#the last one kickstarted the chronic pain and fatigue too

[robinsnest2111]

I feel like I didn't make proper use of today. but I got several loads of laundry done and put fresh bedsheets and such on my bed. and that will have to be enough.

[bushido-jack]

Hello everyone! It’s been, uh, a while! Much longer than I initially said my hiatus would be! My god, SO much longer. A LOT of stuff has happened in the 9 months I’ve been away, and a few have been potentially life changing. Content warning, this post will talk about COVID and mention a death in the family. Don’t read if this is content that upsets you.

TLDR; I’ve had quite a few significant life complications that have taken precedence and prevented me from engaging in my hobbies, and maintaining this blog, and while I can’t promise consistent activity from now on, I am determined to break the hiatus and get back on here to write! After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! (Of course, Jack could never be the dull one around here but Sharkie very much was. I know this joke isn’t funny just let me get it out) I’ve even commissioned a promo along with some fresh new icons that will be coming soon to kickstart my break from hiatus and into some semi-regular activity!

So first off, right around the time I made my last few posts, I got COVID a second time, and this time it really messed me up. It has left me even more disabled physically AND mentally, and my stamina in both is nothing short of abysmal. I got severe long COVID that I’m still battling with, and it made functioning in any way a monumental task. I’m almost positive I have some minor brain damage. My already bad lungs and chronic pain got worse, my mental health dipped extremely badly (I developed some new OCD rituals that have made typing a nightmare unfortunately) and I was trying to survive all of this while keeping a job that was extremely physically demanding. I’d already had to quit a previous one due to my disability and a lack of understanding that pushed me much too hard, and I really wanted to keep this one because I actually had training and a certificate in that line of work. Unfortunately I was forced to quit my second as well due to my stamina being severely reduced by COVID making it so that I could no longer handle a day of work without at least two days of recovery, as well as long term damage to my body from work itself that I was not comfortable with continuing to sacrifice for my paycheck. (most significant and the ones that have affected my return to writing have been significant tinnitus, carpal tunnel and tendinitis, lung damage, and even more brain fog, this time due to fatigue and constant sensory overload). Not long after I recovered from COVID the second time, my Uncle also got COVID and unfortunately passed away. It was sudden and traumatic and for a good while all of my emotional energy was spent with my family and trying to help my aunt who suffered a severe emotional break from the event. And during all of this, ever since the day I made my hiatus post, I have been struggling with some severe burnout in pretty much every category imaginable. I have been dealing with severe autistic burnout which has affected me since December and made recovery that much more difficult, as well as creative burnout that has prevented me from drawing or writing much since even before last December. That burnout plus the overwhelming exhaustion from overwork and physical and mental health issues has made it so I have barely drawn anything in over a year, and I haven’t written consistently for around a year. Along with those challenges, I haven’t had much time to engage in my hobbies as I’ve been working towards independent living, which as a disabled person is a nightmare of an obstacle coarse. In some ways this effort has necessitated my hiatus as well as the overwork I’ve done to myself in order to have enough credit and money to become independent legally. I’ve gotten pretty far, but until I’ve got everything in order I may still be struggling on finding a consistent and healthy work and hobby balance. But that’s where something came to help refresh my creativity a little bit. I got a new muse, funnily enough connected to Samurai Jack! I started checking out Lupin the Third while I was going down the rabbit hole of influences and references that appeared in the Samurai Jack show (and also trying to research the existence of the Japanese dub for Samurai Jack) and got hooked on the treasure trove of an animation history foundation block it is. As someone interested in pursuing a career in animation and loves old cartoons (shocking.) I was drawn into the old 60-70s originated show like a moth to a flame. Soon after watching a bit I found a great muse to help me recover from burnout without abandoning Jack, and in fact supporting him due to the fact that there are clear inspirations and references within Samurai Jack to Goemon Ishikawa XIII. While I allowed Jack’s muse to rest so as not to push him to the point where I didn’t enjoy it anymore, I decided to switch over to him for a while. By now I have reached a point where I’m in a place to bring back Jack and rp them both, and I may even do crossovers with them! Thankfully not everything personal has been gloomy: in a purely positive update, I dyed my hair pastel lavender like I’ve wanted to do since I was in middle school! This is something that’s helped lift my spirits a lot so I thought I’d share. If I ever do a mun day I may share, my entire face not included.

[supplementhoundblog]

10 Best Guarana Supplements – Reviewed & Ranked for 2017

Last Updated: Monday, April 24, 2017

If you’re looking for the best guarana supplements to buy this year, then you’ve come to the right place. 

You can also get more info by jumping to our Guarana Supplements Guide.

Top 10 Guarana Supplements

#1 Bulksupplements Pure Guarana Powder More Info #2 Nature’s Answer Guarana More Info #3 Source Naturals Guarana Energizer More Info #4 Natrol Guarana More Info #5 Natural Balance Extra Strength Guarana More Info #6 Solaray Guarana Capsules More Info #7 Madre Nature Pure Fruit Guarana More Info #8 GNC Herbal Plus Guarana More Info #9 Herbalife Nature’s Raw Guarana Tea More Info #10 Life Extension Super Cla Blend with Guarana More Info

Guarana Supplements Guide

Guarana comes from the seeds of a certain type of tree grown mainly in South America. Due to its high caffeine content, it is most known for being an energy supplement. In today’s growing market, guarana is more commonly located in flavorings, extracts, and syrups used in collaboration with the beverage industry.

In addition, it is also commonly used in herbal weight loss products when it is combined with ephedra.

What is Guarana?

In previous cultures, guarana was most commonly used by the Guarani tribe located in the Amazon. The used the seeds to help flavor and brew drinks as well as in medicine, similar to today’s modern culture.

Guarana itself is a type of dried paste from a perennial shrubbery located in Brazil and the Amazon called P. cupana or P. sorbilis. The seeds which are extracted from the plant are roasted and then ground to form a paste to be sun-dried.

In today’s market guarana is most commonly used to help boost athletic performances, reduce fatigue, and as a weight loss treatment. One of it’s most popular uses is as a main ingredient in energy drinks.

Other uses include increasing sexual intentions, increase the flow of urine, and to help treat chronic fatigue. However, there are plenty of other uses such as treating headaches, aches, pains, and stress.

When manufactured in food, guarana is known to help flavor a multitude of candy and beverages. Especially since it contains a large amount of caffeine, it can help stimulate the heart, nerves, muscles, and central nervous system.

Benefits of Guarana

There are a few benefits associated with the regular consumption of guarana.

Energy

One of the most known benefits of guarana is that it can supply a load of energy to the consumer. Due to its high content of caffeine, it can often provide more energy than regular energy drinks. It even has more lasting effects than coffee due to the fact that it releases energy into the body much more slowly to prevent caffeine dips. Guarana is also suggested to be taken in smaller doses since it can affect the central nervous system directly.

Weight Loss

Guarana has been used for centuries to help reduce hunger and promote weight loss. In today’s culture, it holds a secure place in the energy drink industry as well as in products to help increase weight loss. The way it helps the consumer lose weight is by putting the nervous system into overdrive and kickstarting lipolysis, which is the process of turning fat into energy.

Bowel Health

Due to its weight loss properties, guarana can help with bowel movements and prevent constipation. In addition, it can also help cleanse your digestive system and help treat excess diarrhea and gas.

Are There any Side Effects?

Guarana is more likely to have safer impacts on your health when taken in food form. In addition, it is also safer if you take it orally for medicinal purposes for shorter amounts of time. However, high doses of guarana can be unsafe.

Typical side effects while taking guarana entirely depends on the type of dose you consume. Most doses include non-threatening side effects such as nausea, increased heart rate, restlessness, and nervousness. High doses can lead to more serious health conditions such as irregular heartbeats, headaches, and pain when urinating. Those who regularly experience serious caffeine withdrawal symptoms should lower their guarana for the sake of their well being.

When taken with caffeine, guarana is considered deadly if injected or taken orally in doses that are more than suggested. The most fatal dose is registered at 10-14 grams. However, this can entirely depend on the overall health of the consumer and even smaller doses can be just as harmful.

If you suffer from any of the following conditions, talk to your doctor before taking guarana supplements. We recommend you speak with your doctor before taking any supplements in general.

Breastfeeding and pregnant women: Guarana is generally safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women when eating foods that contain guarana. However, you should proceed with caution. If you are taking high doses of guarana orally, it may be unsafe. In taking more than 200 mg of guarana has some negative side effects, including the increased risk of miscarriage.

Anxiety: The immense amounts of caffeine in guarana can increase your feelings of anxiety and make your symptoms worse.

Bleeding disorders: Caffeine may make your bleeding disorder worse. Check with your doctor before consuming guarana.

Diabetes: There is some research that shows caffeine may change the way that diabetic people process sugar. This can complicate the control of blood sugar and increase the amount of low blood sugar occurrences. IBS and diarrhea: The caffeine contained in guarana can worsen diarrhea and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. This is especially true when it is taken in copious amounts.

Heart disease: If you have heart disease, taking guarana supplements can cause an irregular heartbeat.

High blood pressure: Because of its high caffeine amount, consuming guarana can raise the blood pressure of people with already high blood pressure. The effects of this are subdued in people who regularly consume caffeine.

Glaucoma: Caffeine increase the pressure inside the eye. This symptom happens within a half hour of drinking caffeine and can last for an hour and a half after you are done drinking it. This can exacerbate glaucoma in some.

Osteoporosis: Caffeine flushes calcium out of the body by way of the kidneys. This increase in caffeine and calcium loss can actually weaken the bones. To offset this problem, it may be beneficial to take a calcium supplement.

If you regularly take stimulant drugs like amphetamines or ephedrine, you should absolutely stay away from guarana.

These two together can cause deadly consequences. You should also refrain from taking guarana supplements if you take antibiotics, estrogens, medications for depression, medications that slow blood clotting, nicotine, or other drugs on a regular basis. In general, it is best to discuss taking guarana supplements with your doctor to determine if it will interact negatively with any of your regular prescriptions.

How to Take Guarana Supplements

As of right now, there is not standard dosing recommendation for guarana supplements. Further research is necessary to determine the optimal dosage. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting to take any guarana supplements. You can also refer to the recommended instructions on the supplement label.

For energy, some people use between 200 and 800 mg per day. For other uses, people take between 50 and 100 mg throughout the day. This is why it is best for you to talk to your doctor to determine the correct dose. It is also worth noting that you should not take any guarana supplements at night. It has stimulatory properties and contains caffeine, which can cause sleep problems.

What to Look for in a Good Guarana Supplement

When choosing a guarana supplement, the first thing you should look at is the amount of caffeine in each capsule. Remember that guarana contains twice as much caffeine as a coffee bean. So, even if you are taking guarana for an energy boost, you still do not want to consume too much caffeine. This can cause jitters, anxiety problems, and some sleep disorders.

If you do not have a high tolerance for caffeine, you should look for a supplement with a lower dosage. If you do have a high tolerance, choose a supplement with a higher dosage. Before purchasing and deciding on a caffeine dosage, consider the other sources that you may be getting guarana from.

This may include other energy supplements or appetite control supplements. You should also only purchase your guarana supplements from a trusted source. Do some research to determine which brands you can trust the most.

The post 10 Best Guarana Supplements – Reviewed & Ranked for 2017 appeared first on Supplement Hound - Supplement Reviews for 2016.

from Supplement Hound – Supplement Reviews for 2016 http://supplementhound.com/best-guarana-supplements/