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Probiotic Supplements: Anxiety, Depression and your Brain Health

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What are probiotics ? They are simply microorganisms that can contain health benefits to their host. How is this done? Probiotic supplements that contain these microorganisms can help improve the microbial balance of the host. There are trillions of cells in your body and more than that when it comes to bacterial cells, so overall the amount of opportunity for bacteria to grow is overwhelming. Can bacteria be bad? Yes, can some of it be good? Absolutely! This is where probiotics come into play. Where are probiotics found? What are their benefits? Should we supplement with probiotics and what can happen if we do? These are some of the questions that will be answered throughout this article. Seeing as probiotics are friendly and healthy bacteria found in our GI/digestive tract it is linked to health benefits from helping irritable bowel syndrome and traveler's diarrhea to boosting your overall immune system. This is used to help combat any GI distress or any forms of bowe...

Is An Extra Hour of Sleep Better Than Exercising?

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Is Getting an Extra Hour of Sleep Better Than Exercising? Sleep deprivation sucks. You lay there in bed and trying to decide what time you need to set your alarm for tomorrow. As you are trying to figure out the time, you know that you could get a full seven hours of sleep if you were to wake up at your normal time, or you could wake up an hour earlier and exercise. Which should you choose? You Need to Prioritize Sleep While it may sound like a good idea to get up extra early to get a workout in, your quality and quantity of sleep is just as important to your body. If you have to choose one or the other, you should choose to sleep. Getting adequate amounts of sleep will give your body the time it needs to replenish, repair, and refresh your cellular functioning. Skimping out on sleep will negatively impact performance — both cognitive and athletic. Most experts agree that choosing sleep is the better call. Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, according to the Nat...

5 Fitness Myths That Are Holding Women Back

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With all the misinformation flying around out there, it's pretty easy to believe something that isn't true. Women tend to either go overboard with these myths or avoid going to the gym altogether. There are a few myths I tend to hear quite a bit so I thought I'd take some time to debunk them. Myth #1 - Lifting weights makes you bulky This untruth is the most common myth I hear, and yet I feel like by now we should all know better. Lifting weights can make you stronger. Lifting weights can increase muscle mass. However as a female, it is very, very difficult to get a massively muscular frame. Even if muscular bulk was your goal, you'd have to try pretty hard because it's difficult. When you see a woman that's very large, there's a pretty strong chance they're taking some sort of hormonal aide to help them get there. And I'm not talking about the ultra lean female bodybuilders. Yes, these women are incredibly muscular, but their body f...

Best Tasting ON Proteins

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For your 14 day fast track weight loss plan click here As we all know, supplements don’t always leave the most pleasant taste in your mouth, but one company that’s really nailed it when it comes to great-tasting protein powders is Optimum Nutrition. While they have several different lines of protein to choose from, the most popular by far is their Gold Standard 100% Whey – you’ve probably heard of it. Available in over 20 flavors, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey continues to dominate the supplement industry year-after-year as the best-selling protein powder in the world – and for good reason. It’s extremely high quality, really reasonably priced, and for the most part, all of their flavors taste pretty dang good! But with 20-something flavors to choose from, the one obvious question that’s constantly raised is: what’s the best Optimum Nutrition Whey flavor? Bottom Line Up Front: By popular vote,this Mocha Cappuccino flavor was rated highest by users. We polled real pr...

Weight Loss At Any Age

For my 14 day fast track diet click here Do you know someone who maintained their weight in their 20s and 30s, but now they hit the big 4-0, things have started going downhill? This is about the same time you start to naturally lose muscle mass and start having huge hormone fluctuations. So, as the years start creeping up, are we all doomed to that middle-age muffin top? As we age, your body changes metabolically. This, along with needing to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight, it can be hard to lose weight. This doesn’t mean you are doomed to gaining weight, though. The key to achieving your weight loss goals is consistency and mindfulness. You may have to stick to your goals a little more than you did when you were younger, but the goals are reachable. So here are five tips that can help you lose weight as you age. PROTECT YOUR HEALTH Lose Weight as You Age #1 - You’ll Need to Pay Attention to Your Eating Patterns As we get older, we are able to l...

21 Day Paleo Eating Plan

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The 21-Day Paleo Meal Plan   You’ve probably heard the saying that 21 days makes a habit—because it’s true. After you spend 21 days working your way through this meal plan, you’ll have an excellent grasp of   what foods are (and are not) Paleo . You’ll discover a healthy diet that’s rich in flavor and satisfies every food craving. The Paleo diet approaches nutrition in a revolutionary way, pairing the best of ancient principles with modern research and convenience. You don’t have to forage like a caveman to reap the benefits of Paleo, like  reduced inflammation , improved energy levels, better sleep quality, and clearer skin! Weight loss is also a common side effect of Paleo—but just one of the many life-changing improvements you might find when you adopt this new way of eating. With this done-for-you meal plan and shopping list, your first 21 days are covered! No need to scour the internet or cookbooks for recipes. We’ve found the tastiest dishes to w...