Health Articles

My work week is hectic to say the least. Add three kids under five and you have a frazzled mess. Being a guru of supplements, I looked inward for some answers. I wanted to be more focused and productive at work AND haver the mental energy for my kids so i can play and spend time as a “fresh” dad at the end of a day. I was feeling run down and forced in to “acting” like everything was ok. Totally overwhelmed and where to attack the challenges of my day to day life.

I began a self prescribe stack of NeuroMax II by MRM and a Sci-Fit Gaba. I took the NeuroMax II at lunch everyday and the GABA at bedtime.

The GABA I felt the first time, very tinglely, definitely eased me to sleeps quickly and I was able to sleep very sound. My wife said one night I feel asleep talking - right in the middle of a sentence. The focus pills seemed to be making a difference as well. I felt I was getting more energy and sharpening up a bit. Being an expert - I knew “this could be placebo feelings”. Then it happened - unexplicable proof that they work! I Beat My High Score at Pac-Man. Now if you do not remember PAC-MAN - Skip to the summary.

I sit in the bathtub, i have this great over sized tub, and watch sports, news and sometimes play the old original arcade games. I do this a couple days a week. Now, this has been for a couple years. So on pacman I have been maxed out. I keep getting to the 4th or 5th “key” - high score 116,000 point or so. I have been hopelessly stuck (or maybe beat it by a few hundred points or so) for 6 months or longer. Going to bed every night with those little bastard ghost having beat me. Damn that blinky.

So after taking my mental focus stack for about 3 weeks i began the game of the YEAR. I reached the 8th key and scored more than 155,000. I was insane. In a world of 700 billion dollar bailouts, it does not sound like much - nor does pacman compare to today’s Halo - but this was freakin’ BIG.

As silly as I sounds it really does confirm the effectiveness of this genre of products for me.

Summary: It really works. The combination of the two products was great - try it - it works.

Think,

Big Jim

With the winter months quickly approaching, it’s important to keep your hair and skin moisturized and conditioned. Often people skip over conditioning their hair and giving it special attention. Unless you have really oily or baby fine hair, you should give your hair a deep conditioning treatment once per month.

According to Allure magazine, use a formula “that penetrates the hair’s core and strengthens it from the inside.” If you chemically process your hair and or blow-dry it, you are a good candidate for deep conditioning. If you want to use something homemade, try mashed avocado or olive oil and apply the formula to dry hair or you can buy deep conditioning products at I-supplements.com. Use your fingers or a brush to stimulate the scalp and distribute the product. Wrap your head in a warm towel and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Make sure you wash it out thoroughly and let your hair air dry so the conditioner can continue to penetrate to your hair shaft.

The future health of your bones is completely determined by the life you led as a child. Given though that your childhood diet and activity levels will have an affect on your future bone health, recent research reveals that your adult lifestyle may have the greatest influence on the overall health of your bones. Be good to your bones by exercising regularly and getting enough bone-loving nutrients, like calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C. The lack of these nutrients are one of the factors that can affect bone mineral density (BMD) in adults, as well as lack of protein, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise habits, pregnancies, and certain medications such as hormone replacement therapies. Love your bones!

Gamma-Aminobutryic Acid or GABA is a powerful amino acid that was first discovered in 1883 in Berlin Germany. It is actually classified as a neurotransmitter, which means it helps nerve impulses cross the synapses (gaps) and communicate better. GABA has a many positive benefits for your nervous system.

GABA also has some surprising effects when it comes to promoting fat loss. GABA stimulates the production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). It is HGH that has been found in studies to facilitate the metabolism of fats in the body. HGH is also known for it’s powerful muscle-building effects, which is a plus.
Increasing HGH is definitely a good thing, especially for bodybuilders or anyone over 30. HGH tends to decrease naturally with age, so the older you get, the harder it is to lose fat. That’s one reason GABA has become so popular with people when they start to age.

Clinical studies have shown that GABA increases the body’s sleeping cycle and people report more vivid dreams than usual. Getting a good night’s sleep and obtaining more rest can lead to more energy throughout the day. Not to mention, increasing fat loss and promoting muscle growth also leads to an increase in energy. More energy and feelings of vigor are common side effects of GABA supplementation!

Last but not least, GABA has been shown to be very effective in treating pain associated with arthritis or pain in the lower back. Most scientific research indicates that the proper amounts of GABA to take per day are a minimum of 2 grams. Better results have been found when supplementing with 5 grams per day. For serious results, studies have found that supplementing between 5 and 18 grams works well. If GABA is being taken for fat loss, it’s best to take it about 2 hours before going to bed, since that is when production of HGH is the best. For pain support, GABA can be taken anytime and be effective.

White Willow Bark has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years, and has chemical properties that are being tested for their immune boosting, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pain reducing capabilities. It is widely known as the aspirin herb, because it contains salicin, an aspirin like chemical.

The use of willow bark for the treatment of pain and inflammation has been traced back to 400 BC, and it is sold today as a natural herbal remedy for headache, lower back pain, fever, and arthritis. It is also sometimes recommended for flu, bursitis, and menstrual cramps. Although it shares many characteristics in common with aspirin and has many of aspirin’s side effects, it may have advantages over aspirin in that its effects may be more long lasting.
White willow is commonly known as European willow, a deciduous tree found in North America, Asia, and Europe.

How do you Take White Willow Bark?
Willow bark is available in capsule form, and loose for infusions in tea. For a medicinal tea, boil one to two teaspoons of bark in eight ounces of water and let steep for ten minutes.

When You Shouldn’t Take White Willow Bark
White willow bark is not recommended if you are under 16, pregnant, or nursing. Any change in medication should be discussed with your physician.

White Willow Bark and Your Pets
Although aspirin and white willow bark are poisonous to your cat, there are instances where white willow bark has been used successfully as a pain treatment for dogs.

As with any medication, consult your veterinarian before attempting to diagnose or treat your dog.
Note:Common Poisons to Your Pets

While we are talking about pets, please remember that any aspirin-like substance can kill your cat, and chocolate and onions are toxic to your dog. Please be careful, so your pets can be members of your family for many years to come.

When choosing what kind of vegetables to buy- frozen or canned, the healthiest choice is going to be frozen. Frozen veggies are packaged very close to the point of harvest, which helps them to retain the nutrients. Canned vegetables however are cooked first and lose some of the valuable nutrients after they are put into the can. Canned vegetables also have sodium added to them to retain shelf life.

If you add sauces or extra seasonings to your meals, you’ll get double the amount of salt and sodium from the canned foods you may have used. When you can, try and buy raw, fresh veggies and fruits. The vegetables in this form have the most available nutrients and vitamins. They’ll taste better too. Heading to the local farmer’s market or vegetable stand can also be a more enjoyable outing compared to going to a busy grocery store.

We also recommend Macro Greens by MacroLife Naturals for those of you who do not like to eat vegetables.

Acupuncture has been used for roughly 2,000 years. It’s a Chinese practice that uses small needles placed in certain places on the body called meridians. Meridians correlate with certain organs and body functions but sometimes become blocked, thus making one sick or in pain. After strategic placement of these needles, doctors theorize the stick triggers the central nervous system to release endorphins that act like painkillers. It re adjusts the body’s function and response to pain, in a sense it turns the pain sensors off. The Chinese believe in a close relationship between mind, spirit and body. This is where the placebo effect comes into play. Some patients experience relief just by undergoing this form of therapy because the thought of receiving the treatment makes them feel better.

Acupuncture can help people with different types of ailments. According to the World Health Association, respiratory disease, eye and mouth disorders, back pain and stomach problems are all common reasons someone would see an acupuncturist.

Acupuncture needs to be administered by an experienced clinician; it’s recommended that one follow a healthy diet and exercise regimen in conjunction with treatments.

Interested in alternatives to your regular beauty regimen?

Although some of these methods and ingredients have not been scientifically proven to enhance skin tone and balance of skin, a lot of people swear by these homemade remedies and treatments.

Avocados are rich in antioxidants like Vitamin E and glutathione. If you’re looking for a moisturizing treatment, mash one up and spread it on your face.

Buttermilk has lactic acid, which is a natural alpha hydroxy acid that moistens, exfoliates dead skin and plumps it up.

A wet green tea bag placed on both of your eyelids can reduce puffiness and will also regenerate new cells.

Fresh Pineapple juice contains an enzyme called bromelain. It exfoliates and removes dead skin cells; it has to be fresh juice because putting it in a can will ruin the enzyme’s effects.

Honey has antibacterial properties that can help keep bacteria off your skin and soften it up.

These treatments are just supplemental to a few main practices you should be doing every day to protect your skin. Drinking a lot of water, using sunscreen and maintaining a healthy diet will also help you get a glowing complexion.

Ribose is a unique 5-carbon sugar that occurs naturally in all living cells and helps forms the carbohydrate portion of DNA and RNA, the building blocks of life. Ribose is also the sugar that begins the metabolic process for production of adenosine triphosphate (or ATP). ATP is the major source of energy used by our cells including muscle tissue for normal function.

Intense exercise causes a significant decrease in your skeletal muscle energy levels. In fact, it can take 3 days or longer for these energy levels to recover! Recent clinical studies show, however, that supplementing with high quality ribose hastens energy recovery in all types of skeletal muscles. This means you’ll be able to work out longer and build muscle faster because you will recover quicker from those intense workouts, having the energy to workout harder is always a benefit!

Over the past 25 years, research has shown that ribose enhances energy recovery in cardiac muscle (heart tissue) after periods of restricted blood flow to the heart. Rigorous testing in both animal and human studies have demonstrated that supplementation of ribose restores intracellular energy levels in the cardiac muscle tissue and helps maintain a healthy heart function.

Ribose is research proven to help increase muscular energy, boost endurance, and promote recovery! It contains a powerful cellular energy source that is naturally occurring and found in all cells in the body. It’s an efficient way to improve your energy levels for working out through its participation in the synthesis of ATP in the muscle cell, enhancing performance, and aiding in the recovery of muscle tissue after intense exercise.

Natural Peppermint Ointment

The menthol in peppermint relieves aching muscles and joints. This peppermint ointment is easy to make. It has a milder and more refreshing aroma than over the counter mentholated products, but has the same benefits. If you haven’t made a medicinal or cosmetic preparation yet, this is a good one to start out with.

Peppermint Ointment

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup fresh peppermint leaves
• ½ oz beeswax
• 1 vitamin E capsule
• 4 drops tincture of benzion
• Cheesecloth

Combine olive oil and peppermint and allow to infuse in a warm spot for 48 hours. Strain the oil through cheesecloth and discard the mint leaves.

Heat infused oil until warm and add beeswax. Stir until the beeswax melts. Add the contents of the vitamin E capsule and tincture of benzoin. Pour mixture into a small container and seal.

Once cool, the peppermint ointment will have a creamy consistency. It will be viable for months as the tincture of benzoin helps create a pleasant consistency and also works as a preservative.