tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44799257794698599832011-11-27T15:21:50.968-08:00Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.comBlogger1441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-26114574853945587612009-09-08T03:38:00.000-07:002009-09-08T03:47:06.550-07:00High protein, low fat, or low carb? The diet plan you choose can dramatically increase or decrease your changes of getting cancer. Discover what your body already knows about effective weight loss and staying healthy.<br /><p>Around this Thanksgiving, my 14-year old cat disappeared suddenly. There was no evidence of foul play, so I assumed that somebody had found her and taken her in. </p> <p>Then almost a month later, on Christmas Eve, she shows up — except much skinnier and more frail than before. </p> <p>I could tell by the smell that she had been trapped under a nearby house, and probably had no food and little water. Despite this, she managed to survive even with some very cold nights. </p> <p>She had very little bodyfat to begin with, so her only source of life during that month was her own muscle. </p> <p>When the body goes into “starvation mode,” it first breaks down a substance contained in muscle called glycogen. We humans store only enough glycogen to keep us going for about 24-hours. </p><p>Once the glycogen is broken down, converted to glucose (blood sugar), and used up, the body turns to its fat stores and begins to break those down. </p> <p>A byproduct of this fat-burning is ketones, which smell like ripe fruit, but provide the brain a very efficient fuel source. Ketones are your body’s “alternative energy source” when glucose is not available. </p> <p>If you have any experience with cancer, hear this: Cancer sells cannot live off ketones. They can only survive on glucose. So, if you want to literally starve cancer cells to death, just get your body converted over from glucose to ketones. </p><p>Also get this: When you eat too many carbohydrates, it raises your glucose levels through the roof. Cancer cells love this, because it means more food for them. But your immune system hates it, and it severely weakened by this blood-sugar (glucose) spike. (Now THERE’S a reason to go low-carb.) </p> <p>Now, if your body is in fat-burning mode, but is not getting enough protein, it will break down your muscle tissue to get it. The obvious thing to do then would be to eat a lot of protein. </p> <p>But here’s another benefit of eating lots of protein: It puts an end to the low-carb vs. low-fat debate. </p> <p>When you eat lots and lots of protein, your body sends a signal to your brain, “You can STOP eating now!” Protein acts as a very powerful trigger to turn OFF hunger. </p><p>If you don’t believe me, grab five eggs, cook and eat them. </p> <p>Now tell me if you’re still hungry. </p> <p>Some of you will say, “Yeah, I’m still hungry.” And I would respond, “No, you just think you are.” </p> <p>“Huh?” </p> <p>If you’re still ‘hungry’ after eating five eggs, that’s a sure sign that your ‘hunger’ is really a craving, i.e. an addiction. </p> <p>“Addiction?” </p> <p>Yes, an addiction to carbohydrates. Friend, a carb addiction is more deadly than being addicted to cigarettes or alcohol. It may take longer to kill you, but kill you it will. </p> <p>Don’t believe me? Then tell me what the #1 killer disease is in America. </p> <p>Say it with me.. Heart Disease. </p> <p>Yup, heart disease is the result of a high-carb diet. But that’s for another article. </p> <p>Now, if you’re a low-fat junkie, you wouldn’t dare eat five eggs. All that cholesterol you know. </p> <p>Here’s the low-fat, high-protein test: Grab a pound of soybeans and eat them. Soy is low fat but very high in protein (not to mention fiber and plenty of other good stuff.) </p> <p>You won’t be hungry after eating a pound of soy. Or even a quarter of a pound (4 ounces). The protein quenches your hunger and fast. </p> <p>So whether you’re into low-fat, low-carb, or low-nothing, make sure you are a high-protein man or woman. You’ll be stronger, healthier, and leaner because of it.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2611457485394558761?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-17412191739583603812009-09-08T03:31:00.000-07:002009-09-08T03:38:09.792-07:00<p>Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by constant high levels of blood glucose (sugar) caused by the body’s inability to produce or utilize insulin, a hormone that is required to convert sugar and starches into energy. Insulin, a small protein, is secreted by beta cells in the pancreas primarily in response to elevated blood concentrations of glucose.</p> <h4>How glucose is regulated in the body: function of insulin</h4> <p>Intestines absorb carbohydrates (or sugars) into the bloodstream after a meal. Pancreas detects this increase and responds by secreting insulin. The amount of insulin secreted into the blood increases as the blood glucose rises. </p> <p>Insulin is a chemical messenger, who can “talk” to cells in the body that have built-in receivers for insulin’s messages. In response to insulin, the muscle, red blood cells, and fat cells absorb glucose out of the blood. When a cell has insulin attached to its surface, the cell is able to absorb glucose (sugar) from the blood stream for converting it into energy.<br /></p><p>Insulin converts the excess glucose into glycogen and stores it in the liver and muscles. The excess blood sugar that cannot be stored as glycogen will be converted to fat and stored in the adipose tissue.</p> <p>When the blood glucose falls (between meals, during exercise), the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreatic cells goes down. Severe insulin deficiency produces hyperglycaemia. The body cells starve, so the body starts looking for alternate sources of energy. Pancreas secretes another hormone called <strong>glucagon</strong> whenever the levels of glucose go down. Glucagon makes the liver release the glucose it has stored in its cells into the blood stream. It also induces the liver and muscle cells to make glucose.</p><p>The receptors are also found on the surface of liver as well as certain cells in the kidney and in the appetite control center of the brain. This control center in the brain coordinates metabolism through adjustment of the activities of the liver, kidneys, intestine and adipose tissue, controls appetite and coordinates it with energy utilization. </p> <h3>Types of Diabetes</h3> <p>There are three main types of diabetes:</p> <ul><li>Type 1 diabetes </li><li>Type 2 diabetes </li><li>Gestational diabetes </li></ul> <h3><strong>Type 1 Diabetes</strong></h3> <p>Type 1 Diabetes is autoimmune disease that results from the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. Some of the factors which may trigger type 1 diabetes may be genetic, poor diet and environment (virus affecting pancreas). Diabetes can also result from drugs that may cause abnormal secretion of some <strong>hormones</strong> in blood which act as antagonists to insulin. Steroids like cortisone, if taken for an extended period of time, can unduly increase blood glucose and strain the pancreas. Similarly women taking prolonged Estrogen Replacement Therapy may find their blood sugar shoot up.</p> <h3><strong>Type 2 Diabetes</strong></h3><br /><p>Type 2 Diabetes, a metabolic disorder, is found in people who eat carb-rich, high-glycemic diet. As a result, levels of sugar in the blood become elevated and the pancreas pumps in more insulin. Cells protect themselves from this onslaught of toxic insulin by reducing number of insulin receptors on them. This causes insulin levels to shoot. Elevated insulin dampens appetite and puts the body in a “storage mode” and converts protein, glucose, and dietary fat to stored fat. Increased demand on pancreas slows it down. Once the production of insulin starts slowing down, or the insulin resistance goes up, then blood sugar goes up and the person becomes a diabetic.</p> <h3>Gestational Diabetes</h3> <p>The hormones involved in development of placenta during pregnancy reduce a woman’s receptivity to insulin and cause insulin resistance. Glucose builds up in the blood leading to hyperglycemia.</p> <p> It is important to take adequate care of gestational diabetes affects both the mother and the baby. Insulin does not cross the placenta, as <strong>glucose</strong> and other nutrients do. The baby’s blood glucose rises and the baby has to make extra insulin to get rid of the blood glucose. Since the baby gets more glucose than it needs, the extra glucose is stored as fat. At birth, the baby may be fat and develop breathing problems or may develop hypoglycemia due to over production of insulin.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-1741219173958360381?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-43970059181121004522009-09-08T03:10:00.000-07:002009-09-08T03:29:27.042-07:00<div class="post-excerpt"><p>Fat build-up can cause permanent hole of a liver that could lead to a severe disease.</p> </div> <p>Research shows that fat-build-up from insensitive diet of a person causes more harm to liver than another harmful substance such as alcohol. The human liver that is situated in the upper abdomen is the largest glandular organ of the body. Its main functions include filtration of the blood, production of blood cells, and synthesis of blood-clotting components.</p> <p><img style="width: 489px; height: 350px;" src="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/humanhepar_2.jpg" alt="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/humanhepar_2.jpg" /></p>human liver<br /><p>The liver has many functions; this includes storing minerals and vitamins. It also makes bile (a bitter yellowish, blue and green fluid secreted by <i>hepatocytes </i>from the liver) that is stored in the gall bladder until needed for the digestion of fats.</p> <p>Its multiple functions are carried out by two types of cells:</p> <ol><li><strong><i>hepatocytes</i></strong> – the one responsible for releasing substances into bile <i>canaliculi</i> and into blood and lymph channels;</li></ol> <p><img style="width: 232px; height: 212px;" src="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/liver20hepfoundationorg_2.jpg" alt="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/liver20hepfoundationorg_2.jpg" /></p><p>Aside from breaking down fats, the liver also plays a significant role in converting glucose (or simply sugar) to glycogen (<i>Glycogen plays an important role in the glucose cycle; is a polysaccharide that is the principal storage form of glucose in animal and human cells</i>.) Liver also produces urea (the main substance of urine), it make a kind of building blocks such as amino acids, and as storage of vitamins and minerals</p> <p>As shown in some development, the fat-build-up of insensitive diet of a person causes more harm to liver than another harmful substance such as alcohol. Thereby an obese person should seek medical assistance (also in diet management.) to prevent other diseases associated to it. Fat build-up causes liver to have permanent holes leading to a more severe liver related disease.</p> <p> <img src="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/fattyliver_1.jpg" alt="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/fattyliver_1.jpg" /></p> <p> …excess fat in the liver</p> <p>A liver, a solid organ located on the right in the upper abdomen plays a major role in metabolism, digestion, detoxification, and elimination of substances from the body. But once abused, it can lead to fatal outcome.</p> <p><img src="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/cavenergcn2oilredliver_1.jpg" alt="http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2009/09/01/cavenergcn2oilredliver_1.jpg" /></p> <p> fat in their liver (left)</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4397005918112100452?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-90691199325370210462009-09-06T01:19:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:30:06.437-07:00<h3>General Principles</h3> <p>The emotional and medical benefits of breastfeeding to mother and infant are clear. Given the prevalence of psychiatric illness during the postpartum period, a significant number of women may require pharmacological treatment while nursing. Appropriate concern is raised, however, regarding the safety of psychotropic drug use in women who choose to breastfeed while using these medications. Efforts to quantify psychotropic medications and their metabolites in the breast milk of mothers have been reported. Serum of infants can also be assayed to assess more accurately actual neonatal exposure to medications. The data indicate that all psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, antipsychotic agents, lithium carbonate, and benzodiazepines, are secreted into breast milk. However, concentrations of these agents in breast milk vary considerably.</p> <p>The amount of medication to which an infant is exposed depends on several factors: the maternal dosage of medication, frequency of dosing, and rate of maternal drug metabolism. Typically, peak concentrations in the breast milk are attained approximately 6 to 8 hours after the medication is ingested. Thus, the frequency of feedings and the timing of the feedings can influence the amount of drug to which the nursing infant is exposed. By restricting breastfeeding to times during which breast milk drug concentrations would be at their lowest (either shortly before or immediately after dosing medication) exposure may be reduced; however, this approach may not be practical for newborns who typically feed every 2 to 3 hours.</p> <p>The nursing infant’s chances of experiencing toxicity are dependent not only on the amount of medication ingested but also on how well the ingested medication is metabolized. Most psychotropic medications are metabolized by the liver. During the first few weeks of a full-term infant’s life, there is a lower capacity for hepatic drug metabolism, which is about one-third to one-fifth of the adult capacity. Over the next few months, the capacity for hepatic metabolism increases significantly and, by about 2 to 3 months of age, it surpasses that of adults. In premature infants or in infants with signs of compromised hepatic metabolism (e.g., hyperbilirubinemia), breastfeeding typically is deferred because these infants are less able to metabolize drugs and are thus more likely to experience toxicity.</p> <h3>Antidepressants</h3> <p>Over the past 10 years, data have accumulated regarding the use of various antidepressant medications during breastfeeding. Available data on the use of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline during breastfeeding have been encouraging and suggest that the amounts of drug to which the nursing infant is exposed is low and that significant complications related to neonatal exposure to psychotropic medications in breast milk appear to be rare. Typically very low or non-detectable levels of drug have been detected in the infant serum, and one recent report indicates that exposure during nursing does not result in clinically significant blockade of serotonin (5-HT) reuptake in infants. Although less information is available on other antidepressants, serious adverse events related to exposure to these medications have not been reported.</p> <p>There have been some case reports of adverse events in infants exposed to SSRIs in breastmilk, including jitteriness, irritability, excessive crying, sleep disturbance, and feeding problems. In many cases it has not been possible to establish a causal link between these events and exposure to drug. For the most part, no serious or life- threatening problems have been reported, although there was one report of a seizure that may have been related to exposure to bupropion (Wellbutrin). It is not clear, however, if the bupropion caused the seizure, and it should also be noted that neonatal seizures are relatively common, especially in the first 10 days of life. In addition, many of these reports concerning antidepressant exposure in breastmilk have been confounded by exposure to multiple medications and were not confirmed by unbiased observers.</p> <p><br /></p> <h3>Anti-Anxiety Agents</h3> <p>Given the prevalence of anxiety symptoms during the postpartum period, anxiolytic agents are often used in this setting. Data regarding the use of benzodiazepines have been limited; however, the available data suggest that amounts of medication to which the nursing infant is exposed are low. Case reports of sedation, poor feeding, and respiratory distress in nursing infants have been published; however, the data, when pooled, suggest a relatively low incidence of adverse events.</p> <h3>Mood Stabilizers</h3> <p>For women with bipolar disorder, breastfeeding may pose more significant challenges. First, on-demand breastfeeding may significantly disrupt the mother’s sleep and thus may increase her vulnerability to relapse during the acute postpartum period. Second, there have been reports of toxicity in nursing infants related to exposure to various mood stabilizers, including lithium and carbamazepine, in breast milk.</p> <p>Lithium is excreted at high levels in the mother’s milk, and infant serum levels are relatively high, about one-third to one-half of the mother’s serum levels, thereby increasing the risk of neonatal toxicity. Reported signs of toxicity include cyanosis, hypotonia, and hypothermia. Although breastfeeding typically is avoided in women taking lithium, the lowest possible effective dosage should be used and both maternal and infant serum lithium levels should be followed in mothers who breastfeed. In collaboration with the pediatrician, the child should be monitored closely for signs of lithium toxicity, and lithium levels, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine should be monitored every 6-8 weeks while the child is nursing.<br /></p> <p>Several recent studies have suggested that lamotrigine reaches infants through breast milk in relatively high doses, ranging from 20%-50% of the mother’s serum concentrations, which may be explained by poor neonatal metabolism of lamotrigine. In addition, maternal serum levels of lamotrigine increase significantly after delivery, which may also have contributed to the high levels found in nursing infants. None of these studies have reported any adverse events in breastfeeding newborns. One worry shared by clinicians and new mothers is the risk for Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). This is a severe, potentially life-threatening rash, most commonly resulting from a hypersensitivity reaction to a medication, which occurs in about 0.1% of bipolar patients treated with lamotrigine. Thus far, there have been no reports of SJS in infants associated with exposure to lamotrigine. In fact, it appears that cases of drug-induced SJS are extremely rare in newborns. In a single case report, authors described a neonate developing the syndrome after exposure to the anticonvulsant phenobarbital.<br /></p> <p>Similarly, concerns have arisen regarding the use of carbamazepine and valproic acid. Both of these mood stabilizers have been associated in adults with abnormalities in liver function and fatal hepatotoxicity. Hepatic dysfunction associated with carbamazepine exposure in breast milk has been reported several times. Most concerning is that the risk for hepatotoxicity appears to be greatest in children younger than 2 years old; thus, nursing infants exposed to these agents may be particularly vulnerable to serious adverse events. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics has deemed both carbamazepine and valproic acid to be appropriate for use in breastfeeding mothers, few studies have assessed the impact of these agents on fetal well-being, particularly in nonepileptic mothers. In those women who choose to use valproic acid or carbamazepine while nursing, routine monitoring of drug levels and liver function tests is recommended. In this setting, ongoing collaboration with the child’s pediatrician is crucial.</p> <h3>Anti-Psychotic Agents</h3> <p>Information regarding the use of anti-psychotic drugs is limited and is particularly lacking for the newer atypical agents. While the use of chlorpromazine has been associated with adverse events including sedation and developmental delay, adverse events appear to be rare when medium- or high-potency agents are used. Less data, however, is available on the atypical anti-psychotic agents. Data on clozapine suggest that it may be concentrated in the breast milk; however, there are no data on infant serum levels, making it difficult to interpret the relevance of this finding. Given the severity of adverse events associated with clozapine exposure (i.e., decreased white blood cell count) the use of this medication should be reserved for those with treatment-refractory illness and monitoring of white blood cell counts in the nursing infant is mandatory. There is very limited data on the use of olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine during lactation, however the data that is available on these three medications suggest that the excretion of these medications in breast milk is low and that adverse effects appear to be rare. Monitoring of the infant is encouraged, as there has been a report of an infant who had sedation on a higher dose of olanzapine, which resolved after the dose was halved to 5mg/ day. To date, there are no reports of the use of the newer anti-psychotic medications, ziprasidone and aripiprazole, while breastfeeding.</p> <h3>Treatment Guidelines</h3> <p>Consultation about the safety of breastfeeding among women treated with psychotropic medications should include a discussion of the known benefits of breastfeeding to mother and infant and the possibility that exposure to medications in the breast milk may occur. Although routine assay of infant serum drug levels was recommended in earlier treatment guidelines, this procedure is probably not warranted; in most instances low or non-detectable infant serum drug levels will be evident and serious adverse side effects are rarely reported. This testing is indicated, however, if neonatal toxicity related to drug exposure is suspected. Infant serum monitoring is also indicated when the mother is nursing while taking lithium, valproic acid, or carbamazepine.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-9069119932537021046?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-58403764277113419622009-09-06T01:16:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:19:47.700-07:00Acne is one skin problem whose specific causes are not known even today. Researchers have still not been able to find out the causes that lead to acne. However, there are a few different causes that are known to be directly or indirectly linked to acne:<br /><br /><strong>Hormones-</strong> Most of the people are affected by acne during puberty and the reason behind it is that at this time they undergo hormonal changes that may lead to acne. Similarly hormonal changes also occur during pregnancy or before of after a period and this is the reason why women are said to be suffering from acne at these times.<br /><br /><strong>Bacteria-</strong> P. acne or acne causing bacteria is the main culprit behind the formation of pimples. P. acne may be present in your skin follicles and lead to upcoming of the pimples. The plugged follicles often serve as the breeding ground for these acne causing bacteria which may then lead to formation of acne.<br /><br /><strong>Stress-</strong> Stress is also known to lead to acne in most of the cases. When you are stressed, your body undergoes hormonal changes which may then lead to formation of pimples.<br /><strong>Overactive oil glands-</strong> Oil glands are especially overactive during puberty. Their activity level is managed by the release of hormones. Overactive oil glands means excessive sebum which may then clog the pores and lead to acne.<br /><br /><strong>Heavy and oily makeup- </strong>It's not that you must not use make up at all. But, it is usually suggested to use light and water based makeup. Oily and heavy make up leads to clogging of pores thus leading to formation of pimples. Also, if you keep the make up on for much longer then it may lead to acne.<br /><br /><strong>Food-</strong> Although there are no clear evidences to establish food as one of the causes of acne, it is believed that certain foods may lead to acne. Certain foods like chocolates and oily foods are said to cause acne in some people. Therefore, it is advisable to eat all healthy food for a healthy looking skin.<br /><br /><strong>Other causes-</strong> Certain other causes like over-exfoliation of your skin could also lead to acne. Using cheap skin care products may be the other cause. Also, make it a point to not pick or squeeze pimples because it may lead to aggravation of the already present acne.<br /><br />These are some of the causes behind acne and pimples. They may lead to acne directly or indirectly. However, you must pay attention to these points and take necessary precautions so that you may be able to avoid acne in the best possible way.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-5840376427711341962?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-59294009412280869302009-09-06T01:13:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:15:57.609-07:00An infant is perhaps the most beautiful thing on the planet. But in some cases, the beauty of an infant can be marred by neonatal acne. But you don't have to worry as with a little bit of care and caution you can help your child get rid of acne.<br /><br />Neonatal acne may come across as a serious condition but actually it is not. In fact, it is very normal for your newly born child to have pimples. There are many children who are born with infantile acne so there is nothing really to worry about.<br /><br />In most cases, neonatal acne or baby acne disappears on its own. Baby acne has its own course and disappears within few weeks of the birth of the child. So, you will not really need any specific treatment to cure baby acne.<br />However, if the acne of your newly born child refuses to go, you need to care for the skin of your infant. The first thing that you can do in this direction is use a gentle cleanser to clean baby acne. Since a baby's skin is extremely gentle and delicate, it is advised that you use the gentles of cleansers.<br /><br />Go in for a mild cleanser that does not contain any harsh detergents or medical actives. Since your child is suffering from acne, you can even opt for one of the anti acne cleansers for infants that are available in the market.<br /><br />Wash the skin of your infant's skin twice daily. While cleaning, make sure that you are not too rough on the skin. Clean the skin gently and avoid any kind of scrubbing. Pat the skin dry with a clean and disinfected cloth or towel.<br /><br />Cleansing the skin twice daily serves as an effective solution to neonatal acne in most cases. But in some cases of moderate acne, the infant may require prescription acne. As the first line of treatment, doctors prescribe a gel with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. Though this is effective, it can lead to skin drying.<br /><br />If the acne is more severe the use of anti acne gel may be accompanied with an oral antibiotic. The use of oral antibiotics does not last for more than 18 months in most infants. However, oral antibiotics are used for extremely severe cases of neonatal acne.<br /><br />You do not have to let your newly born child to be deprived of his/her beauty because of neonatal acne or infantile acne. Just few simple skin care tips and you will be able to give your child the beautiful and flawless skin he deserves.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-5929400941228086930?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-47076625120683317472009-09-06T01:10:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:13:00.898-07:00It is very difficult to keep your hands off the blackhead or blemish that may appear on your skin. You always consciously or unconsciously, tend to squeeze your blackheads. But contrary to the popular beliefs, the fact is, “gentle removal of your blackheads” can actually help in reducing and preventing any further damage to your skin. But, the golden question here is how to remove a blackhead.<br /><br />Following are some of the ways and means to remove blackheads with ease:<br /><br /><strong>Light squeezing:</strong> You can remove the stuff from inside a blackhead with light handed squeezing. Such a process can actually help the skin. Yes, squeezing is detrimental to the skin, but how you squeeze determines whether it harms the skin or benefits it. Gentle is the key word and you have to be careful not to over squeeze it.<br /><br /><strong>Using products for exfoliating:</strong> You can use some low potency benzoyl peroxide exfoliating product for removing dead skin cells. It is very effective on the blackheads and is mild to your skin as well. In this way you can remove even the most stubborn blackheads. Also, microdermabrasion can be used to remove stubborn blackheads.<br /><br /><strong>Topical retinoids:</strong> Topical retinoids such as Retin-A help in battling against the blackheads, successfully. It also removes and prevents the formation of the blackheads. It reduces oil secretion and unclogs the pores by promoting normal functioning of the cells. However, it is a long process.<br /><strong>Chemical peels:</strong> Skin care products with salicyclic acid and chemical peels with glycolic acid are very useful in removing dead skin cells from the pores, effectively and quickly. However, you can not use them if you are already using topical retinoids.<br /><br /><strong>Metallic Extractor:</strong> You can also take the help of a metallic extractor that has a small and round opening in the end. You can individually plug out each blackhead by using it. But, it must be done with utmost care to prevent scarring.<br /><br /><strong>Blackhead strips:</strong> You can use blackhead strips which are tape like strips. Place the strip over the nose for 10 minutes or as directed on the cover of the strip. And pull off. The surface level blackheads will be successfully removed. This is an easy to use, quick and temporary method of removing blackheads. Always read the instructions on the pack carefully.<br /><br /><strong>Diet/Food:</strong> You also need to alter your bad eating habits. You need to naturally reduce the oil production, initiate appropriate moisture for the skin and reduce acne. Drink lots of water and avoid oil food. Also, include lots of fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet. Cooked carbohydrates and fats are a big no no and use raw fats such as olive oil in your recipes. <br /><br /><strong>Make up:</strong> This is a cosmetic tip but important for those who do not clear it of their skin. You need cosmetics that do not blocks your pores. That is, the non-comedogenic make up! Follow some tips- do not keep the make up when sweating. Use make up cleanser and properly remove the cosmetics of your skin. Also, keep your brushes, sponges clean.<br /><br />Undoubtedly these methods will help you remove your blackheads, but along you need to follow a regular skin care regime to permanently remove your blackheads.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4707662512068331747?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-91660800935145443562009-09-06T01:01:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:07:07.335-07:00<!-- Header: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:2928/text [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:2922/textpic [begin] --> <!-- Image block: [begin] --> <div class="csc-textpic csc-textpic-intext-right-nowrap"><div class="csc-textpic-imagewrap" style="width: 100px;"><dl class="csc-textpic-image csc-textpic-firstcol csc-textpic-lastcol" style="width: 100px;"><dt><img src="http://www.duran-group.com/typo3temp/pics/07362bf0a1.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="151" /></dt></dl><dl class="csc-textpic-image csc-textpic-firstcol csc-textpic-lastcol" style="width: 100px;"><dt><img src="http://www.duran-group.com/typo3temp/pics/f112bba672.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="152" /></dt></dl></div><div style="margin-right: 110px;"><div class="csc-textpic-text"> <!-- Text: [begin] --> <p class="bodytext">There are often reports in the media that using plastic bottles can have serious health implications for our children. </p> <p class="bodytext"> </p> <p class="bodytext">As a producer of baby bottles made of glass with many years of experience, we see it as our responsibility to address the concerns of parents (-to-be) and manufacturers of branded baby products. The links below provide further information on the current debate about bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that virtually all plastic bottles contain: </p> <p class="bodytext"> </p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="external-link">Baby bottle chemical label call (BBC News)</span> </p> <p class="bodytext"><span class="external-link">What's coming out of Baby's bottle ? (Sciencenews)</span> </p> <p class="bodytext"> </p> <p class="bodytext">As a safe alternative, DURAN Group GmbH has supplied more than 250 million glass bottles over the decades to leading manufacturers in Europe and beyond. Quality is consistently high. </p> <p class="bodytext"> </p> <p class="bodytext">There is a variety of arguments in favour of our DURAN® glass as a material for baby bottles and containers which come into contact with food. We have compared the key features of our glass bottles with those of plastic bottles below: </p> <p class="bodytext"> </p> <p class="bodytext"> </p> <!-- Text: [end] --> </div></div></div><div class="csc-textpic-clear"><!-- --></div> <!-- Image block: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:2922/textpic [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:2926/table [begin] --> <!-- Table: [begin] --> <table class="contenttable contenttable-0"> <tbody><tr class="tr-even tr-0"> <td class="td-0"><strong>Glass bottles</strong></td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>Plastic bottles</strong></td> </tr> <tr class="tr-odd tr-1"> <td class="td-0"><strong>+ High heat resistance up to 135°C</strong><br />bottle can be boiled, sterilized under pressure in autoclaves (hospitals) or cleaned chemically without any harm to the glass</td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>+ Large variety of shapes and decoration</strong><br />Plastic bottles can be found in many different shapes and are easier to decorate</td> </tr> <tr class="tr-even tr-2"> <td class="td-0"><strong>+ High thermal shock resistance of >95°C (95K)</strong><br />It is no problem to "shock" the glass by taking it from boiling water and cool it down suddenly to 5°C or less</td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>+ Safety and weight</strong><br />A plastic bottle is light in weight and does not easily break. The mother/father can hold the bottle without getting tired</td> </tr> <tr class="tr-odd tr-3"> <td class="td-0"><strong>+ High chemical resistance</strong><br />No acid, alkaline or hydrolytical substances/liquids, common in household use, may attack the surface of the glass. The same glass is used for high performance laboratory glass</td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>- Nursing bottle syndrom</strong><br />As result of the light and "unbreakable" bottle, parents are lead to give their infants the bottle as soon as they are crying to calm them down. The infants get used to sweetened drinks, which then cause tooth problems</td> </tr> <tr class="tr-even tr-4"> <td class="td-0"><strong>+ Very hygenic, brilliant and easy-to-clean</strong><br />The very smooth and non-porous surface of the glass does not allow germs, fungi and other impurities to deposit on the glass</td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>- Microscratches</strong><br />UV-light (sunshine) and chemical cleansers can cause microscratches. The bottle is not easy to clean and therefore not hygenic (germs, fungi and other impurities may stick in the microscratches) - also risk of bad taste</td> </tr> <tr class="tr-odd tr-5"> <td class="td-0"><strong>+ Neutral in taste and odourfree</strong><br />The glass does not react with the content of the bottle, no substances can get into the food. This means that after cleaning the milk will not take the taste or smell of a mint tea, etc.</td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>- Loss of visual attraction</strong><br />After several cycles in the dishwasher, the plastic gets cloudy and the bottle does not look brilliant any more</td> </tr> <tr class="tr-even tr-6"> <td class="td-0"><strong>- Glass is heavier than plastic and can break</strong><br />It is not advisable to leave the baby/infant alone with a glass bottle</td> <td class="td-last td-1"><strong>- Health risk because of Bisphenol A</strong><br />Most baby bottles are made of polycarbonate which contains bisphenol A (BPA). BPA dissoves from older bottles, especially if the bottle contains hot liquids and can influence the weak hormonal system of a baby</td> </tr> <tr class="tr-odd tr-last"> <td class="td-0"><strong>- Limited range of shapes</strong><br />It is not possible to blow glass in all thinkable shapes</td> <td class="td-last td-1"> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- Table: [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:2926/table [end] --> <!-- CONTENT ELEMENT, uid:2927/text [begin] --> <!-- Text: [begin] --> <p class="bodytext"> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-9166080093514544356?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-84532320593896975352009-09-06T00:51:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:00:47.671-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><b>What is hair? </b> Hair is an appendage to the skin. It is a thin growth in the skin and scalp. Its natural purpose is to preserve body heat and provide protection. To prevent falling hair and hair thinning use natural hair loss remedy products as hair loss treatment indicated on other pages. <br /> <br /> <b> Its Composition </b> is very complex and varies with race, hair color etc. Its major constituent is Keratin and also has amino acids, sulphur etc. Hair root is the part under the skin and comprises follicle, bulb and papilla. Hair shaft is the part visible above the skin. The hair has 3 layers being, center outwards, Medulla, Cortex and Cuticle. Hair hygiene prevents hair from falling out, hair thinning and promotes hair regrowth. <br /> <br /> <b> Its Growth Rate </b> averages half to an inch a month. As long as the papilla is healthy hair growth will be promoted. Hair pulled out from its root will regrow. Cyclically, hair die and regrow in a cycle. If supply of blood to the papilla is sufficient then hair regrowth is faster and lesser hair loss.. <br /> <br /> <b> Hair Care and Health </b> condition is determined by texture, porosity and elasticity. Coarse or fine texture is genetic inheritence. Porosity is ability to absorb moisture. Hair not porous enough will become dry. Nutrition affects porosity. Elasticity gives it springiness and lustre. Dandruff indicates bad hair care . To maintain hair care regrowth and prevent Alopecia and avoid bald head, hygienic haircare and nutrition is important. <br /> <br /> Hair health depends on scalp health and genetics. Important factors are diet, nutrition and hair care and grooming; however you don't have control on genetics. Diet, nutrition and scalp health can be controlled to prevent dandruff and stop hair from falling out; a good diet will promote hair regrowth. Use proven hair care products as hair loss remedy. Our recomended Haircare preparation is excellent as hair loss remedy. <br /> <br /> There are hair care products in almost all systems of medicine - homeopathic remedy, Ayurvedic remedy, Chinese Remedy and Allopathic. Each has its own beneficial effects. Which method you want to adopt is for you choose and decide. <br /> <br /> However, a cheap DIY method for Haircare is the Ayurvedic . We highly recommend this treatment as a haircare remedy. This has been personally tried and found very effective. A lot od other persons too have tried the preparation and have expressed their findings.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-8453232059389697535?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-663403058954172792009-09-06T00:50:00.000-07:002009-09-06T00:51:37.911-07:00<p>Perhaps it's because you feel a bit hoarse, perhaps it's because your throat feels dry. Whatever the reason, you've probably often felt the urge to clear your throat. The practice is so common that several words for it have entered the language: "Ahem!" and "Harrumph!" are two common terms that mimic the sounds people make in preparing the throat for speech.</p> <p>A hearty harrumph may feel satisfying, but over the long run the habit will leave you even hoarser, experts say.</p> <p>You've probably been clearing your throat for your entire life without really thinking about why. Here's the reason:</p> <p>You clear your throat because your larynx -- that upper part of the respiratory tract that contains the vocal cords -- becomes irritated. The irritation can be caused by something as simple as an accumulation of mucus, perhaps from a cold or an allergy. Other common causes are dryness in the throat or a reaction to environmental tobacco smoke.</p> <p>Clearing the throat is really an irritating, abrasive response to what you feel in your throat. The irritation causes swelling in the larynx, which in turn affects the way your vocal cords perform. Your voice may go from a well-modulated pitch to a breathy, raspy whisper.</p> <p>Those who use their voices for a living -- such as newscasters and opera stars -- have to protect their throats through good health habits. You can follow their lead and protect your voice with these tips:</p> <h2>Break the throat-clearing habit</h2> <p>If you are overtaken by the urge to clear your throat, swallow twice instead -- that should help move the mucus along. A last-ditch effort is a very breathy cough, just to get the accumulated phlegm off the vocal cords.</p> <h2>Improve your air quality</h2> <p>Stay away from secondhand smoke and other sources of indoor and outdoor pollution as well. Heated air is dry air, another common cause of hoarseness, so be sure to use a humidifier in your home in the heating season.</p> <h2>Stay hydrated</h2> <p>Try taking small sips of water throughout the day to keep the mucus from building up. Lozenges and herbal tea with a twist of lemon help soothe an irritated throat.</p> <h2>Turn the volume down</h2> <p>If you're prone to temporary hoarseness, you may need to examine your speaking style.</p> <h2>Fight hoarseness with horseradish</h2> <p>That and other "hot" foods, such as jalapeno peppers, can bring temporary relief from a cold. That's because spicy foods open the nasal passages.</p> <h2>Know when to visit the doctor</h2> <p>If hoarseness lasts more than three weeks, or you experience a complete loss or severe change in your voice for more than a few days, contact your physician. Allergies, thyroid problems, neurological disorders and trauma to the voice box are some causes of hoarseness that may require medical treatment.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-66340305895417279?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-47245764726129492112009-09-06T00:33:00.000-07:002009-09-06T00:46:51.113-07:00<h2>Take Advantage of the Great Outdoors</h2><br />The end of summer can be traumatic for some people (like me), but fall isn't so bad either when you think about crisp mornings, cozy nights and the sweet smell of falling leaves. With kids back to school and holidays on the way, it may seem impossible to find time to exercise, especially when there's not as much daylight and the weather gets chilly. But, this is the best time of year to get outside and enjoy the fresh air without the heat and humidity. <p><b>Walking</b> </p><p>Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise. All you really need is a good pair of shoes and, perhaps, some fall weather gear. The key to making it enjoyable is to make it a daily thing. Plan on after dinner walks with the family or before work and school. You can also plan family activities that involve walking like apple-picking adventures. Check out resources for Colorful Autumn Walking to get you started. </p><p><b>Hiking</b> </p><p>Fall is a great time to go hiking--cool weather, no bugs and, of course, magnificent views. Plus, hiking burns mega-calories as you increase your elevation and really work those legs. Check out these Best Fall Hikes for ideas on where to go. </p><p><b>Running</b> </p>Fall is probably the best time of year for running outdoors. It's not too hot, not too cold and watching the leaves change colors each time you head outside can make each workout a new adventure. If you're a beginner, start with Running for Beginners or head over to our Running site for information on how to get started.<br /><br /><h2>Get Back to the Gym</h2>When the weather turns iffy, getting back to the gym can help you stay on track with your workouts, especially if you get involved in a variety of activities. Don't just do the same machines each time you go, but take advantage of all your gym has to offer - swimming, fitness classes, weight loss programs, etc. The more variety you have, the easier it will be to stick to your program. <p>Making fitness stick is all about momentum (among other things), so if you're a beginner, start with about 3 days of exercise a week. Do more if you can, but always start where you are rather than where you want to be. Ease your body and your mind into your new exercise schedule to minimize the fallout and add on as you get settled in. Here's a Sample Schedule to give you an idea of how to start: </p><p><b>Day 1</b>: 20 minutes elliptical trainer, 20 minutes Total Body Strength and stretching<br /><b>Day 2</b>: 30-45 minutes Cardio Medley Workout<br /><b>Day 3</b>: 20 minutes elliptical training, 20 minutes Total Body Strength and stretching </p>These workouts are just suggestions. For more workout ideas, visit my Workout Center and choose workouts that fit your schedule, your fitness level and your goals. You can also visit my Beginner's Corner for more in-depth information on how to start an exercise program. You can also sign up for my free 12 Week Weight Loss Program for a more structured program to follow.<br /><h2>Get Fit at Home</h2>Home fitness is your other option if you're not crazy about the gym and fall is a great time to get your home gym in working order. Remember, you don't need a lot of equipment to create a solid home gym. In fact, 'home gym' can mean anything from a set of resistance tubes to a full spread complete with home gym, cardio machines and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Use these resources to figure out what you need or to learn about workouts you can do with no equipment at all:<br /><br />Essential Home Gym Equipment<br />Exercising on the Cheap<br />No Equipment Workouts<br />Advanced Cardio Blast Workout Another option is home workout videos. Even if you're not a fan of working out at home or working out to videos, it's a good idea to have a few good ones around so you always have that option. Collage Video is a video catalog offering hundreds of videos you can't find in stores or, if you want to try before you buy, check out Flickety Fit (check out my review of Flickety Fit for more). Before you buy any video, be sure to visit Video Fitness to read through hundreds of reviews posted by real exercisers.<br /><h2>Try Something New</h2>Summer often finds us being weekend warriors--going for long bike rides, playing sports and just generally getting out and being more active. When fall hits, many of us head to the gym or bring our workouts indoors and that can quickly lead to boredom and burnout. This is a great time of year to try something new. <p><b>Tai Chi</b>. </p><p>Also known as a moving meditation, Tai Chi is a slow, fluid activity that helps improve balance and strength while keeping you relaxed and connected to your body. Tai Chi is an excellent activity to do on a chilly fall night to help you stay active. Try a video or check at local clubs or gyms to find classes near you. </p><p><b>Yoga</b> </p><p>Yoga is another kind of moving meditation that promotes balance, flexibility and soothing mind/body connections. Check out our Yoga site for daily poses and more. </p><p><b>Strength Training</b>. </p><p>If you tend to stick with more cardio activities in the summer, why not shift your focus? This is a great time to focus more attention on building strength, bone density, balance and stability to keep your body ready for warm-weather activities. This is also a good time to explore new methods of strength training that you've never tried before. </p><p><b>Pilates</b>. </p>Pilates is another great mind/body activity that can help you strengthen your core while promoting flexibility and balance. This can be a great addition to your workout routine if you want to work your abs in a whole new way.<br /><h2>Get Healthy with Fall Foods</h2>Just because summer's over doesn't mean you need to avoid the produce section. This is a great time of year to up the nutritional value of your meals while enjoying some of the great foods that are in season. <p><b>Pumpkin</b> </p><p>Pumpkins make great jack-o-lanterns and they're also great for nutritious and yummy meals. Pumpkin provides carotenoids (which help fight heart disease and cancer), vitamins C, E and riboflavin, iron, fiber and potassium, just to name a few. You could run out and start making pumpkin pies or you could try for healthier ideas by checking out these Healthy Pumpkin Recipes. </p><p><b>Apples</b> </p><p>This time of year, apples are at their best and, because they're so versatile, you can find many ways to work them into your diet. Apples are low in calories, high in fiber, have no cholesterol and give your body important nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, calcium and folic acid. You can eat them alone or add them to any number of dishes for extra taste and nutrition. Try one of these Healthy Apple Recipes. </p><p><b>Pecans</b> </p>You probably know that nuts are good for you (as long as you practice some portion control) and pecans are at the top of the list when it comes to healthy nuts. Pecans offer zinc, magnesium, potassium, thiamine, folic acid and vitamin B6, just to name a few, and they're great sprinkled on salads or eaten alone as a snack. Check out these excellent ideas for pecans.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4724576472612949211?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-75631078722077982032009-09-04T20:41:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:42:32.000-07:00<h2 class="style2"><em>Stop and Smell the Roses of our Favorite Rose Beauty Products!</em></h2> <table width="100%" bgcolor="#cc6699" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td><img src="http://www.divavillage.com/images/Oct05/rose_beauty_products0709.jpg" alt="rose beauty products, rose oil, rose extracts, rose hips, rose petals, rose petals, beauty products, beauty" title="rose beauty products, rose oil, rose extracts, rose hips, rose petals, rose petals, beauty products, beauty" width="200" height="300" /></td> <td><table width="100%" bgcolor="#ffe1ff" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>You really will want to stop and smell the roses when it comes to these fabulous rose <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">beauty <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_0_0">products<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> containing rose ingredients. Long used in folk remedies to treat skin oriented conditions, rose oil, rose hip, rose water, rose petals and rose extract are all popular in current beauty treatments. Rose is known to nourish and hydrate skin, while it also helps with acne scarring, sun damage and fine lines and wrinkles. The scent of rose has a calming, nurturing effect and it is used in many perfumes and colognes. Read on to learn about our favorite rose beauty products:</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <h3 class="style2"><br /></h3><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-7563107872207798203?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-64261794875414207922009-09-04T20:29:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:34:02.970-07:00<p>Picking up a suitable for your skin type and needs foundation base is essential step to a perfect complexion. But discovering the make-up base that works best for you can be a real mess. First, there are lots of different types of this product. Second, it can be problematic to choose the best base for your skin type and tone</p> <p>I hope this little guide that presents the most popular make-up foundation types will be helpful. </p> <h4>Fluid Make-Up Foundation Base</h4> <p>This foundation base is characterized by a smooth consistency and light texture.</p> <p>It can be applied to all complexion types, however if you have oily skin - choose matt fluid that will absorb the excessive sebum during the day. Some brands offer also foundations enriched in substances that help to nourish and moisturize skin. It can be a good idea to pick up a cosmetic that offers also high protection against harmful UV rays during the summer days to ensure optimal sun protection. </p> <p>Good quality fluid is light in texture yet covers skin imperfections beautifully and it looks natural. Fluid base can also amplify the reflection of light and optically soften facial contours if it contains light-reflecting pigments. </p> <h4>Compact Make-Up Foundation</h4> <p>It looks like a pressed, very concentrated powder and it's comfortable in use. You can apply compact foundation with a dry or damp sponge - to achieve sheer or fuller coverage. It is highly effective when you need to make quick make-up corrections (you can use it instead of traditional powder for this scope). </p> <p>Good quality compact foundation should be silky and characterized by long-lasting formula that keeps skin hydrated and matte during the day. Some compacts contain special wrinkle erasing pigments to manipulate the light in a way to receive the illusion of less fine lines. So the major benefits of compact foundation is a comfortable usage, adaptable coverage and natural satiny finish. </p> <h4>Mineral Make-Up Powder</h4> <p>Mineral powder is ultra-sheer but very effective. It was designed for women after intense cosmetic or dermatological treatments, but after revealing it's effectiveness and comfortable application, it was introduced to a mass distribution and it has a lot of success nowadays. It is suitable for all skin types, but especially suggested in case of oily skin since it helps to absorb excess oils and to matte the skin while still allowing your skin to breathe. </p> <p>One of the main differences between mineral and traditional make-up is that synthetic pigments are replaced with powdered minerals that do not irritate skin and do not clog pores up. Some producers add also pure silk powder to receive silky, light texture of the foundation base. </p> <h4>Mousse Make-up Foundation</h4> <p>Mousse-type foundation is so light and fluffy because it contains micro-air-bubbles that makes it very easy to apply to your face. It is far lighter than compact base yet offering similar coverage. It mattifies and smoothens oily skin. </p> <p>Good quality mousse foundation provides soft application, it ensures maximum comfort and natural-looking, satin make-up finish. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-6426179487541420792?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-28828317305272676272009-09-04T20:17:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:20:34.451-07:00<p>In cases of severe bleeding, follow these steps unless professional help arrives: Have the injured person lie down. If possible, position the person's head slightly lower than the trunk or elevate the legs. This position reduces the risk of fainting by increasing blood flow to the brain. If possible, elevate the site of bleeding </p><p>While wearing gloves, remove any obvious dirt or debris from the wound. Don't remove any large or more deeply embedded objects. Don't probe the wound or attempt to clean it at this point. Your principal concern is to stop the bleeding </p><br /><p>Apply pressure directly on the wound. Use a sterile bandage, clean cloth or even a piece of clothing. If nothing else is available, use your hand </p><br /><p>Maintain pressure until the bleeding stops. Hold continuous pressure for at least 20 minutes without looking to see if the bleeding stopped. You can maintain pressure by binding the wound tightly with a bandage (or even a piece of clean clothing) and adhesive tape </p><br /><p>Don't remove the gauze or bandage. If the bleeding continues and seeps through the gauze or other material you are holding on the wound, don't remove it. Instead, add more absorbent material on top of it </p><br /><p>Squeeze a main artery if necessary. If the bleeding doesn't stop with direct pressure, apply pressure to the artery delivering blood to the area of the wound. Pressure points of the arm are on the inside of the arm just above the elbow and just below the armpit. Pressure points of the leg are just behind the knee and in the groin. Squeeze the main artery in these areas against the bone. Keep your fingers flat. With your other hand, continue to exert pressure on the wound itself </p><br /><p>Immobilize the injured body part once the bleeding has stopped. Leave the bandages in place and get the injured person to the emergency room as soon as possible If you suspect internal bleeding, seek emergency help. Signs of internal bleeding may include:</p><br /><p>Bleeding from body cavities (such as the ears, nose, rectum or vagina) Vomiting or coughing up blood </p><br /><p>Bruising on neck, chest, abdomen or side (between ribs and hip) Wounds that have penetrated the skull, chest or abdomen Abdominal tenderness, possibly accompanied by rigidity or spasm of abdominal muscles </p><br /><p>Fractures Shock, indicated by weakness, anxiety, thirst or skin that's cool to the touch </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2882831730527267627?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-27771860132951989832009-09-04T20:14:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:17:48.993-07:00<pre><div style="width: 475px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next time you walk into a beauty store to buy your facewash, sunscreen or moisturiser, watch out — chances are you could be buying something unsafe for your skin. The common ingredients used in cosmetics can dry out the skin. The different lotions meant to make you fair and beautiful have chemicals that can clog the pores and simultaneously hasten the ageing process.<br /><br />Clever marketing and shrewd advertising tactics tell us that the products are harmless but this can be misinformation. Dr Charulata Bose, consultant dermatologist, Artemis health institute, says that preservatives are used in various cosmetics, mostly in unadulterated form, which can ruin the skin texture. She says that in India, tested products are substituted with cheap ones and the outcome can be serious.<br /><br />“The most-used products — lipsticks, lotions and foundations — have mineral oil, petroleum, formalin and many other toxic elements. They clog the pores and in many cases they lead to skin cancer and irritation,”she says. She adds that the promises and money-back schemes attract unwary users and they end up with bad skin texture or something worse. According to Dr Shehla Agarwal, consultant dermatologist, most containers deliberately do not list the contents properly. Mentioning herbs without their exact quantity is a ploy to fool the consumer, she says.<br /><br />India not shining<br />The same products, these experts say, are sold with a full content list in other countries with stricter regulation. India, they say, needs to follow suit. Their suggestion is that users should apply a product on a test patch, a small patch of skin, to see if there is any reaction. “Also, follow the warnings as prescribed on the product. The stress should be on items that are sure of their effects after patch test,” says Dr Agarwal.<br /><br />Some harmful ingredients<br /><br />* Sodium lauryl sulphate: A detergent and surfactant found in soaps and shampoos. It makes your skin extremely dry.<br />* Alpha hydroxy acids: Though it is used to prevent wrinkles, it causes serious damage to the skin.<br />* Talc: It is prepared from the mining of talc rocks. If sprinkled on the genital area, it may cause reproductive tract disorders, including infertility.<br />* Formalin: Dead bodies are preserved in it. The main use is in nail polish and skin creams. The fumes produced by this chemical can cause asthma and cancer.<br />* Collagen: This is extracted from animal skins and ground chicken feet, which leads to clogging of the pores.</div><br /></pre><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2777186013295198983?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-12022556525273644352009-09-04T20:09:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:12:48.328-07:00<p>Many a times you must have come across a saying which goes "First impression is the last impression". This saying means the way you appear, and the way you carry yourself in different situations. However, a general conception about first impression stresses on how you look. So, which organ plays an important in displaying your looks? Of course, skin is probably the most important part of your body that helps in enhancing the entire looks. So, let's learn some basics things about this important and vital part of our body.</p> <br /> <p>Skin is considered as the basic and sensory organ which helps in sensing the touch and feel of any object. However besides these, skin also performs a lot of work in our daily life. Some of the important activities that skin performs are:</p> <br /> <div class="articledefault"><li>Holding the body structure together.</li> <li>Preventing leakage of water and body fluids from the body.</li> <li>Preventing the entry of germs and infection inside the body.</li> <li>Sensing the temperature of objects.</li> <li>Providing the feel of pain.</li> <p> <b>Main components of Skin</b> </p> <br /> <p>Skin is essentially made up of 3 layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous layer. They work together and perform the important functions like protecting the body. Let us learn more about these three components of skin.</p> <br /> <p> <b>Epidermis</b> </p> <br /> <p>Epidermis is the layer of the skin that you can see. Epidermis cells are divided into two major parts. Deep down the epidermis lives the growing cells and the outside cells are termed as dead cells. The dead cells are easily rubbed off and the growing cells take their place. These cells contain keratin which is waterproof and hard in nature. Other cells in the epidermis produce a pigment known as melanin. Melanin is responsible for the color of your skin. It also protects the skin from harmful radiation from sunlight. Darker the skin more is the protection. Hence, people with fair skin are more prone to sun burn. </p> <br /> <p> <b>Dermis</b> </p> <br /> <p>The dermis is a thicker and more elastic layer of the skin. The dermis is probably the most important layer of skin which comprises of sebaceous glands, hair follicles, blood vessels and nerves. </p> <br /> <p>Sebaceous gland produces sebum oil which keeps the skin soft and waterproof. Sweat glands produce sweats and send it to the surface of the skin through small pores. Sweating is generally occurred when you are in hot surroundings. This phenomenon helps in keeping the body temperature cool. Most of the body parts are covered with hairs which are developed in hair follicle region of the dermis. Blood vessels carry oxygen and nutrients to the cells as well as carry away the waste. </p> <br /> <p> <b>Subcutaneous layer</b> </p> <br /> <p>The subcutaneous layer is mainly made up of fat which acts as protector as well helps in keeping the body warm.</p> <br /> <p> <b>Some interesting facts</b> </p> <br /> <p>Believe it or not, skin is the largest organ of our body. Around 15 per cent of the total weight or 6 pounds is due to the skin. Skin is different for different people. Remember, no one in this world has same fingerprints!!!!!</p> <br /> <em> <img src="http://www.healthizen.com/images/knowledgebase/tmp.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153);" width="85" align="left" border="0" height="80" /> </em></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-1202255652527364435?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-62680340719637050872009-09-04T20:03:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:08:10.977-07:00<p> There are numbers of cases in which the diseases are the outcome of overweight or obesity. Some of the prominent diseases in this category are heart attacks, stroke, arteriosclerosis and diabetes. Person with such problems needs to take medications and precautions for rest of their life. To overcome such problems, doctors often suggest that you lose weight. People come out of the clinic with a mentality to lose weight as soon as possible. To achieve this target, people often make mistakes and try using different, unworthy, weight loss products. As a result, instead of losing weight they visit the clinic with some other additional health problems. Hence, it becomes your primary responsibility to act wisely and adapt to a better solution with a consultation from the physician. </p> <br /> <p>In the context of losing weight rapidly, people utilize various strategies and plans. The extra weight provides a bad feeling to an individual and affects overall quality of life. It has been found that an individual often experiences depression and other health risks by adopting faulty programme or products. To lose weight efficiently, the first thing that an individual is expected to do is to consult a doctor or physiotherapist. They will perform detailed physical examinations and offer you the best weight loss plan that suits your body. There are about six foolproof ways that can help you in weight loss and eventually result in disease-free body.</p> <br /> <p>For rapid weight loss, one needs to know what to eat and what to avoid eating. People who want to lose weight rapidly must understand that they need to eat healthy food. Look after what have you been eating so far and categorize them into healthy and unhealthy foods. Once you are ready with this categorization, try to eliminate the unhealthy food from your diet. Observe the changes in your body after eliminating those foods from your daily diet. Do not loose heart if you get negative results in the beginning. All change takes time and so is the case with weight loss. Your dietician and physiotherapist can help you decide the healthy diet for you. </p> <br /> <b>Keep a Realistic Goal</b> <p>You need to understand that weight loss is not an easy task. It needs lot of dedication and patience. Talk to a specialist about arranging realistic targets for weight loss. Take the right decision and stay focused towards your target of losing weight. </p> <br /> <b>Listen to your Body</b> <p>Whenever you adopt a new diet or exercise, observe the changes in your body. Evaluate whether you have started gaining weight or losing it and decide accordingly. Add some exercises in your daily regimen which will help you increase your metabolism and rate of burning fat efficiently.</p> <br /> <b>Fiber rich Diet </b> <p>Fat is a good source of food which is not digested in the body but gives a feeling of having a full stomach. Fiber rich diets do not allow fats to get absorbed in the body. These diets also help in maintaining a normal bowel movement. </p> <br /> <b>Avoid Fried Foods</b> <p>Fried food is a sure source of fat. Do not fry foods such as beef or white meat because these foods already have a lot of fat content. Make it a point to have grilled food instead. Because grilled food contains less fat. </p> <br /> <b>Drink plenty of Water</b> <p>Water is the most important part of any diet. On an average, every individual must have six to eight glasses of water on a daily basis. This will keep your body hydrated, flush toxins from the body and help you lose fat.</p> <br /> <p>By following the above techniques and adding regular exercise, one can surely expect to have positive results. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-6268034071963705087?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-61409386880024718912009-09-04T19:59:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:01:39.027-07:00<p>Heart is one of the most important parts of our body. People with weak heart are more likely to have dreadful diseases like stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure and so on. Following a healthy diet and regular exercise can help you to reduce the risk of developing heart diseases. When it comes to healthy diet, many people have a misconception about cutting down some of the favorite foods from their meal. However, healthy diet is more prominently about eating balanced foods. Even exercises are more commonly mistaken with spending lot of time in gym and perspiring. There are some easy and efficient exercises that may prove beneficial to stay healthy and have active heart throughout the life. Aerobic and stretching exercises are the best examples for keeping a healthy and active heart. </p> <br /> <b>Protecting Heart through Exercises </b> <p>It is a common belief that exercises are meant to achieve a strength and good body posture. The belief is very much true to a great extent but it also helps in improving the functionalities of many vital organs of our body such as heart, lungs and liver. Unlike other muscles of the body, heart muscles may stop working if they get small and flabby. It has been found that lack of exercise in our daily routine may attribute to the 9 risk factors associated with heart disorders. Regular exercise helps the heart muscles to grow little larger and stronger. This improvement eventually results in heart rate drops and the heart starts enjoying a well-deserved rest.</p> <br /> <p>Regular exercise helps to protect the arteries which are considered as the most common cause of heart attacks. It also helps the body to remove some of the bad cholesterol from the blood. If a person has high level of bad cholesterol, it may start sticking to the walls of arteries resulting in arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries). If the arteries that are associated with feeding heart get clogged, it may result in coronary heart disease. Regular exercise helps to increase the level of good cholesterol in the body and protects the heart from such diseases and conditions. Regular exercise also helps the individual to reduce the chances of getting osteoporosis, and stress. It is also beneficial for preventing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure along with building strength and endurance.</p> <br /> <b>Best exercise for Healthy Heart</b> <p>As it is already stated, to achieve a healthy heart you do not have to spend time inside a gym. Healthy heart can be easily achieved by taking little extra initiatives in our daily activities. The simplest way to achieve proper functioning of the heart is to adopt a brisk walking everyday for 30 minutes. A 30 minute walk on a daily basis is as effective as vigorous exercises such as cycling and jogging. People with heart diseases are advised to consult a doctor before going for any kind of exercise. People with heart disorders shall start their daily exercise by spending as little as 5 minutes and increasing this time to 30 minutes a day. It must be remember that slow and steady increase in daily exercise is always beneficial and efficient for a body. Some of the common and simple exercises that you can adopt in your daily routine are: </p><div class="articledefault"><li>Aerobic exercise.</li><li>Cycling, swimming and jumping rope.</li><li>Playing games such as soccer, basketball and tennis.</li><li>Avoiding driving to nearby places and opting for a walk to reach the place.</li><li>Taking stairs instead of elevators, washing car, gardening etc.</li> <br /> <p>It must always be remember that a healthy heart can be easily achieved through performing small activities. A healthy heart will surely help you to add some extra happy and healthy years in your life. </p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-6140938688002471891?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-63951990470322043752009-09-04T19:52:00.000-07:002009-09-04T19:54:44.117-07:00<p> <b>How does walking help my body?</b> </p> <br />A majority of people spends their life after earning money and fame. To achieve these parameters, many of them are found to overlook their body needs. Gradually, their body starts functioning improperly and they become the victims of unwanted diseases. Lack of regular exercise, eating disorder, increasing rate of obesity and heart diseases are the by-products of today's unhealthy lifestyle. In the context of earning money, people have virtually started ignoring their physical and mental fitness. Paying the unwanted hospital bills can be avoided by adapting slow and steady exercises. <p>Walking regularly can help you in staying active as well as preventing diseases. Walking is especially beneficial to obese people who want to get rid of those unwanted, extra fats from their body. Some of the essential benefits of walking are:</p><br /><div class="articledefault"><li>Walking can provide you the complete relaxation, thereby relieving stress.</li><li>Offers protection from diseases such as colon cancer, osteoporosis, constipation etc.</li><li>Keeps you fit and increases the longevity of your life.</li><li>Provides the mental peace by reducing the problem of depression.</li><li>Increases strengthening and flexibility of your muscles, bones and joints.</li><li>Helps in maintaining weight, controlling blood pressure and lowering the risks of stroke, type 2 diabetes and breast cancer. </li><p>Looking at the numerous benefits of walking, let's try to inculcate the habit of walking in our daily routine. </p><br /><p><b>Prepare a walk plan</b></p><br /><p>Though walking seems to be easy but people get tired of this healthy plan. Therefore, there is a need to prepare a plan to walk and make it a fun activity. Use the following tips to make walking a daily and rejuvenating activity.</p><br /><li>A little walk everyday is always good as compared to the long walks on weekends. Try covering small distances during the initial days and gradually keep it increasing.</li><li>Walking on the same route is the main reason behind making the walk boredom. Try to walk on a different path every alternate day. However, make sure that the place is safe, interesting and convenient. </li><li>Avoid walking over the hills or stairs as it will make you feel tired.</li><li>Walking with a company is always better than walking alone. Ask your friend, family members to join you for the walk.</li><li>Always try to avoid walkman while walking on busy or traffic areas to avoid accidents.</li><li>During summer days, try walking slowly on the shaded path. Always keep a water bottle and wear a hat and apply sunscreen.</li><li>During winters, keep yourself warm with the relevant clothes and avoid windy places.</li><li>If possible, keep a pedometer while walking. This will not only help you in capturing the distance but would also motivate you during the walk.</li><p><b>Precautions</b></p><br /><p>Always warm up before starting a walk and cool down with 5 minutes of medium-paced walking. Once you finish the half an hour walking activity, perform some light exercises. Light exercises such as thigh stretch, calf muscles stretch, hamstrings muscle stretch can be performed to achieve the complete benefits from walking. This will help to increase the flexibility and prevent stiffness of your bones, muscles and joints. </p><br /><p>Someone has rightly quoted "if you lose wealth, you have lost something, but if you lose health, you have lost everything". </p><br /> <em> <img src="http://www.healthizen.com/images/knowledgebase/tmp.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153);" width="85" align="left" border="0" height="80" /> </em></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-6395199047032204375?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-9921484051916667132009-09-04T03:26:00.000-07:002009-09-04T03:30:17.358-07:00<p>Being in good health means more than feeling physically well; it also means feeling mentally well.</p> <p>Today, we are more aware of how our mental and physical health affect each other. Setting aside time to focus on mental health is important – to you and those who care about you. By practicing mind and body fitness, you can nurture your mind, body and spirit in a positive and enjoyable way.</p> <p>Life is full of change, risks and challenges. Good mental or emotional health helps us find our balance and stay in control, even during turbulent times. But how do we know if we are mentally healthy enough to deal with life’s ups and downs? </p> <p><strong>Get Mentally Fit</strong></p> <p>If your goal is to get into better shape mentally, then this new section is the place for you to discover how. So read on!</p> <p>A range of other options is available to help you improve your mental fitness, including self-help books, support groups, relaxation therapy, meditation, and talk or behavioural therapy. Talking to a mental health professional, or other health care provider, can help you identify what type of support you will benefit from most. </p> <p>If you need more information about resources in your area, contact a community organization, such as the Canadian Mental Health Association, to help you find additional support. </p> <p align="left"><b>Take control of your health. Take care of your mind.</b></p> <strong>Practice Mind + Body Fitness</strong><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-992148405191666713?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-24605633926451011032009-09-04T03:11:00.000-07:002009-09-04T03:26:25.599-07:00<span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><span class="data"><p>Growing older is an experience we all share and many of us worry about. As we age, we face many changes and many sources of stress -we are not as strong as we used to be, illness is more of a problem, children move away from home, people we love die, we may become lonely, and eventually we must give up our jobs and retire. </p> <p>Coping with all these changes is difficult, but it can be done. The keys to coping include your long-term lifestyle, your ability to expect and plan for change, the strength of your relationships with surviving family and friends, and your willingness to stay interested in and involved with life. </p> <p>It is, therefore, very important to think carefully about what will happen to you as you age and how you are going to deal with the changes that will happen. </p> <p><b>Dealing with physical changes</b></p> <p>As you grow older, your body will naturally change. You may tire more easily than you used to. You may become ill more often. You may not see or hear as well as you did when you were younger. </p> <p>Here are some things you can do to cope with these physical changes: </p> <ul><li>Accept reality. Denying these changes will only make life less enjoyable for you and the people around you. Get the things that will help you - eyeglasses or hearing aids for example. </li><li>Keep a positive attitude. Remember that slowing down does not mean you have to come to a complete stop. Chances are you will still be able to do almost all the things you used to; you may just need to take a little more time and learn to pace yourself. </li><li>See your family doctor regularly. He/she can, then, deal with any changes or symptoms that require medical attention. </li><li>Be careful about your medications. As you get older, they may begin to interact differently with other drugs and to affect you differently than before. Make sure your doctor knows about all your medications, even those prescribed by another doctor. </li><li>Take responsibility for your own health. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor questions; some do not offer explanations unless asked. </li><li>Change your eating habits. Adopt a balanced diet with fewer fatty foods, and try not to over-eat. </li><li>Drink less alcohol. Your body will have more difficulty coping with it as you grow older. </li></ul> <p><b>Dealing with bereavement</b></p> <p>As you get older, you will likely experience the loss of loved ones more often. It is important to remember the following ways of coping with your grief: </p> <ul><li>Do not deny your feelings. Losing someone to death is like being wounded, and you need to heal. If you do not allow yourself to go through the grieving process, you are only storing up problems for a delayed reaction later on. </li><li>Accept the range of emotions you will feel. Tears, anger and guilt are all normal reactions. </li><li>Remember and talk about the deceased person. He/she was an important part of your life. Although your grief will pass, your memories will always stay with you. </li><li>Look to your family and friends for support. They can help you through the grieving period and help you establish a new life afterwards. </li><li>Be supportive of those you know who have suffered a loss. They need the warmth and caring that friendship can bring, just as you will when it happens to you. </li></ul> <p><b>Dealing with loneliness</b></p> <p>Everyone needs some time alone, but being alone against your will is very painful. You risk losing your sense of purpose and self-worth, and becoming depressed. As family members and friends die and children become more involved in their own lives, it is important for you to find ways to cope with loneliness. You may want to consider some of the following suggestions:</p> <ul><li>Stay active, and look for new social contacts. Most communities have a number of programs which can help replace the support that used to be provided by family and life-long friends. These programs provide older people with the chance to try new activities and make new friends. </li><li>Very young children can brighten up your life. Try to make friends with people of different ages. You may be pleasantly surprised to find how much you have in common with someone 15 or 20 years younger than you. </li><li>Spend time with grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews. Volunteer to help part-time in a local school or day-care centre. Very young children can brighten up your life with their enthusiasm and energy. </li><li>Learn to recognize and deal with the signs of depression. Loss of appetite and weight, inability to sleep, loss of energy and motivation, and thoughts of suicide are all signs of depression. Your family doctor can refer you to a mental health professional for treatment. </li></ul> <p><b>Dealing with retirement</b></p> <p>Your retirement can be a major source of stress because your job is usually a very important part of your life. This stress may be even greater if you have been forced to retire because of your employer's retirement policies. You may lose your sense of identity and feel less worthwhile. You will probably miss the daily contact with friends from work. </p> <p>However, retirement can be one of the best times of your life, and there are things you can do to meet the challenges facing you, such as:</p> <ul><li>Make a list of your abilities and skills. The skills and experience you have gamed from a lifetime of work may help you succeed in a small business or do valuable volunteer work for a favourite charity. </li><li>Enrich your life by renewing contacts with neglected family members and old friends. All too often, our work gets in the way of our relationships and those we care about. </li><li>Renew your interest in the hobbies and activities you enjoy. You now have time to play - enjoy! </li><li>If you can afford it, travel. There are probably places you have wanted to see all your life. The early years of your retirement can be the ideal time to become a nomad for a while. </li></ul></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2460563392645101103?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-33576043435614344642009-09-02T20:17:00.000-07:002009-09-02T20:22:21.535-07:00<div class="tags"><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy_term_83 first last">Vitamin and Supplements</li></ul></div> <!-- google_ad_section_start --> <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-images" style=""> <div class="field-items"><p>Every day, thousands of people search their libraries and the internet for information about vitamin supplements for lowering blood sugar in diabetics. Many of these people are insulin-dependent and do not want to take medications for the rest of their lives. Some people simply are searching for a healthier way to lower their blood-sugar levels.</p> <p>Diabetes has become so common that some health-care providers and officials have labeled this disease as one of the plagues of the 21st century. Today over 23.6 million Americans are <strong>diagnosed with diabetes</strong>, and government officials predict that number will increase. There are two major types of diabetes: Type 1 is referred to as juvenile diabetes and is insulin dependent. Type 2 is referred to as adult onset diabetes.</p> <p>A recent Canadian study examining Type 1 and 2 diabetic patients, enrolled in a diabetes education program, showed that one-third of the people participating in the study were taking alternative medications and considered their treatment to be effective. These alternatives included vitamin supplements and herbal remedies.</p> <p>The National Institute of Environmental Medicine in Stockholm reported increased consumption of magnesium helps diabetes. Researchers from India studied the effect of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in decreasing elevated levels of glucose. Also, a study presented by Scientific Sessions reinforced findings that both the American and Korean varieties of ginseng help normalize blood-glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity. The use of these vitamins supplements help lower blood sugar in diabetics.</p> <p>A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined the effects of cinnamon, in its supplemental dosage, and its ability to stimulate insulin levels. Other supplements used for lowering sugar in diabetics include vitamins C and E, which help the body convert sugar into energy. Chromium, a popular and universally recognized trace mineral, works with insulin by supporting healthy blood-glucose levels, and zinc helps sugar in the bloodstream increase the efficiency of available insulin.</p> Using vitamins to treat diabetes as part of managing symptoms more naturally, can prompt people into taking a more active role in their overall health. Doctor’s guidance is a must when treating diabetes naturally. In some cases, vitamins or herbal products do not mix with certain medications. People using vitamins should be diligent in monitoring their blood-sugar levels regularly to ensure their choices are effective and healthy</div> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-3357604343561434464?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-76848556851511562112009-09-02T20:12:00.000-07:002009-09-02T20:17:06.880-07:00<!-- google_ad_section_start --> <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-images"> <div class="field-items"><p>New research, presented April 22, 2009 at the Experimental Biology (EB) 2009 meeting shows that men and women who drink 100 percent juice daily are leaner, and have lower risk of heart attack, diabetes, and stroke from metabolic syndrome - a cluster of symptoms including high blood pressure, elevated triglyceride levels, abdominal obesity, and insulin resistance.</p> <p>Study author, and co-author, Dr. Mark Pereira and Dr. Victor Fulgoni from University of Minnesota compared 100 percent juice drinkers to non-juice drinkers, using data from the CDC’s 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). They found that real fruit juice consumers had smaller waistlines, less insulin resistance, and lower body mass index (BMI).</p> <p>Drinking 100 percent fruits juice was associated with a twenty-two percent reduction in obesity, and a fifteen percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome compared to those who did not consume real fruit juice. The survey included 14,000 respondents, age 19 and older.</p> <p>Dr. Pereira says, “We know that maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is linked to decreased risk of some chronic diseases. One cup of 100% fruit juice counts as a serving of fruit and, based on our analysis, 100% juice consumption is associated with some of these same benefits.”</p> <p>The study authors also found that people who consumed 100 percent fruit juice are generally healthier and more active. After adjusting for physical activity, and diet, the researchers still found a fourteen percent lower risk of obesity among regular juice drinkers.</p> <p>Getting our daily allotment of fruits and vegetables is not always easy. The new study shows that drinking 100 percent fruit juice can cut our risk of chronic disease, help us stay lean, and provide an easier way to get the benefits of a serving of fruit.</p></div> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-7684855685151156211?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-46417284931748457292009-09-02T19:50:00.000-07:002009-09-02T20:11:44.514-07:00<p>The peer groups teenage girls identify with determine how they decide to control their own figure. So reports a new study (1) by Dr. Eleanor Mackey from the Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, and her colleague Dr. Annette La Greca from the University of Miami. Also influencing weight control behavior is girls’ own definition of normal body weight and their perception of what others consider normal body weight. These results have just been published online in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, a Springer publication.</p> <p>Dangerous weight control practices such as excessive dieting and bulimic tendencies often begin in adolescence and can have serious long-term health implications. Although it is clear that peers can have a major effect on adolescent girls’ weight control strategies, exactly how peers exert their influence is to date not well understood. The researchers aimed to clarify how identifying with a particular peer group influences whether or not girls worry about their weight and how they decide to control it.</p> <p>The authors tested 236 girls aged between 13 to 18 years old, who completed surveys looking at which peer groups they most identified with, their own concerns about body weight, their perception of their peers’ weight concerns and their own weight control behaviors. The researchers found that there is a complex relationship between peer group affiliation and girls’ weight control behavior. In particular, which group girls identified with was often related to how they controlled their weight.</p> <p>More specifically, girls identifying with athletic peers (‘Jocks’) were less concerned about their own weight and seemed less likely to be trying to control their weight. Girls identifying with non–conformist peers (‘Alternatives’) were more concerned about their weight and appearance and more likely to be actively trying to lose weight. The girls who identified with those who skip school and often get into trouble (‘Burnouts’) believed their peers valued thinness and dieting. Finally, girls who did not belong to any particular peer group were the most likely to use slimming strategies.</p> <p>According to the authors, this study shows that girls’ own attitudes and their perceptions of peers’ weight and appearance norms are pathways through which peer crowd identification may influence weight control behaviors. Understanding these pathways has implications for prevention and intervention programs in both schools and primary care settings. The authors suggest that “health care providers and school personnel might ask adolescent girls about their peer crowd affiliations in order to help identify adolescents with the highest levels of risky health behaviors…Girls’ body and weight dissatisfaction is also likely to be an important component of weight control interventions.”</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4641728493174845729?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-57312685029708124772009-09-02T19:35:00.000-07:002009-09-02T19:49:54.631-07:00<img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-7.jpg" alt="" /><br /><p>According to a report from the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. And nearly190 million prescriptions dispensed in the United States last year. Learning about nutrients in food can have an effect on how you feel and modifying your diet could help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with depression.</p> <p>The B vitamins play a vital role in our mental health. Eating foods that contain significant levels of B vitamins can reduce symptoms of depression. B1 provides an energy boost to the body and can be found in the following foods: pork, tuna, red kidney beans, yellow corn, and wheat germ. B3 foods can include poultry, lamb, brown rice, wheat, and pomegranates. Foods rich in vitamin B6 include bell peppers, spinach, bananas, and tuna. B12 foods include baked snapper, scallops, venison, and yogurt. Foods such as calves’ liver and sunflower seeds are all good choices to provide a wide variety of B vitamins.</p> <p>The amino acid l-tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin, which is a necessary neurotransmitter responsible for regulating moods and sleep. Foods containing l-tryptophan can include proteins such as poultry, lean meats, and fish. Also, cheeses such as cottage cheese, cheddar, and swiss, are rich in l-tryptophan. Adding whole-grain cereals can boost levels of l-tryptophan as can vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. </p> <p>Studies suggests that people whose diets contain more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for clinical depression. Low levels of DHA have been associated with depression and can be found in certain foods. Leading food sources of omega-3 can include salmon, cod, shrimp, sardines, halibut, broccoli cauliflower, cabbage, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and cloves.</p> <p>Magnesium may ease symptoms of depression. Some foods that contain magnesium are halibut, tuna, oysters, bananas, artichokes, spinach and other dark leafy greens, alfalfa, apples, figs, lemons, peaches, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, avocados, almonds, and barley.</p> <p>As important as some foods can be to include in our diets, sugars, corn syrup, caffeine, smoked and pickled foods, dark poultry, fried foods, alcohol, white flour, and soda should be avoided. Skipping meals can affect your blood sugar levels that can cause mood swings. It is suggested that you eat five or six small meals a day as part of a healthy wellness plan. If your symptoms of depression get worse, even when eating a healthy diet, it is important to visit your doctor and share your symptoms. Certain symptoms could mean something else is going on and should be checked.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-5731268502970812477?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-74030534475131328932009-09-02T04:21:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:24:37.261-07:00<img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/nails.jpg" alt="Nails" align="left" height="204" hspace="10" width="200" />Do you know that your fingernails and toenails can indicate potential problems in other parts of your body? Healthy nails should typically sport a pink hue, but sometimes they may change in tone and texture, signifying a deficiency in certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients. <p>If you keep your nails healthy and strong, you should notice changes in the composition and color of your nails. Keeping your nails healthy holds a twofold benefit � gorgeous fingertips and tootsies and a helpful clue to learn if anything might be wrong elsewhere in your body. And while we don�t necessarily think of nails as gauges of our health in most cases, we sure do love getting dolled up and showing them off! </p><p>To begin your quest for healthy nails, first make a commitment to eating healthier foods. You can still enjoy the foods you love, but you should make a conscious effort to consume healthy fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish and eggs, among other nail-friendly foods. </p><p><b>Enjoy these great foods for healthy nails:</b> </p><ul><li>Apples </li><li>Asparagus </li><li>Brown rice </li><li>Cucumbers </li><li>Eggs </li><li>Garlic </li><li>Grapes </li><li>Liver </li><li>Nuts </li><li>Onions </li><li>Salmon </li><li>Seeds </li><li>Soy </li><li>Tuna </li><li>Whole grains </li></ul> <p>If you want healthy, strong and beautiful nails that last, don�t stop with diet. Make some minor changes in your life and you can enjoy lovely nails without the price tag that comes with a trip to the nail salon. Avoid biting your nails, buff away rough edges when necessary and make a few other small changes to achieve the perfect nails you�ve always wanted. </p><p><b>For great nails, follow these simple tips:</b> </p><ul><i>Consume foods containing calcium and zinc.</i> Calcium effectively promotes nail growth. (You know those little white spots that show up on your nails in funny places sometimes? Those spots mean you aren�t getting enough zinc in your diet.) <p><i>Consume less sugar and less alcohol.</i> </p><p><i>Do not use your nails as tools.</i> No picking, plucking, poking, prying� </p><p><i>Don�t bite your nails.</i> Try applying <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">nail <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_5_0">polish<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> or painting a bitter-tasting liquid to the nails. Such products have been specially designed to help people quit their nail-biting habits. </p><p><i>Don�t remove hangnails by pulling at them.</i> Gently clip them with manicure scissors to prevent damage to your skin and tissue. </p><p><i>Eat fewer saturated fats.</i> </p><p><i>Ensure that you consume enough protein.</i> </p><p><i>Increase your intake of Vitamins A, B, C, D and E.</i> </p><p><i>Keep your nails short to prevent breakage.</i> </p><p><i>Leave your cuticles alone.</i> </p><p><i>Moisturize your nails often.</i> When you apply lotion to your hands, legs or other areas, be sure to rub a little bit into your nails. </p><p><i>Reduce the amount of dairy in your diet.</i> </p><p><i>Trim nails regularly, as needed.</i> Use an emery board or nail file to smooth rough edges after trimming and when a nail breaks.</p></ul> <p>If you want to have beautiful healthy nails, it may not cost you a trip to the salon. Commit to a healthier diet, better habits and pick up some pretty nail polish for an at-home manicure. With a little time, discipline and dedication, you can enjoy healthy, strong and shiny nails with little effort. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-7403053447513132893?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-27161362283082539552009-09-02T04:18:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:21:45.570-07:00<p><img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/nailcolor.jpg" alt="nail polish" align="left" height="187" hspace="15" width="255" /> </p><br /><p><b>1.</b> Start at the center of the nail and wiping toward the tip when removing old <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">nail <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_0_0">polish<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span>. </p><p><b>2.</b> Use a cuticle remover cream instead of cutting your delicate skin. </p><p><b>3.</b> Always file in one direction. The nails weaken and break easily if you nail it back and forth motion. </p><p><b>4.</b> Buffing is good on your nails it boosts circulation and encourages nail growth. </p><p><b>5.</b> The right way of mixing your polish is rolling the bottle between your palms. Shaking it will cause air bubbles. </p><p><b>6.</b> Use a base coat before your color applying it same way with your nail polish. </p><p><b>7.</b> Make sure that the first coat is completely dry before applying the second coat to prevent formation of bubbles. </p><p><b>8.</b> To remove excess or slip- ups. Use a wooden cuticle remover and make sure the polish is dry. </p><p><b>9.</b> Avoid direct contact with chemicals and some household products. Always use gloves. </p><p><b>10.</b> Use a hand moisturizer in the morning and in the evening. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2716136228308253955?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-34984382385836601432009-09-02T04:14:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:18:48.123-07:00<p><img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/sexy-lips.jpg" alt="Sexy Lips" align="left" height="230" hspace="11" width="218" /></p><p>Could finding the perfect shade of <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_0_0">lipstick<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> help you in finding the perfect man? </p><p>Definitely! Lips are a prominent feature on the face. What other facial feature can demand more notice than soft, sensual, voluptuous lips? </p><p>While he is looking at your mouth, envisioning kissing those soft, sensual curves, you are snagging a place in his memory. What better way to hold a man�s interest than to capture his libido and hold it in limbo? </p><p>Is he going to want to kiss lips that glare out at him from a delicate face or run from them before they snap at him? Will the man of your dreams find himself drawn to lips that seem to beckon him with their delicately shaded vibrancy? Can any man resist a woman with lips that seem to say: Kiss me darling. I am yours? </p><p>Finding the perfect shade of lipstick is as important as finding the perfect outfit. Your lipstick is a major part of the personal statement you make through your fashionable appearance. Everyone notices the perfectly dressed woman with the perfectly shaded lips and envies her. </p><p>How do you discover the perfect shade of lipstick? Sometimes, it takes a little trial and error to find the shades that compliment your skin tone. A good place to start is at the cosmetic counter of almost any mid to high-level department store. Free makeovers are a staple of their day and give you the benefit of the expertise of their cosmeticians. Even though the goal of giving the makeover is to get you to make a purchase, the result is the discovery of several different shades that you can wear with self-confidence. </p><p>Whether it is red, pink, brown, or somewhere in between, the ease with which you put on your lipstick reflects the confidence you have in the shade you have selected. This, in turn, is reflected in the way that you carry yourself. This is what gets you noticed. </p><p>Not only have lipsticks been perfected to color our lips provocatively, but also they have been perfected to offer them protection from the elements. Lipsticks keep our lips soft, moist, supple, and noticeable. </p><p><b>In general, remember:</b> </p><ul><li>Muted colors (purples and browns) are better to tone down large lips. </li><li>Light colors work best for thin lips. </li></ul> <p>Remember that putting on lipstick can be as easy as putting on a happy face! So, put a little razzle and dazzle in your life by putting a little sparkle of color on your lips! </p><p> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-3498438238583660143?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-79930177488708916002009-09-02T04:10:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:13:15.574-07:00<p><img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/sexylips.jpg" alt="Sexy Lips" align="left" height="145" hspace="15" width="254" /> </p><p> </p><p>1. Apply emollient balm before putting the color. This is will hydrate your lips and make an even tone. </p><p>2. With a short and light strokes. Use a neutral colored pencil to trace around the perimeter of your lips. After it�s done you can use desired color pencil you want to fill in your entire mouth. </p><p>3. To increase the size of your lips use a matching gloss or high shine lipstick. Apply the gloss or lipstick with a <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">lip <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_2_0">brush<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> to make sure that color is evenly distributed. </p>4. To prevent bleeding dab a translucent powder around the edges of your lips.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-7993017748870891600?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-7037906287394073962009-09-02T04:07:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:09:52.221-07:00<p>It is always said that the easiest way to tell how old a woman is or how she generally takes care of herself is to look at her eyes. The eyelids and the skin under the eyes are among the most delicate areas of the skin. The skin on that area is so thin, it wrinkles easily and is susceptible to puffiness and darkening. </p><p>Puffy and <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">dark <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_1_0">circles<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> under the eyes can make us look tired and appear older beyond our years. Women approaching their thirties and older generally address this area first when they try to rejuvenate themselves, because puffy and dark circles under the eyes are one of the more obvious indicators of aging. </p><p> </p><p>What causes us to form dark circles under our eyes, also known as eye bags? We have to recognize and accept it with ourselves that having dark circles under the eyes is part of the natural aging process. Also, we could be genetically pre-disposed to develop them earlier. Dark circles under the eyes can also develop from factors from our own environment, such as pollutants and allergens in the air. In addition, crying our eyes out is a sure-fire ticket to having dark circles under the eyes. </p><p>Not a few women think that undergoing cosmetic surgery or using expensive creams are the only ways of dealing with dark circles under the eyes. This is not so. While it is not possible to be able to remove them completely all the time, there are ways that we can take to combat them, or at least to make sure that they do not get worse over time. </p><p>One of these ways of fighting dark <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">under eye <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_4_0">circles<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> is to keep our bodies hydrated by drinking plenty of water and fruit juices every day. Eight glasses or two liters of water is the recommended amount. Water flushes out the toxins in our body and acts as a natural moisturizer for the skin. </p><p>Another way of doing it is to get plenty of sleep every night. We should get around seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Sufficient sleep allows the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. When the body is able to repair itself properly every day, the skin appears younger and healthier, including the skin around the eyes. </p><p>If you are a smoker, you would do well to stop smoking. Smoking robs the body of nutrients and dries out the water in our cells. It is not just our skin that suffers from smoking; the entire body suffers from the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. </p><p><b>Dark under eye circles home remedies</b>: </p><ul><li>Resting your eyes for thirty minutes or so with a slice of cucumber over each eyelid. </li><li>Putting on an eye pack that spent time inside the refrigerator before going to sleep. </li><li>Chilling a couple of used teabags with most of the water squeezed out of them and then taking a nap for fifteen minutes with the teabags on your eyelids. </li></ul><p>Getting dark circles under the eyes is a part of the aging process, but you do not have to go under the knife just to be able to get rid of them. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-703790628739407396?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-31663520616581018032009-09-02T04:03:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:07:05.585-07:00<img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/beautysleep.jpg" alt="Beauty sleep" align="left" height="338" hspace="12" width="300" /> When people talk about taking what is called �the beauty sleep,� some of them take a derisive tone to it, as if the beauty sleep is something only sissies and fussy females take. The derisive attitude that some people take to taking naps is not only unwarranted but is definitely wrong. <p>When we do not have enough sleep, it shows in our bodies. The most evident sign of lack of sleep are the <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">dark <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_1_0">circles<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span> and the heavy bags under our eyes. Other outward signs include dull skin and limp, lifeless hair. But more importantly, people who continually lack sleep experience deterioration of their short-term memories and impairment of their vision. People who do not get enough sleep also have slowed down reaction time and have difficulty in processing information. Lack of sleep also derails work performance and proper judgment. People who do not sleep as much as they should also do not show a lot of motivation and patience. </p><p> </p><p>Our bodies need seven to eight hours of sleep every day. Too little sleep harms our bodies; but then again, so does too much sleep. What is more is that sleep is cumulative. You miss your sleep tonight and it shows on you tomorrow. You miss your sleep tomorrow night, and you will feel the effects of two nights without proper sleep. Continue along this path and you will have sleep deficit, which will lead to the harmful effects listed above. </p><p>It is understandable that sometimes our schedule does not permit us to sleep a full eight hours of it. In that case, we should make time to get a power nap in the afternoon, particularly around eight hours after we have woken up. It seems the natural thing to do, anyway. You must have observed it with your own body � we generally get drowsy in the afternoon, around eight hours after we have been awake. </p><p>A good power nap lasts for around fifteen to 30 minutes. According to research, taking power naps in the afternoon have more benefits for the body than taking an extra hour of sleep in the morning. The rest that the body gets from power naps greatly reduces stress and improves the cognitive powers of the mind. </p><p>Some people complain that they feel more groggy after taking naps. That is why it is recommended for naps to take only fifteen to 30 minutes. The longer our naps take, the deeper our sleep gets and the harder it is to wake up. If you are really tired, it would be better for you to get a full sleep in the afternoon if you can. </p><p>But whether you can take a nap in the afternoon or not, there are some things you can still do to make sure that you get the sleep that you need. Among these things is avoiding the consumption of caffeine after 3pm. Caffeine stays in the system for four to six hours and therefore keeps your body stimulated for that length of time. If your body is awake, you cannot really force yourself to sleep. </p><p>If your schedule only allows you, say, five minutes for a nap, take it. Five minutes is better than nothing. Just closing your eyes gives you enough rest to get you through the day. If you do not want to oversleep, set an alarm. </p><p>Taking a beauty sleep, or a power nap if you will, is something one should not raise eyebrows at. Taking a beauty sleep not only makes us beautiful, but more importantly, it keeps our bodies and minds healthy, alert and awake. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-3166352061658101803?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-13695239510889489482009-09-02T04:00:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:03:33.691-07:00Thin, trim, athletic and slim� Many men and women across the globe wish for such a figure, but few are fortunate enough to have it without a great deal of work. <p>Whether you are an avid athlete or a chronic couch potato, this fairly easy dietary regimen should give you a good push in the right direction. Pair it with some regular exercise and a positive attitude, and you could be well on your way to the best shape of your life! </p><p><b>Tip #1: Give up soda.</b> </p><p>It�s true � soda is full of empty calories. Sure, it may help you to stay awake at work, but it can also corrode your teeth and increase your waistline�s girth without warning. Sugary drinks impact the acidity of saliva, which quickly increases the likelihood of cavities. Furthermore, continuous consumption of soda and other super-sugary beverages can impact your digestive process. </p><p>If you can�t give up soda, at least decrease the amount of soda that you drink in a given day. Try to treat soda as just that � a treat. Have one glass a day with lunch or dinner, and drink ice water or spring water for the remainder of the day. Water is great for your body, helps to flush out toxins, and keeps you hydrated. That�s a lot more than we can say for soda! </p><p><img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/fit-shape.jpg" alt="Fit shape" align="left" height="347" hspace="12" width="265" /> <b>Tip #2: Pass up salty, greasy fast food.</b> </p><p>Believe me, as a French fry-aholic, I feel your pain. As a cross country runner in high school, I gave up eating fast food at all my favorite chain restaurants. I don�t think I ate a single French fry or chicken McNugget for six months or more. And how could I forget, when my running season was over and I indulged myself in an Extra Value Meal, my stomach cried out in pain for all the greasy chow dumped into it after months on a healthy diet. </p><p>Again, if you can�t give up the fast food, try to limit the amount you consume. You can pair your cheeseburgers with salads or fruit cup, or, you can consider switching to a healthier alternative like a deli sandwich or wrap. </p><p><b>Tip #3: Shut out the sugar.</b> </p><p>Like I should talk here, being a self-proclaimed chocoholic. But without a doubt, I eat five or ten times as much candy now as I did during my high school sports seasons. Now, ten years later it is ten times tougher to prevent those sugar calories from sticking on my tummy, legs, and hips. What�s a girl to do? </p><p>During those months of training for my races, I gave up ice cream and 90 percent of the candy I used to eat. I also chowed down on healthier snacks, like carrot sticks and crackers when I got hungry. Try cutting out the majority of your sweet indulgences and treat yourself to just one (OK, or two) sugary treats a day. A small candy bar, a single brownie, two cookies�give yourself a limit and stick to it. If you feel especially motivated and determined, try to give up the sugary snacks completely for a few days a week. </p><p><b>Tip #4: Stop eating before bed.</b> </p><p>Without a doubt, eating and sleeping should not go together as blissfully as they do. Eating makes us feel full and being full is akin to satisfied. Satisfied equals comfortable, and comfortable often leads right to sleep. But, if you limit yourself to eating dinner and all snacks prior to a certain time, you can help prevent those extra pounds from sneaking on late at night. </p><p>Sure, it�s all right to get a midnight snack once in a while, or to indulge at a friend�s party or other social engagement. The big idea is to work out a routine of eating before it gets to be late at night. Stick to the schedule as best as you can, and be sure to eat three balanced meals a day. </p><p><b>Tip #5: Exercise!</b> </p><p>Adhering to the right kind of diet should help you initially, but exercise does the body good in so many ways. Whether you like to walk, jog, run, bike, swim, go to the gym, or do exercise videos, exercise is critical to keeping your body in the kind of shape you crave. Fitness is good for your body, mind, and soul. Paired with the right kind of diet, a regular regimen of exercise can really work wonders on any body! </p><ul>Remember, everybody�s body is different. What works for me may not work as well for you, and vice versa. Whatever the case, cutting some of the sugary sodas out of your diet and working out on a regular basis should bring positive results. <p><i>Consult your physician before attempting any rigorous dietary routines or dietary supplements.</i></p></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-1369523951088948948?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-42732893333105282222009-09-02T03:58:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:00:39.238-07:00<p>If you are serious about going on a diet and losing weight, you have to be serious about the decisions you make with regards the food that you eat. It is not enough to control your portions; it is also important to watch what you are eating and if the food you are eating is prepared in a way that will ruin your diet. The small changes that you make concerning your eating habits shall definitely go a long way. </p><p>For instance, did you know that while fruit juice contains more nutrients than pop soda, a glass of fruit juice has just as much calories in it as a glass of Coke? So, instead of drinking fruit juice, eat fresh fruits instead. But if you simply must drink fruit juice, better drink one glass less than your usual. </p><p>Salads are popular fare for people who are following a weight loss diet. Salad greens are packed with great nutrients that the body needs to stay fit and healthy. For some added taste, we often dress up our salad with some salad dressing. However, just what kind of dressing you put on your salad can negate the benefits you are supposed to get when eating greens. If you are fond of eating your salad with commercial salad dressing or � shudder � mayonnaise, you might as well give up your diet. Commercial salad dressings and mayonnaise are full of calories. Olive oil would be the better choice of salad dressing, but even olive oil has its share of the bad calories that is almost equal in amount to a serving of mayonnaise. To neutralize this, mix olive oil with balsamic vinegar, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and then sprinkle the mixture on your salad greens. This is definitely a much better choice than mayonnaise. </p><p>Since we are proclaiming here the evils of mayonnaise in terms of calories, be careful of what you eat whenever you are in a fast food joint. Burgers and chicken sandwiches are often served loaded with mayonnaise, not to mention some helpings of grease and lard that are terrible if you are on a diet. Pass up the mayo, if you please. Or better yet, go home and make your own burgers. </p><p> </p><p>Speaking of grease and lard, another thing you may seriously want to reconsider is eating fried chicken. All the oil and the grease and the fat that come dripping with every serving of fried chicken that you eat are bad for you and for your diet. If you are really craving for the taste of chicken, opt for some char-broiled chicken breast. Do not forget to get rid of the skin before you eat it. </p><p>Another thing that you must take seriously when you are following a weight loss regimen is your consumption of fiber. Fiber helps your digestive system properly process the food that you eat. You can get your fiber from eating vegetables like spinach, broccoli, celery, carrots and beans. You may find yourself releasing some gas after munching on some, but never you mind. Fiber is good for you. </p><p>Watching while you eat with discipline is necessary if you are taking your weight loss issues seriously. You will thank yourself later on. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4273289333310528222?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-69511928906866248272009-09-02T03:56:00.000-07:002009-09-02T03:58:22.977-07:00<p>This citrus bubble bath will cheer you up and energize you. Perfect for a morning bath or use after exercising. </p><p><b>You will need:</b><br />6 drops of orange oil<br />4 drops of grapefruit oil<br />3 drops of lemon oil <br />1 quart of distilled water<br />1 bar of castile soap. (4 oz. Bar) <br />4 ounces liquid glycerin </p><p><b>Directions:</b> 1. Mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir. 2. Now add your essential oils to the mixture. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-6951192890686624827?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-84974548181775693102009-09-02T03:53:00.000-07:002009-09-02T03:56:09.560-07:00<p>This is recipe is good in rem</p><p>This is recipe is good in removing excess oil in the face and to prevent the growth of pimples and acne. </p><p><b>Materials:</b><br />1/3 cup cocoa<br />3 tsp of heavy cream<br />1/3 cup of ripe papaya<br />� cup honey<br />3 tsp of oatmeal powder </p><p><b>Procedure:</b><br />Mix cocoa and heavy cream in a container. Add the ripe papaya and continue stirring with honey. Mix them thoroughly and add the oatmeal powder. Continue Stirring until it will turn into thick creamy paste. Apply on the face and wait for 10 minutes. Rinse face with lukewarm water. It is safe to do this everyday or use this alternately. </p><p>oving excess oil in the face and to prevent the growth of pimples and acne. </p><p><b>Materials:</b><br />1/3 cup cocoa<br />3 tsp of heavy cream<br />1/3 cup of ripe papaya<br />� cup honey<br />3 tsp of oatmeal powder </p><p><b>Procedure:</b><br />Mix cocoa and heavy cream in a container. Add the ripe papaya and continue stirring with honey. Mix them thoroughly and add the oatmeal powder. Continue Stirring until it will turn into thick creamy paste. Apply on the face and wait for 10 minutes. Rinse face with lukewarm water. It is safe to do this everyday or use this alternately. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-8497454818177569310?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-599445515432073922009-09-02T03:48:00.000-07:002009-09-02T03:53:19.008-07:00<p><img src="http://www.beautyden.com/pics/long_hair.jpg" alt="Long hair" align="left" height="519" hspace="12" width="350" /> </p><h2>Protein Hair Treatment Recipe</h2> <p><b>What you need:</b><br />1 ounce soy sauce<br />1 cup warm water </p><p><b>Procedure:</b><br />After you shampoo, pour this over your hair. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse out. </p><p> </p><h2>Super Body Hair Treatment Recipe</h2> <p><b>What you need:</b><br />2 tablespoons molasses<br />2 tablespoons unflavored gelatine<br />1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk<br />1 tablespoon stale beer </p><p><b>Procedure:</b><br />Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. <br />Comb or brush into your hair. <br />Cover your hair with a plaster shower cap or wrap with a sheet of plastic wrap. Cover with a thick terrycloth towel. <br />Leave this hair treatment on for 30 minutes, then rinse in warm water. <br />Shampoo your hair. </p><h2>Avocado Scalp Soother Recipe</h2> <p><b>What you need:</b><br />1 egg<br />1/2 avocado, peeled and mashed<br />2 tablespoons wheat germ oil </p><p><b>Procedure:</b><br />Process egg in a blender until frothy. Add the avocado and oil, blending until smooth. Use right away. </p><p>If you have <span class="iAs" style="border-bottom: 0.2em dotted rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: rgb(43, 101, 176) ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;">long <nobr style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(43, 101, 176);" id="itxt_nobr_4_0">hair<img style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; float: none;" name="itxt-icon-0" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif" /></nobr></span>, divide your hair into several sections and apply the paste first to the scalp and then work outward, massaging the paste along the hair shaft. </p><p>Cover your head with a plastic cap and leave on for 30 minutes. </p><p>To cleanse your hair, rinse first with warm water for 5 minutes and then use any mild shampoo. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-59944551543207392?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-29738453751910523692009-09-01T00:05:00.000-07:002009-09-01T00:08:32.689-07:00<p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">It's no secret men need health skin care products too! Unfortunately, finding healthy, natural products can be a challenge. Most skin care products marketed toward men just as chemical laden as those marketed to women.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Aftershave is a great example of this. Why put something so painful and harsh on your skin right after you've shaved? Do you like walking around with a sign on your face that says "Hello! My skin hates me!" Pretty much anything is going to sting and burn if you apply it to your skin after shaving, but even more so if it contains SD Alcohol 40, Ethyl Alcohol, or Isopropyl Alcohol.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">These are all drying alcohols usually used in skin care products (and yes, even "natural" products too). Drying alcohols burn like hell and make your eyes water so much you'll feel like you're watching the end of "My Girl" for the very first time. Even worse than the tears of agony, these chemicals are wrecking havoc to your skin.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">SD Alcohol 40, Ethyl Alcohol, and Isopropyl Alcohol all have the power to wick water away from your skin. These chemicals are kind of like molecular sponges. They go in and bind to the water in your skin, then the alcohol evaporates faster than you can say "dehydrated." This leaves your skin stripped, dry, and unprotected.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">You see, even men need water in their skin. Proper hydration starts with drinking enough water every day, but it also means not using products that rob your skin of moisture.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">But wait! I'm sure you're about to mention that wonderful moisturizer you use on your face after that horrible aftershave? Check the ingredient list please, and let me know if it contains Mineral Oil. If it does, please promptly dispose of it in the proper receptacle.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Why are you throwing away your moisturizer? Because if it contains Mineral oil, it's about as healthy for your skin as turpentine. Applying Mineral Oil to your skin is like wrapping it in plastic wrap. Your skin can't breathe!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Your skin needs to be able to inhale oxygen and expel wastes, sweat, and other grime from your pores. Without this ability, you're just tightening the lid of a pressure cooker. Eventually those wastes are going to build up and explode, taking your complexion with it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">So in order to have healthy skin, men need to stop using a chemical laden aftershave, and find a moisturizer that will help heal the little cuts and scraps your skin endures when you shave. You also need skin care products that won't clog your pores, dry you out, or make you smell like you just came out of a perfume shop.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">The great news is I've got a healthy skin care line that does all of those things. L'Bri Pure n' Natural is an aloe based skin care line that focuses on healing your skin. We've got a great product, the Pure Aloe Barbadensis Jelly that works as a wonderful aftershave. Even if you don't have time to use a three step system, just using this Aloe Jelly will help your skin heal after shaving.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">My husband uses it after he shaves every day and the difference is amazing. His skin feels so much softer and it looks healthy and moisturized, not red and irritated like it was after he used aftershave. This product is also the best remedy for razor burn I've ever seen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">If you have time and are interested in doing what it takes to have healthy skin, I would also recommend trying a Trio. This is a specially designed three step system that includes a Cleanser, Freshener, and Moisturizer for your skin type.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">By washing your face with the Cleanser, you're getting deep into pores, flushing out acne causing bacteria and dirt. When you use the Freshener, your skin is returned to the healthy pH balance it needs to properly fight bacteria. Finally, moisturizing is essential for healthy skin. L'Bri moisturizers do not contain mineral oil or water - two ingredients that render all moisturizers useless. Instead the healthy, healing properties of Aloe are being infused into your skin, keeping you hydrated all day long.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">If you'd like to try a L'Bri Trio, I encourage you to try samples first. L'Bri has a great offer for free samples - all you pay is $5.75 to get the samples to your door. <b>Click here</b> to pick your sample kit and order it now. This sample kit will give you the best idea of whether L'Bri has the healthy skin care products you've been looking for or not.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Finding healthy skin care products for men can be a challenge. I promise you've found an excellent line that will really help your skin. All you have to do is try it!</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b>It's hard to make good choices about skin care when you don't have all the facts.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Learn how L'Bri will help your skin from the inside out, rather than just sitting on the surface like most skin care products.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">You'll also learn about our safe, anti-aging skin care serums and how L'Bri was founded through the hard work and dedication of two amazing individuals. Knowing how much effort it took to create these terrific products can really open your eyes to how different this company is.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Skin care products are often a splurg purchase and usually it's the customer that pays the price with damaged skin and an empty wallet. Get the facts you need first and stop wasting your money.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2973845375191052369?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-7072400543000639192009-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:002009-09-01T00:04:10.138-07:00<span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><img src="http://chetday.com/images/apple.jpg" align="left" height="60" hspace="12" vspace="12" width="52" /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">When you're ready to take your family on a camping trip, one of the most important parts of planning is the food. </span><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Most kids have much bigger appetites when they've been outside playing all day, so you want to plan for the family being hungrier than normal, while making sure to pack foods that will keep during the entire camping trip. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">You don't want to cut your camping vacation short just because you ran out of food, or everything spoiled the first few days, right? Packing food for family camping trips is really just a matter of common sense, so let's explore some basic ways to prepare...</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b>1. Fruits and veggies</b> are excellent, kid-friendly snacks. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">And they keep well too. Cut up some apples and put into plastic baggies or containers for the kids to snack on during the drive. These are often good for the first day or two as well, but they'll turn brown and mushy after that depending on the weather. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Packing whole apples will keep for several days more, so you'll have extra for them once the precut ones are gone.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Oranges and tangerines also make great finger foods for kids. You can cut them into quarters, or simply peel them and break them apart into bags or containers for easy, readily available snacks. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Like the apples, additional whole ones can be packed for future camping days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Both oranges and apples can be bruised if packed too tightly, or if dropped or otherwise handled badly. So don't pack too many of them, and pack them carefully or you'll find them inedible later in the trip.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Don't pack soft fruits such as bananas or strawberries unless you plan to only use them the first day. These go bad quickly, and bruise quickly as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Carrot sticks, broccoli and cauliflower florets are also excellent finger foods for kids. They'll especially be a hit if you pack a little ranch dressing or salsa for use as dipping sauce.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Another excellent, portable finger food for kids is cheese sticks. You can buy a block of cheese and cut it into sticks yourself, or buy the ready made sticks at any grocery store.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><b>2. Dry snacks.</b> These are important to pack on camping trips, particularly if you expect to be away for several days or more. Items such as corn tortilla chips, pretzels, crackers, nuts and quality beef jerky are all wonderful snacks for kids that will keep indefinitely.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Dried fruits are another way to take healthy sweets along that the kids love, but won't go bad without refrigeration. Dried banana chips, prunes, raisins, cranberries, apple slices, oranges, apricots, mangos and many more are available at almost any grocery store, or you can make your own if you have a dehydrator at home.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Don't forget dry cereal too, as well as cereal bars. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Most younger kids love to snack on dry cereal throughout the day, and it's easy to pack and keep on a camping trip. You could also take along <b>powdered milk</b> to mix with water for putting into the cereal at breakfast time if you'd like.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">You'll also find other kid favorites such as applesauce available at the store, in containers that do not have to be kept cold.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-707240054300063919?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-65063763507556223402009-08-31T23:56:00.000-07:002009-09-01T00:00:20.703-07:00<p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Giving birth is a life and body changing experience and as you get used to your new role as a mother, it's good to know how to take care of your new body.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">While you were pregnant, many changes happened to your body. Your feet are probably wider, your skin may have broken out due to hormones, and both your waistline and breasts may take a while to return to their normal size and shape.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">The first rule for skin care for a new mom is this: don't judge yourself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">You just had a baby. Stop worrying about your changed body and how you look for a few days. Just concentrated on your new baby and being a mom. Chances are this will be all you have time for anyway between caring for your newborn and catching up on sleep yourself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Once you've established a routine here are some basic skin care tips to follow:</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> 1. <b> Natural skin care is a must</b> - This is especially important if you're breastfeeding because some of the things you use on your skin can end up in your bloodstream and eventually into your newborn. Make sure that you're using only safe, natural products that don't contain harsh chemicals which could potentially hurt your baby.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> 2. Love Yourself - Get in front of the mirror and look at yourself. Instead of judging what you see, embrace it! You are now a mother and your body has undergone a dramatic change in a very short space of time. Your body will feel and look totally alien for awhile, but this is normal. Accept yourself and what you see. Don't lament for what you've lost, but instead look forward to regaining your beautiful body one step at a time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> 3. Massage, massage massage - When your pregnant, your skin is stretched tight over your baby's body. Once your baby is born, that skin needs encouragement to relax back into shape. The best way to get your loose skin back to normal is by massaging your stomach. You can also massage your breasts as well to help lessen the pain and swelling when your milk comes in.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> 4. Exfoliate to Remove Baby Marks - Hyperpigmentation is a condition very commonly associated with pregnancy. If you've noticed a dark line running down your belly or slightly darker toned skin on your face and neck, chances are you have a slight hyperpigmentation caused by pregnancy hormones. Once you've given birth, you can easily remove this darker skin by exfoliating regularly with a natural body scrub in the shower.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> 5. Take a Daily Shower - No matter how busy you are with your new baby, always take time for yourself to take a shower alone. Having downtime to yourself is essential for you own mental health and well being. Apart from making you feel a lot better, taking a daily shower will ensure that your skin stays clean, clear, and healthy, despite the milk, spit up, poo, pee, and other bodily fluids you're now getting on yourself every day as a new mom.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Sharing your body with a baby for 9 months is definitely going to cause changes that you will not bounce back from immediately. Take your time, enjoy your new baby, and try not to focus too much on what you think you should look like.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-6506376350755622340?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-88375035762605943642009-08-31T23:52:00.000-07:002009-08-31T23:56:13.757-07:00<p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"> We all want healthy skin. While our reasons for pursuing healthy skin tend to be cosmetic in nature, there are practical health benefits to maintaining the health of our skin. The purpose of the skin is to act as a barrier to prevent bacteria, viruses and other contaminants from entering the body and causing infection and disease. There are many vitamins and minerals which help to keep skin healthy, and thus able to serve its vital role in the protection of the body.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Antioxidant vitamins, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are very important to healthy skin because these vitamins share in the responsibility of controlling the damage that free radicals (byproducts of energy production within the body and of environmental contaminants) produce. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Among the several types of damage done by free radicals is the destruction of collagen and elastin, which are fibers that support the skin. As these are damaged, wrinkles and a lack of that youthful firmness can occur. Vitamin C also plays a part in the production of collagen, making it essential to the function and look of the skin. Recent studies have found that Vitamin C and E used together may help to repair sun-damaged skin. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Vitamin A has its own important role in skin health and beauty, in addition to its antioxidant properties. In terms of diet, even small deficiencies can negatively affect skin, causing flakiness and dryness. Dryness can make lines and wrinkles that much more apparent. Its primary use, however, is as a topical solution for the treatment of severe acne and the reduction of lines and wrinkles themselves. Recent research has found that a topical solution that contains both Vitamin A and Vitamin C can, in some cases, reverse damage done by the aging process and by sun-damage. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><img src="http://chetday.com/images/skin/trio-cmb2.jpg" alt="L'Bri Trio--packed full of skin-healing vitamins." align="left" border="0" height="125" hspace="10" width="145" />If you're looking for a natural skin care line which is affordable and guaranteed to work for you, check out the <b>L'Bri Pure n' Natural Skincare Trio</b>, which includes cleanser, freshener, and moisturizer. These three products fulfill the skin's most basic needs, and work in conjunction with L'Bri special treatment products. The L'Bri skincare trios are interchangeable to customize a skincare program according to your skin condition. <b>Click here for more information on how to order the L'Bri Trio.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Deficiencies in the Vitamin B complex can leave the skin prone to cracking, bleeding, and skin lesions, which allow all manner of bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to easily enter the body. But in terms of strictly cosmetic concerns, even a little shortage of the Vitamin B complex can result in scaly and poorly textured skin. Topical preparations have been found to play an important role in the hydrating of skin cells, leading to noticeably firmer, healthier looking skin. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Vitamin K has been found to relieve those unsightly dark circles under the eyes. Some research has found that creams made up of both Vitamin K and Vitamin A are more effective than those that just contain Vitamin K, but the studies are still continuing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Minerals important to the look and health of the skin include selenium, copper, and zinc. Selenium, whether used as a topical solution or taken in the form of a dietary supplement may play a role in the prevention of skin cancer. Copper, zinc and Vitamin C work together to form elastin, which helps to support skin, keeping it firm and healthy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Topical solutions and dietary supplements can help to keep skin healthy and youthful in appearance. However, it's important to recognize that these are powerful substances, and using them within the standard guidelines of dosage is essential to good health. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and the results of too much are not pretty. Used correctly, however, and when combined with quality skin care lotions like the<b> L'Bri Trio</b> mentioned above, your skin can look better than ever.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-8837503576260594364?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-3967373931111996062009-08-31T23:42:00.000-07:002009-08-31T23:52:28.657-07:00<div class="abody"> <p>A lot of people seem to feel and believe that makeup looks good only on fair skin. Prepare to be surprised because the truth is, makeup may look just as flattering on dark skin. The key is to know what particular makeup to use. For dark skin the best foundation to use must be water-based. Dark skin has a tendency to look oily, and using cream foundation will only worsen the effect.</p> <p>The water-based foundation must be of a shade closest to your skin tone. Dark skin needs special attention to unify skin tone, downplay overly prominent features and focus on the upper third of the face. The structure of facial features and the evenness of skin color are important in order to create a great look. Always avoid oil based products to make your makeup last longer since black skin has a tendency to reject makeup.</p> <p>Some Important Tips for Makeup of Dark Skin</p><div class="article_ad">Free Apps. Free Games. Download Now<img src="http://p.admob.com/e0?rt=2&amp;z=1251787635.12&amp;a=a14a5f4b3fe20b3&amp;s=a149baf65147f77&amp;o=&amp;lt=0.108467963654&amp;to=1" alt="" height="1" width="1" /></div> <p>- Dark Skin is less prone to pimples and blemishes so provides even tone for foundation blending.<br />- Liquid foundation is best for the dark Skin as dark skin has tendency to shine and cream foundation will make it worse.<br />- Best way to blend foundation is to mix distilled water in it and blend it in skin by rubbing otherwise there will appear streaks of foundation after sometime.<br />- If you have dark skin, less the makeup, better it is. Your focus should be on enhancing it's inner glow and highlight the natural color. It is better to accentuate natural shades of skin then by trying to blend different colors.<br />- It is better not to apply eyeliner and if you apply it use it sparingly in a thin line along with the shape of your eye. Never apply it on the lower lid. It will give artificial look.<br />- Choose mascara with natural or clear color. If you have long lashes, do not apply black mascara; it should be used only for separating the lashes.</p> <p>Makeup Tips For Dark Skin</p> <p>If you have dark skin then you should try this makeup for better look.</p><div class="article_ad">Free Apps. Free Games. Download Now</div> <ul><li>Foundation and face powder color in tan, sun bronze and peach may be tried. These shades will suit more dark skins.</li><li>Powder - Do not apply too much powder. Also, be sure to blend your makeup so there are no obvious lines.</li><li>Eye Shadow - You'll look best in forest green, medium purple, deep plum, medium blue, slate blue or gunmetal gray shades of eye shadow. Choose one shade only to use at a time and apply it all over eyes, from lash-line to brows.</li><li>Eyeliner - dark, thick eyeliner will make you look overdone and will ruin the rest of your makeup.</li><li>Mascara - Apply one coat of brown/black or black mascara.</li><li>Lipstick - You shine in sheer lip glosses in shades of light brown, bronze or raisin red. The shades should not be too dark or too light. Medium dull shades would look best.</li><li>Blush - Peachiest color blushers work best on dark and dusky complexion, your blusher is not be too pinkish.</li></ul> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-396737393111199606?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-83944170311605666502009-08-31T23:25:00.000-07:002009-08-31T23:41:40.518-07:00<p>Taking an inventory of your health history and the results of a detailed Health Evaluation, Kassie will work with you to find solutions to promote your optimal health. After developing a personalized program, she will help address your nutrition, including supplementation with powerful neutraceuticals if needed, along with a physical activity plan.Wellness/Nutrition sessions can take place in the privacy of your home, at a local coffee shop, or at the Salon and Spa in the Wellness building in Minneapolis. Kassie is also available to provide assistance over the phone and via e-mail if based at a distance. Coaching and consultation sessions may last anywhere from 45-90 minutes. All programs are specialized to meet your needs. Kassie’s ongoing support will provide a basis for you to make smart lifelong choices. Contact Kassie to make an appointment at kassie@kasiaorganicsalon.com</p> <p>Kassie believes in supporting the body nutritionally, through a primarily “living,” or whole foods diet. As the name suggests, “living” foods have vital nutrients that yield all kinds of benefits that are lost in the cooking process.The majority of our diets should be comprised of fruits, vegetables and other fresh foods. “Living foods” contain enzymes that facilitate digestion, deliver hormones, maintain our skin and provide energy. When enzymes are depleted, it leads to a shortened life span, illness and lower resistance to stress. Eating a large amount of cooked food, including a high concentration of grains, has dire consequences for our organs.To learn more about health and nutrition, visit Kassie’s Library of articles!</p> <div><strong>Whole Health Services</strong></div> <p>Organic * Non Toxic Hairstylist and ColoristAll-natural, non-toxic and organic professional body products and services.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-8394417031160566650?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-40892857839988281222009-08-31T23:13:00.000-07:002009-08-31T23:24:54.017-07:00The clinical treatments and some natural teeth whiteners are available in the marketplace are the most everyday methods applied for producing your teeth lighter. But some do not tend to realize the value of natural teeth whiteners which are well ready and evidently less harmful than employing the chemicals on your teeth. There is no need to note that nearly all these natural resolutions for a natural teeth whiteners tolls very low out of pocket. Here is a few of them<br /><br />Utilizing Baking Soda<br /><br />It is one of the past methods applied for whitening teeth that will make the appealing smile that you have been wishing for. All you need to perform is to combine a little of baking soda with water to produce a paste solution. Apply this on your teeth during your regular brushing work. The catchy scene will be to check the correct heaviness and concentration for setting the mixture alike to the toothpaste.<br /><br />Lemon Juice with a Touch of Salt<br /><br />Lemon has forever been loved for stimulating special cleansing attributes. The combination of lemon juice with salt is determined to work as an impressive natural teeth whiteners and at very little cost. The advantage of trying such simple remedies for teeth whitening is that they are unhazardous and can be applied on the hypersensitive teeth also.<br /><br />Ability of the Orange Skin<br /><br />Orange skins can grant almost immediate whitening effects when they are scratched on any particular tooth for some time. Though the whitening effects will not be long-term, one can employ these impressive natural teeth whiteners for temporarily getting bright white teeth and an brilliant smiles. Salt is also an efficient cleanser and can be mixed with any of these natural teeth whiteners. As constantly, maintaining good teeth hygiene by brushing properly and rinsing off your mouth after meals will improve your outcomes.<br /><br />These are several tips that you can execute to achieve that vibrant smile that you needed Applying this natural teeth whiteners tips will surely give you a vibrant smile<br /><br />Brushing Your Teeth Regularly<br /><br />One of the standard instruments is a toothbrush. Brush your teeth by scrubbing it and make certain that you're not brushing it overly tough and only using a fair bristled brush. When brushing your teeth do the upwardly strokes on the lowest arch and downward strokes on the top arch to forbid losing gum lines, and stacking on tartar and plaque.<br /><br />Once A Day Flossing<br /><br />Flossing cuts tartar and plaque that gets our teeth to appear yellow. And Then, you need to make particular the floss leads right down between and underneath the gums and go in between every tooth in your mouth. Also, for individuals who hold big spaces between their teeth you can use things like a Sulcabrush to get into those spaces. It's a tiny brush with a pointy edge that aids make into the corners and chaps.<br /><br />See The Dentist Or Apply A Respectable Home Teeth Whitening Kit<br /><br />Professional dentists are still the optimum source when it gets to our teeth. Frequent visits to them would grant us the self-assurance to get your teeth cleansed and will as well help forbid that build up of plaque and tartar and help preserve a pleasant vibrant smile. However a visit to the dentist for the single cause of bleaching your teeth is proving less and less frequent with the coming of the such cheaper but just as competent solutions of natural teeth whiteners.<br /><br />While you must still see your dentist for general oral hygienics, if what you are after is only to translate your spotted teeth into set of fascinating white set, it is advocated you use home teeth whitening remedies and kits which are very low-budget to achieved that perfect vibrant smile you wanted..<br /><br />Getting the perfect vibrant smile these days looks more and more essential. In an age where so much stress is put on physical appearance, some individuals are now trying to attempt flawlessness in their bodies as they try and exploit their beauty to the highest.<br /><br />Whitening teeth is one such step that has became increasingly common in the last few years. A relatively minor procedure, it can get a large affect on the aspects of an individual by positively refreshing up the face of the person, as well as amending confidence and self-esteem.<br /><br />Another few tips that anyone can apply to hold a vibrant smile that you want to think of to brush your teeth four to five times a day. Commonly this should be later every fundamental meal and a toothpaste of the fluoride form, like those offered by Colgate and Crest, should be applied, for better effects.<br /><br />Eat safe foods so as to make advantage of the nutrients they bear. Eating foods like oranges and strawberries that are natural teeth whiteners factors that help to have a vibrant smile, while carrots are showed to improve tooth enamel intensity level. In this way, whlile also creating a healthy set of teeth, you are too creating a respectable diet.<br /><br />Cut back on intake of external discoloration inducing drinks and minerals like coffee,tea,red wine and various soft drinks. These all result to plaque progress which in release results to tartar formation. When this takes place you will have no choice but to see, and pay a considerable fee to, a dentist.<br /><br />The clinical treatments and some natural teeth whiteners are available in the marketplace are the most everyday methods applied for producing your teeth lighter. But some do not tend to realize the value of natural teeth whiteners which are well ready and evidently less harmful than employing the chemicals on your teeth. There is no need to note that nearly all these natural resolutions for a natural teeth whiteners tolls very low out of pocket. Here is a few of them<br /><br />Utilizing Baking Soda<br /><br />It is one of the past methods applied for whitening teeth that will make the appealing smile that you have been wishing for. All you need to perform is to combine a little of baking soda with water to produce a paste solution. Apply this on your teeth during your regular brushing work. The catchy scene will be to check the correct heaviness and concentration for setting the mixture alike to the toothpaste.<br /><br />Lemon Juice with a Touch of Salt<br /><br />Lemon has forever been loved for stimulating special cleansing attributes. The combination of lemon juice with salt is determined to work as an impressive natural teeth whiteners and at very little cost. The advantage of trying such simple remedies for teeth whitening is that they are unhazardous and can be applied on the hypersensitive teeth also.<br /><br />Ability of the Orange Skin<br /><br />Orange skins can grant almost immediate whitening effects when they are scratched on any particular tooth for some time. Though the whitening effects will not be long-term, one can employ these impressive natural teeth whiteners for temporarily getting bright white teeth and an brilliant smiles. Salt is also an efficient cleanser and can be mixed with any of these natural teeth whiteners. As constantly, maintaining good teeth hygiene by brushing properly and rinsing off your mouth after meals will improve your outcomes.<br /><br />These are several tips that you can execute to achieve that vibrant smile that you needed Applying this natural teeth whiteners tips will surely give you a vibrant smile<br /><br />Brushing Your Teeth Regularly<br /><br />One of the standard instruments is a toothbrush. Brush your teeth by scrubbing it and make certain that you're not brushing it overly tough and only using a fair bristled brush. When brushing your teeth do the upwardly strokes on the lowest arch and downward strokes on the top arch to forbid losing gum lines, and stacking on tartar and plaque.<br /><br />Once A Day Flossing<br /><br />Flossing cuts tartar and plaque that gets our teeth to appear yellow. And Then, you need to make particular the floss leads right down between and underneath the gums and go in between every tooth in your mouth. Also, for individuals who hold big spaces between their teeth you can use things like a Sulcabrush to get into those spaces. It's a tiny brush with a pointy edge that aids make into the corners and chaps.<br /><br />See The Dentist Or Apply A Respectable Home Teeth Whitening Kit<br /><br />Professional dentists are still the optimum source when it gets to our teeth. Frequent visits to them would grant us the self-assurance to get your teeth cleansed and will as well help forbid that build up of plaque and tartar and help preserve a pleasant vibrant smile. However a visit to the dentist for the single cause of bleaching your teeth is proving less and less frequent with the coming of the such cheaper but just as competent solutions of natural teeth whiteners.<br /><br />While you must still see your dentist for general oral hygienics, if what you are after is only to translate your spotted teeth into set of fascinating white set, it is advocated you use home teeth whitening remedies and kits which are very low-budget to achieved that perfect vibrant smile you wanted..<br /><br />Getting the perfect vibrant smile these days looks more and more essential. In an age where so much stress is put on physical appearance, some individuals are now trying to attempt flawlessness in their bodies as they try and exploit their beauty to the highest.<br /><br />Whitening teeth is one such step that has became increasingly common in the last few years. A relatively minor procedure, it can get a large affect on the aspects of an individual by positively refreshing up the face of the person, as well as amending confidence and self-esteem.<br /><br />Another few tips that anyone can apply to hold a vibrant smile that you want to think of to brush your teeth four to five times a day. Commonly this should be later every fundamental meal and a toothpaste of the fluoride form, like those offered by Colgate and Crest, should be applied, for better effects.<br /><br />Eat safe foods so as to make advantage of the nutrients they bear. Eating foods like oranges and strawberries that are natural teeth whiteners factors that help to have a vibrant smile, while carrots are showed to improve tooth enamel intensity level. In this way, whlile also creating a healthy set of teeth, you are too creating a respectable diet.<br /><br />Cut back on intake of external discoloration inducing drinks and minerals like coffee,tea,red wine and various soft drinks. These all result to plaque progress which in release results to tartar formation. When this takes place you will have no choice but to see, and pay a considerable fee to, a dentist.<br /><br />The clinical treatments and some natural teeth whiteners are available in the marketplace are the most everyday methods applied for producing your teeth lighter. But some do not tend to realize the value of natural teeth whiteners which are well ready and evidently less harmful than employing the chemicals on your teeth. There is no need to note that nearly all these natural resolutions for a natural teeth whiteners tolls very low out of pocket. Here is a few of them<br /><br />Utilizing Baking Soda<br /><br />It is one of the past methods applied for whitening teeth that will make the appealing smile that you have been wishing for. All you need to perform is to combine a little of baking soda with water to produce a paste solution. Apply this on your teeth during your regular brushing work. The catchy scene will be to check the correct heaviness and concentration for setting the mixture alike to the toothpaste.<br /><br />Lemon Juice with a Touch of Salt<br /><br />Lemon has forever been loved for stimulating special cleansing attributes. The combination of lemon juice with salt is determined to work as an impressive natural teeth whiteners and at very little cost. The advantage of trying such simple remedies for teeth whitening is that they are unhazardous and can be applied on the hypersensitive teeth also.<br /><br />Ability of the Orange Skin<br /><br />Orange skins can grant almost immediate whitening effects when they are scratched on any particular tooth for some time. Though the whitening effects will not be long-term, one can employ these impressive natural teeth whiteners for temporarily getting bright white teeth and an brilliant smiles. Salt is also an efficient cleanser and can be mixed with any of these natural teeth whiteners. As constantly, maintaining good teeth hygiene by brushing properly and rinsing off your mouth after meals will improve your outcomes.<br /><br />These are several tips that you can execute to achieve that vibrant smile that you needed Applying this natural teeth whiteners tips will surely give you a vibrant smile<br /><br />Brushing Your Teeth Regularly<br /><br />One of the standard instruments is a toothbrush. Brush your teeth by scrubbing it and make certain that you're not brushing it overly tough and only using a fair bristled brush. When brushing your teeth do the upwardly strokes on the lowest arch and downward strokes on the top arch to forbid losing gum lines, and stacking on tartar and plaque.<br /><br />Once A Day Flossing<br /><br />Flossing cuts tartar and plaque that gets our teeth to appear yellow. And Then, you need to make particular the floss leads right down between and underneath the gums and go in between every tooth in your mouth. Also, for individuals who hold big spaces between their teeth you can use things like a Sulcabrush to get into those spaces. It's a tiny brush with a pointy edge that aids make into the corners and chaps.<br /><br />See The Dentist Or Apply A Respectable Home Teeth Whitening Kit<br /><br />Professional dentists are still the optimum source when it gets to our teeth. Frequent visits to them would grant us the self-assurance to get your teeth cleansed and will as well help forbid that build up of plaque and tartar and help preserve a pleasant vibrant smile. However a visit to the dentist for the single cause of bleaching your teeth is proving less and less frequent with the coming of the such cheaper but just as competent solutions of natural teeth whiteners.<br /><br />While you must still see your dentist for general oral hygienics, if what you are after is only to translate your spotted teeth into set of fascinating white set, it is advocated you use home teeth whitening remedies and kits which are very low-budget to achieved that perfect vibrant smile you wanted..<br /><br />Getting the perfect vibrant smile these days looks more and more essential. In an age where so much stress is put on physical appearance, some individuals are now trying to attempt flawlessness in their bodies as they try and exploit their beauty to the highest.<br /><br />Whitening teeth is one such step that has became increasingly common in the last few years. A relatively minor procedure, it can get a large affect on the aspects of an individual by positively refreshing up the face of the person, as well as amending confidence and self-esteem.<br /><br />Another few tips that anyone can apply to hold a vibrant smile that you want to think of to brush your teeth four to five times a day. Commonly this should be later every fundamental meal and a toothpaste of the fluoride form, like those offered by Colgate and Crest, should be applied, for better effects.<br /><br />Eat safe foods so as to make advantage of the nutrients they bear. Eating foods like oranges and strawberries that are natural teeth whiteners factors that help to have a vibrant smile, while carrots are showed to improve tooth enamel intensity level. In this way, whlile also creating a healthy set of teeth, you are too creating a respectable diet.<br /><br />Cut back on intake of external discoloration inducing drinks and minerals like coffee,tea,red wine and various soft drinks. These all result to plaque progress which in release results to tartar formation. When this takes place you will have no choice but to see, and pay a considerable fee to, a dentist.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4089285783998828122?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-23688583680501884602009-08-31T23:03:00.000-07:002009-08-31T23:08:53.677-07:00<div class="KonaBody"><p>It is true treating pimples needs both patience and persistence, but sometimes time is the thing you are short of. You desperately need them off your face at any cost; the world seems almost cruel otherwise. You almost feel like tearing your hair out thinking of how to get rid of pimples overnight and it is for situations like these that there are over the counter drugs and ointments.</p> <p>However, just using medicines will not relieve you of the pimples, there are rules you have to follow to make it work out right. There are Dos and Do nots and always remember some things are better left alone, messing with them is not advisable. For example, if you think the easiest way out of your ordeal would be to pop your zits, you are definitely wrong.</p> <p>Most of the time, overnight pimple cures are just an overblown phrase because an overnight cure for pimples is almost impossible to devise without a change in your lifestyle. Especially if you are used to having a stressful life and you have a biased diet. Try to make it a balanced one including food that would also make it into a cleansing diet. Talking of cleansing, there is no substitute for water, thus make drinking 8-10 glasses of water each day a part of your daily routine.</p> <p>Tips for overnight cure</p> <p>Some home remedies however can rid you of pimples sometimes overnight and even if not overnight by not more than half a day.</p> <p>You could use the white of an egg to dab on your pimple. Once left on for around 20 minutes it usually helps and dries up the pimple. Another unique method would be to apply toothpaste; preferably not the gel type on the pimple and it has the same effect.</p> <p>Cleaning the skin is an essential part of curing pimples and the cleaning needs special care when you need to cure pimples overnight. If you wash your face with a soap enriched with aloe vera it can help you immensely. You could also try cleaning your skin with apple cider vinegar, or a more simple remedy would be to clean it with lemon juice.</p> <p>Before you start any pimple remedy, you must be sure that the acne is not caused due to an allergic reaction to any food or cosmetics. The cure could otherwise have an adverse effect on the acne.</p> <p>Your skin is unique and different from everyone else's and therefore you should remember that what works for someone else might not work for you and vice versa. Therefore, it would be advisable if you try out the different methods beforehand to know which one suits you. </p> <p>You could also pay your family physician a visit, who might just as well recommend you to a dermatologist. Both the doctor and the dermatologist might have ideas that would truly rid you of that pimple overnight.</p> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2368858368050188460?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-18485309496893868172009-08-31T22:05:00.000-07:002009-08-31T22:09:20.350-07:00<div class="KonaBody">Most times, when people talk about <span class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;color:#009900;" ><span class="kLink" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 153, 0); color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; padding-bottom: 1px; background-color: transparent;">Baby </span><span class="kLink" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 153, 0); color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; padding-bottom: 1px; background-color: transparent;">Care</span></span><span style="position: relative;" id="preLoadWrap0"><div style="position: absolute; z-index: 4000; top: -32px; left: -18px; display: none;" id="preLoadLayer0"><img style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://kona.kontera.com/javascript/lib/imgs/grey_loader.gif" /></div></span></span> Tips is what they mean <span class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;color:#009900;" ><span class="kLink" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 153, 0); color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; padding-bottom: 1px; background-color: transparent;">health </span><span class="kLink" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 153, 0); color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; padding-bottom: 1px; background-color: transparent;">care</span></span><span style="position: relative;" id="preLoadWrap1"><div style="position: absolute; z-index: 4000; top: -32px; left: -18px; display: none;" id="preLoadLayer1"><img style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://kona.kontera.com/javascript/lib/imgs/grey_loader.gif" /></div></span></span> advice for the <span class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;color:#009900;" ><span class="kLink" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 153, 0); color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static; padding-bottom: 1px; background-color: transparent;">baby</span></span><span style="position: relative;" id="preLoadWrap2"><div style="position: absolute; z-index: 4000; top: -32px; left: -18px; display: none;" id="preLoadLayer2"><img style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://kona.kontera.com/javascript/lib/imgs/grey_loader.gif" /></div></span></span>. Everyone has some personal wisdom to give the education of children of their days. They want to be sure that you benefit from their experience. This is not bad. Listen carefully, some of what they say is not appropriate for today.<br /><br />Many people still use Vasoline petroleum jelly for a variety of care needs for <span class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;color:#009900;" ><span class="kLink" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0) ! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; position: static;">babies</span></span></span>. Honestly, it did not kill us. But we know more on petroleum products now that when we made many of my brothers and sisters were babies. Today, petrochemicals are often not recommended for baby care. Your baby's skin is still developing. You can find much more gentle to the natural care products for babies.<br /><br />If you are a new parent and have never held a <strong>Baby</strong> before, be gentle. Give your baby a support from top to bottom. Your neck muscles of the baby are not strong enough to withstand the weight of its own yet, we should not let his head fall back. You can ask the public health care to the hospital if you're not about to keep the child by the arms or feet by default.<br /><br />NEVER shake a baby. Even if you're frustrated because your baby will not stop crying. Especially in situations like that! Shake the results of your baby by giving her brain bashing in his skull. This may cause short-or long-term damage in terms of how the child was seriously injured. In addition, it will hurt your baby cries and large will follow, it is doomed to failure too. It is considered a form of child in danger today. This is obviously not fit to care for babies.<br /><br />When you put your baby to sleep, make sure you have slept on their backs. This will minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).. This simple piece of baby health care has saved many lives and much grief.<br /><br />Perhaps the <strong>Best care for babies</strong>, I can offer advice to provide a safe environment for your child, remember that they wiggle and squirm. Be sure there is food, water and shelter from the sun for her. Hold your baby as far as possible and provide the necessary data hygiene when cleaning its waste. Give your baby with love and gentleness and care of these bases and you have an excellent basis for the construction and the high sensitivity of infant care practices of health in your life.</div> <!--INFOLINKS_OFF--><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-1848530949689386817?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-5956867937726945282009-08-31T21:50:00.000-07:002009-08-31T21:58:25.452-07:00<p>The market these days is flooded with products promising to be the best baby skin care available. With so many companies and goods claiming to be the best, it is sometimes feels impossible to choose what really is the best. Some of the products that claim to help soothe babies' skin could in reality cause an infant to develop a rash or some other type of skin irritation. The chemicals that are found in most baby skin care items cause more harm than good, so it is better if parents move toward purchasing natural items when seeking out the best baby skin care products on the market.</p> <h2><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Back to the Basics</span></h2> <p>Trying to figure out what the best baby skin care products there are is a daunting task that parents must tackle in caring for their infant. The best move a parent can make is to seek out natural goods because that is the first step towards finding the products that are going to be the best for the baby. Avoiding items that contain things like petrochemicals is always wise because these are skin irritants that are found in many baby lotions and moisturizers and are definitely not the best baby skin care goods for sale.</p> <p>An increasing amount of health food stores as well as general drug stores are now carrying natural baby products so parents do not have to go out of their way to find them. Just because natural products are the best baby skin care items out there does not mean that they are extremely expensive. The growth in popularity of natural baby care products means that they are more reasonably priced.</p> <p>Oddly enough the lesser known a company is, the higher the likelihood that their products will be better for the baby. Small companies tend to have a stronger dedication to producing the best baby skin care items they can. Their products tend to be of a higher quality, containing only the finest natural ingredients. If the company is local that is even better because it allows parents to support local businesses while looking out for the well being of their child at the same time.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-595686793772694528?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-24133919058292987052009-08-31T20:54:00.000-07:002009-08-31T21:04:25.544-07:00<div class="content text"> <p>THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Hey! Thank you.</p> <p> AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can! </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Please have a<br />seat. This looks like a casual crowd; I'm going to -- (laughter) --<br />take off my jacket here. Let me begin by thanking Beth not just for<br />the great introduction, but for the unbelievable dedication that she<br />showed throughout the campaign, but more importantly almost now trying<br />to actually get some things done. </p> <p> I want to thank Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman. Where'd Debbie go?<br />(Applause.) I hear you were on a scooter. I want to see that at some<br />point. (Laughter.) That's pretty cool -- always stylish. (Laughter.) </p> <p> I want to acknowledge my great friend Tim Kaine, who joined us<br />earlier by phone, and is doing just a great job on behalf of not only<br />the people of Virginia but also on behalf of Democrats all across the<br />country. </p> <p> And to all of my Organizing for America volunteers, thank you so<br />much for your unbelievable dedication. It is good to be here.<br />(Applause.) </p> <p> It's great to be here with all of you because it reminds me of how<br />we got here in the first place. We're here because you believed that<br />after an era of selfishness and greed, that we could reclaim a sense of<br />responsibility and a sense that we have obligations to each other not<br />just here in Washington but all across the country. You believed that<br />instead of growing inequality, we could restore a sense of fairness and<br />balance to our economic life and create lasting growth and prosperity.<br />You believed that at a time of war and turmoil, we could stand strong<br />against our enemies, but also stand firmly for our ideals, and reach<br />out to the rest of the world and describe to them what America is about<br />and how we can forge together a world of common interests and common<br />concerns. </p> <p> That's the change that you believed in. That's why you worked so<br />hard, knocking on doors and making phone calls and hot sun and --<br />(laughter) -- cold winds and sometimes having doors slammed in your<br />faces -- (laughter) -- and your family members all saying, why are you<br />doing this, because this guy has no chance. (Laughter.) That's<br />something I'll never forget. </p> <p> But we all know that winning the election was just the beginning. I<br />said this election night, I said it at the inauguration, and somehow I<br />think maybe some people thought I was just fooling. I was serious.<br />Winning the election was just the start. Victory in an election wasn't<br />the change that we sought -- it had to manifest itself in the real<br />day-to-day lives of ordinary Americans all across the country. And I<br />know that folks like Beth and all of you at OFA have been working to<br />make that change, doing the same things you were doing during the<br />campaign -- going block by block, neighbor by neighbor, having doors<br />slammed in your faces, people telling you, why are you doing this; it<br />doesn't make any chance. </p> <p> But just so you don't lose heart as we enter into probably our<br />toughest fight, let's just recall what we've already gotten done. Not<br />one month into this administration, we responded to the worst financial<br />crisis since the Great Depression by putting in place a sweeping<br />economic recovery program that has already made an enormous difference<br />in people's lives. You've got millions of people who have unemployment<br />insurance and got COBRA so they could keep their health insurance, and<br />states who've been able to avoid layoffs of teachers and firefighters;<br />a tax cut for 95 percent of working families, a commitment we made<br />during the campaign that we have already fulfilled; thousands of people<br />being put back to work all across the country rebuilding our roads and<br />our bridges and our hospitals. </p> <p> As a consequence of everything that we did, just in that first<br />month, we've been able to see a stabilization of the financial system<br />where a lot of economists thought that we were going to be dipping into<br />a Great Depression. Obviously we're not out of the woods yet, but<br />we've taken steps to address the housing crisis and keep people in<br />their homes. We made some tough choices to keep the financial and the<br />automotive sectors from collapsing, which would have further shocked<br />our economy. </p> <p> That's on the economic side. In the meantime, we lifted the ban on<br />stem cell research; we expanded health insurance programs to 11 million<br />more children across the country. (Applause.) We passed a national<br />service bill that will give thousands of Americans opportunities to<br />serve. (Applause.) (Coughing.) I get all choked up just talking<br />about it. (Laughter.) </p> <p> We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- (applause) -- to make<br />sure that women are treated the same way as men. We passed legislation<br />to protect consumers from unfair rate hikes and abusive fees for credit<br />card companies, and some of those rules went into effect today.<br />(Applause.) We passed laws to protect our children from marketing by<br />tobacco manufacturers. We've prohibited torture. We've begun to leave<br />Iraq to its people. We've taken the fight to al Qaeda in Afghanistan<br />and Pakistan. We've rebuilt our military and we're restoring our<br />alliances and our standing the world. So not a bad track record.<br />(Applause.) </p> <p> Not a bad track record. We should be proud of what we've<br />accomplished. But we're not satisfied. And we should be confident but<br />not complacent. We've got more work to do, and we've got more promises<br />to keep. And one of those promises is to achieve quality, affordable<br />health care for every single American, and that is what we intend to do<br />-- (applause.) </p> <p> Now, we all know this has been an emotional debate. We've seen<br />tempers flare. Accusations have been hurled. And sometimes it seems<br />like one loud voice can drown out all the civil, sensible voices out<br />there. But remember one thing: Nothing is more powerful than millions<br />of voices calling for change. That's how we won this election. You<br />know this and that's why since OFA launched its health reform campaign<br />in June you've hosted 11,000 events in more than 2,500 towns in every<br />single state and every single congressional district, which is<br />remarkable. (Applause.) </p> <p> And of course, the TV cameras aren't there when you're doing all<br />this. (Laughter.) And when you notice that nobody is paying attention<br />to what you're doing, just remember we've been through this before.<br />Some of you were involved when we were in Iowa, 30 points down, and all<br />of Washington said, oh, it's over -- hand-wringing and angst and<br />teeth-gnashing. (Laughter.) And then last year just about this time,<br />you'll recall that the Republicans had just nominated their Vice<br />Presidential candidate, and everybody was -- the media was obsessed<br />with it, and cable was 24 hours a day, and "Obama's lost his mojo."<br />(Laughter.) You remember all that? (Laughter.) There's something<br />about August going into September -- (laughter) -- where everybody in<br />Washington gets all wee-weed up. (Laughter.) I don't know what it<br />is. (Laughter.) But that's what happens. </p> <p> But instead of being preoccupied with the polls and with the pundits<br />and with the cable chatter, what you guys consistently did was you just<br />kept on working steadily, deliberately, sensibly, knocking on doors,<br />talking to people, talking to your co-workers, just giving people the<br />facts, explaining to them a vision of how we're going to move forward.<br />And that's what we're going to have to do today, because we're going to<br />have to cut through a lot of nonsense out there, a lot of absurd claims<br />that have been made about health insurance reform. </p> <p> There was a poll done -- some of you may have seen -- Wall Street<br />Journal/NBC poll. It turns out that a huge proportion of the American<br />people are convinced, A, that somehow health reform means illegal<br />immigrants are going to get health care; B, that it's a government<br />takeover of health care; C, that all the money is going to be funding<br />abortions; D, that -- what's the other one? Death panels, that we're<br />all going to be, you know, pulling the plug on Grandma. </p> <p> Now, come on. (Laughter and applause.) We can have a -- we can<br />have a real debate because health care is hard, and there are some<br />legitimate issues out there that have to be sorted through and worked<br />on, as Debbie talked about. But what we're going to have to do is to<br />cut through the noise and the misinformation, and the best ambassadors<br />for true information, factual information, is all of you. You have<br />more credibility than anybody on television when it comes to your<br />family members and your friends and your neighbors. And that's why you<br />being involved is so important. </p> <p> Now, I don't have to explain to you why it's so important to pass<br />health reform for the 46 million people who don't have health<br />insurance. But it's just as important that Americans who do have<br />health insurance, which are the majority of Americans, that they<br />understand what health reform means for them. So let me just make sure<br />I try to give you some bullet points here, because right now the system<br />works very well for the insurance companies but it doesn't work so well<br />for the American people. </p> <p> First, no matter what you've heard, if you like your doctor, you can<br />keep your doctor under the reform proposals that we've put forward. If<br />you like your private health insurance plan, you can keep it. If your<br />employer provides you health insurance on the job, nobody is talking<br />about messing with that. </p> <p> If you don't have health insurance, we do intend to provide you<br />high-quality, affordable options. And that, by the way, is not just<br />poor people who don't have health insurance -- in fact, a lot of poor<br />Americans have health insurance under Medicaid. Mostly it's working<br />Americans who don't have health insurance on the job, or it's<br />self-employed Americans, or it's small business owners, or people who<br />work for small businesses who don't have health insurance. And what we<br />want to do is to give them a menu of options that they can choose from,<br />and then a little bit of help in terms of making their premiums more<br />affordable. </p> <p> So that is absolutely critical. Now, one of the options we want to<br />provide them is a public option, and there's been -- this has been a<br />confusion around this -- (applause) -- there's been a lot of confusion<br />about this, so let me just clarify. I think a public option is<br />important. And let me explain why. </p> <p> We're going to have a marketplace where people can select the<br />options that work best for them, the insurance plan that works best for<br />them. A lot of those choices, the overwhelming majority of those<br />choices, will be private insurance options, just like members of<br />Congress have -- they're allowed to choose from various proposals or<br />various plans that are part of the federal employees' health plan. </p> <p> But what we do think is if we have a public option in there, that<br />can help keep insurers honest; it can provide a benchmark for what an<br />affordable basic plan should look like. And so even though we've got a<br />whole bunch of insurance regulations that ensure that any private<br />insurer that's participating in the exchange is giving you a fair deal,<br />this is sort of like the belt-and-suspenders concept -- it means that<br />not only do they have to abide by these regulations, but they also have<br />to compete with somebody whose interest is not just profit but instead<br />is interested in making sure that the American people get decent care. </p> <p> Now, having said that -- (applause) -- having said that, I want<br />everybody to be clear that the public option is just one option. It<br />will be voluntary. Nobody is talking about you having to be in the<br />public option. Only -- the only thing that we're talking about is this<br />being available to you as a choice, expanding consumer choice. And we<br />think that's a good idea. </p> <p> Now, there are a whole bunch of other aspects to health insurance<br />reform, though, that people have to understand. We want to make sure<br />that, for example, insurance companies can't prevent you from getting<br />health insurance because of a preexisting condition. That will be the<br />law whether you're in the health insurance exchange or you're just<br />keeping the insurance that you already have. You should be able to<br />keep it regardless of preexisting condition. You should be able to<br />purchase it. There shouldn't be lifetime caps or yearly caps where you<br />bump up against it and suddenly you've got huge out-of-pocket costs<br />that drive you into bankruptcy. We've got to make sure that there are<br />basic consumer protections on that. </p> <p> You should be able to keep your health insurance if you get sick or<br />you lose your job or you change jobs. And all too often what happens<br />is when you need insurance most, that's when the insurers decide to<br />drop you. And we've got to make sure that that is against the law.<br />And that's part of what health insurance reform is all about. </p> <p> So it's going to bring down skyrocketing costs, it's going to save<br />families money, it's going to save businesses money, and it's going to<br />save government money. We are going to make Medicare more efficient,<br />guaranteeing today's seniors better benefits than they have right now.<br />We're going to make sure that that doughnut hole in the middle of their<br />prescription drug plan, that that doughnut hole is closed, because we<br />want to make sure that seniors who are already living on fixed incomes<br />during difficult times aren't having to dig even deeper to increase<br />drug company profits. </p> <p> So I just want everybody to understand that in addition to providing<br />health insurance for people who don't have it, even if you have health<br />insurance, you've got a stake in this debate. Fourteen thousand people<br />are losing their health insurance every single day. Millions of people<br />all across the country are vulnerable to exclusions because of things<br />like preexisting conditions. Millions of Americans have experienced<br />the fact that premiums have gone up three times faster than inflation<br />and faster than incomes. </p> <p> And if we go at the pace that we're going right now, there are going<br />to be a whole lot of families who make the decision that they can't<br />afford health insurance because the costs are simply unsustainable. </p> <p> And if you're a deficit hawk, then you should be especially<br />concerned about passing health care reform, because at the pace we're<br />on right now, Medicare is going to run out of money in eight years. It<br />won't be totally broke, but it will be in the red, because the costs<br />are going up a lot faster than the money that's coming in. </p> <p> So when you're talking to seniors out there, tell them, number one,<br />nobody is talking about cutting their benefits. Talk to them about the<br />fact that, by the way, Medicare is already a government program --<br />(laughter and applause) -- so when people say, "Keep government out of<br />our health care," make sure they know that Medicare is a government<br />program. But also explain to them that part of what we want to do is<br />strengthen the program so that it's going to be there over the long<br />haul. We don't want a situation in which Medicare runs short of money<br />because we did not make the changes that were needed early on. </p> <p> I am absolutely confident that we can get this done, but I want<br />everybody to remember, this has never been easy -- never been easy.<br />When FDR proposed Social Security, all across what was I guess the<br />equivalent of today's Internet, right -- (laughter) -- all the<br />newspapers and the radio shows and all that -- he was accused of being<br />a socialist. He was going to bring socialism to America. How dare he. </p> <p> When JFK and then Lyndon Johnson proposed Medicare, everybody<br />suggested, this is going to be a government takeover of health care;<br />it's going to destroy your relationship with your doctor. The same<br />arguments that are being made now have been made every time we've tried<br />to propose a significant change that ultimately made people more<br />secure, improved our health care, improved our quality of life. </p> <p> So we cannot be intimidated by some of these scare tactics. We have<br />to understand that there a lot of people who are invested in the status<br />quo and make a lot of money out of it. We've got to also understand<br />that people are understandably nervous and worried about any<br />significant changes when it comes to something as important as health<br />care, because it touches on your lives, it's very personal -- and so<br />they're more vulnerable to misinformation. </p> <p> And that's why what all of you do is so important, because people<br />trust you -- your neighbors, your friends, fellow community members --<br />they trust you. They know you. And if you are presenting the facts<br />clearly and fairly, I'm absolutely confident that we're going to win<br />this debate. But we're going to have a lot of work to do and I'm<br />grateful that you're willing to do it. Let's go get 'em. Thank you<br />very much, everybody. (Applause.) </p> <p> All right. Thank you. All right. </p> <p> MR. STEWART: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for taking time<br />out of your very busy schedule to talk to all of us, your supporters,<br />about this critical issue. I would just like to add, for folks who are<br />interested, either watching this at home or at work, you can sign up to<br />participate -- (laughter) -- or host a health care event right now by<br />entering your zip code. And for folks who are listening on the phone,<br />please go to BarackObama.com and sign up to participate or host an<br />event near you. </p> <p> Sir, we've collected thousands of questions from across the country,<br />and we're going to take three -- one from e-mail, one from the<br />telephone, and another one from Twitter -- and then we're going to open<br />it up to your volunteers here -- these are your best volunteers in the<br />area -- to have you call on them and ask questions there. </p> <p> So with the first question, Cindy. </p> <p> Q Good afternoon, Mr. President. Our first question comes from<br />Julia in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Julia writes: I am a volunteer<br />community organizer in Colorado. This summer our volunteers have<br />called 4,800 members of the community and gathered declarations of<br />support from over 2,600 people. The debate is really heating up. What<br />do you think is the most compelling argument we can make for health<br />reform? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, Cindy, if you're listening. I appreciate the question and the great work that you're doing. </p> <p> The first thing that you have to explain to folks when we're having<br />a discussion about health care is that the status quo is<br />unsustainable. Or another way of putting it, if you like what you have<br />now, unless we make some changes, you're not going to have exactly what<br />it is that you like. </p> <p> And the reason is because health care costs are going up so fast --<br />as I said, three times faster than wages; much faster than inflation in<br />every other area of life -- that it's going to gobble up a higher and<br />higher percentage of your income in terms of premiums and out-of-pocket<br />costs. More and more employers are going to say, we just can't afford<br />to provide you health insurance, or if we do, we're going to push more<br />and more costs onto you. </p> <p> You're going to lose more and more of your paycheck, even if you<br />don't know it. It turns out in the 1990s, wages and incomes<br />flatlined. And part of the reason was because a lot of the company<br />profits that normally would have gone to salary increases or wage<br />increases ended up being gobbled up by health care. </p> <p> So if you've got a private plan, you have something to worry about.<br />If you are on a public program like Medicare, you have something to<br />worry about because we're going to be running out of money. And so the<br />status quo is unsustainable. You've got to make sure that you explain<br />that to folks. It's not as if if we just stand still, everything is<br />going to be okay. </p> <p> Point number two is that if you don't have health insurance, we're<br />not forcing you to go into a government plan. We in fact just want to<br />set up a system similar to what members of Congress enjoy where you'd<br />have a menu of private insurance options, and we're just going to give<br />you a little bit of help so that you could afford the premiums. That's<br />all we're talking about. </p> <p> Now, one of the options will be a public option because we think<br />that potentially could be a better deal for consumers. But nobody is<br />going to force you into that option. It will, however, help keep the<br />private insurers honest because if they're charging a lot more --<br />higher profits, higher overhead, worst deal in terms of insurance --<br />then a lot of people will say, well, I might as well take advantage of<br />the public option. But it will be the choice of the individual.<br />That's the second thing to emphasize. </p> <p> The third thing to emphasize and probably the most important thing<br />to emphasize when you're talking to people about this -- because most<br />people have insurance, remember that. The people who don't have health<br />insurance, they're already in favor of reform. But most Americans have<br />health insurance. </p> <p> So the most important thing to describe to them is this will be a<br />set of consumer protections that provide you more safety and security.<br />You know that you will be provided for if you get sick, because what<br />we're going to do is we're going to say to insurance companies, you've<br />got to do certain things like admit people even if they've got<br />preexisting conditions. You can't hide under the fine print a lot of<br />terms that allow you to drop people when they get sick or exclude them<br />from care. </p> <p> In fact, the House bill actually has a provision that says insurance<br />companies, if they want to participate in the exchange, they can only<br />-- they can only charge 15 percent in profits and administrative<br />costs. The rest of the care has to go to actually making people well.<br />So that'll be a cost-control element. </p> <p> But the point is, is that all these forces taken together will help<br />people know that when they pay their premiums and they've got health<br />insurance, that in fact it's there when they need it, and that they can<br />count on it, and they're not going to be jerked around. </p> <p> And over time, because of the cost-savings measures that we're<br />putting in place -- for example, making sure that prevention and<br />wellness is covered -- we're actually going to reduce the costs of<br />health care overall over the long term. And that's going to be equally<br />important because eventually that's going to show up in your paychecks<br />in lower premiums, because right now Americans are paying $5,000 to<br />$6,000 more per person in health care costs than any other advanced<br />nation. So not only do these other countries have universal care, but<br />they're paying $5,000 to $6,000 less per person. We're not getting a<br />good deal. (Laughter.) </p> <p>And so nobody is talking about a government takeover of health care.<br />We are talking about making sure that people are getting a good deal<br />for the premiums that they're already paying. </p> <p> And I think that argument, most of the time, will win the day. I<br />was just on a conservative talk show this morning -- or this afternoon,<br />and a woman called in and she said, you know, I have to admit that I'm<br />glad you explained how this public option works because I thought your<br />whole plan was just the public option. </p> <p> A lot of people just have a lot of misinformation, partly because,<br />let's face it, health care is complicated and, you know, it's subject<br />then to a lot of misinformation out there. And that's why your efforts<br />are so important. </p> <p> So thank you, Cindy, wherever you are. </p> <p> MR. STEWART: All right. Thank you, Mr. President. We have our<br />second question. And our second question comes from the telephone. </p> <p> Q Our second question comes from a caller over the phone. Connie<br />Lind (ph) is a volunteer leader from Florida. Go ahead, Connie. </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Connie, can you hear me? </p> <p> Q Good afternoon, Mr. President. </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Connie. </p> <p> Q Hi, Mr. President. Good afternoon. I'd like to thank you for<br />taking my question. My name is Connie Lind (ph) and I live in<br />Florida. I live in Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz's district.<br />(Laughter and applause.) I'm a retired health care administrator. I<br />was a neighborhood team leader during your campaign. And now I'm the<br />new OFA community organizer. My question, sir: Are we winning support<br />from members of Congress? Do you think we're making a difference, sir? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, the fact is, you've already got one of<br />the best members of Congress, so if you talk to her you're kind of<br />preaching to the choir -- especially since she's sitting here right<br />now. (Laughter.) But can I just say that even if you live in a<br />strongly Democratic district where there's a strong progressive member<br />of Congress who's already in favor of health care reform, convincing<br />people more broadly about the need for reform still makes a difference,<br />because, unfortunately, Washington is obsessed with the snap poll; they<br />are obsessed with what is played on talk radio or what's said at a town<br />hall meeting. You can have 20 really civil, sensible town hall<br />meetings, but if there's one where somebody is screaming, you know<br />which one is going to get on television. </p> <p> And so every single person that you talk to whose mind is changed is<br />going to make a difference. And in your congressional district, I<br />think Debbie would confirm there are a lot of senior citizens. Seniors<br />right now are the most worried of any population group about health<br />reform. They are the ones who are most nervous. And it's<br />understandable, A, because seniors need more health care than anybody<br />else, and they already have good health care under Medicare. And so<br />their general attitude is, I don't want change; I just want to make<br />sure that you're not taking away what I already have. </p> <p> And that's why it's so important to emphasize to seniors, Connie,<br />that you're talking to that we are not reducing benefits under<br />Medicare; that we think Medicare is a sacred trust. In fact, part of<br />what we want to do is strengthen Medicare by closing the doughnut hole<br />that is making prescription drugs really costly for those who need<br />prescription drugs most, and by extending the life of the Medicare<br />trust fund over time, because right now we are spending money on things<br />like subsidies to profitable insurance companies. About $17 billion a<br />year is taken out of Medicare to pay to insurance companies who are<br />already making a big profit without any competitive bidding whatsoever<br />because they're running a portion of Medicare called Medicare Advantage. </p> <p> Now, if we just have them compete, have them bid for participation,<br />even if you still included them as a potential provider, that alone<br />would save us $17 billion a year. And that would extend the life of<br />the Medicare trust fund. </p> <p> So you've really got to emphasize, I think, to seniors that, number<br />one, nobody is talking about messing with your Medicare benefits; and<br />number two, reminding seniors that, at the same time, you've got kids<br />or you've got grandkids -- they need to make sure that they've got the<br />same security that Medicare provides seniors. There are a lot of<br />people who are 50, don't yet -- in their mid-50s right now, don't<br />qualify for Medicare, may have lost their job that used to provide<br />health care. It is almost impossible for some of them to get health<br />care because they've already had maybe a heart attack, maybe they've<br />had an incident of cancer, maybe they've had some sort of other<br />preexisting condition that makes insurers want to shy away from them.<br />Their attitude is, no, we'll take the young, healthy ones, and that way<br />we never have to pay out and we make more profit. And that's part of<br />what we want to change, as well, and you've just got to remind seniors<br />that there are a lot of their family members who deserve the same kind<br />of security that they have. Nobody is talking about taking away their<br />security. We just want to expand that security to more people. </p> <p> Okay, great question, Connie. Next question. </p> <p> MR. STEWART: Cindy. </p> <p> Q Our third question comes from Brandy, an OFA summer organizer<br />in Phoenix, Arizona, who submitted her question over Twitter. She<br />writes: There are too many lies about health insurance reform -- death<br />panels, rationing, you name it. Where are these lies from? I want<br />people to know the truth. </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, we know where these lies are coming<br />from, I mean -- (laughter.) I mean, I don't think it's any secret. If<br />you just flick channels and then stop on certain ones -- (laughter and<br />applause) -- then you'll see -- you know, you'll see who's propagating<br />this stuff. </p> <p> I said during the campaign that the best offense against lies is the<br />truth. And so all we can do is just keep on pushing the truth. The<br />truth is, there's no plan that has ever been considered under health<br />care reform in Congress that covers illegal immigrants. Nobody has<br />proposed that. And yet, a huge percentage believe that that's the<br />case. So, anybody listening right now, let's dispel that myth. </p> <p> There are no plans under health reform to revoke the existing<br />prohibition on using federal taxpayer dollars for abortions. Nobody is<br />talking about changing that existing provision, the Hyde Amendment.<br />Let's be clear about that. It's just not true. </p> <p> Let's be clear about the fact that nobody has proposed anything<br />remotely close to a government takeover of health care. None of the<br />plans that are out there, the most liberal, progressive plans that have<br />come forward and come out of committee -- all of them presume that if<br />you've got private health insurance, you can keep your health<br />insurance. Nobody is talking about getting between you and your doctor<br />and interfering with that relationship. </p> <p> What we have said is we don't want government bureaucrats<br />interfering in that relationship. We also don't want insurance company<br />bureaucrats interfering with that relationship. (Applause.) </p> <p> The death panel idea -- the genesis of this -- I mean, this is an<br />interesting example of sort of tracing how misinformation spreads.<br />There was a provision in the House bill that very sensibly said, you<br />know, a lot of people towards the end of their life, they haven't<br />prepared with things like a living will, they don't understand what<br />their options are in terms of hospice, and we should reimburse people<br />if they want that counseling. Voluntarily. If they want it, that's<br />something that Medicare should reimburse for. It shouldn't just be<br />wealthy people who get good counseling and information about how to<br />handle their affairs during a very difficult time. </p> <p> So that voluntary provision that permits reimbursement, which, by<br />the way, Republicans had supported previously -- this was previously<br />considered a bipartisan concept -- a Republican senator, former<br />Republican House member, introduced a even -- a much more aggressive<br />bill on this issue in the prescription drug bill passed by the<br />Republican members of Congress; they had a similar provision for<br />terminally ill patients. So this used to be just a sensible thing that<br />everybody could agree to -- suddenly became death panels, and scared --<br />scared Grandma. (Laughter.) And it's just irresponsible. </p> <p> And I have to say, part of the reason it spreads is the way<br />reporting is done today. If somebody puts out misinformation, "Obama's<br />Creating Death Panels," then the way the news report comes across is:<br />"Today such-and-such accused President Obama of putting forward death<br />panels. The White House responded that that wasn't true." And then<br />they go on to the next story. And what they don't say is, in fact it<br />isn't true. (Laughter and applause.) </p> <p> I mean, there's never any -- I just -- you know, it's fine to have a<br />debate back and forth -- he said, she said -- except when somebody else<br />is just not even telling remotely the truth. Then you should say in<br />your reports, oh, and by the way, that's just not true. (Laughter.) </p> <p> But that doesn't happen often enough. And that's why it's so<br />important that all of you deliver that message, and you've got to be<br />able to back it up. And all of you are receiving materials where it's<br />not just us saying this. I mean, these are third-party validators who<br />are out there and can set the facts straight. And when people get the<br />facts and you show them, then most people will end up being persuaded. </p> <p> Not everybody. There are going to be some people who -- look, there<br />are some people who, for partisan reasons, just want to see this go<br />down because they see this -- they see a replay of 1993 -- you know, if<br />we can beat a health care bill like we did with Bill Clinton, then<br />we'll be able to take over the House, you know, next year. There's<br />some of that. </p> <p> And then there are some people who just ideologically, they just<br />don't believe in government getting involved in anything. And that's a<br />respectable position. I mean, there's a long American tradition of<br />saying, government, just leave me alone and get off my back. And those<br />folks are consistent and they were critical of Bush when he got<br />involved in government, and they're critical of me, in terms of being<br />-- believing that government can do some good. And I think there you<br />can have a honest, philosophical debate, and they're just not going to<br />agree with it. </p> <p> But the majority of Americans understand we don't want government in<br />all our business, but there are certain sensible reforms that we can<br />pass so that consumers are protected, so that the market is working the<br />way it should, so that the American people are getting a fair deal.<br />Those are the people that we're trying to persuade. And I think if the<br />majority of the people have the facts, then in fact they will be on our<br />side. Okay? </p> <p> All right. Next question. Now we can just go to the audience members here, and we'll start with this gentleman right here. </p> <p> Q Mr. President, I'm Charles Cuttle (ph), I'm from North<br />Carolina, and thank you for turning North Carolina blue. (Applause.)<br />It's been a long time. I have two wonderful children and I have four<br />beautiful grandchildren. And so I'm working for them and I'm working<br />for people who, unlike me, don't have health insurance -- it's<br />unconscionable. </p> <p> Now, you've been outrageously good -- (laughter) -- let me be clear<br />-- in trying to get a bipartisan bill through this Congress and you've<br />got three wonderful Republicans willing to stand with you. But America<br />needs this to happen and you know that. So where are we going to go<br />from here? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me -- we don't know yet whether we've got<br />any Republican support. We've got three Republicans who've been<br />working very diligently. Charles Grassley, Mike Enzi, and Olympia Snowe<br />have been working in the Senate Finance Committee with Max Baucus, the<br />Senate Finance Chairman, a Democrat, to see if we can craft a<br />bipartisan bill coming out of the Senate Finance Committee. I give<br />those three Republicans a lot of credit because they're under enormous<br />pressure not to engage in any kind of negotiations at all. And in the<br />current political climate, they are showing some significant resolve. </p> <p> I don't know if in the end they can get there. I hope they can.<br />And we're going to just continue to wait to see if they can get a<br />product done. But at some point in the process, there's going to have<br />to be a conclusion that either they can get a bill done or they can't<br />get a bill done. And my commitment to the American people is to get a<br />good product -- which will include Republican ideas -- but I have no<br />control over what the other side decides is their political strategy.<br />And my obligation to the American people says we're going to get this<br />done one way or another. (Applause.) </p> <p> All right. I'm going to -- you guys have been to my town hall<br />meetings so you know I always go boy, girl, boy, girl. (Laughter.)<br />Q Good afternoon, Mr. President. My name is Teresa McRae (ph), and<br />I am from Virginia, another state that flipped from red to blue.<br />(Applause.) I live in Spotsylvania County and it's a rural county, but<br />when I talk to people as a community organizer for OFA, it all comes<br />down to money. And I may suggest, well, there's long-term benefits and<br />quality health care, but they come back to me and say, well, what's<br />going to stop people from being in their employer-based health care and<br />just quickly move over into the government health care, and who's going<br />to pay for it? What do I say? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Well, it's a great question. There are a<br />couple of issues involved here. The first issue is, how are we paying<br />for health care reform generally? Now, one thing that's very important<br />to remind people, because you notice there's been a talking point from<br />opponents -- "trillion-dollar health care bill" -- they love repeating<br />that -- "trillion-dollar health care bill." </p> <p> First of all, it's important to remind people that when they say<br />"trillion dollars," they're talking about over 10 years. So this --<br />we're talking about $100 billion a year -- which is still a significant<br />amount of money -- but just to give you a sense of perspective, I mean,<br />the amount of money that we're spending in Iraq and Afghanistan is --<br />what's the latest figure, Debbie? You figure nine -- $8 billion to $9<br />billion a month, right? So for about the same cost per year as we've<br />been spending over the last five to six years, we could have funded<br />this health care reform proposal -- just to give you a sense of<br />perspective. That's point number one. </p> <p> Point number two. About two-thirds of the costs are actually going<br />to be paid for from money that's already in the health care system,<br />that taxpayers are already paying for, but is not a good deal. So it's<br />reallocating money that's being wasted right now -- taxpayer money<br />that's being wasted right now, and using it in a way that actually<br />makes people healthier. That's point number two. </p> <p> So remember I told you about those subsidies that we're providing to insurance companies? That's an example. </p> <p> Another example is, the way we reimburse hospitals right now, we<br />don't incentivize hospitals to get their patients the best treatment<br />the first time out, because if a patient is immediately readmitted,<br />well, we just pay them the same rate as they were the first time. </p> <p> Now, think about if your car needed repairs, and you sent it in and<br />got it fixed -- you thought. A week later the same thing breaks down.<br />When you went back to the auto shop, you'd probably want them to give<br />you a little discount on fixing it the second time. </p> <p> But we don't do that right now with respect to hospitals. And those<br />are the kinds of changes that we can make that would pay for about<br />two-thirds of the cost of health reform. </p> <p> That leaves one-third -- and we do have to pay for that. I actually<br />think that we're going to get even more savings with prevention and<br />wellness, but unfortunately we can't count that. It's not, in<br />congressional lingo, "scoreable." We can't -- nobody gives us credit<br />for it because it's not -- it's not provable how much money we'd save<br />on those things, even though everybody understands that the investment<br />we're making in prevention and wellness and health IT are going to make<br />a difference. </p> <p> So a third of it we're going to have to pay for. And what I've<br />proposed was that we would pay for it by having people over $250,000 a<br />year have their itemized deductions go to the same rate as everybody<br />else's -- 28 percent. Right now they get more because their marginal<br />tax rates are a little bit higher. And if we just went back to their<br />deductions that existed under Ronald Reagan, that radical -- (laughter)<br />-- then we could pay for all of the health care reform that we're<br />talking about. </p> <p> Now, there are other ideas that are being floated out there both in<br />the House and the Senate. But the bottom line is what we're really<br />talking about is about $30 billion to $40 billion a year that we've got<br />to come up with. And I am absolutely committed -- and you can say this<br />to people -- the President is absolutely committed to making sure that<br />that is not funded on the backs of middle-class families. We're trying<br />to help middle-class families and give them additional resources to get<br />health insurance. We're not trying to add to their tax burden, okay?<br />So that's very important. </p> <p> Now, there was another question that you asked, though, and that is,<br />how do I know that my employer is not just going to dump me into the<br />public plan? Well, there are actually provisions in the law that say<br />if your employer is already providing you with good health insurance,<br />then you can't just send your employee over into some sort of public<br />option. It's what's called a firewall. And so there are provisions to<br />prevent that kind of shift. </p> <p> Now, there are going to be a lot of employers, small business<br />owners, who immediately are going to qualify for signing up for the<br />health insurance exchange because right now they can't afford to<br />provide their health -- health insurance to their employees at all.<br />And we want to make sure that they are getting some help, partly<br />because small businesses, they don't have any purchasing power when it<br />comes to insurance companies. If you've only got five employees or 10<br />employees or 15 employees, and you go to an insurance company and say,<br />I want to get a good insurance policy, they're not going to give you a<br />great deal, compared to if Xerox shows up with its thousands of<br />employees. And so when a small business joins this plan, they are<br />going to be able to pool their purchasing power with all the small<br />businesses and individuals out there who don't currently have health<br />insurance, and that will help drive down cost. </p> <p> Okay. All right. Who's next? This gentleman right here. </p> <p> Q Thank you, Mr. President. My name is Michael Perlmutter. I'm<br />from Durham, North Carolina. I'm the co-chairperson of Durham for<br />Obama's health care committee. We have 11,000 members. </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Great. </p> <p> Q And all of my volunteers say the same thing -- they're behind<br />reduced cost, they're behind guaranteed choice, they're behind health<br />care for all. And they believe, and I believe, that the only way to do<br />this is to guarantee a public option available to anybody who wants<br />one. And my question is, if that's the solution that you believe in,<br />why aren't we pushing it harder? And if that's not the solution, what<br />other solutions out there would accomplish all three goals that you<br />have? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, it's a great question, and this is an example<br />of sort of a controversy that has been somewhat manufactured this<br />week. So let me just be clear: I continue to support a public option,<br />I think it is important, and I think it will help drive down costs and<br />give consumers choices. </p> <p> The only thing that we have said -- and this continues to be the<br />truth -- and I mean, sometimes you can fault me maybe for being honest<br />to a fault -- is that the public option is just one component of a<br />broader plan. So let's just talk -- let's just use the example of<br />making sure that insurance companies are treating their customers right. </p> <p> One way that we're doing this in this health reform bill is very<br />directly through insurance reforms. We're saying to them, you have to<br />take people with preexisting conditions, you cannot have caps on<br />lifetime expenses or yearly expenses that people bump up against and<br />suddenly have to pull out a lot of money out of pocket that they may<br />not have. So we're putting in place a whole bunch of insurance reforms<br />that regulate the behavior of insurance companies. </p> <p> Now, alongside that, if there's a public option that is also<br />offering a good deal to consumers, then the insurance companies have to<br />look over their shoulder and they say, gosh, you know, if the public<br />option is providing that good deal to consumers, then maybe we can't<br />just charge exorbitant rates and then mistreat our consumers. So it<br />gives them a benchmark from which to operate. </p> <p> Now, my point is, this is sort of like the belt-and-suspenders<br />concept, to keep up your pants. You know, the insurance reforms are<br />the belt. The public option can be the suspenders. And what we're<br />trying to just suggest to people is, is that all these things are<br />important, and that if the debate ends up being focused on just one<br />aspect of it, then we're missing the boat. </p> <p> If all we're talking about is the public option, then the 80 percent<br />of the American people who already have health insurance in the private<br />insurance market, they say to themselves, well, what's in it for me?<br />Their attitude will be, this is not relevant to me, and in fact they<br />start getting scared thinking, maybe what the public option means is<br />that you're going to force me to give up my current private insurer and<br />go into a public option. </p> <p> That's what those who are opposed to reform have been counting on,<br />is to try to twist the debate and feed into Americans' natural<br />suspicion about government and to use that to cloud the fact that right<br />now people are not getting a good deal from their insurance companies. </p> <p> So I just want to make sure that we're focusing on all the elements<br />of reform -- what will benefit people without health insurance, what<br />will benefit small businesses, what will benefit people who do have<br />health insurance -- so that we can build the largest coalition possible<br />to finally get this done. </p> <p> Okay. All right. Go ahead. Here, you got a mic right behind you. </p> <p> Q Thank you. Hello, Mr. President. I'm Katina Rojas Joy. I was a convention delegate. </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Good to see you. </p> <p> Q Prince George's County, Maryland. I have a two-part question.<br />One is choice -- the choice that we make to eat the foods that we eat<br />and the lifestyle that we choose to engage in. And the second part --<br />your family is very fit. What do you and the First Lady and the girls<br />do to encourage physical fitness, and what can we -- not the<br />government, not private corporations -- do to encourage activity in the<br />public school system and in young people? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, this is a great question. Look, this is an<br />interesting statistic. If we went back to the obesity rates that<br />existed back in the 1980s, the Medicare system over several years could<br />save as much as a trillion dollars. I mean, that's how much our<br />obesity rate has made a difference in terms of diabetes and heart<br />failure and all sorts of preventable diseases. </p> <p> And so what we want to do is to, first of all, in health care<br />reform, in the legislation, encourage prevention and wellness programs<br />by saying that any health care plan out there has to provide for free<br />checkups, prevention, and wellness care. That's got to be part of your<br />deal, part of your package. And that way nobody has got an excuse not<br />to go in and get a checkup. </p> <p> Now, even if we do all that -- and there are a lot of businesses out<br />there that on their own are already providing incentives to their<br />employees -- Safeway, for example, is a company that has given<br />financial incentives to employees to make sure that they are taking<br />care of themselves and getting regular checkups and mammograms and<br />colonoscopies and so forth, and it has saved them a lot of money in<br />terms of their premiums. So there's a financial incentive for a lot of<br />businesses to get in the business of prevention and wellness. </p> <p> But you're absolutely right that even if we've got legislation, even<br />if companies are encouraging it, part of what we also have to do,<br />though, is teach our children early the importance of health. And that<br />means that all of us have to, in our communities, in our places of<br />worship, in our school systems, encourage nutrition programs, provide<br />young people outdoor activities that give them exercise. Michelle and<br />I always talk about the fact, when we were kids during the summer, you<br />know, basically Mom just said, "see ya" after breakfast -- you were<br />gone. (Laughter.) You might run in, get some lunch, go back out. And<br />you wouldn't be back till dinner. And that whole time, all you're<br />doing is moving. </p> <p> Now, unfortunately, times have changed. Sometimes safety concerns<br />prevent kids from doing that. Sometimes a lot of kids just don't have<br />a playground. Little leagues may be diminished. That means that we as<br />adults in the community may have to provide more and more outlets for<br />young people to get the kind of exercise that they need. </p> <p> When it comes to food, one of the things that we are doing is<br />working with school districts, and the child nutrition legislation is<br />going to be coming up. We provide an awful lot of school lunches out<br />there and reimburse local school districts for school lunch programs.<br />Let's figure out how can we get some fresh fruits and vegetables in the<br />mix, because sometimes you go into schools and you know what the menu<br />is. You know, it's French fries, Tater Tots, hot dogs, pizza. Now,<br />that's what kids -- let's face it, that's what kids want to eat<br />anyway. So it's not just the school's fault. A, that's what kids may<br />want to eat; B, it turns out that that food is a lot cheaper because of<br />the distributions that we've set up. And so what we've got to do is to<br />change how we think about, for example, getting local farmers connected<br />to school districts, because that would benefit the farmers delivering<br />fresh produce, but right now they just don't have the distribution<br />mechanisms set up. </p> <p> So, you know, Michelle set up that garden in the White House. One<br />of the things that we're trying to do now is to figure out, can we get<br />a little farmer's market outside of the White House -- I'm not going to<br />have all y'all just tromping around -- (laughter) -- but right outside<br />the White House so that we can -- and that is a win-win situation. It<br />gives suddenly D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is<br />this enormous potential revenue maker for local farmers in the area.<br />And those kids of connections can be made all throughout the country<br />and has to be part of how we think about health. </p> <p> Okay. </p> <p> MR. STEWART: Sir, sir, we have time for one more question. </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: One more question. All right. This gentleman gets<br />the last question here. Here, you got a microphone right there. </p> <p> Q Thank you, Mr. President. Fred Smalls (ph), the city of<br />Laurel, Maryland. Mr. President, there is a large number of young<br />adults who are trying to figure out where they fall into the health<br />reform plan. Many of them are too old to be continued carrying on<br />their parents' insurance plan, yet they may be underemployed and cannot<br />afford good health care. How does your plan account for these young<br />people? </p> <p> THE PRESIDENT: Well, it's a great question. Look, first of all,<br />one of the things that we've proposed is to extend the number of years<br />that young people can stay on their parents' insurance plan, to 25 or<br />26. That then fills the gap between college, where typically they can<br />get health care, and those first few jobs they get. I remember my<br />first few jobs -- (laughter) -- and, you know, you're broke.<br />(Laughter.) And a lot of times they're not giving you any health<br />care. And if they do offer you health care, you're opting out of it<br />because you're trying to buy food, which you think is important for<br />your health. (Laughter.) So being able to stay on a parent's health<br />care plan a little bit later, until you've got a more stable job, that<br />can help pull in a whole lot of young people. </p> <p> Now, after that -- it turns out that young people are actually<br />relatively cheap to ensure. And so them being part of this pool, part<br />of the exchange where they can go directly and buy health insurance,<br />they will be able to get a premium that's priced comparable to if they<br />worked for a big company. Now, it's still going to cost them some<br />money. And there are going to be some young people out there who still<br />would opt -- you know, prefer, even if they can afford it, just not to<br />get health insurance. And this is where there are going to be some<br />young people who may be frustrated, because what we're going to tell<br />them is, you know what, we don't want to treat you in the emergency<br />room where everybody else has to subsidize you if you get hit by a<br />truck. So you are going to have to buy some minimal coverage, just<br />like you have to do with auto insurance, to make sure that at the very<br />least you're protected against some sort of catastrophic illness, and<br />that you're also able to get some regular checkups. But it will be<br />affordable based on a sliding scale based on their income. </p> <p> And then there are going to be hardship exemptions. There are going<br />to be some folks who fall in a different category. They may be a<br />little bit older. They're quite poor. But even with the subsidies,<br />they still just can't afford health insurance. And we may have to give<br />some hardship exemptions to folks like that, where basically we say to<br />you, okay, if you make -- you have the option of buying insurance at,<br />let's say, 10 percent of your income. But if you are just in such a<br />strapped situation that you just can't afford that, then you are<br />exempted, okay? </p> <p> So here is my closing message, everybody. The easiest thing to do<br />as a politician is to do nothing. You don't offend anybody. You say<br />all the right things. You don't rock the boat. Your poll numbers go<br />up. Everybody in Washington says, boy, that guy is a great<br />politician. Look at his poll numbers. (Laughter.) And you can get<br />away with doing that for years. But that's not why I came here. And<br />that's not why you worked so hard to win this election. You came here<br />because you knew that America can be a little fairer, a little more<br />just, a little more efficient. We can provide better health care<br />coverage; we can make sure that we use less foreign oil and develop<br />clean energy here in the United States; that we can make our school<br />system work for every child and not just some, and produce more<br />scientists and engineers that are going to be the key to unlocking a<br />21st-century economy. </p> <p> We understood that we're human, and government is a human<br />enterprise, so it's imperfect, but we can do better than we've been<br />doing. And this debate that we're having right now, this health care<br />debate, is a test to that proposition. There are a whole bunch of<br />folks in this town who were just waiting for this debate to take place<br />because the storyline they want to write about is, all the naïve,<br />idealistic folks -- "Change We Can Believe In," "Yes We Can" -- that<br />all their hopes were dashed, because this is a tough, cynical town, and<br />we are going to be able to show them that basically you can't get<br />anything done in this town. You can't change things. Everything<br />always immediately becomes partisan. Government is way too complicated<br />and Congress is way too paralyzed and the special interests are way too<br />powerful to bring about meaningful, big changes that help the American<br />people. </p> <p> That's the storyline they're operating on, but that's the storyline<br />we've been fighting against this entire time. From the day we<br />announced this race, we were fighting against that. And they have been<br />trying to write that story again and again and again. We are not going<br />to give up now. (Applause.) We are not going to give up now. We are<br />going to get this done, and show the American people that government<br />can work for them. </p> <p>Thank you, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.)</p> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2413391905829298705?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-58239626974190438862009-08-31T08:50:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:58:12.387-07:00<p>Each year, millions of babies are born and millions of people die. Yet, while we expect the beginning of life to go well, when it comes to the dying process we expect, and often settle, for the worst.</p> <p>In the 1950s most births took place in hospitals. Cesarean sections, epidurals and heavy doses of pain medication were the norm. Expectant fathers paced the halls away from the action. Women then began to feel that they were being denied the true experience of giving birth. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, they challenged the perception that childbirth needed to be treated as a sickness instead of a miracle. Now, decades later, expectant mothers have choices, and fathers participate in the birthing process.</p> <p>Today, people suffering from life-threatening illness face a situation similar to what expectant mothers faced in the 1950s. The end-of-life experience seems to spiral out of their control. In the 2006 Pennsylvania End-of-Life Background Report, families reported great dissatisfaction with the dying process, particularly in areas of pain management, social and financial burdens, and access to palliative care and hospice services.</p> <p>Research shows Pittsburghers are more likely to be hospitalized in the last year of life, spend more time in the ICU during their final hospitalization and spend more money than patients in other cities, even though studies show that there is no correlation between intensity of medical services, length of life, or patient and family satisfaction.</p> <p>The Jewish Healthcare Foundation is leading a charge to redefine quality care for patients with life-threatening illness by raising expectations and empowering the community to want, and demand, a different health-care experience. The goal is for people to redefine how they think about medicine's role in improving function, so that they can begin asking their doctors to do the "right things," instead of asking them to do "everything." In addition, people's end-of-life focus should shift from the last days of life, to the last period of living.</p> <p>For this to happen, the health-care system needs to change its "default" settings. Currently, there is a bias toward treatments that cure illness, sometimes without attention to care for those who cannot be cured. Providers focus more on tumor size and lab results, than on decreasing the burden of illness. We spend too much time treating the disease, rather than improving the lives of the patients with the disease. Changing this bias will require a new skill set for health-care providers, who will need to communicate with patients on a new level, and function both as skilled clinicians and sensitive healers.</p> <p>To catalyze this change, JHF has introduced Closure, an education, planning and outreach effort focused on end-of-life care. For more than a year, doctors, nurses, caregivers, hospice workers, clergy and long-term-care professionals have been sharing their experiences. The group has developed a series of recommendations:</p> <div class="story_text_subhead">Talk about it</div> <p>As uncomfortable as it is and whatever your age, begin discussing dying and diagnoses of serious illness with family members and health-care providers. While it makes sense to hope for the best, you should talk to your family about your goals if medical treatment doesn't help. Consider how you want to live out your life before you are in chaos and critically ill. Think about who will make decisions for you in the event you no longer can. Talk to them about what you want and what you want to avoid if your time becomes limited. The conversation should be ongoing and should eventually lead to the development of a living will, descriptive narrative or health-care proxy to clarify your wishes.</p> <div class="story_text_subhead">More training</div> <p>Health-care providers need better training in hospice and palliative care, and these services need to be utilized more often. In our region, only about 20 percent of those who die have been enrolled in hospice or palliative care. Yet research shows people who have used either service have indicated high rates of satisfaction. Palliative care specialists are not currently available in every hospital in Western Pennsylvania. They should be.</p> <p>Palliative care deals with the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of patients with life-threatening illnesses, and those of their loved ones. Palliative care is consistent with getting other potentially life-prolonging treatments. The cancer community often utilizes palliative care early in a patient's illness, but in other illnesses such as heart failure and Alzheimer's disease these specialists are rarely accessed.</p> <p>All hospitals need active palliative-care programs that are publicized and accessible to all patients, regardless of diagnosis. In addition, all health-care providers need basic competencies in core palliative-care skills, including treatment of pain, nausea and fatigue; delivery of bad news; discussion of patient goals, and bereavement support.</p> <div class="story_text_subhead">Change policies</div> <p>Create a social movement of patients, families and community leaders that demands a focus on care, not just cure. This movement would insist on changes in policy and practice to ensure clear communication about chances of survival, options for care and support for advance planning and decision-making that reflects patient values.</p> <p>In other cities that have looked carefully at the care of people with life-threatening illness, patients have less hospital and ICU stays and more days spent under hospice care in their last year of life. The cost of their care is lower by several thousand dollars per person. More importantly, patients have a better quality of life and experience no change in life expectancy. By spending smarter, we save money <em>and</em> improve care.</p> <p>The Institute to Enhance Palliative Care and the Coalition for Quality at the End-of-Life have been working to improve end-of-life care in our region. Their efforts prompted the governor's office to create the Task Force for Quality at the End-of-Life. But we need more.</p> <p>It's time patients with life-threatening illnesses and their families stopped weathering the grief of futile treatments and unrelieved suffering. The last period of living should be a fitting final chapter for patients and a positive experience for loved ones that enhances family connections and healing.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-5823962697419043886?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-40689659771270912252009-08-31T08:42:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:50:36.974-07:00Women suffer from various other problems and as if they were not enough, the biological problem which comes in the form of monthly discharge of impure blood from the body causes so much pain. <span id="more-6245"></span>Some women suffer more than the others do. <p>However, there are certain restrictions on food that can decrease the quantity of pain. Change your eating time table when you have this problem. Make your three meals into six small meals in a day, this <strong>increase your blood sugar</strong> and your mood will be cheerful or lifted. Make sure meals contain sufficient amount of calcium because its deficiency can <strong>aggravate your depression</strong> and you may even feel irritated. There will be instability in your mood and your mood swing will rise more.</p> <p>There are different range of consuming food and intake of per person according to the age. If you are 9 to 18 years, you must take 1300mg per day and if you are from 19 to 50, then you should be taking 1000mg per day. There is a limit that you must not exceed 2500mg per day. Your evening primrose contains <strong>gamma- linolenic acid </strong>and which your body can convert it into <strong>prostaglandins</strong>. This helps to regulate inflammation and pain.</p> <p>If you find that the above remedies are not enough, then go for chaste tree berry. The intake of this will decrease the pain. Besides, you can take capsules of vitamin B6, this although is not recommended every time but at certain case you can consult your doctor and eat. Apart from this one can go for <strong>vitamin E</strong>, it is proved to be helpful while reliving the pain. This you can take along with your diet itself. Take food which contains this vitamin. If you are a regular drinker, you need to avoid it for betterment of your health.</p> <p>Whenever, you have pain just keep in mind these routines to take foods.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4068965977127091225?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-37651973235369729722009-08-31T08:32:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:42:10.695-07:00<div class="msgBody"> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">The month of fasting has begun for muslims. Here are some health tips. </span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"></span> </p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">During Ramadan, the diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fibre containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>millet, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates).<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Fast-burning foods are foods that contain<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>carbohydrates).<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Fibre-containing foods are bran-containing<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>vegetables like green beans, peas, sem<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>especially dried apricots, figs and prunes,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>almonds, etc.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">The foods eaten should be well-balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Avoid</span><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Fried and fatty foods.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Foods containing too much sugar.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Over-eating especially at sehri.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Too much tea at sehri. Tea makes you pass<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>more urine taking with it valuable mineral<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>salts that your body would need during the day.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: teal; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Eat<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Haleem is an excellent source of protein and<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>is a slow-burning food.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Dates are excellent source of sugar, fibre,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Almonds are rich in protein and fibre with<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>less fat.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Bananas are a good source of potassium,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>magnesium and carbohydrates.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Drink<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">As much water or (freshly squeezed) fruit juices as possible<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>between iftar and bedtime so that your body<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>may adjust fluid levels in time.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Constipation<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Constipation can cause piles (haemorroids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: red">Causes</span></i><span tyle="COLOR: red">:</span> Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fibre<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>in the diet.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: blue">Remedy</span></i>: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, use bran<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>in baking, brown flour when making roti.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Indigestion And Gas<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: red">Causes</span></i>: Over-eating. Too much fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>foods that produce gas e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: blue">Remedy</span></i>: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods, add ajmor to gas-producing foods.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Lethargy ('low blood pressure')<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>tends to occur towards the afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: red">Causes</span></i>: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: blue">Remedy</span></i>: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadan. They<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>should consult their doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Headache<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: red">Causes</span></i>: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occur as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: blue">Remedy</span></i>: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganise your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Low Blood Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily,<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: red">Causes</span></i>: in non-diabetics Having too much sugar i.e. refined<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: blue">Remedy</span></i>: Eat something at sehri and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: green">Caution</span></i>: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Muscle Cramps<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: red">Causes</span></i>: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: blue">Remedy</span></i>: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Msonormal" tyle="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span tyle="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><i><span tyle="COLOR: green">Caution</span></i>: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone<span tyle="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>problems should consult their doctor.</span></p> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-3765197323536972972?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-79665261025576264272009-08-31T08:30:00.000-07:002009-08-31T08:32:46.370-07:00"Fast [the month of Ramadan] so that to heal your bodies from diseases," says a Hadith, or saying of the Prophet Mohammad (SAAW).<br />Weight gain could be seen as one of these diseases. However, to lose weight during Ramadan fasting must be done in a very careful manner. There are many ahadith that give us advice on how to eat healthy while fasting during Ramadan. However, people often forget these healthy eating habits during Ramadan. Ironically, as well, there are more "eating traps" during Ramadan than any other month. So, as we struggle to be good Muslims and fast, we may inadvertently be straying from the path of the Prophet by breaking all rules of good health. The most common "Ramadan pitfalls" are: Eating a large iftar (meal at breaking of fast) right after the Maghrib azhan (sunset call to prayer), eating unusual or new foods, too many salty foods, too many sweet foods, increasing consumption of tea or coffee, not sleeping enough, skipping meals, eating too much bread or other foods, changing lifestyle habits, and reducing exercise.<br />Eating a large iftar right after the azhan is not recommended in the Hadith. The large influx of food consumed after a day of fasting can cause the digestive system to "clog". For this reason it is recommended that Muslims break their fast on dates and water or a simple soup, perform the Maghrib prayer and then eat a moderate iftar. Ideally, another small meal should then be eaten after the Tarawih (evening prayers during Ramadan) prayers.<br />Eating a large iftar can also be a problem because it can involve "trigger foods". Trigger foods are foods that cause people to desire more and more of the same food. Sugar is one popular trigger food. The opposite of "trigger foods" are "ideal foods". You can find out your trigger foods by observation or by visiting a naturopath. Everyone should know what foods they are allergic to, what foods are their "trigger" foods and what foods are their "ideal foods".<br />Eating too much is an obvious pitfall to weight loss during Ramadan. The Qur'an says, "Eat of the good things we have provided for your sustenance but commit no excess therein" (20:81). Many people do not realize that they are eating more because they try not to. However, keep in mind that the rest of the year people usually eat a small breakfast, rush off to work or school and then eat a small lunch and a larger dinner. Then they sleep. In some cultures they eat a larger lunch and then a smaller dinner. In Ramadan, however, iftar tends to be quite large and eating can continue into the night with numerous visits to family and friends. The morning suhur (pre-fast meal) is often quite large as well. It helps during this time to keep an eating diary for a "reality check". I am sorry to say that most people in my practice that say they are not eating too much find out otherwise when they write it down.<br />Eating new or unusual foods is also a problem for weight loss during Ramadan. In fact, making any lifestyle changes can be stressful and contribute to weight gain. Stress can cause weight gain in people that are susceptible to stress. If you are the type of person who does not like change and prefers that "everything has its place and everything is in its place" or you are happiest at home then you are probably a person who does not deal with the stress of change very well. Vitamin B complex vitamins can help people deal with stress. There are also many herbs that can help with stress.<br />Eating new foods also increases the chance you may be allergic to something you are eating. The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) said, "The stomach is the pool of the body and the veins lead to it. When the stomach is healthy, the veins convey health from it: When the stomach is ill, the veins convey illness." Foods you are allergic to can make your stomach ill, resulting in asthma attacks, hives and weight gain. There is now scientific proof that allergies or food sensitivities can cause weight gain. Many people have lost enormous amounts of weight by discovering their allergies and eliminating those foods from their diets. Common allergens are eggs, peanuts, milk, wheat, soy and many others.<br />The types of food you chose to eat during Ramadan can also defeat your efforts to lose weight. If you eat too many salty foods your body will retain water and cause you to feel bloated. At the same time, a lack of water in the body causes the body to retain fat and other toxins more readily, as it does not have enough fluid to "flush" toxins out of the body.<br />The Qu'an clearly states, "Ye people eat of what is on earth, lawful and wholesome" (2:168). If you eat too many un-wholesome foods, such as processed breads and sweets, you will gain weight. These processed and sugary foods are "trigger foods". These foods also leach nutrients from your body and thus cause your body to crave more food in general because it feels very unsatisfied.<br />Eating too many breads and starches can also cause weight gain. Ramadan is often the time when women like to display and share their cooking abilities. Breads are usually considered the mark of a good cook and the way to display an inviting table to your guests. However, not everyone considers bread to be the height of good cooking. The books The Zone Diet by Barry Sears and the McDougall Plan by Dr. McDougall explains in great detail how starches and grains contribute to weight gain. The book Your Health...Your Choice by Ted Morter, MD goes into even more detail about bread, including how most grains and legumes, along with milk and meat, contribute to the acid environment in our body which promotes overall bad health.<br />The best way to solve the problem of eating too many starches is to make sure you eat the right proportions from the various food groups to ensure weight loss. Imagine that you are preparing your plate with only vegetables and you are only allowed to use meat, milk, and grains as the condiments. Limit yourself to one cup of any given grain per meal and use meat and milk products as condiments. Start thinking of celery as something to spread peanut butter on instead of bread, think of carrot sticks with hummus instead of pita bread, and try a lettuce leaf instead of tortilla shells. Don't give up eating breads and meat, just de-emphasize them and save them for special dishes only. Your goal should be to consume about 70% vegetables (and fruits, but less of them) and 30% grains, beans, milk products and meat.<br />There is also an entire category of foods that contribute to weight loss because they are "bitters" or contain a high percentage of water. As a rule any herb or food that is bitter helps move fats through the system faster and more efficiently. You must still eat these foods in moderation and correct proportion. They are not foods you can eat unlimited amounts of. Bitter and watery foods include: amaranth, quinoa, oats, corn, rye, adzuki beans, cucumber, zucchini, summer squash, sweet potatoes, celery, asparagus, kale, brussel spouts, cabbage, and other sprouts. You can also cook with spices that help speed your metabolism. These spices include: cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger.<br />Discontinuing exercise can also cause weight gain during Ramadan. Most people reduce their workloads in some way stating "It's Ramadan so I should rest." For most people, this is untrue. If you have an unstable health condition the stress of fasting may mean that you should be careful. However, if you are so unhealthy that you cannot lead a normal life during Ramadan then you should not be fasting anyway. We need to exercise to pump blood and lymph through our bodies. The heart pumps blood but the feet and legs pump the lymph; and the lymph glands are what help us process and get rid of excess fats and toxins in the system. To really get the lymph flowing you need to have a good twenty minutes of NON-stop brisk walking. However, remember that exercise alone may not help some people lose weight so don't get discouraged if it does not help you. Keep in mind that you should not overwork and that moderate exercise will at least help you keep up your motivation to do the other therapies!<br />The increase of social coffee and tea drinking also contributes to weight gain during Ramadan. Caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate and even decaffeinated teas and coffees) can cause weight gain in people. This is because carbonated beverages and caffeine leach calcium from your system, which means that you will feel less full all the time and tend to eat the wrong or more things.<br />Using some herbal teas instead of coffee and tea can also assist in weight loss. I recommend using "single" mixtures or weight loss mixtures that have been tested for hundreds of years and are still in use. Many herbal weight loss formulas on the market have been tested thoroughly, but only for short periods of time. There is a growing pressure to create new formulas all the time, so as a result many weight loss formulas on the market now have not been tested for long-term effects to organ systems; many contain shocking mixtures of various herbs that do not combine well. Secondly, each person is unique depending on their physiological type as well as their lifestyle and their unique allergies or health conditions. A tea which may help one person lose weight may cause another to gain weight. A professional herbalist, when creating a program for you will consider the herbs of oat straw, dandelion, alfalfa, fennel, fenugreek, milk thistle, and other herbs that cleanse the liver or lymphatic system. The herbalist may also recommend using some essential oils in a bath or massage such as juniper, bergamot, citrus oil, rosemary, or sage oil.<br />Surprisingly, lack of sleep can also cause weight gain in people. And it is common in Ramadan for people to not get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep can put excess stress on the body, which can trigger weight gain.<br />Not eating enough can also be a surprising cause of weight gain. Not eating Suhur triggers a starvation response in your body, which actually slows down your metabolism for the rest of the day. This is like putting all that food you are eating on "slow motion" instead of "fast". If you skip breakfast your food will metabolize sluggishly in your system and contribute to your weight gain.<br />Taking vitamins during Ramadan may also cause weight gain. Vitamin D supplements or Multi-vitamins contribute to weight gain. Many people think that since they are not eating the foods they are used to during Ramadan that they should take a vitamin "just in case". Vitamins should never be taken for that reason and should always be recommended by a health care professional. Vitamins can cause damage to organs, malnutrition or other health problems when taken inappropriately.<br />Last, but not least, remember that Ramadan does not have to be the time of year to lose weight. Don't focus on losing weight this Ramadan. Focus on the meaning of Ramadan, follow the tenants of good health recommended by our Prophet and you will find the weight will come off.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-7966526102557626427?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-9737206218719466472009-08-31T04:16:00.000-07:002009-08-31T04:18:01.114-07:00<p class="MsoNormal">Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p>Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription.</p> <table> </table> <div class="subHeading">Beets</div><p class="MsoNormal">These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor under-neath their rugged exterior.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Why they're healthy:</strong> Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye's powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments -- called betacyanins -- that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>How to eat them:</strong> Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.</p> <table> </table> <div class="subHeading">Cabbage</div><p class="MsoNormal">Absent from most American kitchens, this cruciferous vegetable is a major player in European and Asian diets.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Why it's healthy:</strong> One cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories, and it's loaded with valuable nutrients. At the top of the list is sulforaphane, a chemical that increases your body's production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, Stanford University scientists determined that sulforaphane boosts your levels of these cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>How to eat it:</strong> Put cabbage on your burgers to add a satisfying crunch. Or, for an even better sandwich topping or side salad, try an Asian-style slaw. Here's what you'll need.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">4 Tbsp peanut or canola oil</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Juice of two limes</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 Tbsp sriracha, an Asian chili sauce you can find in the international section of your grocery store</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped or shredded</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1/4 cup toasted peanuts</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1/2 cup shredded carrots</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1/4 cup chopped cilantro</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Whisk together the oil, lime juice, and sriracha. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving. The slaw will keep in your fridge for 2 days.<br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-973720621871946647?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-88154243470830484172009-08-31T03:56:00.000-07:002009-08-31T04:11:48.772-07:00<p>Nisin is a natural antimicrobial agent used as a preservative in heat processed and low pH foods. According to the Food Chemical News Guide (a reference guide to the uses of foods additives permitted under Federal Law), a nisin preparation is a concentrate of dry material derived from the controlled fermentation of a naturally occurring milk bacteria Streptococcus lactis. This bacterium contains nisin, a group of related peptides (partial amino acid chains that make up proteins) with antibiotic activity. The chemical nisin cannot be synthesized artificially, so the nisin-producing bacteria are basically farmed for their synthesis of nisin. </p> <p><strong>How is it made?</strong><br />Technical specifications for nisin indicate that the process begins by fermenting the milk bacteria. The resulting nisin is concentrated, separated, and dried before milling into fine particles and standardized by the addition of sodium chloride (salt). The resulting typical composition is nisin (2.5%), sodium chloride (greater than 50%) ,protein (23.8%), and moisture (less than 3%). </p> <p><strong>Is it safe?</strong><br />Nisin is listed as a "natural preservative" in chemical dictionaries. In addition, nisin as "replacement or partial replacement of chemical preservatives." Nisin was awarded the Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) designation in the U.S. Federal Register of April, 1988 and is approved as a natural food preservative in the United States. It is also approved as a natural food preservative by more than 40 other countries as well as with the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization and the European Union. The Nisaplin brand of nisin is certified kosher, as well. </p> <p>Despite these endorsements, it is important to note that nisin is not currently approved as an allowable ingredient in organic food production. According to the latest Organic Materials Review Institute list, the National Organic Standards Board considers it a prohibited processing ingredient and any organic food containing added nisin will lose its organic status. However, some individuals in the organic industry are asking that nisin be reconsidered for inclusion on the allowable list. The primary objection to nisin has been the fact that it can, in some instances, be the product of genetically engineered bacteria. However, it may be possible for manufacturers to discern the genetically engineered status of nisin prior to using it in their products. If organic food manufacturers can reliably select nisin from non-genetically engineered bacteria, it could be deemed compatible with organic food processing. Research regarding this issue is now underway. </p> <p><strong>Use and limitations:</strong><br />In the U.S., nisin is used to inhibit outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum spores (the cause of botulism) and toxin formation in pasteurized process cheese spreads with fruits, vegetables or meats at levels not exceeding good manufacturing practice. Current good manufacturing practice in this case is the quantity of the ingredient that delivers a maximum of 250 p.p.m. of nisin in the finished product. nisin is also approved for liquid egg products, dressings, and sauces. In other countries it is also used in fresh and recombined milk, fermented beverages like beer, canned foods, frozen desserts, and high moisture/reduced fat foods. </p> <p>Nisin is considered effective at controlling a wide range of gram-positive organisms including: Listeria, enterococcus, Bacillus sporothermodurans, and clostridium. Used alone, it is not effective on gram-negative bacteria (like E coli ), yeasts, and molds. However, research suggests that it may be useful against some gram-negative bacteria when used in conjunction with other preservatives. </p> <p>In conclusion-based on the way it is manufactured, its GRAS status, and its "natural" labeling designation-nisin appears to qualify as a safe and natural food preservative.</p> <p>Registered Index : </p> <p>CAS No.1414—45—5; INS No.234; EEC No.234 </p> <p>Molecular Formula: C ₁₄₃H ₂₂₈N ₄₂O ₃₇S ₇<br /> Molecular Weight: 3348 </p> <p>Character:<br />Nisin is white color powder with hydrous potency 1000IU/mg. It is stable in room temperature and acidity condition even heated. It can endurance 30 min in pH=2.0 、 121 ℃ and 15 min in pH=3.0 、 121 ℃ . But at the high pH, the stability of activity can be greatly affected. </p> <p>Quality Specification:<br /></p> <table> <tbody><tr> <td><strong>Item</strong></td> <td><strong>Standard</strong></td> <td><strong>Item</strong></td> <td><strong>Standard</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Appearance</td> <td>Grey or White Powder </td> <td>Sodium Chloride </td> <td>Min 50%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Water Content </td> <td>Max 3% </td> <td>Hydrous Potency </td> <td>Min 1 × 10 6 IU/g </td> </tr> <tr> <td>pH of 10% Aqueous Solution </td> <td>3.10—3.60 </td> <td>Microbiological Count </td> <td>Max 10/g </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pb </td> <td>Max 10mg/kg </td> <td>E.Coli in 25g </td> <td>Absent</td> </tr> <tr> <td>As </td> <td>Max 3mg/kg </td> <td>Salmonella in 25g </td> <td>Absent </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>Amount for Application: GB 2760-2008; FAO/WHO, 1984; FDA § 184.1; EEC </p> <p>Toxicity: GRAS(FDA § 184.1538, 1994); ADI 33000 IU/kg (FAO/WHO, 1994) </p> <p>For further information please click nisin a natural food preservative </p> <p>We recommend that if we use nisin on the surface of the products and we also need a good effect on any fungi Natamcyin should be added. </p> <p><img src="http://www.chihonbio.com/picture/Nisin.jpg" alt="nisin" border="1" height="240" width="425" /></p> <p>Packing: 100g × 100bottle/carton; 500g × 20bottle/carton; 25Kg/drum </p> Storage: Kept in cool and dry place, in sealed container; 4-15 ℃ is recommended .<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-8815424347083048417?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-27868697124366913302009-08-29T21:46:00.000-07:002009-08-29T21:51:12.415-07:00<p>Polycystic ovary syndrome is something quite different to suffering from <span class="link">ovarian cysts</span>, which are discussed in detail in that section. Polycystic ovaries are ovaries that are actually covered with very small follicles in which the egg develops. </p> <p><b>What is polycystic ovary syndrome?</b><br /> In each menstrual cycle, follicles grow on the ovaries. Within those follicles eggs develop, one of which will reach maturity faster than the others and be released into the fallopian tubes. This is known as ovulation. The remaining follicles (sometimes hundreds) will degenerate. In the case of polycystic ovaries, however, the ovaries are much larger than normal, and there are a series of undeveloped follicles that appear in clumps, rather like a bunch of grapes. Polycystic ovaries are not particularly troublesome and in many cases they will not even affect your fertility. Where the problem starts, however, is when the cysts cause a hormonal imbalance, leading to a series of other symptoms. These symptoms are the difference between suffering from PCOS and from polycystic ovaries.</p> <p>So a woman can have polycystic ovaries without having PCOS but all women with PCOS will have polycystic ovaries.</p> <p><b>What symptoms could you experience?</b><br /> With the most extreme form of PCOS, you would tend to be overweight, have no or very few periods, be prone to acne, grow unusually heavy body hair, often on the face, breasts and inside of the legs, and be susceptible to mood swings. And with this can come problems with fertility and often recurrent miscarriages. Women with PCOS may be seven times more likely to develop diabetes because of problems with blood sugar balance.<br /> </p> <b class="bigger"><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "../Library/#choices.lbi" --><a name="choices"></a><!-- #EndLibraryItem --></b><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --><br /><p><b class="bigger">What are your choices?</b><br /> <br /> Over the last few years, research into the nutritional approach to PCOS has revolutionised the treatment of this problem. </p> <p>As women with PCOS lose weight, hormone levels start to return to normal. Testosterone levels fall, serum insulin levels go down, SHBG levels go up and the symptoms of PCOS diminish, with significant improvements in the growth of excess hair as the women lose weight. </p> <p>Along with the weight loss comes a remarkable change in ovarian function. In one study, 82 percent of the women who were not previously ovulating showed improvements, with a number of successful pregnancies during the study, even though many of these women had a long-standing history of infertility. </p> <p>So dramatic have been some of the results, that it has now been suggested that changing a woman's diet should be the first move if she is overweight and failing to conceive. One study found that 11 out of 12 women who had been overweight and not ovulating conceived naturally after reducing their weight. </p> <p>In general, women with high levels of luteinising hormone (LH) in the first half of their menstrual cycle seem to have a greater risk of miscarriage. So miscarriages are more likely to occur in women with PCOS because of the high levels of LH. But, in a study of women with PCOS who were asked to change their diets, the rate of miscarriages dropped from 75 percent to 18 percent once they had lost weight. </p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Supplements-Polycystic.lbi" --><span class="biggerlink">Supplements</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> </p> <p>The supplements recommended below have been studied in clinical trials and have been found to be effective in connection with PCOS. For best results you should take them over a period of three months, at the end of which you should be reassessed in order to monitor improvements and changes and then adjust the supplement programme according to your new condition. </p> <p>If you been using the Pill to regulate your periods, you may have an even greater imbalance between a number of key vitamins and minerals. Correcting this imbalance will go a long way towards treating the root cause of the problem.</p><p><b>Multivitamin and Mineral</b><br /> A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a 'little bit of everything'. You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher amounts which are known to be helpful for PCOS. </p> <p><b>Chromium </b><br /> Chromium is an extremely important mineral if you have PCOS. It helps to encourage the formation of glucose tolerance factor (GTF) which is a substance released by the liver and required to make insulin more efficient. A deficiency of chromium can lead to insulin resistance, which is a key problem in the case of PCOS; too much insulin can be circulating but it is unable to control your blood sugar (glucose) levels. </p> <p>Chromium is the most widely researched mineral used in the treatment of overweight. It helps to control cravings and reduces hunger. Chromium also helps to control fat and cholesterol in the blood. One study showed that people who took chromium over a ten-week period lost an average of 1.9kg (4.2lb) of fat while those on a placebo (sugar tablet) lost only 0.2kg (0.4lb)<br /> Warning<br /> If you are diabetic and on medication, you should speak to your doctor before taking chromium</p> <p><b>B vitamins</b><br /> The B vitamins are very important in helping to correct the symptoms of PCOS. Vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B6 are particularly useful for controlling weight, and here's why: Vitamin B2 helps to turn fat, sugar and protein into energy. B3 is a component of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF), which is released every time blood sugar rises, and vitamin B3 helps to keep the levels in balance. Vitamin B5 has been shown to help with weight loss because it helps to control fat metabolism. B6 is also important for maintaining hormone balance and, together with B2 and B3, is necessary for normal thyroid hormone production. Any deficiencies in these vitamins can affect thyroid function and consequently affect the metabolism.</p> <p>The B vitamins are also essential for the liver to convert your 'old' hormones into harmless substances which can then be excreted from the body.</p> <p><b>Zinc</b><br /> Zinc is one of the key minerals that we need in our daily diets and it has a wide range of functions. Unfortunately, because our soil has been depleted by overfarming, there is very little natural zinc found in our food. Furthermore, processing and refining strip out what little might be remaining. So no matter how good your diet, you may not be getting anywhere near the levels of zinc that you need. There are two approaches to this: you can eat whole organic food, which has much more rigorous controls on farming methods, or you can add a zinc supplement to your diet. But why is it so important?</p> <p>Zinc is an important mineral for appetite control and a deficiency can cause a loss of taste and smell, creating a need for stronger-tasting foods, including those that are saltier, sugarier and/or spicier (in other words, often more fattening!). Zinc is also necessary for the correct action of many hormones, including insulin, so it is extremely important in balancing blood sugar. It also functions together with vitamins A and E in the manufacture of thyroid hormone. </p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --> <div align="right"><br /></div> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --> <p><b>Magnesium</b><br /> Magnesium levels have been found to be low in people with diabetes and there is a strong link between magnesium deficiency and insulin resistance. It is, therefore, an important mineral to include if you are suffering from PCOS.</p> <p><b>Co-Enzyme Q10</b><br /> This is a vitamin-like substance that is contained in nearly every cell of your body. It is important for energy production and normal carbohydrate metabolism (the way our bodies break down the carbohydrates we eat in order to turn them into energy). One study showed that people on a low-fat diet doubled their weight loss when they supplemented with Co-Q10 as compared to those who did not take it. Co-Q10 has also been proved useful in controlling blood sugar levels.</p> <p><b>Garcinia cambogia</b><br /> If you are really struggling with sugar cravings, or you find it difficult to resist bingeing on just about anything, this is the supplement for you. Garcinia cambogia is a small tropical fruit called the 'Malabar tamarind'. It comes from central Asia, where the rind is used in Thai and Indian cooking. The garcinia contains HCA (hydroxy-citric acid) which enables carbohydrates to be turned into usable energy instead of being deposited as fat. The HCA in this fruit seems to curb appetite, reduce food intake and inhibit the formation of fat and cholesterol. It seems to be particularly helpful when teamed with chromium. I use one which combines the HCA and chromium in the same capsules which saves you taking two different supplements.</p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Herbs.lbi" --> <p><b><span class="biggerlinkblack">Herbs </span></b>(see caution below)</p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --> <p> Herbs are extremely useful in the treatment of PCOS. Making changes and adding supplements to your diet will help to control weight and balance blood sugar, while herbs go a step further, targeting any problems involving hormone balance.</p> <p>Herbs can also be very beneficial in encouraging the function of your liver, in order to make sure that it is metabolising the hormones efficiently and then eliminating them. </p> <p><b>Agnus castus (Vitex/chastetree berry)</b><br /> This is one of the most important herbs for PCOS because it helps to stimulate and normalise the function of the pituitary gland, which controls the release of LH (luteinising hormone). </p> <p><b>Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) </b><br /> Saw palmetto is a herb that is traditionally considered in light of its success in treating prostate problems caused by an imbalance of hormones (including excess testosterone). It is a small palm tree found in North America and the berries of the tree are used in tinctures or capsule form. </p> <p>Research has shown that saw palmetto works as an anti-androgen, which can be very helpful given the high levels of testosterone in PCOS. </p> <p>I would suggest that you add saw palmetto to your treatment plan if you have excess hair growth, or have been told you have high levels of androgens. Otherwise, take agnus castus on its own.</p> <p><b>Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)</b><br /> This is one of the key herbs for the liver, which acts as your waste disposal unit,, and it is therefore essential for the treatment of PCOS. It helps to protect your liver cells against damage and to promote the healing of damaged cells, so improving the general functioning of the liver and all its detoxifying properties.<br /> </p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Caution.lbi" --> <div class="redtext">Caution</div> <p>You should not take any of the above herbs if you are taking, The Pill, Fertillity drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication unless they are recommended by a registered, experienced practitioner.</p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Tests.lbi" --> <p><span class="biggerlink"><span class="biggerlink"><b><span class="biggerlink">Tests</span></b></span></span></p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --> <p> Tests are extremely useful, in that they can tell you what deficiencies you have at the moment and then for you to know what supplements would be useful to take to correct those deficiencies. You would then be re-tested after three to four months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly. </p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Mineral Analysis (Hair Test).lbi" --><span class="link">Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> This test measures the deficiency and excess levels of 7 different minerals and 5 heavy toxic metals that may be present in your body.</p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Personalised Supplement.lbi" --><span class="link">Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will give you a three monthly supplement programme to help balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may have.</p> <p>After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition. </p> <p> </p> <p>If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, <span class="link">Polycystic Ovary Syndrome options at The Natural Health Practice</span>. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.<br /></p><p class="bigger">Plan of Action</p> <p><b>Nutrition</b><br /> Ensure you are getting the right nutrition:<br /> Follow dietary recommendations outlined on the <span class="link">Foundation of Health</span> page.<br /> And for more information on the special dietary recommendations for PCOS, see the rest of the chapter on <span class="link">Polycystic Ovary Syndrome e-book at The Natural Health Practice</span></p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Supplements-Polycystic.lbi" --><span class="biggerlink">Supplements</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --></p> <p>The supplement programme below should be taken for at least three months in order to achieve best results</p> <p><b>Your supplement plan</b></p> <ul><li> A good multivitamin and mineral tablet</li><li> Chromium (200 mcg in total each day; take into consideration the amount in your multi-supplement)</li><li> Zinc citrate (30 mg in total each day)</li><li> Magnesium (300mg in total each day)</li><li> Co-enzyme Q10 (30mg three times a day)</li><li> Vitamin B-complex (50 mg in total each day</li><li> Agnus castus plus </li><li>Herbs for your liver</li></ul> <p>At the end of three months you should reassess your condition and adjust your supplement programme accordingly. </p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Tests.lbi" --> <p><span class="biggerlink"><span class="biggerlink"><b><span class="biggerlink">Tests</span></b></span></span></p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --> <p> These tests will help you to assess your present condition and indicate any specific deficiencies you may have that need to be balanced.</p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Mineral Analysis (Hair Test).lbi" --><span class="link">Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --></p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Personalised Supplement.lbi" --><span class="link">Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> </p> <p>After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition. </p> <p> </p> <p>If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, <span class="link">Polycystic Ovary Syndrome options at The Natural Health Practice</span>. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality. </p> <p>The section above forms part of a larger complete e-book on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). In the rest of the e-book you will learn what the medical approaches to PCOS are and how to combine them with the natural approach. This is called Integrated Medicine and is the way that healthier of the future is moving towards. You will also learn what medical tests will give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and if you really need to have them. The medical treatments for PCOS are then examined which can include looking at either drugs or surgery. Each treatment is then discussed and the pros and cons of the options explained. The Integrated Approach to PCOS is considered in some detail so that if appropriate you can know how to combine the best of both conventional and natural medicine.<br /></p><p><br /></p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2786869712436691330?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-90087210738460063082009-08-29T21:36:00.000-07:002009-08-29T21:43:11.756-07:00<p class="text">If you’re apple rather than pear shaped, with a tendency to gather fat around your waist, you’ll know how difficult it is to keep slim. What you may not know is how dangerous the fat around your middle really is (more so than fat on your thighs or bottom), increasing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and certain cancers.</p> <p class="text">Because of where the fat sits on your body, normal diets, even rigorous exercise regimes rarely work. However I have devised a simple lifestyle plan that does.</p> <p class="text">My recommendations will not only help you get rid of fat around your middle, but you will also be doing the best you possibly can to prevent health problems in the future. Short term, you get to look better. Long term? You live longer. It’s as simple as that.</p> <p class="text"><strong>How? </strong><br /> The aim is to change your body’s underlying biochemistry so that it gets the message that it is OK to let go of the fat it is choosing to store around the middle of your body.</p> <p class="text"><strong>What’s the cause?</strong><br /> The main reason some people gather more fat around their middle than others is specifically because of the action of the stress hormone cortisol.<br /> Millions of years ago, our bodies were designed to react quickly to danger. Like wild animals we were on constant alert so we could run or fight if threatened. When your brain thinks your life is in danger it stimulates the release of adrenaline and cortisol.</p> <p class="text">This fight or flight response is incredibly clever and thoroughly efficient. It provides instant energy for 5-10 minutes allowing you to react swiftly to dangerous situations. </p> <p class="text">These days, many of us live under chronic stress. But our bodies can’t distinguish between late trains, missed appointments, spiralling debt, infuriating work colleagues, family disputes and the truly life-threatening stress it gears up to challenge. So it reacts exactly the same as it’s always done. </p> <p class="text">The problem with many modern lifestyles is that stress (our ‘perceived threat’) is almost continuous and comes without the natural release that either fighting or fleeing might provide. Unless you do something physical (as your body is expecting you to) all that extra energy, in the form of fat and glucose, has nowhere to go. It must be simply re-deposited as fat.</p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --><br /><p class="text"><strong>Food cravings you can’t control</strong><br /> After a stressful event cortisol levels in the blood often remain high for a while, effectively increasing your appetite because your body thinks you should refuel after all this fighting or fleeing. This means people under constant stress quite often feel constantly hungry. Worse, their body urges them to stock up on the foods it thinks will be most useful after all that ‘activity’ – carbohydrates (like sugar) and fats. </p> <p class="text">It’s just the sort high-sugar, high-fat comfort and convenience food many people crave.</p> <p class="text"><strong>The fat around the middle connection</strong><br /> If you don’t fight or flee when your body expects you to, the fat and glucose swimming around your system get deposited as fat – around the middle of your body. And if you eat something sugary or fatty as a consequence of the post-stress appetite surge, any weight you gain as a result, will be around your middle too.</p> <p class="text">The reason fat targets the middle is because it is close to the liver where it can most quickly be converted back into energy if needed. There it provides the body with protection ready for the next stress attack.</p> <p class="text">Your body is only trying to help. To continue providing the energy it thinks you need, it tries to keep a convenient fat store ready for constant use and creates cravings and increases appetite to ensure good supplies of necessary fuel.</p> <p class="text"><strong>Are you stressed? </strong><br /> If you can see yourself in the list below, your cortisol levels are likely to be high:</p> <p class="text">A tendency to gain fat around your tummy, chest, back and hips<br /> Increased appetite<br /> Increased cravings for chocolate, sweets, breads, cakes, caffeine and alcohol (particularly any combination of carbohydrates and fats, such as chocolate and cakes because they are particularly high in calories)<br /> Your immune system is low (you get frequent colds and infections)<br /> Headaches<br /> Nail biting<br /> Teeth grinding<br /> High cholesterol (if you don’t know, get it checked)<br /> Blood sugar swings<br /> Digestive problems (such as bloating and flatulence)<br /> Chest pains - (you must see your doctor if you are getting chest pains but the effects of the stress hormones can mimic heart problems)<br /> Muscle aches and pains<br /> Shoulder and neck pain (stress hormones will keep certain muscles tense ready for fight or flight)<br /> Hair loss<br /> Irregular periods or no<br /> Difficulty in concentrating or forgetfulness<br /> Depression<br /> Increased premenstrual symptoms (PMS)<br /> Slower metabolism (which makes it harder to lose weight in general)<br /> Low sex drive<br /> Tiredness but an inability to sleep well<br /> Tendency to get a second wind in the evening<br /> Waking up in the middle of the night, finding it hard to get back to sleep and then desperately want to continue sleeping in the morning when you should be getting up.</p><p class="text"><span class="bigger">Do you have a problem?</span> </p><p class="text"> For the purposes of measuring fat around the middle, BMI (body mass index) isn’t the best test, nor is a measure of body fat percentage. The best test is the difference in size between your hips and your waist (your ‘hip to waist ratio’). This is the true measure of fat around the middle and the best indicator of whether or not you are going to be vulnerable to all the health risks associated with it.</p> <p class="text">Just get a tape measure and compare your waist measurement (at the narrowest point) with your hip measurement (at the widest point). Divide your waist figure by your hip figure to get what is known as your waist–hip ratio. </p> <p class="text"> For example: 86cm (34in) waist divided by 94cm (37in) hip = 0.9</p> <p class="text">If your calculation gives a figure greater than 0.8 you are officially apple shaped and you need to take action. For men the danger zone is above 0.95.</p> <p class="text">Menopausal?<strong><br /> </strong>If you are going into the menopause, your body will be extremely reluctant to let go of the fat around your middle. This is because fat is a manufacturing plant for oestrogen which will help protect your bones from osteoporosis. It’s a very clever system, designed to protect you, but it helps explain why mere diet and exercise alone will rarely shift that stubborn fat. The combined effect of female hormonal changes, slower metabolism and stress with high cortisol levels create a bigger likelihood of fat around the middle. </p> <p class="text"><strong>Why tummy fat is bad for you</strong><br /> Not all fat in the body behaves the same. Fat around the middle of the body that is the most likely to have a mind of its own. This “toxic fat” is far more metabolically active than fat elsewhere because it increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer and diabetes. One of the biggest problems it causes is insulin resistance.</p> <p class="text"><strong>Insulin resistance</strong><br /> When blood sugar increases (a result of the stress response or from what you have eaten), your body releases insulin to help move the glucose out of your blood and into the cells to actually provide them with energy. But if you don’t need that energy (you don’t fight or flee) the default mechanism is to store the glucose as fat. If the stress continues (it usually does) cortisol levels remain high, so the body triggers the breakdown of sugar stores in the liver and muscles to provide further fuel. Out comes more insulin to deal with the extra blood glucose.</p> <p class="text">Overtime, the body simply can’t respond to insulin the same way it used to. You can become intolerant to insulin – or insulin resistant. </p> <p class="text"><strong>So what can you do to get rid of the fat around your middle?</strong><br /> I have devised a four pronged approach to getting rid of this dangerous and unsightly fat. It comprises simple changes to the way you:<br /> 1) eat<br /> 2) take supplements<br /> 3) approach stress<br /> 4) take exercise<br /> If you follow my recommendations closely for three months I am convinced you will see a significant change to your body shape, and as a consequence, will dramatically improve your long term health.</p> <p class="text"><strong>Eating healthily – NOT dieting!</strong><br /> There is a chance that your pattern of eating is subconsciously telling your body that it is under stress. If you restrict your diet or cut calories your body inevitably thinks there is a famine out there and that causes stress. It will slow down your metabolism to hold on to your precious fat stores. Furthermore, if your blood sugar levels fluctuate (as they do for most women), your body will be releasing adrenaline which is the same hormone it releases when you are under stress. Once more it encourages your body to store fat.</p> <p class="text">The solution is to find a way of eating that tells your body all is well –and reassure it that is not under stress.</p><p class="text"><span class="bigger">The 3-month eating plan</span> </p><p class="text"> Aim to stick to the eating plan 80% of the time and allow yourself a 20% off for good behaviour (and human fallibilities!) and don’t talk about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods (it induces guilt). Instead try to think of foods as junk (unhealthy) and healthy foods.</p> <p class="text"><br /> Try to stick to these simple rules:<br /> 1) Stop dieting<br /> Stop dieting (yes, really!) and don’t count calories, otherwise your body will think there’s a famine and raises stress levels (which contribute to fat storage) </p> <p class="text">2) Eat little and often<br /> Try to keep your blood sugar levels and energy levels stable by eating something every three hours. Just eat breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a snack mid morning and one mid afternoon, with no longer than three hours between. Oh, and try not to eat carbohydrates after 6pm.<br /> This will stop those roller-coaster highs and cravings for sweet foods. Because your blood sugar isn’t allowed to drop, your body will no longer have to ask you for a quick fix. As the blood sugar steadies, so will the mood swings. As your cortisol levels reduce you will automatically start to happier and calmer inside.</p> <p class="text">3) Don’t skip breakfast<br /> If you miss breakfast completely your body immediately registers famine and hangs on tight to your ample stores of fat.</p> <p class="text">4) Eliminate all sugar and refined carbohydrates<br /> Avoid any foods that make your blood sugar rise quickly because as blood sugar drops again your body releases adrenaline and cortisol to stabilise it once more. Swap to whole grain alternatives.</p> <p class="text">5) Add protein to each meal<br /> Protein slows down the rate the stomach processes food and slows the passage of the carbohydrates with it. As soon as you add a protein (be it animal or vegetable) to a carbohydrate you change it into a slower releasing carbohydrate, which is a very good thing.<br /> Protein helps in the control of insulin because it slows the rate of digestion. It also encourages the production of glucagon which works in the opposite way to insulin, increasing blood glucose by encouraging the body to burn fat for energy.</p> <p class="text">6) Eat essential fats<br /> A lifelong dependency on low fat diets might mean you’re consuming less saturated fat, but most people today have unwittingly made themselves deficient in the good fats – essential fatty acids. As the name implies these essential fatty acids (EFAs) are essential and you can only get them from your diet. Your body cannot manufacture them so you have to eat them.<br /> Essential fats are so important as that they help you in a number of ways:</p> <p class="text">* They slow down the rate at which the stomach empties, so making carbohydrates even more slow-releasing<br /> * They boost your metabolism<br /> * They make you less insulin resistant<br /> * They reduce inflammation</p> <p class="text">7) Don’t eat on the run<br /> It gives your body the message that time is scarce, you are under pressure and stressed. Furthermore, your digestive system will be less efficient. Make a point of sitting down and eating your food as calmly as possible.</p> <p class="text">8) Watch what you drink<br /> Cut out all caffeine and sugary drinks and significantly reduce alcohol intake (cut it out completely for a month if you can).</p> <p class="text">9) Change the way you think about food<br /> If you’re really serious about changing your body shape you need to think about food and eating as a way of life so that healthy, enjoyable eating becomes a habit, something you do everyday without even thinking about it, just like cleaning your teeth.</p> <p class="text">(For a much more detailed breakdown of an altogether healthier way to eat, you should read the book Fat Around the Middle , or an abridged ebook Fat Around The Middle E-book </p> <div style="margin-right: 30px;"><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --><br /><p class="text"><strong><span class="biggerlink">Supplements</span><br /> </strong><br /> Because your body has been under this constant stress for so long it will usually need a bit of extra help to get its functioning back to normal, and to reassure it completely that it’s not under constant attack. You can get this extra help in the form of supplements and herbs.</p> <p class="text">When you are continually stressed, the body becomes increasingly nutritionally deficient. The main vitamins and minerals affected are the B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc. So it’s important you take these in supplement form for three months to correct any basic deficiencies. </p> <p class="text">In addition, you can benefit from the following:</p> <blockquote> <p class="text">• Chromium<br />• Vitamin E<br />• Co-enzyme Q10<br />• Magnesium<br />• Zinc<br />• Siberian ginseng<br />• B vitamins<br />• Alpha lipoic acid<br />• Amino acids</p> </blockquote> <p class="text">The supplement programme below should be taken for at least three months in order to see results. </p> <p class="text">Your supplement plan:</p> <div style="margin-left: 20px;"> <table class="tabtext" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="300"> <tbody><tr> <td><strong>Nutrients</strong></td> <td><strong>Amounts</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Chromium</td> <td>200mcg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Zinc </td> <td valign="top">15mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin E</td> <td valign="top">300ius</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Manganese</td> <td valign="top">5mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Magnesium citrate</td> <td valign="top">300mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin B1 </td> <td valign="top">25mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Vitamin B2</td> <td valign="top">25mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin B3</td> <td valign="top">25mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin B12 </td> <td valign="top">25mcg</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"><p> Biotin </p> </td> <td valign="top">35mcg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Folic acid</td> <td> 200mcg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin B5</td> <td> 50mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal-5-phosphate) </td> <td>25mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Siberian ginseng</td> <td>100mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vitamin C</td> <td>100mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Co-enzyme Q10</td> <td>25mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Alpha-lipoic acid </td> <td>100mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Green tea extract </td> <td>50mg </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Amino Acids</strong></td> <td><strong>Amounts</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td>N-acetyl cysteine </td> <td>500mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>L-carnitine</td> <td>200mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>L-tyrosine</td> <td>200mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>L-arginine</td> <td>200mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>L-glutamine</td> <td>200mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Isoleucine</td> <td>100mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Leucine</td> <td>100mg</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Valine</td> <td>100mg</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div> <p class="text">To avoid having to purchase single supplements for all of the above and to make the process easier, I have formulated two supplements that contain all of the most important nutrients for losing that fat around the middle. They are called Lose Your Belly Nutri Plus and Lose Your Belly Amino Plus. For more information click Lose Your Belly Supplements</p> <p class="text"><strong>EXERCISE</strong></p> <p class="text">Exercise or physical activity has never been more important. If you have fat around the middle of your body caused, in part, by the activity of your stress hormones, exercise MUST become one of your priorities. By simply making time for exercise in your life, you can control the potentially damaging fight or flight response. </p> <p class="text"><strong>Build muscle</strong><br /> Muscle is metabolically active. This means it requires fuel in the form of calories just to maintain it even when you are sitting doing nothing. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you consume, and, if you don’t overeat, the more fat you will burn. </p> <p class="text">500g (1lb) of muscle burns 75 calories a day<br /> 500g (1lb) of fat burns 8 calories a day </p> <p class="text">This is one of the infuriating reasons why men tend to find it easier to lose weight than women - they generally have more muscle than women.</p> <p class="text"><strong>Weight gain with age</strong><br /> It is sad, but true that we all tend to gain weight as we get older. One of the main reasons is that we lose muscle. After the age of 40, women can start to lose about 230g (½lb) of muscle a year. Inactive women over the age of 40 lose muscle mass twice as fast as inactive men. So over ten years between 40 and 50, most of us will have lost 5lbs of muscle. As muscle mass decreases, our metabolism become increasingly sluggish. Let’s face it; we all also tend to get less active as we get older so this inactivity will only add to the problem. With less muscle and less activity weight is likely to pile on as fat. </p> <p class="text"><strong>What kind of exercise is best?</strong><br /> In order to lose that fat around the middle, you need to do a combination of cardiovascular (getting you puffed) and resistance training (with weights or bands to build muscles). The aim is to use exercise to help burn off fat AND to build muscle which helps you burn off even more fat faster. </p> <p class="text"><strong>Keep on your toes</strong><br /> Your body is very clever. In the same way it adapts to any restriction in food by slowing the metabolism it also adapts to exercise. So after about four weeks of doing one sort of activity it becomes more efficient and uses less energy to perform the same exercise. To achieve the same fat-burning impact you have to continually change the exercise (walking to running, then cycling, then rowing etc) and increasing the intensity to trick your body out of its normal patterns. Alternatively, try interval training (walk a certain distance, then jog to the next lamppost, walk again to catch your breath, then run fast for 50 metres etc).</p> <p class="text"><strong>STRESS</strong><br /> One of the most surprising ways to slim the fat around your middle, is to cut back on the stress in your life, because that will help reduce cortisol levels, and – when combined with diet, exercise and supplements – will train your body to stop storing fat around your middle.<br /> Either bite the bullet and make a few really big changes so you no longer have to juggle so many plates (put the aged relative in a nursing home, cut your working hours, go to bed earlier and get up earlier in the morning so you’re not so rushed) or learn a few coping strategies to help you change the way you handle stress, and lessen its physical impact.<br /> If you take control of your time, you’ll be much better at avoiding falling into yet another stress trap, running late, missing appointments, eating on the run and never quite making time for yourself.</p> <p class="text"><strong>How to reduce stress</strong><br /> </p> <table class="text" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="250"> <tbody><tr> <td><div align="right">1)</div></td> <td>prioritise</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">2)</div></td> <td>delegate</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">3)</div></td> <td>put yourself first</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">4)</div></td> <td>learn some relaxation techniques</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">5)</div></td> <td>put things in perspective</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">6)</div></td> <td>take time to eat</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">7)</div></td> <td>take time to go to the toilet (yes! Really)</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">8)</div></td> <td>take regular exercise</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">9)</div></td> <td>spend time with your friends</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">10)</div></td> <td>have a cuddle</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">11)</div></td> <td>laugh</td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="right">12)</div></td> <td>get enough sleep</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --> <p class="text"><strong>TESTS</strong></p> <p class="text">There are a number of tests which I think are very useful in the diagnosis and treatment of fat around the middle.</p> <div class="text"> <ul><li> <strong>Adrenal Stress Test</strong>: four saliva samples are collected in a kit at home over the course of one day and the samples are then sent back to the lab for analysis. The test also measures your DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) which is the hormone that works to balance many of the negative effects of cortisol and helps you cope with stress.</li><li> <strong>Insulin Resistance Test</strong>: This is a fasting blood test, which means that you have the blood taken first thing in the morning without eating or drink and a kit can be sent to you which you can then take to your local practice nurse or doctor so they can take a small quantity of blood.</li><li> <strong>Food Allergy Test</strong>: The test measures your reaction to 233 different foods, seasonings, colourings, additives and drinks from one single blood sample which can be taken by your practice nurse or doctor. </li><li> <strong>Yeast and Parasite Test</strong>: These can be tested for using a stool sample which is collected at home and then sent back to the laboratory in the kit provided. </li><li> <strong>Genetic tests</strong>: these give us information about the best diet for any individual. The results can pinpoint, the foods they’d be better off avoiding, the foods they’d do well to eat more of, and the supplements especially useful for them because of their genetic make-up.</li></ul> </div><p class="text"> </p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-9008721073846006308?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-46912777744808385482009-08-29T21:22:00.000-07:002009-08-29T21:35:48.784-07:00<p>Suffering from irregular periods is a fairly clear indication that your cycles have become imbalanced. There are a variety of reasons for this and also many ways to address the imbalance. Many women are unconcerned about having irregular cycles until they begin trying for a baby, but other women find it very difficult to plan without knowing when their periods could appear.</p> <p><b>What are irregular periods?</b><br /> Irregular periods are simply those that are not regular. If you suffer from irregular periods, you simply will not know when your period is going to appear. Cycles can vary from 23 to 35 days, but they are classed as regular if your periods occur at roughly the same time each cycle. So, even if your periods are, say, 35 days apart instead of the usual 28, but they always appear at day 35, they would be classified as being 'normal'. Irregular periods can be extremely difficult or even impossible to track. </p> <p><b>What symptoms could you experience?</b><br /> Minor cycle irregularities are common. For example, you may have your period on day 23 of one month and then the next month on day 35. </p> <p>You may, however, have a much more irregular cycle, in which case it is important that you have further investigations, so that other problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (see polycystic ovary syndrome section) can be ruled out. The following symptoms are characteristic of irregular periods, and you can experience a combination of any or all of these:</p> <p>1. Large gaps with no periods<br /> 2. Some gaps and then periods coming too frequently for a while (for example, two in one month) followed by gaps again.<br /> 3. Gaps of no periods and then bleeding continuously for a few weeks.<br /> 4. Spotting in between period.</p> <p><b class="bigger"><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "../Library/#choices.lbi" --><a name="choices"></a><!-- #EndLibraryItem --></b></p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/back_to_top.lbi" --><br /><p><b class="bigger">What are your choices?</b><br /> <br /> The natural approach is designed to encourage your body to re-establish regular ovulation and to get your hormones back in balance. Given the right tools, your body has the remarkable ability to balance itself. The supplements outlined below are designed to ensure that you are well nourished - in other words, your body has all the nutrients it needs. </p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Supplements-Irregular.lbi" --><span class="biggerlink">Supplements</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> <br /> The supplements recommended below have been studied in clinical trials and have been found to be effective in connection with irregular periods. For best results you should take them over a period of three months, at the end of which you should be reassessed in order to monitor improvements and changes and then adjust the supplement programme according to your new condition.</p> <p><b>Multivitamin and Mineral</b><br /> A good quality multivitamin and mineral would form the foundation of your supplement programme to make sure that you are getting a 'little bit of everything'. You then add in those nutrients in slightly higher amounts which are known to be helpful for irregular periods. </p> <p><b>B Vitamins</b><br /> These are often called the 'stress' vitamins because they can help you to cope with the pressures of everyday life. As stress can be such an important factor in causing irregular periods it is important that you have some help in dealing with it. Vitamins B2, B3 and B6 are also necessary for thyroid hormone production and B5 (pantothenic acid) is essential for optimum adrenal function. Both imbalances in thyroid function and stress can affect your cycle.</p> <p>The easiest way to make sure you are getting a good supply of these vitamins is to take them in the form of a good B-complex tablet. B vitamins are synergistic, which means that they work together.<br /> <br /> <b>Antioxidants</b><br /> Antioxidants are particularly relevant with irregular periods. It is believed that antioxidants have the ability to prevent cells from mutating. In other words, they prevent cells from becoming 'abnormal'. This is extremely important if you have been diagnosed with thickening of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia) because you don't want the cells to mutate. Antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E and the mineral selenium. Their effects have been proven: women with womb tumours have been shown to have less of both selenium and vitamin E than women without them so make sure you are getting enough of these valuable nutrients. </p> <p><b>Magnesium</b><br /> This mineral has been classed as 'nature's tranquilliser', so it is an essential inclusion in the diet of anyone suffering from irregular periods. In fact, anyone in today's hectic society will benefit from a magnesium supplement. Stress is often a factor in period irregularity, and this mineral will help to redress the balance of a stressful lifestyle.</p> <p><b>Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)</b><br /> Linseeds, which are an excellent form of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, have been proven to encourage regularity of the cycle among other things. Even if hormonal imbalance is not at the root of your condition, it is worth adding these fatty acids to your diet. There are many factors that are now known to affect the way fatty acids are used by our bodies, including high adrenaline levels (in the case of stress), high alcohol consumption, and high levels of cholesterol. If your body is NOT getting or using enough of the fatty acids consumed, your cycle can be affected. You can't lose by adding these supplements to your diet.</p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Herbs.lbi" --> <p><b><span class="biggerlinkblack">Herbs </span></b>(see caution below)</p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --><p> Herbs have a long tradition of normalising irregular periods. One herb in particular is extremely useful for balancing your cycle and they can be used effectively together:</p> <p><b>Agnus castus (Vitex/Chastetree berry) </b><br /> This herb stimulates and normalises the function of the pituitary gland which in turn helps to balance hormone output from the ovaries and to stimulate ovulation. Agnus castus is also useful when there is an excess of prolactin which can be suppressing ovulation. Furthermore, it has been shown to reduce thickening of the lining of the womb (endometrial hyperplasia) and can be used on a preventative basis.<br /> </p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Caution.lbi" --> <div class="redtext">Caution</div> <p>You should not take any of the above herbs if you are taking, The Pill, Fertillity drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment or other medication unless they are recommended by a registered, experienced practitioner.</p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Tests.lbi" --> <p><span class="biggerlink"><span class="biggerlink"><b><span class="biggerlink">Tests</span></b></span></span></p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --><p> Tests are extremely useful, in that they can tell you what deficiencies you have at the moment and then for you to know what supplements would be useful to take to correct those deficiencies. You would then be re-tested after three to four months to monitor your progress and to adjust the supplement programme accordingly. </p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Mineral Analysis (Hair Test).lbi" --><span class="link">Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> This test measures the deficiency and excess levels of 7 different minerals and 5 heavy toxic metals that may be present in your body.</p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Personalised Supplement.lbi" --><span class="link">Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> The analysis of this comprehensive questionnaire will give you a three monthly supplement programme to help balance any vitamin and mineral deficiencies you may have.</p> <p>After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition. </p> <p> </p> <p>If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, <span class="link"> Irregular Periods options at The Natural Health Practice</span>. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality.<br /></p><p class="bigger">Plan of Action</p> <p><b>Nutrition</b><br /> Ensure you are getting the right nutrition:<br /> Follow dietary recommendations outlined on the <span class="link">Foundation of Health</span> page.<br /> And for more information on the special dietary recommendations for irregular periods, see the rest of the <span class="link"> Irregular Periods e-book at The Natural Health Practice</span></p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Supplements-Irregular.lbi" --><span class="biggerlink">Supplements</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --></p> <p>The supplement programme below should be taken for at least three months in order to achieve best results</p> <ul><li> A good multivitamin and mineral tablet</li><li> B-complex vitamin (containing 100 mg of each B vitamin)</li><li> Magnesium (300mg per day)</li><li> Linseed oil (also known as flaxseed oil at 1000mg per day)</li><li> Vitamin C (1000mg per day)</li><li> An antioxidant tablet, containing vitamin A and selenium)</li></ul> <p>Plus the herb Agnus castus</p> <p>At the end of three months you should reassess your condition and adjust your supplement programme accordingly. </p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Tests.lbi" --> <p><span class="biggerlink"><span class="biggerlink"><b><span class="biggerlink">Tests</span></b></span></span></p> <!-- #EndLibraryItem --><p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Test small opening para.lbi" --> </p><p>The tests below have been specially selected to be the most helpful if you are concerned about <!-- #EndLibraryItem -->irregular periods. </p><p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Mineral Analysis (Hair Test).lbi" --><span class="link">Mineral Analysis Test with Supplement and Nutritional Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --></p> <p><!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/Personalised Supplement.lbi" --><span class="link">Online Personalised Supplement Assessment Programme</span><!-- #EndLibraryItem --><br /> </p> <p>After three months you would then have a re-test in order to monitor your progress and adjust your supplement programme according to your new condition. </p> <p> </p> <p>If you need help in obtaining any of the supplements, herbs or tests mentioned above, click, <span class="link"> Irregular Periods options at The Natural Health Practice</span>. They can supply all of them for you online or if you prefer to talk to somebody first you can also order by mail order on the telephone. The products supplied by this company are always of the highest quality. </p> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/The%20Natural%20Health%20Handbook%20for%20Women.lbi" --><!-- #EndLibraryItem -->The section above forms part of a larger complete e-book on Irregular Periods. In the rest of the e-book you will learn what the medical approaches to irregular periods are and how to combine them with the natural approach. This is called Integrated Medicine and is the way that healthier of the future is moving towards. You will also learn what medical tests will give you an accurate diagnosis of your condition and if you really need to have them. The medical treatments for irregular periods are then examined which can include looking at either drugs or surgery. Each treatment is then discussed and the pros and cons of the options explained. The Integrated Approach to irregular periods is considered in some detail so that if appropriate you can know how to combine the best of both conventional and natural medicine.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-4691277774480838548?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-78776592361140160382009-08-28T21:20:00.000-07:002009-08-28T21:24:49.988-07:00<p> You might think of a massage only as a luxury in exotic spas and upscale health clubs. But did you know that massage therapy, when combined with traditional medical treatments, is used to reduce stress and pain and promote healing in people with certain health conditions? </p> <h2>What is massage therapy?</h2> <p>During a massage, a therapist manipulates your body's soft tissues — your muscles, skin and tendons — using his or her fingertips, hands and fists. Massage can be performed by several types of health care professionals, such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist or massage therapist. Several versions of massage exist, and they're performed in a variety of settings. </p> <p> A massage may make you feel relaxed, but it isn't likely to cure everything that ails you. And, if performed incorrectly, it could hurt you. Learning about massage before you try one can help ensure that the experience is safe and enjoyable. </p> <h2>Why it's done</h2> <p> Massage can relieve tension in your muscles, and most people use it for relaxation, relief of stress and anxiety, or to reduce muscle soreness. Massage can also cause your body to release natural painkillers, and it may boost your immune system. </p> <p> While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found it helpful for: </p> <ul><li class="doublespace"><strong>Anxiety.</strong> Massage reduced anxiety in depressed children and anorexic women. It also reduced anxiety and withdrawal symptoms in adults trying to quit smoking.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Pain.</strong> Pain was decreased in people with fibromyalgia, migraines and recent surgery. Back pain also might be relieved by massage. However, back pain study results have been contradictory, and more research is required.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Labor pain.</strong> Massage during labor appears to lessen stress and anxiety, relax muscles and reduce pain.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Infant growth.</strong> Massage encouraged weight gain in premature babies and reduced the number of days they stayed in the hospital.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Children with diabetes.</strong> Children who were massaged every day by their parents were more likely to stick to their medication and diet regimens, which helped reduce their blood glucose levels.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Sports-related soreness.</strong> Some athletes receive massages after exercise, especially to the muscles they use most in their sport or activity. A massage might help increase blood flow to your muscles and may reduce muscle soreness after you exercise.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Alcohol withdrawal.</strong> Massage during withdrawal from alcohol has shown benefits when combined with traditional medical treatment by increasing feelings of support, safety and engagement in the therapy.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Immune system.</strong> People with HIV who participated in massage studies showed an increased number of natural killer cells, which are thought to defend the body from viral and cancer cells.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Cancer treatment.</strong> People with cancer who received regularly scheduled massage therapy during treatment reported less anxiety, pain and fatigue.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Self-esteem.</strong> Because massage involves direct contact with another person through touch, it can make you feel cared for. That special attention can improve self-image in people with physical disabilities and terminal illnesses. And using touch to convey caring can help children with severe physical disabilities.</li><li class="doublespace"><h2>Risks of massage</h2> <p> Massage is generally safe as long as it's done by a trained therapist. But massage isn't for everyone. And for some people it can even be dangerous. Discuss massage with your doctor before making an appointment if you have: </p> </li><li>Burns or open wounds on the area to be massaged </li><li>Had a recent heart attack </li><li>Cancer — you'll want to avoid direct pressure on the tumor area </li><li>Deep vein thrombosis </li><li>Unhealed fractures </li><li>Rheumatoid arthritis in the area to be massaged </li><li>Severe osteoporosis </li></ul> <p> In addition, talk to your doctor before getting a massage if you're pregnant. </p> <p> Massage done properly rarely leads to severe injuries. Ask your massage therapist about his or her training and qualifications — some states require licensing. And if any part of your massage doesn't feel right or is painful, speak up right away. Most serious problems come from too much pressure during massage. In rare circumstances, massage can cause: </p> <ul><li>Internal bleeding</li><li>Nerve damage</li><li>Temporary paralysis</li></ul> <p> Talk to your doctor and your massage therapist if you have any concerns about your risk of injury. Asking questions can help you feel more at ease. </p> <h2>What you can expect during a massage</h2> <p> No matter what kind of massage you choose, you should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage. When you go for a massage, you can expect to: </p> <ul><li class="doublespace"><strong>Answer a few questions.</strong> Your massage therapist will ask what you want from your massage. Are you looking for help with a pulled muscle? Massage therapists will also want to know about any medical conditions you may have, so they can decide if massage is safe for you or how to make it safer.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Disrobe.</strong> You'll be asked to remove your clothes, or at least most of them. Your massage therapist should give you privacy while you take your clothes off and provide a robe or a towel to cover yourself. A good massage therapist will protect your modesty and keep you covered as much as possible throughout the massage. If taking your clothes off doesn't sound relaxing or if you're pressed for time, try a chair massage. These massages are conducted while you sit in a special chair that slopes forward so the therapist can massage your back. You keep your clothes on for this massage — it's often done in the open, rather than in a private room.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Be asked to lie down.</strong> Most massages will require you to lie on a padded table. Pillows or bolsters might be used to position you during the massage. This allows you to relax completely during the massage. Music usually plays softly while you're massaged.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Have oils and lotions used on your skin.</strong> Some massage therapists use oils or lotions to reduce friction while massaging your body. If you're allergic to any ingredients commonly found in body oils and lotions, tell your massage therapist. He or she might have products without that ingredient. You may opt not to use oils and lotions.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Never feel significant pain.</strong> Pain that's more significant than momentary discomfort could indicate that something is wrong. If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, tell him or her to lighten the pressure. Your massage therapist should receive feedback from you to determine how best to massage you. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle that feels like a knot. It's likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out. But if it becomes painful, speak up.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Spend about an hour.</strong> Most table massages take about an hour, though some can be up to 90 minutes long. It's your preference.</li></ul> <h2>A health care tool</h2> <p> For many conditions and injuries, massage may be a means to help you feel more relaxed and less anxious and to reduce pain. It's one of several useful tools for managing your health, but it doesn't take the place of standard medical treatment and exercise. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-7877659236114016038?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-90560016702033937482009-08-28T21:17:00.000-07:002009-08-28T21:20:35.738-07:00<p> Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realize it. You may think illness is to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent forgetfulness or your decreased productivity at work. But sometimes stress is to blame. Indeed, stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. When you recognize common stress symptoms, you can take steps to manage them. </p> <p> Of course, other potentially serious health problems also can cause some of these symptoms. If you're not sure if stress is the cause or if you've taken steps to control your stress but symptoms continue, see your doctor. Also, if you have chest pain, especially if it occurs during physical activity or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, nausea or pain radiating into your shoulder and arm, get emergency help immediately. These signs and symptoms may indicate a heart attack and not simply stress symptoms. </p> <div class="mctable"> <table class="content" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <th colspan="3">Effects of stress ...</th> </tr> <tr class="bodyrow"> <td width="30%"><strong>... On your body</strong></td> <td width="40%"><strong>... On your thoughts and feelings</strong></td> <td width="30%"><strong>... On your behavior</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="bodycellg"> <ul><li>Headache</li><li>Back pain</li><li>Chest pain</li><li>Heart disease</li><li>Heart palpitations</li><li>High blood pressure</li><li>Decreased immunity</li><li>Stomach upset</li><li>Sleep problems</li></ul> </td> <td class="bodycellg"> <ul><li>Anxiety</li><li>Restlessness</li><li>Worrying</li><li>Irritability</li><li>Depression</li><li>Sadness</li><li>Anger</li><li>Feeling insecure</li><li>Lack of focus</li><li>Burnout</li><li>Forgetfulness</li></ul> </td> <td class="bodycellg"> <ul><li>Overeating</li><li>Undereating</li><li>Angry outbursts</li><li>Drug or alcohol abuse</li><li>Increased smoking</li><li>Social withdrawal</li><li>Crying spells</li><li>Relationship conflicts</li></ul> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p> If you do have stress symptoms, taking steps to manage your stress can have numerous health benefits. Stress management can include: </p> <ul><li>Physical activity</li><li>Relaxation techniques</li><li>Meditation</li><li>Yoga</li><li>Tai chi</li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-9056001670203393748?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-21550238076829340082009-08-28T21:12:00.000-07:002009-08-28T21:16:54.235-07:00<p> If you're like many smokers and tobacco users, you know you should quit — you just aren't sure how to do it. Creating a quit-smoking plan improves your chances of stopping for good. Having a quit-smoking plan helps you cope with the physical and emotional issues that often arise when you stop smoking, such as nicotine withdrawal and strong urges to smoke. </p> <h2>Deciding to quit smoking</h2> <p> Sure, you may be able to list plenty of reasons to stop smoking. You may be worried about the health problems related to smoking, the social stigma, the expense or the pressure from loved ones. But only you can decide when you're ready to stop smoking. You may spend a lot of time thinking about quitting smoking before you're ready to actually do it. If you're thinking about quitting, go ahead and pick a specific day to quit — your quit day — and then plan for it. </p> <h2>Picking a quit day</h2> <p> Pick a specific day within the next month to quit smoking. Don't set your quit day too far in the future, or you may find it hard to follow through. But don't do it before you have a quit-smoking plan in place, either. Pick a random day as your quit day or pick a day that holds special meaning for you.<br /></p><br /><h2>Preparing for quit day</h2> <p> There's no easy way to quit smoking. But planning for it can help you overcome the hurdles you're likely to face. Here are steps you can take as you prepare for your quit day: </p> <ul><li><strong>Mark the day.</strong> Make a big notation of your quit day on your calendar. It's an important day in your life, so treat it like one.</li><li><strong>Talk to your health care provider.</strong> If you haven't talked to your doctor or health care provider yet about quitting smoking, do so now. Ask about stop-smoking counseling and medications. Using either counseling or medication improves your odds of success. And combining them is even more effective. If you'll be using the prescription medication bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Chantix), you must start the medication a week before your quit day to give it time to begin working.</li><li><strong>Tell people.</strong> Let family, friends and co-workers know about your quit day. Make them your allies. They can provide a lot of moral support. Tell them how they can be most supportive of your effort to quit smoking.</li><li><strong>Clean house.</strong> Rid your home, car, office and other places of your smoking and tobacco products. Don't keep any cigarettes on hand "just in case" — you might not be able to resist the temptation. Also, consider getting your teeth professionally cleaned as motivation to stay quit. </li><li><strong>Stock up.</strong> Have on hand items that can substitute for the cigarette you're used to having in your mouth, such as sugarless gum, hard candy, cinnamon sticks and crunchy vegetables.</li><li><strong>Join up.</strong> The more support you have, the more likely you are to stop smoking successfully. Find local quit-smoking support groups. Many hospitals and clinics offer classes or groups. You can join online quit-smoking groups or programs. You can even text message smoking cessation counselors through Smokefree.gov. </li><li><strong>Reflect.</strong> If you've tried to quit smoking before but took it up again, think about what challenges you faced and why you started again. What worked and what didn't? Think about what you can do differently this time. For example, make a list of your triggers and how you will deal with them.</li></ul> <p> Action guide to dealing with triggers (PDF file requiring Adobe Reader) </p> <h2>Handling quit day</h2> <p> Getting through your quit day can be emotionally and physically challenging, especially if strong tobacco cravings strike. Try these tips to help manage your quit day: </p> <ul><li>Don't smoke, not even "just one."</li><li>Begin using nicotine replacement therapy if you've chosen that method.</li><li>Remind yourself of your reasons to stop smoking.</li><li>Drink plenty of water or juice.</li><li>Keep physically active.</li><li>Avoid situations and people that trigger your urge to smoke.</li><li>Attend a support group, counseling session or stop-smoking class.</li><li>Practice stress-management and relaxation techniques.</li><li>Keep your hands busy by typing, writing, squeezing a ball or knitting.</li></ul> <h2>Staying quit</h2> <p> With a quit-smoking plan to guide you, line up your resources now so that you can lean on them when you quit smoking. The more resources you have in place — support groups, nicotine replacement, medications, counseling — the more likely you are to quit and stay quit. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-2155023807682934008?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-15819336516401509002009-08-28T21:03:00.000-07:002009-08-28T21:12:04.216-07:00<p> If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure of 90 or above) or with prehypertension (a systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or a diastolic pressure between 80 and 89), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. </p> <p> Don't assume medications are the key to controlling your high blood pressure (hypertension). Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication. </p> <p> Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down. </p> <h2>1. Lose those extra pounds and watch your waistline</h2> <p> Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing just 10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure significantly. In general, the more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure. Losing weight also makes any blood pressure medications you're taking more effective. </p> <p> Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. In general, men are considered at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters, or cm). And women, in general, are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88 cm). However, for people of Asian descent, men are considered at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 36 inches (90 cm), and women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 32 inches (80 cm). </p> <p> You and your doctor can determine your target weight and the best way to achieve it. Your doctor might recommend that you eat healthier foods, exercise and change self-defeating behaviors, such as late-night snacking or big servings at meals. </p> <h2>2. Exercise regularly</h2> <p> Regular physical activity — at least 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). And it doesn't take long to see a difference. If you've been sedentary, increasing your activity can lower your blood pressure within just a few weeks. </p> <p> If you have prehypertension, exercise can help you avoid developing full-blown hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels. </p> <p> Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program tailored to your needs and medical conditions. Your doctor can help determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 10 minutes at a time, such as walking and light strength training, can help. </p> <p> But avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity isn't a good strategy. If you have uncontrolled hypertension or heart problems, those sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky. </p> <h2>3. Eat a healthy diet</h2> <p> Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. </p> <p> It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet: </p> <ul><li class="doublespace"><strong>Evaluate your eating style.</strong> Keep a food diary, even for just a week, to assess your eating patterns and habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why. This can shed surprising light on your true eating habits.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Consider boosting potassium.</strong> While most Americans get too much sodium, which increases their blood pressure, they often get too little potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Some packaged food products list potassium on the labels. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you. </li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Be a smart consumer.</strong> Make a shopping list before heading to the supermarket to avoid picking up junk food. Read food labels when you shop, and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.</li><li class="doublespace"> <p> <strong>Cut yourself some slack.</strong> Although the DASH diet is a lifelong eating guide, it doesn't mean you have to cut out all of the foods you love. It's OK to treat yourself occasionally to foods you wouldn't find on a DASH diet menu, like a candy bar or mashed potatoes with gravy. </p> <p> If you're craving something sweet, reaching for dark chocolate may be a good way to indulge without risk of raising your blood pressure. Research suggests that flavonol, a substance found in cocoa beans and dark chocolate, may improve blood flow and lower your blood pressure. But, even the healthiest chocolate adds calories to your diet, so treat yourself sparingly. </p> </li></ul> <h2>4. Reduce sodium in your diet</h2> <p> Even a modest reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. And bigger cutbacks mean greater reductions in blood pressure. To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips: </p> <ul><li class="doublespace"><strong>Calculate your sodium consumption.</strong> Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium you consume each day. You may be surprised at how much you're taking in. Most healthy adults need only between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. But if you have high blood pressure, are older than 50, are black, or have such chronic conditions as heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes, you may be more sensitive to sodium. In that case, aim for less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Read food labels.</strong> Look at the sodium content before you buy. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives. Even some foods you think are healthy, such as some vegetable juices, may contain surprisingly high amounts of sodium.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Eat fewer processed foods.</strong> Potato chips, frozen dinners and cured meats, such as bacon and processed lunch meats, are high in sodium.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Don't add salt.</strong> Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices, rather than salt, to add more flavor to your foods. </li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Ease into it.</strong> If you don't feel like you can drastically reduce your sodium consumption suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time. </li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Eat more fresh foods.</strong> Fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains contain little sodium. </li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Check your water softener.</strong> Water softeners are sometimes a hidden source of sodium in your water at home — although cold water to the kitchen often isn't softened. If your water softener adds a lot of sodium to the water you drink, you might want to consider switching to a different water-purification system or buying demineralized water for drinking and cooking.</li></ul> <h2>5. Limit alcohol consumption</h2> <p> Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can help prevent heart attacks and coronary artery disease and potentially lower your blood pressure by 2.5 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for men. </p> <p> If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications. </p> <ul><li class="doublespace"><strong>Track your drinking patterns.</strong> Along with your food diary, keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns. One drink equals one 12-ounce (355 milliliters or mL) beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine (148 mL) or one 1.5-ounce of 80-proof distilled spirits (30 mL). If you're drinking more than the suggested amounts, cut back.</li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Consider tapering off.</strong> If you're a heavy drinker, suddenly eliminating all alcohol can actually trigger severe hypertension for several days. So when you stop drinking, do it with the supervision of your doctor or taper off slowly, over one to two weeks. </li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Don't binge.</strong> Binge drinking — having four or more drinks in a row — can cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems. Don't abstain during the week and make up for it on the weekend.</li><li class="doublespace"><br /></li></ul><br /><h2>6. Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke</h2> <p> On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high. In addition, chemicals in tobacco can damage your arteries and cause fluid retention, both of which can raise your blood pressure. And like alcohol, tobacco products can interfere with the effectiveness of your blood pressure medications. </p> <p> Also, avoid secondhand smoke. Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. </p> <h2>7. Cut back on caffeine</h2> <p> The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in your blood pressure. And some studies show that people who drink caffeine regularly have a higher average blood pressure, suggesting that caffeine might have a long-term impact. But other studies show you can develop a tolerance to caffeine so that it doesn't affect your blood pressure. </p> <p> To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine. </p> <p> Regardless of your sensitivity to caffeine's effects, doctors recommend you drink no more than 200 milligrams a day — about the amount in two cups of coffee. </p> <h2>8. Reduce your stress</h2> <p> As with caffeine, the influence of stress on blood pressure isn't settled. Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. </p> <p> You need to know what stresses you before you can try to reduce your stress. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress. </p> <p> If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation. If self-help doesn't work, seek out a professional for counseling. Try meditation or ask your doctor about purchasing a machine that helps teach slow deep breathing. </p> <h2>9. Get regular health care</h2> <p> If you have high blood pressure, you may need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learning to self-monitor your blood pressure with an upper arm monitor can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring. Make sure you ask about what size arm cuff you should use and what time of day you should measure your blood pressure. Also, a record of your blood pressure readings helps your doctor know if your medications are working or if they need to be adjusted. </p> <p> Regular visits to your doctor are also likely to become a part of your normal routine. These visits will help keep tabs on your blood pressure - and ensure that you don't neglect other health concerns. </p> <ul><li class="doublespace"><strong>Have a primary care doctor.</strong> People who don't have a primary care doctor find it harder to control their blood pressure. If you can, visit the same health care facility or professional for all of your health care needs. </li><li class="doublespace"><strong>Visit your doctor regularly.</strong> If your blood pressure isn't well controlled, or if you have other medical problems, you might need to visit your doctor every month to review your treatment and make adjustments. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have. People who have frequent blood pressure checks at their doctor's office are more likely to control their blood pressure than are those who go a year or more between visits. </li></ul> <h2>10. Get a support system</h2> <p> Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. </p> <p> Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of high blood pressure. If they understand the potential complications of uncontrolled high blood pressure, they're more likely to support your efforts to change unhealthy lifestyle habits. </p> <p> If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost, and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition. </p> <h2>The payoff: Healthier living</h2> <p> For most people, these are not drastic changes in daily life, but they offer significant rewards. When your blood pressure is under control, your risk of life-threatening complications, such as heart attack and stroke, decreases and you may live a longer and happier life. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4479925779469859983-1581933651640150900?l=habinfo09.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Health &amp; Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10903352077291070262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4479925779469859983.post-52197686446876844102009-08-28T20:52:00.000-07:002009-08-28T21:02:24.009-07:00<h3>Definition</h3> <p> </p><p>Allergic conjunctivitis is inflammation of the tissue lining the eyelids (conjuctiva) due to a reaction from allergy-causing substances such as pollen and dander.</p><p>See also: <span class="hllink">Conjunctivitis</span></p> <a name="alternativenames"><img src="http://usnews.healthline.com/images/clear.gif" /></a> <h3>Alternative Names</h3> <p> </p><p>Conjunctivitis - allergic</p> <a name="causesincidenceandriskfactors"><img src="http://usnews.healthline.com/images/clear.gif" /></a> <h3>Causes, incidence, and risk factors</h3> <p> </p><p>When your eyes are exposed to anything to which you are allergic, histamine is released and the blood vessels in the <span class="hllink">conjunctiva</span> become swollen (the conjunctiva is the clear membrane that covers the "white" of the eye). Reddening of the <span class="hllink">eyes develops</span> quickly and is accompanied by <span class="hllink">itching</span> and <span class="hllink">tearing</span>.</p><p>Allergies tend to run in families, although no obvious mode of inheritance is recognized. The incidence of allergy is difficult to determine, because many different conditions are often lumped under the term allergy. Keep in mind that rubbing the eyes makes the situation worse.</p> <a name="symptoms"><img src="http://usnews.healthline.com/images/clear.gif" /></a> <h3>Symptoms</h3> <p> </p><p>Symptoms may be seasonal and can include:</p><ul><li><span class="hllink">Red eyes</span></li><li>Dilated vessels in the clear tissue covering white of the eye</li><li>Intense itching or <span class="hllink">burning eyes</span></li><li>Puffy eyelids, especially in the morning</li><li>Tearing (watery eyes)</li><li>Stringy eye discharge</li></ul> <a name="signsandtests"><img src="http://usnews.healthline.com/images/clear.gif" /></a> <h3>Signs and tests</h3> <p> </p><p>Your doctor may look for the following:</p><ul><li>Certain white blood cells, called eosinophils, in scrapings, secretions, or discharge</li><li>Small, raised bumps on the inside of the eyelids (papillary conjunctivitis)</li><li>Positive skin test for suspected allergens (See: <span class="hllink">Allergy testing</span>)</li></ul> <a name="treatment"><img src="http://usnews.healthline.com/images/clear.gif" /></a> <h3>Treatment</h3> <p> </p><p>The best treatment is avoiding exposure to the cause or <span class="hllink">allergen</span>. Unfortunately, this is not often practical. Discomfort can be relieved by applying cool compresses to the eyes or taking <span class="hllink">antihistamines</span> by mouth (many of these are available over-the-counter).</p><p>If home-care measures do not help, treatment by the health care provider may be necessary. This may include:</p><ul><li>Antihistamine or anti-inflammatory drops that are placed into the eye</li><li>Mild eye steroid preparations applied directly on the surface of the eye (for severe reactions)</li><li>Eye drops that prevent certain white blood cells called mast cells from releasing histamine; these drops are given in combination with antihistamines for moderate to severe reactions</li></ul> <a name="expectationsprognosis"><img src="http://usnews.healthline.com/images/clear.gif" /></a> <h3>Expectations (prognos