Are You Getting Enough Folic Acid?

Chances are you are taking supplements for vitamins A, C, and E but what about folic acid? If you don?t eat a lot of leafy greens, liver or brewers yeast, then chances are that you are not getting enough of this important vitamin.

Folic Acid, otherwise known as vitamin B9 is essential to cell production and plays a vital role in the development of the fetus. In fact, studies have shown that supplementing with folic acid can reduce birth defects by 72% to 100%! Folic acid also plays a role in the metabolism of protein and formation of amino acids. This vitamin is also been shown to help with mental health, and the digestive and nervous systems.

Since most foods besides liver are poor source of folic acid, you may have a deficiency unless you happen to eat quite a bit of liver and leafy greens. Signs of a deficiency include an inflamed tongue shortness of breath, loss of appetite, forgetfulness and mental sluggishness. These can also be signs of many other problems and it is best to seek the advice of a physician if you have any of these symptoms.

In addition to your diet, there are forms and lifestyles that might deplete your body or block absorption of B vitamins such as folic acid. Celiac disease, alcoholism and irritable bowel syndrome are three things that can contribute to a deficiency.

Folate may also play a role in depression as studies in eldery people have shown. The three vitamins B6 B12 and B9 must work together to improve depression and should be taken in a multi supplement or administered by a doctor. These vitamins decrease the amount of homocysteine in your body. Homocysteine is thought to play an role in causing depression.

Some studies also have shown that taking high levels of folic acid in addition to beta carotene, vitamin C and fiber, may reduce the risk of some cancers. One study of 50,000 women claims to have shown that taking adequate amounts of folate reduced the risk of breast cancer. In addition, deficiency of folate (folic acid) has also been linked to heart disease and male infertility.

The Minimum USRDA for folic acid is 400 micrograms per day for men as well as women. Bear in mind that this is the bare minimum you need to survive and supplements usually contain more than this amount. Besides liver, dark leafy greens, and brewers yeast folic acid can be found in some seafoods, milk and orange juice. In small amounts you can find folic acid in whole grains and some root vegetables.

When taking folic acid supplements (or any supplements for that matter), it is important not to overdo it. Adverse Side effects from folic acid supplements are rare, but can occur if the dose exceeds 15000 mcg. It is interesting to not that since the B vitamins work together, taking any one of the alone alone can cause a deficiency in the others.

If you think you need to take a folic acid supplement talk a health care professional to see if it is right for you. Some medicines like antibiotics and warfarin can react adversely to supplementing with folic acid and ibuprofen and aspirin can cause a deficiency. Methotrexate, which is used to treat some cancers as well as rheumatoid arthritis increases the body?s need for folic acid, adding this vitamin to your supplement list can greatly reduce its side-effects while still keeping the effectiveness, so if you must take this drug, be sure see your health care professional about adding folic acid to your diet.

Lee Dobbins writes for the A2Z Vitamin And Herbs Guide For Natural Healing where you can find out more about vitamins and herbs as well as natural healing methods.

Be Good To Your Health and Your Health Will Be Good To You

Are you working to much? You could be one of 50 million Americans taking work related health risks.

This is especially true for solo entrepreneurs, who must wear many hats.

Friends say you look great! And you feel like superman or wonder woman. But how healthy are you really?

Hidden risks such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, and prostrate cancer can occur without warnings.

Doctors say, those who feel healthy will most likely not get regular checkups.

Long range health risks don't discriminate by age, race or lifestyle. Your health is akin to your car, neglect oil changes or tune ups and you`re hitch hiking.

What are your options?

1. Regular checkups

2. A healthy food diet

3. Adequate sleep/rest habits

4. Exercise

Self-health maintenance of body, mind and spirit are all wellness advantages.

Robert Wardrick is co-host of http://every-woman.biz Sidebars for the everyday woman, sidelights you won't find on Dr, Phil or Oprah.

Discover How To Burn Fat for Fast Weight Loss

Discover How To Burn Fat For Fast Weight Loss ? Part 1

Let's face it...seems like every time you turn your head, there is a new study done indicating that obesity and obesity related diseases are at an all time high (that's epidemic, folks!). I don't know a thing about you, but I'll bet that you don't want to be just another victim of the obesity epidemic!

Have you ever noticed how many weight loss plans and fat loss supplements are out there on the market today? 100? 1000? Too many for you to count? And if you're like me, with all the information (or misinformation!) out there today, it is hard to decide which is the best weight loss plan for you. To add insult to injury, over 90% of people who try dieting will fail. And, of the ones who succeed, some will end up with more weight than they started out with.

In my experience, there is only one 100% sure fire way to truly burn fat and keep it off. Notice that we are talking about how to burn FAT, not lose weight. If you want to lose weight, sure, most people can do that, in different degrees. Because when we are talking about weight loss, we are also referring to lean muscle mass. That is where most conventional diet plans fail. They focus on weight loss plans. By the way, the term lose weight not only encompasses fat loss, but lean muscle mass and water weight as well. Did you know that within a few days of starting a new weight loss weight loss plan, the initial weight loss almost always represents WATER?

You do not have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to accomplish your weight loss goals and burn fat!

The fact is that by eating the right foods (adopting healthy eating habits), limiting fat and sugar intake, and eating the right carbohydrates in a sensible manner will start you on the road to fat loss. Diet and exercise, as well as good nutrition, will help you to burn fat faster than ever before.

Now it's time to start putting these tips to work for you!

We make it easy to burn fat, lose weight permanently and feel good about yourself. Read part 2 of this article, learn the essential keys to weight loss and get free recipes, tips and other resources by visiting:

http://www.burn-your-fat.com

Marie Borges is a motivational writer, author and healthcare consultant. She spent several years in the healthcare industry helping to educate and motivate people on the importance of successful weight loss and good nutrition to improve overall health and happiness. To change your body for the better, receive free tips, recipes, articles and more, go to http://www.burn-your-fat.com.

Avandia Side Effect Lawyer: Diabetes Drug Damages Liver

Avandia, a compound of rosiglitazone maleate, is an oral antidiabetic agent. Avandia pills increase insulin sensitivity for patients with type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Avandia also improves glycemic control as it reduces the circulation of insulin levels. If diet, exercise, and a single drug are not enough to control blood sugar levels, Avandia can be used in conjunction with another drug.

Avandia is not to be used for type 1 diabetes (juvenile onset diabetes) or diabetic ketoacidosis. It is questionable whether people with heart failure, fluid retention, or active liver disease should take Avandia at all. Since Avandia became available there have been reports of the development of hepatitis (the inflammation of the liver) due to elevated liver enzymes. Patients taking Avandia should have their liver enzymes monitored regularly.

Additionally, Avandia is in the same class of drugs as Rezulin, a very dangerous drug that has been associated with devastating liver injury including liver failure that can only be cured with transplant. Without immediate transplant, many Rezulin liver failures have resulted in death. Because of this close association with a dangerous drug, users of Avandia should be in close contact with a doctor if they notice any symptoms of liver problems such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fatigue, dark urine, or jaundice. Avandia is also very dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn children.

It is also advised, should you suffer adversely from the use of Avandia, to consult a lawyer. The recent proliferation of dangerous drugs into the marketplace is a disturbing trend, and should a drug threaten your health you should be repaid for damages and the drug should be taken off the market.

To find out why you need an Avandia lawyer and read articles about dangerous drugs and Avandia side effects, visit our website at hugesettlements.com.

If you have any questions or concerns about filing an Avandia lawsuit, please contact a professional Avandia attorney right away!

5 Tips To Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol has been around for thousands of years. It's a natural function of the human body. Unfortunately, most people aren't even aware they have high cholesterol until they have a heart attack or stroke. It is possible to have up to 80 percent closure of the arteries without ever feeling a single symptom! Here are 5 tips you can use straight away to start lowering your cholesterol today:

1. Reduce fat in your diet.

Buy the leanest cuts of meat you can find. Regularly substitute poultry (without the skin) and fish for red meat. Both are lower in saturated fat. Switch to low fat cottage cheese and yogurt, reduced fat hard cheeses and skim or 1 percent milk.

2. Eat no more than four egg yolks a week.

Many people don't have to worry about eating cholesterol. Normal bodies adjust to increased intake by cutting back on regular product. However, since one third of Americans are cholesterol responders their blood cholesterol does go up when they eat cholesterol. You probably don't know if you fall into this category so play it safe. Eat no more than four egg yolks a week. An average egg yolk contains 213 milligrams of cholesterol!

3. Eliminate fried foods.

Buying low fat is just the beginning. You need to institute low fat cooking methods to keep the cholesterol from sneaking back in to your diet. Remove fatty skin from chicken and turkey. Don't fry foods. Roast, bake, broil, grill or poach them instead. Use fat free marinades or basting with liquids like wine, tomato or lemon juice. Use olive or canola oils for saut?ing or baking. Both are very low in saturated fat. Use diet, tub or squeeze margarines instead of regular. Watch for the term hydrogenated, which means some of the fat is saturated.

4. Eat vegetables and complex carbohydrates.

Lowest fat foods of all are vegetables, fruits, grains (rice, barley and pasta), beans and legumes. Try substituting some of these for meat and high fat dairy products. Don't douse your pasta with butter or your potato with sour cream. Use tomato base sauces instead of cream base. Use lemon juice, low sodium soy sauce or herbs to season vegetables. Make chili with extra beans and seasonings while leaving out the meat.

5. Lose weight.

If you are overweight, the chances are almost 100% that you have a problem with high cholesterol. You can lower your LDL and elevate your HDL just by dropping some pounds. Eat fewer fatty foods and more fruits, vegetables, grains and beans and it's a pretty good bet that you will slowly but surely lose weight.

Remember there is no substitute for your physician. Make certain that you clear any new treatments with him before embarking on any radical health changes you are anticipating.

Tony Newton publishes the popular health and wellness website - http://www.1st-for-health.com With lots of informative articles on low carb diets, hair loss, arthritis pain relief, acne and lots more.

Lasik Surgery ? What Causes Nearsightedness?

Lasik Surgery ? taking the mystery out of nearsightedness

Nearsightedness, known as myopia, can be caused by one of two conditions. The cornea or crystalline lens is too powerful or the eyeball is too long and shaped more like an oval than a sphere. Both of these conditions cause the image you are viewing to be projected in front of the retina instead of on the retina, where it belongs for clear vision. Young children with myopia may need stronger and stronger glasses because the length of their eyeball continues to grow as they grow and the images become farther out of focus. Myopia for some adults stabilizes in their late 20s.

People with myopia cannot see objects clearly in the distance and their crystalline lens is not able to adjust their focus automatically for them. They are able to see near objects clearly which is where the term nearsighted came from. There are 3 categories of myopia; low myopia, moderate myopia and high myopia. As myopic persons age, those with low myopia may find it easier to read by removing their glasses. But in contrast, those with moderate to high myopia, find their near vision is limited as they age and may need to wear bifocals to read.

For those with moderate to high myopia who elect to have Lasik surgery, they may find that Lasik surgery corrects their distance vision but they may still need bifocals for reading. Many patients find that this is a good trade off because it eliminates the need for wearing glasses or contacts when they drive, go sight seeing on vacation and participate in sports. They only need to wear glasses when they read or do close up work. For most, this is a compromise they are happy to make.

A well shaped cornea allows light to focus through the pupil evenly and the light rays display on the retina in an even pattern. With a normal, but less perfect cornea, the light focuses through the pupil unevenly at varying angles. To correct myopia, the surgeon uses a laser to flatten the corneal curve of the eye to reduce its focusing strength. The laser thins the center of the cornea by vaporizing a small amount of tissue (less than the thickness of a human hair). This change to the cornea, allows the image to be projected on the retina where it belongs. With Lasik surgery, your nearsightedness can be a 'thing of the past'.

Beth Gabriel is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Lasik-Solutions.com. She provides more Lasik Surgery information and Lasik Surgery reviews that you can read on her website from the comfort of your home at 2:00 am!

Essential Oils Shown To Be Effective In Managing Common And Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

In a recent and significant laboratory study on the efficacy of Essential Oils entitled:

Inhibition by the essential oils of peppermint and spearmint of the growth of pathogenic bacteria***

done by Imai H, Osawa K, Yasuda H, Hamashima H, Arai T, Sasatsu M. from the Functional Foods Section, Central Laboratory, Lotte Company Ltd, Urawa, Saitama, Japan and reported in 2001 they looked at the effects of the major constituents of the essential oils of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), spearmint Mentha spicata L.) and Japanese mint (Mentha, arvensis L. on the profilferation of the following bacteria:

Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive Staphylococccus aureus (MSSA)

Helicobacter pylori has been implicated as one of the common causes of stomach ulcers in the last several years and which has been treated with antibiotics.

Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7 are bacteria normally and commonly associated with gastroenteritis or commonly known as stomach flu.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive Staphylococccus aureus (MSSA) are common antibiotic resistant strains that are challenging the current armametarium of antibiotics that can lead to potentially more drug resistance.

Their results showed:

The essential oils and the various constituents inhibited the proliferation of each strain in liquid culture in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, they exhibited bactericidal activity in phosphate-buffered saline. The antibacterial activities varied among the bacterial species tested but were almost the same against antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-sensitive strains of Helicobacter pylori and S. aureus

Their final conclusions were as follows:

The essential oils and their constituents may be useful as potential antibacterial agents for inhibition of the growth of pathogens.

This is intself is, in my view a dramatic finding which holds promise in the management and possible treatment of common and antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria that are a significant threat to individuals around the world.

Reference:

*** Imai H, Osawa K, Yasuda H, Hamashima H, Arai T, Sasatsu M. , Microbios. 2001;106 Suppl 1:31-9.

Nick Arrizza M.D is trained in medicine, psychiatry, is an international healer and life coach, an author, researcher, speaker, and developer of the powerful Mind Resonance Process(TM) (MRP).

Young Living Essential Olis Web Site: http://www.youngliving.org/arrizza

MRP Web Site: http://www.telecoaching4u.com

Insomnia Symptoms and Treatment Options

Getting to sleep at night can be difficult for many, however it if the problem becomes persistent then you need to seek help because you may be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia occurs in men and women of any age, although it seems to be more prominent in menopausal women and the elderly. Regardless, if you can?t sleep, go to sleep only to wake up and not be able to return to sleep, and have not had a good night?s rest in days or weeks then you have a problem with insomnia and need professional help.

Unfortunately, many individuals who have insomnia believe it to be something they can handle on their own and do not consider talking to a physician for help. There are three types of insomnia that affect people and the less severe versions are the ones individuals seem to try and ignore the most. Transient insomnia lasts a couple of nights, short term insomnia lasts from two to three weeks and chronic insomnia lasts for longer than three weeks. All of these types of insomnia make it difficult for individuals to get rest, and unfortunately the longer a person goes without sleep the more it impacts their bodies.

There are several things that may be the cause of your insomnia. Some of the possible factors include improper nutrition, physical pain, illness, depression, stress, certain foods, not enough exercise, and even too much exercise right before bedtime. Any of these can cause your insomnia, so you need to detect the reason for your insomnia before you can do anything about it. Once you determine the cause then you can work on correcting it. For example, not drinking caffeine or exercising before dinner, practicing stress management, and the like will help you handle your insomnia.

You should, of course, not live with insomnia and contact your doctor for help. Your doctor will offer suggestions and help you figure out how to handle and treat your insomnia. If you suffer from chronic insomnia and are experiencing poor concentration, accidents, nervousness, fatigue, irritability, memory loss and decreased memory to name a few. Your doctor will determine the best treatment for your insomnia and help you get a good night?s rest.

This article is by http://www.sleepingcommunity.com a place for people who love to sleep and people who need sleeping solutions! To view more articles like this visit our sleeping disorder section.

ADD Attention Deficit Disorder

A great deal of information has been written about ADHD. Most of it makes us think of a bad little boy running around destroying everything in his path, so when we are out we think we can spot the child with ADD. Yes, it is the little boy destroying everything he comes in contact with, but what about the little girl who is sitting quietly with her mother who is very polite and afraid to speak, and when spoken to looks very lost and confused?

No one would ever guess that the little girl might have ADD also.

ADD and ADHD can be difficult and cause distractibility and forgetfulness, difficulty following rapid conversations, disorganization and very low self esteem. Both can cause difficulty with school work and getting assignments finished on time. ADD and ADHD can affect a person's ability to keep track of their belongings or to keep track of time.

Characteristics of ADD:

Can be sluggish
Honors other peoples boundaries
They are obedient
Usually underassertive
Overly polite
Docile (quiet and easy to control)
Modest
Shy
Socially withdrawn - prefers being alone
May bond with others but may not attract friends very well

Girls with ADD may go unnoticed and undiagnosed because they are very polite and quiet. They are very sensitive to criticism and are very emotional, which causes a great amount of inner turmoil and they may continue to silently struggle. Their ADHD counterparts seem to be untouched by the stresses around them and jump around as if nothing bothered them. Girls with ADD have a very low tolerance for stress and can become more withdrawn and feel they are not good at anything or can't seem to do anything right.

Helping a Person with ADD

Whether they are shy, withdrawn or hyper and impulsive, girls with ADD feel emotionally overwhelmed. Stress management techniques from an early age should be learned and they need time to regroup after an upset.

Parents, even with the best intentions, continuously bombard corrections and criticisms at girls with ADD, such as, You need to be smart like your sister, You are so stupid. You need to make good grades to finish school, Why do you let people run over you?, You need to be more assertive, You need to make more friends.

These girls, no matter if they are shy or loud and rebellious suffer from low self-esteem.

To these girls, home is an important place to refuel and regroup. They need time to rebuild the confidence that is so frequently broken down during the day at school. Girls with ADD feel they are not good at anything. They are easily distracted, impulsive and disorganized and this usually results in poor grades. They don't usually have the drive and assertiveness to develop skills and alertness like many of their friends. Praising them when they find a skill or ability are terrific positive boosts. Sometimes a girl with ADD reaches a positive turning point when she is lucky enough to find an activity she feels good about.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to ADD

Are Bananas a Trigger for Migraines?

There can be a number of factors that trigger the onset of your migraines. One such factor is diet related. The food items trigger your migraines as they contain some chemical compounds. One of these chemical substances is known as tyramine. As tyramine is a predominant composition in bananas, this has led many to wonder: Are bananas a trigger to migraine headaches?

It is important to first have some understanding about what happens during a migraine, in order to explain how tyramine may set off your headaches. Migraine headaches tend to follow a characteristic pattern ? from prodrome to postdrome ? and the symptoms may differ from person to person. However, in most cases, the patient may experience a throbbing pain in any one side of the head (sometimes it spreads to both sides as well), and the condition is usually accompanied by phonophobia, photophobia and nausea or sometimes vomiting.

The exact cause of migraine is still under contention. Still there is some consensus by experts that migraines are caused by a reduction in blood flow to the brain cells. This in turn springs from the constriction of arteries, which is triggered by certain external factors.

It is also widely believed that an excess concentration of tyramine in a migraine patient?s blood can cause vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in the brain. In addition, it appears that people with migraines caused by dietary factors appear to be deficient in enzymes needed to break down tyramine. Some drugs used to treat depression (such as Nardil, Marplan and Parnate) also interfere with the process of breaking down tyramine.

The best form of treatment for migraines due to food triggers is prevention. Upon determining that you get severe migraine attacks due to sensitivity to a particular food, it is advisable to exclude it from your diet. Once set in, migraine can be very painful and can be difficult to treat. Consuming drugs for pain relief is not an option that you would like to use too often as you may get rebound headaches (a consequence of taking too much medication).

Thus, closely monitoring your diet can be helpful in preventing migraine headaches. It is not an easy exercise to precisely determine what your food intolerances or allergies are. You may need to seek the help of a qualified professional for this process. However, if you are successful in determining any potential food triggers, you will get immense relief from reducing the frequency and severity of your migraine headaches. Eliminating banana pancakes from your diet will not be such a bad idea after all!

Overconsumption of drugs for headache relief can result in rebound headaches and worsening migraines. Get more information on natural headache remedy or remedies here on this site at http://www.naturalheadacheremedies.com

Your Prosperity Sunrise A Wealth Meditation For Women

In the olden days, the sun and gold and god and prosperity were all tied up together. They were also mostly considered to be the domain of men and many amongst us who are not of that gender still carry a residual notion that this might not be for our kind, simply by the virtue of overwhelming experience of so many generations for a hundred thousand years.

Fact is though that the sun is a powerful prosperity and wealth symbol, perhaps the most powerful of them all - and it shines on EVERYONE.

This prosperity sunrise is a shamanic healing meditation designed to bring you closer to the aspects of wealth and power inherent in the symbolism of the sun; it is easy to do and quite wonderful.

If you are of a mind, you could put on some suitable music and move or dance this meditation - this will give you 360' of physical movement which strengthens the experience and makes it far more profound than if it is entirely autogenic.

So in a moment,

close your eyes

and find yourself

on a wide, sweeping plane,

cool and dark it is still

but there is a banding

on the far horizon

that tells you

the sun

is about to rise.

This is YOUR personal prosperity sunrise.

Feel the power

and radiance of the sun

increasing

as the sky fills

with living light,

as it gets brighter and brighter,

all around, you feel the light

and then the sun rises

majestically over the horizon

and floods the plane with light,

bathes you in light,

powerful energy,

powerful charge

and powerful wealth.

Accept this blessing

with open arms.

Open your heart,

your mind

and all your being

to the golden rays of sun.

Turn around slowly

on the spot and bathe

in this blessing of wealth

and brilliant power.

When you are filled

to overflowing and beyond,

return and ...

Continue with your day!

Dr Silvia Hartmann is the Creator of the EmoTrance system of energy healing and the author of Oceans Of Energy. This meditation is just one of 365 quick wealth boosters - a free course you can receive by visiting http://MindMillion.com/60/

Stuck in the Food Muck (Part 3 of 3)

Often times we know that we are not happy with our weight, health, and fitness. We know that we should make changes in our eating, exercise, and lifestyle habits, but sometimes we just get stuck in our old ways of thinking and eating.

Why do we get so stuck in not-so-good-for-you habits and stay stuck when we know better?

There are many reasons for getting stuck.

The more aware you become of what keeps you in the food rut, the more likely you will free yourself from the food rut so that you can reach a higher level of health and fitness.

What keeps you stuck in a body less than your ideal? Could it be:

Conditioning
Habits
Emotional bondage
Ignorance
Laziness
Complacency (self-satisfaction)
Too many voices
Fear
Doctor worship
?It won?t happen to me?

Parts 1 and 2 of this article explore reasons 1-6. In this part of the article, let?s explore the last four reasons why we get stuck.

7. Too many voices: With all the different and often conflicting voices out there, from doctors, authors, the media, celebrities, friends, family, and the government, you can get very confused. Which voice are you going to listen to? How are you to know who is offering the truth?

Often times, confusion leads to overwhelm and overwhelm leads to doing the easiest thing possible?which is, in this case, eating exactly what you have always eaten no matter how good or bad it is for you.

8. Fear: You may be simply afraid of making changes. Yes, afraid. You may be afraid of upsetting other people around you, rocking the boat so to speak. You may be afraid of their scoffing or not approving of your new food regime, no matter how right it is for you. You may be afraid to try for fear of failing and failing leads to guilt and feeling badly about ourselves.

Who wants that? So you don?t even try.

9. Doctor worship: Sometimes we conveniently use our doctors as an excuse to not take care of our bodies with better foods and daily exercise. If our doctor doesn?t tell us to eat differently and to exercise, then we don?t take the initiative to eat differently and exercise. After all, the doctor knows best and if he didn?t give specific advice, then who are we to question his authority?

Sometimes we are afraid of our doctor?s disapproval if we start altering our diets. We wouldn?t want to earn his disapproval or, heaven forbid, his anger because we are not following his advice to the letter.

It is important to remember that our health is our responsibility and a doctor is an advisor, not a dictator or an all-knowing God.

10.?It won?t happen to me:? As I have heard Dr. John McDougall say, I think the most common reason of all that people get stuck in their old ways of eating is because they really don?t think that ?it? will happen to them.

They witness their neighbors, friends, siblings, parents, spouses, and even their children getting some awful disease, or condition, but they really can?t even imagine that it could happen to them.

How many people do you know, perhaps even you, that have been diagnosed or stricken by a disease or condition and they said those exact words, ?I just never thought it would happen to me.?

People can not relate to another person?s pain or ailment until it strikes them.

Are you stuck in your old habits because of one or more of these reasons? Now is the time to break free and evolve into the healthiest and the best you.

As we become more and more aware of what keeps us stuck in old, health-compromising behaviors and patterns, our thinking starts to change. And a change in our thoughts triggers a change in our actions. A change in our actions builds better habits. Better habits have the power to transform our bodies, our health, and our very lives.

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

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Treatment for Depression to be Launched in May

Final FDA approval of vagus nerve stimulation as a therapy for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression to be issued in May. Psychiatrists will then officially be able to prescribe this remarkable, life changing therapy for patients.

On April 7th, 2005, the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator( Cyberonics, Inc.) announced that it had been notified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) that one the few remaining conditions of final FDA approval had been satisfied. Cyberonics also announced that it was very confident that the two remaining conditions will be expeditously satisfied and that final FDA approval will be issued in May.

Robert P. (?Skip?) Cummins, Cyberonics? Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer commented: ?This major step forward towards the accomplishment of Cyberonics? mission to improve the lives of people touched by refractory epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) would not have been possible without the timely, diligent, interactive and cooperative efforts of the entire Dallas District Office staff led by Michael Chappell, District Director, and the Cyberonics regulatory team. Cyberonics and CDRH continue to make good progress towards our goal of satisfying the remaining conditions of final TRD approval.?

The official launch of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for depression will take place at the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting at the World Congress Center in Atlanta from May 21st to May 25th. The Annual Meeting will be attended by over 20,000 psychiatrists.

Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent and serious illnesses in the U.S., affecting nearly 19 million Americans every year. Depression is the second leading cause of disability for the general population and the leading cause of disability for American women. Approximately 20 percent of depressed Americans, or approximately four million people, experience chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression that has failed to respond to multiple antidepressant treatments. If approved, the VNS Therapy System will be the first implantable device-based treatment for depression and the first treatment developed, studied and labeled specifically for patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Vagus nerve stimulation will be the mainstream treatment for chronic or treatment-resistant depression. Over four million American suffer from chronic depression. The final FDA approval will be considered one of the major breakthroughs in medical device history.

You can learn more at http://www.VagusNerveStimulator.com. There is a free electronic newsletter to keep you up-to-date.

Charles Donovan was a patient in the FDA investigational trial of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression. He was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator in April of 2001. He chronicles his journey from the grips of depression thanks to vagus nerve stimulation therapy in his book:

Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

The book will be exhibited at the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting in May.

He is editor the http://www.VagusNerveStimulator.com Web Site

Avoiding Allergy Medications With Children

Childhood Asthma - Getting Your Child Off Allergy Medications

A child with asthma and allergies may not know that asthma and allergies is the number #1 chronic childhood disease.

He also may not know that asthma claims more lives every year even though more treatments are available. It is a fact that there are over 3 million more Americans with asthma than there were 10 years ago. Why the rise in asthma and allergies?

With todays busier society, our house-cleaning standard have plummeted. We also have become a generation of 'couch potatoes'...spending over 95% of our time indoors. Our homes are tightly insulated and limit ventilation of household irritants such as mold, smoke and chemicals.

This all results in increased exposure to allergens. And allergens are the number one cause of allergy and asthma attacks. Allergy medications are being used on a daily basis as a way to control allergies & asthma. With children prevention of allergies is far better than taking allergy medications.

There are five simple things that can be done to reduce allergy symptoms and possibly reduce the use of allergy medications.

1) Never allow smoking in the home. Smoke will remain in an indoor environment for up to 10 years, even though you can no longer see or smell it.

2) Shoes should be taken off at the door to prevent allergens from being brought in on the shoes.

3) Use non-toxic cleaning products instead of store bought chemical brands. All cleaning products are eventually inhaled or absorbed into the skin. Do you really want to clean with even a 'little bit' of poison?

4) Do not let pets into the bedrooms. All pets have dander and it can be an allergen. Children spend around 8 hours in the bedroom at night. Keep it as allergy free as possible.

5) Make sure humidity levels in the home don't go over 45%. Humidifiers attached to the furnace are more reliable than freestanding ones. Humidifiers with damp filters in them can be a mold breeding area.

It is important to try to create a clean healthy environment for your child so he can breathe easy and not have to rely on allergy medications which can have negative side effects.

Deborah Mumm has been in the Indoor Air industry since 1996. She has written various articles on asthma, allergies

and indoor air pollution plus gives talks to teachers and small groups on the effects of indoor air pollution. Her web site offers products for a healthy home ~ http://www.healthy-environments.com She offers an e-book on tips to avoid allergy medications on her site.

Walking is a Great Form of Exercise Walk Off the Weight

Walking exercise is a great and easy way to lose weight and get fit. The greatest challenge for any working mom is the obstacle of finding time to exercise. For stay-at-home moms it's even more difficult because little ones often accompany the adventure and that means plenty of distractions along the way.

Many fitness experts consider walking as the best form of exercise. It's also an easy exercise program to begin because you will be able to set your own goals and limitations as you embark on your new fitness adventure. While some people might encourage you to join your local gym or the YWCA, walking for exercise gives you the ability and flexibility to exercise whenever, wherever you want.

Workout flexibility is great, but having a set schedule when you first begin is very helpful. In fact, pick out a set schedule for 21 days and write it in on your day planner and schedule everything else around your walking schedule. Why? Too many times exercise commitments are broken because you put someone else's needs before your own. For 21 days, you are going to put your overall health and well being first. You must take care of you! Starting now.

It is easier to start a walking program than joining an expensive gym. In fact, the only equipment you need will be a comfortable pair of walking shoes. You might check into a headset or walkman so that you can get into the groove of your new and improved YOU! Walking to music will encourage you to pick up your step and often you will walk longer than you had planned as your mind is wandering away and you are letting your troubles pass you by.

If you are a beginner, the best walking advice is to take it easy and start up slow. It is also a good idea to start with (2) 10 minute brisk walks before plunging into a full 20 minute power walk. Unless you are extremely overweight, or have health problems, you should be able to start your walking program with the 2 daily exercise sessions and do these 6 days a week or 7 days a week if you are feeling frisky and energetic. Start your walking program on a Monday. It is also a good idea to start changing your eating habits and patterns when you first step out into the world of exercise. You can accomplish so much more if you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle while taking on a life-changing and possibly life-saving walking program.

If you start up a walking program and follow it consistently you will lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk for heart disease and help you begin a journey toward a better way of life! You will notice pounds and inches seem to just melt away. You will not feel as fatigued as usual, and you'll notice better mental clarity. Yes, walking the weight off may be just what the doctor ordered, but ask your doctor before you start this or any exercise program. Especially if you are 30 pounds or more overweight and haven't been actively involved in any other exercise program. Then dust off your old sneakers and start walking those pounds away!

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website 11-Weight-Loss.net Terje enjoys to give advice and help people with rapid weight loss and workout.

Easily Prevent Pneumonia By Taking A Pneumonia Vaccine

Pneumonia is an illness that affects one or both lungs and that used to be one of the main causes of death 2 centuries ago. It is caused by microorganisms that attack the tissue from the lungs, causing it to inflammate and leading to a severe condition if the infection is not treated in time.

Nowadays pneumonia can easily be cured with the help of antibiotics. But the medication must be taken as soon as possible, before any complications start to appear. Many people confuse pneumonia with a tough cold when its first signs start to appear, and they only realize that it's in fact pneumonia when their condition gets worse because the affection starts to spread. So, the best thing you can do in order to avoid this illness is to prevent it from appearing. How can you do that? By taking a pneumonia vaccine...

The pneumonia vaccine can protect you from the microorganisms that cause pneumonia. These microorganisms can affect other parts of the body too, including the brain, so getting a pneumonia vaccine would be a very wise idea, especially if you know that you have a weak defense system, or if you are over 65 years old, because in this situation a pneumonia can damage the body seriously.

Also, if you work in a hospital or if you must spend some time inside one, it is highly recommended to get a pneumonia vaccine, because the pneumonia virus spreads through the air, and if one patient sneezes or coughs it can get into the hospital's ventilation system and spread in a wide area. With a single shot you can avoid a lot of trouble, and the best thing about this vaccine is that it lasts a lifetime for most people. Those with other illnesses and with a weak defense system should periodically get this vaccine though, because they are at a higher risk. People with HIV can die from pneumonia so they need this shot quite often.

If you got a pneumonia vaccine a long time ago and now you are over 65, you should consult your doctor in this matter. He will probably advise you to get another one because at elder people the risks are also higher. Remember that the vaccine begins to work 2 weeks after you've had it, so do it in time if you know that you will be exposed to the virus in the future.

The shot is 100% effective, but certain factors may weaken it. Stress is know to do that. Some people that work in a stressful environment must take it yearly. It rarely presents side effects like fever or irritation, but in most cases this does not occur.

So consult your doctor for more information about the pneumonia vaccination, especially if you know that you are at risk. One shot can spare you of the illness that affects thousands yearly because it can easily spread through the air.

Great resources can be found regarding walking pneumonia, walking pneumonia symptoms and many moreby visiting http://www.pneumonia-center.com/

And Smiles To Go A Wider Smile Makes A Square Face Appear Longer!

People have become more aware of the significance of aesthetically pleasing smiles these days. And obviously, when you smile, your teeth are on display. Bad teeth or gums ? essentially bed dental health ? can mar your smile and make you very conscious. One must remember that good dental health doesn?t always require sacrificing beauty for function. Ultimately, emanates form good health.

Many habits can ruin a smile. Smoking stains the teeth as does consumption of coffee and tea. Holding objects, like pipe or glasses, in your mouth can cause spaces. Chewing ice or cracking nuts with your teeth can chip or fracture them. Biting, chewing or sucking on the lips or cheeks can damage tissue, and can cause tooth arrangement abnormalities, like spaces. So can constant tongue thrusting or placing your fingernails between your front teeth.

Many people erroneously believe that all of their facial defects reside in their smile when, in fact, their problems lie elsewhere. In these cases, plastic or oral surgery, rather than dental treatment, may be necessary, like an incompetent or a short upper lip, wherein your teeth appear to be big and you feel they are jutting out. Virtually everyone can be helped with cosmetic contouring/shaping of teeth to improve the shape of their natural set. By just going to a dentist for treating teeth and gum deformities, you are not assured of a perfect smile.

For instance, you may think that if only your front two teeth were capped, you would have a great smile. In reality, however, this treatment may just backfire by making your front two teeth stand out.

Facial shapes can sometimes be altered by changing the way you smile. Stand in front of a mirror and observe the shape of your face when you smile. First, smile normally. Next, smile wider. Observe the effect of the wider smile on your facial outline.

?A wider smile will help a square face to appear longer or oval.

?If you have a round face, practice smiling such that your teeth show. Open your mouth wide, them smile with your teeth showing. Chances are that your facial profile and smile will improve.

?While smiling, ensure that the bottom biting edges of the upper teeth are visible. Again, opening the mouth more may keep the lower lip from covering the edges, thus preventing the teeth from looking like a row of chicklets.

For more on how to get your teeth white =>http://www.beauty-cosmetic-guide.com/tooth-whitening.htm

How to determine your face shape? =>http://www.beauty-cosmetic-guide.com/hair-style/face-shape.htm

Join the beauty Blog for more on latest tips and tricks which work well for your beauty here =>http://www.beauty-cosmetic-guide.com/blog

Good Health In The Summer

Hot and humid weather in the summer can affect your health badly, easily make you feel irritated and uncomfortable. Follow the following simple tips to always feel cool and healthy in the summer.

Drink a lot of water. This sounds simple but is very important and effective. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day and more if you have to go out frequently. Bringing a bottle of water along wherever you go is a good way to cope with this hot and sunny summer.

Do exercises. You should take part in more outdoor activities in the summer. Summer is the time when you can try different kinds of sports and enjoy nature. Those activities will keep you fit and healthy, as well as make your mind sound and fresh.

Keep away from intense sunshine. Don't go sunbathing when it is intensely sunny. Your skin will be hurt and irritated. You should always wear hats and use sunblock when going out into the sunshine. This is very important to keep your skin from aging and getting spots. Remember to wear loose and light coloured clothes and choose for yourself a good pair of sunglasses. It will help you feel cooler and more comfortable in the hot weather.

Rest and breathe more. Summer is the time for resting and vacations. You shouldn't bury yourself in work but should spend more time relaxing with your friends and family. A long winter has passed by and this is the time to enjoy the sunlight. Let your mind and body relax by taking interesting vacations with your beloved.

Eat healthily. Summer is the season of activities, therefore your body needs a lot of energy. You have to supply it with more vitamin B and C, which will help in reducing stress and releasing energy. To cope with the intense sunshine, you should eat more vegetable and drink more fruit juice. Summer is the season of many kinds of vegetables and fruits so don't let this chance to improve your health pass by.

Don't wear too much makeup. Your skin is very oily in the hot weather of the summer. Heavy makeup just clogs your pores and creates good conditions for bacteria, which will result in ugly pimples on your face. Leave your skin clean, fresh and just wear light makeup.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Health

Workout Programs Help Manage Health Care Costs? YES!

I get a lot of questions from people asking me why someone would want to participate in a conditioning program of any kind. I often ask these individuals to take a step back and try to look at the bigger picture. Once you do that you can see how participating in a workout program can benefit so much more than just your body. It will also benefit your wallet.

My hope is that this article will show you how the benefits of a golf performance enhancement program can extend far beyond the golf course.

Money Is A Terrific Motivator

Money is a very strong motivator for most people. As such, I tend to use a financial perspective to motivate people. It is a perspective everyone understands and it works so well. I?ll use that same perspective here.

The health care industry in America continues to be a constant source of concern for the 50+ population. With advances in modern science, individuals are now living longer than any other time in history. While this can be seen as a positive, many individuals are worried about outliving their retirement funds (a very legitimate concern), having their standard of living being reduced due to lack of financial support and losing their personal mobility due to age.

One of the major issues that this country (USA) has on its hands is how we are going to care for the Baby Boomer population once they begin to get older. The overall financial strain it will put on our national health care and financial systems is projected to be very significant.

Strain On The Health Care System

There is already a terrible overall strain on the medical system we have. Many of today?s nurses are nearing retirement age. There is a recognized medical staffing crisis on the horizon as a result of this mass retirement.

Tomorrow?s health experts are not getting the clinical experience they need during school due to the incredible demand for new nurses, so much of the training is happening on the job. In short, they are not really ready for the hospital floor (this is a general, high level statement).

While this is not necessarily bad, it is a nightmare for hospitals, since there seems to be a significant drop in overall productivity and profitability from a veteran nurse to a new, ?untrained? nurse. This is not good for their bottom lines.

Don?t forget that hospitals, insurance and pharmaceutical companies are for-profit organizations. As such, they are going to do everything in their power to make sure that they make money, and lots of it.

Health Care Costs Continue To Increase

All of these factors (insurance, hospitals, medical treatments, drugs, etc) continue to increase exponentially in cost due to increased usage and demand for their services. Health care costs are expected to grow because scientists are continually discovering medicines to treat diseases of aging and people are living longer. The elderly population, now 36 million, is expected to reach 70 million by 2030.

The positive part of all this is that individuals are beginning to realize that they can control, to some extent, the chance that they will need significant health care in the future. Taking care of yourself now can ?save? you millions of dollars in health care costs not today, not tomorrow but many years down the road. Conditions that affect us while we continue to live (diabetes as an example) can be especially expensive, as you can live for decades with diabetes.

There are a number of other issues that will affect the future cost of health care. The point is, health care costs are not going to be getting any cheaper. You are by no means guaranteed to avoid all health problems by taking care of yourself, but you will stack the deck in your favor, and minimize your chance of realizing significant health care bills, by being proactive in the maintenance of your health.

Conditioning Benefits Will Transcend Improved Physical Health

The whole idea is to develop a better overall you. The core goal of a conditioning program should be about so much more than just fitness and conditioning. It should be about healthcare cost avoidance, quality of life, reduced pain, treating root causes of pain, etc.

I can think of only three investments that have very minimal, if any, risks but can yield huge returns: Education, health and family/personal relationships.

Think of taking care of yourself as a long term cost management strategy for your life. You can also look at it as a no-risk investment in yourself that will pay dividends far above and beyond any other investment you can make while also improving your body and energy levels. That is an investment I like to think most people would be willing to make.

Still Enjoy The Things You Love

Don?t forget that you can take care of yourself and still eat the foods and do the things you like in life. I workout a lot, but I also drink beer, love hamburgers and steak, eat McDonalds (occasionally) and enjoy Mtn Dew. I just don?t make them a staple of my diet.

Hopefully this article has shown you that once you take a step back and look at the bigger, long term picture that you can develop a much more compelling argument for general wellness, which is a natural byproduct of a properly designed fitness program.

As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the NSCA, Jason Krantz's focus is on significantly improving the power levels and injury resistance of all golfers. He specializes in power enhancement and all related components of improved golf performance. For more information on how Jason can help your body and game visit http://www.sonicboomgolf.com

You can also download Jason?s free e-book at http://www.sonicboomgolf.com/proshop.php This e-book will show you how a golf conditioning program will improve your energy levels, decrease pain, decrease your chance of injury and have you experiencing a vigor for life that you haven?t had in years.

Eyes

The eyes are the sensors that detect the reflected light from an object, pre-process it into a neuron signal and transmit it to the brain. The brain, after referring to its memory data bank, then identifies the object.

The eye is an almost spherical organ, about an inch in diameter, fitted with fatty tissues inside the eye socket of the skull. The sclera is the tough protective outer layer of the eye, which we see as the white of the eyes. The cornea is made of transparent, strong and smooth material that covers the colored portion of the eye. Its semi-spherical shape directs light into the pupil.

The iris, the colored portion of the eye, is made of flexible muscles, and the aperture in the center is known as the pupil. The iris muscles contract or expand to different light conditions and determine the size of the pupil. Heredity decides the color of the melanin pigment in the iris. Behind the iris is the lens. The lens focuses the light coming in through the pupil onto the retina by altering its own shape.

The retina detects the light, does the initial processing and transmits it to the brain. The eyelids, along with the lacrimal gland (tear gland), protect the eyes from injury, dust, germs and other toxic substances by automatic reflex action. We have two eyes located at a fixed distance apart, so they send two slightly varying signals according to the angle. The brain processes these and arrives at a three-dimensional image.

In an inherited condition like myopia, or near-sightedness, the distance between the lens and the retina is more than normal, so the eyes cannot see the distant objects. In the old-age problem of hyperopia, or farsightedness, the eyeball structure alters, the distance between the lens and the retina is reduced and the eyes cannot see close objects. Glasses or contact lenses can correct both these conditions. A cataract is a condition where the lens gets clouded and the vision deteriorates. Surgically replacing the lens with a synthetic lens successfully corrects the problem. Other eye diseases include conjunctivitis, astigmatism, glaucoma, sty, tumors, ectropion and entropion.

Simple precautions, such as wearing goggles in dusty areas like workshops and laboratories, and wearing sunglasses when there is harsh sunlight, go a long way in keeping these vital organs functioning smoothly for life.

Eyes provides detailed information on Eyes, Dry Eyes, Red Eyes, Puffy Eyes and more. Eyes is affiliated with Eyeglass Lenses.

7 Tips to Healthy Halloween Contact Lens Wear

Halloween contact lenses are an amazing way to spice up any costume. And, in some cases can make a great costume all on there own. Unfortunately in today?s market place, Halloween contact lenses have been promoted as an accessory rather than a medical device.

As it stands today, any theatrical or cosmetic contact lenses purchased without the written approval of a licensed eye care professional are considered illegal. Just because they are sold illegally does not mean they are safe.

If you are considering wearing cat eyes or mirrored contact lenses this year, see your eye care professional. This will ensure you get the best lenses for your eyes and will be properly instructed on their use. Once you get that perfect pair of costume lenses, remember they are for fun and furthermore, these are your eyes. A few guidelines will help ensure you have a safe and exciting time wearing your new lenses.

Tip 1 - Get your contact lenses from a licensed professional. In the United States sale of all contact lenses is restricted to licensed professionals. Think before buying lenses at a flea market or gas station. Ask yourself: has someone else already worn theses lenses? What kind of solution are they stored in? Who made them? What kind of paints were used, are they safe to put on my eyes? If you see a licensed professional you can rest assured that everything will go smooth and you will have an FDA approved lens that is fit specifically for your eye.

Tip 2 - Your contact lenses were fit for your eyes only. Never trade contact lenses. Once they have been put on your eyes, they should never go on anyone else?s eyes. Swapping contact lenses is a sure recipe for infection.

Tip 3 - Follow the recommended care regimen for your new cosmetic lenses. There are many different care systems available for contact lenses. Some are compatible with soft theatrical contacts, and some are not. Some are safe to put directly on your eye, and some are not. Play it safe and only use what your eye care professional recommends for your eyes and lenses.

Tip 4 - Only wear your lenses as long as is suggested by your contact lens specialist. Many of the theatrical lenses available today are designed to be worn for only a few hours at a time. Especially for eyes that are not used to contact lenses, put on your lenses before your affair and remove them after. Do not attempt to wear them all day and all night. Your eyes will not be pleased if you over wear your lenses.

Tip 5 - If using face makeup, put your lenses on first, then the makeup. You want to avoid getting makeup on and especially under your contacts. Simply put your lenses on first, and then you can apply any face makeup.

Tip 6 - Never sleep in your novelty contact lenses. Lenses used for overnight wear are designed specifically with extended wear in mind. Colored and painted lenses are designed to be worn for shorter periods.

Tip 7 - Have fun with your lenses. Depending on what style you choose, from spooky dragon eyes or pitch black mirrored contact lenses to cute pink temptress lenses you are sure to amaze and dazzle your friends.

Following these simple tips will help ensure a fun and safe costume that will leave your eyes happy and healthy.

Steve Cogger is a contact lens specialist from New York City and a fellow of the Contact Lens Society of America. In order to provide a resource for all lens wearers, he is also the webmaster of http://www.All-About-Contact-Lenses.com.

The China Diet

I?ve spent the past five years in China, first as an English teacher and then doing business. Although I still do believe that America is best, I came to oftentimes feel that we Americans could learn a lot from the wisdom that?s accumulated and is reflected in China?s four thousand year old civilization. Chinese culture has ways about it that are difficult not to admire.

One thing that?s always a little embarrassing to Americans living in China is to view scenes from American life that are displayed on Chinese TV. It?s because Americans always appear so fat. Not just overweight, but ridiculously fat?obese. I sometimes suspected that the Chinese propaganda machine was purposely depicting Americans in a negative light, and of course before I left for China I never really noticed?if most of those one sees around him day after day are fat it doesn?t seem so unusual. However, when I recently returned from China and stepped into the airport terminal at Los Angeles, what a shock! It?s true?Americans are mostly all fat, and even those one wouldn?t really call fat still seem to have a weight problem. Another impression upon returning came from seeing all the diet books being advertised and talked about in the stream of American media-saturated consciousness. The Atkinson Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Low-Carb Diet, The This Diet, The That Diet. Diet pills, diet clinics, weight loss remedies, ?I lost 40 lbs. in 40 days? commercials. Gosh.

Well, I?m not fat. I was a little pudgy before I left for China five years ago, but not now. The idea of dieting never crossed my mind while I was there, in fact I ate more, a lot more, because the food is so good. The food in China is really, really good. In China food is art and it?s delicious, and it?s much better, more varied and different than the Chinese food here. There were also many opportunities for me to hang out with whomever and drink beer, and so I did a lot of that too, more than I should have, but I didn?t gain weight, I lost weight. Something else I should mention here is that few Chinese people are fat. They generally seem very fit and healthy, and extremely energetic.

A few days after arriving at LAX I drove down to San Ysidro on the US/Mexico border to see my old friend Wade. I was saddened when he told me that his fourteen year old daughter had been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer nine months earlier, but was quickly relieved when he added that the doctor treating her told him her cancer had apparently gone into remission as a result of chemotherapy treatments, and the prognosis for her was extremely optimistic. Wade also mentioned that this doctor definitely felt there was a link between his daughter?s cancer and all the fast food she and her friends were always consuming. Coincidentally, the next day I read a report on an internet website that claimed Americans suffer from cancer at twice the rate of the English, and that we experience heart disease and stroke at several times the rate of the French! It couldn?t be just the food though, I mean as in too much meat and fat or too much sugar, though it seems likely that that?s part of the problem. Reading the labels on cans and packages reveals long lists of esoteric chemical cocktails that we?re putting into our systems along with aerated potatoes and hydrogenated oils, in addition to the cows, pigs and chickens that have undergone treatments with hormones and antibiotics.

So it doesn?t take much to put things together. You can?t blame everything on tobacco since the English smoke more than we do, the French smoke more than the English, and the Japanese, who have the highest life expectancy in the world and suffer from cancer, heart disease and stroke at a fraction of our rate, smoke most of all, and they smoke everywhere. Although the hordes of class-action attorneys that converged on the tobacco companies (and everyone close to them with deep pockets), may be right now mapping out their next project, we don?t have to wait to be among those that will be suing the fast food restaurants, grocery stores and food processing companies that are making us look and feel awful, and killing us with disease. All we have to do is eat like the Chinese. Speaking personally, I?d rather eat like the Chinese even if it did make me fat, but it won?t, and it won?t make anyone else fat either.

As was mentioned, in China food is more than just food, it?s one of the great joys of life and it?s production is regarded as aesthetic expression. One problem is that I don?t think good Chinese food is that simple to make, preparing it right seems to be a pretty involved process. I?m resolved to make available a nice list of favorite recipes gleaned from my contacts in China and put them on my friend?s website who is also in China. It will be free, and I?ll try to focus on dishes that are not only very delicious and healthy, but easy enough that even I could do them (if I could make them anyone could). The list will include not so well known Chinese fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Until then, I?m hungry, I need to find where I can go for one of my favorites: Yunnan stir-fry wild mushrooms with onions and Cod, and seasoned to-fu along with a plate of fresh mixed young Chinese vegetables in spicy coconut sauce?

Rockland Zeiler, writing as Lai-En Xyler, earned his BA degree in anthropology from UW in 1981. Over the past five years he's lived and worked in China where he's started two small businesses and learned Chinese. He feels we Americans could learn from the accumulated wisdom reflected in China's four thousand year old civilization. He asks that a link to his friend's website, http://www.dreamsofchina.com, be included in reprints, and welcomes comments or questions at info@dreamsofchina.com.

The Categories at Risk of Developing Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States. While colorectal cancer is highly treatable in its incipient stage, when it is diagnosed late, the disease becomes life-threatening. Statistics indicate that there are more than 150.000 new annual cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed in the United States. Although this type of cancer can be effectively prevented, it accounts for more than 50.000 deaths among the American population each year.

Colorectal cancer has the highest incidence in people with ages over 50 and it is more commonly seen in obese, smokers and physically inactive people. Although it can occur in all ethnical groups, this type of cancer is very common in African Americans. Statistics indicate that in the last few years, both the incidence and the mortality rate of colorectal cancer have known a pronounced increase among African American people. Research results reveal the fact that African American women are exposed to a very high risk of developing colorectal cancer due to obesity, unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle.

Doctors claim that colorectal cancer can be effectively treated if the disease is timely diagnosed. They state that modern medicine holds new, reliable means of preventing the progression of colorectal cancer and that people should be screened for potential malignancies more often. Regular colorectal cancer screening is recommended to anyone at risk of developing this type of cancer. The categories at risk of developing colorectal cancer are: people with ages over 50, overweight people, people with chronic gastrointestinal diseases, smokers, people who have a family history of adenomatous polyposis, non-polyposis colon cancer, Gardner?s syndrome or Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and people who have suffered colon cancer surgery.

Colorectal cancer screening can be performed through multiple methods. In present, the procedures used in cancer screening are quick, safe and reliable. Furthermore, the costs of a complete annual examination for colorectal cancer are very low. A complete examination should include fecal occult blood testing, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and barium enema. These tests can easily reveal the presence of malignant colonic polyps, tumors and carcinomas in the early stages of colorectal cancer.

Nowadays, there are three basic programs used in colorectal cancer screening. The first program involves fecal occult blood testing and sigmoidoscopy. Fecal occult blood testing should be repeated annually, while sigmoidoscopy should be repeated every five years. The second program involves an initial total colon examination, followed by distal colon barium enema every five years. The last program recommended by oncologists involves an initial total colon exam, followed by colorectal examination every ten years. As the methods of colorectal screening provide similar results, patients are allowed to choose anyone of these three programs, with the condition to respect the schedule recommended by their doctor.

For more resource on different colon cancer subjects please click this link http://www.colon-cancer-center.com. You can also find valuable information about colon cancer treatment or even about metastatic colon cancer

Bad Breath Treatment

Bad breath can be a great source of embarrassment and shame, not only for the person affected but also for the person who is unfortunate enough to take on the role of telling that person that he or she has bad breath. Fortunately, there are many bad breath treatments available from home remedies to supplements that help aid digestion.

The first step in treating bad breath, of course, is practicing good oral hygiene. In fact, one of the main reasons why bad smelling breath develops is because people don?t take good care of their mouth.

Brushing your teeth regularly and flossing are one important step in bad breath treatment. Another is to get regular dentist check-ups in order to identify and correct problems that may lead to bad breath, including gum disease, carious teeth, faulty restorations, overhanging fillings and leaking crowns. All of these serve as food traps, encouraging bacteria growth, which in turn causes bad breath.

Now, in addition to good oral hygiene, bad breath treatments may also include:

Sugarless Gums and Lozenges

Chewing gums or sucking on lozenges will help increase saliva flow and prevent dry mouth, which is one cause of bad breath. It is important that you take only sugarless gums and lozenges in order to minimize acidity in the mouth. Sugar can add to the acidity in your mouth, thereby attracting bacteria to grow.

The saliva acts as your mouth?s natural mouthwash. It removes particles of food and has antibiotic elements that kill off bacteria. By encouraging saliva flow with this particular bad breath treatment, you therefore remove the factors that contribute to bad breath.

Water

If chewing on sugarless gums and lozenges is not enough to increase saliva flow, then increase your intake of fluids, especially water. Water therapy is one good bad breath treatment that will cost you just about nothing and yet is effective in solving the problem. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day to help with basic metabolic function and to keep the mouth moist. This will help hold bacterial flora at bay.

Vitamin C Deficiency, and Tobacco

These two are actually major contributive factors to bad breath. It has been frequently observed that persons with a deficiency in vitamin C tend to develop bad breath. Vitamin C supplements are therefore recommended as bad breath treatment.

Additionally, the nicotine in tobacco products like cigarettes can destroy vitamin C, thus leading to a deficiency in this nutrient. Smokers should therefore take vitamin C supplements to treat bad breath.

If supplementation is not an option for you, then consider snacking on carrots, celery, or other vegetables that are rich in vitamin C. Not only will this help keep plaque from forming, but it will also help increase your intake of vitamin C.

Milos Pesic is a successful webmaster and owner of Bad Breath Blog. Visit now to find out all you wanted to know about Bad Breath, Gum Disease and other dental problems.

The Most Unmistakable Sign of Aging Wrinkles

Aging is an undisputable fact of life that transgresses any human intervention. The most unmistakable sign of aging is the formation of wrinkles, and furrows on the face. Hormonal changes, heredity, and the skin?s inability to retain moisture are natural aging factors contributing to the formation of wrinkles, and are unavoidable. External factors such as over exposure to sunlight, pollution, stress, smoking and poor dietary habits are factors that we do have control over. All these factors make the skin less supple, thereby reducing skin tone creating a loss of firmness, and the appearance of wrinkles. Skin begins to show signs of wrinkles when skin cells dye off faster than what can be replaced by normal regeneration. With time, these wrinkles deepen, reaching the supporting dermal layer. When the dermis loses its elasticity, deeper, and more permanent wrinkles form. While all these changes are taking place, gravity exerts its influence by pulling at the skin, causing it to sag.

Harsh environmental conditions cause free radicals to form; as a result, the skin becomes rough and dry resulting in loss of flexibility, and firmness. The sun is the major cause of unwanted changes in the skin, causing a cascade of events. UV radiation from the sun causes collagen to break down, resulting in an abnormal rebuilding process. Over time, this abnormal rebuilding process leads to the development of wrinkles. Beginning at childhood, it is important to use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, a brimmed hat, and other protective clothing. Avoid sunbathing and limit exposure between 10:00am and 3:00pm.

In addition to the devastating effects of cigarettes, smoking causes collagen damage much like sun light which lead to wrinkles. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen supplied to the skin by reducing circulation, and compromises the skin's ability to fend off free radicals. All of these factors considered separately and together, cause the appearance of wrinkles.

While the formation of wrinkles, for the most part are unavoidable, treatments have been developed to address the various types. Products, and procedures that increase the thickness of the skin, or that remove damaged skin are the goal in wrinkle treatments. Moisturizers are perfect for superficial, surface deep wrinkles. Facial creams would be the next line of defense, Retinoic acid, used successfully in treating acne, has been shown to improve the surface texture of the skin, and increase dermal collagen. Alpha hydroxy acids also show promise in reversing some of the effects of the sun. Resurfacing is one of the most common Laser treatments used for wrinkles. These procedures improve wrinkles by vaporizing damaged skin cells and allowing the remaining collagen to become thicker and healthier. Botox, is an injection that temporarily reduces or eliminates frown lines, forehead creases, crows feet near the eyes and thick bands in the neck. The toxin blocks the nerve impulses, temporarily paralyzing the muscles that cause wrinkles.

There are several practical steps that can be taken to hasten, or delay the appearance of wrinkles. It is important to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Try to avoid rubbing your eyes , the tendency is to stretch delicate skin. Maintain a stable body weight, a constant weight gain or loss can cause the skin to sag. Keep your skin moisturized to maintain its elasticity and suppleness. Avoid alcohol and smoking. Drink plenty of water. Eight glasses of water a day is the recommended amount necessary for adequate hydration. Spend 15 minutes each morning and evening exercising the muscles in your face. Try to think about your face several times a day and totally relax all your facial muscles.

Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for Wrinkle Treatment Resource. Visit http://wrinkletreatmentonline.com/ for more information.

Self Hypnosis Cds How Do They Help?

The next best thing to a hypnosis session with an experienced hypnotherapist may be listening to a self hypnosis cd, tape, or other recording medium.

Although the practice of self-guided self hypnosis (without a hypnotherapist or self hypnosis cd) can be very powerful it still requires you to think of what to do next and which way to turn.

Self guided hypnosis you might say is similar to driving a car. The driver of the car can enjoy the views but he/she must make the decisions about the direction and speed and where to go next.

On the other hand listening to self hypnosis cds can be like the experience of the passenger in the car. The passenger can enjoy much more of the view and not have to concentrate on anything particular. The passenger can go with the view from the car window or choose to drift away with his/her own thoughts.

Although it can be argued that the suggestions and therapeutuc processes in a self hypnosis cd remain fixed, it is also a fact that the listener will not remember everything in the recording consciously. So on subsequent playings the listener becomes aware of parts of the recording that they do not hear consciously before.

Also the repitition of beneficial suggestions which is then heard over and over again, consciously or unconsciously helps with their acceptance. Let's face it, if we hear something often enough we begin to believe it. A self hypnosis cd makes use of this fact and something else...

If, like the passenger of a car, the conscious mind wanders off, it is less likely to reject positive suggestions. This being the case those positive suggestions are more easily accepted as true in the stronger part of the mind, the unconscious mind.

All in all, self hypnosis cds are a great way of dealing with and releasing patterns, urges and other unwanted or unhelpful behaviours.

Steven A. Harold
Hypnosis Cds

Food Intolerance

Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten and suspect they have a ?food allergy?. However, only 2?5% of adults and 2?8% of children are truly ?allergic? to certain foods. The remainder of people may be experiencing food intolerance, or food sensitivity, rather than true food allergy.

I think a quick lesson is in order? A food allergy occurs when an individual ingests a food (usually containing a protein) that the body sees as a ?foreign? or threatening substance - known as an ANTIGEN or ALLERGEN. The person?s immune system responds by mounting an attack, producing large amounts of IgE antibodies, which attach themselves to specialised white blood cells. These cells release histamine and other inflammatory substances, producing ?classic? allergic symptoms of swelling and inflammation. Conditions and symptoms such as rhinitis, asthma, wheezing, lip swelling, itchy skin, hives, and eczema involve this type of ?allergic? reaction. The allergens involved could be anything from a food protein, pollen from flowers or grasses, house-dust mite or animal dander.

A food ?intolerant? reaction also occurs when the body ?reacts? to the ingestion of a food. This reaction however may or may not involve the immune system, and may be caused by a food protein, a starch or sugar molecule, other food component, or by a contaminant found in the food (e.g. food colouring, preservative etc.). If the immune system IS involved, it is usually a different class of antibody that is produced, which is why standard food allergy tests can produce negative results, yet noticeable food-related symptoms persist. Many symptoms related to food intolerance are caused by a local inflammatory response in the gut, and a sign of underlying ?inflammation?.

With food ?intolerance?, it is worth understanding, that it?s rarely the food that is the problem ? it is the person?s response to it! Foods containing wheat or milk for example are getting reputations as ?bad foods? due to the reactions they can produce in some people. While they can very well be ?problem foods? for some, they can also be very healthy foods for others. Food intolerance could be re-named as ?poor digestion?, as reactions to food are often the result of poor or compromised digestion!

So what can cause food intolerance? Food intolerances are often caused by stress! Food-intolerant people often have low levels of secretory IgA, a class of protective antibodies found in the gut. IgA antibodies protect the body against the entry of foreign substances. Stress leads to a decrease in secretory IgA? a bit of vicious cycle really, but it certainly explains the relationship between stress and food intolerance!

Underlying digestive problems (e.g. low stomach acidity, gut bacterial overgrowth, a ?leaky? or damaged gut lining, yeast infection or poor digestive enzyme production) are common ?causes? of food intolerance and must be addressed before avoiding foods unnecessarily. Gallbladder disease, gallstones, and pancreatitis may also be underlying causes of reactions to foods, but these will produce other symptoms too.

It is usually large food particles that cause allergic reactions, so proper breakdown of food (especially protein) via cooking and chewing is vitally important. Digestive enzymes or probiotics can often help too to ensure complete digestion, and once digestion is corrected, things can improve quite dramatically.

Signs and symptoms of food intolerance can be quite diverse, depending on how long the person has been ingesting food allergens and how the body has ?adapted?. Common symptoms include bloating, stomach cramping, diarrhoea or constipation ? yes commonly known as ?IBS?! Long term food intolerance may produce symptoms totally unrelated to the digestive system and may include fatigue, joint and muscle aching, depression, headaches and migraine, hyperactivity in children, and even certain autoimmune disorders.

Diagnosing a food intolerance rather than an allergy (via IgE antibody blood testing) is not easy, simply because reactions to foods can occur from anywhere between 12-36 hours after eating? coupled with the fact that an individual may be reacting to more than one food! Exclusion/reintroduction diets are the ?gold standard? of tests and the most useful when done properly. They do need to be adhered to for at least 2-4 weeks initially, and are always best done under the guidance of a registered nutritionist or dietician with experience in food allergy and intolerance.

Various blood tests are now available (most useful are IgG antibody tests ? available now via pin-prick blood sample) which may prove useful in many cases ? but only when there are noticeable symptoms. Vega testing (measuring energy flow) and kinesiology (muscle strength testing) are entirely reliant on the skill of the practitioner, so how effective they actually are is very difficult to measure. Whatever the test, none are 100% accurate, and changes to a person?s diet based purely on the results of a test cause more confusion than clarity, and very often lead to unbalanced eating, unnecessary food phobias, and possible nutrient deficiencies.

What to do if you suspect you have a food intolerance

1)Keep a food diary and note when symptoms occur
2)Try and identify the possible problem foods
3)Seek advice on how to adapt the diet to improve digestion
4)Eat a varied, fresh and nutritious diet

The most commonly allergic foods? Cow?s milk, cheese, soya, eggs, peanuts, wheat, gluten, yeast, corn, rye, chocolate (often the milk in chocolate!), coffee, tea, alcohol (it is the chemicals and preservatives in alcohol, not the alcohol per say), citrus fruit (lemons, oranges), white potato, beef, various spices, tomato, malt, pork, chemical additives, colourings and preservatives in food (especially tartrazine, sodium benzoate, aspartame).

Food intolerances are best dealt with by avoidance of the offending food for a prescribed period of time, followed by a ?rotation? diet, in which problem foods are only eaten every three to four days, instead of daily. Young children can often re-introduce foods after three months of avoidance, whereas adults may require six to twelve months of avoidance.

Much food intolerance and even some food allergy problems settle down after long-term avoidance, and especially when digestion is improved. When a problem food is only eaten sparingly, symptoms are less likely to return. The importance of rotating foods varies from person to person and may be related to the severity of the allergies.

The following foods are the least likely to provoke allergic reactions:

Beverages:
Almond milk, Quinoa milk, herb teas, apple juice and other pure or freshly squeezed fruit juices without sugar or additives (dilute 50:50 with water).
Roasted grain beverages may be used as coffee substitutes. If you like fresh coffee, Dandelion root which you can grind in a coffee grinder.
Soya milk is fine UNLESS you have an allergy to soya!

Cereals:
Oats (unless you have diagnosed Coeliac disease or are known to be ?sensitive? to gluten)
Oatmeal and Oatbran
Quinoa porridge
Puffed rice and millet cereal
Homemade mueslis

Grains and flours:
Chick pea flour
Potato flour
Buckwheat flour
Rice flour

Cooked whole gains:
Oats, millet, pearl or pot barley, buckwheat groats (also known as Kashi), brown rice, basmati rice, amaranth, quinoa, 100% buckwheat soba noodles, rice noodles.

Breads:
Sprouted grain breads, rice bread, 100% rye or spelt bread (often fine with wheat-sensitive individuals), other wheat and yeast-free breads
100% rice cakes
100% rye crackers

Legumes:
Haricot beans
Chickpeas
Black-eye beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Peas
String beans
Tofu (soya bean curd)

Dried beans should be soaked overnight. Pour off the water and rinse before cooking for allotted time. Canned beans often contain added sugar or other potential allergens, so if used they must be rinsed well.

Nuts and seeds Almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds ? eat raw with no salt etc. Nut butters are highly nutritious spreads to use in place of butter or margarine, e.g. Tahini, almond butter, hazelnut or cashew butter.

Oils:
Use cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils (available from health food stores), as they are safer. Do not use corn oil or ?vegetable oil? from an unspecified source, as this is usually corn oil.
Rapeseed oil
Linseed (edible linseed or flaxseed) oil
Olive oil
Safflower oil
Sesame oil
Soya oil
Sunflower oil

Protein:
Fresh white fish, salmon, mackerel and tuna and most canned fish, lamb, poultry and fowl.

Vegetables and fruit
All vegetables except corn are generally acceptable on a low-allergen diet, as is all fruits with the exception of citrus fruits. Tomatoes can often cause problems and should be avoided by susceptible individuals. Other food members of the nightshade family (potatoes, aubergine, peppers) may prove problematic with arthritis sufferers.

Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr Registered Nutritionist

How to Get Rid of Stomach and Bowel Problems

Many people suffer from unpleasant symptoms from their stomach, like: Constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, cramps, inflated stomach, acid eructation and pain related to such functional problems. This kind of symptoms most often originates from a colon made dysfunctional by bad lifestyle habits. Here are some simple lifestyle advices that may help you get rid of these symptoms.

- Eat food with high plant fibre content. Fibres from the food stimulate the movement of the intestines, and especially of the colon, and help you avoid a stuffed bowel. Whole, unrefined cereals, whole corn bread, vegetables and fruit will often give you the fibre you need. To get even more fibres, you can add some brand to your daily diet.

- Some herbs or spices can help your intestines to work more efficiently, for example peppermint, buckthorn bark, sienna, cayenne or ginger. However, too much of hot spices can irritate your intestines.

- Drink enough water. A too little water intake will make your stomach content hard and dry, and your intestines will then find difficulties moving the content along.

- One or two cups of coffee or tea each day can help your stomach work better, but very much coffee or tea will give you stomach problems.

- Eat enough, but not too much fat. The right amount of fat in your food will help giving your stomach content the right consistence. Most of the fat you consume should be a mix of fat from sources like olive oil, fish, rape, nuts, sunflowers and almonds.

- If you suffer from hard stool or constipation, taking for some days a couple tablespoons of linen seeds can help. Suspend the seeds in a glass of water and let it lie in the water some hours before stirring up the content of the glass and drinking it. You can blend a couple tablespoons of brand together with the linen seeds in a glass of water to get the effects of both these remedies at the same time.

- Do not eat too much, but neither too little, and eat at regular intervals. Four meals a day is usually optimal for most persons.

- Don't eat in a hurry, and chew your food well before swallowing it.

- Get some physical exercise each day.

- Take some time each day to stress down. Meditation is a good method of achieving mental rest.

- Consume some products containing bacteria helping digestion. A healthy colon contains bacteria that help the end part of the digestion process. Yoghourt or other types of fermented milk will provide your colon with seeds for good bacteria. If you do not tolerate milk, or your colonic microbial content needs special attention, you can use products on the market that give a high supply of good bacteria seeds.

- If pure lifestyle measures are not enough to regulate your intestinal function, certain natural products you can find in the market may help. These products typically contain fibre and herbs that stimulate your intestinal functions, oily or mucous substances that lubricate your intestinal content, seeds for digestive friendly bacteria, or herbs that relax cramping.

- Stomach problems may also originate from hypersensitivity against food types, for example against milk or wheat, or from diseases that need treatment. If simple measures do not help after some days, the problem should be medically investigated. Some people suffer from hypersensitivity against the protein gluten in wheat and other cereals. To confirm or disprove this type of hypersensitivity, a medical investigation is needed.

Even though the listed measures should help you get rid of functional stomach problems in some days, the problems will return in some time if you do not change your eating and lifestyle habits permanently and begin exercising on a regular base.

Knut Holt is an internet consultant and marketer focusing on health items. TO FIND natural medicines against digestive problems, allergy, asthma, acne, eczema, rosacea, scars, wrinkles, over-weight, hypertension, heart disease, hypothyroidism, hemorrhoids, depression and other common health problems, PLEASE VISIT:----

http://www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm

----Free to reprint with the author's name and link.

Gastric Bypass Tool: Patient Growth Stages

Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is referred to in bariatric medicine as a ?tool?, only a tool to help morbidly obese regain health through massive weight loss. What is seldom mentioned is that ?Tool? causes patients to experience four phases of growth: Conception, Infancy, Adolescence and Maturity. Along the road through those four phases are lots of bumps and bruises, but also many celebrations and successes.

Conception begins when patients consider surgery as a treatment for morbid obesity. They may need to lose weight for health reasons, to restore quality of life or improve diminished self-esteem.

Conception is followed by birth, an event conducted by the surgeon who partitions off most of the stomach creating a pocket or pouch that will hold one ounce of food. In most gastric bypass procedures the digestive system is re-routed to bypass the intestine and shortcut to the bowel. This prevents too many calories from being absorbed and stored by the body in the form of fat. The patient wakes from the surgery a bariatric infant.

Infancy begins when the patient wakes from the anesthesia with a stomach the size of a tablespoon. Everything is completely foreign to the behaviors and habits that caused obesity. There is not one single thing an obese person has done in the past that they can continue doing. Infancy is the time of rapid weight loss. For the first time most morbidly obese patients are consistently losing lots of weight, something they have never experienced before. Infancy for most bariatric patients lasts from nine to 18 months.

Adolescence is the stage when patients tend to fight the tool. Many patients don?t dump, vomit, snack or eat the forbidden foods until they reach adolescence. But once they approach or reach target weight they take chances and break the rules. Perhaps they eat sugar which results in a blood sugar imbalance called ?dumping? or they may stuff themselves with starchy carbs causing vomiting. In the worst case, a patient returns to snacking, a little treat of hard candy here and a handful of popcorn there. This is when patients report weight regain, panic and self-loathing.

The good news: the duration of adolescence is up to the patient. A patient only hurts themselves when they break the rules. Successful WLS patients commit to themselves early to be in control of their own gastric bypass growth cycle.

Maturity At maturity a patient understands the gastric bypass system and is living the life they dreamed. They have achieved desired weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight and have stopped fighting the gastric bypass. I believe WLS maturity is reached when patients understand one word: respect. Respect for the tiny tummy, respect for the science of the body, and respect for oneself. Sure, we all experience an occasional lapse of judgment; that old lover of ours ? food - is flaunting temptations every single day. But the gastric bypass patient is a brave and resilient person.

Successful patients build on infant and teenage experiences and become an adult embracing all the good things gastric bypass has facilitated. The battle against obesity isn?t easy and it never ends. Patients will fight old habits for the rest of their life. Gastric bypass is a tool, a weapon in the battle against obesity, but it is the patient who wins the war.

Kaye Bailey ? 2005 - All Rights Reserved

http://www.livingafterwls.com
http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

Buying Wholesale Salon Equipment

Buying salon equipment from a wholesaler is one option to consider when opening a new hair, nail or tanning salon. Wholesalers of salon equipment typically offer many different styles and brands of equipment because they don?t specialize in one particular brand over another. This allows the consumer many options when equipping their business.

Many wholesale suppliers of salon equipment are available online and consumers are able to quickly and conveniently browse through online catalogs to determine which equipment best suits their business needs. Many of these wholesalers also offer free shipping to entice consumers to make a purchase.

Wholesale suppliers can also offer lower prices than smaller businesses that specialize in beauty equipment. They often carry a very large inventory and possess the power to make bulk purchases, allowing them to offer deeper discounts to their customers. Wholesale suppliers also offer financing or leasing options to the customer. This is a convenient way to allow business owners to grow their business, especially during the start up phase. Typically, wholesale salon equipment comes with a warranty that may vary from a standard 3-year warranty to a lifetime warranty -- which is typically attached to more expensive equipment. It is also important to ensure that wholesale salon equipment may be returned or exchanged if it is found to be substandard or defective.

In addition to the general cost savings of purchasing wholesale salon equipment, consumers may further save money if they purchase wholesale salon equipment that is offered as clearance. Many wholesale suppliers offer a selection of clearance equipment at deeply discounted prices. This equipment may have a low turnover rate and the supplier wishes to quickly liquidate the items. Consumers can save significantly when buying new items that are offered on clearance.

Wholesale suppliers can offer a consumer great savings on wholesale salon equipment. Prior to making a purchase, it is important to conduct research. Ensure you are purchasing from a reputable supplier that offers a solid return or exchange policy. If the policy being offered is inadequate or is not easily understood, it may be a wise decision to purchase elsewhere.

Salon Equipment Info provides detailed information about beauty, hair, nail, tanning salon equipment, as well as wholesale and discount salon equipment. Salon Equipment Info is the sister site of Hair Extensions Web.

React to Chemical Additives: Hypnosis to Treat Allergies to Environmental Toxins

Allergies and Immune System Disorders: Part 2

The first article of this four part series describes the vast array of immune system diseases which are a growing pandemic in our society today. It also outlines three potential causes for this pandemic within our civilization. Within these next articles each cause will be explored in depth, and strategies of treatment using modern hypnotherapy techniques will be described. This article will describe the way our bodies often over-react to chemicals in our environment and in our food, and how hypnosis can be used to change these reactions.

There can be little doubt that our bodies are assaulted every day with a wide variety of chemicals that have not existed at all for the last million years of our evolution as a species. Chemical pesticides, fertilizers, genetically engineered DNA, antibiotics and hormones fed to industrially raised animals are present in nearly all the foods we eat. In addition, processed foods contain such toxic additives as refined sugar, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.

Try as we may to eat organic it is very difficult to protect ourselves completely against these additives. Even the way we process and store food introduces toxic chemicals and alters the vitamins and proteins in food. Frying in hot oils and the use of transfatty acids in processed foods like margarine are just a couple of examples of this. Likewise, the air we breathe and the water we drink are contaminated with innumerable chemical agents. Quite apart from human activity, the natural world is filled with molds, mildews, bacteria, and other substances which have toxic properties. I certainly recommend that we do our best to eliminate these elements from our lives. But often our body's reaction to these chemicals is far out of proportion to the real dangers they represent. When this happens doctors would say that we are allergic to these substances. These allergic reactions may incapacitate us with far greater efficiency than these chemicals on their own could ever do in the tiny doses to which we are exposed.

An obvious example is the bee sting. While a bee sting's venom is a serious toxin, fatal to anyone in large enough doses, most of us experience a sting as a brief, if painful, nuisance. But to some individuals, this sting is a death sentence without radical medical intervention. The immune system goes into full Battle mode against this perceived threat, which can cause death by asphyxiation in a few minutes in a response called anaphylactic shock. To a much lesser extent our immune system can cause ugly symptoms in response to such mild toxins as the smell of gasoline, dust, molds, animal dander, and the proteins in such foods as corn and wheat. I myself once reacted very strongly to all of the above mentioned toxins in a debilitating condition called environmental sensitivity, a condition which led to frequent bouts of chronic fatigue, as well as sinus congestion, headaches and asthma.

So how do hypnotic techniques help us combat these conditions? First, we must understand that the source of these reactions is within the subconscious mind. It is NOT the chemicals themselves that are doing this to us. It is the immune system's response that is the problem. After all (I used to grumble to myself) many people can live in moldy houses or smell gasoline without being affected in any way. Once this is accepted we can see that hypnosis, the primary strategy for accessing subconscious programming, MUST be a part of any long term solution to this condition. The alternative is symptom suppression with drugs. We must convince the client's subconscious mind in hypnosis that this particular toxin is simply not a threat to the body in the tiny doses that the body is experiencing. We do this by building positive associations in subconscious memory to the smell or taste of these substances, because it is the taste and smell of these things, even subconsciously perceived, which triggers these reactions.

Let me illustrate this with an example. A client was experiencing an unexpectedly severe asthmatic reaction to the smell of a new carpet in his home, a carpet which was out gassing industrial solvents including formaldehyde. In a hypnotic state I had him access the peculiar smell with his hypnotically enhanced imagination, a process referred to as olfactory hallucination. This process must be accompanied by reassurances that the client's body will not react to this smell in any way. Otherwise, this hallucination has been known to trigger an allergic response in the hypnotized subject. We failed to find any negative memory associated with this smell. Apparently the body just, understandably, found it toxic. I then spoke to his subconscious mind. I told it that this smell was quite safe, that from now on this smell would always remind him of the beauty and pleasure of his beautiful new home, of which he was quite proud, and the new loving wife who shared that home with him. I built up these joyous feelings while he continued at my instruction to breathe in the smell of new carpets, which is now, I suggested, the smell of happiness and romance and a safe home. In one session, his allergic reaction was gone.

Another client who loved cats found herself allergic to them, with strong sinus congestion, burning and sneezing. We discovered in trance that her subconscious mind associated the cat odor, a smell which she was consciously unaware of, with traumatic events from her childhood, connected to a critical mother, in a house with cats. First, we used olfactory hallucination to follow this scent back to what it was ...your nose remembers about this smell that you have forgotten. After rescuing her inner child from these memories of abuse, she found a new home in her imagination with a very safe and loving and affectionate new mother - who had cats, of course. I then encouraged her to breathe in this wonderful smell of cats in the context of this safety and love.

Now breathe into every part of your body this wonderful smell of love. Notice how good it feels. Then I anchored this new response to the client's daily experience of cats in this way: Now, every time your subconscious mind smells the wonderful aroma of cats, your body remembers this wonderful new mother, and how much love and safety she offers. After one session she found herself able to eliminate these allergic responses simply by remembering to call in this vision of her inner mother every time she felt her symptoms begin.

Usually one session with a responsive subject is enough to deal effectively with one specific allergen, especially if the client is willing to practice feeling these new feelings and recalling these new memories on their own. (Alas, patients with mental disorders or organic brain disease make poor subjects for this type of work.) Multiple sessions are of course required for a large number of allergies. For food allergies we can follow the taste, hypnotically induced and magnified into a gustatory hallucination into the time when this taste brought with it something unpleasant. While the conscious mind has no recollection of these triggering events, the subconscious mind can recall them readily in a good subject. This process often requires the transformation of memories through the rescue and nurturing of the inner child in order to find resolution.

For more information about these hypnotherapy techniques, see Emotional Clearing Therapy. http://www.alchemyinstitute.com/withhyp.htm

Article 4 part series available in full online at: http://alchemyinstitute.com/Allergies-Immune-System/

About Alchemy Institute of Hypnosis: America's oldest spiritually oriented hypnotherapy training program has trained over 2000 hypnotherapists since 1983. The Alchemy Institute is approved by the state of California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPVE) and American Council of Hypnotists Examiners. Our website offers an extensive library on hypnosis. http://alchemyinstitute.com/articles.htm Alchemy Institute Founder David Quigley now offers home hypnotherapy in special hypnosis by phone sessions call the Alchemy office at 1-800-950-4984 to inquire