Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Yeast Infection

Although yeast infection is in reality a particularly common condition, it is tiny debated.

The majority regard candida infection as a 'on the surface' problem that should be treated with creams and antibiotics while few are conscious of its doubtless dangerous complications. Yeast Infection is basically an internal problem. The issue is that the bulk of yeast infection sufferers decide to leave it in the hands of others : Doctors, pharmacists, drug and over the counter industries. They happily select NOT to accept responsibility for their candida condition, for their health and for their own body.

If you suffer from yeast infection then you should have experienced the confusion stemmed from clashing recommendation and from info overload. Fair info about vaginal yeast infection or any other kind of candida infection is harder to come by than previously, and almost everybody has been misled at a previous point or another. I wasted literally thousands of bucks on candida treatment programs that did not "work out" and anti-yeast infection products that did not do anything.

To effectively overcome candida infection, you want to be conscious of the genuine reason for yeast infection and be ready to identify its symptoms. By training yourself about the steps you want to take to deal with your candida infection condition and help your body heal itself and control the fungal overgrowth from the interior out you can and will eliminate the agony, annoyance, humiliation and disappointment related to this condition and feel more in control. In addition, as a side benefits you will feel more energised, fitter and colourful. You may enjoy improved digestion, reinforced vision, and fitter hair, skin and nails. Share it and apply it and you can be yeast infection free.

There are few more resource here

Yeast Infection - What Other People Are Not Telling You About Treatment For Yeast Infection

All You Need to Know About Male Yeast Infections and How to Cure Them

Yeast Infection Or Candidiasis - Cure Yeast Infections Naturally by Practicing Homeopathic Treatment

Cure Yeast Infection Naturally - Few Effective Natural Remedies and Methods to Cure Yeast Infection

Friday, March 14, 2008

The Importance of Antioxidants

Antioxidants are found in certain types of food and are extremely beneficial to our health. Essentially antioxidants are substances which deactivate particles called free radicals. Free radicals can over time be very harmful to the body and cause damage to cells and DNA. This can lead to certain diseases such as cancer. A diet which is rich in antioxidants has been shown to prevent and protect the body from disease. Therefore getting plenty of antioxidants in our body is very important.

What do Antioxidants do?

Antioxidants act by deactivating, or turning off free radicals. Free radicals are particles which can be very harmful but unfortunately are not entirely avoidable on their own. Free particles come from a variety of sources such as air pollutants and cigarette smoke. Antioxidants work to protect our bodies from these free radicals which can be very damaging.

Types of Antioxidants

Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium are all antioxidants and vital to a healthy diet and body. These antioxidants are found in many types of vegetables, fruits, and grains, and it is vital that we get the recommend amounts in our diets. If you aren’t getting the daily recommended amounts you should supplement with a multi-vitamin. However, never rely on a supplement for all your antioxidant needs since there is no proper substitute for the real thing.

Foods Containing Antioxidants

Luckily there are many varieties of foods that contain the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and beta-carotene. Be sure to vary your food choices to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals that you need:

• Vitamin C is primarily found in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits. Other great sources of vitamin C include tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers, pineapple, and dark green veggies.
• Vitamin E is found in many vegetable oils, nuts, brown rice, legumes, whole grains, and dark leafy green vegetables.
• Selenium is found in some seafood, Brazil nuts, poultry, dairy, whole grains, onions, garlic, and wheat germ.
• Beta-carotene is found in carrots, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, mangos, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Please note this is not an exhaustive list of food containing antioxidants.

Green Tea Antioxidants

While on the seemingly never ending search for the perfect anti-aging skincare product, the industry seems to be making a shift away from the engineered and towards the natural. Skincare products made with green tea are hitting shelves and women everywhere are experiencing the amazing benefits this simple plant offers. Green tea is good for your skin thanks to the many anti-aging antioxidants it contains.

Anti aging products seem to come in all shapes and sizes these days, with everything from retinol to vitamin C being touted as the answer to all our aging woes. However, cultures that have known the benefits of green tea have lower occurrences of certain cancers and seem to age later on in life. Green tea isn’t just for tea time anymore; it’s one of the best anti-aging products to emerge in recent years.

We’ve all heard about the amazing benefits of green tea for our bodies, inside and out. But very few of us know what the properties of green tea are that makes it so good for us. Polyphenols are the secret anti-aging ingredient, as they have been proven to eliminate free radicals. This is a skincare breakthrough that some have likened to the fountain of youth.

The polyphenols in green tea do much more than just fight free radical damage, they have recently been shown to actually prolong the life of cells which helps to slow down the process of premature aging. When science combines with natural products the result is skincare products that can turn back time. This isn’t your mother’s anti-aging product!

Extracts of green tea have been used in anti aging products for years. These powerful extracts have been an important part of any preventative skincare regimen. However new research into specific polyphenols has shown that green tea skincare products can actually help skin cells to be rejuvenated. These newly energized skin cells have a longer life which in turn slows the aging process and even repairs damage already done to skin. Green tea skincare products may just be the anti-aging fountain of youth!

Ingredients in many anti-aging products are often unpronounceable and seem to do nothing more than confuse consumers. While any skincare products will have some technical ingredients, many consumers enjoy buying and using something that is familiar to them. Anti-aging products that contain ingredients that are naturally good for you, such as green tea, are becoming increasingly popular.

While skincare products that you topically apply to your skin are important to the anti-aging fight, what you put into your mouth is important as well. Many skin care companies are marketing anti aging vitamins that can help your skin from the inside out. Green tea has also been shown to be beneficial to not only utilize as a skincare product but to drink as well. Green tea truly is a powerful agent in the fight against aging.

As youth becomes more of a hot commodity as it ever was, science searches for new and innovative ways to help us look younger, longer. Many miracle skincare products have been unveiled throughout the years but nothing ever seemed to be the anti-aging cure we were looking for. While aging is inevitable, many women and men deal with premature aging, thanks to the many environmental factors, and our lifestyles as well. By adding green tea not only to your diet but to your skincare regimen as well, we may be able to help turn back the clocks just a little bit.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Taking Care of Your Skin

There is a lot of emphasis in today’s world to stay as young looking for as long as possible. There are many “miracle” products available to you that promise to keep you looking young and beautiful at any age. But how many of these products actually deliver what they promise? The honest truth is that there is no miracle product that is going to keep you looking young forever. However, taking good care of your skin can keep you looking and feeling fresh and healthy no matter how old you are.

Learn about Wrinkle Prevention

Facial wrinkles happen as you age. The skin cells begin to die at a rate faster than your body can create new ones. Skin looses its elasticity and the fine lines appear, growing deeper each year. Other than age, there are several factors that can increase the appearance of lines and deep wrinkles. Some of these include sun, diet, and anxiety. These can increase free radical damage, which in turn causes premature aging. In order to prevent wrinkles you must understand what causes them.

Sun Protection

The sun has been found to be a major factor in premature aging. The best defense against aging is protecting the skin from the sun. While it is unreasonable to try and avoid the sun at all costs, especially since a little sun exposure is good for us, there is something we can do. Wearing a moisturizer with a SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher can greatly reduce premature wrinkles. A SPF should also be used year-round since UVA/UVB rays are present even during the winter months. During the summer avoid the sun during the middle of the day and wear a hat when you’re outside.

Diet and Wrinkle Prevention

Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet can help ward off premature wrinkles, and there are certain foods that are particularly beneficial. Some of these include omega 3 fatty acids (found in food such as salmon and flax seeds), vitamin C (found in blueberries, strawberries, and citrus fruits), vitamin E (found in many seeds), and anything containing antioxidants (such as green tea).

Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety have been shown to speed up aging, so being able to relax is important not only for your skin but your entire well-being as well. Many people can’t simply quite their stressful jobs or reduce their responsibilities, but there are many ways you can deal with stress. Exercise is the number one way to reduce stress. Choosing activities that are enjoyable is essential, such as swimming, walking, biking, or even dance classes. Relaxing activities are important as well. Some of these include yoga, tai chi, and meditation.

Taking Care of Your Skin without Cortisone

It seems to be the popularity among conventional doctors to treat skin conditions and diseases with medications that either doesn’t work or that have harmful or irritating side effects. There is no point in treating a skin condition with cortisone only to have the lingering side effects of cortisone within your body.

There are many natural alternatives when it comes to your skin and treating it for burns, eczema, acne, sunburn, minor wounds, or other skin conditions. Consider the
following alternatives to keep your skin healthy naturally and without the use of harmful medications:

• Aloe Vera is a natural plant that has healing properties that have been known about for many years and are often overlooked. Aloe Vera can be found as a gel form or you can purchase an Aloe Vera plant and break a leaf off the plant as you need it. If you are treating a skin disorder you will want to apply the Aloe Vera at least three times per day. If you are treating a wound you should liberally apply Aloe Vera and it can be used for as long as needed. Aloe Vera is a wonderful, natural way to heal skin conditions without any other side affects.
• Emu oil has been used for many years to treat pain and skin problems. Emu oil is very effective in the treatment of skin conditions since it has traces of three of the essential fatty acids: Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9. The oil can be used all over your body for many skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, shingles, rosacea, skin irritations, and dry skin.
• Red clover. Red clover is very effective against skin conditions that are caused by heat and dryness, such as allergic dermatitis and eczema.
• Copaiba. This natural resin is useful in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema.
• Neem. This plant is very similar to Aloe Vera and is just as beneficial in treating all kinds of skin disorders.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Rheumatic Disease

"What is the single most important dietetic factor in causing Rheumatic Disease?
There are multiple dietary factors that may be responsible, and they will differ greatly from person to person. If you had to pick one single factor, it would be the usage of refined carbohydrates and overeating. An excess of even natural carbohydrates can be a potent contributing factor in some people. Food allergies are also a contributing factor in many patients. Some patients have eaten so much in the way of refined carbohydrate or excess carbohydrate overall over a number of years that they have thrown off their insulin/glucagon balance leading to an imbalance of eicosanoids with resulting lowered immunity and increased inflammatory responses."

Some things to keep in mind if you or someone you know is suffering from Rheumatic Disease include:

• Sugar is inflammatory: Thus sugar causes inflammation.
• Inflammation may cause intestinal permeability: Intestinal permeability may develop numerous food allergens.
• Daily intake of food allergens cause further long term inflammation.
• Long term inflammation may initiate autoimmune disease as the immune system is hyperactive.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease.
• Remove food allergens.
• Restore intestinal health.
• These reduce inflammation.
• Reduced inflammation leads to a quiet immune system.
• Quiet immune system leads to dormancy of autoimmune disease.

Learning to control your diet is a major part of controlling Rheumatic Disease.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Diet Correctly

The word diet strikes fear in the heart of many of us, but diet doesn’t have to be a bad word. Learning how to eat healthy is a diet habit that we can do for the rest of our lives. Most people think of diet as being something that you do until your lose a certain amount of weight, and then you go back to regular eating. This is the precise reason why most diets fail; they are impossible to sustain in the long run. Learning how to diet right will help you get to a healthy weight and stay there.

Staying away from fad diets is vital to losing weight successfully. Low carbohydrate diets are a good example of this. Millions of people swear by the latest low carb craze, but how many of us know a friend or coworker who had lost a shocking amount of weight in a short period of time, only to gain it back in an even shorter period? Carbohydrates are an important part of a complete and healthy diet, so they certainly can’t be omitted forever. While your body may lose weight while on the diet, you’re bound to gain it back when you start eating carbs again.

Everyone knows that too much fat is a bad thing. While certain fats are very good for us, many people on low carb diets are getting too much of the bad fats, i.e. animal fats. It is a shame that people are so concerned with losing weight that they lose sight of the fact that their wonder diet may actually be doing their body harm.

Approaching losing weight with an attitude of health and longevity is the secret to dieting success.

Calorie counting can be a great way to learn how many calories you are consuming each day compared to how many you are using. If you consume more than you use, you will gain weight. However, this type of dieting can be done to the extreme as well which is unhealthy. Make sure you discuss what range of calories you should be consuming each day to make sure you’re getting the recommended amounts.

Calorie counting can actually be detrimental to your diet. If you find yourself constantly hungry your body is probably in starvation mode. This means that your metabolism slows down and any calories consumed are stored as fat. Not exactly what you want to have happen. Be sure to eat a wide variety of food and get the required calories so that you’re losing weight in a healthy way.

Talking to your doctor is the best way to diet and lose weight. He or she can give you a recommended plan, or even put you in touch with a nutritionist who can help you look at your current eating habits and how to change them.

Adapting Recipes for Good Health

Most of the recipes of some of our favorite foods are full of fat and calories, as well as other ingredients that people with food allergies and intolerances aren’t able to eat. However, most of these recipes can be altered and adapted to suit anyone’s dietary restrictions. All it takes is a bit of knowledge about what makes a recipe healthy and how you can make these alterations so that the recipe still tastes good.

Having restrictions on what you eat doesn’t mean that you have to give up food that tastes great or that you need to limit yourself to what you eat. By incorporating some of the following changes to any recipe you’ll be able to add lots more food ideas to your daily food plan.

One of the most important things that you can do to reduce the number of calories that a recipe has is to cut back on the amount of sugar that you’re using. No matter how much sugar that a recipe calls for, you can reduce the sugar by 1/3 of the original amount. To keep the taste of the recipe you can add nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla flavoring. Recipes that can be successfully adapted by reducing the amount of sugar include cakes and cookies, muffins, quick breads, fruit recipes, custards, and puddings.

Reducing the amount of fat in recipes is important if you need to watch the fat content in your daily diet. You can reduce the amount of total fat used in recipes by up to 1/3 without significantly altering the texture of the recipe or the way that it tastes.
For cake recipes a general rule to follow is to use 2 tablespoons of fat for every cup of flour that you’re using. For cookie recipes you can add apple juice as you reduce fat by 1/3 but you may have to add a bit more flour to get the cookie recipe to the right consistency.

Many recipes use too much salt that is entirely unnecessary for the taste of the dish. You can reduce the amount of salt that you use in a recipe by up to 1/2 (for some recipes you can eliminate salt altogether) by using salt-free seasonings, herbs, and spices to get the taste and flavor that you’re looking for. Adding garlic to many main dishes is a great way to get added flavor without the use of salt.

Changing recipes for health is easy once you’ve adapted one or two recipes. You’ll find that you can eat the foods that you want by making modifications to any recipe to improve the overall health and nutrition of the final product.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Eating Healthy

When it comes to healthy eating there are many different aspects to consider. Perhaps the easiest to place to start is by understanding what your food is all about. Your focus should be to try to eat a diet that is balanced and nutritious.

Eating a balanced diet means getting all of the five basic food groups each day. A great guide is the food pyramid which tells you how many servings of each food group you should be getting each day. A balanced diet means eating a wide variety of foods and eating everything in moderation.

The Five Food Groups

The five food groups are grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meat/meat alternatives. A balanced diet will contain something from each of these food groups every day. Some food groups require more servings than other, for instance you should be eating more vegetables than dairy. There is also another part of the food pyramid, which is oils and sweets, which don’t necessarily need to be part of your daily meals and should be consumed with discretion. Each recommended daily serving depends on several factors such as age and activity level. This should be taken into account when determining your personal daily food pyramid.

It is recommended that to eat a healthy, balanced diet you should have from three to five servings of vegetables a day. Vegetables are a primary source of vitamins and minerals and we cannot live without them. Fresh vegetables are the best choice but cooked vegetables and vegetable juice are also acceptable. Try to eat a large variety of vegetables each day, including many different colors.

Fruits are also full of vitamins and minerals. You should have anywhere from two to four servings of fruit a day. If you are choosing fruit juice make sure it is 100% and has no sugar added. You should also try and choose whole fruits as much as possible since they have the added bonus of fiber.

The dairy group includes milk, yogurt, and cheese. Two to three servings a day is recommended and you should try and choose low-fat options. Dairy is an important provider of calcium and other vitamins. If you are lactose intolerant or vegan it is important that you get these vitamins elsewhere. Soy milk is a great option.

It is recommended that you get anywhere from six to eleven servings of grains each day, depending on your age and activity level. Grains include bread, rice, pasta, and cereal. Try and choose whole grains and avoid the “white” grains such as white bread and white rice. You can find almost all grain foods in a whole grain variety, including pasta and bread.

Meat and meat alternatives are an important source of protein and many other vitamins and minerals. Some foods that fall into this category include fish, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, beans, nuts, and of course tofu. The recommend daily servings are between two and three. Try to choose leaner meats since they have fewer animal fats which aren’t healthy.

Try and limit this food group as much as possible. Remember a little fat is good for you, preferably in the form of vegetable oils such as flax seed oil.

Learn about Losing Weight

At some point in time almost everyone wants to lose a little weight. Whether you have five pounds to lose or a hundred pounds, losing weight can be very difficult and frustrating. Everyone is different but there are certain fundamentals which we must understand in order to lose weight and keep it off.

A good rule of thumb on how much weight you need to lose (if any) is the body mass index, or BMI. The BMI takes into account your height and give you a weight range in which you should fall into. Determining your BMI will give you a good idea of how much weight you can safely lose, or if you don’t need to lose any.

With all the fad diets out there it can seem very confusing which way is the best way to lose weight. Everyone has heard the many diet myths and many of us jump from diet fad to fad in hopes of permanently losing our excess weight. When it comes down to it weight loss is no great mystery. If the calories you consume in a day exceed the calories you use, you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. If the calories consumed and used are approximately the same you will stay the same weight.

Many people loath the thought of calorie counting, but getting a good idea of how much calories are in your food is a great way to either lose or maintain weight. Start by figuring out approximately how many calories are in your daily meals, and soon it will actually become second nature. You don’t need to be exact down to the calorie but a general idea should help you. It is also important that you know how many calories your body needs to function properly and ensure you never go below that number.

One of the biggest diet traps is portion sizes. In today’s society our portion sizes are often double what they would have been only 30 years ago. Try taking smaller amounts of food and eating slowly, thus allowing the stomach to signal the brain that it is full. Eating smaller meals throughout the day is another great way to control portion size. Many people eat large meals because by the time their scheduled meal time rolls around they are starving. If you go out to eat, getting half your meal wrapped up for later is a great way to control your portions.

Diet and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to weight loss. Getting some sort of exercise everyday is important for our health. Even if you just go for a 30 minute walk everyday you are still contributing. Losing weight means a lifestyle change for most people that include healthy and nutritious food as well as getting your body on the move.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Your Health and Effectively Treating Arthritis

Arthritis is a disease that affects thousands of people each year. In most cases doctors will be agreeable to prescribe medication to you for both the disease and for the pain that is associated with all forms of arthritis. There are many natural and alternative ways to treat arthritis and the symptoms associated with it.

One of the first things that you may want to consider is looking at your diet and what you are putting into your body. Studies show that there may be a direct correlation between what you eat and your risk of arthritis. These studies showed that those people who ate a diet that was rich in certain vitamins and antioxidants had a reduced risk of pain associated with arthritis as well as further progression of the disease. The vitamins and antioxidants in question are as follows:

• Vitamin E. Studies show that a dietary supplement of Vitamin E helps to reduce arthritis inflammation.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to slow all forms of arthritis as well as reduce knee and joint pain.
• Beta-carotene. Beta-carotene works the same as Vitamin C in reducing inflammation and slowing down arthritis.
• Lutein (antioxidant). Studies show that lutein lowers the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
• Lycopene (antioxicant). Lycopene is another antioxidant that is effect for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Exercise is also very important in the treatment of arthritis. Many people with all forms of arthritis avoid exercise due to the pain but it is important to keep as mobile as possible and to incorporate some form of beneficial exercise into your daily routine. Exercises that work well with all forms of arthritis include Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Both of these exercise methods but little strain on your muscles and limbs, therefore giving you the movement that you need.

Living with the chronic pain of arthritis and osteoarthritis takes a great deal of courage and perseverance. Try to include some of the about herbs and supplements into your diet to alleviate some of the pain and discomfort that arthritis causes.