The 10 Commandments of Weight Loss

Archive for March, 2010

MSM is a wonderful supplement with a low toxicity rating that naturally occurs in the body and targets a host of issues. Some of the problems it may help with include hair, skin, nails, muscle fatigue, allergies and scar tissue trouble. I have also heard of people with cancer utilizing the supplement. Once upon a time, there was a big craze about DSMO and how it helped arthritis sufferers. It has been observed that the solvent DSMO converts to MSM when it hits the blood stream. Taking MSM may be equivalent to using DSMO but without the side effects and problems that come with utilizing an industrial grade solvent.

What Does it Do?

Some of the patents I read on MSM suggest that MSM basically supplies the body with a usable form of sulfur, which can be used to repair connective tissues, aid in joint problems and potentially energize a system that pulls allergens out of our bodies. Studies have been conducted on MSM that seem to indicate that there has been a benefit to animals with joint problems.

Scar Tissue

If you have significant scarring, MSM may help to reduce the visible scarring. It may help to give the skin the sulfur it needs to help in restructuring; it may also help in preventing scars. So if you have a burn or jagged cut, it might be helpful to take MSM during the healing process.

The sulfur is useful in the process that is used to build skin; one theory is that if there isn’t enough sulfur available the process is modified resulting in scar tissue. Hence, if you have enough sulfur, you could avoid scarring as tissue regrows, according to that theory.

The Best Part of DSMO

Remember the craze about DSMO a few years back? It was widely used for arthritis and joint problems. DSMO is a solvent and has some potential side affects. In addition, it doesn’t smell good and you have to wait for it to dry. It is an industrial grade solvent, so it is not very practical to use. Research has shown that DSMO is converted into MSM when it touches the blood stream. With MSM, you can get the benefits of DSMO without the potential side effects and problems.

Usable Form of Sulfur

How does MSM work? It provides a usable form of sulfur to the body, which is beneficial in a variety of different ways. In the case of allergies, there is a protein in your body that is used for removing allergens and free radicals and “junk” from your system. If there is not enough sulfur in your body, this great system is inhibited from working in an effective manner. Give your body a usable form of sulfur and this system becomes much more effective.

Safe for Consumption?

MSM may be safe for consumption, but I don’t know that the FDA has officially labeled it as safe for consumption as of yet. We do know that it is found naturally in foods such as coffee, tea, milk and eggs as well as green leafy vegetables. MSM does naturally occur in the body and it is not considered toxic and may be comparable to water in its toxicity.

If you are concerned about dosages of MSM, refer to the directions on the labeling and packaging that MSM comes in. I used to take 1,000 mg. two times a day, with no side affects.

My experience with MSM was one of increased energy. That is, of course, a subjective experience, but it was very real to me. Another benefit to MSM is that it is supposed to make you recover faster from working out. It might do that by getting rid of the waste products inside the muscle quicker, this allows the soreness to disappear.

Get More Information

To find out more from a truly worthy source, go to any technical library and read the patent research on MSM. There are actually several patents associated with MSM and I gained a great deal from taking the time to read them.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or suggest treatment for any health condition. Please consult a health care professional if you have or suspect you have any health related item for proper diagnoses and treatment.

A recently completed University of Florida study has added to the buzz surrounding the Brazilian acai berry. The study is one of the first to research the many claims attributed to the acai fruit.

In it’s study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai berry pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.

At least 4 of the extracts killed a great many cancer cells when applied for 24 hours or more. Anywhere from 35 percent to 86 percent of the cancer cells were destroyed, depending on the particular extract and concentration.

According to Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the study showed extracts from acai berries triggered a self-destruct response (apoptosis) in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested

Talcott, however, cautioned against reading too much into the results, noting that the tests were run against cancer cell cultures and not on human test subjects.

Still, the results are exciting. In the last year, the Brazilian berry has really taken off in the United States. It has also caught the attention of many companies who are now creating products that include the acai berry.

Although, acai berries are thought to be one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants, other antioxidant rich fruits have been shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies.

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage is theorized to be one of the main causes of cancer. A sufficient amount of antioxidants are thought by many to short-circuit this process by interacting with and stabilizing the free radicals and may stopping the damage that they do to healthy cells.

Experts are divided on just what effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because of the many other lifestyle factors that have to be factored into the equation.

Many anecdotal claims have been made for the acai berry. And traditionally Indians in the Brazilian rain forest have used it in ways as diverse as food, house thatching, drink, diarrhea, jaundice, fevers, and as treatment for many other health diseases.

The University of Florida study is a welcome step towards getting away from some of the claims of acai and subjecting it to controlled studies.

“A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically,” Talcott said. “We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.”

It is clear that certain traits are handed down to us by our parents and unfortunately our ablility to grow muscles beyond certain limits is no exception. That doesn’t mean to say hard work and carefully planned training won’t have a positive effect on your physique – it just means that some people will inherit a greater abundance of the favored physical characteristics than others. Not everyone possesses the physical traits to become a champion, but you can work wonders with the raw material you do possess.

How responsive you will be to physical stimulation can be predicted to a certain extent by examining your somatype or natural body shape. Basically, there are three recognized body types:

1. Endomorphs – these individuals tend to be squat with a round torso, thick neck and short limbs.

3. Ectomorphs – these individuals tend to be slim and are usually tall with little muscle and body fat.

The ideal bodybuilding physique tends more towards the mesomorph with broad shoulders, narrow hips with arms and legs of medium length. Two further inherited features have a role to play in determining muscle building potential, and these are muscle fiber density and neurological efficiency. Fiber density determines the size potential of a muscle while neurological efficiency refers to the relationship between the nervous system and muscles. This is relevant because, in all out effort genetically blessed individuals have the ability to activate up to 50% of the fibers in a given muscle compared to the average person’s 30%. This allows greater scope for stimulating growth.

The fact that there is no easy way to measure fiber density or neurological efficiency is actually a blessing because the incentive remains for all of us to train hard and strive for improvement. Only a tiny minority of people have the genetic tools to become champions but the rest of us can go a long way to fulfilling our own personal goals.