Eleutherococcus or Siberian Ginseng to Fight Fatigue Stress and Herpes?

The root of the Eleutherococcus senticosus plant, also called Siberian ginseng or Eleuthero, is often used medicinally to combat fatigue, stress and herpes. The plant belongs to the ginseng family, Araliaceae, but is botanically different from true ginseng, Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius. It can grow in colder areas than real ginseng and usually costs less.

The Chinese have used Eleutherococcus for 4000 years for longevity, health, to stimulate appetite and to improve memory. Russians discovered it in late 19th century and studied it in the late 1950s as a ginseng substitute. They studied the plant?s adaptogen properties on about 4,300 people. The property ?adaptogen? was defined by Lazarev, a Russian scientist, who wished to put a more precise name to the tonic properties of ginseng-like plants. Adaptogen refers to a substance that promotes adaptation to environmental stress of all kinds. It regulates several physiological functions without targeting one organ in particular. Eleutherococcus was introduced as a medicinal plant in Western Europe and North America in 1975.

Today many people use it to increase endurance and resistance to stress. Its effect on fatigue, convalescence and concentration problems were partially proven in a recent double blind study on 20 elderly people . Results indicated that after four weeks of 300 mg of Eleutherococcus per day, it had a positive impact on stress, fatigue and vitality, but results were not sustained after eight weeks.

Preliminary studies also suggest that Eleutherococcus promotes immune functions. It was found to have a pronounced effect on T lymphocytes, cytotoxic and natural killer cells. A German double blind study was conducted monitoring immune functions in 18 individuals taking 1 tablespoon of Eleutherococcus senticosus extract three times daily compared to those of the 18 people taking a placebo for four weeks.

After four weeks, they measured immune cell concentration in blood samples. The group taking Eleutherococcus had a higher concentration of all immune cells. Total T-cell numbers increased by 78 percent, T helper/inducer cells by 80 percent, cytotoxic Ts by 67 percent, and NK cells by 30 percent. B Lymphocytes also expanded by 22 percent compared to controls. No side effects were noted, even five months after administration. Researchers concluded that, ?Eleutherococcus senticosus exerts a strong immunomodulatory effect in healthy normal subjects.?

A double blind study on 93 people suffering from recurrent herpes infections indicates that 2g of Eleutherococcus per day may limit or reduce the frequency of herpes infections. However, these findings concern only herpes virus simplex 2, usually causing genital herpes. A 2001 German in vitro study showed that Eleutherococcus had no impact on herpes virus simplex one (HSV-1) cells. HSV-1 usually causes oral herpes. From personal experience, I can say that Eleutherococcus is a real adaptogen plant. I?ve used it successfully to cope with stress, build resistance and limit the frequency of genital herpes outbreaks. It helps me to stay focused without straining and provides a sense of overall serenity.

Eleutherococcus is contraindicated for children under 12, pregnant and breastfeeding women and people suffering from hypertension. It may cause palpitations and increase blood sugar after a meal. It has virtually no side effects, except for mild diarrhea and temporary sleep perturbations.

Eleutherococcus can be taken as an herbal tea, dried root extract, tincture, or water extract. I usually take the tincture because it is more convenient, easier to find and usually contains stronger concentrations of active ingredients. Dosage can vary from 10 ml to 20 ml per day in a glass of water. It is also recommended to stop taking Eleutherococcus for one week every six weeks.

You can find more information about Eleutherococcus and other herbal treatments for herpes at my website Best Herpes Treatments Eleutherococcus must be taken for several days to show effects. Nathuropaths usually say 21 days, but I usually feel an improvement after 10 days.

Nathalie Foy is an alternative treatment specialist. She has controlled genital herpes and is now helping others do the same. She has written Herpes Wise, a book which provides her personal plan to control herpes and answers most important questions about genital herpes. Visit her website, Herpes Wise

XRays What You Don't See & Feel Can Hurt You

There is little doubt that x-ray technology (x-rays, CT scans, fluoroscopy) in medicine has done much good and is an invaluable diagnostic tool. Although I seriously question its usefulness as a therapeutic tool (e.g. cancer radiation therapy), that will not be the focus of this article.

X-rays are high-energy nuclear emissions that have the ability to pass right through tissue and leave an image on a film, called a radiograph (the film itself is not an x-ray). Less emission gets through denser tissue like bone, and more goes through soft tissue to darken the film. This results in the contrast, the picture of our insides, seen on the films ? light areas are dense tissues, darker areas are less dense.

That little lesson in radiology aside, it's what the x-ray does as it passes through the body that should be of concern to all. The high-energy x-ray particles can wreak havoc on their journey through tissue. When they hit electrons they confer upon them high levels of unnatural energy. Like a bull in a china shop, these electrons can cause mutations including deletions and translocations of DNA material. The wreckage is often beyond the capability of DNA repair mechanisms. The resulting instability of the chromosome is a precursor to cancer. Cancer is, in effect, the inability of a cell to any longer know its place and behave within its normal constraints. The control mechanism for cell behavior is the genetic material with which x-rays and their misbehaving electron progeny play havoc.

This sounds like free-radical activity, but is different in that it is far more energetic and potentially damaging. The body has mechanisms in place to scavenge and quench free radicals, but x-ray energy is several orders in magnitude beyond those neutralizing capabilities.

X-ray mutational damage can kill a cell or alter it. If the cell is altered, that change stays with it since the genetic material will replicate the error. If more damage to the genetic material occurs, the results are additive.

Remember that. Radiation damage is cumulative. It never goes away, it is just added to until the cell dies or the genetic aberration results in cancer and resultant organism death.

There is NO safe level of radiation. It is a risk versus benefit game as is all of medicine.

There are those within the medical community who argue (with substantial supporting data) that the 300 million or so x-rays taken each year add up to a very significant factor in cancer mortality and even atherosclerosis. The latter is a result of mutational damage in the endothelium (coronary blood vessel wall) to create a mini tumor nidus from which an atherosclerotic plaque emerges.

Since x-rays always cause damage, and the damage is related to the number and strength of exposures, the obvious solution is to have fewer x-rays and lower dose x-rays. But don't get real comfortable with that either. Recent research has shown that repair of low dose radiation damage to genetic material may be ignored or delayed by cellular repair mechanisms. High doses that kill cells, preventing them from unbridled reproduction (cancer), might be better than the low doses. But high doses create low dose scatter and more widespread potential damage.

How's that for a confusing mess?

The point is that even the experts aren't sure of the degree of damage. But they all are sure of the damage. We should take the hint.

Unfortunately technicians and radiologists do not always critically control x-ray dosing. They are concerned with diagnostic images that are easy to read, not so much with what the x-rays are doing as they are not so gently perambulating through your tissues. Since adverse effects are not immediate and would be impossible to tie to the techniques used, caution can be pretty much thrown to the wind. People do not always behave in your best interests if there are no consequences to them for their actions. I am not saying this always occurs and that medical personnel are not concerned for your safety, just alerting you to the fact the door is wide open for sloppy work.

It is estimated that dose reduction, beam collimation (control), rare-earth screens and filtration, carbon fiber materials, more extensive lead shielding, decrease in contrast resolution and use of a pulsed system in digital radiography and an array of constraining techniques in fluoroscopy could reduce exposure by several fold.

That's what they can do. What you can do is not submit to x-rays unless absolutely necessary. Don't run to the emergency room every time you stub your toe or feel an ache. Don't do everything physicians say without question. Find dentists who will only take x-rays when it can be proven to you it is absolutely necessary. Offer to sign liability waivers if they want. Tell them you have already had too many x-rays and you know the dangers are cumulative.

The bottom line is that the vast majority of x-rays are unnecessary and physicians know it. Any experienced practitioner can usually tell you what's wrong (usually nothing that will not cure itself with a little time) before they even see you, and with a little history taking and palpation (touchy-feely) they can get even closer. But they are hesitant (understandably) to give you their experienced wisdom because they are worried about their liability (rightly so), not your chromosomal damage which will not show up for years and would by then be impossible to relate to their x-rays.

So you must take control over your own body. You make the decision about x-rays, and any other medical intervention for that matter, by getting informed.

Weigh the risk versus the benefit. And remember, any medical intervention is a risk.

References:

Gofman, JW, Radiation from Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease: Dose-Response Studies with Physicians per 100,000 Population, Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, San Francisco, CA, 1999.

Gofman JW, What Are the Main Critiques of the 1999 Study by Gofman, after Three Years of Peer-Review? Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, San Francisco, CA, 2002.

Gofman JW, FDA Proposes New X-Ray Regulations: Immense Health Benefits Possible -- Unless Naysayers Prevail. X-Ray-Induced Diseases, Hormesis, and Medical Ethics, Testimony submitted to the FDA, March 31, 2003.

Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 15 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net.

Depression and Thyroid Hormones

If you are tired or depressed much of the time, your doctor should order blood tests for the two thyroid hormones called T3 and T4 and for the brain hormones called TSH and prolactin. If your TSH is high and your prolactin is normal, you are probably hypothyroid and need to take thyroid hormone to give you more energy and prevent heart and blood vessel damage.

Doctors treat people with low thyroid function with thyroid pills called T4 (Levothroid, one brand name is Synthroid). Many doctors think that a person needs only T4 because the thyroid gland makes T4 and then it is converted to T3 in other tissues. However, some people become depressed when they take just T4 and their depression can be cured when they take both thyroid hormones, T3 and T4.

When a depressed patient comes to me and is taking thyroid hormone, T4, I immediately order a blood test called TSH to check if he or she is getting the correct dose. If the TSH is normal, I reduce the dose of T4 by 50% and add a very low dose of T3 (brand name, Cytomel) because it safer to prescribe too low a dose, rather than too high a dose. Overdoses cause shakiness, irritability, irregular heart beats, clots, and osteoporosis. The patient returns in one month for a blood test, TSH, to see if the total thyroid dose is correct. If the TSH is too high, the thyroid dose is too low and I raise the T3 (Cytomel) dose by 5 to 10 m5 each month until the TSH is normal. Then once a year I check TSH blood levels to make sure that the person's requirements for thyroid hormone are being met.

For example, the usual replacement dose for low thyroid function is 100 micrograms per day. If a depressed patient has a normal TSH, I reduce the T4 dose to 50 mcg/day and add 5 mcg of T3 per day. One month later, if the TSH blood is still too high I raise the T3 dose to 10 or 20 mcg and continue to increase the T3 level each month until the TSH is normal.

Exciting research shows that the thyroid hormone called T3 can help treat depression. Psychotherapy often fails to control depression. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychotherapy, proposed theories about depression, that many psychiatrists do not accept because his writings were his opinions and not presented as scientific data supported by controlled experiments. The dominant theory today is that depression is caused by low brain levels of the neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine.

The drugs such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft that treat depression are supposed to raise brain levels of these neurotransmitters. Doctors can also raise brain levels of serotonin by prescribing pills containing T3, a hormone produced by peripheral tissue from T4, which is produced by the thyroid gland. They also prescribe T3 by itself or together with antidepressants. Depression is common among people who have too much or too little thyroid hormone. Doctors usually treat low thyroid function with T4 also known as Levothroid and many people become even more depressed. They treat this depression by prescribing T3 as well as T4.

Try to balance T3 and T4 so you will not be taking too much thyroid and harm yourself. 1)If you now take 100 mcg of Levothroid (T4): 2) Lower T4 (Levothroid) to 50 mcg and add Cytomel (T3) 5 mcg each day. 3) One month later, have your doctor draw blood for TSH. 4) If it is normal, you are on the correct dose and should get blood tests TSH once a year. 5) If TSH is too high, increase Cytomel to 10 mcg and hold Levothroid at 50. 6) Draw monthly TSH until it is normal. Keep on raising Cytomel by 5 mcg until TSH is normal.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health and nutrition

Journal references on depression and thyroid hormones

Diabetic Diets

When a person has diabetes, their body does not produce enough insulin to manage the blood sugar levels within the body. This means that a person will have to resort to other measures for controlling their blood sugar levels by following a diabetic diet accompanied with regular exercise.

Other ways to ease the complications of diabetes is to take medication, such as daily injections of insulin or taking a pill, such as glucophage.

The people who are most likely to become diabetic are individuals who are overweight, as well as inactive.

In addition, many develop diabetes because people in their family are susceptible to it due to heredity. It is also the lifestyle of a person that contributes to this occurrence.

Avoiding exercise, eating lots of fats and sugar within your diet, as well as being overweight or obese, are some of the factors surrounding diabetes. It can occur at anytime with signs including frequent urination and excessive thirst.

When someone is diabetic, they are unable to produce or correctly use insulin throughout their body, which is the hormone that is responsible for changing sugar, starches and other food into energy.

One of the ways to follow a diabetic diet is to eat foods from all of the four basic food groups, as well as decrease the consumption of alcohol, fat, and sweets.

You can incorporate a wide variety of nutritious foods into a diabetic diet.

A diabetic?s diet must follow this lifestyle change wherever they may be.

When eating out at a restaurant, there are a few tips to follow when deciphering the types of food items and meals you should look out for or avoid.

When choosing something that will adhere to your diabetic diet, you should avoid foods that are described as being ?creamed,? ?fried? or ?saut?ed.? These foods are most likely to contain loads of fat.

Foods that contain a lot of cheese, butter, oil or mayonnaises should be avoided on diabetic diets. If you must taste these foods during your meal, you should order them to arrive as a side item.

Other foods that can stray from diabetic diets include those that are prepared with sweet and sour sauce, as well as teriyaki and barbeque. They contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates that should be avoided while on a diabetic diet.

Diabetic diets should count the number of calories from fat as being 30% less than the total number of calories eaten throughout one day.

Diabetic diets should include foods that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol, such as skinless poultry, fresh fruit, and vegetables.

When on a diabetic diet, you should stay away from red meats, eggs, as well as whole-milk dairy products.

Diabetic diets work better when the dairy in your life comes from low-fat or fat-free selections.

10-20% of your daily calories on a diabetic diet should come from proteins in foods, such as lean meat, fish, and low-fat dairy products. The rest of a diabetic diet should consist of carbohydrates coming from whole grains, beans, as well as fresh vegetables and fruit.

Overall, there is no official diabetic diet to follow and it really depends on the individual diabetic.

If you are able to work closely with a dietician, doctor, or nutritionist, you will be able to find a balance within your diabetic diet and exercise routine.

You will find a wide variety of articles and supplements that will be helpful to you at our website.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

Health and Fitness Tips 25 ways to get fitter and feel better

1.Lift weights twice a week to increase your muscle mass. This muscle will burn more calories even when you are not exercising. Go to the gym, buy some weights for home, go for a walk with a bottle of water in your ruck sack or go to a weighted workout.

2.Take care of your heart and lungs by staying active for at least 30 minutes each day. This can be split into more than one session, so could mean 2 x 15 minute walks.

3.Eat small amounts of GOOD fats: avocado, oily fish, olive/flax oil, nuts and seeds, these will take care of your cardiovascular system (heart, arteries and veins). Eat less BAD fats: Fried food, meat, cakes, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, butter, these will harm your cardiovascular system, and make you fat. Remove ALL hydrogenated fats from your diet, they are very bad for you and hide in many ready made biscuits, cakes, crisps, puddings, sweets, chocolates. These fats are extremely harmful to your health. Avoiding them will help you avoid foods which are high in fat, sugar and salt and low in nutrients. Check labels.

4.Protein will make you feel full, and will help repair muscle after exercise. Try sourcing protein from skinless chicken, tofu, pulses (beans and peas) and oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna and mackerel; these also contain other beneficial ingredients and are low in bad saturated fats.

5.Make sure you eat your carbohydrates, they help you to exercise and burn fat, but eat SLOW BURN carbohydrates such as oats (porridge), brown bread instead of white, brown rice, honey instead of sugar, brown pasta, lentils, vegetables, pulses. If you want to loose body fat, then replace half your carbohydrates with steamed vegetables, at your evening meal.

6.Drink more water, often the body sends the same signal for thirst as for hunger. Drink water first thing in the morning and all through the day, especially during and after exercising. Cut down on tea and coffee, avoid fizzy drinks.

7.Eat a piece of fruit and drink water instead of drinking fruit juice which is high in calories, and difficult to digest.

8.Watch out for sports drinks. Unless you are training very hard, a bottle of sports drink may replace all of the calories you have just burned in your activity. Bring a bottle of water instead.

9.Keep an eye on your drinking! Alcohol and mixers are high in calories.

10.Do not get hungry; this will lead to you eating the wrong things. Carry healthy snacks wherever you go; bananas, apples, rice cakes, dried fruit and nuts (go easy on them though). Hunger can be triggered by boredom or lack of stimulation. Go for a walk or wander round the garden, or do the vacuuming. Eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3 big ones.

11.Look at your portion sizes; in general they are larger than they need to be. If a smaller portion will leave you feeling hungry, add a huge spoon of steamed broccoli, cauliflower or other vegetables.

12.Eat your breakfast. In tests people who eat breakfast loose more weight than those who do not. You cannot exercise efficiently and achieve your potential without eating properly.

13.Do not go shopping when you are hungry. When you go, write a list and stick to it, don?t be tempted by special offers on foods that you know are bad for you.

14.Look at the ingredients on everything that you buy. Look at the total amount of fat and what kind of fat- avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated fats as they are linked with developing heart disease. Look at the amount of calories and the amount of salt that you will be eating.

In general the more ingredients on a label, the less goodness is in the food. If you have time to prepare some meals with fresh ingredients you will improve your health, and probably cut down on fat, as most prepared food is high in fats and salt.

15.Beware of reduced fat labels- it only means that there is less fat than in the original thing. (For example reduced fat mayonnaise is still 50g fat per 100g- very high in fat). These foods are still often high in sugars, fat and calories and you may eat more of them because they appear to be healthy. Don?t buy reduced fat biscuits and cakes, just eat something healthier and get used to the fact that life is ok without those things.

16.Don?t fill the house with crisps, biscuits and sweets for the kids, it is no good for them and will encourage you to snack on them too. Try and move the whole family into healthier eating, this will help prevent obesity, heart disease and diabetes in your kids when they are your age, gift them with a long, quality life.

17.Stock up on healthy foods. Write a list of delicious healthy things that you may have forgotten you love, and make sure your cupboards are full of them; cherry tomatoes, baked beans on wholemeal bread, kiwis, mangoes, ryvita and marmite??

18.Make your lunch and take it to work. Buy whole grain rolls and tins of salmon and tuna- it only takes a few minutes to make a sandwich and pick up some fruit. Even a shop sandwich will be full of fat, and low in nutrients. Hold the mayo on the tuna!

19.Watch less TV: it will give you less chance to nibble, more time to exercise or organise yourself for the next day. Organization may be the key to making your lifestyle healthier.

20.Motivate yourself to change your lifestyle and that of your family. Set an example to the kids, that mum and dad are fit and active and healthy. Take them on walks, cycling, walk to the shops, and go swimming. Take them to a local fitness centre for football, dance or basketball. Our children need our help if they are to avoid the growing epidemic of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as well as other lifestyle-related illness. Change their eating habits; you will only do them good. LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

21.Buy yourself an exercise video to do at home instead of watching TV. Choose yoga or Pilates, aerobics or stability ball. There is a huge range on offer, talk to me for help. Buy yourself a healthy lifestyle magazine for motivation, recipes and exercises to do at home. Four good ones are Zest, Men?s Health, Ultra Fit, and Health and Fitness. Buy yourself a healthy eating or low fat cookbook for ideas.

22.Remember to have some treats and some fun, life is for living, being healthy should be enjoyable too, not a chore.

23.Slow down, stop rushing around, become more organised and make time to enjoy cooking, exercising and life in general.

24.Take some time to relax and unwind. You need to lower stress levels to stay healthy, exercise, Yoga and Pilates can help you do this, and so can a warm bath by candlelight.

25.Make exercise and healthy eating a normal and enjoyable part of every day of your life. You will live longer, protect your children?s health and be a happier, healthier person.

I hope that this gives you some motivation to change your life in small ways and reap large benefits. Until next time, Vikki.

Do you have any friends and family who could benefit from getting fitter and feeling better? If you do, then treat them to free copy of this newsletter, forward it to them, and get them to e-mail me with a request. E-mail getfitter@yahoo.co.uk subject: newsletter request.

Vikki Scovell BA(hons) PG DIP is a fully qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach. She is a qualified Nutrition Adviser and runs successful Community Exercise classes. Vikki is a consultant in Healthy Eating and Exercise initiatives to schools in the independent sector and publishes School and General Healthy Living newsletters.

Weight Loss Running Workouts

Running is the most efficient and beneficial form of exercise which increases cardiovascular endurance. Running is known for helping the heart and lungs to function to its optimum level and now, it is also considered to be the best way to lose body fat. It is also very easy to execute and it doesn?t need much of muscle-stretching or bending over just to achieve what we call the perfect art of running. In fact, any person of all ages and sizes can execute running even in their own backyard.

If you?ve just started running your way to weight loss, there would be a noticeable tone on your muscle, legs, abdomen and hips. Since running helps you perspire more than how you should on a sunny day, it helps you burn calories very quickly. An average ratio of the calories you could burn is from 500-1000 calories per hour. After running for about a week, you?ve already done yourself a favor by relieving stress and warding off the possibility of having osteoporosis. This is true in the sense that the bones become sturdier each running session you make.

Before picking up the pace, be sure to warm yourself up starting on a slow jog or brisk walk. After a while, change your pace from a slow jog to a moderate jog. It?s not necessary to jog hard enough to interrupt your breathing pattern. Your breathing may be hard after a solid jog of 15 minutes but you should still be able to talk to your partner or to anyone you meet on the trail. Rest if you need to, there?s always a room to catch up on your breath, although it is better to change the pace from a jog to a walk. You can maintain this 15 minute jog thrice a week for a maximum of eight weeks. After which, you can increase the duration to 30 minutes although it is not necessary. You can stick to the 15 minute jog every week since it can suffice to keep your body healthy.

The average weight you?ll lose for a running period of 12 weeks ranges from 10-12 kilograms. Running is not only the best workout for weight loss but also an inexpensive but rewarding exercise anyone can enjoy.

90 Day Marathon Training - Learn how to train for a marathon within 90 days. An All-In-One Approach To Safe, Smart Marathon Training With Everything You Need To Know From Good Nutrition To A Winning Mindset!

Hair Removal All About Waxing For Hair Removal

Some of us have problem of hair loss, while a majority wants to get rid of hair from different places on the body. it may the bikini are, or the thin hair line over the upper lip, or hair on the chest and back of men, or hair on legs, and armpits. Everybody wants to know about the method that will help remove hair for a long time without undergoing much trouble. Let us take a brief look at the methods of hair removal.

Waxing- One of the oldest and most common methods for hair removal is waxing. Waxing can be done both with cold wax and hot wax and now with waxing kits available in the market, you can wax yourself at home. In hot waxing, hot wax is spread on the skin, covered with a strip of cloth, allowed to dry and pulled off in the opposite direction of hair growth. This pulls away most of the hair from the hair shaft. This method may be painful and you must take care of the temperature of hot wax, and skin irritation after waxing. Waxing can also cause folliculititis, ingrown hair a, scars and hyperpigmentation.

You can wax any part of the body, small or big in size, except the bikini area. If you are taking oral Vitamin A derivative pills such as Isotretnoin, you need to avoid waxing till your doctor advises. It also applies to topical applications of Vitamin A derivative creams. All these products dry the skin and there is a possibility of hurting the skin while waxing. You should avoid waxing if you have irritated skin, broken sun burnt or bruised. Waxing should be performed on healthy skin only.

Waxing removes hair from the root of the shaft and removes a large quantity of hair at a time. It takes about two weeks for hair to grow. With repetitive waxing of hair, you can expect less hair because of permanent damage to the hair follicle.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

C.D.Mohatta writes articles on skin problems, skin treatments and skin care. You can visit Doctor Good Skin for more information about how to have good skin. If you love solving quizzes on personality, relationships and career, you can try hundreds of them at Fun Quiz Cards. For sending free animated flash ecards and greeting cards on topics such as holidays, birthday, love, friendship, family, expressions, celebrations, etc. please visit http://www.ecarduniverse.com/

How to Relive Arthritis

There are only a few concepts behind what causes and what will relieve arthritis. Though there are many kinds of arthritis, the main discomforts of arthritis are pain and swelling of the joints and connecting tissues immediately surrounding the joints.

One of the main ways to relieve arthritis is to take some type of anti-inflammatory medicine to relive the swelling and pain associated with arthritis. This can be a prescription anti-inflammatory drug or an over he counter anti-inflammatory such as Naproxen.

Many people have found that emu oil massaged into the affected areas will relieve arthritis quite effectively. Those that use this treatment say that emu oil applications can relieve arthritis pain within fifteen minutes. It should be noted however, that those most successful with emu oil also pair this topical treatment with other internal medications.

Emu oil has been shown to reduce pain, swelling and stiffness in joints that are close to the surface of the skin. This makes emu oil treatment for arthritis even more appropriate for those suffering from arthritis that effects the hands or feet, as these joints are surrounded by thin layers of flesh and skin.

Those that combine nutritional supplementation with the massaging of emu oil have noticed huge benefits and much greater control over managing their arthritis and the associated pain and swelling. Those that just used emu oil noticed some positive changes, but those that combined it with nutritional supplements enjoyed severl times the positive results as everyone else.

Glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM have been shown to be powerful nutritional supplements when it comes to treating and relieving arthritis. Glucosamine is made from the shells of shellfish as well as refined corn. This medication stimulates cartilage cells and allows glucosaminoglycans and proteoglycans to be synthesized in the body. These chemicals helps the body to repair and rebuild damaged cartilage and other worn out joint components.

Chondroitin is actually a sulfated form of glycosaminoglycan that is composed of alternating sugars. It acts much the same way that glucosamine does, and can be useful to use in conjunction with glucosamine. Chondroitin sulfate is a major structural component of cartilage and provides much of its resistance to compression.

MSM is a natural sulfur compound that is found in all living things and is the third most prominent compound found in the body, after water and sodium. MSM is an essential dietary sulfur compound previously almost overlooked by doctors and scientists until more recently when it was isolated by Dr. Stanley Jacob of the University of Oregon Medical School and Robert Hershler.

Another way to help relieve arthritis is to take a nice hot bath with Epsom salts. Feel free to add some essential oils for a more therapeutic bath as well as a nice smelling one. Essential oils of grapefruit, black pepper and eucalyptus have been shown to penetrate skin and relieve stiffness and swelling of joints.

Suellen has been suffering from arthritis for over 20 years and has researched and tested numerous techniques from arthritis medical journals. She prides herself in keeping up to date with the latest arthritis remedy as well as medical developments in this field and she shares her knowledge with you at http://www.awoscentral.com.

Proper Solutions For Gas Perm Contact Lens

Gas perm lens solutions are needed for keeping your contacts in tip top shape. You will usually need several gas perm lens solutions to be able to do the job.

The gas perm lens solutions on the market need to be used appropriately if you want to take good care of your contacts. There are many brands of gas perm lens solutions. You will need to find out which combination of gas perm lens solutions is best for your contacts.

Your eye doctor may be able to help you choose from all the gas perm lens solutions.

The next thing to think about is where to find the gas perm lens solutions at a good price. If you just go into the first store you see and buy your gas perm lens solutions you will probably pay more than you need to. Check out all the places you can buy gas perm lens solutions. There are grocery stores and drugstores that carry the major brands of gas perm lens solutions. You may also be able to find reasonable prices for gas perm lens solutions online. Look for weekly sales or coupons for gas perm lens solutions.

There are even a few gas perm lens solutions that are all-in-one. These gas perm lens solutions may seem really expensive but in the long run this may be the best way to go. Instead of needing three or four gas perm lens solutions you only need one bottle.

When using gas perm lens solutions you need to know how to properly handle your lenses. Before you use any of the gas perm lens solutions, always wash your hands. Inspect the lens before using any of the gas perm lens solutions and then apply the first of the gas perm lens solutions, the wetting solution. Insert the lens and wash your hands.

Before removing your contact and before using any of the gas perm lens solutions, wash your hands. Remove the lens and use another of the gas perm lens solutions, the saline solution. Finish up with the last of the gas perm lens solutions, the soaking solution.

You can use gas perm lens solutions to maintain your contacts.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com. He provides more contact lens tips and discount contact lenses that you can research and purchase in your pajamas on his website.

Cutting for Rookies

Weight loss is a goal millions of people have but very few people have the knowledge needed to successfully lose weight. Not only do you have to eat less calories, you have to know how to keep muscle loss to a minimum as well. This article will discuss the basics of cutting up, what cutting is, how to properly cut, and tips to help you lose as much fat as possible. You should then be able to use what you`ve learned into your own diet and workout regimen.

Cutting is simply stripping the body of excess bodyfat while keeping as much muscle mass as possible. Call it getting ripped, shredded, or sliced, it all serves the same purpose; to make the body look the best as possible. There are three primary reasons for wanting to cut. You may be training for a bodybuilding competition and need to achieve that hard appearance with cuts and striations. You could be into the bulking-cutting cycles and want to lose a little bit of fat to look good for a special occasion. Finally, you could even be naturally prone to carrying excess bodyfat and want to cut down in order to get that bodybuilder`s appearance.

Most weight loss diets forget the fact that you are trying to lose fat, not just weight itself. There are even bodybuilders who believe that they can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. From a scientific point of view, it`s simply just not possible to do this because when the body is in an energy deficit, it cannot gain muscle as well. That is why it is very important to choose a diet that is one or the other, cutting or bulking.

No matter which diet you choose, there are a few helpful tips that will speed up the fat loss process. Do some sort of aerobic activity. Aerobics speed up your metabolism and allows you to eat more calories daily. You need to engage in a weight lifting routine. Muscle burns calories, which is exactly what you want to have. Use basic supplements such as a healthy fat source and a multivitamin. Drink plenty of water, you don`t have to drown yourself but you should at least stay hydrated. You also need to make sure that you are getting plenty of sleep. Sleeping will decrease your chances of gaining unwanted fat from stress so it is a must that you get eight to ten hours of sleep daily.

Fat loss is a rather simple matter if you have experience doing it. The first time one goes on a cutting diet you may think ,Oh my god, I can`t eat six meals everyday. Or I can`t go very long without eating junk food. That`s the beauty of it, when on a cutting diet, you can have a cheat meal once every two weeks to keep your mind fresh and your body metabolism the previous healthy nutrients that you were consuming. Do the right thing, go on a cutting diet. Until next time, peace.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/efficientloss.htm
http://www.getbig.com/glossary/jargon.htm
http://www.trulyhuge.com/news/tips62q.htm
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/losing-fat.asp

MY SITES: http://www.clubbodybuilding.com and http://www.geocities.com/bashore69/bodybuildingarticles.html

A Weight Loss Secret The Art of Detachment!

Have you ever worried about something so much it paralyzed you from doing something about it? Have you ever been so obsessed with your weight that nothing seemed to work?

I have and I think you have, too.

Yesterday I sold my car. It was for sale for six months. I had two calls on it in six months. Two hours after I sold my car, I had five phone calls inquiring on the ad in the paper. Can you explain that?

Last week a woman came in to my office very frustrated about her weight. Everything she tried seemed to be going in the opposite direction. The harder she worked the more weight she seemed to gain. You know what I said to her? I said, ?Let it go.? She looked at me like I was crazy. What are you saying? she asked with a blank look on her face. Here was my reply;

Let's look at the behavior of a cat. What does a cat do when you want them around? You never see them. Where is the cat when you could care less? Yes, right under your feet. In some cases you have to detach yourself emotionally from the frustration. Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying stop consistently exercising and eating right. What I am saying is detach yourselves from the obsession. I said to her, ?YOU ARE TRYING TOO HARD MENTALLY! This was bogging her down so much that she was just about ready to quit.

Do you know when I sold my car? I sold it not long after I stopped worrying about it.

In other words, losing weight may come down to you continually looking at the bigger picture, not your immediate needs? The bigger picture is you are in this for the long haul, no matter what. Keep your eye on the bigger benefits. This is much more rewarding and less frustrating overall.

The mind is a powerful weightloss tool.

LOSE WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY! FREE MINI COURSE click here http://www.resolutions.bz. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting that the doctor?s DON?T want you to know. Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert.

If Your Life Depended On It Could You Answer These 15 Questions

More than 106 million American adults have a blood cholesterol level high enough to require medical advice. High cholesterol claims thousands of lives every year and the really sad thing is that it?s treatable as long as you don?t ignore it.

The chances of you not having this condition are slim to none ... most Americans do have cholesterol, it?s a natural part of our physical makeup. Like everything in nature, it only becomes a problem when there is an imbalance.

The 15 questions that most people ask about cholesterol are:

# 1 - What is cholesterol?

# 2 - How does it affect my health?

# 3 - How do I know if I?m at risk?

# 4 - Is there a test that will tell me if I have it?

# 5 - How does it affect my lifestyle?

# 6 - What are my LDL and HDL levels?

# 7 - Will I need medication?

# 8 - Is it affected by diet?

# 9 - What can I eat?

#10 - Will it go away with exercise?

#11 - Should I take supplements?

#12 - Is it possible to get rid of it?

#13 - What are some of the treatment options?

#14 - When is medication necessary?

#15 - Are natural treatments effective?

Do you know the warning signs for high cholesterol?

Are you aware of your LDL and HDL levels ? do you even know what they mean?

If you don?t know the answers to these questions and how to lower your cholesterol, you owe it to your family and yourself to find out. You can find the answers to all these questions in an outstanding book titled Lowering Your Cholesterol. Now is the time to take control of your cholesterol and your life.

Sadly, thousands of men and women ignore the warning signs until it?s too late!

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News, and the eBook Lowering Your Cholesterol.

Medical Alert Bracelets for Children

Children aren't exempt from having medical conditions, so it is important for those who do have medical problems to wear a child medical alert bracelet.

Parents can't always be there in the event of a medical emergency; and with kids at school all day, it's integral for peace of mind if they invest in a child medical alert bracelet. These bracelets are an easy way for medical and school personnel to retrieve important medical information when your child cannot relay it. They help avoid allergic reactions and other medical issues, for example.

Kids can be choosy, but with the many sellers online and offline, parents can easily help their children select a stylish piece of jewelry. It may be good to let children help select a child medical alert bracelet to ensure that he or she likes it enough to keep it on when you're not around -- when it's needed most.

Beads are a popular choice for girls and boys. Girls will like sparkling beads, while boys may go for something more plain. Plates with the medical symbol on them come in everything from stainless steel to silver and gold. Designer bracelets are growing in popularity for many adults, and many medical alert bracelet companies now make bracelets specifically for children. Other popular designs include plates in fun shapes with the medical alert information on them.

Teens are a sensitive group, as many of them care about their appearance and the opinions of their peers. Ankle bracelets with a dangling charm or a small engraved plate are very acceptable jewelry accessories for teen girls. The beaded bracelets are also fun, decorative and fashionable and will complement any style rather than compete. Boys can discretely wear medical alert jewelry by wearing a sports wristband band or handsome watchband. These pieces can be as simple or elegant as the wearer wants and many manufacturers produce medical jewelry with a keen eye on fashion and style trends.

Parents can regain peace knowing that their child's medical information can easily be relayed to the paramedics or a school official in the event of an emergency. Children especially should have the proper medical information on them at all times, as many of them may have a drug allergy, asthma allergy, diabetes, or bee sting allergy.

Medical Alert Bracelets Info provides comprehensive information about gold, beaded, designer, lyphedema, diabetic, child, senior, and free medical alert bracelets. Medical Alert Bracelets Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Facial Exercise Makes Plastic Surgery Obsolete

How old will you be when you notice the first signs of aging? Will aging affect your hips, thighs or buttocks first or will it attack your face, producing droopy eye lids and a sagging, jowly jaw line?

Think about this the next time you look at yourself in the mirror: When aging is apparent, what avenues will best serve you? Do painful injections around the eyes, lips and forehead entice you? Does it make sense to undergo a surgical procedure that promises you?ll look ten years younger? Can you imagine waking up from surgery and not recognizing yourself?

Many men and women are searching for that special something that will keep them looking younger; taking vitamins, eating organic foods, practicing regular exercise, twice-monthly facials, are the norm for most health conscious people but no matter how diligent they are with a health routine, their faces continue to show decline.

Aging faces are primarily a result of sagging muscles; just like in the body where we discover our hips sliding down the back of our legs or the muscles in our upper arm looking loose and jiggle-ly, facial muscles suffer the very same loss of tone and resiliency. Add sun damage to the mix and all of a sudden you have an old, tired face that needs attention.

If indeed sixty is the new forty we?re going to have to look long-term at avenues that are available to first stave off visible signs of aging and then correct the aging that has already become apparent. If you choose surgery, you choose risk. No matter how good the doctor, how qualified he is or where he practices; risks are present. Whether it?s loss of sensation, slow healing time, infection or getting a look you don?t necessarily care for, surgery, like injections is very temporary. Imagine spending $10,000 -$15,000 or more of disposable income and not liking the results or realizing that the aggravation and pain just wasn?t accurately disclosed. Fast forward five years: most likely your face is in need of a tune-up and that procedure is going to set you back more money and again, put your health and well-being at risk.

Many people are beginning to understand that surgery should be the last resort when they?ve decided they?ve ?had it? with a puffy, out of shape face, rather, they are opting for a safer and saner option. One that keeps them from spending loads of cash and doesn?t risk their lives. That choice? Facial exercise!

You may find it difficult to believe that exercise can actually give the user a fresh, younger look but it does! Just as resistance and isometric exercise provides strength and toning for the limbs and torso, facial exercise will keep the face from sagging by tightening the muscles that support the skin. Your face will become more youthful looking as tell-tale aging melts away.

How is this possible? Muscles in the face are small compared to our other muscles in the body; the facial muscles attach at only one end to bone, the other end inserts into another muscle. Facial muscles weave over and under other muscles so when sagging begins, the muscles drop down into other muscles causing wrinkles and a misshapen face - the look of aging!

Stop aging now with easy isometric exercise. No pain, no surgery and no expensive, risky procedure to keep you a slave to unnatural methods.

Cynthia Rowland is widely recognized as an expert in all-natural facial fitness with many years experience in health & beauty related fields. She has appeared on The View, Fit TV, HGTV and other popular shows. This author, speaker and television personality is leading the crusade to keep men and women looking vibrantly younger through natural techniques without spending their children?s inheritance.

I Save Faces http://www.cynthiarowland.com/FMED.htm

The Difficulty In Alzheimers Diagnosis

Alzheimers disease still remains on the whole a mysterious condition, with very little known about its causes or the precise nature of its effects. Because the causes are unknown, identifying likely candidates for developing the disease is an impossible feat. Likewise there is no cure for those who do end up with the disease, and it shares symptoms with many other conditions, making Alzheimers diagnosis particularly difficult.

It is thought that there are a number of factors which may help in forming an Alzheimers diagnosis, such as family history and any previous serious head injuries, which may indicate a likelihood of the condition. If you are experiencing any of the key symptoms, primarily dementia, it is a good idea to consult your doctor immediately. That way, you can be sure to rule out other conditions and begin a course of treatment for your diagnosed condition. For diagnostic purposes it is also highly beneficial to be handled by a specialist with first hand experience and hopefully even research interests in the condition and other similar conditions to aid in the Alzheimer's diagnosis.

Likely indicators which would lead to an Alzheimers diagnosis are dementia as establish by means of examination, a progressing decline in movement and movement capabilities, undisturbed consciousness and the absence of brain diseases which could cause similar symptoms. These will all be fairly easy to asses and draw conclusion for an expert in the field using his professional judgement. Additionally, if there is a behavioural change, and a family history of the condition, this may also go to suggest its presence within a patient, leading the physician to his Alzheimers diagnosis.

Through simply examination, the physician can gain a better understanding of the patient?s condition, leading him to realise the nature of his illness and perhaps even help draw conclusion based on his professional opinion. Although the diagnosis can never be a 100% certainty, more experienced physicians will be able to diagnose with more accuracy, and eventually be able to recognize recurring signs in patients suffering from the condition.

Although traumatic by its very nature, the diagnosis of Alzheimers doesn't have be a demoralizing prospect. There are numerous ways in which the progression of the illness can be delayed, allowing for extended independence and better quality of life for the patients. As long as an effective diagnosis is made early in its course, the illness can be deferred to allow for more comfort and less severe symptoms for patients for as long as possible. If you recognize any of the symptoms in yourself, visit your physician immediately for testing and examination. Do not feel reluctant to visit the physician, as this could genuinely improve your quality of life significantly over the coming years and months. There is also a fair amount of support out there for you during this difficult time, so go out and seek the help you need. Embrace your condition, and live your life to its fullest, remaining active in the community and pursue your passions, to keep you well for as long as possible.

Clive Jenkins recommends the Alzheimers Help Online website which will provide you with comprehensive information all aspects of Alzheimers Disease. To find articles, tips and free advice on the condition check out the site here: http://www.alzheimershelponline.com

Stammering In Children

Children can develop a stammer at an early age and for the parents it can be a very worrying time. It is difficult to know what to do. Parents wonder if it is just an age thing or just a phase. They think about whether to take their child to some form of speech therapy, however worry that that might be an over-reaction.

I myself developed a stammer at the age of four or five. My mother had left work to look after me when I was born and I started to talk as normal. Everything was fine until I started school. My mother who now had more time on her hands decided to re-start work and I would now be going to a friend of the families after school. This friend was called Jean and she had a son my age called Graham. On the first day I spent at her house everything was going well until Jean called us in for our evening meal. Meal times at my own house were a very relaxed affair, we were able to eat our food wherever we wanted to in the house.

At Jean's house they ate in a dining room around a dining table. There were a lot of people around the table who I did not know very well and eating in front of them all itself made me feel quite uncomfortable. During the meal people were asking me various questions and for whatever reason, I found it difficut to answer and started stammering. This was the first day of my life as a stammerer.

My parents a few months later took me to speech therapy, the speech therapist advised them that most children will grow out of stammering. I continued unfortunately to stammer until I was twenty two.

Stammering affected every decision I ever made and was constantly on my mind. Having a stammer made obtaining work, relationships and socialising very difficult and at times I became very depressed.

Stephen Hill

Stephen Hill has overcome a stammer and now helps other people to achieve fluency. He has a number of websites at:

http://www.stammering-stuttering.co.uk

http://www.stutter-cure.com

http://www.stutter-stuttering.com

Do You Believe in the Old Ways?

Pow Wow time is the Native American people's way of meeting together, to join in dancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships and make new ones.

Today Pow Wow are held all across the North American continent, from small towns such as White Eagle, Oklahoma, to some of the largest, such as Los Angeles, California. They can take place anywhere from cow pastures to convention centers, and occur year round. These festivals last only one weekend, but usually draw Native Americans and visitors from hundreds and even thousands of miles away.

Pow Wow is also a compilation of European folk magic that crossed the color line in America. During the 1940s, cheap newsprint editions of The Black Pullet, The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, and the so-called spurious magical writings of Albertus Magnus were typically offered through the catalogues of Jewish-owned curio companies like King Novelty and Clover Horn, right alongside an assortment of policy players' dream books and pamphlets on The Art of Kissing and How to Make Love.

However today I would like to talk about a completely different Pow Wow, neither sole Indian, nor solely European, but old remedies that were passed on from generation to generation. Many of these recipes still work today, except we don?t call them Pow Wow, but natural herbs, organic herbs, holistic medicine, and/or just good old common sense. Here are a couple of non-medical examples:

To mend broken glass: take a common cheese and wash it well, unslaked lime and the white of eggs, rub all these well together until it becomes one mass, and then use it. If it is made right, it will certainly hold.

Here is another one for all you chicken owners:

To make chickens lay may eggs: take the dung of rabbits, pound it to powder, mix it with bran, wet the mixture till it forms lumps, and feed your chickens with it, and they will keep on laying a great many eggs.

Interesting. I should try this one day when I decide to raise chickens.

You have probably heard of Shamanic healing in the Amazon or the traditional medicinal plants in the modern Quepoan society in Costa Rica.

For example at the core of Shamanism is a strong relationship with Nature and an understanding that our ultimate survival depends upon this relationship. Shamans work with trees, stones, the waters, wind, and with the spirits that reside therein. Their awareness of the sanctity of life and their ability to communicate with a multitude of life forms gives them knowledge that is otherwise unavailable. Traveling in the spirit realm they receive wisdom and great power allowing them to overcome seemingly unconquerable obstacles.

In an article by the WSU Today, Prof Clark says: Based on his experiences learning from healers and medicine men takes time and participatory observation. Shamans don?t respond to direct questions asked by typical western scientists. Instead, one must become immersed in the culture and lifestyle over time to gain the greatest amount of knowledge.

Now, think of the old witch doctors who in their native lands were or in part still are healers who treat maladies caused by witchcraft. The Witch Doctor is able to ward off witchcraft or turn it back upon the supposed sender.

Just think of Africa where the traditional healers have been using ritual in combination with herbal remedies to treat Africa?s people for generations. A number of these medicines seem to be effective where modern science has failed to find a cure. Yet for some reason, modern science is regarded as infallible, as an absolute truth. It is because of this faith in modern medicine that the traditional healers in Africa are now regarded as primitive witch doctors.

In going to over the Pow Wow, I noticed lots of human as well as animal, spiritual and non spiritual spells, wards and talismans. What an interesting book and I would highly recommend it, if for nothing else but interesting reading material. Great Christmas present, since it is the season that the days get shorter, while the nights are longer.

One last recipe since we all love a good beer:

To Make Good Beer: Take a handful of hops, five or six gallons of water, about three tablespoons of ginger, half a gallon of molasses; filter the water, hops and ginger into a tub containing the molasses.

Yummy. I guess I?ll try that over the holidays.

Jaynne Nicols has done a lot of research into illness and why we get ill. One of the things she came across is that almost all illness starts in your colon. Sign up for her free newsletter Health and Wellness in the 21st Century and learn more in and through her series on health issues.

Treating Crohn's Disease With Nutritional Change

It should be understood that Crohn?s Disease can not be cured or treated with nutritional change. Food intake or allergies also do not cause Crohn?s Disease. However, after the disease is present, certain foods may aggravate the effects of Crohn?s and may be eliminated to reduce side effects.

There is no special diet Crohn?s sufferers should follow. For the most part, you should monitor your diet and the results of such on your body. One way of doing this is by utilizing a food diary in which you log such information. This way, you can keep track of any negative effects certain foods may have. Furthermore, the part of your intestine that is affected by Crohn?s may determine how your body reacts to certain foods and these results may change as time goes by.

Certain diets are being advertised as being effective in treating Crohn?s disease, such as ?The Specific Carbohydrate Diet?. However, diets that make such claims are only supported by testimonials and have no scientific support. This should be considered in the validity of the diet. However, certain claims of the diet may be accurate, such as reducing gas and bloating by eliminating hard to digest foods. It should be understood that while certain side effects of the disease may be reduced, it does not actually lessen inflammation or cure the disease.

However, there are certain factors that should be kept in mind in regards to Crohn?s Disease and nutrition. One of which is malnutrition. Due to inadequate food intake, poor absorption, and a combination of diarrhea and vomiting, sufferers often do not have proper nutrient levels in their body. Therefore, special care should be taken to either take supplements or to maintain a proper diet. Also, dehydration is a very serious concern. Excessive diarrhea, as a result of the emptying of the intestines and inadequate absorption of liquids in the large intestines, may lead to dehydration which, in turn, can cause dysfunction of the kidneys or excessive weakness.

A possible treatment to aid in proper vitamin and mineral intake, nutritional support may be utilized. This is the use of a feeding tube through the stomach or small bowel to assure adequate nutrition.

New research is being done in the area of nutritional therapy. The use of fish or flaxseed oils has been shown to decrease inflammation in the digestive tract. The use of probiotics, or good bacteria, has also shown promise in restoring balance to the intestine.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn?s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now. Click here now and read more of her articles.

Do Smoothies Have To Go Now That I'm Trying To Lose Weight?

It?s summer time and the heat is on. One favorite choice of most people for beating the heat is to get a smoothie. But for people trying to lose weight and not miss out, are there any healthy options? Yes. You can make your own smoothies.

From a health point of view, blended smoothies are great for a concentrated meal that?s ready in a minute. You can combine a variety of fruit with some water, possibly add some dates or genuine maple syrup and make a delicious smoothie that can be enjoyed anytime as a healthy meal while on your weight loss program.

Actually friends, this may be a better choice than juicing as you will also get the fibre, which is an essential nutrient present in our fruits and vegetables for several reasons and in regards to losing weight, the fibre will serve as intestinal brooms to push all unwanted debris out. Hey, we are seeking weight loss right?

Now, the recipes listed below are my personal favorites for smoothies. I think they are creative ways to enjoy the proper diet and not entirely miss out on pleasuring ourselves occasionally. You can always experiment to find tasty recipes as well, but here are some to get you started.

Chocolate Milk

-10-15 medium dates
-3 ripe bananas
-1 Young Coconut (I don't usually use the water inside of the nut although I heard it has some benefits, I have tested it on me to a not so good result but again we are all different)
-16 oz cold Water
Blend everything starting with the fruits then the coconut.

Papaya Passion

-1 medium Papaya
-1 red delicious apple
-5 dates (pitted)
Blend everything and prepare for something outta this world!

Strawberry Delight

-4-8 strawberries
-1-2 Bananas
-8-10 dates

My Milk Shake tastes much better than yours...!

-2 cups of Durian
-8 dates
-2 bananas
-1 tsp of Carob powder

Mango Magic

-1-2 ripe mangos (peeled)
-8 dates (pitted)
-Juice of one orange

Durian Deck

-24 oz of durian
-1/2 orange
-Blend both

Well, there you have it. Thought you?d have to give up smoothies eh? Hope, I?ll be able to save you some money in buying less healthy and-as you?ll discover-not as tasty smoothies with these.

Here?s to health and happiness.

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com

For more information on Safe Weight Loss Tips, visit his website today.

Stop Smoking with EFT

You probably know someone who has successfully quit smoking with hypnotherapy or hypnosis. But how about EFT? As a hypnotherapist with 5 years' experience helping others quit, I can see a future when EFT will be the mothod of choice. So why EFT and what is so special about it?
EFT is short for Emotional Freedom Techniques. It involves gently massaging certain acupressure points whilst repeating phrases designed to free you from a bad feeling. In this case, the bad feeling would be the smoking craving. Hence the Freedom part of the name.

Whether smoking cravings are purely emotional or not is subject to debate. I have certainly pushed the boundaries of this method for many physical conditions, and as a trained biochemist, I would seriously challenge anyone to define the dividing line between the emotional and the physical. As a matter of fact, many acupuncturists recommend acupuncture to allow the body to rebalance itself after quitting smoking. And the acupressure points that we use in EFT are the endpoints of the main acupuncture meridians. Only instead of using needles, we stimulate these points by a tapping sort of massage. We tap, usually with two fingers, on the area, thereby stimulating these meridians.

So what is different about the effect of having EFT from the effect of having acupuncture? Well, with EFT, your mind is asked to bring up a bad emotional state so that the acupressure will release you from that bad emotion. It is like the mind is the office cleaner, who goes into the office unobtrusively and takes out the rubbish/garbage for the council/municipality cleaners to take away. These workers in turn come and remove the refuse and it is no longer in your office. Your office is then clean.

And why use EFT instead of hypnotherapy? Because the effect of helping your physical body as well as your mind makes for a very strong combination. Although you can have EFT in hypnosis, this entails the practitioner speaking at a slower rate than using standalone EFT. With standalone EFT, because the practitioner can carry out the treatment at a much faster pace, they can get more done in the same amount of time. In other words, the treatment with EFT reaches further and goes deeper.
I estimate that within the next five years, EFT will have replaced hypnotherapy as the method of choice for quitting smoking. And when ex-smokers-to-be ask for a recommendation to help them stop, they will be asking for a good EFT Practitioner. I look forward to that day.

My name is Suzanne Zacharia and I am committed to spreading the word about health options. I believe that the more and better options one has, the more choice there is. A virus caught along with 5 other students at university at the end of 1986, along with medical negligence, meant that I got smokers lung at a relatively young age. In desperation for help with my symptoms and quality of life, I turned to complementary therapy, and this is the 10th year I have outlived one doctor's prognosis. I am now a complementary therapist, author and trainer specialising in energy therapy. My company is called New Age London, more details via the links below.

http://www.NewAgeLondon.com

http://www.EFTLondon.co.uk

http://www.EFTCourse.co.uk

If I Don't Eat Meat Where Do I Get My Protein? (Part 1 of 2)

The first question that comes to mind when people start shifting their thinking and their diets and eating habits is: ?If I don?t eat meat where do I get my protein??

Because we were trained since birth that we have to eat meat to get enough protein, this is a logical question to ask.

We have all been taught and deeply conditioned to believe that in order to get enough protein, we must eat meat. Most of us were raised eating three basic meals a day, and those meals were centered on primarily meat, along with milk, cheese, eggs, and refined grains in the form of bread and cereals.

Isn?t it true that if we don?t eat meat for dinner most of us would feel that we were missing out on something?

Remember what your mother used to say when you asked her, ?What?s for dinner, Mom?? What would she say? She would say: hamburgers, hotdogs, steak, pork roast, chuck roast, beef stew, chicken, turkey, fish, lamb and that?s it?one word describing the kind of meat she was fixing for dinner.

And what do we still ask today, ?What?s for dinner, honey?? What is the answer? Is the response the same as your mother?s, or do you respond with something like─salad and vegetables? That sounds funny, doesn?t it? None of us are used to emphasizing fruits, vegetables, and salads.

Why? Because we have been deeply conditioned to believe that we must eat meat every day to get enough protein. We have been programmed to center our meals on meat.

For all the discussion, information, publicity, commercialization, and marketing of food and pseudo-foods, I think we are more obsessed about protein than any other nutrient. One would think that for all we hear about protein, whether it be in the form of protein bars or drinks or foods, that we would know a lot about protein.

Not only are we more obsessed about protein than any other nutrient, we are also more confused about protein. Most Americans don?t know the basic facts about protein and that sadly includes many doctors, dieticians, teachers, government agencies, friends, and our well-intended mothers. We are constantly bombarded by misinformation about protein by the so-called experts.

Is there any wonder why we stay so confused about the foods we eat?

So what is the purpose of protein in the human body? Let?s explore the answer to this question and more in part 2 of: If I Don?t Eat Meat, Where Do I Get My Protein?

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Epilepsy Symptoms

Epilepsy is a neurological condition of the human body caused by a disruption in the normal functioning of neurons. There are many different types of epilepsy. One of the most common symptoms of epilepsy is seizure. A patient usually experiences strange sensations and emotions before the seizure. This is to be considered as a warning of an epilepsy attack and is called an aura. However, occurrence of a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. When a person has had two or more seizures, doctors view it as a case of epilepsy.

Apart from the common symptom of seizures, each type of epilepsy has its own set of symptoms. A patient suffering from grand mal seizure may stare blankly and will experience severe convulsions, jerking of arms and legs, loss of consciousness and loss of bowels or bladder control.

The symptoms of absence seizure include staring, brief body jerks, mainly involving arms and brief loss of attention and activity. Patients are described as being zoned out. The symptoms of a simple partial seizure include jerking of one part of the body like a hand or foot. The patient begins to panic for no reason and keeps blinking the eyes. In some cases of this kind, the patients' face twitches, and they sense a change in the way things taste, smell or look.

Patients suffering from a complex partial seizure mumble and suffer from memory loss. They stare at things and sense a change in the smell, taste and look of things. These patients also make repeated movements like rubbing hands smacking lips or picking at clothing. The symptoms of secondarily generalized seizures include severe jerking of limbs, falling down, loss of consciousness and stiffening of the body

Most patients of epilepsy may also have headaches, dizziness, fainting spells, and confusion and memory loss. They experience changes in mood or energy levels. Some patients froth at the mouth when they are overcome by severe spasms or convulsions. It is important for the family to know the symptoms of the type of epilepsy that the patient is suffering from. This makes it possible to get medical attention in the beginning stages of the seizure and prevent any major complication.

Epilepsy provides detailed information on Epilepsy, Epilepsy Foundations, Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Epilepsy Treatments and more. Epilepsy is affiliated with Fibromyalgia Treatment.

Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Certification Choices

The following is an overview of the most popular Yoga teacher training methods. These days, there are so many options for Yoga teacher certification, that it might be good to get a general idea of Yoga teacher training courses first.

Onsite Yoga Teacher Training classes are usually held at Yoga studios and can last anywhere from one month to two years, depending on the depth of the material covered. These Yoga training sessions may meet every weekend or for weeks in succession.

If you have a regular job, it is best to find a Yoga teacher training course that works around your schedule and meets on weekends or evenings. It will be hard to explain your absence to your present employer; especially if you tell the truth, which is: You want to train to become a Yoga teacher.

Training for Yoga Teachers at a Yoga ashram, or Yoga retreat, is usually complete immersion without any of life?s daily distractions. Chances are there are living quarters for Yoga teacher interns and the staff. If you have no family or employer obligations, this is a great way to learn how to become a Yoga teacher. Many Ashrams function like universities, so it is a great atmosphere to study Yoga teacher training.

Luxury Vacation Yoga Teacher Training has become much more popular than most of us would have expected. You would study at a Yoga teacher training intensive in an exotic location. This is also complete immersion within the study of Yoga, but with all the ?creature comforts.? If you have the financial resources, this might be the Yoga teacher training course for you.

Yoga Teacher Correspondence Courses are good for Yoga students with previous experience. Independent study, to become a Yoga teacher, requires a foundation of knowledge and previous experience. It also helps if you train with a local Yoga teacher or a group of Yoga enthusiasts. Just make sure the Yoga teacher correspondence course you choose has a complete syllabus. This is a good option for Yoga teacher interns who have obligations at home or at work.

Weekend Yoga Teacher Training Intensives also require a bit more homework and should meet regularly. Do not fool yourself into thinking that you will learn to become a competent Yoga teacher in a single weekend. It just does not happen that quickly.

The study of Yoga is a continuous and never ending journey. Teaching Yoga requires that you become a perennial Yoga student for life. Whichever method you choose to reach your goal as a Yoga teacher, remember that continuing education is a key component to becoming a competent Yoga teacher.

? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: Yoga in Practice, and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Weight Loss: GoalSetting for Success

If you were going to travel to the other side of the world, you?d need to plan it. I mean, you?re not going to just book a seat on a plane, take off and just take it all as it comes. You need to plan your finances, organize time off from work, get a visa, book accommodation, the list goes on.

Well, the same detail needs to be applied when you?re trying to change your life.

The best way to do this is to set goals.

Goal-setting is used by all successful people. It gives them a plan of attack. It keeps them focused on the small things that must be done to achieve big dreams. It tells them precisely what they must do each day in order to succeed.

I bet when you?ve tried to rid yourself of excess fat in the past you?ve just said ?I?m going to lose 10kg?s?..I?m going to exercise?.and I?m not going to eat fat?, and that is your plan.

This is why many people fail. They forget the details.

To get the details, you must answer these questions:

We?ll start with the first statement: ?I?m going to lose 10kg?. In what time frame? If you don?t have much time then that will affect how much exercise you have to do. It will also affect how strict your diet must be.

Q1. How much body fat do you need to lose?
Q2. What is the time frame? (a realistic level is 0.5-1kg per week)

Next, is the exercise. What type of exercise are you going to do? When are you going to do it? You can?t achieve long-term success if you don?t plan your exercise.

Q3. What type of exercise are you going to do?
Q4. What days will you do it?
Q5. What time will you do it?
Q6. Who will you do it with?
Q7. Do you need to buy any equipment?

Finally, your eating plan. You need to plan every single meal and snack. I know it?s takes time but you can?t succeed without it. Remember, you not only have to avoid foods high in fat, but also foods high in sugar.

Q8. What will you have for breakfast each morning?
Q9. What will you have for lunch? Do you need to prepare it the night before?
Q10. What will you have for dinner?
Q11. Do you snack? What will you snack on?

Each of these questions need to be answered if you wish to succeed. Sit down right now and do your list. Then you will have your detailed plan for successful fat loss!

Ray Kelly has helped thousands of people achieve their weight loss goals. This article is just one part of his free '7 Day Weight Loss Course'. Sign up for the rest of the course at Free Tips on Weight Loss and Heart Disease

Hair Analysis The Roadmap to Wellness

Did you know that your hair has the advantage of long-term memory? Hair is a permanent record, like tree rings. A three-inch strand of human hair will give a six-month history of what's going on in the body since head hair grows at a rate of about a half an inch a month.

A hair analysis determines exactly what chemicals are inside of you, including radiation, heavy metals like mercury, food chemicals such as aspartame, pesticides, bacteria and more. The hair analysis is the best roadmap to view a history of what's going on inside of you.

What Is a Hair Analysis?

The protein in hair fiber holds the composition of the body tissues for a permanent period. By analyzing the hair fiber composition, a trained eye can tell what toxins have accumulated in the body tissues and what vitamins and minerals are depleted or too abundant causing an imbalance in body function.

By detoxifying unnatural chemicals like mercury and lead, and by replacing specific vitamins individual to your needs, proper health can be restored using nutrition. The human hair analysis can detail these levels.

It can be overwhelming to walk into a vitamin store and wonder out of the thousands of bottles on the shelves, ?Which ones do I need?? The hair analysis specifies which supplements your body is lacking, and which, if any, you are too high in. It saves time and money to know exactly what your body needs, or doesn?t need, nutritionally.

My own hair analysis was an important part of my natural healing from Grave's Disease in 1991. I discovered through my personal recovery, I couldn't fight what I couldn?t see. The hair analysis is an excellent tool to identify specific toxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by them. As with any chemical in solution, food chemicals like aspartame and MSG saturate the body with toxins that penetrate the brain and infuse the bloodstream. Human beings are polluted with over 14,000 food chemicals we are exposed to daily. The hair analysis allows you to ?see? what damage these toxins may be causing.

Is the hair analysis really accurate?

The hair analysis is as credible as a standard blood or urine test ? maybe more. The key to a good hair analysis is the capability of a credentialed laboratory and the expertise of the practitioner interpreting the results. The American government and law enforcement agencies have depended upon hair analyses for decades to provide conclusive evidence in crime investigations and for drug testing for prison parolees. The cause of death by poisoning can only be determined conclusively via a hair analysis, as in the case of President Andrew Jackson.

A hair analysis is not understood in traditional medicine, but is highly respected in the world of forensics, scientific research, and drug testing. A hair analysis works the same as a soil or water sample to a geologist and engineer - it leaves a permanent imprint of the body's ?environment? within the protein in the hair follicles.

If you want to determine if your well or tap water is polluted, you have a water test performed, right? If you?re drilling for oil, you have a soil test done. So, it is with the human body. If you want to know if toxins are within your tissues, have a hair analysis performed.

Do Medical Doctors Use The Hair Analysis?

One of the shortcomings of the American Medical Association (AMA) is the lack of nutritional education required for medical students. American medical schools promote more of the pharmaceutical philosophy of healing by drugs opposed to a nutritionally based curriculum of natural healing.

Blood and urine tests have value, of course, as those results can identify disease present within the body and they help your doctor determine the amount and kind of drugs and medications needed.

The hair mineral analysis on the other hand, identifies long-term nutritional deficiencies that can be at the root of disease, along with identifying toxic metals within the body that can cause disease. Most traditional medical doctors do not know how to interpret a hair analysis, and therefore, discount them as an important tool in natural wellness.

You can read more information about the hair analysis and Dr. Hull?s hair analysis program by visiting the link below: http://www.hairanalysisprogram.com/

About The Author

Dr. Hull discovered the value of the hair analysis when curing herself from an ?incurable? disease. It was her ?roadmap? to wellness, and she uses her knowledge to help others discover the root of their health symptoms.

Dr. Hull's counseling expertise is based on her professional background. She has counseled numerous celebrities, professional athletes and sports figures, lawyers, and other medical practitioners, doctors and dentists. She works internationally with clients, and continues her research and development into perfecting the detoxification of toxins within the human body.

Dr. Hull writes a monthly newsletter covering a wide range of important health topics including Government Safety Alerts, Q and A's, and more! To sign up for her newsletter or to view past articles visit the link below:

http://www.sweetpoison.com/newsletter/

Using Yoga to Manage ADD

Exercise is a powerful tool for ADD management. Medical professionals recommend that adults get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (such as running or biking) 3-5 times per week to improve their general health. For ADDers, this type of exercise is particularly beneficial, because it may balance production of neurotransmitters and reduce stress levels. Another form of exercise that ADDers are finding valuable is yoga. When practiced regularly, yoga offers numerous health benefits, such as increased strength and flexibility, and decreased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, the greater benefits of yoga are arguably the psychological ones. Yoga combines physical activity with self-awareness, which promotes a mind-body connection that many ADDers lack.

When ADDers report challenges with impulsivity and hyperactivity, they often describe feeling like they don?t have control over their own bodies. They find themselves speaking before thinking their thoughts through, and often regret their words. They constantly fidget, unaware that their bubbling energy can be disruptive to others in work and social situations. And they feel as if they simply cannot stop the whirlwind of thoughts spinning in their heads.

Yoga can help ADDers learn how to forge a mind-body connection that promotes self-awareness and self-control. Yoga practitioners are taught deep breathing and relaxation techniques that help center the mind in the present moment. Practitioners are also guided into holding different postures, called asanas. Each asana is held for an extended period of time, as the practitioner focuses on holding the best posture that they can, while breathing calmly and deeply. The asanas promote stretching, strengthening, and balancing, as the deep breathing promotes relaxation and mental awareness.

It is important to remember that yoga is not meant to be stressful or taxing on the body. People should be encouraged to concentrate only on themselves and not the others in the class, and to do only what feels comfortable. A practitioner should never feel pressured to perform. If an ADDer finds him/herself at a yoga class that moves too quickly, or focuses heavily on strength training, they will not reap the intended benefits, and may find themselves overwhelmed. The best place to find yoga instruction is at a yoga center, where the instructors practice yoga as a way of life, and teach both the physical and psychological components.

Yoga can help ADDers feel calm, centered, in control, and in touch with their bodies. Practiced regularly, ADDers will find that yoga is a powerful mental and physical refresher that they can retreat to when feeling out of control or overwhelmed.

Jennifer Koretsky is a Professional ADD Management Coach who helps adults manage their ADD and move forward in life. She encourages clients to increase self-awareness, focus on strengths and talents, and create realistic action plans. She offers a 90-day intensive skill-building program, workshops, and private coaching. Her work has been featured in numerous media, including The New York Times Magazine and The Times (UK). To subscribe to Jennifer?s free email newsletter, The ADD Management Guide, please visit http://www.addmanagement.com/e-newsletter.htm

The #1 Key to Weight Loss What You DON'T Want to Know and Most Won't Tell You!

You may not like what I have to say, even though it is the truth. And that may be where the problem of American?s health problems lies. No one wants to give you the truth. My responsibility as a high profile fitness expert lies not in if you like me, or even if you buy my e books. My responsibility lies in giving you straight talk with no sugar coating it.

You want quick fixes to your health problem that has taken years to develop. You get it by purchasing gimmicks that promise you fast results. You fall for it, and at the end of the day you are more frustrated than every. Why? Because you are denying the root of your problems.

I have counseled thousands of people over my twenty year tender as a personal trainer, health club consultant and best selling author. And in all my travels, the answers to people?s problems with weight come down to one thing: decide to do something about it NOW!

My approach with people is, either you pay a price now or you will pay a bigger price down the road. I am so tired of dancing around the real truth and trying to pat people on the back and say, ?It?s OK you can do it.? When all the while, most are in the least bit serious about their health. You have no idea what you are in for down the road.

If you are on the fence of whether or not to start an exercise and weight loss plan, I suggest you either become hot or cold. None of this luke warm stuff. You, America is on the verge of a health crisis. The longer you wait the more of chance you have of having a disease or just living a poor quality of life. If this resembles a scare tactic, it is! I am almost begging you to start and let me help you.

You also have a matter of choice on all these gimmicks out there. Don?t waste your money on products that are not long lasting and do not teach you anything. I know you want fast results but you will just waste your money. Let me remind you, until you deal with your approach to weight loss the other is pie in the sky. Here are the keys to weight loss no matter how you slice it:

Determine HOW you are motivated

Determine the REASONS behind the unwanted behaviors.

Develop a great support system

Eat for fuel not for taste

Keep being active.

Here is a portion of one of my e books at www.resolutions.bz

I didn?t have much time to pack my bags that day; matter of fact, I?m still wearing the same clothes I put on that morning.

I met all three of them on the way up here. They said they would hitch a ride, but they were not sure they would be welcome where I was going.

I thought it was unusual to learn how much they knew about me. Did I meet them at some restaurant my family and I went to? Did I see them at the doctor?s office? I know, maybe it was at a bunko party or the golf course? I just couldn?t put my finger on how I knew them until today.

It?s pretty nice here though?peaceful, always something to do, good conversation. However, I sure miss my family. I wish I didn?t have to leave them soon, but how would I have known?

The three of them said they warned me time and time again. How? When? Where? I wondered. I thought I read all the right books and talked to the right people. I even participated at times.

Lazy was probably the one I got along with the best during that short time we spent together. He was the only transparent one of the three. Others might have thought if they saw us together we were twins. We were so much alike.

The other two were much more reserved and timid. Don?t let those guys fool you. I learned quickly they were stubborn old boys with rough edges?two of the biggest know-it-alls I had ever met. They called themselves Denial and Pride. And if you ever met them, I think you would agree they were named correctly.

As I crossed the line, I will never forget what they said to me as we raised our hands to each other and waved goodbye, ?If only you had known.?

DON?T LET THIS BE YOU! START TODAY! LET ME HELP YOU!

Are you ready to start?

Are you done making excuses?

Are you tired of feeling bad?

Do you want to feel better?

Do you want to lose some weight?

Then stop making up reasons not to.

The number one reason people do not lose weight is DENIAL! Get over it! I can help!

START LOSING WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY FOR GOOD TODAY! FREE MINI COURSE click here http://www.resolutions.bz. Discover the common sense way to lose weight with out dieting that the doctor?s DON?T want you to know. Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert.

Persistent Heartburn: Get Relief Now!

If you regularly suffer from heartburn, you know that there is not much worse in life than the pain of an acute attack. Perhaps you have paid your druggist a visit in search of help or you have seen your doctor, yet you still suffer intermittent attacks. What more can you do to get relief? Overhaul your diet! You may not need to make extreme changes in what you eat, but you must be attentive to which types of foods can trigger an attack. The following list underscores which foods may trigger an attack:

Beverages: Beer, colas, and nonalcoholic wines are some causes of heartburn.

Dairy: Yogurt, frozen yogurt, milk, certain types of cheeses, and cottage cheese.

Fats and Oils: Ketchup, especially spicy ketchup.

Fruit: Many berries can cause problems including blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Other triggers include: orange juice, peaches, grapes, and apple juice/cider. For orange juice lovers you can still drink your favorite beverage, but select low-acid orange juice when visiting your grocer.

Grains: Garlic bread, granola cereal, and many types of muffins may cause an attack.

Meat: Beef, fish, tuna, ham, hot dogs, egg, and chicken salad can cause heartburn. For some folks chicken by itself is just fine, but added ingredients such as mayonnaise can cause heartburn.

Sweets and Desserts: Low fat cookies. You may save on calories when eating low fat cookies, but the artificial ingredients contained within them can set off heartburn.

Vegetables: The big triggers in this category are onions, leeks, garlic, scallions, and sauerkraut.

Besides avoiding certain types of foods, there are medications that can stop heartburn including Nexium and Prevacid. Alternatively, some heartburn sufferers have found relief through natural remedies such as Acidgone.

By drinking plenty of water throughout the day, some heartburn sufferers have found relief. In addition, avoid excessive use of caffeinated products, alcohol, and nicotine. Finally, by selecting smaller food portions and eating less you can thwart future attacks.

You don?t need to be held hostage by heartburn; see your doctor if attacks persist as it could be a sign of some other problem.

Copyright 2006 ? For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, The Article Writer, please visit his blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.

Talking To Your Doctor or Specialist About ADD

Talking to your child?s doctor or specialist about ADD may be very difficult, especially in the beginning stages of diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. It is important to understand and accept that doctors can be of great assistance in treating and helping your child and your family through this arduous process.

In the beginning, you may be unwilling to accept your child?s condition. If this is the case, you may be uncooperative and rebellious to treatment suggestions or even further diagnosing measures. At this point, a second opinion may be what you should pursue to ease your mind and make certain your child is receiving the proper care.

On the other hand, you should not be too certain ADD is the problem before consulting and seeking diagnosis of a competent physician. If your child?s doctor does not believe ADD is the problem, you, too, should seek a second opinion. However, you should be careful not to go from doctor to doctor seeking a diagnosis that is inaccurate.

Once you and your doctor are certain your child is suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder, the two of you should consider yourselves a team, along with your spouse, your child?s teacher, and other adults that play a significant role in your child?s life, to aid in helping and guiding your child through the ADD maze.

When you communicate with your child?s doctor, be sure to ask questions and seek clarification of unclear issues. If a particular course of treatment does not seem ideal for your child, convey your feelings to your doctor and feel comfortable in resolving any conflicting views. The important thing about conversing is that you have a mutual respect for one another and appreciate each other?s roles in your child?s development.

If you feel that your doctor or specialist is not meeting your child?s needs, you may choose to try another physician. You do not have to stay with the same doctor simply because they have always been the one to treat your child; it may be that particular doctor was fine until a significant problem arose, and they are not able to provide adequate treatment under these new circumstances. If that is the case, getting referrals from family and friends will offer a road map in where to go next. Just be certain the issue at hand is with your doctor and not your attempt to undermine their efforts.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn?s Disease . For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

Nail Fungus and Tea

Nail fungus and tea sounds like an odd combination, but for some people, the two do go together. A tea made from the inner bark of a South American tree may have antifungal properties that will help cure onychomycosis, the ugly fungal nail infection that many people suffer from.

The tree is the Red-purple Lapacho tree, also known as the Pau D?Arco or Taheebo Tree. It has been used in indigenous healing practices for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It?s now being investigated for its possible applications in various medical conditions. Its healing properties may go far beyond nail fungus and tea is an easy medicine to take: the Lapacho Tree is rumored to work as a painkiller, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antibiotic, antiviral, even a cancer treatment.

Pau D?Arco tea may be helpful both internally and as a solution that an infected hand or foot could be soaked in, though it?s use in either capacity does not seem to be widespread ? at least, not yet. It is consumed as a drink for most medicinal applications, and is particularly recommended as a treatment for vaginal yeast infections. It might be helpful as a remedy for yeast infections of the nail as well. Such yeast infections generally require a different treatment approach from nail fungus - tea from the Lapacho Tree might work better for the yeast when taken internally. Of course, it could not hurt to both drink the tea and soak in it.

We don?t know anything for certain about the nail fungus and tea remedy, but if the tree is being studied, we may learn something before long. Meanwhile, another tea and onychomycosis connection is well established with a tree from Australia, the Tea Tree. In this case, the anecdotal evidence supporting this natural remedy is much clearer. Tea Tree oil is used as a topical treatment for onychomycosis, and it is already so popular that natural remedy suppliers are bottling the oil, and blending it with other essential oils and healing herbs for that very purpose. This tree, like the Lapacho Tree is being actively studied for the medicinal benefits it may provide. It, too, appears to have antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

Both of these nail fungus and tea remedies suffer from mixed reports: they don?t always work. Some people report good results after using these and other natural remedies, while others get no results at all. This isn?t surprising though ? it also frequently happens with FDA-approved, clinically tested drugs. They just don?t work for everybody.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to nail fungus remedies, a blog dedicated to the treatment of fingernail and toenail fungus.