Obesity and weight gain are an ever-expanding problem for people today. The standard Western consists of too much protein, fats and sugars and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. Most people also understand that in order to lose weight effectively and keep it off for life they must use healthy methods, which includes burning calories through exercise programs.

Weight loss clinics are a wonderful experience for people who want to have a relaxing holiday and learn healthy eating and exercise patterns at the same time. Weight loss clinics often focus on physical health and education about eating habits and making life long changes.

When people arrive at a weight loss clinic they will undergo an evaluation with a counselor who evaluates their previous eating and exercise habits and looks at the necessary measures that should be taken. The counselor will take the clients family history, body type and other medical issues into account as well as help the client to establish reasonable goals to decrease the possibility of failure.  Read more...

Mangosteen fruits is the product of a very slow growing tree which is indigenous to Southeast Asia. The fruit is round and dark purple, two to 3 inches in diameter and contains four toothy segments of white flesh. The fruit may or may not contain the seeds and it is encased in skin which is six to 10 cm back. Because the of its medicinal properties this fruit is often referred to as “The Queen of Fruits”. People in southeast Asia have long honored and cherished this fruit for is the overall health benefits and treatment of their illnesses.

Recent studies have shown that the skin has high antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Initial results also reveal that they have antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. This may be a result of a compound found called xanthones which may provide many more times and the Occident punch than vitamin C and vitamin E. It benefits every organ in the body and helps to fight free radicals which strengthens the immune system and promotes joints and cartilage function.  Read more...

Weight gain during perimenopause is a universal complaint among women. It is not uncommon for a woman to gain between 10 and 15 pounds, especially around her abdomen and hips. In some instances women see this as a rite of passage to becoming and older wiser you. But most often, this almost instantaneous weight gain is a signal of hormonal imbalance and is heralded by emotional upheaval and distress over this sudden increase in the late. In medical circles, some described as weight gain as an unavoidable “middle-aged spread”.

And, while women in the past had to accept these changes to their body, current technology and medical knowledge has enabled physicians and holistic practitioners to more clearly establish the imbalances in the body and help the woman to determine specific methodologies she can use in order to reverse the process.

Prior to perimenopause and menopause levels of estrogen in the body can often mask symptoms of other systems having difficulty. A woman has been exposed to many years of toxins, environmental changes and hormonal imbalances, the results of which are now being felt by the rest of the body.  Read more...

For protein lovers, Celiac disease is one thing they wouldn’t want to inherit from the family genes. Fortunately, its treatment can also be ensured within the family and in the home.

Celiac disease is a digestive order that can run from one generation to another. The disease causes severe damage to the small intestines as a reaction to gliadin or a gluten protein, and results to inflammation and flattening of the lining of the small intestines.

The person with Celiac disease is unable to absorb gluten, which is a group of protein common in wheat, rye, oats and barley. Hence, the disease imposes a gluten-free diet for those who are affected. This proves to be a difficult task since gluten is the second most consumed ingredient next to sugar, and hence difficult to avoid. Also, it is difficult to monitor since some may not experience any symptoms. But already knowing that the person and his or her family are prone to the disease can provide a head start on how to mitigate the damages.  Read more...

Weight gain and obesity is an increasing issue today. The standard Western diet includes too much fat, oils, and sugar. People no longer eat enough fruits, vegetables and raw nuts and seeds. And people are looking for answers that are quick, painless and easy. Surgery to address weight loss is an option that might be a consideration for some, depending upon whether or not they meet the criteria.

Weight loss surgery is not meant for those people who are just slightly overweight but only for those who are morbidly obese. Clients who have faced obesity for years, tried medications and diet plans may find that weight loss surgery is an alternative solution.

There are several different types of surgery. Your surgeon is your best resource as to the type of surgery that may work best for your body type, weight loss and lifestyle. Be sure to ask you doctor all of your questions and make him aware of all of your doubts. Once the weight loss surgery is completed there is follow up processes that must be followed to have a successful outcome. If your doctor knows your doubts and concerns he can make a better choice of the particular surgical intervention that is right for you.  Read more...

The impact of diet and specific types of food groups on age associated degenerative diseases has been widely studied and recognized in recent years. When mom said, “eat your fruits and vegetables” she was speaking wisdom beyond her years.

Researchers have theorized that free radicals exist within the body which destroy cells and DNA replication leading to disease, illness and cancer. Doctors and researchers believe that anti-oxidants, other proteins molecules, will fight the effects of free radicals in the body. This understanding has led physicians to theorize that antioxidants will decrease oxidative stress and decrease dysregulation of cells function as well as aging. All of these factors together leading physicians to believe that antioxidants positively affect the aging process. In other words, those who eat their fruits and vegetables prevent premature aging and delay natural aging.  Read more...

by Susan Stewart

Most people work a 40 hour week so we can estimate that we typically spend about 2,000 hours at work each year. And many people work even more than this. Yet we often dont take the time to ensure that our job setting is a pleasant place to be. Our jobs are often very stressful and stress is a known trigger for many common ailments and diseases.

Many studies have been done on the relationship between job stress and a variety of ailments. Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach, Headaches and disturbed relationships with family and friends are examples of stress related problems that are quick to develop.

Before you think about stress reduction, start by identifying the particular stresses in your work and the effect they have on you. What, specifically, is it about your work situation that makes you feel anxious, angry, frustrated, burned out, depressed, etc? Do you have a difficult boss or co-worker? Do you have too much work and not enough time to do it? When you come up with your list of stressors, address them one at a time.  Read more...

We would like to think that we have built our environments in such a way that they minimize the factors that could result to psychological and behavioral disturbances among individuals. Thus, optimizing our mental health. But statistics tell us that the majority of our population’s mental health is largely subjected to negative environments.

Complications brought about by negative environment

For many children, symptoms of psychological disorders are linked to the negative stressors in the environment. In the United States alone, one in every five children suffers severe physical abuse and one in every group of five lives below the poverty line. Additionally, psychosocial structures in cities where there is poor housing expose children to violence that could detriment their mental health. (You can imagine how many children in other countries which have far lower economic status and far fewer programs for child protection are subjected to negative stressors.)

Both of the above stressors are considered as traumatic experiences to children that could resurface as psychological disorders during adulthood.  Read more...

A patient of psychological disorder would usually get his treatments through medication and services of a mental health institution or facilities. However, advocates of Complementary and Alternative Medicine believe that there are less intensive, more holistic approaches that could be rendered to these patients in conjunction to their medical treatments. While they do not have approved therapeutic claim and there are no conclusive proofs that these alternatives really work they have been practiced for years and have yielded significant positive results in their own fields. Here are the suggested alternative solutions to mental health care:

Slowing down

Daily stressors contribute to the development of several mental health disorders. In fact, stress itself is considered as a threat to mental health. It disrupts sleep, thinking and rest and it usually affects the way we function everyday. Thus it is suggested to adopt several methods that will help lessen and manage the negative stressors we are exposed to everyday.  Read more...

Mental Health America: A Review of Mental Health in America

A leading mental health organization, Mental Health America, has continuously researched on current issues regarding mental wellness. Alongside them, there are other studies that are constantly conducted in conjunction to separate researches by other mental health organizations. Among their studies are the top American stressors and the capacity of Americans to deal with them. In this article, we would try to review this particular study and would provide concurrent details from other sources.

Most mental health organizations recognize that the accelerating changes in technology on top of unhealthy lifestyle, negative environmental stressors, and dysfunctional family contribute substantially to the well being of an individual. Americans, in particular, find it difficult to cope with a very busy society. Also, coping mechanisms are unhealthy such as smoking, drug-dependence and other harmful measures.

What are the major stressors in America?  Read more...

Stress is a part of life and you have learned how to plan for what stressors are likely to hit right? Well, you are doing well to have a stress management plan, but setback can and do happen in life and you must be prepared for them to happen.

You can set up strategies to handle setback by simplifying your life, managing time, being organized, being prepared for anything, exercise on a daily basis, eat nutritious meals, adjust your attitude to one of being positive in thought and action, and take frequent breaks even if they are short. You can also relax using relaxation techniques even while you are working by doing deep breathing. Learn to use humor to your advantage and let go of all unnecessary tasks.

Setbacks are just as inevitable as stress is in life so don’t sweat the small stuff and learn to take life as it comes. This is not always easy to do but it must be done or stress will creep back into your life in ways that will make you unhappy.  Read more...

Stress can be thrown at us at an early age; in fact an unborn baby can experience stress in utero. We either learn to cope with stress or learn how to avoid stress at an early age. We all have the ability to learn how to manage stress. Some of us learn by trial and error (the school of old knocks). Others make efforts to take classes in stress management or read books on the subject. We can also learn to manage stress by watching others deal with situations and events that cause stress or we can learn stress management techniques from a mental health professional.

We learn from experience or are taught that we can improve our ability to handle stress by first improving our diet, by exercising on a regular basis and by learning how to relax. It is also important to get enough quality sleep at night and to take time for relaxation instead of working all day and night. For most of us, humor can help us to relieve times of tension and to help cope with stressful situations.  Read more...

Stress, it is a word that many of us know all too well. Stress is never fun and it is never easy to deal with. When you feel stress, it can ruin your daywhether it is just a fleeting feeling of stress or a major life change. You can do something about the stress you are feeling, but the first thing is that you must know what is causing your stress.

If you ask twenty people what causes them the most stress, you are likely to hear twenty different answers. That is because stress is not the same for every person. Everyone is affected by it quite differently. What causes stress for one person, may not faze another. However, there are common threads in things that cause stress. Here are a few things that are likely to cause feelings of stress.  Read more...

Have you ever heard the saying, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”? This is a very applicable saying to most business and personal matters including stress management. If you fail to plan on your stress management strategy, you plan to fail managing stress.

We all know how important it is to manage the stress in our lives. Stress crops up in just about every aspect of life nowadays. Long-term stress can cause physical and emotional damage that can really impact your life. It can even lead to disease and death.

In order to have a stress management plan you need to know that there are two basic ways to handle stress. You either change the source of stress or you change the reaction you have to the stress.

While designing your stress management techniques remember to clearly identify the stressors. Assign an action to each stressor. An example would be if a stressor for you is the morning rush hour drive to work every weekday morning an action to address that stressor might be to leave fifteen minutes early in order to avoid the usual traffic bottleneck.  Read more...

Sensitive skin care is a challenge for many people, especially those living in difficult climates. There are certain external conditions that should be avoided, as should the chemicals in most commercial cosmetic products. How do you know if you have sensitive skin? Here are a few factors to consider when deciding if you need specialized sensitive skin care products:

* Do you break out or have redness after being exposed to environmental stressors like shaving or weather?
* Do you have tingly or tight skin with no other explanation for it?
* Have you noticed any dryness, irritation, or redness on your skin?
* Does your skin react adversely to household cleaning products or cosmetics?
* After answering the rest of these questions, has your dermatologist ruled out any other skin conditions that could be causing the problem?

Sensitive skin can be even more challenging to deal with in adverse weather conditions. If you live where the weather is extremely cold or hot, you may need to use sensitive skin care products to protect yourself.  Read more...