How To Have Better Sex
Have more fun in bed with these proven strategies for improving sex.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Getting Fit Like a Celebrity
Getting Fit Like a Celebrity
Valerie Waters has been a personal trainer for nearly 20 years, and spent much of that time training some of the most popular celebrities in Hollywood. Hear her important advice for getting fit and in shape - it's exactly what she tells her clients.
Valerie Waters has been a personal trainer for nearly 20 years, and spent much of that time training some of the most popular celebrities in Hollywood. Hear her important advice for getting fit and in shape - it's exactly what she tells her clients.
Can Chocolate Ease Chronic Fatigue Symptoms?
Polyphenol-Rich CHOCOLATE May Ease Chronic Fatigue Symptoms According To New Research
Natural Antioxidants, Carotenoids, Phytochemicals From High Cocoa CHOCOLATE Are Beneficial For Cardiovascular Health, Energy and Endurance...
Consumption of a flavanol-rich chocolate product may ease the symptoms of chronic fatigue, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Hull in England. Results of a small double-blind, randomized, pilot crossover study with ten individuals indicate that daily consumption of a high cocoa liquor-polyphenol rich chocolate significantly improved symptoms of chronic fatigue after eight weeks, compared with a cocoa liquor free-low polyphenol chocolate.
"As both types of chocolate were iso-calorific and had similar glycemic indices and loads, it is likely that the improvement was due to the high polyphenol content within the active chocolate, rather than a difference in of the micro or macronutrient the composition of the two chocolates," reported the researchers in Nutrition Journal. "The significance of the results is particularly surprising because of the small number of subjects in the study," they added.
Chronic fatigue has been associated with a range of biological systems amongst which oxidative stress is one of them. According to the Hull-based researchers, the benefits of chocolate may be due to the flavonoids protecting cells like neuronal cells from oxidative stress. They note however that additional studies need to explore this mechanism further.
Tasty Benefits From Cocoa
The health benefits of polyphenols from cocoa have been gathering increasing column inches in the national media. To date studies have reported potential benefits for cardiovascular health, skin health, and even brain health.
Chocolate and cocoa are different however, and not interchangeable terms. According to a review published in the British Journal of Nutrition, "cocoa is the non-fat component of cocoa liquor (finely ground cocoa beans) which is used in chocolate making or as cocoa powder (commonly 12 per cent fat) for cooking and drinks.
"Cocoa liquor contains approximately 55 per cent cocoa butter and together this comprises cocoa solids, often referred to on chocolate packaging. Chocolate refers to the combination of cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, etc. into a solid food product," added the reviewers.
The benefits of the bean are reported to revolve around the flavanols (also known as flavan-3-ols or catechins), and particularly the monomeric flavanol (-)epicatechin.
Study Details
Six women and four men with an average age of 52 and chronic fatigue, as measured using the Chalder Fatigue Scale, were assigned to receive eight weeks of either the high or low chocolate, followed by two weeks of washout and cross over on to the other intervention.
Results showed a significant improvement in Chalder Fatigue Scale scores following the high polyphenol chocolate intervention, whereas a deterioration was observed in the low-polyphenol chocolate intervention.
"Since there was a consistent improvement of symptoms with high cocoa phenol chocolate and deterioration with iso-calorific chocolate, a placebo effect is unlikely," stated the researchers.
"Moreover, the taste panel of healthy people before the study could not differentiate the taste between high cocoa and iso-calorific chocolate.
"In summary, this study suggests that consuming high cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate 15g three times daily has a beneficial effect in improving fatigue and residual function in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome over a period of 8 weeks compared to simulated iso-calorific cocoa mass free/ low polyphenol chocolate," they concluded.
Source: Nutrition Journal 2010 "High cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate may reduce the burden of the symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome"
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Article Courtesy of Vitamin Power
Natural Antioxidants, Carotenoids, Phytochemicals From High Cocoa CHOCOLATE Are Beneficial For Cardiovascular Health, Energy and Endurance...
Consumption of a flavanol-rich chocolate product may ease the symptoms of chronic fatigue, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Hull in England. Results of a small double-blind, randomized, pilot crossover study with ten individuals indicate that daily consumption of a high cocoa liquor-polyphenol rich chocolate significantly improved symptoms of chronic fatigue after eight weeks, compared with a cocoa liquor free-low polyphenol chocolate.
"As both types of chocolate were iso-calorific and had similar glycemic indices and loads, it is likely that the improvement was due to the high polyphenol content within the active chocolate, rather than a difference in of the micro or macronutrient the composition of the two chocolates," reported the researchers in Nutrition Journal. "The significance of the results is particularly surprising because of the small number of subjects in the study," they added.
Chronic fatigue has been associated with a range of biological systems amongst which oxidative stress is one of them. According to the Hull-based researchers, the benefits of chocolate may be due to the flavonoids protecting cells like neuronal cells from oxidative stress. They note however that additional studies need to explore this mechanism further.
Tasty Benefits From Cocoa
The health benefits of polyphenols from cocoa have been gathering increasing column inches in the national media. To date studies have reported potential benefits for cardiovascular health, skin health, and even brain health.
Chocolate and cocoa are different however, and not interchangeable terms. According to a review published in the British Journal of Nutrition, "cocoa is the non-fat component of cocoa liquor (finely ground cocoa beans) which is used in chocolate making or as cocoa powder (commonly 12 per cent fat) for cooking and drinks.
"Cocoa liquor contains approximately 55 per cent cocoa butter and together this comprises cocoa solids, often referred to on chocolate packaging. Chocolate refers to the combination of cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, etc. into a solid food product," added the reviewers.
The benefits of the bean are reported to revolve around the flavanols (also known as flavan-3-ols or catechins), and particularly the monomeric flavanol (-)epicatechin.
Study Details
Six women and four men with an average age of 52 and chronic fatigue, as measured using the Chalder Fatigue Scale, were assigned to receive eight weeks of either the high or low chocolate, followed by two weeks of washout and cross over on to the other intervention.
Results showed a significant improvement in Chalder Fatigue Scale scores following the high polyphenol chocolate intervention, whereas a deterioration was observed in the low-polyphenol chocolate intervention.
"Since there was a consistent improvement of symptoms with high cocoa phenol chocolate and deterioration with iso-calorific chocolate, a placebo effect is unlikely," stated the researchers.
"Moreover, the taste panel of healthy people before the study could not differentiate the taste between high cocoa and iso-calorific chocolate.
"In summary, this study suggests that consuming high cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate 15g three times daily has a beneficial effect in improving fatigue and residual function in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome over a period of 8 weeks compared to simulated iso-calorific cocoa mass free/ low polyphenol chocolate," they concluded.
Source: Nutrition Journal 2010 "High cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate may reduce the burden of the symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome"
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Article Courtesy of Vitamin Power
Friday, April 29, 2011
How To Get Your Sex Drive Back During Menopause
How To Get Your Sex Drive Back During Menopause
Keep your love life off life support by kick-starting a waning libido during menopause.
Keep your love life off life support by kick-starting a waning libido during menopause.
How to Get in Shape for Swimsuit Season
How to Get in Shape for Swimsuit Season
In this video series, fitness expert Charlotte Hellhoff shows you specific exercises that will help transform your body for that swim suit you've been wanting to wear. Charlotte covers how to perform lunges, tricept dips, a row, and also shows you how to get an effective ab work out.
In this video series, fitness expert Charlotte Hellhoff shows you specific exercises that will help transform your body for that swim suit you've been wanting to wear. Charlotte covers how to perform lunges, tricept dips, a row, and also shows you how to get an effective ab work out.
Essential Fatty Acids Supplementation Prevents PMS
Essential Fatty Acids Supplementation Prevents PMS
A mix of essential fatty acids (EFA) has been shown to significantly reduce thesymptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Researchers writing in BioMedCentral's open access journal Reproductive Health tested the EFA tablets by carrying out a randomised, controlled trial in 120 women.
Researchers from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, conducted the tests. They reported "The administration of 1 or 2 grams of essential fatty acids to patients with PMS resulted in a significant decrease in symptom scores. The administration of the dietary supplement did not result in any changes in the total cholesterol in the patients evaluated."
Women who were given supplements containing 2 grams of a combination of gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, other polyunsaturated acids and vitamin E reported significantly eased PMS symptoms at both 3 and 6 months after they began the treatment. Few adverse events were recorded and these were mild, insignificant and did not appear to be directly related to the medication.
Speaking about the results, the researchers said, "The negative effect of PMS on a woman's routine activities and quality of life may be significant, in addition to the repercussions on economic costs resulting predominantly from a reduction in productivity. Essential [fatty acids] supplementation can now be said to show much promise as a treatment."
Journal Reference: Essential fatty acids for premenstrual syndrome and their effect on prolactin and total cholesterol levels: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. Reproductive Health, 2011
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Article courtesy of Vitamin Power
A mix of essential fatty acids (EFA) has been shown to significantly reduce thesymptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Researchers writing in BioMedCentral's open access journal Reproductive Health tested the EFA tablets by carrying out a randomised, controlled trial in 120 women.
Researchers from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, conducted the tests. They reported "The administration of 1 or 2 grams of essential fatty acids to patients with PMS resulted in a significant decrease in symptom scores. The administration of the dietary supplement did not result in any changes in the total cholesterol in the patients evaluated."
Women who were given supplements containing 2 grams of a combination of gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, other polyunsaturated acids and vitamin E reported significantly eased PMS symptoms at both 3 and 6 months after they began the treatment. Few adverse events were recorded and these were mild, insignificant and did not appear to be directly related to the medication.
Speaking about the results, the researchers said, "The negative effect of PMS on a woman's routine activities and quality of life may be significant, in addition to the repercussions on economic costs resulting predominantly from a reduction in productivity. Essential [fatty acids] supplementation can now be said to show much promise as a treatment."
Journal Reference: Essential fatty acids for premenstrual syndrome and their effect on prolactin and total cholesterol levels: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. Reproductive Health, 2011
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Article courtesy of Vitamin Power
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