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Archive for April, 2010

I recently found some low sodium and low sugar foods for the holidays that might be helpful to the health conscious who are regulating their diet.

Nobody wants to go without enjoying themselves and their meals over the holidays and thankfully there are some wonderful substitutes to the health destructive food additives found in much of what we eat.

Here are a few things I recently suggested for a friend:

Sugar Free, Gourmet Hot Chocolate with JAJA Stevioside
Chocodant(TM)

Bernard Corn Bread and Muffin Mix – Sugar-restricted, low in fat, sodium and cholesterol, and contains no artificial sweeteners. Just add water to this mix for a treat.

Shelton’s fat-free, low sodium Chicken Broth is really good.

Health benefits of vegetables are lost by boiling or freezing their nutrients away. To retain their nutritional blessings steam in a very small amount of water for just a couple minutes. Even using the microwave is better than boiling veggies. Stir-frying is also a good way to cook provided you don’t use too much fatty oil. Tomatoes are the one exception where fresh isn’t best since the antioxidant lycopene comes by turning up the heat.

99% Fat Free Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets Pilgrim’s Pride

Be creative! Read the back of labels on the foods you buy. The best alternative is raw fruits and vegetables, but not everybody enjoys them as much as me. Therefore I have made some helpful suggestions to give you something to work with.

Most importantly eat and be happy my friends!

Happy Holidays!

Modern medicine, with its drugs and advanced surgical methods, has not found the answer to all the disabilities that afflict man. Medical professionals often have to resort to massage, exercise, and other methods of physical manipulation to treat certain diseases and conditions. Also known as physiotherapy, physical therapy can trace its origins to England in the late nineteenth century, when The Society of Trained Masseuses was formed by nurses and midwives hoping to give official recognition to their massage practices.

Physical therapists deal with musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and neurological conditions. Patients who require physical therapy include those with permanent disabilities, those who have lost the function of their limbs due to an accident, or those with disabling conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, head injuries, cerebral palsy, and low back pain.

Apart from restoring function, relieving pain, and improving mobility, physical therapists also help to maintain overall fitness and health. Through a range of exercises, and with the help of other stimulants such as hot and cold compresses, they help patients improve flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and coordination. Physical therapists also help patients get used to assistive walking devices such as crutches and wheelchairs. The aim is to encourage such patients on the road to recovery and to help them function effectively at work or at home.

Physical therapists practice either privately or in a hospital, or in a fitness center or clinic, with almost 25% working only part-time. Physical therapy is a demanding job, requiring strength and high fitness levels. A physical therapist has to be able to lift a patient and will often spend most of his time crouched or bent over a patient. Physical therapists often have to work over weekends to fit in with a patient’s schedule.

Considered a part of conventional medicine, physical therapy requires considerable training. Many universities in the U.S. offer graduate programs in physical therapy. On graduation, physical therapists also have to pass a licensure exam before they can practice in any state in the U.S.

Physical therapy often achieves what medicine cannot, making it a deeply satisfying and challenge field of work.

The consumption of certain products and substances trigger allergic reactions to the skin and blood of the person. In this situation, an allergy testing is necessary for person to avoid the products that may be causing allergic complications.

There are three types of allergy testing: skin test, blood test and elimination tests. Skin tests are conducted by scraping skin portions of the person, which will then be placed with a small amount of substance known to cause allergic reactions. Blood tests are not as frequently performed like skin tests, but they are only conducted when a person is unable to have his skin tested due to the presence of skin disease. The most typical method of blood testing is the radioallergosorbent testing (RAST), where the antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) is measured in the blood and determines the chances that the person is prone to allergic reactions. Lastly, an elimination test is a diet controlling the food consumption, which in turn determines whether or not the person has food allergies. This method can be done without the assistance of your doctor, although it really would help if you are provided with the list of foods to avoid.

Test preparations may seem to hinder the testing process, but it does provide the doctors with records regarding your medical history, all of which may be crucial in the testing process. Certain prohibitions such as the consumption of illicit drugs and substance are definitely disallowed prior to the testing.

As far as the actual testing on both methods is concerned, the person will fell a temporary itchiness and discomfort when a portion of the skin is pricked using a tiny needle. On the other hand, drawing blood from the vein during blood testing may sound a little violent, but the person usually never feels anything during the process.

Although allergy testing is meant to help you with your condition, both skin and blood testing pose health risks of their own. For instance, skin testing could cause swelling of the face, severe itching, and a serious reaction known as anaphylaxis. Meanwhile, inflamed veins and profuse bleeding are two of the more common disorders that can happen during blood testing.

A negative skin test would produce stable red areas (wheals) caused by allergen, while a positive skin test would produce raised wheals that are 1/8 larger than the normal. Blood testing are simply determined by the IgE levels: at least 4 times the normal IgE level deems the person allergic to the particular allergen.

Skin, as an extremely important detoxification organ, is an essential element of the whole detoxification and elimination system of the body. As in all other organs of the detoxification and elimination system, the skin should liberate the body from toxic substances. The pores and glands are the skin’s main pathways of elimination, through which toxic chemicals can be excreted via either sweat or sebum (oil secreted by the skin). When these secretions are blocked, it can lead to detoxification problems.

The body’s elimination organs can also help each other and take the place of an overstressed organ. Skin plays an important part in the elimination process, as it has to take over part of detoxification if the liver and kidneys can’t fulfill their functions. This is the origin of many skin diseases, which in reality are extreme responses to the elimination process. Toxic overload is a major contributor to allergy and sensitivity.

To promote your skin’s ability to detoxify, you need to detoxify your skin. Stephen B. Edelson, M.D., director of The Environmental and Preventive Health Center of Atlanta, in Georgia, emphasizes the importance of skin detoxification – especially sauna therapy – with his allergy patients.

Dry Skin Brushing

To enhance the skin’s ability to detoxify, use a loofah sponge or dry skin brush. Brush the skin with long strokes towards the heart, before bathing or showering. Brushed skin is better able to eliminate toxins from the body, as oils and dead skin are removed and pores are unclogged. Toxins are transferred into the main lymphatic drainage ducts, which go directly to the liver for elimination. White blood cells also migrate into the skin after brushing and enhance the function of the immune system.

To proceed, simply begin gently brushing from the ends of the arms with long strokes that sweep towards the trunk of the body. Do all sides of the arms. Then brush the head and neck with downward strokes towards the clavicle (collar bone). Brush the feet and legs upward towards the groin area; again, be sure to brush all areas of the legs. As you brush the trunk, use upward-sweeping motions towards the heart. The ideal time to perform the dry skin brushing is prior to showering; then jump into the shower to remove the dead skin cells. Be sure to clean the brush thoroughly with soap and water and then hydrogen peroxide after each use.

Sauna (Heat Stress Detoxification)

Using a sauna can effectively clear the body of fat-soluble toxins. Studies of fat biopsies before and after a heat stress detoxification protocol revealed an average of 21.3% reduction in the body levels of 16 toxic chemicals, including PCBs and PBBs, with a 64%-75% reduction in harmful toxins. After discontinuing the heat and detoxification therapy, the study found that toxins in patients continued to decrease for up to four months. William Rea, M.D., director of the Environmental Health Center in Dallas, Texas, has published documentation showing that his detoxification program, and lymphatic drainage, produced a reduction of various pesticide residues ranging up to 66%. Dr. Edelson recommends that allergy patients do at least 15 minutes of aerobic exercise preceding sauna therapy to “improving circulation so that the chemicals will more easily leave the fats and move to the liver.”

Obesity is one of America’s health problems. Health consciousness is growing from food calorie check to vegetarian diet, food supplements, jogging and fitness. The mushroom of health centers like massage centers, fitness gyms obviously manifested the trend.

Small businessmen can earn from this growing lifestyle. You can start by just establishing a massage center or health bar. You can have a joint venture with a group of physical therapists or masseurs or health product suppliers if you do not have the skills and knowledge on massage service and health products. Like business schools, joint ventures will help you avoid common business mistakes and shorten learning period.

Again, finding the best location and building a network of health service providers, practitioners and health buffs will start your business up and fast. Malls are the best location.

When you have plans to expand your massage center or health bar into a one-stop health center for fitness, relaxation and even beauty salon, spa and entertainment center, gradually invest in the best gym equipment.

You specifically need cardiovascular equipment for burning fat and losing weight. They include treadmills, steppers, cross trainers, ellipticals and stationary bikes. You also need strength equipments to tone and build muscles like weights. You should have multiple plates so people would not line up.

There are electronic cardiovascular and strength equipment, but you can have the basic ones. You can also introduce new but cheap equipment that are often advertised on television.

To break the monotony of common health centers, you can also install sport climbing, boxing facilities and even dance (modern, jazz) and yoga sessions.

Gym equipment and facilities will however be useless if you do not have a good joint venture with the best exercise and fitness practitioners. They will provide (and guide you later) you the best exercise and fitness program.

At twelve years old, most women, or ladies to that perspective, start to beautify by wearing make up in public. At this age, adolescence starts to dig into womanhood. The feeling of being a grown up becomes a priority as well as an excitement to a girl. It is an ongoing process for a woman to progress beautification until total adulthood is reached. The bottom line is that women love beauty. Typically, most women would always like to feel beautiful from inside out.

To keep a healthy body, beauty should not be contrary to heath habits just because a new hygiene is being introduced to the body. One can start beautify using organic beauty products. Especially at that stage of adulthood, you really can’t think of any product to apply to your face. What’s more confusing are the advertisements that you will see everywhere saying their product is the best buy. But what should be the main concern of a teenager in looking for the best product to use initially? The idea of where these products including their ingredients come from may seem to be a cause of anxiety for most youngsters. It is a right thinking to consider how the skin would react when applied.

Most cosmetic products today contain different compounds that may be harmful for a mild and delicate skin. Not like organic product which guarantees safety, most commercially advertised cosmetics consist of synthetic ingredients that contain chemical combinations which may have aluminium derivates. Sure, commercial products may take care of beatifying you but have you imagined how it will do its job in a long term situation? Consistent application of non-organic cosmetics may contribute in deteriorating the natural structure of the skin which may later on speed up aging; another problem when you reach adulthood. Just so you are aware, almost fifty percent of the ingredients contained in a bottle of lotion is absorbed by the skin. That said; imagine the chemical compounds that your skin will be forced to interact with. Never engage in a trial and error activities when it comes to beauty products. Always read the label of each cosmetic product or better yet seek help from a skin expert.

Consider using organic and natural beauty products which is made only with natural ingredients. You can be rest assured that there are no chemical compounds included. Damaging substance that your skin can absorb is not found on any organic product. Not to mention the benefit it gives to mother earth. Whenever you wear organic make up, it will give you the feeling of natural beauty from inside out. You will never feel guilty of contributing to the deterioration of this planet as expense everyone has to pay in beautification of the body. You achieve two things when supporting organic cosmetic products; you beautify not only yourself but also mother earth.

Organic cosmetic products give you another advantage. It shields you from the damaging effect of the sun as it also contains a small amount of SPF. When you get use to organic products, you will feel the contentment of natural beauty thus it will feel good inside that you are supporting a global cause to preserve our environment. Personal beauty should never be in expense of this planet.