Health Fitness and Beauty Articles

Splash Your Acne Supplement Expenses with Food

2005-04-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

Splash Your Acne Supplement Expenses with Food

by Naweko San-Joyz

Twenty-one year old Lydia Garcia faces an imminent dilemma- poverty or acne. Lydia religiously uses three herbs to keep her skin clear and she’s always on the prowl for supplements to augment her health. Just last week she read that the Chinese herb astragalus enhances the immune system. And now, Lydia ponders, “I think I want to take dandelion root and ginseng to ease my menstrual cramps.” Yet Lydia’s salary as a receptionist barely covers her fanatical consumption of supplements.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on supplements when food provides all the nutrients you need to have clear skin. Herbs and supplements that provide support for clean skin typically offer the following benefits:Boost the immune systemEnhance stress managementCleanse the blood and liver, andAid in skin repairA well-chosen diet can prove just as advantageous as supplements and herbs.

Foods that boost the immune system

Vitamin C - Oranges, grapefruits, papaya, green peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli

Vitamin E - Almonds, sunflowers seeds-

Zinc - Wheat germ, black-eyed peas, lean beef, crab, oysters

Foods that enhance stress management-

Vitamin B6 - Legumes, whole grains, chicken, pork, bananasFoods that cleanse the blood and liver-Garlic, onions, turmeric, cayenne pepper, aloe vera juice, watermelon-Bulk-producing foodsOatmeal, apples, oranges, bran cereals Foods that aid in skin repair-ProteinNonfat dairy, beans, meat, poultry, fish, nuts

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Sardines, herring, salmon, tuna, walnuts-Selenium Onion, garlic

Although herbs and dietary supplements offer a broad spectrum of benefits to the skin, it’s no fun looking fabulous if you can’t afford to go anywhere. So, save some cash and eat you way to clear skin.

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About the Author:

Health author and Stanford University graduate Naweko San-Joyz lovingly writes from her home in San Diego. Her works include “Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne” (ISBN: 0974912204) and the upcoming work “Skinny Fat Chicks, Why we’re still not getting this dieting thing” (ISBN: 0974912212) for release in June of 2005. For useful acne self-help articles visit http://www.Noixia.com

How To Get Rid Of Dandruff

2005-04-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

How To Get Rid Of Dandruff
by Marquetta Breslin

Dandruff is a warning sign when it comes to the health of hair. It is actually the small bits of dead skin peeling away from the scalp. It happens because of propagation of bacteria and/or problems with seborrhoeic scalp conditions. People usually think that dandruff occurs only in dry scalp, but it occurs in oily scalp also. Usually, dandruff is not visible to the naked eyes in its early stages of growth.

It becomes visible when the problem deteriorates and bigger pieces of dead skin start to peel away from the scalp. Prolonged suffering from dandruff may result in dandruff ailment. It can lead to eczema if it worsens. It is necessary to suppress propagation of bacteria in the scalp, as it is one of the main causes of dandruff.

Shampooing regularly helps in preventing bacterial propagation. Medicated shampoos for dandruff removal are available in the market. However, those having dry scalps should avoid daily shampooing, as it can lead to eczema. Shampooing once every three days may be safer for such persons. Remember that using only one brand of shampoo causes build-up that leads to dandruff. Use two shampoos alternatively to have better results. There are several things that you can do to prevent dandruff.

One easy way is to apply a mixture of 8 table spoons peanut oil and the juice of half a lemon. Leave it on your hair for 10 minutes and then wash normally. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic that you can use to deal with dandruff. Add 3 drops of it to a small amount of shampoo while washing your hair. Rinsing hair with a solution of 1/4 c. vinegar and 1 qt. water can also give benefits. Mixture of the herbs chaparral or thyme works well as a hair rinse. You also need to take care of your diet to deal with dandruff effectively.

At least 50 percent of your diet should be raw food. Cut down on the intake of fried food, sugar, nuts, chocolate and other dairy products. Add fish oil, primrose oil or flaxseed oil to your diet. Your diet should also include vitamin B complex, vitamin E, selenium and zinc supplements. However, make sure that you do not exceed 100mg of zinc a day. Take vitamin C, bioflavonoid complex, lecithin granules or capsules for positive result. Some people suffer from dandruff for a prolonged time and it becomes a hard-to-cure problem. They should consult a skin specialist for treatment.

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About the Author:
My name is Marquetta Breslin and I'm a professional hair braider with over 12 years of experiance. I own http://www.braidsbybreslin.com where I sell intructional hair braiding and weave DVDs teaching the world how to braid and weave.

Hair Nutrition- Diet for Healthy Hair

2005-04-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hair Nutrition- Diet for Healthy Hair
by Marquetta Breslin

If you do not yet feel enough motivated to have a balanced diet then temptation of healthy lustrous hair may convince you for it. Nutritional deficiencies can make the hair stringy, dull and dry. If your hair loss results from nutritional deficiency, you can bring it under control through adequate nutritional supply. Your hair is sensitive to what you eat. A study based on the effect of crash diets has revealed that people undergoing such diet regime may experience temporary hair loss because of poor nutritional supply.

Zinc plays a vital role in maintaining good hair condition. Its deficiency often results in poor hair growth and considerable hair loss. Similarly, people who prefer to have low or no fat diets also run the risk of hair loss, as essential fatty acids are an important constituent of healthy hair. While biotin has often been marketed to help people suffering from pattern-baldness, any direct relationship between the two is yet to be established. If you feel the problem behind your hair loss is nutritional imbalance, you can consult a dietician for the right suggestion.

Tips for Healthy Hair

1. You may think that harping on a particular nutrient may work wonders on your hair, a wholesome diet is better recommended.

2. Intake of green leafy vegetables and hair friendly spices like turmeric and cumin help you get healthy and lustrous hair.

3. Various fruits in your diet suffice different nutritional needs and keep your hair in good condition.

4. Using fresh coconut paste over the hair and scalp helps to nourish it and makes your hair eye-catching. Going for natural remedies protects the hair from the effects of harsh chemicals as well. Thus, a balanced nutritious diet and the right eating habits are the two factors that make your hair vibrant and healthy.

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About the Author:
My name is Marquetta Breslin and I'm a professional hair braider with over 12 years of experience. I own http://www.braidsbybreslin.com where I sell intructional hair braiding and weave DVDs teaching the world how to braid and weave.

Anxiety Disorders

2005-04-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Anxiety Disorders
by Kathy Jones

The most common anxiety attacks are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobic Disorders, Obsessive-compulsive Disorder and Stress-related Disorders. Generalized Anxiety AttacksGeneralized Anxiety Disorders (GAD) is characterized by anxiety symptoms that are present for much of the time and not restricted to specific situations.

Generalized anxiety often accompanies phobias and is extremely common in people who are depressed. It can also be caused by physical illness, such as an overactive thyroid gland, or result from the emotional response to a serious illness such as a heart attack.

Some 15 per cent of people with GAD have a hereditary background, it is likely that their brother, sister or a parent are suffering from a similar problem. This disorder reflects an inherited tendency to the attacks or the effect of the surrounding environment. Two thirds of sufferers are women. Panic DisordersIn panic disorders, repeated panic attacks occur unpredictably and often without obvious causes.

They consist of severe anxiety attacks with physical and psychological symptoms. Physical symptoms can include any of the general symptoms of anxiety described above, and more often that of the hyperventilation syndrome. Psychological symptoms typically include dread (particularly of extreme events such as dying), having a seizure, losing control or 'going mad'.

To the sufferer, the attacks feel as if they are going on for a long time, but actually they tend to last only a few minutes, and at their longest they last around an hour. Panic attack is common in depression, GAD or agoraphobia. Phobic DisordersA phobia is a fear that is out of proportion to the situation that causes it and cannot be explained easily. Simple phobias are phobias that are specific to objects or situations.

Specific phobias include: Animal phobia (eg dogs, snakes, frogs, cockroach, spiders and other insects) these phobias often start in childhood, usually before the age of seven years. Blood and injury phobia: the fear of blood tests or the sight of blood that results in fainting. Vertigo: a fear of heights and hills.

Agoraphobia: an intense fear of leaving the home, being in crowded places, traveling on public transport and being in any place that is difficult to leave. Social phobia: a fear of social interaction with others, talking to people, eating, drinking and speaking in public. Many people have a mixture of both agoraphobia and social phobia. Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderAn increase in obsessional symptoms can occur in depression, though full-blown OCD is still rare.

The symptoms are a little different to other anxiety attacks and include: Obsessional thoughts that come repeatedly into the person's mind, despite him or her trying to stop them. Obsessional thoughts may include a fear of dirt or germs, doubting that something wrong has been done (such as locking the door, turning the lights off) or unpleasant and graphic images in the mind of harming others or themselves. Compulsive acts (obsess ional acts) are repetitive actions based on the obsessional thoughts.

A person with obsessional thoughts about dirt may spend long periods cleaning the house and washing their hands. Stress-related DisordersThere are a number of psychological consequences to major stressful events and these often include symptoms of anxiety. There are three types of reactions:

•acute stress reaction starts within minutes (if not immediately) of the stressful event.

Symptoms are: the person feeling dazed and disorientated, anger and withdrawal.

•adjustment reaction starts within one month of the stressful event, and symptoms tend to resolve within six months. They may include depression, anxiety, irritability and a feeling of being unable to cope.

•post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) tends to come after weeks, or even months, of a stressful event that was of an exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which would cause distress in almost anyone.

It can persist for years.Treatment for different types of Anxiety Disorders is now possible! Personal experiences shared by Dr. Johnson, in the Information Resource for Alprazolam provides great help to cure people suffering from anxiety disorders.

Adult Acne Treatment – Simple Solutions

2005-04-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

Adult Acne Treatment – Simple Solutions
by Kay Smith

Are you one of the millions of adults who have acne? Many adults are dealing with acne, the first signs of wrinkles and grey hair all at the same time – talk about physical and emotional tolls. Life just seems too unfair at times. Fortunately, there are some simple solutions for treating acne. Really. You don’t have to live with it.To properly treat acne, one must first understand what causes it. When hair follicles and sebaceous glands become inflamed acne follows soon after. Sebum is an oily substance made by the sebaceous glands. Bacterial growth and inflammation result when too much sebum is produced.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the four basic mechanisms contributing to acne are hormones, increased sebum production, changes inside hair follicles, and bacteria.These simple solutions require persistence and consistency. First things first, talk to a Dermatologist. A Dermatologist can provide you with the best solutions for you based on your medical history, age, skin type etc. Depending on the severity of your acne and your individual circumstances, your Dermatologist may want to prescribe an antibiotic, a vitamin A derivative like Isotretinoin, or one of the other acne drugs now available.

Use non-comedogenic products. Non-comedogenic basically means - not likely to block the pores of the skin, or cause blackheads or acne. There are many non-comedogenic products available today, including, makeup, foundation, moisturizers, sunscreen, lip stick, etc. If it’s something that you apply to your skin you should be able to find a non-comedogenic version. In fact, you can also find non-comedogenic and medicated makeup with acne fighting ingredients like, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur. These products shouldn’t clog your pores and should help treat acne.

Proper skin care is also very important. Gently washing with a facial cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or sulfur will also kill the bacteria that causes acne. Proactiv Solution is one such product that is used my millions of people – with great results. Whatever product you decide to use, do not scrub your face as this can irritate your skin and make your acne worse. Even though there is no cure for acne, there are several effective methods available today to treat it.

By discussing your acne with a Dermatologist you can determine the best course of action for you. In the mean time, keep your chin up – there are treatments available that will help you with your acne situation. Imagine waking up one morning and noticing how clear your face is becoming. It really is a great feeling!

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Kay Smith is the webmaster of BestAcneSolutions.com which provides information, product reviews and news on acne and acne related products.

Do we need to take Vitamins?

2005-04-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

Do we need to take Vitamins?
by Ryan Fyfe

Do we need to take Vitamins?

We live in a health conscience generation where vitamins and nutrition have become important topics. Through news, books, advertisements we are being educated as to why need to use vitamins. It’s great to see our generation become more aware of our health, but: Do We need take vitamins?Much research has been done on the actual benefit of vitamin supplements. A recent study has found further evidence that through the intake of multivitamins men and women are able to lower their chance for heart attack.

Our every day diets have proven to not provide the right amount of all the needed nutrients for our bodies. Vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition can lead to all types of different diseases. A lack of Vitamin C can lead to scurvy. You will notice many different symptoms if you have a vitamin deficiencies. Symptoms can include: tiredness, irritability, and muscle cramps. I would recommend visiting a doctor if you notice any of these symptoms on an ongoing basis.You can see how important Vitamins are in our every day lives.

With this being said I would recommend eating healthy, and taking a multivitamin every day to help compliment your diet.

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--Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.This article is courtesy of http://www.vitamins-area.com – Vitamins Area is a complete online resource for Vitamins containing Articles, Directory, and other resources.

About the Author:
Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Vitamins Area which features Vitamins Articles Directory and other Vitamin resources.

Simple treatments for backache

2005-04-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

Simple treatments for backache
by Leonard Alexander .M

Cold Treatment

Cold packs helps with bruises and swelling. For the first 48 hours after back symptoms start, apply a cold pack (or bag of ice) to the painful area. Lie on your back with your knees bent, and put the cold pack under your lower back. Do this for 5-10 minutes at a time, several times a day.

Heat Treatment

Heat increases blood flow, which helps in healing. However, do not use heat on a back strain until 48 or more hours after back symptoms start. Use cold treatment first (see "Cold Treatment" above).

If used sooner, heat can make the pain and swelling worse. Use a moist heating pad, a hot-water bottle, hot compresses, a hot tub, hot baths, or hot showers. Use heat for 10 minutes at a time. Do this several times a day. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Braces or Corsets

Braces and corsets support your back and keep you from moving it too much. They do what strong back muscles do, but they won't make your back stronger.

Spinal Manipulation

**This treatment, done by a professional such as chiropractor or physical therapist, uses the hands to apply force to "adjust" the spine. This can be helpful for some people in the first month of low back symptoms.Check with your doctor about spinal manipulations.-alexwww.basic-guide.com

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Author is an expert in home remedy consultation. Have contributed to most leading publications. For more articles please visit http://www.basic-guide.com

How Can You Avoid Getting Cancer? Why Should You?

2005-04-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

How Can You Avoid Getting Cancer? Why Should You?

by Jaynn Nicols

Reno, NV - Cancer, the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body, is not one single disease but instead a group of diseases. Cancer is the second leading cause of death among Americans; causing one of every four deaths in the United States.Some cancers, if caught in early stages need not be fatal; others spread quickly and can result in death. There are many types of cancer, but the most common types are: Breast, Colorectal, Lung, Prostate, Skin and Testicular cancers.

All cancers involve the malfunction of genes that control cell growth and cell division. That means your cell will not be able to communicate properly (similar to you trying to talk to someone that does not speak your language) and as a result there will be a lot of mis-communcation, which ultimately can lead to cancer.There is no single cause of cancer. Instead cancer can be caused by external factors (smoking, radiation, and infectious organisms) and internal factors (inherited genes, immune conditions, etc.) While some of the causes are outside of most people’s control, other factors, like smoking, are lifestyle changes that an individual could make to improve their health.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in a single year (2004) more than 180,000 cancer deaths will be as a result of tobacco use. Research indicates that another one-third of the 563,700 cancer deaths in the same time period will be related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, being overweight or obese, and other lifestyle factor that if changed, could have prevented the onset or spread of cancer.Can you prevent, nay even survive cancer? According to the ACS, the 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers diagnosed between 1995 and 2000 is up by 64%.There are some simple steps that may result in not only reducing your risk of cancer, but ultimately saving your life.

Nutrition and exercise: There is strong scientific evidence that a healthy diet, combined with regular physical activity, is not only are needed to maintain a healthful body weight but will also reduce cancer risk. Some studies have found that people eating diets high in vegetables and fruits, and low in meat and/or animal fats have reduced risk of some the most common cancers. Can not get any fresh fruits and vegetable? You are allergic to fruits and vegetables? Try nutritious supplements in form of glyconutrients.Tobacco use cessation: Some of the most dangerous types of cancer are related to tobacco use (not only smoking cigarettes but smoking cigars or pipes, and chewing tobacco). As mentioned earlier, tobacco use has been linked to almost 200,000 deaths yearly.

Quitting smoking or any tobacco habit can be incredibly difficult but will add 15 to 20 years to your life.Protect skin: Skin cancer may not always be fatal, but it’s still incredibly prevalent. In 2004, more than 1 million cases of skin cancer were diagnosed – many could have been avoided by merely wearing sun block, hats, sun glasses, and avoiding sun tanning.Reduce stress: It’s difficult to chart the correlation between stress and cancer. Some studies indicate that individuals that developed cancer were in particularly high stress positions in life. There are many theories that suggest that cancer is similar to an immune system disease and stress is a major factor in lowering the body’s natural immunity.

Cancer does not need to be a death sentence. There are many advances taking place every year in medicine to extend the life of cancer patients. But perhaps the greatest opportunity isn’t with treatment of the cancer, but rather the prevention of the cancer in the first place. By making a few behavioral changes to your life you can substantially reduce the risk of cancer and improve the quality of your life.

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Jaynne has lost several family members to cancer and thus has a major interest in this dis-ease. You can find her website, a cancer resource directory, at http://www.deadcancers.com and glyconutrients at http://dexlen.myglycostore.com

Chronic Fatigue System - How Does it Affect Sleep?

2005-04-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

Chronic Fatigue System - How does it affect sleep?
by Wendy Owen

Or to turn it around - How does improving your sleep lessen the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)?Our aim here is to understand the connection between the two as it may be possible to confuse the symptoms of CFS and sleep deprivation. There are however definite differences.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Symptoms

Constant and persistent fatigue lasting 6 months or more

Feeling feverish

Sore throat

Muscle aches and pains

Tender or swollen lymph nodes

Joint pain

More headaches than usual

Abnormal lethargy after exercise

Poor concentration

Depression

Poor quality sleep

Although not everyone who suffers with CFS will display all of the above, two or more of these symptoms would definitely bear further investigation. CFS often follows a bout of flu or other respitory disease. It occurs more frequently in middle age and twice as often in women as men. CFS is a debilitating illness which is hard to diagnose due to the symptoms being non specific. Also the symptoms described by the sufferers often cannot be verified. For instance, patients often describe feeling feverish although their temperature is normal. Recent studies indicate CFS may in fact be an immune disorder.

There are medical practitioners who still believe it to be a disease of "malingerers". In fact some of those suffering with CFS often wonder sometimes if they are imagining their symptoms. But CFS is very real and can lead to broken marriages and wrecked careers.It is very important for those who suspect they have CFS to seek medical attention straight away. If you feel your doctor is not taking you seriously, get a second and even a third opinion. It helps if you have been seeing the same doctor for some time, as they know you and can recognize that you are not a "hypochondriac" or a time waster looking for sympathy.

CFS is certainly not new, although the association of symptoms under the name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome only took place in the 1990s. Previously it was largely overlooked or thought to be something else, for example low blood sugar, Lyme disease, allergies, fybromyalgia, yeast infections etc.Chronic Fatigue Syndrome TreatmentThese vary from antidepressants, steroids, immune system medications and anti-histamines to the more holistic treatments like evening primrose oil, diet therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, removal of dental fillings (mercury poisoning) and gentle exercise programs.

Although lack of a definite treatment for CFS leaves a lot to be desired, the above treatments, whether all or a combination, can prove fairly effective. The broad answer seems to be to treat the symptoms as they occur.Therefore the quality of sleep of patients must have a direct effect on the severity of the disease. If depression is the main problem, treatment of that can significantly improve the quality of sleep, thus relieving somewhat the persistent fatigue.A combination of better quality sleep with gentle exercise, optimal diet and cognitive behavioural therapy would go a long way to improving the lives of patients with CFS.

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Want to know how to have better sleep? Find out how. Check out http://www.insomnia-connection.com your resource for detailed information on better sleep and curing stress. The author, Wendy Owen, has had a lifetime interest in general and alternative health as well as being an ex insomniac!

3 Biggest Benefits of Strength Training

2005-04-15T03:43:00.000-07:00

3 Biggest Benefits of Strength Training

by Jeffrey Bedeaux

Strength training is exercise that uses resistance to strengthen and condition the musculoskeletal system, improving muscle tone and endurance. "Strength training" is used as a general term synonymous with other common terms: "weightlifting" and "resistance training." Physiologically, the benefits of consistent strength training include an increase in muscle size and tone, increased muscular strength, and increases in tendon, bone, and ligament strength. Lifting weights has also been shown to improve psychological health as well, by increasing self-esteem, confidence and self-worth. Improved Physical Appearance and Performance One important result of strength training is increased physical performance.

Muscles quite literally utilize energy to produce movement, functioning as the engine or powerhouse of the body. Strength training increases the muscles' size, strength, and endurance, which contribute to improvements in our work, favorite sports hobbies, and our general day-to-day activities. Another benefit of a good strength-training program is its effect on our overall appearance and body composition. Which can directly influence self-esteem, self-worth, and level of confidence. Take, for example, a 170-pound man who has 20 percent body fat; 34 pounds of fat weight and 136 pounds of lean body weight (muscle, bones, organs, water, etc). By beginning an effective strength training program, he replaces five pounds of fat with five pounds of muscle.

He still weighs 170 pounds, but he is now 17 percent fat with 29 pounds of fat weight and 141 pounds of lean body weight. Although his body weight remains the same, his strength, muscle tone, and metabolism have improved, giving him a fit appearance. Both our physical appearance and our physical performance can be improved by muscle gain or hampered by muscle loss. Research indicates that unless we strength train regularly; we lose about one-half pound of muscle every year of our lives after age 30. Unless we implement a safe and effective weight lifting program, our muscles gradually decrease in size and strength in the process called "atrophy." Lifting weights is therefore important for preventing the muscle loss that normally accompanies the aging process.

A common misconception is that as we reach the age of senior citizens, it is normal to stop being active and to start using ambulatory aides like canes and wheelchairs. Many people think we have no choice; they think this is normal. But this couldn't be further from the truth. There is absolutely no reason why all of us can't be physically, mentally, socially, and sexually active, living a healthy vibrant life until our last day on Earth! The reason many elderly people rely on ambulatory aides and become slower and fatter is simply that over the years their muscles have been wasting away, so their physical performance and metabolism also decrease, becoming less efficient.

Increased Metabolic Efficiency (your ability to burn excess calories)That one-half pound of muscle loss every year after age 30 produces a one-half percent reduction in basal metabolic rate (BMR) every year. A reduction in BMR means that our bodies are less able to use the food we consume as energy, thus more gets stored as body fat. "Basal metabolic rate" refers to the energy used by our body at rest to maintain normal body functions. Our muscles have high-energy requirements. Even when we are sleeping, our muscles use more than 25% of our energy (calories). When you implement the principles of effective strength training and you are consistent in your program, you will achieve an increase in lean muscle mass throughout your body and increase your BMR.

In other words, you can actually condition your metabolism to work better and more efficiently even when you are at rest. An increase in muscle tissue causes an increase in metabolic rate, and a decrease in muscle tissue causes a decrease in metabolic rate. You can see that anyone interested in decreasing body fat percentage and their risk of disease as well as in increasing physical performance and appearance, should be strength training to help condition their metabolism (BMR). One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a weight-management program is not including a strength training routine with their cardiovascular exercise and low-fat eating regimen. This is unfortunate because when we cut calories without exercise, we can lose muscle as well as fat.

Decreased Risk of Sustaining an InjuryOur muscles also function as shock absorbers and serve as important balancing agents throughout our body. Well-conditioned muscles help to lessen the repetitive landing forces in weight-bearing activities such as jogging or playing basketball. Well-balanced muscles reduce the risk of injuries that result when a muscle is weaker than its opposing muscle group.To reduce the risk of unbalanced muscle development, you should make sure that when you are training a specific muscle group, the opposing muscle groups are being trained as well (though not necessarily on the same day).

For example, if you are doing bench-pressing exercises for your chest, you should include some rowing exercises for your back muscles as well. By now you have probably realized that weightlifting should be an important part of your exercise routine. Weightlifting provides many important benefits that cannot be achieved by any other exercise or activity. When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change well worth the effort. Good luck; I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of an effective strength training program.

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About the author:

I have been weightlifting since the age of 15 and been training individuals for 12 years. Over the past 16 years I have read 100’s of magazines, almost 100 books, attended about a dozen seminars and consumed any other type of information on the topic of bodybuilding to advance my knowledge in this area. I also have a Bachelors of Science degree in Biochemistry with minors in Chemistry and Microbiology from Colorado State University, 1998.

Cold Remedies

2005-04-15T03:23:00.000-07:00

Cold Remedies

by Andrea Putting N.D

Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throats, aches and pains? Got a cold? Feeling miserable? What's in the cupboard that can make you feel better? What will help you get over your cold quickly? There are many natural remedies that can help, some you already have at home. Try some of the following. Ginger is a great warming herb to enjoy during winter. It warms you up by getting your circulation moving. Ginger tea can help to break fevers and remove mucus build up in sinuses, throat and lungs. Grate about 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger root, pour 2 cups of boiling water over, cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Drink a cup of this warm delicious tea every 2 hours. A good old fashioned home made chicken and vegetable soup can be a great comfort when suffering from a cold or flu. It is warming and full of vital nutrients to help get over sickness. Include in your soup plenty of vegetables that are high in Beta-carotene such as carrots, sweet potatoes, turnip greens and spinach. Adding herbs and spices can help bring relief and loosen up mucus. A pinch of Cayenne pepper in your soup can help to fight off some of the aches and pains as well as helping to reduce the fever.

Maintain a healthy diet, especially at this time. Avoid sugary and fatty foods; concentrate on nutritious fruit and vegetables, soups, and oats. Lemons are well known for their healing properties, especially when it comes to colds and flus. Hot honey and lemon drinks are popular. This delicious drink can be made with hot water, adding honey and lemon to taste. However, for more effect try straight lemon juice, warmed with honey. Don't drink it straight down; swish it around in your mouth first.

Other common additions to this lemon drink are garlic, ginger and or brandy. Honey is an age-old remedy for so many different things. When it comes to colds, it can be used as a cough reliever and it has some anti-biotic properties. A teaspoon of honey on its own can be beneficial, or a cough mixture can be made up. Chop up 4-6 cloves of garlic and place them in a jar of honey. After a few weeks the garlic can be removed, leaving a great mix for coughs and sore throats. Garlic is a very effective tool against colds. It is a strong antimicrobial and antiviral agent.

Include garlic in your soups and cooking when ever possible. Soothing teas for coughs and sore throats can be made out of herbs found commonly in your herb garden or spice rack. Sage and Marjoram have antiseptic qualities, while Thyme is antimicrobial. These herbs could be mixed together or taken separately. Take 1-2 teaspoons of the herbs in a cup of boiling water; allow steeping for 30 minutes. Drink warm. This tea is good for soothing coughs, sore throats and tonsils, while also killing germs. (Add these herbs to your soup.)

There are many products available in health food stores that can assist your recovery. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A, along with Zinc, can help reduce the duration and severity of symptoms. These are also very useful as a preventive. Herbs such as Echnicaea, Cat's claw, and Astralgulis can fight against colds and flu's and strengthen the immune system. When cold or flu hits, the most important advice that anyone can follow is to rest. At this time you need to get extra sleep. The immune system functions at its best while we are sleeping. Allow your body the time and opportunity to fight back. Don't rush back into a full schedule as soon as you start to feel better. Take it slowly for a few days, get some early nights, to really allow your body to recuperate. Giving yourself the time to fully recover will help prevent a recurrence.

Drink plenty of liquid, water and herbal teas. When the mucous membranes become dehydrated, they are more hospitable to viruses. A high liquid intake will help repel the virus and also help to flush out the system. Juices and sugary drinks should be avoided. A high sugar intake decreases the ability of the white blood cells to kill bacteria. At the first sign of a cold, start treating it at once. Increase your vitamin and mineral intake, especially the antioxidants. Start using any of the above treatments or get onto some herbs or tissue salts. The sooner you start to treat a cold, the less severe it is likely to become. A cold should only last a couple of days, if you are no better after a week, seek advice from your health practitioner. When you are recovering from illness, it is a good time to change your toothbrush. Your toothbrush can harbour the germs you have just been fighting off; changing it now can prevent reinfection. Without taking care, your illness can change from being a mild cold to something more serious. Remember to take care of yourself.

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About the Author:
Andrea Putting N.D., Naturopath, Writer and creator/owner of health sites including, http://www.puttingitright.com.au, http://www.naturopathsresourcefile.info, and http://www.naturalhealth4cats.info . Explore the world of Natural Medicine; take your health into your own hands. Know how to be healthy and stay healthy.

Anti Aging Tips & Techniques

2005-04-15T03:22:00.000-07:00

Anti Aging Tips & Techniques
by Balaji

Aging occurs due to the growth of the tissues and other elements in side the body. Even the cells grow and die as time passes "there was nothing to stop these changes" but this sentences is no more existing. Man has found ways to slow stop and even reverse the growth of human bodies. Anti aging is a process in which a person can stay young for a long time. Anti aging techniques slows down the aging process so that the person stays young and fit. The main part of the anti aging techniques is the nutrition that is taken by a person in his lifetime. Healthy food habits are the key to anti aging techniques. Creams have become the widely used products among the products used for anti aging.

There are sub types in the creams they are natural creams, artificial creams and the last important one is herbal creams. Herbal creams are basically preferred by some people because every one believes that herbal will not give any side effects. But be careful that before using the treatment consult with your doctor or with your beautician so that it doesn’t give negative results. There are separate treatments for every individual. As both men and women are equally interested in this anti aging treatment we should be able to carefully differentiate the treatments. We should also be careful in using these treatments because supervision is a must for several treatments. And in some cases diagnosis is needed to know the condition of the patient.

Only by knowing the condition treatments are started because there are separate treatments for every individual depending upon their health. If you follow all these safety measures you will lead a very good young and energetic life as you have lived in your youth.Nowadays people are interested in using natural anti aging treatment. A mixture of collagen cream and the active ingredients from plants is a familiar natural anti aging treatment that works perfect on wrinkles in the skin. There is another one eating good vitamins rich food is a very well known anti aging treatment. As we have seen many treatments about the anti aging we should not get confused about using these treatments.

These treatments are helping us to grow younger. There are many types in anti aging treatment. One type is anti aging medicine it includes improving the skin texture and moisture of our body. The anti aging treatment can increase energy levels, sexual performance, immune system vigilance and they also work on the age related growth factors. The anti aging treatment also helps to re-contour the body, restore muscle tone, and reduce the fat in body. The results through the anti aging treatment are wonderful changes in biochemistry which enables the look and make you feel that you have got back your youth.

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About the Author:
If you need more information about anti aging pls visit : http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/antiaging/antiaging-intro.html To learn more about various treatments for anti aging, kindly visit: http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/antiaging/antiaging-treatments.html

Improving Your Body Immune System

2005-04-15T03:19:00.000-07:00

Improving Your Body Immune System
by Balaji

The immune system in your body is an amazing functionality that produces antibodies to fight against any infections whether it is bacterial, fungal, or cancers. Any micro organism that invades our body is kept under check and it is destroyed by the immune system in our body. Any intrusion by a micro organism alerts the immune system and it produces antibodies against that particular micro organism to destroy it. There are many types of immune system problems that are to be noted and can be divided into four categories.

The first category of the problems is the immunodeficiency disorders. It can be primary or acquired. The second category of the immune systems disorders is the autoimmune disorders in which the immune system attacks its own cells.The third category of the immune system problems is that the immune system over reacts to an antigen and this type is called allergic disorders. The fourth and final type of immune system problems is the cancers of the immune system.The immunodeficiency disorders are one of the immune system problems. These problems can be primary or acquired. The primary type of immunodeficiency disorder can be IgA deficiency which is the most common of the problems of the immune system of this kind. IIgA is an immunoglobulin found in the body.

The deficiency of this IgA antibody is one of the immune deficiency diseases. If IgA is not found in the required quantity it will be difficult for the immune system to fight against the infections. People with IgA deficiency are found to have more colds and other respiratory diseases. It is possible for them to have allergies. Some of the children are born without a thymus gland which is essential for the T lymphocytes. Without this gland it would not be possible for the immune system to fight against infections. People with weak immune system can take immunity booster which will improve the immune system and produce the required antibodies to fight against any infections. Allopathic, herbal, and homeopathic immunity booster can be used to enhance the immune system.

There are many natural herbal medications available to boost the immune system. Echinacea, Licorice, Siberian ginseng, and Ashwagandha are some of the herbs that help in boosting the immune system of our body. Food supplements containing Vitamin C and Vitamin E, minerals like Zinc, Iron, and Selenium can be taken to improve the immune system. Food items that are rich in vitamin C are citrus fruits, green peppers, cantaloupes and broccoli. Whole grain foods and vegetable oils are rich in Vitamin E. Meats, dried beans and tofu has rich Iron content. Fish, grains and nuts have rich selenium content.

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About the Author:
If you need more information about immune system pls visit : http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/immunesystem/immunesystem-intro.html For information on how to boost your body immune system kindly visit: http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/immunesystem/immunity-booster.html

Is It an Allergy, Intolerance or Sensitivity

2005-04-15T02:56:00.000-07:00

Any adverse reaction encountered by a person is often referred to as an allergy. This is said to be a rare case. Adverse reactions are often caused by an intolerance or sensitivity that has nothing to do with allergy.According to the medical profession and studies shows that, an allergy involves the body's immune system. It is a hypersensitivity reaction of the immune system to foreign substances, which are normally considered harmless. What happens in an allergic reaction is the immune system reacts to an allergen, which in turn causes a person's own antibodies to attack the allergen. These antibodies are what produce various reactions.

Webster defines intolerance as "extreme sensitivity to a drug, food, or other substance." it does not involve the immune system. Symptoms vary and always been mistaken for those of an allergic reaction but, because the immune system does not react with an intolerance, it will be very difficult to determine its source. One thing more allergic reactions are usually immediate, intolerance reactions can be delayed.Other people believe that sinusitis is about allergies to different elements such as dust, smoke and other elements that might brought them allergies. In addition to allergens and viral or bacterial infection, sinusitis can be triggered by exposure to noxious chemicals, smoke, and air pollution.

Due to the variety of sinusitis triggers, various forms of treatment are available as preventative measures and symptom management. Allergy medicines such as decongestants and antihistamines can be taken at the start of an allergy attack to prevent the development of sinusitis, but once sinusitis develops further treatment is necessary.It may be true that Nasal allergies cause nasal itching and sneezing, runny nose, nasal stuffiness and postnasal drainage. These symptoms are similar to those of sinusitis.

Most experts believe nasal and sinus swelling from allergies can contribute to the development of sinusitis. However, other factors, such as chronic infection, also contribute significantly to the development of chronic sinusitis.It is important to distinguish the allergies from sinus infection. An ordinary sinus allergy may lead to a more serious and fatal infection such us chronic sinusitis. Diagnosis is important in able to prevent it from becoming a major problem to your life.

For additional information and comments about the article you may log on to http://www.sinusinfectionproblems.com

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About the Author:
Actually I’m not fond of writing, I don’t even write at all. I am not expecting to be in this field. But nevertheless, I love to read books...almost everything interest me. Reading is my passion! And now that I am in an article writer team, writing gives me an additional thrill in myself...Before I love to read books but now I’m also in a writing stuff. I can say that I am not a good writer but I am always trying to be one.

Daily Weight Loss Motivation

2005-04-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Daily Weight Loss Motivation
by: Ben E Sather

When you are faced with the daily challenge of trying to lose weight, you will need to find ways to stay motivated every day. The factors that keep weight loss motivation high include your specific goals, your ability to envision what you want to achieve, and the degree of success you have in the beginning.

Daily motivation requires a special, concerted effort, and it is not always easy. One great way to keep weight loss motivation high is to find an Internet support group to check in with every day. There are many such chat groups and forums on the web.

Another idea is to keep a daily journal of your progress, struggles and success. You can keep a record of your daily diet or write in your journal about the journey and challenge of losing weight and the emotions connected to it.

Weight loss motivation will stay fresh with something tangible that you can look at to remind you of your goals. For example, you can tape a picture of yourself when you were at a more ideal weight to your refrigerator door. You can buy an outfit in your ideal size and hang it in your closet where you will see it every day. There are many books filled with affirmations and inspiration for dieters. Buy one, and read a bit of it every day.

The motivation to lose weight may not come from the same place every day. If you can develop some strategies for keeping your daily motivation high, you are much more likely to be successful and bounce back quickly if you have any setbacks. Whatever you ultimately see as your motivation for losing weight, you do not have to face the challenge alone.

There are resources and people available for anyone who takes the time to seek them. Make a daily commitment to do at least one thing in support of your goal, and you may soon find that the behaviors that support weight loss have become second nature to you!

About The Author:
Ben Sather is the publisher of http://www.a2-weight-loss.com. You can publish this article if the author's byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

Chew Your Food

2005-04-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

Chew Your Food
by: Dave Saunders

I am going to share with you possibly the most important piece of advice you will ever receive about nutrition. This piece of advice is not about supplementation. It is not about what you should be eating. However this piece of advice affects every other dietary choice that you make.

Are you ready?

Chew your food!

Chewing is the first step of the digestive process. The fancy word for it is mastication. What it means is that what you put in your mouth is ground up into smaller pieces and mixed with some digestive enzymes to begin the digestive process.

What is the digestive process? To understand the process, it’s best to first understand the purpose. The purpose of digestion is to extract beneficial materials from what you eat and expel the rest. This process involves breaking down your food into smaller and smaller pieces. When some of those pieces are small enough they are absorbed into your bloodstream. Other components, like insoluble fiber, continue on through your intestines and help to expel other waste products and to clean the surfaces of your intestines.

So what does this have to do with chewing? If you do not properly to your food, what you have eaten will go through your digestive system as large pieces of food. You do not have teeth anywhere else in your body. After you swallow your food, there are no other opportunities to break up large pieces of food. The acid from your stomach and the enzymes from your small intestine will only be able to act on the exposed surfaces. Chewing properly is the only way to grind up your food so that it is small enough to allow the rest of your digestive system to extract as many of the available nutrients as possible.

So the next time you eat, put a little thought into the first step of digestion. Chew your food.

About The Author:
Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator, wellness coach and author. He is also the host of a weekly, nation-wide telephone lecture on health and nutrition. For additional information, please visit www.glycoboy.com or email Dave at dave@glycoboy.com.

Healthy Eating Myths Destroyed

2005-04-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Healthy Eating Myths Destroyed

by: Dr. Jamie Fettig

Some of the things you think you know that just ain't so (these myths are not true):

-Eating Cholesterol does not increase your cholesterol levels
-Salt does NOT cause High Blood Pressure
-Eating Fat does NOT make you fat
-All refined carbohydrates are hazardous to you
-Artificial sweeteners of all kinds are not good for you
-All vitamins and supplements are NOT created equal
-Eating Cholesterol does not increase your cholesterol levels

The Medical professions current way of thinking about cholesterol. They look and see lots of cholesterol in the blood. So they scratch their head and say, well, don't eat so much cholesterol then. If you eat less cholesterol, you will not have as much in your blood. Now, on the surface, it sounds good. But there are two major flaws with their theory. The first one. It doesn't work. I dare you to try and find someone whose cholesterol significantly went down by eating less cholesterol. You will be hard pressed to find someone. Even with medication.
That brings in my favorite definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. This is what the medical profession has been doing for Years. Telling people to do the same thing, with out really getting results, expecting to get different results. It just doesn't work that way.

The Second flaw in their theory is this. The cholesterol in your blood is not the same cholesterol in the food you eat. Your body actually has to break down the cholesterol in the food you eat, and then absorb the pieces of the cholesterol. Then your body, if it wants to, has to reassemble the pieces back into the cholesterol you find in your blood. And your body does not make cholesterol, unless you need it.

The question is then why would you need cholesterol in your blood?

Cholesterol's primary job is to carry glucose (sugar) around the blood stream. You need an equal number of cholesterol units as you have sugar molecules in your blood. So if you have 3000 sugar molecules in your blood, you need 3,000 cholesterol molecules to carry them. The actual numbers are much, much higher than this, but you get the point.

The more glucose or sugar molecules you have in your blood, the more cholesterol you need to carry them.

So what affects your blood sugar levels? Mostly what you eat. Refined Carbohydrates. When you eat refined carbohydrates, the get digested and absorbed into the blood stream very quickly. Your body then very quickly converts the refined carbohydrates into glucose. This causes a spike in your blood glucose levels. And if you have a high amount of glucose in the blood, what do you need again? That is right; you need lots of cholesterol to carry those glucose guys around.

Your body is smart. It learns from the past. If you are constantly having high amounts of glucose because of the food you eat. Your body prepares for the next time that you eat refined carbohydrates. It prepares by having lots of cholesterol on reserves to deal with the certain increase in glucose levels that are inevitably going to happen.

So if you eat refined carbohydrates often (daily) your body prepares by keeping lots of cholesterol on reserve to deal with this. This is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have high cholesterol levels. Your body is smart, and it is preparing for the inevitability of your blood glucose levels going way up from eating refined carbohydrates.

Like I said, your body is smart. It is a very quick learner. If you quit eating food that makes your blood sugar levels high, your body will get rid of the excess of cholesterol levels in your blood. That is why, often with in weeks, your cholesterol levels drop significantly, often 50 or 100 or more points, when you quit eating refined carbohydrates.

Now, the trick comes with, what is Arefined carbohydrates@. Refined carbohydrates are things that are mostly calories from carbohydrates that have been refined from how they are found in nature including most sugars. Great, what does that mean? Things like breads, crackers, pastas, sugar (in most forms), and grains are refined carbohydrates.

To safely, significantly lower your cholesterol level with in weeks, quit eating refined carbohydrates. It is that simple. And again, don't take my word for it. Do it yourself, and measure your cholesterol levels before and after, and you will see for yourself. If you cut refined carbohydrates out completely, you will often notice the 50-100 point drops within weeks. If you still eat refined carbohydrates, you will notice a decrease, but not as quickly. And the amount your cholesterol drops will be in direct proportion to how much refined carbohydrates you quit eating. The less you eat, the more it will drop. It really is that simple.

About The Author:
The truth about how salt does not cause high Blood pressure. I share this and more with you in my free e-course that this article is a part of. Go to http://www.HealthyEatingDiet.com to get the full e-course. Dr. Jamie wants to help give you Permanent Results with his "non-diet." He is also giving you dozens of valuable free gifts to "ethically bribe" you into helping him make his new book, "The Ultimate Non-Diet" a #1 best seller. For details on the book go to: http://www.TheUltimateNonDiet.com/free.

Fat Does Not Make You Fat

2005-04-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

Fat Does Not Make You Fat
by: Dr. Jamie Fettig

Fat does Not Make You Fat. One of the other huge myths is that fat makes you fat. It doesn't. When you eat fat, your body has to break it down into its little building blocks and then absorb the pieces. The fat you have in your body is not the same as the fat you eat. In fact, the fat naturally found in whole foods is fat you actually need for your body to function properly.
Essential Fatty Acids are the name given to the types of fat that you need to eat. This is why they are called essential. Your body cannot make them, you must eat them. And these essential fatty acids are only found with fat that naturally occurs in whole food. What are these essential fatty acids used for in your body?

Well, literally everything. Every cell in your body is partly made up of these essential fatty acids. To breathe, to have your heart beat, to run, walk, think, to make hormones, to remember anything, you need essential fatty acids for all of these and basically, to live. And if you don't eat them in the food you eat, your body will not function properly. And the only place you can find essential fatty acids is in food that has naturally occurring fat in them. So if you try and cut fat out of your body, you will actually be causing harm and not really be doing anything to get rid of the fat already in your body.

So what is one of the main causes of being fat. Sugar and refined carbohydrates. NO, not again with the sugar, you might be saying. Yes, Sugar and refined carbohydrates are really one of the main causes in many problems we as humans face today. You can pretend it is not true, you can believe it is not true, but no matter how you try and avoid it, sugar and refined carbohydrates will still negatively impact you whether you want them to or not. And whether or not you believe they will or not.

How does sugar and refined carbohydrates make you fat? It is really simple. You have a relatively set amount of fat cells in your body. It is just a matter of how big your fat cells are. So what affects the size of your fat cells? Sugar. Because glucose is what is stored in your fat cells. And there is a little Agate@ that controls the movement of sugar in and out of your fat cells. And the key to this little gate is insulin. Insulin is the key that opens the gates to the fat cells and allows excess glucose in the blood to go into the fat cells. So if you never eat anything that raises your blood sugar levels beyond normal, your body will not release insulin, and you will not get bigger fat cells.

The body releases insulin to lower blood sugar levels that are too high. So Sugar and refined carbohydrates are actually what is one of the biggest contributing factors to why people are overweight.

The ironic part of all of this, is that when you get food that has Aartificially@ been made to be low fat, you know what they usually put in when they take out the fat? Sugar. They usually add the very thing that contributes to people being fat when they are trying to make something that many people think is helping them not be fat. Fat does not make you fat. In fact, you need the essential fatty acids found in fat to live. Sugar is one of the biggest contributing factors to what makes you fat.

About The Author:
The real truth about sugar and refined carbohydrates. I share this and more with you in my free e-course that this article is a part of. Go to http://www.HealthyEatingDiet.com to get the full e-course. Dr. Jamie wants to help give you Permanent Results with his "non-diet." He is also giving you dozens of valuable free gifts to "ethically bribe" you into helping him make his new book, "The Ultimate Non-Diet" a #1 best seller. For details on the book go to: http://www.TheUltimateNonDiet.com/free.

Understanding Anxiety Disorders

2005-03-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions affecting people today. Both children and adults today are susceptible to these conditions. In the US, approximately 19 million adults suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. These conditions affect people’s lives on a daily basis, restricting their ability to work, relax, eat, and even sleep. Anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and they can grow progressively worse if not treated. Here’s a closer look at some common anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Also called GAD, this is a common anxiety disorder characterized by chronic episodes of “free floating" anxiety or apprehension that are not linked to a specific cause or situation. These episodes of GAD may last for six months or more. Stressful life events, such as moving, changing jobs, losing a loved one, or suffering a financial hardship can trigger or contribute to the anxiety. Muscle tension, sweating, difficulty swallowing, edginess, nausea, trembling, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness, and irritability are the common physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Women are twice as likely as men to be affected by this condition.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: OCD is commonly joked about in movies and television programs. Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as It Gets suffered from obsessive compulsive anxiety disorder. However, sufferers of the condition, and their loved ones, don't find it to be a joking matter. With this condition, individuals are plagued by constant thoughts or obsessions that create fear and anxiety. For instance, a sufferer of obsessive-compulsive disorder might constantly fear being contaminated by germs or burning down the house. These obsessions compel the person to compulsively complete a routine or series of routines (such as washing hands or checking the toaster) to relieve the anxiety. Over one third of individuals who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder began to demonstrate signs of the disease in childhood.

Panic Disorder: A panic disorder is characterized by intense attacks that cause the sufferer to experience such symptoms as heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control, and loss of touch with reality. People with panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. They can't predict when an attack will occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when and where the next one will strike. These attacks may be triggered by a stressful event or they may come on for no discernible reason. People who suffer from panic attacks are often uncomfortable in new or unfamiliar environments since they may be unsure of how they will get themselves to safety if an attack should occur. For this reason, panic disorders often occur with agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of any strange places. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from a panic disorder.

Phobias: Many people experience a healthy amount of fear or apprehension when faced with scary objects like spiders or situations such as looking over the edge of a cliff. But people who are intensely afraid of a specific object or situation may be suffering from an anxiety disorder known as a phobia. A phobic person displays a level of fear that is irrational and disproportionate to the situation. Specific phobias often lead sufferers to avoid normal, everyday situations. Over 14 million adult Americans are affected by one type of phobia or another. Some of the more common specific phobias are centered around closed-in places, heights, escalators, tunnels, highway driving, water, flying, dogs, and injuries involving blood.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a debilitating anxiety disorder that is typically triggered by witnessing or taking part in a major traumatic event. Childhood abuse, rape, war, a terrorist act, death of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a catastrophic accident are all frequent causes of post traumatic stress disorder. Regardless of the cause, the development of post traumatic stress disorder often leads to intense feelings of fear, helplessness, or horror. After the traumatic event, many people experience nightmares, daytime flashbacks of the event, difficulty sleeping, numbness of emotions, or sometimes even personality changes. For many people, these symptoms stop within a month. However, for many others, the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder may continue for months or even years.

Social Anxiety Disorder: Social anxiety disorder affects men as frequently as it affects women. People who suffer from this condition tend to feel extreme anxiety about their behavior or their perceived behavior in a public setting. They may be terrified of being judged or ridiculed or causing themselves embarrassment. Physical symptoms associated with this social anxiety disorder include heart palpitations, faintness, blushing and profuse sweating. These symptoms often lead the sufferer to avoid social situations.

For more information go to http://www.stress-anxiety-depression.org.

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About the Author:
Dr. Group, the founder/CEO and clinical director for the Global Healing Center, heads a research and development team producing advanced, new, natural health protocols and products. To learn more visit http://www.ghchealth.com.

Tips on How to Stop Smoking

2005-03-14T00:43:00.000-08:00

Once you have decided that you really want to stop smokingit can be a real challenge. Here are some tips to help youbreak the habit quicker.Before you begin, decide what you are going to do when youhave a craving. Keep a diary for a week or so and learnwhat times and situations tempt you to want to have acigarette. Decide what you are going to do instead ofreaching for a cigarette.Ask your doctor for advice if you have other health problemsor are worried about gaining weight.The day you begin immediately get rid of ashtrays, lightersand all cigarettes.Consider finding yourself a friend, relative or co-workerwho wants to quit too and support each other.If stress is a factor then find an exercise program.Joining a nearby health club will be less expensive than thecigarettes.Your home will smell fresh and clean. You'll spend lesstime, energy and money cleaning your house.You will reduce the risk of fire. As a result yourhomeowner's insurance rates may be reduced.Your food will taste better.Remind yourself of everything nice that you could be buyingfor yourself or your home with the money that you arespending on cigarettes.As a last resort remind yourself of the health benefits.You'll reduce your chances of lung, throat and mouth cancer.Reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease.Stop smoking and the body will begin to repair the damagedone almost immediately.For more information and tips: http://www.apluswriting.net/smoking/stopsmoking.htm

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Author: Marilyn PokorneyFreelance writer of science, nature, animals and theenvironment.Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

Hair Loss Resources

2005-03-14T00:32:00.003-08:00

Hair loss is a problem that affects men and women alike. Apart from mental tension it induces a feeling of consciousness in the individual. To what extent this feeling is justified is however a matter of debate. People who are facing the problem can rely on a wide variety of resources to tackle the situation. Many medical publications are available online that can help patients to understand the problem and search for remedy and precaution simultaneously. Many medical institutes posts their medical publications, some have patient's guide to hair restoration etc. These resources are available in layman's language and help explain what causes baldness, how it is diagnosed and the best medical and surgical options available. If a patient has any query regarding hair loss, baldness, thinning of hair or other hair problems, these resources come in handy. Patients only need to confirm whether these websites have recognized physicians so that best possible guidance is provided.Some of these sites are http://www.ahlc.org,http://www.thebaldtruth.com,http://www.hairlosshelp.com, http://www.hairlosspatientguide.com,http://www.hairtransplantmedical.com,http://www.hairlossproductinfo.com and our site athttp://www.hair-loss-treatment-solution.com Many of these sites help the patient to search for a doctor and some even have the facility to directly consult a doctor. If you want to go through hair transplant, you need not visit a doctor personally to understand the procedure. Then we have websites such as www.hairtransplantdocs.com, which are turning out to be the best resources for of hair loss patients. These sites provide you enough information regarding the procedure. These sites also give you an opportunity to search and interact with hair transplant doctors. Some of these sites help you to search for hair transplant doctors throughout the world and gather information about them. You can satisfy your doubts by knowing the profile of the doctor before interacting directly. You can also go through the questions that other people have posed. This helps you in shedding doubts and fear.This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as this entire article, including links and this resource box are unchanged.

Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved.LTC Publishing
http://www.hair-loss-treatment-solution.com

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About the author: Les Lysek, writer, speaker, marketing master, specializes in infoproduct development.More articles about hair loss at:http://www.hair-loss-treatment-solution.com

Rev Up Your Digestion for Good Health

2005-01-21T04:40:00.000-08:00

5 Ways to Introduce Ayurvedic Principles into Your Daily Diet

"You are what you eat." Right, but only 50% right, according to the ancient healing tradition of ayurveda. The combination of what you eat and what your body does with what you eat is what actually shapes health and well-being. According to ayurveda, you are unique, and your dietary needs are unique too, determined by your body constitution, age, the season, your environment and your needs for balance at any given time. But there are some diet and digestion principles that are universally applicable. Here we present five that you can begin any time...the quick and-simple way to incorporate the ayurvedic way of eating into your daily diet. Once you start seeing results, you can delve more deeply into doshas—ayurvedic body types—and tailor a diet and digestion routine that's best for you.

1. Add some zest to your life with lemon! Add the freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon to a large cup of really warm water and drink first thing in the morning. Fresh lemon juice in moderation is good for all doshas. Lemon is a wonderful aid to internal cleansing. Antibacterial and antiseptic, lemon retards the presence of disease-causing bacteria in the digestive tract. It is also a digestion enhancer and helps reduce bloating and flatulence. It kindles a lethargic appetite, getting the digestive juices flowing.

And it aids elimination, so your digestive tract is naturally flushed clear every morning. As an antioxidant, lemon helps fight disease-causing free radicals in the body. It helps keep your skin clear and your eyes sparkling.More ways to use fresh lemon:Add lemon zest to your herbal tea. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over your lentils. Skip the fatty prepared dressing and opt for a squeeze of fresh lemon and a dash of extra-virgin olive oil over your salad.

2. Say "No ice, please!"According to ayurveda, iced beverages, especially with or right after a meal, can really slow down digestion. Imagine pouring cold water over burning coals set up to cook your food. That's effectively what you do to your digestive fires when you gulp down iced beverages with your meal. Instead, opt for digestion-enhancing drinks. Warm water infused with fragrant fennel helps enhance digestion, prevents bloating, and freshens your breath naturally.

Cumin tea, or ginger-mint tea made with fresh ginger root slices and fresh mint leaves are great alternatives. Warm herb/spice teas stimulate the digestion, help your body assimilate the nutrients from the foods you eat and help flush toxins from the system.To make herb or spice teas, bring water to a boil, add the fresh herbs or spices, turn off the heat, and cover. Let steep for 5-7 minutes, strain and enjoy.

3. Invite all your senses to the table. Digestion begins much before the first morsel of food goes down your throat. When food is prepared properly and presented beautifully, and your body and mind are receptive, all of your senses can aid digestion. When you eat mindfully, colors, flavors, aromas and textures blend to make the process of eating a delightful and productive experience.

Create an inviting, pleasant environment to aid in the enjoyment of a meal: Keep the dining table free of clutter. Only your food should grace the table at mealtimes. Diffuse appetizing aromas 30 minutes before your meal—lemon, orange and coriander are wonderful for getting those digestive juices flowing. Eat in a silent, serene atmosphere. Keeping your mind free of clutter while you eat will help your body and mind make the best use of what you're ingesting.

4. Take a lunch break!How many times a week do you "grab a quick bite" for lunch, use lunch as an excuse for getting business accomplished or skip lunch altogether?According to ayurvedic healers, lunch should be THE most important meal of the day. It's the time of day when your digestion is naturally at its peak, and your body best able to complete the digest-absorb-assimilate cycle.

Yet most of us eat the biggest meal of the day at night, often not long before we go to bed, and the body has to rev up and work hard to digest the food at a time when it should be trying to get into rest mode. Unless you're among the lucky few with a workhorse for a digestive system, eating heavy at night tends to result in undigested food clogging up your insides.

You'll find it harder to fall asleep, your skin might break out, you'll gain weight easily, and you'll not feel as energetic as you should during the day.So take that lunch break, and eat your most substantial meal of the day around noon. Heavier foods and yogurt should be eaten at lunch rather than dinner for the same reasons.And when you have five to ten precious extra minutes, take the time to just sit quietly after the meal, savoring the experience, before you resume activity. This will direct your body's energy towards digestion before you draw it to other activities.

5. Drink to good health! Water, the ayurvedic beverage of choice, is crucial for digestion and absorption and to help flush toxins out of the body. It helps prevent bloating and constipation, and helps transport nutrients to the cells and tissues. It helps support the metabolism of fat. Drink room temperature water or warm water through the day. Water spiked with digestion enhancing spices and herbs is even better.

Light, clear vegetable broths, prepared fresh each day, are good detoxifiers and offer soothing comfort on cold winter days.

Note: This ayurvedic information is educational, and is not intended to replace standard medical care or advice. Please consult your physician before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

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About the Author:

Shreelata Suresh is a yoga instructor fron the Bay Area. She writes on yoga and ayurveda. For more information on ayurveda, please visit http://www.ayurbalance.com.

Understand the Science of Obesity And You're On Your Way

2005-01-21T04:31:00.000-08:00

Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but that's not exactly true. An overweight person has a surplus amount of weight that includes muscle, bone, fat and water. An obese person has a surplus of body fat. Body Mass Index (BMI) is commonly used to determine if a personis obese or not. A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be severely obese. Factors such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetics and certain medical disorders cause obesity, but it can be conquered.

Eating Disorder

Obesity itself is not an eating disorder, but people who are obese or who fear becoming obese may develop one.

There are three type of eating disorder:

-Binge eating

- binge eaters eat uncontrollably and quickly eating an unusually large amount of food at one sitting. They eat mostly sugar and fat. As a result, they may lack certain vitamins and nutrients.

Bulimia nervosa - bulimics binge eat, usually in secret, then purge to get rid of the calories just eaten. They may also exercise intensely for long periods of time to burn off the extra calories, or they may go for long periods of time without eating.

Anorexia nervosa - anorexics literally starve themselves due to an intense fear of being fat.

Their bodies are severely depleted of nutrients. As a result, they develop muscular atrophy, dehydration, low blood pressure and organ damage to name a few. Because anorexia is so life threatening, the first stage of treatment is getting body weight back to normal.Treatments for eating disorder include therapy and medications.

Fat & Cholesterol

For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would keep us healthy and help us lose weight. And many of us jumped on the bandwagon, eliminating fat and high-cholesterol foods from our diets. Well, unfortunately,we were doing it all wrong.

Instead of eliminating fat completely, we should have been eliminating the "bad fats," the fats associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the "good fats," the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol levels.

Dietary Treatments

Americans spend millions of dollars each year on diet books,products, and weight-loss plans. But, why aren't they working? Because people are doing the wrong things! These popular diets often offer promises of quick weight-loss with no hunger, and the majority of those dieters who do succeed end up gaining the weight back within a year. It's important to remember that your weight should be lost gradually.

When you first start dieting, you will probably lose more water weight, therefore you may be losing more pounds initially. But, if you're doing it right, your weight loss will slow down to an average of one to two pounds per week. You can only lose three pounds of fat per week, anything over that is water loss or muscle loss.

Medical Treatments

In some instances health professionals will perform weight-loss surgery. As with any surgery, it comes with many risks, and it's not a solution for everyone. In order to qualify for surgery, most people must be severely obese or obese with serious medical conditions.

Drug therapy is available for people with a BMI 30 or over with no medical conditions or for people with a BMI of over 27 with two or more obesity-related conditions.

Natural Alternatives

Many prefer to utilize natural alternatives rather than resorting to appetite suppressants and surgical procedures, it's often more healthy. The alternatives include detoxification and live-food diet, low-carb high protein diet and ayurveda. All natural alternatives require some form of exercise.

Exercise

Exercise is vital to shedding excess weight and keeping it off. Any regular exercise that raise the heart rate for at least a half hour straight, will do wonders for your body. Simply taking a walk, starting slow, then working your way up to power walking, is an excellent method of exercise.

Behavioral Changes

Changing your behavior is a key component to conquering obesity. Crash diets that cause people to lose weight drastically almost always backfire because there is no change in behavior and habits. Obesity is a lifestyle, and conquering obesity is a lifestyle also. Losing focus is a common problem with those who are trying to lose weight and keep it off.

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About the Author:

Wan Ibrahim is a writer and owner of AdiPublishing.Biz. He writes on Health & Wellness. For more details on Conquering Obesity, please visit:http://no-obese.adipublishing.biz

Diet Information:The South Beach Diet

2005-01-10T04:20:00.000-08:00

Developed by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston, this diet first became popular in Miami. It was developed into book form, and is now a worldwide best seller. The weight loss advice focuses on a healthy balance between good carbohydrates and fats. The idea is to decrease ‘bad’ carbs (eg baked goods and soft drinks) to help you metabolise what you eat better.

The South Beach dietary programme also claims to improve insulin resistance, leading to weight loss. While there are three phases to the plan – the first of which is about banishing your carvings and, to some, can be daunting - this diet plan aims to change your dietary lifestyle. The last phase is meant to change the way you eat forever.

While for the first two weeks of the plan you are not allowed bread, rice potatoes etc, for most of the diet you'll eat normal-size helpings of meat, poultry and fish as well as vegetables, eggs, cheese, and nuts. You’ll gradually re-introduce foods as the plan progresses, albeit in smaller portions. To maintain your healthy weight for the rest of your life, you’ll follow the South Beach ‘rules’.

Not as scary as it sounds, healthy eating is something that we should all follow, lifelong.Like the Atkins diet, if there are lots of foods you don’t enjoy or you cannot stick to a diet where food stuffs are restricted (even in the short term), this may not be the diet for you.

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About the author:
http://www.uk-diets-online.co.uk provides information about all the major diet systems available. Download as FREE copy of the Tasty Weight Loss and Muscle Building Recipes Book, a 33 page book which you can download for free to get some ideas for weight loss recipes.

More about diets

A Natural Approach To Managing Acne

2005-01-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone has suffered from acne at one time or another in his or her lives. It is primarily a disorder of the sebaceous gland (glands in the skin that secrete an oily substance) of the face, the neck and back. When the sebaceous glands become clogged with the oily substance they create, the accumulation results in pimples. There are several forms of acne, but the most common is acne vulgaris, found primarily in adolescents.

The exact cause of acne is not known, but factors that contribute to this condition include heredity, oily skin and androgens. Additional factors include allergies, stress, the use of certain drugs, nutritional deficiencies, liver dysfunction, exposure to industrial pollutants, cosmetics and the monthly menstrual cycle. In addition, the skin functions to eliminate a portion of the body’s toxic waste by sweating. If the body contains more toxins than the kidneys or liver can effectively discharge, the skin takes over. In fact, some doctors call the skin the 3rd kidney.

As toxins escape through the skin, they can disrupt the health and integrity of the skin, creating issues.Recommendations for WellnessNote: Some of these recommendations may take 2-4 weeks before any results or improvements are experienced.Apply distilled white vinegar (can be diluted if too strong) to the face and affected areas. Allow this to sit for 5-10 minutes before rinsing off with cool water. Lemon or any citric fruit works great as a natural exfoliate, removing dead skin cells that may clog the pours. As with the white vinegar, apply the juice of a lemon (or desired citric juice) to the face.

Allow it to dry for about 10 minutes, then rinse with cool water. You may feel a mild sting or burn when the lemon juice is applied. If so, diluting the juice is acceptable. Increase water consumption. Water helps flush toxin out and help transport nutrients in the body. Eat a properly balanced diet to ensure proper nutrition. Take a high quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement to make up for nutrients missing in today’s foods. Echinacea or Oregon grape can be used to boost the immune system and fight acne-causing bacteria.

Dandelion, Burdock or red clover can help to keep the liver clear of toxic overload.Herbal combinations such as Natures Sunshine's Ayurvedic Skin Detox and BP-X can also be used to cleanse and detoxify the liver and reduce acne.Historically, large quantities of vitamin A have been successfully used to treat severe acne. Large amounts, however, can be toxic and should be used when working with your health care provider.

Consider adding additional zinc to your diet. Zinc aids in the healing of tissues and assists in preventing scarring. It is also important for the body in resisting infection and inflammation.To clear and heal the skin, try a homeopathic Acne remedy. It can help to dry up pimples & prevent future outbreaks.

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About the Author:

Do you suffer from a chronic medical condition that defies diagnosis? Do you feel “stuck” or dissatisfied with life? Whether it is a physical problem, an emotional issue, a problem at work or a problem in a relationship, medical intuitive, Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. can help you bring health, healing and wholeness back into your life. You can find Dr. Louise at http://www.soulhealer.com

Water: Pure and Simple

2005-01-08T04:55:00.000-08:00

Thirsty?

Before you reach for that soda, beer or sports drink, how about reaching for something that has been around since the beginning of time—water. Water is one of the most pure, most essential nutrients on the face of the earth. We drink it, wash with it, swim in it and spend nine months developing in it. Every living thing consists of water: plants, animals and humans; each one of us is made up of approximately 70% water.

Water is an important and precious commodity. It’s so important that only 1% of the earth’s water is drinkable. This clear, wonderful fluid is so effective that it can fulfill many tasks. It hydrates and replenishes lost nutrients; it carries waste from the body, balances body temperature, and keeps the skin elastic. Not only does it increase mental and physical alertness, but it can also provide a person with increased energy and help prevent illness by flushing toxins out of the system.

That cool, clear substance is also critical to our survival; we can go for weeks without food but only days without water.For weight management, water is essential. Documented in the article, Weight Control Begins with Hydration by Linda McDonald, RD, water can decrease a person’s appetite because thirst is usually mistaken for hunger. Those late night stomach rumblings can be easily quelled by indulging in a glass of H2O. Water can help reduce fat deposits and eradicate excess fluids and waste, which, in some cases, people believe the opposite.

The assumption is that too much ingestion of this pure liquid leads to water retention. This is a fallacy. Linda indicates that when the body is deprived of water, it will hold on to it because it perceives the body is in danger of dehydration, hence the swollen hands, legs, and feet. If water is consumed properly, it is able to do its job effectively. Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, MD, author of Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, has studied the effects of dehydration and the miracles of water consumption for over 20 years.

His studies suggest that many degenerative diseases and medical maladies are the result of dehydration. He also points out that pain, not a dry mouth, is a strong indicator of being thirsty.He maintains that a well-hydrated body can help cure, prevent and control a number of medical conditions, such as: diabetes, asthma, angina, migraines, arthritis, high blood pressure, heartburn, high cholesterol, kidney stones, and even morning sickness. How can you tell if you are dehydrated?

According to the article, Your Body Feels Great When You Hydrate by Urologist, Dr. Lawrence Ross, your urine will be dark yellow if you aren’t getting enough water.How much is enough? The rule of thumb is to drink one-half ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. If you are more active, drink two-thirds ounce of water per pound of body weight. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages do not count; they can actually act as a diuretic and dehydrate the body. Sugary juices are also not recommended for hydration as they may lead to kidney stones. Certain types of food can help top up your daily water requirements, however, stick to those foods closest to nature.

That is, stick to fruits and vegetables; they have the most water content of all foods. Things like bread, for instance, or any other processed type food will not provide you with adequate water intake. Okay, so you’re now convinced that keeping your fluid levels up is important for body, mind and soul, but how do you make it a habit? According to Marianne Woods Cirone in her article, Benefits of Drinking Water and Health Information on the Importance of Drinking Water, once you wake up in the morning, drink one to two cups of water or herbal tea.

“These first glasses are so crucial because you are reversing any mild dehydration that may have occurred overnight, especially if you cut off your water consumption a couple of hours before bedtime in order to reduce nighttime trips to the bathroom.”But, wait. What if the thought of drinking water bores you to tears?

Try these tips to spice it up: add a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber to your glass; fill a large jug with water and several ice cubes or use a frosty mug—when that cool, crisp water hits your throat, there’s nothing like it.Thirsty? Thought so.

For more information and sources, check out these websites and books:Your Body’s Many Cries for Water and ABC of Allergies and Lupus by Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidji, MDThe Healing Energies of Water by Charlie RyrieThe Complete Book of Water Healing by Dian Dincin Buchman, Ph.DThe Detox Solution by Patricia Fitzgeraldwww.Watercure.com, Global Health Solutions’ Website

www.Water.com

www.Water-Institute.com

www.yoga-for-health-and-fitness.com

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About the author:

Tamara Hanson has 8 years writing experience. She has written 3 novels, several short stories, and numerous articles. Her business, The Writing Muse, assists clients with ghostwriting, articles, speeches, newsletters and other writing needs.

NEWS & TIPS FOR BETTER HEALTH, THE NATURAL WAY

2005-01-08T04:30:00.000-08:00

BROCCOLI
Good Healthy Food, for Natural Healing, Good Health and Antiaging.We all know that Broccoli is a plant that is used at the Dinner Table as a vegetable with the main dish, it is very high in Antioxidants and very healthy for everyone.

Did you also know that Broccoli can give you 30 times more antioxidants, all you have to do is eat Broccoli seedling sprouts in your salad meals or sandwiches. Just like you would with Alfalfa or any other sprouts.A half cup of Broccoli seedling sprouts, is equivalent to 15 cups of Broccoli.

TUMERIC
The yellow spice that can usually be found in your kitchen, is a powerful Antioxidant and anti inflammatory. Excellent when you would normally take a pain killer, Strains and Sprains, Bursitis Tendinitis, you can add the spice to food, or purchase capsules.

BREAST CANCER
In news just released, Breast Cancer has increased to its highest levels yet, with one in eleven ladies likely to develop symptoms. There is Good News though, More than ever before, the survival rate has increased, mainly due to dedicated Doctors and more advanced detection and treament available. Read my article titled “Breast Cancer and Antiperspirants” here in the Health Directory at "Go Articles".

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (Hypertension)
One way of reducing Hypertension, is to increase your intake of water, the answer can quite often be that simple, I do mean Pure Water, not the stuff supplied by the Public Utilities as that contains all sorts of chemicals that are NOT necessarily good for your health.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND HONEY
Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey has been used for centuries to fight off numerous medical complaints, including High Blood Pressure, Arthritis and many other conditions.The secret is that Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey, between them contain almost 100, Minerals and Vitamins.The Vinegar should not be distilled, it should have sediment in the bottom of the bottle and have web like structures floating in the liquid, which is called the Mother. It is this sediment and Mother that contains all the ingredients that are good for you.

Good quality Honey should be used and the best method of taking this is : One Teaspoon of Honey mixed in a glass of warm pure water and One Teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar, taken at least once or twice a day.

TOMATO,
What it can do for you.The humble Tomato is proving to have a number of medicinal properties previously not known, it has been said to help in the prevention of Prostate problems and that it is more beneficial if it has been cooked before using, as in Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce or Ketchup, Tomato Juice, or even a Pizza with a Tomato topping.Apparently the cooking process enhances the Lycopine in the Tomato, which has proven so beneficial.

It has now shown to be useful for cardiovascular problems, it decreases platelet activity, thereby reducing the level of blood clotting.When the blood vessels of people with cardiovascular disease are damaged, platelet activity sometimes fails to switch off and clogs the vessels.A glass of Tomato Juice a day can keep blood clots away, so it can help in preventing Stroke, Heart Attack and Deep Vein Thrombosis, as well as helping to ward off Prostate problems.

THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH PLUM, Super food.The Australian Bush Plum is the latest food to improve health. With the highest levels of Vitamin C of any food, the plum is now the key ingredient that is used the Eight Essential Sugars (Glyconutrients) it is the newest and most powerful Antioxidant currently available.Vitamin C is crucial for controlling free radicals which cause disease and aging.

Used for thousands of years by the aboriginal people of Australia, to treat Skin Diseases, Arthritis, colds and Flu, the plums power together with Glyconutrients is now harnessed in a capsule.

ASTRAGALUS
This ancient herb has been used in Chinese Medicine for over 2000 years, it helps to modulate the Immune System and it may repair cells damaged by Cancer or Radiation and Chemotherapy. It certainly beats Echinacea, when it comes to fighting colds and Flu.

Astragalus is used to provide one of the Essential Sugars that constitutes Glyconutrients.If you wish to try Astragalus, you will find that it is normally sold as Capsules and quite expensive. I would suggest that you do a search for a supplier of Astragalus Powder this is a much more economic method. Just mix half a teaspoon in Juice, milk or water and take twice a day.

Please read my Article about Astragalus in the Health Directory at: Go Articles. If anyone would like me to continue writing these little snippets of information, Please contact me through our Web Sites, or if your want more information, Please ask. Need Content?You may use this article at your Web Site or Newsletter, The only requirement is inclusion of the following sentence, "

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About the author:

Article by Alfred Jones of http://www.sugarsr4u.com and http://www.rusweetenuf.comLearn about Glyconutrients with the most powerful Antioxidants, The Essential Sugars for Life".

What You Need to Know to Lose Weight Without Dieting

2005-01-08T01:45:00.000-08:00

If your commitment to eat right, exercise, and lose weight always seems to lose its steam, you are not alone! Weight problems are not just about what you are eating, but why you are eating in the first place. To see what I mean, ask yourself these questions. Do you think about food and eating more than you think you should?

Do you feel guilty when you eat certain foods? Do you have trouble passing up tempting food even if you aren’t hungry? Do you often eat when you are bored, stressed, lonely, or angry? Do you eat differently in private than you do in public? Do you fluctuate between dieting and eating too much?If you answered yes to most of these questions, you have probably discovered that dieting hasn’t really solved the problem.

To help you understand why, lets take a look at three different eating styles: Over Eating, Restrictive Eating, and Instinctive Eating. In “Over Eating” people eat because it is mealtime or because something looks good - whether they are hungry or not. They may also eat to distract themselves or cope with stress and emotions. They may reward, comfort, or entertain themselves with food. Their weight tends to go up and down depending on whether they are off or on their diet.

In “Restrictive Eating,” a person controls his or her weight by dieting. They decide when, what, and how much to eat based on the rules of the latest diet they are following. Since diet rules are always changing, they sometimes feel confused about what they should eat. They think of food as either “good” or “bad”—and they think of themselves as good or bad, depending on what they ate.

Now think about someone who doesn’t struggle with his or her weight. If you are having trouble thinking of someone like that, think of a baby or a young child. I call this “Instinctive Eating.” These people just seem to know when, what, and how much food they need. When their body needs fuel, they get hungry, triggering an urge to eat. They simply stop eating when their hunger is satisfied.

Most of them really like to eat and seem to be able to eat whatever they want. However they will turn down even delicious food if they aren’t hungry. You might believe that a person who eats instinctively has been blessed with willpower and a great metabolism. But the truth is, we were all born Instinctive Eaters. Its just that many of us “unlearned” our natural ability to know how much to eat.

The good news is that you can relearn those skills if you are willing. I did! Here are some important steps to get you started.

1. Let go of the idea that there is a perfect diet that will finally solve your problems. The answer lies within you.

2. Whenever you have an urge to eat, instead of focusing on the food, first ask yourself, “Am I hungry?”

Remember that hunger is a physical feeling. It is not the same thing as appetite, cravings, or the desire to eat.

3. If you are hungry, remember that there are no “good” or “bad” foods. You are less likely to overeat certain foods if you know that you can have them again when you really want them.

4. Stop eating when the hunger is gone but before you feel full, even if there is food left. Give up your membership to the Clean Plate Club!

5. If you are not hungry, ask yourself if something in your environment triggered your urge to eat and what you could do to reduce the trigger or distract yourself from it. For instance, could you put the candy dish out of sight or do something else for a while until you are actually hungry?

6. If there was an emotional trigger, ask yourself what you could do to better cope with that emotion. For instance, if stress triggered your urge to eat, could you try a relaxation exercise instead?

7. Don’t expect yourself to be perfect—it is not possible or even necessary. By relearning to eat instinctively, you will see that eating to satisfy hunger is pleasurable and that it is good to eat foods that you enjoy. You will find that meeting your other needs in appropriate ways will bring balance and joy to your life. By learning these important skills, you will reach a healthier weight and a healthier lifestyle—without dieting!

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About the Author:
Michelle May, M.D. is a practicing Board Certified Family Physician with expertise in the cognitive-behavioral aspects of weight management. She is the author of Am I Hungry? What To Do When Diets Don’t Work in collaboration with a Registered Dietitian and Psychologist. Visit her website www.AmIHungry.com for more ideas on managing weight without dieting.

Human Growth Hormone: The new Fountain of Youth?

2005-01-08T01:39:00.000-08:00

Human Growth Hormone: The New Fountain of Youth?

By: J. Bowlerhttp://www.ageless-beauty.com

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) has become a very popular, althoughexpensive, antiaging treatment. Even the skeptics admit that HGH treatments produce very noticeable results. The question of the safety of long term use is still up in the air.

Although the use of hormones in the treatment of various conditions is not new, it seems to always be shrouded in controversy. For example, hormones have been prescribed to women undergoing menopause for almost 40 years, but the debate over its safety and efficacy continues to the present day.

HGH is a protein naturally produced by the pituitary gland. It stimulates anabolic activity in all areas of the human body. Basically this means that it helps synthesize simple substances into the complex material of living tissue.

Studies performed by the National Institute of Aging have shown that people receiving human growth hormone benefit from a change in body composition. They develop several pounds of extra muscle while losing fat.

Patients receiving HGH report a decrease in pain, an increase in flexibility and a sense of well being they did not have before. Other antiaging benefits of HGH therapy is that the skin becomes thicker and more flexible, the immune system is enhanced, stamina increases, the cholesterol balance is shifted in a positive way, more calcium is deposited on the bones and glands are restored.

Since this sounds like the legendary fountain of youth, what isthe downside? First is cost. This is meant to be a lifetime treatment and the cost runs about $6000 a year, generally not covered by health insurance. The drug is usually injected and a lot of follow up testing is required.

You can purchase HGH in tablet and spray form, both are much less expensive, but some experts feel that users would quickly develop a tolerance to them and that their effectiveness would quickly fall off. Anecdotally, consumers of these products report the same positive effects that those who receive the injected form of the hormone experience.

Some doctors claim that HGH can cause tumor growth, although this has never been demonstrated in humans, increase fluid retention, which could be a problem for certain heart patients and can cause joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. There could also be a problem with diabetics, since sugar metabolism is affected.

Other doctors admit that without careful monitoring, there can be problems with excessive bone growth, vocal cord thickening, fluid retention, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, but insist there is absolutely no evidence of an increase in cancer or diabetes in humans.

One thing everyone agrees on is that while human growth hormone may increase the quality of your life it will not make you live any longer. There seems to be little dispute about the short term benefits of the treatment. But the bottom line is that nobody yet knows the long term effects of HGH as an antiaging solution.

So like many things in life, HGH therapy is a gamble.

[This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to render medical advice. If you are interested in HGH therapy, make sure to consult a qualified physican.] By: J. Bowlerhttp://www.ageless-beauty.com

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About the Author:
Ms Bowler has been a educator all her life. She has been a school teacher, a ballet teacher and dancer and an aerobics teacher and personal trainer.