Saunas Then And Now

Saunas Then And Now
 by: Ron King
History
The origin of the sauna is lost in the mists of time, but its history goes back over 1,000 years. The nomadic peoples of Finland had a primitive type of sauna around the first millennium that was made by building a fire inside a tent-like structure. When the heat had built up and the fire was out, people would enter the sauna to bathe. This was very similar to the American Indian sweat lodge.
This type of sauna evolved into a smoke sauna -- a small building with a stone fireplace inside with a hole in the roof for the smoke to escape. The smoke sauna was commonly used until the 1920s, when it started to be replaced by the modern form of sauna. The smoke sauna, however, has enjoyed a recent revival in Finland. Many people consider it to be the finest type of sauna.
The modern introduced a new type of stove which allowed the rocks to be heated without being placed directly over the fire flames. This allowed the fire to burn while the sauna was being used. The earliest stoves of this type used wood as a fuel, but later models used electricity.
Types of Saunas
Saunas can be built in many shapes and styles. They can be separate buildings or they can be installed in a house or apartment. Traditional saunas use separate wooden structures.
The worldwide popularity of saunas has spurred innovative new designs. One of the most unusual is the portable sauna; a folding sauna that can be used almost anywhere. The folding sauna is just big enough for 1 person to sit in. There is a hole for your head and slits for your hands if you wish to read or talk on the phone while you are enjoying this sauna.
Another unusual design is the barrel sauna. This is a small cabin constructed using barrel-making techniques, which holds 6 to 8 people. Barrel saunas can be installed either inside or outside the home.
Infrared saunas have been used since the 1960s. The heating source here is an infrared heater. Unlike traditional heaters that heat the air in the sauna, infrared heaters heat objects and people, but not the air. Since infrared offers deeper tissue penetration, its proponents believe infrared saunas have superior health benefits.
Sauna Construction
Almost every type of sauna is made of wood. The walls, ceilings, floors and benches are all made from a wood such as cedar or hemlock. The only non-wood materials are the stove and the rocks that are heated on the stove.
The sauna creates a dry heat--usually between 150 degrees and 200 degrees F. From time to time, water can be thrown on the rocks. This creates a cloud of steam, which has the effect of immediately raising the temperature. The sauna can be heated with an electric or wood stove. Wood stoves are traditional in the countryside, but most urban saunas use an electric heater.
Whatever the type or construction, you owe it to yourself to treat yourself to a sauna. It may just become your favorite mode of relaxation.

The Effect of Hysterectomy on Sexual Response and Sexual Identity

The Effect of Hysterectomy on Sexual Response and Sexual Identity
 by: James Brann, MD
Women have mixed emotions regarding the effect of hysterectomy on sexual response and sexual identity. Most woman go on to have a normal sex life, some have a heightened response, while others are less able to have a sexual response following hysterectomy due to their perceived loss of femininity.
Some women may notice a change in their sexual response after the uterus has been removed. For example, uterine contractions a woman might have associated with orgasm may no longer be perceived. Other women may experience a heightened response. This may be due to the fact that they no longer have to worry about getting pregnant and no longer have tremendous pain or dysfunctional bleeding.
If the ovaries are not removed, the outer genitals and the vagina are not affected and remain lubricated when a woman is sexually aroused. If the ovaries are removed at the time of hysterectomy, vaginal dryness may be a problem during sexual intercourse. Vaginal dryness can be helped with the use of estrogen cream.
During a hysterectomy your doctor removes vaginal tissue. This may make the vagina shorter. Deep thrusting during intercourse may be painful. Changing positions during intercourse may help, such as being on top or bringing your legs closer together.
Recently interest in supracervical hysterectomies (where the cervix is not removed at time of hysterectomy) has grown out of speculation that women might enjoy better sexual function after hysterectomy when the cervix is left in place. A new study has found there is no difference in sexual function or quality of life when a supracervical hysterectomy is performed instead of a total abdominal hysterectomy.
Post hysterectomy depression may interfere with sexual response. Depression may follow a hysterectomy from a concept that femininity and an intact functioning uterus are one. Some women link their self-image with reproductive ability. Menses reminds a woman of her uniqueness where hysterectomy takes away this cue. Many women have a brief emotional reaction to the loss of the uterus and ovaries that erodes their sense of well-being and femininity. If the problem persists please discuss your feelings with your doctor.
Be sure if you are considering a hysterectomy you discuss your personal health and medical history with your doctor. He or she will help you decide what procedures are best for you given your personal condition. Many women find this procedure helpful to their overall health and well-being, especially if they are at risk for certain cancers or other debilitating health conditions.

Green Tea and Cholesterol Facts

Green Tea and Cholesterol Facts
 by: Lorraine Bevere
A green and lush oasis in the middle of a scorching dessert. A cool breeze on a hot summer night. A bright light in the end of a cold and dark tunnel. Green tea and cholesterol.
For the millions and millions of people suffering from high cholesterol green tea may be that light. You can browse and search the Internet for topics on green tea and cholesterol and would come up with hundred of hits.
Cholesterol, triglycerides, the protein apoB in LDLs, are words dreaded by humans of the modern age. This new century is expected to become the century of medical miracles, the green tea, lowly as it may sound looks very promising as several researches have shown. This could be the decade of green tea and cholesterol.
More good news is it's not just green tea and cholesterol; it's also green tea and cancer. Several studies have shown that the antioxidants are present in green tea. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. Another research done by the University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. In another study by the University of Kansas determined that EGCG may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.
And more good news! It's not just green tea and cholesterol; it's also green tea and high blood pressure. Habitually drinking 5 to 10 cups a day of green tea lowers high blood pressure.
For more that 4,000 years the Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. So it's not just green tea and cholesterol; it's also green tea and depression!
Drinking green also is reported to be helpful with rheumatoid arthritis, Cardiovascular disease, infection, and impaired immune function.
Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a good anti-cancer element. Polyphenol limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet.
There's more! It's not just green tea and cholesterol; it's also green tea and weight loss. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a report that found out that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine.
How about green tea and tooth decay anyone? Its bacteria-destroying abilities kill the bacteria that cause dental decay. So it's not just green tea and cholesterol, it's also green tea and bacteria.
Why is it that it's green tea and cholesterol not oolong tea or black tea? As we all know there are 3 types of tea, green, oolong and black. All of these come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. But why green? Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized while black and oolong tea leaves are made from dried or fermented leaves, which causes loss of EGCG.
We should have learned speaking mandarin or fukien a long time ago and got to know green tea and cholesterol lowering the Chinese way.
There is more to green tea and cholesterol, search the web and get to know more of the heath benefits you may get from green tea. Does anyone know how to say green tea in Chinese?

How Your Smoking Affects Your Loved Ones

How Your Smoking Affects Your Loved Ones
 by: Kelly Gillis
Your cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking doesn't only have an affect on your health. The U.S. Surgeon General's report "The Health Consequences of Smoking," released in 2004, states it has been proven that smoking (or living with a person who smokes) can cause disease in nearly every organ of the body, in men as well as women. This means that every time you "light up" you are potentially damaging the health of your children, your spouse and your loved ones.
It is a fact that second hand smoke (also known as environmental tobacco smoke or ETS) is a major cause of children's illness. As children have developing lungs and have higher breathing rates than adults they run the greatest risk of health effects. In children under the age of 18 second hand smoke has been linked with pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infections, upper respiratory tract irritation, increased severity of asthma and asthmatic symptoms. It has been associated with sudden infant death syndrome, middle ear infections, upper respiratory tract infections (colds and sore throats) and cancers and leukemia. Japanese researchers just released a study that suggests that second hand smoke may affect childrens gums. 70% of the children of smokers had a brownish or black pigmentation of their gums.
Statistics show that approximately 3,000 non-smoking adults die of lung cancer each year as a result of second hand smoke. Second hand smoke has been linked to nasal sinus cancer, cancer of the cervix, breast and bladder. Second hand smoke also causes an increased risk of death from heart disease.
If you must smoke, it is essential that you protect your loved ones, especially children. Don't smoke in your home. If you must smoke, smoke outside. Do not smoke in your car when your children are with you. Make sure that childcare providers and others who work in your home or around your children do not smoke.
There are many publications available to you free online that provide information on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and it's affects on your family. Visit the US Environmental Protection Agency at http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/publications.html for a free booklet.
The fact is that it's not only your own health at risk when you smoke. You quitting will make your loved ones healthier, and happier too.

Why Isn't My Diet Working?

Why Isn't My Diet Working?
 by: Hiram Perez
Have you been on a new diet for a couple of weeks and found that you STILL can't lose weight? Have you actually GAINED a pound or two since you've been on it? Are you just about ready to throw this diet out the window and try something else? Well, hold on a minute. There might be something else going on that's preventing your diet from working.
Getting your diet to work is like planting a seed in a garden. In order for the seed to grow, you have to plant it in good soil. You have to water it, fertilize it, and protect it from weeds. In other words, a seed needs a good environment if it's going to have any chance at all to sprout, take root, and grow.
Similarly, in order for your diet to start showing results for you, it also needs a good environment. Here are 10 "weeds" that will prevent the success of any diet and may actually be the reason that yours isn't working.
1. YOU'RE NOT REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT
For your diet to work, you obviously have to be serious about losing weight. You need to have the right mental attitude about weight loss. In other words, you have to get your "head right." This includes: a. Making a firm commitment to lose the weight, no matter what. b. Making sure you're doing this for the right reasons. Trying to lose weight to please someone else never works. c. Convincing yourself that you CAN lose the weight--and that you WILL!
If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not really serious about losing the weight in the first place.
2. YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR DIET
Cheating on your diet and cheating on love both end in disappointment. Consistent weight loss requires, well, consistency. Most of us work so hard to stick to our diet during the week that we convince ourselves that we can splurge on the weekend. Or we think that because we skipped breakfast, we can have dessert with lunch. Both are a bad choice.
It's easy to convince yourself that having a small snack won't hurt, or that you'll work it off later. The problem is it does, and you never do. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not following it consistently.
3. YOU'RE NOT EATING FEWER CALORIES
I heard of someone that started one of those protein shake diets. He actually gained a couple of pounds. When he was asked how often he was drinking the shakes, he said, "I drink one with every meal." It never occurred to him that the shakes were supposed to replace his meals, not supplement them.
Many dieters buy low-cal foods, and then eat twice as much. Don't be one of them! The only way to lose weight is to reduce your total caloric intake. Make sure you reduce the size of your portions and cut out all snacks that are not part of your diet plan. If your diet isn't working--or if you've actually gained a pound or two--it could be because you're not eating fewer total calories.
4. YOU'RE NOT EATING THE RIGHT FOODS
Eating fewer calories is only part of the battle. You need to make sure that the foods you do eat are the right types. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you get plenty of fruits, salads, and dark green vegetables. Stay away from refined foods and starches and eat meat in very small amounts (sorry, I'm not an Atkins fan).
Leafy, green, water-rich vegetables will aid digestion, help keep you healthy, and will actually help your body get rid of excess fat. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not eating the right foods.
5. YOU'RE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER
When you go on a diet, your body goes into overdrive to get rid of the excess fats and toxins that the diet liberates. Many diets (especially the protein ones) put a strain on your body's organs, especially the kidneys. Because of this, it's vital that you drink plenty of water.
Drinking 8 or so full glasses of water every day helps to flush out the excess fats and toxins your body is trying to eliminate. Drinking plenty of water has other benefits including reducing headaches and improving your hair and skin. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not drinking enough water.
6. YOU'RE NOT EXERCISING ENOUGH
The best way to increase the number of calories you burn is through exercise. Pick walking, running, playing sports, swimming, or whatever--just make sure that when you exercise, you actually exercise. Some people go to the gym to socialize, not to exercise. Make sure you're not one of them! Get to work and make sure you stay with it long enough to burn off some excess calories.
To lose weight, shoot for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. Note that these 20-30 minutes do not include stretching, warm ups, cool downs, or checking yourself out in front of the mirror. Sure, these are an important part of your exercise routine but you're not going to lose any weight by stretching. At least 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day.
If you've reduced the amount of calories you're eating and your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not exercising enough.
7. YOU'RE EXERCISING TOO HARD
This may be counterintuitive but it's true. If you exercise too hard, your body goes into an ANAEROBIC state (without oxygen). This is when you get so out of breath that you can't seem to take in enough air. When the body is in this state, it burns mostly carbohydrates and very little fat. This is why runners "carb up" before a big race--and also why runners have just as much body fat as the rest of us.
Slow your exercise down to no more than 85% of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220 to get your max heart rate). At this pace, your body is in an AEROBIC state (with oxygen) and most of the calories that are burned are from fat, not carbs. An added benefit is that aerobic exercise tends to be low impact making it easy on your joints.
If you already get plenty of exercise and your diet still isn't working, it could be because you're exercising too hard.
8. YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST
We all live stressful lives. Dieting typically changes your eating and exercise habits-- two more stressor's your body has to deal with. The only chance your body has to relieve tension, rejuvenate and rebuild itself is during sleep so it's important to get enough when dieting.
Not getting enough sleep can actually slow your metabolism making weight loss difficult. It can also make you feel "groggy," which means you probably won't make the best food choices throughout the day. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not getting enough rest.
9. YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO MANY BATTLES AT ONCE
Weight loss requires both consistent effort and focus. You won't have either if you're trying to diet and deal with other "major events" in your life at the same time. Major events include things like changing jobs, moving to new house or city, trying to stop smoking, a death, accident, or sickness in the family, and so on. All of these things create a disruption in our lives and cause us to put everything--including our diets--on hold. To make matters worse, how do most of us deal with the stress caused by these major events? By snacking! Your diet doesn't have a chance.
So don't even try. Give yourself permission to put your diet on hold until you can give it the consistent energy and focus it needs. Choose your battles carefully and fight only one at a time. If your diet isn't working, it may be because you're trying to fight too many at once.
10. YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOAL IS NOT REALISTIC
Like all good things, healthy weight loss takes time. Make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment by setting a weight loss goal that is totally unrealistic. This includes not only the amount of weight you want to lose, but also the amount of time you think it will take. If you're doing all the right things and your diet isn't working, it may be because your weight loss goal-or the time required to reach it-isn't realistic.
Once you get all of these issues resolved, you've cleared the way to get your diet back on track. As your diet takes root and begins to work, you should start to see the weight come off easily and naturally.

Nutrional Dos and Dont's

Nutrional Dos and Dont's
 by: Paul Duxbury
Questions like "What do you recommend? What should people eat?" or "What exactly it is the proper diet?" can not be answered only with "eat less fat" or "exercise more" and "base your diet on low fat food like…". This "do's and don'ts" will direct you towards a plant-based diet. Although nutrition is a more complicated mater and it can not be solved in a few phrases, this can be a start.
Don't eat:
Ground beef and other fatty meats are dangerous for both your health and weight. It is known that red meat is the largest source of fat and saturated fat and that saturated fat is the most important factor in heart disease. Ribs, bacon, and sausages are other fats that we should not eat.
Also don't eat lean meat more than three times a week although it has less saturated fat.
Studies show that lean red meats may increase the risk of colon and possibly prostate cancer but not poultry or seafood which is healthier.
Don't eat pizza or other cheese based meals because it is well known that almost any pizza, especially a cheese pizza will use up 40 percent of your saturated fat limit for the day.
The food industry causes our salt problem. More than 70 percent of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods. For a healthier life we should try changing a frozen dinner with our own steam broccoli or broiled fresh flounder in low-fat mayo, lemon juice, and dill. Don't use the commercial salad dressing and try your own vinegar, fresh garlic, mustard, and olive oil.
Do not consume so many sweets. It can drag down a good diet and may cause other important health problems. Soft drinks give 160 calories at 12-ounce and no vitamins, minerals, fiber, or phytochemical. Other sweets like brownies or some cookies, cheesecake, pecan or cinnamon rolls, give you an entire meal's worth of calories and fat. Fat-free or low-fat versions of sweets are healthier, but can not take the place of fruit, grain crackers, or other nutrient-packed foods.
Don't overdo consuming alcoholic beverages. For women that drink often than three times a week the risk of breast cancer is greater and the death rate is higher.
Do eat:
Eating more plant foods and especially vegetables, may reduce the risk of cancers, including colon, lung, stomach, mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, and bladder. And it can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by decreasing the cholesterol level.
Also eating at least five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables is recommended by the National Cancer Institute. The risk of heart disease and stroke may be reduced mainly because fruits and vegetables contain photochemical, fiber, folic acid, and potassium.
Make your everyday fruits and vegetables handy for you. Keep a bag of peeled baby carrots on your desk. Peel a grapefruit, orange, or tangerine. Keep a bowl of fruit salad in the fridge. Make sure that you eat as much fruits and vegetables as possible.
Switch to fat-free milk, yogurt, ice cream, and cheese. Women especially don't get enough calcium to diminish the risk of osteoporosis. You can eat ice cream or frozen yogurt only if it's low-fat or fat-free. A daily cup of regular ice cream can jeopardize a healthy diet. Most dairy foods have calcium. But they can also be field with artery-clogging saturated fat.
Eat whole grains because they are more nutritious than refined grains, and they're risk of colon cancer is lower.
Buy only light tubs or sprays margarine or butter because they are healthier. Butter's field with saturated fat.
The spray butter and the light margarine have no more than six grams of fat or three grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. When it comes to cooking these varieties of butter and margarine may not serve it purpose and you should try the ordinary forms but not in normal quantities or change the regular butter whit olive or canola oil.
Make sure your body has enough vitamins and minerals for a proper development and a les painful ageing. Vitamins can't repair a broken diet, but they may make a good diet better, especially if your body lacks in vitamins and minerals. The folic acid and vitamin D are especially important.

Fruit For Fitness Tips

Fruit For Fitness Tips
 by: Steve Shannon
Without question, fruit has wonderful natural benefits for the human body. Fruit is packed with vitamins and fiber much like vegetables, but comes in a wide variety of sweeter, more palatable flavors.
Adding fruit to your diet is an excellent thing to do, but there are a few things that you need to keep in mind:
1. Eat fresh fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. Juice is often sweetened, but fresh fruits have natural sugars. Also, you don't receive all of the needed fiber and vitamins from fruit juice as you do from fresh fruit.
2. If you do have a craving for fruit juice, then go for fresh fruit juice instead of those that contain artificial flavors and colors. Or even better, try making your own fruit juice, taking care not to sweeten it with too many calories.
3. Choose fresh fruit over processed fruits. Again, processed and canned fruits do not have as much fiber or vitamins as fresh fruit, and processed and canned fruits are nearly always sweetened.
4. Wherever possible eating locally produced seasonal fruits and vegetable fresh from the garden or grove is preferred.
5. Fresh fruit makes the absolute perfect dessert for any meal. Throw out the cake and add a fresh fruit bowl to the dining table.
6. Fresh fruit also makes the perfect snack. It's far better to grab a banana or apple when hunger pangs strike, than a bag of greasy potato chips. Plus, fresh fruit just tastes better.
7. It's interesting to note that nature produces several varieties of fruits resembling the shapes of the organs of our body, which are useful and beneficial to that specific organ. Here are some examples: Apricot - Brain Mango-Papaya - Stomach Almonds - Eyes Apple - Heart Grapes - Lungs Cashew nuts - Kidney
8. Fruits and vegetables have in them a natural storage of the sun's energy. If we make a daily practice of having fresh fruit and vegetables, or one glass of real fruit juice and two or three cups of green juice of vegetables, our requirement for food will be reduced to a minimum. We will have enough energy to maintain the body in a healthy condition.
Overall, just remember that fresh fruit is better for you than canned fruit, fruit juice, processed fruit, or cooked fruit. Eat as much fresh fruit as you like.
Another benefit of adding fruit to your diet is the added water intake. Water is a simple, yet effective tool in the fight against the scale and the emergency room, and is often overlooked by most people.
But that is a whole other subject...

Keeping Illnesses at Bay with Antioxidant Vitamins

Keeping Illnesses at Bay with Antioxidant Vitamins
 by: Charlene J. Nuble
Antioxidant vitamins perform many important tasks that our bodies benefits from. In recent years, a great deal of research has been done concerning the abilities of the antioxidant vitamins to prevent certain diseases, ranging from cancer to heart ailments.
One of the many important tasks that antioxidant vitamins perform is that of bringing free radicals under control. But before we get ahead of ourselves, what are free radicals actually? A free radical is an unstable molecule, operating within the much larger context of a cell. Missing an electron is actually the reason why a free radical is unstable. Electrons are a part of a system that enables chemical reactions within the body. Chemical and electrical actions and reactions are the basis of whatever's going on inside our bodies.
The splitting of a structure that is caused by the weakening of the body's metabolism or outside factors such as pollution or cigarette smoking constitutes to the missing electron in a free radical. Thus, the free radical attacks other molecules seeking its missing part which leads to converting other molecules into free radicals as well. This should never be taken lightly because just the right amount of free radicals in the body could actually damage our cells and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Antioxidant vitamins have the power to bring these free radicals under control. They do this by meeting the free radicals' most basic needs, by giving them the electrons they need to be stable. In result, we end up with a healthy body which is free from all these free radicals that are out to destroy our cells and our overall healthy well-being.
The primary antioxidant vitamins are Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Vitamin A. These antioxidant vitamins actually have the power to act as "stand alone" catalysts for a healthier you therefore free radicals prove to be of no match for them. More importantly, these antioxidant vitamins can actually help us get rid of these free radicals that may eventually cause us our healthy well-being.
Various studies have found that the antioxidant vitamins may offer protection against a variety of cancers. While other studies have associated antioxidant vitamins to helping lower blood pressure. To be able to control the growth of free radicals in our bodies through the help of antioxidant vitamins has actually some added benefits as well, aside from the ability to lower the risks of catching an illness or disease as well as helping to prevent and cure cancer, antioxidant vitamins will also help regulate the "signs of aging" in a person by helping one to stay radiant and youthful-looking.
Antioxidant vitamins clearly has a lot of benefits, from helping prevent cancer, diabetes and heart diseases, antioxidant vitamins is an important part of our daily nutritional intake and must always be kept at its prescribed levels in order to keep illnesses and diseases at bay. Dietary supplements actually offer a safe and convenient means of meeting the suggested daily intake of antioxidant vitamins as prescribed by your doctor. Always remember to do everything in moderation so as to be able to maintain a healthy well-being. An excess of antioxidant vitamins (or of anything for that matter) cannot be good for anyone's health. The chemical balance that allows the body to stay in tip, top shape can be seriously disrupted when antioxidant vitamins as well as other nutrient supplements are taken in at dangerous levels. Seek out the advice of a licensed nutritionist or your family physician in order to be properly guided on the correct dosage that's most suitable to your individual dietary needs and health goals.
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A Few Secrets About Teeth Whitening

A Few Secrets About Teeth Whitening
 by: Dr. Harold Katz
Within the last 10 years the field of teeth whitening, both in the dental office and at home, has changed immensely. Essentially, there are two different methods to get whiter teeth: dental (in-office) whitening, and an at home treatment. Discover a few secrets about teeth whitening that your dentist hopes I'll never tell you!
METHOD #1: DENTAL (IN-OFFICE) TEETH WHITENING
I can tell you from first-hand experience, dentists LOVE the patient who wants to have a teeth whitening procedure in the dental office. Back in the early '90's there was only one option available.
Your dentist would make molds of your teeth, send them off to a lab, and in 5-10 days receive back your custom fitted teeth whitening mouthpiece. Then you would sit in the dental chair for 1-2 hours, with these plastic teeth whitening molds filled with peroxide (at a very low concentration) pressed against your teeth and gums.
After 3-4 visits, your teeth would be officially declared whiter (and usually they were), and you would be sent home with a nice $500 - $1,000 bill to pay. And with whiter teeth of course.
I'll be the first to admit, dental office teeth whitening has come a long way in the past 10 years. Now the most popular teeth whitening dental office procedure known as Laser Bleaching (or Power Bleaching, Argon Bleaching, etc.) is a shorter process. Basically this teeth whitening procedure consists of the application of a concentrated peroxide gel onto your teeth, then for the next hour you sit in a dental chair with your mouth wide open, while a special light (usually argon) is shined onto the teeth whitening paste that in turn chemically reacts with the peroxide to complete the teeth whitening process in as short a time period as possible.
This teeth whitening procedure does work. Although, many dentists say that you get a whiter smile by repeated tray applications because the teeth whitening peroxide stays in contact with your teeth for longer periods of time. The downside is that you still get stuck with that fat $500 - $1,000 bill (at least for the good teeth whitening procedure).And you still need to either come back 6 months later for another teeth whitening (excuse me - a touch up!), or you're given some take home whitening items. Why then did you spend $500 - $1,000 dollars for an in-office teeth whitening procedure?
Fortunately, as most other things in life, technology stepped in to make teeth whitening easier and more affordable!
METHOD #2: HOME TEETH WHITENING
I'll say this once just to get it out in the open, it's now possible (in almost all cases) to achieve "dental office" quality teeth whitening, from the comfort of your own home! "At-Home" teeth whitening has taken a bite out of (sorry for the pun) the "in-office" power bleaching systems, where millions of corporate advertising dollars now compete with the comfort of teeth whitening at home.
And rightly so...
Up until a few years ago, teeth whitening was a fairly complex process. The hard part was making those fitted mouthpieces for each patient, for this reason alone, home teeth whitening was not an option for most people.
ESSENTIALLY, THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT HOME TEETH WHITENING OPTIONS AVAILABLE
TEETH WHITENTING OPTION #1 - BRUSH-ON WHITENING
Brush-on teeth whitening in principal is a great concept, just brush on the formula, allow it to dry on your teeth, and let is stay on your teeth overnight. Sounds simple, right?
In reality, brush-on teeth whitening is designed for the segment of the public that is in love with shortcuts (in other words, for those people who don't want to spend the time to do it right the first time). Brush-on teeth whitening has TWO MAIN FLAWS:
1. When you brush on the teeth whitening formula, it relies on the premise that it will dry on your teeth. This is great in principle, but if you get the teeth whitening formula wet (i.e. from saliva or from licking your teeth) then it becomes REALLY easy to rub off parts of the formula. And guess what happens if you rub off only part of the teeth whitening formula? You got it - you don't get an even whitening result! It turns out patchy and blotchy.
2. The second flaw with most brush-on teeth whitening as I see it, is the ingredients. If you look at the ingredient list of the leading brush-on whitener, you'll see the first ingredient is alcohol. If you've read my ebook "The Bad Breath Bible" (http://www.TheraBreath.com/web/art/l/badbreath.asp) then you already know that alcohol is terrible for your breath! Actually, I'm sure the reason why they've added alcohol to their teeth whitening formula is because it's needed as a desiccant (something that dries out the formula so that it supposedly stays on your teeth at night). However, that still doesn't diminish the effect it can have on your gums and your breath. Also, most of these brush-on teeth whitening formulas contain glycerin which literally sucks the moisture out from the enamel of your teeth and it's the primary cause of most tooth sensitivity from teeth whitening.
TEETH WHITENING OPTION #2 - STRIPS YOU STICK ON YOUR TEETH
The second most common type of home teeth whitening is using whitening strips. The main lure of this home teeth whitening option is the strips' simplicity of use, they're easy to apply and no preparation is necessary. Again, everybody loves shortcuts, right? Unfortunately, once again that's exactly the type of teeth whitening you end up getting! Let me explain...
Strips that stick on your teeth usually consist of an upper strip and a lower strip each pressed against the outer surface of your teeth. Now think about this for a second...Are your teeth completely flat? Of course not - they have recesses and grooves, particularly between each tooth. Well imagine you're painting a fence, and you just slapped paint on the outside, without taking the time to paint in the grooves between each wooden board. That fence would look pretty funny wouldn't it? Nicely painted on the outside, but in the grooves between each wooden board, still dark and dingy, with all of the old paint showing.
When you use teeth whitening strips, the same thing can easily happen to your teeth if you're not careful. The whiter your teeth become, the more pronounced those dingy cracks seem! Eventually it can end up looking like you have small gaps between your teeth. Definitely not the desired result!
TEETH WHITENING OPTION #3 - TRAYS WITH BLEACHING GELS
Trays with bleaching gels still provide the best combination of the most affordable and most efficient teeth whitening available. Since I'm a dentist, I can let you in on a few little secrets (some secrets which most dentists would shoot me for telling you since it costs them thousands in lost income)!
First, most of the teeth whitening gels available at your dentist are exactly the same. There is very little difference from one dentist to another, that's because the gels are formulated by a small number of manufacturers.
Second, most of the teeth whitening gels available at retail stores are of very poor quality. They've been sitting in a warehouse or on a truck for who knows how long, and because they are designed to be "low cost" they have very low concentrations of active ingredients. Older teeth whitening gels use a concentration of only 16% of carbamide peroxide.
Third, the one thing in common between dental office and "store" teeth whitening gels is that they both use glycerin as a carrying agent. Now there is nothing wrong with glycerin by itself. It is not dangerous in any way. However, when mixed with carbamide peroxide, the glycerin is used to draw water out of the enamel in order to speed up the whitening process. This is what causes the most common side effect of teeth whitening - sensitive teeth! Therefore, you're going to want to find a teeth whitening product that does not use a glycerin base.
ARMED WITH THIS NEW TEETH WHITENING KNOWLEDGE, NOW WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
There are four key components I recommend for making sure you get the best possible teeth whitening results every time.
1. Immediately before whitening, brush your teeth for two minutes with an oxygenating toothpaste combined with the finest natural polishing agents AND aloe vera to strengthen your gums and prevent any sensitivity. This way you're sure that the whitening gel directly contacts your tooth enamel (instead of dental plaque).
2. Use form-fitting mouth trays that are fitted to your specific bite. Make sure they fit snugly around each tooth, and at all points they press firmly around the sides of your teeth and gums. The best home teeth whitening systems use a moldable tray system that contains mouthpieces which you can actually fit to your mouth. You mold them by soaking them for a few seconds in warm water, then you press the plastic up (or down) against your teeth and gums. When the plastic cools you have a nice soft plastic mouthpiece that is fitted to the curves of your particular smile.
3. You should use as strong of teeth whitening gel as possible to ensure that the time your teeth are in contact with the whitening gel is well spent. Use a 21% carbamide peroxide concentrated teeth whitening gel that is formulated specifically to reduce the sensitivity to your teeth and gums, (in other words - NO glycerin!). This percentage of concentration also means a whiter result in a shorter period of time. Finally, a flavored teeth whitening gel helps - why not make the experience as pleasant as possible? No need for it to taste bad!
4. Immediately after your teeth whitening treatment, enhance the effect by using an oxygenating oral rinse. Remember, make sure not to use a mouthwash that contains alcohol, as this can actually chemically curtail the bleaching effect, not to mention it dries your mouth out!
I recommend following this teeth whitening system for 5 days in a row. You can even do the top and bottom arch separately for comfort if you prefer. After that...you'll have a noticeably whiter smile - GUARANTEED!

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma
 by: John Moore
What Exactly Is Mesothelioma ?
Mesothelioma the medical name for cancer of the lung or the abdomen lining, and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is a type of building material used in thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles. Asbestos usage peaked during the 1950s - 1970s, but during the late 1960s, concerns over the health consequences of asbestos exposure began to arise, thereby decreasing the amount of asbestos manufactured over the following two decades. But even though new measures where brought in to get rid of it, many schools and public buildings still contain asbestos.
Small asbestos fibers that enter the air do not evaporate and can remain suspended in the air for a long time. These fibers, when breathed into the body, are toxic. The people most at risk are :-
People working in factories that manufacture asbestos are likely to have a high exposure to asbestos and are most at risk of developing asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Family members of workers exposed to asbestos in the workplace are susceptible to exposure from asbestos dust brought home by the worker on his clothes or skin.
Those who live in the vicinity of an asbestos manufacturing plant are also at risk.
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until between twenty and fifty years after exposure, which explains why so many new cases of this form of cancer are coming to light now. Many people who haven't been in contact with asbestos for decades, are now showing symptoms of this dreadful desease.
As with many forms of cancer, mesothelioma can spread rapidly. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, loss of weight, and chest pains. If it is diagnosed early enough, the tumor can be surgically removed, and with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, a full recovery is often possible.
However, in more advanced cases, cure is usually not possible. In such cases, chemotherapy and radiation treatment can be used alongside other pain relief treatments, to ease the symptoms. Where cure is not possible, the average survival time is between four and eighteen months, depending on the stage of the tumor and the general health of the patient.
I was prompted to write about mesothelioma because as a child I lived near a factory which produced asbestos, and I personally know families who have suffered due to this terrible desease.

The Truth About Acne Skin Care

The Truth About Acne Skin Care
 by: John Lenaghan
Let's face it, you are engaged in an ongoing battle when you are afflicted with acne. While acne treatments for a mild case of acne are usually successful, moderate acne is a greater problem. Even dermatologists cannot cure a severe case of acne but can only provide an acne treatment regimen.
However, you can support your acne treatment efforts with proper acne skin care in order to reduce the recurrence of acne flare-ups and not aggravate existing acne.
Knowing What You're Doing
One of the first pieces of advice is to make sure that you understand and follow the directions for any acne remedy that you are using. If you are taking a prescription acne medicine, read the patient leaflet that accompanies the medication carefully. Typically for moderate to severe acne a dermatologist may prescribe several acne medicines, each with its own treatment protocol and directions.
In order to achieve the acne free skin that you desire, it is important to use all the acne treatments properly and in the correct order. Consider bringing a tablet of paper, a pen, and a friend or relative with you to your appointment with your dermatologist. Simply jot down some notes about the order and time of day for applying each acne medicine and what its purpose is.
Remember, just because the acne clears with the use of your acne medicines doesn't necessarily mean that you have succeeded in curing acne. Most people with moderate to severe acne must continue to use their acne medicine long-term to prevent any recurrence of their acne problem. Using the acne treatments properly should translate to clear skin and freedom from acne scars.
What About Over-the-Counter Remedies?
Besides using medications prescribed by a doctor, there are a large number of products on the market labeled as skin cleansers, facial cleansers, pore cleansers, and facial pore cleaners that can be used in curing acne.
When cleansing skin that is afflicted with acne, an important point to remember is not to scrub the skin; never scrub your face with a washcloth. It is a misconception that acne is caused by dirt clogging the pores of the skin. You don't scrub away the offending dirt; you can't scrub away the offensive acne and achieve acne free skin.
Over-washing or scrubbing skin afflicted with acne only serves to aggravate the condition. Rather use only a gentle skin cleanser, lukewarm water, and a gentle motion with your fingertips as your primary acne skin care regime. When you wash your face with your hands, be sure to first thoroughly wash your hands.
Do Natural Treatments Really Work?
Look for gentle cleansers that are sold as acne solutions. When you're evaluating skin cleansers for acne, include natural acne treatments in your search as well. For example, a soap made from Echinacea and other herbal ingredients is an effective antibiotic facial cleanser that helps fight acne and restore clear skin. Tea tree oil also has known antibiotic properties and serves as a mild anesthetic that will soothe the irritated skin.
Oily skin is implicated as a one of the causes of acne. It doesn't necessarily make sense to use a moisturizer on oily skin as a means of achieving clear skin. But many of the acne treatments, whether they are prescribed or available as over-the-counter products, have a tendency to irritate the skin while curing acne.
A moisturizer is a boost to irritated skin and keeps skin from becoming overly dry due to the acne treatments that have been applied. Look for a moisturizer with the following properties: oil-free won't clog pores (non-comodogenic) containing a sun-screen
Besides a great desire to just scrub away the acne, many people try to remove the acne pimples by hand as a way to get clear skin. People who are afflicted with acne should avoid touching their face except to gently wash it with mild cleanser as already discussed.
By trying to remove pimples by hand you run the risk of creating acne scars that will last for a lifetime. Instead, have patience and rely on your prescription or over-the-counter acne treatment to work. Acne remedies usually take 6 to 8 weeks before curing acne.
For male acne sufferers, the daily ritual of shaving can be a problem. One acne sufferer has recommended the Gillette Sensor Excel as a gentle and effective razor to use. Other males prefer to try an electric razor. The advice is to shave delicately to avoid nicking the skin and to shave only as often as necessary. Finding a moisturizing shave gel may be one way to enhance your acne skin care program.
Female acne sufferers have their unique problems too, in finding the right cosmetic products to use. Females who are accustomed to using a foundation product may find that the foundation is difficult to apply smoothly if the facial skin becomes irritated due to the acne treatments being applied.
You may have to abandon the use of some cosmetics during the acne treatment period. Be sure to select only oil-free cosmetics and ones that are labeled as non-comodogenic (won't clog pores) to use on your road to clear skin.
Proper acne skin care is a necessary addition to your arsenal for fighting your battle with acne and achieving clear skin once again.

Combat Stress

Combat Stress
 by: John Moore
Tips To Ease Tension
We all know what it feels like to get emotionally mangled by the weight of day to day struggles. Our bosses yell at us, our spouses yell at us - it feels like an endless circle where getting ahead at the office can leave us with so little energy for home that home turns into battlefield that leaves us with no energy for work.
Is mere survival all you can ask of a hassle-filled world ? No. Stress, in fact is not only something you can beat, but a force you can turn into an advantage. You don't have to run from it, and you don't need any special stress management. The following tested tips show you how to combat stress - and win.
Work On Your Attitude.
The most important point you can make about stress is that in most cases it's not what's out there that's the problem, its how you react to it. Changing the way you think can change a life of stress and discomfort to a life of challenge and excitement.
Think About Something Else.
Distract yourself - to break the thoughts that are producing your stress, you must think about something else. Anything will do, as long as it breaks the chain of bad thoughts.
Think Positive.
Thinking about a success or a past achievement is excellent when you're feeling uncertain, remind yourself of all the good things you've achieved in the past, and tell yourself that you're going to do the same in the future.
Take A Mental Vacation
Imagine yourself lying in warm sand on a beach in the Bahamas, a cool wind blowing off the ocean, the surf rolling in quietly in the background. It's amazing what this can do to help you relax.
Take Deap Breaths
Belly breathing is what some people call it. It's an old and useful trick for defeating anxiety and nervousness.
The basic idea is act calm, be calm. When your experiencing stress, your pulse races and you start breathing very quickly. Forcing yourself to breathe slowly convinces the body that the stress has gone, whether it has or not.
The correct way to breathe is abdominally - feeling the stomach expand as you inhale, and collapse as you exhale.
Stretch
A lot of us respond to stress with muscle tension. Ideally, we'd prefer to eliminate the cause of the stress, but stretching the muscles at least reduces the sensation of stress - the muscles relax, and we feel less tense.
Take A Hot Soak
Hot water works by defeating the stress response. When we're tense and anxious, blood flow to our extremities is reduced. Hot water restores circulation, convincing the body it's safe and that it's ok to relax. Cold water must not be used because it has the opposite effect, and will increase tension.
An office alternative might be running hot water over your hands until you feel the tension starting to drain away.
Excercise.
Regular exercise will burn off some of the stress chemicals tension produces, and exercise will tire your musles - a tired muscle is a relaxed muscle.
Listen To Music
Music soothes as perhaps nothing else does. You can use it in two basic ways - to relax or to inspire. New - Age music is very relaxing.
I trust these points will be of benefit to your wellbeing. Thank you for reading my article. Author John Moore

The Cause of Aids

The Cause of Aids
 by: Padrone Desusid
AIDS is acquired immuno deficiency syndrome. It is a fatal disease caused by a rapidly mutate retrovirus which attacks the immune system and leaves the patient susceptible to infections, malignancies, and neurological disorders. It was first recognized as a disease in 1981. The virus was isolated in 1983 and was ultimately named the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There are two forms of the HIV virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2. The majority of cases worldwide are caused by HIV-1.
It is transmitted primarily by exposure to contaminated body fluids, especially blood and semen. In 1999 an international team of genetic scientists reported that HIV-1 can be traced to a closely related strain of virus, called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), that infects a subspecies of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in Africa. Chimpanzees are hunted for meat in this region, and it is believed the virus may have passed from the blood of chimpanzees into humans through superficial wounds, probably in the early 1930s.
In a process, HIV infects the CD4 cells of the body's immune system, cells that are necessary to activate B- lymphocytes and induce the production of antibodies. This is still imperfectly understood. The body fights back producing billions of lymphocytes daily to fight the billions of copies of the virus. The immune system is eventually plagued and the body is left vulnerable to opportunistic infections and malignancy.
Some people develop flu like symptoms shortly after infection, but many have no symptoms. It may be a few months or many years before serious symptoms develop in adults; symptoms usually develop within the first two years of life in infants infected in the womb or at birth. Before serious symptoms occur, an infected person may experience fever, weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue, skin rashes, shingles thrush, or memory problems. Infants may fail to develop normally.
The definition of AIDS has been refined, as more knowledge has become available. In general it refers to that period in the infection when the CD4 count goes below 200 from a normal count of 1,000 or when the characteristic opportunistic infections and cancers appear. The conditions associated with AIDS include malignancies such as Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, primary lymphoma of the brain, and invasive carcinoma of the cervix.
Opportunistic infections characteristic of or more virulent in AIDS include Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, herpes simplex, cytomegalo virus, and diarrhea diseases caused by cryptosporidium or isospora. In addition, hepatitis C is prevalent in intravenous drug users and hemophiliacs with AIDS, and an estimated 4 to 5 million people who have tuberculosis are coinfected with HIV, each disease hastening the progression of the other.
Children may experience more serious forms of common childhood ailments such as tonsillitis and conjunctivitis. These infections conspire to cause a wide range of symptoms like coughing, diarrhea, fever and night sweats, and headaches and may lead to extreme weight loss, blindness, hallucinations, and dementia before death occurs.
HIV is not transmitted by casual contact. Transmission requires a direct exchange of body fluids, such as blood or blood products, breast milk, semen, or vaginal secretions, most commonly as a result of sexual activity or the sharing of needles among drug users. Such a transmission may also occur from mother to baby during pregnancy or at birth. Saliva, tears, urine, feces, and sweat do not appear to transmit the virus.

Effective Stress Management For Those With Busy Lives!

Effective Stress Management For Those With Busy Lives!
 by: Paul Duxbury
What would you do with increased stamina, decreased anxiety, and solid peace of mind? You would probably get more done in less time--at the very least, each day would be more enjoyable. In the long term, you would certainly experience better physical health and a longer life span.
The only thing standing between you and a higher level of general well-being is the unpreventable occurrence of stress. Daily stress can rob us of our potential, weakening every aspect of our lives. Consider the following:
Stress breaks down the efficiency of the immune system leaving our bodies vulnerable to illness and disease.
Stress causes heart problems and high blood pressure.
Stress contributes to addictive behavior, causing alcoholism, eating disorders, nicotine addiction, and workaholic tendencies.
Stress causes social withdrawal, perpetuating symptoms and leading to destructive isolation.
To avoid stress and related symptoms you must be proactive, nurturing your body and mind through a balanced diet, exercise, and reserved time for relaxation.
A Balanced Diet - We know that a balanced diet can improve your health, but can it really do anything for your stress level? Experts say it can. Research has found that good nutrition has a tremendous impact on our ability to ward off the damage stress can do to our systems. Sure, you'll still feel tense, but with your body nutritionally armed for battle, you'll handle things better. There are many things you can do to maximize your body's fighting power.
One of the most significant things you can do is to reduce the amounts sugar and white flour in your diet. Sugar and white flour cause a host of problems you could do without. By reducing these items in your diet, you will be able to maintain better weight control, reduce the risk of heart disease, and increase your energy level. Why? Because items made with these products metabolize too fast in your blood system. The result is unhealthy spikes in your blood sugar, rapid depletion of energy, and damaging stress symptoms.
Exercise - In addition to eating right, exercise can be a tremendous help in fighting stress. As you get moving, your circulation delivers oxygen and nutritional elements throughout your body. The result is muscle relaxation, the release of mood elevating chemicals, and a strengthened immune system. Studies show that those who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer from stress related illness.
Relaxation. When your body relaxes, it reverses stress symptoms. You experience a sense of control as you eliminate the feelings of helplessness that often accompany stress. Find that one thing that really helps you to kick back and forget about things for a while. Here are some suggestions:
Catering to our senses, such as sight, smell, and sound can reduce anxiety. So put on some favorite music, keep fresh cut flowers in view, and sink into a warm bubble bath.
Reduce the clutter in your life. Passing a stack of papers as you leave for work, tripping over boxes, or stuffing a breakfast plate into a sink of dirty dishes, creates underlying tension that acts as a fuse when something gets you fired up.
Deal head-on with anything that has been bothering you. Ignoring problems won't make them go away--resolving them will.
Get a good night's sleep. Your body needs this time to heal and "reboot" in preparation for the next day's challenges. Deny this basic need and you drain all of your systems of their strength.
Good nutrition, exercise, and learning to enjoy life will help you ward off dangerous stress symptoms. It's important that you take steps now to ensure a healthy future. That is why I dedicate several sections of my ebook series, A Balanced Approach to Health, to teaching you how to reduce the levels of stress in your life, instantly improving your quality of life. You'll learn: How to cope rather than stress, 13 affirmations to move beyond stress and its impacts, how to become a relaxation guru, and much more.

The Effects Of Smoking On Your Appearance

The Effects Of Smoking On Your Appearance
 by: Catherine Olivia
The Surgeon General of the United States has stated "Smoking cessation (stopping smoking) represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives." It may also be the most important step that you can take to improve the quality of your appearance. In 1985 the term "smokers face" was added to the medical dictionary. A study done in Norway in 1998 cited that women emphasize the effect of smoking on physical appearance as a general motivation to quit, whereas men mentioned general health benefits.
I have to say truthfully that vanity had something to do with my decision to quit smoking. I had started smoking at the age of 16 when I started dating a smoker. Unfortunately, when the relationship ended the smoking didn't. I was left with a habit that would haunt me.
It was in the late 70's when I worked in a medical office where we administered chemotherapy to cancer patients. I knew more about the health consequences than most people witnessing it first hand on a daily basis. I even had an ashtray at my desk and smoked in the office. Like most smokers I was in a state of denial. I was in my early 20's and felt invincible. I said to myself "it won't happen to me". Besides, I enjoyed my cigarette and cup of coffee in the morning, and nothing could beat relaxing with a cigarette after a good meal. It seemed all my friends smoked too.
I was in my mid-30's when I met a man whose parents were smokers. When I looked at his mother's aged and horribly lined face I thought "Oh my God, that could be me in twenty more years." Seeing her made an impression on me that I'll never forget. She was obviously a long time smoker with the tell-tale vertical lines all around her mouth. She had a grayish tinge to her skin, which was as thin as it could be. She looked a full 10 years older than her true age. Her fingers were actually stained yellow by nicotine. It was a wake up call for me.
There is no denying the negative effects of smoking on your appearance. Smoking dries out the skin. Smoking causes blood vessel constriction of the top layers of skin which reduces the oxygen levels which leads to a dull complexion. Due to this constriction of blood vessels and poor circulation a smokers skin is thinner than a non-smokers skin. It has been shown in studies to be up to 40% thinner. Smoking reduces the level of collagen in the skin which leads to loss of elasticity and the quick formation of lines and wrinkles.
Of course you have everything to gain trying to quit smoking aside from just the improvement in your physical appearance. Another report released by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2004 entitled "The Health Consequences of Smoking," revealed that smoking (or living with a person who smokes) can cause disease in nearly every organ of the body, in men as well as women.
I was lucky that I successfully kicked the habit almost ten years ago. I do have a trace of those tell-tale lip lines and although you may not notice them, I do. I have spent a fortune over the years in skin care products. I'll never have the face I would have had if I had never started smoking. But today I am a much happier and more importantly, a much healthier person for having stopped.
Whatever your reason, vanity or health - just quit!

Dieters : Questions You Must Ask Yourself When You Want To Lose Weight

Dieters : Questions You Must Ask Yourself When You Want To Lose Weight
 by: Janice Elizabeth Small
Now I know you're always asking yourself questions.
You know the ones like "Why can't I lose weight?" and "Why does everything that's bad for you taste good?". But those questions won't get you anywhere – except maybe helping you feel sorry for yourself and setting you up for a spot of comfort eating.
A more empowering set of questions, on the other hand, will get you off to a good start if you're about to begin a weight loss program (or keep you on track if you're in the middle of a diet).
Here are the questions to ask when you want to give your weight loss efforts a real kick start.
Why do you want to lose weight?
Make sure your reasons for losing weight are clear. Do you want to look good? Do you want to feel healthier? Has your doctor given you a health warning? Do you just want to be able to run around the park with your kids? Maybe all these reasons apply. The more reasons you have for losing weight and the more you are aware of them the easier it will be to remind yourself to keep to your weight loss program when the going gets tough. Even better, spend some time imagining how you will FEEL when you succeed. This will do more than anything to increase your motivation.
How much weight do you want to lose?
Set yourself a target. This gives you something to aim for and you will be able to see how much closer you are getting each week. You can never succeed if you don't know what the end point is. "I want to lose weight" is not a measurable goal – you have succeeded (of sorts) after you lose an ounce. Make your goal specific with a target to aim for.
What will you do to lose weight?
Nothing is going to change unless you do. So what changes are you going to make? Will you follow a particular plan or just cut down in general? How will you know if you're succeeding? What exercise will you take (if any)? How will you make sure that you follow your plan? What will you do about the things that might get in the way? Vague ideas about losing weight need to translate via a concrete plan into action. Ask yourself the questions and decide what you will do.
Who will support you?
Some people will actively encourage you and help your efforts while others will get in the way of your plans. Do you know who your supporters will be? And who you will need to avoid or find some way to deal with? Ask for the support you need from those you think are most likely to give it or join a club of people who are also trying to lose weight. These are available online or offline. If you can afford it think about getting a coach – all that focus on your success will work wonders. As for those who are less than enthusiastic about your plans, think about ways of handling them. Of course you'll need a different strategy for close friends and relatives than you need for the guy who brings cakes into the office and insists you eat one!
And the final question?
When will you start?
There's no time like TODAY. No eating the pantry empty before you begin. Dump the junk food and get started right now!

TsuNoni - Green Tea Meets Noni

TsuNoni - Green Tea Meets Noni
 by: Gerald Meyer
East Meets West
Asian cultures have realized the medical benefits of green tea for centuries. Those who drank it lived longer, healthier lives. Now science has discovered the reason behind the green tea phenomenon. Polyphenols, the antioxidants in green tea, can actually help lower cholesterol and promote healthy heart function. Plus studies show it is a great weight loss aid, helping to boost metabolism and suppress appetite. Given the amount of green tea needed to deliver these health benefits, it is almost impossible to drink enough in our busy lives.
Across the ocean in Polynesia, Noni is used for its' health-regenerating properties. Polynesians rubbed this tropical fruit on burns and sores to relieve pain. Extensive research has finally unlocked the secret of Noni. The polysaccharides in Noni are different than the typical sugar type. Those in Noni are actually a form of dietary fiber, promoting proper digestion and enhancing your immune system. Unfortunately, the awful taste and foul odor prevent most of us from drinking it.
Green Tea Meets Noni
When combined, one would think green tea and Noni would make an unpalatable combination. However, just the opposite occurs. These two bitter ingredients actually become a tasty and powerful blend, known as TsuNoni.
In fact, this synergistic result is so rare, TsuNoni was issued a patent. When separate, Noni contains 11 mgs of antioxidants per gram and green tea has 88 mgs per gram. But when combined, lab studies prove these super-foods deliver 47% more antioxidants per gram. This 1+1=3 combination packs over 400 mgs of polyphenols and 70 mgs of polysaccharides per serving. TsuNoni is a healthy, effervescent fusion that tastes absolutely amazing.

Weight Loss: Goal-Setting for Success

Weight Loss: Goal-Setting for Success
 by: Ray Kelly
If you were going to travel to the other side of the world, you'd need to plan it. I mean, you're not going to just book a seat on a plane, take off and just take it all as it comes. You need to plan your finances, organize time off from work, get a visa, book accommodation, the list goes on.
Well, the same detail needs to be applied when you're trying to change your life.
The best way to do this is to set goals.
Goal-setting is used by all successful people. It gives them a plan of attack. It keeps them focused on the small things that must be done to achieve big dreams. It tells them precisely what they must do each day in order to succeed.
I bet when you've tried to rid yourself of excess fat in the past you've just said "I'm going to lose 10kg's…..I'm going to exercise….and I'm not going to eat fat", and that is your plan.
This is why many people fail. They forget the details.
To get the details, you must answer these questions:
We'll start with the first statement: "I'm going to lose 10kg". In what time frame? If you don't have much time then that will affect how much exercise you have to do. It will also affect how strict your diet must be.
Q1. How much body fat do you need to lose?
Q2. What is the time frame? (a realistic level is 0.5-1kg per week)
Next, is the exercise. What type of exercise are you going to do? When are you going to do it? You can't achieve long-term success if you don't plan your exercise.
Q3. What type of exercise are you going to do?
Q4. What days will you do it?
Q5. What time will you do it?
Q6. Who will you do it with?
Q7. Do you need to buy any equipment?
Finally, your eating plan. You need to plan every single meal and snack. I know it's takes time but you can't succeed without it. Remember, you not only have to avoid foods high in fat, but also foods high in sugar.
Q8. What will you have for breakfast each morning?
Q9. What will you have for lunch? Do you need to prepare it the night before?
Q10. What will you have for dinner?
Q11. Do you snack? What will you snack on?
Each of these questions need to be answered if you wish to succeed. Sit down right now and do your list. Then you will have your detailed plan for successful fat loss!

Acne -- Prevention And Treatment

Acne -- Prevention And Treatment
 by: David Perzman
Acne is a non-lethal but very uncomfortable skin condition that mainly effects people aged between 12 and 24 but which can effect adults also. It is the most common skin affliction in the United States, it has strong psychological effects as it is highly visible and can cause permanent scarring.
Acne is most common among teenagers. It is caused when excess oil on the skin (which is ordinarily absorbed or let out of the pores) clogs the pores causing sores which are often called pimples, zits or spots. Teenagers often suffer from hormonal imbalance in the oil producing glands during puberty, this can cause too much oil to be produced leading to acne.
Unfortunately acne is most likely to occur on the face, where is very visible and often embarassing. However it also occurs on the neck, back, chest and shoulders.
It is not clear what combination of factors play role in developing acne and why some people never have it, while others seem "subscribed" to it. The main reason for acne is the increase in androgens (male sex hormones), which occurs naturally in both boys and girls during puberty. Pregnancy and contraception pills also affect hormones and can cause acne.
Hormones are not the only factor present in acne formation. Surpisingly, while not really inheritable, acne can be traced along hereditary lines. So a family history of acne can raise the chance of young people in that family contracting it at some point in their puberty. One good measure you can take to prevent acne is to ensure you keep clean. Uncleanliness can be a factor in acne development (although by no means is it the only factor). Humidity and pollution can lead to acne also by blocking pores.
On the other hand, there are many popular myths and delusions about what causes acne. Acne does not occur as a result of stress, or of eating chocolate and greasy food. Also, acne is not an infectious disease, i.e. it cannot be transmitted by touch or through a sexual intercourse (like Chlamydia ~ which is also a skin disease but is transmitted sexually).
There is no real way to prevent acne -- if it's going to form, it will. Generally all one can do is take steps to stem its development. A visit to a dermatologist is crucial, they can prescribe a solution (which may or may not involve medication).
There are a few rules for coping with acne, firstly it is crucial to keep your face and indeed any areas afflicted by acne clean. It is also important not to squeeze the pimples that form. It may seem like this removes them, but it does not remove the cause of the acne and in fact it leaves the lesions open to infection.
As already mentioned, hygiene is very important for keeping acne under control. When skin is dirty, this places an additional burden on the pores, thus making oil secretion even more difficult. Therefore, it is recommended always to use clean towels (preferably paper ones, since they cannot have been used by somebody else before you) to wipe one~s face. Also, often change your pillowcase, because it is another item that frequently comes into contact with the face.
Using specially designed cleaning lotions can help to remove oil, sweat and acne-producing bacteria from the face, just take care not to scrub your face too hard as this can irritate any pimples on your face and make the acne worse.

Lose Weight - Do You Really Need To?

Lose Weight - Do You Really Need To?
 by: Gerald Meyer
If you are overweight, you may be more at risk of developing disease. That should be reason enough to lose weight. Weight related conditions include: Premature death Cardiovascular disease High blood pressure High Cholesterol Stroke Gallbladder Disease Osteoarthritis Sleep apnea and breathing problems Some cancers Diabetes
Obesity can also cause irregular periods, complication with pregnancy, hirsutism (excessive body and facial hair), incontinence, depression, surgery complications and more.
If your health doesn't concern you, maybe your pocketbook does. By staying overweight, you may increase the amount of time spent visiting various healthcare professionals. Most of them don't work for free. Medications to treat these diseases can run into hundreds of dollars a month. Not to mention, you may have to take more time off work to care for your ailments. This means less income for you. And, you may notice that your health insurance premiums keep going up. It's because the amount being spent on healthcare keeps going up. A majority of which is related to treating problems that could be prevented by exercise and staying at a healthy weight. What a vicious cycle it is.
The annual cost associated with obesity and being overweight is staggering. The national cost of healthcare related to this is well over $100 Billion dollars. Diabetes and heart disease are among the fastest growing diseases that could easily be prevented in most people by staying at a healthy weight and exercising. Visit the NIDDK to get a breakdown of the costs associated with each disease that is related to being overweight.
By losing weight and starting a healthier way of life you can really save a lot of money. Eating healthier usually also means eating less. You may be able to save on the amount you spend on groceries and eating out each week too. Think of all the other things you could do with that money you'll be saving. It may require an initial investment to get the weight off but the rewards are well worth it.

Early Diagnosis Is Critical For Effective Treatment of Mesothelioma

Early Diagnosis Is Critical For Effective Treatment of Mesothelioma
 by: David Arnold Livingston
Cancer is one of the most fatal diseases nowadays. It doesn't choose its victims. Men and women alike, old and young die of cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelium, specifically the Pleura (membrane that surrounds the lungs) and the Peritoneum (membrane surrounding the abdomen). Both Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneum Mesothelioma are primarily caused by the inhalation or exposure to asbestos, an incombustible fibrous mineral of impure magnesium silicate used in various industrial products. About 30 to 50 per cent of the total Mesothelioma cancer patients had not been exposed to asbestos, yet they have acquired the disease. Cancer specialists continue to study this rare kind of cancer so as to provide the public clear and exact information with regard to its cause, nature and cure.
Like many other forms of cancer, Mesothelioma has different stages. The earliest stage is still curable since only one layer of the pleura is affected. Surgery is the number one option for patients with Stage I Mesothelioma. The doctor removes the part of the lining of the lungs or chest (in case of Pleural Mesothelioma) and the lining of the abdomen (in case of Peritoneal Mesothelioma). In Stage II Mesothelioma, surgery can still be executed although some lymph nodes may have already been infected by the malignant Mesothelioma cancer cells. The diaphragm may also be removed; in severe cases, the Mesothelioma patient has to sacrifice one of his lungs.
Usually, surgery comes with systemic treatments, which include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Through radiotherapy, Mesothelioma cancer cells are killed; however, only the cells in the treated area die. High energy rays used in radiotherapy or radiation therapy may either come from an external machine or from thin plastic tubes positioned into the tissues where Mesothelioma cancer-stricken cells are found. Inside the plastic tubes are radiation-emitting materials that kill the malignant cells. The use of an external machine is called external radiation therapy while the other is called internal radiation therapy. Also, a radioactive substance such as radiolabeled monoclonal antibody is circulated around the body during radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to kill the malignant cells. In treating Mesothelioma, the anti-cancer drugs are usually given to the patient through intravenous injection (within the vein). Oncologists are still studying the possibility of treating Mesothelioma through intracavitary chemotherapy (within the chest or abdomen). Some Mesothelioma patients also undergo Photodynamic therapy, a kind of cancer therapy that combines the use of drug (photosensitizer) with a specific kind of light. The photosensitizing agent when exposed to the light produce oxygen that destroys nearby malignant cancer cells. The drug is injected into the bloodstream and is absorbed by the cells.
In order to relieve the symptoms of Mesothelioma such as the pain in the chest or abdomen due to the build up of fluid, a physician drains the fluid by using a needle. The procedure is known as thoracentesis (removal of fluid in the chest) or paracentesis (removal of the fluid in the abdomen). To prevent further accumulation of the lubricating fluid in the membranes of the chest or abdomen, drugs are given through a tube in the affected organ.
Although the said treatments to Mesothelioma have been proven effective, chance of recovery and survival still depends on the size or extent of the cancer. Chances are higher when Mesothelioma is still in its early stages. Surgery is only advisable only up to the second stage of the Mesothelioma cancer wherein only one part or smaller portions of the membranes are affected. A patient diagnosed with stage IV Mesothelioma (diffuse Mesothelioma) has only about 4-24 months to live. Furthermore, the age of the patient and his general health condition is also crucial to his recovery. Older patients do not respond well to certain cancer treatments such as surgery because their tissues, organs and other body parts are more delicate.

What Are The Four Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer?

What Are The Four Stages of Mesothelioma Cancer?
 by: David Arnold Livingston
One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons why a lot of people are not aware of this kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although there is now a growing awareness of the hazards of asbestos to health, still many have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have not understood its nature, cause, signs and treatment. Even some physicians find it hard to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma — fifty years, at most.
Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness. There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.
There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in stage I Mesothelioma.
In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels so there's a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.
Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesn't respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage IV.
Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery. In stage II, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. In stage III, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.

What are Plantar Warts?

What are Plantar Warts?
 by: David Chandler
Plantar warts are a common skin infection on the bottom (plantar) side of your foot. About 10 percent of teenagers have plantar warts. Using a public shower or walking around the locker room in your bare feet after a workout increases your risk for developing plantar warts.
Cause and symptoms
Contrary to the old folk tale, you cannot get warts from touching a toad. A virus that enters the body through a break in the skin causes plantar warts. The virus develops in moist environments, warm, such as those created in your shoes when your feet perspire and the moisture is decoyed. Plantar warts often spread to other areas of the foot, increase in size, and have "babies," resulting in a cluster that resembles a mosaic.
Plantar warts can erupt anywhere on the sole of the foot. They may be difficult to differentiate from calluses. However, you may be able to see tiny blackish spots on the surface layer of a plantar wart. These are the ends of capillary blood vessels. Calluses have no blood vessels; they generally look like yellowish candle wax and are located only over weight bearing areas.
Plantar warts can be tender and very painful. Standing and walking push the warts flat. Plantar warts grow up into the skin, making it feel like there is a stone in your shoe.
Treatment
Although plantar warts may incidentally disappear by themselves, you should seek treatment if they are painful. Your doctor will cautiously trim the plantar warts and apply a chemically treated dressing. The physician will also give you instructions for self-care. Salicylic acid patches, applied on a daily basis, and good foot hygiene, including regular use of a pumice stone, are often all that is needed. However, it may take several weeks for the plantar wart to disappear completely.
If the plantar wart is resistant to treatment, your physician may recommend an office procedure to remove it. After a local anesthetic is applied, the physician may use liquid nitrogen to freeze the plantar wart and dissolve it. To avoid damaging or scarring other tissues, this technique removes only the top portion of the plantar wart. The treatment must be reiterated regularly until the entire plantar wart is cured. Alternatively, the physician can cut out (excise) the plantar warts.

6 Features Found in all the Best Treadmills

6 Features Found in all the Best Treadmills
 by: Dean Iggo
Are you just plain fed up? If you have spent any time researching online for a treadmill, every site you visit tells you that they have the best treadmills, buy from us...we are the best...blah, blah, blah!!
It just makes me sick.
Everyone who is looking for a treadmill want the best treadmills (or best value in your price range) the problem is without some guidelines and direction, unsuspecting treadmill researchers can get sucked along by these all promising websites and then before they know find they have just forked out $3000 for the "best treadmill".
Before you start you online search make sure you know what you are looking for. If you don't know what features the best treadmills have or look like how will you know when you find one.
Let's have a look at 6 features that all the best treadmills have so that you can take control of the buying process.
1. Quality Brand Name
Most of the best treadmill brands have been around for years. This should be evidence enough that they are doing something right. Some of the better known brands include Precor, Proform, Smooth, Nordic Track, Life Fitness etc.
The problem with many of the well known brands is that you pay for their reputation. So if you have deep pockets you may need to look elsewhere.
You can still get good products from the lesser known brands just make sure they have a number of the following features.
2. Warranty
A strong indication of the quality of a treadmill is in the warranty. The longer the warranty the more confident you can be that it is going to last the distant and not need costly repairs every 6 months. For a remanufactured treadmill look for labor and parts warranty of at least 6 months and a motor warranty of at least 1 year For a new treadmill look for labor and parts warranty of at least 1 year and a motor warranty of 1-2 years. For commercial treadmills you should look for 2-3 years for labor, parts and motor.
3. Testimonials/Customer Satisfaction
Most online suppliers have testimonials of there products if not email them and ask if they have any. Not surprisingly the best treadmills also have the best testimonials. You can learn a lot from what past users of the equipment think so don't take this point lightly, it is one of the best ways to compare different models or different brands.
4. Quality Features
If you are paying good money for a treadmill you want it to have some bells and whistles!! Most of the best treadmills will have the standard features including pre set workouts, heart rate control, large incline range, high weight capacity plus a whole host of other helpful features like a reading rack, customized workouts, CD player, digital personal trainer to name a few.
The key is to get a list of two or three other quality treadmills that satisfy the other points in this list and then compare them for special features. There is no point buying a treadmill with an in built CD if the treadmill is always broken.
5. User friendly
You need to make sure the treadmill is user friendly, and by that I don't mean for other users I mean for you. Some treadmills have a low weight capacity or small stride length so if you are a particularly tall or heavy person you need to find out if the treadmill is appropriate for you.
Details of stride length and weight capacity are usually available with the treadmills specifications.
6. Treadmill Price
Some people might be surprised to see price on this list, but hear me out on this one...
It's no good being the best treadmill if it's so expensive no one can buy it. To me price is a personal thing and only you can decide what your price is. If the best treadmill you can buy is $1500 then that's the best treadmill for you. The important thing is that you buy the best treadmill you can and start achieving your fitness goals.
What's your next step? Take what you've just learned and do your own research you'll be surprised how much easier it is to find the "best treadmill" when you have a clear idea of what your looking for.

Use Essential Fatty Acid To Help You Eliminate Your Acne

Use Essential Fatty Acid To Help You Eliminate Your Acne
 by: Rudy Silva
To eliminate or clear your face of acne it will require you take a variety of health steps. The use of essential fatty acids is but one step. I have identified 10 different steps but will only discuss one step in this article - using essential fatty acids.
Getting sufficient essential fatty acids is of prime importance in clearing acne. It's these fatty acids that help to control the production of excess androgens - the hormones that surge during the teen-age times It is androgens, which causes excess sebum oil to clog your hair follicle and contribute to creating your acne.
The three fatty acids you need to get daily are: omega-3 omega-6 omega-9
When you are deficient in these essential fatty acids, you will have, A weaken immune system Inflammatory disorders Poor skin Skin eruptions and other wounds that won't heal Sebum production increases (this is what happens when you have acne) Sebaceous glands size increases
Eating essential fatty acids are necessary to provide you the right oils that are used in the sebaceous glands. These oils can come from straight vegetable oils or from oils in specific foods such as nuts and seeds.
Here's what you need to do. Use flax seed oil (omega-3 oil) and olive oil (omega-6 oil) in your salad. These are the best oils to eat and are called polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The other oil that is even better for you is called monounsaturated fatty acid or omega-9. This oil is found in avocados and somewhat in olive oil.
Most diets people have contain an excess of omega-6 oil (olive oil), so mostly likely you need to concentrate on getting more omega-3 oil (flax seed oil) into your diet.
You can get omega-3 oil from, avocados sesame seeds pumpkin seeds walnuts dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, mustard greens, kale) wheat germ oil salmon sardines albacore tuna
Or, you can take one to two tablespoon of flax seed oil, omega-3 oil, each day. This will give you the amount of omega-3 oil that your body needs. You can add this oil to your morning cereal, soups, smoothies, salads and other liquid foods.
You can get omega-6 oil from, olive oil flaxseed oil flaxseeds grape seed oil pistachio nuts olives sunflower seeds chicken evening primrose oil pumpkin seeds pine nuts
Taking 2-3 tablespoons of omega-6 oil a day will give you the amount of this oil that you body needs.
So, to control those androgens and help your body reduce the creations of acne or pimples start using more essential fatty acids.

Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Reproductive System

Vitamins and Minerals for a Healthy Reproductive System
 by: Charlene J. Nuble
Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to the development and proper performance of the reproductive system. Nutrition plays a vital role in the development and maturity of the reproductive system through childhood and adolescence and can even affect the endocrine system which regulates the hormones that rule the functions of the reproductive system. Nutrition can affect fertility and fetal development as well. Striving each day to consume the standard recommended daily intake levels of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that the body needs is an important part of the good health and proper functioning of the reproductive system.
The nutrients that a child consumes while growing up can greatly affect the developing reproductive system. Zinc for example is essential to the development of the reproductive organs themselves. A deficiency in zinc can result in significantly delayed sexual maturity. Zinc also serves in the regulation of male hormones and has a role in prostate functions and sperm production. Iodine helps to regulate thyroid function which in turn helps to regulate growth and body weight. Body weight has to do with the onset of puberty which will not begin until the appropriate threshold of body weight and fat has been crossed.
The endocrine glands secrete hormones and hormones are essential to the ptoper functioning of the reproductive system. Thus the wellness of the endocrine gland is a precursor to mature reproductive functioning and health. While several nutrients are directly associated with the production of hormones like manganese which serves to maintain the production of sex hormones many other vitamins and nutrients act as cofactors to a variety of complicated chemical reactions that carry out the tasks for the benefit of the reproductive system.
Proper nutrition is essential in fetal development as well. Folic acid for example can serve as a way to prevent serious birth defects by reducing the incidence of neural tube defects such as the type that causes spinal bifida. However, this defect occurs so early in fetal development that at the point at which it occurs when the woman has yet to find out that she is actually pregnant. Therefore it is best for any woman of childbearing age to be especially careful to get enough folic acid each day.
The vitamins that make up the Vitamin B complex have a primary role in red blood cell production. The developing fetus gets all nourishment and oxygen via the mother's blood stream. Therefore, making sure to keep red blood cell production up to par is important to the reproductive system, particularly during pregnancy. The nutrients received by the developing fetus will affect every aspect of his or her being.
Proper nutrition is essential to each part and every stage of the reproductive system from development to maturation to the creation and nurturing of new life. It can be difficult particularly at the rapid pace of life today to get the full amount of each and every vitamin, mineral and other nutrient that serves to support the reproductive system. However, nutritional supplements can offer a safe and reliable way to achieve your dietary needs for you to be able to meet your dietary goals, when used with care and attention to standard dosage amounts. It is important to take note that moderation is key to everything.
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How Your Constipation Causes Toxicity

How Your Constipation Causes Toxicity
 by: Rudy Silva
Having regular constipation can lead to some serious illnesses. Fecal matter should move through your colon easily and in a short time. When fecal matter remains in your colon for days, your colon becomes toxic and spreads this toxicity into every part of the body. In the bloodstream, these toxins interfere with the deliver of oxygen to the cells and tissues of your body.
If you have to strain and squeeze to have a bowel movement, you can damage the tissues in the lower part of your colon and the blood vessels in your legs.
In the Past
Over 90 years ago and more, doctors knew about the importance of a clean colon. In 1908 Eli Metchnifoff, director of the Pasteur Institute, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. His research showed that pathogenic colon bacteria, bad bacteria (I will cover this in a later chapter) produced toxic secretions and by products, which acted as slow poisoning of the entire body.
Metchnifoff believed that toxic matter coming from your colon was responsible for every degenerating disease. His belief was so strong that he suggested that man's life span was certainly cut in half when his colon was neglected and allowed to have excessive toxic producing bacteria.
In 1931 Dr. Joseph H. Greer, was telling his patients what to do to end constipation and how to prevent it. Today, nutritionists and other health practitioners are telling their clients the same thing.
In his small book, The Drugless Road to Perfect Health, 1931, Joseph H. Greer, M.D. reminds his patients,
"You must have 'roughage' to make the bowels move freely. Concentrated food (processed foods) and constipation go hand in hand, (and) then pills (laxatives) are used. More constipation and more pills, it is a vicious circle with bad results.
Don't be afraid of cracked wheat, cornmeal, cut oats, raw cabbage, onions and celery. They are far better than refined flour and the package foods that flood the market. They may save some labor in the kitchen, but they produce constipation."
Today, it is well accepted by nutritionists, Naturopathic doctors, and other alternative medicine practitioners, that constipation is a signal that cannot be ignored and your colon function must be kept efficient and well functioning. To ignore constipation for long periods of time can lead to some serious illnesses. Mostly likely you will not live to be a ripe old age and if you do it will be with some disability.
Constipation is a symptom you cannot ignore - even if it occurs only occasionally -because it leads to slow poisoning of your entire body.
Many doctors, for a longtime, have refused to believe that constipation can cause other parts of the body to become weaken and become unable to perform their function. You will still find Internet articles, anatomy books, and health books suggesting that for some people bowel movements in 3 days or more can be normal.
You do not have to wait for a disease to take hold of your body so doctors can see you are ill. Take responsibility for your health and don't let constipation become a reoccurring condition.