Monday, July 28, 2008

Health And Fitness Supplements For Women

By: Lynn VanDyke

Many health and fitness supplements for women are making headlines today. They promise to help you lose weight, feel great, and even shed the pounds where you hate them the most. But are these supplements safe for you to use? And do they follow through on their promises? More studies are showing that health and fitness supplements for women may be a poor decision when it comes to the health of your body, causing more problems than solutions.

One of the first things to keep in mind with health and fitness supplements for women is that many of these have not been scientifically tested. While they might say they have been tested in their labs, this is not a definite indication of quality. Since supplements are not monitored by the FDA or tested before they get on the shelves, they can contain harmful ingredients that are only found to be harmful once people start reporting problems. Another consideration is that those supplements that have been tested may not have been tested on women exclusively. This means that they may contain higher levels of some ingredients that are safe for men but not for women.


Most fitness experts will tell you that health and fitness supplements for women are not advisable. Not only are they not addressing the problems or habits that have caused weight or health issues, but they may be adding to the problems at the same time. For example, when the diet pills starting being sold with Ephedra, they worked great. They gave users a lot of energy and helped them lose weight by reducing their appetite. But as users started to report heart palpitations and even some deaths, the safety of these pills was called into question. For the time, they were even taken off the market. While they're back on the market now, this does not mean that they're safe for you to take. Those items on the market may be ticking time bombs in your body – and do you really want to be the test subject?

Buying health and fitness supplements for women isn't the answer to your weight and health woes. There are no quick fixes when it comes to your health and to your weight. If you want to lose weight, you need to exercise more and eat less. These simple steps will not only allow you to healthfully lose weight, but you can also ensure that no unforeseen side effects occur along the way.

The health and fitness supplements for women that line the shelves of stores might be appealing right now, but if you were to have some of the awful side effects happen to you, you might not feel the same way. Why not follow the common sense advice that has worked for so many others? Sure, it might take a longer time to lose the weight you want to lose, but isn't that worth it when it comes to saving your health?

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Lynn VanDyke is a master trainer and nutritionist focusing on straight-forward fat loss workouts. Her wildly popular ebook, Melt the Fat is available for immediate download. Bonuses are being offered for a limited time only. Learn more about Melt the Fat!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Coconut Oil Must Be Organic And Virgin To Reap Health Benefits

By: mcomo

Several years ago, a popular national magazine called coconut oil a “miracle food” touting its ability to burn fat, help the thyroid and increase energy. As you can imagine, everyone flocked to the health food stores and wiped out the nations supply of coconut oil. Manufacturers could not keep up with the demand for high quality virgin coconut oil. During this time, several companies started peddling a very inexpensive, highly processed and refined coconut oil that was very appealing to the pocketbook.
Once again, coconut oil is back in the headlines and consumers are out shopping for the best value. Buyer beware… this low grade coconut oil does not hold the same promise as the high quality organic, virgin grade. The low grade coconut oil starts out with coconuts that are split and left outside in the open to dry out. Due to the high heat and humidity in the tropics, the coconuts are susceptible to growing mold and attracting germy flies. From there, harmful solvents are used for extracting the oil and more chemicals are used to bleach it back to its original white color. All the health benefits have now been destroyed and what is left is odorless, tasteless and bleached oil that can actually cause your body harm to consume it. I also want to mention that most salad and cooking oils that are sold at the market are also highly refined and manufactured basically the same way as I described above. Always make sure all the oils you consume are cold pressed (no chemical solvents or heat used) and preferably organic.

To reap the health benefits of coconut oil, it must be organic and virgin. This means that the coconuts are organically grown without any pesticides or herbicides. They are then “hand” or “mechanically” pressed without the use of solvents. You end up with creamy, naturally white oil that has a delightful smell of coconuts.


In addition to the fat burning and thyroid stimulating benefits that coconut oil has to offer, it also is known for improving conditions such as chronic fatigue, Crohn’s, IBS, and diabetes to name a few. It is rich in lauric acid which has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol.

You can use coconut oil for cooking, on salads, spread over toast, vegetables or added to protein drinks. It does not even have to be refrigerated. Room temp is fine. It has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

Coconut oil can be used topically for moisturizing and toning. It makes the skin feel like silk, even on those with extremely dry skin. It also helps to prevent sagging and wrinkling by keeping the connective tissues strong. It will remove the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smother giving a more youthful appearance.

This column, provided by Michael Comeau is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure disease. Always consult with your doctor when seeking medical advice.

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Michael Comeau has been owner of many successful businesses over the years including his current online business which can be viewed at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/ArticleHealth7.php . You may also find more articles by Michael Comeau at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/Articles.php