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Scientific Nutrition for High Performance Living

Whether you want the most out of your career in sports, business, or as a busy mother, you should consider how the food you eat can help you — or keep you from achieving your goals.

Being good at whatever we set out to do is enjoyable, wouldn’t you agree? Not only is it enjoyable, but — if your goal is to succeed at business — it can be far more lucrative if you have the energy to be a little bit better than your competition.

For a busy mom, having the energy and mental clarity to deal creatively with the new challenges your kids present you can make the difference between having fun and suffering through a stressful day.

Unfortunately, the diet of fast foods, processed foods, and snacks that many of us eat is not helping us achieve the success we want in life. We just don’t feel up to it. When you study the ingredients purposely put in these foods, as I have, you will find why they are not conducive to making us feel our best.

One thing you need to understand about our modern food: In most cases, it is designed by food chemists to make you want to eat more of it. It is not designed and formulated to make you feel, look, and perform your best.

Most processed foods have an agenda of their own. The ingredients are chosen to make sure “you can’t eat just one”.

If you want success in weight loss or business, household management or academic pursuits, you will not get much help from any of the common processed foods that are found in grocery stores and restaurants. Those foods are created with flavor, long shelf-life, and sale-ability in mind. They are generally inappropriate if you want optimum performance from your body.

This is also true of the majority of weight loss products (like SlimFast, for example) and most popular vitamin-mineral preparations. They are designed to make money for the manufacturers, not to produce optimum health results for you.

How Do I Know This?

I will admit to being more sensitive than most people to the effects of what I eat on my mood and performance, but this has led me to discovering information that will be useful to everyone reading this.

Did you ever wonder why you feel sleepy after some meals and not after others? Do you have a problem with gaining weight, even though you try to keep to a reasonable diet? These are common examples of how familiar foods — and their hidden ingredients — may be sabotaging your success in obtaining your goals, whatever they may be.

I learned the most about high performance eating when I lived on the edge of a U.S. National Forest. To stay in shape, I used to take long bike rides on roads and trails through the big trees. Sometimes I went with friends and other times I went alone.

One thing you learn pretty quickly when you take up any challenging outdoor activity is how to eat so you avoid the dangerous and unpleasant thing called “bonking“.

It only takes one or two “bonks” to convince the average person to eat more carefully, both before and during a long bike ride into the big, dark woods. Bonking, if you’re not familiar with the term, is when you exhaust all your supplies of glycogen in your body and you, essentially, run completely out of energy.

Science Can Tell Us Much About The Optimum Foods for Human Nutrition

Without sufficient blood sugar, not only does your body become incapable of going on, but your mind loses its ability to think clearly. In the back country, a long way from your home and food supplies, this can be very dangerous. There are, after all, wild animals that would like to make a meal out of you if you’re still there after dark. (Think mountain lions, for example.)

My point here, is to show you that — if you want to excel in any area of life — you need to learn and apply the principles of high performance nutrition. When it is “crunch time” and you must perform your best, fueling your mind on donuts and coffee is a poor substitute for real nutrition.

Your body is your vehicle for your success in life. If you want sustained success in any field, you need to fuel your vehicle to win the race, not just “fill the tank” with whatever is at hand.

The way that most of your competitors eat is setting them up for failure, both now and in the future. If you are eating like they are, you are losing your competitive edge.

Sadly, Many of Us Have Given Up On Being Our Best

If you are one of those rare individuals who wants more out of life, you need to learn how to eat in ways that will give you the healthy edge.

Whether we realize it or not, we all are still living in a competitive “jungle”. Make one or two small mistakes, due to unclear or lazy thinking, and you become lunch for a competitor!

What most people don’t realize is that the massive corporations that compete for our food budget are a new class of predators in the jungle of modern life. They are out to capture market share, not help us be our best performance-wise. Those we entrust our food preparation to are, in many cases, keeping us from being our best — and they don’t care if their foods are making us fat, sick, and old before our time.

If you doubt this, just look around and notice the high rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and early death that otherwise intelligent people are suffering. You can do better if you eat better.

If you want to be a high-output achiever — at any age — don’t settle for less than high performance nutrition.

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Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania, Hemicrania Continua and Cluster Headache – All From The Same Disorder?

In recent times the International Headache Society has added a third primary group of headache(s) to the two primary headache types – migraine and tension-type headache.

This third primary group includes Cluster headache, Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania, and SUNCT (Short lasting Unilateral Neuralgia form headache attack with Conjunctival injection and Tearing!) and Hemicrania Continua.

Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania is very similar to Cluster Headache and is often described as the female equivalent of Cluster Headache (Cluster Headache is more frequent in males).

It is interesting to note a report demonstrating that both chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania and Hemicrania Continua (thought to be two different types of headache) respond to the same medication – Indomethacin. (Indomethacin is a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug used to reduce pain)

I have written before that Cluster Headache and Hemicrania Continua respond to blocking or injecting of the greater occipital nerve i.e. a feature of Cervicogenic (neck-related) Headache – just more evidence to support the role of neck disorders in many different headache forms …..

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YourHeadacheSoultions.co.uk is one voice of the Watson Headache Institute.

The Watson Headache Institute was established to increase the awareness of cervicogenic (neck) disorders in headache and migraine by imparting my (and that of others) clinical experience and knowledge; to present and discuss past and present relevant research and to undertake and support rigorous clinical and scientific research in this specialty.

Appropriate and up-to-date knowledge is self-empowering; I believe that every headache sufferer has the right to know their headache diagnosis as precisely as possible (and what it means), to know the nature of their headache disorder, its outcome and possible types of treatment.

What has yet to gain acceptance is my (and that of others) belief, supported by my unparalleled clinical experience and a significant body of international research, that it is incorrect to consider headache and migraine types as totally different entities and that cervicogenic (neck) disorders can be instrumental in the headache and migraine process.

Although Physiotherapy, Chiropractic and Osteopathy are different disciplines, we are supporters of the idea that headache and migraine sufferers, no matter what their diagnoses, can be helped to live their lives more effectively through appropriate neck treatment. However, because treatment of the neck does not fit the medical model of headache and migraine, the model has demonstrated little interest in exploring this as an option. It is essential that all factors, which have the potential to sensitise the brainstem, be investigated equally.  Currently this is not the situation – the neck is largely disregarded.

So, whilst YourHeadacheSolutions.com is also about Education, it is also a directory for headache and migraine sufferers to source practitioners who have a particular interest in and are skilled in examination of the neck as a source of your headache or migraine – to create a more comprehensive approach and provide an alternative, medication-free treatment.

ver the past 15 years I have developed a series of techniques, which, by way of temporary reproduction of headache and easing of the headache as a technique is sustained, confirm that a neck disorder is the cause of or a significant factor in the mechanism of the headache or migraine – this a key diagnostic criterion for cervicogenic or neck involvement in headache according to the International Headache Society – importantly for the disorder to be related to the headache or migraine process the headache has to ease as the technique is maintained. If both reproduction and lessening are not possible then the neck may not be the source of the headache or migraine. Furthermore my experience has shown that if the techniques are performed in a specific manner it is possible to determine which spinal segment is the cause of or contributing significantly to headache and migraine. Having determined which spinal segment (or segments — there may be more than one) is involved then this significantly increases the chance of the treatment being successful because treatment can be directed at specific, relevant spinal segments.

The application of these techniques in Europe, United Kingdom and Australia has become known as the ‘Watson Headache Approach’ and forms the basis of courses I present for physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and Spain — refer  www.headacheeducation.com

The Watson Headache Institute was established to increase the awareness of cervicogenic (neck) disorders in headache and migraine by:

imparting my (and that of others) clinical experience and knowledge

and,

undertaking and supporting rigorous clinical and scientific research in this specialty.

Dean Watson

Consultant Headache and Migraine Physiotherapist; Adjunct Lecturer, Masters Program, School of Physiotherapy, University of South Australia; PhD Candidate, Murdoch University, Western Australia

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A Strong Will To Live

It was fall, 2002 in Wisconsin. My youngest brother, Steve, was 49. He was feeling sluggish and found lumps on his neck, arms and legs. He went in for a check up only to find he had been stricken with cancer of his lymph nodes. Things didn’t look good, he was in stage 3 already.

After talking extensively with the doctor, he decided he would be a test object for a new cancer treatment that was just coming out into the market. He went 3 times a week for 5 weeks. He got worn down very easily. He didn’t go fishing, hunting, or ride his motorcycle like he always loved to do. He lived on Ensure because any kind of food only came back up. He lost weight and all of his hair. The fear of him dying was in the back of all of our minds, and his.

In the spring of 2003 I decided he needed to go to California with me to see our sister Sara and her boyfriend Marshall. We would spend 10 days in the sun and enjoy the company of each other. Marshall would take him deep sea fishing for one last time. On our second day there, the guys did go fishing. It wore Steve out, but he enjoyed it so much he didn’t care.

One of our days in we had gone to a beach side park for a day in the sun. As Sara and I sat in our lawn chairs, we watched the guys walking on the beach. I said to Sara, “Oh my God!!! Steve looks just like grandpa before he died.” [grandpa was 89 when he passed away]

Our trip was a successful miracle. Steve went into remission and life went on. He stayed in Wisconsin to help me with our ailing mother for 2 years. He had both knees replace and a hip. After mom passed away, there were people and places he wanted to see before HIS life was completely over, so he traveled to Florida, South Carolina, California, and back to Florida again.

It was November 2008 when I got a phone call from a doctor in Florida. Steve was hospitalized with a perforated ulcer and was on life support. He was coherent enough to give the doctor my phone number. I was informed his chance of survival was not good. They had done all they could, now it was just waiting time. I was asked if they should just pull the plug. I said, “no, Steve has a strong will to live. He is a fighter, give him a chance, give him time.” I talked to the doctor and nurses daily for 2 weeks, then one day they asked me if I wanted to talk to Steve. He had improved over night. They were all so surprised.

In February 2009 he returned to Wisconsin. He had a “second bellybutton” from his surgery that drained on a constant basis and he was in a lot of pain all the time, but he coped with it. I talked him into staying with us “until he got better”. Of course my real reason was to monitor his pain and health. He saw a few doctors who subscribed medication for his pain, for there was not much else they could do. There were times the incision would close up, only to swell and burst again draining more puss and blood. The doctors all agreed his stomach definitely was infected, but none of them wanted to do any more surgery because his health wasn’t very good.

In August 2009 Steve and I decided to go to California to see Sara, Marshall and our older brother, Mike. We would celebrate Steve’s 56th birthday and he would pick up some things he’d left at Mike’s the year before. The second day we were there, Steve felt numbness in his left arm. We had been playing cards, so he thought he just leaned on his elbow too long. He and Mike left for Mike’s place; which was an hour away. The next morning Sara and I got a phone call. Steve was hospitalize with a stroke. He spent the rest of our vacation in the hospital. His will to get better was still with him, he wouldn’t let this stroke get him down. The doctors weren’t too happy about him getting on a plane to come home, but it was his choice and they had to abide by his wishes. It was a long, fearful trip home.

Once back home, he found another lump on his neck. We took him to his cancer doctor; sure enough; his cancer was back. He would have to do chemo 5 hours every 3 weeks. Steve coped with everyday things, making the best of what he was able to do. We got him into a rehabilitation center where he could do daily therapy and nurses would be able to monitor his medication. After one month he was able to come back to our house. He had strength back and was able to walk up stairs with a cane. He was on the mend one more time.

One day I had taken him in for a check up. The nurse came out and said, “The build up of puss just blew a hole in his stomach.” He was hospitalized for 3 weeks again. He was unable to eat or drink anything because it would come out the hole he now had in his stomach. His chemo treatments were stopped. He was not ready to give up on life just yet, he would do whatever it took to keep going. The doctor put him on a feeding bag and he was sent home.

Steve didn’t smile and joke every day; he had days of depression, anger, and tears. There were times he’d question himself as to why he fought so hard to continue on. Then he’d say,”because I love life, even though no one really wants to live like this.”

We had been contacted by Hospice to help Steve with his medication and feeding bag while at our home. They came in every other day. They were such a wonderful help for us. He hated the feeding bags, but this seemed to be the only way for him to keep nourishment inside him for now. Steve loved to cook and he was always very good at it. He loved hot, spicy foods, any kind of fish, chicken, lamb, and all vegetables. I almost hated cooking because he would beg me to let him have some and I knew I couldn’t.

One day in November, we had errands that had to be done. Steve was feeling good and wanted to go with me. After an hour we both remembered the Hospice nurse was expected about 11:00 for a regular check up on Steve. I knew it would only take me another half hour or so, so I took him home and went back out to finish. When I returned, the Hospice nurse was still there and Steve was sitting in the chair, white as a ghost. He was very weak and she said Steve wouldn’t let her call an ambulance. I picked up the phone and called them.

The next 2 weeks were ruff. Steve kept getting worse as the days went on. I called family members with the “bad news”. His daughter; Nikki and her boyfriend came and stayed the weekend; our Aunt Sandy came from Madison, and Sara came from California also came. Marshall and Mike couldn’t make it due to their jobs. My girls and their families, who have been a great strength from day one, were by his bedside daily. Steve didn’t want to die in the hospital. He asked me if he could please die at our house. I couldn’t say no, so we took him home. We had a hospital bed brought in to make him more comfortable. Sara and I slept on couches so we could hear him when he needed us during the night.

People came and went home for the next 2 weeks to say their last goodbyes. Steve, Sara and I had long serious talks about death. None of us still weren’t ready for that final day, but it seemed as though it was coming whether we wanted it to or not. Hospice nurses were coming in 2-3 times a day now, talking to all of us about having Steve go to the Hospice House of Hope. Steve was persistent about dieing at our house and I wanted his last days to be what he wanted.

December 23, 2009 Steve called me into his room and asked me to call the Hospice House. He wanted to go so we could have a happy Christmas. I said, “NO!” He asked for Sara, thinking she would give in, but she said, “NO.” The 3 of us talked for hours and finally Sara and I broke down and I called. They were here to pick him up within 2 hours. We followed him to the house, toured and met the wonderful staff.

Sara went home to be with Marshall for Christmas, but called daily. Christmas day Steve asked if he could please have one last Christmas dinner. There was no more feeding bag, so why not. I agreed. My husband, girls, and grandchildren were at the Hospice House daily for hours at a time. Every time the phone rang at home, I panicked, thinking ‘this was the call’. Days went on, then weeks, then a month. Steve had a lot of bad days, but he was having a few o.k. days now and then. The staff at Hospice House actually rigged up a device to catch the fluids, puss, food that kept coming out of the hole in his stomach. The staff at the Hospice House of Hope spoiled him daily. They loved his spirit, humor, and persistence to do things on his own.

After 3 months, Steve was tired of being in a bed all the time. My daughter, Beth and I rearranged his room to make his recliner more accessible to him. He’d still be sitting, but not in bed. We got him into his wheelchair and strolled him around the grounds. His will was getting him strong once again. The staff was amazed at the progress he was making. They removed the ‘catch all device’ and his stomach only leaked a bit now and then. Even though the stroke affected his left side severely, it doesn’t stop him. The only physical therapy the staff can offer is to help him into his chair or back into bed. He’d have to leave the Hospice House to receive therapy from any other facility and that wasn’t an option. He had a surprise visitor one day, it was his cancer doctor. He had heard Steve was still with us and just wanted to see how he was doing. After a small check up, he said, “I can’t find any lumps, you are in remission again.”

June, 2010 we moved Steve out of Hospice and into his OWN apartment. For the most part, he is wheelchair bound, but we take him shopping and bring him to family outings. A van picks him up for therapy 2 times a week and for doctor appointments. Next week he is going in to see his cancer doctor to be sure he is still in remission. His right knee has recently been diagnosed with severe infection which they feel has drained from his stomach. He had it drained 2 weeks ago. He has also been told it needs to be replaced again. We are looking for a doctor who will do the replacement so he is able to get around better. He is looking into the possibility of getting an electric wheelchair. He will be spending the winter in Wisconsin and doesn’t want to be stuck inside for 3-4 months. At least with an electric wheelchair, he can get through the snow on the sidewalks.

He is far from being out of the woods, but feels each day is a GREAT day when he is able to open his eyes in the morning.

He has a strong will to live. He is a fighter who is not willing to give up. We are a strong family who will always stand by his side and add to his strength.

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10 Ways to Successfully Lose Weight

Because of our growing population and the ever increasing of dementia and obesity, it is especially important for us to try and lose weight to improve our overall health and well-being.

It can be very hard to lose weight. That is why so many of us are obese and some unfortunately morbidly obese. It can be easy to just do nothing about our weight loss and just keep putting on weight. However, this is a recipe for ill health and heart disease if not a rash of other serious health problems in the future. So, we cannot afford not to take concrete and consistent steps to do so for overall health and well-being.

Here are the ten ways to successfully lose weight.

1. Make sure that you don’t start a weight-loss program until you have absolute and deep determination to protect your health and well-being. This will give you A greater chance of losing weight over the long-haul.

2. Make sure that you have social support while pursuing the difficult goal of shedding pounds. A study has shown that in-person support and even support delivered remotely without face-to-face contact has resulted in obese people achieving and sustaining significantly more weight loss than control subjects who got no support.

3. Set realistic goals. This can take some tweaking at first. However, be very determined to modify your goals until they work for you and yield the kinds of results that you so much deserve to have.

4. Do not skip meals. Eat breakfast. During the day, consume healthy snacks. You must keep your tummy happy over the long-term.

5. Resolve to substitute nutritious food for unhealthy varieties. Try to eat the Mediterranean diet where you will increase the proportion of fruits, veggies and seafood you consume. Also, eat fish or other seafood three times a week, red meat once a week, and chicken one to two days a week. In the remaining day or two of the week, eat dishes that include chickpeas, beans, or lentils. They all have great health benefits.

6. Make sure your daily intake of fruit includes at least five different fruits. Ideally, colourful fruits are part of your choice because they have been shown to lower blood pressure and have a number of other health benefits.

7. Eat nuts and seeds for snacks. Make sure that they are unsalted and in the shell. Don’t snack anything in a shiny bag. All of your food should be as close to what nature created as possible.

8. Avoid all you can eat buffets. Under certain circumstances such as these we become insatiable and really eat more calories than we should.

9. Avoid alcohol as much as possible. You can have it occasionally. But it really is a diet buster because of all the sugar that it contains.

10. Take the salt shaker off the table. Add spaces and Mrs. Dash instead. This can help you to not have as much water retention. Also, you can avoid heart disease.

By taking these steps, you will be taking some of the most important steps to lose weight. But also remember to be patient and don’t expect immediate results. This is another diet buster and could become a reason why you cheat.

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Beauty Tip: Foundation Secrets For A Flawless Complexion

1. For a natural look your foundation must match your skin tone. Test foundations along your jawline. You will know the best color because it will disappear into your skin.

2. Spread foundation on your hands and pat it on your face, then smooth out with a sponge making sure not to pull or stretch the skin. Be extra careful in the area around
Your eyes where the skin is super thin. Do not forget to apply foundation on your eyelids and lips.

3. To make foundation last apply moisturizer first giving the foundation a base. Dry skin will soak up the foundation if not given that base. For oily skin use an oil-free moisturizer and powder foundation

4. On hot days foundation can be difficult to keep looking fresh. Set your foundation in the morning using a loose powder and puff, then do regular touch ups through
The day.

5. To cover imperfections apply foundation first and then go back and dot on a concealer that neutralizes red. For noticeable imperfections like very dark circles and birthmarks use a yellow concealer (available from Mary Kay). Do not use too much powder in problem areas because it will draw attention to it.

6. To avoid a foundation line around the jaw apply foundation as usual then use a little moisturizer in your hand and blend it down your neck.

7. For evening mix some shimmer powder with your powder and put it where you want to attract light such as the bridge of the nose, underneath the brow bone, the temples, cheekbone, chin and shoulders.

8. Always use a foundation with a sunscreen of at least 15 to prevent future sun damage.

9. Change your foundation shade if the color of your skin changes.

10. After you apply foundation go near a window to make sure it looks natural. Natural light is the ultimate test.

Copyright 2004 Sheila Dicks

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Alaskan Fish Are Rich in Nutrients and Heart-Healthy Omega 3

Traditionally, Asian, Mediterranean and Greenland Eskimo populations have a higher life expectancy than populations in other parts of the world. What sets these communities apart? Some experts say a diet rich in seafood.

“Studying populations such as the Alaskan and Greenland Inuit, who frequently eat fatty fish or marine animals rich in Omega-3’s has taught us a great deal,” says nutrition scientist Dr. Joyce Nettleton. “Traditionally these native people have had very little cardiovascular disease or diabetes.”

Alaska seafood is high in protein and low in saturated fat, making it a welcome addition to a healthy diet. Fish nutrients are said to be particularly beneficial. Alaska fish species are suitable for grilling, broiling, sauteing, baking, poaching, steaming and smoking. Even canned seafood, like Alaska salmon, packs a healthy punch.

Because Alaska is located thousands of miles from large sources of pollution, its waters are among the cleanest in the world. Therefore, Alaska fish nutrients can be consumed without worry about contaminating the body. Alaska fish species are rich in essential vitamins, including vitamins E, C, D and A. Some species, like cod and tuna, are particularly high in vitamin E, an important antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Minerals contained in Alaska fish species include zinc, iron, calcium and selenium.

The importance of Omega 3 fatty acids, contained in large amounts in Alaska Salmon, rainbow trout, sardines, mackerel and herring, has garnered a lot of attention in recent years. The American Heart Association, in 2002, strengthened its recommendation about consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids, urging Americans to consume at least two servings of fish per week.

The fish nutrients contained in Omega 3 fatty acids have a host of beneficial effects. Omega 3 oils are shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammatory processes and certain cancers. Research has also shown a link between the consumption of Omega 3-rich foods and improvements or prevention of ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, arthritis, asthma, certain kinds of mental illness, depression and lupus erythematosus. Pregnant women would also be interested to know that an Omega 3 derivative called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can assist with brain development in very young children.

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Natural Deodorant – Why It’s Time To Ditch The Anti-Perspirant

In the early 1900s, advertisers convinced us that we smelled bad and that we needed to not only prevent odor causing bacteria from growing in our underarms but also prevent sweating. Antiperspirants were forced on us in the form of aluminum chloride. Aluminum chloride works by plugging the sweat glands in the wherever applied. Yes, it achieves the goal of preventing odors and sweat marks in clothing but at what cost?

The human body repairs itself and keep itself operating at top performance levels. Sweat is a natural process that not only serves to keep us cool when our body temperature rises but also to remove waste. When plumbing gets clogged, we take great measures to unclog the pipes and get the waste flowing out of our home. Our body is no different. Plugging sweat glands keeps waste in our bodies that should not be there.

Effects of aluminum based antiperspirants:

  1. It traps waste inside leading to swollen lymph nodes and possible increased odor
  2. May interact with DNA and lead to cancerous changes in cells
  3. Mimics estrogen and activates estrogen receptors that influence the growth of cancerous cells

Waste smells bad. Period. Some studies show that people who only use deodorant, which helps prevent odor, and not antiperspirants do not smell as bad as those who tend to use antiperspirants. There are natural options for absorbing moisture and preventing odor causing bacteria from growing in the underarm area.

Effective Natural Deodorant Ingredients:

  1. Baking soda: Found in many aluminum free deodorants. We use it in our refrigerators to absorb odor. It will do the same thing for our body, absorbing moisture and preventing growth of odor causing bacteria. The downside to baking soda is that it is a salt, like aluminum, and may irritate the skin in the area it is applied to.
  2. Cornstarch: Absorb moisture. Made from corn grain and is a common ingredient in soups and stews.
  3. Coconut oil: Natural antibacterial agent. It is made from the meat of mature coconuts. It helps prevent the growth of odor causing bacteria. It is also used as a cooking oil.
  4. Activated charcoal: Natural purifier. Made from wood or coconut coals. It absorbs moisture and attracts impurities for a detoxifying effect. Activated charcoal medications treat poisonings, diarrhea, indigestion, and gas. It is also used in water purification filters.

What makes antiperspirants unhealthy is that the skin absorbs them interrupting the natural order of the body’s systems. The premise behind natural deodorant is that the ingredients are safe for ingestion but effective at preventing odor while working in harmony with your body.

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Can You Be Allergic to Chinchillas?

Chinchillas are lovable and endearing and offer many years of companionship for the owner but can you be allergic to chinchillas? A not so well known info is that chinchilla do discharge proteins that make a person allergic. It is expulsion in the form of urine and saliva and in addition to, they shed their fur once every few months.

The reason a person becomes allergic to chinchillas is primarily due to the hay and dust from the chinchillas. If you happen to be allergic to hay and dust, then buying a chinchilla as pet is out of question. It is a well known fact that most warm-blooded animals that release protein have fur in their body. Furry animals like to lick their fur and the saliva, once dried will set of the protein floating about on different material in the home.

Some who might not be attuned of such things will have to contend with their allergies and eventually give away their pet chinchilla. It is not just the owner who has to put up with the hassle but the poor chinchilla as well. They will have to fore go their hay and dust bath and then sooner or later they have to be re-homed. It can be traumatic for the pet chinchilla, not just for the owner who is suffering from the allergy.

You can get allergic just by exposing to the chinchilla and rubbing your eyes and skin is common. One relevant detail that we need to know is that allergy might takes weeks, months or even years to occur and there are instances that some owners might require inhaler to cure their breathing predicament. If you are one such person who eventually becomes allergic to the hay and dust, then re-homing is obligatory for your pet.

To avoid from developing long term allergies from the hay and dust, there are many ways and cover the cage of your chinchilla with a sheet by having its own enclosed area with closed door is one of them. If there is a need to apply dust, stay off the fans, then wrap it with a sheet and close the door to the room for a little more than ten minutes as it will allow the dust to settle.

Asides from the necessary safety measures, you can buy for your pet chinchilla certain brand of bath sands that reduce the impact of the dust from flying around. While it is helpful to reduce the dust, it is not cost effective for those who are on a tight resource. The measures you take to curtail the allergies from your pet chinchilla are all indispensable steps but if you do eventually develop allergies or are severely allergic to fur and dust, then re-homing is the best option.

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How Fasting Can Transform Your Body and Your Life

Fasting has been around for thousands of years. It is the oldest and some say, the most effective natural healing therapy for our physical, mental and emotional ailments. It does something to our bodies, minds and spirits that no other remedy does. It's quite literal, life-changing – transformational medicine in it's purest form.

Fasting plays a part is every religion on earth. Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Elijah and Mohammed all fasted to purify their bodies and minds. The Sufis and the Essenes both used it extensively. Many indigenous cultures such as the Native Americans value fasting. Socrates, Plato, Galen, Aristotle, Paracelsus and Hippocrates the father of medicine all advocated abstaining from food and used fasting therapeutically.

Have you ever been sick and simply not wanted to eat? In fact, has the thought of food been quite a turn-off and the farthest thing from your mind? That is your body naturally fasting, naturally negating the drive to eat because food is not the best thing for you at this particular time. Have you ever had a pet that has refused to eat? This is their way of encouraging the healing process – an instinctual knowledge that the body has more important things to do than digest right now.

Fasting is precious time that we give to our internal organs to breathe out, have a break, relax, recharge and restore. We do the same for our mind when we go on holiday or get a massage. Why not give our body the occasional break too?

Have you ever considered fast? What do you think would happen if you simply did not eat food for a while? What do you think would change? How do you think you would feel? Here's a brief overview of fasting designed to inform and sometimes inspire a fast journey of your own. You certainly will not regret it and will be amazed by your body's inherent ability to heal and the insights you gain on so many levels.

What is fasting?
The word "fast" itself give us a clue. By avoiding food or certain types of food for a time we literately speed up the natural detoxification and cleansing process that is occurring constantly in our body and we speed up cellular renewal and regeneration. So a fast is a cure, a remedy and a therapeutic action. In the purest sense of the word, fast returns to total absence from all food, whether it's 40 days or 10 days or even 1 day. In more modern times fasting can also refer to limiting particular food intake or perhaps eating only one type of food or taking fresh fruit and vegetable juices only. There are so many different types of fasts and internal cleanses to choose from and you can tailor them to suit your individual needs. You can even do a simple cleanse by avoiding all alcohol, dairy, caffeine and processed food and drinking more water if you like, this alone will have an extremely beneficial effect on your body.

Why should I fast?
Good question and there are as many reasons as their people are on the planet. Some fast to cure cancer or diabetes. Some fast for weight loss. Some fast for detoxification and to improve liver function. Some fast as preventative medicine. Some fast for chronic skin conditions or digestive complaints. Some fast for self-realization. In my own recent 40 day fast my intentions were to simply get more in touch with the internal functioning of my body and mind, to lessen my emotional attachment to certain foods (think potato chips and chocolate) and to rekindle my fascination for the healing properties Of food we eat daily. For me and many others, fast is a way to look at our habits when it comes to food consumption and reassess our diet. It allows us to keep what is working and get rid of what is not. It also allows us to clearly identify the moments we confuse cravings and comfort eating with the nutrients the body and mind really need.

Fasting has been used successfully to treat the following: colds, flu and respiratory symptoms, headaches, reproductive system issues, allergies, skin conditions, ulcers, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, mental illness, epilepsy, obesity, Back pain, indigestion, dirrhea, constipation and insomnia.

Fasting promotes purification, clear skin, anti-aging, reduction in allergies, improved immune system function, change of habits, better sleep, greater ability to relax, more energy and clarity of focus, rest for the digestive system, improved sense of smell, Taste, hearing and vision, dietary changes, creativity, new ideas, inspiration, better attitude, spiritual awareness and right use of will. Pretty cool huh?

Who should not fast?
As with any changes is health you are thinking about making there are always considerations. For the following group of people fasting is not recommended without under the careful guidance of an experienced health professional: pregnant women, underweight people or those with serious physical and mental degeneration and those with major nutritional deficiencies.

How do I fast?
Fasting can be a controversial topic and there are many schools of thought on the best way to do it. Here are four steps to follow to start your journey:

  • Educate yourself on the best possible fast for your body and your lifestyle – you are unique and what works for another may not work for you. Seeing an experienced health professional who listens and who wants to guide and support you through your fast is highly recommended.
  • Choose a suitable time. Winter is never recommended as it is a natural storage and rest time for your body. Other than that, the change of seasons is always good (out with old and in with the new!). Lighten your schedule if you can while you fast.
  • Begin and plan your fast. The reality of you having nothing to do but nurture yourself is pretty thin unless you go on a retreat of some sort so making a start is the most important thing. Be easy on yourself. You will experience rapid change that may surprise you but the results and how you will feel after your fast will blow you away. Make sure you've prepared and have everything you need as going to a supermarket may not be high on your priorities.
  • Listen to your body. It will clearly tell you if what you are doing is working or not. Surround yourself with supportive people, give yourself some time to go through the initial detox symptoms (very commonly some degree of discomfort, headaches, bowel change, fatigue and irritability for the 3-5 days) Know you are doing an amazing thing for your body And mind that will change your whole experience of health.

There is much, much more to say about fast and the correct way to do it. Thousands of years worth of study in fact! We have simply scraped the surface. With everything in relation to health this is about you. How do you choose to take responsibility for your body, mind and emotions? Fasting is nature's doctor and is one extremely practical and effective way to achieve better health, more energy and greater passion and clarity for the gift of life.

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Contraption: A Discussion – Part II

To obviate the need to take daily tablets, injections have been devised which give a anti-fertility effect for 12-13 weeks. This contains a depot preparation of progesterone and is injected into your muscle. It however has the unwanted side effect of gain gain and delayed return of fertility.

Intra uterine devices are small devices which are left inside the uterus as a contrast measure. They are commonly known by the name Copper T as they have a winding of copper and are T shaped.

Currently many hormonal impregnated IUD's have been developed which not only prevent pregnancy, but also provide relief from dysmenorrhea and dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Insertion of Copper T must be done by a health care provider and it takes less than 10 min to insert a Copper T. A small string is left floating outside the cervix so that its position may be checked by the women herself.

Intra uterine devices are perfect for women who are in monogamous relationship and who want to space their children. Prior to insertion of IUD pregnancy and pelvic infection must be ruled out. They provide sufficient protection for 2-3 years after which it will have to be replaced.

Some of the common side effects which are seen after insertion of IUD are pelvic pain and heavy periods. But these resolve by 2-3 months and very few women have to the IUD removed for these reasons.

If you do not desire to retain your reproductive potential you or your partner could go for a sterilization surgery. During this surgery the fallopian tubes are ligated on the ends so that the ovum will not be able to enter the uterus. This is a permanent method of contraception. Alternately your husband could undergo sterilization and it is much easier in the case of men. In men the tubes which carry sperms from the testis to the penis are blocked by tying them so that sperms are not present in the ejaculate. If your husband has undergone the operation then he must use a condom for at least six weeks after the surgery as a few sperms will be present in the ejaculate till that time.

There are many more methods of contraception, but I do not wish to cover them here for one simple reason. All of them have a very high failure rate and hence can not be relied upon. And in case of contraception, unreliable contraption is as good as none.

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Knowing the Signs of Horse Illnesses, and What Steps to Take

You are probably tired of me saying that horses are creatures of habit and that they will basically follow the same pattern every day. If your horses are in stalls at night, when you arrive in the morning, hopefully the same time each day, or as close to the same time as possible, you will notice that each horse will basically be standing facing pretty much the same direction in The stall. If they sleep at this hour, when you arrive they will probably just be getting up to greet you and have breakfast. If your horses are out at night and come in during the day, usually because of hot weather, then they will be standing at the gate waiting, or if they are grazing they will more than likely be in the same area of ​​the pasture. Many horses seem to eat, then drink and often take a nap. This is why, when I was involved in breaking yearlings, we bought them in from being out at night, keep them a light breakfast and they were looking to take a nap; That's when we would start schooling them (of course we did give them a short amount of time after eating to digest their food). Babies are easier to break and teach when they are tired. They are more agreeable and less likely to want to start an argument. When I was training Thoroughbreds, I knew immediately as I started to walk through the barn, that one of my horses was not well because there was a change of habit, not to mention the cloudiness in their eyes and the lethargic way in their movements. If you make it a habit to take just a few seconds of your time every day, go to every stall and say good morning to each horse, you will not only be surprised at the response you will receive, but you will be able to detect Signs of illness.

When working on a farm, as I was doing stalls or schooling horses, I was constantly looking at my horses, checking and watching the horses that were turned out. Every opportunity I had was spent walking through the barn checking each horse in the stalls. Horses can become sick very quickly and need immediate attention. Probably your first fear is colic. Horses can not regurgitate, meaning if they ingest something that is poisonous to their system (things such as moldy hay, or moldy feed or different plants out in the field), they can not vomit and get rid of it as we can. They must eliminate anything harmful to them through their bowels. Unfortunately, one of the first things that happens to a sick horse as with colic is that he or she can not pass any feces. This is one of the things that will cause the horse to become toxic. Impaction is also a huge problem meaning that there is a blockage in the intestines, hopefully not from their intestines becoming twisted. Helping a horse as quickly as possible can make a difference. Waiting until the horse is rolling around, getting up, going back down immediately and rolling around, thrashing around hurting him or herself is not a good thing. Being quick to respond to any illness with a horse is imperative. It may help your horse to recover much quicker and if you do have to call a vet you may be able to avoid your horse having to make a trip to the clinic. Sending your horse to a clinic is very expensive but if it is unavoidable and is highly recommended by your veterinarian, the sooner you go the better.

There are many homeopathic and herbal products on the market available to help horses in minor distress. Research these products as there are many books available that will help you to understand the way in which natural products work, how to manage them and how often. Also speak with your veterinarian on the basic products you will need to keep handy that can help your horse in a minor situations. Every time a horse backs off from his or her feed does not mean that they are very sick. They can experience stomach discomfort that will pass or they can become heavy with gas which with a little help will welcome that as well. If you have a horse that is showing you signs of discomfort often, then you may have to make changes in their feed program, consumption of particular types of hay or even limit their amount of pasture. If they are spending time where there is a lot of sand, you may have to give them something internationally to help them pass this through their system. Hopefully you will never have to experience the things that I have discussed, but paying close attention to your horse, what they are eating and watching their daily habits is your best defense.

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Enjoy Your Food

"The joy you feel is life" Greg Anderson

We enjoy food and we enjoy having meal with friends and family.
Why should we deprive ourselves of such simple pleasures?
I am not ashamed to admit I like to eat and I enjoy the food I eat.
I like to prepare a meal, it is a pleasure to all my senses, the smells in the kitchen are pleasures to my nostrils and the results are a real fear to the palate.

I am not stating my love for food to excite you on the subject of cooking. I am mentioning it because eating should be a delightful experience.

There is no logical reason why there should be so many kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts if we were not invited to eat them, enjoy their taste and be grateful for Mother Nature miracles.

I believe the problem is more what we eat and how we eat.

We do not eat anymore mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. We eat too much refined and processed foods. All this refinements and processing strip the nutrients from the food. Most of the goodness of our food is gone.

Raw foods are richer in nutrients, especially organically grown fruits and vegetables. Cooking at high temperature destroy some of the nutrients such as enzymes and vitamins.

I do not believe in diets where you need to count calories and starve yourself. Without you have a will power of steel, this is doomed to failure.

It is against human nature, even your body will rebel.

I do not believe in stuffing ourselves either. Food portions should be moderate. Quality food rich in nutrients will satisfy our appetite and will boost our energy.

Crash diets are messing with our metabolism.

This is the largest mistake to avoid if you wish to lose weight.

Our body is very efficient and very sophisticated.
If the body feels that the quantity and the quality of the food we eat is not sufficient for its daily functions, it will automatically adjust itself and the body will presume starvation time has arrived.
Because food is in short supply the body will slow down its metabolism. The body will store fat for lean times. The body will shift to survival mode.
It will use less calories and burn less fat.

You will achieve exactly the opposite result than you hoped for because your body will adapt to the lower food intake. Until proper quantity and quality of food is ateen, the lower calorie diet will become the norm.
Your body will fight back and will not permit any weight loss.

Why are not most diets giving any permanent results?
From my experience diets:

  • Lack the proper nutrients which food should provide to satisfy your hunger and feed your body.
  • Do not address the psychological side of weight loss.
  • Lack self motivation.
  • Do not correct our eating habits.
  • They can be very frustrating.

It should be a holistic approach. It should nourish both our body and our soul. While our body size decreases not only our body size changes but we as a person change as well. It is a body and mind change. It should be a life style change.

We need to fuel our body with proper food.

Our body needs food rich in nutrients, the nutrients that feed our cells, the nutrients that will help heal our body of any deficiency.
We need to enjoy our food and to nourish our body at the same time.

We need a balanced nutrition that avoids refined and processed foods.

We need more fresh vegetables, whole food and grains.

We need food grown without chemicals and pesticides, without hormones and antibiotics.

We need fresh fish rich in omega-3.

We need fresh lean meat, organically grown if possible.

Before starting any weight loss program, it would be wise to visit a health professional and make a few tests to check if you have any nutrients deficiency or any hormone imbalance or any other health issue that could have the reason of your weight gain.

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Mania and Unani Treatment

Mania: An abnormally elevated mood state characterized by such symptoms as inappropriate elation, increased irritability, severe insomnia, grandiose notions, increased speed and/or volume of speech, disconnected and racing thoughts, increased sexual desire, markedly increased energy and activity level, poor judgment, and inappropriate social behavior. A mild form in mania that does not require hospitalization is termed hypomania.manic symptoms include irritability, anger, delusions, hypersensitivity, hypersexuality, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, pressure to keep talking, rapid speech and grandios ideas and plans, decreased need for sleep. In manic and hypomanic cases the affected person may engage in out of character behavior such as questionable business transactions, wasteful expenditures of money, risky sexual activity, abnormal sexual interactions or highly vocal arguments uncharacteristic of previous behaviors. these behaviors increase stress in personal relationship, problems at work and increases the risk of altercation with law enforcement as well as being at high risk of impulsively talking part in activities potentially harmful to self and others.

There are different states or stages of mania. for example, a minor stage may involve increased creativity, wit and ambitions. However, a serious stage of mania may involve lack of good judgement, lack of ability to focus, and even psychosis.

The biological mechanism by which mania occurs is not yet known. one hypothesis cause of mania is that, the amount of neurotransmitter serotonin in the temporal lobe may be excessively high.

Unani Treatment:

1. Itrifal Ustookhudoos 10 gm at bed time.

2. or Itrifal Kishnizi 6 gm two times

3. Itrifal Afteemoon 10 gm with arq Gau zaban 70 ml or with Arq Baid musk 40 ml or Arq Amber 30 ml.

4. Sharbat afteemoon or Sharbat Ustookhudoos or Sharbat shaleheen or Sharbat abresham with Arq Gau zaban or Arq Chobchini or Arq Maa ul jabn or Arq  Haleela 40 ml.

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How to Stop Anxiety Attacks Before They Control Your Life

Having an anxiety attack can prove a very frustrating experience for any. If you have never experienced such an attack before dealing with the many symptoms can prove very worrying indeed. Below we offer a number of tips that can help you to know how to stop anxiety attacks before they take control of your life.

Tip 1 – Often by just making changes to your current lifestyle can help to prevent you suffering regularly from anxiety attacks. We all tend to lead quite stressful lives today and so by taking time out and doing things we enjoy can help to reduce these stress levels. You will be amazed just what doing something you enjoy for a couple of hours each week can do to help you from having further attacks.

Tip 2 – Although you may not want to hear it but there is clear evidence to show that it is your own emotions that are causing your panic attacks. By learning how to control your emotions better in stressful situations will help prevent the attacks from becoming much worse. There are many different techniques that one can use including breathing exercises that help you regain a calm feeling.

Tip 3 – Another way of helping to reduce the number of anxiety attacks that occurs in your life is through exercising regularly. Not only does exercising help to clear your mind of those thoughts which are causing you to feel concerned about something but will over time make you feel better about who you are. People who have more confidence in themselves find it much easier to cope with stressful situations in their lives and so the chances of suffering suffering an anxiety attack are reduced.

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Dealing with Depression

Depression, also clinically known as major depressive disorder, affects millions of people around the world but most do not understand that depression is a very real disease. People that have never suffered with depression understand very little about this disease and feel that a person with it should ‘get on with their life and get over the depression’.

They believe that depression sufferers can get rid of their depression by using their willpower. People that are close to, or live with those with depression, are often frustrated and annoyed by this and “snap out of it” hear this far too often.

Most people, uneducated when it comes to depression, have no idea that they have all the signs and are themselves depressed and reaching severe levels. Understanding about depression will make you appreciate what a person goes through who suffers from it.

What is Depression?
Along with other elements, it is an imbalance of the brain chemicals, medically speaking. Primarily treated with medication, major depressive disorder is recognized by the medical community as a disease. Some doctors treat their patients with medication and therapy and for some patients; psychotherapy along with medication is very helpful. Many people fight depression their entire lives and need monitoring to minimize or eliminate reoccurrences of this debilitating disease. Avoiding stressful situations and strictly following the doctor’s instructions is paramount.

Symptoms of Depression The most common symptom of depression is sadness and low mood levels. Others that some people suffer from are:

– Irritability
– Physical reactions become slow
– Not enjoying activities or interests that you liked before
– Reasoning is slower – Looking on the dark side or expecting the worse – pessimism
– Sex life decreases or lack of interest – Anger or rages

Mild depression may not cause many problems in some peoples lives and be an annoyance more than anything else. This could turn into severe depression and people suffering from this can become completely debilitated by the disease. With moderate to severe depression, there is more chance of suicide. Depression can strike any age group from young to the elderly. If a teenager that liked school and did well suddenly lacks interest, withdraws from family and friends and has mood swings, he/she could be displaying signs of depression.

Types of Depression
Some subtypes of depression are:

Mono-polar Depression – There are symptoms of depression. Dysthymic disorder is men and a woman with a mild case of mono-polar disorder that does not touch their social activities or work abilities.
Bipolar disorder or Manic Depressive Disease – The manic phase causes a person to sleep and concentrate poorly. The depressive phase cause abnormal elevated moods and impractical optimism.
Physical Symptom Depression – Can cause urination difficulties, digestive problems among other things.