Health jump

5 Ways to Avoid Colds and Flus

2011-09-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

It seems that nearly everyone catches a cold or the flu between the months of December through February. Most people think this is just the way it has to be, and germs just randomly attack people. Well, this just isn't true!

There are many ways to avoid these annoying and often depressing illnesses. Follow these 5 suggestions and you will significantly reduce your chances of falling prey to one of these nasty attacks!

1. Avoid sugar. As difficult as this may seem in during the holidays, it's the #1 reason people get sick! Sugar takes a big hit on your immune system, and opens you up to disease. If you absolutely cannot do without sweets for 6 weeks, pick and choose a few specific times when you allow yourself a dessert. The daily chocolate around the office will surely come back to haunt you!

2. Get enough sleep. If holiday demands are forcing you to cut down on sleep, you are also putting stress on your defense against germs. Winter is actually a time when you should plan to sleep a little more than usual, not try to get by with as little as possible.

3. Avoid Stuffing Yourself. Although it may be tempting to overeat during this time, this will cause your liver to have to work extra hard, and lead to you getting sick. Overeating any time is also a good way to gain extra weight, as your body stores some of what it can't use as fat. Stick with smaller meals more often and don't let others pressure you into eating too much "because it's the holiday season." Nibbling on appetizers for hours before a big meal can really do you in. Make sure you think about what you are eating and slow down on the alcohol!

4. Prioritize and Reduce Stress. Make sure you are prioritizing your work and daily activities so you don't become overwhelmed and stressed out. Keeping unwanted stress away is a big factor in staying healthy. Take up yoga or meditation, or just reserve 20-30 minutes per day that's "your time"- where you don't have to do anything or be anywhere.

5. Cook with Coconut Oil. For many years coconut oil was the preferred oil for Americans, until the Canola industry spread false rumors about it, claiming that it was bad for your health. Recent studies have shown that in fact by not eating coconut oil we are missing out on nutrients that keep our immune systems strong. It is the only "good" form of saturated fat. To stay strong, have a couple of teaspoons every day, either in your cooking or as part of a smoothie.

6. Aerobic Workouts. If you're going to miss a workout, make it an anaerobic one. Stick with your walking, jogging, swimming, cycling. Anaerobic workouts like lifting weights, or doing sprints, put more stress on the body, and skipping these occasionally during this time of year can actually benefit your health.

7 Free Tips: The Truth About Hand Care

2011-09-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Look at your hands now and tell yourself what you see?

Beautifull and gorgeous hands are so important.

Hands tells everything about yourself, how you live your life and love your body.

They say that hands give a woman's age away, well so what!

But gorgeous hands are the carriers of your personality, no matter in what situation and age you are.

You wear fancy designer clothes, imagine the negative effects if you combine these fancy clothes with abbandonded hands.

Look around you and see how hands are the centre of communication.

At a party, or even a job interview, your hands are your business card.

Your hands are the ultimate tool invented ever, but you don't realize how importants these tools are. You just use them all day;

Shaking hands, cooking, doing your hair, feel, touch, work, write.

Endless, think about this for a second.

And decide now, no matter what your age is, to treat them as your treassure.

The skin of the hand is so thin, protect the skin.
Pamper your hands with your personal handlotion, 4 times a day.
Exfoliate once a week with a face exfoliater.
Use once a week your face nightcream also on your hands before you go to sleep.
Get accustomed to using rubber gloves whenever you do housework.
Prevent your hands from aging or abusing.
Protect your hands from dry weather as well as protecting them from the sun.

Biting Basics

2011-09-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

Nail biting in all its various forms is problematic behavior beset by peculiarity and contradiction. Technically speaking, the correct word for nail biting is ONYCHOPHAGIA.

Nail biting typically begins between the ages of five and 10 and is common among children as well as adults. As many as one in three Americans bite their nails.

One of the more noteworthy and generally surprising things about nail biting is its high instance. It crosses every social and economic barrier. Prevalence figures for children are much higher than for adults.

Results of nail biting can result in short, ragged nails. It may also lead to damaged cuticles as well as bleeding around the edges of the nails. Infections can also develop if nails are not properly attended to.

Most relevant studies have found that nail biting tends to peak out around puberty.h

A study by Malon and Massmer studied the behavior in the Chicago school systems and reported that nail biting is prevalent in about 60 percent of children age eight to eleven.

Most people agree it is a learned habit, perhaps picked up by watching a parent or someone else biting their nails.

Nail biting is an extremely tough habit to break and treatment for it varies.

One possible solution is identifying the reason for nail biting. Avoidance or modification of these situations can be beneficial to the eventual elimination of the habit.

Improving self-esteem is also helpful when attempting to break the habit.

Products such as CONTROL-IT are available on the market and are designed to aid nail biters in breaking their habit. According to www.stopbitingnails.com, CONTROL-IT is a gentle and natural alternative to help prevent biting. A mild unpleasant taste helps to remind users to stop biting their nails.

A host of research efforts both in America and Europe sought to ascertain if in fact nail biting was linked to mental illness in one form or another. Most people would have anticipated they found a high prevalence of nail biting among the mentally disordered; however, they found that nail biting, in and of itself, is not systematic of any form of mental disorder or maladjustment.

Optimum Health

2011-09-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

"Optimum health is not just the absence of disease but the presence of wellness in mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and social areas. Some would also include financial health."

Introduction

Optimum health is essential at all levels, from the individual to the society we live in to the environment around us. We have to start thinking of wealth not just in terms of possession of money and properties but also the possession of mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being.

Mental Health

The truth is mind is the forerunner of all states.

With a proper mindset, a poor man can still be happy. Conversely, if the mindset is not right, no matter how much material possessions you may have, you may still be a very unhappy person. Thus, Gandhi said, "The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not enough for even a single person's greed."

So a healthy mind is one that possesses a mindset that can lead to happiness and contentment with self and the world around us. It provides clarity of thoughts, good insight and the ability to see things through an unbiased mind.

To be able to see things through an unbiased mind is no small feat. It is extremely difficult to note or observe the unfolding of events and phenomena without judging. We habitually associate emotions or feelings to events, and allow such emotions to direct our actions. Our likes for certain things and dislikes for others are closely associated with our emotions.

Emotional Health

It is our emotions that lead us to act impulsively at times. Thus a high level of self-awareness in this area is extremely useful. In fact, it is essential to our well-being. After all, things and relationships that may take us years to build can be destroyed in a moment of anger.

There are positive and negative emotions. Positive emotions such as love, compassion and joy should be cultivated, while negative emotions such as fear, anger and hate need to be eradicated.

When asked about this, a wise sage of India once illustrated with a story:

An old man said to his grandson, "Boy, I have two tigers caged within me. One is love and compassion. The other is fear and anger."

The young boy asked, "Which one will win, grandfather?"

The old man replied, "The one I feed."

At times, it may seem that we have no control over our emotions. This is not true. The truth is how well we manage our emotions depends on how aware we are of our emotions, particularly on the arising of our emotions. The earlier we are able to note the arising of our emotions, we better we can manage them.

More and more researches are showing that our well-being is closely linked to our emotional and mental health. Our body's immune system is generally enhanced by positive mental outlook and emotion. Conversely, it is depressed by negative mental and emotional states. Thus, stress, worry, anger and fear are some states that may lead to physical illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac diseases, peptic ulcers, depression and a host of other ailments.

Physical Health

To maintain an optimum physical well-being, therefore, requires us to focus not only on our body but also our mind and emotions.

On a physical level, our body can be kept healthy through adequate sleep and rest, proper nutrition, regular exercises and a healthy environment that is free from pollution.

Spiritual Health

Throughout the ages, wise men have consistently informed and taught us that we are essentially spiritual beings.

Although medical science has not been able to reveal to us our spiritual nature, there are many indirect evidence that we would be foolish to ignore. Stories from people who had gone through a near death experience (NDE), or dying people with heightened nearing death awareness, or simply a cure from an 'incurable' disease all suggest that there is more to life than just the physical state.

Major religions of the world all based their teachings on the belief that we are essentially spiritual beings. According to these teachings, our physical existence is secondary.

While it may be true that we should focus our life more on our spiritual nature than our physical nature, it would be difficult for the majority of people to do so, at least not immediately. Things cannot change overnight. Mindset, however, can, and that is perhaps the best place to start.

Financial Health

However, on a more mundane level, most people are still stuck on how to survive from day to day, where to get the next cheque to pay for the house installment, so on and so forth.

Practically, therefore, we need to look into ways to achieve a financial state that would theoretically free us from the constrain of 'forced' work. This is where the concept of financial freedom is so attractive. According to this concept, one should strive for a state where we have one or more than one source of income that can be generated passively, that is, even when we don't work.

This is what Robert Kiyosaki termed as 'passive income'.

According to him, passive income can only be achieved by becoming an investor or a business owner, not a sole proprietor or an employee. To become an investor or a business owner, you must spend the time and money to acquire financial intelligence. Unlike IQ or EQ, you can acquire financial intelligence through self education.

To get a financial health check-up, consult an accountant, a banker or a financial planner you can trust.

Healthy Relationship

"No man is an island, entire by itself."

As a medical doctor, I am in a unique position to confront and comfort dying patients. One of the most important thing that I have observed is that dying people do not ask about their money or possessions. Instead, they focus their remaining energy and strength on trying to heal wounded relationships. It is as though there is an inherent need to get a proper closure to a relationship.

Thus, forming and cultivating a healthy relationship is important for our well-being. Unfortunately, this is something we often ignored until it is too late. If there is any forgiving to be done, or the need to be forgiven, leaving things to the last minutes may end up with an unfulfilled desire for a closure.

NO To Smoking

2011-08-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

Is there any adventure or fun in smoking? Absolutely not! Don't be fooled by the fun packed advertisements of the cigarette making companies. There is no "taste", no "fun" and no "adventure" in smoking cigarettes. These are just the slogans of the cigarette making companies which are multiplying their profits at the cost of the precious human lives.

The greedy multi-national multi-billion dollar cigarette manufacturers are killing people quietly without being noticed by anyone. According to the WHO report, every 6.5 seconds a person in the world dies prematurely due to cancer, heart attack, respiratory or some other kind of tobacco related diseases. No doubt, the tobacco is the fourth most common risk factor for diseases worldwide.

If you are a smoker then think seriously for a moment and decide whether you are mentally OK. I very much doubt because you are spending money on the purchase of an item which is not only risking your life by unintentionally inviting numerous diseases to attack your body but also risking the lives of other people who are forced to inhale second hand smoke, which is more dangerous than smoking. If you smoke inside your house then you also risk the life of your spouse and children. Is it a wise decision to keep on smoking?

Say no to smoking, if you want to live a normal healthy life free from diseases. Why not take a bold decision NOW and quit smoking immediately! Are you prepared to do so?

Tobacco use is going to kill nearly 10 million people each year, mostly in their productive middle ages. It is estimated that 75% of these deaths will occur in the developing countries mainly due to the high number of smokers and lack of medical facilities available there.

Due to lack of knowledge and education, the number of smokers in the developing countries and poor households is increasing at an alarming rate. The warning written on the cigarette packets is mostly ignored by the illiterate smokers. It is sad that the average amount spent by poor households on tobacco is nearly the same as the amount spent on education. A recent study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has proved that the more people are educated, the less they smoke.

Health Portfolio Balanced?

2011-08-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

We are all aware of the need to balance our financial portfolio so that in times of hardship or when disaster strikes -- stock market drops, pink slips, etc -- we will be affected by financial challenges as little as possible. Having a substantial bank account allows us many opportunities that people with lesser financial savvy and preparation must for ego.

Perhaps you are at a "comfortable" financial level, able to pay off bills and credit cards timely, and have enough disposable income to enjoy a good quality of life. Perhaps you enjoy an "extremely high" financial level, with unending "toys", travel when and where you want, and other opportunities for the "good life". Either way you are able to handle sudden financial challenges and able to take advantage of financial opportunities as they come your way. Feels good, doesn't it?

But what about your health portfolio? When faced with challenges such as a cold, flu season, children's ear infections, etc. do you just accept them as part of life? What about when disaster strikes in the form of a serious health challenge to you or a family member. Is your health bank account equipped to fight back?

In the United States, the average age of disability (when quality of life becomes so poor that you need help for daily activities of living) is 65 years old. Modern medicine is providing miracles in keeping us alive longer -- increasing our "lifespan". But what about the quality of our lives? If we want to continue our "healthspan" along with our "lifespan", it is imperative to raise the level of our health bank account as well as balance our health portfolio.

15 Simple Ways to Beat Fatigue this Winter

2011-08-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

AS Autumn with it's breathless colours of flames and golds comes to an end, we await the arrival of Winter and it's own definitive beauty.

Yes, there is no point kidding ourselves, it will be pretty damp and, at times, downright. It will be cold and chilly and for some the task of dragging ourselves out of bed in the dark mornings will get more and more difficult. The glare of oncoming headlamps will play havoc with your eyes as you head homeward bound during the dark evenings in manic traffic. And as you reluctantly adjust to the shorter days and lack of natural daylight and sunlight, you are also faced with the fact that Christmas, and it's inevitable rush, is heading this way, as it always does, at full speed!

All the ingredients to ensure a good dose of winter fatigue I'm sure you'll agree - but help is at hand! It doesn't have to be unbearable. If you are feeling a little lack lustre, yawning at a ferocious rate and basically have just about enough energy in the evenings to slump down on the sofa in front of the box, you'll be tickled pink you opened this page! You can bring back that 'joie de vivre' and add a little peppering of genuine verve back into your life by trying some (or indeed all) of these 20 simple ways to boost your energy levels this winter!

1) SLEEP - Get as much sleep as you need to and remember your body really needs it at this time of year.

2) VITAMINS - Supplements such as Vitamins A, B and E are all important for well-being. If you want to avoid supplements, however, you can ensure that you eat the necessary foods containing these essentials. Try using 1 teaspoon of Brewers Yeast in a glass of milk or water, it's full of Vitamin B and good for digestion too.

3) LAUGHTER - Bring on the laughter and smiles, it's the most natural way to help depression, anxiety and, believe it or not, it lowers blood pressure too!

4) STRETCH - One really effective way to beat fatigue is to try a Yoga pose known as the 'Standing Stretch'. Stand in the correct posture, that is, with your toes pointed out in front of you, your knees relaxed and your feet at hip distance. Ensure the weight is balanced evenly between the ball and the heel of your foot. Interlace your thumbs and stretch your hands up above your head while keeping your arms against your ears - and stretch upwards from the lumbar area of your lower back. Keeping your breath even throughout, now slowly release the arms down in front of you. Tuck your chin into your chestbone and gently lower yourself down, vertebrae by vertebrae keeping arms hanging loosely and then just hang from the waist. This position encourages the blood flow to the head and is a real winner when you need to energise yourself. After one minute slowly bring yourself back up into a standing position, imagining as you do so that each vertebrae is stacking itself upon the next until you are eventually upright and repeat three times.

5) DIET - Check your Diet and be sure over the winter months to include at least five portions of fruit and vegetables everyday.

6) AROMATHERAPY - Use pure Essential Oils as often as you need them. Burning Peppermint or Rosemary oils is excellent for alertness and both also aid concentration. As these oils are energising oils it is best not to use them in the evening if you are planning to have a good nights sleep.

7) THE MAGIC OF WATER - Don't forget the recommended amount is approximately two litres per day.

8) AVOID toxic people because, quiet simply, they can completely drain you of energy.

9) EXERCISE - Get plenty of exercise - There's no escaping it. The health gurus recommend that we all need to include at least 15 minutes exercise, three or four times a week.

10) LEARN TO SAY 'NO' more often. As the old saying goes 'those that matter won't mind and those that mind don't matter'. You'll be amazed at how much energy you can recoup and even more amazed to discover that if you say 'no' the world will keep on turning.

11) COMBAT PARTY NIGHTS - If you've had a late night on the Town try drinking at least two glasses of water before crawling up to bed, it will make the following day far more bearable.

12) BREAKFAST - We've known from a very early age that we should never miss Breakfast. No matter how tight you are for time try not to skip it. For a quick energy-inducing breakfast grab a mug of hot water with honey and lemon and a quick bowl of cereal, ideally with fibre.

13) REDUCE your intake of Caffeine. While it may give a quick boost, a lot of caffeine daily actually ends up having a negative effect on your energy level. You might even try substituting a couple of cups a day with a herbal tea, such as sage to raise spirits, peppermint to aid digestion or chamomile to enable you to unwind.

14) LEARN - Meditation and Relaxation techniques - they'll be invaluable not just today but for life.

15) MOTHER NATURE - Get out there and make the most of the short daylight hours. Overdose on fresh air. There is nothing more revitalizing than taking the time, even if it's only 15 minutes a day, to soak in our beautiful scenery and breathe in the fabulous scents of the season.

A Free and Simple Test for pH

2011-08-09T23:35:00.001-07:00

It is estimated that 80% of all deaths in the United States can be delayed and you have the power to

DO IT! The leading killers to the American population are heart disease, diabetes, and obesity is all avoidable. These health problems and other serious health conditions including; allergies, depression, poor digestion, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, anxiety and many more have a direct link to our diets and nutritional intake. By measuring your saliva pH at home you can quickly and easily gauge the nutritional stress your body is under and determine if additional nutritional support is needed. Americans are slowly killing themselves with fast food and prolonged nutritional depletion, but there is hope. By improving our diets and taking nutritional supplements we can reverse the effects of degenerative diseases. A saliva pH test may simple be the answer to the health care crisis America is facing.

Saliva pH is controlled by your diet and the amount of vitamins and minerals you have in your body. Lower saliva pH is a good indicator for the need of vitamin and mineral supplements. Saliva pH over 7.0 is a good indicator that you are taking in enough vitamins and minerals. This simple test is a good general way to measure the amount of vitamins and minerals you need. The benefits of saliva pH testing are that it is simple, inexpensive and the patient control over monitoring their path back to good health. Saliva pH has been used by physicians for decades as a general indicator of your body's health. Recent research has linked low saliva pH to poor nutrition and has been found to be an indicator in several leading diseases. Saliva pH is usually measured from 5-9, the lower your score the more acidic and the more likely to have health problems. Your ideal saliva pH level should be between 7.0-7.4, this is either 1st thing in the morning or an hour after any food or fluid intake. The good news is that you can monitor and improve your health without costly medications or doctors visits. You can improve your saliva pH by improving the foods you eat and the nutritional supplements you take.

To increase your saliva pH levels you need to know what foods to eat and which foods to avoid. The body recognizes foods as either acid , neutral or alkaline based. High protein foods like meats, fish, beans and chicken tend to make the body more acidic. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are more alkaline in nature and will help raise your saliva pH level. The worst foods in the American diet; coffee, soda, alcohol, sugar, saccharine, processed flour and fried foods are the most acid forming foods available.

This easy to do and safe test clearly shows how the American lifestyle has lead us straight into a national health care crisis.

Here is what today's leading physicians and researchers have to say about pH testing:

Specific foods balance acid, alkaline levels, stemming aging process and illness

Cosmetic Surgery Times; 7/1/2003; Carraway, Jim

According to Dr. Vince Giampapa, in "Quantum Longevity," acid-producing foods block antioxidant enzymes and reduce our ability to digest food into micronutrients. To maintain a good antioxidant balance, patients need a slightly alkaline pH. In general, acid-producing foods are as follows: sugar, flour, commercial cereals, fish, chicken, eggs, meat. Alkaline-producing foods ate fruits, vegetables, legumes, and soy products.

The effectiveness of a dental/dietitian team in the assessment of bulimic dental health.

Journal of the American Dietetic Association; 8/1/1990

; Wampold, Richard L.

This research article reported that bulimic patients were shown to have lower saliva pH. The lower pH found was associated with the lack of nutrients and with a higher incidence of dental erosion and cavities.

Nasal mucociliary clearance and nasal and oral pH in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Ear, Nose and Throat Journal

; 8/1/1999; Kurt, Aynur, et al.

.... we did find that nasal mucociliary clearance and oral pH levels in the diabetic patients were significantly different from those of healthy subjects.

Correlative Urinalysis, Dr. M.T. Morter,

Saliva pH gives an indication of the intracellular environment and is the most accurate indicator of overall health and the condition of the alkaline reserve... Saliva pH should be consistently 6.8 pH or higher.

The following is a list of common foods and how they affect the body's acid / alkaline balance.

Saliva pH readings should never be below 6.1...

While list concerning Alkaline and Acid based foods vary by researcher, but the basics are the same. Acid based foods are high protein foods like meats, fish and chicken. Alkaline foods are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Like all healthy diets fast foods, fried foods, processed foods, sugar, etc, are all acid forming foods and should be avoided. The list below will help you decide on the foods that are best for you. You do not need to avoid acid foods, but use less of them as compared to the alkaline foods.

Remember, while fruits like lemons and oranges are acidic they are alkaline based and or good for you.

This list was taken from Dr. Mortar's book, Correlative Urinalysis.

ALKILINE FOODS ACID ASH FOODS

Raw spinach scallops

Beet greens oysters

Molasses dried lentils

Celery sausage

Dried figs sardines

Carrots oatmeal

Dried beans corned beef

Chard leaves lobster

Watercress peanuts

Sauerkraut haddock

Lettuce soda crackers

Green lima beans codfish

Dried Lima beans pasta

Rhubarb peanut butter

Cabbage chicken

Broccoli pike

Brussels sprouts brown rice

Green soy beans whole wheat flower

Cucumbers white flour

Parsnips salmon

Radishes beef

Rutabagas turkey

Dried peas barley

Additional lists of alkaline and acid based foods can be found on numerous websites.

Along with changing your diet to improve your saliva pH levels nutritional supplements are important. Saliva pH measure is based on the foods you eat and the availabity vitamins and minerals in your system. An acid saliva pH is a good indicator of the need for nutritional supplements. I recommend a multivitamin with minerals, a green product and digestive enzymes for extremely low saliva pH.

Body Piercing Aftercare and Healing Essentials

2011-08-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

The most important thing to keep in mind after your body piercing has been performed is that you have essentially just sustained an open wound, and you should be caring for it exactly like you would a surgical wound or injury. That is, with the same kind of care, cleanliness and attention that you would to a serious injury to make sure that you don't scar or get an infection. There are two different types of body piercings to consider: non-oral and oral.

Non-oral body piercing aftercare Keeping your piercing clean can't be stressed too much! It just can't. Twice a day, every day, without fail. No excuses. Use a mild antibacterial soap that doesn't have fragrances in it, such as Provon® Antimicrobial Lotion Soap or Satin® Therapeutic Skin Cleanser, both of which are approved by the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). The best place to clean your piercing is usually in the shower, where the warm water will help you loosen and remove those crusties around the base of your jewelry. Use a cotton swab or a Kleenex to remove these, and then throw the swab or Kleenex away. Never use a washcloth -- these things are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria! The same for bath towels after your shower! Then, with clean hands, gently cleanse the area with the soap and turn the jewelry so that the soap gets in the piercing and let this sit for a minute or two. After rotating it again, rinse thoroughly with warm, clear water. Make sure you get all of the soap out to prevent irritation. The rinsing is very important, so try to be thorough without irritating the area. It often helps to cup your hands and drizzle water over the area, since the shower stream can be a little too hard to aim directly on the area. Don't forget your sea salt soaks After cleansing, a sea salt soak helps to draw out any piercing infection and impurities while soothing the area and calming any inflammation that may be present. Mix about ¼ teaspoon of sea salt with 8 ounces of warm water. Using a disposable cup, soak your piercing in this for ten minutes the first time, and five minutes each time after that. If your piercing is in a location that makes this difficult, apply the solution with cotton swabs, tissues or some other disposable product that's soft and clean. Never use a hanky, washcloth or any other item that is going to be reused. Always pat your piercings dry with cotton balls, cotton swabs or tissues -- don't rub them, pat them. This reduces irritation and possible tearing of the skin and helps promote healing. Although it seems to be a minor step, keeping your piercings dry is actually an essential part of piercing aftercare because it reduces the opportunities for bacteria to breed (they love a warm, moist place to play). If you aren't sure about mixing your sea salt soaks properly or it's too inconvenient, there's a new alternative on the market that's less messy and is portable. H2Ocean® Piercing Aftercare Spray is a pre-mixed sea salt solution containing lysozyme, a natural antibacterial that is gentle to the skin. Simply spray it on the area and allow to drip dry; it's easy to use because of their patent-pending compressed air delivery system that produces a fine mist. This product is guaranteed to heal navel piercings in only a month and a half if used regularly and is highly recommended by numerous piercing communities like BME and Prick magazine. H2Ocean® also comes in a portable size for your pocket or purse, which makes piercing aftercare away from home easier. X-pressions Piercing Aftercare Spray is also available for both oral and non-oral body piercings and is a mild antibacterial solution with purified water in a non-aerosol, pump spray with a pleasant, peppermint flavor. Once a day (not more often, because you'll be unnecessarily irritating the area), check that the ends of your piercing jewelry are firmly screwed on. But wash your hands with antibacterial soap first. And now, a few "don'ts"

Don't ever put hydrogen peroxide or alcohol on a piercing -- they are too drying and will delay healing.

Don't ever use Neosporin on a piercing -- it can actually trap bacteria. Read the label; it actually says, "Not for puncture wounds." Guess what? A piercing is a puncture wound.

Don't ever remove your piercing jewelry before the piercing is completely healed, which may take months or up to a year. If you suspect a piercing infection, see your piercing professional or doctor first.

Don't sleep on your piercing until the initial healing phase is over.

Don't wear tight clothing over your piercing during the initial healing phase.

Oral piercing aftercare During the first three to six weeks after an oral piercing, rinse your mouth with an antibacterial agent after every meal to kill bacteria and make sure not tiny food particles aren't lodged around your piercing just waiting to fester and turn into problems later. There are several excellent products on the market for this, including APP recommended Biotene and Tech2000 Dental Rinse; these have the proper ingredients and have the right potency to get the job done without being too strong. Don't bother with mouthwash, because it's not strong enough to do anything but cover your bad breath, which won't be much consolation when you have a swollen, tender tongue because of improper aftercare. You can also use a commercial antibacterial rinse, but dilute it so that it isn't too strong. If your tongue develops a whitish or yellowish look, your mouth rinse is too strong and will slow healing. Sea salt rinses ... ahh! Mix the familiar warm water solution of 8 ounces water to ¼ teaspoon sea salt and swish this in your mouth for 15-20 seconds after drinking anything other than water and after smoking. It's not only an aid to healing, but can be very soothing to the pierced area. If your oral piercing is sore or swollen, you can find some relief by allowing crushed ice to melt in your mouth. Popsicles, ice cream and the like also work, but will need to be followed up, like everything else, with a sea salt rinse (or H2Ocean®). Brush, brush, brush You can keep your tongue and piercing as clean as you want, but if you don't brush your teeth well, you'll still have millions of bacteria in your mouth. Try to brush your teeth three times a day during the first several weeks of healing. Buy a new soft-bristle brush that will be gentle on your piercing. Don't use a brush that you've already used before your piercing, as it will harbor old germs. You should also gently brush the balls on the ends of your piercing jewelry to prevent the natural build-up of plaque on your jewelry. Oral piercing "don'ts"

Don't smoke, chew gum or use snuff or rub during the healing period; these increase the risk of piercing infections astronomically.

Don't play with the piercing jewelry or click it against your teeth; this can cause cracking of your tooth enamel.

Don't engage in any activities, including kissing, that exchange body fluids during the initial healing period of several weeks.

General tips to improve healing success Proper piercing aftercare is the primary reason for a successfully healed body modification, but your overall health and how well you take care of yourself is also a contributing factor. If you are run-down or your immune system is compromised, you will not heal as quickly and you will be more prone to infection. For that reason, you should keep in mind a few things whenever you have any kind of piercing in order to help ensure that your piercing aftercare measures are given the best chance of success:

Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Eight glasses of day at the very least.

At least eight hours of sleep a night

Try to limit the amount of stress in your life

Vitamin C and Zinc supplements to help speed the healing process

Lots of fruits and vegetables, and a multi-vitamin if needed

If the pain bothers you, take Ibuprofen. If you are comfortable, you are less likely to fidget with the piercing.

Signs of trouble Even with excellent piercing aftercare, there will be some swelling at the site of a piercing for a few days. You'll also have some clear, watery discharge and perhaps some mild bleeding. The bleeding will usually stop within 24 hours, while the discharge may last for several days or weeks. This is simply drainage of the wound and actually helps prevent piercing infection. Signs that the piercing is in trouble include:

Discharge that becomes noticeably thicker and is yellow or green in color. This is a sign or infection and should be checked by a doctor.

Inflammation that lasts longer than a few days, with redness and irritation. See your piercing professional or doctor.

Red streaks from the piercing site and a fever, along with body aches. See your doctor.

Hives, redness, itching and irritation around the piercing, which may signal an allergic reaction to the piercing jewelry. Your piercing professional can try replacing it with an alternative metal.

Difficulty breathing or wheezing after your piercing, or a feeling that your mouth or throat are swelling closed. Seek emergency attention immediately!

So how long does all this healing take? If you perform your piercing aftercare properly, your body piercing will heal cleanly and leave you with a beautiful new piercing with no scarring, migration or keloids. The time it takes to achieve this, however, will vary depending upon what kind of piercing it is. The general timeframes listed below are just for reference. All of these depend upon your individual body's response, how much stress you are under and a thousand other variables. Earlobe or Eyebrow: 6 - 8 weeks

Genitals: 4 weeks - 4 months

Labret/Lip: 6 - 8 weeks

Navel: 6 - 18 months

Nipple: 3 - 6 months

Nostril: 3 months - 1 year

Septum: 6 - 8 weeks

Tongue: 4 - 6 weeks

Cartilage: 3 months - 1 year Disclaimer: All piercing aftercare information provided herein is for information purposes only. It is not meant to be a guideline for body piercing aftercare, but a starting point in making an informed decision concerning body piercing. If you have any questions or proceed with a body piercing, please be sure to discuss the procedure with a medical or piercing professional and get complete and clearly understood piercing aftercare instructions at that time. Evaluseek Publishing claims no responsibility for the accuracy of this content, which is based on the general consensus of the piercing community, which is constantly evolving and changing. This article on the "Body Piercing Aftercare & Healing Essentials" reprinted with permission.

To Keep Cool In Summer

2011-07-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

Cooling Vests will keep you cool, but different vests are

suitable for different situations.

1. Evaporative Cooling Vests are best suited for use

outdoors, and on days when humidity is not to high.

These vests work on accelerating your body's natural

evaporative cooling. The vests are soaked in water.

As the water evaporates your body temperature is

reduced.

These vests are relatively effective. They are cheaper

than other vests. Prices start at about $30.

On the downside they are not suited to being worn

underneath other clothing. This will slow down the

evaporative effects. Your clothes will be wet after

wearing these vests.

2. Phase change vests these vests use packs that you

freeze. The pack is filled with a gel made of Hexadecane.

The pack melts at 18 degrees. The high melting point is

very effective at keeping your body temperature at a

natural level. These vests are very effective indoors and

outdoors. They do not really on evaporation to keep you

cool so are fine to wear under clothes. You will stay dry.

The only problems with these vests is that they are

expensive $180 plus. In addition to this you will need two

or three sets of packs to get you through the day

costing around $100 plus per set.

3. Personal Ice Cooling System (PICS) are the most

effective by far. They are also the most expensive about

$1800. They work by pumping iced water around a vest

using a small pump. The pump is powered with rechargeable

batteries. The water is cooled by ice packs. One of the

advantages is that it uses regular ice in packs and as long

as you can find a freezer or ice your in business.

These vests will keep you cool in any conditions. They are

even used by the military. They are suited mainly for

working enviroments in the heat. They require a type of

back pack of tobe worn. This system weighs of approx 8lb.

They are very effective though at keeping you cool in the

heat.

4. Cooling bandanas and neck ties use highly

absorptive polymers that are sewn inside neckties and

bandanas. When soaked in water they absorb water and

swell up. They are then worn and help a little to keep you

cool. They use evaporative cooling. They can also be

placed in the refrigerator before use for added cooling.

5. Lastly guys as simple as it may seem try to have plenty

of cold water handy. If you drink water before you start to

become dehydrated you feel much better.

Alcohol : How Badly Can It Affect Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Sufferers?

2011-07-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

The wonders of alcohol.

The achilles heel for many people. The 'norm' for some others. And poison if you have CFS/PVFS/ME ...

I remember when I first got Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome/CFS back in 1995, I thought that having a drink or two wouldn't affect me any differently to my PRE-CFS days. Unfortunately I didn't realize what I was doing to myself.

I didn't know how badly alcohol can affect the severity of this CFS ...

Nowadays I don't touch alcohol at all, and haven't done so for a few years now. I'd rather see at least a few hours in the day instead of being bedridden for weeks on end because of one alcoholic drink!

Because when you have CFS/M.E., you might as well be pouring arsenic down your throat...

------SIDE NOTE-------

Okay - so that comparison might be a little 'dramatic', but you get what I mean right?

-----SIDE NOTE-------

You see when you have CFS/M.E., you are likely to develop **alcohol intolerance**...

The smallest alcoholic drink - even a tiny bit,

can send you into a relapse - as I learnt the hard way many years ago.

Having an alcoholic drink now and again was enough to tip the severity of my PVFS/CFS over the edge and put me in bed indefinitely.

When a **normal** person gets drunk they may feel a bit bad for a day or so, after which, they're back to 'normal', bouncing back and raring to go. But when a person with M.E./CFS gets drunk - or even has just one drink, they're likely to feel like 'death warmed up' for what seems like an eternity!!!

Personally, I don't actually like alcohol much so I don't miss it. But even if I did,

I have realized that alcohol no longer makes me feel the way it used to before I had CFS...

Drinking alcohol now feels like I'm feeding myself poison, and my body reacts accordingly - i.e. a flare, or worse, a relapse - and I suffer the consequences for a long, long time afterwards.

Unfortunately, most of us CFS sufferers are just not strong enough to resist the poisons of alcohol.

So for most of us, it's unfortunately a case of accepting it, or getting much, much worse.

As Dr Shepherd writes in his book 'Living With M.E.':

"Some people who previously enjoyed and tolerated regular consumption of alcohol without any adverse effects, now find that even small amounts make them extremely unwell."

-- p214, Dr Shepherd, 'Living With M.E.' --

So if you have M.E./CFS, it is likely that you may have developed an intolerance to alcohol.

And that's not forgetting that alcohol also affects the effects of antidepressants (often prescribed to CFS sufferers to treat their fatigue and to help sufferers sleep)! So if you're taking antidepressants, it's definitely something to bear in mind.

Having CFS/ME can be a very lonely and devastating experience and depression can be a very real and serious symptom for some CFS sufferers. So the last thing you need is to take substances that make you feel worse.

And guess what?

Yep, you've guess it, alcohol is also a depressant. So it's not a great thing to drink if you're depressed!

And according to Dr Shepherd, many sufferers sadly do turn to alcohol...

But alcohol is no answer. Apart from probably making you feel depressed, you could also develop an alcohol dependency!

What's more, if you **are** alcohol intolerant, then it would make it much harder for you to recover from M.E./CFS (pretty much impossible even), while you keep putting alcohol in your body.

And here's some more 'food for thought'...

When you think about how badly a CFS sufferer can be affected by **one** alcoholic drink, then how badly could alcohol be affecting you if you're drinking more???

So there you go - a whole list of reasons why you might think twice about drinking anything remotely alcoholic while you have CFS/M.E.

While you may no longer be alcohol intolerant once you have recovered from CFS/M.E., it may well be a major culprit for preventing you from **recovering** from your CFS/M.E while you still have it.

I didn't know about the possible effects of alcohol when I first had Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome ...

... and I suffered the consequences. My illness got worse. A lot worse. And I was only having a couple of drinks now and again! So I hope this article arms you with enough info for you to make an educated decision about alcohol either way.

Survive the Holidays

2011-07-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's December already? Regardless of which holidays you celebrate, if you live in America, your life at this time of year is bound to be filled with activities, stress, and food. Here is my annual compilation of tips to help you survive the last month of the year in better shape than usual. Pick your favorites and don't forget to feed every part of yourself during the holidays - mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical.

It will be harder to take care of others if you are not taking care of yourself. As much as possible, maintain your regular sleep, exercise, and eating patterns. This is not the time to go on a diet or make drastic changes to your lifestyle. It is also not a good time to be sleep deprived. Don't skip meals, even if you have a big one coming up soon. It is so helpful to eat on time so that you're not starving when you are surrounded by food. That makes it easier to stay calm and listen to your body, so you can eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full, rest when you're tired, and relax when you're stressed.

Recognize your limits and practice saying no. This includes when people offer you food. Never overeat because of pressure from others. If you eat more than usual at a holiday meal or party, remind yourself that overeating occasionally does not cause instant weight gain, and that your body knows what to do with that food. It is normal to eat more than usual during the holidays, and it really is okay. In all likelihood you will return to your normal eating habits the next day, and your body weight will, too. Think of activities the whole family can do instead of sitting around eating.

Be flexible about your expectations -- almost nothing can turn out exactly as planned, so hoping for it will only lead to disappointment. Plan ahead how you will cope with difficult family members or situations by preparing your responses and picking a "safe spot" you can escape to if gatherings become stressful.

Try not to count calories or weigh yourself if either of these adds to your stress. If the thought of not weighing worries you, find a friend who will weigh you backward and reassure you as long as you are within a 5 pound range. This way you will know you are within your usual weight range without panicking over a 1 or 2 pound gain that could easily be due to water retention after a big meal.

Get as organized as possible so you don't have to duplicate effort. Write shopping lists and errand lists and organize them by geography. Don't schedule so many activities that you become exhausted. List all the parties to which you are invited, all your errands, etc. Prioritize, then cross off those that are honestly not necessary or that will only add to your stress. Determine what you enjoy most during the holidays and schedule time for it. Determine what you enjoy least and cross it off your list! If you are really honest with yourself, you may realize most of your time is scheduled to make others happy. A little selfishness goes a long way this time of year toward making you happy.

Find a prayer, affirmation, or saying that is meaningful to you, and carry it in your wallet or purse. Turn to it for comfort or a reality check when stress gets high. Try to look "on the bright side" whenever you can; laugh as much as possible, even (especially!) at your own mistakes. If you feel like you're the only one who gets crabby at this time of year, make a pact with a friend or loved one to just vent to each other for 5 or 10 minutes each day.

Finally, find time to be spiritual and make this time of year meaningful in your own way, whether it is through religion, faith, meditation, giving thanks, art or your own expression of yourself. Taking care of your body, mind, and spirit is the best way to survive the holidays without sacrificing your health.