Health and Fitness Fairy

Childhood Obesity - Family Dance Off Fundraiser Event

2011-03-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

The childhood obesity epidemic is not only sweeping the United States but is rearing it's ugly head across the globe, making this epidemic everyone's responsibility globally and personally.

There have already been many steps taken to help kids fight off their excess weight and educate them and their parents about the dangers of obesity, how to take precautions to ensure their child does not end up on the overweight road, and how to eat for health. Celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver have educated schools and families on how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with regards to regular eating habits, dinners, lunches and snacks. Michelle Obama has also given this topic a huge portion of her time and wisdom.

Adding to the stomp down of childhood obesity is Primrose Educational Preschools.
In the past five years I have seen, heard of and been involved in several fund raising events for various purposes, but this one, is one that everyone around the world can be involved in without ever leaving their home. It's fun, gets the kids instantly moving, and everyone gets to vote.

Primrose Educational Preschools presents it's Annual Family Dance-off Fundraiser Event.

The dance-off supports Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children's hospitals, which collectively treat 17 million children annually for every illness and injury imaginable.

This is one fundraiser you will not want to miss and will surely want to be involved in. Why wouldn't you? It's fun, easy, requires little to no monetary spending, and it's all done online. Not to mention the cause, which as I mentioned prior is the responsibility of all of us, not just the kids who are fighting the bulge - they need our help and our support even though they may not know us.

Think about it this way, if you have ever been on a diet, you know how hard it is to succeed. Imagine how hard it is when your a kid and you have to find that courage, strength, and will to re-frame and sustain every day. Lets show these kids that the whole world is behind them, they are not alone, and they will persevere. And when they become parents they will be the wiser - ensuring their kids start off on the right path when it comes to health, fitness and food.

So, now you are dying to know how you can be a part of this fun loving, much needed fundraiser. So let's get to it!

Through this annual Family Dance-off event, families are encouraged to record and submit a 30 second video of themselves dancing to promote fitness and strengthen family ties.

Participate in 4 easy steps:

1. Record a 30-second video of your family's best dance moves. Don't be afraid to let loose and be silly!

2. Visit The Family Dance-off site and upload your best take by March 19th.

3. Share your video with your friends via email, Facebook, Twitter, mom blogger sites, such as Cafe Mom, Mom Bloggers, Diva Cafe, etc. Your own website or blog, You Tube - just to name a few.

4. View and vote daily (maximum 5 votes per day allowed) for your favorite family dance video!

Prizes

Primrose Educational Preschools is providing prizes that aren't only great for your family but for your whole community, with $65,000 in donations to local Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Grand Prize: $5,000 and Primrose will make a $30,000 donation to a local Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

2nd Prize: $3,000 and Primrose will make a $20,000 donation to a local Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

3rd Prize: $1,500 and Primrose will make a $15,000 donation to a local Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

All 14 Finalists will also receive a FLIP camcorder.
(Please check rules and regulations regarding prizes on the website associated with this fundraiser)

Visit The Family Dance-off site for more details on how to take part in the fight against childhood obesity, participate in the competition, and view past competitors!

The Health and Fitness Fairy urges all of you, including myself, to show your love, support, and confidence in these children by getting involved in this awesome fund-raising event.

Now if you will excuse me, I have a dance routine to practice with a friend and my six year old.

Have a healthy, hearty, happy, fun loving day!

Healthy Eating- 5 Ways to Eat For Your Teeth

2010-12-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

We have all heard the expression, "You are what you eat." The same applies when it comes to dental health. We eat for our skin, we eat for our heart, and we eat for longevity. Now healthy eating can determine your level of dental health.

Brushing at least twice a day and flossing is an important part of dental health but so is our diet, including beverages. It is safe to say that healthy eating also contributes to good dental health and oral hygiene.

Here are ways you can utilize healthy eating habits to gain good dental hygiene, healthy gums and white teeth.

1. Limit snacking to avoid cavities. Be conscious of what you are snacking on. Many foods expose the teeth and gums to foods that erode tooth enamel.

2. Introduce foods, particularly snack items that are high in calcium. Calcium is a huge factor in having healthy teeth, gums, and a bright white smile. It really isn't any secret that having calcium in your diet is worth a lot more to the body than just the bones. It is a huge part of dental health as well. We also know that sugar aids in tooth decay and creates cavities in the teeth. So do foods like potato chips. When they sit in the mouth for a length of time the carbohydrates break down into sugar and cause tooth decay.

3. Instead of juices, you and your children should be eating hard fruits. This is because they assist in cleansing and stimulating teeth and gums.

4. Good oral hygiene that promotes dental health is the task of rinsing your mouth after you eat. This is especially important when you have eaten foods that aid in tooth decay. A good rinsing of your mouth after you eat will help control plaque buildup.

5. Supplements is another way of promoting good dental health. Along with a healthy diet and good oral hygiene, supplements such as vitamin C and flavanoids help protect the gums from cell damage and aid in healing. These supplements also aid in decreasing cavities, bad breath and gum disease.

Certain foods are particularly high in calcium. Here is a list you can use to introduce high calcium foods into your healthy eating regime.

High Calcium Foods for Dental Health

Dairy
Milk, yogurt, and cheeses. Particularly feta cheese and buffalo milk cottage cheese.

Beans and grains
White, navy and black turtle beans. Chickpeas, tofu, soy bean curd, and instant oats.

Nuts
Almonds, Brazil, hazel and walnuts. Almond or walnut butter, sesame seeds, and plain white rice.

Fruits and Vegetables
Broccoli, cabbage, okra, bok choy, turnip greens, and spinach. Orange, bananas (help the body absorb calcium), and dried currants.

Fish
Sardines and salmon have the most calcium

Breads
White and wholemeal and Swiss style muesli.

Spices
Cumin, coriander, cloves, hing, oregano, and mustard seeds

You probably already know that the foods listed above are foods that should be consumed for healthy eating and dieting, aiding in healthy bones, heart and even skin. There's an added benefit for you because these same foods and others also aid in dental health. Consider utilizing these 5 ways to eat for your teeth.

Dieting - Festive Dieting Tip

2010-12-05T01:48:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite time of year! Everyone is especially cheerful, smiling, and although probably under stress, everyone seems better able to handle it at Christmas time. Over the past two years there is one area however, that I notice people are not particularly supportive of others and that area is healthy eating and dieting during the holidays. Whether or not you have started a new diet or trying to maintain your diet during this yummy time of year, it is common to hear negative comments when someone notices how determined your are to maintain your healthy eating skills.

My first encounter with this has come early this year when some friends of ours had an early festive gathering because they will be traveling throughout the holidays. The party was lovely with a table full of food fit for a king. First there was a wonderful festive dinner and then or course dessert. Let me not forget all the munchies they had before and after dinner.

I had already decided that night that I would enjoy the dinner but maintain having a normal plate of food as opposed to over doing it and having a stomach ache the rest of the night. I also decided I would not have any sweets at all. Twice during dinner I had to hear how I eat like a bird. Totally not true! Well, maybe it is true if I am being compared to the others who had enough on their plate to feed 3 people! Then I had to listen to why I am so strict with my food when I have never even been over weight. Then my favorite one of all was when another guest said to me, "You people and your healthy eating - as if you need to even worry about it Michel!"

Annoying, annoying annoying!! Of these people every single on of them was over weight. Every single one of these people have tried to lose weight over the past 5 years that I have known them, and each of these people left the party overly intoxicated, whining of a full stomach, and then have nerve to think they are just going to drive home - drunk! Seems to me they need to be more concerned with themselves then with me and the way I eat.

What these people don't know is that I do eat sweets and goodies, particularly around this time of year. But, I pace myself. The other thing is that since I embarked on my healthy eating road, I have found that heavy sweets, like chocolate cakes, mousse, etc doesn't do that much for my taste buds. I will have a few bites and then be finished with it - somehow it just isn't all that great and it has to be great for me to finish it.

If you find yourself surrounded by people who only have something negative to say about your strength in dieting, it is usually because they are disappointed in themselves. Most of these people are themselves over weight. People who are happy with themselves are less likely to impose negative comments on people. Instead they add a positive spin on things.

So when you are faced with adversity while maintaining your diet this festive season keep these things in mind:

1. Keep a positive attitude and give a little giggle because the person who commented negatively is more than likely jealous and insecure about their own weight loss failures.

2. Keep firmly in your mind your reasons for starting your healthy dieting journey and don't let anyone take it away from you. You will not be sorry but they will! You might even try to encourage some of these people to get on the boat with you.

3. Be sure, if you can, to spend time with people who will encourage you, admire you, and maybe even follow you.

Yes it is the festive season and if there is any time of year to give yourself a few treats this is that time! However, what these other people don't know is that all of us healthy eaters will pace ourselves differently. Each of us has a different schedule and different wants. If I am going to eat a yummy treat it is going to be one I really love as opposed to one that is semi good or not really what I prefer. If there had been plain old fashioned cheesecake at the party I would definitely have had a piece (one of my all time favorites) but everything was chocolate, not really one of my favorites. I do however love candied yams which I had with my dinner that night. I was perfectly satisfied and did not desire anymore sweet things.

The final and most important thing is for you to remember how incredible you are! Why? It is not easy to make these changes and maintain them. Your strength, courage and devotion will be admired by many and you will set an example that others will use as an incentive to do the right thing for themselves by eating healthy, even if they don't need to lose weight.

Dog Wellness - 8 Dog Ageing Signs

2010-11-25T00:16:00.000-08:00

We often hear parents say they wish they had held their child more because as they look back, although their child is only six years old, they are not small babies anymore and the time seems to have passed so rapidly. Pet owners often say the same thing, as their little puppy is suddenly a full grown adult dog at two years old. It is common knowledge that dogs age faster than humans and therefore dog wellness knowledge when it comes to ageing dogs is one of vast importance.

Dog wellness due diligence is to be aware of the five main signs your dog is ageing. What is important to know first is that dogs do not all age in the same way and at the same pace. Much of the pace depends on their up keep. A properly fed, exercised, loved and well socialized dog will likely age better with a stronger body and mind. However, they do age and seeing the signs ahead of time can make the difference between a well, gracefully ageing dog or a sick ageing one.

8 Signs Of An Ageing Dog

Stiffening joints and arthritis. These the two most common dog ageing conditions. It is likely your dog will be less interested in joining in the fun of playing ball or going out for a run. He may seem reluctant to partake in much activity. Cold wet weather will contribute to his discomfort.

Doesn't recuperate at a normal pace. When your dog doesn't recuperate from injuries or illnesses as fast it's can be a sign his ageing years are setting in and his physical health is changing. At seven years of age the bones begin to lose density making it harder to heal. If they are already exercising less muscle is losing mass and cartilage is wearing thin. It is often at this stage that signs of arthritis begin to show. An ageing dog's immune system also weakens which is why it is so important what he is fed in young life.

Ensuring your dog has a strong immune system from the beginning and throughout his young life is a dog wellness practice that should not be ignored. Natural pet health care
is the best way to ensure your dog is living on the wellness side of life to make him strong for his ageing years. A raw diet is a part of this with ingredients that keep his immune system strong on a consistent basis. Using natural holistic medicine for illnesses as often as possible is another way to keep your dog from toxic damage and adds value to your dog's health.

Loss of hearing. Although usually at a slow pace, loss of hearing takes place as the nerve cells begin to deteriorate. Take note if you have to call your dog more times than normal or if you find you are calling him and he is not coming at all.

Loss of Vision. At some point the eye lens becomes cloudy and although this does not cause major vision loss, sometimes cataracts can develop causing vision loss.

Cognitive Dysfunction is a common ailment of ageing dogs, which has a huge impact on their daily life and you’re as a pet owner as well. Dog wellness due diligence is recognizing and properly handling this situation for your ageing dog. People he knows well will suddenly feel like strangers to him. He may also become nervous for no reason which can be a sign he has suddenly forgotten where he is.

Irritability and Less Tolerance sets in and shows itself in your dog when he has less patience for screaming kids jumping around him. Good dog wellness practice means making sure your ageing dog has a quiet place he can retreat to when faced with this type of situation. Make sure the kids know not to disturb the dog when he is in his quiet spot. Another common time he may show less tolerance is at feeding time. He may become more pushy. Just make sure he still knows your the boss but help him out by feeding him a quicker pace, with no training involved. In other words, consider leaving out making him work for his meal.

Decreased Activity means your ageing dog's metabolic rate is slowing down. This is of course after you have checked for any injuries or physical discomfort that may also be causing less activity. There can be other reasons for this so if you notice this in your dog your need to have it checked out immediately.

Weight Gain is a common factor of an ageing dog. Senior dogs require anywhere from 30 to 40 percent fewer calories. Dog wellness practices means ensuring you switch your elderly dog to a senior appropriate diet, with the appropriate amount of calories for his age. Neglecting this practice will result in obesity. Remember that ageing dogs also exercise less so they are not able to burn the calories they used to. Amend his diet to suit is ageing lifestyle.

A good dog wellness practice is dental hygiene but many pet owners are still not aware of how utterly important it is to brush their dog's teeth. The value of this simple, no cost, procedure is not only good for his teeth and gums, but also valuable toward the health of his major organs. This is because bleeding gums and tooth decay cause bacteria that travel through the blood stream and damage major organs, including the heart. If a dog's major organs and heart have taken on strain throughout his young years there won't be much left by the time he starts ageing, causing him to age with greater risk of serious illnesses. Dog dental care three times a week is a dog wellness practice that adds great value to the way your dog's body will handle ageing.

Help your dog age gracefully and happily by implementing strong dog wellness practices from a young age, utilizing natural pet health care and a raw diet to sustain his health, making him strong for his senior years. Be aware of changes in your dog's behavior that can signify ageing, keeping an eye out starting from seven years old. Make the necessary changes in his life to assist him through his senior years to give him the ease and support he needs and deserves.

Pet Wellness - Veterinary Medicine Loses to Big Pharma

2010-11-23T02:19:00.000-08:00

Well it's confirmed. The takeover of veterinary medicine in the US and other first world nations is confirmed. Big Pharma has finally made it to the finish line. Should pet owners and their pets be happy about this take over? Well, I wouldn't start planning the party just yet because according to many vets out there this is not something to be happy about. What does this mean for pet wellness and natural pet health care?

Because of the massive profits that can be generated through pets, these drug companies for decades have spent much time and effort in an aggressive campaign to rewrite vet school curricula, influencing veterinarians and brainwashing pet owners into thinking their pets need drugs in order to thrive and be healthy. Thanks to advertising funded by greedy uncaring drug companies, most consumers already show a cult like belief in pharmaceutical medicine. So, for Big Pharma it was easy to convince pet owners that their animals need the same.

It is common practice nowadays for vets in the US to practice chemical based medicine on pets. Immediately upon diagnosis, the pet owner is given a prescription of an expensive patented pharmaceutical - a so called instant fix to be given to their pet. If this is not enough, the FDA has given approval for Prozac, a super mind altering drug prescribed to dogs, as well as many common drugs for people are now being used on pets. This includes chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment. Alongside this, common pet ailments such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and depression are also being treated with harmful medications without even the mention of natural pet health care as a healing property.

Needless to say, pet wellness is now in rapid decline and pet owners really need to be vigilant in their pet wellness practices, and look for a better option to heal their pet's illness. Any vet practicing for more than ten years will tell you that the result of the Big Pharma take over is that dogs and cats and other animals are sicker than ever. These vets have seen an increase in the rate of liver disease, nervous system disorders, cancers and diabetes. This is because pets are being regularly poisoned by bad pet food and medicines. Even popular flea and tick medication on their own are highly toxic to your pet's liver.

Big Pharma influence has turned veterinary medicine into a joke, right alongside the conventional medicine system for humans. No longer is the goal of medicine to heal anyone. The goal now is to profit by treating managing diseases without actually curing or preventing them. Why would they do this? Connect the dots. To benefit from repeat business and a lucrative one at that! Let me not even touch on the rates veterinarians are charging these days particularly in emergency care. The fees are outrageous! And the audacity of pet clinics who are taking advantage of people's kindness when they rescue a pet charging $500. for saline solution! These pet clinics are exploiting human kindness for high profit. How many people do you think will now have no choice but to think twice before they rescue a wounded or helpless animal?

So what do pet owners do when faced with a situation where their precious pet needs medical help? Thankfully there is another route for pet wellness with holistic practitioners in veterinary medicine. These practitioners are more plentiful in veterinary medicine than in human medicine.

Why the pet wellness route of pet natural health care is the direction to go.

1. Holistic veterinarians understand nutrition, herbs, homeopathy and other natural modalities.

2. Holistic veterinarians prescribe solutions and treat animals in ways that are outlawed in human medicine - because these solutions have a silver lining - they work!

3. Holistic vets are more often in their line of business for the love of animals and the belief in a natural system of medications for ailments. This makes them human as opposed to donkeys that are always trying to pave their financial future by exploiting sick animals and the love pet owners have for their pets.

My dog's holistic vet, Dr. Andrew Jones once made a statement that I have never forgotten. "Any vet who thinks a dog is depressed and needs antidepressants should frankly have their license revoked and banished to a distant island over populated with sexually aggressive baboons!" I wish I could somehow show you the expression on his face when he said this and how although I laughed from his choice of words I also thought - this guy is seriously angry about the situation. Not surprising as he is one those vets who do what he does for the love of animals and his belief in natural medicine.

When we look at the horrifying toxicity in pet foods in combination with pharmaceutical medicine, the future of mainstream pet wellness is quite dim. Many brands of pet food claiming to be "scientific" brands are really just crap. Only specialty pet food companies offer genuinely healthy, toxic free pet food.

Although I regularly give my dog pet wellness raw diet homemade meals, when I travel or am short on time I will only use these two companies for store bought pet food. www.Azmira.com www.TheHonestKitchen.com

Mainstream veterinary practices amount to nothing more than chemical abuse of dogs, cats and other animals. Sadly, this industry has swiped ethics for profit and no longer has any interest in helping to improve the quality of life of our pets. Nutrition has been dismissed and replaced with a system of chemical invasion leading to worsening long term health. The same has been taking place in human health care for years now, which is why holistic practitioners in human and pet health care are speaking out and giving us another avenue of hope for ourselves and our pets.

The proper use of pharmaceuticals

Pet wellness practices tell us it is important to understand the other side of the coin for just a minute. Some chemical medications do have a role in quality veterinary care. For example:

1. Pain killers - have a useful but limited role.
2. Antibiotics - can be helpful in certain situations.

Be careful because antibiotics, even in human medicine are massively abused around the world.

Be wary that treating dogs and cats with antidepressants, chemotherapy, diabetes drugs, statin drugs, osteoporosis drugs and other such chemical agents is absurd.

Make no mistake that most pet health conditions can be prevented and cured with good nutrition. More problematic health ailments can be economically and safely solved with herbal therapies and naturopathic modalities best known as natural pet health care.

Pet Wellness Things to Do - Right Now!

1. Switch to a healthy, natural, holistic pet diet. Make fresh meals from scratch whenever possible. Dr. Jones told me that pets should not be raised to live regularly on processed foods. Read the report: Pet Food Ingredients Revealed

2. Take an appointment with a holistic vet to investigate how he is a more suitable practitioner for your pet. Because state authorities are trying to de-license naturopathic vets, holistic or naturopathic animal care experts often do not have the same licensing credentials as regular vets. This is happening because Big Pharma owns state licensing boards and naturopathic animal care experts pose a threat to their newly found gold mine. You will most likely have to seek out naturopathic animal care experts on your own and ignore the state licensing boards. Dr. Jones explained to me that in his experience he has found that licensing credentials are essentially useless. Often times the more credentials a vet has the more deeply he is brainwashed into a pharmaceutical approach to veterinary medicine. Please consider replacing your regular vet with a holistic or naturopathic animal care expert once you have completed your investigations.

3. Go back to basics. Nutrition, exercise, disease preventing and natural pet health care.

Just like in the dieting world, don't be suckered in by the "miracle pill." What animals need, just like people, is strong nutrition and natural medicine from nature. Pet wellness means utilizing natural pet health care solutions, raw food diets, and naturopathic animal health care.

Mike Adams makes some interesting points.

The main thrust of his article is to get YOU to think about what is happening CONVENTIONALLY.

And question WHY.

1. Take matters into your OWN hands. Whether or not you use a holistic Vet- QUESTION their advice..then be AWARE of ALL of the treatment options.

2. Get yourself educated on Natural Pet Health Care.You can go to school or take a home study course.

3. Vary your pet's diet- some Raw, some Home-Made and Kibble. Add a QUALITY supplement.

4. SPEND time being WITH your Dog and Cat. We all to often forget the more important mental aspect of health..

5. The Vaccine thing again..as LITTLE as INFREQUENTLY as possible!!

The Pros and Cons of Oral Contraception

2010-11-22T23:53:00.000-08:00

The Health and Fitness Fairy brings you a guest writer today. Kristin Davis educates us today on usage of "The Pill." I had taken the pill for years. I went off it at age 35, which was the suggested age back then for a woman to stop taking the pill if she had already been taking it from a young adult. After reading this article, I realized there is alot I did not know or alot that was not presented to me by the medical profession. How much do you really know about taking the pill?

The Pros and Cons of Oral Contraception
------ By Kristen Davis

The debate over the safety of oral contraceptives continues today, with groups voicing their strong opinions on both sides. While proponents of this contraceptive option are quick to point out the surge in college-bound women after its introduction, opponents counter with disturbing physical side effects of the drug, like increased risk of cardiovascular disease. One Yaz lawsuit even involved a victim who developed blood clots in her lungs after taking these pills. Nevertheless, oral contraceptives have become a profitable branch of the pharmaceutical industry, with over 12 million users in the United States alone. It remains clear there is strong motivation for these companies to continue selling this product.

Some leading manufacturers, like Bayer HealthCare, annually create multimillion dollar advertising campaigns to keep their products among the top sellers. However, with such strong profit potential, manufacturers might be increasingly less willing to provide factual information regarding their products. The FDA recently requested Bayer remove misleading advertisements in which the drug giant advertised their products as treatments for several other health conditions, like acne and depression, which the agency found were unproven.

However, misconceptions about these products might lead to dangerous consequences. Poorly-informed young women might become confused by all the promises of these manufacturers, mistakenly believing the drugs treat or prevent other conditions as well, like sexually transmitted disease. Falsely believed to be protected, users of this product might engage in unprotected sex when they might otherwise have used a condom.

Nevertheless, the most disturbing consequence of these drugs remains the substantial side effects. The hormonal ingredients in these pills can lead to the disruption of several physiological aspects in women, including libido and emotional state. Although evidence linking newer pills, which contain lower hormone doses, with long-term effects like infertility and breast cancer remains contentious, the recent number of lawsuits against manufacturers does highlight some of the serious physical results of this product. Users of these pills have seen relatively mild side effects, like migraines and vomiting, as well as serious consequences including heart attack and stroke, which have proven fatal.

Still, generally promising trends in teen pregnancy throughout much of the last decade show some positive results are possibly linked with this product’s use. This contraceptive provides women with a level of control over their reproductive cycle they would otherwise never have. After the pill’s introduction, women did not have to sacrifice physical intimacy in order to succeed financially. Today, proponents of oral contraception point to the economic and social gains women made when they were not inhibited by unplanned pregnancy. These pills allowed women to delay motherhood and make economic gains that were previously unattainable.

In addition, the pill remains a very convenient and cost effective manner of preventing pregnancy. Most prescriptions cost only $15 to $50 a month. Planned Parenthood clinics even offer the pills at a discounted rate for women unable to pay the full cost. Besides their easy availability, they remain one of the most effective forms of contraception available. When taken as directed, these drugs are up to 99.9% effective. In addition, when combined with the use of a condom, these pills are an effective preventative measure against both pregnancy and disease.

While medical practitioners are quick to point out that the majority of users do not experience any serious side effects of these contraceptives, the recent rash of lawsuits against manufacturers act as a reminder that dangerous side effects can occur. Obviously, natural methods of pregnancy prevention that do not include the intake of foreign chemicals, including fertility awareness, remain the healthiest way to prevent pregnancy. However, because not all women are willing to invest the time and effort into this method, oral contraception will undoubtedly remain a popular option in the prevention of pregnancy. Nevertheless, it’s up to individuals to decide whether this potential health hazard is justified by its effectiveness.

Health and Wellness - Let A Fever Run It's Course

2010-11-09T02:22:00.000-08:00

Would you believe the most over treated health symptom of all is...... A fever? According to Dr. Mercola and many other health officials having a fever is not the big deal people think it is and in fact, allowing a fever to run it's course has health and wellness benefits that are still going unnoticed.

There is a common misunderstanding that a fever can be hazardous particularly for children. However, what you need to know about a fever is when the body's primary defense mechanism - the immune system- fail, a fever becomes the backup defense. Many infectious agents are not able to survive at elevated temperatures so the body naturally increases it's temperature in order to fight the infection. This is a healthy response to an infection. The body actually has health and wellness automated responses - it's important that we allow those responses to work before we jump into over the counter medicines.

Parents who are treating their kids for fever will give toxic doses of fever reducing medications in order to get their child's fever under control. This is so unnecessary because the reality of the situation is that the child's temperature is required in order to heal the infection. Some parents will give aspirin at the first sign of a fever. This poses a far greater health risk than any fever and aspirin can cause the lethal Reve's Disease. A mixture of aspirin and fever reducing medications can also be lethal.

The Benefits

There are two functions of a fever. The first is to stimulate the immune system. The second is create an unwelcoming environment for the invading organisms - in other words escalate the heat to where the organisms cannot survive.

When your first line of defense is not able to manage the attack of the invading organisms, your macrophages will recruit other immune systems cells (Interleukin One) - these signal the body to raise the temperature. Pretty amazing how the body as a team, utilizing each others strengths to protect itself when it is weak.

The body has an internal thermostat known as the hypothalamus. When the Interleukin One, endogenous pyrogens and proteins reach the hypothalamus, the heat (your temperature) will begin to readjust itself, in turn, readjusting your temperature.

So the idea that a fever is actually a health and wellness response as opposed to a negative health factor that needs to be gotten rid of the instant it appears, is much better thinking. When the body's heat is raised to 102-103 F, this is the ideal range that gives the most power to kill unwanted microbes.

And, fever has several other health and wellness benefits as well.

1. Creates more anti-bodies

2. Produces more white blood cells to ward off invading microbes

3. Produces interferon - these stop the spread of viruses to healthy cells.

4. Wards off iron which bacteria feeds on.

So when is medical attention required? According to Dr. Mercola:

1. Infants less than a month old must have care immediately if the fever is greater than 100.4 F. Because breast milk creates anti-bodies, it is recommended that the infant be breast fed as often as he desires - this is a good thing if you are waiting for an appointment.

2. Infants from 1-month to 3-months-old, with a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F, if they appear ill. Again, breastfeed on demand while waiting for care.

3. Children between 3 months and 36 months, with a temperature above 102.2 degrees F, if they appear ill.

4. All age groups -- temperature over 104.5 degrees F.

5. A fever that is not breaking after 3-4 days in adult and child.

And of course, Dr. Mercola shared with me the best way to treat a fever.

Fever Treatment

Dr. Mercola expresses that instead of working against the body's natural way of protecting itself by trying to cool a fever, one should consider allowing the fever to take it's course and do it's duty. The only time you need to worry or seek medical attention is if it rises very high, very fast. This could be a sign of an infection too serious for your body to handle.

Naturopathic physicians suggest fasting or limiting meals to broths and water. This is because fever slows down peristalsis. Peristalsis is found in the contraction of smooth muscles to send contents through the digestive tract. Once your fever has broken, you can start eating solid foods again. Plenty of rest will also be extremely beneficial in supporting Fever.

So the next time a fever arises, lesson the panic, lesson the meds and allow your body to work it's magic by allowing the fever to take it's course and heal. Remember to get plenty of rest and eat soups and broths, plenty of water. To help keep your immune system strong consider a health and wellness way of life by eating a wholesome diet on a regular basis. This is particularly easy to accomplish if you embrace an eating plan that fuels the body with all the good stuff real foods have to offer.

Aging Skin - A Natural Oil For A Youthful Appearance

2010-11-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

Coconut oil has many healthy wonders from cooking to shedding pounds to skin care. It is the preferred cooking oil by health professionals and health addicts alike. With all the new research turning out new information to help us stay healthy and get rid of many illnesses that are rearing their ugly heads over the last 60 years, we are finding our way back to natural wholesome products and all their glory. When it comes to aging skin and skin care, natural is also making a come back saving us time and money. Coconut and aging skin are like salt and pepper - they go extremely well together. Health Wonders of Coconut Oil

For decades massage therapists and sport professionals have used coconut oil to manipulate stressed muscles. Nowadays, when people have a sport or exercise related injury they go for medicine in the tube purchased over the counter. Give coconut oil a try. It works just as well if not better. Ask my left shoulder that I recently injured through exercise (I guess I over did it!). I took coconut oil with me to the massage therapist who laughed and said she has her own and she will use it on my sore shoulder. She was obviously aware of it's potential.

Here is where I love coconut the most. It has a powerful effect on aging skin! Here's what it does and how it works.

1. It protects the skin from free radicals. One of the major reasons behind aging skin.

2. It assists in improving the appearance of the skin. Giving the skin a lovely glow without looking oily or sweaty.

3. It can help restore a more youthful appearance to the skin because, according to Dr. Peat, coconut oil is able to resist the formation of free radicals and oxidation.

4. It assists in reducing fine lines and wrinkles because it keeps connecting tissues strong and flexible.

5. It assists in the exfoliating process naturally working on the outer layer of dead skin cells. This makes the skin smoother and adds a glow.

For aging skin and skin care, why not save a bit of money this month and give coconut oil a try as opposed to the expensive skin care products for aging skin? Wash your face and body as you normally would and apply coconut oil instead of your normal moisturizer. Give it a month and enjoy the difference.

One of my favorite skin care regimes is using turmeric paste and then moisturizing afterward with coconut oil.

Go Green - Clean Up Helper and Stain Remover

2010-11-07T03:05:00.000-08:00

The world's population is much more conscious these days when it comes to saving money, and saving the environment. Most people I know are either 90 percent "Go Green" livers or at least try and implement a "Go Green" strategy somewhere in their life. Going green can save money, the environment, and our health.

Here are two ways to go green by saving on paper towel usage and using a powerful yet natural stain remover that will leave you wondering why on earth you are spending money on toxic stain removers and using costly paper towels.

Using recycled paper products is certainly a smart choice, however you can go even further in your go green efforts by doing away with paper towel usage all together. Regardless of the situation there is an option for easy spill clean up.

Going Green in the Kitchen

1. For wiping down counter tops use a sponge or kitchen towel. For an extra go green step consider using 100 percent organic cotton cloths.

For an even more eco-friendly way you can easily make your own towels out of organic cotton or hemp, as these are excellent absorbent fabrics.

Here are few good reasons to make your own absorbent cloths.

• Cloth napkins can be used and reused over and over again.
• Cloth napkins dress up your table.
• Cloth napkins help with spills.
• Cloth napkins take up less cold water in the wash than a bulky tablecloth.
• Cloth napkins are classy and chic.
• Cloth napkins feel good.

According to the EPA, the U.S. generates approximately 3,430,000 tons of tissue, napkins and paper towels of waste - all non-recyclable. Here's how to make your own absorbent cloth.

Messy Spills and Leakages

Now this is an easy one. Use old or mismatch socks, terry cloth or old clothes. Cut them to a suitable size and store them in a drawer for easy access when needed. These are also good to use when cleaning bathrooms or large areas requiring heavy cleaning.

Pet Clean up

Many people are still using paper towels or napkins to clean up pet stains, accidents and kitty litters. The reason people don't use old towels or clothing as suggested above to for pet clean up is that they don't trust the washing cycle to fully clean when it comes to pet waste. However, there is a way to encompass go green cleaning and use old cloths or clothing for pet clean up.

I always store my pet clean up cloths separate from the other cloths. I only use pet cloths for pet clean up. I wash them separately and add alcohol to the wash. This is still better by far then using paper towels or napkins.

Natures Powerful Stain Remover

The acidic nature of lemons offers a bleaching effect, especially when exposed to sunlight. It is also highly effective in the kitchen as a germ killer.

Ways to Use Lemon as A Stain Remover

For go green stain removal lemon is a powerful cleaning agent and should be used as much as possible in place of store bought toxic cleaners and stain removers.

1. Remove oxidation stains from copper pots.

Dip half a lemon in salt and scrub on copper pot.

2. Removing mildew stains from garments or fabric.
Make a past of salt and lemon juice. Put paste on stain area and wash immediately.

3. Berry and other hand stains.
Use the lemon and salt paste and rub hands together.

4. Olive or other oil stains on fabric
Gently rub a few drops of lemon on the stain. Wash immediately.

5. Coffee or wine stains from white fabric.
Spray lemon juice on stain and hang item in sunlight.

6. Cutting board stains
Dip half lemon in salt and scrub board. For an extra hit of germ removal leave the scrub on the board for a while then wash off.

7. Ink Stains
Blot out as much of the ink as you can. Drench the stain with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Rub the salt in the stain with your fingers or old toothbrush and immediately wash the garment.

8. Counter top stains
Drench stain in lemon juice and scrub with salt. Only use lemon on marble if absolutely necessary because acid can damage marble.

9. Stainless steel appliances

Apply paste of lemon and salt or lemon and baking soda. Let paste sit for 5 minutes then wash and rinse.

10. Arm pit stains
Prepare equal part lemon and water. Use this to scrub the stain

You can see how easy, inexpensive and quickly you can implement go green procedures. These ideas are safer around the home, safer for your health and safer for the planet.

Shedding Pounds - The Wonders of Coconut Oil

2010-11-03T01:45:00.000-07:00

Saturated fats have been in health bad books for the past 60 years. Health care officials confirm that oils and foods containing saturated fats are hazardous to our health causing ailments such as elevated cholesterol, obesity, Alzheimer's and heart disease. However even with this knowledge, over the past 60 years the American levels of these ailments have hit the roof particularly compared to modern day primitive societies using saturated fat as a dietary staple. Rates of obesity and the desperate need Americans have for shedding pounds and embracing a more healthy lifestyle have also hit the roof.

In multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60% of their caloric intake from saturated fats have shown close to non-existent cardiovascular health issues. This is because the saturated fat substance they use is naturally made as opposed to man made. So what is the oil they use? Coconut oil.

So let us learn today what the health officials and the media are not telling us. The reality is that not all saturated fats are created equal. Some SF's are created naturally such as in coconut oil. However others are created through a process called hydrogenation. This man made process manipulates the vegetable and seed oils by adding hydrogen atoms when the oil is heated. This produces a rancid, thick oil that is purely beneficial only for processed food shelf life. It is these type of oils that need to be avoided.

Many oils out there that have been rendered as "healthy" and "heart friendly" are actually not, as they are still being man made through hydrogenation.

Coconut Oil Facts

A dentist named Weston Price traveled through the South Pacific in the 1930's. His aim was to examine traditional caloric intake and the effect it had on dental and overall health. His findings were that those consuming foods and drinks high in coconut products were health and trim and certainly not looking for help in shedding pounds.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

- Promotes weight loss when needed
- Promotes heart health
- Promotes a healthy metabolism
- Promotes a healthy immune system
- An instant energy source
- Promotes healthy skin
- Promotes thyroid gland health

So now your thinking, "How is this possible? Is there some sort of special ingredient in coconut oil?" The answer is, yes there is!

The Undisclosed Ingredient in Coconut Oil

Lauric Acid is a fat that is rarely found in nature. Dr. Mercola shared with his readers the importance this acid has on health. He refers to lauric Acid as a "Miracle" ingredient because of it's amazing health promoting properties. 50 percent of the fat content found in coconut oil is lauric acid.

The body converts lauric acid in monolaurin. This has an anti-viral, anti-protozoa, and anti-bacterial properties. Monolaurin can destroy lipid coated viruses such as;

- HIV herpes
- Influenza
- Various pathogenic bateria
- Measles
- Protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Coconut oil contains the most lauric acid of any substance on earth!

But there is more that coconut oil has to offer. It is 2/3 medium chain fatty acids or triglycerides (MCT's) and these also have major health promoting qualities. Now don't get confused because common vegetable and seed oils house long -chain fatty acids, which have poor health promoting qualities. Let's make a comparison.

Long Chain Fatty Acids

- Are difficult for the body to break down requiring special enzymes for digestion.
- Put more strain on the pancreas, liver and the whole of the digestive system
- Are largely stored in the body as fat (obviously if you are battling the need of shedding pounds, this is working against your efforts).
- Forms as cholesterol in the arteries

Medium Chain Fatty Acids

- Are smaller and pass through membranes smoothly.
- Digest easily putting less strain on the digestive system
- Sent directly to the liver and are immediately converted into energy rather than fat.
- Help stimulate the metabolism, leading to the shedding of pounds.
- Helps fight diabetes. Coconut oil and simple carbohydrates share the ability to make quick energy but they differ in one important way. Coconut oil does not generate an insulin kick into the blood stream.

Shedding Pounds with Coconut Oil

People living in the US have close to a 70 percent chance of being overweight. We all know by now how being overweight affects the quality of life and can bring on an array of health issues. So how does this healthy oil help in shedding pounds and maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

- It helps stimulate your metabolism.
- It increases the activity of the thyroid. (A sluggish thyroid is one of the reasons some people cannot lose weight no matter how hard they try).
- MFA's help enhance physical and athletic performance.

And, besides shedding pounds, other advantages to boosting the metabolism is that it increases cell generation to replace old cells. It also enables the immune system to function better.

Naturally saturated fats and medium chain fats found in coconut oil are so health powerful that coconut oil is used in a variety of ways to promote good health in problem situations. Used in baby formulas and for feeding the critically ill in hospitals, coconut oil is the chosen product. It is even used by health practitioners to treat aluminum poisoning and to assist those with digestive problems. It's exceptional qualities make it useful to pregnant women and the elderly for various different reasons. A truly healthy eating plan to assist in shedding pounds will always have recipes using coconut oil as a cooking agent. Whether you are looking at shedding pounds or improving your overall health, embrace the use of coconut oil when cooking - it's a kitchen and healthy living must have.

Learn how coconut oil functions as an anti-aging skin care tool.

Pet Wellness - Understanding Canine Communication

2010-10-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

Most dog owners have some idea of how their pet communicates with them. Barking, howling, whining, and the tipping of the head are the most common canine communication movements. However there are loads more ways your dog communicates or expresses himself and good pet wellness practices means knowing how to understand your dogs feelings through his communication techniques. This is especially important when dogs are living with small children.

Dogs communicate with body movements and sounds in order to convey signals to other dogs or humans. Here are some examples of canine communication that will help you better understand your dog's needs and moods.

Alertness
When the tail and ears are raised.

Fear
When the tail is tucked between the legs. The dog is defensive when the fur on the tail stands on end.

Curiosity
A slow wag of the tail and laid back ears.

Happiness
Wags tail rapidly.

Submission to pack leader (the dog's owner)
Hips are pulled with the wagging of the tail.

Expressions of the mouth demonstrate mood of the dog.

Wants to be left alone
Dog may yawn or lick it's mouth. This is also a sign of tiredness, confusion or stress.

Happy and wants to play
Panting with relaxed lips covering the teeth or with an open mouth.

Aggression or violence
Snarling with retracted lips and bared teeth and fangs. A vicious snarl showing all teeth is a sign that the dog will attack.

Shows interest
A raised eyebrow implies your dog is interested or curious in what he is seeing.

Confusion or mild anger
A lowered eyebrow

Fondness of someone
Narrowed eyes to slits demonstrates the dog's fondness of someone or something he is looking at.

Wants to be left alone
Half mooned eyes

Interest / trying to understand
The dog's head tips either left or right.

Excitement or need for attention
Stamping the foot while the hind legs are still

Playful or excited
Short sharp barks

Stressed or disturbed
A high pitch rhythmic bark

Feeling threatened and could attack
A soft, low pitch growl

An invitation to play
A powerful growl without showing teeth

Dog growls should be observed carefully. If your dog growls at kids or others it is possible he is being territorial. This can be corrected with the help of a trainer or canine specialist.

A sign of separation anxiety
Howling when the owner is leaving or is away. Howling can occur with loud noises as well, when the dog interprets the noise with another dog's howl.

The dog wants something or needs attention
Whining is a high pitched sound released through the nose with the mouth shut. When your dog does this it is a good pet wellness practice to pay attention and find out why he is needing your attention. A whining dog should not be ignored.

The dog is in pain
A whimper or yelp.

Strong excitement (such as when a dog sees his owner coming)
Whimpering along with licking, jumping and barking.

Strong pet wellness practices means that dog owners are able to read and understand their dog's feelings and ways of communicating. Observing and understanding these canine communication signals enables the owner to know how his dog is feeling, when he needs something, how his mood is, and how he is relating to other people.

Pet Wellness: Cat Pancreatitis Awareness

2010-10-24T02:35:00.000-07:00

Pet wellness advice today takes a look at cat pancreatitis, the lack of awareness by cat owners, causes, care and preventative measures.

The job of the pancreas is to produce digestive enzymes and secrete hormones used in the metabolic process. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, and when inflamed, the digestive enzymes break away causing damage to the pancreas and the liver.

When a dog has pancreatitis he will show signs of illness that make it obvious to his owner that something is wrong - usually vomiting and abdominal pain. The symptoms in cats however are more mild, easy to miss or be mistaken for something else.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis in Cats

The most common signs in a cat are lethargy and lack of appetite. However if you are a cat owner you know that cats often sleep and lounge all day and are picky eaters and it is for this reason that cat owners don't sense that something is wrong until it's too late.

Causes of the Disease

Although high in debate, traditional veterinarians tend to believe there is nothing specific that causes this disease in most pets. However, recent studies have shown that in a small percentage of pets pancreatitis has been linked to trauma of the pancreas, viral or parasitic infection, and exposure to organophosphates, which is a toxin commonly found in pesticides. Some medications are also considered to be the culprit of pancreatitis such as; Phenobarbital, Prednisone, other catabolic steroids, and Diuretic drugs.

Dr. Karen Becker tells me that in her experience the majority of cats with pancreatic illness first develop inflammation in their GI tract. You may be familiar with some of these conditions such as gastritis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Becker goes further into detail by saying that the underlying reason for a vast majority of GI tract inflammation in pets is food allergies.

Processed Pet Food and Pancreatitis

A majority of commercial cat food contains allergenic ingredients that a cat's GI tract objects to over time. If you're feeding him the same food 365 days a year, it is possible the cat can developed an allergy to the protein source in the food. Once again, we hear and read about the many evils of processed pet food, which is why pet wellness practices steer pet owners away from processed foods and closer to raw food diets and natural pet health care.

Another problem with processed pet food is it's lack of natural enzymes, which are biologically appropriate for your pet. Biologically appropriate food supplements the enzymes produced by the pet's body which reduces pancreatic stress. When a cat is fed only processed food, over time the cat's pancreas can develop chronic inflammation and stress from over working to produce the enzymes needed to digest it's meals.

The carbohydrate-dense ingredients in most commercial pet foods require high levels of insulin to process. This is also extremely taxing to the pancreas because the other job of the pancreas is to secrete insulin. When a cat's pancreas is over worked and can no longer do its job well, the result is pancreatitis.

Pet Wellness Advice: If Your Cat Has Been diagnosed with Pancreatitis

If your cat is vomiting, sluggish and shows loss of appetite or fever, it is imperative that you seek veterinary attention for your cat. Do not just assume this is a cat's normal behavior. Dr. Becker suggests the cat owner seek the professionalism of an integrative or holistic vet in order to best manage your cat's condition and get him back to good health.

Cat owners should also seriously consider their cat's diet and type of food intake. Turning their meals into natural / raw food is something many pet owners are taking on these days, and with the information we have on store bought pet food and pancreatitis, amongst many other various issues, utilizing the impact of natural pet health care is highly advised.

When your cat's pancreatic situation is stabilized, one of the best things you can do to reduce the risk of another flare up is to supplement his diet with digestive enzymes. You can do this by providing the cat a constant supply of enough digestive enzymes to help him process the food he consumes in order to reduce the workload on the pancreas and reduce organ stress.

a. The pet owner can feed him pancreatic tissue, an option that is quite unappealing to most pet owners.
b. The pet owner can add a digestive enzyme supplement to his cats' meals.

When it comes to domesticated companion animals the best pet wellness practice is to feed a raw diet and practice natural pet health care. There is no way however to provide these pets with the same level of naturally occurring enzymes they would find if they were feeding in the wild, so any domesticated pet can be enzyme deficient and requires a supplement in their daily meals.

Unfortunately, pancreatitis often reoccurs. It's a serious disease that can result in complications like diabetes, hepatic lipidosis, bleeding and clotting disorders, and even brain damage. For these reasons Dr. Becker suggests pet wellness practices be put into action by working with a holistic vet and use natural pet health care to keep your cat strong and healthy and to prevent reoccurring pancreatitis. She also recommends you give your cat a high quality probiotic and transition him to a carb and grain free protein diet to reduce the risk of future episodes of cat pancreatitis.

Help with Stomach Fat - 4 Reasons the Fat Won't Let Go

2010-10-13T00:44:00.000-07:00

When your sporting a belly, even if your not concerned with your appearance, you should be concerned with the dangers you are living with on a daily basis that come with having too much fat on your stomach. Doctors around the globe agree that too much stomach fat is dangerous, particularly the stomach fat that surrounds the organs - this is the most dangerous fat that exists, which is why help with stomach fat is the most sought after help of people around the world.

Risks of too much stomach fat

Internal belly fat surrounds all vital organs inside the abdominal cavity. Too much fat can interfere with the body's natural physiological functions and lead to health issues such as:

Insomnia
Headaches
Depression
Joint pain
Anxiety
Infertility
Low energy
High blood pressure
Allergies
High cholesterol

And of course, there are more health risks then just those listed above.

Too much stomach fat also increases one's chances of getting these potentially life threatening diseases:

Heart disease
Certain cancers
Diabetes
Alzheimer's
A stroke

For some people they are only concerned with the appearance of their body when they are sporting a belly, as opposed to finding out if they are in the danger zone of having too much stomach fat for their height. It's possible that you may not like the size of your particular stomach but this does not necessarily mean you in a danger zone. Others couldn't care less about their appearance but neglect to face the reality that they are in the danger zone. So how does one come to know if they are a sporting a dangerous belly?

There are two ways you can do this.

1. Measure your stomach from the widest part - at the belly button. For a man - 40 inches around is a danger zone belly. For a woman - 35 inches around is a danger zone belly.

2. Divide your height in inches by 2. Your stomach circumference, measured as mentioned above, should not be more than half your inches in height.

If you find that you are NOT within the danger zone but know you are sporting a bit of a belly, you need to be conscious of making sure that you do not end up in the danger zone over a period of time, and it's usually only takes a very short time. Certain foods, lack of exercise, and sugar intake will quickly enlarge your stomach fat content. So be aware of the foods to avoid, the foods to adopt into your daily eating routine, and incorporate some exercise into your daily routine.

If you are in the danger zone then you need to jump on the band wagon with millions of other people and start embracing help with stomach fat. Everyone will, if they haven't already, tell you how difficult it is and how it is one of the hardest areas of fat to lose. True, but shedding fat, regardless of where it is, does require a constant effort and knowledge of the process, so as to increase your chances of success and have success within a shorter period of time.

4 Reasons many people are not able to melt off their stomach fat

1. Imbalance
When the mind is not at peace, not in balance.
This type of imbalance can come from running yourself ragged, not getting enough sleep, and stress. When the body is consumed with emotional and mental stress it naturally releases a fat storing hormone called Cortisol, which loves to send itself to the stomach area. Although we do not like this, it is a natural preservation technique that the body supplies when it feels it needs to protect itself. If your looking for help with stomach fat start with this point first. Get enough sleep, find a stress relief path that you enjoy and look forward to doing on a regular basis.

2. Dead Food
Dead food refers to food that is slowly killing you. Sugar filled, chemically stuffed, and over processed. These foods are fast foods, vending machine foods, sugar filled foods, boxed and packaged foods, etc. You get the drift. These foods are manufactured on a huge assembly line with man made preservatives, additives and chemicals in order to make them suitable for shelf life. Remove these foods from your diet as much as possible to gain ground for help with stomach fat loss.

A. Obesity Additives
Of the toxic foods mentioned above, Fitness expert Josh Bergoni talks about the 7 "Obesity Additives", as he likes to them, because they have a huge negative impact on health and waistlines.These 7 Obesity Additives have the following effect on the body:

1. Two of these additives interfere with a hormone called leptin which sends a signal from our stomachs to our brains to tell us we’re full. Without this signal we keep eating and eating.
Other Obesity Additives create weight gain by causing hormone imbalances.
Another additive (in excess) can cause a mineral imbalance in your body that causes you to become “bloated” with water weight all the time.
Science has proven that some Obesity Additives actually cause addiction and causes people to eat uncontrollably by altering brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Ever wonder why you can't each just one?

Obviously these Obesity Additives work against the process of stomach fat loss, there for making your efforts not only harder and more frustrating, but causing failure to lose the weight.

B. Uncontrollable Cravings
If you are eating junky, unhealthy, vitamin less, dead food, you may not realize it but your body is severely undernourished and starving for certain nutrients. Neglecting to regularly feed your body with the proper nutrients will cause the brain to constantly nag the stomach that it is hungry and this is where cravings and hunger enter the picture on a regular basis. So in a nutshell eating dead food is actually starving the body causing cravings and hunger to spiral out of control - a control that you need to take back.

C. Toxic Waste Upsurge
Bluntly what I mean by toxic waste is... stool. You may think that your belly bulge is only fat, however it isn't. Poor nutrition and eating too much dead food causes waste back up in the colon and intestines, giving a permanent bloated appearance and feeling. After a short while a person gets used to the feeling of being bloated, doesn't really notice it anymore but will still be bloated, increasing the size of the stomach. If this isn't enough, the digestive system gets polluted, clogged, and cannot efficiently absorb healthy proteins, carbs, water, minerals, essential fats, vitamins and phytonutrients. The body needs these in order to burn fat regularly and normally at an accelerated rate. Needless to say, in order to fight hunger one needs to keep their digestive system unsoiled and unpolluted.

3. Your Metabolism is Kaput

Metabolism plays a big role in continuous weight loss. At first, when a person wants to lose weight they begin by cutting calories and for a short time they will experience weight loss. However, calorie restriction will soon play havoc with your metabolism for these reasons:

A. Not Eating Enough Food at the Right Times

1. Because your body is not getting the nutrients it requires, cravings and hunger pains set in. This usually very quickly breaks most people, causing them to lose control, over eat, ignore the diet and often times they end up putting on more fat then they started with.

2. Within a week of dieting the weight loss hormones, leptin and thyroid, that are responsible for keeping your metabolism boosted, begin to slow down and this causes the body to keep calories.

When these two things happen, insulin (fat burning hormone) goes crazy, and cortisol, which is responsible for storing stomach fat goes sky high. This is where the weight loss comes to a screeching halt, leaving you wondering why on earth you are not losing anymore weight.

B. Not Eating Enough "High Burn" Foods

The good news is that there are foods that will ignite metabolism. These "Thermal Burn" foods are ones that you can eat practically without any calorie intake. These are the foods you need to be focusing on in order to keep your metabolism boosted and working toward your efforts. There are however, also foods that stomp down the metabolism. It is important to remember that calories from different type foods, once inside the body, have a different effect. When you are seriously embracing the necessary things to do to get help with stomach fat loss, you must be sure to eat foods that help ignite the metabolism. Foods for stomach fat loss

4. Lack of Support

A recent study at Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, showed that people who have a support group or networking system lost 225% more weight over a two year study time, as opposed to those who had no support.

Gaining ground for stomach fat loss means learning the right foods to eat and learning to eat them. Also on the list is getting stress relief, proper sleep, and eating the right foods at the right time to prevent calorie restriction. To get the most help with stomach fat loss get rid of obesity additive foods and dead foods, and find a support group or friend to take the stomach fat loss journey with.

Pet Wellness Driving Safety - Don't Be Brainless!

2010-10-12T06:16:00.000-07:00

Car accidents are caused by many different situations. Some involve unsafe, inconsiderate drivers, others are caused by texting while driving, drunk drivers, and drivers driving unsafely with their dog. You would be surprised as to how many pets, owners, and other drivers are killed or severely injured due to an accident caused by a dog roaming freely in the car. Pet wellness refers to pets and people, so today let us learn how to drive safely with a dog so as to keep yourself, your dog and other people safe on the road.

Who's dog does not like to go for a car ride? I don't believe I am aware of a single dog amongst all my friends that does not like to go for a drive. The one exception I know off is my Saluki, Mystic Moon. He goes crazy for a bike run and not so much interested in driving in the car. However, even if your dog doesn't care much for a drive, there will still be times when he has to go in the car and safety rules, just like for our kids and ourselves, also apply to our dogs.

So what has made me seek out, research, and share this topic? Recently I visited a close friend in the hospital who was severely injured in a car accident that she admits was her fault because of her dog. His head was hanging out the window, which makes my friend nervous that he will fall out so instead of paying attention to the road she was watching to ensure her dog does not fall out of the car. She looked only for a second but that was all it took. The family in the other car, including both parents and their 2 children were severely injured and hospitalized as well. My friends dog was also injured and because the ambulance drivers tended to the people injuries first, her dog died at the scene of the accident.

I listened to my friend cry in the hospital bed at the fact that she was so stupid and insensitive - she knows how much her dog loves to hang his head out the window and she just wanted him to enjoy himself. But this also made her inconsiderate of the safety of other drivers and the safety of her dog.

While in the waiting room of the hospital, I met the parents of the couple in the other car. I went to speak to them to see how the parents and kids were doing and as they cried the mother shouted at me and said, "You people and your damn dogs! It's all you care about even more than children!" At the scene of the accident, my friend had admitted to the police that the accident was her fault and why. The police had communicated this to the parents of the car that was hit. I was gutted, and although an avid dog lover I could understand that woman's anger.

Being pet wellness savvy means knowing it is our responsibility to ourselves and others we share the road with, to ensure we follow the rules for safe driving. Here are some things every dog owner must remember in order to contribute to safer roads, safer driving, and pet wellness.

1. Head hangers and jumpers
Dogs just love to hang their head and often times paws, out an open window and feel the wind in their hair and watch all that goes by. If you are sure your dog won't jump - ever consider thinking again. It has happened many times and the first thing the owner says is, "He hangs his head out the window all the time and he never jumped before!" You think your dog is too intelligent to do something we consider so stupid? Dogs don't think like us. They are not aware of the many dangers and often times they become so interested in something they see they actually think they can make the jump - totally unaware that they can be hit by an on coming car or badly injured once they hit the pavement.

There are four main dangers with head hangers and jumpers.

The dog will injure himself in the jump.
The dog is likely to be hit by an on coming car.
On coming cars, who try to avoid hitting a dog that has come out of nowhere is likely to have an accident with another car.
The driver, for fear the dog may fall out the window, keeps one eye on the dog and one eye on the road. This can cause an accident. Or a driver seeing his dog fall or jump out the window, panics and causes an accident.
The dog can sustain eye injuries from flying particles in the air. This type of injury can cause corneal and ulcers in the eye. Painful for your dog and heavy on the pocket book for vet care.

2. Driver Distraction
Whether you care to admit it or not, dogs moving back and forth from one seat to another does distract the driver.

Here are some things that can happen when the driver is distracted by a dog jumping around the car.

A dog jumping on the drivers lap while driving causes distraction and can limit the drivers view of the road. Struggling to get the dog off the lap and struggling to see the road can cause the driver to have an accident
A dog moving freely around the car can cause distraction to the driver if the dog falls off the seat when the car comes to a stop, or if the driver has to stop suddenly. How many times has another driver cut you off and you have to put on the breaks suddenly? Or even if your dog is nicely sitting in the front seat, not moving around, he can fall off the seat and although perhaps not a serious situation, this distracts the driver causing an accident.
Your dog could lose his footing due to the movements of the car and slam his head into the dashboard. According to my vet, this is more common than people think.
Medium to large size dogs can block the drivers view of the rear and side view mirrors.

3. Car Lap Dogs

As much as you may hate to admit it, when a dog is sitting on the drivers lap while driving, it slows the drivers reaction time. The drivers ability to drive efficiently and act quickly is impaired. It also limits the drivers view of the road and turning the steering wheel is also more difficult.

4. Car Floor Movers
Many dogs and cats like to move around on the floor of the car. Well what do you think can happen if your dog or cat moves onto one the foot pedals? Yes, not something you or your fellow drivers want to experience because this is a solid accident about to happen. When this happens, forget that the driver is not pet wellness savvy - he is just plain inconsiderate and stupid.

5. Airbags and your dog
Airbags and dogs don't do well together. If an airbag is released it will seriously injure your dog. It is for this reason amongst many others a dog needs to ride in the backseat of the car.

Obviously this is not limited to only a car. The same goes for people that allow a dog to sit in the back bed of a truck while it's moving!

Pet Wellness Car Safety Rules

Pet wellness car safety rules say you can make your dog's ride in the car safe for him, yourself and other drivers by simply restraining him properly in the back seat. I know! My friends tell me how hard it is because they like to pet their dog while driving or enjoy him sitting next to them or on their lap. But, we don't let out kids drive unrestrained do we? They are in car seats or seat belts. Your dog, no matter how small, must be given the same rules when driving in the car.

To properly restrain your dog in the back seat use a seat belt or car seat specially designed for dogs and come in various sizes. Your dog can still feel the wind from an open window but the window should not be down so far that he can hang his head out. Dog owners who like to pet their dog while driving can still do so by reaching to the back seat - but this should be done only when the car is at a complete stop.

Pet wellness while driving advices safety first and pleasure later. Do not allow your precious pet to be the cause of an accident- because at the end of the day, when the accident or injury happens it will not be your dog's fault it will be yours. If your anything like my friend, you won't recover from knowing you were responsible for taking a life.

Chlorella Detoxing - A Potent Detox and Mercury Removal

2010-10-11T01:53:00.000-07:00

Heavy metal toxicity, just like chemical toxicity, has become one of the most pressing health hazards of our day. These mercury levels come from silver (mercury) fillings, vaccines, seafood, everyday cookware, and the air we breathe. One of the major routes of exposure to heavy metals in the United States, aside from vaccines and dental fillings, is eating fish, which is a real shame because seafood has many healthy qualities and is also the preferred food for dieters. For these reasons amongst many others, detoxing the body has become something of a norm for many people looking to stay healthy, fit, and have a longer life span.

With the information we have these days about the air we breathe, the toxins we ingest without even realizing it and the dishonest food manufacturers and even government bodies, detoxing is a necessity and not always an easy task to undertake.

Thanks to Dr. Ginny Bank, we now know of a food that flushes heavy toxins from the body at a powerful rate and offers other tremendous benefits to the body and even the mind.

Chlorella - a single-celled fresh water algae - is often referred to as a near-perfect food, as its range of health benefits is truly astounding. It's no wonder Dr. Bank refers to chlorella as a "phenomenal nutrient." It has the ability to detox your body by binding toxins such as mercury and cart them out of the body. But there is more -

Chlorella is a huge benefit to vegetarians and vegans who want protein and B vitamins from a non animal food source.
Chlorella is about 60 percent protein, and is considered to be a “complete protein” source because it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs.
It enhances the immune system and reduces cancer risk
It normalizes blood sugar and blood pressure
It repairs nerve tissues
Improves digestion
Promotes healthy pH levels in the gut, which in turn helps good bacteria to thrive
Enhances the ability to focus and concentrate
Increases energy levels

Chlorella is a Potent Detox Agent

Dr Bank explains "Chlorella plays a particularly crucial role in systemic mercury elimination, because the majority of mercury is rid through your stool. Once the mercury burden is lowered from your intestines, mercury from other body tissues will more readily migrate into your intestines -- where chlorella will work to remove it. Ideally you would need to take it with a meal so it binds directly to the toxins while they are in your gut, before they absorbed into your body." This would be a most suitable tablet to take when consuming seafood meals.

Chlorella's cleansing action on your bowel and other elimination channels, as well as its protection of your liver, also helps promote clean blood, which helps assure metabolic waste gets efficiently carried away from your tissues.

The Fundamental Detail of Chlorella

The key to chlorella’s detoxing abilities lies within the membrane of this single cell, but the wall of that cell is indigestible. However with the "broken cell wall" chlorella has been rendered digestible. When searching for chlorella tablets it is vital that the packaging tells you that the "cell wall is broken." Without the cell wall being broken you are gaining none of the benefits of chlorella. So take care when buying your tablets and be sure to check the label.

There are only a few producers of chlorella in the world who provide the raw material to manufacturers, who then process and package it. Reputable companies, will adhere to certain processes that increase your chances of getting the levels of nutrients stated. Manufacturers who are known for quality will make sure they receive a certificate of analysis from the producer of the raw material, and will get batches evaluated by an independent third party on a regular basis to ensure consistency.

As with any supplement, different brands of chlorella will be available. Potency and purity are extremely important so make sure you purchase from a reputable source and check the labeling as suggested above.

How to Use Chlorella for Heavy Metal Detoxing

In order to optimize heavy metal detoxing, you’ll want to take at least 4 grams of chlorella every day. Dr. Bank recommends taking it once a day in the morning. Typically the tablets come in 500 mg each so you would need to take eight tablets a day.

It is not at all unusual for some people to experience slight nausea and mild diarrhea initially, due to the toxins being carted out of the body. If you find this is the situation for you, don't panic. Simply introduce chlorella slowly into your system by gradually building the intake to the eight tablets a day. This means you start with a lower dose and increase it gradually until you have reached the ability to comfortably take eight tablets a day. Taking chlorella with food will also help alleviate any nausea.

A User Friendly Detoxing Agent

Chlorella as a detoxing agent is a most suitable choice for those who want animal proteins without eating animals. It is also easy to take, as it comes in tablet form, which means no awful tasting large amount of fluids to drink like other detox agents. If the side effects are too much for you, you can slowly increase the dosage as opposed to just throwing it out because you can't handle the awful taste or side effects. This makes Chlorella a user friendly detoxing agent.

Remember to check labels carefully when sourcing out chlorella in order to gain it's maximum benefits as a detoxing agent and be worth your hard earned money.

Funny Pet Trick - As Seen on Letterman

2010-10-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

Dog Wellness - Hyperthyroidism

2010-10-07T01:57:00.000-07:00

It's a common condition and most owners don't realize that this condition in fact does affect dogs. The symptoms can be confusing causing dog owners to downsize the reality that something is wrong. Today, with our precious dogs in mind, dog wellness practices will bring to the attention of dog owners the condition of Hypothyroidism - the symptoms, how it is treated, and dog wellness practices once your pet returns home.

Hypothyroidism is a disorder of the thyroid gland. This gland is responsible for producing and secreting thyroid hormone (thyroxine). Thyroxine is the hormone responsible for regulating the metabolic rate of many different tissues in the body. When hypothyroidism sets in, not enough thyroxine is produced, causing the metabolism of the different tissues to slow down.

Hypothyroidism is the most common hormonal disorder in dogs and often develops between the ages of 4 to 10 years, and more commonly with castrated males and spayed females. Certain breeds of dogs are prone to this disorder such as the Golden Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Greyhound, Irish Setter, Dachshund, Miniature Schnauzer, Great Dane, Poodle, and Boxer.

Sign To Be Aware Of

Good dog wellness practices means being clued into the clinical signs, which are usually non-specific, and slow to develop. There is no one symptom in which to recognize this disorder, however combined symptoms is what a vet will use to determine the possibility of the disorder in a dog. However, as a dog owner it is up to you to first recognize the signs so you can seek the attention of a vet.

Symptoms to look out for

Lethargy, increased sleeping time
Depression
Tires easily during exercise or is suddenly not interested in exercising at all.
Weight gain without an increase in food
Feeling cold or not liking the cold
Slow heart rate
Diarrhea
Infertility
Constipation
Dry skin, thinning of hair coat or excessive hair loss or slow growth of new hair
Neurologic signs
Hormonal abnormalities

Diagnosis

Unfortunately this disorder is not always straight forward to diagnose and various tests are required to get a diagnosis. These tests include:

History of the dog
Clinical signs
A complete physical examination
Diagnostic tests

Treatment

Luckily hypothyroidism is treatable with daily doses of synthetic thyroxine administered daily, and usually for the remainder of the dogs life.

Dog Wellness At Home

Once the dog has been diagnosed and treatment has been subscribed, it is very important that the owner pay close attention to the dog over the course of each day. Look for improvement in the clinical signs or no improvement at all. Take care when medication is administered. Over dosage can cause hyperactivity and weight loss and the owner must never decide on his own to increase the dosage. The vet will have his own procedure for monitoring the dog such as scheduled blood tests in order to ensure dosage is of medication is adequate.

Prevention

There are no effective ways to prevent hypothyroidism. The good news is that treatment works and most symptoms usually disappear with a 2-3 weeks.

With hyperthyroidism being a rather common illness amongst dogs and one that is not so easy to spot, it is important that dog owners take hold of dog wellness practices in order to gauge their dog's behavior, activity, and eating. Knowing how to help your dog, when to help him, and how to best nurture him back to health is a high standard of dog wellness practice and can ensure the happiness and well being of your dog.

Pet Wellness - Laceration First Aid and Care

2010-10-07T01:27:00.000-07:00

Pet wellness, particularly with dogs and cats requires that owners know how to deal with certain injuries regardless of how large or small. Of course emergencies require the professionalism of a vet or a phone call to one. However, smaller injuries can be treated at home successfully, ensuring the quick well being and comfort of your pet when injured with a laceration.

Lacerations are quite common in dogs and cats and are usually due to bite wounds, or cuts that happen in the yard from a sharp nail, or a worn out fence. Pet wellness advise today will help you deal with lacerations calmly and confidently, so as to ensure your pets well being. You will learn what medicines to give, what is safe and what is dangerous.

You will want to consider ensuring this information is printed and easily accessible for when you need it. Placing it in your first aid kit will it make user friendly in the case of a laceration emergency.

What is a laceration?

A laceration is simply a tearing of tissue. The edges of the tear can be smooth, jagged or irregular. When a laceration occurs there can be damage to underlying tissues and structures. Muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels can be damaged as well. Needless to say, the deeper the cut the deeper the damage goes.

Deep lacerations can cause brutal damage to underlying structures and this can often times be life threatening, where as minor trauma may only turn out skin damage. Contamination from debris, bacterial and dirt are often the cause for more serious damage and infection.

Common Causes of Lacerations

Cuts from glass or sharp objects
Rough wires and fencing
Being hit by a car
Jumping through a glass window (yes it does happen! Often when the animal is chasing something and doesn't realize that a door or window is not open but instead glassed off)
Bite wounds

Pet Wellness Home Treatment

The degree and depth of the laceration will dictate the treatment required. Obviously if your pet has symptoms of bleeding heavily, not able to move or walk, is crying in pain, or the wound looks too deep then it is safe to assume the injury is serious and pet should be taken to the vet. However, If you are not sure how serious the situation is and your pet does not have any of the above mentioned symptoms then you can phone your vet and describe the situation in order to see if the animal needs the attention of a vet or if you can treat his wound at home.

At Home Treatment for Minor Laceration

Asses the pets wound(s). Take care not to bitten when assessing the wound. If pet is in pain he may nip or bite. If so contact your vet. Do the emergency signs suggested above apply? If so, contact your vet immediately.
If wound is bleeding use a clean cloth and gently apply pressure to the wound. Again, heed caution, as this may be painful to your pet.
If the wound is shallow, place your pet in a comfortable position and ensure you have good lighting. Ask someone to hold a flashlight for you if necessary. Clip carefully and slowly around the wound. Avoid getting hair in the wound. To do this use KY jelly in the wound to protect it while clipping. The hair will stick to the jelly instead of the wound.
Evaluate the size and extent of the wound. If deeper than the full thickness of the skin, or if it is bleeding profusely, or if the wound is longer that 1 inch then it is necessary to contact your vet as the wound will likely require suturing.

IF, AND ONLY IF, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO TAKE YOUR PET TO THE VET:

1. Flush wound heavily but gently with lukewarm water. A good way to do this if you can is to use a syringe. Draw up the lukewarm water into the syringe and squirt it into the wound. This will remove any debris from the wound. DO NOT ALLOW THE NEEDLE OR THE SYRINGE TO TOUCH YOUR PETS WOUND. You are using water pressure to remove debris from the wound. A turkey baster can also be used in place of a syringe. Make sure the water pressure is gentle enough that it will not hurt or break the wound more.

2. While you are cleaning – you can better evaluate the wound. If the laceration appears superficial – you may be done with cleaning it. Dry the area around the wound.

If the wound is deep or draining – the best thing to do is see your veterinarian. Some deeper or draining wounds can benefit from a bandage. BE CAREFUL WITH BANDAGES. Most bandages that veterinarians see that are applied by owners are done incorrectly and add damage to the wound.

Never make the bandage too tight
Apply a 4x4 bandage then wrap it with gauze. Make sure the size of bandage is appropriate for the wound and the wound is properly covered avoiding any sticky portion of the bandage on the wound. Look for bandage material called TELFA. TELFA is made with a substance that prevents the bandage from sticking to the wound. Very important!
The TELFA bandage should be directly on the wound, then gauze wrap, followed by an outer wrap of Vetwrap. Use a small strip of tape to help secure the outer bandage.
Ensure the wrapping is not too tight by checking the toes of the pet every few hours for swelling. If you notice swelling, loosen the bandage.

3. Monitor the pet. If the injury is minor the pet's activity should be normal with eating and drinking on a normal level. The pet should not be experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, and having normal urine and bowel movements.

See the vet if:

The pet is vomiting
Has diarrhea
Acting lethargic
Not eating or drinking
Has difficulty breathing

4. Do not allow the pet to disturb or bother the wound. Try and cover the wound or use an e-collar. An e-collar is a cone shaped collar that goes around the neck to prevent the pet from licking or chewing the wound or bandage. e-collars

At the start of this article I mentioned good pet wellness practices require pet owners to have a first aid box for pet injuries. Along with that, and in order to act as fast as possible, ensure the required bandages and collar are at your reach by housing them in your home for situations such as this. You don't want to be running around looking for the right bandages and collars at the time your pet needs you most. So have it all ready in the event of a laceration injury.

Pet wellness means ensuring proper safety for your pet. Keep a close eye on your yard and garage area and other place around your home your pet visits. Make sure it is free of anything that can cause a laceration or any other type of injury to your pet.

Pet Wellness - Natural Pet Health Care for Sore Muscles & Joints

2010-10-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

People living on the wellness side of life, and health professionals will be the first to tell you that exercise plays a major role in health and fitness for people and pets. It has so many benefits with one of the best being that helps tremendously in having a longer more productive life. And this is true for pets as well. Strong pet wellness practices require that pets get regular exercise and that their treatment for sore muscles and joints is one of natural pet health care.

Instead of using drugs to help your pet with sore muscles and joints consider this natural pet health care avenue to soothe, heal, and strengthen.

Here are some of the natural pet health care remedies for soothing sore muscles and delay cartilage break down.

Glucosamine Hydrochloride
An important supplement to add to your pet's diet. It helps to rebuild the cartilage and delay further cartilage breakdown.

Dosage: 1/4 of a 500 mg tablet once daily per 10 lbs of body weight.

Methylsulfonymethane. MSM
A supplement found in some plants such as Horsetail. It acts as an antioxidant and reduces inflammation in the joints.

Dosage:
50 mg per 10 lbs of body weight daily.

Keep the Joints Mobile
Joint fluid will lubricate them helping with pain. To get joint fluid keep your pet mobile. If your pet is reluctant to move then manually flex and carefully and gently stretch the sore joint (s) for 5 minutes. Gradually increase daily exercise.

D-L Phenylalanine (DLPA)
An amino acid that works as a pain reliever. Use as directed

Vitamins
Vitamins C and E may reduce some joint pain.

Dosage:
Vitamin E is dosed at 100 IU per 10 lbs of body weight.
Vitamin C is dosed at 100 mg.

Acupressure

Perform gently circular motions on the top inside of the ear. This stimulates the back legs. Your pet will also love it, especially dog and cat. You can administer this technique several times a day.

People practicing pet wellness techniques and administering natural pet health care for illness and injuries are top doggies if you ask me. When it comes to sore muscles and joints, these type of injuries have a high response to natural health care without the high cost of medicines and the toxins they include. If you have a sports injury try acupressure instead of medicines and judge for yourself. For your pet consider natural pet health care for a more vibrant, healthy, stronger and longer life.

Pet Wellness - A Natural Solution for Pet Anxiety

2010-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our pet wellness chat today is a short one but offers an effective antidote for pet anxiety. Your pet can suffer from anxiety for many different reasons ranging from vet visits, to toe nail cutting, to grooming visits, to loud noises. Some breeds of dogs and cats are more prone to anxiety with the symptoms being more obvious to their owners and more stressful as well.

For pet anxiety consider Green Tea. Yes, Green Tea!

L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. Studies show that this amino acid offers tranquilizing effects in the brain without drowsiness. This amino acid produces a calming effect by assisting the alpha and electrical brain wave activity that is present when in a relaxed state.

You can buy green tea capsules, open one up and pour the powder into your pets food. You can also make a cup of green tea and put it in your pets food.

Help eliminate anxiety in your pet by taking hold of this pet wellness advice and offering green tea as a natural relaxant.

Shedding Fat - #1 Dine Out Food to Avoid

2010-09-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

One my most favorite past times is to dine out. I have my top 5 restaurants that I frequent often, as well as my top 5 favorite dishes each of them serves. Dining out however can be hard on the diet, whether you are dieting for weight loss or following a healthy eating plan. Let's face it dining out and shedding fat are not usually hand in hand. However, you can still eat out and follow your diet plan as long as you keep these things in mind when you place your order.

The number one thing to avoid at all costs when dining out is:

THE SAUCES

Harmful, bad fats along with large amounts of sugar are found in most sauces served at restaurants.

These sauces would include:

Dressings on salads
Cream sauces for pastas
Sugar/butter mixture vegetables are drenched in. This is a shame because when a health/diet conscious person orders vegetables it is for a reason and that reason is totally blasted into pieces due to the way the vegetables are prepared.
Starchy/high fat content sauces used for stir fries
Cream/butter/sugar sauces served on top of meats or fish

Here are some better choices of sauces that don't work so much against your efforts of shedding fat and unwanted weight.

Use oil/vinegar for salad dressings
Ask for low-fat tomato sauce to have with pasta.
For stir fries, request they prepare your meal with chicken broth. Use low calorie or light soy sauce to get the Asian flavor.
Ask for steam veggies with a side of butter. This way you can control the amount of fat going on to your vegetables.
For protein sources, omit the sauces for seasonings

When it comes to shedding fat, losing weight, or following a healthy eating plan, remember the next time you dine out to avoid the sauces. You’ll save yourself a tremendous amount of calories and fat without sacrificing volume.

Shedding Fat - Fat Burning Skinny Foods

2010-09-20T01:44:00.000-07:00

It's no longer a secret that shedding fat and unwanted weight gain requires non other than a healthy eating plan and regular exercise. Not only does this method help you in shedding fat, but it's also the way to go for a continuous healthy lifestyle and eating regime. Plus once you conquer this way of eating and living you will find that putting weight back on is a thing of the past.

Sharing with you today, I will tell you what major fat burning skinny foods will assist you in your efforts of shedding fat. You might be surprised that these foods are also pretty much liked by most people, easy to incorporate into your eating plan, and also hold other nutritional benefits toward health and wellness.

Just about everyone I know and talk to about shedding fat and healthy eating has the same of several problems in which they struggle with. One of those struggles is nightly munching. Whether it be at the computer, watching a movie or doing a favorite hobby - everyone, including me, wants and likes to munch in the evenings.

It's a good idea to have a wide selection of fat burning skinny foods on hand for nightly munching because it's the food your munching on that is important not the fact that your munching at night. Finding variety is also a common stumper, so here is some fat burning skinny foods to add to your evening munch menu.

Cherries

My favorite fat burning skinny food to munch on at night is cherries and here's why.

First off, we are aware by now that one of the best tips for successful fat burning weight loss, and healthy eating is to chew food at least 15-20 times before you swallow. This allows the brain to sense fullness, and the pallet to taste the food for a longer period of time, thus increasing enjoyment of the food. Using this tip when you eat will alleviate the problem of feeling too full after you eat, as well as give you a more satisfied feeling because your pallet has fully enjoyed the taste of the food. Think of it as savoring every bite.

Cherries is perfect for this. It isn't possible to put several cherries in your mouth at one time because of the pits. Instead, one must take a bite of the cherry, remove the pit and then proceed with eating the other half.

The second reason cherries is my preferred night time munch food is that they have the lowest glycemic index of all fruits, and one of the lowest glycemic indexes of any carbohydrate source. This means you can even snack on cherries in the evening without much detriment because their effect on insulin is minimal.

Add more variety to your nightly munching menu and go for cherries as one of your fat burning skinny foods.

If you are not buying organic cherries, then be sure to wash them well in vinegar and water to remove as much residue and pesticides as possible.

Cinnamon

You are either already aware of this spice for fat burning or you are a little surprised and quite happy because who doesn't like a little cinnamon right?!

Of course you know that no spice or anything else is going to miraculously burn all your fat, but cinnamon is definitely a fat burning skinny food to use as an assistance toward your efforts in weight loss and healthy eating.

"Add cinnamon to your meal plan", says Isabel De Los Rios, and here's why.

First, catch up on a few facts about cinnamon and what recent studies show this spice is good for - aside from shedding fat.

Aside from those facts, recently several studies have found that individuals who regularly use cinnamon were better able to control their blood sugar levels throughout the day (diabetics and non diabetics alike). These same individuals also experienced a decrease in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. With high insulin levels being one of the biggest contributors to fat gain, it is beneficial for blood sugar levels to be controlled throughout the day, which further controls insulin levels.

So how much of this fat burning skinny food do you need to consume in order to encompass it's positive effects?

Of course the drug companies have jumped on board by offering cinnamon pills with the hopes that people will buy them and add them to their daily vitamin supplement intake. But let's get serious, is it really necessary for anyone to go out and buy this particular supplement of cinnamon on a regular basis? Isn't it more cost effective, and by far better to use the purest natural form of any food? Of course! If possible one should always adhere to a foods natural form and avoid supplements. Natural is always best, and the proof of this has been made quite clear over the years.

It only takes 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day to improve insulin levels and blood sugar control. So, one certainly does not need a supplement for that!

A few ideas to encompass 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in your daily eating plan.

Add cinnamon to the grinds of your morning coffee.
Add ½ tsp of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick to boiling water along with 1 black tea bag.
Add cinnamon to your morning hot cereal.
Flavor homemade applesauce with cinnamon to taste.
Cinnamon Toast.
Spice up your chicken. Combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt, along with cinnamon to use as a spice rub.
Cinnamon Toothpicks.

Use this fat burning skinny food to spice up your drinks, meals, insulin level, and blood sugar, and accelerate your bodies ability to shed fat.

One of the more popular areas of the body in which many people are battling the bulge is the stomach. With compliments of weight loss coach Josh Bezoni, here are some fat burning skinny foods to help with stomach fat.

Avocados

Loaded with two key nutrients to burning stomach fat. One is hunger crushing fiber (11 10 17 grams per avocado), and the other is monounsaturated fats which "spot reduces" belly fat.

Seeds and nuts

Pistachios, walnuts, almonds (or almond butter), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds,
and flax seeds are the best of the bunch. They keep you full and satisfied for long periods of time, and they’re stuffed with healthy, stomach fat burning minerals.

Oil (Healthy oils)

Olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, and brand names such as Udo's and Barlean's actually aid in burning fat.

Specific Vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale and cabbage all hold phytonutrients, such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which help to fight against environmental estrogens that can add stomach fat.

Eggs
Eggs are not bad for you! They’re nutrient-dense and loaded with fat burning proteins such as vitamins B6, B12, A, D, E, and K, folate, choline, lutein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc,
and omega-3 fatty acids. They also keep you full for long periods of time. Choose eggs
that come from free-range chickens to get more healthy nutrients.

Dark Chocolate
Eight times more than strawberries, dark chocolate is loaded with positive fat burning stimulants such as theobromine and caffeine. Included in this is oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat). Select dark chocolate with a 78% or higher cocoa content for best results.

Oatmeal
Packed with fiber and whole-grain goodness, you can’t go wrong. Avoid the processed high-sugar junk and stick to slow-cook oats.

Green Tea
This I am sure you already know but I can't leave it out, as it is too powerful an entity. Aside from a highly potent antioxidant, Green Tea is linked to increased fat burning by boosting the daytime metabolism. Green tea has recently joined the pet wellness world for it's properties of L-theanine, which is an amino acid that offers a tranquilizing effect without drowsiness - highly suitable for pets suffering from pet anxiety or situations causing anxiety. Green Tea for Pet Anxiety

Beans
Black beans, navy beans, re-fried beans, and Lima beans all have 6 or more grams
of fiber per ½ cup. Fiber can clean your system of pounds of “toxic waste” and reduce
your stomach fat in a big way.

Berries
Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are loaded with fiber (which slows
sugar absorption), and they’re packed with vitamins that can fight cravings, which can come from vitamin deficiencies.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains a type of antioxidant that increases insulin sensitivity and effectively helps to stabilize blood sugar which can help to store less stomach fat.

Chili pepper
The active ingredient in chili peppers and powder is called capsaicin, which increases calorie burning, is a potent antioxidant, and stabilizes blood sugar levels, which decreases fat storage.

Greek Yogurt
Most regular yogurt is loaded with stomach bulging sugar. However Greek yogurt is packed with probiotics that fight against stomach bulge. It also tastes better, is smoother in the mouth and has other properties that the body loves and needs.

Wild Salmon
No contest here that salmon is by far one of the best far burning skinny foods. You get double for your money with salmon because of it's protein and high omaga 3 fatty acid content it heavily aids in shedding fat.

Turkey meat
White turkey meat or any lean protein source is a powerful tool for shedding fat. This includes, free range chicken, whey protein powders, and grass fed beef, which contains natural CLA which is a fat in which studies have shown to burn fat. Something about protein you may not know is that it will burn off 30% of the bodies calories after it is consumed.

Shedding fat is no easy process, however thanks to all the recent knowledge and hard working fitness gurus, we now have more to work with than just "a diet." Along with regular exercise and a healthy eating plan, which can now consist of delicious normal meals and snacks using fat burning skinny foods, we are all one step closer to shedding fat and looking and feeling great.

Pet Wellness - Second Hand Smoke and Your Dog

2010-08-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

In this day and age we are well aware of the health hazards of smoking, as well as those from continuous second hand smoke. A pet wellness area new on the horizon these days is second hand smoke, which has come about due to several studies showing chronic exposure to second hand smoke also increases the incidence of lung disease and eye irritation in pets. These studies show that pets living in poorly ventilated areas and exposed to second hand smoke, have a high incidence of nasal and lung cancer.

Short nosed breeds such as Shih tzu's, Bulldogs and Pugs are at a higher risk of lung cancer due to the area in which the cancer particles attach themselves. The cancer particles are able to pass into the lungs before attaching themselves. In long nosed breeds the cancer particles attach within the lining of the nasal passages.

The primary culprit of the above diseases is chronic exposure to second hand smoke in poorly ventilated areas - not second hand smoke alone. With the harmful products found in smoke to be in the form of gas, it can take many hours for the smoke of a single cigarette to clear entirely. Ventilation systems cannot entirely filter out tobacco smoke.

Obviously for their own health all non smokers hope that smokers can find away to stomp out their habit of smoking - not an easy task we know, and many of us have friends and family that smoke and we watch them struggle as they desperately try to break their habit. And yes, now there is another good reason to quit - it is hazardous to your pets.

If you are a smoker and whether you are trying to quit or not, here are some pet wellness tips to help minimize your pets risk of nasal and lung cancer.

1. Help yourself and your pet even more by limiting your smoking to outdoors. I actually have friends that have found this tip to be an extra help to quitting. When you can't smoke in your own personal comfort zone, while carrying on with tasks at hand, it can reduce the amount of cigarettes you smoke per day.

2. Have a smoke free home, except for one room in which you smoke. The room needs to be keep ventilated, because smoke travels, so in order for this to work the room needs to consistently ventilated, and the door of the room kept closed to help keep the smoke contained as much as possible. If you own a dog such as a Saluki, or your pet has allergies, they can be extremely sensitive to second hand smoke, causing ear infections or ear agitation, itchiness and sneezing.

3. Consistent grooming will help to remove the smoke residue from your pets hair or fur. This is especially important in cats who lick and ingest the residue on their coats. Some veterinarians suggest vitamin C and other anti-oxidants to minimize the risk of cancer.

A Couple of Facts about Nicotine

1. The fact that nicotine alone is an extremely toxic poison often goes unmentioned. Nicotine is a poisonous alkaloid derived from the tobacco plant and used in medicine and as an insecticide. Not many people realize that nicotine is sold commercially in the form of a pesticide.

2. Ironically, the dizziness and nausea that a person experiences after smoking their first cigarette is actually a very mild case of nicotine poisoning.

Nicotine Toxicity in Pets

It is important that you protect your pet from nicotine toxicity by ensuring you do not leave around anything that has nicotine in it, including cigarettes, buds, ash trays, patches, etc. Even small amounts can induce toxicity symptoms. In large amounts - and just how large an amount can depend of the breed, weight and health condition of your pet - can be fatal causing paralysis of the breathing muscles in as little as a few hours. Puppies who are curious and get into everything are at a higher risk of ingesting nicotine within a smokers home, whether it be cigarettes, or anything else nicotine related. Make sure your trash is out of reach, especially when you leave your home.

If your pet ever exhibits any of the following symptoms, call your veterinarian.

Tremors

Weakness

Stumbling and/or in coordination

Depression

Hyperactivity

Lethargy (in high doses)

Fast breathing or difficulty breathing

Drooling

Dilated pupils

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Possible seizures

Collapse

Either bradycardia (slow heart rate), tachycardia (high heart rate) and/or cardiac arrhythmias

Pet Wellness is Preventative Care

The best prevention is to eliminate the source of nicotine. Keep cigarettes, cigars, and all nicotine products out of the reach of your pets. This includes ashtrays, chewed nicotine gum and used nicotine patches. Remember, even ash and used products still have residual nicotine. The amount of ingestion required for toxicity is a lot higher than with the unused product, but the potential for toxicity is still there. Practice these pet wellness tips to protect against smoke dangers and keep your pet well protected against nasal and lung cancer - at the same time, you will be contributing to better health, longer life and cleaner air for yourself and the world around you.

See what Dr. Karen Becker and Dr. Mercola share with pet owners for the best strategy in holistic pet care.

Help with Stomach Fat - Hormone In, Cortisol Out

2010-07-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

Regional fat storage issues effect all of us in some form or another. While we store fat over all the body, there are certain areas that are more obvious than others, and are usually known as, "Problem areas." For some people it's the buttocks or hips, for others it's the back, and for many it is the stomach. There is a lot of information out these days to help with stomach fat, but none of them address the issue for each individual person. According the health professionals "problem areas" are influenced heavily by hormones. Hormones are different in each of us which is why we all put on weight in different areas and over different periods of time.

By the end of this article you will find this help with stomach fat will take you a long way in reaching your goals toward a less fatty stomach because you are going to learn about Cortisol and how to successfully fight one hormone with another.

The media and health and fitness professionals have been talking a lot lately about a hormone called Cortisol in relation to stomach fat. We know that the higher the Cortisol levels the more stomach fat a person is likely to have, making it their "Problem Area."

So an obvious solution was to lower Cortisol levels to help with stomach fat issues. However, Isabel De Los Rios, founder of The Diet Solution tells us that lowering Cortisol levels is a lot more tricky than one might think. Heavily advertised ads streaming through the television offer a pill that will change a persons fat belly into a flat belly by lowering levels of Cortisol. Surprisingly they don't work, hence the reason why so much of the population is STILL seeking a solution to decrease stomach fat - I mean aside from weight loss in general, losing stomach fat is the most popular weight loss need there is.

So how do you get growth hormone in and cortisol out? Utilize a specific type of physical training called Lactic Acid Training. Let me explain. Growth Hormone is produced and released in response to the production of lactic acid, which is a waste byproduct of chemical and metabolic processes that happens during a specific type of exercise. To product high amounts of lactic acid produced, creating large amounts of Growth Hormone use Lactic Acid Training techniques.

Here is how it works

Lactic Acid training calls for "quick lowering" speeds and "slow lifting" speeds. Lifting speed should be within a four second count. So you would lift over the count of four seconds and then lower quickly, but safely. For squats you would lower quickly and rise over the count of 4 seconds. Exercising with this method will cause the body to produce lactic acid - then producing large amounts of Growth Hormone - giving you needed help with stomach fat loss. And, an added bonus is that Lactic Acid Training will assist you in weight loss over your entire body not just your stomach.

Avoid these 2 foods after Training

Avoid all sugar and fruit juice for two hours after your workout, otherwise you will obliterate the growth hormone response and ruin the major benefit of the workout. Remember that after age 35, growth hormone levels radically decrease.

Hormone in - Cortisol out utilizing Lactic Acid Training for help with weight loss and giving you the added edge you need for help with stomach fat loss.

Taking the Weight Off - Top 2 Ingredients

2010-07-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

There are so many tips and tricks that are essential to taking the weight off and keeping it off. However with such an abundance of tips lets narrow it down to the top 2 necessary ingredients for taking the weight off.

Essential Secret #1

Do not attempt to go cold turkey all at once. The old saying, "Take it one day at a time" is old but priceless in it's teaching and necessary when it comes difficult but necessary life changes. Just like a person does not gain all the unwanted weight in one day or night, it is not necessary to make so many changes overnight. Gradually get rid of sugary items and unhealthy foods and habits.

Use a system if you need to where you remove two items every week, until you have reached your goal of a healthy diet and weight loss. You can use the same idea when learning to eat foods you may not care for.

Taking the weight off does not happen over night so pace the changes required so as not to fall of the wagon from exhaustion, frustration and edginess that often comes with dieting or getting rid of bad habits from your life.

Essential Secret #2

There is no need to feel deprived. Dieting for weight loss or any other reason is hard enough, and chances are if you are feeling deprived of food you enjoy, you are not going to adhere to your eating plan for long - hence taking the weight off becomes further and further away.

It is important to chose an eating plan that houses foods you enjoy, as well as a good selection of tasty meals and snacks. Lets face it, often times the person trying to take the weight off has to get accustomed to eating foods they might not particularly enjoy, but on the other side of the coin there must be foods one does enjoy, as part of their weight loss plan. The Diet Solution Program, in my opinion has the best meal plans that offer tasty recipes that are fast, easy, and a person will look forward to eating again.

Taking the weight off is a task that people have been battling for years and until we learn to become healthy eaters the battle will continue. Take your battle one day at a time, eliminating the bad gradually and introducing the good gradually. Ensure that you have a variety of delicious meals and snacks and that most of them contain foods you like and can eat comfortably. Keep an open mind, try new recipes and look for ways to add health value to your meals even after you are successful at taking the weight off.

Where can you apply these top 2 ingredients for weight loss today?

Some Diet Solution Recipes you can try - Courtesy of Isabel De Los Rios, Founder