Kids & Healthy Eating

What parent doesn't want their kids to eat healthier? We've all had to bribe, cajole, threaten and manipulate our children at least once, but wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to stoop to such heavy handed tactics? Here are some tips to help you out.

Start early! Don't wait until it's too late and your child's already ruined by sweets and treats. Once they've tasted ice cream, it's harder to get them to eat broccoli. And if you've waited too long then you'll just have to be strong and realize your kids might not like you for a few days.

Make sure you have a good variety of healthy foods available to your children. This prevents them from latching on to one food or one food group. Sure they'll still have their favorites, but a variety of vegetables and fruits will help them to get used to all of their varied tastes.

Try combing foods they like with foods they don't. For example, stir-frying onions with zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and snow peas isn't as bad as sitting down to a whole plate of broccoli. It also helps to make sure the pieces are small enough so your child gets some carrots with her zucchini.

Be strong! This is very important for teaching a child to eat what's good for them. Tell them that this is what we're having for dinner and there's nothing else for them to eat. They'll get hungry enough to eat what's served them if there are no other options available.

Which reminds me. Don't bring any food in the house that isn't part of a healthy food plan. That's right! No snacks, cookies, sweetened cereals, pastries, treats - whatever - are permitted. This might seem harsh, but you have to decide who you're raising; healthy, smart kids who don't get sick or fat or sick kids with learning disabilities who grow up to suffer degenerative diseases.

Stay away from people hell-bent on corrupting your children with candy and treats. It's amazing to me how so many well-meaning people like a bank teller or a relative offer my children lollipops or cookies. Teach your children to smile and politely say,
"No thank you." And if it's a relative that's always offering your child a treat, then ask them to stop or stop visiting them (a third option is to make them take care of your kid during his sugar buzz and subsequent crash - they'll never do it again).

Here's another free tip for kids and healthy eating that might fall into the harsh category, but if you think about it seriously you'll see how important it is. Don't let your kids watch commercial TV. Yes! You read this correctly. The majority of the ads on TV are about food and getting your children to eat these unhealthy foods. TV commercials are the nutritional education for 95% of the population and virtually nothing advertised on TV has any nutrition in it. You'll see a huge decrease in your child's food cravings when you turn off the tube.

And finally, the most important tip of all is for you to set a great example. How can you expect your children to eat fish, vegetables and whole wheat bread when you don't? How can you get them to give up ice cream when you won't? They look to you as a role model so you might as well live like one because if you don't, then you have no right to complain about their poor eating habits, obesity, ADHD and the time you have to take off work to care for a sick child.

Teaching Hatha Yoga: Difficult Students and Fitness Centers

What would you do if you had to substitute your Yoga class for an Aerobic Step class? What if one of the Step Aerobics students gave you a case of misplaced aggression because he or she was disappointed the Step Aerobics class was canceled?

If you are considering teaching Yoga in a fitness center, or health club; imagine the following situation. A Power Yoga teacher is called, by the fitness center she works for - to substitute her Power Yoga class for the regular Step Aerobics Class; this is her story.

"This morning I substituted for another fitness class and had a woman literally scowl, once she found out that Yoga was filling in the time slot for the Step Aerobics class. She looked at me, and said, that it wasn't against me, but she just didn't see the point in stretching. "I can't loose weight by stretching. I need cardio."

I told her that she might be surprised and she might see Yoga in a different light. She replied "Not likely," and walked away from me. Though she said it wasn't personal, I took it so.

I really thought hard about all the things I wanted to say, but found that everything I wanted to say had a negative tone. I told this person, as she walked away that I was not going to argue with her because I saw no point in it.

I felt hurt by her attitude, what can be said to people like this? What can I do to let it "roll off of me?" Can you respond in love and still get the point across?"

Let's find some realistic solutions for this Yoga teacher.

In a nutshell: This particular health club member is full of negative energy. You are doing your job by substituting for the Step Aerobics class. She decides to take it out on you, but it is all misplaced aggression. She would have acted the same way toward anyone teaching anything, except a cardio based fitness class.

Fitness centers are doing the best they can to serve their clients, on tight budgets. This particular fitness center wants to make sure there is a class for its members, because the Step Aerobics instructor is out. This is obvious, but, this person decides to attack what you do - just to lash out at somebody.

What you did is the best thing by avoiding an argument. Showing loving kindness was wise for many reasons. Management will usually back the members, no matter how obnoxious they are.

Many Yoga instructors currently teach Yoga in, or have taught Yoga at, fitness centers, in the past. When a racquetball court is in full swing, a fitness center is not always an ideal place to teach meditation.

My advice: Design a prepared handout, which highlights the researched benefits of Power Yoga. Some fitness center clientele don't understand what Yoga is or what it can do for them.

Pass them out with a smile. If the class wants to work hard, give them their money's worth (a serious challenge). They will believe Power Yoga can get them fit, when they can see and feel it.

Those scenarios are the reasons why some Yoga teachers do not teach in fitness centers anymore. When I teach Yoga to anyone, I want to make sure the students want to be there for Yoga.

In a health club, Yoga is just part of a big fitness menu - Like ice cream on an apple pie in a restaurant. So, very few of the members see it as something special.

Lastly, you are a Yoga teacher, but you are human too. Negative people do not think much before talking, but they do upset everyone all day and every day.

You did the right thing by displaying self-restraint. Remember the saying: "You cannot please everyone all the time."

How More Women Can Survive The Hot Flash

A hot flash is not something that can easily be seen by an onlooker; you almost have to be the one under attack. A hot flash can be described as having an intense fever or the feeling you get after standing too long near a blazing fire. It's an intense uncontrollable heat within a woman's body that may last a few seconds or up to an hour. Some women have reported having a hot flash as often as every 90 minutes!

Hot flashes are described as sudden waves of heat that primarily affects the head and neck region when blood vessels near the surface of the skin dilate. Some women can predict when they are going to have a hot flash or even the duration and frequency.

During a hot flash, the heart rate increases. The woman begins to react to the heat by perspiring usually on the upper lip or forehead, and some women fan themselves with their hand, a fan, magazine or whatever is available to generate cool air.

Following a hot flash, flushing or redness occurs underneath the skin and for many the body temperature drops as women experience a chill as the body struggles to regain its normal temperature. Some women also experience nighttime hot flashes or night sweats.

Some of the most unpleasant symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats, have long been believed to originate in the ovaries. This theory is popular because women experience relief from hot flashes once they replace their lost estrogen.

The most recent theory indicates hot flashes start in the brain because the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland stop reacting normally to estrogen. This occurs because estrogen production affects the part of the brain that controls the body's temperature. The theory deduces that the drop in estrogen confuses the hypothalamus which is referred to as the body's thermostat and results in making the body too hot.

Hot flashes can be triggered by spicy food, dairy products, meat products, hot drinks, alcohol, sugar, smoking, caffeine, diet pills, stress, hot weather, hot showers, hot beds, hot rooms, hot tubs, saunas, tobacco, marijuana, anxiety, stress and anger. Women should avoid fried, rich, spicy and sugary foods because they can develop heartburn, acid reflux, and gallstones. Hot flashes are more common in the evening and during hot weather with the most common times identified for hot flashes between six and eight in the morning and six to ten at night.

If you can identify what triggers your hot flashes, that is a good indication of survival during an attack. It is also advisable to keep a record of when your hot flashes happen and what you were eating or doing, or how you were feeling at the time in order to be able to predict when and how the may occur.

The best way to beat a hot flash is naturally. The medical profession has generally ignored natural, less risky remedies for hot flashes to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Recent studies have shown that medication is not always helpful. However, you should always begin with the least aggressive approach to treating menopausal symptoms which would be natural remedies.

There are some natural remedies that provide relief for menopausal symptoms, such as isoflavones found in soybeans. Isoflavones is similar to the hormone estrogen and when ingested, stimulates estrogen production. Although study results are not entirely consistent, isoflavones from soy and red clover have been found to be helpful for symptoms of menopause.

Bioflavonoids are chemicals found in citrus fruits that have been shown to protect capillaries and other small blood vessels. Bioflavonoids, when taken with Vitamin C, have been found to strengthen and stabilize the capillaries and other small blood vessels which can prevent hot flashes from occurring. The effect on hot flashes may be due to the similarity between certain bioflavonoids and our bodies own estrogens.

Vitamin E supplementation has also been shown to significantly reduce hot flashes. Clinical trials reported that vitamin E controlled flushing in more than 50% of the cases. It is thought that vitamin E may act as an estrogen substitute, thereby reducing the intensity of hot flashes.

Some other herbal supplements that have shown to reduce hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause are: bioflavonoid supplements, evening primrose oil (also used for PMS symptoms), ginseng, black cohosh, chickweed tincture, vitex agnus castii, blue cohosh, dong quai, wild yam root, natural progesterone, licorice root, false unicorn, lachesis, pulsatilla and sarsaparilla. Additionally, other alternative remedies that women can benefit from for relief of hot flashes are sage tea, acupuncture, meditation and biofeedback.

Functional health beverages containing certain fruit or vegetables with the nutrients polyphenols, flavenols and phytosterols also contain estrogen like chemicals that can reduce menopause symptoms.

Testimonials received from functional health beverage users state positive results from menopausal and PMS symptoms when consuming functional health beverages.

Medical Disclaimer
It is important when using herbs and vitamins to pay attention to our bodies' responses and to remember that natural doesn't mean we can take large amounts of a substance without thinking of side effects. It is recommended to obtain advice from someone who is familiar with herbs and vitamins for the correct dosages.

Information in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to act as a substitute for medical advice provided by a qualified health care provider, nor is any information on this topic intended to diagnose, treat, care or prevent any diseases. Statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.

Menopause Is Coming - Be An Informed Consumer

Menopause is a natural part of life and does not necessarily require treatment. You need to be informed of your options. Symptoms and health risks associated with low estrogen can be treated, often, in natural ways that don't include drug related risks.

Definition
When a woman's menstrual period ceases, and the ovaries permanently stop releasing eggs, a woman has entered the time in life called menopause. It is considered complete when a woman has been without her period for a full year. Menopause can occur anytime between the ages of 40-58, however, the average age is 51 years old.

The Cause
Menopause is a natural part of life and is a gradual process. The ovaries begin producing lower amounts of hormones prior to menopause during a phase called perimenopause.

If menopause occurs before the age of 40 it is called premature menopause. Premature menopause can occur naturally but can also be the result of several conditions, including:

* Family history of premature menopause
* Autoimmune diseases
* X-chromosome abnormalities
* Medical treatments (pelvic surgery, surgical removal of ovaries, chemotherapy,
or pelvic radiation therapy)
* Medications that lower estrogen levels
* Smoking

The Risk Factors
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. Since menopause is a natural process associated with aging, there are no risk factors, but risk factors for premature menopause include:

* Family history of premature menopause

Symptoms
A number of physical and emotional symptoms may occur as menopause approaches. Women entering menopause often experience:

* Irregular menstrual periods
* Hot flashes and night sweats
* Disturbed sleep patterns, insomnia
* Anxiety
* Depression
* Dry skin
* Irritability
* Vaginal dryness and pain with sexual intercourse
* Difficulty concentrating
* Trouble remembering things
* Diminished interest in sex
* Frequent urination or leaking of urine
* Headaches
* Achy joints
* Fatigue
* Early morning awakening

The Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Blood tests, a pelvic exam, and a Pap smear may also be performed. Natural menopause is usually diagnosed when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.

If a woman had a hysterectomy before menopause, and no longer has periods, menopause may be suspected. It can be confirmed by an FSH test. This test is considered the most accurate for the diagnosis of menopause. It is the measurement of follicle stimulating hormone. High levels of FSH (greater than 40) may indicate menopause.

Treatment
Menopause is a natural part of life and does not automatically require treatment. Symptoms and health risks associated with low estrogen can be treated. These include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and osteoporosis.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Be sure you completely understand the benefits and risk before starting HRT.

A number of different types of hormones are available. These include natural, synthetic, and plant-derived estrogens and progesterone. Combined therapies may include combinations of estrogen and progesterone; or the addition of small amounts of male hormones. Hormone preparations are available as tablets, gels, skin patches, vaginal rings, vaginal tablets, injections, and pellets inserted into the skin.

There is significant scientific evidence that the global health risks associated with combined estrogen and progesterone HRT on a long-term basis (more than 3-5 years) outweigh the benefits for many women. The average age of the women in these research studies is over 60 years old.

Use of combined HRT at the time of menopause (around age 50) may pose less risk. Also, most of these studies used conjugated estrogens and medroxyprogesterone. Other evidence suggests that use of estradiol and natural progesterone may pose less risk.

Phytoestrogens
A high intake of phytoestrogens (or plant estrogens) may help menopausal women. Phytoestrogens are found in soybeans, black cohosh, whole grains, legumes, tempeh, and flax seed. They are also found in concentration in capsule form. Phytoestrogens may reduce the risk for diseases associated with estrogen.

Healthful/Helpful Diet
Diet can play an important and beneficial roll. A healthful diet during menopause can improve a woman's sense of well-being, and may also reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. The diet should be low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium, and vitamin D. Low-fat does not mean no-fat. Some fats, especially the Omega-3 fats are essential.

Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
High use of caffeine or alcohol is never a good choice. Cutting back on caffeine and alcohol may reduce symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and loss of calcium.

Quit Smoking
There are no health benefits derived from smoking. Giving up smoking can reduce the risk of early menopause, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

Regular Exercise
A healthy lifestyle should embrace regular exercise. It may reduce hot flashes. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, climbing stairs, and resistance exercises such as lifting weights help strengthen bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis.

Stress Management
Stress management may help ease tension, anxiety, and possibly other menopausal symptoms. Deep breathing, massage, warm baths, and quiet music are relaxation techniques that may lessen stress.

Over-the-Counter Medications
Moisturizers and lubricants are used to help vaginal dryness.

Non-hormonal Medications
Certain blood pressure medicines (like "Catapres" and "Aldomet") taken in lower doses than are used to treat high blood pressure have been somewhat helpful in relieving some menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes.

SSRI medications (serotonin reuptake inhibitors like "Prozac", "Paxil", and "Effexor") have shown a modest benefit on hot flash severity scores. These medications should not be used if you are taking tamoxifen to reduce risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Prevention
Menopause does not need to be prevented. It is a natural biological event.
If you smoke, quitting could slightly delay the onset of menopause.

Do you realize you are what you eat?

Each time you sit down to a meal you are making a life – death decision. Does that sound scary? I hope it does because whatever you are eating determines whether you will be healthy or unhealthy. This has been proven over and over again that you are what you eat. Now granted you may eat some things periodically that are not good for you but it's not wise to continue to do so day after day.

I've heard some of my friend's say. " I eat whatever I want, If I can't eat what I want I just as soon die." Well some of them have died and others have some serious illnesses or diseases. So I believe this is a very foolish thing to say. Why would anyone want to subject their bodies to foods that cause discomfort and health problems?

It's really amazing how many natural things are available to help us be healthy and keep us healthy. Yet this information is not widely known by the general public. Most doctors don't tell you. The drug companies sure won't tell you. You very seldom ever hear it or read it in the press either

I never became as conscious of my health or my wife's health until she was diagnosed with breast cancer about four years ago. Even though we believed we were eating healthy we didn't realize that some foods we were eating were not very healthy to eat. That's when I met a naturopathic doctor and got more advice. I even started doing some research on my own too.

Wow! Did I get a terrific education on health matters. Since then I have kept up my research and education even more intensively now. I learned that food can be your "Miracle Medicine" More than 9,000 scientific studies have proven beyond doubt that food is your best medicine.

I know you have heard the famous saying, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" I never knew how true this was until I started my research. Apples have been proven to be potent weapons against cancer, heart disease, asthma, and type 2 diabetes.

Strawberries and raspberries contain a compound called ellagic acid. One of the best cancer fighters Mother Nature ever created. When eating these fruits this compound enters the bloodstream to help vanquish cancer cells on contact. By eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or eating pears you can regulate your cholesterol. They can help keep your LDL (bad) cholesterol below 130 and HDL (good) cholesterol above 65.

It's also helpful to consume foods that contain soluble (dissolves in liquids) fiber, such as beans, barley, oats, peas, apples, oranges and pears. Soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines into the bloodstream.

There is virtually a cure or prevention for every disease or illness. So for anyone who has not learned the benefits of healthful eating let me encouraged you to start your own education on the subject today. You can find a lot of good information on the Internet. There are also health newsletters you can subscribe to. And many books on all kinds of health issues are widely available today.

It's sad that most people are not getting honest answers about their health. It's sad people are swallowing large amounts of worthless prescription drugs that are sometimes causing more serious ailments then before they ever started taking them in the first place.

So I guess the only thing to do is to keep preaching good health ideas to people I know and meet. I'll also continue spreading healthy information in my bimonthly newsletter and the articles I write and submit to directories. Hopefully someday if there are enough of us preaching healthy information wherever we can we will eventually convince people that they truly are what they eat.

My Atkins Diet Story

Do You Want To Lose Extra Weight? Try Atkins Diet!

The Atkins Diet, created by Dr. Robert Atkins, is based on the theory that consuming too much carbohydrates, especially the refined carbs as those found in white bread, sugar and high-fructose corn syrups, is responsible for the high incidence of obesity-causing metabolic disorders amongst the Western population - and lifestyles based on too little physical activity only adding to the problem of obesity and diabetes.

The other unique feature of Atkins Diet is that saturated fats are not considered the main nutritional culprits - it is the trans-fats found in hydrogenated oils that need to be shunned along with carbohydrates. Thus, Atkins Diet is one that is drastically restricted in carbohydrates and is relatively rich in proteins and saturated fats.

Dr. Robert Atkins formulated the Atkins 's Diet sometime in the sixties. The inspiration was an article featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Atkins adapted these ideas to formulate a diet and tried it on himself, and the results were startling. He treated thousands of overweight patients and expounded his diet in a series of books. The rest is history.

The logic behind Atkins 's Diet is quite simple: your body fulfills a major part of its energy requirements by burning carbs as fuel. And so, if you deprive it of carbs by substituting them with proteins and fats in your diet, the body would run out of fuel and, therefore, be forced into fat-burning mode (ketosis).

All the energy requirements of the body would then be met with by burning the stored body fat, leading to rapid fat loss and weight loss. When the body is in the state of ketosis, one also tends to feel less hungry and so consumes less calories than what one would normally do.

There are four phases in Atkins Diet: (1) Induction, (2) Ongoing weight loss, (3) Pre-maintenance and (4) Lifetime maintenance.

The Induction phase is the most restrictive phase, with the allowed intake of carbohydrates being restricted to a meager 20 net grams/day. This is required in order to push the body into a state of ketosis. A multivitamin supplement is highly recommended during this initial phase.

In the following phases the intake of carbohydrates is then gradually increased (up to a reasonable amount, though still far lesser than the average carbohydrate consumption), but sooner or later the body gets have used to a low-carbs diet.

Foods Recommended in Atkins Diet

1. High-protein foods such as meat, fish and eggs are a must. However, they must not be breaded, nor should they be consumed along with sauces, which are high in carbohydrates.
2. Low-carb vegetables/fruits are fine too. Some examples of such vegetables are spinach, herbs, celery, radish, sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower and Avocado. For a comprehensive list of low-carb veggies/fruits, you can always run a check on the Internet.
3. Cheese - all kinds of cheese can make a part of Atkins Diet. Butter is good too, but you shouldn't go overboard.
4. Olive oil is the preferred choice amongst cooking oils. Trans-fats have to be strictly avoided. But nuts are great.
5. As far as drinks go, Atkins Diet recommends 8 glasses of water a day. Drinks with sugar content are a big no-no - and that includes sugared tea and coffee. Diet sodas are okay though.
6. Psyllium comes highly recommended, as it is rich in fiber.
7. Sugar is out, while sugar substitutes are okay - but must be taken in limited amounts.

Many people follow the Atkins Diet and many results that have been published in esteemed review journals have spoken in favor of this diet, as they haven't observed any serious side effects. But some controversies and questions still remain, e.g., whether it would be suitable for people having kidney problems. So, before latching on to Atkins Diet diet, it is best to consult your doctor first.

Using Health Vitamin As An Alternative For Children's Well Being

Children are not known for their love of healthy eating, and this is where a health vitamin comes in handy. Try as we might to make sure they're getting enough fruits and vegetables in their diets to keep them topped up with all of the key vitamins, it can be a constant battle.

If your kids look at vegetables like some kind of evil presence, you may need to find other ways to make sure that they are getting the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy and develop normally. For many parents, the easiest way to do this is with a health vitamin supplement.

The market is packed with health vitamin options. Some are better than others depending on your child's age and diet. For infants, the only realistic option is a liquid vitamin mixture.

Babies can hardly by expected to swallow a pill and aren't likely to do much better with a chewable until they have all of their teeth. Liquid vitamins don't keep their potency for long after the packaging is opened, so keep them in the refrigerator and don't hold on to them past their expiry dates.

Young children can be enticed to take their vitamins in a variety of ways. Many companies make chewable tablets which look and taste a lot like candy. Popular characters from the Flintstones to Bugs Bunny or even Pokemon give the vitamins a kid-friendly look. Getting to choose from a range of characters can actually make your child excited about taking a health vitamin.

The sweet taste makes these go down a treat, but be sure that your children understand that the vitamins are not actually candy and they shouldn't ever have more than one per day. (If your vitamins seem to be disappearing too quickly, keep them out of reach with your other medications so that the kids can't help themselves to extras.)

If you don't want to give your kids a sugary children's supplement, or would prefer not to spend the extra money on them, you can use the non-chewable adult tablets. Adult health vitamin pills can be split in half to provide a lower dose.

If your child is too young to swallow a vitamin whole, try grinding it into a powder and mixing it with some applesauce or honey to disguise the taste. Some parents find that mixing the ground vitamin tablet into a glass of fruit juice does the trick.

Once your child is old enough to start learning to swallow pills, you may find that you need to provide a bit of incentive. The first few tries to introduce a health vitamin this way are likely to lead to some bitter experiences!

A small, cash reward for a successful attempt is one way to motivate your kids to keep trying. Another is to offer something sweet, like honey, after the pill has been swallowed. This will get rid of any lingering aftertaste from the pill.

Getting kids to eat right is a challenge for most parents. But a simple multivitamin can provide the peace of mind that your children are getting the nutrients they need. Getting them to take a vitamin supplement using any of these easy methods gives you one less struggle in your day

What Are The Causes Of Childhood Obesity

Today, the rise in childhood obesity has several causes. The main cause of obesity is certainly children eat too much and/or not perform regular exercise or being generally inactive. The extra calories that are not able to burn up through exercises or physical activities will translate into fat, and when this fat becomes excessive and more, one will become obese. This difference results in weight gain and will vary from children to children that was due to few factors such as genes, health issues, physical inactivity as well as psychological issues also contribute to weight gain and may be what the causes of obesity are. Even though the main cause of obesity is underlying disorders, nevertheless, it is also closely related to people lifestyles as well.

Poor eating habits and food choices

Today, the way we prepare food and the no of time per day is totally different as compare with our ancestors did in the old time. During the old time, everything need to be cooked from scratch, but now with the help from modern equipments, the time and effort to prepare food became simple and faster. This is one of the reasons why now fast food restaurants dominate our diets.

By study how the children eat today; you will know what the main cause of childhood obesity is. Small changes in their daily diets can have large help enabling you to prevent childhood obesity. The best healthy choices of food include vegetables and fruits instead of sugary snacks. The most popular choices include carrot and bananas, celery sticks, apples and even salads that include a large variety of vegetables. By helping children understand and choosing the correct and better foods during the childhood time, definitely will ensure that they make the correct choices as they move into adulthood.

Bad behavior is also one of the causes. This group of children eats food that is low in nutrition and high in fat. This group of children eats fast food meals, rich desserts and drinks with a lot of sugar. They also usually overeaten, and the food that they consume has many empty calories. In other words, the food that they eat does not provide enough nutrition for a children needs. This same group of children eats lots of sweets food which in general have empty calories.

Lack of Exercise

Lack of regular exercise is a factor that has contributed to this being one of the causes of childhood obesity. Children who spend a lot of time watching TV programs will have a greater risk of child obesity than those who go outside playing or sporting. This is typically true when the children are eating fast food while watching television or playing video games.

In the pass, children like to play sports more often, enjoy outside activities as forms of entertainment and walk to school. But now a day, children are completely opposite from the pass. The sports our children like to do these days include watching television, playing computer game, surfing internet, chatting, and any game they choose while exercising only their mind, head and hands only. When you combine the poor choices in food and the lack of exercising, there is a high chance that childhood obesity will end up lead to disease.

Genetics

Genetics and DNA have been found to be a contributing factor in the causes of childhood obesity. Unfortunately, some children are naturally predisposed to obesity. These children are born with genes that cause them to put on weight more quickly than other children. The children with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not much that these children can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity.

Children parents can also aid in determining your chances of dealing with childhood obesity. If children parents had a problem with overweight, chances are the children will deal with the same issues. This makes it very important that you keep an eye on your children and their action and habits. Our DNA can not be changed. We can do some small changes in other areas that can make a great deal of improve on your child obesity. Some small changes, such as walking to school, playing outdoor games rather than letting children stay at home and avoid exercise. The simple and regular exercise can help your children avoid childhood obesity.

Psychological issues and Stress

Some study say that about 10% of people that are mildly obese was cause by psychological or stress problems. Some children have a difficult time dealing with stress so they use food as a comfort when they feel, and many children are prone to eating in response to negative emotions like being bored, feeling anxious or being angry.

Each child has to contend with different factors in their lives. The causes of obesity are can also be viewed as being weakness, a lack of willpower or a lifestyle choice of overeating and not exercising enough.

Environments

The environment too plays a role in the causes of obesity. The family home is an important place to learn about proper nutrition and enough physical activity. Attitudes, Habits, and beliefs about food selection and how to spend family leisure time are critical factors to forming a healthy relationship with food. Children spend a lot of time in school, their food choices at school become important and it was influenced by the school eating environment.

Modern lifestyles have improved our quality of life but also contribute greatly to physical inactivity. Cars are used for short trips, and the number of walking trips the average American children takes each year have decreased. Today only about 10% of public school students walk to school compared to the large no of student a generation ago.

Why Do Children Need Chiropractic Care?

Let me start with the facts. These “facts” are not just hypothetical ideas. They are actual statistics and actual studies that show that chiropractic care for children is not only safe, it is vital. Take these figures into account:

- A study done by Abraham Towbin, M.D., an expert in pathology, shows that“Spinal cord and brain stem injuries occur often during the process of birth but frequently escape diagnosis." (Towbin, A., "Latent Spinal Cord and brain Stem Injury in Newborn Infants", Develp Med. Child. Neurol, 11:54-68,1969) This often leads to something known as Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome, a primary cause of upper respiratory infections including ear infections and chronic tonsillitis. (Gutman, G., "Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome In Infants and Small Children", Manuelle Medizin, 1987)

- A study in which Blocked Atlantal Nerve Syndrome was corrected with chiropractic care showed that 40 out of 43 children studied who were suffering from ear infections improved with chiropractic care alone within two weeks of being adjusted. (Froehle, R.M., J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1996 Mar-Apr;19(3):169-77)

- A study by J.E. Upledger showed a definite and significant relationship between restrictions in movement of the upper neck area of the spine and children with learning disabilities. (Upledger, J.E., J Am Osteopath Assoc, 1978 Jun;77(10):760-76)

What we have going on here is a high prevalence of something known as “birth trauma” that is causing children to suffer as they grow. When bones misalign they press on nerves. When this happens, the whole body suffers as a result. These misalignments are known as “subluxations.” So the question is what type of healthcare practitioner is trained and qualified to diagnose and correct such a condition? Only a Doctor of Chiropractic can do this, particularly one who has specialized training in the care of pediatric patients.

Birth trauma causes DIRECT impingement on the tiny nerves of a child. However, there are two other major reasons why subluxations may occur indirectly: mental stress and toxic stress. While mental stress may not be so prevalent in childhood years, toxic stress is, particularly because many vaccinations contain compounds such as thimerosal and formaldehyde as preservatives. A child’s immune system isn’t even fully developed until after the age of two years. Thus, vaccinating a child before the immune system is even capable of handling such an antigen can impair the immune system’s response at a later time. This is why many children still may develop a disease even though they have been vaccinated against it.

I am often asked by mothers-to-be what is the safest way to give birth in order to minimize the occurrence of birth trauma. They are pleased to learn that the upright or squatting positions are not only easier on the baby, but they are much more comfortable on mom as well. The baby has the benefit of having a gravity-assisted birth that minimizes the amount of force being placed on the baby’s head and neck. Mom doesn’t feel as much pain because the baby is not pressing down on the sacral plexus of nerves as it usually is in the typical “lithotomy” position (mom lying flat on her back with legs up in stirrups). These safer, less painful positions minimize the chance that both mom and her baby will suffer from a subluxation.

Children who receive regular chiropractic care do indeed live healthier lives. While I was a chiropractic intern at Life University in Marietta, GA, I met many people my own age who have never been sick in their life. They said that the key to their abounding level of wellness was that they have never received a vaccination and they’ve been receiving chiropractic care since the day they were born. I have seen for myself how much happier and vibrant children who receive chiropractic care are. It is so heartwarming to see children who no longer have to take medications such as Ritalin, asthma medications, or antibiotics because they started receiving chiropractic care instead. Seeing a child who was once sickly be able to laugh and play with other kids in an optimal state of wellness gives me the greatest joy.

Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity: Physical Effects

Obesity can be a problem as early as kindergarten for some children. Children who suffer from obesity will most likely endure a lifelong struggle with physical and emotional consequences.

Physical effects of obesity in children include difficulty keeping up with physical activities, problems sleeping, and trouble with breathing. Not only are obese children more often affected by asthma, they also have problems with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is being recognized with more frequency as the incidence of pediatric obesity rises. Clinically significant effects on learning and memory function have been documented in children with obstructive sleep apnea as a consequence of obesity. (Must, Aviva, Ph.D., ET AL, 2003 "Effects of Obesity on Morbidity in Children and Adolescents" Nutrition in Clinical Care, p. 8).

Childhood obesity clearly impacts the health of the growing child. Furthermore, it is considered an important disease because of its link to long-term health problems including type II diabetes, hypertension, some forms of cancer, lack of energy and asthma. The incidence of type II diabetes in children is expected to grow in parallel with the rise in obesity. Onset diabetes in childhood is a predictor of early onset of diabetes complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and amputations (Must, p. 131). Approximately 60% of overweight five to ten year old children experience at least one associated biochemical or clinical cardiovascular risk factor, such as hyperlipidemia, elevated blood pressure, or increased insulin levels, and 25% have two or more (Koplan, JP, Deitz WH., "Calorie Imbalance and Public Health Policy" The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1999. p 1579).

Children from lower income families are at a greater disadvantage because the majority of this population resides in neighborhoods with intimidating playgrounds. Concerned with street safety, children are often kept inside by parents and they tend to spend more time in front of the television or playing video games.

Playgrounds in lower income neighborhoods tend to be filthy, with broken bottles, trash and graffiti covering the park. Although the playground has basketball courts, swings and jungle gyms, they are generally not child friendly. The parks are usually populated with young adults hanging out, intimidating the younger children. This is not a safe environment for children to play in and not one in which children could safely play unsupervised.

Schools are contributing to childhood obesity by failing to make physical education an important part of the curriculum. Children don't get enough exercise at school. Time allotted for gym is inadequate and infrequent. Teachers can try to compensate by providing their classes with additional outside play time. The physical education program is extremely vital and deserving of more attention.

Implementation of after school programs that emphasize physical activities such as kickball and basketball should be a priority. There is a need for an after school athletic program at the elementary level to augment the physical education program and provide a safe, healthy environment for lower income children as well. This would be a benefit for children as well as parents, and an important factor in reducing obesity in children.

Helping Children With Obesity Problems

Obesity in school aged kids is out of control. It is the parent responsibility to establish limits and control the amount of food the child eat, children lack this ability.

Here are some tips that will help you keep track of your child's food and eating regimen and help him fight childhood obesity. By eating poorly and not having good eating habits will effect the eating habits of your child and will lead to being lazy and becoming heavier and unhealthy. Your entire family will benefit from eating healthy eating and physical activity. As a parent you need to take a role in trying to create good habits and help your children establish healthy eating and exercising rituals, this will help in the long run.

Child obesity has lead to a number of other health related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease from the combination of improper nutrition and lack of exercise. For the sake of her child's health both as a child and throughout his or her life, breastfeeding is the very best possible thing you can do when your child is young. A recent study in obesity suggests that children who are breastfed by their mothers during the first year of life are less likely to develop obesity as they get older.

If you are concerned about your child possibly being overweight then you need to decide whether the excess weight is part of a growth pattern that may change over time or whether there is a weight problem. Forget all the drugs and diets, feed your children healthy food and monitor what they eat, this will help your child in the long run.

It is important as parents that we take more responsibility to ensure healthy living for our children and to ensure they eat enough so they are healthy and they grow up eating healthy foods, we must understand what is healthy weight and what is weight that is leading to becoming obese. Yes they need to eat enough to be healthy and to grow properly, but we must know where to draw the line between what is a healthy weight and what is excessive weight. As parents, we can not take the stand that it is healthy for our children to be round and plump.

One reason: children have increased the amount of calories they eat each day by as many as 300. Did you know that more than 60% of American youth eat too many fatty foods, and less than 20% eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. A journal is just a tool for you to help your child eat better.

Many of the foods children are eating today are fried or fast food type. To keep your children healthy and at an acceptable weight make the meals yourself so you know what you are putting into the food, you are able to control the portions of food and include healthy types of food like vegetables, fruit and many other types of food.

Children and Cholesterol

Many people assume that high cholesterol is a problem that affects middle-aged adults only. In fact, many people don't even worry about their cholesterol when they are younger, eating all the fatty convenience foods they want, assuming that their early diet makes no difference.

Nothing could be further from the truth. More children today suffer from high cholesterol. In fact, the numbers of children who are taking cholesterol drugs is on the rise! Some studies have suggested that a childhood of poor eating choices can contribute to higher cholesterol later in life.

Besides this, many of the eating habits learned in childhood affects eating in adulthood. Children who are used to eating high-fat foods and convenience foods are more likely to make the same choices as adults. Switching to healthy foods in adulthood may be harder for children who have made less-than-heart-healthy food choices all their lives.

For all these reasons, controlling food intake and lifestyle choices even in early life can contribute to life-long heart health and good cholesterol levels.

If you have children, you can help ensure that they make the right food choices that can help them with their cholesterol levels now and later in life.

In fact, if you and other members of your family have high cholesterol, you need to introduce your children to cholesterol-healthy eating, as your children may be at an increased risk of developing high cholesterol themselves.

Luckily, it is not that hard to teach your children how to make smart food and lifestyle choices that are heart-healthy:

* Teach your children about healthy eating and cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol yourself, you may want to speak to your children about this. Informed children are better able to make smart food choices that can help keep their cholesterol levels healthy later in life.

* Let children make healthy food choices for themselves. Give your children some say about the fruits, vegetables and other foods that they like. Go through heart-healthy cookbooks with your children and let them help you decide what recipes to try.

* Be careful of the food and cholesterol attitudes you convey to your children. Children pick up emotional cues from their parents. If you treat a cholesterol-friendly diet as a type of punishment, your children will likely see it the same way.

If your children see you turn to fatty junk food when you are depressed or feeling stressed, they will likely do the same thing. Many parents are fussy eaters and pass this on to their children, which is a terrible disservice. Fussy eaters will simply not try the different healthy foods out there simply because the foods are different.

* Do not reward children with food. If your child does well at a sport or gets great grades in school, do not take them to a restaurant or for take-out to celebrate.

Give them horseback riding lessons or let them choose a toy or favorite activity instead. Many parents are tempted to keep sweet foods such as cupcakes and cakes for "special occasions" and "special treats" but this inadvertently makes children associate sugary foods with good times and vegetables with punishment or everyday life.

* Take your children food shopping - especially when you are shopping for fresh produce. Let your children choose which vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods they would like. Encourage your children to decide which fruits and vegetables look as though they might be tasty. Treat your produce shopping trip as an adventure and your children may be more likely to eat their fruits and vegetables without a fuss.

* Monitor what your children eat. As a parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your children eat three meals a day that include foods that are low in fats and high in nutrients. Reduce the amount of sugars and fats your children eat and limit how much junk food is allowed.

* Become involved in your child's school lunch program or cafeteria. Many schools offer less than healthy school lunches as well as vending machines full of sugary foods. At a number of schools, though, parents have banded together to force school boards to provide better foods choices for students. Use this as your inspiration to make sure that your child can make healthy foods choices in school.

* If you are worried about what your children eat, consider taking them to a nutritionist who can help teach them what they should be eating.

* Even if your child has elevated cholesterol levels, realize that growing children still need more fats and nutrients than adults. Never simply place your child on a very low-fat diet - consult with a pediatrician to find a diet plan that can help your child grow while keeping cholesterol under control. A too-low-fat diet may affect childhood development.

* Teach your children about the dangers of smoking. Smoking is a risk factor for cancers, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

* Get your children to exercise. Virtually all health experts agree that North American children do not exercise enough. This has disastrous effects on cholesterol levels and overall health. One of the best things you can do to keep your children away from the dangers of high cholesterol is to get them to exercise at least a little each day. Find an activity they enjoy and encourage them in their activity.

* If your child smokes, is overweight, or has at least one parent who has a cholesterol level of more than 240mg/dl, your child is at an increased risk of high cholesterol - even at an early age. Take you child to the doctor - especially if your child has more than one of the risk factors - for a complete check-up and cholesterol check.

Helping Children With Obesity Problems

Obesity in school aged kids is out of control. It is the parent responsibility to establish limits and control the amount of food the child eat, children lack this ability.

Here are some tips that will help you keep track of your child's food and eating regimen and help him fight childhood obesity. By eating poorly and not having good eating habits will effect the eating habits of your child and will lead to being lazy and becoming heavier and unhealthy. Your entire family will benefit from eating healthy eating and physical activity. As a parent you need to take a role in trying to create good habits and help your children establish healthy eating and exercising rituals, this will help in the long run.

Child obesity has lead to a number of other health related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease from the combination of improper nutrition and lack of exercise. For the sake of her child's health both as a child and throughout his or her life, breastfeeding is the very best possible thing you can do when your child is young. A recent study in obesity suggests that children who are breastfed by their mothers during the first year of life are less likely to develop obesity as they get older.

If you are concerned about your child possibly being overweight then you need to decide whether the excess weight is part of a growth pattern that may change over time or whether there is a weight problem. Forget all the drugs and diets, feed your children healthy food and monitor what they eat, this will help your child in the long run.

It is important as parents that we take more responsibility to ensure healthy living for our children and to ensure they eat enough so they are healthy and they grow up eating healthy foods, we must understand what is healthy weight and what is weight that is leading to becoming obese. Yes they need to eat enough to be healthy and to grow properly, but we must know where to draw the line between what is a healthy weight and what is excessive weight. As parents, we can not take the stand that it is healthy for our children to be round and plump.

One reason: children have increased the amount of calories they eat each day by as many as 300. Did you know that more than 60% of American youth eat too many fatty foods, and less than 20% eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. A journal is just a tool for you to help your child eat better.

Many of the foods children are eating today are fried or fast food type. To keep your children healthy and at an acceptable weight make the meals yourself so you know what you are putting into the food, you are able to control the portions of food and include healthy types of food like vegetables, fruit and many other types of food.

Childrens Mental Health Anxiety

It can be difficult to diagnose a mental health or anxiety problem in a child, simply because their changing moods and behaviour can often be attributed to a normal part of the growing up process, however, there are certain signs and symptoms that might indicate a child is suffering more than what would be considered normal and they may need some sort of help to get back to their old self again.

It is perfectly natural for a child to feel anxious at times, for example, when facing exams or particularly difficult situations, but when the anxiety is persistent and severe enough to affect the childs day to day life and normal routines then the child could be suffering from an underlying mental health problem that requires some kind of intervention.

What to look out for

Recognising the symptoms of persistent anxiety and mental distress and doing something about it is vital if the child is to get the kind of help he or she needs. Some signs and symptoms to look out for that could indicate the onset of an anxiety or depression related disorder include the following:

Feelings of sadness, despair and hopelessness
Often fearful and scared for no particular reason
Unable to think clearly or make decisions, confusion
Showing signs of extreme anger and hostility towards others
Feeling guilty and worthy of blame and punishment
Thinking they are unloved and unlovable
Appearing anxious, fidgety, and irritable a lot of the time
Seeming to be tired all the time
Sleeping too much or not sleeping at all
Holding strange beliefs or displaying unusual or compulsive behaviours
Disinterested in activities they used to enjoy
Thinking or talking about death and suicide

It is of course perfectly normal for a child to experience one or more of these symptoms in a mild form from time to time, however, in mental illness the symptoms can become so severe and so overwhelming for the child to the extent that they may feel unable to cope with their lives. If excessive anxiety and/or other symptoms appear to be interfering with your childs ability to carry out their day to day routines and other normal activities then you should speak to your doctor.

For example, as well as some of the symptoms already listed, a child may start refusing to go to school, or get up in the morning or go to bed at night. They may say they dont want to attend weekly clubs and activities they used to frequent, or they may not wish to see their friends anymore. They can fall behind with schoolwork, become violent and display other unsociable and or strange behaviours; they may also hold unusual beliefs, feel paranoid or in severe cases may suffer from hallucinations and or delusions.

These are just a few of the ways that mental illness can manifest itself in the behaviour of a child who is suffering mental distress and anxiety, the important thing is to understand that the child is really in need of proper treatment, understanding and support as they cant help their actions.

Mental illness affects how we think, feel and understand ourselves and how we fit into the world around us, as such it can alter a childs behaviour and damage their relationships and their education. It wont just go away and without help, the child can suffer needlessly for months or years as well as increasing the risk of attempted suicide or even death.

So what causes mental illness in children?

There is no single identifiable reason why a child becomes overly anxious or develops a mental health problem but there are some factors that appear to increase the risk of suffering from some form of mental health problem.

Genetics , mental illness can be handed down in the genes so if there is a history of mental illness in the family then there is an increased risk of a child suffering from mental illness too

Stress , sometimes if there are other events going on in their lives, for example, divorce, physical illness, death of a loved one, money problems, bullying at school etc. then the stress can become too much to cope with and can trigger a mental illness

Diet, research indicates that if the diet is too rich in Omega 6 and there is not enough Omega 3 in the form of oily fish or fish oil then the imbalance of fatty acids in the brain can influence brain function and increase the risk of depression, ADHD, and other mood and behaviour disorders

Environment , abuse, neglect and feeling unloved and uncared for can lead to anxiety and mental distress

Conclusion

If your child is displaying signs of anxiety or mental illness, talk to your child and encourage them to explore their feelings and of course, speak to your doctor in order to obtain a correct diagnoses and possible treatment options as it is vital that these symptoms are addressed. With proper help and support, most children will go on to make a full recovery and will be able to enjoy their lives once again.

Take Vitamin B12 To Protect Your Heart

The entire complex of B vitamins is essential for health, and they're known as the B complex for the very good reason that they interact closely together in the performance of all their vital functions. All the vitamins of the complex are usually found together in food, and since all are water soluble, they may also be excreted together from the body. A deficiency in one of the complex is therefore usually accompanied by a corresponding deficiency in each of the others.

That said, there are particular deficiency characteristics which can be identified for each B vitamin.

Vitamin B12 (sometimes known as cobalamin because of the cobalt ion in its composition) is one of the most important of the complex, and also one of those in which deficiencies are most likely. These deficiencies are largely attributable to difficulties in absorption of the vitamin, which are a particular problem for the elderly.

Vitamin B12 is required for the body's manufacture of the essential amino acid, methionine, and the associated enzyme, methionine synthase. An inadequate supply of this enzyme may lead to an excess of homocysteine, a naturally occurring protein within the body, which has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. At least 80 separate studies have noted this association and it seems that the increase in risk is not negligible. In fact a large study in Europe in 1997 found that people with blood homocysteine levels in the top 20% of the range faced a more than doubled risk of cardiovascular disease.

Whilst elevated homocysteine levels are strongly associated with a deficiency of vitamin B12, deficiencies of vitamins within the B complex are seldom if ever found in isolation, and are therefore seldom remedied by single vitamin supplementation. It is not just vitamin B12, but vitamins B6 and folic acid, for example, that have been found to be associated with excess homocysteine, and which should therefore always be taken together, preferably as part of a supplement containing the whole B complex.

Given that elevated homocysteine levels are accepted as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and that supplementation with the vitamins mentioned above is known to reduce homocysteine levels, you might think it only commonsense to suppose that an adequate intake of these vitamins, including B12, would be a protector against cardiovascular disease. And there are many nutritionists, of course, who strongly agree with this apparently logical position. Perhaps surprisingly, then, conventional medicine remains reluctant to accept it pending the outcome of further large scale placebo trials.

Science must have its definitive answer no doubt, and it is a quest which must be respected, but in this case, given the relatively small amounts of these vitamins required by the body, and the absence of any reported toxicity or adverse side effects, it might be wondered whether from the point of view of the seeker after health, particularly those no longer in the first flush of youth, it is really worth running the risk of a deficiency.

And even orthodox opinion recognises that the risk is real, even though it is unlikely to be caused by an inadequate dietary supply. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is only 2.4 mcg a day, an amount which should be readily obtainable, except perhaps for those following a strict vegetarian regime, given that a single 3 oz serving of fish or red meat may provide this quantity. For those with a taste for it, sea food may provide a great deal more, and chicken, turkey, eggs, milk and cheese are also useful, though less lavish, sources.

Deficiencies may well result, however, from problems with the absorption of the vitamin, particularly in older people, and it has been estimated that deficiency may affect 10% -15% of individuals over the age of 60.

This is because good absorption of vitamin B12 from food is heavily dependent on the normal stomach acid and digestive enzymes, the quantity and effectiveness of which decreases substantially as the body ages, and on the presence in the stomach of a specialised protein known as Intrinsic Factor. The correct action of Intrinsic Factor requires the presence of adequate calcium in the body, another nutrient in which the elderly, of course, are notoriously likely to be deficient.

Absorption of B12 from supplements is much less problematic, however, because stomach acid and digestive enzymes are not required to release the vitamin from its protein bindings. So this is a rare case in which even conventional medical "wisdom" recognises the value of supplementation, at any rate for the over 50s.

But given that sub-optimal levels of vitamin B12, if not outright deficiencies, are commonly found even in younger individuals, and that cardiovascular disease is a problem which may develop insidiously and without symptoms over many years, there would seem to be strong arguments for supplementation even amongst the wider population

Three easy ways to lose weight!

I know, as soon as you saw the words "easy" and "lose weight" in the headline, you were ready to write this off as another one of those gimmicks or programs sound too good to be true and usually are. But bear with me and you'll learn 3 strategies that I guarantee will help you in your weight loss efforts.

You've probably been conditioned to believe that weight loss had to be tied to countless hours at the gym, the latest supplement breakthroughs or eating nothing but celery stalks and tofu. Fortunately, dropping a couple dress sizes doesn't take anything that drastic. What it does take is making some small changes in the behaviors that led to the addition of those unwanted pounds. Here are 3 lifestyle changes that will immediately help you lose that unwanted fat and get your body back.

1. Stop Eating Out. Think back to when you were growing up. Do you remember what the dinner plates looked like? Now compare that to what the "plates" look like at O'Charleys, Applebees or any of the other chain restaurants. It's no wonder we're gaining weight. There are dozens of studies about eating out and they all lead to one conclusion: if you eat out, you overeat! Not only is it almost impossible to exercise effective portion control when you eat out, but you're also compelled to get you money's worth so you eat everything you're served rather than stopping when you should.

The bottom line is that those who eat out consume more calories than those that don't. Take a break from eating out for the next six weeks and see how easily you can drop a dress size or even two. And you can use the money you saved eating at home to buy a couple of new outfits to showcase your improved body.

2. Eat Smaller Portions. You don't have to avoid the foods that you enjoy – you just can't eat big servings of them. An easy way to do this is to use smaller plates for your meals. This will help you fell like you're not depriving yourself while still exercising good judgment. And don't think that just because something is on your plate, you have to eat it. As opposed to what your mother told you, you don't have to ‘clean your plate.' In fact - you shouldn't. Eat slowly and stop when you aren't hungry any more. You'll quickly find that you can enjoy your favorite foods and your skinny jeans at the same time.

3. Make Better Choices. I know I just said that you can eat the foods you enjoy and still lose weight, but that doesn't mean overindulging on processed foods, candy, sodas and chips. The key is moderation. So when you go to the supermarket, do the bulk of your shopping around the perimeter of the store and spend less time in the isles. When you're at work, keep health snacks handy so you don't have to rely on the company's vending machine for your energy boost. But most importantly, make good choices with the meals that don't really matter. Your quality of life won't dramatically improve if you choose a cheeseburger over a grilled chicken salad for lunch, so don't do it. Save the times when you are going to choose foods that might be considered unsupportive for the meals that you really look forward to. Improving your choices will accelerate your weight loss and help you save unnecessary calories without really trying.

Obviously, there is nothing magic about any of these three strategies other than the results that they produce. So start applying these three simple ideas and prepare to get your body back

5 Strategies For Successful Teen Weight Loss

Adolescent obesity has skyrocketed in recent years. During the 1980s, adolescent obesity rates hung at around 5%, but today they are close to 15%, according to the National Center of Health Statistics. This 10% increase can be linked to a number of developments in the past two decades, such as more television and less healthy foods, but something can be done about this as well. Teen weight loss can happen, with focused commitment, the right kind of natural weight loss supplements and family help and support.

For many teenagers, physical appearance is a vital attribute. More importantly, however, obesity during the teenage years can lead to obesity as an adult, and continuing health problems as a result of being overweight. Heart problems, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea are all products of obesity, and are no way to live a healthy life. Take a look at these five strategies, though, and a healthier life begins to become clear:

1.) Family Encouragement - A family can play a crucial role in helping a teenager lose weight. Frequently, an overweight teen feels shut out from the world of their peers due to their appearance, as well as the inability to participate in physical activities. Because of this, a supportive and encouraging home is indispensable, and can go a very long way in helping a teen deal with issues of weight loss. Parents should let their teenager know that they are loved, despite whatever they may feel about their physical appearance, and that their efforts to lose weight are believed in. If a teen wants to talk about any problems they are encountering, let them - it can only help.

2.) Turn Off the TV - Inactivity is one of the primary causes of obesity, and the television is one of the primary causes of inactivity. Eliminating television is likely too severe a measure, but limiting its use during the day could encourage other activities that are more healthy. Help come up with fun physical activities, such as sports like fishing, spending time in the outdoors, or just going for a walk.

3.) Forget About Sugary Soft Drinks - All those name-brand sodas, in addition to being highly popularized, are full of chemicals and sugar. Put simply, they aren't good for you. The medical journal Pediatrics recently published a study revealing that removing over-sugared soft drinks can assist in teen weight loss by cutting beverage calories by up to 80%. Try real fruit juices instead.

4.) Watch the Food - Not all food is created equal. Eating fast food and easily accessible, over-processed snack food is the surest way to an unhealthy, and overweight, lifestyle. Stop stopping at fast food joints and think about eating something more wholesome, like a balanced meal at a restaurant or something cooked at home. For that matter, ensure a daily intake of fruits and vegetables - they provide many necessary vitamins and nutrients that help burn excess calories, and maintain high energy throughout the day.

5.) Exercise Regularly - Exercise is key. If a teenager never gets to the gym or goes outside, then the hope in losing weight immediately begins to pale. Without a consistent amount of exercise, excess calories can never be burned. But ultimately, more important than any appearance or expectation, exercising helps maintain a strong and healthy body. A body without any related health issues.

Teen weight loss is a challenge, but not an impossibility. Losing weight as an adolescent may require a lifestyle change, but doing so will lead to a longer, happier life. Developing a healthy lifestyle as a teenager can only mean a healthy lifestyle as an adult.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Natural Treatments, Diet and Exercise

Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disorder and there is no cure. Once you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the goal is to treat the symptoms of the disease in order to lead as normal a life as possible. There are treatments that can help to lessen the frequency of the symptoms and treatments that can be used to alleviate the pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Once you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, you should consult your physician and devise a plan of treatment that is right for you personally.

Diet and Exercise for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Diet and exercise are essential for your overall health. A healthy diet can help you to avoid outbreaks of rheumatoid arthritis. Avoid foods such as dairy products, milk, beef, and wheat. These foods can sometimes trigger the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, the best diet is one that is low in protein and high in carbohydrates.

You should begin a regular exercise routine. It is always best to consult your physician or a professional trainer when beginning an exercise regimen. The key is to build up the muscles around your joints, which enables your muscles to help carry the load when your joints are inflamed. If the muscles around the joints are weak, this causes more pressure to be put on the joints and can result in more frequent bouts of inflammation. Work with a physical therapist or personal trainer to devise an exercise regimen that is right for you - one that helps you to strengthen the muscles and joints without over-straining.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

There are many rheumatoid arthritis treatments. Many physicians will recommend medications to treat the pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. You should discuss these medications with your physician; research the medications in order to learn of known side effects, interactions with other medications, and interactions with foods.

Some medications can hinder your ability to live a normal life. You want to learn as much as you can so that you are able to make an informed decision about the treatment that will fit your lifestyle. Some people believe the relief of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms is worth the risks involved with taking medications. Others prefer to use natural rheumatoid arthritis treatments. There are many natural treatments that have been successful in the treatment of the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Natural Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

Some natural and herbal rheumatoid arthritis treatments include the following:




Hot water - exercise the affected joints in a tub of hot water

Mangosteen - treats both inflammation and pain

Olive Oil and Kerosene - relieves inflammation of joints

Hot vinegar - use as a rub for affected joints

Comfrey - used as a salve to relieve inflammation

Sandalwood Powder Paste - make a paste and rub on affected joints to relieve inflammation

Water aerobics - helps produce endorphins in the brain that help to relieve pain

Alfalfa tea - drink twice a day

Camphor and Coconut Oil - used to massage affected joints

Valerian - a natural sedative used to relieve pain

Omega-3 fatty acids - found in foods such as fish and walnuts

Emu Oil - used to massage affected joints

Pineapple juice - drink daily to minimize the flare up of symptoms

Fruit Pectin and Cranberry Juice - drink daily

Epsom salts - soak in a tub filled with hot water (as hot as you can stand) and Epsom salts to relieve inflammation and pain

Black Sesame Seeds - soaked overnight and taken first thing in the morning



These are some of the many natural remedies that can be found to help alleviate the pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis and to avoid a flare up of the symptoms. While rheumatoid arthritis treatments are essential to help you maintain the quality of life you are accustomed to, the most important thing you can do for yourself - both before and after - is to maintain a health diet and exercise routine

Heart Disease-Ask the Holistic Doc

Folic Acid Can Be A Key Protector Against Heart Disease

The somewhat misleadingly named folic acid is in fact one of the most important of the water soluble B complex of vitamins. In the form of folates it is found naturally in the body as well as in various common foods. As folic acid it has been extensively researched and is widely available as a food supplement.

Inadequate dietary intake of folates by pregnant women has been widely publicised as a cause of serious and even fatal birth defects. Research has also suggested a strong association between folate deficiency and an increased incidence of certain of the more common cancers.

The implications of these findings will be covered in subsequent articles in this series, but this article will focus on the role of folates and folic acid in regulating blood homocysteine, excessively high levels of which have been identified as a key risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Homocysteine is a protein formed as a perfectly normal by-product of the body's digestive processes and in optimally healthy individuals it will be removed harmlessly from the body But its effective removal is heavily dependent on the presence of adequate supplies of three B complex vitamins, B6, B12 and folic acid or folates.

The build up of excess homocysteine if these vitamins are not present in sufficient quantities can have severe consequences. A large 1997 European study of young and middle aged adults showed a more than doubled risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke for individuals whose blood homocysteine levels were in the top fifth of the normal range. In fact some sources attribute as many as 10% of heart attack fatalities and an even higher proportion of stroke deaths directly to high homocysteine levels. Since these are still two of the biggest causes of premature death and disability in the affluent Western world, such figures are particularly alarming.

The link between raised homocysteine levels and Alzheimer's disease is not quite so well established, at least in the view of orthodox medicine, but a number of studies have found a clear association. It has also been observed that sufferers from this appalling disease are more likely to be deficient in both folic acid and dietary folates. Not surprisingly perhaps, given that damage to blood vessels appears to be one of the principal effects of elevated homocysteine, it has also been strongly linked with vascular dementia.

The role of folic acid and folates in lowering blood homcysteine levels is well established, with one recent study showing 60% and 90% reductions when supplement regimes of 0.2 mg and 0.4 mg respectively were followed. And given that high homocysteine levels have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as Alzheimer's and other dementias, it might be thought self-evident that supplementation should be a powerful weapon against them.

Conventional medicine, however, continues to be cautious about recognising the link. Although there is good evidence from at least one ten year study that high levels of dietary folate can reduce heart attack risk by more than 50%, there appears not be the same direct corroboration for the effects of folic acid supplementation. Somewhat bizarrely, therefore, the profession finds itself recommending supplementation for the purpose of reducing the elevated homocysteine levels known to increase the risk of disease, but declines to recommend it as a specific protector against the disease itself. Not surprisingly, nutritional therapists show no such hesitation, and many recommend supplementation at levels far in excess of the officially Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 400 mcg (0.4 mg) a day.

But whatever the benefits of high dosage supplementation, it is clear in any case that a diet rich in folates can only be of benefit to the body's general health. This is because amongst the best and most readily available sources of folates are leafy green vegetables and orange juice which also provide a plentiful supply of valuable anti-oxidants.

A single cup of spinach or asparagus, for example, may provide as much as 130 or more micrograms (mcg) of folate; a small glass of orange juice perhaps 80 mcg. Pulses such as beans and lentils are also good sources, the latter providing around 180 mcg in just half a cup, beans between 80 and 140 mcg according to type.

Best of all, however, is fortified breakfast cereal, a single cup of which may yield between 200 and 400 mcg, reflecting the FDA's insistence on the addition of folic acid to refined grain foods, including bread.

Despite this official recognition of the importance of this nutrient, the US Food and Nutrition Board nevertheless recommends that folic acid intake should be limited to 1,000 mcg (1 mg) per day. But this is not so much because of any possible ill effects of the folic acid itself, but rather because it may cure megaloblastic (commonly known as pernicious) anaemia which is one of the symptoms of an underlying deficiency of vitamin B12. If the removal of this symptom means that the deficiency is consequently undetected and left untreated, the neurological consequences may indeed be severe.

But to the educated layman the solution to this potential problem appears readily apparent. It is simply to ensure, through supplementation if necessary, that a generous intake of vitamin B12 is also obtained. This should present no difficulty if the standard recommendation never to take one of the B vitamins in isolation is followed. These vitamins should always be taken as part of a supplement containing the entire complex, and for maximum benefit should preferably be accompanied by a comprehensive multi-mineral

Menopause

Menopause and Anxiety: How to Bring Natural Relief

Even though menopause is a natural stage that happens in life of a woman, it often creates anxiety due to misunderstanding of physiological changes. Menopause and anxiety should be understood as cause and effect due to the decline of estrogen level in a woman. Thus, proper treatment for menopause can effectively bring emotional relief and eliminate depression and low-esteem in women.

Emotional Changes in Menopause

Menopause is characterized by a permanent cessation of natural menstrual cycle of a woman. The production of the estrogen hormone reduces significantly in a woman during menopause causing her ovaries to stop producing eggs. As the estrogen level drops, the blood vessels expand rapidly leading to temperature rise in the the skin. This can further cause hot flashes that can be felt around the chest, shoulders, head, and neck. The sudden spread of warmth makes the woman to sweat and feel soaked. Many women also experience raid heart beating, insomnia, irritability, and restlessness. All those feelings then create psychological symptoms that include mood swings, depression and anxiety.

Sex and Weight Gain Factors

The feeling of anxiety during menopause could also be caused by misconception of sex and weight gain. There is a myth that a woman will lose her sexual desire during menopause, but in fact the midlife years can be a great time to enhance the sexual experience as there is no restriction from having to use birth control due concerns of possible pregnancy. In the case of vaginal dryness or painful intercourse, the woman can always apply lubricants or creams. After all, sex is about emotional feeling and is free of any hormonal changes.

Another factor that often leads to anxiety during menopause is the fear of weight gain. Biologically the fall of estrogen level can slow down the metabolism, which potentially results in weight gain. Because of this, it is important for women in menopause to maintain a balanced diet. Diet should be particularly high in Calcium and Phytoestrogens, chemicals that mimic and supplement estrogen-like hormones. Phytoestrogens are useful to maintain proper bone density post menopause. These chemicals can be found in soy bean, tofu, linseed, rice, oat, and red clover.

Other Useful Things to Do

Some other things that a woman can do to reduce anxiety and depression feelings during menopause are:

Regular exercise: doing routine exercise can significantly reduce hot flashes. Mild exercises such as walking, climbing stairs, swimming or lifting weight help to strengthen the bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis.

Proper sleep: if a woman has trouble going to sleep during menopause, it will be a good choice to take a hot shower before bedtime or drink a glass of warm milk. Taking sleeping pill occasionally is also recommended, with doctor prescription.

Social activity: post menopause, some women find a new hobby like writing, gardening or pottery. Others meet old friends once a week for social. Basically, focusing on other useful things can significantly increase the quality of life post menopause.

Physiological changes in menopause are inevitable and normal. They may bring feelings of anxiety, depression, and moodiness. However, understanding on menopause treatment can greatly increase the awareness of psychological effects of it. Read an EXCLUSIVE Review
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Effective Herbal Treatments for Menopause

People today are becoming increasingly aware of how effective herbal remedies can be for various medical conditions from migraines to skin conditions. Many women have found that using an herbal remedy to deal with their menopause symptoms are a better choice than the prescription drugs a physician might offer. Women have many different choices when it comes to herbal remedies. The key is learning which ones work best and which ones provide the best relief for your personal set of symptoms.

Menopause symptoms are caused when the ovaries slow their production of various hormones including estrogen. These hormone fluctuations can wreak havoc with a woman's body. Women may experience hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, unexplained weight gain, and mood swings. Women may even experience exhaustion. It can be so difficult to contain these symptoms without allowing them to cause stress in the life.

Prescription drugs can provide some relief from these symptoms; however, there are some drawbacks to using prescriptions. Some have serious side effects that can be worse than the symptoms themselves. For example, some of the prescriptions available for hot flashes cause itchy rashes all over the body. Other prescriptions have long term health effects including devastating diseases like cancer. Treating your symptoms with a safe, natural herbal remedy is often the best way to handle menopause.

As you begin the search for the right remedy, you might be a bit surprised and overwhelmed at the number of products on the market. Choosing the right product for you can be a difficult task. There are several people you might want to talk to as you start your search.

First, consult your gynecologist. They will be able to tell you which herbal remedies are safe for you and which are not. Moreover, they can let you know which methods are working for their other patients and which have proven to be completely ineffective.

In addition to your doctor, you might talk to an herbal store consultant. They talk to a number of women who are dealing with the same symptoms that you are. As a result, they can guide you in the right direction.

One of the most popular herbs to deal with menopause symptoms is Black Cohos. This herb helps with a number of different menopause symptoms including night sweats, hot flashes, and anxiety. This herb has been extensively studied, and the studies have all pointed to its effectiveness.

Pasque Flower has also proven to be a great herbal remedy to deal with menopause symptoms by offering the same effect a mild sedative might have.

An herb combination called MellowPause might also help your symptoms. It has a soy base, and it combines the power of Black Cohosh and Pasque flower to help you fight insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes, and mood swings.

Menocore is another herbal combination that will help with the same symptoms. It contains a number of different natural herbal products.

One final product that might relieve your symptoms is Triatone. The ingredients list on this includes Black Cohos, Chasleberry, Dong Quai, Isoflavones, and Licorice Root. This product not only relieves many of your symptoms, but it also helps to give you a good sense of well being.

Makeover - HELPING WOMEN

Women Menopausal Changes

When women go through the change of life, it could bring on heart disease as well. The clotting agent fibrinogen (a soluble protein in the blood made by the liver and made insoluble because of damage tissue), increases when a woman is post-menopause; the body experiences less estrogen production and the cholesterol levels changes, thus the change of life. Estrogen is a protective factor against heart disease for women, until menopause, at which time it declines, thereby removing the protection. The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center explains the connection between women and heart disease and menopausal changes.

The amount of risk caused by each change is unknown, but in most cases there is a greater risk with each change. Heart disease is two to three times greater after menopause than before. These same risks are in women who have had a hysterectomy as well. More women over the age of sixty die of heart attacks than men; women's symptoms are different than men and are often mistaken for something less serious.

Wake Forest University-Baptist Medical Center suggests reduced levels of estrogen caused by stress increase risk of heart attacks and strokes. Stress can cause damage to arteries, thus creating problems. Heart disease includes the narrowing of the arteries that bring oxygen to the heart, inborn defects, diseases of the heart muscles and heart failure. Two hundred and fifty thousand American women die each year from this disease and, as women age the risk increases. It is the leading killer in America.

Doctors in the past, treated women with hormone replacement therapy to prevent heart disease during menopause and post-menopausal. After a study of women and heart disease it was confirmed that this therapy was not the right treatment for heart disease prevention.

A new study revealed that women taking hormone replacement therapy medication containing female hormones, commonly estrogen plus progestin (synthetic progesterone), health risks exceeded the health benefits and the study was stopped early. There were 161,809 women, ages ranging from 50-79. Breast cancer increased 26%, heart attacks increased 29%, strokes increased 41%, and blood clots increased more than 50%.

However, the study did show 34% fewer hip fractures and there were other benefits. The risk factor s outweigh the benefits. For a short-term treatment, some women may consider HRT, but it should be based on individual health history. To read the full report: Medline Plus-Encyclopedia

There are other things that will help women to adjust to menopause and have a healthy heart. They are to stop smoking, maintain the proper weight, exercise regularly, cut down on the fatty foods, keep an eye on your cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. According to The Nurses Health Study, folic acid, B-6 and B-12 played a role in reducing the risk of heart attack or death among women of heart disease when one group consumed more food and supplements than the other group.

If hormone replacement therapy is chosen, remember to eat healthy and exercise which will maintain healthy heart muscles. Be sure to have regular check-ups and call your health care provider if anything unusual occurs.

Workout

10 Smashing Tricks To Burn Yourself To A Gorgeous Body

Most folks I know start off the New Year by making resolutions to lose weight and get in shape. often, this mission is often easier said than done. Some last a little longer than others, but for most, impetus starts to fizzle soon into the next buffet engagement.

Have no fear: ten delightful tactics can empower you to motivate your self to a better body. Whether you are looking to lose a lot or just a few pounds or you want to exercise more to tone your body, you can create an action plan that can help you stay motivated.

Conviction: Conviction is the primal way for you to motivate yourself to exercise more or to stick to a diet. Faith in yourself is also known as self-efficacy and it means that once you believe that you can do something, no matter how hard, you do it. Those that have a lot of self-esteem believe that they have the power to make changes in themselves. Those without solid self-confidence will find that they will have a much more difficult time sticking to any fitness plan and will not exert much effort.

Support: A staunch support system of friends and family keeps almost anyone motivated to reach their goals. When a person starts a new fitness plan or diet program, many changes need to happen. It is important to surround yourself with others that can support you and understand your personal goals. Let those around you know that you need them to support your new goal and try to include them in your objectives.

Positive Mind-set: Your enthusiasm will soar if you keep a positive attitude towards your new fitness goals. Think about the positive aspects of a healthier lifestyle and exercise plan and keep that in mind you may be tempted to skip a day at the gym. When following any fitness plan, it is also important to remember that you may have setbacks or you may not achieve your goals as fast as you had hoped. Keeping your stance positive even during the rough times will help you stay focused on your goals.

Follow Through: You will find that you have an easier time staying motivated when you make a plan and keep at it. Without understanding each step you need to take to reach your goals, it will be harder to focus on the destination. For example, if you are trying to eat healthier, write down what foods you want to eliminate and foods your want to add to your diet. As you progress, compare your results with your plan and that will help you stay the course.

Keep Organized: Keeping organized will keeps the motivation burning to stay on the new fitness plan. If you plan on going to the gym a few times a week, you can get everything you need ready to go the night before. Have your shoes, gym clothes and membership card by the door. Not only will this make it easier for you find exactly what you need, but it will also serve as a visual reminder of your goal. Keep your days planned out and schedule time in for healthy cooking or burning the asphalt.

Forms of Motivation: Intrinsic and extrinsic are both types of motivation. Understand what they mean and which one helps keep you motivated. Those who are intrinsically motivated do not need outside forces, such as rewards to stay focused. They have the power from within to stay motivated. Other forces, such as rewards or praise from others, motivate those who are motivated extrinsically. Most people feel motivated both ways. Understand what kind of motivation keeps you passionate.

Reward Yourself: Incentives can be a great motivator, especially in a new fitness plan. Give yourself a small reward when you meet each of your goals. This will help you get to your final goal. You may choose to buy yourself a new shirt when you lose ten pounds or maybe go see a movie. Whatever appeals to you would stoke the flames of zeal.

Heroes: When you are trying to get a better body through a fitness plan, look for a hero. That person does not have to be famous, but anybody you look up to. Maybe it is someone you know with zest for healthy living. Use that person to emulate when your spirit wanes.

Knowledge is Power: As soon as you commit yourself to a new fitness plan, arm yourself with piles of information. Compare different diets and exercise plans. Learn the ins and outs of each one and you can make confident informed decision.

Varied Pursuits: Another great way to stay motivated is by diversifying activities. When you start to feel upset, you can set it aside and do something you really love. It might even be possible to include what you love doing to help you achieve your fitness aims.