Snacks for a flat belly

 

 The time for a 100 crunches a day is finally over.

A Spanish research team has found that certain types of food actually removes belly fat. It removes not only the visual fat that we see on our stomachs but also the dangerous fat around our intestines.

 Surprisingly, the food is: Fats and mono unsaturated fats.

Who would have thought that fat would hold the key to a fat stomach. So don’t worry about low fat anymore go for right fat instead.

One thing about foods that are high in mono unsaturated fats is that they are great as snacks. Always keep a bag of raw nuts in your purse, your car and your office drawer. Munch on marinated olives in front of the TV. And eat avocados and guacamole as often as you can.

 Here are ideas for 7 days of flat tummy snacks. Eat them during the day or in the evening, maybe in front of the TV.
Snacking is healthy! Just watch what you snack on.

 7 days of healthy snacks:

• Monday: ½ cup of peanuts and 1 apple
• Tuesday: Rye bread and mashed avocado (mash the avocado with a fork and spread on your sandwich)
• Wednesday: Herring on whole wheat toast topped with halved cherry tomatoes
• Thursday: 1/2 cup of pistachio nuts and 1 banana
• Friday: Marinated olives, your favorite raw nuts and some cucumber pickles.
• Saturday: Baby carrots with guacamole dip. 
• Sunday: Flat stomach smoothie: ½ cup of natural yogurt, 200 grams frozen berries, ½ banana, 1 tablespoon rolled oats, 4 cup of your favorite juice, a pinch of natural vanilla.

If you are very serious about getting a flat tummy fast you might want to look at your whole diet. I suggest that you follow these flat tummy diet guidelines:

1. Eat plenty of mono unsaturated fats
   • Olives and olive oil
   • Avocado and avocado oil
   • Oats
   • Raw nuts
   • Linseeds and linseed oil
   • Sesame seeds and sesame seed oil
   • Herring
2. Choose whole grain products. The dietary fibers will ensure a good digestion and remove bloating
3. Eat as much fresh fruits and vegetables as you can. They will give you plenty of nutrients without a lot of calories
4. Add some meat and fish to provide you with proteins to give you a full feeling.
5. Avoid sugar, white flour, white rice and alcohol.

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Naturalwellness.com

Silicone Breast Implants.A Controversy.

 

After a 14-year ban, silicone implants were re-approved in November 2006.

The ban came from the FDA’s reaction to the public concern that implants were responsible for women’s health issues including cancer and  immunological diseases. When manufacturer Dow Corning was unable to prove that the implants were completely safe, they were bankrupted by over $3 billion in lawsuits.

Silicone implants had, to that point, been favored over saline implants because they felt softer (saline implants were known to be unnaturally hard) and were less likely to spontaneously deflate.

Fourteen years of research revealed no link between implants and the serious health issues cited.

The FDA therefore decided to leave the decision to the discretion of women and their surgeons. But recovering the reputation of silicone (or gel) implants is an uphill battle, and critics still question why the FDA would rush re-approval when longer-term testing might expose risks. A month after the ban was lifted, an Austrian study rekindled the old concerns.

“Fourteen years isn’t much of a rush,” counters Dr. Paul Petty, consultant to Mayo Clinic’s department of plastic surgery. “There have been a number of very large studies conducted by epidemiologists—not plastic surgeons—looking for any kind of correlation between implants and significant disease entities, and none has ever been found. And there were many hundreds of thousands of ‘patient years’ to look at during the time that those evaluations were being done.”

Lifting the ban hasn’t made things easier on anyone.

Consumer advocates may suspect that the ban was lifted to benefit implant manufacturers and/or a lobby of plastic surgeons. But the lift comes accompanied by FDA restrictions that hogtie manufacturers, doctors and even patients.

Exasperated by the restrictions, Petty says, “It’s a way for the government to say yes and no at the same time, and the way they’re saying yes is so onerous that most [plastic surgeons] don’t want to put the implants in anyway. All of the patients who are getting implants are still on a 10-year FDA study with obtuse requirements, and there are many strings attached for the doctors and the manufacturer.”

The two biggest corporations dedicated to keeping breasts plump and faces firm are Allergan (the Botox people) and Mentor. Both make silicone and saline implants.

No implants are without risks or possible complications.

Among the most common is capsular contracture, the uncomfortable tightening that results from scar tissue build-up around an implant.

Another is when small amounts of silicone gel leak from a ruptured implant or bleed through its porous lining. “A mammogram can easily identify a little piece of free gel with scar tissue around it,” says Petty, describing what is known as a siliconoma. The name is frightening, but Petty explains that they are innocuous. “Siliconomas form a palpable lump, but there’s not a health risk associated with them. If they’re not in an obvious location [i.e., visible on the breast surface], you can just leave them alone.”

Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) were among the biggest concerns leading to the ban, since many women with silicone implants were found to have CTD. It’s been found, however, that CTD is as common in women without implants, and the connection was never proven or disproven. The FDA has developed a document outlining potential complications.

Cosmetic silicone implants are approved for women aged 22 and older.

The minimum age for saline, in contrast, is 18. Why the difference? The FDA’s age specification is a bit random but one justification is that, in their words, “A young woman may not be mature enough to make an informed decision about the potential risks.”

What’s more, the 22-year-old may be more likely to follow the FDA’s recommendation for bi-annual MRI exams to test for leakage—though she’d have to be a wealthy twenty-something to afford the procedure, which costs thousands of dollars and is rarely covered by insurance. Another thought is that a more mature woman may stand a better chance of understanding the voluminous documents she’ll be asked to read in advance of surgery.

(Note: There is no minimum age for breast reconstruction based on damaged tissue, as for cancer patients or young women with breast abnormalities.)

Implants don’t last forever.

Petty tells patients with silicone implants that they stand a 20 percent chance of needing a second surgery within 10 years to correct capsular contracture. Patients with saline implants run the same odds of a second surgery within 10 years due to either capsular contracture or rupture. And, Petty says, there’s a 100 percent chance that the “fancy water balloon” will need to be removed or replaced within 30 years. One way or another, nature will eventually have its way.

Silicone Breast Implants has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr. Paul Petty, consultant to the Division of Plastic Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

 

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30 Environmentally Friendly (and effective) Alternatives to Traditional Medicines and Procedures

While the benefits of advanced medical treatments help patients combat painful, scary and even deadly diseases, they often release toxic contaminants into the atmosphere and may disrupt the natural processes of a patient’s body. But just because you care about the environment, doesn’t mean you have to eschew good medical treatment. In fact, there are a number of alternative medicines and natural treatments which are both effective and green-friendly. Read below for 30 alternative treatments that are both effective and good for the environment.

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Everyday Treatments

These alternative medicines and treatments are used to cure and ease the symptoms of everyday ailments, like nausea, burns and infections.

1. Massage Therapy
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine maintains that massage therapy can sometimes be used in traditional medical treatments, but because “scientists do not fully know what changes occur in the body during massage,” it is most commonly considered an alternative form of treatment. Four main types of massage therapy include Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, trigger point massage, and shiatsu massage, which are all environmentally friendly, depending on whether or not natural oils are used.

2. Ginger
The natural herb ginger is sometimes used to control nausea, including motion sickness, nausea caused by chemotherapy, and pregnancy-related nausea. Pregnant women are cautioned from taking ginger for a long period of time, since the treatment could cause birth defects.

 3. Aloe
Buying a bottle of aloe vera at the grocery store is a common way to treat a sunburn. But if you want to use a completely green treatment, go straight to the source. Breaking off a leaf directly from an aloe vera plant will release the soothing jelly-like treatment that can be used on sunburns, cuts, skin infections and more.

4. Cranberry
Though antibiotics are the only proven treatment for urinary tract infections, some evidence supports the belief that 100% cranberry juice — not cranberry juice concentrate — can prevent and ease symptoms of UTIs.

5. Green Tea
Scientists believe that green tea is a beneficial natural, alternative treatment that eases symptoms of arthritis, asthma, menopause and anxiety. Green tea may also help prevent heart disease and high cholesterol.

6. Glucosamine
Your body produces glucosamine, an amino sugar, naturally, so it’s completely environmentally friendly. Glucosamine “may be the first thing that actually reverses cartilage loss in osteoarthritis,” believes Dr. Frederick Hecht of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

7. St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort is believed to have significant benefits for treating mild to moderate depression. Before taking the natural herb, however, patients should consult their physician, as St. John’s wort can cause serious side effects when taken with certain medications.

8. Tai Chi
Though tai chi first originated as a form of Chinese martial arts, people all over the world are starting to acknowledge the health benefits of practicing this exercise. Tai chi promotes overall health, relaxes joints and reduces pain and stiffness, and connects the mind and body to promote the flow of qi, or vital energy. Tai chi takes requires no equipment or special field, so it’s environmentally friendly too.

9. Hypnosis
Generally, hypnosis treatments are purely psychological, making them by nature, completely environmentally friendly. Hypnosis can help patients break bad habits, manage pain, reduce stress, lower blood pressure, treat asthma and control or minimize many other symptoms.

10. Acupuncture
Though still considered an alternative medical treatment, acupuncture is gaining more respect in the Western medical world. It can be used to treat pain and nausea, and depending on the types of needles used, is very environmentally friendly.

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Medicine and Treatments for Chronic Diseases and Conditions

Even diseases like HIV and cancer can benefit from natural medical treatments. Check out this list to find out how.

11. Toad Venom
Doctors from Houston, TX, and China are collaborating on a potential cancer cure that comes from toads. ABC reports that “in China, patients routinely receive a blend of Western and Chinese therapies,” including an injection of toad venom which instigates “spontaneous cell death.”

12. Biofeedback
The Mayo Clinic explains that “you use your mind to control various body functions, such as heart rate and blood flow, during biofeedback therapy.” This treatment is usually suggested for cancer patients who want to alleviate pain. Some therapists use a special device to help patients focus, but other cues can be used, like flashing lights or subtle pressure.

13. Yoga
While yoga may not be able to cure a disease, it helps patients cope with many frustrating side effects like fatigue, weakness and pain. Instead of filling up on sleeping pills and antidepressants, patients can practice yoga to boost their energy, help them sleep better and even promote heart health.

14. X-Ray Recycling
If you absolutely need an X-Ray but are concerned about its environmental effects, inquire about your hospital’s X-Ray recycling practices.

15. IV Vitamin C
While oral vitamin C treatment has been dismissed as a treatment for cancer, IV vitamin C treatments are being researched. If scientists can prove that vitamin C administered intravenously does have valid benefits, it would be a relatively environmentally friendly treatment, depending on how the medical equipment is recycled.

16. Nutritional Benefits for ADHD
The article “Nutrition as an ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen” lists several statistics and research findings that prove nutrition is a factor in relieving some symptoms of ADHD. Children who consume essential fatty acids and protein are able to perform better in school and focus on their work.

17. American ginseng
Science Daily reports that individuals with Type 2 diabetes experience up to a 20% reduction in blood sugar level when they take natural American ginseng. The long term benefits of taking American ginseng are unknown, so this treatment is still considered alternative.

18. Huperzine A in Alzheimer’s Disease
A U.S. government study has concluded that huperzine A, a moss extract from the natural Chinese herb Huperzia serrata is beneficial when treating Alzheimer’s disease. The herb “has properties similar to those of cholinesterase inhibitors, one class of FDA-approved Alzheimer medications,” reports Alz.org.

19. Corn silk
Corn silk is a natural diuretic and can be used to treat congestive heart failure in its early stages. The site LifeExtension maintains that “diuretics remove excess fluid from the body…[and] are often the first line of treatment” for congestive heart failure.

20. Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms have shown benefits for fighting HIV and Hepatits B. HealthCastle.com reports that the mushroom extract LEM “is more lethal to HIV-infected cells than AZT, a well-known medication developed to delay the progress of AIDS.” LEM also helps the body produce antibodies, which are helpful in fighting Hepatitis B.

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Alternative Treatments and Therapy

Therapeutic treatments like art therapy and energy healing can be 100% natural and good for the environment, depending on the supplies and recycling methods used.

21. Art Therapy
Art therapy is a growing field that is based on the principle that “the creative process of art making [can] improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages,” according to The American Art Therapy Association, Inc. Depending on what kinds of art supplies are used, this treatment can be completely organic, producing minimal harmful effects on the environment.

22. Energy healing
The Cleveland Clinic explains that energy healing results from the interconnectedness of “life forces” of all living things. This positive energy or life force can be focused on one particular patient, and in Western medicine, it is more commonly known as Therapeutic Touch. Healers “visualize, send intentions for diseased cells to die, send intentions for cells to revert to their optimum state of health, or simply send loving energy” to the patient. Currently, research is being conducted at a center sponsored by The National Institutes of Health to explore the long term benefits of energy healing.

23. Guided imagery
Often used as an alternative treatment for anxiety and pain, guided imagery helps patients focus on meditation and even self-hypnosis. Patients are encouraged to focus on a particular memory or scene that relaxes them while concentrating on key breathing techniques.

24. Prayer and meditation
While it’s hard to prove the scientific facts surrounding the nature of prayer and meditation, it is generally accepted that prayer and meditation have significant positive effects on patients’ well-being, including mood, acceptance and emotional health. Plus, it has no adverse effects on the environment!

25. Music Therapy
Like art therapy, music therapy “uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals,” according to the American Music Therapy Association. Patients practice music therapy to promote overall wellness, manage stress and pain, communicate, improve memory and even accelerate physical rehab programs. Depending on which musical instruments are used and how they are recycled, music therapy can be 100% environmentally friendly.

26. Bioenergetics
From improving sexual relationships to easing pain, bioenergetics is a natural exercise that “combines a bodily, analytic and relational therapeutic work, based upon an energetic understanding,” according to the International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis. Patients focus on posture, breathing, self-expression, grounding and muscular tension to improve their psychological and physical well-being.

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General Treatments

Consider practicing reflexology or crystal therapy for a nontraditional but environmentally safe treatment.

27. Reflexology
Reflexology has been used in ancient Egypt, Japan and China to relieve stress. The disease fighting benefits of reflexology have not yet been confirmed. Pressure is applied to the feet and hands to maximize natural reflexes and adrenaline rushes, connecting a person’s internal organs and external reactions to sensations.

28. Crystal Therapy
Crystal therapy is a form of vibrational medicine that promotes general well-being and balance. Natural crystals and gems are strategically placed on the body, and different stones have different healing powers. For instance, Chrysoprase is used to heal a wound, while copper helps arthritis and rheumatism.

29. Christian Science philosophies
The Christian Science belief system maintains that the mind and spirit are able to overcome disease and pain more effectively than medicine. While controversial, this idea is still completely green.

30. Iridology
Iridology is a method that alternative healers use to diagnose symptoms and diseases. Based on patterns and colors of the eye, iridologists use flashlights and magnifying glasses “to examine a patient’s irises for tissue changes, as well as features such as specific pigment patterns and irregular stromal architecture.” Once identified, these patterns are checked against an iris chart to diagnose the patient. If an iridologist appropriately recycles the batteries used in the flashlight, this technique is considered to be very environmentally friendly.

http://www.ondd.org/blog/

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How to Make Walks Enjoyable

 

 

Walking is an excellent form of exercise, but let’s face it, sometimes it’s not the most enjoyable.Its good for your circulation as well as contributes to losing weight.  Here are some handy ways to make that 20-60 minutes of exercise less torture and more fun. The more you enjoy your exercise, the more of it you’re likely to do!

 Steps

Getting a friend or group of friends to walk with you is a great idea. Chatting away with others can make long distances seem like a trip to the mail box. Preoccupy each other and talk about things you would usually chat about on the phone or online. Don’t let the conversion drift towards “Oh, my gosh that hill is huge.”

If you don’t have friends you can walk with, bring a portable CD player or MP3 Player (Flash based MP3 players are best for runners, walkers, or joggers.) while friends and music, are excellent distractions, they are not always practical or affordable. What now?

Try walking in a park or some place where you can enjoy the scenery. Change your routes so you don’t get stuck looking at the same thing, again and again. Walk at different times of the day too. If you usually walk around mid-day, try taking a jog while the sun is setting in the evening.

If all else fails, bring a cell phone along and talk to a friend or someone else you can have a long, distracting conversation with (crush, maybe?) Just be sure that your cell phone plan will cover all minutes you may use up!

• If you buy an MP3 player be sure it’s flash based if you plan to jog or run with it. Hard drive players can break if dropped or jostled excessively. Walkers can probably get away with a high capacity hard drive player, though.
• CD players may skip if you run with them. Be sure to get a CD player with skip protection.
• Enjoy your scenery and surroundings. Don’t think about how you’re trying to get exercise, think of it as a trip to see whats going on in the neighborhood.

 

• Do not run/jog/walk in unsafe areas, or at excessively late or early hours.
• Do not have your music volume up so loud that you can’t hear what’s going on around you.

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Different Ways Stress Can Affect your Skin.

 

 

When you are under stress it not only affects you internally but also your outer appearance  especially your skin.It can show up in different ways on your skin.

  Rashes
The skin cells lie on top of each other and are packed tightly together, forming a strong barrier that blocks the penetration of bacteria .When you are under stress, however, this protective outermost layer of skin becomes impaired.It can lead to eczema or psoriasis.

 Severe Acne
Stress can exaberate acne .Its better to relax and keep things in control.Try relaxation therapy which  has  been shown to reduce the severity and incidence of acne.

Skin cancers
  People with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, were more likely to have gone through stressful life events during the years leading up to their diagnosis than people who did not have skin cancer.

 Cold sores
Stress affects many different immune cells negatively, which causes flare-ups of immunity-related skin conditions such as cold sores (along with psoriasis, eczema, shingles, and viral warts).

 Frown lines
Repeated frowning causes frown lines, and most people frown without knowing it. You can try to will yourself to smile, but if you are under chronic stress or have many negative thoughts and emotions, these forced smiles won’t last. Indeed, a natural, long-lasting smile comes only from positive emotions that make you want to smile.

 Dryness
Stress reduces the lipid barrier on the skin, allowing fluids to evaporate and leading to dryness.

 Dullness
With stress  skin cells take longer to reach the skin surface and flake off, allowing dead skin cells to build up and causing your skin to look dull.

So be positive,relax and take charge of  your life.

 

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Improving Your Body Image

 

Our perception of how we look is known as body image. Some people are pleased with their body image. However, many more dislike one or more aspects of their physical appearance. Poor body image can lead to significant problems, including depression, eating disorders or other health issues. It doesn’t take much to alter our body image for the worse. For example, a recent study found that 85% women of all sizes felt more negative about their bodies after viewing the models in magazine ads.  Fortunately, there are ways to help boost your body image.

What You Can and Can’t Change

Improving your body image is as simple as changing your mind about how you look. As most of us realize, this is much easier said than done. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible to shift your feelings about your appearance. To start, it may help to realize that virtually everybody has hang-ups about some aspect of their bodies. Even the most successful and seemingly confident people privately fret about at least one of their physical attributes, including the women who model for magazine ads. It is also important to recognize what you can and cannot change about your body. In some cases, it is relatively straightforward to change the aspect of your appearance that you dislike. For example, changing your eating habits and taking up an exercise program can shed pounds if you are unhappy with your weight.

In other cases, achieving physical change may be more difficult. If you dislike the shape of your nose, your only real options are to undergo plastic surgery to have it altered or to change your perspective on your nose. For the things that you can change, focus on establishing goals and creating a plan for achieving them. If you want to shed pounds, think about ways to improve how you eat and start or intensify an exercise regimen. Think as concretely as possible about these goals, but without using negative self-talk.

Ask the following questions? 

                     What foods should I eliminate from my diet? Where can I learn about healthier menu items?                            

What types of exercise activities do I enjoy?

It is crucial to set a time frame for these changes, and to put into place methods of measuring your progress. The more specific you can get the better. Negative self-talk is the main source of poor body image. It is all too easy to obsess about the handful of things you don’t like about your body and to forget about all the other aspects of your appearance, and your person, that you do like. Comparing yourself to others – whether it’s the slim girl next door or the airbrushed ideals presented by Hollywood and Madison Avenue – is sure to undermine your body image. Every person has a unique combination of genes that influences how they appear. Instead, try concentrating on positive aspects of your body and your life. Many experts suggest that taking a brief moment each day to consider at least three positive things about your life can substantially reduce negative emotions, including those related to body image.The pattern of thinking negatively about your body did not occur overnight, and it will take some time to learn more positive thoughts and behaviors. But gradually, your body image will improve, leaving you to feel happier and more confident in your day-to-day life