How To Avoid The Supplement Syndrome
by: Zach Hunt
If you were to build the house of Spokane fitness – nutrition, exercise, and motivation would make up the foundation; they would also make up the framing, the walls, the roof and pretty much the whole house. Supplements would then maybe be the satellite dish, or perhaps the little gnomes in your garden - not real worthwhile without the house there.
So why would you treat supplements as a precursor to weight loss and write off nutrition and exercise as expendable activities. Are you one of these serial supplement users? Do you subscribe to the “abc" product plan or the “xyz" metabolism makeover? If that's you - Stop! Please!
There are new diet pills and gimmicks hot off the press every month, just waiting for their prey – the desperate dieter wishing for that next “breakthrough" product. Don't be that victim.
The confusion from the diet and weight loss industries mixed with a dose of media muddle would have you believe that supplements are indeed needed for weight loss, and it's your fault if these “worthwhile" products don't work for you.
Many of these hocus-pocus-like solutions tout their creams, potions, wonder pills or gadgets as a no-effort and no-exercise-required approach to Spokane fitness – the fat is going to just melt off.
Let's get this straight; fat does not melt off - unless you use a strategy involving a blowtorch. But I don't recommend that. Even the manufacturers stress that their products should be used along with proper nutrition and exercise.
If you ever need some good entertainment – watch a late night infomercial for a diet product. Look at the before and after pictures they show. If you look carefully you'll often see in real small print – the size of a toenail clipping - “results achieved along with proper diet and exercise".
Wow! That is a real breakthrough product. Ever heard of the placebo effect? Often these products are just a good excuse to eat right and exercise – which then produces the desired effect of weight loss.
Yes, there are a few helpful supplements out there. But again, they are not “needed". Even the useful supplements can be used as a crutch, delaying the onset of proper nutrition and exercise.
What you eat and how much physical activity you get will make up 95% or more of the results you achieve. So why would you try to maximize the 5% when you can get the most effect from just working out and eating right.
And when you do include supplements in your diet, be sure they are legitimate and proven products with research to support their claims.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publishes an excellent report on how to avoid supplement scams – it's called “The Red Flag Report" - with a fitting subtitle, “I lost $350 in two weeks. Ask me how!" It gives a list of the top 7 red flags to watch out for when buying diet products and exercise equipment. Here they are:
A supplement or product is too good to be true if it says the product will:
1. Cause weight loss of two pounds or more a week for a month or more without dieting or exercise
2. Cause substantial weight loss no matter what or how much the consumer eats
3. Cause permanent weight loss (even when the consumer stops using product)
4. Block the absorption of fat or calories to enable consumers to lose substantial weight
5. Safely enable consumers to lose more than three pounds per week for more than four weeks 6. Cause substantial weight loss for all users
7. Cause substantial weight loss by wearing it on the body or rubbing it into the skin
You can download the full report with some more detail about each of these 7 red flags along with examples of products that would violate each of them at the FTC website.
If you get just one thing out of this article I would really be pleased if you realize that you don't need any supplements to be successful with weight loss. You are empowered, you have the capability, you have all you need to do this, without any gimmicks.
source:searchwarp.com
Things You Need To Know about Menopause
By:Boone Swann
It seems like women do it all these days. We work outside the home, we care for our families and we cook and clean everyday. Just when it seems like our lives “get going,” (i.e. the kids are grown up, there are no more school lunches to make, etc) menopause hits us like a ton of bricks.
Most of us don’t think of researching and learning about “the change” until it is already happening to us. Then, when we are miserable, we try to find a way out of the discomfort. There are many benefits in learning about menopause well before it happens to us, and there are even some things you can do before it happens that will lessen the suffering when it does come!
It is certainly recommended that you see your doctor while you are going through menopause, but there are also some herbal remedies that can help you through “the change.” You can find an herbal pill called Black Cohosh at many department stores and drugstores. This herb will keep your hot flashes to a minimum, and it also relieves cramping and menstrual pain. Another herb that can help you is Chaste tree, a hormonal balancer that lessens depression set on by menopause.
The normal age that women start menopause is usually around fifty to fifty-one, but there are also cases where it starts early, like as a result of surgery, chemotherapy, cancer or other serious diseases. Menopause can also start early without a cause.
Before “the change” occurs, you will go through a phase called “Peri-Menopause.” During this time it is normal to have very heavy menstrual cycles, mood swings and depression. The herbs discussed above (especially the Black Cohosh) will greatly improve these symptoms. The herb, “Liferoot,” is another good treatment that helps eliminate hot flashes and alleviates those heavy periods. If you are experiencing depression, try taking Gingko or St. John’s Wort to help improve your mood, stress and anxiety.
After the first phase, menopause really starts and more symptoms can develop. These symptoms can include:
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Migraine headaches
• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Aches and pains in joints and muscles
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Skin problems
This list can be very overwhelming, but don’t worry; they don’t usually occur all at once! If you have any of these symptoms for a prolonged amount of time, and none of the herbal remedies are working, make sure you see your doctor.
Some people would rather go to their doctor and get a prescription than trust herbal remedies, and this can work for your menopause symptoms as well. Remember though, that some of these medications can upset your hormonal balance, and some estrogen supplements are really not healthy for you in the long run. Some of the things your doctor can give you are:
• Estrogen replacement
• Birth control pills
• Progesterone cream
• Vitamin supplements
Vitamin supplements should be taken whether or not you are going with herbal or prescription remedies for your menopause. Your body will be going through something stressful, new and extra vitamins are needed to help your body regulate itself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Visit Tricori.com: online pharmacy, online drug store, health products
Dos And Don'ts For Taking Natural Vitamin Supplements
by Mario R. Churchill
Natural vitamin supplements are mostly beneficial, but there are also rare instances when they become hazardous to your health. Practice caution when taking natural vitamin supplement by adhering to the following dos and don'ts.Do consider your health. If you're not willing to visit your doctor and have a general checkup, try to identify your physical strengths and weaknesses because this will let you know which specific vitamins you need regular dosages for and which ones you need extra of.
Do choose multivitamins over natural vitamin supplements that contain specific vitamins only. Taking multivitamins will ensure that you get a healthy dosage of all essential vitamins as well as important minerals. It also helps you maintain a routine more easily because you only need to take one tablet a day for multiple vitamins (thus its name).
Do practice care when choosing which natural vitamin supplements to take. Read consumer and professional reviews regarding the product.
Do consider your budget when choosing which natural vitamin supplements to take. As taking natural vitamin supplements can be a lifelong routine, it will become a permanent part of your budget. Make sure you purchase only one you can afford to take regularly without crippling your finances too much. You could also inquire with your insurance company if they have any advice and discounts to offer.
Do not buy any natural vitamin supplement that is not approved and licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration. Unlicensed drugs may have serious side effects that could endanger your health or worse, your life.
Do not buy any natural vitamin supplement from any illegitimate vendor. Even though you know the seller personally, it's still better to purchase from a legitimate pharmacy.
Do check the expiry date of your natural vitamin supplements because there are illegal drugstores which continue to sell expired medication to the public. Consuming expired vitamin supplements can lead to a number of health complications.
Do observe time properly when taking natural vitamin supplements. It's possible for their benefits and effects to be enhanced if you take them on the dot. Setting your watch to alarm on a particular hour every day isn't too much to ask, is it?
Do eat healthy food if you wish to increase the effects of taking natural vitamin supplements. While they can certainly contribute a lot to your health, they shouldn't be seen as miracle workers. Natural vitamin supplements won't help at all if you counter them by eating too much fried foods and sweets. Match your healthy habit with a healthy diet. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits while reducing intake of oils and fats.
Do exercise regularly. A daily workout will only serve to complement the significant benefits provided by natural vitamin supplements. Think of it as natural vitamin supplements laying the foundation of good health and exercise as the glue that maintains it. Choose the type of exercise you can have fun with and one you won't have any problem performing at your preferred time of the day. Fifteen to thirty minutes' worth of workout would do.
Do adopt a healthy lifestyle as well if you wish to maximize use of natural vitamin supplements. Consider quitting smoking, reducing intake of liquor, and try sleeping the required number of hours every day.
Those are the dos and don'ts to make sure that natural vitamin supplements play their role the way they're supposed to in your life. Stay healthy!
About the Author
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For information on natural vitamin supplements and or to purchase nutritional vitamin supp
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