Boner pills. Who uses them, seriously?

Yes, I know you "want to do" – probably, even when you're 70 years of age. It's bad enough that people now consider 60 to be the "new 40" and now this…

God, I'm mentally scarred just to imagine to old people "doing it" – makes me want to take a break from doing it for a couple of days until those horrific images recede to the back of my mind.

And yet we find people trying to use this "pill" because they want to get some action even though we can safely conclude that their time is past. Yes, your junk's not working – deal with it!

But when it comes to the dangers of AIDS, cancer and so on and so forth, we don't seem to be too bothered about that – now, are we?

Since you want to stay in bed all the time, let's hope your Vitamin D levels drop as low as possible…

(I know – crappy segway, so deal with it, sunshine!)

Vitamin D: An Introduction

For those of you who do get out a lot during the day, calciferol (or as we commonly refer to Vitamin D) is available freely to all, thanks to the life-giving rays of the sun. Of course, this nutrient is also available in Vitamin D foods such as vegetables, milk and egg yolk among others – and is considered to be very important in its metabolized form: calcitrol.

If you want strong teeth and bones in old age (as opposed to an eternal boner), then it's a good idea for you to keep those Vitamin D levels up – as it aids in the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus.

Vitamin D is also considered to be a immune system booster, without which, getting a "hard on" in old age might probably point to rigor mortis.

To say the least, its benefits are endless covering diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, weight loss, a healthy brain in old age (the other head!) while reducing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

And how you treat your body in the 30s and 40s will eventually catch up with you when you're much older. (Also commonly referred to as the reformed douchebag with the monocles and all, as in this article.)

If the advice is unheeded, you can be sure that the problems that plague during your 50s and 60s won't be not getting a boner but will be due to low vitamin D…

Low Vitamin D Symptoms

Now there are two ways by which you might suffer from low Vitamin D symptoms, and that might because there is very low levels of this nutrient in your diet but it might also stem from the body's inability to absorb this nutrient normally.

So, here the symptoms that might indicate whether you have Vitamin D deficiency:

#1: Burning sensation in the throat and mouth, insomnia, diarrhea, appetite, weight loss and vision problems – sound alright to you?

#2: Weaker bones, multiple fractures, fatigue, depression, muscle pain, low immunity, rickets for those who need boner pills and osteomalacia in kids.

#3: Susceptibility to numerous disease because of a weak immune system

#4: Periodontal diseases (try dentures instead) and musculoskeletal pain in the limbs as well.

In Closing

I don't care much for people who have a "sunny disposition" – but honestly, get out more often, will you? No one loves prostate cancer…

Bodybuilding is almost exclusively associated with men, but one woman, through the medium of reality TV, aims to blow those stereotypes into the water. Former glamour model Jodie Marsh will star in a documentary about her attempts to become a natural bodybuilder over the course of two months.

In order to get into shape, Jodie gave up drinking and late-night clubbing and worked hard at developing her physique. Eight weeks later, and celeb Jodie shows off her new muscles to the confused media, thus proving that if anyone goes through the right fitness regime, they get the results.

Through hard work, dedication and determination, Jodie achieved her desired figure, and this is also the case for many professional bodybuilders and athletes. However, they also get an extra boost through using a range of bodybuilding supplements. Using natural supplements can help to improve your fitness, build muscles and accelerate the bodybuilder’s progress.

One of the most popular supplements is protein powders. You can buy protein powder from health food shops on the high street or from dedicated online retailers, who have extensive knowledge of which supplements are right for their customers’ needs.

Protein powder enjoys popularity amongst bodybuilders and athletes from all backgrounds because of its many benefits. It comes in several varieties, has great versatility when used in cooking and performs vital functions that your body needs.

The different types of protein powder include whey, pea, egg white and casein (milk). The whey and egg white varieties are widely regarded as the best of the lot, as they’re low in fat and, as they derive from dairy products, they contain more protein than other protein powders.

It may surprise you, but protein powders can be used for cooking. Protein powders are often used to make shakes by adding juice, milk or water, but other recipes out there include brownies, meal replacement bars and pancakes. In liquid forms, protein shakes are consumed as meal replacements.

While both the taste and variety are impressive, it is the nutritional qualities of protein powders that stand out. Protein is essential in the body’s growth and repair, which is why athletes consume protein powder in some form before and after working out. Protein powders can also help with weight gain, which if managed correctly, can aid muscle building. However, if consuming protein powders, you need to make sure you’re eating and living healthily, as consuming this supplement won’t have the desired effect.

Perhaps one of the most dreaded statements that a husband or boyfriend can hear these days is "Oh, it's that time of the month again". And we all know what this means, not only for women but for their spouses or boyfriends.

Yes, we're talking about the dreaded monthly condition known as PMS that really brings to our notice how effortlessly one can become mean-spirited for no reason at all.

It's a lovely time, to put it caustically, because this not only affects the person who has to deal with bloating, cramps, pain and the like but the people around them also have to deal with mood swings, extremes of emotion and yes, a bit of punishment as well…

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): What's a girl to do?

Almost everyone knows what happens to the sister, wife, girlfriend or mother during the days when they get their periods yet this condition (PMS) tends to happen about one or two weeks before their monthly periods, and which is otherwise known as menstruation.

Medically speaking, very little is known as to why this condition occurs except for the fact that the changing hormone levels in the body. Most experts attribute the 'hormone' factor to be the reason for the usual discomfort that so many face ranging all the way to the extremes that a  select few have to deal with as well.

This very delightful time in a woman's life is also medically classified as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and occurs mostly in women who have had their first child and are between the ages of 20 and 40. For all other women who have to cope with this condition, the symptoms are mild and do not need to be treated at all.

Yet the pressing question that is more suited to women who wish to handle these symptoms is how they restore a state of normalcy to their lives due to the toll it takes on their psychological, emotional and physical condition as well.

Tips to deal with PMS

If you think you have all the answers to dealing with PMS, then delusion might be your mainstay in Life or it's just that you don't understand the phrase "trial and error" completely.

The truth is that while most women might consider a course of medication, changing your lifestyle choices can count for a lot as well.

Tip #1: Exercising regularly while eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains can really can really make a difference to dealing with this condition.

Tip #2: Cigarettes, salty and sugary foods, caffeine and alcohol are a no-no here.

Tip #3: Eight hours of sleep is a must.

Tip #4: Folic acid and Calcium supplements along with painkillers can go a long way in making your life much easier during this time.

And yet there's another method by which you can really reduce the stress of having to cope with extreme PMS symptoms and this is by the consumption of krill oil.

Krill Oil

Right off the bat, this oil is completely natural as it is derived from a shrimp-like animal that is normal consumed by bigger creatures in the sea. In a study conducted, most patients responded positively to the fact that in consuming this oil during PMS, they were able to cope much better with normal variances that they experience psychologically as well as with the extreme conditions of dysmenorrhea.

Several medical experts recommend krill oil, and you can find more information at this link as well.

In Closing

It doesn't have to be hard, and there is no need to make fun or romanticize suffering during these tough times in a woman's life either. Trying Krill Oil might just make all the difference… well, the people around definitely deserve it, no matter how "right" your behavior might seem during this time.

When it comes to education, the toughest years of my life was 96' and 97'. Back in those days, most people often chose Science subjects if they wished to be successful. Ignorance, if you ask me…

Much to my chagrin, those two years involved putting you "under the microscope", if you get my drift.

Physics and Mathematics was hard enough, and then they had high school Chemistry, which put you through the grind, thanks to all the theories and equations all neatly wrapped in a 300 plus page book.

To say the least, I was anything but Sheldon Cooper (in the "Big Bang Theory") and as I made my way out of those hallowed portals of education, it didn't matter to me whether Bromine, Calcium or even Selenium (as rare as it is) played an important in Chemistry because I was done, for a lifetime…

Selenium

Just as too much of anything is bad for you, the compound known as selenium works in the same way due to the fact that it gets against the human body as soon as it exceeds a certain dosage.

Yet there's no doubt that it is important for not only animals but is present in the soil as well as our body for the precise reason that it is still needed but works effectively when present in trace amounts.

Since its contribution to almost every important process in our body is vital, it resides in every cell of our body but most significantly, in the pancreas, testes, kidneys and spleen.

Thanks to recent controversy that has led experts to believe that Selenium poisoning can occur if it exceeds a particular level, the level of Selenium consumable for babies is at about 40 micrograms while it is 400 micrograms for adults, which if exceeded can lead to selenosis. Yet there is no doubt that when consumed within the required daily limits, it can be very beneficial for one's health.

Selenium Health Benefits

Right off the bat, one of the most popular benefits of Selenium is its ability to act as an antioxidant, which essentially, neutralizes the free radicals in our body which has the ability to damage cells, tissues and our health in general.

And there are other benefits that Selenium seems to possess, and here there they are:

#1: Protection against heart disease (known as Keshan disease)

#2: Promotes normal liver and thyroid function

#3: Aids in the improvement asthma and inter-cranial pressure symptoms

#4: Increases the healing rate of burn wounds

#5: Prevention of prostate cancer

#6: Prevents cataract development

#7: Prevent several kinds of infections

#8: Aids Anti-aging

And if you are looking at this list, and going: Wow… experts are still compiling evidence as to whether these Selenium benefits are true or not. But what has been established is the fact that several disorders occur in the situation of selenium deficiency.

So in order to combat these disorders from arising, there are several natural sources of Selenium, and here they are.

Sources of Selenium

Here is a list of foods that contain Selenium: wheat germ, butter, garlic, grains, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, raisins, walnuts brewer's yeast, shellfish (such as lobster, oyster, shrimp, scallops), fresh-water and salt-water fish (such as red snapper, salmon, swordfish, tuna, mackerel, halibut, flounder, herring, smelts), kidney and liver.

But before you really want to give these foods a go: remember the aforementioned warning about the toxicity of Selenium in humans.

In Closing

Perhaps I have nothing against Chemistry or any of the other science subjects (as I just love the "Big Bang Theory", and Sheldon's rants) but just Selenium, those years just brought on an aversion for these subjects, thanks to an overdose…

Despite what you may think, there are proteins in all living things. When you first think of
protein you probably think of peanut butter, red meat, and fish. But the truth is that there are
proteins in dairy products, grains and even fruits and vegetables. If it has cells, it has proteins,
but the amount of proteins differs from product to product.

Aside from fish and red meats, the food product with the most protein is whey. Yes, whey. The
curious thing mixed with curds that Little Miss Tuffit guarded so valiantly against the spider…or did she run away? Hmmm.

Whey is the protein packed milk plasma left over after the milk curdles. The curdled milk, curds, is strained, and what’s left is the whey. The curds are turned into cheeses, and the whey can be processed for human consumption. No, this doesn’t sound tasty or even healthy, but if the whey is collected using safe methods, it is a perfectly excellent source of protein. For a healthier more natural protein source, myprotein manufacture and produce a healthy choice of nutritional products for the serious athlete and fitness buffs.

Whey is used to make ricotta cheese, and is used as an additive to make crackers, bread, pastries, and even processed into feed for cows (by this point the whey has come full circle).

The whey proteins, which is what they call the globular proteins separated from the whey, can also be dried until powdery and packaged as a protein supplement. Whey protein is used by body builders to repair and replace the proteins damaged during the muscle building process. Protein comes in many consumable forms including protein bar snacks, powders, drinks, shakes and protein amino acid tablet form.

Though its origins aren’t pretty, whey protein is whey cool.

This whole argument between science and religion has raged on for decades now. And despite the fact that religion is now waging a losing battle, scientists everywhere have to accept the fact that we still "don't know" as much as we would like to.

Yes, if that hasn't been obvious enough… that's the real deal here.

Science and industrialization has gone hand in hand, and along the way, there have been realizations that have dawned on mankind especially in regards to what they consider valuable or not.

And while there are a bazillion examples to justify this claim of mine, there is one such  product that comes to mind when it comes to the matters of health and fitness.

And it has always been derived from the now-dreaded dairy product… cheese! The very product that little Miss Muffet was making a meal until the spider scared the poor creature away.

Yes, we're talking about whey…

Whey: From By-product to superfood

Whey was considered to be a waste by-product until scientists and experts in the medical and fitness community realized what an excellent source of protein this product is for anyone who is interested in building a great body or is an athlete at the highest level.

Apparently, this by-product is one of the best sources and is just as good as the much-acclaimed soy products since it is able to provide protein that can be used to generate all the essential amino acids that the body cannot produce by itself.

And if you don't know already, whey is actually the liquid portion that remains after milk is curdled and strained, and in most cases, its primary source is being a by-product when cheese is produced commercially.

From a scientific standpoint, there are three forms of whey these days such as the concentrate, hydrolysate and its purest form known as the isolate.

Whey Protein Isolate

Since the other two forms aren't as pure as its isolate version, there are several ways to produce whey protein isolate, among which the cross-flow filtration comes up trumps over the method of producing it using the Ion exchange.

While both methods seek to produce the highest amount of protein, the latter isn't able to capture the sub-fraction peptides that offer the most benefits to its consumers along with the protein, and which is why health experts consider the former method to be the best.

Since, in this form, whey protein isolate contains almost 90 to 96 % protein, you can imagine what this can do for people who want to build mass safely while also not necessarily being too difficult to consume, thanks to its milky taste.

Benefits of Whey Protein Isolate

The bottomline is that there are several benefits that include the reduction of LDL cholesterol to having a high Biological value (the amount of protein that will be absorbed as a whole) as well as supporting one's immune system and decreasing soreness after training.

In Closing

No matter how you look at it, whey protein has found its place in the health community, and one can only wonder what the future holds when it comes to waste by-products turning into superfoods…

If there is a country towards which people have to point their fingers, it is towards China that one must look at first. In my opinion, one of the most interesting countries that is not only adjusting well to the onslaught of modernism but still managing to preserve one of mankind's richest cultures quite adequately.

No matter whether this extends to the martial arts, the arts in general, philosophy and in pertinence to this blog, their diet as well.

Of course, one can't rule out the contribution of countries such as Japan and Korea but there is no doubt that China single handedly has given a lot more than any country that has formed in the twentieth century can boast of.

Even the cynical 'racist' (not being ignorant, of course) of us all will attribute this fact, and perhaps one of the ways by which we can see China's contribution is towards the field of diet and nutrition, specifically in the area of being an excellent source of protein.

Protein and its sources

Yes, almost everyone who has reached an age of maturity knows that proteins are considered to be the building blocks of the body. Our body tissue cannot build, repair and rebuild itself in a situation where there is a serious lack of protein.

But why protein is indeed important to the human body is because it is an integral ingredient in the production of the 'essential amino acids' that the body cannot generate by itself, and through the food that one eats on a daily basis.

And while there are a slew of foods that are said to contain protein in large amounts such as beef, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes and so on and so forth, a method known as the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score determines which sources of protein are actually "complete".

Complete in the sense that one can derive the adequate amount of protein in order to be able to generate these essential amino acids, of course. And since we've been talking about China and its contribution, soybeans have also been added to this category as well.

A Note of Soybeans

If you think that eating soybeans raw is a good idea, it's definitely not. However, it is being processed into foods commonly identified as soy milk, soy meat (as if there was such a thing!), soy oil and flour and so on and so forth for obvious reasons, of course.

But these are not the ways one can get the purest source of soy (and you will be interested in what comes next especially if you are into strenuous workouts and bodybuilding) in three ways such as soy flour (50%), concentrate (70%) and isolate (90%).

And if you still don't know why this is even being discussed as there are other option, research has found that one can consider this form of protein to be a source of 'complete protein', meaning that in consuming soy protein, one will be able to produce all the amino acids that the body needs to produce apart from one's diet.

How cool is that?

In Closing

And the strangest thing is that the Chinese have been consuming this products since the dawn of time… and one wonders why they're so healthy!

Low Carb Meal

I've tried tons, some good, some awful, but finding the perfect mix of nutrition and taste is rare.

I'll usually grab one on the way out the door in the morning, and I always keep a little mix of them in the car glove box too.

While I've tried dozens of different ones, I'd been hearing great things lately about VPX Zero Impact Bars.

I decided to try some out from America's Nutrition, because they had them at only about 2 dollars per bar, and they were on my doorstep in two days.

I got two flavors Chocolate Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter and Jelly.

As soon as I opened the box, I had to try one. It seemed as though my trick of microwaving most meal replacement bars for a few seconds had already been taken care of for me, because the box had been in the sun and heat for a few hours, so the texture of the bars was already soft.

I tried Peanut Butter and Jelly first, and while it didn't quite conjure up childhood memories of any PB&J's I've ever had, it did manage to develop a great taste of it's own.

When I tried, I could pick up a few tastes of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, but I probably couldn't have told you the flavor while blindfolded. I think "Tropical Peanut Butter" would be the best way to describe it.

Either way, the texture and taste was great, and I was so impressed (aka hungry), I decided to go ahead and try out the other flavor too.

Chocolate Peanut Butter was much closer to its namesake, and I would have to give this one a slight edge in terms of taste, though the texture was the same on both.

Even after cooling for about a day and half, the texture still remains soft, which is a welcome change for most meal replacement bars I've tried, so I guess it wasn't just the heat that did it.

After trying these two flavors, I set out to try one of each of the other two I didn't have, "Original Pumpkin" and "Roasted Coconut".

While I couldn't find Roasted Coconut, the Pumpkin was by far my favorite in terms of taste. This tasted more like the love child of chocolate and pumpkin pie than any protein bar I've ever had.

Low Carb Meal Nutrition

One of the most impressive things about VPX Zero Impact Bars, though, was the obvious commitment to health and nutrition that the company shares.

After some more research on VPX itself, everyone from the CEO down has dedicated tons of time and money to researching and designing the best meal replacement bar they can.

The name Zero Impact comes from the fact that the bar is formulated to have minimal impact on blood sugar and insulin, because of it's low glycemic index.

So, while it's not a completely zero carb protein source, it can still be considered a low carb bar if you're looking to avoid spikes in your blood sugar.

They also don't use any of the normal junk you find in similar bars, while avoiding hydrogenated oils all together (one of the first things I check for).

Each bar runs about 400 calories and has a nice nutritional breakdown, so it makes for the perfect low carb meal on the go.

Introduction

Everyone is so aware of what is fattening or not that dieting has become popular among the has-beens and wannabes that we bump into ever so often. Fat or the euphemism plump is barely something a woman would like to hear much less consider as a part of her own personal thesaurus.

And when did the word 'fat' in almost every health-directed conversation become a bad thing?

Not all fat in our body is bad namely saturated fats; there is good fat too in the form of brown fat (which was discovered only recently) as well as unsaturated fats as well.

Unsaturated fats are further subdivided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that not only lower total and LDL cholesterol while also supporting important body functions such as nutrient absorption, nerve transmission among others.

The one thing that is common amongst all types of fats is that they all consist of fatty acids, and there are some fatty acids that are essential in order to maintain and build the health of one's body.

Essential Fatty Acids

There are only two essential fatty acids that the body needs: alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid). The reason to consider them as essential is that the body needs these acids but cannot make them from food components for important biological processes.

And while the aforementioned omega-3 fatty acid can be found in a number of seed oils and green leafy vegetables, the omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid) is basically found in a host of oils, eggs and so on and so forth.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

At another level altogether, at least 28 isomers (meaning same chemical formula, different structure) of linoleic acid which is known as Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) are found in meat and dairy products derived from goats, sheep and cattle among several others in the family of Ruminantia.

And the reason why such a big deal is being made out of it is because CLA has been known to display medicinal properties that could seriously influence one area of research that has been stagnating for the past few decades among several others.

Benefits

For some time now, CLA was treated as another 'bad fat' that one must stay away from, and thus dieters did so, until research uncovered how essential it is for the body to be healthy.

Since the highest levels of CLA comes from beef, lamb and dairy products, it is recommended that instead of taking supplements, one should eat grass-fed beef and lamb, as this is the primary source of CLA.

So, here are the benefits

a. Anti-cancer properties – by inhibiting the growth of tumors as well as reducing their size as well

b. Weight Loss – reduced body fat and increases preservation of muscle tissue

c. Preventing Weight Gain – By keeping small fat cells from growing larger

d. Others – Strengthen the immune system, lower triglyceride and LDL cholesterol which reduces glucose output in diabetics.

Side Effects – ZERO!

In Closing

Knowledge changes things, and for this to happen one must check and recheck the obstacles and barriers that they have set for themselves. Go educate yourself, find the latest developments and so on and so forth… but don't sit on your ass, or else you'd get fat!

Introduction

So, we're living in a time called the 'Age of Aquarius', and yours truly is proud to be an Aquarian. Superstition, you say? I agree, it does carry you into the clouds sporadically, but since I'm obsessed with the 'abstract' and all things related to intelligence, the 'occult' (as it is known in Western Civilization) has gradually changed the way I see things, ever since that fateful day in September 2007.

Somehow, a large part of these two years involved dabbling with the occult (which is an integral part of Hinduism, I might add) in the form of Vedic, Chinese and Western astrology, Tarot Reading and Numerology.

Some Christians called me insane and unholy, some others felt 'blessed' that I did bring good tidings of joy, love and hope… and most of all, some folks who did take a chance in listening to the few things that I had to offer, began to take a path similar to mine, in an effort to find the truth, albeit an offbeat and not necessarily popular one, which we Aquarians are known for!

Not only have I become more accepting and peaceful regardless of external situations on the inside but I have begun to live with a greater appreciation for the culture (through the teachings of the Vedas and Vedic astrology) and its spirituality that I have grown up in but haven't necessarily paid attention to until now. And perhaps it is the desire to see the Khecarī Mudrā in action…

The 'Mystery' Gland

Known as the 'seat of the soul' from times when medicine was not yet considered an exact science, not much was known about the pineal gland until its discovery in the vertebrate brain.

Now, your body has its own internal clock which controls the wake/sleep patterns, and the amount of melatonin that is produced depends on this internal clock as well.

Melatonin

Called the 'hormone of darkness', the amount of melatonin released increased from mid to late evening and remain at their highest levels at night, until the time you open your eyes in the morning to the presence of light, which acts as a signal for the production of melatonin to stop. It has been documented that low-melatonin levels are the cause of insomnia, and hence conversely has been recognized as the body's natural sleeping pill.

So it is safe to conclude that the production of melatonin is regulated by the absence or presence of light, and this can impact sleep to the point where it becomes a sleeping disorder like 'insomnia'.

Now, during the winter when the days are shorter, melatonin is produced is either produced earlier or later in the days, and this can lead to seasonal affective disorder or winter depression due to the change in pattern.

In order to counter these effects, dietary supplements of melatonin have been used to treat patients with sleep disorders, jet lag by resetting their clocks, seasonal affective disorder, irregular sleep patterns due to working at night, issues with sleep after surgery and so on and so forth.

In Closing

In Hindu Philosophy, the pineal gland is also referred to as the 'third eye' and with its other functions pertaining to the occult and dreams as well which can be scoffed at by modern scientists as well, but one thing is for sure – we'll never know until we truly understand the depth of metaphysics and for the most of us, it will truly remain a mystery that will take a lifetime to solve.