Friday, May 27, 2011

The 4 Components of Fitness That Really Matter

Fitness is something that many people find difficult to comprehend, with all the information readily available to them, as with the general fitness enthusiast being uneducated it is no wonder why many begin to lose motivation, and become ever more frustrated when they find getting to their ideal fitness goals impossible.

The truth is many believe there is over 11 different components of fitness, however only 4 are really the ones that need to be discussed, learnt, and acted on in order to get to that fitness level you wish for.

Like anything to do with your health it is vitally important to consult your doctor, or have a fitness test at your local gym to find what level you currently are, what you should or should not participate in, and how long it shall take you realistically to reach your targets, using the components in a fitness program, coupled with the correct techniques, equipment and nutrition.

Strength Training- This is the ultimate activity that most people especially Women tend to ignore as they automatically think of body builders or similar athletes, which tends to put them off.

However this component is extremely important in toning the problem area's muscles which will allow fat to be burnt, and tighten the muscular frame to be defined, and with the introduction of resistant bands it has made this area a lot more favourable amongst Women.

Flexibility & Stretching- Correct and proper stretching allows you to prevent the body from injuries and over time provides the muscles to become supple, which can also help with recovery after a hard session or an active period.

Stretching should be introduced before and after into routines for at least 7 minutes, to get the heart rate to a high workout level which has shown to be the ideal time by sport fitness coaches, though you must hold each stretch for a longer period of time on a cool down to lengthen muscle fibre and tissue.

Speed, Agility & Balance- A must, and is gained from constant repetition of circuits and exercises, a very important factor to the body as it allows it to continuously improve over time.

Cardiovascular Endurance- This has to be the most important part of the 4 components, why?...

Because this is working on the powerhouse and engine of the body being the heart. As we all know the hearts duty is to pump blood around the body where needed, however increasing the respiratory system will allow your heart to pump blood that is rich in oxygen to prevent muscle fatigue.

Without a poor level of endurance exercises such as jogging, cycling, aerobics and swimming can become painful and difficult to complete or take part in at first as your body will burnout much faster thus reducing your length of training.

Introducing all the above components to your fitness plans is extremely important, as cardio workouts will allow the burning of calories, weight training increases the definition of the bodies natural shape and curves. While Flexibility, speed, balance and agility will assist in strengthening joints, and muscle ligaments while enhancing the core to adapt to different movements without the lack of performance required.

These fundamentals will provide the everyday habit and lifestyle change you will need over time that will provide you to go further in reaching your ideal fitness and health goals in the future.

James Harper is the founder of LifetimeFitness365 a company that educate it's community on the relationship between bad skin and physical fitness for women.

We understand you feel you have done everything to get into shape, and tried all the latest diet and fitness tricks yet to see any real results.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Food Reward: a Dominant Factor in Obesity, Part IV

What is Food Reward?

After reading comments on my recent posts, I realized I need to do a better job of defining the term "food reward". I'm going to take a moment to do that here. Reward is a psychology term with a specific definition: "a process that reinforces behavior" (1). Rewarding food is not the same thing as food that tastes good, although they often occur together.

Read more �

Eye Care : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Eye is one of the most important body parts in human body. Eyes are responsible in act of vision in humans. With the aid of our eyes we are able to see the things around us and perform our daily activities with great ease. Any disruption in the functioning of eyes leads to great difficulty and discomforts. The common vision defects are:

.Short-sightedness (myopia) - it is a condition in which a person is only able to visualize near object clearly but has a difficulty to see far away objects.

.Long-sightedness (hypermetropia) - it is a condition in which a person clearly sees far way things but he is unable to see the near objects.

.Presbyopia � it is related to the age factors as in this case the lens present in the eye loses its flexibility and hence is not able to adapt to the condition where it has to perform adjustability and eye is not able see things clearly. It is often seen in people who are above the age of forty.

.Astigmatism � in this condition cornea becomes oval thus losing the balance in the axis (may be in y-axis or in x-axis). It is generally accompanied by short sightedness or long sightedness.


The various causes of various eye problems are:

.Reading in inadequate light
.Working on computer for longer periods
.Inadequate diet specially the diet deficient in vitamin A
.Watching television from close


Care for your eyes so they can stay healthy and gorgeous looking and you will surely not regret it. There are several home remedies available to minimize the effects of eye damage.

. Mix one part of rose water and one part of lime juice. Store in a bottle and use it as an eye drop. This is very useful home remedy for eye care.

. Intake of sufficient amounts of vitamin A is necessary for healthy vision.

. Eating spinach will help in preventing various eye problems as it contains carotenoid.

. The consumption of good amount of vitamin C lowers the chances of developing cataracts.

. Fill a green bottle with water and keep it in sunlight for one day, use this water to wash the eyes regularly.

. Consuming mangoes are also good for our eyes as it is a rich sorce of vitamin a and calcium.

. For improving eyesight massage the soles and toes of foot with mustard oil daily. This is the effective eye care treatment.

. Carrots and tomatoes should be consumed regularly for normal vision.

. Regularly wash your eyes with cold water as it helps in relieving congestion in eyes.

. Taking a mixture of the juices of raw parsley and carrots in a glassful amount daily will provide great benefits for people with weak eyesight.

. Aniseed is particularly beneficial in the treatment of cataract. The powder of its seeds is taken in a tablespoon quantity each morning and evening.

. Soak some tea bags in cold water and then place these bags on your eyes.

. Daily intake of walnut for few days reduces the weakness of the eyes.


Perform regular eye exercise to relieve strain from them. These are:

.Palming � sit relaxed with legs folded on a chair and rest the elbows on the table. Keep the palms of both hands on the cheeks, close both the eyes and cover them with the hands. Remain in this position for 10-15 minutes.

.Blinking - while doing constant work with eyes, blink the eyes at least ten times continuously.

.Pupil exercises � rotate the pupils up and down for at least 6 times while keeping the neck and backbone straight.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Urinary Tract Infection : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Urinary tract infections are very common. Women are more suseptible to getting an infection because they have a shorter urethra than men and can get bacteria into the urinary tract more easily. Some women are also prone to recurring infections and these women may continue to have recurrences.

The most common cause of UTI is when bacteria from the rectum or the vagina enters the urinary tract through the urethra. Once this bacteria enters into the urethra it travels upward into the bladder or other parts of the urinary tract causing an infection.

Waiting too long before urinating can also cause bladder infections. The bladder can be stretched to far and over time will weaken the bladder muscle causing the bladder to retain and not empty out completely. Some of the urine is then left in the bladder and may be a risk in causing urinary tract infection or bladder infection. During sex vaginal bacteria can work its way into the urethra.


The symptoms of urinary tract infections:

.Urge to urinate that cannot be delayed
.Sharp pain or burning sensation in the urethra when urininating
.Very little urine may be released
.Urine may have blood in it
.Pain in the lower abdomen or back

If you have a kidney infection instead, you may experience back pain, chills, fever, nausea and vomiting as well as the UTI symptoms. Be sure to get to your doctor immediately if you suspect a kidney infection.


There are various home remedies for urinary tract infection and have prove effective to many people suffering from such infections.

. Drink lots of water. This will help flush the bacteria out of your bladder and urinary tract.

. Taking cranberry juice prevents bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls, making it easier to eliminate them in the urine.

. Watermelon alleviates urinary tract problems, and cleans and refreshes the kidneys.

. Sip a cup of coconut water before breakfast to remove kidney impurities.

. Peel and crush two garlic cloves. Put them in a cup of warm water. Let stand for five minutes and drink. Garlic kills bacteria.

. Put a teaspoon of dried nettle leaves in a cup of water and boil for 5 minutes. Strain and drink.

. Eat asparagus - asparagus is prescribed as a purifier of the urinary tract and helps cure cystitis.

. Cut the onion in four parts, put them in half a liter of water in a stainless steel pot and let boil for about 20 minutes. Remove and let stand for 8 hours. Strain and drink.

. Eating yogurt to is also good for relieving urinary tract infection.

. Drinking one glass of water by adding half teaspoon of baking soda in it will prove highly beneficial.

. Drinking the mixture of cranberry juice and apple juice is also one of the very effective home remedies for urinary tract infection.

. The juice of grapes is also useful in the treatment of urinary tract infection.

. Increase the intake of vitamin C, as this will increase your immunity levels and thus prevent further growth of bacteria.

. Prepare berry juice and have it two times in a day.

. Mix 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp of honey and water. Drink this twice a day.

In case the pain is not going and you are not getting any relief, then it is better to visit your doctor, as there could be some other complication that might be responsible for the pain.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Bee Sting : How To and Home Remedies


A bee sting is strictly a sting from a bee (honey bee, bumblebee, sweat bee, etc). In the vernacular it can mean a sting of a bee, wasp, hornet, or yellow jacket. Some people may even call the bite of a horse-fly a bee sting. The stings of most of these species can be quite painful, and are therefore an object of dread for many people.

Bee stings differ from insect bites, and the venom or toxin of stinging insects is quite different. Therefore, the body's reaction to a bee sting may differ significantly from one species to another. The best way to reduce any reaction to bee venom is to remove the bee stinger as quickly as possible.

There are quite a few home remedies for bee stings that are very effective in alleviating the pain and the discomfort caused by this painful affliction.

. Take freshly crushed parsley and rub it on the bee sting. This should stop the pain and at the same time, begin to neutralize the poison.

. Crush up fresh basil leaves and apply them directly on the bee sting.

. Apply just 1 drop of lavender essential oil on the bee stings. Only use as "spot treatment", do not apply over large areas of skin.

. Place a slice of bread on the area of a bee sting. A bread slice will absorb the poison or any other bee secretion like saliva injected during the sting.

. Make a paste of cabbage leaves by grinding the cabbage and then applying it over the affected area for immediate relief from pain and irritation caused by the bee sting.

. You can use garlic to treat bee stings due to its antiseptic properties. Place a slice of garlic on the wound.

. Rub apple cider vinegar on the bee sting as soon as possible. It prevents swelling and spreading of poison.

. Mixed baking soda with water to create a thick paste and then apply directly on the bee sting.

. Take fresh papaya, and slice off a slice. Apply it to the bee stings for about 1 hour.

. Take an onion and slice it. Apply the slice to the bee sting and either hold it there or tape it in place for about 1 hour.

. Prepare a poultice of potatoes and apply it on the wound to relieve the inflammation and irritation caused by the bee sting.

. Apply turmeric in combination with olive oil over the bee sting.

. Take a small amount of water, mix it with dirt to make mud, then stick it on the sting. It will pull out the stinger and make swelling go down.

. Put baking soda on the bee sting and then pour any kind of vinegar over the baking soda until the baking soda is gone. It will bubble the poision and stinger out.

. Mix vinegar with meat tenderizer,apply on to the sting and left on, until the pain subsides, after which it can be washed off.

. Apply toothpaste on the sting. This will help reduce the pain and bring down the swelling.

. Rub the affected skin with wet aspirin. This is a very effective remedy and gives immediate relief.

. One of the remedies for a bee sting is to apply a mix of honey and lemon to it. Honey will negate the toxin and lemon juice will sanitize the stung area.

. Eggs applied to bee stings also make the swelling and stinging go away.

. Ice cubes need to be applied to the affected site for at least 30 minutes or more to reduce bee sting swelling.

. Covering the bee sting with a small dab of mustard can also be very helpful in relieving the pain and reducing the swelling, redness and itchiness.

. Thyme and rosemary mixed with vinegar are also very good to relieve pain.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Healthy Skeptic Podcast

Chris Kresser has just posted our recent interview/discussion on his blog The Healthy Skeptic.  You can listen to it on Chris's blog here.  The discussion mostly centered around body fat and food reward.  I also answered a few reader questions.  Here are some highlights:
  • How does the food reward system work? Why did it evolve?
  • Why do certain flavors we don�t initially like become appealing over time?
  • How does industrially processed food affect the food reward system?
  • What�s the most effective diet used to make rats obese in a research setting? What does this tell us about human diet and weight regulation?
  • Do we know why highly rewarding food increases the set point in some people but not in others?
  • How does the food reward theory explain the effectiveness of popular fat loss diets?
  • Does the food reward theory tell us anything about why traditional cultures are generally lean?
  • What does cooking temperature have to do with health?
  • Reader question: How does one lose fat?
  • Reader question: What do I (Stephan) eat?
  • Reader question: Why do many people gain fat with age, especially postmenopausal women?
The podcast is a sneak preview of some of the things I'll be discussing in the near future.  Enjoy!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Varicose Veins : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, and sometimes painful veins that have filled with an abnormal collection of blood. In normal veins, valves in the vein keep blood moving forward toward the heart. With varicose veins, the valves do not function properly, allowing blood to remain in the vein. Pooling of blood in a vein causes it to enlarge.

This process usually occurs in the veins of the legs, although it may occur elsewhere. Varicose veins are common, affecting mostly women. Standing for a long time and having increased pressure in the abdomen may make you more likely to develop varicose veins, or may make the condition worse.

Primary varicose veins occur because of congenitally defective valves, or without a known cause. Secondary varicose veins occur because of another condition, such as when a pregnant woman develops varicose veins. The varicose veins are dark purple or blue in color.

Many times the veins get congested due to the blood clots and this can also result in various illnesses. Due to the injury the veins appear bluish and swollen. This condition is known as varicose veins. This is extremely painful condition but you can get some relief from the pain by trying the various home remedies for varicose veins.

. Apply cider vinegar to the varicose veins in the morning and evening till the veins starts shrinking. This is a good home remedy for varicose veins.

. Apply vitamin E oil to the affected areas.

. Apply witch hazel tea to the affected areas.

. Raw vegetable juices especially carrot juice in combination with spinach juice has been proved beneficial. It should be taken in a proportion of 300 ml carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice.

. Applying castor oil over the swollen veins will reduce the swelling and heal the varicose veins fast.

. A hot Epsom salt bath is also effective and should be taken twice a week. this is one of the best varicose veins cure.

. Massage oil of rosemary gently into an affected parts. This is also one of the good home remedies for varicose veins.

. A mudpack can be applied over the area at night and can be left till morning.

. Sunbathing is also helpful in dealing with varicose veins.

. Vitamin C  should be taken in a therapeutic dose of 3000 mg.

. The marigold extract is an excellent solution for inflamed and ulcerated skin. Apply the extract externally over the enlarged network of veins.

. Alternating between hot and cold baths proves to be effective against varicose veins.

. Dissolve two tablespoons of flower honey in six table spoons of apple cider vinegar. Soak a crepe bandage in the mix, then wrap the bandage around the infected area, leave overnight for best results.

. To keep the blood circulation proper avoid sitting or standing in one position for long time.

. Eat fibrous food, as this will keep the bowels clean. This will prevent varicose veins from occurring and will also keep you away from various other conditions.

. Pineapple is also very effective in the treatment of varicose veins. Pineapple juice should be consumed once a day in case you get varicose veins often.

. Eat as many blackberries and cherries as you can. They help to prevent varicose veins.

. Gingko biloba extract enhances tissue oxygenation and circulation. Take 40 milligrams three times a day.

. Take 25,000 international units of beta-carotene daily.

. Follow healthy eating habits and stay away form junk food, oily food. Limit your intake of sugar and salt. Try to minimize eating ice creams, cheese, tobacco and peanuts.

. Including ginger, onions,and garlic in your diet is beneficial.

. Avoiding high heels and tight clothing that can restrict blood flow in the legs is the best varicose veins treatment.

. Do a daily routine of exercises like walking, swimming and bicycling to promote circulation.




~source:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov~

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Vomiting : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Vomiting is a forceful action accomplished by a fierce, downward contraction of the diaphragm muscle. At the same time, the abdominal muscles tighten against a relaxed stomach with an open gastroesophageal sphincter. The contents of the stomach are propelled up and out. As part of a bodily reflex, you may produce more saliva just before vomiting.

The following are possible causes of vomiting:

.Viral infections
.Medications
.Seasickness or motion sickness
.Migraine headaches
.Morning sickness during pregnancy
.Food poisoning
.Food allergies
.Brain tumors
.Chemotherapy in cancer patients
.Bulimia
.Alcoholism
.Peptic ulcer in the stomach outlet (pylorus)


Vomiting is a sign that your body is not well, so it is better to take some rest. You can easily know when you are going to vomit, as there are various pre-signs about it. There are home remedies for vomiting and also to prevent vomiting. In case you don�t know the reason why you are vomiting and the vomiting is not stopping after trying home remedies then it is good for you to contact your doctor.

. If you think you might get vomiting, then have one cup of ginger tea by adding very little sugar in it.

. If you are drunk and want to prevent vomiting from happening, then eat plain bread. Bread will take care of your digestive tract and will absorb the alcohol.

. Drinking one can of cola will also give relief from vomiting. But first bring the cola at room temperature.

. Eat oranges along with black salt will help in preventing the feeling of vomiting.

. Drinking limejuice is also one of the very effective home remedies for vomiting.

. Take a lemon and cut it into halves and sprinkle the rock salt and lick, this will also helps to avoid vomiting.

. Keep some cloves in your mouth. This is also very beneficial to treat vomiting.

. Take one teaspoon of onion juice, after every two hours; this method is also very effective to get rid from vomiting.

. Add some honey in one glass of water and drink this glass of water. This simple remedy is also very beneficial in the treatment of vomiting.

. Boil 1/2 cup of rice in 1 cup of water. After rice cooked, strain the water and drink. This will also help you in vomiting.

. Avoid solid consumption for first 12 hours and consume liquids as much as you can like water and juices.

. Smell an orange peel or take a piece of hard candy.

. Simmer a small piece of crushed ginger and a few basil leaves in a cupful of water. Strain the mixture, add honey, and sip hot or cold. Drink a half cup at a time, but do not drink it all in one go.

. Mint tea, with two ground cloves and a trace of nutmeg is also soothing and leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth.



~source:home-remedies-world.com~

Fast Food, Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance

CarbSane just posted an interesting new study that fits in nicely with what we're discussing here. It's part of the US Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which is a long-term observational study that is publishing many interesting findings. The new study is titled "Fast-food habits, weight gain, and insulin resistance (the CARDIA study): 15-year prospective analysis" (1). The results speak for themselves, loud and clear (I've edited some numbers out of the quote for clarity):
Read more �

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Cold Sores : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Cold sores are blisters that appear in your lips making you feel miserable because of not only the pain but also the blemishes it causes to your appearance. Rarely on can also have the cold sores on gums and nose. Cold sores are invisible but you can feel the pain caused by them.

Cold sores could be traced to a form of virus named herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 which is different from those that cause genital herpes or chickenpox.The fluids emanating from the blisters have a clear yellowish color in a reddened skin. As and when it breaks up, it lets a fluid to ooze out which dries to a yellowish crust.

Cold sores are one of the commonest disorders of the mouth and millions of people across the word sufferer from it. The virus is generally spread by kissing, however sharing plates, glasses, bottles etc with someone who is suffering from a blister is also not recommended due to the contagious nature of the condition.

There are various medicines available over the counter but if you don't want to wait for going out and buying them then there are several home remedies for cold sores .

. Replace your toothbrush after every six months or before that. Your toothbrush can be responsible for causing cold sores, as the herpes virus can grow if the toothbrush is kept in moist surrounding.

. One of the effective home remedy for cold sores is pressing or rubbing ice on a sore. Hold the ice to the sore for about 3-8 minutes repeating it for a few hours.

. Rubbing aloe to cold sores is also one of the great home remedy for cold sores to lessen their size and help decreasing pain.

. Rub lemon balm extract,is also one of the great home remedy for cold sores.

. After every hour keep tea bags over the cold sores for about ten to fifteen minutes, as this will give relief from the pain caused by cold sores.

. Tea tree oil should be applied on the cold sores for healing the blisters fast.

. Collect fresh neem leaves and apply its paste on the cold sores. Neem is very effective and has medicinal properties to heal the cold sores.

. Add some salt in water and boil it for sometime. Then allow it cool for some time and then gargle with this salt water .

. Mix 3ml of carbolic acid in 100 ml of coconut oil and apply this mixture on the cold sores three times in a day.

. Take 200-500 mg. of vitamin C along with 200-500 mg. of citrus bioflavonoids thrice a day.

. One of the greatest diet for cold sores is application of Vitamin E topically. It will provide pain relief.

. Plain yogurt (with acidophilus) with live cultures is taken as it is very good as preventive measure for cold sores.

. Another home remedies for cold sores is applying a cornstarch paste.

. Make a tea by adding 2-3 leaves to a cup of boiling water and steep. Then add one tsp of powdered ginger and have it several cups a day until the sores are cleared off.

. Avoid peanuts, peas, chocolates, whole-wheat products from your diet, as they are rich in arginine, which can increase the cold sores.

. Avoid squeezing the blisters or else the blisters will start bleeding and then you will find it difficult to eat anything.

. After touching the blisters wash your hands properly. Without washing the hands don't touch your eyes or genital areas.

. Take one 1500 milligram tablet each morning and the cold sores should begin to dry up after the second or third day.

. Use of petroleum jelly prevents your skin (around the sore area) from cracking.

. Make sure that you do not simply attempt to disguise the cold sores by using makeup and other cosmetic products as very often the chemicals in them will simply cause further irritation to the skin and worsen the condition.

. Soak some cotton wool in white vinegar and apply to infected area 4 times daily.

. Rub mentholatum rub works great. Usually in a few hours the whole thing is gone.

. Put Listerine on a cotton ball and hold it to the blister, it will kill many of the germs and cut healing time.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Friday, May 20, 2011

Underweight : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


The term underweight refers to a human who is not considered to be under a healthy weight. Underweight means weighing less than what is expected to be a healthy person. The definition is usually made with reference to the body mass index. A BMI of under 18.5 is usually referred to as underweight.Genetics, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, stress, no exercising and unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking are responsible for being underweight.

Compared to loosing weight, gaining weight is much more easier task. There are so many home remedies for underweight that you can easily gain weight without taking any medical treatment.

. Banana is very useful in gaining weight fast. You can either eat bananas as it is or by making banana milk shakes.

. Eating muskmelon thrice in a day is also effective way of gaining weight. If for forty days you will follow this remedy, you will be very pleased with the outcome.

. Eat one mango and then drink one glass of milk for gaining weight. Doing this remedy for one month will surely help you in gaining weight.

. Eating three bananas in a day is very effective if you eat one bowl of curd after that. You can also drink one glass of milk after eating banana.

. Add some honey in one glass of milk and have it before going to bed in the nighttime.

. Add dates, anjeer and almonds in a mixer jar and then grind all this together. Then add this in one cup of milk and boil it. Drinking this milk is useful treatment for underweight people.

. Add raisins to your diet and eat them on a daily basis and see the difference in your weight post one month.

. Add pomegranate seed powder, museli powder and Indian ginseng root powder in one glass of warm milk and drink it two times a day for about one month.

. Soak some dry figs in water for overnight and have it two times a day.

. To gain weight the diet should include more calories than are used in daily activities so as to allow the excess to be stored as body fat.

. Eat plenty of fruits and drink plenty of milk. Fruits and milk both are very rich source of vitamins and minerals.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Tinnitus : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Tinnitus is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound. The most common symptoms of tinnitus are buzzing, hissing, and ringing sound inside the ear. Sometimes these sounds may go along with the patient�s heartbeat.

Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period (but usually with some duration), ear infections, foreign objects in the ear, nasal allergies that prevent (or induce) fluid drain, or wax build-up.

Tinnitus can also be caused by natural hearing impairment (as in aging), as a side effect of some medications, and as a side effect of genetic (congenital) hearing loss. However, the most common cause is noise-induced hearing loss.

There are various home remedies for tinnitus available that give instant relief from the ringing noises.

. Protect your ears form loud noise by wearing a mask over the ears. Many people can get tinnitus when they hear loud noises in their surrounding.

. Reduce your intake of sugar, salt and saturated fats.

. Smoking and alcohol is also not advised during the time you are hearing the noises in your ears.

. Vitamin A and vitamin B rich food should be more in your diet. Also include lots of proteins and zinc to your meals.

. Take 300 mg. a day of Coenzyme Q10.

. Ginkgo biloba is also effective and reduces the dizziness and also helps in regulating the blood flow to the ears.

. Eating pineapples are also one of the very effective home remedies for tinnitus.

. Garlic is also effective in treating the tinnitus conditions. You can include plenty of garlic in your diet.

. Chewing dried fruits helps to increase blood circulation in the ear area.

. Applying hot compresses on the neck or massaging the ear before bedtime serve as effective home remedies for tinnitus due to improper blood circulation.

. Putting a saline solution in the affected ear and draining it out after ten minutes is an effective natural cure for the disease.

. Mix one teaspoon of ghee in one cup of milk and nicely blend the mixture. Drink one cup of his mixture on a regular basis.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Food Reward: a Dominant Factor in Obesity, Part III

Low-Fat Diets

In 2000, the International Journal of Obesity published a nice review article of low-fat diet trials. It included data from 16 controlled trials lasting from 2-12 months and enrolling 1,910 participants (1). What sets this review apart is it only covered studies that did not include instructions to restrict calorie intake (ad libitum diets). On average, low-fat dieters reduced their fat intake from 37.7 to 27.5 percent of calories. Here's what they found:
Read more �

Gastritis : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It occurs when there is an excess of acid production in the stomach. The more chances of chronic gastritis are in people suffering from severe iron deficiency. It felt by a burning sensation in a stomach and chest. Any disorder in the stomach lining will interfere with the proper digestion of food resulting in other problem such as nausea and vomiting.

Following are the factors which causes gastritis.

.Excess consumption of alcohol.
.Infections caused by viruses and bacteria.
.Anemia, especially pernicious anemia leads to inflammation of stomach wall.
.Gastric ulcers are also responsible for causing gastritis.
.Consuming spicy and heavy food depletes stomach wall.
.Leading unhealthy lifestyles.


There is some good news for anyone that has gastritis. That is the fact that there are some great gastritis home remedies out there for you to use.

. A fresh ginger can be chewed or added to your dish. It will helps the food to digest, and prevent gastritis.

. A combination of 200 ml of spinach juice mixed with 300 ml of carrot juice is highly beneficial in the treatment of gastritis.

. Application of heat through hot compressor or hot water bottle twice in the day with empty stomach has also been proven beneficial.

. Put a little lemon juice in a glass of warm water, and drink it. It helps to avoid gastritis.

. In a cup of hot water put half a teaspoon of licorice root tea. Wait for 10 minutes, strain the tea and drink. Repeat this at least 3 time daily.

. Chew roasted fennel after each meal. It also helps to relief from gastritis.

. Drink coconut water from fresh coconut will also help your gastritis.

. Avoid consuming too much alcohol,tea and coffee to prevent gastritis.

. Do not eat solid and spicy food as they will worsen your gastritis.

. Take yogurt daily. Taking yogurt is a great way to get rid of gastritis.

. Take honey in any form as you can either raw or add honey in milk and also you can spread it over bread and eat it.

. Soak barley grains in hot water for a few hours. Then drink the water as it helps your gastritis.

. Taking a couple of raw garlic cloves daily is your best defense, or you can also cook them with your dishes. You can also take garlic supplement.

. Soak some figs in hot water for a few hours then strain it. Drink the water. It is also very effective home remedy to treat gastritis.

. Add a tablespoon of flax seeds to a glass of water and let stand for 12 hours. Strain and drink the water.

. Chamomile tea is a good home remedy to relieve gastritis. Drink a few times a day.

. Blend a few leaves of cabbage in half a cup of water and consume it on an empty stomach.

. Make fruit juice with a few pieces of papaya and a few pieces of banana. Blend with one cup of water or milk and drink.

. Make vegetable juice with a carrot, half potato, and celery. Blend them together with water. Drink before breakfast.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Clarifications About Carbohydrate and Insulin

My statements about carbohydrate and insulin in the previous post seem to have kicked up some dust! Some people are even suggesting I've gone low-fat! I'm going to take this opportunity to be more specific about my positions.

I do not think that post-meal insulin spikes contribute to obesity, and they may even oppose it. Elevated fasting insulin is a separate issue-- that's a marker of insulin resistance. It's important not to confuse the two. Does insulin resistance contribute to obesity? I don't know, but it's hypothetically possible since insulin acts like leptin's kid brother in some ways. As far as I can tell, starch per se and post-meal insulin spikes do not lead to insulin resistance.
Read more �

Body Rash : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Body rash is nothing but the inflammation of the skin. It is caused due to various reasons - some kind of allergy to perfumes, soaps, detergents or the chemicals in the clothing are few reasons that cause body rashes. It can happen to people of any age group and gender. The body rash can be easily seen on the skin, as the skin of body rash appears different in color compared to the other body parts. The body rashes can happen at any part of the body. Itching of the skin, bumps on the skin and burning sensations are the symptoms of body rash.

Skin rash could occur as a result of a variety of reasons. Some of the common ones are:

� Allergy to dyes and chemicals in clothing.
� Chemicals present in elastic, latex and rubber products.
� As a reaction to cosmetics, perfumes, soaps and detergents.
� Heat rash
� Dermatitis
� Measles
� Dry skin
� Ichthyosis

It is best to consider home remedies for body rashes to help alleviate itching and infection due to frequent scratching. Following are some of the effective home remedies for body rash.

. Apply olive oil on the affected part of the skin. Olive oil helps to heal the rashes fast and also gives relief form the burning sensations.

. Applying vitamin E on the body rash is also very effective remedy for treating body rash.

. Apply Aloe Vera gel or pulp over the infected skin and keep it for about 10 to 15 minutes and then wash it off.

. Washing the area with chamomile tea is considered to be great healing material.

. Application of Cod liver oil is good for body rash cure.

. Apply baking powder with gentle pressure on the affected skin for getting fast relief from the itching.

. Pour a cupful of uncooked oatmeal into the bathwater in the bathtub and then soak the body into this solution. It will be sufficient to cure body rashes.

. Your diet should also be rich in vitamin C. For this include lots of fruits and green vegetables in your meals.

. If you know what is causing the body rash then better stop using it. If any perfume or soap is responsible for causing the body rash then you can easily change it.

. Grind few holy basil leaves with 1 tbsp of olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, a pinch of salt and same of pepper. Smear them on the affected area as the formula helps healing skin condition.

. If the itching is beyond control then rub the area with ice cube. This will give you relief from the itching.

. Avoid fermented food like yogurt, pickles and breads in any form such as pizzas. These all foods have tendency to produce some allergy which is not good diet for body rashes.

. Apply cornstarch on the affected skin for getting fast relief from the itching.

. Apply tea tree oil on the affected skin for getting immediate relief.

. Always use herbal product to wash or to apply on the affected area. Stop using material containing chemicals.

. Cucumber puree made from fresh cucumber peels can be applied directly to the affected area.

. Drink carrot juice for effective treatment of rashes.

. Drink water with a teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar. This is a very effective treatment of rashes.

Rashes, as previously mentioned, are seldom triggered by serious diseases, but if other symptoms persist, it is best to consult with a professional medical expert.



~source:herbal-home-remedies.com~

Monday, May 16, 2011

Bedwetting : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Bedwetting is involuntary urination in children over 5 to 6 years old. It may occur at any time of the day or night. Children develop complete control over their bladders at different ages. Nighttime dryness is usually the last stage of toilet learning.

Bedwetting in children may be due to immature nervous system due to which the child is not able to feel that his bladder is full. Sometimes it is also because of small bladder due to which the bladder is not able to hold all the urine produced during the night. In a very rare case it may be due to some defects in the urinary system.

Some medical conditions like urinary tract infection, constipation, diabetes, sickle-cell anemia, or epilepsy may also cause bedwetting. Hormonal factors, wherein there is inadequate antidiuretic hormone. This hormone reduces the amount of urine produced by the kidneys. It is also because of spinal cord abnormalities,genetic factors or deep sleep.

There are things that you can do at home to remove the bedwetting habit of your child. Some of these remedies will take longer duration to correct the bedwetting habits of your child.

. Give your kid six to eight oz. of cranberry juice, an hour before going to bed.

. Eat two walnut halves and one tsp raisins before going to the bed.

. Give massage inner thigh of your kid with St. John�s wort oil.

. A grown up kid should be asked to practice retention control by postponing urination during the day. She or he should do it first by a few minutes and then by eventually increased amounts of time.

. Take your kid in the bathroom before taking them to bed. Just throw water on their legs and they will urinate. This way you will be sure that their urinary bladder is empty when they are going to bed.

. Another home remedy for bedwetting is give a drink of herbal tea made from herbs like oak bark, horsetail, wormwood or bearberry.

. Avoid giving soft drinks and tea to your children. As these things will make them go to urinate more often than needed.

. Once you know that your kid is regular in wetting the bed, then make it a daily routine to take your kid to bathroom once again in the night.

. Kids sometime fear the dark and avoid going to the bathroom. For this reason make sure that you keep the nightlight on in your kid's room.

. Reward your child for dry nights.It is most useful in younger children, about 5 to 8 years old.

. Take some barks of parsley and give them to your child to either suck or chew, as it is well known remedy to avoid bedwetting.

. Give your kid herbal orange blossom honey at night before going to bed as it will help to stop bedwetting.

. One should eat about 2-3 bananas daily to cure the problem.

. Avoid sweets,chocolates, meat and artificial additives.

. Boil 4-5 dry dates in 1 1/2 cup of milk-ensure to remove the seeds. Crush them a bit and give this to your kid at night before going to bed.

. Calcium and magnesium supplements control bladder spasms, vitamin A helps in normal functioning of the bladder, zinc improves bladder function as well as the immune system.

. Do not scold your child or make him/her feel that this is their fault as it most definitely is not.

. This is often a sensitive issue for children so do not joke about it with friends or family.

Along with the use of these remedies, there is immense need for family support. Parent�s patience and love would surely help the child get through this condition.
Sometimes the reason behind bedwetting can be serious too. Hence it is better to consult your doctor and take his help.



~source:ncbi.nlm.nih.gov~

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Breast Enhancement : How To and Home Remedies


Most women dream of having the perfect figure, which is why they spend thousands of dollars on diet products, gym memberships and figure enhancement treatments and surgeries. The passage of time and motherhood are primarily responsible for the breasts to sag. The skin of the breast is very delicate and should therefore be well-taken care of.

More and more women are looking into herbal breast enhancement as a potential alternative to augmentation surgery. With new evidence emerging touting the benefits of natural enhancers, these supplements may just be the answer for women looking to increase their bust size without surgery.

Herbal breast enhancement is a safe and inexpensive way to increase the size of your breasts. Natural breast enlargement takes some time and effort to achieve results. However, if you're willing to go the extra mile,here are some common remedies for breast enlargement. These remedies are not only aimed at increasing the size of the breast tissue, they can also help in making the breasts firmer.

. The extract of Fenugreek seeds contains most of the plant elements that are recommended for breast enlargement. There are several varieties of fenugreek supplements that can be bought from most stores that sell health food.

. Wild yams help relax the muscles and are also a great herb for the enlargement of breasts.

. Vitamin E is absolutely essential in the growth of breasts. Watercress leaves are high in vitamin E and therefore, is a great home remedy for increasing the size of breasts.

. Marshmallow Root Extract is very effective in the enlargement of breasts and can be either taken internally for a couple of months or applied in the form of a compress directly on the breast.

. Pueraria Mirifica, also known as Kwao Krua, is believed to boost breast size almost up to 80%. It also shows miraculous results on skin and hair.

. Another natural product that is effective in enhancing breast size is dandelion root, which increases production of breast cells.

. Saw Palmetto is a hormone regulator and can increase the size of the breast, as well as treat a lot of other problems, within a short period of time.

. Blessed Thistle contains properties of estrogen, thereby increasing breast size and increasing the production of milk in them.

. Fennel Seeds contain a high concentration of flavonoids and help in forming new cells and tissues in breasts, thereby increasing their size.

. Massaging the breasts with natural oils regularly can improve the size and shape of breasts.

. Adding certain amino acids to your system can drastically boost growth hormone, turning breast growth "on" again. The best amino acids for the job include arginine, lysine, and glutamine. Besides enlarging your breasts, growth hormone also slows the aging process and helps burn fat.

. Dong Quai is another excellent herb which is principally used for treating myriad of female health conditions related to hormonal imbalances and reduced production of estrogen.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Abrasions : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


An abrasion is a superficial damage to the upper layer of the skin, the epidermis. It may cause slight bleeding. In general, abrasions do not leave a scar but deep abrasions could cause tissue scarring. Usually, abrasion injuries happen as a result of skin coming in contact (as in scraping) with a rough surface.

Abrasions could be caused due to innumerable reasons.

.Sports injury
.Fall from heights
.Accidents
.Traumas
.Bed sores
.Certain diseases that cause abrasions as their secondary symptoms


Kids are prone to abrasions because of all the activity, falling, and playing they do. It is good to have your own personal home remedy for abrasions and especially if you have children.

. Clean the wound properly with a good antiseptic soap and warm water . This way you will get protection from infection of microbes.

. Put a few drops of lavender oil on the affected area that helps in healing abrasions.

. The affected area can also be disinfected with the usage of thyme tea or with a cup of water that contains 3-5 drops of the essential oil.

. Iodine is a good liquid to have in the house as it reduces the swelling and is great in reducing the chance of infection.

. Aloe is soothing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It helps in healing all kinds of wounds including abrasions. Use the pure gel for topical application.

. Use honey to sooth the feeling of the abrasion. Honey has some great properties and can soften the skin until the wound heals over.

. Crush marigold flowers and then applying them externally.

. Dilute 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water then pat it over the open abrasion. If you can warm the water this would be even better.

. The affected area can also be disinfected with the usage of thyme tea or with a cup of water that contains 3-5 drops of the essential oil.

. Dilute garlic oil in an equal amount of olive oil and apply it to the affected skin. Do not allow this remedy to stay on for any longer than 30 minuets or else it can cause more harm than damage.

. If tea tree oil is applied regularly on the affected area then the abrasion scars can be lessened.

. Clean the abrasion well with antibacterial soap, and coat with a thin layer of petroleum jelly.

. After washing with antibacterial soap, coat with cod liver oil. This will help in healing the wound fast.

. Onion juice is also effective over preventing the growth of microbes. Hence apply onion juice externally over the injured skin.



~source:homeremedyhaven.com~

Friday, May 13, 2011

Athlete's Foot : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Athlete's foot is a very common skin infection of the bottom of the feet caused by fungus. The fungus that most commonly causes athlete's foot is called Trichophyton. This infection occurs mainly between the toe fingers. It is a contagious skin infection. This condition could occur to anyone, but people who wear their shoes or socks for long periods of time are usually more prone to it.
Athletes are more prone to athlete�s feet because they sweat a lot and the warm and moist conditions in the shoes is the perfect environment for the fungus to grow in.

Itching between the toe fingers is the most common symptom of athlete�s foot. Since the fungus begins to grow between the toes of the infected person, the skin between the toes can get scaly and rough. This causes itching and sometimes even burning of the skin. After sometimes moist and white lesions develop between the toe fingers. There may be pungent smell from the toe as the infection continues to grow. There may be redness and scales on the toe due to the growth of the fungus, the inflammation and the itching.

If you do not want to buy over-the-counter medication for your athletes foot, then do not worry. There are a few home remedies for athletes foot that may help you get rid of it.

. Wash the feet daily, or even twice, preferably with a mild soap paying with and extra attention to the area between the toes.

. Wear sandals or flip flops in the shower especially in public places.

. Soak the feet in Epsom salts and warm water.

. After washing or showering,dry the feet very carefully, especially the area between the toes.

. Dusting an antifungal powder on the feet and into the shoes is good idea. You should choose leather or canvas shoes but never plastic.

. Wear the shoes in rotation; meaning to say that one should not wear the same pair two days running and should not put on shoes those are damp.

. Spray the shoes with a disinfectant and put them out under the sunlight to help kill germs.

. Wear cotton socks, or special running socks which absorb sweat, with your trainers when doing sport.

. Apply tea tree oil directly to the affected area thrice a day. The general dose for tea tree oil is 4-10 drops.

. Apply some honey on your feet were it is infected and let it set on your feet for about 30 min. Take a warm shower to wash your feet off.

. Tea tree oil can also be used combining with Aloe vera gel. Mix about 4 oz of Aloe vera gel with � tsp of tea tree oil in a spray bottle and then spray it on the affected area two times a day. The affected area should then be allowed to dry totally before putting on socks and shoes.

. Apply a few drops of grapefruit seeds extract onto the palm and rub it onto the feet twice or thrice a day. Grapefruit seed extract can also be added to the water to wash socks.

. Dilute 1 part white household vinegar to 4 parts water. Soak or spray the affected area for 20 to 30 minutes twice day.

. Dilute 1/4 cup household Clorox bleach in one bathtub of water. Soak the affected area.

. Dilute a cup of apple cider vinegar with an equal amount of water. Use this diluted solution to wash the affected skin.

. Fill a basin with one quart of water and add two spoons of betadine in the basin. Soak your feet in the warm water and betadine solution to get rid of any microbes in your feet.

. Sprinkle some baking soda between your toe fingers and rinse your feet after fifteen minutes.

. For immediate relief from itching or burning, soak your feet in an antiseptic mouthwash like Listerine.

. Corn starch is effective in soaking moisture, so keep your toe fingers dry by sprinkling some corn starch on them.

. Apply some honey on your feet were it is infected and let it set on your feet for about 30 min. After this it would be good to take a warm shower to wash your feet off.

. Fill a large bowl with a quart of boiling water and add six tea bags. After the tea has cooled enough to be comfortably warm, soak your feet for a half hour or an hour.

. Make concentrated sea salt solution in warm condition. Put it in foot bath and soak your feet for 20 minutes till water is warm. Repeat this 3-4 times, allowing 1-2 days in between the treatment to allow foot to recuperate.



~source:homeremedyhaven.com~

Healthy Skeptic Podcast and Reader Questions

Chris Kresser, Danny Roddy and I just finished recording the podcast that will be released on May 24th. It went really well, and we think you'll find it informative and maybe even practical!

Unfortunately, we only got around to answering three of the questions I had selected:
  1. How does one lose fat?
  2. What do I (Stephan) eat?
  3. Why do many people gain fat with age, especially postmenopausal women?
I feel guilty about that, so I'm going to answer three more right now.

Read more �

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Freckles : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Freckles are flat, tanned circular spots that typically are the size of the head of a common nail. The spots are multiple and may develop randomly on the skin, especially after repeated exposure to sunlight. These are particularly common in people of fair complexion on upper-body skin areas like the cheeks, nose, arms, and upper shoulders. Freckles may vary somewhat in color -- they may be reddish, yellow, tan, light brown, brown, or black -- but they are basically slightly darker than the surrounding skin.

There are two basic types of freckles: simple freckles and sunburn freckles. Simple freckles are usually tan, round, and small -- about the size of a common construction nail head. Sunburn freckles are often darker, have irregular jagged borders, and may be larger than a pencil eraser. Sunburn freckles are more common on the upper back and shoulders where people frequently get their most severe sunburns.

Even though freckles are not harmful or dangerous to your health, they take away your full skin beauty. If you're looking for easy, natural home remedies to treat freckles at the comfort of your home,here are some of effective home remedies to remove freckles.

. Apply sour cream on your face. Do not rinse this mask off completely. Gently wipe off with a soft tissue and top it up with a moisturizer.

. Apply lemon juice with your fingers on the affected area. lemon juice bleaches the dark spots.

. Wash your face with sour milk. Lactic acid promotes gentle peeling of skin minus the irritation or dryness.

. Slice a red onion in half and rub on the spots twice daily. Continue until the spots fade.

. Regular use of fruit and vegetable masks such as those made with apricots, strawberries, cucumbers and red currant will help lighten freckles.

. Grind yellow mustard in milk and apply to the face during the night. Wash your face the next morning.

. Mix a spoon of honey with fresh lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt to it and apply it all over the affected area. Wash it off with warm water.

. Ground a handful of mint in a blender with one ripe banana. Apply the paste all over the affected area and wash it off when the pack begins to melt on your face.

. Soak a few almonds over night and grind the paste. Mix with fresh cream and apply to the affected area. Wash it off after an hour.

. Apply odorless castor oil or vitamin E at night before going to bed.

. Increase your Vitamin C intake. It makes your skin less sensitive to the sun.

. Use a good quality sunscreen that offers a high level of 'sun protection factor'. Use it whenever you have to go out in the sun.

. Taking 2-3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with a little water 2-3 times daily will also help cleanse your body from the inside out.

Laser treatment is the only known method to help you remove your freckles permanently. So if you have tried many different methods before and your freckles are stubborn and keep coming back, laser freckle removal may be just right for you.


~source:medicinenet.com~

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Ingrown Toenail : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


An ingrown toenail, also known as onychocryptosis or unguis incarnates, is a painful condition of the toe. It occurs when a sharp corner of the toenail digs into the skin at the end of or side of the toe. Usually it is the nail in the big toe. This can be very painful. Ingrown nails can be caused by shoes that are very tight, or because the person has not been clipping nails properly. Nails should be cut in a straight line and not on a curve.

An ingrown toenail is a common disorder that most often affects the outer edge of the big toe. However, the nail on any toe, or the nail on both sides of a toe, can become ingrown. The most common signs and symptoms are pain, redness, and swelling at the corner of a toenail.

If the ingrown nail case is very severe there is no other solution than going to the doctor and have a small surgery done. But to relieve pain and swelling, here are some home remedies.

. Salt and hot water. Put feet in a basin with hot water and salt for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also use chamomile tea instead as chamomile relieves inflammation.

. This oil is a natural antibiotic that helps prevent infection. Rub a few drops of oil on the affected nail and toe.

. Do not wear high heels or tight-fitting shoes. Consider wearing sandals, if possible, until the condition clears up.

. Soak the foot with the ingrown nail in two pints of warm water and add two teaspoons of marigold (calendula) tincture.

. If your toenail has become thick and brittle you can apply some petroleum jelly mixed with lemon juice.

. Apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment and cover the tender area of your ingrown toenail with a bandage.

. Following each foot soaking, place small sections of a cotton ball or dental floss under the edge of the ingrown toe nail, which most often occurs on the big toe.

. Application of some hydrogen peroxide on the affected area helps cure the infection. Make sure you dry your feet well before using hydrogen peroxide.

. Add 6 teaspoons of powdered licorice to 1 cup of boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and then allow to cool. Use a cotton ball and apply to the infected area three times a day.

If you have diabetes, poor circulation or nerve damage in the foot or leg you should see your doctor promptly to have the problem evaluated.



~source:home-remedies-site.com~

Administrative Note

My blog is being mercilessly ripped off by cheesy feed aggregators that are using my material for commercial gain, often without attribution. I was able to ignore them when there were only one or two, and when they appeared far down the list on Google searches. But at this point, there are 20+ rip-off sites that ride my coattails under questionable circumstances, and are getting decent Google rankings, so I've had enough. I'm changing my feed settings so that I only partially syndicate my posts, and I'm adding a short plagiarism warning to each post.

What that means is that if you're using an RSS reader, you'll have to click through to my blog to read my material in full. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I don't see any other solution.

Read more �

Monday, May 9, 2011

Hemorrhoids : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Hemorrhoids also known as piles,are swollen and inflamed veins around the anus or in the lower rectum. The rectum is the last part of the large intestine leading to the anus. The anus is the opening at the end of the digestive tract where bowel contents leave the body.

The most common symptom of internal hemorrhoids is bright red blood on stool, on toilet paper, or in the toilet bowl after a bowel movement. Internal hemorrhoids that are not prolapsed are usually not painful. Prolapsed hemorrhoids often cause pain, discomfort, and anal itching. Excessive straining, rubbing, or cleaning around the anus may make symptoms, such as itching and irritation, worse.

Hemorrhoids are not dangerous or life threatening. Symptoms usually go away within a few days, and some people with hemorrhoids never have symptoms. Swelling in the anal or rectal veins causes hemorrhoids. Several factors may cause this swelling, including

.chronic constipation or diarrhea

.straining during bowel movements

.sitting on the toilet for long periods of time

.a lack of fiber in the diet

Another cause of hemorrhoids is the weakening of the connective tissue in the rectum and anus that occurs with age. Pregnancy can cause hemorrhoids by increasing pressure in the abdomen, which may enlarge the veins in the lower rectum and anus. For most women, hemorrhoids caused by pregnancy disappear after childbirth.

Any rectal bleeding needs to be evaluated by a health professional. In some serious cases, surgery may be needed. Home cures for hemorrhoids are safe and gentle and surely end up producing healthy results.

. Take a thick gruel of rice, glass of buttermilk and a ripe banana. Mix them and take it twice a day. This is very effective home remedy for hemorrhoid.

. Make juice of leaves of bitter gourd. Take three teaspoons of it, mix with a glass of buttermilk and take it early morning.

. Dab a small amount of Petroleum Jelly or Zinc Oxide on a cotton ball and apply to the swollen area.

. By applying Aloe Vera directly into the anus region you sure can get instant relief and get rid of the itching.

. Drinking green tea with the beneficial different blends can also act as the best home cures for hemorrhoids.

. Dry figs are the most important food remedy for piles. 3-4 figs should be soaked overnight in water and taken empty stomach in the morning along with the water in which they were soaked.

. Boil 20g of sesame seeds in 500 ml of water and drink it. This is another effective home remedy for hemorrhoids.

. Cold-water treatment also helps the veins to shrink and tones up the walls. The treatment should be taken twice a day by sitting in a tub filled with cold-water .

. A cup of milk boiled with mashed banana and taken thrice a day is also beneficial for hemorrhoids.

. Make a mixture of half-teaspoon fresh ginger juice, half-teaspoon fresh limejuice, a tablespoon honey, and a half-teaspoon mint leaves and take this mixture once a day. This is one of the simple and effective hemorrhoids cure.

. Cherries and berries are rich in proanthocyanidins, antioxidant flavonoids that strengthen the veins.

. Apple cider vinegar or just plain vinegar can be applied to hemorrhoids to stop the itching and burning sensations. Vinegar acts as stringent that can help in shrinking the engorged blood vessels.

. Eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C is important to strengthen and tone down the blood vessels.

. Pomegranate peels can be used to prepare a hemorrhoids remedy, by simply boiling the peels in water. The water must then be drunk, and this practice should be done twice a day.

. Apply chamomile ointment directly to the hemorrhoids as often as needed for relief of symptoms.

. Apply witch hazel with a sterile cotton pad, 3 times daily to shrink the swollen veins.

. Cut up two full garlic cloves and put them in 2 cups of boiling water for 25 minutes. Once the water is at room temperature, the patient should use it as a enema to help treat their internal hemorrhoids. This hemorrhoids home remedy can be used once per day.

These natural and home reliefs for hemorrhoids help in preventing hemorrhoids and easing the discomfort if you already have them. However, seek and ask for your physician�s advice if home remedies are not enough in controlling your hemorrhoid problem.



~source:home-remedies-for-you.com~

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Hives : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Hives are raised, often itchy, red welts on the surface of the skin. They are usually an allergic reaction to food or medicine. Allergic reactions cause your body to release chemicals that can make your skin swell up in hives. People who have other allergies are more likely to get hives than other people. Other causes include infections and stress.

Hives are very common. Hives usually cause itching, but may also burn or sting. They can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, lips, tongue, throat, or ears. Hives vary in size (from a pencil eraser to a dinner plate), and may join together to form larger areas known as plaques. They can last for hours, or up to one day before fading.

If hives or angioedema occur with any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor right away:

.Dizziness
.Wheezing
.Difficulty breathing
.Tightness in the chest
.Swelling of the tongue, lips, or face

While the condition is of no serious medical concern, it can be significantly uncomfortable and unsightly. Because of the fact that it is so common all over the world, a number of home remedies have been used over decades to fight off the condition.

. Parsley is known to inhibit the secretion of histamine that causes hives. Eat it raw or juice it up.

. If you tend to get hives on a regular basis, green tea can help. Drink 1 cup twice per day.

. Another very calming and soothing hives treatment is to apply lavender essential oil directly on the hives.

. By applying the cool compression it may help to provide some relief from the pain and itch.

. By applying calamine lotion it can grant you relief from the itchy feeling.

. Applying aloe vera gel or vitamin E oil to the affected area at least twice a day can benefit you a lot.

. Avoid food like eggs, strawberries, berries, peanuts, nuts, chocolates, cheese, tomatoes, soy products, shellfish and many more. Find out the food that is allergic to you and avoid having it.

. Consume vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc or cayenne pepper capsules for speeding up the healing process.

. Get 1/2 a tub filled with warm water, add 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup baking soda. Soaking yourself at least once a day can make a lot of difference.

. Make a paste by mixing 2 cups of oatmeal and 3 teaspoons of cornstarch to a little water and apply the resulting paste over the affected regions. Allow the paste to harden for about half an hour before you wash it off your body.

. Add some drops of sandalwood essential oil on cotton and then apply it on the infected areas every three hours. This oil helps in calming and cooling effects of hives.

. Add a few drops of grapefruit seed extract in a teaspoon of vegetable oil or olive oil. Apply this mixture over the affected area for lessening or eliminating hives.

. Swimming in chlorine water is also good for treating hives.

. Avoid wearing tight cloths as it can rub against the affected area and cause them to spread as well.

. Make a concoction of ginger with boiling water and add this to your bath. Soak yourself in this water for 30 minutes and you will feel better. You can also take ginger as supplements to get rid of hives.

. Apply diluted cider vinegar directly to hives to get rid of itching and restore the skin�s natural pH balance.

. Drink plenty of water and fluids to flush away the toxins from the body.

. There are a lot of cortisone creams available over the counter. Apply this cream directly on to the hives to get relief from itching and swelling of hives.

If these methods do not help, then you must be suffering from chronic hives and hence you will need to seek the advice of a doctor.



~source:webmd.com/hives-treatment.com~

Ask Me a Question

On May 13th, I'll be recording a podcast with Chris Kresser of The Healthy Skeptic. Chris interviewed me about a year ago, and I thought it went well. Chris is a good host and asks interesting questions.

This time around, we're going to do things a bit differently. I'll start with a little overview of my current thoughts on obesity, then we'll answer reader questions. The show is going to be mostly about obesity and related matters, but I may answer a couple of questions that aren't related to obesity if they're especially interesting. There are two ways to leave questions: either in the comments section of this post, or the comments section of Chris's post. The show will air on May 24th.
Read more �

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Acanthosis Nigricans : Causes, Prevention and Home Remedies


Acanthosis nigricans is a type of skin disorder that makes the skin poorly defined besides leaving brown to black and velvety marks on it. The skin on the neck, under the arms, groin, and umbilicus are most vulnerable to this condition.

This condition may be the result of elevation of the insulin levels. The insulin receptors in the skin grow abnormally with their activation through the raised levels of insulin. This skin problem can be improved through reduction of circulating insulin with proper dieting or medication.

A person affected by acanthosis nigricans can be found to have dark, thick and velvety skin mostly on the neck, armpits and groin. Acanthosis nigricans can sometimes affect lips, palms and even the soles of the feet. The skin changes occur gradually. In some cases acanthosis nigricans takes several months and even years to change the condition of the skin.

Diabetics are frequently found to be affected by acanthosis nigricans. People of African descent are most commonly found to be affected by it. Though condition of acanthosis nigricans is mostly associated with obesity or endocrine (glandular) disorder, it can affect person at any age and healthy persons.

There's no specific treatment for acanthosis nigricans. However, treating any underlying conditions may cause the skin changes to fade, such as:

. The most efficient treatment is acquired through weight loss and exercise.

. Making dietary changes, such as cutting back on starches and sugars. Eating a healthy diet can help decrease circulating insulin and can cause improvement, and occasionally resolution, of the skin difficulty.

. Over-the-counter creams containing vitamin A derivatives, urea, salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy acids or lactic acid may help speed up skin lightening.

. Dietary supplementation with fish oil containing omega 3 fatty acids have been reported to be beneficial.

. Flax seed oil supplement should help. Take two in the early morning and two in the late afternoon.

. Prescription bleaching creams, such as hydroquinone, are generally more effective than over-the-counter products, but these may still take years to return your skin to its normal color.

. Both dermabrasion and laser therapy can reduce the thickness of areas affected by acanthosis nigricans and improve the appearance of dark underarms.

In case of doubt always be on the safer side and consult your dermatologist or physician.



~source:mayoclinic.com~

Skin Tags : Causes, Treatment and Home Remedies


Skin tags are a common skin abnormality that can happen to anyone. These are benign skin growths that are acquired during the course of one�s life. These appear as soft, loose skin that is simply hanging from the body. Since these are benign, they do not pose any threats or challenges to a person�s health. Some skin tags may also be a little uncomfortable because of their location.

Most small skin tags may rub off or fall out on their own. However, if these are larger, they may not be so easy to get rid of. Most tags would remain in place once they are formed. Though skin tags may occur anywhere on the body, there are some characteristic locations on which these can be found. The base of the neck, eyelids, folds of the skin, behind the knee and under the breasts are some of the common locations of skin tags.

It is important to keep in mind that skin tags usually do not have to be treated. Deciding to have no treatment is always a reasonable option if the growths are not bothersome. If the tags are bothersome, multiple home and medical options are available. Removing them,even at home is very possible by employing one or more simple home remedies.

. Tie off tag at narrow base with a piece of dental floss or string and allowing the tag to fall off over several days.

. Remove small tags with scissors, with or without anesthetic. The potential disadvantage of any kind of scissor or minor surgical procedure to remove tags is minor bleeding.

. Cut a slice of garlic and press it over the skin tag's area. Secure the slice of garlic to the skin with gauze or tape. The skin tag should simply fall off.

. Combine some baking soda to castor oil until the mixture has the consistency of a paste. Apply the paste to the skin tag at least three times each day for two or three weeks.

. Dampen a small cotton ball in water and place two drops of tea tree oil on the cotton ball. Rub the cotton ball on your skin tags three times a day, or until the skin tags have fallen off.

. Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it directly to the skin tag. Place a band aid over the cotton ball and leave overnight.

. Apply oregano oil to the cotton swab and gently apply to the skin, taking care not to get oil on the healthy skin around the tag. Apply a bandage over the application. Repeat daily until the skin flakes off.

. Coat the skin tag with fingernail polish up to three times a day. Repeat the process until the skin tag is eliminated, usually within three to four days.



~source:ehow.com~

Friday, May 6, 2011

Food Reward: a Dominant Factor in Obesity, Part II

How to Make a Rat Obese

Rodents are an important model organism for the study of human obesity. To study obesity in rodents, you have to make them fat first. There are many ways to do this, from genetic mutations, to brain lesions, to various diets. However, the most rapid and effective way to make a normal (non-mutant, non-lesioned) rodent obese is the "cafeteria diet." The cafeteria diet first appeared in the medical literature in 1976 (1), and was quickly adopted by other investigators. Here's a description from a recent paper (2):

In this model, animals are allowed free access to standard chow and water while concurrently offered highly palatable, energy dense, unhealthy human foods ad libitum.
In other words, they're given an unlimited amount of human junk food in addition to their whole food-based "standard chow." In this particular paper, the junk foods included Froot Loops, Cocoa Puffs, peanut butter cookies, Reese's Pieces, Hostess Blueberry MiniMuffins, Cheez-its, nacho cheese Doritos, hot dogs, cheese, wedding cake, pork rinds, pepperoni slices and other industrial delicacies. Rats exposed to this food almost completely ignored their healthier, more nutritious and less palatable chow, instead gorging on junk food and rapidly attaining an obese state.

Investigators have known for decades that the cafeteria diet is a highly effective way of producing obesity in rodents, but what was interesting about this particular study from my perspective is that it compared the cafeteria diet to three other commonly used rodent diets: 1) standard, unpurified chow; 2) a purified/refined high-fat diet; 3) a purified/refined low-fat diet designed as a comparator for the high-fat diet. All three of these diets were given as homogeneous pellets, and the textures range from hard and fibrous (chow) to soft and oily like cookie dough (high-fat). The low-fat diet contains a lot of sugar, the high-fat diet contains a modest amount of sugar, and the chow diet contains virtually none. The particular high-fat diet in this paper (Research Diets D12451, 45% fat, which is high for a rat) is commonly used to produce obesity in rats, although it's not always very effective. The 60% fat version is more effective.

Consistent with previous findings, rats on every diet consumed the same number of calories over time... except the cafeteria diet-fed rats, which ate 30% more than any of the other groups. Rats on every diet gained fat compared to the unpurified chow group, but the cafeteria diet group gained much more than any of the others. There was no difference in fat gain between the purified high-fat and low-fat diets.

So in this paper, they compared two refined diets with vastly different carb:fat ratios and different sugar contents, and yet neither equaled the cafeteria diet in its ability to increase food intake and cause fat gain. The fat, starch and sugar content of the cafeteria diet was not able to fully explain its effect on fat gain. However, each diets' ability to cause fat gain correlated with its respective food reward qualities. Refined diets high in fat or sugar caused fat gain in rats relative to unpurified chow, but were surpassed by a diet containing a combination of fat, sugar, starch, salt, free glutamate (umami), interesting textures and pleasant and invariant aromas.

Although the cafeteria diet is the most effective at causing obesity in rodents, it's not commonly used because it's a lot more work than feeding pellets, and it introduces a lot of variability into experiments because each rat eats a different combination of foods.

How to Make an Obese H
uman Lean

In 1965, the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published a very unusual paper (3). Here is the stated goal of the investigators:
The study of food intake in man is fraught with difficulties which result from the enormously complex nature of human eating behavior. In man, in contrast to lower animals, the eating process involves an intricate mixture of physiologic, psychologic, cultural and esthetic considerations. People eat not only to assuage hunger, but because of the enjoyment of the meal ceremony, the pleasures of the palate and often to gratify unconscious needs that are hard to identify. Because of inherent difficulties in studying human food intake in the usual setting, we have attempted to develop a system that would minimize the variables involved and thereby improve the chances of obtaining more reliable and reproducible data.
Here's a photo of their "system":
It's a machine that dispenses bland liquid food through a straw, at the push of a button. They don't give any information on the composition of the liquid diet, beyond remarking that "carbohydrate supplied 50 per cent of the calories, protein 20 per cent and fat 30 per cent. the formula contained vitamins and minerals in amount adequate for daily maintenance."

Volunteers were given access to the machine and allowed to consume as much of the liquid diet as they wanted, but no other food. Since they were in a hospital setting, the investigators could be confident that the volunteers ate nothing else.

The first thing they report is what happened when they fed two lean people using the machine, for 16 or 9 days. Both of them maintained their typical calorie intake (~3,075 and ~4,430 kcal per day) and maintained a very stable weight during this period.

Next, the investigators did the same experiment using two "grossly obese" volunteers. Again, they were asked to "obtain food from the machine whenever hungry." Over the course of the first 18 days, the first (male) volunteer consumed a meager 275 calories per day. The second (female) volunteer consumed a ridiculously low 144 calories per day over the course of 12 days, losing 23 pounds. Without showing data, the investigators remarked that an additional three obese volunteers "showed a similar inhibition of calorie intake when fed by machine."

The first volunteer continued eating bland food from the machine for a total of 70 days, losing approximately 70 pounds. After that, he was sent home with the formula and instructed to drink 400 calories of it per day, which he did for an additional 185 days, after which his total weight loss was 200 lbs. The investigators remarked that "during all this time weight was steadily lost and the patient never complained of hunger or gastrointestinal discomfort." This is truly a starvation-level calorie intake, and to eat it continually for 255 days without hunger suggests that something rather interesting was happening in this man's body.

This machine-feeding regimen was nearly as close as one can get to a diet with no rewarding properties whatsoever. Although it contained carbohydrate and fat, it did not contain any flavor or texture to associate them with, and thus the reward value of the diet was minimized. As one would expect if food reward influences the body fat setpoint, lean volunteers maintained starting weight and a normal calorie intake, while their obese counterparts rapidly lost a massive amount of fat and reduced calorie intake dramatically without hunger. This suggests that obesity is not entirely due to a "broken" metabolism (although that may still contribute), but also at least in part to a heightened sensitivity to food reward in susceptible people. This also implies that obesity may not be a disorder, but rather a normal response to the prevailing dietary environment in affluent nations.

A second study by Dr. Michel Cabanac in 1976 confirmed that reducing food reward (by feeding bland food) lowers the fat mass setpoint in humans, using a clever method that I won't discuss for the sake of brevity (4). I learned about both of these studies through the writing of Dr. Seth Roberts, author of The Shangri-La Diet. I'd also like to thank Dr. Stephen Benoit, a researcher in the food reward field, for talking through these ideas with me to make sure I wasn't misinterpreting them.

I'd like to briefly remark that there's an anatomical basis for the idea of two-way communication between brain regions that determine reward and those that control body fatness. It's well known that the latter influence the former (think about your drive to obtain food after you've just eaten a big meal vs. after you've skipped a meal), but there are also connections from the former to the latter via a brain region called the lateral hypothalamus. The point is that it's anatomically plausible that food reward determines in part the amount of body fat a person carries.

Some people may be inclined to think "well, if food tastes bad, you eat less of it; so what!" Although that may be true to some extent, I don't think it can explain the fact that bland diets affect the calorie intake of lean and obese people differently. To me, that implies that highly rewarding food increases the body fat setpoint in susceptible people, and that food with few rewarding properties allows them to return to a lean state.

In the next few posts, I'll describe how food reward explains the effectiveness of many popular fat loss diets, I'll describe how this hypothesis fits in with the diets and health of non-industrial cultures, and I'll outline new dietary strategies for preventing and treating obesity and certain forms of metabolic dysfunction.