Friday, November 12, 2010

Weight Gain Powder

In today's health conscious world, it would be hard to find people searching for weight gain powders and supplements, however, there are many who rely on these products. Our lifestyle has evolved and changed leaps and bounds leading to changes in the diet plans and related health problems like vitamin deficiencies. Not only for general weight gain, but these weight gain powders are used over and over by weightlifters and bodybuilders as a part of their workout regime.

When one thinks of a weight gain powder, it should be such so as to provide adequate and satisfactory amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and mainly fats which would result in weight gain. The main principle involved here is weight gain through muscle mass and not body mass. A proper diet supplemented with weight gain powders helps preserve the body mass and not the fats. So let's get into the details of some best weight gain powders and see how effective they have been.

Best Weight Gain Powder
Most of these weight gain powders are precisely made up of protein weight gain supplements like the whey proteins or casein proteins and sometimes, mixture of both along with creatine monohydrate, glutamic acid and maltodextrin as other supplements. Whey protein powders have been seemingly popular due to their faster absorption rate in the body tissues and thus being highly effective for gaining weight in a shorter time span. On the other hand, casein requires longer time to get well absorbed in the body. The protein absorption is different for different individuals and the efficiency of each can be termed as the biological value (BV). In plain words, higher the biological value, faster the absorption of proteins and the resultant weight gain. An alternative to this would be animal protein powders or cooked animal proteins which are amongst the richest sources of proteins which help weight gain. The best weight gain powder fat content should be low though since too much of it is not advisable. Let's take a look at the table depicted below to understand the biological values of these protein powder forms.

Neck Pain and Headaches

Neck pain, in itself, can cause a lot of discomfort. When it is accompanied by headache, then it becomes quite unmanageable. Stiffness and heaviness can be felt in the entire neck area and it makes neck and head movements very difficult. Its intensity often varies from mild to severe, and it may last for just a few hours or may continue for some weeks. If neck pain and headaches bother you persistently, then it can disrupt your normal life activities. You cannot focus on your work at hand.

Neck Pain and Headaches: Causes

The most common cause has been found to be strain or sprain in the neck muscles. These muscles are attached to the base of the skull. As a result, pain in these muscles often get referred to the head and causes headache. The neck muscles have high mobility and they do not get rest throughout the day. So, they suffer strain due to overuse. Injuries may occur during twists and turns of the neck. Traumatic injuries to the head or neck can lead to stiff neck and headache.

If you experience headache and neck pain together, after working for long hours in front of computer, then it is associated with poor posture while sitting. Sleeping in a wrong position can also cause this problem. Mental stress may tense up the muscles in the neck area and give you a headache. It can be a symptom of a serious infectious disease named meningitis. However, in that case, it is accompanied by fever and you will be unable to touch the chest with your chin. Those who are dealing with sinusitis often complain about sore neck and headache. A herniated disc in the cervical spine can exert pressure on the surrounding soft tissues, resulting in chronic neck pain and headaches. Neck arthritis, migraine and fibromyalgia can be other causes of headaches and neck pain.

Neck Pain and Headaches: Treatment

When there is constant headaches and neck pain, then its cause is first diagnosed with the help of laboratory tests like x-rays, MRI, CT scan, etc. Any kind of muscle injury is treated with the help of anti-inflammatory medicines which can bring down the inflammation and ease off the pain. Other suitable medicines are also prescribed for headache cure. Application of ice on the neck can provide a soothing relief from the painful symptoms. A gentle massage of the neck muscles also proves to be useful.

However, pain relieving medicines cannot be taken for a long time as they have adverse side effects on your health. So, as soon as the pain subsides a bit, doctors recommend some neck pain exercises. Such exercises are effective, not just for neck pain but also for headache. There are two different types of neck pain and headaches exercises. One of them is stretching exercises and the other one is the muscle toning exercises. Bend the head on any one side and hold the position for a few seconds. Then repeat the same on the other side. This will stretch the neck muscles and release the stiffness. Rotating the head slowly, from one side to another in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction, is a simple exercise that can add strength and flexibility to the neck muscles.

In cases where there is an indication of some underlying health problems, then that has to be treated properly, in order to get relief from neck pain and headache. Sinus infection needs to be treated with antibiotics, decongestants and antihistamines. Meningitis is a serious disease and it requires immediate medical intervention.

Neck pain and headaches is one such problem that you should never neglect, in order to avoid any future complications. It can be prevented, to a large extent, by maintaining good posture while sitting, standing or sleeping and leading a healthy stress free life.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Stop a Migraine Headache With Stress Reduction Techniques

Stress can be a big contributing factor to migraine headache conditions. By decreasing stress migraine headache relief or prevention can often be achieved. Discover a handful of useful stress reduction techniques that can help reduce the frequency or severity of your headache symptoms.

Migraine headache pain can thoroughly disrupt a person's life. Along with terrible headache pain they can additionally involve nausea, vomiting, neck pain, light sensitivity (photophobia), visual instability, vertigo, diarrhea, speech troubles, and lots of other unpleasant conditions.

Fortunately, there are lots of good natural therapy methods available that can frequently be more successful than doctor-prescribed or over-the-counter pain relieving medications. One of the greatest methods to alleviate or end the pain is utilizing stress reduction approaches.


Stress is considered one of the most typical triggers of migraine headache pain in addition to being a critical factor concerning a large number of other health disorders. This makes alleviating stress an essential factor in eliminating pain and improving health. Most professionals concur that migraine headache victims don't cope as well in nerve-racking situations as other folks.

Every person experiences stress and anxiety at some point in their lifetime. As soon as a nerve-racking event occurs we immediately create chemical substances that are supposed to help us cope to the condition. Our body's reaction will most likely dilate the blood vessels encircling our brain which can result in a migraine attack. Mental stress and anxiety can build up gradually or materialize unexpectedly. Stress-related chronic migraine attacks are generally triggered by problems such as occupational pressure, relationship spats, health troubles, pregnancy, money issues, and numerous other troubles.


When searching for temporary pain relief countless folks consider pain relieving medications. Additional kinds of treatment, such as a variety of stress management techniques, are intended for long term help. Knowing that constant stress is a major contributing cause of migraine attacks can help a migraine headache sufferer discover useful methods to treat their condition.

Developing good sleeping habits is a great technique to relieve stress since research has proven that folks with bad sleeping habits become more stressed. Along with improving sleep, you can find a large number of other methods to relieve stress and anxiety. Taking a catnap, getting regular exercise, and hopping into a warm bath are all easy strategies for decreasing stress and tension. It should be noted that working out during a migraine episode will make the headache and other symptoms worse, so this should be avoided.

Another strategy to lessen stress is through massage. Gently rub painful areas, in particular the temples, neck muscles, and facial area, using the pads of your first two fingers in a smooth circular movement. Making use of a cold compress to the back of the neck can decrease the amount of blood flow to the head which can lessen pressure and stress.

Additional techniques for lessening stress might necessitate modifications in an individual's customary routine. These may consist of asking other individuals for help in demanding situations, sustaining emotionally supporting family relationships, avoiding the source of tension, educating yourself on the best way to remain calm and cool during upsetting conditions, eating more healthy foods, and working out daily.

If getting migraine headache relief is the aim, you'll find lots of methods to succeed through stress reduction strategies. By paying close attention to tense situations and changing several of your habits, it's possible for you to decrease the intensity and frequency of your migraine headaches.

Find out more concerning safe and proven migraine headache pain treatment and discover additional details regarding chronic migraine treatment.