As a coach, wetsuit manufacturer and former triathlete, Paul Lundgren has taken his love of nature and the thrill of the race to craft a life unlike any other. It's Paul's commitment to health and the environment that makes him our newest addition to the Men of MenScience.

Paul became interested in triathlon training as a college student in 1985 after reading accounts of triathletes, and was so impressed that he dropped out of school, bought a bike and set out for San Diego, California. Paul won several smaller races, competed in the Hawaii Ironman competition, and trained with some of the best athletes of the time.

Because the sport was still in its early stages, Paul says that no one was quite sure where it would go or how it would ultimately affect athletes' bodies. "Now, 20 years and several hospital beds of friends and loved ones later I know the answer. Triathlon can be good for you and it can also be very harmful," he says. Paul admits that one of greatest dangers is nutritional demands on the body, and recommends new triathletes find a professional coach to provide guidance and experience on the long and rigorous journey ahead.

Paul has also been coaching for almost as long as he's been swimming. His finest coaching achievement came when he was asked by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to co-coach and help design their first triathlon team for the Team in Training Program. Along with three other coaches, they coached a team of 98 athletes for the Wildflower Triathlon in 1998. The TNT Triathlon program that's in place today is the same as the one they designed, and triathlon has become one of the most successful fundraising programs for TNT. Since then, Paul has coached hundreds of athletes from beginners to experts.

Love of swimming and triathlons also put Paul in contact with the industry of wetsuit manufacturing. After working for a time at the largest dealer to triathlon wetsuit manufacturers, Paul collaborated with another wetsuit distributor and in 2006 created Fit2Race, Inc. (F2R), a leading manufacturer of quality Triathlon wetsuits, and seller of running, swimming and cycling accessories.

Paul says of Fit2Race, Inc., "An added bonus that gets me really excited is seeing our product winning races. Maybe I never won the World Championships, but you just might see an F2R wetsuit win."

Throughout his careers of training, coaching and manufacturing, a connection to nature has always played a large role in Paul's life. He says, "When I feel most at home is when I am outside in the wild. I think I am lucky because I can find that feeling just about anywhere." In 1995, he and four friends swam 465 miles of the Salmon and Snake Rivers to highlight the plight of the rapidly-dwindling Sockeye Salmon population. Paul also supports Fit2Live, a non-profit foundation that seeks to preserve and restore native wild fish species by protecting streams and rivers. A portion of sales from each F2R product goes to Fit2Live.

"I hope to spark a fire that will ignite and fuel change towards a better human-to-nature relationship," he says. "I'm certainly not a rocket scientist or famous athlete for that matter, just a guy that would like to leave behind a little more than what he took."

Although no longer tied to a demanding training schedule, Paul continues to have his hands full with Fit2Race, Inc. and Fit2Live, as well as raising his two sons in California. "Today I am happy spending time with my boys watching them develop and discover the wild," he says.

To discover more about Paul, visit our blog and his website at www.f2r.com.

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Labels: f2r, f2r.com, fit2race, Paul Lundgren

Obviously most of our efforts are dedicated to bring into focus to the right audience the right men's skin care information for the right season. Other men's skin care blogs, many of whom work write endlessly trying to help consumers choose the right products, face many challenges.

Third-party sites or distributors are often forced into difficult situations helping disoriented customers. What if you were the one on that side, trying to make a decision on a product? We've spent the last few months talking to skin care consumers about their daily needs and frustrations in order to come up with a few best skin care practices and identify problematic skin types. Here's a mix of that conversation.

Skin Type Classification Syndrome (STCS)

The STCS brand of wicked is easily identified as the "noob" with a passion for confusing well-read consumers. The "noob" is not to be confused by the other form of new player in the men's skin care world, "newb," who actually has intentions of improving their skin and look.

Classifying your skin type is the first step to finding the right products for you. Most products target several individual skin types: oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin and combination skin.

Oily skin: Feels slightly greasy or slick to the touch, with larger pores. It is usually more prone to blackheads and whiteheads. Look for products that are ultralight and oil-free, and exfoliating items that will remove oil and dirt.

Dry skin: Often feels tight and itchy and is more prone to irritations. Look for products that contain hydrating ingredients like Aloe, Urea and Allantoin, and pay special attention to moisturizers. Keep in mind that moisture is not the same thing as oil, so you don't need heavy, oily products to achieve good levels of hydration for your skin.

Sensitive skin: Easily irritated by skincare or shaving products or extreme weather conditions. Look for products that do not contain dyes, fragrances or irritants and are specially formulated for sensitive skin.

Normal skin: If haven't had any reoccurring skin problems such as shininess, acne or irritated skin, you probably have normal skin. Unless a product states otherwise, most skincare items can be used by men with normal skin.

Combination skin: Most men fall into this category, having dry patches and oily patches on their face at the same time (oily patches often fall in the “T-Zone”: your forehead and down your nose to your chin). Look for products that gently clean skin without harsh abrasives and moisturizers that are ultralight.

Acne-prone skin: Can partner with oily skin, but is also a factor with people with dry skin. This type tends to break out frequently with pimples, blackheads or whiteheads. Look for products that are noncomedgenic (not pore-clogging) and contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide.

Ill-informed Skincare Product Expert (ISPE)

Similar to the STCS entry, the ISPE is identified by making nutty decisions armed with enough information to be dangerous. For example, the ISPE may say something like, "My brother-in-law knows all about that skin care stuff, so I can help you."

According to many of the experts I spoke with, said brother-in-law is so poorly equipped to handle anything men's skincare related, he often causes nearly irreparable damage with his "advice," and the men's skin care customer spends more time doing damage control than achieving results.

Counteracting the effects on an ISPE can be pretty simple. Zero in on your skin type, and concentrate on finding products that appeal to that type, or products recommended for all skin types. And although there's still a sea of products out there, you can decide which you need and which ones are nothing more than fancy packaging by starting with the basic skin care routine that involves four steps: Cleaning, Exfoliating, Shaving, and Moisturizing.

That means you should look for a gentle liquid cleanser for your face, an exfoliating scrub, a shaving product, an aftershave product and an oil-free moisturizer. Trust us, you can't really go wrong.

Screwball Customer Meltdown (SCM)

The SCM is an affliction of the highest order that affects many men's skin care industry folks who are either duped by customers with specific needs or have customers forced upon them by ISPEs.

SCM is a progressive disorder that usually cannot be treated with early detection. Those affected by the SCM often don't see it coming. The consumers often bypass the men's skin care experts and consistently attempt to undermine their efforts by abandoning contact protocols. They reach out to ISPEs directly and pile on unrealistic expectations, armed with misinformation.

There are few effective treatments for SCM, though the disorder has been linked to causative factors associated with the creation of ISPEs.

Men's Skin Care Hater (MSCHMr)

The MSCHMr spends all of his time reading Men's Skin Care blogs and attempts to circumvent the efforts of manufacturers everywhere. The MSCHMr views everything manufacturers does as evil, and this psychosis has bled into other areas of his or her life.

The best way to counter the MSCHMr is to stay on top of the information produced by the MenScience team, cross referencing the information with your own logical conclusions, and citing that information in each skin care need.

And, It Continues to Happen

The men's skin care world is changing but not as quickly as we would like it to. Believe it or not, we still get calls from customers asking for advice on the best "Men's Skin Care Product."

"Men's Skin Care?" Nice one. While I am at it, I usually also pass along MenScience's phone number and url, just in case.

At the end of the day, all you need to do is narrow down what types of products you should be using, and how to apply your core men's skin care products.

BTW, feel free to link to this post. Thanks!

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Labels: men skin care, men's skin care, men's skincare, mens skin care, mens skincare, skin care for men, skin care men

"Stay with me please", is what Barry Bonds is saying after being accused of using illegal supplements to obtain his title.

MLB's leading slugger was indicted yesterday in the bay area charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. Did he lie to a grand jury about using steroids saying that he never took "performance-enhancing drugs"? Maybe he should have stuck to good old Antioxidants. ;-)

According to the indictment,"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes".

And it even seems that he lied to his personal trainer as well...

Do you think fans will bury Barry this time? --- I think he will continue waving, the questions is where from?

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Labels: antioxidants, Barry Bonds, performance-enhancing drugs, Steroids

We know there's been a lot said about Anti-Aging Skin Care - Because how you look matters.

We've written articles about ingredients in anti-aging products, how to stay young and natural skin defenders, and we thought we'd show you one addition to the anti-aging topic. We came up with the idea to add a how-to guide that gives you a smoother skin, and more youthful-looking face, because it's only going to make your life easier when you can look and feel younger in under 10 minutes.

So, we wrote a few simple steps to diminish fine lines wrinkles, that might be worth a closer look to see if you're doing the right thing to reove face wrinkles, or using the best anti-wrinkle face cream.

Check out the How To: Diminish Fine Lines and Wrinkles guide, a new improvement from all the anti-aging treatments available. It takes 5-10 minutes to complete... but it's definitely worth the time... you get a nice looking skin when it's finished as well.

The protocol combines the use of Anti-Aging Formula with regular exfoliation of your face with Microfine Face Scrub improves the appearance of fine lines, softens skin and improves absorption of the active ingredients.

You'll me amazed at how effective it is... it's all MenScience.

BTW, feel free to link to this guide. Thanks!

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Labels: anti aging, anti wrinkle face cream, antiaging skin care, antiaging skin care product, antiaging skin care treatment, antiaging supplement, antiaging treatment, face wrinkle

Our writers have been quite busy in the past couple of months writing some of our latest men's skin care articles, and creating new how-to guides for acne skin care and nutrition.

My favorite nutrition article is Diet Psychology, since it gives you the skinny on what men can do to get self-motivated to loose weight, if you haven't given it a glance, go check it out!

Here are a few of our latest MenScience articles:

Proteins vs Carbs - debates the pros and cons of men's diets that focus on protein or exclude carbs, and reveal how each ingredient provides complete men's health.
Weight Management Myths - Test your knowledge of men's health and nutrition by taking the MenScience fitness quiz.
Benefits of Green Tea to Mens Health - Explore the benefits to men's health, men's weight loss and men's diet in Green Tea and nutritional supplements.
The Science of Breakouts - Causes of acne, as well as acne treatment with acne medicine and acne cleansers, blemish control and acne skin care products.

How-to Guides:

How To: Reduce Back Acne - Get rid of back acne with this bacne treatment. Back acne cure for anyone who wants to reduce back acne blemishes.
How To: Avoid Winter Skin Problems - Reduce skin irritations and problems caused by winter weather and temperatures.
How To: Exercise on a Busy Schedule - To achieve better health and lose weight by finding time to fit exercise in throughout the day.
How To: Reduce Age Spots and Hyperpigmentation - Diminish facial discolorations caused by environmental factors and age and improve skin tone and texture.
How To: Diminish Fine Lines and Wrinkles - Reveal a smoother, more youthful-looking face.
How To: Control Oily Skin - Minimize oily, shiny skin for an improved appearance.
How To: Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Eyes - Diminish puffy or tired-looking eyes with this cold therapy, or improve dark circles and relax skin around eye area with a warm treatment.

If you like these free articles, please link to them. Thanks!

Anyone have ideas for new articles or improvements to these?

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Labels: men's grooming, men's skin care

There's been a lot of talk lately about the threat of bacteria to men's bodies and with good cause: more and more cases of bacteria-related deaths, such as those caused by staph infections and MRSA bacteria, are surfacing every day. To make matters even tricker, some strains of bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics due to overuse and over-prescription.

So how to stay healthy? Simple: keep your skin clean, wounds covered and your hands to yourself!

1. Wash your body regularly with an antibacterial body wash. This will immediately kill bacteria you accumulate through the day or after working out.

2. Wash hands frequently using hot water and an antibacterial cleanser, especially before meals. Be sure to wash them for at least 15 seconds and rub them vigorously to make sure all containments are rinsed away.

3. Using an antibacterial gel can also cut down on bacteria for times when you can't get to a sink, but keep in mind they should not be relied on for regular cleansing.

4. Completely cover all cuts, sores, scrapes and open wounds with clean bandages.

5. When working out at a gym, be sure to wipe down all equipment with a clean towel before use, even if it does not appear to be sweaty.

6. Don't share towels, razors or any other items which come in direct contact with skin.

7. Reduce the spread of bacteria by washing workout clothes and towels with hot water as soon as possible after use, and drying them completely. Never reuse socks, clothes or towels from a previous day's workout.

8. Boost your immune system by taking a nutritional supplement that contains antioxidants such as Vitamin C. This will help improve your chances of warding off a possible infection.

Labels: antioxidants, bacteria, men's fitness, men's health, men's nutrition, men's skin care, mens health, mrsa, sickness, staph

Acne continues to be a major problem for men, one that reaches well past the teenage years. In a poll conducted by MenScience:

• 61% of men admitted that acne had an effect on their social lives, but a majority of men (42%) prefer to wash their faces twice a day to treat it, instead of using the appropriate skincare product.

• 85% think you should stop using an acne medication if your skin worsens at first. This misconception needs to be cleared up, as many products do tend to make skin look worse before actually providing visible improvements.

In light of these acne problems, MenScience aims to provide some much-needed information and new products to help overcome these skincare setbacks.

Even if you've been paying attention to MenScience's new acne treatment line for men, you still might not know about the newest addition: Advanced Acne Pads. These convenient pads contain Glycolic and Salicylic Acids to clear and prevent acne breakouts, while deep-cleaning pores. And MenScience has also been releasing tons of new articles focusing on different aspects of the acne problem, so men can educate themselves on the best ways to treat it.

So if acne effects you, as it does the majority of men, take a moment to get educated and find out what you can do to diminish the problem.

Labels: acne, acne-prone skin, advanced acne pads, back acne, bacne, damaged skin, men's health, men's products, men's skin care, men's skincare, menscience, oily skin