Archive for May, 2011

In the Need of Sensitive Skin Care Products?

You know, every single producer of skin care products will tell you with a straight face their particular line banishes the break-outs and will clean your skin and make it healthy. Also, they all claim to have the ability to take years off your skin’s appearance not to mention giving your skin the elasticity of youth. There’s no surprise at all when people listen to the hype, then walk away feeling more confused than ever. If every cleanser or toner is supposedly the best, how do you know which ones really do outperform the others? How can you find a skin care regime that will work for you? Is there a way to know if all you’re doing is dropping a lot of money on a way to clog your pores? Here are some hints to help you figure out which skin care products are the best skin care products for your skin type.

  • First need to address is what price range are you willing to shop in. While we’d like to think that having great skin is worth any cost, the truth is that, for most of us, cost is going to be an issue. Some of us simply cannot afford the expensive skin care products that we find in the high end beauty shops like Sephora. Your favorite actress might be able to afford Sephoria but most of us earthlings gawk at the price of some massed produced beauty items. The easiest way is to create a weekly or monthly budget and just shop accordingly. The good news is that there are so many different (and quality!) products available that you should be able to find some great items in whatever price range you need to stick with.

  • So find out your skin type, then simply provide what your unique situation needs. It’s possible you need not only a cleanser but also a moisturizer and toner. Sometimes a toner causes break-outs, or perhaps a moisturizer produces a heavy sensation with itching. Of course some people don’t need a toner or moisturizer, only a cleanser. And others will need all three products and maybe a special skin product for certain areas. If you only use a cleanser but still have nagging break-outs, then maybe try a good spot treatment in addition to the cleanser before bed.
  • Discover which skin products are market leading the market. Find out what effect the ingredients in a certain skincare product has on your body. This will help you figure out which products are best for you just by looking at their labels. You will know that for breakouts you will choose something with salicylic acid. Someone whose skin is usually pretty clear can almost always make do with a cleanser that does not contain this ingredient. The same goes for sunscreen, use a product that contains it if you have skin that is sensitive to the sun. Tougher skinned people can benefit by separating the use of these products.

There are a lot of different methods that a person can use to figure out which are the best skin care products for his or her skin. On the other hand, you may want to dive right in and test a few products. Mistakes are to expected; as well as a harmless outbreak. The right skin care product is out there; you just have to discover it.


Buy Home Exercise Equipment You’ll Use

If you want to work out and actually keep working out to lose weight then you’ll want to buy quality home exercise equipment that you’ll actually use. Consumer demand for home gym equipment has skyrocketed over the past five years. The market has responded by providing literally hundreds of different exercise gizmos and gadgets, all purporting to burn the most fat with the least effort. How you do you find the best home exercise machine for your dollar?

Here is a list of the top exercise equipment that works and that’s actually worth the money.

1. Cross-country ski machines. The trick to using a cross-country ski machine effectively is to shift your weight from the ball of one foot to the ball of the other foot as your feet glide forward and backward. If you don’t shift your weight, you’ll just end up shuffling back and forth. It’s helpful at the start to not use the arm mechanism at all. Just focus on your feet. It’s permissible to even stare at your feet at first. Once you master they rhythm of the movement, however, you should always look up so that you have good posture and don’t get dizzy. Once you’re comfortable with your feet, you can add the arm mechanism for extra intensity and upper-body toning. If you don’t feet as if you’re using your machine correctly, then go visit the store where you purchased it, and don’t leave until the sales person has shown you how to use your machine properly.

2. Treadmills. If you would rather not walk in the rain, in dangerous neighborhoods, or in the dark, then a treadmill may be the solution.

3. Stationary cycle. As with a treadmill, a stationary cycle can be helpful during the winter and at other times when it’s difficult to get outside to cycle.

4. Stair climbing machines. Stair climbing machines offer an intense workout. Be sure to check with your doctor before trying one because stair climbing causes a rapid rise in blood pressure. Leaning forward on the handrails is the most common mistake with using these machines. Leaning reduces the intensity of your aerobic workout by placing too much stress on your back and shoulders.

5. Rowing. Rowing is a great full-body workout and is fairly easy to learn. The most important point to remember is to use your full range of motion. Always go all the way forward and backward and move your arms as fully as possible.


The Correct Diet As A Treatment For Candida

Lots of people suffer from regular bouts of candida infections. They’re irritating and can be very awkward. Part of this embarrassment would be the misunderstanding that you can exclusively get a yeast infection through intimate contact with an already contaminated person. The truth is that you can get a yeast infection from oral contraceptive tablets, a reduced immune system being unable to fight the candida population contained in all people, tight and warm clothing along with a number of other things.

Thankfully, there are a number of treatments for candida available on the market. The problem is it does not matter what treatment for candida you utilize, it will continue to come back if you don’t manage to get eliminate the cause of the problem.

A primary reason for being vulnerable to yeast infections is a poor diet which doesn’t provide your immune system with the minerals and vitamins it needs to keep your candida population at bay, thus a great treatment for candida is a change in diet plan. Unfortunately, a change in diet may take a while to work, however, you ought to see or feel some improvement within three or so weeks.

The change in diet plan as a treatment for candida is essentially a detoxing process in conjunction with a better, healthier diet plan. For this reason you should drink lots of water because water is ideal for flushing harmful toxins which may be inhibiting your immune system out. You can add other cleansing items for example fresh fruit and green tea to hurry the process up a little.

The food items to avoid will be the highly processed and fatty foods. These contain ingredients that feed the yeast infection and permit it to gain an even more powerful grip on your entire body. It’s also wise to try and not overcook the food. Heat damages a lot of the goodness in foods such as fruit and vegetables. You are able to avoid most of this loss through relying on saut?ed and steamed meals rather than fried or boiled meals.

Something to add to your diet plan would be fresh fruit as well as veggies, ideally consumed raw, not prepared in any way. However do avoid your root vegetables because they tend to contain a large amount of starch which is ideal growth material for candida populations. You can also consume additional garlic. Garlic is a superb supply of anti-oxidants which help to diminish the amounts of harmful toxins in your system.

You also need to moderate you meat consumption because meat can contain a lot of nutrients which will feed the candida. You can cheat a little on your diet plan, this is not a weight loss diet, but a candida beating diet plan. You could have the items you like, just be sure to have them moderately.

Even if this type of diet plan does not work for you as a treatment for candida it’ll do you absolutely no harm to engage in just a little healthy living because it is good for your wellbeing and general life expectancy and also your quality of life.


Botox to Cure Hyperhidrosis?

Sweating is one of the most common functions of the human body that the majority of humans feel uncomfortable experiencing. However with a condition such as Hyperhidrosis, where the condition is enhanced even further, the problem can be even for worrisome and daunting. Hyperhidrosis is when a person sweats excessively at unpredictable times and in unpredictable amounts without external triggers. This means that even without doing hard exercise or being in a room with a cool temperature, the person still has a tendency to sweat excessive amounts. This can have an extremely negative effect on a person’s social life which is why many seek out treatments to cure it. One of the most extreme methods of doing this is by going through Botox. It is a treatment which has been made easily available to the general public however, there are still questions about whether Botox is worth doing or whether there may be other alternatives that do not present the same types of risk that Botox does.

For those who didn’t already know, Botox is not a one time quick fix sort of deal. If you’re looking for something like that, you’d be better off looking somewhere else. The thing with Botox is that it’s a process that needs to be done every six months and even up to every twelve months depending on the response by the patient to the process. What it does is an injection of a few drops of Botox, usually around 20, is given to the regions of the body where sweat is excessively produced. There have been claims that the effects of this treatment can be noticed relatively quickly, up to about a week after the process is done. The extent of the results varies greatly from person to person but a lot of people claim great results in a reduction of their sweat production after going through this process.

One of the reasons why many people are hesitant to undergo Botox is because of many of the controversies that surround the treatment. Similar to other kinds of processes, Botox is known to have side unwanted side effects as a result of the injecting, it has been known to cause immune resistance, headaches and also high levels of discomfort experienced around the injected region. With that said, it is advisable to get consultation on this treatment before you undergo it to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into and that you are aware of the side effects that can be a result of the process. It is obvious that your best bet in getting the most effective and safe treatment is when you are able to make an informed decision on whether this treatment is the right one for you. There are after all a number of other treatments available for this condition that I have mentioned in my previous articles so check it out.


Healthy Living Practices That You Can Do On Your Own

Healthy living is one of the most common words used when it comes to overall fitness, but one of the least understood. It is often heard everywhere, but many people do not know what it really means. There are many factors that affect the overall well-being of an individual like age or heredity, but you can boost your health by promoting a better lifestyle. Generally, it means maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, eating right and having a regular exercise. By taking the right steps, you can substantially reduce your chances of getting cancer, heart diseases and other serious conditions. Even small changes in your lifestyle such as taking an extra glass of water everyday can do much to improve your health.

The most important components of healthy living are the following:

  • Healthy and nutritious diet
  • Regular exercise
  • Good social life
  • Positive outlook in life
  • Adequate rest and relaxation
  • Healthy relationshipTips for Promoting a Healthier Lifestyle

High Fiber Diet
One of the first things you should do in promoting better health is to eat a diet that is full of fibers. Take away all the bad carbohydrates off your diet and replace them with good carbohydrates. You should also include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your regular food intake, as well as whole grains and other foods that are high in fiber. Glycemic foods should likewise be eliminated from your daily diet.

Take Plenty of Water
If you are used to taking other kinds of drinks, you should begin replacing them with pure water. It is essential in promoting healthy living since it aids in the digestion of food, elimination of toxins that are harmful to your body and absorption of nutrients. Make it a point to take eight glasses of water each day.

Have enough Physical Activity
If you want to maintain better health, start having a regular physical activity, taking care to avoid any injuries. Training with weights and walking briskly everyday are more sensible than high impact workouts since they do not subject your body to unnecessary stress that can do more harm than good.

Maintain your Ideal Weight
An ideal weight is essential in healthy living, but it does not mean that you will have to go into diet pills or fad diets. Many of them can actually do your body more harm than good and therefore not recommended for promoting better health. Focus on a healthy diet and active lifestyle instead for keeping your weight down.

Be Optimistic and Positive All the Time
Your attitude is a key factor in promoting better health. It is a force that drives you to continue changing for the better and maintaining the self-discipline that is important for a healthy lifestyle. There will always be obstacles in your endeavor, but remember; you are as happy as you think you are. So make a decision to be happy and have a grateful and optimistic view of the future. If you still have bad health habits such as smoking, excessive caffeine intake and other practices that are detrimental to healthy living, start replacing them with healthy input so that all your efforts will not be in vain.

I hope that you found this information useful and if you would like more information on ways to live healthy, then please visit my healthy living web site where you will find great information to help you live a long and healthy life.


Use Visualization With Hypnosis to Stop Smoking

There are various tactics one could use to stop smoking. The nicotine patch is alleged to assist in eliminating the desire for nicotine. There are certain drugs that are said to facilitate quitting. A few have tried the old-fashioned way, cease cold turkey.

Many people have pursued some, or all, of these techniques without success. For them self-hypnosis is often times a superior choice. Using hypnosis to transform your views on smoking within your subconscious intelligence is the most compelling intervention to stop smoking.

Self-hypnosis consists of some central components, several of which encompass relaxation, scripts, and visualization. Relaxation is central for hypnotizing one’s character. Relaxation and making your mind free to prompting is almost the first matter you acquire when starting up self-hypnosis.

You will also be taught key maxims or presentations that are aimed for quitting smoking that you should tell yourself repetitively. You will likewise be taught visualization which is exceedingly significant in the procedure to discontinue smoking.

There are a number of reasons to include visualization in self-hypnosis sessions. By psychologically framing that you are executing an activity, you are further able to effortlessly perform the real thing. Various people will envisage observing themselves on TV; others could imagine an action as if they are actually experiencing it. Dissociated visualization is the phrase given to visualization where you are looking at yourself. It can be a mighty mechanism as you are envisioning in your head what it is like to be smoke free. Once conceptualizing yourself in that endeavor as if it is an authentic occurrence is achieved, it will make the desired endeavor more inevitable.

Before starting self-hypnosis you should have a solid and clean commitment to quit smoking. Being smoke free is, of course, the valued ultimate outcome. Create material and impressions that are distinctive to you, your character and feelings.

These emotions are central to success because the more emotionally supercharged a mesmeric proposition; the more probable you will respond rapidly to it. Strength of visualizations and recommendations is elevated by utilizing the most clear and dramatic impressions you can discover. First, picture the tobacco smolder. Deem that it looks, smells, and tastes extremely bad. You can make use of affiliations with the smoke that show how bad it is. A foul ashtray would be a helpful affiliation.

Applying self-hypnosis and visualization to facilitate you quitting smoking actually works for lots of individuals. They observe that utilizing their imaging to make desired change is uncomplicated, potent and effective. Through utilizing visualizations you are equipped to project yourself after transformation has come about and can more easily match your purpose of becoming a non-smoker.


Change That Improves the Mind and Body

As a child I can recall science fiction movies with themes of body invasions such as “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” In this movie the townspeople are being replaced by pod-like creatures.

I think of this movie quite often when I am treating patients of the baby boomer population. Often they ask or state, “What happened to my body,” “I am not me anymore,” “It’s like someone invaded my body and mind,” and their most frequently asked question is, “Why am I not getting better faster, the way I used to when I was younger?”

The answer is in the question. It’s because they are no longer in their twenties. Having treated thousands of patients it is my opinion that after the age of 40 the body’s repair process is compromised. You no longer have the ability to repair on a cellular level compared to your younger years.

The problem is your 20+ year old brain and body is invaded by a 40-year-old. In your twenties you can walk by a table and accidentally strike your hip and moments later not feel any pain whatsoever. In your forties, you strike your hip and a week later you are considering an MRI because the pain is still there and getting worse.

Not only do our bodies’ age as we grow older but our lifestyle also changes (more sitting, less activity, lack of sleep) and the lifestyle we led when we were younger catches up with us, plain and simple.

Since we can’t go back in time (at least not yet) and change our previous lifestyle, we have the opportunity to change the way we live now and into the future.

Unfortunately, change is never easy to accept and sometimes hard to accomplish unless you create the change in small action steps.

Here are a few, yet powerful action steps you can take to improve your mind and body:

If you are suffering with chronic pain create a multi-disciplinary healthcare team consisting of your primary care doctor, a psychiatrist, chiropractor, physical therapist and a psychologist/counselor. Add alternative practitioners to your team such as nutritionists, massage therapists, homeopathic and naturopathic doctors and acupuncturists.

Begin eating to create optimum health. Avoid artificial sweeteners (unless you’re a diabetic and even then I would limit the amount of artificial sweeteners) sugar, salt and fat. Read the ingredient list of every food product you purchase that is in a bag, can or wrapper – and if you can’t spell or enunciate the ingredients you shouldn’t be eating the ingredients. In other words, if the ingredient list sounds like a chemistry class, skip it.

Start an exercise program. If you haven’t exercised in a long time start with an easy workout program lasting 20-30 minutes every other day. If you can complete one month of exercising every other day for 20-30 minutes, then consider increasing your program. I also recommend hiring a personal trainer for at least one month so you can learn proper exercise technique. A well-rounded exercise program should consist of flexibility, balance, core, strengthening and aerobic activity.

Just as you need to exercise your body, you need to exercise your brain on a daily basis. Start playing crossword and jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku. Stop relying on memory functions in your phone and do your best to memorize the numbers, even if you have to look those numbers up each and every time. Another great mental exercise is to write your name daily using your non-dominant hand.

If your current job requires long periods of sitting do your best to stand every 20 minutes and stretch the back of your legs and gluteal region.

Remember to start with these easy action steps and you will be amazed at your results.


Easy, Inexpensive Ways to Lose Weight

Let’s face reality; More than seven percent of the world’s population is having problems with excessive weight gain. In the United States alone, around sixty-six percent of the American adult population is either overweight or obese. With the increasing trend of weight values, chronic health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, gallbladder and liver disease, cardiovascular problems and cancer, also arise.

Are you one of those patients suffering from the direct and indirect consequences of overweight and obesity? Have you tried using one weight loss strategy after another without apparent weight reduction? Have you tried buying and following some of those commercial weight loss e-books and ending up being disappointed with the results?

You see, you are not the only one having this problem. There are so many people out there who are also facing bitter disappointments with losing weight like you do. But you know what? There is one good news just for you: you can still lose weight easily and successfully using inexpensive ways. Here’s how:

Make water your ally in losing weight. Most of us overlook the power of water in shedding excess pounds. However, water is a powerful tool that can induce satiety and decrease your overall caloric intake. As mentioned by Daily Record in August 2010, even the simple drinking of two glasses of water before each meal can help you shed those unwanted pounds. In a study published by The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2003, it has been shown that your metabolic rate can increase by thirty percent within ten to forty minutes after drinking a 500 ml bottle of water and all in all, this small activity can burn up to 100 kilojoules of your energy. This only means that if you practice drinking two liters of water per day, you can burn up to 400 kilojoules of your energy only through this activity.

Enhance the activity of your satiety center. Stimulating your brain’s satiety center can make you feel satisfied with your food in lesser amount of time. There are many ways you can do this:

  • Eat plenty of fibers. Eating lots of fibers is one of the sure ways to make you feel full faster than you normally do. You see, fibers give bulk to the food you eat and it absorbs water too. With greater bulk and weight, your stomach will feel satisfied much faster.
  • Eat your egg. Yes it’s really true; eating egg can help stimulate your satiety center and make you lose weight. In fact, it has fifty percent greater satiety index than most breakfast cereals and breads available in the market.
  • Use chewing gums. Chewing gum is a great tool for losing weight. Why? The action of chewing fires signal from your jaw muscles to the satiety center of your brain, helping you feel some satisfaction without having an actual caloric intake. Through this mechanism, you won’t feel starved even when you are actually cutting your calories.

Keep a food journal. Do you know that keeping a food journal could double the success of your weight loss? According to Kaiser Permanente, having a food journal can increase your weight loss success rate by up to two hundred percent. And it doesn’t matter whether you keep a formal journal or just scribble what you eat in a piece of paper. The mere action of writing what you eat can give you a better grip of your self control when it comes to food intake.

Use a pedometer. This inexpensive, easy-to-use small gadget can be a good stimulator when it comes to burning those calories in the form of walking and physical activity. According to the Stanford School of Medicine, using a pedometer can stimulate a person to carry out more physical activity that he usually does. With greater physical activity, more weight loss can be expected.


Do Autistic People Make Rational Decisions? Find Out

I recently did some research on autistic people to gather information on making decisions, compared to people who do not have the disorder of autism. As I was doing my research I began to understand that studies have indicated, people who have autism seem to make more rational decisions than the people who do not have autism.

I decided to look the word rational up in the dictionary, to understand what the word means. I learned, according to Webster’s New Word Dictionary, rational means “able to reason.”

I have experienced by interacting with autistic children that they do not appear to be using their intuition, or emotions to make decisions. The people who had autism, from the result of me interacting with them, showed their use of making rational decisions. I was impressed and surprised to view this kind of behavior. I felt this was a special gift or skill for them to have.

I learned and came to realize that making decisions with autistic people, they rely on thought, and they do make rational decisions, but this process can be slower than using the process of intuition and emotions.

Most people have one thing in common and that is, they need to process their decision before making it. The decision or past experiences that are made by most people require logic to complete the decision.
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I have been impressed with my brother, when he made some decisions. He based his decision on the way the problem or the challenge was given. For example: My parents moved into their new home and no one knew where the shut-off valve was for turning the water on or off, that was to control the main water supply in their home.

One evening, the pipe in the basement of my parents, started to have a slow leak and water was covering their basement floor. My brother, heard the water dripping and rushed downstairs to shut the main water valve off. Our family was shocked! The valve was hidden behind some rafters and was not easy to find. No one in our family knew where that valve was. My brother was quick in making his decision that was rational, to shut the valve off and stop the leak.

During the process of making decisions, people who do not have autism, usually weigh the balance sheet, of what would be the proper thing to do in making a decision.

I have experienced by interacting with autistic people, some of them know exactly what to do by making rational decisions that are reasonable. In addition, they are able to reason what should be done.


How to Build Muscles – Tips for Hard Gainers

There are a whole lot of ways to build muscles fast but many of them just aren’t suitable for a hard gainer. Many a times, you will be glad to receive advice about gaining muscles from a pro bodybuilder, but the fact is that that advice won’t really help you, as your genetic structure & build might be different from him. There is no guarantee that what works for him will work for you too.

You need to realize that gaining muscles isn’t some sort of rocket science. You gotta chalk out a workout regime & need to follow it with your heart and soul until you start seeing results. I’ve often witnessed people getting motivated to hit the gym, only to see them slack off after a while since they do not see immediate results & get disheartened.

Here are a few basic things you need to keep in mind in order to pack on some muscle mass:

Working Out:

Well although this one is quite obvious, the key here is to never lose hope. Most people start doubting the need of workout out only after a couple of months they’ve been into the gym, since they can’t see any noticeable results. You need to get this attitude out of your mind. Remember, discipline is the key to everything and it can take months of regular training to notice any muscle mass. Ideally you should train around 3 days a week. Any more than that and you’ll be straining your muscles.

Lift Heavy:

There is no point lifting the same weights for a month, since you body is going to get used to that weight. Every time you hit the gym, try to increase the weight you lift by 5% or so.

Diet:

Diet is the main thing that determines whether you are going to be successful in building muscles or not. Diet constitutes up to 80% success in body building. There is no point hitting out the gym if you do not consume a protein rich diet.

Eat Frequently:

The thing with hardgainers is that most of them are ectomorphs and hence their metabolism rate is quite fast. In order to overcome that, they need to regularly comsume small amounts of meal to keep their muscles recharged. You should ideally target 4-6 meals a day.

Rest:

Rest is indeed very important since muscles are built when your body is at rest, not when you are working out. So sleep for atleast 8 hours a day and take proper rest.


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