Fasting for Weight Loss and Health blog

Are You Hip to Aromatherapy?

2007-07-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

Well, there are those who swear by it and recommend it to just about every and anyone.

And what is it...You may ask.

Today, it is Aromatherapy and it is is a wonderful way to relax after a long stressful day.

The whole concept involves the use of different scents and it has been proven to change moods and make it easier for you to see the world with a more positive outlook.

You see, plenty of research has shown that when the senses are stimulated, it can actually reduce the amount of stress that you feel on a day to day basis.

(Which might explain why I AM ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH MY IPOD!!!)

Moreover, such stimulation can help to alleviate the negativity that surrounds you and help you to unwind at the end of a long workday.

It is noteworthy that people have been using aromatherapy for centuries.

The oils and fragrances from the flowers have been used to cure headaches and to rejuvenate the body and relieve stress and tension for hundreds of years.

Now, though research has concluded that stress is the number one cause of headaches, with aromatherapy it can be relieved almost immediately.

Well, apparently, it appears that new benefits of aromatherapy are being discovered every day.

In order to truly appreciate the therapeutic, medical, and relaxation properties of aromatherapy, you owe it to yourself to try it.

In conclusion, my friend you simply have to try it to appreciate it, and once you have tried it, chances are high that aromatherapy will become a part of your regular routine every month!

Article Posted By Bodyhealthsoul LLC. Stay with us for more information on the Latest Health News, Tips, Healthy Living and Lifestyle choices at http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com

Mental Help for Arthritis

2007-07-17T21:41:00.001-07:00

As stated elsewhere in this blog, most of how we feel could be directly linked to our mental attitudes.

Not surprisingly, this applies even to arthritis.

Every thought you have your body will reacts to that thought.

Positive thoughts and feelings will create positive results, while negative thoughts and feeling will create negative results.

So if you are a calm and positive person your health will be better than a person who is anxious and negative.

No one is saying this is the final answer to dealing with this ailment, but as a tool to help, To make yourself more serene, stand tall, throw your shoulders back, lift up your head and smile. Try it. Don’t you feel better?

Now stand up and look down, slump your shoulders and frown. Now how do you feel? Did you feel the difference?

When your body is tense or you feel unhappy or have negative thoughts your body will react and your arthritis will hurt more than when you are calm, happy and have positive thoughts.

Be aware of your mental attitude and note how different situations have an effect your arthritis. Then you can take charge and change the affects they have on your arthritis. Out with the Bad and in with the Good!!!

Of course what you eat still matters and all but still…you get the gist right?

Article Posted By Bodyhealthsoul LLC. Stay with us for more information on the Latest Health News, Tips, Healthy Living and Lifestyle choices at http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com

Eat Fruits the Day before Your fast

2007-06-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you want to use the tip of fasting to attain weight loss or for improving your health right?

That is great and is worth commending if you stick with it.

However, one thing must be stressed, just because you think you are about to not eat for several days and will be depriving yourself of food, don't think you can just stock up on unhealthy food items like a binge at McDonald's or likewise and then start a fast.

Boy, will you be wrong!!!

For one, when you detoxify from the practice, you are sure to be weakened and feel extremely unwell as a result, secondly, experts have stated that what you eat last before a fast is what you may perhaps crave for as you reach the end of your regimen.

Moreover, from my experience, since you would want to ensure that the bowels are at least half-way clean before commencing a fast, you would want to eat items that have a laxative effect on you to assist with the overall cleanse, and such items do the exact opposite.

So, where does this leave us, well, try to eat fruits the night before your fast, in reasonable amounts and preferably one item.

Or if you're not so obliged...at least try veggies..raw or properly cooked.

Hint: boiled Potatoes (is Saline water) with mashed avocados and a little sea-salt are a great pick for this.

Of course this is not everything you need to know about fasting for weight loss or whatever
however, it is one very essential part my friend...

Good Luck and to health in '07 and beyond.

Aje

Article Posted By the Webmaster Foras Aje. He invites you to visit his website for more information on the Latest Health news, Healthy Living and Lifestyle choices at http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com

Make sure you get plenty of Fresh Air when fasting

2007-06-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

At work today, I happened to notice that a co-worker had a sheet discussing the ever so popular Master Cleanser Program in front of her.

I asked her if she was going to do it and she said yes.

However, she asked me for some pointers since she knew I fasted a lot.

I told her that perhaps one of the most important things she needed to remember was that she had to get as much fresh air and sunshine as possible while fasting, in addition to making sure she abstained from the microwave and that she used only organic citrus fruits for the fast.

She asked for other tips and yes, if offered her some more...in due course, I will touch on them in this medium.

But Kick butt and take names.

Use A veggie wash only for your fruits!

2007-06-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

Alright, since I've been doing the vegan diet of MOSTLY fruits and root veggies (and perhaps some leaves.), I must admit that I hardly ever paid attention to just how important a specified wash for produce is.

Needless to say, since using such a product, things have changed and I now have no intentions of going back to the old route of soap.

Ever.

The following excerpt my best explain why:

Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals are specifically engineered to be "waterproof" so that they are not washed off by rain and irrigation. Many fruits and vegetables (grapes, apples, cucumbers, etc.) are also coated in wax to preserve the quality and appearance of the produce from the fields to your kitchen table.

Studies suggest that some of these chemicals may be toxic to the human body. Specifically, pesticides have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders and can be especially harmful to children, the elderly, and anyone suffering from a deficient immune system.

Veggie Wash® safely and effectively removes wax, soil and agricultural chemicals found on standard and organic produce.

Why can’t I use soap on my produce?

Substances like soap, bleach, and other chemicals are not made with food-derived ingredients, and they are not designed (or safe) for use on food. The residue from these substances can not only affect the taste of your food, it can lead to illnesses such as vomiting and diarrhea, even in very small quantities. [Read more].

So In conlusion, for your produce USE THE SPECIFIED WASH FOR THEM only!!!

The only way to really handle gastroesophageal reflux is to use natural methods

2007-05-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

What You Should Know About Gastroesophageal Reflux by Rudy S. Silva

Most people know what heartburn or acid reflux is and the English know this as dyspepsia. Acid reflux is also call gastroesophageal reflux or just esophageal reflux. With gastroesophageal reflux, the content of the stomach - stomach acid, bile, pepsin, ingested liquids and foods flow back up into the esophagus. This happens when the valve between the stomach and esophagus opens, when it shouldn't, and allows this content to go back into the esophagus.

When stomach content refluxes often, damage to the esophagus tissue occurs causing inflammation, esophagitis, or gastroesophageal reflux disease better know as GERD. The progression of gastroesophageal reflux can occur into Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition. And, this can eventually change into esophageal cancer, but only if the reflux condition is not treated.

Many clinical studies now show that excessive use of drugs that are aimed at acid reflux conditions increase your chances of creating gastroesophageal cancer. And this includes the use of over the counter drugstore remedies.

While it is thought that excessive acid is the cause of esophageal reflux, the main cause is a weak Lower Esophageal Sphincter, LES. But it is the stomach acid that creates the symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux. So doctors and pharmaceutical companies have targeted their medicines toward the reduction of this acid. This does not cure the cause of gastroesophageal reflux, but will prevent strong acid from burning the esophagus tissue.

The use of drugs to deal with esophageal reflux is not always the best way to deal with this condition. In some case, it is necessary to reduce the strength of the acid that flows into the esophagus to prevent continual attack on the esophagus tissue. Most drugs are designed to inhibit or block the production of stomach acid making it weaker and less evasive. But this blocking comes with a price. The price is a major imbalance your stomach function.

Your stomach will not work like it should when its production of acid is blocked. For one thing, bad bacteria and other pathogens are not completely destroyed with weak acid. Also, the LES valve will get weaker. Certain vitamins and minerals will not be processed correctly. And, many other stomach functions will be affected and this will lead to diseases far worse than simple acid reflux.

The cure for reflux lies in lifestyle. The food you eat, the amount you eat, what you drink, and other lifestyle factors contribute to the activity you will have in your stomach. This activity can result in excess acid being excreted by your stomach lining and affecting the strength of your LES. Or, excess gas can be created by the improper decomposition of food you eat, causing excess gas, which put excess pressure on the LES causing it to open.

Then again acid may not be the issue. Some people can experience alkaline reflux damage in the esophagus. The alkaline liquid can be sucked up from the small intestine where alkaline liquid flourishes when excreted by the gallbladder and the pancreas.

The only way to really handle gastroesophageal reflux is to use natural methods - natural diet, natural remedies, and lifestyle. Drugs are so harmful in treating acid reflux that they should only be used in serious conditions.

Rudy Silva, Natural Nutritionist, has just released a special report on how you can eliminate and cure your gastroesophageal reflux using diet and natural remedies. Go here to discover how you can stop acid reflux: http://www.nutritiondiet7.com/acidreflux/

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The real process behind digestion

2007-05-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

Chew Your Way To Better Nutrition by Brandon H. Masters -

Very rarely do we think about what goes into eating and digesting our meals. Pretty much, we just toss the food in our mouths, chew it a bit, and let it go down the gullet.

The real process behind digestion is much more complicated and begins as soon as you put the first morsel in your mouth. As soon as the first bite hits your tongue, the mouth is hard at work. The job of your teeth is to break down the food into smaller and smaller pieces until all that is left is a mushy concoction.

While your teeth are breaking the food down, you may notice you are producing more saliva. That saliva has a job as well. Inside the saliva you are producing are enzymes that are going to start breaking down the food into it’s componants and begin digestion on some items such as sugars and starches.

The enzyme that does this work is called Lysozyme. It was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1922. This enzyme working on the food that is in our mouth not only begins the digestion process, but also is a protector. It will destroy bacterial organisms that are found on our food.

The saliva also has a secondary role of making the food softer and wet, so when you swallow, it will not irritate the walls of the esophagus which are extremely delicate.

So what if this process doesn’t go as it was designed? While many animals in the animal kingdom can swallow their meals whole, if humans don’t chew well and instead swallow large pieces of food, it can lead to a host of digestive and immune problems.

If you don’t chew thouroughly and eat too fast, larger chunks of food will make their way down you esophagus, which can inflame your throat, but that is just the beginning of the problem. Next, these larger pieces of food will make your stomach and digestive track work harder to break it down. If it can’t, the undigested bits of food can start to rot and decay, in your intestines. The process of fermentation of food inside your body can create bad bacteria that are then battling your body from the inside.

If the foods that you have not chewed well enough are high in carbohydrates, you could begin a yeast growth factory in your digestive tract. Too big of pieces of carbohydrate foods in your system can be a breeding ground for yeast which will begin a fermentation process.

These bacteria and yeast created in the rotting food in your system can also cause inflammation of your intestinal lining and lead to discomfort. Other symptoms this type of reaction in your body, from swallowing too large of pieces of food, are gas, bloating, and indegestion.

Brandon H. Masters is a health enthusiast, researcher and veteran of the Natural Products industry. He is devoted to educating others on the benefits of weight management using natural solutions including a balanced diet. free weight loss diet plan

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Home Remedy For Athlete's Foot

2007-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Home Remedy For Athlete's Foot by andreasovte

It is a general misconception that Athlete’s foot is the bane of only athlete’s as the very name may suggest. Even a lethargic individual who is loathe to any sort of physical exertion or activity can be susceptible to it because this has been medically regarded as an “equal opportunity” affliction affecting men and women alike from a cross section of people.

This skin condition, which though not life threatening, can be a huge encumbrance carried literally on the two feet of a person. Understanding the causes of this infection and the conditions under which the fungus thrives helps us to avoid it altogether by just taking proper care and precaution. If it already exists and has been treated effectively, a recurrence can be prevented.

So measures to combating as well as avoiding this infection can be as elementary as avoiding exposure of the skin of your feet to warm, moist conditions. Nurture your feet with tender loving care by giving it plenty of rest, oil and hot water massages and a lot of breathing space. Regularly applying creams and antifungal medication with talcum powder to keep your feet dry is also effective in the cases of those afflicted by the fungus.

As advised by the physician, creams applied should be the same antifungal cream or lotion that was used in curing the disease. In order to help these antifungal creams and medications to permeate the affected layers of skin, podiatrists recommend a “saline solution” which provides an atmosphere non-conducive to growth for the fungus. Salinity is also said to make the skin soft for easy permeation and it further reduces perspiration on the feet.

Besides over the counter medications, there are other solutions that help treat this condition. For instance, Aluminium Chloride solution and baking soda are very effective in treating infection between the toes. Aluminium chloride kills the fungus and dries up the area preventing a recurrence.

In combating athlete’s foot, it is of paramount importance to continually remove dead skin because it is in dead skin cells that the fungus thrives most thus increasing the risk of re-infection. Scrubbing of feet gently with a scrub brush is best before taking a shower to wash away dead skin cells.

Choosing the right footwear is as elementary as avoiding warm, moist conditions. It is essential that you wear shoes that reduce perspiration and allow the feet to breathe. In this context, plastic shoes and water resistant footwear must be avoided at all cost. It is further important to rotate your footwear regularly by avoiding wearing the same shoe for consecutive days. Shoes must also be kept dry and clean at all times by applying antifungal powder and leaving them out to air in the sun.

If you are careful about your shoes, then you must be doubly careful with your socks which trap the most sweat and moisture. For this purpose, cotton socks are the best as opposed to those made of synthetic fiber. Washing socks regularly under hot water is also essential to kill fungus trapped in the spores.
Following these simple procedures diligently will effectively help in both preventing and curing Athlete’s foot.

The auther writes articles on different topics. To know more, visit acne exposed system treatment, exposed acne solution

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If you have been diagnosed with diabetes

2007-04-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

This is the first of many articles to come on the terrible disease of diabetes.

Let me tell you upfront that I have diabetes. I have had it or pre-diabetes or Syndrome X for the last 15 years or so. So I speak from my own experience. I am not and never will be a doctor. Once you have been diagnosed with diabetes in my own humble opinion the very first step you should do is get educated.

The resources available to you in the way of education are enormous. From the American Diabetes Association on down to websites like mine-the information is almost overwhelming. There is no shortage of information for you to become expert in your new found possession.

Once diagnosed, many people need counseling; some need anger management; others like myself were in denial for almost two years and didn't take it seriously-please don't emulate the author.

I would say the next step is to get a team together that can help you fight the disease. A doctor, a nutritionist, family for support, maybe someone who could help you with exercise-all these folks can be on your team to help you with the next step.

The next step in my opinion is to get a grip on the disease. With your team, pledge that you will always be in control of it and not the other way around. The alternative is not very pleasant.

So once you have been diagnosed with diabetes:

GET EDUCATED

GET A TEAM

GET CONTROL

Being a diabetic is not the end of the world. As a matter of fact, diabetes is perhaps the only major disease that can kill you that is controllable. Your future with diabetes rests in your hands. This website and the blog will hopefully shed some light for you and maybe give you some encouragement.

Jack Krohn has had Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and Syndrome X for nearly fifteen years. He speaks from the experiences he has had during that time. His new website is devoted to educating patients of Diabetes.

By: Jack Krohn

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DIABETES articles and tips. Jack is also a free lance writer and the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country according to EzineArticles. You can get information on a FREE HOME SECURITY SYSTEM. He owns SECURITY SOLUTIONS a one stop resource that provides solutions and answers for all your self defense and home security problems.

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Green tea is truly one of nature’s great gifts

2007-04-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

The news today is all about the rapid march of the Chinese economy which it seems likely will shortly overtake all but the very largest Western nations. But is there a danger that in importing Western affluence the Chinese may also import Western levels of the characteristic diseases of affluence – obesity, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, even cancer?

Perhaps, but probably not, so long as traditional Chinese medicine retains its focus on promoting the balance and harmony of the entire human organism; on unleashing and then harnessing the body’s own incredible healing powers.

In fact the ever increasing popularity of Chinese medicine in the West is evidence of the wisdom of this approach. And fortunately there's isn’t no need for you wait until you’re ill or consult a specialist practitioner to derive the benefits of the Chinese approach to health. As simple a change as incorporating a few cups of tea a day in your routine will over time deliver dramatic improvements in your well being.

Tea became widely known in China during the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907) and was quickly prized for its health promoting qualities, but there is evidence that its benefits have been known to the enlightened for at least four thousand years. In fact legend tells of a stray camellia blossom, drifting on the breeze one day in 2737 BC, which found its way into the Emperor Shen Nung’s steaming drinking water and quickly infused it with all the characteristic refreshment and invigoration we associate with tea.

So renowned did the properties of this simplest of beverages become that detailed rules of etiquette for its correct consumption emerged, culminating in the publication of Lu Yu's "The Classic Art of Tea". This famous poet and Buddhist priest laid down strict procedures for the preparation and serving of the perfect cup of tea. The water for the brew had to come from a gently flowing stream and be combined with leaves in a fine porcelain cup. The resulting brew was ideally to be drunk next to a lily pond in the company of a beautiful woman.

But despite Lu Yu’s best efforts, the Chinese never developed the kind of highly formal and complex tea ceremony characteristic of Japan. In the centuries following the publication of his work, however, tea's popularity spread rapidly throughout China. "Rather three days without food than a day without tea" became the saying, as news of its benefits reached the remotest corners of the vast empire. Books and poems were composed in its honour; Emperors gave particularly prized samples as gifts, and the teahouse became a familiar feature of countless cities, towns and villages.

So just what are the health benefits of drinking tea? The Chinese knew it from earliest times first as a stimulant to good digestion when consumed after a meal, stimulating the absorption of nutrients from food. Tea is also known as a powerful anti-oxidant and detoxifying agent helping to flush toxins from the body. These qualities alone, common to all teas, would be more than enough to make it a very valuable health supplement. But there’s more, much more, to green tea than this.

What makes green tea different from the black varieties with which we’re all so familiar, since all are derived from the camellia plant, is the method of production. Crucially, leaves for green tea are steamed rather than fermented, preventing the oxidation (ie destruction) of the vital EGCG compound which gives green tea its power. If you’ll forgive a little scientific jargon, EGCG is short for Epigallocatechin Gallate, one of a number of catachin polyphenols that occur naturally in tea. But what’s important to know is that EGCG is a very powerful anti-oxidant, the preservation of which has been indicated by research to make green tea anything up to ten times more potent than the more common fermented varieties.

This is not an academic difference. In fact today’s western science is increasingly confirming the health benefits long claimed for the consumption of green tea. And amazing as it may seem, EGCG and related compounds in green tea appear directly to target the most common killer diseases commonly attributed to western affluence and diet. A striking example is the case of the so-called “French paradox”. Medical science had long been puzzled by the relatively low incidence of heart disease in France, despite its traditionally high fat national diet. But then it was discovered that the red wine also widely enjoyed in France contains significant quantities of resveratrol, another ant-oxidant polyphenol credited with protective powers against the effects of a fatty diet.

The really good news is that a 1997 study at the University of Kansas demonstrated that EGCG is up to twice as powerful as resveratrol. Other research has credited EGCG with the ability to reduce total levels of cholesterol as well as improving the ratio of “good” (HDL) cholesterol to “bad” (LDL) cholesterol; and to protect against abnormal blood clotting.

This kind of thrombosis is a major risk factor for both heart attacks and strokes - still two of the biggest causes of premature death and disablement in the western world.

But there's more good news yet, because if there's one single disease that's most characteristic of Western society today it must sureluy be obesity; as alook around yourlocal gym or shopping mall will quickly confirm. And in truth, many ot hteother killer diseases of affluence, most notably diabetes and cardio-vascular problems, have chronic obesity at their root. So can green tea help with this all too common health problem? Well Swiss research published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November 1999 suggests that it can. The research concluded that green tea possessed thermogenic properties and promoted fat metabolism at a faster rate than could be explained by its caffeine content alone. Or in layman’s terms, green tea is a powerful fat burner which can be a very useful tool in any weight loss program.

But perhaps most excitingly of all, there’s increasing evidence that the anti-oxidant effects of green tea may even have positive effects in the fight against cancer. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of a study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of oesophageal cancer in Chinese people by almost sixty percent. And University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that EGCG can directly inhibit the growth of cancer cells without apparently harming healthy tissue. This ground breaking study suggested that consumption of as few as four or five cups of green tea a day may have a significant inhibiting effect on tumour growth. Whilst earlier studies had also indicated the possible anti-cancer benefits of green tea, this was the first to isolate EGCG as the compound responsible – a major step forward.

If after reading all of the above you’re just raring to add green tea to your daily dietary regime I wouldn’t blame you at all. In fact I’d actively encourage you. But it’s only fair to give you the whole picture. And that means pointing out that the consumption of large amounts of green tea could risk adding a significant amount of caffeine to your normal intake.
Let me put this in perspective though. A standard six to eight ounce cup of green tea will contain between 30 and 60 milligrams of caffeine. A similar size cup of coffee will likely contain more than 100 milligrams. So just replace a couple of cups of your normal coffee intake with your recommended four to five cups of green tea and your caffeine intake’s going to stay level. But if you want to eliminate caffeine entirely then caffeine-free green teas are now becoming readily available.

So you can enjoy all the benefits cited above without any of the possible side-effects of caffeine and with ever increasing interest in the health promoting properties of green tea, new benefits are coming to light all the time. Already for example, the anti-oxidant (ie anti–ageing) qualities of the tea are being applied to the manufacture of skin care products.

Those may still seem a little far fetched to you right now, but in terms of your internal organism there’s no longer any doubt that green tea is truly one of nature’s great gifts - a very inexpensive but invaluable health booster.

Steve Smith
April 2007
www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com

By: Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more about green tea at www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/GreenTea/Information.htm

natural remedies are readily available for cold sores

2007-04-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

Many natural remedies are readily available for cold sores. There have been many cases where they have been extremely effective in not only treating the symptoms but also the length and severity of the cold sore outbreak. However, one very important caveat – before starting to use one of these natural remedies it is absolutely vital that you discuss this first with your doctor. If you are currently taking prescriptive medicine, there may be a conflict which could exacerbate the problem. Please check with your doctor first!

Now having said that, do not be surprised if he or she is 100% behind your decision to try a natural alternative – indeed many doctors will advise their patients to try them as a first course of action before that has even occurred to the unfortunate sufferer themselves. With the massive expansion of the internet over the last few years, there is a huge amount of information exchange going on that just wasn’t there before.

In fact data studies have been made which conclude that natural remedies can cut the time period of suffering cold sores by an amazing 79%. Not only that, they can also avert the likelihood of further outbreaks in the future. The natural remedies keep the virus indefinitely inactive rather than killing it off outright. So, having established that there is no shortage of successful home remedies that will rapidly assist you in curing your cold sore outbreak, let’s list just 10 of them.

1) Tea Bags applied directly to the sore
2) Reishi mushrooms in supplement or powder form
3) Resveratrol cream (a natural compound from red grapes)
4) Astragalus – a popular herbal tonic originating from Chinese medicine
5) Lemon Balm cream
6) Wakame - a type of seaweed popular in Japan
7) Echinacea – or purple coneflower common to North America
8) Rhubarb and Sage cream
9) Bee Propolis – as the name suggests it is collected by bees
10) Lysine in supplement form (an essential amino acid)

You should be able to find most of the above from any good health food store. The above list is by no means conclusive, and results will vary from person to person. Some will work better than others, some may have no effect at all. However, various studies have shown significant success with them, hence their inclusion here.

Also potential new herbal remedies are being constantly tested so it is always worthwhile to keep up with the latest developments.

By: Robert H Black

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Did you know you could be home free from cold sores in just 3 days from now? Click on Robert’s site Cold Sore Free to see what you’ve been missing!

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there are many benefits to be had from an intestinal cleanse

2007-04-09T06:40:00.001-07:00

Today both the colon and intestinal cancers are becoming the fastest growing cancer diseases in the Western world. Our poor diet as well as the build up of toxins and parasites in a person's body contributes to these particular forms of cancer being contracted. However, an intestinal cleanse or as they are more frequently known as "colon" or "bowel" cleanse are able to help remove the toxins and parasites which can lead to these forms of cancers.

Certainly there are many benefits to be had from an intestinal cleanse, Below we provide you with just a few of them.

1. Intestinal cleanse not only helps your intestines, colon and bowel but it can also make a person's skin look more vibrant.
2. Intestinal cleanse often let a person finds that their cellulite, water retention and blemishes have disappeared.
3. It has been known that intestinal cleanse helps the whites of a person's eyes to regain their youthful clearness as harmful toxins are removed from the body.
4. Intestinal cleanse also helps to heal and strengthen a person's entire gastro intestinal system which makes it work more effectively and so helps to remove toxins and parasites from the body more easily.
5. An intestinal cleanse will help to prevent the build up and the formation of new toxins and parasites in the body.
6. Often the use of the herbal forms of intestinal cleansing will also help to strengthen the muscles of the large intestine as well helping to improve the digestive tract overall.

But not only intestinal cleanse helps to improve and promote a person's health it helps improve a person's digestive system. It also helps the body to assimilate essential nutrients from the food that we eat as well as properly eliminating waste and toxins from the body in order to maintain a good hormonal balance.

So as you can see from above, there are many reasons to why a person will use an intestinal cleanse in order to help improve their health and well being.

By: tangopang

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Tangopang is an author and consultant. You can read more on Natural Health Remedy. Natural Health

Need To Improve Your Health Or Flexibility? Try Yoga

2007-04-06T06:46:00.001-07:00

There are a range of health benefits from the practice of Yoga. These range from improvements in general levels of health and fitness, to improvements in mental health in some cases, and to, for some, an expansion of what could best be described as spiritual health. Yoga has wide ranging benefits.

Yoga can lessen stress in your life, and help with some problems such as anxiety. And one area where the disciplined practice of Yoga helps greatly is flexibility. The regular practice of Yoga can make a big difference to your flexibility.

Yoga is a low impact, slow and invigorating form of stretching exercise. It is not specifically designed with stretching in mind, but this is certainly one of it’s benefits. As Yoga exercises or movements are done slowly and carefully, over time this will lead to an improvement in your overall flexibility and this will make differences in other areas of your life.

Improvements in flexibility can reduce muscle strain from trying to do things which your current flexibility prohibits without effort. It can improve back movement and muscle pain and will sometimes help with such problems as migraines.

Simple things like sitting at your office desk or reaching to pick something up may be more comfortable. Bending over will become easier. You may well find that other activities, particularly sporting and recreational activities become more enjoyable as your flexibility improves.

And of course this is just a few of the benefits of Yoga. Yoga is easy to learn, although it does take some discipline to do it regularly, as with many forms of exercise. It can be practiced by people with no experience and is easy to take bit by bit. There is no requirement to do a certain amount, you can take it at your own pace and learn as slow or as fast as you like.

And if you learn Yoga at your pace it has limited risk of injury as it is a slow low impact form of exercise.

Yoga is fun and healthy. If you’re thinking of taking up Yoga give it a go. You won’t regret it.

By: Peter Crump

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To find out more about Yoga visit Peter's Website The Good Yoga Guide at www.goodyogaguide.com/ and find out about Yoga Health Benefits and more including Yoga resources

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Well, It seems sugar has gotten a bad wrap

2007-04-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

It seems sugar has gotten a bad wrap.

The majority of consumers wrongly think that a teaspoon of sugar has a whopping 70 calories, according to a study by The Sugar Association. The truth is that sugar has just 15 calories per teaspoon.

That means people may not be saving as many calories as they think when they reach for a yellow, pink or blue packet of artificial sweetener.

The obvious question is: How did we become so misinformed? Have all the sugar-free products, artificial sweeteners, anti-sugar diets and sugar-buster books biased our perception?

Browse a supermarket and you'll likely find sugar-free or reduced-sugar products in almost every category from jams and jellies to ice cream, cookies, breads, salad dressings and cereals. But are they better for you?

Recently, the Associated Press asked five nutrition scientists to evaluate newly introduced "reduced-sugar" kids' cereals. The scientists found that the reduced- sugar version of popular kids' cereals provided no reduction in calories or improved nutritional content over the regular sugar versions. The replacement ingredients provided the necessary bulk and texture to the reduced- sugar cereals but offered no nutritional or caloric advantage.

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA) 2004 position paper on the use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners, "Nonnutritive sweeteners added to the diet have been shown to promote a modest loss of weight… The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially at the same time as the consumption of nonnutritive sweeteners has increased."

Nutritionists say the best advice overall is to read nutrition labels and know what's in your food. Low sugar doesn't necessarily mean low calorie or better for you. Eat a healthy, balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other fiber-rich foods, plus calcium-rich dairy products. And you can add sugar, with only 15 calories per teaspoon, to make many of those healthy foods tastier. A bowl of fresh berries, homemade oatmeal or unsweetened yogurt tastes great with a sprinkling of brown sugar.

Just because a food contains sugar does not make it a food to avoid.

By: Stacey Moore

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

For more information, visit www.sugar.org. Food fact: A teaspoon of sugar has just 15 calories.

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Some Great Reasons To Go Vegetarian

2007-04-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

Reason #1 - You love animals
Many Americans love their pets dearly yet they still eat meat. It can be easy to forget what you are actually eating because the meat we purchase bears no resemblance to the original furry animal with big brown eyes. Make no mistake however, if you eat flesh, you are eating an animal that had feelings, emotions and most importantly a capacity for suffering.

Over 27 billion animals are violently slaughtered in America each year after enduring lives of neglect, torture, and mutilation in cramped, filthy conditions with virtually no laws in place to protect them from cruelty.

The next time you are deciding what to eat, try to picture yourself at the petting zoo.

Reason #2 - You love our planet
Water conservation is a hot topic. You might do your part by using a low flow showerhead or turning off your water while you brush your teeth. What you may not realize is that a whopping one-half of the water supply in the United State goes to animal agriculture.

Our existing water supply is contaminated further when the enormous amounts of excrement produced by these animals,which is far too much to fertilize the local crops, is disposed of as waste.

America’s forests are also being destroyed to raise cattle. Vegetarians only require 1/6 of an acre to grow their food supply while meat eaters require over 3 acres. If the US population switched to a plant based diet, over 20 million acres could be returned to forest.

The next time you are enjoying a low flow shower after eating steak for dinner, please think about the 2500 gallons of water it takes to make a single pound of beef.

Reason #3 - You love being alive and healthy
What is the one lifestyle choice you can make that can reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, asthma, many cancers and even male impotence? What choice can help make your kids taller and smarter? What lifestyle choice can help you live six to ten years longer? Numerous studies have shown a vegetarian diet to increase your chances of these and other benefits.

Human beings can get all the nutrition they need from plant sources. Organic plants offer antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber while meat offers saturated fat, cholesterol, and contaminants like hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics.

Additionally the human digestive tract is much longer, twisted, and pocketed than the smooth, short tract of a natural carnivore. Natural carnivores also have much stronger stomach acid. Eating something our bodies can not handle could explain why even a small amount of meat can dramatically increase a person's risk for a multitude of diseases and cancers.

The next time you are deciding what to eat, try to think about the health and lifespan of you and your loved ones.

Reason #4 - You love other human beings
Does it bother you that people are starving to death on the other side of the world? Would you like to do your part to help?

You might be shocked to learn that America could easily wipe out world hunger if we raised crops instead of animals. The world’s cattle alone consume enough food to feed 8.7 billion people.

The next time you are deciding what to eat please think about the 15 million children around the world that starve to death each year.

Reason #5 - You love peace of mind
Wouldn’t it be nice to finally put to rest that little nagging voice inside of you that loves animals? Wouldn’t it feel great to know that you are saving 100 animals a year by adopting a plant based diet? Wouldn’t it be a weight off your shoulders to know that you are doing the right thing for yourself, animals, the planet, and humankind? It is a tough step to take and you may have to face opposition from friends, family, and society in general but what an outstanding feeling to finally do the right thing.

By: Sheryl Lyon -

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Sheryl Lyon resides outside Chicago and writes all about natural living and parenting for Natural Living & Parenting Blog and A Much Better Way.

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High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

2007-04-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

Heart attack is the leading cause of death not only in the United States but in the entire world. It kills twice as many people than the 2nd leading cause of death, which is cancer. Heart disease is also known as the silent killer because it happens suddenly with no fair warning. More than 50% of people who die of cardiac causes have no history of heart disease because sudden cardiac death is the most common cardiac sign. According to the National Institute of health high blood pressure should be a priority concern of over 65 million Americans. That is over 1 in 3 Americans. This statistic is even higher if you’re African American. This statistic is also directly linked to the fact that 62% of Americans are overweight or obese. If you are overweight or obese you probably have high blood pressure or cholesterol and don't even know it. High cholesterol oxidizes in your arteries and forms plaque, which blocks blood flow, which leads to a heart attack.

In addition to exercising on a regular basis and eating foods low in trans fats and cholesterol, there are many all natural ingredients you can take to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. First you should know there is a three step process to lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure and there are all natural ingredients out there that are clinically proven to assist in all 3 of these steps, which can reduce the use of statins and drugs. Below is the 3 step process and its assisting all natural ingredients.

1) Prevent Cholesterol Absorption - It is common sense to eat less high fatty foods and eating fresh fruits and vegetables to reduce cholesterol absorption. Of course no matter what you do you will still eat food that has cholesterol therefore you should take Phytosterol to help your body to absorb much less cholesterol. Phytosterols are also called plant sterols, which are a group of steroid alcohol, photochemical naturally occurring in plants. They are white powders with mild, characteristic odor insoluble in water and soluble in alcohols. They have many applications as food additives and in medicine and cosmetics. Phytosterol have a very similar molecular structure as cholesterol therefore it mimics cholesterol in the digestive tract and blocks cholesterol from being absorbed. In this way your body absorbs less cholesterol therefore less cholesterol enters the bloodstream and the unabsorbed cholesterol passes through your body as waste. By lowering cholesterol absorption you help prevent the risk of heart attack.

2) Preventing Plaque Build Up - The second step to lowering cholesterol is to prevent it from oxidizing in the arteries and forming plaque since Plaque is what makes high cholesterol deadly. There are several all antioxidants, which are great for preventing LDL cholesterol from forming plaque. Grape Seed, Grape Skin, Bilberry Extract, Quercetin, and Gingko Baloba are all flavenoids found in certain grapes and berries which naturally prevent plaque formation, which lowers cholesterol levels. Gingko Baloba comes from a 4000 year old ancient plant which also helps to prevent blood platelet activity.

3) Break up Plaque Build Up - Of course after you reduce cholesterol absorption and reduce cholesterol oxidation which forms plaque, you'll still have some plaque build up that needs to be broken up. Not only does plaque build up cause heart disease but it also causes damage to arteries. Omega 3 fish oil has many properties, but two of the most important properties in relation to heart health is that it breaks up plaque build up, helps your body absorb more phytosterols, helps increase HDL cholesterol levels, reduces tryglyceride levels, increases blood flow to the heart as well as the brain for better memory function and many other benefits not related to heart health.

In addition to lowering cholesterol there are 4 all natural ingredients that help lower high blood pressure

Tripeptides - Tripeptides are derived from cutured milk and were discovered in the early 1900s by Japanese scientist. Nearly a century of research led to the patented process of isolating the tripeptides that help maintain healthy blood pressure. A potent therapeutic dose of these tripeptides has been shown to protect the artery wall.

Passionflower - A creeping perennial vine, recognized for its natural stress relieving and relaxing abilities.

Potassium - Potassium is an element critical to helping your body maintain the proper balance of potassium and sodium necessary for optimum heart and blood vessel health

Pomegranate - Pomegranate is a powerful antioxidant, and has been shown to possess stress-relieving properties, A three year study found that pomegranate helps promote healthy blood flow.

Your heart is the most important muscle in your body and your body can't live without it. Start taking the right nutrients today and make heart disease beg for mercy. All of these ingredients are clinically proven and not based on folklore and home remedies. All of these ingredients are on the FDA approved ingredients list as well as being approved by the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). For more information about these all natural ingredients as well as quality supplements and other ways to lower your High blood pressure and Cholesterol, call Toll Free 1-877-210-3216

By: Jawaune H Saad

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You do not have to wait for a disease to take hold of your body

2007-04-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

Having regular constipation can lead to some serious illnesses. Fecal matter should move through your colon easily and in a short time. When fecal matter remains in your colon for days, your colon becomes toxic and spreads this toxicity into every part of the body. In the bloodstream, these toxins interfere with the deliver of oxygen to the cells and tissues of your body.

If you have to strain and squeeze to have a bowel movement, you can damage the tissues in the lower part of your colon and the blood vessels in your legs.

In the Past

Over 90 years ago and more, doctors knew about the importance of a clean colon. In 1908 Eli Metchnifoff, director of the Pasteur Institute, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. His research showed that pathogenic colon bacteria, bad bacteria (I will cover this in a later chapter) produced toxic secretions and by products, which acted as slow poisoning of the entire body.

Metchnifoff believed that toxic matter coming from your colon was responsible for every degenerating disease. His belief was so strong that he suggested that man's life span was certainly cut in half when his colon was neglected and allowed to have excessive toxic producing bacteria.

In 1931 Dr. Joseph H. Greer, was telling his patients what to do to end constipation and how to prevent it. Today, nutritionists and other health practitioners are telling their clients the same thing.

In his small book, The Drugless Road to Perfect Health, 1931, Joseph H. Greer, M.D. reminds his patients,

"You must have 'roughage' to make the bowels move freely. Concentrated food (processed foods) and constipation go hand in hand, (and) then pills (laxatives) are used. More constipation and more pills, it is a vicious circle with bad results.
Don't be afraid of cracked wheat, cornmeal, cut oats, raw cabbage, onions and celery. They are far better than refined flour and the package foods that flood the market. They may save some labor in the kitchen, but they produce constipation."

Today, it is well accepted by nutritionists, Naturopathic doctors, and other alternative medicine practitioners, that constipation is a signal that cannot be ignored and your colon function must be kept efficient and well functioning. To ignore constipation for long periods of time can lead to some serious illnesses. Mostly likely you will not live to be a ripe old age and if you do it will be with some disability.

Constipation is a symptom you cannot ignore - even if it occurs only occasionally -because it leads to slow poisoning of your entire body.

Many doctors, for a longtime, have refused to believe that constipation can cause other parts of the body to become weaken and become unable to perform their function. You will still find Internet articles, anatomy books, and health books suggesting that for some people bowel movements in 3 days or more can be normal.

You do not have to wait for a disease to take hold of your body so doctors can see you are ill. Take responsibility for your health and don't let constipation become a reoccurring condition.

By: rudys

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Rudy Silva is a Natural Nutritionist and write newsletters, articles, and ebooks on natural remedies. For the past 10 years he has been teaching people when and why to use natural remedies.

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Try Peppermint Oil For Irritable Bowel Syndrome

2007-04-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Irritable bowel syndrome is a painful and frustrating disorder of the intestines that is very difficult to treat. It causes cramps, gassiness, bloating, and alterations in bowel habits and is called a functional disorder because there is no visible sign of the disease when the colon is examined. Although irritable bowel syndrome causes a great amount of pain and distress, there is not any damage actually occurring in the intestines. The symptoms range from mild to severe and depend upon the person. Some people may experience diarrhea, while others may have constipation, and still others may experience both. This disorder is caused by hyperactivity of the intestine, with individuals having irritable bowel syndrome to be more reactive to stressors and diet than usual. Researchers also believe that irritable bowel syndrome can also be caused by emotional problems or significant amounts of stress. Although everyone experiences queasiness as a response to everyday stress or certain foods, those with irritable bowel syndrome have and exaggerated response.

Irritable bowel syndrome is very common, being one of the most frequent problems seen by family physicians. Because so many people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, the disorder results in significant socioeconomic costs along with a reduction in quality of life for many individuals. A person suffering from irritable bowel syndrome will have abdominal cramps and pain, sometimes severe and disabling. The person’s bowel movements will be irregular and range between diarrhea and constipation. Other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include abdominal bloating, passing of gas, nausea, lack of appetite, heartburn, belching, disrupted sleep, fatigue, anxiousness, and depression. A person diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome will have the continued presence of the above symptoms for at least three months and all other intestinal conditions including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer, inflammatory conditions of the stomach or pancreas, ulcers, infectious disease, or gastroesophogeal reflux disease will have been ruled out.

There have been a few natural alternatives to the over-the-counter drugs that are prescribed by doctors. These include enteric-coated peppermint oil and clown’s mustard, which both have significant amounts of scientific research behind them and have been demonstrated to benefit individuals with irritable bowel syndrome. Clown’s mustard, also called wild candytuft or bitter candytuft, is a white-flowering plant from Spain. However, it is also grown in Britain, France, and the United States. Its key components are glycosides and flavonoids that have specific actions on the gastrointestinal tract. There has been a great deal of impressive research on clown’s mustard, in conjunction with other herbs, which has proven great success on those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal diseases. Studies have proven that clown’s mustard can reduce symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea. Clown’s mustard can also help those who suffer from symptoms similar to irritable bowel syndrome as a result of long time medications for cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases that have caused erosion of the stomach lining and ulcers. Reglan, which is often prescribed by physicians to reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, is not only an effective medication, but it also has numerous side effects. These side effects include fatigue, anxiety, agitation, jitteriness, insomnia, yellowing of the skin or eyes, changes in vision, hallucinations, and seizures. Because of its serious side effects Reglan can not be taken for a period longer than twelve weeks. When comparing Reglan to clown’s mustard, both give the same improvement to symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. However, side effects occur much more frequently with those that take Reglan verses those that take Clown’s mustard and Clown’s mustard has no limit on the duration of use.

Peppermint oil has also been shown to relax the intestinal muscle. People suffering from irritable bowel syndrome in Great Britain are currently being prescribed peppermint oil by physicians, where it has been used as a digestive aid to soothe upset stomach for many generations. Recent research has proven that peppermint oil shows significant effects on the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. These good results caused additional studies of peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome. Because straight peppermint oil is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach, studies have concluded that enteric-coated capsules of peppermint oil deliver the benefit directly to the intestines, rather than to the stomach. An enteric-coated peppermint capsule that contains rosemary and thyme is extremely effective in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome because all three oils are classified as volatile oils, which are derivatives of plants that impart taste and aroma, The combination of these three oils can provide a great deal of relief to irritable bowel syndrome related pain.

Both clown’s mustard and enteric-coated peppermint oil can be taken together, but depending on the symptoms, people with irritable bowel syndrome may want to start with one supplement and then add the other one if it is needed. Both of these formulas are available at health food stores, natural product supermarkets, pharmacies, and from health professionals. Most sales personnel and health professionals that are knowledgeable about medications can direct consumers to the most effective products. When purchasing peppermint oil, be sure it is enteric coated, so that the oil is prevented from being absorbed in the stomach. The enteric coating on the capsule will deliver the peppermint oil directly through the stomach to the small intestine and eventually to the colon, where it can give the maximum benefits. To treat an irritable colon, 0.6 ml per day of enteric-coated peppermint oil is recommended by the German Commission E. This product can also be purchased in capsules. Sometimes, the enteric-coated peppermint oil can cause a burning sensation in the rectum when moving bowels. If this occurs, a simple reduction in the dosage will cure this. Those individuals who must refrain from alcohol should not take clown’s mustard in an herbal tincture, which could possibly contain alcohol.

Along with the above natural alternatives, irritable bowel syndrome patients have some other options to help themselves feel better. Because food allergies or food intolerances may be associated with irritable bowel syndrome, determining which foods cause episodes of irritable bowel syndrome and eliminating them from your diet can be very helpful. Reducing saturated fat, limiting calories, and increasing fiber can also be helpful in preventing symptoms that occur after a meal. Since stress also stimulates the intestinal hyperactivity, relaxation training, listening to therapeutic audiotapes, hypnosis, counseling, or biofeedback may help to reduce some of the irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Peppermint Oil and other natural supplements are available at your friendly internet vitamin store.

By: Darrell Miller-1603

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Visit VitaNet Health Foods at vitanetonline.com/ VitaNet sells high quality supplements like Peppermint Plus Oil for Irritable bowel Syndrome. Please link to this site when using this article.

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Dried plums are not only great tasting and versatile, but...

2007-04-02T12:17:00.001-07:00

Conversations about osteoporosis and the measures that prevent and treat this bone-weakening disease typically focus on it as a women's issue. Although we often think of men having larger, stronger bones than women, that's not always the case-men are also at risk for developing osteoporosis. In fact, 2 million men have the disease and another 12 million are at risk for developing it.

Not only are men at a significant risk, but surprisingly, it is for many of the same reasons as women. Low and decreasing levels of hormones can cause an imbalance in the bone-remodeling process, with more old bone dissolving than new bone reforming. Although it is the decrease in estrogen production that occurs with menopause that increases women's vulnerability to the effects of osteoporosis, men experience a decrease in testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) as they age. Heredity and lifestyle habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol use and inadequate exercise can also lead to poor bone health in both men and women.

"Men should take many of the same steps as women to protect their bones, including getting enough calcium and vitamin D in their diet, engaging in weight-bearing exercise and changing unhealthy lifestyle habits," says Brenda J. Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor & Assistant Director of Research in the department of surgery at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. "Dairy products-rich in bone-building calcium-are the foods we associate most readily with bone health. But plant-based foods, like fruits and vegetables, may also play an important role in increasing bone mass."

Studies indicate that men and women who consume diets rich in fruits and vegetables have higher bone density and suggest that phytonutrients-health-protective compounds in plant-based foods-may be the reason for the positive effects of fruits and vegetables on bone metabolism.

California Dried Plums offer a convenient option for men looking to add more fruit to their diets. Dried plums are a rich source of several micronutrients involved in bone metabolism, including potassium, vitamin K and boron. In fact, a recently published animal study conducted by researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center indicated that dried plums prevented hormone-related deterioration of the bones of male subjects, preserving bone mass.

Currently, a study is under way at Florida State University examining the bone health benefits of dried plums in women in a year-long clinical trial. "Dried Plums completely reverse loss of bone density and structural properties, observations unique to dried plums among the many foods we have examined in our laboratory," says Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi, principal investigator of the Florida State University study.

Dried plums can easily be incorporated daily into meals or snacks at any time of the day. "I like to add dried plums to hot or cold cereals, on turkey or chicken salad sandwiches or as an afternoon snack," says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and spokesperson for the California Dried Plum Board. "Not only do they add nutritional value, but they're an easy way to boost flavor."

Dried plums are not only great tasting and versatile, but are also great for protecting bone health without any adverse effects.

By: Stacey Moore

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REMEDYING HEADACHES

2007-03-29T06:37:00.001-07:00

Everybody has definitely experienced a headache once in his or her lifetime. Since it is one of the indispensable and common illnesses everyone experiences, people have learned to find ways to relieve the discomfort brought by headache.

REMEDYING HEADACHES

Headaches are usually caused by physical and emotional stress. If you are dying to find a solution to your persistent headache, try taking in over the counter remedies like aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. But if you are not a big fan of prescribed or over the counter medications, try these home remedies for a change.

- Try using compresses or cold packs. For tension headaches—the most common form of headache—try applying a warm or cold compress to your forehead and the base of your neck to numb the pain.

- Try using heat. If cold compresses wouldn’t work out for you, try using a warm washcloth or a hot water bottle can ease pain.

- Develop a routine of deep breathing exercises. If you suffer from headaches very often, try sitting in a darkened room, take in deep breaths using your nose, and let it pass through your mouth.

- Experience the wonders of acupressure. By squeezing the web of skin between and the thumb through acupressure, it can reduce the pains and can help you relax.

- Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, and biofeedback. By trying these relaxation techniques, the person who suffers from headache can feel the pain flowing out of the head. It can also help reduce stress.

- Relieve the affected area by applying ointment with heat. Ben-Gay or Icy Hot rubbed on forehead or on the base of the neck, can give a soothing warm feeling to your head.

- The power of music. Try listening to a relaxing music while lying down or resting.

- Exercise regularly. Physical activities like regular exercise can relieve stress because it can loosen up the knots and balls of pain in your head.

- Get enough sleep. Having six to eight hours of sleep can help you soothe your tired nerves. But, beware of sleeping more than 10 hours because it can cause major headache as well.

- If possible, use a neck pillow in bed. If you are prone to experiencing morning headaches, try using a neck pillow to your neck while you sleep.

- Totally eliminate caffeine, salt, MSG, and chocolate in your diet. Load up on lots of fruits, veggies, and water to keep your body well hydrated.

- If you can, avoid bright light because it leads to a major headache once your squint.

- Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals can lead to low blood sugar. When your sugar level goes down, your blood vessels in the brain tightens that leads to headache.

- Don’t eat foods that have nitrates, sulfites, and msg because these are primary headache causers. Also avoid aged cheeses and nuts so you won’t experience headaches.

- Don’t smoke and avoid smoke-filled rooms.

By: Low Jeremy -

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Low Jeremy maintains Headache.ArticlesForReprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

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treating mouth ulcers with coconut oil

2007-03-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

A mouth ulcer is an open wound in the mouth where tender nerve endings are exposed and can often cause extreme pain to the person who is affected with them especially when they can become irritated. Often a person suffering from mouth ulcers will find it difficult to eat, drink and sometimes even talk and unfortunately these exposed ulcers are vulnerable to infection by bacteria that is find in our mouth and unfortunately create even more pain.

Many mouth ulcers often seem to start off as a small bubble or blister which then becomes open and ulcerated and this is when the pain really starts. However, they can be caused accidentally by someone biting themselves or there lips are so dry that they crack and then the ulcers begin to form on their lips.

Normally mouth ulcers are caused by either virus, bacteria or fungus and may result in the body’s own immune system attacking the mucosal lining of the mouth. In some cases people who suffer from either Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease (intestinal conditions) may find themselves suffering from mouth ulcers also.

A good way of treating mouth ulcers is with coconut oil which kills the bacteria that causes them. It is also good for treating throat infections, gum disease and cavities. Certainly the Pacific Islanders who have a coconut based diet have excellent dental health and rarely suffer from mouth ulcers even when they have never brushed their teeth or used floss or anti-bacterial mouthwash.

Certainly coconut oil is ideal for helping to relieve the pain felt from mouth ulcers instantly all you need is get a tablespoon of coconut oil and hold it for a minute on the mouth ulcer. Soon you will feel the pain going away and this relief seems to last for quite a while because of the MCFA’s (medium chain fatty acids) find in coconut oil which are rapidly absorbed in to the body and thus the healing process is accelerated.

The way coconut oil works is that it has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and which can help to combat viruses, bacteria and fungus that can be found in a persons mouth and will cause ulcers. The MCFA’s which are in coconut oil also help to enhance the body’s own immune system and thus help it to fight viruses, fungus and bacterial problems. Also coconut oil is great for helping a person’s intestinal system by killing any fungi found in the intestinal tract.

Above are a number of reasons as to why coconut oil can not only help to treat and heal mouth ulcers but also to help prevent them from forming. Also coconut oil is not messy to apply to the ulcer and is completely edible and natural.

By: Lee Dobbins -

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Lee Dobbins writes for ulcers.health-g8way.com where you can learn about treating ulcers and find more mouth ulcer cures.

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two of the most serious eating disorders

2007-03-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are two of the most serious eating disorders. It was seen that those who are affected by anorexia are having the obsession that they are fat, they permanently want to become thinner, even if they are underweight.
Bulimia is dealing with cycles of binge eating, followed by behavior to prevent weight gain. It was seen that some persons have a mixture of symptoms and sometimes, bulimia nervosa occurs after anorexia nervosa.
It is very important that those affected by these illnesses to search for medical help, the doctor will give them advices and help them to defeat the disease.

It is known that women, especially adolescent girls are affected by these illnesses, and about 5% of people with anorexia are men. It was also seen that 2% of teenage girls and young women have bulimia, and 1% have anorexia.
Science has not established yet the exact causes that lead to an eating disorder but it is thought that in many cases a distressing event can be a factor to it.

People with anorexia have a distorted perception of body weight or shape, they think are fat even if the truth is they are underweight, they develop a permanent fear of weight gain, and are too scraggy for their age and height.
They are also having some behaviors in order to control weight, like over-exercising, restricting food, vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics or diet pills. It was also seen that it is possible to appear a loss of monthly periods in women, and in girls delay in starting them.
People with bulimia, in order to prevent weight- gain, are using methods like self-induced vomiting, fasting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, diet pills and are doing excessive exercise. Those people are feeling out of control when bingeing, but after that they feel guilty, and although they are experiencing frequent changes in weight, we can say their weight is normal or a little above normal.

Anorexia and bulimia could be caused by some factors, like the psychological, social and emotional effects. We can include here family conflict, guilt, deceptions, depression, mood swings, social isolation. It was seen that the risk of suicide increases in persons having an eating disorder.
Physical problems that appear due to these disorders are growth of fine downy hair over the face and body, constipation, difficulty in thinking clearly, swollen salivary glands, osteoporosis, anemia, impaired kidney function, dehydration, abnormal heart rhythm and other.

It is important that these illnesses to be recognized in early stages, because in that way it will be easier to prevent long-term problems. The treatment can include counseling, dietary education for healthy eating, and if the patient is dealing with severe depression, some medication will be given. Sometimes medication is helpful in people with bulimia too. It was seen that early detection and treatment gives the best results.

By: Groshan Fabiola

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For more resources about girls with anorexia please review this page www.anorexia-center.com/signs-of-anorexia.htm, or even www.anorexia-center.com/anorexia-tips.htm

Discussing Acupuncture

2007-03-27T06:46:00.001-07:00

Acupuncture was developed in China many centuries ago. The Chinese call acupuncture Zhue Jiao, which means "needle heat". The needle regulates an inner force called "Qi", which is responsible for the health of the body. The regulation of Qi using acupuncture can restore physical health, give a release from stress, or improve physical or mental health in other ways. A very healthy person should have Qi energy flowing freely in several distinct pathways, and these pathways are like the roads for maintenance crews. Freely flowing energy distributes all the cells necessitate, and take away what waste is produced. This produces not just physical, but also mental, health. If Qi is stopped at some point, there will be some symptoms, often a physical sickness. The acupuncturist will determine where the needles should be placed in order to return the flow to normal, or as close to normal as is possible. This might happen in one treatment, or a series of treatments. Many Chinese get acupuncture treatments regularly in order to stay healthy, to keep their Qi flowing at a nearly ideal level. In several places in China, a practitioner of acupuncture gets paid only as long as their clients remain healthy, not when they get sick.

China was where the technique of acupuncture and its medical foundations began. Japan also has an extensive history of acupuncture as an accepted and effective treatment for their people. Japanese acupuncture has the same foundations as Chinese acupuncture, but several interesting differences in technique. Acupuncture traveled to Europe in the seventeenth century, being brought back by Jesuit missionaries who had lived in Beijing. Acupuncture did not receive wide acceptance at that point, though there were pockets of practitioners in several places in the West. Acupuncture got significant attention here only when M. Morant from France published many writings on acupuncture in the 1940s. The detail and volume of his writings caught the attention of western physicians, who started considering it for pain control.

Nearly all acupuncture techniques use needles, though there are varieties that also use electric stimulation, burning, and herbs. The needles used are solid needles, not hollow tube needles like Western doctors use. In America, certified practitioners of acupuncture use pre-sterilized disposable needles. There is normally no medicine on the needles, for the needle itself acts on the Qi energy to make the change in the flow. The practitioner may use a particular angle to insert a needle, or may manipulate the needle a little (such as a small rotation) to get the best results for a particular client.

If you think like the Chinese, you may want to visit your acupuncture clinic regularly to maintain an optimal flow of Qi, and to maintain really good health. A particular health or emotional problem may need only one or two visits, or might require a series of up to eight visits or more, depending on the problem. During a visit, the acupuncturist may insert several needles, and not necessarily at the same points from visit to visit. As the condition improves, a different set of locations might be chosen to affect a change in Qi flow to move even more quickly to good health. Sometimes the needles are inserted just underneath the layer of the skin, while at other times some of the needles may be inserted up to a depth of three inches. Insertion of the needles normally does not hurt at all. Some clients remark on an occasional pinching sensation when a needle is inserted. Once the needle is in place it can easily be forgotten. Sometimes there is a pleasant relaxing or warm sensation around the insertion point, which is an indication that the Qi flow is being redirected in the right manner.

Acupuncture is a very good way to correct a number of illnesses, and one of the best ways to maintain health on a regular basis. This introduction gave a brief overview to encourage you to consider acupuncture as a health option. More and more insurance companies are giving coverage for visits to an acupuncture clinic, and this should be explored.|Currently, acupuncture is widely accepted by western physicians in several categories, including pain control and stress relief. Indeed, for some operations no anesthesia is needed at all, just the services of an acupuncturist. This is a distinct benefit, in that the normal operation of the patient's organs is not altered by an artificial anesthetic. This work in the west has caused new interest and study in the land where acupuncture originated, in China. They have discovered many old, previously unknown texts, and are working on extending the applications. It is an exciting time for the field of acupuncture.

By: Arron Avery

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Information supplied and written by Arron Avery runs an information site about Acupuncture Treatment acupuncture.usinfo.info

Good nutrition comes in the form of a healthy diet

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Good nutrition comes in the form of a healthy diet; a diet focused around whole, natural foods such as fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy. A healthy diet should resemble a colorful palette – deep, vibrant colors that reflect the concentration of vitamins and minerals essential to good health.

Protein, a part of good nutrition, can be found in foods such as lean meats, whole nuts, and soy products. Healthy carbohydrates are found in whole grain breads, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and wheat pasta. Low-fat dairy provides adequate reserves of calcium. And Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits. Many people choose to eat only organic foods as a way to minimize additives and ensure that the foods they eat contain the highest nutritional value possible.

Additionally, experts agree that good nutrition includes adequate hydration. The drinking of at least eight glasses of water a day flushes the body of toxins, speeds metabolism, aids digestion, and acts as a natural appetite suppressant.

In combination with this diet regime, it is essential to minimize – and even avoid altogether – foods that are fried, processed, and high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats.

In the search for optimum nutrition it is important to first analyze the diet you currently follow. Look for ways to gradually add more natural foods to your diet and minimize those foods that lack fundamental nutrients and are highly caloric. If you find it difficult to make these adjustments, it may be beneficial to work with a nutritionist who can tailor a diet to your particular lifestyle.

Take advantage of what the natural world has to offer

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Generally, when you or your children are sick, you go to a doctor who will give you a looking over and prescribe medication. You then go to the pharmacy to have the prescriptions filled. You try to follow the label instructions and hope to get well. Quite often, you will eventually make another trip to see the doctor and he will prescribe a stronger anti-biotic or drug. This is basically how health care works these days, a never ending cycle of trips to the doctor and the pharmacy.

If someone were to suggest that you used natural herbs to cure a lot of your ills you might think they were crazy. For a long time medical science has been involved in an effort to eliminate and debunk the use of natural herbs to achieve health and healing. In recent years many studies have been done to test whether there are any benefits to what is referred to as natural herbs.

Natural herbs are now, often looked upon as being a lost art. It is simply the use of herbal remedies, or phytotherapy, and traditional methods to aid in healing and overall good health. Folk Medicine and other natural forms of Remedies have been used by every culture in the world and long before the appearance of modern anti-biotic or drug. Even today natural herbs are widely used in countries like China and Korea. Folk Medicine are often better than man-made medicine and rarely ever have side effects.

In ancient times shamans and medicine men performed the duties of a doctor. They passed their knowledge of natural healing methods to the next generation by training apprentice to continue their work.

With the arrival of the so-called modern medicine, health care professionals began to favor man-made medicines over Folk Medicine. Many of them did not realize that the medicines they were administering to their patients were often based upon compounds found in natural herbs. Medicines such as aspirin, digitalis, codeine and quinine were all derived from traditional medicine.

If you are considering the possibility of learning to use more natural methods to treat your ills it is important that you be made aware of the fact that not all so-called natural herbs are what they claim to be. There are many companies promoting cure-all products that are designed to prey upon a person's desire to decrease their dependency upon man-made drugs. For this reason it is highly recommended that you research and study a natural remedy before beginning its use or practice.

The effectiveness and safety of natural remedies is studied by many organizations. The more research and studies that are carried out the more natural herbs and natural treatments there are that are added to the catalog of accepted medicine. Of course, there are also some natural herbs and treatments that are proven to be false.

Even though there are many herbal remedies available that have been well studied and documented, medical professionals will rarely recommend their use, but will instead dispense synthetic medicine. Remember that the big drug companies are getting rich selling man-made medicines. It is not in their best interest for people to become aware of natural medicines and to make use of them.

In many cases, Folk Medicine should not be relied solely upon to treat your illnesses or conditions. In these cases you will want to supplement your medication with the use of herbs or other natural treatments. This will enable you to limit your dependency on modern medicine and perhaps help you to avoid unwanted side effects.

Take advantage of what the natural world has to offer and what our current culture seems to have nearly forgotten. Research and learn what you can about viable natural alternatives to living a happier, healthier life.

By: David Slone

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If you would like to learn more about alternative medicine and home remedies, visit Alternative Medicine. In particular, read the articles on Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice and Benefits of Mangosteen. Common every day foods are known to be one of the basic home cures.

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