Thursday, November 24, 2005

Think Zinc - An Essential Nutrient

Zinc is found in practically every cell in your body. There are about two grams of zinc where it is highly concentrated in the skin, hair, nails, eyes and testes.

Sexually active men need one third more zinc than women. With the exception of breast-feeding women, because the infant will absorb larger amounts of its mother’s zinc supply than normal.

Zinc is a precious mineral. Although our need for this mineral may be small, it plays an enormous part in growth and well-being. This need starts before birth.

It is needed for healthy skin and hair, proper healing of wounds, successful pregnancies and male virility. It also guards against infection and diseases.

Zinc also helps to transport Vitamin A to the retina in the eye. It is a constituent of many enzymes involved in metabolism. There are 156 enzymes that require zinc to be able to function.

Growth and sexual maturity depend on zinc.

What Is An Enzyme?

Enzymes are a protein that helps to break down the nutrients we take into the body through the food we eat; this in turn helps our metabolism.

What Is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the speed that the food we eat is absorbed and used by the body for normal daily living.

How Does Zinc Get Into The Body?

The body cannot manufacture Zinc; it has to be taken into the body by what you eat.

Food Sources are:

Oysters, Red Meat, Beans, Dairy Products, Poultry, Nuts and Whole Grains, Liver and Seeds.

The recommended daily dietary requirements of zinc are 15 mg. Vegetarians may suffer from a zinc deficiency, due to not eating red meat. Most of our intake of zinc is from our eating protein foods.

So a vegetarian should be sure to eat dairy products, beans and lentils. Pumpkin seeds provide one of the most concentrated vegetarian food sources of zinc.

Zinc is lost via the faeces, urine, hair, skin, sweat, semen and also menstruation.

Deficiency can result in weight loss, skin diseases, loss of hair, poor appetite, diarrhoea and frequent infection.

Those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis may have a zinc deficiency. And heavy drinkers lose a great deal of zinc in their urine.

If you don’t eat enough zinc providing food, you should take Supplementation.

Zinc in Combination

Zinc is usually found in combination with Calcium and Vitamin C.

What Zinc Can Do For You?

It helps to support a healthy Immune System. For example in Wound Healing. Also it helps you to taste and smell.

For normal growth and development during Pregnancy and Childhood Zinc is essential.

Too Much Zinc Can Be Bad For You.

Excess zinc is toxic. In other words it can poison the body. Too much will interfere with the metabolism of other minerals in the body, eg iron and copper.

Symptoms of too much zinc can include nausea, vomiting and fever.

For your good Health ……… Think Zinc.

Copyright 2005
Building a strong immune system is essential for the body to recognize and eliminate cancerous cells. Cancer is a disease resulting from uncontrolled defective cell division from damaged genes from any parts of the body. A weaker or impaired immunity will increase your susceptibility to various bacterial and virus infection, allergies, eczema, chronic fatigue, sickness and aging prematurely also.
Modern advanced technology and scientific research have helped to unlock the many preventive and healing secrets in Chinese herbs.

History of Ancient Herbal Remedy


Its Chinese name is Lingzhi which means “herb of the spirit”. It was a very rare and precious Chinese herb in ancient time and Emperors of the great Chinese dynasties and Japanese royalty drank teas and concoctions of Lingzhi for vitality and long life.

For over 2000 years Reishi mushroom has been the most cherished and sought after medicinal herb in Asia and rated as one of the superior herbs in the "Seng Nong's Herbal Classic", a 2000-year old medicinal Chinese book for:

  • its efficacy for multiple diseases
  • maintaining and restoring balance to the body’s interdependent systems
  • safety in long-term consumption with no unfavorable side-effects
  • natural resistance of the body and longevity
The dried powder of reishi was popular as a cancer chemotherapy agent in ancient China. Research has shown that reishi clearly demonstrated anticancer activity with cancer cells and has possible therapeutic potential as a dietary supplement for an alternative therapy for breast and prostate cancer.

Medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi) and Cordyceps have well been documented in many recent scientific studies to be potent medicine to enhance and support the body’s immune function from certain compounds in them such as polysaccharides which increase the activity of the body’s natural killer cells(lymphocytes) that are vital to eliminate foreign cells(such as cancer cells).

Supporting research reports published in the Journal of Alternative Complement Med. 2003, Journal of Cancer Integrative Medicine 2004, International Journal of Oncology 2004, FASEB 2004 showed that reishi clearly:
  • demonstrates anticancer activity in experiments with cancer cells
  • protects the liver and improves liver functions
  • has possible therapeutic potential as a dietary supplement for an alternative therapy for breast and prostate cancer
Health Benefits of Reishi(Ganoderma Lucidum):
  • supports the body’s own immune system by promoting the activity of antibodies
  • improves the body's resistance to stress and infections
  • balances stress response
  • reduces allergies
  • promotes healthy liver function
  • enhances the body’s detoxifying process to reduce accumulated toxins
  • inhibits invasiveness of breast and prostate cancer cells
  • supports a normal, restful sleep
  • enhances vitality and energy
Tips to select the Best Reishi
  • choose red reishi – it has the highest quality extract and has most scientific evaluations
  • choose those with cracked spores – which release the medicinal benefits and better absorbed by body
  • solid wood log cultivation – this determines the potency of the resulting fungus
  • look for Good Manufacturing Practice(GMP) standards – this ensures the stability of active bio-components harvested
  • standardization of active constituents – the effectiveness of reishi lies in its polysaccharides and triterpenes contents
Many commercial preparations are available, such as extracts, dietary supplement, tinctures, dried fruiting bodies, teas and teabags, tonics and pills.

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At least in western societies, females are considered uncouth or even unkempt/unclean if they're not shaving their armpits.

Just consider the type of negative press any female well known in the media gets if/when it's revealed she's not shaving her armpits. Remember that shot of Julia Roberts with her arm raised exposing a tuft of dark hair? No matter how much we adore Julia - On some level, this tarnished her "clean" image.

You may disagree with this and you may even be justified to take exception to society dictating how you look, but the truth remains that if you aren't shaving your armpits, you're a bit of an outcast.

I don't know about you, but I believe there are much more important issues to deal with, like stopping the use of animals for testing cosmetic products, protecting children from abuse, preventing domestic violence of all types, caring better for our elderly citizens, right down to cleaning up and preserving our planet, to name a few ... That are much more important than whether or not I have to be shaving my armpits.

I have a good friend who often reminds me, "Choose your battles wisely". Which means we all need to decide what issues are really important enough to fight for. Frankly, not shaving my armpits is not one of them.

Politics aside - It remains that shaving our armpits is a "necessary evil", if you will, of living in this privileged society.

So - The issue becomes, what's the best way of removing hair from our armpits?

I haven't heard it recommended that females use a depilatory to remove under arm hair. Probably because the chemicals are too harsh for this sensitive skin and there's a rumor that these chemicals can be easily absorbed in this area.

Nor have I heard about females having their armpit hair waxed. And honestly, I have to plead ignorance as to why not. There are probably a host of females who are having it done, I just haven't come across any information about it in my research.

That brings us back to shaving our armpits.

And while that sounds simple enough, as with most things, there's a catch.

It's called a wet razor. The shaving tool introduced to me when it came my time to start shaving my armpits.

Unfortunately, no one instructed me about the proper ways to start shaving my armpits with a wet razor, so the majority of my life I just suffered the fire under my arms for the first couple of days after shaving.

One thing I don't understand - In my research, I've seen it suggested, repeatedly, that you can use a white stick deodorant to limit skin abrasions after shaving. Yeah right -

It's a well known fact, (and common sense should tell you), and if all else fails - Just read the back of any deodorant ... The last thing you want to do after, "scraping", your skin raw with a razor is apply a strong, chemical based substance.

Hello ...

Instead, just dust your armpits with a talc free powder, or maybe a little cornstarch. Both of these work great on a baby's bottom to prevent diaper rashes, so you know they'll work to put out the fire of shaving your armpits.

Better yet - You could do some research and find out about newer, safer shaving tools to help you stop setting a fire when shaving your armpits.

I haven't had a fire from shaving my armpits for years. And let me tell you - What a relief.

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Threading is an ancient method of hair removal still used in many countries in the Middle East as well as India and Pakistan. Called khite in Arabic and fatlah in Egyptian, it's a less common method in the West for removing hair at the root. Traditionally, threading is used on the entire face, including upper lip, chin, eyebrows, sideburns and cheeks. Hair Threading can be done either at home or at many salons. Threading is a great solution for removing fine hair like the hair that grows above the lip. It's more effective than shaving, or bleaching, but it can be as painful as waxing depending upon how sensitive your skin is and how thick your hair grows.

The procedure is called Threading because you use normal sewing thread to remove the hair below the root. Honestly, it's quicker and easier to have it done at the salon but if you're into home remedies, here's what you need to know.

2. How does Threading work?

In general, cotton thread is twisted and rolled along the surface of the skin entwining the hair in the thread which is then lifted out from the follicle.

Start with about 2 feet of strong sewing thread. Take one end of the thread in each hand and knot them together so you end up with a continuous circle. Holding the thread with both hands, wind the thread 10 times until it resembles a bow tie. The wound portion should be in the middle. Next, slide the wound portion towards one of your hands by spreading the fingers of the other hand while closing the fingers of the other. Practice moving the wound area back and forth by alternating the fingers that you spread and close. Once you reach the point that you can easily maneuver the wound area back and forth, you are ready to proceed.

Because you have more area to work with, practice the procedure on leg hairs until you get the hang of it. Sit down on a chair and prop one leg up so it's at a comfortable height. Select the hair that you want to target. Place the wound side of the thread on one side of the hair and then lay the thread from the opposite end around both sides of the hair. Now, do the finger stretching and closing routine to quickly move the wound area to the other side of the thread. This will capture the hair and pull it from the root. Repeat the process until you have treated the entire area.

3. General Tips and Information

It sounds confusing. That's why it's recommended that you have it done at the salon the first time. Pay attention to how it's all done, and then try it at home. Threading is relatively inexpensive. Just think of paying to have it done as tuition because once you learn, you can continue to do it at home. Depending upon how quickly your hair grows back, you may only have to thread once per month. There are no real dangerous side effects to threading although, if you are especially sensitive to pain, you might find the process uncomfortable. The up side is once you learn how to perform the threading procedure, you can do it quickly and as frequently as you need to.

Threading is inexpensive, fast and neat. It's considered less painful than plucking and it's Good for eyebrows and facial hair. Like plucking, results can last up to four weeks.

Copyright 2005
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Urinary Tract Infections:

At age fifty seven,a pattern began for me. A Urinary Tract Infection every two or three months over a period of a year. I was constantly taking an antibiodic. My family doctor never suggested a visit to a specialist.

By now my imagination was working overtime. I had heard all the horror stories from friends and relatives. Urinary Tract Infections can be dangerous if not treated properly. I made an appointment with a wonderful woman Urologist. She put me instantly at ease. After an extensive examination, she relieved my anxiety. No surgery was required, I was happy to hear.

Menopause:

The doctor explained to me that Urinary Tract Infections were common in women who are menopausal. She explained the reasons listed below:

(a) Bad bacteria get trapped in the stomach and colon.
(b) Dry vaginas are common in women. Sex could be painful.

This is the advice the doctor gave me listed below:

(1) Drink at least one 8 oz. glass of Cranberry Juice daily.
(2) Eat one 8 oz. container of yogurt with live cultures daily.
(3) Take vitamin C daily 500-1000 mgs.
(4) Use lubrication for the vagina when needed.
(5) Drink plenty of water daily.

You do not need to experience hot flashes, cold sweats, or mood swings to know you are in menopause. Every woman should visit a Urologist. Urinary Tract infections can be complicated and serious. I was lucky. My Urinary Tract Infections are gone. I hope for good. I have made the items listed above a part of my daily regiment.

by Linda Meckler
Linda was born in Pennsylvania and migrated to California with her family. She would like to see children reading. Her first book was published by Infinity Publishing. "Ghost Kids Trilogy." Three books in one. Adventure/Mystery. For children ages 8-12. The house is over 100 years old. (Book 1)Ghost Kids-Two real children Christy, 12 and her brother Brad, 16 team up with two Ghost Kids. The Ghost Kids want to be reunited with their parents.(Book 2)Blue Vase Mystery- Uncle Charlie the villian of the book is placed in a magical Blue Vase.Uncle Charlie wants out of the vase in exchange he will tell where where Pirates' Treasure is hidden in their house. (Book 3)Take an exciting trip hunting for Pirates' Treasure in the house.Order at
"The basic premise of intuitive eating is, rather than manipulate what we eat in terms of prescribed diets -- how many calories a food has, how many grams of fat, specific food combinations or anything like that -- we should take internal cues, try to recognize what our body wants and then regulate how much we eat based on hunger and satiety," says professor of health science Steven Hawks, lead researcher of an intuitive-eating study at Brigham Young University.

The findings are reported in the American Journal of Health Education.

Hawks, who adopted an intuitive-eating lifestyle himself several years ago and lost 50 pounds as a result, says that "normal" dieting in the United States doesn't result in long-term weight loss and contributes to food anxiety and unhealthy eating practices, and can even lead to eating disorders.

All Diets Work Against Human Biology

Hawks and colleagues Hala Madanat, Jaylyn Hawks and Ashley Harris identified a handful of college students who were naturally intuitive eaters and compared them with other students who were not. Participants then were tested to evaluate their health.

As measured by the Intuitive Eating Scale, developed by Hawks and others to measure the degree to which a person is an intuitive eater, the researchers found that intuitive eating correlated significantly with lower body mass index (BMI), lower triglyceride levels, higher levels of high density lipoproteins and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Approximately one-third of the variance in body mass index was accounted for by intuitive eating scores, while 17 to 19 percent of the variance in blood lipid profiles and cardiovascular risk was accounted for by intuitive eating.

"The findings provide support for intuitive eating as a positive approach to healthy weight management," says Hawks, who plans to do a large-scale study of intuitive eating across several cultures.

"In less developed countries in Asia, people are primarily intuitive eaters," notes Hawks.

"They haven't been conditioned to artificially structure their relationship with food like we have in the United States. They’ve been conditioned to believe that the purpose of food is to enjoy, to nurture. You eat when you're hungry, you stop when you're not hungry any more. They have a much healthier relationship with food, far fewer eating disorders, and interestingly, far less obesity," he points out.

"What makes intuitive eating different from a diet, is that all diets work against human biology, whereas intuitive eating teaches people to work with their own biology, to work with their bodies, to understand their bodies," Hawks explains.

"Rather than a prescriptive diet, it's really about increasing awareness and understanding of your body. It's a nurturing approach to nutrition, health and fitness as opposed to a regulated, coercive, restrictive approach. That's why diets fail, and that's why intuitive eating has a better chance of being successful in the long term," he maintains.

Two Attitudes, Two Behaviors

To become an intuitive eater, a person has to adopt two attitudes and two behaviors. The first attitude is body acceptance.

"It’s an extremely difficult attitude adjustment for many people to make, but they have to come to a conscious decision that personal worth is not a function of body size," says Hawks. "Rather than having an adversarial relationship with my body, where I have to control it, and force it to submit to my will so that I can make it thin, I'm going to value my body because it allows me to accomplish some higher good with my life."

The second attitude is that dieting is harmful.

"Dieting does not lead to the results that people think it will lead to, and so I try to help people foster an anti-dieting attitude," says Hawks. "You have to say to yourself, 'I will not base my food intake on diet plans, food-based rules, good and bad foods, all of that kind of thing.' For people who are deep into dietary restraint and dietary rules, again, that's a very difficult attitude adjustment to make, to give up all those rules."

The first behavior is learning how to not eat for emotional, environmental or social reasons.

"Socially we eat all the time in our culture. We go out to eat ice cream if we break up with our boyfriend, we eat to celebrate, we eat when we're lonely, we eat when we're sad, we eat when we're stressed out," says Hawks. "Being able to recognize all the emotional, environmental and cultural relationships we have with food and finding better ways to manage our emotions is part of the process."

The second behavior is learning how to interpret body signals, cravings and hunger, and how to respond in a healthy, positive, nurturing way.

Learning the body's signals can be difficult at first, but Hawks suggests thinking about hunger and satiety on a 10-point scale, where "10" is eating until one is sick and "1" is starving.

Intuitive eaters keep themselves at or around a "5." If they feel they are getting hungry, they eat until they are back at a "5" or "6." They stop eating when they're satisfied, even if that means leaving food on the plate.

No Food Is Taboo

One part of intuitive eating that may be counterintuitive to people conditioned to restrictive dieting is the concept that with intuitive eating there is a place for every food. In other words, there is no food that's ever taboo. There's no food you can't ever have.

"Part of adopting an anti-dieting attitude is the recognition that you have unconditional permission to eat any kind of food that you want," says Hawks. "And that's scary for people who say, 'If I abandon my diet rules, then I'll fill a pillowcase full of M&M's, dive into it and never come up again. That's what I crave, I know that's what I crave, that's all I will always crave.' But that’s not the reality. The reality is that our bodies crave good nutrition."

It is dieting that creates psychological and physiological urges to binge on taboo foods. While people may experience some binges when they first start eating intuitively, they eventually will learn to trust themselves and that behavior will disappear, Hawks maintains.

One technique he suggests is having an abundance of previously taboo foods on hand. Once the foods are no longer forbidden, a person quickly loses interest in them.

"If people are committed to recognizing what their bodies really want, the vast majority of people will say that they very quickly overcame cravings," Hawks says, opening an office desk drawer filled with untouched junk food. "It certainly has worked for me."


Copyright 2005 Daily News Central
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1. Digestion - Acid Reflux. I realize I am not alone in experiencing the painful effects of poor digestion, sometimes termed acid reflux. I used to keep Tums and Rolaids antacids in business popping 6-8 just to get through a typical night. This was my reality ever since I can remember - even as a teennager. In fact, this condition ran in my family - so I was resigned to never finding a treatment, let alone a cure.

I am amazed to say that after 4-months of consistent yoga and meditation, my condition is virtually disappeared. I have not taken a single antacid in weeks, have slept better than ever and no longer have to be as careful about my diet.

Sure - if I go overboard, drink or eat too much, then some symptoms reappear, but not near as bad as in the past.

If you live with this condition, then you realize that this sounds like a miracle, and in fact, I look at it that way. This certainly convinced me of the power of yoga and meditation.

2. Feeling of Control Again. One of our biggest negative stressors is when we lose control of a situation or our life. The fast pace of today's society, focus on material things, race to compete with peers and constant media exposure to bad news all lead to a feeling of losing control.

Beyond stress, losing control in one's life can lead to all kinds of negatives including substance abuse, depression, anxiety, violence and more...

For me, the main advantage of yoga and meditation is that it re- empowers you - given you control of yourself. By focusing on yourself, you no longer rely on the need to control your environment, but instead, allowing you to control your own reaction to that environment.

Not only is this incredibly empowering, but is also the ticket to true happiness, great relationships and clear thinking in your life. Yoga and meditation, by calming the mind and giving you back control, lead to a peacefullness letting you deal with the most intense life experiences.

3. Living On Purpose. The two factors outlined above result in a lifestyle that sees us letting life happen to us, instead of allowing us to experience and accomplish what we want.

Until we accomplish true calming of the mind, we do not have the state of mind or body to take control of life and really do with it what we want. How many of you have thought about things you really wanted to experience or do and ended up saying "If only..." or "I just don't have the energy..." or "Maybe later...".

These are all excuses we use to rationalize our inability to step up to a life we really and truly desire.

Through yoga and meditation, we can prepare ourselves better for getting the most out of our lives and can finally stop having to justify why we simply can't.

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Creatine is made up of three different amino acids - Arginine, Glycine and Methionine. These are produced in the kidneys and pancreas. The liver takes these three and combines them into creatine. A person can also utilize more creatine by adding certain foods to their diet such as fish and beef. However, one could never eat enough of these alone to make a noticeable difference in the body.

Creatine is used by most athletes today because it does basically three things. First of all, it pulls fluid into the muscles, thus hydrating the muscles. The more you workout, the more you sweat, the more dehydrated your muscles become. Simply put, creatine keeps the muscles wet and working. Secondly, creatine enhances actual muscle growth, making muscle fibers bigger and stronger. Thirdly, creatine helps reserve and increase muscle energy by regenerating the muscles' ultimate energy source, ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The result is that you can workout longer, with greater energy output and quicker reflexes.

In double blind placebo studies, creatine has been proven to increase energy levels, resulting in increased strength, endurance levels, and recovery rates. Another benefit of creatine was discovered as well: creatine accelerates fat loss, while building lean body mass! Muscle mass can be significantly increased in as little as two weeks.

Strenuous athletic workouts dehydrate the body, tire the muscles and quickly deplete energy levels. Creatine overcomes all of these hindrances to fitness and bodybuilding by keep the muscles hydrated, building muscle size and giving that extra energy needed for a longer workout or a demanding athletic event. The result is a longer more energetic workout resulting in a bigger, stronger body with greater stamina and endurance. Now you know why athletes use this on a regular basis.

At this time, clinical studies have not revealed any side effects of using a creatine supplement. The muscles naturally contain 3.5 to 4 grams of creatine per kilogram of muscle. The muscles can hold up to 5 grams of creatine. Thus, you can increase your available creatine 25 - 30% by taking an additive. By taking 5 grams of creatine daily you are giving your body the maximum amount it can store and actually utilize. Any more than this will be excreted as waste.

Most supplement companies recommend a procedure called loading where you take in about 20 - 30 grams per day for the first week of so. This is supposed to saturate your muscles with creatine. Although this may allow you to see results a little more quickly, it is not absolutely necessary. Another good idea is to cycle the creatine, that is, to take the creatine for a month and then quit for a week and repeat. The theory behind this is that if you are taking in sufficient amounts of creatine, then the body might decide to quit making it naturally. This is a good idea to implement with all supplements as your body can either quit making the natural product or become immune to its effects. Since creatine has not really been on the market long enough to know it long use effect, it is better to stay on the safe side.

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Once food is chewed and swallowed, it’s on its way through the digestive tract, where enzymes and digestive juices will break it down and allow our systems to absorb the nutrients and calories. In the stomach, which can hold up to three pints of material, the breakdown continues with the help of strong acids. From there it moves into the duodenum, and the digestive process speeds up through the addition of bile and pancreatic juices. It’s here, that our body absorbs the majority of iron and calcium in the foods we eat. The final part of the digestive process takes place in the 20 feet of small intestine, the jejunum and the ileum, where calorie and nutrient absorption is completed, and any unused particles of food are then shunted into the large intestine for elimination.

Weight loss procedures involve bypassing, or in some way circumventing the full digestive process. They range from simple reduction of the amount you can eat, to major bypasses in the digestive tract. To qualify for many of these surgeries, a person must be termed “morbidly obese”, that is, weighing at least 100 lbs. over the appropriate weight for their height and general body structure.

Gastric Bypass

In the mid 1960s, Dr. Edward E. Mason discovered that women who had undergone partial stomach removal as the result of peptic ulcers, failed to gain weight afterwards. From this observation, grew the trial use of stapling across the top of the stomach, to reduce its actual capacity to about three tablespoons. The stomach filled quickly, and eventually emptied into the lower portion, completing the digestive process in the normal way. Over the years, the surgery evolved into what is now known as the Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass. Instead of partitioning the stomach, it is divided and separated from the rest, with staples. The small intestine is then cut at approximately 18” below the stomach, and attached to the “new”, small stomach. Smaller meals are then eaten, and the digested food moves directly into the lower part of the bowel. As weight loss surgeries are viewed overall, this is considered one of the safest, offering long-term management of obesity.

Gastric Banding

A procedure that produces basically the same results as the stomach stapling/bypass, and is also classed as a “restrictive” surgery. The first operations, involved a non-flexing band placed around the upper part of the stomach, below the esophagus, creating an hourglass shaped stomach, the upper portion being reduced to the same 3-6 ounce capacity. As technologies advanced, the band became more flexible, incorporating an inflatable balloon, which when triggered by a reservoir placed in the abdomen, was capable of inflating to cut down the size of the stoma, or deflating to enlarge it. Laparoscopic surgery means smaller scars, and less invasion of the digestive tract.

Biliopancreatic Diversion

A combination of the gastric bypass, and Roux-en-y re-structuring, that bypasses a significant section of the small intestine, thereby creating the probability of malabsorption. The stomach is reduced in size, and an extended Roux-en-y anastomosis is attached to the smaller stomach, and lower down on the small intestine than is normal. This permits the patient to eat larger amounts, but still achieve weight loss through malabsorption. Professor Nicola Scopinaro, University of Genoa, Italy, developed the technique, and last year published the first long-term results. They showed an average 72% loss of excess body weight, maintained over 18 years, the best long-term results of any bariatric surgical procedure, to date. BPD patients require lifelong follow-ups to monitor calcium and vitamin intake. The advantages of being able to eat more and still lose weight, are countered by loose or foul smelling stools, flatus, stomal ulcers, and possible protein malnutrition.

Jejuno-Ileal Bypass

One of the first weight loss procedures for the grossly obese, was developed in the 1960s, a strictly malabsorptive method of reducing weight, and preventing gain. The jejuno-ileal bypass reduced the lower digestive tract to a mere 18” of small intestine, from the natural 20 feet, a critical difference when it came to absorption of calories and nutrients. In the end-to-end method, the upper intestine was severed below the stomach, and re-attached to the small intestine much lower down, which had also been severed, thereby “cutting out”, the majority of the intestine. Malabsorption of carbohydrate, protein, lipids, minerals and vitamins, led to a variation, the end-to-side bypass, which took the end of the upper portion, and attached it to the side of the lower portion, without severing at that point. Reflux of bowel contents into the non-functioning upper portion of small bowel, resulted in more absorption of essential nutrients, but also less weight loss, and increased weight gain, post-surgery. As a result of the bypass, fatty acids are dumped in the colon, producing an irritation that causes water and electrolytes to flood the bowel, ending in chronic diarrhea. The bile salt pool necessary to keeping cholesterol in solution is reduced by malabsorption and loss through stool. As a consequence, cholesterol concentration in the gall bladder rises, increasing the risk of stones. Multiple vitamin losses are a major concern, and may result in bone thinning, pain and fractures. Approximately one third of patients experience an adjustment in the size and thickness of the remaining active small intestine, which increases the absorption of nutrients, and balances out the weight loss. However, over the long term, all patients undergoing this bypass are susceptible to hepatic cirrhosis. In the early 1980s, one study showed that approximately 20% of those who had undergone JIB, required conversion to another bypass alternative. The procedure has since been largely abandoned, as having too many risk factors.

While surgical methods of reducing weight are valuable to the morbidly obese, they are not without risks. Patients may require more bed rest post-surgery, resulting in an increased chance of blood clots. Pain may also cause reduced depth of breathing, and complications such as pneumonia.

Before undergoing any fat/weight reduction surgery, a severely overweight person needs to thoroughly understand the benefits and risks, and must make a commitment to their future health. Having a smaller stomach is not going to stop the chronic sugar-snacker, from “grazing” on high calorie sweets. Nor does a steady supply of pop, concentrated sweet juices and milk shakes, reduce the calorie intake. With some bypass surgeries, certain foods can aggravate side-effects that need not be that severe, if common sense diets are adhered to. Surgery can be a “shortcut” to weight loss, but it can also reduce your enjoyment of life, if you are unable to adhere to the regimens that go with it.

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The problem is on the supply side. There are over 2 billion people in Asia and only 200 million in Eastern Europe. Most of people in Eastern Europe have no need to sell their hair for economic reasons. Moreover, I don’t have to emphasize how rare it is in rich Western European countries to sell one’s hair. That is what makes European hair rare and explains why local wig-makers purchase only the amount necessary for their own production. Outside of Eastern Europe, due to its rarity, the price of the best European hair (so called “raw virgin hair”) is skyrocketing.

Hence 99% of human hair wigs are made of Asian hair. This hair is marked by such trade names as “human hair” or “remy hair”. If the producer or a sales person does not state directly that the hair is exclusively European, you can be 100% sure that you are dealing with Asian hair.

Asian hair is by nature very dark (black), very straight and thicker than European hair. Subject to a complicated process of a pigmentation removal, the hair looses its natural shine and resilience. Before it finally gets to you it will be dyed several times using synthetic chemical products, which no one would use to dye their own hair. Such a hair has a tendency to show a ting of a dark or red color. This is why it has to be dyed several times and go through a bleaching process. That way any color can be obtained, but hair structure gets damaged during the process. It is not pleasant to the touch anymore and even after as little as twenty weeks it will loose its shine and become dull.

Another issue concerns the manner in which the hair is obtained. It is not planned from the start with the thought of creating wigs. Hair is cut in random hair salons. Part of the hair also comes from ritual ceremonies of cutting of the hair as a sign of entering into adulthood. Such hair in the fervor of the ceremony falls to the floor and is gathered from there and placed in a great pile. In the process the hair is turned against and opposite to each of its strands and not layered in the same direction. Although it may not seem so at first, this does change the fundamental significance in the quality of your wig.

Every strand of hair has a coarse cuticle, which clings to the cuticle of the neighboring hair if they are layered in the opposite direction. In effect hair is twisting and intertwining into a hair clump so difficult to comb out. The only method for solving this problem is to completely remove the natural cuticle, which is then replaced with a silicon one that gives the hair its shine. It is a brutal and destructive process – such a wig will maintain its sheen no longer than for a period of 4 to 12 weeks. After that time hair becomes dull and unattractive.

The best Asian hair comes from India and Pakistan. In reality, it is not much better than hair described above. The advantage is that this hair is less stiff and may have a natural tendency to from slight waves. For that reason, many producers claim that it has the same qualities as European hair, which is not true.

If only there were more Eastern Europeans, life of wig-makers and their clients would be simpler, heh?

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EVERYONE has five minutes a day…the only question is, can anything really useful be done in just 300 seconds?

The answer is a resounding “yes”, but we need choose our exercises carefully. If there is such a limited amount of time, the best choice is to pick the most important muscle group. Chest? Back? Shoulders? Legs? All wrong. The abdominals are the most important muscles in the body. In no particular order, they:

1) Protect the low back.

2) Are vital to sports performance, transferring power from the lower to upper body.

3) Aid digestion, and massage the internal organs.

4) Are important for proper, healthy sexual function.

5) Are “the window of health”—we judge fitness and health more rapidly with a glimpse at the waistline than any other single indication.

6) Are vital for posture, which increases physical energy and mood.

7) Are the linchpin of your entire fitness program. You’ve never seen someone with toned abdominal muscles and flabby arms and legs, have you? The reverse is not true.

8) Are the most important muscle group for physical attractiveness in men or women. No matter the wonderful definition of arms or legs, if your gut is sagging, you have a problem!

There are other reasons, but one of the best is the fact that of all body parts, the abs tend to be the least favorite body part to work. They’re hard! That reason alone should be enough to motivate you: anything other people don’t like working is a golden opportunity for you!

But how can you do anything useful in just five minutes? One daily approach is to perform five minutes of the toughest ab exercises you can find, and a fantastic tool for this is a “Roller Wheel” available for five dollars at any sporting goods store. Not the fancy ones, just the simple get-on-your-knees variety. Try this: perform one rep, and take a breath. Then do two reps, and take two breaths. Then three, and take three breaths…and so on until you can’t go any higher. Then, drop back to one rep, and start climbing again. When that gets easy, take one breath for every two reps.

An even better method is to break up your exercise into multiple daily sessions. The roller wheel is useful here as well, but you might want to investigate some of the powerful “Vacuum” exercises from yoga, or the dynamic-tension style “stomach flattening” exercises. In these, you exhale all air, and flex the abdominal muscles for several seconds. Believe me, if you do these properly, even without aerobic exercise your waistline will decrease!

While there is no serious disagreement that longer sessions produce better, and more balanced results, the busiest man or woman on earth can find five minutes a day…and sometimes, that toehold is what it takes to get you started on a new, healthier lifestyle.

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How to solve the problem of increased DHT.

Simply, block it. Specific vitamins, minerals and herbs can block the DHT in your body. By taking these supplements orally, they block the DHT through the blood stream. The hair follicles beneath your scalp get all the nutrients they need to promote new healthy hair growth.

Supplements:

Biotin, part of the Vit B complex, helps with the skin condition of your scalp.

Other B vitamins, like B6, are essential for good health and hair growth.

Everyone knows Zinc helps your immume system, but it also is needed for cell division for the tissue of the hair, nails and skin.

Nettle Root blocks the 2 enzymes that produce DHT, now known to be the leading cause of hair loss.

Saw Palmetto also blocks one of the enzymes, 5 alpha-reductase, that produces DHT.

Gota Kola supports the integrity of hair growth, collagen and skin.

The oil extracted from pumpkin skins is also a natural hair loss remedy.

You can get all of the above and more in a caplet you only have to take twice per day? Yes, there is a hair loss solution from a pill! You can cure your hair loss problem from the inside out. Go to my web site to find out how:

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With a nickel allergy, the symptoms can strike people of all ages and both genders. While some people will have immediate reaction, most will have a reaction caused by prolonged exposure to the nickel. If you have a nickel allergy and like piercings, then you might consider using stainless steel, gold, or silver instead.

Other people who have a nickel allergy include those working with various chemicals or machinery that involves nickel such as hairdressers, hospital staff, or those working with cleaning chemicals. The problem is that for alloy to be produced, nickel is added to other metals. Therefore, nickel could easily be a component of many things we use throughout our daily lives without us even knowing it. For example, eyeglasses, watches, belt buckles, and even zippers all have nickel. For the person with the nickel allergy, this would be a problem.

Other items commonly made from with degree of nickel include pens, razors, scissors, handles on kitchen or bathroom cabinets, cigarette lighters, catches on purses, toasters, needles, and so on. If you have a bad nickel allergy, you can actually purchase a testing kit that can help you identify the things you handle daily that might be a contributing factor. Although avoiding everything with nickel would be difficult, at least you would know some of the items to avoid.

Just as nickel should be avoided by touch, there is also concern about food consumption. Generally, if someone has a serious nickel allergy, his or her doctor would prescribe a nickel-restricted diet in which foods high in nickel would be eliminated. Some of the foods would include:

Beans, Buckwheat, Chocolate, Dried Fruit, Figs, Lettuce, Licorice, Linseed, Millet, Multigrain Breads, Nuts, Oats, Onions, Peas, Pineapple, Prunes, Raspberries, Salmon, Shellfish, Soy Powder, Spinach, Tea, Tomato, Wheat Bran or Wheat Bran Products…and more.

Generally a person with a nickel allergy will experience skin rash and irritation. This dermatologic effect can be magnified by humidity and sweat. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to desensitize the person living with a nickel allergy using pills, shots, or other forms of treatment. Therefore, the best method of treatment is avoidance. If a rash does develop from the nickel allergy, usually cortisone cream will help.

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Kidneys also make hormones that help keep bones strong blood healthy.

Kidneys that aren't functioning properly allow harmful toxins to build up. This may causes blood pressure to rise, the body will accumulate fluids, and may not produce enough red blood cells.

Here are the most common kidney problems.

Kidney Stones: A kidney stone is a hard mass that accumulates in the urinary tract when crystals separate from the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney. In most people, urine contains chemicals that prevent these crystals from forming kidney stones. People who suffer from kidney stones, for reasons that aren't always completely understood, don't have inhibitors that prevent crystal formation.

Anyone who has ever had kidney stones will tell you the pain can be so severe that it reduces them to tears.

Kidney stones are not a product of modern diets or lifestyle. Evidence of kidney stones has been found in 7000 year old human remains in Egypt.

Men tend to get kidney stones more often than women.

Kidney Infections: If a person has low resistance, germs from the bladder can travel up the ureters to the kidneys and begin to multiply. An acute kidney infection starts suddenly with severe symptoms, then quickly comes to an end. A chronic kidney infection develops slowly and grows worse with time. A chronic kidney infection can lead to kidney failure.

Kidney Cysts: A kidney cyst is an abnormal pouch that contains fluid. The simple kidney cyst is the most common form.

The cause of a simple kidney cyst isn't completely understood. But there's no evidence that kidney cysts are an inherited condition. One or more kidney cysts may develop at a time on the small tubes in the kidneys.

Kidney cysts do not generally present symptoms and usually kidney cysts cause no harm. Very often people don't even know they have a kidney cyst. However, a kidney cyst can cause pain if it grows large enough to press on other organs.

Sometimes a kidney cyst can become infected and start to bleed. If that happens, a kidney cyst can increase blood pressure, but it usually don't impair kidney function.

A kidney cyst won't require treatment if no complications are present. But if symptoms occur, a kidney cyst may require surgery.

Kidney Cancer: Kidney cancer accounts for approximately three percent of all adult cancers in the United States. The American Cancer Society reports that more than 30,000 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year and about 12,000 people die from kidney cancer annually.

Kidney cancer tends to appear in adults in middle age, usually after age 50. Kidney cancer strikes men twice as often as women.

The most common type of kidney cancer occurs in the part of the kidney that filters blood and produces the urine. This type of kidney cancer is called renal cell cancer, or renal cell carcinoma. Another type of adult kidney cancer is a tumor which arises in the part of the kidney where the urine collects. This type of kidney cancer is called transitional cell carcinoma. The most frequent sign of kidney cancer in adults is blood in the urine.

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Autism is a disorder that is affecting more and more children. But many autistic children have been able to lead normal lives.

Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the early stages of development of a child, mostly in the first three years of development. It is a neurological disorder that affects the proper functioning of the brain and affects the development of the social and communication skills of the individual.

Early diagnosis of autism is most important for the treatment of this disorder. However, there is no blood or medical test available which will help in the diagnosis of autism. Generally, it is delay in the development of language skills or lack of appropriate social development that causes parents or teachers to seek a medical evaluation. There are no racial or ethnic specifications for the occurrence of this disorder, although boys are three or four times more likely to have autism.

Autism is seen to affect each individual in different levels and so is considered a spectrum disorder. Generally, autism is seen to affect the verbal and non-verbal communication skills, leisure activities, and the all-round social interactions of the individual.

There is no standard treatment for the cure of autism. Different medical professionals have different philosophies and practices for treating autistic individuals. The results of the treatment of autism will also vary from individual to individual. However, autism cannot be completely cured; there can only be improvements in the abilities of the autistic person. Autistic children are seen to benefit greatly from treatment approaches that include special education and behavioral management.

An important strategy in the treatment of autism is to keep the diet of the autistic children gluten- and casein-free. A gluten- and casein-free autism diet is seen to produce a marked level of improvement in autistic children. This is because in their body system there is incomplete breakdown of the peptides in the food substances containing gluten and casein. This leads to an increased absorption of peptides causing disruption in the biochemical and neuroregulatory processes in the brain. Adding vitamin B6 and B12 to the diet is beneficial to the treatment of autism as it improves digestion, symptoms of allergy, and sociability in children.

Despite one child in every thousand being affected by this illness, the awareness and the number of support groups for this illness is negligible. Efforts are being undertaken to create an increased awareness and to generate funds to support research and treatment of autism.

Autism awareness bracelets and ribbons help spread awareness about this disorder. The sale of these bracelets supports many autism research foundations and also provides financial assistance to many parents with autistic children.

‘Autism walk’ is another novel fundraising effort for the support of those suffering from autism. The money generated from registration of the ‘Autism walk’ events is used to provide financial support to the parents of autistic children, or to establish support groups to facilitate their treatment.

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When an allergen comes into contact with the body, the immune system believes it is under attack and produces antibodies called IgE to fight it. The antibodies trigger chemicals (the main one being histamine) to different organs of our body from mast cells which causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

The most common allergies are to dust mites, pollen, animal dander in household pets, insect bites, food and drink - the most common being milk, wheat, eggs, fish, soy, citrus fruits, seafood and peanuts, washing powder, cosmetics, toiletries, jewellery, mould and mould fungus, latex and rubber and certain drugs such as antibiotics and anesthetics.

Every individual has their own target organ that has more of an allergic reaction than the others organs. Whatever the substance that causes the reaction, the symptoms occurs in the weak target organs whether this is the same point of contact or not. The symptoms as a result from the allergic reaction will be dependant on the function of the afflicted organ and whether it is depressed or excited.

The main organs that are affected are the brain, eyes, ears, nose, lungs, heart, skin, bowel, genoto-urinary system and musculo-skeletal system.

The brain is the most sensitive of the body’s organs and is easily affected by allergies. Mild forms can be as simple as forgetfulness and severe forms can be as serious as dementia. ‘Woolly brain syndrome’ is a common symptom described by most people who suffer from allergies and this is why most people consider it normal. Other afflictions to the brain are anxiety, depression and panic attacks. The eyes can be affected by becoming watery, red and itchy and also afflicted by conjunctivitis. The mastoid glands in the ears can become affected producing pain and infection. When the nose is affected it can show symptoms such as hay fever, rhinitis, catarrh, blocked nose, sinus pain, sneezing and a running nose. The mouth and throat can be affected by swelling of the lips and tongue, sore throat and coughing. The heart can be affected which can cause hypertension, palpitations and irregular heartbeats. Asthma (wheezing and shortness of breath) and bronchitis can be cause by the lungs being affected and bowel can be affected with Crohn’s disease, colitis, diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain and vomiting. The skin can be affected becoming itchy, inflamed and having a red rash as with eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and urticaria. Urticaria (hives or nettle rash) can be caused by allergies to bee stings, medicines, animals and foods. The genoto-urinary system can be affected with PMT, cystitis, impotency and frigidity. Arthritis, Myalgia and fibrosis can affect the musculo-skeletal. The most extreme allergic reaction is anaphylaxis.

The target organ can change as the body changes, for instance, a child may have eczema as an infant which then changes to hay fever later in childhood which then can change again to migraine attacks in the teenage years which then can change again to arthritis in old age.

In the UK, 1 in 3 people will suffer from one or more type of allergy, 1 in 5 suffer from hay fever, 1 in 5 school children suffer from asthma and 6 million people have eczema.

Natural substances such as mould, spores, pollen, dust mites, animal dander and insects usually cause an allergic reaction in the upper respiratory systems. They cause redness, itching and fluid in the form of water and mucous and can affect the eyes, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs and bronchial tubes.

A person can be allergic to any food, wheat, milk, eggs, corn, yeast, coffee and chocolate are the most common. Food allergies mostly affect the nervous, respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin areas.

Allergic reaction can be caused by food additives and environmental chemicals such as chemical sprays, pesticides, hydrocarbons, tobacco smoke plus thousands of others.

Allergies to certain foods are associated with certain symptoms. For example, headaches are associated with chocolate and wheat, migraine headaches are associated with milk, eggs, nitrates, alcohol, cheese, chocolate, citrus fruit, nuts, wheat, tomatoes and MSG, eczema is associated with eggs, tomatoes and citrus fruits, hay fever is associated with milk, wheat, cola drinks, chocolate and sulfites, hives are associated with strawberries, nuts, pork, mangoes, tomatoes, eggs, chocolate and shellfish, asthma is associated with wheat and eggs, cerebral symptoms are associated with wheat, corn and Soya beans and childhood allergies are associated with fish, beef, rye, milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, artificial colourings and flavourings and salicylates.

Other factors that can contribute to allergies are bad feeding habits in the baby’s first year of life, poor digestion, excess or repeated contact of a particular substance or food, low nutrients level, presents of candida albicans, parasites, worms or other bacteria, stress and environmental toxins.

To help eliminate or reduce the symptoms of allergies it is best to consume lots of still mineral water, brown or white rice, fruit juices except citrus fruit juices, lots of vegetables except corn and tomatoes, fish except shellfish, turkey and almonds, sunflower seeds and walnuts.

In conclusion, good nutritional health is vital to support our immune systems to help ward off allergic reactions to foods and environmental chemicals. Once a person knows they have an allergy, it is best to avoid that food or chemical, improve nutrition and exercise regime, combat stress and generally support the immune system. It is best not to ignore allergic reactions, as they can lead to further more serious illnesses.

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1. Play with kids.
Kids love to play everytime and everywhere. So why don't you play with them instead of circling the food table with adults to distract you from food? The possiblility of food intake is higher when circling the food table than playing with kids. Moreover, playing may help burning calories, just like doing exercise.

2. Feel difficult to leave the food table while other adults family members are circling it? Why not challenge them to play together, from Scrabble to charades, or do other outdoor activities.

3. Make sure you have low-calorie snacks and foods, such as carrots, sweet peppers, celery or maybe some fruits. Also for beverages, choose diet drinks or just water. But you may still excuse yourself from eating a little portion of those 'rich foods'.

5. Avoid the kitchen. When your family request you to help them in the kitchen, just offer yourself for other duties that don't involve food.

6. If smelling and seeing all the foods become just too much for you, excuse yourself and get out of the house. Take a stroll or go for a drive.

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