Despite a popular perception to the contrary, the vast majority of supplement companies really do have your best interests at heart. After all, the best - and only - way for them to secure long-term profitability is to make effective and safe products; failing to do either one of those guarantees a fast-track to the clearance rack with all the other duds. Although, as in any industry, there have been and will be those few companies out to make a fast buck, most companies are looking at long-term growth and profits and the only way to secure those is to make safe and effective products. (more…)

Despite a huge marketing push and tons of overly-optimistic press, plenty of skepticism was raised at the time the prescription anti-obesity drug Orlistat was released in a lower-dose over-the-counter version called Alli. Alli interferes with a key enzyme (lipase) involved in the digestion of fat and can reduce the amount of fat calories absorbed from food by a modest amount, around 30%. (more…)

While you certainly can spend a lot of money on supplements, you sure don’t have to.

There are plenty of great supplements that you can use to make a difference, maybe a big difference, in how you look and feel and in terms of keeping you healthy.

Let’s look at ten great supplements each of which costs ten dollars or less for a one month supply at the manufacturer-recommended dose. (more…)

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany and Sussex University in the UK studied the physical and biochemical effect of music on the human body. Their findings, some of which have been published in a recent study, include surprising and beneficial physical effects just from both listening to music and playing a musical instrument. (more…)

There has never been a magic bullet for weight loss, and short of drastic measures like surgery, there never will be. Everyone knows that crash and fad diets don’t work, just as everyone should know that improving the diet and increasing physical activity (exercise) do work.

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It must happen thousands of times every day. A person is considering using a nutritional supplement or taking a nutritional approach to a health problem. Very often the reason they are doing so in the first place is to avoid a costly doctor visit or because they don’t want to use prescription drugs or surgical approaches. But when they raise the most important questions, is this appropriate for me, can I take this with my medications, how well will this work, how long should I take it, they are told to “check with your doctor”.

So they check with the family doctor, who, more often than not, is not familiar enough, informed enough or open-minded enough to provide a good answer. And with that, the person is back to Square One.

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17beta-estradiol is the most potent estrogen in men and women. Excess levels of this hormone relative to other hormones can have an adverse affect on reproductive health, and can be associated with certain types of cancer.

Kelp, bladderwrack and other types of edible seaweeds are most often consumed for their iodine content to support thyroid health. Recently, other uses have been found for edible seaweeds such as the fucoxanthin thermogenic weight-loss ingredient and a new type of vegetarian softgel.

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A very common condition among older men, prostatic hyperplasia results in enlargement of the prostate gland or congestion within the gland, either of which can worsen over time and lead to difficulty with urination and sexual problems.

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Fatigue is one of the most common complaints heard by doctors, but even for healthy people, the one thing everyone seems to want and need more of is energy.

Sure, you can pop a pill or use an energy drink, but that’s a short term solution at best. How can you create a more energized metabolism and increase your sense of energy? Welcome to today’s Top Ten List. (more…)

Good News For Cows: Vegetarian Softgels Gaining Popularity

You know how good fish oil is for you, but you hate the idea of consuming a gelatin softgel. Are there any vegetarian alternatives? Some products like fish oil and other nutritional oils are commonly sold and consumed in the form of a softgel. A softgel is a one-piece (usually) gelatin capsule most commonly used for supplements that are either entirely or partially in liquid form, for which they are ideally suited. Their smooth surface makes even large softgels very easy to swallow.

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