Healthy Living

A question that I've heard a lot is "can milk induce asthma?"

The answer is that yes, milk can cause asthma problems in some people. I know this from research, as well as from first hand experience. On days when I'm having asthma problems a glass of cold milk or even a bowl of cereal can worsen my breathing problems.

The reason why milk causes asthma problems isn't so clear. Asthma experts have to possible theories. The first is that milk causes the creation of excess mucus in a person's airway. So someone with asthma, who already has problems breathing, milk can make the problem worse. The other theory is that many people have dairy allergies, so it's therefore a trigger of asthma attacks. Or it could be a mix of both for some people.

The problems don't stop with milk. They include other foods in the dairy group like butter, cheeses and yogurts.

If you have problems with milk and asthma, you have to be careful with what you eat and where you get it. Many restaurants put butter on their steaks. Many butchers slice meat and cheese on the same machine, so even if you're not getting cheese, you might have problems. It comes down to knowing what's on your food and what you're putting in your mouth.

The best solution is to no longer eat or drink the food item that's causing your problems. Of course, this is easier said than done, but in the long run it's worth it. On days when I'm having asthma problems, I switch to soy milk, which seems to not cause any problems for me.

You can also prevent the problems by taking allergy medicine.

Other Foods That Cause Asthma Problems

The bad news is that problems for asthmatics can extend throughout the whole grocery store.

Peanuts can be one of the most dangerous foods when it comes to causing breathing problems. Even a small bite can trigger a serious attack in some people.

Even foods made of wheat like certain breads and cereals can cause asthma problems in some people.

Another common problem food is fish. And even people with egg allergies can have problems with asthma.

The easiest solution is to find out what your allergic to and to avoid it as much as possible.

By : Mike Crimmins

article Source : http://ezinearticles.com

There are a lot of means to help alleviate the burdens of people who suffer from asthma. Although there are official medical treatments for people who have this illness, all experts agree that the best ways to really prevent asthma is to identify and avoid the triggers that cause the symptoms. There are of course home remedies for asthma that you can use for yourself, so if you want to go with that option, it's best you start with the simplest and basic remedies first.

Coffee

Regular coffee can help to control and even prevent asthma from happening. That's usually because of the caffeine, which has bronchodilating effects. A long time ago, in the 19th century, coffee was used to help people with asthma problems. Although, this is not recommended for children; nor is it recommended for you to take too much coffee either. Avoid Java, too. Just take regular amounts of coffee instead.

Onions

Onions have anti-inflammatory capabilities that can reduce constriction of the airways of your lungs. Don't consume the onions raw, though. Cook them first to lessen or prevent asthma attacks.

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers help to open up the airways in your lungs. According to experts, you need an increase in fluids so you can thin and cough out the mucus that forms during attacks. Peppers help to stimulate these fluids in your lungs, mouth and throat. This reason alone makes it one of the best home remedies for asthma.

Fatty Fish

Salmon, Tuna, Sardines and mackerel, all contain fatty acids of omega 3. Fatty fish like these helps your lungs to fight off various irritants in your lungs. Research has shown that children who consume fish that contains these fatty acids are less likely to have asthma.

Garlic

Although this has not yet been scientifically proven, garlic is advocated by a lot of experts. It is said to help reduce asthma attacks especially when it's boiled in milk.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the most important healing vitamin in our bodies. Its superior antioxidant properties are the main thing that's holding your bronchial tubes together. Ok, that may be an oversimplification but that's basically what it does. Aside from that, people who have asthma (according to research) are low on Vitamin C. Drinking orange juice, papaya or eating some broccoli or berries helps you to have your daily C vitamin. Home remedies for asthma that are rich in Vitamin C are probably the most recommended by Doctors.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps to alleviate asthma symptoms. It is very effective especially for asthmatic people who suffer from sulfite sensitivity. 1-4 mcg (micrograms) are recommended because they offer the best protection from asthma. Yogurt has sufficient Vitamin B12 that can ease the painful effects of asthma attacks.

Consider a Vegetarian Diet

For some people who suffer from really painful bouts of asthma attacks, it's recommended that they go on a vegetarian diet. By eliminating animal food intake, you can be assured that you're saying goodbye to many food allergens that are triggering your asthma.

Those are just the basics. You can try out these home remedies for asthma for yourself so you can see which ones work for you. You can even mix them all together as long as you can make up a serving that's tasty enough. As a parting tip, refrain from consuming too much salt because it's one of the primary triggers of common asthma attacks.

As you probably know from reading and watching TV, Asthma is one of the most common diseases in the world and the amount of people diagnosed with it are growing. One in eight American children have Asthma. On the average the rate is doubling every 10 years. Many adults and children die from Asthma each year, these deaths could be prevented by treating the disease properly.

First, Asthma, is a chronic respiratory condition causing the obstruction of the airways due to bronchial inflammation and contraction and increased mucus production, resulting in causing the patient to have problems breathing. When the airways narrow it causes a lack of fresh air from reaching the bronchial tubes. Treating Asthma involves reducing the patients symptoms such as the shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing and coughing.

Second, knowing what triggers an Asthma attack is important, two main factors cause the muscles surrounding the airways to spasm. The effect is usually immediate and short lived and reversible thanks to the use of inhalers and and other devices that open up the passages by reducing the inflammation. These symptoms can be caused by: variations in temperature, dust, odors, smoke, exercise and emotional upsets. Other things may cause the lining of the bronchial tubes to become swollen and red they may not be as easily remedied and should be avoided, such as: pollens, severe colds and infections, animal dander, mold, and food allergies.

Lastly, Asthma affects both children and adults and can appear at any stage in life. There is no cure for Asthma and if not taken seriously and treated properly can cause death. The best way to live with Asthma is to take the disease seriously and avoid those elements in life that may cause an episode. If you are having an attack make sure you take and use all the medications your doctor has prescribed for you. Life with Asthma does not have to be terrible, just find a good doctor and follow their advice. You can live a long full life.

Over the weekend my sister and I were busy clearing out our houses and offices since we are both moving. (She to North Carolina and me to Colorado.) I am always amazed at how our lives run so parallel even though we live on opposite sides of the continental divide! We were talking on the phone and taking a break from all the cleaning fumes when she mentioned an email I sent to her two years before.

The email was about handling your different negative emotional states. How to identify what it is you need to change in your life depending on the emotion you are feeling at the time. I got this list as a compilation of many resources the primary one being, "Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope and Compassion", by Richard Boyatzis & Annie McKee.

This was a handy book for me to read since I was changing my business model and knew there were areas of my own personality that needed some renewal if I was to increase my effectiveness as a president of an organization.

First evaluate where you may be in theses 5 emotional states:
1. Frustrated
2. Bored
3. Unfulfilled
4. Burned-out
5. Stressed, Anxious, Depressed

Depending on your state, work on the following:
--
1. Frustrated (Deal with the Manager Self) Capitalize on your Uniqueness
2. Bored (Deal with the Leadership Self) Work harder on your vision then implement changes
3. Unfulfilled (Deal with Romantic Self) Work on your love life and romance needs
4. Burnout (Work on Personal Self) Stop doing what you don't like! Create change!
5. Stressed (Work on Mission Self) What is the one thing only you can do in the whole world?

But what do you do if you are unsure exactly what you want, what your mission is?

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability.
1. What do I want?
2. What do I need to learn?
3. Who do I need to help me?
4. What do I need to feel?
5. What do I need to do?
6. What do I want most right now?
7. What do I NOT want?

By answering these questions and understanding the area of your life that needs help to pull you out of your negative state, you will feel better immediately. I have used this exercise five times in the past three years to pull me out of a negative state of mind. Once I was feeling depressed, another time I was burned-out and this last time I was extremely frustrated. Every time I use these questions to center my thinking and refocus my energies. I always come away a sharper focus on what I need to be a better person.

By : Janine Bolon

Article source : http://ezinearticles.com

Why do you want to manage your emotions? If you are reading this, it is probably for one of the following reasons:

• You don't like some emotions you experience because they are 'negative' and/or uncomfortable
• Your emotions 'lead' you to do or say things you wish you hadn't said or done
• You feel 'out of control' in some way
• You don't experience some emotions

If any of the above applies to you, the information in this article can help although the caveat is that, in general, you consider yourself an 'emotionally healthy' person who has 'blips' in specific areas. If you suspect you are depressed or have had a long-term problem with your emotions that is severely impacting your life, you need professional help.

Firstly, it needs to be said that your emotions are here to stay. Welcome or not, they are along for the ride and you are going to need to learn how they work, and how to work with them. They are part of the everyday process of you living your life, and no matter how you have stuffed them, ignored them, or covered them up they are like the arcade game where the gnome pops out of the hole and you hit it down with the hammer, only to have another pop up somewhere else.

So what are emotions to you? You might say 'they are my feelings' but actually they are much more than that. When someone strokes your arm or pinches you - that is a feeling. An emotion is more complex and occurs in your mind-body at the point your expectations of the world meet the world. Read that again.

In other words, an emotion arises when you get back a response from the world outside your head (or from within yourself) and you compare it with your version of how things do or should work - according to you.

For example, if you have just come back from a surprise party (and you love surprise parties) you got more than you expected from that evening and you may feel happy in response. Or if you just got unexpectedly fired you certainly got less than you expected and accordingly could feel miserable (or liberated if you hated your job!)

Both of these are the result of responses to the world. You also have responses to yourself - if you did something that violated your standards then you might feel guilty even though no-one else knew about it!

Emotions are information about your ongoing experience of life and how it matches up to your beliefs, values, expectations, and so on.

They are not:

• Instructions
• Guidance
• The TRUTH
• Reliable interpreters of experience
• In control

The above may seem rather harsh and there are certainly cases to be made for some exceptions but, in essence, having any of the above as a dominant way of thinking about your emotions will lead you down the wrong path.

Ironically, emotions whilst emotions are neutral in a moral sense they are always 'right' because they confirm or disconfirm something YOU believe. But if you believe that Santa is real at age 32 and you find out he isn't (sorry) then your feelings of betrayal, loss etc will be appropriate - given your beliefs. It doesn't mean you were right to believe he still existed...

Emotions are information purely about YOU although they sometimes don't seem that way. He made me feel that way. When she gave me that look, I felt so angry. It's the economy I feel depressed about. Even this is just you projecting onto someone else the results of how YOU responded.

However, at other times, they seem so strong that we feel overwhelmed. So, what can we do to manage or tame them? The process is quite simple and also quite paradoxical: you will need to do exactly the last thing you may want to do. You need to accept those emotions. THIS is the key.

Some people will have pushed back their chair and shouted at the screen at this point that they don't WANT to accept feeling this way. But consider this - 'whatever you resist, persists' and that includes the discomfort. It is in accepting your emotions that you are welcoming them in on YOUR terms - and that puts you in the driving seat.

When you bring feelings of acceptance to your feelings and your thoughts about your feelings, you take away their insistence and clamour because you are opening the dam on the stream of feelings, and letting the water flow again.

How do you do it?

The process is fairly simple and it helps if you have someone to talk you through it:

1) Identify the emotion you want to tame or neutralize

2) Imagine a situation in which you last felt it, and take a mental snapshot of how it feels

3) Step out of that (you can physically take a step back if you want) and think of something neutral - where do you want to go on holiday most?

4) Think of something small and simple that you accept*

5) Imagine feeling acceptance towards that fully and completely: breath the breath of those feelings, adopt the posture of that emotional state, and speak with the voice that you use when you accept and acknowledge something.

6) When you feel that fully, think about the emotion to 'tame' whilst feeling this feeling and notice how it changes things, how does it transform that?

7) Walk around a bit, holding this acceptance state about the lower emotion.

8) Think of something neutral again, and after a couple of minutes, think about the original emotion.

*The kind of acceptance that works best is the sort that acknowledges that something exists without having to like it:

• It's a rainy day
• The color of your front door
• How water feels on your hand

You will find in many cases a substantial lessening of the impact of the emotion and your ability to think about the situation more clearly improves. You may want to repeat the exercises several times to increase the effect.

It is important to not that accepting an emotion as existing is not the same as saying you are going to leave it alone forever. If you feel strong feelings for someone (positive or negative) at some point you might need to tackle the source of those feelings (your thoughts) and once you change them, so will the resulting emotion change. But getting a clear head is a good start.

What if there was a way to improve your vision and get rid of your glasses without surgery and without resorting to wearing contact lenses? Well there is, with a cutting edge energy therapy known as Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT. A few years ago, Master EFT Practitioner Carol Look conducted an experiment to see if vision could be improved using this remarkable therapy. What she found was that for many of the participants in the study, emotional upset was causing their vision problems. And, of the 120 participants who completed the experiment, 75 percent reported a significant improvement in their vision, with many no longer needing to use reading glasses.

Traumatic Memories Affect Vision

Believe it or not, memories of traumatic events can affect our eyesight. On a subconscious level, there is something that we don't want to see and so our vision is affected. By addressing the traumatic event and neutralizing the negative emotions, we can improve vision with EFT.

Secondary Benefits

Sometimes, there is a benefit to having a physical disability of some kind. The client is unwilling to let go of the physical problem because of the fear that they will lose something such as disability payments, attention from others or a part of their personal identity. These types of issues can be successfully addressed with EFT provided that the desire to improve vision outweighs the loss of the benefit.

Limiting Belief in One's Ability to Improve Eyesight

Oftentimes, people don't believe that they can improve their vision with EFT and so are reluctant to try it. They believe that their failing eyesight is due to other factors such as age or heredity and therefore unavoidable. The good news is that limiting beliefs can successfully be addressed with EFT and in this case resulting in improved vision.

Unfortunately, we are not perfect. We have billions of people we can blame for our own shortcomings and failures. We do not get endless good times. When disappointment, failure or hopelessness attacks, we need to fight back. Here are some weapons:

How big is this problem, really? Don't sweat it if it is small.
Life is too short. The universe will continue to evolve. In the whole scheme of things in the entire universe, we are almost insignificant, yet we make big deals out of petty stuff.

Be humble.
Remember that if, some day, they discover the center of the universe you will probably not be in it. Even you have to experience failure or loss maybe for a long time but things will eventually change!! You just don't know when. Don't get so low and down that when things start going up again you won't be able to get up. You are not alone though. We will all secretly feel for you.

Discuss with somebody and get it out of your system. Purge.
Hearing yourself talk about difficulties sometimes throws new light on the problem. As well, if you talk about it long enough, you will find you get so bored of hearing yourself saying the same things over and over again that the problem becomes just a silly thing - at times.

Good and bad surprises are natural occurrences!
You will always have some form of life coming at you - good and bad. When you get lemons, learn to make lemonade! Both sunshine and rain helps flowers grow.

If you ask yourself: "Why me?", your honest response should be: "Why not me?"
It's your turn to use the gifts of talents, skills and abilities given to you to confront and solve your problem or issue. Would you wish your situation on anybody else? No. Then you deal with what you get and do it with your head high. Be dignified in doing your best.

Don't take a lot of things personally. View most things from a spectator point of view.
It helps you keep your cool when you distance yourself. It also helps you see things from a different perspective. It might not be as bad as you think. It's not your fault sometimes. Don't accept it and instead leave it with the other person to stew about. It's not being emotionless. It's accepting life the way it is.

Explore your feelings and hurts openly and honestly with yourself. Learn from them.
This is tough. Don't deny your feelings but go with them. Wallow through the misery and come out to the other shore. Next time is easier. Drive to a secluded spot in a large parking lot. Close the windows in your car, turn up the music, and then yell and scream anything and everything until you purge the hurt and other related feelings.

Take responsibility for being the cause and/or effect of disappointments in your life.
Admit your behaviour to yourself honestly. Temper? Bubbling rage? Ready to blow? Looking for a fight? Can you say: "I got jealous, angry, greedy, vindictive, enraged or whatever and caused something to happen to me."

Change anger into feeling sorry for who/what disappointed you.
Feeling compassion is easier on the system. Forgiveness is for the giver, not the receiver. Letting go is healthy. It stops the formation of acids and toxins that ruin health. Forgiveness gets the person or event out of your head where he/she/it is preventing you from thinking effectively. Why waste your time being angry when the person isn't even there in front of you to receive it?

Negativity will always be there in life. Get used to it. Rise above it.
Sometimes not getting what we want is a stroke of luck! Toxic people can depress us and alter mood but we also have the choice of staying away from them or immunizing ourselves from their harmful effects.

Find something good that can possibly come from what may be the worst of situations or happenstances.
From great loss can come great strength. There is a saying that God doesn't give you more than you can handle. I beg to differ. Sometimes we get more than we can handle. That's the time to get others to help carry the load. About 7 billion people were provided to you, from which the right one to help you is just waiting for the two of you to meet.

Do a reality check.
Are you just looking for trouble? Do you make silly, stupid, risky, dangerous decisions knowingly? If so, you take chances and not the potential loss. Too bad. That happens to the rest of us too!!

Have a positive attitude.
A little story emphasizes this point. For their birthday, twins were put in an empty room except for a big bucket of manure in the middle. One looked in, gave a scowl and walked away disgusted and mad. The other put on a big smile, started sneaking around, bending and bobbing to peek out of the windows, checking and listening at doors. When their parents entered, the one with the smile said gleefully, "Okay, I know there's a pony around here somewhere!!"

By : Otto Schimdt

Article Source : http://ezinearticles.com

I came across a cute little cartoon that said, "If there's no chocolate in heaven, I'm not going." Can you relate to this or is chocolate no big deal for you and your soul?

How likely do you think it would be for you to go into your kitchen to get a piece of chocolate and find yourself back at your computer munching on a carrot? Seems pretty incongruent and unlikely, doesn't it? Well, that's exactly what happened to my friend Colin, and to this day he loves telling the story of how it happened.

During a teleclass called "Eliminate Cravings With EFT In 4 Minutes Or Less", the topic of chocolate came up, as it often does. It turned out that chocolate was the #1 craving many people on the call were having. While I was having fun guiding the group through the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) with the appropriate scripts, Colin was also on the call as my audio technician and he was consciously listening to everything being said.

In EFT there's something called Borrowing Benefits. This is how it works. While one person is focused on what they want to eliminate, the rest of the group can set their own individual intention. For example, they might choose to eliminate a craving for red licorice, cinnamon buns, ice cream, or M&Ms. Even though the words they use will be different, their unconscious mind is paying close attention to their specific goal and therefore, they benefit by receiving the welcomed side effects of the EFT process. Borrowing benefits is great and everyone wins.

Apparently Colin's unconscious mind had been listening very intently, because the next day he went into his kitchen to get some chocolate and you guessed it...he and the carrot ended up being a perfect match. The chocolate was left behind in its wrapper. He was extremely amused.

Over the next few months, Colin made several conscious attempts to eat chocolate and each time, he felt extremely neutral about it. His body literally didn't want any. Choice gives all of us a sense of freedom-we become the complete opposite of being the obedient slave to a craving. Having the freedom to choose is an amazing gift we can give ourselves.

Of course there's really nothing wrong with chocolate or ice cream; there are even some healthy brands on the market to choose from. It does, however, get troublesome when in the middle of the night you find yourself putting your coat on over your jammies to make a quick trip to the corner store to get your fix. That's when you know it's time to eliminate the craving, get back in the driver's seat, and rejoice with the sense of freedom and self-control. From that place you can have anything you want...it's all a delicious choice.

Using EFT has many other benefits besides eliminating cravings. When coaching I use it with women entrepreneurs who want to:

• release business stress and anxiety

• increase their confidence

• release resistance to marketing

• speak in public with ease and grace

• tap into their soul's purpose and let their creative spirit soar

• attract more clients and get paid what they're worth...amen sister, let's tap to that!

You can use EFT to enhance any area of your life. Use it on anything, and everything! I highly recommend it.

So...are you ready for a breakthrough? I hope you are because you can learn how to use EFT starting this month. I'd love to have you join me in one of my upcoming teleclass series.

By the way I heard somewhere that one of the reasons planet earth is so special is because it's the only planet in the galaxy that has chocolate. Gotta love that!

Chances are you believe that happiness truly improves your life. One of the best ways to create true happiness is through laughter. In just 7 days you could find yourself laughing more often and enjoying your life more fully!

Day 1: Take the Positive from the Negative

Most people focus on the negativity and therefore create more negativity in their lives. Once you are able to take positivity from negativity, more positivity will enter your life. So, how do you do it? Start by asking yourself, "What is the opposite side to my belief?" Then ask, "Would thinking that way make me feel better?" If yes, then ask yourself, "What is preventing me from thinking that way?" Once you determine what prevents you from thinking positively, you'll be able to address it and overcome it. From that point forward, you will be able to use the same questions to take positivity from any negative situation.

By focusing on positivity you are welcoming more of it into your life. Even if you do not believe that, you are still creating a momentarily positive state of mind for yourself. You get what you want is the easiest way to understand this. The more you think about positivity, the stronger you desire it. So remember, when you focus on positivity on a regular basis it will regularly enter and improve your life.

Now that you've welcome immense positivity in your life, it's important for you to share it with others. Talk with people, laugh at the humor, and remember the positive points. Share stories that made you laugh, smile, and happy; not ones that were unpleasant. Remember the events which impacted your life in a positive way. Most importantly, be enthusiastic when you're telling a story and when you're listening to one. When you show excitement for someone else's stories, it creates even more excitement for that person, and also for yourself!

This will allow you to share positivity on levels you did not expect. When you surround yourself with good hearted people, it brings out the best in both parties. Good hearted people will further your happiness, excitement, and laughter. Having trouble finding one? Just look for the person that encourages, cares, and appreciates without reason and without fail.

You will inevitably become a good hearted person after time. This transition produces a positive attitude in you that was unseen before. It enables you to laugh when something does not go as planned; as opposed to becoming angry or upset. You begin to laugh more because an understanding is gained that the more you laugh, the happier you become.

You will find yourself laughing at the negative because you understand the principles of where to focus your attention. You understand negativity is just a test and with your laughter and positive outlook, you will pass with flying colors. The true character of an individual is shown when that person is faced with a challenge. By laughing at it, you show the positive person which defines you.

By now, you have probably figured out additional ways to laugh more and enjoy your life. A great way is to laugh as much as possible. Laugh when you feel the urge, when something goes wrong, when something funny happens. Before you realize, your life will be filled with laughter, positivity, and happiness. So, laugh more and a live a lot!

There are a number of different causes for migraine headaches and there are also a number of symptoms which may be experienced by different individuals. Although you might not have thought of it, belly fat has actually been linked to migraines.

Migraines caused by a belly fat might sound unlikely that first, but here are some scientific reasons to support this theory.

Poor posture, for example, has long been noted as one of the main causes of migraines. Poor posture is often a result of being overweight. Likewise, some people feel an overwhelming urge to eat more when they are suffering from a migraine, which can actually make the problem a lot worse.

Constipation is also another thing that can cause migraines. People have more fat around the area of the belly are generally more likely to suffer from constipation. It is very important to avoid certain types of foods, since a certain types of foods are a trigger migraines. Chocolate is one of the most commonly associated foods with the attack on migraine.

Another factor that could be causing migraines due to being overweight for women, is that there midsections may contain more estrogen and in certain woman an excess in estrogen has been shown to cause migraines.

Migraines are often quite easy to cure, but in many cases you do have to make an effort to make some simple but permanent changes to your lifestyle. A doctor should be able to give you more advice and properly diagnose the specific type of migraine that you have and what causes it. Keeping a diary of the symptoms and the times when you experience migraines is also a good idea which can help the diagnoses process.

Individuals that may allergic to certain foods can have a difficult time learning what it is that they are allergic to. In numerous instances it is not a allergy but a nutrient intolerance that does have many of the same symptoms and is troublesome for the individual to recognize the difference between the two conditions. The universal formula, if your person will endure even a small-scale quantity of the nutrient, this is a intolerance. A true food allergy would not tolerate any quantity of the nutrient no matter how tiny. It is best to consult your doctor to discover if a food allergy test is required.

Your physician may propose a food diary to be kept. That may be a effective way to help in getting an estimation of what symptoms take place along with what foods. Be equipped to establish a dependable description of the conditions to the doctor. A family history may as well be helpful. A careful examination by the physician may omit or include if other medical problems may be existing. Young children might frequently out grow several food allergic reactions. Soy and milk are the most average to out grow. Often the shrimp, fish and peanuts might never be outgrown.

One of the simplest treatments may be the elimination diet. After elimination of suspected foods during a week or two, afterwards add that food back into your diet one at the time. This is not a foolproof methods because some physical and psychological factors may set off a reaction that is not a genuine allergic response.

The skin test will scratch the skin with small quantities of suspected nutrients positioned along the forearm or back. The skin pricked with a needle would let a micro quantity of the content to develop under the skins surface. A swelling or a response will arise if you are allergic to that food.

A blood test may be preformed to measure the immune system's reception to a particular food. The examination will assess the number of allergic reaction type antibodies within the blood stream. These antibodies are known as the immunoglobulin E, or (IgE). A blood sample could be acquired in the physicians office. Then it is sent to a medical laboratory where various foods would be tested. The test are not 100% accurate.

For the less sever responses, the doctor can order antihistamines which might be taken after the exposure to the allergen. That would aid to control the reactions and assist to alleviate some of the irritation. Creams may assist to relieve some of the skin reactions and irritations. If you have a response and call for medical treatment, the emergency room can apply a injection of adrenaline (epinephrine).

Depending on how hard the reactions of the food allergic reactions are, it can become a necessity for the doctor to prescribe an injectable epinephrine like EpiPen or Twinject. If the allergic responses are this serious, you or someone with you will want to have this all the time and know how to use the emergency injection if it is demanded.

There are tons of individuals who hurt from unusual types of allergic reactions. The majority of these allergens that impact them are carried through the air and will hit them in some of the most miserable ways. A couple of the most popular symptoms that they can experience include a runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, and some may discover it challenging to breathe.

It is tricky enough to manage with these symptoms when you are outside - but even worse when you cannot be comfortable in your own house. Yet, there is a means to repair this through the function of an electronic allergy purifier. These are constructed specifically to clean the air in your home by withdrawing not simply the allergens that impact you - but also mold and dust.

People with critical allergic reactions must acquire a purifier that employs the HEPA filtration technology. This is a high efficiency particle arresting filter that is ordinarily utilised in hospitals and large companies. This is effective enough to withdraw the allergens in the air substantially so that people will hardly notice them.

It is crucial that you acquire the right purifier that will be able to get the job done speedily and efficiently. One of the main parts of it that you have to look for is the right filter that it will use. It should use a HEPA filter and likewise have an inner filter. While the HEPA filter will focus on the allergens in the air this other filter will help to take away odors, mold, and dust.

Make sure to get an electronic allergy purifier that is made to cleanse large portions in your home. You will have to measure the amount of space that you have and find a purifier that can clean that much. Certain people will only buy one for their specific room - while others want to get one that will take care of the whole home.

Article Source :http://ezinearticles.com

Two new studies help to show the power of nutrition to assist allergies and asthma. In one study people with higher levels of folic acid in their blood had had fewer IgE antibodies, fewer reported allergies, less wheezing and lower likelihood of asthma. In another study researchers found that lower blood levels of vitamin D in children were linked to allergy and asthma severity.

There is a national epidemic of asthma in children, in part due to obesity and in part due to the overuse of antibiotics that has caused an overgrowth of Candida, in turn causing excessive production of airway inflammatory signals coming from the Candida.

Nutrients are certainly important and low levels of key nutrients may allow such problems to manifest. Magnesium has long been known to be lacking in individuals with allergies and asthma. Vitamin C and bioflavonoids, especially quercetin, are of immense help.

In the new folic acid study researchers look at medical records of 8,000 people ages 2 to 85, comparing folic acid blood levels to levels of IgE antibodies, a key immune system marker that elevates to an allergen. People with higher blood levels of folate had fewer IgE antibodies, fewer reported allergies, less wheezing and lower likelihood of asthma. The researchers believed that folic acid was acting to help reduce inflammation.

"Our findings are a clear indication that folic acid may indeed help regulate immune response to allergens, and may reduce allergy and asthma symptoms," says lead investigator Elizabeth Matsui, M.D. M.H.S., pediatric allergist at Hopkins Children's.

In the new vitamin D study the researchers found that "children with lower vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to have been hospitalized for asthma in the previous year, tended to have airways with increased hyperreactivity and were likely to have used more inhaled corticosteroids, all signifying higher asthma severity. These children were also significantly more likely to have several markers of allergy, including dust-mite sensitivity."

It appears that nutrient deficiencies of common nutrients set the stage for excessive inflammatory reactions, which include allergy and asthma. Parents should obviously improve the quality of the diet of any child with such a problem.

By : Byron J.Richards

Article Source : Http://Ezinearticles.com

Migraines are a common occurrence in our modern life. A recent survey noted that fully 10% of American's twelve and older get migraines.Migraines are distinguished from other headaches by nausea (sometimes leading to vomiting) and light sensitivity(photophobia). Migraines tend to be more common in females. In this article we will explore 4 natural ways to curb these headaches.

As a Acupuncturist I see these a lot and Chinese Medicine states there are many causes for this one disorder. The first thing a patient with should do is look at their individual stress level and attempt to lower it. Chinese Medicine says that when Qi(energy) is stuck (stress causes Qi to get stuck) and can rebell upward causing Headaches.

Stress can be lowered by traditional relaxation exercises like Tai Qi & Qi Gong and also by Meditation & Relaxation Tapes. This can take some time but is well worth it as it can also lower blood pressure and improve mood. Secondly, look at your diet, as many foods are triggers. Caffiene, processed meats, chocolate, MSG, tropical fruits can cause Migraines. Hence eating a good diet, which would be lots of grains, vegitables and seasonal fruit and some meat would be good.

Also, eating Organic is very important, not only are pesticides and growth hormones bad for you, but Organic foods are higher in nutrients. Thirdly, regular sleep helps reduce migraines. So try to get to bed at a regular time, don't eat to late and avoid caffeine & alcohol esp at night. The fourth way is to get Acupuncture Treatments, recent studies show that Acupuncture can reduce the occurrence and severity of Migraines, Acupuncture has a general balancing effect on the body and can stop pain. So in summary, watch your stress level and try to lower it. Look at your diet,

Are there trigger foods you are eating? Get enough sleep. If that doesn't help, try Acupuncture.

Article Source : http://ezinearticles.com

Millions of Americans suffer from allergies, and we all fall prey to the common cold from time to time. Though very different, these two conditions cause similar symptoms. Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether allergies are making you sniffle and sneeze or whether the cold virus is to blame. Many patients I've treated over the years do not take the time to tell the difference-they say they'll feel sick either way. This may be true, but there is a crucial reason to learn how to tell them apart: you will be able to treat your illness more effectively, and therefore, feel healthy faster.

Colds vs. Allergies

The causes of colds and allergies are very different. A cold develops when one of hundreds of different cold viruses gets into your body. This occurs most often by coming into contact with an infected person. You can contract his or her cold virus by shaking hands, being sneezed on, kissing or sharing a glass. You might simply touch an object the infected person has touched and contract the virus by rubbing your nose or touching your food. Once the virus is in your body the immune system kicks into high gear, resulting in common cold symptoms.

When it comes to allergies, there are no viruses or "bugs" to catch. An allergy is when your body mistakes benign substances like pollen for germs. At this point, your immune system behaves in much the same way as it does when you catch a cold virus. The difference is that you are not infected with harmful germs. There is little you can do if you are prone to allergic reactions, and similar allergies often run in families.

Use this guide to recognize the difference between colds and allergies.

It's a cold if you have...

Congested and runny nose with thick green/yellow discharge
Possible low fever
Achy muscles
Weakness and fatigue
Symptoms that strike in the fall or winter and last an average of 5 to 7 days

It's an allergies if you have...

Congestion and runny nose with clear, thin discharge
Sneezing and wheezing
Itchy nose, throat, ears and itchy, watery eyes
Symptoms that occur around the same time every year

Feeling Better Fast­ The Natural Way!

Once you've determined the true cause of your symptoms, you can set about feeling better. Colds can be tough to avoid, considering all the people we interact with everyday. If you have the unmistakable aches and fatigue that accompany colds, get plenty of rest and drink a lot of fluids. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like Advil can relieve aches and pains. If you have severe congestion, you may consider decongestants, but be careful to avoid driving on these meds, as they may cause you to become drowsy.

Natural remedies for colds include zinc, which is sold as lozenges or nasal sprays. Daily doses of vitamin C may prevent cold symptoms from taking hold. Immune booster, Echinacea, is also an effective cold preventer. As far as home remedies go, chicken soup is a sure bet-it may reduce inflammation and helps fight dehydration.

Allergies may be impossible to eradicate, but you can reduce your contact with certain triggers. Avoid spending time outdoors when the pollen count is high. Have any mold in your home treated professionally and regularly change the filters in your ventilation system. Stay away from excessively dusty or damp areas. Decongestants may also help allergy suffers, along with antihistamines, which are available over-the-counter in non-drowsy formulas.

You may also consider herbal remedies for allergies. A study in the British Medical Journal showed that the herb, butterbur, was as effective as antihistamines at preventing symptoms of hay fever. Take one tablet four times a day. Dried nettles or teas made from this plant have been used to treat common allergies. Tonics made with the herb, goldenseal, are another popular alternative remedy. Finally, grape seed extract, thanks to its high flavonoid content, is thought to reduce allergy symptoms.

With a little self-knowledge and a quick evaluation of your symptoms, you can quickly begin an effective regimen of self-care. If allergies are chronic or unmanageable, visit your doctor. Likewise, if a cold lasts longer than two weeks, make an appointment-it could be allergies or a more complex condition. Feeling sneezy, stuffy or tired is unpleasant no matter what the cause, but these tips should have you back in good health in the shortest time possible.

Stress. Just the word makes you tighten up if you have experienced it. You no doubt are aware of how hard it is to get rid of. Sometimes we can manage it by making small changes in our lives. Talking about your problems is one way. Many expert listeners and advisors are available at the web site below to help you with a stressful situation. They have many wonderful suggestions on how you can change your outlook on a situation to help change how you internalize it therefore reducing stress.

A pro active way help get rid of stress is to meditate. Don't be fooled. If you think you can't meditate because you can't relax, you are not alone! It takes a lot of practice and dedication and hopefully you won't get frustrated and give up. Meditating is a wonderful way to refocus your energy and open up your mind so you can get inspiration and direction from having a 'clear head' instead of 'static' always clouding your emotional state due to stress and anxiety.

Changing our routine or removing ourselves from situations and people that give us stress are other ways to reduce stress and the ill effects. However, sometimes, we have many things going on in our lives that we can't control that cause anxiety and stress. When we don't have control of a situation, but can't escape it, the stress is hard to manage. Like trying to outrun a mudslide, you just can't jump out of the way. So how do you deal with stress that you think is almost impossible to do anything about or even reduce? When conventional medicines are not an option, for many reasons...side effects, expense and getting diagnosed and waiting for a prescription, you may consider the alternative ways to reduce stress.

If you can't meditate or change your routine, which I strongly recommend, you may want to consider an 'energy clearing'. This is done with the help of a 'Master Healer'. They read your energy and tell you where you are weak and help you to clear channels of energy to invite positive energy in. This has been practiced by spiritual and not-so-spiritual people since the beginning of time. Many cultures believe that 'energy' or 'spirituality' is the core of our being and needs to be healthy for us to be happy. Remember the saying for computers.. "garbage in garbage out'? Well the same for us. SO if it's 'positive energy in, positive energy will come out'.

Stress will do you in. You always feel like you are carrying a heavy burden with you wherever you go. It effects you physically, emotionally and clouds your judgment usually leading to a worse situation! An Energy Clearing or Spiritual Healing can help. You can find someone to go to in your area that practices alternative medicines. You may also want to consider taking a yoga class so you have support around you and practice 'centering' yourself a few times a week to help handle stress in the future.

I have used the help of a master healer to cope with stress and it helped me to reduce anxiety. Her name is Tracy known as AngelHealing. I personally have had her do a 'healing' on me and it was like nothing I had ever experienced! I suggest if you need help for stress right now and have tried other methods, give this a shot. I awoke the next day with energy, inspiration and joy. The feeling of joy...it's to be cherished, especially when you KNOW what stress is!

Start reducing your stress so you can manage your life better and have balance! Many blessings and good luck!

By : Anna Pereira

Article source : http://ezinearticles.com

We spend one third of our life in sleep, but without that we would not be able to work for the other two thirds. Sleep is the rejuvenating mechanism of the body. As the sun sets and darkness falls, we naturally tend to feel sleepy and when we wake up with the sun, we are again full of energy. Why we sleep is still a subject of scientific investigations.

Advantages of sleeping

• After rest, the brain is better able to concentrate during the day

• Sleeping allows the brain to organize memories collected during the day. If we go without sleep, we may not be able to remember many things.

• During sleep, the body repairs nerve cells which get damaged from the day's activity and stress. The skin, which is exposed to U-V rays during the day, also rejuvenates during the night.

• Many hormones are active when we are asleep, especially growth hormones.

• It is a recent finding that sleeping also reins in the appetite hormones as a result of which we feel less craving for energy rich food, thus preventing causes of obesity.

Sleep deprivation for long periods can cause hallucinations. Irregular sleep patterns greatly affect blood pressure and levels of cholesterol, which are directly related to heart attacks. Sleeping less also contributes to other diseases like diabetes, colon cancer and obesity.

Many people cannot sleep or if they sleep, they wake up early feeling exhausted. This is known as insomnia which results in poor performance in job, mood swings and inability to maintain good relations with people.

Tips on correct sleeping habits

• Hormonal activity is high during early hours of the night, so it is advisable to go to sleep before 10 pm.

• Waking up at different times of the day causes disruptions in the body's biological cycle, so make a habit of getting up at the same hour everyday.

• A sedentary lifestyle does not make the body tired enough to sleep. Therefore, walking for 30 minutes before sleeping can promote a good sleep.

• Eating just before sleeping keeps the digestive system in operation preventing the body from doing other tasks.

• Uncomfortable clothes and a noisy environment create disturbance in sleep so make sure these factors are taken care of.

• Working on something stressful just before sleeping causes the mind to continue its work thus causing sleep disorders.

• Since coffee or caffeine based drinks make you alert, avoid them before going to sleep.

• Breathing exercises can help to induce sleep

A good sleep can help you to work more, decide better, prevent injuries, and recover from illness faster.

By : Angela Giles

Article Source : Http://ezinearticles.com

We breathe in pairs, except for two times in our lives. At birth, we take our first breath; at death we exhale for the last time.

Every day, we breathe about 23,040 times moving over 438 cubic feet of air. It takes but two seconds to inhale and three seconds to exhale. During those times odors flood our smell receptors with information.

Smells swirl around us, enter our bodies and emanate from us. Whether the smells are dispersed in the environment or delivered discreetly through an aromapod, we are in a constant wash of them. The sense of smell is thousands of times more sensitive than any of our other senses. In less than a millisecond, just one whiff of a familiar smell can trigger memories of childhood, home and family. Smell impulses travel faster than signals from sight or sound because the olfactory system is the only part of the brain that is directly exposed to the air.

The brain processes sensory information delivered through sight, sound, taste and touch by identifying the incoming information first, which in turn generates an emotional reaction. But our sense of smell is different. It does the opposite. The information of incoming odors is first processed by the emotions and subsequently identified. This places our sense of smell at the root of our emotional being.

Aromas delivered directly to the smell receptors in our brain have a powerful effect on behavior. Just think of your response to the smell of a cup of coffee in the morning or your reaction to a dead skunk on the side of the road.

Since birth, our smell receptors have catalogued every scent that passed through our nostrils in an area of the brain the size of a postage stamp. The average adult is able to process approximately 10,000 different smells with each odor having the potential to evoke a memory.

Smell influences our moods, our emotions and the choice of our mates. It is the main organ that contributes to our enjoyment of our sense of taste. Smells warn us of dangers, such as fire, poisonous fumes and spoiled food and gives us awareness of our place in the environment. Our sense of smell contributes enormously to the quality and enjoyment of our lives, our health and our well being. It is the mind-body interface.

But we take our sense of smell for granted. There are no galleries displaying smells like paintings. There are no concertos written for nose. We do not have special menus of smells created for grand occasions. Odors cannot be measured on a linear scale like those used to measure the wavelength of light or the frequency of sound. We have not yet developed a smell scale because odorant molecules vary widely in chemical composition and three-dimensional shape.

Our culture places such low value on olfaction that we have never developed a proper vocabulary for it. We have names for all the pastels in a hue but none for the notes and tints of a smell. It is almost impossible to explain how something smells to someone who hasn't smelled it. We go through our daily lives paying little attention to this enigmatic sense.

But this is all about to change. Research into the power of our sense of smell is a new medical frontier. It will provide consumers with sophisticated products that use the sense of smell to analyze, manage and enhance behavior, treat diseases, improve performance and deliver an endless range of exotic scents to pleasure this forgotten sense.

We are at the beginning of a smell revolution.

What is a healthy amount of body fat? This depends on who you are and what you do. Athletes on strict training and diet regimens may have as little as 14-18% body fat for women and 6-12% for men. The healthy, fit range is from 18-22% for women and from 12-17% for men. Having over 30% body fat for women and 20% body fat for men increases the risk of disease and is considered obese. If your body fat percentage is higher than the healthy, fit levels yet is lower than the obese levels, you may benefit from a healthy diet and exercise, but are not at health risk related to body composition.

Now that we've covered the basics on body fat, let's move on to what's left, which is collectively termed "lean body mass." Lean body mass includes everything in your body but fat - muscle, bones, organs, fluids, etc. By exercising regularly and eating a healthy, balanced diet, it is possible to achieve and maintain a desirable ratio of fat to lean. Resistance training can increase muscle mass, which thereby increases your lean body mass. And since your muscles are what gives your body shape and form over your skeleton, building strong, healthy muscles can make you look good, too!

Another benefit of increasing lean body mass is that it can help your body become a better calorie-burning machine! It's true - by increasing muscle mass, you will increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and burn more calories all day long! How is this possible? Because muscle tissue contains little organelles called mitochondria, which put simply, are little energy producing machines. The more muscle tissue you have, the more mitochondria you have. And yes - you've got it - the more mitochondria you have, the more calories you burn!

Fat cells, on the other hand, do not have any such amazing abilities. In fact, body fat above the level of essential fat is considered storage fat and is actually a source of fuel that can feed the mitochondria and help keep your body running. A certain amount of storage fat is also important for cushioning and protecting the bones, muscles and organs, and for temperature regulation. However, high levels of body fat can adversely affect temperature regulation, as well as overtax the body's organs and systems over time.

A last point to note is that your body weight is about 60-70% water, with muscle tissue being 70-75% water and fat 10-15% water. Women will be slightly less hydrated than men, due to the higher level of essential fat. Water is essential to life - it is present in all of your body fluids and tissues. In blood, it transports nutrients and oxygen to your cells, and picks up waste products for elimination. In sweat, it helps cool your body and in saliva and digestive fluids it helps break down the food you eat. Water is even a key ingredient for healthy, radiant skin!

While height and weight are valuable numbers to know, your body composition will tell you much more about your overall health, and it gives you some insight into what is going on inside you!

References:

Jordan, P., ed. (1995) Fitness: Theory & Practice. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.

Clark, N. (1995) Water: the Ultimate Nutrient. Physician and Sports Medicine, 23:5: 32g-32h.

By now, we all understand that regular exercise is good for everybody. Its good the heart, it helps us maintain a desirable body weight, and has a positive effect on relieving stress. But, there are many exercise myths that have repeatedly been presented as fact, either by those who are trying to sell us something, or by those who mean well, but haven't gotten their facts straight. Here are five myths about physical fitness that some readers may find surprising.

Myth #1

You can reduce fat in specific areas of the body, by doing exercises that target those particular body areas.

On the face of it, that seems to make sense, but trying to burn fat in a precise spot where you want to lose it, simply doesn't work. The only way to burn fat is through exercise, expending more calories then you've ingested. And exercise burns fat gradually, and from all areas of the body simultaneously, not just around the muscles you're using. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't work the areas where you have extra fat though. Doing so will build muscle there, and that will give that area a more toned look, when the fat over the muscle is reduced.

Myth #2

You must exercise regularly, in order for the exertion to benefit you.

There's no doubt about it, getting truly physically fit requires many weeks of diligent effort. With that in mind, many people believe, that if they can't or don't have the willpower to exercise several times per week, any lesser effort is wasted. But, any amount of exercise is beneficial.

Even if you only take a walk occasionally, the effort can help lower your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. It probably won't help you lose weight or build muscle, but it's certainly worthwhile, from an overall health point-of-view. And psychologically, sometimes when we start off exercising every now and then, we soon realize, that's it not as difficult as we thought, and making time for exercise on a regular basis, is not as difficult as we might have believed.

Myth #3

Strength training will make your body too muscular.

Some people use weight training to develop large muscles. Many others participate in order to increase their strength and tone their overall musculature, but are not interested in "bulking up." But if you follow a sensible strength-training regimen, there's no need to end up looking like a bodybuilder. On the contrary, without a positive genetic disposition for large muscle growth, any strength training results will be positive, but not excessive.

The "bodybuilders" pictured today spend many hours a week in the gym, performing many sets, with increasing weight resistance. A more mainstream strength training program consists of 10 - 12 different exercises, at between 8 - 12 repetitions, utilizing all major muscle groups, twice-a-week.

Myth #4

Muscle turns to fat, if you stop exercising that muscle group.

Muscle cannot magically transform itself into fatty tissue. There is no need to worry about your hard-earned, six-pack abs turning into jello, if your exercise routine is interrupted. Muscles will shrink (atrophy), if not challenged regularly, with resistance exercises, and this may create a flabby, less-toned appearance, over time. The missed exercise routine, with fewer calories burned, will also cause a reduced metabolism, making it much more likely, you will gain weight, as fat.

Myth #5

I'm too old to start exercising.

Aging, in many cases, brings an inevitable decrease in personal health status. With that in mind, many people believe that, if they haven't followed a regular exercise routine, starting later in life is futile. Research has showed that nothing could be further from the truth. Exercise can assist in the management of many health problems, common among the middle-aged and elderly. As always, it's extremely important to consult your physician, before embarking on a strenuous regimen, as they understand your physical condition better than anyone. Unfortunately, although exercise is incredibly beneficial to most, because of prior medical conditions, certain individuals may not be able to participate safely.
Exercise myths may hinder people from embarking on a personal fitness program. Knowing the truth, behind the myths, may alleviate those fears, and make it easier for individuals to pursue a healthy lifestyle correctly.

By : Gregory Camp

Article Source : http://ezinearticles.com