Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Anti Aging Red Light Therapy


Light therapy in this case using a red spectrum light has shown to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles. The red light improves facial blood circulation when the light enters the skin as a photon; it is a safe and effective way to improve skin tone and skin appearance as it has healing properties. It can promote skin healing as the light penetrates the skin tissue deeper than a blue light. Nasa has researched the healing properties of the red light. Red light is used not only as a rejuvenation therapy but it used also in healing of scars, eczema, skin wounds such as those in burned victims. It also restores the natural collagen production, reduces the affect of sun damage, decrease redness, skin discoloration and more. It is pain free and many dermatologists use it in their office (although the over all cost is higher) Having your own red light is cost effective and you can use it over and over.
For more information on the product and or purchase go to crankychicks store

Monday, October 27, 2008

The Law of Attraction or Hard Work?


The Power of Intention Part I
I don’t watch a whole lot of TV and generally won’t watch reality shows. This weekend though my hubby called me over to see a reality show about the “house wives of Atlanta” I watched it very briefly. The questions that popped up in my mind were “why there is a reality show about millionaire house wives (the average women do not really identify with them) and (why are these wealthy women in a show?) It’s not like they need the money. I was not surprised to see that they cared about fashion, brand names and other frivol ties. That is fine of course since they can afford whatever they want (or at least the money they’ve got from where ever were allowing them to lead a certain life style)
Now some of you may say “what about the law of attraction”? What about it?

The law of attraction does not work by wishing and waiting. If someone wants something in life, whether it is wealth, love, respect, kids etc, one has to work towards that. In the example of the house wives – well they worked through it trough marriage and what not. To elaborate on the law of attraction- that really is not a new concept. It did not start with The Secret, or with Ask and it is Given, it did not even start with Wayne Dyer’s the power of intention. Some of you may have come upon this concept from Wattles writing grow rich, Jose Sylva’s Method,…..A Bulgarian spiritual teacher by the name of Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov also mentioned this in his writings as the Law of Correspondence or the Boomerang Effect. There are of course others before him that did so as well and the list can go on.

If you want to get something or achieve something you’ve got to set goals for yourself and pursue them. I believe that whatever you focus on you draw that to you. If you focus on misery, you get bogged down. If you focus on love, you’re more loving towards others and they at times return your love. You get the idea. I suggest you take with a grain of salt who teaches you that wishes just manifest. There are certain things that just don’t. There is not going to be snow in the desert no matter how long someone there intends for that (unless you’re considering the Saudi Arabian man-made ski resort) Intention and manifestation are not magic. You get results out of your attempts. I am very weary of teachers who proclaim other wise. I will talk more about it in another post.
Copyright: Dr. Rossi Davis

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Calcium Rich Vegetarian Options


Have you heard of the amazing “thermogenic” properties of Calcium? Yes, the easily accessible to us calcium which you can find right in our kitchen. Thermogenic means having the ability to burn fat and convert it into energy in our bodies. What a better, easier and cheaper way to lose weight? Recent study findings show that we can shed those extra pounds by increasing our intake in calcium rich foods. Research points out that people who ate a diet rich in calcium were quite successful in losing weight. It appears that calcium can lead to weight loss by increasing fat break of fat cells.
Many dieters reduce dairy products in from their meals. However, yogurt may in fact help the body to burn fat and thus contributing to a desirable slimmer body. Data shows that those who included yogurt in their diet regime lost more weight than those who only reduced calorie intake. The calcium which is present in dairy foods is shown to be absorbed promptly that that from cereals and vegetables because dairy products contain nutrients that assist in calcium absorption. Other beneficial qualities of calcium from various sources are attributed to its aid in clotting of the blood, maintaining healthy bones and teeth and in controlling what your body does with calories.

Disclaimer:
on this blog, you will find vegetarian meal choices and recipes which do not aim at treating obesity and /or providing a strict nutritional regime. Rather, they may be used along with your exercise routine, fitness, medical and nutritionist’s professional consultations.
Remember to eat healthy, live healthy, and to be environmentally mindful.


Meal Suggestions
1. Breakfast:

Toasted wheat bread (2 slices)
1 small container of yogurt
Several medium size dried or fresh figs
1 8oz glass of orange juice

1. Lunch:

2 Wheat tortilla wraps filled with tofu (see under recipe section)
1 cup yogurt with fruits
1 8 oz glass of skim milk.

1. Dinner:

½ cup of mustard greens (steamed0
Broccoli, cucumbers, dark leaf greens salad sprinkled with feta cheese oil and vinaigrette
A singe serving of refried vegetarian beans

Fact: Did you know that calcium is an essential element in our diet and the most abundant mineral in our bodies?

Anti Aging recommendated cosmetics


Top choices of this week's anti aging creams-

(1) StriVectin-HS Hydro-Thermal Deep Wrinkle Serum

(2) Freeze 24 / 7 Twice The Ice

(3) CLARISONIC Renewal Serum 1 fl oz

(4) SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex Best Result..

(5) Prevage Anti-Aging Night Cream by Elizabeth Arden

For more top choices and purchases visit the Online Store

Relationships need a "work out"!


We want the things that we do not have and need the things that we find important. You do not per se need to have sex every night. Maybe you want to have sex at least once a week to keep your relationship intimate.
Couples fall into the trap of mistaking their needs with wants when they do not communicate what they want. The result is miscommunication, hostility, betrayal, and discontent just to name a few. All of these scenarios can be prevented if only each partner verbalizes his or her needs in the form of feelings, expectations, desires or hopes. When you miss the right timing to express your needs, a problem of some sort arises. The problems that have always been there in one form or another can resurface at any time. It is a difficult realization for couples to accept that they prolong the existence of problems by avoiding to speak about them.
Couples often wait until their relationship is in a crisis before initiating any changes. Their relationship has started to overflow with issues that they’ve suppressed or ignored for too long thus reinforcing the cycle of miscommunication between each other.
A partner may wait for the other one to guess what he or she needs. The other however may never realize that something is wrong and will continue to act the same way or do the same things that are frustrating. For example, one partner may want the other to spend more quality time with the family by eating dinner together, playing with the children and helping around the house instead of working long hours and engaging in solitary activities. Partners make the mistake of assuming that their feelings, needs and wants should be clearly know by the other . This is not a realistic expectation. It is more practical to let your partner know how you feel and what your expectations are rather then wait for him or her to guess. Verbalizing your feelings early is going to save you frustration, disagreements and confusion later on. If you do not express your feelings on time, you may enter into an agreement of some sort with you partner that you regret later. For instance, you may relocate, buy the house you did not really want to, keep your job that you do not like just to pay bills the list goes on. Later on, mistakenly, just to unload your frustration you may blame your partner and create arguments. You will be displaying your frustration towards your partner who is not really the cause of your discontent. After all, you are the one who is responsible for your own feelings, needs, wants and ultimately- choices. Speaking up is a good way to get heard and make your needs and wants known.

From Couple's Communication Made Easy (audio book)

Vegetarianism


People need food to survive. Why are so many people obese when there is no scarcity of food especially in the West? Being a vegetarian or a vegan is not only healthy, it is also humane. Do you really need to eat a duck or a rabbit to feel satisfied in your belly, entertain your taste buds, or say to yourself I had a nice meal?
Plato said "Do not make your stomachs graves for animals" and I agree. When an animal was maltreated, filled with hormones and finally slaughtered so you can eat it, all of the animal's fears and anxieties in addition to the unhealthy hormones, it releases cortisol (stress hormone) in its body. Now you've just consumed that as well. Think of the suffering animals, think of how people act cruel towards other beings and how the rest of the people who are carnivourous support this either overtly or covertly. Make healthy and compassionate choices.

Types of vegetarians- Get your free vegetarian starter kit Here

Ovo-lacto vegetarians do not eaty any red meat, chicken or fish, but eat milk and milk products (cheese etc) and eggs.

Lacto vegetarians do not eat red meat, chicken, fish or eggs, but they do consume milk and milk products (ice cream, sour cream, cheese etc).

Vegans do not eat any animal products at all. Instead they eat fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and variety of beans.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Feeling Blue?


Symptoms of Depressed Mood -
A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

Note: Do note include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations.

(1) depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.

(2) markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)

(3) significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.

(4) insomnia (inability to fall or stay asleep) or hypersomnia (sleeping too much) nearly every day

(5) psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)

(6) fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

(7) feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)

(8) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)

(9) recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

B. The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.

C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).

E. The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.

There is help in the form of couneling, medication, natural supplements and changes in lifestyle and behavior. Only an MD (medical doctor such as a psychiatrist, PCP, nurse preactitioner, neurologist etc can prescribe medication (in some states a PhD or PsyD- psychologist can do so only if they have been trained and credentialed in pharmacology) There are different counseling options from one on one counseling, group therapy, family counseling etc. In severe case a hospitalization is required. A person may be hospitalized for reasons such as feeling suicidal, homicidal, being psychotic or at risk to harm others and self. If you're are just feeling blue without the intent for harm most likely you will be referred to counseling and medication may be given to you as an option.
What causes depression? It may be triggered by different reasons in different people. That is why some people respond better to the same medication than others.
For some people situational trigers can cause depression such as a divorce, loss of job, death in the family etc. Depression can be also biologically based (you may have family members with this condition) Other trigers are psychological such as a pessimistic view, type A personality driven self, etc.
Natural supplements such as lack of certain vitamins and amino acids can triger depressed mood. Some people experience SAD (seasonal affec disorder) Which is marked by milder depressed mood in the falll and winter seasons. The use of a blue spectrum light and supplementation with vitamin D can help.

Anxiety is another illness commonly found in women. There are different kinds of anxiety as there are different kinds of depression. There are also different treatment options. Here the most common anxiety disorders are listed-
GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) Generalized meaning no specific triger is found as a cause.
For more than half the days in at least 6 months, the patient experiences excessive anxiety and worry about several events or activities.
The patient has trouble controlling these feelings.
Associated with this anxiety and worry, the patient has 3 or more of the following symptoms, some of which are present for over half the days in the past 6 months:*
(1) Feels restless, edgy, keyed up
(2) Tires easily
(3) Trouble concentrating
(4) Irritability
(5) Increased muscle tension
(6) Trouble sleeping (initial insomnia or restless, unrefreshing sleep)

The symptoms cause clinically important distress or impair work, social or personal functioning.
The disorder is not directly caused by a general medical condition or by substance use, including medications and drugs of abuse.
It does not occur only during a Mood Disorder, Psychotic Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
The patient has experienced or witnessed or was confronted with an unusually traumatic event that has both of these elements:
The event involved actual or threatened death or serious physical injury to the patient or to others, and
The patient felt intense fear, horror or helplessness
The patient repeatedly relives the event in at least 1 of these ways:
(1) Intrusive, distressing recollections (thoughts, images)*
(2) Repeated, distressing dreams*
(3) Through flashbacks, hallucinations or illusions, acts or feels as if the event were recurring (includes experiences that occur when intoxicated or awakening)*
(4) Marked mental distress in reaction to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble the event.
(5) Physiological reactivity (such as rapid heart beat, elevated blood pressure) in response to these cues
The patient repeatedly avoids the trauma-related stimuli and has numbing of general responsiveness (absent before the traumatic event) as shown by 3 or more of:
(7) Tries to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations concerned with the event(8) Tries to avoid activities, people or places that recall the event
(9) Cannot recall an important feature of the event
(10) Marked loss of interest or participation in activities important to the patient(11) -Feels detached or isolated from other people(12) -Restriction in ability to love or feel other strong emotions
(13) Feels life will be brief or unfulfilled (lack of marriage, job, children)
At least 2 of the following symptoms of hyperarousal were not present before the traumatic event:
(1) Insomnia (initial or interval)
(2) Irritability
(3) Poor concentration
(4) Hypervigilance
(5) Increased startle response
The above symptoms have lasted longer than one month.
These symptoms cause clinically important distress or impair work, social or personal functioning.
Specify whether:

Acute - When the symptoms have lasted less than 3 months

Chronic - When the symptoms have lasted 3 months or longer



Disclaimer: ALWAYS consult your PCP or another health care professional for proper diagnosis and treatment!!!!!!!!

Ready for Halloween?


Are you ready for Halloween? Waiting until the last moment has its positives and negatives. For one you get your stuff discounted but two you may not get exactly what you wanted if they've run out of it. This year there are a lot of sexy costumes for chicks and cute ones for kids (even pets) If you don't want to spend money and have old costumes from prior years you may want to exchange with a friend and that way this year you get a new look so does your friend.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Eating Disorders


I am baffled as to how many people in the USA develop eating disorders from anorexia and bulimia to morbid obesity. There is an abundance of food yet some people eat themselves to death while others starve to death. Why I wonder??? This is a Western phenomenon (and unfortunately other countries adopt these behaviors) There is help though available from counseling to gastric by pass surgery - lap band, effective fat burning and weight reduction options, etc.
Check the symtoms to see if you are struggling with any of these disorders

Table 1:
DSM-IV Criteria for Anorexia Nervosa
Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (eg, weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).

Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.

Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.

In postmenarchal females, amenorrhea ie, the absence of at least three consecutive cycles. (A woman is considered to have amenorrhea if her periods occur only following hormone, eg, estrogen administration.)
Specify type:

Restricting Type: During the current episode of anorexia nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (ie, self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas).
Binge-Eating/Purging Type: During the current episode of anorexia nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (ie, self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas).

DSM-IV Criteria for Bulimia Nervosa
Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:(1) Eating, in a discrete period of time (eg, within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances.(2) A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (eg, a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating).
Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas or other medications; fasting or excessive exercise.
The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.
Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa.
Specify type:

Purging type: During the current episode of bulimia nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas.
Nonpurging type: During the current episode of bulimia nervosa, the person has used inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas.

I am pro healthy living and advocate for healthy eating, exercise, yoga, use of herbs, supplements and meditation as ways to find balance in one's life.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Firm Abs

I had been searaching for info on firm abs and anything to do with losing belly fat. Now we all know of pills and diet, and exercising. I honestly believe that whatever you try it works best as a combo. I am a vegetarian so I have to watch not to overdo on carbs. Also, exercise is important because no matter what else you do, you don't get a six pack just by sitting on your butt all day long. I have gotten the bender ball and a larger exercise ball
One thing that I was not careful about in the begining is doing the ab exercises correctly. I not only hurt my back, I did not get the results as I should have. core abs exercises. There are many videos and programs out there.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Cramps Cure


Cramps are really a curse. There are some options that are supposed to help you. You have heard of the pill, I posted some herbal remedies info and now I am going to list Laparoscopy and Endometrial Ablation.
Now you may have painful periods because of fibroids and there is cure for this. Some procedures may hindre pregnancy in the future but you will have to discuss this with your doc. Some say there is 50-50% chance so explore your options carefully.
Vulvar pain foundation diet tips here