Grow your own edibles!

...Or as some of them backward hillbillies or good ol' farmers with loads of experience may say, "I grow my own food and that there stuff is very edible to us folks. It taste better than that 'er store-bought crap they be sellin' at our local market."
No matter what dialect you speak, the fact is, home-grown is simply better.

I bet the old farmer depicted below, knows all about it:

I would have entitled this post, "Grow your own food!" but I realized after doing a quick web search, that the term 'food' is way too commonly used in blog titles. By the way, I wonder if most of these folks of today even know what real food is? At any rate, I went with, "Grow your own edibles!" for obvious reasons to be named later.

I recently went to my first Real Estate auction. A lot of the people there were older, frugal, thrifty, and mainly looking for some steals, bargains, and great deals on the small junk that is often found at auctions. Anyway, that's not the point. While I was there, I got to talking to one of the older fellows who had been around for quite a while. He was going on about how food isn't the same anymore and how a lot of things are tasteless and/or doesn't taste like it should. I totally agreed with him and mentioned how the only way you can have "real" food anymore that you know hasn't been injected with chemicals/hormones or grown in poor conditions due to mass production, is to raise it yourself.

It is a very simple concept, but I really think that many people (especially the new generation) don't realize just how poor a lot of the food found in the grocery stores & markets really is. Hell, some of it is barely edible - if that!

I understand that some people just don't have the land to raise enough food, but use what ya got! If you're lazy or short for space, help support local farmers around you, and offer to buy some of their crop. I'd say that the majority of people can at least put out a small garden. Don't bomb your crop with pesticides & poisons, either. You want it to be organic, and you're in full control when it comes to what goes into the soil, while growing your own edibles.

I hate looking at the content labels on food products, while shopping in a grocery store, as I get the joy of reading all of these crazy words that are hard to pronounce. I'm often thinking to myself, "They put all that in there? What in the hell is that? How do you say that chemical, oops, I mean word?" It is insane, with all the preservatives, artificial colors, chemicals, tenderizers, hormones, and other junk that they put in your food - that you would not normally consume if things were up to you or if you had full control. Like I've said many times to other people, it is not the food that is killing people, it is all the crap they put in it!

When I say, "grow your own edibles," this isn't limited to small or large gardens. If you got the room, raise livestock as well. For example, I know rabbits & chickens are easy to raise, cheap to feed, and don't take up much room. I don't have the experience to tell you how difficult it is to raise hogs & cows, but I know that you'll need a lot of land to raise bovine.  If you can fence-in your yard, perhaps goats may also be an option. Then again, if you're lazy or don't have the land space, support your local farmer. It is not that hard to find someone local who raises their own meat. Make an offer and you may get a good deal. (Remember, you can freeze this stuff, so buy in bulk if the discount is good.) Even if you pay a decent amount of cash, you'll still most likely get a bargain when buying in bulk and, either way, you'll know (find out how they are raised first) that you're getting quality organic meat without all the harmful additives.

Kill or catch your own edibles: Small & big game hunters also reap rewards by making fresh kills. This is great, if you like eating rabbits, squirrels, doves, quail, deer, etc. If you enjoy consuming fish, get motivated and try to catch your own, that is, if you can find a clean pond or a water source that isn't polluted. I usually just take the easy way out and buy pond-raised fish.

Another health benefit: All of these things, whether it is growing, killing, or catching your own edibles, does require effort. Well guess what? It is also fun! A lot of people may be surprised, when they put their computer down along with their silly electronic gadgets, at how much more there is to life than senseless contraptions. Plus, most people could use some exercise! Today's world, for the most part, seems to be shifting into Cyber mode while people are letting their selves be dominated by mindless machines. Have we entered into the Man versus Machines mode? Well, it is your life, so you make the call...

A Must-Have for Raising your own Food:
Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

'Click Here' to browse through a fine selection of Chest Freezers!

Remember: The more independent a person can become, the better.

---End of Post "Grow your own edibles!"

Korean Ginseng Extract

I wonder, hmm... What is the first thought that commonly comes across most people's (especially males) minds, when they hear the word Ginseng? A lot of males automatically think, "Wow! That's the stuff that can give me some of that holy penis power! Oh, yeah! I'll take me a couple of these pills and presto, look at my mighty erection from this here Korean Ginseng Extract!"

Ha-ha! Well, that may not be your exact thoughts but, either way, I never said this herbal capsule couldn't help your mighty man-shaft perform the duties that are often required from such erotic warriors as yourself, albeit there is really a lot more to this herb than that...

Ginseng (there are a few different types) acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This herb helps the body deal with stress (adaptogen), increases sexual desire (aphrodisiac) and fights erectile dysfunction. Ginseng is a natural stimulant that can boost energy levels and help with Type 2 Diabetes by lowering and/or stabilizing blood sugar. Ginseng Extracts contain ginsenosides and flavonoids - these bioactive factors could possibly have anti-cancer properties and they promote overall health, well-being, and physical performance. In fact, many people believe that it helps with their cognitive function, as well. The enhanced brain function is probably due to Ginseng's ability to raise the blood-oxygen levels. Ginseng is also known to have a positive effect on the body's immune system. This amazing herb not only increases your endurance, but it also assists the body during the recovery stages - whether mental or physical. For example, many people who are suffering from symptoms of withdrawal from drugs or alcohol, often find that ginseng helps calm them down during their recovery stages.
Anyway, there are so many good things that I could say about this particular herb, as it's truly one of my "most recommended" herbal products that you'll ever hear me promote.

--------------->'Click Here' to Shop for Ginseng via Amazon.com<---------------

Personally, I recommend the Ginseng product from Nature's Bounty - Standardized Extract - Korean Ginseng - 100mg per capsule, as shown (Affiliate Link) below:

---End of Post


Related Post: Hot or Warm Korean/Panax Ginseng vs. Cold or Cooler American Ginseng

Mushrooms are good for you because...

Mushrooms have been used for centuries - both for consumption and medical reasons. Many folks classify them as vegetables or as some type of herbal plant, when they are actually fungi - as gross as that may sound to you.

I recently ran across a site that stated: "While there are over 14,000 mushrooms, only about 3,000 are edible, about 700 have known medicinal properties, and fewer than one percent are recognized as poisonous." They also went on to say, "The Pharaohs prized mushrooms as a delicacy, and the Greeks believed that mushrooms provided strength for warriors in battle. The Romans regarded mushrooms as a gift from God and served them only on festive occasions, while the Chinese treasured them as a health food." You can read more, here: http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/mighty-mushrooms.php

Anyway, the reason why I'm talking about these slimy little bastards (that are so easily pushed off the dinner plates), is because a lot of people don't realize how healthy some of these food items are. The common mushrooms found on the market are a good source of B vitamins (especially B2, B3, & B5) and antioxidants, along with vitamin C, potassium, iron, selenium, copper, and other trace elements. Common (edible) mushrooms have also been known to stimulate the immune system and potentially possess anti-cancer properties. When compared to their dry weight (since they are 80 to 90% water), they have a decent amount of protein & fiber, as well.

I understand that some people simply do not and will not eat a mushroom merely because of the unique, as many of us say, "slimy" texture. However, the texture does change a bit, depending on how you cook 'em.
They make for great "fillers" and side items for certain dishes, and they are also good for absorbing flavors from a variety of sauces and marinara, for example.
It's easy to add them to your meals: You can sauté them for stir fry, add them to spaghetti & lasagna, use them for hamburger steak (I sauté mine with onions & peppers), top your favorite pizza with these healthy mushrooms, put them in casseroles and on sandwiches, along with many other types of cuisines and whatnot.

Some people even batter them (whole or sliced) and deep fry 'em. I tried 'em like that before, but I prefer them to be used like I mentioned prior. Of course, they taste their best when bought fresh, but it is more convenient to buy them out of can, already sliced.  A lot of people just throw a little butter in a skillet, dump the pre-sliced mushrooms in, fry, and are done within minutes. Anyway, don't be scared of the dang mushrooms. Don't bother asking why because they're good for you!


Additional Tidbit: The herbal supplement Milk Thistle helps people who ingest the deadly Death Cap Mushrooms recover from liver damage - if took before it is too late, of course.

---End of Post "Mushrooms are good for you because..."


Edit: I should have also mentioned something about a popular medicinal mushroom known as Cordyceps sinensis.  To read a few tidbits about these particular fungi, you'll have to go to the following link because for whatever reason, they put them in certain Testosterone Boosters: http://health-fitness-guru.blogspot.com/2012/10/force-factor-natural-testosterone.html

Creatine is a waste of money - for most people!

There are times when I get so tired of hearing about the glory of creatine supplementation. A lot of weightlifters and bodybuilders take this particular supplement but, for the most part, it is way overrated. Creatine helps your muscle cells retain water and stored energy (mainly by helping increase levels of ATP, somewhat). By doing what they call "creatine loading," it generally helps your body exert itself to the fullest. But does it help repair muscle? And does it help you gain muscle mass? If your body is low on creatine, then, yes, this supplement may also help with protein synthesis for repair and possibly boost a bit of growth, as well. But are you really low in this substance?

You will typically gain a few pounds from the supplementation itself fairly quickly, but that is mostly from water retention and not from actual tissue formation. Who normally wants to have water gains? Now, in some cases, it helps people work harder to achieve higher gains in their lifts, etc., even though this can normally be achieved without taking supplements of creatine. Your body produces a lot of this good stuff, but vegetarians and older people are often on the edge of not having enough - especially if they are participating in intense workouts for bodybuilding purposes.

Personally, I think creatine is a complete waste of money for most people! Only unless you're a vegetarian, an older person that could use a boost in muscle energy, or a hardcore bodybuilding beast with the ambition to achieve a steroid-like freaky build (even then, creatine is not totally your answer - maybe something illegal like steroids, perhaps), you may find this supplement worthy of the high dollar sign. I usually detest the unnatural route, and especially when it can be avoided. For the ones that are looking for natural forms of creatine, it is abundantly found in most meats. I'd recommend red meat & fish or seafood, for example. Foods like Salmon & Tuna are really packing the natural form of creatine, but I understand that not everyone eats fish all the time. 

Since this supplement mainly hydrates your muscle cells with a possible side of a little extra ATP production, I see no need why a healthy eater would need this unless, like I said before, you're a strict vegetarian, getting on up there in years, or an intense weightlifter. Hence forth the title, "Creatine is a waste of money - for most people!" 

Now, if you're "doing it big" and don't mind a little extra water weight on your body for a fuller pump, and you are seeking a fairly safe supplement (for the most part), then creatine may not be a waste of money. I still wouldn't overdo it, though, since your body normally produces what your diet lacks. If you decide to take a decent amount of creatine, just make sure you add extra water to your diet or else you may just add "muscle cramps" to your list of gains, as well. Ha!

If you need some extra energy, try ginseng as an herbal supplement and make sure you're eating healthy while also getting enough protein. Zinc & Magnesium intake is also important during physical fitness training. You can get most of the minerals (that help support muscle growth and a high level of testosterone) you need by adding nuts, seeds, and legumes to your existing diet (but you might want to add Vitamin C to combat the phytic acid in those so you can absorb more nutrients). Anyway, be wary of the hype and don't waste your money on crap that you don't need. Cheers! 

...Need a natural source of Creatine? Eat this:

Read about another supplement under scrutiny: Ginkgo Biloba

Random Blog Link: How to estimate your Max Bench Press Lift

---End of Post "Creatine is a waste of money - for most people!"

My Favorite Tea with Clover Honey

In my opinion, people need to try and steer clear from all these soft drinks, sodas, cokes, or whatever you like to call them, since they are loaded with refined simple sugars. Natural sugars found in fruits and honey, for example, are so much better for the body. In fact, the abuse of "table sugar" often leads to Type 2 Diabetes along with other problems. It just isn't natural to pour sugar down your throat. You know, all that good stuff like cakes, pies, candy... Uh, yeah, you get the drift.

Anyway, on this post, I'm going to provide the recipe for my favorite tea. It contains 3 different types of tea leaves and two different forms of sweetener.

I usually buy Lipton tea, the small bags. This is the size bag that you use 1 per cup, if you're making hot tea. I lower the 1:1 ratio when steeping the bags for cold tea, since it cooks longer and the fact that I leave the bags in the water until I bring it to a boil.

I have a clean gallon container half full of cold water set aside.
Fill a medium saucepan two-thirds full of water.
Add about 4 ounces of Clover Honey to the water, along with about 5 tablespoons of the evil table sugar.
I add 6 bags of Lipton Black Tea, 4 bags of Lipton Green Tea, and 2 bags of Celestial Seasonings Chamomile Tea.
I cut the stove on high and cook until it comes to a boil.
I quickly cut the stove off, grab the tea bags by their strings and dip them into the cold water in my gallon container (this helps get more from your tea bags as opposed to just throwing them in the trash); discard the bags.
Then pour the hot brew into the gallon jug and add whatever water is needed, to fill the rest of the container.

Of course, this tea mixture tastes its best when it has set over night and is really cold. But, if you're in a hurry, just add ice and enjoy. I also, on occasions, replace the Chamomile tea with White Tea. If you don't know, white tea doesn't have to be brewed as long and it has a smoother taste with way less caffeine than black. I'm sure most of you realize the health benefits of drinking tea, especially from the flavonoids and antioxidants, so I won't waste time talking about that right now...

Now, what about this Clover Honey?
It is my personal favorite because it has a milder, slightly floral taste to it, unlike any I have ever tried. Clover Honey is produced by bees who mostly feed off of the nectar of clover plants. Canada, United States, and New Zealand make large amounts of this particular type of honey and it is easily found on the market. Since quality will vary from one honey product to the next, at least try to find the ones that say "pure" or "raw" when shopping for honey. You don't want to buy honey that has been overly processed since that would remove a lot of the health benefits from natural honey and it also won't taste the same.

Well, this has been a sweet post. Oh, enjoy your tea! It comes highly recommended. I usually drink it before and after my beer-drinking sessions. Ha-ha! Cheers!

---End of Post "My Favorite Tea with Clover Honey"

Update:  Pesticides in Tea & Coffee

2nd Update (10/21/2021): The original post was about 11 years ago. My how things have changed in this world!  Anyway, when concerning this particular recipe for tea, a lot of things have also changed. I now use a 2-gallon container. I use all green tea (equal to about 24 small bags), mostly organic. I no longer boil honey (it causes unwanted chemical changes) or use regular sugar at all. I use raw sugar in its brown/natural form, also known as "sugar in the raw." I definitely don't use Lipton or Celestial Seasonings brands of tea anymore via the last update link above due to pesticide abuse.  I must say, though, the recipe in "My Favorite Tea with Clover Honey" was the best tasting tea ever, but the one I'm using now is healthier and is still decent when it comes to taste.  Such a trade-off, I know...

Mystery of Muscle Memory

Here's a quote I just run across on the web, "The subconscious level of the mind controls all so-called muscle memory. Anything and everything we have ever done is permanently stored within the subconscious."

Well, I don't think I would call it "so-called" muscle memory, because this stuff is real. I'm not really that fascinated by the subject, but many people seem to be amazed by the "mystery" of muscle memory. Even as a young kid, I realized that the mind also had a lot to do with strength training and results. Hell, even thinking about building muscle or gaining strength while exercising, can help you achieve greater gains. The facts undoubtedly come to the surface when you have someone who has strength trained for a few years and then takes several years off and allows their body to become softer & weaker. BUT, when they restart their training after the long hiatus, they quickly have results & gains that a typical person couldn't achieve in such a short period of time.

I'm so glad that I trained for years in the past, because I have currently taken a couple years off from weightlifting and upper body fitness...and have lost a decent amount of strength and muscle mass. But thankfully for the mystery of my muscle memory, when I do start back, I can achieve gains and be back to where I used to be, within a few weeks. Hey, I've did it before, and this stuff is really true.

I'll provide a couple extra resources below, in case you're looking for more on this subject:

"Anyone who has lifted weights, on and off, for several years is familiar with the concept of "muscle memory." Muscle memory in this context refers to the observation that when a person begins lifting weights after a prolonged lay off, it is much easier to return to their previous levels of size and strength than it was to get there the first time around. Even when significant atrophy (muscle shrinking) has taken place during the layoff, previously hypertrophied muscle returns to its previous size more quickly than usual." Read More: http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/haycock/muscle-memory.htm

"Muscle memory consolidation involves the continuous evolution of neural processes after practicing a task has stopped. The exact mechanism of motor memory consolidation within the brain is controversial; however, most theories assume that there is a general redistribution of information across the brain from encoding to consolidation." Read More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_memory

Side note: Not everybody relates to muscle memory in this way. It can also be used for repetitive, trained, coordinated motions. Like, for example, a boxer tries to install "muscle memory" by always keeping his hands up after throwing a punch or combination so he will get into the habit of protecting his head without thinking about it. Even though that's considered an accepted use of the phrase muscle memory, it's just not what I'm talking about in this post and it's just not the same thing. But to each their own...

---End of Post "Mystery of Muscle Memory"

Random Blog Link: "Simple ways to Build Powerful Deltoids"

Methods for Building Powerful Forearms

If you're involved in strength training, body building and/or upper body fitness, you may or may not overlook your forearms as a target area. A lot of weightlifters, for example, assume that their forearms get enough work through secondary means - from the variety of exercises that they perform while targeting their major muscle groups. This is somewhat true, but there are methods out there that are geared strictly for building powerful forearms and crushing grip strength.

Wrist Curls are known as a good forearm exercise, but I've never been a big fan of this tedious motion. I would recommend hand grippers over performing wrist curls, any day.
If you're looking for the best hand grippers in the world, at least that I have run across, visit the "Captains of Crush - Build Forearm & Hand Strength" page. I'd purchase a couple, for starters; just get one with less tension for higher reps, and then a tougher one for strength training.

Regular arm curls (using dumbbells or a bar), used in bicep training, does work parts of the forearm. However, if you're looking to build more explosive forearms, I'd recommend that you throw in some Reverse Curls into the mix. This type of curl, is where you use an overhand grip as opposed to the typical underhand, hence the name "Reverse Curls."

The use of wrist rollers with a fair amount of weight is also quite effective. This device involves a short bar that you grip with both hands. The bar has a strap in the middle that rolls the weights up & down, etc. If you keep the weights off the floor the entire time you're using this device, along with slowly lowering the weight each time you finish a complete roll up, you will definitely feel the burn quite quickly. 

I also find that arm raises can really give the forearms a decent burn, when working the deltoids. While standing straight, using a heavy dumbbell in each hand and starting from the hips, slowly raise the dumbbells to shoulder level and then back down to the starting position. Do as many reps as you feel comfortable with. You can raise the weights sideways or in front of you, as it is effective either way. I'd just alternate to get a fuller range of motion.

There is another method for building powerful forearms, and this is called "Thick Bar Training." You can read more about this along with other methods for strength training, here:
www.bodybuildingsecrets.com/articles/workouts/the_forearm_secret_of_old_time_strongmen.php

Oops... It looks like that link is no longer active.

Well, in a thumbnail, if you're interested in "thick bar training," you just need to simply visit Amazon.com and order something called "Fat Gripz." Yes, that is how they spell it. It is just a sleeve that goes over the bar to thicken it - which works your forearms that much more during your regular lifts. They currently offer 3 sizes with diameters of 1.75, 2.25, and 2.75 inches. Just try curling a dumbbell that you normally use, with an extra thick handle and see if you can tell the difference.  Trust me, you will. Thick bar training works, no doubt. You might want to start with a lower diameter and work your way up, though, because it is somewhat challenging.

---Update (2024): Another excellent method for building powerful forearms, is to watch, learn, and study how the elite arm wrestlers of the world train. That is one sport that relies heavily on forearm training, for the most part (unless you're one of those that just rely on a flop wrist press during your arm-wrestling matches). After studying arm wrestling for a bit, you'll get really familiar with terms like rising, rolling, cupping, pronation, backpressure, supination, etc. Personally, since I'm not a professional arm wrestler, I just look at what my regular physical fitness training could gain from arm wrestling tactics. I ended up buying some loading plates, straps, and bands. With that, I mainly work my pronator muscles using pronation movements along with some riser exercises for the brachioradialis. However, if my current workout regimen didn't have a few forearm exercises already, the arm-wrestling training tactics would have been deployed a bit further. I'm just throwing this out there as another method for the ones seeking alternatives. ---End of Update

Anyway, if you have a workout that consists of a variety of muscle building exercises and you throw in a few of these additional methods for building up lower arm and hand strength, you should be well on your way to having powerful, impressive, Popeye Forearms of Steel.

---End of Post "Methods for Building Powerful Forearms"