The use of lavender oil as a healer for many illnesses was discovered in 1937 by the French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse. Although skeptical about treatments by natural herbs, he was fascinated by the properties that essential oils had. Once, in 1910, when he burnt his hand severely, and treated it with pure lavender oil, it not only helped him by instantly easing the pain, but also healed the hand without any trace of scar or infection. That was the beginning of the popularity of lavender oil, and now it is one of the most widely used essential oils. Lavender oil has various healing qualities and a breathtaking fragrance. It used to be that almost all colognes contained lavender oil. But today its uses are being rediscovered in an effort to recognize its multiple benefits. Lavender oil is an essential oil, which is normally applied with a carrier and then massaged onto the skin. It helps in stimulating the production of gastric juices, aids digestion, and augments intestinal mobility. Hence, it is helpful in treating flatulence, nausea, dyspepsia, colic and diarrhea. Its calming effect is famous for lowering blood pressure and reducing hypertension. It also helps solve various muscle- or joint-related problems such as relieving pain, reducing muscular tension and treating muscular aches, lumbago, rheumatism and sprains. It is famous for treating flu, throat infections, whooping cough, bronchitis, sinus problems, asthma, and congestion. There is a hybrid of pure lavender and spike lavender called ‘Lavandin’ which is also extensively used, as it generates twice the amount of oil compared to other lavender species, but is not as fragrant. Lavender provides detailed information on Lavender, Lavender Plants, Lavender Pillows, Lavender Oil and more. Lavender is affiliated with Best Breast Pumps .

The risk factors for cardiovascular disease have been categorized by the american heart association (AHA) as follows: Major risk factors that cannot be changed (increasing age, male gender, and heredity) Major risk factors that can be changed (elevated blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity Other contributing factors (obesity, diabetes, and stress). Major Risk Factors That Cannot Be Changed Age Approximately 55% of all heart attacks occur in people who are 65 years of age or older. This age group accounts for more than 80% of the fatal heart attacks. Male Gender Until recently, the incidence of coronary heart disease among women has been largely unexplored. Men have been the primary subjects in the coronary heart disease and risk factor studies because of the high incidence of both among men. However, coronary heart disease is also the leading cause of death and disability among women, accounting for almost 250,000 deaths annually. Women have less heart disease than men, particularly before menopause. The reasons for the difference include the following: The female hormone estrogen protects the coronary arteries from atherosclerosis Women have higher circulating levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which also protects the arteries. After menopause, though, the heart attack rate among women increases significantly until the mid-60s, when women s risk is equal to that of men the same age. An alarming trend in recent years is the increased incidence of heart attacks in premenopausal women who have been smoking cigarettes long enough for it to affect their health, especially when combined with oral contraceptive use. Heredity According to the AHA, “A tendency toward heart disease or atherosclerosis appears to be hereditary, so children of parents with cardiovascular disease are more likely to develop it themselves.” A history of first degree male relatives (father, grandfather, and brothers) who died of coronary heart disease before the age of 55 or first degree female relatives (mother, grandmother, and sisters) who died of coronary heart disease before the age of 65 indicates a strong familial tendency. If the family history is positive, the modifiable risk factors must be controlled. Major Risk Factors That Can Be Changed Cholesterol Cholesterol is a steroid that is an essential structural component of neural tissue; it is used in the construction of cell walls and for the manufacture of hormones and bile (for the digestion and absorption of fats). A certain amount of cholesterol is required for good health, but high levels in the blood are associated with heart attacks and strokes. The AHA suggests that Americans reduce cholesterol consumption to less than 300 milligrams per day (300 mg/day), that fat intake be reduced to a maximum of 30% of the total calories consumed, and that saturated fat be reduced to no more than 10% of the total calories. Many authorities are convinced that limiting total fat and saturated fat is more important than being overly restrictive of cholesterol. Americans have made substantial progress in reducing cholesterol consumption. The average cholesterol consumed by men and women respectively in 1960 was 704 mg/day and 493 mg/day. By 1994, How LDL cholesterol contributes to coronary artery disease is not completely understood, but the “lipid oxidation theory” appears to have the support of the scientific community. According to this theory, LDLs do not latch on to the artery linings, depositing the cholesterol that eventually forms plaque. Instead, high circulating levels of LDL in the blood stimulate the cells beneath the artery lining to transport the LDLs into the artery wall. This process is facilitated when artery linings are damaged by any one or a combination of the following: cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, viruses, and other toxic substances. After infiltrating the artery wall, LDLs are oxidized, or converted to harmful forms that are toxic to endothelial and smooth muscle cells, thus further damaging the artery lining. This process triggers the body s immune system, which responds by sending white blood cells, called monocytes, that also penetrate into the inner layer of the artery. The monocytes turn into macrophages, which engulf oxidized LDLs in an effort to protect the artery from further damage. The macrophages become bloated from gobbling up LDLs, and in this condition they eventually develop into foam cells. Foam cells in turn stimulate the smooth muscle cells in the affected arteries to grow in size and number. This adds to the thickness of the artery walls. Concurrently, blood platelets congregate at the sites of disease, further adding to the thickening process. The culmination of these events results in the development of fatty streaks in the arteries. This is an initial sign of coronary artery disease. Some of these streaks develop into atherosclerotic plaques, which are the lesions that define diseased coronary arteries. In some instances the cells lining the artery flake off or retract, exposing the foam cells lying beneath. Once again, the body attempts to repair the damage, but the restoration process causes the wounded artery to scar down as a fibrous plaque. This represents a later-stage lesion in the development of atherosclerotic plaque. Lesions grow over time by accumulating fibrous tissue, cholesterol, and other debris from the blood stream. Concomitantly, the channel narrows severely, diminishing blood flow to the myocardium. At this point the lesion has progressed to a mature plaque. Finally, further damage to the artery wall may cause either a blood clot to develop or bleeding to occur into the core of the plaque, or the artery may go into spasm. Any of these events can abruptly interrupt or block the flow of blood to a portion of the heart muscle, resulting in a heart attack. Heart attacks are rare when LDL values in the blood are below 100 mg/dl. A national panel of experts has developed guidelines for safe and unsafe levels of LDL. A high circulating level of LDL cholesterol is positively related to cardiovascular disease. Weight loss, a diet low in saturated fat and total fat, exercise, and medication (if needed) will lower LDL levels in the blood. HDLs are involved in reverse transport; that is, they accept cholesterol from the blood and tissues and transfer it to VLDLs and LDLs for transport to the liver, where it can be degraded, disposed of, or recycled. HDLs protect the arteries from atherosclerosis by clearing cholesterol from the blood. Cardiovascular health depends greatly on low levels of total cholesterol and LDLs and a high level of HDLs. Cigarette smoking, diabetes, elevated triglyceride levels, and anabolic steroids lower HDL, whereas physical exercise, weight loss, and moderate alcohol consumption raise it. Moderate alcohol consumption (two drinks or less per day) increases HDL cholesterol levels. An alcoholic drink is defined as a 5 ounce glass of wine, or a 12 ounce beer, or 11/2 ounces of 80 proof spirits. However, alcohol is a depressant that is responsible for nearly 50,000 traffic deaths annually and contributes to one third of all drownings and boating deaths. Alcohol impairs judgment and removes inhibitions so that people under its influence behave in ways they ordinarily would not while sober. Alcohol consumption is not an acceptable way to raise HDL cholesterol. The higher the HDL, the greater the protection from cardiovascular disease. The average value for men is 45 mg/dl, and for women it is 55 mg/dl. This biological difference in HDL levels between genders partly explains the lower incidence of heart disease in premenopausal women as compared with men. After menopause, HDL levels in women begin to decrease, as does their protection provided by this subfraction of cholesterol. The ratio between total cholesterol (TC) and HDL (TC/HDL) should also be considered when the risk is interpreted. This ratio is determined by dividing TC by HDL. Another blood fat, the serum triglycerides, is involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Average serum triglycerides, depending on age and gender, range from 50 mg/dl to 200 mg/dl. Elevated triglycerides may not directly cause atherosclerosis, but they often accompany and add to the severity of other blood fat abnormalities. For example, high triglycerides tend to be accompanied by low HDLs, high LDLs, and high total cholesterol. This profile is predictive of the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. A number of studies have shown that sedentary hypertriglyceridemic people can reduce serum triglycerides by as much as 45% when they participate regularly in moderately intense exercise. Physically fit people metabolize serum triglycerides more effectively than sedentary people and are able to clear them from the blood more rapidly after a high-fat meal. Know more about health care tips . Also you might be interested in knowing about natural herbal remedy and alzheimers causes .

Cranky today? Do you often feel just lousy, angry, irritable, tired and without energy - and annoyed because you don t even know why? Your body is trying to tell you that it is over-burdened and needs urgent attention. Ignore these signals for any length of time and you will have to pay the penalty of contracting degenerative disease. Reversing your self-destructing mood into being happy, joyful, energetic, caring and enthusiastic is ridiculously simple, fast and cheap: you may be acidic and just need to up-regulate your pH. Yes, in simple terms, unbalanced pH is the beginning of all symptoms of illness - or - all disease is preceded by a disturbance of the systemic acid - alkaline balance. Acidosis is the condition of acidity in the body, when the pH is off-balance. If uncorrected, this condition can become dangerous as it weakens all body systems as your organism will no longer absorb vital nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. Moreover, enzymes can only work within a narrow pH range. Without enzymes, we can not digest food and food that is not digested putrefies and overburdens liver and kidneys which have to excrete the wastes. A pH-balanced environment is paramount to normal organ function necessary for the body to resist disease. Today, Acidosis is ubiquitous due to our hurried lifestyles and consequential nutritional habits. Acidity creates an internal terrain where disease can thrive, while a healthy body maintains adequate alkaline reserves to meet demands when needed. In order to neutralize acidosis, our alkaline reserves are depleted, leaving the body in a weak and vulnerable condition. Acidosis can spawn disease and resulting disease symptoms create more acid until the lungs and kidneys can no longer maintain the delicate balance between acid and base in the blood, the body s cells, as well as in the fluid outside the cells, and the kidneys can no longer cope with eliminating the waste. Improper nutrition and other lifestyle issues raise acid levels on a daily basis and eventually as disease develops we may still not be aware of the source and treat the symptom instead - creating en even more acidic environment. The price we have to pay is chronically compromised health. Our organism is constantly engaged in warding off molds, yeasts, bacteria, viruses and fungi. By using antibiotics and anti-bacterial personal care products as the first line of defense, we clear the path for the proliferation of more powerful deadly bugs and bacteria. Our immune system is weakening while it is constantly challenged in this war. The concept of acid alkaline imbalance as the cause of disease has been known for a long time. In 1933, the New York Dr. William Howard Hay maintained in his book “A New Health Era” that all disease is caused by acidosis resulting in self-poisoning of the body. Since that was seventy plus years ago, one wonders what progress we made since then. In fact, long before that, Louis Pasteur knew that the bacteria can not thrive and do damage unless their terrain is conducive to their proliferation. An acidic environment is the ideal terrain as it is starved of oxygen. Dr. Hay s comments may have seemed strange at that time when he said that: “all disease is the same thing, no matter what its myriad modes of expression, but it is verily so”. Yes - and that was long before the incursion of Fast-Food. It follows that disease is not the results of germs attacking your body. Disease is your body s response to the poisoning of the system; your body s fight to survive. So trying to kill the germs when you get sick is like leaving the trash in the street and killing the rats instead. So what s new? You have probably learned that virus and bacteria attack the body when its immune system is compromised and that s what s making us sick. After all, that s what modern medicine is practicing: we treat the assumed culprit, the virus or bacteria that entered the body. Antibacterial detergents will inhibit these critters from entering our body and keep us healthy! Though disease can arise from within, without the exposure to any external threats . The only condition is the bioterrain which is prepared by inefficient oxidation and fermentation in the body. If you store fresh food in a freezer and then pull the plug, what do you see when you open the door one week later? An infestation of mold, bacteria, fungi and yeast! But how did it get there, no one brought them in and the door was tightly sealed? Obviously, these micro-organisms were always there in another life form, but they were dormant and could not develop in an oxygen-saturated environment. You want to Age at what pace? That s entirely under your control! Why did medical science need seventy years to connect the findings of Hay and Pasteur with the cause of aging and conclude that longevity and accelerated aging are related to balanced pH? Almost all of the food we consume today is acid forming, add the hydration which is mostly insufficient and acidic too, then consider exposure to acid rain and polluted air in addition to poor breathing habits. Acidosis is one of the main accelerators of the aging process and various illnesses. Acid waste is excreted from the human body by the bowel, lungs, kidneys and skin. But the waste that can not be excreted will be deposited in various organs such as liver, colon, joints, connective tissues, and muscles including the heart. As the cells will be deprived of their supply of oxygen and essential nutrients, these cells are unable to replicate. This will lead to all sorts of health problems and that s the main reason why people age at an accelerated pace. Moreover, with the capillary blood vessels clogged up, the function of every organ in the human body is accumulating acidic waste that will begin to deteriorate, causing serious illnesses in the long run. If the cause of aging lies in acidosis, then the answer to longer life must lie in eliminating such acidic wastes. In 1979, a British journalist interviewed one of the oldest documented living people on earth, Mr. Izumi. He was said to be 115 year-old and in good health, who lived on an island off the coast of Japan all of his life. He appeared healthy, active and alert. Most of the other inhabitants on the island were also in great health and few of them died before age 95! The unparalleled longevity of these people is attributed to the quality of water which is slightly alkaline and obviously plays a big role in neutralizing acidic meals. Many doctors recommend a vegetarian or low meat diet as alkaline minerals and vegetables help neutralize acidic waste. But many vegetables today are only slightly alkaline and low in minerals as they are farmed on high yield nutrient depleted soil, and these alone can not neutralize the highly acidic wastes in the body accumulated by junk foods and soft drinks. If longevity is defined by a balanced acid-base ratio, then the beginning of the death spiral (that is when you are permanently prescribed medication) might be Acidosis. It has been demonstrated that an acidic, anaerobic (lacking oxygen) body environment encourages the breeding of spores, fungi, mold, bacteria, and viruses. These life-forms can survive 2,830 º F heats in volcanic lava, radioactive exposure in nuclear explosions, sterilization and drowning in formaldehyde. They permanently reside in our bodies and simply need the right environment to come out of hiding and thrive. This can be likened to a shift in our biological terrain from a healthy oxygenated, alkaline environment to an unhealthy anaerobic acidic environment. What Guests are you hosting indefinitely? The pH (potential of Hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 - the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7 which is neutral. Water is the most abundant compound in the human body, comprising 65% of the body. The body has an acid-alkaline (or acid-base) ratio called the pH which is a balance between positively charges ions (acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline-forming.) The body continually strives to balance pH. When this balance is compromised many problems occur. It is important to understand that we are not talking about stomach acid or the pH of the stomach. We are talking about the pH of the body s cells, fluids and tissues which is an entirely different matter. Testing Your Balance is as easy as checking the Weather When did your doctor ever recommend you buy a $ 15 roll of pH paper that will last for a year just to significantly boost your quality of life and add many years to it? Probably never, why? Because doctors are trained to treat the symptoms of a disease. Thus, when you develop symptoms as a result of chronic acidity, most likely the symptom will be treated with drugs and if it disappears you are done - well, the cause remains but you are out and on your own! So it s like killing the wasps that swarm around the barbeque, instead of covering the meat. Note - you are on your own here, therefore you may do yourself an enormous service by testing your pH levels to determine if your body s pH needs immediate attention. By using pH paper test tape (not strips or digital gauges), available at pharmacies, health food stores and the internet, you can determine your pH level quickly and easily in the privacy of your own home. Not only is this as basic a healthcare as flossing your teeth, there is one compelling reason for you to do this on a regular basis: regulation is dependent on nutrition and it s you only that s in charge of what you eat and drink. What we take-in is what comes-out The results of urine testing indicate how well your body is assimilating minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sodium and potassium. These are called the “acid buffers” because they are used by the body to control the acid level. If acid levels are too high (pH level lower), the body will not be able to excrete acid. It must either store the acid in body tissue, or buffer it - that is, borrow minerals from organs, bones and teeth, in order to neutralize acidity. The application is very simple, swipe a short strip of pH paper through your 1st morning urine and the tape will immediately assume a color between bright yellow and dark blue. The ideal urine pH value lies in the green zone ranging from 6.4 to 7.0. You may see yourself as acidic as 5.0 or even lower, but don t be hoodwinked into thinking that 6.0 is close enough, a mere 1/10 in pH can change the tissue oxygen ten times, thus a pH of 6.0 is forty times less oxygen in your cells. Do you believe that has an effect on your mood? It is highly recommended that you check your 1st morning urine pH daily, until you stay within the range 6.4-7.0. Any value below 6.4 needs up-regulation by nutritional means and nutrition includes hydration. If nutrition fails to reach balance consistently, it may indicate the presence of a raging infection. Usually, the only infections you are not aware of are teeth related. The only permissible acidic reading is after vigorous anaerobic exercise, but this balances itself within a day. The immeasurable benefit of regular pH urine testing is that it teaches you what foods and drinks are good for you, allowing you to make simple lifestyle changes. In particular, you will soon realize that your favorite beverages are acidifying, including bottled water. By the way, when you on medication, your pH may be very low. If your reading is consistently in the blue zone, you are alkaline. This condition may be caused by certain pharmaceuticals like aspirin or diuretic blood pressure medication which interfere with calcium in the body. Keeping the Balance = your Foundation of Excellent Health As we have seen, your body is able to assimilate minerals and nutrients properly only when its pH is balanced. It is therefore possible for you to be taking healthy nutrients and yet be unable to absorb or use them. Have you ever questioned the benefits of dietary supplements? In an acid environment they can t be assimilated. If you are not getting the results you expected from your nutritional or herbal program, look for an acid alkaline imbalance. Even the most potent dietary supplements will not work if your body is fighting acidosis, you must first create the pH balanced environment. A state of acidosis is simply the lack of oxygen and available calcium which the body uses to maintain its alkaline balance. Calcium makes up 1.6% of our body weight. It is literally the human glue that holds the body together. A calcium ion can hold onto seven other molecules while it grabs onto one molecule of water. No other ion can do this. And it is the right size to easily get in and out of the human cell. As it does this, it takes a chain of nutrients into the cell and then leaves to get more nutrients. Now, you may be tempted to go to the nearest health food store and buy calcium supplements, but this could actually make the situation worse. First off, calcium supplements are notorically difficult to absorb in a non-ionized form and if calcium is not absorbed, the body may store it somewhere undesirable like in your arteries as plaque. Second, minerals in the body must be balanced; otherwise they may fight each other. That means a calcium supplementation must be accompanied by other minerals in the right proportions, according to needs and then it requires vitamin D, such as from sun shine for absorption. Finally, being low in calcium could be a digestive problem caused by the absence of active enzymes or a lack of HCL (stomach acid), which may affect malabsorption of other minerals too. Calcium obtained from raw food doesn t have these problems as the nutrients are suspended in a harmonious environment with all the co-factors. The most obvious remedy is alkaline water, the perfect hydration source. Today, its natural occurrence is rare, but there are affordable water-alkalizers available for home use, that produce unlimited amounts of superior tasting water. What kicks your pH off balance? The reason why chronic acidosis is very common in Western societies is mainly due to an overabundance of highly processed foods, which is far too high in acid-producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkalizing foods like fresh vegetables. Additionally, we eat convenience foods like refined white flour and processed sugars including HFCS, and drink acidifying beverages like coffee, sweet soft drinks and alcoholic beverages which dehydrate the body. Drugs are also acidifying; and so are synthetic chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Equal, aspartame and sucralose, (diet sodas). The first things we can do to regain health and vitality is to up-regulate an acidic body by adapting diet and lifestyle. Only in a pH neutral environment can herbal remedies such as detox programs or dietary supplements function. There are other than just nutritional reasons for over-acidity and the condition may worsen by poor, shallow breathing habits, sleep apnea, or by acute infections. The only Infections we may not be aware of, may be dental related and dental infections are the only ones that the body can t conquer on its own. Most people who suffer from unbalanced pH are acidic as opposed to alkaline. This condition forces the body to borrow minerals including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, from where it can - and that is from bones and teeth - to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged damage due to high acidity. A condition that may go undetected for years as most people are unaware of it until it is too late. One of the first warning signs of an acidic biological terrain is calcium deposits which stem from the structural calcium of our bones and teeth and never from the calcium in our water or diet. This is important because it means that if calcium deposits are forming, we know our inner biological terrain is too acidic. Our dietary intake of calcium is not keeping up with the calcium buffering needed and we are drawing calcium from our bones and teeth. This is nature s safety mechanism: because the blood needs to retain its pH balance at any cost, it sources calcium form wherever it can find it. As a result, your biological terrain s oxygen level drops leaving you tired and fatigued, allowing harmful spores, fungi, mold, bacteria and yeast to flourish and gain control over the whole body. It is pleomorphism, the many phase-changing life forms of micro-organisms at work: when you have Candida, it is yeast that developed from fungi, which developed from mold, which stemmed from bacteria which were formed from double spores which were thriving in fermentative, oxidative bioterrain in an acid body. This means that all these life forms flourish on the same terrain and we are made to believe that antibacterial soaps or antibiotics can eradicate the problem. Once the symptom has temporarily disappeared, we declare “mission accomplished”. Obviously not so, the drugs we used to fight the symptom simply made us even more acidic and the next symptom may just be worse: Some Common Diseases Symptoms attributed to Acidity ” Cardiovascular disease ” Hypoxia (lack of blood oxygen) ” Weight gain, obesity and diabetes. ” Kidney disease, including kidney stones ” Immune deficiency ” Free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations ” Premature aging. ” Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs ” Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup ” Liver disease, Low energy and chronic fatigue ” Chronic constipation. Our blood is slightly alkaline and the systemic arterial blood pH has to be maintained within a very narrow range at 7.35, otherwise we will die immediately. This degree of tight regulation is accomplished through chemical buffering in the extra-cellular fluid, intra-cellular fluid and regulatory responses that are under the control of the respiratory (lungs) and renal systems (Kidneys). But in order to supply enough calcium for buffering we must have enough calcium being absorbed from our diet or our body will simply rob the needed calcium from our bones and teeth. The more acidic we become, the harder it is for oxygen to be present, and thus our biological terrain also becomes more anaerobic. Then our cells cannot carry on their life-giving functions in an efficient manner because our biological chemical reactions need oxygen. Cancer Cancer cells hate oxygen and in a well oxygenated terrain they cannot thrive. But in oxygen starved environments of the acidic human body they can grow, propagate and replicate with no limits. There have been studies suggesting that when oxygen is removed from a healthy cell, it will start to turn cancerous. Even when cancer cells are surgically removed entirely, they reoccur because the acidic environment still remains after the operation. So, that may be why chemo therapies and radiation have such a poor record, they help to make the body even more acidic. Obesity The human body has sophisticated correction mechanisms that try to maintain status quo. As we become increasingly acidic the body triggers counter measures to keep the damaging acidity from entering our vital organs. How does it do that? It quarantines excess acid in fat cells, when it runs out of available fat cells it may create more and thus starting the viscous cycle. That fat may be saving your vital organs from damage and to not harm the essential organs, the body may store those fat cells at a safe distance, such as to manifest as cellulite deposits. It follows that superficial symptom treatment for cellulite in the Aesthetic Salon can be of only temporary relief as long as the cause remains. At D4V Clinics, we address the cause and the symptom at the same time, for immediate aesthetic enhancement but also for the permanent elimination of the cause. Diabetes II When acidic wastes accumulate in the pancreas, diabetes can develop due to lack of insulin in the body. Diabetes II is also known as the “adult onset diabetes”, as it appears mainly in people above 40, with no symptoms of diabetes in their earlier life. So what changed to cause this disease? The obvious answer is: lifestyle and nutrition! The accumulation of acidic foods and a lifestyle that reaches the point where the regulating systems, kidney, lungs and liver are overcharged. 73% of Diabetics in the US also suffer from High Blood Pressure - Hypertension 65 million people in the US have Hypertension (Center for Disease Control), a 30% increase in 12 years - while in the whole of Africa there are only 20 million cases! Original causes include: 1) 30% of Hypertension is caused by physical inactivity causing clogged capillary vessels. 2) Narrowed blood vessels caused by acidic wastes. 3) Lack of oxygen due to chemical reasons, namely solidified acidic waste in the vessels 4) Kidney failure, Obesity, Smoking, Stress. As we have seen, all of the above are results of sustained and increasing acidity. Furthermore, the common treatment of the symptoms is drugs which further acidify the body - the classic vicious cycle, “the death spiral”. Kidney Disease and Kidney Stones The Kidneys are together with the Lungs the primary pH regulatory organs. The accumulation of excessive wastes in the kidneys weakens their function. When cells survive in an excessive acidic environment, swelling of the kidneys occurs. In order to remain healthy, cells should expel all the waste produced by them. But if the blood becomes more acidic then the waste will cling to the walls of cells, causing solidification of acidic fluoride in the kidneys and kidney stones. Osteoporosis and Osteopenia Bones are the classic first resort calcium store for buffering blood pH. Osteoporosis occurs from an imbalance between new bone formation and old bone resorption. The body may fail to form enough new bone, or too much old bone may be reabsorbed, or both. Bone is about 9% calcium carbonate, and 85% tricalcium phosphate, with the “phosphorus” being frequently disregarded. Too much or too little phosphorus contributes to osteoporosis: Too much promotes calcium loss through an excess acid medium, and too little encourages calcification, where calcium is deposited outside of bone, or where an improper calcium / phosphorus ratio weakens the bone matrix. If calcium intake is not sufficient or if the body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, bone production and bone tissue may suffer. Calcium is essential for proper functioning of the heart, brain, and other organs. To keep those critical organs functioning, the body may reabsorb calcium from the bones for their use. To neutralize excessive quantities of waste or acidity, the body starts to deprive the bones and teeth of calcium, which eventually causes damage to the body. Chronic constipation The most common causes of constipation are a high acidic diet low in fiber and high in fats, such as cheese, eggs, and meats, milk, processed foods and fast foods. Americans eat an average of 5 to 14 grams of fiber daily, which is short of the 20 to 35 grams recommended by the American Dietetic Association. Cooked foods have lost the digestive enzymes by heating, thus the food is hard to digest. Dehydration is also a common cause, only clean, slightly alkaline water can be assimilated and retained by the body. Stress and Headache Stress is “a state of affair involving extra demand on physical or mental energy”. When we suffer from stress, our body produces more acidic waste, leading to acidosis. Physical stress can be relieved by getting a good rest. Nowadays, however, most of us do not find the time to relieve stress and unrelieved stress makes the body even more acidic and puts it in Distress. Summary You will never win the war and you cannot eradicate the enemies of your health, quite the contrary, they will be there after you die, waiting to decompose your body! There is no drug for your convenience either. So what is there to do? Do what your computer is doing with an uncleanable virus: quarantine it! How? By creating and sustaining a hostile bioterrain for bacteria, mold, fungi and yeast through a balanced pH. How? Measuring the pH is fast and easy, but up-regulating an acid body and keeping it in balance can be overwhelming in today s food culture and fast paced lifestyles. First to try is up-regulating 1st morning urine pH by eating alkalizing foods and avoiding acidifying foods and drinks. Guides to alkaline nutrition can be found in Bookstores and on the web. Depending on the severity of acidosis, this may not be enough. Aerobic exercising, proper breathing and sleeping and generous hydration with alkalized water are synergistic support of the nutritional measures. These may have to be supported with dietary supplements, such as minerals, fatty acids, HCL, enzymes, fibers, probiotics and herbs, but amounts, ratios and co-factors needed are very individual and must be matched to one s lifestyle, nutritional habits and relative health. “Vitality Clinics” developed a proprietary program to guide the person to re-gain and maintain a balanced pH - the quintessential anti-aging and longevity secret! Disclaimer If you suffer from any disease or read consistent off-balance pH values, you should see a doctor. If you are currently undergoing medical treatment and/or are on prescription drugs, you should talk to your doctor before making any lifestyle or nutritional changes. This article is not intended to diagnose or cure disease. This article is not medical advice and its information is for healthy Individuals only, who wish to stay healthy by optimizing nutrition and lifestyle. Links to Resources: (”ytality”) References: “Alkalize or Die”, Dr.Theodore A. Baroody; 1991 “The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health”; Dr. Robert O. Young; 2002 “Jubbs Cell Rejuventaion”, Dr. David Jubb; 2006 “The Acid Danger: Combating Acidosis Correctly”, Dr. Wolfgang R. Auer; 2004 “Alkaline Diet Simplified”, Michael Murray, 2003 Heinz R Gisel is a Personal Nutritional Concepts and Medical Devices Innovator, based in San Diego and Tokyo. He is the Founder of Vitality Concepts Corporation and Doctors 4 Vitality Clinics, LLC. He developed a a clinical, non-invasive analysis system that can detect disease before any symptoms occur, without radiation. He believes that Nutrients belong into food and beverages and not capsules and pills and he has patents pending on such nutritional concepts. http://www.vitalityconcepts.com

There are conflicting theories about the causes of heart disease with no clear answers to protect the heart completely. The most recognized causes are linked to cholesterol in the diet, lack of exercise and smoking. While each of these causes of heart disease are documented and preached by the medical community, conflicting views claim that research does not correspond to history. They point to the fact that the number of heart attacks was lower when smoking was more popular and eating foods high in fat content was in vogue. Numerous studies whoever, link these causes of heart disease to many deaths in the United States. Cholesterol is blamed for thickening the blood, causing the heart to work harder as well as thickening the blood and causing blood clots. It is the blood clots that often block the arteries to the heart resulting in a heart attack. By reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood, it is one of the causes of heart disease that can be controlled by a change in lifestyle. A lack of exercise is also pointed to as one of the causes of heart disease and logic bears this out. People who do not have some form of regular exercise often have weakened heart muscles. A sudden surge in activity level will cause the heart to work harder that it is used to an can cause weakened blood vessels to collapse. Strengthening The Heart Also Opens Arteries. Another benefit to exercise is that it prompts the heart to pump more blood, which includes an increase in oxygen levels. Exercise does not have to be on level with professional athletes training for a big event, but about 30 minutes a week can help eliminate one of the causes of heart disease with minimal effort. Smoking is another of the causes of heart disease that can be eliminated by a lifestyle change. Smoke from cigarettes blocks the lungs ability to pass along oxygen to the blood, which carries it to the heart, the brain and to all of the other organs. By eliminating the toxins in cigarette smoke, the oxygen going to the blood is more pure and more healthy. Another of the causes of heart disease is hereditary. With parents passing along congenital heart problems there may be generations that will suffer heart disease even when they do not participate in any lifestyle activities considered to be at risk for heart trouble. Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Heart Disease such as Vitamin B, Green Tea, and Oat bran. Vitamin B taken together as a team perform vital biological processes including aiding in the healing process for congestive heart failure and reduces fluid retention. It is required for the development of red blood cells. Green Tea Contains antioxidants that may protect against heart disease, several types of cancer, and skin damage. Oat bran muffins lower blood cholesterol among healthy college students by almost 10 percent. David Cowley has created numerous articles on heart disease. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to heart disease and how to treat them. Visit Heart Disease

Introduction Cholesterol is a lipid found in the cell membranes of all tissues, and is transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is also considered a sterol (a combination steroid and alcohol) and is more abundant in tissues which either synthesize more of it or have more abundant densely-packed membranes, for example, the liver, spinal cord and brain and is insoluble in blood, but is transported in the circulatory system bound to one of the varieties of lipoproteins. Cholesterol is required in the membranes of mammalian cells for normal cell function, and is either synthesized or derived from the diet, in which case it is delivered by the bloodstream in low-density lipoproteins. Cholesterol is minimally soluble in water; it cannot dissolve and travel in the water-based bloodstream. It is primarily found in animal fats: all food containing animal fats contains cholesterol; food not containing animal fats either contains none or negligible amounts. It s a waxy, fat-like substance that can build up on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body) and plays essential roles in the formation of cell membranes, some hormones, and vitamin D. Disease Large numbers of low density particles (LDL) are strongly associated with the presence of arterial disease within the arteries. In contrast, having small amounts of large particles (HDL) has been independently associated with arterial disease progression within the arteries. In other words too much LDL or too little HDL is associated with arterial disease. This disease process can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke and peripheral vascular disease. It is recommended that you have your cholesterol levels tested more frequently than 5 years if a person: has total levels of 200 mg/dL or more, is a man over age 45 or a woman over age 50, has HDL (good) cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL, or other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. A campaign is under way to teach women that heart disease isn t just for men. It s estimated that 70-million Americans have at least one form of heart disease. New results from the Women s Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial showed that eating a low-fat diet for 8 years DID NOT prevent heart disease, breast cancer, or colon cancer, and didn t do much for weight loss, either. What is becoming clearer and clearer is that bad fats, meaning saturated and trans fats, increase the risk for certain diseases while good fats, meaning mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats, lower the risk. In a study of over 80,000 female nurses, Harvard researchers actually found that increasing cholesterol intake by 200 mg for every 1000 calories in the diet (about an egg a day) DID NOT appreciably increase the risk for heart disease. Recent research by Harvard investigators has shown that moderate egg consumption–up to one a day–DOES NOT increase heart disease risk in healthy individuals. People with diabetes, though, should probably limit themselves to no more than two or three eggs a week, as the Nurse s Health Study found that for such individuals, an egg a day might increase the risk for heart disease. Levels According to the lipid hypothesis, abnormally high cholesterol levels (AKA hypercholesterolemia) and abnormal proportions of LDL and HDL are associated with cardiovascular disease by promoting atheroma development in arteries (atherosclerosis). Since high LDL contributes to this process, it is termed “bad cholesterol”, while high levels of HDL (”good cholesterol”) offer a degree of protection against heart disease. Abnormally low levels are termed hypocholesterolemia. As has been said, high levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease and your levels tend to rise as you get older. In the 1960s and 70s, scientists established a link between high blood levels and heart disease. Some types of fat are clearly good for cholesterol levels and others are clearly bad for them. While it is well known that high blood levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, scientific studies have shown that there is only a weak relationship between the amount of cholesterol a person “consumes” and their blood cholesterol levels or risk for heart disease. For some people with high levels, reducing the amount in the diet has a small but helpful impact on blood cholesterol levels. While it s true that egg yolks have a lot of cholesterol–and, therefore may slightly affect blood levels–eggs also contain nutrients that may help lower the risk for heart disease, including protein, vitamins B12 and D, riboflavin, and folate. Saturated fats raise total blood levels more than dietary cholesterol because they tend to boost both good HDL and bad LDL. Trans fats are even worse than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. In studies in which poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats were eaten in place of carbohydrates, these good fats decreased LDL levels and increased HDL levels. Logically, most of the influence that fat intake has on heart disease is due to its effect on blood cholesterol levels. In other words, low-fat diets appear to offer no apparent advantages over diets with fat levels close to the national average. Conclusion Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all cells of the body and is also found in some of the foods you eat. It is recommended by the American Heart Association to test cholesterol levels every 5 years for people aged 20 years or older. There are usually no signs or symptoms that you have high blood cholesterol, but it can be detected with a blood test. You are likely to have high levels if members of your family have it, if you are overweight or if you eat a lot of fatty foods. You can lower your cholesterol by exercising more and eating more fruits and vegetables. You also may need to take medicine to lower it. Richard H. Ealom is the Author of this article and the creator of “Free Articles On Diseases: How To Prevent and Cure Them”. Need more information Please visit our website at http://rainydrops.com/a-cholesterol/cholesterol.php or http://rainydrops.com/alternative-orthodox.php

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published in its February 2006 a report containing conclusions of a research team at University of Arizona, related to links between high fiber diets and colorectal adenoma recurrence. According to team findings, men who prefer a diet rich in fiber have a significantly reduced risk of colorectal adenoma recurrence. The study conclusions suggests that sex differences in response to fiber diets, as no such effect has been seen in women. The research team notes that many evidences in specific literature show that fiber may influence the colon differently, depending on sex. Although the process by which these differential response happen remains unclear, future researches should include complicated sex analyses as well as further study of the influence of fiber diets on specific colon locations. To assess the effect of dietary action as a whole and by sex in the pooled group of 3209 subjects a model of logistic regression were used by researchers. No major effect on adenoma recurrence was concluded in the targeted population. However, among men, fiber was linked with a significant reduced risk of recurrence. Among women wasn t observed any significant association. While the causes for these different reactions regarding sexes are still unknown, the study advanced the supposition that the differences between the sexes regarding colonic location of tumors and polyps could be the answer. Valerian D is a freelance writer interested in issues such as nutrition and alternative medicine

ANTI-depressants are drugs that interfere with the functioning of the central nervous system. Hence, it is of the utmost importance that one takes these drugs only under medical advice. There are many contraindications of anti-depressants, i.e., medical conditions in which such drugs should not be taken. This report will use the example of Lexapro, the newest member of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) group of drugs, to focus on the contraindications of anti-depressants. Even a purely psychiatric patient has to be careful in the use of Lexapro because of its possible side-effects; so the case for caution in patients with certain prior conditions is all the more critical. Doctors are usually reluctant to prescribe Lexapro to: Patients with suicidal tendencies: Lexapro takes around two weeks to show a discernible effect. During this period, the patient s condition may seem to deteriorate, heightening suicidal tendencies in patients who have earlier contemplated suicide. Patients at a risk for bipolar disorder: Bipolar disorder is a combination of depression and mania. The history of the patient s psychiatry history, including family history, should be screened to determine if there is a risk of bipolar disorder. If the risk exists, Lexapro must not be administered. Patients on Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) treatment: Lexapro is incompatible with MAOI drugs. A combination of the two can lead to serious, sometimes fatal, reaction. Therefore, Lexapro must not be administered to patients on MAOI therapy until at least 14 days have elapsed from the disontinuation of MAOI medication. Patients with concomitant illness: Though not much data is available on this, the medical fraternity is usually cautious in prescribing Lexapro to patients with severe renal impairment. Pregnancy: Babies, born to mothers using Lexapro, are susceptible a condition called persistent pulmonary hypertension (pphn) whose symptoms include: abnormal blood flow and insufficient oxygen level in body. Use of Lexapro during pregnancy has also resulted in birth defects, including heart problems, in some babies. However, the physician might have reason to administer a small dosage (10mg a day) of Lexapro if the mother s medical condition warrants treatment for the sake of normal foetal growth. Finally, it s not all hope lost for patients with one or more of the contraindications for Lexapro. There are many anti-depressants in the market, with different levels of efficacy and side-effects and the physician knows which anti-depressant would be best for patients with specific contraindications. The thumb rule is: avoid self-medication. Webmaster http://www.lexaproinfo.org

Chiropractic recognises the inherent ability of the human body to regulate its internal mechanisms and adjust to the many physical, chemical and emotional stresses that confront us in everyday life. The body s stress response is designed to accommodate temporary circumstances that require a fight or flight reaction. A good example is to imagine you re being chased by a wild animal. In this situation the body has to prioritise the functions that are needed most. Blood pressure and heart rate become elevated to enable quick muscle response. Non-essential functions such as digestion and the immune system, both of which can be quite taxing of the body s energy reserves, are given less priority. These rapid changes result from the release of large amounts of hormones, known as catecholamines (eg. adrenalin) and cortisol (stress hormones). This response is extremely effective when needed for the short periods of stress that were typical of our earlier primitive lifestyles. Unfortunately the demands of modern life mean that our bodies try and cope with excessive stress levels on an almost constant basis. Depression, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, obesity, cancer, metabolic disorders - especially Type 2 diabetes - and sex hormone imbalances are endemic within Western society. Chiropractic recognises these individual medical complaints as normal physiological responses to unhealthy lifestyles. These symptoms are all profoundly influenced by the presence of increased levels of cortisol and associated stress hormones. Thus a well functioning immune system is dependent on these hormone levels being kept in balance. In current society, stress is experienced in many ways. Sedentary lifestyle (physical) and poor nutrition (chemical) and emotional anxiety and strain are all examples that can affect us. Whilst some degree of stress is a normal part of life, excessive stress experienced on a daily basis, is undeniably detrimental to overall health. Every effort should be made to reduce stress levels and counteract their negative long-term effects. Technological advancements have significantly reduced the daily physical activity that was a feature of previous generations. This means that certain health initiatives such as regular exercise, stretching, sufficient rest, good nutrition and ample hydration have become even more important in reducing stress hormone levels as well as their obvious physical and mental benefits. Another essential aspect of this healthy lifestyle is Chiropractic. It is just as important as eating the right foods and getting enough water. Chiropractic enables people to reach their full potential by allowing their nervous system to function without interference from spinal restrictions called subluxations. These subluxations have far more reaching effects on the whole body than just causing pain. That s why pain is such a poor indication of health and why it is good to receive regular Chiropractic care, to check and remove spinal subluxations before they become a health issue. Prevention is always better than a cure. Ever increasing scientific research is supporting the link between chiropractic care and improved overall health and not just pain removal. Emerging results from groundbreaking research being conducted in Sydney has confirmed a significant improvement to immune response following chiropractic treatment. Blood tests taken before and after chiropractic adjustments showed an increase in IgA levels (immune system function) with a corresponding decrease in cortisol levels. These results suggest that chiropractic may be of assistance in helping your body adapt to stress. This is why it is such an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. Children are amazingly perceptive at picking up on any stress in their parents lives. Even as babies they are remarkably in tune with our feelings, and the effects of a mother s stress (as well as positive emotions) can even be seen in an unborn child! This, of course, is bad news for most parents, since we are all too often overworking ourselves and feeling the effects of stress. In order to look after our children we need to look after ourselves. We ve all heard it before but it really is important to ensure that we get a good diet, regular exercise and plenty of rest - at least most of the time. And of course, the occasional pampering treatment - so go on, spoil yourselves! After all, you re doing it for the kids! Did you Know? Stress in childhood creates an increased vulnerability to stress in later life. Love and positive attention helps to strengthen a child s immune system. Daily routines help to create a stable environment and increase a child s feelings of security, thereby lessening the effects of stress. Numerous studies have shown that breastfeeding helps to improve a child s immune system. Dr Neil Davies D.C, is the author of Chiropractic Pediatrics A Clinical Handbook (Churchill Livingstone 2000) and developer of the NeuroImpulse Protocol and Adjusting the Child seminar programmes for chiropractors. His passion for improving the clinical skills of chiropractors is well known in international circles and he will be commencing new courses in USA in 2008. See http://neuroimpulse.com

We have a tendency of complicating things. In fact this is a deliberate ploy used by many advertisers to increase sales, it is not a safe it is “demalogically tested”, not a cream but a “formula”, and not a laxative, but a “digestive decongestant”. I personally am a bit jaded by all this double-speak meant to dupe the customer into buying more products. Let’s keep it simple. What is the simplest way to cleanse the colon? Very few people sit back and appreciate the beauty of simple things, and so they end up complicating their lives and their health. Like for instance, very few are contented by just eating vegetables and a meat/fish dish for lunch. For many this is considered as tasteless and bland and they prefer foods that contain flavouring, are high in fat and usually highly processed containing little nutritional value. What they may not fully realise is the harm these foods can cause to colon health. As simple as it may seem, the diet of an individual plays a significant part on his/her health. What you eat and drink is used to create your cells, which are continually regenerating. It feeds the immune system, effects mood, behaviours, energy, sleep patterns, cognitive ability and performance. Continue reading to discover how you can sign up for our free detox newsletter and find out the best and most natural methods to clean the colon. In fact, environmental factors, which I like to consider the factors we bring on ourselves, including what we eat, drink, inhale, inject and swallow, are some of the main contributory factors to the biggest health risks in the industrialized nations. And let’s not forget the increased sedentary lifestyle. Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Hypertension and Colon Cancer, to name just a few have “environmental” links. In fact colon cancer is now the second largest cause of cancer death in the United States, behind Lung Cancer. More deaths occur from colon cancer than AIDS and breast cancer combined, and one of the main contributory factors for colon cancer is having a diet that is rich in fatty foods. A simple colon cleanse can help remove much of the build up that may be present in the colon, but a change of diet is required to really mitigate the risk of further complications. A healthy diet is one that consists of green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, oats, and whole grains. White meats like chicken, turkey, fish, and lean meats are low in fat and as long as they are accompanied by foods that are rich in fiber then they are acceptable a few times per week. Your personality is one factor that can either make or break your intention to colon cleanse. You must strictly stick to a colon cleansing diet for the first two weeks, as this period will start to bring the digestive health back to normal. The food items mentioned earlier are rich in fiber. Fiber stimulates peristalsis so bowel movements are stronger and more frequent. This will aid the elimination of waste and start to re-establish colon health. Drink plenty of water or fresh fruit juice. At least eight glasses, throughout the day. The water you drink should be of a good quality, so you may want to choose bottled water or filter you water. Water helps to lubricate the digestive system, and can help moisten and soften stools to ease elimination of waste. In general, a person should have a bowel movement a similar number of times per day as they have substantial meals. There is no reason for the body to retain waste material, so it is natural for it to remove it as quickly as necessary. For most people this will mean 2-3 bowel movements per day. Making changes to your diet is the simplest way to cleanse the colon. Eating healthy and nutritious foods will also create a healthier and stronger you. Start changing your lifestyle and you will enjoy the benefits it can give you. Sign up for Maggie Simmons free Colon Cleanse newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about simplest way to cleanse the colon at http://www.colon-cleanse-for-health.com/?source=is

Cholesterol, as you probably know, can be both good and bad. It plays an important role in the body, lending it the ability to produce vitamin D, much needed hormones and make repairs to cell membranes when maintained at healthy levels. High cholesterol, on the other hand can be very harmful to your health increasing your risk to cardiovascular diseases. Total cholesterol is comprised of three factors - LDL cholesterol (bad), HDL cholesterol (good) and triglycerides found in blood. Cholesterol is considered to be healthy when the total is under 200 mg/dL. When is it considered to be high? Levels above 240 mg/dL mean you are at risk for heart problems and should begin looking at the many ways to lower your number. Elevated cholesterol levels are dangerous to your health. The most serious risk involved with elevated cholesterol levels is cardiovascular disease. Of course there are many factors that play into the dangers of having health complications related to increased levels. For example, there are greater risks to those who smoke, have high blood pressure, are overweight or have a family history of heart troubles. If you suffer from hypertension, high levels of bad cholesterol can be fatal. While they are different problems, the combination of the two have been known to lead to heart attacks, coronary heart disease, strokes as well as artery diseases. Since elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure are both silent health problems that often go unnoticed until something disastrous happens, it is very important to maintain a healthier lifestyle and be checked regularly by a physician. Staying on top of your health can greatly reduce the complications of peaking cholesterol levels. There are a variety of foods which can be attributed to more than desirable cholesterol levels. For starters, anything that comes from an animal, whether it is red meat, fish, egg yolks, poultry or high fat milk is usually high in cholesterol. Aside from those, most pre-packaged, processed foods with higher amounts of trans-fats and saturated fat such as cookies, muffins and donuts all lead to elevated cholesterol as well. Steering clear of deep-fried foods which are prepared in greasy, hot oil is an excellent way to avoid a boost in unwanted LDL or harmful cholesterol. The first step to lowering high cholesterol is by changing your lifestyle to include healthier eating and exercise. Diets filled with fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains should be the base of healthy eating. Foods high in fat, especially saturated fat, and fast foods should be avoided as much as possible. Studies have shown that consuming oat bran helps to rid the body of bad LDL cholesterol. When diet and exercise are not enough to lower your levels there are alternatives such as medications which can help reduce your numbers. To learn more ways to reduce cholesterol visit http://www.reduce-high-cholesterol.com, a popular website designed to help people keep their levels under control. You ll also find out why in some cases, diet and exercise isn t enough to being your levels down to where they should be, and why cholesterol medication can sometimes be the only option.

The most important thing for humans to survive is a healthy heart, and if your heart is unhealthy, then your life is always at risk. Its really unfortunate that most of the Americans are unaware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. And Hispanics are one step ahead of the Americans, as they have the least knowledge about this thing. Also the latest researches show that the Hispanic adults are much ignorant of the warning signs of heart attack as compared to the whites or African-Americans. Only 14.3 % of Hispanics are aware of the signs and the actions to be taken at the moment, whereas 16.2 % of Blacks are aware and 30 % of Whites know about it. One thing that we all should know is to call 911 in such an emergency or seek a medical assistance immediately. But all this is possible only when you come to know about the warning signs. So, here they are: To live a longer and healthier life, you need to know all that makes your heart healthy, what makes your heart weak, heart attack symptoms and how to prevent it. So, here we are going to discuss about what are the signs of a heart attack: 1. Pain and discomfort in the jaw, neck or back 2. Feeling weak, lightheaded or sometimes, faint 3. Pain or discomfort in the chest 4. Discomfort or pain in the arms or shoulder 5. Shortness of breath So, these are the main warning signs of heart attack that everyone of us should be aware of in such a busy and stressful life. Only then, we can make some efforts to prevent it as soon as possible. Knowing the signs is one aspect to diagnose and taking timely action if anyone near you is going through some heart problem, but what after that? What you can do to prevent or overcome it. So, here is a list of some healthy heart foods that will make you a healthy human being. After all, who wants to breathe like a prisoner. We all have full right to breathe fresh and free. So, what are you waiting for! Just go through this list of magical foods. And for more fun and entertainment, kindly visit Navneet Brar s website, http://www.top54u.com .

#1 Low Start Up Costs Using an MLM (multilevel marketing) or Network Marketing Model is a low cost way to start a viable business. In some cases, you can start your business for under $100 and have a professional business website in under 15 minutes. The internet can propel a home business quickly. Again, you can offer your products or services to customers in many countries for pennies on the dollar. The internet can be a great equalizer when comparing start up companies and well established companies. #2 Control Your Time and Flexibility When can I go on vacation? Can I go to my kids soccer game? Can I only work until 2 PM and have the rest of the day to myself or pick up my kids at school. Having a home-based business can solve this problem. It doesn t mean you won t work hard, but if you are going to work hard, why not do it for yourself to build your own dream of being your own boss and owning your own business. A home business can give you back the precious commodity of Time as well as flexibility. A significant amount of your work can be done in your pajamas around your computer. Your commute is as simple as walking to the room in your home that has your computer. #3 Keep More of Your Income and Tax Advantages In your own business, you get your money first, then pay taxes. You make the decision first about your money, not someone else. When you own your own business, you usually have more tax advantages. A home based business uses resources that you have already that may not be tax deductible if you are an Employee and not a Business Owner. Think about! A home based business will use a computer, room in your home for an office, internet and cable services, food, furniture, living room or other rooms for meetings, etc. A home business requires a car and gasoline to meet others to do business. Business meals are a must. Always use a Certified Public Accountant for tax planning. Tax evasion is a crime. If you work from home, you will spend less on business or work attire, gasoline for commuting, and child care expenses. #4 Residual Income or Incomes that Keeps Coming Why not generate residual income or passive income. Think of residual income as money coming in to you whether you are working, sleeping or on vacation. In other words, rather than trading time for income continually(a regular job), you can expend effort, quit and the income continues to come. One vehicle or opportunity that offers such a possibility is network marketing or multi-level marketing. Build your network and leverage the efforts of others. Then, reap the benefits after you expend the initial energy to build your network. Think of it in another way. Suppose you need 300 hours of work to be done. You can either work all 300 hours to get the work done or you can build a network of 300 persons. Each person can then work one hour and you zero hours to accomplish the 300 hours of work. Network marketing also can give you leverage workers globally without employing them. However, you will get paid on their work. For example, I am in a network marketing company that has the possibility of having leverage workers and customers in the U.S., Canada, Singapore, and the Caribbean. Imagine people working for you to grow your home-based business in different countries. A home-based network marketing opportunity can give flexibility as well as generate residual income. #5 The Right Opportunity can Be the Millionaire Opportunity Choosing a home-based business in an area where there is great demand can give you the business edge. The health and wellness industry is quickly becoming a trillion dollar industry. More and more individuals are looking for solutions to the rising number of health problems. Some of these problems include obesity, stress, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, cancer, and super bug infections, etc. Quality products and services which give solutions to the aforementioned problems will spur the growth of these businesses. About 10 Million Millionaires will be created in the next decade or so by the health and wellness industry. Get Started Today! Build and Live Your Dream and re-claim your Time! http://www.HealthandWellnessMarketing.com/3.html http://www.NetworkMarketingPlace.com Orville Campbell, MD is an internist and nephrologist. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. His expertise include: health and wellness, hypertension, diabetes, vitamin D, and kidney diseases. Dr. Campbell is an entrepreneur. He has owned several businesses and medical practices since finishing Emory University in 1995. He serves on multiple medical advisory boards for several multi-million dollar companies. Dr. Campbell is currently pursuing an MBA degree. He gives back to the community through his church s health and youth ministries and his children and youth mentoring organization called Teaching Kids to Dream, Inc. http://www.ClaimWellness.com

Bird flu is a disease caused by a specific type of avian (bird) influenza virus, the so-called H5N1 virus. This virus was first discovered in birds in China in 1997 and since then has infected 125 people in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia, killing 64 of them. It is spread by infected migratory birds (including wild ducks and geese) to domestic poultry (primarily chickens, ducks, and turkeys), and then to humans. Since 1997, and especially since the beginning of 2004, approximately 150 million birds have either died from the disease or been killed to prevent further spread. Nevertheless, this very infectious and deadly virus has spread relentlessly to China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Laos, Russia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Turkey, Romania, England, Croatia, Macedonia, and other countries. This ongoing geographic extension of the virus is of great concern around the world. It is feared that it will continue to spread to all continents, including the Western Hemisphere—and it no doubt will. Normally, different types of viruses infect just one, or a limited number, of species specific to the particular virus type. The bird-flu virus, however, has infected a large number of birds and animals, including ducks, chickens, turkeys, tree sparrows, peregrine falcons, great black-headed gulls, brown-headed gulls, gray herons, Canada geese, bar-headed geese, little egrets, pigs, clouded leopards, white tigers, mice, domestic cats, crows, magpies, peacocks, blue pheasants, rare eagles, turtledoves, swans, terns, and others. This is another sign of the virulence or destructiveness of the virus. Researchers, historians, and infectious-disease experts have determined that influenza pandemics (global epidemics) occur approximately once every 30 years. The most deadly pandemic ever recorded occurred in 1918-19, killing more than 100 million people across the globe in less than two years. Two other much less severe pandemics occurred, one in 1957, when approximately two million people died, and one in 1968, when about one million people died. Because we have already had three pandemics in less than 100 years, we are “overdue” for another one. And so this disease-causing virus continues to infect more and more species in more and more countries. In laboratory experiments, it has been shown to be one of the most lethal influenza viruses ever known. In addition, just recently and after 10 years of work, researchers determined that the H5N1 bird-flu virus is genetically more similar to the deadly 1918-19 influenza pandemic virus than to the viruses which caused the much less severe pandemics of 1957-58 and 1968-69. To summarize the important points so far: The bird-flu virus is a very deadly strain of avian influenza called H5N1 that has killed millions of birds; 2) the virus is spreading relentlessly around the world; 3) the virus has infected many species, which is uncharacteristic of most viruses; 4) the virus has been shown to be similar to the most deadly virus ever known, which caused the 1918-19 pandemic; 5) the virus has been shown to be much more deadly in laboratory experiments than regular influenza viruses; and 6) the virus is known to have infected at least 125 humans and killed 64 of them so far, yielding a fatality rate of approximately 50 percent. The virus continues to kill humans, but at a slow rate—it has not yet acquired the capacity to be easily transmissible between humans; humans become infected primarily from sick birds. Because humans alive today have no natural immunity to the H5N1 virus, once it becomes easily transmissible between humans a pandemic or global epidemic will occur. The central question is, when will it exchange enough genetic material with the usual seasonal human influenza-viruses to become more like a human-influenza virus—and thus become easily transmissible between people? Many people believe that the virus will continue to spread around the world until it is present in most or all countries—before it will “go human” (become easily transmissible between people). And that may be the case. The pandemic of 1918-19 is thought to have started in Kansas (of all places). So it is certainly possible that the coming pandemic could start somewhere else than in Asia—although most experts believe it will, in fact, start there. It could start in a country which has not yet been host to the virus. However, it is most certainly not necessary for the virus to march all the way around the world before a pandemic can begin. The fact that the virus already has spread to more than 15 countries, and to many different bird and animal species, provides the opportunity for it to commingle with a human-influenza virus and create the dreaded human contagion. There is no known reason why this could not happen tomorrow. While it is true that the probability of the switch increases with time, the probability of its happening tomorrow is far from zero. The flip side to the possibility that the crossover could happen at any time is the fact that the virus has been around at least since 1997 and, as a matter of record, has not yet switched to a deadly human-to-human form. At least a few scientists believe that the virus can’t and won’t make the switch to a deadly form, possibly ever. And so we are left with these two very different possibilities—at any time, and as soon as tomorrow, the virus could mutate into a deadly form, readily transmissible between people—or it might never transform itself into such a form. There appears to be much more evidence for the former and, presumably, that is why the vast majority of scientists and governments are scrambling to prepare for the worst. This situation is analogous to living on the Gulf Coast during the beginning of hurricane season. Residents there have been through it before, but most of the time the storms are not too severe and the people can get by without too much hassle. However, there have been rare severe storms that have been devastating. Some day another hurricane is coming, and it appears that it might well be a Category IV or even V by the time it strikes land. However, that’s not certain—no one can say for sure, and no one knows exactly when it will strike land. So what should the residents do? What should the residents have done before hurricane Katrina? The coming bird-flu pandemic might be mild and it might not come for years. On the other hand, it might be severe and it might start tomorrow. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has said, “While the severity of the next pandemic cannot be predicted, modeling studies suggest that its effect in the United States could be severe.” We should also be mindful that the pandemic could come at any time, even before the virus methodically marches around the globe. No matter how advanced science has become, we still can not predict when the switch will occur; it is currently unknowable—and that does not mean it will come later, in a predictable fashion. As Miguel de Cervantes admonished, “Forewarned, forearmed.” Bradford Frank, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. The Frank Group P.O. Box 138 Lakewood, NY 14750 http://www.AvoidBirdFlu.com Bradford Frank, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. Dr. Frank graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.A. in chemistry and his M.D. degree. He completed two residencies, one in family practice and one in psychiatry. He is board certified in psychiatry as well as addiction medicine and geriatric medicine, and is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, N.Y. He has a master’s in public health (M.P.H.) from Yale, where he specialized in infectious diseases, and an M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Dr. Frank is president of The Frank Group, a diversified company that includes a business-contingency planning consulting firm. He has expertise in the areas of business-contingency planning, emerging infectious diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), avian influenza (“bird flu”), weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, epidemiology, and various public health issues.

We live in an addiction-prone society, but of all the addictions out there, one of the most deadly is one that is most often overlooked: junk food. The term “junk food” refers to any food that is high in calories, fat, salt, and sugar without bringing any nutritional value to the table. Unfortunately, this food is usually convenient, tasty, and extremely addictive. Foods that are high in fat and sugar work on our brains like opiates – painkillers – and the more we eat, the more we want. This consequence is also increased by the “empty calorie” effect of junk food. It fills us up for a short period of time, but then, like any addict, we begin to feel tired, depressed, and hungry all over again, and we keep coming back for more of the same. Junk food becomes a dangerous addiction because its effects are so subtle. When we eat a chocolate bar, a bag of chips, or a meal of fast food, we don’t see our arteries clogging with plaque and fat deposits. We don’t feel ourselves gaining weight as our internal organs become fatty and weak, and most of the time, we don’t associate tiredness, anxiety, depression, or skin problems with the junk food we consumed earlier in the day. Furthermore, because it seems like everybody does it, eating junk food doesn’t appear to be an addiction. Junk food attacks every age group. Children are addicted, seniors are addicted, most people are addicted for their entire lives without ever knowing it, and without understanding the huge health-related repercussions that come along with the treats and snacks that seem so harmless. We begin our addiction to junk food at a young age. Children who become addicted to junk food actually stop eating the nutritious food they need to grow up healthy. And the current epidemic of childhood obesity is only the tip of the iceberg. Kids that live on fats and sugars have shorter attention spans, growth problems, and suffer from tooth decay and weak bone structure early in life. By the time we reach young adulthood, we are probably getting a majority of our daily caloric intake from junk food. A Super Big Gulp from Seven Eleven and a large bag of chips round off most teenage lunch menus, which makes for a whopping 1600 empty calories per meal. Even if a youthful metabolism is still keeping us from gaining weight, we are consuming huge amounts of highly processed foods, which are not only devoid of nutrition, but are also full of harsh dyes, chemicals, and preservatives that poison our bodies. Deep-fried potatoes have been shown to be highly carcinogenic. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) causes not just obesity but several forms of neurotoxicity. And the list goes on. Even if we’re not getting fat off junk food, we are getting sick. At this point, we have grown into full-fledged, adult junk food addicts. If we have somehow managed to avoid the worst consequences of our addiction during our teen years, they will now come out in force. Those who eat junk food on a regular basis are at risk of contracting Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, hypertension, and a myriad of other illnesses that lead to heart attacks, strokes, organ failure, and death. In fact, almost twice as many people die each year of heart disease caused by diet-related obesity and cardiovascular problems, than die of cancer. Like any lifelong smoker or alcoholic, the ravages of junk food addiction become increasingly apparent on and within our bodies as we age. While it is possible to break the addiction, the best solution is to avoid it to begin with. It is for this reason that junk food is getting kicked out of school cafeterias and vending machines all over the world. Ultimately, junk food is not only robbing us of the things we need to be healthy, it is actively poisoning our systems. The more we can stay away from processed, artificial foods, and stick to eating whole, nutritious foods, the more likely we are to lead long, strong, healthy lives. Wayne Mcgregor has written hundreds of articles on effective ways to lose weight. His website provides tons of free weight loss information and help. http://www.weightlossforall.com

A person considered at risk for heart disease can take steps towards heart disease prevention. It is considerably easier to prevent heart disease than it is to fix it once it happens, and for the most part lifestyle changes are needed for heart disease prevention regardless of age or health risk. The number one method of heart disease prevention is to quit smoking. For persons who still smoke they need to cut down and should also avoid polyunsaturated fats in their diet. Vitamins A and D along with saturated fats help protect the lungs. A daily walk and about 10 minutes of exercise a day is another way to provide protection against heart disease. Exercising can also help with the third heart disease prevention tips of avoid becoming overweight. Eating food rich in nutrients and avoiding sweets will go a long way to providing the heart a healthy diet. Another leading cause of heart disease is stress and more people tend to work too hard and a person can fight against work-related stress by performing a task they enjoy doing every day. When unavoidable times of hardship and depression are apparent, supplement the diet with nutrient-rich foods and avoid fast-food meals. Keeping Environment Free Of Chemicals. When possible avoid chemical use and fumes that can damage the immune system. Chemicals, pollutants and pesticides can cause irrepairable harm to the body s systems and avoiding this environmental stress can be one heart disease prevention that is easy to accomplish. Many foods that are called low fat often contain polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Refined foods are also usually void of any nutritional value and should be avoided for heart disease prevention. Foods containing white flour or refined sugar as well as chemical additives can be trouble for the heart. Eating a diet of seafood, dairy products along with meat and fats from organically grown animals can reduce many of the heart disease risk factors. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is another common heart disease prevention tip handed out by doctors. Foods that contain phytic acids should also be avoided as they detract from the body s ability to absorb minerals in the food. Whole dairy products and whole grain should be consumed regularly as well as foods rich in protective ingredients. Eating right and getting regular exercise is an important part of heart disease prevention but many of the steps used to prevent heart disease can also have other health benefits. Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Arteriosclerosis such as Vitamin C, Niacin and Pectin. Vitamin C has show to reduce cholesterol levels and lowers high blood pressure. Take 1,000 to 5,000 mg daily. Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect treatment that corrects most causes of coronary heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and improve HDL functioning. The intake of 3 grams Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum cholesterol by 26 percent. Pectin limits the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb. High pectin count in apples may be why “One a day keeps the doctor away”. David Cowley has created numerous articles on heart disease. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to heart disease and how to treat them. Visit Heart Disease

In the mid-1990 s I served as the Chief Executive Officer of Pentagon City Hospital which as the name suggests is adjacent to the Pentagon located in Arlington, Virginia. This is just on the opposite side of the Potomac River from Washington, DC. Although I served well after the event it was never far from my mind that my hospital was the receiving hospital for the fortunate survivors of an airline accident. On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into Washington, DC s 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River shortly after taking off. A total of 70 passengers and 4 crew died and four motorists on the bridge. Air Crashes really make an impression on all of us and we remember them with vivid detail. It may be the randomness, the unfairness, the sudden calamity or maybe the process of group death in a common event. For whatever the reason, it sticks with us. Even as a practiced air passenger I regurgitate these feelings each time I fly; more so if my travel is infrequent and the opposite if frequent. I know I am not alone in contemplating how such a grisly death could play out. We play the odds however and usually go on with our travel plans. We play the odds every day in just about any activity we choose to engage. In the case of commercial air travel even the slowest of us can pretty much understand the odds of success and we know that big sweeping changes usually occur after such tragic events. With Air Florida s crash it was about anti-ice systems; other air crashes brought on expected major changes based on lessons learned from these tragedies. When we learn more about the air traffic system and specific airlines operations we can modify the odds as we go along. If you have just bought the cheapest ticket available on an already oversold flight the odds of you getting bumped at the gate just went up, but you choose to play these odds. I once boarded a flight departing late at night from Dulles International Airport and all was going well until we determined one member of the flight crew couldn t get out of the back galley restroom as a result of food poisoning and the flight was canceled. This was a bad result that I certainly had not counted on. We know and expect big change after these events, how do we go about accounting for the day to day changes? If I figure out the guy I just watched knock back several vodka laced watermelon shooters at the terminal restaurant bar ends up as my pilot, I figure my odds of having a bad flight were drastically modified and I would need to make a decision based on this new information. In this case, a personal decision is required based on new insight to how the odds might change; this might be a life or death decision for me. We can understand the impact on our imagination and the actions taken as a result of the Air Florida crash killing 74 human beings. Can you begin to imagine the public furor if we were to have 18 Air Florida crashes each and every day? If you heard that 1,332 people died yesterday in an air crash and that we expected another 1,332 people to be killed in an air crash today, would you actually be willing to get on an airplane? And, if we had such an air crash every day, in a year s time we would we would record 6,756 Air Florida crashes killing 500,000 people. We would demand and expect big changes to take place to avoid these deaths. Heart disease, killed more than 700,000 Americans in 2001 and is the mathematical equivalent of over 6,000 Air Florida air crashes, accounted for 29% of all deaths in the United States. In 2001, the rate of death from heart disease was 31% higher among blacks than whites and 49% higher among men than women. In 2001, heart disease cost the nation $193.8 billion. About 66% of heart attack patients do not make a complete recovery which places an even greater burden on families, budgets and human misery. The usual first sign of heart disease is death. Heart disease is the nation s leading cause of death. Much of the burden of heart disease could be eliminated by reducing the prevalence rates of its major risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, tobacco use, diabetes, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition. Modest reductions in the rates of one or more of these risk factors can have a large public health impact. We are committing “Epigenomic Suicide”. Where is our outrage? Where is our self control? Where are the big changes? When do we say it is enough already? How do we get ourselves and others to think in new ways about the outcomes of our day to day decisions? We aren t dying together in common groups. We appear to be voluntarily agreeing to individual private grisly death scenes played out in hospital emergency rooms, nursing homes and the back of ambulances; all 1, 332 of us, each and every day in America. The program is at Healthsmartsonline.net . This requires different cooking located at Reluctant Cook.net .

Hot Flashes & Night Sweats - Here s a Quick Way to Use Vitamins and Herbs to Reduce Both Hot flashes are one of the most talked about symptoms of Menopause. About 80% of the women in America experience hot flashes and night sweats during menopause. The body produces less estrogen and progesterone during menopause, but menopause is not necessarily caused by these fluctuating levels. Flashing could last from a few seconds to a few minutes; and in some cases is known to last half an hour to one hour. Most women have hot flashes and night sweat lasting from two months to two years, and in some rare cases they continue to have them for a decade, after menopause. Severity can depend on the lifestyle and psychological factors. Some women really sweat, while others may only perspire. Following thes, some women have headaches, feel dizzy, weak, tired or lose sleep, experience palpitations and skipped or erratic heartbeats. It is always advisable to consult your doctor, whether if these are symptoms of menopause or a sign of normal illness or a medical disorder. The Causes and Remedies Many women cope with flashes, while and others have difficult times. Hot flashes and night sweat can cause interrupted sleep, insomnia, panic attacks, anxiety and depression, among others. Categorized as mild, moderate or severe; mild hot flashes produce a feeling of warmth for less than a minute, and with little or no perspiration. Moderate flashes produce more warmth and a little perspiration and last for two to three minutes. Severe ones produce intense heat and sweat, and last longer. Spicy food, alcoholic drinks, hot drinks, white sugar (can also cause palpitations), hot weather, stress, hot tubs and saunas, tobacco, marijuana and unexpressed anger could cause hot flashes. Hot flashes are known to deplete Vitamin B, Vitamin C, magnesium and potassium in our bodies, and there is a need to increase the intake of these nutrients, including calcium. For mild ones, a daily dosage of 400 to 800 IU of Vitamin E is recommended. Most women start a daily dose of 600 to 800 IU of Vitamin E with Vitamin C, and when the flashes subside, take 400 IU. Vitamin E has been effective on 50% to 60% of women, and it takes around two to six weeks for the effects to show. Vitamin E is contraindicated with certain medical conditions, such as, diabetes, high blood pressure, or with rheumatic heart conditions, history of hypertension, etc, and it is advisable to seek a doctor s opinion. 250 mg Bioflavonoid, five to six times everyday, would help relieve hot flashes. In Non-Western Cultures Less than 10% of women in non-western cultures, such as, in Japan, Mexico, and India, experience hot flashes and night sweat. It has been linked to high soybean consumption, which stimulates estrogen production. Herbs, such as, ginseng, vitex agnus castii, licorice root, black cohosh, dong quai, blue cohosh, false unicorn and sarsaparilla, can alleviate hot flashes. To learn exactly how to eliminate menopause symptoms visit http://www.howtoconquermenopause.com To learn more about hot flashes and everything you need to know about other menopause symptoms, go to http://www.everythingmenopause.com/articles/hot_flashes.htm

Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) is in the custard-apple family (Annonaceae) and is indigenous to Southeast Asia where most of the world s oil is produced in the Comoro Islands, Madagascar and Réunion. The flower petals are picked early in the morning to maximize oil yield. I was on the island of Trinidad in the Western Caribbean a year ago and was overwhelmed with the fragrance of ylang ylang trees. There are as many as 5 grades of ylang ylang oil with the first being the superior oil and of course, the most expensive. The Indonesians used to spread the flowers on the marriage bed of newly wedded couples. It has an exotic spicy sweetness to its perfume. Traditionally ylang ylang has been used in skin ointments, hair care, for skin diseases to prevent fever and fight infections. It was also used to soothe insect bites. Ylang ylang is antispasmodic, vasodilating, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, and it regulates the heartbeat. It is used for cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac problems, anxiety, hypertension depression, hair loss, and intestinal problems. Its fragrance balances male-female energies, enhances spiritual attunement, combats anger, low self-esteem, and increases focus of thoughts, filters out negative energy and restores confidence and peace. Ylang ylang oil s calming supportive action on the heart accounts for its primary therapeutic action. For emotional healing, it can be used to encourage self-confidence, warmth, awakening, sensuality, upliftment, calm, joy, and enthusiasm. Ylang ylang can be diluted one part essential oil with one part mixing oil, can be directly inhaled, diffused or taken as a dietary supplement. It mixes well with rosewood, lemon, palmarosa, eucalyptus citriodora, clove, orange, ginger, sandalwood, jasmine, Roman chamomile, clary sage, patchouli, rose, petitgrain, grapefruit, vetiver, bergamot, and cedarwood. As for safety, ylang ylang essential oil is non-toxic, non-irritating, but it may be sensitizing to some individuals. Want to learn more about the healing properties of ylang ylang and other essential oils? Consider becoming a certified aromatherapist. Educational courses in healing energy and aromatherapy can help you understand how essential oils heal the body/mind/spirit. Check this out for more information on learning to heal through the art of aromatherapy as a clinical aromatherapist. http://www.ISHAaromatherapy.com For educational courses on healing energy and the laying-on of hands, you can go to http://www.HTSpiritualMinistry.com You can also read more about aromatherapy and ylang ylang essential oil in Linda Smith s books: Called into Healing, Reclaiming our Judeo-Christian Legacy of Healing Touch, and Healing Oils Healing Hands, Discovering the Power of Prayer, Hands On Healing and Anointing. You can find these books and much more on my web site at http://www.ISHAhealing.com/HealingStore/tabid/348/Default.aspx

Hypertension diets are commonly used to lower high blood pressure. Foods enriched in nutrients, mainly calcium, potassium, magnesium, protein and fiber are recommended to lower blood pressure. Decreasing salt and sodium enhanced foods are typically included in all hypertension diets. The key to hypertension diets are foods low fat foods and lean meats, to stop additional weight gain and/or lose extra pounds, and eating grains, vegetables, fruits, and proteins to obtain the proper minerals and nutrients needed in one s daily diet. The DASH nutrition diet for high blood pressure is the most effective way to lower it or stop one from developing hypertension. Recommended Eating: Whole Grains - High in fiber and a major source of energy 6-8 servings Vegetables - High in magnesium, potassium, and fiber 4-5 servings Fruits - High in magnesium, potassium, fiber, and calcium 4-5 servings Low fat - Fat Free Dairy- High in calcium and protein 2-3 servings Lean Meats and Fish - High in protein and magnesium 2 or servings or less Fats and Oils - Use as minimal as possible 2 or servings or less Sweets and High Sugar Foods - Should be low in fat 5 servings per week The basic idea behind hypertension diets are to control the amount of salt and sodium intake, increasing the minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium in one s diet, highlighting whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well, as incorporating low-fat dairy and meat products in one s diet. Hypertension diets are shown to work fast and effectively, often displaying changes in one s blood pressure in as few as two weeks. The DASH nutrition diet for high blood pressure was developed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute as a safe and effective diet for lowering one s blood pressure. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), is a highly endorsed diet program to follow in controlling and possibly eliminating hypertension. Typically a doctor will recommend the DASH diet to patients with hypertension, and often to people at risk for developing hypertension. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, also recommends exercise and a decrease in smoking and drinking while on the diet in order to gain the full potential of the diet s affect. Alvin Hopkinson is a leading and avid researcher of various high blood pressure treatment . He runs an informational website that provides free tips to lower your hypertension and unbiased reviews on medications such as Altace . Want to lower your blood pressure naturally with no side effects? Sign up for his FREE 5-Day eCourse at http://www.minusbloodpressure.com

One of the best meditation techniques for opening and balancing the chakras, is the visualization meditation technique. In this technique, the color attribute of each chakra is exploited and used an instrument to stimulate and awaken that particular center. Let s begin first though by giving a brief overview of the chakra system and how they work. Chakras are energy vortexes that reside in the astral body and transmute energy between the 3 bodies that make up a human being. There 3 bodies are the physical body, astral body and mental body. Charka essentially move energy between these bodies, by raising or dropping the frequency of the energy as required. Each chakra resides in a particular location along the spine from the base to the crown of the head, and the health of the center is reflected in the health of the organs and systems in that particular region. In addition, chakras are responsible for personality traits and having these centers in balance, means to have one s physical, emotional and mental bodies in balance as well. So now that we have an understanding of chakras, let s delve into the visualization meditation technique which can be used to open, heal and balance these important centers. Each chakra is associated with a particular color, and by using this information along with the power of concentration and visualization one can help stimulate a particular center and assist it in opening. Below is the color chart that lists the particular color associated with each center. Each of these colors should then be used, as described in the meditation script below it. Chakra Point Color Chart: Root chakra: Red Sex chakra: Orange Navel chakra: Yellow Heart chakra: Green Throat chakra: Blue Third eye chakra: Indigo Crown chakra: Violet To practice chakra visualization meditation technique, one should follow the step-by-step instructions below. 1. Either lie on your back, or sit up in cross legged posture with your back straight. 2. Close your eyes and take 5 deep slow breaths to help relax you and clam the mind. 3. Now begin to visualize the color red at the base of your spine as a glowing ball of red light. Feel your breath moving in and out from this center while continuing to imagine a red ball of light emanating from that location. 4. After spending a minute or two at the root chakra, move up to the sex chakra and repeat the exercise with the color orange. 5. In this fashion work through all the other chakras as well, where the navel chakra is located at the level of the solar plexus, the heart center at the level of the sternum, the throat center at the neck and the third eye chakra in the middle of the forehead. 6. Once you complete the cycle, relax for a few minutes and then finish the meditation, by affirming you are healthy, balanced and at peace. The above chakra meditation, works through the entire chakra system, but if you are interested in opening and balancing just one particular center, you can simply focus on doing the visualization meditation with the color for that specific center only. This method of chakra balancing is very effective, but one should use it judiciously, as one should be physically able to handle the increased energy flow that can occur when chakras are activated and opened. Anmol Mehta is a Yoga Teacher & Zen Expert. His extensive site, Free Kundalini Yoga Exercises & Videos , offers the popular Free Online Guided Meditation Techniques E-Book . Also, learn about kundalini awakening by reading, Kundalini Awakening Symptoms . This article is available for reprint on your website and/or newsletter, provided it is not changed and you include the author s signature.