New Drugs for Gout and Ulcerative Colitis
New drugs for gout and ulcerative colitis, two diseases that plague millions of people worldwide have been found.
 
Identifying the Signs of Breast Cancer
The early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. That is why you must learn how to identify the signs of breast cancer before it's too late!
 
Full Body Detox
Lose 10 - 50lbs in 3 week with detox!
 
Do I Have Healthy Prostate Gland?
Don't wait until it's too late! Make sure you have healthy prostate gland.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Yoga For Pregnant Women

Master your mind!
Gain control over your body!
Be relieved of your stress through the practice of gentle art of Yoga!

Pregnancy is a physical as well as mental experience. Women often becomes hyper aware of all the changes their bodies are going through. Yoga allows pregnant women to adapt to these changes more gracefully and to feel proud and a sense of appreciation for their bodies. Yoga exercises can increase flexibility, strength, circulation and balance. Many pregnant women find that regular yoga exercises help to reduce swelling, back and leg pain, and insomnia.

However, Yoga must be practised very carefully among pregnant women, as improper exercises will bring negative effect on both moms and babies. Here are some tips for pre-natal pregnancy Yoga practise:

1. The general yoga exercises are recommended for the first 2 months. You must consult your doctor and find very experienced Yoga teachers. With proper guidance, you can practice some yoga right into labor. If you new to yoga then you should start slowly.

2. Breathing exercises are beneficial if done twice a day. The breathing exercises provide more oxygen and energy both to the mother and the child.

3. Some yoga poses that can help a pregnant women dealing with the symptoms of pregnancy, ensuring smoother and easier delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. Pregnant women should pay attention not to overstretch the body - the ligaments around the joints become loose and soft during pregnancy. The abdomen should stay relaxed at all times. Difficult and poses that put pressure on the abdomen and other should NOT be done during advance stages of Pregnancy. No any kind of pain or nausea should be felt during and/or after yoga. If this happens, you should stop yoga practise and contact your GP.

4. When carrying out standing poses with your heels to the wall or use a chair for support to avoid losing your balance and risking injury to both you and your baby.

5. Deep relaxation is crucial to give rest to body and mind, and you will benefit more from a good sleep. Deep relaxation helps the nerve system change from sympathetic to parasympathetic activity. Parasympathetic activity is associated with the restorative processes of the body, which is needed both by the pregnant woman and the child.

by Amie Porter

Quick Tips for Applying Eye Makeup

Ever since Queen Nefertiti first lined her eyes with black coal, women have been using makeup to emphasize the beauty of their eyes. If you are looking for eye makeup tips or eye makeup ideas for a dramatic eye make up look for an evening out, or simply some free eye makeup tips to put on your “morning face”, you can start out by learning basic eye makeup application.

How to Apply Eye Makeup

Before applying eye makeup, it’s always a good idea to use a concealer to hide dark circles and wrinkles around the eyes. Choose a shade of concealer that’s slightly lighter than your natural skin tone. Don’t use too much and blend it in well.

Apply the eye shadow color in several thin layers, blend well. Put the sheer color on the center of your lid with a sponge applicator or pencil.

Next, brush up and out toward your brow, then nose. Use an eye brush if possible. Apply a deeper shade of color to the crease of your lid.

Highlight Your Eyes

To highlight eyes, add a lighter shade of the same color of eye makeup to your brow bone.

Outline and Define Eyes

Outline the top and bottom of your lids with an eyeliner pencil. You can make short, close little dots with your eyeliner instead of a straight line. Smudge the dots or line lightly from the inner corners to the outer corners, if you want a softer line.

Make Thick Eye Lashes

For great looking eyelashes, go over lashes first with an eyelash separator comb. Apply a thin coat of mascara to lashes (If you don’t have many lashes, you may want to do lashes individually). Re-comb your lashes immediately after you apply the mascara. Let them dry, then repeat the process.

Removing Eye Makeup

Eye makeup should be removed with a cotton ball or swab that has been soaked in makeup remover. Makeup remover pads are good too.
Remember to be gentle and don’t rush. Be especially careful when removing mascara. You can gently rub the underside of the lashes until they come clean.

by Donna Monday

Beauty Foods That Will Keep You Young and Healthy

You’ve heard that old saying: True beauty comes from within. Well, now nutritional experts have confirmed that you really are what you eat.

Forget French fries and fatty hamburgers. If you want to look beautiful and feel young and healthy, you’ll eat a generous variety of super foods that have been proven to work wonders on the human body.

Whether you’re on a low fat diet, low carb diet, or no diet, adding these super foods to your plate should become as second nature to you as putting your lipstick on in the morning.

Healthy Skin – Eat: blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, currants, purple grapes, pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes.

Healthy Eyes – Eat: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, mustard greens, turnip greens.

Strong Bones – Eat: yogurt, kefir, soy, tofu. Drink: skim milk.

Reduce Stress – Eat: beans (navy, pinto, red, black, etc.), green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas, chick peas.

Boost Immune System – Eat: turkey, skinless chicken breast, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, spinach. Drink: black or green tea.

Sun Protection – Eat: tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit.

by Donna Monday

Should you make your own beauty products?

With the huge range of beauty products on the shelves, why do some people still make their own beauty products?

I started making my own skin care products years ago. I got a book about natural skin care. You can actually make masks out of mashed fruit. They are really messy though, but back then, I was really broke. Could not afford to spend on good skin care so I made do with what I could get.

I mashed watermelon and put in on my face. My face felt really clean, but there was a bit of a rash after that. I also read that papaya was used in spas for back exfoliating masks. In fact, the enzymes in papayas and pineapples are often used to exfoliate the skin. These can be rather harsh though, so I never tried that on my face.

One thing led to another. I moved on to make my own creams. I went through a period of time where every body lotion I tried from the stores, from the cheap ones to the $20 ones, made my skin itch. That prompted me to make my own body cream.

The cream recipes I found were mainly for cold cream. These were really heavy, oil based stuff. I wanted something lighter. A water based lotion.

A cream is basically droplets of water suspended in oil, kept in that state by an emulsifier. For my creams, I used beeswax as an emulsifier.

I experimented in the kitchen. After plenty of failed experiments. I finally came up with lotion in a texture I simply loved.

A lotion is made of droplets of oil suspended in water, kept together by an emulsifier. I used lecithin for my lotion. Here are some of the lotions I made.

By varying the water based part, using rosewater or tea instead of plain water, you can make all sorts of lotions. Likewise, you can play around with the oil part of the formula, with various infused oils, or a few drops of different essential oils, to change the lotion or cream. You can make tailor your beauty products to your personal tastes, and needs.

I had lots of fun with that. My skin loved these home made creams when they were fresh.

I even made a batch tailored specially for a cousin, using ingredients that she loves.

Yet, I have since stopped making them.

Why?

Laziness is the main reason. Lack of time is another reason.

So much care must go into making the lotions which don't keep. For me, even if I keep the lotions refrigerated, 2 days after making the lotion, if I use it on my face, my skin breaks out. 3 days later, if I use it on my body, my skin itches.

Preservatives are put in commercial skin care products to prevent these from spoiling. Without preservatives, bacteria, mould and all these nasty things multiply rapidly, spoiling the entire batch, causing nasty reactions on the skin. These home made beauty products don't have preservatives. That meant that I had to make new batches of skincare almost everyday.

Also, care must be taken to ensure all the equipment is sterile so the final product is safe to use. Carelessness could introduce lots of nasty germs into the beauty products you make.
The water and oil component must be heated to the same temperature and drops of one are added to the other while mixing thoroughly or the batch might separate.

It is so much more convenient to buy beauty products from brands that agree with my skin condition, than to make them from scratch. That is what I have been doing lately. Plus the reknown skincare lines are way better than what I can make. I mean, with their R & D budgets, they can afford to do plenty of research on creating the most effective beauty products for virtually any beauty need.

At the end of the day, whether you make your beauty products or buy them off the shelf, it is a matter of your personal preference.

by womanht

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

BMI Calculator Results

BMI, Body Mass Index, is the most popular and simple way that health professionals use to determine if you are a healthy weight. This article concerns how to interpret your results.

Summary
Body Mass Index:
<18: Underweight
>25: Overweight
>30: Obese

Calculate Yourself

The calculation is simple, you can do it on a regular calculator. All you need to know is your height and weight. If you want to use metric measurements, take your weight in kilograms and divide it by your height in meters squared. If you use inches and pounds instead, you need to multiply the result by 703 to get an equivalent result. I am 6' tall and I weigh 180 lbs. 180/(72 x 72) x 703 = 24.4

Underweight

If your BMI is 18 or less, you are considered underweight for your height. My work here is done. Just kidding.

Being underweight is a health problem, just as being overweight is. As Mr. Weightless, I am dedicated to helping those at the other end of the spectrum, but if you are underweight, here are a few tips to become healthier.

Don't try to do the opposite of everything I say to lose weight. You should still be drinking plenty of water, for example.

This may seem obvious, but EAT MORE. Consume more calories than you expend. Consume more protein. One main reason you may be underweight is lack of muscle mass. Resistance training combined with a hefty increase in protein consumption will put some meat on your bones.

The best way to consume more calories while keeping a balanced and healthy diet is to order one of our meal replacement products, but instead of using the meal replacement to replace meals, have a shake between other meals. You will be getting more calories, more protein, but without imbalancing your intake of other essential nutrients.

Normal Weight

If your BMI is between 18 and 25, you are considered normal weight for your height. My work here is done. Really.

Actually, not really. Read the section below "BMI is not Enough" to find out why a BMI that is in the normal range may not mean that you have no risk of disease. And let's face it, for beach season you don't want your waistline to be "normal", you want it to looked "ripped". You can benefit from my articles and products to strip off the last remaining fat cells that are hiding your six-pack.

Overweight

If your BMI is over 25, you are considered overweight for your height. This is a dangerous category because most people ignore the dangers. Technically, being in the overweight category does not seriously predispose you to any health problems. But that does not mean that you are healthy. And if you do nothing, you may just slip into the "obese" category where your risks are great for developing heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

There is a movement these days called "healthy overweight". People may have you believe that if you can jog a mile and do some push-ups that you are healthy despite being large. If you can do these things, that's great, but that doesn't make you healthy. It just means you're not sick yet. The people who believe in the "healthy overweight" basically want to take away any shame you might feel about your size, to make you feel better and relieve some of your stress about your self-image. They say that companies that sell diet products have exaggerated claims and made fat people believe that any amount of excess fat is unattractive and unhealthy. That may be true, we all see advertisements that make us feel unattractive compared to models and actors, and we don't feel as healthy as the athletes we watch in sports. But let's not kid ourselves: If you have excess fat, you are not as healthy as someone without it. Fat, especially around the waist, is a health risk, and it does you no good, unless you find yourself in the arctic. If you're a healthy overweight, lose some weight and you'll be a healthier normal weight!

In some cultures, even in America, being overweight is a status symbol. Having a big belly tells everyone that you make so much money that you can afford lots of food. It also says that you don't do manual labour or work with your muscles because your brain is all you need for your job. I think in most cultures this image is going away, because the muscular superhero look that I'm helping you attain shows just as much success in a different way.

Obese

If your BMI is over 30, you are considered obese. This is the category that is most associated with hightened risk for all sorts of diseases. Risk is not a guarantee, you might live to be 90, but the chances are slim.

I won't go into all of the health problems you are exposing yourself to, because I've written another article about that. Read all about Obesity Statistics and Dangers on my website.

I don't think anything more needs to be said. If you are obese, you need to start losing weight right now to reduce your risks. Would you rather be dead? I don't like scaring people, but I am scared for you.

BMI Alone is Not Enough

One important fact to consider is that BMI is based only on height and weight. Therefore, BMI is not the best measure of your health. It is attractive because it's fast and easy to calculate, not because it is perfect. If you have been lifting weights and have a lot of muscle, your BMI may say you are overweight even though you have little health risk. That is because your big muscles increase your weight, not body fat.

To get a truly accurate picture of your health risks, you can try one or more of the following other indicators.

Percentage bodyfat is the best measure. You cannot do this yourself without special equipment. A doctor or nutritionist must do one of three tests: 1) use skin calipers to measure "skin fold" at four or six points on your body, or 2) submerge you in water to calculate your volume, or 3) use a device that measures BIA (bioelectrical impedence analysis) by running a small electrical charge through your body.

Generally, men should have less than 18% body fat, and women less than 23%.

Another good indicator of health risk related to weight is waist-hip ratio. Stand with stomach relaxed and measure the narrowest part of your waist, and divide that number by the measurement at the widest point of your hips/buttocks. For women, this number should be less than 0.8, for men it should be less than 0.95. If your ratio is higher, then you carry excess fat around the waist, which carries a higher health risk. However, this only really applies if your BMI is already over 25.

If your BMI is over 25, it is time to take action to improve your health. If your BMI is over 30, you are already at risk for many diseases. Start one of our programs today.

by David McCormick

Contact Lenses and Dry Eyes

Until recently, contact lenses and dry eyes seemed to come hand in hand. Modern technology, however, has developed several ways for contact lens wearers to deal with dry eyes. When eyes become dry, they can be irritable, bloodshot and in severe cases, vision can become
impaired.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eyes occur for a number of reasons, although there is thought to be a particular link between extended contact lenses and dry eyes. Dry eyes are also prevalent with older contact lens wearers as tear ducts become less effective with age. Problems with contact lenses and dry
eyes become exacerbated when wearers spend a considerable length of time in front of a computer screen or in an air-conditioned environment.

Specific Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes

There are some manufacturers that deal specifically with the problem of contact lenses and dry eyes. For example biomedics offer their own range of frequency 55 contact lenses for dry eyes. The higher water content can be a real benefit for those suffering from irritated and dry eyes.

If you are looking for contact lenses for dry eyes, take some time to review and make a comparison before you select the best contact lenses for your circumstances. So many companies offer a range dealing specifically with contact lenses and dry eyes that it pays to
experiment and shop around and compare ratings.

Solutions for Contact Lenses and Dry Eyes

It's not only specific types of contact lenses that can help with dry eyes. There are solutions that are aimed at working alongside contact lenses and dry eyes to minimize the risks; theses include tear inducing solutions and artificial tears.

Those who suffer from problems with contact lenses and dry eyes need to pay particular attention to the various contact lens products on the market. By comparing brands and manufacturers, the perfect contact lens will be found.

If irritation of the eyes continues, the contact lenses should be removed immediately and a health care professional consulted.

With modern developments, there is no need for any contact lens wearer to suffer from dry eyes, so get help and remove the irritation. Contact lenses and dry eyes are soon to be a thing of the past!

by Christopher Chase

Eating Out! - 5 Healthy Tips

It’s one thing to stick with your diet regimen when you’re at home, in control of the contents of your refrigerator and your portion sizes. But what about going out to dinner with friends? Worse, how do you stay on track when your dream vacation has you seated by the dessert cart at every meal?

Eating right when you’re out of your comfort zone can actually be easier than when you are at home, so long as you think smart and plan ahead.

Getting in shape can be an arduous journey, and you should allow yourself to celebrate along the way! However, celebrating doesn’t mean two helpings of dessert. Instead, focus on these simple tips to help you enjoy your dinners out on the town without compromising your weight loss goals.

Tip 1: Daily Plan

Incorporate meals out like any others. Don’t skip meals beforehand, setting yourself up to be starving, then overeat. Plan. Don’t be afraid to call ahead and find out what the specials are going to be and figure out a couple of choices, so that you don’t stress out when you arrive and order foods that are not the best options for your diet.

If the restaurant or event is going to serve you buffet-style, again, call ahead to plan. If that’s not an option, here are a couple ideas. First, ask someone with whom you’re comfortable sharing your dietary concerns to help you. Tell him or her what foods you can eat (or what you cannot eat) and ask the person to fill a plate for you. Or second, walk up to the buffet table(s) beforehand with no plate. Just take a casual stroll around and see which foods are being served. Then decide if you would like to ask someone else to place your selections on a plate for you or if you would prefer to get them yourself.

Tip 2: Slow and Steady

First of all, use manners and eat slowly. Not only will this help with your digestion, it slows your eating down so that you don’t “gulp” and be a chow-hound, eating everything in sight.

If out with others, remember you are also there for socializing, so talk between bites. Set your eating utensils down while you chew. Have a sip of water between bites. The goal is not to see how fast can you wolf down the food while someone else is talking.

Tip 3: Avoid temptation

There is no law that says you must have a basket of bread, butter and oil before a meal out. If it is on your table when you are seated, request that it be brought back to the kitchen.

If your dinner mates are eager to start off with the carbs, then order a glass of water and take a sip each time you are tempted to break bread. Besides, you’ll want the time you would have wasted buttering and dipping to spend reading the menu for smart, sensible choices.

Don’t assume that you’ll be able to hold out on temptations throughout the entire meal. Set yourself up for success when you order by requesting they leave off the oils and sauces. Request that your meat and vegetables be steamed, not fried. Order a salad (with light or no dressing, on the side) or side of veggies instead of fries or mashed potatoes.

Tip 4: Fill up on the good stuff

Drink plenty of water before you leave for the restaurant, and while you wait for the food to arrive. This will help fill you up and prevent hunger-inspired indulgences.

Request your salad (and/or soup, if it’s not creamy) be brought out first, and dig in. By the time your food arrives, you should be able to more rationally determine what portion sizes are appropriate, and if anything needs to be avoided.

Tip 5: Dreaded desserts

First of all, do not order dessert until you are completely finished with your meal. You may be full and not want anything. And that’s certainly not a crime!

After the meal, if everyone is splurging on the dessert menu, keep in mind that you don’t have to join in just to be part of the “gang.” Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea to end your meal. Or ask someone to split a dessert with you. Hint: Doggie bags can also be used for desserts! So split it in half and take part home for another day or your neighbor. You have to be left out of choosing a neat dessert, either. See if the kitchen can put together a fruit bowl or a sorbet dish to satisfy your cravings without putting all your conscientious work at dinner to waste. This might be something to call ahead about..hint!

With the right approach, eating out can be a pleasurable experience. Remember, a successful diet is a lifelong lifestyle modification. You need to be able to incorporate healthful eating out activities into your routine.

What happens if you DO stress? Add extra activities to your schedule. Swim some laps. Walk or jog. Leave your wallet in the trunk and go to a mall for a shop-walk. Take a tour. Visit a museum. Enjoy a park and feed the ducks. Just get out, focus on something else and enjoy life.

by Samantha Murray

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Antiperspirants And Breast Cancer

Most underarm antiperspirants contain as the active ingredient, Aluminium Chlorohydrate, as you will probably remember there has been controversy about Aluminium, since the 1950's when it was a popular metal used for making cooking pots, Saucepans and Fry Pans and that it could be one of the contributing factors to Alzheimer's, now we have another problem that could also be related to Aluminium, Breast Cancer.

Research shows that one of the leading causes of Breast Cancer could be the use of antiperspirants. The human body has a number of areas, that it uses to purge Toxins from the body, these are, behind the knees, behind the ears, the groin area, and the armpits. The toxins are purged from the body in the form of perspiration and antiperspirant as the name clearly suggests prevents you from perspiring, thereby inhibiting the body from purging Toxins from the armpit area.

These Toxin do not just disappear, Instead, the body deposits them in the Lymph Nodes below the arms, since it is unable to sweat them out. A concentration of Toxins then builds up in the areas such as the armpits, which can then lead to cell mutations, which is cancer.

It cannot be ignored, that nearly all Breast Cancer Tumors occur in the upper outer quadrant of the breast area, this is where the Lymph Nodes are located. Men are less likely (but not totally exempt) to develop breast cancer prompted by the use of antiperspirants, because the antiperspirant is more likely to be caught in the armpit hair, rather than directly applied to the skin, but ladies, who shave their armpits, increase the risk by causing imperceptable nicks in the skin, which allow the chemicals to enter easily into the body through the armpits.

This article is aimed mainly at ladies, but please be aware that there are a few antiperspirants on the market that are made from natural products, but basically they would still trap the Toxins in the same areas. The best solution is to use deodorants, rather than antiperspirants, also please remember that the Eight Essential Sugars in Glyconutrients can also help to fight off Toxins.

There is a lot of controversy about this article, the medical profession scoff at the idea, and so do big business, but then again there are huge numbers of people that scoff at the problems associated with Fluoride in drinking water. You can make up your own mind on whether there is someting in this article or not, I know that if I was a lady, I would keep clear of Antiperspirants. I realise that Doctors everywhere, do a marvelous job, and they are appreciated, but they are reluctant to look at the bigger picture, also please remember that the fourth largest killer of people in the western world is prescription drugs.

by Alfred Jones

Sunlight for Your Life

All life on the planet and everything in nature is dependent on the sun. Without the sun, there would be no life on the planet. All life is dependent on the sun. Plants convert the sunlight into energy, and all animals need plant life or other animals in order to live. All life in nature is dependent on the sun. We as humans are part of nature. We need sunlight just like everyone else.

Sunlight is essential for your life and health. This often brings up the concern of skin cancer. People are told the sun causes skin cancer and they should wear sunblock to prevent skin cancer. This is a big fat theory of the medical symptom and disease care profession. Skin cancer is on the rise because people are supposedly spending more time in the sun, and this is the supposed "proof" that skin cancer is caused by the sun. Did the experts happen to notice that most cancer is on the rise? Does the sun cause these cancers as well?

Well, my friends, I have a question for you. How many other bad things are on the rise that people are doing? Lots. Just because the sun hits the skin, the powers that be say it means that is the one thing that "causes" skin cancer. They are looking for the one cause and one cure. Remember, there is no one cause of anything. There are only contributing factors.

In my opinion, it is not the sun that contributes to cancer, but being burned by the sun. Most people get no exposure to the sun for months; then they play weekend warrior and go out in the sun all weekend, often getting burned. My inner knowing tells me it is this burning that is a major contributing factor to skin cancer, not the actual sun exposure.

So if you do not build up to being in the sunlight, and you know you will be in the sun for a long time, use a chemical-free sunblock.

The irony about sunblock is the stuff most people use actually contains a chemical that is known to cause cancer. The FDA says PABA is a known carcinogen, or causes cancer and yet it is in most sunblocks. How ironic. There are PABA-free sunscreens that use "new" different chemicals. My thought is that those chemicals that replace the PABA will soon be identified as carcinogens as well. Just give them time. Even PABA was labeled "safe" by the FDA at first.

My recommendation: get a good chemical-free sunblock. Many health food stores will have them. Or you can find a place near you that sells them on the web. Avalon Organics is the sunblock I recommend and use. Unfortunately, they are not available everywhere right now.

The easiest way to get sunlight is go outside. Go outside every day without contacts or any type of glasses and have large amounts of your skin exposed to the sun. For you this might not be feasible, because you live some place where there is a thing called winter. So an acceptable alternative is getting some quality full spectrum light bulbs for your work and home. These are light bulbs that put out light similar to the sun. You can order them online as well, full spectrum solutions are the brand I use. But be careful; not all full spectrum bulbs are created equal. Most of the full spectrum bulbs in traditional stores are not much of an improvement over ordinary lights.

A fun alternative is going south for the winter. Go someplace where you can hang out in the sun without glasses or contacts, with much of your skin exposed to the sun.

Either way, you need sunlight all year round to be Totally Healthy.

by Dr. Jamie Fettig

Monday, July 18, 2005

A Better Hope for Alcohol & Drug Problems

People with alcohol and drug problems have been done a disservice by being labeled "diseased." Although that viewpoint has helped caregivers become more compassionate, it has also given many people the mistaken belief that they cannot be helped.

Dr. Larry Volz and his associates at The American Hypnosis Clinic believe that people who over-use alcohol and other drugs do so for reasons such as having a reward system or for escape and comfort from stress. Everyone is different - but in most cases these are normal and healthy needs… to relax, to get away from life and to treat your self. It's just the way that these needs were answered that has been their problem.

Through individualized sessions that involve up to four different types of hypnosis, behavior modification and addiction education The American Hypnosis Clinic helps individuals get their addictive behaviors under control permanently by fulfilling those needs in healthy ways. Whether the compulsive behavior in question is smoking, comfort eating, a phobia or drug or alcohol addiction - they do it more quickly, more easily and with much better results than traditional programs.

In fact, all of their programs are guaranteed for life.

by Dr. Larry Volz

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Arthritis Diet Myths- Don't Be Fooled By These Food Fables!

One of the most popular myths I hear from my patients is that eating golden raisins soaked in gin will cure arthritis. There is no good research to support this notion. Save your money.

A recent popular diet, the Dong diet, advocates the elimination of fruits, red meats, and dairy foods. Not only is there no scientific evidence to support this diet but there may be potential harm. By eliminating so many potentially nutritious foods, there is the danger of causing a deficiency of important nutrients. Elimination diets though, have their supporters and selective elimination under the strict supervision of a registered dietician may be something to explore if you’re absolutely convinced your symptoms are food-related.

Another diet advocates the removal of dairy products. There are some who claim that dairy products make arthritis worse. The concern here is that total purging of dairy foods can lead to severe calcium deficiency and subsequent weakening of bones.

For years, there has been a myth that states the elimination of nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers will cure arthritis. The theory is that these plants produce a harmful toxin that causes arthritis. To date there is no scientific data indicating that these foods produce the supposed destructive ingredient that is responsible for inducing arthritis. Nightshade vegetables actually are low-calorie and contain important nutrients that might help arthritis sufferers.

Another popular “tonic” is the combination of vinegar and honey. Again, no reliable concrete evidence backs this as a “cure” for arthritis.

The advice: Thoroughly check out any story you hear. Don't be fooled. Talk with a reputable rheumatologist and dietician before embarking on a food "experiment."

by Dr. Nathan Wei

The Greatest Benefit of Colon Cleansing

One of the stories that has been bantered around after John Waynes death from Cancer was that at his autopsy they removed over 35 pounds of impacted fecal matter from his colon.

It is hard to discern if this is urban legend or fact. However, if this is true you can certainly understand how this waste could have adversely affected his health.

How much undigested food and waste material is being held in your colon?

When we think of cleansing we have to keep in mind that the body has seven channels of elimination. Just like you would clean your entire house you should also undertake a regimen of cleansing all of your channels of elimination. These channels are the liver, lungs, lymphatic system, blood, skin, colon and kidneys. A cleanse which focuses on only one of the channels of elimination is akin to deciding that you are only going to clean the closets in your house.

A constipated colon is one in which the transit time of food is more than 24 hours. Transit time is the length of time it takes for food to enter the mouth and exit the rectum. The basic principle of good digestive health is that you should put food in and wihin 24 hours that food should come out as waste.

The naturopathic perspective is that the longer the transit time of food, the longer these toxins stay in our digestive tract which permits proteins to putrefy, fats to get rancid, and carbohydrates to ferment.

Regardless how you look at it this cannot be healthy for your body. The longer your body is exposed to these toxins in your intestines, the greater the risk of developing disease.

Stop and think about this.

If you have only one bowel movement per day, you will have all of the other meals that you ate over the last 24 hours putrefying in your intestines. This is called intoxification. It is poisoning from within. The inability to purge toxins from our systems.

What we all need to understand is that the reason why constipation is dangerous to our health is that our bodies are designed to absorb whatever is in the digestive tract. If you put good healthy nutrition there the body will absorb it. Likewise, if you put putrefying, toxic waste there the body will absorb that as well.

The best way to start a cleansing program is by cleansing your colon. After you begin your colon cleansing program you might also want to consider maintenance program with colon hydrotherapy.

Talk to your Doctor for guidance and suggestions on things you can do to maintain optimal health.

by Charles O. Palmerson

Herbs To Help Manage Cholesterol

Question : I'm a woman aged 43. Recently, my total cholesterol was detected as 6.37 mmol/L. I have no other condition except a family history with hypertension. What should I take to lower my cholesterol level?

Answer : A high total cholesterol reading is from 6.21 mmol/L and higher. High cholesterol can be controlled by taking guggulipid, which helps lower serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels and increase HDL-cholesterol levels, provided you are consistently taking the right dosage, which may be six to eight capsules a day in your case. Guggulipid is an Indian herb which contains guggulsterone E and Z. They help reduce LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and triglycerides levels and increase HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels.

The herbs milk thistle and dandelion can help in high cholesterol problems as they increase the flow of bile. When these bile salts are bound by soluble fibres, your body will need to manufacture more bile salts from the cholesterol in the blood, thereby lowering the cholesterol. As the liver plays a role in regulating the metabolism of fat, taking milk thistle and dandelion will help improve liver function, thus normalising the triglycerides level. You should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and less red meat. Oats, apples and carrots contain water soluble fibres that help to regulate the blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Vitamins like A, C, E and zinc can be used to improve the integrity of the blood vessel walls. Clinical evidence also points to these nutrients being the key to help prevent fats within the blood from oxidising and causing damage to the arteries.

by Anonymous

Friday, July 15, 2005

What's The Point of Meditating?

What are you likely to gain from meditating?

Simple:

• It improves the power of your concentration.

• Calms you down.

• And enables you to know what you want out of life and how to achieve it.

In our experience, we each have two sides of us, two YOUS if you prefer.

ONE YOU: wants to be successful and has the ability of giving you all the help and encouragement you need.

THE OTHER YOU: wants you to be an all so ran. Mediocre and that one will also give you all the help and encouragement you need to be mediocre.

The question is: Which of these have you chosen to work with? Which of these have you activated. Which of these have you given credence and credibility to.

Ask yourself:

When did you last say you would do something but never did?

When did you say that you volunteer for a task only to find that whilst you were procrastinating another person took the opportunity and made it?

When was the last time you broke a promise to your colleague, your partner or your children?

If you can identify with all or some of these behaviours then you have chosen to live with the You that is less powerful. As a result will find it difficult to reach the goals you have set for yourself in this life.

Success comes from the ability to concentrate on your strengths.

How do you do this?

Simple just give yourself five minutes a day. Just five minutes every morning to be with yourself and concentrate on the successful you.

If you really want to change your life give yourself five minutes every day to:

focus on your strengths. focus on successful thoughts. focus on fulfilling your commitments. focus on encouraging others. focus on delivering what you promised.

If you can’t squeeze five minutes into your schedule spend five minutes with yourself on the bus, train or in the traffic jam. Just give yourself five minutes.

When you start you will not be able to concentrate and will find your mind wandering all over the place. Don’t worry about this. It’s natural. It’s like learning to walk. You couldn’t do that immediately. It just takes practice.

The more you practice. The more you devote five minutes of your time to yourself, the easier it will become.

It’s like everything else in this world. You get a return of what you give. The more you give yourself the higher the return.

That’s the point of meditating. You improve your concentration skills, you gradually become at one with yourself and the world. And you know what you want out of life and how to achieve it.

Good Luck.

by Graham Harris

True Essence of Yoga

Yoga is the most prestigious field of spiritualism. People think about 6 wheels (Chakras) or lotus flowers present in the spinal card, which are not seen by the eyes. They are imaginary and so they carry some inner meaning. When you say a face as a moon, fools search for moon in that face. But, wise people see similarity in the face and moon. Similarly, wheels and lotus flowers should not be searched in the spinal card. Spinal card is the main nerve, representing mind, which is the base of love.

All these wheels or lotus flowers are the bonds of love in the various relatives like parents, wife or husband, children etc. They are compared to wheels or the revolving whirlpools in the ocean, which attract a swimmer and drown him. Similarly, these love wheels are compared to lotus flowers, since the lotus flowers attract the bee by sweet fragrance and bind it. Similarly, these love flowers attract any one and bind them. “Kundalini” is the mind which is the energy travelling as waves like a serpent, should cross all these love wheels connected to 7th lotus flower in the head called “Sahasrara”, which is Buddhi or intelligence that takes the decision, which is the firm love on God.

Bhagavat Gita is called as the main scripture of Yoga (Yoga-Sastra). Why there is not even single reference to these wheels or lotus flowers in anywhere in Gita or even in Upanishats? Since they are not real, they are not even mentioned. The author of the Gita was Krishna, who was called Master of Yoga (Yogeswara). Krishna also says that the real yoga was lost since long (Sa kaleneha mahata….). This means that in the beginning, Sages in India knew the real yoga and loved God only crossing all their family bonds. In due course of time only, this true yoga was lost. Why? The middle age Indians were unable to cross their family bonds and so failed to succeed in Yoga.

They wanted to cover their in ability by twisting the very concept of yoga. The family bonds were removed from the concept and only wheels or lotus flowers are left fixed. Now, they close the eyes and say that they have seen the lotus flowers or wheels, which are only imaginary. Now they cross these wheels by their imaginary “Kundalini” and say that they have succeeded in Yoga. These blind teachers are also not to be blamed, because they were trained like that by their blind teachers. This misinterpretation was done long time back and hence, even at the time of Krishna, He told that yoga was lost since a long time.

We cannot catch those original culprits, who were the top most twisting masters and so the present tradition also cannot be blamed. Only rectification is the way left over. Some say that they see light, which is only an imagination. After all, the mind is a form of energy and on its concentration imaginary light can be imagined. Instead of such a week light, you better see a strong light with your open eyes. What is the use of these imaginary lights and colours, without achieving the Lord through your love, which excels the various worldly, loves.

I pity the foreigners, who are trapped in this false imaginary line of yoga, who are wasting their precious lifetime and energy. In fact, they are the best to succeed in yoga, if the reality of the yoga is exposed. Their family bonds are very weak and their love towards God is real, which is proved by their huge sacrifice of money to God’s work. Money is the fruit of work and its sacrifice for God’s work is “Karma phala tyaga” as mentioned in Gita. Again, the middle age Indians twisted this word “Karma phala tyaga” as sacrifice of the fruit of the work like praying God instead of sacrifice of money.

The reason was that these Indians were unable to sacrifice money to God due to their strong love on their children. Foreigners ask their children to earn after certain age. Indians store money even for ten generations and still continue to store only. Since prayers, meditation and knowledge are very much diverted to God, India was blessed by God with good language, good mind and good knowledge.

Since foreigners are good in sacrifice, God blessed them with good wealth. Even Indian spiritual centres were strongly funded by foreigners only. Swami Vivekananda cried, “Why my India suffers with poverty in spite of so much spiritual knowledge?” Sacrifice of money (Karma phala tyaga) and sacrifice of work (karma Sanyasa) put together constitute the God’s service, which is the real Yoga (real proof of love) called “Karma yoga” in Gita. Foreigners are the best in this karma yoga and so they easily succeed in yoga. Throughout Gita, this karma yoga was explained as yoga and wheels or lotus flowers are not at all mentioned.

by Anil Anthony

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Eyelid Surgery

Blepharoplasty, commonly known as eyelid surgery, is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess fat, skin and muscle from the area around the eyes. As people age, their skin loses elasticity, they accumulate more fat and their muscles lose tone. This aging process can make the arms or stomach or breasts sag, but on the face this loss of tone and elasticity can make you look tired, angry, upset, sick and much older and can even impair vision. Eyelid surgery can be frightening because complication risks, like infection, involve the eyes and your vision. However, a vast majority of people who have undergone eyelid surgery are happy that they did so.

As with most cosmetic procedures, patients undergoing eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) are given either general anesthesia, which will require a longer stay at the medical facility and a person to take care of the patient for 24 hours following surgery, or they are given local anesthesia and a sedative, so they are awake but they cannot feel the area being operated on and they are much calmer about the procedure because of the sedative.

Blepharoplasty can be done on either the upper or lower eyelids or all four. The variation will determine the length of the surgery. In eyelid surgery, tiny incisions are made along natural creases in the upper eyelid and below the lash line on the lower eyelids. The skin of the eyelid is then separated from the fat deposits and muscle so the fat can be removed. Depending upon the patient, the skin and muscle can then be trimmed as well before they are sewn back together. Recovery can be uncomfortable because of the swelling associated with any surgical procedure which will, in this case, dry out the eyes and sometimes prevent them from comfortably closing fully before the swelling goes down.

Blepharoplasty does not remove wrinkles, dark circles or a sagging brow. For this reason, eyelid surgery is commonly performed in conjunction with other facial cosmetic procedures such as brow lifts.

by Margaret Wommack

Liposuction: Worth the Cost

Although the national average cost for liposuction charged by surgeons is $2,224 most patients agree that their liposuction was worth the expense. The benefits of liposuction are that excess fat is removed from deposits in the body, so underlying muscle is revealed, and the incisions for liposuction are small and well concealed so they won’t be seen, in contrast to scars from procedures such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) which extend the length between the two hipbones.

Liposuction is a good choice for people who are healthy, in good shape, are an appropriate weight for their age and height, but have areas of fat that don’t respond to diet, exercise or other weight loss methods. Liposuction is also ideally suited to younger people who still have good elasticity in their skin. Skin elasticity allows the skin to shrink to the new size after fat is removed. Skin that has lost elasticity is more likely to remain baggy. In this case a tummy tuck would be a better solution for removal of areas of fat. However, liposuction can be the best solution for older people as well and you should consult with a cosmetic surgeon to make the appropriate choice.

Prior to the operation, patients may be given general anesthesia, which is a common choice if a large amount of fat is being removed, or local anesthesia in addition to a sedative so he or she stays relaxed. Liposuction is done with a small cannula which breaks up and the suctions out the fat using a vacuum or a syringe. The cannula is inserted into tiny incisions made in strategic places so that fat from a wide area can be removed, but the scars will be hidden by clothing or natural creases of the body.

There are different techniques involved in liposuction, many dealing with the loss of fluids that is liked to liposuction. Patients can either remain on IV fluids or have a liposuction process of fluid injection. Here, fluids (salt solution, lidocaine, and epinephrine) are injected into the region before the surgery so the fat can more easily be removed. Different types of fluid injection techniques include tumescent, super-wet, or ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty techniques.

by Margaret Wommack

Home Gyms with Free Weights

Having your own home gym with free weights is not only convenient but gives you the freedom to work out anytime you want. You save time and money, have no costly gym fees, no driving time, and no child care is needed.

Having a home gym with free weights and a machine for aerobic activity is the perfect combination for your home gym workout routine. Exercise and cardiovascular fitness are essential in a balanced fitness program.

It's important to include stretching and resistance to help build and tone muscles, burn fat and help prevent injury. Variety is the key to enjoying and keeping you motivated for a successful exercise workout program.

Setting goals that are realistic can be a huge motivating factor in sticking to your home gym workout routine. These goals keep your mind focused on the rewards you will see and feel.

Once you start your exercise workout program and experience good results, you will become even more dedicated to achieving your goals. When beginning an exercise program here are a few important things to consider:

1. Decide how many times a week you are willing to dedicate yourself to this exercise workout program. For any real benefits to occur, your home gym workout routine should be done at least 3 to 4 times a week. It is also important to set aside a couple of days each week for complete rest.

2. How much time do you plan on dedicating to your exercise program each exercise day? It's best to start slow and gradually work up as you get more fit. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes a day on the days you exercise depending on your fitness level.

3. Remember to change your exercise and cardiovascular fitness program every few weeks. That's because your body will adjust to the same routine and your workout won't be as effective without the change. Variety is a key element for keeping your motivation going and the boredom at a minimum.

Exercise and good aerobic workouts can provide you with a lifetime of good health. According to a study in 2004, more Americans are now participating in fitness activities to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If your goal is having a toned body with more strength and flexibility, aerobic activity combined with a home gym with free weights is a great way to achieve it.


Copyright © 2005 Treadmill Info.com All Rights Reserved.

by Gary Gresham

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Acne Scar Removal Surgery

Acne scar removal surgery is one way of treating the scars left behind from acne. Acne scar removal surgery can be done by your dermatologist.

If you are considering acne scar removal surgery be sure to do some research. Before you have acne scar removal surgery check out the doctor and the treatments available.

Some things your doctor will consider before acne scar removal surgery are your age and health as well as the type and severity of the scars. Before acne scar removal surgery your doctor may also need to know how you tolerate certain meds and procedures.

One type of acne scar removal surgery is called dermabrasion. When dermabrasion is used the top layers of skin are removed with a machine. This type of acne scar removal surgery should produce skin that appears smoother.

Another kind of acne scar removal surgery is the chemical peel. A chemical peel is an acne scar removal surgery procedure where the top layer of skin is removed chemically as the name implies. The skin regenerates after a chemical peel and often the appearance of the skin is improved.

Laser resurfacing is a type of acne scar removal surgery that uses a high-energy light to burn away acne-damaged skin. This acne scar removal surgery is used to minimize fine scars.

Punch grafts are an acne scar removal surgery that is used for deep acne scars. When this acne scar removal surgery is used, unscarred skin is used to replace skin that is scarred with acne.

by Timothy Gorman

Everything You Wanted To Know About Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is the best available method for hair removal because of the several advantages offered by this method. Laser hair removal method scores over other methods of hair removal for its ease of use, less time-consuming, little or no side effects and a long lasting treatment for removing unwanted hair from the face and the rest of the body.

A scientist who accidentally exposed his arm to 692 diode pumped YAG for a few seconds discovered laser hair removal treatment in late 1970's. The exposure burned off the hair but did not damage the skin. After few weeks, the scientist noticed a bald patch on his arm. Further research and development resulted in the birth of a revolutionary new method to get rid off unwanted hair. Since then, Laser Hair removal has become popular with both men and women of all age.

Advantages of Laser Hair Removal

The relief from the age-old hair removal methods like plucking, waxing, shaving is temporary. In the new hair removal method of electrolysis, each hair is treated separately. This makes the process time consuming and restricted to small areas. The inconvenience faced in the old methods has made the Laser Hair Removal the most popular hair removal technique. Most of the cosmetologists prefer laser hair removal to other methods of hair removal. Here are some advantages of Laser Hair Removal:

1. Ease of Use - Laser treatment uses the principle of light energy absorbed by dark matter such as hair. An experienced laser technician directs and fires a laser beam at the area of hair growth thereby burning off the unwanted hair. Laser hair removal method is not painful like waxing. Users have compared it to a tingling sensation like a small pinch.

2. Less time - Unlike electrolysis that is painful and takes a lot of time, laser hair removal is faster. With laser hair removal process, facial hair can be removed in about 45 minutes. Larger body parts take a longer time.

3. Few side effects - Unlike waxing or hair removing creams, laser hair removal treatment does not cause skin irritation or any other side effects.

4. Long Lasting - Laser hair removal treatment is long lasting than waxing, shaving or hair removal creams which have to be repeated every few weeks.

The wavelength required by laser to achieve efficient treatment is in the range of 670 to 890 nanometers. The treatment includes wearing protective eyewear. Usually, more than a single treatment is required since hair is best removed when it is in the active growth phase.

by Rachel Stepsen

Monday, July 11, 2005

Say Goodbye To Dieting

The first goal we have when going on a diet is to lose weight. The second goal is to keep the weight off. Why is it that we lose weight while dieting, and then gain it back when we stop the diet?

A diet is something temporary. We follow the guidelines, the do’s and don’ts, and the result is weight loss. As soon as we stop following those guidelines, we start to gain weight. It’s temporary. We need to educate ourselves about carbohydrates, sugar, fat and protein, and how they affect our bodies. We need a healthy, nutritional balance that will keep the weight off for good. What we need is a way of life.

I have struggled with my weight since I was 18; I am now 34 years old. Over a year ago, I decided to try the South Beach Diet. I lost over 30 pounds and have kept it off. What made the difference for me is that I made the choice to not treat it as a diet, but a way of life. I learned how to eat the foods I enjoy, but in a healthier way. Instead of white bread, I choose to eat wheat or grain bread, instead of white potatoes, I choose to eat yams or sweet potatoes. We don’t have to give up our favorite desserts or pasta, but we don’t have to eat them four or five days a week either.

If I want ice cream, chocolate or French-fries, then that’s what I allow myself to have, I don’t deprive myself of anything I want to eat. What I do though, is go right back to my way of life eating habits.

Why choose a temporary weight loss solution, when you can choose a permanent one? Say goodbye to dieting and choose a way of life.

by Cori Sachais Swidorsky

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Reading Labels:Understanding Fiber, Fat, Carbohydrates, Etc

Since 1994, food manufacturers have required the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include food labels on all packaged food items. Labels can be a tremendous help in controlling our diets—but only if we understand them. Here is a primer to use as you browse the labels in your panty and at the grocery:

Serving Size. The serving size is listed at the top of the label. This is an important part of meal planning and also where many people go wrong. To get the total number of carbs, calories, etc., in an item, simply multiply the listed units by the number of servings. You may be surprised at how many items you assume are only 1 serving that are actually 2 or 3. The smaller the item, the more likely you are to make mistakes.

Calories. Calories are the units of energy within a food item. When you eat, your body converts calories into energy, uses what it can, and then stores the rest in the form of fat. On labels, you’ll find separate numbers for calories and calories from fat. The fat calorie number refers to the number of calories derived from fat. The higher this number, the more fat in the product. For example, a can of diced tomatoes may have 30 calories (units of energy) and 0 calories from fat, making this a product your body can use efficiently. However, a prepackaged children’s snack may have 130 calories with 40 calories from fat, making the processed food item a less efficient source of body fuel.

Daily Percent Values (% DV). These tell you what portion of the recommended amounts of an item (fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc.) are in a single serving in comparison to how much you need for a full day. You should take this number in account when selecting items from the grocery shelf. For example, it you are going to buy a bottle of pasta sauce, and Brand A provides 11% DV of fat and Brand B provides 40% DV of fat, the best choice is Brand A. Be sure to look at the numbers in the context of all the others on the label. If brand A turns out to be heavy on the sodium, you should continue to shop, taking a look at Brand C and Brand D.

Fat, Sugar, Fiber, Sodium and Carbohydrates. These are the sections of the label that seem to draw the most attention from dieters. However, everyone should consider them important. If you have dietary food restrictions, high blood pressure, or diabetes, these numbers could mean the difference between remaining in good health and heading towards the danger zone. If you are on a low carb diet, you can monitor your protein intake by paying attention to the carbohydrate and sugar content. Likewise, those on a low fat diet will want to know the fat and fiber content.

The FDA provides information on what specific label terms are supposed to mean.

“No fat” or “fat free” means that the item contains less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving, “Sugar free” means that the item contains less than 1/2 gram of sugar per serving, and “Good source of fiber” indicates 2.5 g to 4.9 g. per serving. A full list can be obtained from the FDA website. You’ll note that there is no definition for “low carb,” so be particularly wary when this phrase is used.

by Gavin Dye

Inflammation Pain Eased with Glyconutrients

Every person on earth has experienced pain at one time or another. Likewise, everyone has also dealt with inflammation in the body, even if they weren’t aware of it. However, only a handful of people know what glyconutrients are and how glyconutrients relate to pain and inflammation.

Glyconutrients are just recently coming to the forefront of medical research. In the past, glyconutrients, or monosaccharide sugars, were thought of as nothing more than calories that were consumed in our food. Lately, however, we are learning that glyconutrients actually play an extremely major and important function in the human body. Glyconutrients, in fact, are the means by which every one of our cells recognizes and communicates with each other. There are millions of cellular “conversations” going on at all times in our body. For example, some may signal cells to start the inflammatory process while others may signal pain receptors to fire.

Inflammation is a normal process occurring within our body to protect it from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. When viewed as such, inflammation is a good thing, not something to be interfered with. The body, as usual, knows what to do without our meddling in its actions when invaded by harmful substances or organisms.

However, what we do have to do is supply our body with the necessary raw materials to enable it to undergo inflammation at the appropriate time and in the correct fashion. Without the proper tools, our body’s inflammatory defense mechanism can’t work optimally. A major component of these raw materials, which must be supplied to the body through food or supplementation, is glyconutrients. By giving the body the correct equipment it will perform the way it should to ward off foreign invaders and infection.

The same can be said about pain. Pain is an indicator of “something isn’t right”. When the body is equipped with everything it needs, in the proper amounts and in the appropriate places at the right time, there is no reason for pain to be present. Most pain inducing symptoms can be reduced and possibly cured if the body is functioning in its optimal condition. One of the things needed to function at optimal condition is having the correct raw materials, such as glyconutrients, available to the cells of the body.

by Scott Saunders

Retin-A For Acne Scars

Retin-A for acne scars is one possibility for the problem. Reitn-A for acne scars helps with healing and cuts down on the formation of new pimples.

Talk to your doctor about Retin-A for acne scars and see what she recommends. Be sure to tell your doctor or dermatologist about any other medications you are taking before you consider Retin-A for acne scars.

If you decide to use Retin-A for acne scars you may see results in two weeks. After using Retin-A for acne scars for seven weeks you should achieve full results.

When you start using Retin-A for acne scars you will want to read all the directions carefully. Begin the Retin-A for acne scars regimen by washing your hands and putting a very thin layer on your face at bedtime. Don’t forget to wash your hands when you are through using the Retin-A for acne scars medication.

You may think that it will be helpful to use the Retin-A for acne scars more often than advised or in larger quantities but it can actually be detrimental and can increase the side effects.

Don’t worry if your acne appears to take a turn for the worse when you first use Retin-A for acne scars. It may take awhile before you notice an improvement.

There may be times when you miss a dose of Retin-A for acne scars medication. If it is not almost time to take the next dose use it as soon as you remember. Otherwise skip the missed dose of Retin-A for acne scars and continue your regular schedule.

Try Retin-A for acne scars.

by Tim Gorman

Friday, July 08, 2005

Speed Up Your Weight Loss With Herbs And Spices

I wonder how much it is generally known that the benefits of
using herbs and spices can speed up your weight loss efforts,
by quite a considerable amount actually.

We all know that herbs and spices are used with cooking to
varying degrees, and of course the primary reason for doing
so is to make food much more tasty and interesting.

I suspect however that you might be surprised at the
considerable health benefits that can also be gained by
using them. In saying this I am referring to those everyday
items that can be found in most larders, and not necessarily
those exotic and probably not so well known varieties.

I happened to discover the many benefits of herbs and spices
and the fact that they can be most beneficial to a weight
loss program, when I was doing extremely detailed research
for my latest book. The results of that research were so
extensive, that it could be the basis in itself for a
complete publication, and much more detailed therefore, than
I could possibly include in this short article.

However I have been able to include a fair amount of
information below about various herbs and spices which are
known to particularly help to speed up weight loss, and that
is also in addition to their excellent overall health
benefits by the way.

You should find that you will be able to purchase these
herbs from any good Herbalist supplier.

Garcinia: (Garcinia cambogia) is a herb which is sold
primarily for enhancing weight loss and boosting the
amount of lean muscle. This is also known as hila or
brindell berry.

One of the major benfits of Garcinia is that it acts as an
appetite suppressant and stops the body from storing fat.

Pysillium: (Plantago spp.) This cheeky little herb has quite
a few health benefits. Physillium is known to help lower
cholesterol, and another major benefit is that it also helps
to prevent constipation.

If you use it as part of your weight loss program, it can
help you to eat less calories and yet still feel really full.

This is because of the amount of fiber that it contains.

I mentioned earlier that it does help in preventing
constipation, but in order to achieve this you should make
sure that you drink plenty of water.

Siberian Gingsing: (Eleutherococcus senticosus) If you
are going to start regular exercise as part of your health
and weight loss routine, which is normally to be highly
recommended, then this is a really useful herb.

It can help your body adapt to the stress of
unaccustomed changes, and it will help to make you feel
less tired even when you are doing simple exercises
like walking for example.

So in turn therefore you are more likely to stick to your
exercise routine.

Little Known Secrets In Your Larder

Cayenne: (also known as Capsicum, hot pepper, chilli pepper,
tabasco pepper). The majority of us have cayenne in our
larders, and it is very commonly used in many food dishes.
Cayenne can be found in many forms such as ground spices,
teas, and would you believe it, topical creams.

It is well known for its antitoxidant action, and greatly
helps with osteoathritis and rhumatoid athritis, shingles,
and diabetic neuropathy.

A note of caution however: Cayenne may act with anticoagulant
drugs so be sure to consult with your doctor. Excessive use
may also irritate the intestinal tract.

Manufactured topical capsacin creams can cause a burning
sensation, so test first on a small area of the skin,
remembering to wash hands thoroughly after applying the
cream. This will avoid it spreading to the eyes nose or
other sensitive areas.

Fennel: is native to the Mediterranean and is widely
utilized throughout the world. You will find it in teas,
capsules, tinctures and lozenges.

Fennel can be used to help with bloating, flatulence,
mild digestive spasms, catarrh, and coughs. It also has
antimicrobal, antispadmodic, and anti inflammatory
properties.

A note of caution here: Fennel can sometimes cause rare
allergic skin and respiratory tract reactions.
Fennel is also a potential source of synthetic oestrogens
and should be avoided if you are pregnant.

Garlic: you can buy this fresh, or the one you will most
probably have in your larder will be dried. The downside
of garlic is the odour which it leaves on your breath,
but chewing some parsley after eating will soon sort out
that problem.

Garlic is also known to help stimulate the immune system,
and to help in fighting cancer. Well documented health
benefits include lowering cholesterol,fighting infections,
and reducing blood pressure.

Again a note of caution: garlic may also interact with
anticoaglant drugs, so do be sure to check with your doctor
if in any doubt.
Rare cases of allergic reactions are known, and some people
might possibly experience heartburn or even flatulence.

These are just a few of the herbs you can use in cooking,
but do remember that there are many many more, and the
benefits in using them frequently can be quite remarkable.

You will realize of course that when using them as part of
any dish to use them sparingly, as to add too much would
just spoil the meal.

As with everything in life one should try and strike a
balance, after all you know what they say "all things in
moderation".

by Marie Gordon

Why do Japanese live so long?

Studies have shown that Japanese men and women have the longest life expectancy than any other race in the world. We now know why!

Have you ever heard the expression “You are what you eat.”? It turns out there is more truth to this statement than was once thought. The reason for the people of Japans long life is exactly that, their diet.

There are three staples of the Japanese diet which can be linked to their long healthy lives.

1.Fish – Seafood is a well known staple of the Japanese diet. It is also a well known fact that seafood is very healthy. The average Japanese diet includes at least one piece of seafood every day. Seafood is naturally low in fat and cholesterol, high in protein and omega 3 fatty acids. It is arguably one of the healthiest meats available today.

2.Rice – The most well known food in Japan has to be rice. It is eaten every day often multiple times a day in Japan. Whether by itself as a meal or in a multitude of other dishes, rice is the foundation of Japanese food. Rice itself is low in fat, a great source of energy, filling, and nutritious. Japan has perfected rice growing and cooking. I have never met a Japanese person who did not own a rice cooker. In Japan there have even been developed vitamin infused rice, or hybrid rice’s. These provide even more nutrition than normal white rice.

3.Green tea – The beverage of tea has existed in Japan for a very long time. Japanese green tea, similar to rice and fish, is consumed every day by most Japanese. It is often consumed with most meals, given as gifts, and used in the most important of ceremonies. Green tea is high in vitamins such as C and E, high in dietary fiber, it helps lower cholesterol, and raises your metabolism. Green tea is perhaps the most convenient and least expensive way to live a longer healthier life.

So let us learn from the Japanese. With these three secrets you to could live a longer healthier life.

by Eric Newman

The Pathophysiology of Tetanus

Tetanus is an acute, often fatal disease caused by an exotoxin produced in a wound by Clostridium tetani. Clostridium tetani is a gram-positive, nonencapsulated, motile, obligatively anaerobic bacillus. It exists in vegetative and sporulated forms. Spores are highly resistant to disinfections by chemical or heat, but vegetative forms are susceptible to the bactericidal effect of heat, chemical disinfectants, and a number of antibiotics.

Clostridium tetani is a noninvasive organism. It is found in soil and in the intestine and feces of horses, sheep, cattle, dogs, cats, rats, guinea pigs and chicken. Manure-treated soil may contain large numbers of spores too.

Tetanus occurs after spores or vegetative bacteria gain access to tissues and produce toxin locally. The usual mode of entry is trough a puncture wound or laceration. Tetanus may also follow elective surgery, burn wounds, otitis media, dental infection, abortion and pregnancy. Neonatal tetanus usually follows infection of the umbilical stump.

In the presence of anaerobic conditions, the spores germinate. Toxins,including tetanolysin (which potentiates infection) and tetanospasmin (a potent neurotoxin) are produced. Tetanospasmin, often referred to as tetanus toxin, causes clinical tetanus. The toxin produced is disseminated through the bloodstream and lymphatic system. However, it does not enter the central nervous system through this route, as it cannot cross the blood brain barrier except at the fourth ventricle. The toxin is exclusively taken up by the neuromuscular junction, where it migrates retrograde transynaptically at the rate 75-250mm/day, a process which takes 3-14 days, protected from neutralizing antitoxin, predominantly to inhibitory synapses to prevent the release of acetylcholine.

The toxin acts after the incubation period (3-14) days) at several sites within the central nervous system, including peripheral motor end plates, spinal cord, brain and sympathetic nervous system. The typical clinical manifestations of tetanus are caused when tetanus toxin interferes with release of neurotrasmitters, blocking inhibitor impulses.

Blockade of spinal inhibition is produced when the toxin acts at the synapse of interneurons of inhibitory pathways and motor neurons. General muscle rigidity arises from uninhibited afferent stimuli entering the central nervous system from the periphery. The effect of the toxin on the brain is controversial; direct inoculation can cause seizures.

One of the many complications from tetanus is respiratory failure secondary to spasms, obstruction by secretions, exhaustion and pulmonary aspiration. Cardiovascular complications thought to be due to hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system include tachycardia, with heart rates over 180 beats per minute, severe vasoconstriction and hypertension. Autonomic dysfunction is seen as increased basal sympathetic activity and episodes of sympathetic over activity. (SOA).

by Wong Lai Teng

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Aloe Vera, an Alternative That Will Improve Your Looks and Your Outlook

Do you remember your teen years? Remember that schoolmate that had a less than perfect complexion and always seemed to be the object of cruel comments? Sure, you can relate to what I’m saying! Perhaps it was even you at the receiving end of those comments. Unfortunate as it may be, as a teenager, our outward appearance plays a vital role in issues of self-esteem. Our peers often exasperate the tiniest of imperfections that we may have, making them a Goliath in our life. Many of us needlessly suffered the humiliation of being called toad-face, wart hog or other disparaging names. Mother Nature provides a simple effective treatment for most diseases of the skin, especially those that frequently occur with most young adults.

In use for thousands of years, Aloe Vera, a natural and safe remedy, effectively treats skin diseases like acne, eczema, herpes, psoriasis and many others. When prescribed medications failed, many frustrated patients tried Aloe Vera and achieved outstanding results. Why more dermatologists do not recommend all-natural Aloe Vera as a first-step treatment, rather than subjecting their patients to less effective and more costly drugs, is a mystery. Aloe Vera is time-tested and proven by many clinical studies to be safe and effective, and unlike most prescribed drugs, allergic reactions and other side effects are virtually nonexistent. Let’s rid our young adults of this robber (skin diseases) of self-esteem.

by Arthur Comer
Article Source: EzineArticles

Garlic - My Favorite Healing Herb

Garlic is a wonderful healing herb and, unlike many of the other herbs, it tastes great and can be incorporated into a variety of meals. Garlic has been used for over 5000 years as a healing herb and has strong antibacterial, and antiviral properties. But it’s health benefits extend well beyond it’s infection fighting properties. It is also reputed to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as help protect against heart disease and stroke.

And the benefits of garlic don't stop there. A recent study has shown that taking a garlic supplement once a day can reduce the risk of getting a cold by 50% and help you gain a speedy recovery if you do happen to catch one. In fact, I tried this out recently when I felt a sore throat coming on – I toasted a piece of bread and added some raw crushed garlic to it. It was a bit pungent but I woke up the next day good as new! Aside from colds, garlic has historically been used as a remedy for infections, athletes foot, worms, respiratory ailments, some cancers of the stomach, colic, ear aches, bladder problems and high blood pressure.

Garlic is jut plain good for you too! it is loaded with vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, B and C, selenium, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. But in order to reap the benefits, you must prepare it in a certain way. Researcher say it is the allicin that is released when garlic is crushed. If you are trying to serve yourself a garlic herbal remedy by adding garlic to your foods then make sure you crush it a bit ahead of time and don't add until the final 5 minutes of cooking. This will give the allicin enough time to develop and will insure you don't cook all the garlic health out of it.

Cooked garlic will not have as much benefit as raw and whole garlic cloves have little benefit at all. Another way to incorporate garlic into your meals without cooking is to make a garlic bread where you crush the gloves into a paste and toast bread - butter the toasted bread and spread the garlic on it - Yum!

Garlic can have an affect on blood clotting, so don't start taking supplements unless you discuss it with your physician first especially if you are on blood thinning medication or due to have surgery in the near future.


by Lee Dobbins

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Do Roasted Peanuts Cause Acne?

Many people wonder what the active cause for acne to occur on an individual really is a result from and some folks even attribute it to roasted peanuts. The truth is acne, zits and blackheads can be caused from a variety of reasons. Your diet is really just one small piece of the acne causing problems. Other factors include exercise, cosmetics, diet, hormones, hygiene, medications, shaving and stress. For the subject of this article I’ll stick with the diet portion and how it can influence your resistance or encouragement of acne.

Studies show that diet does not play a role in either the cause or the treatment of acne. However, what is recommended for acne preventative care is a healthy diet along with a vitamin regiment that should prevent any sort of zit or blackhead outbreak. Here is a small list of healthy vitamins, minerals and other supplements that have been known and recommended to prevent and help conquer acne breakouts:

Vitamin A,
Vitamin B Complex,
Vitamin C,
Vitamin E,
L-Carnitine and
Zinc

In terms of diet the following measures can be taken with the hope of preventing an acne outbreak or at the very least minimizing further outbreaks of zits and blackheads. It’s recommended that you add more fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts to your regular diet. This can be accomplished by eating more salads, dried fruit and nut snacks and by drinking more juices.

It is recommended that you decrease your daily intake of caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrates. There have been some clinical studies showing that caffeine can increase the levels of stress hormones inside your body, provoking or worsening acne conditions. This means you should cut back on your consumption of tea, coffee, chocolate and other beverages containing caffeine. The same advice goes for sugar and refined carbs. For instance white bread, rice, flour, and pasta can result in an insulin surge, resulting further in an excess of male hormones that stimulate skin to discharge lots of sebum, which in turn leads to clogged pores allowing bacteria to grow and acne to appear.

Finally it is also recommended that you decrease your dietary intake of red meat and dairy products. Since both are more difficult for our bodies to digest and some researchers say that when the body puts forth an increased effort in the digestion of high levels of animal protein, waste products are not completely processed as usual, instead they can shed slowly, blocking pores, causing acne.

Hopefully these few diet tips will help in your quest to stop the appearance of acne, zits and blackheads. And remember it hasn’t really been proven that roasted peanuts cause acne.

by Tim Gorman

Healthy Restaurant Eating

Here's food for thought....did you know the average restaurant meal has over 1,000 calories? That's enough to blow any healthy eating plan. Fortunately, by following a few simple guidelines, you can dine out without having to sacrifice good taste and nutrition.

1. Avoid ordering an appetizer. It's not widely known that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course. Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It's not a healthy way to start your meal.

2. Say "yes" to salad. Salad is a healthy eater's best friend. Not only will it fill you up so you'll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

3. Make the right entree selection. Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you'll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

4. Think about what you're drinking with your meal. By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.

5. Indulge your sweet tooth wisely. Many of the chain restaurants now offer a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

6. Learn to control your portions. Many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overindulge.

By following these steps, you can make your dining experiences not only healthy, but enjoyable. Your heart will thank you!

by Joe Serpico

Don't Eat Fat! Don't Eat Carbs! What CAN we eat?

You've heard the advice of the popular weight loss diets. Cut the fat! Cut the carbs! Cut the calories! Eat a balanced diet! But how can you cut though all of the confusion, and eat a diet that's balanced and healthy?

Here's the advice from nutritional science:

Cut the JUNK fats: Most people do not need an ultra low fat diet. But most of us could improve our diet by cutting out the junk fats. Basically, these are the processed fats: hydrogenated fats, polyunsaturated oils that have been heated, and fats that are combined with junk carbs. Processed fats are the fats most likely to put on flab and clog your arteries.

Cut the JUNK carbs. Most people do not need an ultra low carb diet. But unfortunately, so many people who go on a low fat diet continue to eat highly processed foods - they switch from processed high-fat to processed low-fat. And when food manufacturers create low fat foods, they tend to replace the fat with junk carbs, that tend to pile on the pounds. Basically, junk carbs are low-fiber carbs. Like sugar, fructose (and all the other *oses), flour, cornstarch, fruit juice. Yes, fruit juice is a junk carb too! - After all, how much fiber is there in fruit juice? - Virtually none - its yet another junk carb. You should eat the whole fruit instead, with its fiber intact.

Cut the JUNK calories. Most people do not need an ultra low calorie diet. But just think what your diet would be like if you dropped the processed fats and the low-fiber carbs. You'd be eating mainly natural proteins, with lots of vegetables plus whole fruits - and the odds are that you would be eating far fewer calories as well. That's the kind of calorie cutting most of us should be doing.

Eat a balanced NATURAL-FOODS diet. By natural foods, we mean the foods that would have been eaten by your hunter-gatherer ancestors: - lots of whole vegetable foods for vitamins and fiber; moderate to small portions of meats, fish, seafood, and other animal and protein foods, grilled, stewed or baked; and small portions of fresh whole fruit in season. This is the diet on which the human race evolved, and the diet which, for the vast majority of people, makes for optimum health

So the next time you're about to order a meal with fries and sugary soda, think about how it could be improved. Replace the fries with a salad, and the soda with mineral water, and you've already made significant progress towards a more healthy, balanced meal.

And at home, look for recipes that use whole, fresh foods, with a minimum of processing. Make sure your meals include natural unprocessed foods, with lots of healthy vegetables, both cooked, and raw in salads. Avoid processed fats and processed low-fiber foods.

A sample menu:
- grilled fish with steamed green beans, and peppers
- large mixed salad, dressed with small amounts of olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice
- fresh fruit platter

Yes - A healthy, balanced diet can be that simple!

by Joe Serpico