Fasting to Lose Weight – Some Tips and Cautions

January 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

Fasting to lose weight is one of the many ways people use to achieve rapid weight loss. It would be natural to assume that since eating too much food leads to weight gain, fasting would be helpful in cutting down the total amount of calories that you take. Fasting has also been used by patients for weight management, to rest the digestive tract and for lowering lipids.

There are some things that you will want to know before you start fasting to lose weight. Here are some tips, as well as cautions to keep in mind before you start your fast in your journey to lose weight.

If you’ve always had problems with sticking to diets and self-discipline, one way to help you go through your fasting program is to have a fasting partner. Having someone to fast together with you helps to create that buddy support to go through the initial stages where you’re just getting used to fasting. It can get you through the tough days. Having another person to fast with can also keep you accountable.

Cautions About Fasting To Lose Weight

Here are some cautions about fasting to lose weight – Fasting to lose weight can be hazardous to your health if you are not already leading a healthy lifestyle. If you have a pre-existing health condition, fasting will only make your body and immune system more vulnerable. So if you intend to start on a fasting program to lose weight, check with your doctor especially if you have any health issues.

Fasting and liquid diets may promote rapid weight loss, but not permanent fat loss. So fasting for weight loss doesn’t work as well as you would hope. To begin with, many people don’t realize that a large percentage of their daily water intake comes from solid foods, not liquids. So the initial amount of weight lost doesn’t come from loss of fat, but from loss of water. But still, there are benefits to fasting other than just the initial loss of water weight.

Fasting To Lose Weight Benefits

Other benefits for fasting are to regain lost energy, heighten clarity of consciousness, enhance innate spirituality, cleanse, rest, regenerate, and rejuvenate the body along with the weight loss. Fasting develops mental will power and increased control over the senses and mind. Overall, if you go on fast, you will benefit more than just from losing some weight.

Fasting gives the digestive tract time to completely rest and strengthen its mucosal lining. A healthy intestinal mucosal lining is necessary for preventing the leakage of incompletely digested proteins into the bloodstream, thereby offering protection against autoimmune conditions.

Fasting triggers a truly wondrous cleansing process that reaches right down to each and every cell and tissue in the body. Within 24 hours of curtailing food intake, enzymes stop entering the stomach and travel instead into the intestines and into the bloodstream, where they circulate and gobble up all sorts of waste matter, including dead and damaged cells, unwelcome microbes, metabolic wastes, and pollutants.

Generally speaking, fasting hastens the destruction of the decaying tissues of the body by means of hunger, and then builds new tissues through nutrition. This is why some scientists suggest that fasting should be regarded as an effective means of restoring youthfulness and longevity.

So while fasting may not directly help you in getting rid of extra fat, it can help you to become healthier in other ways.

Preparing For Your Fast

Prepare the body with a raw food diet and juice to minimize shock on the system. It also acts as neutralizing and purifying agents to cleanse the blood. Prepare yourself physically by taking enough food and also plenty of liquids the day before. Prepare yourself mentally by deciding the night before fasting: “Tomorrow is fasting day, and I am not going to eat anything.” If you take this mental determination prior to the fasting day, you will not be hungry during the fasting day.

A prolonged fast should result in the loss of about 5-7 pounds of fecal material from the colon, but this amount is quickly regained upon feeding. Fasting to lose weight is a very popular method among those who have a great amount of weight to lose, or want to learn discipline while they are dieting. However, this route can be extremely dangerous if you are not careful.

Ending Your Fast For Weight Loss

Generally, the longer the fast, the longer it should take to return to the normal diet. It’s also important to chew thoroughly and avoid overeating. The temptation is to start gobbling all your favorite foods that you couldn’t eat while on the fast, and this may lead to excessive eating after your fast. So remember to take it slow, and allow yourself to ease back into your normal (and healthy) diet. You may even find that you don’t really want or need to eat that big a portion as you normally do!

In Summary

Health results from healthful living. No matter how successful a fasting experience might be, it needs to be followed by a consistently healthy lifestyle. Healing takes a lot of the body’s resources and energies, digestion takes up a lot too. You still need nutrients, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and all the wonderful stuff that helps us rebuild our sick cells and detoxify the body.

Fasting to lose weight should be done with extreme care if at all. Fasting to lose weight is simply not a good way to stay skinny long term. But when combined with an overall healthy lifestyle, fasting not only helps you to lose weight by eating less overall, it also helps to promote a healthier state of being.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/fasting-to-lose-weight-some-tips-and-cautions-713624.html

Cure Yeast Infection Naturally and Permanently

January 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

If you’re a woman and proud of it, you know that being a woman is a gift from god.

However, there are times when you might not feel so proud of yourself, for example, when you have a vaginal yeast infection.

Although lack of vulvo vaginal health is sometimes the cause for a vaginal yeast infection, it is not the only cause. Reasons as simple and innocuous as bad eating habits or stress can cause a vaginal yeast infection. This is because a yeast infection occurs when the immunological system is weak or underdeveloped. Other common causes are the use of some antibiotics, steroids, douches, and oral contraceptives, and in general, any substance or treatment that messes with your hormone balance and your immune system. Being pregnant is a risk factor (but not a cause, of course), because of the stress that it subjects the body to. And of course, having intercourse with an infected partner is another cause too.

In addition to the normal discomfort that the infection gives, you might not feel sure of yourself with your partner. The situation is even worse if you’re dating, as there isn’t the confidence needed to speak about a problem of this nature. You might even avoid sexual relationships and refuse to talk about the problem. In the worst of cases, you might even think that it’s your fault, or that you’re not attractive, or that you can’t have a good sexual life anymore. None of those are true.

The first step towards dealing with a vaginal yeast infection is to understand that it’s just a disease (albeit a very private one), just like any other one, and that there’s nothing wrong with you.

What you should do instead is to learn how to cure yeast infection naturally. Don’t go to doctors for endless medication. That is just more chemicals that will further mess with your hormone balance and are a temporary solution at best. Because of the nature of their preparation, doctors don’t know how to cure yeast infection naturally, as they are used to allopathic medication.

If you learn how to cure yeast infection naturally, you will get rid of it permanently. It’s easy, and it will take only 10 hours. The best part is that it won’t come back.

So learn how to cure yeast infection naturally. Once you get rid of it, you will feel again like a wonderful woman. By the way, you always were. Check out Yeast Infection Review

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/cure-yeast-infection-naturally-and-permanently-713626.html

Tips on Health

January 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

What if I told you that our health is the most important asset we have. Would you believe me? Why is it today that everybody seems to be plagued with bad health. You can make a stand and try incorporating these health tips into your everyday life and see if they make a difference to your total health.

What if I told you that our health is the most important asset we have. Would you believe me? Why is it today that everybody seems to be plagued with bad health.

You can make a stand and try incorporating these health tips into your everyday life and see if they make a difference to your total health.

Lets have a look:

Don-t Smoke – One of the main reasons why people decide not to give up smoking, and sadly, the reason why some people take it up is the effect smoking supposedly has on you weigh gain or loss. It is true that smoking has been associated with an increase in metabolism it is a drug!!

However it is a dangerous, addictive drug and surely the tiny effect it has on your metabolism is outweighed by the huge risk of dying from lung cancer.

Interestingly in regards to weight gain and loss, although smoking over 25 cigarettes a day can increase your metabolism by up to 10% overall, smokers have been found to be fatter than non – smokers!!

Take In More Water – You can live three weeks without food, However you can only live for three days without fluid, just think 3 days and its all over, one could suggest that fluid is fairly important!

Your body is anywhere between 60 and 70 percent fluid. The fluid in your body is responsible for helping to keep every system of your body in good working order, including all of your metabolic processes.

De-hydrate and everything slows down. The fluid in your body will also ensure that you can move well and be active.

If you start to dehydrate, your body-s ability to do basic activities will slow down and your ability to exercise effectively or even enjoy exercise will be reduced. You will feel tired, lethargic and will probably get a headache.

Eat A Variety Of Foods – For protection from the majority of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer you need a variety of foods that deliver that mix of nutrients and minerals.

Aim to eat different coloured fruits and vegetables. Try to eat a different food each month. Eat an apple a day as the apple pectin cleanses the body-s digestive system by removing toxins and therefore preventing degenerative health problems such as cancer.

Relax For 20 Minutes a Day – Relaxing for at least 20 minutes a day will go a long way to reduce blood pressure and your reactions to stress. Sit or lie somewhere comfortable, Breathe slowly in and out of the nostrils breathing deeply into your abdomen. Say HAM as you inhale and SA as you exhale.

These suggestions are charged with positive energy and will help you control your emotions. Try once a day for fantastic results.

Floss Every Day – Flossing your teeth every day is the best way to prevent gum disease and protect your heart. Gum disease, which is left untreated, can lead to inflammatory reactions in the body that can trigger heart disease and stroke.

Drink More Tea – Try drinking more tea instead of coffee to help protect your body from damaging effects of free radicals. Tea is a rich source of antioxidants that play a big role in protecting against some cancers and cardiovascular disease.

Get Active – Aerobic activity not only burns calories but also increases your metabolism and can keep it elevated for several hours after a workout. You don-t need to spend hours each day on the treadmill or bike to reap the benefits.

Exercising aerobically for as little as 20 minutes, three to five days a week will make a big difference. Extra movement throughout the day is also essential, take the stairs instead of the lift, lose the remote and move at every opportunity you can.

Get More Sleep – Lack of sleep changes your hormone levels and capacity to metabolise carbohydrates so less sleep = slower metabolism.

Studies have revealed that deep sleep causes cell repair and cell growth, which will speed up the metabolism and burn calories. So aim to get at least eight hours sleep a night.

Eat More Protein And Boost Your Energy Levels – Protein stimulates the major brain chemical dopamine which keeps us alert, try chicken or tuna salads for lunch. Go for complex carbohydrates rather than white flour and sugar, as they will provide a sustained energy source as opposed to a quick hit.

Another reason to leave simple carbohydrates out of the diet is that they have a negative effect on your skin and how it ages. The more sugar that is in the body the more you force a chemical reaction causing sugars to attach to proteins and this is very detrimental to your skin.

So go ahead and introduce these tips into your everyday life, I am sure you will reap the benefits as you go forward.

About Author

Gary is the author of several popular e-Books, including “Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks” – the complete eBook and time-saving solution for burning away unwanted fat, and “Maximum Weight Gain in Ten Weeks” – easy-to-use and follow techniques that serve as a guide to muscle growth without having to “live in the gym”.

Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

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Do We Really Need To Wash Our Hands?

January 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

We were told from the time that we were little kids to wash our hands. “Did you wash your hands before dinner”? Our mothers would ask. “Wash up before bed” our parents often commanded. “Johnny, stop picking your nose. Now go wash up before you eat”

Do We Really Need To Wash Our Hands? by Diana Corso of www.NutritionalUpdates.com

We were told from the time that we were little kids to wash our hands. “Did you wash your hands before dinner”? Our mothers would ask. “Wash up before bed” our parents often commanded. “Johnny, stop picking your nose. Now go wash up before you eat” I’m sure that most of us out there have heard these shouts or something similar to them from our parents as we were growing up. What is the big deal about this anyway? Well, that is what this article about.

The Center of Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta cites five common ways in which those disease- causing germs can be transmitted on our household. The first is hands to food. Here, the germs are transmitted from dirty hands to food. You or someone else eats the food and possibly gets sick. Another way is changing an infants diaper. Obviously, there is a multitude of germs in an infant’s stool. Without washing, these germs cam be transmitted anywhere and onto anything. Another was if from food to hand. Here the person is handling raw uncooked foods. If they do not wash their hands, they can spread these germs anywhere even back onto other foods, which are then consumed. Nose, mouth, eyes is another way of transmitting germs. Hand washing can prevent all of the above.

What is the big deal you ask? Well, the incidence of hospital- borne infections is on the rise. Why? One of the reasons is that hospital staff is not washing their hands the way that they should. Properly, hospital staff should wash their hands in between touching every patient. I need to tell you that is not the case. As a matter of fact, that is no where near the case. A surgical hand wash for instance, use to take about a good 10 minutes, we would start at the elbows and work down, scrubbing each finger individually to its tip. I would venture to guess that isn’t happening much today. There was a recent article in the Sunday San Diego Union newspaper that discussed just that fact. It talked about how people were getting preventable infections unnecessarily because hands were not properly washed. Do we care now as much as we did even 10 years ago about what we do to others? I don’t think so.

Hand washing is the beginning of infection control. This is an indisputable fact. Not simply a statement. Also, does it matter how we wash our hands, I think so. Simply rinsing you hands with water isn’t good enough. You need to wash your hand with both soap and water and the temperature needs to be on the hot side. Why? Because of the oils on your skin, the germs can adhere to your skin so simply rinsing with water will not get rid of them. The soap forms a bond with the oils and will take the germs with them. Also, the heat of the water opens the skin pores and releases some of the bacteria in them.

Here are some interesting facts:

  • One half of bacterial infections don’t respond to antibiotics any longer.
  • Only an estimated 22-63% of medical personnel wash their hands between patient contacts.
  • There are an estimated 1.5 million infections per year that occur in long term care facilities.
  • Direct touching transmits 80% of common infections.
  • There are approximately 22 million cases of food poisoning with 10,000 deaths per year, which the FDA say is, cause by lack of hand washing.
  • Seniors and the disabled are 10 times more likely to die from food poisoning than the rest of the population. This accounts for 1/3 of the US population.
  • The top cause for food borne illnesses is poor hygiene
  • The top cause for poor hygiene is lack of hand washing.

The above stats were gotten from the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control.

Living in a fast paced society leaves little time for many people to stop and wash their hands. They are not thinking about the consequences of their lack of action. However, you as the disabled person must pay attention. Why? Because as I stated above, you are 10 times more likely to die from food poisoning than the general population. This is a fact folk not fiction. Most individuals who are disabled are exposed more frequently to health care providers from doctors to nurses’ aids. Not all of them take the time to wash their hands, thus exposing you to infection. The remedy here is to ask the medical provider whether they are a doctor or an orderly to wash their hands before they touch you. Don’t take a no for an answer.

Let’s take a look at the above facts. Fact One; over half of the bacterial infections don’t respond to antibiotics any longer. Because of the overuse of antibiotics, many of bacteria have become resistant to them. It used to be when I was growing up (I’m in my mid- 40’s) the doctors wouldn’t give us an antibiotic usually penicillin unless our fever lasted more than three days. This gave our body a chance to fight off the infection. The antibiotics were used only if we couldn’t do it on our own. Today however, people don’t want to be inconvenienced, they don’t have the time to come back if they don’t get better, so they pressure the doctors to give them medication. The result is bacterial that becomes resistant to the antibiotic.

Fact Two; only an estimate 22-63% of medical personnel wash their hands between patient contact. This scares the heck out of me. As disabled people, we deal with medical personnel very often. How do we know that the nurse who cleaned out the colostomy bag from the patient in the other room right before she came in to perform a procedure on you washed her hands? Its simple, ask. If she says that she didn’t, don’t let her touch you with doing so. Do not be ashamed to speak up. You may be saving yourself an infection. I can tell you from working in a hospital that there is so much work to do that sometimes they simply forget. Even if it is your doctor, speak up.

This leads us into Fact Three; that there is an estimated 1.5 million infections that occur in long term care facilities per year. These facilities do not have the same ratio of trained medical personnel that hospitals do. They usually hire medical assistants or nurse’s aides to perform the direct patient care. These individuals may not fully understand the full ramifications on not washing their hands. That is why you better.

Fact Four; direct touching transmits 80% of common infections. It has been said and proven that our hands touch every part of our body a number of times every day. So it is easy then to comprehend how when we rub our eyes after touching bloody meat from the grocery store without washing our hands that we can cause an infection. Common infections include but are not limited to: colds, sore throats, eye infections, the flu, other viruses…

Fact Five; the FDA says that there are approximately 22 million cases of food poisoning with approximately 10,000 deaths per year that is caused by a lack of hand washing. In my opinion, you have to be very suspicious of the food handlers in restaurants or fast food chains. Who are the food preparers? Are they illegal immigrants from a third world country and possibly sick? Being hired simply because of cheap labor. You need to ask those questions about the food establishments that you frequent. Also, don’t discount yourself. Preparing your own food with dirty/contaminated hands can also cause food poisoning.

Fact Six; seniors and the disabled are 10 times more likely to die from food poisoning than the rest of the population. This to me is a very scary fact. Whether we like it or not, most disabled people have compromised immune systems. This either because of medications that they are taken, or appliances that you are using, or because you are sedentary. Either way, this should be a huge incentive for you to make sure that your hands are washed.

Facts Seven and Eight; the top cause of food borne illnesses is poor hygiene and the top cause of poor hygiene is lack of hand washing, speak for themselves.

Many of the germs that we are talking about here are what we call opportunistic. This means that they usually will not cause disease. They actually live on your skin or in your bowels. However, if your health is compromised because of a disability or a common cold, these germs can do great harm.

Many of you who are disabled have compromised immune systems. Either from your illness, or from medications that you may be taken or simply because you live a sedentary life. Because of this, you are more susceptible to infection. It is simple to wash you hands isn’t it? Well do it! It could save your life.

About Author

Diana Corso is the founder and publisher of http://www.NutritionalUpdates.com . Diana has a BS in Biology and an MBA. Diana is also the founder of disABLEDperson Inc. which is a non profit charity whose mission is to connect the disabled with employers. Diana has branded disABLEDperson Inc. nationally through it’s web portal http://www.disABLEDperson.com . Because of her life long interest in nutrition, Diana founded NutritionalUpdates.com. She can be reached at nutrition804@aol.com

Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com

Chiropractic Care and Bed wetting

January 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

Clinically known as “nocturnal enuresis,” bed wetting is embarrassing for millions of children and pre-teens around the world. One new therapy to cure it involves chiropractic care for spinal manipulations.

Author:
Andrew Stratton

Bed wetting is a common problem for millions of children and pre-teens around the world. Clinically known as “nocturnal enuresis,” bed wetting can be as embarrassing as it is annoying. People try all sorts of methods to try to eliminate the problem. And yet there may be an easier way to cure it than you might think. One new therapy involves children visiting a chiropractor for spinal manipulations.

Why Do Kids Wet the Bed?

It’s all about the phrenic reflex. Here’s what happens to the body during sleep: While sleeping, breathing slows down until the body’s carbon dioxide levels rise high enough to trigger a sudden shudder. This shudder is the phrenic reflex, which is also a spinal reflex. Then one takes a nice deep breath, and then starts breathing normally again.

If the phrenic reflex is not functioning properly, however, instead of triggering a shudder, high carbon dioxide levels in the body will cause the smooth muscles to relax. These involuntary muscles include the valve at the end of the urinary bladder. In this case, any fluid in the bladder is released, and the bed is wet.

How Can Chiropractors Help?

If the phrenic reflex is simply underdeveloped or not yet matured, time may be the only help. Yet often the reflex is fully developed, it is just obstructed by a vertebral misalignment known as subluxation. This out-of-place vertebrae puts pressure on the spine and keeps it from correctly reacting to the normal sleeping processes.

Chiropractic care can help determine whether or not your child has a misalignment, and potentially help your child conquer bed-wetting for good by manipulating the spine back into the proper position.

Does It Really Work?

There have been several studies conducted on this connection. One study, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, examined 171 children who typically wet the bed every single night. Each child was given some chiropractic care to realign any problems in the spine.

After the treatment, the average “wet” nights for the entire group shrank from seven to four. And 25 percent of the participants displayed a 50 percent reduction in bed-wetting nights. Another 15 percent were basically cured of their problem after the treatment, being considered “dry” with no nightly accidents.

A similar study, used a control group of bed-wetting children that were not treated with chiropractic care. Of the 46 children in the study, 31 received treatment and this group showed an almost 18 percent reduction in wet nights, while the children in the untreated group showed no improement at all.

So while several visits to the chiropractor may not totally solve the problem, they can lessen the nightly leaking. Many children see marked improvement after just one or two treatments, but for others the results may be more noticeable after several weeks or months of adjustments.

So even if your pediatrician cannot help you solve your child’s bed-wetting problem, don’t despair. You can turn to chiropractic care to solve this embarrassing problem and get some much needed relief.

About Author

Chiropractor in San Francisco can promote a normal nerve functioning system, restore proper joint motion, alignment of the spine and skeletal system and normal muscle length and tone. For more information on the services offered, visit www.chirocaresf.com.

Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com/author-andrew-stratton-4734.html

Natural Pest Control – Good for You and the Environment, Bad for the Bugs

January 7, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

Scientists tell us that we share our planet with more insects and arachnids than all the other inhabitants combined.

Scientists will also tell you that we need all those creeping, crawling, flying, six and eight legged beasties for the life and health of the planet and its citizens, including ourselves. That’s fine with most of us, I suppose, as long as we don’t have to share our immediate living space with any of them. Scientists have also told us, though, that many of the chemicals that will rid our homes and offices of ants, spiders, roaches and what not are harmful. They can be dangerous to us, to our pets, and to the environment in general. So how do we rid ourselves and our spaces of the bugs that bug us so much? By harnessing the power of nature’s own repellents!

Most of the natural ingredients used in the pest control formulas listed in this article can be found in the grocery store or pharmacy. In fact, you may already have many of them in your home right now. This makes natural pest control easy to implement and easy on your wallet, as well. That’s something expensive professional exterminators don’t want you to know.

Cockroaches

Roaches are the tough guys of the bug world. Supposedly, they can withstand an atomic blast, right? And right now you’re thinking you’ll never be able to control the nastiest of the nasties with anything natural. Well, look no further than your local pet store. It seems roaches don’t like catnip! That’s right, that little dried weed that gets Fluffy crazy-drunk repels roaches. Simmer some catnip in a pot of water and then cool. Place this “tea” in a spray bottle and spritz along cupboards and floorboards where roaches like to travel. Catnip sachets made with little squares of cheesecloth can be placed on top of the fridge, in between the cabinets and the ceiling and other high places where spritzing can be difficult. Fluffy may just have to get used to the constant high in the kitchen, although other cats have not seemed to notice it in their homes. Of course, the best deterrent for roaches is cleanliness –before you start spritzing, vacuum the floors and wash down all surfaces with good, hot soapy water. Keeping food and dirty dishes off counters and out of sinks may be your easiest and most natural defense against cockroaches.

Ants

Ants at a picnic are one thing. Ants at a dinner party are another. Ants can be extremely difficult to get rid of because the colony can be quite large – large, hungry and always on the lookout for more food. Again, your best, and first, line of defense is to remove what they’re looking for. Keep open food and dirty dishes off the counters. Wash up any sticky spills and spots. Put the honey, pancake syrup and jelly containers in the fridge or in plastic storage bags – the “zippered” type work best. Eliminate their source of water by stopping all leaks and drips and not leaving any dishes soaking overnight. Now, your next important step in the natural war on ants is to find their point of entry, or the closest point of flat surface to their point of entry. Once you’ve discovered where they’re coming in, you have a few choices.

Ants don’t like cayenne pepper or cloves, so sprinkling a line of either on your counter or floor near their trail should deter them from coming in. A piece of string or yarn can be soaked in citrus oil, cinnamon oil or lemon juice and placed into cracks where ants enter. Line a windowsill or counter top with coffee grounds. Live ants are stopped with a spritz of soapy water. Ants on a deck or porch outdoors can be diverted by placing garlic cloves in between the floorboards. Mint leaves, even herbal mint tea bags, can be placed in areas where ants are known to travel. So, pick one of the above, or try several. Send them scouting elsewhere!

Spiders

Spiders are not only a nuisance, but also a health hazard, as well. Brown recluse bites can cause death, amputation and disfigurement. Black widows have been known to make victims ill, (though no one has died from a black widow bite in the US in the last ten years.) In short, they may keep other insects like flies and moths at bay, but they can be risky to have around. Spiders, by nature, are a bit harder to be rid of, as they like to live in out-of-the-way, hard-to-access places. They take a bit more precaution, too, on your part. Remember to always wear long sleeves, pants and gloves when searching and destroying spider habitats. Spiders like the dark spaces under beds, couches and chairs.

They love any little crack in brick or paneled walls. They also love to hide in the cracks between the woodwork and the doors and windows of our homes. If a broom can’t reach them, try the vacuum hose with the crevice tool attachment. Spiders like to hide in clutter and clothing that’s been lying about, as well, so it’s best to keep things picked up. Spray spiders directly with one of the following essential oils: rose, citronella, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, tea tree or citrus. Mix 5 tablespoons of any of the above oils with 5 tablespoons natural lavender soap in a quart of water to create a spider repellent spray. This can be used to spray the foundation of your home, around windows and doors, even inside the outside trash bins to keep the pesky eight legged critters out of your space.

Pest control needn’t be smelly, dangerous chemicals and high exterminating bills. You can keep your home free of pests and free of environmental dangers, too.

About Author

Gone Insect Band offers all natural choices for bug band http://www.goneinsectband.com/ including the essential oils of peppermint and lavender. Visit us online for an effective and safe way to protect from insects.

Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com

Caffeine Addiction and Its Diuretic Effect on the Body

January 4, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

If starting your day with a cup or coffee or two, having another while you’re on the road, another after arriving at work, and another to get through the afternoon slump, and perhaps a can of pop or a candy bar after work followed by an ice tea and ice cream after dinner, you may have a serious caffeine addiction.

Many people often feel irritable as the next day’s events are closing in on them at bed time and are restless about the next day’s problems race through their mind. It’s been like this for years for many of us, with an estimated 80 percent of adult Americans being regular coffee drinkers and each adult coffee drinker averaging 3.3 cups of coffee per day, without taking into account other sources of caffeine.

Caffeine can be found in tea, chocolate, soft drinks, and medicines, but is most often consumed in coffee. Coffee is somewhat popular because of the stimulating effect of its caffeine constituent, but it can contribute to irritability, depression, diarrhea, insomnia, and other disorders. The number one legal mind-altering drug in the world, caffeine is odorless, slightly bitter and can be found in coffee, tea, kola nuts, ilex plants, mate, and cocoa. You may know and accept that you have a caffeine habit, but many people are convinced that they need a pick-me-up from time to time in order to get through the day. What is important is that caffeine is not actually giving you the burst of energy, but instead negative moods and emotions.

The coffee tree, which is a small evergreen, has smooth leaves and clusters of fragrant white flowers that mature into red fruits that are about half of an inch long. The fruit contains two seeds usually, which become raw coffee beans when dried. After roasting, coffee contains more than 700 volatile substances including acids, alcohols, and even residues of cancer-causing pesticides. In all fairness, caffeine does act as a mild stimulant to the nervous system when used in moderation, which results in a feeling of well-being and alertness. It increases the heart rate, urination, and stimulates the secretion of stomach acid.

Although a little caffeine may wake us up and give us a sense of energy, too much caffeine actually hurts our moods and overall well being. Two cups of caffeine per day seems to have a positive effect, but research shows that even one cup a day is enough to cause dependence. Caffeine may temporarily improve your mood and give a sense of vitality, it wears off and your mood and energy levels crash to levels even lower than before. Additionally, our bodies adjust, causing us to need more caffeine to give us the same desired effect. Caffeine does not provide any energy or increase our alertness. Instead, it stimulates our bodies.

Excessive intake of coffee can lead to restlessness, insomnia, and heart irregularities. Those people who drink a lot of coffee often complain of jittery nerves, chronic anxiety, frequent bouts of diarrhea or loose stools, and restless nights. Coffee can also cause stomach and intestinal problems, as well as coronary diseases. An occasional cup of coffee is one thing, but depending on a cup to keep you awake is something entirely different.

Harsh symptoms of withdrawal such as headache, fatigue, and depression are common among regular caffeine users. Caffeine also causes the body to expel vital nutrients like b vitamins from the body that we need to function. If you consume more than two cups of coffee each day then a multi-vitamin should be taken once daily to help replenish was is lost by the diuretic effects of caffeine in the body.

More information on One daily multi-vitamins, coffee, and its diuretic effect is available at VitaNet &Reg;, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/caffeine-addiction-and-its-diuretic-effect-on-the-body-707845.html

Lipoabdominoplasty: A New and Improved Tummy Tuck

January 4, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Latest News

Lipoabdominoplasty provides an alternative to patients weighing their options between liposuction and abdominoplasty. It combines traditional tummy tuck with aggressive liposuction for a more sculpted, sleek and defined look.

Author:
A Aaronson

For patients weighting their options between a tummy tuck or liposuction in the abdominal area, new technology exists to provide the best of both worlds using lipoabdominoplasty.

Lipoabdominoplasty is a revolutionary procedure which combines the traditional abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedure with aggressive liposuction to achieve a more sculpted, sleek and defined look in the abdominal area. There are a variety of benefits in choosing lipoabdominoplasty over stand alone liposuction or abdominoplasty procedures.

Lipoabdominoplasty surgery has considerably less complications than traditional liposuction or abdominoplasty alone, including a lower rate of seroma, less postoperative numbness, a shorter scar and quicker recovery due to reduced swelling, bruising and pain. Best of all, the recovery time can be as short as ten days for patients concerned with an absence from work or sitter issues.

This procedure is ideal for those looking to lose weight and tighten the stomach area at the same time. With liposuction alone, fat deposits are permanently removed, but the procedure does not address the issue of loose or hanging skin following dramatic weight loss. Stretch marks may also cover the surgical area, leaving a slimmer, but aesthetically unappealing look to the abs.

The tummy tuck, however, does address the issue of loose skin, but does nothing to remove the layers of fat below the surface. Loose or unappealing skin is simply removed to create a tighter and sleeker look in the stomach area.

Alternatively, lipoabdominoplasty combines the two procedures to remove excess fat using liposuction while tucking and sculpting the abs for a more sleek and toned look. The patient is able to achieve the best of both procedures with minimal complications as detailed above.

The procedure itself is relatively straight forward and starts with aggressive liposuction of the entire abdominal area. The patient will be sedated intravenously and given a local anesthetic solution near the area of incision. Typically two small cuts will be made in the abdominal area to create minimal scarring following lipoabdominoplasty surgery.

After the liposuction is complete, the skin below the umbilicus is removed (similar to a traditional tummy tuck); however, the lymphatic vessels will remain intact to reduce postoperative swelling and pain during the healing process. Next the upper abdominal skin flap is undermined and the rectus muscles are placated. Finally, the surgical site is closed with multiple layers of dissolvable sutures to reduce the occurrence of postoperative scar spreading.

As previously noted, the recovery time can be as little as ten days, as pain and swelling are less dramatic than what accompanies a traditional tummy tuck or liposuction procedure.

Lipoabdominoplasty can also be combined with other procedures such as the liposuction of hips, back and extremities, breast augmentation or facial surgery for those considering a more “complete makeover”.

To find out if lipoabdominoplasty is right for you, consult with a well respected plastic surgeon that has significant experience and training in this area. Future plans and goals (such as anticipated pregnancies, dietary and exercise concerns) should be addressed during the initial consultation to provide the most accurate assessment of your plastic surgery needs.

About Author

Lipoabdominoplasty is a revolutionary new plastic surgery technique that can give you a more sculpted, sleek and defined look. Find a Los Angeles abdominoplasty surgeon with experience in this procedure at http://www.aronowitzmd.com/

Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com/author-a-aaronson-6130.html

Top 10 Secret Of Taking Care Of Your Skin

January 4, 2009 by admin  
Filed under General

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you.

Author: Simom Uzoma

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you. The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips. So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are:

  1. Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.
  2. ‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.
  3. Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday). A very effective skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin)
  4. Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.
  5. Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip. Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturisers/ emollients. Moisturisers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.
  6. Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.
  7. Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use day-time moisturisers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.
  8. A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress. So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.
  9. Treat skin dilemmas with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas. Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).
  10. Beat the stress. Everyone knows the harmful effects of stress, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.

About Author

simon is a skin specialist, you want to know the secret of taking good care of your skin visit http://skinbotoxsummerling.blogspot.com/

Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com

Clear braces: Say goodbye to all your dental embarrassment

January 4, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Dentistry, General

Clear braces ensure that you can get your teeth aligned without outwardly altering your appearance during the treatment period.

Author:
Erzana Jones

One of my favorite quotes has always been, “You haven’t lost your smile at all, it’s right under your nose. You just forgot it was there.” The saying reflects our attitude most of the time when we are too busy concentrating on the imperfections of life. So much are we taken up with what’s not there that we simply forget to look beyond the imperfections and enjoy the beauty all around. It takes a positive frame of mind to smile and face the world every morning. However, what do you do in a situation when that very smile becomes a source of embarrassment to you? A scenario like this may occur when due to some reason like misaligned teeth a person’s appearance may not seem pleasing to some people.

Dental braces are just the perfect solution to take care of alignment problems, but mostly children and teenagers go in for braces. An adult would have inhibitions wearing braces but now clear braces seem to have changed that perception. The clear braces are also known as invisalign and are made from transparent material. The wearer therefore, does not give the impression of having worn braces at all. This is a big relief for many of the wearers who require braces to clear the alignment of their teeth. Especially adults have the inhibitions about wearing braces as they fear it makes them look ungainly. Clear braces have solved the problem by making the braces difficult to spot on a person. The clear braces now let the wearer smile freely and continue with a social life without having a constant nagging thought in mind about the braces are changing their appearance.

Clear braces are made of clear custom fabricated aligners that gradually move the teeth into place. However unlike the traditionally metal braces the clear braces cannot be worn at all times. The braces need to be removed during meals and while brushing the teeth. If any food particle gets caught between the braces it might lead to infection and hence the removal and cleaning becomes crucial. This aspect of wearing clear braces might cause inconvenience to the wearer as it gets difficult to remove your braces during meal time especially at a public place. Also the removal at regular interval makes it a time consuming procedure to rectify the teeth alignment as the clear braces are unable to apply a constant and sustained pressure like the traditional metal braces.

Clear braces require the wearer to be comfortable with wearing the braces correctly all the time as otherwise the treatment time increases. Another crucial aspect of going in for clear braces is the selection of a dental healthcare professional who is not only certified to provide the clear braces treatment but also has the necessary expertise for the treatment. It is also advisable to seek a second opinion before going in for clear braces to determine the applicability and pricing of the braces. Once you have decided to go in for the clear braces give yourself the necessary time and treatment to regain your smile that can indeed light up many a dark days for you and your loved ones.

About Author

Erzana Jones has special interest in dentistry and health related topics.For more information about Dentist,Clear braces,Braces New York,invisalign braces,Dentist New York or any kind of dental emergency visit www.manhattandentalspa.com

Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com/author-erzana-jones-4986.html

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