[steven]

That kind of clears up the "elixer" mystery for me I guess. I always wanted to know where they were coming from with these claims. Thanks for the info.

Yea I checked out the Citric Amino website and all I could find are powders which does explain why I don't usually see them. I feel like I've seen them somewhere... but it's one of those things. I might not've and just thought I did. I certainly haven't heard people talking about it so as far as what I've seen it's not really popular. Although I don't know how much people like to talk about that kind of thing haha.

I'm sure the increase in alcohol consumption hasn't helped... but I've decidedly become more unhealthy since I came here. I hardly ever drink any more and am still a bit heavier than I'd like to be and my cholestorol rose since last year. I'm starting to really not buy the whole "Japanese food is healthy" argument (I'm aware that there is a lot of unhealthy stuff... but it's not like I eat Tonkatsu and Yakiniku every day). So I've become a little bit weary of all these products available that have to do with health in Japan lately. I can't even remember what it was... but my wife had heard about some new product and we went to check it out at the drug store... it was like a powder you put in a pill and drink or something (if I remember correctly it was like a glorified garlic pill). I remember it was like 6000 for a month's supply. Some of it just seems like a ripoff to me.

There seem to be a lot of Japanese people who get away with sitting at a desk all day, who drink and smoke and don't really concern themselves about what they eat and they are like super skinny. It amazes me to be honest. Getting health advice because I'm "fat" from people like that is sometimes frustrating. I'm about 155lbs at 5'11". I guess I should look at the bright side by knowing that I'll be forced to take care of myself because apparently everyone is staring at me all day... lol.