Lose Weight Permanently with the Power Pause

 If strict diet and exercise routines are not for you and just make you feel like a failure because you don't seem to be able to keep them up, then why not try a new approach? Start with something you know you can do, which needs no special equipment and which you can do anywhere. This is something which is so powerful, so simple it will serve you all your life. I call it a "Power Pause" because it means using a moment to regain power over your decisions about what and when you eat.

To make the "Power Pause" part of your life ask yourself just 3 questions before you eat anything

* Am I physically hungry right now or could I wait?

* How will I feel after I have eaten this?

* Is there a better choice?

The Power Pause is a tool you can use whenever you're faced with food. You can use it before you buy food in a restaurant or shop. And you can use it before you open the fridge or freezer, before you reach into the cupboard for a snack, before you have a second cookie. You can even use it during a meal to help you think about whether you have eaten enough. Use it to remind yourself to stop eating whether or not there is food left on your plate or on the table. It simply helps you avoid eating when you're not hungry. 

We all tend to eat food without thinking. We see food, we eat it. We get offered food, we accept it. We pass a burger bar. We suddenly feel "hungry", go in and order. We anesthetize our minds with food when we're upset. We hardly notice the food going in. 

And eating food without needing it is the primary cause of our weight problems. We eat and eat without thinking whether we're hungry right now or whether that food is the best choice we can make for our bodies and our health. We eat without thinking about our desire to look good on the beach this year, to do something about our threatening health problems, to feel good about ourselves. 

But what does it take to pause for a moment before you make a decision to put food in your mouth, to think twice before you add those calories to your hips? A few seconds at most! Certainly less time than you will spend regretting your bout of over-eating.

You may not succeed in stopping yourself every time especially at the beginning of using this tool - so don't look for perfection from yourself - look for progress. Keep going because it will eventually become second nature - a habit for the rest of your life - one which will help you stay slim forever. 

Lose Weight-Tone Abs With Electronic Muscle Stimulator? Can Body Fat Melt Away? author:Chris Chew

 You have probably seen plenty of advertisements extolling how Electronic Abdominal Stimulators can melt your belly fat fast and quickly. Most of these advertisements will also claim that their electronic abs stimulators can also flatten your tummy to reveal your six pack abs muscle. They even claim that by using electronic abs stimulators for X minutes is better that 300 sit ups or crunches, so you can say bye bye to diets and exercise forever. Too good to be true?

On the other hand, you may also have come across many articles and messages from the health and fitness industry or from your fitness personal trainers who refute the advertisers claiming that the only way to get a flat tummy with well defined six pack abs muscle is through healthy eating and exercise. Now that is hard work isn’t it? So you will rather take a chance with an electronic abs stimulator won’t you? 

So who is telling the truth? Ok, instead of joining in the controversy, this article points out what the authorities such as U.S. Food and Drug Administration has got to say. Below is an excerpt from U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA Consumer magazine July-August 2002. You can read the full report at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/402_abs.html :-

“In May, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed complaints against three manufacturers of these devices, alleging that they have made false claims in their advertising, seen in heavily aired infomercials on national cable television, shorter television commercials, and ads in the print media.

The unfounded claims cited by the FTC include the promise of "six pack" or "washboard" abs without exercise, claims that the devices will give users a trimmer waist or cause fat loss, and that use of the device is equivalent to (or better than) regular abdominal exercises, such as sit-ups or crunches. The FTC complaints also allege that the advertising claimed falsely that the stimulators are safe for all to use, and did not disclose adequately the possible health hazards for some people.

Q. Why does the FDA regulate electrical muscle stimulators?

A. Electrical muscle stimulators are considered medical devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Under this law and the agency's regulations, the FDA is responsible for regulating the sale of all electrical muscle stimulators in the United States. Therefore, firms must comply with appropriate FDA premarket regulatory requirements before they can legally sell their stimulators. Most electrical muscle stimulators (EMS devices) that have been reviewed by the FDA are intended for use in physical therapy and rehabilitation under the direction of a health-care professional. If a company wants to sell EMS devices directly to consumers, the company needs to show the FDA that the device can be used safely and effectively in that setting.

Q. These electrical muscle stimulators are advertised not only to tone, firm, and strengthen abdominal muscles, but also to provide weight loss, girth reduction, and "rock hard" abs. Do they really work?

A. While an EMS device may be able to temporarily strengthen, tone or firm a muscle, no EMS devices have been cleared at this time for weight loss, girth reduction, or for obtaining "rock hard" abs.

Q. Is the FDA concerned about the unregulated marketing of these devices?

A. Yes. The FDA has received reports of shocks, burns, bruising, skin irritation, and pain associated with the use of some of these devices. There have been a few recent reports of interference with implanted devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators. Some injuries required hospital treatment. The FDA is also concerned because many of these devices have cables and leads. If those cables and leads do not comply with electrical safety standards, there is the possibility that users and other household members could be electrocuted. The FDA is currently investigating firms that are illegally marketing EMS devices.

Q. What does FDA regulation accomplish?

A. Before they may legally sell their devices, firms that market EMS devices must be able to demonstrate that these products are as safe and as effective as similar devices that are legally marketed. Devices may be marketed only for uses that are established for the device or for uses that the firm can support with data. At this time, the FDA is not aware of scientific information to support many of the promotional claims being made for numerous devices being widely promoted on television, infomercials, newspapers, and magazines.

Q. Does that mean that it's unsafe to use an electrical muscle stimulator that has not met FDA requirements?

A. Using a product that has not met FDA requirements isn't necessarily unsafe or dangerous. But it could be. Unregulated devices also may have safety problems associated with cables and leads that can lead to accidental shock and electrocution of users and other household members, including children.

Q. If I use an electrical muscle stimulator, will it give me the same kind of effect that lots of sit-ups, stomach crunches and other abdominal exercises will?

A. Using these devices alone will not give you "six-pack" abs. Applying electrical current to muscles may cause them to contract. Stimulating muscles repeatedly with electricity may eventually result in muscles that are strengthened and toned to some extent but will not, based on currently available data, create a major change in your appearance without the addition of weight loss and regular exercise.”

Now, who is telling the truth about electronic muscle stimulator being able to melt tummy fat and reveal your six pack abs? Well, you be the judge and come to your own verdict.

Lose Weight With Soy!

 The humble soybean boasts some extraordinary benefits.  This nutritional powerhouse has stayed under wraps for too long.  Apart from being the only vegetable protein with all 22 amino acids essential for our health and well being, the humble soybean has many other virtues...including an excellent foundation for fast, safe weight loss program.

According to Dr David Heber in "The LA Shape Diet" women who are on a weight loss program, need about 100 grams of protein per day to fight against hunger and to build their best personal lean muscle shape whilst still losing weight. Without the appropriate level of proteins in a low calorie diet, people and women in particular, risk losing 1 pound of muscle for every 4 pounds of weight lost!  

Dr Heber recommends soy-protein shakes or soy-protein fruit smoothies as a safe and healthy way to achieve fast and permanent weight loss.  Apart from the wonderful health advantages of soy, this a safe protein source without the unwanted cholesterol and saturated fats that accompany animal protein sources and sabotage low calorie weight loss programs. 

Read on to discover some other wonderful benefits of this incredible this food source.

1.  Soy contains health enhancing isoflavones. Isoflavones are compounds found only in plants which have strong antioxidant properties.  hese compounds repair, and help prevent damage to cells caused by pollution, sunlight, and normal body processes.   Free radicals can easily cause harm to the immune system, whose cells divide often.  They may also be responsible for some of the changes of aging.

2. Reduce risk of heart disease. Soy's protein and isoflavones lower LDL cholesterol and decrease blood clotting, which reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.  In one study, people who drank a "milk shake" containing 25g of soy protein for nine weeks experienced, on average, a 5% reduction in LDL cholesterol.  And people with the highest LDL levels experienced a 11% drop.  (For each 10% to 15% drop in the LDL level, the risk of a heart attack decreases 20% to 25%).

3. Protection against cancer.  Soy's soluble fiber protects the body from many digestive related cancers, such as colon and rectal cancer. While its isoflavones may protect the body from many hormone related cancers, like breast, endometrial (uterine) and prostate cancer. Isoflavones act against cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs. 

4. Counter the effects of endometriosis. The isoflavones in soy products may help to offset the action of the body's natural estrogen, which is often responsible for instigating the monthly pain, heavy bleeding and other symptoms of endometriosis.   

5. Protect against prostate problems.  Eating soy products may protect against enlargement of the male prostate gland.  The size of the prostate gland tends to increase with age, causing various types of urinary difficulties, including frequent nighttime awakenings.

6. Guard against osteoporosis.    Soy's protein enhances the body's ability to retain and better absorb calcium in the bones, while its isoflavones slow bone loss and inhibit bone breakdown, which helps prevent osteoporosis.    There is evidence to suggest that isoflavones may also assist in creating new bone.  

7. Control symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Soy's isoflavones help the body regulate estrogen when this hormone is declining or fluctuating, which helps alleviate many menopausal and PMS symptoms.   Research has shown that soy isoflavones can reduce menopausal hot flushes in women.

8. Help control diabetic conditions and kidney disease. Soy's protein and soluble fiber help regulate glucose levels and kidney filtration, which helps control diabetic conditions and kidney disease. 

What an incredible little bean!

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Lose Weight With Weight Loss Patches

 Weight Loss Patches In Dealing With Obese, It It For Real?

Overweight or obese has become worldwide problem. It has reaches an epidemic level that need to be STOP. Serious medical problems associated with obesity include gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and osteoarthritis has become common in our society. The main cause for the obesity crisis is of course a sedentary lifestyle, not enough exercise and the eating a lot of high calorie foods. And because of this, millions of people around the world turn to natural weight loss program to help them lose weight such excercises program, natural  supplement program as well as hypnotizing. One of the program that we are going to discuss here is weight loss patches.

What is weight loss patches?

Weight loss patches is one of the latest breakthrough & creative invention to help people lose weight. It is for those who do dislike painful exercising as well as forgetful in using weight loss pills. It is one of those tiny patches that is to be placed on the wrist, arm or other smooth part of your skin. In medical term, it is known as transdermal delivery.

It works by releasing a herbal or medical nutrients through the dermal layers of skin into the blood stream directly instead of being filtered through the liver. The idea is to provide a consistent dose of medication over a long period of time. Once inside your bloodstream, it will increase your metabolism to burn more calories and decreasing your hunger resulting in natural weight loss.

A number of treatments have been distributed this way - such as Nicotin patches for anti-smoking medication, and even Hormone Replacement Therapy for women who suffer loss of libido.

With weight loss patches, you will experience lessen hunger pangs and other symptoms generally associated with weight reduction, and serves to jump-start your metabolism, dramatically increasing your body's ability to burn fat.

Ads & Commercial On Weight Loss Patches. Does It Really works?

Dozens of ads for weight loss patches is widely available at the moment to help people lose weight. With the advancement in internet technology, you can find many type’s or brand of weight loss patches that claim to be the best in dealing with weight loss. So the question is : How do you know which one is right for you?

Well fortunately or unfortunately, you will never know unless you tried it out your self. Losing weight is a decision not to be taken lightly. It need’s a lot of commitment & sacrifices among each individual. It is a long term problem that need long term commitment. Those who had tried & successfully lose their weight is the one that we need to emulate. Learn the secret from people who had succeeded & not from failure’s. Make losing weight one of your main priority for this year. Taking a first step is definitely difficult but once you put in a lot of effort, nothing is impossible.

Lose your weight NOW! or you will never see the other side of your magnificent, slender & healthier body.

Losing Weight While Eating Foods You Love

 What does losing weight mean to you?  Do those two words (ie. losing weight) make you grimace?  Does the thought of losing weight make you think of starvation and sore muscles?

Maybe those are the reasons that losing weight seems so hard and impossible to most people.  Losing weight just seems a pretty painful process overall.

If you think this way then you need to change your mind set.  It is very possible to eat foods you love, exercise rarely and still end up losing weight.

If losing weight is your only goal then you don’t even need to worry about exercise.  Really.  But if being fit and muscular is your goal you should definitely work exercise into the picture.

Okay, you probably think I’m insane by saying you can not exercise and still end up losing weight.  Either that or you think I’m going to tell you to starve yourself. 

Not at all!  I want you to be able to eat the foods you love and still lose weight.  It CAN be done.

There are diets out there (and really, they shouldn’t even be called diets, because when people hear the word diet they imagine starvation) that allow you to eat plenty of great tasting foods and still shed those unwanted extra pounds.

These diets, better known as meal plans, are becoming more and more popular all the time.  Why?  Because they work!

The trouble is weeding out the ones that don’t do what they claim and don’t work, and finding the ones that are worth your time and effort.

The other problem is finding a plan that will work for you, with your specific lifestyle and metabolic needs.  Some meal plans for losing weight are great for one group of people and useless to another.

When searching for the right meal plan that will aid you in your weight loss attempts you should keep the following questions in mind...

Does this meal plan include foods I love and would not be able to do without?

Does it deprive me and leave me feeling unsatisfied?

Is it recommended for someone of my age and/or weight? 

Will it work for me in the long run or will it be the same as a yo-yo diet?

If the meal plan you are considering trying gives favorable answers to all of these questions then you have definitely got a winner on your hands.

With a meal plan like that you would be able to eat the foods you love and still lose the weight you hate.

Back to exercise...  Now, even though I told you the truth earlier when I said you wouldn’t need to exercise at all if you found the right meal plan, I highly advise that you at least learn to work a little bit of exercise into your schedule each day.

Not just to help with losing weight or getting fit either.  Regular exercise will help you to stay or become healthy and avoid a lot of costly diseases and illnesses.

Now, don’t go and forget what you’ve just learned.  Instead, use these tips to help keep yourself from getting “burned” by a meal plan that is wrong for you.

Lost Lives Through Weight Loss

 Thousands of patient records had been reviewed and yielded an alarming discovery about a previously unknown risk associated with a popular weight loss operation: Suicide in bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is a complex surgical procedure concerned with causes, prevention and treatment of severe overweight known as obesity. Bariatric operations are major gastrointestinal procedures which alter the capacity and/or the anatomy of the digestive system.  In simple terms, the stomach is made smaller so as to speed up weight loss. Some bariatric procedures are performed using general anesthesia via a midline abdominal incision. Another method is to use laparoscopic surgical techniques, involving smaller instruments connected to cameras through which they view the operational site. 

There are two types of bariatric surgeries:

1.Restrictive -  This type of surgical procedure simply reduces the size of the stomach, using staples and/or a band, resulting in a drastic reduction in the quantity of food it can ingest.

2.Combined Restrictive and Malabsorptive – This type of surgical procedure reduces stomach capacity and bypassing the upper part of the small intestine, causing a reduction in the number of calories and nutrients which the body absorbs. 

In bariatric surgery, most studies show that the risk of dying is about 1%, and complications strike up to 40 % of obese patients. Aside from being overweight, these patients usually have health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease, that's why it's no wonder they also have higher death rates from natural causes.

However, nearly 17,000 weight-loss surgeries performed in Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2004 had been reviewed and the findings were startling.  Out of the 440 deaths in the group, 16 were due to suicide or drug overdose, according to the University of Pittsburgh researchers who reviewed the data. About three cases of suicides should have occurred in the group based on the suicide rate in the general population, the study authors say. Even more disturbing is the fact that another 14 of the drug overdose cases that were reported are likely to include some suicides, suggesting that the real suicide rate was even higher. “There is a substantial excess of suicide deaths, even excluding those listed only as drug overdose,'’ the researchers noted.

The New England Journal of Medicine reported last August 2007 about a review of nearly 10,000 bariatric surgery patients by Utah researchers, who compared them to a control group of obese people who had applied for a state driver’s license. Although these surgery patients had a 50% lower risk of dying from disease compared to obese people who hadn’t undergone surgery, their risk of dying in an accident or suicide was 11.1 per 10,000 people.  That statistics is 58% higher than the 6.4 per 10,000 rate in the obese group. The study revealed that the suicide risk was twice as high for surgery patients than for those who had not had surgery, though the finding wasn’t statistically meaningful.

Experts are clueless as to why bariatric surgery patients seem to be at higher risk for killing themselves. Some research suggests a connection between obesity and depression, that is why the typical surgery patient may already be at higher risk for depression and suicide even before the operation. There is a great possibility that depressive symptoms may worsen in patients who have unrealistic expectations about the results of surgery, or who struggle not to regain weight after the procedure. 

The Pennsylvania case review reveals that there is already a 7 percent death rate from suicide and drug overdose signals the need for better mental health follow-up for patients who have undergone weight-loss surgery. Although many weight-loss surgery programs require psychological evaluation prior to the procedure, most doctors seem lenient about making follow-ups after the surgery, as well as patients who prefer to disregard follow-up counseling.

Low Back Pain-Affecting Your Life and Work

 The low back pain is the second most common ailment affecting 80% of the general United States population at some point in life. The pain may either be acute or chronic and is usually caused by a variety of diseases and disorders of the lumbar spine. Low Back pain is usually accompanied by sciatica. Sciatica is a pain that involves the sciatic nerve and affects the lower back, the back of the thighs and buttocks.

Causes and Symptoms of Low back pain

The patient of low back pain may experience two types of pain, primarily - acute and chronic. The pain is symptomatic and can be caused by the following reasons:

Acute Pain:

A sprain or a muscle tear, which can be aggravated by heavy lifting or extended use of back muscles within 24 hours of the injury, leading to muscle spasms or soreness. Usually improves when you provide rest to the affected area.

Chronic Pain:

This pain may have several causes like -

1.Mechanical Obesity, pregnancy, bad postures while bending, or stooping causes strain on the lower back muscles.

2.Malignancy Low back pain that is not relieved even after a night's rest, maybe caused by a tumor in the cauda equine (the roots of the spinal nerves controlling sensation in and movement of the legs), or cancer of the prostate, breasts or lungs, maybe caused because of a history of smoking, sudden weight loss or old age.

3.Herniated Spinal Disk When the spinal disk begins to bulge outward between the vertebrae. This is a common cause of chronic back pain in adults.

4.Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain caused while lying down or sitting; improves when the patient starts moving, is commonly seen in males between the age group of 16-35 years.

5.Psychogenic Back pain which may be induced due to an exaggerated minor injury or that may be usually prolonged leading to somatoform disorder or other psychiatric disturbances.

6.Lower Back Pain with Leg Involvement When the back pain radiates down the leg, the sciatic nerve is usually irritated by herniated disks, tumors of the cauda equina, abscesses in the space between the spinal cord and its covering, spinal stenosis, and compression fractures. Some patients may also experience weakness or lack of feeling, along with pain in the leg.

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

 While there's plenty of medical advice that indicates the statin family of drugs are highly effective in lowering your levels of cholesterol, there are many people who are seeking alternative non-medical solutions to lowering high cholesterol. These people include the not-so-old who wish to make lifestyle changes now rather than face 30 or more years on medications. Why take the chance of suffering unacceptable side-effects from statin medications, such as erectile dysfunction in males and abdominal pain and muscle soreness in both sexes? Also, the long-term use of these drugs could lead to as yet unknown problems. So, eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats and combine this with the following natural health tips. 

Natural Health Tip No 1: Regular Exercise. Start a program of regular exercise that will lead to achieving a healthy body weight. This means exercising three or four times a week to a level where your heart rate is raised to an acceptable rate for your age. Walking, swimming and cycling are all good activities that don't place unnecessary strain on your body. Be sure to warm up with at least five minutes of muscle-stretching exercises beforehand. Raised oxygen levels also help your body organs maintain their vitality and firms and tones your muscles.

Natural Health Tip No 2: Plan Your Menus. Think about the healthy foods you like and plan your meals a week in advance to coincide with food shopping day. This saves you having to make compromises to your diet that involve the wrong foods. It also means you'll have plenty of low fat products on hand that may be hard to find at the corner store. 

Natural Health Tip No 3: Smart Cooking Techniques. Avoid bad cooking techniques such as deep-frying and try to prepare your foods by simmering, dry baking, steaming or using Asian stir-fry techniques. Even microwaving can allow foods to cook in their natural juices and retain their nutrients. And be sure to eat lots of raw foods, especially fruit and vegetables. 

Natural Health Tip No 4: Take Your Supplements. Supplements such as Omega-3, inositol hexaniacinate, pantethine, and guggulipid can be effective in lowering cholesterol. Supplements for lowering cholesterol should be used as a part of an overall plan that includes diet and lifestyle changes. 

Natural Health Tip No 5: Clean Out Your System. Plan an occasional system cleanout day where you consume only fruit and vegetables. The high water content of fruit and vegetables facilitates the spread of their valuable nutrients through your body and helps flush out the wastes that have built up from eating the wrong foods. 

Natural Health Tip No 6: Relax. Stress and ill health go hand-in-hand. While you can't and shouldn't eliminate stress, you can learn to control it by meditation and relaxation techniques and by regular exercise. If you are currently on prescription drugs, don't stop them without consulting your doctor. But follow these natural health tips and you should be able to lower your cholesterol. In any case, you will certainly be much fitter and healthier.

Lowering Cholesterol with Natural Nutrients

 Lowering cholesterol without the negative side effects of cholesterol drugs is quite possible now thanks to a new generation of nutritional supplements that couple traditional nutrients with the latest research to reach new levels of effectiveness. 

There are several nutrients with both solid scientific documentation of effectiveness, and traditional "anecdotal" evidence built up over hundreds of years of use in the worlds oldest healing tradition. 

One of these nutrients is policosanol, a natural nutrient extracted from sugar cane, rice bran and bee's wax. This nutrient has solid research documentation and is proven to lower cholesterol even more effectively than statin drugs, without negative side effects, and it does not increase blood sugar levels. 

Since cholesterol is neccessary for many important body functions, when lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol it's critical to maintain a balance between LDL and HDL cholesterol, which is considered to be the "good" cholesterol. 

In clinical studies policosanol has been proven to maintain the balance between LDL and HDL, significantly decreasing total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. 

Policosanol vs, the statin drug Lovastatin (Mevacor) 

In a study comparing Policosanol with the statin drug Lovastatin (Mevacor) over the course of 12 weeks, Policosanol was found to be superior at lowering LDL cholesterol while raising HDL. 

The results of the study show that policosanol reduced total blood cholesterol by 14.2% compared to Lovastatin's 14.0% reduction. 

Policosanol also reduced LDL (bad) Cholesterol by 20.4% next to Lovastatin's 16.8% reduction, and raised HDL (good) by 7.5% where Lovastatin showed no change. 

Finally, the overall ratio of LDL to HDL reduction was 23.7% for Policosanol and 14.8% for Lovastatin. 

As you can see from these results, policosanol is one of the safest and most effective ways to lower cholesterol without the dangers and uncomfortable side effects of cholesterol drugs. 

But remember that these results apply only to the genuine policosanol extracted from sugar cane wax which is produced in Cuba. 

When considering a supplement containing policosanal you should be aware that there are many products on the the market that are using an incomplete form of policosanol called octacosanol. Octacosanol will not give the results outlined in the clinical trials mentioned. 

Also, some products have come on the U.S. market claiming to be effective at lowering cholesterol, but often these products use policosanal manufactured from beeswax. Like octacosanol, this form of policosanal is not supported by research as being effective at reducing cholesterol. 

Some more health issues that policosanal helps with are thrombosis, angina pectoris, stroke, high blood presssure and atherosclerosis. 

It has also been shown in studies to be very safe. In one such study rats were given a daily dose 2,000 times in excess of the recommended levels with no negative effects. 

Another herb used for thousands of years in the ancient healing tradition of Ayurveda is Guggul (also called Guggulipid). This herb has been proven in recent clinical trials to outperform the statin drugs, with no negative side effects. 

Guggulipid is the extract of the gum resin of the Commiphora mukul tree, which is native to India. Guggulipid is used for lowering high cholesterol, arthritis, atherosclerosis, acne, skin diseases, and weight loss. 

As well as lowering cholesterol, other evidence suggests guggul extracts might have anti-inflammatory activity and may also lower lipoprotein and C-reactive protein, which are important risk markers for heart disease. 

Policosanol and Guggilipid are key to lowering cholesterol naturally. If you have high cholesterol you'll want to make sure that the nutritional supplement you choose includes them. 

Lyme Disease – It Bites

 People often ignore insect bites thinking that the itching and the swelling will just go away on its own.  But who would have through that something as little as a tick can bring so much trouble aside from the usual insect bite marks.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease, also called borreliosis,  is a bacterial infection acquired from tick bites.  This are not regular ticks.  These are wood ticks found in deers. Ticks may settle itself anywhere on a human body, preferably  on warm, moist, and dark places like armpits and groins.  Lyme disease is caused by bacteria from ticks of the genus Borrelia.  However, in rare cases, it is also carried by ticks of the genus Ixodes.  It has been reported that Borrelia burgdorferi caused Lyme disease in the United States and Borrelia afzelli and garinii in Europe.  

Symptoms

Infection may manifest differently.  In its initial stage, patients see the presence of a reddish “bulls-eye,” often accompanied by fever, malaise, and fatigue.  About eighty percent of patients in the early stage of Lyme disease experienced this symptom.  This appears anywhere from a day to a month upon being bitten by an infected tick.  This red bulls-eye rash does not signal an allergic reaction, but rather a skin infection to the Lyme bacteria.  Muscular-skeletal pain may also be present during the early onset of this condition.

There have been rare cases where the infection appears asymptomatic.  And some less common reported cases of having cardiac and neurologic symptoms.  Cardiac symptoms include heart block and palpitations, neurologic symptoms include affectation of the central nervous system wherein the senses are impaired.  

Medical complications

Untreated or persistent cases of Lyme disease may lead to a number of chronic disease with medical complications such as meningo-encephalitis, cardiac inflammation (myocarditis), and frank arthritis.

Meningo-encephalitis has symptoms that resemble meningitis and encephalitis.  It manifests inflammation of the brain and its meninges.  Myocarditis is the inflammation of the muscular part of the heart.  With Lyme arthitis, often only one joint is affected at a time.  The most commonly affected joints are those of the knees, followed by the shoulder, elbow, foot, and hip.  This symptoms may die down after being treated for one to four weeks and may return in later months or even years.

Treatment

Antibiotics are the primary treatment administered for Lyme disease.  Dosage depends on the amount of time the tick has stayed in the person's body.  People who immediately removed the tick from their body are advised to be placed on close monitoring for any tick-borne diseases.  For people who have been bitten by ticks that have been in their person for at least twelve hours are advised to take a three-day dose of antibiotics.  The duration of dosing will depend on the doctors instructions and should always be followed religiously.

Prevention

The best way to avoid getting Lyme disease is to avoid tick-infested areas, or anywhere there are lots of animals where ticks may breed on.  If it is unavoidable to go to tick-filled places, wear protective clothing that covers the entire body.  Also, using insect repellents when going into wooden areas may help.

Knowing what to avoid will help prevent you from getting infected by Lyme disease, or any other diseases for that matter.  Ensuring personal hygiene protects you from breeding ticks or body lice that may infect you.  Being sensitive to your body and keeping track of even the slightest changes in your body will help you become more aware of any form of infection of insect infestation on your body.  

Just because something is small and barely visible, doesn't mean it can't harm you.  These tiny wood ticks may be little, but they can kill you.  Just like how the little boy David was able to bring down the giant Goliath.

Magnesium: A Mineral Underestimated

 Our legs are probably one of the most active and abused parts of our body. Legs are particularly important for motion and standing. Playing sports, running, and even for breaking a fall. But these legs are also  prone to pain as they, in combination with the hips, knees, ankles and feet, move the entire body’s weight and provide support.  In many cases, it is nearly impossible to determine the cause of leg cramps and leg pain.

Leg pain is a common symptom and complaint and finding a good leg pain relief can be taxing. Leg pain may include knee, foot, and other leg discomforts. Pain in these areas can stem from injuries or conditions such as fractures, tendinitis (e.g., Achilles tendinitis, tennis elbow), shin splints, and carpal tunnel syndrome. It may also include muscle cramps, injuries, inflammation, nerve damage, dehydration or depletion of potassium, sodium, calcium or the other mineral that is regarded as the “forgotten” mineral.

Magnesium is sometimes regarded as a “moothie” mineral since it has the ability to relax our muscles. Our nerves also depend upon magnesium to avoid becoming over-excited. The use of magnesium as a muscle relaxer is familiar to many individuals who have taken liquid magnesium. Magnesium is usually referred to as a “macromineral,” which means that our food must provide us with hundreds of milligrams of magnesium every day. Inside our bodies, magnesium is found mostly in our bones (60-65%), but also in our muscles (25%), and in other cell types and body fluids. Like all minerals, magnesium cannot be made in our body and must therefore be plentiful in our diet in order for us to remain healthy.

Having an adequate magnesium in our diet can provide leg pain relief. Magnesium is a mineral that is essential to many biological processes that occur in the body. It aids in the body’s absorption of calcium and also plays a key role in the strength and formation of bones and teeth. People at risk for osteoporosis can benefit from taking magnesium.  Magnesium is also vital for maintaining a healthy heart. It can help stabilize the rhythm of the heart and helps prevent abnormal blood clotting in the heart. It aids in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. This can significantly lower the chance of heart attacks and strokes, and can even aid in the recovery.

Magnesium also helps maintain proper muscle function. It works to keep muscles properly relaxed. Because of its benefits in relieving stiff muscles, magnesium can be especially beneficial to fibromyalgia patients.

Most people do not maintain proper levels of magnesium. But it would greatly benefit a lot of people if they supplement their diet with magnesium. Health experts frequently emphasize the importance of having adequate levels of vitamins and minerals in the diet. While most people try to stay informed about which vitamins and minerals are most beneficial to their health, there are still many nutrients that have benefits that are underestimated and even forgotten. Magnesium is certainly one of these elements.

Essential for hundreds of chemical reactions that occur in the body every second, the mineral magnesium has received surprisingly little attention over the years. Recent findings, however, suggest that it has important health-promoting benefits.

Magnetic Therapy, How And Why Magnets Effect The Body

 Have you ever read or have been told that "it is not known  why magnets work"? Well, this is untrue. All human and  animal bodies are electromagnetic in nature and this fact is closely allied to the chemical balance of the body which can be in either a healthy or an unhealthy state. 

It is now known scientifically that a healthy body contains fluids that are slightly alkaline and that an unhealthy body is acidic. A poor diet can make the body acidic and in this state all sorts of dis-eases will thrive. (Dr John Millward MD, "Your Life in the Balance", available on our website.) 

It is also known that at damaged sites in the body, exists a positive electrical charge which affects both the chemical balance the electrical balance in the area resulting in pain. In order to effect healing, the body's own systems send a negative electrical charge to the area. (Dr Robert Becker, "The Body Electric") 

This healing action of the body is easily restricted by poor diet, lifestyle, alcohol, drugs etc. There is also a lot of evidence of something called "Magnetic Deficiency Syndrome" being a major contributor to restricting the body's ability to respond to illness. I will be looking in depth at this syndrome in a later article. 

It is now firmly established that a negative magnetic  field, provided by a geomagnetic north pole magnetic field  (the same as the Earth's North Pole), is the most natural  way of providing much needed support for the body's own  immune system. 

Dr W Philpott MD, a practitioner of magnet therapy for over 40 years explains that negative magnetic fields oxygenate and alkalise by aiding the body's defences and helping to relieve pain. Further, they combat inflammation and infection and enhance deep restorative sleep.  

This latter point is extremely important. In order to combat maladies that result from the stress of our current  lifestyles, the correct amount of good quality sleep is  essential. Combine this with the possibility of at least  reducing the amount of powerful drugs taken and what results is a completely natural complementary therapy.  

It is probably wise at this stage just to say that anyone  reading this article that is undergoing a course of  treatment with a health professional should not stop the  treatment but consider using magnetic therapy in support.  Also, magnetic therapy should not be used if any electronic implants are present in the body. 

Given the correct choice and placement of magnetic device,  this is probably the most effective alternative therapy  available. Typical successful application results in 80 to  90% of cases, higher with some forms of dis-ease. Magnet  therapy can be applied by you whenever and wherever needed. Modern materials technology has produced small powerful inexpensive magnets which can be used anywhere on the body and can be moved about to find the best positions. Sleeping on magnets provides a most efficacious application. 

In the next article in this series, I will be looking at the subject of magnets, their strength measurement and a  complete explanation of polarity.

Making Life Sweet - Splenda®: Is It Safe Or Not?

 The dangers of aspartame are now widely known, but the risks of using

Splenda are not as well documented - yet.  Essentially, the sucralose in

Splenda does not readily penetrate the blood brain barrier as aspartame

does, hence creating neurotoxic havoc at the brain center.  But, the

research shows sucralose can negatively affect the body in several ways

because it IS a chemical substance and NOT natural sugar.

There¹s a sweetener war going on out there ­ a battle for your dollar at

the expense of human health. It is important to educate yourself on the

facts about Splenda, aspartame (NutraSweet/Equal®), and all the other sugar

substitutes available on today¹s sugar-free market.  In order to make a

decision whether to use chemical sweeteners or not, you must have all the

data available, good and bad. But ALL the information is hard for the

general public to find. I have spent over fifteen years working with victims

of aspartame because the truth and information about the dangers of

aspartame has been quietly steered away from public access since the early

1970s.

The same patterns with aspartame are repeating with sucralose (Splenda).

The individuals who stand to profit the most have immense influence, and the

information about Splenda¹s dangers, just as with aspartame, is being

downplayed.  Corporate claims of product safety and innocuous research

results are identical to those used by The NutraSweet Company.  As you learn

more information about Splenda and see its advertisements, note the

comparisons and repeated patterns between the products, the corporations,

and the marketing strategies.  Maybe consumers can prevent damage to their

health from sucralose sooner than they did with aspartame, which has

affected the health and lives of millions of innocent people since it was

introduced into the public food supply over twenty years ago. Especially

damage to a fetus or a child.

At least you, the consumer, deserve to be informed about the ³other side²

of this safety issue so you can make up your own mind whether to use Splenda

or not.

This information is based on research from Dr. Janet Starr Hull. For more

information on Splenda, see Dr. Hull¹s newly released book Splenda®: Is It

Safe Or Not?

Making Love Last (When infertility comes between your marriage)

 Jay and Mariana are the perfect couple. They met and dated during their senior year in high school and had been inseparable ever since.  After a long wait, they were finally engaged right after finishing college. After less than a year our of college,  Jay and Mariana decided to tie the knot.

The first few months as newlyweds was a bliss.  They were so in love that there wasn't even room for even a single petty quarrel.  But on their second year as husband and wife, things began to change. Suddenly, both began to feel the pressure and frustration of still having an empty nest.  Their romance and intimacy was slowly eroded by the sense of incompleteness.  

Mariana was so consumed about having her own child that she eventually drifted away from Jay.  In her mind, marriage was all about having a family.  At times, she would feel very depressed and think that maybe she was at fault.  At the back of her mind, she was worried that something was wrong with her and that is reason why she has not been able to conceive.

Jay had his own share of stress and anxiety in their marriage. Even if he tried to hide his frustrations, he could not help but express his envy whenever his best friend Mikey spoke about his one-year old son and how his wife Pamela was expecting their second child. 

The couple found family reunions and other occasions with relatives to be particularly difficult.  Jay and Mariana were always bombarded with questions about when they would finally have children of their own.  The sight of nephews and nieces made them more sensitive to the fact that they were childless.  Both of them had to endure endless questions, jokes, stares,  and the noise of happy children.  They would not have minded the laughter, crying, and screams of the children --- except that these little packages of energy and fun were not their own.  Every family reunion, an insensitive aunt would always joke about the “stork” that lost its way and never reached Jay and Mariana's empty home.   The couple just kept silent everytime they heard that cruel joke.

For such a long time, Jay and Mariana exchanged accusation and blame for not having a child of their own. The stress and anxiety of not having a child almost took a toll on their marriage.   Fights became more frequent and the moments of intimacy became rarer --- which further complicated their problem.  How could they have a child if they were always fighting?

With the prodding of a mutual friend,  Jay finally agreed to go with Mariana to a doctor.  After a series of tests, the doctor told them that Mariana was perfectly capable of getting pregnant.  The doctor also said that Jay had a very low sperm count which could probably explain why Mariana still could not get pregnant.

Like Jay and Mariana, many couples experience problems with infertility.  In fact, in the Unites States, it is estimated that six million couples face infertility challenges each year, or about 10 percent of all married couples.  Infertility is the failure of a couple to become pregnant after one year of regular and unprotected intercourse. Under ideal circumstances, the probability that a woman will get pregnant during a single menstrual cycle is only about 30%. In many cases, infertility is caused by a combination of factors in both partners that conspire to prevent such conception from occurring. Infertility affects one in 25 American men. Men infertility cases are due to low sperm count or poor sperm quality. In most industrialized countries like the U.S, sperms counts have been found to be in a decline especially among busy, career-driven men.

Managing Stress Without The Use of Drugs

 In today’s fast paced environment, many people are under a lot of stress. Women are even more susceptible to the strains of everyday life. Some are single mothers that work full time jobs and then come home and care for their baby. They are over worked, underpaid and under extreme stress.

Many women go to their family doctors complaining about headaches, lack of sleep and mood swings. The doctor will calmly explain to them that they have stress problems, and to take a few days off, and then prescribe them a drug to alleviate the symptoms.

While the drugs may work in the short term, it doesn’t treat the root problems. When you stop taking the drug, the stress will still be present. And who has the time to put their feet up and relax, especially if you have a toddler causing mayhem at home?

So what are the alternatives?

Well there are many and we will explore a few of them in this article, but the first thing you have to do is figure out the cause of your stress. Stress can be caused by many things. What is stressful to one person can be joyful for the next. For instance, speaking in public can cause some people a lot of anxiety, but to some it is a joy.

Once you have located the reasons for your stress try to think of ways to alleviate it. Here are some more helpful tricks and tips for managing stress levels without the use of drugs.

Take a Deep Breath: The reason why stress causes headaches in a lot of cases is because when a person is under significant stress they will tend to breath shallowly, or hold their breath without even realizing it. Your muscles then get a lack of oxygen and you cramp up in such places like your neck and abdomen and you get a headache. Sometimes it just makes you feel uptight.

If you feel a headache coming on, or you feel uptight, stop and check your breathing. Take a few minutes to rest and take deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth.

Talk to People: Being lonely is a terrible thing, and this can cause stress all by itself. Try joining a club or something you enjoy that will connect you to other people. Sometimes just talking and having fun can do wonders for your stress problems.

Regular Exercise: It has been scientifically proven that exercise helps relieve stress. Try joining a gym, or just going for a walk each night. You will boost your energy level making it easier to cope with the stress of daily life.

Managing Time: Nothing causes stress like being late for an appointment. Avoid this unnecessary stress by planning your day. Insure that you have enough time to get to all of your appointments. Maybe invest in a day planner.

Body Break: Your mind and body are one. Make sure that you eat proper nutritious meals, and sleep well at night. Avoid excess sugar and caffeine. These foods will give you a temporary high, but will cause you to crash later. A body that is properly maintained will be better able to cope with stress.

Avoid The Use of Illegal Drugs: Many people turn to alcohol and drugs to relieve their stress. While it may seem that these things are helping with your stress they are really harming you. Not only are they wrecking your body, but they are only a temporary fix. When you wake up in the morning, the problem that you were trying to escape will still be there.

Change Your Surroundings: Make sure that you are as comfortable as possible. If your chair at work is causing your back to hurt, change it. If your bed is causing backache and lack of sleep, change it. Why put your mind and body under stress that can be easily avoided. 

Go to Your Happy Place: Try daydreaming for a minute if you feel stressed out. Imagine a sunny beach, or a quiet cottage. Imagine the tastes and sounds. A few minutes of imagined vacation can do wonders for your mental outlook, and relieve stress.

These are just a few techniques that will help you cope with your stress levels. Try concentrating on the positive aspects of your life, and not the negative. Without some stress life would be boring, but too much of anything can kill you.