This is an exciting time for home gardeners. We have known for millennia about the emotional benefits of having flowers around, and no one can dispute the wonders of fresh herbs in our kitchens. Now we are seeing a resurgence of interest in learning how to use our garden goodies to heal our families and ourselves.
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So you kind of hate yourself for not being able to quit just like that? Maybe you tried it and went back to smoking. Well who ever said that was how to do it?

As a smoker, you can’t go anywhere today without having a guilt trip shoved up your nose or other body parts. And you aren’t helping it by feeling guilty and beating up on yourself either. So stop beating up on yourself for what you aren’t getting done. The fact is, something’s holding you back. Everyone’s different, and this quitting process involves you. Bottom line: It has to come from you, even though everyone’s getting on your case, and there’s a right way to go about it. Read the rest of this entry »

Head lice. Even the mere mention of the words makes our heads itch. They are, however, a common problem with school children and day care centers.

Head lice are small grayish bugs that lay their eggs, called nits, on the scalp. They use a sticky “glue” to attach the nits to the scalp. There are many commercial shampoos available to treat head lice. Most contain insecticides or pythrethrum. There are some situations where these products are not effective against lice. Some lice are resistant to pyrethrum and they are not killed by the shampoo. The shampoos are not recommended for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or sensitive to the ingredients. There are some herbal and other natural remedies available that are effective and not harmful to you.
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Chromium Picolinate supplementation improved body composition in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Body composition

US Navy conducted a study of personnel whose body fat exceeded the Navy’s body fat standard. They had completed a 16-week, supervised fat loss program. All participants exercised but some plus to exercising consumed 400 mcg of Chromium a day and some had a placebo instead. Chromium was found ineffective in enhancing body fat reduction and was not recommended as an adjunct to military weight loss programs.
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Recently in the news there have been articles decrying the benefits of soy. Some news stories even lay claim that soy and new soy products are harmful and not beneficial at all. The claims range from the potential damaging effects of soy formula given to many infants and toddlers to soy consumption causing early puberty in children to soy disrupting the function of the thyroid gland. Read the rest of this entry »

If you among those suffering from hair loss, it can become an issue. In reality, we lose more than 100 hairs each day.

If you suffer hair loss, it can be a problem. In reality, more than 100 strands of hair fall out daily from our scalp. Anyone who does not experience hair loss should consider themselves lucky, because hundreds of hairs can be lost daily. If you do not pay attention to your hair loss, at some point in the future, you may find that you have very little hair left. Read the rest of this entry »

Target your weight training routine to achieve your goals by choosing the right combination of sets and repetitions.

Let’s take a look at sets and reps, part of the core of your weight training routine. The number of repetitions (reps) of an exercise that you do depends on your goal. The number of reps you can do is limited by the weight of the resistance (provided by free weights, machines, or other devices). If you lift, say, a 10-pound dumbbell, as many times as you can, that will obviously be more than you could lift a 15-pound dumbbell (always assuming good technique) for the same exercise. If you do as many reps as you can, until your muscle gives out and you cannot finish another rep with good technique, that is called going to muscle failure, or just failure.
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Here are some tips for selecting supplements so you won’t have to fool with Mother Nature

Nature’s Pharmacy

Most of us prefer natural remedies.

They are cheaper, easier to get and if taken properly may have fewer side effects. Herbs and dietary supplements have been around for centuries but a 1994 Congressional Act has touched off a recent resurgence in sales. Read the rest of this entry »

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and the other anti-inflammatory drugs are known by the collective name of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and are probably the most widely used medications in the world. In North America, over the counter (OTC) preparations include aspirin, Advil and Aleve. They relieve many pains such as headaches and muscle aches and are mainstays for the treatment of arthritis. Read the rest of this entry »

There is depression, anxiety, and stress abundantly found in individuals from the today’s world that is fast paced. A lot of health professionals are prescribing anti-depression drugs as a method to treat these conditions, and among these are two of the most popular treatments currently available, Lexapro and Zoloft. Read the rest of this entry »