Eating healthy during the holidays

With christmas just days away here are 10 tips for healthy eating.

Ten Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

1. Be realistic. Don’t try to lose pounds during the holidays, instead try to maintain your current weight.


2. Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating. Try 10- or 15-minute brisk walks twice a day.


3. Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.


4. Survey party buffets before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced.


5. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy.


6. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating; non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.


7. If you overeat at one meal go light on the next. It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your normal/maintenance consumption to gain one pound. It is impossible to gain weight from one piece of pie!


8. Take the focus off food. Turn candy and cookie making time into non-edible projects like making wreaths, dough art decorations or a gingerbread house. Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try serving a holiday meal to the community, playing games or going on a walking tour of decorated homes.


9. Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering.


10. Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking. Preparing favorite dishes lower in fat and calories will help promote healthy holiday eating. Incorporate some of these simple-cooking tips in traditional holiday recipes to make them healthier.


• Gravy — Refrigerate the gravy to harden fat. Skim the fat off. This will save a whopping 56 gm of fat per cup.


• Dressing — Use a little less bread and add more onions, garlic, celery, and vegetables. Add fruits such as cranberries or apples. Moisten or flavor with low fat low sodium chicken or vegetable broth and applesauce.


• Turkey – Enjoy delicious, roasted turkey breast without the skin and save 11 grams of saturated fat per 3 oz serving.


• Green Bean Casserole — Cook fresh green beans with chucks of potatoes instead of cream soup. Top with almonds instead of fried onion rings.


• Mashed Potato — Use skim milk, chicken broth, garlic or garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter.


• Quick Holiday Nog — Four bananas, 1-1/2 cups skim milk or soymilk, 1-1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt, 1/4 teaspoon rum extract, and ground nutmeg. Blend all ingredients except nutmeg. Puree until smooth. Top with nutmeg.


• Desserts — Make a crustless pumpkin pie. Substitute two egg whites for each whole egg in baked recipes. Replace heavy cream with evaporated skim milk in cheesecakes and cream pies. Top cakes with fresh fruit, fruit sauce, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead of fattening frosting.

Enjoy the holidays, plan a time for activity, incorporate healthy recipes into your holiday meals, and don't restrict yourself from enjoying your favorite holiday foods. In the long run, your mind and body will thank you.

The Dangers of Sunscreens

Be afraid, very afraid of that sunscreen you lather on. So suggests a new report from the Environmental Working Group. Most have dangerous chemicals that will accelerate the growth of skin tumors or disrupt the intricate workings of your hormonal systems, the nonprofit group reports. And these "modern-day snake oil" products don't work anyway, the group says, giving people a false sense of security so they stay out in the sun longer and get deadly skin cancer. Scary stuff. But is it true?
The American Academy of Dermatology says no, adding in a statement released yesterday that "scientific evidence supports the beneficial effects of sunscreen" and that sunscreen is "an important tool in the fight against skin cancer." The EWG report, though, does make two legitimate points: First, we shouldn't assume that rubbing on some sunscreen in the morning will protect our bikini-clad bodies at the beach all day. Second, most of us use far too little sunscreen to get significant protection. Here's what Henry W. Lim, chairman of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital, recommends when it comes to using sunscreen.
1. Do trust that sunscreens work. They're not snake oil, says Lim, and are regulated as over-the-counter drugs by the Food and Drug Administration. The current products labeled "broad spectrum," "wide spectrum" or "UVA/UVB protection" do a good job at blocking out UVB rays (the kind that causes sunburns and skin cancers) and a fairly good job at blocking UVA rays (the kind that causes tanning, wrinkles and also contributes to skin cancers). There's some controversy over UVA protection because the FDA hasn't yet issued regulations—expected in October—for how much protection from UVA is needed to allow the use of the wide or broad spectrum label. (Older sunscreen products protected only against UVB.) Products containing titanium dioxide, ecamsule (Mexoryl SX), avobenzone, or zinc oxide generally provide this broader protection.
[The Latest Sunscreen Products on the Shelves]

2. Do apply a lot, and frequently. While the FDA recommends applying one ounce or a shot-glassful of sunscreen to fully protect your body from head to toe, most of us use just a quarter of that amount and this lowers the sun protection factor by as much as a factor of 10. Studies suggest that a product with an SPF of 30 will give you an SPF of barely 3, says Lim, if you use the amount in a quarter of a shot glass. He's also not a fan of spray-on sunscreens since people tend to apply less or miss spots. "You have to spray a few times over each area." You also need to remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours since sweating, rubbing and swimming can cause sunscreens, even those that are labelled "water resistant," to wear off.
[Stinging Eyes? 3 Fixes for Sunscreen Hassles]
3. Don't worry so much about the chemicals. The EWG report raised concerns about retinyl palmitate, a vitamin A compound found in about 40 percent of sunscreens. The group says that chemical could accelerate skin damage and increase skin cancer risk when applied to skin that's exposed to sunlight. These claims, says Lim, are based on a study in mice , which are far more susceptible to skin cancer than humans. "It's dangerous to apply a finding in mice to humans, and I've spoken with a number of my colleagues about this and we all agree that it's very premature to even cast doubt about the safety of this chemical." The EWG also flagged products with oxybenzone, which it calls a "hormone-disrupting" compound. This, too, is based on mice data, says Lim; the animals were fed significantly greater amounts of the chemical than what's commonly applied in sunscreen. Other research found no significant changes in blood hormone levels in human volunteers who were told to apply sunscreens containing oxybenzone every day for two weeks. Any hormonal effect, he adds, is probably "very low"; still, if you're concerned about avoiding other hormonal disrupters like bisphenol-A found in hard plastic bottles, you can also avoid this one by checking for oxybenzone on the list of active ingredients.

Sunscreen causes skin cancer. That is what a new report from the British Association of Dermatologists is saying, despite the fact that all of us have been inundated with anti-tanning information and a constant barrage of “remember your sunscreen” advice all summer long.

The sunscreen research, put together by the British Association of Dermatologists, indicates that over 72 percent of the population reports receiving a sunburn last year, despite all the anti-tanning information and the proactive reminders about sunscreen. Those 72 percent are twice as likely to develop skin cancer, a deadly form of melanoma. Why are people still getting sunburned when they are constantly reminded to wear sunscreen?
According to the report, it seems that one of three things are the culprit. Either we’re not wearing the right kind of sunscreen, we are not reapplying sunscreen often enough, or we’re getting a false sense of security from our sunscreen. Either way, it’s our sunscreen that is increasing our risk of melanoma.
Malignant melanoma, skin cancer’s deadliest form, is now the fifth most common cancer in the U.K. and the number one form of cancer in the United States. Last year, breakthrough new studies into the damaging effects of ultraviolet A (the cause of long-term skin cancer) and ultraviolet B (the short-term burner of our skin) found that sunscreen that offered a SPF (sun protection factor) of 50 didn’t give complete protection from the development of skin cancer. However, when individuals purchase and use a SPF 50, they think they’re buying the best protection they can get, and tend to stay in the sun longer than usual.
One of the authors of the new study, Dr. Julie Sharp, of Cancer Research U.K., commented on the sunscreen findings.

“People tend to think they’re invincible once they’ve put it on and end up spending longer out in the sun, increasing their overall exposure to UV rays. This research adds important evidence showing that sunscreen has a role, but that you shouldn’t just rely on this to protect your skin.”

So what kind of sunscreen should you be buying? Experts say there’s a veritable minefield of misinformation surrounding different sunscreens. You must find one that is effective on both UVA and UVB light. One sunscreen may be a 50 SPF protection against UVA, but do absolutely nothing for UVB. Secondly, price means nothing. Expensive sunscreen creams and lotions aren’t necessarily better than cheaper ones. You must read the labels and make sure that your sunscreen has all the protection you want and need. When it comes to sunscreen, buyer beware.

The Dangers of Lasik Eye Surgery

(NaturalNews) Perfect vision without glasses or contacts sounds wonderful. Before considering having Lasik surgery, though, it would be wise to ask how many people actually do have good results and how many will suffer bad effects years after Lasik surgery. The advertisements give the impression that it's a perfectly safe -- nearly foolproof -- procedure. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Lasik surgery for vision improvement involves cutting a flap in the eye's cornea, the clear tissue at the front of the eye, then using a laser to cut and reshape the corneal tissue under the flap.

According to Dr. Kerry Soloman, who did a study of Lasik's safety for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, a full five percent have poor results. These can be worse vision -- even blindness -- constant eye pain, blurred vision, dry eyes, and a variety of other distressing visual aberrations. Interestingly, people who end up with corrected vision but permanent eye pain are considered successes by the surgeons who do the procedure.

About 48% -- nearly half –- suffer from dry eyes at least temporarily after the surgery. Because the surgery severs the cornea nerves that stimulate tear production, this has been an obvious and predictable problem.

About 700,000 people have Lasik surgery every year. With about 5% of them having bad results, that translates to about 35,000 people who ended up worse, with pain or with visual disturbances, such as double-vision and halos around lights.

The FDA is now investigating the risks associated with Lasik surgery, but one must wonder where the agency has been for the last 19 years, when the surgical technique was first patented. The first Lasik machine was approved by the FDA about ten years ago.

Lasik is Just Another Industry

The Lasik industry is like any other. Its primary motivation is profits, and this one's are enormous. The following quote is by Dr. Marguerite B. McDonald, the former Chief Medical Editor of EyeWorld, an international publication for ophthalmologists:

"We are only starting to ride the enormous growth curve of Lasik in this country. There will be more than enough surgeries for everyone to benefit if we keep our heads by sharing information openly and honestly and by resisting the temptation to criticize the work of our colleagues when we are offering a second opinion to a patient with a suboptimal result."

She clearly implies that the patients' welfare is of secondary importance to the doctors' profits! Dr. McDonald is a major player in the field of Lasik surgery. Think of what this implies about the safety of the process and the dishonesty inherent in many doctors doing it.

Of course, this shouldn't be surprising. Consider all the ophthalmologists who now specialize in only Lasik surgery. Instead of putting their efforts into procedures that might help people at risk of losing their sight, they have opted to do nothing but provide a risky and unnecessary procedure.

Long Term Results May Include Suicide

Long term results are proving to be even worse. Lawsuits are popping up now as a result of problems developing years later.

Colin Dorrian was a 28-year-old patent lawyer. In the summer of 2007, he killed himself, leaving a note that blamed constant pain from Lasik surgery. He wrote, "I just cannot accept the fact that I'm supposed to live like this."

Within the industry, there is complete denial of any cause-and-effect between Lasik and suicide. Of course, there have been no studies to see if there's a connection.

One optometrist, Chistine Sindt, who is also a University of Iowa associate professor of clinical ophthalmology, says that she has seen depression in people with vision problems caused by Lasik. "It's not just that they lose vision. They paid somebody... who took their vision away."

Naturally, the Lasik industry explains this sort of thing by saying that the people who become depressed suffered from psychological problems before the surgery. One would think, though, that any doctor whose first interest is in the patient's welfare would want to err on the side of caution. Instead, though, there has been denial.

Permanent Pathological Changes in All Lasik Patients

In a study published by Cornea in January 2005, it was reported that, of 25 post-mortem Lasik patients, every single one of them had suffered pathological corneal changes that were permanent. There were no exceptions. These patients had died between 3 months and 7 years after their surgeries, and the only determinant for selecting a case for examination was that the person's visual status prior to the surgery was known.

Corneas Do Not Heal Completely After Lasik

In the September-October issue of the Journal of Refractive Surgery, a report of a study on the healing of Lasik patients reported that most do not achieve anywhere near the quality of structure that's achieved from most corneal wounds. The relative strength of the Lasik-induced wound's tissues average only 2.4% of normal tissue. Wounds gotten in an accidental manner typically develop scars with 28.1% the strength of normal tissue.

In the Journal of Refractive Surgery's April 2007 issue, the authors stated, "The Lasik flap once cut may contribute little to the mechanical stability of the cornea and probably never completely adheres to the underlying stromal bed."

Lasik patients are left with permanently weakened corneas. This means that they are forever at risk of permanent eye damage from relatively minor injuries. Those who are most at risk of suffering permanent damage as a result of Lasik surgery, people who are involved in highly physical sports or jobs, are the ones who are often targeted by the industry. Clearly, the best interests of the patients are not the doctors' primary concern.

Potential Damage From Lasik Surgery

Lasik surgery has not been in existence for long, only about ten years. Its long term effects are not yet known, but there are many reasons to be concerned.

There are some indications that the procedure may induce cataracts. Many people, including relatively young ones, have claimed that cataracts were induced by Lasik surgery. There have not, of course, been any studies to see if there's a connection.

Lasik procedures literally evaporate part of the cornea to produce a smooth surface. This is known to create free radicals and apoptosis (cell death and dismemberment) in the stromal, underlying, structure of the cornea. Free radicals are known to cause tumor growth. It may be decades before we see results of this damage –- or it may be entirely harmless. Only time will tell.

In November 2007, EyeNet Magazine, a publication of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, reported ectasia, bulging of the cornea, years after Lasik surgery. Joe McFarland, MD, JD stated, "We are also just now learning of some of the long-term complications of refractive surgery, which are being reflected in new allegations and lawsuits. For example, some patients are developing post-refractive ectasia years after the procedure; this condition not only compromises vision, but also may need to be treated with a corneal transplant."

At least one case of neuropathy to both optic nerves of a patient was noted by the journal, Opthalmology in April 2008. It is surmised that the cause was elevation of intraocular (within the eye) pressure induced by a suction ring device routinely used during Lasik procedures. It resulted in several severe vision defects.

A consistent result of Lasik surgery is that people over age 40 who had been able to see things close to them without glasses suddenly require glasses for reading. They have only exchanged distance-vision glasses for reading glasses.

Lasik surgery changes the cornea's shape and thickness. As a result, intraocular pressure readings, which are critical for diagnosing glaucoma, become inaccurate. This may result in lost vision from glaucoma that goes undiagnosed.

Do You Want to Take the Risk of Lasik Surgery?

Laser sounds so much safer than a knife, but keep in mind that it cuts as sharply as any weapon. One of the primary processes of Lasik surgery is melting part of the cornea to make it smooth. The result is that even the best possible outcome results in poor healing, leaving all, or nearly all, patients at significantly greater risk of permanent eye damage from injury. Aside from the immediate risks of seriously impaired vision and permanent eye pain, the long term risks are only now coming to light.

Is Lasik surgery worth the risk? I'll leave that up to you.



Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/023344_Lasik_surgery_vision.html#ixzz3qD38LPmx

Nose Bleeds

Nose bleeds happen in a variety of ways like a punch in the nose. But one way that nose bleeds happen that a lot of people do not think about is when their nostrils go dry. When your nostrils go dry due to the dryness in the air they get raw and irritated and then start to bleed. So let me give you a natural idea that you may or may not of thought of. Get one of those visene spray bottles that you can get at places like CVS or Walgreen's or Wal-Mart and when you get it home empty the contents of the spray bottle and wash it out very thorough and fill it up with (Cold Purified Water) because warm Purified water will make the nostrils hurt more because when they get dry and irritated they also get warm and that is when they start to bleed. So give each nostril 2-4 squirts 3 time a day once in the morning and once in the afternoon and once in the evening. This will prevent the nostrils from getting dry and you will not have anymore nose bleeds.

Lotions

Many people choose to use commercial hand lotions to make their skin softer, and moister.  This is especially true throughout the winter months, when less moisture is present in air.  Commercial lotions can provide some short term relief for skin dryness, but they actually make the problems worse in the long term.  This phenomena is similar to what we have seen with pharmaceuticals and dieting aids, which ultimately make the root problems much worse, in order to create a chemical dependence.
People rarely use hand lotions with light moderation.  Instead, lotions usually become an essential accessory, which are applied several times a day, for years at a time.  This necessity seems to be by design from the industry.  The great majority of hand lotions contain toxic chemicals which accumulate in the liver and fatty tissues, causing long-term problems, as they accumulate in ever greater amounts in the body over time.  Many of the common chemicals used in hand lotions are known to cause skin dryness, and skin irritation with extended use, which just happens to be really great for business.  When people start experiencing long-term dryness after using hand lotions, they eventually become dependent on these same lotions for their quick-fix.  It is unlikely that such a problem is accidental.
The Toxic Ingredients
Common ingredients in commercial hand lotions include parabens (propylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben), alcohols, mineral oil, other petroleum products, and aluminum.  Most people seem oblivious to the fact that chemicals placed on the skin are usually absorbed directly into the blood stream.  Perhaps, if this were to become common knowledge, then many of the cosmetic products which are now sold would go out of business.  Cosmetic products are not regulated at all, so the current formulas are made at the whim of manufacturers.
Paraben's bio-accumulate in the liver, breasts, and fatty tissues.  They are known for causing skin irritation, dry skin, sensitizing the skin, and triggering allergic reactions.  In addition, a lot of controversy has surrounded this set of chemicals in recent years, due to the fact that some studies link their use to breast cancer.  The primary study of controversy is from September 2008,  which monitored girls who used cosmetic products containing parabens, and contrasted them with girls who did not.  They found higher rates of cancer in the girls who were exposed to parabens.  Animal studies have also shown that parabens reduce the sperm count.
Petroleum has been shown in studies to not only cause cancerous tumors, but also to cause long-term dryness of skin.  Petroleum-based creams cannot absorb completely, so some is left on the surface of the hands.  The hands then appear to improve, because this oily layer appears like something of a second skin, but this results in more problems in the future, whenever the petroleum 'mask' is removed.  Meanwhile, the skin remains dry and smothered underneath the oily layer.  Mineral oil 'works' in the same way, except that a certain amount of It also sinks into the blood stream.
Amazingly, many hand lotions contain alcohols, which are known to practically everyone to dry skin.  Why then, would they be added to moisturizers?  Such a decision is definitely not in the interest of people with dry or cracking skin.
Aluminum is a bio-accumulative heavy metal, which cannot normally leave the body.  Instead, it damages the IQ, contributes to cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis.  A heavy metal cleanse is necessary to remove the build up of this toxic metal, and selenium should be used as a neutralizing supplement in the meantime.  Be sure to always buy aluminum-free baking powder for this reason.
Most people never even consider reading the ingredients lists on their cosmetics products.  Our analysis of leading brands of moisturizers was horrifying.  The long list of chemicals that can be found inside modern cosmetics seems endless, and it is perfectly legal for companies to avoid listing some ingredients, under the guise of "trade secrets".  This is normal, in fact.  If you are one of the millions of people who have been scammed by the chemical industry in regard to hand lotions, then we strongly recommend a liver and heavy metal cleanse; and if still needed, a switch to a natural hand lotion.

The dangers of Tanning Booths and the dangers of the sun to the skin

A lot of people out there seem to think that just because you see them in certain health clubs that tanning booths are safe. Well I hate to tell you this but they're not safe at all and here is why. There are actually 2 reasons why they're not safe. #1. They destroy skin cells through the ultraviolet lights in them. #2. They cause skin cancer and if you don't believe me then check this website out!
http://cargocollective.com/johnrea/COPPERTONE-The-DermaPhoto-Booth-Project and this one

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/tanning?gclid=CjwKEAjw3PGtBRCWgajpu_uY9hYSJAAICRalxUYZVe0DWfBbUiUqH03lZdZsNQg-acLuE_04lMdeXxoCtODw_wcB

And so I have 2 suggestions to naturally solve this problem

#1. As much as you can limit the amount of time you spend in the sun
#2. If you must go out in the sun wear light color clothing (No darks) so the sun won't affect you as much. As for the length of your shirts it must be long sleeve. The reason why I say no dark clothing is because dark color clothes attract heat so it will cause sunburn (Skin damage) because the sunburn killed some of your skin cells. Light color clothes repel the heat so no sunburn.

Hyperventilation

If you are Hyperventilating It means that you are not getting enough oxygen in the lungs. It could and most likely be caused by smoking or by excess weight on the body due to unhealthy eating patterns or other problems. But here is an all natural way to take care of it. What you need to do is sit down if your not sitting down already and if you need to pull the car over do that but what you need to do is put your hands on your legs or on the knees your choice and close your eyes and take some slow deep breaths in and out for 2 minutes straight what this technique will do is slow down your breathing to the point where you will no longer be hyperventilating.

Dehydration

When you have a consistent weather it be wet or a dry cough or a raw scratchy throat that does not mean that you are sick. What it could mean and most likely could mean is that you are dehydrated. The body needs 8 ounces of purified water every day to stay hydrated and working properly and the best water that I have found for the body is Fiji bottle water, notice  I didn't say Tap water because Tap water is actually bad for you with the chlorine and the fluoride made from waste aluminum and the led and pesticides in it so stay away from Tap water. Another good idea for clean purified water if you have it or could get it is a reverse osmosis so keep these ideas in mind to stay properly hydrated ok?

Back Pain

Back pain is caused by several things like too much body fat which will press against the spine or through lifting too much at one time or there are some people although it is rare that his happens but there are some people who genetically get back pain and just have to live with it. There are 3 ways cure back pain to go along with losing weight. #1. sleep on the Tempur pedic mattress www.tempurpedic.com #3.go see a chiropractor. If you follow the advice I just gave you you will start to feel better a lot quicker than you think!

Low Potassium Levels

When your family doctor tells you that you have low potassium  levels and he or she tells you to take potassium pills don't do it unless you are allergic to this natural idea I am about to tell you! A natural approach that you can and I would strongly advise you to do is eat 2 to 3 bananas in the morning  and 2 to 3 bananas in the after noon and 2 to 3 bananas in the evening every day. Bananas a filled with potassium and don't have the dangerous side effects of the potassium pills that your doctor will prescribe.

Diarrhea

Most people think of diarrhea as a bad thing but it's not! Diarrhea is just one of many ways to get rid of dangerous toxins in the body. The way it works is when there are too many toxins in the body your bodies metabolism automatically starts to break down the toxins in the body and when it is done breaking them down it releases the toxins out of your body through a process that we call Diarrhea! Toxins can get into the body through the foods we eat and through the stuff we drink (tap water included) plus many other ways. So the best ways to avoid these toxins is by eat fresh foods like Strawberries , Blueberries , Carrots ,Spinach and other foods like them , Drink purified water but no milk!  

scurvies

The disease of scurvies is a vitamin c deficiency from the foods that we do eat and the foods that we don't eat. Let me tell you what I am talking about so you will have a better understanding of what I am talking about. The majority of people if not all of the people in the United States of America eat very unhealthy every day and have been doing that many many years. The toxins in the foods they eat will lower their vitamin c level which will not on cause an increase chance of getting scurvies but also increase their chances of getting colds and the flu plus other illnesses. So here is what you do slowly ease yourself off of the un healthy foods (Reduce every 2 weeks) and slowly ease your way on to the healthy foods (Increase every 2 weeks). While you are doing this eat 3 oranges a day without skipping a single day because this will prevent you from getting scurvies, colds, flu and other diseases in the future!

colds and flu

When the winter season comes so do the colds and the flu. So why do we get them it's because we have a weak immune system and so let me tell you what to do to get rid of them or prevent yourself from getting them. You can do one of two things or you can combine them #1. Get some natural enzymes from a health food store or from a natural grocery store and not from a store like Owens because they sell the cheap knock off version of it. #2.Eat 3 oranges a day everyday because the cold and flu viruses can not survive in a vitamin c enriched body!