Natural Hair Conditioners

Hair conditioner is an amazing product for hair that can change the texture and appearance of hair. Its not a new technique, its been used for ages among man and woman using different natural products, the most common are oil,  avocado, vinegar etc. But now a days people find it difficult to put on natural products because they are smelly, oily and greasy making hair feel heavier. So with all the advancements, modern science has gifted hair industry with  this product called hair conditioner which are made up of fatty alcohols, silicone and quaternary ammonium compounds. They provide the same benefits as natural products as well as have beautiful scents and instead of greasy or oily effect they smooth-en hair and make them look pretty and light.
There are many people who still believe more in natural products, because I hear many times "I have tried every hair product still not getting satisfactory result" for them I mostly recommend natural stuff and get positive feed back. Plus some people have very damaged and extra sensitive dry hair which are very prone to breakage, so they cant even take slightest of chemical or scents. For these type natural conditioner works best as they are known to have zero percent side effects, but only if chosen properly on basis of hair type.  In this article I will mention some conditioner for each type of hair, which sure work more effectively then commercial products.

Egg Conditioner:
Its a very common natural conditioner being used by women for ages.  There are many natural  ingredients in egg that works wonder for hair. 

• Raw egg contains lots of protein and as we know our hair are mostly protein. So it help removing the deficiencies as well as make hair grow stronger and longer. 
• It also contains vitamins and nutrition which gives shine to hair and make them smother.
• Fatty acid in egg is a best know natural moisturizer. It locks away the moisture in hair as well as remove dandruff. Works best for dry and damaged hair.
•  Vitamin A, D and E provided by egg prevent hair loss as well as provide protection against dirt, pollution and ultra violet rays of sun.

How to apply:

Break an egg in a bowl and beat thoroughly. Apply the mixture directly on to damp hair and scalp. Use a wide tooth comb for even spread and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and wash off using your regular shampoo. It can be applied once to twice depending on your hair type.



Coconut Conditioner:

Coconut oil is best natural blessing for hair. Because of it supernatural effects on hair its commonly used in wide range of hair care products. Its very old and effective way to condition hair using coconut oil. Always chose unprocessed, pure and virgin coconut oil. 

There are many benefits of using coconut oil such as;

• Its very light, hence penetrate well in to hair thus provide deep nourishment.
• It boost up hair growth by making hair fiber stronger and healthier.
• It helps in retaining the moisture in hair making them smoother and less prone to breakage.
• It gives a natural shine to hair.
• Massaging scalp with coconut hair enhances blood circulation and provide relief against stress and headache.
• It works as best moisturizer for dry and damaged hair.

How to use:

Its best for both scalp and hair. If you have dry hair or damaged hair them start by massaging scalp. Always remember massage should be very very soft  and slow specially on scalp. Harsh and quicker massage will weaken hair root which can cause hair fall. Specially when you are dealing with extra dry or damaged hair be very very soft to you hair.

For normal and oily hair emphasize less on scalp and more on hair length and ends. Because sclap produce its own oil giving extra will give you an oily look even after shampoo.

Coconut and Honey Conditioner:

This is also one of very common conditioner used by woman who love natural treatments for their body.

It is made by mixing 1 part honey with 2 parts of coconut oil. Both ingredients are very rich moisturizers and contain every thing that healthy hair require.

Benefits of honey includes;

• Honey contains vitamins and minerals that strengthen hair.
• Its antibacterial.
• Its a great humectant that nourish and moisturize hair as well as skin.

 Olive oil  is well known to be used in hair care products.Some of the commonly known facts includes;

•  It works as best moisturizer and cure dandruff.
•  It prevent making of split end by keeping hair fiber healthy.
• It shines up hair naturally.
• It make hair softer and make it more manageable and less prone to breakage.

How to use:

Apply the mixture directly to hair, use wide tooth comb for easy and smooth spreading and leave it on for 30 to 60 minutes for best result. Then rinse off thoroughly.

Good Luck...

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Acne – the Cause and Symptom

Acne is a skin condition that caused pimples on our face and is also common on the shoulders, back, and upper chest. In fact, acne is characterized by pimples, cysts, and sometimes abscesses. Both cysts and abscesses are pus-filled pockets, but abscesses are somewhat larger and deeper.

Acne happens through an interaction between hormones, skin oils, and bacteria, resulting in inflammation to the hair follicles. The sebaceous glands that are attached to the hair follicles will secrete an oily substance, i.e. sebum, when sebum passes up from the sebaceous gland and hair follicle, along with dead skin cells to the surface of the skin through the pores, this process will somehow clog the hair follicles and blocking the sebum from leaving through the pores. The consequence of this is that the blocked sebum-filled hair follicle will promote overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes in the hair follicle that are responsible to cause skin eruptions commonly known as acne pimples. Deeper inflammation produces cysts and sometimes an abscess.

In short, acne is caused by a buildup of dead skin cells, bacteria, and dried sebum that block the hair follicles in the skin.

If the blockage is incomplete, a blackhead (i.e. open comedone. Blackhead is flesh-colored bumps with tiny, dark dots at center) develops; and if the blockage is complete, a whitehead (i.e. closed comedone. Whitehead has similar appearance as blackhead but lack the dark dots) develops.

Why acne occurs during puberty? This is because during this time, the sebaceous glands are stimulated by an increased hormone levels, especially the androgens (i.e. testosterone), that caused excessive sebum production. However, hormone production will stabilize and acne usually disappears when a person reach mid-20s.

Nevertheless, any conditions that involve hormonal changes might cause the occurrence of acne. For example, acne may occur with each menstrual period in young women and may clear up or substantially worsen during pregnancy. Also, the use of certain drugs, particularly corticosteroids and anabolic steroids, can cause acne by stimulating the sebaceous glands. It is also true that certain cosmetics may worsen acne by clogging the pores.

In fact, it is quite difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of acne outbreak since it varies in severity (i.e. mild, moderate, and severe) for most people, nor there is a direct relationship between acne, foods and with a person daily activity. What is known is that acne is often worse in the winter and better in the summer, this can be attributed to the anti-inflammatory effect of sunlight.

For those with mild acne, they usually will develop a few non-inflamed blackheads or whiteheads, or a moderate number of small, mildly irritated pimples. The pimples are mildly uncomfortable and have a white center surrounded by a small area of reddened skin.

On the other hand, people with moderate acne have more comedones and pimples and sometimes larger, more inflamed pimples (i.e. pustules).

People with severe (i.e. deep or cystic) acne will have numerous large, red, and painful pus-filled lumps (nodules) that sometimes join together under the skin into giant, oozing abscesses. The nodules and abscesses of severe acne often rupture and might leave scars after healing.

Common acne treatments shall include topical antibiotics for mild acne, oral antibiotics for moderate acne, and oral isotretinoin for severe acne. It is good to know that there are various ways to tackle acne, and I will deal with it in my later post.

A word of warning is that you should never try to squeeze or open your pimples as this will likely increase inflammation and the depth of injury to your skin, making acne scarring more likely. For your information, acne scars can last a lifetime.

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Rambutan Fruit Benefits And Nutrition Facts

Based on research conducted by various institutions and health experts have shown that rambutan have benefits and similar content with orange and apples. Inside the fruit there are many important compounds such as vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, protein and carbohydrates, all the substances needed by the body every day. Rambutan fruit is known as a very low-fat. Most of the calories of rambutan, derived from carbohydrates. Institute of Medicine recommends 130 grams of rambutan for your daily consumption.

According to popular belief and the origin of its name, rambutan is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. The name rambutan is derived from the Malay/Indonesian word rambutan, meaning "hairy" in both languages.

Rambutan is very rich in iron, which is needed to control the oxygen levels in the body. Iron helps prevent fatigue and dizziness caused by anemia. In addition, meat rambutan also meet 4.3 percent of the daily phosphorus needs for the body. Phosphorus helps filter out waste in the kidneys, as well as necessary for the growth, maintenance, and repair of all tissues and cells.

Nutrition Fact of Rambutan Fruit

Rambutan is rich in sugar. Most of it is fructose and sucrose, but contains very little calories, only 60 calories in each piece. There is an abundance of vitamin C in rambutan, including potassium, iron, vitamin A, and a little calcium, magnesium, sodium zinc, niacin, fiber and protein.

Here are nutrition fact Rambutan fruit, canned, syrup pack

Nutritional value per 100 g
Energy	343 kJ
Carbohydrates	20.87 g
Dietary fiber	0.9 g
Fat	0.21 g
Protein	0.65 g
Thiamine	0.013 mg
Riboflavin	0.022 mg
Niacin	1.352 mg
Vitamin B6	0.02 mg
Folate	8 μg
Vitamin C	4.9 mg
Calcium	22 mg
Iron	0.35 mg
Magnesium	7 mg
Manganese	0.343 mg
Phosphorus	9 mg
Potassium	42 mg
Sodium	11 mg
Zinc	0.08 mg

Health Benefits Of Rambutan Fruit

1. Anti Cancer

Rambutan containing ingredients as an antioxidant. A study conducted by the University of Chiang Mai in Thailand found that the rambutan fruit, seeds and skin have powerful antioxidants called flavonoids. Several types of flavonoids are believed to reduce cholesterol, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory.

2. Protector Free Radicals

One of the compounds in rambutan skin is Gallic acid. These compounds act as free radical antidote because it helps protect the body from oxidative damage. Once again, this can be a help to fight cancer.

3. Rich in Vitamin C

Rambutan is rich in vitamin C. If a person consuming 10 to 12 rambutan, then he was taking 75-90 mg of ascorbic acid, more than twice the recommended amount in the daily menu. In addition to functioning as an anti-oxidant, vitamin C can prevent cell damage and helps the absorption of iron.

4. Formation of Blood

This sweet fruit also has a small amount of copper. This substance is needed as a shaper of white blood cells and red blood cells. In addition, rambutan also contains iron which can prevent the occurrence of anemia.

5. Healthy digestion

Rambutan also has fiber that can help a person avoid constipation. In addition, rambutan can also kill parasites in the intestines and helps relieve the symptoms of diarrhea.

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6 Breathing Techniques to Help with Anxiety

Each and everyone are affected by anxiety, in almost all times. People who severely suffer from anxiety may experience many health issues including panic / anxiety attacks, uneven / rapid heartbeat, or sometimes it may even lead to chest pain / heart attack. Preventive measures are to be taken to control your breathing and (BP) blood pressure.

Experts suggest that breathing exercises are one of the best ways to overcome anxiety. The following breathing techniques will help you control your anxiety and panic attacks:

1. The Bumble Bee Breath:

Bumble Bee Breath is commonly practiced in meditation workshops. This helps you in calming your mind. This is how you have to do it:

• Comfortably sit in straight position 
• Relax your shoulders
• Open up your chest by inhaling slowly and filling your lungs to the extent that you can
• Now close your eyes and ears with your fingers and thumbs respectively
• Make a low humming sound with your jaw relaxed and lips closed 
• Hold this position for 3 – 4 seconds and make a slow and long exhalation
• Repeat this breathing technique for 5 – 10 times for better results

2. The Measured Breath:

Measured breath technique helps you calm your anxiety / panic attacks. This is how you can do it:

• You can either sit or stand, before beginning the breathing technique
• Loosen up a little before starting
• Relax your hands and drop your shoulders and place your hands on either side
• Slowly breathe in through your nose allowing your stomach to expand up to 4 counts 
• Now hold for a second and release your breath slowly and smoothly till 7 counts
• Repeat this technique for a few minutes

3. Progressive Relaxation:

• Slowly close your eyes
• Focus on tensing and relaxing each muscle group of your body for 2 - 3 seconds
• Start with your feet and toes and work all the way up to the legs, knees thighs, hips, chest, neck, face and your eyes
• Maintain slow and deep breaths all the time
• Hold for 5 counts and then exhale through your mouth or nose on release

4. Equal Breathing or “SamaVritti”:

This breathing technique helps you relieve your body from stress and clears you mind.

• Slowly breathe in through your nose as you count to 4 
• In a similar way, slowly breathe out on a count of 4 
• Focus on your breathe, as breathing through your nose helps in providing natural resistance

5. Guided Visualization:

• Relax yourself completely
• Lie down and close your eyes and imagine yourself in a “happy place”, focus on pleasant things 
• Take a deep breath through your nose
• Visualize yourself in a desired direction; do not let negative thoughts shatter your mind 
• Embrace this peaceful mind position for few seconds and relax your body

6. Skull Shining Breath or “Kapalabhati”:

• Begin with a slow and long inhale, followed by a quick and powerful exhale
• While breathing out, remember that it should be generated from the lower belly by contracting it completely
• Continue the procedure as fast as you can by inhaling-exhaling every two seconds
• Repeat this breathing technique for 10 times

 

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5 Overrated and Underrated Foods

Are You Someone Trying To Lose Weight, and Wonder Why You Cant?  Read this article!

5 Overrated and Underrated Foods 
Written by by Bonnie Liebman and Jayne Hurley, May 2010

Bonnie & Jayne I just read the information you posted in your article.  Great research and information to help people who are struggling to lose weight understand how many calories are hidden in the so called health food! 

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Sex HIIT Perceived Readiness Any News on the Optimal Rest Times for Self Paced HIIT Regimen in Men Women

Surrender bro, women are tougher than well ever be... and lets not talk about the other tactics by the means of which they trick us into doing whatever they want without us even noticing :-o

In the world of search engines for scientific papers on training and exercise science the acronym "HIIT" is currently what the word "sex" has always been on Google & co. Against that background it is actually surprising that no one else but me has taken notice of a paper on the "Sex specific  responses  to  self-paced,  high-intensity  interval  training  with  variable  recovery periods". The corresponding research was conducted by C. Matthew Laurent et al. from the School of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies at the Bowling Green State University in Ohio and the paper is about to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Laurent. 2013)

Men are different, women too

The results of previous experiments suggest that women are tougher than men, when it comes to steady state high intensity exercise at a self-selected pace. In their most recent study that involved 16 subjects (8 men and 8 women) between 19 and 30 years of age who had been participating in at least one session of interval training per week within the past months, Laurent et al. set out to test whether this would apply to HIIT sessions with fixed rest periods, but also variable, self-selected intensities. To this end, they had their subjects perform three bouts of HIIT.

"Each session consisted of 6, 4-minute intervals interspersed with either 1, 2, or 4 minutes of recovery. The recovery duration was counterbalanced and subjects  were  informed  of  the  specific  work-to-rest ratio  prior  to  performing  each  session.   Each  trial began  with  a  5-minute  warm-up  that  consisted  of  walking  4.8  km/h at  5%  incline." 

Suggested read: "8x Increase in PGC1-Alpha Cycling in Glycogen Depleted State" (read more)

The subjects were told to set the treadmill to the highest possible speed they felt they could maintain for 4 minutes knowing they were to perform 6 intervals.

The treadmill remained elevated at 5% incline for the duration of the whole session. Prior to each interval, subjects estimated their level of readiness using a perceived readiness scale.

Throughout and at the end of each interval, VO2(ml/kg/min), heart rate (bpm), and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured, recorded and statistically processed.

At the conclusion of the fourth minute, the treadmill was slowed to 4.8 km/h for an active recovery.

"These procedures were followed identically for each of the 6 intervals and across all 3 trials. At the conclusion of the final interval of each session, subjects were disconnected from the metabolic system and sat quietly in a chair in the laboratory for approximately 15-20 minutes whereupon they provided a session RPE (SRPE) using the OMNI scale. "

All subjects were given at least 72 hours but no more than 10 days of rest between HIIT sessions, at the end of which the scientists had made the following observations:

• 

  Triple your energy expenditure by doing shorter shuttle runs (learn more)

  Men ran at significantly higher relative velocities (i.e., %VO2peak) during the  1-minute  recovery  trial  with  the  effect size suggesting a large difference.
• The same velocity and effect size advantage for the strong sex was evident during the trial with 2 min rest times, as well, but in this case the difference was no longer significant.
• Even during the 4-minute recovery trial, men ran at higher velocities but the values were not significantly different and the effect size was considerably low.

Interestingly the women still had the higher %VO2 peak values during all conditions - in other words, relative to their physical constitution, they were performing at a higher intensity than the men irrespective of the fact the latter were running faster. Interestingly the difference was only significant during the 4-min rest condition (if you look at the data in figure 1 you will realize they had to pay for that dearly).

"Apropos active rest - whats the best?"
If you take a closer look at the data in figure 1, you will realize that the 4-min-condition with a work-to-rest ratio of 4:2 (in other words, the 2min rest-condition) appears to have a slight advantage over the other conditions. While the VO2 max may be ~1% higher in the short rest condition (VO2 data not shown), this is not worth the increased exertion both men and women experienced when they ran their 4-min intervals with only 1min of active rest in-between.

Figure 1: Lactate levels, perceived readiness before the HIIT bout, rate of perceived exertion right after and 15min the self-paced HIIT bout with 1, 2 and 4min active rest between sets in male and female subjects; all data expressed relative to the mean value for the respective parameter, data calculated for men and women separately (Laurent. 2013)

As far as the 4:4 condition is concerned it is certainly remarkable that the female participants appear to totally exhaust themselves during that condition. It is difficult to determine, whether this is a result of "getting out of the groove" due to the long rest period (if you are jogging you may know that once you stop for more than a minute its very difficult to get into the groove again), or whether that may be a result of the fact that they were pushing themselves harder when they knew there would be a long recovery period. Personally I tend to believe that its the latter effect. Otherwise, the male participants of the study at hand should have experienced a similar negative effect of resting too long. Now, whether thats a sign of toughness or rather one of hubris is a question Id rather not answer ;-)

---

(Re)read the SuppVersity HIIT Series and learn about the optimal interval:rest ratios for your personal training goals (click here)

Bottom line: Whether you can truly argue, that 4:2 is the optimal ratio is at least in my humble opinion still open - regardless of your sex by the way. So, if you are not sure what to do, try a couple of different interval:rest ratios and see how you feel. Meanwhile, Id suggest you remember that the word "training" comes from "to train" and refers to the "sustained practice [...] in an art, profession, occupation, or procedure, with a view to proficiency in it" (Oxford English Dictionary). Proficiency in this context means that you achieve performance increases and those are not a necessary (and in most cases not even a likely) consequence of feeling like you have been run over by a train.

Once youve figured out what works best for you, stick to it! I dont care if its 2:1 or 30s:1min, as long as it works for you and you dont have to drag yourself to the track or the gym, whenever your HIIT sessions are due, thats your personal optimum. You should still keep in mind that this optimum may change with your current performance / weight loss / hypertrophy goals and the corresponding amount of energy you consume. Previous research, for example, suggests that long(er) intervals (in the 4min range) could have a slight edge over very short ultra-intense ones, especially when your primary goal is to shed body fat (learn more in the HIIT Special Part I & Part II)

References: 

• Laurent CM, Vervaecke LS, Kutz MR, Green JM. Sex specific responses to self-paced, high-intensity interval training with variable recovery periods. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Jul 8. [Epub ahead of print]

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Take note dont always sleep late!!!!!!!

                                                                                                                 

Good rest and sound sleep is very important... if u dont sleep well,
The toxins in your body will accumulate... Affecting your health and your mood...

The main causes of liver damage are:
1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are the main cause..
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener. 




7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best
Cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming overly done foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried
Veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits is very important for our body to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals.

Because….
 
Evening 9 - 11pm: is the time for eliminating unnecessary/ toxic chemicals (de- toxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in a un relaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on her health.

Night at 11pm - 1am: The de-toxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.
 
Early morning 1 - 3am: de-toxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5am: de-toxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the de-toxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7am: de-toxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9am: Absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 -10am rather than no meal at all. Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals.
 
Midnight to 4am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood.

Therefore, have a good sleep and dont sleep late.

Sharing Is Caring!

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Catching One Cold After the Other 10 000 IU Vitamin D per Week Gargling May Help Plus Gargling Thrice A Day or Gargling With Green Tea Are Even More Effective!

Gargling and vitamin D (10,000 IU/week) keep you infection free.

Not too long ago, everyone would have thought youd picked the wrong letter from the vitamin alphabet if you told him to use "vitamin D" supplements to ward off upper respiratory infections. For decades this has been the still unconfirmed prerogative of vitamin C, which appears to work only in men & women with chronically low intakes of vitamin C...  These days, however, vitamin D can - supposedly - do everything and Mr. and Mrs. Joe & Jane Average wont be surprised to hear that Emma C Goodall and colleagues from the McMaster University and other research institutions call vitamin D, or to be more precise the provision of vitamin D3 supplements a promising intervention for the prevention of URTI. 

You can learn more about vitamin D at the SuppVersity

How Much To Take?

Leucine, Insulin & Vitamin D

Vit. D Speeds Up Recovery

Overlooked D-Sources

Vitamin D For Athletes!

Vitamin D Helps Store Fat

To test their hypothesis that the combination of gargling in D-supplementation would ward off the common and not so common cold(s), the scientists randomized 600 students into 4 treatment arms:

• vitamin  D and  no  gargling,  and  
• placebo  and  no  gargling.  

• vitamin D3 and gargling, 
• placebo and  gargling,  

The students completed weekly electronic surveys and submitted self-collected mid-turbinate nasal flockedswabs during September and October in 2010 or 2011. Symptomatic students also completed
an electronic symptom diary, which was intended to test for possible effects of vitamin D on the severity and length of the upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). The primary and secondary outcomes were the occurrence of symptomatic clinical URTI and laboratory confirmed URTI respectively.

Figure 1: Effect of gargling and vitamin D supplementation on URTI occurance (laboratory confirmed), viral load, symptom duration and symptom severity (Goodall. 2014)

As youd expect, not all students completed the study - of 600 participants, only 471 (78.5%) completed all survey. 43 (7.2%) even registered without completed a single of the questionnaires. Of those students who did responde, 150 (25.0%) reported clinical upper respiratory tract infections (laboratory testing identified 70 infections; 46.7 per 100 URTIs).

And what about the gargling? Its surprising but even plain tap water helps reduce the incidence of upper-respiratory tract infections (-18%)... non-signifcantly, but it helps ;-) If you want to achieve significance and up the effectiveness from -18% to -46%, you would just have to do HIIT gargling, i.e. gargle the water for about 15 seconds three times consecutively, and do this at least three times a day - at least for the subjects in a 2005 study from the Kyoto University School of Public Health that worked like a charm (Satomura. 2005). And if you aim to minimize it by reducing your risk by ~90%, you can simply add some tea catechins (200 µg/mL catechins, 60% of catechins comprise epigallocatechin gallate) to your gargling water (Yamada. 2006).

If we look at the effects of vitamin D in isolation, we will see that seventy of those 150 participants had been randomized to the the vitamin D3 groups. The other 80 subjects, were in one of the "no-suppplementation" groups. Based on this data the scientists calculated a "significantly lower risk for laboratory confirmed URTI (RR: 0.54, CI95 :0.34-0.84, p = 0.007)" and "a significantly lower mean viral load  measured  as  log10 viral  copies  /  mL" for the vitamin D3 supplemented study participants.

Interestingly, these results stand in contrast to previous studies, where a different dosing scheme, i.e. 100,000IU/month of vitmamin D3 supplements, did not yield a significant reduction in URTI incidence among the 322 healthy adults who participated in a 2012 study by Murdoch et al. that was conducted between February 2010 and November 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand and analyzed both the D-intake and the changes in 25-OHD levels (Murdoch. 2012).

SuppVersity Suggested Read: "Based on the Latest Evidence, Who Would Benefit From Even more Vitamin D? Plus: How Much Vitamin D Do I Need To Achieve Optimal Levels & Keep Them Steady? " | read more

Bottom Line: Its not unlikely that the dosing protocol, i.e. 100,000IU 1x per months vs. 10,000IU / week everyday made all the difference, here, but without a study to test the two directly against each other, we can only speculate if this or any other confounding factor made the difference (e.g. baseline 25OHD levels, etc.). If we look at other studies, e.g. 300IU/day in Mongolian children (Camargo. 2012) and 400IU/day in Finnish young men (Laaksi. 2010), it would yet not seem impossible - in spite of the fact that the latest reviews say confirm that "[r]esults from randomised controlled trials were conflicting however" (Jollife. 2013) and that currently available scientific evidence "do[es] not support the routine use of vitamin D supplementation for RTI prevention in healthy populations" (Mao. 2013).

That being said, I recently recommend taking ~1,000IU/day of vitamin D3 as a maintenance dose to keep your vitamin D levels in the normal range, year-round anyway. If you do that you would automatically get enough vitamin D to see the anti-upper-respiratory-tract effects - if there are any.

Reference:

• Goodall, Emma C., et al. "Vitamin D3 and gargling for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled trial." BMC Infectious Diseases 14.1 (2014): 273.
• Jolliffe, David A., Christopher J. Griffiths, and Adrian R. Martineau. "Vitamin D in the prevention of acute respiratory infection: systematic review of clinical studies." The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 136 (2013): 321-329.
• Laaksi, Ilkka, et al. "Vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of acute respiratory tract infection: a randomized, double-blinded trial among young Finnish men." Journal of Infectious Diseases 202.5 (2010): 809-814. 
• Mao, Song, and Songming Huang. "Vitamin D supplementation and risk of respiratory tract infections: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases 45.9 (2013): 696-702.
• Murdoch, David R., et al. "Effect of Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Healthy AdultsThe VIDARIS Randomized Controlled TrialVitamin D3 and Upper Respiratory Tract Infections." Jama 308.13 (2012): 1333-1339.
• Satomura, Kazunari, et al. "Prevention of upper respiratory tract infections by gargling: a randomized trial." American journal of preventive medicine 29.4 (2005): 302-307.

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Cancer desist with Cabbage

Cancer-desist with Cabbage. 

DURING the last few decades, cancer has become a threat to many people around the world. Our way of life and ecology, putting everyone in danger of getting the disease. However, scientists have discovered that some vegetables have elements carcinogen that kills cancer-causing agents

One of the best vegetables you can eat to prevent or defeat the cancer is and all members of the cabbage family. Various types of cabbage can help you to take precautions against the dangers of carcinogens, as reported by Magforwoman.

There are many types of cabbage you can eat to prevent cancer. Scientists have discovered that all sorts of cabbage contains certain elements called glucosinolates. These elements to kill cancer cells and prevent cancer.

The scientists also found that all the vegetables are rich in vitamins and antioxidants can prevent the growth of cancer cells. There is a theory of how cancer develops infection. Some scientists believe that cancer is caused by excessive pollution of our bodies with a variety of viruses and bacteria. Vitamins and antioxidants in vegetables helps our body to overcome them and become healthier also prevent cancer. So start eating more vegetables to make it more healthy.

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Many Small Meals Suck! Especially For Diabetics Human Study Shows 6 Small Meals Mess W Blood Sugar Control Make You Hungry and Decrease The Metabolic Rate

No, no and no! Dont be stupid! Eat to satiety and fast or stay fat forever! Frequent meals will hamper not improve dietary T2DM treatment.

If you want my honest opinion, the only thing thats surprising about the following line you are about to read in all major science news outlets, today, is that it has taken scientists years to understand that "two large meals (breakfast and lunch) better than 6 small meals with same calories for controlling weight and blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes." This is a quote from the press release that was published along with a recent paper in the scientific journal Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) which "suggests that two large meals (breakfast and lunch), rather than six small meals with the same total calories, are better for controlling weight and blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes."

You can learn more about meal frequency at the SuppVersity

Grazin Bad For the Obese!

Breakfast Keeps You Lean?!

Frequent Protein Consumption

Myth: Few Meals More Bodyfat

8 Meals = Stable, But High Insulin

Int. Fasting & Exercise

The corresponding experiment was conducted by Dr Hana Kahleová from the Diabetes Centre at the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague. The study assessed 54 patients (29 men, 25 women) treated with oral diabetes drugs, aged 30–70 years, BMI 27–50 kg/m2 and HbA1c of 6–11.8% (42–105 mmol/mol). They were asked to follow one of two regimens of a restricted calorie diet, each containing 500 calories less than the recommended daily amount; in one programme the meals were six small meals (A6) and the other 2 large meals, breakfast and lunch (B2).

The study was designed as a "cross over", this means all 54 participants were tested on the two and the six meal plans for 12 weeks each. Needless to say that the diet in both regimens had the same macronutrient and calorie content - otherwise, a comparison of the measured liver fat content, insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta cell function (the cells that produce insulin) would obviously have been useless.

Figure 1: Changes in anthropometric and laboratory variables. Data are shown as changes from baseline in response to the regimen of six (A6) and two meals (B2) a day (Kahleova. 2014).

Apropos comparison, even a rocket scientist could easily tell that the data in Figure 1 speaks in favor of the two-, not the still heavily propagated "eat frequent small meals"-six-meal strategy.

If you train in the PM skip breakfast and consume launch and dinner, only! The "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"-myth is about as flawed as the "eat frequently to get / stay lean" myth (learn more). Forget it and eat according to your schedule. If you train in the morning, or at noon, skip dinner. If you train in the afternoon, skip breakfast - or, put simply: Make sure to have a meal after every workout.

In spite of the fact that the researchers found that the body weight decreased in both regimens, there was a highly significant advantage for the two-meal (B2; -3.7kg) regimen over the six-meal (A6; -2.3kg) regimen. Similarly, liver fat content (B2 -0.04% vs. A6 -0.03%), fasting plasma glucose and the pro-insulinogenic C-peptide levels decreased in both regimens - yet obviously more for the two-meal strategy.

Eating more frequent makes you hungry and will shut down your metabolism

No, thats not a typo. In total contrast to what common stupidity... ah, I mean wisdom still says, eating more frequently will not decrease your hunger, and avoid the metabolic shut-down youll experience on every energy restricted diet, sooner or later - on the contrary!

Figure 2: The difference may not reach statistical significance, but it should be pronounced enough to lie all myths about the "metabolically activating effects of frequent meals" at rest - wtf, look at the data: Never eating to satiety is the starvation signal - and not fasting for a couple of hours per day (Kahleova. 2014).

What eating frequent small meals really does do the average lifestyle diabetic is:

• leave him hungry even right after meals
• elevate plasma glucagon ("hunger"-hormone) and thus increase the conversion of glycogen back to glucose
• have his thoughts revolve around food 24/7

Similar effects with less detrimental health effects have been reported for healthy individuals as well. So that I would suggest to extend the authors conclusion that "[t]hese results suggest that, for type 2 diabetic patients on a calorie-restricted diet, eating larger breakfasts and lunches may be more beneficial than six smaller meals during the day," (from the press release) from the average lifestyle diabetic to everyone w/ a couple of extra pounds who is trying to shed weight... The very lean athlete, on the other hand, has so little body fat to draw on and may in fact be better off with more frequent meals.

Bottom Line: This is not the first study thats questioning the general suggestion to eat more frequently to ward off and battle diabesity and I can guarantee its neither going to be the last one.

Needless to say, snacking is a no-go as well, right? Read for yourself!

What I can guarantee, as well, though, is that its not going to change the textbook- instead of evidence-based approach most doctors and dietitians are following. For these findings to finally make it into the day-to-day business of those people who are "dealing" with, but obviously not healing type II diabetics, it will take at least one generation of doctors and dietitians and two generations of their patients who may be paying for the delays with their lives. Lives that could have been saved if doctors and dietitians gave better advise and the patients had the guts to follow it.

Addendum: In view of warranted questions about contradictions to previous articles, I would like to point out that we are talking about a weight loss scenario with restricted energy intake, here. Not! An ad libitum diet, where eating "as often as you like", even if that may be eight times per day will help those of you who have not already ruined their "hunger gauge" (I am talking about "HUNGER" as in "NOT APPETITE") to stay lean / make lean gains. For someone whose primary goal is weight loss, I have always pointed to "intermittent fasting" (=low meal frequency) as a very feasible way to cut calories and lose weight - it does not work for everyone, though.

References:

• Kahleova, et al. "Eating two larger meals a day (breakfast and lunch) is more effective than six smaller meals in a reduced-energy regimen for patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomised crossover study." Diabetologia (2014). Ahead of print.

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How To Get Rid Of Eczema Naturally And Modern Ways

Eczema is a common skin disease and cause intense itching and a burning sensation on exposed skin. But there are some ways to get rid of eczema. eczema or more commonly known with dermatitis that is inflammation of the skin due to a hypersensitivity reaction (exaggerated response) against allergens (triggers allergic reactions) from the outside (exogenous) or from the patients body (endogenous). In general, eczema is residif (recurrent), but can easily be controlled so as not to relapse.

Some experts distinguish between eczema and dermatitis. but most do not distinguish it. This is understandable, because of the diversity of clinical form (appearance) dermatitis, as well as the originators factor is influenced by many factors. Sometimes a person may experience more than one type of dermatitis at the same time.

Eczema Causes

The cause of eczema is has yet unknown. Experts suggests the emergence (and recurrence) eczema, triggered by factors:

• Exogenous factors (from the outside), for example: physical factors (temperature, friction, light, etc.), chemicals (detergents, cement, oil, fabric, etc.), micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites), and others.
• Endogenous factors (from the inside), for example, atopic dermatitis, which in this type of dermatitis found a history of atopy or a history of allergies (such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and other allergic forms). Stress could be expected to lead to (or recurrence) eczema.

Each patient had a history of eczema trigger is different from other patients.

Eczema Symptoms

In certain conditions the signs of eczema is very easy to spot, but sometimes difficult to distinguish from other skin diseases. The main complaint of eczema sufferers are generally itching and rash onset. While the specific skin disorder depends on the stage.

• In the acute stage, the skin of eczema usually appear reddish, thickened and raised blotches, sometimes watery (wet).
• In the sub acute stage, red spots and thickening of the skin, seemed to subside, then the wet spots will dry and become scabs (crusts).
• In the chronic stage, eczema appears dry, scaly and hyperpigmented (darkened). Not infrequently eczema change shape into a prominent spots, sometimes even erosion.

It should be understood that the symptoms of eczema is not always coherently as the above theory. It could be someone suffering from a form of eczema with chronic stage without going through the previous stages.

Tips To Get Rid Of Eczema

Eczema can be treated with modern medicine or traditional medicine. To get rid of with modern medicine, can use special eczema ointment smeared thinly on the surface of eczema trowels. There are several types of ointments that can be purchased over the counter that can be used to treat eczema.

As with other diseases, the principle of eczema treatment is to remove the cause. But considering the cause of eczema is not known with certainty, then the treatment is intended to relieve complaints (symptomatic) and prevent recurrence.

Medications commonly used to treat eczema, That is:

A. Oral medication (systemic)

Antihistamines are used to relieve itching, while severe conditions can be used steroids or a combination of steroids and antihistamines. The use of steroids should be the doctors advice to avoid undesirable side effects (with long-term), such as facial swelling, weight gain, and others. If using steroids, the doctor will usually give it tappering down, the lower the dose at regular intervals to avoid side effects.

B. Topical medication (ointment, cream, jelly, lotion, pack, pasta)

1. The selection of topical drugs is based on a form of eczema and accompanying complaints.
2. Wet form or the acute phase, the drug is given in wet compresses form. Sub acute, the drug that are given is lotions, pastes, or creams cooling.
3. Eczema in a hair given topical medications creamy form, while the hairless area given medication shaped pasta.
4. In chronic forms of eczema are generally given topical medication in ointment form.

Selection of drug forms above are not absolute. That is, people with eczema may choose drug dosage form that feels most comfortable for him. In purulent eczema due to secondary infection by scratching, antibiotics can be given until the infection subsided. In addition to the above drugs, sometimes also required other medications for maintenance of skin moisture.

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Eczema Naturally

Aloe Vera

You can directly cut the leaves and rubbing the mucus to the surface of the skin of eczema. Mucus of Aloe vera work moisturize skin more quickly that attacked by eczema. Many people have tried this plant to reduce the symptoms of eczema and improve skin quality.

Chamomile

Chamomile was found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-itch. Therefore, this plant is one of the natural cures for eczema sufferers. German variant is usually used as a skin remedy. You can use chamomile tea as a compress on the skin of eczema. In addition, chamomile essential oils and creams can be used to massage the affected eczema areas with the same healing effect.

Rosemary

This plant is good for reducing the trade in skin and helps improve blood circulation. Camphoraceousnya scent is also believed to reduce stress and refresh you. How its use is as follows: You can add a few drops of essential oil to your bath and soak in it for a few minutes, then massage the skin of eczema, with soap and rosemary cream

Walnuts leaves

The anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and content of astrigen make this plant effective for scabies, eczema and others. You can pour and dissolving it in alcohol to protect the skin from eczema infection. Decoction can also be used to compress areas of eczema. Cut 2-3 grams of dried walnut leaves into pieces and put into 100 grams of cold water, bring to a boil, then let stand for 15 minutes. Once cool, pour on the skin.

Turmeric

Curcuma is the basic content of turmeric has long been known to cure various diseases, particularly as an anti-inflammatory. Turmeric has the ability to degrade histamine and can stimulate the bodys production of cortisol-one of the steroids hormones. You can buy turmeric in pill form at natural food stores and consume 500 grams per day. You can also buy the oil, cream or ointment made ​​from turmeric. Mix turmeric powder with water is also good for cleansing the skin of eczema.

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How to clean ear wax home remedy

Ear wax is a normal product of the ear which protects the skin of the ear from water and infection. For these reasons, many people choose to remove ear wax regularly at home. The Best Way to Clean Out Ear Wax If earwax builds up, stay away from the cotton swabs! Heres how to clean your ears more safely in procedures

Most cases of ear wax blockage can be treated at home. The following can be used to soften wax in the ear:
Baby oil
Commercial drops
Glycerin
Mineral oil
Water

Another method is to wash out the wax.
Use body-temperature water (cooler or warmer water may cause brief but severe dizziness or vertigo).
Hold your head upright and straighten the ear canal by holding the outside ear and gently pulling upward.
Use a syringe (you can buy one at the store) to gently direct a small stream of water against the ear canal wall next to the wax plug.
Tip your head to allow the water to drain. You may need to repeat irrigation several times. face treatments

To avoid damaging your ear or causing an infection:
Never irrigate the ear if the eardrum may have a hole in it.
Do not irrigate the ear with a jet irrigator designed for cleaning teeth (such as a WaterPik).

After the wax is removed, dry the ear thoroughly. You may use a few drops of alcohol in the ear or a hair dryer set on low to help dry the ear.

You may clean the outer ear canal by using a cloth or paper tissue wrapped around your finger. Mineral oil can be used to moisturize the ear and prevent the wax from drying.
Do not clean your ears too often or too hard. Ear wax also helps protect your ears.
Never try to clean the ear by putting any object, such as a Q-tip, into the ear canal.

If you cannot remove the wax plug or you have discomfort, consult a health care provider, who may remove the wax by:
Repeating the irrigation attempts
Suctioning the ear canal
Using a small device called a curette
Using a microscope to help next How to clean the ear wax at home

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Top Natural Facial Cleansers

There are cleansers available for every skin type in market but sometimes nothing suits or doesnt meet up the satisfaction. Also some sensitive skins can not bear any chemical at all. I have been getting many emails regarding what cleanser to use and what type of natural ingredients can replace cleanser. So I thought of writing this article where I am going to mention all the natural items that i have used and they can clean your skin without any harm.



Yogurt:

My first and favorite most natural cleanser is yogurt. It is an excellent gift of nature, either you eat it or apply externally it will purify your body internally as well as externally. Yogurt work as a wonderful cleanser. It is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, natural alpha hydroxy acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. It has nutritional benefits beyond those of milk. If you read your daily facial face wash you will find atleast one of the above ingredient in it.



Apply pure natural organic yogurt two to three times a week. It gives you a feeling of freshness that even those expensive face cleansers cant provide. It will give your skin a perfect soft touch and smooths it. Daily face wash not only extract the greasy patches and dust particles but also that natural moisture which keep your skin healthy. Whereas yogurt clean you face thoroughly as well as maintain the proper moisturizer that why skin feel soft and elastic after applying it.


Wash your face properly with pleasant water before applying yogurt. The yogurt will retain that moisture which you get after wash. Spread yogurt evenly over you face. Either you can massage it softly or leave it on for 10 min and then rinse it off. Natural acid in yogurt also exfoliate i.e removing dead skin of you face making it looking soft and youthful.

Use thick full fat natural yogurt for best result.

Next 2: Milk as Natural Cleanser................

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SuppVersity Olympia Special Maniac or Focused Freakish or Extraordinary Whats the True Nature of a Bodybuilder Plus Cortisol Immune Response to AM vs PM Training

If we discard the common horror stories (scientists call them "case reports" ;-) about drug abuse, the stage of the Olympia is mostly "uncharted territory" - at least from a scientific perspective.

Its the Olympia Weekend and thus time for a special... at least thats what I thought, when I just sat down in front of the computer a couple of minutes ago. The only problem is that boydbuilding is "scientific no-mans-land". If we forget about the formidable paper by Dr. Lindy Rossow that was finally officially published a couple of weeks ago (you can read my write-up of the ahead of print version here). In an interview I recently did with her (not to be published here at the SuppVersity, sorry), Lindy told me that she feels that the lack of reliable information was a problem especially in view of the "vast world of bro-science on the Internet" that generates a "world of misinformation and rumors" while the "vast majority" of the scientific articles you would find on PubMed and the pertinent databases "focuse[s] on negative, freak events that generally occurred in bodybuilders who were injecting things or on large amounts of drugs" (Rossow, hitherto unpublished interview).

Bodydbuilders & scientists

The "average" scientists (whoever he or she may be) probably holds a lot of the common prejudices the "average" bodybuilder (another of these dubious creatures) is facing on an almost daily basis.

 

Figure 1: Body weight development during the 6 months pre- and post-contest phase of Dr. Chris Fahs, subject and co-author of Dr. Rossows study on natural bodybuilding (learn more)

Whats quite ironic, though, is that the same is true vice versa. I would even go so far as to say that the average scientist may have a better idea of what a bodybuilder does than vice versa. I mean lets face it: Can you tell me what the purportedly smart guys and girls in the University are doing all-day? Trust me, I am one of them and I can tell you it is by no means what I see in peoples eyes, when I tell them I am working at the University ;-)

Ok, I am getting off the topic, which was ... ah yes, the Olympia Special!

Despite the fact that what I have written before is spot on and many scientists think of bodybuilding as crazy freakshow, there is some interesting research out there. Unfortunately, I have covered many of these studies already, so that it was not exactly easy to find a recent study that would not simply reiterate the myth of the drug abusing maniac of whom the scientists obviously believe that he deserved the trip to the ER that made him the subject of a scientific case report.

After some digging, I was still able to spot two (or actually three) extraordinary (in the literal sense of not belonging to the "horror story" category) studies for today SuppVersity Olympia Special:

1. 

   SuppVersity Suggested read: "Old School Supplements - Choline: Stronger, Faster, Leaner & More Muscular, or Just Another Dumb-and-Barbell Story?" | read more

   Study #1 is dealing with bodybuilding specific exercise science and the question whether there are any relevant differences between AM and PM training. Certainly not a new question, but one that has (imho) not been addressed in a bodybuilding specific context with non obese, non-elderly, non-diabetic and non-sedentary subjects who are still the study object #1 for the previously mentioned "average scientist".
2. Study #2, on the other hand, deals with the distorted picture of the competitive bodybuilder. The approach the scientists took is yet very different from the usual "here is a questionnaire, make sure answer both the question about drug abuse and negative side-effects with Yes, ok" protocols... ah, I dont want to give away too much ;-)

I know that most of you are probably rather drawn to article #1, but I highly suggest you give #2 a chance, its worth it - in the spritit of the Olympia ;-)

Bodybuilding Science: AM or PM Training? What is Best?

In a two-article series Majid Mousavizadeh and his colleagues from the Azad University and the Razi University in Borujerd and Kermansha, Iran, have observed that. Bodybuilders who with to minimize their cortisol levels before, during and after a workout are better advised to train in the PM (4pm). 

Figure 1: Its easy to see that both the pre and post cortisol levels as well as the relative increase in cortisol were much lower, when the 10 "bodybuilding ahtletes" performed their workout at 4PM vs. 8AM (Mousavizadeh. 2012)

I guess it does not take a rocket scientist to be able to tell that after glancing at the data in figure 1. More than 3x higher baseline cortisol levels in the morning and a 10 higher increase of cortisol during the workout.

Figure 3: Correlations (blue) and p-values (red) between serum hormone levels and increases in lean body mass in the West & Phillips 12-week resistance training study w/ young athletic guys (West. 2011)

In view of the results of the results of an imho classic (or at least classy ;-) study by West et al. from 2011 it is however questionable if this decrease in cortsiol response, with is in accordance with results Bird et al. presented in 2004, already, is actually beneficial. After all, figure 2 which is based on the results of the West study and was originally published in "Strength, Cardio or both?" (read full article) indicates that the increases in cortisol, not those of testosterone, IGF-1 or growth hormone (GH) are the best (and only) valid predictors of lean mass gains. If you take the time to (re?-)read the pertinent Science Round-Up on cortisol (read it), it may thus be that you will soon start to work out in the AM on purpose ;-)

From an immune perspective, at least, it would not make a difference, anyway: In 2013 colleagues of Mousavizadeh et al. conducted a 12-week study in the course of which half of the thirty male subjects (aged 18 to 25 years), who lifted weights in the AM or PM, ended up with identical levels of monocytes, lymphocytes and eosinophils in their blood (Sani. 2012).

Bodybuilders are stigmatized and science can prove it!

Now the fact that people who train actually think about whether it may make a difference when they train in the AM instead of the PM should actually bring up the question how someone who cares about these complex physiological processes can be a dumb freak, right? Still, most of you did probably simply believe what I wrote in the introductory remarks, right? I mean "everybody knows" that bodybuilders are stigmatized in this society. They are suspect to the "normal" people due to their distinctive appearance and - of course - their careless abuse of performance enhancing drugs.

Now these prejudices are the actual topic of a paper by Jone Bjørnestad, Øyvind Kandal and Norman Anderssen that was published a couple of weeks ago in the online version of the Journal of Health Psychology. Its title is "Vulnerable discipline: Experiences of male competitive bodybuilders" and it is (surprise!) not one of those simple "We asked the visitors of a Norwegian gym..." studies, but a pretty detailed analysis thats based on lengthy and time-consuming interviews with competitive bodybuilders who told the scientists things like this:

For Adelfo bodybuilding provided him with a new purpose | learn more

"What is important with bodybuilding, for those who train correctly, you need to work hard, you have to be disciplined, you have to be regular. This has transfer value to others aspects of life because you learn to give priority, you learn to focus, you get things done, you are able to shut out everything else.

This is a very, very positive effect. When you do bodybuilding, you learn to set up ambitions, to focus and to achieve them. (Blade)" (my emphasis in a quote from Bjørnestad. 2013)

I believe Blade, one of the subjects in this study from the University of Bergen, makes a very good point. I mean compare the demands of becoming a competitive bodybuilder to those of playing video games, smoking pod with your "friends" or being addicted to Facebook? I think every parent would rather want his / her child to "work hard", be "disciplined" and "focused" than be lazy, lost, stoned and anxious that he or she could miss an important Facebook post of one of his / her fake online friends.

The social costs of being a bodybuilder

Suggested read: "Growing Beyond Physiological Limits." | read more

The researchers do yet also highlight the social costs of the life of a passionate bodybuilder. "Thor" as of they call another study participants, for example said:

"Diet, [sic!] actually egoistic, the last time I was on diet  I sat eating rice and chicken at my son’s birthday party while all the others ate cake.

My family tells me, not my own, but my wife’s, that they feel a little bit put off." (Thor)

And here we have it: Another part of the stigma: The asocial bodybuilder and bad father.

A bad father? I would not be so sure about that. After all he is more concerned about his health than the average "storybook-daddy" and that not despite but because he is using. In fact, one of the important findings of the study was that "[t]he participants who described using drugs [...]managed their drug use", appropriately - just like Olaf who said being asked about the risks that are involved in using steroids (note: not a single subject claimed you could keep up without them):

"I did one [a health check] just now, just before a  competition, and then I received a message to  come soon to see if a drug that affects the kidneys had been lowered. So, you have a little control. So I don’t really have any negative things to say about it." (Olav)

These statements and other observations in the Bjørnestad stand juxtaposed to the initially mentioned image of a "freak show" that emerges when you read other scientific papers on bodybuilding.

Is being "extraordinary" the real problem?

For the professional bodybuilder it may not be the ideal strategy, for you, someone who "just wants to look good naked" and "finally see his abs", it may yet be a practical solution to the Tuppaware problem: Intermittent fasting... and no, it does not necessarily lead to reduced metabolic rate (learn more)

With respect to the situation in Europe, study participant Henry says that he believes that the real problem people have with him is that he is not "average":

"It is quite weird, in a way, when you are above average here in Norway, people: who the fuck does he think he is? I have been over in the US a few times, and it is like, fuck, people are impressed, and come up to you wanting to take pictures and say hello. But here … they believe that you are like this to show off." (Henry)

I guess most of you who are now at the Olympia will have had or witnessed others having similar experiences. Here you are either taking photos with the big guys or being asked for photos at thy Olympia both and next week, back in the office you have the colleagues whisper secretly about your "weird Tupperware" - am I right?

And when you ignore that talk and sit with them what happens? Probably something like Xavier is describing here:

"[...] when you go out, or wherever I go, or whoever I meet, it inevitably ends up with body talk within 5–10 minutes. I can see this becomes like tiresome sometimes, one thinks about the body all the time. Everything centres on the body,
nothing on how you are as a person." (Xavier)

Right? Of course, thats right. After all, Bjørnestad et al. found that several of their "informants" (thats how they call them) shared this experience and felt that it was "very tiresome" and even annoying how others focus on their bodies, only to complain afterwards how they were the ones who were talking about physical culture all the time. 

"So, its all not worth it?"

I guess the question "whether its worth it" (whatever that may even mean) is not a question I can answer for you. Its a question you will have to answer yourself and thats also why its not part of the bottom line.

If you look closer you may also realize that its actually a set of question that stretches from whether you want to trust common bodybuilding wisdom and go to the overcrowded gym in the PM, although you could just as well train in the AM, to the previously mentioned birthday cake of your kids you cannot eat, because you are "one week out" (meaning you have only one week before the next contest).

And while the former may sound profane the latter is something that will make everyone rething, whether the minutes in the limelight are really worth it. Its possible, I mean, if you feel just like Blade, who says,

"You feel on top of the world, it is something very unique, maybe it is the same people feel when they become an Olympic champion in a sprint. You feel it, you see it on yourself, you feel so wired. It feels so very good if you are in good shape. No other feelings can compare with it, it feels so good." (Blade)

its very possible that you decide that its worth it. And though I personally thing it is not, I respect Blades decision.

SuppVersity Suggested Read: "Adelfo Cerame - Road to Wheelchair Nationals 12: The Final Countdown! Plus: The "No-Bro" Approach to Peak Form" | read this and all the other guest posts of Wheelchair Pro Bodybuilder Adelfo Cerame Jr. here at the SuppVersity (view them all)

You have my deepest respect. I understand what it takes to make it to the stage and - even more so - to stay there and thats why I want to end this post on an advice that may be relevant for both competitors and regular gymrats: Dont make the same mistake "Blade" made - never subscribe to a statement like this: "The body is who I am, the body cannot lie." (Blade). This is exactly what others believe you are: A muscular body and nothing else. What may be even more important is that this attitude is going to leave you hopeless and lost, when this body will one day no longer comply with your own high standards

Apropos standards and expectations: If you decide against aligning your whole life with this one goal, dont fool yourself to believe that it were the wrong macros, the wrong supplements or training in the AM instead of the PM that was holding you back from looking like Mr. Olympia. What you lack is not a new supplement, nutrition plan or training regimen. Its a decade worth of hard work and hardships, years of more or less successful attempts to bring your weak body parts up, months of disciplined dieting and training, and weeks where your every thought is directed to this one goal: to be in the shape of your life, when you step on stage.

References:

• Bird SP, Tarpenning KM. Influence of circadian time structure on acute hormonal responses to a single bout of heavy-resistance exercise in weight-trained men. Chronobiol Int. 2004 Jan;21(1):131-46.
• Mousavizadeh M. et al. Influence of a single bout of circuit weight training on cortisol in the morning and evening. Pelagia Research Library. European Journal of Experimental Biology, 2013, 3(2):367-370
• Sani SMT, et al. The Effect of Morning and Evening Weight Training in the Humeral Immunity of Bodybuilders. International Journal of Sport Studies. Vol., 3 (6), 611-616, 2013.
• West DW, Phillips SM. Associations of exercise-induced hormone profiles and gains in strength and hypertrophy in a large cohort after weight training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012 Jul;112(7):2693-702.

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