Health Supplements - Do Your Homework

There are literally thousands of dietary supplements on the market. Many are rushed to store shelves in response to the latest health fad or hype. A good example of this is the glut of resveratrol supplements that have been introduced since the Mediterranean diet became popular.

One of the diet's components is the theory that ingredients in red wine have anti-aging qualities. The primary substance in red wine that is associated with these effects is resveratrol, and it has been shown that resveratrol can extend life. In mice. Human testing is underway, and chances are similar benefits will be observed, but required dosages and such are yet to be determined.

In any event, it's critical that you do research on the makers of any supplement you intend to make a part of your everyday diet. Quality varies. The lack of regulation in the supplement industry can lead to this.

Jumpstart Your Immunity System

Medicinal herbs are rich in antioxidants that help maintain good health and actually slow the aging process. Selected herbs can also alleviate age-related problems such as arthritis, high blood pressure, and deteriorating vision.

Care must be taken when starting an herb program as certain herbs can interact with prescription medications, intensifying or weakening their intended effects. Check with a doctor when considering supplementing your diet with any of the following herb recommendations.

Bilberry (vision disorders)
Echinacea (colds and flu)
Garlic (blood pressure and cholesterol control)
Hawthorn (cardiac health)
Milk Thistle (liver protection)
Saw Palmetto (prostate protection)
Tumeric (cardiac health and joint strength)

Where do I get my workout music?

Okay -

For those of you who are not Internet old timers, Usenet is the Internet's system of online groups that range from discussion groups around every possible interest to download groups where you can find music of all types, movies, and other *umm* material. It is like the Wild Wild West of the Internet where you can find just about anything if you find the right group.

There are tons of MP3 groups ranging from all types of rock music to new age, country, reggae, you name it.

Now how do you access these groups? You have to have a news reader software program. There are many packages out there, but in my years of reaping the treasures of Usenet, I've only come across one from a company that does a great job of 1) hosting Usenet groups to ensure fast downloads, 2) providing an easy to use program, and 3) is cheap when compared to the downloads you can get.

Try it out with the free intro offer. Unlimited downloads for 14 days to see if you like the service. You decide not to buy it (it's cheap), you keep the downloads, no cost to you. But trust me, you'll want to have it. When it comes to songs, I'm willing to bet there's not a song out that you can't find using the software.

Load up your iPod with music. Get free movies. Read some interesting discussions.

If you do try it and have any questions on how to use the software, leave me a comment. The only real step is to install the software, download the group titles and select the groups you want to keep an eye on. You can then use the search function to find any individual items (books, songs, etc) that might want to look for.

Click on the banner below:

iPod Playlists - Workout Music

Been getting alot of questions around what I listen to in my workouts and where I get my workout music mixes. Aside from the usual Internet sources for popular music (don't ask, don't tell) I get most of my iPod tunes from iTunes. Their recommended genre based play lists based on a variety of search criteria have really grown over the last few years.

I've also started getting alot of my cardio mixes from Workoutmusic.com They have a ton of cool mixes that run the gamut from rock to country. All speeds and all tastes are covered. They create blended custom mixes out of popular music and end up with 30+ minute playlists that will get you going. Great for iPods or any other MP3 player. Check out their selection. You'll find a workout music mix for any workout speed or style.

Hooked on these stress relief music audio programs

Holothink has come out with a series of audio programs that work at the brain wave level. Yes, it sounds like hokum, but it's a proven technique. (Learn more about stress relieving music).

I downloaded the Totally Tranquil and the Laser Focus programs. Really do some funky things to your mental state, including promoting relaxation and concentration. They have free demos of both programs, so try them out. I have a whole new category on my iPod now: Stress Relief Music.

They Don't Put This On The Bottles, But They Should

I predict the FDA will step in in the next few years to begin aggressively regulating the U.S. supplement industry..And with all the poor quality stuff out there, I'm all for it..

A little more information about fish oil supplements:

Icy Road Amateurs Out In Force Today

Had a minor ice storm last night here in Dallas. Just enough to keep the smart drivers at home this morning while the crazy amateurs that think black ice is a new rapper tried to make their way into downtown Dallas. Truly amazing to watch.

Took the stay at home opportunity to do some research on resveratrol, the newest anti-aging wonder drug. It can be found in red wine and has been determined to be a strong factor in the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. There's been alot of documented research into the effects of resveratrol in mice and the results are encouraging. Resveratrol works to increase the number of mitochondria in our body. Mitochondria, for those who don't have a Biology text book handy, are the organisms that generate energy at the cellular level. As we age, the production and efficiency of our mitochondria decrease leading to cellular degeneration and overall loss of vitality.

Resveratrol can reverse that process. And that is why resveratrol supplements have become very popular. As with any type of supplement, some brands are better than others. We have a review of one of the leading resveratrol supplements on the Men Living Longer site.