Monday, March 3, 2008

Make Every Day Special With Feng Shui

When you pay the kind of attention to order, aesthetics, and positive emotion that are a part of decorating a space according to feng shui traditions, you make every day special. Feng shui is the ancient art of creating harmony in your environment so that you will be able to live a balanced and beautiful life. Having this goal reflected everywhere you look within your home will help you feel pleased and contented throughout the day. With feng shui, you can learn to cherish the balance and beauty of each moment, even when you are going about tasks that used to feel mundane and ordinary.

Many of us have experienced the difference that improving our home or workplace atmosphere can make in our attitude. Think of the last time you decorated for a party, and how good it made you feel to infuse your environment with a feeling of festivity and celebration. Feng shui works in much the same way. With feng shui, you place objects with the goal of changing the energy in a room so that it will be more positive. Feng shui creates a feeling of balance, which helps give a space an orderly and peaceful arrangement so that you will feel calm and happy when you are there. This can help you look forward to every day, not just holidays.

With feng shui, it is easy to make your home or office feel like a special place even if you don't know the first thing about interior design or aesthetics. When you decorate according to feng shui tradition, you follow a set of simple rules that will guide you as you create an environment that you and your loved ones will enjoy spending time in. Using feng shui as a guide to improving the look and feeling of an area will help you make the right decisions about everything from furniture placement to light sources. With feng shui, you will learn to create beauty so that you can enjoy it on a daily basis. When you re-create your home environment or your work space according to feng shui principles, you will be increasing the aesthetic pleasure that you get at all times.

There is no limit to how much incorporating feng shui into your home or workplace can improve your quality of life, or increase your happiness and sense of peace. Many people don't think of themselves as aesthetically sensitive, but you will never know how much of a negative impact your decor and furniture arrangements may be having on you until you change them for the better and enjoy the results. When you spend time in an area decorated in a feng shui style, you will feel lucky to be a part of such a calm, ordered, and harmonious environment. With feng shui responsible for surrounding you with beauty on all sides, even the simplest tasks can become a treat.

Feng Shui Lighting - The Facts

To a certain extent because of the way that it is represented in the media, feng shui is often represented as a somewhat mystical or mysterious idea that is difficult to study or to prove. However, scientific research shows that some aspects of feng shui have a measrably positive effect on attitude and mood. Traditional feng shui practices attempt to create a harmonious environment that allows its occupants to remain happy and relaxed, and studies show that at least some feng shui techniques are definitely more science-fact than science fiction.

Some of the most effective feng shui rules with a scientific basis for their success have concern lighting, and there is every indication that using feng shui techniques as a method of lighting your home will prove to be a wise decision. If the illue alludes to whether lighting your home according to feng shui principles will improve your quality of life, the answer is an incontrovertible yes. According to the scientific body of knowledge we have accumulated on the subject of lighting and emotion, feng shui offers a reasonable and viable method for improving one's mood by creating a calming atmosphere by means of light.

Feng shui aims to assist you in creating a balanced, harmonious atmosphere, and an important part of achieving that goal is finding lighting solutions that provide visibility without being garish or unpleasantly bright. Because of this, feng shui exponents often recommend including multiple sources of soft light rather than a single source of strong, bright light. Science supports this, showing us that having multiple light sources in a room allows the eye to see depth and contour more easily, which means optimum visibility. The lighting arrangements that feng shui suggest mimic the naturally multi-sourced light found in the outdoors, which is the kind of lighting situation that humans have evolved to see best in.

When we can see everything in our space, we are more likely to be calm and relaxed for a very simple reason that has its roots in out evolution. Although few people in the modern world are consciously afraid of being attacked by a lion or other fierce marauder, our brains are hard-wired to protect us by searching for predators. When there are no blind spots or dark areas nearby, we can be certain that there are no dangerous predators hidden in the vicinity. When you light a room according to the principles, you have the optimum lighting situation to lead to ease and therefore relaxation.

Traditional feng shui dictates that it is important to use a series of soft lights in different areas of the room in order to allow the unhampered flow of positive energy throughout the space. There is no way for science to evaluate whether this goal is achieved or not, but research can tell us that the lighting situation feng shui creates allows for maximum visibility, which in turn promotes relaxation, calm and happiness.

Benefits of Green Tea

Tea and Cancer Prevention Tea drinking is an ancient tradition dating back 5,000 years in China and India. Long regarded in those cultures as an aid to good health, researchers now are studying tea for possible use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of cancers. Investigators are especially interested in the antioxidants-called catechins-found in tea.

1. What are antioxidants?

The human body constantly produces unstable molecules called oxidants, also commonly referred to as free radicals. To become stable, oxidants steal electrons from other molecules and, in the process, damage cell proteins and genetic material. This damage may leave the cell vulnerable to cancer. Antioxidants are substances that allow the human body to scavenge and seize oxidants. Like other antioxidants, the catechins found in tea selectively inhibit specific enzyme activities that lead to cancer. They may also target and repair DNA aberrations caused by oxidants (1).

2. What is the level of antioxidants found in tea?

All varieties of tea come from the leaves of a single evergreen plant, Camellia sinensis. All tea leaves are picked, rolled, dried, and heated. With the additional process of allowing the leaves to ferment and oxidize, black tea is produced. Possibly because it is less processed, green tea contains higher levels of antioxidants than black tea.

Although tea is consumed in a variety of ways and varies in its chemical makeup, one study showed steeping either green or black tea for about five minutes released over 80 percent of its catechins. Instant iced tea, on the other hand, contains negligible amounts of catechins (1).

3. What are the laboratory findings?

In the laboratory, studies have shown tea catechins act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size in mice that were fed green and black tea (1, 2).

4. What are the results of human studies?

Although tea has long been identified as an antioxidant in the laboratory, study results involving humans have been contradictory. Some epidemiological studies comparing tea drinkers to non-tea drinkers support the claim that drinking tea prevents cancer; others do not. Dietary, environmental, and population differences may account for these inconsistencies.

Two studies in China, where green tea is a mainstay of the diet, resulted in promising findings. One study involving over 18,000 men found tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors (3). A second study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams of tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque (1).

5. Is NCI evaluating tea?

National Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers are also investigating the therapeutic use of green tea. One recently completed but unpublished NCI trial studied the antitumor effect of green tea among prostate cancer patients. The 42 patients drank 6 grams of green tea, or about 4 cups, daily for four months. However, only one patient experienced a short-lived improvement, and nearly 70 percent of the group experienced unpleasant side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. The study concluded drinking green tea has limited antitumor benefit for prostate cancer patients (5).

Other ongoing NCI studies are testing green tea as a preventive agent against skin cancer. For example, one is investigating the protective effects of a pill form of green tea against sun-induced skin damage while another explores the topical application of green tea in shrinking precancerous skin changes.

Holistic Approach in Medicine

A holistic approach in medicine is mainly aimed to assist the body's natural healing processes. Holistic medicines are the array of healing and self-help practice that are taken from many cultures.

The holistic approach in medicine is mainly achieved through the complementary or alternative therapies and medicine. They provide the non-conventional ways to relieve the symptoms and improve the quality of life. They include the use of acupuncture, herbal medicine, oriental massage, ayurvedic medicines, homeopathic medicines and naturopathic medicines.

The holistic approach in medicine is based on holistic stimulus. Holistic stimulus is the stimulus to the body to persuade it to heal itself. That is, patient's body is stimulated to continue with the job of healing.

There are many holistic stimuli in holistic approaches such as eating habits, stress release and regular exercise. Food is an important raw material for the body to regenerate itself. Hence a change in eating habits can result in major changes in health and amelioration of symptoms.

Stress is the main cause of many illnesses such as the irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, chronic headaches and high blood pressure. Meditation, breathing techniques, relaxation tapes and autogenic training are some of the effective stress releasing techniques in holistic approaches.

Regular exercise usually results in an improvement in many of the symptoms and it also makes the patients feel fitter and vibrant in themselves. Yoga is one of the effective forms of physical education in holistic approach that stimulates heart, lungs, muscles and other internal organs of the body. Renewed energy and positive attitude are the essential holistic stimulus on the patient's body to activate the healing processes in holistic approaches.

Holistic medicines are the wellness-based approaches in medicine and it usually involve the analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values. In all these holistic approaches in medicine, patients play an important role in applying the holistic stimulus to them. Holistic approaches in medicine usually include all the modalities of diagnosis and treatment including drugs and surgery.

A holistic approach in medicine stresses on education and responsibility by personal efforts to achieve balance and well-being. While assessing patient's body, holistic practitioners examine the nutritional status, exercise level, and environmental exposures of the patient. The aim of the holistic practitioner is to help the patient to find ways to become healthier and to enhance and strengthen the body's immune system. In contrast, conventional medicines have focused more on the treatment of the disease and the symptoms rather than the treatment of the person as a whole.

With rising incidences of non-curable diseases and illnesses as diagnosed by conventional medicines, more and more people are keen to seek a holistic approach in medicine to healing. It is good to know that many have reported successes.

Vinegar Cure For Toe Nail Fungus

Among the many home remedies and empiric cures spread by word of mouth, vinegar is one of the best known ways to cure toe nail fungus. Whether white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, this is the cheapest treatment intended to eradicate fungal infections from toenails or fingernails.

Most vinegar cure toe nail fungus consists of daily foot baths in a solution of 50% water and 50% vinegar. It is suggested to alternate and mix hot baths and cold baths, although in either case, it is necessary to keep your feet soaking for at least 30 minutes. People who have successfully tried this treatment recommend 3 baths a day, morning, noon and evening.

The acidity of vinegar relieves the itching and repairs the PH balance, necessary to combat fungi, the microorganism responsible for toenail fungus. Vinegar is a sour tasting liquid, resulting from the oxidation of ethanol in fermented fruit juice, cider, beer, wine, and other liquids containing alcohol.

There are several types of vinegar, including malt vinegar, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, fruit vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, coconut vinegar, cane vinegar, raisin vinegar, beer vinegar, honey vinegar, Chinese black vinegar, and other flavored vinegars. The vinegar cure toe nail fungus remedies can take advantage of whichever of these vinegars, despite all of them are culinary.

However, vinegar has been used for medical purposes since ancient times. In China, it was the prescribed medication to prevent the spread of virus, while in Greece, ancient medical texts made reference of the different uses and qualities of vinegar. Today, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is the most used for the treatment of fungal infections, being more useful as astringent than ice.

Apple cider vinegar can reduce the inflammation, hence the pain associated with some stages of fungal infections, and combined with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) kills bacteria and viruses. From a vinegar cure toe nail fungus, we can say that fungi are a sort of bacteria causing the fungal infection.

Some people report that the use of either vinegar applied directly on the base of the nail twice a day, is even better that soaking your feet. However, you must make sure that vinegar will remain in place long enough to benefit from its action. Just 2 drops of Vinegar cure toe nail fungus, improves the condition and eventually may help to clear up the condition.

Vinegar is acid, and toe nail fungus does not like acidic environments. Besides all vinegars are non-toxic so drinking vinegar will not harm you, although the taste is not always pleasant.

Listerine Treatment For Toenail Fungus

Nobody could ever imagine that the popular mouthwash Listerine could be useful in toenail fungus treatment, but it seems it is true. Many people have been using this solution in a basin to soak the infected nails and are receiving good results. Listerine was named in 1865 after Joseph Lister, who is considered the father of modern antiseptics.

As a wash mouth, Listerine says that it is able to "Kills germs that cause bad breath", condition medically known as halitosis, and it was the first over-the-counter solution to receive the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance for helping to control gingivitis and dental plaque.

Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends this product to be classified as Category I, it is suggested because of its antiseptic properties in mouth, but it has never mentioned anything about toenail fungus. Due to this reason, Listerine is considered one of the many home remedies intended to cure these problems as an alternative to prescribed medication or treatment.

Like what occurs with the use of Vicks Vapor Rub, Listerine is used basically, because its affordable price in comparison to drugs to treat toenail fungus infections. In addition, Listerine does not cause any side effects and it has no contraindications when it is used in combination with other type of medications or treatments.

There is no scientific or medical guarantee that toenail fungus can be improved by the topical application of Listerine. However, it is known that it has worked out in many patients, so Listerine is worth a try if you are suffering from fungal infections, although you should use the classic solution and not the toothpaste as many people do.

Because everybody knows that Listerine is a safe solution that does not cause harm to the mouth, it is considered safe for soaking, although you must take care not to immerse your healthy nails in the solution to avoid spreading of the fungal infection. Another point to consider is the soaking time.

Listerine does not cause internal side effects, but may cause a famous one externally. There is a risk of your feet turning green when the solution is used often and for long periods of soaking time, although the greenish skin is only a cosmetic condition that does not cause internal or superficial harm, and will disappear with time.

The suggested application to treat toenail fungus is soaking your feet for 30 minutes everyday, but only for a few days, take a rest, and back again. Fungal infections only improve and clear up after months of treatment so perseverance and the combination of Listerine Toenail Fungus treatment with other methods can accelerate the cure.

Food Poisoning - Result Of Food Contamination

Food poisoning is caused by eating organisms or toxins present in food or drinks. Staphylococcus or E. coli is one of the commonest bacteria which results in food poisoning. Due to improper handling, this kind of a contamination happens. Even though it is a very common condition it can get worse depending on the degree of contamination. Some common foods which can cause food poisoning if proper care is not taken are raw poultry, unpasteurized milk, red meat, poisonous mushrooms, pesticides on fruits and vegetables, egg and raw egg products, raw meat and water.

The symptoms are so mild that we hardly register it in our minds. The symptoms develop within one hour or it may show up within 12-48 hours. It lasts for more than two days but, depending on its seriousness it may take around a week to recover.
You may have bouts of vomiting, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea and similar other pains. If it is very serious you may have chills and fever, bloody stools, dehydration, muscle aches and weakness. In rare cases it may lead to brain damage causing paralysis or death.

Pesticide, chemicals, heavy metals, parasites, fungi, viruses and bacteria are some of the common causes for food poisoning. Bacteria are a major culprit, due to their capacity to multiply. To prevent the contamination we should have a clean kitchen including the storage and vessels, handle raw and cooked food with proper precautions, cook food to the maximum temperature to avoid presence of bacteria and heat canned foods before tasting. You can stop this outbreak either by minimizing the headcount of bacteria, preventing their growth, killing bacteria with proper measures of cooking.

Home Remedies for Food Poisoning

Avoid eating when suffering with food poisoning

Drink good amount of fluids except milk products, caffeine and carbonated products

Avoid sugary fluids and drink more of electrolyte

Eat plain bread, as it soaks the poison to provide relief

Have 1/4 cup of activated charcoal powder with a glass of water to subside the symptoms. If it doesn't work within the first half-hour continue till you get complete relief.

Consume garlic as it detoxifies the intestine and destroys the bacteria in lower digestive tract.

After your meals you can drink a cup of ginger tea for good digestion, heartburn and nausea.

Mix three drops of garlic oil in 1/2 cup soya oil. Rub this mixture after your meals on the stomach to provide relief.

Mix 3-4 drops of mint essence in water and drink it every hour. You can also drink jaljeera (a mixture of asafetida, cumin, salt and water) 2-3 times a day.

Make a mixture by mixing one tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar in a cup of hot water. Drink it before your meals to prevent any acidic problems.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

How To Find An Alternative Medicine For Asthma?

Many people who are suffering from chronic asthma sickness are a bunch of courageous people that keep on fighting this dreadful problem.

They have to fight hard against maintaining their medical costs low, reduce their reliance on drug, have a clean environment to live, and so on.

Constantly, these asthma patients across the world are looking for something that will alleviate the symptoms of the illness that they suffer from.

There are prescribed medications that they can get from their doctor as well as inhalers that help, but is there an alternative medicine for asthma?

If you are searching for an alternative medicine for asthma, either in the form of a pill or in the form of lifestyle adjustments, then this article is for you.

Do you know there are new asthma medicine breakthroughs?

There are "over the counter" herbal remedies now available for allergy sufferers. Doctors have done studies and have found herbal blends that combine anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and antibacterial results. Astragalus root, Matricaria recutita, and Phosphorus are a few of the herbs being used for this purpose.

Why MUST you go natural?

The major benefit of taking a natural herbal remedy, as opposed to the prescription remedy, is the absence of side effects. Side effects are a part of almost any synthetic drug and asthma medications are no exception.

Using an alternative medicine for asthma, such as an herbal remedy, will largely eliminate the side effects because the medicine will come in a natural, easily digested form.

Another benefit is the cost to the patient. The overall cost of the natural herbal remedy will be much less than the typical prescribed medication. A month's worth of a natural remedy can cost you as little as twenty-five dollars for a months supply while the prescription drugs can cost hundreds of dollars.

Drugs that only temporarily improve the asthma problem and our way of life may eventually create a another set of problems. Sometimes, they actually worsens the quality of life at the same time they seem to be resolving symptoms.

Why not?

As with all good things, there is a bad side as well. When you are trying to find an alternative medicine for asthma it can be very difficult to find solid proof, outside of paying the money and trying it for yourself that the product does what it says it will do. There are a lot of companies that make products that don't really work that well.

The prescription drugs have all been extensively tested and meet certain criteria. Another reason is the cost. While the alternative medicine for asthma may be cheaper, it will not be covered by insurance which means that if you have good health insurance, you will pay less out of your pocket for a prescription.

An alternative medicine for asthma may be what you are looking for but it may not be what you want. Make sure that anything you try has been approved by a doctor first.

Trying new remedies without consulting a professional could result in serious risk to your health. But, don't let that stop you from investigating; you may find the alternative medicine for asthma that is just right for you!

Just remember that alternative medicine is not another quick fix. If you are seeking alternative and natural healing as a way to get better, ask yourself how much you are willing to participate in this process.

Although alternative therapies have much to offer, finally we are the only ones who have to take this responsibility for our own healing.

There are more free articles relating to this at my site. Therefore, I strongly urged you to start your journey and start taking a look at my site and to get your asthma treated as soon as possible, if you are serious of getting back your asthma free life again.

Health Secrets From Five Thousand Years Ago

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course, prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you get well.

This is how the health profession goes on nowadays - a cycle of diagnosis and prescription.

If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that person was a quack.

But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what is called natural medicine.

Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal medicines, and traditional practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.

Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine.

Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the advent of modern medicine.

This includes herbal medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in Chinese, Ayurvedic(or Indian), and Greek medicine.

Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of herbs in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.

For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in traditional medicine.

Natural medicine can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study the possible uses of natural medicine

Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural remedies are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.

Take herbal medicine for example. There are many well-documented and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and its ilk are likely to be recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause negative side effects.

Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of natural medicine - among which is herbal medicine. Some governments and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are inexpensive and relatively risk-free.

As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate are legitimate.

There exist today many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of these treatments.

Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now, the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.

The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet, healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.

It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables. Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation of natural medicine - may it be massage, herbal medicine, aromatherapy or others.

It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the remedies nature offers. The possibilities of finding remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

Is Tummy Tuck for Me?

Abdominoplasty, or "tummy tuck" is a major surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the stomach and tightens the abdominal muscles. Many people who are unable to decrease their tummy with traditional diet and exercise seek a plastic surgery tummy tuck. The tummy tuck is the very much popular plastic surgery procedure.

There are different types of tummy tuck surgeries, and the main difference is how much work is done and how large of an cut is needed. A mini tummy tuck is only performed on the abdominal area below the belly button. A traditional tummy tuck surgery is performed on the entire abdominal area, from the lower rib cage to the top of the pelvis. When considering plastic surgery tummy tuck, it is important to meet with a qualified physician to discuss what options are best for you.

In order to determine whether tummy tuck is required for you or not ask yourself following questions.

Are you within about 30% of your ideal weight? If you intend to lose more weight or become pregnant, you should probably wait to have a tummy tuck.

Are you physically and emotionally healthy? The best candidates for tummy tuck surgery understand the associated risks and have the good health necessary for proper healing.

Will you have the time to allow your body to heal properly? In some cases, an overnight stay in the hospital may be required, and healing can take up to 6 months to fully recover. During that time period, with your doctor's permission you will be able to return to most normal activities.

Can you afford the cost of a Plastic Surgery Tummy Tuck? Most insurance companies won't cover the cost of the procedure. It is considered elective surgery and thus the cost associated with tummy tuck is somewhat higher as compare to other plastic surgeries.

As in any operation there are always side effects associated with tummy tuck. Some of them are temporary discomfort, swelling, bruising

After a tummy tuck, discomfort is definitely evident. The surgeon will offer instructions for easing any pain, and prescription pain medication can be taken to help control it.

Further consultation with your physician will of course be necessary to ultimately determine if a plastic surgery tummy tuck is right for you. It is important to do some research about surgeons in your area before you seriously consider a tummy tuck. Referrals can be very helpful, and quality tummy tuck surgeons tend to be concentrated in certain locales.

How to Clean Out the Colon

This is a question many people ask when they have an unhealthy bowel: How to clean out the colon? It is quite true that in several cases abdominal pain and constipation are the direct result of accumulations in the colon.

A healthy colon eliminates harmful materials and bacteria and absorbs essential nutrients and water. On the other hand, an unhealthy colon, mainly due to the deposit of fecal matter on its linings, generates toxins and passes it into the body. An unhealthy colon is the result of our food habits. It is not "realistic" to completely neither eliminate all the bad foods from our diet nor breathe in polluted air. So, a good method to adopt is to clean out the colon.

To find an answer to how to clean out the colon, you don't need to visit any clinic. Cleaning of the colon can be done at home. Colons can be cleaned naturally with the aid colon cleansers and herbal supplements.

Natural way of cleaning colon includes fasting, taking adequate amounts of fiber and drinking enough water. During fasting the body goes through a detoxification process by digesting the impure materials and developing new cells. A fiber rich diet or around 30 grams of fiber dissolved in water or food can initiate natural colon cleansing. Drinking lots of non-carbonated water can restore the function of colon to an extent.

For centuries, herbs have acted as an excellent colon cleanser. Several herbal based supplements are available in the market. Certain herbs like psyllium, ginger, cayenne pepper, cascara sagrada, senna, fennel, garlic and aloe leaf have properties to remove fecal matter from the linings of the colon. They also prevent the formation of toxins in the colon and fight bacteria and parasites effectively. The greatest advantage the herbs have is the minimal side effects. Most of the colon cleansing herbs can be purchased from health stores.

Probiotics is another major method used by many people to clean colon at home. In this method, friendly bacteria are introduced into the digestive tract with the help of probiotic supplements. It also acts as a catalyst in stimulating the immune system of the body. Onions, garlic and bananas are a good source of probiotics.

Colon cleansing home kits, herbs and supplements are the safest answer to how to clean out the colon at home. Occasional cleaning of colon at home can avoid unnecessary complications like colon cancer. It is also a cost effective method to keep your colon healthy.

Increase Your Energy Levels By Getting Rid of Toxins

It is a fact that we live in a highly polluted environment. A highly polluted environment contains toxins. When we breathe, eat or drink from our environment, we are consuming the toxins. An accumulation of toxins in our bodies has direct consequences on our energy levels. The only solution to this problem is to increase your energy levels by getting rid of toxins.

The air we breathe contain toxic particles, which are emitted by industrial units, automobiles and by numerous other sources. The food we eat contain varying amounts of pesticide and several other harmful elements. The water we drink too is contaminated with several harmful chemicals which are damaging to our body. Today, the level of toxins in the environment is increasing at an alarming rate.

To maintain a healthy life, people are embracing the concepts and ideas of detoxification. Natural detoxification is usually by the liver and kidneys. However, this can no longer hold true if our liver and kidneys become burdened with an overload of toxins themselves.

Constantly experiencing low energy levels and fatigue is a common symptom of an overloaded body of toxins. Many people also suffer from lack of concentration and a poor memory. Decrease in energy levels immediately shows up in your workplace and can sometimes impact on the quality of your life. A drop in energy levels also affects your personal life.

Many researches have in fact concluded the fact that most of the problems that affect a person are directly associated with the person's toxin levels. The medicines that are often prescribed in such situations only try to alleviate the symptoms. They do not address the cause or the root of the problem. You can increase your energy levels by getting rid of toxins.

There are several methods to detox your body. Herbal and nutritional means of detoxification are the most prominent ones. The detox process also boosts the function of liver, colon, kidneys, lungs, blood and skin which are natural detoxification agents of the body. A good maintenance of these organs is essential for high energy levels.

Most of the detoxification programs usually acts on a particular organ of the body. That is, each organ of the body has a special detoxification program. To increase your energy levels by getting rid of the toxins, you need to effectively combine the several detoxification programs into a complete health program. Fasting, detox diets, herbal detox, detox baths, skin cleansing, use of antioxidants, use of enzymes and colon cleansing are some of the popular detoxification methods that you can use. Engaging in energy healing can also help you get rid of toxins on a mental and spiritual level.

Increase your energy levels by getting rid of toxins is one method to feel alive again. Other ways include having a balanced diet, exercising, adequate rest and acquiring spiritual and mental wellness. Instead of constantly feeling exhausted, you will feel that you are up for anything and will enjoy your life much better!

Tummy Tuck Affordable or Not ?

Abdominoplasty, better known as a "tummy tuck," is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat from the body and to tighten the muscles. The majority of people who undergo this operation are men or women who are in relatively good shape but are bothered by a large fat deposit or loose abdominal skin that doesn't respond to diet or exercise. The surgery is particularly helpful to women who after multiple pregnancies, have stretched their abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point to which they can return to normal.

Nowadays more and more people are opting for a tummy tuck, which is safe. But always there is cost factor associated to any operation. When undergoing any sort of medical procedure, cost is going to be a factor. It may even be possible that insurance companies may not pass the claims for the operation procedure for that the doctor should provide the substantial reason for the operation requirement. Majority of people who delay tummy tuck do so because of the cost factor. The cost is high and usually between $2500 and $8500 for a tummy tuck, the cost depends upon the reputation of team you hire, length and complexity of the procedure along with the ancillary costs associated with the tummy tuck. The various factors which are effective in determining the cost for a tummy tuck are:

" Location of surgical practice, whether it is an urban, suburban, or rural are will influence the cost.
" Surgeon fees - there is a large variation in cost dependent on the surgeon themselves, with the most reputable surgeons generally charging more.
" Medical tests prior to the tummy tuck surgery to evaluate the patient's condition.
" Anesthesiologist fees.
" Operating room fees - whether the procedure will be carried out in the surgeon's office or in a hospital environment.
" Overnight stay at a hospital or the surgeon's facilities will increase the cost - Generally most patients will not require overnight stays unless the surgery is extensive or is conducted in conjunction with another surgical procedure such as a hernia or gastric bypass operations.
" Post-surgery medical prescriptions and compression garments.
Therefore it is imperative that you obtain all-inclusive cost figure during your consultation with the plastic surgeons. Also communication with your insurance company is important to determine if there is any coverage. With any cosmetic surgery, this may affect future insurance coverage for you and your premiums may increase. Check with your insurance agent.

Mini Tummy Tuck

Some people are in a stage in which they have excess fat but not that much which is required for tummy tuck the solution is to do mini tummy tuck rather than opting for standard tummy tuck. It was especially developed by plastic surgeons for this type of patients.

A mini tummy tuck addresses the problem caused by loosening up of lower abdominal wall. This obviously need not require a standard tummy tuck or abdominiplasty but it sure needs more than liposuction. The mini tummy tuck is ideal for you if you have a bulging abdomen, excess fat or sagging skin, it is also used to correct muscle weakness.

The mini tummy tuck is used only for removing additional fat and skin, while a standard one involves removal of fat, skin as well as tightening of muscles. Thus if you get a mini tummy tuck done you recover faster and also undergo a less complicated operation compared to a standard tummy tuck.

The mini tummy tuck is also known to addresses the problem which mostly pregnant women face after the delivery. A conscious woman will do whatever exercise it takes to wear the fat off but the genetically deposited fat is not that easy to get rid off, that's where mini tummy tuck comes in. However, men can also benefit from the mini tummy tuck procedure. Men can address problems such as, loose skin around the lower abs, which mostly happens after a gastric bypass surgery or after they loose a lot of weight, by a simple operation.

Pregnancy is worth anything in the world, but the loose roll of skin and fat left after pregnancy can be demoralizing for many, a mini tummy tuck can help you win it all back safely, you'll be your usual self in a matter of days. A mini tummy tuck will cost lesser than a standard tummy tuck you might need after some more time and it leaves only a small scar atop the pubis. However, like any other surgical procedure mini tummy tuck also involves inherent risks, only your surgeons can tell if a mini tummy tuck procedure is safe for you.

All operations have some risk. The risks of surgery are divided into two groups. First those that are seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problems which are special for this operation are the scar of the lower abdomen and irregularity from the liposuction.

Postoperative care: The recovery takes one to two weeks. Most people are back to work within a week or two.

By: Keith Londrie