Health Information

Have you ever wondered why most Weight Loss program or Diet failed to provide you the results you wanted? You have all the motivation in the world to lose weight, but still, it’s not working. You peek on that weighing scale every morning and there is very little difference…Why?

First, the reason is because these Diets are very hard to follow. Yes, that is the truth, the so-called diet formulas that are supposed to help you be slim are too difficult to follow. You are given a set of menu, but most of these menus are not suited for your taste or tradition. What if you’re Chinese and you’re given an American Diet?

Secondly, even the ingredients on those foods are not easily identifiable…I just could not find what are those ingredients that you are instructed to prepare… like an "amaranth" to eat a breakfast cereal? I just would need search on this ingredient or someone tell me what this is or where to buy this to follow on the diet-plan.

Thirdly, you will follow on a Low-fat, Low-calorie, and Low-carb diets…and the result is you’re very weak to even walk to turn-off that TV from your sofa bed! You have starved yourself and you have no energy. Your body metabolism became slow; you’re not burning the fat and not losing weight. I have been there and tried those Diets; I just don’t have the energy doing the things I needed for work and for my family.

So, what’s works now to finally lose those flabs? It’s really no secret at all! It’s just the plain truth — in order to lose weight, you have to exercise! Just plain and simple truth! There’s no other shortcut to it! (If you’re thinking about other ways, I’m sure it is very unhealthy and very, very expensive to try those other ways, like diet pills that you’re unsure of any side effects, and liposuction, for example) You have to run, job, do cardio or play sports to burn those fats!

I agree this simple truth is what most people already know, but fail to really believe into and put into action! Everybody knows, but why most people would not exercise to keep fit or lose weight? Again, simple truth is most people’s excuse is, "I have no time!" or, "I will just follow on the low-carb, low-fat diet plan". We like shortcuts. We have to be a firm believer, I must say, not just knowledge of, on keeping regular exercise, to keep on losing weight and keep fit. This is really no secret, huh?

I myself have been weighing 90kg before; I was 17kg overweight before, 3 months ago! I realized then I have been beginning to suffer from hypertension and heart-related illnesses because of my weight and decided that I need to lose weight. I had those really ugly and bulging love handles! I have tried several methods, including those Diet plans and pills! But none of those worked.

What really worked is doing some exercise or workout on a gym. The gym could be your home gym with minimal equipment, or a near-by fitness club gym with all sorts of exercise equipment. I have worked-out on a local gym, exercised 2 or 3 days a week, followed simple exercise or workout plan, and now, I am on my ideal weight of 73kg in 3 months! I am proud of my body now that I could go to the beach without trying to hide my abs! I really did not follow certain Diet plan; I just did cut down on the quantity of what I usually eat. That finally did it!

If you feel daunted by not knowing what exercise to do or how to do it, you can find complete information from healthandfitness-secrets.com healthandfitness-secrets.com

You can healthandfitness-secrets.com get Free Fat Loss Report to get started. Do workout now and lose weight!

“Health” and “illness” are contrasting terms. They can be used in physical or in mental context. We know that physical exercise done on a regular basis keeps us healthy. Mental exercise also keeps us mentally healthy. Just like after doing physical exercise we need rest, after mental exercise the mind also needs rest. But we hear the term “physical rest” frequently. The term “mental rest” is rarely used. No doubt then that as mental activities have increased with industrialisation, stress has increased. This stress results from our inability to allow our mind to become inactive or relaxed for even a short time.

Some people believe that our brain becomes inactive when we sleep. If that were so then we should not have any dreams. Dreams are evidence that our mind remains active, even when we are asleep. This simply means that our mind is active 24 hours a day without any rest at all. Just imagine how our bodies would behave if we were to go through 24 hours of physical activity.

Although research may show that 30% of mental illness may occur without a trigger of stress, it also shows that a majority - 70% - of mental illnesses occur with stress. The research may have failed to look at the other 30%, mentally ill who may not be ‘acknowledging’ stress at a given moment. This gives us a pessimistic view of mental illnesses. We are made to believe that we can do nothing about them. We are also told that mental illnesses occur because of our genes, our upbringing, our personality, our temperament, our lifestyle and we can do nothing about them. Stress or no stress, we are told, if we have all these factors loaded in our personal history, we are prone to have a mental illness. Some psychiatrists adhere to this belief strongly. This belief is then put across authoritatively as the “gospel truth” of science. Naturally, this brings up a sense of low self-esteem and helplessness in the person who is suffering with the illness. We are then made to believe that medications are man-made answers to mental illness, which is a curse of nature.

Prayer, which was until recently considered unscientific, has now been shown to have beneficial effects on patients.1 Similarly, the current belief in psychiatry is that mental illnesses can be treated by medical professionals only and the person who is mentally ill has no control over their lives. The medical system works in a way in which the doctors themselves have limited choices other than prescribing drugs. The patient has no choices worth mentioning. From the legal perspective, a person who is mentally ill is considered not capable of taking any responsibility for their actions. This is one of the most unfortunate aspects of mental illnesses. People who are mentally ill also have a sense of responsibility in many areas of their lives.

The role of emotions in mental illnesses has been totally ignored by scientists. Yet researches do show that separation from mother,2 losses3 - including deaths,4 traumatic events, especially when they occur over the previous three months5 can trigger mental illnesses. What has been looked at is the history of such events in a person’s life. What is ignored is the emotional upheaval it causes in a person’s body and mind. Emotional expression ameliorates the effects of trauma.6 Repetitive upheavals in the body are simply not forgotten. Release of emotions by emotional expression explains the role of counselling and confession. We tend to believe, erroneously, that everything will settle with time. Things do settle with time - but not everything. It is these issues and their emotional effects, that cause mental illnesses and psychosomatic illnesses. It is obvious that whenever we undergo any emotional experience, our nervous and hormonal systems are shaken-up. The nervous system and the hormones together control the activities of various parts of the body. If the neurohormonal expression is allowed to go through completion, a physiological calmness occurs in the body. This has a scientific basis.7

For people who attend church regularly, a common experience is the sense of calmness on entering a church. Coupled with music, incense and sermons spoken in a low, soft tone, a sense of calmness dwells on the person. There is scientific evidence to suggest that going to church helps a person remain healthy.8 More interesting is the fact that there is little research to state that music or aromatherapy help to bring about mental health. Yet experience shows that they have a calming effect. Only recently have papers started to be published in scientific journals bridging the gap between spirituality and science.9 It has now been researched that people who are religious in orientation have a lower rate of strokes than those who are not religious.10

The whole area of mental illness is about losing a sense of freedom. When we find ourselves bound to emotional issues of our life, that we cannot rid ourselves of, we lose our freedom of thinking. This creates stress in our mind and our body bears the brunt of it. This loss of freedom brings up a sense of fear or a sense of helplessness. Both such feelings bring up a sense of insecurity. A person loses confidence in their own worth. Self-esteem becomes low. With lack of confidence and low self-esteem, comes poor decision-making. A person suffers with all these conditions when suffering with a mental illness. This changes the behaviour of the person. The behaviour is affected by the way the person feels and thinks. If the person feels fear for a long time, the chances of becoming phobic and paranoid increase. Withdrawal from social situations occurs. The family members observe the person to be unwell. Such a person is then asked to see a doctor. With the person’s self-esteem low, vulnerability increases. This does not mean however, that the person becomes totally irresponsible towards their own well-being. Many times the person wants to do ’something’ to get better, but the health system has limited resources to offer much in terms of growth of the person, except medication. When a mentally ill person goes to seek help - confidence, self-esteem and sense of freedom are already lost. Instead of helping the person become independent, there is a tendency to make the person dependent on medication.

Medication plays its role in controlling the condition or state of illness. It does nothing to improve the quality of life permanently. To improve their quality of life, the person needs to take responsibility for their own well-being. This is encouraged in some of the organisations, which are being run by the sufferers themselves. GROW is an example of such an organisation. Are there any alternatives to medication in mental conditions? A doctor can only prescribe drugs to “control” the mental condition. The current trend in some other parts of the world is to encourage people suffering with mental illnesses to take responsibility for their own well-being, along with medication. Psychotherapy11 and self-help is encouraged. The usage of medication in such situations is minimised or eliminated.

In psychiatry, we know that the suicide rate among physicians is higher than in the general population and psychiatrists are at a greater risk among physicians, than other specialists.12 Research shows that psychotherapy is more economical than medication alone in treating mental illness.13 Conditions like schizophrenia are also being treated without medication in some parts of the world.14 It is also a known fact that the more positive the attitude we have, the more balanced are the chemicals in our body.15 This would be more acceptable for those who see the positive role of religion on mental health. Some authors have suggested that the medicine of the future is going to be “prayer and Prozac.”16 Mental health is a preventative activity. Do we need to suffer first before we take steps to deal with it? If we could only assume responsibility for our own mental health, we may not have to suffer. The best medicine in this case is certainly prevention.

We live in a free society. The freedom to suffer is also one kind of freedom. We also have the freedom to look for answers to minimise our suffering.

REFERENCES

1. ASTIN, J.A., (2000) Prayer, Other Forms of ‘Distant Healing’ seem to have Positive Effects. Medscape. Annals of Internal Medicine 132: P.903-910.
2. HARRIS T., BROWN G. W., BIFULCO A., (1986) Loss of Parent in Childhood and Adult Psychiatric Disorder: The Role of Lack of Adequate Parental Care. Psychological Medicine 16: P.641-659.
3. BROWN G. W., HARRIS T., (1978) Social Origins of Depression. Tavistock, London.

4. BIRTCHNELL J., (1970) Depression in Relation to Early and Recent Parent Death. British Journal of Psychiatry 116: P.299-306.
5. BROWN G. W., BIRLEY J. L. T., (1968) Crises and Life Changes and the onset of Schizophrenia. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour 9: P.203-214.
6. KELLER, S.E., SHIFLETT, S.C., SCHLIEFER, S.J. & BARTLETT, J.A. (1994) Stress, Immunity and Health. Handbook of Human Stress & Immunity. San Diego: Academic. P.217-244.
7. CHADHA, P. K., (2000) Drugless Psychiatry - Physiological Basis of Clinical Experiences. Paper presented in 6th Conference - Innovations in Psychiatry, London, April 2000.
8. COMSTOCK, G.W., PARTIDGE, K.B., (1972) Church Attendance and Health. Journal of Chronic Diseases 225: P.665-72.
9. SLOAN, R.P., BAGIELLA E., POWELL T., (1999) Religion, Spirituality and Medicine. Lancet 353: P.664-67.
10. KOENIG, H.G., (1997) Is Religion Good for your Health? Haworth Pastoral Press, N.Y.
11. POMERANTZ, J.M. (1999). Focused Psychotherapy as an Alternative to Long Term Medication. Drug Benefit Trends 11 (7) : P.2, 5.
12. KAPLAN, H.I., SADOCK., B.J., (1998) Synopsis of Psychiatry - 8th Edition - B.I. Waverly Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. P.865.
13. TALLEY P. F., STRUPP, H. H., BUTLER S. S., (1994) Psychotherapy Research and Practice, Harper Collins: London.
14. McKENZIE, C.D., & WRIGHT, L.S., (1996) Delayed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders from Infancy - The Two Trauma Mechanism. Harwood Academic.
15. MOON, A. M., (2000) Positive Psychology Halved Depression in Kids. Clinical Psychiatry News. 28 (5): P.29.
16. MATTHEWS, D.A., LARSON, D.B., (1997) Faith and Medicine: Reconciling the Twin Traditions of Healing. Mind/Body Medicine : 2: P.3-6.

Dr. Pradeep K. Chadha is a psychiatrist,who practises as a psychotherapist specialising in drugless treatment of psychological conditions. He is the author of ‘The Stress Barrier - Nature’s Way To Overcoming Stress’ published by Blackhall Publishing, Dublin. His second book- The Road To A Happy Life- is being published this year by Raider Publishing in the UK, USA and Canada. He is based in Dublin, Ireland. His website address is: drpkchadha.com drpkchadha.com

Creme foundations are usually the top choice of most makeup artists. Available in sticks and compacts, these provide very good facial coverage. This consistency and texture deliver a rich and perfect finish that can be applied easily resulting to a fine complexion.

Offering sheer and complete facial coverage, liquid foundations give the face a very natural appearance. Available in oil based and water based formulations, this is preferred by most women since it can be easily applied and matches the skin well, almost resembling the skin itself. To get a foundation that will perfectly match your complexion, make sure to select one that is based with the color yellow.

Dual active powder foundations are so called quick fix foundations, that starts as cream and is applied and spread over the face easily ending in a powder form. Having this function, it is a powder and a foundation all in one.

1. What foundation is best for my skin?

Facial foundation for normal skin

In the selection of a foundation for normal skin, there are a lot of things to be considered, as there are so many lines of cosmetic foundations available, and in various shades. Often, their main difference is their price. The label will be your best guide. Read the label and make sure it is for dry to normal skin and that it is nonacnegenic so that it will not clog your pores.

Facial foundation for acne prone or oily skin

For oily skin, the best foundation to use is water-based. These usually come in liquid form, and they offer sheer and total facial coverage, with the downside of lasting for only a maximum of four hours. This problem can be very well addressed by using a loose powder after application of the foundation to help the foundation last longer as well as absorb excess oils. A product labeled as oil controlling is great for oily skin. Again, choose a product that is nonacnegenic, as this will ensure you of unclogged pores and will not worsen your acne condition. For oily skin type, find labels such as oil free or oil controlling on a product - usually these products are water based.

Facial foundation for dry or sensitive skin

For dry or sensitive skin, cream based is often recommended, the ones with with moisturizing benefits. As they provide full coverage on the face, they too can stay longer. Keep in mind that before any makeup is applied on the face, the face should be cleaned thoroughly using a mild facial wash along with a moisturizing cream; this also enables one to apply the foundation easily as the moisturizer will help to smoothen the foundation. For dry skin, a moisturizing foundation is best, such labels as moisture rich or hydrating are to be looked for.

Foundation for combination skin

For combination skin, select a product labeled as skin balancing, which would be perfect for this kind of skin type. If you can’t find such a product, a combination of liquid foundation and a powder in translucent form will help take off the shine on your T-zone. For combination skin, you have to know if you have skin more on the oily side, or the dry side and select the appropriate formulation - foundations that are cream-to-powder based are recommended for this type of skin.

2. Choosing your foundation:

- Know what type of skin you have. Before you shop for the right foundation shade you need to determine first what formulation is right for your skin; is your skin dry? Oily? Or a combination of both?

- Remember to go without any foundation on. Your face should be clean so that you can easily test a shade on your face and see clearly whether it matches your skin tone or not.

- Pick out three or four shades that you think match your skin tone. They need to look as natural as possible. Usually, the yellowish based shades will give all skin tones a natural look. For a very light or fair skin, a pink shade of foundation will be best.

-Test the foundation by applying a small amount near your jawline (not on your wrist!), then decide.

- Study the shade of your foundation as to the shade on your jawline. Examine it carefully with a mirror in an open window, where there is natural light. The shade to choose is the shade that you can not see, as it blends well on your skin.

It is best that you buy a foundation in a small container first. Once you’re home, try it out again. Return it if you feel the shade isn’t right. Then if it is perfect for you, you can go ahead and buy a bigger container.

For more great Foundation related articles and resources check out foundation.makeupplace.com foundation.makeupplace.com

When you lose a massive amount of weight after undergoing the Gastric Bypass Weight-Loss Surgery, it’s difficult to change our mindsets and how we incorporate our new lifestyle habits. As we slim down, it is important that we begin to “think as a thin person” or rather (let’s all practice this tongue-twister together) “thinking as the thin think.”

Why should we do this?

Because if we fail to do this, we can run the risk of easily falling into those unhealthy and bad habits that strolled us down the paths of obesity in the first place. No matter what stage along your weight-loss journey you are currently experiencing, sooner or later you will fall prey to those nasty life-long ugly companions (aka habits). They will devour your positive thoughts and urge you to glutinously consume all of the wrong things so you’ll succumb to your food bondage again. But DON’T DO IT! Put on your armor of THIN THINKING quickly to thwart all advances!

I recall as a young teenager, I knew many peers who, even at a young age, were obsessed with watching their weight, counting calories, worried about getting enough physical activity, and monitoring the snugness of their clothing. I thought this was very bizarre since I didn’t have any weight issues then. I could virtually eat anything and it would never show a pound on the scale. Of course, thinking back, I was a high-level physically active person, and so this is why weight-watching was not a critical factor in my life at the time. I didn’t need to think like a thin person.

However, when I gradually became very heavy (317 pounds), I realized that I got that way partially because I didn’t have the foundation of “thinking as the thin think.” And without that foundation to utilize, I missed great opportunities to change some of my bad habits. Take into consideration that morbid obesity is far deeper than just succumbing to unhealthy habits… morbid obesity has many facets to it; but for this writing, I want to focus on one element, and that is how we “think” we are.

When I explore the rationale of how thin people think, I discover some interesting behaviors. Thin people think about:

• Food portions

• How full they feel at each meal. They know when they can’t take another bite and they stop eating

• How snug their clothes are fitting

• How they look in the mirror

• How they appear to others

• Exercising or doing something outside that is fun rather than doing something sedentary

• Parking further away from the store entrance for extra walking

• Taking the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator

• Drinking water rather than soft drinks

• Using sugar substitutes, protein supplements, and religiously taking their vitamins

• Eating fruit rather than potato chips for a snack

• Maintaining a “low-burdensome” weight for any EMT squad in case of an emergency

OH, how the list of concerns in the minds of thin people goes on and on! I bet you are thinking of a few right now!

I have to laugh when I think of one of my high-school friends who asked me everyday after school lunch if I wanted to go outside with her and “freeze off my calories”….. REALLY! She believed that shivering caused the burning of calories; so no matter if it was five degrees outside during a snow storm, she would march outdoors for a full five minutes and SHIVER her calories away! CRAZY, huh? Well, each time I see her at my class reunions, she is STILL the same slim gal she was way back when….so maybe she knew a thing or two about shivering off calories! Today the scientists call it “fidgeting”, which has been proven to burn calories throughout the day. So when you tap that nervous foot, you are burning calories.

What we once viewed as odd obsessions by those who are thin, we should now view as having more value and importance, and we should incorporate some of their wisdom into our own daily lives so as we become slimmer and trimmer people, we will be thinking and acting like one too.

Thinking like a thin person everyday does not happen overnight. It is something that must be practiced continually.

Now of course, I would NEVER endorse the sad eating disorders that anorexic or bulimic people partake in, nor would I ever endorse or encourage starvation as some super-thin folks do to maintain that “waif” look. Such disorders are dangerous and have no part in thinking like a thin person! Such thinking and practices are warped and do not represent the norm.

They say that after the surgery, it takes the mind about three years to truly get used to the “new you.” And I can vouch for that, as I am over three years post-op now and at times will forget I have lost so much weight as I find myself still inadvertently wandering in the Plus Size department! The scale and the label in the clothes may say one thing outwardly; but inwardly our mind hasn’t totally been convinced we are thin.

Make some commitments today to begin changing your mindset. Observe the good practices of thin people and find a place in your life for those same good practices. Little by little you will become a thin person, both inside and out!

Meloney Hall successfully lost 170 pounds in 19 months after a gastric bypass bariatric weight-loss surgery. She is dedicated to helping others achieve their goals along their weight-loss journey. Visit her website at rnyachievegoals.com rnyachievegoals.com for more information on the RNY procedure and how it can cure morbid obesity.

Just picture this, your walking down the beach front, its a warm sunny day, a light breeze in from the sea is gently blowing through your hair gives it more waves than the ocean. People look at you, men admire your hair and the women are jealous, some ask how come your hair is so soft and shiny. At the same time they notice how baby soft your skin looks, you look at them with a knowing smile and tell them your secret, ‘I use Urine Therapy’ you say.
Hold on, stop the boat, get the nose clip out, ‘you use urine therapy’ they say, ‘yes, it’s amazing’ with that you gently glide into the sunset with your hair bouncing for joy.

Ok, its seems a little like a hair spray commercial, that is all except the urine therapy part, but its true, your OWN urine is one of natures gifts.

First of all lets dispense with a few myths about natures finest.

Urine smells !!

Well actually urine does smell, about 20 minutes after leaving the body a certain amount of oxidation takes place and a ammonia like smell occurs, but its harmless and good ventilation or aroma oil keeps the smell down.

Urine is poisonous !!

Well actually its not, 95% of urine is water, 2.5% consists of urea and the remaining 2.5% is a mixture of minerals, salt, hormones and enzymes. Toxic substances are being removed from the body through the liver, intestines, skin and through the out-breath.

Medical researchers have discovered that many of the elements of the blood that are found in urine have enormous medicinal value, and when reintroduced to the body, they boost the body’s immune defenses and stimulate healing in a way that nothing else does.

I’m not going to try and convince you about the purity of urine, if you do a search on the net with ‘urine therapy’ there are many pages describing to process through the body that creates good wholesome urine. In fact its only in the last 50 years that urine has gone out of fashion, it has been highly praised through out history as a natural substance that has many healing properties. One of the biggest users of urine has been the cosmetic industry, traditionally produced by horses, it is used as a skin moisturizer. It is only since the rise of the pharmaceutical industry that the use of urine as a general medicine has ceased, well in the West, it is still highly prized in the Far East. Nothing to do with the fact that pharmaceutical companies can’t make a profit from it no doubt.

I’ve had personal experience with its amazing properties. As a child I had eczema, my skin was always cracked and dry, as I grow older and changed my diet I grow out of it, except for a bad patch on my right elbow. No cream or ointment could cure this patch, it would often bleed, especially when I was asleep. The I saw a children’s TV series, on a particular episode was a Dutchman called Coen Van Der Kroon who had wrote a book called ‘Golden Fountain : The Complete Guide to Urine Therapy’, I was so intrigued I tried the treatment. I put urine on my elbow 3/4 times a day, always washing my hands afterwards of course. After about two weeks, the eczema had disappeared and my skin completely re-generated and I’ve not had any problems since. Every so often I also use it on my skin, although 49 years old, I’ve skin like a young child.

Now this article isn’t going to tell you how to use it, as I’ve stated there are many good sites that will explain all, it simply says ‘give it a go, you might surprise yourself’

Gerard Bulger is an IT Consultant who has been studying the work at home Internet business market for several years, he also writes on self-help and the esoteric sciences. He is a sponsor for the No 1 Internet Mentoring company and can be found at empowerism101.com empowerism101.com and the Resource Center ok101.com ok101.com

Aging skin is something we all either have or will have. Its a fact of life. The skin starts to lose its elasticity, sun damage takes a toll, wrinkles and lines develop. Cuts and scratches don’t heal as fast and scar easily. The skin is dry and can even become brittle. It literally thins out.

This is because we have not cared for it. I heard on the radio today that 90% of Americans know more about their car engine and take better care of their car then themself. We take our cars for oil changes every 3-4,000 miles, rotate tires, buy better gas and use gas additives, high tech waxes, etc… Then we eat junk, fatty foods, don’t drink enough water, don’t eat regular balanced meals, forget our vitamins, etc… It’s no wonder that Our skin ages amongst other things. We have the careless attitude that if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. We procrastinate with our bodies until they start to fail.

What we don’t realize is that our skin is an organ just like our heart, lungs, etc… the skin takes in oxygen, vitamin D, protects against bacteria, accidents, etc… In the old days people were tarred and feathered as punishment. This tarring sealed the skin and if the affected individual didn’t have the tar removed in a few hours they would die - why? Because their skin couldn’t breathe and they overheated and died. So the skin helps us regulate our body temperature like a radiator.

Well, just like a radiator, we must care for our skin to get optimum protection and use from it. We must hydrate ourselves properly. Thats not just having a little water here and there. 90% of all Americans are improperly hydrated. An easy way to tell is to pinch and pull the skin between the thumb and forefinger. Does it go right back and feel supple or does it hold , feel dry, and very slowly go back (improper hydration). It is now known that we must drink 8-12 glasses of water a day and abstain from too much alcohol as it will further dry us out.

We must take multivitamins and eat proper, well balanced meals for healthy skin. The skin, just like finger nails is a early warning system. Problems with your skin and fingernails can foreshadow or warn of future or iminent problems and diseases, many of which can be avoided. There are whole books on this inate ability to hint of heart ailments, blood ailmaents, etc… We must eat right, hydrate right and take proper vitamins to keep our skin from aging. It is highly recommended to eat plenty of antioxidants to ward off the aging process. Eat blue berries, black berries, and have a glass of red wine daily. They are rich with antioxidants. Also omega 3 fatty acids and fish oils have been proven to retard skin aging (they have also been proven to increase brain function over 50% in all areas - ever had deep strange dreams after eating salmon? Salmon is very rich in omega 3’s)

We can also help our skin along. Skin peels have been proven to increase our skins ability to regenerate, create higher levels of collagen, and increase hydration and pliability in our skin. They can basically reverse a lot of the effects of the aging process. Of these skin peels glycolic, lactic, salicylic and the ‘fruit’ peels are minor and will help, but need to be reapplied more often and will not help with deep wrinkles, lines, age spots, etc… The number one treatment plastic surgeons and dermatologists use to reverse the aging process outside of a face lift is the TCA peel. Tca peels are a medium strength peel and have been proven to efectively treat more skin problems than any other treatment. It is also the safest, easiest to apply, and, by far, the most effective of all the skin peels. TCA peels can turn back the clock 10 years or more. TCA peels can treat and cure acne, wrinkles, lines, scars, etc… The results last up to 1 year so you only need to have it done once or twice a year. And the best part is they are now available for home use.

So, to keep your skin younger and healthier, drink plenty of water, eat right, take omega 3 supplements (fish oil pills are great for this as is salmon) and use proven science (TCA peels) to better care for your skin. Copper peptide creams (around $60) do show an increase in the skins ability to heal itself, but so does Neosporin for $3. In double blind tests there was no difference between the two in healingand scar repair. Remember your skin does a lot and is very important so take good care of it. To find TCA peels contact the author below or look it up on the internet.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: bestskinpeel.com bestskinpeel.com or by visiting or mdwholesale.com mdwholesale.com.

I believe that water not only helps with weight loss, but is also one of the most important things to keep in mind when trying to lose weight. Here are just some of the reasons why everyone should be drinking at least eight glasses of water day.

- Naturally suppresses appetite

- Increases metabolism

- Reduces stored fat deposits

- Improves kidney function

- Decreases fluid retention

- Helps muscles maintain their tone

- Aids in the prevention of sagging skin after weight loss

- Rids the body of excess waste

- Regulates bowel movements

- It’s Free!

Aren’t these enough reasons for you to start drinking your full daily intake of water?

I started drinking 9 glasses a day, and I noticed a difference over night!! I lost five pounds in the course of one day, and it’s stayed off. The key is to keep drinking water, or you will see the weight come back. For every 25 pounds you want to lose, drink an extra glass of water.

Now, even though we have most of a day to suck back all that water, it is actually more difficult that you might think. So here are some tips to help you make sure you get your daily intake:

- Make an appointment with your glass of water. Schedule certain times of the day to chug back 8 ounces at once. After you wake up in the morning, on your way to work, during a commercial, etc.

- Have a water race with a friend or family member. The extra competition will help motivate you.

- I bought a big 1.5L bottle and made sure I drank all of it before the end of the day. If I didn’t, I told my co-workers that they had permission to dump whatever was left on my head.

- Before drinking that coffee or pop, force yourself to get another glass of water down. You will probably not even want anything else after that.

- When you go to the bathroom (and you will be going frequently at first), refuel yourself with another glass before going back to whatever it was that you were doing.
- Measure how much water you need in a bottle or measuring cup, then you can see your goal for the day.

- I played a game with myself while I was doing a puzzle. Every time I fit a piece into the puzzle, I would have to take a drink. It seems pretty silly, but it worked. I do puzzles pretty fast, so I downed almost 2 glasses in less than a half hour.

Use these ideas, or come up with your own tricks to help you reach your goal. You will notice a difference right away. I know I did. I felt better, I could see my stomach shrinking, and I found myself snacking less. It really works!

Cassandra Germsheid is the owner of babytipsonline.com babytipsonline.com
where she helps mothers learn about their health, and share tips and information about their babies. More weight loss tips can be found at realweightlossinfo.com realweightlossinfo.com

Keeping lost weight off your body is a constant challenge. We are immersed in society that covets real time advertising via all sorts of media outlets. Try going 1 hour and not hearing or seeing something for sale or perhaps “free”. We are bombarded by temptation and just try it thought processes. This critically affects the way we think and plan our fuel (food) intake. Our choices ultimately will result in weight loss or weight gain over time. We want to manage our bodies in a way that is natural. What we should be doing is acting in a very normal way and not concentrating on what we should or should not do. This requires life style decisions and a training period.

The training period is like reprogramming our brain and taste buds. It takes an incredible effort to do this which is why it doesn’t always succeed and arguably will fail more often than it proves success. But don’t give up. Life style change is the key. Over the long term it is imperative that we incorporate a balance in our daily diet, exercise program and emotional stress. Stress is a leading cause of eating disorders. As such, it is a natural trigger to bring short term happiness to individuals suffering a setback in their lives. Stress must be considered and managed as well. Exercise built around an active fitness program with variation (long term remember) complimented with natural supplements such as acai berry juice drinks such as Mona Vie™ are all excellent choices. During the training phase you will undergo natural challenges from past bad habits. You will need to stay focused and concentrate on your goals and thus long term objectives of good solid healthy eating habits. The fitness plan will greatly enhance your overall potential for success as it not only provides the fat burning engine via your exercise it also acts as a natural endorphin promoting a healthy positive attitude and increased energy. Your metabolism will improve with the addition of exercise and the new balance of the fitness program combined with healthy eating habits will counter your thoughts of falling back on past bad habits.

Long term we must stay focused. We will need to insert changes to our plan so it doesn’t become boring and thus less fun more work so to speak. Keep up on your research into new ideas for exercise and work them into your daily, weekly plan. This will keep it fresh. We love to learn new things and provide challenges. Even if your current fitness plan is showing great improvement it still needs to be updated and altered over time. Plan on something new each month. It can be as easy as reversing the direction of your walking route daily. We do this all the time. In fact, we have designed mid and long walks with variations on direction just so we see things visually uniquely ever 3 days. Great way to keep it all fresh. Work different parts of your body on unique days as well. Do your upper body one day and your stomach area the next followed by your lower body. The variations are the key and if you think about it and plan accordingly you can keep your fitness plan very fresh over the long term. Make it competitive if you can and measure your course speed over time. This in itself will also provide a way to stay in focus with your goals and objectives.

Irene has been servicing the Health and Wellness industry since graduating from Cal State Fullerton in 1982. Through her professional experiences in primarily the Physical Therapy field (presently working) she has gathered deep understandings on nutrition, exercise and overall healthy programs to share with her readers and clients of Planet Berry LLC. To learn more on Irene or Planet Berry please visit their corporate web site at planetberries.com planetberries.com or email at mailto:info@planetberries.com info@planetberries.com

Shingles symptoms often begin with a mild but persistent headache, sensitivity to light and flu-like sensations. Soon after, a rash begins to develop that can be accompanied by extreme pain in the rash area. Tingling and dizziness may be present.

As the pain intensifies, bright red lesions develop, which gradually fill with fluid. As soon as a crust forms over the blisters, the person is no longer contagious. These lesions most commonly develop over the torso and face, and usually confine themselves to one half of the body. Other symptoms that may be present are a feeling of general unhealthiness, lymphatic swelling, joint pain, hearing loss, abdominal pains or genital lesions.

Shingles treatment often involves treating the symptoms and letting the lesions clear up on their own, which they will do in two to three weeks with a very small chance of recurrence. Since the pain is sometimes very intense, it is often necessary to treat it with painkillers during a shingles episode. Sometimes steroids are prescribed for this end, but these have been linked to impairing the immune system and their helpfulness in shingles treatment has never been proven.

Calamine lotion is sometimes said to reduce the pain that is one of shingles symptoms. Vitamins C and E are also said to help relieve pain and speed the healing process; either a topical cream or an oral supplement may be helpful. Cool dressings on the affected area can also be incredibly effective shingles treatment. A topical ointment made out of two crushed aspirins and two tablespoons of chloroform has routinely been found to alleviate pain and speed healing by many people with shingles. Lysine cream is an amino acid which impairs the growth of the herpes virus which causes a shingles outbreak; application of a lysine cream once or twice daily may help your body heal faster.

skinsite.com/info_herpes_zoster.htm Symptoms of shingles are often a sign that the body has been weakened by age, stress or other infection. Therefore, keeping your body healthy can reduce the risk of a shingles outbreak or speed up recovery. If you have been exposed to the chickenpox virus (through a vaccine or by coming down with chickenpox) then you are a host of the virus that causes shingle symptoms. It stays dormant in the body and may never impair you, until your immune system falters due to cancer treatment, fatigue or any other extreme stresses. It is then that it can flare up and reactivate, leading to an outbreak of shingles.

Eating a lot of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables can help keep you immune system strong enough to prevent reactivation of the virus, and consuming raw fruits and veggies during a shingles episode may speed the recovery process. Reducing stress and exercising regularly are also good ways to keep you immune system working hard for you and minimizing the likelihood of an outbreak and shingles symptoms.

If you think you have developed any symptoms of shingles, you should be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any treatment.

Scott LeRoy has been studying prescription and OTC medications as well as natural remedies for over a dozen years. He is a regular contributor to skinsite.com/index_dermatology_diseases.htm Skin Disease Information, a section of skinsite.com Skin Site dedicated to treatment of various skin conditions and ailments.

One of the main reasons that people workout regularly is to help manage their weight, and to be sure that is a very good side effect of having a healthy workout routine. But some find that even with working out regularly they just don’t seem to get the results that they really want with regard to their weight. What could be going wrong? Well, here are some tips to help you stay fit and lose weight too at the same time:

1. If you are working out regularly and still not losing weight, maybe you aren’t working hard enough. That may seem crazy but it could be true. Some people actually give themselves way too much credit for actual activity in the workouts they do. You can’t get your body to kick in and start losing weight if you don’t push it, and most experts agree that you need to reach about 75% of your maximum heart rate to start burning calories. Of course, the big question then is how do you know what your maximum heart rate is? The general rule of thumb is to subtract your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate. So if you are for instance 35 years old, just subtract 35 from 220 and you get 185. Calculate 75% of 185 and you find that you need to keep your heart rate around 135 - 140 beats per minute or so to burn calories. Of course, before you undertake an exercise routine like that you should make sure with your doctor that you have the conditioning to be able to handle it.

2. Another common mistake that many exercisers make is failing to drink enough water through the day and especially as they exercise. When you are dehydrated the body tells the brain, but it often mistakes the signal as meaning that you are hungry instead and so before you know it you are reaching for a snack. Drinking lots of water also keeps your stomach full and allows you to eat less at meal times as a result, so there are lots of benefits of water drinking and staying hydrated. Also don’t worry about having to go to the bathroom more often as you start drinking more water, as in a few days your bladder will get used to the demand and you can most often settle back into a normal routine.

3. You may not be eating much, but you may be eating all the wrong things when you do eat. Don’t sabotage all your workout efforts by grazing on low nutrition, high calorie foods that will only add the pounds back on that you are working so hard to take off. Unfortunately a lot of folks just don’t realize how much food they are eating through the day as they just don’t remember it. So it may be a good idea to keep a notebook with you for a few days and write down everything you eat as you go. You may be very surprised to see that you haven’t really been following your diet as well as you thought.

Hopefully these home fitness workout tips can help you get back on track and start losing the weight you want.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including fitness. You can find the