinks, you may be surprised to know how satisfying it is to experience it again, so the craving now increases.

Consequently, anybody with determination and passion can surely fight these cravings. A popular way of fighting the cravings and achieve results is through HCG weight losing. HCG is a natural hormone anddangers of HCG have yet to be substantiated. Moreover, the following are tips to help fend off those cravings:

1. Try to think less about the diet plan you are undergoing. Thinking more could only worsen the cravings.

2. It is a good idea to distance yourself from food sources and even pictures of food, and if cannot be avoided, think “intervention”, by distracting yourself with something else.

3. Try to avoid increased nap times. Excessive daytime sleep increases food cravings.

4. Eat meals at regular intervals, and stop skipping.

5. Go for a healthier snack like fruits. While there are yet no known dangers of HCG, intake of artificial products will not help the body as a general rule.

6. Try foods that have less sugar content.

7. HCG weight losing requires certain calorie intake for a day. Follow it religiously.

8. When menstruating (in women), starting the diet plan is not advised.

9. Exercise regularly.

10. Release stress.

Like any other diet plan, a sound program and a very serious attitude will determine the success of losing weight. When we’re on a diet, we tend to fixate on food and wanting it. Our time would be better spent recognizing that dieting is largely an emotional game in our mind where we fight with ourself to get the object of our selfish desire (food). It would be good to realize that health is our uppermost priority, and the way we will get it is by serious and focused use of homeopathic HCG.

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