Living Fit, Healthy and Happy

Creative Visualization For Yoga

Creative Visualization For Yoga
By Lucas Rockwood

Any yoga teacher will tell you that flexibility is more than
just the length of your connective tissues. Your state of mind
has an enormous influence on how far you can fold forward, bend
back, or twist.

An ancient proverb says, “What the mind can see, the body can
do.”

With yoga, I’d take it a step further and say, “ONLY what the
mind can see, the body can do.”

Many of my yoga students have dreams (while sleeping) about
doing prefect headstands, dropping back into full wheel, or
putting their foot behind their head. While these dreams might
seem silly, this type of creative visualization is essential if
you’re looking to radically transform your body or any other
part of your life for that matter.

VISUALIZATOINS & AFFIRMATIONS

“My hips are stiff today… fine. I’m going to come to class
every day for a month. I can see my hips relaxing open
comfortably. Change is coming. I can see it already.”

“I can’t seem to keep my breath under control... It makes me
feel crazy! The other students can do it though, so I’m sure I
can learn. I can see myself breathing deeply with my body steady
and eyes focused.”

“I was born with a wide-open, stress-free body. That is my
natural state, and I can see myself returning to that
comfortable state of being.”

EMBRACE CHANGE

Biologically speaking, we ARE change. Everything in our world
is in a constant state of flux, and some of the happiest yoga
students are those that not only except this, but embrace it.

To embrace change, begin with a visual image of where you’re
going and what joys the future has in store for you.

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE POSE

Ultimately, yoga is not about the postures. Physically
speaking, even the most advanced yoga students are nothing
compared with today’s average dancers or gymnasts.

So why then do we practice so much? What’s the point?

Learning to stand on your head is important because of what it
represents: overcoming fear, focusing your mind, achieving a
balance of strength and flexibility.

For every inch of flexibility you gain in your hamstrings or
your hips, you’ll immediately feel that much more open and
expressive in your life. As your body becomes lean and strong,
again, you’ll take that strength off the mat into your life
without any conscious effort needed.

As one of my teachers, Tony Robbins says, “How you do anything
is how you do everything.”

Mastering yoga poses helps you mater your life. So get up
early, roll out your mat, and get to it!

Please send any questions or comments to:
questions@yogabodynuturals.com

About the Author: Lucas Rockwood is a yoga teacher, vegan chef,
nutritional coach, and the founder of YOGABODY Naturals, an
all-natural nutritional supplement company dedicated to
education, outreach, and wellness. For more information, visit:
http://www.yogabodynaturals.com.

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(This photo is used with the permission of morguefile.com)

Magnesium Is An Important Cardiovascular Mineral

Magnesium Is An Important Cardiovascular Mineral
By Darrell Miller

Magnesium is a metallic element that is essential to the body’s
biochemistry, and is an important cardiovascular mineral.
Although over half of the total magnesium content of the body is
contained in bone, the rest is found in the cells of the body
including the heart that contains about 20%. The amount of
magnesium in the body that remains in the intercellular fluids
is very low. 

Although magnesium is needed for a number of important
functions within the body, including the production of energy
from food, and its conveyance to the muscle cells that use it,
it has a particularly important effect on excitation and
relaxation.  Muscle cells get their energy from a compound known
as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. In the presence of calcium
the ATP forms adenosine diphosphate (ADP) plus phosphorus and
contracts the muscle fiber.  Magnesium acts on this to reform
ATP and relax the muscle.  

If there is a shortage of magnesium, the muscle, and hence your
body, becomes increasingly stressed until magnesium is made
available to release the stress by forming more ATP. That can be
provided by the consumption high magnesium foods, such as
bananas and spinach, or by means of a magnesium supplement. This
is a technical explanation of how calcium and magnesium are
necessary to make muscles work and relax. Muscle cramp occurs if
there is insufficient magnesium to overcome the effect of
calcium to contract the muscles, and will not be cured until
magnesium is provided to the blood. 

This is also true of the heart muscle, and magnesium is
believed by many to be essential for proper operation of the
pumping action of the heart.  Drugs used to reduce blood
pressure are what are known as calcium blockers, and they block
this contraction effect that calcium has on the heart muscles.
Magnesium has the same effect and is thought to be a natural
treatment for some forms of high blood pressure.  Sodium also
interferes with the relaxing action of the magnesium. 

Since the heart works by means of stimulation of the fibers of
the heart muscles through the release of potassium by ATP to
form ADP, and then the relaxation of these same heart muscle
fibers by the action of magnesium to reform ATP, then it is
obvious that without magnesium the heart muscle will spasm and
never relax without a good supply of magnesium.

Good sources of magnesium are dark leafy vegetables, seeds and
legumes such as peas and beans. Some nuts (cashews and almonds
are good sources), whole grains and some fruits such as bananas
and avocados.   Since the body naturally eliminates excess
magnesium, an overdose is unlikely so supplementation can safely
be taken without ill effects.  However, it is not common for
somebody to be affected by a magnesium deficiency.  Tap water
from ‘hard’ water districts can be rich in magnesium, more so
than soft water, but should be relied on to resolve cardiac
problems caused by a lack of magnesium.

Deficiency is possible in alcoholics or people recovering from
serious burns or surgery. Crohn’s Disease and other disorders of
the bowel can cause a magnesium deficiency, and magnesium can be
lost in the urine through hyperglycemia caused by badly managed
diabetes.  Some cancer treatments can also cause a deficiency in
magnesium, specifically ant-neoplastic medication.  The same is
true of diuretics and some antibiotics. 

These deficiency sources may or may not give rise to problems
with muscle function to the extent that they threaten life.
Should they do, however, the deficiency must be made up as a
matter of emergency since the inability of muscle fibers to
relax can be fatal in the wrong circumstances. These
circumstances are usually when the most important muscle in your
body is affected:  the heart.  

The symptoms of magnesium deficiency are muscle cramps,
twitches, tension, neck pains, headaches caused by muscle
tension and stress. In fact anything that can be caused by an
inability of a muscle to relax after firing. Another is
tightness of the chest, and constipation is yet another, caused
by a lack of relaxation of the peristaltic muscles that move the
waste through the colon.  Milk of magnesia is effective in
treating constipation by introducing the magnesium necessary to
allow relaxation of the bowel muscles, and hence the resumption
of the peristaltic rippling motion of the intestines and colon.
Other effects are menstrual cramps, urinary spasms and a
particular sensitivity to loud noise due to tension of the
muscles deep within the ear. Even an aversion to bright lights
is not uncommon. 

More severe deficiencies can affect the central nervous system,
and cause anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and hyperactivity.
As the deficiency becomes more critical it can cause numbness,
tingling and severe heart problems.  It is believed that even
though severe magnesium deficiency is very rare, the average
person does not contain the optimum levels of magnesium within
their body, which results in cardiac problems and inadequacies
in the immune system. 

Although magnesium tablets can be used as a supplement, this
can cause diarrhea, and if a deficiency is suspected, a
physician should be consulted for the recommended treatment.
Patients with kidney disease should not be given magnesium
supplements without medical advice, since kidneys that are not
properly functioning cannot excrete excess magnesium properly. 

There is also evidence that a lack of magnesium can contribute
to hypertension, or high blood pressure, and foods high in
magnesium seem to reduce the risk. However,, there are other
components of these foods that might also be effective in
controlling hypertension.  Bananas and avocados also contain
dietary fiber and potassium.  

Although magnesium is an important cardiovascular mineral that
allows the relaxation of muscle fibers, a deficiency is rare
except in unusual circumstances, and supplementation can
generally be taken without risk of an overdose except in the
case of a patient with kidney problems.  If a magnesium
deficiency is suspected, medical advice should be taken before
resorting to a supplement since the symptoms could be indicative
of other conditions.

About the Author: More information on Magnesium and related
minerals can be found at  http://vitanetonline.com/ Stop in and
browse a large selection of vitamins and minerals.

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Recipe: Kung Pao Stir-fry

Recipe: Kung Pao Stir-fry
By Dr. Steven A. Schnur

Dr. Steven A. Schnur's new book, The Reality Diet, has recipes
the entire family will enjoy--including the kids. Packed with
yummy desserts (non-sugar), high-energy breakfasts, and
easy-to-fix dinners, we know you'll enjoy them all, including
this one.

This spicy Szechuan dish is great with chicken, shrimp, or
tofu. You can adjust the spiciness to your taste by adding more
or less of the garlic, ginger, and chilies.

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce (reduced sodium)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar substitute 
1©2 cup broccoli florets  MEN: 1 cup
1©4 cup snow peas  MEN: 1©2 cup
1©4 cup chopped red onion  MEN: 1©2 cup
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic  MEN: 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger  MEN: 2 teaspoons
1 or 2 small dried red chilies, or to taste
20 unsalted peanuts, chopped
Nonstick cooking spray
6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1©2-inch
cubes (will yield 5 ounces cooked)
1 cup chopped chard  MEN: 2 cups 
1©4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a small bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, vinegar,
water, and sugar substitute. In another small bowl, combine the
broccoli, snow peas, and red onion. In a third bowl, combine the
garlic, ginger, chilies, and peanuts.

Heat a wok or nonstick skillet over high heat and spray with
nonstick cooking spray. Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the chicken from the wok
and set aside. Add the vegetable mixture and cook for another 2
to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to color. Add the
garlic mixture and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add the chicken back to the wok, along with the chard and the
soy mixture. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds, or until
the chard is wilted. Stir in the cilantro.

Serves 1

WOMEN: CALORIES 350; FIBER 4g; FAT 12g; PROTEIN 47g; CARB 15g;
SODIUM 520mg

MEN: CALORIES 410; FIBER 7g; FAT 14g; PROTEIN 50g; CARB 24g;
SODIUM 610mg

Want to know more about The Reality Diet?

The reality is that extreme diets that promise instant results
just don’t work. For one thing, you lose muscle and water, but
little fat, and may seriously jeopardize your health in the
process. For another, restricting certain foods and food groups
deprives your body of essential nutrients. In the end, the
faster the pounds come off, the faster they pile back on.

After seeing many of his patients fail on these kinds of fad
diets, and suffer health-threatening side effects, Dr. Steven A.
Schnur, founder of the largest cardiology practice in South
Florida, developed a new, breakthrough program. The Reality Diet
is not low carb, low fat, or high protein. Instead it is rich in
a wide variety of foods that are high in one key fat-fighting
ingredient—fiber. Not only does fiber stop hunger, it also
significantly lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and a
host of other illnesses.

Flexible and forgiving, The Reality Diet is for real people
living in the real world. With eight weeks of mouthwatering
menus, more than 200 quick and easy recipes, tips for eating in
restaurants and navigating holidays, as well as an effective
exercise program, The Reality Diet is both a comprehensive
weight-loss plan and a blueprint for lifelong health.

About the Author: Dr. Steven A. Schnur is a board-certified
internist and cardiologist who has been in private practice for
more than 15 years. He is committed to helping patients achieve
lasting weight loss through a high fiber diet:
http://www.realitydiet.com/

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The Grapefruit Diet: Does It Work?

The Grapefruit Diet: Does It Work?
By Darlene Nicholson

The grapefruit diet works in the short-term, but does it have
any staying power? In other words, if your goal is to drop
weight quickly and gain it all back in a month, then go for it.
If, however, your goal is to have lasting weight loss, the
grapefruit diet is not for you. Here’s why.

The grapefruit diet has been around for many years. It’s been
modified slightly over the years, but for the most part, it’s
the same. The basic diet plan for the grapefruit diet consists
of four meals. Breakfast includes a half a grapefruit, three
eggs, and two slices of bacon. Lunch is another half a
grapefruit, a piece of meat (any kind), and a salad with any
type of dressing. Dinner is again, a half a grapefruit, any
piece of meat, salad and then added to that a cup of coffee. The
last meal isn’t really a meal, but either an 8 oz glass of
tomato juice or fat-free milk.

Proponents of the grapefruit diet tout the grapefruit as having
a fat-burning enzyme which is why it’s added to all but one
meal. Grapefruit is a wonderful fruit and a good healthy choice
for fruit; but it’s not magical! The grapefruit diet helps a
person drop weight quickly because it’s drastically low in
calories. As with most fad diets a gimmick (in this case the
grapefruit) is used to promote an extreme cut in calories. The
grapefruit diet has a dieter eating around 800 calories per day
which is not an adequate amount of calories to consume.

An average-sized woman who is moderately active needs around
1800-2000 calories per day for the body to function correctly.
When the diet is varied and healthful, this 1800-2000 calories
brings that woman optimum nutrition in terms of receiving all
the recommended daily allowances of important vitamins, minerals
and fiber. The grapefruit diet is seriously lacking in fiber,
calcium, iron and many other important nutrients. Over time,
this will cause and contribute to serious nutritional deficiency
related problems such as anemia and osteoporosis. The lack of
fiber will lead to gastrointestinal problems such as
constipation. In addition, fiber has been shown to promote
weight loss, lower serum cholesterol and aid in colon cancer
prevention.

So, say hello to a thin body that will fit into the size zero
dress, but you might want to pick up some make-up to cover the
pale, sickly face you’ll be sporting as well! And whoever said a
hunched neck as seen in osteoporosis wasn’t sexy? Healthy weight
loss is not achieved with the grapefruit diet, bottom line! And
more than likely, you should keep the tags on the size zero
dress because the weight will be back as soon as you start
eating normally again.

Seriously, lasting weight loss consists of slow, steady weight
loss resulting from a healthy, varied diet, exercise and
patience. The grapefruit diet contains none of these things.
Start by figuring out your daily caloric needs for weight
maintenance. There are many calorie calculators on the internet
that utilize your height, weight, age, sex and activity level to
determine the amount of calories needed for weight maintenance.

Next, realize that one pound of body fat is equivalent to
roughly 3500 calories. Healthy weight loss is about one to two
pounds per week. Therefore, if you wish to lose one pound per
week, you’ll need to decrease calorie intake and burn calories
to the tune of 500 calories per day. This could be as simple as
eliminating dessert at night and taking a brisk 2.5 mile walk.
Two pound per week requires a debt of 1000 calories. This should
only be achieved through calorie reduction combined with
exercise, or you’ll be right back to extreme calorie reduction
seen in the grapefruit diet. Ramp up that work-out! Go another
mile, use the incline, or increase resistance on the elliptical.

Lasting weight loss isn’t about gimmicks and fads such as the
grapefruit diet. Lasting weight loss requires a person to commit
to changing their eating and exercise habits for good.

About the Author: From a sickly little girl to a healthy chef
to the stars, Darlene Nicholson transformed herself into The
"Kick in the Butt" Healthy Lifestyle Expert and creator of the
popular DVD "The Healthy Grocery Store Tour". Grab a copy of her
free ebook "4 Steps to Permanent Weight Loss"...guaranteed to
open your eyes to how easy weight loss can be with the right
plan of attack. http://free-weightloss-book.com/

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Organic Skin Care: Learn How To Recognize It

Organic Skin Care: Learn How To Recognize It
By Chonticha Marijne

If you're like most men and women, you don't like to put a
bunch of chemicals on your face. However, it's often difficult
to know which products are best at promoting healthy skin, as
well as those products designed to reduce signs of aging,
wrinkles, or to reduce darkness of freckles, melasma and scars.
Many people these days are opting to go organic when it comes to
their skin care needs, but just what does that mean?

Organic skin care, also known as natural skin care, is becoming
more popular as people around the world are growing more aware
of environmental and animal issues. However, the use of the
words 'natural' or 'organic' basically mean that the ingredients
of any specific skin care product is created from natural
ingredients. This doesn't mean that the product that you choose
can be considered natural by the time it reaches the store
shelves, as often, chemicals and manufacturing processing has
turned that formerly natural product into a something else
entirely.

When you see ingredients listed on labels such as 'derived'
from aloe vera or 'derived' from rose oil, or some such, that
doesn't mean that no chemicals or additives have been added or
created from the manufacturing process. In order to determine if
any product, whether it's skin care, shampoo, foods or drinks
are truly organic, they should have some sort of guarantee on
the label that designates them as such. You should not be able
to find any chemical names or terms in the ingredient label.

Always make sure to read the first few listed ingredients for
any so-called organic skin care product, which usually make up
the bulk of that product, whether it's a cream, lotion, paste or
oil. An easy rule of thumb to follow is that if you can't
pronounce the names of the listed ingredients, you may want to
put that item back on the shelf.

When it comes to skin care, it's important to know what you're
offering your skin cells. If you want moisture, or antiaging or
anti wrinkle effects, you have to know the basics of skin care
products. Retin and Vitamin A as well as Vitamin E are necessary
for any beneficial anti wrinkle or line products to work. You
don't have to be an expert in biology or chemistry to make a
wise choice. Look around, ask around and check basic ingredients
on the Internet or get a book on natural vitamins and herbs that
are found in common foods, especially those found in fruits and
vegetables.

Searching for a natural skin care product is not as easy as
walking into the local natural food or health store and grabbing
a bottle off the shelf. While this may seem the logical place to
start, the consumer must always be aware of false advertising
and take the time to read labels, ask questions, and if in
doubt, put that item back on the shelf until you learn more
about it. After all, it's your skin.

About the Author: Know what you put on your skin! Find out more
about organic skin care at
http://LetsTalkSkinCare.com/organicskincare.htm.

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How Does Meditation Work?

How Does Meditation Work?
By Bruce Channers

There is so much talk about meditation and its benefits - but
how does meditation work? A lot of study has gone into how
exactly meditation brings about the benefits felt by people who
practice it regularly. Research studies reveal that meditation
induces a healthy relaxed state resulting in a lower heart rate,
lower respiratory rate, and lower pulse rate. In fact, it is a
wonderfully easy way to rest the body. Meditation increases
alertness, creativity and cultivates clarity of thought. There
is proof that the benefits of meditation are both psychological
and physiological.

Specific Changes That Occur From Meditation:

Meditation works by lowering the metabolic rate of the person,
providing them deep relaxation. There is lower consumption of
oxygen soon after the person begins to meditate. According to
studies, the individual who meditates consumes lesser air and
takes lesser number of breaths each minute. The blood pressure
falls to normal even with those suffering from hypertension. In
the nervous system, there is a reduced amount of activity,
making us calmer. In fact, meditation also controls several
organs and muscles including activities like sweating, the
breathing process, our digestion etc. automatically while we
practice it.

Those who begin the process of meditation feeling tense and
anxious, experience a lowering of blood lactate levels, thereby
calming them since there is an increased blood flow. Because of
this, more oxygen goes to the muscles bringing down the
production of lactate.

Meditation techniques basically work with the mind. In very
simple terms we can even look at meditation as a form of rest.
After a hard day, every one needs to relax. Just like the body
the mind also needs to relax. Even though sleep helps to an
extent, there is still a residue of all the stress we go through
in our subconscious mind. These carry over as stress and
anxiety. Here is where meditation works. It accesses the
subconscious mind when you are conscious and helps you change
your entire attitude towards these negative feelings. Meditation
gives you a better understanding of your own mind, teaches you
how to reach a relaxed and calm state and gives you the ability
to assess everything objectively.

The Effects Of Meditation:

So how does meditation work? The first thing you become aware
of after you meditate for some time is a sense of stability.
Since it deals with breathing, you will find it easy to
concentrate on whatever you do without getting distracted.
Meditation also brings about a great clarity of mind, letting
you arrange your thoughts properly allowing you to think
clearly. It brings about an end to stress, through intense
relaxation and therefore improves health.

However, those who suffer from serious mental disorders would
do well to consult their health care providers before they take
up meditation to relieve their symptoms, so that the process of
healing is not delayed, since there are cases where meditation
without proper guidance can make some symptoms worse.

Certain meditation methods involve exercises in focus while
others involve an analysis of the mind, resulting in alertness
and giving direction. It quells the wandering mind, urging it to
focus on the matters at hand. The mind then connects with the
body and through regular practice, meditation can yield great
benefits.

About the Author: To discover many unusual and fascinating
secrets about meditation and learn how to maximise its benefits,
please go to: http://www.OnlineMeditationGuru.com

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Reducing Your Risk Of A Stroke

Reducing Your Risk Of A Stroke
By Colleen Palat

160,000 people are victims of fatal strokes each year, making
this the number three cause of death among Americans.  Suffering
a stroke falls right behind heart disease and cancer!  With so
many people suffering from strokes, it is crucial that we
identify the risks and the ways to reduce our chances of
suffering from a stroke. 

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when brain cells die from a disruption in blood
flow to the brain.  A blocked artery is an example of an event
that can cause blood from flowing to the brain causing a
blockage.

What are the risk factors?

The risk factors that can cause a stroke include high blood
pressure, an elevated blood cholesterol count, an abnormal
glucose tolerance, smoking, and left ventricular hypertrophy (an
abnormality of the heart).   

It is important to visit your doctor for a periodic check-ups
to see if you are at risk for a stroke.  If you do have any of
these risk factors, the good news is that you can get them under
control.  Switching to a healthy lifestyle and following a
balanced, well-chosen diet can help to reduce your risk of
suffering from a stroke. 

What should I eat?

Chose a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, which are
proven to help prevent strokes.  Because of the low fat content,
they do not contribute to fat blockages that can weaken the
arteries, causing them to rupture.  

Vegetables high in fiber carry excess fats and cholesterol out
of the blood system that would eventually block the flow of
blood to the brain.  Fruits and vegetables contain wonderful
antioxidants that make blood cells less likely to clog the
arteries…and they taste great, too!

Certain types of fish, grains, and seeds can also help to
control blood pressure, thus reducing the blood's chance of
forming clots.  

Check out the list below for specific categories of food that
you can add to your diet today! 

Fruits and Vegetables - Bananas, green beans, mangoes, and
potatoes, leafy greens like swiss chard and kale, chili peppers,
onions, garlic, and leeks. 

Grains, Nuts, and Seeds - Oats, oat bran, and other grains
containing soluble fiber.  Sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds,
& peanuts. 

Cold-Water Fish - Salmon, tuna, sardines, and swordfish are all
rich in omega-3's, which can lower the bad LDL cholesterol. 

Red Wine & Black Tea - Flavonoids found in red wine and black
tea can protect damage to the arteries.  Drinking red wine in
moderation and even grape juice can help reduce your odds of
having a stroke. 

What foods should I avoid?

It’s important to avoid salty, fried, and fatty foods as well
as marbled red meats and poultry with the skin on.  Tropical
oils such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel are full of
saturated fats and should be avoided!  It’s important to think
that you want to eat “clean”.  It might be a bit difficult in
the beginning, but before you know it, this way of eating will
be so natural and your body will feel great!

If you or someone you love feels that you might be at risk for
a stroke, see your doctor immediately and begin to change your
lifestyle and eating habits.  Your health depends on it!

About the Author: Colleen is a health and fitness enthusiast
who loves to pass on the latest information on health and
wellness.  Sign up for your free e-newsletter filled with
cutting-edge information on health, nutrition, weight loss, and
fitness.  For your free e-newsletter, visit
http://www.HealthyRevelations.com.

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Eye Care Exam: Are They Important And How Often

Eye Care Exam: Are They Important And How Often
By Paul Courtney

Like every other part of our bodies our eyes are also subject
to wear and tear be it from the ultra violet rays of the sun,
pollution and dust in the air, transmittable diseases or stress
from looking at a computer screen all day.

Most of us go to our family doctors to undertake a physical
exam to see how our overall health is. Other people take their
health for granted. Why is it then that many of us disregard our
eyesight. To guarantee healthy and normal vision, an annual
visit to your eye doctor for your eye care exam is necessary.

Your eyes are like your windows to the world, Our brain
receives sensory information daily from our eyes therefore
keeping them in an optimum shape will ensure proper signals
being received by the brain and consequent action and reactions.
If your vision is sub par this will obviously affect your life
performance.

Eye care exams should start from a very early age, babies of
2-6 months should have their eyes checked to correct any
abnormalities, children entering primary school and again when
entering secondary school should undergo eye care exams which
will also detect any vision problems and corrective action can
be taken to rectify the problem.

As we get older it is of vital importance to have an eye care
exam performed yearly because every time you visit your eye
doctor they will evaluate any changes in your vision system and
they can help you correct any difficulties that you may have
with your sight. Early diagnosis of any potential problems will
decrease the chance of severe damage to our sight.

Elderly citizens are more susceptible to vision loss, they
should be aware that the probability of having vision disorders
increases with age. The threat is still there even though you
might not be experiencing any problem, therefore you should
visit your eye doctor regularly for an eye care exam.

An eye care exam is a painless and informative method for the
assessment of your eyes. The eye doctors will test your visual
acuity, which is the clarity of your vision. During the eye care
exam, the doctor will also check the muscles of the eyes, eye
pressure, fluid circulation, retina and general condition of
your eyes.. The routine eye examination is not painful or
uncomfortable.

Eye Care Exam Doctors

Doctor’s who specialize in the comprehensive care of the eyes
and visual system in the prevention of eye disease injury is the
ophthalmologist. They are medically trained specialists who can
deliver total eye care exams, primary, secondary and tertiary
care services and diagnose general diseases of the eyes.

Whereas the health care professional who provides only primary
care services is the optometrist. Services included are the
comprehensive eye health and vision examinations: treatment and
diagnosis of the vision disorders and eye diseases; the
detection of general health problems; they prescribe the
glasses, contact lenses, vision therapy, low vision
rehabilitation and medications.

How Often Should You Have An Eye Care Exam?

If you note that you are having eye difficulty, pain or visual
disturbances or any other problem in the eyes, you should
immediately see an eye doctor. However, if you are in good
health and no known ailments, no vision problems, you can have
an eye exam every two to four years provided your age is below
forty. For people with diabetes, you need frequent eye
examinations to maintain good eye health.

Remember prevention is better than a cure, so make sure you are
aware of your vision and if you note any deterioration get on
down and have an eye care exam.

About the Author: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various
publications pertaining to Alternative Medicine, Herbal Medicine
and is the main contributor to http://www.eyecareadvisory.com

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Peanut Allergy: A Unique Epidemic

Peanut Allergy: A Unique Epidemic
By David Mark

Our generation is a privileged one for many reasons. We are
living through seemingly profound and seismic changes, both
environmental and socioeconomic.  Yet, no where have we seen in
recent human history such a unique and fast moving epidemic like
the current break out of the peanut allergy. What is meant by
this is not to belittle past epidemics, rather it is to point
out how strange it is that this epidemic is centered around such
a common food that had been relatively harmless for so long. The
facts cannot be ignored: 1.5 million Americans suffer from a
peanut allergy making it the most prevalent food allergy and out
of those 100 people die every year. The question is not if there
is an epidemic, rather what is the cause of it?

Peanut Allergy Causes

The first thing to know about any food allergy and especially
an allergy to peanuts is that researchers do not know their
cause. That being the case there have been some interesting
theories put forth on why the incidents of allergic reactions to
peanuts have increased exponentially. Some scientists believe
that environmental factors are to blame and others see a
connection between over exposure during pregnancy to peanuts.
Possibly the most intriguing idea is that with globalization,
increased possibilities of food interactions and combinations
that were once impossible have begun to occur with unpredictable
results.

What Foods to Stay Clear Of

Unfortunately for those with a peanut allergy, far too many
products exist that have been infused with peanuts or things
peanut derivatives. This is why those that suffer from a peanut
allergy must be vigilant. On top of this many people can trigger
their allergy merely by touching peanut products. This includes
oils and creams that have just a hint of peanuts in them. Common
foods to stay clear of include: peanut butter & peanut flour,
ground or mixed nuts, cereals, granola, sunflower seeds, grain
breads, energy bars, and salad dressing. This is not to say that
all these foods are certain to contain peanut products, rather
they merely have a higher percentage of peanut inclusion in
their ingredients.

Peanut Allergy Prevention

Although it sounds strange to talk about preventing peanut
allergies when it has already admitted above that their cause
cannot actually be substantiated. Despite this being the case,
there are some known ways to reduce development of this allergy
in those that have an increased susceptibility. Of course to
understand how his can work one has to have adopted the theory
that over exposure to peanut products in the womb and through
the mother's breast milk can increase the chances of developing
an allergy to peanuts. Research indicates that those women who
avoid ingesting peanut products during pregnancy and nursing
severely reduce their babies chances to develop an allergy to
peanuts.

No matter the reason for developing an allergy to peanuts, the
truth remains clear and dangerous, yet preventable. Of course
preventing an allergic reaction to peanuts does not mean that
one will once again be able to eat peanuts and the products that
include them, rather prevention just refers to making sure there
are no allergic reaction at all. This takes vigilance and
caution in making sure that consumption and use of peanut based
products is ended. Only then can one be sure that allergic
reactions are rare if not blotted out completely.

About the Author: David Mark writes for multiple websites
hoping to share information that is helpful to humanity. For
information on peanut allergy causes check out
http://peanutallergy.com/causes.html

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Fish Oil Supplements And Depression

Fish Oil Supplements And Depression
By Lori Matthews

Researchers have known for a long time that the sea holds many
great cures and treatments for humans. Some of the compounds
made naturally in sea life are not found anywhere on land and
have proven to help humans in a number of ways. Now researchers
are saying that fish oil that contains omega-3 fatty acids can
help people fight depression.

Doctors at the Massachusetts General Hospital who have watched
the clinical trials report that they are impressed with the
results. These early results should encourage more testing.
Since fish oil does not have negative effects, it is a study
that can easily be conducted on a wide scale.

Many scientists and researchers first became interested in fish
oil when they observed that the countries with the highest rates
of fish consumption had the lowest rates of reported depression.
It was also observed that mothers in England that ate little or
no fish during pregnancy had twice the risk of going through
postpartum depression when compared to women that ate higher
amounts of fish during pregnancy. These initial observations are
what caused scientists and researchers to want to find out why
these trends occurred, and if fish really was the cause. In the
research, it was found that the specific cause of the
anti-depression benefits was the omega-3 fatty acids found in
many fish oils. Researchers have also fed omega-3 fatty acids,
independent of fish oils, to piglets and found the omega-3 fatty
acids had a similar effect on the piglet brains as some
prescription medicines does. Some anti-depressants help fight
depression by raising the level of serotonin, and omega-3 fatty
acids have been shown to do the same.

Omega-3 fatty acids are not produced by the human body and are
mainly found in seafood. Of the omega-3 fatty acids, the one
with the largest impact on the human brain is DHA. DHA is
believed to help neurons communicate, which means the signals in
the brain can be processed faster and better. Like other omega-3
fatty acids, DHA cannot be produced by the human body, so we
must attain it purely from our diets.

At Sheffield University, researchers have found that depressed
patients given omega-3 fatty acids see improvement more than
twice as often as depressed patients given a placebo. Many
patients that have taken anti-depressants to combat their
depression find that it makes them feel strange. While omega-3
fatty acids raise the level of serotonin much like these
anti-depressants do, no patients have reported the side effects
that they can have.

Many early studies indicate that as little as one gram of
omega-3 fatty acids is effective in treatment. This dose can be
taken as part of a supplement, or simply by eating fish such as
salmon, tuna, or sardines. These positive early results should
lead to more study using larger sample sizes. Some researchers
even feel omega-3 fatty acids will be effective at fighting the
effects of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Even though fish
oil may not help everyone with depression, people who do not
like how some anti-depressants make them feel might be very
interested to discuss with their doctor if they can try it as a
means to fight their depression.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure or prevent any disease.

About the Author: Lori Matthews studies health, nutrition and
wellness. She enjoys writing articles on health for both people
and pets. Please visit http://www.pure-fish-oil.com for more
information on pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements.

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