updated health tips and articles

12/10/2010

Benefit of Grounding - Barefoot

Diana Garnica


The benefit of Grounding / Barefoot are amazing also? Grounding is a great tool that can dramatically increase your meditation powers and recenter your spirit and emotions. The idea is to push your extra energy into the ground and leave it there or draw energy from the ground to feel more powerful. One amazing benefit of Grounding / Barefoot also leaves you centered and focused for the rest of the day and is very beneficial in many other ways. Grounding is the way to connect to the Earth and channel any extra nervous energy away. If you do not have the time to meditate, there are other ways to connect to the Earth. For example you could walk barefoot or sit on the ground - any contact with the Earth can connect you and leave you in a much better state of mind.

The health benefits are enormous, as are the spiritual benefits, even if you "don't have a religion." When you are grounded, you have sent all of your nervous energy away (like the negative energy you picked up from media or cell phones). Your focus can become utterly clear and you can concentrate on any physical part of your anatomy to regulate how it works. You can cause your blood pressure to drops, your pulse to regulate and your neural patterns to remain calm because there is no extra adrenaline to pump through you.

Another Benefit of Grounding is that your lungs will fill more completely with deeper breaths and as a result you will get more oxygen to your brain. If you are relaxed and your blood pressure is contained, your whole body will relax and the rest of your life will fall into place. In addition, since meditation requires you to sit up with your back straight to achieve the full effect of it's healing properties, grounding while standing still can help. Any contact with the Earth is welcome, so if you'd like to walk barefoot instead of sitting on the hard Earth, you still get residual health benefits. Walking barefoot is good for weak foot arches, especially along different terrains. Not only can you be as calm as possible with grounding, but your body can begin to shape up with this activity as well.

The spiritual benefit of Grounding / Barefoot are amazing also. Using this particular activity keeps us healthy spiritually, which leads to higher self-esteem and a higher self worth. Grounding your energy is mandatory when you are about to perform heavy meditative procedures, because you cannot find your center if you are pumped full of the days thoughts and worries. In chakra exercises, it is best if you ground first and then begin to open up your chakras instead of trying to open them immediately upon entering a meditative state. For people who perform rituals or deal with Earth magic, grounding is viewed as two-way - you can push and pull as much energy as you need from the Earth, and therefore, focus completely on your task. The main idea of grounding is focus - whether you are using it for religious or health conscious purposes. Everyone understands that if you are spiritually healthy, the body will follow.

So let's do it, then. Let's go sit on the grassy knoll. Let's take our shoes off and take a walk in the forest and let the Earth do it's part in our health and well being by taking care of ourselves and bundling all of our nervous clips and stumbles into the ground. You and everyone around you will benefit from doing this activity, so why not try it?

Click here to visit the original article: Benefit of Grounding / Barefoot

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12/06/2010

Paleo Foods - The Diet Which Will Make One Strong and Lean

Mary Thomson


There are a number of people who go on different diet plans to stay in good shape and look good. However, most of these diet plans do more harm to the body than doing good and hence they end up causing more health issues. Nowadays a lot of people are following the Paleo diet which is known to show effect without harming the body.

The word Paleo is derived from the word Paleolithic and this paleo diet is also known as the ancestor diet. The reason for this is that this diet uses the recipes used during that era which is roughly about 2.5 million years ago. It is a well known fact that our ancestors were extremely healthy and strong and at the same time lean as well. This is mainly because of their diet and their way of life.

Shifting to a Paleo diet will make significant changes in the way one eats and also make a significant change in the metabolism. These foods will mainly include raw foods and hence boost the metabolism which will result in weight loss. At the same time following a regular exercise regime will help tone the muscles and help one become leaner as well as stronger.

The Paleo diet is healthy because it is packed with healthy natural ingredients and hence very healthy. Most often than not people end up snacking on high fat foods and sugary foods which end up getting stored as fat and this makes one overweight. With the paleo diet and the raw foods one get the necessary nutrients and the fresh veggies and fruits show their benefits well. But yes all this has to be coupled up with proper exercise only then will diet show proper effect. The best thing about this diet plan is that it does not devoid the body of any nutrients and provides a complete balanced nutrition.

You should know about Paleo food list if you are planning for dieting. Click here to know more about Paleo food list

12/02/2010

Health Tourism is Alive and Well

Lance Winslow

We are so lucky in the United States to have one of the best health care systems in the world. Perhaps it is because we have the best medical schools, best doctors, best pharmaceuticals, best medical diagnostic equipment, and well, you get the picture. It is truly amazing how many people come to the US to get special operations. Recently, the King of Saudi Arabia came to the US to get an operation, and think about it, he has enough money to go anywhere in the world, but he chose the US, for obvious reasons.

Health Care Tourism means being alive and well, and folks will do just about anything to stay alive. Not long ago, a citizen from India went to the UK to have an operation; unfortunately she also had a terrible infection from a superbug and brought that with her also. This is one risk of health tourism, as folks move around the planet. Luckily, that's not all that typical, and there are lots of reasons for the increase in Health Care Tourism these days.

For the most part folks do it to either get the best care that money can buy, to save money, to combine a vacation trip with an operation, or to have an operation that is not covered by their health care program or socialist nation. For whatever reason and individual chooses to take part in heath tourism - be sure it is a growing sector world-wide.

Folks in the US often go to other countries to get risky operations that no doctor in the US will do because their malpractice insurance will not cover them, or because they have pre-existing conditions that are not covered by the patient's health care plan. Many folks go to Mexico to get dental work done due to the high costs and the reality that many are not covered on their healthcare plans for dental work.

In some countries the cost to say in a hospital might be well under $100 per day, thus an operation with hospital stay is now affordable, whereas in the US it could bankrupt a family. Indeed, other nations have fewer regulations on their heath care industry, which helps keep costs low, but then again on the flip side is the reality that it can be a Buyer's Beware risky game. Therefore, there are many online groups which get together and patients can compare notes on those risks/rewards/costs and accommodations.

In the EU there are many procedures and drugs which are approved there, but they are not in the US - often folks will use this as an excuse to see Europe, get their operation and treatment and their cost savings pays for their entire trip. It's an interesting development in this Global World, but as always - do your homework, do your due-diligence, and check the credentials and reviews from others first. Caveat Emptor - please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes it's hard work to write 22,000 articles; http://www.bloggingcontent.net/

11/16/2010

Deodorant Chemicals - What You Need to Know

Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp


In today's modern society, we are expected to use a wide range of body and skin care products to enhance the way we look - and to keep things like body odour to a minimum. However, many of these products contain harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc with allergies and create illness where there was none.

Here are the most common chemicals used in deodorants that you should avoid buying. Aluminum, parabens, propylene glycol, and fragrance.

Aluminum - One main concern with deodorants is related to their high levels of aluminum salts. Aluminum chloride, aluminum carbohydrate and aluminum zirconium chlorhydrate glycine complexes can make up 25 percent of the weight of the deodorant/antiperspirant, which is not healthy - especially in Western cultures where most women shave their underarms, resulting in more skin absorption of the harmful substances. Aluminum has also been linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Parabens - These are another concern related to deodorants. Parabens may be listed on labels as: methyl parabens, ethyl parabens, propyl parabens, butyl parabens, isobutyl parabens or E216. These parabens have shown particularly troubling links to cancer, present and intact in breast tumours. Studies have also shown that parabens affect the body much like estrogens do - diminishing muscle mass, allowing for extra storage of fat and prompting male gynecomastia (breast growth).

Propylene Glycol - found in thousands of cosmetic products - to help moisturize. It is also an ingredient used in anti-freeze and brake fluid, so it's no surprise that it could cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.

Fragrance - found in many deodorants. While it may seem harmless, it should be avoided as it can cause allergies and lung problems. Unfortunately, the priority of most companies that sell beauty products is their financial bottom line, not your long-term health. Ultimately, we can't ignore the fact that all the chemicals we use on our body may increase our risk of developing cancer. Knowledge is power, but you have to act on that knowledge.

Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp, B.Sc., D.C. is co-author of the book Wellness On The Go: Take the plunge - it's Your Life! and the founder of http://www.roadmaptowellness.com an on-line wellness education program. Dr. Beauchamp is a chiropractor, a certified personal fitness trainer, a professional natural bodybuilder, a TV personality, a corporate wellness consultant and an inspirational speaker.

As the co-author of the book Wellness On The Go, I would like to invite you to claim instant access to 3 chapters of my book by visiting http://www.wellnessonthegofreechapters.com

11/14/2010

Build a Lasting Healthy Legacy

Shelli Thompson


I know that people talk all the time about how we start looking like our pets or vice-a-versa and then we start to notice and think that is indeed true. It goes so much deeper than that, it's about building a healthy legacy.

I notice that families all seem to be similar. Whether they are short, tall, big, small, families, just like their pets start to look and act like each other in undeniable ways.

It is really up to the leader of the family to take control and set a healthy example and offer healthy choices for meals and in general. This may be a parent, a grandparent or a care taker but either way they are setting up a legacy and starting a pathway to a healthy legacy or an unhealthy legacy.

So much of the time people don't have a clue on what is right and that many times is due to the media, just plain old peer pressure, or the pressure from kids wanting to keep up with what everyone has or is doing.

First and foremost is that we are setting an example for the next generation, look at your self and decide if that is the legacy you would like to leave. Is it one of health or disease?

Keeping in mind that putting more in than is going out is a recipe for weight gain. We need to look at the different ways of burning off calories throughout the day, how to fit in regular exercise and how to eat healthier.

The most important thing I see repeatedly is that so many of us need to turn off the TV. Honestly 4 hours a day of TV watching by the average American is just a waste of time. Heck, that's more than we watch in a week.

Schedule in a work out and make it a priority in your life. Exercise burns calories, raises metabolism, burns fat, reduces cholesterol, increases bone and muscle density, improves circulation and flexibility and the list goes on and on.

Take regular breaks from the desk at work or at home, go outside, stretch, walk do anything but look at a computer screen. Speaking of eyes, look away outside preferably at a distance from your computer screen when ever you get a chance.

Stop watching the evening news; they get all of their information from the paper anyways. By choosing to read the paper, we decide on what news we let in, what we need to know and the best part is that we get to leave the useless, negative information out, we save time by not sitting through endless commercials and useless stories that don't concern us.

Make the kids go outside and play. That's what we all did when the diabetes and obesity levels were much lower. So many kids sit in front of computers, video games, TV sets it is just a crying shame. Get the kids involved in sports or an outside activity.

Read the labels on the food you serve your family, know what to look for and if you are not sure, ask someone who knows. Know the good fats from the bad and how much sodium is too much.

When you go to the grocery store shop around the perimeter of the grocery area where the fresh, healthy food items are typically located, always buy organic products but look at the label first.

Eat slower and don't drink too much with your meal. Fill stomach 1/2 full with food, 1/4 with fluid (warm or room temperature) and 1/4 empty for digestion, this will allow for proper processing and assimilation of the food we eat.

Last but certainly not least, make sure and BE what you want to SEE. If you set a healthy example for young ones, then they will most likely be more health conscious. Discontinue ingesting fast foods and see how fast health improves.

11/12/2010

The Water and The Human's Health

Stan V Johnson


There is no more mysterious and amazing substance than water. The explanation of its characteristics is hidden in its molecular and intermolecular structure.

But for us the water is firstly the most important component of the human organism, providing the connection of the outer and the inner world, the transportation of the substances between the cells and the organs. The water corresponds the main medium of the metabolic process as it is a solvent of organic and inorganic substances. The water forms a part of different systems of organic substances. For example, each gram of glycogen (animal starch) contains 1.5 ml of water, and each gram of protein contains 3 ml of water. Such structures as cell membranes, transporting particles of blood, macromolecular and supramolecular structures are formed with the help of water. In the process of the metabolism and the oxidation of the hydrogen, which forms a part of the substrates (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), endogenous "oxidation water" is generated, and its amount depends on the species of disintegrating substrates and the metabolic rate. So, during the oxidation of 100 g of fat more than 100 ml of liquid are formed, 100 g proteins - about 40 ml water, 100 g carbohydrates - 55 ml water. The rise of energy metabolism leads to the sharp growth of the amount of endogenous water.

But endogenous water is not enough for provision of water medium of metabolic processes, especially the excretion in the dissolved form of metabolic products. Particularly, the rise of the consumption of the proteins and respectively their final transformation in the urea, which is removed from the organism with the urine, leads to the inevitable growth of the loss of water in the kidneys, which demands of the heightened flux of water into the organism. When passing to the carbohydrate diet with the little quantity of common salt NaCl reduces the need of the organism in water.

The total amount of liquid in the organism of a human depends on its mass and averages 38-42 liters. Its content in different tissues varies from 10% in the adipose tissue to 83-90% in the kidneys and blood. With the years the amount of water in the organism is lessening, so as in the case of obesity. Women have less water in the organism than men.

The water in the organism forms two water spaces: intracellular (2/3 of the whole water volume) and extracellular (the whole water volume). In pathology there appears one more water space - water of the body cavities: abdominal, pleural, etc. The extracellular water space includes two sectors: 1) intravascular water sector, i.e. blood plasma, the volume of which is about 4-5 % of the body mass, and 2) interstitial or intercellular water sector, containing ¼ of all the water of the organism (15% of the body mass). It is more movable, changing the volume if there is a redundancy or deficiency in water. (Remember this peculiarity, we will return to it when talking about the mechanism of the "summer" cleaning of joints). All the aqua in the organism is renewed approximately once a month and intercellular aqua space - once a week. (And this peculiarity is also very important for determination of the duration of the "summer" cleanings).

The redundant inflow of water leads to its accumulation if few water is exuded, and this shift of the water balance is called hyperhydration. In this case aqua is mostly accumulated in the interstitial aqua sector. The significant hyperhydration declares itself in water intoxication. Water intoxication can be followed by the excitation of nerve cells and the onset of muscular spasms.

The defective inflow or the redundant excretion of water leads to the reduction of liquid spaces, mostly of the interstitial sector. This is called the dehydration. It can be followed by the hemoconcentration, the worsening of its properties and abnormalities of hemodynamics. The reduction of water in the organism to 20 % of the body mass leads to the fatal outcome.

The system of regulation of the water balance provides the main life processes: firstly, the maintenance of the constancy of the water volume in the organism, secondly, the optimal distribution of water between the aqua spaces and sectors. The activity of kidneys, other eliminative organs, drinking water consumption and thirst are referred to the factors of the maintenance of relative aqua constancy.

The significance of water as a solvent is especially important, because all the substances absorbable in the blood or the lymph are preliminarily resolved in water. The liquid transfers the nutrients to the cells and removes decay products, which are removed from the organism by the kidneys and sudoriferous glands.

Besides, the oxidation processes are progressing in the water, and the oxidative breakdown very often goes on with the addition of the water molecule.

Also the water takes part in the regulation of the body temperature: vaporizing, it cools the body and lowers the temperature. The water protects from the heat exhaustion in the hot places, under the sun and during the long passages. Finally, the water enter in the composition of the digestive juices, the fluids of the gastrointestinal tract.

The need of the human in aqua is 2-2.5 liters per day. This liquid comes to the organism from the following sources: 1) the water consumed as a drinking (900-1200 ml) and containing in the food (900-1000 ml) 2) the water that is made in the organism as a result of chemical transformation of the nutrients (300-350 ml (endogenous, oxidations).

The main organs that remove water from the organism are the kidneys, sudoriferous glands, lungs and bowels.

The kidneys remove 1-1.5 liters of aqua a day with the urine. Sudoriferous glands remove 500 - 1000 ml in usual conditions and in the hot place or at hard work the perspiration increases.

The lungs remove 350-400 ml of water by liquid vapor. This quantity is sharply increased when the breathing is getting deeper and quicker, and 800 ml of water can be removed in a day.

The bowels remove 100-150 ml of water with the stool.

The ratio of the consumed water to the removed water makes up a water balance. The water consummation should fully cover the water discharge. It is important for the normal activity of the organism or as a result of the loss of water there will be serious abnormalities of the vital functions.

Stan V Johnson
Calendar clock.

11/10/2010

Sweat - Element of Positivity or Negativity?

Wayne RUbens


What comes to your mind when you are thinking of sweat? Well for people who concerned about how fit they are always seeing sweat as a price for working their bodies. They see it as a necessity for fitness.

Sweat comes out of the body after the body has been put through amount of work. In such a condition, the body gives up some of the calories in it and some water as well.

However a lot of people have their own meaning for the sweat they encounter. For some of them it is a sign of tiredness and fatigue. But is this true of sweat? These people are only finding excuse for being in poor fitness shape. This is because the climbing of a normal stairs should not make you sweat that much, and it does not necessary mean you are sick and weak.

And for categories of people, sweat is the element of positivity or negativity. For those who are into fitness and love to exercise, sweat is a good sign and it only tell how great they are doing as far as working the body is concerned. On the other hand, sweat is a negative sign and they feel very uneasy about it.

And for a lot of these people, just this idea makes them start visiting the training centres to do a bit on their bodies. Some of these folks have not done this before but they are gingered to work out their bodies at the training centres.

But if you have not done some physical training before, you might find it difficult to know exactly how your body responds work outs but it should not be a worry at all. And instead of thinking bad about the sweat, you should be glad and happy because it a good sign and not a bad one.

Can you just imagine how strange you can look when soaked in sweat and you have no towel to clean up? That is the very reason you need to get to the exercise centre with a towel. Because working out the body will always give out sweat and a towel is all you need to cater for this sweat. If possible go with an extra towel, you probably cannot tell how much you can sweat.

Some people belief in using their sweat to measure the amount of work out you has done. For them it is always better than the strict dictates of clock. So they can tell when the work out is going well and when to end it. Perhaps it is time you discarded the ugly thought about sweat to help you get some training for your fitness and health.

More of guitar reviews at Rocket Spanish review and Guitar Superstars.

11/08/2010

Manage Your Health and Healthcare Professionals - Don't Let Them Manage You

Tamera L Nielsen

The days of blindly trusting our doctors are over. It's not because our doctors don't care - although that may be true for some - it is largely due to the bureaucratic hoops they must jump through to stay afloat.

Whatever the reason, patient advocacy - having an empathetic, educated advisor by your side - can mean the difference between regaining your good health status or withering - or worse.

Be it chronic disease, cancer, or other life-altering illnesses, you can create more joy and find healthier ways to manage your health issues so they don't manage you. Your family and friends can be objective and resourceful, but only to a certain point. It's natural for our loved ones to impart their own views instead of providing resourceful, objective options for you to consider.

Looking back on my battle with uncontrolled, undiagnosed seizures, I would have given anything to regain control of my body. As it turned out, I lost everything trying to salvage my good health.

For seven years, I endured countless medical tests and invasive, painful procedures to diagnose my seizure disorder. Pros at some of the top teaching hospitals in the country along with numerous medical professionals and facilities could not come to a conclusive diagnosis or treatment.

Averaging fifteen seizures a month - most gut-wrenchingly painful - others simply debilitating, I found myself trapped in a maze of medical mismanagement and mind-blowing drugs.

Seizure medication alters the central nervous system and brain chemistry so severely it can render a person listless - even speechless.

It did me.

Not only had I been controlled by the medical professionals 'treating' me, but a pharmacist inadvertently dispensed twice as much medication as I was prescribed.

I sat amidst nearly 50 people at a Halloween party literally immobile from an erroneous overdose of Lamictal. I recall wondering - at that party - if this was how a comatose patient felt: aware, but unable to express. I wondered if this was how my life would play out - in my thirties: A high-energy step-mom, career-driven bread winner, gym-rat-turned-paralyzed dolt.

Not a pretty picture and an awful feeling.

At least - I reasoned - that I wasn't passed out and convulsing on the floor of a ceramic-tiled shower stall, on a busy street, or in an airport - as I had before.

Some family members even chose to distance themselves from me saying it was "too scary" to be around me.

Time and again I begged my doctors to get me "off" the medications that were making me more ill and incapacitated, but they refused. They 'advised' me that I'd have more - or more severe - seizures if I went off of drugs. So, they increased the dosages, added more medications atop the ever-growing arsenal.

At one point I was on 12 different mind-altering medications. It was insane. The only drug that worked, Topamax made my already-petite frame drop 20 pounds in less than a month. To say I was angry and afraid would be an understatement.

A hideous nightmare ensued. My life, my identity - as I knew it - vanished.

No work. No gym. No basketball or painting with my step-daughter. Joyfulness dwindled as my health continued to deteriorate along with my support system. There were days when I was thrilled if I could make it out of the house - in a wheelchair.

Fast-forwarding, I ditched all the drugs, bolted from the medical professionals, moved across the country, lost everything and everyone - including my step-daughters, husband, career, and sense of self-worth - and luckily fell into the healing hands of a tai-chi yoga practitioner who taught me to control my seizures.

Choosing an alternative route such as this was a desperate choice of survival. Besides, I had nothing left to lose.

Anton Simper of Royal Oak, Michigan worked with me in three-hour increments once a week for nearly a year. I paid cash for the sessions - without an income or disability benefits.

By the end of that year, I was seizure-free and in control of my body and the bodily earthquakes, which had once ruled every aspect of my life.

Mind clear.

Free to drive without fear.

Free to live, work, exercise, and play again without medical intervention was a liberating, empowering, and joyous victory - regardless of the enormous price I paid.

Anton recognized that I had a fairly unusual condition that could be monitored with specific poses and breathing techniques, which ultimately enabled me to control my seizures.

Through all of my medical visits, research, travels, and pleadings, I found only two doctors who agreed that Postural Orthostatic Intolerance (POTS) or Neurocardiogenic Syncope - of which I have been "markedly" diagnosed - can cause autonomic nervous system seizures. They, at the time, were unable render a successful treatment.

Luckily, Anton did.

I still have seizure auras (warnings that a seizure is about to occur), but the moment I feel them, I immediately pose and breathe as Anton showed me. I control the seizure activity; it no longer controls me. I rarely have episodes of convulsing. At this post, it's been 18 months since I endured a seizure.

I will close this entry with a reiteration of my previous statement: Patient advocacy is sometimes necessary to improve -or save - a person's health, well-being, lifestyle - and perhaps more.

Through resourceful research, tenacity, and compassionate objectivity, perhaps I could help you manage your health issue so it doesn't manage you - or worse.

http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tamera_L_Nielsen

11/07/2010

Drug Abuse in Organizations and at a Personal Level

Satish Singh Negi

Research has recently shown that there has been a high rate of drug abuse amongst the working population. The highest number of this has reportedly been amongst workers involved in transportation and moving industries, construction workers, service occupation workers, food industries and more. The alarming rates of the illicit drug abuse - including alcohol had made regular leaves, protests by the employees against the employee, thefts, low production rates etc a commonplace at the workstations.

For the above stated reasons, organizations are largely conducting employee screening for drugs or alcohol - the most common an old technique is the breath alcohol test. But it is seen that alcohol can be detected even after 2 days in the hair, thus this test is more effective when compared to the breath alcohol test which detects alcohol ranging from a few hours to twenty-four hours of its intake.

Certain industries are regulated by the DOT, that is, the United States Department of Transportation. As per The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991, the employees in the transportation sector such as - aviation, trucking, railroads, pipelines etc requires the respective employees to undergo a drug and alcohol test.

Besides the DOT drug screen, there are other companies which are not included in the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act, yet they are practicing the drug and alcohol tests due to employee productivity concerns. It has been observed by many organizations that their competent workforce has not been delivering as much as their potency is, are lethargic at work etc.

Also, these tests are not just limited to organizations, but they can also be used privately, for instance, by parents, to keep a check on their teenage child, or by a wife on her husband (by the way, men are within the bracket of one of the highest drug abusers), and more. The non dot drug test can also be taken for government employees.

Taking such tests, even though they are non DOT drug tests, on the part of the employee should be taken as a team building, motivational exercise, only to boost one's self-confidence and on the employer's part, it is indeed a very commendable and voluntary move taken by organizations to set up for the workplace a better environment.

At any level, be it a DOT drug screen, or a Non DOT drug test, one must not be reluctant to take the test. Once this fact is understood, the whole environment will change around us, only to tell us that we took the step for the better of not only ourselves, but also our folks, friends and co workers.

For more information about non dot drug test, DOT drug screen and breath alcohol test please visit: http://www.neweradrugtesting.com


11/06/2010

The Biggest Danger of Poor Health - Going Broke

Debbie Russell

You'll never guess where I got the inspiration for this article. From the back of my cereal box! Suzy Orman, one of America's leading personal finance experts says the following:

"A healthier you means a wealthier you! Taking care of your health saves you money. You will spend less on medical care, qualify for the lowest life insurance rates, and have a reduced need to retire early due to health issues. Take care of your health and your wealth will follow."

According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a retired couple will need over $600,000 in the bank to ensure they have enough money to cover their medical costs and that's above and beyond what Medicare covers. Part of the reason for such high expense is the fact that the cost of health care in the United States is the highest in the world. People in the country spent 15% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on health care. The second highest is Switzerland who only spent 11% of their GDP, a whole 4 percentage points less.

But the major deciding factor of whether you'll get to enjoy any of the money you saved for retirement and whether you'll be spending it all on treating the disease that is destroying your quality of life will be how you take care of yourself now. 75% of the money spent on health care costs went towards the treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma. According to the Center for Disease Control, about 50% of all chronic disease cases were preventable or stemmed from bad health habits such as smoking.

The only way to keep yourself from going broke paying for chronic health problems that can be easily avoided is to take care of your health. This goes beyond getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding health destroying habits like smoking. This also means avoiding toxic foods, polluted atmospheres, and personal care products filled with dangerous chemicals.

You've probably heard so much about the toxins contained in the mainstream food supply and the dangers of using most of the personal care products found on store shelves that you probably think it is all one big scare tactic. But the truth is that even something as innocuous as bottled water can be hazardous to your health.

First, it is a myth that bottled water is purer than what you can get out of the tap. Some bottled water has been shown to be more polluted than local tap water and other bottled waters are actually filtered tap water in disguise. Secondly, the plastic bottles can leach bisphenol-A (BPA) into the water which the majority of experts believe is linked to heart disease, obesity, hormone disruption, and other health issues.

There are two things you can do to protect your good health and improve any existing health challenges you may be struggling with. You should phase the toxic products out of your life and replace them with greener, healthier options. This includes switching over to organic foods and using personal care products made from natural ingredients the support health and wellness.

Switching over to green products offers many benefits including:

* Healthier products that work with the body's functions instead of throwing them out of whack and causing bigger health problems to develop.
* Some health problems, such as allergies, are the result of being exposed to toxic products that cause inflammation in the body.
* Reduce your susceptibility some degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's
* Increase energy, productivity, and vitality
* Improve the environment for everyone

Finding green products is as easy as ever. In the past you had to find specialty stores that often only offered a small selection of products. Today, however, natural and organic products are everywhere. To save time and money, the best place to get these products is to shop online and I found a great place where you have access to over 22,000 green products all in one place. My online mall works with hundreds of green retailers to bring you a wide selection of products and you'll earn cash back on your purchases.

Not only will you improve the health of your body but you'll make your wallet feel better also. Good health and increased wealth are the best gifts you can give yourself.

Debbie Russell is a marketing veteran who's sudden job loss made her appreciate that she had developed a profitable Plan B for just such an occasion. If you believe life favors the prepared, go to her website http://www.debbierussell.me for tips and tools to help you create a Plan B that finances your dreams. To find out how you can generate a full time income with the Ultimate Savings Machine, visit my online business tour.

11/05/2010

Eight Ways to Stay Healthy During Flu and Cold Season

Katie Evan


1. Get a flu shot. It's the #1 way to avoid the flu. It is impossible for you to catch the flu from a flu shot.

2. If you feel the flu coming on-achy, feverish-as soon as possible, take oscillococcinum. I know, it's an impossible name. It's a naturopathic remedy available in most drug stores. It really staves off full blown flu.

3. If you feel the flu or a cold coming on, take Emergen C. It's 1000 mg. of vitamin C and other vitamins in a dissolvable form. Drink it in a small glass of water and repeat every hour. You'll know you've had enough when you start to get a little diarrhea. Cut back on your intake.

4. If you go travel, take Air Borne at the first sign of a cold or the flu. It may help minimize the symptoms.

5. Wash your hands as soon as you return home-every time.

6. If you have kids, use paper towels in the bathroom for hands. If that's too expensive, allocate a specific towel to each child. Damp towels are a primary way cold and flu germs are transmitted.

7. If you feel the flu coming on, immediately go home from work, drink at least 2 glasses of water and all the stuff listed above and GO TO BED. You will take at least 2 days off your illness if you take care of yourself at the beginning. You will also remove yourself from the workplace and not give it to your co-workers, for which they and your boss will be very grateful.

8. Above all, listen to your body and don't be a "tough guy/gal." You're not impressing anyone by being stupid!

I would like to invite you to continue on your path to better health by receiving "Your Lighten Me Up Tip of the Day". Claim your FREE subscription by simply going to http://livinglitenow.com/intro.htm

Katie Evans is the Founder of the Living Lite Hypnosis Centers: http://www.livingliteathome.com

11/04/2010

What Is Health and Wellness?

Thomas R. Melton

So much emphasis is placed on health and wellness these days it seems every where you turn you see or hear something about one or both of them. Have you ever considered what the terms health and wellness mean? Health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (abnormal condition). This is only one attempt to define health. There are as many definitions of health as there are people because most people seem to perceive health in terms of their own ability to function according to their own perception of what is normal. Now that we know what health means, lets take a look at the definition of wellness.

Wellness can be defined as a state in which an individual of a given sex and at a given stage of growth and development is capable of meeting the minimum physical, physiological, and social requirements for appropriate functioning in the given sex category and at the given growth and developmental level. Another definition of wellness is a dynamic state of health in which an individual progresses toward a higher level of functioning, achieving an optimum balance between internal and external environments.

From the definitions of health and wellness, it is easy to see why a health history is requested when you see your physician or other health care professionals. Information requested may include your health history, family health history, diet, and exercise. Depending on the health care professional you are seeing, other information may be requested. Why is such a comprehensive history important to your physician or other health care professional? History provided by you gives your doctor or health care professional the most important tool to diagnose your condition and provide you with proper treatment. In other words, when you provide an honest and complete health history, family history, medical history, diet and exercise information you provide your doctor or health care professional an insight regarding your health and wellness. Societal values also influence how an individual feels about maintaining a certain level of health. To summarize, health means many things. It is a sense of complete well-being and the absence of disease. Each person's health falls somewhere on a line between the extremes of good health and illness. For the individual, the existence or absence of health is usually not determined solely by laboratory test or medical pronouncements but also by the expectations created within his/her particular society.

"If you have your health, you have everything," people say to one another and generally they understand what is meant.

Thomas R. Melton

I have diabetes type 2, and a background in medicine and mental health. I am currently a substitute teacher during the school year, and work on my blog during the full year to try to improve and add to it.

http://www.successfullivingwithdiabetes.com
http://www.tom-melton.com

11/03/2010

A Brief Look at the Fine Print of the Healthy Lifestyle of People on the Go

Marisa Singhnarinaath

Having a healthy lifestyle is a major concern of most people, especially people on the go. The demands of modern living can extract a heavy toll on our health and well-being. It seems that we have a lot of things to do with very limited time. Some people resort to cutbacks and walk around certain things in order to catch their breath and enjoy the much needed break from their stressful daily routines.

The problem with people leading a hectic daily lifestyle is that too many priorities and commitments tend to load up their schedules that they are left with so little time to attend to their health concerns. While we all agree that we need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, if we don't take action we may be looking at serious health issues and problems sooner than we expect.

So, how can you lead a healthy lifestyle? What must be done if we want to achieve a healthy balance of our daily activities? These are serious issues that we need to attend to and if seriously considered, will lead you to discover that these are not as complicated or challenging as you would tend to believe.

Assess your regular daily routine

If you really want to achieve a healthier lifestyle, it is essential that you start by looking at your normal daily routine. Look at the common activities and tasks that you perform on a daily basis. Are these activities and tasks potential sources of stress? Establish your priorities and decide which are important and which are not. Look at activities that you can possibly omit from your daily routine or tasks which you can reduce the frequency of occurrence.

Engage in activities that promote a healthy lifestyle

Once you are able to achieve a less stressful daily routine, your next task would be to decide on activities that will give you a healthier lifestyle. This becomes easier as you now have more time to do things or engage in activities that will enhance your overall health and well-being.

Adopt a healthy diet

This is a no-brainer. You can never claim that you are leading a healthier lifestyle if you don't take on a healthy diet. So, what constitute a healthy diet? A healthy diet consists of high energy food such as whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. You must also cut back on your intake of processed foods and food items that are high in processed or refined sugar.

Adopt a healthy exercise regimen that is appropriate for your age

Surely, you would want to adopt an exercise routine that can help you achieve better health and well-being. You must adopt a weight and resistance training program that is matched with the appropriate cardio-exercise. Make sure that you select a program that you will enjoy doing and you must perform the exercise routine on a consistent basis.

This is the critical fine print of a healthy lifestyle. Once you are able to cover them, you will be able to achieve a healthier body and mind in no time at all.

11/02/2010

Doctor Reviews - The Top Questions To Ask Your Primary Physician

Andrew Stratton

After you have found an ideal doctor that suits your needs, your next step may be setting up a time for an initial consultation after reading doctor reviews. Past this step, you may not know what to expect or what to prepare for. Simply having a physician you feel comfortable around is more fortunate than what most people have, but what should you be asking this person? If you are curious or even nervous about your upcoming initial visit, here are some great questions to ask your clinician.

Which type of insurance you accept?

This is a big one and you want to make sure you cover it. You may have found the physician of your dreams, but what if you cannot afford to pay for his or her help? This would be a pity to discover later on in the case of an emergency. Most doctor reviews will make you aware of this.

How can I get a hold of you in the case of an emergency/What weekly hours do you practice?

Once your insurance inquiry is cleared up, you will want to discuss contact information and availability. Your primary clinician will most likely be the first person you contact in the event that you think you need medical attention. Make sure you know when and how to get in touch with this person when you are in need.

Can I get answers to simple questions without having to schedule an appointment?

This is a question that can be a big benefit to all parties involved. If any public service was ever utterly dependent on time, it is medicine. Find out if your doctor will be able to help you over the phone, or if there are portions of the day when you can potentially stop by and have a question answered quickly. Schedules are usually filled to capacity on any given day, as many people need immediate attention and care. Having to shuffle around your day-to-day schedule can be a real headache, so why go through the stress needlessly?

Do you mostly prescribe generic medications and are you open to non-traditional medical treatments?

Depending on what types of medication and treatments you are able to take or are comfortable with, a doctor without alternatives can be a problem. This can be important to know when the unexpected happens. Find out what your practitioner knows about other remedies that you may have heard of. Remember, a great physician is one that listens and gives advice, so ask about anything you are curious of regarding treatment procedures.

Are all the vaccinations and lab tests done in your office or might I have to go to a different facility? It can be a real drag to find out you have to schedule another appointment at another treatment center to have a specific test done. Everyone has a busy schedule and most of us do not like unexpected turns in our day. This will be good to know in advance when planning a trip to the doctor if you think you may have something such as blood work done.

Try to be as open and free around your practitioner as you can. Ask these questions and any others that you may have in regards to your new clinician's practice, or figure out the answers by reading doctor reviews. Do this and you will find out if the physician in question will be able to help you for years to come.

Doctor reviews will help you make some of the most important decisions you will ever make. To learn more please see: http://www.doctorreviewsonline.com/

11/01/2010

Stress Reduction and the Science of Breath

Cody Moss

It's time to rethink everything you know about breathing--it just might be the key ingredient in conquering stress and fighting off disease. It might not seem like much, but breathing is the simplest and most effective way to improve your life, your health, and your mind.

Let's start this thing off with a little exercise. Inhale for a ten second count, concentrate on breathing into your diaphragm, and expanding your ribs--hold your breath for four counts-now exhale for two counts, concentrate on pulling your belly-button to your spine. Repeat this breathing pattern nine times...

By now a couple of things have happened physiologically.

First off, you should feel pretty relaxed from the deep breathing, second your body was quite literally doing some housecleaning: detoxing your body of the types of toxins that cause cancer, arthritis, and heart disease, just to name some of the big ones. So now that you're feeling relaxed and focused let's break down a little of the science behind breathing.

Your lymph system is twice the size of the "other" circulatory system. That means there's twice as many lymph vessels as there are blood vessels. The function of the lymph system is key to your health. The lymphatic system is responsible for the absorption of excess fluid and its return to the blood stream, the absorption of fat, and immune system function. So to put it real simple: a health lymph system should be high on everybody's priority list. Which only leaves one question: how do you stimulate lymph system functions?

When it comes to blood flow, circulation is improved by increasing the heart rate. When it comes to the lymphatic system: movement, gravity, and breathing are the only ways to get the right fluids flowing. So let's look at a couple exercises designed to give a serious boost to your lymphatic system.
Let's go step by step.

Go back to our first breathing exercise: Inhale for a ten second count, concentrate on breathing into your diaphragm, and expanding your ribs--hold your breath for four counts-now exhale for two counts, concentrate on pulling your belly-button to your spine. Repeat ten times.

This deep breathing will relax your muscles and start an uninhibited flow of detoxifying fluids. Next try adding some movement and gravity. Two of the best classic standby exercises: jump rope and the mini-trampoline offer some of the best lymph stimulation possible owing to the vertical motion of each exercise. If you can fit in at the least five minutes a day on the rope or the trampoline, you'll notice the results.
For a more advanced practice the "warrior" pose from Yoga will also be particularly helpful in giving a boost to your lymph system while opening up the leg and the hip muscles.

Or for another standby, try rotating your upper body in slow motion circles, while holding a medicine ball.

Greenville, Simpsonville Personal Trainer

Cody has 12 years experience as a personal trainer. He started his career at the University of Washington as an instructor. He was in charge of running a beginning weightlifting class and was the creator of many new classes because of the demand for his knowledge and leadership skills. From there he trained at a corporate gym while gaining knowledge in the studies of human movement. He now has his own business with numerous pleased and fulfilled clients.

Greenville, Simpsonville Personal Training

10/31/2010

General Knowledge About Life Care Plans For All Stages Of Life

Shauna RUpert

Caring for those who are unable to care for themselves, either because of special needs, age or physical injury, can place an immense strain on family members and their finances. Depending on the level of the disability, your loved one may need around the clock care, which is just not realistic for those who have to work full time. Fortunately there are various facilities that offer different levels of care based on the needs of the patient and their family.

Life care offers care for the elderly when they are no longer able to care for themselves. What is life care? This is a facility that offers multiple levels of care for aging patients whether they need a little assistance or require full time care. These communities offer seniors a chance to socialize and otherwise live rewarding lives with professionals close at hand in the event assistance is needed. Some can live in their own apartments with staff providing food services; others might need more of a hospital-type setting due to illness. And others still, might require more intensive care due to dementia. No matter the situation, a life care facility is often the best choice as it serves the patients through all phases of the aging process.

For those with disabilities, independent living is the goal. What is independent living? This allows those with disabilities to live in society without the stigma that often is associated with physical or mental limitations. The independent living concept hinges on the idea that those with disabilities can be productive members of society. With coping skills and education, most of those with disabilities can live quite successfully on their own, without placing an additional burden on their families.

With healthcare being an integral part of life care and independent living, assessing the patient's healthcare needs will also play a role in the level of care chosen for an individual. What is healthcare? This can range from giving the patient daily medication, to monitoring vital signs to arranging doctor's visits. Depending on the patient's ability to do this on their own, a caretaker will often take on many of these roles.

With family members still leading very busy lives, mapping out a plan for life care for an aging or disabled love one is the best way to insure they receive proper care. This prevents the family from becoming overwhelmed and developing resentment. With this freedom, family members can enjoy the relationship which is mutually rewarding for both patient and loved ones. You can get the answers to many of your life care and healthcare questions on general knowledge as well as question and answer websites.

MayaQA is the largest repository of factual questions and answers on the Web. This General Knowledge website features an ever-growing (1 million+) answers to common questions in multiple languages. Questions are neatly categorized by field of interest. MayaQA offers the most targeted contextual advertising platform money can buy, with 90%+ of all traffic derived from organic search engine queries. For more information and details please visit http://mayaqa.com

10/30/2010

5 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Fitness

MD Williams

One of the most important challenges an individual will face in life, is to determine what fitness is, and what is an appropriate fitness level to strive for. In a society that sends mixed messages about food and drink, it stands to reason that one must have a plan to begin this process. The plan doesn't have to be a work of art when you are starting out, nor should it be something thrown together without thought. It should be clear, concise, and target your fitness needs. I have listed 5 things that you can do to improve your fitness.

The first thing is to "change" your thinking process. If your current fitness level is not acceptable to you, a first critical step in fitness transformation is to change your mindset. Take time to access your current values about fitness. Being willing to re-evaluate and adjust those values to accommodate a more fitness friendly concept, is crucial. Getting past this initial step, shows that you have engaged the idea of moving to another level of fitness.

Second, goal setting. Where would we be without a predefined criteria that summarizes the method for our desired result? Develop a set of goals for yourself. Something as simple as walking a half mile a day, or stretching 15-20 minutes a day, can be an effective strategy in your new fitness endeavor. Setting goals creates structure. Setting goals remind you what you have signed up for, and helps sharpen your focus.

Third, create an exercise plan that will allow you to make your physical transformation gradually. Stretching, body weight exercises, and walking are exercises that could energize this process. Make sure that your plan allows for progressive work. The body will adapt to a routine that doesn't change over time. The key here is creating the plan. Planning increases the chances of success and decreases the chances of injury. Approaching fitness without a plan is a recipe for injury as well as setting the stage for an erratic workout experience.

Fourth, create a diet plan that is based around your fitness goals. For example, if your fitness goal is to lose weight, then your "new" diet will feature a caloric intake that should reflect weight loss. On the other hand, if you are a linebacker on a local football team and your goal is to increase your physical size, then your daily caloric intake will reflect gaining weight. Diet plans help to properly fuel the body as well as develop muscle and endurance based on your fitness goals. Diet plans also assist you in changing the way you eat. The new eating habits should complement your newly developed exercise routine.

The final step is to commit to action. Acting on your plan is what brings it all together. You can create an exercise routine and a complimentary diet program, but if you can't commit to them, your fitness plan stops before it can get started.

If you can harness the 5 things listed here, then you will be well on your way to achieving fitness.

10/29/2010

Strategies for Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle

Dana Morrosis

According to a study done by Meredith Corp/NBC Universal's study "Women are More Concerned with Dieting and Weight Loss Rather than Serious Illnesses", 84% of women feel they are overweight. And as the title states they are more concerned about dieting and weight loss than with serious illnesses. These are staggering findings. Of course weight loss is a worthy goal but too often the focus is on quickly losing the weight instead of long-term strategies for achieving a healthy lifestyle. The focus should be on overall health and well-being not only for your body but mentally as well for long-term success.

When pursuing a healthy lifestyle you of course have to change what you eat as well as exercise. But you can also incorporate some non-traditional methods to help. Incorporate healthy mental, emotional and physical changes for lasting results.

• Natural and organic supplements as well as protein and fiber shakes and natural appetite suppressants are some aides to healthy weight loss. An important reminder is that these are aides and are not to substitute eating healthy meals and exercising.

• Meditation for balancing yourself mentally. Maintaining a healthy weight is a lot of emotional and mental work and meditation is extremely helpful in promoting a balanced and serene mind. It helps you to focus and keep your stress down which is key if you tend to eat in times of stress.

• Keeping a food journal helps you to understand what is missing in your diet and really helps you to determine where improvements need to be made.

• Therapy is helpful for keeping you from self-sabotaging yourself. A lot of maintaining a healthy weight is psychological and mental. Therapy can help you to identify your triggers and why you eat. It is helpful for developing strategies for how to overcome them.

• Nutritionists are helpful for being able to understand food labels and what is lacking in your eating habits. They can help you with portion size and caloric intake. One particular trick is to eat off of smaller plates so that it forces you to eat smaller portions.

• Surround yourself with positive people who encourage and cheer you on.

• Be creative and find fun active things to do. If you love to dance find a dance class. A creative dance class is aerial dancing. Find a sport you love. If you have children play outside with them. Walk the dog. If there is something you've always wanted to try now is the time to do it. You can mix it up. You don't have to stick with one thing. Just be active.

Develop your team to ensure your long-term success. Developing a healthy lifestyle is more than just eating right and exercising. You have to take care of the mental, emotional, psychological and physical aspects in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating these strategies until they become strong habits will ensure your success.

To claim free articles on health and weight loss, succeeding in home based businesses as well as strategies for being a successful single parent visit her website http://www.choosingfortune.com

10/28/2010

Raw Food Diet, You Can Cure Yourself By Eating Raw Foods Like I Did! - Nurse's Secret

Helen Hecker

If you're suffering from a variety of health problems or need to lose weight or both and are thinking about changing your diet you likely have made the right decision. Changing your diet to a nutritious healthy diet of raw foods (living foods) - foods that are alive - will pay off for you in optimum health. Most people today are eating the standard American diet, a predominately cooked diet with little nutritive value and are not aware how that diet is actually causing many of their ailments and diseases. Many people start a living food diet when they find out all the health benefits and realize that it may heal or cure them too.

I cured myself of breast cancer more than ten years ago and turned down all conventional treatments. In the process of changing to a raw food diet I also cured myself of many other ailments including fibromyalgia, acid reflux, chronic sinusitis, allergies and many others. My immune system hadn't been functioning properly. I even had problems trying to cure gum infections, cancer sores and simple infections and had many auto immune diseases and ailments.

As soon as I started eating my new diet I could feel the difference. Boundless energy, sleeping a lot less (five hours a night), little ailments started disappearing and then the big ones just gone. It was hard to believe that a diet could do this but still today I'm in excellent health all due to my raw food diet.

A living food diet is easy to start implementing and you don't have to make the switch all at once unless you want to. But you just start out eating more fruits and veggies and greens along with raw nuts. You can eat seeds like sunflower seeds by making a few raw recipes for pates, etc. if you like. There are hundreds or literally thousands of raw recipes that you can make. But you can eat simply also. You never feel hungry or gain weight if you eat a lot and eating a lot is the key.

Losing weight is easy on a living food diet. Pounds just drop off and you're eating healthy too and doing the best for your body!

Most people don't realize how much they need to eat of fruit or veggies a day and what kind of greens and how much. Just give foods that are alive a try. It won't cost you anything but the food you buy and by shopping around you can buy fruits, veggies, greens and raw nuts at good prices. Try to get organic or buy from local farms as much as possible but at least by adding raw foods to your current diet your body will thank you every day and know that you're helping it in every way possible. I think about everything that goes into my mouth and how it will affect my body. Will it help or heal me are two good questions to ask before you eat anything. Just get started on a raw food diet today. You'll be happy you did like I am.

Next for my raw food diet cure and secrets - how I used it to help cure my breast cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, digestive & sleep issues, headaches, pain, weight loss, etc. see a nurse/raw food expert's http://www.RawFoodDietCure.com and my easy raw food recipes http://www.RecipesRaw.com

10/27/2010

You Can Stay Fit Working Your Home Based Internet Business

Kristy Emmert

So you have a home business which puts you at your computer most of the day. Your sitting at your desk working most of the time and find that you are not moving around as much as you should.

I understand...Once I get going, I'm on a roll. The last thing I want to do is stop and go workout or stop and take a break. What I do know that I have to take care of my health. If I don't do it, nobody else will. It's my body and its my responsibility to do things that are good for it. So I make a point to add some sort of exercise into my daily schedule. You can stay fit working your home based internet business.

I did not used to always be like this. I used to sit, work eat, sleep...sit, work, eat, sleep. The only thing I cared about was building my home based internet business. So I was sitting most of the day and I did not feel like working out. I was tired & lazy at the end of the day and it was showing. I got tired of the way I felt and the way I looked. To rest is to rust. So now that's all changed. Working out is part of my daily schedule. You can stay fit and while you are at home building your home based internet business.

Here are a few tips to help you stay in shape as you are building your home based internet business. You can stay fit.

First things first; make sure you are getting enough water. Most of us are dehydrated and don't even know it. So make sure you are getting your 8 glasses of water a day. Drink a big one when you first get up in the morning. That is so good for you. Always have a big glass of water at your desk while you are working your home based internet business. Just make sure it's in a safe spot so it doesn't spill on your stuff.

You can stay fit by putting on your favorite song and doing the boogie. It doesn't matter what you do, just move around. Get creative. Create your own workout. I do it all the time. I will do one song for abs, just non stop for the whole song. Do the crunch, the left side crunch, the right side crunch, feet up crunch...you get the idea. Then I'll replay the song (I'm bad about that, I'll replay one song over and over again). This time I'll do a legs work out...Then there's the cardio and the arms. You can even use weights.

I use the exercise ball as a chair, so there's a whole different set of workouts. I get a workout just sitting. I really notice the difference in my abs, just by doing that one thing. (be careful not to fall off or that its under you when you sit. I jammed my shoulder real bad one time when that happened) You can stay fit working your home based internet business.

Get your sunlight. There are so many health benefits just by getting your daily dose of sun. It is very important that you do this. So get out there around mid day and just soak it in for a few. Feel it in your bones. It's so good for you.

Don't forget the cardio. Take a little walk at the end of the day after dinner. Think about your day and what you accomplished. This is a great way to end your day. Remember you can stay fit and still work your home based internet business.

Kristy Emmert
Entrepreneur/ Internet Marketer

Helping others to start an online business from Beginner to Advanced Marketing Training.

http://www.completeimtraining.com

10/26/2010

Medical Travel - Do's and Don'ts

Nikhil Lamba

Medical travel has been a rapidly growing trend in the healthcare industry. With the ever increasing cost of medical treatment and the long waiting time in the developed nations, more and more people are willing to cross the borders to get treated.

Some of the major factors influencing the growth of medical tourism are:

1. Lower cost of treatment
2. Highly skilled doctors
3. No wait time
4. State of the art technology
5. Modern facilities

Even though there are many advantages to medical tourism, there are some concerns as well. In this article, I will discuss some basic points that medical tourists should keep in mind before finalizing their trip, to prevent from getting scammed.

The most important thing to begin with, when considering medical travel, is "RESEARCH". Here are some of the things to check online or with your known ones who have gone through this process.

1. Reputation of your medical tourism company - Many medical tourists take assistance from medical travel companies. Though this turns out a bit more expensive then going at it alone, it does saves you from a lot of hassles.

Hiring the right medical travel agency is key, and for that you should do a through check on the company. The Internet is a good place to see what people are saying about a particular company. Read reviews, if possible email people who have hired them earlier and get their feedback. Understand what you should be looking out for and learn from experience.

Do not choose a medical tourism company just on the bases of price. Reputation is what's important.

2. Reputation of the Doctor and Hospital - Don't leave this decision for the medical tourism company to make. Medical tourism companies are affiliated with some and not all the doctors and hospitals in the country of your interest. Do through research on doctors and choose the one that best suites your needs.

If you leave this decision for the medical travel companies, they just might choose a doctor that best suites their needs and not yours.

3. Before leaving the country, understand what is being offered to you and have that in writing and not promises. Understand everything from hotel stay to travel arrangements. Factor everything in and make sure there aren't any additional costs or taxes that you will have to make payments for. Understand what kind of arrangements will be made during an emergency or if anything untoward happens.

If you are going to be traveling within the country, make sure that the price you are paying for the entire package includes travel and lodging for that too.

4. Price for treatment - By checking a few local websites of doctors, you can get a really good idea of how much locals are charged for a particular treatment. Many a times medical tourists are charged a premium as their willingness to pay is higher. You can negotiate on price, if high, and know that quality will not be hampered.

In short, have a clear understanding of all the aspects of traveling for your medical treatment. Do through research and learn from others mistakes. Make up your own mind as to what you need and prevent from getting influenced.

With millions of people traveling to get operated for procedures like dental treatment, plastic surgery, orthopaedics, IVF treatment etc. medical travel has become safe and acceptable. But still, be cautious and do your research before taking a final decision.

Nikhil Lamba,
For more Information visit us at: Health Articles

10/25/2010

Take Care of Your Wellness and Your Wellbeing Will Take Care of You

Janine Cobb

Excellent wellness is a single of the most critical private assets a particular person can have. If healthful, a particular person can fairly be expected to have a full lifestyle and follow his or her passions with out the inhibitions connected with illness or illness.

The expression "wellness care" is utilized very often, and refers to the management or therapy of any well being issue provided by healthcare, nursing, or dental associated companies. The pursuit of excellent well being entails all the companies and products created.

Dependent on how a wellbeing proper care program is organized, whether or not for a significant group of individuals or a single person, the scope and delivery and its rated effectiveness will constantly be noticed by means of a subjective lens. Thus, no well being proper care process is observed devoid of flaw. The quality of wellness treatment is fairly usually decided by earnings and accessibility. In several produced nations, health proper care is intended to cater to all people.

Good well being precedes the capacity to generate something valuable in existence. It provides a individual the vitality to create the expertise, networks, and self confidence to go after a dream. Poor well being, on the other hand, can turn out to be a significant deterrent in lifestyle no subject what one's individual capabilities or talents. Well being is truly "wealth," and is one of the most crucial lessons anybody can discover all through a lifetime.

Workout and Consume Healthy

Acquiring into a physical exercise schedule is crucial for numerous reasons. Very first, your entire body, thoughts and spirit are direct beneficiaries. 2nd, obtaining and sticking with an workout program makes it possible for you to create internal self-control, which is an asset no issue what you follow for enjoyable or enterprise. Even if the routine is a strolling a mile or two every single day, you a lot more than likely will start off to encounter a good effect in a extremely brief time.

Sadly, the globe looks to be blanketed with quick meals eating places that greet us on each and every street corner. And the foods stores that promote pure wellbeing meals may well be out of the inexpensive variety for quite a few. Fortunately, there is always a grocery store nearby with an assortment of nutritious meals to decide on from. It may acquire a tiny self-control, but it is not difficult to spend a minor much more funds on healthful vegetables even though observing our cholesterol and sugar intake.

Janine Cobb has been a freelance writer. Visit to her newly launched internet site at http://www.maternitydenimskirt.org/ that offers the most common Maternity Denim Skirt.

10/23/2010

You're The Only One That Matters

Donovan Owens


To some, this may not be considered my normal fitness and nutrition motivation but hear me out and it will all make sense.

Here's the quick n' dirty....

Stop Taking Care of Everyone Else At the Expense of Yourself!

I see this day in and day out at.

People, wonderful souls, taking care of others needs before tending to their own.

As natural care-givers, this is so true of women especially.

"Where does Johnny need to be at 5pm?"

"Gotta get to the craft store by 3 for Sally's homework supplies"

"What am I going to make for dinner?"

"Starting at 9pm... Laundry"

I'm a blessed man with a beautiful wife and 2 beautiful children, myself.

Trust me; I get it.

Life is busy.

Demands from work, family and home can become beyond overwhelming at times.

Bur far too often, the word 'self' is left off that list above.

The cold hard truth is that you will never reach your goals if you don't prioritize your needs and add yourself to the daily 'must do' list.

And really, that's all there is to it.

The determined and convicted mindset to simply add your name to the top of the list (or at very least, half way down!).

Here's a little secret I've learned about success and self-fulfillment that I think will serve you extremely well...

Success is nothing more than scheduling and preparation.

Schedule your time and prepare accordingly - let nothing rest in fates hands.

Here are my "3 Most Important Things I Do (and so should you) To Make Sure I'm On My List" -

1) Make Your Schedule Visible

Don't have a running itinerary floating in your head that leaves you dizzy and is in constant flux.

Write things down.

Be diligent about recording what it is you're going to do, when and for how long.

You will be AMAZED at how much more time you realize you have in a day when everything is set and scheduled.

2) Prepare Nightly

Every evening, the very last thing I do before checking out for the day, is set my schedule for tomorrow.

I sleep more comfortably knowing that everything is in order for the next day; all I have to do is wake up and execute.

I don't have any 'Oh Ya... I Forgot' moments.

I don't run around like a madman.

I don't let things slip through the cracks (most of the time).

And I ALWAYS have time for me and my needs.

In fact, I encourage you to use the same system I do. It's 100% free.

Google Docs ( www.docs.google.com ) gives you templates to use that allow you to create schedules online and access them from any computer or computerized device.

In my car, at my office or even at a local photocopy center, I have complete and unfettered access to my schedule at the click of a button.

Give it a try!

3) Let EVERYONE Know!

Here's my last little secret....

Tell EVERYONE that this is your new way of conducting business.

Your spouse.

Kids.

Family.

Friends.

And live HARD by this notion....

If it's not on my schedule, you can't expect me to get it done at the last moment.

Trust me entirely here. It's a short process, but once everyone in your life knows that you maintain a rigid schedule and accountability on your time, there last minute "Can you...?" will come to an abrupt stop!

Schedule and preparation....

The two secret but insanely effective keys to success!

Decide,

Donovan Owens
THE Boot Camp Godfather

P.S. Although this is not direct fitness and nutrition information, scheduling and preparation can and will dramatically affect how much time you spend in this area. Don't let it fall through the cracks.

Donovan Owens, is a Fitness Professional from Hutto, Texas, and invites you to connect with him over at his blog http://iDecideFitness.com/Blog and while you're there pick up his FREE Rapid Fat Loss Report.

8/31/2010

Whole Body Gives Us the Whole Story

Aimee Kartzman


We Are Not Just A Pancreas, Nor A Liver Or Even A Spleen.

This revelatory experience came to me one day walking out of a doctor's office (concluding what seemed like dozens of serial visits with no real answers). At the time, my body was weakened, I was confused and most importantly, I was yearning for connection and for someone to truly tell me what was wrong with me. Tests were run, some items were picked out, and potential other doctors who specialize in these items were then referred. But, where was it all going, besides the drain out of my wallet?

I was tired of someone staring at my blood results or my liver enzyme count and then looking at me with a glazed over, indifferent stare. I couldn't afford one more of these visits (emotionally and financially!). I simply wanted some answers that made sense and for someone to see me, and not as an organ or a lab result.

At the time, what I didn't realize is that I was looking for a holistic approach to medicine. Holistic medicine can be utterly useful for 'patients' like me. This type of patient, who we can name Patient X are many. Patient X can be your mother, brother, friend or even you! Patient X is someone that from a 'clinical' standpoint in the medical industry does not show up with a 'diagnosis'. In addition, Patient X may be too young to simply chalk it up to general aging ailments. So, is it in Patient X's head then? In my case, was the fatigue, the shingles, the hearing loss, the irritable bowel all in my head? Patient X bops around from doctor to specialist to maybe even trying some medications that were prescribed but are still confused about what is going on with their bodies as none of it makes sense.

It still took a while after my own experience to learn that the liver, the spleen, the fatigue or my other symptoms were simply trying to talk to me. Pain is actually a wonderful messenger to let us know something in the body is off balance.

Many years later, I embraced the concept whole-heartedly and passionately that the body is not fixable by addressing one symptom to make it better, but like a sea-saw in the playground, it simply needs to find balance. More specifically, like the sea-saw, one side has no weight and can shoot up in the air and stay there indefinitely while the other side can drive madly into the dusty bed of the playground floor due to it's astounding massive weight. For those that have ridden the sea-saw know how it can be scary to be flung up so high or driven down so fast to the dirt bed. In fact, it may even injure one or both parties!

So in body terms, nutrients and lifestyle choices need to be added to fill in the deficiency and create more weight to the side of the sea-saw that is totally up in the air. In addition, certain lifestyle choices need to be adjusted or removed to relieve extra weight off the sea-saw. These may include changing to non-organic household cleaning products or reducing sugar or dairy products from the diet. When we find what needs to be added and what needs to be removed, our body, like the sea-saw can start coming into balance.

The exciting news is that it is not that complicated as it may seem. There are only a few big ticket items, i.e., 'weights' to bring down our sea-saws, which may include addressing the following:

1) Toxicity (environmental, lifestlyle and diet)
2) Hormone Imbalance
3) Fungus/Bacteria / Parasites
4) Viral Infections
5) Heavy Metals
6) Inflammation / Infections
7) Genetic predisposition

On the other side of the sea-saw, Patient X also needs to remove a few to help bring the body into full balance. These may include:

1) Lifestyle choices (alcohol and drug consumption, sleep, exercise)
2) Additional Nutrients or supplements
3) Change of diet
4) Stress modification techniques or emotional healing

Holistic healing has been around through the ages and there are many healing modalities that are used. If you or someone you know is a Patient X, start considering a whole body approach to healing and potentially even working with someone who sees you already whole and thus aids your healing from this capacity. Whole body healing requires full participation and buy-in as well as taking full responsibility.

That is not to say there is not a place for allopathic medicine. It is certainly part of the 'whole' and thus has it's place. Generally, there are very few quick magic pills to make it all go away. It may feel better, but is it healing? Empower yourself and find this out. To heal something requires embrace and understanding of it's mechanics.

When consciously choosing a whole body healing approach, you will begin embracing a wonderful journey of empowerment as well as learning depth-full lessons about yourself. It is quite exciting to begin a journey focused on the fine-tuning of your sea-saw and you will see that many gifts will flow from this shift in your life.

Go on...walk to the playground and visit your sea-saw, it may be calling your name.

Aimee Kartzman of BPro-Active is certified as an Iridologist, Master Herbalist, Nutrition Counselor, Holistic Wellness Coach, Yoga Teacher and Thai Massage Specialist. She creates long-term wellness plans that tailor to the body's constitution and life choices.

'Wellness can be fun and easy and it generally doesn't take long to put more of a pep in your step.'

For more information, visit http://www.BPro-Active.com.

Chiropractic Techniques Might Be Helpful to You

Nick Messe


Many people already seek the help of a chiropractor, but if you're not familiar with them, you might not know what techniques they use that can be helpful to you.

If you've not been to a chiropractic clinic lately, it's likely that you don't know how much a few visits can help you. In fact, many people don't have any idea what it is that chiropractors do, so they don't think that they should visit one. You might want to reconsider your decision to stay away and take a good look at some of the ways that you can begin to feel healthy and comfortable again.

Believe it or not, if you're body's not properly aligned or if the muscles in your back and neck are tense, you will begin to experience headaches. If the joints in your spine are not functioning properly, it's pretty likely that you suffer from pinched nerves and difficulty performing your every day tasks.

Most of these issues can be taken care of with a few different adjusting techniques and over time you'll begin feeling better than ever. With the Diversified technique for instance, your chiropractic will take the time to study your spine. They will watch the way you move, take X-rays and do a case history. Once they have identified which joints and bones are not moving properly, the chiropractor will then begin to readjust the spine, joint by joint to help you to start moving more freely.

Another commonly used technique is known as Cox Flexion-Distraction. This is a technique which requires no force, but a special table helps to relieve pressure on the back and spine and ease compression on the muscles and discs in the back. It is regarded as highly effective by the practitioners and is actually pleasant for most patients.

You should know that many chiropractors and massage therapists are focusing on gentle massage and realignment of the spine, muscles and body to help heal the body and give it the strength it needs to avoid injuries in the future. These are gentle, soothing techniques that many people report give them instant relief from pain and discomfort.

Many chiropractic clinics use lasers to help heat deep muscle tissue. This stimulates tissue growth and healing on a deeper level than your body could reach on its own. In addition, massage therapy and deep tissue massage can help to stimulate circulation and, much like a laser, can encourage healing and reduce pain. Over time, these techniques can actually help to loosen tight muscles and allow the body to become properly balanced.

When you're dealing with pain in your back, legs, neck or head, a visit to a good chiropractic clinic can not only help to relieve pain that you deal with daily, but can get you on the road to recovery. Continued therapy can help you to become stronger and more flexible, which can ease the pain you're currently feeling and help you to live a healthy, happy and pain free life.

When looking for quality Vancouver Washington Chiropractors, health-conscious families choose Summit Chiropractic & Massage. Our clinic has massage therapists and chiropractors that offer natural relief of chronic pain, headaches, disc disorders and personal injury cases.

8/30/2010

Natural Killers

Bette Dowdell


I'm talking killers, and I'm talking about you.

You have natural killers in you.

And these natural killers are a good thing. A very good thing.

Which is why I'm going to talk about how to keep your natural killers in top shape, ready for action.

First, let's talk about the company your killers hang out with. Natural killer cells are part of the endocrine system-thyroid, adrenals, etc-a bunch of glands that pretty much determine how good we feel. And these guys are a tight group.

When one part of the endo system has a problem, the others rush to help. No matter what happens to them, they jump in-then they all end up in a ditch. Which is bad. When the endocrine glands ain't happy, ain't nothin' happy. It's like a bus hit you.

So listen up. Let's learn how to keep these guys happy.

First off, our thymus gland, part of the all-for-one/one-for-all endocrine system, is top dog in keeping our immunity in fighting shape.

And the thymus creates the natural killer cells, otherwise known as NKs. They patrol your body 24/7, hunting for viruses, bacteria, etc. NKs kill the bad guys before they can take us down.

But sometimes the enemy is armed to the teeth: Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides-on our food, in the water, in the air-pretty much everywhere-can beat the tar out of our killer cells. The NKs are out-manned and outgunned.

This opens the way for free radicals-unbalanced cells-to jump in. Then they go on a tear attacking healthy cells to get what they need to get balanced.

This leads to oxidative stress. Oxide is, basically, rust. As you might guess, rust slows things down.

And rust keeps our cells from getting enough oxygen. Cells can't live without oxygen. Without enough, cells get very sloooow. Without any, cells die. You are on the road to dread diseases. Which announces its presence with visible signs of aging..

Which is why we hear all the talk about antioxidants. Get enough of those babies, and the oxidative stress problem goes away. Well, perhaps not completely.

Our food supply-fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy-comes chock-a-block full of toxic gunk. And food is only part of this mess. There's no way we can get enough antioxidants to win this war. We must get rid of some bad guys.

What can we do?

To fortify our killer cells, we absolutely, positively need antioxidants, starting with a full agenda of vitamin and mineral supplements. Our bodies insist on balance, so rather than random, hit-or-miss nutrition, give them everything they need to fight the good fight. It's a team effort, not a Lone Ranger kind of thing.

And we need exercise. Not the 'no pain, no gain' variety. Not even aerobic exercise. Weights, resistance training, walking and the like, done to tolerance. You don't do your body any favors by taxing your strength, so start where you are and get better.

Then, to level the playing field, we need to limit toxins as much as possible. In terms of food, go organic if you can-grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and eggs, organic produce. Let supermarket managers know you want organic. Shop at farmers' markets. Go on-line for grass-fed beef. In other words, make new shopping habits.

If you can't get organic produce, start washing and peeling. And don't eat anything that grows underground like carrots, onions and potatoes. They get drowned with toxic chemicals like you wouldn't believe, and no amount of washing cleans them up. They're an organic must.

The word's getting out, and people are voting for better food with their dollars. In the meantime, it's going to take effort to protect your natural killers, your immune system, your health and your youthful appearance.

You're worth it.

Confused about what vitamins and minerals you need? Not certain about what to look for in nutritional supplements? Bette Dowdell dug herself out of a really deep health ditch, and she wants to use her 30+ years of study to help you do the same. Don't go dragging through life when you don't have to. Bette's e-book Pep for the Pooped: Vitamins and Minerals Your Body Is Starving For helps you build a solid health foundation-and takes you directly to the right brand, the best type, at the lowest price. Save time and money-plus get the knowledge you're on the right track. Get a free, sample chapter of this eye-opening e-book at http://PepForThePooped.com