13 May, 2009

Health Tips-43: "Carrots and Heart"

Eat more carrots. It could help prevent strokes and heart diseases.

Detailed Wikipedia article on 'CARROTS":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrots

Grateful thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

27 April, 2009

Blogs to Watch-1: "Health is Wealth"

I am subscriber of this blog. I get a lot of useful information on health from this blog, thanks to FeedBlitz. If you are curious, you can also pay a visit to the blog and see for yourself. The link is:

http://ways2health.blogspot.com

25 April, 2009

How To-129: "How to Choose the Most Important Organic Foods"

How to Choose the Most Important Organic Foods

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

How many times have you thought "organic foods are too expensive; I can't afford to go organic"? Or maybe you feel it is just too difficult to wade through all the statistics and information on choosing organic foods and the reasons for preferring it over conventionally grown foods. Organic foods are good for you because they are free of many added chemicals and hormones that conventionally grown foods receive as part of the growth cycle. However, it can add up at the cash register to try and keep yourself healthier by eating organic foods. To help you make your decisions in an informed way, here are some simple tips to identify the best choices and stay within budget.

Steps

Understand why organic foods should be an important part of your diet. Organic foods are grown with no or fewer chemical or hormonal additives in their growth cycle than conventionally grown produce and meat. This means that laws on organic labelling in many places ban the use of a wide array of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, hormone treatments, antiobiotics etc. on any produce or meat destined to carry an organic certification.
Choose the crucial dozen organic foods. The dozen foods listed next are considered to be the foods most vulnerable to the addition of too many pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics etc. This top dozen lists food items where home washing and cooking practices are unlikely to result in reduction of the chemical or hormonal residues:

Beef, chicken and pork
Dairy products: Milk, cheese and butter
Strawberries, raspberries and cherries
Apples and pears
Tomatoes
Spinach and salad greens
Coffee
Potatoes
Stone fruits: Peaches, nectarines and apricots
Grapes
Celery
Peppers (capsicums), green and red

Shop for seasonal foods. Seasonally available produce is the budget-conscious shopper's prize. Produce in season is always value for money because it is plentiful and this includes organic produce. In addition, seasonal food often travels less distance as it is grown locally and therefore will keep in better condition (more nutrients), for longer. From a comfort perspective, there is something very calming and traditional about eating the way our ancestors have for millennia; you become attuned to the cycle of the seasons. An added bonus: You are less inclined to overfill your fridge with food that ends up going unnoticed, which saves you money.
Eat in moderation. The statistics on obesity continue to rise. We do not need huge quantities of food; too much food makes our bodies sick rather than healthy and happy. While eating in moderation means eating less food overall, it most certainly does not mean going without and feeling hungry. Change to eating more energy-sustaining foods, such as organic grains and pulses to bulk out your diet. You will not need to eat as much of these foods, as unlike processed foods, you will feel full faster and for longer. Your budget will go further simply through choosing prime quality organic foods in smaller amounts. Most importantly, eating in moderation will result in less intake of chemical and hormonal residues and that can only be a good outcome for everyone.
Eat variety. Variety means including all those vegetables and not just living off potatoes. The more that you vary your diet within seasonal constraints, there is a higher likelihood that you will have less exposure to a build-up of one type of chemical residues. Variety also means an interesting and fulfilling diet, as well as a greater likelihood that you will get all the nutrients, anti-oxidants and fibre that you need to keep healthy.
Be realistic. Most nutritionists would still prefer that you eat fruit and vegetables whether they are organic or conventional in origin in preference to highly processed foods. Use the list set out in step 2 to pick the organic foods and then purchase conventional foods for the remainder if you have a tight budget. Taking the simple step of choosing some organics to include in your diet is an important one of taking control over what is potentially affecting your health; whilstyou will still be surrounded by the chemical load of our industrial age, you are taking positive action to help yourself and to encourage organic growers at the same time.

Tips

The "harm" discussed in this article that may arise from eating conventionally grown foods arises in particular out of the accumulative effects of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, antiobiotics and other chemicals or additives. Over time, small doses build up in your body, particularly in body fat. This can lead to triggering diseases such as cancer and can cause problems with your immune system, blood and other bodily functions.
Be aware that, depending on the jurisdiction in which your foods have been grown, small amounts of certain types of chemicals may have been used on organic produce. In general, if such chemicals have been certified as allowed for use in the organic sector, they ought to be ones considered to safe for human consumption as a result of scientific testing and observations over a very long period of time and to come with a high level of certainty as to their negligible impacts on human beings. If this bothers you still, do your research to find out just what "organic" labels permit in your part of the world. Some organic producers use natural products that they deem safe, but that have not been tested scientifically. Also organic producers may fertilize their crops with animal manures which have not been properly composted. These foods pose a risk for pathogens that can cause serious illness.
Try to reduce the amounts of processed foods in your diet. You get less nutritional benefits from processed foods, organic or not. *If you really enjoy that cake laden with sugar (yes it is very processed), have it once a month rather than everyday. Then it becomes a blissful treat rather than something taken for granted.
Always wash vegetables and fruit well; some stores sell special detergents for this. Just because it is labeled organic doesn't mean it is safe to eat without a wash; bacteria thrive under all conditions.

Warnings

Some jurisdictions may have more lax laws on what "organic" means. Always do your research first. Read labels carefully; some products try to be organic but contain very little in the way of organic components, such as breakfast cereals. The more processed an item, the more likely it is that you should read the label carefully.
Be wary of industry propaganda aimed at belittling organic efforts. There are some seriously bad side effects from many of the chemicals and hormones used in our food and where profits are at stake, there is also plenty to discourage you from making healthy choices for you and your family. Do your own research; don't just take this article as gospel either. You are responsible for learning as much as you can about your health and how to protect it.
Do not confuse organic and natural. The two terms are different, although they may be used on the same item. Natural by itself means nothing; in most places it is an entirely unregulated term that means nothing other than what the manufacturer wants it to mean.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

These are links to quality sites that will provide more information on organic produce, certification of organic produce, how the organic industry is being run etc.:

USDA Organic Certification
Organic Trade Association - covers USA and Canada; a business based site, it tells you more about what is being done to promote the organic industry in these two countries
Soil Association - British organic site with many useful resources
Organic Europe
[www.australianorganic.com.au/ Australia Certified Organic]

(www.ava.gov.sg)

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Choose the Most Important Organic Foods. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

16 March, 2009

How To-128: "How to Make Zinger Juice"

How to Make Zinger Juice

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Make your own Zinger juice. A juice packed with the cleansing benefits of orange, carrot, apple and ginger. This juice will have you waking up with a zing in the mornings.

Ingredients

3 oranges
1 inch of fresh root ginger
3 carrots
2 apples

Steps

Prepare the orange. Cut 3 oranges in half, and remove as much liquid from them as you can using a citrus juicer.
Prepare the remaining ingredients. Chop one inch of root ginger, 3 carrots and 2 apples into pieces to fit into your juicer.
Juice the ingredients. One by one, feed the ginger, carrot, apple into the juicing machine.
Serve. Pour the juice into a glass. Drink as it is, or garnish with pieces of fruit or mint, if desired.

Tips

Wash all fresh ingredients before use.

Things You'll Need

Knife & chopping board
Citrus fruit juicer
Juicer (electric)
Glass

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

VideoJug. A video on preparing an Organic Planet Zinger juice. Shared with permission.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Zinger Juice. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-127: "How to Make a Sri Lankan Fruit Salad"

How to Make a Sri Lankan Fruit Salad

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have you ever eaten that disgusting fruit in a can, called fruit salad? Instead, make a fruit salad with Sri Lankan style out of fresh fruit that will blow you away! It's delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients

Pineapple chunks (in this case, canned is fine)
Oranges
Strawberries
Kiwi
Apples
Grapes
Lemon
Salt
Sugar (if you wish)

Steps

Wash your fruit (oranges, kiwis, grapes, apples).
Open the can of pineapple and put the Pineapple chunks into the bowl.
Peel and cut the oranges,kiwi,and apple into bite sized pieces and put into bowl.
Take the grapes off their stems and put into bowl.
Then add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar(As your taste desires).
Add some lemon juice into the fruit bowl.
Mix the fruits together.
Put the delicious fruit salad into dessert cups and Serve to your family.
Enjoy your Sri Lankan fresh fruit salad!

Tips

Some people like to add sugar to sweeten.
Serve in bowls or on paper plates if at a picnic and eat with your fork.
Lemon yogurt will keep it fresh and slightly sweeten, just mix in straight from the container.

Warnings

Don't put fruit that you or someone in your family is allergic to.

Things You'll Need

Bowls
Knife
Spoon
Fork
Paper plates
Can opener
Garbage bag

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Sri Lankan Fruit Salad. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

24 February, 2009

How To-126: "How to Avoid Feeling Drowsy After Lunch"

How to Avoid Feeling Drowsy After Lunch

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Let's face it: food can make you sleepy.
How are we supposed to eat a meal in the middle of the day and still finish that second half of the day without dozing off (or at least zoning out)?

Steps

Change your diet. Different people will give you different opinions on just how to change your diet to increase energy, but if food makes you tired it's a good bet that food is where the answer is.
Eat low-carb food for lunch. You will feel more awake. Post-lunch drowsiness is caused by your body being flooded with insulin to process that carb-rich lunch you just ate.
Alternatively, don't eat meat, at least not for lunch. Some people are very certain about the connection between meat and being tired.)
Avoid caffeine and processed sugars. (Caffeine gives you an energy boost, followed by a crash that is hard to recover from. Processed sugars are too easily absorbed by the body and tend to pass right through you, burning up quickly and leaving your body starved for energy.)
Eat a nutritional lunch, high in vitamins. Vitamins help make your body healthy, and can help you feel healthy and energised.
Don't overeat. A small meal should not make you drowsy.
Eat many, smaller portions. Snack on healthy food throughout the day instead of eating a lot at once.
Do some light exercise after lunch. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, do a few jumping jacks in the restroom, whatever you can think of. This will help get your blood flowing and will reduce fatigue.
Get plenty of sleep at night. Even if you have a low spot in the afternoon, it won't be as low if you are well rested.
Notice what habits make you sleepy. Write down whether you feel drowsy. Then, write down what you ate, whether you exercised, how well you slept, and any other factors that might have been involved. Then, look for patterns and avoid any habits that cause problems.

Tips

Turkey contains tryptophan, which can make you sleepy. However, you would have to eat a huge amount of it to make you very sleepy (which is why so many people are tired after the Thanksgiving meal -- the volume of food.) A turkey sandwich should be ok.
A good alternative to processed sugar is honey. Avoid giving honey to anyone under the age of 2 years.
Though this may not be feasible with your work schedule, you can plan to have a short 15 minute nap after lunch and it will help prevent you from feeling drowsy for the rest of the day.

Warnings

Consult a doctor before making any major decisions.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid Feeling Drowsy After Lunch. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-125: "How to Lower Your Cholesterol"

How to Lower Your Cholesterol

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Cholesterol is a type of fat that your body needs, among other things, to produce cell membranes and hormones. Your body is capable of producing all the cholesterol it needs. Additional cholesterol in our bodies comes from eating foods high in saturated fats, such as meat, high-fat dairy, and eggs. Also, some people have a genetic disposition to high cholesterol meaning food is not the issue but how their body manufacturers cholesterol.

Excess cholesterol builds up as fatty deposits or "plaque" in your arteries. Plaque buildup reduces blood flow through your veins, making your heart work harder and increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Steps

There are a few approaches you can take to lowering your cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends ways to lower your cholesterol by changes to your diet, by taking medication, being more physically active, and by making lifestyle changes. [1]

Eating to lower your cholesterol. Most of the cholesterol you need is made by your body. However, food products from animals contain additional cholesterol as well. The foods include meats, poultry, shellfish, eggs, butter, cheese, and milk. Any type of food that contains saturated or trans fat causes your body to make more cholesterol.

The American Heart Association recommends that you keep your intake of fat between 25 and 35% of your daily calories. Also, limit your intake of cholesterol from food to less than 300 mg a day. If your cholesterol is high, the recommended amount is less than 200 mg per day. Lastly, be sure to get at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes are good sources of fiber.
The Mayo Clinic came up with a list of the top 5 foods to lower your cholesterol. [2]

Oatmeal and oat bran contain soluble fiber, which reduces your LDL cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in kidney beans, apples, pears, barley, and prunes. Soluble fiber also appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines.
Walnuts and almonds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and have noted for keeping blood vessels healthy and elastic. Be careful not to eat too many nuts though. They are high in calories, so just one handful will be enough. As with any food, eating too much of it can make you overweight, and being overweight puts you at higher risk for heart disease. The key, just like with anything else, is to find a balance.
Fish and omega-3 fatty acid reduce blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. Doctors recommend having at least 2 servings of fish each week. The fish with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acid are in mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. To maintain the health benefits of fish, you’ll need to grill or bake the fish. If you don’t like fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.
Olive oil contains antioxidants that can lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol without changing your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. The FDA recommends about 2 tablespoons, or 23 grams, of olive oil a day to benefit from its heart-healthy benefits. Some research suggests that the cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even better if you choose extra-virgin olive oil.

Foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols, which are found in plants and help block the absorption of cholesterol, can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10%.

Taking medication. Your doctor will judge if you should take medication. He or she may want you to try to make diet and lifestyle changes before going on medication. Depending on the level of your LDL (bad) cholesterol and your other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, your doctor may decide that you need to start taking medication at the same time you start making lifestyle changes.
Be more physically active. Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity more days that not. You can also break up the half hour into 10 or 15 minute sessions. For some people, regular exercise affects blood cholesterol level by increasing levels of HDL, which is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Physical activity can also help control some of the other risks of heart disease, suck as being over weight, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Remember to eat a heart-healthy diet. This means a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods, leans meats and poultry, fish, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Moderation is key with foods that are high in saturated fat, such as meat and some dairy products.
Start exercising. When you exercise, your blood pumps faster and the HDL cholesterol in your blood carries away the LDL cholesterol from your arteries. Get moving for at least 30 minutes more days of the week than not. Do whatever kind of physical activity you enjoy – walking, biking, swimming, jogging, or dancing.
Stop smoking.Smoking reduces the amount of HDL cholesterol in your blood. Smoking also increases the tendencies for your blood to clot. If you smoke, your cholesterol level is more of a good reason to quit.

Tips

Remember that there is “good” and “bad” cholesterol. HDL (high-density lipoproteins) is the “good” cholesterol. HDL carries harmful plaque buildup out of the arteries. A high HDL level means healthy arteries; too low an HDL level is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is the “bad” cholesterol that causes heart attacks and strokes. A high level of LDL cholesterol in the blood signifies clogged arteries, the condition also known as arteriosclerosis. Clogged vessels can cause heart attacks if they block the flow of blood to the heart, and stroke if they block blood flow to the brain. [3]
It can be difficult to get and maintain the motivation to make these healthy changes. The Healthy Monday Campaign encourages people to use Monday as the day to commit to a healthier life. They encourage people to pick up a healthy habit or to drop an unhealthy one. That way, instead of waiting until New Years or your birthday, you have 52 chances each year, thereby increasing your chance of success!
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the healthy fats that you should have. They actually can help lower the bad cholesterol.[4]

Warnings

Take care of high cholesterol as soon as possible. Not doing so could put you at greater risk of suffering from a heart attack, blood clots, or other heart problems.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

. http://www.ehow.com/how_4833_lower-cholesterol.html

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4488

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Lower Your Cholesterol. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-124: "How to Drink More Water Every Day"

How to Drink More Water Every Day

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There are a variety of reasons to drink plenty of water each day. Adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleans out the body, and promotes healing processes. Substituting water for beverages high in calories can also help control weight. Follow the steps below to make sure you're getting enough of this most basic necessity.

Steps

Determine how much water you need. You've probably heard the "8 by 8" rule - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (2 quarts, 1.8 liters) - but the amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight and activity level. Another way to determine your specific recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., strive to drink 75 ounces of water daily. For those who use the Metric system, divide your weight (in kilograms) by 30 (ex. somebody weighing 70 kg is going to need 2.3 liters per day). Keep in mind that these recommended intake numbers are controversial and some experts believe they are a gross exaggeration. See "warnings" below for more information.
Measure your daily intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you're drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the following tips:
Carry water with you everywhere you go in a bottle or other container. Note here that recent research continuously shows plastic bottles leach toxic chemicals into water. It is highly recommended that one use glass containers such as an old Pierre bottle. Begin keeping all your glass bottles, and soon you'll find the ideal glass bottle for you. Remember, water will never become toxic in glass containers! Before long, you'll find yourself reaching for it without a second thought.
Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you'll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you're at your desk at work. Drink from it regularly as you're working.
Try wearing a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you'll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 liters) by the end of an 8-hour workday.
Get a water purification system. Purified water tastes very good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you. Be aware, though, that as you grow accustomed to purified water, you may find that tap water leaves a bad taste in your mouth, even though it may be better for your teeth.[1] Keep in mind that fluoride, found in small quantities in tap water, is necessary for strong, healthy teeth. [2]
Add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour, just a splash of sourness should do the trick. Cucumber slices can also be added to a glass of water. Some mint leaves can be added to a pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight. These are cheap alternatives to the bottled flavored water.
Eat water rich foods, such as fruits like watermelon, which is 92% water by weight. Blend up some seedless fresh watermelon flesh with some ice and place a few sprigs of mint (optional) - one of the most refreshing drinks, especially for the summertime. Cranberry juice is also another option, and has a bitter taste. Patients suffering from urinary infection caused by insufficient intake of water should drink cranberry juice and eat watermelon if not plain water everyday. A tomato is 95% water. An egg is about 74% water. An uncooked piece of lean meat is about 70% water.
Keep water cold if it tastes better for you. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at home. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you, it will eventually melt and stay cold. However, too cold water will cost your body energy to heat it to body temperature. But drinking cold water can also help burn more calories than drinking room temperature or warm water because your body would need to heat to heat it to body temperature.
Climate can drastically change how much water you need. On hot days that require you to be outside, you should drink more water to counteract the fluids you lose when you sweat. This not only keeps your body hydrated, it can prevent heat-related illness.

Warnings

Increasing your water intake may cause you to have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. To avoid this, you may want to stop drinking water a few hours before bedtime--or make sure you visit the toilet before bed!
While adequate water is essential to health, it is possible to drink too much water or any other beverage, and there has been considerable scientific debate surrounding how much water a person really needs per day. According to Snopes - http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp - the Los Angeles Times has reported that "Kidney specialists do agree on one thing, however: that the 8-by-8 (2 L) rule is a gross overestimate of any required minimum. To replace daily losses of water, an average-sized adult with healthy kidneys sitting in a temperate climate needs no more than one liter of fluid...the equivalent of about four 8-ounce (250 ml) glasses.
People with some heart conditions, high blood pressure or swelling of the lower legs (edema) need to avoid excess water. If you have a history of kidney problems, especially if you have had a transplant, consult your doctor before increasing your fluid intakes.
You shouldn't drink too much water while eating as it dilutes your stomach acid and can cause digestion problems.
If you live in a place with a lot of heat (e.g., The Caribbean), you will have to drink extra water.
It is possible to "overdose" on water. Water intoxication occurs when the electrolytes in the body are so diluted that they have trouble keeping the balance of water even inside and outside of individual cells. What that means is that drinking too much water (while not getting enough electrolytes) can cause your cells to burst. If you plan on doing heavy prolonged exercise, be sure to alternate sports drinks with regular water to keep your electrolytes in balance.
Crystal Lite, Gatorade and other electrolyte drinks contain acetic acid which can increase rates of tooth decay. There is no real reason to drink electrolyte drinks unless you are heavily exercising (see above).
Be aware that some elderly individuals with difficulty walking may avoid drinking adequate amounts of water, as they have difficulty transferring/walking to the bathroom. In such cases, a bedside commode may be useful. If you are caring for such an individual, encourage them to drink the necessary amount of water and reassure him/her that you can help them with the transfer to the commode.
It is not recommended that you reuse plastic water bottles that are intended for one time use, specifically number one plastics. These bottles leach chemicals into your water after multiple uses. If you wish to always have water around, use a water bottle. Bottles like Sigg or other canteens are now more favorable due to the risk of chemical leeching when using plastic products.

Things You'll Need

Bottle (Optional)
Money (If you buy bottled water)
Determination (Don't give up)
Water
Counter (Keep up with how much you drink)
Conveniently-located commode

Sources and Citations

↑ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/aprilholladay/2004-05-07-wonderquest_x.htm

↑ http://www.h2only.ca/about_water/fluoride/index.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Drink More Water Every Day. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-123: "How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning"

How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Are you stuck on a sweltering summer day without air conditioning? Here's how to cool yourself down before the heat overwhelms your body.

Steps

Just add water! The relief is almost immediate, and will last for up to one hour!

Ball up and soak a t-shirt in the sink, wring it out, put it on and sit in a lawn chair (or other chair that lets air through to you) in front of a fan. Re-wet as it dries. Make sure not to soak it with cold water. It can be colder than you think. Instead use lukewarm water so you get cool without freezing. Using a synthetic shirt will ensure no "wet T-shirt" look.
Wet your wrists and other pulse points with cold water. Use a piece of ice wrapped in a face cloth to continue after the coolness wears off. Constantly cooling off the wrists will also cool off the body. Never use just ice; make sure it is wrapped in a towel or something similar.
Wear a short sleeved shirt and put water on the sleeves. If there is a breeze or fan blowing on you, you can actually get cold. Use a squirt bottle, the sink or hose if outside to keep your sleeves wet. If you are outside and wearing long pants and you put water on your legs, the water will cool your legs.
Hold a cold beverage on your neck to cool yourself. A cold object, such as a soda can, held against the neck cools the blood to the brain very quickly.
A bandana, soaked in water and tied about the neck cools quickly and protects against sunburn.
Fill your bathtub with cool water and get in. Once you are used to the temperature, let some water out and refill with cold water. Keep doing this until you are sufficiently cold. Your body will stay cool for a long time after you get out.

Sweat it out! Water vapor produced by sweating actually takes heat away from your body if it is exposed to air and allowed to evaporate. The best thing to do is to put your sweaty self in the path of a cool breeze or fan.
Drink water, even if you are not thirsty! You must replace fluids lost in perspiration to prevent dehydration. Oral re-hydration may be accomplished by drinking an electrolyte-balanced beverage. The electrolytes help to make sure you don't lose vital minerals through sweating. Adding ice will also help cool you off. Avoid lemonade, iced tea, and other sugary drinks (see the Tips below).
Dress (or undress) for the heat. There are several strategies to dress, depending on your situation:

Nothing: If you're in a situation where you can go without clothes, this can be the most comfortable, natural way to stay cool.
Next-to-Nothing: Put on a swimsuit, or wear your underwear at home.
Summer Clothing: Wear natural fabrics (cotton, silk, linen) rather than polyester, rayon, or other artificial fibers (with the possible exception of performance fabrics).
Take off your hat, stay a while. Take off your shoes or hat while indoors! Much of the body's heat is released through the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands, and the scalp. Keeping these areas cool makes a surprising difference.
Wear Light Colors: Darker colors will absorb the sun's rays and be warmer.
Cover Up: Covering up may actually keep your cooler, especially if the heat is low in humidity. In the scorching temperatures of the Middle Eastern deserts, traditional cultures wear clothing covering from head to toe. By protecting your skin from the sun beating down, you'll also shade your skin. Be sure your clothing is natural fabrics, and loose.

Avoid direct sunlight. Stay in a shaded area if possible. Exposure to direct sunlight increases the heat index, so that your body may experience temperatures even higher than the air temperature! If you must go outdoors, go in the morning or evening. A wide-brimmed hat is good. Light-weight, loose-fitting cotton clothing should be worn.
Go downstairs. Warm air is less dense than cooler air so it ends up layered on top of the downward moving cooler air. If you're in a house, for example, get lower than the roof. Make your way to the basement or lower level. It will be cooler there. Position a fan in an upstairs window to draw off heat collected in upper rooms--set it up so that it sucks air from indoors and pushes it outdoors.
Keep the air flowing. Turn on the ceiling fan or box fan in the room. In the evening, open windows and use fans to create a cross-breeze, circulating cooler evening/night air through the rooms. As soon as the sun hits the building the next morning, close all windows, blinds, and curtains, and keep doors and windows closed throughout the day until it is cooler outside than it is inside. Then you can open everything up again and cool off to be prepared for the next day. Leaving kitchen cabinets open all night helps too; if you leave them closed, they store the heat and your house won't cool off as much.
Turn off electrical heat sources.Turn off the stove or other sources of heat. Don't use the stove or oven to eat--eat out, eat cold food, or use the microwave. Incandescent light bulbs also create heat. Turn off your lamps, as well as your computer when you're not on Wikihow.
Use a hint of mint.Try a few minty or menthol products to cool your skin: slather on lotion with peppermint (avoid your face and eyes), shower with peppermint soap, use a minty foot soak, and powders with mint. Mint refreshes the skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation.
Try a heat snorkeling system. Take a glass and fill it almost to the brim with ice cubes. Then hold it up to your mouth and blow gently into the cup. The ice causes the air you are blowing into the cup to cool down drastically, and since the air only has one way out of the cup (the hole which should now be aiming right at your face) the cold air is forced out over your skin. This is a great alternative to air conditioning and is very simple.
Breathe like a yogi. Try the yoga practice of shitali pranayama. Sit down cross legged and take a few deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Roll your tongue into a tube with the tip outside the mouth. Continuing slow deep breath, breath in through the tube and then move your chin to your chest as you breath out through your nose. Do that 5-10 times and you should start to feel cooler. Dogs often use their tongues to cool themselves; perhaps this yoga practice comes from noticing that.
Eat spicy food. It's not a coincidence that many people in hotter regions of the world eat spicy food. Spicy (hot to the taste) food increases perspiration which cools the body as it evaporates. It also can cause an endorphin rush that is quite pleasant and might make you forget about the heat.
Use alcohol--rubbing, that is... Take ordinary rubbing alcohol and a wash-cloth and pour some alcohol onto the cloth and rub it onto your face, being careful not to get any in your mouth or eyes, and stand in front of or under moving air and the evaporating alcohol makes it feel around 30 degrees.
Put a freeze on things. Get a 1 or more 3 liter bottles, fill them mostly full of water, freeze them, then place them in a large bowl (to catch dripping water). Position a fan to blow on them. As the ice in the bottles melts, the air cools around them. The fan will blow that air at you. The water in the bottles can be frozen overnight and used again, repeatedly. This will supplement your AC if you have it, and will serve as a ad hoc AC until you can get a decent AC system.
Think cool. Read books about climbing Mount Everest, visiting Norway, or watch "March of the Penguins", "Ice Age", or "The Day After Tomorrow". You might not be physically cooler, but if your mind envisions a cold environment, you might feel a bit cooler.

Long-Term Solutions
Use light-colored roofing. If you have the choice, choose a lighter roof or roof coating. It will reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it.
Plant Trees. Trees can shade your home or yard and keep things considerably cooler. Deciduous trees, those that lose their leaves in winter, will let sunlight through in winter when it's desired and create shade in summer. Awnings and planning the exposure of windows and doors in a home you are building can also provide shade. The south and west sides of your home will generally be the hottest and most in need of shade.
Send up the cool air. If your home has a basement and central air system, have an HVAC professional add a cold air return in the basement to pull the naturally cool air that falls down and recycle it into the rest of your home by simply setting your furnace to "fan" mode.

Tips

Don't forget that the human race lived for many, many years without air conditioning. Within the limits of your particular health situation, your body can adapt to the summer increase in temperature. Just become accustomed to the fact that you may have to alter your activities and schedule to 'beat the heat'.
Stock your freezer with flavored ice treats. Freeze a bag of chopped fruit such as watermelon, pineapple or grapes. Cooling down can be a tasty experience too!
If all else fails, go to the mall, library, church, movie theater or some other air-conditioned public building.
You still want to get into the outdoors? Usually the early morning and evening are cooled down enough to enjoy your walk, run, hike, bike, gardening, or yard work.
Alcohol acts as a diuretic, which make you urinate more often than usual. This promotes further dehydration through water loss.
If your garage is under living areas of your home, leave your hot car outside to cool off before putting it in the garage.
Don't put rocks, concrete, or brick patios right against the house where they will reflect heat onto walls or windows, especially on the south or west sides. If you already have such a feature in your landscape, plant a tree so that it and that side of the building will be shaded, especially during the hot parts of the day. Rocks, concrete, and the like also retain heat longer than planted areas after the sun goes down.

Warnings

While it is rarely a problem for individuals with good health, over-hydration is a possibility for individuals with heart, liver, or kidney problems[1]. If you have any serious health problems, be mindful of how much water you drink, as your kidneys may not be able to excrete an excessive amount of water properly.
Babies, children, pregnant women, and the elderly are all much more prone to overheating than others. Be sure to keep an eye on members of your family, co-workers, and neighbors.
If you experience symptoms of heat stroke or dehydration, call emergency personnel and seek professional assistance.
A body temperature above 104 °F (40 °C) is life-threatening and if it reaches 113 °F (45 °C) you are approaching sure death. Don't let your temperature rise anywhere near those temperatures.
In many areas, high day temperatures can set off afternoon thunderstorms. Be prepared for such weather situations.
Heat is often the uncomfortable companion of drought. If there are water restrictions in your area, make sure you consider them before implementing any of the water-intensive suggestions above. Failure to comply may get you a hefty fine, even jail time.

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Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Cool Yourself Without Air Conditioning. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-122: "How to Make Watermelon Juice"

How to Make Watermelon Juice

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You know there's lemon juice, lime juice, grape juice, but what about watermelon juice? Here is a great way to make it and to add it to your tropical breakfast.

Steps

Slice the watermelon on a cutting board. Cut them into pieces about 1 inch thick.
Put watermelon slices into a bowl, rubber container, or onto a plate. You can use your hands for this, but to prevent messiness, a fork is recommended.
Put the melon in the blender. Add sugar or sweetener, if desired. Pour a couple of cups of cold water and some ice cubes. Blend well until smooth.
Serve over lots of ice.

Tips

Make sure to take the seeds out of the watermelon.
If you want to switch it up a little, try other melons, like cantaloupe, honeydew-melon, or anything else you can think of.
You can add some (washed) mint leaves in the blender, for an especially cool taste.

Warnings

If you are a kid, seek an adult's help with the cutting part.

Things You'll Need

Watermelon
Bowl, rubber container, or plate
Fork
Knife
Sugar (optional)
Cutting Board
Plastic or glass pitcher
Electric blender

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How To-121: "How to Make Carrot Juice"

How to Make Carrot Juice

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Carrot juice is a nutritious drink and easy to make without a fancy juice machine. Adding orange juice to the juice makes it especially tasteful and a typically Nicaraguan drink.

Steps

Place 2 pounds (1 kg) of clean carrots in a blender or food processor. Process until finely chopped or mashed. (One may have to add a small amount of water if the carrots are not very moist.)
Pour mixture into a large glass measuring cup and add 2 cups (500 ml) hot water.
Let mixture stand for 15 to 30 minutes.
Strain the juice into a 2 quart (2 L) pitcher.
(optional, but tasty) Add the juice of 2 oranges.
(optional) Fill pitcher with water.
Serve over ice.

Tips

Carrot juice tends to settle quickly, so stir the pitcher before serving.
Undiluted pure carrot juice (skipping the optional steps) has a consistency and texture similar to whole milk.

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How To-120: "How to Raise a Healthy Child"

How to Raise a Healthy Child

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

As we all know, weight and health is important. It is even more important to introduce good eating habits, early on in a youngsters life. Just read these tips, and your little one can grow up to be a fit and active person.

Steps

Instill healthy habits early on. Even when you have a baby, if the child is not introduced to sweets, candy, cookies, soda, and the like, they will not have cravings for these foods. Therefore, they won't need these types of treats as they grow older, and will be all-around healthy.
Do not reward children with sweets. If your child shows good behavior do NOT give them sweets. That just teaches the child that good behavior is only worth it, because of the sweets. Reward them with something educational, intellectual, or just a simple hug. When they grow up, they won't be so bratty, spoiled, and whining for unneeded items.
Introduce fruits and vegetables. Have a different vegetable every night. Make it fun! Maybe one night could be an Asian-themed dinner, and you could have an Asian chicken salad, or maybe an Irish dinner, and you could have potatoes.
Exercise. Play sports with your kids. At early ages sign them up for soccer, dance, volleyball, baseball, softball, football, basketball, gymnastics, tennis, golf, or any other extra-curricular activities. Keeping fit can be fun, and playing sports teaches not only athletic skills, but helps socially, and builds sharing and team work skills.
Live a healthy lifestyle all around. Make sure you and your family are healthy emotionally, physically, mentally, and so on and so forth. Being healthy isn't just skinny or fat. It is much more.
Have fun!

Tips

Be active with your child.
Play sports with the kids.
Make eating healthy fun.
Don't let being healthy become overly stressful.

Warnings

Do not make being healthy so important, that the child is lacking happiness. An occasional sweet is perfectly fine, just don't let it turn into something excessive.
Do not starve yourself or more importantly your children. This can lead to anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders later on in life.

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How To-119: "How to Go on a Detox Diet"

How to Go on a Detox Diet

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Feeling sluggish? Need to be rejuvenated? Try a foot or diet detox. It's like a spring cleaning. It's a natural way to rid toxins and waste products. Some aspects may be easily incorporated into your daily routine for a healthier lifestyle. Take the time to learn more about this process:

Steps

Search online with the following keywords for further direction:

Detox drinks
Herb detox soup
Detox raw recipes
Detox eating plans
Detox drink
Detox flush fruits
Cleansing detox cure
Body cleansing detox
Detox juice
Rapid detox
Detox snacks
Colon cleansing

Look for natural products.
Choose your detox method according to your schedule. Twice a month on a weekend is a good place to begin.
Start slowly with a foot detox if you have never done this before. Thereafter, try a detox drink. However, do not do a master cleanse until you are more comfortable with the process.
Obtain foot detox pads or a detox foot spa.
Use a juicer for fruit and vegetable detox drinks. Be careful not to overdo. Some fruits are so tasty that you may want to have more than is necessary.
Plan on drinking at least two litres of water each day. This helps to flush the toxins and waste products. It also eases the stress being placed on your liver and kidneys.
Rest quietly. Do not over exert yourself. Find a good book or movie. Do your housework or physical exercise at another time during the week.
Expect side effects. These may include headache, nausea or poor appetite. These may occur for a few days following the detox. You may have bad breath for up to two weeks.
Expect to have more energy and hunger following the detox. Introduce a light, uncomplicated diet.
Invest in a cookbook geared towards a more cleansing diet for future health and longevity.
Refrain from drugs, alcohol and excessive medications, because they burden your organs. They deteriorate your emotional and physical well being.
Good Luck! Some people have lost 7 pounds in 7 days!

Tips

Detox is considered to be an alternative method to heal the body.
Slow and periodic cleansing is less taxing on your organs.
Use sea salt as it is very cleansing. It is equivalent to the salt within our bodies. Refined table salt causes fluid retention.
Select formulas with Aloe Vera. It is a natural ingredient that soothes and heals irritated tissue.
Wean slowly from processed food. Rapid or acute changes may cause discomfort.

Warnings

Consult your physician prior to detoxing.
Do not attempt detox if you are ill. This could cause increased fatigue and a slower recovery.
Consult your physician for specifics in regard to drug detox.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Homemade Cleanse - Detox through diet, herbs, and more.
Helping Powers of a Detox Diet - Original source of this page. Shared with permission

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Go on a Detox Diet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-118: "How to Take Action to Phase out Harmful Food Additives"

How to Take Action to Phase out Harmful Food Additives

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Some synthetic food additives, including perservatives and artificial sweetners that harm your health, now commonly found in almost everything, are allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remain in our food. Many of them have only been tested in rats, and are released right after. You are what you eat, and foods should be safe for everyone, everyone should not have to do their own research to find out what ingredients to avoid, and if the FDA is taking a while their job, it is up to you as a citizen to take action.

Steps

Do your research. Look on the packaging of a sugarless gum and google all the ingredients to find side effects of eating it. Some highly controversial additives are BHT, Sucralose, Acesuflame K(Potassium), Aspartame and MSG. As you find out more and more about more ingredients, you will be surprised at your ignorance before to consume it and not even think twice about it.
Make a list of everything bad and what is is said to cause. You will be surprised, some things in your food even are known carcinogens!
Raise awareness in your family and friends about it, and encourage them to take action too.
Write to the FDA, stating that they should ban the use of things that have not been tested in long studies with humans until they are announced safe.
Write a letter to your government stating that foods containing not well tested ingredients that may be harmful to your health should contain warnings on them. Foods with Aspartame in them contain a warning that says "Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine", but that is only because certain people have a disorder where they can't metabolize Phenylalanine, but they did not take into account that Aspartame breaks down into Formaldehyde (carcinogen)

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Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Take Action to Phase out Harmful Food Additives. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

20 February, 2009

How To-117: "How to Find Healthy Foods"

How to Find Healthy Foods

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

It's common knowledge that healthy foods are good for us. However, finding healthy food among the many products making exaggerated health claims can be difficult. Here are a few suggestions to help with your decisions:

Steps

Buy organic. Look for pesticide-free products.
Buy local. Food that travels less requires less chemical and preservative measures.
- Check out local farms. Many offer the option to buy in bulk.
- Visit a farmer's market to buy what's in season.
Select healthy fresh food. Look for sustainable seafoods and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Select whole food. Look for whole grains, legumes and nuts. A whole fish is preferable to processed fish-sticks.
Try a natural food store. Stores like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods often carry healthier or organic versions of products that are less readily available locally, such as organic olive oil.

Tips

Buy in bulk. It tends to cost less.
Get a small freezer to store produce for the winter. They are inexpensive and energy efficient. Frozen food retains the majority of its nutritional value.
Cook from scratch to avoid pre-packaged food. Try cooking whole oats for breakfast instead of cereal.
Grow your own produce, if possible.
If you do not have a yard, try a window sill garden, a rooftop garden or an indoor herb garden.
Participate in a community garden project.

Warnings

Be cautious of pre-packaged food labeled as "healthy" or "organic". It has less natural nutrients than whole foods.
Many products make tricky health claims. Do your research. Take the time to ask questions.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Find Healthy Foods. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-116: "How to Choose the Most Important Organic Foods"

How to Choose the Most Important Organic Foods

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

How many times have you thought "organic foods are too expensive; I can't afford to go organic"? Or maybe you feel it is just too difficult to wade through all the statistics and information on choosing organic foods and the reasons for preferring it over conventionally grown foods. Organic foods are good for you because they are free of many added chemicals and hormones that conventionally grown foods receive as part of the growth cycle. However, it can add up at the cash register to try and keep yourself healthier by eating organic foods. To help you make your decisions in an informed way, here are some simple tips to identify the best choices and stay within budget.

Steps

Understand why organic foods should be an important part of your diet. Organic foods are grown with no or fewer chemical or hormonal additives in their growth cycle than conventionally grown produce and meat. This means that laws on organic labelling in many places ban the use of a wide array of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, hormone treatments, antiobiotics etc. on any produce or meat destined to carry an organic certification.
Choose the crucial dozen organic foods. The dozen foods listed next are considered to be the foods most vulnerable to the addition of too many pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics etc. This top dozen lists food items where home washing and cooking practices are unlikely to result in reduction of the chemical or hormonal residues:

Beef, chicken and pork
Dairy products: Milk, cheese and butter
Strawberries, raspberries and cherries
Apples and pears
Tomatoes
Spinach and salad greens
Coffee
Potatoes
Stone fruits: Peaches, nectarines and apricots
Grapes
Celery
Peppers (capsicums), green and red

Shop for seasonal foods. Seasonally available produce is the budget-conscious shopper's prize. Produce in season is always value for money because it is plentiful and this includes organic produce. In addition, seasonal food often travels less distance as it is grown locally and therefore will keep in better condition (more nutrients), for longer. From a comfort perspective, there is something very calming and traditional about eating the way our ancestors have for millennia; you become attuned to the cycle of the seasons. An added bonus: You are less inclined to overfill your fridge with food that ends up going unnoticed, which saves you money.
Eat in moderation. The statistics on obesity continue to rise. We do not need huge quantities of food; too much food makes our bodies sick rather than healthy and happy. While eating in moderation means eating less food overall, it most certainly does not mean going without and feeling hungry. Change to eating more energy-sustaining foods, such as organic grains and pulses to bulk out your diet. You will not need to eat as much of these foods, as unlike processed foods, you will feel full faster and for longer. Your budget will go further simply through choosing prime quality organic foods in smaller amounts. Most importantly, eating in moderation will result in less intake of chemical and hormonal residues and that can only be a good outcome for everyone.
Eat variety. Variety means including all those vegetables and not just living off potatoes. The more that you vary your diet within seasonal constraints, there is a higher likelihood that you will have less exposure to a build-up of one type of chemical residues. Variety also means an interesting and fulfilling diet, as well as a greater likelihood that you will get all the nutrients, anti-oxidants and fibre that you need to keep healthy.
Be realistic. Most nutritionists would still prefer that you eat fruit and vegetables whether they are organic or conventional in origin in preference to highly processed foods. Use the list set out in step 2 to pick the organic foods and then purchase conventional foods for the remainder if you have a tight budget. Taking the simple step of choosing some organics to include in your diet is an important one of taking control over what is potentially affecting your health; whilstyou will still be surrounded by the chemical load of our industrial age, you are taking positive action to help yourself and to encourage organic growers at the same time.

Tips

The "harm" discussed in this article that may arise from eating conventionally grown foods arises in particular out of the accumulative effects of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, antiobiotics and other chemicals or additives. Over time, small doses build up in your body, particularly in body fat. This can lead to triggering diseases such as cancer and can cause problems with your immune system, blood and other bodily functions.
Be aware that, depending on the jurisdiction in which your foods have been grown, small amounts of certain types of chemicals may have been used on organic produce. In general, if such chemicals have been certified as allowed for use in the organic sector, they ought to be ones considered to safe for human consumption as a result of scientific testing and observations over a very long period of time and to come with a high level of certainty as to their negligible impacts on human beings. If this bothers you still, do your research to find out just what "organic" labels permit in your part of the world. Some organic producers use natural products that they deem safe, but that have not been tested scientifically. Also organic producers may fertilize their crops with animal manures which have not been properly composted. These foods pose a risk for pathogens that can cause serious illness.
Try to reduce the amounts of processed foods in your diet. You get less nutritional benefits from processed foods, organic or not. *If you really enjoy that cake laden with sugar (yes it is very processed), have it once a month rather than everyday. Then it becomes a blissful treat rather than something taken for granted.
Always wash vegetables and fruit well; some stores sell special detergents for this. Just because it is labeled organic doesn't mean it is safe to eat without a wash; bacteria thrive under all conditions.

Warnings

Some jurisdictions may have more lax laws on what "organic" means. Always do your research first. Read labels carefully; some products try to be organic but contain very little in the way of organic components, such as breakfast cereals. The more processed an item, the more likely it is that you should read the label carefully.
Be wary of industry propaganda aimed at belittling organic efforts. There are some seriously bad side effects from many of the chemicals and hormones used in our food and where profits are at stake, there is also plenty to discourage you from making healthy choices for you and your family. Do your own research; don't just take this article as gospel either. You are responsible for learning as much as you can about your health and how to protect it.
Do not confuse organic and natural. The two terms are different, although they may be used on the same item. Natural by itself means nothing; in most places it is an entirely unregulated term that means nothing other than what the manufacturer wants it to mean.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

These are links to quality sites that will provide more information on organic produce, certification of organic produce, how the organic industry is being run etc.:

USDA Organic Certification
Organic Trade Association - covers USA and Canada; a business based site, it tells you more about what is being done to promote the organic industry in these two countries
Soil Association - British organic site with many useful resources
Organic Europe
[www.australianorganic.com.au/ Australia Certified Organic]

(www.ava.gov.sg)

How To-115: "How to Go on a Raw Food Diet"

How to Go on a Raw Food Diet

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A raw food diet can be incredibly delicious and diverse. With adequate research, it can be well-balanced in nutrients to help maintain optimal health and an ideal weight.

Steps

Get informed.

Research different websites, such as livingfoods.com. Useful search terms are: living foods, raw, sprouting, dehydrator, juicing, blender, vita-mix, healing, enzymes, organic or recipe.
Research different books, such as Raw Family: A True Story of Awakening by Victoria Boutenko. The China Study by T. Colin Campbell includes alternative sources of protein.
Find community. Join a local potluck or start one of your own. It's wonderful to share food with others. Online forums provide a great resource to meet fellow raw foodists, exchange recipes and have questions answered.

Grow your own food. Experiment with sprouting seeds and herbs. A sunny window sill can be a good source of fresh food all year round.
Make your own compost. Your food will contain more nutrients. Try a compost bin or a worm composter.
Buy organic produce when possible. It is almost toxin-free and tends to have more vitamins and minerals.
Acquire appropriate kitchen equipment. Sharp knives are essential. A food processor, juicer and dehydrator can be very useful.
Eat a variety of foods. Make a list of produce, herbs, nuts and seeds from A to Z that you would like to include in your diet.
Introduce raw foods slowly into your current diet.

Begin with fresh fruit for breakfast.
Transition fresh, raw plant food into your remaining meals on a weekly basis.
Be flexible. You may wish to eat a partially raw diet for a length of time before advancing to a completely raw diet.

Experiment with a solar oven. It uses minimal heat to preserve more nutrients. It can be used with a variety of dishes to make satisfying and delicious patties, hot and cold soup, dips, crackers, etc.

Tips

Remain aware of changes in your digestive system or overall well-being.
Supplement your diet with Vitamin B12 to prevent anemia.
Raw foods and ingredients may include nut milk, pudding, smoothies and frozen banana cream.
If you dine out, bring a few of your own ingredients, such as an avocado, lemon, herbs or natural salad dressing. (Although most health codes prohibit bringing your own food into a restaurant.)
Choose to buy organic if a certain type of produce is being treated with a large amount of pesticide. This type of data can be easily researched online.
Be secure when eating raw animal products. Ask questions about their quality and source.

Warnings

Not everyone can be healthy on this diet. Listen to your body.
Obtain enough protein and healthy fats for proper metabolism.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Go on a Raw Food Diet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-114: "How to Stay Away from Synthetic Food Colours"

How to Stay Away from Synthetic Food Colours

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Food coloring is considered safe in small amounts, but if you have concerns, or if you are allergic to food coloring, here is how to avoid it.

Steps

Know what colors foods are naturally. Certain foods are more likely to be artificially colored (including drinks, children's snacks, candy and fruit.)
Check the ingredients on any package of food you buy. If the ingredients list includes a color name followed by a number, such as "Yellow #5" or "Red 40", the food contains synthetic food coloring.

Tips

Most brown sodas, such as Pepsi, are darkened with caramel color. This color comes from toasting sugar until it turns brown, so it might be considered non-synthetic.
Many "natural" foods are colored with ingredients like beet powder. Beets are a vegetable that is naturally red, so beet powder is an example of a safe food colorant.
Certain fruits, such as oranges, are frequently dyed to make them brighter in color. Ask a store manager whether the produce is colored, or buy organic produce.
Farm-raised salmon is often dyed pink or orange. If you're not sure whether the salmon is dyed, ask the seller.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stay Away from Synthetic Food Colours. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-113: "How to Reduce Your Children's Exposure to Chemicals"

How to Reduce Your Children's Exposure to Chemicals

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Children are more susceptible to the impacts of chemicals on their immature immune systems and general growth. Every parent wants the best for their child and reduction of chemical exposure is a prudent precautionary approach to reducing the opportunities for harmful impacts on your child.

Steps

Prefer organic and home-grown foods over other food. You don't have to break the bank to eat organic. There are some foods that should always be preferred in their organic form owing to the heavy use of pesticides to grow these foods. See Choose the Most Important Organic Foods for more details. Be sure to wash conventionally grown foods well, using a vinegar and water rinse (10% vinegar to 90% water) on fruit and vegetables prior to consumption. Preferring organic and home-grown foods will help reduce your child's exposure to pesticides.
Take care with fish products.[1] Smaller fish are safer for children's consumption; larger fish have lived longer and have had more time and space to accumulate pesticide and heavy metal residues including mercury, PCBs and dioxins.[2] The cleanest fish are the smaller ones, including anchovies, sardines and mackerel. Always prefer wild fish over farmed fish to avoid antibiotic overloads.
Use purified or filtered drinking water. This will remove many of the potential chemical contaminants that might impact your child's health. Cut back on or eliminate the use of bottled water; not only is this a very unsustainable and expensive way to consume water but the use of bisphenol A used to manufacture some bottles is considered to be of some concern.[3][4] Although the jury is still out on these claims,[5] it makes sense to use the municipal supply and reduce your ecological footprint anyway.
Keep your home with green cleaning. Use eco-friendly and human-friendly cleaning products promoted by green cleaning. Avoid purchasing toxic cleaners and laundry products.[6] Many of these products contain allergens, asthma triggers, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and carcinogens.[7]
Have a green garden. As with household products, do not use chemical sprays, dusts and other products on your lawn and garden. Choose organic and eco-friendly solutions to garden maintenance. Be guided by the motto that if you could eat off it safely, your child can play on it safely.
Reduce or eliminate the use of plastics in your home. Plastic wraps, plastic food containers and drink containers contain plasticizers and other chemicals that are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.[8] Choose glass for storage of food and for reheating and cooking of food. Keep away from plastic food wraps.
Be careful of toys. Not all toys are benign. Plastic toys, especially, can be harmful to your child's health, containing such chemicals as phthalates.[9] Toys from wood, cloth, natural fibers and paper are better choices for children than plastic toys. Be careful of painted wooden toys, however; check that the paint is non-toxic. Hand-me-down wooden toys may use lead-based paint - have them tested before passing them on.
Keep your cooking green and clean. Avoid grilling food, as this form of cooking can create potentially carcinogenic compounds.[10] Avoid charring meats or other foods on a barbecue and always cook foods on a barbecue outdoors and on gas or electricity, not with charcoal products.
Check your cookware. Some cookware is unhealthy when heated, such as Teflon™ products, which contain PFOA (perfluuoro-octanoic acid), considered to be a potential carcinogen.[11]Better choices are stainless steel, cast iron (great source of iron!) or ceramic-coated steel. You can also try parchment/baking paper in the base of a skillet or pan for non-stick "frying".
Ensure that the house is free of allergens and toxins from off-gassing and maintain indoor air quality. Remove mold whenever it grows; it is a known asthma trigger. Be careful of having carpet laid - choose low-allergen carpets with safe glues. Many floor coverings use formaldehyde based chemicals and the gases that are emitted impact children who tend to sit on the floor frequently.[12] Prefer linoleum, natural carpets, bamboo flooring etc. Paints should also be chosen carefully as their contents can outgas harmful chemicals; select eco-friendly and natural paint options. Many companies are very conscious of this need now, so look them up and support them.[13]
Don't expose your children to secondhand smoke. There is no excuse for this one and remember not to smoke in the car; not even with the window down.
Keep medications to a minimum and only under the supervision of a certified health professional. Get a good doctor who has no fear in saying no to antibiotics for the sake of mollifying parental concern. Follow instructions and complete courses of antibiotics when they are needed.[14] And keep the use of cough syrups, cough lozenges and other readily available self-chosen remedies to a minimum. Many of these products contain artificial colorings, flavorings and strong chemicals that children should not be exposed to.[15] If a product says that it should not be administered to babies, infants, and children, follow that advice and don't use it.

Tips

All things in moderation is a good motto to live by; but some things are better not even taking a risk with. Use your gut instinct to help guide your choices. If it can be lived without, there will be less clutter in your life and more quality time with the kids.
Assessing the impact of human-created and naturally occurring chemicals on the human body, child or adult, remains an ever-evolving science. There will be a lot of arguments against the findings that there may be health problems with certain heavily used chemicals. That's healthy insofar as it provokes good research and debate. Where it is not healthy is where it is sponsored by those who seek to cover up possible harm because profit is at stake. You are entitled to information and you are entitled to make your own decisions based on your assessments of all available information. If you feel that exposure to some chemicals is too much of a risk, then follow your feelings. Precaution is always much better than mopping up afterwards, if that is even an option.

Things You'll Need

. Information to make informed decisions

. Research skills

Ability to follow the latest research through news items
Healthy cleaning products
Healthy cooking equipment

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

↑ Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Summary of Chemicals of Concern Found in Fish: San Francisco Bay Pilot Study, 1994

↑ EPA (US), What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

↑ ScienceDaily, Plastic Bottles Release Potentially Harmful Chemicals (Bisphenol A) After Contact With Hot Liquids

↑ US News, Study of Chemical in Plastic Bottles Raises Alarm

↑ Snopes, Bottle Royale

↑ Ecollo, Household Cleaning Chemicals:The Dirty Dozen

↑ About.com, Do Home Cleaning Chemicals Cause Asthma?

↑ Wikipedia, Endocrine Disruptors

↑ Consumer Affairs.com, California Bans Plastic-Softening Chemical in Toys

↑ The Cancer Project, The Five Worst Foods to Grill

↑ Washington Post.com, June 29, 2005, by Juliet Eilperin Compound in Teflon A 'Likely Carcinogen'

↑ The Sensible House Project, Contaminants

↑ EarthEasy, Non-Toxic Paints

↑ BBC, Dos and Don'ts of Taking Antibiotics

↑ US News, Nancy Shute, On Parenting: Cough Medicine Isn't For Kids

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Reduce Your Children's Exposure to Chemicals. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-112: "How to Make Juice Recipes"

How to Make Juice Recipes

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Juicing can be fun as well as healthy. Follow these simple time saving steps tips for making quick and easy juice recipes from a variety of vegetables and fruits.

Steps

Decide what types of juices interest you. It might be either fruit or vegetable, or both.
Find juice recipes. Research this site, books, magazines, online, or use a product like the "Juice Suggestor".
Start with one or two basic recipes and build from there.
Prefer organic produce. If possible purchase organic produce; it costs more but is definitely worth it both in taste and quality.
Use the "rainbow approach" for optimal health benefits. Mix different colored vegetables to get the widest range of nutrients.

Tips

Prepare your vegetables once in the morning, or the night before and they will be available "on demand" throughout the day.
If you are on a budget and can't go 100% organic, at least get organic with carrots, apples and other vegetables that are juiced with the skin on.
Use a plastic bag (the ones the vegetables come in are perfect) as a liner for the discarded parts of the fruits and vegetables. It is easy to dispose and will save you clean up time.
Juices can be made and kept fresh in the refrigerator for several hours.
The taste is best when room temperature.

Warnings

Never look directly into the opening of the juicer when running.
Only use the plastic plunger to press the vegetable down into the juicer (other objects such as spoons and knives can cause injury or damage the machine).

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Juice Recipes. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-111: "How to Prevent and Treat Dandruff"

How to Prevent and Treat Dandruff

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Dandruff, a condition characterized by flaking, itchy scalp, is one of the most common dermatological conditions. Fortunately, while the exact cause of dandruff is not known, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of getting it, and effective treatments are available. So if it looks like a winter storm is following you--and only you--around everywhere, read on.

Steps

Eat a healthy, balanced diet. As if you needed another reason to eat right, it turns out that a healthy diet may ward off the flakes. Make sure to get plenty of zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids, and B-vitamin, and avoid excessive yeast and sugar. Research suggests that dandruff is at least in part caused by a fungus that thrives in yeasty, fatty, sugary environments. Though this does not necessarily directly affect the conditions of your skin, your overall health will help with how your body responds to the fungus causing the dandruff.
Don't worry, be happy. Stress challenges the body's defenses and encourages all sorts of ailments, including dandruff, so relax now and don't worry about wearing a black shirt tomorrow.
Limit your use of hair styling products. Hairspray, mousse, and gel may contribute to dandruff in some people. They may also cause excessive drying of the skin, which can cause flaking--or trigger allergic reactions. If you notice dandruff soon after you begin to use a new product, chances are the product is to blame. The exception to this would be using a therapeutic styling gel or spray formulated with tea tree oil.
Wash your hair regularly. Dandruff seems to thrive in oily hair, so regular shampooing can help you fight it off. If you already have dandruff, washing your hair may help you keep the symptoms (the flakes) under control until it goes away. Massage your scalp so that you clean your skin, as well as your hair. This is one time when the "repeat" directions in "wash, rinse, and repeat" may be useful. The first washing breaks up the waxy sebum, and the second washing helps rinse it all away.
Use a shampoo designed to treat dandruff. If dandruff persists despite regular shampooing, you may need something stronger. There are a variety of anti-dandruff shampoos available at your pharmacy or grocery store, and they usually work. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and make a little extra time to shower, as most of these recommend that you leave them in for 5-10 minutes and lather twice.
Oil your hair with herbal oils or use special herbal gels. Gels from India have been known to help. Do this on a regular basis, at least twice a week for improvements.
Be aware that there are different active ingredients in dandruff shampoos. If one does not work for you try another. Ketoconazole (brand name Nizoral) is extremely effective against certain types of dandruff that are caused by a fungus. 1% ketoconazole is available without prescription in the US, 2% requires a prescription. The 2% is available without a prescription in Canada.
Be patient. While anti-dandruff shampoos may produce results after a few uses, it can take a week or two to see the difference.
Switch it up. If one type of anti-dandruff shampoo doesn't seem to work, or if it works for a time but then doesn't, switch to a product with another active ingredient (the active ingredient will be labeled on the bottle).
See your doctor if the problem persists after more than a couple weeks of treatment. There are prescription shampoos available, and prescription steroid creams may also help.

Tips

Try using a softer shampoo. During an interview, several barbers have said that the cause is often a harsh shampoo kills or drys out the skin.
Another possible remedy consists of pouring a generous amount of table salt into your hand before showering and covering your scalp in it. Gently rub it in, covering your whole scalp. Rinse it out in the shower, and shampoo normally.
It's best to get your vitamins from food, rather than nutritional supplements. A quick Internet search will turn up foods you can integrate into your diet that are rich in zinc, Omega-3s, and B-vitamins.
If anti-dandruff shampoos aren't working, or if you notice redness on the scalp or silvery or yellow flakes, you may not have dandruff at all. A number of other conditions can lead to flaking skin and itchy scalp. See your primary care physician or dermatologist.
A quick internet search will turn up all kinds of home remedies for dandruff. While some of these may indeed work, anti-dandruff shampoos are inexpensive enough to be adequate for most people.
Wear light-colored clothing (especially tops) while you have dandruff. Most people won't even notice.
If you have hay fever, eczema, or other skin or respiratory allergies, your dandruff may be caused in part by an allergic reaction. In this situation, you may find it helpful to shampoo LESS frequently, so the natural oils that protect your scalp aren't stripped away. Allergic people may also react to dandruff shampoos by generating MORE dandruff. If you think this may be the case for you, try washing your hair with conditioner only, or washing less frequently. CAUTION: Try this first during a vacation or a time when you will be less publicly visible, since your scalp will be very oily at first. It will take two weeks to a month for the balance of oils on your hair and scalp to adjust itself.
Rinsing your scalp with a rinse of 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar to 3/4 cup water may help the problem. The natural acids will help loosen any sebum (dead skin and oils) that clings to your scalp and flakes to form dandruff. Rinse thoroughly with WARM, not hot, water. If you don't rinse well, you will smell like vinegar. While apple cider vinegar is the gold standard of home remedies, white vinegar or lemon juice should work as well. Lemon juice may lighten dark hair.
To treat a bad case of dandruff, wash your hair with your usual shampoo and then rinse with an alcohol-based mouthwash. You can follow with an ordinary conditioner.
Tea tree oil has antiseptic qualities that may help kill the fungus, and keep your scalp moisturized. You can buy a small bottle at many groceries and health food stores, and add 5-6 drops to your regular shampoo. Or just purchase a shampoo that contains tea tree oil.
Buy and use two or three different types of regular shampoo and don't use the same one two days in a row. This way build up is minimized. For some reason this gets rid of lesser cases of dandruff.
Plain old fashioned Listerine (the original amber formula) works wonders on dandruff! In fact, up until the 1980s, the label even mentioned that it was effective on infectious dandruff. Daily or several times a week, saturate a cotton ball with Listerine and swab over your scalp. It really works!
Leave-in treatments like Scalpicin may be useful for particularly itchy scalps.
If the shampoos with the ingredients below don't work, try others.
Wash your hair with cold water.

Warnings

Some anti-dandruff shampoos, such as those containing selenium sulfide or coal tar may discolor light or dyed hair.
Discontinue use of any anti-dandruff shampoo or medication if the condition worsens or spreads, or if you notice side effects. Consult your primary care physician or dermatologist if the problem doesn't go away.
Tea tree oil may have adverse side effects. A recent article in the New York Times states: "In Boston at the annual Endocrine Society meeting in June, Clifford Bloch of the University of Colorado School of Medicine presented several cases of young men who had developed marked breast enlargement from using shampoos containing lavender and tea tree oils, which are widely used essential oil additives that present no problem for adults."
this study was fully rebutted by the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association (ATTIA) and in fact only one of the three subjects was exposed to a product containing tea tree oil in addition to lavender oil. It appears that the real culprit may be the lavender oil or other estrogenic compounds in shampoos. No other environmental or dietary factors were considered. Some foods such as soy and licorice contain very high levels of phytoestrogens.
Watch out for shampoos that are packaged to look like dandruff shampoos but only say that they will rinse away loose dandruff. Any shampoo will rinse away loose dandruff.
Using more than one anti-dandruff product may cause redness and irritation.
Avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS). It's a foaming compound that's a mild irritant. Some people find that using specialist soap without SLS as a shampoo for a couple of weeks makes their dandruff go away. You'll probably get it back if you switch back to ordinary shampoo. [1]

Things You'll Need

Shampoo with one of these anti-dandruff ingredients: ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid, coal tar extract, or sulfur. If one doesn't work try another.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Mayo Clinic
American Academy of Dermatology Article on scalp care in pdf format
MotherNature.com
OTAN.us Some home remedies, from aspirin to olive oil to vinegar. (Even if those don't work, you could put them together to make a pain-killing salad dressing!)
Dandruff Control Made Easy Articles and products to control dandruff and beautify your hair using tea tree oil and natural herbal ingredients.

↑ http://www.health-report.co.uk/sodium_lauryl_sulphate.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prevent and Treat Dandruff. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-110: "How to Reduce Hair Loss"

How to Reduce Hair Loss

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

When hair starts falling out it can seem like the end of the world. Follow these tips to try and reduce it as much as possible.

Steps

Try to identify when the hair loss started and if you changed anything with your hair. For example if you started straightening it or if you started applying lots of mousse. It is likely that this could be the reason. If you find it was due to the use of these things then stop using them.
Stick to one shampoo or shower gel. If it is repeatedly changed it could cause damage to your hair as shampoos aren't natural, you would be adding more and more chemical products in your hair which could damage them and cause them to fall out.
Oiling the hair also helps with coconut oil for example. By doing this, when you go out the pollution in the environment won't stick straight onto your hair and damage it. It will stick to the oil instead which can be washed off when you get home.
Wash your hair regularly, unclean hair could contain lots of damaging things. Frequent washing can help keep hair clean and healthy.
Wash your hair with warm to normal temperature water. Water which is too hot can also damage the hair.
Try and reduce stress or anxiety that is getting to you. Tension and anxiety do not help as you will be so worried your body won't be mentally healthy so this will lead to physical deterioration too which includes hair loss.
Do daily scalp massages as it will increase blood flow in the scalp, sending it to the hair follicles to help stimulate growth.

Tips

Try not to use straighteners, curlers or other chemical products such as dyes excessively, these can damage your hair if used too frequently.
Oiling your hair can help keep hair healthier.
Stick to one shampoo or gel.
As you get older, your hair gets weaker so don't be too worried if a few strands of hair falling occasionally.
Try to relax and have an optimistic view on things. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body.
Doing 'Headstand' pose of yoga for about a minute daily reduces the hair fall. But please consult your doctor before doing this pose.

Warnings

If you have tried all of the above methods and nothing seems to be working, see your doctor as in some cases it could be a symptom of a more serious problem.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Reduce Hair Loss. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

12 February, 2009

How To-109: "How to Stop Sweet Cravings"

How to Stop Sweet Cravings

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people suffer cravings for sweets. The causes of these cravings can vary widely but chief among them are hormonal imbalances especially in insulin and serotonin, unhealthy dieting, Adrenal Fatigue, various eating disorders from the Body Dysmorphic Disorder group of symptoms, and even in premenstrual syndrome (National Institute of Health). To fully combat the root cause for your sugar cravings you will need to consult at least one doctor, and specific steps for stopping or decreasing cravings depend on an accurate diagnosis. That said many agree that some basic steps are effective for all the various causes of sugar cravings. Interestingly "addiction" in the most common definition of the word is not widely regarded as a cause of sugar cravings.

Steps

Increase your protein intake. Often our bodies will exhibit cravings for sweets when what they really need is more protein. This isn't true for everyone, so if having a lean ham sandwich or 98% fat free hot dog doesn't improve your cravings please consider the recommendations below.
Remove temptations. Go through your refrigerator and food pantry. Get rid of the cakes, ice cream, cookies, etc. When you go food shopping, make a conscious effort not to buy sweet items.
Know that when a craving hits, wait 10 minutes. Do something else. A good habit to get into is to take a walk instead of eating dessert. If, after 10 minutes, you still want sweets, gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash or brush your teeth. The aftertaste doesn't mix well with sweets and you'll probably lose your craving quickly. Or for a more dramatic altering of the taste sense, try getting Gymnema Sylvestre leaves and chewing a pinch of them thoroughly. In the following hour or two anything that is unsweetened will taste better than anything containing sugar.
Substitute fruits and honey for candy, sweets and sugar, respectively. The sugars in fruits are digested differently than the empty calories of white sugar that are in most candy and processed foods. The fiber in fruit also slows the absorption of the sugars so you don't get as high a sugar rush (and as low a crash).
Go for quality, not quantity. Eat a small piece of 70% dark chocolate instead of a candy bar. Have a small scoop of gourmet ice cream instead of an entire bowl of light ice cream. The treat will be more satisfying and you'll be consuming less sugar in the long run.
Read labels. You might be surprised to learn how much sugar there is in a lot of the foods that you eat. Being aware of sugar content can help you avoid high-sugar foods and kick the addiction.
Improve your diet overall. There are several ways to do this, but the following may to help with sugar cravings in particular:

Eat more whole grains, healthy fats and lean meats, all of which make you feel full and satisfied.
Have small, frequent meals to help keep your blood sugar level stable and eliminate your body's need for a quick sugar fix. Avoid skipping meals (especially breakfast).
Take a daily multivitamin. Some nutrients help keep blood sugar stable, so ensure you get those by supplementing your diet appropriately.

Combat hypoglycemia, or low-blood sugar by trying the following:

Eat a breakfast that is NOT sweet, for example brown rice and blanched vegetables.
Have no sweets (that includes fruit, refined flour, and all sweeteners) until after 3:00 pm. After that eat either fruit or a fruit or grain-sweetened dessert rather than sweets that contained refined sugars. Eating sweets in the morning or early afternoon tend to stimulate sweet cravings throughout the day. You might feel sick from eating sugars in the early morning
If you have the sugar blues in the morning around 10-10:30 and again in the afternoon around 2-4:00, drink 1 cup of sweet vegetable drink (see tips for recipe).
Avoid artificial sweeteners. Research has shown that artificial sweeteners cause intense cravings for sweets.

Tips

Some women tend to get sweet cravings the week before or week of their menstruation. If you know you have powerful cravings during a certain time of the month, prepare yourself by keeping sweets out of the house and having healthy snacks available. If the cravings are for chocolate in particular, make sure you're getting enough iron and magnesium in your diet or supplements: in some women, low levels appear to stimulate chocolate cravings.
To make Sweet Vegetable Drink combine 1/2 cup finely chopped green cabbage, 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot, 1/2 cup finely chopped squash, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, and 4 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes, and cool. Store in the refrigerator. Drink warm or at room temperature.
Do your own home-baking with Xylitol. Despite it's chemical-sounding name, it's a natural sweetener, made from plant fibre. See ref 2
Some people find out that food-combining and drinking more water or herbal tea really helps. See ref 3

Warnings

Don't set targets that you know you can't achieve. Take the process slowly and you'll see the results gradually - don't expect a quick fix.
Consult your GP before starting a drastic diet change - even though it's for the better, your body needs to have a thorough check-over before you start!

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

CBS News article on American sugar consumption
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol
3 Life-Transforming Diet, David Zulberg

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stop Sweet Cravings. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-108: "How to Follow a Low Sodium Diet"

How to Follow a Low Sodium Diet

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A healthy adult needs between 1500 and 2400 milligrams of sodium per day, but many people end up having more than 3000 mg of sodium a day. Even just one teaspoon of salt contains approximately 2300 mg of sodium, and a single item from a fast food restaurant can have almost as much (a KFC chicken pot pie has 2160 mg): [1]. Since chronic excess sodium is associated with hypertension and possibly other conditions for a minority of the population, some people are looking for ways to keep their sodium intake under control. An acute sodium overdose may also cause immediate medical symptoms, such as cracked, bleeding lips, nausea, and, in extreme cases, death: [2].

Steps

Eat at home. It may be difficult or impossible to control the sodium content of foods prepared by others, whether you eat at somebody else's home or at a restaurant.
Avoid processed foods. Fresh produce, meat, and freshwater fish are typically salt-free or extremely low sodium, while processed and restaurant foods, such as soups and frozen dinners, are usually quite high in sodium. If you don't have access to fresh vegetables, then sodium-free or low sodium canned vegetables are better than high sodium canned vegetables. Many frozen vegetables are low in sodium as well. Get into the habit of reading labels for sodium content. Remember, you can always add salt, if it's really needed, later.
Remove sodium from the surface of foods. For some products, the salt can be removed, such as by draining canned olives and soaking them in fresh water, or crumbling salt off the surface of pretzels or saltines. Choose "salt on top" products over those with salt mixed in. For example, avoid buying saltines with "unsalted tops", as the salt is typically inside the crackers instead of on top, making it impossible to remove. "Salt on top" products also provide more salt taste per amount of sodium, so are a good choice from that perspective, as well.
Evaluate seasonings for sodium content. Many products, such as bullion, bacon bits, grated parmesan or romano cheese, and assorted "seasonings" are mostly salt, so avoid those, whenever possible (instead of ketchup, mustard and pickle, try lettuce, onion and tomato on your burger). For products which include a separate "seasoning packet", the amount of the packet used can be reduced or it can be eliminated entirely. For example, ramen noodles, especially baked ramen noodles, can be reasonably healthy, provided you don't use the entire contents of the seasoning packet. However, these flavorings and "seasoned salt" are still better than adding straight salt, even if only slightly.
Dilute sodium in foods. If you do purchase high sodium products, such as soups, one method to reduce the sodium level is dilution. For example, if you prepare soup as instructed on the label, it will have a high sodium content. Instead, you can start with the canned soup as a base, then add potatoes and fresh vegetables such as celery, onions, and carrots. The result is more soup, with a lower average sodium content, and higher average vitamin content, with a lower average cost (because fresh vegetables are also typically less expensive than canned soup). For another example, say you start with ham, which is quite high in sodium. To serve that directly would result in a high sodium intake for everyone who eats it. However, if you mix ham cubes in with unsalted mashed potatoes, you can prepare a tasty dish which has a reasonable sodium level. In addition, canned vegetables that are high in sodium, such as beans, peas and corn, should be rinsed before cooking.
Take the salt shaker away. By not using salt when cooking or eating, many people can reduce their sodium intake by 30%. You can replace the salt shaker with a pepper mill, rosemary, garlic powder (not garlic salt), chili powder, or other spices. Freshly ground pepper can be especially good, and can eliminate the bland taste which we are so accustomed to interpret as meaning "it needs salt". The salt is still available, but if you put it in a less accessible spot (like deep inside a cupboard or in a high cabinet) it is less likely to be used.
Read labels and visit web sites for sodium content. Many restaurants have web sites with nutritional info, including sodium content. A good general website which lists nutritional data for fresh foods, processed foods, and many fast food restaurants is http://www.nutritiondata.com. When shopping for food, a good rule of thumb is to compare the listed number of calories per serving with the number of milligrams of sodium, and avoid products where the sodium number is greater than the calorie number. Assuming a 2500 calorie-a-day diet, this strategy should keep you within the recommended sodium range.
Consider using a sodium substitute. There are many salt replacements on the market, including magnesium chloride and potassium chlorine. These will provide a similar, but not identical, flavor, without the negative effects of sodium. They can be found in the seasoning section of your local grocery store. However, be aware that others may not be able to tolerate the taste of salt substitutes, so don't add them to dishes, but rather allow each person to add some themselves, if they wish. Also, smaller amounts are better when using these products, as too much gives the food a chemical taste.
Be cautious of "softened" water. Water softeners sometimes add a substantial amount of sodium: [3]. Avoid drinking such water; instead use bottled water or a reverse osmosis filter. Ideally you should also avoid cooking with "softened" water (although using bottled water for cooking could be quite expensive).
Drink plenty of fresh water. Water helps the body in many ways, and may help to eliminate excess sodium. Can't stand plain water ? Try adding a slice of lemon.
Watch what you drink. Many drinks are quite high in sodium, such as a small Burger King chocolate shake, with 298 mg of sodium: [4]. If you are thirstier after you finish the drink, that's a sure sign of a high sodium content.
Beware of high-sodium medications. Many meds contain sodium. While no prescription med should be discontinued without consulting a physician, you may want to ask your doctor if any sodium-free or low sodium alternative meds are available.

Tips

These steps can and should be combined. For example, prepare baked ramen noodles, without the spice packet, then add fresh vegetables and potatoes, then add freshly ground pepper. If it still needs salt, add a small amount of the seasoning packet.
For best results, change your diet and implement these steps gradually.
It may help to keep a food diary for a week. Record everything you consume, including beverages and seasonings, and find out how much sodium each item contains. Eliminate the highest sodium sources and replace them with no-sodium or low-sodium substitutes.
When you buy meat to cook, check to ensure that it is not "seasoned" (i.e., salted), as is sometimes the case with cuts of pork and chicken sold at grocery stores.
Garlic can not only add flavor to most meals, but it is an excellent replacement for salt as a taste enhancer.
If possible, add salt near the end of the cooking process or just before eating. This way, less salt will suffice since there is less time for it to penetrate into food.
Buy fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned. When canned vegetables are the only option, you can rinse the veggies in water to remove some of the sodium.
Stay on track, think about people you love that want you to do this.

Warnings

Some high blood pressure medications do not mix with salt substitutes--check with your health care provider or pharmicist before using!
Many low sodium products contain salt substitutes, such as potassium or magnesium chloride, instead of the usual sodium chloride. Such products can have an unpleasant aftertaste. If you don't like this taste, be careful to check the ingredients list for salt substitutes on all low sodium products.
Those with impaired kidney function and those who have had an organ transplant should avoid salt substitutes, particularly those containing potassium chloride.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Mayo Clinic, Why is processed food so salty?
How to Follow a Low Sodium Diet - A comprehensive guide by the Heart Failure Society of America, source of some of the facts presented in this article. In PDF format.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Follow a Low Sodium Diet. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-107: "How to Drink More Water Every Day"

How to Drink More Water Every Day

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There are a variety of reasons to drink plenty of water each day. Adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleans out the body, and promotes healing processes. Substituting water for beverages high in calories can also help control weight. Follow the steps below to make sure you're getting enough of this most basic necessity.

Steps

Determine how much water you need. You've probably heard the "8 by 8" rule - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (2 quarts, 1.8 liters) - but the amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight and activity level. Another way to determine your specific recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., strive to drink 75 ounces of water daily. For those who use the Metric system, divide your weight (in kilograms) by 30 (ex. somebody weighing 70 kg is going to need 2.3 liters per day). Keep in mind that these recommended intake numbers are controversial and some experts believe they are a gross exaggeration. See "warnings" below for more information.
Measure your daily intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you're drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the following tips:
Carry water with you everywhere you go in a bottle or other container. Note here that recent research continuously shows plastic bottles leach toxic chemicals into water. It is highly recommended that one use glass containers such as an old Pierre bottle. Begin keeping all your glass bottles, and soon you'll find the ideal glass bottle for you. Remember, water will never become toxic in glass containers! Before long, you'll find yourself reaching for it without a second thought.
Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you'll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you're at your desk at work. Drink from it regularly as you're working.
Try wearing a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you'll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 liters) by the end of an 8-hour workday.
Get a water purification system. Purified water tastes very good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you. Be aware, though, that as you grow accustomed to purified water, you may find that tap water leaves a bad taste in your mouth, even though it may be better for your teeth.[1] Keep in mind that fluoride, found in small quantities in tap water, is necessary for strong, healthy teeth. [2]
Add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour, just a splash of sourness should do the trick. Cucumber slices can also be added to a glass of water. Some mint leaves can be added to a pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight. These are cheap alternatives to the bottled flavored water.
Eat water rich foods, such as fruits like watermelon, which is 92% water by weight. Blend up some seedless fresh watermelon flesh with some ice and place a few sprigs of mint (optional) - one of the most refreshing drinks, especially for the summertime. Cranberry juice is also another option, and has a bitter taste. Patients suffering from urinary infection caused by insufficient intake of water should drink cranberry juice and eat watermelon if not plain water everyday. A tomato is 95% water. An egg is about 74% water. An uncooked piece of lean meat is about 70% water.
Keep water cold if it tastes better for you. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at home. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you, it will eventually melt and stay cold. However, too cold water will cost your body energy to heat it to body temperature. But drinking cold water can also help burn more calories than drinking room temperature or warm water because your body would need to heat to heat it to body temperature.
Climate can drastically change how much water you need. On hot days that require you to be outside, you should drink more water to counteract the fluids you lose when you sweat. This not only keeps your body hydrated, it can prevent heat-related illness.

Video

In this video, you can learn about bottled water, and why people consume it. A researcher talks about the public's love affair with bottled water, and discusses some of the misconceptions about the quality of tap water.

Warnings

Increasing your water intake may cause you to have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. To avoid this, you may want to stop drinking water a few hours before bedtime--or make sure you visit the toilet before bed!
While adequate water is essential to health, it is possible to drink too much water or any other beverage, and there has been considerable scientific debate surrounding how much water a person really needs per day. According to Snopes - http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp - the Los Angeles Times has reported that "Kidney specialists do agree on one thing, however: that the 8-by-8 (2 L) rule is a gross overestimate of any required minimum. To replace daily losses of water, an average-sized adult with healthy kidneys sitting in a temperate climate needs no more than one liter of fluid...the equivalent of about four 8-ounce (250 ml) glasses.
People with some heart conditions, high blood pressure or swelling of the lower legs (edema) need to avoid excess water. If you have a history of kidney problems, especially if you have had a transplant, consult your doctor before increasing your fluid intakes.
You shouldn't drink too much water while eating as it dilutes your stomach acid and can cause digestion problems.
If you live in a place with a lot of heat (e.g., The Caribbean), you will have to drink extra water.
It is possible to "overdose" on water. Water intoxication occurs when the electrolytes in the body are so diluted that they have trouble keeping the balance of water even inside and outside of individual cells. What that means is that drinking too much water (while not getting enough electrolytes) can cause your cells to burst. If you plan on doing heavy prolonged exercise, be sure to alternate sports drinks with regular water to keep your electrolytes in balance.
Crystal Lite, Gatorade and other electrolyte drinks contain acetic acid which can increase rates of tooth decay. There is no real reason to drink electrolyte drinks unless you are heavily exercising (see above).
Be aware that some elderly individuals with difficulty walking may avoid drinking adequate amounts of water, as they have difficulty transferring/walking to the bathroom. In such cases, a bedside commode may be useful. If you are caring for such an individual, encourage them to drink the necessary amount of water and reassure him/her that you can help them with the transfer to the commode.
It is not recommended that you reuse plastic water bottles that are intended for one time use, specifically number one plastics. These bottles leach chemicals into your water after multiple uses. If you wish to always have water around, use a water bottle. Bottles like Sigg or other canteens are now more favorable due to the risk of chemical leeching when using plastic products.

Things You'll Need

Bottle (Optional)
Money (If you buy bottled water)
Determination (Don't give up)
Water
Counter (Keep up with how much you drink)
Conveniently-located commode

Sources and Citations

↑ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/aprilholladay/2004-05-07-wonderquest_x.htm

↑ http://www.h2only.ca/about_water/fluoride/index.html

How To-106: "How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods"

How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Whether genetically modified (GM) foods are beneficial or harmful is still controversial. Most foods we eat may contain ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs)--everything from baby formula and food to our dairy to even our meat. If you live in Europe, avoiding GM foods is easier since laws require labeling. However in the US and Canada food manufacturers are not required to label if their food is genetically modified or not. As such, here are some guidelines for steering clear of GM foods in your diet, if that is your choice.

Steps

Become familiar with the most common applications of genetic modification. These are the products (and their derivatives) that are most likely to be genetically modified:

Soybeans - Gene taken from bacteria (Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4) and inserted into soybeans to make them more resistant to herbicides.[1] See How to Live With a Soy Allergy for more information on avoiding soy products.
Corn - There are two main varieties of GE corn. One has a Gene from the lepidoptera pathogen microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis inserted to produce the Bt toxin, which poisons insect pests.[2] There are also several events which are resistant to various herbicide. Present in high fructose corn syrup and glucose/fructose which is prevalent in a wide variety of foods in America.
Rapeseed/Canola - Gene added/transferred to make crop more resistant to herbicide.
Sugar beets - Gene added/transferred to make crop more resistant to Monsanto's Roundup herbicide.
Rice - Genetically modified to resist herbicides; not currently available for human consumption, but trace amounts of one GM long-grained variety (LLRICE601) may have entered the food supply in the USA and Europe.[3]More recently, golden rice, a different strain of rice has been engineered to produce significantly higher levels of beta carotene, which the body uses to produce vitamin A. Golden rice is still undergoing testing to determine if it is safe for human consumption.[4]
Cotton - engineered to produce Bt toxin. The seeds are pressed into cottonseed oil, which is a common ingredient in vegetable oil and margarine.
Dairy - Cows injected with GE hormone rBGH/rBST; possibly fed GM grains and hay.

Buy food labeled 100% organic. The US and Canadian governments do not allow manufacturers to label something 100% organic if that food has been genetically modified or been fed genetically modified feed. However, you may find that organic food is more expensive and different in appearance from conventional products. Also, just because something says "organic" on it does not mean that it does not contain GMs. In fact, it can still contain up to 30% GMs, so be sure the labels say 100% organic.

This applies to eggs, as well. Eggs labeled "free-range", "natural", or "cage-free" are not necessarily GE-free; look for eggs to be 100% organic.[5]

Recognize fruit and vegetable label numbers.

If it is a 4-digit number, the food is conventionally produced.
If it is a 5-digit number beginning with an 8, it is GM. However, do not trust that GE foods will have a PLU identifying it as such, because PLU labeling is optional. [6]
If it is a 5-digit number beginning with a 9, it is organic.[7]

Purchase beef that is 100% grass-fed. Most cattle in the U.S. are grass-fed, but spend the last portion of their lives in feedlots where they may be given GM corn, the purpose of which is to increase intramuscular fat and marbling. If you're looking to stay away from GMOs, make sure the cattle were 100% grass-fed or pasture-fed (sometimes referred to as grass-finished or pasture-finished). The same applies to meat from other herbivores such as sheep. There is also the slight possibility that the animals were fed GM alfalfa, although this is less likely if you buy meat locally. With non-ruminants like pigs and poultry that cannot be 100% grass-fed, it's better to look for meat that is 100% organic.
Seek products that are specifically labeled as non-GM or GMO-free. However, it is rare to find products labeled as such. You can also research websites that list companies and foods that do not use genetically modified foods, [8], but be aware that information is often incomplete and conflicting interests may not be declared.
Shop locally. Although more than half of all GM foods are produced in the US,[9] most of it comes from large, industrial farms. By shopping at farmers' markets, signing up for a subscription from a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, or patronizing a local co-op, you may be able to avoid GM products and possibly save money at the same time.

More and more small farms are offering grains and meat directly to customers, in addition to the usual fare (vegetables, fruit, herbs).
Shopping locally may also give you the opportunity to speak to the farmer and find out how he or she feels about GMOs and whether or not they use them in their own operation.

Buy whole foods. Favor foods that you can cook and prepare yourself, rather than foods that are processed or prepared (e.g. anything that comes in a box or a bag, including fast food). What you lose in convenience, you may recover in money saved and satisfaction gained, as well as increased peace of mind. Try cooking a meal from scratch once or twice a week--you may enjoy it and decide to do it more often.

Tips

If you have the land, time, and resources, grow your own food. As long as you make sure you're not buying GM seeds, and aren't near any GM plants which could cross-pollinate, you'll know for sure that the food which comes from your garden is not genetically modified.
At chain and non-chain restaurants, you can ask which, if any, of their foods contain GMs, but the wait and kitchen staff are not likely to know.
Producers who label their food GM-free aren't making any health claims regarding the product.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean#Genetic_modification

↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgenic_maize#Bt_corn

↑ http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/biorice.html

↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4386933.stm

↑ http://www.truefoodnow.org/documents/guide%208_11%20layout.pdf

↑ http://www.undoge.org/?p=25

↑ http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut76.htm

↑ http://www.truefoodnow.org/documents/guide%208_11%20layout.pdf

↑ http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

09 February, 2009

How To-105: "How to Carve a Watermelon Into a Heart Basket"

How to Carve a Watermelon Into a Heart Basket

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Imagine a romantic dinner for two, candles on the table and a heart basket filled with specially selected fruits to celebrate Valentine's Day. Dim the lights and enjoy the day set aside for love and romance.

Steps

Choose a watermelon that's a shape and size fitting for the table.
Cut a thin slice from the bottom to provide a stable base.
Draw the outlines for the heart basket with a fine/medium point waterproof marker or a sharp pencil before you cut.

Use the image above as a guide.
Halve the watermelon lengthwise with a straight, jagged, or wavy line.
Leave a thick handle to "hold" the basket up from the center.

Use a knife or decorating tool to cut out the edges. Be careful not to cut through the handle.
Carefully remove the top quarter sections when the cutting is complete. Save the cut-out pieces for later. Trim the flesh from the inside of the handle.
Cut out hearts or other designs from the rind you removed to decorate the outside of the basket and attach them with toothpicks.
Fill with approx. 8-12 cups of fruit salad.

Tips

Have the whole watermelon at room temperature when you carve. The cuts will be easier to make when the watermelon is not cold. You can chill the watermelon in the refrigerator after cutting and before serving.
After you’ve drawn the design on the rind, insert toothpicks in key places to use as guides for your cuts.
Use a sharp knife with a pointed tip – the sharper the knife, the easier and cleaner the cuts will be. Be careful!
Consider using a channel knife for certain cuts and to hollow out larger areas.
For better grip and to help protect your hands, use a fresh, new thick pair of gardening gloves with gripper palms.
Choose a flat working surface on a solid base.
For more detailed designs, draw a template first on a sheet of white paper with a marker or pencil. When finished, transfer the image to the watermelon surface by taping the paper to the melon and tracing along the design's lines with a pencil, making the design right on the watermelon surface.
You could also cut the fruit into slices and use a heart shaped cookie cutter.

Warnings

Do not try to pick up the watermelon from the "handle." It's only for decoration and there's a good chance it'll break if you try to use it, especially if the basket is filled.
When attaching cut pieces on the watermelon to make your design, use round toothpicks or skewers. Flat toothpicks will often break due to weight of the piece or the thickness of the rind.
Knives are sharp! Be very careful when handling sharp knives, and never cut towards yourself or someone else.

Things You'll Need

watermelon
knife
pencil
toothpicks- solid round ones
carving knife

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Watermelon.org. Original source of this article. Shared with permission.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Carve a Watermelon Into a Heart Basket. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-104: "How to Make Low Carb Dieting Simple and Easy"

How to Make Low Carb Dieting Simple and Easy

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Most books make low-carb too complicated and time-consuming for real people to stick to. And we have to survive eating out. Here are some practical shortcuts for human units in a hurry.

Steps

Realize that the essence of low-carb is weeding out all the refined starches and sugars from your diet. That's all.
You don't need to buy extra stuff, special-made products etc. Just cut out the starches and sugars.
The remaining fat, protein and non-starchy vegetables you eat will satisfy your hunger sooner and for longer.
Water is your friend. Fill a pitcher of it first thing in the morning instead of coffee or other drink. You'll be surprised; drinking water will slake your appetite not just your thirst. Add a couple lemon slices for flavor. Carry some in a sports bottle wherever you go. Drink more whenever you think of it, and especially whenever you get a snack craving. Miracle of miracles, it will ease that urge.
Make egg the mainstay of your breakfast. Just soft-boil one or fry in oil. If that doesn't satisfy you add a few bacon strips or a couple sausages or half a grapefruit. That should do ya. Forget all about cereal. Sugar-free yogurt is OK if there's no starch added (read labels!)
For lunch, munch on some lunchmeat without bread. Put it in lettuce or eat carrot sticks or other raw veggies. Drink water. Again simple is better.
Base your dinner on meats/fish you like, plus salad/vegetables. Avoid potato, it is just a starch ball. Focus your appetite and limited time on the easiest of all, like pan-frying a steak, oven-roasting a chicken or ground meat/veg medley. First of all your appetite will be less if you've stayed low-carb earlier in the day; second of all, meat done well is unbeatably delicious. Don't trim off the fat, it adds flavor that keeps you satisfied.
When you are not at home, keep focused on the mantra: don't order stuff containing refined carbs or sugar; or if they come with the dish, leave them there. At a restaurant, ask for veggies instead of the potato. Skip the bread, fries and dessert. Scrape the breading off the veal or shrimp. Eat the pizza toppings but leave the crust on your plate. Eat the chili but leave the beans behind. And so on.
Take vitamins when you get up, and before you go to bed. If nothing else this will calm any worries about whether you've taken in enough "nutrients". (You have, and ya ain't missed nuthin' by skipping refined carbs! But the critics will harp on this one).

Tips

Cheese is OK too, in moderation. It adds wonderful flavor.
Become a salad lover. Nothing better than steak and salad. Buy pre-chopped salad fixings to save time. Its expensive but you're worth it.
Butter is fine, but margarine isn't - because it usually contains trans fats, which are very damaging to health. Read labels, and avoid like the plague any product that mentions partially-hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil/fat (= trans fat).
Nuts and beans are borderline. They are around 60% starch. Sesame seeds are nice on salads. For snacks, first drink water and see if the urge goes away. If not, take only about 10-15 nuts at a time, don't carry the whole can or bag off with you. It will haunt you.
Fruits contain sugars too, though small berry-type fruits are the lowest in carb and are OK every now and then, e.g. to flavor yogurt. Strawberry, blueberry, blackberry are OK. Avoid cherry, its higher sugar. You can buy frozen any time of year. The occasional apple or orange is OK.
Use artificial sweeteners if you must, e.g. to sweeten your tea or yogurt.
Fast food joints are a reality of our zip-go lives. Just order the standard burger, not the monster burger combo meal. The standard hamburgers can easily be eaten low-carb if you just munch the meat in the middle. Use the bun as a 'holder' but just wedge the meat part into your mouth. Then rotate and do it from the other side etc. till the meat is eaten and just trash the empty bun. With a little practice this can be done in a dignified way so even your mother wouldn't notice (though your 5-year old probably will).
Remember: fast food fries are loaded with trans fats as well as carbs. Very evil.
Drink your own water later in the car, or if you must stick to a sugar free drink (e.g. diet cola).
Reward: within a week you should feel better, look better. Stick with it, add exercise and in a few months if you squint you'll start to see shades of Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie forming in the mirror!
Low carb diets are often successful, but only temporary. A low carb is ideal for shifting the last stubborn areas that bug you everyday but should be followed as a life long legacy.
After reaching your goal weight on a low carb diet, it is acceptable to start introducing low GI carbs. An easy way to identify which carbs are good and which are bad is the following : White - BAD Wholemeal - GOOD!!
This means brown bread (in moderation) sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, etc

Warnings

If you have doubts about your health, see your doctor and get testing done before and a few months after. Many doctors are supportive of low carb dieting now and realize when followed correctly, it is a healthy way to eat. Gage how you are feeling. Generally you will go through an adjustment period in the first week, but it does pass then you feel amazing.
Chocolate, alcohol and coffee will stall your weight loss. When you get those urges, quick grab a glass of water or fix yourself some tea!
Get as many temptations out of your house as you can. If you're living with carb eaters, this may not be possible so keep that water pitcher close as you can. It keeps a lot of demons at bay.

Things You'll Need

Lunch meat (turkey)
Eggs
Chicken in all its forms (whole, breast, wings, drumsticks etc.)
Frozen and occasionally fresh fish
Olive Oil for stovetop pan frying (safflower or sunflower oil are the healthiest; olive oil is great for salads)
Leafy greens
Carrots, celery
Green beans and some tomatoes (careful, they contain some natural sugar)
Onions and garlic (these provide the flavor for many low carb main dishes, they go so well with meat - even though onion contains small amounts of natural sugar - just don't overuse it)
Water pitcher, and lemons to flavor it
A good leak-proof sports water bottle you can carry with you everywhere
A determined attitude

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

www.lowcarb.ca/

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Low Carb Dieting Simple and Easy. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-103: "How to Overcome an Addiction to Fast Food"

How to Overcome an Addiction to Fast Food

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Fast food is very unhealthy, and regular consumption of fast food can lead to a host of medical problems. Additionally, fast food is bad for the earth, as it increases wasteful and harmful farming practices. If you are addicted to fast food, here is how to overcome your addiction.

Steps

Watch a video, DVD, or television program on the dangers of fast food. This will probably put you off eating it, as the program will likely go into graphic detail about the high fat, salt and sugar levels in the foods. Two excellent examples are the films "Super Size Me" and "Fast Food Nation".
Go to your local supermarket, and instead of heading straight to the ice cream section, go to a healthier alternative such as the aisles that contain fruits and grains.
Write down what foods you like. If any of them are considered healthy, you can keep them; if not, you should find all of those foods in your house and find some method of throwing them away.
Substitute the unhealthy foods for healthier alternatives. If you like burgers, try a steak, or something a bit cheaper. Try some new foods. Concentrate on foods that have lots of grains and/or vegetables in them.
Avoid your local fast food restaurants as much as possible. Whenever you pass one, or any other fast food outlet, think back to the program you saw and what that type of food is doing to your insides. If you are without food and your only option is a fast food place, buy the healthy options such as salads or grilled chicken.
Learn to cook. A well-cooked meal using fresh ingredients is not only better for you, but it also tastes better. Learning to cook can help you appreciate food and you will see that much of the "flavor" of fast food is just the taste of fat.
Consult a registered dietitian in your area for many tips on healthier alternatives, eating behavior modification, timing of meals, and where to get healthy foods in your locale. Allow a professional to get you off on the right foot to provide for a competitive edge over the current obesogenic, fast-food hungry society.

Tips

If you and your friends are addicted to fast food, you can all give it up together. This way you will have less temptation than if your friends are chomping away on burgers in front of you. You may look into groups or networks of healthy people to surround yourself with to provide support through this important stage of life.
Recommended reading: "Fast Food Nation", by Eric Schlosser. This book gives you a sense of fast food's effect on your health, and also its effects on the global economy, agriculture, immigrants, etc. You'll think about this book when you feel tempted to go to the drive-through.
Try not to carry cash with you. Having cash on hand makes it that much easier to stop at a fast food place on the way home, and there's something sad about charging a burger and fries to your credit card that might deter you from using plastic.
Putting some numbers to your fast food habit might make the reality sink in. Estimate or keep track of how much money you spend and how many calories you consume each week or month on fast food--it will shock you.
Stop going for the Drive-Ins, and head over to your local market and pick up some health products or such items like, Lean Cuisine.
Try to just ignore fast food restaurants and don't enter them. If you get the urge just try to take that urge and turn it into a hobby such as sports and outdoor activities.
The good news is that, unlike other addictions such as drugs and smoking, it will not kill you to enjoy a favorite unhealthy food once or twice a month. Just make sure you get it to go so that you will not order more after you finish a small portion.

Warnings

As with overcoming any addiction, you will need a lot of willpower.

Things You'll Need

Cook books

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Overcome an Addiction to Fast Food. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-102: "How to Stop Sweet Cravings"

How to Stop Sweet Cravings

Steps

Increase your protein intake. Often our bodies will exhibit cravings for sweets when what they really need is more protein. This isn't true for everyone, so if having a lean ham sandwich or 98% fat free hot dog doesn't improve your cravings please consider the recommendations below.
Remove temptations. Go through your refrigerator and food pantry. Get rid of the cakes, ice cream, cookies, etc. When you go food shopping, make a conscious effort not to buy sweet items.
Know that when a craving hits, wait 10 minutes. Do something else. A good habit to get into is to take a walk instead of eating dessert. If, after 10 minutes, you still want sweets, gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash or brush your teeth. The aftertaste doesn't mix well with sweets and you'll probably lose your craving quickly. Or for a more dramatic altering of the taste sense, try getting Gymnema Sylvestre leaves and chewing a pinch of them thoroughly. In the following hour or two anything that is unsweetened will taste better than anything containing sugar.
Substitute fruits and honey for candy, sweets and sugar, respectively. The sugars in fruits are digested differently than the empty calories of white sugar that are in most candy and processed foods. The fiber in fruit also slows the absorption of the sugars so you don't get as high a sugar rush (and as low a crash).
Go for quality, not quantity. Eat a small piece of 70% dark chocolate instead of a candy bar. Have a small scoop of gourmet ice cream instead of an entire bowl of light ice cream. The treat will be more satisfying and you'll be consuming less sugar in the long run.
Read labels. You might be surprised to learn how much sugar there is in a lot of the foods that you eat. Being aware of sugar content can help you avoid high-sugar foods and kick the addiction.
Improve your diet overall. There are several ways to do this, but the following may to help with sugar cravings in particular:

Eat more whole grains, healthy fats and lean meats, all of which make you feel full and satisfied.
Have small, frequent meals to help keep your blood sugar level stable and eliminate your body's need for a quick sugar fix. Avoid skipping meals (especially breakfast).
Take a daily multivitamin. Some nutrients help keep blood sugar stable, so ensure you get those by supplementing your diet appropriately.

Combat hypoglycemia, or low-blood sugar by trying the following:

Eat a breakfast that is NOT sweet, for example brown rice and blanched vegetables.
Have no sweets (that includes fruit, refined flour, and all sweeteners) until after 3:00 pm. After that eat either fruit or a fruit or grain-sweetened dessert rather than sweets that contained refined sugars. Eating sweets in the morning or early afternoon tend to stimulate sweet cravings throughout the day. You might feel sick from eating sugars in the early morning
If you have the sugar blues in the morning around 10-10:30 and again in the afternoon around 2-4:00, drink 1 cup of sweet vegetable drink (see tips for recipe).
Avoid artificial sweeteners. Research has shown that artificial sweeteners cause intense cravings for sweets.

Tips

Some women tend to get sweet cravings the week before or week of their menstruation. If you know you have powerful cravings during a certain time of the month, prepare yourself by keeping sweets out of the house and having healthy snacks available. If the cravings are for chocolate in particular, make sure you're getting enough iron and magnesium in your diet or supplements: in some women, low levels appear to stimulate chocolate cravings.
To make Sweet Vegetable Drink combine 1/2 cup finely chopped green cabbage, 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot, 1/2 cup finely chopped squash, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, and 4 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes, and cool. Store in the refrigerator. Drink warm or at room temperature.
Do your own home-baking with Xylitol. Despite it's chemical-sounding name, it's a natural sweetener, made from plant fibre. See ref 2
Some people find out that food-combining and drinking more water or herbal tea really helps. See ref 3

Warnings

Don't set targets that you know you can't achieve. Take the process slowly and you'll see the results gradually - don't expect a quick fix.
Consult your GP before starting a drastic diet change - even though it's for the better, your body needs to have a thorough check-over before you start!

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

CBS News article on American sugar consumption
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol
3 Life-Transforming Diet, David Zulberg

How To-101: "How to Limit Your Saturated Fat Intake"

How to Limit Your Saturated Fat Intake

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Saturated fat is an unhealthy fat that is not good for you, even in moderation. It clogs your arteries and is bad for your heart. If you do not want to get Coronary Heart Disease, this article is for you.

Steps

Reduce consumption of meat, particularly red meats. Giving up meat just one day a week can help cut saturated fat intake by 15%. This change can not only help combat obesity, but it can also lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. [1]
Switch to nonfat milk. Compare the labels of nonfat with a kind of unhealthy milk - even just 1%! Notice how Nonfat milk has no Saturated fat, less calories, and still protein, phosphorus and calcium - all the things you need to grow.

If you cannot stand the bland taste of nonfat milk, turn it into chocolate milk or have it with a whole grain cereal.

Go easy on junk food. Ice cream may claim to be "low fat" on the box, but that if quite different from "nonfat". Just don't have any in the first place. If you think "a little won't hurt", ask if it does anything good? Remember, the best tasting snack is knowing you are healthy. A little bit can add up to a lot. One slice of thin crust cheese pizza can be pack 5 grams of saturated fat!

There are nonfat brownies, made from nonfat yogurt and the dry mix, and if cooked in a nonstick pan instead of oils, can be very healthy and satisfying with milk.

Eat lean meats. Turkey, chicken and fish are the lowest in fat. Beef, pork, and lamb are high in saturated fat. Make sure to take the skin off the chicken and try to avoid having it with a sauce, as that is high in sodium. There are also some meats, like certain hams, that that have all the fat removed. Take off any visible fat pieces.
Find out the nutritional info for everything you eat. Read the labels if it is packaged. As the community begins to get more health conscience, more and more restaurants are releasing their nutritional info. Check on their website to see if they have it.
Keep count of the saturated fat you have each day. The daily maximum for someone on a 2,000 calorie diet is 20 grams. Aim to never consume, on special occasions, more than 15 grams. On a daily basis, less than 10 grams would not be a hard goal.

Tips

Exercise helps flush out any things clogging your arteries. But, it is much better not to get them in the first place.
Having better circulation and a better heart may improve your performance in exercising and endurance, too.

Warnings

Good fats, such as plain and unsaturated fats, are good for you, and at least 30% of your calories should come from them. Eating fat free foods to avoid saturated fat may deprive you of the good fats.
Refined sugar is not a healthy alternative to saturated fat either - speeds up the cell replication process, making you age faster.
A diet high in saturated or/and trans fats may cause chest pains and heartache when vigorously exercising.

Related wikiHows

How to Avoid Trans Fats

Sources and Citations

↑ http://www.meatlessmonday.com/about

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Limit Your Saturated Fat Intake. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-100: "How to Avoid the Temptation to Eat Unhealthy Foods"

How to Avoid the Temptation to Eat Unhealthy Foods

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Are you trying to avoid eating unhealthy foods but can't fight the cravings? Some foods are just addictions, so breaking them are difficult. Here is a good starting place to put you on the yellow brick road to healthy eating This article may be able to help.

Steps

Identify your craving. You might be hungry just because you are bored, you have an addiction to food, or your body lacks something it needs.

Chocolate- Magnesium; be careful women, during menstruation magnesium levels drop. Instead try fruits, nuts, or supplements
Sugar/ Simple Carbohydrates - Protein & complex carbohydrates. A little science lesson: Carbohydrates break down into sugars. Sugar is a very fast metabolized molecule so its not a good source of long term energy. Your best sources of energy are protein and complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates come from unprocessed grains.
Fried food- Calcium/ OMEGA 3 Fatty Acids; This is good fat! Try eating more fish, or check your grocery store for milk, cheese, or eggs, that contain theses fats plus they have calcium (they will say they do)
Salt- Dehydration/ Vit B/ Chloride. This one is a bit harder because it could also be due to stress which could lead to Vit B deficiently. When you want something salty try to drink a glass of water and relax.

Remove the rituals You dont need dessert after dinner. You dont need the candy at the movies. You dont need a donut with your coffee. Before theses rituals try to be prepared with a healthy alternative.
Remove temptations.Just get rid of it, and to keep yourself from buying more never go to the grocery store hungry. When you dont have anything to eat except healthy food, going out of your way for a candy bar will be too much work
Avoid Boredom + Food. There is a lot more to do than eat.
H2O Drink it, its good. The water intake recommended does NOT include the water you receive from food. If you feel thirsty, this means you are already dehydrated - and dehydration can often be confused with hunger.
Most of us need to lower our cholesterol levels to remain healthy or become healthy. To do that we need to understand the foods we eat and which ones affect our cholesterol but we also have to understand weight, exercise, and genetics and how all of these elements are part of our overall health.

Tips

Eat your meals slowly, with other people, and at a table made to hold a plate and have chairs around it.
There are many other things you can do instead of snacking. A short list includes: read the paper, watch a ball game, draw a picture, cut the lawn, plant some flowers, drink a cup of tea, call a friend, take a walk, groom your dog, watch a sitcom, learn a foreign language, do a dance routine, read a book, or research something. So get up off your lazy rear!
"Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels"
Start slowly, its easier to stick to.
Eating healthy is a lifestyle, not a quick fix to a problem

Warnings

Eating disorders affect 15% of young woman and men. This number is on the increase. They are very harmful. The most common are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa is when you do not allow yourself to eat or when you induce vomiting, take laxatives or exercise excessively in order to lose weight, causing the body to starve. Bulimia is characterised by binge-purge behavior- you consume large amounts of food seemingly uncontrollably, but force yourself to vomit or take laxatives, exercise or fast (purge) in order not to gain weight from binges. Both can kill you, so always consume food sensibly. If you really want to stay healthy, the best thing to do is eat good food with nutritional value. If you suspect you have an eating disorder, seek professional help immediately.
"In Moderation" does not work for everyone. Some foods trigger people, and just like an alcoholic cannot have just one glass of wine, a sugarholic cannot have just one piece of candy. It is better to eliminate the foods you binge on or find a good substitute for them. That way you can eat normal portions of healthy food, instead of craving and eating bad junk.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

http://www.greenfacts.org/en/aspartame/aspertame-sweetener/index.htm
http://www.naturopathyworks.com/pages/cravings.php
Virtue, Doreen. Constant Craving: What Your Food Cravings Mean and How to Overcome Them

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid the Temptation to Eat Unhealthy Foods. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-99: "How to Avoid Trans Fats"

How to Avoid Trans Fats

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Trans fats are formed in a process called hydrogenation, which converts an unsaturated liquid fat into a solid one. This lengthens the shelf life, so it’s ideal for restaurants and food manufacturers. However, the body treats hydrogenated fat like saturated fat,which is known to clog arteries, raise your cholesterol, and increase your risk of heart disease and other conditions. Trans fat not only raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol, but it actually lowers to HDL cholesterol as well!

Steps

Read the nutrition labels to see how much trans fat is in a product. Since January 2006, manufacturers have been required to list trans fat content on their labels. Look for the phrases "partially hydrogenated," "hydrogenated vegetable oil," or "shortening" on nutritional labels, since they are dead giveaways products contain some trans fat.
Cut back on fried, processed, and commercial foods.
When you are eating out, ask the server what oil is used to prepare your food. If possible, request a healthier oil. Another option is to skip the deep-fried foods.
Remember that a small amount of trans fat occurs naturally in meat and diary products, so chose lean cuts of meat and low-fat milk.
A heart-healthy diet means that 30% or less of your total daily calories come from fat, but saturated fat should account for less than 7% of your total daily calories. Monounsaturated fat is a healthier option
Choose liquid vegetables oils and soft tubs of margarine that contains little or no trans fat
Avoid eating commercially prepared baked foods, such as cookies, pies, or donuts, snack foods, and processed foods.
When you can’t avoid foods with trans fat, choose products that list partially hydrogenated oils near the bottom of the ingredient list.

Tips

Restaurants also usually fry their foods in hydrogenated oils, because hydrogenated oils can withstand higher temperatures for longer and don't leave off flavors in food.
If you do go out, ask the servers how the food is prepared and if they provide nutritional information.

Warnings

Excess consumption of trans and other unhealthy fats could contribute to serious health problems, such as heart disease or high cholesterol.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid Trans Fats. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-98: "How to Develop a Strong Immune System"

How to Develop a Strong Immune System

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Here are some tips on how to get better quicker when you are sick or prevent getting sick when you feel like you are getting sick. This is useful if you can't afford being sick, or just plain don't like being sick.

Steps

Focus on your body recovering hard and always think positive.
Drink/eat a lot of vitamin C. Lemon juice, orange juice, lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, etc. Vitamin C is proven to help the function of the immune system.
Drink a lot of water. It will assist in flushing out some bugs in your body, and help prevent more getting in.
Make sure to rest as much as possible. If you feel like you may be getting sick, take the day off to rest.If you are already sick, you need to rest a lot. Rest is the key to a speedy recovery.
Chicken noodle soup is a good dinner or lunch. For breakfast eating lots of fresh fruits and healthy stuff is good too.
Don't be afraid to visit the doctors office if you believe that you are seriously ill. Try to avoid this when you are not sick, as you may contract a nosocomial infection, which can be more serious than a normal infection.
Take any medicine prescribed by a doctor. It is made to help you!
Don't be active. It's usually a good thing, but it's not if you're sick.
Don't go near anyone or anything. Exposing yourself to new germs is not a good idea, and you don't want to spread your germs to other people.
Wash your hands. Use soap and warm running water. Hand sanitizer is not a replacement for washing your hands, but can be helpful when you do not have access to running water. Staying clean is very important to keep germs away. Try to take showers frequently. Avoid taking baths as much as possible, as you end up sitting in whatever you were trying to wash off.
Don't live in a ridiculously clean environment, this especially affects children. Not being exposed to common bacteria can weaken your immune system. It's good to be sanitary, but don't get carried away.
Not only is it important to keep your hands clean, but you should also keep your mouth clean; brush your teeth more than usual.
Don't put your fingers in your mouth, eyes, ears, nose; any place thatcould allow germs to get inside your body. If you have any open cuts or sores, keeping them clean and covered is essential because these act as "portals" to allow germs into your body.

Tips

exposing yourself to germs will give your immune system a better idea of what they are fighting, thus making your immune system stronger

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Develop a Strong Immune System. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-97: "How to Get the Recommended Amount of Calcium"

How to Get the Recommended Amount of Calcium

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Most people need about 1000mg of Calcium a day. Teenagers and elderly people need a little more (between 1300 and 1500) There is rarely any point to consuming more than that, and in some people, consuming too much can actually lead to problems, such as calcium deposits and bone spurs.

Steps

Get two servings of dairy. A serving of the dairy group is one glass of milk, a slice of cheese, or a cup of yogurt. Ice cream does contain milk, but it also contains lots of fat and calories, so this would not be the wisest choice.
Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables. These also contain calcium, although it is far less than the amount found in dairy. You would need to eat 5 cups of broccoli to get as much calcium as you can get in one glass of milk. However, these vegetables are low in calories and full of vitamins so if you enjoy them, you can eat just about as much as you want.
Try calcium-fortified foods. This means that they do not naturally contain calcium, but calcium is added in a manufacturing plant. You will find this on the labels of many brands of orange juice, soy products, cereal... just about anything.
Get plenty of Vitamin D. All the calcium in the world won't do you any good if you don't have Vitamin D alongside. Fortunately Vitamin D is very easy to get. Almost all commercially available foods that are rich in calcium are also fortified with vitamin D. Your skin will also make this vitamin inside your body when exposed to the sun. If you are concerned about getting vitamin D, many fish, such as salmon and mackerel are rich in it.
If you don't feel that you're getting enough calcium from your diet, consider supplements.

The cheapest available are antacids, such as Tums. For most people, these are generally sufficient. There are also calcium chews available that taste like chocolate or caramel. Both of these forms much be chewed very thoroughly and taken with water.
There are also big calcium pills that you can take. You should take these with plenty of water. It is also important to note that your body will only absorb about 500mg in a sitting. So if you choose to take supplements, take one in the morning and one in the evening. Do not take two doses at the same time.
If you take a multivitamin, check the label. Most popular multivitamins do not contain a lot of calcium.

Tips

Calcium has been linked to a reduction in colon cancer rates and osteoporosis.
Adequate calcium levels have also been shown to alleviate PMS symptoms and early-waking insomnia
Calcium is very very important in early life. The earlier you begin taking it, the better off you will be.
Green leafy vegetables, beans, calcium-fortified soymilk, and calcium-fortified 100-percent juices are good calcium sources with advantages that dairy products lack. They are excellent sources of phytochemicals and antioxidants, while containing little fat, no cholesterol, and no animal proteins.
Many green vegetables have absorption rates of more than 50 percent, compared with about 32 percent for milk. In 1994, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported calcium absorption to be 52.6 percent for broccoli, 63.8 percent for Brussels sprouts, 57.8 percent for mustard greens, and 51.6 percent for turnip greens. The calcium absorption rate from kale is approximately 40 to 59 percent. Likewise, beans (e.g., pinto beans, black-eyed peas, and navy beans) and bean products, such as tofu, are rich in calcium.

Warnings

Exposure to sunlight is essential for making vitamin D. However, that is no excuse to skimp on the sunscreen. Your skin will get what it needs through the sunscreen.
Avoid excessive consumption of fruits and vegetables that are high in oxalates which can prevent calcium absorption. Spinach, tapioca, chives, rhubarb and parsley are examples of vegetables that are high in oxalates. Pumpkin, carrot, radish, star fruit, kiwifruit, guava and strawberries have lower amounts. Oxalates are also present in tea, cocoa and coffee.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get the Recommended Amount of Calcium. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-96: "How to Improve Mental Clarity"

How to Improve Mental Clarity

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Your mind is a powerful tool. However, with aging, lack of sleep, and busy schedules, many minds are not performing at their best. These easy steps will help you maximize your mental clarity in many situations.

Steps

Get To Sleep. Mental alertness begins with attaining good quality and quantity of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night for optimal health and performance, but most people fall short of this due to a hectic schedule or an inability to fall asleep. Sleep is very important for your brain because this is the time when memories and information are actually processed and organized in your brain.
Remember That Exercise Is Important For Your Brain. Regular physical exercise is not just essential for your body, it’s essential for your brain as well. When you exercise, your body increases circulation of blood, and consequently oxygen and glucose (the sugar your brain uses as a fuel) to the brain. To increase mental clarity, try light aerobic exercise during the day, such as brisk walking, swimming, or casual cycling.
Try Brain-ercise. As physical exercise strengthens your body, exercising your mind strengthens your brain. Activities such as Sudoku, puzzles, drawing, and math quizzes all stimulate your brain, helping you create and maintain important neuronal connections critical to cognitive abilities. One simple exercise you can practice very simply is to write with the opposite of your dominant hand. It may be difficult initially, but with a little practice and some neuronal connections, you will get the hang of it.
Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels. Just like gasoline fuels a car, blood sugar fuels your brain. The human body has incredible abilities to regulate blood sugar, but even these complex physiological functions have their limitations. You can help your body maintain healthy blood glucose levels by consuming well-balanced, low-sugar, and portion-controlled meals every four to five hours throughout the day. Additionally, consuming small carbohydrate snacks between meals, such as sliced fruits and vegetables, will help fuel your brain.
Provide Your Brain the Right Nutrients. When it comes to your brain, not all food is created equal. Your brain requires special nutrition to perform optimally. Because your brain is mostly composed of fat, it is important to include healthy fats, such as polyunsaturated and omega-3 fats in your diet. Avoid saturated, trans, and hydrogenated fats that may actually have a negative impact on your mental clarity. There are micronutrients present in small amounts in the diet that can positively affect mental clarity and cognitive abilities. Many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, the B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc, are essential for humans. These vitamins and minerals play an integral role in brain and nervous system functions, energy production, immune system function, organ health, and cell protection. Certain amino acids function as or are converted to important neurotransmitters, which may be present in less-than-optimal concentrations in the body due to conditions of stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, or sub-optimal diet, such as taurine and tyrosine. Plant and herbal extracts, such as bacopa monniera, rhodiola rosea, ginkgo biloba and huperzia serrata, can help to stimulate the nervous system, making you feel more alert while helping to optimize neurotransmitter levels and protecting against neurodegenerative processes.

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Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Improve Mental Clarity. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-95: "How to Limit Your Exposure to Lead"

How to Limit Your Exposure to Lead

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Lead, also known as Pb on the periodic table or plumbum in Latin, has been widely used for about 7000 years because of its weight and soft properties. Only recently have studies shown its negative effects on human health, including damage to the central nervous system, stunted growth, and decreased IQ in children. Lead is on its way to getting completely phased out. It has already been taken out of food, paint, and gasoline in most of the developed world. Here are some guidelines that you can follow to help to lessen your overall exposure to lead.

Steps

Get your blood tested. Ideally, your level would be zero, but normal levels are less than 10 micrograms/decileter. If your level is any higher, then you will be perscribed medicine, usually EDTA, to make you excrete the lead.
Be well nourished with necessary metals, such as iron and zinc. Don't have too much of them, or that could poison you too. Having those metals in your body can help stop lead from entering.
Make sure nothing in your life includes lead. Have your tap water, products, and paint in your house tested for lead. Some things that may have lead in them are...

bottom layers of paint in houses in US built before 1979. Since the paint will only be on the bottom layers, you will generally be fine as long as it's not peeling.

Hand-painted things from some developing countries.
bullets. Make sure to use copper/brass coated bullets (most are) to eliminate airborne lead when shooting, but still wash your hands when you are done.
tap water. Drink your water from a filter in your refridgerator or a container.
car batteries. You generally do not touch these, but if you repair or manufacture them, you're in trouble.

Tips

Your body can get lead from inhaling it, inhaling its dust, eating it, or absorbing it through the skin. However, it should be noted that about 50 percent of lead inhaled is absorbed, 10 to 20 percent of lead ingested is absorbed, and less than 1 percent of lead touched is absorbed in adults. For children, those percentages are significantly higher.
Today's pencils do not contain lead. The writing substance is made from graphite, which is not potentially hazardous to your health as is lead. People call it that because Romans used to write with lead rods.

Warnings

Symptoms of lead poisoning include irritability, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, headaches, difficulty concentrating, constipation and abdominal pain. If you notice more than two of those symptoms, call a doctor.
Be extra careful when traveling to developing countries.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Limit Your Exposure to Lead. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-94: "How to Stay Healthy in Small Ways"

How to Stay Healthy in Small Ways

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Small easy things that you can do everyday to stay fit and healthy.

Steps

Drink water in the morning after getting up and right before bed. It hydrates your body and it's really easy to drink a glass when you brush your teeth.
Stretch a little if you are waiting for a bus or ride in the morning. It gets your blood flowing which wakes you up.
Take some nice breaths of air when outside, not only does it smell fresh but it feels like it rejuvinates you.
Eat breakfast. Everyone should but if you can't because of a crazy schedule keep a jar of raisins or other dried fruit within quick reach so if you are in a hurry you can grab a handful and run.
Throw your shoulders back when you walk. It boosts your confidence which in turn raises your self esteem.
Weight lift a little with the detergent when doing laundry. Set a goal for a certain number of lifts with a full bottle.
Channel surf when you're watching television and a commercial break comes on. It means you won't be tempted to go get an unhealthy snack.
Get in a routine that is healthy because once you're stuck in it you will be able to determine what might not be the best thing for you. It may be a snack offered to you that is full of sugar and preservatives, or cutting corners with work.
Take more trips. In other words, if you have to bring the two garbage cans to the road make two trips to the curb, instead of one carrying both cans at the same time. A little more walking never hurt. Also, you can park farther away from the store Not only will you not have to fight for a space but parking so far away will result in more walking to and fro.
Keep yourself clean. Chipped nail polish has never looked good, no one likes body odor, and your ears should not be filled with wax.
Pace around when you talk on the phone so you are up and walking around. Also, it has been found that it helps you focus on your conversation.
Bend at your knees and not your waist when you drop something. That's what your knees are there for.
Have a headache? You do not always need an asparin! There is an easier way to fix your headache. Get rid of a headache by: 1.Taking a few deep breaths, 2.Closing your eyes, 3.Taking your index finger and thumb of your right hand to make a backwards "C" shape, and 4.Clamping your fingers near the webbing between your left thumb and pointer. (It might be a bit of a discomort, but it releives the headache)

Tips

If you do have a little more time in your day then going for a walk always makes you feel better, it clears your mind, and keeps you healthy
SLEEP and WATER. They will do wonders to your mood, spirit, and those annoying little bags under your eyes.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stay Healthy in Small Ways. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

05 February, 2009

How To-93: "How to Get Rid of Cockroaches"

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

They're among nature's most vile, disgusting critters, and they can be nearly impossible to kick out of your house. Cockroaches live all over the world, but their favorite residence is your house, where they can snack on your food, damage wallpaper and books, and spread germs to you and your family. Follow these steps to serve these pests an eviction notice and keep them from coming back.

Steps

Find out if you have cockroaches. Cockroaches (see picture) are generally medium-sized insects, although in some parts of the world they can get quite large. They have spiny legs and long antennae. If you see even one roach, you've undoubtedly got a lot more. The problem is they generally hide during the day, so you may need to look for them at night with a flashlight. Even if you can't find any of the insects, check cupboards and pantries for their droppings -- tiny brown slime stains or pellets.
Try to figure out where they're coming from. If you see cockroaches, try to follow them to figure out where they go. This is easier said than done, however, so you might need to do a little sleuthing. Check all around the house for cracks and holes through which roaches may enter. Roaches often enter through drains or vents, so you can't seal up everything.
Kill the roaches. There are a variety of do-it-yourself options for killing cockroaches. Some of the more well regarded of these are listed below. Try one at a time, or try them all.

Dust with boric acid, flour and cocoa (1 part acid, 2 parts flour and 1 part cocoa). While still dangerous for kids and pets, this product is not as toxic as many insecticides, and the roaches aren't repelled by it so they drag it home and feed it to their hatchlings. Dust a fine coat in cupboards, under sinks, around toilets and any cracks, corners or hollow spaces. Avoid breathing the powder; like any acid, it can irritate the lungs.
Use an insecticide spray. Get some insecticide that is labeled for use against cockroaches, and spray wherever cockroaches may be hiding or entering the house, including along walls, in cracks, and in vents. Keep pets out of the way when you are spraying, and follow all safety instructions on the product's label.
Use cockroach bait. Cockroach bait is either housed in a childproof case or applied as a gel and contains a slow-working poison mixed in with an attractive (for cockroaches) food. The roaches eat the poison and bring it back to the nest, where it eventually kills all the roaches. Place the bait in an area where you know cockroaches will encounter it.
Use cockroach traps. Cockroach traps lure cockroaches in and then trap them with an adhesive. Get several of these, and place them wherever cockroaches are known to frequent.
Use water jars. A simple and effective homemade way to lure and trap roaches is with a jar placed next to a wall, allowing the roaches to get in, but not escape. Any bait can be placed in the jar, including coffee grounds and water, but it also works with just plain water in drier climates.
Apply a liquid concentrate. Liquid concentrates, once the exclusive domain of professional exterminators, are now being made for use by the public. The concentrate is a poison or deterrent chemical that is diluted with water and then sprayed, wiped, or mopped onto just about any surface. Concentrates can be particularly effective providing protection against re-infestation, as they usually deter roaches for 1-2 weeks or more.
Get professional grade pesticides. Don't go to the local home improvement store, all the stuff they sell there is weak. Search the web for it. Get something with Cypermerthrin, perhaps Demon WP or something along those lines. The will kill live bugs, as well as provide a residual effect for three months. Spray it around the perimeter of your home and in places like your basement. The bugs won't be back. The downside is that this will kill all bugs, even ones that eat roaches, like spiders and millipedes. But if you have lots of roaches, you probably don't care.

Use a simple solution of soap and water. This, to some, is the easiest thing to do. Just make a light solution of soap (bath soap is fine) and water. You can splash this, spray this or just throw this on the roach. Just a little water will do , even 2 or 3 drops can kill, if used effectively. Ensure that it makes contact with the roaches head and lower abdomen (its belly if you can turn the roach over). The roach will run or try to run, but will suddenly stop and die or be almost dead in one minute. It is best to throw it out as soon as possible, as it may revive. This happens because the roach breathes through its skin. The soapy water forms a thin film on the breathing pores, and effectively blocks them (surface tension), causing the roach to suffocate to death or to near death, although it could recover if the water dries up or has not touched a large percentage of its body. Try this and you will have amazing results for free.
Prevent re-infestation. A clean house is key to keeping cockroaches away.

Keep the kitchen clean. Clean up crumbs and spills promptly, and generally keep the area clean. Pay special attention to range tops, as cockroaches love grease.
Put food away. Keep food containers sealed, and don't leave food out for extended periods -- don't even leave dirty dishes overnight.
Empty trash regularly, and keep trash away from the house.
Fix dripping faucets or leaks. Cockroaches are attracted to water.
Put naphthalene balls on corners. Roaches hate their smell.
Prevent bugs from coming up the drain. If you believe that the cockroaches are coming up your drains, pour regular, cheap bleach down the drains before leaving the house in the morning. For a stronger solution, mix 1 part borax with 3 parts bleach.
Move logs and other debris away from the outside of the house. Cockroaches love piles of wood and other convenient hiding places, and as the weather turns colder, they'll migrate inside the house to keep warm.
Seal cracks in exterior walls. Keep roaches out of the house by blocking their entrance.
Seal cracks everywhere you can inside your house. This takes time, but the payoff is great, because you eliminate most of their favorite hiding/breeding places. You'll need a lot of caulking, so use the big tubes with a caulking gun. Fill every crack inside every cabinet; fill the cracks on both sides of floor, door, and window moldings; fill all openings around pipes in bathrooms and kitchens. This makes a big difference and makes the whole house feel cleaner.
Use a professional product. You can find many professional products online. Professional baits, glue traps with pheromones, and professional sprays are far more effective then products bought at a local home store. Cy-Kick CS is a micro-encapsulated product that is very effective against roaches.

Call a professional. If the above methods don't work, call a pest-control expert. Exterminators are licensed to use stronger chemicals and to apply chemicals more widely, and they can do so while keeping your family safe.

Tips

Cockroaches breed incredibly quickly. Take action to get rid of them immediately, or you could find yourself with a major infestation on your hands.
Want to avoid harmful chemicals? Many traps allow you to do so, as do a wide variety of natural pest control products, ranging from boric acid to eucalyptus oil to coffee grounds. Do some research to find out more about these options, and try them out. They may not work for all infestations, but you should be able to at least control the roach population, and most don't cost nearly as much as chemicals.
Baits and traps are most effective if placed in several areas, particularly near known roach paths or where droppings are present. Try not to disturb the area too much by cleaning, or the roaches may reroute their trips.
Clean up dog and cat feces in the yard, as cockroaches may eat it or may simply track it through the house, contaminating the home interior.
Don't accumulate clutter. They will nest in anything from paper to clothing. This includes the garage, attic, or basement. There is no limit.
If you see at least one during the daylight or after switching on the lights, this means you have a problem. Fix it as soon as possible or you will have an extra guest at your next dinner party.
Never step on a cockroach with your shoe, because pregnant females carry their eggs beneath their tough exoskeleton, and smashing a cockroach will spread them, especially if you track the residue onto carpeted areas or around your house. If you kill a cockroach be sure to thoroughly clean the surface around the bug and dispose of or thoroughly clean whatever you killed it with. To dispose of dead cockroaches, flush them down the toilet so it's out of your house. Don't think that tossing it in the trash can is enough. The eggs can still hatch.
If you're cheap (or just lazy) and live in a small apartment, you can also use everyday plastic grocery bags as an easy and inexpensive alternative to caulking. Simply find cracks and openings along floors, walls, and baseboards where the little buggers might be getting in, and stuff one or two bags along each opening to effectively "seal" it. If this doesn't convince the roaches to find another apartment to invade, it should at least limit the area through which they can enter your space. Use the opportunity to apply other methods of killing and trapping with greater results.

Warnings

Insecticides, cockroach bait and other chemicals can be extremely poisonous to people (especially children) and pets, so be sure to heed the warnings on the label, and follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter.

Things You'll Need

Insecticidal spray
Cockroach bait
Cockroach trap
Liquid concentrate

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

VideoJug.com A video on dealing with cockroaches. The original source of this article. Shared with permission.
Roach Info More than you wanted to know about roaches and how to get rid of them, with product advice.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Rid of Roaches. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

28 January, 2009

Health Tips-42: "Role of Mind in Convalescence"

"I am able to say from my own experience that the mind also is an important factor in recovering from illness. Fear, anger, impatience and depression aggravate the illness. The more cheerful you are the sooner will you recover. You should therefore try to create such an atmosphere around you......" - Gandhiji

Excerpt from a letter written by Gandhiji on July 7, 1947, The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol.I.

02 January, 2009

Health Tips-41: "Sports Injuries and Warming Up"

According to a new report by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, sports injuries can see a dramatic drop if the athletes have warmed up properly.

Focusing on strength improvement, balance, core stability and muscular awareness saw injuries drop by one-third among 1900 female football players. And severe injuries dropped by almost half.

Participants either followed the traditional warm-up exercises or the 11+ programme (involving slow and speed running, strength and balance improvement exercise, and movements for stability, hip control and knee alignment.)

Excerpt from "CRUCIAL WARM-UP" in the The Hindu, Weekly Magazine, Dec.12, 2008.

Detailed Wikipedia articles on "SPORTS INJURY" and "WARMING UP":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Injuries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warming_up

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

30 December, 2008

Health Tips-40: "Intake of Fats"

While it is good to restrict the intake of fats, total avoidance of fats, especially in the young and middle-aged, could reduce resistance power of the body. It could also lead to skin problems.

Health Tips-39: "Hypertension"

When salt intake is more, there is a strain on the kidneys. It also increases blood pressure. Hence hypertensives are advised to reduce the intake of salt.

Health Tips-38: "For Diabetics"

Moderate outdoor exercise on a regular basis helps in oxidizing sugar. Hence it is considered good for diabetics.

18 December, 2008

Health News-26: "Gums and Heart"

Brushing teeth regularly will reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease, says a study by Italian and British scientists.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, December 17, 2008 ("Newscape")

Detailed Wikipedia article on "Atherosclerosis":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis

Grateful thanks to The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

05 December, 2008

Asthma: Healing through Homeopathy

The third episode of 'Heal through Homeopathy' on CNN-IBN will tackle asthma, a chronic disease prevalent in the country. Dr.Mukesh Batra, a homeopathic healthcare expert, will cover the disease in its entirety, from diagnosis to treatment. He will be joined by a chest medicine expert, Dr Swami Digambar Pawar. Watch the telecast on December 6 (Saturday) at 4.30 p.m. This program will attempt to explore and dissect all the myths associated with asthma.

'Heal through Homeopathy' has a dynamic format, where cases and patient issues will be discussed threadbare. Film star Sonu Sood ('Jodhaa Akbar' and 'Singh is King') will also be on the show, to join the crusade to spread the message of health all across the country.

Courtesy: Friday Review, The Hindu, December 5, 2008.
Grateful thanks to The Hindu.

06 November, 2008

How To-92: "How to Increase Your Metabolism"

How to Increase Your Metabolism

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

If you're trying to lose weight, increasing your metabolism can enable you to lose more weight without cutting more Calories. The commercialism surrounding "metabolism-enhancing products" has made it difficult to separate fact from fiction (or advertising), but here you can find a few research-based suggestions.

Steps

Understand what metabolism is. In the simplest terms, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. Very few people have a slow metabolism, and overweight individuals generally have fast metabolisms because their fat cells are consuming energy.[1] However, a faster metabolism will enable you to lose more weight than your friend, even if you both have the same activity level, diet, and weight.
Determine what is influencing your metabolism. There are some factors that you can change, and some factors that you can't.

Age - metabolism decreases five percent per decade after age 40[2]
Sex - men generally burn calories more quickly than women because they have more muscle tissue[2]
Heredity - you can inherit your metabolic rate from previous generations[2]
Thyroid disorder - hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) can slow down or speed up metabolism, but only 3 and .3 percent of the population have hypo- and hyperthyroidism.[3]

Calculate your resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR is often used interchangeably with basal metabolic rate (BMR); although they are slightly different, estimating either is sufficient for the purpose of losing weight. To calculate your RMR, use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (which is more reliable than the Harris-Benedict equation[4]). There are also calculators online that can do this for you:

RMR = 9.99w + 6.25s - 4.92a + 166g-161
w = weight in kilograms; if you know your weight in pounds, divide by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms
s = height in centimeters; if you know your height in inches, multiply by 2.54 to get your height in centimeters
a = age in years
g = gender = 1 for males, 0 for females

Adjust your diet accordingly. Your RMR will tell you how many calories you need to maintain your body at rest. Your daily consumption to maintain your weight should be:[5]

RMR x 1.15
E.g. RMR = 2000, so the maintenance intake is 2000 x 1.15 = 2300
To lose weight safely, do not exceed your maintenance intake or have a caloric intake lower than your calculated RMR.
Count calories by recording what you eat and looking up how many calories each food item contains (either on the food packaging or in tables provided in books or online).

Eat small, frequent meals. Extending the time between meals makes your body go into "starvation mode," which decreases your metabolism as a means to conserve energy and prevent starvation. Skipping meals does not help you cut calories or lose weight; in fact, people generally eat less overall when they eat small, frequent meals. In addition to having four to six small meals per day[6] eating healthy snacks will also increase metabolism.[2]
Drink water. As with food, depriving your body of water can encourage it to "hoard" rather than "burn". More than ninety percent of the chemical reactions in your body occur in water, so make sure you drink an appropriate amount of water.
Boost metabolism temporarily with aerobic exercise. Different activities burn different quantities of calories, but the important thing is to raise your heart rate and sustain the activity for approximately thirty minutes.
Boost metabolism in the long run with weight training. Muscle burns more calories than fat does (73 more calories per kilogram per day, to be exact)[2] so the more muscle you build, the higher your resting metabolic rate (RMR) will be. Every muscle cell that you gain is like a little factory that constantly burns calories for you, even while you sleep, and revs up when you exercise. This is the only way to increase RMR, which accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the calories you burn daily.[7]

Tips

There are no "fat-burning" foods. You might've heard that certain foods (e.g. celery and grapefruit) increase metabolism, but it's just a myth.[6] While some foods and drinks such as red peppers and green tea have been studied for their potential metabolism-increasing properties, there is no conclusive evidence that whatever influence they have on metabolism is significant enough to result in weight loss.[2]
However, some believe that certain extremely low-calorie foods, such as celery, cause the body to burn more calories in the act of consumption than are absorbed by the body. Still, half an hour of walking will burn many more calories than half an hour of chewing celery.
Some sugar substitutes may adversely effect metabolism and weight loss.[8]
Very low-carb diets are said to burn more calories because the body expends energy in a system of changing fats and proteins into glucose. This system of chemical reactions is called the "krebs-cycle" or "tricarboxylic acid cycle." It is necessary because the human body uses several forms of glucose for all energy requirements, all the time, even when you do not consume carbs. Krebs is also called the "Citric Acid Cycle." It is found in aerobic metabolism, the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates from food eaten to create the energy pathway at the cellular, mitochondrial level.
If you try the low-carb approach, be sure to take multi-vitamins. Include healthful fats such as monosaturated fat (olive and canola oil) and essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Drink eight 8-oz. glasses of non-carbonated water (including tea and coffee) per day.
Be careful with dairy products if you are following the Atkins diet. Milk and products made with milk contain lactose, a carbohydrate. Yogurt has natural milk sugars in addition to fruit and sweeteners such as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup. Consider getting your calcium from cheese. Some cheeses may have nearly zero carbohydrates. Avoid low-fat dairy products. Whole milk has 11 carbs[9]; skimmed milk has 12.3 carbs.[10] Whole milk also provides the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and is the most significant food source of CLA,[11], a heart-healthy fat that may help increase your metabolism, lose more fat, and build more muscle. A unique animal fat, the fat in milk is rich in short- and medium-chain fatty acids that may help lower cholesterol.[11] Short- and medium-chain fatty acids (especially those in coconut oil) have long been promoted for weight loss and can easily be burned for energy. In a nine-year study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, whole milk and cheese helped prevent weight gain in women who had one or more servings a day while low-fat milk did not.[12] Low-fat yogurt or low-fat ice cream may have more sugar to compensate for the loss of taste. Soy products can also be an excellent substitute for dairy while you are on the Atkins diet. Plain soy milk has eight carbs.[13]
Always consult a dietician or doctor before making a major change in your diet and exercise routine.

Warnings

Avoid smoking as a weight-loss method. While nicotine is a metabolism booster and appetite suppressant, the health hazards far outweigh any benefits.
Expect your metabolism to slow down as you lose weight. The more weight your body is carrying, the more calories your body has to burn in order to sustain itself, even at rest. When you begin restricting your calorie intake, you'll lose weight relatively easily because your body's high caloric needs are not being met. But after you begin to shed the weight, the body has less mass to carry and thus needs fewer calories. In order to continue losing weight, you will have to restrict your caloric intake even further in order to maintain a difference between what your body needs and what you are providing.[2] Let's go through a hypothetical example:

You are 200 lbs and your body needs 2500 calories a day to sustain itself.
You cut down your caloric intake to 2000 calories.
You lose 25 lbs. Now your body only needs 2250 calories to sustain itself because it's carrying less weight.
If you continue with your 2000 calorie per day diet (the diet that helped you lose the first 25 lbs) you will still be losing, but at half the speed. In order to maintain a steady weight loss you will need to reduce your caloric intake further. However, it is at the utmost importance you do not try to consume fewer calories than your RMR!
Another possible problem: If you continue with your 2000 calorie per day diet (the diet that helped you lose the first 25 lbs) you may actually gain weight back because of varying levels of exercise. Let's say you lose 50 lbs. on your 2000 calorie diet. Your sustaining calories might be 1800. You're actually consuming enough calories to gain weight, but how would that happen if you had stayed on your diet? This can happen when your exercise has burned through many calories. If you slowed on exercise at this point you would actually gain weight again. The point here is to recheck your RMR when you lose weight and compare it to your consumption.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

↑ Slow Metabolism: Is It to Blame for Weight Gain?

↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/make-most-your-metabolism

↑ Thyroid Pathology. Auburn University. 2002. Pages 5 and 16

↑ David Frankenfield, Lori Roth-Yousey, and Charlene Compher. May 2005. Comparison of Predictive Equations for Resting Metabolic Rate in Healthy Nonobese and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 105(5):775-789

↑ Sharon A. Plowman and Denise L. Smith. Exercise Physiology for Health, Fitness, and Performance. Page 236

↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/rev-up-your-metabolism

↑ Boost Your Metabolism

↑ Diets. The Merck Manual

↑ Whole Milk at CalorieKing

↑ Skimmed Milk at CalorieKing

↑ 11.0 11.1 http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Nutrition/Products/milkPage4.htm

↑ Magdalena Rosell, Niclas N. Håkansson, and Alicja Wolk. December 2006. Association between Dairy Food Consumption and Weight Change over 9 y in 19 352 Perimenopausal Women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 84(6): 1481-1488

↑ Plain Soy Milk at CalorieKing

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Increase Your Metabolism. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

03 November, 2008

How To-91: "How to Lose Weight Fast"

How to Lose Weight Fast

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. [1]Want to slim down fast for that beach vacation or high school reunion? While there are many things you can do to shed pounds, losing weight too quickly, like any sudden change to your body, can be dangerous. While fad diets, diet pills, and fasting may indeed induce rapid weight loss, these methods can cause you to lose muscle and may also injure your heart and other organs fairly quickly. The best solution? Don't go for an overnight miracle. Instead, follow these steps to lose fat rapidly, healthily, and sustainably.

Steps

Determine your daily calorie intake . Losing weight is simply a matter of expending more calories than you take in, through exercise and your daily activities. To win the battle, it helps to know how many calories you are consuming in a day.

Write down all the things you eat on a typical day. Carry a small notebook with you and write down every snack, every drink, and the contents of every meal. There are also great websites that you can use to keep track of calories, get recipes, and help achieve your goal. Don't forget to include the pats of butter or the spoonful of sugar in your coffee. It's best to do this for at least a couple weekdays and a weekend; it's even better if you can go a full week. There are also calorie tracking websites that can help you to do this, for example the US government website, My Pyramid Tracker.
Do an itemized calorie count. When possible, write down the number of calories in each thing you eat as you eat it. Keep in mind that the recommended serving size is often considerably smaller than the serving you actually eat. Look up the calorie count on the internet for foods that don't have calories listed on the container or for fast food meals. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but you do want a good estimate of the number of calories you're taking in. There is an idea that multiplying your own weight by ten will produce a rough estimate of the number of calories you need to eat per day to maintain your weight. This is NOT true, you may wind up grossly under (or perhaps over) estimating the number of calories you should be eating. Use a scientific or health website to determine the number of calories you should eat a day or consult your doctor. Everyone has different metabolisms and there is no blanket rule that covers everyone's recommended calorie intake. Reducing 500 calories per day from the calories you eat to maintain your weight can help you lose a pound of fat per week.[2]

Go over the list and decide which foods to cut out or reduce. Cutting calories is usually a lot easier than you might think. For example, that daily tall latte in the morning may pack 500 calories. Since a pound of flab (lost or gained) is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, replacing that rich beverage with black coffee can help you lose a pound a week. Other easy cuts include salad dressing (salad dressing is the number one source of fat in the average American woman's diet) soda pop, candy, and butter. Look at the nutritional information for the foods you eat, pay special attention to your intake of saturated fats and empty calories (high-sugar foods). You don't need to cut these things out entirely, but if you reduce your intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods you'll lose weight faster.
Seek out alternatives to the unhealthy foods you've identified. You can simply reduce the amount of soda you drink or mayonnaise you put on your sandwiches, or you can substitute healthier choices. Drink water instead of soda, for example, or use mustard instead of mayo. Low-fat and low-calorie options are also available for most foods, and many of these are natural, (although some are made with strange chemicals), and tasty. Start trying to eat healthy in most meals:

Choose lean meats. Chicken and fish are both very low in fat (and certain fish like salmon, sardines, and fresh tuna are an excellent source of antioxidants, which are also beneficial to your health), so aim to replace some or all of the beef or pork in your diet with these foods.
Replace high-calorie side dishes with healthier alternatives. Many people get a ton of calories from side dishes such as macaroni and cheese, French fries, or potato salad. You can eat healthier and lose weight by replacing these with fresh vegetables and salads. Pre-made salads are practically effortless, and when accompanied by a reduced-calorie dressing or no dressing at all, they're weight-loss gold.
Start your days off right. A fattening breakfast of bacon and eggs or a pastry can be replaced with yogurt, oatmeal, high-fiber, low-sugar cereals; or fresh fruit for fruit smoothies. However, for those on a low carb diet bacon and eggs are a great combo for breakfast, since neither have carbs. But don't fall into the trap of skipping breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your rest metabolic rate earlier in the day, and reduces snacking before lunch.

Plan your meals. Look for healthy, delicious meals online or in your cookbooks, and create a menu for the week. Make sure that your meal plan reduces your total calorie intake: you're not going to lose weight if you consume the same amount of calories by eating different foods. Make a list of what you'll need for these meals, and -- except for a few snacks, of course -- don't stray from your list when you get to the market. Planning your meals helps ensure you get a balanced diet and reduces the temptation to stop off for fast food or order a pizza. Remember, it's easier to stick to your shopping list if you shop when you aren't hungry.
Watch your portion sizes. Opening a bag of rice cakes and eating all of them in one sitting isn't going to help you lose weight. When eating chips, nuts, or dried fruit put a portion in a small bowl and then put the bag away. That way you won't mindlessly eat a larger portion than you had intended. Even if you only make minimal changes to your diet choices, reducing portion size will inevitably reduce caloric intake. A great way to watch portion sizes while snacking is to buy one serving 100 calorie packages - and they come in many favorite snack food items![3]
Graze on healthy snacks. Just because you're getting healthy doesn't mean you can't snack. In fact, eating small meals and snacks throughout the day, or grazing, has been shown to aid weight loss, (compared to eating three large meals a day), by keeping metabolism steadier. Pick snacks that are low in calories and fat and high in fiber (dried apricots, nuts, rice cakes, fruits, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and so on). Vegetables are generally very low in calories, very high in fiber, and full of flavor and nutrition. Avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes, and try to eat vegetables plain, without fatty dressings or dips. Fruit also makes a good snack. Fruit contains more soluble fiber than vegetables, which slows your body's absorption of carbohydrates, thus releasing energy more slowly, (preventing sugar highs), and keeping you feeling full longer. Fruit juices are not a replacement for the real thing. You need that fiber, and juices often have more calories than the equivalent serving of fruit -- as many calories as soda! Be careful with dried fruits, because without the water, you tend to eat more, and fruits, when dried, are calorie-rich per ounce. With any dry or dried food, be sure to drink plenty of water.
Get more fiber. There are many myths about fiber, but there is science to back up its helpful role in the diet. Fiber keeps the right amount of water in your intestines, making your digestive system work more efficiently and helping to keep you regular. Thus, just eating enough fiber may help you feel slimmer in just a day or so. There is also evidence that fiber in the diet can help prevent stroke and heart disease, ease the effects of diabetes, and may even directly help in weight loss.
Drink plenty of water. Adequate water is essential for health, and a great many people simply don't get enough. What's more, if you're chronically dehydrated, your body will retain water in unflattering places, so if you make sure to get plenty of fluids you can start visibly trimming down in as little as a day. Remember, the more you exercise, the more water you'll need. See the related wikiHow for more details on how much water you should be getting.
Exercise. Remember, you can lose weight either by decreasing your calorie intake or increasing the number of calories you burn. Any health strategy should include both, but if you want to lose weight fast, exercise is essential.
Perform high-level aerobic activities. Moderate aerobic workouts incorporating jogging, brisk walking, cycling, aerobic machines, or classes not only burn calories -- they also keep your heart healthy. Swimming is also great, especially if you are quite overweight or have joint problems, because you can get the same benefits of running -- typically burning even more calories -- with much less stress on your joints. Try to get at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three or four days per week.
Pump some iron. Resistance training, (weight training), can help both sexes stay lean by building muscle and raising metabolism. The fact is, hours and hours of aerobic exercise won't help most people lose weight fast because your metabolism drops back to normal fairly quickly after stopping the exercise. If you gain muscle, however, your body's resting metabolism, (the amount of calories you burn when you're just sitting still), increases, because muscle requires a lot of calories to maintain. Studies have shown consistent weight training to raise the body's metabolism by 15%. This means an average woman might burn 200-300 more calories at rest every day! Resistance training is the gift that keeps on giving! Although, keep in mind that muscle mass weighs more than fat (don't be surprised if you gain weight but look slimmer).
Rest properly. This means not only taking at least 24-48 hours between strength training the same muscles, (and taking 1-2 days off from exercising each week); it also means getting enough sleep at night, since sleep deficiency impairs your ability to lose fat.
Be realistic. Don't expect a miracle. Healthy weight loss can be achieved fairly quickly, but you'll need to be patient. In addition, be sure to set realistic goals. Make sure that the weight you're trying to reach is a healthy weight for you, and keeping in mind that gaining pounds of muscle will help you lose fat, be trimmer, and look better even though you don't actually lose any weight. Your goal should be a healthy body, not a number of pounds! Everyone looks good at a different weight. A short person may look really good at about 112 pounds, but a person of a taller height would just look unhealthy. Keep yourself at a weight that makes you look good, not at a number that sounds good.
Make adjustments. A successful weight loss strategy based on reducing calorie intake and increasing activity can be adjusted to maintain your desired weight once you reach it. Unlike typical diets, this method is sustainable -- it is a lifestyle change, not a binge-and-purge exercise. Slowly adjust your diet and exercise to include more weight training and calories, as much as is comfortable for you. If you do gain any weight back, you want that weight to be lean, toned muscle, not fat. In addition, weight training, no matter what your age, prevents muscle atrophy and can help stave off osteoporosis.

Instead of thinking of it as losing a certain amount of pounds, think of it as being a certain weight. So if you are 145 pounds, and you would like to lose 10 pounds, think of it as being 135 pounds. This helps you think about it as a long-term goal and not just losing the weight to gain it back again.

Be confident. You need to believe in yourself! If you want to diet, and you know that it will make you feel better, then you need confidence. Otherwise, the temptation to cheat on your diet will make it harder, and you will not feel better when you do lose weight. Avoid temptations like chocolate, ice cream, and cookies. They may taste good, but there are other foods that taste delicious, too, without being unhealthy. You need to always encourage yourself to achieve the goals that you have set. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fail to achieve your target for the week, find out why is it so. Is it because you have missed a jogging session? Or you have been eating junk food for one of the days? After evaluating, look ahead to next week and try your best to stick to your plan.[4]
Be consistent and disciplined, and have self motivation. To lose weight effectively, you need to stick to your weight loss plan religiously so as to see results. When you have the thought of giving up, visualize how good you will look when you manage to slim down successfully. [4]

Tips

Determine your objectives to lose weight. To succeed in doing something, you need to have a very compelling objective or reason so that you will not lose track of your goal. Losing weight just for vanity's sake is usually less helpful than losing weight to improve health. Other than just exercising, you need to have a healthy diet so that you will have a better body and more energy to be positive throughout the day.[4]
It's very good to do a blood test before you begin your new diet and exercise regimen. Some people may not need to lose a lot of weight, but they may need to lower the blood sugar level slightly. You can also check for mineral deficiencies.
The goal is to lose fat, not just weight in general. If you are doing strength training during your weight loss (which you should be), you might actually see an initial gain in weight -- don't worry! You have probably lost fat and gained muscle, which is denser than fat and is much healthier.

A better measurement than what a scale reads is body fat percent. If you don't have access to calipers or a body fat scale, a better gauge is how your clothes fit and how you look rather than your absolute weight. If you can, though, it is good to measure your body fat about once per month. Men should be between 15%-25%, but no lower than 4%; and women 20%-30%, but no lower than 15%. Females have higher fat percentage due to pregnancy and menstrual requirements.
Generally, you want to - with a combination of calorie reduction and increased activity - reduce and burn a certain number of calories a day, causing a net loss of calories so your body is forced to use its own stores of fat. How much aerobic exercise you need to perform depends on what you eat, how fast you'd like to lose weight, and how much muscle you gain. A pound of fat contains 3500 calories. Men can safely lose around two pounds a week, and women can safely lose around one pound a week. Any more than this and you might be losing more muscle mass than fat. Thus, with a combination of calorie restriction and aerobic exercise, a man should aim to run a 3500-7000 calorie deficit each week, and women should aim for a 1750-3500 calorie deficit.

With regard to weights, men and women differ on their goals with weight training. Women, don't worry, no amount of weight training will make you as bulky as a man; women just don't have enough testosterone to build large muscles. The female body-builders you see are either taking steroids or training 2-3 hours every day. Male and female beginners should start with 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, and should use the heaviest weight you can while still maintaining good form, even to the last repetition of the last set. Get a weight training book or find a reputable website that will show you different exercises and the correct form. When lifting properly, you will stretch the muscle during the exercise, but you should still stretch properly to prevent injury!
No matter what the magazine article says, spot improving is a myth! When your body burns fat, it takes it from all over your body, even if all you do are crunches. No amount of crunches will get rid of that gut if they are not backed up by proper aerobic exercise and diet! Washboard abs do not come from millions of sit ups; they come from having low levels of body fat. So if that is your goal, make sure you do plenty of aerobic exercise in addition to your ab routine.
Sugar comes in many disguises. Check your food labels: fructose, glucose, molasses, and corn syrup are all sugars. Limit all sugars, but especially stay away from high-fructose corn syrup. It is just a corn syrup full of sugar. Choosing foods without it will help you reach your weight loss goals faster.
Remember your body needs 'fuel' just like a car needs 'fuel'. Your body needs the 'right' kinds of food to lose weight effectively.
Don't taunt yourself by not letting yourself eat the occasional snack that you're craving. Just make sure you burn it off later with exercise
Despite popular belief it is not terrible to eat after 6 p.m. A reasonable dinner (with extra protein if you've had a good weight training session) is going to help deliver nutrients to the body to prepare it for the next day. Additionally if you find yourself very hungry before bed, a small bowl of high fiber cereal and low fat milk will actually help maintain your metabolism while you sleep. The key is to not overeat in the evenings.
Take a multivitamin. While it is better to always get your nutrients from your food, most people miss something in their diet, especially when they're trying to cut calories. Vitamins and minerals play an important role in keeping your body chemistry balanced and your energy levels healthy.
If you find yourself missing some of your favorite foods, don't worry. There is no harm in having your treat once a week. Pick a day each week where you treat yourself to your guilty pleasure--remember, everything in moderation. If it's pizza, try going to a gourmet pizza place that will use better ingredients and fresher vegetables. If it's a Big Mac, try making your own. A homemade burger is generally much healthier than the food they serve in fast food restaurants. Electric grills that are slanted to allow most of the fat to slide off make nice, lean burgers.
Save some calories for potassium and protein for after you work out, this will help reduce soreness. (A banana and an egg does the trick.)
Do not forget to stretch. Stretching can help increase your strength and flexibility.
Cut down on your sodium. Many prepared foods have as much as 30% of your daily value. You get your daily requirement of sodium from a healthy diet; too much can cause you to retain water weight.
Try not to skip any meals as this only makes your body to retain fats for energy. A good weight loss plan is to eat healthily and exercise regularly.
To continue to lose weight fast[5] - eat a variety of foods. Just like in weight training, the body will get used to the same routine and plateau. Mix up the foods you eat to keep your metabolism high and prevent a metabolism plateau.

Warnings

Do not try to starve yourself. In the short run, reducing your calorie intake to unhealthily low levels will slow metabolism and actually cause you to lose weight more slowly. Then your body cannot process potassium so when you DO eat again, (the alternative to dying,) you will gain much more weight than you would if you weren't starving yourself and overall, you may end up gaining more than you lost. In the long run, starving yourself (anorexia or bulimia) can kill you.
When creating a weight lifting routine, do not focus on a single muscle or group, doing so will overbuild that muscle while under building others - in other words, if you work your biceps, and not your triceps, your arms will begin to curl inward and you will look silly. If you work your chest and not your back, you will have a hard time maintaining good posture as your pectoral muscles overpower your back muscles and pull your shoulders forward.
If you have a serious medical condition (such as asthma or diabetes, or allergy to protein such as dairy products or you have lactose intolerance) or you are severely obese, consult with your doctor as well as a dietitian.
Do not take any harmful drugs. They are unhealthy and may ultimately make you gain weight instead.
Carefully consider whether you need dietary supplements. Most people may get the basic minerals and nutrients they need to sustain life through eating food. For example, excessive multivitamin supplements can make you overdose in some vitamins you need, and you can't store most water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C as any excess will be urinated. Although you could be below the recommended daily intake, that doesn't necessarily mean you are deficient in it if it's a kind that is stored. So you may wish to consult with your doctor or dietitian to inquire whether you need supplements and how much you should take.
Losing weight too quickly is dangerous and can have adverse effects on your health. Despite the title of this article, getting into shape is best done slowly. If you find yourself losing more than a pound or 2 (or more than 500g) each week, you are probably doing something wrong.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

↑ Obesity Statistics from obesity.synthasite.com

↑ http://www.acaloriecounter.com/calorie-counting.php

↑ Fat Loss 4 Idiots

↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Lose-5-Pounds-of-Stomach-Fat-in-5-Days-With-This-Weight-Loss-Plan&id=961266

↑ Lose Weight Fast from 101diettips.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Lose Weight Fast. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-90: "How to Stop Nausea With Acupressure"

How to Stop Nausea With Acupressure

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

While it hasn't been scientifically proven that acupressure can reliably relieve nausea, many people report that it works for them, and it has no known side effects.[1] It can be used on airplanes, with hangovers, and at sea, and is a quick fix worth trying, especially if other treatments aren't available.

Steps

Take your index finger and middle finger and place them on your wrist at the base of your palm to measure where your nausea acupressure point is.
Find your acupressure point -- two or three finger widths down from the top crease in the wrist, centered in the groove between the two large tendons.[2] This is known as the P6 point (or "inner gate").

Another acupressure point that relieves nausea but is more difficult to find is ST36 ("three miles"). Measure one hand width below the kneecap and press with your fingernail on the outside of the bone.[3]

Take your thumb and index or middle finger and press firmly on the points on both sides of the wrist when you feel nauseous. You should feel relief in 10-30 seconds. Sometimes, however, it can take up to five minutes.[4]
Tap your wrists together gently at the acupressure points while taking deep breaths, as shown in the video below. You can alternate with tapping the outsides of your hands together.
Purchase a wristband that applies pressure to the correct spot. They usually have a knob or flat button positioned over the acupressure point. You might feel relief as soon as you put it on, but after your body grows accustomed to the pressure, you'll need to press down on the acupressure point for extra relief.[5]

Tips

Light pressure is usually effective. Don't squeeze down too hard! Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort.
Relax both arms and shoulders.

Warnings

These are acupressure points, not acupuncture points. Do not use needles!
If you suffer from chronic nausea you should definitely seek medical attention even if the technique works. It is only a quick fix after all.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/122657.php

↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/13/health/he-skeptic13

↑ http://www.eclecticenergies.com/acupressure/points.php?name=ST-36

↑ http://wakowa.wordpress.com/2007/07/02/acu-point-inner-gate-p6/

↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/13/health/he-skeptic13

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stop Nausea With Acupressure. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-89: "How to Quit Drinking Alcohol Using Anti Craving Medication"

How to Quit Drinking Alcohol Using Anti Craving Medication

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

A new family of drugs is now available to treat alcoholism, just as physicians began treating depression with medication a dozen years ago. Several anti-craving meds have been introduced and will radically change the way physicians help their patients. These drugs typically work on mid-brain receptors to ease withdrawal, blunt craving and dull the euphoria associated drinking. When used in conjunction with a comprehensive program of counseling, nutrition and support, they can be very effective. Some medications, like Naltrexone and Acamprosate, are approved by the FDA for this purpose. Others, like Topiramate or Rimonabant, are prescribed off label to help patients begin a program of alcohol cessation.

Steps

Do an honest self assessment about your drinking. Consider using the “C.A.G.E.” assessment. C: Have you ever felt you needed to cut down on your drinking? A: Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? G: Have you ever felt guilty about drinking? E: Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (eye opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you probably need to seek help. Other signs of alcohol addiction include the inability to control how much you drink, withdrawal symptoms such as shakiness or anxiety if you stop drinking, sleep disruptions and physical symptoms such as fluid buildup, poor wound healing and gastrointestinal bleeding. The sooner you seek treatment, the better.
Research anti-craving medications because this approach is relatively new to many health care providers. Ultimately, you will want to work in partnership with your clinician in determining which medicine is most appropriate based on your health status, possible drug interactions, side effects, and other factors. Review as much information as possible about each of the anti-craving medications you can find, including clinical studies regarding their use and efficacy. Search online magazine and newspaper articles about their use, effectiveness and side effects. Do not base your opinion on the experience of other individuals, but collect as much comprehensive information as you can before visiting your doctor. Depending on the physician you visit, you may be more knowledgeable about the specific medication in which you are interested.
Make your appointment. Treatment for alcoholism does not require a highly skilled addiction specialist, but it is helpful to have a trusted health care provider who will listen to you. Seek someone you are comfortable with and whom you believe will respect your wishes. Patients often prefer to see a doctor outside of their normal caregiver. If this is the case, you may wish to consider visiting a mental health practitioner because they are often more comfortable prescribing medications to treat addiction. Whomever you see, be honest about your health situation, but understand the information--unless otherwise indicated--will be noted in your medical records.
Expect a knowledgeable doctor to run any number of tests, which may include a physical exam, a GGT (blood chemistry test to evaluate liver function), a CDT (a more sensitive blood test) and an evaluation for signs of complications due to alcohol consumption such as abdominal pain, heart problems, withdrawal or cirrhosis.
Be prepared to receive a referral for individual counseling or group-based meetings to be done in conjunction with therapy. Support is a critical part of the process. If you are unwilling to visit a local therapist or a 12-step group, consider visiting an online alcohol recovery forum, where you may participate anonymously. If possible, find someone who is starting a similar regimen and “buddy up”. This can be enormously therapeutic.
Consider accepting a short term prescription for a benzodiazepine such as Valium or Ativan if your doctor feels it is necessary. It is often helpful for late stage alcoholics to manage withdrawal symptoms. Your physician should first screen for the presence of other medications to avoid interactions such as over-sedation.
Follow the directions for your medications carefully and report any disturbing side effects at once. If you are overly sensitive to the medication, you may have to reduce the initial dosing to minimize unwanted effects. Read the material provided with your medicine for all potential side effects, even those your physician may not have mentioned. Monitor your health closely.
Try and create as successful an environment as possible. Remove all alcohol from your house. Encourage the support of partners or others in the home and emphasize the importance of this endeavor if they are not already aware of it. If necessary, do not attend social functions early on if you feel they will provide too much temptation. Stay away from associates with whom you normally drink. Enroll in evening classes, join a volunteer group, or partake in other activities that will keep you busy. Many people report the “witching hours” between 5 and 8 p.m. to be the most difficult. If that is the case for you, try and change your schedule, at least early on, so you are preoccupied during those hours.
Consider medication as only *one part* of an important, multi-faceted therapy. At this time, you should also be focusing on restoring your body’s mental, emotional and physical health. If you do not exercise regularly, this is an excellent opportunity to begin, as you will occupy time once filled drinking, while you promote the release of endorphins and lift depression. Improve your diet by increasing whole grains, vegetables and fruits and reduce sugar, which will further curb your craving for alcohol. Drink lots of water. Begin a program of improved dietary supplementation, focusing on vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs that will help restore, rejuvenate and maintain a healthy, alcohol-free lifestyle. Save time each day for relaxation, positive visualization, self-hypnosis, and other helpful strategies to reprogram behavior. Focus on eliminating drinking triggers and look into the future to “see” the healthy individual you will become.
Follow up with your doctor to report your progress. If you are doing well, s/he may want you to wean off the medication, or based on your feedback, may extend the prescription. If you’re not satisfied with the results or are suffering side effects, you may wish to consider changing the dose or using another anti-craving medicine.
Don’t be ashamed if you end up on the medication indefinitely. Just like diabetes, alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive, long-term disease which often requires pharmacological intervention. Now that scientists are beginning to decode the brain’s addictive pathways, they finally have a way to address receptors that result in craving.
Continue to integrate other important strategies into your program, particularly as you dose down from any medication. This includes nutrition, diet, exercise, dietary supplements, and positive visualization--to help maintain your healthy new lifestyle.

Tips

A number of medications are prescribed for alcohol craving and cessation. You can find a great deal of information at pharmacology websites, but do a search online for the “PI” (prescribing information) sheet for each one and you’ll find much more detail before speaking with your doctor. The medications most often prescribed to control craving typically include: Acamprosate, Baclofen, Naltrexone, Ondansetron, Revia, Rimonabant, Topiramate and Vivitrol.
If you don’t have immediate or easy access to a medical library, search Google Scholar to find excellent abstracts from clinical journals about the medication/s in which you are interested.
Alternative treatments have become increasingly popular in addressing alcoholism. Do some research and consider adding acupuncture, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), hypnotherapy, therapeutic massage, or other approaches.
Reward yourself for your accomplishments. Treat yourself when you reach a sobriety milestone (one day, one week, 30 days, three months, one year, etc.) And remember to not give up if you relapse. The road to recovery is not always straight and narrow.
Subscribe to online blogs, newsletters and websites that push information out about new developments in addiction research. It’s important you become an advocate in your own health plan. Often patients are as well informed about new developments as the physicians who treat them!
Spirituality is often a very important component in achieving sobriety. In fact, it has been documented in clinical studies to be helpful for those who struggle with addiction. Whether you continue to follow a traditional religion or choose to explore new paths of enlightenment, the reflection and self awareness that result can be very powerful and meaningful in your quest for newfound health.

Warnings

Some people shy away from visiting their doctors and simply order anti-craving medication from online pharmacies. You must be careful because many of these drugs are powerful and may have serious side effects or can interact with medications you are currently taking. In addition, you can't be sure of the reputation of the pharmacy from whom you are ordering or the quality of the product they send you. It is prudent to undergo a program with the care and counseling of a qualified health care provider and to purchase medication from a trusted source.
Don’t assume a “magic pill” will fix your drinking problem. Alcohol dependence is a serious and complex health condition. Medication can be enormously helpful in eliminating physical craving, but you must still address the underlying reasons that cause you to drink. Here’s where the real work begins and it’s a wonderful opportunity to turn your life around. But if you expect to find salvation in a prescription, you may be sorely disappointed.
Be prepared: your physicians may reject any proposal to prescribe medication. Remember that the average doctor receives approximately 12 hours of training in addiction treatment during his or her medical schooling; some are poorly prepared to deal with this difficult health concern. You must be proactive and find someone to help you. If your doctor turns you away, insist on a referral and do not give up until you find someone who is willing to work with you
Cravings come out of the blue, sometimes months or years later. Be prepared for them. Moments of stress, hunger or sleep deprivation may contribute to these urges. Have a strategy in place, a friend to call, or some plan of action when and if a craving hits
Incredibly, some people find their plans for newfound sobriety are sabotaged right at home. Partners may fear losing a drinking buddy or control over a mate. Resentment may crop up. Relationships change. Be prepared for this beforehand and address it if you think it will be a problem. You will need support from all sectors during this very important time.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

My Way Out, Innovative Approach to Treat Alcohol Dependence, http://www.mywayout.org
Alcoholics Anonymous, http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/
Oral topiramate for treatment of alcohol dependence: a randomised controlled trial by Bankole A Johnson, Nassima Ait-Daoud, Charles L Bowden, Carlo C DiClemente, John D Roache, Kevin Lawson, Martin A Javors, Jennie Z Ma. (http://prism.yale.edu/Templates/TG%20class/Lecture%202%20(Petrakis)/Johnson%20et%20al.%20(2003%20ver2)%20Lecture2.pdf)
Sustained-release naltrexone formulations for the treatment of alcohol and opioid dependence (http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/14796708.1.4.389?cookieSet=1&journalCode=fnl)
Treatment of alcohol-dependent outpatients with acamprosate: a clinical review. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11584875&dopt=Citation)
“Kudzu Extract Reduces Alcohol Consumption by Heavy Drinkers” by Becky Ham, May 16, 2005. (http://www.hbns.org/news/kudzu05-16-05.cfm)
Addressing Alcoholism with Diet and Nutrition(http://www.holistichelp.net/alcoholism.html)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov)
Sinyor D, et al., The role of a physical fitness program in the treatment of alcoholism, J Stud Alcohol. (3):380-6, 1982
Lukas,, S.E., et al, An extract of the Chinese herbal root kudzu reduces alcohol drinking by heavy drinkers in a naturalistic setting, Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 29:756-762, 2005.
Pekala,, R, et al., Self-hypnosis relapse prevention training with chronic drug/alcohol users …, American Journal of Clin Hpnosis, 46:281-297, 2004
Roe, DA, Preventing B vitamin deficiencies in alcoholics, Alcohol Health and Research World, Summer, 1989
Abbot, L., Magnesium deficiency in alcoholism …, Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 18:1076-1082, 1994
Emotional Freedom Techniques, http://www.emofree.com/

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Quit Drinking Alcohol Using Anti Craving Medication. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-88: "How to Soothe Irritated Eyes with Potato Slices"

How to Soothe Irritated Eyes with Potato Slices

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Allergy season can be brutal on the eyes. If your eyes ere burning,itchy and irritated there is an old homemade remedy that just might help you. Apply raw potatoes to relieve puffy or red eyes(for crying).

Steps

Wash potato and cut two thin slices.
Find a comfortable seat,close your eyes and place one slice on each eye lid.
Leave the potato slices on your eye lids for about 10 minutes and relax.
Keep your eyes closed until you remove the potato slices.
Wash eyes with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel.

Tips

Try using a potato that's been in the refrigerator the coolness of the potato will feel great.
Your eyes may begin to tear,keep them closed until the tearing stops.
This is an alternative medicine, and may not work for everyone; always consult with your doctor.
If your symptoms do not improve, consult your doctor.

Things You'll Need

A raw potato

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Soothe Irritated Eyes with Potato Slices. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-87" "How to Make a Herbal Pillow"

How to Make a Herbal Pillow

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Herbal pillows are a great use of alternative medicine and can be used for many uses from helping to put a baby to sleep to the relief of headaches.

Steps

Cut your fabric into two square pieces. Each piece should be the same size as your finished pillow plus half an inch seam allowance. A six-inch square is good, but you can make it any size you choose.
Place the right sides of the fabric pillow facing each other. Sew them together along three sides, leaving the fourth open for stuffing. Turn the sewn fabric the right side out and press with an iron.
Place your choice of herbs in a bowl and add your fixative. Different mixtures of herbs are used for different things:

Restful herbs - Chamomile, hops, lavender, rose petals, lemon verbana and mint
Herbs for a crying baby - Lavender, catnip and mugwort
Herbs to induce dreams - Balsam needles, lavender, rosemary, sweet marjoram
Herbs to relieve headaches - Chamomile, lavender, rosemary
Herbs for romantic slumber - Sweet marjoram, lavender, rose petals, lemon grass

Leave your pillow in an air-proof bag for at least a day before you use it. This allows the scent to strengthen and enhances its therapeutic effects.
At bedtime or naptime, tuck your herbal pillow inside your regular pillowcase, or just lay it beside you.

Tips

A fixative will help your dried herbs retain their fragrance much longer. Fixatives include: musk, ambergris and civet
Your cotton balls help add soft fullness to your herbal pillow
Many of the herbs that are used in making potpourri can be used to make your herbal pillow.
Make a pillowcase for your finished herbal pillow from luxurious fabric.
Make a quick herbal pillow by placing half a cup of herbs in a 3/5-inch drawstring bag. Draw it closed and tie the strings.

Warnings

If you intend to give the herbal pillow as a gift, make sure its recipient does not have any allergies to the herbs you use.

Things You'll Need

Linen or muslin fabric
Sewing machine or needle and thread
An Iron
Herbs of your choice
Fixative
Cotton balls
Decorative fabric trim

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Herbal Pillow. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-86: "How to Relax Under a Tree"

How to Relax Under a Tree

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There is nothing as beautiful as a fully grown tree or a tree in full foliage, or even in blossom if we're lucky enough. Such trees inspire us to relax and commune with nature, taking advantage of the shade, the quiet goings-on of the tree's inhabitants and the beauty of its form.

Steps

Select the perfect tree. The location of the tree is up to you, as long as it is somewhere pleasant, peaceful and out of the way of pedestrian traffic. It may be in your backyard, in a local park or a place that you enjoy walking through. Decide what appeals to you by reason of a tree's shape, color, height, peculiarities, texture etc. Trees are as individual as we are, making the choice a very personal one.
Set up your comfortable spot. It may be as simple as sitting underneath the tree on a rug or even simply on the soft grass nourished by the tree's shelter. Or perhaps you are quite agile and would enjoy climbing up the tree for a view and a position above the rest of the world below.
Relax by appreciating the tree. If you are simply going to admire the tree, you can lie back and watch the foliage. See how the sun's rays peep through the leaves and watch the dance of the trees branches in the breeze.
Read. Reading under, next to or on a tree is a pleasant and peaceful pastime. A favorite novel, a new magazine, or a biography are just some of the possible choices.
Write. If you enjoy writing, or even if you have to study or prepare some written work, it can be more relaxing to attempt this sitting under the tree and enjoying nature's sounds around you.

Tips

There is nothing to stop you from enjoying trees in winter. On a warmer winter's day, lie back on the snow and look up into the branches of a deciduous tree and get to know the tree really well. Call back again in summer to the same tree and see how the foliage has changed its nature and perspective for you.

Things You'll Need

a book
magazines
sunscreen(a good idea in winter or summer, even on overcast days)

Related wikiHows

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How To-85: "How to make Natural Mood-Enhancing Baths"

How to Make Natural Mood Enhancing Baths

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Feel better and up your spirits with these mood-enhancing baths. Find the all-natural ingredients right in your cupboard!

Ingredients

For bath #1:

1/4 cup of pure vanilla extract

For bath #2:

1 handful of pine needles
1 pair of old panty hose

Steps

Add 1/4 cup of pure vanilla extract to a warm bath. Relax and enjoy.
Change things up.
Gather up a handful of pine needles and set them aside.
Cut the foot off of an old pair of panty hose (to make a nylon bag) or use a sachet bag.
Place the pine needles in the nylon or sachet.
Take the bag and tie it around or hang it from the faucet and let the pine hydrate under running bath water.

Tips

Vanilla has the ability to lift spirits and revive.
You can combine the two baths or use them individually.

Warnings

Do not use these baths if you are allergic to pine or vanilla.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Natural Mood Enhancing Baths. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-84: "How to Use Music Therapy for Relaxation and Stress Management"

How to Use Music Therapy for Relaxation and Stress Management

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Research has demonstrated that a variety of music therapy relaxation and stress management approaches are effective for people requiring rehabilitation. In addition, these approaches are also effective for healthcare professionals and caregivers. Benefits include decreased heart and respiratory rate, blood pressure, anxiety, agitation and depression, along with general stress reduction, improved coping skills and better psychosocial adjustment. Music has also shown to be an effective sedative component in pre-operative and operative procedures. You can help yourself with stress management and relief by exploring the following self-help techniques, compiled by Institute for Music and Neurologic Function director of music therapy clinical training, Benedikte B. Scheiby, MA, MMEd. DPMT, CMT, LCAT.

Steps

Take notice of how listening to various types of music and nature sounds with or without music can help you relax.
If you play an instrument, record a piece of music that you find relaxing. Then listen to the tape when you need to relax.
Listen to relaxing background music at work or during lunch break. Add some body stretching at the same time. This also works just before going to sleep.
Participate in local community programs and centers that offer stress management and relaxation activities accompanied by music.
Place your hands on a drum and become aware of the many rhythms that exist within you such as your breathing and heartbeat. There is a rhythmical symphony that is the homeostasis of our biology. Breathe deeply and play this rhythm for 3 or 4 minutes. You may reconnect with your inner natural rhythms, intuition, and feelings, and ultimately feel renewed.
Consult with a music therapist to find effective recorded music for your needs.

Tips

Music with a strong beat can stimulate the brain and ultimately cause certain physiological processes to attune to the rhythm of the music. This phenomenon is called entrainment.
Slow rhythms can also encourage the slow brainwaves that are associated with meditative states.
Stress may come from anxiety, fear or other emotions. Sudden or long-term illness can certainly be stressful, especially if the patient is experiencing pain or problems with breathing. Tension caused by pain manifests itself not only in the part of the body that is experiencing the pain; it can be felt as stomachache, headache, or neck or shoulder tension as well. Likewise, when there are problems taking a full breath or if the respiration rate is too fast, the body may respond with anxiety and fear. Music can elicit the body’s natural counterbalance to stress: The Relaxation Response. It is defined by being in a physical state of deep rest where the physical and emotional response to stress changes and may cause changes in heart rate, blood pressure, rate of breathing, metabolism and muscle tension.
A music therapy practitioner can alleviate stress and help a person achieve the benefits of relaxation and stress reduction through a variety of specific active interventions that involve music.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, [1] - original source of content, shared with permission.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Music Therapy for Relaxation and Stress Management. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-83: "How to use Bach Flower Remedies"

How to Use Bach Flower Remedies

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This article needs to be converted to wikiHow format as specified by the Writer's Guide. You can help by editing it now and then removing this notice. Notice added on 2008-08-28.

The Bach Flower Remedies have been around since the 1930s and are still in use. In today's society where stressed related symptoms are now widespread it is even more important that we look after ourselves and our emotional health.

Steps

Step by step account of how to use and understand the remedies:

What‎ ‎are‎ ‎they‎?‎The‎ ‎‎3‎‎8‎‎ ‎flower‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎are‎ ‎non‎ ‎addictive‎ ‎and‎ ‎can‎ ‎be‎ ‎used‎ ‎with‎ ‎any‎ ‎other‎ ‎medicine‎,‎‎ ‎they‎ ‎can‎ ‎also‎ ‎be‎ ‎used‎ ‎to‎ ‎support‎ ‎the‎ ‎emotions‎ ‎whilst‎ ‎taking‎ ‎common‎ ‎medicine‎.‎‎ ‎The‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎themselves‎ ‎are‎ ‎preserved‎ ‎in‎ ‎brandy‎,‎‎ ‎which‎ ‎acts‎ ‎as‎ ‎a‎ ‎non‎ ‎active‎ ‎ingredient‎,‎‎ ‎this‎ ‎means‎ ‎that‎ ‎the‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎can‎ ‎be‎ ‎kept‎ ‎for‎ ‎a‎ ‎very‎ ‎long‎ ‎time‎.‎‎ ‎
What‎ ‎is‎ ‎the‎ ‎history‎ ‎of‎ ‎the‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎Flower‎ ‎Remedies‎?‎ The‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎flower‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎are‎ ‎a‎ ‎system‎ ‎of‎ ‎‎3‎‎8‎‎ ‎flower‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎that‎ ‎were‎ ‎developed‎ ‎by‎ ‎Dr‎ ‎Edward‎ ‎Bach‎,‎‎ ‎a‎ ‎pathologist‎,‎‎ ‎homeopath‎ ‎and‎ ‎forward‎ ‎thinking‎ ‎Harley‎ ‎Street‎ ‎doctor‎.‎‎ ‎Dr‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎used‎ ‎the‎ ‎flowers‎ ‎in‎ ‎his‎ ‎garden‎ ‎at‎ ‎his‎ ‎home‎ ‎in‎ ‎Oxfordshire‎ ‎and‎ ‎matched‎ ‎them‎ ‎up‎ ‎with‎ ‎specific‎ ‎emotions‎.‎‎ ‎The‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎have‎ ‎been‎ ‎used‎ ‎ever‎ ‎since‎ ‎and‎ ‎are‎ ‎still‎ ‎popular‎ ‎today‎.‎‎ ‎The‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎centre‎ ‎in‎ ‎Oxford‎ ‎‎(‎where‎ ‎Dr‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎lived‎)‎‎ ‎is‎ ‎still‎ ‎visited‎ ‎by‎ ‎many‎ ‎today‎ ‎and‎ ‎the‎ ‎trustees‎ ‎at‎ ‎the‎ ‎centre‎ ‎have‎ ‎tried‎ ‎their‎ ‎best‎ ‎to‎ ‎preserve‎ ‎the‎ ‎house‎ ‎and‎ ‎garden‎ ‎where‎ ‎Dr‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎resided‎.‎‎ ‎
How‎ ‎are‎ ‎they‎ ‎made‎?‎ There‎ ‎are‎ ‎two‎ ‎methods‎ ‎of‎ ‎releasing‎ ‎the‎ ‎energy‎ ‎of‎ ‎the‎ ‎flowers‎,‎‎ ‎the‎ ‎first‎ ‎is‎ ‎called‎ ‎the‎ ‎sun‎ ‎method‎,‎‎ ‎where‎ ‎flowers‎ ‎are‎ ‎picked‎ ‎and‎ ‎immersed‎ ‎in‎ ‎water‎.‎‎ ‎The‎ ‎boiling‎ ‎method‎ ‎involves‎ ‎boiling‎ ‎the‎ ‎flower‎ ‎in‎ ‎water‎.‎‎ ‎This‎ ‎liquid‎ ‎acts‎ ‎as‎ ‎the‎ ‎mother‎ ‎tincture‎ ‎and‎ ‎is‎ ‎diluted‎ ‎in‎ ‎equal‎ ‎amounts‎ ‎of‎ ‎brandy‎.‎‎ ‎The‎ ‎stock‎ ‎bottle‎ ‎is‎ ‎diluted‎ ‎further‎ ‎in‎ ‎brandy‎ ‎and‎ ‎is‎ ‎distributed‎ ‎into‎ ‎small‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎bottles‎ ‎for‎ ‎individual‎ ‎use‎.‎
How‎ ‎do‎ ‎they‎ ‎work‎?‎The‎ ‎flower‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎treat‎ ‎the‎ ‎individual‎,‎‎ ‎not‎ ‎the‎ ‎cause‎ ‎of‎ ‎the‎ ‎disease‎ ‎or‎ ‎the‎ ‎symptoms‎ ‎of‎ ‎disease‎.‎‎ ‎Dr‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎believed‎ ‎that‎ ‎our‎ ‎emotions‎ ‎can‎ ‎cause‎ ‎physical‎ ‎problems‎,‎‎ ‎this‎ ‎is‎ ‎apparent‎ ‎today‎ ‎where‎ ‎sufferers‎ ‎from‎ ‎IBS‎,‎‎ ‎insomnia‎ ‎and‎ ‎other‎ ‎stress‎ ‎related‎ ‎ailments‎ ‎are‎ ‎on‎ ‎the‎ ‎rise‎.‎‎ ‎This‎ ‎frame‎ ‎of‎ ‎mind‎ ‎is‎ ‎not‎ ‎new‎,‎‎ ‎as‎ ‎many‎ ‎people‎ ‎believe‎ ‎that‎ ‎a‎ ‎healthy‎ ‎mind‎ ‎equals‎ ‎a‎ ‎healthy‎ ‎body‎.‎‎ ‎
Who‎ ‎can‎ ‎use‎ ‎them‎?‎The‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎are‎ ‎a‎ ‎brilliant‎ ‎tool‎ ‎for‎ ‎getting‎ ‎through‎ ‎your‎ ‎everyday‎ ‎emotions‎ ‎and‎ ‎struggles‎.‎‎ ‎As‎ ‎there‎ ‎are‎ ‎‎3‎‎8‎‎ ‎in‎ ‎total‎,‎‎ ‎there‎ ‎is‎ ‎a‎ ‎variety‎ ‎of‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎available‎ ‎and‎ ‎you‎ ‎can‎ ‎mix‎ ‎your‎ ‎own‎ ‎for‎ ‎each‎ ‎situation‎.‎‎ ‎Rescue‎ ‎Remedy‎ ‎should‎ ‎also‎ ‎be‎ ‎kept‎ ‎on‎ ‎hand‎ ‎for‎ ‎any‎ ‎stresses‎ ‎or‎ ‎situations‎ ‎where‎ ‎an‎ ‎immediate‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎is‎ ‎needed‎.‎ The‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎are‎ ‎regularly‎ ‎recommended‎ ‎by‎ ‎vets‎ ‎and‎ ‎practitioners‎ ‎of‎ ‎alternative‎ ‎therapies‎.‎‎ ‎They‎ ‎are‎ ‎also‎ ‎used‎ ‎to‎ ‎treat‎ ‎distressed‎ ‎animals‎ ‎on‎ ‎their‎ ‎road‎ ‎to‎ ‎recovery‎.‎‎ ‎Pregnant‎ ‎women‎ ‎also‎ ‎take‎ ‎them‎,‎‎ ‎to‎ ‎help‎ ‎ease‎ ‎the‎ ‎emotional‎ ‎rollercoaster‎ ‎caused‎ ‎by‎ ‎pregnancy‎ ‎and‎ ‎they‎ ‎are‎ ‎also‎ ‎popular‎ ‎for‎ ‎parents‎ ‎to‎ ‎give‎ ‎to‎ ‎their‎ ‎children‎.‎‎ ‎
How‎ ‎do‎ ‎I‎ ‎take‎ ‎them‎?‎Taking‎ ‎the‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎is‎ ‎easy‎.
-Firstly, know what the remedies can do for you. Read the information above, visit a few websites and make sure you know how they work.
-‎‎ ‎Secondly, choose the right remedy for you. You can do this in many ways, visit a practitioner or even try to match up your feelings to the emotional symptoms.
- Get your hands on the remedies! Your practitioner may be able to make up a combination for you, or you can borrow some off yoru friends or buy hem for yourself.
- Decide if you want to make an individual combination bottle or from the stock bottle.
- Make up your remedies! For‎ ‎a‎ ‎single‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎place‎ ‎‎2‎‎ ‎drops‎ ‎in‎ ‎water‎ ‎and‎ ‎sip‎ ‎at‎ ‎intervals‎.‎‎ ‎For‎ ‎a‎ ‎combination‎ ‎of‎ ‎remedies‎,‎‎ ‎please‎ ‎point‎ ‎below‎.‎
What‎ ‎if‎ ‎I‎ ‎have‎ ‎a‎ ‎mixture‎ ‎of‎ ‎emotions‎?‎No‎ ‎one‎ ‎feels‎ ‎just‎ ‎one‎ ‎emotion‎,‎‎ ‎but‎ ‎often‎ ‎a‎ ‎mixture‎.‎‎ ‎Hate‎ ‎may‎ ‎be‎ ‎present‎ ‎along‎ ‎with‎ ‎jealousy‎,‎‎ ‎despondency‎ ‎or‎ ‎whatever‎ ‎else‎ ‎the‎ ‎individual‎ ‎feels‎.‎‎ ‎For‎ ‎situations‎ ‎where‎ ‎a‎ ‎variety‎ ‎of‎ ‎emotions‎ ‎are‎ ‎present‎,‎‎ ‎a‎ ‎combination‎ ‎of‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎can‎ ‎be‎ ‎mixed‎ ‎up‎ ‎to‎ ‎save‎ ‎on‎ ‎time‎.‎‎ ‎Mixture‎ ‎bottles‎ ‎usually‎ ‎come‎ ‎in‎ ‎‎3‎‎0‎mls‎,‎‎ ‎two‎ ‎drops‎ ‎of‎ ‎each‎ ‎chosen‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎is‎ ‎added‎ ‎into‎ ‎the‎ ‎mixing‎ ‎bottle‎.‎‎ ‎You‎ ‎can‎ ‎combine‎ ‎up‎ ‎to‎ ‎seven‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎at‎ ‎one‎ ‎time‎ ‎in‎ ‎the‎ ‎mixing‎ ‎bottle‎,‎‎ ‎then‎,‎‎ ‎top‎ ‎the‎ ‎bottle‎ ‎up‎ ‎with‎ ‎spring‎ ‎water‎ ‎adding‎ ‎some‎ ‎brandy‎ ‎as‎ ‎a‎ ‎preservative‎.‎‎ ‎Take‎ ‎‎4‎‎ ‎drops‎ ‎from‎ ‎this‎ ‎bottle‎ ‎a‎ ‎minimum‎ ‎of‎ ‎‎4‎‎ ‎times‎ ‎a‎ ‎day‎.‎
What‎ ‎is‎ ‎rescue‎ ‎remedy‎?‎Rescue‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎is‎ ‎a‎ ‎combination‎ ‎of‎ ‎five‎ ‎flower‎ ‎essences‎ ‎it‎ ‎is‎ ‎used‎ ‎in‎ ‎situations‎ ‎where‎ ‎assurance‎ ‎and‎ ‎comfort‎ ‎is‎ ‎needed‎ ‎and‎ ‎is‎ ‎often‎ ‎used‎ ‎in‎ ‎emergencies‎.‎‎ ‎Rescue‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎contains‎ ‎the‎ ‎following‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎essences‎:‎‎ ‎Rock‎ ‎Rose‎,‎‎ ‎Impatiens‎,‎‎ ‎Clematis‎,‎‎ ‎Star‎ ‎of‎ ‎Bethlehem‎ ‎and‎ ‎Cherry‎ ‎Plum‎.‎‎ ‎The‎ ‎product‎ ‎is‎ ‎now‎ ‎available‎ ‎in‎ ‎a‎ ‎variety‎ ‎of‎ ‎formats‎ ‎and‎ ‎has‎ ‎been‎ ‎around‎ ‎since‎ ‎the‎ ‎‎1‎‎9‎‎3‎‎0‎s‎.‎‎ ‎It‎ ‎has‎ ‎been‎ ‎used‎ ‎in‎ ‎various‎ ‎situations‎ ‎from‎ ‎interviews‎,‎‎ ‎driving‎ ‎tests‎ ‎and‎ ‎other‎ ‎nerve‎ ‎racking‎ ‎situations‎.‎
Where can I buy them from? For the genuine Bach Original Flower Remedies, I always buy it direct from their real website link titleThe genuine remedies always have the Bach signature in their logo and these are still made at the Bach Centre.

Tips

* That‎ ‎is‎ ‎the‎ ‎question‎ ‎that‎ ‎many‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎practitioners‎ ‎are‎ ‎asked‎ ‎on‎ ‎a‎ ‎daily‎ ‎basis‎.‎‎ ‎You‎ ‎can‎ ‎
either‎ ‎buy‎ ‎a‎ ‎really‎ ‎good‎ ‎book‎ ‎which‎ ‎will‎ ‎explain‎ ‎each‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎in‎ ‎depth‎ ‎or‎ ‎you‎ ‎can‎ ‎visit‎ ‎a‎ ‎
Bach‎ ‎practitioner‎ ‎who‎ ‎will‎ ‎be‎ ‎able‎ ‎to‎ ‎mix‎ ‎up‎ ‎a‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎for‎ ‎you‎.‎‎ ‎You‎ ‎can‎ ‎locate‎ ‎your‎ ‎nearest‎
‎ practitioner‎ ‎by‎ ‎logging‎ ‎onto‎ ‎the‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎Centre‎ ‎website‎.‎‎ ‎If‎ ‎you‎ ‎want‎ ‎to‎ ‎choose‎ ‎for‎ ‎yourself‎,‎‎ ‎
the‎ ‎Bach‎ ‎original‎ ‎flower‎ ‎remedies‎ ‎website‎ ‎contains‎ ‎a‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎decider‎‎‎ ‎which‎ ‎can‎ ‎point‎ ‎you‎ ‎
to‎ ‎the‎ ‎remedy‎ ‎you‎ ‎need‎.‎

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Bach Flower Remedies. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

16 October, 2008

Health News-18: "Chinese Salad can Combat Cancer"

A Chinese herb - more than 2000-year-old-eaten as salad in many countries has been given a new twist to develop a compound to combat cancer. According to researchers at the University of Washington, the new compound is more than 1200 times more specific in killing certain kinds of cancer cells than currently available drugs, and paves the way for more effective chemotherapy drug with minimal side-effects. The compound is based on the common anti-malarial drug artemisinin, which is derived from the sweet wormwood plant (Artemisia annua L).

Courtesy: The Times of India, Chennai, Oct.16, 2008 (Short Cuts).

Grateful thanks to The Times of India, Chennai.

03 October, 2008

Health Tips-28: "An Orange a day..."

Those who eat a diet rich in Vitamin C - found mainly in citrus fruits and vegetables - are less likely to die from a stroke says an article in the British Medical Journal. So "An Orange a day keeps the cardiologist away."

Courtesy: FASOHD Bulletin, Aug-Sep.97.

Wikipedia articles on "CITRUS FRUITS" and "ORANGE":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_fruits

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(fruit)

Grateful thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

29 September, 2008

Health News-17: "World Heart Day 2008"

Statistics released on the occasion of the World Heart Day 2008 (September 28th) are frightening. One should take it as a warning signal and take due care of oneself.

* 1.5 billion people or nearly one in three adults over the age of 25, will have high blood pressure, one of the biggest single risk factors for Carrdio Vascular Diseas

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