Snoring Aids

Anti-snoring devices range from the very simple, to the somewhat complex. The majority of devices are available in drug stores or through direct mail (postal or Internet/e-commerce). The most common and effective devices and snoring aid are described below.

• The “Sandler” Pillow

A popular non-surgical device used to alleviate snoring is called The Sandler pillow (named after its inventor). This pillow, by design, compels the sleeper to sleep on his/her side. Since sleeping on the side generally closes the mouth, this can prevent some kinds of mild snoring from occurring (the vibration is still there, but the snoring does not escape the mouth).

• The Snore Ball

Invented in the early 20th century, the snore ball has undergone a series of advancements, and modern versions are available today. Snore balls are devices that the snorer puts on their back while sleeping (i.e. putting it in a pouch on the back of their pajamas). When these people move to sleep on their back – and thus generally open their mouths while the sleep and emit loud snoring – the snore ball gives them a wake up call of discomfort.

As you can easily imagine, the snore ball is not the most painless of options

The Secret To Slim Thighs

What's the secret to getting slim thighs? First, let me tell what it is not. You will never get the legs you want just by using those traditional leg machines at your gym or by doing day after day of boring cardio.

The reality is that you always see people at the gym doing this stuff and never seeing the results they want.

The real secret to getting your thighs slim involves 3 components: 1) proper nutrition, 2) strength training and 3) cardio (but not the typical kind of cardio everyone does).

1. Proper Nutrition: I am going to be honest with you. You will never ever get slimmer thighs if you don't put the right foods in your body. It doesn't matter how great your workout routine is or what you may have heard or read. If you eat the wrong foods your body will maintain or store more body fat around your midsection, your arms, your butt and your thighs.

And fat is what blurs the visibility of the underlying muscles. When you have excess body fat you cannot see any muscular definition.

So, if you want to get your thighs slimmer you have to eat enough of the right kinds of nutritious, fat burning foods that will help keep your legs sexy and lean.

A great rule of thumb I tell my clients is to make sure you eat at least 5 small meals each day. But, all 5 are not really "meals".

3 are meals and 2 are snacks. So, it looks like this:

Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner

Getting into the habit of eating more frequently is how you start to boost your metabolism to burn fat so you can begin to get slim thighs much faster than if you eat fewer meals.

2. Strength Training: Usually when I tell women they need strength training to make their thighs slimmer they look at me like they've just seen a ghost.

"But, I don't want to get bulky muscles" is a typical response I get. I don't know where this myth came from but I want to clarify something here.

Getting "bulky" muscles just from strength training is 100% pure myth. Here's why. Building the kind of muscle mass that you see on a bodybuilder is absolutely unrealistic for the majority of people especially women.

Women naturally have lower levels of testosterone which makes it more difficult to build muscle mass versus men.

Here is something else to consider. If you want slim thighs with nice "tone" you have to possess a certain level of muscularity anyway.

You can burn all the body fat you want but if you don't have any real muscle on your legs your slim thighs will look more like toothpicks instead of sexy legs with curves.

That doesn't mean you will "bulk up". You simply fit the level of muscularity to match your goal. Adding some lean muscle to your thighs will give you that sexy curvacious appeal you are looking for.

And that comes from intense strength training and not from doing the leg machines at the gym with light weights and lots of repetitions.

You will never get slimmer thighs with nice definition that way. You have to lift heavier and smarter with just the right amount of rest in between to allow your body to recuperate which is when your thighs slim down.

Try these thigh slimming exercises to get you started:

squats
forward lunge walks
sideways lunge walks
box or bench jumps

Learn how to get slim thighs faster and lose 10 pounds in the process-
click here

3. Cardiovascular Training I never said no cardio. I said not the traditional cardio everyone else does. I am going to suggest a different twist on your typical cardio routine that will burn more calories and fat while stimulating your thighs to add some lean, sexy muscle tone.

Getting your thighs slim requires the combination of sufficient muscularity and low body fat.

Your muscles lie underneath a layer of fat cells. Fat cells store body fat. The more fat you carry the bigger your fat cells become and the less visible your muscles are.

So, to see those slim thighs underneath you also need to burn the fat from your fat cells.

Here's a tip to get you started:

Perform 90% Heart Rate Peaks- Instead of doing the typical marathon cardio workout in your "fat burning zone" you are going to perform a much higher intensity workout but for a shorter time period.

This will allow you to burn more calories and fat long after your workout is over. Here is what you do:

Use the formula 220 - your age to get a number. Now, multiply that number by .85 and write down the product. Next, multiply the number by .75 and write down that product. The 2 products are your low and high end heart rate ranges.

Example for a 35-year old: 220 - 35 = 185
185 X .85 = 157
185 X .75 = 138

Heart rate range would be 138 (low end) to 157 (high end).

You will perform your cardio workout on any piece of equipment of your choice. Warm up for 5 minutes by gradually building your heart rate up to your low end range (138 in the above example).

Then you will increase the intensity until your heart rate peaks at your high end range (157 beats per minute in the above example).

Once you reach your high end range you immediately drop the intensity and recover back down to yoru low end range. Once you reach your low end range peak back up again.

Repeat this process of peaking and recovering for 30 minutes. Then record the total number of times you peaked to your high end range.

The next time you perform this you will try to beat the total number of peaks.

Cool down for 5 minutes by gradually decreasing the intensity until your heart rate is at your low end range or lower.

Stretch for 5-10 minutes.

And there you have it. The real secret to getting slim thighs is by adding some lean fat burning, thigh slimming muscle and dropping your body fat levels low enough to see those sexy trim legs.

Insomnia Symptom

A common misconception about sleep disorders is that an insomnia symptom is simply “not being able to sleep”. Actually, it is a lot more complicated than that. Insomnia is a complex problem that affects the nervous system and which can also be closely related to breathing problems or other chemical disorders. The problem of “not being able to sleep” is really only one small symptom amongst many others. All the symptoms need to be examined if you want to avoid what could be a very serious disorder and one that can progress and even become fatal if you are not careful.

Once you detect the early signs of insomnia like “not being able to sleep”, you need to look further and take extra precautionary measures to avoid the worsening of the problem. You can completely complicate your system by neglecting it and, although insomnia may start with very simple symptoms, it may progress into a deadly situation very quickly.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, however. There are still some very simple and minor symptoms of insomnia which can definitely be treated fast without taking any drug medications. Oftentimes we find there is nothing to worry about. Still, this is something that must be determined according to the other possible symptoms that would indicate a more serious problem.

Here’s how to determine if your problem with “not being able to sleep” is actually more serious than you thought. Have somebody watch you at night when you are sleeping. Have them examine your breathing patterns and look to see if you seem to be struggling at night to get a good, full breath. Are you snoring at night or having any strange sounds coming from your nose? This could indicate a problem with your breathing which is the cause of a more serious disorder known as sleep apnea. Similarly, are you having a prolonged period of days or even weeks where you generally seem sluggish and in a bad mood? Are you without energy almost all the time? Prolonged periods that stretch beyond two or three weeks can also indicate a more serious disorder that should be examined by a professional.

Some sleep problems are just due to certain changes in the body, including hormonal changes that affect the pattern of an individuals sleep. Oftentimes medications can complicate these problems and compromise the sleep activity of a person. The daily routine and the food that a person eats are also things that can contribute to more mild cases of insomnia but these conditions should also be watched because, in combination with a personal tragedy or other psychological problem, they can lead to more serious cases of stress or depression that bring about a more serious case of insomnia.

Once the simpler symptoms begin to occur on a regular basis or begin to build up and overtake the person, it is time to see a doctor. These symptoms may build up so that you experience total difficulty in falling asleep almost everyday and early morning awakenings with a constant desire to sleep during the day. It may also take you a couple of hours to get back to sleep and you may be feeling a bit irritated and full of anxiety most of the time. These compounding symptoms deserve a little bit of extra attention and may indicate a more serious case of insomnia.

Although it is very normal for individuals to have any one or two of these symptoms, experiencing all of them constantly may indicate a more serious disorder. The disorder can be fatal because it can lead to accidents in traffic or just around the house, such as in the case of household appliances that are left “on” and wouldn’t normally be neglected if a person were fully alert and aware of their surroundings.

When you are experiencing even some little signs, take some quality time to think whether you are having a normal case of sleeplessness or not. You might be suffering from insomnia and need to go discuss it with your doctor. It’s better to be safe than sorry and then you can rest assured that everything is going to be just fine.

Genetic Hair Loss

Hair loss is the most dreaded problem among humans as it directly affects the person’s outlook. Hair loss can be caused by a number of things like using harsh chemical soaps, shampoos, gels, stress or imbalanced diet. Certain illness can also cause hair. These are all causes in hair loss but the most common type of hair loss that affects approximately 95% men and 70% women is known as hereditary hair loss also known as Genetic hair loss. Genetic hair loss is more commonly observed among males than females and usually starts at the age of 30. The reason for this is that this type of hair loss depends on the extent to which the male hormone testosterone is converted in the scalp to another hormone dihydroxytestosterone. Although genetic hair loss takes place usually after the age of 30 in many cases but in some cases it starts to happen as early as your late teens. Genetic hair loss comes usually from the mother’s side of the family.

Genetic hair loss occurs due to the shortening of the hair's growth cycle, this in turn makes the hair thinner and shorter, and a time comes when the growth stalls completely. It is also responsible for developing bald patches and interacts with the hair follicles. The hereditary hair loss has a very predictable pattern, which is often followed from generation to generation so you can predict by seeing your father and his father how you will go. By the time men reach 50 years of age 50% of the men become bald. In case of men hair loss usually occurs on the crown or the top of the head starting with a receding hairline and leaving healthy hair on the back and sides of the head.

Through certain preventive measure people can slow down the process of baldness. These include using products that make the hair healthy and avoid certain things that damage hair and make them weak, as weak hair fall of easily.

Your First Servings of a Nutritional Supplement

This article provides some suggestions on taking your first serving of a nutritional supplement. It focuses on starting an Aloe-Vera and Sea Vegetable supplement but can be applied to starting a variety of liquid nutritional supplements. It shows you how to get the best and the most from every subsequent serving you take.

So, how much should you take as your first serving?

First, if you have not already done so, complete a Health Evaluation Questionnaire and determine your health index. Once you complete the questionnaire and have determined your health index, you will have an idea of the amount and frequency of a liquid nutritional supplement is best for you. If you simply taste the supplement to see if it is right for you, a serving of one to two ounces is adequate.

Some general guidelines about your first serving:

1. Gently shake the bottle of your nutritional supplement. This will mix the tiny bits of sea vegetable pulp with the aloe vera. You should shake the bottle before every serving.

2. For your first servings, use a measuring cup. We have a tendency to under or overestimate how much is one, two, four or eight ounces so using a measuring cup will allow us to reset our estimating process.

3. Use the same glass every time. Once you've measured out the specific amount that you want to consume, pour it into your favorite juice or wine glass. Note the amount from the measuring cup and how much that amount fills your favorite glass. Doing this for a few days will eliminate your need to use the measuring cup. Note that you do not need to worry about taking too much of a whole food product. It is like eating oranges or bananas. You're not at risk of overdosing with a whole food.

4. Take a small sip and hold the liquid nutritional supplement under your tongue. Wait about 10 seconds and repeat several times. Special cells under the tongue absorb nutrients directly into the bloodstream. You will almost be able to feel the supplement 'disappearing' under your tongue. It's actually being absorb by these special cells. The more quickly you body absorbs the supplement, the more likely your body needs it!

5. Store your open container of Aloe Vera and Sea Vegetable liquid nutritional supplement in the refrigerator. It's a whole food that has enzymes, amino acids, and other live nutrients. Keeping it refrigerated will ensure it maintains its potency. In addition to refrigerating a whole food, since it is a whole food the nutritional supplement can be taken on either an empty stomach or with meals. However, when first starting out, taking it on an empty stomach may cause some discomfort with those that have a stomach condition or any stomach toxicity. It could make your stomach feel queasy. If this occurs, you can reduce or eliminate the feeling by eating a little bit of food. The Aloe Vera in the supplement can also be used after a meal to aid digestion and ease any stomach upset or heartburn.

Before you drink your First Serving, take a moment to examine how you are feeling. Sense your energy levels, the degree of pain you may be experiencing, or how other symptoms may be bothering you at the moment. After taking your nutritional supplement (remember holding small sips under the tongue for maximum absorption), take another assessment of how you feel. Some people enjoy the benefits right away, others within a few days, and others over a period of a few weeks. The benefits depend on your body and the amount of toxins within it.

It is worth discussing toxicity for a moment. If you are concerned about heavy metals or toxicity (various elements within your body that have build up over time that your body should have eliminated but could not for a number of reasons) then you may be concerned that an Aloe Vera and Sea Vegetable combination may cause your body to detoxify too quickly, leaving you with an uncomfortable cleansing action. Aloe Vera by itself can have a laxative effect. Sea Vegetables on the other hand can cause constipation in some people. Combining the two into one liquid nutritional supplement may counterbalance these effects. However, you may still experience a bit of cleansing because of the heavy metals or toxins stored within your body. The remedy is simple. Cut your dose in half and add a little bit more each time you take your supplement until you reach your recommended dosage. The cleansing is a natural part of getting your body back to its most natural state. Not everyone experiences cleansing but for those that do, follow the guidelines and enjoy the benefits. It's important to continue taking the supplement so just cut back a bit, then add a little more each day.

Remember to take the Health Evaluation Questionnaire and determine your health index for the recommend amount of your nutritional supplement. Hold it under your tongue for maximum absorption and take it each day as recommended. The benefits to you of any nutritional supplement will come over time. Follow these guidelines and enjoy your Way to Wellness.

Home Remedies for Constipation – Constipation Relief Tips

Irregularity amounts to constipation. Constipation is related to the digestive system. It is a condition that affects the individual by a hardening of feces, which experience biological difficulty in egesting. Extreme discomfort and outright pain is inflicted upon the afflicted. If not treated, in its early stages by home remedies for constipation bowel obstruction can develop. Dietary, hormonal, anatomical, side effects of medications, illnesses or disorder are the major causes of constipation.

Amid the process of considerations towards home remedies for constipation is for the ailing individual to initially identify the circumstances of their respective condition. Defining constipation is realized through the following determinations – inconsistent movement of the bowels, as in three or less fecal evacuations within a week; complications upon defecation, involving considerable straining or pushing, at a minimum of higher intensity of twenty-five percent, associated with a internal sensing of hardened stools; upon the process of defecation, an insufficient evacuation of the bowels. Hence, as the afflicted has ascertained the intensity of the constipation, a better judgment can be implored in a treatment within home remedies for constipation.

Detecting the cause of an individual's constipation is quite significant, in both alleviating and avoiding a reoccurrence of the condition within the digestive system. Such self-analysis will significantly aid in the choice of home remedies for constipation. The more common contributors to bouts of constipation include inadequate chewing of food; lack of ample ingest of fluids in creating dehydration; excessive mineral intakes of aluminum, calcium and iron; limited or decreased locomotion in physical activity; onset of hypothyroidism, in decreasing the actions of the thyroid glands; hypokalemia; injury to the anus and sphincter; prescriptions, to include codeine, loperamide, morphine, and particular antidepressants of a tricyclic composition; underlying illnesses; inherent and acute porphyria; unintentional poisoning through lead; suppressed defecation, clinically termed as dyschezia; intestinal or rectal constrictions, which impede the passage of feces; Strictures, clinically referred to as stenosis; diverticula, whereas certain food particles become trapped within various pockets of the digestive system; tissues involving the areas of the bowels in the development of tumors; a foreign matter of embodiment, termed as a bezoar; anxiety or unfamiliarity with environment, clinically referred to as psychosomatic constipation; irritable bowel syndrome, that is associated with constipation of a predominant circumstance, to include intense abdominal pain and discomfort; cessation of the smoking of tobacco; surgery to the abdomen; and childbirth. Some form of home remedies for constipation can aid all of the proceeding maladies.

For those individuals who are not presenting complex medical problems, though are suffering from constipation, can greatly benefit from a number of practical and dietary consumables as home remedies for constipation. In such proven argument against over-the-counter and non-prescribed usage of retail laxatives, as these forms of relief from constipation can lead to an issue, whereas the action of the chronically afflicted individual's bowels develop a co-dependency upon increased use of such formulations. Therefore, in normal case scenarios, home remedies for constipation are the options preferred by general consensus. Such forms of natural intervention, in the alleviation of constipation, include the afflicted individual's adequate intake of liquids, mainly good quality water, along with fibers from a dietary source. The fiber options are merely the inclusion of ample vegetables, fruits and whole grain breads, to incorporate a better balance in the daily diet, along with such considerations in supplementing the diet of the ailing with linseeds, all, to encourage the natural approach towardshome remedies for constipation.

Other approaches in the relieving of constipation, from an alternative and practical mode, which supports physical or mechanical home remedies for constipation include such supportive treatments as colonic irrigation; enemas of naturally-based composition; adequate exercise; diet budgeting, as to balance intake, as appropriate; and certain herbs.

Focusing on exercise as to one of the natural relievers in pursuit of home remedies for constipation, is, perhaps, more of a preventative measure towards the avoidance in the progressive development of undesirable constipation. Exercising, among home remedies for constipation can be tailored to suit any or most individuals' lifestyles to some level or degree.

In conclusion, barring other medical issues that may possibly contribute or complicate, where constipation is an issue, home remedies for constipation is among the optimal choices.

The Thyroid And Weight Control

Thyroid hormone is probably the single strongest stimulator of the metabolism, and therefore sluggish thyroid function is almost always associated with stubborn weight problems. Although decreased thyroid function can be due to problems with the thyroid gland itself, in many cases other factors are actually to blame. Let's examine the whole thyroid hormone system so that you can better understand where things can go wrong and how thyroid function can often be improved with lifestyle changes.

The stimulation of metabolism actually begins in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus - the master hormone controller. The hypothalmus senses the need for more or less thyroid hormone production and when more is needed, it signals the pituitary gland to produce a hormone called TSH (you may have seen this hormone listed on a blood test for thyroid function). Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) does what it's name suggests - it stimulates the thyroid gland to produce the inactive T4 hormone. When the inactive T4 hormone levels increase, it is taken up by the liver and converted to the active form of thyroid hormone, known as T3. The T3 hormone then acts on receptor sites on the cells of the body and causes the cells to produce more mitochondria, which can be thought of a microscopic power plants inside the cells. The mitochondria create energy for the cells (which when combined from millions of cells creates energy for the body as a whole) by burning stored sugar and fat.

When something goes wrong in the thyroid system, the body does not burn fat and sugar as much, so there is a tendency for weight gain. Since energy production is down, fatigue often sets in. And because there is not sufficient energy for certain cellular functions, healing and tissue regeneration may be depressed - this is most commonly noticed as hair loss and brittle nails.

There are several possible reasons why the thyroid system might not work as well as it should. First, there may not be sufficient stimulation of the body to cause the hypothalamus to start the process. The primary stimulator of the thyroid system is exercise - primarily short bursts of intense exercise. In other words, for healthy thyroid function, it is more effective to do interval training in which you do repetetive bursts of intense activity with rest in between, than it is to do long periods of low-intensity exercise, but any form of exercise is helpful.

Another possible problem is that the thyroid gland itself might be damaged, either by infection, or possibly by radiation exposure (either accidental exposure or intentional radiation of the thyroid for cancer treatment). In the case of actual thyroid damage, some type of thyroid medication will usually be necessary to compensate.

Yet another possible problem in the thyroid system is poor conversion of the inactive T4 hormone to the active T3 hormone by the liver. This typically occurs with poor lifestyle - excessive alcohol and/or drug use, and/or bad diet (especially a diet high in fats and animal proteins). The functioning of the liver can usually be greatly enhanced through dietary approaches, and improved liver function will translate to more efficient activation of thyroid hormone.

The active T3 hormone can actually be blocked at the receptor sites on the body's cells and cannot send the signal for the cells to build additional mitochondria, and metabolism becomes sluggish. This is a common side-effect of estrogen and estrogen-like chemicals. The most common sources of estrogen interference with thyroid hormone are birth control medications and estrogen replacement therapy. If you have experienced weight gain and other thyroid-related symptoms since starting on birth control or hormone replacement, you may wish to consult with your physician about other options.

Finally, the formation of mitochondria can be interfered with by the presence of certain chemicals. Sodium benzoate, a preservative found in many processed foods and beverages (especially soft-drinks) can damage the genetic material within the cells needed for mitochondrial formation. Here again, cleaning up the diet can be very beneficial to overall thyroid hormone function and the ultimate goal of weight control.

To sum things up, there are steps you can take to maximize the metabolism-stimulating effects of the thyroid. First, regular exercise is important, and interval-training is the most effective for thyroid stimulation. Next, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, avoid drugs and medications except for those that are absolutely necessary, and keep fat and protein intake to a moderate level so as not to overwork the liver. In addition, you may wish to consult with your doctor if you are using any kind of birth control or hormone replacement medication containing estrogen. Finally, avoid the preservative sodium benzoate in order to avoid interfering with the production of your cellular "power plants", the mitochondria. In most cases these steps will gradually normalize thyroid hormone function and you will find that weight control becomes much easier. In a few cases, medical treatment for thyroid damage may be needed, but simple lifestyle changes are often the most effective means of improving metabolism.

Why The Magic Of Manganese Isn’t Just In The Name

It’s my job to hypnotize people to stop smoking. I also hypnotize people to create outrageous new possibilities in their lives. But helping people rid themselves of a life-threatening, debilitating habit is what makes me jump out of bed in the morning.

So if you’d like to know how to help a man make the decision and take the actions to stop smoking, you’re in the right place. But you need to understand some things first:

1. Men Vs. Women Smokers

Many of my smoking cessation clients are women. They awaken one day with this feeling inside and say: I’m going to stop smoking!

Sometimes it’s because they want to get pregnant. Or because they worry about the link between smoking and various cancers, heart conditions, or other diseases that affect women. Sometimes it’s because they know they smell like smoke, or they’re wasting money, or it’s getting harder to breathe when they exercise.

Sometimes it’s because a cute little girl said, “Mommy, I wanna smoke, just like you.”

So they make the decision, and then call me and ask how soon they can come in. If I said, “Five minutes from now,” they’d manage to arrive on time, no matter how far away they live. That’s how women smokers act when they quit for good. But men? Well…

2. Men Are Different And What That Means

I’m going to be doing some generalizing here, so buckle your seatbelt and know that I’m trying to make important points that apply to many male smokers, if not all. Mea culpa, but I believe it’s important.

To a man, smoking means something different than to a woman.

To a woman (alert: I’m generalizing again), it’s a way to hang out with her smoking friends; something to do with her hands; an ill-advised method for keeping her weight down (she believes) and a way to create some smoke curls that (she believes) make her look elegant, graceful, and interesting.

To a man, though he won’t admit it, it’s tied up with his manhood.

It doesn’t really matter how, when or why he began smoking, but here are the favorites:

he learned at his father’s knee
he tried his first cigarette with a crowd of other boys
he took it up because John Wayne smoked
he wanted to rebel
he wanted to feel okay as a loner
he’ll look like he’s doing something so the woman he loves will leave him alone
he smokes outside his office building so he can bond with his boss
he started (again) because George Clooney looked so cool smoking in Good Night and Good Luck (substitute any hot male star in any noteworthy film)

Regardless which scenario, it’s about masculinity and what that means to him.

3. Ways To Encourage A Man To Stop Smoking

There are four or five solid ways to get a guy to stop smoking. And a hundred ways to make him smoke more in your attempt to get him to stop. If you’re a woman who loves a man who smokes, you know many of the hundred. When I retire, I may compile them all. In the meantime, here are some of the ways that have been tried.

4. Worst Ways

nagging him
getting his mother to nag him
showing him articles that say smoking = death
showing him articles that say smoking leads to a long list of horrible diseases
asking his doctor to tell him, especially if he finds out you did
saying he stinks, literally
saying you won’t have sex with him if he continues to smoke
saying his cough sounds symptomatic of something horrible
reminding him he swore he would stop
naming friends, relatives and celebrities who are ill or dead due to smoking

These don’t work because for most men because every time you make the argument, it will trigger an answer that proves it’s not true for him. Remind him that so-and-so died of lung cancer, and he’ll remember that so-and-so smoked filterless cigarettes, smoked more often and longer.

Every time you nag, he’ll offer himself a counter-example. Every time you demonstrate why he shouldn’t smoke, he’ll see how his situation is different.

Soon he may tune out your voice entirely when he knows a stop-smoking argument is coming.

5. Best Ways

A. He discovers for himself—physical effects in his own body, or stories about a close friend who is very sick, or news stories, or a very smart doctor who knows how to talk to men directly without being an alarmist. He makes the decision.

B. A child tells him, innocently and disingenuously. Kids say the darnedest things. And spoken with such innocence, it could make a stone cry. Especially if the child is the man’s own blood. (Bribery is okay for this good cause; just make sure the kid stays quiet.)

C. He reads an article that hits so close to home, he can’t ignore it. He just “happened” to find this article in the house.

D. He hears from his wife or a beloved daughter these words: “I’m having a baby!” A first (grand)child or a late-in-life baby are especially compelling.

E. A combination of any of the above.

6. What To Say When A Man Tells You He Is Stopping Smoking

Be pleasantly surprised, even if you were prepping this for months. Be pleased, and don’t offer to help. Let him ask.

Avoid saying “It’s about time” or “I told you you’d better.” Instead try “That’s great.” Then stop. If he looks like he is trusting you not to nag, you might quietly add “Can I do anything?” but if you’ve been a nag, steer clear of even that.

Don’t ask about his progress, let him tell you. If he chooses to talk, be supportive and proud of him, as if the idea was all his. Because, truthfully, it was.

Enjoy knowing you got what you wanted. Keep this enjoyment private. © 2007 by Wendy Lapidus-Saltz. All rights reserved.

3 Surefire Ways To Lose Stomach Fat

It is a known fact that the country's population is seriously overweight and desperately need to learn...How To Lose That Stomach Fat!. But the critical factor many people may take for granted, or fail to realize, is that stomach fat contributes to other health problems like:

raised blood pressure
high cholesterol levels
heart disease
cancer
and diabetes

The first place to look is at the food that you eat and your eating habits with an emphasis on calories, because... your weight is determined by the amount of calories that you eat versus the amount of calories that you burn. One of the main causes of excess fat is due to your metabolism, which is the engine that burns the calories from the foods that you eat.

In humans...metabolism is related to the intake and use of food; persons with a high metabolism can eat more without gaining weight. When learning how to lose stomach fat it is valuable to understand how metabolism works. Being the main process by which your body converts food into energy, metabolism involves several biochemical actions where cells produce the substances... and energy... needed to sustain life. A part of metabolism consists of breaking down food to provide heat and energy in a process called catabolism. Another part of metabolism consists of building proteins and repairing tissue in a process called anabolism. The speed at which your body burns calories is called your metabolic rate.

The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn and the less likely you'll be overweight. There are many different ways to increase your metabolism naturally. So how to lose stomach fat becomes much clearer now that you know you need to increase your metabolism.

Here are 3 real working options you can use to increase your metabolism:

1.) Exercise... You can increase your metabolic rate when exercising and as a result burn off those extra calories and help weight loss. Exercising to gain more muscle can help to burn more calories because of the fact that muscle burns calories more quickly than fat. One of the best ways to improve your metabolic rate, gain more muscle and help weight loss is to do more exercise like a full body workout... using a combination of aerobics and resistance training for best results. This can not only help to burn calories but also to add to the amount of muscle and allow the body to burn the calories more efficiently which can result in you losing that stomach fat. Make an effort to walk and move around a few more minutes each day. Activities such as gardening, washing your car, taking the stairs more often or even parking further away at the store are simple ways to burn more calories.

2.) Diet... Here you should not be thinking about starving yourself, but rather what type of foods are you consuming in your diet...with the emphasis on calories.Surprisingly and contrary to what appears to be basic logic, eating less can sometimes slow your diet down, or at least it can slow down the amount of weight loss. There is not a generic answer that will satisfy everyone as to how many calories is enough to help with your general weight loss or to get rid of stomach fat. Your metabolism can slow down when dieting consist of only eating less...which means you will burn less calories and keep that stomach fat. However, research shows that around 25 percent of calories in a protein-rich meal may be burnt off. But make sure you choose low-fat protein foods such as lean meat, skinless chicken and low-fat dairy products.

3.) Eat smaller portions and eat more often... This is probably one of the most effective steps you can take in learning how to lose stomach fat. The higher the metabolic rate the more calories you burn, the better the weight loss. You want to eat frequently, but the meals should be comprised of smaller portions. Natural food that can boost the metabolism are low-fat food. These types of foods have the tendency to stimulate your metabolism. Many nutritionists believe that when you eat very small amounts of calories, the body "thinks" there is not enough food available which means that the speed in which your body burns calories...(your metabolic rate)...will slow down to adjust.

Your food intake... what you eat and your eating habits are what causes you to become overweight...You became overweight because you are eating the wrong foods, with the improper amount of calories per meal, and you are not eating at the proper intervals to help increase your metabolic rate...resulting in your losing that stomach fat.

Remember, if you want something different you've got to do something different...You have to make the change. Do you want to get rid of that stomach fat for good, or do you want to keep that health risk, stay miserable and out of shape the rest of your life?What Choice Are You Going To Make?

To find out more about a natural weight loss system that can help you lose stomach fat fast without starving... click on... How To Lose That Stomach Fat!

Belly Dancing And Erasing Cellulite: The Perfect Combination!

onder if these fatty lumps can ever be eliminated after they have developed on different areas of the body. And to add to the confusion, a number of fitness gurus and medical professionals proclaim that it is impossible for anyone to be free of cellulite. But there are those who took these proclamations more as a challenge than a barrier; and what these remarkable individuals did blew up many preconceived notions about cellulite.

So is it possible to eradicate cellulite? The answer is a big yes! You can definitely say goodbye to most, if not every inch, of the cellulite in your thighs, tummy, arms or any other area of your body. But just like in any other aspect of life, nothing comes for free when it comes to dealing with cellulite. You have to work hard and you need a lot of self-discipline in order for you to stamp out unwanted fatty dimples on your skin.

To begin, you have to realize that cellulite is nothing more than an accumulated fat that is huddled just under your skin tissues. So to deal with it, you need to build solid full-figured muscles in your body. Doing so, you allow your skin to become firmer and more consistent on the surface. And the most effective ways in which you can build more muscles and have smoother skin is through classic exercise and diet.

Adopting a balanced diet to combat your cellulite can be fairly easy. With the countless diet books and information around, you will be able to take on a balanced eating plan according to your needs in not time at all. But when it comes to the right kind and amount of exercise, you need to be a little more creative. You see, unlike diet or eating which is always a part of your day, exercise for most people requires extra time off your daily schedule; otherwise, if you have always been an exercise junkie, then you do not need help with cellulite after all.

Exercises come in many forms and intensities. But if you want to make it relatively easy for yourself, then you should take a look at belly dancing in your fight against cellulite. This dance is a good aerobic exercise that can be excellent in burning calories off your body.

The benefits that you can derive from belly dancing actually goes beyond eradicating cellulite. But no matter how you look at this dance, you will find that the core moves are always about building lean muscles on many parts of your body. Plus, the steps required in this kind of dance offers superior workout not only for your muscles but for your heart as well. And of course, all the twisting and shaking that are unique to belly dancing can increase the elasticity of your skin.

Belly dancing is a series of low impact movements which is why it is convenient and suitable for people across all ages. This means women who are well in their forties or fifties, age brackets where cellulite is prevalent, can safely include this dance in their daily regimen. All in all, this dance can bring about better blood circulation, which is needed to flush away toxins responsible for trapping all the fatty lumps under your skin.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseeds Oil

Can't do without essential fatty acids

We need essential fatty acids, namely the linoleic acid “LA” and the alpha-linoleic acid “ALA”, as they form the building blocks for the cells that make up our bodies. They are vital in regulating the functions of our brain, organs and nervous system. If deficiency in either one occurs, problems will arise such as vision and learning impairment, dry and irritated skin, mood and behaviour changes, fertility issues and heart disease.

LA and ALA are converted into omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids respectively by our bodies which perform more important tasks in regulating blood clotting, platelet aggregation, blood pressure and cell proliferation.

The World Health Organisation suggests an ideal ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids as 2:1 to be maintained. The average American diet contains way too much omega-6 and insufficient omega-3. Even for vegans and vegetarians, the scale is tipped towards omega-6 because more processed foods containing more omega-6 than omega-3 is consumed.

But it’s important to keep LA and ALA in balance because both are competing for the enzymes needed to convert into omega-6 & 3.

Sources of Omega-6 and Omega-3

Vegans and vegetarians can obtain LA easily from processed oils such as sunflower, corn, grapeseed, seeds, walnuts and grains which convert readily to omega-6. But it’s more difficult to balance omega-3. Other than the fact that the conversion is less efficient, the sources for ALA are decreasing as food processing often removes the unstable ALA.

All is not lost though as vegans and vegetarians can still increase their omega-3 intake by eating unprocessed seeds. All seeds provide good sources of essential fatty acids.

Flaxseed is the best source

Of all seeds, flaxseeds (the seeds of the plant Linum usitatissmum) have the highest ALA and lowest LA, thus can help improve the imbalance in essential fatty acids. Therefore, flaxseeds should form an important part of a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Health benefits

As mentioned above, ALA has many benefits, one of them is to protect the heart in two ways – through improvements in abnormal heart rhythms and a reduction of blood platelet stickiness. ALA also reduces LDL or “bad” cholesterol and lipoprotein levels for the prevention of heart attacks and stroke.

ALA also keep blood pressure at normal level by inhibiting inflammatory effects on blood vessels, thereby preventing formation of plague on blood vessels which cause poor circulation.

Flaxseeds contain approximately 28% fiber, soluble and insoluble. The insoluble fiber helps to relieve constipation, improve colon health and may prevent colon cancer. The soluble fiber comes primarily from mucilage fiber, which is also a great stool softener when consumed with lots of fluid. It also prevents toxicity which results from constipation.

In addition, mucilage fiber slows down sugar absorption into the body, thereby stabilizes blood sugar and control cravings. It helps those who are obese, diabetic or hypoglycemic to overcome overeating and carbohydrate addiction.

Flaxseeds contain the highest level of lignans among all plants. Lignans are phytoestrogens which resemble human hormone estrogens. Despite being much weaker than human estrogens, they nevertheless help to balance hormone levels in the body and may protect against breast, colon, prostate and skin cancer.

A study involving 50 women with breast cancer showed that 25 women who were fed with 25g of milled flax daily before surgery had slower-growing tumors than the other 25 women who were not fed milled flax at all.

Lignans may also have antioxidant properties and hence may reduce cell damage caused by free radicals. Thus, it could help to delay the onset of Type 1 and 2 diabetes.

Selection

Brown or golden flaxseeds do not differ much in nutritious content though some say golden ones have lighter nuttier flavor and brown ones can be a little bitter.

You can choose whole flaxseeds, grounded flaxseeds or flaxseeds oil but whole flaxseeds are the most economical because they are the least expensive and they keep fresh for longer periods. Just a blender and you can prepare ground flaxseeds in seconds.

To enable the maximum absorption of the nutrients by the body, it is best to ground the flaxseeds before consumption. Just one or two tablespoon daily of ground flaxseeds are sufficient to meet your dietary requirements.

Uses

Substitute for eggs – you can mix one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with three tablespoon of water, let the mixture sit for two to three minutes to thicken it. This mixture can replace eggs in recipes such as pancakes, muffins or cookies.

Substitute for fats – replace one tablespoon of fats with three tablespoon of ground flaxseeds. You can use the flaxseeds to replace margarine, butter or shortening in a recipe. Note that flax causes baked food to brown more quickly, so be sure to adjust the baking times.

Flaxseed oil

Even after processed into flaxseed oil, it retains much of essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Flaxseed oil is available in bottles, in gel capsules or blended with other oils.

If you prefer bottled flaxseed oil, you can add a spoonful to your salads, baked potatoes, rice or vegetables to replace margarine, yet enhance the taste and texture of foods. You can even add to juices and drinks. Add the oil after the food is cooked as high heat will reduce the oil’s nutritious value.

Alternatively, you can consume gel capsules as dietary supplements though it will cost more.

As flaxseed oil is prone to spoilage, I suggest you keep flaxseed oil refrigerated.

While flaxseed and flaxseed oil share the same source, flaxseed oil contains only the ALA component of flaxseed because lignans and fiber are removed during extraction.

Holiday Facial Fitness

t’s the time of year when the weather has changed and you’re busy running around, caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday rush. Along with having parties and making sure things around the home and office are filled with plenty of holiday cheer, you continue with your normal chores of paying bills, helping with homework, attending school functions and household upkeep. You’re probably doing a lot more in the day and getting a lot less sleep at night. Needless to say, this creates a lot of wear and tear on your mind, body and face. Yes, your face!

It’s no secret that added stress and less rest can cause you to feel and look worn out. You may have found that your face is starting to reveal signs of holiday fatigue. Puffiness and dark circles under the eyes, as well as a change in texture and clarity of your skin from lack of adequate rest, cold weather and wind, can put a damper on your seasonal celebrations. You need facial rejuvenation and you need it now!

The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get back your facial glow or achieve a glow that you never had is by facial stimulation and massage. This technique has worked wonders on countless faces across the globe and was actually part of the beauty regiments of many ancient civilizations. What’s even better is that this is something you yourself can do for free. You don’t have to go to some doctor for surgery or injections nor do you have to go to a massage parlor or salon.

Studies show that stimulating your face with certain patterns of finger tapping and massage improves skins clarity and texture, prevents and reduces wrinkles and breakouts as well as reduces swelling. What you are doing is stimulating and waking up cells that have become dormant beneath the skins layers. This produces a lifting effect and promotes a firm and supple face. You are also unblocking and clearing clogged cells which increases the blood flow and circulation, thus, giving you a glowing and refreshed face in a matter of days. A noticeable improvement is often seen after the first day. Experts have said it restores a lost youthfulness to the face and can even give the appearance of having a facelift.

Facial stimulation and massage should become a part of your daily beauty routine during the holidays and everyday. It’s fast, free and easy, yet it yields great results. Try it and you’ll never have a dull face again.

Home Remedies for Cold Sores - Cold Sores Alleviation

Of an oral circumstance, a cold sore, or, otherwise known as a fever blister, is classified within herpes, as herpes simplex virus types one and two. Cold sores are a result of an infection, due to febrile disease, upper respiratory or viral-type infections. The age-old terms of cold sores and fever blisters are derived from such effects as their respective sources of infections, which are frequently referred to as a cold or flu.

Other contributors to such cold sores and fever blisters, which are not in conjunction with either an infection or disease origin, are general psychological stress and anxiety. Small, though annoying and painful in a physical sense, such sores or blisters about the area of the mouth, can be alleviated through home remedies for cold sores.

In their vicinity of outbreak, cold sores, which present themselves orally, are accessible for treatments in the mode of home remedies for cold sores. In appearance, cold sores or fever blisters present themselves as being of a consistency of fluid contained within their small red blisters or bubbles. Cold Sores make their presence in areas such as the lips, nose and outside edges of the mouth. Due to the sensitive nature of such orally related tissues, pain is significant; therefore expediting the afflicted individual's needs of home remedies for cold sores.

Origins of cold sores and fever blisters are borne through the herpes simplex virus, in type one and two. Such virus is highly contagious. Upon the body's immune system weakening, due to a cold, fatigue, fever, flu or stress, this virus makes its attack from within the body. As such virus dwells within a body, kept normally in check by immunities, it activates itself with a vengeance whenever the immune system is compromised. A deficiency in levels of calcium can also be partially associated to the propagation of cold sores, prompting an awareness in individuals to act supportively, as well as precautionary, in practicing measures towards home remedies for cold sores.

Where immunity has been challenged by herpes simplex, individuals should come to the defense with home remedies for cold sores, by giving their immune systems some artillery through a natural formulation. Consolidate the same amounts of burdock, Echinacea, lomatium, oats and tinctures of calendula to be orally ingested in the quantity of a half of a teaspoon four to five times daily.

Individuals can also engage home remedies for cold sores in the forms of assurance against the development of such maladies by taking action in the following preventative practices, that include not using the same cups, dishware, glasses, plates, towels or utensils utilized by another individual afflicted with cold sores or fever blisters. Further precautionary measures, in support of home remedies for cold sores, are among such conditions as to avoid oral contact with an individual who is presenting cold sores or fever blisters, as in face-to-face contact or kissing.

Upon the afflicted being out in the sun while presenting cold sores or fever blisters, the individual, among home remedies for cold sores should apply some form of a sunscreen-type protective agent on their lips to prevent intensified effects of such condition. Another preventative practice, in precautionary measures amid home remedies for cold sores for the fostering of an immediate reoccurrence of cold sores or fever blisters is to toss and replace the afflicted individual's toothbrush following an outbreak of herpes simplex.

Durations of the existence of an outbreak of cold sores and fever blisters can range upwards of from ten to fourteen days. Upon the initial presenting of a cold sore or fever blister, a home remedies for cold sores in such instance is in the application of ice, for periods of five to ten minutes during each hour of the initial outbreak. Such aggressive practice will cease both pain and increased progression. Another approach to a home remedies for cold sores during the early phase, is to apply a compress of a tea bag, at intervals lasting from five to ten minutes every hour. This approach to such method of treatment as a home remedies for cold sores is in the tannic acid within the tea leaves antiviral benefits towards the prevention of increased development.

Protein and Weight Loss - Is there any Relation in these

Now it has become a trend that we all are trying to switch on to low carb diet. It occurs mainly due to the fact that high protein diet actually enhances weight loss. A recent British study confirmed that there is a strong correlation between diet high in protein and weight loss. The study also said that the diet high in protein triggers in releasing hormone that influences weight loss.

Protein consumption in diet ensures the release of PYY hormone that reduces the hunger. Researchers argued that high protein foods start out PYY secretion better than other foods. Scientific studies also suggest that PYY should be an integral part of weight reduction plan. Theoretically, as because a proportionate relation exists between protein and weight loss, therefore an obese individual must eat more calories to trigger PYY compared to a normal weight individual.

Typically, we avoid high calorie food to maintain healthy balance in life. But the truth is if we do not get enough protein in our diet, we may suffer from varieties of health complications. Lack of protein in our regular diet may cause harm to all the organs - from the heart to kidney. It also causes weaker immune system; hence our health may be affected by a variety of diseases.

The amount of protein in the diet depends essentially on three factors - sex, age and weight. However, for normal adult man and normal adult woman the daily protein intake would be 56 grams per day and 46 grams per day respectively.

About Weight Loss

In recent years, there are few high-protein diet programs available in the market claiming for weight loss. However, supports received from the diet gurus and health practitioners are generally inclined with the low calorie diet rather the high-protein ones.

However, the relation between protein and weigh loss is not appreciated by each and every research fellow. It is said that low carb diets are mainly linked up with reduced calorie intake and increased diet timing but not with decreased carbohydrate content.

The essential feature of low-carb high-protein diet is rapid weight loss. But it is viewed from a different perspective by the skeptics. They rejected the theory about the relation between the diet high in protein and weight loss and argued that it occurs mainly due to the fact of excessive urination. When the body makes up inadequate supply of dietary carbohydrates, it uses body's own carbohydrates stored in the liver and kidney. During this process, the water is mobilized. The mobilized water is then discharged from the body in the form of urine. Hence the rapid weight loss occurs at the initial stages high-protein diet.

Substituting few dietary carbohydrates with high-protein diet may lead to significant short term weight loss benefits. But the condition says that the diet must be low-fat one as well. Protein and weight loss may become a trendy topic in these days because of its known results contributing to rapid weight loss. But some scientific researches have shown some long term disadvantages as well. Therefore, a slow but certain weight loss can be ensured with a healthy high fiber, moderate protein and low fat plan. This is not a short term plan but a way of healthy living that we can maintain throughout of our lives.

Disadvantages of too much protein

Although, the relation between diet rich in protein and weight loss has become a up-to-the-minute topic in today's health discussion, but we should remember that high protein may imply high fat as well. So there is always a high risk for increasing LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels with high protein intake. Hence, there is high possibility for cardiac problems. High protein may imply low fiber as well. Low fiber diet is not at all healthy. If we use it on a regular basis, there is an increased possibility of getting constipated, increased risk of cancer, obesity, cardiac problem and type-2 diabetes.

The Causes Of Narcolepsy

What in the world could be causing such a strange disorder as Narcolepsy? Scientists have been asking this same question and have discovered quite a few interesting things. In fact, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has combined its efforts with the National Institute of Health (NIH) to conduct research about narcolepsy and other related sleep disorders. Different studies such as the “Safety and Effectiveness Study of a Single Dose of JNJ-17216498 in Patients With Narcolepsy” and “Body Weight Regulation in Patients With Narcolepsy”, many conclusions have been made. Other studies such as the “Effectiveness Of The Drug GSK 189254 In Treating Patients With Narcolepsy” and “Trial of Xyrem (Sodium Oxybate) for the Treatment of Narcolepsy” have helped to conclude that, while there are available medications to relieve some symptoms of narcolepsy, there is still no cure for the condition as a whole.

Thanks to some of the friendly doctors on the job, we are provided with some simple explanations about the causes of a very complex disorder. To make things more understandable to the average layman, it had been explained that narcolepsy is a chronic neurological condition caused by the inability of the brain to exercise normal and regular sleep and wake cycles. The underlying causes of this neurological condition are too complex for many people to understand, but there are four major symptoms that are associated with this condition. First, patients experience excessive daytime sleepiness or EDS. Second, they experience cataplexy or the sudden loss of muscle tone. Third, they experience vivid hallucinations during sleep or upon awakening and lastly they have brief periods of total paralysis. People with this condition do not have the luxury to exercise a regular sleep cycle from non-rapid eye movement to rapid eye movement. Instead, they must seek serious medical treatment.

One of the most common questions still remains for many people. “What causes narcolepsy?” If we are willing to stretch our minds a bit, a more complex explanation can be given for this strange disorder. First, there are some simple things that can be said to trigger the symptoms of this disorder. According to researchers, studies show that patients who suffer from narcolepsy had developed infection, immune-system dysfunction, trauma, hormonal changes, traumatic injuries, tumor growth due to exposure to toxins and stress prior to their narcolepsy symptoms attack. Although these are not considered definite causes for the disorder, they can be readily associated with its onset.

In addition to this, a more complicated explanation involves the fact that a number of variant forms of genes called Allenes affect the condition and are located in a region of chromosome 6 known as the HLA complex of the human gene. I told you this was going to be complicated! Anyway, Allenes have also been discovered to be an essential factor associated with narcolepsy. The HLA complex makes up the majority of interrelated genes that regulate vital roles in the immune system function. People who are diagnosed to have this condition have been shown to have only specific variants in certain HLA genes. These alone, however, are not sufficient to cause the disorder because there are clinical studies that prove the condition to be more unpredictable by nature. Many other genes, aside from those which make up the HLA complex may significantly contribute to the occurrence of narcolepsy. By considering the group of neurons in the brainstem and in the central brain which interact with each other to control sleep, there are large numbers of genes which are supposed to disrupt the brain’s neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters keep us awake when we need to be awake and individuals who lack these transmitters are found to develop many symptoms of narcolepsy. Now you see how complicated it all is! The good news is that you don’t have to be a genius to see the symptoms or to seek medical advice if you think you may be suffering from this condition.

As part of treatment and good management of this condition, medical practitioners strongly suggest that patients must adhere to certain behavioral strategies such as avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine before bedtime. These behaviors, accompanied by proper medication to establish a regular sleep every night, are the best solutions known to help combat this strange disorder known as Narcolepsy.

Depression and Pregnancy-What Is the Connection?

At one time, doctors believed that the hormones associated with pregnancy were a good protection against depression. In more recent years, however, there has been a growing body of evidence that depression during pregnancy is a serious problem, affecting 10-20% of all women - the same proportion that women as whole suffer without adding pregnancy into the equation. With figures like that and with the added concern that depression can factor into the health of the baby, it is important to know something about how depression and pregnancy are connected.

First, it's important to recognize what depression is and what the symptoms are.

Depression is a mood disorder that may have both biological and behavioral roots. Although healthy women frequently experience some of the following symptoms during a pregnancy, depression is usually diagnosed when the patient experiences three or more of the following symptoms in the space of two weeks:

* A sense that nothing feels enjoyable or fun anymore
* Feeling blue, sad, or "empty" for most of the day, every day
* Difficulty concentrating
* Extreme irritability, agitation, or excessive crying
* Trouble sleeping or sleeping all the time
* Extreme or never-ending fatigue
* A desire to eat all the time or not wanting to eat at all

If a woman experiences three or more of these, she may be suffering from clinical depression and should report the symptoms to her doctor.

Depression is a serious disorder, and is more than just having "the blues." Untreated depression can interfere with a woman's ability to care for her self during pregnancy, and can push a woman to neglect vital personal care, thus hurting her unborn child. In extreme cases, the condition can also put her at risk for suicide, and for abuse of substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. Depression may also interfere with the ability to bond with the child, and can also increase the risk for having an episode of depression after delivery (postpartum depression). In addition, recent studies have shown the possibility of links between depression in the mother and such serious conditions as premature delivery, low birth weight, spontaneous miscarriage, and gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia.

Doctors feel that there are several major causes which can contribute to a depression during pregnancy. Having an existing history of clinical depression or PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a severe type of premenstrual syndrome or PMS) is paramount among these, as a predisposition to the disorder can increase the chance that pregnancy and its attendant stresses will bring on an episode. Age at time of pregnancy is also a factor -- the younger the woman is, the higher the risk of depression.

There are also environmental factors to consider. If the woman is living alone, without the support of a partner, and has limited social support; if there are already multiple children in the family, or there is a history of marital conflict and ambivalence about the pregnancy, there is a greatly increased risk of a significant clinical depression.

If a pregnant woman believes that she is experiencing depression, she should seek medical advice immediately. This is not a condition that will simply go away; treatment to avoid the serious consequences listed above is vital.

Fortunately, there are many ways to treat depression during pregnancy. One of the most important is for the woman to take a step back and realize that she may not have to do everything she did before the pregnancy. If a social network and supportive partner are available, much of the self-imposed stress of trying to maintain a normal, pre-pregnancy routine can be alleviated by doing less while others take up the slack. If these resources are not available, psychotherapy is an effective way to help the patient get at root causes of feelings of helplessness and low self-worth, thus allowing her to cope better.

Self care is critical - developing good sleeping habits, regular diet and exercise routines and the like are also effective treatments. Medications are also available, but as with any drugs taken during pregnancy, there are risks that must be considered. Some antidepressants have been associated with serious side effects for the baby; any use of these drugs should be discussed carefully with a trained doctor so that risks are balanced against the benefits. Keeping in mind that depression is a serious illness; there are times when the benefits of treating a depressive episode with drugs outweigh the possible downside.

As with any medical condition that occurs during a pregnancy, depression requires a skilled diagnosis and treatment by a trusted specialist. Women who are at risk for depression or who are experiencing the symptoms owe it to themselves to address the problem as soon as possible.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

How do you know if you have sleep apnea? Thanks to the wonderful technology of online resources, millions of sleep apnea patients are now aware of their current health condition and sleep apnea symptoms. Sleep apnea is a very common sleeping disorder affecting more than twelve million people. Studies show that the male-to-female ratio of sleep apnea patient is 2:1 or higher. Men snore at least twice as much as women do that it actually becomes a diagnosable condition! To be more specific, sleep apnea also affects people over forty and the young African American population the most. It is also promoted by being overweight, high blood pressure, having problems in the nose and throat, and smoking. These are all significant factors that can contribute to experiencing sleep apnea. But what about the symptoms? How do we know if we have sleep apnea or just a bad case of snoring?

Sleep apnea comes in three forms and all of them have different symptoms. The first is Obstructive sleep apnea. It is the most common form and is caused by an airway blockage that results in the collapsing and closing of the tissue at the back of the throat during sleep. To put it simpler, a person who suffers from this form of sleep apnea unconsciously experiences a sudden cessation on snoring followed by a silence because of the stoppage in breathing. This alternating pattern of snoring and silence can repeat over a hundred times a night causing poor sleep quality. This is one of the first symptoms to be detected for sleep apnea sufferers. Central sleep apnea is the second form of this disorder and it is brain related. What happens is the nerve signals are not sent to the muscles intended for breathing which causes the breathing problems to get irregular even when there is no blockage in the airways. This irregular breathing is a second symptom to look for. Finally, Mixed sleep apnea is a mixture of the central and obstructive sleep apneas. Despite the different names, you may now conclude that those three forms have the same effect, that the patient stops breathing while sleeping. Think about the life-threatening possibilities and the danger of this experience while you are in an unconscious state of mind! Sleep apnea is a very serious disorder that should be treated with extreme caution.

It is very difficult for anyone to determine if they are suffering from any type of sleep apnea simply because the condition is a sleep disorder and it is impossible to monitor yourself while sleeping. Seek out assistance! A member of your family, for example, can be the most credible in helping you evaluate these matters.

The main symptoms of sleep apnea happen while sleeping. The individual suffering may be unaware of the symptoms such as loud snoring due to breath recovery. They might also be unaware of the silence that comes immediately after, which is due to the inability to breathe caused by the blockage of the airway. Another symptom is the lack of rapid eye movement or REM sleep. Most normal people experience REM whenever they enter a deeper stage of sleeping. This is characterized by the fluttering of the eyelids while sleeping. You may have observed this natural movement of the eye from a normal person who is sleeping. This is easy to observe in children who are healthier and more capable of having a deep sound sleep. REM is impossible for sleep apnea patients because of the blockage in the airways and the lack of breath. The brain of the patient sends signals to the muscles for their breathing to continue again but they never enter a deep state of sleep. This causes constant tossing and turning in bed and a very poor sleep quality.

Aside from the symptoms experienced while sleeping, there are also obvious changes in behavior which can be considered as symptoms related to sleep apnea. They include irritability and excessive sleepiness that can even cause sleeping while driving. They also include less interest in sexual activities and memory problems. If one of your family members is complaining about your loud snoring and, at the same time, you are experiencing some changes that are affecting your daily normal activities, seek medical advice immediately! Untreated sleep apnea can be life-threatening and can develop into high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, impotence, and headaches.

Becoming aware of and treating your sleep apnea symptoms will help you and others in your family to continue with a normal lifestyle. Sleep apnea can be life-threatening so don’t let this hinder you in experiencing a happier life with your loved ones.

Boost Your Metabolism to Lose Weight

There are a lot of people who would give a lot to increase their metabolism. Having a high level of metabolism enables one to burn fat and lose weight fast with the least amount of exertion. Metabolism is the rate by which the body produces and consumes energy and calories to support life.

There are several factors that affect the metabolism of a person, such as the amount of muscle tissue, the frequency of the meals one consumes, genetics, the digestive system, stress levels, personal diet, and activity levels. Metabolism slows down due to the following: loss of muscle because of not enough physical activity, the tendency of the body to cannibalize its own tissue because there is not enough food energy to sustain it, and the decrease of physical activity that comes naturally with old age.

Here are several ways to fire up one's metabolism:

1. Build up on lean, mean body mass. It is only natural that metabolism decreases along with age, but it is possible to counter the effects. The amount of muscle a person has is a very strong determinant in the ability to burn calories and shed fat. So it goes without saying that exercise is essential. Build strength and resistance by working out at least twice a week, preferably with weights. Do easy exercises in between workouts. Simple tasks such as walking the dog and using the stairs in place of the elevator can already take off calories. The key is to match the amount of eating to the amount of activity one has. Here are some guidelines in getting the right exercise:

For strength training

-Increase the amount of repetitions of a particular exercise.
-Add the level of resistance
-Utilize advance exercise techniques if possible

For cardiovascular training

-Insert intervals between exercises
-Perform cross-training and combine the exercises
-Add up on resistance and speed


2. Eat breakfast. A lot of people are ignoring the fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Surprisingly, the ones who eat breakfast are thinner than the ones who do not. Metabolism can slow down considerably if breakfast is taken during mid-morning or if one waits until the afternoon to eat.

3. Avoid sugar. Sugar enables the body to store fat. It is recommended that a person consumes food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar. Additionally, progressive exercise 2-3 times a week should be in order to stabilize blood sugar.

4. Eat spicy foods. Hot cuisine with peppers can increase metabolism.

5. Sleep more. According to research, it is riskier for people who do not get enough sleep to gain weight. Also, muscles are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.

6. Increase water intake. Water flushes out toxins that are produced whenever the body burns fat. Majority of bodily functions involves water, and lack of water causes the body system's operations to decrease its speed, and produces unneeded stress as a result.

7. Detoxify the digestive system. A clean and healthy digestive system not only helps the body to run more efficiently, it also gives you energy and helps you to crave healthier foods. This makes a cleansing program, such as Isagenix 9-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System, a great way to jump-start a weight loss regimen.

8. Eat smaller meals. It is advisable to consume 4 to 6 small meals that are timed 2 to 3 hours apart.

9. Never skip meals. People tend to skip meals in order to lose weight, which is a big mistake since it slows down metabolism.

10. Plan meals in detail. Always prepare the right amount of food to be consumed at the designated intervals. Do not commit the mistake of eating meals in sporadic patterns.

11. Ditch the stress! Stress, be it physical or emotional, triggers the release of a steroid called cortisol, which decreases metabolism. Also, people tend to eat excessively when stressed.

12. Guzzle up on green tea. It can be used as a substitute for coffee. Tea has the ability to stimulate metabolism, and unlike coffee, it has no undesirable side effects when too much is consumed.

13. Include more energy foods in the diet, such as fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains.

Achieving the desired body weight is never impossible if one has the determination and patience needed to stabilize the metabolism level, which plays an important role in weight loss. A person needs to realize that eating right and working out is not just a passing fancy, but a way of life. Fighting cravings is hard for most of us. A great help in the quest to eat healthier --and fight those unhealthy cravings-- is a body cleansing program. Visit www.loseweightandcleanse.com for details on Isagenix's 9-Day System.

Processed Food Is Making You Fat And Sick

The dirty little secret of the processed food companies that they hope we never find out is that: THE CHEMICALS FROM THEIR FOOD ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING EXCESS BODY FAT.

But if it's low calorie or low fat how can this be?

This is how it happens.

Your liver is basically your toxin filter but it is also the number one organ responsible for metabolism and fat burning. The thing is that it can't do both at once. Even the average person who eats what they consider to be 'pretty good' is often ingesting a lot of chemicals from their food (let alone from personal care products and their environment and that's another story that we also cover). Now, if your liver is constantly trying to detoxify your body, what is it NOT doing? Yep, that's right - it's NOT burning fat and regulating your metabolism.

Now the problem is that we have to eat every day and several times a day at that. If your food is not 'clean' then chances are you will be ingesting a cocktail of chemicals several times per day. Your liver can only do so much toxin filtering so what happens when it gets over run by so many nasty chemicals that it can't process them all? It has to store them somewhere. Where? Well, inside the body you have all these important vital organs that are critical to survival and maintaining life so let's not put the chemicals there. Instead, let's put them on the outside and since many of them are acidic and harmful, we're going to have to insulate them in something. Hmm, let's put a nice thick layer of fat around them and store the excess chemicals from processed food that way.

The chemicals from processed food will make you fat, period. Learning how to follow a simple plan to avoid them is critical to your success. Once you also discover for yourself the gory details of what toxins will do to your body and how they will cripple your best efforts in the gym, you will move to a whole new level of understanding. Having this in depth knowledge makes the day-to-day decisions that create a lean muscular body easier because you will know how much making the wrong choices will sabotage all you from getting the body you desire.

The Dairy Calcium Myth

The Dairy Calcium Myth Milk is not as high in calcium as the dairy industry would have you believe. In Healthy Vitamins and Minerals by Jane Turner, under the section on Calcium, milk doesn't even make the first page and sits 35th on the list with 120mg of calcium per 100g.

Some of the foods that beat it by far are sesame seeds (670mg/100g, more than 5 times!), sardines (540), Nori seaweed (470), both more than triple, almonds (240, double!), figs (230) parsley, spinach, watercress, kale (200-170, and these are green vegetables!) even hazelnuts and oysters (140).

More importantly though what little calcium milk actually has is offset by the fact that it is barely absorbable by humans since cows milk is meant for baby cows. Dr William Ellis has conducted thousands of blood tests in people who drank 4 glasses of milk a day and found that they had lower levels of calcium than the rest of the population.

This is because milk interferes with the digestion of nutrients by clogging the stomach and intestines with mucous. On top of all this, cows these days are extremely unhealthy as they have been pumped full of drugs, hormones and antibiotics (to prop them up from the diseases they contract) in a bid to produce more milk faster. Milk has been found to have 59 active hormones, 52 antibiotic residues, scores of allergens and contaminants such as pus from diseased udders.

The bottom line through all of this is that, on whose authority are you trusting when it comes deciding what goes into your mouth? Yours or the supposed 'experts' in the health and food industry with highly toxic hidden agendas? On whose authority are you trusting when it comes to deciding what food best fuels your body for the intensity of your workouts and post recovery? Yours or the supposed 'experts' in the health and food industry with highly toxic hidden agendas? On whose authority are you trusting when it comes to deciding what you should ingest to keep you not only healthy but alive? Yours or the supposed 'experts' in the health and food industry with highly toxic hidden agendas?

Get the picture?

Nutrition forms the absolute cornerstone for unleashing the ultimate physique that lies within you - clean functional nutrition based on what your body requires, not what someone would like you to eat so they can line their pockets are totally two different things. Before you eat anything that you believe should form part of your training regime, don't just take some 'expert's' word for gold, question everything. Seriously, don't even take my word for gospel - check it out and test out how accurate the above data is compared to what you hear day in day out from the health and food industry. If you're serious about making changes to your body and life, even if you do this just once, as soon as you see for yourself that what you're being told by those you've always believed you can trust is not always the truth, you will never go back. The truth will empower you to seek the truth out yourself and ensure your authority becomes rooted in what's accurate because your authority will be none other than your own.

Do You Believe In The Herbal Hype?

In China, herbal method has been treated for along time. Nowadays, it's not strange if American use that treatment. There is a fast-growing interest among people today regarding alternative medicines and therapies. This interest includes the herbal remedies and dietary supplements market. In fact, it's a safe bet that many large supermarkets in your local area feature an aisle or two specifically for natural medicines alone. A quick browse through the World Wide Web about health problems and topics will reveal advertisements and articles about natural health products that claim to help consumers with everything from migraines to sexual deficiencies.

When they are used properly in combination with a patient's overall health regimen, these natural health products can be effective and safe. More and more people are observed to be taking an active part in taking care of their health, and this is a good thing. What makes it a problem, though, is the lack of information that patients sometimes have, especially when it comes to self-presciption medicines. With that in mind, it is valuable to know the following rules-of-thumb regarding botanicals and herbal remedies:

Don't immediately think that taking a natural medicine is safe for you. Alternative medicines from plants or herbs can also be dangerous when taken improperly. These natural medicines are usually needed to be taken in strong dosages, or at least strong enough to be effective. It's good to remember that they also have contra-indications, just like other medicines. Usually these contra-indications happen when abnormally large dosages are taken, or if the herb is taken over a prolonged amount of time.

Goji Berries are getting much acclaim lately for being health food products, usually marketed as either Himalayan goji or Tibetan goji. One source indicates that Goji Berries have been a mainstay of Traditional Chinese Medicine for around 1,900 years already. According to Chinese legend, Goji Berries were also used by Shen Nung who is believed to have been the First Emperor of China. Goji Berries are now considered a health food because research has shown that it has antioxidants and nutrients aplenty, which may explain why Goji Berries are also now classified as one of the superfruits. Demand for superfruits like Goji Berries is expected to reach the billion-dollar mark by year 2011.

The Goji Berries you may be familiar with are usually of an ellipsoidal shape and bright red, with each of the Goji Berries filled with up to sixty seeds. Goji Berries that are planted in countries in the Northern Hemisphere may ripen in the months of July, August, September and October.

Nowadays, Goji Berries are planted in commercial quantities in north central China (in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region) and in western China (in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.) The size of a typical plantation of Goji Berries can start at 100 acres and extend to up to 1000 acres in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Ningxia has been found to produce some of the top Goji Berries variety which are sometimes called the red diamonds commercial variety.

The Miracle in the Defence System

Defence is an issue that has to be given top priority by a country for the continuance of its existence. Nations have always to watch out for all kinds of internal and external threats, assaults, risks of wars and terrorist actions. This is why they allocate a great part of their official budgets to defence. Armies are provided with the most advanced aircraft, ships, and arms, and the forces of defence are always kept at the highest level of preparedness.

The human body is surrounded by a great number of enemies and threats. These enemies are bacteria, viruses, and similar microscopic organisms. They exist everywhere; in the air we inhale, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the environment in which we live.

What most people are not aware of is that the human body has an excellent army, the immune system, which fights against enemies. This is a real army made up of many "soldiers" and "officials" with different assignments, who are specially trained, employ high technology and fight with conventional and chemical weapons.

Every day, even every minute, a permanent war is fought between this army and the enemy forces, but away from our knowledge. This war can also be in the form of minor, local skirmishes as well as battles in which the whole body is involved and alarmed. We call these battles "diseases".

The general conduct of this war almost never changes. The enemy attempts to fool the other side by camouflaging itself when intruding into the body. The trained investigative forces are assigned by the defence to identify the enemies. The enemies are identified and appropriate weapons are produced to exterminate them. Then there is close contact, the defeat of the enemy, cease-fire, and clearance of the battleground. Last, there is storage of every type of information about the enemy as a precaution against the possibility of a later attack....

Now let us examine this interesting war closer.

THE BESIEGED CASTLE: THE HUMAN BODY

We can liken the human body to a castle besieged by enemies. The enemies look for various ways to invade this castle. The human skin is the wall of this castle.

The substance of keratin in the cells of the skin is an impassable barrier for bacteria and fungi. Foreign substances that reach the skin cannot pass through this wall. Moreover, although the outer layer of skin that contains keratin is continuously rubbed off, it is renewed by skin growing from beneath. Thus, all unwanted guests that have squeezed between the skin are ejected from the body together with dead skin, during renewal of the skin from inwards to outwards. The enemy can only make its way in through a wound that is inflicted on the skin.

THE FRONT LINE

One of the ways through which viruses enter the body is air. The enemy pushes its way to the body through the air inhaled. However, a special secretion in the nasal mucous membrane and cell-swallowing defence elements in the lungs (phagocytes) meet these enemies and take control of the situation before the danger grows. Digestive enzymes in the stomach acid and small intestine eliminate a great number of the microbes that seek to enter the body through food.

THE CLASH OF THE ENEMIES

There are some microbes that have settled in various parts of the human body (such as skin, skin folds, mouth, nose, eye, upper respiratory canals, digestive canal, the genitals) yet do not cause illness.

When a foreign microbe enters the body, these domestic microbes - thinking that their habitation would be invaded- and not wishing to give way to the foreigners who invade their habitation - fight strenuously. We can define them as professional soldiers. They try to protect their territory for their own ends. Thus, the complex army in our body is reinforced by these micro supports.

STEP BY STEP TO HOT WAR

If a microscopic intruder entering the body can overcome defence elements on guard and bacteria serving as soldiers, it causes war to begin with. After that, the body, with its ordered army, fights a perfect offence-defence war against this foreign army.

The war fought by the defence system is comprised of four parts:

1. Identification of the enemy.
2. The fortification of defences and the preparation of offensive weapons.
3. Attack and battle.
4. Retreat to normal state.

The cells that first meet the enemy units are macrophage cells that make "phagocytosis", i.e., that engulf the enemy. These cells are involved in close contact with the enemy, and fight a hand-to-hand war. They are just like infantrymen who fight a bayonet war against enemy units and struggle at the distant front line of the army.

Moreover, macrophages function as intelligence units, or as the secret service of an army. They hold one portion of the enemy they destroy. This portion is used to identify the enemy’s identity and to determine its features. Macrophages pass this portion to another intelligence unit, messenger-T cells.

GENERAL ALARM

When a country is involved in war, a general mobilisation is declared. Most of the natural resources and the budget are spent on war expenses. The economy is re-arranged according to this extraordinary situation and the country is involved in total action. In a war, which the defensive army of the body will fight as a whole, mobilisation is also declared. Do you wonder how?

If the enemy is more than they can handle, the cavalcades (macrophages) that launch an attack secrete a special substance. The name of this substance is "pyrogen" and it is a kind of alarm call. After travelling a long way, "pyrogen" reaches the brain and stimulates the fever-increasing centre of the brain. Following this stimulation, the brain sets off alarms in the body and the person develops a high fever. The patient with a high fever naturally feels a need to rest. Thus, the energy needed by the defence army is not spent elsewhere. As seen, there exists an extremely complex plan and design at work.

THE ORDERED ARMY SWINGS INTO ACTION

The war between the microscopic intruder and the immune system becomes more complicated after mobilisation, that is, your falling ill in bed. At this stage, infantrymen (phagocytes) and cavalrymen (macrophages) have proved insufficient, the whole body is alarmed, and the war becomes heated. At this stage, lymphocytes - (T and B cells) - intervene.

Cavalrymen (macrophages) pass the information they have on the enemy to T helper cells. These cells summon T cytotoxic and B cells to the battleground. These are the most effective fighters of the immune system.

WEAPONRY PRODUCTION

As soon as B cells receive information about the enemy, they start producing weapons. These weapons, just like ballistic missiles, are only produced to hit the enemy on whom information is available. This production is so perfect that the three dimensional structure of the microscopic intruder and the three dimensional structure of the weapon fully match each other. This accord is like that between a key and its lock.

Antibodies advance towards the enemy and clamp tightly on it. After this stage, the enemy is neutralised like a tank that has its treads, cannon and gun destroyed. Afterwards, other members of the immune system come and eliminate the neutralised enemy.

Here, there is a very important point to consider: there are millions of types of enemy that the immune system will confront. B cells can produce an appropriate weapon for all types of enemy no matter what they are. This means that the immune system innately has the knowledge and capability to produce the keys appropriate to millions of different types of locks. These unconscious cells have the ability to make millions of types of antibodies, and their using it in the best way proves the existence of a creation by the Owner of an exalted power.

Furthermore, the system is more sophisticated. As B cells destroy the enemy with ballistic weapons, T cytotoxic cells also fight a tough war against the enemy. When some viruses enter a cell, they can hide from the weapons produced by the B cells. The T cytotoxic cells find the diseased cells in which this camouflaged enemy hides and destroy them.

AFTER THE VICTORY

After the enemy is defeated, the T suppressor cells swing into action. These cells give the army of defence the command to cease fire, and cause the T cytotoxic and B cells to stop their activities. Thus, the body does not carry on in a state of mobilisation in vain. After the war is over, most of the T and B cells produced specifically for the war complete their lifecycle and die. This tough war, however, is not to be forgotten. Before the war, a short time passed while the enemy was identified and the necessary preparations made. If the enemy ever comes back, the body will be much better prepared. A group of memory cells, which have come to know the features of the enemy, will constantly serve in the immune system in future. In a possible second attack, the immune system, with the information in the memory cells, will have the means to react before the enemy gains force. The reason why we do not catch mumps or measles again, after we have once caught them, is because of the memory of our immune system.

WHO IS HE WHO CREATES THE SYSTEM?

After all the information we have examined, we have to take our time and think about how this perfect immune system to which we owe our lives has come to exist. There is a flawless plan at work. Everything needed for the operation of this plan is intact: macrophages, the pyrogen substance, the fever raising centre of the brain, the body’s fever raising mechanisms, B cells, T cells, weapons... How, then, has this perfect system come into being?

Not surprisingly, the theory of evolution, which proposes that living beings have come into being by coincidence, cannot explain how this complex system came about. The claim of the theory of evolution is that living beings and living systems have originated step-by-step by the accumulation of little coincidences. However, the immune system cannot by any means have originated "step-by-step". The reason is that in the case of the absence or malfunction of even one of the factors that make up the system, the system cannot work and the person could not survive. The system must have come into being completely and flawlessly with all its components intact. This reality renders the notion of "coincidence" meaningless.

Who, then, makes this plan? Who knows that the body’s fever must rise, and that only that way the energy needed by the army of defence will not be spent elsewhere? Is it the macrophages? Macrophages are merely tiny cells. They do not have the capacity to think. They are living organisms that obey an established superior order and that fulfil their duties.

Is it man? Certainly not. People are not even aware that such a perfect system is at work in their own bodies. However, this system, of which we are unaware, protects us from certain death.

It is obvious that the one who created the immune system, and who created the whole human body, should be a Creator Who has exalted knowledge and might. This Creator is Allah, Who has created the human body from a "drop of fluid".