Browsing Category "Health & Fitness"
16 Nov
2010
Posted in: Health & Fitness
By    2 Comments

Severe Intestinal Pain After Working Out, from Protein Shakes

For a few years I have been going to the gym and drinking protein shakes before and after work outs.  Durring this time I was pretty much only drinking Muscle Milk and Cytogainer.  I love these shakes and never had any problems with them.  I recently switched the protein powder because I was able to get a different brand for free, so I thought I would give it a try and save a bunch of money.  (Protein powder is not cheap!)

I typically just have 1 serving of protein powder before and after I work out mixed with about 12oz. of water.  I started getting pretty severe and painful cramps in my lower intestinal area later at night after having a couple servings of the new protein powder and working out in the evenings.  Initially I didn’t think that it was the protein powder that was causing these cramps because they wouldn’t start until a few hours after having the shakes, and sometimes they wouldn’t start until late in the night.

It doesn’t seem to hurt my stomach at all, it’s more in the lower intestinal area, and feels like a sharp pain (like a knife)  that will be there for about 10 seconds, then fade.  This will continues on and off for a couple hours then goes away completely.  I am not sure if I might be allergic to this new protein or what?  It feels almost like its gas bubbles that are causing the pain, but nothing seems to be able to get past, and I can’t/don’t need to go to the bathroom.

Could it be that there is more Whey in this protein than the last one that I was using and my body doesn’t like it?

If anyone know what causes this or has experienced the same thing, please feel free to post comments below.  Thanks!

29 Mar
2010
Posted in: Health & Fitness
By    No Comments

Get Quality Glasses for Cheap at Zenni Optical, Cheap Prescription Glasses

Prescription eyeglasses can be very expensive, costing you hundreds of dollars for a single pair. Most of the time you lose them or they break before you can get sufficient use out of them. Stop overpaying for a product that you don’t need to. By going straight to the manufacturer, and cutting out the middleman (like lenscrafters or any other eyeglass retail store), you will reduce the cost of your eyeglasses substantially. You need to check out Zenni Optical!  They make it possible to get quality eyeglasses for a low cost!

This company seems to have practically no overhead, allowing them to sell prescription glasses a very small fraction of the cost you might find at your typical prescription eyeglass store. Zenni Optical sells full prescription eyeglasses starting at just $8 per pair and their prices range up to around $40. Although you wont find any designer name glasses here, you will still find great quality glasses that work just as good, and can even find frames that look almost identical for others you might be paying hundreds for.

After purchasing glasses from Zenni Optical, I will never go back to those overpriced eyeglass shops. So if you are in the market for some new prescription glasses, I would highly recommend checking out ZenniOptical.com.  You have nothing to lose, the glasses are so cheap to buy, you might as well give them a shot.  And chances are you won’t know the difference!

For some more info on Zenni Optical, check out this review – http://www.examiner.com/x-28795-Brooklyn-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m11d13-Cheap-eyeglasses-are-a-reality-Check-out-Erics-review-of-Zenni-Optical

Photo Credit – http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheepguardingllama/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Anti Inflammatory Foods, Good Foods for Buhcet’s Disease

Living with Behcet’s Disease it is always good to keep a healthy watch on my diet, and make sure I am not eating any foods that may cause inflammation in my body.
There are many different foods that help keep the inflammation in my body down, and many others that do the exact opposite for me.

Foods that increase inflammation are known as Pro-inflammatory foods, which will increase pain from the inflammation. Most Pro-Inflammatory foods consist of junk foods/fast food, high-fat meats, sugar and fast foods. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats, especially trans fats. Also Processed Meats can cause inflammation due to the chemicals that are used in the meats.

Anti-inflammatory Foods and Tips
Here are some of the best Anti-Inflammatory Foods to eat:

1. Salmon - is an excellent source of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, also potent omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation.
2. Turmeric - Studies found that turmeric’s anti-inflammatory effects are on a par with potent drugs such as hydrocortisone and Motrin.
3. Kelp – is high in magnesium and acts as a natural relaxant and anti-inflammatory agent.
4. Shiitake Mushrooms - Great for boosting immune system.
5. Green Tea – The flavonoids found in green tea help with inflammation along with many other things.
6. Blueberry – Powerful Antioxidant that help reduce inflammation.
7. Papaya – It contains papain, a protein-digesting enzyme. Together with vitamin C and E, papain helps to reduce inflammation, and improves digestion and helps heal burns.
8. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Its polyphenols protects the heart and blood vessels from inflammation.
9. Broccoli – Contains anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer phytonutrients
10. Sweet Potatoe – Is a good source of beta-carotene, manganese, vitamin B6 and C, and dietary fiber. They work together as powerful antioxidants that help the body to heal inflammation.

Here are some things I like to eat through out the day to help control the inflammation due to my Buhcet’s Disease:
For Breakfast I like to have oatmeal with fresh blueberries and a cup of soy milk.

For an afternoon snack I try to eat whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables. No McDonald’s!
For Dinner, we try to have a lean fish, with lots of fruits and veritable. No fried or fatty meats and foods.

Try to eat more fish and less fatty red meat, and stay away from deep fried foods. Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes, try to have a rainbow on your plate of fruits and Veggies.

And most importantly I have found is drinking plenty of water, 100% juices and green teas. When i can stay hydrated, my body feel the best!

I hope these anti-inflammatory foods help you, and please feel free to post some other foods and recipes that work for you as a comment below.

Photo Credit – http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetrident/ / CC BY-NC 2.0