The Fountain of Youth

Aging, a steady decline:
The History of the world is filled with stories of individuals trying to find eternal youth. Wealthy people going to private centers for magic elixirs. Many individuals taking megadoses of certain vitamins, drink green tea, use coenzyme Q10 etc, hoping to find the “fountain of youth”. Lets take a closer look and see what happens to our bodies as we age.

Time, our worst enemy:
Growth Hormone declines steadily at the age of 31 and at the rate of 14% per decade. Along with aging, we become vulnerable to diseases. Our ability to fight illness declines, the body’s ability to metabolize sugar, handle cholesterol, and clear the kidneys of toxins, becomes more and more difficult. Ultimately, the slow deadly disease of aging creeps in.

As a person ages, hormone levels fall. Decreasing levels of certain hormones shows symptoms such as:

gray hair
wrinkly skin
reduced skin thickness
forgetfulness
low sex drive
weight gain
bone or joint problems
immune system weakens
decreased muscle strength
These symptoms can be the possible result of, reduced Human Growth Hormone. Until age 21, Human Growth Hormone is abundant in the body being solely responsible for muscle building, bone growth, skin elasticity, increased energy, lean body mass, and sexual vigor.
Graying Hair
Gray hair is caused by the slowing production of melanin over time within the hair follicles. When this happens, the hair follicles produce less and less melanin, and the result is a loss of hair, color and strength.

The Skin
Hormonal breakdown and free radicals is the major contributor of skin aging because of the reduction of the body’s Hormone production or lack of. Hormones such as Human Growth Hormone and testosterone are only produced in noticeable quantities up to the age of 20. These Hormones are responsible for physical fitness, regeneration and the immune system. Due to a declining Hormone level, the breakdown of organs, tissues and cells begins.

Another factor are free radicals. These are parts of molecules that are found in the Human Body. As a result of external factors such as ultraviolet light (too much sun), smoking or unhealthy eating habits, under these circumstances free radicals are inclined to react. Meaning that they are in search of other chemical substances to bond themselves with. Ultimately, the breakdown of the skin begins. The body protects itself against these aggressors with naturally occurring anti-oxidant’s. Until you reach the age of twenty and onwards, this natural defense mechanism slowly declines, until eventually the skin can no longer defend itself.

What can be done about aging?
Well,about your actual age nothing, but could a healthier lifestyle, proper diet, or maybe vitamin and supplement intake, would that help turn back the aging clock? Is there something out there that could:

Alleviate menopausal and premenstrual symptoms
Reduce body fat
Restore gray hair
Increase energy
Increase sex drive enhancement in both men and women
Restore the function of organs and glands
Improve memory
Improve vision
Enhance one’s spirits
Stabilize blood pressure
Enhance the immune system
Well quite possibly, there just might be! Read below…

The Anabolic Evolution of Modern Bodybuilding

Today, drugs in some professional sports have become mainstream. The hypocrisy of Major League Baseball serves as a wake up call for an American culture that indulges in careless living by risking its health through poor nutrition, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, etc. Before we can hope to see bodybuilding return to its roots in physical culture, we will first have to witness a ‘new way of life’ throughout our society.

Since the early days of physical culture, modern man has been searching for the elusive “Fountain of Youth”. The promise of radiant health, enduring strength and a Herculean physique has drawn millions on this quest for physical perfection.

Through the early decades of bodybuilding, the forefathers of physical culture established basic guidelines for the muscle enthusiast to follow. Natural foods, resistance training, plenty of rest, and a positive outlook in life were the primary ingredients for achieving ones goals. The demand for knowledge on ‘how to’ reach the stars would result in millions of booklets being sold by mail order, while magazine stands and bookshelves were continually restocked with the latest ‘muscle building secrets’. Tons of steel and exercise equipment would find its way into the homes of thousands of Americans all across our nation. Health clubs and iron gyms would sprout up in local neighborhoods and towns, while physique competitions were held to determine who the best in the land was. The strong roots of physical culture were taking grip in our society, and the mighty oak of bodybuilding would soon branch out through every city in America.

A new ‘way of life’ became a reality for many as the ‘body beautiful’ movement swung into high gear. For decades the much traveled road to muscledom kept its promise, then by the mid-60′s what seemed pure and natural took a wrong turn setting the course of modern bodybuilding down a dead end. The introduction of anabolic steroids into the sport of bodybuilding would usher in a new era of super sized and equally strong muscular physiques that would attract millions of young men with a desire to achieve the same naturally unattainable goals.

Along with the growth of the sport, the physiques continued to become bigger and more vascular as bodybuilders experimented with ‘stacking’ the latest in designer muscle enhancing pharmaceuticals. Magazine and ticket sales were at a peak and bodybuilding competitions were seen regularly on network TV. The popularity of the sport was soaring high. Then, what could have been mostly prevented by not promoting and rewarding individuals whose physiques were chemically altered became a reality as the widespread use of drugs in the sport became relevant.

Words such as steroids, cycling, and growth hormones became common place in our gyms, and juicing no longer meant enjoying your favorite health drink. Reports of bodybuilders on dialysis and with heart ailments became a frequent occurrence while the eventual death of several competitive pros hit home hard. What had been a dark cloud in a sport with such great potential turned into a storm that spread its vast shadow on a culture that once shined.

Organizations dedicated to natural bodybuilding and a healthy lifestyle would soon respond to the call for a return to the ideals set forth by the forefathers of physical culture. Physique promoters throughout the land created natural bodybuilding competitions so athletes could compete on a level playing field without running the risk of ruining their health. Publications featuring natural bodybuilders began to spread the gospel of healthy living through proper nutrition and exercise. The televised media developed new bodybuilding and fitness programs to inspire future generations of natural iron pumpers. And as the age of cyber space came upon us, the Internet became a resource of concepts and opinions for bodybuilders to learn and express their views with other physique artist throughout the World. The new millennium is here and those dedicated to physical culture have begun to prevail as the radiant beacon of light from the torch of natural living begins to shine through the storm.

How to Tone Up Your Cellulite Areas

You buy them and they don’t get the job done. Anti cellulite pills, lotions, gadgets, rubber tights and other silly money wasters that sell you hope and nothing else. The truth is, your best weapons in your battle against unwelcome cellulite are a smart nutritional routine and a consistent, properly structured workout program.

I’ll assume you have a pretty good handle on the nutritional component.

As for the properly structured workout program, which you may indeed have, I’ve put together a butt, hip and thigh routine which you can incorporate into your current workouts. This routine specifically targets the areas where the appearance of cellulite tends to show up.

Keep in mind, I’ve been training people since the late eighties. Speaking strictly from experience, I can tell you that the following routine is responsible for helping many women dramatically change the appearance of their cellulite areas.

Lying on your side, do 10 reps of each exercise:

1) Bring both knees forward so your hips are at a 90 degree angle. Then straighten your top leg out in front of you, still keeping 90 degrees at the hip. Lift the top leg slowly about three feet off the ground & down.
2) Straighten both legs so your body is in a straight line. Tilt the hips forward slightly. Lift the top leg about three feet off the ground & down.

3) Put your top leg out in front of you, on the ground. Move your bottom leg forward slightly. Lift the bottom leg about 8 – 12 inches off the ground & down.

4) Repeat all 3 on the other side.

On the elbows and knees, do 10 reps of each exercise:
1) Extend one leg straight back with your toe on the ground. Lift that leg up toward the ceiling & down. Then switch legs.
2) Lift your knee off the floor. Extend that same heel back and up so your leg is pointing toward the ceiling & then bring the knee back into you. Then switch legs.

Standing up, do 10 reps of each exercise:

1) Start with your feet together. Step out in front in to a lunge position. Touch the ground with opposite hand. Come back up & step back to the starting position. Then switch legs.
2) Put one foot up on a step (12 – 18 inches high). Slowly step up and down with the other foot. Then switch legs.

If this routine is easy try going through it twice. If you still need more of a challenge, increase the reps to 15 or 20 per set.