Top Rated Vitamin and Nutrition Stores

A dog’s teeth are important to their overall health. Although they don’t usually have the same issue with cavities that humans do, the build up of tartar and plaque can affect dog’s health in several negative ways. Here are ten things you can do to help keep your dog’s teeth healthy.

1. Toothbrush – Dog’s teeth should be brushed daily to clean them, just as you would clean your own. You can purchase a toothbrush and toothpaste especially made for dogs, or you can purchase finger brushes that fit over your finger to use as your dog’s toothbrush.
2. Dry dog food – Feeding your dog dry dog food, rather than soft canned food, can help keep their teeth cleaner.
3. Dental snacks – Many dog treats are specially designed to help clean their teeth. Check the information on the packaging to choose the best product for your pet.
4. Raw hide chips – Puppies and mature dogs can enjoy chewing on raw hide chips. The chewing action on these chips helps clean plaque from their teeth.
5. Rubber chew toys – Many hard rubber chew toys can provide good chewing action for your dog as well. The types that allow you to fill them with dog treats are considered the best choice, for this reason.
6. Rope chew toys – The texture of rope type chew toys can also be helpful for providing the friction needed to clean plaque from dog’s teeth.
7. Dental wipes – If brushing your dog’s teeth doesn’t seem to be working very well, there is another option. These textured wipes are treated with an ingredient to help kill bacteria that can create plaque.
8. Water additives – There are several different brands of water additives that include the same anti-bacterial ingredient as the dental wipes. You can simply add this to your dog’s water bowl to help keep their teeth healthy.
9. Oral rinse – This is a third option for applying the anti-bacterial solution to your pet’s teeth. It can be squirted directly on your dog’s teeth or applied with their toothbrush.
10. Plaque and tartar removal – When tartar and plaque have begun to build up on your dog’s teeth, your veterinarian will usually recommend that you have their teeth professionally cleaned. This procedure is usually done by your vet while your dog is under anesthesia and can cost several hundred dollars.

As with most health issues, preventative care is always your best choice and usually the least expensive choice as well. At the very least, proper dental care for your dog will help their teeth last longer, something your dog will appreciate.

Bookmark It

If you prefer natural herbal remedies for yourself, then you will also want to consider them for your pets as well. Tinctures are generally the preferred form for use with pets to assist with absorption into the system. Below we listed some general information regarding herbal supplements that are recommended to keep your pet healthy.

1. Digestion - Probiotics are just as healthy for your pet’s digestion, as they are for yours. Powdered Elm bark has been listed as an herbal remedy for diarrhea and vomiting for pets.
2. Joints – As pets get older, they can experience stiffening and pain in their joints. To prevent this, or bring improvement to your pet’s joint mobility,  glucosamine should be taken as a dietary supplement. You can find it in powdered and tablet forms. Check with your vet for recommendations.
3. Allergies – Nettle leaf drops added to your pets water can help relieve hay fever symptoms for many animals.
4. Shiny coats – If you want to keep your pet’s coat looking its best, make sure that you are supplementing their diet with fish oil. This supplement will keep their coats shiny while providing healthy nutrients for the rest of their body as well.
5. Itching- Brewers yeast is a common remedy for itch problems with pets. Tea tree oil can be a good choice for itchy scaly patches. It will sooth the itch and the bitter taste should help discourage them from lick or chewing at the spot. Aloe in their bath water can also sooth dry, itchy skin.
6. Car sickness – If your pet has trouble with car sickness, a little Ginger Root mixed in with their water prior to travel has been known to help with this problem.
7. Infections – Echinacea and goldenseal are both known as herbal antibiotics. A few drops each day may help your pets fight off an infection while being monitored by your vet.
8. Eye irritations – Eyebright is the herbal solution for irritated eyes. It is used as a wash to help bring relief.
9. Insect repellent – With the seriousness of Lyme’s disease, keeping mosquitos away from your pet can be important. A capsule of garlic given weekly may help keep biting insects away from your pet.
10. Pregnancy – Raspberry leaf is recommended as an herbal supplement during pregnancies to keep the uterus strong and healthy.

These are just general recommendations. For specific doses and additional herbal compounds that can be helpful for your pet, consult with a veterinarian that promotes natural remedies.

Bookmark It

Whether you grow your own vegetables or purchase them at a farmer’s market, freezing vegetables is a great way to preserve without a lot of hassle or expense. If you have fresh vegetables of any kind and are concerned that they will spoil before you are able to use them, you can always prepare them for the freezing so that they won’t be wasted.

1. Squash. The process for freezing squash is very simple. Cut up your squash and remove the stem, seeds and peels. Boil the squash in salted water until it is tender. Drain the water and mash the squash. Allow the squash to cool to room temperature and then pack into freezer containers. Leave a small amount of room for expansion. Use within 3 months.
2. Potatoes. The quickest way to freeze potatoes is to freeze mashed potatoes. If they are leftovers from a dinner, simply pack them into freezer containers and store. Otherwise, peel, cook and mash as you would when you are preparing to serve them. Allow them to cool before packing into dinner sized containers. Use within 3 months.
3. Onions. Very, very simple. Peel and cut up your onion, either in rings or chopped. Wrap the chopped on in several layers of plastic wrap to contain the odor, and place the wrapped onion in a tightly sealed freezer container or a freezer style ziploc bag.
4. Green beans. Wash and snip the ends off your beans, and then cut them to the desired size. Blanch the beans for 4 minutes and then cool in ice water for the same amount of time. Drain the beans and pack into freezer containers. Store the beans in your freezer for up to 6 months.
5. Peppers. Another very easy vegetable to freeze. Wash the peppers and remove the seeds. Slice into strips and spread them out on a tray in the freezer for  30 minutes. Remove the frozen strips and place them in ziploc freezer bags. Peppers generally have a 6 month storage life.
6. Beets. Smaller, young beets can be frozen. Cook until tender, peel and then slice. Once the beets are cooled, simply place them in a freezer container. They should keep for up to 6 months in your freezer.
7. Corn. Husk and wash corn on the cob. Blanch the cobs of corn for 5 minutes and then cut the kernels off the cobs. Pack corn into freezer containers, leaving room for expansion. The corn should easily keep up to 6 months in your freezer.
8. Cauliflower. Separate the florets and wash, then blanch for 3 minutes. Remove and dip in ice water for 3 minutes and drain. Spread the florets on a tray in the freezer and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Remove from the freezer after 30 minutes and place florets in ziploc freezer bags. Seal with as little air in the bag as possible. Cauliflower can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
9. Broccoli. For broccoli, you will want to choose only the tenderest of pieces for freezing. Follow the same blanching and freezing preparation as listed for the cauliflower. The broccoli should have the same storage time as the cauliflower, also, 6 months.
10. Mushrooms. Cultivated mushrooms are the easiest of all the vegetables. No preparation is needed. Simply pack them into a freezer bag; squeeze out as much air as possible, and put them in the freezer. They should keep for up to 6 months.

Blanching is included in several of the preparation processes listed here. Blanching involves dipping the fresh vegetables into boiling water for a few minutes and then quick cooling in ice water. The reasons for blanching vegetables before freezing are two-fold. The first is to preserve the color and texture of the food, and the second is to lock in the nutrients. Both are important in the freezing process.

Freezing is a great way to maintain the taste fresh taste of vegetables and yet keep them over a long period of time.

Bookmark It

With summer basically here, there are many things that we do only during this season. Trips to the beach or the lake are often part of those activities. After months of being indoors, it is easy to forget how quickly we can get a serious sun burn. It sure won’t take long to find out, when we have spent too much time without wearing a shirt or a hat. That sun burn can give a person some serious pain. Finding ways of getting relief from the burning of your skin becomes a priority in such situations. Here are ten ways to help you cool off, when you’ve gotten a nasty sun burn.

1. Cold Compresses. Apply a cloth soaked in cool water to the skin for about 15 minutes. It will help to reduce the heat and any swelling.
2. Take A Bath. This will let you treat your entire body. Add oatmeal to the water to help with soothing your burnt skin.
3. Green tea compress. Cold green tea, added to a compress and applied to the skin, can really help with that pain. The green tea has certain ingredients that help to heal the skin.
4. Peppermint Bath. Mints, such as peppermint, can make for a wonderful cooling experience that can really help with sun burn pain.
5. Veggie Aid. Potatoes and cucumbers applied to the skin can do a lot to ease the sense of fire. Not only do they cool, but they will also help with swelling.
6. Vinegar. There is acetic acid in vinegar that is one of the primary ingredients in aspirin. Soak a few sheets in vinegar then place them on the skin. Let them stay there until they are dry before removing them.
7. Vinegar Bath. Add a couple of cups of vinegar to your bath. It will also help with the times your sunburn starts to itch. It will do more to help with the sun burn, than just sitting in cool water.
8. Coat Yourself. Mix baking soda and vinegar into a paste. Put in on the affecting area just before you go to bed for the night. Leave it on overnight for the best relief.
9. Improve Your Bed. Use cornstarch on your sheets. It will cut down on the possible chafing feel from your sheets. This can really be a benefit when you’ve had trouble sleeping at night from the way the sheets rub against your sun burn.
10. Use Aloe. Apply aloe vera from a leaf from the plant or from a tube of gel to the part of your skin that is in pain. Should you buy it from a drug store, be sure you check and verify that it is pure aloe vera.

Taking precautions, such as using sun block when being out and not removing your shirt, are recommended suggestions to reduce problems of sun burns. Still, there are always those times when despite our efforts, we get sun burnt. Hopefully, these suggestions will give you some relief in those situations.

Bookmark It

1. Releaser type HGH supplements are safe.

The most common and safest supplements are called releasers and are similar to amino acid “multi-vitamins.” They are combined with other ingredients to provide the most HGH benefits. They are safest because foreign hormones are not introduced into the body. The products we have reported are releasers.

2. Diets lacking essential amino acids can benefit from HGH supplements.

Low cholesterol and vegetarian diets that are not carefully planned can be deficient in certain amino acids that would normally induce the pituitary gland to release a burst of growth hormone.

3. Choice of supplement delivery is an individual preference.

Supplements are available in capsule, tablet, or spray form. Effectiveness depends predominately on personal preference and proper usage according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some manufacturers claim that certain delivery systems are deficient, but our research has not confirmed this claim.

4. Long-term storage tips.

Bottles can be safely stored in a cool and dry area away from direct sunlight for several months. For long term storage, bottles should be shielded from light, heat, and moisture. The best solution is to place bottles in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator. You should be able to store HGH supplements for up to 3 years with no loss in potency.

5. Results will vary.

Because releaser supplements rely on the user’s ability to release natural growth hormone, results will vary by individual. Consumer responses indicate that healthy diet and active lifestyle magnify effects of HGH supplements.

6. Effective only for those without growth hormone deficiencies.

No supplement alone will work for people suffering from growth hormone deficiency. Non-prescription supplements do not contain synthetic human growth hormone, but instead stimulate healthy pituitary glands to release additional growth hormone. This natural process of HGH supplements is safest and most effective for self-administered usage.

7. Be alert to fraudulent claims.

Prescription strength human growth hormone must be injected and costs thousands of dollars per year. Any manufacturer claiming that their product contains such human growth hormone in oral delivery is misleading the consumer.

Summary

Some consumers and manufacturers have made claims that certain individuals might develop a tolerance to HGH supplements if used regularly for more than six consecutive months. A few manufacturers even recommend that consumers take a break from the supplements after six months. The length of recommended breaks ranges from 1 to 6 months.

Bookmark It

We thought we would put together a list of the worst supplements for muscle building according to several of the most famous Men’s weight lifting and general fitness magazines.  It’s no surprise that several of the items on the list are flat out illegal.  In general, they are illegal for a reason and you should really ask yourself if you can’t readily get the supplement online or in the store should you really be taking it?

1. Steroids are by far the worst supplement for muscle building. Anabolic steroids have a long list of negative side effects. Acne is just one of many side effects; including aggressiveness (‘roid rage). Liver function and many other functions of the body are effected. Their appeal lies in the fact that you can build a ton of muscle in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, this “quick result” feature traps many of the “I want to be big NOW!” people into purchasing them. Muscle growth this quickly wreaks havoc on the tendons and ligaments as they struggle to support the muscles that are growing rapidly. Thus, injury rate increases dramatically with steroid users.  Leave these for the professional athletes that don’t mind getting caught with PED’s (performance enhancing drugs).
2. Growth hormone products are also dangerous. They pose dangers near steroids, but not as quite as dangerous. Hormone therapy is always dangerous and unless supervised by a physician, it is highly recommended to avoid hormone therapy.  The body’s chemistry is a complex science and you never know what the negative effects of throwing off that natural balance may be.
3. Non-Supplements like alcohol, tobacco, and other stronger drugs.  Alcohol and tobacco can have several negative effects on the body which slows its growth and causes other conditions to worsen (moderation is the key here).  Tobacco products essentially have no positive effects whatsoever for muscle building they only cause problems (breathing, coughing, etc.).

This is where our list ends for today, but we will delve more deeply into each of these at a later time.  As you might have guessed these are some hot topics (steroids, HGH, and alcohol)  it seems like some professional athlete or celebrity is caught with one of those and/or doing something illegal with one of those nearly every day.

Bookmark It