Guest Posts

Teenage is that time of our life when we are most concerned about our appearance to the point of being vain and narcissistic. Ironically, acne hits most people during that crucial period more than any other part of their life. Teens, who spend hours primping in front of the mirror and spend an obscene amount of money in grooming themselves, have to contend with acne. Acne is not the social life-destroyer that it once was, owing to developments in the medical field that can reduce its effects to a great degree.

There are simple steps that can help you control acne and prevent its occurrence.

Keep your hands away from your face

This sounds simple to the extent of being absurd, but the truth is, we spend a lot of our time touching our face to relieve itching, wiping our lips, rubbing our forehead at times of stress and many other random gestures. Sweat, grime and oil from the environment are transferred to our face through our very own hands. There are plenty of bacteria and viruses everywhere that are easily transmitted via physical contact from our hands to our face. It is vital therefore to keep our hands clean at all times and in minimum contact with our face.

You have probably heard the term “yeast infection” before but the term “Candida albicans” is not as common. Candida albicans is the broad term used to describe the yeast-like organisms that exist in our bodies. While we often think of yeast in terms of irritating infections – like the vaginal yeast infection or oral thrush – the truth is that just about 80% of the population lives with yeast in the body daily. When the body is in proper balance, the yeast lives happily with the other natural bacteria in your body.

There are times when things can get a bit messed up, though. When you are ill or begin taking antibiotics that mess up the natural balance of bacteria and Candida organisms, the Candida begins to grow into what most doctors refer to as an “overgrowth.” When this happens, you can develop a condition called candidiasis, where you begin to develop a wide variety of yeast and fungal conditions. These include not only vaginal yeast infections but ringworm, gastrointestinal disorders, fungal skin infections, joint pain, and many other symptoms.

Over the last decade the word ‘organic’ has changed from being an obscure one to a general buzzword that everybody seeks to smack on their produce. These days you can even find organic food in Walmart, and everywhere people are extolling the benefits of eating ‘organic’, from local farmers to news anchors to foodies.

Yet a recent meta-analysis of hundreds of different studies on the part of Stanford researchers just revealed that on a purely nutrition-related level organic food isn’t superior to conventionally grown food. What does this mean for you, and should you stop buying organic?

The researchers looked at over 200 separate studies on the nutritional value of organic food and concluded that other than phosphorous, organic food is not superior to conventional food. This study was independently funded so that the researchers could not be accused of bias.

Protein shakes are great for bodybuilders and anyone regularly hitting the gym, as they are a fantastic source of protein. If you are an avid weightlifter, chances are that you will need the extra protein in order to gain optimum muscle mass as your diet might not quite 'cut it'. Although a great source of fast-acting protein, these protein powders are not always so flavorsome and some can actually taste quite bitter and 'chalky'.

The good news is that it really doesn't have to be this way; there are plenty of ways to improve the flavor of protein shakes, all you need is a bit of a creative flair in the kitchen. Not only is it quite easy to improve the flavor, but you can also increase the nutritional value of your protein shake pretty easily too, so it's a win-win situation.

Here are a few ways you can make those gritty protein powders more enjoyable:

#1 - Add Fresh Fruit

Most of us are disturbed due to excessive gaining of weight in certain areas of body like thighs, upper and lower waist, etc. Excessive weight not only leaves a negative impact in the personality of a person but also leads to various diseases like osteoarthritis, infertility, fatty lever disease, etc. Surgical methods for reducing the flabby parts of the body are quite expensive and risky.

How about if we discuss here a few books that can help you lose weight naturally? Here is a list of 5 books that you will like to pick and read. These books discuss in length on simpler, effective and economical methods of weight reduction.

Your body needs protein in order to repair and rebuild, and the best proteins contain plenty of amino acids to support growth. Whey protein is sometimes called the ultimate protein due to the large amounts of branched chain amino acids that it contains, and it is one of the two types of protein that come from milk.

There are two main types of whey protein available. Whey protein isolate is the purest, as the fat and lactose is removed during processing. Although whey protein concentrate is also very low in fat, it is only around 75% pure protein (while whey protein isolate is over 90% pure protein).

If you’re interested in nutrition and bodybuilding, you will most likely already have heard that there are substantial benefits to including any type of whey protein in your regimen. However, you may not know exactly why the branched chain amino acids and other chemicals found in whey protein are often said to be so important. Let’s look at the three main reasons why adding more whey protein to your diet can improve your health.

A new study released this week in Neurology contains good news for chocolate lovers: research conducted in Sweden has found a positive correlation between men who consume large amounts of chocolate with a reduced tendency toward strokes. While the connection between chocolate and health has been illustrated before by past studies, this new research brings focused attention to the correlation due to the sample size of the men observed and the clear connection between chocolate consumption and reduced risk of stroke.

The numbers are striking: an analysis of the results of the study that involved over 37,000 men and women found that those who consumed the most chocolate had a 17% lower chance of suffering from a stroke, while a meta-analysis raised this figure to 19%. Researchers however were quick to point out that this was simply an ‘observational study’, and that further research will have to be done to conclusively prove the connection.

What Is Whey Protein? Whey protein is the number one ingredient for building muscle mass and increasing body strength. But did you know that protein is also the perfect formula for weight loss?

Increasing muscle and maintaining a healthy weight requires your body to work as efficiently as possible, but even the most nutritious diet can benefit from an extra protein boost. Whey protein supplements build muscle and burn fat at the same time, helping you get even better results from your regular exercise regime.

Whey Protein comes in a powdered form, so you can drink it on-the-go by adding milk or water, as a quick snack or to replenish your muscles after a grueling work-out.

As well as helping to curb your appetite, protein supplements are very low in carbohydrates and feel less filling than solid food, so they won’t make you feel sluggish or slow you down.

The Science Bit

As a natural dairy by-product, whey protein has exceptionally high amino acid content, meaning your body will continue to build muscle even after you stop exercising. Whether you want to lose weight, achieve lean, toned muscles or simply improve your general health and well-being, Whey Protein Supplements will help you reach your ultimate goal.

While it’s no longer news for anyone remotely interested in a healthy lifestyle, dieting, or fitness that an active life will keep you relatively illness-free in your olden years, recent research has gone on to confirm this long-held assumption.

A recent study, published by the Archives of Internal Medicine also answers a question that many have asked, in light of other recent scientific investigation: if you’re fit when young, will you really benefit from lower risks of illness past the age of 65, or does fitness in youth simply delay the onset of chronic health problems?

It appears that the team of scientists at the Medical Center with the University of Southwestern Texas, led by Dr. Jarrett Berry, has managed to answer this pressing question. By staying active and fit in your middle age (i.e. at and around the age of 50), you statistically stand better chances of contracting such difficult diseases as coronary disease, heart failure, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, kidney issues, and several types of cancer, among which those of the lung and colon.

Fatigue is a “state of mental or physical weakness” but this definition is still argued upon. The causes of fatigue can be listed by Exercise Psychologist but what brings fatigue, in reality, is still a question to be discussed. Fatigue can be athletic, i.e. a muscular component or mental i.e. a brain component can be involved. Mostly, athletes and sportsperson talk about muscular fatigue, which can be minimized by taking supplements or nutrients if fatigue is only muscular.

The Muscular Component

Our body produces energy when muscles work or contract due to the stored glycogen in the muscle cells. As soon as the muscle glycogen is used up, the residue, free radicals accumulate giving rise to low energy, less work and a feeling of fatigue. A decrease in lower level of Branched Amino Acid is also noticed, which are mainly responsible for maintaining the oxygen supply to the muscle cells during the workout or muscular activity.