Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is a RNA virus. This virus is characterized by an intensive mutations, so, at every infected person, the virus exists as a population of very close, but different virus quasi-species, and some of them are more successful than the others.
The dominant virus sequence changes every few weeks. This changes helps the virus to skip the immune response of the host. The infection varies in different countries, but also in different regions and population groups within one country. It is considered that around 170 million people are already infected with HCV, and every year there are 3-4 millions new infected. HCV is transmitted almost strictly through contact with an infected blood or blood products, same as the HBV (Hepatitis B virus) and HIV, with the difference that this virus is very hard to transmit through the other types of contact, although it is present in the saliva and the sperm.
Because of the parenteral way of transmission (most often: blood transfusion, drug addiction, contacts with a material contaminated with infected blood), hepatitis C is very common among the hemodialisis patients, hemophilia patients, the intravenous drug users (50-90%). There’s a risk also by nasal insufflation of cocaine (sniffing). From the other ways of transmission, there’s need to be mentioned the transmission from the mother to the newborn baby (less than 5%), the sexual transmission, which is possible, but not as often as with HBV and HIV, then the incidental injuries with needles or other instruments of the health personal (3-10%).
Additionally there are other identified ways of transmission, such as using poorly sterilized materials or instruments in endoscopy, piercing, tattooing, acupuncture, etc. There is no effective vaccine for the HCV infection, so the prevention has to consist of the basic safety measurements as of HBV and HIV.
The acute phase of the Hepatitis C is the first stage of the infection and can last even longer than 6 months. Only 30-40% of the patients with an acute HCV infection have some symptoms. Those are usually mild and few symptoms, such as weakness, and in 90% of the cases there isn’t a jaundice, and that’s why in many cases the patients aren’t even aware of the infection.
The acute phase in 15-20% of the cases result in healing and complete elimination of the virus. But, in 80-85% the acute HCV infection progresses to a chronic hepatitis. Although 15-25% of the patients with chronic hepatitis C have no obvious symptoms, the rest of the patients develop chronic active hepatitis, and 20% of them develop cirrhosis within 10-20 years.
The chronic hepatitis C can be accompanied by many autoimmune manifestations such as vasculitis, Sjogren’s syndrome, autoimmune hepatitis C type 2, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lychen planus, etc. Because there are no obvious symptoms, the diagnosis is most often coincidental. The treatment consists of combination of interferon alfa and ribavirin.

Healthy Eating Diet Advice!

We all know how to eat. Diet means knowing what to eat. Thanks to the internet, everybody knows what not to eat (sweets, junk food etc.) but there seems to be a lot of confusion about what to eat. On this diet advice and Healthy Eating plan page we try to answer that question – specifically, what should be in our diet.
Carbohydrates (Carbs)
Our first healthy eating diet advice and healthy eating diet plan is to eat your carbs. Carbohydrates are vital because it provides us the energy for our day to day activity. It is our “battery” that powers us through the day. Additionally, carbohydrates play an important role in the synthesis of our DNA, our hormones, create powerful antioxidants and protect our cells and tissues from damage and ageing. Apart from all this, carbohydrates help in the functioning of our brain cells. Which is why if we are hungry, we can’t seem think straight. If we are low on carbs, our brain cells draw energy from limited reserve fuel supply (similar to your car switching to reserve gas when you fuel tank is empty). When that is depleted, our brain puts the body into sleep mode and kind of shuts down. So now you know just how important carbohydrates are. But are all Carbohydrates good? No of course not. But that’s an issue we shall tackle elsewhere.
Proteins
Our second healthy eating diets advice is to explain why we need proteins and its importance to your body. We’ve all been told that we need to include proteins in our diet but do you know why we need proteins? Proteins are needed to make antibodies which are our primary defense mechanism against diseases and infections. Proteins are required to contract and relax our muscles. So without proteins you would not be able to pick up that cup of coffee that will provide the carbohydrates to power your brain and body. Hormonal Proteins are the body messengers. They pick up signals and instructions and carry them across to the required destinations. Hormonal proteins are the “runners” within your body. Proteins make up the cells within us and create the connective tissues, tendons and ligaments. Finally, along with carrying messages, proteins perform another vital function – they transport nutrients throughout the body.
Fats
When we say people should eat fats we get looks that seem to suggest we might have lost our marbles. Our third healthy eating diet advice and healthy eating and exercise is to explain why fats are vital to our body. Fat is the long term slow release reserve energy source in our body. It gets utilized at times of distress and illness. In times gone by when surviving was tough and sickness was common, the body utilized the fat reserves to release energy required to survive. Fat is the only nutrient that can help us survive through the toughest phases of our life. Further, only fat can metabolize vitamin A,E,K and D which are also known as fat soluble vitamins. Believe it or not, fat actually protects vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs etc. Fat also insulates your body and prevents heat loss (Which is why overweight people feel hot quickly). Fat stimulates the flow of bile from the gall bladder. Fat also plays a vital role in pregnancy as it is required for milk production and growth of the foetus. Also, we bet you did not know that 60% of your brain is made up of fat. Finally, fat is the grease that lubricates the joints.
Water
Our fourth healthy eating facts advice is on water and its importance to your body. For survival, water is the most important element that our body needs. Without water, you cannot utilize the nutrients that come from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Modern lifestyle, lack of exercise and stress has dulled out thirst mechanism. Instead of drinking water, we drink beer, sodas and juices all which only aggravate the problem and leads to dehydration. Dehydration leads to dullness because the body is unable to process the food you eat. In turn we rush to consume “energy pills” that promise to perk up your life and so on and so forth.

More Americans taking Vitamin D supplements

For the past decade, sales of Vitamin D have continued to skyrocket, as scientific research demonstrates a wide array of Vitamin D benefits that go beyond bone health. According to a consumer survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), out of the 66 percent of Americans who use dietary supplements, 27 percent say they take a Vitamin D supplement, up 16 percent from the previous year (2008).1 According to the Nutrition Business Journal, sales of Vitamin D in 2009 were up by 82 percent reaching $430 million.2 This phenomenon represents a growing number of Americans who are convinced that taking a daily Vitamin D supplement holds important benefits for maintaining health and well-being.

In response to the overwhelming body of research, the Institute of Medicine recently boosted the recommended dietary intakes (RDI) of Vitamin D. After reviewing 1,000 published studies on Vitamin D, the Institute of Medicine’s new recommendations for dietary intake of Vitamin D and calcium were released on December 1, 2010 advocating:
• 400 IUs of Vitamin D intake for infants, doubling the previous RDI.
• 600 IUS for ages 1 and 50, three times the previous RDI.
• 600 IUs for ages 51 to 70, up 50 percent from the previous RDI.
• 800 IUs for those older than 71, up 33 percent from the previous RDI.

With the release of the new RDIs, sales of the sunshine vitamin are likely to soar even higher in 2011.Nutritionists believe that it will be difficult to meet the new RDIs for Vitamin D through diet alone, particularly if you eat only limited dairy products or do not regularly include fish in your diet. Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian in Boston, says "There's no way that people will satisfy those recommendations for vitamin D without supplements." Not many foods contain Vitamin D which is why most people will need to modify their diets to include Vitamin-D fortified foods and beverages along with an increased intake of milk, eggs and fish. Consuming 600 IUs a day of Vitamin D from a single food would require drinking 6 cups of milk or eating 15 servings of Vitamin-D fortified cereals.3

Some experts even believe the new RDIs for Vitamin D are still too low. In response, Dr. Andrew Shao, senior vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, for the Council for Responsible Nutrition said, "While an increase in the recommendations for vitamin D will benefit the public overall, such a conservative increase for the nutrient lags behind the mountain of research demonstrating a need for vitamin D intake at levels possibly as high as 2,000 IU/day for adults." Doctors who concur with this view may consider prescribing a higher daily dose of Vitamin D to their patients as the upper safety limit has been set at 4,000 IUs for those aged 9 and above.

You can private label high-quality vitamin supplements through Vitacap Labs, a leading private label vitamin manufacturer that prides itself on quality manufacturing within a GMP-certified facility. Call 800-664-7475 now to find out more about how you can private label multivitamin supplements or submit a request for a free quote today. You can expect to receive a quote from Vitacap Labs within 24 hours.

Why Leg Raises Hurt Your Back

About 30 years ago we learned that straight legged sit-ups were bad for you because it caused back pain. But aren’t lying or hanging leg raises the same thing as the straight legged sit-ups – done in reverse? Aren’t you using the same muscles, whether you raise your legs and keep your upper body still or raise your upper body and keep your legs still?
Great looking abs are a goal for both men and women, but lying or hanging leg raises may be contributing more to your back pain then you think.
How Muscles Work
To understand why this exercise may not be so good for your back, you need to understand the basic bio-mechanics. Learn which muscles move what body part. Anatomy and physiology teaches you that a muscle attaches at two ends. When those two endpoints or attachment points move closer together you get muscle contraction. It is the contraction of the muscle that pulls the endpoints closer and moves your body. When the two end points move further apart, the muscle stretches and relaxes.
FYI…when one muscle contracts – an opposing or opposite muscle stretches or relaxes. Every muscle has an opposing muscle. For joint stability and staying pain free it is important to exercise both the contracted and opposing muscle, otherwise you get muscle imbalance.
Look at the bicep muscle, for an example. It attaches at the top of your shoulder and just below the crease of your elbow. When you bend your arm, or do a bicep curl, the two endpoints move closer together, and the muscle is in a state of contraction. When you straighten your arm the two points move further apart and the bicep muscle stretches or lengthens.
Every muscle in the body works on this same “pulley” principle, including your eye muscles. Look at your chest muscles. The pec’s attach along the side of your sternum and run diagonally into the top of your shoulder. Now imagine as you lower the bar when doing bench press, the two end points move further apart. The pec muscles are stretching, but as you push the bar off your chest, the two endpoints move closer together. This causes the pec muscles to contract.
Examine the Leg Raise….
The muscles primarily responsible for raising the legs are the psoas muscles, NOT the abdominal muscle. The common name for the psoas muscle is the ‘hip flexor.’ The hip flexor attaches at the upper/inside portion of your thigh muscle and sits beneath your abs and intestines. It runs up and attaches to your spinal column, more specifically your lumbar vertebra and disc. These muscles are commonly overlooked for being a primary cause of back pain, but as you start examining which muscles move your body, you will quickly see how they can be the problem.
The abdominal muscles attach at the bottom of your ribs and run down past your belly button and attach to the pubic bone. Remember a muscle contracts when the two endpoints come closer together.
To prove to you that lying or hanging leg raises don’t specifically work the abdominal muscles let me get you to lie flat on your back as if you were performing a leg raise. Place your right hand at the top of your pubic bone and your left hand on the bottom of your rib cage. Now slowly raise your legs up to the ceiling, no more than 90 degrees. Did your hands come closer together? I don’t think so!
If you keep pulling your legs past that vertical position (90 degrees) and move them closer to your head, you will notice that your pelvis will begin to rock up towards your head. You should then begin to feel your hands move closer together, this is because you are finally contracting your abdominal muscles. You are basically doing a reverse crunch.
Now, keep your hands in the same position and do a regular crunch. You will notice your hands move closer together, which tells us your abdominal muscles are doing the work, not your hip flexor.
Crunches for Great Abs
Hopefully, this will help explain why crunches and reverse crunches are some of the best exercises for your abs. Doing leg raises, or holding your feet six inches off the ground or having someone throw your legs back down after you raise them is only going to make your hip flexors tighter and put you at risk for back pain.
For years I have seen patients come to my office complaining of back pain. One of the first questions I ask them is what kind of abdominal workout they do? If they say, lying or hanging leg raises or some other type of similar movement…..I help educate them on how that specific movement could be contributing to their back pain and how to properly target their ab muscles, without hurting their low back.
In Summary…
When you do leg raises or hanging leg raises, the first 90 degrees of the leg raise is activating the hip flexors. As you go past 90 degrees, the abdominal muscles will finally begin to contract. Unfortunately most people only do their leg raises within that first 90 degrees of range of motion, which is only working your hip flexors and will eventually make you susceptible to low back pain.
It doesn’t matter if you bend your knees, or put your hands behind your back. The muscles responsible for raising your legs those first 90 degrees are your hip flexors, NOT your abs. Grab an Anatomy & Physiology book and take a look at where these muscles attach to better understand what we are talking about. The last thing you want to do is slow your progress down with an injury.

Men’s Hair Loss Treatments

Although there are some people who would love to keep their dome clean shaved, many people still agree that a well styled hair is the beauty of the scalp. Natural hair loss has however made many men unhappy as they can not keep their hair. There are many myths that surround hair loss in men. Some people believe that hair loss is as a result of stress and others even believe that it is as a result of nutrient deficiency. I laughed hard and long when a couple of my folks said they believed having your baseball cap on everyday or sweating excessively could lead to hair loss in men. Hair loss has nothing to do with all these things but the beautiful thing is where it occurs, there are treatments that can be given to address the situation. Men lose their hair because they are simply genetically predisposed to it. You would not find this too hard to believe if you consider the fact that there are men who are able to keep their hair to their old age while you would find the hair of some young men showing recession. Men lose hair when they have their follicles programmed to be sensitive to hormonal changes in their scalps. Androgenic Alopecia as the loss of hair in men is called is as a result of the hormones androgens to which the body may begin to reject.
Men’s hair loss treatments are gradually increasing processes. You would want to start slowly on the regimen you choose which you would gradually build up. Whatever regimen you may have, there are many products in the market that can help you take care of your hair loss.

Wholesome Diet to Remain Fit

Dietary advice with regard to reducing heart disease danger includes consuming a well-balanced diet plan along with much less saturated fat through red meats, fresh vegetables and fruit, more fish, much less sugar, more dietary fiber as well as for many people, less complete calories. You’ll be able to build your heart healthier with the addition of these foods:
Essential olive oil: It reduces your danger of cardiovascular disease through cutting your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Select essential olive oil to cook, or create a good dip with regard to whole grain bread through flowing a bit of essential olive oil along with a spread associated with oregano.
Salmon: Fish is a good supply of omega-3 essential fatty acids that keep safe from harm your own coronary heart by reduction of both irritation and also the danger of blood clots. Eat fish or other oily sea fish such as tuna fish, sardines or even sardines at least 2 times each week. For any healthy meal, test grilled fish meats with a eco-friendly veggie.
Oats: Oatmeal has a dietary fiber known as beta glucan which helps reduce total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol. Appreciate oatmeal with only a little amount of brown carbohydrate and many strawberries and walnuts in the morning.
Apples: Apples have a phytochemical known as quercetin which functions being an anti inflammatory and can assist in preventing blood clots too. Apples contain vitamins as well as dietary fiber, come in many scrumptious varieties and are movable. Consume a good apple with a number of walnuts for your wholesome salads.
Almonds: Almonds as well as other nuts contain wholesome vitamin E, oils, and other essences that will assist maintain levels of cholesterol under control. Almonds are a useful source of fiber and protein. Walnuts make a great eat their own, or spread slivered walnuts upon eco-friendly beans or don’t forget your asparagus with fresh lemon juice like a deliciously healthy aspect meal.
Red wine: Red wines have a polyphenols which may be great for your own coronary heart. Make sure to appreciate dark wine moderately. Studies show which only 4-8 ounces of dark wine is you want.
Whole Grains: It supplies nutritional vitamins as well as fiber that will assist to maintain your heart healthy. Create a deliciously healthy meal along with 2 pieces of 100% whole grain bread, 3 ounces associated with lean turkey breasts, lots of sliced tomato plants as well as grape, in addition lettuce. Switch from whitened entree in order to wholegrain entree too.
Leafy green vegetables: Leafy green vegetables include folate, which will assist to keep homocysteine amounts down, as well as vitamin E. Leafy green vegetables have  been related to better preservation of memory because age. Use clean green spinach leaves and other greens for the preferred salad rather than iceberg lettuce.
Tomato plants: Tomato plants are packed with lycopene and nutritional vitamins, which has been pointed to abbreviate heart disease danger. Include thick slices associated with tomato plants in order to salads and sandwiches.

How to Spot a Fitness Fraud

"Turn your body into a super fat-burning furnace!"
"Washboard abs in just 5 minutes a day!"
"Exciting new development!"
"Research proven!"
If It Sounds To Good Too Be True, It Probably Is.
How many times have you heard this? Yet, ads and infomercials can be so seductive, you really want to believe the wild claims they promise, so you may be tempted to suspend good judgement and buy into the fantasy. Substandard and fraudulent products hurt more than just your wallet. When a product doesn’t do what it claims to do, you’ll feel let down. This can lower your self-confidence and can even lead you to believe that your fitness goals will never be achieved. This article will help you to identify fitness frauds and give you tips and resourses on so you’ll be able to make better decisions when buying fitness products.
Buyers Beware ChecklistQuackery is not easily detected. Use this checklist before purchasing a product advertised in a mail-order catalog or on TV.

	Is the product supported entirely by testimonials?
	Is there any controlled, randomized scientific evidence supporting the sales claims?
	Do the experts associated with the program have the proper credentials?
	Is the person selling the product believable?
	Does the promotion use any pseudomedical jargon?
	Does the promotion boast a secret formula or answer?
	Do the claims seem miraculous or far-fetched?
	Is the product appealing to your vanity?
	Does the suggested use of the product seem out of keeping with the desired outcome (e.g., "just three minutes a day toward slimmer thighs")?
	Does the fine print contain any disclaimers?
	Does the offer include additional free prizes?

(Buyers Beware Checklist from "Consumerism and Quackery", IDEA Magazine, May 1998 by Len Kravitz, PhD.)

Online Buying TipsYou need to have confidence in the company and product you’re buying online. Does the company have your best interests at heart? If in doubt, search for clues as to their reliability. Do they have a phone number? You may want to call to check them out further. Ask a question by e-mail and see how long they take to respond. Ask the company for independent research that substantiates their claims and promises. You can check out the company on the Better Business Bureau’s Business Report page. Their page states "The Better Business Bureau collects and reports information to help prospective buyers make informed decisions in dealing with business and charitable organizations."
If In Doubt, Ask An ExpertThe media is quick to announce the latest health/fitness discovery, regardless of the source. Unfortunately, this new claim may later be retracted when proper studies are made. But quacks will use (and misuse) questionable data to convince you to buy their product. What should you believe? If you don’t have the time to sort through information dispensed from reputable sources, you should ask an expert. A certified fitness instructor should be able to separate fact from fiction.
Your Tax Dollars At Work
The Federal Trade Commission says that "consumers waste billions of dollars on unproven, fraudulently marketed, and sometimes useless health care products and treatments." They advise all workout "wannabes" to exercise good judgment when evaluating advertising claims for fitness products. Be sure to check out these two articles by the FTC:
The Muscle Hustle: Test Your Exercise I.Q.
Pump Fiction: Tips for Buying Exercise Equipment
Avoid the lure of fitness-product charlatans and increase your skills at making educated buying decisions. Try not to buy the hype and stick to "if it sounds to good too be true, it probably is."

How to Get Energy and Build Stamina Naturally

Do you wake up feeling tired and lethargic and do you wish that you had more energy. Well there are a few things that you can do to help yourself gain more energy naturally. If you are feeling tired and drained out then the first body part to hurt and ache would be your feet and if your feet hurt then obviously so does the rest off your body. You use your feet the entire day to move from one place to another and you wear them down by the time the day is over. It is important to give them a boost and pamper them a bit. In a bucket of cool water mix one cup of Epsom salt and about 5-6 drops of peppermint oil. Soak your feet in this water between thirty to sixty minutes.
Tips to Boost Energy
1. Control stress.
Stress-induced emotions consume huge amounts of energy. Talking with a friend or relative, joining a support group, or seeing a psychotherapist can all help diffuse stress.Relaxation therapies like meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and tai chi are also effective tools for reducing stress.
2. Lighten your load
One of the main reasons for fatigue is overwork. Overwork can include professional,family, and social obligations. Try to streamline your list of “must-do” activities. Set your priorities in terms of the most important tasks. Pare down those that are less important. Consider asking for extra help at work, if necessary.
3. Exercise
Exercise almost guarantees that you’ll sleep more soundly. It also gives your cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen. And exercising causes your body to release epinephrine and norepinephrine, stress hormones that in modest amounts can make you feel energized. Even a brisk walk is a good start.
4. Avoid smoking
You know smoking threatens your health. But you may not know that smoking actually siphons off your energy by causing insomnia. The nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant, so it speeds the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and stimulates brain-wave activity associated with wakefulness, making it harder to fall asleep. And once you do fall asleep, its addictive power can kick in and awaken you with cravings.
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7. Use caffeine to your advantage
Caffeine does help increase alertness, so having a cup of coffee can help sharpen your mind. But to get the energizing effects of caffeine, you have to use it judiciously. It can cause insomnia, especially when consumed in large amounts or after 2 p.m.
8. Limit alcohol
One of the best hedges against the midafternoon slump is to avoid drinking alcohol at lunch. The sedative effect of alcohol is especially strong at midday. Similarly, avoid a five o’clock cocktail if you want to have energy in the evening. If you’re going to drink, do so in moderation at a time when you don’t mind having your energy wind down.
9. Drink water
What’s the only nutrient that has been shown to enhance performance for all but the most demanding endurance activities? It’s not some pricey sports drink. It’s water. If your body is short of fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue.

Essential Skin Beauty Tips

It is sad but true, more than 90% women looking for the ultimate beauty formula end up spending money on mediocre products. A recent survey by a leading beauty magazine reveals that very few women are satisfied with the products that they buy, especially with the skin beauty tips they receive from the experts.
6 Essential skin beauty tips
1. Food - Watch what you eat because your foods affect how your skin looks like. If you load your body with greasy junk foods, you shouldn't be surprised to see acne and other blemishes on your skin. So, eat healthy and make sure you take enough fruits and vegetables; these will help to fortify your body with the antioxidants it needs to fight free radical and make your skin look youthful and beautiful.
2. Sleep - If you want your skin to look beautiful, you need to get enough sleep/rest; the truth is that your skin gets nourished and rejuvenated while you sleep. That is because cells renewal is faster when you are asleep; make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep a day.
3. Cleansing - This is one of the basic skin beauty tips; cleansing helps to remove dirt and grime, thereby unclogging your pores so that your skin can breathe and get revitalized. Cleanse your skin with products that contain natural ingredients like Kaolin and Bentone Gel; avoid cleansers that contain soap because they strip your body of natural oil and cause dryness and irritation.
4. Moisturizers - Ensure that your skin is adequately hydrated with good moisturizers; you should not use moisturizers that contain mineral oil (liquid paraffin, petrolatum or paraffin wax). It coats your skin and clogs your pores, leading to allergic reactions, breakouts (acne) and even dryness. Look for natural moisturizers such as Babassu, Shea butter, Maracuja and Avocado oil; these ingredients will help make your skin supple, smooth and velvet-like.
5. Anti-aging - Using skincare products that contain anti-aging ingredients is another vital skin beauty tip; look for effective natural ingredients like Cynergy TK, Natural vitamin E and Phytessence Wakame. These ingredients are proven to help remove visible signs of aging like wrinkles and age spots, thereby making your skin look younger and flawless.
6. Make-up - Use make-up to add some color and glow to your face, but use it sparingly because heavy make-up covers your pores and prevents your skin from breathing; you should always remove makeup before going to bed. Go for mineral make-up brands because they do not contain harsh ingredients; in fact you should avoid any skin beauty product that contains harsh chemicals like parabens, fragrances and alcohols. Natural brands are your best bet.

How To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

The holiday season is undoubtedly a time for rejoicing. Unfortunately, the average adult does a little too much celebrating during this time of year, which leads to extra baggage when the New Year rings in. Festivities that include indulging in extra helpings, snacking on seasonal treats, and little to no workout time all contribute to the increase in dieters in January.
So, this holiday season buck the trends and avoid the Seasonal Seven (the average weight most of us will gain between Thanksgiving and the New Year). That's one trend you don't want to participate in!
Even though this time of year may bring upon additional stresses and challenges, there are ways to find balance and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Though at times it may seem impossible to bypass the season's traditional foods, there are many ways to partake in the fun without increasing your pant size. The festivities don't have to be eliminated or avoided. You can have a fabulous time while also maintaining your weight and your fitness regimen.
Moderation is the word of the season. It's the secret to achieving a fun but also healthy holiday time. With a moderate approach both to what you eat (or don't eat) and how much exercise you do (or don't do), you can avoid packing on weight AND also partake in all the fun of this time of year. So this season, get a head start on the New Year instead of starting January with extra pounds to lose.
Here are some tips to help you during those hectic holiday weeks:

• Create a plan ahead of time. Before the holidays sneak up on you, create a plan for incorporating fitness and good nutrition into your daily routine. Evaluate your holiday schedule and then determine how much time you will realistically have available to devote to working out.
• If you work in an office setting be prepared for the deluge of guilty treats your co-workers and other business associates will graciously want to share. Stash your own healthy snacks in your desk so you won't be tempted to overindulge when your grumbling stomach demands a 3:00 snack time.
• Don't put your fitness goals on hold until the New Year. If you can't exercise as often during this time period as you normally do, adjust appropriately. Don't use the excuse that since you don't have time for your full workout you just won't workout at all. Instead accept your limited availability and simply reduce the frequency and/or duration of your exercise. It's much better to cut your fitness time in half than to completely eliminate it.
• When attending a holiday function, try to eat ahead of time to lessen your hunger. If the party is in the evening, eat breakfast, lunch and a snack before hand (just as you would on any other day). Since you have eaten meals earlier in the day, you'll be less tempted to go overboard and eat everything in sight. However, if you instead starve all day long attempting to "save up" all your calories for the party, you will be so famished by the time it begins that it will be difficult not to overeat.
• Schedule your workouts. Mark them on the calendar and set-aside time to complete them. Consider them as important as any other appointment or event you have marked on your calendar.
• At holiday dinners, skip the gravy, dressings, and high-calorie condiments.
• On days that you really lack motivation or simply do not have time for your complete exercise routine, commit to do just 10 minutes of exercise. You'll probably end up doing more than that once you get started. Even if you only end up completing 10 minutes, that is still a lot better than zero minutes.
• When at a party, scout out healthy food options rather than doing a grab and run on all the unhealthy selections. For example, vegetable sticks (without dip), fruit pieces, plain chicken pieces, etc. Then move on to some of the less healthy (but yummy) offerings. You will be less likely to overindulge on these foods if you have already filled-up on some of the healthier items. Yet, you will not feel deprived or unsatisfied.
• Exercise at home. You'll be more inclined to follow-through on your exercise commitment if you don't have to drive somewhere to do your workout. Plus, you won't waste any time on driving, parking, the locker room or waiting to use equipment. Working out at home requires very little equipment (it even can be equipment-free) and is quite inexpensive.
• Avoid wasting calories on alcoholic beverages. The average alcoholic drink contains 150 - 200 calories per glass. Indulge in just 2-3 drinks and you've drunk the equivalent calories of an entire meal. If you partake in these beverages, choose wisely. For example, instead of having a full glass of wine, try mixing half a glass of wine with sparkling water or with a diet soda. This will help cut your calories in half.
• When running errands or shopping, be sure to pack some healthy snacks to have on-hand. Then after you work-up a big appetite, you won't be tempted to grab something at the mall food court or the fast food restaurant on the way home.
• Don't linger at the buffet or in the kitchen. If you loiter in close proximity to all the guilty temptations, you'll struggle to keep from unconsciously shoveling food into your mouth.
• Focus on socializing. Remember one of the great things about the holidays is spending time with friends and family. During get-togethers spend the majority of time sharing conversation instead of sharing desserts.

Hopefully these tips will help you find a balance between staying fit and also enjoying the fun of the season. Remember, moderation is the key. Have a great holiday season!

Teach your child how to be healthy

In a country where child obesity levels are rising every year due to the fast food industry and the growing lack of discipline the World's children have today, what could be more important than making sure your child isn't one of the statistics? It is never to late to start raising your children to know the importance of using healthy foods in place of their sodas, and cheeseburgers and all the fried and unhealthy foods todays kids crave.
At an age where their bodies are in the most important stages of growth and development, why would a parent not want their child to be taught whats healthy and whats not? Why not show your children what a good cup of herbal tea can feel like as it goes down nice and warm especially during what is left of these cold months. The very same herbs that are good for all adults are also good for all children even babies.
There is nothing to fear, in fact they may think of you as their savior if in 20 years from now they go in for that dreaded biopsy and it comes back negative. It is a proven fact that some herbs lower the risk of later in life heart attacks, cancer, and even child hood diseases. It is still cold and flu season so you can tell them of the importance of keeping their immune system in tip top shape and even can make it a family event.
What would it cost you? About $3.00 in most retail stores for one box of 20 herbal tea bags that could positively alter the health of your children and family for life. Besides with everyone "going green" you can be sure that in school your children are talking about techniques on this subject as well as probably noticing changes in the school and their friends, so you might become the best mom or dad in the world with your kids.
It never hurt to dream, but you never know. It is a fact that more and more people today are going towards the green living idea and that means your kids will be learning about this lifestyle soon if not already. So why not get a head start and be the first to teach your children what herbs can do for them, especially in place of all those sugar, high fructose corn syrup and caffeine loaded sodas that does nothing more than lower the bodies ability to absorb healthy nutrients and fight off illnesses.

Vitamins for Women

Unless you eat a very "clean" diet and get all your needed vitamins through your meals...then you need supplements. Taking these also. When your are exercising and burning calories, you need to make sure that your body is getting all the recommended vitamins you need to stay healthy and energized.
Check with your doctor and get your blood work up to see if you are in need of extra nutrients that you could receive by adding a daily pill.
Keep in mind that as we age, our body needs different or more of certain nutrients. Doctors usually recommend that women increase their intake of calcium for example. Doing a complete blood work-up and physical with your doctor should always be the first step.
Multi-vitamins are a good starting point. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Make sure that you choose a multi-vitamin that is age appropriate. We have to face the fact that as we age, our bodies need different, or more of certain vitamins.
I am a firm believer that healthy supplements need to be included in every woman’s diet plan. As we get older our schedule becomes more complicated and we need to deal with stress, busy life demands, and various other problems that can appear. Taking a vitamin is just another part of our journey to stay healthy.
So what vitamins should we take? Again, besides your normal multi-vitamin, start with your personal doctor. A blood work-up with give you the starting platform to run from. How would you know what to take if you didn't have any idea of what your are lacking? Be sure that the multi-vitamin you choose is specific for women, they are different!
So what are some general needs that you may need:
Let's start with Folic Acid, one vitamin that is highly important, especially in pre-natal care and 3 months after getting pregnant. Women should take somewhere around 500 mcg of folic acid daily in order to reduce the risk of heart disease, depression, cancer and memory loss.
Next is Vitamin D (Calcium) This is a must for women! Women lose calcium every day and need to replace it regularly. If you are not good about making sure to include calcium rich foods in your diet, then be sure to supplement with this vitamin. If you exercise, you use up even more calcium and put more stress on your bones, so it’s especially important to watch your calcium intake. As we age, our doctors will warn us about Osteoporosis which is especially common during the pre- and post-menopausal years. This is a bone disease that causes our bones to become extremely weak and break easily. If you start now and take in the correct amounts of calcium your body needs, you won't need to worry about this problem. Studies recommend that women under the age of 50 need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day to protect their bones. Women over the age of 50 need to increase their intake to 1,200 milligrams daily. Did you know that one hour of sunlight can give you your daily recommended allowance of vitamin D, since the skin manufactures vitamin D from the rays of the sun. Good reason to get out when the weather is nice!
Next lets talk about Vitamin E. Did you know that vitamin E helps fight cancer and disease? This important nutrient is found naturally in all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are like me, and realize you don't get enough of these food groups, then make sure this is part of your supplement programs. Research from Harvard University has also suggested that taking vitamin E supplements may reduce your risk of developing heart disease – the #1 killer of women in America. Women need at least 8 milligrams or 12 IUs of vitamin E every day to meet their base nutritional requirements.
Next suggestion is Iron. Always, always, always check your multi vitamin to make sure it has Iron. You will be suprised to notice how many don't. Women can lose up to 1 milligram of iron for each day of bleeding during their period, which makes supplementation essential! Too little iron inyour diet can cause iron-deficiency anemia, which can zap your energy. This does not help you feel energized to keep up with your workouts! You can get tons of Iron from liver...(ugh), as for me I will stick with my Iron supplement, hahaha. Iron is a mineral that can be very dangerous when taken in toxic amounts, and it isn’t that difficult to take too much if you take a variety of supplements. So be sure to talk with your doctor about what your dosage should be. If you regularly eat red meat, you may not need an iron supplement since it could raise your already plentiful iron levels to a dangerous level.If you don’t want to take an iron supplement, eat iron-rich foods, like red meat, legumes, dark leafy greens, and iron-fortified cereals. Women under the age of 50 need 15 mg of iron per day. Women over the age of 50 need 10 mg of iron per day. Women who are pregnant require 30 mg of iron per day.
Nutrition in Pregnancy: Folate & Vitamin B12Your caloric and nutrient needs both increase during pregnancy. Women need an extra 300 calories per day to support their growing fetus. And these calories should come from nutrient-rich foods, not Twinkies and cupcakes. Proper nutrition is extremely important during pregnancy, and the #1 nutrient you should be concerned about is folate. Folate is a b-vitamin found in foods and is called folic acid when found in supplement form. Folate plays a central role in the development of the fetus, and deficiencies can result in neural tube defects that threaten the life and well-being of the baby.
These are just a few of the supplements I personally use with my doctors recommendation. Along with eating healthy, this is a daily routine for me. Again, start with your basic multi vitamin. Take a look at that label. Does it have calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin B12, and maybe even iron, listed in the correct amounts? Or is your supplement lacking in one or more areas?
The primary reason that I often suggest supplements is because sometimes, you can’t get everything from your food.
When you're cutting calories (as we do when we diet), experts recommend a multivitamin.
I take a multivitamin because I am the first to admit that I do not get all my needed nutrition from meals. I am also at an age, in which extra vitamins are helpful. It helps with keeping healthy and feeling less tired.

Various kinds of Glasses for Men and Women

Prescription glasses have left their ‘nerdy’ connotations long time back and have attained the status of fashion accessories. Now-a-days, people use prescription glasses to accentuate their look, to portray a bold and confident appeal or just to put on a fashion - conscious appearance. With the rising demand came the rising supply and a spate of online shops dealing with prescription glasses have come up to quench the requirements.

Inevitably, countless options are now present and though most of them are unisex, there are many glasses dedicated exclusively to men or women.

It is generally believed that when it comes to men, they look for a comfortable grip and long-lasting pair of glasses. Style comes next to these two. And again, in most of the cases it is the man’s female companion who purchases the glasses for him. Since comfort is the most important factor, if the glasses are bought from a retail store, one should always ask the man for whom it is bought for, to put the pair on and check the grip. Even a slight pressure on the temples should be avoided and, if possible, corrected. Most men spend their time outside and even their relaxing times are filled with outdoor activities. So the ultra-violet coating becomes an absolute necessity. Fortunately, most of the prescription glasses sold now-a-days are available with UV coating, free of charge. In case of selecting colours, black, brown and dark gunmetal have been always considered a safe bet for men. But in case they have a creative bend of mind or are working in a field like that, unorthodox colours can also be used.

Things are different when women look for purchasing prescription glasses. Though comfort plays a vital part, style matters equally, if not more. With the increasing number of designer glasses brands entering the market with their signature styles, women now have more options than ever. These manufacturers are using the quintessential feminine colour – pink-to create some marvellous designs that add a striking feminine touch to their looks. Diamantes and gunmetal motifs are also used to create a stylish aura which women just love. Most of these women glasses are made of light-weight material. As more women are engaging into outdoor activities, they deserve proper UV coating on their glasses as much as their male counterparts. One more thing to keep in mind is that unlike men, women’s age plays a major factor in deciding the kind of frame and colour. During young age, any youthful shade and bright colours would effortlessly go with the overall look but for an older woman, sophisticated and regal colours are better choices.

Things are different when women look for purchasing prescription glasses. Though comfort plays a vital part, style matters equally, if not more. With the increasing number of designer glasses brands entering the market with their signature styles, women now have more options than ever. These manufacturers are using the quintessential feminine colour – pink-to create some marvellous designs that add a striking feminine touch to their looks. Diamantes and gunmetal motifs are also used to create a stylish aura which women just love. Most of these women glasses are made of light-weight material. As more women are engaging into outdoor activities, they deserve proper UV coating on their glasses as much as their male counterparts. One more thing to keep in mind is that unlike men, women’s age plays a major factor in deciding the kind of frame and colour. During young age, any youthful shade and bright colours would effortlessly go with the overall look but for an older woman, sophisticated and regal colours are better choices.

Eye Problems and Eye Care Tips

For children, an eye exam before the age of six is always the best. Most of the school screenings are very good but there are times that some subtle problems are present that can become much larger issues in the event that they are missed. The window of opportunity to fix any of those problems is known to close around the age of eight or nine. In the event that everything is normal, then the exams are going to be every three to five years if that is acceptable.

Diabetic retinopathy is the diabetic eye disease that is most common and it is also the main underlying cause of blindness within adults in America. Your good vision is going to depend upon having a healthy retina. Even though diabetic retinopathy might not cause any changes to your vision immediately, over time the disease can develop into a worse condition and may cause you to lose your vision. Normally, this condition will affect both of the eyes.

Eye Care Tips: -

* While writing with the right hand, ensure light is on the left side so that the shadow does not fall on the writing material.
*Drink lots of water. This is indeed one of the effective eye care tips.
*If you have developed dirk circles under eyes then put slices of cucumber and potato to treat them.
* Soak Amla in water overnight. Strain it and use the water washing the eyes. It will provide a healthy comfort to the eyes.
* Use an umbrella or sunglasses to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight.
* Soaking cotton in lukewarm milk and placing it on the eyes also gives a soothing relief to tired eyes.
*Give a break to your eyes every 20 minutes this will help improve your productivity too.
*Make it a practice to relax the eye muscles by closing it at fixed intervals daily. Close it and think something pleasant.
*Red, itch eyes can be treated by splashing water mixed with salt. It cures the eye infections.
* If the eye tends to be puffy, take a nap for a short span, it will help.
* Keep away from lamps that produce heat.

Natural Treatment for Eyes: -

Black Eyes: - Apply an ice pack or a cold compress for 15 minutes once each hour for 4 or 5 hours.
Droopy Eyelids: - For immediate, temporary relief, chill 2 teaspoons in ice water and place them over your closed eyelids. If weakened muscles are the cause, increase your dietary protein and add supplements of vitamin C, bioflavonoid, and vitamin E.
Dark Circles: - Dark circles are caused by lack of sleep, fatigue, genetics, poor circulation of blood, or illness. You can read preventive methods and Under Eye Remedies to get rid off dark circles.
Dry Eyes: - Inadequate nutrition or lack of humidity in desert-dry air or overheated rooms may instigate itching and burning not caused by allergy or eyestrain.

Cluster Migrain Headaches And How They Can Be Treated

One type of migraine that is really stressful is Cluster migraine headaches. Many doctors tried to research on this type of migraine but the cause of this migraine has never been found. According to other researchers this type of migraine might be due to abnormalities in the hypothalamus. This usually occurs in cycles like weeks, months or even rash headaches.

Cluster migraine headaches often attacks one person everyday and is expected at the same time every day. It will just disappear all of a sudden leaving the affected person with no symptoms at all.

Though there are obvious symptoms that can be noticed often, headaches gives so much pain on the bearer that it could be felt at the eye socket area. This kind of migraine is really painful and it could even give one person a runny nasal passage. Also the eyes may be seen swollen and red. Most people who are suffering from this type of migraine describe the pain as very sharp and burning.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Compared to the regular migraine, the Cluster migraine headaches usually attack men. The medication for regular migraine works very slowly with this kind of migraine. Another thing about this migraine is it occurs so suddenly that it won't give the person even a light warning.

The medicines that can be bought over the counter won't have enough power to control and stop the pain of headaches. The usual treatment for this kind of migraine is both the abortive and preventive care. The well known Methysegride, which is usually prescribed for these Cluster migraine headaches, helps the constriction of the blood vessels and inflammation reduction. This medicine can be taken each time the onset of the migraine happens. However, this medicine is also known for really serious side effects that can affect the person.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The abortive treatments are effective for Cluster migraine headaches too. A person suffering from headaches may breathe pure oxygen for about ten to fifteen minutes. This helps the person relax and reduce the pain. Other medications that can be taken for these headaches are ergotamine tarrate. This medicine can be taken by placing under the tongue which can act as a quick absorption or this can be injected too. Imitrex is the next medicine that can be taken to lessen the migraine.

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Lose Fat Fast

This program has been developed as a 100% guaranteed fat loss system and results have been proven throughout California before we even thought about publishing it. Many scientists and nutritionists compared notes and passed on information and results which were trialed, tested and proven over the past 6 years. This really is the nutritional and training guide of the stars.

So if you would like to learn how to lose fat without pills... without starving yourself... and without screwing up your metabolism for ever... Then this is the program for you! Craig Woods results don't lie!
The Science Behind the
"Elite Weight Loss Program"

Years of research have gone into the world of weight loss solutions and we used all the data we could find to device this system. Very early in our studies we found that a special diet incorporated for a certain type of gym routine was the way forward. High carbohydrate, Isometric, food combining, food separating, high protein, Ketogenic are just a few types of diets we combined with work out routines.
                                                                                                                                                                 So years past with scientific monitoring of each program in action using advanced training and monitoring equipment, until we had the formula down to a tee. Hollywood stars didn't come knocking over night though. It took another few years of the word getting around that there was a new training program which is getting any body, any size or any shape, lean, and toned in weeks. Then once the first few celebrities enquired about following this secret program it just went crazy, everybody wanted to know about this new fad in weight loss.

With demand so high and with most the information already in a tangible format, somebody suggested publishing the program as it could really help many people throughout the world lose their fat and get into shape.

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A Cyclist's Diet: Take The Right Kind Of Calories

There are 3,500 calories in each pound of body weight. Riding your bicycle zaps nine to ten calories a minute, meaning a 150-pound bicyclist will burn between 5 hundred and 600 caloriesroughly the amount in a 6-inch Spicy Italian train subon a normal hour-long ride. ( If youre heavier, you shed more calories ; if youre lighter, you lose less. )

Cyclists infamously overstate how many calories theyre burning. If you eat an energy bar and drink a sports drink on a fair ride, youve effectively cancelled out any calorie burn. Surveys show that some exercisersoverestimate the calories they burn by nearly 1,000about half a days worth. Unless each morsel has a food label, its hard to know how much youre taking in. It can be even harder to learn how much youre burning.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            A calorie is a measure of the energy in food. And for years weve been told a calorie is a calorie : Whether you eat 500 of broccoli or pastry, your body will burn or store them similarly. Thats not right. Foods close to their natural state,eg fresh vegetables, whole grains and lean, full slices of beef, need actionenergyfrom your body. You want to work to chew them and to digest them. They create a thermic response, which implies you use up more calories just processing them.

Experts partially blame the preponderance of lazy calories for the current obesity pandemic. Our food is so heavily processed, its practically predigested. That fastfood burger has gone thru so much pulverization, you barely have to chew. Were losing the ability to burn calories as we naturally would in the eating and digestive process. And many of those same foods are calorie-dense, so theres more for your body to store. Mavens don't suggest counting calories. It takes the joy out of eating and ends up a futile venture. Instead, fill your plate with active calories, like those found in fruit and veg. Such foods possess more fiber and water, which implies you digest them slowly, feel happy with fewer of them and gain longer-lasting energy. You can consider them free foods and eat as much as you need.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    By simply changing the composition of your plate, you can lose weight without caring about hunger pangs, bonking episodes or calorie counting.

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The Best exercises for weight loss

Before I give you the best exercises to burn calories, you have to remember the best way to get rid of calories is NOT TO EAT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!! This may sound obvious but the calories in one large glass of wine or a Mars bar are equivalent to 20 minutes running for the average person! It is far easier to eat a little less than to burn off excess.
Getting back to the question, one of life’s unfair rules is that the fitter you are, the higher your metabolic rate will be and the easier it is to burn calories. Your metabolic rate for the purposes of this article will refer to how many calories you burn at rest. The higher the rate, the more calories you are burning. If you have more muscle you will naturally have a higher metabolic rate than someone who weighs the same but has less muscle. This means that even sat down doing nothing, the person with the most muscle will burn the most calories.
Similarly the ability to push oneself harder when training comes with improved fitness and means that an elite athlete training hard for an hour may well burn twice as many calories as a beginner training for an hour. To give you an example, running burns approximately 100 calories for every mile run. A typical beginner or slower runner will run five miles in an hour and burn 500 calories, while a good runner will run ten miles and burn 1000 calories.
Therefore it is important that you find an activity that you enjoy because you want to be happy doing it for a prolonged period (more than 25 minutes) and you want to stick at it so you improve. As you improve you will be able to train harder and if you can train harder, you’ll burn more calories.
Here is a comparison of the calories burnt for an average person in a few common exercises:
Exercise Calories burnt per hour
Aerobics * 440
Cross Country skiing 560
Cycling (for exercise at 12 mph) 400
Rowing 350
Running (6 mph) 700
Swimming (non-competitive) 400
Walking 230
*Aerobics covers a variety of styles so this figure is an average across styles
As you can see running is a very effective calorie-burner, but there are a few caveats to consider. Running for a whole hour is a lot harder than cycling for the same amount of time. Running at 6mph for half an hour would burn almost as many calories as an hour of cycling, but most exercise beginners would be able to cycle non-stop for an hour sooner than they could run non-stop for half an hour. Hopefully this demonstrates why sometimes an exercise that is a less demanding may actually allow someone to burn more calories than a harder exercise that can only be sustained briefly. However a proficient runner is always likely to burn the most calories in an hour compared to proficient performers in most other aerobic activities, so it is safe to argue that running is one of the best calorie burning exercises.
Burning calories is not all about steady-paced aerobic training. Aerobic exercise will generally burn more calories whilst you are doing it, however by the time you have got your breath back and stopped sweating at the end of a session your metabolic rate will be almost back to normal. However certain activities give you an elevated metabolic rate after you finish, meaning you are burning more calories than normal for up to two hours afterwards.
Exercises that involve repetitions of very intense exercise followed by brief recoveries have been proven to raise calorie burning for sustained periods after exercise. The two commonest ways of doing this are interval training in aerobic exercises or weight training with moderate to heavy weights.
Interval training can be done with pretty much any aerobic exercise. Interval training is repeating a period of intense exercise followed by a period of gentle exercise to recover. Taking swimming as an example, an interval session would involve swimming two lengths as fast as possible, resting for 60 seconds then repeating. This would lead to good cardio-vascular fitness improvements, but significantly it would also lead to an elevated metabolic rate for some time after the actual training has finished.
Weight training by nature tends to involve periods of intense exertion (when actually lifting the weights) followed by lower exertion while recovering, before lifting more weights. This makes it like interval training. It also has the significant benefit of increasing muscle mass so, as discussed at the start, the person who performs weight training will have more muscle mass and therefore a higher metabolic rate. This is why weight training is also extremely valuable in calorie-burning and weight loss programmes.
Many women have reservations about weight training and don’t want to become overly muscular. This is an understandable concern, but can be easily solved. To make significant increases in muscle gain you need to two things - heavy overload on the muscles and testosterone. The heavy overload, caused by lifting very challenging weights, causes the muscles to break down and then build back stronger and bigger. However this cannot take place without testosterone to stimulate the muscle growth. Women have low levels of testosterone so are less likely to get muscle growth. Furthermore if the weights lifted by women are only modestly challenging rather than very challenging they will not get significant muscle growth. As a rough rule of thumb, if a weight can be lifted fifteen times or more in succession then it is not overly heavy and will encourage muscular tone and endurance, rather than bulky muscle gain.
So in summary, the best way to burn calories and promote weight loss is:
► Try not to eat too many calories in the first place!
► Use a form of exercise that you enjoy and so are more likely to stick to and improve in.
► Try interval training to burn extra calories.
► Use light weight training to increase metabolic rate and accelerate calorie burning.

The Truth About Allergies

Allergic reactions are typically associated with a runny nose, bouts of sneezing, or a skin reaction after contact with an allergen. But what about the subtle silent reactions we can’t feel or see? These reactions go on for years until our bodies finally create a symptom. During those ”quiet” years, however, silent inflammation and the breaking down of our immune system is taking place. It is not by chance that so many of us are sicker at a younger age, and that a disproportionate number of children are experiencing allergies like never before.
The truth? We are ALL born with a pre-disposition to react to something. In essence, we are all born with allergies though we don’t all manifest a symptom. Oftentimes, our bodies don’t produce a physical response to our allergens until it is either over-exposed to that particular allergen, or unless our immune system is compromised and we simply can’t fight the allergen as well as the other physiological stressors in our lives. Allergies can produce symptoms in almost every organ in the body and can masquerade as other diseases.
Let’s walk through this together. A body reacts to allergens the same way it does to a virus….it tries to kill it. The immune system , which is our first line of defense, is on call 24 hours a day. It’s primary job is to defend the body from foreign substances, that create stressors within the body. The body doesn’t qualify what types of stress it is experiencing…it simply internalizes all stressors equally.
So when you expose yourself to an allergen the body reacts to this stressor. Antigens that are activated by the stressors stimulate the production of antibodies. This antibody/antigen reaction is followed by inflammation. Inflammation is caused by the release of histamine, prostaglandins, and other substances, along increased blood flow so that there are more white blood cells being taken to the area under “attack”. If the immune system is strong, chances are your body will not create much of a physical reaction. If the body’s immune system is weak, however, one more stressor can be all it takes to create a strong physical response.
Our bodies are resilient and can usually handle a few stressors, but when there are mutliple stressors in a day or over a long period of time, our bodies simply can’t handle the work load. We are then at a point of depletion.
National statistics prove that this is part of the growing health crisis. We are now looking at an “epidemic of allergic (60 million), asthmatic (30 million people), and autoimmune disorders (24 million). Autoimmune disorders include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple schlerosis, psoriasis, celiac disease, thyroid disease”. All these are connected to overload on the immune system and inflammation. If we learn to reduce and/or remove the stressors we expose ourselves to, we can certainly re-route the energy in our bodies to serve as fuel to nourish and create health rather than to simply fight off a disease from years of compromised health.

How to Protect Hair in the Summer Sun

Sun protection for hair is one of the most neglected aspects of ones beauty regime during the hot summer. However it is important to realize that although we may not feel the damage done by the sun's rays to the hair as easily as it is observed on the skin, the sun's rays actually tend to break down the proteins in the hair on account of the ultraviolet rays thereby making the hair brittle and dull. Additionally in the summer, there may also be an additional damage and buildup caused by wind, salty seawater and pool chemicals. To protect your hair from sun damage it is advisable to cut down the frequency of shampooing as it tends to make the hair even more vulnerable to the humidity and the sun. Instead one may simply use a hair conditioner and rinse the hair daily. Hair styling products that contain alcohol should also be strictly avoided to protect the hair in the summer sun. Instead one may just apply a dab of hair conditioner that would be just as effective to give the hair shine and to make it controllable.

Similarly to heat protect the sun during the summer, one should minimize or completely stop the use of flat or curling irons and blow dryers and allow the hair to dry as naturally as possible. If one is visiting the beach, then one should ideally wear a scarf over ones head or a hat to protect the hair form becoming dry. Sun protection for hair can also be achieved by using leave in hair products that provide SPF protection. One may also protect the hair from humidity and dryness by using a deep conditioner on damp or dry hair and then covering the hair with a shower cap or a plastic wrap to provide for extra conditioning. Sometimes the humidity and the heat of the sun also tend to make the hair frizzy in summer which can be handled by applying some jojoba oil on the ends of the hair strands to help soften them. Additionally sun protection for hair also includes an increase in the intake of water and fluids by the individual on a daily basis which will help keep the body hydrated and the skin soft and supple as an insufficient intake of water can dehydrate both the skin and the hair. Those with colored hair can heat protect their hair by using a shampoo and conditioner that is specifically designed to protect hair from the harmful UV rays.

Right Way to Massage Breast for Beautiful Bust

Products for breast massage is one of the best ways to help create a more beautiful bust to help shape, tone and promote growth of the breasts and the area surrounding the breast. Not only can moderate breast massage help your breasts more attractive and sometimes even become bigger, but is also an excellent way to keep in tune for maternal health by creating awareness of any fibrous areas of possible indications of breast massage and some have even claimed moderate breast enlargement may help prevent breast cancer. The breast massage is one of the oldest and most valued techniques for increasing the bust www.stherbb.com/breast-information/breast-massage-healthy-breast.htm . Has been practiced for many years to promote the health of the breasts, the size, shape and firmness. Used mainly to promote the circulation with the help of herbal oils. It is one of the best ways to produce a more attractive bust line.

The breast massage can help make your bust line more attractive and sometimes even can make your bust line larger. It is the best way to drain the lymph nodes around the breasts. This will also be given of any accumulated toxins that can cause cancer or other diseases. It has been used in many health spas to promote the growth of breast, lymphatic drainage, and care after surgery for women who have had a mastectomy, breast surgery, minor, or other injury to the chest because of the scar tissue breaks, and stimulates new tissue growth and healing.

This article finds the right way to massage the breast with vegetable oils. Use a herbal preparation during the massage to improve the experience and results. You can select any of the preparations at home later.

Shake four teaspoons of apricot oil and wheat germ oil in a bottle and use. Relieves breast pain. Using hot, it's more relaxing. Apricot oil smoothes wrinkles.

Mix few drops of camphor oil in two tablespoons of olive oil. This mixture can be used to massage breasts hard. But do not uses while breastfeeding.

Mix a teaspoon of honey and olive oil. This is very useful for application in cracked nipples. Soothes and softens the skin, but make sure it is not allergic to it.

During pregnancy and after childbirth, gently massage the stomach, breasts and thighs with olive oil or sunflower to ensure that the grooves are reduced to a minimum.

Apricot massage is commonly used to massage the breasts. Collect the following ingredients: two tablespoons of apricot oil, a spoonful of lanolin, a tablespoon of cocoa butter, a tablespoon of orange flower water and flowers few drops of oil

In general, it is understandable that the breasts and its appropriate size are very important for every woman. But women must realize they can not play with your health and the risk that when it comes to their desire to enlarge the breasts.

Trendy Diet on How to Lose Belly Fat

Having excess belly fat that just doesn't seem like it wants to go away is VERY annoying. In order to lose stomach fat fast, one has to adopt some dietary and lifestyle modifications. In the following paragraphs of this article, you can find out some simple and effective tips for a flatter stomach.

1. first of all you have to watch your total calorie intake. If your total calorie intake is greater than what is required by the body to perform the vital functions, then it would be hard to lose weight and stomach fat fast. This is because, the body stores the excess calorie in the form of fat in the abdomen and other parts of the body. Therefore, make sure that your calorie intake does not exceed what is required by the body, but be sure to not cut down calorie intake too drastically. Otherwise, you would not have the energy to carry out your day to day activities.
                                                                                                                                                                  2. Build a support system. Losing weight all by yourself is difficult. Share your plans with your parents and close friends. Ask your parents and friends to exercise with you to help you stay on track and to help you plan meals. Parents are especially important in this regard, because they buy the groceries and usually cook the meals.

3. Let us begin with the lean protein to be included in your diet. Based on researches and studies done by nutrition experts, protein has a thermal effect that is higher than that of the fats and carbohydrates. This is why they burn more easily upon digestion. In addition, proteins are the building blocks in building and maintaining toned muscles.

4. Skim Milk. Drinking skim milk is better than drinking whole milk. Everybody does not know that whole milk can actually add some extra grams of fat in a year. Instead, drinking skim milk is the healthier option. And since skim milk is not that good on the taste buds, you will eventually get the hang of it in the long run.                                                                                                                                                                        5. If you are wondering, 'how to lose stomach fat fast', then follow a balanced diet and eat several small, but balanced meals throughout the day. Eating several times a day instead of three large meals can help to boost your metabolism and burn fat faster. Ideally, one should eat 5 to 6 small meals per day in order to get rid of stomach fat fast.

6. Establish an exercise routine. But don't get discouraged just because you aren't running 10 miles a day right off the bat. Start by making small, reasonable, reachable goals and doing your best to meet them. Try walking short distances that you would normally drive, or even agreeing to walk the dog every day. Once you prove to yourself that you can exercise and enjoy it, it will be easier to make larger, long-term goals.

7. Fats, in contrast, must not be totally avoided. Too low an intake of fat will have a negative effect on your health as it will lower hormone levels. This will result in more food cravings. Nuts, seeds, olive oil, nut butters, organic meat, avocados and eggs are the sources of good fats that should be incorporated into a healthy diet.

8. Say Goodbye to Fast Foods. Pizzas, burgers, or fries should be top of your list when you are aiming to lose belly fat. Fast foods are proven one of the causes of obesity. So it is a practically idea to stay away from them.

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Cholesterol Heart Friendly Foods

Heart disease is a serious health issue. It is usually caused by unhealthly levels of cholesterol. There are many reasons why people can have unhealthy cholesterol levels. On its own, being overweight can not explain away heart disease but it can cause an increase in a person's cholesterol levels. Lowering your bad cholesterol and increasing your good cholesterol can be done by losing weight. Exercise, age, and gender also play an important part in whether you are at risk for having high cholesterol. How much cholesterol your body will make is sometimes determined by genetics and there is nothing you can do about the genes you received from your Mom and Dad. Generations of families can have high cholesterol. Certain diets can also lower your cholesterol level.                                                                                                                                          A low-cholesterol diet is one of the main ways in improving your cholesterol. By cutting the bad cholesterol that you eat by ten to twenty percent, you can improve the health of your heart. A good example of foods that are rich in healthy fats are vegetable oils and fish. These are foods that have good cholesterol. Foods that contain high saturated and trans fats should be eaten very sparingly. Instead of using butter and trans-fat margarines, use canola, and olive oil in your low-cholesterol diet. Using white wine vinegar to keep your pan moist while cooking instead of butter will get you off to a good start in preparing healthier meals. Your food will taste the same but minus the high cholesterol. Instead of using whole eggs , you can use cholesterol-free egg substitute.                                                                                                                                  Changing your diet the right way will decrease your chances of heart disease. When some people want to "look good" for a certain occasion, they change their diet but they go about it the wrong way. Actually, low-fat, high-carb diets can raise your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is so important to the human body that your body has a backup plan. This is used in case the body is being starved of food. Your liver will start to produce cholesterol to guarantee your body maintains a certain level of cholesterol. By eating a low-fat, high-carb diet, high levels of insulin are introduced and trigger the body to siphon off excess blood sugar into the liver to make cholesterol and triglycerides (which are used for energy and fat storage).
Rather then staying away from anything that has cholesterol in it, it is important to continue to eat foods that contain good cholesterol. Your liver makes 75% of the cholesterol your body needs. The remaining 25% comes from the foods that you eat. Carbs and sugar cannot take the place of cholesterol. If you do this, you place your health at risk because the liver will start to produce more cholesterol to make up for the lack of it. And your metabolism will go into famine mode. Until you start eating cholesterol again, your liver will continue to do this. Believe it or not, a low-cholesterol, high-carbohydrate diet can actually lead to high cholesterol!

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