The benefits of oncology massage, reviewed and researched for as long as I have been working in cancer centers as a Massage Therapist, encourage us, as Massage Therapists, to become vital support team members. Research indicates the possibilities of helping with the side effects of cancer treatment when patients, staff and physicians recognize what massage can do throughout treatment. Just as important is engaging with survivors and asking them the question, "What hobby gives you peace and comfort in difficult times?"
During massage therapy encounters in a chemotherapy unit I often have conversations with individual patients in regards to their art or craft history; painting, pottery, knitting, scrap booking, music, jewelry making, weaving, dance and other healing arts that are equally important. These conversations allow us to share our creative endeavors and serve as distraction therapy during their chemotherapy treatment. A simple lesson on the mindfulness of creative arts helps patients to realize how important it is to maintain their interests during treatment. Engaging in art keeps our brains busy with good feelings. I share how my time at a pottery wheel or on a dance floor allows me to be in the moment to be fully present to the experience which I believe for me is as good as yoga or a sitting meditation. I love inspiring each patient to fully understand how their creative energies are truly healing for them. Their creative energies can be a source of comfort and control as they go through cancer treatment. The ability to be in the moment, can brings feelings of comfort and control. The feeling of joy increases while using their creative energies, which can temporarily decrease the anxiety of cancer treatment. The hopeful end result can be good feelings of determination and recovery.
In one recent conversation a new patient told me she use to paint but with three children and a new cancer diagnosis she doubts that she will have the time. I offered a simple idea of bringing a sketchbook to her treatments and using that time in chemotherapy to draw in the sketch book. She loved the idea and I hope to see the sketchbook filled with images of what is most important to her soon. Another patient sings professionally and it is the highlight of her week to sit at a local tiki booth and sing. During her treatment cycle she might not have the energy to set up her speakers or tear her equipment down. However, she does have a supportive husband who can be her one man crew, and with that help she can still sing to her heart's content. Another patient shares her love of art and I share how much I love creating my pottery pieces and sharing photos of my work. Conversation about art and craft history, creative energies, and being in the moment make time spent with a patient fly for both of us. I always leave a few minutes for quiet massage after we share our passions with each other. Conversations and encouragement to continue an arts and craft hobby that centers us on what we are doing at the moment, helps patients realize the importance of being in that moment during cancer treatment. With massage therapy and conversation they smile with gratitude and continue the good fight. I always encourage the Massage Therapists that I train to understand the value of these conversations with their clients, as well as have creative moments of joy for themselves.
By Toni Muirhead
Article Source: Oncology Massage and Healing Arts Conversations
Type 2 Diabetes - Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels and Body Weight Without Goal Setting
Our suggestion to not set health and fitness goals may come to you as a surprise. Most people believe in setting goals, which is not inherently wrong. It is ambitious, it can be fruitful, and it may even be fulfilling. But you should note there are no guarantees - whether it ultimately proves successful is entirely conditional. As you are about to discover, more often than not health and fitness goals lead to disappointment, if not outright failure.
The alternative is to set your sights on the process, or system, instead of the objective. While you could argue doing so implies you are striving towards an ultimate goal regardless, the difference is what merits your attention. And it is where your focus lies that determines your chances of succeeding.
To clarify, let us go over an example. We will start with a health and fitness goal of losing 20 pounds and lowering your blood sugar levels.
We are not suggesting you do not do your best to lose weight or reverse your prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. But if you set highly specific goals, you are going to burden yourself with big expectations. You will regularly remind yourself you "need" to lose 20 pounds and lower your blood sugar. When you are making progress, this is fine. But when you stall, you are going to start second-guessing: you are going to fear failure. Your confidence in your ability to succeed will take a hit, which could make you take your hard-earned progress for granted.
Congratulations if you do succeed. But what comes next? Will you feel you need to set another goal due to your goal-setting mentality making you feel aimless without one? Even if you succeed with some important goals, you are going to miss out on others. This is likely to hurt your self-esteem, and potentially make you feel depressed at your inability to succeed.
If your intention is to lose weight and better your health, it is infinitely better to focus on the responsible process or system. In the case of lowering your blood sugar and reducing your weight by say 20 pounds, this involves healthy eating and exercising. Instead of focusing on your ultimate goal, concentrate on eating well today. Exercise not to help you to reduce your weight but because it is necessary for a healthy body. And trust your blood sugar is going to be lower the next time you go in for a check-up because you have changed your food choices and adopted a healthier lifestyle.
When you concentrate on the process itself, it is impossible to feel upset. Consequently, you are more likely to make progress. If you live a healthier life by actively managing your food choices and overall lifestyle, you will avoid the ups and downs that come with goals, while gaining the same benefits. And you will avoid feeling aimless or frustrated, which is common for goal-setters.
Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
By Beverleigh H Piepers
Article Source: Type 2 Diabetes - Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels and Body Weight Without Goal Setting
The alternative is to set your sights on the process, or system, instead of the objective. While you could argue doing so implies you are striving towards an ultimate goal regardless, the difference is what merits your attention. And it is where your focus lies that determines your chances of succeeding.
To clarify, let us go over an example. We will start with a health and fitness goal of losing 20 pounds and lowering your blood sugar levels.
We are not suggesting you do not do your best to lose weight or reverse your prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. But if you set highly specific goals, you are going to burden yourself with big expectations. You will regularly remind yourself you "need" to lose 20 pounds and lower your blood sugar. When you are making progress, this is fine. But when you stall, you are going to start second-guessing: you are going to fear failure. Your confidence in your ability to succeed will take a hit, which could make you take your hard-earned progress for granted.
Congratulations if you do succeed. But what comes next? Will you feel you need to set another goal due to your goal-setting mentality making you feel aimless without one? Even if you succeed with some important goals, you are going to miss out on others. This is likely to hurt your self-esteem, and potentially make you feel depressed at your inability to succeed.
If your intention is to lose weight and better your health, it is infinitely better to focus on the responsible process or system. In the case of lowering your blood sugar and reducing your weight by say 20 pounds, this involves healthy eating and exercising. Instead of focusing on your ultimate goal, concentrate on eating well today. Exercise not to help you to reduce your weight but because it is necessary for a healthy body. And trust your blood sugar is going to be lower the next time you go in for a check-up because you have changed your food choices and adopted a healthier lifestyle.
When you concentrate on the process itself, it is impossible to feel upset. Consequently, you are more likely to make progress. If you live a healthier life by actively managing your food choices and overall lifestyle, you will avoid the ups and downs that come with goals, while gaining the same benefits. And you will avoid feeling aimless or frustrated, which is common for goal-setters.
Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.
The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.
By Beverleigh H Piepers
Article Source: Type 2 Diabetes - Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels and Body Weight Without Goal Setting
5 Reasons Why Knee Replacements Fail
Today, due to the development of new surgical techniques and treatments, the accuracy of this procedure is increased and the recovery time is decreased.
However, not all surgical procedures have the desired outcome even though knee prosthesis is built to last for decades. Sometimes, due to various reasons, the replacement fails.
Signs and Symptoms
In most of the cases, you will feel knee pain, which is the most common warning sign that something is wrong. You may also notice swelling of the knee, reduced range of motion, knee stiffness and sometimes even inability to walk.
Why do knee replacements fail?
They can fail for various reasons.
With infection at the operation site or stiffness of the knee can cause loss of ability to move the knee leading to a knee replacement failure. The surrounding soft tissue can be so weak that it can no longer provide the necessary support for the new knee, making the prosthesis fail.
An injury to the replaced knee or bone fractures can lead to failures. In rare cases, the implants can wear out or loosen over the time, even though they are built to last.
In all these cases, a second replacement surgery is necessary and a new prosthesis will be built, if possible.
Loosening Implants
It can occur in cases when the patient is obese or performs high-impact activities in excess. Sometimes, though rare, the device can fail due to the manufacturer's faulty design. Loosening of the implant is the most common complications resulting from a faulty device.
This is more likely to occur when parts of the implant device start to separate from one another. Between the components, the soft tissue tends to grow, leading to [http://www.painfreenyc.com/knee-pain-specialists-doctors-brooklyn-nyc/]knee pain, knee stiffness, etc.
Loosening of the knee implants is normal and it tends to occur with time. However, it does not occur for several years. In defect implants, loosening occurs within a year and sometimes within a couple of months.
Infections after Knee Replacement
One of the most serious complications following a knee replacement is infections. However, when performed by a professional and as needed, the chances of having an infection are very low.
Patients who undergo a surgical treatment for the second time, regardless of the reason, have a higher chance of getting an infection. Infections tend to develop quicker on the implanted knee as the implant does not have its own blood supply system. Thus, making it easier for microorganisms to attach to the device and infect the surrounding tissue.
In general, knee replacement infections are classified into three types:
Early infections - occur within the first 3 months after the surgical procedure.
Delayed infections - occur within 3 to 12 months after the surgical procedure.
Late infections - occur after 12 months, sometimes even years after the surgical procedure. These infections are mostly hematogenous, meaning that they spread from other locations in the human body. Patients who have knee prosthesis will need to take antibiotics before they undergo any surgical procedure, even dental work in order to prevent late infections of the knee implant.
Osteolysis
Osteolysis is a knee replacement complication which can lead to knee replacement failure. It occurs when particles are generated by the plastic pieces of the implant. These plastic pieces then enter the patient's immune system. The white blood cells will digest these foreign pieces, leading to a bone digestion. As a result, the bones are damaged and the implant will start to loosen, leading eventually to a knee replacement failure. Osteolysis is more common in cases where the implants are made of polyethylene.
Arthrofibrosis
Also known as joint stiffness is more likely to occur in obese patients or those suffering from diabetes and other chronic diseases. If after the surgery, a slow mobilization occurs, the risk for joint stiffness is higher.
Ligament Instability
This leads to knee instability and knee replacement failure. During surgery, ligaments are sometimes cut, damaged or even improperly balanced. This will make the knee skip away from one side to the other. As the ligaments heal, stability of the knee is gained. However, sometimes a knee brace might be required or even a second surgical treatment.
Don't hesitate to contact a Specialist as soon as you start noticing any of the above-mentioned signs and symptoms. They can indicate a knee replacement fail.
By Emma Kalman
Article Source: 5 Reasons Why Knee Replacements Fail
However, not all surgical procedures have the desired outcome even though knee prosthesis is built to last for decades. Sometimes, due to various reasons, the replacement fails.
Signs and Symptoms
In most of the cases, you will feel knee pain, which is the most common warning sign that something is wrong. You may also notice swelling of the knee, reduced range of motion, knee stiffness and sometimes even inability to walk.
Why do knee replacements fail?
They can fail for various reasons.
With infection at the operation site or stiffness of the knee can cause loss of ability to move the knee leading to a knee replacement failure. The surrounding soft tissue can be so weak that it can no longer provide the necessary support for the new knee, making the prosthesis fail.
An injury to the replaced knee or bone fractures can lead to failures. In rare cases, the implants can wear out or loosen over the time, even though they are built to last.
In all these cases, a second replacement surgery is necessary and a new prosthesis will be built, if possible.
Loosening Implants
It can occur in cases when the patient is obese or performs high-impact activities in excess. Sometimes, though rare, the device can fail due to the manufacturer's faulty design. Loosening of the implant is the most common complications resulting from a faulty device.
This is more likely to occur when parts of the implant device start to separate from one another. Between the components, the soft tissue tends to grow, leading to [http://www.painfreenyc.com/knee-pain-specialists-doctors-brooklyn-nyc/]knee pain, knee stiffness, etc.
Loosening of the knee implants is normal and it tends to occur with time. However, it does not occur for several years. In defect implants, loosening occurs within a year and sometimes within a couple of months.
Infections after Knee Replacement
One of the most serious complications following a knee replacement is infections. However, when performed by a professional and as needed, the chances of having an infection are very low.
Patients who undergo a surgical treatment for the second time, regardless of the reason, have a higher chance of getting an infection. Infections tend to develop quicker on the implanted knee as the implant does not have its own blood supply system. Thus, making it easier for microorganisms to attach to the device and infect the surrounding tissue.
In general, knee replacement infections are classified into three types:
Early infections - occur within the first 3 months after the surgical procedure.
Delayed infections - occur within 3 to 12 months after the surgical procedure.
Late infections - occur after 12 months, sometimes even years after the surgical procedure. These infections are mostly hematogenous, meaning that they spread from other locations in the human body. Patients who have knee prosthesis will need to take antibiotics before they undergo any surgical procedure, even dental work in order to prevent late infections of the knee implant.
Osteolysis
Osteolysis is a knee replacement complication which can lead to knee replacement failure. It occurs when particles are generated by the plastic pieces of the implant. These plastic pieces then enter the patient's immune system. The white blood cells will digest these foreign pieces, leading to a bone digestion. As a result, the bones are damaged and the implant will start to loosen, leading eventually to a knee replacement failure. Osteolysis is more common in cases where the implants are made of polyethylene.
Arthrofibrosis
Also known as joint stiffness is more likely to occur in obese patients or those suffering from diabetes and other chronic diseases. If after the surgery, a slow mobilization occurs, the risk for joint stiffness is higher.
Ligament Instability
This leads to knee instability and knee replacement failure. During surgery, ligaments are sometimes cut, damaged or even improperly balanced. This will make the knee skip away from one side to the other. As the ligaments heal, stability of the knee is gained. However, sometimes a knee brace might be required or even a second surgical treatment.
Don't hesitate to contact a Specialist as soon as you start noticing any of the above-mentioned signs and symptoms. They can indicate a knee replacement fail.
By Emma Kalman
Article Source: 5 Reasons Why Knee Replacements Fail
What Is Carotid Artery Disease?
What is a Carotid Ultrasound?
Carotid ultrasound is sometimes called Doppler testing. It's able to determine if your artery walls are narrowed and if you have some plaque in your arteries. It also shows a number of other important factors that include the direction and speed of your blood flow. It also includes the pressure of the blood on the artery walls, as well as the location of any potential blood clots.
If you have recently undergone surgery on your carotid arteries, this ultrasound will show how effective the procedure has been. It's also used to determine the placement of a stent. It is a specialized type of mesh tube that is carefully inserted into the artery to help improve the blood flow by keeping the artery open and clear. A carotid ultrasound can also determine the effectiveness of the stent during follow-up visits with your cardiologist.
Will This Test be Uncomfortable or Painful?
The really nice thing about this test is that it is completely painless and non-invasive as it simply involves having an ultrasound wand moved over your neck. This will provide your cardiologist with real-time images of the blood flow in the arteries that are shown on a screen.
Sometimes this type of test will be used in conjunction with other procedures to provide a more definitive diagnosis. These tests may include CT scan, x-rays or an MRI. Maybe even an angiography which is a different type of scan where an injected dye will highlight any abnormalities in the arteries.
Who Should Have a Carotid Ultrasound?
A carotid ultrasound may be required to diagnose a problem or as part of a follow-up appointment for previous treatment. Your cardiologist may suggest this test as part of a routine preventative examination. For example; if you are more at risk of developing coronary heart disease. This could be the case if you have certain risk factors or a family history of this disease.
It might be worth having a carotid ultrasound if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, already have coronary artery disease or a family history of this disease. Even if your physician has picked up abnormal sounds on a stethoscope.
People who are particularly inactive or who smoke or who are extremely overweight may also benefit from this test. The great thing about this type of test is that when used as a preventative measure, it can detect the early signs of plaque buildup in the arteries. Hopefully, before any damage caused to the arteries is permanent.
Plaque consists of fat and calcium, and excess cholesterol. It tends to develop as a result of a lack of exercise or due to poor diet. The plaques that develop in arteries are initially soft and are filled with cholesterol, but if they rupture then they can cause an injury at the rupture site.
This resulting scar tissue will eventually become calcified. These areas of calcified healed plaque can interrupt the flow of blood, increasing the risk of blood clots that are more likely to block the blood vessels.
By detecting the presence of plaque at an early stage, your cardiologist will be able to provide medications to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Additionally, you will be able to make modifications to your lifestyle to help reverse the process.
This test can be a highly beneficial preventative procedure. Especially as it's estimated that carotid artery disease causes between 10% and 20% of all strokes in the United States. There is the potential that this test could save your life, as a stroke could leave you with permanent brain damage or may even be fatal.
If you are interested in preventing any form of heart disease or have a family history of heart problems, it could be well worth scheduling an appointment your doctor.
By Emma Kalman
Article Source: What Is Carotid Artery Disease?
Carotid ultrasound is sometimes called Doppler testing. It's able to determine if your artery walls are narrowed and if you have some plaque in your arteries. It also shows a number of other important factors that include the direction and speed of your blood flow. It also includes the pressure of the blood on the artery walls, as well as the location of any potential blood clots.
If you have recently undergone surgery on your carotid arteries, this ultrasound will show how effective the procedure has been. It's also used to determine the placement of a stent. It is a specialized type of mesh tube that is carefully inserted into the artery to help improve the blood flow by keeping the artery open and clear. A carotid ultrasound can also determine the effectiveness of the stent during follow-up visits with your cardiologist.
Will This Test be Uncomfortable or Painful?
The really nice thing about this test is that it is completely painless and non-invasive as it simply involves having an ultrasound wand moved over your neck. This will provide your cardiologist with real-time images of the blood flow in the arteries that are shown on a screen.
Sometimes this type of test will be used in conjunction with other procedures to provide a more definitive diagnosis. These tests may include CT scan, x-rays or an MRI. Maybe even an angiography which is a different type of scan where an injected dye will highlight any abnormalities in the arteries.
Who Should Have a Carotid Ultrasound?
A carotid ultrasound may be required to diagnose a problem or as part of a follow-up appointment for previous treatment. Your cardiologist may suggest this test as part of a routine preventative examination. For example; if you are more at risk of developing coronary heart disease. This could be the case if you have certain risk factors or a family history of this disease.
It might be worth having a carotid ultrasound if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, already have coronary artery disease or a family history of this disease. Even if your physician has picked up abnormal sounds on a stethoscope.
People who are particularly inactive or who smoke or who are extremely overweight may also benefit from this test. The great thing about this type of test is that when used as a preventative measure, it can detect the early signs of plaque buildup in the arteries. Hopefully, before any damage caused to the arteries is permanent.
Plaque consists of fat and calcium, and excess cholesterol. It tends to develop as a result of a lack of exercise or due to poor diet. The plaques that develop in arteries are initially soft and are filled with cholesterol, but if they rupture then they can cause an injury at the rupture site.
This resulting scar tissue will eventually become calcified. These areas of calcified healed plaque can interrupt the flow of blood, increasing the risk of blood clots that are more likely to block the blood vessels.
By detecting the presence of plaque at an early stage, your cardiologist will be able to provide medications to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Additionally, you will be able to make modifications to your lifestyle to help reverse the process.
This test can be a highly beneficial preventative procedure. Especially as it's estimated that carotid artery disease causes between 10% and 20% of all strokes in the United States. There is the potential that this test could save your life, as a stroke could leave you with permanent brain damage or may even be fatal.
If you are interested in preventing any form of heart disease or have a family history of heart problems, it could be well worth scheduling an appointment your doctor.
By Emma Kalman
Article Source: What Is Carotid Artery Disease?
Traumas Are Portals To Awakening
Like many people in the early 70's, trauma forced me into questioning what life meant to me. My particular trauma at age 27 was being left with two small children after the death of my first husband, David. This was during an expansion of consciousness rising time when events such as the Viet Nam War, the Kent State shooting of students rebelling against it, birth control and the sexual revolution leading to flower children and love-ins, kicked us into gear. Many people began testing the waters of what we could experience - drugs, sex and rock n' roll. After David's death, I broke out of my protective shell and went looking for my own answers because what I knew no longer made sense; I became a seeker. I knew I would remarry and I wanted to marry an educated man, someone who liked to travel, was domestic, and although I didn't put it down as a requirement at the time, had a spiritual bent.
I met Bill. He was a meditator, also widowed, had a young child close to my two children's age and, due to his trauma after the death of his first wife, he opened up to alternative approaches for dealing with stress. He had taken up meditation and introduced it to me. I was enthralled by meditation once I learned it and wanted to learn more so I signed up for a Yoga Teachers' Training course at the Yoga Centre Toronto where the old school of yoga teaching was still around - honouring the ancient yoga philosophy and instructing according to this philosophy. Back in those days, there was no Hot Yoga, Power Yoga, or Yoga to Lose Weight. It was Hatha Yoga, Pranayamas, Meditation and Yoga philosophy that was taught.
PRESSURE POINT WORK AND MAGICAL RESULTS
One of my teachers, Jay Bixby was his name, came up to me after his class and said, "Stay around after class, Danielle; I want to show you some healing techniques." I was lucky enough at that time to have menstrual cramps and Jay proceeded to do some pressure point work on me. He pressed along my collar bone area, thumb walked down either side of my spine, hit points on my hip area, did spinal pressure point work on my thumbs and feet and to my amazement my cramping disappeared. I could feel this current of energy go into my abdominal area and dissipate the cramping. I thought, "Wow, this is better than taking a Midol pill."
I shared this experience with Bill and we decided that I would take my first pressure point course - Vita Flex from the book by Stanley Burroughs called "Healing for the Age of Enlightenment". It was 1977 and Mr. Burroughs had been around for a long time as a pioneer in the healing arts field. He was well ahead of his time and had been arrested for "curing" people which threatened the medical model but that didn't stop him putting the word out. His book included the famous Master Cleansing Diet, Yoga poses (designed by Jay Bixby), colour therapy which I love, and his wonderful Vita Flex pressure point methodologies. This is my favourite book of all time and when I find copies of it, I snatch them up and pass them on to students when they take my Lower Leg or Upper Body Advanced Circulation workshops, which include some Vita Flex points.
About the time I took Vita Flex, Bill's son had been diagnosed with a curvature in his spinal column. We were instructed to take him to Sunny Brook Hospital for X-rays where it showed that his thigh bone fit into his hip socket incorrectly, thereby pushing his hip off and ending with a curved spine and one leg 1.5 cm shorter than the other. We were asked to come back in three months to see how he was doing.
I took my stepson to the Vita Flex teacher and asked him if he could lengthen legs. (I was really being facetious as I didn't think it would be possible.) He said, "Yes, in fact, there is a leg-lengthening point in the collar bone area." The teacher taught me what to do and I performed this two-minute ritual every morning before I sent the kids off to school. I only pressed on the collar bone area, thumb walked down either side of his spine and did the spinal areas on the thumbs and the feet. The teacher had said that it would probably take about three months to normalize the leg.
That was all I did and then we took him back to Sunny Brook as requested to get X-rays once again and to our amazement, he was completely normalized! Well, you can imagine that we were very, very impressed with this result and totally delighted for our son as he was only ten years old and now could continue life with a better skeletal system.
ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER
That got us hooked on the healing arts and I think I took every course that came to town in those days. Wonderful courses with Dr. Bernard Jensen on Whole Foods and Iridology, Dr. Alzner's Deep Muscle Reflexology, Werner Erhard's Seminar Training known as EST which was very mind-altering in those days, and although I loved the Vita Flex method, I went on to get certified with the Reflexology Association of Canada in the early 80's and became a teacher shortly after that.
At that time, doing all this alternative stuff was nowhere near as close to main stream as it is today -- reflexology, yoga, and vegetarianism were still hokey pokey and we were considered a bit weird by our children's friends. The kids would come home from school and I'd be standing on my head, or be in the corpse pose, or twisted like a pretzel. The visiting kids used to say to our children that there was never anything normal to eat in this house. We were really post-latent hippies raising new age children in a very confusing era. We didn't have any road maps to follow and were making it up as we went along. We would have visiting yogis, psychic healers, people from other planets (so they said), walk-ins, tarot card readers and lots of wonderful experiences in that household - this is what our children were exposed to - lots and lots of whole person's workshops and alternative living ideas.
Because our children were exposed to reflexology at a very young age, they often asked to have their feet done and were used to thinking of the body mapped out on the feet. Once, at a doctor's appointment, the doctor said, "Let me take a look at your stomach" and my one daughter started taking off her shoes. I had to hold back some smiles.
We learned more yoga teachings from our yoga spiritual teacher, Dr. Ramamurti Mishra who was the most delightful yogi anyone could find. We were so very fortunate to have been exposed to his teachings about the philosophy of Ayurveda and the personal doshas (tendencies), yoga chakra healing and various practices for cleansing.
I also continued my education while raising the children and graduated with a degree in psychology and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management. I found that I had a keen interest in personality theory and qualified in the use of the MBTI� (Myers Briggs Type Indicator). I worked for a couple of companies teaching workshops in the use of a behavioural model and got further trained in temperament personality theory. I was having a blast learning all this wonderful stuff for self-understanding and healing.
A WHOLE HEALING SYSTEM AT OUR FINGERTIPS
All of these learning experiences led me to put together how to think of reflexology of the ears, hands, and feet. I realized that with the personality temperament theory (similar to Ayurveda mind-body system), we can think of the human instrument as a wholistic system consisting of a Mental Side which acts as the Dreamer in us and produces our Ideas; a Social Side which acts as a Catalyst in us and generates our Connections; and a Physical Side which acts as the Builder in us providing feedback that helps manifest and consolidate the ideas and connections.
Because I was fortunate to teach all three reflexology courses to students -- Feet, Hands, and Ear Reflexology -- I asked them what their experiences were and how they felt the three modalities differed. It was from my students that I tied together the knowledge of Ayurveda, personality temperaments, and reflexology modalities into a whole system at our finger tips. The benefits students expressed fit nicely into the principles of Ayurveda and we determined that by doing the ears we felt calmer; by doing the hands we felt our emotions cooled; and by doing the feet we felt the body was stimulated. I was so excited about how this all came together and tried to capture it in The Well-Tempered Life -- a book that summarized my experience with yoga, personality theory, and reflexology.
• If the Mental principle is imbalanced, do Ear Reflexology to calm the mind.
• If someone is frustrated, upset or angry, do Hand Reflexology to cool the emotions of the Social principle.
• And if someone is tired, lethargic and dull due to too many time constraints and no time for rest and repair, do Foot Reflexology to stimulate the Physical principle.
MOTHER NATURE IS THE HEALER
Like many reflexologists, we know this is powerful work we're doing and we're thrilled when people tell us the impact of our pressure point work on their systems. I always tell my students, "You are not the healer here; your job is pressing buttons. Mother Nature is the healer and each person's body has its own intelligence. It will take what it needs from your pressure point work and use it the way it sees fit. Your job is to just press the buttons."
For me, it is best not to label an imbalance in the body but to think more along the lines of the Traditional Chinese Medicine orientation. See the condition as an imbalance of energy and strive to bring the system back to balance - back to homeostasis. Whether it is in the mental aspect with worry or anxiety; in the social aspect with frustration or anger; or whether it is in the physical aspect of fatigue and toxins, we need to strive toward balance and to assist our clients in achieving this with any tools, skills, or insights we have to share.
Reflexology, for me, is one of the most valuable tools we can have to help ourselves, our families, and our clients and I'm truly grateful to Jay Bixby, wherever he is, for my first pressure point natural healing experience. It really helped to shape my life. I do love sharing, teaching and passing on information and I love sharing my past and experience with others.
Danielle Gault, writer, trainer, and natural healer, delivers workshops, coaching and healing services in Ontario, New York, and New Zealand. She has written articles published in the Ontario Association of Psychological Type, local newspapers, and for the Reflexology Association of Canada. Danielle believes in a holistic approach to living and uses personality theory, natural healing techniques such as yoga, reflexology and insightful workshops to assist people in addressing their issues in life and striving to live consciously. Her websites are: http://www.wellness-training-services.com http://www.corporate-training-services.com or contact her at dgault@cwtservices.biz
By Danielle R. Gault
Article Source: Traumas Are Portals To Awakening
I met Bill. He was a meditator, also widowed, had a young child close to my two children's age and, due to his trauma after the death of his first wife, he opened up to alternative approaches for dealing with stress. He had taken up meditation and introduced it to me. I was enthralled by meditation once I learned it and wanted to learn more so I signed up for a Yoga Teachers' Training course at the Yoga Centre Toronto where the old school of yoga teaching was still around - honouring the ancient yoga philosophy and instructing according to this philosophy. Back in those days, there was no Hot Yoga, Power Yoga, or Yoga to Lose Weight. It was Hatha Yoga, Pranayamas, Meditation and Yoga philosophy that was taught.
PRESSURE POINT WORK AND MAGICAL RESULTS
One of my teachers, Jay Bixby was his name, came up to me after his class and said, "Stay around after class, Danielle; I want to show you some healing techniques." I was lucky enough at that time to have menstrual cramps and Jay proceeded to do some pressure point work on me. He pressed along my collar bone area, thumb walked down either side of my spine, hit points on my hip area, did spinal pressure point work on my thumbs and feet and to my amazement my cramping disappeared. I could feel this current of energy go into my abdominal area and dissipate the cramping. I thought, "Wow, this is better than taking a Midol pill."
I shared this experience with Bill and we decided that I would take my first pressure point course - Vita Flex from the book by Stanley Burroughs called "Healing for the Age of Enlightenment". It was 1977 and Mr. Burroughs had been around for a long time as a pioneer in the healing arts field. He was well ahead of his time and had been arrested for "curing" people which threatened the medical model but that didn't stop him putting the word out. His book included the famous Master Cleansing Diet, Yoga poses (designed by Jay Bixby), colour therapy which I love, and his wonderful Vita Flex pressure point methodologies. This is my favourite book of all time and when I find copies of it, I snatch them up and pass them on to students when they take my Lower Leg or Upper Body Advanced Circulation workshops, which include some Vita Flex points.
About the time I took Vita Flex, Bill's son had been diagnosed with a curvature in his spinal column. We were instructed to take him to Sunny Brook Hospital for X-rays where it showed that his thigh bone fit into his hip socket incorrectly, thereby pushing his hip off and ending with a curved spine and one leg 1.5 cm shorter than the other. We were asked to come back in three months to see how he was doing.
I took my stepson to the Vita Flex teacher and asked him if he could lengthen legs. (I was really being facetious as I didn't think it would be possible.) He said, "Yes, in fact, there is a leg-lengthening point in the collar bone area." The teacher taught me what to do and I performed this two-minute ritual every morning before I sent the kids off to school. I only pressed on the collar bone area, thumb walked down either side of his spine and did the spinal areas on the thumbs and the feet. The teacher had said that it would probably take about three months to normalize the leg.
That was all I did and then we took him back to Sunny Brook as requested to get X-rays once again and to our amazement, he was completely normalized! Well, you can imagine that we were very, very impressed with this result and totally delighted for our son as he was only ten years old and now could continue life with a better skeletal system.
ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER
That got us hooked on the healing arts and I think I took every course that came to town in those days. Wonderful courses with Dr. Bernard Jensen on Whole Foods and Iridology, Dr. Alzner's Deep Muscle Reflexology, Werner Erhard's Seminar Training known as EST which was very mind-altering in those days, and although I loved the Vita Flex method, I went on to get certified with the Reflexology Association of Canada in the early 80's and became a teacher shortly after that.
At that time, doing all this alternative stuff was nowhere near as close to main stream as it is today -- reflexology, yoga, and vegetarianism were still hokey pokey and we were considered a bit weird by our children's friends. The kids would come home from school and I'd be standing on my head, or be in the corpse pose, or twisted like a pretzel. The visiting kids used to say to our children that there was never anything normal to eat in this house. We were really post-latent hippies raising new age children in a very confusing era. We didn't have any road maps to follow and were making it up as we went along. We would have visiting yogis, psychic healers, people from other planets (so they said), walk-ins, tarot card readers and lots of wonderful experiences in that household - this is what our children were exposed to - lots and lots of whole person's workshops and alternative living ideas.
Because our children were exposed to reflexology at a very young age, they often asked to have their feet done and were used to thinking of the body mapped out on the feet. Once, at a doctor's appointment, the doctor said, "Let me take a look at your stomach" and my one daughter started taking off her shoes. I had to hold back some smiles.
We learned more yoga teachings from our yoga spiritual teacher, Dr. Ramamurti Mishra who was the most delightful yogi anyone could find. We were so very fortunate to have been exposed to his teachings about the philosophy of Ayurveda and the personal doshas (tendencies), yoga chakra healing and various practices for cleansing.
I also continued my education while raising the children and graduated with a degree in psychology and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management. I found that I had a keen interest in personality theory and qualified in the use of the MBTI� (Myers Briggs Type Indicator). I worked for a couple of companies teaching workshops in the use of a behavioural model and got further trained in temperament personality theory. I was having a blast learning all this wonderful stuff for self-understanding and healing.
A WHOLE HEALING SYSTEM AT OUR FINGERTIPS
All of these learning experiences led me to put together how to think of reflexology of the ears, hands, and feet. I realized that with the personality temperament theory (similar to Ayurveda mind-body system), we can think of the human instrument as a wholistic system consisting of a Mental Side which acts as the Dreamer in us and produces our Ideas; a Social Side which acts as a Catalyst in us and generates our Connections; and a Physical Side which acts as the Builder in us providing feedback that helps manifest and consolidate the ideas and connections.
Because I was fortunate to teach all three reflexology courses to students -- Feet, Hands, and Ear Reflexology -- I asked them what their experiences were and how they felt the three modalities differed. It was from my students that I tied together the knowledge of Ayurveda, personality temperaments, and reflexology modalities into a whole system at our finger tips. The benefits students expressed fit nicely into the principles of Ayurveda and we determined that by doing the ears we felt calmer; by doing the hands we felt our emotions cooled; and by doing the feet we felt the body was stimulated. I was so excited about how this all came together and tried to capture it in The Well-Tempered Life -- a book that summarized my experience with yoga, personality theory, and reflexology.
• If the Mental principle is imbalanced, do Ear Reflexology to calm the mind.
• If someone is frustrated, upset or angry, do Hand Reflexology to cool the emotions of the Social principle.
• And if someone is tired, lethargic and dull due to too many time constraints and no time for rest and repair, do Foot Reflexology to stimulate the Physical principle.
MOTHER NATURE IS THE HEALER
Like many reflexologists, we know this is powerful work we're doing and we're thrilled when people tell us the impact of our pressure point work on their systems. I always tell my students, "You are not the healer here; your job is pressing buttons. Mother Nature is the healer and each person's body has its own intelligence. It will take what it needs from your pressure point work and use it the way it sees fit. Your job is to just press the buttons."
For me, it is best not to label an imbalance in the body but to think more along the lines of the Traditional Chinese Medicine orientation. See the condition as an imbalance of energy and strive to bring the system back to balance - back to homeostasis. Whether it is in the mental aspect with worry or anxiety; in the social aspect with frustration or anger; or whether it is in the physical aspect of fatigue and toxins, we need to strive toward balance and to assist our clients in achieving this with any tools, skills, or insights we have to share.
Reflexology, for me, is one of the most valuable tools we can have to help ourselves, our families, and our clients and I'm truly grateful to Jay Bixby, wherever he is, for my first pressure point natural healing experience. It really helped to shape my life. I do love sharing, teaching and passing on information and I love sharing my past and experience with others.
Danielle Gault, writer, trainer, and natural healer, delivers workshops, coaching and healing services in Ontario, New York, and New Zealand. She has written articles published in the Ontario Association of Psychological Type, local newspapers, and for the Reflexology Association of Canada. Danielle believes in a holistic approach to living and uses personality theory, natural healing techniques such as yoga, reflexology and insightful workshops to assist people in addressing their issues in life and striving to live consciously. Her websites are: http://www.wellness-training-services.com http://www.corporate-training-services.com or contact her at dgault@cwtservices.biz
By Danielle R. Gault
Article Source: Traumas Are Portals To Awakening
Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease
One of the biggest recent medical revelations is the vital connection between gut health and wellness. Ongoing scientific research suggests that the microbiome, the good bacteria in our gut, helps prevent (perhaps even heal) autoimmune diseases. In fact, our bodies are full of more healthy bacteria than actual human cells!
Being that the gut is the center of our immune system (making up almost 80 percent), it's incredibly important to develop nourishing routines and practices. Although a healthy microbiome is partially inherited, there are many choices you can make to ensure a functioning, protected, and flourishing immune system - read on below to learn more!
Link to Autoimmune Diseases.
Characterized by the immune system targeting normal proteins as though they are harmful invaders, there are over 80 types of autoimmune diseases. This high alert reaction results in a chronically inflamed immune system. Often debilitating, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or celiac disease have a massive impact on everyday life. Increasing numbers of medical experts believe that microbiome imbalances can play a part in triggering autoimmune issues.
Poor Dietary Choices.
The most foundational element of maintaining a healthy gut is establishing good nutritional habits. A diet with high amounts of refined carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol can increase your gut's production of bad bacteria and weaken its lining. However, there are countless foods you can add to your diet to help facilitate better gut health. Be sure to seek out plenty of foods filled with probiotics (or good bacteria) such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso paste, sourdough, and pickles. In addition, a diet rich in prebiotics will help to feed those good probiotics. Add to your diet plenty of fruits and vegetables filled with fiber including berries, leafy green vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables.
Excessive Antibiotic Use.
Antibiotics kill threatening infections, which can be helpful when necessary but can additionally have unintended consequences. Beyond eradicating harmful bacteria, antibiotics can also disrupt or even wipe out your good gut bacteria. If you do need to take an antibiotic, make sure you finish the entire prescribed dose; this ensures that you won't need to take another round and further endanger your gut bacteria. Choosing probiotic rich foods from the list above and considering a probiotic supplement can help to support your good gut bacteria while taking needed antibiotics. When taking a probiotic supplement take it at least 2 hours apart from the time of taking the antibiotic.
Creating a diet that nourishes your gut and provides nutrients for optimal health can go a long way to prevent and help to manage autoimmune disease. If you are ready to get your health back, don't wait another day. Contact the experts at Be Well Nutrition Consulting at (612)-581-4668.
By Lynda Enright
Article Source: Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease
Being that the gut is the center of our immune system (making up almost 80 percent), it's incredibly important to develop nourishing routines and practices. Although a healthy microbiome is partially inherited, there are many choices you can make to ensure a functioning, protected, and flourishing immune system - read on below to learn more!
Link to Autoimmune Diseases.
Characterized by the immune system targeting normal proteins as though they are harmful invaders, there are over 80 types of autoimmune diseases. This high alert reaction results in a chronically inflamed immune system. Often debilitating, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or celiac disease have a massive impact on everyday life. Increasing numbers of medical experts believe that microbiome imbalances can play a part in triggering autoimmune issues.
Poor Dietary Choices.
The most foundational element of maintaining a healthy gut is establishing good nutritional habits. A diet with high amounts of refined carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol can increase your gut's production of bad bacteria and weaken its lining. However, there are countless foods you can add to your diet to help facilitate better gut health. Be sure to seek out plenty of foods filled with probiotics (or good bacteria) such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso paste, sourdough, and pickles. In addition, a diet rich in prebiotics will help to feed those good probiotics. Add to your diet plenty of fruits and vegetables filled with fiber including berries, leafy green vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables.
Excessive Antibiotic Use.
Antibiotics kill threatening infections, which can be helpful when necessary but can additionally have unintended consequences. Beyond eradicating harmful bacteria, antibiotics can also disrupt or even wipe out your good gut bacteria. If you do need to take an antibiotic, make sure you finish the entire prescribed dose; this ensures that you won't need to take another round and further endanger your gut bacteria. Choosing probiotic rich foods from the list above and considering a probiotic supplement can help to support your good gut bacteria while taking needed antibiotics. When taking a probiotic supplement take it at least 2 hours apart from the time of taking the antibiotic.
Creating a diet that nourishes your gut and provides nutrients for optimal health can go a long way to prevent and help to manage autoimmune disease. If you are ready to get your health back, don't wait another day. Contact the experts at Be Well Nutrition Consulting at (612)-581-4668.
By Lynda Enright
Article Source: Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease
Amazing Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts - Are You Eating Them?
The cashew plant is native to Brazil and was introduced to India in the latter half of the 16th century as a crop to check soil erosion. Today it is a valued cash crop, grown on the slopes of the hilly regions of the east and west coasts of India.
All those pictures with the cashew nut perched on top of its parent fruit should tell you that cashew nuts are seeds of the cashew plant- but with a difference. They grow OUTSIDE the core or heart of the fruit!
Uses of cashew nuts
A handful of cashew nut or kaju is the tastiest of snacks. Cashews are used for garnishing of curries and sweets, and made into a paste and used to enrich gravies. Who hasn't heard of or yearned after kaju barfi or spooned up the garnish of slivered kajus on top of a halwa!
Nutritional value
A 100 gm. serving of kaju provides 553 calories. The nuts are high in fats, protein, and dietary fibre. They are rich sources of minerals including iron, potassium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, phosphorous and magnesium. Kaju also contains thiamine, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K.
100 grams of raw cashew nut contains 113 mg of beta-sitosterol which has considerable medicinal value.
Cashew nuts are nutrient dense. Eating a handful of cashew nuts comes with many health benefits.
Rich in vitamins
The nutrition profile of cashew nuts shows us how rich they are in the vitamins that are so essential to the functioning of our bodies.
Vitamin B6 holds the key to more than 100 enzyme reactions in our body and is necessary for metabolising proteins at the cellular level.
Thiamine or Vitamin B1 is essential to prevent deficiency diseases like beriberi, the inflammation of nerves or neuritis associated with pellagra or deficiencies during pregnancy. Thiamine is also beneficial to kidney health in people with type 2 diabetes and preventing memory loss including that caused by Alzheimer's. Thiamine is essential to the human body to make proper use of carbohydrates.
Vitamin K is necessary for the clotting of blood to prevent excessive bleeding. Recent studies have suggested that it is beneficial to bone health particularly in preventing osteoporosis and steroid-induced bone loss.
A handful of kaju is truly a vitamin supplement- and a tasty one at that!
Mineral wealth a boon to health
Cashew nuts are a good iron supplement: the mineral is essential for keeping anaemia at bay.
Selenium is an important micronutrient necessary for the formation of anti-oxidants that ensure heart health.
Minerals such as copper, manganese, and zinc are necessary for bone health, digestion, DNA synthesis, sexual functions, eyesight, etc. In fact, every function in our body is triggered and controlled by all these essential minerals.
Benefits of Beta-sitosterol
This plant ester found in cashew nuts is a boon of nature. It boosts the immune system, prevents colon cancer, and is good for the gall bladder by arresting the formation of gallstones. It is also useful in the treatment of migraines, hair loss, bronchitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Cashew nuts are also recommended for a pleasant night's rest especially during menopause.
Some common misconceptions
Cashew nuts are high in fats. But these are mostly unsaturated fats. You can get 67% of your daily value of fat from 100 grams of kaju. Cashew nuts also contain 17 % of saturated fat; this is more than the 6% contained in walnuts and almonds, but not such a huge difference as to put them on a banned foods list! If you have to choose between an equivalent amount of chips or any other type of fast food, and cashews, go for the latter! Kaju is nutritionally more beneficial: this is not an 'empty calories' kind of snack.
There are those few who have tree nut and peanut allergies. Individuals with known allergic reactions must take care.
Since cashew nuts are so nutritionally dense, it would be a good idea to eat them by replacing empty calories like fried snacks rather than in addition to your regular calorific intake.
It's best to eat cashew nuts raw, but nobody should deny themselves the pleasure of the roasted and spiced variety once in a way.
How to store
Cashew nuts usually stay fresh for up to a month. Keep them in a bottle or container with a tight-fitting lid.
If you have more than you can use, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 4-6 months.
If you've got a whole lot in some sort of a Diwali bonanza, then it's best to store them in the freezer.
Kajus can be bought everywhere from your local grocery store to exclusive dry fruit shops. A good brand ensures that the cashew nuts that you are going to buy have been stored well and are free from pests.
Kaju also comes in different grades. The bigger the size of the nut, the costlier it is. These nuts are also more valued and expensive when they are whole. The problem with buying whole nuts is that you don't know what they may shelter inside. This is the reason that you must buy from a reputed brand or store to get the best value for your money.
Include cashew nuts in your diet to supplement your nutritional intake. Add them to your morning cereal. Use kaju paste instead of cream to give your gravies that thick texture and creamy taste. Or just take a fistful and enjoy your day while munching away.
Independent Blogger, Environmentalist, Organic Food Enthusiast, Organic Products Researcher. Through my Blog's I am looking forward to share my knowledge in organic products, gain new knowledge and share a positive vibe to this world.
By Karthik Guduru
Article Source: Amazing Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts - Are You Eating Them?
All those pictures with the cashew nut perched on top of its parent fruit should tell you that cashew nuts are seeds of the cashew plant- but with a difference. They grow OUTSIDE the core or heart of the fruit!
Uses of cashew nuts
A handful of cashew nut or kaju is the tastiest of snacks. Cashews are used for garnishing of curries and sweets, and made into a paste and used to enrich gravies. Who hasn't heard of or yearned after kaju barfi or spooned up the garnish of slivered kajus on top of a halwa!
Nutritional value
A 100 gm. serving of kaju provides 553 calories. The nuts are high in fats, protein, and dietary fibre. They are rich sources of minerals including iron, potassium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, phosphorous and magnesium. Kaju also contains thiamine, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K.
100 grams of raw cashew nut contains 113 mg of beta-sitosterol which has considerable medicinal value.
Cashew nuts are nutrient dense. Eating a handful of cashew nuts comes with many health benefits.
Rich in vitamins
The nutrition profile of cashew nuts shows us how rich they are in the vitamins that are so essential to the functioning of our bodies.
Vitamin B6 holds the key to more than 100 enzyme reactions in our body and is necessary for metabolising proteins at the cellular level.
Thiamine or Vitamin B1 is essential to prevent deficiency diseases like beriberi, the inflammation of nerves or neuritis associated with pellagra or deficiencies during pregnancy. Thiamine is also beneficial to kidney health in people with type 2 diabetes and preventing memory loss including that caused by Alzheimer's. Thiamine is essential to the human body to make proper use of carbohydrates.
Vitamin K is necessary for the clotting of blood to prevent excessive bleeding. Recent studies have suggested that it is beneficial to bone health particularly in preventing osteoporosis and steroid-induced bone loss.
A handful of kaju is truly a vitamin supplement- and a tasty one at that!
Mineral wealth a boon to health
Cashew nuts are a good iron supplement: the mineral is essential for keeping anaemia at bay.
Selenium is an important micronutrient necessary for the formation of anti-oxidants that ensure heart health.
Minerals such as copper, manganese, and zinc are necessary for bone health, digestion, DNA synthesis, sexual functions, eyesight, etc. In fact, every function in our body is triggered and controlled by all these essential minerals.
Benefits of Beta-sitosterol
This plant ester found in cashew nuts is a boon of nature. It boosts the immune system, prevents colon cancer, and is good for the gall bladder by arresting the formation of gallstones. It is also useful in the treatment of migraines, hair loss, bronchitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Cashew nuts are also recommended for a pleasant night's rest especially during menopause.
Some common misconceptions
Cashew nuts are high in fats. But these are mostly unsaturated fats. You can get 67% of your daily value of fat from 100 grams of kaju. Cashew nuts also contain 17 % of saturated fat; this is more than the 6% contained in walnuts and almonds, but not such a huge difference as to put them on a banned foods list! If you have to choose between an equivalent amount of chips or any other type of fast food, and cashews, go for the latter! Kaju is nutritionally more beneficial: this is not an 'empty calories' kind of snack.
There are those few who have tree nut and peanut allergies. Individuals with known allergic reactions must take care.
Since cashew nuts are so nutritionally dense, it would be a good idea to eat them by replacing empty calories like fried snacks rather than in addition to your regular calorific intake.
It's best to eat cashew nuts raw, but nobody should deny themselves the pleasure of the roasted and spiced variety once in a way.
How to store
Cashew nuts usually stay fresh for up to a month. Keep them in a bottle or container with a tight-fitting lid.
If you have more than you can use, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 4-6 months.
If you've got a whole lot in some sort of a Diwali bonanza, then it's best to store them in the freezer.
Kajus can be bought everywhere from your local grocery store to exclusive dry fruit shops. A good brand ensures that the cashew nuts that you are going to buy have been stored well and are free from pests.
Kaju also comes in different grades. The bigger the size of the nut, the costlier it is. These nuts are also more valued and expensive when they are whole. The problem with buying whole nuts is that you don't know what they may shelter inside. This is the reason that you must buy from a reputed brand or store to get the best value for your money.
Include cashew nuts in your diet to supplement your nutritional intake. Add them to your morning cereal. Use kaju paste instead of cream to give your gravies that thick texture and creamy taste. Or just take a fistful and enjoy your day while munching away.
Independent Blogger, Environmentalist, Organic Food Enthusiast, Organic Products Researcher. Through my Blog's I am looking forward to share my knowledge in organic products, gain new knowledge and share a positive vibe to this world.
By Karthik Guduru
Article Source: Amazing Health Benefits of Cashew Nuts - Are You Eating Them?
The Truth Behind Calories
Calories are basically a measure of the overall energy contained in food. Caloric values of food do not take into account the macro-nutrients that make up those calories. All calories are not created equal and if you only use calories to plan your diet, you probably won't reach your weight-loss goals.
Common misconceptions about calories:
1. Less calories are better
Just because there are less calories in a particular food, does not mean that it is necessarily better for you or your diet. Often, less nutritious foods will have less calories, but will also have less nutrients.
Low calorie foods can also leave you feeling hungry and empty. This will ultimately lead you to having more cravings for unhealthy foods.
2. Zero calorie drinks are good for dieting
Just because a drink does not contain any calories, does not mean that it will not have any effect on your body. Often, zero calorie drinks will contain carbohydrates, which are processed by your body and, if not used, stored as fat.
When a flavored beverage has zero calories, it most likely has artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that can be worse for you than consuming a full-calorie drink. Your body cannot process most artificial sweeteners and they are stored as the dangerous fat around your vital organs.
3. A calorie is a calorie
Not all calories are created equal. Calories can come from carbohydrates, fats or proteins and each of these nutrient groups are processed differently by the body.
For example, consuming 100 calories in sugar (simple carbohydrate) will have extremely different outcomes to consuming 100 calories in chicken (protein).
4. Calories are the most important thing to consider when making nutrition decisions
When making nutrition decisions, I do not even consider calories. I completely ignore the calorie count of any of the foods I eat.
The most important thing to consider is the macro-nutrient values and where those values come from. Also, it is important to look at the ingredients of the foods you are consuming and how processed they are, in both cases, less is best.
Calories are, however, useful to determine how much of each macro-nutrient you need to consumer each day.
I believe that calories are one of the most misunderstood nutritional measures available today. This confusion stems from the unnecessary emphasis placed on them when it comes to dieting. Too many people and diets claim that calorie counting is the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Although calories are important to identify your base metabolic rate (amount of energy your body is burning at rest), they are not the most important consideration when you are deciding what to eat. Even though diets that involve counting calories may work in the short run, they are not the most sustainable and satisfying diets for long term health and wellbeing.
By Danica L Burnett
Article Source: The Truth Behind Calories
Common misconceptions about calories:
1. Less calories are better
Just because there are less calories in a particular food, does not mean that it is necessarily better for you or your diet. Often, less nutritious foods will have less calories, but will also have less nutrients.
Low calorie foods can also leave you feeling hungry and empty. This will ultimately lead you to having more cravings for unhealthy foods.
2. Zero calorie drinks are good for dieting
Just because a drink does not contain any calories, does not mean that it will not have any effect on your body. Often, zero calorie drinks will contain carbohydrates, which are processed by your body and, if not used, stored as fat.
When a flavored beverage has zero calories, it most likely has artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that can be worse for you than consuming a full-calorie drink. Your body cannot process most artificial sweeteners and they are stored as the dangerous fat around your vital organs.
3. A calorie is a calorie
Not all calories are created equal. Calories can come from carbohydrates, fats or proteins and each of these nutrient groups are processed differently by the body.
For example, consuming 100 calories in sugar (simple carbohydrate) will have extremely different outcomes to consuming 100 calories in chicken (protein).
4. Calories are the most important thing to consider when making nutrition decisions
When making nutrition decisions, I do not even consider calories. I completely ignore the calorie count of any of the foods I eat.
The most important thing to consider is the macro-nutrient values and where those values come from. Also, it is important to look at the ingredients of the foods you are consuming and how processed they are, in both cases, less is best.
Calories are, however, useful to determine how much of each macro-nutrient you need to consumer each day.
I believe that calories are one of the most misunderstood nutritional measures available today. This confusion stems from the unnecessary emphasis placed on them when it comes to dieting. Too many people and diets claim that calorie counting is the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Although calories are important to identify your base metabolic rate (amount of energy your body is burning at rest), they are not the most important consideration when you are deciding what to eat. Even though diets that involve counting calories may work in the short run, they are not the most sustainable and satisfying diets for long term health and wellbeing.
By Danica L Burnett
Article Source: The Truth Behind Calories
How to Boost Female Libido Naturally and Safely
Sex is an intrinsic part of both your life and relationship. Good sex begins with a robust libido. Unfortunately, most women lose their sexual appetite as they move towards middle age. A couple of factors such as a change in your hormonal production, stress, relationship issues, medications and their side effects etc. bear a negative impact on your sexual desires.
However, you do not have to accept it as your fate. Here are some simple and effective ways to boost libido in women:
1. Try to Change Your Medicines - Medicine required to treat conditions such as hypertension, type II diabetes etc. can take a toll on your libido. Even birth control pills can also affect your sexual urge. If you feel this is the case, talk to your doctor and he might suggest alternatives.
2. Talk to Your Partner - More often than not, better communication with your partner can be a big step towards greater intimacy. Spend some quality time alone with your partner. Go out for a stroll holding hands or enjoy a candle-light dinner. These simple little things can help increase anticipation to have sex and thereby result in a stronger libido.
3. Give Up Smoking - Good sex depends upon healthy blood flow to your genitals and anything that restricts blood flow hampers your sex life big time. Nothing affects blood flow in your body more than smoking. Nicotine and other toxins in cigarettes constrict your arteries by building plaque in them. This reduces blood flow throughout the body including the genitals.
So, if you want to have great sex, quit smoking now. It might not be easy but definitely worth the effort.
4. Try Working Out Regularly - Regular exercise is great for 3 main reasons. First of all, it helps increase blood circulation. Secondly, it helps combat stress and finally, it helps enhance your energy levels. All three factors combined can help boost your sex drive quickly.
5. Try Natural Libido Enhancers for Women - Last, but not the least, you can also try natural libido pills or gels for women.
Libido-enhancing pills are a perfect blend of herbal extract, vitamins and other nutrients that not only give a boost to blood circulation in your body but also stimulate production of sex hormones. They are to women what Viagra is to men. Top of the line pills are safe and free of side effects.
Gels, on the other hand, are a perfect remedy for women who do not want to consume pills. Such gels can ensure instant results and can help you enjoy intense orgasms without side effects.
So, if you want to get a robust libido, check out the Best Libido Pills that have helped thousands of women over the past decade.
===>>>> DO YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE GREAT SEX AND POWERFUL ORGASMS?
Check out the best female enhancement gel that has been featured on TV by visiting http://herslibido.com/hersolution-gel-review
By Maya Miller
Article Source: How to Boost Female Libido Naturally and Safely
However, you do not have to accept it as your fate. Here are some simple and effective ways to boost libido in women:
1. Try to Change Your Medicines - Medicine required to treat conditions such as hypertension, type II diabetes etc. can take a toll on your libido. Even birth control pills can also affect your sexual urge. If you feel this is the case, talk to your doctor and he might suggest alternatives.
2. Talk to Your Partner - More often than not, better communication with your partner can be a big step towards greater intimacy. Spend some quality time alone with your partner. Go out for a stroll holding hands or enjoy a candle-light dinner. These simple little things can help increase anticipation to have sex and thereby result in a stronger libido.
3. Give Up Smoking - Good sex depends upon healthy blood flow to your genitals and anything that restricts blood flow hampers your sex life big time. Nothing affects blood flow in your body more than smoking. Nicotine and other toxins in cigarettes constrict your arteries by building plaque in them. This reduces blood flow throughout the body including the genitals.
So, if you want to have great sex, quit smoking now. It might not be easy but definitely worth the effort.
4. Try Working Out Regularly - Regular exercise is great for 3 main reasons. First of all, it helps increase blood circulation. Secondly, it helps combat stress and finally, it helps enhance your energy levels. All three factors combined can help boost your sex drive quickly.
5. Try Natural Libido Enhancers for Women - Last, but not the least, you can also try natural libido pills or gels for women.
Libido-enhancing pills are a perfect blend of herbal extract, vitamins and other nutrients that not only give a boost to blood circulation in your body but also stimulate production of sex hormones. They are to women what Viagra is to men. Top of the line pills are safe and free of side effects.
Gels, on the other hand, are a perfect remedy for women who do not want to consume pills. Such gels can ensure instant results and can help you enjoy intense orgasms without side effects.
So, if you want to get a robust libido, check out the Best Libido Pills that have helped thousands of women over the past decade.
===>>>> DO YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE GREAT SEX AND POWERFUL ORGASMS?
Check out the best female enhancement gel that has been featured on TV by visiting http://herslibido.com/hersolution-gel-review
By Maya Miller
Article Source: How to Boost Female Libido Naturally and Safely
5 Tips to Be Naturally Happier
It's just about everyone's life goal to be happy. But how do we achieve it? Life is a journey and finding happiness is generally the goal for most people. Don't turn to drugs and alcohol though; here are 5 tips to be naturally happier.
Food
Food can be a tricky pattern to break. Those fast food chains are usually easier to turn to than cooking at home. But the clich� "you are what you eat" is definitely true. Instead of eating fatty, non-nutritious foods, you want to be eating fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables and lean meats. This kind of diet will leave you feeling lighter, more energized and believe it or not, happier.
Meal prepping (where you make all your meals for the week in one day) can make this kind of diet much easier to achieve. But everyone is different, for some cooking alone can be a fun hobby that will also increase your happiness factor.
Achieving something
A sense of achievement is definitely a happiness factor in life. We want to be moving forward, getting things done and reaching goals. For some this can come from their work life, but for others you will need to step out of the office to reach that sense of achievement.
So what can you do to get that good feeling of achievement? Here are a few ideas:
Volunteer at a local kids group/soup kitchen/animal shelter
Help out a stranger if the opportunity arises
Make a goal like losing weight and seeing it through
Save money and then spoil yourself with something you have always wanted
Start a new project like a YouTube channel or website
Pay off debts like credit cards or personal loans.
Depending on where you are at in life even making the bed and having a shower can give you a sense of achievement, so don't write off the little things in life, they all can add up to naturally boosting your happiness.
Working out
Exercise is a brilliant way to naturally boost your happiness. Doctors will recommend that people do at the very least 20 minutes of exercise 5 times a week, but you can do more than that if you feel so inclined. When you work out the body naturally produces endorphins, which make us feel good and even reduces your perception of pain. You have maybe heard from your running/jogging friends that when they go for a run they naturally experience what they call a "runners high"; this is due to the endorphins pumping through their brain. Some have even compared this to a morphine like euphoria (that's non-addictive) so how can you beat something as powerful as that!
Continuous working out also has mental effects such as improving sleep, reducing stress, boosting self-esteem and very importantly reducing things like anxiety and depression. That's not even including the other physical effects of working out like strengthening your heart, weight loss, increasing your energy levels and even lowering your blood pressure.
There are many types of exercise out there, so why not start with a simple walk around the block and you will already naturally feel happier.
Find something fun to occupy your time
Finding a hobby is a great way to unwind after work and on weekends. Instead of just watching TV or playing on your phone, why not find something more rewarding to do with your time? Don't get me wrong, a bit of down time is integral for happiness, but too much of it isn't the best either.
If we listen to Google, it defines a hobby as "an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure". Think about that for a moment, particularly the word "pleasure".
Old school hobbies can still be rewarding, things like knitting (very good for anxiety too), writing a journal, flying a drone, collecting stuff (like trading cards, video games etc.), making a garden, catching up with friends; the sky is the limit with what your choice of hobby may be. Whatever you choose to do will definitely help with your happiness.
Get Active
Wait a minute, didn't we already cover working out and exercise? This isn't that kind of active we are talking about. Increasing one's activity is a sure fire way to increasing happiness. The simplest way to do this is to just say "yes" to things. If someone invites you to go camping, say yes. If someone invites you out to go rock climbing, say yes. If someone invites you out to the zoo, say yes. You get the picture, say yes to things! This can be daunting to some people as it can take you out of your comfort zone, but this is a good thing. In fact magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone.
Don't be afraid to instigate events with your friends either. If they are busy then refer back to your hobbies or join a club of some description.
And there you have it folks, 5 ways to simply and naturally increase your happiness factor. Life can be fun, take part in it. The more you expose yourself and the more activities you take part in the better (and happier) your life will be.
If you are interested in more ways to feel happy make sure you check out Life and Mind Matters. It's all about lifestyle, mental health, gadgets, books and more!
By Timothy Augst
Article Source: 5 Tips to Be Naturally Happier
Food
Food can be a tricky pattern to break. Those fast food chains are usually easier to turn to than cooking at home. But the clich� "you are what you eat" is definitely true. Instead of eating fatty, non-nutritious foods, you want to be eating fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables and lean meats. This kind of diet will leave you feeling lighter, more energized and believe it or not, happier.
Meal prepping (where you make all your meals for the week in one day) can make this kind of diet much easier to achieve. But everyone is different, for some cooking alone can be a fun hobby that will also increase your happiness factor.
Achieving something
A sense of achievement is definitely a happiness factor in life. We want to be moving forward, getting things done and reaching goals. For some this can come from their work life, but for others you will need to step out of the office to reach that sense of achievement.
So what can you do to get that good feeling of achievement? Here are a few ideas:
Volunteer at a local kids group/soup kitchen/animal shelter
Help out a stranger if the opportunity arises
Make a goal like losing weight and seeing it through
Save money and then spoil yourself with something you have always wanted
Start a new project like a YouTube channel or website
Pay off debts like credit cards or personal loans.
Depending on where you are at in life even making the bed and having a shower can give you a sense of achievement, so don't write off the little things in life, they all can add up to naturally boosting your happiness.
Working out
Exercise is a brilliant way to naturally boost your happiness. Doctors will recommend that people do at the very least 20 minutes of exercise 5 times a week, but you can do more than that if you feel so inclined. When you work out the body naturally produces endorphins, which make us feel good and even reduces your perception of pain. You have maybe heard from your running/jogging friends that when they go for a run they naturally experience what they call a "runners high"; this is due to the endorphins pumping through their brain. Some have even compared this to a morphine like euphoria (that's non-addictive) so how can you beat something as powerful as that!
Continuous working out also has mental effects such as improving sleep, reducing stress, boosting self-esteem and very importantly reducing things like anxiety and depression. That's not even including the other physical effects of working out like strengthening your heart, weight loss, increasing your energy levels and even lowering your blood pressure.
There are many types of exercise out there, so why not start with a simple walk around the block and you will already naturally feel happier.
Find something fun to occupy your time
Finding a hobby is a great way to unwind after work and on weekends. Instead of just watching TV or playing on your phone, why not find something more rewarding to do with your time? Don't get me wrong, a bit of down time is integral for happiness, but too much of it isn't the best either.
If we listen to Google, it defines a hobby as "an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure". Think about that for a moment, particularly the word "pleasure".
Old school hobbies can still be rewarding, things like knitting (very good for anxiety too), writing a journal, flying a drone, collecting stuff (like trading cards, video games etc.), making a garden, catching up with friends; the sky is the limit with what your choice of hobby may be. Whatever you choose to do will definitely help with your happiness.
Get Active
Wait a minute, didn't we already cover working out and exercise? This isn't that kind of active we are talking about. Increasing one's activity is a sure fire way to increasing happiness. The simplest way to do this is to just say "yes" to things. If someone invites you to go camping, say yes. If someone invites you out to go rock climbing, say yes. If someone invites you out to the zoo, say yes. You get the picture, say yes to things! This can be daunting to some people as it can take you out of your comfort zone, but this is a good thing. In fact magic happens when you step outside of your comfort zone.
Don't be afraid to instigate events with your friends either. If they are busy then refer back to your hobbies or join a club of some description.
And there you have it folks, 5 ways to simply and naturally increase your happiness factor. Life can be fun, take part in it. The more you expose yourself and the more activities you take part in the better (and happier) your life will be.
If you are interested in more ways to feel happy make sure you check out Life and Mind Matters. It's all about lifestyle, mental health, gadgets, books and more!
By Timothy Augst
Article Source: 5 Tips to Be Naturally Happier
Why Exercise Shouldn't Be Just One Thing
Because I work in different fitness environments, I see different approaches to health and fitness.
In one gym, the equipment and the personal trainers focus almost entirely on strength training. Cardio is secondary, and done while watching TV - with that level of intensity, and that level of discipline. Stretching is often skipped.
In gyms with classes, cardio may become the focus. Strength training may become secondary, and flexibility may be limited to a few stretches at the end of the class.
How's This For 'Old School' Thinking?
I've always advocated full fitness programs that include C-V, strength, and flexibility work. This post will cover cardio programs.
The benefits of cardiovascular work are familiar:
• enhanced tidal volume, air to lungs
• greater blood volume
• greater stroke volume, blood ejected by the heart per beat
• expanded capillary network
• greater size and density of mitochondria
• improved sensitivity of muscle to insulin
• enhanced free fatty acid oxidation to spare muscle glycogen.
Moderate to moderately high cardio training feels great, is excellent for recovery days, and can be enjoyable, thus self-perpetuating.
Benefits of HIIT - High-Intensity Interval Training
Higher intensity work can also improve most of the factors in the above list, along with a few others. The benefits of alternating HIIT with moderate to moderately high cardio are considerable.
Intensity improves VO2 max, increases glycogen storage capacity, and raises lactate threshold.
High-intensity training has been shown to increase HDL-cholesterol and decrease blood pressure.
HIIT offers a greater post-exercise metabolic boost than moderate cardio, and that can help reduce body fat.
Regular HIIT improves tolerance to high-intensity work and promotes faster recovery through more efficient removal of metabolic waste.
The human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor stimulated by intense interval work can enhance muscle volume and definition.
Finally, the ability to do more work in less time may make it possible to maintain training when time is short.
And There's Cross-Training
Varying activities may offer additional benefits on a localized muscular level. Cross-training can give overworked muscles a needed rest, while keeping the cardio work consistent.
Not every change of activity represents true cross-training, however. That's one reason I've always been a huge fan of Kranking�.
Most cardio relies on the legs - and typically the same muscles - while the Krankcycle� gives the legs a complete rest. Adding Kranking workouts regularly allows training intensity to remain extremely high on the days of complete leg rest - and raises the overall workload throughout the workout week.
That last point combines cross-training and HIIT perfectly. It's the best of both worlds.
My recommendation: Start nagging your fitness facility to buy a few Krankcycles. They typically don't know the benefits, so they don't have any.
What About Training Formats?
One way to incorporate different training formats is to focus 3-4 times a week on "serious" longer cardio, while incorporating 2-3 shorter workouts of high-intensity intervals. If you're cross-training on the Krankcycle, the number of high-intensity workouts is up to you. Even daily might not be a problem.
Important note: Contrary to common belief, "cardio" is not necessarily easy. As I've mentioned before, well-trained individuals - both athletes and fitness enthusiasts - can go hard AND long.
Looking in a different direction, taking a class that "sounds" the same every day, week after week, may fail to offer variety. I've known good instructors with extremely limited teaching repertoires. Does every class include those "Come on, kill yourself!" comments? Is every class a ride through imaginary terrain, but never a real training? Would adding a different instructor occasionally - or a different type of class - work better for you?
Perhaps a future post can cover the benefits of both strength and flexibility work. I've long been an advocate of Active-Isolation Stretching (AIS) and weight lifting.
The older I get, the more important each of the 3 aspects of fitness feels.
All workouts work better with great nutrition. If you're looking for nutrition guidelines that will help you enhance your training results, just visit http://www.FoodAddictionSolutions.com/Coaching and request your FREE Eating Empowerment Consult. Discover how easy it can be to make your hard workouts more effective.
By Joan Kent
Article Source: Why Exercise Shouldn't Be Just One Thing
In one gym, the equipment and the personal trainers focus almost entirely on strength training. Cardio is secondary, and done while watching TV - with that level of intensity, and that level of discipline. Stretching is often skipped.
In gyms with classes, cardio may become the focus. Strength training may become secondary, and flexibility may be limited to a few stretches at the end of the class.
How's This For 'Old School' Thinking?
I've always advocated full fitness programs that include C-V, strength, and flexibility work. This post will cover cardio programs.
The benefits of cardiovascular work are familiar:
• enhanced tidal volume, air to lungs
• greater blood volume
• greater stroke volume, blood ejected by the heart per beat
• expanded capillary network
• greater size and density of mitochondria
• improved sensitivity of muscle to insulin
• enhanced free fatty acid oxidation to spare muscle glycogen.
Moderate to moderately high cardio training feels great, is excellent for recovery days, and can be enjoyable, thus self-perpetuating.
Benefits of HIIT - High-Intensity Interval Training
Higher intensity work can also improve most of the factors in the above list, along with a few others. The benefits of alternating HIIT with moderate to moderately high cardio are considerable.
Intensity improves VO2 max, increases glycogen storage capacity, and raises lactate threshold.
High-intensity training has been shown to increase HDL-cholesterol and decrease blood pressure.
HIIT offers a greater post-exercise metabolic boost than moderate cardio, and that can help reduce body fat.
Regular HIIT improves tolerance to high-intensity work and promotes faster recovery through more efficient removal of metabolic waste.
The human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor stimulated by intense interval work can enhance muscle volume and definition.
Finally, the ability to do more work in less time may make it possible to maintain training when time is short.
And There's Cross-Training
Varying activities may offer additional benefits on a localized muscular level. Cross-training can give overworked muscles a needed rest, while keeping the cardio work consistent.
Not every change of activity represents true cross-training, however. That's one reason I've always been a huge fan of Kranking�.
Most cardio relies on the legs - and typically the same muscles - while the Krankcycle� gives the legs a complete rest. Adding Kranking workouts regularly allows training intensity to remain extremely high on the days of complete leg rest - and raises the overall workload throughout the workout week.
That last point combines cross-training and HIIT perfectly. It's the best of both worlds.
My recommendation: Start nagging your fitness facility to buy a few Krankcycles. They typically don't know the benefits, so they don't have any.
What About Training Formats?
One way to incorporate different training formats is to focus 3-4 times a week on "serious" longer cardio, while incorporating 2-3 shorter workouts of high-intensity intervals. If you're cross-training on the Krankcycle, the number of high-intensity workouts is up to you. Even daily might not be a problem.
Important note: Contrary to common belief, "cardio" is not necessarily easy. As I've mentioned before, well-trained individuals - both athletes and fitness enthusiasts - can go hard AND long.
Looking in a different direction, taking a class that "sounds" the same every day, week after week, may fail to offer variety. I've known good instructors with extremely limited teaching repertoires. Does every class include those "Come on, kill yourself!" comments? Is every class a ride through imaginary terrain, but never a real training? Would adding a different instructor occasionally - or a different type of class - work better for you?
Perhaps a future post can cover the benefits of both strength and flexibility work. I've long been an advocate of Active-Isolation Stretching (AIS) and weight lifting.
The older I get, the more important each of the 3 aspects of fitness feels.
All workouts work better with great nutrition. If you're looking for nutrition guidelines that will help you enhance your training results, just visit http://www.FoodAddictionSolutions.com/Coaching and request your FREE Eating Empowerment Consult. Discover how easy it can be to make your hard workouts more effective.
By Joan Kent
Article Source: Why Exercise Shouldn't Be Just One Thing
Plastic Surgery - Is It Covered If It Is Not Cosmetic?
Women and men are in a run to attract the opposite sex in any possible way. Sometimes they make various alterations in their body structure to serve the purpose and opt for a plastic surgery without knowing the fact if it is covered or not under their health insurance. After spending a huge amount they usually contact their insurance provider to get the claim and are left disappointed at the end of the task.
There is no doubt that insurance companies pay for the treatment depending on the different terms and conditions of the health insurance plan you have opted for. Now, the question arises, does the insurance providers provides coverage to the plastic surgery? Well, before answering this question you should know that there are two types of Plastic surgeries- Constructive and Cosmetic.
Constructive Surgery: This surgery is performed to resume the proper functioning of the body and improves quality of life.
Cosmetic Surgery: This surgery is usually performed to enhance one's appearance. Liposuction, Breast Augmentation, Eyelid surgery are some of the examples of Cosmetic surgery.
Here is the answer to the above question, The coverage for the plastic surgery is provided only if it is constructive. The insurance providers work on different platforms before providing the coverage. They usually look into the factor if it is cosmetic or reconstructive. Additionally, is it essential for the normal body functioning? Will it enhance the quality of life of the person? The guidelines, terms, and conditions of all the insurance companies for providing the coverage usually varies.
The insurance companies take medical procedures into consideration to check if it is covered under health insurance benefits. Moreover, they perform a long-term evaluation, an extensive evaluation followed by doctor monitored programs to check for the non-surgical methods to solve the problem.
Plastic surgeries that are performed after a car accident, major accidents or situation like having defects of birth that did not allow the normal functioning of the body are covered under the health insurance only if it resumes the quality of life and body functioning. Before providing the coverage, the insurance companies may also require a statement from a well-qualified doctor who confirms that all the non-surgical solutions have been exhausted before the procedure and it is the only option left that can help live properly.
So, I conclude with the fact that since every insurance company has its own coverage, they can restrict and exclude them at any point. Before opting for any of the procedures you should always contact your insurance provider to get all the required information to make the plan. Otherwise, having a little knowledge about the subject could be dangerous that can leave you to incur unexpected costs.
By Rachana Saini
Article Source: Plastic Surgery - Is It Covered If It Is Not Cosmetic?
There is no doubt that insurance companies pay for the treatment depending on the different terms and conditions of the health insurance plan you have opted for. Now, the question arises, does the insurance providers provides coverage to the plastic surgery? Well, before answering this question you should know that there are two types of Plastic surgeries- Constructive and Cosmetic.
Constructive Surgery: This surgery is performed to resume the proper functioning of the body and improves quality of life.
Cosmetic Surgery: This surgery is usually performed to enhance one's appearance. Liposuction, Breast Augmentation, Eyelid surgery are some of the examples of Cosmetic surgery.
Here is the answer to the above question, The coverage for the plastic surgery is provided only if it is constructive. The insurance providers work on different platforms before providing the coverage. They usually look into the factor if it is cosmetic or reconstructive. Additionally, is it essential for the normal body functioning? Will it enhance the quality of life of the person? The guidelines, terms, and conditions of all the insurance companies for providing the coverage usually varies.
The insurance companies take medical procedures into consideration to check if it is covered under health insurance benefits. Moreover, they perform a long-term evaluation, an extensive evaluation followed by doctor monitored programs to check for the non-surgical methods to solve the problem.
Plastic surgeries that are performed after a car accident, major accidents or situation like having defects of birth that did not allow the normal functioning of the body are covered under the health insurance only if it resumes the quality of life and body functioning. Before providing the coverage, the insurance companies may also require a statement from a well-qualified doctor who confirms that all the non-surgical solutions have been exhausted before the procedure and it is the only option left that can help live properly.
So, I conclude with the fact that since every insurance company has its own coverage, they can restrict and exclude them at any point. Before opting for any of the procedures you should always contact your insurance provider to get all the required information to make the plan. Otherwise, having a little knowledge about the subject could be dangerous that can leave you to incur unexpected costs.
By Rachana Saini
Article Source: Plastic Surgery - Is It Covered If It Is Not Cosmetic?
Achieve A Non-Invasive Face Lift Using PDO Thread Lifts
When we're young and in our prime, the skin on our face is usually smooth and taut. The jaw-line has a strong definition, and the contour where the cheek meets the chin is smooth. It's quite devastating to get to the age when your features are no longer as sharp or defined as they once were. The facial profile suddenly becomes a bit blurry and we notice that our cheekbones are starting to sag down our face, causing the jaw-line to become undefined and the neck beginning to look wrinkly.
As our skin ages, some of the collagen is lost, making the skin less elastic. The loose skin is gradually pulled downwards, causing the skin around the cheeks to become thinner, and resulting in jowls in the lower face, making us look older. One way to tighten and tone the loose skin without undergoing an invasive surgical procedure is a PDO thread lift. PDO thread lifts can deliver what is essentially a facelift, but without the invasive surgery. There are no incisions or cuts, just simple injections which we place in strategic places.
The PDO thread lift will improve and rejuvenate the of the structure of the face, lifting loose or sagging skin. PDO threads are simply inserted into the skin with a very fine needle, either just under the skin, or in the fatty layer just beneath the skin, lifting the tissue and muscle and greatly improving the texture of the skin. Once they're inserted, they will pull up the jaw-line, lift the cheeks and will reduce the lines around the eyes, nose and mouth, and tighten the neck.
PDO thread lifts get great results. Threads get inserted all over the face and combine beautifully with dermal fillers to reveal a new, rejuvenated you. Thread lifts are an extremely versatile procedure, they're very simple, safe and almost painless. It's a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure that leaves you with a natural, rejuvenated look.
After a thread lift, an instant lift is often noticeable but what's even better, is that the effects will continue to improve for days and weeks afterwards. The PDO threads produce collagen around the threads and the new collagen that's produced, lifts the skin, creating more volume.
It's a minimally invasive treatment achieving tighter, younger looking skin, lasting for up to two years. The threads are absorbable so they don't need removing from the body. You will see an immediate visible lifting effect and a natural improvement in the skin.
If you need help choosing a cosmetic procedure, we provide an extensive range of cosmetic procedures for the face and body: Botox, Vaser Lipo, Lip Augmentation, Dermal Fillers and many more treatments, to help create a younger, slimmer, more youthful looking you!
The Selston Cosmetic Clinic is located in Selston, Nottingham, where we offer a bespoke service with a personalised touch and deliver high client satisfaction. We have been involved in the cosmetic industry for over 10 years
To find out more about PDO Thread lift treatment at the Selston Cosmetic Clinic - http://www.selstoncosmeticclinic.com/pdo-threadlifts.php
By Mags Whyler
Article Source: Achieve A Non-Invasive Face Lift Using PDO Thread Lifts
As our skin ages, some of the collagen is lost, making the skin less elastic. The loose skin is gradually pulled downwards, causing the skin around the cheeks to become thinner, and resulting in jowls in the lower face, making us look older. One way to tighten and tone the loose skin without undergoing an invasive surgical procedure is a PDO thread lift. PDO thread lifts can deliver what is essentially a facelift, but without the invasive surgery. There are no incisions or cuts, just simple injections which we place in strategic places.
The PDO thread lift will improve and rejuvenate the of the structure of the face, lifting loose or sagging skin. PDO threads are simply inserted into the skin with a very fine needle, either just under the skin, or in the fatty layer just beneath the skin, lifting the tissue and muscle and greatly improving the texture of the skin. Once they're inserted, they will pull up the jaw-line, lift the cheeks and will reduce the lines around the eyes, nose and mouth, and tighten the neck.
PDO thread lifts get great results. Threads get inserted all over the face and combine beautifully with dermal fillers to reveal a new, rejuvenated you. Thread lifts are an extremely versatile procedure, they're very simple, safe and almost painless. It's a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure that leaves you with a natural, rejuvenated look.
After a thread lift, an instant lift is often noticeable but what's even better, is that the effects will continue to improve for days and weeks afterwards. The PDO threads produce collagen around the threads and the new collagen that's produced, lifts the skin, creating more volume.
It's a minimally invasive treatment achieving tighter, younger looking skin, lasting for up to two years. The threads are absorbable so they don't need removing from the body. You will see an immediate visible lifting effect and a natural improvement in the skin.
If you need help choosing a cosmetic procedure, we provide an extensive range of cosmetic procedures for the face and body: Botox, Vaser Lipo, Lip Augmentation, Dermal Fillers and many more treatments, to help create a younger, slimmer, more youthful looking you!
The Selston Cosmetic Clinic is located in Selston, Nottingham, where we offer a bespoke service with a personalised touch and deliver high client satisfaction. We have been involved in the cosmetic industry for over 10 years
To find out more about PDO Thread lift treatment at the Selston Cosmetic Clinic - http://www.selstoncosmeticclinic.com/pdo-threadlifts.php
By Mags Whyler
Article Source: Achieve A Non-Invasive Face Lift Using PDO Thread Lifts
Successful Anti-Aging Needs A Few Hard Choices
Every day with have choices to make which can take us where we want to go or in the other direction.
1. Sleep in or go for a walk.
2. Go to sleep, or keep watching those screens.
3. Have a green smoothie for a muffin
4. Smile at a stranger or ignore them.
5. Take some time to relax or work yourself to exhaustion.
6. Eat a quality meal or chow down at the buffet.
The list is potentially endless but there is something interesting about hard choices.
Hard choices are about as hard as we decide they are.
Hard choices disappear instantly we make the choice then they are just the thing we are doing.
The more anti-aging choices we make the easier they become, until soon we create a healthy life style which doesn't require hard choices.
Anti-aging is not about expensive creams, sure they help, it is estimated you can influence the health of your skin about 20% with some skin preparations.
But the real battle is fought internally and the core elements are not expensive or fancy or made in a laboratory.
Minimize sugar and all refined carbohydrates, including rice pasta and potatoes, avoid all omega 6 oils and spreads, avoid questionable saturated fat products such as sausages, deli meats, and junk food burgers and unknown foods such as chicken nuggets.
Include nuts, seeds, omega 3 foods such as salmon, coloured vegetables, lean protein, sweet potatoes, olive oil, avocados, olives, sardines, eggs, butter and berries.
So many of your choices will be around food. Eating at home is easier because if you don't buy the aging foods then you can't eat them.
But traveling and dining out will require some thought.
If you eat away from home you will certainly need to be organised, but if only occasionally then a few dietary indiscretions won't matter.
An anti-aging movement programme is vital. This doesn't mean slamming your body in the gym or running marathons. What you need is daily activity. Regular walking, cardio like Zumba, and a heavier weight workout once a week.
A few supplements include omega 3 oils, magnesium, B vitamins, multi mineral, CoQ10 and Turmeric.
Maintaining a mindset of being young, energetic and active is vital. Ignore the media portrayal of older people, and avoid the language of being older and find activities, which include younger people, act young, be young! Don't forget that groaning to get out of a chair doesn't make it any easier.
and for your free programme to reduce pain, burn fat and boost your energy go to http://roadmaptovibranthealth.com/
By Ian Newton
Article Source: Successful Anti-Aging Needs A Few Hard Choices
1. Sleep in or go for a walk.
2. Go to sleep, or keep watching those screens.
3. Have a green smoothie for a muffin
4. Smile at a stranger or ignore them.
5. Take some time to relax or work yourself to exhaustion.
6. Eat a quality meal or chow down at the buffet.
The list is potentially endless but there is something interesting about hard choices.
Hard choices are about as hard as we decide they are.
Hard choices disappear instantly we make the choice then they are just the thing we are doing.
The more anti-aging choices we make the easier they become, until soon we create a healthy life style which doesn't require hard choices.
Anti-aging is not about expensive creams, sure they help, it is estimated you can influence the health of your skin about 20% with some skin preparations.
But the real battle is fought internally and the core elements are not expensive or fancy or made in a laboratory.
Minimize sugar and all refined carbohydrates, including rice pasta and potatoes, avoid all omega 6 oils and spreads, avoid questionable saturated fat products such as sausages, deli meats, and junk food burgers and unknown foods such as chicken nuggets.
Include nuts, seeds, omega 3 foods such as salmon, coloured vegetables, lean protein, sweet potatoes, olive oil, avocados, olives, sardines, eggs, butter and berries.
So many of your choices will be around food. Eating at home is easier because if you don't buy the aging foods then you can't eat them.
But traveling and dining out will require some thought.
If you eat away from home you will certainly need to be organised, but if only occasionally then a few dietary indiscretions won't matter.
An anti-aging movement programme is vital. This doesn't mean slamming your body in the gym or running marathons. What you need is daily activity. Regular walking, cardio like Zumba, and a heavier weight workout once a week.
A few supplements include omega 3 oils, magnesium, B vitamins, multi mineral, CoQ10 and Turmeric.
Maintaining a mindset of being young, energetic and active is vital. Ignore the media portrayal of older people, and avoid the language of being older and find activities, which include younger people, act young, be young! Don't forget that groaning to get out of a chair doesn't make it any easier.
and for your free programme to reduce pain, burn fat and boost your energy go to http://roadmaptovibranthealth.com/
By Ian Newton
Article Source: Successful Anti-Aging Needs A Few Hard Choices
Quit Smoking - What Is The Brick Wall You Keep Running Into?
Some things in life seem easy to achieve and some seem difficult, and some even feel impossible. If you are struggling to quit smoking, or if you can quit for a while but keep coming back to it then you need to firstly identify your brick wall and then learn how to demolish it, so that you can be a non- smoker.
The first question to ask your self is what does your brick wall look like, or how does it feel. Some examples are stress, anxiety, lack of confidence or self-belief. You may be bored, worried, or even happy.
One client told me he couldn't remember a special time in his life that didn't include a cigarette, so his wall was the bond of friendship he had formed with cigarettes. One level he felt that quitting was like a kind of loss with grieving, even though on a logical level he knew that was silly.
A point here to remember is that your wall doesn't have to be logical. Our worries rarely are. But, they still exist.
Brick walls can be real, or imagined, but like a wall there is a way around it, a doorway through it or a wrecking ball to knock it down.
How you handle the wall is in part how your personality works. Some people can gradually cut down on their smoking, and for some the only way is to quit!00% in one session.
But even if you are an all or nothing person you can start to chip away at your wall. E.g. you believe that you need a smoke to relax. Ask yourself if that is true all the time. Most likely you can identify times and places where you relax without smoking.
Then you keep finding more and more of these times and places. You can then acknowledge that sometimes you need a cigarette to relax and sometimes you don't. This is like taking a few bricks from your wall.
When you come in for your quit smoking hypnosis session we keep pulling bricks out with a variety of strategies until the wall comes down, and then you can see past the wall, into a new life where you live a healthy life as non-smoker.
No matter what your wall is made of, it can be pulled down, because you built it in the first place over time, and you can destroy it.
And now for you to discover the 5 big mistakes most people make when trying to quit smoking. go to http://howtoquitsmokingcigarettesnow.com/
Wishing you the best of health
Ian Newton
By Ian Newton
Article Source: Quit Smoking - What Is The Brick Wall You Keep Running Into?
The first question to ask your self is what does your brick wall look like, or how does it feel. Some examples are stress, anxiety, lack of confidence or self-belief. You may be bored, worried, or even happy.
One client told me he couldn't remember a special time in his life that didn't include a cigarette, so his wall was the bond of friendship he had formed with cigarettes. One level he felt that quitting was like a kind of loss with grieving, even though on a logical level he knew that was silly.
A point here to remember is that your wall doesn't have to be logical. Our worries rarely are. But, they still exist.
Brick walls can be real, or imagined, but like a wall there is a way around it, a doorway through it or a wrecking ball to knock it down.
How you handle the wall is in part how your personality works. Some people can gradually cut down on their smoking, and for some the only way is to quit!00% in one session.
But even if you are an all or nothing person you can start to chip away at your wall. E.g. you believe that you need a smoke to relax. Ask yourself if that is true all the time. Most likely you can identify times and places where you relax without smoking.
Then you keep finding more and more of these times and places. You can then acknowledge that sometimes you need a cigarette to relax and sometimes you don't. This is like taking a few bricks from your wall.
When you come in for your quit smoking hypnosis session we keep pulling bricks out with a variety of strategies until the wall comes down, and then you can see past the wall, into a new life where you live a healthy life as non-smoker.
No matter what your wall is made of, it can be pulled down, because you built it in the first place over time, and you can destroy it.
And now for you to discover the 5 big mistakes most people make when trying to quit smoking. go to http://howtoquitsmokingcigarettesnow.com/
Wishing you the best of health
Ian Newton
By Ian Newton
Article Source: Quit Smoking - What Is The Brick Wall You Keep Running Into?
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