I was shopping at Vitamin Shoppe the other day and decided to pick up a jar of Soy Lecithin Granules because of the choline content of lecithin.
You can get it on amazon here:
What a surprise when I found out that lecithin can improve ejaculate volume, sperm and fertility! In addition it can also improve testosterone levels! These studies were conducted in rabbits, but nevertheless are extremely interesting. You can read it here.
Here’s the abstract:
A total of 28 adult V-line rabbits were fed ad libitum a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% soybean lecithin (SL) for 12 weeks. Bucks that received 0.5%, 1.0% or 1.5% dietary SL had a higher ejaculate volume, mass motility, sperm concentration, total sperm output and total motile sperm. Dietary SL reduced the percentage of dead sperm and increased the normal sperm, and this concurred with an increase in blood testosterone concentration. Blood and seminal plasma total lipid, acid phosphatase and seminal plasma alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased because of inclusion of SL. Interestingly, SL reduced blood and seminal plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances while increasing blood and seminal plasma glutathione content, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. Conception rate and litter size at birth and weaning were also significantly improved. Practically, it could be suggested that SL is a suitable supplement for improving semen quality, antioxidant status, reproductive traits and the economic efficiency of V-line rabbit bucks and 1% is an adequate concentration.
Low Carb For Faster Weightloss
Low Carb diets are making a huge comeback after news that an Atkins style diet can burn up to 300 calories a day more than a low fat diet! However, there’s a catch–researchers are saying inflammation markers and cortisol could increase. A good compromise? They recommend a low glycemic diet instead. It won’t burn as much extra calories as a really low carb diet, but you won’t have as much cortisol and inflammation.
Check out this newstory here.
Wonderful Pomegranate Near Panacea
Who knew that Pomegranates could cure what ails you?
Check out the research studies posted here.
Seems like pomegranate extract or juice can help with:
- Reduction of arterial plaque
- Improve exercise recovery
- Improve erectile dysfunction
- Fight Cancer, especially prostate cancer
Pomegranates boost nitric oxide.
How often do you find something that tastes good and is good for you?
Gastritis Cure And Remedies
Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining. It can be extremely uncomfortable. Symptoms can include abdominal/stomach pain, indigestion, a feeling of “fullness”, cramping or flutter sensations near the top of the stomach or just simply a feeling that something is just wrong.
The first step is to stop self-medicating and seek the advice of a gastroenterologist. Depending on the doc and their approach to handling this frustrating problem, you may have an upper endoscopy to confirm the diagnosis. When you have an endoscopy, they will put you to sleep and slide a tube down your throat equipped with a camera to view your stomach lining. Compared to other procedures, this one is quite simple and relatively risk free. The great thing about this procedure is the doctor can rule out any serious problems that could be causing the same symptoms. Untreated gastritis could lead to ulcers and worse things, so it’s something you want to address urgently and completely. The doc may take some tissue samples to find out if you are infected with a bacteria called h. pylori. Anyway, don’t mess around with your health and get this checked out.
After you received your diagnosis, you have to stop doing the things that have irritated your stomach. If your doc said you have a bacterial infection, then you’ll have to take some antibiotics. If you don’t have an infection, it may take some sleuthing to find out what is causing your problem. The most common things are excessive alcohol consumption (which tends to dissolve your stomach mucosa and expose the tissue to stomach acid). The next most common irritant is smoking. Stress can also hurt you as well as too much coffee, flours, certain medications like nsaids or irritants, chemicals and believe it or not, certain vitamins like Vitamin C in high doses.
Because your stomach is now irritated, your doc will most likely prescribe an acid blocker like aciphex. Although, I personally dislike the idea of taking an acid blocker, it’s a quick way to stop irritating your stomach. If you stop irritating your stomach by quitting coffee and stopping the other things, you’ll be off the acid blockers in no time at all.
I have discovered some simple natural remedies that can heal your stomach quickly. I’ll write about these in future posts.
It can take several months to heal gastritis. With patience, following a simple diet and the remedies I outline,you’ll be off the medication quickly and you’ll have a brand new stomach. You’ll feel like a million bucks!
Shirataki Noodle Recipe
I wrote about shirataki noodle recently here.
I found a great way to enjoy your noodles. Just to recap, these are zero calorie all fiber noodles that taste like anything you cook them in. So, grab a bag of noodles and a can of chicken, beef or vegetable broth.
Empty the broth in a small pot, rinse the shirataki noodles (they stink a little) and pop them in. I like to add some Hijiki seaweed. Add some chicken, beef, mushroom or whatever you like. Bring the mixture to a light boil and enjoy.
This is a quick, filling meal that you’ll enjoy and is great to help you meet your health and diet goals!
Easy Low Calorie Irish Moss Recipe
Many irish moss recipes call for condensed milk and sugar which often means many calories! Instead of condensed milk, try a low calorie substitute such as almond milk or coconut milk. So Delicious makes a wonderful coconut milk you can use:
Cook a handful of dried irish moss and ground up flax seed in a slow cooker for a couple of hours. Add vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. When the irish moss is dissolved, add in the coconut milk or almond milk to cool it down quick.
Enjoy!
Super Easy Paella Recipe
I call this “poor man’s paella” because it makes a super easy Spanish style paella in about an hour. Paella is tricky to make because you have to get the right amount of water to cook the rice so it’s not too mushy and not too dry or undercooked. Here’s what you need for this super tonic and delicious meal:
Mandatory:
1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes with optional onion and garlic
Soup Stock
Saffron (don’t get cheap paprika and sazon)
lime juice (fresh)
Salt and pepper to taste (adobo is cool)
Rice (Jasmine rice works just fine)
Peas
Very Recommended:
Olives
Sausage (chorizo is traditional but chicken/turkey sausage works)
Garbanzo beans and/or black beans
Use as needed:
from the sea:Mussels, Clams, Shrimp, Lobster Tail, Sea Scallop, Octopus, Salmon, etc.
from the land:Chicken Thigh Meat
up to you: anything you think works…
The idea is that you can put anything in a paella..think of it as the Spanish version of Chinese Fried Rice. As long as you have good quality saffron, rice, some kind of meat and seafood you’re all set. It’s hard to mess it up.
The secret to easy paella is to cook the rice in a rice cooker with the soup stock, saffron and diced tomatoes. Measure the right amount of soup stock you need instead of plain water. Most rice cookers are a 1:1 ratio of rice to water. In my rice cooker, I have to add extra water to make the rice come out just right.
Get a deep pan and spread some good quality olive oil. When the rice is done (smells yummy and aromatic) spread it out in the pan. Add all the other ingredients and bake it in the oven for about 45-minutes to an hour. Cook it just enough to cook your meat and sausage. You can pre-cook some of the meat with garlic and spices while the rice is cooking to speed up the bake time.
What makes this approach good is the rice is cooked perfectly because it’s done in the rice cooker.
Paella made old school in a deep pan with the water the rice is great because all the flavors cook together, but honestly, the method above is fool proof and just as good.
Try it..and feel the effects of a traditional Spanish tonic recipe.
Aloe Vera For Anti-Aging
Everyone knows that resveratrol has been shown to delay aging and has remarkable effects. However, I stumbled upon something very interesting. Did you know that aloe vera, the plant that you can grow in your home for almost nothing, has similar effects?
What?
How come nobody is interested in exploring this study further? Click to see the study on Pubmed. Or here’s the abstract:
“Longevity extension in Drosophila melanogaster by feeding diet supplemented with chemicals throughout adulthood can cause harmful side effects. We tested the effect of larval diet supplementation with five different concentrations of resveratrol and one concentration of Aloe vera extract on the adult longevity of short-lived D melanogaster populations. Resveratrol and A vera extract supplementation of larval diet extended adult longevity in both the male and female flies without reducing fecundity but by efficient reactive oxygen species scavenging through increased antioxidant enzymes activity and better neuroprotection as indicated by increased locomotor activity in adult males.”
I remember years ago bringing an aloe vera plant home. We planted it outside and within a few years we had a farm of them. Too bad I wasn’t aware of it’s anti-aging free radical scavenging effects back then.
Many people know that you can put aloe vera on your skin to speed up healing of burns and cuts, but many people don’t know you can and should drink the stuff! Don’t grind up the skin, filet it and mix up the inner gel in a blender with some fresh squeezed orange juice. Or if you’re brave, drink it straight up!
I found this cool guy on the ‘net who loves his aloe and it works for him. Check him out!
Here’s a youtube clip showing a good way to prepare a refreshing and healthy drink.
I heard it helps you lose weight too!
Bee Pollen Power
I’m trying Bee Pollen. I found a local, dark, raw and unfiltered honey to take with it. Feeling pretty good after only a day on this stuff. I’ve tried bee pollen years ago and didn’t notice much. I’m thinking that maybe it’s true that you should try as much as possible to get bee products locally. Bee Pollen has been reported to kick the libido into high gear as well as heal prostate issues. It also reportedly helps you lose weight!
Amla Juice — Power Drink?
I discovered amla juice at the indian market. You can get it here: Amla / Indian Goose Berry Juice – 480ml
Amla juice is reportedly extremely high in antioxidants and is supposed to be good for greying hair, digestion, anti-aging and a host of other great benefits.
Vivid dreams with Melatonin
I have taken melatonin in the past, but was reluctant to take a high dose because the pineal gland (which produces melatonin when it’s dark out) produces it in relatively small amounts. You can get the supplement in many different strengths, but 1mg and 3mg seem to be the most common.
However, I discovered recently that melatonin is also produced in the retina and in the intestines! I’m not sure how much melatonin is produced in the gut, but I’m willing to bet it’s a lot. I also have read many studies that indicate melatonin is safe to take in very large amounts. In fact, in one study, participants were given 150mg for an extended period of time with no ill effects.
I have taken up to 3mg without experiencing the reported vivid dreams that I’ve read about. When i upped the dose to 6 and 9 mg, wow! Extremely long, vivid dreams! It’s a very interesting effect. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to attain lucidity from these dreams. They are extremely real and vivid, right down to textures, sounds and other senses.
Please be responsible and do your research before experimenting with supplements. Start small and monitor yourself before upping the dose on any supplement. People who take high doses of melatonin report grogginess the next day if they don’t get enough sleep or need to wake up early.
Easy way to boost testosterone
Want an easy way to boost testosterone levels? You don’t need to take any pills or injections. Simply add resistance training to your regular routine.
Check out this this study.
Here’s the abstract:
RESULTS:
The intra-groups comparison for testosterone and hGH revealed a significant increase in 80%-6RM and 80%-12RM. Cortisol levels was significantly higher in 80%-12RM and T:C ratio in 80% 6 RM when compared Pre and Post values. Inter-groups comparison showed higher hGH and cortisol levels and lower T:C ratio for 80% 12 RM. There was no statistically significant different between 80%-6RM and 80%-12RM for testosterone.
CONCLUSION:
The present study confirms that the volume of resistance training can be an important factor in the modulation of acute hormonal responses.
There are many studies like this that show an immediate surge in testosterone levels after weight training. Many people recommend squats as the best one to do. The muscles impacted by a squat can total up to 2/3 of your total muscle mass. Start low and build up gradually. There is no rush and you don’t want to hurt yourself. By starting low and building up gradually, your tendons and joints will be able to support you when you start hitting the heavy weights.
Get started today!
Try some nutmeg with your eggs and stout
I wrote about guinness stout and raw eggs in a previous post. Try it with fresh cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on top. Reading about nutmeg can be quite interesting. It reportedly contains small amounts of a hallucinogen called Myristicin. However, don’t get excited because nutmeg can make a person quite sick. However, in small amounts, it tastes and smells great.
Nutmeg is used by people who like to enhance dreaming as it is one of the reported side effects of this unique spice.
Positive Affirmations
I’m a big believer in the power of the mind to influence our bodies and our circumstances. Affirmations are a powerful tool to help focus intention and help create the reality you want. Here’s a cool animation for a great website people use to send themselves free reminders via e-mail or text message. Here’s the video:
Real Cinnamon and Honey
Many people are mixing cinnamon with honey for health benefits, weight loss, acne, hair growth and arthritis. A google search of “honey and cinnamon” brings up the same post about the benefits of this combination. It’s almost comical the way so many websites repost the same exact post. Cinnamon has made the news recently for its ability to reduce blood sugar and as a powerful antioxidant. However, be really careful with cinnamon. I found out there is a “real cinnamon” and then a similar substance that tastes like cinnamon called ‘Cassia’. Cassia is what most of us in America think is cinnamon. It’s not. What’s worse is that Cassia contains high amounts of Coumarin, which is toxic to our livers and kidneys. Taking too much cassia, thinking you’re doing something good for the body, can actually kill you!! It’s rat poison!
I found a site that shows a picture of the two and how to tell the difference at this link.
Cassia is dark and thick like a tree bark. It looks like one thick hollow tube. Real cinnamon looks like rolls of paper. It’s very ‘cigar’ like. Real cinnamon comes from Ceylon and is sometimes called ‘Ceylon Cinnamon’. I found out that most Mexican Cinnamon is imported from Ceylon. Saigon Cinnamon, Chinese Cinnamon and most unmarked Cinnamon in the supermarket is really Cassia–the ‘bad stuff’.
Be careful!
Onions Triple Testosterone Levels?
I heard onions could triple testosterone levels and found this article at the ergo log.
Tonight I tried to juice an onion. If you’re thinking of trying onion juice be prepared for an experience. I juiced some beets and carrots then threw in the onion. It took about 10 minutes for my eyes to stop tearing. The juice didn’t taste too bad because the beets are delicious and sweet. However, the after taste of the onion juice is a little hard to take. I’m not sure I can do this with any regularity.
Topical Onion juice has reportedly helped hair growth, so there must be a nitric oxide effect from the juice.
Let me know if anyone one of you try it.
Chia Seeds — Tiny but powerful
Chia seeds are very cool. These tiny seeds pack a wallop of Omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants.
I get mine from VitaminShoppe.
A great way to eat these is to mix a tablespoon in a liquid. The seeds quickly form a gel. There’s a tonic from mexico that calls for these seeds in water with some lemon and honey. Strain the seeds if you wish for a refreshing tonic.
Another smart way to eat these is to mix the seeds with almond or coconut milk. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours for an awesome low calorie pudding. If it doesn’t gel enough, add more seed.
I’m forming a theory that foods that create gels like Irish Moss (Sea Moss), Sea Cucumber, Agar and now Chia Seeds are good for the joints and are an overall jing tonic. Of course, I have no scientific evidence for this observation, but it’s something interesting to note.
Try it and see what you think.
Beautiful Thinking is important
It’s important to be aware of your habitual thoughts. Images in the mind can trigger a cocktail of chemicals into your bloodstream. As mentioned in the e-book, ‘Beautiful Thinking’, some women will release oxytocin if they think about a hungry and crying baby. It triggers an instinct to nurse. Growth hormone release has been linked with positive emotions. The other day, I realized that the opposite must also be true. If we imagine bad things happening (the typical worry wort) we must be flooding our systems with bad chemicals. If we become addicted to imagining the worst outcome or brooding over what happened or what could have happened, it’s like having a diet heavy in junk food..or worse. We depress our immune systems with chronic bad thoughts.
How simple it is to simply choose to have some positive thoughts..daydream! It will extend your life. Create happy thoughts like you would take vitamins. Our bodies create the chemicals and tonics we need. We don’t have to get substances from the outside. The Beautiful Thinking ebook may seem very simple or very obvious, however it’s probably the single most important thing you can do for great health and to stay young.
Do we really need to age or are we ‘hypnotized’ into believing we have to get old a certain way? Interesting thoughts to ponder. In the meantime, take some time to send your cells and organs some beautiful mental images.
Beautiful Thinking Ebook Available! Using Mental Imagery for Lasting Youth
Here’s a very cool e-book with a simple program you can follow to activate your mind’s ability to influence your body chemistry to create a state of lasting health, youth and beauty. It’s a simple idea leveraging things we already know about the power of the mind to regulate our hormone levels, muscle performance and immune system. Everyone knows about Norman Cousins and the power of laughter. Everyone knows about the use of mental imagery by elite athletes. Did you know that practicing a skill and mentally lifting weights will make your muscles stronger? Did you know you can secrete more testosterone by certain visualizations? This book gives you simple ideas you can use everyday for a week to align your mind with your body. Try it!
TDP Lamps for healing
A couple years ago, I purchased a Teding Diancibo Pu (TDP) Lamp for personal use. I was intrigued by it when an acupuncturist I visited used one to heat up my lower abdomen and the needles in my dantian area. He said it would help “increase chi”. Acupuncturists have been using various forms of heat for thousands of years to make the therapy more effective. These new heat lamps (purportedly invented in the 80s) are yet another way to introduce focused heat into the body. The literature on the net indicates that this heat lamp using a special ceramic plate that has minerals on it. It looks like this:
I currently am using it to help heal a sacro-iliac injury. 20 minutes into the heating session, it feels pretty good. I’m doubling up with a chinese patent medicine called “Touku Wan” which has a plethora of herbs for pain and healing. A quick scan shows such notables as Frankincense and Myrrh, Cinnamon, Licorice and Notopterigyii Root. The formula, however, is different than what I’m used to in the past. I’m not sure why the ingredients change so much.
I also purchased some fresh notoginseng root. I’ll write more about notoginseng in the future. Many people have never heard of this fantastic healing herb.