Archive

Archive for March, 2010

Mar
31

Understanding the glycemic index and how it affects your blood sugar may help you gain control of your blood sugar and help you make better food choices. If you are currently dealing with blood sugar problems or are diabetic you have probably heard the term glycemic index tossed around. Using this index can also reduce your risk of heart problems, promote weight loss, and improve cholesterol levels. Knowing what to eat using the glycemic index will help you take charge of your health.

The glycemic index is a method that ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on blood sugar levels. It has long been known that eating various carbohydrates have different consequences on our health. The glucose level in our bloodstream increases when we eat carbohydrates, especially things like processed sugar and high starch foods. What is just now coming to light is how eating certain good carbohydrates can actually keep blood sugar levels constant.

The key to using the glycemic index is learning how to exchange low glycemic index carbohydrates for those high index ones. It is not really complicated once you discover what works best for your body. Switching from highly processed grains is a good place to begin. Eating whole grains such as oats, bran and barley is important. Reduce the amount of starchy foods you eat, especially potatoes.

Increase your intake of things such as pasta and noodles. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Salad is a great option but make sure you use salad dressings such as vinegar and oil or vinaigrette’s instead of the high calorie dressings. Fresh fruits can satisfy those cravings for sugar in a natural way that doesn’t raise your blood sugar to dangerous levels.

Eating low glycemic foods helps you stay fuller longer and reduces hunger. Because you are full longer, you eat less. This will result in weight loss. Weight loss is often extremely difficult for diabetics because of the medications they take. By eating less, losing weight and keeping blood sugar levels constant the need for medications sometimes decreases. Even if you are not able to lose weight or lower your use of medications, eating a healthy diet has positive health benefits.

Taking control of your health through use of the glycemic index is an easy way to improve your health. With a little education and proper shopping methods you can be on your way to improving your health. Do some research and see if the glycemic index might work for you.

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Mar
31

Hypnosis is one of those techniques that has been passed down through generations, not only to allow you to control bad habits but to control emotions and allow you to live a more productive life. Hypnosis techniques have been used for people who want to quit smoking, lose weight and rid themselves of emotions that at one time or another have become uncontrollable. Some people that suffer from certain anxieties can use self hypnosis to allow themselves to find serenity in under the most stressful situations.

The best advice for anyone that is finding themselves in stressful situations is letting them know there is something that can help them get their emotions under control. If you or someone you know has trouble dealing with stress there is help out there that will allow you to know how to use self hypnosis techniques that will keep you feeling steady and take your emotions under control.

For those that want to lose weight or quit smoking hypnosis is a tool that has been proven to work many times over. Here are a few tips for you to take control of you life through self hypnosis.

1. Know where to turn – this does not mean you should run down to the nearest carnival and pay for hocus pocus techniques, this means looking for someone who is qualified in the field to teach you a few tricks to help you learn how to take control through self hypnosis.
2. Don’t buy into the latest fad – These are proven techniques and there is no simple guide, you must use the tools appropriately to get the results you desire.
3. Take the information to heart – any hypnosis technique is only as good as the person being hypnotized so you need to really take control over your situation and use the tools properly for the best results.

If you follow these tips you will see that getting your emotions under control is not as hard as it seems. If you want to change your lifestyle and rid yourself of dirty habits you can easily perform self hypnosis steps to get your life back under control.

There is a lot of information available at libraries and online and finding the technique that works for you is the first step. Don’t take the advice from any hocus pocus guru, look for a professional that will help you get your life back on track. It can be a simple step if you know what you’re looking for and are willing to do what it takes.

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Mar
31

Irritable bowel syndrome affects millions of Americans. It usually manifests around age 20, and for reasons unknown strikes more women than men. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping and bloating, diarrhea or constipation, and mucous in the stools. While only a physician can diagnose irritable bowel syndrome and decide whether or not another serious illness is present or not, once you’re diagnosed there’s little that medical science can do other than offer some guidelines as to what to eat or avoid to prevent the occurrence of painful or debilitating IBS symptoms. Stress is often a trigger for IBS flare ups.

Stress and Your Body

Everyone experiences stress from time to time. Whether it’s getting stuck in traffic, taking tests, worrying about your job or money, there are often small, daily life stressors that accumulate and pile on the stress debt father than we can deal with it. Major life stressors, such as illness, loss of a job, death of a loved one, marriage, divorce and children can also create high stress levels in our lives.

When we’re under stress, whether big or small, our bodies go into the fight or flight response. This is nature’s way or preparing us to fight the perceived stress or run away from it. And while this mechanism served our ancestors well when they did things like fight wild beasts, it’s not so good for us now when the wild beasts we’re fighting are six lanes of stuck traffic or a poor performance review from our boss.

During times when stress levels rise, our bodies do several things to prepare for the fight or flight response. Breathing increases and may become shallow. Hormones flood the system along with other chemicals preparing us to battle or run from a perceived stressor. And blood moves from the digestive system to other places, slowing digestion so that energy can be put towards battling the stress rather than digestion.

Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach or experienced a ‘nervous stomach’ before a stressful event, such as making a speech, acting in a play, or even on your wedding day? That’s perfectly normal and an example of how your body’s reacting to stress.

But in modern living, our stress levels rise without relief. Turn on the television first thing in the morning and what do you hear and see? Images of war, strife, tension. Stories about bad things. By the time you’ve grabbed your car keys and headed out the door to work, your body’s already starting to respond to stress. And it never ends.

Stress and Serotonin

Many people assume that the body’s reaction to stress is all in our heads, but it’s actually throughout the body – and especially in the gut. Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood and emotion, is manufactured not in the brain but in the colon. If your colon’s not healthy or if it’s bombarded by unremitting stress day in and day out, chances are good that your body’s serotonin levels are altered. And this can lead to depression and greater anxiety.

Which comes first – the stress response, low serotonin levels and IBS, or low serotonin and anxiety? No one knows. Doctors however are starting to prescribe antianxiety medications to patients with irritable bowel syndrome, and seeing improvements, which again underscores the connection between the brain, the gut and irritable bowel syndrome.

Natural Help: Diet, Colon Hydrotherapy and Stress Relief

But what can you do to help irritable bowel syndrome without taking medication? There’s a long list of holistic procedures you can try if you’re diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. These include:

  • Changing gradually to a raw, living foods diet. This increases fiber intake, improves nutrition for most people, and provides the body with life-giving enzymes.
  • Colon hydrotherapy. Colon hydrotherapy uses water to gently cleanse impacted matter from the colon. This can help your body naturally evacuate waste easily. It often improves symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps.
  • Stress relief. Find ways to cope with daily stressful events. EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique is a method of dealing with stress that you can learn and practice on your own. Other methods to cope with stress include mindfulness, meditation, yoga and gentle exercise. Seek counseling from a professional if you’re dealing with extreme stress, anxiety disorder or depression.

With these tips, you may be able to manage or mitigate some of the stress in your life that may contribute to irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.

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Mar
30

If you are experiencing fatigue, a body cleanse could be just the thing to get you back on track. Everyday we inhale and ingest toxins from the foods that we eat and from our environment. These toxins accumulate in our bodies over time.

Ideally, consuming a healthy diet consisting of organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains and wild caught fish that is high in omega 3 fatty acids will help to work toxins out of our systems.

However, many are consuming the SAD (standard American diet) which is less than ideal. Even if we are on track with how we eat, we can still experience toxin build up from the exposures in our environment.

When we relieve ourselves of toxic accumulation, we will also find relief from the symptoms that are associated with them. Sluggishness, fatigue and constipation, to name a few, are discomforts that plague those carrying a heavy toxic load.

There are many options available at any health food store that claim to cleanse and detoxify our bodies. It is best to stick with a natural body cleanse that does not contain harsh chemicals, additives or undesirable ingredients. Always read labels before deciding on a brand. Stay away from products that include ingredients you cannot identify or pronounce.

You can support the hard work of your liver by helping it to detoxify with green tea, milk thistle, dandelion root, and burdock. Once you cleanse, the best way to keep toxins to a minimum is to modify your lifestyle.

Eliminate bad elements from your diet one by one. Replace the bad food with a good one. Over time, small modifications add up to huge improvements to your health. When shopping, avoid the middle sections of the supermarket. These are the sections where the processed junk foods are housed. Stick to the perimeter of the market where the fresh produce and fish are located. If you do purchase boxed or canned foods, follow the rule of 5. Read food labels! Avoid items that have more than 5 ingredients. If you cannot pronounce or identify any of the ingredients, put it down and walk away!

Drink lots of fresh, purified water. This will flush your system of toxins and keep you hydrated. As a minimum drink eight, 8 ounces glasses each day. To add to the detoxifying effect, squeeze the juice of one half of a fresh lemon into it. Beverages that are sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners do not replace pure, fresh water.

Vital to good health is emotional balance and a good mental attitude. Negativity can bring on chronic problems and disease. Exercise regularly. Practicing yoga, martial arts, or just plain walking a few times per week will do wonders for your energy level and will help to push those toxins out.

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Mar
30

Living Without Embarrassing Daily Hives-Is It Possible?

Whether you’ve been dealing with the pain and inconvenience of urticaria for years or have only recently started experiencing hives, you may be interested in learning about some of the methods of chronic urticaria treatment. Hives (Urticaria) are a surprising complicated problem (at least the chronic variety are) but there are a number of ways to address them. Let’s look at three methods.

First, many people will rely upon antihistamines as part of the treatment of hives. As the name suggests, these medications block or retard the body’s production of histamines, which can reduce the inflammation, and itchiness of hives. In turn, that can lead them to disappear more quickly which is perfect for those suffering with acute urticaria.

The First & Most Common Method of Urticaria Treatment-Starts Here.

#1: This is the usual “first step” in hives treatment. It’s based on the idea that hives are an acute allergic response on the part of the sufferer. While it works wonderfully for many people who develop an occasional “case of hives”, it usually fails to provide significant relief for those with chronic urticaria.

#2: Second, some individuals prefer a more natural approach to dealing with their hives and may opt to use natural herbs as a way of dealing with their symptoms. Although this would initially appear to be a very different form of chronic urticaria treatment than reliance on pharmaceutical antihistamines, it’s really quite similar.

The herbs people use basically hold natural antihistamine properties. They contain compounds that discourage histamine production. As such, the efficacy of herbal chronic urticaria treatment is quite pronounced. Again, it may be helpful for those who have mild problems or who just need some additional relief from some symptoms, but it certainly won’t cure the ailment.

#3: Third, a growing number of individuals are using a chronic urticaria treatment approach that works from a different premise than those who interpret hives merely as a byproduct of an allergy. This method maintains that urticaria is the result of the immune systems reaction to a build up of micro-parasites and toxins in the body.

An Obvious Distinction Between Treating Urticaria Symptoms & Dealing With The Cause of Urticaria.

Obviously, this difference in presupposition lends itself to a different method of treating chronic urticaria. Instead of focusing on the hives themselves, this strategy aids the body in dealing with the underlying cause of the condition. This approach may not be necessary for those with mild hives, but it does show tremendous results as a cure for hives among those with more serious and chronic conditions.

Considering a Natural Cure For Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria.

Managing and attempting to cure urticaria can be a tricky proposition. Some people will immediately respond to traditional medications, others will prefer natural remedies. Some will want to consider a natural approach that attempts to cure the disorder at a root level.

How To Treat The Cause Of Chronic Urticaria & Gain Sustained Relief.
Urticaria is often apparent for many reasons & while many people including doctors see chronic urticaria as nothing more than an allergic reaction, long term sufferers will know different.. Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria is not a straightforward allergy & needs to be treated in a completely different way.

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Mar
29

You are so annoyed with the presence of acne all over your face. You have been the center of ridicule because of the presence of acne. It really affects your confidence and self esteem. You have tried almost all there is to be tried but it’s just not working as fast as you imagined. There are times that you are just left with one option which is to take matters in your own hands and getting rid of your acne your own way. You look in front of the mirror and strategically place your hands on the biggest bump for immediate popping. On second thought, you chose not to pop your acne because it may do more damage. What can you then do to resist the temptation of popping your acne? Sometimes, it is just too difficult to resist because you want to get rid of it the fastest way possible! Here are tips you can do to resist the urge of popping.

1. Always think that popping will definitely do more good than bad. You have to change your mindset that it will go away after popping. That’s wrong! It will bleed and will be open. Bacteria and other factors may come inside the open wound and have it infected. You are not trained like the dermatologists. Your hands might even be dirty. It’s just not a good idea.

2. Do not touch your face. Always think that your hand is the dirtiest part of your body. Having that psyche would make you extra careful for your hands not to go anywhere near your face. It is also true. Our hands are the most exposed. Money, cellular phone, hand rails, door knobs- these are all haven for bacteria. If you don’t wash your hands that often it will be a breeding ground for bacteria and others that will worsen your acne. So again, do not touch your face with your hands.

3. Lastly and this might actually work is not to look at yourself too much in front of the mirror. The more you stare at yourself the more you will notice the acne. When you don’t see your acne, you might even pay less attention to it. Look at yourself when combing your hair or brushing teeth or applying make up. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to notice the acne.

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Mar
29

Cellulite is a very common skin condition, one that affects millions of people around the world. Although it does affect a small majority of men it is much more predominant in women. Cellulite can be devastating to a woman’s self esteem and self confidence, and so it is very important that any woman dealing with this problem find the best possible treatment method.

Causes of Cellulite

In the past cellulite has been widely interpreted as being a fat disorder that is linked to genetics, but there are a number of other possible causes as well. Cellulite develops as a result of reduced blood micro circulation starving and weakening the tissue in the body, making it more susceptible to cellulite.

Once the circulation in the body is lessened, the capillaries and veins then become weakened and leak blood into the surrounding tissue. As a result this causes an increase in the pressure in the tissue and thus restricts the circulation and fluid drainage.

Exercise for Cellulite: Why it Works

There are a few different effective options when it comes to the treatment of cellulite. Exercise for cellulite is particularly important and advantageous as well because not only will exercise for cellulite help you deal with your cellulite but also it will guard you against a number of other health conditions and leave you feeling and looking at your very best.
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There are a few exercises in particular which will be effective for ridding you of your cellulite, and this includes the lateral squat. For this you will need 2/3 kg dumbbells, and you want to start by standing straight with your feet together. Hold the dumbbells evenly on each side of your shoulders with your arms are bent at the elbows, and hold your abs in tight.

To perform this exercise for cellulite you want to move your right leg to the side so that your feet are shoulder width apart, and then squat by lowering your entire body until your thighs are directly parallel to the floor. Now you want to push your body upwards slowly starting from your heels, at the same time moving your left leg to meet your right so that you are in the starting position once again.

Back rows are another effective exercise for cellulite, and doing a few repetitions of these each day will result in dramatic results. You can get rid of your cellulite with a little time and a little effort. You may also want to use anti cellulite creams or lotions in combination with these exercises for the best possible results.

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Mar
28

Alleviating the side effects of seasonal influenza with home flu remedies is affordable and easy. Relieving congested nasal passages and lungs, drinking plenty of fluids, taking an over-the-counter pain medication, and including immune booster supplements such as vitamin C, zinc, and elderberry lozenges in your diet are a few of the best known home flu remedies that work.

Tips For Relieving Congestion In The Nasal Passages And Lungs

Congestion relief is a chief concern for individuals who contract seasonal influenza. One easy and affordable home flu remedy is breathing aromatic steam. Try adding some fresh ginger, medicated topical ointment, or eucalyptus oil to a sink of steaming water. Then, drape a towel over the head and inhale the medicated steam. This opens the bronchial tubes which makes breathing easier. Another inexpensive method for congestion relief is to take a warm shower with the bathroom door closed. This acts much the same way a sauna does. The concentrated steam that gathers in the enclosed space opens nasal airways and moistens and thins mucus in the lungs, which is useful in easing a scratchy, sore throat.

Nasal saline irrigation is another one of the affordable home flu remedies that eases congestion. The most popular method for irrigating nasal passages is by squirting a saline mixture of one-fourth teaspoon salt, one-fourth teaspoon baking soda and eight ounces of warm water into one nostril and letting it drain through the other nostril. This provides relief to sensitive nasal tissues by clearing nasal passageways, thinning mucus, decreasing postnasal drip, and moistening dried mucus membranes. Virus particles and bacteria are also removed during this process, which is beneficial in slowing the spread of the virus because there are fewer germs present in the body to infect healthy cells.

Keeping Your Body Well Hydrated And Pain Free When Fighting Flu

Health professionals constantly advise us that we need to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, and this advice is especially important when one has influenza. Liquids are inexpensive, simple home flu remedies that keep the respiratory system hydrated and assist it in thinning the mucus that can build into a respiratory infection if it is not flushed out of the body’s system. Water is the best known and least expensive of the fluids. Hot chicken soup is also beneficial for the alleviation of irritated throats and congested lungs. It is a powerful mucus stimulant and studies have shown that it improves the function of cilia in preventing foreign bacteria and viruses from entering the body.

When an individual has a fever, which is the body’s way of fighting viral infections, dehydration is the enemy. Deciding to use a hot or cold liquid is a personal preference. Whichever form you choose, whether it be water, clear broths, decaffeinated teas, or electrolyte replacement drinks, all provide the body with the necessary coolants that protect sensitive organs and tissue from the heat damage associated with a fever. Other affordable fever reducers and easers of aching muscles are over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. It is important to note that one should never give aspirin to a child to reduce a fever unless recommended by a doctor, and one should always follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

Immune Boosters Provide Safe, Affordable Flu Remedies

Vitamins, minerals, and herbs, which are relatively inexpensive, provide antibodies, powerful antioxidants and antiviral agents to those suffering from seasonal influenza. Vitamin C and zinc, two of the best known flu remedies, aid in the production of white blood cells and also assist in the formation of antibodies that coat cell surfaces. A less known flu remedy gaining a reputation within the health community is elderberry lozenges. While vitamin C and zinc are excellent antioxidants, only elderberry lozenges have an established laboratory test record of providing effective relief for influenza A and B. Elderberry lozenges shorten the duration period of the flu by preventing the virus from compounding within the body.
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Fighting seasonal influenza does not have to be hard or expensive. Home flu remedies have provided affordable, simple relief to millions of flu sufferers. Staying hydrated, taking a pain reliever, and clearing the congestion in your lungs and sinus areas are three of the best methods for fighting the flu. Vitamins, minerals, and herbs also provide inexpensive relief of flu complications. Vitamin C and zinc are potent antioxidants, while elderberry lozenges shorten the duration of the flu by blocking viral reproduction.

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Mar
27

Dyspepsia is a term used to describe symptoms (painful and disturbed digestion) that occur in upper gut region. The upper gut region includes stomach, esophagus and duodenum.

Common causes for dyspepsia include duodenal ulcer, inflamed esophagus (esophagitis) inflamed stomach (gastritis) and stomach ulcers.

Sometimes when there can be no reason found for dyspepsia, it is called non-ulcer dyspepsia. It is also called as functional dyspepsia. H. pylori infection is one of the causes of non-ulcer dyspepsia. However, there are many people who are carriers of this bacterium and still do not show any dyspepsia symptoms. Hence, the role of Helicobacter pylori in dyspepsia is still debated though they are considered main causative agents of stomach and duodenal ulcers.

For diagnosis of non-ulcer dyspepsia, the person needs to display the symptoms for at least 12 weeks and should not be suffering from organic disease such as peptic ulcer and esophagitis. Doctors recommend testing for Helicobacter pylori as eradication of H. pylori can cure a majority of peptic ulcers and prevent the development of gastro duodenal disease in the future.

Treatment for functional dyspepsia due to H. pylori infection:

If you are suffering from functional dyspepsia due to H. pylori infection, then you need to get the infection cleared. Primary treatment to eradicate H. pylori dyspepsia includes treating with antacids. However, people who don’t respond to these primary treatments are considered for other expensive treatments such as those described below:

1. Proton pump inhibitor dual treatment:

Proton pump inhibitor plus clarithromycin or amoxicillin for two weeks

2. New Triple treatment:

Proton pump inhibitor, H2 receptor, antagonist or ranitidine bismuth citrate with two or three doses of, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and 5-nitroimidazole for a minimum of one week.

3. Standard Triple Treatment:

Bismuth salt with two out of three – amoxicillin, metronidazole, tetracycline for a minimum of one week.

4. Quadruple treatment:

This treatment includes Proton pump inhibitor, in addition to standard triple treatment.

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Mar
27

Health is wealth. This has been a saying that we have been hearing since I was a kid. Unfortunately for some or even most of us, we only get to understand this quote’s real value when we are already struck with disease. For my fellow men, I would like to share with you a study I have read in a medical magazine. Once we have reached the age of 70, our chances of developing prostate cancer increases to 50%. A few pages after this study, I read about prostate massage for prostate cancer prevention, an appropriate follow-up.

My grandfather is the exhibit A for the American study I have read. It was three years ago when grandpa left us due to complications brought by his cancer in the prostate. I can still remember how we got the dreadful news about his disease. It was just few days after his 72nd birthday. He is known to follow a good diet, and an active gardener. So, it came as a surprise to us. We are saddened by the news as grandpa is very dear to everyone.

Since then, I started to research about prostate cancer: its cause, effect, and treatments. I have read that susceptibility to cancer can be determined through genes. So, I also looked at our family tree and traced who had cancer. I have an uncle who has the same disease too, and an aunt who had it on her breast. This discovery pushed me to learn of ways that could ensure my freedom from prostate cancer.

I have to have my diet altered, as well as my lifestyle. I began to exercise more and be more accommodating to leafy greens. However, there was one tactic that really caught my attention, it’s the prostate massage. It is a practice that could clear out the insides of the gland, freeing it from the old alkaline residues that have been stuck inside. Again, men should also cleanse their prostate to save it from sickness. I am wondering why this preventive measure has been kept to the public. It would have saved lives if people have been informed.

So, how does a massage can do wonders? You see, stimulating the prostate though a gentle massage can elicit a reaction similar to orgasm. The body will feel the tingling sensation that is alike to the usual release we experience. However, with prostate massage the feeling is much intense. There is also a difference with the fluid released. It has a watery consistency due to the alkaline liquid.

This practice has been utilized in the medical field for a long time. Doctors do this when they need to get semen sample for paraplegics, or other special cases that needs help in orgasm. If done properly, or done with knowledge, preparation, and care, prostate massage is safe. Most importantly, it takes practice and patience to be able to successfully execute the prostate orgasm.

The best part about this prostate massage, not only does it help prevent prostate cancer, but it can also be the highlight in your romantic rendezvous. If you have an adventurous partner, then telling her or him would just be an easy task. For those who perceive their partners as a little on the conservative side, you don’t have to shut this idea immediately. Talking does wonders too. If you have the needed information, you may actually convince your other half.

If your lover feels a little queasy about the idea of exploring your bottom, you may use an adult toy that would help you reach prostate orgasm. There is a line of toy that specializes on this need. They are made to give you or your love one a prostate massage to prevent prostate cancer, and an orgasm that would prevent boring chilly nights.

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