Bodybuilders are a notoriously drugged up group of people. (It’s one of the reasons I prefer strength sports like Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting, and of course Sumo!). But, their (relatively) new obsession with synthol is just ridiculous.

The act of building ones body is such a healthy endeavor. And it saddens me greatly that the modern sport of bodybuilding has degenerated to such base levels. They do real disservice the general fitness community, and the sports community at large.

If you wanna talk great bodybuilders, I prefer these guys:

John Grimek

Reg Park

Tommy Kono (who was also one of, if not the greatest Olympic Weightlifters of all time)

and Bill Pearl

They weren’t all completely natural (though Kono was). some of the old timers used some steriods. But the doses they used were miniscule. And, most importantly, they were still within the bounds of what it means to be human. They all lived healthy lives, and a few of them are still going strong. Grimek was still doing heavy squats in his 70′s.
The bottom line is longevity. Todays bodybuilders are seriously compromising their health. And in the next decade or so, we may be seeing the fallout.

For those who enjoy drinking their tea with milk there’s a bit of potential good news.  It was once thought that adding milk to your tea would decrease or even negate the positive effects of the natural polyphenols (antioxidants)  in the tea.  But a new study may dispute that.  It isn’t definitive, but it’s a sign of hope for those who like this kind of thing.

Are you sick of Dieting?  Do you feel like no matter how much dieting you do, you can’t keep the weight off?  There’s a reason for that.

There is compelling research data to suggest that those who are born with a propensity to gain weight have a significantly harder time staying thin.

But, there is a danger in reading into this too far.  For most of human history, mankind was NOT obese.  This is a recent trend.  And that is a fact that must be dealt with if we are to be intellectually honest.

What the research says to me, is that diet alone is never a good answer.  Human beings are not meant to be sedentary.  It isn’t natural.  But, our lives are structured in a way that nearly forces it. This is a first on our planet.  Never before has it been this easy to not move.

That means we have to build activity into our day.  And that activity has to be tough.  Light walking is fine if you’re rehabbing an injury or are an elderly person who hasn’t a history of exercise.  But, for the rest of us, it’s work hard or be fat.   That is what our species is meant to do, to work hard–physically.

Only rigorous, hard, and regular exercise can combat the extreme urge to eat that exists in so many people who are prone to weight gain (which is most of the population).

If you want to lose weight and KEEP it off, you must have very high activity levels.  It isn’t impossible.  But it is hard.  That’s the point.  It’s far better to exercise hard and not have to diet so strongly, than to always feel like you’re starving yourself.

Rigorous exercise gives you your life back.   Not only will you feel more vibrant but you will create a metabolic environment that allows you to lose fat without the pain of insane diet practices.

Check this blog often for workout ideas  and free information.  I’m a huge believer that if our nation took the mantel of rigorous exercise to heart, the obesity epidemic would be nearly extinguished.  That’s why I started this blog.  I want everyone to have access to inspiration to keep going so that they can improve their health and finally feel as good as they’ve always wanted to.

Diabetes and Heart disease are largely preventable (within reason of course).  And a very good predictor of whether a person will develop these conditions is their weight and where that weight is distributed.

An overweight woman with a waist 35 inches or larger, or an overweight man with at least a 40-inch waist, is at increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.

“That was an education,” said Linda M., who did not want her last name revealed because of her weight. “I did not realize that my waist determined my future risk.”

Parents of Teens who have tendencies toward depression should think twice before putting their children on antidepressants. It may make things worse.

Warnings on antidepressant drugs should be expanded to say the risks of suicidal thoughts and behavior extend to adults ages 18 to 24, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.

I come from a family where depression runs rampant. I have suffered from it myself. And when it hits it is amazingly severe. But, I can say from experience that the main factors that have helped me and those I know who have gotten a handle on their depression boil down to diet and exercise.

There are certainly cases where their is little hope but to medicate someone who is suffering intensely. But, (though I am certainly not a doctor and can’t proscribe the correct course of action for someone to take) I strongly believe that MOST (though, not all) people can take back a large portion of control in their lives by simply making these few changes:

Daily exercise: At least 4 days a week, engage in STRENUOUS exercise. That would include interval training, weightlifting, cardio kickboxing, etc. It has to be very tough, that’s the key. Of course, always take at least one day off a week.

Balanced and Consistent Diet: We all go through periods where our diets are balanced, but it’s the consistency that makes the difference. Include LOTS of fruits, veggies, and protein. Keep carbs relatively low, especially any carbs that are white (white bread, sugar, etc). High glycemic carbs are HORRIBLE for your depression levels. Sugar is the devil.

As for supplementation, I suggest at least 6 grams of fish oil a day, 3 grams of vitamin C, 200 IU of Vitamin E, and 50mg of B every day. The Fish Oil is particularly important for those suffering from depression.

Never forget much of the research on the topic has shown that Depression is largely a hormonal problem. Exercise and Diet have enormous effects on the bodies hormone levels (for the better), and to neglect these natural forms of “self medication” is down right idiocy.

It seems so simple (maybe too simple), but it is amazing how effective a consistent diet and exercise routine can be at curbing the worst excesses of depression. I know that it has worked for me and those who have followed my advice. It isn’t a cure, but it is a remarkable difference.

There has been research going on in the field of longevity over the promise of dietary restriction for some time.  Now there is a promising new study involving worms that may have singled out a gene that could help us pinpoint a similar effect in humans.

A disturbing trend has taken hold in the South.  With rising Obesity rates, Diabetes, hypertension, and a lack of access to doctors and medical care, Child Mortality rates are rising.

A bit of Tai Chi can go a long way in relieving the symptoms of Shingles, says new research.

Shingles is a Neurological disease brought on by the chicken pox virus.  And is very painful, often showing itself in people over the age of 50.

In a study paid for by the National Institutes of Health, researchers took 112 volunteers ages 59 to 86 and split them into two groups. One was given 40-minute tai chi lessons three times a week for 16 weeks. The other was given health-counseling classes.

The researchers, led by Dr. Michael R. Irwin of the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the people who did tai chi improved their immunity to varicella-zoster. They also found that when the volunteers were vaccinated later against the virus, the tai chi practitioners had a better response to the vaccine. The study appears in the current issue of The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Green tea contains a substance called EGCG. We’ve all become familiar with it as a diet aid, one that really does help. It also has cancer fighting properties. But, now there is evidence that EGCG may decrease the production of a hormone called Beta-Amyloid Protein that is responsible for the brain plaque accumulation at the heart of the disease.

But make sure you are not only drinking green tea, but are taking a dedicated green tea supplement.

The Florida team showed that other flavonoids in green tea actually block EGCG’s ability to prevent the harmful build up of beta-amyloid.

Those flavanoids are very important, and you should be taking them in though the tea itself. But, I advise people to take an EGCG supplement at a separate time of the day to make sure there is no conflict.

More good news for tea lovers:

The US research compared the tea-drinking habits of 1,400 people with skin cancer and 700 who had not developed the disease.

The study, in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, suggests chemicals in tea could have a protective effect.

See Also Matcha More Powerful than Regular Green Tea