This is one of the most common question from bodybuilders around the world. After all you are training hard, following a good muscle building diet, yet your gains are still minimal. The sense of frustration after all of the months of effort is tremendous and can be really demotivating. So what is the answer? Well, there are a few likely causes, see if any of these ring a bell with you:

1) Are you eating enough? For some hard gainers you may just as well insert the words 'under eaters'. As this really is a massive cause of lack of muscle mass. In bodybuilding the key to weight gain is eating, lots and often! Eating every two hours is a good guideline and will enable you to take on board as many calories as possible. Make sure you snack lots on food such as: dried fruit and nuts, yoghurt, cottage cheese, cereal and milk, protein bars, fresh fruit, and protein shakes, etc

2) Are you getting enough protein? To build maximum muscle mass you should aim for 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. Great sources of protein include: chicken, fish, turkey as well as dairy products. Eat everything don't worry so much about eating low fat products, that will make it harder to get all the calories you need in order to bulk up. Sure you need quality calories but make your life easier and eat everything, remember you can go through a cutting up stage in a few months time. Taking whey protein shakes is another great way to get on board quality protein, purchase the big 5 pound tubs to get the most for your money.

3) Have your routines gone stale? If you can reel off your routine from the top of your head then that probably means you have been doing the same for thing for quite a while now. If you are not provoking your body to grow in new and different ways then it simply is not going to grow. How about mixing things up with, super sets, drop sets, partials, 21s, aided lifts and negatives. You can even just reverse the order of your routine and see what difference that makes, how about 10 sets of 10 reps to failure on just one major exercise such as the bench press (get ready to be sore!) or just give yourself a week off from training to allow your body to fully recover. As you can see there are endless variations, make sure you use them.

4) Are you resting enough? When was the last time you saw someone go into the gym pump iron and then walk out half a stone heavier? Never. So, clearly your muscles don't grow when your pumping iron, they grow when you are resting. If you do not get enough rest than you are limiting the time available for your muscles to grow. If anything you want to give yourself extra time to grow not less. Try dropping to working a muscle group just once a week. Also reducing the number of sets per body part, how about a maximum of 3-5 really intense sets per body part per workout. Think that is not enough, try it and watch the results!

5) Are you drinking enough water? If you are skimping on the water then you really are limiting your progress. Your muscles need copious amounts of water in order to grow. Carry a bottle with you in the car and never stop drinking from it.

So the original question: 'Why am I not getting bigger?' as you can see, has more than one answer. Answer the above questions honestly and make the necessary adjustments. If you are not satisfying just one of the above criteria then you have found the reason why you are not growing. If there are more than one of these points that your bodybuilding lifestyle does not meet then urgent change is required. Of course there are heaps of other reasons why you might not be growing but the above are the usual culprits. Now go hit the gym and gain some weight!

When you have hypothyroidism the thyroid gland is isn't producing enough thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism can cause all manner of issues with you, as it is the gland that "regulates" if you will your whole body. If you have too much thyroid, you can have hyperactivity, sleeplessness, weight loss along with some serious mood swings. If you have too little thyroid, you can have some of the same effects, like serious mood swings, weight gain, lethargy, total lack of energy even for the things you know you love to do. Sometimes this can be misdiagnosed as depression. Can you imagine taking anti-depressants for a thyroid condition?

What I know about personal issues with my own thyroid: No matter how much I worked out, I stayed fat, I was always kind of slow moving, slept a lot, a lot more than I thought was necessary anyway. Along with this, my hands were always cold and my fingernails broke easily. The things that I used to love doing went by the wayside. It affected my life with my family as you can imagine.

The hormones the thyroid produces control the body's rate of metabolism so a partially functioning thyroid affects almost every organ in the body. When the thyroid is under-active it creates a general recession of many of the systems that are needed for energy making. This can weak havoc with the metabolic process. Waste can then deposit into the organs - because they are slow - causing them to become slow-moving leaving the door open for the possibility of disease. The body is designed to excrete waste and absorb nutrients!

Want your life back? Thyromine can help give you your life back.

For example, my thyroid is dead basically, from chemotherapy and I started taking adrenal powder and thyroid from bovine. It's a little harder to regulate than synthetic thyroid but for those of us looking for alternative supplements for thyroid, it was worth trying.

It took a little while to get the dose just right and when I did, my energy came back, and I lost 20 pounds, started sleeping more regular hours and wasn't having weird mood swings. On top of this, I rarely get sick anymore as thyroid hormones stimulate the immune system. Thyromine has a combination of natural ingredients that help your thyroid to perform normally.

By working with my doctor, a D.O. I was able to feel better about what I was giving my body and feel better... way better.

D.O.: Abbreviation for Doctor of Osteopathy, an osteopathic physician. Osteopathy is a system of therapy founded in the 19th century based on the concept that the body can formulate its own remedies against diseases when the body is in a normal structural relationship, has a normal environment and enjoys good nutrition.

If you have bad breath and you are wondering why other people do not have it, then you might want to check your habits. There are certain things which do contribute to bad breath; your everyday habits may contribute to your bad breath without you even knowing.

Starting with when you wake up, morning breath really smells bad. You know and everyone else does. This is an inevitable thing and everyone has to deal with it. In the morning, you need to observe proper oral hygiene. Start your day right and brush your teeth, this will eliminate the bacteria that may have accumulated when you slept.

Drinking eight glasses of water everyday not only make your body better but also your breath. A dry mouth can really cause bad breath so always keep your mouth hydrated so that it will not induce the growth of bacteria in your mouth.

Lessen your intake of garlic and onion. This popular tip has always been told to you but you still keep on eating the delicious pizza or burger which is full of onions and garlic. There are also other foods which do contribute to bad breath, so make sure to stay away from them or have people stay away from you.

Smoking causes bad breath, imagine the smell of smoke get stuck in your mouth. It is not pleasing, right? This is one of the causes of bad breath which can really turn people off. Smoke residue can get stuck in your teeth, gums and tongue which can cause a serious case of bad breath.

Poor oral hygiene, make sure to always brush your teeth especially after eating sweets. Sugar can cause tooth decay which is a breeding ground for bacteria. So make sure to have proper oral hygiene to lessen the bacterial growth in your mouth and say goodbye to bad breath.

If you have bad breath and you are wondering why other people do not have it, then you might want to check your habits. There are certain things which do contribute to bad breath; your everyday habits may contribute to your bad breath without you even knowing.

Starting with when you wake up, morning breath really smells bad. You know and everyone else does. This is an inevitable thing and everyone has to deal with it. In the morning, you need to observe proper oral hygiene. Start your day right and brush your teeth, this will eliminate the bacteria that may have accumulated when you slept.

Drinking eight glasses of water everyday not only make your body better but also your breath. A dry mouth can really cause bad breath so always keep your mouth hydrated so that it will not induce the growth of bacteria in your mouth.

Lessen your intake of garlic and onion. This popular tip has always been told to you but you still keep on eating the delicious pizza or burger which is full of onions and garlic. There are also other foods which do contribute to bad breath, so make sure to stay away from them or have people stay away from you.

Smoking causes bad breath, imagine the smell of smoke get stuck in your mouth. It is not pleasing, right? This is one of the causes of bad breath which can really turn people off. Smoke residue can get stuck in your teeth, gums and tongue which can cause a serious case of bad breath.

Poor oral hygiene, make sure to always brush your teeth especially after eating sweets. Sugar can cause tooth decay which is a breeding ground for bacteria. So make sure to have proper oral hygiene to lessen the bacterial growth in your mouth and say goodbye to bad breath.

If you have bad breath and you are wondering why other people do not have it, then you might want to check your habits. There are certain things which do contribute to bad breath; your everyday habits may contribute to your bad breath without you even knowing.

Starting with when you wake up, morning breath really smells bad. You know and everyone else does. This is an inevitable thing and everyone has to deal with it. In the morning, you need to observe proper oral hygiene. Start your day right and brush your teeth, this will eliminate the bacteria that may have accumulated when you slept.

Drinking eight glasses of water everyday not only make your body better but also your breath. A dry mouth can really cause bad breath so always keep your mouth hydrated so that it will not induce the growth of bacteria in your mouth.

Lessen your intake of garlic and onion. This popular tip has always been told to you but you still keep on eating the delicious pizza or burger which is full of onions and garlic. There are also other foods which do contribute to bad breath, so make sure to stay away from them or have people stay away from you.

Smoking causes bad breath, imagine the smell of smoke get stuck in your mouth. It is not pleasing, right? This is one of the causes of bad breath which can really turn people off. Smoke residue can get stuck in your teeth, gums and tongue which can cause a serious case of bad breath.

Poor oral hygiene, make sure to always brush your teeth especially after eating sweets. Sugar can cause tooth decay which is a breeding ground for bacteria. So make sure to have proper oral hygiene to lessen the bacterial growth in your mouth and say goodbye to bad breath.

Hypertension or more commonly known as high blood pressure is called the disease of our time. The occurrence of this disease has increased exponentially in the past century. Current statistics point out that nearly a third of Americans live with the disease. The disease is associated with the clogging of the arteries, increase in heartbeats and higher volume of blood. These are the most common factors of hypertension.

It really is not a discriminatory disease and affects people throughout the world regardless of race, age, gender or their general health. The disease is becoming even more prevalent with the increase in sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, obesity and stress.

Hypertension can be treated or at very least controlled by using an extensive program that includes proper nutritional diet, regular exercise and herbal remedies. Garlic is known to be the best and most effective of the herbal remedies to manage the disease. Some herbalists would recommend using a unique herbal remedy, which is a mixture of garlic and raisins. However, being such an unusual combination, it is unlikely someone just trying out herbal remedies would use.

Another more appealing alternative would be to take lots of grapefruit. Even though many people do take grapefruits for breakfast, their benefits are not as well known. The fruit contains high levels of vitamin P, which has the ability to lower blood pressure. You could top it off with a carrot, another helpful food that can be used to remedy hypertension.

Beyond the vegetables and fruits, other natural herbal remedies include hawthorn berries, Garcinia and an amazing herb called Sheperd's Purse. Using these herbs, you can cleanse and loosen up the blood vessels. You could also use an infusion with a mixture of lime blossom, sarpagandha, Siberian ginseng, motherwort and mistletoe. You could add one teaspoon of honey to the infusion to give it a boost. Take the infusion daily.

Honey is useful in lowering the blood pressure, strengthening the blood vessels and heart. If you wish, you could take a tablespoon of lemon juice and mix it with one teaspoon of honey as a drink in the morning. If you are adventurous, you could use onion juice rather than lemon juice.

A proper diet is necessary to help deal with hypertension. Regular intakes of fruits and vegetables is highly recommended; apples, bananas, tomatoes, spinach and other leafy vegetables at the top of the list. It can also be beneficial that you fast once a week. For that day, rather than eating the normal meals, replace with fresh fruit juices. Reduce the use of salt in your food and red meat.

Finally, it is important to be able to control stress and employ methods to help unwind. Yoga is a good way to help unwind and focus on the day ahead or winding down from a hard day's work. Aromatherapy and massages may be helpful too.

If you are suffering from warts on your genital area, you know how hard it is to deal with this kind of disease. It is a very distressing situation because it can affect your sexual and personal life. Finding an effective solution for genital warts will help you to get your life back on track and live your life without pain, fear and anxiety.

Common symptom of warts infection is the appearance of small or big skin growth on the genital area. The growth may appear in single or clusters like a cauliflower. Imagine how annoying and embarrassing these skin growths are.

Warts are caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) and it can appear anywhere in the body including the genital area. It can be transmitted sexually so people who are sexually active are more likely to get the virus. Finding a long-term solution for genital warts is sometimes a real challenge because in most cases it keeps coming back.

Of course the first thing that you should do is to talk to your doctor. Seeking professional help is necessary to know if you are infected by the virus. Common medical solutions for genital warts are medicines, laser surgery, cryotherapy and electrocautery. But of course you have to be prepared for repeated treatments because warts have a high tendency to comeback.

Recurring warts is the reason for the disappointments of most sufferers because the symptoms keep coming back. It would be a total relief to find a permanent solution for genital warts. The best treatment for warts is something that will attack warts right from its source and not just masking the symptoms.

While the Master Cleanse is not meant for weight loss, many people use it to lose weight since it offers radical weight loss, around twenty pounds in two weeks. The Cleanse has been used for over five decades to rid the body of toxins and cleanse the internal systems like the colon and digestive tract. However, after a few celebrities started using this method, and talked about the weight loss benefits, it is fast becoming the go-to weight loss method of millions.

The Master Cleanse is a fasting diet. During this diet, you are only allowed to drink a special drink made out of lemons, peppers and maple syrup and nothing else. It is said that the drink provides the body with all the nutrients that it needs, removing the need to ingest food.

Over two weeks, the body cleanses itself of all toxins and also removes the attachment that we form to certain kinds of foods, making it possible for people who do this diet accurately to keep the weight off successfully for long periods of time.

While you can use the Master Cleanse to lose weight, it is much more effective for people who have large amounts of weight to lose. However, everyone on this diet will lose at least a few pounds since there is significant amounts of water loss as well as fecal matter that had built up over the years is also expelled from the body.

It is also important to do the diet in precisely the required manner to experience weight loss, so you may find yourself trying it once, not succeeding since you did not follow the instructions and then giving up on it. It is important to prepare yourself for a 100% liquid diet for ten to fourteen days since eating even the smallest amount during this time will mean you have to start from scratch.

All being said, the Master Cleanse is a very controversial diet. Many doctors say that it offers no real benefits to the body, and that any weight you lose through this will come back after some time. It is always recommended that you incorporate healthy eating habits and exercise into your schedule instead of going on a fast.

A few years ago I started waking up in the middle of the night with a numb thumb and index finger. I thought I'd slept on my hand or something. A few days later, I started feeling pain in my fingers during the day and my wrist ached most of the time. We sell a lot of wrist wraps for carpal tunnel so I knew a little bit about it, but I wasn't 100% sure that was what it was. I did some research and what confirmed it was the fact that my little finger was never numb when I woke up, but my thumb and two of my fingers were. That's one of the characteristics of the symptoms, because the nerve that is pinched doesn't extend into your pinkie finger. Luckily the pain went away completely when I wore a specially designed wrist support for a few nights, and for a couple days while I was typing. Now I just wear it when I start getting achy wrists, but that is very rare.

Where is the Carpal Tunnel?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Bound by bones and ligaments, the carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway - about as big around as your thumb - on the palm side of your wrist. It protects a main nerve (the Median Nerve) to your hand and nine tendons that bend your fingers."

Pressure placed on the median nerve produces the numbness, pain and eventually, hand weakness that characterize carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Anything that reduces the space for the median nerve, within the carpal tunnel, can cause pressure on the nerve. While some research shows that carpal tunnel syndrome can result from repetitive use of the tendons in the hand, other possible causes range from rheumatoid arthritis to hormonal disorders (diabetes, thyroid, menopause), wrist injuries and fluid retention. Or perhaps your carpal tunnel is just narrower than average.

Repetitive computer use is commonly assumed to cause CTS, but according to Mayo Clinic the scientific evidence for this association isn't definitive. However, you may be at a higher risk for carpal tunnel if your work or hobbies involve a combination of awkward, repetitive wrist or finger motions, forceful pinching or gripping and working with vibrating tools.

Symptoms and Diagnosis of CTS

Your doctor can do a series of tests to determine whether you have CTS, but one diagnostic key is that the median nerve doesn't reach the little finger, so if you wake up and your fingers are tingling and numb, but your pinkie isn't, you might have carpal tunnel syndrome. Another clue is 'when' you experience the symptoms. Typically you might feel weakness, tingling or numbing while holding a phone or a newspaper, gripping a steering wheel or waking up during the night. Mine starts with a general ache in my wrist.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment

The good news is that most people can be effectively treated for CTS non-surgically with wrist splinting, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids (cortisone injections). The wrist supports/splints/gloves designed for carpal tunnel relief prevent flexion of the wrist and holds it in a neutral position so you can't squish the median nerve.

If you can't get relief non-surgically and you have symptoms for more than 6 months, your doctor may recommend surgery to cut the ligament pressing on the nerve. From what I've seen and heard, this is not where you want to end up and I would have plenty of second opinions first.

If you have the symptoms of CTS, I suggest you get started on a conservative treatment right away. Stop sleeping on your hands and wear a wrist splint at night.

If the pain persists, see your doc.

Why self-examine?

Problems with your testicles can appear slowly, or very rapidly.

Being aware of what your testicles normally feel like is something that all men should know so that any changes to your testicles can be observed and advice sought quickly if needed.

Although testicular cancer is rare, it is not at all uncommon to find a lump in your testicles. There are many conditions that can be easily confused with testicular cancer, and most of them are not anything like as serious.

Signs to watch out for:

· a lump in one testicle
· pain and tenderness in either testicle
· discharge or pus from the penis
· blood in the sperm at ejaculation
· a build-up of fluid inside the scrotum
· a heavy or dragging feeling in the groin or scrotum
· an enlargement of the breasts with or without tenderness
· an increase in size of a testicle (one testicle is normally larger than the other but the size and shape should remain more or less the same).

How to check your testicles

Check your testicles monthly in the following manner:

· do the self-examination lying in a warm bath or while having a long shower, as this softens the skin of the scrotum (skin sac that holds the testicles), which makes it easier to feel the testicles inside.
· examine the scrotum, looking for any lumps on the skin or swellings inside.
· cradle the whole scrotum and testicles in the palm of your hand and feel the difference
between the testicles. One is almost always larger and lying lower. This is completely normal.
· examine each testicle in turn, and then compare them with each other. Use both hands and gently roll each testicle between thumb and forefinger.
· Check for any lumps or swellings as both testicles should be smooth except where the duct that carries sperm to the penis, the epididymis, runs. This lies along the top and back of the testicle and normally feels bumpy.

If you have found a lump while performing a self-examination, you are advised to go to your doctor for further examination.

The truth is it is unknown as to why some people get acne and others do not. There is so much information out there, myths, truths and untruths. It is possible to treat acne naturally, in some cases.

What causes acne? Genetics play a role as do hormonal changes like menstrual cycles, pregnancy, puberty and the like. Stress is another factor in break outs. Many disagree, but from my own experience, acne breakouts happen in stressful situations. However, everyone is different and though some may experience acne breakouts in stressful situations, others may not. It is simply the way a body reacts to certain things, situations, foods, weather conditions, etc. Everybody is different and what may bother one person doesn't necessarily affect another.

How does acne form? Bacteria that form in the pores are a common cause of pimples and blemishes. Therefore, it is important to fight the bacteria. One way is to cleanse with a mild cleanser twice daily; and throughout the day, dab the oily areas of your face with a tissue or cotton ball to control the oils.

The fact remains, though, if you do suffer from acne, you need to find the solutions and ointments and treatments that work for you. Just as everyone is different and not everyone suffers from acne breakouts, so too are the medications--some work for some people while they do nothing or little for others.

Chamomile, naturally, has anti-inflammatory agents that can help your acne breakouts. To treat acne naturally you can try something already in your kitchen cabinets--chamomile tea. Prepare the chamomile as directed and allow to cool. Then, soak a facecloth or cotton balls with tea and apply onto the face.