Things have been a bit out of sorts lately including having surgery performed on my nose (not a lot of fun). But I am recovering and will be back in the saddle very soon helping you to reach your goals with the latest in men’s fitness, health and nutrition.
In a post a month or so ago (sorry the follow-up took so long!) I outlined some common causes of pain and dysfunction. In today’s post I will address how to cure what ails ya. Take today’s practical suggestions and tackle them one at a time. Once you have something under control try the next step. If you follow through you should be able to get a real handle on your pain and start moving forward. Ready to start feeling better? Read on…
Most of us would give that question a resounding “Yes!” And there are many different ways to reach this lofty goal but one that may have escaped your attention is simple meditation. Now, I am not advocating any Eastern philosophy or religion here but simply the physical benefits to taking time to calming the mind and body. It has been well proven for years that meditation can improve mood and lower stress levels, but now we have proof that it can actually help your body slow the aging process at the cellular level. Here’s what to do and why it works…
Sounds like a no brainer! Of course you would like to avoid injuries while reeking of strength and power. But, how do we do that? I’m lifting weights, isn’t that enough? Many years ago when I was a young bodybuilder with dreams of huge biceps dancing in my head I would have answered yes to that question. But now, after many years in physical therapy and training both athletes and weekend warriors alike I can tell you that the real secret to becoming very powerful and safeguarding your body against injury lies not with the muscles but with the Fascia. What is Fascia and how can it help you to turn back the years and become the stud you always wished you could be? Follow me ….
Sooner or later many men will face the crossroads of cholesterol. Should you take a statin or not? Most of the times as I have mentioned on previous posts you can avoid medication by getting your weight under control, cleaning up your diet and getting some regular (and correct) exercise. But what if that is not enough? Are you doomed to a lifetime of medication and any and all side effects both known and unknown? Well guys there may be some hope! A study performed at the University of Pennsylvania found that men who took 1800 milligrams of a red yeast rice supplement twice a day saw their LDL (that’s the bad stuff) drop 21%. That is pretty awesome and comparable to the same reductions seen in statins. If you are on statins or if your doctor has been hinting around about the subject this could be something worth exploring. This supplement along with getting in shape and cleaning up your diet may just be what you need. Don”t wing it alone however, talk to your doctor and come up with a plan that will be right for you. I have helped hundreds of people over the years lower their cholesterol so I know this approach can work. So give it a shot! The rice yeast used in the study was Naturals Red Yeast Rice which you can find at naturals-supplements.com
We hear an awful lot about keeping track of our cholesterol levels, and rightfully so. But not nearly as much attention is paid (at least in the media) to the triglyceride levels in your blood. While most guys know that high levels can certainly put you at a higher risk of stroke and heart attack, but what you may not know is that recent studies show a strong link between high triglycerides and rheumatoid arthritis (ouch!) This occurs due to the increase of arterial inflammation associated with high triglyceride levels. The studies also concluded that the best way to prevent or alleviate this condition was through exercise! Research shows that men who workout on a regular basis have higher good cholesterol (HDL) and lower triglyceride levels. That combination can result in a 40% better chance of avoiding Rheumatoid Arthritis. I lowered my own triglyceride level from 243 to 83 in five weeks simply by eliminating all flour products, reducing sugar intake and eating more veggies. Now that Spring is upon us this is the perfect time to see what’s what in the old blood stream. Call your Doc and schedule a blood lipid profile, your arteries will love you for it!
Garlic has been touted as good for you for many years to lower cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity and even as an aid to improve sexual performance (as long as you remember to brush your teeth before trying to kiss the girl) but there has not been an abundance of clinical research to back up those claims. Recently however a study done at the University of Adelaide in Australia shows that garlic may indeed have real health benefits. Scientists gave subjects in a blood pressure study just under 1000 mg of aged garlic for 12 weeks. At the end of the study they noted a 10% reduction in blood pressure across almost all of the subjects! Researchers believe that garlic boosts levels of nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide which results in an increase in blood vessel diameter and therefore reduced blood pressure. As a side note guys, this is basically what is happening when you take drugs like Viagra so maybe taken a garlic supplement along with using it as a seasoning on your food may be a no brainer! I do not know of any interference that garlic presents with medications but ask your physician first to be on the safe side before you start taking any supplements. Better safe than sorry!
No, I am not talking about listening to some romantic tunes while you put the moves on your girlfriend, but rather can listening to music improve athletic performance. A lot of guys like to train to their favorite tunes but does it really help? That is a question researchers recently studied in several university level trials. The fact that it turns out to be true is not surprising, but hearing how much it improved performance was an eye opener (or should I say ear opener?). Researchers compared runners who listened to no music during a 1.5 mile run and then tested the same runners again and allowed them to listen to whatever music motivated them on an iPod. The runners shaved 30 seconds (that’s a lot!) on average from their times simply by listening to music. Researchers are still trying to figure out why this works so well but the important thing for you to remember is that it works! Use this simple tool to improve the quality of whatever exercise you are doing and enjoy yourself that much more in the process. Think of the world records that could fall if athletes at this Summer’s Olympics were allowed to use their iPod during events!
Everyone has has different goals, different dreams and different tolerances and expectations. I’m assuming that if you are reading this blog that you have an interest in bettering yourself. But what that means varies greatly from person to person. Person A simply wants to regain their health and energy while person B won”t be satisfied unless a physique worthy of a magazine cover stares back at them in the mirror. Whatever your dreams and goals are, one thing is an absolute truth; if you don”t have your head on straight the chances of you reaching your goals are slim. Our biggest obstacle is often ourselves and whether your personal demons are fear or apathy, both will suck the very life from you. To defeat them and realize your dreams takes intelligent effort, but it can be done no matter how daunting the task may seem in front of you. I know this to be true. How? I am winning this war (slowly but surely) and if I can do it, so can you…
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