How To Become Taller No Matter Your Age

By Shaun Davids

Have you been wondering how to become taller now, without using ineffective height pills? It is actually quite easy, but if you put more effort in the results will come quickly. If you keep asking, "how can I grow taller?", then here are 10 steps for you to follow.

1. Do some stretches:

The first thing you should do when you get out of bed is to stretch. You can even do some of these stretches while still lying in bed - to help get your senses going. Extend your arms and legs outwards, as if you are getting your body pulled apart. This is a good way to get you ready on how to become taller.

2. Take Deep Breaths:

In the morning, doing some some breathing exercises is good for waking up. Slowly inhale deeply with your nose, and let the air slowly out of your mouth. By flooding your lungs with oxygen a couple of times, your body feels energized.

3. Suntan:

You need enough sunshine in the body so, you may go outdoors and expose yourself into the early morning sunshine. The sun provides us vitamin D, which is a necessary nutrient needed by the body for how to become taller.

4. Walk:

Now that you are fully awake, stretched and revitalized, you can do some exercise. Start off by going for a gentle stroll around the neighborhood. This is a great exercise that can be done at any time in the day.

5. Stimulate your growth hormones:

After you have exercised, it is good to massage certain parts of your body to stimulate the production of growth hormones. Massage is an ideal way how to become taller, since it is an exercise in itself and a form of relaxation.

6. Stand/Sit Up Straight:

You should always try to sit or stand up as upright as possible. By pulling in your abdomen and puffing your chest out, you will strengthen your core muscles. And to maintain your posture, try keep your chin upright too - look straight ahead, and push your entire head back inline with your spine. This is a great way how to look taller too.

7. Rest:

Whenever you feel exhausted after a workout, you should try have some rest. To become taller your body needs to restock its energy levels. So after exercise, have a short naps for about 30 minutes, before getting on with your day.

8. Straighten your spine:

When you are about to sleep at night, you should always remember to keep your back flat on the bed to straighten out your spine.

9. Drink Water:

Do not forget to drink plenty of water. You need water to keep you from dehydration and to replenish the lost moisture in your body while exercising.

10. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol:

Last but not the least, you should avoid nicotine and alcohol. Unhealthy habit won't lead you to your success in how to become taller fast. Instead it would hinder you to do so, because of the toxic it gives your body. - 17268

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Discover the #1 rated method on How To Become Tallerand boost your height by an extra 2 to 4 inches in 6 weeks - no matter your age! You can also read more on how to become taller here.

Facts About Exercise For Cellulite

By Mandy Adamsen

Cellulite can be on the top list of a person's worst nightmare. For some people, it may seem as unsightly as a large scar. It can ruin your chances of ever wearing those pair of sexy board shorts or that cute bikini. Fortunately, there is a chance that you can help relieve your cellulite condition with a little exercise for cellulite.

The Truth About Cellulite

Before going off and rushing to find the perfect exercise routine for cellulite, it is important that you understand some facts about cellulite first, like how it affects women of all shapes and sizes. Even skinny people and athletes can have some cellulite in their bodies. If you don't think you have cellulite, try pinching a couple of inches of your thigh. The rippling portion is actually a sign that you do have it and you probably need exercise for cellulite.

Contain your excitement, though. Cellulite is very difficult to get rid of. For a lot of people, exercise is simply not enough. For others, it may take a whole lot of exercising before they can make a dent on their cellulite condition. If you are interested in exercise for cellulite, you should have realistic expectations and a great deal of perseverance.

What Exercise Can Do for You

Some cellulite exercise routines can provide some benefits. That is why a lot of people still want to get into an exercise program. One exercise benefit is that you can get your muscles toned. This may not completely get rid of cellulite but it can buff up your muscles so that cellulite won't look so obvious. Exercise can also help improve your blood circulation. This is important because this is how nutrients contained in food and supplements reach cellulite areas. This implies though that exercise for cellulite should always be paired with a nutritious diet and a good cellulite supplement.

Exercise for Cellulite

What are these exercises that help reduce cellulite? A lot of sources will tell you that muscle strengthening and endurance exercises are the best for cellulite. This is partly true because these exercises are the ones that can tone your muscles. Squats, leg curls and weight lifting are examples of muscle exercises.

It should be noted though that aerobic exercises are equally as important. An aerobic exercise for cellulite is what can help improve your blood circulation and oxygen delivery. It also helps support toxin elimination. Swimming, jogging and walking are examples of aerobic exercises.

Gradual Start

Other than time and effort, exercising would also entail a lot of determination and perseverance. At the beginning, it is crucial to have a gradual start. Maybe you can begin exercising for 10 minutes a day for 2 to 3 days a week. When you are used to your pace, you can increase your exercise schedule to 15 to 20 minutes everyday for 5 days a week.

Regular exercise doesn't mean that you have to exercise 7 days a week. It simply means that you have to make sure not to miss your scheduled exercise days. If you do not have a regular exercise for cellulite schedule, you might not be able to get rid of your problem even if you keep exercising for years. - 17268

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Is cellulite laser treatment your only option in removing cellulite? Know more about how the right exercise for cellulite can shed off those cellulites too!

You Should Consider Cooking With Carne Asada Seasoning

By Ferdinand Emy

When preparing carne asada, apparently with carne asada seasoning, the fundamental method includes marinating the meat in a lime based marinade.

Keep the carne asada seasoning that you obtained, close to the grill readily available because the grilling will be quite fast. If you feel like adding other fruit juices to the carne asada marinade, do not hesitate. To talk about carne asada seasoning we first clarify what carne asada really is. Therefore a good carne asada marinade must contain a lot of lime juice, onion and black pepper, as well as garlic. Papaya is a natural source of tenderizers.

If you do not have time to prepare the carne asada seasoning or you do not have the necessary ingredients, you can always purchase some from the stores around you. To be successful in carne asada seasoning, remember that the meat should be cooked over a charcoal fire; wood chips in a smoker box might assist as well, but nothing compares to a real fire. Thinly sliced, the meat is served on tortillas. Carne asada with carne asada seasoning needs a good marinade if you decide to not skip this phase in the process. Then we will see how carne asada and carne asada seasoning are made and used.

Mind the salt! Do not add any salt to the marinade. We can tell you that papaya in particular will work perfectly well, since papaya makes the meat especially tender. Then let the carne asada seasoning get into the meat and finally grill, roast, broil until you get the expected result. The grilled beef can be used in no matter way you like, in burritos or tacos or simply served up straight. The jar of Durango carne asada seasoning also provides instructions on how to use The mix should be sprinkled on both sides of the meat.

Basically carne asada is a marinated and grilled, at the same time, steak. When it comes to carne asada seasoning, you should bear in mind a few important things. However, if you marinate the meat, you will be able to add some flavor and tenderize the meat. The carne asada seasoning process you need to use salt, actually coarse salt, cumin, powdered garlic. Put all these ingredients and shake them.

For instance you can purchase carne asada seasoning made by Durango Products. Then you have to grill the meat over a hot fire and, finally, slice it into thin strips across the grain. This carne asada seasoning costs around $5 and it consists of salt, spices, onion, garlic, parsley, dextrose, dehydrated vegetables. In the process of making carne asada with carne asada seasoning, marinating is not necessarily a must. - 17268

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Ferdinand is the author of Beginner's Guide To Cooking With Seasonings you may head over to join our cooking with seasonings weekly tips delivered to your email now

Colon Cleansing Issues

By Jane Soreau

The moment we begin to experience persistent headaches, fatigue, constipation, low energy, excessive weight, it becomes obligatory to undertake colon cleansing. Colon or the large intestine is an internal body part where waste is accumulated. As a result of frequent exposure to toxins, pollution, heavy metals, parasites our colon can become unclean. Unclean colons are exceedingly perilous as it is renowned phrase that "death begins in the colon". So, colon cleansing has been declared as a need by global scientists. There are two sorts of colon cleansing processes, first is the auto-cleansing or natural cleansing and the other colon cleansing process is colon irrigation. Natural colon cleansing comprises of oral intake of products i.e. enemas, laxatives, enzymes, powders and anti-parasite capsules. Colon irrigation process involves a colonic hygienist or a colon therapist who utilizes a machine that puts in 20 gallons of water with the aid of a tube introduced in your rectum. When the water moves in your colon the hygienist normally massages the abdomen and then flushes it out with another tube.

Yet, colon irrigation process is risky; natural colon cleansing method is more suitable. If natural colon cleansing is implemented on an every day basis then evils caused because of the colon can be prohibited. Prior to getting introduced with the natural colon cleansing benefits, we will at first delve into the health hazards caused due to a damaged colon.

Health hazards of a contaminated colon:

Constipation takes place due to the slow movement of the body waste through the colon. The colon absorbs too much water making the body waste stiff and arid that results in troubled bowel movements.

Fatigue is the feeling of intense weariness and shortage of energy. Skin problems involve itchiness, acne and signs of early aging like wrinkles.

There is a propensity to long for for foods that are perhaps your favorite; however, they are bad for health.

Reduced metabolism and accretion of excreta gives excessive weight. When toxics are accumulated in the colon, an individual experiences terrible headaches.

Bloating of the stomach happens due to excessive accrual of gas in the colon. Postponed excretion of body waste can result in extreme built up of gas in the colon.

These are a few mild disorders caused because of a damaged colon. But, if these mild disorders are neglected then they can become grave health hazards. So, it is crucial that colon cleansing is done before time passes out.

Why choose natural colon cleansing?

There are many reasons to choose natural colon cleansing. First and foremost, it is the most convenient method of colon cleansing. Natural colon cleansing is done by green tea, enemas, laxatives, enzymes, powders and anti-parasite capsules. Therefore, they all can be taken in orally. On the other hand it is cheaper or free way of colon cleansing. There are least chances of errors or any kinds of side effects. Hence, choosing natural colon cleansing method is beneficial and profitable as well.

Health benefits of natural colon cleansing

Getting rid of constipation, losing weight up to 10-30 pounds, preventing wrinkles, acne, pimples, diabetes and giving you an energetic, youthful and beautiful life are some of the benefits of natural colon cleansing method. - 17268

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Weight Loss: How To Stick To Your Goal

By Ricardo d Argence

Once you have faced and conquered the challenge of reaching your weight loss goal, what is the best way to keep it off? Here are some good suggestions:

In order to continue to loose the weight, make sure you maintain the diet lifestyle that you used in the beginning. Obviously in order to gain considerable success in your weight loss program, you have made certain changes in your food intake and eating habits.

Now is the time to permanently inculcate those habits into your lifestyle. If you get back to your old eating habits, you will definitely pack on the extra pounds again, and this time, due to the metabolic and chemical changes that occurred in your body during the initial dieting, is will be harder to lose them the second time around.

You need to condition your thinking patterns into believing that you will keep that weight off after a successful weight loss goal has been achieved. Those thoughts will assist you in develop healthy eating habits that will help you maintain a trim and healthy body. Self affirmation, visualizations and meditation can help you to get into the right frame of mind to achieve this end.

Once you've cultivated the proper mindset, you will be able to avoid the countless temptations of the dessert table at the next family get-together!

A important step in all weight loss programs is exercise. Without a good exercise program you will most likely fail in your efforts to achieve long term weight loss. Select the right exercise that you can enjoy, have loads of fun doing it and gives you a great workout at the same time.

Talk to your physician before you start any rigorous physical activity involving exercising.

There are different support groups out there. In some cases, you just need a little bit more motivation to continue on your weight loss regimen. A public proclamation isn't always necessary, but putting your integrity and your pride at stake by sharing your weight loss goals with a few of your close friends or family members can go a long way to keep you focused on those weight loss program.

It is important to keep in mind that you must make the best choices for yourself, and surround yourself with those who can have a positive impact on attempt at weight loss, those with a negative attitude may just bring you down.

Once you find a way to lose weight that is right for you, the process can actually be fun. Remember to do what is necessary and include our four suggestions into your lifestyle. Things that bring you pleasure will always attract you, and to take the weight off and keep it off, you need to make the weight-loss process enjoyable. - 17268

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How To Cook On The 6 Week Body Makeover Program

By James Kim

Look through the 6 Week Body Makeover recipes and you will notice that the majority of the foods listed are foods that you already eat in your everyday life. This is great because you don't have to substitute a meal for a gross tasting shake or boring, small portioned, micro-wave dinner.

The important factor in reducing calorie intake while cooking is learning how to cook without oil and fat. Most people use large amounts of oil to make food not stick the frying pan when cooking meats and vegetables. Cooking oil is a waste of calories and should be avoided when on the meal plan.

The first thing you need to do is buy a good nonstick frying pan. If you have one, great! A nonstick frying pan will make the food slip off the pan. There will be no need to add additional oils. Also, you won't notice a different in taste between food with oil and without oil. Oil does not add any flavor in your food, it just makes you fat.

Do not use nonstick spray when cooking eggs. Preheat the frying pan before putting the eggs in the pan. The eggs will cook faster and will not stick to the pan. Remember, a non-stick frying pan is the key to cooking eggs. Use some water when cooking vegetables. Water is a great substitute when sauteing veggies in a frying pan. When the water level gets low, just add some more!

Learn to use a low sodium (no sodium is better!) vegetable or chicken stock. Cooking with white wine or vodka is another way to make vegetables and meats not stick to the pan. Remember, whatever you do, do not add oil or butter to your foods! - 17268

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Read all about the Six Week Body Makeover. You too can start losing weight on the Six Week Body Makeover

Sensible Weight Loss for Teens

By Patsie Adams

Obesity among teens is on the rise. Medical resources are strained. Many young people are unhappy.

But given the state of the average teenagers diet this really comes as no surprise. Fast meals and junk food are really to blame.

This is why so many are on the lookout for the best free weight loss program for teens. It IS possible to lose weight without breaking the bank but do note a few things to remember when looking for that program.

Any good weight loss program for teens must not prey on an adolescent's desperation to shed pounds. It must also not set unrealistic goals. What it should consider is that a teenager is still growing and developing.

Because teenagers are still developing, drastic diet schemes are not an option. Severely limiting calories and food variety can have detrimental effects on their long-term health.

A free weight loss program for teens should be well thought-off and planned. It should first consider a teenager's existing regular diet and activity level. Only from here can it make diet and exercise recommendations.

As mentioned, many teens just don't have the healthiest lifestyles. If junk food is a big part of their regular eating then that should be the first habit to break.

Opt for a balanced diet made up of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and fruit. This might not sound as interesting as a diet of pizza, fries and hamburgers, but the more fruit and vegetables that are eaten, the better all around weight management and health.

But this does not mean goodbye to tasty, yummy food. They can indulge in their favorite fast food once in awhile. And If they crave a burger or pizza... there are healthy varieties that taste good. For instance, thin crust pizza topped with good mozzarella and veggies. Take note: moderation is also key.

Also make sure the teen's free weight loss program involves exercise. It is essential they work their heart, lungs and muscles to lose weight - not to mention stay healthy. Generally, you need to get some cardio at least three or four times per week for at least twenty minutes at a time.

However, this should not mean that the teen who doesn't like going to the gym or running for exercise should be forced to do them. Just look for any other activity that will get them moving.

And dont discount daily activities. Going for a vigorous walk a few times a week is already considered adequate exercise. So why not let them walk to school? Whatever the exercise taken, it should be done willingly, otherwise it may not be done regularly.

Above all, a free weight loss for teens plan should be realistic and not set the teenager up for failure. Repeated failures are demoralizing and will only result in weight gain. Small, steady progress is always the way to go to see long lasting weight loss. - 17268

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For more help with weight loss, see Patsie Adams sound advice on the natural way to lose weight. Patsie offers you daily advice on how to lose weight naturally.

Revealed Are Some Of The Goji Berry Benefits For Improved Well Being

By Maddie Tregonning

Goji berry benefits are derived from a wide variety of antioxidants and nutrients and the much sought after subtropical fruit is also known by names such as the wolfberry, among a few others.

The berries are perhaps the most nutrient-rich fruit in existence. They are shriveled red berries that look like red raisins that grow on an evergreen shrub found in temperate and subtropical regions in China, Mongolia, and in the Himalayas in Tibet.

Belonging to the nightshade or Solonaceae family, they have a slightly sour, tangy taste to them. Because of their great fragility, Goji berries must be harvested gently by hand and are usually found dried.

The benefits that have garnered the most attention derive from the fruit's complex chains of sugars known as polysaccharides, which are said to support the immune system. And, the polysaccharides found within Goji berries are also known to be an excellent source of probiotic fiber. Probiotic fibers are the fermented portions of soluble fibers that have been processed in the intestines into what are called short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs. These acids then provide nutrients to the probiotics within the intestinal tract, helping the body with functions such as digestion and the absorption of vital nutrients.

Also considered to be a tonic that keeps the body's vital organs and energy sources in tune, Goji berries continue to offer plentiful health benefits years after their discovery.

In terms of the circulatory system, Goji berries play a rather important role and they also contain a large concentration of the mineral iron. Widely regarded as one of the nation's natural treasures in China, Goji berries are now becoming increasingly popular in the western world.

Predominantly grown in the northwestern portions of Tibet and China, which boast some of the purest soil in all of the world, they come from the Lycium plant, an evergreen bush with vines that may reach as high as 10 to 15 feet. Truly a food to marvel at, Goji berries are relatively small, growing only as long as one to two centimeters, and having a taste that's been described as both sweet and sour. Often used in teas, soups, and rice meals, they are also sold fresh throughout the temperate regions of China where they grow wild.

For thousands of years Goji berries have had a noticeable place in traditional Chinese medical practices due to their low fat content, low number of calories, but extremely high vitamin content like beta carotene (vitamin A) and vitamin C as well as plenty of antioxidants.

Some people even regard the many Goji berry benefits as magical, probably because the fruit is widely regarded by many people to be the healthiest food you could ever eat.

Because of their super fruit status, high antioxidant concentration, and reports of research that's uncovered the multiple health benefits to be had from consuming the berry, their demand is expected to grow by leaps and bounds, possibly reaching the billion dollar mark in just a few short years by 2011.

Goji berries are very fragile and must be harvested by hand. To stabilize the nutrients, the berries need to be processed into juice within 24-48 hours after harvesting. - 17268

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It cannot be denied that Goji berry benefits have been little known for many hundreds of years. Now find out about the nutritional secrets that it retains. Visit Maddie Tregonning's information packed website on Goji berries for the full story.

Acai Berries Provide Very Important Nutrition Our Bodies Require To Lose Weight

By Antonio L Myers

The foods that are found in nature impart the crucially important nutrition that our bodies want. Plant-based and whole foods give our bodies the superb nutrients that our bodies require to support the functions of living.

Suggestions are that we consume at least 5 fruits and vegetables day after day. Some nutritionists even advise as many as 10 or more every day. A clear-cut benefit to a diet filled with fruits and vegetables is that these foods impart major amounts of critically important nutrients and fiber in a very low calorie package.

Including a diversity of beneficial fruits and vegetables to your daily diet also provides an assortment of fundamental antioxidants and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients (the word "phyto" is Greek for plant) are nutrition found in plant matter that are non-vitamin, non-mineral, and non-caloric factors of plants that offer major benefits for your healthiness.

It may be somewhat appalling but most of the folks who are obese are undernourished. Our bodies create extreme fat in reaction to nutrient-poor food. Many cravings are in reality our body's way of telling us that it needs good nutrients.

You can conquer nutritional deficits when you offer your body with the nutrient-dense food that it requires for optimum health. When your body is nutritionally balanced your own innate calorie burning mechanisms and metabolism will kick into gear. With optimum sustenance, your body's natural state of health can return and the excess fat will be removed.

Your immune system will also be strengthened and you will be able to hinder the troubles of aging and even ward off illness. Most of the uppermost nutrition foods benefit all of the systems in your body including the cardiovascular and circulatory systems, the immune system and your brain.

Including the colorful fruits and vegetables, like green spinach and broccoli, the orange foods like sweet potatoes and pumpkin, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds in moderation and almost every type of berry will all present the imperative nutrition that your body craves. The acai berry that can only be grown in Brazil, actually has one of the maximum antioxidant capacities of any food found on the planet.

The acai berry as well comprises essential fatty acids and 19 amino acids along with a good for you dose of fiber. The addition of great nutrients from superfoods including the acai berry can help you return to your naturally healthy weight. - 17268

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Arm Toning At Its Best - How To Beat A Sugar Addiction

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

Unlike the tooth fairy, sugar addiction is real. Very real. And if you want the fastest arm toning possible, you need to overcome it. Now I'll be honest, overcoming any addiction is not easy, but there is hope.

How do we know that sugar addiction exists? First, sugar acts as a powerful painkiller in newborns. Second, rodents demonstrate alterations in dopamine receptors when given high intakes of sugar. The same type of alterations you see with drugs. Third, naxolone-a drug used to combat drug addictions-temporarily mitigates sugar addictions.

Now you need to be brutally honest, are you suffering from a sugar addiction? Ask yourself the following questions: Do my moods fluctuate with sugar intake? Am I coming up with very detailed reasons as to why I am not addicted as I read this? If so, you are probably addicted.

And it's critical that you beat this thing if you want to maximize your arm toning. Why? Because sugar blocks the release of arm fat burning hormones into your body. Sad, but true. So today I am going to discuss 4 tools that can help you overcome sugar addiction:

1. Fake sugar: Also known as sugar substitutes, this stuff is a gift from heaven. And gone are the days of those strange aftertastes-fake sugar has come a long ways. Just make sure to stay away from sugar alcohols, as they do contain significant calories despite what you've been led to believe. I recommend sticking to the organic sugar substitute, stevia.

2. Loose leaf yerba mate taragui. More popular than coffee in south America, yerba mate is the most powerful craving killer I have ever found. Just make sure you keep on eating even though you aren't hungry. This will prevent you from bingeing once the effect wears off. And be patient because it takes about an hour for the tea to take full effect.

3. Lifting weights. How is lifting weights related to sugar cravings? Because it increases your hunger a lot. How does increased hunger help fight a sugar addiction? The type of increased hunger you get from intense weight lifting readjusts your palate and makes average-tasting foods much more palatable.

4. Psychological treatment. This is the most important one of them all because once you reach the addicted level, your emotional state is intimately tied to your sugar intake. The best form of treatment I have found is cognitive therapy. The most economical source of cognitive therapy I have found is a book called Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns M.D. Read this book before making any appointments. Millions of copies have been sold, it's the number one recommended book by therapists and it's brutally effective.

Sugar is everywhere and unfortunately, we are biologically programmed to seek it out from the day we are born. However, if you want to accelerate your arm toning, you need to reduce your intake as much as possible. And if you are addicted, this won't be easy. But it's possible, and easier than ever before with all the new tools at your disposal. So get to it and good luck! - 17268

About the Author:

Author Katherine Crawford, a Harvard fitness expert and former arm fat refugee, teaches women how to drastically accelerate arm toning. Learn how to get sexy arms by visiting her website about flabby arms right now!

6 Week Body Makeover - Your Diet is Making You Fat

By Rico Kidd

Diets do not work. Learning to eat right is the best way to lose weight. When you diet, your metabolism slows down as it thinks you are starving. When your metabolism decreases, every calorie you consume burns slower and turns into fat storage.

When dieting, your body thinks your starving. You know that you're not starving, but your body is programmed to store fat regardless of what you think is right for your body. Your brain thinks that there is not enough food, which triggers the metabolism to slow down and store fat for fuel.

When you eat less, your body will burn calories at a slower rate. This means that less calories will be burned for energy and more calories will be stored and converted into fat cells. Eating less will not help you lose weight. Some people actually gain weight when dieting because of the explanation listed above.

You need to eat more to lose weight. When people think they have to eat more, they get confused because they think that more food will cause you to gain weight. Yes, you have to eat more, but you also have to eat healthy and smaller portions. When you feel hungry, eat something. Your metabolism will be trained to think you're not starving and that there is enough food around. Thus, your will speed up your metabolism and burn calories faster. This leads to faster weight loss.

After training your metabolism, losing weight won't be a problem. Moreover, even eating a cheeseburger once in awhile won't hurt your weight loss goals. In most diets, once you go off the diet, you will automatically gain all the weight you had lost and gain even more weight. The 6 week body makeover will train you to eat for a lifetime. - 17268

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Rico has a blog about how to lose weight on the body makeover

Medicinal Mushroom Hot Water Extract vs. Alcohol Extract

By Dr. Markho Rafael

Medicinal mushrooms have been immensely popular in Asia for millennia. Today, Americans are waking up to these powerful nutraceuticals. In the wake of this new awareness follow issues of product quality claims made by competing brands.

All medicinal mushroom species are plagued by this. Most fiercely debated is red reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the most popular of all medicinal mushrooms. So this article will primarily focus on that species, but it's generally applicable to all species of medicinal mushrooms.

First off, stay clear of cheap, mass-produced medicinal mushrooms. If they are just dried and pulverized, then the medicinal compounds are still inaccessible behind the mushrooms' cell-walls. You'll be wasting your money on inert matter.

But even among the truly effective therapeutic brands, which are plentiful, there are important differences. Each seems to claim superiority over other brands, not surprisingly, because why else would anyone buy them? This article aims to clarify the confusion of conflicting and sometimes misleading information that is out there.

Below are three common methods for extracting medicinal compounds from reishi. Each method results in different compounds. All groups have been shown to have therapeutic effects in scientific studies.

1. Water Extraction, Hot (polysaccharides and more)

2. Alcohol/Ethanol Extraction (triterpenoids, etc.)

3. Fermenting (arabinoxylanes, etc.)

Polysaccharides have been shown to possess powerful anti-tumor qualities through enhancing the immune system and by inhibiting blood profusion through tumors. They are also strong antioxidants. [1]

Through alcohol extraction, we get triterpenoids, a large group of lipids with many sub-groups. Research shows triterpenoids help regulate clotting, blood pressure and cholesterol. More importantly, they are the anti-inflammatory compounds that are the reason why reishi often gets recommended for arthritis, asthma and allergies. [1]

Finally, by fermenting the red reishi, the original medicinal compounds break down to form new compounds with unique healing properties. These "secondary metabolites" have among other things been shown to be immune enhancing and help regulate blood sugar, as well as having unique anti-tumor properties. [2]

Since this article is not intended to elevate any one brand over another, no brand names will be mentioned. Nevertheless, the author does know of two highly reputed brands (American and Japanese) that claim only hot water extracted red reishi is of any value and that alcohol extracts are useless.

Of course they do that to promote their own brand. In reality both hot water extract and alcohol extract contain unique medicinal compounds that are all very important.

When looking for the best reishi extract, find one that uses at least the first two extraction methods in combination: Hot Water and Alcohol Extraction. Even better may be a brand that includes all three methods listed.

Last but not least, remember to look at the form the reishi comes in. If the reishi is able to dissolve completely in water-based drinks like coffee, it's a safe bet that it only contains the water-soluble polysaccharides. An excellent choice as far as coffee goes but an incomplete reishi supplement because it does not include the anti-inflammatory triterpenoid compounds.

Surprisingly, though, alcohol tinctures may include both hot water extract and alcohol extract. You will know if the alcohol tincture contains polysaccharides because when the alcohol and hot water extracts are blended, the polysaccharides fall out of solution and the tincture becomes cloudy. (Just shake it before you take it.) A cloudy medicinal mushroom tincture is an indication of high polysaccharide content. Capsules and tablets may be either hot water extract or alcohol extract or both.

[1] Boh B, Berovic M, Zhang J, Zhi-Bin L. "Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds." Biotechnol Annu Rev. 2007;13:265-301.

[2] Tang YJ, Zhang W, Zhong JJ. "Performance analyses of a pH-shift and DOT-shift integrated fed-batch fermentation process for the production of ganoderic acid and Ganoderma polysaccharides by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum." Bioresour Technol. 2009 Mar;100(5):1852-9. - 17268

About the Author:

Dr. Rafael has worked in the health field since the early 90's, recently focusing on medicinal mushrooms. He partners with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC on red reishi extract and cordyceps extract plus the increasingly popular mesima mushroom and many more.