White Teeth At Home

White Teeth At Home
 by: Jeff Lakie
Do you find yourself staring enviously at the smiles of Hollywood stars radiating out of entertainment magazines? You too can have a smile so brilliant. With the growing trend of teeth whitening, costs have gone down and more products have become available, making the procedure easier than ever before.
Teeth whitening, also called teeth bleeching, was once an expensive in-office procedure that only the rich and famous could afford. Fortunately for the rest of us, teeth whitening can now be done at home, with the help of a professional. Many dentists are specially trained in teeth whitening techniques. Usually, they will mold a tray fitted to your teeth. You squeeze teeth whitening gels into the trays and keep them in your mouth for a prescribed amount of time each day. Over a period of a couple weeks, your teeth will begin to shine. These teeth whitening systems may initially cost hundreds of dollars. However, once a tray has been made, it can be reused over and over again; refills of teeth whitening gels are inexpensive. And a tray made specifically for your teeth will perform better than a generic mold.
Some teeth whitening gels are safer and more effective than others. Most teeth whitening kits include gels containing carbomide peroxide; the percentage you should use depends upon the sensitivity of your teeth. Using a gel with too high a percentage of carbomide peroxide can be painful.
While over-the-counter teeth whitening systems are available, they may not be as safe and effective as those purchased from a professional. Some may burn your gum tissue, especially if too much gel is used. It is important to ask your dentist for a recommendation.
Remember that teeth whitening does not work on caps, crowns, or veneers. Also, it will not make your teeth stark white but will instead give your smile a natural, cleaner, brighter look. Teeth whitening can only be done once every few months. To avoid further yellowing of the teeth, limit your intake of coffee, tea, colas, and red wine, which are known to stain enamel. Using a teeth whitening paste in addition to the kit can also help you maintain your new, beautiful smile.

Nutrition and the Fats Myth

Nutrition and the Fats Myth
 by: Abdul Martin
Looking at your belly you probably might have felt that the real enemy is the fat. Nope, there are two kinds of fats, the unsaturated fats and the saturated . It's the saturated fat that is the real enemy and that we don't want.
We do not want the unwanted fat but we keep eating it. Want a definition of insanity, Keep doing the same things and you keep getting the same results.
Instead of blaming the fats, the food lets look at our eating habits. A great body does not come with that new book, that new training program and they will not teach you anything new. You know it all. You know that you got to diet and exercise and have a calorie cut down especially fats to look and feel the way we do. That's what that lucratively pitched sales letter of that new book or training program tells us. They say finally the 100% guaranteed method and all that. But we should remember that the simple formula of health and fitness success. Its this--Diet and exercise not for a day or week but week after week consistently is the only way to achieve that great and fit body. Period. Case closed.
Lowering your fat consumption is the way to go not only for the look of it but also for the health of it.
Fats do a lot of things in our body, which we cannot without fats. Most importantly of all fats provide energy. When body runs out of carbohydrates it turns to fat for energy.
There are different types of fats. Triglycerides, Phospholipids and cholesterol, which may be further, low density {LDL} Or High density {HDL}.
The recommended guidelines is that the total fat intake should not exceed 25% and make sure most of it comes from poly unsaturated fatty acids.
That's the way to go.

Home Gyms Analyzed .2

Home Gyms Analyzed –2
 by: Abdul Martin
After having seen so many home gyms I thought I would put everything together and give you the best available opinion about each.
Lets now see the Bowflex home gyms.
Bowflex has many home gyms, they have the
--Bowflex ultimate
--Bowflex ultimate2
--Bowflex extreme
--Bowflex extreme 2
--Bowflex sports
--Bowflex motivator
Lets see the Bowflex ultimate 2
It helps you do over 95 exercises.
Wow that's great. Although we mostly have a fixed routine but when you consider that the same routines makes us bored and feel for a change arises then the fact that we have 95 choices only makes me happy.
Also Bowflex ultimate 2 home gym comes with 3 additional options
1—Ab crunch attachment-- for achieving strong abdominal muscles and more exercise variety.
2—Portable DVD player-- mount it to your Ultimate™ 2 to work out to your favorite exercise DVDs and CDs or take it with you to watch movies on the go
3—Ultimate 2 machine mat
Also there are great warranties
1—No time limit power rod warranty
2—6 week fitness results guaranteed
3—12 year limited warranty.
· Also do not forget Bowflex Ultimate™ 2 workout DVD – offers an incredible 20-minute exercise routine specifically designed for use with your Ultimate™ 2 http://www.bowflex.com/mMachineDetail.asp?productID=6600014&productName=Xtreme%26%23153%3B+2&linkID=6
Finally read all the online reviews available at the consumer reviews sites.
You may find different comments about same home gym from different people.
When confused always ask for a long-term warranty.
Recently epinions.com displayed reviews from customers who were utterly unhappy with the home gyms they bought but at the other end of the spectrum there were happy faces yelling the great home gyms.
For more information on home gyms, what to look for and where to buy visit our home gyms site www.homegymsforyou.com
Visit our site www.homegymsforyou.com to learn all about home gyms.
http://www.homegymsforyou.com
http://www.exercise-equipments101.com
http://www.nutritioninfopage.com

Home Gyms Analyzed 3

Home Gyms Analyzed 3
 by: Abdul Martin
Home gyms analyzed 3
After having seen so many home gyms I thought I would put everything together and give you the best available opinion about each. Lets now see the Bowflex home gyms.
Bowflex has many home gyms, they have the
--Bowflex ultimate
--Bowflex ultimate2
--Bowflex extreme
--Bowflex extreme 2
--Bowflex sports
--Bowflex motivator
In the last article we analyzed the Bowflex ultimate 2 and now lets see the others.
Bowflex extreme 2
The Xtreme™ 2 lets you change exercises more quickly and easily with no cable changes needed between exercises. These features let you perform over 75 exercises. 7-year warranty.
The workout are required is 7' X 6'
Over 70 quality different can be performed. And the best thing is No cable changes needed between exercises and stations. This is highly useful as the rest time is saved and we can concentrate on the next set and not on which cable and which pulley where to be attached.
Also there are great warranties
1—No time limit power rod warranty
2—6 week fitness results guaranteed
3—7 year limited warranty
For more information on warranty and see the pictures visit
http://www.bowflex.com/mMachineDetail.asp?productID=6600014&productName=Xtreme%26%23153%3B+2&linkID=6
Finally read all the online reviews available at the consumer reviews sites.
You may find different comments about same home gym from different people.
When confused always ask for a long-term warranty.
Recently epinions.com displayed reviews from customers who were utterly unhappy with the home gyms they bought but at the other end of the spectrum there were happy faces yelling the great home gyms.
For more information on home gyms, what to look for and where to buy visit our home gyms site www.homegymsforyou.com
Visit our site www.homegymsforyou.com to learn all about home gyms.
http://www.homegymsforyou.com
http://www.exercise-equipments101.com
http://www.nutritioninfopage.com

Types of Schizophrenia

Types of Schizophrenia
 by: David Chandler
Catatonic type schizophrenia
Patients with this subtype of Schizophrenia may exhibit extremes of behavior including catatonia. Some may allow their posture to be rearranged, holding the new position (catalepsy or waxy flexibility). Others may imitate sounds (echolalia) or movements (echopraxia) of others. At times, some patients may explode into an excited, activated state marked by purposeless ad repetitive movements. The catatonic type is rare today, and probably reflected an advanced stage of schizophrenia before the advent of modern treatment methods.
Disorganized type schizophrenia
A form of schizophrenia that is characterized by a disorganized behavior and disorganized speech. Their affect may be flat or inappropriate. This type involves a disturbance in behavior, communication, and thought. Usually these patients show a variety of eccentric characteristics such as unusual clothing or peculiar gestures.
Paranoid type schizophrenia
Delusions and auditory hallucinations predominate in patients with this subtype of schizophrenia while their affective and cognitive functioning remains relatively intact. This type of patient often has highly elaborate delusions of persecution or personal grandeur. However, the patient may appear rather normal until he or she becomes entangled in typical argumentativeness and suspiciousness.
Residual type schizophrenia
A form of schizophrenia that is characterized by a previous diagnosis of schizophrenia, but no longer having any of the prominent psychotic symptoms. There are some remaining symptoms of the disorder however, such as eccentric behavior, emotional blunting, illogical thinking, or social withdrawal.
In the residual type of schizophrenia, the patient has had at least one episode of schizophrenia. If delusions or hallucinations are present, they are not prominent, and are not accompanied by strong affect.
Undifferentiated type schizophrenia
This subtype of schizophrenia applies to patients who fail to meet the criteria for the other subtypes but clearly suffer from this mental disorder. The patient suffers from pronounced psychotic symptoms, which may not fit in any other specific category or more than one.

Used Home Gyms And Home Gym Equipment

Used Home Gyms And Home Gym Equipment
 by: Abdul Martin
Used Home gyms and home gym equipment
One of the greatest consumer and dealer concerns pertaining to the used fitness equipment industry is that of quality.
The only reason we buy new things or new home gyms to be precise in this context is that we do not want to compromise the quality for a few bucks.
Dealers bid the used fitness equipment on and the highest bid wins.
The used home gym equipment is a great bargain considering the fact that home gyms are very useful and usually in the best condition even years after they were used regularly.
Important brands to be considered when buying a used home gym are
1—Lifefitness
2—Precor
3—Shwinn and
4—startrack.
Also consider multi-station home gyms.
Bowflex Xtreme 2
Bowflex Xtreme XLU
Bowflex Xtreme XTLU
Maxicam MultiMax {specifically designed for health clubs, hotels, resorts, condominiums, corporate fitness centers, police departments, fire departments, and other important applications, where space is an important consideration.}
Nautilus NS 200 Gym
Nautilus NS 300 Gym
Nautilus NS 3000 Freedom Trainer
Nautilus NS 3000 Freedom Trainer & Bench
Nautilus NS 4000 MultiGym
Nautilus NS 600 Gym
Nautilus NS 700 Gym
ParaBody GS1 Home Gym
Schwinn Ripp Pro
Schwinn® Force Home Gym
Finally read all the online reviews available at the consumer reviews sites.
You may find different comments about same home gym from different people.
When confused always ask for a long-term warranty.
Recently epinions.com displayed reviews from customers who were utterly unhappy with the home gyms they bought but at the other end of the spectrum there were happy faces yelling the great home gyms.
For more information on home gyms, what to look for and where to buy visit our home gyms site www.homegymsforyou.com
Visit our site www.homegymsforyou.com to learn all about home gyms.
http://www.homegymsforyou.com
http://www.exercise-equipments101.com
http://www.nutritioninfopage.com

What Causes Hair Loss?

What Causes Hair Loss?
 by: David Chandler
Hair loss is a common problem faced by many people all around the world. There are various reasons behind hair loss. Let us look at some of the major causes and their remedies:
Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is under active or overactive, you will suffer the problem of hair loss. This hair loss generally can be cured by treatment of the thyroid disorder. Hair loss may occur if androgens (male hormones) or estrogens (female hormones) are out of balance. Clinical treatment of hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss.
Pregnant women may notice hair loss problems with in a period of about 3 months after delivery. Hair loss problem is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of particular hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out and the normal growth and loss cycle starts again.
Some medicines (mainly sulphur drugs) can cause hair loss. This type of hair loss problem improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair loss include anticoagulants (also known as blood thinners), medicines utilized in chemotherapy to treat cancer, medicines used for gout, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills, and antidepressants.
If you have undergone a major operation or have suffered a prolong illness you can face the problem of hair loss. However, this hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary.
Certain fungal infections can cause hair loss. Generally, children may have hair loss problems caused by a fungal infection of the scalp. This type of fungal infection can be easily treated with antifungal medicines.
Conclusively, hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to consult a specialist to detect the cause so that it can be treated at an early stage.

Wearing Contact Lenses

Wearing Contact Lenses
 by: Jeff Lakie
If you've never worn contact lenses, you may not appreciate the amazing selection available on today's market. Be glad: you have much more choice than in the past. With so many options, how do you choose the right type of contact lenses?
Your doctor can probably help you figure out which contact lenses are best for you. Some contact lenses are suited to certain vision problems, like astigmatism. Others, like extended-wear contact lenses, are marketed to suit certain lifestyles. Colored contact lenses sometimes are used by people who don't even need prescription lenses but just want to change their eye color. Regardless, contact lenses should only be purchased by a professional eyecare practitioner, who knows how to properly fit the lenses and help you take care of your eyes. In fact, in the United States, it is illegal to purchase contact lenses without a valid prescription.
It's good to be informed about the different types of contact lenses before making your decision. Different contact lenses need to be replaced on different cycles. Some pairs last a month, some only two weeks. Other contact lenses are made to be worn only for one day. These contact lenses usually cost more, as you are paying for convenience.
It is important not to sleep in your contact lenses unless your practitioner says it's okay. Even contact lenses made for this purpose may not be good for you, especially if your eyes tend to be very dry. Be sure to ask.
Soft contact lenses have become most popular, as they are easy to get used to and are very comfortable to wear. While gas permeable contact lenses take longer to get used to, they last longer and tend to have less deposit buildup. Also, these contact lenses are less expensive in the long run because they don't need to be replaced as often. Some people also believe gas permeable contact lenses are better for your eye health and may even help improve vision. However, they are rigid and some people don't like how they feel.
As contact lenses have improved, so have their uses. Bifocal wearers rejoice! Many contact lens manufacturers have started making lenses that even you can wear. Ask your practitioner for details.

Home Gyms Provide A Great Environment

Home Gyms Provide A Great Environment
 by: Abdul Martin
Home gyms provide a great environment
Are you the one who want some peace of mind during workout sessions? Use a home gym.
Home gyms are the best thing ever happened to the fitness world.
Home gyms provides us the luxury when to exercise. Using our own time and place lets us have a great feeling that we are not obliged to prepare to go to gym .For most of us going to gym is the problem We get lazy. But not with home gyms, we can exercise at our will.
And an added advantage is that we do not have to wait for our turn and God is not that horrible.
Selecting the best home gym and at an affordable price is a challenge or was a challenge but not any more.
Another advantage for having a home gym is the music. We can play the music we love for a change and it will refresh you like nothing ever did.
When buying a home gym consider all your requirement sand then proceed.
Finally read all the online reviews available at the consumer reviews sites.
You may find different comments about same home gym from different people.
When confused always ask for a long-term warranty.
Recently epinions.com displayed reviews from customers who were utterly unhappy with the home gyms they bought but at the other end of the spectrum there were happy faces yelling the great home gyms.
For more information on home gyms, what to look for and where to buy visit our home gyms site www.homegymsforyou.com
Visit our site www.homegymsforyou.com to learn all about home gyms.
http://www.homegymsforyou.com
http://www.exercise-equipments101.com
http://www.nutritioninfopage.com

Lichen Sclerosis

Lichen Sclerosis
 by: David Chandler
What is lichen sclerosis and what does it look like?
Lichen sclerosis (LS) is a skin condition that makes the vulva look white, slightly shiny, and smooth. The skin's surface becomes thin and delicate so that it tears easily. This can cause bleeding under the skin. In severe cases of lichen sclerosis of the genital area, scarring can occur. This causes the inner lips of the vulva to get smaller. The clitoris can become covered in scar tissue.
What causes lichen sclerosis?
We do not know the exact cause of lichen sclerosis. Scientists have different theories to try to explain the cause. Some scientists think that an overactive immune system may play a role in causing the disease. Some people may also develop lichen sclerosis due to their genes or to changes in hormones. Since lichen sclerosis is not caused by an infection, it cannot be spread and is not contagious.
What are the symptoms of lichen sclerosis?
Symptoms of lichen sclerosis may be different from one person to another and can be mild to severe. Girls and young women who have this disease may experience some or all of the following symptoms in the vulva area:
Mild to severe itching in the vulva area
Skin that appears fragile, pale, and/or white
Bruised skin with broken blood vessels or "blood blisters"
Small tears or fissures in the skin
Scar tissue covering the labia or clitoris
Bleeding or tearing of skin when having bowel movements
How is lichen sclerosis diagnosed?
Lichen sclerosis can be a difficult diagnosis to make. It is not unusual for someone to see more than one doctor before the disease is finally diagnosed. Most of the time, doctors who see many patients with lichen sclerosis can often make the diagnosis just by looking at the skin. However in most cases if you are in the early stages of lichen sclerosis, the doctor may have to do a biopsy (removal and examination of a small sample of affected skin) to identify the cause of your symptoms.

Precor Treadmills - Exercise Equipment You Can Trust

Precor Treadmills - Exercise Equipment You Can Trust
 by: Dean Iggo
Precor treadmills are synonymous with quality. They have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and have invested millions into research and development to provide the best quality machines. All their treadmills have long warranties which are a testament to their quality.
Just go down to your local gym and you are bound to see a number of Precor treadmills being battered continuously for hours a day. Just think...if they are good enough for these commercial gyms then you can guarantee that they will stack up in your own home gym.
Although super high quality, Precor treadmills are also quite expensive. You will be lucky pick one up for much less than $3000 so if you are trying to buy a treadmill on the cheap then this may not be the best option for you.
However if you consider all the advantages you get with the trusted Precor brand, you'll understand why they price these machines as such.
Advantages
Precor treadmills are backed by one of the best warranties around. They offer lifetime warranties on their treadmill frames and welds, 10 years on parts and a year on labor. They use the highest quality materials and their customer testimonials are superb. This just shows how confident the company is with the quality and durability of their treadmills.
Aside from quality, Precor treadmills are also known for being loaded with features. They have powerful motors, wide running surfaces and are very quiet.
Disadvantages
The price is the only disadvantage I can see with these machines. I feel that $3000-$5000 is a lot to pay for a treadmill to be used at home. I believe the Precor name increases the purchase price and unless you are a dedicated runner, have money to spare or know you are going to be using the treadmill often then it might be more than you need.
Some people also say that it is too big. However I feel this is one of its benefits as it adds stability and a long, wide running surface.
Recommendation
Precor manufactures probably one of the highest quality treadmills in the market today, which they back up wholeheartedly as can be seen by the length of their warranties. So, I would recommend buying Precor treadmills but only if you could afford one. It is one of the best in the market right now but at the same time it is also one of the most expensive.

Summer Skin Tips

Summer Skin Tips
 by: Gary Gresham
Once again, winter has faded into Spring and Spring has burst into Summer along with Summer skin. Next comes the invincible Summer sun, your skin's arch-enemy, particularly if you play or exercise outdoors.
Most people know that using sunscreen protection is essential. There are a number of ways to promote a healthy glow without exposing your skin to harmful rays. To help avoid Summer skin when playing or exercising outdoors on a hot, sunny day here are a few tips.
Lightweight and light colored clothing combined with plenty of sunscreen protection on exposed and unexposed skin is a good way to protect yourself.
If overheating isn't a concern, dark colored, tightly woven clothing is more effective at blocking UV rays. Light colored clothing lets the sun and UV rays reach the skin more easily.
Another barrier against sun damage comes in the form of eyewear. Protect not only your eyes, but also the skin around them by wearing sunglasses that block 90 percent to 100 percent of the sun's UV rays.
Always wear a hat. Though a cap may be more comfortable for jogging, try a wide brimmed hat that will shade your neck and face while gardening or walking outside.
Now that you know how to protect the skin's surface, it's time to start thinking about what you can do to make a healthy glow from the inside out. You're already off to a good start with some form of exercise, which gets the blood circulating and delivers fresh oxygen to the skin all over your body.
The next step is to drink plenty of water. Outdoor play or exercise, especially in the Summer, increases your risk of dehydration. This is one risk you don't want to take since it not only affects your performance and robs your skin of vitality, but also may be potentially hazardous to your health.
Be sure to drink fluids before, during and after physical activity. To replenish your fluids after any outdoor activity, weigh yourself before you participate and then weigh again after. Any weight you lost is water and should be replaced by drinking two glasses (16 ounces) of water for every pound you have lost.
Summer is a time for sun, fun and physical activity. Sipping on a cool drink, participating in your favorite activity and enjoying the long days of summer. No matter what you like to do, with a little insight and these few tips you can help alleviate the effects of Summer skin and make your Summer one you will enjoy.
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Image Treadmills - The Cheapest Treadmills in the Icon Range

Image Treadmills - The Cheapest Treadmills in the Icon Range
 by: Dean Iggo
Image treadmills are a well known brand, being made by the world recognized company, Icon Health and Fitness. Icon produce a number of high quality brands including Proform, Weslo and Healthrider as well as licenses to the popular Golds Gym and Reebok brands. However despite this proud family of fitness equipment I believe the Image treadmill range is the runt of the litter!
Don't get me wrong...Image treadmills have there place in the market but if you are serious about exercising at home for the long run (excuse the pun) then you should look at better quality machines.
The first thing that makes me suspicious is...the price. The treadmills range from between $400 to $1700. If you expect to spend $500 and buy a good quality treadmill that will last for years and years then you're kidding yourself. This might also reflect on why they are the least popular of the Icon range of fitness equipment.
Also the warranty on the machines is only 90 days. This is very low and probably a reflection of their quality. Most decent treadmills have at least a 6 month warranty so this in itself would put me off the range.
However...if you really are on a budget the only image treadmill I would recommend is the Image 10.0 treadmill.
Advantages
Image treadmills belong to the low to mid price category with treadmills priced from as low as $400 to some as high as $1,700 however most are less than $1000. They have a good range of features including heart rate monitors and impact absorption. The Image 10.0 treadmill is the best model.
Disadvantages
Being in a low price range makes you question their quality and durability. The 90 day warranty is further proof that this is a budget range. It is the least popular brand in the Icon range which suggests that customer testimonials and experience is quite average.
Recommendation
In conclusion, I don't recommend buying Image treadmills due to their poor quality and warranty. Don't expect their treadmills to be problem free for long. If however you really are on a tight budget then the Image 10.0 treadmill is a budget treadmill to consider.

Seven Tips to Maximize Savings on Prescriptions

Seven Tips to Maximize Savings on Prescriptions
 by: Dwain Berlin
Seven Tips to Maximize Savings on Prescriptions
1. When you travel, bring a copy of your prescriptions with you.
- In Mexico, only a few meds require a written prescription because most of them are over the counter there. Take your prescription with you though, just in case your medication is the one that requires a written prescription.
- In Canada, a copy of your written prescription is mandatory. You will need to see a Canadian Doctor to get a Canadian prescription. Allow two to four hours for that because you'll be waiting in a walk-in clinic on a first come, first serve basis. The Canadian Doctor will need to see a copy of your written prescription, consult with you, and there will be a charge for that service.
2. Check with the Medicine Program to see if you are eligible for assistance. Here is their contact information. P.O.Box 1089, Poplar Bluff MO 63902-1089 Phone: 866.694.3893 | Fax: 573.778.1420 | help@themedicineprogram.com | themedicineprogram.com
3. Veterans should check with the V.A. for updates on what is available now. Many don't know what their full benefits are.
4. Contact the drug manufacturer. Sometimes they will give you a free treatment or a few months supply, if you can prove your need and are unable to pay for it.
5. Ask your Doctor for samples! Even if it's short term, every little bit helps.
6. Ask your Doctor if he / she knows of someone who's meds have recently changed, or if someone who died recently was taking the same pills as you.
7. Get your meds delivered by mail from Canada. Canadian medications are identical to American medications, the savings can be substantial and there are a number of generics there that are not available State side. Opening an account with a Canadian prescription service is easier than you think.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol
 by: John Moore
Ways To Keep It Low
These days we hear a lot of warnings about cholesterol, but the funny thing is, cholesterol isn't all bad. Your body produces it naturally and it performs some pretty vital jobs - helping to build new cells, as well as produce hormones and insulate nerves. Only when you've got too much do you have a problem.
Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusion surrounding this substance because it's made up of both good and bad cholesterol, and is known as HDL and LDL. So which is the good guy, and which is the bad guy ?
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is the good guy (higher the better), and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the bad guy - the artery-clogging little devil.
Every Day Ways Of Keeping Your Cholesterol Low.
Watch your weight.
The more overweight you are, the more cholesterol your body produces. So if your weight is up, this is one more reason to bring it down, but do so with a healthy diet.
Cut Out The Fat.
You'd be wise to cut back on such sources of saturated fat as meat, butter, cheese and hydrogenated oil. Whenever possible, replace these items with fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products and polyunsaturated oils.
Switch To Olive Oil.
Olive oil contains monounsaturates which is said to help lower cholesterol levels if added to your food on a daily basis. Two or Three table spoons full a day should be sufficient
Go Easy On The Eggs
Don't feel you have cut them out entirely, if you want to play safe then limit your eggs to about three a week, or use egg whites only.
Be Full Of Beans
Nutritious and inexpensive, beans and other pulses contain a water-soluble fibre called pectin that helps clear cholesterol out of the body.
Eat More Fruit
Fruit also gets it's cholesterol lowering punch from pectin, so by eating lots of fresh fruit you will help to lower your cholesterol levels.
Have Your Oats
Oat bran also helps to lower cholesterol in a similar fashion to pectin rich fruit. In fact it was a high oat bran diet that helped me to reduce my cholesterol level. I used it on cereals, and mixed it into meals that I ate. It looks a bit like sawdust, but it's really effective.
Other Foods That Are Recommended.
Carrots can lower cholesterol. Carrots by way of their pectin content the same as fruit. Two carrots a day should be enough to help when combined with other foods which have been recommended. Eat them raw if possible.
Take Garlic
Eat raw garlic. As well as reducing your circle of friends, it will reduce harmful blood fats. If you don't fancy eating raw garlic, then use the liquid garlic extract which can be bought in capsule form. These can be purchased at your local supermarket or health food store.
Don't Smoke
Studies have shown that heavy smokers have a higher cholesterol than non smokers, so here's another reason to give up. You'll also save yourself a bundle of cash as well ! - In smoking trials which were carried out in Sweden, smokers tended to suffer from low levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol.
Medication - Drugs
There's now plenty of drugs on the market for lowering cholesterol levels. But, as with all drugs there's always side effects to take into account, so try the natural methods first. Only use drugs as a last resort.
When I found out my own cholesterol levels were high, I managed to get my levels back to normal by using the methods mentioned in this article. I hope you've enjoyed reading it.
Author - John Moore..please use my link.
http://www.information-city-online.com

Keys Treadmills In Review

Keys Treadmills In Review
 by: Dean Iggo
Keys treadmills are a good quality range of treadmills offering brilliant motor warranties and some nice features. They are priced between $1,000 to $2,300 so offer a decent machine at a cost effective price.
The best feature of keys treadmills is the motor warranty which is set to 10 years. One of the most important parts of a treadmill is the motor and if it breaks down the repair cost can usually be quite hefty. With a 10 year warranty you will have no such worries. This also provides testament to the durability of these machines.
If you are overweight or expect to be using the treadmill a lot then a keys treadmill might be worth looking at further.
What amazes me is although the machines have a 10 year motor warranty they are only priced in the mid-price range. A lot of commercial treadmills that have 10 years motor warranties are priced $5,000 and up. Some even approach $10,000
Keys Fitness, manufacture all their treadmills in the USA but import parts from overseas to help them stay competitive. As a result their machines may not be as high a quality compared to other machines made solely in the US where an eye can be kept over the production process.
Advantages
The price tag of these machines range from as little as $1,000 and as high as $2,300. For this price, you'll get a 10 year motor warranty and a lifetime warranty on frames. If durability is your number one concern then Keys treadmills offer a serious advantage over other brands.
Disadvantages
As they are not made entirely in the USA their structural quality may not be as good as other better known brands. Also $2,000 might be a bit steep for some people so you might be better off looking at cheaper treadmills that still have a decent motor warranty (about 3 years).
Recommendation
Although this brand is known for being of average structural quality, newer models have been showing some improvements. For most people a 10 year warranty is not essential 3 years will suffice. I recommend for people considering a Key treadmill to look at other brands with a lower motor warranty but better overall quality.

Aren't all Multi Vitamins Basically the Same?

Aren't all Multi Vitamins Basically the Same?
 by: Max Wardlow
Multi vitamins can provide a convenient way to take a variety of supplemental nutrients from a single product to prevent vitamin or mineral deficiencies, as well as to achieve higher intakes of beneficial nutrients.
In the current state of the vitamin and nutritional supplement industry it can be difficult to decide which supplements will provide real health protection and improvement benefits and which are simply "me too" products designed primarily to ride the wave of public interest in preventative health.
To understand the need to be informed about vitamin and nutritional supplements, you must understand the regulatory environment that currently exists in the vitamin supplement industry in the United States.
Do Vitamin Companies Regulate Themselves?
In October of 1994, President Clinton signed into law the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
The DSHEA was written to help empower Americans to make choices about their own preventative health care strategies.
Under the DSHEA it was decided that nutritional supplements would continue to be regulated as a food product rather than the more restrictive regulations that drugs fall under.
While this made vitamin and nutritional supplements widely available it also allowed nutritional supplement manufacturers to practically regulate themselves, since there was no agreed upon standard of good manufacturing practice (GMP) and no government pressure to be true to the label on their products.
It was't until March of 2003, nine years after the DSHEA became law, that the FDA proposed new regulations to require current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) in the manufacturing, packaging, and holding of nutritional supplements.
According to the FDA, this is what prompted the new regulation proposal:
"In recent years, analyses of dietary supplements by a private sector laboratory suggest that a substantial number of dietary supplement products analyzed may not contain the amounts of dietary ingredients that would be expected to be found based on their product labels". For example...
"Five of 18 soy and/or red clover-containing products were found to contain only 50 percent to 80 percent of the declared amounts of isoflavones".
"Of 25 probiotic products tested, 8 contained less than 1 percent of the claimed number of live bacteria or the number of bacteria that would be expected to be found in such a product".
The proposed rule will, for the first time, establish standards to ensure that vitamin supplement ingredients are not adulterated with contaminants or impurities, and are labeled to accurately to reflect the active ingredients and other ingredients in the product.
The proposed new regulations will be phased in over the next three years so as not to disrupt the production of nutritional supplements.
While the DSHEA has helped ensure that dietary supplements remain easily accessible without excessive regulation, (doctors prescriptions, etc.), it also has created a "wide open" atmosphere for manufacturers who aren't yet in compliance with good manufacturing practices (at this time, GMP compliance is voluntary).
It's very easy for a supplement company to jump on the bandwagonof the latest fad and put together a product with little or no research and poor quality (and cheap!) ingredients, and then market it with over-blown, unsubstantiated claims and pure hype.
Some of the most common products that this formula is used for are weight loss, HGH (human growth hormone) and multi vitamins.
Supplement users are in the position of having to trust vitamin supplement manufacturers to regulate themselves. Although the dietary supplement industry has an excellent track record of safety, it's been verified by the independent product testing of consumerlab.com that some supplements do not contain what is stated on their label and are sometimes contaminated.
While some vitamin supplement manufacturers are working hard to meet the new FDA guidelines, not all are. At this time, you have to do your own research and take extra precautions to find high quality nutritional supplements.
Tips for Choosing Nutritional Supplements
Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients work best when they're combined in a way that mimics nature as closely as possible. Look for nutritional supplements that have nutrients combined to make use of the natural synergy between them.
Companies willing to give a full disclosure and description of their ingredients have usually put more effort and research into their product. For example, instead of just saying "Calcium" the label should be more detailed like this: "Calcium (from 2430 mg Citrate, Malate, Ester-C)". This description indicates that higher quality ingredients and more up-to-date research was used for the supplement.
Verify that the supplement was produced at a pharmaceutical GMP (good manufacturing practices) facility. Since compliance to GMP standards is voluntary it's important to do your own research to verify that macro-biological testing is done at every stage of production.
(This issue shouldn't be taken lightly - as mentioned above, studies by Consumerlab.com have shown that some supplements don't have the true amount of ingredients as stated on the label, or may harbor toxic contaminants.)
Pharmaceutical grade supplements (sometimes called nutriceuticals) are made for "professional" use in the health care field by natural health care providers and consumers who want the best.
In the past decade pharmaceutical grade supplements have become more availableto the general public and this type of nutritional supplement will provide the health benefits that you're looking for, often for a very reasonable price.

Influenza - its Symptoms and Causes

Influenza - its Symptoms and Causes
 by: David Chandler
Know more about Influenza
Influenza better known as the "flu" is an infection of the respiratory tract that can affect millions of people. The influenza virus can be spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing of an infected individual.
Statistics show about 20,000 Americans die from influenza or influenza related pneumonia each year. Pneumonia and influenza are the sixth common cause of death in the United States. Elderly (65+) make up more than 90% of the 20,000 Americans who die from this illness each year.
A person may contract the influenza virus and not experience any symptoms for a few days. The incubation period for the influenza virus ranges from 1-4 days.
Is there more than one type of Influenza virus?
What is influenza?
There are three different kinds of Influenza viruses: Influenza A, Influenza B, and Influenza C. Influenza A can attack animals and humans, the remaining two (Influenza B and Influenza C) can only attack humans. Influenza C causes a very mild infection and does not provoke epidemics.
When observed through an electron microscope, influenza viruses are figured like filaments or spheres. Immunity to one strain of the influenza virus will not protect you against newly born strains of the virus, which has undergone minor changes or mutations.
The Influenza B and Influenza C virus may infect only human beings while Influenza A may infect several different types of animals. Influenza A virus can sicken many various types of animals, including humans, aquatic mammals, birds, horses, swine, and others.
At times when two different strains of viruses combine in humans or animals, they result in a new unique strain of virus with more immunity. The modern 2004 Influenza Vaccine is made of three strains, which include two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B.

Could Drinking Water Cure Your Ailments?

Could Drinking Water Cure Your Ailments?
 by: Royane Real
Yesterday I was supposed to have lunch with my friend Margaret, but she told me in the morning that she didn't want to walk to the restaurant where we were supposed to meet because she had painful arthritis in her foot.
I asked her, "Do you want to hear what helped my arthritis go away?" and of course she did.
Then I told her about a strange little book I had read a few years titled "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. The theory that Dr. Batmanghelidj proposes is that almost all bodily ailments, no matter where and how they manifest in the body, are usually caused by our body cells being chronically dehydrated, and that the cure for almost all illness is simply to get our cells properly hydrated again.
At the time I read this book, I had arthritis in my fingers so bad that I could not hold a cup in my hands, or turn a door knob. I often had very little energy.
Within a few weeks of trying Dr. Batmanghelidj's recommendations, my arthritis went away. Now whenever I get a few twinges, I simply step up my water intake, and the pain disappears in a couple of days. I have more energy now than I had twenty years ago, and I haven't really changed anything except my water intake.
Dr. Batmanghelidj had been a medical doctor living in Iran when he was arrested and thrown into jail on trumped up political charges. He was scheduled to be executed.
One night a prisoner in the same jail was brought to him for treatment. This prisoner was suffering terribly from an acute ulcer, and Dr. Batmanghelidj had nothing to give the man for his pain except water. To his great surprise, after a few glasses of water, the pain went away.
Over the course of treating other prisoners with nothing but glasses of water, Dr. Batmanghelidj found that he was able to help many serious conditions using water as therapy. When he was eventually released from prison, he conducted many experiments and found many conditions improved with this treatment.
He came to the conclusion that many physical ailments are simply a result of dehydration.
Among the many ailments that Dr. Batmanghelidj believes are really a result of the body being dehydrated are such varied conditions as allergies, asthma, lupus, arthritis, back pain, ulcers, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
The book is somewhat hard to read because Dr. Batmanghelidj is not very skilled in writing in English, and he uses a lot of medical terminology, so it can be difficult for a lay person to understand some of it.
According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, only water counts as a hydrating beverage. Other drinks such as juices, milk, coffee, and soft drinks do not have this miraculous ability to reverse disease.
Dr. Batmanghelidj has developed a formula to figure out how much water a person should be drinking each day. According to him, a person should drink one fluid ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight.
Here is a quick summary of his proposed schedule:
About two glasses of water taken upon waking.
Then, one to two glasses of water taken half an hour before meals.
A glass of water two and a half hours after a meal.
Other glasses of water as needed.
Dr. Batmanghelidj also recommends adding a pinch of unrefined sea salt to each glass of water to help the body cells absorb the liquid.
Of course, not all people agree with Dr. Batmanghelidj's recommendations, especially not all other medical doctors. Some people think he is a medical quack, while others think his theory about dehydration being the cause of many ailments is not only simple, but correct.
It is very fascinating to read the letters to Dr. Batmanghelidj from people who say that following his regimen helped cure them of all sorts of longstanding medical problems.
The book "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" is available at various on-line sellers, as well as in some bookstores.
If you wish to try Dr. Batmanghelidj's recommendations, please keep in mind that he says that it takes months for the body's cells to become dehydrated to the point of illness, and it can take months for the cells to become properly hydrated again.

Treadmills - Get Fit Stay Fit

Treadmills - Get Fit Stay Fit
 by: Martin Smith
Your exercise program could benefit from the use of treadmills. Using a treadmill provides a wonderful cardiovascular workout for your heart, your lungs, and your circulation. There low impact on your joints, which makes it easier and less painful to workout.
Pregnant women will get an excellent workout. Its low impact and cardiovascular nature it builds endurance which will no doubt help during labor. The lower end models are not expensive and treadmills are easy to use. Using a treadmill could help you lose weight and even body fat.
That they don't take up a lot of space is a non-physical benefit. There are some that could take up a whole room almost but if space is the issue, than you can find manual treadmills that fold and are powered by your movement only. Talk to professionals and do your research to find out which one might be appropriate for you.
Comparing different models is best. Do you know what features you're looking for on a treadmill? You should look at certain things when you are comparing various models. All you really want to do is workout so this can all be overwhelming.
The size of your machine can be affected by the type of the motor. The most important things to look at are the belt trackers. This is the type of movement of the belt and the placement of the running belt as you work out. You don't want a belt that's jerky you want it to move as smoothly as possible over the rollers.
Have you seen the check out belts that move and then jump and move again etc.? There can be more impact than is necessary on your joints and injury can result if the movement on your treadmill is like that. Something else to look at is the length and the width of the belt.
A belt that is too short can cause you to "run-off the end of the belt. A narrow belt might not necessarily support your stance. If possible try out the machine you want or one that is very much like it. The type and percentage of the incline will affect your joints and your workout.
As you progress, on most treadmills you can adjust the incline to be as if you were climbing a steep hill. How fast the belt moves should also be adjustable also. Do you know what the minimum speed and maximum speed is? This knowledge will help you plan your workout routine and make it more effective.
Your treadmill console should a heart rate monitor as one of its main features. If you know your resting heart rate and your target heart rate which is the highest number you can reach for maximum benefits from your workout, your workout will be more beneficial. Your speed, your time and your distance should also be displayed on the console.
Before you attempt to use your treadmill it is of the utmost importance that you learn to properly use your treadmill. The display on the control panel should be clear and easy to read. Is the software program necessary to be able to use the control panel?
A noisy treadmill is something you don't want. There will obviously be some noise but you don't want it to be overwhelming. What is the acceptable level of noise for you? Is the belt thick enough? If a belt is too thin it could wear out too soon, so you would want an appropriately thick belt so it will last.
Stretching can occur with some belts. Checking to see that your belt isn't cracked anywhere or stretched, Make sure the monitor is functioning properly. Consider the weight of the machine. A few of the delivery companies will bring your machine to your door but it's up to you to get it in the house and set it up.
The look of the machine is important because if it doesn't appeal to you, you will be less apt to use it. How easy will it be to store it when you aren't using it? Before you bring it home, consider the probability that it will stay in the same place when it's not in use, then you need to decide if this is ok with you.
Don't put your treadmill near walls to prevent injury. You should put it approximately eight feet away from walls, ledges or windows. You should put the wires and the power supply out of walking areas or it should be taped down to prevent someone from tripping while getting off the treadmill. There are a few tips about how to use your new treadmill.
Before getting on the belt, straddle it and make sure it is set at the proper speed. Your feet will follow your eyes so keep them straight ahead. Staying in the center of the belt will help prevent slips and falls.

Eating Disorders: What Exactly Are They?

Eating Disorders: What Exactly Are They?
 by: Jeff Dedrick
Eating disorders are the diseases caused due to the abnormal eating behavior of an individual. Many people suffer from such eating disorders. They indulge in eating more and more food, which is considered abnormal. A normal person cannot have the amount of food, a person suffering from an eating disorder can have.
Such abnormal patterns of food are not a result of increased hunger. Person having eating disorders have other problems. These problems are related to their lifestyle. Eating disorders are a sign of a problematic time in a person's life. People eat more food to suppress extreme emotions and depression.
There are also different types of eating disorders. Some types of eating disorders are: anorexia, compulsive eating, binge eating disorder and bulimia. These eating disorders are completely curable. You have to detect them on time and seek a medical advice. Treatment may takes a long time. But if the patient is given good support by his family and friends, he can fully overcome the disease.
There are certain misconception about eating disorders. One common misconception is that the males who have any eating disorder are considered to be gay. The fact is that sex has nothing to do with eating disorders. Secondly, if a man has one eating disorder, he cannot have another. Whereas, many people have multiple eating disorders.
The most common misbelieve is that teenage girls are more prone to eating disorders. It is a fact that you can have an eating disorder during your teenage years but anyone, be it children, young girls, and boys, can develop an eating disorder.
If someone around you seems to be suffering with eating disorders, help them. Such people become emotionally very weak and use food as a way to relieve themselves. Emotional support is the most important thing to treat these individuals.

Headaches

Headaches
 by: John Moore
Tips To Help Relieve The Pain
Tension Headaches.
About 90% of all headaches are classified as muscle contraction, more commonly known as 'tension headaches'. These are the headaches most of us blame on work, bills and arguments.
The pain is typically all over the head. You may feel a dull ache or sense of tightness, and it mostly feels like a tight steel band is wrapped around your head. Not everyone under stress gets headaches, but millions of people get them time and time again. For them headaches are a cronic problem.
Migraines.
Migraines have an even uglier reputation than tension headaches. Migraines are part of the vascular headache family and most often strike women. About 70% of migraine sufferes are female.Migraines can be crippling, so much so that migraine sufferers lose millions of workdays each year.
Usually migraines bring severe, throbbing pain to either one side, or both sides of the head. This is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and dizziness. It can even cause blurred vision, and numbness in the limbs.
Trying To Prevent Them.
I myself have suffered for years with tension headaches, so now I try to head them off before they start. Here's a few tips :-
Medication - Take It Now.
As soon as I feel a tension headache coming on, I take a small dose of medication. It's no use using just a pain killer, you need something that will relax your muscles as well. After all, it's the tight muscles which are causing the pain in the first place, so it makes sense to relax them. If you know what kind of headache you have, your local pharmacy will be able to advise you on the right medication.
Exercise.
Exercise and has helped me a great deal. Exercise helps you to release stress, so regular exercise and stretching will be real of real benefit. If however you've got a severe headache, don't exercise, relaxation is what you need.
Sleep.
Many people sleep a headache off, but too much sleep can actually cause a headache, so don't overdo it. I little nap should be all you need to get rid of a headache.
Peace And Quiet.
Excessive noise is a common trigger for tension headaches, so try to find a quiet place where you can sit and relax. Practice some deep breathing exercises at least three or four times a day, you'll feel better for it.
Protect Your Eyes.
Bright light can cause a headache. Whether it's from the sun, television, or a computer screen, it lead to eye-strain which can then lead to a headache. So protect your eyes whenever possible, and cut down on screen watching if you can.
Watch Your Caffeine Intake.
If you're a heavy coffee or tea drinker, then try to cut down, the general opinion is that caffeine can be a cause of headaches with certain people.
Don't Chew Gum.
The repetitive chewing motion can tighten muscles in the head especially around the jaw and bring on a tension headache.
Cut Down The Salt
A high intake of salt can trigger migraines in some people.
Foods To Avoid.
Food effects everyone differently. Here's some foods that can cause headaches for some :-
Hot dog & mustard - Contains nitrates which dilates blood vessels, this can lead to head pain.
Chocolate - Contains tyramine, a chief suspect in causing headaches.
Nuts & Cheese - These also contain tyramine.
Drinking & Smoking.
We all know the problems we get with these two, don't we ? If you can't stop either, then cut down. Not only will your health improve, you'll save a lot of lovely cash as well.
Have A Sense Of Humour.
We all take life too seriously, and we put ourselves under a lot of unecessary pressure. The stresses of modern life will take it's toll eventually, so lighten up and have some fun before you finish up a wreck !
As a cronic headache sufferer myself, I've finally been able to change my life style and keep my headaches under control. Believe me, I've had my fair share of problems.
Thank you for reading my article, I hope you've found it interesting.
Author John Moore ... Please use my link.
http://www.information-city-online.com

5 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Lomi Lomi Treatment

5 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Lomi Lomi Treatment
 by: Tania Hodder
Anyone who's had a hawaiian lomi lomi massage from a skilled and caring practitioner knows very well the deep levels of relaxation and rejuvenation that can be achieved.
However, as powerful as lomi lomi massage is, there are specific things that we can do before and after the lomi lomi treatment to ensure that we get the absolute most out of the experience.
Here are my top 10 tips for getting the most out of your lomi lomi treatment.
1) Make your lomi lomi treatment your number 1 priority.
On the day of your lomi lomi booking, make sure that you organize yourself so that the most important thing in your day is your lomi lomi treatment. This means making sure that you clear your schedule so that you are free 1 hour either side of your lomi lomi treatment.
This will give you enough time to slow down and relax before your treatment, it will ensure you arrive on time without stress, and at the end of your lomi lomi, it will give you time to more slowly integrate back into your world, without having to rush back in.
2) Make sure you are clean and comfortable before your lomi lomi.
When we get onto a massage table, it's only natural that we can become a little self-conscious about our bodies.
In order to be able to relax, it's a good idea to shower before having a treatment. This will not only make sure that you are clean, smell nice and feel comfortable on the table, but will also begin the process of warming up your muscles and relaxing your system.
It is also a good idea for men to have a shave a couple of hours before-hand, so that the face massage is enjoyable (i.e. not rough) and for women, you may feel more comfortable if you have performed your hair removal routine a day or two before your lomi lomi treatment.
3) Make sure you are well hydrated before your lomi lomi.
As lomi lomi can be a fairly intensive treatment in terms of detoxifying the body, you will need to make sure that you are
well hydrated before your treatment.
Now this doesn't mean that you need to flood your body with water, but rather it means keeping a water bottle with you all day, and taking regular mouthfuls to keep your water levels topped up.
However, you shouldn't drink anything at least 3o minutes prior to your lomi lomi treatment, otherwise you may find yourself
needing to go to the bathroom in the middle of your lomi lomi.
In regards to food, it's good idea to avoid eating heavy food, such as meats, pastas and dairy at least an hour befor your lomi lomi treatment, this will help your system relax and ensure that your body's energies are free for healing and not spent in digesting food.
4) Create an intention for your lomi lomi treatment.
As lomi lomi works on treating the whole person, and we each create our own reality with our thoughts, creating an intention for how you would like the lomi lomi to help you is a powerful way to actually 'make it happen'. In fact, it turns the lomi lomi into a powerful 'prayer' for calling what you want into your life, whatever that may be.
"Ask, believe and you will receive!"
5) During your lomi lomi, breathe into your tension.
A skilled and intuitive lomi lomi practitioner will naturally be drawn to your areas of tension and although they will never 'force' their way into these areas, you may feel your body/muscles wanting to 'resist', which can result in some pain/discomfort.
The way to alleviate this is simply to breathe. When your lomi lomi practitioner finds an area that is particularly tense/painful, you should take a deep breath, and visually your breath going into that area.
Then, as you exhale you will feel the tension/pain dissolve as that area relaxes.
The key is to work with your practitioner and let them 'into' your body as they peel back the layers of tension, like removing the layers of an onion.
The philosophy of lomi lomi is where there is 'relaxation' there can be no illness!
After your lomi lomi, it's really nice to have a cleansing warm shower to wash away any lingering 'energy'.
It's also a good idea to go and sit somewhere peaceful, preferably in nature and allow yourself some time to 'come back to earth' and integrate the lomi lomi experience. This is especially so before getting behind the wheel and driving anywhere.
It's also a 'must' to drink plenty of water afterwards as the effects of the lomi lomi in detoxifying/healing your body will continue to work well after the treatment.
So there you have it. I hope these tips help you get the most out of your lomi lomi treatments as they have for myself and my clients.
Aloha!

Here's Hope for Parkinson's Disease

Here's Hope for Parkinson's Disease
 by: Doug Grant
Frank's 85 year-old father was in advanced stages of Parkinson's.
Confined to a wheelchair...his speech jumbled...his face frozen in a Parkinson Mask...he was hardly more than a vegetable.
Day after day, he sat, unmoving, unable to communicate. It broke Frank's heart to see the once robust, active man he always loved reduced to such a tragic state.
One day, a friend mentioned that simple sugars might help his father. Frank had never heard of them and was more than a bit skeptical. After all, they had already tried everything modern medicine had to offer.
But desperation drove Frank to check it out.
He was impressed with the logic of the science and the volume of clinical research available. This was obviously not some new miracle food with extravagant claims, backed by little or no real medical research.
Furthermore, he understood that simple sugars would be no more harmful than giving his dad a blueberry muffin. They were a food. Nothing more...nothing less.
He began with small doses. Then gradually increased the amount his father was taking until they reached the amount suggested by their Recovery Coach.
The results were amazing. Slowly, Frank's father was able to speak more normally. His face lost its frozen expression. And he regained some of his old energy and animation.
One afternoon, Frank's father asked to go bowling. This had been one of his favorite activities before the disease forced him to quit.
Frank was astounded and a bit apprehensive. After all, his father was still in a wheelchair. But the desire on his father's face was so intense he couldn't refuse.
The sound of rolling balls and flying pins was like a tonic to Frank's father. He sat up in his chair and looked around with excitement. After Frank placed his favorite bowling ball in his lap, he rolled himself up to the line on one of the lanes, swung the ball several times beside his chair and let it go.
Frank watched in amazement as the ball hit the pins. On that first try, his father had rolled a perfect strike.
When his father turned his chair around, he gave Frank a grin that split his face from ear to ear. It was one of the most precious moments in Frank's life.
WHAT ARE THESE SIMPLE SUGARS?
Just that. Simple one-molecule sugars. But eight sugars so essential to the body that they must be internally manufactured if not supplied in the diet...which seldom happens.
Although the simple sugars have no healing power, they are a vital part of every cell's communication system. Without them, a damaged cell cannot signal a need for resources to repair itself. Nor can good cells recognize bad cells, such as cancer cells, and trigger the immune system.
When a body becomes starved for simple sugars and does not have the resources to manufacture them, disease is often the result. By the same token, supplying the simple sugars, sometimes in large doses, often reverses the disease and the damage that has been done.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THESE SIMPLE SUGARS
There is a great deal of information available from both medical journals and consumer scientific magazines. It is worth looking into.
Simple sugars could be the key to renewed health for you, a family member, or a friend.

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!