A Vacation For Your Nerves

Do you ever grab life by the throat and squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of a single experience? Maybe you escaped to a jaw-dropping beach one weekend. You basked in the glow of the red sun while listening to the ocean serenade you with its crashing waves.

Chances are, you know the sedative feeling a vacation can give you when you do it right. You’re present, relaxed and everything comes just a little easier to you.

Only problem is — you eventually go back to your day-to-day routine. The kind where you’re getting whacked at all day by a barrage of problems. Pressure to succeed at work, countless tasks to carry out and a slew of lurking issues you aren’t even aware of yet.

Soon you’re all wound up again, and those amazing feelings you felt not too long ago seem a far cry away now.

But there are ways to recreate that powerful feeling you felt on your last getaway without having to go on another adventure.

One herb, Reishi Mushroom, is designed to evoke the same sense of calm and contentment you enjoyed while away from your hectic life.

(I am also sharing this with you because to for a LIMITED TIME its on sale. Only $24.99. Check it out here)

Nicknamed ‘Tonic of the Emperors,’ Reishi contains a vast amount of these magic things called triterpenes. A Triterpene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon derived from a C30 precursor known as Squalene.

Squalene makes up half of the liver oil found in certain species of sharks and is otherwise widely distributed in nature, most commonly in olive oil. It also synthesizes hormones, including Vitamin D and cholesterol.

Upon entering the body, Triterpenes work to tonify the liver.

As you might know, your liver is an important organ in the human body. It helps cleanse your blood of any toxic chemicals like sugar, processed or fast foods, alcohol, tobacco and various environmental hazards.

The liver also works with the nervous system. Lipids, glucose and metabolites acquired from eating and drinking trigger the nervous system to make certain physiological changes.

When you tax your liver by consuming harmful substances, you can find yourself on the bad end of these physiological changes. You can feel symptoms including chronic fatigue, nausea or vomiting, and abdominal pain. This can also lead to long-term diseases such as obesity, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer.

But, when the triterpenes in Reishi work to nourish the liver, it triggers the nervous system to produce a calming and grounded effect. This puts you in a more relaxed state.

Learn more about Reishi here and and start feeling calmer and more relaxed today!

National Mushroom Months: Top 5 Therapeutic Mushrooms

Hi There,

Mushrooms are amazing. Did you know that we’re genetically closer to mushrooms than we are to plants?

And that some mushrooms do many things similar to humans such as produce vitamin D?

In nature, symbiotically with plants, fungal mycelium provides immune system benefits to plants in exchange for food.

They can do much the same for us.

Check out this complete list of Medicinal Mushrooms for health and performance here, and learn how these mushrooms can change your life.

Among the best of the best, we will talk about...

Learn all about some of the therapeutic used of mushroom here

Reishi is the most highly revered mushroom (and herb overall) in Chinese medicine because of it’s many benefits. For helping the immune system, for supporting your mood, it is hard to beat.

Chaga, the King of Mushrooms, is newer on the scene but is just as powerful…just in different ways. The key benefit of this mushroom is how it helps to support your DNA. And really there is so much more.

Cordyceps is known as the mushroom for athletes for how it helps with lung capacity and endurance. This mushroom, and the effects of it, are what got me into herbalism in the first place! We feature the lesser known, but still highly powerful, Cordyceps militaris.

Lion’s mane mushroom, given that name because of its appearance, is being scientifically investigated for its benefits to the brain and nervous system, as it supports nerve growth factor (NGF).

7 Mushroom Alchemy Tincture This 7 mushroom blend is one above the rest. Strategically designed to support in overall health this tincture contains Reishi, Chaga, Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, Maitake, Artist’s Conk, Turkey Tail. A powerful combination to support almost every function.

and... Its National Mushroom Month!!! Celebrating mushrooms everywhere you can save on your first purchase of Reishi Mushroom ON SALE until Monday 9/10/18 for $24.99

If It Is Not Interesting, Don't Do It

We at times like to push ourselves and get caught up in the moment of a workout that just fuels us up even when we're exhausted. That to me is a fun way to look at things and also yet very rarely, we do things we're not particularly interested in but we push on anyway; although some just don't have that in them, specifically yours truly.

I get so excited at times to do a workout but despite the excitement, if it doesn't peak my interest, it goes away faster than the flash. One workout recently I got excited for was the Matt Furey Exercise Bible; a deck of cards workout I have done many times in the past but whenever I do it now, I lose interest fast and it doesn't appeal to me that much anymore. Unless I'm forced into a place where I can't go out then maybe I'll do my best to push through it but for the most part, I just can't stay motivated to be in one friggin spot the entire workout. It isn't an issue whether I can do it or not but rather the issue of staying interested to stay with it doing ONLY 4 exercises and feeling others that are left out.

BTW everyone, this concerns only fitness; there are some things in life you just have to do whether you're interested or not. You can't just not be interested in pay your bills or taking care of your kid or just not do your job. What I'm talking about is that if there's a program you just flat out can't be interested in but keep doing it anyway, there's something wrong there and it could hurt you mentally as well as physically.

There have been workouts where I wanted to quit but I was so into it that it just made it more exciting to have that other side of the coin to say "keep going." That's why I love the Animal Dice Game so much; it brings excitement, challenging factors and the will to keep going even after just pouring sweat, getting exhausted and wanting to die. If I need a break, I can just do an animal that's a deep breathing exercise and keep the workout going. This workout alone, gets me more excited and motivated than regular calisthenics and can adjust them to however I want. Here's a good analogy (one that I noticed in my soon to be 9 year old niece) that being in one spot can drive a person crazy especially if you're hyper and need to move so you get up and run around and get that energy out; this is me most of the time when I'm not watching movies/shows or working/promoting. I feel the need to get up and move.

I guess a reason why I do shift to other workouts that don't involve animals is because maybe I want to make the person who came up with them proud and show that I'm like their other trainees. The problem is that over a number of years, I realize more and more that yes these programs work but they won't always work for me and I have to follow my own path in order to be happy. I'm more than willing to learn from them and pick up little things but I just cannot put myself in a position where I have to do their program down to the very "T". DDP Yoga for example; one of the greatest programs of all time, I learned it and did the workouts following along but it became too repetitive for me and if I know the exercises by heart, I have the right to come up with my own style of the program. I can't follow along a workout after a brief period because I literally hate having to follow the same speed and tempo as everyone else, it's not how I operate.

I have a unique brain setup and it makes me operate in ways that have been a struggle with me ever since I got the meningitis. Unless you've had meningitis or have a grasp understanding of someone who has gone through it, you can't possibly understand what it's like for them to do things that aren't in the norm of regular brain functioning. I don't have the luxury of having the same interests as the general population, I see things differently, react differently and even say things differently that has gotten me into trouble and even has put an end to relationships not just girlfriends but other friends as well and it has even cost me some jobs I did. Very few people in my life understand the process I go through and have stuck by me through it all. I was forced to learn things in very specific ways and don't have a firm understanding of general everyday things so in some cases, I've had to learn certain things nobody else can teach me and whoever has tried most of the time has failed or I have failed them and it wasn't through lack of trying but because my interests are unique and following through with them. The basic summary of this paragraph is that if it doesn't interest me; sooner rather than later, I'll quit something right then and there, get frustrated and overwhelmed and basically shut down mentally.

This part of the article is not about taking pity on me and I'm not asking for sympathy, it is being open and honest about who I'am and what others may go through that you may not realize. There are people out there that have a lot of interests but only made for them and the people around them just cannot connect with it or that person can't connect with others and there are some people out there such as myself that can connect with a lot of people and can be interested in a plethora of things yet still struggle with a lot of things in everyday life.

When you find things that are interesting to you, hold onto it and let it become a passion; not so much an obsession but a passion that fuels your soul and you can be excited regardless if it's on a 1-10 scale. Learn things that give you that rush and have it reap many possibilities for you.


FYI- Lost Empire Herbs is having a Labor Day Sale where you can 15% Off of ALL products. Put in the code LD15 when you checkout.

The Importance Of Stretching That I've Come To Realize

Stretching wasn't always the biggest thing with me because on many days even cold, I was just ready to go and I could go whether it was weights, bodyweight, kettlebells or animal style movements because I could get a good stretch just by doing the workout. That was when I was younger and didn't know any better. Sure I did stretching routines but never as a warm up or part of my training, mainly separate from the two. Now that I'm older and slightly wiser and understanding more from my previous injuries especially in my lower back that maybe stretching ought be a key component to enhance my performance with greater intent.

The one thing that I have gotten back into more and more is relearning the aspects of Dynamic Stretching, Isometric Stretching and keeping the joint loosened. I always felt intuitive when it came to training regardless of what it was but I began to notice how my body reacts and although I'm still in pretty damn good shape, what if I made it better even by 5% and utilized the knowledge I gained in my 20's along with supplementing certain aspects of conditioning along with my intuition. Sometimes I make shit up as I go along which I'm really good at but adding a small element to get me to another level using techniques on stretching on a more strategic level.

I have an idea to experiment with stretching that I haven't fully committed yet but going to see how it goes. Nothing definite because I don't want to jinx it, but I would start the day with dynamic stretching, deep breathing, joint loosening and working my neck using the Neck Chi Gong method that I learned from Matt Furey and than do some training later in the day and do isometric stretching as a cool down and recover quicker. I've only done this once or twice and I feel a major difference. You can have all the knowledge in the world but there will be times where even the greatest expert may have a "duh" moment or subconsciously do some stupid stuff to realize there is a right way and a wrong way to do things and things change over time and learn from your mistakes.

It is important to stretch but it's also important to stretch the right way. There are stretches out there that are not meant for certain people and some stretches can even hurt you more than help you. I have had problems from certain stretches that were taught to me but I learned some very good ones and they have helped my body in ways I cannot truly explain. It takes trial and error but in the end, if you can find the key stretches that not only work but can make you feel like a fighting machine with power behind it, you can perform at your highest level and make it look easy.

I got this book on Kindle called Stretching: Exercises Bible - Learn How To Stretch With Dynamic Stretching And Flexibility Exercises where it takes on the aspects of a multitude of stretching programs molded into one using techniques in Deep Breathing, Energy Drills, Dynamic Movement & Static/Isometric Stretching. I have seen many of the exercises in the book and have done the majority of them in the past so they're virtually identical to the program I previously have done. They were a reminder of what I need to do to maintain my body's ability to stay in shape in the long haul, not just for conditioning but lifelong flexibility that will keep me youthful in later years. This is an amazing book and has routines for specific sports and morning & night programs. You don't have to do all the exercises in the same day, use them to give your body that extra juice to stay healthy without getting injured. It doesn't matter if you're a Martial Artist, a football player, baseball player, hockey player or someone who wants to gain greater flexibility from not training after so long. It gives you the opportunity to gain knowledge and learn more about not just being flexible but mobile and strong as well. It's more than just stretching the muscles, it goes deeper to the joints and ligaments along with developing a greater connection to the mind and body.

Make stretching a part of your arsenal and not always as a warm up or a cool down but as a part of your ability to keep things loose and release tension throughout the day if needed. I use some exercises to stretch after sitting or to get things kicking if i'm groggy. Learn and form your own routines and see your results as soon as that same day possibly; others have made progress in less than a few weeks and a few in less than a week, it all depends but get the best results in the time you were meant to make.


Herb Of The Day: Men's Megadose Hormone Package

Can Warming Up Be A Good Thing Or A Bad Thing?

Do you ever do a warm-up routine and than go after your workout? What kind of warm-up do you do; stretches, yoga, jogging, lifting lighter weights, loosen the joints? I've noticed over the years that warming up isn't always the best choice depending on the circumstances. Do you ever see a Gazelle stretching before being chased by a lion or a cheetah? No and why is that; because if you're in a life or death situation, having a warm up could get you killed. Some people regardless of age are so energetic that warming up isn't a big thing and can function in training sessions without issues.

As we do get older, it is important to keep tabs on our muscles and joints but warming up in a general sense won't always help maintain muscular and joint health. I believe in finding ways to get the blood flowing within a few minutes to get the juices going but if you're taking more than 20 minutes to warm up for an hour long session in addition, that could ruin your progress because there is way too much time being used when you don't need that much time. However, if you're very tense and have had previous injuries than maybe a few stretches won't hurt you but it is important to do exercises that release tension, open up channels in the body and giving the body a bit of a kick before doing something strenuous.

I have knocked hard on Warming Up in the past but now i'm closer to 35 and already have tension in my lower back, effects of scar tissue from my accident at 20 and an off and on bad right knee so I do have to think more of the health and shape my body is in. If i'm doing something like BJJ, I do some exercises before sparring like dynamic flexibility training, Animal Flow, stretches from Combat Conditioning or other animal movements to loosen up the areas I need to stay in a sparring match. Most of the time I rarely ever warm up and itch my way to going full boar. With the Animal Dice Game, I don't completely go full speed, I let my body get acclimated to the exercises and within a couple minutes I'm good to go.

The bad thing about warming up in my opinion and from personal experience is that if you do exercises that tire you quickly, you're not going to have a full and bad ass workout. Another is that if you warm up too long and with the wrong kind of stretches for your structure, you can injure yourself even quicker before your training really starts. There are awesome stretches to do and doing something like Animal Flow for even 5 minutes is a lot of fun and gets that motivational energy flowing. I sometimes like to start off the day with Isometrics or exercises based on CoreForce Energy. I'm very intuitive in what I do and I normally don't always go by being told to do this or that.

I truly believe in flowing with your body and if it's out of balance and you're so damn stiff that moving is painful than you need to find out what you can do and maybe even get an adjustment. I know what it's like to be so stiff that every muscle aches and cracks each inch you move so I feel your pain but even if that happens, sometimes just sitting and slowly rolling the joints can work wonders and on some days where I don't feel like doing anything strenuous, I just do joint loosening or holding a few postures or hang from the pull-up bar to loosen my spine.

If you feel the need to warm up, make it interesting and fun; do deep breathing, loosen up the joints, hold postures and depending on your condition, just do a few minutes of what you can and get in on your training from there.



Herb Of The Day: Nettle Root

Hotel Workout Ideas & Tips

Traveling on the road shouldn't damper you from your training and it's important to not only keep an open mind, but willing to adjust to exercise you can be in control of. From our recent road to Lake Tahoe and back, I got in my head to do animal movements while in a hotel room. Now if you ever read my posts on facebook about the Frontier Motel in Winnemucca, NV than you you know we don't need to get into that but at the Regency, I did some Bear Crawls & Tiger Walks the morning we left for Tahoe.

In the next hotel we stayed at in Baker City, Oregon I did another workout of animals. Now, I should give you a fair warning that if you're above people, be careful how you jump and if they're screeches in the floor because you never know if somebody wants to come bang on your door and tell you to knock it off. Hotel Workouts can be a lifesaver for those who are dedicated to fitness and want to stay in shape. Granted nowadays, a hotel for the most part has a higher percentage of having a gym on the premises than say 30-40 years ago. It's not ideal to always lift weights in a hotel room so bodyweight exercises are the next option or doing Isometrics, Charles Atlas type training or using cables like from Lifeline Fitness.

A great idea for Hotel training is doing a circuit of up to 9 exercises and going for rounds or for time. They don't take up a lot of time and you stay fit while getting ready for the next trek on your road trip or before catching a cab to take you to the airport. After 21 plus years of doing all sorts of fitness training, I can say that no matter where I go, I can figure out exactly what workout to do. You don't need years of expertise to learn the value of training anywhere but it is important to know what can be useful and utilizing the best possible scenarios.

I've been in shitty hotels, beautiful looking and a few downright Fugly (Frontier, Sahara e.g) and managed to get some training in. Some had a gym I used but mainly kept it bodyweight based because if you just so happen to have weights around and something happens in the hotel room, you better know how to back it up otherwise you can wreck some stuff in that place if you're not careful.

The best alternative to weights hands down is Cables and/or the power wheel; if you have a door attachment, you can have an endless variety of exercises and doing some rollouts for the core is an awesome bonus. Want to spice it up and really get cooking; use a deck of cards and do some push-ups and squats. Nature Boy Ric Flair did card decks for exercise during his time in Mid-Atlantic when gyms weren't always available in the territory and worked up to 400 reps each of push-ups, squats and sit-ups.

There's no need to be lazy and not train just because you're on the road. It opens up the brain to become more creative and learn what you can use and the knowledge of figuring out the best ways to make exercise a product of your imagination. Be creative and find the best exercises for traveling and making it worthwhile anywhere you go.

Dynamic Stretching: Animal Style

Flexibility and Mobility are key components to having an overall structure of attributes contributing to the body's full capabilities. You can have the best looking muscles but if you can't really move, what good is it for you? Stretching is a powerful ingredient but how can you get the most out of it if you keep hearing what's good, what's bad and what's worst? Coming from leg injuries, I value what gaining flexibility has done and stretching with the intent of not over lengthening a muscle but keeping mobile, loose and opened up.

Getting back to doing the Animal Flow program has only been a short time but already feeling better with my body and stretching out my spine has become more of a priority. I do love static style stretching but that's usually before bed or after a workout; with utilizing transitions, combos and stretching the body as I move puts me into another state. It's almost like meditation; I can't sit or stand still to mediate, it's very difficult but moving makes it more fun and a greater learning experience.

Warming up can be done in a variety of ways but the very best gives you the greatest benefit and I'm learning more and more as I get older even though i'm 34, having a warm up doesn't have to suck or be dreaded. The spine and legs are our greatest asset and by the time we hit 40 and beyond, it's a couple of the first things to go if we don't maintain it. Animal Flow is a powerful element of bodyweight training that combines various disciplines but mainly yoga and gymnastics in a different context.

The experience itself can be intimidating but never fret, there's a series of progressions that takes you step by step to teach you how to control the movements and how to hold specific positions that will build your strength from the ground up. Warm up by having fun and learning how to make your body more flexible using great methods that can be used in a variety of ways.

Why bother with boring exercises when you can have the time of your life and find your creative side. Animal Flow is beyond building flexibility, it adds an element that brings you great joy and you get to play like you were a kid again. Let the child in you out and harness your imagination while getting fit.

Moving Like A Wild Animal Is A Gift From Nature

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"- Charles Caleb Colton

As children, we imitate what we see and mimic actions, body language and form traces of the personalities we imitate. Sometimes what we mimic won't always be a good thing because it can lead down a road where we may not know better but we also don't understand the concepts of right and wrong. It is important to set a prime example and if it is good and we construct morals and the teachings of how to treat other human beings, that quote would make the ultimate for others in their lives.

Animals are amazing teachers and mimicking their movements sets a form of natural wonders for us humans. Movement is life and we don't always move through the natural order of things. We are taught this and that, being shoved certain things down our throat as if it was life or death and sometimes what we are taught doesn't always benefit the treatment of another human being.

Moving like an animal is not just physically getting into position and crawling, hopping, jumping and coordinating but what it really does is imitate the concept of freedom; the freedom to express the body and hone skills that not only strengthen the body but also the brain as well. Moving like an animal is a gift from nature itself. The idea of expressing yourself through the spirit and teachings of the animal kingdom brings another level of discovering ourselves in the form of natural movement.

Although we don't want to be as violent or territorial as wild animals, it is important to realize that growth comes from getting ideas on how to apply what is being taught. Animal Movement provides the ideals of challenging the body in a manner of learning how the muscles work, how the brain subjects the nerves and impulses to form the movement and using the imagination to get the very best out of applying our strengths and motor skills that we may need in other areas of our lives. It is a gift that we can't ignore and a great aspect of teaching anyone from young to old how to get the most out of the body on all three planes of our structure: Physical, Mental & Emotional.

Work within your ability and progress with the best of intentions because as you get better, you become greater equipped with knowledge and wisdom. Imitate what is pure and beautiful.

Tips On Recovery

There's going to be days where the body needs to rest and heal. I'm not saying rest completely but do some form of exercise that is softer, less strenuous and lower intensity. One of the things I love to do for a recovery day is doing deep breathing exercises or focus more on keeping the joints and ligaments loose and generate blood flow to the structure of the muscles.

There's a fine line between being sore and being in pain, a lot of trainees have experienced both but some cannot tell the difference. Being sore in a nutshell is not being able to move as you normally would after a day of training and it feels like a weight is being held on you and it feels like you're carrying more on your shoulders. Being in pain means it's sharper and certain areas of the body hurt like hell and pain is pushing the body passed its threshold. I've been through both and as much as I can take it, i'm one of those people that just can't tolerate it. Some people take pain differently and if they have a sadistic way of handling it, good for them.

Recovery is that other side of the coin where the body can still do amazing things but at a lower level and help the body heal. Qi Gong is a phenomenal tool for recovery because some styles are low impact and have a way of decreasing the load on the body and strengthen the internal organs. Yoga is another great recovery tool, I do DDP Yoga from time to time because again, it is low impact but can get a lot done and stretching the muscles along with strengthening the joints.

A personal favorite is obviously animal movements because you can vary the intensity, speed and coordination of the movements to where by slowing down and concentrating on the movement or than the muscles themselves, it can be a powerful entity of being able to recover. Animal Moves stretch the muscles and if you practice a certain sequence or combo, it can be a lot of fun. Dynamic Stretching is amazing too because as you move and lengthen the body, it opens up the meridians of the body and opens up channels that can decrease tension in the muscles plus with the addition of deep breathing and focusing on the muscles, you're giving the body a chance to heal quicker for your next training session.

There's no such thing as a day off when it comes to training. You do something everyday whether it's a hardcore day or a taking it easy day. Your body will come back and fully charged when you use the right tools and exercises for you. Forcing recovery can hold you back because if you don't listen to your body, it'll bite you in the ass and you'll pay the price. However, I would take over recovery over overtraining any day but there's a balance and the body is a well-oiled machine that does need maintenance and as we age, it becomes more critical. Nobody has the same training style at age 60 as opposed to their 20's; things change and the body needs greater upkeep but it shouldn't stop you from having a healthy and long life full of wonders and happiness both physically and mentally.

Older folks need greater recovery but can still do awesome things in their training if they put their mind to it. Many just let themselves go and just let age take a hold on them and just wither away. Yes, you can't do the same things as you were younger but that doesn't mean you should stop being fit into your golden years. Research what you can use to recover and make the most out of your training you body can handle. Everybody is different but it can still do amazing things. Recover with intention and listen to your body. 

Berry Madness: How This Herbal Berry Can Enhance Your Well Being

Good Morning Everyone. Let me ask you a couple things......

Are you into health?

Do you like to make smoothies or fruit drinks?

I have something worth checking out to share with you...

Schisandra is widely used in modern society... from herbal teas to fermented drinks it is quite versatile and enjoyed for its unique flavor and for the support of health and longevity.

Some of its most popular attributes are its ability to support liver detoxification, improve focus and memory, increase alertness, improve night vision, and more (to learn more click here for the all the details).

This pungent, bright, sweet, sour and bitter berry is loaded with antioxidants, these antioxidant work with the body to maintain, balance, and fight off Free Radicals which can cause cellular damage and oxidation within the body. Adding supplement such as Schisandra into our diet give our bodies the ability to maintain antioxidants for this purpose.

This one's for you Greg Russell, read the review he left about Schisandra…

“I absolutely love the flavor of the 5 flavor fruit! This is one that we run out of all too soon. I would honestly love to see a larger sized bag available, maybe even a special in a Miron jar! Definitely cleared the brain fog and aided in more focus, like that of Rhodiola, with faster response time,… maybe it’s just me, but I love a tonic herb that helps keep the neurons firing quickly with many other benefits aside from that great perk. Didn’t have it long enough for a 100-day trial, but wish I did and miss it so. Great quality too. That basically goes without saying, when discussing Lost Empire Herbs. Many thousand thank yous, Christopher brothers!”

Do you want to feel like Greg? …

Are you Interested in trying our “Schisandra Challenge”? (Click here for details)

Do you want to Detox your liver from harmful toxins?

There is not a better time to start or a better deal than the one we have right now!

Remember we have a hassle-free return policy, a whole year, that's how much we love these herbs and believe in their capabilities!!!

>>>Pick yourself up a bag or two TODAY!

Have an Amazing Berry Awesome Day!