The Colloid Base

Due to high costs, potential health complications and oftentimes undesirable results of breast augmentation surgery, more and more women are turning to natural breast enhancement methods. Although not all of the natural enhancers on the market are effective, there are some that have actually yielded significant results, with mounting anecdotal evidence of their efficacy.

Most women are unaware of the health risks and costs involved with augmentation surgery. They are so consumed with increasing the size of their bust, that they do not consider the many side effects that can arise, the tens of thousands of dollars they will have to spend and the potential for a botched surgery that could leave them scarred for life.

Following are some facts to consider when it comes to breast augmentation surgery:

• Implants will not last a lifetime, and you will most likely have to have them removed at some point due to a rupture, leak or other problem.
• You will most likely need additional operations to address a health issue which has arisen from a complication from the surgery.
• Oftentimes the result of surgery is cosmetically undesirable, and cannot be reversed. (We’ve all seen pictures of botched implant surgeries)
• There is well-documented evidence of breast pain, asymmetry, loss of nipple sensitivity, ruptures, deflation and infections, among other local complications.

So as you can see, breast augmentation surgery might not be the best choice for you. Of course, it is the surest way to increase the size of your bust, but at what price? That’s why natural breast enhancement might be a better option.

There are a number of natural enhancers currently on the market, including a variety of supplements, creams, pumps and other products. However, most of them do not work at all, which is why natural breast enhancement products as a whole are viewed unfavorably.

Pumps and similar products yield temporary results, producing a swelling effect that is passed off as breast enhancement. After a few minutes, breast size returns to normal, and you are right back where you started from.

Breast enhancing/firming creams usually contain a blend of natural herbal extracts with estrogenic compounds that purportedly stimulate new breast tissue growth. The problem is that most of these products do not contain enough active ingredient to have any real effect on breast tissue. Moreover, most breast creams do not contain the delivery system necessary to bring these stimulating ingredients across the skin barrier, even if they do contain significant amounts of these herbal extracts. At best they will cause a temporary swelling due to a reaction to the product.

Breast enhancement supplements are another option, and these appear to be the most promising alternative to breast augmentation surgery. Like breast creams, these supplements contain a number of specialized herbs such as fenugeek, fennel seed, dong quai root, dandelion root, watercress and kelp. However, since they are ingested rather than applied topically, herbal breast enhancement supplements can be much more effective than creams, especially if they contain ingredients to enhance absorption.

Although more studies need to be conducted, there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence pointing to the effectiveness of herbal breast enhancement supplements. Many women have in fact achieved significant results. If future research does support the use of these supplements, women will finally have a safe, viable alternative to breast augmentation surgery.

Please be sure to consult your physician before choosing between breast augmentation surgery and natural breast enhancement. He or she will help you make an informed decision.

David Bloom is an avid health enthusiast and editor of several health sites, including Natural Breast Enhancement which discusses all of the options when it comes to breast augmentation and Skin Site covering skin diseases, treatments and natural skin care.

Martial Arts - Which Style is Best?

This is the single, most asked question I get asked via email
and in person. My answer is always: “what are you trying to
achieve and what style interests you”? The answers to that
question is what I begin to formulate my response to address.
“It’s all good”, is an expression I hear around martial arts
training halls, seminars, tournaments and elsewhere. It doesn’t
work for me. I have seen too many bastardized styles based on
other systems, combinations of systems, and just plain B.S.
“home made”, “smoke and mirrors” styles where the Chief
Instructor was a Green Belt (in reality) and put his salesman’s
skills, together with his limited understanding of a credible
style, and then promptly awards himself a 10th Dan and makes up
a laughable name for it. These are always a major hoot but our
“good manners” prevent us from laughing, since the unwitting
students love and believe in their Grandmaster “O Sensei
B.S.er”. They are not to blame.

Quite honestly, the choice of a martial arts system is a
daunting task. If you want to hook up with practitioners who
will be able to instruct you in techniques, train your body, and
speak into your life - you want to be sure. I believe that the
student lends himself more readily to certain styles more than
others. Stocky, stiff jointed types would probably hate Tae Kwon
Do, but a flexible, lanky, body type might excel at it. The
stocky, less flexible type might do better with Shotokan or an
Okinawan martial art, which don’t focus on aerial spinning kicks
but rather, deliberate and punishing punches and kicks, on a
lower line. I had an old Shorin Ryu (Okinawan karate) teacher
who was tough as nails, but couldn’t kick any higher than your
waist. He used to mention that he didn’t need to kick higher, to
kick you in the face. He’d always laughingly say “I’ll kick you
in the stomach and when you bend over, then I’ll kick you in the
head”. Strange, but oh how true!

My recommendations are to DO YOUR HOMEWORK, you will want to
stay for a few years or maybe longer, so go to several schools.
Make these schools a good cross section of martial arts. Check
out a few styles of Karate, a few Kung Fu, some grappling
schools, and whatever else that may be available in your area.
All will let you observe the class and give you access to the
Sensei (head instructor) of the school. Most will offer some
kind of “sign up” special, like a month free or a few free
classes. This gives you a great opportunity to see what you will
be doing, meet the teacher, assess the skills of the students
attending, and help you decide if you want to invest a lot of
time and energy (never mind the monthly fees) at this training
hall. If you can line up about 6 or more schools of different
martial arts styles, with different focuses and faithfully check
them all out - WITHOUT JOINING - you will have a pretty solid
idea of which one best suits your physical structure, your
attitude, and your goals. Choose thoughtfully and carefully,
because if you aren’t having fun in your martial arts classes,
as in anything, you will soon fall by the wayside - frustrated!
Better to just go out and buy one of the high power stun
batons on the market and crack open a brew, than spend a
year in a martial arts style that you are not suited for.

Good luck in your pursuit of the unattainable Grasshoppers -
choose well!