Healthy and happy

Get Healthy with Herbal Life

2011-04-12T19:39:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows that drug will be very important for his or her life. Without having some drugs, it may be something danger for you because drugs will help you to be better. Actually, it is available for you several kinds of drugs. Moreover, sometimes, for some people have no successfully treatment when they consume for a drugs. Besides, for some drugs, it usually has a negative effect for the body of the consumer. It may be as the reason why some people search for the other drugs.

It is herbal as one of thing, which will give you better than everything will. Because herbal is natural content, it will be zero point for you to get a negative effect from herbal. Thus, herbal is actually as the best choice for you. Thus, for searching some herbal, you must know first for the Herbalife Distributor Herbal Nutrition Herbal. Then, to make sure about the quality of the herbal, you can joint for the Herbalife Herbal Life Herbalife International. Surely, it will give you much information about herbal life. In addition, you can add your knowledge about the benefits of herbal; you can search for the Nutrition Network.

Heartburn and Acid Reflux Relief During Pregnancy!

2011-04-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Heartburn is a common condition for many, unfortunately, is even more common for women during pregnancy. The acidity is caused by stomach acid to escape and move into the esophagus. It can create pain, pressure and burn the women during pregnancy and naturally women would like a natural and effective solution that will not affect your growing baby.

There are two reasons why the heartburn becomes a particular issue for pregnant women;

First, the growing baby restricts a woman's organs. The stomach, in particular, is pushed up and restricted. This physical pressure can force stomach acid into the esophagus causing pain and can damage the esophagus.

Secondly, during pregnancy, progesterone levels rise.Progesterone serves many beneficial functions to protect the growing fetus and the strengthening of the placenta. The disadvantage is the high level can also cause swelling and relax the esophageal sphincter allowing acid to escape the stomach. Progesterone also may slow the digestion process.

Resources are available over the counter, but pregnant women should really take the advice of your doctor before taking any of these remedies. A better approach might be to adopt some simple lifestyle changes.

The following steps should be helpful...

Try to eat smaller meals and eat 5-6 meals a day instead of the traditional three large meals. To distribute food in this way you are allowing your stomach to digest food more efficiently and are avoiding creating more pressure than necessary.

Try eating more slowly. Chewing food thoroughly is also compatible with your digestive system. One way to curb your power is to put your fork down between mouthfuls.

Avoid spicy foods and foods high in acidity.. Also note any food that seems to be a trigger for heartburn.

Foods high in fat, particularly animal fats, can be difficult to digest. Eat in moderation

Drink plenty of water, as it will help your digestive system. A glass of water will also provide very fast, unfortunately temporary, acid wash solution into the stomach.

Wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict the stomach.

Never go to bed with a full stomach. . Staying vertical will allow gravity to help keep the acid in the stomach.

You can use pillows to support the upper body to help you sleep.

Finally, if you have not stopped smoking to protect your growing baby , then here's another good reason to quit smoking as well make heartburn less common.

The good news is that the symptoms of acid reflux is likely to ease after the birth of your baby...

Using the methods I have described will also help control symptoms during pregnancy.
by: Obadiea Jones

Exercise for Stomach Fat

2011-04-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

With all the fast food we eat, only the fortunate few avoid a flabby gut without doing some sort of exercise for stomach fat. Two of the simplest types are planks and crunches. Before you start on either, bear in mind that pregnant women shouldn�t do these exercises. Also, if you have back problems, doing crunches on a hard surface can aggravate those problems, so don�t do that. As always, warm up before and stretch afterward. Never stretch cold muscles.

Planks

For the ab plank, lie on the floor face down with your weight on your forearms and toes. Straighten your body, as rigid and straight as possible, from neck to ankles for a 30-second holds (use the old �one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi� method for counting the seconds). Do three sets of 20 (or however many you can do to begin with and work up to three sets). Thirty-second holds are a starting point. Gradually increase your hold time as you grow more accustomed to the exercise. If this becomes too easy, do the exercise with a stability ball under your feet. The more you do the more stomach fat you will burn.

Another intense exercise for stomach fat is the side plank, start in the basic plank position (weight on toes and elbows), and roll to one side, placing all your weight on one forearm and placing your upper foot on your lower foot (the weight is now on the side of your foot), and extend your free arm straight upward. Hold that for 30 seconds, and then reverse, holding that for 30 seconds. This exercise can also be done with straight arms, weight resting on the palm of the hand. That�s a little more challenging balance-wise, but like anything else, it gets easier with practice. Again, the goal is three sets of twenty.

Crunches

For a more old-school exercise for stomach fat, do some crunches. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Position your feet as wide as your hips, hands behind your head, and tuck hands behind your ears. Use your stomach (not your hands) to lift your head, neck and shoulder blades off the floor. Don�t pull your head forward with your hands. Keep your chin off your chest. Hold that position until it starts to burn, and then count to five before lowering. Do three sets of however many you can do, and keep going until failure (i.e., until you can�t do anymore).

An oblique crunch adds rotating slightly with your shoulders, moving one of your elbows toward the opposite knee, while doing the crunches. To increase the intensity of your stomach fat exercise, add a stability ball to the mix.

Stomach fat exercise should be part of your daily routine. It not only makes you look better, but it also remedies back pain caused by extra weight imposing on weak muscles in your stomach and back. You don�t get as tired because you aren�t hauling around extra stomach fat. Working your abs helps your posture and eliminates stress. All in all, you couldn�t do yourself a bigger favor.
by: James Taylor

Managing Your Cholesterol - The Best Way To Prevent Hearth Attacks

2011-04-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is one of the most familiar medical words today. Everyone knows �something� about it , but mostly cholesterol is associated in our mind with something �bad� and �unwanted� that happens to old and overweight people.The facts show that about 20 percent of the U.S. population has high blood cholesterol levels.

Actually holesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance (lipid) that your body needs for many important functions, such as producing new cells , some hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help to digest fat.. It is present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the brain, nerves, muscle, skin, liver, intestines, and heart.

In fact our bodies need cholesterol to function normally, but too much cholesterol can be bad for our health. Why ? Cholesterol and other fats can't dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers. Cholesterol travels through your blood attached to a protein. This cholesterol�protein package is called a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are high density or low density depending on how much protein there is in relation to fat.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged by cholesterol and fat deposits (a process called atherosclerosis) and cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is coronary heart disease. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack. This is usually due to a sudden closure from a blood clot forming on top of a previous narrowing. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol because it can cause cholesterol buildup and blockage of your arteries. LDL is mostly fat with only a small amount of protein.

About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL is called "good" cholesterol because it helps prevent cholesterol from building up in your arteries. It is mostly protein with only a small amount of fat.

Since there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol it is not only necessary to know your cholesterol level ,it is also important to know your levels of LDL and HDL.

The fact is that there are no symptoms of high cholesterol. Your first symptom of high cholesterol could be a heart attack or a stroke. The level of cholesterol can be measured only with a blood test.The results come as three main numbers:

� Total Cholesterol
� LDL
� HDL

The level of LDL should be less than 160.

Total cholesterol should be less than 200.

The level of HDL should be more than 35.

Most Important: Your LDL level is a good indicator of your risk for heart disease. Lowering LDL is the main aim of treatment if you have high cholesterol. In general, the higher your LDL level, the greater your chance of developing heart disease.

Remember : Regular cholesterol tests are recommended to find out if your cholesterol level is within normal range.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT YOUR LDL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS?

The main cause of high blood cholesterol is eating too much fat, especially saturated fat. Saturated fats are found in animal products, such as meats, milk and other dairy products that are not fat free, butter, and eggs. Some of these foods are also high in cholesterol. Fried fast foods and snack foods often have a lot of fat.

Being overweight and not exercising can make your bad cholesterol go up and your good cholesterol go down. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.

Cigarette smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them likely to have cholesterol rich plaques rupture and have heart attacks. Smoking may also lower your level of HDL cholesterol by as much as 15 percent.

Also, after women go through menopause, their bad cholesterol levels tend to go up. There is also a rare type of inherited high cholesterol that often leads to early heart disease.Some people inherit a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia, which means that very high cholesterol levels run in the family.Other people, especially people for whom diabetes runs in the family, inherit high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are another type of blood fat that can also push up cholesterol levels. People with high blood triglycerides usually have lower HDL cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone) also lower HDL cholesterol levels.

So we can make a conclusion that the main therapy is to change your lifestyle. This includes controlling your weight, eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, exercising regularly, not smoking and, in some cases, drinking less alcohol.

But , depending on your risk factors, if healthy eating and exercise don't work after about 6 months to 1 year, your doctor may suggest medicine to lower your cholesterol level.

Now there are very effective medications called �statins�,such as Lipitor.

The drug works by helping to clear harmful low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol out of the blood and by limiting the body's ability to form new LDL cholesterol. Each tablet Lipitor includes 20mg Atorvastatin. It is in a class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. It works by slowing the production of cholesterol in the body. Lipitor has shown the ability to halt, not just slow, the potentially fatal buildup of plaque in clogged arteries. While a handful of drugs now available slow the buildup of new plaque, or atherosclerosis, in coronary arteries, no drug on the market has been proven to both stop new build-up and clear existing plaque.
by: Richard Clement

Anxiety and Stress : Risk of Heart Attack?

2011-04-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

One of the most common questions asked with reference to anxiety and stress is whether or not these conditions cause heart disease.

Panic attacks usually involve sudden development of emotions such as anxiety, fear or extreme feeling of discomfort. These emotions are followed by some additional symptoms.

Panic attacks have always been associated to cardiovascular risks such as anger, depression and even hostility. Hypertension is yet another symptom associated to panic attacks. Anxiety or stress is known to add up to adverse effects of cardiovascular problems including enhanced blood clotting tendency, coronary artery spasm or heart rhythm disturbances.

Does stress actually increases the risk of heart attack?

According to a recent research it has been indicated that people with stress or panic disorders tend to possess a more active coagulation System and inhibited fibrinolysis. The result was not expected as there was no injury other than some breaks in the skin occurred due to blood sampling.

This clearly indicates that the clotting was unbalanced. This can be quite dangerous because a coronary artery may get blocked in extreme cases. However, the levels of coagulation measured were just within the range considered normal.

This research came up with an explanation of a data displaying. People with stress or panic disorder being four times more prone to die of a heart attack or stroke. Hence, when there are several other factors including smoking or obesity to enhance the risk of heart disease, a stress disorder can enhance the balance of coagulation further to danger zone.

It is very important to diagnose stress or anxiety disorder as soon as possible. Treatment given at an early stage tends to inhibit the chances of any kind of heart disease.

Anxiety or stress is also known to make a patient get a feeling like heart attack due to rapid pulse and shortness of breath. According to a study of more than three thousand older women, it is suggested that shortness of breath or rapid pulse experienced due to stress may evoke a feeling similar to heart attack and even result in serious heart troubles in the long run.

Studies have also revealed that women who have experienced a full blown panic or stress attack in 6 months were more vulnerable to stroke or heart attack as compared to those who didn�t experienced stress or panic attack.

The researchers also considered a lot of other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, depression and in activity. However, they still came to a conclusion that stress and panic attack enhanced risks of heart related disease.

Women undergoing symptoms of post menopause tend to take a lot of stress and this is known to be one of the major causes of cardiovascular risk. Mental stress is always bad for health and may result in a lot of adverse effects.

A lot of scientific evidences have suggested that metal stress tend to affect the cardiovascular System adversely. Tasks promoting stress can result in blood flow decrease to the heart that ultimately result in a lot of heart related diseases such as a heart attack.

Sauna, Health Benefits of Steam Bath

2011-04-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Did you know about sauna. Yes, people called this "steam bath" which bathing in a room that has been specially designed, where its room wall can issued a steam iron.

Sauna, steam room is now the tune. In Indonesia, the sauna evolved in many large cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, and Denpasar. Sauna developed in big cities because the market is also here where the majority of service users sauna is the people who live in urban areas. They were from middle and those rich, who have more money. Sauna just could be accessed by people from middle until high income, because it is expensive to have sauna.

Sauna is in place, including the type of conventional sauna. In line with the development of the technology now sauna can be brought to the house and you do not need to shift more difficult to place sauna. This type of sauna is the infrared saunas, the sauna that issue long-distance infrared waves that effectively be merged in your skin. You may determine the type, shape and design or choose the form of a sauna that you will use. And it is delivered to your home.

Type of this far infrared saunas also has health benefits are: ease pain in the body, make your weight go down, the more elastic collagen tissue that may effect on your skin, eliminate stress, make you feel relax, and can remove poisons from body. Why you should choose infrared saunas? Here is the reason, it’s because if it is compared with the conventional sauna this type has more effective and efficiently, more quickly and bring the heat by the effect of it waves.

How To Find the Best Stop Snoring Solution for You

2011-03-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

When you start researching stop snoring solutions you begin to realize just how many different approaches are available for you to try. They range from stop snoring sprays to mouthpieces which are designed to keep your airways open to pretty drastic surgeries. You can be forgiven for feeling that you need to be a qualified MD to work out which snoring solution would be most appropriate for you.

But it is extremely important to take a very logical approach to work out which is the best solution to your individual and unique snoring issues. We are all different. We are all individual. There is not one single stop snoring product which will work for everyone. All of these solutions do work for some people. And so you do have to do your research thoroughly and then make an informed choice to find your snoring cure.

Fortunately, thanks to the internet, the process of research is far easier than it was in the past. One has to be aware however that it is necessary to also check out the credentials of the person who is promoting a particular snoring cure online. It's worth checking also to see what kind of success rate a snoring aid has or if there are real testimonials from satisfied customers.

At the end of the day it is your health which is affected by snoring and perhaps your relationship as well. And so taking the time to diligently research the possible stop snoring solutions is time well spent. I know what I would do. I would start by making a list of every single stop snoring aid that I could find mentioned anywhere at all. Then I would take each one and list the pros and cons in terms of simplicity to use, comfort, invasiveness, apparent success rate, strength of testimonials, suitability and, last of all, cost.

Where your health and relationship are affected, cost should be the last factor to be considered. Some stop snoring cures are undeniably simple, like losing weight or training yourself to sleep on your side. All they require is a little effort on your part. And so you have to weigh up in your own mind whether stopping snoring is more important than eating some of those favorite foods, or worth the effort involved in training your brain to make sleeping on your side a habit.

Some snorers decide that surgery is the easiest answer; but although it may require less effort on your part, you subject yourself to the inherent risks implicit in any form of invasive surgery. One has to think very, very carefully before deciding that this is the best stop snoring solution for you. You have to weigh up the health and lifestyle risks which are caused by snoring against the risks or effort required in the method of stopping.

Ultimately, everyone who snores wishes that they didn't; nobody likes knowing that they keep their partner awake or drive them into the spare bedroom. Nobody likes waking up with a sore throat, sore ribs (from being elbowed) and a frosty atmosphere.

In fact most snorers are frustrated by being subjected to something which they seemingly cannot control. But you can take control of your snoring issues. There are many possible cures and solutions to snoring; it's just a matter of taking the time to research and find the right one for you.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in self hypnosis mp3 downloads which provide a non-invasive stop snoring solution.

P.S. Discover how easily you can train your brain with hypnosis; grab a free hypnosis download from my website now.

by: Roseanna Leaton

Head Sweating And Your Social Life

2011-03-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

Three percent of people in the world suffer from head sweating. This is a staggering statistic. If one suffers from this medical condition one need not feel alone. The entire surface of the body is covered in millions of sweat glands that control the body temperature and allows the skin to perspire to cool down when hot. When this intricate system gets out of sink excessive head sweating of a primary or secondary form takes place.

Primary hyperhidrosis (head sweating), affects ninety-five percent of suffers and can be controlled to a certain degree by natural herbal homeopathic remedies. These medications have been known to help in the reducing and sometimes in certain cases completely stopping the sweating. These natural substances may also be able to treat the underlying causes of excessive sweating. With the wide variety of herbal solutions now available on the market one should always consult a reputable herbal consultant for optimum results, when seeking a remedy for this problem.

Secondary hyperhidrosis is endured by five percent of afflicted people. This small group may have excessive head sweating problems as a result of an underlying medical condition and it is advisable to consult a doctor.

It is an embarrassing dilemma that can often create severe psychological problems in a person's life. Wet hair and an itchy scalp, clammy face ruining makeup, forever feeling untidy and self-conscious about one's appearance all leave one insecure. Together with all these problems one still has the underlying fear of unpleasant odors resulting from the perspiration.

There are a number of helpful tips that can go a long way to helping lessen the chances of a head sweat. Loose clothing made from natural fibers, avoiding nylons and other synthetic materials will help one feel cooler. Keeping one's feet cool also allows the whole body to be cooler.

Hot, peppery foods and stimulants should be avoided at all costs. One should endeavor to use natural shampoos and not to wash one's hair too often. A well balanced nourishing diet is also recommended to prevent unnecessary sweating.

Emotional stress, anxiety levels and fits of rage can also bring one severe sweating. One is encouraged to find ways to bring these feelings under control and to work towards lessening these fits of emotion that increase the possibility of undue facial perspiration.

To cope with head sweating one needs to determine into which of the two categories, primary or secondary, one falls in to and then decide on how to deal with this unattractive disorder. Little is known of the exact cause except that the problem is focused around an overactive sympathetic nervous system that in some cases my benefit from natural homeopathic remedies.
Primary hyperhidrosis (head sweating), affects ninety-five percent of suffers and can be controlled to a certain degree by natural herbal homeopathic remedies. These medications have been known to help in the reducing and sometimes in certain cases completely stopping the sweating. These natural substances may also be able to treat the underlying causes of excessive sweating. With the wide variety of herbal solutions now available on the market one should always consult a reputable herbal consultant for optimum results, when seeking a remedy for this problem.

Secondary hyperhidrosis is endured by five percent of afflicted people. This small group may have excessive head sweating problems as a result of an underlying medical condition and it is advisable to consult a doctor.

It is an embarrassing dilemma that can often create severe psychological problems in a person's life. Wet hair and an itchy scalp, clammy face ruining makeup, forever feeling untidy and self-conscious about one's appearance all leave one insecure. Together with all these problems one still has the underlying fear of unpleasant odors resulting from the perspiration.

There are a number of helpful tips that can go a long way to helping lessen the chances of a head sweat. Loose clothing made from natural fibers, avoiding nylons and other synthetic materials will help one feel cooler. Keeping one's feet cool also allows the whole body to be cooler.

Hot, peppery foods and stimulants should be avoided at all costs. One should endeavor to use natural shampoos and not to wash one's hair too often. A well balanced nourishing diet is also recommended to prevent unnecessary sweating.

Emotional stress, anxiety levels and fits of rage can also bring one severe sweating. One is encouraged to find ways to bring these feelings under control and to work towards lessening these fits of emotion that increase the possibility of undue facial perspiration.

To cope with head sweating one needs to determine into which of the two categories, primary or secondary, one falls in to and then decide on how to deal with this unattractive disorder. Little is known of the exact cause except that the problem is focused around an overactive sympathetic nervous system that in some cases my benefit from natural homeopathic remedies.

I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis And Am Worried About Heart Attack Risk...

2011-02-10T17:45:00.000-08:00

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you should be worried about risk from cardiovascular events. That includes both heart attacks and strokes.

Women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have high rates of non fatal heart attacks. This occurs even without traditional risk factors being present. (Solomon, et al. Circulation 2003; 107: 1303-1307). The same is probably true for men with RA as well.

In addition multiple studies have demonstrated the increased risk of stroke occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Presence of intimal plaque (atherosclerosis in the inner walls of the carotid arteries) has been used as a surrogate marker of arterial disease elsewhere.

The conclusions drawn from multiple studies are that RA is an extremely potent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. More aggressive goals for risk factor modification should be instituted.

It�s important to assess all risk factors in patients with RA. Control of hyperlipidemia and high blood pressure is mandatory. Dietary measures are primary. If dietary changes don�t work, then statin therapy maybe needed. These drugs lower LDL cholesterol (�bad� cholesterol) and reduce levels of C-reactive protein. If a patient has diabetes, tight control of blood sugar is extremely important.

Discontinuation of cigarette smoking and proper weight management are important.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients could reduce their cardiovascular risk by spending more time walking.

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease but little is known about energy expenditure from lifestyle physical activity in RA patients.

A recent study compared energy expenditure from exercise and lifestyle activities between 122 RA patients and 122 healthy controls.

At the beginning of the study, RA patients spent fewer kilocalories per week walking, exercising and participating in sports than did controls, the authors report.

Similar percentages of RA patients and controls met their recommended thresholds for total weekly energy expenditure, but the percent of RA patients meeting the recommended threshold for walking (32%) was notably lower than controls (48%).

At follow-up an average of 14 months later, RA patients continued to expend fewer kilocalories per week overall and were less likely to meet the threshold for walking, compared with controls.

"This study provides evidence that despite the fact that walking is an excellent lifestyle activity and it is markedly underutilized in RA patients," the authors note. "Our study supports the development and implementation of interventions to foster walking as part of a program to address cardiovascular risk in RA patients." (Mancuso C, et al. Arthritis Rheum 2007; 57:672-678).

Aspirin therapy has been shown to be effective prophylaxis for men and some studies also indicate its potential effectiveness in women.

In the final analysis, it must be mentioned that the most potent weapon against the increase in cardiovascular mortality is tight control of the rheumatoid arthritis- getting the disease into remission. Fortunately, the advent of first, second, and third generation biologic medicines have made this a reality.
by: Nathan Wei

Margarine: Low IQ and Heart Attacks

2011-02-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

Margarine lowers the IQ of children. I know it sounds completely arrogant but it is true. According to researchers at the University of Auckland, children who ate margarine every day had significantly lower IQ scores by...

the age of three-and-a-half than those who did not (1). The saddest thing is that margarine is promoted to be a healthy alternative to butter which not true. Margarine is an artificial product that has been heavily processed and chemically refined. Due to these procedures it goes through it has acquired serious toxic and inflammatory properties. The vegetable oils used in most margarine are hydrogenated to make them solid. This turns the oil into highly unhealthy trans-fatty acids. These man-made fatty acids have been shown to raise �bad� cholesterol (LDL) and lower �good� cholesterol (HDL). They have also been linked to inflammation, one of the major causes of heart disease (2).

In another study, people were tracked for 20 years and the number of heart attacks was recorded and analysed (3). Data from the Framingham Study backed up this particular project. The results are in complete disagreement with everything we have been told so far. As margarine consumption increased, heart attacks went up. As butter consumption increased, heart attacks declined. During the second decade, the group eating the most margarine had 77% more heart attacks than the group eating none!

The Framingham Study is considered to be the research project backing up the conventional theories for heart disease and cholesterol for many decades now. After 40 years, the director of the Framingham Study admitted: "In Framingham, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person's serum cholesterol. . . we found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active."

I guess that the point to take home from the above studies, is that things are not always the way they are presented by the media. It has become imperative to be very careful when we choose our sources of information concerning health issues.

References

1.Theodore, RF., Thompson, JMD., et al. Dietary patterns and intelligence in early and middle childhood, Intelligence. 2009; 37(5):506-513

2.C. Oomen, M. Ocke, et al, �Association between trans fatty acid intake and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease in the Zutphen Elderly Study: The Lancet, Volume 357, Issue 9258, Pages 746-751

3.�Margarine Intake and Subsequent Coronary Heart Disease in Men.� Matthew W. Gillman, L. Adrienne Cupples, et al. Epidemiology Vol. 8, No. 2 (Mar., 1997), pp. 144-149
by: Helen Davies

How to Avoid Needing Dental Implants

2010-12-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

Dental implants are an effective way dentists can restore missing teeth or teeth that are loose. The way the implants work is by implanting a titanium root into the gum and allowing it time to fuse with the bone in the mouth as if it were totally natural. This can take up to 6 months. Titanium is rarely rejected by the body which is why this material is used, and once it is solid a prosthetic tooth can be inserted or screwed into place. The tooth is created to match the others in the mouth making it very natural looking. No one who didn't know the tooth was artificial would be able to tell the difference.

This procedure is not the only way to fill in a gap in the mouth. You can also have removable dentures, however often people are not so keen to have these. It is also possible to have a fixed bridge, but because some of the enamel has to be worn away on the neighbouring teeth to have this done, it is also not as popular as dental implants. The trick with keeping all your teeth and having to avoid any type of surgery or implants is to look after your teeth properly. There is not too much you have to do, but like most things in life consistency is the key. This article provides the ways you need to look after your teeth in order to avoid having any serious work done, including dental implants.

Brush your teeth

This is a pretty obvious one, but still worth mentioning because sometimes people only brush their teeth in a half hearted way. Teeth should be brushed every morning and every evening. You shouldn't scrub away at them either, because this can wear away the enamel and the brush should be replaced every 3 months, maximum. When you are cleaning make sure you reach every single tooth in both the upper and lower part of the mouth. Repeatedly missing a tooth can stain it initially and create cavities too.

Use Mouthwash

Mouthwash is often used after you have cleaned your teeth for a final rinse. This is worthwhile, but it can also be a good idea to have an initial rinse too. Sometimes brushing can rub food into the tiny crevices of the teeth so having a very quick rinse to get rid of little bits of food that may be lurking can prevent it from getting mashed in. Just half a cap before and half a cup after in the morning and evening can ensure your teeth stay perfect for longer.

Avoid sugar

Unfortunately nothing rots teeth quicker than sugary food and drinks. Sugary drinks are the worst because they tend to be consumed throughout the day so your teeth never get a chance to recover from the onslaught. Eating a sugary chocolate bar all in one go is better for your teeth than slowly sipping away at a sugar filled drink. Try and avoid as much sugar as possible and be aware that even drinks like orange juice and other "healthy drinks" can be full of sugar too.

Don't Smoke

Smoking can cause your teeth damage because it can wear aware the bone and make the teeth become loose. This is often a cause of losing teeth in adults and can be why dental implants are needed. Ensuring good overall health by not smoking, avoiding excess alcohol and getting plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet can help you keep good, strong teeth for longer.

If you want to avoid having dental implants and tooth whitening later on in life then the advice above should be followed. It is always possible to improve your smile if you want to go one step further with professional teeth whitening - this will make them dazzle!

Diet Programs And Meals - The Okinawa Diet

2010-12-30T19:40:00.000-08:00

The Okinawa Diet was created by Makoto Suzuki. It is based on the nutritional habits of people who live in the Ryukyu Islands including the city of Okinawa in southern Japan. In the past these people had the longest life expectancy in the world. This is a long term or life long diet. You will eat 300 calories a day less than your caloric expenditure. Stop eating before you are full. 78% of your nourishment comes from vegetable sources. Privileged foods include rice, soy, and fish. Eat as little dairy products as possible. Here are some of the diet principles.

Eat about 80% of the food you feel you need. Eat low-calorie foods; these are foods that may contain the highest level of micronutrients. Eat seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Eat seven servings of legumes and grains daily. Eat two servings of soy daily. Eat algae; they include numerous minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Eat fish three times a day. Limit your consumption of animal products, replacing them with vegetable proteins. Drink very little alcohol but drink a small amount of red wine regularly. You should try to avoid sugar and salt such as in prepared foods. Drink a lot of water and tea.

The Okinawa Diet claims to reduce the risks of diabetes, excess cholesterol, cancer, and heart disease. It also claims to lower stress and fight against aging. This diet has the advantage of being easy to follow, unless you are a fan of salt or sugar. You may find yourself hungry.

Here are two sample menus:

Menu 1

Breakfast: A slice of carrot cake. A nectarine. Tea.

Lunch: A few sushi. Algae soup. Grated carrots. Tea.

Supper: Miso soup. A bowl of white rice. Cucumber salad. A banana. Tea.

Menu 2

Breakfast: A two-egg herb omelet. Two slices of bran bread. An apple. Tea.

Lunch: A lettuce, tomato, tofu, and endive sandwich on whole-grain bread. A bowl of rice. An orange. Tea.

Supper: Soy and carrot salad. A bowl of white rice. Curried lentils. A peach. Tea.

Some information in this article comes from a fascinating new book, La Bible des Regimes, written by Jenny de Jonquieres and published by Amerik Media. Her book describes over 80 diets and weight reduction programs. Each diet is presented with 5 menu plans, a detailed discussion of its advantages and disadvantages, and lots more. La Bible des Regimes is presently available only in French.

10 Ways To Reduce Gastric and Heartburn During Pregnancy

2010-12-30T19:34:00.000-08:00

My wife has gastric since her teenage days but nothing too serious that requires her to get constant medication. But as she get pregnant, her gastric problem came back and causing her to have this heartburn sensation in the chest and throat, everything to her now taste different and her tongue tasted bitter all the time, the increased amount of acid in her stomach caused her to be 'gassy' all the time. Well research shows that this situation normally happens to most of pregnant women (early pregnancy) and usually it will go away/reduced after the first Trimester. So, as a concerned husband, I did some research on how to reduce the feeling of discomfort caused by gastric and heartburn.

Tips:

1. Avoid food that can trigger acid build-up such as oily food, vinegar, some citrus fruits, chocolate, spicy foods, caffeinated products (Coffee, Tea, Cola), carbonated drinks, anything sourly.

2. Try to eat more regularly with smaller portions. As our wives become pregnant, the content of acid in their stomach increased and the process of food digestion also become slower thus the reason of lowering the volume of food and best if they munch their food as many times as possible before swallowing to help the food to processed faster reducing the acid buildup.

3. No ALCOHOL, Period!

4. Ask them to wear comfortable clothing that didn't restrict/pressing your stomach and waist.

5. Don't overstress them; this can also cause acid reflux to goes wild and your gastric and heartburn worst!

6. Drink yogurt based drinks or milk before sleep.

7. Try chewing gum after eating. Chewing gum stimulates your salivary glands, and saliva can help neutralize acid.

8. Avoid eating close to bedtime.

9. Drinking soymilk and barley also helps.

10. Medication: ALWAYS consult with your gynecologist on what medication that your spouse can take.

So there you go guys, I hoped the info I shared with you is beneficial and helpful in any way possible.
by: Jep Black

Professional Teeth Whitening Brightens Smiles

2010-11-17T18:29:00.000-08:00

Everyone�s teeth become stained over time. At some point, toothpaste alone will not be adequate to address your staining. This is when an in-office visit for professional teeth whitening may be what you need.

Professional Teeth Whitening

Your Austin cosmetic dentist will use an in-office teeth whitening system such as Zoom! or BriteSmile. These systems have been proven to effectively lighten teeth by up to eight shades. The procedure is conducted by a certified dental assistant and usually takes no more than an hour. The take-home bleaching trays are not as effective and results typically take longer to see.

The Teeth Whitening Process

Before your teeth whitening procedure, your dentist will conduct a comprehensive check to verify that the procedure is appropriate for you. The process consists of applying a gel to your teeth then directing a laser beam at them to activate the oxidation process and expedite the whitening. It generally takes about an hour to adequately and evenly whiten the entire dental set during which time you may watch TV, listen to music or even take a nap.

The Safety of Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening does absolutely no damage to the teeth�s external or internal structure and it is completely safe for fillings. Patients almost never report any pain, although patients with extremely sensitive teeth may experience some aching or tenderness for a day or two afterwards.

The Results of Teeth Whitening

The results may last up to a year or two. However, that time frame varies depending on your personal habits. If you drink dark liquids such as coffee, tea, and red wine; eat dark foods, or smoke, your teeth will accumulate stains faster. But ultimately, even with the best of diets and oral hygiene routines, people typically still find they will need whitening again in a few years� time. We constantly use our teeth, and there is no way to keep them from showing the effects of that use.

The Candidates of Teeth Whitening

Almost anyone over the age of 18 is eligible for professional teeth whitening. The age limits vary depending on area and dentist. However, teeth whitening does not whiten false teeth, so if you have a prominent false tooth, consult with your dentist before deciding to whiten.
by: Meredi Wagner-Hoehn

Poor Dental Health May Point To Other Health Problems

2010-11-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

Have you had your dentist ask you questions like, 'Are you snoring or sleeping bad?' or 'Do you suffer from halitosis no matter what you eat or do?' or 'Do you suffer from acidity?' Would be surprised if your dentist points you to a sleep apnea clinic rather than an invisalign? Do not because very often poor dental health is actually a pointer to other medical conditions that you might be suffering and not knowing about.

Mouth odor which is so terrible and everyone hates, could be the result of poor digestion, bad eating habits, gastroenteritis, and many other similar problems. High acidity also causes yellowing of teeth, plaque and even cavities. Snoring is another example where oral health points to underlying health problems -- in this case it is respiratory disorders.

Recent studies show that even heart diseases could be detected through the analysis of the condition of your oral health. Tooth infections and abscesses can influence the immune system to such an extent that the heart would be affected as well. When there are acute and continuous recurring infections of the jaw bone in particular, it is often a pointer that the heart is under threat as well.

This is why it is important to visit your dentist at least every six months so you would not only ensure the health of your teeth but also your health overall. The dentist would be able to tell you whether what you are suffering from is owed to poor dental hygiene, poor eating habits or other ailments in the body that reflect in the oral health problems.

It is very important therefore that you maintain good oral health and take the trouble to immediately remedy any problem you find with your teeth or gums. Most people still suffer from dentist phobia and would do anything to postpone a visit. If you are among this bracket of people, please note that you are doing yourself a great disservice. You might be hiding some very serious medical condition.

There are a few things that you should always do to ensure that your teeth stay healthy and disease free.

1. Brush your teeth two to three times a day -- generally the best habit is to brush immediately after a meal. However, brushing 2-3 times a day would suffice. Brushing usually helps to remove any remaining food particles from in-between teeth and also wash away any acidic remnants from the food you consumed.

2. Flossing is a must -- flossing is once again a very important daily activity which you should never ignore. Flossing, like brushing would ensure that there are no shreds of food remaining in between the teeth, which would later decompose and create mouth odor.

3. Avoid sugary foods -- as a general rule refined sugar is not recommended for good health. Generally speaking this creates acidity and gastric problems. When sugary matter remains on the teeth it weakens the enamel and causes cavities.

It is very important that you pay attention to the health of your teeth and mouth in general for neglecting this aspect may impact negatively the rest of your body.
by: Stewart Wrighter

A Rockledge Chiropractor Offers 5 Tips To Reduce Headaches

2010-10-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Ever have a headache so bad you thought your head would explode? You feel sick, have nausea and dizziness, intense neck and head pain, and even feel disoriented. You are not alone.

Millions of people suffer from debilitating headaches each day, some from migraines others cluster, but most due to tension from stress. Dr. La Starza has offered headache relief for thousands of people who have been suffering for years. If you have no significant health issues, then there are 5 things you can use to reduce the discomfort and pain associated with headaches and make your life more enjoyable.

My first suggestion for reducing headaches will even save you money. That's a bonus! I always recommend to my Chiropractic patients to reduce their caffeine intake. Coffee is usually the main culprit, but many times sodas, teas, energy drinks, and even "indulgence" foods like chocolate can be a huge contributor to your headaches. By reducing the intake of caffeine products, and replacing them with loads of clean water, you can take a major step forward in reducing the intensity, duration, and frequency of your headaches.

Another suggestion that can save you money and prevent other health issues is to stop smoking, which is putting chemical stress into your body. While the main culprit of cigarette smoking is nicotine, there are many other sources of nicotine to consider. Chewing tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and even second-hand smoke (at someone house or in bars and clubs) can be a significant contributor to your headaches. Reducing exposure to nicotine is a critical decision to make as it will affect many area�s of your health.

Third tip is easy and something our parents preached to us as young kids. Remember when your parents wished you a good night's sleep? They were teaching you something valuable! A good night's sleep, full of uninterrupted deep rest, goes a long way in reducing the duration and intensity of your headaches. It also helps with your immune system and overall health. When you sleep your body can repair and regenerate itself. Meditation helps reduce the overall stress in your life, so that you can get deep, quality sleep.

Next is maintain a good diet. Eating healthy will allow your body (and internal systems) to work properly. A diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, and low in red meat will help reduce inflammation and decrease headaches. Refine your eating habits as much as possible so that you improve your overall health and, at the same time, reduce your headaches. Remember that a part of eating healthy is to drink plenty of water. Talk with your chiropractor or nutritionist, or look at the US RDA recommendations for your height and body weight. Chiropractors are very educated with nutrition and the biochemistry of the body. At La Starza Wellness Chiropractic in Rockledge we offer standard process nutritional products as well as many more.

Finally, chiropractic adjustments can help relieve headache pain quickly. Many of our patients with headaches have had an issue with a spinal cord disc, an impinged nerve, other spinal interference, which when corrected immediately relieved the headache. Find a qualified, licensed chiropractor, who has experience in relieving headaches. You should understand exactly what the chiropractor can do to help your body start working properly again.
by: Marco J. La Starza, D.C.

Riset: Obesitas Percepat Kematian

2010-09-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

STOCKHOLM - Sebuah studi menunjukkan bahwa orang-orang Denmark yang mengalami kegemukan atau obesitas di usia 20 tahun memiliki resiko meninggal delapan tahun lebih dulu dibanding mereka yang tidak kegemukan.

Penelitian tersebut, yang dipresentasikan pada Kongres Obesitas International di Stockholm, juga mengindikasikan jika obesitas biasanya berkembang sebelum usia penderita mencapai 20 tahun.

Lebih dari 5.000 wajib militer mengambil bagian dalam studi ini, mulai dari umur 20 sampai 80 tahun. Sekitar 2.000 responden telah mengalami kegemukan ketika mengikuti riset ini.

Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa risiko kematian prematur pada penderita obesitas meningkat 10 persen untuk setiap titik, melebihi level sehat dari 25 poin indeks massa tubuh (BMI). Indeks massa tubuh digunakan untuk menentukan lemak tubuh seseorang melalui perhitungan tinggi dan berat badan.

"Pada usia 70 tahun, 70 persen pria di kelompok lain dan 50 persen dari mereka dalam kelompok obesitas masih hidup. Dan kami memperkirakan bahwa dari usia menengah, penderita kegemukan kemungkinan meninggal delapan tahun lebih awal daripada mereka yang berada di kelompok lain," kata Esther Zimmermann dari Copenhagen University Hospital, seperti dikutip melalui Straits Times, Rabu (14/7/2010).

Zimmerman, yang memimpin tim peneliti di rumah sakit Institute of Preventive Medicine, mengatakan penelitian mencatat pengaruh merokok, tahun kelahiran, dan pendidikan tetapi tidak faktor-faktor lain, seperti penyakit keturunan. Penelitian itu tidak termasuk wanita, tetapi mereka megatakan temuan tersebut juga dibuat dalam studi serupa.

Tahun lalu, sebuah studi di Amerika yang diterbitkan dalam jurnal medis BMJ mengatakan jika obesitas mampu mengurangi kemungkinan para wanita mencapai usia 80 tahun dalam keadaan yang sehat. Para peneliti menemukan, untuk setiap kenaikan satu titik pada indeks massa tubuh wanita memiliki kesempatan lebih rendah 12 persen untuk menjalani usia 70 tahun dalam kesehatan yang baik.
Sebuah penelitian Inggris yang diterbitkan di Lancet pada tahun 2009 menemukan bahwa orang dengan indeks massa tubuh 30-35 memiliki resiko meninggal tiga tahun lebih awal dari biasanya, sementara orang-orang yang gemuk, dengan indeks di atas 40, mati sekitar satu dekade lebih dulu.
okezone.com

Sugar Overload!!!

2010-09-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

As kids our moms warned us that having too many sweets would rot our teeth. Well guess what, mom was right! A typical can of soda can contain as much as 10 teaspoons of sugar! And we all know that some Americans, especially teenagers, sure can guzzle their soda!

Do you know how much sugar you and your family drink every day? According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the consumption of soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks has increased by 500% over the past 50 years in the United States. The ADA reports that Americans consume more than 53 gallons of carbonated soft drinks per person per year. Some people find it difficult to avoid these sugary drinks since there are nearly 450 different soft drinks available in the United States.

What�s alarming is that most people don�t realize how much sugar they, or their children, consume on a daily basis. A research project published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that the average American eats the equivalent of 21 teaspoons of added sugar a day and that�s about 2 � to 3 times more sugar than recommended.

Excess sugar consumption is associated with obesity, diabetes, and other conditions linked to heart disease. The study warns that eating a diet that is extremely high in sugar can be as dangerous as having one that is high in fat.

The study showed that people who ate the most added sugar had the lowest HDL, or good cholesterol and people who ate the least amount of sugar had the highest HDL, or bad cholesterol. The study concluded that eating large amounts of added sugar more than tripled the risk of having low HDL, which is �a major risk factor for heart disease.�

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar in the diet to no more than 100 calories a day for most women and 150 calories a day for most men. That equals about 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Did you know, however, that just one 12-ounce can of regular soda can have up to 10 teaspoons of sugar!

Eating and drinking excessive amounts of sugar affects the health of your mouth, too. Consuming too much sugar may lead to oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Sugar weakens and erodes enamel, the protective outer surface of teeth, and this makes teeth more susceptible to harmful bacteria and decay.

Simply put, eating and drinking too much sugar can cause cavities. A cavity starts as a small hole in your tooth. The ADA explains on their website that when you eat or drink sugary or starchy foods, the sugars and plaque on your teeth mix together to make an acid. The acids in your mouth attack your teeth and can make cavities.

Cavities cannot be fixed by themselves. They can only be fixed by a dentist who will remove the decay and put a filling in the hole left in your tooth. So what can you do to prevent cavities? The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing at least once per day, visiting the dentist regularly, and making nutritious food and beverage choices.

Bright Side Dental is a dental office with locations in Sterling Heights, Livonia, Canton, and Royal Oak, Michigan. Visit www.BrightSideDental.com for more information cavity prevention.
by: Josh Gershonowicz

This Common Drug Could be Causing Your Insomnia

2010-08-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

It should not be a surprise that caffeine can have an impact on one's ability to get a good night's sleep. While some people can drink a quad venti mocha right before bed with no troubles, others will toss and turn all night if they consume any caffeine during the day.

If you are suffering from insomnia, you may want to take a look at the amount of caffeine that you ingest as being a possible culprit. Before taking drastic measures, such as taking sleeping pills, see what happens if you eliminate caffeine from your diet.

To some this may seem impossible, but if you can start to get a proper amount of sleep each night, that will do far more to boost your energy level than downing cup after cup of coffee. When you also consider that a lack of sleep can have an impact on your overall health, it should be an easy decision to try and cut out caffeine to see if that will relieve your insomnia.

If you insist on that morning cup of coffee, at least avoid all caffeine starting about lunchtime. While it would best to avoid caffeine altogether, at least if you keep your consumption of it to the morning hours, it will mostly have worked its way out of your system by bedtime. It is important to keep in mind that cutting out coffee and tea does not mean that you are eliminating all caffeine. Caffeine is found in a number of products, some of which you may never imagine would contain caffeine.

To cut your caffeine consumption you will, obviously, have to eliminate coffee and tea. You will also need to avoid most types of soda (caffeine-free varieties are fine). Some candy contains just as much caffeine as a small cup of coffee, so it should be avoided as well.

One of the biggest surprise sources of caffeine is in some over the counter medications. Some, such as Midol and Excedrin contain nearly 50 mg of caffeine. When you consider that a small cup of coffee contains about 100 mg, that amount is quite significant.

You may not have to avoid caffeine forever. Just try to cut it out, or at least way down, to see if that helps with your insomnia. If it does not, then you will know that you need to investigate other possible reasons for your inability to sleep. This may include a visit to your doctor or making other behavioral changes.

If your insomnia is helped by reducing caffeine, then you should try to continue to avoid it. If, however, you want to try to drink coffee or tea once again, try to add it only in small doses. If you used to drink 3 cups of coffee a day, try to stick to just one. Also, if you just miss the experience and taste of your coffee or tea, consider one of the many decaf varieties. Many taste just the same as caffeinated drinks. Cutting caffeine may be the answer to your insomnia. When you think of the alternative solutions, such as sleeping pills, it is certainly worth a try.
by: Paul Stevens

Kontrol Kolesterol Selama Berpuasa

2010-08-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

MENYANTAP menu makanan manis dan tinggi lemak plus kurangnya aktivitas fisik di bulan puasa, bisa memicu tingginya kadar kolesterol. Nah, bagaimana mengatasinya?

Banyak kebiasaan makan yang salah yang terjadi saat bulan Ramadan tiba. Mengonsumsi makanan berlebihan misalnya, kebiasaan ini menjadi salah satu kebiasaan dari beberapa orang saat berbuka puasa atau saat makan sahur. Umumnya, orang memakan makanan secara berlebihan karena sebagian dari mereka merasa takut jika siang hari kelaparan, apabila tidak menyimpan cadangan makanan yang banyak. Kebiasaan tersebut juga semakin diperburuk dengan kebiasaan tidur setelah makan sahur yang semakin menumpuk cadangan lemak tubuh.

Dikatakan spesialis penyakit saraf serta Ketua Bidang Humas dan Penyuluhan Yayasan Stroke Indonesia Dr H Sutarto Prodjo Disastro SpS, bahwa apabila pola makan yang salah terus dilakukan, maka tidak dapat dipungkiri kesehatan tubuh pun akan terganggu, seperti stroke yang disebabkan kolesterol. �Untuk menghindari penyakit serius seperti stroke, mengontrol kolesterol serta menjalani hidup yang lebih sehat, baik selama Ramadan dan Hari Raya, maupun setelah itu sangatlah dianjurkan,� tandasnya.

Dikatakan Marketing Communications Senior Manager PT Pfizer Indonesia Andriani Ganeswari, bahwa sudah menjadi kebiasaan setiap Ramadan serta saat Idul Fitri, kita memiliki kecenderungan mengonsumsi makanan dan minuman yang manis dan bersantan.
Selain itu, kita pun cenderung untuk mengurangi aktivitas olah tubuh dengan alasan untuk menyimpan tenaga agar kuat menjalani tugas sehari-hari.

�Tanpa kita sadari perubahan gaya hidup selama Ramadan dan Idul Fitri ini dapat menimbulkan risiko kolesterol tinggi,� ucapnya. Untuk itu, bagi para penderita kolesterol, sangat disarankan untuk mengontrol pola makan selama Ramadan dan saat Idul Fitri nanti, serta tidak lupa untuk berolahraga ringan.

Bisa dikatakan, peningkatan jumlah penderita stroke di Indonesia identik dengan kolesterol yang diakibatkan pola hidup yang tidak sehat. Menurut Yayasan Stroke Indonesia, saat ini ada kecenderungan meningkatnya jumlah penyandang stroke di Indonesia dalam dasawarsa terakhir. Kecenderungannya menyerang generasi muda yang masih dalam usia produktif.Hal ini akan berdampak terhadap menurunnya tingkat produktivitas serta dapat mengakibatkan terganggunya sosial-ekonomi keluarga.

Kolesterol merupakan senyawa lemak kompleks yang 80% dihasilkan dalam tubuh, yaitu oleh organ hati dan sisanya dari luar tubuh lewat asupan makanan. Kolesterol memiliki beragam fungsi bagi tubuh, antara lain sumber energi, pembentukan dinding sel, dan pembentukan hormon.
Selain itu, kolesterol membawa dampak baik untuk kesehatan apabila kadarnya dalam darah masih dalam keadaan normal. Namun apabila kolesterol yang berada dalam darah kadarnya melebihi batas normal, justru akan memberi dampak negatif dan membahayakan kesehatan.

Di negara-negara maju dengan konsumsi kolesterol yang tinggi, seperti Amerika Serikat, penyakit jantung merupakan salah satu penyebab utama kematian. Penelitian yang dilakukan American Heart Association (AHA) menyatakan bahwa lebih dari 100 juta orang di negara tersebut memiliki kadar kolesterol di atas rata-rata dan 40 juta di antaranya berkadar kolesterol yang sangat tinggi. Kondisi ini menyebabkan angka kematian akibat penyakit jantung dan stroke mencapai 500.000 orang setiap tahunnya.

Sementara data yang dikeluarkan WHO pada 2002, menyebutkan bahwa hiperkolesterolemia menyebabkan 4,4 juta kematian di dunia. Sebagian besar dari orang yang memiliki sifat hiperkolesterolemia adalah mereka yang mempunyai rata-rata kadar kolesterol cukup tinggi antara 200�250 mg%. International Stroke Conference (konferensi stroke internasional), suatu konferensi yang diadakan di Wina, Austria pada 2008 menyatakan bahwa jumlah pengidap stroke di kawasan Asia terus meningkat. Stroke yang juga merupakan penyebab kematian ketiga terbesar di Indonesia saat ini, cenderung mengancam usia-usia produktif di bawah 45 tahun.

Dikatakan spesialis penyakit jantung dan pembuluh darah dr Arieska Ann Soenarta SpJP (K), bahwa tingginya kadar kolesterol dalam darah dapat mengganggu kesehatan, salah satunya adalah meningkatkan risiko serangan jantung koroner. Di beberapa negara maju, prevalensi penyakit jantung koroner sebenarnya sudah mulai menunjukkan penurunan beberapa tahun terakhir ini, tetapi tidak demikian dengan negara berkembang. Pola hidup yang tidak sehat merupakan faktor utama penyebab meningkatnya kasus penyakit jantung koroner yang diakibatkan tingginya kadar kolesterol dalam darah. �Karena itulah, sangat penting bagi masyarakat untuk mulai menyikapi kolesterol dengan bijak sejak dini dan mengubah gaya hidup ke arah yang lebih sehat,� tuturnya dalam acara temu media bertema �Kontrol Hidup Kontrol Kolesterol� yang diadakan PT Pfizer Indonesia beberapa waktu lalu.

Perlunya Cek Kolesterol Rutin

Banyak cara untuk mengontrol kolesterol. Bagi yang belum memiliki sifat hiperkolesterolemia, risiko gangguan ini dapat dikontrol dengan secara berkesinambungan mengontrol gaya hidup mereka melalui pola makan dan olahraga. Untuk mendeteksi risiko kolesterol yang mungkin dihadapi, masyarakat juga harus secara rutin melakukan cek kolesterol setidaknya enam bulan sekali.

�Deteksi rutin ini dapat membantu masyarakat untuk lebih cepat bertindak dalam mengantisipasi gangguan kolesterol apabila tingkat risiko mereka sudah dinyatakan tinggi,� paparnya.

Bertindak dengan cepat untuk menurunkan kadar kolesterol jahat yang ada di dalam tubuhnya, adalah satu tindakan yang harus dilakukan bagi seseorang yang telah terdeteksi memiliki risiko gangguan kolesterol tinggi. Konsumsi obat-obatan secara teratur dan mengubah gaya hidup, dapat dilakukan untuk menurunkan kadar kolesterol.

�Kadar kolesterol juga harus diperiksa secara rutin di laboratorium dan dikonsultasikan dengan dokter,� jelas Arieska. Sejak 2005, Pfizer telah mengenalkan konsep 3 Ring Peduli Kolesterol yang bertujuan untuk membantu masyarakat dalam mengontrol gaya hidupnya agar terbebas dari gangguan kolesterol.
okezone.com

4 Ways to Deal With Stress and Insomnia

2010-08-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

It is not difficult to understand why stress and insomnia go hand in hand. When one is under a lot of stress, and is not taking successful steps to control that stress, sleep is just one of the secondary conditions that may arise.

There are many factors that can cause stress such as a new job, a death of a loved one or feeling like you have more responsibility than you can handle. It is possible to be under a lot of stress and not even realize it. Below are some of the most common symptoms of stress.

* Sudden inability to sleep

* Waking frequently during the night

* Finding it difficult to concentrate, even on simple tasks

* Rapid heart rate

* Headaches and muscle aches

* Stomach pain

* Mood swings

Of course, many of those symptoms can be caused by something other than stress, but if you have had a major life change or are feeling overwhelmed, you should consider the possibility that stress is the cause.

When stress and insomnia are both present, it can make the stress even worse. If you look again at the list of symptoms you will see that many of them sound similar to symptoms of insomnia.

Just the stress alone can bring on mood swings and fatigue. Add insomnia and it will only serve to make those symptoms even worse. When that happens, the stress level is likely to increase and a vicious cycle is in place.

While, in an ideal world, the advice may be to eliminate the factor that is causing the stress, the fact is that usually that is not possible. Instead, you must learn to deal with your stress and insomnia in ways that will minimize their impact on your emotional and physical health. Below are some stress management tips.

* Avoid negative people. This is not always possible, but when you do have control choose to be around people that make you happy.

* Learn your limitations. You cannot do everything that is asked of you and you will never be able to please everyone. Stop trying. Instead, do those things that you need to do and then add extras, such as volunteering, in areas that are important and meaningful to you.

* Learn time management. Why can some people hold a job, raise a family, keep the house spotless and still have time for a night out? It's because they learned about time management.

* Forget trying to be perfect. Everything does not have to be in its place. You do not have to raise the most money, get the most new clients and never burn dinner. Just learn to laugh at some of your faux paux.

If your own attempts to deal with stress do not work, you should see a doctor or therapist for help. If left untreated, stress and insomnia can cause serious health problems.

Stress and insomnia can each be made worse by the other. Learn to deal with them both so that you can be your best for yourself and your family.
by: Paul Stevens

Thermography, Mammography or Ultrasound?

2010-07-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

One of the most frequent questions I am asked as a clinical thermographer is: �What exactly is the difference between mammography, ultrasound and thermography?� There seems to be some confusion on this subject by thinking that one replaces the other as tests, nothing could be further from the truth. Both mammography and ultrasound are structural (anatomical) tests, while thermography is a functional (physiological) test. None of these tests are truly diagnostic technologies. Thermography images the breast and surrounding area and provides us with risk assessment, while mammography and ultrasound detect structural abnormalities. If a breast abnormality is found that could possibly be malignant, a biopsy is performed. A biopsy removes a tissue sample for examination under a microscope.

Many women after their initial assessment with thermography may be asked to follow up either with an ultrasound or mammogram or both to rule out the existing pathology. Frequently some will be relieved that their mammogram or ultrasound test results show no abnormal findings, however this does not necessarily mean that nothing is going on with their breasts. Several other factors may be contributing to a high risk (abnormal) thermogram, such as: hormonal imbalance, early angiogenesis (proliferation of blood vessels), lymphatic swellings and poor function and other contributing factors � all of these are important contributors to breast disease and malignancy and are not detected by mammography or ultrasound as these factors do not appear as structural changes.

The following is a list comparing all three types of tests with their pros and cons:

Mammography

� Structural test: can pinpoint the location of suspicious area

� Compresses the breast

� X-ray radiation produces an image; the area of concern must have greater density to stand out against regular tissue

� Can detect tumors in mainly slow growing stage or pre-invasive stage

� Cannot detect fast growing tumors in the pre-invasive stage

� The use of hormones decreases sensitivity

� Large, dense and fibrocystic breasts are difficult to read

� The upper portions of the breast including the tail of the breast and the Axillary region cannot be visualized

� Can detect tumors 1-2 years earlier than physical examination

� Average Specificity 75% (25% false-positive) 9 out of 10 biopsies initiated by mammography are negative

� Average Sensitivity 80% with 20% of cancers missed in women over age 50

in women under age 50 Sensitivity is 60% or 40% of cancers missed

Ultrasound

� Structural test, can pinpoint the location of suspicious area

� Uses sound waves with moderate contact

� High frequency sound waves are bounced off the breast tissue and collected as an echo to produce an image

� Able to detect some tumors missed by mammography

� No data available on detecting pre-invasive tumors

� May be affected by the hormonal influence due to the menstrual cycle, (i.e. cystic changes)

� All areas of the breast and Axillary region can be analyzed

Ultrasound - continued

� Good for distinguishing between solid and fluid masses, helpful in investigating an area of concern due to mammography, thermography or physical examination findings

� Average Specificity 66% (34% false positive)

� Average Sensitivity 83% (17% of cancers missed)

Thermography

� Functional testing, able to detect physiological changes, cannot pinpoint the exact location of suspicious area

� No radiation, non-invasive, no risk, can be used as often as necessary to observe the effectiveness of treatment over time

� Uses infrared detectors to detect heat and increased vascularity that may be related to angiogenesis

� Can detect physiological changes many years prior to any other method of screening

� Very sensitive to fast growing aggressive tumors

� Hormonal activity in the breast will affect thermographic imaging but not to the point of abnormality

� All breast shapes, conditions and areas are within the scope of imaging

� Earliest warning system with breast tissue and physiological changes that usually precedes tumor formation years prior to its occurrence

� Average Specificity 90% (10% false positive)

� Average Sensitivity 90% (10% cancers missed) most of these are slow growing tumors with low metabolic rate in the area with a high rate of survival

Of course everyone has heard by now that early detection prolongs life expectancy, this is a given. However if cancer has been detected early, it would mean that you already have cancer. Prevention should take precedence over detection. Prevention means not getting cancer in the first place. If we are going to reverse the present trend of the epidemic proportion of breast cancer, we need to come up with a more proactive approach, which needs to become the norm for patient assessment. Cancer starts with one abnormal cell, and it takes nearly 8 years for that one abnormal cell to replicate to one billion cells. One billion cells produce a detectable lump that is one centimeter in size. This is the size of a lump that can be seen on a mammogram. This is not an early finding.

Every woman should know her risk for breast cancer. With proper risk assessment that includes different testing modalities, the patient is able to determine her risk factors and develop an action plan on how to improve the breast tissue or even reverse the existing trend. The current screening strategy is not enough to protect women from breast cancer. Medical infrared imaging should be added to every woman�s regular breast health care.
by: Cynthia Simmons

Walking Exercise Is Healthy

2010-06-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

Do you like sports? Sports is one way to get healthy body. Nowdays many people do sports because sports can give good impact for health. Many people usually do sport with gym in fitness center, now fitness center is one way for sports lover, because fitness center is use modern equipment, you must have a lot of money, so that you can use the service of fitness center. Beside fitness center, you can have healthy body without expensive cost. The sports is walking exercise. Walking exercise is an ideal sports. Walking exercise can give health, reduce weight, and has no risk.

Walking exercise is something important because can give many benefit for our healthy. A better walking exercise must do at least 20 minutes of exercise everyday, if more and more do exercise your body will be healthy and you can feel the change of your body such as, feel fresh and stronger body from ill various. Walking exercise can also reduce the risk attack of heart�s sufferer because has many benefit and can help your body will be fresh everyday.

Walking exercise usually can help to reduce weight, that is dream of women. Walking exercise can help big people to get slim body, with do walking exercise�s routine. Walking exercise�s routine can be fire the calorie, so you can get dream�s body. Beside can reduce weight walking exercise can be late ostheophorosis.

The important of walking exercise has no risk. Because walking exercise not use any equipment, but only walking we can get many benefit, compare with another sports that use complex equipment. Most people want do sports without risk. If sports has many risk maybe people never do sports. Walking exercise is the one of any sports has no risk.

Walking exercise normally can do with everybody. Everybody actually need sports, with sports we can have healthy body because a healthy body is something loonged for everybody, and with a healthy we can avoid from another ill. So I think walking exercise is an ideal sports.

Created by Gokvina

Home Treatment For Eczema, Dermatitis

2010-04-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

Home Remedies for Eczema are quite useful and safe as most people can  confirm simply due to the fact that it's the type of skin condition that  can hinder one's self-esteem and be extremely difficult to cure at the  same time. The first thing that must be made clear about home remedies  for eczema is, it's a serious condition, especially in its more severe  forms. The symptoms that characterize it are red and scaly patches that  are typically very itchy. These rashes can occur on all parts of the  human body but in the case of infants mainly the scalp gets affected.

 Let's start our list of home remedies of eczema by defining the things  to avoid in the first place, because such precautions are more useful  that the actual cures as they prevent the problem from happening in the  first place. Try to avoid sugary foods like candy bars, ice cream and  chocolate. These are the some of the sweetest things in life but we end  up paying a high price for them so ask yourself are they really worth  it? Spend more time outdoor especially when it's sunny as that's really  good on the skin. Of course we are not talking about sunbathing in a 40  degree Celsius type of heat, but just to expose your eczema to the sun  for a few minutes daily as that will help clear it up. But just don't  overdo it, because your skin will get burned.

Once the eczema  has become an absolute fact, then you have to seriously consider such  home remedies for eczema and one of the most effective amongst them is  to soak in a lukewarm bath with some dry oats in it. Oatmeal has been  proven to have a positive effect on the skin. The thing to remember is  that hot tubs should be avoided because the heat from the water will  make the rash even worse. Soak in the bath for no longer than 15 minutes  per day so that the skin gets well moisten.

There are various different herbs that can work as home remedies for  eczema with high levels of effectiveness. Some of the most notable ones  are chamomile, sage and marigold. The process of preparation is simple  as all you got to do is add them to a cup of water and clean the  affected areas with the mixture. Alternatively, you can drink up the  mixture, although it appears that the direct application tends to be  more effective.

Bilberries have the reputation for being one of  the most effective home remedies for eczema. All you need is a dosage  of 50 grams, put the bilberries in a steel container, and add a liter of  water. Have the whole mixture lukewarm and keep in mind that you should  leave it for an hour, to become homogenous. Then it's boiled for 20  minutes and becomes a really great cleanser that makes your skin healthy  and protects it from various infections. Hope these home remedies will  help you in treating the eczema.

Copyright - Ryan Mutt, All  Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in  your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Nutritional Vitamin Supplements & Arthritis::research Results

2010-04-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

Research about vitamins and arthritis distress, have found positive results. But nutritional vitamins usually are not the only useful ingredients. Minerals and amino acids, as well as unique compounds like glucosamine and SAM-e have been evaluated for their pain-relieving benefits.

2 Crucial Steps

Step One, obviously, is to insure that you are receiving all the important nutritional values on a daily basis. That may be not easy to do without a superior supplement. The value of the much advertised multi-vitamin supplements is questionable. This is because they contain synthetics and the least expensive forms of the obtainable vitamins and minerals. Therefore, always purchase all-natural supplements. "Plastic" nutrients probably don't contain much of an effect.

The Next Step for somebody that has sore knuckles, general stiffness or a bit of irritation is Omega-3 fish oil. Fish oil has been used for numerous years to alleviate the agony associated with osteoarthritis. Modern day research have revealed that it is beneficial for the rheumatoid sort, too. Technical reviews have shown that a number of fish oils have more anti-inflammatory action than others. Therefore, search for a vitamin company which has had their fish oil tested for its inflammation-preventing-ability.

Mussel Power

Once you have the basics of a multi-nutritional formula and a good quality fish oil supplement, you may consider green lipped mussel powder, that's another natural anti-inflammatory. The mussels have a variety of nutritional value important to joint and bone health.

Some of the scientific studies relating to vitamin supplements and arthritis agony in the knee joints have looked at the value of natural vitamin E and glucosamine sulfate. Although glucosamine has been recommended for years as a dietary supplement for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, research workers are still debating the effectiveness of the treatments.

This and other research have confirmed that it is the form of glucosamine used in the scientific studies that accounts for the various outcome. Glucosamine sulfate is much more practical than glucosamine hydrochloride. But, since both have a positive effect, some of the better manufacturers incorporate both sorts in their supplements.

Vitamin Research Result

Studies concerning certain vitamins and arthritis agony indicate that A, C, D and E may be beneficial, because they lessen the oxidative harm caused by free radicals. Also because the body's natural antioxidant status decreases with time. Contained in the study mentioned above, researchers concluded that 400mg of natural vitamin E (derived from palm oil) every day was just as effective as glucosamine sulfate.

So far, there have been no scientific studies comparing the effectiveness of other nutrition, like SAM-e and chondroitin. As a result, when it comes to nutritional vitamins and arthritis suffering, it really is safe to say that a mixture of components (rather than just one vitamin like E) is the most effective choice.

3 Factors to Seriously Consider

If combined with a -
1. nutritious diet and
2. regular physical activity,
3. high-quality nutritional health supplements
should help repair damaged joints and decrease pain, while the curative course of action is ongoing. A number of customers say that the dietary supplements are effective, regardless of whether they look at what they eat or manage to have enough exercise.

If you choose that supplementation is the appropriate choice in your case, look for a brand that includes numerous natural anti-inflammatories, plus turmeric, piperine and ginger. In scientific studies concerning herbs, vitamin supplements and arthritis pain, those three spice extracts have proved to be most efficient.

And now please visit the HealthyBodySupplements website listed below for more important information on Vitamins and Arthritis Suffering.

There Might Be Relief In Arthritis Rheumatism Natural Treatment

2010-04-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

Arthritis rheumatism natural treatments can be less costly than some other solutions that take prescriptions. If you want to test an alternative, perhaps it's time to think about a more natural solution.

There are arthritis rheumatism natural treatments that you can simply rub in. Let them work themselves down to the muscles in question and soothe them.

The same arthritis rheumatism natural treatments can also provide relief for congestion, that tightness that you can feel in your chest or back. Apply the ointment to your chest or neck for relief.

Or you can add a bit of the ointment to boiling water and use it as a steam or vapor. Either breathe it in up close or leave it in the corner of the bedroom, on top of a bureau or table.

This can be a useful solution before bedtime, for little children or adults. It will make the room smell like relief, like your grandma's house.

Make sure you keep such ointments away from your face, particularly your eyes and nose. Always use it for external use only. Keep such ointments and oils far from the reach of children and pets. There are ingredients that can cause harm if ingested.

Let's get back to relief of arthritis rheumatism. Try rubbing an ointment onto the affected areas and allow it to work itself down to the muscles. Let them rest while it works, though you do not want to stop using your body.

As with many conditions, if you let yourself slow down to a stop voluntarily, it will be harder to get going again

Look at what you can do. Remain positive, and look for exercises and outings that meet your needs and abilities. Arthritis is not a death sentence.

Swimming is low weight bearing, and it can get you out of the house and in touch with others. Whatever can put that smile back on your face will make you feel lighter and happier, and just plain better.

At times, a bit of relief can change your mood, and allow you to bring the positive back into line. This is so important.

Take advantage of feeling better to put on some music and do a little dance, or tidy that box of stuff that's been waiting for you to feel well enough to tackle. Simple stuff, a little at a time, makes a big difference to our list of things to do.

Another solution is to become the boss, and allow someone else to help you with the big stuff. A cup of tea in hand, and you'll be able to spend time with a grandson or granddaughter, or even a friend, who can reach up high and down low, to find and then replace those items for you.

There are also some things related to diet, when it comes to arthritis that you might want to consult your homeopath about, to make sure that you're not eating your way to an irritating situation.

The same arthritis rheumatism natural treatments are useful for a variety of ailments, and, most importantly, they'll bring you relief.

Learn How To Cure Stress And Anxiety Naturally And Live Happily

2010-04-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

Whether we like it or not stress is a natural part of life. It is actually, what spurs many individuals to take on and complete their various tasks. However, stress can build over time, it can become unbearable if left unattended for to very long. Allowing stress to build without doing anything to relieve it can cause all sorts of mental, emotional and physical problems. Many individuals may try to reduce the feelings of stress they experience by taking prescription medications. However, you can learn how to cure stress and anxiety naturally.

When you are suffering from the overwhelming feelings of stress and anxiety can cause you to spend many a sleepless night, terrible headaches and fatigue. It can cause tension and even feelings of worthlessness and depression. However, when you learn to do some of the things that can naturally cure your stress and anxiety, you can practice them on a daily basis to help you overcome the way you feel. Many times stress can make you feel a loss of control. However, you can learn how to regain your control over various situations as well as the way you feel.

For instance, some of the things you can so to cure stress and anxiety naturally include, taking the time to learn how to relax. You can use different types of techniques and methods that will assist you in achieving a stress-free live. One example is that of learning breathing techniques that will help you gain self-control and relieve stress. Breathing techniques are not difficult, you simply learn how to do them properly and then practice them on a daily basis or when you feel, you need to calm yourself and relive tension and anxiety. You can learn how to meditate and then combine your meditation practices with breathing techniques.

Another means to use to help cure stress and anxiety naturally is that of using aromatherapy candles during your day and especially while you are taking a nice, long hot soak in the tub. Bathing is actually another great idea that can help reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety. You can actually feel stress and tension washing away from you while bathing and aromatherapy candles are very resourceful for relieving tension and stress. The use of essential oils in your bathwater is another great way to relieve the stress and tension you are feeling.

You can cure stress and anxiety naturally by taking some time to relax with a cup of hot herbal tea. Having a balanced diet, while including an active exercise program is also a good way to help you feel balanced and in control. Making sure that you gets a good night of rest and sleep can go a long way to helping you feel better. The body takes advantage of being asleep by healing any ailments. It is a good means of relieving any tension in muscles as well.

You can use different programs to cure stress and anxiety naturally. For example, there are eBooks and audio books that are very resourceful for helping you overcome the feelings of stress and tension. When you learn how to cure stress and anxiety naturally, you will be able to enjoy a fulfilling and happy life.

Cosmetic Thigh Lift Surgery Can Give You The Opportunity To Gain That Thinner And More Attractive Th

2010-04-27T00:06:00.000-07:00

When deciding to get any plastic surgery procedure it is very important that you learn as much as you can about the procedure, so you know it is safe, and what your body really needs.

You may be a candidate for thighplasty if you have experienced a loss of skin elasticity of the thigh, hip, or buttock areas. You may also desire this procedure if your skin in the thigh area is saggy, has an orange peel, flabby and/or dimpled appearance. The Thigh Lift procedure may also be indicated if your thigh appearance improves dramatically when you lift the lax skin. If you are self-conscious about your lower body appearance you may also want to look into this procedure. The procedure is intended to produce tighter, more attractive thigh and buttock skin with improved contours. It is also intended to decrease irregularities in skin surface.

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis unless otherwise advised by the surgeon. Wide variations in the design of the incisions to meet clothing or personal desires are possible. Lifting the inner thighs requires only short incisions extending from the anterior part of the thigh/groin crease around to the buttock crease. Lateral or anterior thigh lifts can be performed as separate procedures if desired. The buttocks can be lifted with upper or lower scars. The doctor will show you what specific procedures are available to solve your particular problem.

The patient is placed in a compression garment (similar to a long?line elastic support girdle) at the end of surgery to reduce swelling and assist in the natural shrinking and tightening of the skin. With smaller thigh lifts, initial discomfort is usually easily controlled with prescription pain medication. With larger thigh lifts, one or two nights care in a skilled nursing facility or hospital are usually required. This allows for pain injections, intravenous catheters, etc. Bruising and swelling usually subside within a month, strenuous activities are usually possible in 6 weeks and almost all symptoms are gone in 4-6 months.

Additional procedures that may enhance the result include Liposuction, Breast Enlargement and Tummy Tuck.

This procedure is considered cosmetic and therefore is not covered by insurance. The patient is responsible for payment. The specific risks and the suitability of this procedure for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation. All plastic surgery procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are unusual.

Franchise or ....Open Your Own Business?

2010-04-21T04:39:00.000-07:00

Franchise seems much easier than starting their own businesses. Stay ready money, ready-made business. No need to try or bother to make the system. But the consequence is that the fund - for some people - big enough to be able to take the franchise.

If you open your own business, surely we must build that business from scratch really. A friend of mine who opened the laundry business, for example, must prepare a lot of things alone.

Starting from the location, equipment, labor, and promotion so that known by the public. Not to mention if there are things that happen outside the planning and budgeting so swollen.

Now to choose which one? Franchise or open your own business? To be seen whether the franchise system in accordance with your character as a business owner.

Franchise would be very suitable especially for those who never had any previous business experience and do not want to be bothered with making operational systems or business. Franchise can provide convenience and the risk is quite low compared with starting their own businesses.

Instead, the franchise is not recommended for people who want to develop their own business without others dictated or regulated and are ready to accept greater risks.

Whatever the choice, the most important is your seriousness in doing business. Continue to maintain a positive business mindset that focuses on solutions. Believe me, success is only a matter of time. Fixed spirit!

Sumber : http://www.dexton.adexindo.com/artikel-november4-franchise-usaha.html

Best Time Start Doing Business As

2010-04-21T04:28:00.000-07:00

Many people spend time waiting for perfection before pursuing their dreams or goals. They waited for the right moment, mood, or the best time to start moving.

Eager to succeed his own business, but ... why is it now not time to start ..

Then, when actually the best timing? Frankly speaking, the right time it will never exist! There are only problems facing, for this reason, less that, etc..

So, why not start now?

Only NOW are in the grip. You can not change anything that happened in the past, and certainly did not have the power to control the future.

Not yesterday, later, tomorrow or the next day. Your strength is in now!

Just start from whatever you deem is not perfect. Fix one by one along the road and what you want will materialize.

What are you waiting for? The most important thing is to start right now because your future depends on what you are doing NOW.
Sumber : http://www.dexton.adexindo.com/artikel-november2-saat-tepat-berbisnis.html

9 Steps Starting Your Own Business

2010-04-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

1. START WITH A DREAM
Start with a dream. It began from a dream and make sure the products we offer. A dream is where it all started: Pemimpilah who always creates and makes a terobosa in products, How to service, service, or idea that can be sold successfully. They do not know the limits and attachment, do not know the words? Can not? or 'not possible?.

2. LOVE THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
Love your product. A love of the product we will provide a confidence in our customers and make hard work seem light. Make us able to get through tough times. Enthusiaatism and Persistence: The enthusiasm and tenacity as a sign of love and faith will be the backbone of a successful new business.

3. LEARN THE Basics OF BUSINESS.
Learn the fundamental Business. BEYOND THE * BUY LOW, SELL HIGH, PAY Late, Collect Early *: There will be no success without a pengetahuaan basis for business is good, learning by doing, helped work formerly selama1-2 years to be able to learn the basics? basic effort will help us to advance with better. Look for? Teacher-good.

4. Willing TO TAKE calculated risks.
Take the risk. The Gaint That u Will Be Able to achiave is directly propoltional to the risk taken: Dare to take calculated risks is a key early in the business world, because the results will be achieved will be proportional to the risk being taken. A calculated risk well? both would be more chance success. And this is the key factor that distinguishes-entreprenneur-by? Manager. Entrepreneurs will be more needed at this stage? Early-development company, and? Manager-needed will govern companies that have been advanced.

5. Seek Advice, BUT follow YOUR Belief.
Seek advice from pekarnya, but follow the words? we say. Consult Consultants, ask the experts, but follow, but follow your hearts. Entrepreneurs are always looking for advice from various parties but the final decision is always there ditagngannya, and can be decided by the senses to the six it. Good communication and expertise to sell. In the early phase of a business savvy to sell a kkunci success. And the ability to understand and master the relationship with customers will help float the business on that phase.

6. WORK HARD, 7 DAY A WEEK, 18 HOURS A DAY
Hard work. Ethos The hard work is often regarded as the dreams of ancient and should be replaced, but the hard-work and smart-work can not be separated anymore. Almost all Successful start-ups need workaholics. Entrepreneur true never left his office, at the time tidurpun brain working and thinking will bussinessnya. Dreamily out and dreamed of working.

7. MAKE FRIENDS U.S. MUCH U.S. Possible
Befriend as much. At the price and quality are the same people buy from friends, at a price that is slightly expensive, people will still buy from friends. Friends will help develop our business, provide advice, help help at a difficult time.

8. DEAL WITH FAILURES
Face of failure. Failure is a vitamins to strengthen and sharpen intuition and our ability to entrepreneurship, as long as failure does not? Turned it off. Every effort is always going to have a risk of failure and if where that happens, be prepared and deal!.

9. JUST DO IT, NOW!
Do it now. When you are ready. Manager always do: READY-AIM-shoot, but the entrepreneur is true will do READY-shoot-AIM!. Decide and do it now, because tomorrow is not ours.

sumber : http://www.katamutiara.info/tulisan.php?id=3001

Entrepreneurial type

2010-04-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

Becoming an independent entrepreneur
To be an independent entrepreneur, various types of capital must be owned. There are 3 main types of requirements for capital:

* Internal Resources
Which is part of the prospective private entrepreneurs such as ingenuity, skill, ability to analyze and calculate the risks, the courage or vision far into the future.

* External resources
Eg enough money to finance capital and working capital, social networks and the path of demand / supply, and so forth.

* X Factor
For example the chance and luck. A prospective entrepreneur must calculate carefully whether the 3rd of these resources he had as capital. If these factors had, then he will feel optimistic and the decision to make that dream become reality shoots as independent entrepreneurs should begin to be considered.

Finding a partner with? Dream? similar
If 1 or 2 types of resources not owned, a prospective entrepreneurs can find partner / partners to make those dreams come true. The ideal partner is a partner who has not had the resources themselves so that there is a balance? Capital / resource? between them. Come closer relatives and friends are generally used as the main prospective partner before considering other parties, such as some types of financial institutions including banks. Choice of partner type has its own risks. The biggest risk to be faced when partnered with a close friend is at stake for the sake of friendship business. Not a few business decisions must be made with high professionalism and friendship lead to cracks or even damaged. Type of other business partners are family members, the risks faced are not much different with close friends. However, it does not mean partnering with them can not be done. One important thing is to consider and openly discuss all the risks before starting a business co-operation so that if conflict is inevitable, it has been imagined early on how to solve them before the damage business itself.

Other business partners a more neutral is a bank or other financial institutions, especially if capital becomes the main problem. On bank loans considered safer because the banks can help us look at the macro level, whether our business will experience obstacles. Good banks are required to conduct inspections and check the feasibility study (feasibility study) that we propose. Rejection of the bank with the reason? Not feasible? may be a good feedback, especially if we can discuss with the bank loan portion of what elements are assessed? not feasible?. Banks can also help us to monitor business activities every year and if there is trouble in the company, the bank will consider not continue its lending. It is? Warning? and control who can bring us to immediately clean up. Entrepreneur who? Impose? banks to give loans without a feasibility study of objective and true end often experience more severe problems. Collateral (collateral) were confiscated, the company in no way, and he lost the hope to make dreams come true. Something like this is very common, small-scale or national scale. Loans are often violate the normal calculation which should be applied by the bank so that when the economic situation does not support, micro-and macro-economical aspects were also brought down.

Sell the dream to other entrepreneurs (owners of capital)
If a friend or relative who can be invited to cooperate is not available (either because we are more appreciative of kinship or friendship, or because they are not in a position to help) and no collateral that can be used as collateral to start your business, there are other, more drastic way, is selling an idea or a beautiful dream to the owners of capital. Agreement on what form the cooperation could be made between the owners of capital and sellers of ideas. It could be that memodali capital owners and sellers who conduct business ideas, the seller can also sell his ideas only and is no longer involved in the effort. This road is usually taken after other means is no longer possible while the idea that we have indeed a very worthy calculated.

Third way above should think about before someone made the decision to become entrepreneurs. Without thinking deep, bitter experience will be our food. Many businesses were closed down before finally developing. For example, in 1998, city dwellers, would still remember going to trend? Cafe tent? as a reaction to the Termination of Employment (FLE) which was a lot happening. Suddenly, many former employees of the company turned to be an entrepreneur. Even the business-yack followed by also by the celebrities. This trend can not last long. Many? Impromptu business? was forced out of business. Either a new entrepreneurs where we are now finally rely.

source: www.depkop.go.id/sipp-kukm/

Business Success Tips

2010-04-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

William A. Ward once said, "There are four steps to achieve success, namely:

1. Proper planning
2. Preparation of matured
3. The implementation is good
4. It is not easy to give up.
Use Ward's philosophy is to be successful. Details as follows:

* Follow the development era
Participate in organizations related to your business. Many read and dig as much information as possible. Internet will help you a lot.

* Create a financial plan
Record all income and expenditure each day. Create short-term targets and long term. Do not ever give up on the fate of financial condition. Calculated with cooked.

* Estimate the cash flow
You should be able to predict cash flow, at least three months ahead. Do not make the budget a larger expenditure than that.

* The advisory board or search experts, to give ideas, suggestions or criticism of you and the products offered
They can be either friends or family members who are trusted.

* Keep a balance between work, leisure, and family
Needless to excess, because of something to do with the excessive, the result would not be maximal. Besides, the body and brain need a break.

* Develop a network (network)
Harmless to meet and mingle with people who are related or can support your business. Who knew there was an idea which can be extracted.

* Discipline / motivation
Hardest aspects of running your own business is the discipline or motivation to work on a regular basis. To fix this, make a list of what to do today and tomorrow. Determine the targets to be achieved within this week.

* Always be alert and ready
Diligent, industrious an evaluation of market, product and marketing system. If necessary, change to a more efficient way of working. Correct way of marketing or product quality.

* Love your work
How to be successful, if you do not have? Sense of belongin? on the job and the product produced. Love the work and the production itself, and the money will follow you.

* Do not give up easily
Successful entrepreneurs had never experienced failure. If you want a quick success, she quickly got up and learn from failure. Do not grieve too long, let alone give up.

source: www.depkop.go.id/sipp-kukm/

Motivation To Become Independent Online Businessman

2010-04-08T05:50:00.000-07:00

Did you know that high income earners or those who say that have a high salary in each of their online business is good at motivating others besides, is also a quick run independently in business? Especially in business networks are like viral marketing, multi level marketing, member get member or whatever his name, they often make independent and self-support system for her team. What does that mean? It means that they master the intricacies of his business and become a leader in the small team that became great. To become a successful online business we need to try as quickly as possible to become independent.

In the online business we need to speed or SPEED to succeed, as well as motorcycle-gas needs in order to bring riders into a goal. In order to more quickly succeed in online business it needs to be stepped on the gas too fast standalone, including speed to independently mastering the intricacies of online business, self-reliance in mastering the making of the blog, could the campaign itself, can answer his own question, and so forth. Great results more often fell on an independent business people online, compared to those who are always dependent on the sponsor for example, or the always depend on whom he bought, etc.. Hopefully, Motivation To Become Independent Online businesspeople can work for you and me.

sumber: http://motivasibisnisonline.com/motivasi-untuk-menjadi-pebisnis-online-mandiri

Exercise 7 : simple past tense and past progressive

2010-04-07T06:14:00.000-07:00

Use either the simple past tense or the past progressive in the following sentence as appropriate.
1. Gene was eating (eat) dinner when his friend called.
2. While Maria was cleaning the apartement, her husband was sleeping (sleep).
3. At three o�clock this morning, Eleanor was studying (study).
4. When Mark arrived, the Johnsons having (have) dinner, but they stopped in order to talk to him.
5. John went (go) to France last year.
6. When the teacher was entering (enter) the room, the students were talking.
7. While Joan was writing the report, Henry was looking (look) for more information.
8. We saw (see) this movie last night.
9. At one time, Mr. Roberts was own (own) this building.
10. Jose was writing (write) a letter to his family when his pencil was breaking (break).

Terjemahan Latihan Diatas :

Latihan 7: sederhana dan masa lampau progresif

Gunakan baik lampau sederhana atau progresif masa lalu dalam kalimat berikut yang sesuai.

1. Gene makan malam ketika temannya menelepon.
2. Sementara Maria sedang membersihkan apartemen itu, suaminya sedang tidur.
3. Pada pukul tiga pagi ini, Eleanor sedang belajar.
4. Ketika Mark tiba, Johnsons memiliki makan malam, tetapi mereka berhenti untuk berbicara dengannya.
5. Yohanes pergi ke Prancis tahun lalu.
6. Ketika guru itu memasuki ruangan, para siswa berbicara.
7. Sementara Joan menulis laporan, Henry tampak untuk informasi lebih lanjut.
8. Kami melihat film ini tadi malam.
9. Pada suatu waktu, Mr Roberts sendiri gedung ini.
10. Jose sedang menulis surat kepada keluarganya, ketika pensilnya hancur.

Strategi dan Taktik Pemasaran untuk Bisnis Kecil

2010-01-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

Siapa pun pemilik bisnis, baik kecil maupun besar akan mendambakan bisnisnya bisa berkembang dengan pesat. Namun, tidak semua pemilik bisnis kecil tahu bagaimana caranya. Untuk itu, jagalah semangat anda untuk terus berkreasi dan berinovasi tanpa henti �.! Dan, saya akan membagikan kepada anda strategi dan taktik pemasaran yang brilliant.
Baiklah, kalau anda sudah tidak sabar untuk segera menumbuh-kembangkan bisnis kecil anda dengan pesat, ikutilah dan simak baik-baik strategi dan taktik pemasaran berikut ini.

Sebelumnya, saya ingin menyegarkan dulu pikiran dan semangat anda tentang esensi pemasaran. Esensi pemasaran adalah pemahaman anda terhadap kebutuhan-kebutuhan pelanggan kemudian mengembangkannya dalam suatu rencana yang meliputi kebutuhan-kebutuhan tersebut untuk diwujudkan dalam bentuk penawaran-penawaran anda. Baiklah, saya akan mengajak anda yang butuh dan berkeinginan berhasil dalam menjalankan bisnis.

Bagaimana cara yang paling efektif untuk menumbuh-kembangkan bisnis anda dengan pesat�?

Untuk mencapai dambaan anda tersebut, anda harus fokus pada pertumbuhan organik bisnis anda. Adapun cara-cara yang bisa anda tempuh, adalah sebagai berikut:
- Mendapatkan lebih banyak pelanggan.
- Mempengaruhi tiap pelanggan untuk membeli lebih banyak.
- Mempengaruhi tiap pelanggan untuk membeli produk-produk yang lebih mahal atau meningkatkan
penjualan pada tiap pelanggan.
- Mempengaruhi tiap pelanggan untuk membeli produk-produk yang lebih menguntungkan.

Keempat cara ini bisa meningkatkan pendapatan dan profit anda. Mari saya ajak anda untuk fokus pada yang pertama dulu, yaitu mendapatkan lebih banyak pelanggan. Mengapa �? Alasannya, dengan mendapatkan lebih banyak pelanggan anda meningkatkan pelanggan dasar anda dan pendapatan anda.

Bagaimana anda dapat menggunakan pemasaran untuk memperoleh lebih banyak pelanggan?
Untuk menjawab pertanyaan tersebut ada banyak cara yang bisa ditempuh, antara lain adalah:

- Buat rencana strategis dan luangkan waktu untuk meneliti dan merencanakan.
- Sebarkan informasi produk dan/atau pelayanan yang anda jual kepada pelanggan atau pelanggan potensial yang tepat.
- Jelaskan apa dan manfaatnya dari produk anda serta kelebihan apa yang ada pada produk anda dibanding produk lain yang serupa.
- Informasikan pula konsumen-konsumen yang telah menggunakannya. Misalnya, seperti contoh ini.
- Perbaiki produk anda agar lebih mampu memenuhi kebutuhan pelanggan anda yang menurut anda sekarang tidak menarik.
- Berikan harga produk dan pelayanan anda secara kompetitif.
- Kembangkan pesan dan material dasar anda berdasarkan pada solusi pemasaran.

Bagaimana menjalankan pemasaran yang hemat biaya �?
Sebagaimana mayoritas pemilik bisnis kecil, anggaran pemasaran anda terbatas. Cara yang paling efektif untuk memasarkan perusahaan anda adalah membuat suatu program bersama yang baik, yaitu menggabungkan aktifitas penjualan dengan taktik pemasaran anda. Aktifitas penjualan anda tidak hanya akan menurunkan pengeluaran biaya pemasaran tetapi juga akan menambah nilai interaksi dengan pelanggan potensial anda dan pelanggan anda. Hal ini cukup meringankan biaya, bukan�?
Secara umum, hampir semua bisnis kecil mempunyai keterbatasan anggaran pemasaran. Untuk itu, mari saya ajak anda berpikir sedikit lebih kreatif. Bagaimana dengan melakukan peluncuran kampanye pemasaran anda dengan melakukan salah satu dari berikut ini:
- Ajak pemasok atau asosiasi anda dan mintalah kepada mereka untuk berpartisipasi dalam kerja sama pengiklanan.
- Luangkan beberapa waktu untuk mengirimkan penyerahan dan insentif pembelian pelanggan anda.
- Sudahkah anda berpikir tentang mengenalkan diri anda ke media? Publikasi gratis mempunyai potensi untuk �meledakkan� bisnis anda. Posisikan diri anda sebagai seorang ahli dalam bidang anda.
- Undang masyarakat ke toko anda dengan mendukung suatu acara. Bagaimana dengan acara konser yang diadakan di kota, maukah anda menjualkan tiketnya untuk mereka?

Bila anda mengeluarkan uang untuk pemasaran, jangan lupa untuk membuat suatu cara untuk mengikuti usaha-usaha pemasaran tersebut. Anda dapat melakukan ini dengan memberikan kode iklan anda. Gunakan multi nomer telepon bebas-bea, dan tanyakan kepada prospek dimana mereka tahu tentang anda. Ini memungkinkan anda untuk mencatat kapan suatu taktik pemasaran berhenti bekerja. Anda kemudian dengan cepat dapat menggantinya dengan pilihan atau metode yang lebih baik.

Tentukan Target Pasar Anda
Bila anda mendatangi pelanggan anda, ingat pentingnya target pemasaran. Alasannya adalah bahwa hanya proporsi tertentu saja dari populasi yang mungkin membeli suatu produk dan/atau jasa anda. Dengan melempar penjualan anda dan usaha-usaha pemasaran pada target yang tepat anda akan lebih produktif dan tidak buang-buang usaha atau waktu.

Mulai Jalankan �!
Dengan rajin dalam pemasaran anda dan menciptakan suatu strategi yang mudah seperti melakukan kontak 10 pelanggan atau pelanggan potensial anda dalam sehari dan 5 hari seminggu anda akan melihat bisnis anda tumbuh luar biasa �! Hal yang luar biasa tersebut tidak memerlukan anggaran pemasaran yang besar untuk membuatnya terjadi �!

Sumber : http://muhammadansori.com/2009/06/01/strategi-dan-taktik-pemasaran-untuk-bisnis-kecil/