1) You are more likely to get nerve damage (neuropathy). This is because smoking affects your blood circulation and that in turn means your nerve endings are not getting the nutrients they need. If this happens to the nerves in your feet it could lead to sores and infections and, if not taken care of properly, even amputation.

2) There is an increased risk double in fact -of you getting limited mobility in your joints. It’s no fun trying to bend, climb stairs or lift something when you have a painful joint.

3) Because of smoking you could develop kidney disease.

4) When you smoke your blood pressure increases. Increased blood pressure creates a real risk of heart disease.

5) Research has shown that diabetics who smoke increase, 3-fold, the risk of dying of heart (cardiovascular) disease.

6) By smoking you increase your blood-sugar levels. This makes it more difficult to control your diabetes because your glucose levels could be fluctuating quite dramatically. This, in turn, leads to other problems.

7) And it also increases your cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of a heart attack.

In fact smoking – and passive smoking – have a seriously detrimental effect on the ABC’s of diabetes management:

A1C – the measurement of your blood glucose over a 3-month period
B – your blood pressure, which should be below 130/80
C – your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels include LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Your LDL should be below 100. HDL levels should be above 40 (for men) and above 50 (for women). Tryglycerides should be below 150.

And, of course, on top of all that there’s the proven risk of cancer!

7 Reasons Why Smoking is Even More Hazardous for Diabetics is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

The symptoms of depression are varied and the severity changes with time. And, according to experts depression can be an inherited disorder, or caused by life threatening illnesses, or stress. Other causes are certain diseases, medicines, drugs, alcohol, or mental illnesses. Women are seen to experience depression more than men and this is attributed to hormonal swings, menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, miscarriage, pre-menopause, and post-menopause.

Common symptoms are:

1. An unshakeable sadness, anxiety, or emptiness.

2. Overwhelming hopelessness accompanied by pessimistic feelings.

3. Extreme guilt, feelings of helplessness, and no sense of self worth.

4. Loss of energy, a slowing down of metabolism, and activity levels. Being plagued by constant fatigue.

5. A sense of helplessness along with an increasing inability to focus and indecisiveness.

6. Loss of sound sleep and development of extreme insomnia.

7. Inexplicable weight loss or weight gain. Triggered by loss of appetite or eating binges.

8. Brooding and suicidal inclinations.

9. Irritability, short temper, as well as restlessness.

10. Physical afflictions like headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain for no particular reason.

If you experience any of the above along with a marked change in behavior do consult your doctor. He will give you a thorough examination to rule out physical causes for depression as well as any underlying medical problems. Then if required he will recommend that you consult a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Take matters in hand and try and erase negativity from your mind. Cut out from you life terms like exhaustion, worthlessness, and hopelessness. Change your life by setting yourself a few goals. Try and relax, meditate, and enjoy music. Start new activities that absorb your time as well as interests. Go out and meet people and participate in group activities. Avoid the company of negative people. Make up your mind to enjoy a movie, ballgame, family outing, picnic, or trek. Be positive, self confident, and have faith in yourself. Faith is itself a great healer. Decide to change your world for the better. However do follow the doctors advice. Treatment can include: anti-depressant medicines, psychotherapy, as well as lifestyle changes. In extreme cases electroconvulsive therapy or light therapy are prescribed.

If your depression escalates or you are suicidal seek help from your family physician or health care provider. Do call a local health department, a community mental health center, or hospital or clinic. Someone will extend a helping hand and talk you through the crisis.

10 Common Symptoms Of Depression is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

Of course, prevention is always better than cure, so before we look at some of the symptoms of cardiac disease we’ll look at some of the ways you can help your body ward off the risks.

Living a healthy lifestyle can go a long way to reducing the chances of developing cardiac problems, but there is unfortunately an element of inherited risk, so even those with excellent overall health may find that they’re genetically programmed towards heart disease in later life. Thankfully, the greatest influence genetics has on heart disease is that of making us more susceptible to certain causes, and with careful adjustments of our lifestyles we can greatly improve our prospects of avoiding it.

The two most deadly contributors to cardiac problems are smoking and obesity. Both of these can raise blood pressure to dangerous levels, putting extra strain on the heart. Smoking causes the build up of fatty deposits within the arteries, also causing circulation problems. Being overweight also tends to mean that a healthy diet is not being followed, and so the body may well be short of essential minerals and nutriments that the heart needs to keep on functioning healthily.

Stopping smoking and other unhealthy practices such as excessive drinking, along with improving diet and taking up exercise to reduce weight can go a long way towards averting problems.

The symptoms of a developing heart problem can be both subtle and dramatic. Unfortunately, many of the symptoms can also signify other less dangerous conditions, and so a diagnosis of heart disease is often made later than it could have been. If you come across more than one of the symptoms below, then a trip to your doctor is highly advisable.

Breathlessness when engaged in physical exercise is normal to some extent for almost everyone, but if you find you’re becoming breathless more and more easily then this is a clear sign that your general fitness levels aren’t all they could be, and that your heart may be struggling under the pressure.

Palpitations, that is a heavily or unevenly beating heart, can be a sign of anxiety or can come on after extreme exercise, but if neither of these situations apply then heart problems could well be the culprit.

A tingling feeling in bodily extremities such as fingers, toes or lips is often a sign that your cirulation system isn’t delivering enough oxygen, again a sign of possible heart problems. Should your extremeities go on to develop a blueish colour then this is certainly not a good sign, and medical attention should be sought at once.

The final and most obvious sign of cardiac problems is a feeling of tightness or pain in the chest, a condition known as angina. If you feel chest pain with any regularity, even if not particularly severely, a medical check up is advisable to make sure you catch any problems as early as possible. Angina can be controlled very well by medication in many cases, and doesn’t necessarily have to develop into full-blown heart disease.

In summary, living a healthy lifestyle while keeping an eye out for the symptoms will greatly reduce the risk of your life being devastated by heart disease.

An Overview of Heart Disease is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

There are three delivery systems that add HGH into the system: homeopathic sublingual sprays, pharmaceutical injections, or pills that stimulate the release of HGH from the pituitary gland. With all three choices the goal is the same: to raise the measurable IGF-1 levels in the body in order to gain the youthful benefits. The short discussion below on all three therapies will help you discover which protocol is right for you.

Human Growth Hormone Pills:

When you buy a pill form of HGH you should know right up front that there is no HGH in the product. Read the ingredients. There are only stacked amino acids and other assorted stimulants. Even though the product name might be HGH Releasor, or HGH Precursor, there is no HGH in the product. It works by stimulating your Pituitary Gland into producing more HGH.

Theres good news and bad news. The good news is that it actually works. The bad news is that it only works for 4-8 weeks. Then your over-stimulated Pituitary Gland says, no mas, and stops being stimulated. Its really a terrible tease because just when you start saying to yourself, hey this is great, everything shuts down. Just when you realize what youve been missing, you lose it again.

Additionally, I was scared away from this therapy by reports that taking stacked amino growth hormone pills can raise cortisol levels in your body, which is extremely unhealthy. So the choice then came down to putting the actual hormone into my body by way of shots or via oral sprays.

Human Growth Hormone Shots:

Almost all the HGH sites will tell you that the cost for shots ranges between $10,000 and $20,000 per year. It doesnt. You can easily find it available for around $3,000 per year and even lower if you go through Mexican pharmaceuticals. Needles today are very safe and generally painless.

But sticking myself twice a day, twenty days per month, didnt seem like a routine a healthy person should be doing, no matter how quick and easy it is. Call me squeamish if you like, I dont care. This might suit some people, and if it does, you can consider going for it. Not me.

Those taking HGH injections should be aware that a few problems have been reported with high or over dosages, so anyone using this protocol would be wise to be clinically monitored on a regular basis by a physician.

HGH Oral Spray:

So the HGH spray option was the one I chose, especially considering the fact that I didnt know if the product would deliver what retailers were claiming. It seemed to be the most benign, risk free, gentle, therapy that produced excellent results, and was reasonably priced between $500 and $1250 per year.

The amounts of herbal and nutritional contents listed on a product label can be most misleading. Whats important is not the nutritional content listed on the label, but rather how much of that nutrient is actually absorbed into the cells of the body. Sprays provide excellent absorption when micro-sized beads or droplets of a nutrient are taken into the body through the tissue lining of the mouth or nose. Blood capillaries are extremely close to the surface in these areas and readily absorb HGH into the bloodstream. The flow of absorbed nutrients from this area of the mouth is to the Carotid Artery, then to the brain, and then on to the heart within 22 to 30 seconds. Within minutes, it is totally dispersed throughout the body.

As far as which spray is the best, its my belief that if and when independent clinical trials are made of all the spray products they will all basically be close in effectiveness. They all contain the same amounts of Somatrophin (Human Growth Hormone). Some add a little bit of female this, some add a little bit of male that. I chose the one I thought was most homeopathically prepared because I knew more care would have been taken in its manufacturing and it would probably be more gentle on my system.

Learn as much as you can about Human Growth Hormone and make your own decision about which way you want to go. No matter what age you begin taking HGH you will enjoy the results.

3 Ways to Increase HGH (Human Growth Hormone) Amounts in Your Body is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

Although the sting of regret of inadequate protection (from UV exposure) can be an excellent incentive to plan more carefully on future occasions, its of little help in soothing the immediate physical sting (i.e. pain) accompanying sunburn.

However if you have found yourself having spent a little too much time in the sun, — here are 4 natural home remedies to help ease the pain of sunburn, and assist in the bodys healing process:

1. Cool Milk Compresses: – The fat and lactic acids in milk are known to have soothing qualities for sunburned skin. Soak a soft cloth or cotton gauze in cool whole milk, and dab carefully onto the burned skin. Do this for around 20 minutes, and follow by rinsing off with cool water. (Due to the importance of the milks fat content, its important that whole milk be used in this treatment).

2. Cool, sugarless tea: – The tannin in tea is the active ingredient here, which helps to soothe and relieve some of the discomfort of sunburned skin. After brewing a big pot of tea, and allowing it to cool completely, slosh the affected areas with a soft sponge or washcloth. As with the vinegar (4), you could also fill a spray bottle, and spray the tea directly on the skin. And dont throw away the used (cool) teabags. These are especially good for sensitive areas around the eyes simply place the teabags over your eyes if they feel hot and tired. (If you have St. Johns Wort, consider using this as it contains cooling properties, which can help tone down some of the heat in your skin, as well as soothing the nerve endings damaged by the sunburn).

3. Aloe Vera: – Aloe Vera is commonly used to treat sunburn. As well as providing soothing relief, it may also assist in the healing process. Apply to the affected areas as needed. Although the gel extracted directly from an aloe Vera plant works best, if you dont have ready access to one, you may use an over the counter Aloe Vera Cream that contains the gel. For this to be effective, just ensure that the cream contains a high concentration of Aloe Vera than it does water or other solutions.

4. Water: – When exposed to the sun, your body loses water and essential body salts. Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid, and begins to reabsorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. To prevent the consequences of dehydration, increase your fluid intake to ensure you adequately re-hydrate your body for optimum recovery and health.

Sunburn should of course be avoided where possible — particularly as its adverse affects not only include damage to the skin, but also the increased risk of skin cancer. Prevention and protection should always be considered the best treatment for sunburn, and will assist in ensuring your optimum long-term health!

DISCLAIMER: These are home remedy tips only, and should not replace your regular health care provider. If in doubt at any time in relation to your sunburn, please seek the appropriate health care assistance.

4 Natural Home Remedies to Ease the Pain of Sunburn is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

1. Witch Hazel Astringent

This astringent comes from the plant with the same name. It is widely spread from Nova Scotia in Canada down to Texas and Florida. Simply steam the twigs of this plant and voila! The extract you get from it serves as your astringent. Remember to cool it though. Whats good about this is that it occurs naturally and even the process it has undergone is all natural. You can be assured it is less harsh compared with commercially-produced astringents.

2. Commercially Produced Astringents

There is no doubt that astringents we can buy over-the-counter are also effective. There are lots of variants to choose from with additional ingredients that promote better skin. The only downside is it can be a little harsh because of the chemicals added to produce this formula. Use them with extra care as they can dry the skin.

3. All-Natural Treatments

Kitchen and acne are two enemies we may not be aware of. Scout your kitchen for stuff like oranges and lemons, fresh garlic and raw potatoes.

- Oranges and lemons just need to be squeezed on cotton balls. Apply the extract on affected areas and wash it after about 20 minutes.

- Fresh garlic is used much easier. Just remove its peeling and rub it on your face.

- As for raw potatoes, peel them and rub its flat surface on your face.

The natural extracts from these fruits and vegetables can help minimize the redness at the same time can clean the skin.

4. Oral Antibiotics

For severe cases, antibiotics are prescribed. These medications are orally taken to reduce the amount of bacteria inside and around skin follicles. They also decrease the exasperating chemicals that the white blood cells produce. Lastly, antibiotics diminish the concentration of the free fatty acids found in sebum, also creating an anti-inflammatory action. Consult your dermatologist for the right antibiotic and dosage.

Tetracycline is still the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne treatment. Most of this antibiotic should be taken on an empty stomach. Also, this shouldnt be used by pregnant women and children under 9. Usually, the starting dose is initially 500 milligrams twice daily and is continuously taken until prescribed, or until a considerable dropping off of lesions is visible.

Erythromycin comes close second and can be prescribed to pregnant women. However, it can cause nausea and even upset stomach. Compared to tetracycline, which can only kill bacteria, Erythromycin has both anti-inflammatory and bacteria-killing properties. Also, this antibiotic needs to be taken in a food-filled tummy. You may discuss other possible antibiotics with your doctors regarding the effects and side-effects of each.

5. Topical Treatments
Externally applied creams are also proven effective for acne treatment. However, it results to drying and flaking but it is said to be the most effective treatment for severe acne. Benzoyl peroxide is one very common and effective topical acne treatment.

5 Natural and Non-Natural Acne Treatments is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

I smirked at the familiarity of the question and proceeded to explain to him the theme of this article. As I told him and for those who may not know otherwise: No, Yoga is way more than just stretching or getting into supposedly awkward looking poses and positions.

It is a combination of stretching, breathing exercises, meditation and perhaps the most overlooked limb, adherence to a proper diet.

The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as a “union” or a method of discipline. Its ultimate goal is the union of man with God or the universe in one breath. Furthermore, it aims to liberate the spirit as the mind and spirit are equally involved in its practice.

Yoga is indeed the oldest existing physical-culture system in the world. Besides being a systematic and scientifically proven path to attaining physical fitness, it delays aging, rejuvenates and improves ones appearance, maintains suppleness and increases vitality and the creative part of life.

With its core warm-up exercises known as the Sun Salutations (which are somewhat similar to the calisthenics exercise known as burpees), the inversion poses, forward and backward bending poses, balancing exercises for the arms and building focus, the average practitioner will attest to the fact that for attaining fitness, Yoga can stand its own.

Think Yoga cant help with building strength? Think again. Heck, I challenge the most adept body-builder to hold the simple yet powerful peacock-pose for 90 seconds straight. Bet you theyd crash half-way in its execution-if they make it that far.

Yoga also offers unique breathing exercises which are wonderful for patients with respiratory disorders and even singers and public speakers, moreover with its unique relaxation pose, oft times practiced during and after its execution, Yoga offers a systematic means of deeply relaxing the entire body perhaps the way no other exercise can. (Keep in mind of course that several of the poses give a deep body massage not unlike the ones received in salonsjust thought I should throw that in.)

With countless books, DVDs, videos and classes being offered for all ages, levels of fitness and experience (some of them being actually free for the first couple of lessons to try Yoga out), I suggest you give it a trial and see for yourself what it can do.

One thing I promise you is this; you will walk out of your class and nod in agreement that indeed: yoga is way more than just stretching. It is THE exercise.

And you thought Yoga Was Just Stretching. is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

The general physical symptoms of most women approaching or experiencing menopause include:

Longer menstrual periods

For a woman who usually has short menstrual periods of, say, 4 days, this can increase to more days. When this occurs, it could be one of the symptoms that she is approaching her menopause. When you notice that this is happening to you and you are approaching your late 40s, there is nothing to worry about. Simply know that this is a symptom of menopause.

Heavier menstrual flows

Some women also notice that their menstrual flows are now heavier than usual. If this happens to you and you are sure that nothing else is wrong with you physically, then know that you could be approaching your menopause, especially if the age is right. If the age is not right, then you are not approaching menopause.

Spotting

Spotting is the situation whereby little drops of blood comes out during the time when you are supposed to be menstruating. When this occurs, it could be a sign of menopause. First, check whether you could be pregnant or not. If not, and if it continues, then it could be a sign of menopause.

Menstrual periods irregularity

There is also the tendency that you will experience general menstrual periods irregularity when you are approaching menopause. When this happens and you know nothing is wrong with you health wise, then it is a symptom of menopause.

Lack of interest in sex

Lack of interest in sex for most women in menopause occurs partly because there is now less fun when having sex. This is because as menopause happens, the estrogen levels decline, thereby making the vaginal walls less elastic and thinner. This eventually leads to pain or discomfort during sex. To solve this problem, there is the need for sufficient vaginal lubrication for women who are experiencing menopause and still want to enjoy sex with their partners.

5 Physical Symptoms Of Menopause is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

Here are some tips to help you safely drop 3,500 from your regular routine:

Run

Running for about 1 hour at a slow pace will help you lose approximately 350 calories, depending on your body type, speed and terrain. Thus, if you run for one hour five days a week while maintaining a consistent diet, you will safely lose one pound.

It is important to understand that many people who just begin running will eat pasta and other foods high in carbohydrates in order to compensate for the exertion. They think that because they worked out so hard, they deserve a treat. After all, they justify, the pasta will help to keep their energy levels high.

However, what they may not realize is that while they are justified in thinking that the carbohydrates will infuse their workout routine with energy, they are not actually setting their bodies up to lose weight. When you burn 350 calories but intake 450 over a high-carbohydrate pasta dish, you are adding more calories to your body than you otherwise would have.

Running does, however, help to boost our metabolism and change your muscle tone so that you burn calories more efficiently. Instead of inhaling a pasta dish after a run, select instead to have a large salad and splurge for the carbohydrate-rich croutons.

Eat In

When you eat out at a restaurant, not only are you subjecting your body to an array of high fat, high calorie foods, but you are also tempting yourself to eat a larger portion than you might normally eat. Therefore, what could be a simple 500 calories meal can easily turn into a 1500-calorie fat fest. In order to lose weight by cutting calories, it is essential that you are aware of exactly what you are putting into your body. Especially in the beginning of your new routine, it is important that you prepare your meals and monitor your level of hunger.

When eating out, generally you are in a social situation where food is not a priority but spending time with your friends is. For this reason, people tend to eat more than they normally would. Non-dessert eaters often even spring for the extra round of calories. If you must eat out, help yourself avoid temptation by selecting a salad rather than a plate of pasta or burger. You will be amazed at the difference in the amount of calories you intake when you make simple choices such as meal option.

By reducing your overall calorie intake and increasing your level of physical activity, you will be able to lose those 3,500 calories without much trouble. Make sure that you stay focused, motivated and on task. Youll shed unwanted weight in no time!

1 Pound Of Fat = 3,500 Calories is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site

The human body has a built in detox system that removes harmful substances from the body through excretion but when we put pressure on it by eating unhealthy foods, drinking too much alcohol and not getting enough sleep the system is weakened. At one time, the need for a natural body detox seemed to apply only to those who suffered from some form of drug or alcohol dependency. The pollution your body is exposed to daily, and your consumption of various types of junk food, coffee, aerated drinks, alcohol etc leads to the accumulation of various toxins in your body. Initially known for elimination of excessive alcohol and drugs from the body, detox is now being used more extensively for the process of elimination of any kind of toxins that may be present in the body. A full body detox diet plan using raw vegetables and fresh fruits is especially recommended for young individuals whose bodies have been subjected to high levels of alcohol, burgers and pizzas.

Todays refined diets, stressful lifestyles antibiotics or other health problems can deplete the body’s natural store of these little miracle workers and upset the delicate balance or eubiosis. There are numerous other methods to detox your body, such as through herbal tea and supplements, in addition to specialized diets and spa programs. Body detox diets vary but typically involve eating or drinking nothing but raw, steamed or gently stir-fried vegetables and fruit, pulses, sprouted seeds, thin soups, juices and plain cereals such as brown rice, millet or buckwheat. Mediterranean diets are low on fat and carbohydrates and they provide us with healthy alternative to the oily food we consume every day.

Start using the benefit of exercise to cleanse and detoxify your body. Exercise increases oxygen to your system and raises your body temperature, in effect combining oxygen therapy and hyperthermia. Exercise detoxification is an effective method of cleansing many vital organs simultaneously and should become a regular part of your life. There are tons of exercise programs and plans out there, or just walking for at least 12-15 minutes a day is beneficial to the colon function. The simplest form of administering oxygen therapy is through a simple deep breathing exercise.

The increase in the amount of toxins in the body results in stress in the immune system that eventually breaks down due to overwork. If you are interested in the idea of detoxing and want to receive the fastest results possible, then what you are going to want to do is find a quick detox diet, a body detox that is going to offer you quick results. Some methods are used individually as body detox solutions while other individuals use several methods together to achieve the best possible results. If you want to receive optimum results from your detox, you should consider taking some supplements for detox. It is also good for keeping track of detox intervals or a detox schedule, body detox is not just a one time thing, for best results it should be done on a regular basis throughout the year.

While our body is not totally defenseless against toxins as we have an effective built-in natural detoxification system but body detox is still a must to help keep your body free of toxins. One of the much-desired benefits of body detox is weight loss. Liver and Kidneys detox is excellent to use before and during a weight loss program, as it will improve weight loss results. In conclusion, making your own home remedy for body detox is much better and less expensive way to pursue long term health as compared to eating detox pills.

A Full Body Detox is a post from: Tequila Merida Healthy Care Site