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.

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

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.

It’s not really a topic men like to discuss, especially between their friends however in your group of friends or in your office at least one man does/will suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED). Many men also believe ED is something which only affects old men, however it can strike at any age, so how do you know if you have erectile dysfunction?

Well ED is the inability to get and maintain an erection that is sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Sometimes ED may just be temporary, however because there are a number of causes you could suffer from ED permanently. ED is not to be confused with premature ejaculation which is where a man ‘comes’ too quickly or retarded ejaculation which is where a man cannot reach climax.

Many men are probably aware what the treatments for ED are, the most famous one is Viagra or ‘the little blue pill’ as it’s also know other ED treatments include Levitra, and Cialis. However all of these treatments come with side effects so you should always visit your doctor before taking them.

ED in young men tends to be caused by anxiety, you know, worrying about having sex if you’re not experienced, worrying about causing pregnancy and problems with condoms. This type of ED is something you normally grow out of with experience! For those in middle age, ED can be caused by stress, such as work or home life, cutting down on these types of stresses (if you can) can help. It can also be caused by diabetes so it’s always good to seek regular health checks. Finally for those older, you will find that the chance of having ED increases because of general health deterioration.

So what should you do if you suffer from erectile dysfunction? Well don’t jump straight on the internet to buy drugs from a dodgy retailer, god knows what you might end up getting, visit your doctor first, sometimes speaking to someone can actually help. If you still find that you need ED drugs then make sure you buy them from pharmacies and reputable online sellers such as www.ukmedix.com, where you can also get advice.

We have been told time and time again, that snacking regularly is bad for us. But is it as bad as it’s made out to be?

No doubt you have heard the saying, that snacking between meals ruins your appetite and now we are even being told that snacking is the demon behind the modern-day crisis of obesity.

But if you an active kinda guy, then neither of the above may necessarily be true. On average, men need to consume an extra 600 calories more per day than women. Factors such as height, weight and occupation, can push this figure even higher still.

Basically, snacking can be a good thing. It can give you the extra calories you need, whenever you need them.

Snacking is pretty much essential if you miss a meal, as busy men are liable to do. Many of us regard meals as a low priority when we’ve got a hundred other things to do.

Snacking is not a problem, if you lead a busy life. However, it then because a problem if you choose to snack of the wrong types of foods.  Another advantage of snacking is that it gives you energy for specific occasions, like a workout or football game, for example.

Now, experts are actually saying that having three big meals is a mistake, and that instead we should have three smaller meals and some snacks, too.

Digesting large meals is hard work for your body and can actually make you feel lethargic. However, eating five times a day isn’t for everyone and can often be bad for those people who are prone to over-eating. But if you lead an active life, then this can be a very effective way of maintaining energy.

The American Dietetic Association suggests that if you’re truly hungry, a small snack could be a good way to ‘tide you over’ until you are ready for a big meal. If you don’t snack when you feel hungry, your blood sugar can drop sharply.

The dangers of snacking

The dangers of snacking are pretty basic. If you snack at the wrong times, with the Snacks high in fat, wrong foods, you are highly likely to gain weight.

What should men snack on?

There are a few rules for snacking. First, your snack shouldn’t be the sugary, carbohydrate-heavy type. This will only send your blood levels soaring.

When it comes to snacking, you should try high-fibre cereal topped with fresh fruit, picking at slices of lean ham, turkey or beef, or dipping into a punnet of cherry tomatoes throughout the day. This is extremely health and is almost certain to keep your hunger at bay.

If you find yourself a bit peckish before playing sports, oatmeal is a great snack. It has a healthy balance of protein and good carbohydrates. This releases glucose into the bloodstream more slowly, which then avoids peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels.) If you prefer energy bars, go for ones that are low in fat and sugar and made from whole oats.

Smoothies are another fabulously healthy way to see you through the afternoon. Made from a mix of fruits and either yoghurt or soya milk. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a healthy snack!
And finally, there’s chocolate. Yep, you heard that right. But it has to be the dark stuff, rich in heart healthy flavonoids. Milk chocolate is too high in sugar and fat.

Get snacking

Forget what you heard, snacking can be beneficial for most men! Snacking gives extra energy and helps you to avoid low-sugar lumps. Remember, this is only true if you snack on the right things!

Not quite ready for your beautiful locks to turn grey? According to new reports, you might not have to; L’Oreal provides an answer to stop hair from turning grey.

Researchers and beauty giants have been searching for decades to find an answer to stop grey hair once and for all. Researchers are currently working on a medication that, if taken every day, could help you retain your natural hair colour for as long as possible.

Due to the researchers wanting to avoid a synthetic drug, they have been testing all kinds of natural medication for years. Finally they have found a natural drug which works. It is found in fruit. However, researchers have been careful to not to reveal what the fruit extract is, until the safety trials have been completed in approximately 18 months’ time.

However, it has been released that the drug will be inexpensive and should be taken as a diet supplementary would.

Hairs begin to turn grey after the age of 30, when human cells start a process called oxidative stress, this then makes them less resistant to toxins. The hair pigment cells then die. The pill, however, would help to stop this from happening.

Des Tobin, professor of cell biology at University of Bradford, concludes: ‘With people living longer and working longer, they are in the grey zone for longer and the demand for something like this is huge,’

A national New Year health campaign has been launched by the Department of Health to help people quit smoking. They are launching a NHS Quit Kit which is a box of practical tools and advice which will equip people with the tools to quit smoking.

The NHS Quit Kit will be showcased in a series of TV, radio and search campaigns which has been created by Partners Andrews Aldridge. The campaigns will encourage smokers to get the free kit from a participating pharmacy in England.

As part of the NHS Quit Kit smokers will get a new text support programme, which will give them extra encouragement, support and advice in the first weeks the most crucial time for people trying to quit.

There are 7,000 pharmacies backing this campaign in England, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrison’s, Co-operative, Superdrug, Boots, Manichem, Whitworth, Medipharmacy, Cohens Group and Lloyds, as well as around 800 independent pharmacies.

For more information on the NHS Quit Kit and how to find your nearest pharmacy, check nhs.uk/smokefree.