Lifetime Fitness

Go Organic!

2008-11-23T07:03:00.001-08:00

The term, organic farming refers to an environmentally friendly and health-supportive method of farming and processing foods. Weeds and pests are controlled using environmentally sound practices that sustain our personal health and the health of our planet.

The term organic applies to both animal and plant foods. The production of organic foods does not use pesticides or synthetic (or sewage-based) fertilizers for plant materials and hormones and antibiotics for animals, does not allow genetic engineering or the use of radiation, and emphasizes the utilization of renewable resources as well as conservation of land and water.

Organic Farming Methods

As organic farmers do not use chemicals in an environmentally harmful manner they need to farm using a blend of old and new technologies and scientific advancements to improve upon their craft. Where commercial farmers use pesticides and soil additives organic farmers use techniques such as rotating crops between fields, which prevents pests from building up and improves soil fertility, and planting certain flowers and bushes, which attract certain insects and ward off unwanted pests.

Organic farming prohibits the use of many substances present in commercial farming, including most synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, genetic engineering, growth hormones, and artificial ingredients.

Organic production is managed with the intent to integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices to promote ecological balance and biodiversity. Practices help to protect the soil, groundwater, provide health promoting conditions for animals and ultimately help promote the health of the consumer.

Why organic foods are considered better for our health?

Research into organic foods is still in its infancy, while there have been many tests, trials and studies the health benefits of organic compared to commercial foods are still considered questionable by the scientific community as a whole. The research that has been conducted has co! nvinced thousands of people that an organic lifestyle is far better for us in the long run. Common sense more than scientific proof tells us that pesticides, hormones and artificial additives are indeed bad for us. If the old adage ?you are what you eat? is true most would prefer to go organic than to be consuming substances that are undoubtedly highly unnatural and harmful to our bodies if taken in large quantities. There is certainly a need for more quality research into the nutritional content of organic food and its effect on consumers. With more research the food industry can make more confident statements about organic food.

What we do know is that organic foods contain higher levels of certain vitamins and nutrients and lower levels of toxins. Research has confirmed that conventional produce has only 83 percent of the nutrients of organic produce. Studies have found significantly higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Certain essential nutrients have been found to be more prevalent in organic foods such as Chromium, a chromium deficiency is associated with adult diabetes as well as the hardening of arteries, and Selenium, which protects us against certain cancers and heart disease, was found to be an astounding 390% in organic foods.

Lithium, which is used to treat depression, and Boron, which has been proved to help prevent osteoporosis are more prevalent in organic compared to commercially farmed produce. With all of this information it is easy to see why people are of the opinion that certain diseases can be prevented by eating certain types of food. Apart from all of these benefits of organically grown food the pesticides in commercially grown produce can have many negative healthy effects including disruptions of the endocrine system, immune system suppression and carcinogenicity (cancer-causing). Pesticide exposure has been linked to malfunctions of the reproductive system as well as miscarriages.

The health benefits of an organic lifestyle ar! e more t han sufficient to prove that organic foods promote your body?s well being for the rest of its life span ? why not take preventative steps today than suffer in years to come?

A New Era

There are a variety of reasons people choose from organic foods. Many are concerned with the ill treatment of the environment and animal welfare which organic foods promote. Others believe that is safer in the long run because of the absence of chemical residues, whilst others believe that it tastes better and has a higher nutritional content which makes for improved health. Whatever the reasoning it is undeniable that organic foods are making a huge impact on the food industry. Farmers markets and organic stores are beginning to see a surge in business and food retailers are beginning to stock more and more organic produce.

We live in an era where environmental and health consciousness is the name of the game and organic is the buzz word!

The ground breaking Channel 4 TV show, You Are What You Eat hosted by acclaimed holistic nutritionist Gillian McKeith, is taking Britain by storm. Advocating the benefits of healthy foods, especially of the organic variety, the show is educating viewers on the necessary steps to take in order to live a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits Road To Justice For The Unfortunate Victims

2008-11-21T07:03:00.001-08:00

What are mesothelioma lawsuits and how do they arise?

Mesothelioma lawsuits are filed by the victims of mesothelioma to avail reparations for medical expenses, pain & suffering and loss of income associated with the growth of this disease. Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer, which is inflicted by exposure to asbestos most frequently used in industrial and residential places till the late seventies. The numbers of mesothelioma victims were on the rise as the employers continued using these hazardous materials despite knowing the harmful consequences of them. Thus the poor workers, who were ignorant of the potential health risks that they were about to confront, were the unfortunate victims.

In case the victim dies there is a provision that one of the family members or the executor of his estate can file the lawsuit. On the other hand a family member who has contracted the disease from the victim of mesothelioma can also file a lawsuit.

Thus, if an individual is victimized owing to the negligence of another person, he has absolute right to take legal actions in the court of law for compensation. An individual needs to first consult with an attorney who deals with asbestos litigation and on his discretion the victim can file the suit.

How long does the process take and what are the end results?

These lawsuits tend to be cumbersome and longwinded. It could also stretch to years even to reach any settlement. Again all lawsuits are not necessarily longwinded; some of them take lesser time. However, in some of the cases the victims receive negligible amount of money, most of which are used to meet the lawyer?s and the court?s expenses. Nevertheless victims of mesothelioma should exhibit their rights and fight for their compensation. Again, mesothelioma lawsuits are generally settled out of court before they are set for trail. This actually makes more sense because it curtails court expenses for both the parties.

What can you do if you are uncertain about exposure to asbestos! ?

If you don?t know where and when you were exposed to asbestos, you should speak to your lawyer who will help you out. The lawyer may possibly hire a professional investigator who can make the necessary investigations so as to find out where the exposure had occurred and who are the ones that can be held responsible.

How much do you have to pay?

Factually, you need not pay unless and until you receive your compensation. It is only then that your lawyer shall take a percentage out of the compensation as his remuneration.

How much can you expect as compensation?

Well it depends on how creditable your case is. You will find that past settlements amounted to quite a ransom. But in the recent past with the subsequent increase in the number of mesothelioma lawsuits, there is a sleek chance to realize the entire amount.

The history of mesothelioma lawsuits

According to U.S mesothelioma history, the first ever mesothelioma lawsuit was filed in 1966 against the careless use of asbestos. But unfortunately the verdict went against the case. For the second time, another suit was put forward for a co-worker and this time the case was won. This gave impetus to all those helpless victims who craved for justice as innumerable mesothelioma lawsuits cropped up simultaneously.

Mesothelioma lawsuits also tells us that how ignorant people were initially about the causes and the aftereffects of the deadly disease. But now with the intervention of the law firms the victims of mesothelioma are provided with all-round assistance as regards lawful solutions to their righteous problems.

The Easy Diet Patch Facts for Weight Loss

2008-11-20T07:03:00.001-08:00

The diet patch claims to work via transdermal delivery of chemicals that are created to suppress the appetite, increase metabolism or keep your body from absorbing fats in the food you eat. Transdermal delivery is viable and works because some molecules are so small they can be absorbed through the skin and directly to the blood stream. Up to 95% percent of a drug can reach the body's cells in this manner compared to a much smaller amount if a drug is taken orally.

It's important to remember that what makes the idea of a patch delivery system work is that the molecules in the drug must be small enough to be absorbed by the skin. Diet Patches contain the usual weight loss ingredients, caffeine, chromium, and hydroxycitric acid amongst other dieting chemicals.

Many marketers go overboard in touting the effectiveness of diet patches, in the process making outrageous promises and some have recently been sent to jail for using spam in their mass marketing campaigns. It's important to remember that diet patches contain the same ingredients as other delivery systems of weight loss products.

It's just that the diet patch can make it easier for the wearer to remember to take the diet products they are using. They don't have to worry about taking a bunch of pills before every meal and possibly be questioned by others about what the pills are for. Diet patches are a more discreet method of delivery for weight loss products and can deliver low doses of the drug over a continuous period of time. You should continue with your exercise program while using diet patches in addition to making good meal choices.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette, and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Here is a place for more info and great deals on the diet patch.

The Crucial Connection Between Hormones and Acne

2008-11-18T07:04:00.001-08:00

The cure is in the cause - Ruza Bogdanovich

After a cause of acne has been established, a cure is possible if that cause can be eliminated.

That cause has now been discovered. It isn't bacteria which was one of the main theories. Although acne is a pefect environment for bacteria, it wasn't the initial cause.

Anyone with or who has had acne can tell you, including myself, how many times a day they've cleaned their faces with anti-bacterial facial wash and still faced new pimples the next day.

The same goes for all the other topical creams for acne available which kill germs and open up blocked pores. These may provide temporary relief, but you will never experience acne free skin by only focusing on acne from the outside.

The real, and true causes of acne are hormone imbalance, water retention and toxins.

In this article I will cover hormone imbalance.

Hormones are chemicals that are produced by glands in the body and circulate in the bloodstream that control numerous body functions including sebum (skin oil) production and regulation.

The hormones that are responsible for acne are called androgens. These androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands (glands in the skin that secrete oil to the surface of the skin.)

When you have too many androgens in the blood, your sebaceous glands begin to over-produce oil in the skin. It is not only oil that will cause acne but It's the initial problem you want to resolve.

The next part of the problem is toxins in the blood and lymph. When your liver and kidneys are not properly cleansing the blood and are overloaded, the liver is unable to properly 'deactivate' used hormones and remove them from the body.

The combination of oil, bacteria and toxins blocks pores. Inside the blocked pores also are bacteria which grow in a low-oxygen environment. This bacteria aggrevates the skin and causes an inflammatory disease, otherwise known as acne.

Hormone imbalance doesn't only cause acne, but can be responsi! ble for many other problems including: allergies, fatigue, headaches, mood swings, anger and insomnia.

For most teenagers, hormone imbalance occurs during puberty when the body is busy producing hormones for growth, maturity and reproduction.

Adult acne predominately arises from the inability of the liver and kidneys to effectively eliminate excess hormones and toxins from the blood.

In order to cure your acne you have to be able to get your hormones into balance by feeding your body the key nutrients that aid hormone regulation in the glands and also strengthen the liver which is the other hormone regulatory system.

Both of these are possible and pave the way for clear, smooth skin without zits, blackheads or whiteheads.

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To effectively treat your acne, you need to fix the problems in your body that are causing your acne. Acuzine is a great product that attacks the main, internal causes of acne.

Exercise Resistance! The Secret Barriers that Prevent Weight Loss

2008-11-15T07:03:00.001-08:00

Getting started on an exercise program is one thing. Staying on it is the bigger challenge. We have all been there. New Years Eve comes around and wham! Instant motivation! It is only a small percentage however that sticks with it. Why? When you hear the term exercise resistance you of course think of strength training with weights, don't you? Well, it can also mean something else.

The phrase, Exercise Resistance or ER was coined in the mid 90's. It means, a conscious or unconscious block against participating in a regular active program. Studies show that some people have barriers built up from past experiences that give them a negative mindset toward exercise and food. This prevents a person from starting or following through on a fitness or diet program. This is more of an emotional feeling that controls a behavior more than anything.

I thought the golden years were supposed to be filled with relaxing things to do, not more activities I usually put off before? Have you ever just resented having to exercise now that you are older? Why should I start exercising? I will not follow through-never have. It will be just another failure of mine? Or how about not starting to exercise because you have a fear of failure? My favorite; why does Jane look like she does and I have to work so hard at it? It does not seem fair! Have you ever compare yourself to your youth or your best friend?

Each one of them; resentment, fear of failure, comparisons are barriers you build up only to at some point sabotaging your desire to feel good and get in better shape.

The answer to overcome these barriers is three fold. First, figure out HOW you are motivated. Second, WHERE your desires come from. And third, come to an understanding that these barriers are only illusions you have fabricated in your mind. THEY ARE NOT REAL! The bottom line is, until you work on your approach to weight loss and fitness, the numbers on the charts will not stick.

Click here for FREE Mini Course ==> http:/! /www.res olutions.bz Discover the five step common sense way to lose weight. A formula the medical and fitness industry DO NOT want you to know about! Greg Ryan is a well known author of the Changing from the INSIDE OUT, book series.

Scooter or Power WheelchairWhich One is Right for You?

2008-11-12T07:03:00.001-08:00

When I talked to my physical therapist about possibly getting an electric mobility scooter (I have Periodic Paralysis and too much walking can trigger an attack), she automatically recommended a power wheelchair. ?Wheelchairs are much better in-doors,? she said. ?You?ll have a place to rest your arms, and all you?ll need to move to control the chair is one little joystick.? She said that most wheelchairs have better seats and are upgradeable. ?Insurance will usually only pay for one chair or scooter every five years,? she said, ?So you need to consider not just your current needs, but what you might need five years from now.?

So, after all that, why did I buy a scooter? My disease varies from day to day, but is not especially progressive. I need a scooter that can be with me (in the trunk of my car) at all times, rather than a chair that might one day need enough power to run a breathing machine. Since there was a good chance insurance would refuse to pay for my chair, I also need mobility equipment I could afford on my own.

At the same time, my physical therapist was absolutely right about a joystick being easier to control than handlebars, but I?m doing okay with a tiller. She was also right that wheelchairs are better than scooters for tight in-home conditions. However, since I will mostly use my scooter to avoid long walks at stores, malls and parks, in-home use isn't a big issue for me.

My choice was a scooter. What?s the best choice for you? It depends on you, your needs, your prognosis and your budget. You need to take your time, try both and consider not just the technology, but how you are going to fit it into your lifestyle; then you?ll make the right choice for you.

About the Author Rodney Robbins has a rare myopathy called Periodic Paralysis, nasty migraines and Celiac Disease (an autoimmune reaction to eating grains). He uses a travel scooter to protect his muscles from damaging exercise, and good old fashion carb counting to help reduce attacks of weakness. My fav! orite mi graine preventives are dark sunglasses and avoiding my triggers, says Robbins. Check out his new booklet at http://www.Rodneys52Ways.com for more information, humor, articles and cartoons.

Skin Cancer and Your Responsibility

2008-11-07T07:03:00.001-08:00

Early treatment of skin cancer is the way to prevent death and generally most all skin cancers can be treated and or cured. Malignant Melanoma is the big killer, but if it is caught early it too is usually curable. There are three major types of skin cancer as per the Center for Disease and Control (CDC); ?The three major types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.?

If you have light skin and light features such as blond hair, red hair, blue or green eyes, or light skin you are much more susceptible to skin cancer than other folks. But also consider if you work outside all your life, then you will be at risk too. For Melanoma the most deadly type of skin cancer if not treated can be rather obvious to doctors as it will be non-symmetrical and have multiple shades of dark spots;

http://www.melanoma.com/melanoma/diagnosing/look/

Skin cancer is your responsibility and luckily due to early treatment the number of people who have die from skin cancer is a lot less than it use to be. If you have had people in your family who have had skin cancer it makes sense to have your skin spots checked out to make sure that they are not cancerous. If have had really bad sun burns as a child you maybe more susceptible in later life and another reason to pay a little more attention to your skin. Please remember with skin cancer it is your responsibility and early detection means extremely good chances of successful treatment or cures. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Natural Tonics for Health and Wellness

2008-11-06T07:03:00.001-08:00

I?m a great believer in natural tonics to strengthen or invigorate the healing system. - Dr. Andrew Weil

The American Heritage Dictionary says that a tonic is?

...an agent, such as a medication, that restores or increases body tone, an invigorating, refreshing, or restorative agent or influence. And a tonic is for producing or stimulating physical, mental, or emotional vigor.

Tonics are usually liquid preparations that have a combination of herbs, vitamins, minerals and other ingredients. No tonic has any magical healing effect on any disease. That may seem to be a strange thing to say in an article about Natural Tonics for Health and Wellness. Let me explain.

The only thing that can heal a body is the body itself. Nature has designed a self repair system for the human body that will accomplish the seeming miraculous. Most of the time all we have to do is stay out of the way.

Sometimes a toxic agent, biological or chemical, can overwhelm the body?s capacity to heal itself. Medical science can assist by removing any overload. The body itself then takes over and does the actual healing. A tonic acts to supply the body?s repair mechanism with missing nutrients so that it functions at its best.

Is it possible to help the body by supplying things it needs to do its job? Of course it is. Ordinarily these nutrients come from the foods we eat. Often our foods don?t contain all the nutrients they should, for whatever reason. This is why we are beginning to see the medical profession suggesting we take a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement daily. Before this, our ancestors learned through experience, the value of getting certain substances into the body. They made tonics to supply these substances. Natural tonics can fill the gaps in our nutrition. Our own bodies will then do the rest.

You can find recipes for tonics that are made with just about any thing under the sun. Usually natural tonics are made with some single herb or a combination of herbs. Some of the m! ore comm on are garlic, ginseng, ginger, and green tea. Mushrooms are also used as tonics. Chinese caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis) improves athletic performance and increases energy. Species like reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), shitake (Lentinella edodes), and maitake (Grifola frondosa) are used to boost immunity.

Even plain water can be a tonic for someone who is suffering from dehydration. After all, the human body is made up of 55 to 75 percent water.

It would seem the best way to incorporate all the minerals your body needs is to have a tonic made with something like seawater, but you can?t drink seawater. The salt content will kill you.

If you went to school in the 1960?s you might remember watching an educational film called Hemo the Magnificent. Hemo was the cartoon god of blood and with the real-life Dr. Frank C. Baxter, they made several films for Disney. Hemo proclaims that he?s the mysterious source of life, and the good doctor informs him, You know what you are? You?re just seawater!

So like the seas that are essential to all life on earth, our blood is essentially seawater too. Science speculates that life began in the sea. Amniotic fluid is almost identical to seawater.

Rene Quinton, a French physician, performed a famous study on the effects of seawater. Quinton experiments proved seawater and blood plasma are remarkably similar in composition. As a result, Quinton said, All living organisms are in fact a marine aquarium. He said seawater should be used to heal.

Because of the complete nutrient content of seawater, sea vegetables, growing in clean seawater, supply all of the minerals necessary for life. Sea vegetables have more minerals than any land plant. Between 7 and 38 percent of the dry weight of sea vegetables are minerals.

Any kind of high quality natural tonic made with sea vegetables should supply the body with every mineral it needs to function at its best. That just makes sense doesn?t it?

Many illnesses can be traced to mineral imbala! nces in the body. Minerals are responsible for many functions in our bodies, such as helping to keep our body repair systems working. Adequate minerals should be ingested every day.

Unlike medicines, which can have an immediate effect on symptoms, you may not see immediate results with tonics. Allowing your body to heal itself may take some time. Use a tonic regularly for a few months. You are letting your body do what it knows how to do. Give it what it needs and trust it to heal itself.

See if you have an increased sense of well-being or more energy when taking a tonic. Even if you don?t notice immediate effects, pay attention to how you respond to physical and emotional stress. See if you become less susceptible to illnesses. Give natural tonics an honest try.

A natural lifestyle and heathy habits are among the many interests of Tom Donaldson. Tom writes about his life experiences and what works for him on his PhreMind Freenotes Life BLOG at http://tmdonaldson.com

Weight Loss Troubles? You Might be Underestimating What You're Eating

2008-11-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like you are doing everything right and you still can't lose weight? It may be that you are underestimating what you are eating. Don't feel bad, according to research studies, 80% of us underestimate our food intake and that includes dietitians. This is easy to do because portion sizes have gotten so large that our estimate of a cup of rice or 3 ounces of meat is still much larger than reality. One study done at St. Luke-Roosevelt Hospital Obesity Research Center found that participants were estimating that they were eating around 1,000 calories each day when in fact they were actually eating 2,000 calories.

This was very apparent to me when I worked in private practice. I had plastic food models to show people what a portion size looks like and they always laughed and thought it was a joke. They would say things like, yeah right?I eat three times that amount or are you kidding? No joke my friends, these portion sizes are real and they look very small compared to what you might estimate a cup to look like.

Not only are we estimating our portions incorrectly, we also do a lot of unconscious eating throughout the day and we underestimate this as well. I tested myself one time with this concept. When I worked in a small hospital in California we always had junk food around. There was a bowl of miniature Hershey's chocolates in the manager's office and there were always donuts, cookies, and Sees candies that various medical supply reps and families would bring in. I guessed that I was eating a couple of the chocolates and perhaps a cookie during the day. I really thought I was eating much less than my coworkers. After all, I was the dietitian and I wanted to set an example of enjoying a little but not going overboard. I put myself to the test and decided to mark down on a sheet of paper each time I ate some junk food.

The results surprised me. By the end of a typical day I had eaten 4 Hershey miniatures, 2 mints, 4 shortbread cookies, and 3 Sees candies. This adds up to ! a grand total of 596 calories and 35 grams of fat. Yikes! It is easy to nibble on these little treats unconsciously throughout the day. However, they add up fast and can contribute to weight gain quickly. If you would have asked me how much I was eating I wouldn't have guessed it was that much.

So what is the solution for this underestimating what we eat problem? For starters, measure your food in real measuring cups for a week. Get a feel for what a ? cup of rice looks like on your plate. An easy way to do this is to use your ? cup measuring cup as a scoop for rice, and pasta. They work well as a serving spoon. This will let you know if your food estimates are close or if they are way out in left field. This doesn?t mean you have to weigh your food for the rest of your life. It's just time to make sure that your estimates are on the right track.

The second solution is to keep a detailed food journal. This is the best way to be accountable to your self and to bring any unconscious nibbling to the forefront. Research shows that people who keep food records achieve their weight loss goals more effectively. Get a small notepad and keep track for a week and see if you learn anything new about your eating habits.

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She specializes in weight management and offers online programs to help people reach their weight loss and health goals. For more information or to sign up for a free newsletter visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com

Rasayana Therapy in Our Daily Routine

2008-11-04T07:03:00.001-08:00

Therapy in Our Daily Routine

Introduction: Ayurveda , the oldest health science has eight branches. Rasayana (rejuvenation) is one of them. Rasa has different meanings like ?juice?, taste ?, ?essence, flavor?, or ?emotion, but is not limited to any of these in itself. In therapeutic process Rasa is concerned with the conservation, transformation, and revitalization of energy. Rasa nourishes our body, boosts immunity and helps to keep the body and mind in best of health.

The Aim Of Rsayana :

The Rasayana therapy enhances the qualities of rasa, enriches it with nutrients. With such enriched excellent Rasa, one attains longevity, memory, intelligence, freedom from disorder, youthfulness, excellence of luster, complexion & voice, optimum development of physique and sense organs, mastery over phonetics, respectability and brilliance.

Types of Rasayana:

1. Types of rasayana preparations which can be consumed according to the needs.

A . Kamya Rasayanas : Kamya rasayanas are promoters of normal health. These boost body energy levels, immunity and general health.

?Pranakamya ? Promoter of vitality and longevity

?Medhakamya ? Promoter of intelligence.

?Srikamya - ? Promoter of complexion.

B .Naimittika Rasayana- : Naimittika rasayanas help to fight a specific disease.

2. Types of Rasayanas on the basis of place of Therapy

A.Kuti Praveshika Rasayana ? Indoor rasayanaTherapy .

B.Vatatapika Rasayana ? Out door rasayana Therapy.

3. Types of Rasayanas On the basis diet and life styles.

A..Aushdha Rasayana ? Drug based Rasayana. B.Ahara Rasayana ? Dietary Rasayana. C.Achara Rasayana ? Life style Rasayana.

Preparation for Rasayana therapy :

It is very essential for a person who wishes to undergo rasayana therapy to undergo samshodhana (detoxification) as a preparatory procedure. The samshodhana process detoxifies both body and mind. A detoxified body and mind is a like a clean cloth which readily ! absorbs the color in which it has been dipped unlike a soiled cloth which looks soiled even after coloring with best colors.

But when a person is not eligible for samshodhana or is not able to get samshodhana then he can also consume rasayana preparations which still boost the qualities of rasa in his body.

Effect of rasayana therapy.

Rasayana therapy enriches nutritional quality of Rasa, enhances digestion and metabolism by normalizing agni or body fire, and promoting the competence of channels Benefits of rasayana : The main purpose of Rasayana therapy is to retard the aging process and to delay the degenerative process in the body

?It enhances the intelligence, memory, body strength, luster of the skin, and modulation of voice

?It nourishes the blood, lymph, muscles, tissues, semen, and thus prevents Chronic degenerative disorders like Arthritis.

?Improves metabolic process and quality of body tissues and eradicates diseases of old age.

?Helps to attain optimal physical strength and sharpness of sense organs.

?Rasayana has marked action on reproductive organs and also nourishes shukra dhatu (semen)

?Rasayana nourishes the whole body and improves Immune system and hence the natural resistance to infection will be more.

By following Achara Rasayana one can be more Satwik and surge ahead in the spiritual field by his pure daily routines like speaking truth ,not getting angry, by having control over his sense organs and calmness,.

Natural foods which act as Rasayanas

Haritaki: Terminalia Chebula

It is called as Haritaki because it cures all the diseases.It has been alternatively named as Abhaya with appreciation on its action since it bestows permanent long life to those who use it always. It is also known as Vijaya since it is a conqueror of all the diseases.

A fresh , round and heavy fruits of haritaki are always best. It should sink in water and also devoid of any diseases.Such fruits are rich in taste and potency.

The fruit should be slit into two or three pieces and seed is removed .Such fruit pieces are cooked with four parts of water till they soften. Then they should be removed and allowed to cool. One part of ghee and one part of honey is added to this and kept aside for three days. It should be consumed later taking care of digestion power. After this rasayana is digested shstika sahli rice with cow?s milk is consumed. By using this rasayna one will be free from wrinkles, baldness and premature greying of hair. This gives very good memory power, eye sight and a long healthy life..

Ghee ( Clarified butter):

is the best known Rasayana which is very good rejuvenator and Longevity promoter,. It also improves digestion, has soothening effects on the nervous system, Iimproves the glow of skin, enhances memory power, helps to retain the grasped matters and increases ojus. Ghee has a very good rate of absorption and it is a very good medium for transporting the nutrients of the food to the tissue So make sure that you use a spoon of to your daily food which is very easily and readily available to one and all. (This is not applicable to people who have high blood cholesterol).

Lemons:

These are the very rich source of Vitamin C and are known for there unique action like improving the resistance to cold, controlling the bleeding of gums, healing wounds and formation of scar tissue. The lemon acts as purifier and nourishing agent.

Squeeze half lime in a glass of luke warm water and add two tea spoons of honey to it. This helps to reduce weight when consumed in empty stomach at early hours of day.

Ginger:

Ginger improves digestion, removes ama (body toxin which causes diseases). Hence it is accepted world wide as medicine. Always use dry ground ginger which is more concentrated in its effects and flavor. Sprinkle little dry ginger powder on a spoon of lemon juice and add little salt. This should be consumed forty-five minutes before meals to have a very good appetite and d! igestion .

Cumin Seeds:

Cumin seeds helps in digestion, digests and expels ama and balances doshas. To expel body toxins start the day with drinking Luke warm water with powdered cumin and ginger.

Green Gram :

Green gram is very light to digest and are best for people who have digestion problems. They are among the best legumes for there supreme digestibility and health giving qualities. Those who prefer light food can opt for this food.

Dates and figs:

These are known excellent source of energy. They also help to build the body tissues and improve the hemoglobin percentage . Hence eat two to three dates or figs a day.

Almonds:

These are nourishing and life ?supporting . Eat five to six Almonds a day to build energy and strength. It is proved that Almonds helps in reducing the blood Cholesterol levels.

Lassi :

It is beverage prepared by mixing two part of water and one part of yogurt. It can be made a sweet beverage by adding little sugar or honey and little ground cardamom. For people who do not like sweet taste it can be made as a delicious salt and sour beverage by adding roasted cumin seeds and little salt. It is an excellent nutritive, digestive beverage and can be used during meals or taken as a desert after meal.

Seasonal Fruits:

Always use the juicy fresh fruits which are available in the season. They are of high nutritive value and are body purifiers also.

Along with all these food and medicinal Rasyana one should follow Achara Rasayna to have very good effects of rasayana.

Refs:. Charaka su sthana. Shu. Su .Sthana. Astanga sangraha uttar stahna

Inducting Rasayana Therapy in Our Daily Routine

Introduction: Ayurveda , the oldest health science has eight branches. Rasayana (rejuvenation) is one of them. Rasa has different meanings like ?juice?, taste ?, ?essence, flavor?, or ?emotion, but is not limited to any of these in itself. In therapeutic process Rasa is concerned with the conservation, transform! ation, a nd revitalization of energy. Rasa nourishes our body, boosts immunity and helps to keep the body and mind in best of health.

The Aim Of Rsayana :

Types of Rasayana:

1. Types of rasayana preparations which can be consumed according to the needs.

A . Kamya Rasayanas : Kamya rasayanas are promoters of normal health. These boost body energy levels, immunity and general health.

?Pranakamya ? Promoter of vitality and longevity ?Medhakamya ? Promoter of intelligence. ?Srikamya - ? Promoter of complexion.

B .Naimittika Rasayana- : Naimittika rasayanas help to fight a specific disease.

2. Types of Rasayanas on the basis of place of Therapy

A.Kuti Praveshika Rasayana ? Indoor rasayanaTherapy .

B.Vatatapika Rasayana ? Out door rasayana Therapy.

3. Types of Rasayanas On the basis diet and life styles.

A..Aushdha Rasayana ? Drug based Rasayana. B.Ahara Rasayana ? Dietary Rasayana. C.Achara Rasayana ? Life style Rasayana.

Preparation for Rasayana therapy :

It is very essential for a person who wishes to undergo rasayana therapy to undergo samshodhana (detoxification) as a preparatory procedure. The samshodhana process detoxifies both body and mind. A detoxified body and mind is a like a clean cloth which readily absorbs the color in which it has been dipped unlike a soiled cloth which looks soiled even after coloring with best colors.

But when a person is not eligible for samshodhana or is not able to get samshodhana then he can also consume rasayana preparations which still boost the qualities of rasa in his body.

Effect of rasayana therapy.

Rasayana therapy e! nriches nutritional quality of Rasa, enhances digestion and metabolism by normalizing agni or body fire, and promoting the competence of channels Benefits of rasayana : The main purpose of Rasayana therapy is to retard the aging process and to delay the degenerative process in the body ?It enhances the intelligence, memory, body strength, luster of the skin, and modulation of voice ?It nourishes the blood, lymph, muscles, tissues, semen, and thus prevents Chronic degenerative disorders like Arthritis. ?Improves metabolic process and quality of body tissues and eradicates diseases of old age. ?Helps to attain optimal physical strength and sharpness of sense organs. ?Rasayana has marked action on reproductive organs and also nourishes shukra dhatu (semen) ?Rasayana nourishes the whole body and improves Immune system and hence the natural resistance to infection will be more.

Natural foods which act as Rasayanas

Haritaki: Terminalia Chebula

A fresh , round and heavy fruits of haritaki are always best. It should sink in water and also devoid of any diseases.Such fruits are rich in taste and potency.

The fruit should be slit into two or three pieces and seed is removed .Such fruit pieces are cooked with four parts of water till they soften. Then they should be removed and allowed to cool. One part of ghee and one part of honey is added to this and kept aside for three days. It should be consumed later taking care of digestion power. After this rasayana is digested shstika sahli rice with cow?s m! ilk is c onsumed. By using this rasayna one will be free from wrinkles, baldness and premature greying of hair. This gives very good memory power, eye sight and a long healthy life..

Ghee ( Clarified butter):

Lemons:

Squeeze half lime in a glass of luke warm water and add two tea spoons of honey to it. This helps to reduce weight when consumed in empty stomach at early hours of day.

Ginger:

Cumin Seeds:

Cumin seeds helps in digestion, digests and expels ama and balances doshas. To expel body toxins start the day with drinking Luke warm water with powdered cumin and ginger.

Green Gram :

Green gram is very light to digest and are best for people who have digestion problems. They are among the best legumes for there supreme digestibility and health giving qualit! ies. Tho se who prefer light food can opt for this food.

Dates and figs:

These are known excellent source of energy. They also help to build the body tissues and improve the hemoglobin percentage . Hence eat two to three dates or figs a day.

Almonds:

These are nourishing and life ?supporting . Eat five to six Almonds a day to build energy and strength. It is proved that Almonds helps in reducing the blood Cholesterol levels.

Lassi :

Seasonal Fruits:

Always use the juicy fresh fruits which are available in the season. They are of high nutritive value and are body purifiers also.

Along with all these food and medicinal Rasyana one should follow Achara Rasayna to have very good effects of rasayana.

Refs:. Charaka su sthana. Shu. Su .Sthana. Astanga sangraha uttar stahna

Biography of Dr.Krishna.R.S

Dr. Krishna.R.S has been an Ayurvedic Practitioner since 19 yrs , after getting a graduation degree in ayurveda (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) in 1986 from University of Mysore, India. He completed his post graduation diploma about allopathic medicine and surgery from University of Bangalore, Karnataka, India.His articles about ayurveda and life sciences have been published in many magzines.

Dr.Krishna. R.S is a star athlete and has represented state and universities when he was in high school, pre university and college.

Dr.Krishna . R.S lives in Mysore , Karnataka, India. He gives consultations in Mysore and also in Bangalore the silicon valley of India.

Ph:91-0821-2451405 Mob: 9448433911 Email : ! drkrishn ars@ayurveda-increaselibido.com

http://www.ayurveda-increaselibido.com

http://www.ayurhelp.com

Hodgkin's Disease

2008-11-03T07:03:00.001-08:00

Lymphoma, better known as Hodgkin's Disease, is a condition characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. In addition to Hodgkin's, there are many other lymphoma diseases which are known as Non-Hodkin's lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma incidences become more and more common with age, whereas Hodkin's lymphoma is common between ages 16 and 35, and over 50.

The most common sign of Hodgkin's lymphoma is swollon lymph nodes, mainly in the neck. This is not painful, however some of the other expected symptoms are. These other symptoms are unexplained weight loss, constant fatigue, itchy skin, low grade fevers, and night sweats. As these are common symptoms of any infection, the only accurate diagnosis is through lymph node biopsy and blood testing.

Unlike Hodgkin's lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer. In the united states, 5% of cancer victims are due to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Signs of this disease are similar to that of Hodgkin's, with a few differences. As well as in the neck, swollon lymph nodes are common in the underarm and groin. And in addition to itchy skin, patients will notice unexplained red patches.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma must be tested for as well, using things such as X-rays, MRI's, CT scans, PET scans, and Lymphangiogram, which are pictures of the lymphatic system taken with x-rays after a dye is injected to differentiate the lymph nodes and vessels. These tests are due to the simple fact that the symptoms are common in many other, less critical, conditions.

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Tyler Brooker is the owner and operator of Lymphoma Disease - http://www.lymphoma-disease.com, which is the best site on the internet for all lymphoma related information.

How To Deal With Snack Attacks

2008-11-02T07:03:00.001-08:00

Ever get a snack attack between meals? Who hasn't? But snack attacks can actually work as an advantage for your weight loss.

Snack attacks are actually a good thing because eating frequently instead of waiting until you're extremely hungry is a good way to avoid overeating.

It helps keep blood sugar levels normal and brain chemistry in balance. By pre-planning for snacks and eating the right food you can use snacks in your favor instead of feeling guilty afterwards.

Here is a healthy snack tip. A key to losing weight and keeping it off is eating more negative calorie or fat burning foods with lots of volume but few calories.

Eating fat burning compatible or negative calorie foods creates a calorie deficit that requires your body to use stored fat as energy. Here are a just few examples of healthy snack ideas that are negative calorie foods:

Apples, cantaloupe, carrots, cod, corn, crab meat, grapes, lobster, low-fat yogurt, mangoes, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries and watermelon.

Avoid late night snacks because your body's metabolism slows way down when you sleep. That means anything you eat just before you go to bed will turn to body fat.

If you eat vending machine snacks they contain high fat and you can forget about reducing body fat because these snacks can sabotage your weight loss quickly.

Also, beverages like smoothies, sweetened coffee drinks, soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks and flavored teas contain a lot of sugar that will end up as body fat.

Snacking on blackberries, peaches or red and green peppers can help you meet your daily recommendations of fruits and vegetables. You need two to four servings a day.

Snacks such as low-fat yogurt or low fat cheese can help you meet your daily calcium requirement. You need two to three servings per day.

Believe it or not, small changes like these can have a huge difference in your weight loss results. Remember, successful weight loss is just a combination of the right! choices .

So the next time you have a snack attack at home or at work you'll know how to use it to your advantage for weight loss success.

Gary Gresham is the author of Fat Burning Secrets that gives you lists of negative calorie and fat burning compatible foods that you can buy at any regular supermarket and fat burning exercises that can be done with or without fitness equipment.

Magnetic Therapy for Arthritis Pain Relief

2008-11-01T08:03:00.001-07:00

There are over 100 forms of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. These diseases may cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints and other supporting structures of the body such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Some forms can also affect other parts of the body, including various internal organs.

Many people use the word arthritis to refer to all rheumatic diseases. However, the word literally means joint inflammation; that is, swelling, redness, heat, and pain caused by tissue injury or disease in the joint. The many different kinds of arthritis make up just a portion of all rheumatic diseases.

Rheumatoid arthritis, the second most common form of arthritis, affects other parts of the body besides the joints. It begins at a younger age than osteoarthritis, causes swelling and redness in joints, and may make people feel sick, tired, and (uncommonly) feverish. Rheumatoid arthritis affects people differently. For some people, it lasts only a few months or a year or two and goes away without causing any noticeable damage. Other people have mild or moderate forms of the disease, with periods of worsening symptoms, called flares, and periods in which they feel better, called remissions. Still others have a severe form of the disease that is active most of the time, lasts for many years or a lifetime, and leads to serious joint damage and disability.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, especially among older people. Sometimes it is called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that mostly affects the cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over one another. It also absorbs energy from the shock of physical movement. In osteoarthritis, the surface layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together, causing pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its! normal shape. Also, bone spurs(small growths called osteophytes) may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space. This causes more pain and damage. People with osteoarthritis usually have joint pain and limited movement. Unlike some other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects only joints and not internal organs.

Magnetic treatments for arthritis

All types of arthritis respond to magnetic treatments because the arthritic disease process involves inflammation. Magnets reverse the inflammatory process, which in turn alleviates the main symptoms of arthritis which are:

1.Swelling

2.Pain

3.Stiffness and immobility

Magnetic therapy is not a cure for arthritis as there is currently no known cure, but it is an extremely effective drug free treatment for the chronic symptoms for all types of arthritic conditions.

However having said how well arthritis responds to magnetic therapy, it can be a little bit tricky to treat a person who has arthritis in multiple locations in the body. The reason for this is that as discussed in chapter 2 for the magnetic field to be effective it must be placed as close to the area of injury as possible. When a person has, for example, arthritis in the knees, hips, back and hands, it is not possible to reach all the area with one magnetic device. The person would need to place magnets on each area of pain to fully relieve the arthritic symptoms.

Possible treatments for this person would be: 1. To wear high strength magnetic straps around the knees, back/hips ( usually one strap will reach both areas) and wrists. Straps are both functional and comfortable, plus many contain lycra to give the joint additional support. 2. To wear super strength shoe insoles, that have a magnetic field that is strong enough to reach the knees, a high/super a strength bracelet for each hand and use a magnetic pad behind the back whilst sitting or lying. If the person does not feel comfortable ! in strap s these are suitable alternatives. 3. To sleep on a magnetic mattress. The mattress will reach all areas of the body at once and the strength of the magnetic field is so immense that the magnetism will last for up to 16 hours after getting out of bed. This is the easiest way to treat large areas of pain and does not necessitate the need to wear additional magnets during the day.

Luckily there is a vast array of magnetic devices available today and most areas of the body can be reached with an appropriate magnetic device. There is often more than one solution available fort he treatment of multiple areas of pain and a trained therapist will be able to advise while treatment regime will fit best with your particular lifestyle.

In order for magnets to be effective they must be worn night and day until the symptoms have gone, if you are given a magnetic device that do not feel comfortable wearing or using it is unlikely that you will continue to use the treatment for the required length of time. With out 24 hours, 7 days a weeks exposure to the magnets it is unlikely that all of your symptoms will be relieved and you will feel disheartened and may even believe that magnets do not in fact work.

Debbie Shimadry is qualified magnetic therapist and pain nurse specialist. She appears on several BBC radio stations as an expert guest on magnetic therapy and is also the managing director of leading magnetic therapy company worldofmagnets.co.uk. To find out more on how magnetic therapy can help you, visit magnetictherapyfacts.org

Dealing with Skin Dryness

2008-10-31T08:03:00.001-07:00

Dry skin has a parched look caused by its lack of ability to retain moisture. Characteristics of dry skin are fine pores, dryness, fine lines, roughness, tight, uncomfortable feeling, and dull appearance. If your skin feels the same, it?s a fair bet you?ve got a dry complexion.

Dry skin is caused by too little sebum in the lower levels of skin and too little moisture in the upper levels. It feels tight and itchy after washing. It requires soothing care to look its best. It is essential to take proper care to hydrate it. Only then you can begin to enjoy a new, softer skin.

Dry skin is very reactive to the environment and hates extremes of cold, heat and wind. It tends to peel and has a tendency to premature ageing with the emergence of fine lines and wrinkles. There is a difference between a dehydrated skin and a dry skin. While the dehydrated skin is simply thirsty, dry skin needs extra care in adapting a beauty regime to nourish the weakened corneal layer. While dealing with dry skin, your objective should always be to restore tone to the lipids in the corneal layer.

Every dermatologist?s advice: you must cleanse according to your skin type. Dry skin must be cleansed without removing the skin?s protective film. So you should opt for a thick milk cleanser and rinse with flower water. Your moisturizing cream should be rich in repairing agents containing ceramides, which reduce the salt content and slow down the evaporation of water in the skin.

Face Masks for dry skin:

1. Mix 2 tablespoons honey with 2 teaspoons milk. Smooth over face and throat. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

2. Mash apricots mix it with warm olive oil to form a paste. Apply it on your face and leave it for 10 minutes, then wash off.

Some helpful tips for dealing with dry skin:

1. Drink one and half litre of water every day to retain the hydration rate of your skin cells. Also, it benefits your overall health.

2. Maximize the effects of hydration by adding the ! essentia l oil, angelica, to your day and night creams.

3. Make sure to abandon water based cleansers.

4. Try iris flower, as it is excellent for retaining moisture in the skin.

5. Always opt for creams with ceramides.

6. Eat a balanced diet including fresh fruits and vegetables.

7. Stay away from soft drinks, sugar and other junk foods.

Homemade solutions for dry, flaky skin: 1. Place a sprinkling of sugar in your palm and dampen with water. Gently massage on the flaky areas. Rinse. 2. Rub half of an apple on skin to help even out the texture.

Caring for all the skin types here: http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/beauty/skin-care/skin-types.htm

Tania Jain - For http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com . Find lots of makeup and beauty tips here with loads of information on skin care and skin disorders. Get addicted at our exciting forums ? http://forums.ultimate-cosmetics.com You are free to publish the above article in your ezine or website, provided the credit is given to the author and a hyperlink (HTML clickable) is given to http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com

Canadian Pharmacies

2008-10-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

The US pharmaceutical industry is currently fighting it out with their Canadian counterparts. The reason? For one, the latter has managed to garner a sizeable amount of the former?s market share. Driven by cheaper prices, this trend is continuing and Canadian pharmacies are adding customers like never before. US pharmaceutical companies have gone on the offensive, criticizing their Canadian counterparts for indulging in unfair trade practices.

The origin of this conflict goes back to the early 90s when the American industry lobbied hard to make cross-border trading with Canada and Mexico duty free. The result of this was the North American Free trade Agreement or NAFTA. Thanks to NAFTA, trade between the three North American countries (the US, Canada and Mexico) began growing. NAFTA permitted free movement of goods across the borders without the imposition of usual cross-border tariffs.

The American industry benefited enormously from this because they could now outsource their manufacturing to these countries and sell the finished products back again to them. Thus the manufacturing costs went down and profits began coming in. American pharmacies, whose main rival those days was Europe, also benefited from this, as most of their R&D facilities were in Canada and the work was done at much lower rates.

The joy of American pharmaceutical companies was short lived as many Canadian companies started selling drugs at discounted prices to US customers. This was done as Canadian companies realized that the cheaper R&D and manufacturing costs can be used to offer cheaper drugs to customers. Further, the price of drugs in Canada is strictly regulated by the government. On an average, a buyer based in US can save anything from $50-$200 a month by purchasing drugs from across the border. Displaying a spirit of competitive capitalism, the Canadian companies began selling drugs directly to US customers in Border States and by other means, like Internet and phone, to buyers in other areas.

In ! the US, it is illegal to import prescription drugs from Canada. However, import of drugs for up to 3 months of personal use is permitted.

The interesting fact is that most of the brand-name prescription drugs sold in Canada and the US are all products of the same manufacturing plants. Canada imports many raw materials and finished products from the US. Thus, most Americans may actually be re-importing American drugs.

With increasing profits, Canadian pharmaceutical companies started looking at other means of marketing including sale via the internet and mail order delivery. The American model of differential pricing at the retail level and for bulk customers like insurance companies means that the real price of a drug sold may not be known. Thus, the main segment of customers who have approached Canadian pharmacies are either the uninsured or those states whose negotiation power has been curtailed thanks to various regulations. Thus, indirectly at least, these purchasers are actually paying for the subsidies doled out to the insured. This is why they end up paying more for the drugs in their own country.

In the long run however the increase in purchase from Canada may actually push the retail prices in Canada North wards. A phenomenon, which, is already happening thus, sooner or later Canadian drugs may also become expensive on par with their US counterparts. But for now at least, the Canadian pharmacies seem to be on the right track.

Canadian Pharmacy provides detailed information about Canadian pharmacy, Canadian discount pharmacy, Canadian mail order pharmacy, Canadian online pharmacies and more. Canadian Pharmacy is the sister site of Side Effects Of Antidepressants.

Five Daily Habits For Better Vision

2008-10-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Bad vision habits are a major factor in the poor eyesight of the more than 150 million Americans who currently wear glasses or contacts. Most of these Americans go through the entire day doing things that are detrimental to their vision, such as reading magazines and books, watching tv for long periods, avoiding sunlight, and the major culprit of staring at a computer screen for hours at a time. And to make matters worse they usually do nothing when it comes to improving their vision or even maintaining their current eyesight. Instead they usually resort to glasses and contacts which actually weaken your eyes since you're not using them and exercising them. The result is declining vision and the need for a stronger prescription and thicker lenses year after year. Fortunately there are ways you can incorporate vision improvement into your daily life. Here's a few that you can probably start doing right now:

1. When reading books, newspapers, or magazines, try to hold it at a distance and find a length where you can read the letters but you really have to focus. Doing this for a long time may give you a headache so I only recommend doing it for a few minutes anytime you are reading. If done on a regular basis you will start to notice that you will be able to hold it at a further distance and still read the words. Keep holding it at a further length to continue to improve your vision.

2. In the morning, splash warm water then cold water 20 times each over your closed eyes. In the evening before going to bed, splash your eyes 20 times with cold water then warm water. This relaxes the eyes and improves circulation. I notice that my vision is usually a little clearer immediately after doing this. Another method is to take two containers, fill one with warm water, the other with cold water. Place a cloth in each one and let them soak. Tilt your head back or lay down and place the wet cloth over your closed eyes. Alternate between the warm and cold cloths.

3. If you take a bus or train route! or are a passenger in a car use this opportunity to look out the window and focus on objects in the distance. This is especially good since the objects are moving and changing quickly. While focusing on an object, try to really focus on the details. For example if you're looking at a tree, try to really focus on the individual leaves. You can practice near/far focusing by focusing on an object in the distance such as a house and then quickly looking at something in front of you such as a scratch on the window. If you are driving, try using the few seconds stopped at a red light to focus on something in the far distance.

4. If you're like an increasing number of Americans, myself included, you spend a significant amount of time every day sitting behind the computer. This can be extremely detrimental to your vision since you're staring at something inches away from your face for hours at a time, and also causes eyestrain. However it doesn't have to be. When sitting on the computer simply take a few seconds every 10 minutes or so to take your eyes off the monitor and stare at an object in the distance. This can reduce eyestrain and fatigue. I would also suggest taking a few minutes to have a palming and eye rotation session every half hour or so.

5. Another major culprit of declining vision is wearing sunglasses. Although this may sound ironic since many people wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun the truth is that proper amounts of sunlight are a necessity for healthy vision. Many Americans go through the entire day without exposing their eyes to the circulation and nutrients that sunlight provides by staying inside all day at work, at home behind the tv or the computer, and wearing sunglasses to shield their eyes when even they do go outside.

You shouldn't expect to get 20/20 vision solely from doing these exercises, especially if your eyesight is currently very poor. However, they certainly do help, and at the very least will help maintain your current level of vision. If you're! really serious about freeing yourself from glasses, then you also need to know the exercises and techniques that will successfully improve your vision. You also need to be aware of proper nutrition and diet, which is also an important part in maintaining good eyesight.

If you're interested in learning more than check out my informative site at SeeClearNaturally.com

5 Natural Weight Loss Tips For A More Beautiful You

2008-10-28T23:03:00.001-07:00

Living a powerful, healthy, fit and trim life is a true goal for many of us. Despite the easy cures in the form of weightloss drugs and dangerous fad diets, there are still plenty of natural, safe habits we can make a part of our daily routine to start us on this path. Here are 5 good ideas to get you started.

1. If you can say no to alcoholic beverages please do. Alcoholic beverages are not good for you. Beer can be fattening and the rest of the alcoholic drinks may not be fattening by themselves but after a couple of swigs you will be in no position to watch your diet and your appetite will also be something to battle with.

2. Go ahead eat cheat food, but only for flavor. There are many things which you have to avoid from your diet but which you may have an undying craving for. Do not avoid them altogether. You could call them cheat foods and indulge in them once in a while. But take care just to tingle your taste buds. Don't hog on them. Instead, share them with others.

3. Try and adopt a vegetarian diet for at least some of your menu planning. A vegetarian diet is undoubtedly better for those of us watching our diet. There are a lot of advantages of keeping to a vegetarian diet but I don't want to sing an ode to vegetarianism now. What I would suggest is keep to a vegetarian diet as much as you can. Make a vegetarian diet a twice or three time a week event if you find it impossible to give up eating all those animals.

4. Choose low fat substitutes or no fat substitutes. There are plenty of low fat or even no fat substitutes available in the market so why not choose wisely. It is much better for you heart too. Many people just go for shopping and pick up whatever they can. They do not bother to find out if there are any substitutes for the thing they are looking for.

5. Most importantly, avoid crash diets. They are bad for health and you will gain what you have lost once you take a break. Crash diets are not a solution to weight loss. It might seem as if you have lost ! few poun ds but the moment you give up on the crash diet every thing will bounce back with a vengeance.

Take a look at it in this way. Do you think that it is possible for a person to survive on a crash diet for the rest of his or her life? Certainly not! So at some time or the other, you will have to give up the crash diet and then you will see for yourself that a crash diet does more harm than good in the long run.

Crash diets may make a lot of promises, but very rarely do these promises come true. Crash diets are things people go on in order to wear an old dress or suit for a particular occasion. That's the only purpose that they serve as far as I can see.

James B. Allen is the publisher of Power Living Press. He invites you to come learn more about living a healthier, wealthier, more beautiful and more powerful life TODAY by visiting:

http://www.PowerLivingPress.com

Genital Warts Symptoms

2008-10-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

Genital Warts symptoms are quite easy to identify, but many people ignore the symptoms of genital warts and do nothing about them. All warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus. HPV is the most rapidly spreading STD in America and affects more people than HIV-aids. There are about 5 million new cases reported each year, and this number is growing all the time. It is important to be able to identify genital warts symptoms, so you may treat them immediately.

There are many carriers of the Human Papilloma virus who do not even have any Genital Warts symptoms. In fact, most carriers of the virus, don't even have any warts! The virus is able to lay dormant in the body for months or even years, and can be passed from one person to another through sexual intercourse. So it is possible to pass the virus on, without having any genital wart symptoms at all.

Genital wart symptoms are normally quite obvious. Small bumps or growths appear in the genital region, including in and around the anus, vagina and penis. They can appear as individual growths or they can group together in clusters. Some of these clusters may have a cauliflower-like appearance. They range in color from whitish or grey looking to red, pink or skin color. Unless they become lacerated and bleed, genital warts are usually not painful but may be itchy and irritating. It is best to stick to natural methods for successful treatment.

John Black

Acne And Carbohydrates Is There A Link?

2008-10-27T08:03:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot of speculation about how diet and food intake affects acne. There is a relationship between what we eat and how our skin reacts, although the exact interaction is not clearly understood. All food has properties that are helpful or harmful to our bodies. Most foods have a combination of helpful and harmful components and our bodies are designed to utilize the positive attributes of the food and to eliminate the negative. Sometimes, based on our bodies? ability to process food, there may be changes in chemical and hormonal balances caused by food. Some contributing factors to changes in body metabolism are:

- Change in diet
- Change in climate
- High stress levels
- Natural hormonal changes in the body due to age and development
- Illness and infections within the body

In this article we are going to explore the relationship between carbohydrates and acne.

Carbohydrates

There are low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate foods found in the average daily diet. Teenagers and adults who eat a high carbohydrate diet are more prone to acne and outbreaks. Teenagers and adults who eat a lower carbohydrate diet that limits the amount of refined sugars have significantly fewer acne problems and outbreaks. High carbohydrate foods include candies, highly processed foods such as white bread, sugary cereals and fast foods. It is believed by scientists and nutritionists that the high carbohydrate foods trigger a sharp increase in insulin production that in turn triggers hormonal increases leading to oily skin and clogged pores.

Best Diet Choices

If you have acne, we recommend that you try the following changes in your diet (after discussing it with your doctor of course):

- Eat as much natural food as possible such as fruits and vegetables.
- Limit high carbohydrate items and switch to whole grain wheat products.
- Avoid fried foods or foods cooked in oils.
- Drink at least six glasses of water per day.
- Eat high fiber f! oods. Th ese high fiber foods tend to be generally low carbohydrate foods.
- Avoid any foods that you may be allergic to. Keep a record of what is eaten for a week and see if there is any pattern to outbreaks.

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.stopping-acne-now.com/ On his website, he shows how to cure pimples and articles about different types of acne.

Acne Can You Stop Acne Formation?

2008-10-26T23:03:00.001-07:00

Acne- How It Troubles Most Of Us?

Acne troubles most of us. Either when we are teenagers or when we grow up. Those who have acne on face are shy of meeting friends and those have acne on the back are shy of removing their shirt in public. Teenagers ask if acne will spoil their relationships. Acne has been taken as a way of life. We have all come to believe that cane cannot be prevented. it can be only treated once you get it. Can acne formation be stopped?

Acne- How It Forms?

Acne is associated with our sebaceous glands with hair. When the gland produces more sebum, and dead skin cells accumulate, they block the pore of the gland. This increases the pressure in the gland and forms acne. If we want to stop acne, we have to address these two main issues along with getting rid of excess P.acnes bacteria that produces inflammation. Click here to know more- Acne: How Acne Forms?

Acne- How To Stop Its Formation?

Suppose I am prone to acne. I can surely try all the measures to control the oil. i can consult my doctor about drugs that will bring my hormones in order and not activate sebum production. I will ask my doctor about how to make my skin shed the dead skin cells regularly so that they don't block the pores. I will try methods such microdermabrasion and AHA treatments to remove the dead skin layer. I will find out which antibacterial will take care of the P.acnes and don't allow it to grow. The issue is that most of us never ask our doctor in detail about the prevention but are happy to clear whatever acne we get.

Please talk to your doctor in detail about you can address these three issues and prevent acne. Don't allow it to form. Take help of science and make every effort to stop it forming.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after co! nsulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

The author C.D.Mohatta writes articles on skin problems, skin treatments and skin care. For more information about how to have good skin that looks young and blemish free , please visit- http://www.doctorgoodskin.com/ . You will also find solutions to wrinkles, scars, facial rejuvenation, latest laser treatments, skin blemishes and spots, hair care and hair loss and about keeping healthy nails. This site is dedicated to make you look good. For keeping yourself young at all the ages, click here- Stop Aging Skin

Fighting Childhood Obesity Starts at Home

2008-10-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

It is a fact that people are generally getting fatter in many western societies. This is reflected in the popularity of diet books and fitness equipment. But while most of us realize it would be good to lose a bit of weight, we are only vaguely aware of the staggering levels of obesity in our societies. We are even less aware of the impact this is having on our children, and the widespread existence of childhood obesity.

What is Obesity?

Generally speaking, a person is considered obese when the amount of fat stored in his body endangers his health. Here are some recent OECD statistics that show just how widespread the problem of obesity is:

Percentage of Population (over 15 years of age) who are obese

U.S.A. - 30.6%
Mexico - 24.2%
U.K. - 22.4%
Australia - 21.7%
New Zealand - 17%
Canada - 14.9%
Germany - 12.9%
France - 9.4%

In other words, almost 1 in 3 Americans and roughly 1 in 5 Australians are so grossly overweight as to have health problems because of it.

Causes of Obesity

As individuals we have a tendency to rationalise our inclination to be overweight or obese. We often blame such things as heredity, or glandular imbalance, and while these things often do make a difference, the primary cause for most obesity is quite simple. A person gains weight when he or she consumes more calories than they burn.

In other words, there are two important factors involved -- diet and activity level. And it seems pretty obvious that in countries with a high obesity level both things are taking a hit. Western diets are oozing with more fat and sugar than ever before, while people are generally becoming more sedentary and getting less physical exercise -- sitting in front of computers all day, and in front of the TV all night.

Consequences of an Obese Lifestyle

Obesity has overtaken infectious diseases as the most significant contributor to ill health worldwide.

Illness such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, h! igh bloo d pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, heart disease, stroke, back and lower extremity weight-bearing degenerative problems, certain types of cancer, and depression, have been attributed to obesity.

In fact, it has been estimated that roughly 500,000 deaths now occur annually due to poor diet and physical inactivity. If this trend towards obesity is not reversed in the next few years, it will likely overtake tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death.

Even more troubling, when adults adopt an obese lifestyle, they are more likely to pass their eating and activity habits along to their children. This has given rise to a dramatic increase in obesity in children.

Obesity in children

Obesity in children has become commonplace in many countries. For instance, it is estimated that obesity in children and adults in the US has increased by more than 30% over the past 10 years alone.

The reasons are obvious. Children are subjected to the obese lifestyle from all sides. Many families have substituted high fat, high sugar junk food and soft drinks for regular well-balanced meals. Or they have simply stopped preparing meals in the home -- the proportion of foods that children consumed from restaurants and fast food outlets increased by nearly 300% between 1977 and 1996.

Children are also the targets of a constant barrage of advertising that promotes highly processed junk food. And in many cases the normal physical activity that has been a part of childhood for many generations has been restricted by concerns for safety, or completely replaced by sedentary activities like playing video games or watching TV.

Consequences of childhood obesity

Obesity is never a good thing. But obesity in children is especially bad. Once fat cells are created in the body they cannot be gotten rid of by normal dieting or increased physical activity. So an obese child normally carries their obesity through into adulthood.

On the other hand, if a child learns good habits fo! r diet a nd exercise as children, they will very likely carry these habits and this knowledge into adulthood as well.

What Can be Done about Childhood Obesity?

It is up to parents and other adults to teach responsible alternatives to the obese lifestyle. Parents must first become aware of the problems with their own personal and family eating habits and activity levels, and then they must make adjustments that will have a positive lifelong impact on their children.

One effective way is to adopt the AKA approach -- Awareness of the problem. Knowledge of what to do about it, and Action designed to bring about lifestyle changes. Children have an innate thirst for knowledge, a deep desire to improve their self-image, and will love the attention you give them as you develop a plan for a more healthy lifestyle for your entire family.

The Body Mechanics Toolkit program is designed for families who want to work together to develop a more active, more healthy lifestyle. It gives you the tools to help your children get up off the couch, so you can be active together and tackle the childhood obesity problem.

Rick Hendershot is a writer and online publisher. For online promotion ideas, see Power Listings.

Hairy Backed Beast Transformed with Laser Hair Removal

2008-10-25T23:03:00.001-07:00

Times have changed and fashions change, what was once considered a sign of raw manliness is now considered by some to be an unwanted accessory to the skin. We are of course talking about body hair on men.

For the metrosexual man, laser hair removal seems to have become increasingly fashionable as a hair removal method to get that dolphin smooth look as I term it. You know what it is like if you have ever touched this marine creature; it's that squeaky rubbery perfectly hairless physique that can be truly breathtaking to sight and touch.

Well hairy backs may be all well and good for some guys and their partners, for some who aren't as comfortable with it; there is now a permanent hair removal solution to the problem... laser hair removal. It works by basically frying hair follicles in the skin by targeting them with selected types of laser light, it can provide a real solution to the constant human problem of excessive unwanted hair on the body.

To brutally honest, laser hair removal is not cheap, nor should it be considering it is a cutting edge technology for hair removal. If you want the cheapest far from cutting edge method you could stick with a razor... (Excuse the pun). Hair removal lasers are not cheap to purchase and operate, and take a skilled practitioner, so you should be prepared and willing to pay the price to use it. The tremendous upside of it though, is that it is truly a way to dramatically reduce unwanted hair and prevent it from returning, and there is no way waxing or shaving can do that.

Laser back hair removal is obviously going to be expensive, as it is pretty much the largest surface on the body and laser hair removal clinics charge by the amount of area that needs to be treated. Also be aware that virtually all parts of the body will require multiple treatments with the hair removal laser, especially areas of the body with stubborn hairs like on the shoulders and backs of some men.

Probably the best news about hair removal laser treatments is that! they wo rk best on men with the darkest hair and reasonably light skin tone, which of course is the most noticeably hairy combination to the outward observer because of the contrast. Those with other skin types and hair colour combinations can also benefit greatly from laser hair removal treatments, as there are different laser systems used to cater for a wide variety of hair/ skin combinations.

If you are the generously hairy type and you are ready to consider getting back hair removal with laser treatment, do some searching and track down a website with more information or a laser hair removal clinic near you and you can look forward to being squeaky smooth and free of back hair.

Matthew Hudson contributes informative articles on laser back hair removal at http://www.infoquarium.com/laserhairremoval1.html.

Getting 'InZinc'

2008-10-25T07:03:00.001-07:00

As with most nutrients and minerals, zinc is often ignored by the average person however, it is an essential mineral that plays many roles in promoting the healthy functioning of the body. Its importance to the body?s well-being goes far back as the earliest moments of growth and development and is serves a highly important role in maintaining a healthy way of life. And as like with the other nutrients and vitamins that the body needs in order for it to stay in tip, top shape, there are recommended amounts of zinc that each and every person should be able to maintain daily. Refusal to do so can actually cause all sorts of complications with one?s health while taking in excessive amounts of zinc can still prove to be quite detrimental to a person?s well-being.

Zinc is an important mineral that serves many vital purposes in the body. Approximately one hundred enzymes rely on the presence of zinc to be able to effectively perform their specialized tasks within the body. Zinc has a significant role in the process of physical growth of babies developing in the womb as well as for the growth of both children and teenagers. Zinc is necessary to the mixture of DNA and also helps to keep the senses of taste and smell to actually function properly. It helps the body to develop a stronger immune system and while the lack of it makes a person weak and definitely more prone to illnesses.

Deficiencies in zinc can show a wide variety of symptoms concerning both physical and mental processes. Among the most common are the growth stunt of babies even while they?re still in their mother?s womb, as well as the slow down of growth in older children. The lack of zinc can get in the way of the development of the reproductive organs, as well as interfere with reproductive functions and processes. It can even lead to impotence. Chronic diarrhea, poor appetite and significant weight loss of the unhealthy and undesirable sort, hair loss and the slow healing of wounds are all associated with zinc deficiencies. As we! ll as op en sores on the skin and in the mouth, strange tastes in the mouth and the inability to think faster as well as other mental incapability are all caused by a serious lack in the daily intake of zinc..

It is highly important to always keep in mind the various functions of each and every vitamin, nutrient and mineral that our body needs. Sufficient knowledge about our body?s needs will help us further understand and take seriously the need to start being conscious of our health. A growing number of people actually rely on nutritional supplements to help them balance out the amount of vitamins and minerals that they need in a day since we?re not sure if the food that we eat actually contains enough of these nutrients already.

Those who opted to go for a vegetarian lifestyle must be especially careful about monitoring the zinc levels in their day-to-day nutrition. A dietary supplement containing zinc may be their best option to keeping their zinc levels right where they should be as it is more difficult to obtain all the necessary zinc from plant sources only. This is especially important for children that are being raised under the vegetarian lifestyle, as zinc plays an important role to normal growth and puberty. A person opting to go for the vegetarian lifestyle, for whatever reasons that he or she may have need not sacrifice these beliefs anymore by actually just taking in nutrition supplements to help balance out their daily dietary needs.

Zinc needs to get the rightful recognition that it deserves due to the highly important role that it plays in the overall health of a person. For those concerned about their daily zinc intake and is not sure about whether they?re getting enough of it daily, a dietary supplement containing the proper dosage of zinc is definitely the right choice.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlen! e J. Nub le 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Drinking Milk and Sunshine Exposure Can Limit the Prostate Cancer

2008-10-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

The spread of prostate cancer is caused by the over normal activity of two specific enzymes, proteases called cathepsin and matrix metalloproteinase.

A recent study concluded that Vitamin D can reduce the activity of these enzymes, mainly by increasing the level of counterpart enzymes that inhibit matrix metalloproteinase and cathepsin. This process has two consequences on prostate cancer. On one hand, it creates a limitation in power of prostate cancer cells to invade healthy cells and, on the other hand, it has a positive effect on plasminogen activators, which also are important in uncontrolled prostate cancer spreading mechanism.

For a moment it is unclear whether there are other vitamins and medicines that could increase the anti cancerous effects of Vitamin D. The scientists are now investigating if Vitamin E could be a positive support without increasing the toxic level.

Patients must know that a high dose of Vitamin D has a strong side effect causing kidney problems due of increasing blood calcium levels. For this reason, it should not be taken without medical prescription and a special monitoring of side effects by a professional health care.

Excepting vitamin pills, the best ways to get Vitamin D into the body are to drink milk and to expose the body to the modest sun (sunshine preferable).

Valerian D is a freelance writer interested in health issues affecting men such as prostate cancer

What Should a Hatha Yoga Teacher Know? Part 2

2008-10-24T07:04:00.001-07:00

Yoga teachers should have good working knowledge of Yoga posture alignment and know how to assist a Yoga student who is holding an asana. When you are about to give an assist - ask for permission first; as this might be considered an invasion of privacy by some of your Yoga students. Yoga teachers should not take for granted that all students want a physical assist and should respect their space.

Yogic philosophy: Yamas and Niyamas are the ethical principles of Yoga. Most of us read Patanjali?s guidelines from the Yoga Sutras. If you want to become a Yoga teacher, you should get your own copy of the Yoga Sutras. The Yamas contain the following five self restraints.

Ahimsa: A Yoga teacher should be a living example of how to avoid violence, harming, and especially killing. This principle can be carried further, as you should avoid purposely injuring yourself in any way. To avoid harming animals could also be included within this principle of Yoga. It is one more reason to consider vegetarianism or, at least, to cut back on meat consumption.

Satya: To be true and honest in every way. This is a very simplistic principle and includes avoiding deception of any kind, shape, or form. However, the truth can sometimes hurt people deeply, so you must use your best judgment when you want to avoid harming someone, but do not lie.

Asteya: This is to avoid stealing in any way. This is a simple principle, but throughout history, laws were sometimes modified to justify stealing. The problem is the desire of something - to the point of jealousy, and finally ? outright theft. The elimination of the Cathars, Africans, and Native Americans are just three examples of people who suffered from modified laws that took away their land.

Brahmacharya: To be free from sensual imprisonment and to live in moderation. At first we might think of lust, and correct this by seeing another person as more than a sexual object. However, most obesity can be found within industrialized nations, w! here the lust that may kill most people, is over consumption of food.

Therefore, we should strive to be moderate in eating, drinking, sex, Internet use, consumerism, computer games, television, and our behavior. With that said, the use of any illegal drugs is very far from moderate or responsible behavior.

Aparigraha: To be free from greed, wanting, hoarding, and to avoid being selfish. This is one more good reason to give to charity, and help those in need.

Yoga teachers should not only know these principles, but should live by them.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: Yoga in Practice, and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

How to Brush Your Skin to Relieve Acne

2008-10-23T22:04:00.001-07:00

Brushing your skin with a brush or cloth is an excellent way to improve the appearance of your skin. If you have acne, this brushing will help to eliminate toxins through the skin and reduce the toxins that accumulate in your acne.

Brushing your skin while dry and just before taking a shower is a way to stimulate the flow of liquid through lymphatic system and increase the circulating of blood. It also has other benefits:

* Removes and brushes away dry dead cells that can clog your skin

* Opens pores to allow you to excrete more toxins safely

* Activates the nerves near the top of your skin, making your skin work better

* It stimulates the tiny blood vessels near your skin and brings more nutrients and acid neutralizing minerals to your skin

* Improves your overall health since the skin must eliminate close to 2 pounds of waste through your pores.

If you practice dry or wet brushing your skin, you will see improved beauty and health in your skin.

You can also scrub your skin during your shower and this is the way I like to do it.

There are two different types of brushes that are designed for dry skin brushing.

* A natural bristle brush

* Loofah with a long handle

When you start bushing for the first time, do it softly and gentle until your skin gets use to the rough feeling. If you have not been brushing and scrubbing your skin, then you may have some side effects caused by stirring up toxins. Because skin brushing promotes release of toxins through the skin, you want to make sure you are not constipated, otherwise you will start to release to many toxins through the skin.

A word of caution: Brush only once a day and do not brush too hard. Excessive brushing over stimulates the skin and can produce unwanted side effects.

But, here is how to dry brush your skin before you take a shower,

* Start with gentle light touch circular motions at your face. If you have severe acne do this gently massage with! a clean hot face towel and do not brush your face.

* Always brush only in the direction of your heart. From the feet upward, brush up toward the heart. At the neck, brush downward toward the heart.

After you finishing brushing, about 5 minutes, take a shower to remove the dead and old skin.

What I do is use a loofa in the shower with soap and brush my skin as described above. It is a gentler way to brush your skin and you wash away the skin derby at the same time. Brushing your body decreases the amount of toxins that reach your face and can help you get rid of or prevent acne.

Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call ?natural-remedies-thatwork.com.? More acne hints and information on his acne e-book can be found at: http://www.acne-remedies.for--you.info

What Is Aromatherapy?

2008-10-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

Aromatherapy is a branch of herbalism that employs the use of essential oils for therapeutic use. Essential oils are highly aromatic distillations of flowers, roots, stalks, bark, seeds, leaves, gum or rind of plants, trees or fruit. This holistic practice is now well recognized and utilized for aid in bringing about physical, mental or emotional change within a person.

Used by the Ancients for thousands of years, precious oils were the first medicines and perfumes. Incenses utilizing the oils perfumed places of worship. This science is increasingly being used either in conjunction with allopathic medicine or alone to provide a natural alternative to treating common ailments. Essential oils contain chemical constituents that nourish, energize, heal and protect the living plant increasing its immunity. Over the years, practitioners used these extracted oils to stimulate the immune system, balance our central nervous system, increase blood circulation, relieve pain and treat viruses, infections, wounds and skin ailments. When pure oils are placed directly on the skin, they enter into our bloodstream and can often impact our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. Applications of essential oils diluted in a carrier are ideal for use in massage, reflexology and bodywork. In fact, the best place to put oil is either the soles of your feet or the palms of your hands. Inhale the fragrance from your hand. Rub it on areas where you have tension. It is possible to feel positive emotional and physical benefits from a single application of a few drops of oil.

Notably, mere inhalation of particular scents can also impact us in the same ways. In the emotional realm, essential oils were used to treat depression, anxiety, improve memory and promote self-confidence and a meditative state. Aromatherapy is the belief that certain scents trigger specific emotional or physical responses in people simply because the chemical constituents evoke them. Magical Aromatherapy is the practice of using the en! ergies f ound within these same oils and floral waters or plant material to bring about a needed change. These energies are often focused for a specific intent by visualizing the intended goal. Aroma magick is created each time you use a particular scent for a particular purpose. Aromatherapists concern themselves with the effects of smell, magickal practitioners concern themselves with the energy of the plant.

Debbi Quinn is the owner of Blue Moon Herbals, the popular online retailer of chakra oils, perfume pendants, and other aromatherapy products. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1988 and has since turned to aromatherapy to help maintain a healthy body.

How to Treat Mesothelioma from Asbestos Exposure

2008-10-22T22:04:00.001-07:00

There are many forms of treatment for Mesothelioma. Their effectiveness is on a cases by case basis. Here are five possible treatments that have been used:

1) Surgery - this is where the cancerous tissue is cut out. In extreme cases where the cancer has spread to the lungs, a lung may be removed.

2) Gene therapy (still in clinical trials) - this is where a suicide gene is inserted into the cancer making those cells susceptible to drugs that can be used to kill the malignant cells, leaving the healthy ones behind.

3) Radiation Therapy - high energy x-rays are directed at the cancer cells to kill these cells and/or shrink the tumors.

4) Chemotherapy - drugs are placed directly into the bloodstream through pills or injection. In Mesothelioma cases these drugs can be injected into the chest cavity.

5) Intraoperative Photodynamic therapy - uses drugs and light therapy is used during surgery.The patient is injected with drugs 3 days before surgery. These drugs make them sensetive to light. A special light is shined on the cancer cells during surgery.

Speak to your doctor about the risks involved with each procedure and which would be appropriate for your individual case.

For more information go to: http://www.topmesotheliomalawyer.com/MesotheliomaPhysicians.php

Caterina Christakos is a published author and internet publisher. For more information on the types of Mesothelioma and its treatments go to: http://www.topmesotheliomalawyer.com/

Quit Smoking Today

2008-10-22T07:04:00.001-07:00

We all know there are more reasons to stop smoking than to continue smoking, but did you know how quickly some of the gains come? The first and foremost of the reasons to quit smoking is your health. The benefits are incredible. The heart rate drops 20 minutes after quitting; the carbon monoxide level returns to normal 12 hours after quitting; the blood circulation and lung function improves 2 to 3 months after quitting; coughing and shortness of breath go away one to nine months after quitting; risk of heart disease halves one year after quitting; the stroke risk is reduced five years after quitting; lung cancer rate drops to half 10 years after quitting.

There will be a clear improvement in your appearance. The premature wrinkling of skin will be arrested; the stale smell of cigarette smoke will go away; the teeth will become less stained and the clothes will become free of the smell of tobacco.

You will start enjoying your food once again. Your sense of smell will return to normal and you will stop running out of breath while climbing stairs or even doing routine housework. The money that you were blowing on cigarettes will also become available for productive purposes.

Most important, your social acceptance will grow. You will not be asked to leave the room if you want to smoke. The housekeeping staff feels will be less ill-disposed towards you because your office room no longer smells of stale smoke; there is no spilled ash on the carpet or holes in the drapes. The quality of life of those who matter to you, like your immediate family members, will become better. They will be less likely to suffer from health problems caused by passive smoking. Also, there is less likelihood of a miscarriage and less health problems for babies.

Your standing will go up in your house. Your family will look up to you, and take pride in the fact that you gave up smoking. This is indeed a very positive way of ensuring that your children don?t take to smoking.

Keith MacLean is a life coac! h who lo ves to help people live happy, productive, prosperous lives. http://www.top10stopsmoking.com/

Natural Therapy

2008-10-21T22:04:00.001-07:00

Natural therapy is an alternative medicine using a combination of alternative medicines. The most common ones used are diet modification, different foods, dietary supplements and exercise. All of these alternative medicines are used together to cure the body naturally. Natural therapy excludes the use of major surgery and most conventional drugs. The emphasis is on helping the body heal itself naturally.

There are 6 principles that natural therapy (Naturopathy) is guided by:

The healing power of nature Identify and treat the cause (diagnosis) The whole body should be treated not just an isolated part. The doctor is the teacher Preventive measures.

The healing power of nature: this works on 2 principles. The power of the body to heal itself by building up body resistance. The second principle that nature heals, this means that many illnesses will heal up on their own utilizing the body?s own immune system. A commonsense approach is employed, with getting enough sleep, exercising and eating nutritional food.

Identify and treat the cause: Diagnosis and eradicating the root of the problem must be done to enable the healing process to begin.

The whole body should be treated not just an isolated part: Not only the actual symptoms are treated but the entire body health is taken into consideration.

The doctor is the teacher: in this type of medicine the doctor is obligated to teach the patient to be responsible for their own health. This is an integral part of the treatment.

Preventive measures: are applied as the ultimate goal of this treatment is to maintain health and build up your body health so that you naturally will not get sick. This will include eating foods which will help your body?s immune system and those that have natural ant-toxins in them.

First do no harm: When natural medicine is practiced it is important to recognize all symptoms. This is so that you can avoid any therapy that just hides the symptoms and does not aid natural healing.

W! hen you combine different forms of natural alternative medicine you will give your body a chance to heal itself. Natural therapy can eventually become a way of life. Once you are educated in the various ways your body can heal itself and stay healthy you can start putting them into practice. You can maintain a healthier lifestyle which in turn ensures that you will stay healthier have more energy and enjoy your life to the fullest. Everything about the body must be taken into consideration for this type of natural therapy to work.

Zach Thompson is a Glyconutrients Consultant. His clients range from pro athletes and actresses, to cancer patients and children with Learning Disabilities. To learn if glyconutrients can help you, visit Buy Glyconutrients Product

Stay Young and Beautiful

2008-10-20T22:03:00.001-07:00

Staying young and beautiful is an important factor in many of our lives. The thought of getting old, wrinkly and losing our faculties is rather daunting to say the least.

Scientists who have studied aging are now saying that your genes only have 40 percent of the deciding factor to how old you look and feel, the rest is due to what you eat, drink and your state of mind. According to these studies, this means you can delay aging symptoms by years, simply by taking small steps to improve your diet, fitness and by trying to cut down the levels of stress and negativity in your life.

Cutting down on stress is one of the most important things you need to think about, prolonged stress can be hazardous to your health. Studies have shown there is evidence that chronic stress weakens the immune system, making us more susceptible to infections and illnesses.

Try to be positive about your life, if you are not one of life?s natural optimists it will be worth learning to become one by practicing positive thinking, such as; If you find yourself reacting to an event in a destructive way, stop for a moment and focus on positive areas of your life or think of a good time in your life and reflect on the best features about yourself, once you have managed to get into a better state of mind take another look at your problem or event, is it actually as important as you first thought?

Is there an easier way to go about your problem? Or perhaps there is someone who you can ask for help to lighten the load. By believing in yourself, thinking that things can only get better and that this situation is temporary, you will be surprised how much happier and calm you can become.

Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and a minimum of one portion of oily fish a week, this will boost your immune system and help give you more energy to go about your busy lifestyle. By eating your recommended portion of fruit and vegetables, scientists also say you cut your overall cancer risk by twenty p! ercent. Eating oily fish at least once a week can cut your risk of heart attack by forty percent. Fish also helps to reduce risk of several forms of cancers and can ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Drink eight glasses of water each day to keep your body fully hydrated. Water can help build up your bodies immune system and is also known to increase the elasticity of the skin, which keeps your face and body wrinkle free for longer.

When dieting if you drink a large glass of water before each meal your stomach will be fuller to start with so you will not need to eat as much food to fill you up thus making dieting much easier.

Keep on the move, staying physically fit is an important factor in achieving a healthy lifestyle, by doing as little as twenty minutes of exercise a day will do you the world of good, especially if you stick to a routine, it will build up your strength, balance and flexibility.

Always wear sun lotion, by wearing sun lotion with a high sun protection factor you can protect your skin from exposure to ultraviolet light, UVA or UVB. Both UVA and UVB radiation can cause skin damage such as wrinkles, lowered immunity against infections, aging skin disorders and cancer.

There are many more things you can do to improve your health and fitness, but if you follow these few steps it will be a good start and will make a huge difference to your life and future.

Cheryl White is the author of http://www.money-4-work.com and http://www.work-n-earn.com

Vitamins: How to Get the Most From Your Diet

2008-10-20T07:04:00.001-07:00

It?s not easy to eat right, but when you are going out of your way to eat healthy you should be sure that you?re getting the most from your foods. One important issue regarding vitamins is that some foods lose their vitamin content when they?re not handled properly.

Raw is better. It?s a simple fact of fruits and vegetables that cooking tends to damage vitamin content. If you have the choice between eating raw apples and applesauce, you?ll find that raw apples generally retain more of their natural vitamins. But are those raw vegetables and fruits always going to provide you with the vitamins you need? Not necessarily.

Read the label of processed foods. Many manufacturers fortify their processed foods with vitamins. In some cases, you may find that the applesauce actually has more vitamins and a higher content than a raw apple. It?s important to note that the vitamins you?re getting from the applesauce aren?t natural to the apple, but they?re present nonetheless.

It?s easy to tell the vitamin content of your favorite breakfast cereal, the fruit juice you had for a mid-morning snack or that granola bar you had on the way home from work. You tend to watch what you eat, so you also read those labels to be sure you?re eating snacks that are high in the vitamins you most need for your body. But what happens when you grab an apple? Most fresh fruits don?t come with a label so it?s sometimes difficult to know just what you?re eating. You?ll find some very helpful charts that list vitamin content of most fruits and vegetables, but keep some important facts in mind.

?Harvesting and handling matter. The harvesting time and practices may enhance or decrease the actual vitamin content of individual fruits and vegetables.

?Variety counts. An apple isn?t necessarily an apple. Different varieties have different vitamin content. The same is true of most fruits and vegetables.

?Cooking practices make a difference. Though fried vegetables will typically have a lower vitamin content t! han raw, the type of oil used to do the frying also makes a difference. Different oils have different vitamins and add (or detract) from the vegetables.

If you?re really looking to get the most from particular vegetables, fruits and other products, take time to do some research into the particular food you?re interested in or the vitamins you?re looking to increase. You may be surprised to find out that handling, cooking and choosing make a big difference in the vitamins you actually consume.

Bob Benson is the founder of Vitamins online. You can check out our website at http://www.daily-vitamins.info

The Health Benefits of Vitamin B and B12

2008-10-19T07:03:00.001-07:00

Vitamin B-12 is a water soluble vitamin which helps maintain healthy nerves cells and red blood cells. It functions as a methyl donor and works with folic acid in the synthesis of DNA and red blood cells and is vitally important in maintaining the health of the insulation sheath that surrounds nerve cells. Vitamin B-12 is also called Cobalamin as it contains the metal cobalt. During digestion hydrochloric acid in our stomach releases B-12 from proteins in foods. This vitamin B12 then combines with a substance called gastric intrinsic factor (IF). This complex can then be absorbed by the intestinal tract.

Deficiency:

Though Vitamin B-12 is water-soluble it does not get excreted quickly in the urine, but rather accumulates and gets stored in the liver, kidney and other body tissues. Thus its deficiency may not manifest itself until after 5 or 6 years of a diet supplying inadequate amounts. The most common vitamin B-12 deficiency disease is pernicious anemia characterized by large, immature red blood cells. You may suffer from underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B-12.It is seen that many patients exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's actually suffer from Vitamin B-12 deficiency. Deficiency of vitamin B12 has also been associated with.

Common signs and symptoms associated with Vitamin B-12 deficiency include:

?Anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss

?Neurological problems such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet

?Difficulty in maintaining balance

?Depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory

?Soreness of the mouth or tongue

?Asthma, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, tinnitus, diabetic neuropathy and low sperm counts

?In infants it will lead to movement disorders, delayed development, and megaloblastic anemia

Anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated by taking folic acid but it cannot correct the nerve damage also caused by B12 deficiency. Permanent n! erve dam age can occur if vitamin B12 deficiency is not treated. Amount required:

The amount of vitamin B-12 required by our body is about 2 micrograms or 2 millionth of a gram/day. Larger amounts of this vitamin has to be supplied through diet or supplementation as it does not get absorbed very well. Vegetarians have to be careful as vegetables and fruits do not provide sufficient vitamin B-12. It has been recorded that mainly strict, long-term vegetarians suffer from its deficiency. The production of the intrinsic factor required to absorb the vitamin from the small intestine also starts to decline rapidly with age. The richest dietary sources of vitamin B12 are liver, especially lamb's liver, and kidneys. Eggs, cheese and some species of fish also supply small amounts.

Supplementation:

Oral supplementation with vitamin B12 can be taken which is safe, efficient and not very expensive. If you take a B12 supplement containing ten micrograms or more everyday, it will be the same as consuming one microgram on three occasions through the day. 2000 micrograms of B12 consumed once a week would also provide an adequate intake. These B12 supplement tablet should be chewed or allowed to dissolve in the mouth to enhance absorption. You should not exceed more than what is required for maximum benefit.

It is best that you consult with your physician how much Vitamin B-12 you should consume as he can examine your body and tell you the dosage according to your body requirements.

Jeffrey Meier of Jam727 Enterprises offers detailed information on Vitamin B12 at http://www.jam727.com/vitaminb12.htm The website also has many other easy reading articles on various topics as well.

Breast Cancer Treatment: Conventional Treatment Methods

2008-10-18T22:04:00.001-07:00

Your team of doctors will make treatment recommendations based on the stage of your cancer. Your standard treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. If you have been diagnosed with DCIS or LCIS, your stage is the lowest and the road you will travel will be easier. For DCIS, your options may include breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy with or without radiation and hormone therapy.

LCIS treatments options are a bit different. They include observation to determine changes, hormone therapy to prevent cancer from developing, or bilateral prophylactic (preventive) mastectomies.

Things get more complicated when your cancer spreads beyond the ducts or lobes/lobules. Once your cancer has been staged, you can visit www.cancer.gov to determine your treatment options. They will typically include: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and/or hormone therapy. For IBC, treatment options are similar to the other types of breast cancer, but they will always include chemotherapy because of its aggressiveness.

?Surgery: Breast surgery can be either a lumpectomy, where the tumor is removed, or a partial or modified radical mastectomy. With a lumpectomy, it is typically followed by radiation. This way, you get to keep your breast and studies have shown no difference in survival rates between lumpectomy/radiation and mastectomy.

Note: Not too long ago, they used to perform radical mastectomies where the breast, all the lymph nodes, and the underlying muscle were cut away. Thankfully, medicine has discovered that's not necessary. Now, a partial or modified radical mastectomy is performed, where either part of the breast tissue, or the entire breast, and possibly a portion of the lymph nodes, are removed. On the whole, a mastectomy isn't too bad a surgery, although everyone is different. I found both of mine to be quite easy, but you will wake up with drain tubes, which you?ll typically have for at least a week.

?Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is defined by ! Wikipedi a as ?the use of chemical substances to treat disease. In its modern-day use, it refers primarily to cytotoxic drugs used to treat cancer.? This can be a frightening prospect for anyone. We've all heard horror stories about how very debilitating chemotherapy can be. However, much progress has been made in the management of chemo's side effects, to the point that, once you have the right management tools, you can continue to enjoy the activities you typically do. Chemo is a means of treating your cancer systemically and is typically recommended for those whose tumor is larger than a certain size and/or the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes. The thinking is that if your cancer has had the opportunity to access the rest of your body, your treatment should be systemic as well.

?Radiation: Radiation therapy is typically a localized treatment option, where rapidly dividing cells are damaged. Cancer cells are very rapid dividers, so radiation is an effective option. Typically, radiation therapy is given for about six weeks, five days a week. It's very much like lying still for an x-ray, only instead of lasting a second or two, it lasts a couple of minutes. It can cause fatigue, toward the end and slightly after, and can cause a sunburn effect on your skin.

?Hormone Therapy: Many breast cancers are hormone-dependent. In these cancers, there are receptors on the tumor that can be filled with estrogen. The thinking is that when estrogen fills these receptors, it causes the tumor to grow. This is called estrogen-receptor positive (ER). These cancers respond well to hormone therapy and the hormone therapy drug that will be recommended for you will depend on your menopausal status. These drugs are in pill form and you take them once a day. The most popular of these drugs, for pre-menopausal women, is Tamoxifen and, for post-menopausal women Femara or Arimidex. There is new evidence that suggests that taking Femara, after taking Tamoxifen for five years, increases survival rates.

?Immunotherapy:! There i s a fourth modality of treatment on the horizon and it's called Immunotherapy. This involves getting your immune system to fight your cancer and there is, and will be, a lot of research being done in this area.

Melissa Buhmeyer is a breast cancer survivor and has been so for seven years. She is also the founder of http://www.breastcancer-treatment.us, a site focusing on breast cancer treatment options, news, articles, and survivor experiences.

Increase Your Training Intensity Training To Failure

2008-10-18T07:03:00.001-07:00

You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions, so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.

In an earlier article I outlined the ways in which you can intensify your training. Here we'll focus on the role that training to failure has to play in intensifying the training effect.

Anything less than maximum effort will reduce the effectiveness of your muscle building workout. The only way to force an optimal reaction in any muscle is to train it to failure - in other words, no matter how much effort you put in you are simply incapable of completing one more rep of a given exercise.

Too many people seem to finish a set when they reach a certain number of reps, but the body will only show significant change if you ask it to do something extra. Only by passing through the break-over point of momentary muscle failure will you stimulate the muscle to grow.

Anyone starting out on their bodybuilding career should not attempt this method of training as it could lead to serious injury. Spend several months perfecting exercise form and conditioning the body to lift heavier weights before gradually introducing training to failure.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the bodybuildingadvisor.com website that provides guidance and information to athletes at all levels of bodybuilding experience. Go to Bodybuilding Advice to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

Fat Belly Increases Risk for Diabetes and Heart Attacks

2008-10-17T22:03:00.001-07:00

Storing fat primarily in your belly increases your chances of suffering heart attacks and diabetes. People who store fat primarily in their bellies are called apples, while those who store fat primarily in their hips are called pears. The apples have higher blood insulin and sugar levels that raise levels of the bad LDL cholesterol that causes heart attacks, and lower levels of the good HDL cholesterol that prevents heart attacks.

Fat cells in your belly are different from those on your hips. The blood that flows from belly fat goes directly to your liver, while the blood that flows from your hips goes into your general circulation. The livers of those who store fat in their bellies are blocked from removing insulin by the extra fat, so they do not remove insulin from the bloodstream as effectively as the livers of people who store fat primarily in their hips.

A study from Denmark shows why having a fat belly and elevated triglycerides markedly increases your chances of suffering a heart attack (Circulation, Volume 111, 2005.) Your body makes triglycerides from sugar. Abdominal obesity comes from high blood insulin levels. When you eat, your blood sugar level rises. To prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high, your pancreas releases insulin, which converts blood sugar to a type of fat called triglyceride. Insulin also drives triglycerides into the fat cells in your belly. So having high triglycerides and a fat belly are signs of high blood insulin levels, and high blood levels of insulin constrict arteries to cause heart attacks.

If you store fat primarily in your belly you should restrict refined carbohydrates found in foods made with flour, white rice or milled corn, and all added sugars.

Sit-ups are fine for strengthening your belly muscles, but don't believe they will get rid of a fat stomach. Exercising a muscle does not get rid of fat over the specific muscles that are exercised. If it did, tennis players would have less fat in their tennis arms, but they don't. T! he only way to reduce a fat belly is to lose weight overall.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Protein Sources Found at Your Supermarket that Enhance Your Bodybuilding Diet

2008-10-17T07:03:00.001-07:00

If you are getting into bodybuilding then you need to understand that what you eat is just as important as what you exercise. In other words, you can lift as many weights as you like but if your muscles are not getting the fuel they need to grow, you are wasting a great deal of effort.

You Need Protein

With just a little research into an effective bodybuilding diet you will quickly discover that enough protein is one of the most (some say the most) important parts of your nutritional intake. In short, protein is the building block of lean muscle - a lack of protein means your muscle building potential is much lower.

There are many opinions on how much protein your body needs each day and it may depend on your bodybuilding goals. Typically you might consider taking around 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight each day.

Using Nutritional Information to Choose Your Foods

There are plenty of foods in your local supermarket or grocery store that contain a useful amount of protein. Today's regulations that ensure food product manufacturers display the nutritional content of their product make choosing your groceries a breeze. However, before you go running off to buy every high protein food you can find, a certain amount of care must be taken. Take the time to read through the food's nutritional information table in it's entirety. Not only are you looking out for the protein content but you also need to consider fat content, sugar content, carbohydrates, and so on. If your goal is to grow lean muscle then it is a good idea to avoid too many products high in simple sugars, calories and refined carbohydrates.

Popular High Protein Groceries in Your Bodybuilding Diet

You are now ready to hit the supermarket in search of quality protein food sources. These are foods that are high in protein but not so high in other elements that will hinder your lean muscle targets (i.e. calories, carbs, etc.):

MEAT: If you enjoy eating meat then generally 3 meats are rec! ommended . The favorite is chicken (the number of recipes you can find on bodybuilding forums show this). Chicken is very lean and cheap. Similarly, turkey is actually slightly leaner then chicken and has higher protein percentage. Lean beef (look for cuts that are really red without any visible fat when possible) is another great source of protein.

EGGS: Raw or cooked, eggs are another staple in a lot of bodybuilder's diets. Many people will avoid the yolk of the egg and simply eat the white, discarding some quality protein. It's true that the yolk of an egg contains most of the calories but it also contains most of the eggs nutrients as well as some protein. Why not save a few of the yolks!

FISH: Fish is an important source of protein and many bodybuilders live off cans of tuna. In fact I knew one guy who would mix in a can of tuna with his cereal every morning - not really my idea of a tasty start to the day.

MILK/DAIRY: 'Skimmed' or 'fat free' milk is another good source of quality protein and can be consumed as it is (think homemade shakes or in your breakfast cereal) or in so many dairy foods. You need to take care with which dairy products you choose but there are always options for the dieting conscious. You can eat fat free versions of your favorite yogurts, ice-creams (watch out for other ingredients), cheeses (cottage cheese is always highly recommended), and more.

SOY: The vegetarians amongst you will no doubt be aware of the protein content of soy products. Soy beans are pulses and so they contain a good helping of protein. Soy beans are used to make soy milk, tofu and many meat substitutes, many of which taste like the real thing. This not only helps vegetarian bodybuilders but also people with a lower tolerance for dairy products.

AND...: There are plenty of other foods high in protein such as nuts (good for vegetarians) pulses (another good source for vegetarians), cereals, and so on. Take some time to research other foods on the internet - there is a massive amount o! f inform ation on websites, forums, newsletters, and so on.

Is Protein All a Bodybuilder Needs?

No. Protein, although a vital part of a bodybuilder's diet, is not the be all and end all. Bodybuilders also need the energy to physically perform their exercises and this comes mostly from carbohydrates, or more specifically, complex carbohydrates. This is a subject of another article so watch this space. You need both a higher protein intake to 'rebuild' your muscle and the appropriate complex carbohydrates to fuel your workouts.

Now go and make a quality protein shopping list then hit the supermarket!

Adam Zahler has built the Whey Protein Supplements in Bodybuilding site, a free resource with information on using commercial supplements in your own bodybuilding recipes. Visitors to the site can find recipe ideas and also share their own recipes for making protein shakes, protein bars and other more.

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2008-10-16T22:04:00.001-07:00

Understanding Eczema Naturally

2008-10-16T07:03:00.001-07:00

Eczema is such a common ailment among today's children that nation wide between 10-20% of all children experience some degree of atopic eczema. It is one of the most common complaints I see in my naturopathic practice. 30 years ago eczema was a relatively rare complaint, so why are our children increasingly suffering from this irritating and frustrating ailment? The answer most medical doctors will give is that we don't know. Not only is there no obvious cause for eczema but also there is also no obvious cure. As most parents who have children with eczema will know, the conventional treatment for eczema is at best palliative. Understanding more about what eczema is and why it occurs is the key to understanding how to treat it and how to prevent it.

So what is eczema? It is a skin disorder where the skin becomes dry, red and itchy. With persistent scratching, the skin can become broken and inflamed, leading to secondary infection of fungus or bacteria. In children, the classic eczema presentation is usually behind the knees, in the creases of arms and on the cheeks. However, in practicality, it can be anywhere on the body.

When conventional medicine doesn't have the answers, people look for alternatives. In many systems of alternative medicine, eczema is clearly understood and can be managed quite effectively. Naturopathy, homeopathy and traditional Chinese medicine are three medical systems in which eczema not only has a known cause but also a cure.

To understand eczema, we have to go beyond conventional Western thought. Our bodies are magnificent systems that are capable of sustaining health throughout the many ups and downs of life. Our immune systems are beautifully complex and effective armies that are able to combat foreign invaders both from within our bodies and from our environment. This system has been with us for thousands of years and has worked quite effectively for us. However, in the last 100 years there has been a surge of ailments such as ecze! ma, asth ma, chronic allergies, autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, which are linked to an imbalanced immune system. Our bodies are simply responding in the best way they know how, to combat all of the increased toxins, pollutants and chemicals in our food, home and environment.

Our bodies have not evolved as quickly as our world has changed. Therefore our bodies see relatively harmless items as dangerous. Children are especially susceptible to developing immune reactions such as eczema, asthma, and allergies. In naturopathic medicine, eczema is often linked to an allergy to dairy products and a poorly functioning digestive system. This is because children's digestive systems are more sensitive to the type of foods and food additives that we eat in today's world. Understanding why eczema is occurring is already half of the problem solved.

What can we do to treat eczema? Well, the first step is to follow a healthy lifestyle. If we can minimize the amount of toxins in our body and environment, our body's overactive immune system can relax a little bit more. Eating healthy and varied food choices and having an active lifestyle will encourage our bodies to become more balanced. However, in today's world, no matter how careful we are, we will undoubtedly encounter allergens, pollutants and chemicals in our life. If you or your child is susceptible to an overzealous immune system, there are ways to re educate the way the body functions. Two ways that can be very effective are homeopathy and acupuncture or acupressure. These methods of healing work on the body's energetic blue print and re set it.

It is a simple matter of teaching the body that it can relax when it encounters low levels of allergens whilst still keeping an active lookout for harmful invaders such as viruses and bacteria. In my naturopathic practice, I gently guide patients towards a healthier lifestyle and use homeopathy and acupressure to balance the body. Children are especially responsive to the! se gentl e treatment techniques and enjoy getting involved in their own healing process by massaging their own acupressure points at home. It is important to seek a qualified practitioner who will be able to guide you through the process. Eczema need not be an itchy nuisance; it can be the key to a healthier immune response. Learning how to manage and correct this imbalance early on can help prevent you or your child from developing other immune related illnesses in the future.

Dr Auromira Parks BA (Hons), ND, MRN, BTAA Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and Bowen Therapist Supervisor in Naturopathy, University of Westminster, London, England.

http://www.auromira.co.uk

Member of http://www.WomenWorking4Women.co.uk

Nutritionists in the 21st Century

2008-10-15T07:03:00.001-07:00

As obesity continues to skyrocket in the United States for both children and adults, people are often wondering what they should be eating and what is good for them. Conflicting information on diets (protein, no protein, 'good' carbs, 'bad' carbs, trans-fats, etc.) continue to confuse most anyone who listens to the media. Nutritionists can help decode the 21st century facts and myths of nutrition and food, and help determine the best foods to eat.

Nutritionists are health care specialists who helps answer questions on nutrition, health, and diet. Based on their knowledge and expertise, they can give advice on what to eat for preventative nutrition or for certain diseases and health ailments, establish healthy eating guidelines, and assist in planning meals and menus.

As the population continues to age, more and more people are seeking the advice of nutritionists in order to get sound information on what they should be eating. Many diseases such as digestive problems, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and obesity can be improved or managed through healthy eating. Athletes and children also see nutritionists on a regular basis so that they can improve athletic performance, or address health issues at a younger age.

The terms nutritionists and dieticians are sometimes used interchangeably, which can cause confusion; a registered dietician is a licensed health care worker that has completed a bachelor's degree, and has passed a national exam administered by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). A dietician does the same tasks as a nutritionist, but may be more involved with meal planning aspects in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

Certified nutritionists are certified by the American Board of Nutrition or the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, and has advanced degrees in nutrition or medicine. If a person is not certified, they may not have the proper credentials in terms of formal education or training. If you are consulting a nutritionist, ask to see the! ir crede ntials. There are certification programs that people can take that will provide formal education, but which may not be recognized by the state.

For those that struggle with weight or health problems, a trip to a nutritionist is a must. They can give sound advice, and develop meal guidelines and plans based on an individual's health and lifestyle. Individual nutrition counseling can be much more effective than general suggestions, since it is tailored specifically for an individual. It is especially important to get children involved with nutritionists if they are experiencing health or weight problems, since habits can be reformed easier at an earlier age.

Nutrition information in the 21st century is a confusing mass of information where conflicting ideas, diets, and advice abound. It is extremely difficult to sort out what is right and wrong. Talk to trained nutritionists to find out what food makes sense for you, and how you can become healthier through what you eat.

Cathy Seiler writes Nutritionists articles for her http://www.nutritionistsguide.info website.

Elliptical Trainers Not Perfect After All

2008-10-14T07:03:00.001-07:00

Elliptical trainers are the hottest of the hot in fitness equipment. They are easy to use, and provide a great workout. Using an elliptical machine will give you a great cardio workout, similar to that of running, and will tone your lower body as well. And, because the impact is less than that of walking, even those of us with not so great knees can use an elliptical trainer without pain. Many people are finding the elliptical trainer to be such a great workout that they aren't interested in doing anything else. However, no one machine can give the perfect workout. So, how does the elliptical machine stack up against other ways of working out? Well, if you take a closer look, you'll find that elliptical training has distinct advantages, but a few disadvantages too.

One of the great benefits of elliptical trainers is that it provides an aerobic workout through a weight bearing exercise. Running does this, of course, but working out on an elliptical trainer provides an impact to your joints comparable to walking. In addition, many people report that working out on an elliptical trainer feels like less work than working out on a treadmill. Plus, if you use the upper poles on the elliptical machine, you are working your upper body as well. With a treadmill, you get no upper body workout.

Serious Runners Take Note

But, what if you are training for a marathon? Here's where a treadmill has a real advantage over the elliptical. If you are training to be a runner, you need to run. The gliding motion of the elliptical machine won't provide you training comparable to running in terms of preparation for a race.

Another issue you should consider is your need to build muscle. If you are looking to build bulk, you will still need to lift weights. Elliptical trainers provide great cardio workouts, and are great for toning your legs and arms, but they won't build bulk. For a complete training regimen, it is best to alternate using the elliptical trainer with weight machines and free w! eights a few days a week.

Impact Is Not All Bad

One final issue about elliptical trainers - the very thing that makes them great also has its own disadvantage. Elliptical trainers are so popular because they provide a low impact workout. But impact has its advantages, especially if you don't have knee problems. Your body responds to the shock of the impact of exercise by building new bone cells, thereby increasing your bone density. So, if your knees are healthy enough to withstand the impact, running will protect your bone health in the long run.

The most important issue when it comes to any exercise is longevity. You need to find an exercise that you can stick with. If you have joint or knee problems, an elliptical trainer can allow you to workout more easily than other weight bearing exercises. But, if you love to run, and are healthy enough to do so, the elliptical trainer might not be for you. It is beneficial to try out both machines, and, if you're buying a machine, be sure to check out elliptical trainer reviews as well as those on treadmills. Be assured that both can help you improve your cardiovascular health, lose weight, and gain overall fitness.

Mike Singh is a fitness instructor, who provides unbiased health & fitness products reviews and elliptical trainers reviews for consumers looking for quality information. Checkout the largest collection of brand-name elliptical trainer reviews, and low carb diet recipes online!

Enema or Irritable Bowel Syndrome Constipation Managed With Intestinal Cleansing

2008-10-13T22:03:00.000-07:00

The subtle symptoms creep into our life one at a time until we find a barrage of complications we never had before. Constipation is the most obvious difference, then pain, abdominal cramps and bloating followed with occasional diarrhea, all add up to irritable bowel syndrome.

Our lifestyles have shaped our habits to fit an unnatural pattern of elimination. We eat and rush to work or school, suppressing the natural elimination that should occur within 20 minutes after eating.

Some individuals may wait as long as a week between bowel movements. This only complicates the impaction, toxic build up in the bowel, which comes back into the blood stream as toxic waste, and creates a need for laxatives or enemas.

Enema can be a natural remedy for irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. The early 1900?s medical practice was that when a patient was admitted to the hospital for any ailment, the patient first received an enema. A bit messy and inconvenient, enema is usually a last resort. Diet and intestinal cleanse using all natural herbs has become more popular and healthy.

Colon cleanse has become a buzzword as it has been determined that the origin of most disease starts in the colon. The impaction of fecal matter that lines the walls of the colon without being eliminated can easily be 15 pounds. Decay and putrefaction in the bowl throws the immune system in extreme overload, ridding the body of toxins and trying to fight off disease. If the immune system fails, disease grows in the body.

Irritable bowel syndrome can be controlled before permanent damage is done to the colon. Herbal colon cleanse is the most effective on a long-term use. Herbal colon detoxification is also called colon cleanse. High fiber foods in the diet are natural scrubbing agents for the colon to cleanse the cilia that absorb nutrients.

Constipation is not all corrected with a laxative. Drink 5 glasses of water a day. Avoid excess bread and pastry. Augment your diet with foods high in fiber. Choose a! n intest inal formula supplement that will stimulate the peristaltic action in your bowel and strengthens the colon muscles.

Avoid harsh laxatives that are not all natural. Dependence on over the counter laxatives can lead to weakened elimination muscles and loss of natural body function.

It is claimed that all habits can be learned in 21 days. In the next three weeks try an intestinal herbal formula and make time to eliminate within 30 minutes of eating. Your body is designed to heal itself if you do not override the master plan.

James Zeller writes for numerous alternative health websites and blogs. You can see which intestinal supplement that James Zeller rated # 1 or if you would like more information about immune support supplement check out this link.

10 Weight Training Tips

2008-10-13T07:03:00.001-07:00

1. Have A Plan.

Why do most people fail? They do not set goals and write out detailed plans on how they will attain the goals that they set for themselves.

2. Keep A Journal.

By keeping an accurate journal you will guarantee that you are making progress, and if you are not then the journal itself will have the answers to why you are not making progress. You are in essence your own personal trainer.

3. Basic Movements.

Focus on the basic movements of weight training: Squats Deadlifts Bench press Shoulder press Chin ups Dips Rows Curls Situps Calf raises

4. The Tempo of your workout.

Tempo is the speed at which you lift the weight. You should vary the tempo at which you train.

5. Rest Between Sets.

The amount of time that you rest between sets is dependent upon the intensity at which you lift (how close to your maximum). If you are doing higher reps (12-15) then you rest periods will be shorter (45-75 seconds), but if you are doing only a few reps (1-5) then you will need longer periods (2-5minutes) between each set.

6. Prevent Imbalances.

Have you ever seen a guy that trains nothing but bench? His shoulders are pulled forward and rounded in. He will have trouble sooner or later because he has an imbalance between his horizontal pushing and pulling muscles. When designing a program make sure that the program trains both the agonist and antagonist muscle groups. A few examples would be bench press and rowing, shoulder press with pull downs, curls with tricep extensions.

7. Pre-workout Cardio & Stretching.

By doing the cardio before you train you will be able to increase your core temperature and thus be less likely to get injured while training. Having said that, many people like to train cardio after their weight training. The bottom line is, as long as you are doing cardio training, do it when you want to.

8. Train with a partners.

By training with someone else, it makes you more accountable for your training. I! f motiva tion is you problem, having a partner who is counting on you being there might be the trick. Also, training with a partner has a safety element as well. If you are training with heavier weights, it is nice to have someone who left that bar off you chest when you have trained to failure.

9. Post Workout Nutrition.

I know it is supposed to be about weight training. The most common mistake most people make is not eating after they train or not eating the right thing. This meal should contain a mixture of different types of carbohydrates such as a high glycemic carbohydrate like glucose, a medium gylcemic carb like maltodextrin and a limited amount of a low glycemic carbohydrate like fructose.

10. Take Time Off.

One of the most common mistakes people make in their training is over training. Many people believe that more is better. In fact, if you over train you are running the risk of having a negative effect on your workouts.

For more information on an Online Personal Trainer visit http://www.swerdfigerfitness.com

Antioxidants Your Best Defense Against Disease and Aging

2008-10-12T22:03:00.001-07:00

Studies support the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. This is due to their high antioxidant value. Why are antioxidants so important? Because they have a proven track record of fighting free radicals.

Your body is being constantly attacked by very harmful substances known as free radicals or oxygen radicals. Free radicals can destroy your cells, tissues and organs.

Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are naturally formed inside our bodies by the process of oxidation. They are normal by products of everyday functions like digestion and physical activity. Free radicals also come from outside sources, such as smoking, environmental pollution, and synthetic chemicals that are added to our water and food.

We are also all exposed daily to polluted air, ingest oxidized or partially rancid foods, and oxidizing radiations from the sun and various electrical appliances.

Free radicals lack one electron making them chemically unstable. To stabilize themselves, they attack any other substance within reach and steel an electron from it. This process creates a new free radical, which repeats the process, producing a domino effect. When this reaction is uncontrolled, it can generate millions of free radicals within seconds.

Fortunately our bodies come equipped with a free radical fighting mechanism. It consists of specialized enzymes that have a spare electron that they can give away without turning into free radicals. In order to protect us, the enzymes need help from certain substances known as antioxidants.

The antioxidant value of any food or supplement can be determined by it's ORAC rating. ORAC means Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. According to the University of Michigan, Comprehensive Cancer Center, the measurement of ORAC is a way to measure how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb. The more oxygen radicals a food can absorb, the higher its ORAC score. The higher its score... the more that food or! supplem ent will help you fight diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Most experts agree that we should consume 5,000 ORAC units per day to effectively fight free radicals in the body. Sadly, most of us average around 1,200 units per day. Not nearly enough to protect us from the common ciseases of aging.

One of the best sources of antioxidants are berries and fruits. Most of us would have a very hard time eating the large amounts necessary to reach 5,000 ORAC units per day. For this reason, high ORAC supplements have been created. They contain berry and fruit extracts with a known ORAC rating. These supplements are inexpensive and provide many health benefits to your entire body and brain. Many people use these supplements as part of an anti-aging program. Keeping your cells from being destroyed goes a long way to staying healthy and young.

About the author: Brad Bahr is the author of many health related articles and websites. He has been testing and reviewing health supplements for many years. You can find more interesting health related articles at his website: http://www.findustuff.com

Blonde Hair Style and Color Ideas To Lighten Your Look This Summer

2008-10-12T07:03:00.001-07:00

Are you looking for a blonde hair color or maybe a fresh new hair style idea for the summer?

No matter how dark or light your natural base color or what your skin tone is, there is a blonde shade to suit you. And blonde just happens to be the most popular hair color for the mild weather seasons.

So here are some tips for summery hair color ideas to bring out your inner goddess!

For Brunettes Going Blonde: If you have wavy, shoulder-length hair in a brunette tone, don't go for all-over color. Instead, add texture to your style plus some caramel highlights scattered throughout the crown and part areas. The textured waves combined with the highlights will reflect the sunlight and create a dazzling effect.

Long Hair Color Tip: If you have long hair that's damaged or dull, invest in a good color safe and natural hair conditioner like Revitalizing Conditioner from n-fruizon? BODY THERAPY before coloring and make it a regular part of your hair regime. After all, your hair has been subjected to years of styling and brushing so the mid lengths and ends are more damaged than the roots.

Consider opting for the soft, wavy hairstyles that are so hot this year matched with a vanilla blonde color. The new S Wave Thermal Set? is soft and gentle, even on long, colored hair. The S Wave Thermal Set? waving technique and solution from n-fruizon Body Therapy is a gentle formula designed to create soft, manageable curls and waves for all types of hair.

Find The Right Blonde For You: Before choosing a new hair color, consider your skin tone and eye color. You may find that warmer colors suit you better and lift your overall appearance. For example, if your hair has already been bleached or colored a very light blonde hue and your darker roots are starting to show, change your color to a warmer tone of blonde with deep honey highlights. And forget the bleach... your hair needs time to recuperate. A new hair color can create an extraordinary impact when combined with a fresh new hair style.!

L ayer Your Colors For an Exciting Look: If you naturally have a light brown base color, try going for highlights with a multi-coloring technique. Applying the highlights in several tones on the part area and keeping the layers underneath darker will give you a striking and unique look. This type of coloring looks especially good on straight, medium-length hair with side bangs.

I hope these blonde hair color ideas have inspired you to do something refreshingly different with your hair this season. It will not only update your appearance but will also help lift your mood and get you into a summery state of mind.

Nancy Faizabadi is a professional hair stylist and the founder of http://www.short-hair-style.com where you can find free tips on hair and color ideas, hair color trends, hair products and much more.

Cholesterol and Indian Herb

2008-10-11T22:03:00.001-07:00

It has been years now spent by scientists in order to find the perfect solution for rising cholesterol. During these passing years many companies cropped up and claimed to be the best cholesterol reduction pill is produced by them. But majority of them fall apart just like the pack of cards, mainly due to the various side effects attached to it. It has been said that it wise to suffer from high cholesterol level instead of dying by consuming cholesterol reduction pills. Literally saying cholesterol is the fatty, oily and lipid substance found in the body performing various important bodily functions. It not only produces sex hormones but also provides the protective coating to the arteries. They are carried in the packages within the body known as lipoproteins.

With all the cholesterol reductions drugs are failing Indian herb guggul still shows it prominence. Guggul is an old and conventional Indian herb which helps in curbing down the ever rising cholesterol in the body. Its subsistence mainly dates back to around 25000 years and it is almost 40 years for that this herb is used as drug to reduce cholesterol level. It not only reduces the level but also to restrain its growth to great extent. Scientists are still doing research to find how this medicine actually works and the actual composition that reduces the cholesterol level. But despite many queries guggul is still ruling the roost and is said to be the perfect medicine for reducing cholesterol. No side effects, herbal flavor and entirely natural, contributes to make it perfect and unbeatable medicine.

Nowadays many companies have started producing the cholesterol reduction drugs made or extracted from guggul which always make them a safe bet. But still make sure it is still in its natural state. It has been noticed that many companies sell cholesterol reduction pills by quoting them as 100% natural with no side effects but that is entirely not true. Many drug producing companies have made their way to India and its long lost herbs an! d shrubs . Now the world has finally awakened and got to know the real worth of Indian herbs not only in cholesterol but also in various other fields resulting in vast popularity of them.

So this is the right time to make Indian herbs a fulltime partner of yours just in order to reduce your ever rising cholesterol and be in shape.

The author is budding web content writer and has much experience in writing quality content for many websites. You can view his blog for more information.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Symptoms Causes and Treatments

2008-10-11T07:03:00.001-07:00

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic functional disorder of the intestines which causes abdominal pain, often accompanied by cramping, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. It is also referred to as spastic colon or mucous colitis. Irritable bowel syndrome is more commonly known by its abbreviated term - IBS.

There are three forms of IBS depending on the symptoms -- diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D), constipation-predominant (IBS-C) and IBS with alternating stool pattern (IBS-A). Clinical investigations are going on a new IBS subtype, post-infectious IBS (IBS-PI).

Symptoms of IBS

IBS symptoms include:

? Abdominal pain

? Discomfort associated with changes in bowel habits

? Fewer than three bowel movements a week

? More than three bowel movements a day

? Hard or lumpy stools

? Loose or watery stools

? Straining during a bowel movement

? Urgency (having to rush to have a bowel movement)

? Feeling of incomplete bowel movement

? Passing mucus (white material) during a bowel movement

? Abdominal fullness, bloating, or swelling

? Chronic pelvic pain

? Mental stress

? Fibromyalgia and various mental disorders

? Researchers believe that there are neurological and psychological disorders associated with IBS.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The exact causes of irritable bowel syndrome are unknown, but there are factors that may aggravate the trouble. Dietary factors and stress don?t exactly cause IBS, but they can aggravate it. Various studies and researches have noted an IBS connection to diet. Physicians feel that the correct diet can provide IBS relief.

Common IBS diet advice includes:

? Eat soluble fiber foods and supplements.

? Substitute dairy products for soy or rice products.

? Be careful with fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in insoluble fiber.

? Eat small amounts in regular intervals to lessen the symptoms of IBS.

? Avoid ! eating r ed meat, oily or fatty (and fried) products.

? Avoid taking dairy products (especially when lactose intolerance is suspected).

? Avoid solid chocolate, coffee (regular and decaffeinated), alcohol, carbonated beverages and artificial sweeteners.

IBS Treatment

IBS treatment includes dietary advice and medication. Developing good dietary habits may be the best treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

Medications can provide instant IBS relief. These may include stool softeners and laxatives in constipation-predominant, and antidiarrheal (loperamide) in diarrhea-predominant IBS. The low dosage of tricyclic and SSRI antidepressants has shown to be the most widely prescribed medications for helping to relieve symptoms of visceral sensitivity (pain) and diarrhea or constipation respectively. Other medications include:

? Alosetron: Alosetron is a selective 5-HT3 antagonist for IBS-D. It is only available for women in the United States under a restricted access program, due to severe risks of side effects if taken mistakenly by IBS-A or IBS-C sufferers.

? Cilansetron: Cilansetron is also a selective 5-HT3 antagonist that is undergoing further clinical studies in Europe for IBS-D sufferers.

? Tegaserod: Tegaserod is a selective 5-HT4 antagonist for IBS-C. It has shown to have an excellent safety profile for relieving IBS constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation.

Paul MacIver writes about health conditions including IBS and Crohn's Disease. To read how hypnotherapy can be used to beat IBS visit Online IBS Help You may freely reprint this article as long as nothing is changed, bio is included, and all links are made active.

A Sleep Study What to Expect

2008-10-10T22:03:00.001-07:00

When sleep apnea is suspected a sleep study is recommended in most cases. It is a very good tool to collect comprehensive information about somebody?s sleep pattern.

Multiple data channels will record certain physiological parameters taken from your sleeping body. These are: blood oxygen saturation, airflow through your nose, chest effort, muscle tension, eye movement, and brain activity.

A number of electrodes and other sensors will be attached to your head and chest, like during a routine EKG. The study usually takes place in a specially equipped room called a sleep lab in a hospital or a sleep clinic. You will be asked to bring your regular sleeping supplies.

When you show up in the lab you will learn all you need to know about the study, you will also have a chance to ask all the questions you may have. The whole procedure is rather relaxing, there is no pain or risk involved. The technician that will work with you wants you to feel comfortable and relaxed so you can have as good a sleep as possible.

The only complication being that, as mentioned before, there will be several electrodes and sensors attached to various places on your body that may be slightly uncomfortable and may limit your freedom of movement.

Once you are in bed all the wires and tubing will be connected to the recording equipment. Usually it is located across the wall in the neighboring room so you are not disturbed by its operation.

At any time if you need to leave the bed the study will be stopped and you will be allowed to leave the room, it will just take a minute to disconnect you from the equipment. Even if you are not able to sleep through the night they will usually collect enough data to come up with a diagnosis.

Most people who have sleep apnea are sleep depraved and fall asleep easily. There will also be a camera and a microphone in the room so the position, movements, and sounds of your body during sleep can be correlated with the recorded data.

Once the study is over ! all sens ors and electrodes will be deattached and you will be free to go home. Within a day or two your study will be scored and the results reviewed by a doctor specializing in sleep disorders.

If the study reveals that you have sleep apnea your doctor will choose the best treatment option based on the severity of your disease and other factors including medical insurance and personal preference.

For more information on Sleep Apnea go to http://www.the-sleep-zone.com/informationonsleepapnea.html

As a biomedical engineer Andy was involved in research experiments as well as clinical sleep studies on people with a variety of sleep problems. He also designed medical equipment for the treatment of sleep apnea and other pulmonary diseases.

IBS Symptoms

2008-10-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

IBS, or irritable bowl syndrome, is a medical condition in which the patient suffers a perceived need to pass waste very often. Irritable bowel syndrome provides a wide range of symptoms to patients who suffer from it. A patient could be suffering from a mild, moderate or a severe version of IBS, which will determine the kind of medication and treatment offered. This variation in the intensity of IBS is due to the different manner in which the bodies of different people react to foods or stress. The symptoms will also vary from patient to patient, depending upon the severity of the condition. For instance, a person who has a severe form of IBS tends to display one symptom more than the other. In the case of women, the symptoms become more acute during their menstrual cycle. This suggests that reproductive hormones can aggravate IBS.

The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pains, general feelings of discomfort, cramps and a change in the bowel pattern. The patient could also suffer from either diarrhea or constipation, or in certain cases, from both these ailments alternatively. Mucus in the stool is another sign that a person is afflicted with IBS. A feeling that you have not quite finished your bowel movement, a swollen or bloated abdomen (due to accumulation of gas in the intestines), rumbling noises and the constant need to pass gas are signals that should not be ignored. A person with IBS can also experience lethargy, fits of depression and disturbed sleep.

IBS provides detailed information on IBS, IBS Symptoms, IBS Diets, IBS Treatments and more. IBS is affiliated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diet.

What to Look for in a Cosmetic Dentist

2008-10-09T22:03:00.000-07:00

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. If you are deciding on a cosmetic dentistry procedure, then you want to make sure that you choose the best cosmetic dentist possible.

A good cosmetic dentist will work with you in order to determine what goals you want to achieve, they will prescribe a treatment plan that will provide you with those goals, and they will provide you with financing options so that your treatment is effective and affordable.

Cosmetic dentists like Dr. Kodish in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, make sure that their patients are informed and have input in every step of their dental treatment. ?I want to provide my patients with the results they want,? says Dr. Kodish, ?and they can?t get those results without being informed and having a say in their dental treatment.?

A quality cosmetic dentist should not just be concerned with the appearance of your teeth. They should be concerned about your overall oral health. Make sure that the cosmetic dentist you choose offers more than just cosmetic procedures. A good cosmetic dentist should be able to provide you with an array of restorative, preventive, as well as cosmetic services.

Along with good communication and the services they provide, a good cosmetic dentist will have plenty of experience and training. Learning about dentistry should never stop as soon as the dentist becomes certified; a good cosmetic dentist will attend clinics and workshops so that their skill advances along with the procedures they can perform.

Honesty is another quality that you should look for in a cosmetic dentist. A good cosmetic dentist will be honest with you about the procedure they can perform and what results they can provide you with. Always ask for references and before and after photos of the cosmetic dentist?s patients. Many of the best cosmetic dentists have their own websites with ways to contact the dentist and before and after photos that you can view immediately.

Lastly, look at the off! ice. By taking a tour of the facilities, you will be able to look at the equipment and technology that the cosmetic dentist uses. You will also be able to determine if the area is clean and professional, and you will be able to find out about the sterilization techniques the office uses.

A good cosmetic dentist will be able to provide you with a new smile. By making sure your cosmetic dentist is one that will be honest, communicate, and has experience, they can provide results that not only look good, but also work well.

Click here for more information about finding a cosmetic dentist in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.

Causes and Risk Factors of Acute Bronchitis

2008-10-08T22:03:00.001-07:00

Acute bronchitis is a very common respiratory disease that generates symptoms such as mucus-producing cough, chest discomfort and pain, difficult and shallow breathing, wheezing and fever. One of the most commonly diagnosed respiratory diseases in the United States, acute bronchitis is responsible for causing an estimated 2.5 million new cases of breathing insufficiency each year. Although it has the highest incidence in people with ages over 50, acute bronchitis can be seen in young adults and children as well.

Acute bronchitis refers to inflammation of the bronchial mucosal membranes, triggered by various external irritant or infectious agents. Due to prolonged exposure to irritants, pollutants or due to infection with viruses or bacteria, the bronchial region becomes inflamed, resulting in overproduction and expectoration of mucus. Mucus is a substance produced by the soft tissues and membranes involved in breathing. It has a very important role in protecting the respiratory tract against irritants and infectious organisms. However, in the case of acute bronchitis, overproduction of mucus is an inflammatory reaction of the respiratory tract due to irritation of the bronchia. An excessive production of mucus leads to obstruction of the airways, causing wheezing and shallow, accelerated, difficult breathing.

There is a wide range of factors that can lead to the occurrence of acute bronchitis. The most common cause of acute bronchitis is infection with viruses. The viral organisms responsible for triggering the manifestations of acute bronchitis are: adenovirus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, coronavirus, coxsackievirus, enterovirus, rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Commonly developed by children, viral forms of acute bronchitis are usually less serious and generate milder symptoms (mild to moderate fever, non-severe cough and less pronounced obstruction of the airways).

Acute bronchitis can also be the consequence of bacterial infections. Common bacterial agents re! sponsibl e for causing acute bronchitis are: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Bordatella pertussis, Bordatella parapertussis and Branhamella catarrhalis. In some cases, the disease can also be triggered by mycoplasmas, infectious organisms that share the characteristics of both viruses and bacteria. When acute bronchitis is caused by infection with mycoplasmas, the disease is usually severe, has a rapid onset and generates very pronounced symptoms. Some forms of mycoplasma bronchitis can even be life-threatening. Common atypical bacterial agents (mycoplasmas) responsible for causing acute bronchitis are: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella.

Sometimes, acute bronchitis can also be caused by infection with fungal organisms such as Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Histoplasma capsulatum and Coccidioides immitis. When acute bronchitis is the result of bronchial infection with fungal elements, the disease is generally less serious and generates mild to moderate symptoms.

Non-infectious factors that can lead to the occurrence of acute bronchitis are: dust, pollen, chemicals, pollutants, cigarette smoke, substances with strong, irritant odor (alcohol, paints, benzene). When acute bronchitis is solely the result of exposure to non-infectious irritant agents, the disease is usually less severe and generates mild to moderate symptoms. In this case, the medical treatment is focused towards alleviating the clinical manifestations of the disease. Patients are usually prescribed bronchodilators or cough suppressants for decongestion of the airways and rapid symptomatic relief.

More informations about bronchitis or bronchitis treatment can be found by visiting http://www.bronchitis-guide.com/

Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 2

2008-10-07T22:03:00.001-07:00

Welcome to article number 2 in our series ?Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts?. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.

If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Here?s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article #1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises

2. Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results

3. Article #3 - Targeted Stretching

4. Article #4 - Targeted Exercises

5. Article #5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article #2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results

Bodybuilders are a stubborn bunch? almost as bad as runners! And they tend to follow the ?HERD? doing whatever exercises and routines the ?pros? are doing...

Now, if your goal is to be as big as possible and you are not at all concerned with your health and fitness, don?t even bother this article? this article is for bodybuilders who ARE concerned about their health and want to be big, strong, powerful, and agile? if that?s you, read on?

The reason so many bodybuilders suffer from so many different injuries is because there are several things the ?pros? don?t tell you?

First off, the articles that you see in all the muscle mags aren?t even written by the ?pros?? and the workout routines they recommend are always extreme and often not even used by the ?pro? who supposedly wrote because their main goal is to sell magazines? not give you the real deal on bodybuilding.

If you are serious about bodybuilding and want to achieve your true peak, you need to stay injury free? and that?s just about impossible if you train they way most bodybuilders do.

There are several key strategies that you can use right now to not only eliminate any aches, pains and injuries you currently have, but also keep from creating more muscle imbalances in the future.

St! rategy # 1 - Target the Weaklings!

No, we don?t mean the exercises you think your weak at, or even the muscles you think are underdeveloped? what we mean is the muscles that are weak in relation to the opposing muscle group.

For example, in the first article we talked about why the Leg Extension is not a great exercise and why it?s responsible for so many cases of knee, hip, and back pain? and the reason is, most people, especially bodybuilders, are already over developed and stronger in the quadriceps? and usually have a significant imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Another reason bodybuilders tend to develop so many severe muscle imbalances is because they emphasize the front of the body more than the back? a great example of this is what we call ?The T-shirt Muscle Workout? and it usually consists of dozens of sets of chest and biceps?

you know what we mean? in just one workout you do flat bench, incline, decline, pec deck, dumbbell fly, cable cross overs? and then for biceps you?ve got barbell curls, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls, machine curls, and the list goes on?

So instead of emphasizing the muscles that are already strong, why not really hit those weak and under worked muscles like: neck, upper back, shoulder rotators, hamstrings, glutes, hip rotators, lower abs, and shins.

These areas tend to be weak, tight, out of balance with their opposing muscles, prone to muscle strains and pulls and most importantly, these imbalances lead to major injuries and conditions like back pain, knee pain, rotator cuff tears, tendonitis and others.

All of these conditions are caused by muscle imbalances and will NOT go away unless you work towards correcting the imbalances? and the only way to know for sure which imbalances are causing your pain or injury is to do a series of physical assessments like the ones covered in our ?Lose the Back Pain Video?.

Strategy #2 - Experiment!

Here?s a personal challenge for you: Replace at least 1 of your! normal weekly workouts with something totally different like combat martial arts, kettle bell training, functional training, or even strongman style exercises.

For example, instead of doing your super heavy, 3 inch partial rep leg presses, try a single leg squat? and if that?s easy, try adding weight! Or instead dozens of sets of shoulder presses and lateral raises, see if you can do 1 handstand push-up.

Those are just a few examples? do yourself a favor and experiment with other types of exercises. You can find hundreds of different types of training styles by taking classes, reading books, watching videos, surfing the web, hire a personal trainer, etc.

We aren?t asking you to give up your traditional workouts? but just cross-train a bit so you not only work towards a balanced body but also towards a stronger, more powerful and usable strength. Again, what good is muscle if you can?t use it!

Strategy #3 - Switch It Up!

Another great way to minimize the number of missed workouts due to injuries is to vary the exercises that you do for each muscle group. For example, if you always do barbell squats try rotating in other exercises like single-leg leg presses, trap-bar dead-lifts, d-bell squats, etc.

Conclusion

Remember, the key to eliminating injuries and preventing future ones is to identify what areas you need to target. In the next two articles we?ll be discussing in detail, how to address various injuries like back, hip, knee, and shoulder pain with targeted exercises and stretches. In the meantime, be sure to read thru all of our detailed articles and if you have questions, please post them in our discussion forum.

Article by Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS, CSPN and Steve Hefferon, CMT, CPRS of http://www.losethebackpain.com. If you?ve got back pain or sciatic pain, you?ve gotta check out their video.

NIH Official Altered Drug Study

2008-10-07T07:02:00.001-07:00

NIH Official Altered Drug Study

Dr. Edmund Tramont, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Division of AIDS, altered the conclusions from a safety report on pregnant women taking the drug nevirapine in order to cover up its negative side effects.

Since the mid-1990s, nevirapine, an antiretroviral drug, has been used despite government warnings that it could cause deadly liver problems or rashes when multiple doses were administered over time.

A study in 2002 was conducted to evaluate whether or not nevirapine could possibly decrease the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission.

Multiple Problems With Drug Research

Medical safety experts, an NIH auditor and the manufacturer of the drug agreed that there were various faults discovered within the study. Some of these faults included giving improper doses to study participants and neglecting to report specific fatal and detrimental reactions to the drug.

A report compiled by a medical officer under Tramont, Dr. Betsy Smith, revealed that the research lacked in safety reporting. Smith also reported that the records kept of the patients failed to meet the standard level of clinical research.

Tramont Puts Positive Spin on Drug Reports

Tramont requested to review the report before it was passed on to the FDA. Interestingly enough, after his review the report showed very different recommendations, none of which included any of Smith's prior recommendations. Tramont's revised recommendations reported that any negative reactions regarding the drug use were not of importance in assessing the safety of the drug.

Tramont also claimed he wrote the report after the inquiry into the changes in Smith's report.

The family of Joyce Ann Hafford paid the ultimate price for the negligence of the drug nevaprine -- her life. Despite the signs of liver failure, Hafford's doctors continued to give her the experimental drug nevaprine throughout her pregnancy as an attempt to save her unborn! son fro m contracting AIDS.

It was only after the family received copies of NIH's internal case documents from the Associated Press that they realized the experimental drug regimen was the likely cause of Hafford's death.

Medical News Today December 16, 2004

Houston Chronicle December 15, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Here is an example of another blatant and desperate act of trying to cover up the negative reactions of a drug as a way for the drug industry and manufacturers to save face. What's most unfortunate and damaging is that acts such as these are done without any regard for the safety or welfare of the public.

The good news is that cover-ups such as these are eventually outing themselves. A prime example of this is the recent Vioxx recall I wrote about in October.

Folks, that is what you get when you subscribe to the eHealthy News You Can Use newsletter -- and that is what your family and friends will get if you e-mail this story to them using the link in the upper right corner of this page and recommend that they subscribe to this free e-newsletter: Information that is YEARS ahead of its time that can literally save your life.

As long-time readers know, this is just one of many quite valid warnings that I have issued to alert you to the dangers that the drug model has for your health. So if you have friends and relatives that you value please forward this article to them so they don't have to wait till drug companies decide to be responsible and take their drugs off the market before more people are seriously injured or killed.

Blind greed, gross misconduct or a skewed view of the world -- any way you look at it, the bottom line is the world of conventional medicine isn't a very safe place.

In time, however, the truth will naturally come out, but it is my vision and passion to facilitate the spread of truth now. You can take control of your health and your life and free yourself from needless drugs. There is no secret potion needed, only basic h! ealth pr inciples that you'll read on this site.

-------------------
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Author of Total Health Program
Founder of the renowned Optimal Wellness Center
http://www.Mercola.com - The #1 Natural Health Site on the Internet!

What is an Herbal Supplement?

2008-10-06T22:03:00.001-07:00

The herbal supplement is a supplement that will provide you body with various sustenance necessary for your health and which is based of herbs and natural products. There are a wide kind of different varieties of herbal supplements available in the market nowadays. The benefits that each herbal supplement claims are as well many and diverse.

A lot of the benefits that a select number type of herbal supplement or supplements claims on its label are not supported by scientific evidence or scientific research. Built on information from medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay, preliminary research on St. John's wort for depression and gingko biloba for improvement cognitive function has not shown much of a benefit beyond that of the placebo effect. That doesn?t mean though that all herbal supplements are fake. That only means that there survives such a chance until even more research is done.

You are able to find a wonderful range of different brands, ingredients, and doses of herbal supplements in health food stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, discount stores, etc. Built on information from medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay, there are at least 880 different variations of the 10 best selling herbs. It can transform into very confusing to select the best herbal supplement.

Many brands change significantly in the ingredients wore in production of a couple type of herbal supplement and in recommended dosages. The prices vary significantly too. You are able to absolutely find the cheap or discounted herbal supplements, however with the cost drop the quality usually drops. As well with cheap herbal supplements you have a greater possibility of purchasing a fake product. Consult with your doctor or even more health professionals before you run taking a select number type of herbal supplement.

Herbal medicine is the use of plant and herb extracts for their therapeutic value. Most plants contain and manufacture chemical substances that aid in healing and even more physical treatments.

Her bal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare and constitutes a key role in the development of modern medicine as we know it today. Back when technology was however unheard of, primitive men utilised the vast flora around them to the fullest extent, observing both plant and animal life and their components, eventually yielding birth to herbal medicine. In a learn per Globe Health Organization on herbal medicine assume, about 80 % of the world's populace however rely on herbal medicine to cure certain ailments and about 74 % of the drugs we apply today contain at least one botanical element. As an example, Chinese Herbal Medicine's assume of ephedrine to cure respiratory conditions however survives in the present time. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient in most of the commercial drugs that are being prescribed to relieve asthma symptoms.

Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Herbalism and American Herbal Medicine. While both Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine have moved on to advanced forms, american herbal medicine remains a share of folk treatments. Herbal medicine is, first and primary, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, however also to help the whole body rejuventate strengthen itself. And while there is not a scientific evidence that all herbal medicines claiming to have healing powers are actually effective, the number the herbal medicines that have been placed under clinical testing have proved their worth. The list of known kinds includes echinacea, which is wore to temper colds, St John's wort, wore to treat mild depression (without applying Prozac), and hawthorne berries, which help in the recovery process from mild heart failures.

Is herbal medicine a direct substitute to modern medication? It depends. While herbal medicines are extracted naturally from plants, not all are safe to use; particularly if it's taken with even more varieties of treatments that are likely not to be complementary. Al! so, herb al medicine is occasionally used only for mild ailments. If the symptoms are even more fantastic, it's best to consult a trained practitioner of herbal medicine who can explain which ones are appropriate and recommend dosage levels and frequency. Presently, most of the recommended herbal medicines fall outside of standard drug regulations, so, not all of their claims to fame are guaranteed and true. And even as common feel tells us that herbal medicine has been around for thousand of years, yielding an impression that it's quite an authority, it's not recommended to self-diagnose.

Always keep in mind that herbal medicines are however medicines and, so, share the likelihood of having side effects as regular commercial drugs. A select number of us have this misconception that because herbal medicines are natural, it's 100% safe. This is not true constantly. The best defense against the possible side effects herbal medicines can give is to educate ourselves with the basics on the herbal medicine in question and to apply it with caution.

Carmen Siew

For more information and resources, please visit: http://www.dietphentermine-pill.com/

Ginkgo Bilbao Can it Turn Back the Aging Clock?

2008-10-06T07:02:00.001-07:00

If you are seeking a sharp mind, ginkgo biloba may be the key to enhancing your brainpower, as well as providing a host of other health benefits.

Ginkgo has been shown to:

?Increase mental alertness

?Enhance vitality levels

?Improve circulatory health

?Improve blood vessel health

?Enhance sex drive.

Unlike many herbs where claims made which are not backed up by medical research and substantiation, Ginkgo is one of the most researched herbs in history, and medical evidence points to its many health benefits.

Turn Back the Ageing Clock

Its high antioxidant activity is renowned for fighting age related conditions.

All over the world, millions of people have claimed Ginkgo to be beneficial in the fight against the gradual erosion of energy, associated with aging.

History

The ginkgo is the oldest living tree species - geological records indicate this plant has been growing on earth for 100 to 200 million years.

Chinese monks kept the tree in existence, as they considered it a sacred herb with a wide range of health benefits.

Arriving in Europe in the 1700?s, it is now a commonly prescribed drug in many countries.

It is also one of the best researched, and popular medical herbs used in the world today.

Benefits

Ginkgo has been shown to be nutritional support for:

?Mental alertness

?Enhanced vitality levels

?Better circulatory health

?Better blood vessel health

Its high antioxidant activity is particularly valuable in fighting a wide range of age related conditions.

How it works

Few herbs have been as extensively researched as ginkgo biloba extract (GBE).

Throughout the past thirty years, around five hundred pharmacological studies have been conducted on the proprietary, standardized extracts of the ginkgo biloba leaf.

This research has concluded that the herb has three major health benefits:

1.It increases cognitive function and memory

2.It h! elps Imp rove circulation throughout the body

3.It helps slow the aging process

Ginkgo contains the following active substances:

?Flavonoids

?Terpene lactones

?Ginkgolides A, B, and C

?Bilobalide

?Quercetin

?Kaempferol.

1. Antioxidant Benefits

Ginkgo acts as a powerful antioxidant and contributes to the oxidation of free radicals, which are associated with premature aging and dementia.

Antioxidants protect eyesight, the cardiovascular, and central nervous system.

The herb has been used in the treatment of a wide variety of circulation related disorders, such as:

?Diabetic peripheral vascular disease

?Raynaud's syndrome

?Hemorrhoids

?Varicose veins.

2. Sexual Benefits

Ginkgo also helps control the transformation of cholesterol to plaque associated with the hardening of arteries. It can also relax constricted blood vessels, which has seen it used as a supplement to increase both male and female libido.

3. Memory Enhancer and Energy Booster

Ginkgo active compounds increasing the flow of oxygen to the brain, as well as optimizing the brain's use of glucose.

When consumed, food is converted into glucose - a sugar that can easily be used by the body's cells for energy.

By helping the body to make glucose available for energy use, ginkgo enhances both mental alertness and memory function.

Ginkgo therefore helps to combat fatigue by its increase in glucose utilization.

RDA for Ginkgo

There is no RDA for ginkgo since it is not an essential nutrient, but many experts recommend taking 40-80 mg, 3 times a day, on an empty stomach for best results.

It can take around 12 weeks for the benefits of ginkgo biloba supplementation to become apparent.

More health and wellness information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

How To Choose An Anti Wrinkle Solution

2008-10-04T22:02:00.001-07:00

Finding an anti wrinkle solution that works for you is a long and tiring process. You're faced with offerings from hundreds of companies using a variety of unproven components that promise to leave your face as smooth as it was in your youth. Most men and women want to erase the ravages of time, remove facial wrinkles, and restore their skin to its younger days. As a result a great deal of creams and various other skin treatments have been created to solve this ever-present problem but few of these treatments are effective and safe. Which combines the most effective anti aging skin care ingredients with a new revolutionary component in a blend that will really leave your skin feeling young and smooth.

There is no need to undergo expensive and painful surgery or shots which offers risky and far from permanent results. More importantly the continual use of wrinkle solutions that can gradually rejuvenate the tone and texture of your skin to leave you long lasting effects.

Why Choose the An Anti Wrinkle Solution?

Wrinkle Solution offers fast results targeting wrinkles, crows feet around the eyes, and other signs of aging and can help to remove 10 years or more from your complexion. The isolates in wrinkle solution can dramatically decrease the appearance of wrinkles and revitalize your skin in addition to increasing collagen and elastin for men and women.

Many customers report that it is more effective than Retinol and Vitamin C creams and Emu Oil in reducing the signs of aging and removing the appearance of wrinkles. When comparing your options for anti-wrinkle creams there are a number of creams on the market which can cost upwards of hundreds of dollars but few offer the effectiveness and value for money.

Find out more information about wrinkle cream - http://www.deception-wrinkle-cream.com

Family Fitness

2008-10-04T07:02:00.001-07:00

Family fitness is fun! So, how do you get your family off the sofa and encourage them to get moving with you? It can be a simple task if you find an exercise program that the entire family can enjoy!

We all know that too many Americans are overweight and even more that don?t follow a regular exercise program. It is up to mom and dad to initiate some movement within their own household. There?s an old saying that the ?family that plays together, stays together.? This is the approach you should take to get your family moving! It?s not exercise, it?s time to play!

First, you should pay close attention to what everyone in the family likes to do. For example, if both you and your spouse are tennis fanatics, tennis should definitely be on the exercise agenda. If your son is an avid golfer, you need to learn to swing! If your daughter is a devoted jogger, guess who needs to jog too? Find out what everyone in the family likes to do (and you probably already know) and then do it as a family!

Your family?s fitness is important and the fitness schedule should be something that you will stick with throughout the year with a ?plan B? if the weather prohibits the ability to follow through with one of your preferred activities. Make sure that everyone in the family gets to choose an activity to insure overall enthusiasm and participation from everyone! While planning your Family Fitness plan, you need to start planning some major changes within the kitchen and refrigerator as well. It?s a good time to throw out all of the stale chips and make a commitment to replace the unhealthy choices with healthy alternatives!

Vegetables like carrot sticks, celery sticks, and fruits like apples, bananas, seedless grapes, fig newtons as well as air-popped popcorn, graham crackers and pretzels are excellent choices that children and teens will grab without a second thought if you make them available. Fill your fruit bowl, refrigerator, and cabinet with the healthier snacks and watch how your entire family! doesn?t even notice a significant difference. While you?re at it, fill the refrigerator with bottled water and a variety of fruit juices. Diet sodas are loaded with sodium so toss them out the door too!

You can make some subtle changes that your family will appreciate you for later in life. Now is the time to make a healthy change for you and your family. Don?t even mention the changes in the kitchen. Your children and teenagers will likely just grab something when they are in search of a snack. If you announce that the ?family is going to start eating more nutritious meals and snacks? what kind of appeal does that have to the child who was raised on chicken tenders from Burger King?

Healthy living is maybe the greatest way to care for your family. It starts with you and most likely, your children will continue to do what they learned to do at home once they spread their wings and fly solo. Make sure you provide the healthy start they need to carry with them a lifetime!

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is an internet publisher. His website nv-Fitness4Life.com offers valuable free information for all who are interested in fitness issues, for example family life fitness and exercise. Check out Fitness4Life now.

Exercise After Weight Loss Surgery

2008-10-03T22:03:00.001-07:00

There is no doubt about it, excess weight comes with some heavy costs. Morbidly obese people- those who are more than 100 pounds over their ideal body weight- face not only some high social costs but some extreme health costs due to their body weight. For many of these people, traditional methods of weight loss such as diet and exercise simply are not within the realm of possibility- the slightest activities are too hard to handle, and the body has reached a point where an addiction to high fat foods is equal to that experienced by those addicted to heroine, with the resultant complications of withdrawal but without the convenience of less ease in accessibility. More people are beginning to turn to weight loss procedures such as gastric bypasses and gastric lap bands in order to lose some of the much needed weight quickly.

In the case of surgery, there are several benefits. The loss of the weight will immediately allow a patient to regain the energy needed for exercise that will be needed to maintain a healthy body. These surgeries also are known to reduce a patient's dependency on the foods to which they were formerly addicted, and also curb appetites. Some people may make the mistake of believing that weight loss surgery is a quick and easy way to lose weight. This is, however, not the case.

Like any other surgery, surgeries for weight loss carry with them inherent risks for lasting complications and even death. There can be many complications after any surgery as well, and it is best to find these out before undergoing the surgery itself. Finally, there is the rumor that surgery is the ticket to a hassle free weight loss.

The reality is, weight loss surgery does not mean that the need to diet and exercise is eliminated. For most surgeries in fact, an even more extreme diet will often be required after the fact, and the same is true of beginning an exercise regime. Bodies that are fit are able to recuperate faster, and they are also able to process the food that is received more ef! ficientl y and effectively.

Remember, weight loss surgery does not mean an easy way out, avoiding the pain of exercise and the annoyance of dieting. Most surgeons will recommend that you start an exercise regime as soon as possible after the operation in order to assist the healing process and keep you from gaining the weight back. Weight loss surgery is best thought of as the chance to start over. Once the weight has been removed, the surge of energy and an enhanced natural capacity for exercise will allow you to begin the exercise routine that will be vital in maintaining a healthy weight for the rest of your life.

Robert Moongrave maintains a website dedicated to helping people make decisions regarding weight loss surgeries.

Lichen Planus: Itchy Purple Bumps

2008-10-03T07:02:00.001-07:00

If you have itchy, angular, purple bumps on your skin, particularly on your forearms or have white patches in your mouth, check with a dermatologist, you may have lichen planus.

The only way to prove a diagnosis of lichen planus is to have your skin biopsy show its characteristic appearance. Doctors don't have the foggiest idea of the cause, although reaction to drugs and infection are possible. Lichen planus has been associated with at least 30 drugs, and has been reported in people who work with color film developers and those afflicted with a muscle disease called polymyositis; malabsorption syndromes in which people cannot absorb certain nutrients in foods; or a type of cancer called lymphoma.

Since doctors do not know the cause, they are unable to offer a cure. The only effective treatments for the bitter itching are cortisone-type drugs. Because cortisones can have serious side effects, doctors reserve pills and high dose injections for occasional use, but creams and tapes applied to individual lesions help a little bit, while injections of cortisones into mouth and skin lesions are highly effective. There is no effective treatment for deformed nails. Sometimes lichen planus goes away by itself in one or two years or even after 15 years.

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What is the Bird Flu?

2008-10-02T07:02:00.001-07:00

The bird flu is becoming a household name these days. Also known as the avian flu, it is caused by a form of influenza virus that usually only infects birds and pigs. There are a few people that have become sick or even died from the bird flu that had direct contact with infected birds.

The bird flu is almost the same as the flu that humans get. There are many different strains of the flu. Some of those strains only cause mild symptoms in birds. Other strains are more dangerous to birds. They will spread quickly and cause more severe symptoms, and will usually kill the bird.

The bird flu had infected people in Asia and the Middle East. One form of the H5H1 is going to be the most dangerous form to birds. The people that have become infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu are directly from birds. It cannot be spread from person to person.

There are some people and experts that are worried that the H5N1 strain of bird flu could change into a new form that could spread from person to person. This has happened in past with other flu outbreaks and caused what is known as a pandemic. This is when a global outbreak of the flu that causes serious illnesses in people and will spread quickly throughout many populations.

Many things are being done about the bird flu. There are many people working on a vaccine for the illness. There is more information being found each day and making it easier to understand. Heath officials around the world are trying to make sure that the flu does not spread and to keep people safe from it if it does. It is said that only one hundred sixty people have been diagnosed with the bird flu since it was found as a threat about eight years ago.

There are many ways to protect you from the bird flu and many places that will offer help with any questions about this problem. Many people are talking about it online and off. Many television shows are bringing attention to this matter and letting people know the risks as well as the solutions. V! isiting online sites that offer help from the bird flu will also help them understand what they can do about the problem.

Finding out the facts first is one way that a person can feel more comfortable about his terrible bird flu. There is no reason to panic. In fact getting upset is going to only worsen the problem and it will do no good. Finding out the right information and facts is the only way to protect you from the bird flu.

http://www.bestbirdflu.com

How to Banish Bad Breath

2008-10-01T22:03:00.001-07:00

You can banish bad breath naturally by using home remedies. Along side using herbs to get rid of bad breath, you need to continue to brush your teeth, gums and tongue after meals.

Bad breath can be quite embarrassing at any given point of time. Bad breath is caused by the presence of oral bacteria. However, there are other causes of bad breath too, like onions, garlic, smoking, dryness of the mouth, and gum disease. More people suffer from xerostomia, which is, basically, dryness in the mouth. It occurs during sleep or if you have been speaking for a longer time. The saliva is a special kind of mouth moisture that kills oral bacteria.

Get Rid of Bad Breath Naturally

Bad breath, in medical terms, is known as halitosis. You can banish bad breath naturally by using home remedies. They are effective and do not have any side effects. Along side using herbs to get rid of bad breath, you need to continue to brush your teeth, gums and tongue after meals.

Some of the useful herbs and tips on how to banish bad breath are:

1. Wash your mouth with water, sage leaves, mint leaves, and parsley, to rid yourself of common bad breath. They are effective reducers of bad breath.

2. Frankincense, also known as Boswellia carterii, is a herb that has antibacterial capabilities. It is mainly used for treatment of sores and toothaches.

3. Cardamom seeds add sweetness to your breath, and are widely used as a breath freshener.

4. Drinking tea made from Fenugreek seeds helps to remove bad breath.

5. Parsley, whose Latin name is Petroselinum sativum, is more than just a green vegetable. Chewing parsley will get you fresh breath naturally.

6. There are certain types of herbs and spices, which are natural breath enhancers and are used in cooking. Some of them are cloves, fennel, or anise seeds and you can carry them in a pouch and chew them after meals.

7. You can chew some fresh breath herbs like wintergreen, spearmint or peppermint. They have a mint flavor and a! re sooth ing to the throat.

8. Commiphora molmol, Latin for myrrh, is also used for bad breath. It can be taken to cure infections in the mouth, teeth, gums and throat. It is very effective for toothaches.

9. Even fruits, such as Guava will help you reduce the intensity of bad breath.

These are some of the natural ways to kill that embarrassing odor. If you are able to use them regularly, then you can rid yourself of bad breath.

Understand the causes of halitosis is the first step in fighting halitosis smartly. Visit our site for more free tips on how to cure bad breath.

Alternative Medicine: Pressure Remedies that Heal You

2008-10-01T07:02:00.001-07:00

Alternative medicine is a recent term to something that has been a part of human existence from old. From the times of early man to the present day instinct and reason has taught humans many thing. The best advice for anyone wanting to adopt alternate medicine is

?Understand the rationale and limitations of the type of alternate medicine you choose.

?Natural used any place does not necessarily mean safe.

?Body constitution differs from person to person. What works for someone else may not work for you. Do not get influenced by personal anecdotes from different persons.

?If you are on other allopathic drugs then alternate medicine may have a harmful reaction. Some combinations of different medicines may be dangerous.

?Consult your family doctor and few other learned/informed persons before embarking on an alternate healing remedy.

Pressure remedies of alternative therapy

Acupuncture: This is a procedure where specific body areas are pierced with fine needles for therapeutic purposes. The idea is to relieve pain or produce regional anesthesia.

Acupressure: Like acupuncture it is a traditional Chinese medical technique. They have the same principle. It involves physical pressure by hand, elbow or various devices for therapeutic value.

Fire cupping: This method involves applying acupressure by creating a vacuum next to the patient's skin. It is done by placing a glass, plastic, or bamboo cups on the skin and creating a vacuum with fire used to heat the air inside the cup. When the air cools it creates a vacuum at the acupressure point.

Moxibustion: A cone of dried wormwood leaves or ?Moxa? a traditional Chinese medicine is used to relieve pain. It is usually burnt close to the skin or on top of the acupuncture needle.

Reflexology: A method of massage therapy done on the feet that relieves nervous tension through the application of finger pressure. It is also known as zone therapy.

Shiatsu : This is a Japanese form of therapeutic mas! sage in which pressure is applied with the thumbs and palms to those areas of the body used in acupuncture.

Acupoint therapy: This is an extension of Akupunkt Massage. The acupuncture points or meridians are stimulated with a therapy stick. It does not used needles or pressure that is used in shiatsu.

Chiropractic: A medical practice where the pressure on the nerves is relieved to treat some ailment. Exercise, application of heat, cold and light as well as massage and manipulation by hand is some techniques used.

Manipulative therapy: It is a mixture of therapies like massage therapy, osteopathy and chiropractic. Where massage is used for its physical and psychological benefits, it may be termed therapeutic massage therapy or manipulative therapy.

1.Among the host of alternative therapies like Chelation Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Gene Therapy, Heat Therapy, Homeopathy , Crystal & Gem therapy, Flower Remedies, Hydrotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Music Therapy, Naturopathy etc. Some are new and has basis in science others are ancient and are being rediscovered by science.

http://www.alternateheals.com is a site that is comprehensive in major alternate medical remedies. Chelation therapy , Cognitive therapy, gene therapy, etc. are some of the few described on the site.

What are the Causes of Acne?

2008-09-30T22:16:00.001-07:00

What are some of the causes of acne? Is there a way to get rid of acne for good? Well, these questions can't be answered with a simple Yes or No. There are many factors that contribute to the onset and severity of acne.

At puberty, the sebaceous gland grows and will inevitably begin producing more oil than your body is accustomed to. This causes the pores to become clogged, and the oil continues to build up under the surface. As it mixes with natural bacteria, an infection develops. This is when the acne becomes visible and often painful.

People for many years have thought that stress was one of the leading causes of acne. While it is not proven that stress will give you acne, it is known that when your stress levels increase the oil glands become stimulated and begin producing oil. Lowering your stress level through relaxation or exercise is a great way to help prevent an outbreak due to excess oil secretion.

Another misconception is that oily or fried foods are acne causes. This isn't too far from the truth, however. Although these foods are not what causes acne directly, a poor diet can decrease the amount of essential nutrients, namely antioxidants, in your body. Nutrient deficiencies manifest themselves in your skin, causing blemishes, acne and other skin conditions.

Acne causes a number of additional problems if left untreated. It can leave behind deep scars or discolored spots on the skin. This is why it is important to treat your acne as soon as possible to avoid these complications.

If you already have scarring from acne, there is no need to worry. Dermatologists have been hard at work in the treatment of acne scars for some time now and have a wide array of treatments for every skin type and budget.

Although modern science does not know the precise causes of acne, it does know a whole lot more than it did twenty years ago about the subject. There are now a number of different medications available, via prescription and over-the-counter, to treat blemished ! skin.

To understand more about what causes acne please talk with your dermatologist. He or she will let you know what your treatment options are, and you can discuss conventional methods as well as natural ways to treat the underlying causes of acne.

David Bloom is an avid health enthusiast, and has developed a special blog dedicated to acne and how to treat it using natural remedies. To learn more, visit Natural Acne Treatments and find out about safe and effective ways to clear up your skin.

Common Herb Proven to Reduce Excessive Sweat

2008-09-30T07:15:00.001-07:00

Could an ordinary common kitchen herb really reduce excessive sweat? Hyperhidrosis sufferers reading this will certainly hope so.

Hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive sweating far beyond what the body needs to do to control body temperature. It results in moisture laying on the surface of the skin instead of evaporating like it normally would. Some sufferers have problems with grip because of near-permananet wet hands and others need to have several changes of clothing each day. It usually affects the hands and feet but can extend to other parts of the body including the head, trunk and under arms.

Treatment is limited to Iontophoresis (using electric currents to disrupt the sweat glands), Botox injections and a surgical procedure called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS)whereby the nerves serving the sweat glands are blocked or cut. None of these treatments are without risks and all are very expensive. Their effectiveness also seems to vary from patient to patient and and horror stories are common - particularly relating to the surgical option (which requires each lung to be collapsed in turn in order to reach the nerves in the chest cavity).

Clearly then, the prospect of a totally natural, risk-free treatment involving an inexpensive kitchen herb will be greated heartily by anyone with an excessive sweat problem - particularly when the herb in question has actually been medically proven.

The treatment, tested by a group of researchers at the School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran, is a simple ?tea? solution made from the dried leaves of a common herb, and water.

In the medical study, thirty-five patients (18 men and 17 women, aged 8-49 years) who had been diagnosed with either palmar or plantar (hand or foot) hyperhidrosis were given the treatments three times a day for six weeks.

The solution was simply applied to the skin (they didn't drink it) where excessive sweating was a problem. After six weeks of this treatment ! the peop le in the study who received the tea experienced significantly more relief from their sweating than the people who were given a placebo.

In fact, the solution was shown to reduce sweating in the hands, feet and under arms by as much as 37% as a result of the herb's astringent properties.

These are the directions if you want to make the solution at home...

Use three spoonfuls of dried leaves mixed with 250 ml (8.5 ounces) of room temperature water and leave to steep for 24 to 48 hours.

After straining, the resulting solution can be applied to underarms, hands or feet. The researchers also suggest a further treatment for plantar hyperhidrosis which affects the soles of the feet. They recommend a dry powder of the herb, placed in the shoes. The powder can be made by grinding dried leaves with an electronic or hand mill.

The solution or powder should be applied to the problem area three times a day and the area should be completely dried before application.

Rob Johnson is the creator of No Sweat! The Natural Hyperhidrosis Treatment for reducing and controlling excessive sweat.

For a completely natural program which includes many techniques for reducing excessive sweat, including a free report about this common herb visit: http://www.natural-hyperhidrosis-treatment.com

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Rape and Sexual Abuse

2008-09-29T22:14:00.001-07:00

The estimated risk for rape survivors developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 49%. The risk for those beaten or experiencing physical assault is 31.9%, whilst the risk for others who experienced sexual assault is 23.7%. Given these figures, it is no wonder women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, as they are statistically significantly more likely to experience sexual assault.

Post traumatic stress disorder is characterized by intense fear, a sense of helplessness, or horror. It can affect all areas of a person's life, their emotions, mental wellbeing, and physical health. And symptoms are generally worse in situations, like rape and abuse, where the trauma was deliberately initiated against those involved.

A person with post traumatic stress disorder may re-live the traumatic events, having flashbacks or other reminders and images that intrude on their waking hours, or in dreams and nightmares. These reminders may also trigger physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations or chills. Or emotional problems, like anxiety, depression, and dread.

People with post traumatic stress disorder may avoid any reminders of the trauma, whether that is people associated with the experience, or places, or even thoughts of the trauma. They can distance themselves from family and friends, and withdraw from everyday activities and things they used to enjoy.

Relationship problems are common for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Some survivors avoid intimacy, others avoid sex, and some avoid both, and create patterns in their lives where those coping mechanisms are maintained. But sufferers of PTSD who did not experience any sexual abuse can also have problems in their relationships, or in social situations.

Another characteristic of post traumatic stress disorder is being on guard all the time, and suddenly feeling anger or irritability. There can be problems with sleeping and concentrating, and sufferers may be startled easily. Self destructive behaviours, such as gamb! ling, ri sky sex, drug use, alcohol abuse, or other problems like dangerous driving, may be present. Depression, disassociation, or other mental health problems can develop.

Not all of these characteristics may be present in PTSD, and the degree to which one experiences them may vary also. And PTSD may not develop until months or years after the trauma. Particularly in relation to abuse in childhood, symptoms of PTSD can pass, then reappear later in life. This can make it difficult to recognize when PTSD is occurring, as survivors may not associate their current feeling and behaviours with pas events.

Each time symptoms appear, however, they provide an opportunity for healing. Post traumatic stress disorder can be treated, using a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

Whilst medications were not thought to help in the treatment of PTSD in the past, they have been found to be beneficial now, probably due to newer ones being available. The SSRI's (selective serotonin uptake inhibitors) zoloft and paxil are both approved by the FDA for treating PTSD. And newer antidepressants like effexor and serzone are also beneficial, and tend to be used when the patient does not tolerate paxil and zoloft, or those medications aren't effective.

There are 3 types of psychotherapy that can be used to treat PTSD. These are exposure management, cognitive therapy, and anxiety management. A combination of all 3 may be used, or one individually. Each person is different in what they will respond to.

In exposure therapy, patients confront, in a safe therapeutic environment, the situations, people, and memories associated with the trauma. People with PTSD usually avoid this very thing, but by working through the trauma in this way, exposure therapy is actually very effective at healing PTSD.

Cognitive therapy helps in the process of understanding how our thoughts affect our feelings, and provides ways of shifting negative thinking. Negative thinking can perpetuate a mental prison where joy and in! terconne ctedness is no longer felt. Changing those dynamics can provide a new framework with which to process the trauma, and allow healing to occur.

In anxiety management, skills are learnt that help one cope better with the symptoms and triggers of post traumatic stress disorder. They can help reduce the intensity of the symptoms, though they need to be practised to be effective. Anxiety management techniques can be very helpful in controlling anxiety whilst doing exposure therapy. Some techniques used include relaxation, breathing techniques, assertiveness training, and positive thinking and self talk.

References:

1. ptsdalliance.org/aboutwhat.html

2. ptsd.factsforhealth.org/whatmeds.html

3. nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm

For more articles on anxiety and depression, click here. Rebecca Prescott runs the article directory, http://www.ArticleHealthandFitness.com

Atkins Diet The Final Verdict

2008-09-29T07:16:00.001-07:00

Supporters of the Atkins Diet claim that a low carbohydrate diet is a safe and effective method for losing weight. This article evaluates the low carbohydrate diet and specifically the claims made about ketosis.

The Low Carb-Ketosis Link

By severely limiting carbohydrates in your diet, the main energy source used by your body, glucose, drops to low levels. In return, insulin levels also drop. With low glucose and low insulin levels, the body turns to alternative sources of energy.

Because of a significant change in your body's chemistry when on the Atkins Diet, certain metabolic pathways are turned on that are normally not on or run at very low levels. One such pathway involves the breakdown of fat, called Beta-Oxidation of Fats.

Now, normally fats are broken down to produce energy when your body senses a need. But in the context of a low Carb diet, the normal breakdown pathway of fats is altered and an alternative pathway kicks in. This alternative pathway produces what are called ketone bodies.

Ketosis is the term used to describe when ketone bodies are circulating in your bloodstream. The ketone bodies can be used as alternative sources of energy by, most importantly, your brain.

In case you might be curious, the three ketone bodies produced by this alternative pathway for breaking down fat are acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. These ketone bodies are formed in your liver and then are transported to other tissues, mainly the brain. In your brain, they are converted back to a form that can provide direct energy during times of starvation.

Here is the whole process...

Atkins Diet lowers glucose and insulin (the body's main energy source)

Alternative pathways are turned on to provide energy

One alternative pathway breaks down fat and produces ketone bodies

Ketone bodies represent the state called ketosis

The brain uses ketone bodies as an alternative source of energy

So, the Atkin! s Diet ( and any low Carb diet) produces a low energy state (low glucose) that causes the breakdown fat using an alternative pathway that leads to the development of ketosis.

So far it sounds pretty good. By limiting Carbs in your diet, you can essentially force your body into breaking down stored fat, the very thing you need to get rid of to lose weight.

But there are problems...

Atkins Diet and Toxicity

Ketone bodies are toxic. Many supporters of low Carb diets claim that ketosis is safe. They state that they are natural byproducts of fat breakdown and even babies have high levels of circulating ketone bodies.

First, they are not natural by-products of fat metabolism. The normal beta-oxidation of fats does produce ketone bodies but these are incorporated into the normal cycle of energy production, called the Krebs cycle. When ketone bodies are circulating in your bloodstream, it signals an abnormal physiologic state, called starvation. They are not incorporated into the normal energy cycle, the Krebs cycle, and spill into the bloodstream.

Just because your body has the ability to transport ketone bodies to certain tissues and then use them for energy, does not make it a normal process. It is an alternative pathway that turns on only when your body is faced with depleted levels of the main energy source, glucose.

Secondly, babies are not small adults. A baby's liver and brain tissue are made up of different chemicals and pathways, specifically geared to handle the high fat diet coming from mother's milk. These pathways change as a baby grows and starts to eat other foods. Eventually, the normal adult pathways are set up and the infantile chemistry used as evidence to support the safety of ketosis, stop working.

But this is not even related to the fact that ketone bodies are toxic. In medicine, the three ketone bodies mentioned above are classified as toxic acidic chemicals. At high levels, they can cause your blood to become too acidic, a disease state ! called k etoacidosis.

Granted, this is rare because most of the ketone bodies will be used by the brain as an energy source. Ketoacidosis is usually seen in type 1 diabetics. It is a medical emergency.

So, is ketosis dangerous to your body? Yes and no. Yes, ketosis represents a state of starvation. Losing weight when the body thinks you're starving is the best way to guarantee weight regain. The weight will come back and come back as fat. No, ketosis will not cause ketoacidosis in non-diabetics. And as long as you have a large storage of fat, your brain will not starve for energy.

The Final Verdict

As an alternative physiologic state, ketosis is not dangerous, assuming the levels of ketone bodies do not increase to acidic levels.

As a diet plan, ketogenic diets are not recommended because of the state of starvation they create. Your metabolism will eventually slow down setting you up for weight regain in the near the future.

Ketogenic diets, like the Atkins Diet, may also be dangerous not because they cause ketosis, but because they promote high protein and fat intake. High protein diets, unless you're body building, increases urea production and can damage the kidneys. Supporters claim that this just doesn't happen, reporting that no kidney damage has occurred to the millions of dieters on Atkins Diet or other ketogenic diets.

However, it is well known that microscopic damage can occur to the kidneys effecting their ability to filter the blood. But clinical signs of this damage may take several years to manifest. Chronic renal insufficiency is a concern for ketogenic dieters, which may cause problems in the years to come.

Conclusion

Atkins Diet and other ketogenic diets (low Carb) can be safe and effective in causing weight loss. However, I recommend keeping ketosis to a minimum and keep your carbohydrate intake above 50 grams a day. Don't follow the suggestions for reaching an induction phase. It's not necessary to turn on th! e altern ative pathways described above and burn fat.

Remember, healthy weight loss is to burn fat and fat only. But it also involves keeping your rate of weight loss around 2-3 pounds/week. The induction phase promoted by the Atkins Diet can result in a rate of weight loss far greater than 2-3 pounds/week. It may sound good to you now, but how does gaining it all back as fat sound? Because that will happen if you lose weight too fast.

For more information on ways to experience healthy weight loss, visit

Diet Basics.

To Healthy Living!

Dr. Michael A. Smith
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website

Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant to Diet Basics, a content rich weight loss site dedicated to all dieters fighting to lose weight. Please visit his site at...Diet Basics

One visit and you'll be convinced that Dr. Smith and Diet Basics is your on-line resource for healthy weight loss!

Baby Boomers Seek Hold on Youth Through Cosmetic Surgery Procedures

2008-09-28T22:16:00.001-07:00

Elkhart-IN ?People in the 35-50 age group comprise the largest percentage (40 percent) of individuals who had cosmetic procedures last year, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). In all, more than 8.7 million procedures were performed on people who took action to proactively manage signs of aging or enhance their appearance.

?Society is certainly entranced with the idea of holding on to a youthful look as long as possible,? said Dr. Ronald Downs, of The Centre, P.C in Indiana. ? Many people say they feel better when they look better.? Liposuction was the most popular procedure in the 35-50 age group. Nose reshaping was the most popular among persons 19 to 34, who represent 26 percent of the 8.7 million, and eyelid surgery was number one among patients 51 to 64 (24 percent).

In all, cosmetic surgery procedures rose 32 percent from 2002 to 2003, according to the ASPS. The number of surgical procedures grew at 5 percent, while minimally invasive procedures jumped 41 percent. ?With the incredible influence the entertainment industry has on public opinion, TV shows such as Extreme Makeover are no doubt significant contributors to this rise in procedures,? added Dr. Downs.

Botox? injections were the most common minimally invasive procedure, up 157 percent. ?We believe that cosmetic injectables will continue to grow in popularity with the aging public,? said Dr. Patrick Viscardi, The Centre, P.C., ?especially since the FDA in late 2003 approved Restylane?, an injectable dermal filler made from non-animal, stabilized hyaluronic acid.? Other injectables recently approved by the FDA include CosmoDerm? and CosmoPlast?, both of which, unlike Botox, do not require an allergy test ahead of time and, therefore, do not require a waiting period.

A concern by the ASPS is that with the increased popularity of injectables, people may turn to physicians who do not have the level of medical training needed to properly administer such treatments. Both Dr. Downs and Dr. ! Viscardi of Indiana are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties to certify a surgeon in plastic surgery of the face and all areas of the body.

The Centre, P.C. in Indiana is a comprehensive plastic surgery practice that delivers expert professional care to patients in the Michiana, Indiana area. With specialists in the fields of hand surgery and therapy, reconstructive surgery, cosmetic surgery and skin health in Indiana, The Centre offers a unique variety of services and treatment options, including an Injury Prevention Program for businesses and their employees. Contact The Centre, P.C. at 574.296.9100 or visit thecentrepc.com or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons at plasticsurgery.org.

Imagine the Possibilities??

Supplements How To Take Them

2008-09-27T22:14:00.001-07:00

It?s unfortunate but many people have digestive systems that find it hard to break down food and absorb nutrients ? this can be caused by poor levels of stomach acid, toxic substances in the gut, insufficient production of digestive enzymes among other reasons.

This condition can of course be dramatically improved as nutrient intake is increased slowly. An organic diet is of course the healthiest you can use but you may just need to compensate for any shortfalls and take some supplements.

You don?t need to visit your doctor to take supplements they can be self-prescribed once taken in small regular amounts, which can be ideal for treating any minor health problems.

Taken Supplements in large amounts for either nutritional support of server pathological conditions have been found to be therapeutic on their own or with conventional medical treatments. Always remember larger doses should be taken under the supervision of your physician or nutritional therapist.

When To Take Supplements

The best time to take supplements is with meals the body can absorb it best when your digestive system has been stimulated by the presence of food. Time-released formulas should be taken with food as to make sure they travel through the body at the correct speed and for efficient release at the appropriate place.

Water-soluble vitamins quickly pass through the body, so basically taken them twice or three times a day is often the best practice. Fat-soluble vitamins are better absorbed if taken with meals that include some fat. Almost all minerals work in conjunction with vitamins and should be taken along with them.

Some minerals can interfere with the absorption of others so make sure to take them at different time to your multiformula. If you multiformula contains antagonistic minerals there will not be enough to conflict with one another so you don?t need to worry.

Vitamins A, D, E ? Should be taken with meals which include a little oil or Fat

Vitamin B-Complex ? This sho! uld be t aken first thing in the morning to give maximum energy, but can of course be taken anytime especially if taken with whole grains.

Vitamin C ? Taken with meal if possible, can be taken on an empty stomach if you don?t feel like eaten because of a cold. Take two or three times a day.

Time-Release ? Take with your main meal of the day.

Iron ? Best absorbed with food.

Calcium ? About 30 minutes before bedtime.

Magnesium - About 30 minutes before bedtime.

Multiformulas ? These can be taken anytime but best with small amounts of food.

(c) www.1st-vitamins-n-supplements.com Reprint Rights feel free to publish this article on your website but you must agree to leave all active links contained within 'About The Author' intact and as is and NOT hidden behind a java or redirect script.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of products which includes Nutritional Supplements and Herbal Supplements, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

Addictive Foods and Their Harmful Consequences

2008-09-27T07:13:00.001-07:00

Most of us are fond of at least one product that has the effect of a stimulant and that eventually becomes an addiction. These products include exercise stimulant drinks (they come in cans and look like cola), fizzy aerated drinks, tobacco, betel nut, betel leaf, strong coffee, strong tea, mahuang (an ephedrine-like compound consumed in china), and alcohol.

Before I tell you why we shouldn?t consume these products, I?d like to deal with the question of why we do consume them in the first place.

There?s no one who doesn?t know that products like these, consumed in excess, can severely harm our bodies. Yet, we still find them hard to resist. The need to eat stimulant food is a simple human weakness that has existed for ages: humans (and many animals) have always indulged in foods that give a sort of emotional high. In clinical terms, this means rapid heart beat, a little sweating, dilation or constriction of the pupils of the eye, a warm flush on the face, and a sense of greater sensitivity, concentration and perception.

These sensations of ?high? die down within a few hours, and we are left feeling listless and low. This leads to a craving for that food again, to experience the high one more time. And there we are going round and round in a vicious circle.

The physiology of addictions is as follows:

When you eat an addictive food, it stimulates the hormone like substances found at the end of your nerves, which triggers an avalanche of similar stimulatory substances and you experiences a high. As the substances near the nerves are depleted, you get into the low phase, which leads you to crave that food again. This yo-yo phase of nerve stimulation and depletion leads to a pattern of addiction.

Consuming addictive foods is one of the oldest unhealthy food practices and, despite a revolution in health consciousness; it shows no signs of dying out.

Below are some side effects of certain addictive foods.

Alcohol Addiction: Erosion of stomach and intestinal lini! ng, live r damage, nutritional deficiency.

Tobacco: Erosion of gum and tongue can lead to cancer of the buccal mucosa.

Betel nut: Leads to the discoloration of teeth, erosion of the lining of the mouth, and cancer of the mouth and upper tract. It also leads to heart problems among people who already have a weak heart.

Ma huang: It contains ephedrine and leads to heart problems.

Aerated drinks: High doses of caffeine.

Caffeine and xanthine: Found in tea, coffee. These become harmful only in very high doses; don?t consume more than five cups a day.

Mixed drug reactions: People who consume medications for the heart, hypertension and asthma have to be very careful about the interactions of the drugs with stimulant foods, as mixing the two can be fatal. After years of experience, all doctors know how difficult it is to break the food addictions of their patients. So like them, I can only advise a good compromise. If you can?t break the addiction, then at least you should practice moderation.

Linda Giles also writes on Ring worm Treatment. More info: Ringworm Cure

16 Tips to be Safe in the Hospital for Patient Safety Awareness Week

2008-09-26T22:14:00.001-07:00

In honor of National Patient Safety Awareness Week the filmmakers who created the video/DVD, Things You Should Know Before Entering the Hospital are sharing 16 tips to stay safe while in the hospital. These tips come in response to the Journal of the American Medical Association reporting that 98,000 people die each year because of medical errors in the hospital. That's more deaths than from AIDS, breast cancer and car accidents. Reports from the CDC estimate that as many as two million patients contract an infection from U.S. hospitals or medical centers each year accounting for 90,000 deaths.

Human error is a fact in healthcare just as in the rest of life, and we all must be educated on what to be watchful of regarding things that might go wrong, said Martin J. Hatlie, Esq., President of Partnership for Patient Safety.

1. Secure advocates, friends and family members to be with you 24 hours a day. When checking into the hospital, be sure to have your advocate/s sign the paperwork that gives them legal permission to know all the details about your treatment. Advocates must be able to ask questions on your behalf. Advocates will need assertiveness training so have them watch this program to ensure they?re not intimidated by hospital personnel.

2. If your advocate is not available in an emergency, do not delay treatment.

3. Make sure your advocate speaks both your language and that of the hospital staff. If not, bring a translator.

4. Select a hospital where your procedure or surgery is done often.

5. Ask your doctor how many times they?ve performed the procedure. Make sure he or she will be doing the procedure themselves.

6. Before you check into the hospital, make sure your doctor knows about any allergy and pre-existing condition, such as high blood pressure, depression or adverse reactions to other medications.

7. Bring a list of all your medications and supplements. Like prescription, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, vitamin! s and he rbs. Make sure your doctor and advocate know everything you?re taking.

8. Each time a nurse brings you medication, ask seven important questions:

1. What is this medicine for?

2. Who prescribed it?

3. When am I supposed to take it?

4. How am I supposed to take it? how often, for how long?

5. What side effects are likely? What do I do if they occur?

6. Is this medicine safe to take with other medicines or dietary supplements?

7. What food, drink or activities should I avoid while on this medicine?

9. When you get a prescription, make sure you can read it. If you can't, your pharmacist might not be able to either and give you the wrong meds.

10. Hospital procedures should require checking each patient?s wrist-band before drawing blood or giving medication. Check all food and medication to make sure you're not allergic to them.

11. Make sure the hospital staff keeps things clean around you. It is absolutely critical to avoid infections. If anything falls on the floor, just leave it there for the hospital personnel to pick it up. Be sure that nobody gives it to you ? or puts it on your body.

12. It?s been estimated that about 76 million food borne illnesses occur each year in America and result in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. Government statistics indicate that at least 25% of these illnesses are due to improper hand washing so make sure everyone who treats you or handles your food washes their hands thoroughly. Even if you don?t have a sink in your room, don?t be afraid to ask everyone coming into your room to wash their hands.

13. Schedule surgical procedures for early in the morning. If possible don't schedule procedures for a Monday or Tuesday. Procedures can be bumped or delayed on Mondays due to weekend traumas and, if you are operated on Friday, you will only have the week-end staff to care for you.

14. Get all pre-operative instructions several da! ys prior to your procedure.

15. Avoid wrong site surgery. The Joint Commission requires surgeons to sign their initials directly on the part of your body to be operated on prior to surgery. It?s called site verification so make sure your advocate is there to make the surgeon do this.

16. Don?t leave the hospital until you and your advocate know your home treatment plan, your medications, follow-up doctor visits and when you can return to regular activities.

Betty Hoeffner has been writing articles for various media outlets for the past 30 years. She is currently producer of a patient safety film called Things You Should Know Before You Enter the Hospital and president of Hey U.G.L.Y., Inc. NFP, a 501C3 nonprofit organization that empowers teens with self-esteem building tools, to help them counter challenges such as eating disorders, bullying, violence, substance abuse and suicide. U.G.L.Y. is an acronym meaning Unique Gifted Lovable You.

Great Reasons to Lose Weight

2008-09-26T07:14:00.001-07:00

?LOOK GREAT AND FEEL GREAT

I deserve to look great and feel great because I am great. I want the inner me to shine through to the outer me so every one can see how great I am.

?STOP THAT MIDDLE AGED SPREAD FROM TAKING OVER

After about the age of 25 we gain 1/2 kg of fat every year ! You don't have to become a mere statistic. You can increase your metabolic rate. You can make healthy food choices.

?IMPROVE MY HEALTH

When women reach over the 35% body fat level (and it's 25% for men)there is a dramatic increase in weight related diseases. These include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, cholesterol issues and some cancers. The number of deaths in the USA directly linked to obesity will soon surpass all other forms of mortality including smoking. Do you know what your personal body fat percentage is?

?TO PLAY WITH MY KIDS

Kids grow up fast. They are active and full of the fun of life. You don't have to miss out on all this fun. Make a choice to lose that extra weight. Run and jump and play ball. You deserve it. Your kids deserve to have active, healthy parents.

?SAVE MONEY

Unhealthy food and extra servings is costing you money and making you over weight. You can make a smarter choice. Spend your money on food designed to provide all the right nutrients in all the right concentrations. Invest in your health. Chose foods that will help you lose weight and keep it off. Ask me to help you. My advise is free.

Sharyn Tilgner is a long term weight loss affiliate and Herbalife distributor and weight loss mentor. She is passionate about health and nutrition. Her aim is to help people achieve their goal weights. She is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine and acupuncture. Read weight loss success stories at her website http://www.4-health-focus.com/shoponline Find out what your personal body fat percentage is at http://www.4-health-focus.com More information is available at http://www.4-health-focus.com/informati! on

Neutral Immersion Bath

2008-09-25T22:14:00.001-07:00

This bath can be given from 15 to 60 minutes at a temperature ranging from 260C to 280C. It can be given for long duration, without any ill-effects, as the water temperature is akin to the body temperature. The neutral bath diminishes the pulse rate without modifying respiration.

This treatment is the best sedative. Since the neutral bath excites activity of both the skin and the kidneys, it is recommended in cases relating to these organs. It is also beneficial for cases of organic diseases of the brain and spinal cord, including chronic inflammatory conditions such as meningitis, rheumatism and arthritis.

A neutral immersion bath taken for 30 to 60 minutes is highly beneficial in general dropsy, due to cardiac or renal diseases. It also helps those suffering from multiple neuritis, alcoholism and other narcotic habits, chronic diarrhoea, peritonitis and chronic affections of the abdomen. In such cases the bath may be given daily for 15 to 30 minutes.

This bath is also useful in the toxemic conditions caused by dyspepsia and pruritus. The neutral bath should not be prescribed in certain cases of eczema and other forms of skin diseases where water aggravates the symptoms, nor in cases of extreme cardiac weakness.

To learn more about the energy principle in healing, please read:

Cost-free Miracle Asthma Cure
Overcome Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes Naturally
Alternative Treatments for Incurable Diseases made easy

Natural HealthBody Detoxification: Is it Necessary?

2008-09-25T07:14:00.001-07:00

Everyday, people are exposed to various toxins, which harm the body and cause serious diseases. These toxins can be internal toxins that are released in the body as a by-product of normal metabolic activity; or external toxins such as heavy metals (lead, aluminum etc), smoke, drugs (cocaine, steroids etc), food preservatives and additives, alcohol, chemicals, harmful organic compounds etc. The list is practically endless, which is why the process of body detoxification assumes vital proportions.

Body detoxification refers to the ability of the human body to rid itself of harmful toxins. The body performs the detoxification process through four main organs, which are:

The Kidneys
The Liver
The Skin
The Intestines

All toxins in your blood, whether internal or external, reach your liver before they reach any other part of the body. The liver then acts upon these toxins and removes them through the bile and kidneys. Some water soluble toxins may escape the liver detoxification, but these are then eliminated through the kidneys. Your skin too helps in the process of body detoxification by eliminating toxins through sweat and skin rashes.

Thus, the natural body detoxification process generally ensures that all the toxins are removed from the body. However, in recent times, natural body detoxification processes may not be very efficient in removing all the harmful toxins from the body, due to several reasons such as:

Sluggish detoxification enzymes in the body.
Presence of too many toxins in the modern world.
Poor nutrition and unhealthy diets.
Increased constipation.
Loss of equilibrium of bowel flora.
Presence of beta-glucuronidase, which is an enzyme that reverses the detoxification process, thus leading to an increase in the amounts of bodily toxins.

Due to all these factors, the natural process of body detoxification can take a severe beating, which is why it is essential to get b! ody deto xification support. In order to optimize the body detoxification process, you may need to do several things including:

Go on a detoxification diet.
Take natural nutrients and antioxidants which support the liver detoxification process.
Undergo various therapies for colon detoxification.

By simply doing one thing and not doing the other, you will not be able to detoxify your body effectively. For best results regarding body detoxification, it is recommended that you seek professional help. A natural health expert will advise you about the best combination of body detoxification therapies, depending on your individual needs and interests. You will thus not need to rely on a single product which may or may not benefit you, but will have the finest resources at hand for optimum body detoxification and good health.

Dr. Nabil Khoury is a medical doctor. He practices integrative medicine combining allopathic medicine and natural health. Visit his website Natural health and longevity bible to learn more about natural antioxidants.

Cystic Acne

2008-09-24T22:14:00.001-07:00

A cyst is a closed pouch of tissue that may be filled with pus, fluid, air or other material. Cysts may form within any tissue in the body but are not very common. Cystic involving the skin is a tender, sensitive and deep painful lesion that has the potential of producing long-term scarring. Cystic acne, caused by the overactivity and plugging of the sebaceous glands (skin?s oil glands) requires immediate treatment to prevent further complications.

A variety of oral medications used to clear cystic acne include antibiotics (tetracycline and erythromycin), oral contraceptives and cortisone. Tetracycline and erythromycin are effective broad-spectrum oral antibiotics used to treat moderate to severe inflammatory acne. Tetracycline reduces inflammatory lesions of acne but is contraindicated in pregnant and breast feeding women, and children of less than 8 years of age. Doxycycline and minocycline, the synthetic derivatives of tetracycline are important therapeutic oral agents in the treatment of acne.

Appropriate oral contraceptives that are valuable adjuncts in the treatment of acne in females include ethynodiol, norgestimate, norethindrone and norethindrone acetate. They act by inhibiting the overactivity of sebaceous glands (oil glands).

In an attempt to treat cystic acne, the dermatologists might also opt for acne surgery, followed by flushing much-diluted cortisone gently through the cyst. Also, one might benefit by topical application of warm water, which often compresses cystic acne.

In situations where other treatments fail to produce an improvement in the patients with severe inflammatory acne, isotretinoin (Accutane) may be prescribed. Isotretinoin (a derivative of vitamin A) is a very effective oral drug that can help prevent scarring. It acts by reducing the size of the sebaceous glands thus preventing the excess secretion of oil and decreasing the growth of bacteria. It has been estimated that up to 90% of patients? treatment with isotretinoin result in complete or alm! ost comp lete recovery from cystic acne. Since isotretinoin can cause birth defects in the developing fetus, it is important that women of childbearing age are not pregnant and do not get pregnant while taking this medicine.

Acne provides detailed information about acne, acne medication, acne products, and more. Acne is affiliated with Acne Skin Care Products.

How Red Wine & Cheese Lower Your Blood Pressure

2008-09-24T07:12:00.001-07:00

Not all that long ago I used to attend art exhibitions in Sydney, Australia. No, I'm not an artist but just a person who happened to live in the trendier parts of town. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon - browsing new paintings by up-and-coming local artists. More often than not they would offer the guests small portions of various cheeses along with a selection of moderately priced wines. I had a great time, but I didn't know that what I was doing was also giving me a health boost bonus! You see, wine and cheese are the Batman & Robin dynamic duo for lowering your blood pressure.

When was the last time you had a wine and cheese party? You don't need to be an artist to enjoy one; it's a great way to entertain guests and a good excuse to get together. It's also a nice way to ward-off high blood pressure.

Cheese & wine parties are excellent for larger get-togethers as well. You can make it lots of fun by having every guest bring a bottle of wine and an exotic cheese. It's a great way to sample new wines and cheeses ... and a perfect way to get to know your friends better with free-flowing wine and conversation.

What better way to kick-back and relax ... both you and your arteries. Wine is good for lowering your blood pressure ... and so is cheese. But not just any old wine, make it a red one. Read on to find out why.

~ A glass or two of red ~

The flavonol called resveratol is a protective antioxidant. Free radicals are agents that affect chemical reactions in the body; they can cause cell damage resulting in cancer and other problems such as high blood pressure. Resveratol as the protective antioxidant protects your arteries against the damage done by free radicals and also assists in preventing the hardening of your arteries.

Flavonol also benefits you in another important way. The clumping together of blood platelets causes blood clotting and thrombosis - not something you want to have to deal with as both can be deadly serious problems! Flavonol is ac! tive in stopping your platelets from bunching up together; a glass of red wine helps your body to prevent these nasty problems by keeping your blood smoothly flowing through your arteries.

And some more good news ... recent studies have shown that drinking red wine also helps to improve the operation of your artery linings. When the linings of your arteries are working properly they freely dilate bringing down your blood pressure. The only question is how much of the good red is too much?

Nobody is suggesting you go out and buy a crate of red to be consumed immediately, but a glass or two a day is ideal for most people ... this is the perfect consumption to keep your heart and arteries young - and maintain your blood pressure at healthy levels. Which red wine is best? The darker varieties are best as they are higher in the protective resveratrol flavonoid. As far as white wine is concerned, you really shouldn't bother ... it has much less benefit than the mighty red.

~ A Chunk of Cheese ~

When we think of cheese we tend to think of how much fat it contains, and whilst cheese does have more than enough saturated fat, a little is actually good for you. The key is, of course, moderation. Just like red wine, if you don't go overboard, it can be healthy. Too much of it and your cholesterol levels can rise.

When cheese is being made and the milk is fermenting ... peptides are released from the milk proteins. Peptides, which are related to proteins and amino acids, help to control your blood pressure by impeding the enzymes that convert angiotensin. Angiotensin are made up of any of the three polypeptide hormones, one of which is a powerful vasoconstrictor (something that constricts a blood vessel). When the protein angiotensin gets converted to angiotensin II it constricts your arteries and increases the retention of water and sodium. This whole process has a rather adverse affect on your blood pressure - it pumps it right up!

You can stop the reaction that forces your blood pressu! re up by taking in the other peptides - those found in fermented milk products like cheese. Eating a small wedge of cheese blocks the enzyme that creates angiotensin II, helps your arteries to stay relaxed, and thereby keeps your blood pressure down.

~ Take it easy with a nice glass of Shiraz and a Slice of Gruyere ~

Having been at the grinding wheel all day ... when the tension built up during the day has pumped up your blood pressure ... why not enjoy some nice cheeses with a glass of dark red wine. Relax your mind, relax your body, relax your arteries ... get your blood pressure back to a normal level. It will be greatly appreciated by your heart!

Kery Bellis is a long-time natural health advocate and a strong supporter of an exciting new program helping victims of high blood pressure. Start living a healthier life now ... go to http://www.coolestebooks.com/products2.html

Correct Your Acid / Akaline Balance by the Water You Drink: What the Experts Say

2008-09-23T22:14:00.001-07:00

In health circles there has been much recent talk about acid / alkaline imbalance. Let?s see if we can clarify how experts recommend we correct this imbalance.

The problem

Your body functions best when neither too acid nor too alkaline. Unfortunately almost all of us have become acidic due to diet, drinks and stress -- both psychological and from pollution. Acids can build up in the body's system causing the body's pH to be out of balance.

The effects

According to Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky, ?Acid wastes build up in the body in the form of cholesterol, gallstones, kidney stones, arterial plaque, urates, phosphates and sulfates. These acidic waste products are the direct cause of premature aging and the onset of chronic disease.?

When this occurs, the body will restore its optimal pH by depleting certain minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, from organs and bones. In addition, your immune system may become fatigued from dealing with an excess of acid. Your body then stores acidic wastes in 'hiding places' such as muscles etc. rather than releasing the acids into the bloodstream. As Dr. Robert Atkins, the noted author, health and diet expert, notes: ?Just about every condition I can think of, from arthritis to diabetes to cancer, is associated with acidity.?

?The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter is that they all come from the same root cause...too much tissue acid waste in the body!? Theodore A. Baroody, ND, Ph.D.

What can be done?

A vast body of research reveals you can help the body neutralize acids in the blood and maintain a balanced pH, by taking some simple steps, such as:

Exercise

Avoiding highly acid-forming food and drink.

Drinking the right water

What is the ?right? water?

International studies show that populations with little or no history of illness, such as cancer, drink higher pH (alkaline) waters. After all potential risk factors were considered and factored out, it b! ecame ev ident that they had been drinking waters with a pH of 9.0 to 10.0. Dr. Leonard Horowitz in Aids and Ebola

Alkaline ionized water ?first came to notice in Japan, where researchers noted that people drinking water that came from certain fast-moving rocky mountain streams enjoyed extraordinarily good health. It turned out that this naturally occurring water was alkaline and had a different structure and electrical properties. Larry Clapp, PhD. in Prostate Health in 90 days?

Alkaline water is produced at home with a small kitchen appliance called a water ionizer (long in use in Japan and Korea). As water ionizers have become more popular in North America, more health professionals have had the opportunity to evaluate their effects on their clients:

Sue Pollock, N.D. writes, we can ?assist the body in being more alkaline with ?drinking alkaline water.?

?I believe that the best water is water that is alkaline (reduced) and purified using a small device known as a water ionizer.? (Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky)

It is my opinion that ionized water will change the way in which all health practitioners and the public approach their health in the coming years. Dr. T. Baroody in Alkalize or Die.

Why not just rely on a change of diet?

According to Sang Whang, researcher and author of ?Reverse Aging?, the danger is that we might omit important foods:

?Since the waste products that we are trying to discharge are acidic, the right kind of water is alkaline water...My personal recommendation is to enjoy the foods that we like, but do not over-eat or exclude any food. Eat in moderation following the professional dieticians' balanced diet concept, and let alkaline water do the job of cleansing acidic wastes.?

Stan Howard is a researcher with Best Water, which specializes in water ionizers and in water purification research. For a Free comprehensive report comparing all water purification methods, and for additional articles and research about acid/alkaline balance, visit http:/! /www.wat erionizer.org

Best Acne Treatments the Professional Choices

2008-09-23T07:12:00.001-07:00

Before we discus the best acne treatments let us see what acne is all about. Acne is a common skin disease which is believed to occur in up to 85% of the people at one time or another. Acne can be described as an inflammatory skin eruption which is commonly seen in or near the sebaceous glands of the various parts of the human body including the face, neck, upper back, and shoulders. Now back to the best acne treatments ? the professional choices.

There are several products which a person can consider as the best acne treatment. However, the best acne treatment for an individual could not be the ideal one for another person. This is due to the fact that the skin type of each individual differs from the other. And the best acne treatment is determined by the type of skin a person has and the skin reaction on that treatment. The best acne treatment could also range from the traditional herbal acne remedies to the modern medicines like acne light treatment which are proved to offer better results.

Before determining which is the best acne treatment one needs to assess the level of toxicity in the acne treatment product. Low level of toxicity means there is less health risk involved in it. Here are some of the best acne treatments which have been tested and contain only low level of toxicity in it.

Australian Tea Tree Oil is considered as one of the best acne treatment. Using this product is quite easy ? what you need is to add one or two drops of the product and apply it in the affected area. Several acne patients have reported that the product provides best results.

Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick with Eco-Harvest Tea Tree Oil is also reported to be a professional choice for acne treatments. The product comprises of grain alcohol, Witch Hazel Extract, and several types of extracted oils (Blue Chamomile, Eco-harvest Tea Tree Oil, Rosemary, etc). The product is also simple to use ? just apply it to the blemishes and to even other skin irritations five to six times daily.

B! urt's Be es Doctor Burt's Herbal Blemish Stick with Tea Tree Oil is also rated as one of the best acne treatments. The product can be applied to the affected area several times daily.

Tail Piece: These are only some recommendations of the best acne treatment products available in the market. As mentioned earlier, the best acne treatment differs from one person to the other according to his/her sin type.

We have made a research to find the best acne treatments. Find the results only on the Best acne treatment products guide. More valuable acne info on http://www.acne-pimpels-treatments.com

Advice How to Quit Smoking Part 1

2008-09-22T22:25:00.001-07:00

Nicotine is an addictive drug found in tobacco.

The first part of this article is my personal opinion, please do not become offended.

We all know the harmful long term and short term side effects of tobacco. Tobacco companies themselves warn us on the packages that their product is the leading cause of death in North America. Yet they continue to market it and the government makes too much money off the sales of tobacco to ever de-legalize it. The sad truth is the government cares more about money then they will ever care about our health.

Smokers, who started in the past 10 years when it was publicly known how harmful smoking was, created their own pain. Everyone in this world has the ability to make decisions, and the decision not to smoke should be an easy one to make. Now not everyone was smart enough to make the decision in the first place, but many come to realize the mistake years down the road. Those people often say things like I WISH I could quit or I WISH I never started smoking These types of statements are weak minded statements, and it?s obvious that these were the same people who made the stupid mistake in the first place.

I know all the medical information about addictions. I realize how they work, and how powerful they can be. I know nicotine, like other addictive drugs, creates a chemical dependency, so that the body develops a need for certain levels of nicotine at all times. If this level is not maintained the body will go thru withdrawal. Withdrawal from nicotine can be as serious as withdrawal from cocaine but what people need to realize is that withdrawal from nicotine never killed anyone. So withdrawal is probably better for you then smoking in the first place. Your body obviously doesn?t need the smoke it just wants it so it doesn?t have to go thru withdrawals.

People who say they need a smoke should probably just go ahead and have it anyways. Most of us know what the necessities for life are, and smoking is defiantly not one of them. This just go! es to sh ow what state of mind some smokers have. People should be saying I want a smoke, this is the first step to quitting believe it or not. Realizing that you do not need a smoke is the key; from here you can make the next changes to your attitude.

The next step is to know that EVERYONE can quit! I don?t care if you?ve been addicted to heroin, speed and crack for 30 years, you can still quit! People don?t realize a positive attitude is the key to achieving anything. If you don?t think in your mind that you can quit, you never will, and you might as well stop reading, and have a smoke. Those who are ready to believe that they have it in them to quit, let?s continue.

After realizing you don?t need a smoke and that it IS possible for you to quit, the third step is to practice quitting something less addictive. This works on self control, and confidence. So pick a bad habit or useless activity such as staring mindlessly at the TV for hours every night, and stop! Give it up for 4 weeks. Some other examples are, biting nails, cracking your knuckles, swearing, eating junk food, eating fast food, drinking, spending money on useless stuff, and masturbating excessively. Just about any compulsive action that you might do that is potentially harmful to your health that you don?t need to survive is acceptable. Choose one that you think you can give up for month. Now remember, this is used to quit smoking, so this excersise WILL NOT work if you smoke as a substitute. You must continue your regular smoking habits or even try slowing them down to prepare for the quitting faze.

If you picked a bad habit to break and did it for a solid month, you should no longer feel a need for it. You may still think about it, you may still even want it, but you are strong enough to say NO! If you did this correctly, you should feel good about yourself, you should feel confident, and you are now ready for the next step.

Here comes the hard part, but you know you are ready, you can do anything! Stay Positive! Go to you! r doctor , tell him you are about to quit smoking, tell him the steps you have done already and that you are ready to make the commitment. He should be able to give you some advice and help you get started. Don?t use the patch or gum yet! Before you go ahead and do anything, try following these steps.

Advice - How to Quit Smoking - Part 2

Drug Addict Rehabs

Tyler D Falls - Addiction Treatment

6 Steps to Clear AcneFree Skin

2008-09-22T07:25:00.001-07:00

6 Steps to Clear, Acne-Free Skin

Hundreds of medications, treatments, cleansers and cosmetics are available for people with acne, but the most important elements of an acne-fighting program won?t cost you a cent.

1. Nourish your skin by eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Most health care specialists agree that a healthy diet will benefit your skin. Cut down on caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrates, all of which can activate the hormones that tell your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Add more fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, juices and other healthy treats to your daily diet, and you?ll see in improvement in your skin.

2. Drink lots of water to maintain the skin's elasticity.

Plenty of water is essential to the health of your skin. One of the main activities of the body?s self-healing system is to filter the blood, a job performed mostly by the kidneys, with help from the skin in the form of perspiration. This self-healing system removes the toxic wastes of metabolizing food and of other harmful substances that get into our bodies one way or another.

This purification system operates efficiently only if the volume of water flowing through it is sufficient to carry away the wastes. 6 to 8 glasses (64 fluid ounces) of water a day is the recommendation. To reach your quota, carry bottled water with you in your car, your purse, your briefcase?wherever you go.

Get the water habit, and your skin will thank you for it.

3. Exercise regularly for good circulation.

Get into a regular routine of exercise. Do it for at least half an hour, five days a week. Exercise improves your blood circulation, helping your body clear toxins from your system, including your skin. Better circulation also increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Exercise also relieves stress, which is a common cause of acne flare-ups. Last but not least, exercise releases endorphins, the feel good substance in your brain that puts a smile on your face?the best ! beauty s ecret of all.

4. Cleanse your face?then tone, moisturize, and exfoliate.

At night * First remove your makeup with an oil-free makeup remover and a cotton ball. * Then wash your face with lukewarm water and an oil-free, non-comedogenic (doesn?t block pores) cleanser. * Pat (don?t rub) it dry with a soft towel. * And apply an oil-free moisturizer.

In the morning * Wash your face as directed above, then use an alcohol-free toner. * Next apply moisturizer. * Then apply makeup?all oil-free and non-comedogenic.

Once or twice a week use an exfoliator with alpha hydroxy acid or glycolic acid. This will aid in the shedding of dead skin cells, the ?food? for the bacteria that cause pimples.

If you exercise during the day, you?ll need to wash your face a third time, immediately afterward.

5. Protect your skin from the sun and harsh weather.

One popular myth about acne is that tanning will clear it. It may seem so at first, but soon you will notice that your tanned skin becomes less pliable, making it less able to shed oil and dead skin cells, which clog your pores. Your acne will become worse, not better.

Always wear sun block with at least an SPF-15 UVA & UVB rating. If you?ll be outside in the sun for long, wear a wide-brimmed hat.

6. Get plenty of good-quality rest.

Your immune system requires energy to do its work, including the work of protecting your skin from acne. The deep sleep the brain needs for ?recharging? comes several hours into the sleep cycle. That?s why a few hours here and there won?t do. Most people need at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Consider it beauty sleep.

If you make these 6 items part of your daily routine, you?ll look better, feel better, and have less need of expensive acne treatments and cosmetics.

Visit Ron's website Latest-Acne-Solutions for the latest research into acne relief.

Obesity

2008-09-21T22:24:00.001-07:00

Obesity, especially in the midriff, is the sluice gate for all health problems and is difficult to reduce. I am overweight, by that standard, and am heavy by 13kgs. Aggravating this problem, I met with an accident which had resulted in a spinal fracture near L-5 which pinched the nerves controlling the lower limbs. By sheer luck, I escaped and even after surgery, I continued to have sciatic pain on both limbs and was unable to bend and lift even small weights. I could not do any physical exercise and very soon, my stamina and energy had reduced and I used to get tired very soon. Joining this bandwagon of health problems, I contracted diabetes also which made things worse. My normal day to day functions were totally affected, till...

One of my friends, who is a local distributor for nutrition products recommended the health products to me, with the guarantee that the excess weight would come down and the energy level would be increased due to the nutrition required by the body is available in the product. On his advice, I attended a seminar on nutrition, conducted by the company . In fact, when I had gone for the meeting, I had low back pain and had strong pain-killer tablets with me. However, I was impressed with the testimonies of customers in the meeting on the effect of nutrition on our body. I bought the products from the distributor on the same day. You may find it difficult to believe, but he was true ! Within one week of continued usage, my energy level had gone up, the sciatic pain had vanished, and the weight had reduced by 5Kgs ! Even the pain in my vericose veins had considerably reduced. I am thoroughly impressed with this product now. I have started doing my exercise and my blood sugar level has come down to acceptable limits.

Besides, there is an excellent opportunity for good earning by becoming a distributor in Herbalife is also available.

Author is now an independent distributor of Herbalife products. All those who suffer from obesity can use this product for posi! tive res ults. Further information on this product and opportunity to work from home, can be obtained by accessing website http://www.herbalife.com and those who desire to join ,as a distributor on a work-from-home opportunity, which gives wealth as well as health, are requested to contact on e-mail vemburamani@gmail.com, for further information and guidance.

Nutrition for Breast Cancer

2008-09-21T07:26:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer is very rare in men, it mainly affects women. It is not hereditary but certain factors are linked with developing breast cancer. They are, the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer is increased by being overweight, the use of hormone replacement (HRT) increases the risk, having the last menstrual cycle from the early 50?s and older increases the risk, having the first menstrual cycle at a later age and being pregnant at an early age lowers the risk. Although most breast cancers are hormonally related other factors may affect the risk, such as stress, carcinogens, use of stimulants, exposure to pesticides and oral contraceptive.

The symptoms of breast cancer are a painless lump that is found in the breast, if breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body then symptoms will affect that part of the body ranging from neurological problems, bone pain, weight loss, fatigue and anaemia.

Along with traditional medicine changing the diet and one?s lifestyle can help with breast cancer. Keeping to a vegetarian style diet by reducing animal fats in the diet (eat very little meat and cut out dairy products) will help, only eat organic vegetables and meat (this will reduce the exposure of pesticides and hormones), consume lots of tomatoes as these are high in lycopene which can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, consume plenty of olive oil, increase fibre in the diet, reduce the exposure of soft, fatty or acid foods to soft plastics (do not use cling film, buy food that comes in paper, glass or ceramic containers or if food is supplied in a plastic container then remove and store in glass or ceramic container in the fridge, cut out stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and alcohol, change one?s lifestyle to minimise stress, maybe take up Yoga and meditation, increase exercise, cut out smoking and increase the consumption of the essential oils Omega 3 and Omega 6 which are found in oily fish, seeds, evening primrose oil, borage oil and flax oil.

Foods that are anti-cancer and ! should b e plentiful in the diet are sweet potatoes, carrots, watercress, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach, onions, leeks, garlic, soy products, lemons, mangoes, melon, peppers, pumpkin, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, pears, shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes, cabbage, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, oranges, seeds, nuts, squash, tuna, mackerel, salmon, wheat or rice bran, oats, wild rice, rye, apricot, walnuts, beans and the herbs and spices ? rosemary, thyme, oregano and turmeric. These vegetable and fruits should be eaten raw and fresh as possible or lightly steamed so that no goodness is lost. Soy beans and products are extremely good in reducing tumour growth and inducing cancer cells to revert to normal. Soy beans have genistein in them which is an angiostat (anti-growth compound that prevent cancer from growing by preventing the formation of new blood vessels that aid cancer cells to grow).

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Breast Cancer.

Antioxidant complex

Beta cartene

Biotin

Calcium

Cat?s claw

Co-enzyme Q10

Copper

Folic acid

GLA from evening primrose oil

Lutein

Lycopene

Magnesium

Melatonin

Multivitamins and minerals

Probiotics

Selenium

Shark cartilage

Vitamin A

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B6

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

Zeaxanthin

Zinc

To help reduce the damaging effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

B group of vitamins

Co-enzyme Q10

Evening primrose oil with vitamin C

Fish oil

Red wine extract

Siberian ginseng

St John?s Wort

Vitamin E

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip NutTh

Advice for a healthier natural life

website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com

Transforming Your Thoughts is Key for Dealing with Depression

2008-09-20T22:25:00.001-07:00

The Greatest Teacher that ever lived once said: ?As a Man thinks in his heart so is he?. What you constantly think of a situation is quite inevitably what becomes of it; therefore it is paramount that in any and every situation our thinking should be positive.

If there is one fact that religion, science and psychology seem to agree on, it is that the mind is indeed the most powerful force in the world. Yoga sages have stated that whoever can control the mind is indeed a powerful human being.

That said, it is obvious that in coping with stress and dealing with depressive situations, one should make every step to think positively as perhaps the first weapon to combat negative challenges.

Friends, everything starts with a thought.

Moreover, thoughts have the innate ability of phenomenally materializing into what it is that is projected in your mind. Consequently, it will be safe to say we should all make attempts to change our mental habits to belief instead of disbelief as much as possible. This of course will be most paramount when seeking ways to overcoming depression.

Characterized by feelings of worthlessness, doubt, pessimism, if we allow depressive thoughts to constantly permeate our minds, they could actually gain the ability to diffuse into our speech and actions and consequently could aggravate the very situations and challenges one is facing that may be causing depressive thoughts in the first place.

When dealing with problems arising from depression, the famous psychologist-William James has this cryptic quote to say: ?Our belief at the beginning of a doubtful undertaking or challenging situation is the one thing that insures a successful outcome at the end?

This reminds me of another powerful verse in the Bible found in Mark 4 verse 23: ?If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes?.

Combining the gist and effect of both quotes, one can see that it is imperative to believe in and expect the best in any situation one may be g! oing thr ough. In so doing you will bring everything into the realm of possibility and success.

In no way does this mean that we should sit back and just expect things to miraculously change. It means we must change our thought processes about our situations first, perform the actions that will lead us to and keep us on the path to success at overcoming our challenges and as words, thoughts and actions have an effect on each other as factors, one is also advised to constantly speak positively about what challenges one may be facing.

Combining all three factors will greatly help in making sure each component (most importantly our thoughts) remains positively tuned towards overcoming our depression.

My friends, although it may not always be an easy journey to overcome our challenges, I would like you to remember this quote as well Life's problems are like knives, which either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or the handle: Grasp a difficulty or problem by the blade and it cuts; grasp it by the handle and you can use it constructively

Take the quote above into consideration and keep it in mind my friend as THE reason to constantly have faith and to hope for the best when it comes to dealing with depression. It is perhaps the one thing that will ensure success at the end.

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com

For more information on Depression Treatment stop by his website today.

Hair Loss Treatments

2008-09-19T22:23:00.001-07:00

The desire to avoid hair loss is not confined to our time. In ancient Egypt, men used to rub fat from crocodiles, snakes, lions, and other animals on their head in hopes of preventing or treating hair loss. Julius Caesar and Napoleon also experienced hair loss and tried to conceal it by growing their hair long in the back and combing it forward over their heads. Today, this motivation to avoid balding is still evident.

There are many available hair loss remedies that include creams, vitamins, hormones, wigs, hairpieces, hair transplants, and scalp-reduction procedures. A report filed recently by the FDA stated that in a nine year time-span, about 300,000 hair loss treatment products claiming to help hair regrowth were investigated.

Non-surgical treatment options also include hair additions such as hair weaves, hairpieces and toupees. These devices are made of human hair, synthetic fibers or a combination of both. Constructed in a variety of ways, these hair loss aides can give you the look of having a full, natural head of hair without the expense of costly surgeries or expensive medicines.

If typical hair loss treatment products aimed to slow down or stop hair loss are ineffective and you have the time and money, there are surgical treatments for hair-loss. Hair transplant surgery is costly and sometimes painful. During surgery, healthy hair follicles are taken from the back and sides of the head and transplanted onto other areas of the scalp where they replace dead follicles. This treatment option typically takes from one to two years to be complete and can have mixed results. It is best to talk to and meet people treated by the doctor you are seeing so you can be sure the results are similar to your expectations before going through with the treatment.

Hairloss Info provides detailed information about the cause of male and hair loss, as well as products, treatments, remedies, and more. Hairloss Info is the sister site of Snoring Web.

Malignant Mesothelioma

2008-09-18T22:23:00.001-07:00

Malignant mesothelioma is usually a fatal disease. Often by the time it is diagnosed, the cancer has spread extensively, even though the patient may not have had any earlier symptoms. Malignant mesothelioma affects about 2,000 people each year in the US. It is a fast-spreading cancer, but there are several treatment methods.

Research is being undertaken to alleviate the pain and other symptoms, to improve the quality of life for sufferers, and to find cures for this devastating disease. Life expectancy rates for sufferers normally range from approximately nine months to a year after diagnosis. This can be improved to two, or in rare cases five years with extensive and aggressive treatment, if the cancer is detected early.

Malignant mesothelioma is usually caused by exposure to asbestos, a carcinogenic material used in construction. A few cases are due to exposure to a mineral silicate called zeolite, or to thorotrast, which was used in the pre-1960s as a radiation contrast dye to enable blood vessels show up on X-rays.

The three main types of malignant mesothelioma are epithelial, sarcomatoid and mixed. The most common type is epithelial mesothelioma. Once malignant mesothelioma has been diagnosed, the next step is to determine what stage the disease has progressed to. This helps to fix how extensively the tumor has spread. There are four levels of the staging. Stage I responds best to treatment, as in this stage the tumor is limited to the pleural lining of the chest.

CT scans and MRIs are used to determine the extent of the spread of the tumorous cells, and what treatment is best suited to the case. The disease usually affects the mesothelium, a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma affect the pleura that lines the chest cavity and the lungs. Mesothelioma can also affect the peritoneum, which covers the abdominal cavity. In rare cases, it can affect the pericardium, which covers the heart.

Mesothelioma pro! vides de tailed information about malignant mesothelioma, asbestos and mesothelioma, mesothelioma, mesothelioma research and more. Mesothelioma is the sister site of Asbestos Exposure.

Talking to Your ADHD Child About ADHD

2008-09-18T07:24:00.001-07:00

When my son was first diagnosed with ADHD and started medication, I was so caught up in the ADHD diagnosis and the treatment that I forgot to talk to him about what was going on. I started giving him medicine, and my precious, 7-year-old ADHD son said, Is something really bad wrong with me? We sat down right there on the edge of the tub and had The Talk.

The You Have ADHD And It's An Illness and Not Something You Can Help talk.

Here are some things to focus on during the talk.

1. Do a Lot of Kids Have ADHD?

On average, about 5% of kids, or 5 out of 100, have ADHD. That means, for instance, out of my son's fifth grade year at school, probably 5 kids have ADHD.

Boys usually have ADHD more than girls--boys are two to three times more likely to have ADHD than girls, but doctors have no real idea why.

2. Did I Get ADHD From One of My Parents?

It's possible. ADHD does tend to run in families, and if Mom or Dad has it, at least one kid is likely to have it. But the fact is, no one knows what causes ADHD and no one knows how to cure it.

3. Does ADHD Have Symptoms, Like a Cold?

Yes. Symptoms of ADHD include having trouble paying attention, getting distracted easily, not being able to sit still, and doing things like interrupting people when they're talking. ADHD kids lose things and forget things.

4. If I Have ADHD, What Will We Do About It?

The first step is a visit to the doctor to find out if you really have ADHD and make sure nothing else is wrong. From there, we'll talk with the doctor about treatment plans and medication and therapy.

These are some basic questions you can start with for The Talk. Of course, you'll need to adapt the questions and answers to your particular situation, but hopefully this will help you get started.

Angie Dixon is a writer and ADHD mom of an ADHD son, Jack. For a free report on helping your ADHD son, see Angie's site That's My Son! at http://www.Raising-the-ADHD-boy.com

Easing the Symptoms of Lupus With Diet

2008-09-17T22:23:00.001-07:00

The most common form of Lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Inflammation of connective tissue typically the joints coupled with a butterfly-shaped rash on the face across the nose, cheeks and forehead is typical symptoms of the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) up to nine times more common in women than men, typically affect those between twenty and forty years of age. As well as inflammation of the joints, the palms of the hands may become reddened, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, chest pain, bruising, mouth sores, hair loss, seizures, and extreme tiredness may set in and a fever might occur.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, this is when the immune system attacks the body instead of protecting it, in the case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the kidneys, lung, and vascular systems are at danger which can potentially be life-threatening. The exact cause of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is unknown but it has been linked to the taking of drugs such as hydralazine, methyldopa, procainamide, and chlorpromazine, industrial emissions, environmental pollution and chemicals such as hydrazine and the food dye tartrazine and the ultraviolet radiation from the sun can trigger the lupus that affects the skin. Other elements which are risk factors for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are free radicals, low blood levels of antioxidant nutrients especially beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E, family history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), asthma, menstrual irregularity, other collagen diseases and exposure to toxic chemicals.

The symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be improved by diet, eat a vegetarian style diet but include plenty of oily fish such as mackerel, herring, pilchards, trout, salmon and tuna and flaxseed and linseed, avoid alcohol, sugar and caffeine. If you are a smoker, give up smoking and it is also best to avoid taking the cont! raceptiv e pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There has been a link to food allergies and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) especially allergies to dairy products, it may be worth cutting down on dairy products in your diet.

Good supplements to take for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are milk thistle, flaxseed, evening primrose oil and fish oil.

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Lupus.

B group vitamins

Carotenoids

Evening primrose oil

Fish oil

Flaxseed oil

Hemp seed oil

Milk thistle extract

Selenium

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip NutTh

Advice for a healthier natural life

website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com

Great Exercises To Tone & Tighten Your Butt

2008-09-17T07:22:00.001-07:00

A question I am frequently asked by females is, What is the best exercise I can do for my butt? In my opinion, there is nothing better you can do for your butt than lunges. They target your glutes, hamstrings and quads, and can easily be modified for beginners to advanced exercisers.

If lunges are new for you, begin with a reverse lunge. Start with your feet together. Step back with your left leg. Bend both knees. The right shin should remain a straight line with the right ankle. The left knee should go straight down and almost touch the floor. Press through the right heel as you come up and bring feet back together. Now repeat with the other leg. Perform 12 repetitions per leg, and work up to 3 sets per workout. Feel free to hold on to something sturdy for support if you need to at first. Then, as you get stronger and more stable, you can do these lunges without the extra support. Try adding dumbbells at your side or a barbell across your shoulders for an increased challenge.

As you get stronger and want more of a challenge, you can progress to a walking lunge. These require more stability, strength and balance than reverse lunges. Start with your feet together. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides if you are holding dumbbells. Step forward with a large step and bend both knees. Your front shin should remain a straight line with your ankle. Your back knee should almost touch the floor. As you are pushing up and at the top of your lunge, lunge forward with the other leg, repeating the same movement. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until you have finished 12 reps per leg.

Here is a list of exercises to tighten, tone and sculpt the butt:

http://www.shapefit.com/training.html#6

Some tips to keep in mind:

2. Keep a straight back, do not arch!

3. Keep your head and chest up.

4. Never let the knee of your front leg go past your toes.

5. Your back heel should raise off the floor as you descend, but your toe sho! uld stay on the floor.

Kris Bierek is a fitness specialist for the health and fitness site http://www.ShapeFit.com where you can find FREE fitness tools like fitness newsletters, dieting tips, weight loss help, exercise questions and a free fitness analysis to help you get into the best shape of your life!

The Flu and You

2008-09-16T22:23:00.001-07:00

Please do your homework before jumping on the bird flu pandemic bandwagon.

The entire plan is an attempt to funnel $7.18 billion into the pharmaceutical industry without any liability for the damage it will cause.

The national Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 already protects vaccine manufacturers, clinics, hospitals, nurses, and doctors from all liability for vaccine related injuries.

No Vaccine can be made for a pathogen that does not yet exist. The H5N1 virus killing chickens is not a communicable human pathogen, so a vaccine made from the H5N1 virus would only protect chickens, if anyone.

Earlier this year the National Institute of Health stated, We could not correlate increasing vaccination coverage after 1980 with declining morality rates for influenza in any group.

In America, the flu vaccine coverage in 1980 was 20 percent and rose to 65 percent by 2001. Therefore the flu vaccine has been totally ineffective in all age groups.

Anti-viral drugs are much less effetive then they are dangerous. The original relenza (an anti-viral drug) research in North America included on 1,164 adults and 471 children (ages 5-12 years) and found no statistically significant evidence of benefit according to the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR).

Warnings include broncosposm, possibly leading to death and states that Relenza is not for immune compromised poopulations or those with chronic respiratory disease such as asthma or COPD.

These are all high risk populations for influenza. The PDR also stresses that only Type A and B influenza has been studied.

Only a strong immune system can prevent contraction of any disease and determine the course of the illness. If indeed you want to be prepared for any possible epidemic or pandemic, it is time to take better care of yourself.

A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetable, plenty of water and rest, regular exercise, a positive mental attitude, and a nerve system free of interference will pay far greater divide! nds than any flu shots or pills.

My name is Dr. Dubyak and I have a chiropractic practice in Turlock, CA. Over 30% of my patients are children of families that are adjusted regularly to optimize their generic potentials for health and wellness. Please when using this article keep my name; Dr. Dubyak attached. My article is also published in the local newspaper in my living area.

Do You Want To Be A Bodybuilding Champion The Power Behind The PEN!

2008-09-16T07:20:00.001-07:00

IT ALL STARTED ON A TYPICAL NOVEMBER MORNING back in nineteen eighty seven. Life was changing for me quickly; I just didn?t realize it at the time. I had been successful in some bodybuilding contests as a teenager, but that was really as far as I wanted to go in the sport. I worked at a local construction company as an architect. Each day in the office started out the same; grab a cup of coffee and sit down at my desk. Being a designer, you either had a mouse, pencil or cup of coffee in your hand.

It all began that morning when I looked over at a sheet of paper that lay next to my computer with these words that read; I AM MR. MICHIGAN 1988. At the time I thought it was funny and threw it away. Two weeks later, I realized I had written it again. Only this time the words were written more than once. I threw it away and forgot about it,again. A few days later, I caught myself doing it, again. I stopped and just shook my head and said, ?Could I? No, I?m not doing it again. I thought, I have accomplished all I wanted to. But, what if I could win? Are you kidding? Stop kidding yourself Greg!

This conversation went on in my head for days. I found myself over the next three weeks writing the same thing, I AM MR. MICHIGAN 1988. Could I? Well, if I do I have to make a decision by January 1, 1988, due to the contest date in April.This would give me four months to prepare. What I am saying? I thought I was finished. I kept writing and writing and writing every day through the month of December. Then I just decided, Ok, one more time, I?ll do it.

I don?t know when it happened, but it did. You see in the sport of bodybuilding there are many variables involved. You can not predict what will happen. Contest preparation is mostly the science of nutrition and mental preparation. And of course doing your time in the gym.

However, even if you do all the hard work, when you?re dealing with the human body and are judged on your looks, anything can play a part in what the final ! product will look like. Changes can come at the last minute due to nerves, water retention, sickness, over-training, presentation flaws or in a lot of cases, mental fatigue. But this time, something began to happen with my body along the way.

I continued to write that simple statement over and over again. Day after day, after day, and with that what started out as a denial now became a dream. So I wrote and wrote and worked hard and ate right.

It was now the beginning of March and I had three weeks left. At this point, my mental training had kicked in. Time and time again, I saw athletes fall to the demons in their heads. The self sabotaging thoughts of food depervation, self esteem issues, only to crack at the very end. I was no exception. I had many bad days. Some days were per hell. I didn?t want to get out of bed at times. I just didn?t have the energy. But I found a way. I kept writing, and writing until my hand could write no more, I AM MR. MICHIGAN 1988.

The days continued to pass, getting closer and closer to the contest day. I have to admit, by two weeks from the contest I just wanted it to end. But, I could not quit. I had made a promise to myself never to quiet. Goals change decisions do not. The contest was on Saturday, so by Monday training wise I had done all I could do. Now I prepared for the day, keeping my nutrition finely tuned and absolutely did not break down mentally. I stayed focused on the bigger picture. Due to my fatigue level, my training partner and his wife drove me up to Detroit on Friday so we could spend the night and get a good night's sleep.

I never said bodybuilding was not an extreme sport. Part of the goal to achieve success was through training and human physiology manipulation. I needed to get rid of as much fat and water as I possible could and still stay functional. The fat came off through diet and training over the past four months and if all was fine in my body, the water would go in the last few days. Now let me tell you, t! hrough a ll of this I kept writing, and writing and writing.

Friday evening I went to bed about three pounds over what I thought I should be on competition day. My weight class was 154 to 176 pounds, Friday evening I weighed 174 cool, but not good lean enough to win. You see, it was not good enough for the judge?s criteria just to be lean; you had to resemble a medical anatomy chart. This required, on a temporary basis, for you to lose as much water around your muscles as possible. This was science, luck, and faith at its best.

I awoke early around five. My friends were still sleeping in the same room. I didn?t feel any different as I went into the bathroom to weigh myself. What I saw on the scale didn?t seem possible. I stepped off and back on at least a half a dozen times. It just could not be. My contest check in time was five hours away, but it was time for my roommates to get up, so I yelled. Still not believing the scales I dropped all my clothes and at the same time dropped my jaw. It just was not possible. Without going to the bathroom for eight hours, it was not possible to lose four pounds of water. The water in my body, under the skin, covering the fine tuned muscle fibers had out of thin air disappeared.

My training partner, his wife and I walked into the theater in preparation to the check in. As we entered my friends wife stopped leaned over and said to the both of us, ?Can you feel that?? I looked at the both of them and said, ?Feel what?? That thick ego filled air. Honestly, I turned to her and said, ?I matters not what I receive today in trophies or recognition. I have already won.

No one can take away what I have received over the last few years.? I thought of Pumping Iron and Arnold it was then I realized what he new before the show. It just didn?t matter what place I recieved, there was no pressure. As I checked in, it was interesting and comical to see affects of transferring internal pressure to your fellow competitors. They looked at you like li! ttle boy s who lost there best friend.

It was night time now, I final time out on stage in front of thousands. Yes, this was it. My career was ending no matter what the results would be. My journey was now complete.

As I heard my name called as the winner of not only my weight class, but the overall winner it was announced you are MR. MICHIGAN 1988. It was at that moment I realized the Power behind the Pen. What started out as a slip of the ink, four months later had transformed my mind and now my body into the very words that had been written so many times before. I can not explain it, but to this very day I know in the bottom of my heart, if it was not for power behind the pen, and that deep desire to win I would not have accomplished so much in so little time.

I don?t care what it is in life, if you want it, write it down. Everyday, all the time. Sooner of later your mind will help you achieve it. Never, ever underestimate the power behind the pen.

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Body building champion, public speaker CEO. He is a best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE OUT through real behavior change, smart eating and effective exercising. For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

Food Combining: Learn the Tips on this Necessity for Better Health Today (part 1)

2008-09-15T22:24:00.001-07:00

Eating is one of the many sources of enjoyment given to us by Nature. Though it was intended for this activity to be a source of nourishment for the body, since most modern day dietetic innovations avoid proper food combining methods, they tend to do the exact opposite.

In a traditional diet, everything is mixed together in every possible way. Ease of digestion is not the goal, but rather the excitement of the senses in one meal. Dr. Tilden used to say that Nature never produced a sandwich-a modern dietetic abomination. Such protein-starch combinations are of recent origin and like most modern meals today, instead of feeding the body, they actually poison it.

Bad Food combining creates indigestion, fermentation and gas. Food is fermenting and putrefying in the intestines, which is one of the main causes of constipation, a clogging up of the bodily tissues.

Therefore, simplicity of a meal should be the goal when eating for health. This includes first and foremost, proper food combining principles, consuming the right quantity at a time and eating only when truly hungry.

Certain foods take longer to digest than others and therefore should not be eaten at the same time as ones that would leave the stomach quicker. Ideally, eating one kind of food (fruit or vegetable) at a time would be the most ideal, but granted, we live in a society where success at certain things might hinge on enjoyment of the practice.

Variety is one sure way of increasing enjoyment but when it comes to food, especially for the health seeker, this should be approached with care.

Food combining: Classification of Foods

Foods (when eating for health) can be classified as follows.

Fruit:

1. Sweet Fruits: Tropical fruits, Bananas, Mangoes, Papaya, Dates, Dried fruits, Sweet apples.

2. Acid Fruit: Citrus, Lemon, Tomatoes, Berries, Pineapples.

3. Sub-Acid Fruit: Most tart apples, Pears, Grapes,

4. Melons: Cantaloupe, Honey-Dew, Water Melon etc

5. Fatty: Avocadoe! s, Olive s, Durian, Young coconuts

Nuts and Seeds

1. Non-Starchy Foods:

Green leaves, Carrots, Fruit Vegetables e.g. Cucumber, Bell Peppers, Zucchini

2. Starchy: Cooked Vegetables (roots), Grains (if necessary)

3. Lettuce and Celery:

Listed above are foods in their various categories, in the next part of the article on:

?Food combining: Learn the tips on this necessity for better health today.?

I will ensure to go over the details of food combining principles for eating right.

Boy, would it have been easier if we just ate like apes eh? Eat a mono-meal of fruit and a few leaves and call it a day. Well, in this present age, that is close to impossible for most people, hence the need to at least learn better food combining methods for health.

See you in part 2 of this article.

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com. He writes on Healthy Weight Loss Tips and invites you to stop by his site for up to date information on Natural Health and Wellness.

Secrets to Taming Your Sweet Tooth

2008-09-15T07:26:00.001-07:00

Nothing can derail your good health intentions faster than having the dessert tray wheeled past you in a restaurant. You want to be healthy, but you love the taste of sweets. Is it possible to have your cake and eat it too? Rejoice, sweet lovers! The answer is yes.

You should be safe in having your favorites every once in a while. But you want to be sure that your portion sizes are reasonable. A reasonable portion size may surprise you. For example, did you know that a pint of ice cream is designed to serve four people?

I discovered that recently when I decided to treat myself to a serving of my favorite flavor of Haagen-Daas ice cream. I read the label on the carton and discovered that a serving of 1/2 cup was 270 calories. Not bad, I thought. Then I read further and discovered the shocking truth.

If I ate the entire pint (I used to do this regularly when I was overweight), then I would be consuming 1,080 calories! That is over half of the number of calories that I should be eating in a day.

And that, sweet lovers, is the major problem with sweets. They taste good, but they pack an amazing number of calories even in small portions. The best advice is read labels to educate yourself on the appropriate portion size and limit yourself to only that amount.

One of the dangers in eating a lot of sweets is that they tend to cause extreme fluctuations in your blood sugar level. This condition tends to lend to intense hunger and cravings. Limiting your sugar intake by only indulging in reasonable amounts of sweets will keep this sleeping giant at bay.

You could also sidestep this issue by opting for healthier alternatives. Fruit is an excellent choice for dessert, bursting with flavor, vitamins, and fiber. You could also use hard candy or even some of the low carb chocolates on the market, which give you the taste of chocolate but tend to have lower sugar content than regular candy bars.

In addition, you can choose frozen yogurt or sorbets for ! dessert. If you eat a slice of pie or cake, try making your slice 1/3 size less than you would normally eat. You'd still get the taste of the dessert but lessen the possibility of overindulging. And remember, limit yourself to only one serving!

With the holidays just around the corner, please keep these tips in mind when faced when your favorite temptations. That way, you can enjoy some super sweets without super sizing yourself.

A Registered Nurse for many years, Kimberly Floyd battled obesity for much of her adult life. She was finally able to achieve her ideal weight and is currently writing a book that is designed to help others achieve their weight loss goals entitled ?Take Back Your Temple?.

Kim has written articles for the Georgia Nurses Association publication and Nursing Spectrum Online. Now a technical writer, she has written training programs for corporate clients, including IBM, U.S. Bank, and Cingular.

Kim also teaches an online course called ?Goodbye to Shy.? This course is distributed to over 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Australia through Thomson Learning. An accomplished speaker and trainer, she delivers presentations on health-related topics to enthusiastic audiences.

Five Reasons for Yoga Instructors to Teach Chair Yoga

2008-09-14T22:28:00.001-07:00

1) Your students truly benefit from it.

Your students will likely be either seniors or those with physical limitations. Especially in the case of someone that has not been exercising at all because of their condition, you will often see rapid improvements. Prospective students sometimes report feeling better after a single class.

Liz knew that she was on to something from that very first demonstration to the senior?s group at our church. After the demo, one of the women rushed up to Liz and put her hands in Liz? hands. ?Do you feel that?? she said, ?my hands haven?t felt warm in years!?

While we don't promise miracles (and neither should you!) we've seen chair yoga lower students' blood pressure, cause them to stop needing anti-anxiety medicine, allow them to sleep better, regain height, relieve the symptoms of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and much more. Students' health care professionals will sometimes notice the difference chair yoga is making and ask what they are doing differently. Of course, the patient is always told to keep it up!

2) Your work will be truly appreciated and you?ll hear about it, too.

You will often enjoy having people tell you about all the wonderful things that chair yoga has done to make them more comfortable, healthier, and happier.

Those of us that are younger and don't have a debilitating condition tend to take some things for granted. Chair yoga might help a person raise their arm above their heads to reach something, or turn their head back to check traffic, when they had lost the ability to do so. I think I'd be appreciative, too!

3) Millions of prospective students and growing daily.

I just saw a statistic that blew my mind ? one baby boomer turns 50 every 8 seconds!

So much has been said about the value of marketing into the coming boom in baby boomer seniors that I shouldn't have to convince you. Besides, we can all see it happening right before our very eyes.

As a yoga instructor, a! dding ch air yoga to your list of teaching skills is a good way to take advantage of this social phenomenon.

Baby boomers aren't much interested in retiring to sit back in a rocking chair and wait while their bodies deteriorate from disuse. So no matter what age or stage they are in, they will be seeking ways to keep themselves fit.

Baby boomers are more likely to consider alternate approaches to staying healthy than previous generations, so they will be much more likely to be receptive to the notion of practicing yoga. In fact, many will have some sort of prior experience with yoga, as we have seen.

The oldest of the boomers are just now turning 60, so it is a great time to get serious about teaching chair yoga!

4) There is an abundance of ready-made classes to find.

Most yoga classes come about in an organic fashion, adding one or two students at a time. But by teaching chair yoga, you can find yourself starting whole new classes with several customers all at once.

This is because you are often taking the yoga class to the people where they are already congregating. One of the biggest markets for chair yoga is seniors, and seniors are easy to find already in a group together.

Just where to go will vary depending on where you live, but here are a few ideas to get you started thinking about this:

?Retirement villages, retirement centers, assisted living centers, nursing homes

?Adult day care

?Seniors' groups at places of worship

?Community centers/Parks and recreation programs

?Fraternal organizations

?Libraries

?YMCA/YWCA

People suffering from particular ailments such as multiple sclerosis or arthritis tend to get together to help each other cope with the disease. All you have to do is find the organizations in your neighborhood that are addressing this need and approach them with the idea of helping the group practice chair yoga. Yoga has been shown to effectively ease the symptoms of many types of ailments, and yet few ! have any place to go where there is a yoga program appropriate for them.

With some brainstorming you can probably come up with a pretty good list appropriate for the circumstances in your community.

The beauty of approaching these groups is that you almost always are proposing to teach yoga to people that never imagined they'd be in a yoga class. That means you aren't competing with all the yoga teachers trying to capture classes out of the existing pool of practicing yogis and yoginis.

Just how you go about approaching these types of organizations is something that we go into detail about in our Yoga In Chairs teacher training intensives and the materials for the at-home training program.

5) Enjoy having loyal students.

There are many reasons why chair yoga students will be more loyal to you than students in your more traditional classes.

It is likely that they were introduced to yoga by you or by the leadership of the group they are in. Since they never had a notion to seek out yoga before, they will be much less inclined to look for alternative teachers in your area. Plus, as has already been noted, they probably don't have many other chair yoga programs to turn to, even if they wanted to have choices.

If you take the class to the students it is of course easy for them to participate every time you are there.

Most of your chair yoga customers will be mature people who know the value of being considered reliable. This means that when they make a commitment to participate in a program, they likely will follow through.

In fact, Liz' students typically call or email her if they are not able to come to class for some reason. She, in turn, contacts them if she notices they were absent from class, especially if it is longer than a few weeks. By simply staying in touch in an unobtrusive way she retains more students.

If you are a yoga instructor and you aren?t already teaching chair yoga, you are encouraged to do so. Not only will you have more classes ! to teach , but also you will be making a REAL difference in the world.

Mark Franklin enjoys telling people about Liz Franklin's Yoga In Chairs? because he knows it is helping people live healthier, happier, and longer lives. If you are a yoga teacher and you want to find out how you can build your practice while doing some REAL good in the world teaching chair yoga, visit http://www.yogainchairs.com/teacher.asp

While Thinking About Ephedra Diet Pill!

2008-09-14T07:27:00.001-07:00

Hello FDA (the one we know, not the one we'd wish: Food and Diet Administration :) Is every diet pill a drug?

No Sir. Listen please, the difference is.. FDA explaining.

..Yes.. But.. So.. Aha.. No.. Now, I got it.. Okay then, thanks medical folk. I said

..Goodness, and I thought I knew that before!

Ephedra Diet Pill to get the point.

Suppose you want to market a new product called Best Dietum Pillz Ever having a drug label as status, then before going any further and dealing with the potential consumers, you should get an approval from The Food and Drug Administration. But to get approved, you have to prove that Best Dietum Pillz Ever is safe. So the proof burden is on you, as manufacturer.

Here is the second element of our comparison

History flash: Dietary supplements is a substance class created in 1994 by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Briefly, if a product belongs to the dietary supplements category, then it is not considered as a drug but as food. Hence, less restriction than those implied on conventional drugs .

Now again, suppose you want to put a new product called Best Dietum Pillz Ever on the market but this time as dietary supplements product, then don't look around, go further and jump on your potential consumers. Forget about The Food and Drug Administration. You don't even have to register it. If the FDA desires any restriction about your Best Dietum Pillz Ever product. Just say: Burden on you, FDA. Prove that my Best Dietum Pillz Ever is Not safe!

Ha! A bit strange! Right. This is why some are calling for a more restrictive law revision concerning this category.

Realizing such and such, we can understand why Ephedra as a drug is banned because of the cardiovascular effects it may cause due to its active ingredient ephedrine. But those dietary supplements containing the same ephedrine ingredient are generally still being marketed. (Except in some states)

Redistributing roles, it comes out this ! way:

When it comes to drugs, you may feel safer, because The Food and Drug Administration is more restrictive as every new drug is subject to pre-approval and safety proofs before being thrown on me and you. But once, face to face with dietary supplements, FDA is on stand-by unless critical reports of some unsafe experiences while using them are reported to it. Congratulations, the burden is ours!

Finally, the point is: the more information you do gather about dieting methods, the best choice you may do and the less risks you may encounter.

Till next time, take care of your cells :)

Rabah Qial is a member of FattyBeauty.com editorial team. In addition to biology and computer science, he is also interested in scrutinizing the relation between diet and fat-acceptance/self-esteem trends.
Rabah Qial Blog

Yoga in Practice: Ten Solutions for Depressed Yoga Students Part 1

2008-09-13T22:30:00.001-07:00

Yoga teachers often struggle with methods for helping their students deal with a variety of ailments. Depression is serious, and is one of many ailments, but much like stress, it can be the ?root cause? of many more problems. So, let?s look at ten ways to turn a Yoga student?s life away from depression.

Obviously, severe cases of depression really need professional counseling. Therefore, it is advisable to point some Yoga students in that direction, but all of us have our ?dark moments,? so these are solutions for milder cases of depression.

Meditate using Visualization or Affirmation: When you teach Yoga classes, always encourage your students to be self sufficient in their meditation practice. Some Yoga teachers have preferred methods of meditation, but visualization and affirmation are easy methods for all Yoga students to learn and master.

Yoga students should learn to envision something that gives them deep gratification and causes no harm to anyone. Often this is something very easy for them to visualize. It could be a loved one, a vacation spot, or an accomplished goal. Within this practice, the Yoga student learns to accomplish his or her vision.

Affirmation is a method that any Yoga teacher can learn to guide. This builds self-esteem and creates positive energy. There are many affirmations CD?s to choose from; and we carry them in the pro-shop for Yoga students to work with at home. These two methods create constructive use of solo time, and depression will be purged from the mind, body, and spirit.

Relaxation Techniques: Teach your Yoga students a variety of relaxation methods. We are all familiar with stage-by-stage relaxation techniques, but there are many more methods to teach. There are also self hypnosis CD?s that cover guided relaxation methods. These are great for bedtime or quiet time.

Walking Time: Many of us might prefer to do Sun Salutations, but Yoga students can benefit from a walk, just like anyone else. This could be at any par! t of the day; before work, at lunch, after work, and weekends will help. The fresh air is a needed break from daily drudgery. Strategic use of walking to break up the day has extraordinary health benefits.

Sleeping Patterns: Getting to bed earlier will help Yoga students, or anyone else, get the optimum amount of sleep needed. This will also give them a positive start on the following day. Yoga students that start the day earlier will have time for all of the above-mentioned solutions or have time to see the sun rise.

Sun Salutations, and meditation, on the following morning, after a good night?s sleep, will definitely keep depression ?at bay.? Yoga students who start with these methods will positively charge themselves and feel the strength of self-empowerment.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Doors of Awareness to Optimal Health and Fitness(Part 1 of 2)

2008-09-13T07:22:00.001-07:00

A door stands before you. The door may be a book on health and fitness, women?s health issues, diet and nutrition, health food, or a weight loss program. The door may be a motivational health public speaking event. The door may be a friend sharing her enthusiasm about her fast weight loss by just eating common sense healthy foods and exercising every day. The door may be a doctor?s recent diagnosis.

No matter which door it is, you take a deep breath and open it up, not knowing what lies beyond it. All you know is that you are ready for a change. You feel that if you do not do something, and do something now, your body, your health, and, therefore, your very life will spiral downward.

To your delight, you step over the threshold into a bright, new world. You discover what you are made of and what promotes your physical health and fitness. With determination and self-discipline, you gather the knowledge and change your thinking. With the change of thinking, you change your food habits.

Your daily diet now includes lots of whole, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, raw nuts and seeds, and legumes. You gradually gravitated away from all animal and dairy products. You no longer crave or eat chocolate or sugar and white flour goodies. You lose your desire to eat processed foods, refined foods, fast foods, junk foods and all drinks with the exception of water and homemade fruit and vegetable juices.

You exercise every day. You get adequate sleep, rest, and relaxation. You avoid coffee, alcohol, and other toxins. You lose that extra weight. You take fewer, if any, pills. You have higher energy. Your days are filled with fun and purposeful activities of your choosing. You feel better than ever, and you glow with health and vibrancy.

You had no idea that walking through that first door would lead to a total transformation of your physical body. You also had no idea that the transformation of your physical body would lead you to a second door.

And now! a secon d door stands before you, and you open it up. Because your physical health and fitness, the ?what? part of your health, have reached an optimum level, you now have the emotional stability and mental clarity and self-insight to discover the ?who? part of your health.

Because you are no longer bogged down with aches, pains, conditions, lack of mobility, extra weight, and loss of energy, you are able to explore who you are. What are your values? What are your priorities? What are your philosophies? Where is your life going? Who do you want to spend your time with? What is important to you? What is not important to you?

And as you explore the ?who?? part of you, you come upon a third door.

?What could lie behind that third door?? you wonder.

Find out in Part 2 of this 2-part article: ?Doors of Awareness to Optimal Health and Fitness?

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Flowering From Within

2008-09-12T22:24:00.001-07:00

Imagine 10,000 seeds hidden in a box in your closet. If these seeds had voice and life, what would they say? give me the soil, Allow the sun...let me flower.... Similarly, you have so much potential, that is unexplored yet. Healing is a path to get in touch with your true potential.

What is healing?

Remember that time? when you opened your eyes for the first time? Freshness in your eyes and an enthusiasm to connect with life and everything around?. May be you visited planet earth to celebrate life. Restoring your spiritual integrity, becoming sound and whole again and letting go off all your non-supportive energies is what we call your healing process.

All the secrets are held within the seed.

Can we look at the seed of an apple and see the tree, the fruits, and the blossoms?

The seeds of our soul's destiny lie dormant within. As the light of understanding, the warmth of compassion and the waters of willingness nourish these seeds, the soul's inner purpose awakens. The path is revealed.

Heart holds the key

The eyes are blind. One must look within the heart. So do not believe the eyes, trust your heart and remember to look through it, and then you will come to know things unbelievable. And unless one comes to know the unbelievable, one has not known at all.

Healing is the master key

Healing is the master key. It can open the doors of the infinite and it can unlock the mystery of the unknown. But just by possessing the key nothing is attained, unless one uses it.

Love and Blessings, Satish
http://www.chakramagic.com
http://www.innercosmos.com/

Healings are offered by Satish Dholakia, a dedicated spiritual healer - teacher and Master NLP practitioner from Mumbai, India. Not bound to any traditions or philosophies, he prefers to heal and teach from the spontaneous flow through him. Clairvoyant and Clairaudient since a ch! ild, he spent years in communion with the divine, sharing his psychic gifts with an open heart. Satish founded Inner Cosmos in Mumbai, India in 1991 currently offers energy healing classes and private sessions in Los Angeles, California. Group classes are offered internationally upon request.

Top Aerobic Exercises

2008-09-12T07:25:00.001-07:00

We all need a little exercise in our lives, should it be for weight or for overall health. Here are the best types of aerobic activity for fat loss:

Running/jogging outdoors - running or jogging is a fantastic cardiovascular exercise and one of the best when it comes to fat loss. One of the advantages is that you don't need any machines when doing this aerobic exercise. Most beginners would be better off by starting with only jogging, because when your body is not used to high intensity aerobic exercises, it can lead to an injuries.

Walking - walking is a perfect exercise for beginners if they're just starting a fat burning program. Walking is very natural, meaning everyone can walk and doesn't tire the body too quickly. The only drawback is that even if you walk for 30-60 minutes, it won't really burn many calories unless you walk at a fast pace.

Treadmill - just like running/jogging outdoors, it can also be done indoors. This is a big advantage to people who have cold climates and cannot run/job outside all year long. Because of all the advances in technologies, treadmills now have a lower injury potential so it's much easier on your feet and legs.

Stationary Bicycle - stationary bicycles come in different forms, the two most popular ones are stationary upright bicycles and stationary recumbent bicycle. The upright bicycles provide different preprogrammed courses which help people keep the same intensity throughout the workout. Most of them have multiple difficulty levels and built-in heart rate monitors. The recumbent bicycle is very similar to the upright one, but because the lower back is supported, it's much more comfortable.

Outdoor cycling - not as good as stationary bicycling because people can cheat by letting gravity do all the work. But a lot of people enjoy mountain biking and cross-country cycling, so they'd prefer to ride their bikes outdoors. In order for outdoor cycling to have a fat burning effect, you must maintain a steady pace or else it w! on't be that effective.

Elliptical machine - these machines first became popular in 1995. Lots of major fitness companies started making their own version of the elliptical machine. It's like a combination of hiking, cycling and walking all in one, which is what give it its excellent fat burning potential. And because it's a very fun exercise to do, people tend to report that it's much easier to for them to complete then other exercise at the same intensity.

Rowing machine - many people consider the rowing machine to be the most total aerobic exercise because it works all the major muscle groups in the body through a wide range of motion. The advantage to this is that it burns a lot of calories which helps burn more fat, but it can also be very fatiguing for people to maintain a sustained long enough workouts.

Stairclimbers - these aerobic exercises not only provide an intense fat burning workout, but they also effectively target the hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps and calves. They come with many difficulty levels and workout programs. Unless you feel some knee pain, this one's a very high calorie burning exercise.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Aerobics

Is the Food You're Eating Causing Your Headaches? Discover 5 Foods That Could Be Detrimental to You

2008-09-11T22:25:00.001-07:00

There are many foods that contribute to headaches. Many people are intolerant to certain foods and don?t know it. If you have any symptoms of sluggishness, especially after meals, headaches (of course!), stomachaches, bloating, or indigestion you may have a food allergy.

The most common allergens are:

?Grains containing gluten (Gluten is a sticky protein found in wheat, oats, barley and rye; it is difficult to digest)
?Corn
?Soy
?Rice
?Dairy

To experiment with possible food allergies eliminate any suspect food for a day and notice you feel. Then go the following day consuming that food, then again notice how you feel. After experimenting with this, you will have a better sense of what foods do or do not support you.

For example: If you realize that you are consuming mostly carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, crackers, cookies?anything that is made up of unbleached wheat flour (grains containing gluten) and you find yourself dealing with challenges (maintaining steady blood sugar levels, and having major energy fluctuation, feeling fatigue etc.) You may be gluten intolerant. The situation could be the same with any of the other common allergen foods. Depending upon what your diet consists of, you could have an eclectic mix of all, which in turn will need your careful evaluation. Anyone can do this!

If you need additional assistance in finding out if you have food allergies there are medical tests you can get from a diagnostic medical practitioner (www.biodia.com) the cost is around $200-300.

You can apply the following effective tips right away!

1.)Eat within an hour of waking up.
Then eat every 2-3 hours to maintain blood sugar. Eat snacks that have a balanced protein to carbohydrate ratio, such as raw nuts and low glycemic fruits (less sugar), such as berries or grapefruit. The goal here is to combine a protein source with a carbohydrate. For example, nuts, seeds, meat, cottage cheese, fish, poultry, etc., should be ! combined with grains, fruits, and vegetables. Vegetables have the lowest glycemic index (low in sugar content). Carbohydrates are a type of food that provide a source of energy for the body. There are two types of carbohydrates: Simple carbohydrates: These are found in fruits and are easily digested by the body. They are also often found in processed foods and anything with refined sugar added. Complex carbohydrates: These are found in nearly all plant-based foods, and usually take longer for the body to digest. They are most commonly found in bread, pasta, rice, and vegetables (www.wisegeek.com).

2.)Consume more vegetables and fewer grains.

3.)Eat organic food whenever possible (organic means foods grown without pesticides or hormones).

Note: If you are a vegetarian, be cautious about where your protein source is coming from. If you are soy-intolerant, it is crucial to find other sources. Look on www.mercola.com for more information.

Marnina Reid is a nationally certified Holistic Health Practitioner. She is the author of Natural Cures For Chronic Headaches, a newly released e-book. Marnina has a private practice in San Diego, and faciliates trainings in emotional healing. She mainly works with women who have suffered from emotional trauma helping them to remove the blockages that are preventing them from moving forward. Several of Marnina's clients have suffered from chronic headaches and have been successful at eliminating them. This inspired her to create an e-book specifically addressing headaches.

For free cutting edge health tips that can enhance your life and prevent disease visit: http://www.naturalcuresforchronicheadaches.com

For more information on Marnina Reid, or Natural Cures For Chronic Headaches Please visit: http://www.naturalcuresforchronicheadaches.com

Don't Spend Money on Acne Remedies Fight Acne Naturally

2008-09-11T07:26:00.001-07:00

Acne is commonly a skin condition that is seen as whiteheads, blackheads, pustules or infected and inflamed nodules. Acne often is found on a persons face, chest, neck, and back. While many acne types usually affect the teenagers, various acne conditions are not restricted to a particular age group; even adults in their late 20s or even well into their 40s ? have the possibility to also suffer from acne. Though acne is not life threatening, it can cause unwanted permanent scarring and cause emotional distress if it is not treated properly. People with Acne problems often tend to be more self-conscious about their appearances when having outbreaks or blemishes.

Instead of having you dig deeper into your pocket for various types of expensive Acne Treatment remedies, you should attempt to fight acne naturally by avoiding your pores to get clogged. For many people with acne outbreaks, it is about avoiding the common acne outbreak. Just by following some of the simply steps listed below, people that often have outbreaks can dramatically decrease their chance of another acne outbreaks:

By not touching your face with your hands, including popping the zits.
By washing your skin with a mild soap, acne cleanser such as Proactiv Solutions
By avoiding stressful situations
By allowing your skin to breath; wear loose clothing

Scott Green has extensive experience in the Dermatology field and shares his knowledge openly on his very resourceful site Your Acne Treatment Solution at http://www.youracnetreatment.com

Painkillers Are Not The Only Answer

2008-09-10T22:15:00.001-07:00

Pain is something that most of us dread, but pain often serves a useful purpose: it tells us that something is wrong and that we need to do something about it. So, that toothache or pain in the back should not be ignored. Unfortunately painkillers mask pain rather than treating it taking a pain killer is often like shooting a messenger bearing bad tidings. So what can you do if you have pain?

Sometimes the choice is obvious: if you have toothache, you need to visit a dentist. Sometimes it?s less clear. What do you do if you have backache? There are several different choices, including visiting an osteopath, a chiropractor, a sports therapist or an Alexander technique teacher. Sometimes specific exercises will do the trick. Have a look at the books by Pete Egoscue for simple easy exercises you can do to help alleviate chronic pain.

Sometimes chronic pain responds well to a change in diet. Some people with arthritis find that reducing their meat intake and/or sugar and white flour intake works well. Some pain is caused by allergy problems, so check this out with a kinesiologist. A recent study on irritable bowel syndrome has shown that many sufferers are allergic to foods, such as yeast (in bread, alcohol, etc.), wheat, peas, cashew nuts, almonds, barley, beef and soya. Migraine sufferers often do well if they exclude certain trigger foods, such as chocolate, cheese, red wine and citrus fruit.

Drinking lots of water can help. So can eating lots of fruit and vegetables. These are rich in antioxidants, which help keep the joints lubricated and so prevent stiffness. Many people swear by fish oil supplements, or glucosamine sulphate to keep them fit and supple into old age.

People who don?t suffer from eczema or psoriasis probably think of it as irritating, but do not realise how painful it can be as well. As the skin cracks and bleeds it can be excruciatingly painful ? when I had eczema as a teenager the pain often reduced me to tears. Recently I have become very excited about a rel! atively new product called Fruit Force (www.fruitforce.co.uk or 0116 260 2963). It comes as capsules or cream and contains salvestrols. Salvestrols are natural chemicals produced by plants to counteract fungal infection. Unfortunately if you buy non-organic fruit it is unlikely to have a high level of salvestrols ? non-organic fruit is often sprayed with fungicides and so the fruit does not need to produce its own natural fungicide. From my own experience and talking to other practitioners this product works well for many people with eczema or psoriasis. I suggest you smear a small amount of the cream on the affected skin three times a day and also take one capsule a day.

Whatever you do, don?t just put up with pain. Have a look at all the possibilities, not just painkillers.

Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer and researcher on health, stress, alternative medicine, and happiness. Visit her web site http://www.healthandgoodness.com for tips and information on how to live a happier, healthier life no matter how busy you are.