Picture courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

Seen as the super foods from the previous posts have been extremely popular and easy to incorporate into every day eating habits, we have decided to explore further and bring you some more super food alternatives for you to try out and judge.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is a herb that is often used when cooking Asian dishes. Fenugreek has a variety of benefits including its ability to “fight off” the common cold as well as to relieve the symptoms of a sore throat. This seems to be particularly useful seen as none of the other ”off-of-the-shelf” remedies seem to work!

Fenugreek is also thought to relieve the symptoms of diabetes as well as menopausal symptoms and soothe menstrual cramps. As well as these wonderful benefits, Fenugreek is thought to have weight loss properties as it supports the metabolism of both glucose and carbohydrates.

Kukicha Twig Tea

This twig tea is made from the twigs of a kukicha plant. The green tea contains a high level of antioxidants which have been proven to help beat diseases. The tea also has a alkalizing affect and therefore lowers acidity which results in reducing bloating and easing nausea.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green algae and is widely available as a supplement in various forms, including: powders, tablet, or capsule. The supplement is known to be one of the best sources of protein, as it actually 65% protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. It also helps to reinforce the immune system as it also contains over 100 different vital nutrients which can also help to give you an energy boost. Other health benefits include helping to control high blood pressure and cholesterol as well as a helping hand to weight loss.

Goldenberries

Goldenberries are also known as cape gooseberries or Incan berries. They are related to the potatoes and the tomatoes and are bright yellow in colour. The fruit is extremely sweet when ripe and are often eaten raw or dried. Goldenberries provide a large variety of health benefits. Not only do they contain a nice dose of antioxidants but they also contain anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids and a range of vitamins including vitamin A,B and C. They are believed to help maintain a healthy weight, ward off disease, and improve organ function. As well as containing a high percentage of protein which is essential for building and repairs within the body.

Goldenberry

Picture courtesy of Eran Finkle

Shopping online used to be something that carried a significant risk; that it was very possible you would send money to buy something and the product would never arrive. Fortunately, since the early days of internet shopping, a great deal more security has come to the online shopping industry, especially in the pharmaceutical market.

You can easily spot the fake online pharmacies from the real ones, any online pharmacy sending you spam email is most likely selling fake medications. Online pharmacies such as UK Medix, who has doctors to speak to online, sell the real medications and are trusted sellers.

One of the major benefits of ordering Viagra online is the convenience. You can simply order it from your computer and it will be delivered to your door, sometimes as quickly as the next day.

Although undeserved, there is still a social stigma attached to erectile dysfunction and purchasing Viagra from your local pharmacy might cause you some embarrassment. Buying Viagra online eliminates the risk of experiencing this problem, and you will find that all pharmacies will deliver your pills in unmarked envelopes to ensure complete discretion.

Price is another major advantage of buying online; as with any online retailer, an online pharmacy will have lower operating costs. Many first time internet buyers are afraid that the cheaper prices when buying Viagra online mean that the quality of the medication is lower, but this is simply not the case. Lower running costs mean that cost savings are passed onto the consumer, and there is a lower mark up on the price when compared with your local high street pharmacy. Countless people will testify to the quality of buying Viagra online. It is important to ensure that you are buying from a reputable source.

Picture of D Sharon Purrit

With lots of focus this year being on maintaining a healthy diet and weight loss, it is incredibly important to pick our foods correctly. If the right amounts of the right foods are eaten weight loss and maintaining a balanced diet should be easily achievable. Below I have included some “super-foods” that you might want to consider trying. Many of these foods have more than one benefit and can be slotted into the diet easy and subtly.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are often sprinkled upon a salad or served with soups or vegetables. They are practically tasteless; however they drastically add both crunch and texture to a dish. One of the main benefits of Chia Seeds would be the idea that they provide a healthy dose of Omega 3 alongside various other fibres.

This Omega 3 is extremely useful as it helps to prevent illnesses such as cancer (one of the leading source of deaths in the UK.) Omega 3 is also a good energy provider and also helps to improve our cognitive functions and makes us largely more alert.

As well as the Omega 3, the seeds are also a good source of proteins and carbs. This is also beneficial as the carbohydrates provide a full feeling for longer and keep any cravings for food at bay.
The mix of soluble and insoluble fibres mean that the conversion of the starch to sugars is vastly slowed down and therefore takes longer for the reaction to be complete, this then means that you are provided with a constant steady energy source and a healthy, balanced blood sugar.

Chia seeds

Picture courtesy of little blue hen

Adzuki Beans

Adzuki Beans have one of the highest antioxidant ratings among all of the other “super foods.” The bean is a good source of vegetable protein, soluble fibre and carbohydrates- all of which can help improve blood cholesterol levels.

The Adzuki Bean is also fairly high in Potassium which helps to lower both the blood pressure and the levels of Zinc. This therefore helps to maintain blood sugar levels and helps to protect joints from inflammation.

In Japan, the Adzuki Bean is well known for its healing properties and is thought to considerably help kidney and bladder function.

African Mango

African Mango is a brilliant and natural remedy which increases the rate at which fat it burned. It does this by increasing the rate of the metabolism naturally which then helps the body to burn stored fat. The fruit has recently become hugely popular and extracts from the seeds are now available in tablet form.

I don’t know about you, but I find it very time-consuming, not to mention difficult to apply endless layers of fake tan! It’s such a faff!

However, there might now be an alternative! Skin Kiss fake tan tights, claim to help you develop a bronzed, fake tan look in less than two hours!

The way that the tights work is via a patented technology, which ensures microfibres in the tights which contain tanning solution, which then leaves the wearers legs perfectly tanned! It is thought that they are the world’s first ever fake tan tights, which eliminates the need to apply fake tan lotions and potions.

The denier tights have been launched exclusively at an online retailer under the name of Tightsplease.co.uk retailing at £7.99.

After usage the sheer tights can be washed and re-warn. The tights are extra-efficient and come with a pair of plastic gloves to minimize the risk of getting stained hands during removal.

Other Skin Kiss products include the “Caffeine Tights.” These tights work as they contain microcapsules of caffeine which is then used to help break down cellulite. If the tights were worn daily for a three week period, it is reported that a 2 cm reduction on each thigh can be seen, alongside skin appearing smoother.

A spokesperson for the UK brand explained that the demand for the product is truly unprecedented and that the technology and clinical tests have shown positive results.

Due to the technicality and sophistication of the product, the tights have priced at £25.48 for a pack of three – making them by no means ‘cheap.’

Embarrassment can lead to many men and women buying drugs over the internet, but there are dangers that you may be buying counterfeit drugs rather than the real thing. This can be very dangerous because counterfeit drugs are normally made with chemicals and other properties than can make you seriously ill or even kill you.

They are normally made by people who have no training or people who no qualifications for drug production and these fake medications can be produced in unhygienic surroundings as well. Some ingredients which have been found in some counterfeit medications include rat poison and lead paint.

You should never take any medication without it being prescribed by a healthcare professional, especially hair loss treatments such as Propecia because there are a number of side effects. You should also be mindful that medications bought from dodgy sites on the internet will also not have been subject to checks and controls on the quality and effectiveness of medicines supplied. Plus there may not be any legal recourse in the event of a problem.

Many of the websites offering medication online operate outside of the UK which means they are not covered by the stringent checks UK based online pharmacies are which means there is a greater chance they are supplying counterfeit medications. Online pharmacies such as UKMedix are covered by UK laws which mean they face stringent checks on what they supply which means you are much less likely to get counterfeit dangerous medications.

Plus many UK online pharmacies require you to speak to a medical professional before you can buy any medication. You will also find a comprehensive list of side effects as well online to see if the medication will be right for you.

If you buy medicines online you can normally spot fake sites, between 50-90% of all medicines sold on websites which conceal their address are fake, many sites which get caught up in your email spam filter are fake however be wary of those that get through as these tend to be fake as well.

The start of the year always starts off well diet and health wise, with many people sticking to their healthy resolutions for most of January. However a lot of people teeter off by the middle of February especially with Valentine’s Day to contend with and all that tempting chocolate!

The best way to keep on top of your healthy eating resolution is to make sure you have a balanced diet, don’t restrict yourself to only eating certain healthy food groups and keep it varied. Make sure you cover the major food groups to maximise nutrients such as red meat, poultry, fish, pulses, milk, yogurt, fruits and vegetables. Don’t think cutting out starchy foods will help you lose weight so eat in moderation bread, breakfast cereals, pasta as these can give you the energy you need.

Make sure you eat plenty of fish and white meat, aim to eat fish twice a week and at least one portion of ‘oily’ fish, such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring. These contain omega-3s, which support heart, brain and immune function. Although some dieticians don’t recommend eating red meat, it’s still good to have some in your diet so go for lean red meat once a week. 

Making sure you have a varied diet is important, but what’s key for weight loss is portion control. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day it’s what starts you off for the day after hours of not eating and what should be most filling meal of the day. So skipping it won’t do you any good and reaching for sugary snacks that your body craves will also be adverse for your health, plus it won’t give you much of a start for the day. You will probably end up snaking more on unhealthy snacks if you don’t have a proper breakfast.

Lunch time is refuelling time, to get you through the rest of the day, you won’t want to eat anything heavy or stodgy carb laden foods as this will make you feel tired by early afternoon. Instead keep to small portions of potatoes, salad, vegetables and nuts and pulses to keep your energy levels up for the afternoon. Lean protein foods such as chicken, turkey, eggs, prawns, salmon and tuna will also keep hunger at bay. Healthy snacks can also help keep you fuelled up as its best not to go long periods of the day without eating.

Eating foods that not only boost you physically but mentally also help, anything containing serotonin which is the happy hormone will help keep your mood up during the day so think about eating turkey, eggs, seafood, bananas and dark chocolate as part of your daily meals and snacks.

As we have mentioned in our previous post portion control is a major problem, with many people eating healthy home cooked foods but eating to large portions for what they need. Home cooked meals are always the best and the simplest healthy meal can be made from scratch with some thought and preparation. If you are stuck for time look at making batches of food for the week and freezing them at weekends and make use of that slow cooker at the back of your cupboards, load it up with lots of seasonal veg and meat for a hearty stew.

Small portions are best for evening meals and don’t worry if you have left overs or you can’t eat it all, freeze the remainder or keep it for lunch the next day so you have no waste and you don’t over eat for the sake of it.

Most of all though is to enjoy what you’re eating, if you don’t you will find it hard to stick to healthy eating. To avoid getting bored keep trying new things after all there are always new healthy food trends to keep you going!

With financial constraints which many people are under, home cooking seems like the most affordable option as well as being considered the healthiest, however home cooking could actually hamper your diet according to diet experts Weight Watchers.

They found through a YouGov survey of more than 2,000 Britons that 68 per cent of those questioned aim to dine at home more often, but 95 per cent of those who cook at home kept on eating despite being full, to clear their plate.

Unfortunately people are dishing up bigger portion sizes which is causing over eating, the survey found that 57 per cent believed they dish up the recommended portion sizes, only 14 per cent of people actually did.

There are plenty of cookery shows and food shows on TV which is encouraging people to cook at home using fresh ingredients, but with no real knowledge on diet and or any grasp on how much food they are consuming, people are struggling to maintain a healthy diet. Many people think obesity stems from an unhealthy diet consisting of takeaways and junk food however people who eat ‘healthy’ home cooked food are also at risk of obesity because of over eating.

Now though Weight Watchers is looking at educating people on portion control, Lucy Vickers, the firm’s nutritionist, said: “In today’s ‘eat as much as you can’ society package sizes keep growing with giant bottles of cola, extra-large bags of crisps and king-size chocolate bars. This distorts portion control and research shows some people eat more from larger food containers. In a recent test when moviegoers were given popcorn containers of two different sizes, the people given the larger tubs ate 44 per cent more.”

They are also looking at the phycology of overeating as well as some people may not realise they are over eating, Lucy Vickers explained: “Finishing everything on your plate is often a deeply ingrained habit from childhood. Simple adjustments can help reverse the habit, such as serving up smaller portions and using leftovers for lunch the next day.”

Out of those questioned in the YouGov poll, 68 per cent said they aim to dine at home more this month, with 24 per cent saying this was a way to cut calories. Other figures also show that 24 per cent want to be healthier and 54 per cent want to save cash by cooking meals at home from scratch.

Looking at the report, Weight Watchers suggests that education needs to begin much closer to home rather than what the Government is pushing with their ‘The Responsibility Deal’ which up to now has only concentrated on what we eat when buying from takeaways or fast food outlets and restaurants when outside the home. Looking at what people eat when at home, what they cook and how much they serve up will help people understand where they are going wrong with their diet.

Mac & Cheese

Picture courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

A popular erectile dysfunction medication is Cialis, taking Cialis should help you maintain an erection for sexual intercourse when stimulated. Cialis is known as the weekend ED drug because once you take it the effects last for around 36 hours. That doesn’t mean you sustain an erection for thirty six hours but the ability to have an erection through stimulation.

So how does Cialis work? Well the active ingredient in Cialis is tadalafil, tadalafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor and it prevents the action of a chemical in the body called phosphodiesterase type 5.  Phosphodiesterase type 5 is what breaks down Cyclic GMP, Cyclic GMP causes the blood vessels in the penis to widen by relaxing a thin layer of muscle found in the blood vessel walls. So if Phosphodiesterase type 5 breaks down the Cyclic GMP you won’t get an erection, which is where Cialis comes in!

There are side effects when taking Cialis like any other erectile dysfunction medication which you need to be aware of before you take it.

Very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people)

Headache
Indigestion (dyspepsia)

Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)

Dizziness
Awareness of your heart beat (palpitations)
Flushing
Nasal congestion
Abdominal pain
Heartburn (reflux)
Back pain
Pain in the muscles (myalgia)

Uncommon (affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people)

Blurred vision
Eye pain
Red eyes
Swelling of the eyelids
Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
Increase in blood pressure (hypertension)
Decrease in blood pressure (hypotension). This is more common in men taking medicines to treat high blood pressure (antihypertensives)
Nosebleeds
Rash or hives
Sweating
Chest pain

Rare (affect between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10,000 people)

Prolonged erections (see warning section above).
Fainting
Swelling of the face
Migraine
Heart attack, stroke or mini-stroke (in most cases these events were reported in men who had pre-existing risk factors for heart disease).

We have all heard the horror stories of people who have bought medications online only to become very, very ill. In some cases people have also died because what they thought was safe and the proper medication was not. This is why you should be very careful when buying online and only use reputable suppliers such as www.ukmedix.com who work with a network of UK pharmacies and Doctors to provide you with a safe and secure service.

Men can find it hard to visit the doctors especially if they have a problem (down there) so speaking to professionals online can help and make them feel comfortable. Luckily now if you do suffer from impotence or premature ejaculation there are medications out there which can help you, plus there seems to be less stigma now around taking them!

It should be noted thought that it’s not just men who can suffer with sexual problems women too can suffer from low sexual desire. Again something you might not feel too comfortable going to the doctor for, worrying that it’s not important enough of that you may be fobbed off. Female sexual health isn’t something that you should shrug off, after all why shouldn’t you enjoy an active sex life no matter your age.

Finally all medication online should come in marked boxes, just as you would get from the pharmacy with all the correct packaging and labels. You know something is wrong if the box is plain or has incorrect spelling on.

Getting the right haircut can make a big difference in a man’s appearance. It is important for a man to pick the right style in order to look their best. Getting the perfect haircut might not be as simple as it sounds, however and men may wish to try these tips to achieve a great haircut.

Firstly, men should ensure that they choose the right salon for the job. There are a wide range of hair salons to choose from. Men who are willing to spend the money can even choose a salon that allows them to enjoy drinks while they get their hair cut. Ultimately, word of mouth is very important when it comes to choosing the right salon. Acquiring recommendations may require some men to overcome their hesitance to openly talk about style. However, recommendations from friends are the best way in which a man can find a good hair salon.

Next, it is important for a man to know precisely which type of cut they desire and how to describe it to a professional. The majority of men choose to take a picture of their desired hairstyle into the hair salon with them. It is possible for a man to explain the hairstyle in words. However, when it comes to verbal requests for a haircut, men must detail the specifics and should not forget areas, such as the neck and sideburns, at this stage.

Following a haircut, the hair will be styled. Hair products can assist men in polishing a new look. It is not necessary to break the bank to get good hair products. Cheap, generic products can achieve the perfect look. Men should not be afraid to be daring when it comes to requesting a new hair style. If in doubt, they should look up celebrities and determine the most fashionable styles.