Nutrition Articles

For starters, all tea came from the same botanical source and that is camellia sinesis, but the difference is on the processing of the tea leaves, giving each and every type of tea its distinctive aroma, taste and even color, and also its properties. Green tea is steamed and dried thus maintaining its color, chemical properties and natural taste while other types of tea are fermented. Studies proved that green tea had a lighter flavor and aroma compared to that of black tea, which makes all the beneficial chemicals intact, putting greatness to your enjoyable cup of green tea.

How to make a cup of green tea

• Brewing green tea is similar with other tea. Whether it is bagged or loose green tea. It is important to remember not to use boiling water. Brewing with water that’s just about to reach its boiling point is the right temperature; this is for the reason that green tea is more delicate than other tea.

• The best tasting green tea is brewed under one minute and let it steep for a short period of time, it is recommended not to prepare it with boiling water and longer time of steeping because it will make the tea bitter to the taste.

• However increased level of polyphenols in green tea is directly proportional with water temperature and time of steeping. It means that the longer time it was brewed under boiling water and the longer it is steeped means a greater concentration of polyphenols on every cup of green tea making it more potent than that of shorter time to brew and steeped. Polyphenols are the anti oxidants found in green tea which contributes to the green teas’ medicinal properties.

Suggestions on how to boost antioxidant concentration of your green tea:

• Temperature- studies proved that with the use of boiling water more of the polyphenols, the anti oxidants on green tea is extracted from the tea leaves. The higher the temperature used for brewing tea leaves the greater is the concentration of polyphenols to be found, thus making a more effective tea against diseases and illness.

• Steeping time- in order to attain more of the goodness in a cup of tea, longer steeping time is advised. Longer steeping time allows more polyphenol presence. Tea should be steeped 2 to 5 minutes to allow more polyphenol to emerge. Shorter steeping time means less or the polyphenol and greater caffeine content in your tea.

• Size of tea leaves- the smaller the leaf is, the better, even in size, green tea has proven the power of small things to create wonder. Studies have shown that small loose green tea leaves infuses quickly compared to that of tightly curled and large tea leaf which requires more or longer infusion time.

• Loose leaf versus Tea bags- it is more preferable to use leaves compared to tea bags. By simply allowing the green tea leaves to float on the water more of the polyphenol are being extracted while in order for tea bags to produce this anti oxidant, the tea bags must be continuously dunked in the tea pot.

To this day, green tea has already proved to help cure and protect people against a lot of health problems. In order to attain optimum protection against illness proper nutrition, healthy lifestyle plus a cup of your favorite green tea will do the job.

Lose weight with green tea

During ancient times, the Chinese have studied and proved the medicinal properties and benefits of green tea. It is found that green tea has many health benefits compared to other food or drinks. It is used by the Chinese people to cure simple headaches to depression. Green tea had been used as medicine for 4,000 years proving only that it is one of the most common remedy among many illness.

Facts about Green Tea

• Reduces the risk of having cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells especially on the colon, pancreas, rectum, bladder, esophagus, and stomach without harming healthy cells

• Helpful for those who have rheumatoid arthritis

• Reduce the risk of having hypertension and elevated blood pressure

• Reduces the cholesterol level in the body

• Increases metabolism

• Helps body to fight viruses and bacteria by improving the defense action of the immune system

• Reduces the process of thrombosis which helps reduce heart attacks and strokes

• Green tea also helps destroy free radicals

• Helps in reducing fatigue and stress due to its calming action

• Fights cardio vascular diseases

• Green tea is also known for its antibacterial anti viral properties

• The secret of green tea is its catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin (EGCG) which is a powerful anti oxidants

• EGCG is twice as powerful as reservatol whose action is to lower the incidence of heart disease

• Green tea comes from Camelia sinesis plant

• What sets green tea apart from other tea is the way it was processed, green tea leaves are steamed which prevents the important contents from being oxidized

• By contrast other tea brands are made from fermented tea leaves; as a result the other components are converted into other compounds that are not as effective as that of green tea

• New evidence suggests that green tea helps dieters by eliminating fat from the body and helps the body burn more calories compared to caffeine or a placebo

• Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay

• The bacterial actions of green tea can help prevent food poisoning

• Wide variety of beauty products now contains green tea are available in the market that claims to have great effect in beauty and wellness

• Green tea capsules are now available in health stores for those who don’t want to drink tea

• A cup of green tea contains caffeine level of 20 to 70 milligrams

• There are several kinds of green tea that are available in the market they differ on the amount of caffeine content

Harmful effects

To the present study and research green tea have proven a lot of benefits and medicinal properties but when it comes to harmful effects of green tea had been reported to contribute to insomnia or difficulty of sleep experienced by users. Green tea is advised to be taken at least 3 to 4 cups daily and not to be taken as substitute for water.

Caffeine is the ingredient found in green tea that contributes to sleeping difficulty but its caffeine contents is less compared to that of coffee and black tea. Other components of green tea must also be controlled for it can contribute to liver problems.

For pregnant mothers and for under medications it is important to ask your doctor before consuming the beverage for some components of green tea might have reactions with other compounds found in medications.

Lose weight with green tea

Green tea drinkers are said to be less susceptible to cancer than non-drinkers. This has already been proven by some clinical studies. You see, green tea is quite popular for many years now. The ancient Chinese are known to drink green tea because of its many health benefits and now, more and more people all over the world are drinking the amazing tea. Cancer rates in countries that consume a large amount of green tea are much lower and that is according to statistics. The polyphenol content of green tea is said to effectively fight cancer cells from developing.

Animal tests have proven that green tea can help in reducing the formation of certain tumors in the skin, bladder, esophagus, ovary, pancreas, and prostate. The results were due to the antioxidant properties of green tea. EGCG or epigallocatechin is the primary polyphenol which has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Other polyphenols also have the same properties which can prevent skin cancer and even skin tumors.

The growth of cancer cells in the esophagus is also typical but drinking green tea can suppress the growth of such cancer cells. Studies regarding esophageal cancer produced different results. Women tested to drink green tea were protected from esophageal cancer but the other group was susceptible to it. The study concluded and recommended that futher studies should be conducted with regards to esophageal cancer.

The human bladder is another vital organ in the body. Again, researchers are trying to prove if there is a connection between the consumption of tea and bladder cancer. Clinical studies among women proved that bladder cancer was prevented vy drinking gree tea and another clinical study among men with existing bladder cancer had higher chances of survival when green tea was introduced into their diet.

The pancreas can also benefit from the anti-cancer properties of green tea. Both men and women who drank green tea were less prone to pancreatic cancer; however, further studies should be conducted by researchers before they can recommend it for prevention of pancreatic cancer. Then there’s the ever increasing number of ovarian cancer patients. Conclusive studies in China among ovarian cancer patients proved quite effective. With one cup green tea everyday, the patients lived longer.

Test tube lab studies also proved that green tea can prevent prostate cancer among men. So far, the studies in different types of cancer gave positive effects when green tea was introduced. by simply increasing the quantity, frequency, as well as the duration of taking the tea, the development of cancer can be prevented.

Cancer has always been a health problem in different age groups. For many years, doctors and researchers have fought against cancer and finally, they came up with an excellent remedy that is not very expensive. So while you’re still young and healthy, make sure you drink green tea everyday. Make it a part of your diet, whether you’re trying to lose weight or not. There are a lot of benefits of taking green tea and if you want to achieve a much healthier body, start taking it now. Commercial green tea are widely available, as well as the supplement forms. If you want to take the supplemets, you can ask prescription from your doctor.

Although this may mean additional cost on your part, the money you’ll be spending is much lesser than having to go through a cancer medication program. Help fight cancer; drink your green tea everyday. Just in case you want to be extra sure, ask your doctor about the health benefits you can derive from tea and you’ll be surprised if your doctor agrees with you in taking green tea.

Lose weight with green tea

Green tea have been present since ancient times. According to studies, compared to any other drink, green tea give several benefits to health. Chinese have the knowledge on how medicinal green tea can be. It can be the answer for almost every ailment – from physical to mental or emotional problems. This has been the secret ingredient for a longer life passed down by the Chinese. Green tea have been helping numerous ailing people for almost 4,000 years now.

Drinking green tea is a traditional treatment. But even so, it’s paving its way into helping out a lot of people regarding their weight, diet and health. There are a lot of studies that shows how green tea has inhibited or reduced the growing risk of cancer.

China’s health history was pretty much a breakthrough because of green tea. It is considered as a very important historical plant that can from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis and is produced through special processing.

What so special about green tea? The secret lies in catechin polyphenols which contains a very powerful antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCE). This specialized antioxidant not only inhibits cells causing cancer but also kills it in the process without even harming adjacent healthy tissues. It has also been proven that green tea can be very effective in decreasing cholesterol levels and inhibits the abnormal accumulation of blood clots.

Aside from those mentioned above, here are some of the numerous benefits derived from green tea.

1. Researchers have claimed that green tea can be the reason for cancer prevention and even the treatment of disease.

2. Can be able to teat cardiovascular diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Reduces the risk of the effects of esophageal cancer.

4. Used traditionally to treat multiple sclerosis.

5. Treat immune function that is impaired.

6. Used to prevent having Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

7. It is claimed through intensive research that daily consumption of green tea can prevent tooth decay. It is found out that green tea can fight and kill bacteria that are one of the leading causes of plaque.

8. It can result to decreased risk of heart attacks and heart diseases by reducing thrombosis formation.

9. Improves the ratio of good cholesterol against bad cholesterol.

10. Lastly, it is said to increase fat oxidation and metabolism inside the body. That is why it is used by many who wanted to lose weight without even compromising the health.

The difference of green tea apart from other Camellia Sinensis plant extracts is the way it is processed. Leaves of green tea are steamed or brewed that gives more reason for EGCG not to be oxidized. Black tea, on the other hand, is made through fermentation. The process of fermenting the leaves of black tea can covert EGCG into compounds that aren’t even close to the effectiveness of the original compounds found in green tea in terms of fighting and preventing numerous diseases.

Caffeine in green tea?

Aside from its many advantages, green tea can have one slight so-called “disadvantage” and that is its caffeine content. Caffeine can cause a sleeping disorder that makes a person experience difficulty in sleeping which is also known as insomnia.

However, compared to coffee, green tea has less caffeine. With proper consumption, people can decreased the undesired caffeine content in their green tea.

Lose weight with green tea

The Real History Of Genetically Modified Crops

If you are aware of GMO’s and what they are, then you might have heard the FDA claim that Genetically Modified Foods are properly tested, safe to eat, and necessary to feed the world. But unfortunately their idea of testing either doesnt include the long term effects of these GMO’s, or they simply refuse to aknowledge that pesticide genes combining with our gut bacteria to create the BT pesticide is a problem.

Either way, Genetically Modified seed’s and food’s are something that we must avoid altogether. 

The problem’s surrounding GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organism) vary- from the way the FDA regulate’s testing to the long term effects these food products have on those that consume them. Its not just the fact that there are major problems with GMO’s ,  the fact that a huge percentage of people in our country and others, have absolutely no idea of the harm involved or even worse , have been lead to believe that GMO’s are approved by stringent testing performed by the FDA.

The brutal reality is that the FDA has absolutely no guidelines for GMO research and testing. The worst part , is that the FDA leaves all testing up to companies like Monsanto. Who’s Monsanto, you ask?

Monsanto is the company that GROWS Genetically Modified FOODS!

Do you see the problem with this? Since when does the FDA operate like this? 

Trusting the FDA becomes even harder after we see real test results performed by 3rd party researchers. 

What Are GMO’s?

1st of all, GMO’s are simply food’s grown from altered seed’s. The seed’s in question here are seed’s that have had the BT pesticide inserted into their gene’s. Growers do this as a lazy way to keep crop’s from being eaten by bug’s. Thus ensuring larger crop yields. Make sense?

But how could no-one think that injecting pesticides in our food supply might be dangerous?

Isnt that why we trust the mighty FDA? Honestly, GMO’s are just one of many problems that we are finding in our food supplies these days. But we’ll stick to the GMO’s for now.

Now, genetically modified ‘technology’ made its way through the door when Bush senior was in office way back when. When the White House mandated to the FDA to promote biotechnology. So who was in charge of developing the biotech policy?

A former Monsanto ATTORNEY!

Who eventually returned to Monsanto after his job in the White House was done. After the damage was done there would be nothing to stop companies like Monsanto from injecting pesticides and other chemicals into our food supplies. Obviously the lawyer created the policy that would leave it up to the same companies that created these biotechnologies, to test them as well. 

The FDA has claimed it was not aware of any information showing that GM crops were different “in any meaningful or uniform way,” from non-GMO crops and therefore didn’t require testing. But 44,000 internal FDA documents made public by a lawsuit show that this was a complete lie. The overwhelming consensus among the FDA’s own scientists was that GM foods were quite different and could lead to unpredictable and hard-to-detect allergens, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. It turns out that FDA scientists, who had urged superiors to require long-term studies, were ignored.

The Effects Of GMO’s To Our Health

I will use corn and a field of genetically modified cotton as an examples. Both of which are very real. 

Now , when these companies decided to create the self preserving crops by injecting the BT pesticides into the gene’s of seeds, their intentions were mostly good. Aside from a bit of laziness, and/or trying to make more money. The basic idea was to create crops that would create their own pesticides in order to ward off bugs and critters. That would mean more crops and less waste.

But without proper testing by the companies, we wouldnt find out that these BT pesticides would actually combine with our own Gut bacteria gene’s – thus creating this awful pesticide inside our own bodies! Even in small doses this has been proven to cause many different illnesses and other health risks.

This next part of my article was taken directly from a ‘Seeds Of Deception’ article. It reads as follows:

“In 1999, Dr. Arpad Pusztai, the world’s top GMO safety researcher at the prestigious Rowett Institute in Scotland was working on a UK government grant to design long-term testing protocols intended to become part of the official European GM food safety assessment process. When Pusztai fed supposedly harmless GMOs to rats, they developed potentially pre-cancerous cell growth, smaller brains, livers and testicles, partially atrophied livers, and showed signs of a damaged immune system.

In other words, his study suggested that the GM foods already on the market, which were created from the same process, might also create such effects. 

When Dr Pusztai expressed his concern he was fired from his job of 35 years and silenced with threats of a lawsuit. His 20-member research team was disbanded, all testing protocols were abandoned, and the pro-GM establishment embarked on an extensive disinformation campaign to discredit the study’s results to protect the reputation of GM foods already in the marketplace.

When an invitation to testify before Parliament allowed Pusztai to finally tell his alarming story, all hell broke loose. The outpouring of news coverage, said to one columnist, “divided society into two warring blocs” over the GM food issue. An industry wide rejection of GMOs was reached quickly thanks to the buying power of consumers who convinced manufacturers to keep GMOs out of the European Union, in spite of official approvals by the pro-GM European Commission.”

Amazing, right? Thats not all, read on.

But whats more amazing is the fact that you probably never even heard of this – and it happened in 1999, not too long ago. It was barely mentioned at all by our own United States media. Our media also failed to mention what happened in the only human GM test ever done. In this test it was discovered that the foreign genes inserted into the GM food crops can transfer into the DNA of our Gut bacteria. this means that long after we eat the GM cornchips , our intestinal flora might continue to manufacture the BT pesticide that the GM corn plants are engineered to produce. 

American media also failed to mention that 10,000 sheep died within 5-7 days of grazing GM cotton plants- that were also designed to create the BT-toxin.

I know it sounds unthinkable that we live in a society that either doesnt care to inform us, or even worse could be controlled by someone or something that would actually prevent this information from being seriously exposed.

Are only options as consumers is to avoid these GM foods. But the problem with that is that over 65% of all foods have been created with these GM technologies. eating completely Organic foods are our only way to safely avoid the toxic GMO’s that have invaded all major food supplies.

personally , I have found that buying Organic seed’s is a cheaper way to produce completely healthy organic food supplies. You can find these seed packs online. They usually range from $37-$100, depending on how big of a garden you wish to plant.

Its much cheaper than buying all your food from the organic stores, and you will know for sure that you are eating 100% organic foods. For more information on how you can start your own orgainc garden or atleast find out which foods are not genetically modified, simply follow tis link:

Organic Survival Seeds – Stay safe and avoid harmful GMO’s!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/history-of-genetically-modified-crops-889113.html

A recently completed University of Florida study has added to the buzz surrounding the Brazilian acai berry. The study is one of the first to research the many claims attributed to the acai fruit.

In it’s study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai berry pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.

At least 4 of the extracts killed a great many cancer cells when applied for 24 hours or more. Anywhere from 35 percent to 86 percent of the cancer cells were destroyed, depending on the particular extract and concentration.

According to Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the study showed extracts from acai berries triggered a self-destruct response (apoptosis) in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested

Talcott, however, cautioned against reading too much into the results, noting that the tests were run against cancer cell cultures and not on human test subjects.

Still, the results are exciting. In the last year, the Brazilian berry has really taken off in the United States. It has also caught the attention of many companies who are now creating products that include the acai berry.

Although, acai berries are thought to be one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants, other antioxidant rich fruits have been shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies.

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage is theorized to be one of the main causes of cancer. A sufficient amount of antioxidants are thought by many to short-circuit this process by interacting with and stabilizing the free radicals and may stopping the damage that they do to healthy cells.

Experts are divided on just what effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because of the many other lifestyle factors that have to be factored into the equation.

Many anecdotal claims have been made for the acai berry. And traditionally Indians in the Brazilian rain forest have used it in ways as diverse as food, house thatching, drink, diarrhea, jaundice, fevers, and as treatment for many other health diseases.

The University of Florida study is a welcome step towards getting away from some of the claims of acai and subjecting it to controlled studies.

"A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically," Talcott said. "We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects."

When most people hear the word “anemia,” they immediately think of iron. But a shortage of Vitamin B6 can also cause a type of anemia because this vitamin is vital to the healthy generation of hemoglobin in the blood of a normal, healthy person. You may also associate Vitamin B6 with sugar diabetes, and that’s because one of the important functions of this vitamin is to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.

Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. You may not have heard of many people who were found to have a serious Vitamin B6 deficiency, and there’s a good reason for that. B6 is so readily available in so many foods that it’s a fairly simple matter to get your daily recommended allowances of this vitamin.

Some of the common sources of B6 include tuna, roast beef, tomato juice, trout, pork loin and peanut butter. Naturally, cereals that are fortified with vitamins are excellent sources and many provide 100 percent of the body’s need for cereal. Three raw bananas also provide a full day’s supply of the necessary Vitamin B6. A medium baked potato (including the potato skin) provides about one-third of the daily requirement. Evaluating the foods rich in this vitamin reveals that many people are already meeting the daily requirements for B6.

So what are the dangers of having too little Vitamin B6 in your daily diet? Recent studies suggest that a lack of this vitamin is a factor for determining the risk of stroke and some types of heart disease. That means that people with deficiencies are more likely to suffer from these health issues than their counterparts who are getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin B6.

Depression is another problem potentially impacted by a Vitamin B6 deficiency. Though there may be some difference of opinion as to the role and the importance of B6 and depression, there appears to be a link that can’t be denied. In fact, depression is listed by some as one of the symptoms of insufficient Vitamin B6 in the diet.

There are some risks of taking too much B6. Nerves – especially in the outer extremities – are sometimes damaged by overdosing the body on vitamin B6. In the majority of cases, simply eliminating any vitamin supplements appears to eliminate the nerve problems as well. It’s unlikely that a normal person can take in enough Vitamin B6 from a normal diet to cause toxicity at this level, and more likely that these severe effects of too much B6 are caused by taking too many vitamin supplements containing B6.

Antioxidants are all the rage today. And, justifiably so. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals which cause cell damage, which ultimately can lead to diseases of the heart and cancer. It seems everywhere you go its blueberry this and blueberry that. You have your choice of wild blueberry juice, blueberry-pomegranate juice, blueberry-cranberry juice and so on and so on.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love blueberries. But, in our rush to embrace the latest antioxidant food craze (blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates) we’re ignoring some very high-antioxidant foods that are probably sitting ignored in our cupboards.

“What?” You ask, “What could possibly be higher in antioxidants than my beloved wild blueberry?” Well, how about the small red bean? That’s right, I said “bean.” The small red bean actually has more antioxidants per serving size than the wild blueberry. And the red kidney bean and pinto bean have more antioxidants per serving size than a serving of cultivated blueberries.

What other foods are high in antioxidants? For starters, there are artichoke hearts, blackberries, prunes, pecans, spinach, kale, russet potatoes and plums. And, no, that’s not a mistake. Russet potatoes are on the list of foods high in antioxidants.

The truth is, there are many common foods high in antioxidants and you should not just restrict yourself to one particular food source. Why? Well, have you ever heard the expression, “eat your colors?” That refers to the fact that foods are in different color “families” containing different types of antioxidants which have different benefits. For example, the yellow-orange color family of peaches and nectarines help our immune systems. The purple-red color family of foods (pomegranates, plums, berries) helps reduce inflammation. It’s important to eat foods from all color groups to reap the full benefits of antioxidants.

The good news is that you can eat healthy foods high in antioxidants (by eating them raw, cooking them, or juicing them yourself) without having to pay a high price for the “flavor of the month” antioxidant juices being peddled in the supermarkets.

So, give your blueberries some company at the dinner table. Invite some beans, spinach, potatoes and artichoke hearts and enjoy your antioxidants!

5 Reasons Why Alcohol Will Destroy Your Muscle Gains
I receive emails every single day from aspiring muscle-builders all over the world, and one of the most common questions I’m asked is…

“Does drinking really affect the muscle growth process?”

I’m sorry to say it, but yes, too much alcohol will almost definitely have a significant negative impact on your muscle-building results. Alcohol is far more harmful than most people think, and it’s very important that you understand how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your progress.

This is not an anti-drug speech, but if you’re serious about achieving a truly impressive physique, you should definitely be aware of the 5 main ways that alcohol is slowing down your gains…

1) It negatively affects protein synthesis.

Protein synthesis is the process where amino acids are joined together to form complete proteins. Excessive alcohol consumption slows this process down by up to 20%, and since your muscles are made up of protein, you can see how this is a problem.

2) It lowers testosterone levels and increases estrogen.

Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body. One of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can gain is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

3) It causes dehydration.

The kidneys must filter very large amounts of water in order to break down the alcohol, and this can result in severe dehydration within the body. Water plays an absolutely crucial role in the muscle-building process, and being even slightly dehydrated is a recipe for disaster. The muscles alone are comprised of 70% water.

4) It depletes the body of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol consumption causes vitamins A, C, the B’s, calcium, zinc and phosphorus to all be drained at rapid rates. Vitamins and minerals keep every little process in your body functioning properly, and many of these processes involve muscle growth and maintenance.

5) It increases fat storage.

With 7 empty calories per gram, alcohol can actually be quite fattening. Alcohol also disrupts the Kreb’s Cycle, which plays an important role in fat burning.

It’s important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If you’re serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to monitor your intake of alcohol and make sure that you are consuming it in moderation.

A few drinks here and there shouldn’t be a problem, but if you find yourself drinking every weekend you can almost certainly kiss your muscle gains goodbye.

If you do decide to go out and party, make sure to drink plenty of water and to properly nourish yourself with vitamins/minerals and a protein rich meal.

I don’t recommend revolving your entire life around your muscle-building program, so don’t be afraid to go out and have a good time once in a while. Just make sure to keep your drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and properly nourish yourself to lessen its effects. As long as you monitor what you’re doing you can achieve an impressive physique and have a social life at the same time.

Learn how to avoid other common, counterproductive mistakes both in and out of the gym by clicking the link below and visiting my website…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked “social reject”, Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: “The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System”.

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief… ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

The Dramatic Muscle-Building Benefits Of Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in the human body and is arguably the most important in the process of building muscle and gaining strength.

It can be found naturally in food sources such as beans, poultry, fish and dairy products, but in order to consume a highly beneficial amount you should probably consider buying it in powdered form as a nutritional supplement. Most serious weightlifters and bodybuilders would consider glutamine as one of the most important supplements out there, and for good reason.

What exactly does glutamine do, and how is this beneficial to the muscle growth process?

Glutamine is best known for being an “anti-catabolic” agent. What this means is that rather than directly promoting the growth of new muscle tissue, glutamine works by preserving the muscle tissue that you have already built.

You see, muscle breakdown is occurring all the time. This naturally happens when you train intensely, when you don’t provide your body with enough protein or during the time that you are sleeping. This process is completely natural and is to be expected.

However, if you are training and eating properly, then your body is also synthesizing new muscle tissue throughout the day. Your overall muscle gains can be calculated by taking the rate of muscle growth and subtracting the rate of muscle breakdown. Glutamine helps by minimizing the rate of muscle breakdown, resulting in greater overall net gains in muscle mass.

Glutamine is also highly beneficial in the positive effect that it has on the immune system. Not only are your muscles heavily stressed from your workouts, but your entire immune system is stressed as well. Glutamine will help you to recover quicker in between your workouts and will also help to prevent you from getting sick.

I would recommend supplementing with 10 grams of glutamine daily in order to see the best results. Although glutamine will not provide any immediately noticeable results, you will definitely achieve greater muscle gains in the long term by using it.

Here are the two most important times to supplement with glutamine:

1) Within 30 minutes of completing your workout.

After an intense workout your body’s glutamine levels can drop by as much as 50%. In order to restore these levels the body will typically tap into the glutamine reservoirs within your muscle tissue. You should consume 5 grams at this time in order to keep your hard earned muscle in tact.

2) Right before bed.

Taking 5 grams of glutamine right before you decide to doze off will help to minimize muscle breakdown while you sleep and will also increase your body’s natural secretion of growth hormone, a powerful anabolic substance.

Here is a quick recap of the recommended dosages:

Workout Days: 5 grams post-workout, 5 grams before bed.
Non-Workout Days: 5 grams with an afternoon meal, 5 grams before bed.

Although glutamine will not provide any instant, dramatic muscle increases, you should be able to see by now that it is quite important in the overall muscle-building process and is a supplement that no serious weightlifter should be without.

If you’re interested in learning about 4 other highly effective supplements that I would definitely recommend including in your program, click the link below to visit my website. I’ll also teach you about several heavily marketed muscle-building supplements that you should steer clear of, and this could potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of your hard-earned dollars…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked “social reject”, Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: “The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System”.

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief… ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Catapult Your Muscle Gains With Proper Post-Workout Nutrition
The post-workout period is without a doubt the most critical time to take advantage of proper muscle-building nutrition. We’ll define the post workout period as the 3 hours that immediately follows an intense workout. It is during this time when the body is most primed for nutrient absorption and the muscles will literally act like a sponge, soaking up everything you present them with.

By feeding your body with the proper nutrients from both whole foods and supplements during this all-too important time frame you will greatly increase your muscle gains and improve your recovery time.

Let’s take a quick look at what needs to be accomplished after an intense workout:

1) Muscle breakdown must be minimized and the body must be put back into an anabolic, muscle-building state.

2) Blood sugar and glycogen levels must be restored.

3) Free radicals must be neutralized.

4) The muscles must be fed with proper nutrients to facilitate recovery and growth.

This can be accomplished by consuming 2 special “post-workout meals”.

The first meal should be consumed entirely in liquid form. Your body is in a high state of stress, literally starving for nutrients, and you need to replenish this imbalance in the fastest way possible. A liquid meal will be digested quicker than any other and will allow your body to start rebuilding itself immediately.

This post-workout shake should ideally contain the following:

1) 30-40 grams of whey protein.
2) 70-80 grams of simple sugar. (Dextrose is a great sugar to use)
3) 5 grams of creatine.
4) 5 grams of glutamine.

All of these ingredients should be mixed in water and consumed within half an hour of completing your workout. I would also suggest taking a high-potency multivitamin along with the shake. This simple liquid meal will go a long way in accelerating the muscle growth process and helping you to recover.

About 45 minutes to an hour after your post-workout shake, you should consume your second post-workout meal, which should come from whole foods. This meal should be rich in protein and high glycemic carbohydrates.

High glycemic carbohydrates are those that are broken down rapidly into the bloodstream. Some examples include, potatoes, white rice or rice cakes. Here are a couple of examples of what your second post-workout meal might look like:

1) 6oz steak, 1 potato, 1 glass of orange juice
2) 1 can of tuna, 100g rice cakes, 1 glass of grapefruit juice

This meal will continue to provide your starving muscles with the nutrients they require in order to synthesize new muscle tissue and restore glycogen levels. After this second meal there is still about 2 hours or so to take advantage of as best you can.Your goal in this 3-hour window is to consume as much high quality protein and high glycemic carbohydrates as you can.

Most lifters highly underestimate the value of the post-workout period and hinder their gains as a result. One of the biggest mistakes you could possibly make would be to ignore the value of this 3-hour period and to slack off on your protein and carb intake.

Treat the post-workout period with respect and prepare for a noticeable boost in your muscle size and strength gains.

There are also 3 other highly important times throughout the day to pay special attention to the foods and supplements that you consume. Visit my website by clicking the link below to find out what they are, and how to properly approach these periods for the best possible results…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked “social reject”, Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: “The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System”.

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief… ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Do Bodybuilders Really Need Supplements?
To supplement or not to supplement? That is the question, and an important one at that.

“Do bodybuilders really need supplements?”

Let’s examine that question.

The first thing to look at when trying to answer the million-dollar question about supplements (with the ever-increasing revenues of the supplement industry I should more accurately call it a “billion-dollar question”) is what do we define as “need”?

The question seems to be, “do we really need supplements”? But the answer to that completely depends upon what it is that we do or do not need them for. Let’s examine a couple of different definitions.

“Do bodybuilders need supplements to become bigger and stronger?”

The answer to this question? No!

Regardless of what the million-dollar supplement companies would have you believe, supplementation is not mandatory in the pursuit of increased muscle mass and strength. Anyone who trains hard and focuses on consuming adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats from whole foods can and will see a significant increase in muscle size and strength.

If you want to become bigger and stronger, supplements are not mandatory. Period.

So given this fact, bodybuilders shouldn’t use any supplements, right?

Wrong.

Let’s examine the second definition.

“Do bodybuilders need supplements to become as big and strong as they possibly can?”

The answer to this question? Yes!

Although supplements are not mandatory to become bigger and stronger, they ARE mandatory if your goal is to become as big and strong as you possibly can. By investing in the right products and using the proper amounts, you can definitely gain an extra edge and see superior gains than a person who has chosen not to go the supplement route.

With the endless hours of hard work and dedication that you put in at the gym and at home on your quest to achieving the physique you desire, it only seems logical that a few extra bucks should be spent each month on a few reputable products in order to maximize your gains.

The question you simply have to ask yourself is, “how much are my muscle gains worth to me?” If an extra boost in strength at the gym and lean muscle tissue is worth the price of that bottle of creatine, then it makes sense to purchase it. If a minimization of muscle breakdown and increased immune system strength is worth the price of that bottle of glutamine, then it makes sense to purchase it.

“Do bodybuilders really need supplements?”

If you’re serious about achieving the most significant muscle size and strength gains that you possibly can, then I definitely would recommend a basic and straightforward supplement plan to maximize your results. Here are the 5 most basic supplements that I would recommend:

1) Whey Protein
2) Creatine
3) Glutamine
4) High-Potency Multivitamin
5) Essential Fatty Acids

This is a great place to start and will go a long way in increasing your lean muscle mass, strength and fat burning capabilities. There are definitely a lot of worthless, ineffective supplements out there, but these 5 basic products have been shown time and time again to be both effective and worth the cost. If you’re looking to gain an extra edge and are serious about reaching your muscle-building goals, they are definitely worth looking into.

To learn the details of these 5 supplements including proper dosages and product recommendations, visit my website using the link below. You can also access my honest and unbiased reviews of over 20 of the most popular muscle-building supplements on the market today. This could potentially save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, so I would strongly urge you to check it out…

3 Reasons Why Bodybuilders Need More Fiber
Most people understand that fiber plays an important role in the overall health and wellness of the body, but this form of carbohydrate is actually quite beneficial to bodybuilders as well.

Fiber is found in the cell walls of plants and can be obtained from food sources such as fruits, vegetables, oat bran, beans, grains and psyllium. Because of its chemical structure, fiber is indigestible to humans and remains completely intact as it travels through the body. It is actually a carbohydrate, but acts differently since it cannot be broken down into its basic glucose building blocks.

If fiber can’t even be digested, what could possibly make it so important to bodybuilders? Well, even though fiber is considered a “nonessential” nutrient, it still plays an important role in building muscle, gaining strength and maintaining your overall health.

Fiber is most well known for its ability to induce regular bowel movements.

Why is this so important to bodybuilders?

Well, since you are trying to build as much muscle as possible, you will probably be consuming at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. One of the main sources of this protein will come from animal meat such as chicken and beef. The problem with this is that if meat stays in the digestive tract for too long it can produce toxins that pose long-term negative health consequences. An adequate amount of fiber each day will ensure that foods are moving along smoothly through your digestive system.

Fiber is also beneficial in its effect on slowing down the rate of gastric emptying. Gastric emptying is the process where foods are moved from the stomach to the small intestine. When you consume foods containing fiber, they become “gelled” in your stomach and slow down this process. The small intestine is where most nutrients are absorbed and pumped into the bloodstream. By slowing down the transfer of food to the small intestine your body will be able to extract the nutrients much more efficiently. This “timed-release” effect will also keep your body in an anabolic state for longer and decrease the chances of muscle catabolism setting in.

Along with its digestive benefits, fiber has also been known to regulate blood sugar levels. This will result in a more gradual release of sugars into the bloodstream and will decrease the chances of unnecessary insulin spikes and unwanted fat storage. This will also allow your body to increase its natural production of this powerful anabolic hormone without having to increase the consumption of simple carbohydrates.

As you can see, fiber is a fairly important carbohydrate form to incorporate into your diet. I would highly recommend that you focus on consuming around 25-35 grams of fiber each day for maximum benefits.

To learn the complete inside scoop on proper muscle-building nutrition, go ahead and visit my website by clicking the link below. You’ll learn everything you need to know to structure the most effective nutrition plan possible in order to maximize your muscle and strength gains. You can also download my “Empowered Nutrition Mass-Building Meal Plans” to take all of the guesswork out of your diet…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked “social reject”, Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: “The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System”.

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief… ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/

Multivitamins: A Necessary Muscle-Building Supplement Or A Waste Of Cash?
One of the most currently debated issues in the supplement industry is in relation to the consumption of multivitamins and the role that they play in enhancing overall health both in and out of the gym.

Can bodybuilders benefit by supplementing with extra vitamins and minerals? Let’s review some basic biology as well as the function of each specific vitamin in order to find the answer…

In the grand scheme of things, your body is basically one giant mass of chemical reactions. Each of these individual reactions is fueled by small proteins called enzymes, which work by lowering the amount of energy that is needed for a specific reaction to occur. Enzymes require the use of a “co-enzyme” which alters its shape and allows it to perform its job properly. Co-enzymes are also referred to as vitamins.

So when it all comes down it, vitamins are needed to fuel the thousands of chemical reactions going on within your body at all times. Not only does this play an important role in overall metabolism and body health, but it also plays a vital part in the muscle-building process.

Here is a list of the major vitamins and the ways in which they will aid you both in and out of the gym…

Vitamin A – Is crucial to the process of protein synthesis where individual amino acids are combined to form new muscle tissue. It also helps the body to produce glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates within the body.

Vitamin B1 – Also known as “thiamine” and is heavily involved in protein metabolism as well as the production of hemoglobin which helps to carry oxygen around the body.

Vitamin B2 – Also known as “riboflavin” and aids in the fat burning process as well as helping the body to produce energy from carbohydrates.

Vitamin B3 – Also known as “niacin” and increases vasodilation within the muscle tissue, helping you to appear fuller and more vascular.

Vitamin B6 – Also known as “pyridoxine” and is very important because of its effect on protein digestion. Muscle-building diets require larger than normal amounts of protein, and this means that your body needs a higher amount of vitamin B6 than the average Joe.

Vitamin B12 – Also known as “cobalamin”, vitamin b12 ensures that the brain and muscle tissue are communicating efficiently and this has a direct effect on muscle growth and coordination.

Biotin – Helps the body metabolize amino acids and produce energy during workouts.

Vitamin C – Heavily involved in amino acid metabolism and the formation of collagen. Collagen is found in your connective tissue and keeps your joints strong and healthy. Vitamin C also plays a role in the production of steroid hormones in the body and also enhances the absorption of iron. On top of all of this, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which flushes out free radicals and prevents damage to your body cells.

Vitamin D – Helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus more efficiently. Calcium is very important during muscle contractions and also helps to maintain strong bones and joints. Phosphorus is involved in the synthesis of ATP, the usable form of energy within the body.

Vitamin E – A very powerful antioxidant which helps to hunt out and neutralize free radicals. This will help to flush out many of the natural metabolic waste products your body produces and maintain the health of your cell membranes.

As you can clearly see above, vitamins play a very important role when it comes to building muscle and gaining strength. Hard training bodybuilders certainly require higher amounts of these vitamins than the average sedentary Joe, as these vitamins are depleted during intense sessions in the gym.

In addition, a calorie-dense diet requires a higher intake of vitamins to aid in the digestion process. In fact, being deficient in just one vitamin can literally affect thousands of small process within the body.

So, are multivitamins necessary for bodybuilders?

Absolutely!

From protein synthesis to energy metabolism to digestion to vasodilation, multivitamins should be an important part of any effective supplementation plan.

For an honest, unbiased review of over 20 of the most popular muscle-building supplements on the market today, visit my website by clicking the link below. You’ll learn which supplements are worth your money and which are no more than pure marketing hype…

Fuel Your Training With Proper Pre-Workout Nutrition
The saying says, “if you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail”, and the same holds true for each and every one of your workouts. Every session in the gym should be treated as a battle, and just like any other battle in life you must enter it with proper mental and physical readiness.

This article will deal with the physical side and will teach you exactly how to prime your body before battling the weights with proper pre-workout nutrition. A carefully planned pre-workout meal will ensure that you always enter the gym at peak strength and will provide your body with the necessary tools to battle the weights as effectively as possible.

The 3 main goals of the pre-workout meal are as follows:

1) Maximize your strength potential.
2) Provide a steady stream of balanced energy for your mind and muscles throughout the workout.
3) Minimize muscle breakdown and provide the raw tools for your body to begin the recovery process once the workout is over.

The first thing to make sure of is that you are properly hydrated before beginning your workout. Water plays a vital role in keeping strength and energy levels peaked, so always ensure that you’ve consumed an adequate amount of water in the few hours before you train.

Around 30-45 minutes prior to entering the gym you should consume your pre-workout meal. The first component of this meal is, you guessed it, protein. This protein will keep your body in an anabolic state throughout your workout and will help to prevent muscle breakdown as you train.

I would recommend that you consume 30-40 grams of high quality protein, ideally coming from a mix of whey protein and casein. This can best be accomplished by mixing 25-30 grams of whey protein in 300-400ml of skim milk.

Whey protein makes for a great pre-workout choice because it is naturally high in BCAA’s, which help to prevent muscle catabolism during your workout. Mixing your whey with milk is a good idea because this will slow down the release of the protein and provide your body with a steady stream of amino acids throughout your workout.

Along with your protein shake you should also consume 1-2 portions of low-glycemic carbohydrates. Low glycemic carbohydrates are ideal before the workout because they are broken down and absorbed gradually in the bloodstream, providing your body with a steady stream of energy throughout your workout.

When you consume high glycemic carbohydrates that are rapidly released into your bloodstream, your body will release a surge of insulin in an effort to level out your blood sugar. This will result in a quick rise in insulin levels followed by a sharp fall. The fall in insulin levels will leave you feeling weak, tired and sluggish. This is the last thing you want in the middle of a high intensity workout, so choose carbohydrates that won’t cause this rapid fluctuation in insulin levels.

Pre-workout carbohydrate choices such as oatmeal, apples or brown rice will provide your body with a steady stream of sugars throughout the workout and will keep your energy levels peaked at all times.

This pre-workout meal should be fairly small to allow for easy digestion and to prevent you from feeling sick when you train. You should never workout without having a meal in you first.

So, just to recap:

30-45 minutes before your workout:

1) 25-30 grams of whey protein mixed with 300-400ml of milk
2) 1-2 servings of slow release carbohydrates (i.e. Oatmeal, yogurt, apple)

I also like to throw in a cup or two of coffee before my workouts as I find that this increases my energy and amplifies my focus nicely.

There are also 3 other highly important times throughout the day to pay special attention to the foods and supplements that you consume. Visit my website by clicking the link below to find out what they are, and how to properly approach these periods for the best possible results…

About The Author

Once an awkward, pencil-necked “social reject”, Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned bodybuilding expert, fitness author, and creator of the most celebrated natural bodybuilding program online today: “The Muscle Gain Truth No-Fail System”.

If you can spare just 24 minutes a day, then you too can build a powerful new head-turning body that will skyrocket your confidence, drive gorgeous women crazy, and leave your friends, family and co-workers staring in disbelief… ALL in just a matter of months: http://www.MuscleGainTruth.com/