Essential oils have a definite effect on our emotions—and those essential oils that have traditionally been used to reduce emotional stress and quell feelings of anxiety can help you begin to feel better almost instantly by signaling your system to increase production of serotonin, the neurochemical that researchers say lifts moods and encourages a positive mental outlook. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you are a serious, seasoned bodybuilder? An established athlete just beginning a concentrated weight-training regimen? Chances are that besides carefully planning your exercise program, you’re eating right as well, conscious of every morsel that creeps between your lips. A devout calorie-counter, you. A born ingredient-reader. So, why would you consider taking a supplement? Even when you’re doing all the right things, supplements can enhance your diet and exercise plan. Take nitric oxide, or NO, for example. Read the rest of this entry »

After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned ephedra in 2004, thousands of manufacturers of diet and weight-loss drugs turned their attention to finding natural and synthetic alternatives that would mimic its effects. Many of the ingredients in these fat burners also pose a number of health risks, but some of them may still be safer than ephedra. Understanding how ephedra works in the body can help you determine if alternative supplements are right for you. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re experiencing symptoms of acid reflux, regularly have chest pains even though your heart checks out fine, or you find it difficult to breathe after eating, you may have a form of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Read the rest of this entry »

Are you up all night tossing and turning? If so, you’re in good company. According to a National Sleep Foundation poll, nearly half of all Americans report dealing with sleeplessness some of the time, and more that 20 percent experience it nearly every night. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a dedicated bodybuilder, you’re probably aware of nitric oxide (NO) boosters on some level. Because they seem to work very well, they’re extremely popular with bodybuilders and other athletes. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you probably are already familiar with the aroma of the herb thyme. If you’ve ever attended Thanksgiving dinner, you know the smell. It’s part of a popular culinary herbal trio often used to spice up the turkey, which also includes rosemary and sage. Rarely growing over a foot high and yielding numerous gray-green stems with tiny oval leaves, this little evergreen’s official botanical name is Thymus vulgaris. You may also find it called common thyme, garden thyme, or French thyme. Receiving its name from the Greeks, it originally meant “to fumigate,” while also symbolizing courage and a source of invigoration. Even then, they knew it possessed medicinal qualities beyond its potent yet pleasant aroma. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever smelled something so foul that you felt queasy? Aromatherapy turns this sort of “gut” reaction to scents to your advantage, offering help for indigestion, upset stomach, nausea, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), irritable bowel syndrome, and gas. Read the rest of this entry »

Guggulsterone has been cultivated for thousands of years in India and surrounding regions. Before being brought to the Western world, it was popularized in Ayurvedic medicine; now it’s a common ingredient in dietary supplements. Guggulsterone is a compound derived from the gummy resin of the gugul plant (Commiphora mukul). Traditionally, it was used as a remedy for ulcers, obesity, arthritis, and even epilepsy. Today, though, its supplemental use is largely confined to controlling weight and cholesterol. Read the rest of this entry »

Muscle-building supplements infused with nitric oxide (NO) and creatine give bodybuilders and other athletes an opportunity to build strength, improve performance, and even enhance mental focus. High-intensity training and endurance workouts require appropriate supplementation, but many supplements do have significant side effects. Because NO helps dilate blood vessels and increase circulation, some users may experience an elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, or trouble sleeping. Read the rest of this entry »