Depression: You Don't Have to Feel This Way

Symptoms of depression
* No interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy
* Feeling sad or empty
* Crying easily or crying for no reason
* Feeling slowed down or feeling restless and unable to sit still
* Feeling worthless or guilty
* Weight gain or loss
* Thoughts about death or suicide
* Trouble thinking, recalling things or focusing on what you're doing
* Trouble making everyday decisions
* Problems sleeping, especially in the early morning, or wanting to sleep all of the time
* Feeling tired all of the time
* Feeling numb emotionally, perhaps even to the point of not being able to cry

Getting through depression
* Pace yourself. Don't expect to do everything you normally can. Set a realistic schedule.
* Don't believe all of your negative thinking, such as blaming yourself or expecting to fail. This thinking is part of depression. These thoughts will go away as your depression lifts.
* Get involved in activities that make you feel good or feel like you've achieved something.
* Avoid making big life decisions when you're depressed. If you must make a big decision, ask someone you trust to help you.
* Avoid drugs and alcohol. Both make depression worse. Both can cause dangerous side effects with your antidepressants.
* Physical activity seems to cause a chemical reaction in the body that may improve your mood. Exercising 4 to 6 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time is a good goal. But even less activity can be helpful.
* Try not to get discouraged. It will take time for your depression to lift fully.

Reasons to get help for depression
* Early treatment helps keep depression from getting worse or lasting a long time.
* Thoughts of suicide are common in people with depression. The risk of suicide is higher if you don't get treatment for your depression. When depression is successfully treated, the thoughts of suicide will go away.
* Treatment can help you return to your "normal" self, enjoying life.
* Treatment can help prevent depression from coming back.

Making Love During Pregnancy

There are lots of myths about sex and pregnancy, such as:
- Sex can be harmful or painful during pregnancy.
- Intercourse could hurt the baby.
- Sex can lead to a miscarriage
- The baby somehow “knows and feels” that sex is taking place.

But the fact still remains that:
- Unless your doctor says otherwise, sex is safe for you and your baby during pregnancy
- The baby has no idea what Mom & Dad are doing, so please enjoy yourselves!!
- Sexual activity won't “harm” your baby because your baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in your uterus, as well as the mucous plug that blocks the cervix throughout most of your pregnancy.

Pleasures of Sex During Pregnancy
- Increased vaginal lubrication,
- Engorgement of the genital area which helps some people become orgasmic for the first time or have multi-orgasm
- Lack of birth control
- If you have been trying for awhile, a return to sex as pleasure as opposed to procreational and other reasons.

When Not to Have Sex during Pregnancy
- Your obstetrician has advised against it
- History of miscarriage
- Risk of miscarriage
- Previous preterm delivery
- Leaking amniotic fluid(Your water has broken)
- Vaginal bleeding
- Placenta previa(when the placenta is covering part of the cervix)
- High risk pregnancy e. g Twin pregnancy
- If partner has a sexually transmitted disease or HIV

Sex Drive During Pregnancy
Many women find that pregnancy makes them want sex more than they did before they became pregnant. This sex drive is caused by hormonal changes. Sex drives varies during the three trimesters of pregnancy. Symptoms such as nausea and fatigue during the first trimester can lower one’s sex interest in the first trimester and in the second trimester there is an increased desire for sex which reduces during the third trimester.

Best Sex Positions During Pregnancy
Creativity of both partners would be put to test during pregnancy since the traditional position would not be comfortable and pleasurable. These are some suggestions:

- Side lying, knee pulled up
- Woman on top
- Spooning (Man behind woman, entering through the rear)
- Hands and knees

Not Having Sex, Other Forms of Intimacy
If you have been advised against having sex during pregnancy, there are other forms you can get intimate and express your love to your partner such as:
- Kissing
- Cuddling
- Romantic dinners
- Talking and holding hands
- Soothing baths
- Oral Sex

N:B- Ensure your partner does not blow air into your vagina because it can cause air embolism which can be dangerous for you and your baby.
Understanding, empathy, creativity and humor are of the essence for love making during pregnancy.

Finally, sex should not be avoided during pregnancy unless YOUR DOCTOR SAYS SO!

Dieting, Eating Disorders, and Obesity in America

By Maria Rainier- Guest Blogger

I received a note in my mail box this morning that my insurance company would be raising my premium because between 2007 and 2009, the number insurance carriers in my state who received obesity surgery went up 55%.

How is it that the nation claiming the most lives to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia (218 deaths annually by the most recent study) is also known as the fattest nation on the planet? The answer is a four-letter word.
Diet. Rather, diet-ing.

The Birth of the Dieting Nation
In a nation with a high-stress daily environment, minimal exercise, and fatty foods, the logical solution is to restrict food intake and increase exercise in order to be what the media (in bed with the diet industry) finds sexually attractive and successful. The American diet industry makes close to $40 billion annually selling pills, foods, cookbooks, how-to guides, fitness DVDs, clothing, exercise machines, and hoaxes.

These profits didn’t exist in the early 1980s before the burst of media flaunting rail-thin models with abnormally large (surgically- or Photoshop-enhanced) breasts and hunky muscle-men. Is it a coincidence that obesity became identified as an epidemic later in the ‘80s?

The Dieting Nation Gains Weight
If you approach a clinician at a treatment center for disordered eaters—commonly believed to be anorexics, bulimics, and other “skinny” eaters—they will tell you a little-known truth: dieting is the greatest trigger of eating disorders. In fact, upwards of 50% of individuals enrolled in dieting programs suffer from BED, or Binge-Eating Disorder.

The logic for this is simple: if you tell yourself you cannot have any “bad” foods (which happen to be yours and all of America’s favorite comfort foods like chocolate, ice cream, bread, pasta, and fried chicken), you will crave “bad” foods all the more. When you tell a child not to have any cookies from the jar, you will find that the child has eaten all of the cookies. Geneen Roth, Good Housekeeping columnist and renowned speaker, first felt she would have a problem with her weight when her mother refused to let her have a second creamsicles, “or you will get fat.” Thus, from age 11 to 28, she cycled through diets and innumerous eating disorders, losing and re-gaining a total of over a thousand pounds.

“Diets are so incredibly seductive because they seem like [they work at first] . . . [and] they are thrilling experiences when they work. If only I could fix myself, I could manage to stay on a diet.” The truth is, however, that they rarely work: 95-85% of people on diets gain the weight back or more within 3 years, and these failed dieters contribute to the obese population, which, in America, stands currently at 73% of our entire population of 307,006,550.

“For every diet,” Roth warns in every speech she holds or book she writes, “there is an equal and opposite binge.”

How We Pay
The consequences of obesity are often deadly: hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The problem with eating disorder research in America, however, is that it is conducted on mostly white communities by white researchers, which feeds the myth that eating disorders are a plight of well-off, college-age Caucasian girls. The myth of African Americans and Latin Americans being immune to disordered eating not only skews statistics but blocks an individual’s road to health. Today, the media pressures people of all races and walks of life to be inhumanly slender and proportioned, fit and beautiful.

Moreover, eating disorders are not limited to “skinny” disorders; they in fact most often result in obesity. By definition, an eating disorder is any habitual kind of eating conducted not to nourish the body but to comfort or fill it, fueled by compulsion and/or emotion. If the statistic mentioned above included all eating disorders and not just “skinny” disorders, the number would be staggeringly higher than 218 deaths per year.

How to Stop
The answer is not to diet. That’s what got us here in the first place.
The answer is to eat what the body needs and desires rather than what we have trained our minds to want. Your body doesn’t feel good after eating that donut because that donut has zero nutrients in it. Your mind wants it, however, because we have trained ourselves to eat comfort foods when we need comforting. Much of Americans’ eating is fueled by compulsion. We must find what is driving our compulsion—insecurity, doubts about our jobs or marriages, stress at work, etc.—and eat to fuel rather than comfort our bodies.

Telling ourselves, “No, you can’t have that,” is the surest way to binge on it later. We must educate ourselves and our children about nutrition and make peace with our inner and bodily selves.

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various online degree programs and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop

5 Tips for Getting in Shape on a Budget

By Gunter Jamemson- Guest Blogger


When you look good, you feel good about yourself; you have more self-confidence and feel like you can take on anything. Everyone wants to feel that way, but not everyone can afford a gym membership—much less a personal trainer. And what about expensive home exercise machines? Forget it. Although all that stuff is nice, you don’t need it to get in shape. Spinning classes at your local gym might help motivate you to work out, but you can get in shape yourself, if you are determined and have the right attitude. Getting in shape doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are some ways you can get in shape without spending big bucks:

1) Run:
Running is one of the very best ways to lose weight fast and keep it off, and it doesn’t cost you a cent. You can run around your neighborhood or on local trails. You can even use free websites like MapMyRun.com and DailyMile.com to map and measure running routes and track your progress over time. You might need some running shoes if you don’t already have some, but most $40 pairs are just a good as $120 running shoes.

2) Buy equipment at a second-hand store:
When was the last time you were at a second-hand or goodwill store? Have you seen all the exercise equipment people get rid of? There’s tons of it, and it’s all really cheap. From large exercise machines to hand weights, get it used at your local second-hand store.

3) Use household items:
If you don’t want to buy weights, you can make some yourself using cans of food for hand weights or jugs of water for heavier weights. You can even use these tips for creating your own weights at home using sand, cans, tennis balls, and more.

4) Play or organize community sports:
City or community sports leagues are usually pretty inexpensive and you can meet new people and make friends by joining. Or you can organize your own regular sports games with a group of friends or families. Playing all-ages kickball with a bunch of families on your block can be just as fun as hitting a few balls around at the baseball diamond with a league.

5) Get free info online:
Stop subscribing to fitness magazines and buying expensive shakes and diet programs. You can get great fitness advice online for free from a number of different sources. And with fitness advice, you can get a lot of free advice on diet and healthy eating programs that can help you replace energy drinks and store-bought protein shakes with cheaper, healthier homemade options.

Getting in shape can be hard. It requires determination and consistency. But it doesn’t require a lot of money—if you do it right. You can get in shape using free resources and items that you already have around the house. And when you get in shape, you’ll be even happier knowing that you did it without having to pay an arm and a leg for a gym membership.


Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and Online Classes

Body no be firewood o! by Patricia Omoqui

“Body no be firewood o.”” This is a saying my husband David heard regularly during his growing up years from his father. In turn, my husband reminds me. From the time David met me he was amazed at the Type-A, non-stop perfectionist tendencies I exhibited. I would go from early morning to late at night without a break. In the twelve years he has known me, I have made major changes. However, I admit I still occasionally return to my old ways. When I do, my husband offers me this Pidgin English reminder and a smile.

Our bodies are not firewood made to be burned up. Our bodies are not cheap machines to be run relentlessly and then replaced. Your body is priceless. It is the only one you have. It is the vessel that houses your eternal spirit as you walk life’s path. It is the vehicle through which you interface with the world. Through the body, you speak, touch others, experience the environment and act in the world.

A healthy body is a treasure. When we listen to the signals our body gives us and honor it by taking good care of it, we feel alert and happy. A body that is well-cared for is efficient; it enables us to function at our best. Have you ever noticed that when you are rested you feel better, you think better and you can often accomplish more in a shorter period of time? A healthy body supports our intellect, imagination and intuition.

On the other hand, when your body is sick, life feels confusing and burdensome. You are on-edge with people around you. You do not think clearly. You have trouble being productive at work and at home. Life is a struggle not a joy.

Recently a friend of mine told me, “I do not know what is wrong with me. I am angry. I do not have any nice words left for people.”

This friend had been complaining for some time that he needed a break. I asked, “Are you overtired?”

“Yes,” he replied. “In fact, I feel sick, as if I have the flu.” His body was demanding that he take a break.

He planned a day off. It turned into two and continued through the weekend. The next time we talked, I asked how he was doing.

He reported, “I feel much lighter. My brain is fresh again. I can think clearly.”
I smiled and said, “Why do you think it took a physical breakdown to get you to stop?”

He laughed, “Something is always coming and I always want to do extra. It is seems as if ‘this’ effort matters, just this little extra effort. You know? So I decide, ‘I can’t rest now, no not now.’ I might underperform. People won’t get things done if I am not there managing them. There is also an atom of fear involved. I believe I will lose out if I rest. Deep down, I worry that I will miss the deal.”

“Do you think that you will continue to repeat this cycle?” I questioned.
His response was all too familiar, “No way”. I have learned a lot from this. I must say, ‘No.’ I am not going to play with my rest anymore. Nothing will spoil if I am not there. The world won’t stop for me, so I must step out to rest and care for myself. I must learn to say ‘No.’ I need to choose more carefully what appointments I take, make sure they are truly necessary.”

Have you ever come through a situation like this? Have you ever promised yourself that you would now make self-care a priority only to slip again into a pattern of overwork and exhaustion?

I see myself in my friend. I realize that making these changes is rarely as easy as making a one-time commitment. However, there are some simple techniques I have been practicing that help me to do better at taking care of myself. Perhaps they will help you too.

1. Make a conscious decision to value your body.
It is not necessary to wait until you become sick and tired of being sick and tired to change your lifestyle. Too many of us begin to value our health only AFTER we have lost it. Why not try an affirmative approach? Begin to appreciate your body. Notice the amazing, ever-ready, brilliantly functioning mechanisms the body places at your disposal. Flex your hand. Wiggle your ankle. Scan the room with your marvelous eyes. Develop an awareness of your miraculous body. When we take time to appreciate our body we are more likely to treat it with respect and love.

2. Honor your body’s messages.
Pay attention when your body speaks. Stomachs growl when we need food. Yawns come when we are sleepy. Aches or pains tell us a limb or organ needs help. Respect these signals. Heed your body: Stop. Refuel. Repair. Rest. Move into well-being.

3. Make purposeful choices with your time.
Is your schedule jam packed from dawn to dusk or even midnight? When we overload ourselves, we invite problems. We begin to lose things. We forget details. We make errors. We miss vital points in conversations. Look closely at the way you are managing your time. Are your commitments supporting your goals? Take stock. Remember, calm, focused, purposeful action brings meaningful results.

4. Learn to say, “No.”
Are you committing yourself to activities, friends, meetings and organizations out of obligation? Don’t allow yourself to go through life “sacrificing” and feeling overtaxed. Choose to say a kind but firm, “Thank you for the invitation. I cannot attend at this time.”


5. Schedule periods of rest.
Sometimes the most important action you can take is to pause and close your eyes for a moment. Throughout each day, incorporate health-supporting breaks. Take thirty seconds to breathe deeply. Do a five minute stretch: get away from your desk, have a drink of water, enjoy a good laugh, look out the window, get some fresh air. When you sense your body is becoming depleted, take a day off for some quiet time on your own. Go on holiday and when you do, make sure to incorporate down time and relaxation into your itinerary.

6. Take technology breaks.
Has your Blackberry, IPod, Computer or Facebook page become an addiction? People can wait for your response; it does not have to be immediate. You are not required to be “turned on” 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Do not become a slave. Use technology to help you maintain connections with others on YOUR terms. Give this a try. Put all technology away for a few hours. Yes, turn it all off. Create times during your week when you can be completely where you are, fully interacting with others in your presence or enjoying time alone.


Your assignment this week is to find away to take care of yourself. Aim for health. According to the World Health Organization, health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity but a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.Do not settle for anything less.

Stroke: Recognise & Respond

Stroke is a medical emergency. Know these warning signs of stroke and teach them to others.

Warning Signs Prior to a Stroke
Prior to a stroke, many people experience a TIA (transient ischemic attack). This is a "mini-stroke" or "warning stroke." TIAs can occur days, weeks or even months before a major stroke. TIAs occur when a blood clot temporarily clogs an artery, and part of the brain doesn't get the blood it needs. The warning signs are the same as for stroke; but they occur and disappear relatively quickly, usually in less than five minutes.

Unlike a stroke, when a TIA occurs, the blood clot resolves itself and there's no permanent injury. When a stroke occurs and part of your brain dies from lack of blood flow, the part of the body it controls is affected. Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and vision, and cause other problems.

EVERY MINUTE MATTERS! Know these warning signs of a stroke, and teach them to others.
Warning signs include sudden:

*Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
*Confusion
*Trouble speaking or understanding
*Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
*Difficulty walking
*Dizziness
*Loss of balance or coordination
*Severe headache with no known cause


In the past, doctors couldn't do much to help stroke victims. That's not true today. Now stroke doesn't have to lead to disability or death. The key is to recognize a stroke and get to the hospital immediately. The clot-dissolving drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) can reduce long-term disability if it's given within three hours after an ischemic stroke starts. (Ischemic strokes are caused by clots and are by far the most common type of stroke.)

Unfortunately, tPA isn't used as often as it could be because many people don't seek care quickly. Don't you make that mistake. If you or someone near you has the warning signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately OR your state's emergency numbers.

To be FOREWARNED is to be FOREARMED!

Source:www.powertoendstroke.com

Home Remedies and Medical Information on Treating Acne

By Guest Blogger - Gunter Jameson

Acne is never fun—especially when you’re a teenager, and you’re extremely self-conscious about your looks. Although acne usually decreases once you hit your early twenties, for some people it is an ongoing problem that has to be dealt with into one’s 30s or 40s. But because acne can have such a negative impact on self-image, there are a host of remedies and medical treatments that seek to lessen or cure the symptoms of acne.

What is acne?

Acne is the result of small hair follicles being clogged or blocked by excess skin cells and by a naturally secreted oil called sebum. When the follicle is blocked, Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium, enters the blockage and causes inflammation, leading to redness, swelling, soreness, etc.,—in short, pimples. To combat these formations, there are a couple of methods you may want to try before seeing your doctor for an anti-acne medication.

Wash, wash, wash

First, make sure that you regularly wash your face. If acne is caused by follicles blocked by oils and excess skin cells, you’ll need to wash your face regularly to break up the oil and clean excess skin cells off your face. Make sure to use an antibiotic soap to kill the bacteria and scrub your face with a washcloth or loofah sponge meant to scrub away dead skin cells.

Other home remedies

After you’ve washed your face, you can try putting tea-tree oil on trouble spots. Tea tree oil has some anti-bacterial properties that make it a great soldier against Propionibacterium acnes. Other treatments include taking zinc supplements, or applying a mixture of lemon juice and rose water to the skin, both of which have mild anti-bacterial properties.











Medications

If you’ve tried the cheap, homemade options, maybe it’s time to turn to doctor prescribed medications:
1) Benzoyl peroxide is usually the first treatment prescribed by doctors. It is a cream that is applied to the skin and has very mild side effects—generally dryness or redness of the skin and some peeling.
2) Antibiotics are the next step in fighting acne and are usually reserved for more severe cases.
3) Retinols are the last line of medical defense against acne. Taken orally, retinols are thought to affect oil-secreting glands in the body and are generally taken over a 4-6 month treatment regimen. Retinols are much harsher on the body and cause irritation of the digestive tract and nose bleeds, but can have even more severe side effects like liver damage, and birth defects in pregnant women who take the medication. In addition, retinols and have been linked to symptoms of depression in those taking the treatment.

Before you go to your dermatologist, give some home remedies a try. Over-the-counter treatments can also be helpful, but may or may not be any more effective than washing with an antibacterial soap and water.

Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and online schools.

Enter The Laughter in the Kings Court with Edo Charles

Laughter has been said to be good medicine for the soul, body and spirit.

Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine(adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.

Laughter has tremendous benefits such as:

Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.

Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.

Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.

Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.

If you wanna have a good laugh and get the stress out of your mind, you are invited to a comedy show ‘Enter the Laughter in the Kings Court with Edo Charles.

Date: Saturday, October 23, 2010
Time: 4pm {Laugh Carpet}
Venue: Lagoon Restaurant, 1C Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, V/I Lagos.

Tickets are up for grabs, for ticket reservations, for further enquiries and/or questions, please dial the following numbers: 0802 – 305 – 7070 or 0803 – 927 – 1244 0r send a mail to cedobor@yahoo.com or ada.amogu@gmail.com

We look forward to receiving you and also thrilling you to a wonderful comedy experience!

Be there, you don’t want to be told!

Negative Ions with Immense Benefits: Anion Sanitary Pads

Did you know that a woman will use an average of 15000 pieces of sanitary napkins within 30 to 40 years in her entire lifetime? Having a trusted brand of sanitary napkins has become paramount for every health-conscious modern woman. Not only must the sanitary napkin provide comfort and safety, but also enhance every woman's health and lifestyle...

Every single napkin is embedded with "negative ions" tape. All materials used in the making of the napkin are 100% safe and no chemicals are used. The materials used are raw and not recycled.

Negative ions tape releases high concentration of negative ions, which has been proven effective in eliminating harmful bacteria or odor, enhancing comfort and improving women's health.

The pads/liners help to check hormonal imbalance, cervical cancer and even helps in weight loss because the anion strips in the pad, one can tear out and put inside drinking water and it cures many ailments. It also contains testers that after your period, you can use to take a vaginal swab to see if you have any infections. It is color coded and the color will tell if you have contacted any infection or not. You know women are prone to infections especially from the toilet. It also helps to relieve arthritis in older people. The pack has panty liners that if you use every day, also helps to check certain ailments, and even pulls out fibroids! Hence, it is not recommended for pregnant women.

Anion Sanitary pads have 7 layers of unique protection. They are:
1st Layer - Premium soft cotton surface - giving you ultra comfort.

2nd Layer - Unique Anion Padding - works naturally to relieve menstrual discomforts.

3rd Layer - Ultra soft cotton layer - enhances softness and freshness.

4th Layer - Super absorbent polymer - locks in moisture, keeps surface dry.

5th Layer - Ultra soft cotton layer - enhances softness and freshness.

6th Layer - Breathable bottom layer - eliminates moisture and heat fast, keeping you fresh.

7th Layer - Specially designed back adhesive - conforms with human ergonomics

Benefits Of Negative Ion or Anions
- Increase energy
- Increase physical stamina
- Reduce pain
- Balance blood pressure
- Eases breathing
- Smoothen skin
- Regulate cholesterol
- Weight loss
- Relieve tension
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve sleep patterns
- Relieve joint stiffness
- Speed recovery time from injuries and surgery
- Enhance immune system
- Balances PH
- Purifies blood and lymph
- Inactivates viruses, bacteria, yeast and fungus
- Removes heavy metals
- Removes blood clot material
- Improves liver and kidney and lung functions
- Enhances body detoxification
- Enhances damaged cell replacement and repair
- Active DNA repair
- Better regulation of production of neurotransmitters
- Aids with depression and memory
- Slows many conditions associated with aging

The Anion sanitary pads can be used during the menstrual cycle and as liners as needed for protection. However, they may also be used as treatment. The treatment may last anywhere from 1 to 2 cases of the pads. Most of the time, the results happen sooner.

But, we have to keep in mind that everyone's body may respond differently, and we have to listen to our bodies to be able to tell if we professional and expert care.

If you are in Nigeria and you would like to get Anion Sanitary Pads, call the following numbers: 08027586016/07028844641 0r send a mail to: unyimek2007@yahoo.com or TreasureTrove09@hotmail.com

To Lose More Weight, Love Your Body

By Gunter Jameson {Guest Blogger}

Everyone wants to be healthier. Even people who are already in great shape are looking for ways to be even healthier than they already are. But too many people watch commercials on TV and think they can lose 20 lbs. in 2 weeks just by ordering a set of meals over the phone. Although they may lose the weight fast, they will also feel miserable and will likely gain the weight back again after the course of meals is over. The reason people yo-yo in weight is that they haven’t made a lasting change in their lives to live a healthy lifestyle and change their attitudes about their bodies.

Love your body
It’s almost impossible for you to eat right and maintain a healthy lifestyle if you don’t love your body. But loving your body means two things. First loving your body means being comfortable with who you are and knowing that no outward transformation in your body is going to change how you feel on the inside. Second, it’s about loving your body enough to give it the right nutrition it needs to achieve a healthy balance. Extreme dieting and yo-yo weight cycles hurt your body and damage it. Love your body enough to give it what it needs to achieve the balance it craves.

Regular healthy meals
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they want to lose weight is to stop eating, or deprive themselves of food. Although it is true that you need to lower your caloric intake if you currently overeat, denying your body regular nutrition releases stress hormones that make you hungry, irritable, and can actually make your body go into “survival” mode, storing MORE fat than it would if it were receiving all the nutrition it needed. Eating regular, healthy meals will actually lower your food cravings between meals and will lessen your desire for fatty and sugary foods. And your body will be more relaxed, allowing you to lose more weight. This is especially true if you are exercising regularly.

Introduce fresh foods
Once you’ve started eating regularly, it’s time to introduce more fresh foods into your diet. This doesn’t mean you have to eat salad for every meal, but it does mean that you can start having orange slices and grapes as a side dish to your lasagna, or it means eating a small side-salad before digging into your pizza. Once you start eating more fresh veggies and fruits with your meals, your body will start to maintain a healthy balance, crave more healthy foods, and feel more relaxed, allowing for increased weight loss and a healthier outlook on life.

When you love your body enough to be comfortable with who you are and care about what goes into it, you’ll be on the road to making a lasting change toward a healthier lifestyle.

Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and Online Colleges.

Little Angel Without Wings: My Paediatrics Experience

As I walk into the Neonatal Unit and glanced in the crib placed in the corner, I found myself staring at this little baby. I would like to call her an angel but she is without wings. I hear tiny cries which come out of her mouth with her legs dangling in the air. The first time I laid my hand on Baby Ola*, a 4- week old premature baby, I was scared because of her tiny fragile frame.

Baby Ola was diagnosed having Tetanus. She was given birth to in a traditional birth home and her umbilical cord was cut with a tetanus infected instrument. The fact that she came into the world weeks earlier than expected was already traumatizing, and then to be infected at such a tender age with tetanus was heart breaking for the family members and the health team.

Knowing her condition, one had to be careful not to trigger any spastic attacks. Baby Ola needed some more attention and certain procedures from every member of the health team. Her case was one that required much effort and knowledge in taking care of her.

But as days passed, I found myself thinking of her. I felt the excitement of seeing her each day however I still have this fear- the fear of losing her. I got used to being with her, monitoring her temperature, her heartbeats and even her respiration. A big part of my nursing hours were spent with her. As I spend many hours with her, the more my heart draws near to her and I’ve learned a lot by just nursing her.

Her cot side was always full of doctors and nurses. A time when her heartbeat would slow down or when she is having a spastic attack. This were just one of the many instances where Baby Ola would again face many painful procedures like pricking her sole for blood sample not just once but for many times as possible until she becomes stable. Medications of all sorts were injected into her system to combat the infection. As a matter of fact, she had been placed on different types of antibiotics. I felt so downhearted when it seemed her body will no longer stand each prick, injections and the chemicals being introduced to her. I was just hopeful that she would get through it.

Baby Ola was a fighter at her very young age and innocent existence; I know that she was strong and that she would endure till the end. There was a moment that I would just stare at her very tiny and yet lovely face and something in her just touched my heart and I have this hope that she’ll make it whatever circumstances may bring.

Behind those pains, hardships, I have also witnessed how one’s soul suffers more and that is Baby Ola’s mother, I gazed at how Baby Ola’s mom sacrificed many things for her, I can really say that a mother’s love is indeed unconditional.

This fateful morning, she was again deteriorating. I guess she was finally tired and couldn’t take it anymore. She left this cold world. She stopped fighting!

*name changed
*Baby in picture, not Baby Ola
Image: google.com

What’s In Season: Guava the Super Fruit!!!

Guava is all around us even if you have no eyes you can smell it. The taste of the guava is often described as a combination of pears and strawberries.

The guava is a good source of several vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, carotenoids (vitamin A), and folate. It is also a good source of fiber, which is known to help prevent gastrointestinal cancers as well as lowering cholesterol levels. In addition, the level of vitamin C in the edible rind of the guava is five times higher than that of an orange.

What’s In One Guava?

• Vitamin C – 165mg
• Carotene: (Vitamin A) 713 IU
• Calories: 46
• Calcium: 18mg
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 1g

Guavas can be eaten raw, cooked or blended into a drink.

Start eating, drinking or cooking now!! Your time starts now…lol…

Breast Cancer Symptoms!

By Guest Blogger: Gunter Jameson


Each year, in the US, over 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and about 44,000 die each year from the disease (mylifestages.org). In fact, that means that almost one in 8 women in the US will have a breast cancer scare at some time in their lives, that’s almost 13% of the US female population, second only to lung cancer (breastcancer.org). And your likeliness of developing breast caner double if you have a close relative who has been diagnosed. Because breast cancer is so prevalent it is a good idea to know how you can detect breast cancer symptoms early, so you can talk to your doctor and get any potential problems looked at before they become serious or life threatening.

Self-Exams

One of the best and simplest ways to detect breast cancer is through self-examination. You should perform a self-exam monthly, usually a few days after your period when your breasts a least likely to be swollen or painful. If you no longer have a period, you can pick a day of the month that is easy to remember. As you feel your breasts, make note of any changes or hard spots. As you age, your breasts will naturally develop some lumpiness, so what you want to look out for are hard, immovable spots. Also make sure that you feel up into your arm pit because not all breast cancer develops in the largest part of the breast.

Physical Changes

When you perform your self-exam, also look for other changes in the breast, like a flattening or dimpling on the breast. As well, be aware of any scaliness or any discoloration, like redness, on your breast. It is also important to examine your nipples for any recent changes. Things to look out for are redness, a thickening of the skin on the nipple, itching, scaliness, the nipple turning inward, or a discharge other than breast milk. An unusual swelling or tenderness of the breasts can also be something to look out for. Doing your monthly exams will give you a good idea of how your breasts normally feel, so when something unusual develops, you’ll know right away.

Mammograms

Consensus in the medical community suggests that all women should have yearly Mammograms at age 40. However, if you have a directly-related family member who has already been diagnosed with breast cancer, consult your doctor. Your doctor may suggest that you start yearly mammograms earlier than 40.

Keep these signs and symptoms in mind and you’ll be able to recognize them early, get treated, and be a survivor.

Gunter Jameson writes about several topics including travel, minimalism and online classes.

'Heartbreak': How Rejection Literally Stops Your Heart

Heartbreak is not a myth or some mystical notion devised by grieving lovers. A new study has proven once and for all that heartbreak is a real physiological phenomenon—the one that makes one’s heart stop, literally. Your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, fluctuate when you think you're being rejected.

It really can have a physical effect, scientists have found. The study is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. A Noida based physician and head of Redix Hospital, Dr.Ravi Malik says that many young boys and girls visit him in order to address their `ailment`. “After failure in love, they feel very sad and dejected. They deserve pep talk," Dr.Malik concludes.

The effect on the nervous system explains why some of us find ourselves unable to eat or sleep after a break-up. And the more rejected we feel, the slower the heart rate becomes, a joint study by scientists at the University of Amsterdam and Leiden University in the Netherlands has found. To test the theory the researchers asked a group of volunteers to take part in an experiment which, unbeknown to them, tested their heart rate when rejected by others. First the participants were asked to send in photos of themselves.

They were told that for a study on first impressions, students would look at the photo to decide whether they liked the volunteer. This was just a cover story for the real experiment. Each volunteer then had wires placed on their chest for an electrocardiogram, was shown a face on screen and was then asked to guess whether that student liked them.

Each participant’s heart rate fell in anticipation before they found out the person’s supposed opinion of them. Heart rate was also affected after they were told the other person’s opinion. If they were told the other student did not like them, the heart rate dropped further, and was slower to get back up to the usual rate. `Unexpected social rejection could literally feel `heartbreaking, ` as reflected by a transient slowing of heart rate, ` the researchers said.

Like most Psychological Science articles, this one suggests no antidote to the physical problems associated with rejection. But the findings help explain how evolution programs human sociability. We are meant to find comfort in one another — through chemical means, if necessary — and not to be loners.

If you ever find yourself suffering from heartbreak, therefore, comfort yourself with knowing that while the pain is real, it is only transient in nature.

IVF Pioneer Robert Edwards Wins Nobel Prize

Thirty two years after the first test tube baby was born, the biologist who was the first to successfully mix egg and sperm in a lab dish and generate a healthy human baby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
Robert Edwards, 85, an emeritus professor at the University of Cambridge in England, was honored for developing in vitro fertilization (IVF), a technique that now accounts for 1-2% of all births and has helped more than four million babies come into the world.

Working for years with rabbits and then mice, often making trips to the lab in the middle of the night to collect eggs from the ovulating animals, he pioneered a process in which he could artificially prompt the ovary to release several eggs at a time, and then conducted experiment after experiment with human eggs to correctly time their removal with fertilization by fresh sperm to generate an embryo. He partnered with Patrick Steptoe, a gynecologist, for the latter studies and eventually hit upon the right process of hormones and culture conditions to not only obtain eggs but fertilize them and keep the resulting embryos alive in a dish before they could be transplanted into a woman's womb.

The work was hardly welcomed ethically, as critics felt that moving the first steps toward life out of the body and into the laboratory crossed a moral line. The government's Medical Research Council, which had initially supported Edwards' work, terminated its support and he was forced to find private funding to continue the project.

Despite the challenges, on July 25, 1978, Louise Brown became the first baby born from this process. “His achievements have made it possible to treat infertility, a medical condition afflicting a large proportion of humanity including more than 10% of all couples worldwide,” noted the Nobel committee in its award. “His contributions represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine.”

While initially doctors were concerned about potential health problems among IVF babies, the Prize committee noted that to date, babies born from IVF appear as healthy as those conceived naturally.

Edwards, who is in poor health, was informed of the citation by his wife, who answered the call from the Nobel committee and was "delighted" by the honor.


Source: Time.com
Pictures: Google.com

Tips for Dry Skin

Dry skin has numerous causes. Some people are born with it and it persists throughout life. It can be uncomfortable, incessantly irritable and desire to scratch is always present. The more it is scratched, the greater becomes the irritation and desire to repeat the process. It gives no lasting reliefs.

Aging people normally tend to have increasingly less secretions of tiny oil producing glands of the skin (Sebaceous glands). Therefore, there is a tendency for their skin to dry out, becoming irritable and uncomfortable. Besides it tend to lose elasticity can evoke considerable discomfort.

Some environments can predispose to a drying out of the skin. Also, certain illness can cause the skin to become abnormally dry. Any persisting dry skin should receive proper investigation by the physician.

Treatment:
1. Care in washing
- Avoid excessive washing- This tends to further dry out the already dry skin.
- Avoid the use of soaps as much as possible. These are generally alkaline and are quite harsh to the sensitive skin, tending to make it dryer than ever.
- Avoid undue drying medication.
- Avoid excessively hot or dry climates if possible.

2. Application
- Fat-Based applications to the skin often assist.
- Apply when is still moist. Lanoline is excellent.
- Coconut butter, liquid paraffin, petrolatum and other simple ointment are helpful.

3. Thick, dry, cracked skin
Sometime the skin in certain areas become hard, thick and dry and may be cracked. A common site is the heel. The fingers in aged persons may also be similarly affected, becoming quite painful and bleeding.

Vitamin A in a suitable ointment applied liberally and often, frequently produces excellent results after it has been used for some time. It must be preserved with in conjunction with the other general measures noted earlier. If an effective result does not occur within several weeks it is worth having a medical check from the physician. Sometimes chemical toxins can cause skin thickening. These need medical examination and tests.

Big Brother All Stars: 100 Percent United Against Malaria!

Malaria has been a burden for many African countries for the past couple of decades. According to statistics, one child dies every thirty seconds from the disease, which also happens to be the largest killer of pregnant women.

Bracelets:United Against Malaria

This week, the Housemates are to align themselves with the fight against Malaria and will be expected to wear their yellow malaria t-shirts as well as wear their Unite Against Malaria bracelets.

Over the course of the week, the Housemates will participate in various Tasks that will educate, entertain and inform Africa about the Malaria scourge.


Beads that Save Lives

Hundreds of years ago, African people fell in love with beads. Beads of all colour and made of glass, seeds and stone and hand-woven into colourful headbands, intricate bangles and earrings, medicine horns and love tokens, are part of Africa’s past – and its future.

A simple string of beads makes up the United Against Malaria bracelet – but the symbol of being part of the effort against malaria in Africa was not always a beaded bracelet.

Initially, it was a blue strip cut from the material which is used for malaria nets and which is also used to pack the nets into bundles of 20. Malaria warriors – the men and women who travel from one African community to the next distributing malaria nets and educating people about malaria prevention and treatment – tied the blue strips around their wrists and those of the people they met as a sign of belonging to a common cause.

Today, by buying the UAM bracelet, individuals and organisations are actually purchasing mosquito nets for millions of people across Africa who cannot afford to buy their own nets.

Mosquito Net

The Mosquito Net, one of the most powerful tools in the prevention of Malaria will be used during various sporting activities.

The Housemates will play a basketball game, treat a Mosquito Net, submit a video clip in which they relate their personal experience with malaria.

The Task will close off with an intelligent discussion themed "The Economic Effects of Malaria."

The Housemates did not hesitate to Wager 100 percent on what looks to be a challenging, but worthwhile Task!
Good luck to the All Stars!

Breast Cancer Survivor Story: To Blessed to be Stressed!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer June 2007. Today, I am grateful that I was diagnosed early. My decision to have a mastectomy validated when I met with my oncology surgeon. He told me my decision to remove the entire breast was a good one because the pathology report reflected that cancer cells were found throughout the entire breast. God help me make that decision. After pulling myself together with the grace of God 5 months later I was diagnosed with cancer on my left side. I underwent surgery and had a mastectomy on my left breast. After going thru a second mastectomy I knew I had to lean on the Lord up above. I was treated like family from all the hospital that took care of me. They all were a tremendous assistance to my well being. They were friendly, sincere and compassionate everywhere I went. Miami Valley Hospital, Kettering Medical Center, Grandview Hospital, South view Hospital. I just like to say thank to them all.

To my family, friends and coworkers thanks for all of your support and prayers. I'm truly grateful for all the thoughtful and kind things that you all did for me. I am so grateful to have each of you in my life. I was raised on faith and I have always lived my life by faith. I believe that God speaks to all of us. God has guided my steps and decisions since day one. Healing is a package deal on your mind, body and soul and I'm so grateful. I wanted to live to see my kids and grandchild grow up. That's what gave me the drive to fight cancer. You can't fight cancer if you don't have hope and faith. God is good!

Cynthia Johnson


Source: www.thebreastcancersite.com

My Observations:
- Early Diagnosis is important.
- It is not an easy decision to remove your breast as a result of cancer {mastectomy}
- It is important to depend on your GOD
- Support from family, friends and colleagues is equally important.
- YOU CAN BEAT BREAST CANCER!!!!!

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS

1. No Breakfast!!
People who do not take breakfast have low blood sugar. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.


2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries leading to decrease in mental functioning.


3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain damage and may cause Alzheimer's disease.

4. High Sugar Consumption
Too much sugar will hinder the absorption of protein and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.


5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.


6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long sleep deprivation will accelerate the death of brain cells.


7. Covering head while asleep
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease the concentration of oxygen which may lead to brain damaging effects.


8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to decrease in the effectiveness of the brain as well as damage to the brain.


9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lack of brain stimulating thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.


10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote brain efficiency.