How do you know if you are getting enough water each day? This is a really important question because many of us have deprived ourselves of water and have become so accustomed to living with less than what our body requires, we don't recognise the symptoms of thirst. The most common symptom is headaches. A major function of water is to flush toxins from the body. Your brain is 75% water, so even being slightly dehydrated can cause headaches....more
There are various acne scar remedies - both conventional as well as home remedies. Picking an acne or pimple with the finger or nail can cause permanent scars. It is important to resist the urge to touch or squeeze the acne and let it heal by itself.Home remedies for acne scars are effective for mild scars. Severe acne can leave scars that span a few layers of the top most layer epidermis. In such cases, natural acne scar remedies can be...more
Shea butter, also referred to as karite, which means "life" has been used across the African continent for centuries. It hails from Central and Western Africa. It's actually a nut fat, as it's obtained from the fruit of the kernel. Shea nuts are picked by women, then par-boiled, and sun-dried for a week in order to dehydrate the nut. This increases their storage time. The next step is to crush the dried fruit, in order to remove the skin. When the shea butter is hand crushed like this, it retains all its numerous vitamins and minerals and the nutty, smoky scent is naturally preserved. The color ranges from off white to gray to golden brown to green, depending upon the maturity of the nut. It's always refined at least once, in order to remove dirt, bits of gourd, or leaves, objects that would not be fun to apply to your skin. In Africa, shea butter is often used as a cooking oil. Shea butter can also be used as a hair conditioner, as a way to prevent sunburn pain, to soothe cracked, dry feet and hands, especially during those skin-drying winter months or for those of you who live in a dry climate. According to noted soapmaker/author Susan Miller Cavitch, in her 1995 book...more
There are many causes of back pain. Injury, illness, herniated disks and poor posture are just a few. Muscle imbalances are one of the lesser side effects of improper use, posture, strain and injury, and are commonly the cause of the aches and pains associated with back pain. Unfortunately, most doctors don't diagnose muscle imbalances until it is...more
Last week the media circus surrounding the flu vaccine reached a crescendo. Half of all the flu vaccine supply is not available this year! Why? Because the British company that supplies half of the U.S. flu vaccine supply was shut down by health officials. Does it really matter? Unless you are under 2 or over 65 and are in poor health, It doesn't...more
Do a little people-watching, next time you're in the grocery line. There's always someone with a cart, bulging with every conceivable kind of diet food. Flats of turkey bacon prop listlessly against the fat free half & half and Olestra cookies. At first glance, this is clearly someone who is completely health conscious, diet minded, and watching what they eat. But peek beneath the basket to the lower rack - where you normally find dog food, kitty litter, and toxic chemicals - and you will see the full case of Mountain Dew. Diet foods and junk foods, rubbing wrappers in the very same cart might suggest mental illness, delusional optimism, or some other form of brain strain. However, unbeknownst to the rest of us, these folks are actually brilliant physicists, cleverly disguised as profoundly confused shoppers, so as not to attract any attention. They throw you off their trail with very characteristic behaviors, like chasing a candy bar with a Diet Coke.Yes, we can now release the fact that these scientists are members of the little know branch of their field known as gastro-physics, and they are actually testing a high-level theory regarding matter and anti-matter. Just as matter...more
A nose is a funny thing. We tend to think about our nose only when it is too big, stuffed up, ready to explode in a sneeze, or focusing our attention on a particularly heavenly or nauseating smell. Yet, day in and day out, our nose is working hard...more
Consider this: Already since 1972, over 60 million people in the USA alone have successfully quit smoking! At one stage over 60% of the adult population was addicted to this drug. Today it is 28% and dropping. Now, isn't this a fair thought. If all...more
It's raining outside. Your shoes are still wet from your last walking session. You really should just go out and exercise, but there's something good on TV. Maybe later...Sound familiar?Now try this scenario: It's raining outside. Your shoes are...more
One way to combat the boredom many people complain accompanies eating healthy is to "eat outside your box," by experimenting with new foods and cuisines and by challenging your long held notions about what to eat and when. Iceberg is not the only...more
I have to admit that I sometimes find it amusing when someone knows I am a trainer and proceeds to elaborate on the hours that they spend in the gym. One example was a few years back when I was introduced to a nice young women, who proceeded to tell...more
Picture yourself in one of the following scenarios. You're cruising along in your new car by the ocean or in the mountains near the ski lodge, or just a leisurely drive through a beautiful forest or in the country. You stop and smell the fresh air...more