In a nutshell, dietary supplements help us get all the necessary nutrients needed for building lean muscle mass. When combined with a good diet, they can improve your training performance and results. However, there are some big truths and even bigger lies about supplements. While experts agree that vitamin or mineral supplementation is beneficial in our diets, they also point out that they are supplements, not replacements, and that they should fill in the nutrient gaps, not take over our diet.

Secondly, supplements are of little use if you don’t push hard in the gym. The same goes if you are feasting and overeating three times a day. In other words, you should make everything else right before supplements enter the scene. This includes regular training, proper diet, and enough recovery period and sleep.

Dietary Supplements, Supplement Food

Dietary supplements are not designed as a substitute for food. They simply cannot replace all the nutrients that whole foods contain. They can patch nutrient holes here and there, but the true power lies on the plate, not in the powder. There’s no doubt that whole foods are the best source of nutrients, as they contain phytochemicals, fibers, and other elements that contribute to good health. They simply cannot be simulated with a pill or a supplement powder.

Supplements and Health

Supplementation is a great way of boosting nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, which modern lifestyle and popular foods often fail to contain. In this case, vitamin and mineral supplements are helping the body alleviate nutrient deficiency and reduce the risk of chronic medical conditions. And while it’s true that you can build a good body based on proper diet like guys did back in the 50, it’s much more time consuming, and it requires regular tours to the supermarket. For bodybuilders, supplements are the more convenient way of ingesting enough muscle-building nutrients.

Fibers

Fiber has many advantages in maintaining normal cholesterol levels. It regulates the amount of cholesterol our body absorbs from food. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes are natural sources of fiber. And while, as always, it’s better to ingest fibers directly from food, you can enhance fiber intake by 25 to 30g of fibers from supplements. Psyllium husk, which is a common ingredient in fiber supplements, is known to reduce the level of bad LDL cholesterol while raising good HDL cholesterol.

Creatine

The role of creatine monohydrate supplements is to boost the creatine level in you muscle tissue. The level of creatine phosphate in muscles is directly related to the amount of weight you can lift and your ability to perform short-term maximum strength reps. High-intensity anaerobic workout performance can be increased by creatine supplementation.

Glutamine

This amino acid makes up over 61% of your skeletal muscle. Its benefits include improving immune function, which is crucial for athletes in high-intensity training. It was also shown that glutamine may prevent muscle catabolism. Glutamine supplements are believed to boost the amount of growth hormone levels.

BCAA

The group of branch chained amino acids consists of valine, leucine, and iso-leucine. These amino acids are compounds that your body cannot generate, so their level must be increased through diet and supplements like casein protein. Not only has BCAA supplementation shown better results in gaining strength and muscle mass, but it is also essential for energy production during workouts, while reducing post-exercise muscle soreness.

Editor’s Note:

Creatine is hard on the kidneys. There’s much debate about this, but it’s a fact. This is why creatine is known to cause flatulence. Do not take creatine if you have any kidney related health issues. Other supplements commonly taken by body builders are typically acidic and toxic to the body, but the supplements mentioned above can be purchased from qaulity companies. I recommend you avoid bodybuilding supplements from body building companies.

Also, when body building, be sure to eat an alkaline diet. No matter how much protein you feel you need, if you’re eating an acidic diet full of refined foods and factory farmed meats, your body will stay sore longer. Speed up recovery time by eating a diet that is balanced with lots of produce and healthy fats. When the body is healthy, bodybuilding is easier and much more beneficial for overall health.

Recommended Supplements:

• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula (Perfect source of protein with vitamins and minerals)
• Hemp Protein & Fiber Powder (Additional protein and a great fiber)
• Arctic Cod Liver Oil (Get some vitamin D and omega 3s for better muscle recovery)
• Liquid Light (Mineralize the body and balance the pH while supporting vitamin bioavailability)
• Bio-Gest (For anyone eating large amounts of meat at a time)

Further Reading:

• 80% Raw Food Diet
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• The Vegan Bodybuilder
• What to Expect When You Hire a Personal Trainer
• Training and Your Heart Rate

Sources:

• Casein Protein Powder – Supplement Empire
• Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system  – NCBI
• Health Benefits of Dietary Fiber – NCBI

Guess what? The nice folks charged with taking care of everyone have finally decided we were getting too much fluoride. The U.S. Public Health Service changed our drinking water standards for the first time since 1962.

The previously agreed upon level of fluoride was 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, the amount of fluoride found in a single use of 95% of the toothpastes available on the market in the United States.

Is Fluoride Even Necessary?

Advocates claim that the addition of fluoride to the water supply is the reason for the decline in tooth decay since the 1950s. These same advocates ignore the fact that the same decline in decay rates occurred in all western countries. The majority of European countries that do not use fluoride have seen a 75% reduction in tooth decay over a forty-year period.

Fluoride’s Unsafe History

Where does fluoride come from? Before fluorine gas (the element that fluoride is derived from) was isolated, chemists dealing with it suffered from severe injuries, especially to the soft tissues of the respiratory tract. Manmade fluoride comes from industrial waste, and the FDA hasn’t carefully assessed it.

Forty percent of 12-15-year-olds in America show signs of fluorosis, an overexposure to fluoride that causes white spots on teeth. The deputy surgeon general is citing fluorosis as the main reason for the lowering of the recommended amount of fluoride in drinking water. Unfortunately, that’s not the only reason to reduce and eliminate fluoride in our drinking water.

Harvard scientists decided that the effect of fluoride on the young brain was a high priority topic of study, as several studies have found children’s IQs were reduced by fluoride exposure. It has also been linked to damaged learning and memory centers in the brain.

Fluoride is also toxic for bones, as the chronic ingestion of fluoride has been linked to skeletal fluorosis. It’s clear that the rate of dental damage from fluoride is on the rise, and it makes sense that the same damage is occurring in the skeletal system. There have also been links between fluoride and damage to the kidneys and thyroid.

Say No to Fluoride

With the growing tide of research confirming that fluoride is harming the brain and bones as well as the teeth it’s purportedly designed to help, 0.7 of fluoride per liter of water as the new standard still seems high considering it’s merely the low end of the previous recommendation. The fact that it has taken more than 50 years for the Public Health Service to lower the levels of fluoride in our water in the face of damning evidence shows how unwilling our government is to consider current research.

While the lowering of the recommended amount of fluoride is a step in the right direction, it is not enough. There are things that you can do to take care of and protect yourself even further. Learn about the best water to drink (see links 8 and 2 below) and learn how to make your own fluoride free toothpaste.

Further Reading:

• What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and For Drinking?
• Symptoms of Dehydration & Benefits of Proper Hydration – Are you Getting Enough Water?
• Why Water Fluoridation Continues, Despite Flying in the Face of Science
• What’s in Your Water?

Sources:

• Feds Say It’s Time To Cut Back On Fluoride In Drinking Water – Shots, Health News from NPR
• Heal Cavities, Gum Disease, Naturally with Organic Oral Care – Toothpaste Recipes Included – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Why Water Fluoridation Continues Despite Flying in the Face of Science – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Tooth Decay Trends In Fluoridated Vs. Unfluoridated Countries – Fluoride Alert
• Fluorine – Chemistry Explained
• Fluoride & IQ: The 43 Studies – Fluoride Alert
• What are the long-term effects of ingesting fluoride on our bones? – com
• What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and Drinking? – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Due to an HIV outbreak among needle users, Indiana governor, Mike Pence, declared a public health emergency for Scott County, a rural area 30 miles north of Louisville. On April 10th, there were 95 confirmed cases of HIV and 11 preliminary positive cases. On May 5^th, the count has risen to 140.

The state has waived its ban on needle exchange programs and is currently encouraging resident drug users to step forward and exchange their needles. Needless to say, few are taking the government up on the offer and critics say the program is not being run according to best practices.Lack of information and misinformation on HIV continues, and infection continues to spread.

Beginning of HIV/AIDS in America

Although it is believed HIV/AIDS started in Africa, AIDS was first identified in the United States. In 1981, a number of young, white men were contracting rare diseases, a rare type of pneumonia (Pneumocystis Pneumonia Carinii) and a rare type of cancer (Kaposi’s Sarcoma). Common denominators included a devastated immune system, opportunistic and rare infections, and a common sexual orientation – the young men were gay. In 1982, cases among heterosexuals were identified, with half of them being confirmed IV drug users. The next identified group were persons with hemophilia who had received blood products.

In 1984, the virus, HIV, was identified as the cause of AIDS. Our government did not launch an AIDS education campaign until 1988. Discrimination is blamed for much of the spread of the disease due to an early attitude of self-righteous belief that the disease would remain limited to gay men and IV drug users, thus eliminating “undesirables” from our society.

By 1986, when a heat treatment was developed to kill HIV in blood products, it is estimated that half of the Americans with hemophilia had already contracted HIV from our blood supply.

HIV Prevalence

Prevalence of a disease is the number of persons living with the disease at any given time. The 2011 estimate of HIV infection in the United States was 1, 201,100 of which 160,300 (14%) were yet to be diagnosed.

Current HIV Infection Stats

Today the CDC reports an estimated 50,000 new cases of HIV infection are diagnosed each year. The latest data was obtained in 2010 with 47,500 new cases that year. Two-thirds of these cases were reported within the gay community. Black/African Americans comprise the second most infected population with 8 times the infection rate of Caucasian Americans.

Gay and bisexual youth, aged 13 to 24, show a 22% increase in estimated new infections from 2008 to 2010, according to the CDC. This age group accounts for 26% of annual new cases. Unfortunately, 50% of these infected youth do not know they are infected. Rates of infection for young black/African Americans and Hispanic/Latino young men are the highest.

Conclusion

Safe sexual practices could eradicate this disease, but this will never happen as long as so many remain uneducated about HIV and how it spreads.

Further Reading:

• How Viruses Work and How to Prevent Them Naturally
• Make Your Immune System Bulletproof with These Natural Remedies

Sources:

• HIV Outbreak in Indiana Tops 100 Cases – NBC News
• History of HIV & AIDS in the U.S.A. – AVERT
• Rural Indiana Struggles to Contend With H.I.V. – Outbreak- N.Y. Times
• HIV Among Youth – CDC

In the spring of 2014, a Bourbon County, Kansas farmer sought hospital treatment. Eleven days later, he died. His symptoms included fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and a rash. Blood work showed thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count, which inhibits clotting making the patient more susceptible to bleeding) and leukopenia (reduced white blood cell count, inhibiting immune response to the pathogen). The patient said he had been bitten by ticks.

The CDC determined the man suffered from a never before encountered RNA virus of the genus Thogotovirus, viruses that are found around the world. There is no cure for Bourbon virus. There has not yet been another identified case of this virus. Scientists do not know if this virus affects other animals.

Naturally, there is concern about whether there is a new virus spreading from tick to tick and across the animal kingdom that we have little to no treatment for, but we can remain vigilant and take care of ourselves and our pets to lessen the likelihood of exposure.

How to Avoid Tick Bites

The first step to avoid tick bites is vibrant health. Parasitic creatures are more drawn to unhealthy humans (and pets) than truly healthy ones. Part of the attraction is our smell, which is affected by our health, the products we put on our skin, and the foods we eat. Onions and garlic repel pests – both mosquitoes and ticks. And both are very good for you.

Tick Repellent Spray

There are a number of essential oils that repel ticks and mosquitoes as well. Nan Martin of Experience Essential Oils recommends this recipe for dogs and humans:

Tick Spritz Recipe

• 1 cup of Distilled water
• 2 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
• 2 Drops Palo Santo Essential Oil
• 1 Drop Myrrh Essential Oil
• 4 Drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
• 1 Drop Peppermint Essential Oil
• 1 Drop of Thieves Hand Soap or Castile Soap (emollient)

Place in a spray bottle and shake. Spritz when needed

(No cats! Don’t use essential oils on cats!)

Wear long sleeves and long pants in the woods to avoid tick bites. Always check for ticks when you have been in the woods or in bushy areas. If you find an embedded tick, cover it with an undiluted essential oil. This will probably cause the tick to back out.

Anti-Virus Protocol

If you have been bitten by a tick, this is the time to follow the healthiest and cleanest diet. Remember that sugar feeds viruses and bacteria. There are several natural means to boost your immune system. Check out How Viruses Work and How to Prevent Them Naturally and Make Your Immune System Bulletproof With These Natural Remedies.

Sources:

• This Man Died Days After This Red Spot Showed Up. When The Docs Figured Out Why? They Freaked – Sun Gazing
• New Tick-Borne Disease Identified In Kansas Man, Kills Him In 11 Days – Medical Daily 
• Bourbon Virus – CDC
• Tick Repellent – Experience Essential Oils

For a newbie, going to the gym can be a daunting experience. All those machines, muscular, toned regulars cranking the weights, the fitness and nutrition advice and exercise routines you’ve seen in magazines whirling around in your head. However, even the most seasoned gym veterans get it wrong. In fact, sometimes those who have been hammering the gym the longest are the ones with the worst habits. Take a look at our hit list below to see how you can tune up your workout and eliminate the bad habits that may be holding you back from getting the best results.

Not Asking for Help

If you’re unsure of something – ask! So many people feel intimidated at the gym. They never ask for assistance or find out how to use the equipment for optimum results. At best, people simply use the same machines over and over again or they use them wrong. At worst, they can be put off so much that they never return. If you don’t feel able to ask someone in the gym or a member of staff, then turn to the Internet. There are so many sites and resources online brimming with information. So think about your goal and get Googling.

Not Eating Properly

Nutrition is actually more important than what you do at the gym. If you don’t get that right, your workout could be null and void. People still skip meals or eat convenience or junk food believing that it won’t affect their workout. Sadly, this isn’t true. Make sure you’re getting a good mix of healthy carbs, protein, and fresh vegetables throughout the day. Snack when you are hungry and never starve yourself. Hydration is also key. Feed your body properly and it will thank you, but most importantly, the benefits will come back to you tenfold.

Not Compensating for Dietary Gaps

Eating right and ensuring your body is getting the essential nutrients it needs is easier said than done. It is important to be aware of the gaps in your diet so that you can take measures to resolve them. While food should be your primary source of nutrients, vitamins and other dietary supplements can compensate for the minor gaps in your diet. It is important to understand that they do not by any means replace all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods. They are purely a supplement to your diet that can help prevent deficiencies. Supplements have been scientifically formulated according to goal, gender, and age so you can choose a supplement that matches these attributes.

Not Changing It Up

Lots of people get stuck in the same routine – a routine they feel comfortable in, one that they like – the same time, the same machines, the same classes. However your body soon gets used to one type of exercise, so you have to keep it guessing in order to stay fit and toned. Sure, you might know what works for you, and that’s fine, but make sure you’re switching it up now and again and adding new things that will shock your body and produce some surprising new results. Identifying the mistakes you are making is the first step to self-improvement. Nobody is perfect, we are all guilty of a few bad habits. But, if they are hindering your personal goals and objectives, isn’t it time to make a change?

Further Reading:

• 80% Raw Food Diet
• Yoga – A Beginner’s Guide
• What to Expect When You Hire a Personal Trainer
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula

Shampoo is the most common hair care product we buy, but the harsh chemical compounds present in commercial shampoos cause too much harm to our tresses and make them dull, dry, and unhealthy. Going organic can save your hair from this turmoil and DIY recipes can be easy on your wallet. So, here are 5 simple DIY organic shampoo recipes that can give you beautiful, attractive hair:

Organic Coconut and Lemon Shampoo Recipe

This simple, easy and inexpensive shampoo can nourish both your hair and scalp to give you gorgeous locks.

Ingredients:

• Liquid castile soap – 1 cup
• Organic coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
• Lemongrass essential oil – 20 drops

Directions:

1. Pour liquid castile soap into a mixing bowl.
2. Add organic coconut oil and stir well.
3. Add lemongrass essential oil to the opaque mixture.
4. Mix everything once again.

Organic Shea Butter Shampoo Recipe

If your hair is extremely dry and severely damaged, this shampoo can restore its natural moisture and put it into good health.

Ingredients:

• Liquid castile soap – 200 ml.
• Organic shea butter – 15 ml.
• Lavender essential oil – 8 to 10 drops
• Sodium bicarbonate – 1(1/2) teaspoons
• Distilled water – 50 ml.

Directions:

1. Melt solid shea butter by placing it over boiling water. Let it cool to room temperature.
2. Mix water with sodium bicarbonate to make a solution.
3. Pour this solution into liquid castile soap. Stir for a few seconds. Avoid forming too much foam.
4. Add melted shea butter.
5. Add lavender essential oil to the bowl.
6. Blend everything together.

Organic Chamomile Shampoo Recipe

You can opt for this organic chamomile shampoo to turn your curly, frizzy and dry locks into soft, smooth and manageable ones.

Ingredients:

• Solid castile soap – 2 tablespoons
• Organic chamomile tea – 1 cup
• Chamomile essential oil – 4 to 5 drops
• Pure glycerin – 1 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Grate a solid bar of castile soap from one side.
2. Brew a cup of strong chamomile tea and pour it into the grated castile soap.
3. Add glycerin.
4. Add chamomile essential oil.
5. Blend everything well.

Organic Vegetable Oil and ACV Shampoo Recipe

Say ‘bye bye’ to dandruff and improve the overall appearance of your hair significantly with this super effective organic shampoo.

Ingredients:

• Liquid castile soap – 4 tablespoons
• Organic vegetable oil – 2 teaspoons
• Organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) – 4 tablespoons
• Coconut flakes – 4 tablespoons
• Fresh thyme – 4 tablespoons
• Fresh rosemary – 4 tablespoons
• Distilled water – 2 cups

Directions:

1. Bring distilled water to a boil.
2. Add coconut flakes, fresh thyme and fresh rosemary to it. Stir well and boil for 30 more minutes.
3. Strain the mixture and add liquid castile soap to it.
4. Pour vegetable oil and ACV into it.
5. Mix everything well.

Organic Green Tea Shampoo Recipe

The antioxidant properties of green tea can make your tresses look healthy and beautiful by preventing grey hair and reducing hair fall.

Ingredients:

• Liquid castile soap – 1 cup
• Organic green tea leaves – a handful
• Organic olive oil – 1 tablespoon
• Organic raw honey – 1 teaspoon
• Distilled water – 1 cup

Directions:

1. Boil fresh green tea leaves in distilled water and brew for 30 minutes.
2. Add liquid castile soap.
3. Add olive oil and honey.
4. Combine everything well.

Further Reading:

• Morrocco Method Hair Care Review
• Four DIY Homemade Cosmetic Products For Healthy, Vibrant Skin
• The Soap and Shampoo Conspiracy
• How to make your own Natural Deodorant at Home – Recipe
• Fight Cavities and Gingivitis Naturally With Homemade DIY Oral Health
• Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula

References:

• Green Tea for great Health, Skin and Hair – Beauty Glimpse.com
• How to Make Natural Shampoo – Wellness Mama

Restore Joints, Blood Vessels, Skin, Bone, Intestines, and More…

We argue over the great nutritional deficiencies of our time.  Some say Omega 3s, others propose low mineral levels like magnesium, selenium, and zinc while still others cite the lack of every vitamin, fruit, vegetable, herb, spice, and amino acid.  Sure!  They are all correct, more or less.

Maybe the most overlooked deficiency is simply real soup, not the stuff in a can.  The easily absorbed proteins and minerals once found in the peasant’s soup pot are absent in today’s popular boneless/skinless chicken breast or other foods of convenience. Any fish or animal carcass plus a mix of veggies and herbs has always been the ticket to restoring the human “carcass.”  Broth bars are springing up around the country in the footsteps of juice bars as healthy choices over fast foods and vending machine snackage.

Strong Statement, Undeniable Biochemistry

The epidemic of arthritis, heart/artery and bowel disease, rampant sports injuries, skin problems, and skeletal erosion is largely due to the lack of soup and Vitamin C, which is critical for collagen synthesis.  Collagen is the substance that cartilage joint surfaces, spinal discs, tendons, ligaments, bones, blood vessels, lymphatics, fascia, fat cells, mucous membranes, and beautiful skin are made from. These connective tissues are the mud and straw of our bodies, the glue and fiber that hold us together and even act as an internal electric grid.

Homemade soups contain a raft of proteins, including the amino acids lysine and proline emphasized by Linus Pauling along with glucosamine/chondrotin sulfate and hyaluronic acid plus all the phosphorous and other minerals that leach from bone and cartilage. You may note these contents in various arthritis supplements and see Vitamin C/collagen appearing on labels of high-end beauty and wrinkle creams.

Stocks can be used in dozens of ways besides soup to slurp with a spoon. The best gravies, sauces, stews, and gumbos start with stocks, and grains like rice and quinoa can be cooked in stock.

How-To in a Nutshell

Chicken soup is fine, but imagine fish heads, shrimp shells, deer bones, wild duck, and turkey carcasses along with the standard beef, pork, and lamb. In a pinch, and for strong gelatin, grab some split pig feet and tails and gnaw the skin and cartilage, too. Connoisseurs prefer to simmer beef bones for 24-36 hours, but 6 hrs is plenty for beef stew in my kitchen.  Some roast bones first to add flavor. All the others make fine stocks in under two hours of gentle cooking, more like simmering than hard boiling. Fish stocks of smallish non-oily saltwater species may be the most nutrient diverse — just gut, snip out gills, and rinse in brine.

All it takes is a big stainless steel pot, water, sea salt, pepper, garlic, onion, celery, and acidic vinegar, lemon juice, or tomatoes to ensure maximum mineral release. Fishhead stocks also require a fine screen to strain scales. Any vegetable, herbs like thyme, basil, bay, oregano and even ginger, turmeric, pineapple skins, hot peppers, potatoes, noodles and rice work. Check recipes on the Internet and use your imagination, because anything goes. Vegetables can be steamed or roasted separately or added near the end to prevent overcooking. The thickness of gelatin upon refrigeration is proof positive of success, and gels themselves are full of richly structured water. Reheat only the portion to be consumed.  Fresh stocks can be frozen.

Plan a Protocol

Soups and extra vitamin C are standard maintenance when you are healthy, but if you are facing any symptoms like gum disease, arthritis, skin problems, joint sprains, digestive issues, or even colds or sinus infections, raise the doses. Higher doses might include pig feet or fish soup plus 3-5 oral megadoses of Vitamin C/baking soda per day, every day, until you are completely healed. Expect results and improvement with some issues in days and weeks to possibly a month or two for joint/tendon/ligament/cartilage healing where vasculature is sparse. When joint problems and sports injuries are slow to heal, patience is an asset, yet you can always try to accelerate the process of rebuilding and regenerating tissues, molecule by molecule.

More oxygen means more healing cell energy with reduced acidity and inflammation for any injury, infection, or concussion. Try five to ten minutes of pure oxygen (or sessions of hyper-ventilation exercise) several times a day up to HBOT treatments for more severe complaints.

Alkalizing the system with bicarbonate of soda, apple cider vinegar, and magnesium supplements moves more O2.

You can raise circulation with cayenne, niacin, sauna, exercise, and massage to move oxygen and lymphatic wastes. Anti-inflammatory polyphenol-packed herbals like ginger, turmeric, garlic and MSM sulfur internally, and cannabis oil, magnesium oil, and capsaicin creams externally reduce pain and swelling. Pauling also recommended vitamin E.

Pulsed lasers are winning acclaim for joint pains among chiropractors and veterinarians.

Pain is a great motivator, driving many to drink, drugs, and surgeries. Understanding body chemistry and acquiring the simple art of making healing soups is worth more than gold when you consider the alternative.

Further Reading:

• Coffee, Tea, Turmeric and Beyond: Zero-In On Essential Polyphenolson – GreenMedInfo.com
• 80% Raw Food Diet
• The Health Benefits of Root Vegetables – With Recipes
• Spices
• The Way We Used To Eat – The Real Paleo Diet