Take Care of Your Cast Iron Cookware, and It Will Take Care of You.

By Bob Moore

If you have cast iron in your kitchen, you know exactly how versatile it is. If you don't have any, now might be the time to consider taking the plunge. Cast iron is an extremely useful tool for any cook and, if you take care of it the proper way, it can outlast any higher-priced cookware.

First of all, cast iron has numerous advantages over the cookware you're currently using. If you care for it and season it the right way, it can be every bit as nonstick as the fancier cookware that costs much more. In addition, assuming there are no wooden handles, you can use it in the oven, on the stove, and even on the grill. Plus, it's durable. Take care of it, and it will last a long time.

As far as care is concerned, you want to make sure that all cast iron pots and pans are hand-washed. Never place them in the dishwasher as they are prone to rust. Obviously, this affects the seasoning aspect.

When washing, be sure not to use soap. If the cookware is properly seasoned, warm water and steel wool will do the trick. Dry with paper towels and store with the lid off. Excess moisture will encourage the cookware to rust.

Proper seasoning fills in the tiny pores and provides a protective coating, helping to prevent food from sticking. To season your cookware, simply rub it lightly with vegetable oil, lard, or shortening and place it in a 300-degree oven for about an hour. The more you do this, the more you will build up the protective coating.

If you want your cast iron to be around for a long time, then cooking acidic foods would be a cardinal sin. Cooking things such as tomatoes and lemon juice will ruin the seasoning of the pans since cast iron is such a highly reactive metal.

Lastly, don't use your cast iron as a storage container. Exposure to moisture over long periods of time will cause the cookware to rust. It's okay to use it to keep food warm while you're eating, but once the meal is over, clean it thoroughly.

So if you currently are without quality cast iron cookware, I would suggest starting out with a good skillet and a Dutch oven. You'll be amazed at the versatility of these pieces, whether you do a lot of pan frying, pan roasting, stewing, or deep frying. As long as you adhere to proper care and cleaning, your cast iron will be your friend for many, many years. - 17269

About the Author:

The author has been cooking with all types of cooking accessories for over 20 years. He currently manages websites dedicated to cookware and low fat and fat-free recipes. Get more information on several kinds of kitchenware and/or grab some free low fat recipes now.

Rock Hard Abs - Functional Ab Strength

By Jose Loni

Training your abs functionally will get you rock hard abs. The key to an active and happy lifestyle is functional training. Multi-joint exercises and core ab training will give your abs the strength for daily life as well as the appearance of rock hard abs.

Functional training is perfect for people with an active lifestyle. Training the body in a functional way will increase the quality of life, as we carry our children, do household chores or walking the dog. Basic strength is essential to an active and happy way of life.

Functional training is an effective training method for increasing ab strength. Exercises that incorporate multiple joints increase the body's metabolism and helps burn excess fat. Increasing the number of muscle groups that you train, causes the body to recruit more muscles to move. The increased muscle activity increases the body's overall energy expenditure and results in increased fat burning.

Exercises like push-ups, squats, lunges, and dead lifts are all great exercises at training the whole body and increasing the body's metabolism. These exercises are great at building muscle and burning fat.

Household chores such as cleaning, cooking and doing laundry can create opportunities to do some active movements. While you are doing laundry, you can do some wall or counter push ups, while waiting for the laundry to finish or do some leg squats, while waiting for your dinner to cook.

Core training is also a great way to increase the body's overall strength. Many core exercises involve stabilizing the body in certain positions. By maintaining body positions, the muscles of the whole body as well as the deep core muscle groups need to strengthen and stabilize. As a result, core training really helps strengthen the abs as well as helps burn fat throughout the body.

Isolation exercises and ab crunches don't work if you want rock hard abs. Your body becomes more efficient, when you incorporate overall body training. You end up burning more calories and increasing your metabolism. In fact, by kick starting your metabolism, your body ends up burning fat throughout the day as it burns fat to replenish, repair and nourish the muscles that you trained, a process that can last for several hours after your training session.

Functionally training your abs and rock hard abs are the way to go, for a fit and active lifestyle. Functional strength through ab core training and increasing your metabolism will also increase your quality of life and really give you rock hard abs. - 17269

About the Author:

Caution: Physical Therapist & Master Trainer is offering free fat loss workouts and they will melt fat faster than anything you've ever seen!

Muscle Mass Gaining Tips

By James Jones

When you decide to gain weight, you always want the fastest way. But the reality is you have to put in your time and pay your dues at the dinner table. It doesn't have to be complex and difficult though. Here are some quick tips that you can do today to get that muscle mass you want.

You should consume 3 strong meals a day and then 3 minor meals in between. Your breakfast, lunch, and dinner strong meals should all consist of at least 30-50 grams of protein from primarily a meat source. Just as the 3 above exercises are your backbones, these 3 meat meals are your eating backbones. In addition to your meat, you should eat big portions of carbohydrates and some fat in the same meals.

Remember, we talked about 6 meals. Three being large, and 3 being small. Let's talk about the small meals. Now in between your 3 strong meals you need to consume 3 minor meals, such as a protein shake or a couple of protein bars, or essentially some snack which is going to contain another minimum of 30-50 grams of protein, but you are allowed to have this in protein shake form or other easy, convenient protein forms. And the carbohydrate amount need not be as heavy. This is the ideal eating plan for how to gain weight and muscle.

Now let's talk about the big three meals. This means eating rather heavy at breakfast, lunch and dinner. You want to add food that is going to contribute to weight and muscle gain and the simple way to do this is just to add a large serving of protein to each meal. For instance at breakfast if you normally just eat cereal and toast, you're going to have to start throwing some eggs in the mix. The key thing to remember is that muscle is made out of protein, and you will need lots of it to build muscle.

At least three eggs is what you need for breakfast, if not more, and they can be cooked however you want. For lunch, if you normally have a burger, then your going to have to double it and have two burgers. And for dinner, if say you normally have something like pasta, then your going to have to add a hefty amount of meat in the sauce to get that protein in. If you usually have a serving of protein at dinner, say a chicken breast, then double it and have two chicken breasts. Basically your upping your protein intake with solid, strong weight gaining food.

Again, If your serious about gaining weight, then in between your meals, sometime during the day you'll want to down a high calorie protein shake. This should consist of protein, juice or milk, a tablespoon or two of peanut butter, a banana, and any other fruit you prefer. You could drink half of it between breakfast and lunch and the other half between lunch and dinner. Or if its not convenient just down the whole thing at once during one of those two periods.

You'll basically force your body to gain weight on this program if you are consistent with it and stick to it day in and day out for at least 6-8 weeks. Eating this way and combining basic weight lifting exercises can create a stronger and much bigger physique. - 17269

About the Author:

Are you thinking, "skinny gain weight quickly?" Visit skinnygainweightfast.info for information. Visit our sister site to learn how to loose body fat fast.

Get two supplements in one great free trial.

By Collin De Ruyck

If you ever have been trying to lose weight like some of us have and you have been looking to online supplements for help. For a very limited time you can get Acai Burn, which is the best acai berry supplement plus Pure Cleanse Pro colon cleanser all in the same free trial.

Over the past year, Acai Burn has helped millions of people to lose weight and keep it off. With Acai Burn containing nothing but the best acai extract, users have been getting the royal treatment from there free trials.

Here is what you get when you order your Free Trial! Full 30 Day Supply of Acai Burn Full 30 Day Supply of PureCleanse Pro

For a small shipping fee of $4.95, you can now get both of these popular supplements for free.

Doubling your chances to lose weight for the same price as previous free trials just insures you have success and with me personally using both products I know your going to see the same great results as I have. - 17269

About the Author:

Acai Burn Complete is the perfect combination of weight loss pills I have seen yet. To read a complete review of Acai Burn Complete and Pure Cleanse Pro, come visit us today.

What would you give for a muscular physique?

By Jon Cardozo

The goal setting is one thing that I've often been excited about, but I haven't always kept up with it the way I should have. I've recently decided that I need to become more consistent, and I've been reviewing my goals carefully. I started to think about what it would take to achieve these goals, and they got me thinking about what it really takes to reach your fitness destination.

I asked myself a critical question: Are you prepared to work diligently towards these goals? If so, what are you willing to give up in exchange for these objectives?

If you're going to be writing a list of goals in the near future and building muscle will be on the list of things you want to accomplish, take a moment to ask yourself the same questions. You see, achievements such as building a strong, muscular body do not simply happen by themselves. They take dedication, commitment, and the initiative to take action.

You may think that you've heard all this before, and maybe that's true. But hearing something a number of times and actually putting it into practice are two completely different things. Without action, that knowledge is worthless.

Whatever you choose to do in your life will be at the expense of something else. You can really only do one thing at any particular moment, so you should know what you're willing to give up.

So are you willing to do what it takes to reach your fitness goals? Which do you prefer, watching that favor TV show or working on a solid strength training program? Can you give up the incredibly tempting ice cream sundaes you eat every day in exchange for a healthier and better looking body?

Remember that most great things in life are not achieved with one amazing act. Rather, it is a series of small choices carried out on a daily basis that will determine our ultimate success or failure in life.

A half hour workout a few times a week for several months will accomplish what one five hour workout cannot. Whatever you choose, keep the long term in mind and rest assured that living your dreams tomorrow, in both bodybuilding and beyond, are well worth the price you pay today. - 17269

About the Author:

If you would like to learn more about how to body build , visit Jon Cardozo's Web site at http://maximum-muscle-gain.com. Learn the secrets to building a muscular physique and avoid the myths of the bodybuilding industry. Brought to you by Jcardozium.

Exercise Videos - Why They Work

By Jose Loni

Exercise videos are your keys to fat loss success. Exercise videos are convenient, easily accessible, and a time and money saver. No need to buy pricey and huge machines that eat up valuable home space. Exercise videos are a great way to see and learn how to use key movements for fat loss success.

We are motivated to stay focused when we remove obstacles to getting fit. Doing exercise videos takes away the need to leave your house, drive, go through traffic/bad weather, deal with sales staff and makes it all easier. Clear an area, play your video and start working out whenever you can.

No need to spend on large bulky machines that take up space in your home. Get the results that you want by simply watching the video and doing the movements, all in the comfort of your own home.

For the budget conscious, a video is ideal. After you buy it, there are no limits as to how many times you can watch it. A gym membership not only costs more and has hidden costs like gas, parking, travel time, but membership is also not forever.

A video is also an excellent way to illustrate specific exercise moves that may not be easily interpreted just from reading a book or magazine article.

Today, there are a wide variety of fun, energetic and even interactive videos to choose from. They come with simple instructions to encourage us to stick with the program and enjoy ourselves in the process.

Attractive models instruct you through the movements to help inspire you to get to your ideal body size. Simple but effective exercises are taught so you can easily remember and follow them after doing the video a few times. This encourages you to keep doing the workouts for a new, healthy you.

So your key to fat loss success could very easily lie in exercise videos and their great enticements. Convenient, accessible, time, money and space saver, and attractively simple - these are all the factors you find doing exercise videos that will keep you focused on fat loss success. - 17269

About the Author:

Beware: PT & Fitness Pro is offering free fat loss workouts and they will melt fat faster than any program you've ever seen!

Ab-Shredding System

By Adam Stark

When it comes to getting a solid six pack, doing the right ab exercises is crucial. You can spend hours doing needless sit-ups that aren't really going to have all that much benefit, much to your disappointment. Taking the time to choose smart ab exercises will save you not only gym time, but a great deal of frustration as well. In this article we will discuss the best lower ab exercises and the best home ab exercises as well.

Movements that lower your overall stability are excellent for working out your abdominal muscles. The reasoning behind this is - when you do such movements, all your muscle tissues, including those that are deep inside your body, have to contract so that your stability can be maintained. This is why when you do your regular sit-ups, only the external muscles are being targeted. Yes, they do help, but you will never achieve the results you could be otherwise getting.

Which ab exercises are we exactly referring to that decrease your stability? Well, all the exercises that are performed on an unbalanced surface will help your abs greatly. Good examples of such exercises are walking on the balance beam, doing squats on one leg, performing bent over dumbbell rows while on one foot, one arm shoulder press, as well as making use of an exercise ball for lying down ab exercises. Doing exercises with a stability ball as well as using a BOSU ball are also effective choices. In essence, a stability ball and free weights are all you need for an effective home ab exercise session.

As far as lower ab exercises go, there is no more effective option than hanging leg raises. However, you need to utilize your lower ab muscles to rotate your abdomen from side to side so as to perform this exercise most efficiently. Other great ab movements include lying leg raises, cable crunches, and lying leg raises done with a 45 degree incline.

The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolic rate will then be, so in an indirect way, that could in fact help you burn off excess body fat.

Furthermore, doing weighted movements will also increase your strength greatly, reducing the risk of injuries from any other type of exercise you may attempt. Weighted ball crunches with a stability ball on your chest is my favorite home ab exercises.

Besides that, doing weighted exercises also ensures that your body strength is augmented a great deal. This in turn brings down your risk of injuries from other movements and exercises that you may try. By far my favorite home ab exercise is the weighted ball crunch keeping a stability ball on my chest.

If, on the other hand, you are more just doing them to help build some strength, but more to round out your exercise program, then you should be doing them at the end of your workout session. This will prevent them from fatiguing early, because they are going to be predominately used in all the other lifts you perform (heavy squats for example).

In many cases this rule can be bent though. For example, if a client comes to me and their abs are the weakest muscle group then performing them at the end of the workout makes no sense because they will be pre fatigued from the workout and you will not be able to train them as intensely so prioritizing your abs at the start of the workout can become the exception in this case.

You thus need to keep these pointers in mind when youre chalking out your ab workout and are choosing which ab exercises to do. A dedicated ab exercise regime and a nutritious diet that includes plenty of uncooked vegetables and protein " these are the two primary factors that will help you to achieve those rock solid six-pack abs. - 17269

About the Author:

BodybuildingCheck out Vince DelMontes Free workout Videos

Review: the Omega Montage Premier Massage Chair Recliner

By Steve Esquire

We take a look at the Omega Montage Premier massage chair in this product review. The Omega Montage Premier is the top of the line for Omega. This massage chair has an awesome array of features to please the biggest massage enthusiasts. We will walk through a few of the top features of this massage recliner. Also, we will present the warranty coverage as well. Let us take you through the advanced functions of the Montage Premier by Omega.

The Montage Premier is the high end massage recliner in the Omega massage chair line. Before we jump into the features, let us take a quick look at the warranty coverage for this recliner. The warranty coverage is important for your long term enjoyment and relaxation. Omega provides you with 5 years on the frame, 3 years on parts, 3 years on labor, 1 year of parts shipping and 90 days in home service. This is a solid and comprehensive warranty which you would expect in this category of massage chair.

So let us take a look at the features and functions of the Montage Premier. When you start an automatic program, the massage chair will make a body scan of your back. It takes a reading of the position of your neck and shoulders and also maps your acupressure points. All of this information is feed into the chair's computer. The program is then adjusted based on the readings of each individual for a truly customized massage treatment.

The Montage Premier comes with a virtual arsenal of massage therapy treatments to choose from. There are five pre-programmed or automatic massage treatments. Each of these has a theme. You have warm up and warm down techniques called Morning and Night, respectively. There are also more vigorous massages named Vitality, Activation and Relaxation. You can also choose from the 4 manual massage treatments.

The Montage Premier has an air massage system. The air massage system uses airbags throughout the recliner to provide a compression type massage. The air massage system covers your arm, hands, buttocks, thighs, hips calves, and feet. The air system provides a firm or gentle squeeze, hold and release. This 3 part action helps to reduce stiffness and relieve aches and pains.

One of the great elements of the Montage Premier is that it was designed to accommodate taller people. Traditionally, massage chairs were designed in Asia and were quite small for the average American. Omega has introduced the Montage Premier to fit people up to 6' 6" and 300 lbs. The rollers in the chair back have 30 inches of travel which enables them to reach the lower lumbar area of the back as well as the base of the skull.

If you enjoy a great foot massage, then Omega's Footflex massage is for you. Omega uses a combination of airbags. They use airbags to hold the top of the foot. A reflexology massage is used to relax the whole body. A heal airbag is then activated to relieve tension in the back of the foot. Then an arch airbag is activated to stretch the foot and reduce stiffness. This is an amazing massage for total body relief.

The Montage Premier comes with some vital extra functions to compliment the arsenal of massage therapy. It has lower body traction to stretch out the legs. To relax your mind, an MP3 player is built in and comes with headphones. Tune out the world and relax your mind. The Montage comes with full body heat with individual heater controls for the back, seat and leg rest. You can even synchronize the massage movements to the tempo of your music with the music-sync function.

The Montage Premier is perhaps the top massage chair in its class. It simply has more options that add value beyond just the thorough massage treatments. This massage recliner comes with the most thorough warranty available. There is a lower body stretch function. You get full body heat that can target specific areas. The MP3 player comes with headphones, so you can create your own in home spa. You just cannot find a massage chair that has all the excellent features found in the Montage Premier massage recliner. - 17269

About the Author:

Discover more regarding the top of the line Montage Premier Massage Chair. See everything about the features and functions of this extraordinary massage chair by Omega Massage Chair, who is known for their striking designs, effective massage therapy and advanced features.

Good Nutrition for a Healthy Life

By Angela Giles

We work in order to earn and we eat in order to live. It is a healthy diet that keeps us fit for work. So there is a direct connection between health and wealth.

There is a similar connection between our diet and health. Our body, in order to perform its activities, needs daily inputs of macronutrients like carbohydrates, fiber, fats and proteins and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. A healthy diet includes all these in their optimal quantities. When the body does not receive its fair share of these nutrients, it loses its vigor.

Fresh vegetables and freshly cooked food provide most of the nutrients that are required by the body. Unfortunately, we do not take the pains of cooking fresh food but rely on microwave food and other frozen items which are readily available. This is because processed food is usually cheaper, lasts longer in your refrigerator and can be cooked within minutes by just putting it in the microwave oven.

It is true that technology has made it possible to preserve food for a long time and made certain food items safe to consume, but it has also reduced the nutritional value of the food. Many essential vitamins and minerals are lost in food processing techniques like heating, milling and centrifugation.

Another important point is that food which is suitable for a child or a teenager is not suitable for a grown-up adult. With age, our body needs different proportions of micro- and macro-nutrients. But ignorance or habit prevents us from changing to a new diet and thus making us prone to several diseases, which can be quite easily avoided with the right nutrition.

The government provides nutritional standards and guidance but not many of us are aware of them. And even if we are aware, it is difficult to keep track of them regularly in our busy lives.

I firmly believe that health is of paramount importance and therefore advise taking dietary supplements. These are scientifically designed supplements which aid in providing the optimal nutrition to human requirements, which is difficult to achieve through normal diet.

Many people make the mistake of just taking one vitamin or mineral supplement since they were told about its deficiency. However, this might lead to counter-effects since most nutrients work in conjunction and it is important to consume the right mix of these nutrients for the best outcome.

In addition to the right mix, the right amount, the correct balance and the right form are also essential for a good nutrition supplements program. Choose a program that is customizable for various age groups, thus providing complete health for the whole family. - 17269

About the Author:

Angela Giles is the published Author of the Inside Scoop Review and believes that health is the key to maximizing your wealth. More Info on Usana

Free Radicals and the Human Body

By Dr. Lorna Mistranski

The best way to fully comprehend what free radicals are is to look at them from a cellular level in that the human body is made up of all kinds of cells.

Cells are comprised of various types of molecules and these molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements held together by a chemical bond.

An atom is made up of a nucleus, proton, electrons, and neutrons and where the amount of protons (particles that are positively charged) in the nucleus is what determines how many electrons (particles with a negative charge) will surround the atom.

The role of the electrons is to manage chemical reactions that occur inside the atom as well as the substances that makes the atoms form molecules. Much like planets, electrons revolve around the atom in one or more shells.

When the innermost shell has two electrons, it is considered full. When the second shell is full with electrons the process starts all over again.

The most important structural characteristic of an atom for determining its chemical behavior is the number of electrons in its outer shell.

Maximum stability is reached when the atom has a full outer shell. This is the ideal condition every atom seeks to attain and is achieved by the following conditions:

Picking up or dropping electrons that will either occupy or leave the outer shell

Bonding together with other atoms and sharing electrons to complete the outer most shell

The typical way an atom achieves maximum stability is sharing electrons with other atoms. This allows the conditions to for the atoms sustain the molecules in the most efficient way.

Most of the time, these bonds do not tear apart in a way that leaves an atom with an odd, unpaired electron. When this does occur however, free radicals are formed; they are very unstable and react swiftly with other compounds in attempt to gain the needed electrons for stability.

Free radicals like to attack by locating the closest cell that has maximum stability and begins to steal electrons. Eventually these attacked molecules become free radicals themselves. The process will continue until eventually cellular damage occurs.

Free radicals will frequently arrive during metabolism and sometimes the body will even produce them to fight off viruses and bacteria. Free radicals also come from pollution such as radiation, cigarette smoke, and pesticides.

Most of the time the body is able to fight off free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable or if there are too many free radicals, cellular damage can occur. As you get older free radical damage gets more progressive. - 17269

About the Author:

For the past three decades, Dr. Lorna Mistranski has looked intoextracts that offer the topresults in diet pills. She has a free diet pillswebsite that offers information when looking for which diet solution is right for you. She also has an informative sitethat looks at the topfree diet pillsoffersavailable and which ones to avoid.

USANA RESET - A 5-day program for effective weight loss

By Angela Giles

In a world that offers fad diets as short term solutions for long term problems of excessive weight gain, USANA RESET is a new approach to starting a new, healthier lifestyle. Its 5-day program completely reverses the body's momentum of gaining weight and puts it on the track of attaining a healthy weight loss.

Studies have revealed that eating high gycemic foods produces a temporary spike in blood glucose levels. The spike is immediately followed by a crash causing feelings of hunger once again. So you tend to eat more even when the body's needs are met. This habit of eating high glycemic foods then starts a cycle of continuous weight gain.

One of the most commonly tried approaches for weight loss is starving. However, if you consistently eat less than what the body needs, then the body counters by reducing the metabolism rate and you stop losing weight. Starving also leads to other complications.

The Reset program offered by Usana Health Sciences promises to change the body's dependence on high-glycemic foods, in turn, reducing the regular cravings for food. It adopts a very simple approach of replacing regular meals with Usana foods which have a low glycemic index. These nutritional supplements provide adequate nourishment to the body without increasing the calorie intake.

The Usana Reset program comprises of nutritional bars and shakes called Macro-optimizers. It also provides suggestions on the amount of vegetables, fruits and water to be consumed over the course of 5 days. This is combined with a simple exercise routine to make a balanced approach. The complete set of instructions is available on DVD.

Most overweight people lose interest in losing weight after trying programs that do not work. However, in just 5 days, Usana's RESET program will make you look lean and feel great. This positive effect will encourage you to continue with a lifetime of healthy habits.

It is advisable to continue the momentum achieved in the 5 days. This is done through the 'Transform' program which again replaces a part of your normal meal with healthy Usana food. This will deter you from slipping back in to your old food habits.

Once your body reaches a weight range which you would like to maintain, you can switch to the 'Maintain' program, which is designed for a long term healthy nutrition. Thus, you can choose to lead a healthy lifestyle along with healthy food habits beginning with the Usana Reset 5-day program. - 17269

About the Author:

Angela Giles is currently active in building several successful online businesses, and currently leads a group of world wide entrepreneurs dedicated to using their abilities to make a positive impact on the world. More Info on Usana Click here to submit articles to 3000 directories.

Melatonin Helps Your Rest

By Mark Sanderlix

I'm 30 years old now, but I can remember having sleeping problems all the way back to when I was a little kid. For some reason, it has always been near impossible for me to fall asleep at a reasonable time. I've tried many different things to shake this problem because is really affected my life. From being tired while taking important tests in school, to having to 'fake' freshness while giving a big presentation for work, not getting enough sleep has always been a problem. I've tried changing my bedroom around, NyQuil and other OTC drugs and powdered drink mixes, but nothing was as successful for me as Melatonin.

Many people who have sleeping issues turn to Nyquil or Theraflu to help them fall asleep quickly and easily. While both of these solutions are effective, they just werent for me because I didnt feel that they were good long term solutions. Neither were made for just falling asleep, so I felt like I was taking a bunch of extra drugs that I didnt need. There are some over the counter drugs that are made specifically for falling asleep, such as Tylenol PM, but that did not feel natural to me either. As effective as these options are, none of them seemed like effective solutions to me for the long-term.

In an attempt to naturally help myself fall asleep, I thought I'd adjust my surroundings. At the advice of many experts, I nixed the TV from the room, bought a pillow top matress for my bed, and centered the room around a theme of 'sleep'. Unfortunately, this proved unsuccessful for me. I didn't fall asleep any earlier, and instead of atleast having the TV to help pass the time, I was just bored. I concluded that it wasn't my surroundings that was keeping me awake, it was my body.

This all changed after a night at a little get-together. I overheard two women talking about sleeping problems, and how one of them was using Melatonin to help her fall asleep easier. I was excited to hear this, I hadn't heard of Melatonin before, but she was going on and on about how it was a natural substance that is in your body anyway and that it does a great job of easing you into sleep without any ill side effects that she could think of. I decided that I must try melatonin as soon as possible.

My first stop after the party was a 24 hour drug store. I hunted down the melatonin, which was actually in the herbal supplements aisle (not with the other 'night time' drugs). Since it was already late, I decided I would try it the next day. So, the following day, about 60 minutes before I wanted to fall asleep, I popped a pill. As promised, just a mere hour later and I was all set to go to bed. I was tired, but not 'knocked out'. My body was easing me into it, and it was a great feeling. The next morning I felt refreshed, fully rested, and ready to go. I didn't wake up in the middle of the night nor did I feel tired or groggy. It was almost like a miracle for me. Every since that day, I've had the same positive experiences with Melatonin; I get great sleep and I'm not tired in the morning as long as I get about seven hours of rest.

After some research, I did find some tips on buying melatonin. First, it was recommended that you purchase chemically created Melatonin. You want the melatonin created in a lab, not the naturally occurring stuff. There could be bad stuff in the naturally occurring version that you wouldnt want to take. Next, start with the smallest dosage size you can find. 3mg is the smallest I could find. Some doctors think that is too much, so think very hard before you increase your dosage size. It is also a good idea to consult with a doctor about taking Melatonin, as they may have some suggestions and information for you.

As you can see, I am have great results from taking Melatonin. I think that Melatonin can be very helpful for people with mild sleeping problems such as falling asleep. Its important not to rely to heavily on it as you don't want to become dependent or addicted, but for the occasional use, I reach for it every time now! - 17269

About the Author:

For more information, and to learn more about my Experience with Melatonin, check out my website. I talk about how it worked for me, the side effects, and the benefits.