Women's Health and Wellness

2011-10-04T16:13:00.001-07:00

Our latest publication for your reading pleasure: http://ping.fm/LBNel

2011-05-05T10:00:00.001-07:00

Funniest thing a doctor client has said to me:
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What is Article Marketing and How it Can Help Your Small Business

2010-01-22T12:13:00.001-08:00

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3 Time Management Tips for Women Entrepreneurs

2010-01-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

With life staying as hectic as ever and demands placed on our time and energy, wouldn't it be nice to have a little extra time this coming year? What would you do with that extra time? Spend more time with the family? Some of us might use the time to go to a spin class or Yoga session, others might get an hour-long massage or a treatment at the spa. No matter how you enjoy your extra time, the fact is that it should be there for the taking! Here are three time management tips for women entrepreneurs and working moms that can start giving you some time back today.

Handle the small things immediately. Small, monotonous tasks like deleting junk email, filing away paperwork or entering a payment from a client into your accounting system - these tasks can add up to major time spent if left unchecked. Get these small tasks done now and you'll have more time later to dedicate to your women owned small business.

Stay organized every moment. When something is out of place, you can waste a lot of time looking for it. Looking for loose client paperwork, a file on the computer, an email message we need to refer back to...all of these things can be easily organized so that things are easy to find. On the computer, no matter what email program you use, create folders for yourself for each of your clients/projects. There, you can store emails you may need to refer to later and have it ready in mere seconds. On your computer's hard drive, create folders in your client's names to keep their invoices, important documents and project-related information. Next time you need it, you'll have a folder dedicated to that client and can easily grab what you need.

Your woman-owned small business needs organization, but so does your home. Planning meals on the weekend before your week begins can take you tons of time. Make a menu of what you're going to prepare and then get a shopping list together. Once you have everything you need for the week, no further trips to the store are necessary - no more "oops I forgot this or that" and no more digging through the freezer and fridge looking for what you have so you can try and piece together a complete meal.

So whether you're a working mom or a women owned small business owner, handle the small things right away, take the time to get organized, and slash meal prep time by planning ahead. Before you know it, you'll have more time on your hands than you'll know what to do with.

To a happier and well-balanced you,

Kim

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3 Things You Can Do from Home Right Now to Make Extra Money

2009-12-11T21:53:00.000-08:00

Working from home is one of those things that many people wish for. Oh, the glory of rolling out of bed, grabbing a hot cup of coffee and walking to the computer with tousled hair and no one there to care about it!

Even when I worked for someone else, they were generally open to telecommuting from home. It saved me the drive and it saved them the expense of setting up a workstation in their office. My benefits included eliminating my commute, the freedom to work the hours that I wanted to, and not having to buy lunched, toll road costs, and gas. Overall, it was great...until I got laid off because of the economy.

Even though it was devastating at the time (I had worked for them for almost 7 years), it was eye opening. I began to think about who I was, what my talents were, and what I could do to stay at home and earn money. My former boss referred me to a person who needed a writer for her Internet Marketing company...and I got excited!

After reading up on SEO (search engine optimization) and how to market online, I began to try my hand at writing for her clients. I hadn't written since college, but it was something I enjoyed doing and her clients were pleased with my work. I started my own Internet Marketing and writing business, EggStream Marketing. Then, I decided to join a site called Elance.

I joined and began to read about how their membership works; for a small monthly fee, I could bid on jobs from companies who needed everything from Virtual Assistants and writers to Web site content creators and Web developers. I started bidding on jobs and was immediately hired.

Though it cost me $5 a month (I split an account with a friend to try it out)...I was really impressed! It was easy, payment was fast, and I was making great connections and networking. Since my few projects on Elance, I have received referrals from my clients to their business-owner friends for even more work! I never thought I could make money writing from home.

I also decided to start this blog site and a Web site, EggStream Marketing. Now, I am helping women-owner businesses with helping to get their name out on the Internet to increase their customers! It's been an amazing journey and I am loving every moment of the ride.

Businesses that are women-owned are some of the most rewarding to promote. They are regular SUPER women! With smarts, motivation, and tons of family obligations, they are pressing forward to carve a name for themselves in this world...and I am honored to be there to help.

The third thing you can do from home besides freelance writing and blogging is affiliate marketing. I joined a group that offers affiliate marketing links that I can put in my blogs and articles to help make money for the products my writing sells. If you love animals, promote pet products...if you have small children, you can write about the latest toys and kids bedroom furniture. The opportunities are limitless!

For more about marketing your businesses or for help with learning how to use your talents to work from home, visit EggStream Marketing.

I said "No ThankYou" to a 60K per Year Job - Am I Crazy?

2009-11-14T19:12:00.001-08:00

I've been without a formal 9-5 job since mid-January 2009 thanks to the economy. It was really heartbreaking for me because it was the second time in 11 months that I had been laid off (that's what I get for going with another "dot com". However, once I was let go from my last place, my boss asked me if I wanted to start writing articles for some of his business associates in the search engine optimization and Internet marketing world. I thought I'd give it a shot, so I said yes.

New Career Phase
In no time at all, I was writing articles, working from home, and enjoying lots of new knowledge. I've written about everything from green screen technology and employment screening to stock market trading and teapots. It amazes me that I can research a subject and write about and get paid to do something I love. I even started my own business helping other women business owners with learning about Internet Marketing, SEO, and working from home. For many women, with work and a family, there's no time left to properly concentrate on getting your business' vision communicated effectively to your potential customers. Being a woman myself, I know the challenges and wanted to help. Plus, for women who need to stay home and don't have a dime to invest...there are several great (and totally free) ways to do this.

The Job Interview Yesterday
No joke, this just happened yesterday...I applied to a job because I have been open to the possibility of getting full time work. I came in and met the company's customer service team and was eventually offered the job later in the interview. I asked the owner what hours would he need from me. He nonchalantly told me it would be 9 to 6 or 7. Here's the problem with that...I have 3 children, am married, and want to be there at night to have dinner with my family (plus, I am the only one who knows how to cook in the house). Keep in mind that this position was to run their customer service department...read on.

The Deciding Factor
Once I politely told the boss that those hours wouldn't work for me and I would need to come in at 7 or 7:30 and work until 4, he told me, "Absolutely not. The reps stay here until 6 or 7 and you should be here too to set a good example." My response was, "Sure, I want to do that too, but I have a family and it's important to me that I am home at a decent time to fix dinner for my kids and have at least a little time with them every evening." Guess what he said????? "Well, I guess they're going to have to learn how to cook, huh?! They're teenagers, right? Teach 'em how to make mac n' cheese." He then proceeded to tell me that he didn't like it, but he would "allow me" to leave at 4:30. Seems nice and flexible, right? Just after that, he added, "But expect to work late 1 or 2 nights a week." What's the point of telling me I can leave at 4:30 if I really won't be leaving at that time?

The Answer is a Resounding "NO"
I think that his answer was callous and I cannot and will not work for someone who places ZERO value on family. How can I expect him to understand when someone is sick at home and needs to go to the doctor? How about when my kids get awards at school or have choir performances midday? No thank you, mister COO; no thank you to the great pay, free lunches, and your fancy office. AND...No thank you to the 2 hour drive home because I can't leave before the hellish traffic on the 91 freeway, no thank you to your inflexible attitude, and no thank you to missing half the week with my family! There...I said it. And you know what? Though my answer was simply "I don't think this job is right for me considering my long drive and family issues," he didn't have the decency to reply to my email.

God Does Work in Mysterious Ways
It's all good though because I prayed for clarity about what to do the night beforehand...and I got my answer! I rolled up to the house, so mad about how it turned out and just knowing it wouldn't be right for me and sad to turn down the money...and I got on my laptop and received an instant message 2 seconds later from one of my clients whom I write for. She was asking me if I would like to start doing project management for her. "Coincidentally, she would be able to pay me the exact dollar amount I needed to cover our grocery bill each week! This amount was precisely what my husband had told me we needed just after I had the interview and told him how it went. Wow, God is so good to give me such a direct answer during such a confusing time. Money can cloud anyone's judgment, but when God makes it that boldly clear, you can't turn your back on that!

Part 3: Three Important Fitness Questions - Finally Answered

2009-10-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks for joining the last in my three part series about fitness questions that everyone has, but no one seems to know the answers to. If you missed parts 1 and 2, you can click on the numbers to the left to view them.

So, here we delve into the last three fitness questions. Hopefully this series has helped you gain a better understanding of how your body works and what you can do to get the best results for your efforts! Here are the final three questions answered below:

ARE FREE WEIGHTS BETTER THAN WEIGHT MACHINES?
With free weights, your body is forced to not only work the muscle that you are isolating, but also the stabilizing muscles as well. In the Strength and Conditioning Journal, one study they published found that "free weights make more demands on your muscles to stabilize and balance your body," said review author Steven Plisk. Free weights can also prove to benefit you in practical, everyday life. For example, lifting groceries, children, or when doing tougher tasks like washing a car or scrubbing a bathtub, your body will have that extra edge because your stabilizing muscles are in shape. This can prevent you from suffering from strains, sprains, and twisting injuries that are completely preventable with proper strengthening of your stabilizing muscles. However, if you use wrong form when using the free weights, you can injure yourself. The verdict: beginners should use weight machines until they are comfortable and have mastered proper technique; intermediate to advanced lifters should use free weights fo rbest results.

HOW MANY SETS SHOULD YOU DO FOR BEST RESULTS?
It may be tempting to skimp on doing more than one set if you're pressed for time. However, if you don't have the time to dedicate to doing three complete sets of each exercise, then concentrate on one body part an dget you three sets in. For beginners who started weight lifting, a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that beginners benefitted from doing just one set, but intermediate and advanced weight lifters saw no increase in strength. If you're trying to build some muscle and get sculpted and tomes, doing three sets is best. The answer: beginners can do one set and see some results, but it's best for weight lifters of any level to do three sets of each type of exercise.

SHOULD YOU STRETCH BEFORE YOU WORK OUT OR AFTERWARDS?
According to a study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, stretching before your workout may actually impair performance! The reason for this is that stretching seems to temporarily shut down nerve signals, thus slowing the reaction time in your muscles and reducing your strength. In fact, studies have shown that stretching prior to a workout does not reduce the risk for injuries such as pulled muscles AND post-workout stretching also has no affect on either increasing or decreasing injury risk according to a review published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surprising, I know...and it goes against everything w've been taught. Bottom line: don't stretch before a weight lifting session, but if you stretch before or after a cardio workout, you'll elongate your muscles, but you won't be any better or worse off (as far as injury risk goes) than when you started.

Hope you enjoyed this three part series on fitness! Check back often to see what new posts I've put up and feel free to submit your comments.

To better health and fitness for women everywhere,

Kvirrueta

Three Important Fitness Questions - Finally Answered, Part 2

2009-10-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the second in my three-part installment to help inform you of the best ways to get fit! If you haven't yet read part 1, you can click here to read it first. I last covered whether cardio or strength training should be done first, if you should exercise in the AM or PM, and whether working out at home was better than at the gym.

Fitness is somewhat of a lifestyle rather than just "something to do". It takes consistency, effort, and knowledge to get the results you want from your body. In these next 3 fitness questions I'll answer, you'll learn about whether indoor or outdoor exercise is best, which types of workout machines yield the best results, and how long to work out per session. Enjoy the read and feel free to leave comments at the end of this post!

SHOULD YOU EXERCISE IN THE GYM OR OUTSIDE?
Outdoor activities such as bicycling, running, or in-line skating give you an edge on results because your body has to work harder to overcome the added resistance provided by varying terrain and wind resistance. Dr. John Porcari, a professor in exercise and sports science at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, says that our bodies naturally burn between 3 and 5 percent more calories outdoors than the same distance completed on a treadmill. The added benefit of being outdoors is that you get to breathe in the fresh air and you can take different routes whenever you want to keep changing the scenery. Here in Southern California, where I live, exercising alone after dark can be a dangerous thing to do...and now that the sun is going down much earlier, finding time to workout at the end of the day can be difficult. Also, with winter approaching, the weather may not always agree with your workout schedule. You can overcome these challenges by working out indoors on a treadmill, tread climber, elliptical machine or stairmaster. Rather than putting the machine on the "manual" mode and going at the same pace and resistance level the entire time, set it to "random" and take the challenge head on! Make sure you bring your MP3 player loaded with some great, fast-paced music so you can really get into it and burn some serious calories! The best kinds of workouts: outside is optimal if the weather and time of day permit.

SHOULD YOU EXERCISE ON A TREADMILL OR A STATIONARY BIKE?
Did you know that the stationary bike (not the spinning bike) is the least effective exercise machine in the gym? It's true! According to one study done by Dublin City University, working out at a moderate intensity level on the stationary bike burned nearly half the calories as the treadmill when done for the same amount of minutes! On the other hand, you can burn about 200 calories in 18.5 minutes on the treadmill (versus it taking 32 minutes to burn 200 calories on the stationary bike). This is because treadmills are weight-bearing exercise and automatically burn more calories. Cross-country and rowing machines placed second best at feeling the burn. However, Dr. Wayne Wescott, fitness director of the South Shore YMCA warns, "Doing the same routine day in and day out can send your body into a fitness rut. Cross-train with different activities to prevent hitting a plateau." The verdict: Exercise on the treadmill for 3/4 of the time and then cross train on the spinning bike, tread climber, elliptical, or stairmaster for the other 25% of your workout.

IS INTERVAL TRAINING OR ONE, LONG WORKOUT BETTER FOR YOU?
Many fitness fanatics firmly believe in sustaining one, long workout for best results. If you're trying to train for a long-distance race or a competitive biking event, then you'd be correct. However, for the rest of us who only get so much time to workout when we can squeeze it in, interval training is best. Len Kravitz, Ph.D., associate professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico, explains that "We can burn anywhere from 75 to 125 additional calories just by adding periodic bursts of intensity to our workouts." This is great news because we can take a 30 minute treadmill workout, for example, and add three sessions of running for three minutes each into the 30 minutes...and burn even more calories. This is a great way to burn more fat while not exhausting yourself from one, long, high-intensity workout. If you're a beginner, walking at about 3.5 MPH and then speed-walking at 4.5 MPH three times for 3 minutes each is a great start :-) The best training to do: include short bursts of high-intensity effort in your standard workout routine to blast more fat and calories.

I hope you enjoyed part 2 of this 3-part series on fitness. The final three fitness questions will be tackled this week, so get ready...we're going to get fit together!

To better health and wellness women everywhere,
Kim

Three Important Fitness Questions - Finally Answered (Part 1 of 3)

2009-10-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

Fitness should never be a complex string of timed workouts, counting reps, and worrying if what you’re doing is working. Women of all ages should use weights to help sculpt and tone their muscles as well as to help build and maintain bone mass. Cardiovascular activity should also be a part of everyone’s fitness regimen in order to burn fat and strengthen the heart muscle…and it shouldn’t ever be confusing!

Here’s what the experts say about exercise routines and fundamentals:

SHOULD YOU DO WEIGHTS OR CARDIO FIRST?
According to researchers at the University of Victoria in BC, subjects who strength trained within 24 hours of a rigorous cardio session were able to do more reps than their counterparts who waited for less time (about 408 hours). Further, a study done by Bringham Young University in 2005 showed that starting with cardio will get you better results when you pump iron. Lead study researcher, Pat Vehrs, Ph.D., found that subjects burned more calories after their workout when doing cardio, then weights (in that order). The other thing to consider is that when your muscles are fatigued after a weight lifting session, your cardio performance will lack. Get the cardio done first and then tackle the weights for maximum results!

IS IT BEST TO WORKOUT IN THE MORNING OR IN THE EVENING?
The Mollen Clinic out of Phoenix, AZ found in 2005 that 75% of morning workout buffs stuck with it after 12 months versus only 25% of evening and 50% of afternoon exercisers. Chief Exercise Physiologist, Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., found that study participants who stopped working out in the afternoons and evenings did so because life got in the way. Everyone can relate, I’m sure: errands, late hours at the office, homework with the kids, etc. gets in the way at the end of the day. Fitness Magazine reported in their October 2005 issue that studies done by Dr. Michael Smolensky have consistently shown that between the hours of 4 pm and 6 pm, our bodies’ core is at its warmest temperature. They go on to say that our muscle strength, reaction time, flexibility, and heart and lung functions are at their optimum. The verdict: if you can exercise in the afternoon/early evening, you’ll perform better. However, for a more consistent result, time your workouts for the mornings.

SHOULD YOU INVEST IN A GYM MEMBERSHIP OR A HOME GYM SYSTEM?
The University of Florida at Gainesville has found that women who exercise at home actually lose more pounds than those who go to the gym. It’s not that your home gym is a better-quality piece of machinery; it’s more likely that slashing the inconvenience factor of driving out to the gym has a more positive impact on whether or not we actually follow through with our workouts. Michael Perri, Ph.D., the study author, goes on to explain that having to be at the gym for a class at a certain time can simply become an obstacle to being there. On the other hand, if you are the type of person who likes to socialize at the gym, needs different types of machines to stay out of a “boredom rut”, or would like to have more classes, machines, and options…a gym membership is probably best. The other plus to going to the gym, says Dr. Cedric Bryant, is that there are less family-related distractions at the gym and therefore, there is less of a chance of walking away in the middle of the workout to do something else. Bottom line: workout at home if you need the convenience, but join the gym if you are likely to get burned out or distracted by a home workout.

These three tips will help get you on the path to better fitness and health. As women, we have lots of different people and “things” pulling at us from all sides. When we take some quality time out to focus on ourselves, our fitness and health, we receive stress relief, health benefits, and our loved ones will have us around for much longer! To better health and fitness…you go girls!

Parts 2 and 3 will be published this week…

Are the New Black Barbies an Authentic Representation or a Childhood Devastation

2009-10-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

Going back decades, Barbie has brought hours of imagination and dress-up fun for little girls everywhere. I can remember having a sizable collection myself until I finally decided I was ready to give them up. Sure, Barbie had all the latest clothes and her hair was perfect and her body was flawless...it wasn't until I grew up and had a little girl of my own that my eyes were opened to what Barbie had REALLY been saying to me all along. I could never be as good as Barbie; I couldn't afford cute clothes, my hair was curly and frizzy, and my body looked nothing like Barbie's. How come the magazine models looked like Barbie and I couldn't?

Enter the new S.I.S. (or So In Style) Barbie by Mattel. The brainchild of creator Stacy McBride-Irby, this line of Barbies was designed to give her daughter something to play with that looked more like her. Aw, that's cute. Did she stop and think that this little skinny plastic doll with perfect features and hair just might make her daughter feel inadequate? What if she grows out of that "lanky stage" and starts getting curves? What if her hair is hard to manage and less-than-perfect? This isn't about a cool toy that has an appropriately brown complexion...it's about the idea that little girls want to emulate what they see. And Barbie can give the wrong impression to little girls.

As blogger Latoya Peterson so eloquently wrote: "However, for the little black girls that look just like ME with unmistakably Afrocentric features, these dolls appeal to the tried and totally untrue, but respected, hip-hop beauty ideal that has become an "exotic girls only" industrial complex. So not only are young girls bombarded with those images on television, if their parents aren't careful, they are basically kicked while they're down walking through the toy store." Ms. Peterson, I couldn't agree more. She goes on to talk about the inappropriate use of the word "authentic", seeing as how each of the dolls' facial features do not accurately represent black faces.

It bothers me that as human beings, we give our children toys that represent ideals and not reality. When a 13 year old girl has outgrown her Barbies and decides that she's more interested in dressing her own body, what will she say when she gets in the dressing room? "My tummy has a bunch of fat right here" or "My hips are huge"...I've been there, too sweetie. Barbie should reflect not only the correct ethnic features of the population that Mattel is targeting, but should also take into account that less than 1% of the population looks like Barbie. When this 1% is paid tons of money because they are skinny enough and pretty enough to make it into the fashion mags, there is something seriously wrong with society! Why are these the women that adorn our magazines and runways? Where are the toys that make little girls feel comfortable being 130, or 150 pounds (or whatever they weigh) is perfectly normal...and perfectly beautiful?

Weigh in on what you think about the new "authentic" Barbie and share your opinion about how you think Barbies are affecting our youth. I want to hear what you have to say!

I've Had a Miscarriage, Now What?

2009-10-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

My personal experience with miscarriage
is not because I, myself, have lost a baby. It happened about 10
years ago in the hospital where I worked as a surgical assistant.
Being on the "other side" of the experience was not only
incredibly sad, but it was life-changing. Hospitals do their best
to provide a clinical environment where both mother and baby are
safe and healthy. But when things happen that are out of our
control and a baby is lost to miscarriage,
the hospital's "best" ends there. Ill-equipped with
any type of burial, memorial, or services that can provide families
with a way to honor their lost child, they fall far short of the
emotional needs of their patients during that particular time.

I remember helping the nurses with putting the deceased baby on a
clean blanket, covering its body to the neck, and placing a
miniature knitted cap on its head. When the families requested, the
nurses would take a memorial photo of the baby along with any
special items, such as a crucifix, blanket, or rattle. When the
families did not opt for a photo, the body was disposed of along
with the other biological waste discarded from surgeries and
procedures. I was not supposed to get attached to any patient, but
I couldn't help feeling like my guts had been wrenched out. I
was angry that a baby who hadn't even begun to live had passed
away. I was sad for the families who lost that hope for a new life
as my ears were filled with their muffled cries.I was horrified at
what happens after a miscarriage.

Though I have never personally lost a child to miscarriage,
one of my family members lost three babies in four years and a
friend has just recently lost her pregnancy. Though I cannot truly
grasp the extent of the emptiness and grief that they've gone
through after a miscarriage, its effects are undeniable. Questions
flood the mother's mind like: "Did I do something wrong to
cause this?", "What do I do now?", "How will I
cope with this sadness?", and "Is anyone out there who
understands and can help?" Hearing from well-meaning friends
and family who say "you can have another child later" and
things of that nature are not helpful at all. Sometimes it's
best to quietly listen to someone's pain or simply hold them in
reverent silence than saying something insensitive.

Last weekend, I met a couple at church who run a Christian ministry
called Cradle of Love. They are a branch of the Corona Life Services and they
are out there helping people right now. Mothers and families who
have just lost a baby to miscarriage can count on them to provide a
burial space and a Christian Pastor and a soloist at no charge. A
granite headstone, engraved with anything the parent(s) want is
provided for free as well.The family only has to pay for the
funeral costs, flowers, and the upkeep of the grave site. I was so
touched by the work they are doing that I helped them create a
Facebook page that will allow anyone from every walk of life to come
together to support each other through their difficult time and to
seek help from the ministry if they need it.

If you've gone through the tragedy of a miscarriage and need a
place where you can talk with others who are there to comfort you,
listen to you, and share where you can share your experience, visit
the new Cradle of Love Facebook page and become a part of this loving
miscarriage support group. There are lots of people out there who
really do care!

Five Reasons to Have Girl's Night Out

2009-10-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

After going to my monthly Bunco group last Friday, a thought grabbed me like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day: I love being with my friends and I need that time with them. With a career, three teenagers, and a marriage...life can get so busy sometimes that all I seem to have time for is to finally collapse into bed at 11 or 12 at night. But when I go to Bunco or spend time with my girlfriends, I feel rejuvenated and refreshed; in fact, a smile seems to adorn my face more often and my patience levels rise through the roof. Here are the top 5 reasons I never skip spending time with my friends:

1. Reduce stress
2. Recharge your mental "batteries"
3. Improve your immune system
4. Be a better mom and wife
5. Build a strong support system

Is there a better explanation for this phenomenon other than "it makes me feel better"? Yes, there is! According to the Institutes of Stress, the key to avoiding the harmful health effects of stress involve preventing stress in the first place! There are many ways to implement this strategy in your everyday life. Exercising regularly for at least 20 minutes per day, eating healthier, resting for at least 7 hours per night, deep breathing, and...you guessed it, spending time laughing! My favorite option is the last one on the list (as is evident by the 20 extra pounds I'm currently wearing).

Renewing and refreshing yourself mentally can also have profound effects on not only yourself, but on those around you. You may find that after a few hours with your friends, you return home more willing to put up with the sibling rivalry and the responsibilities of running a household. At work, you'll likely have the ability to take a deep breath and deal with problems rather than get angry about them and take things personally. "Friend time" can recharge your mind!

Immunity in the human body is closely linked to the amount of stress we allow in our lives. Notice the use of the word "allow". That's right...getting stressed out is a choice. Have you ever noticed that when you get stressed out about by something, or even just upset or sad, that you can feel it in your gut? Your intestines hold about 70% of your body's immunity, so making sure they are healthy is one of the best ways to prevent illness. According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, "Laughter therapy, also called humor therapy, is the use of humor to promote overall health and wellness. It aims to use the natural physiological process of laughter to help relieve physical or emotional stresses or discomfort." So, laugh with your friends as much as possible and you'll be healthier for it!

When we feel happy, our attitude toward others shows it. Remember that childhood song called "If You're Happy and You Know It"? One of the Lines from that song is: "If you're happy and you know it, then your life will surely show it." When we get together with friends, we feel accepted, enjoy lots of laughs and our spirits get lifted. That's why it's natural to pick up the phone and call a friend when you need a pick-me-up. Friends help you become a happier person and this, in turn, helps you give your very best to your kids or your significant other.

Having people to turn to during a difficult time makes all the difference in the world. When we feel alone in something, it's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel, we become even more engulfed in the matters at hand, and we can become depressed. Having a network of supportive friends, heck, even one good friend to turn to can lift you out of a difficult situation faster than anything else. Turning to food, alcohol, or other vices only makes matters worse and creates guilt and avoidance of the real issues at hand. Escaping from problems has never fixed one single thing!

So, get together with your friends regularly and enjoy time laughing with them. You'll reap the benefits of reduced stress, mental refreshing, a better immune system, you'll contribute more to your personal relationships, and you'll have a strong support system whenever you need it!

To more time with your girlfriends, cheers!

Fibroids - What are Fibroids and Fibroid Treatment

2009-10-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Most women experience pain in their abdomen at one point or another. This pain can be a normal part of a monthly menstrual cycle but can also be a warning sign of something more serious going on inside the uterus. For women suffering from uterine fibroids (also referred to as a fibroid tumor) the pain can be unbearable. According to the Mayo Clinic, the warning signs of a uterus fibroid can include sharp pains in the lower abdomen, severe and heavy bleeding during menstruation, and problems getting pregnant. Though referred to as fibroid tumors, they are actually non-cancerous growths inside the muscular uterus and almost never develop into cancer.

Small fibroids cause few problems and many women do not know they have them. However, for women who suffer from larger fibroids in uterus, the following symptoms can occur:

• Extended length of periods (7 days or more)
• Heavy bleeding during menstruation
• Pain in the pelvic area or pressure (a full feeling)
• The need to urinate more often
• Bladder being unable to fully empty
• Constipation
• Aches in the lower back or legs
• Painful intercourse

In rare cases, a fibroid can get so large that it outgrows its blood supply and begins to die. This can cause everything from a fever to pain as the degenerating tissues seep into the outlying tissues (Mayo Clinic site, October 17, 2009). A fibroid that is detached from the uterus and hanging by a single “stalk” can sometimes become twisted; this can cut off its blood supply and cause pain as it twists. See the doctor if you have bladder or bowel troubles or if bleeding is so heavy that it is difficult to control with sanitary products.

The key to the treatment of fibroids is early intervention. Some alternative treatments seem to be effective to shrink fibroids, fibroid cysts, treat PCOS, heavy menstrual bleeding (heavy periods), and other uterine growths. If your fibroids are not causing the serious problems described above, feel free to try alternative treatments such as herbal and natural treatments that can help shrink them. It’s a viable alternative to surgical treatment when they are in their early stages.

Take care of your body and it will take care of you!

Why Diets Fail - and What to Do About It

2009-10-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

Diets make me angry...it's all about deprivation, starvation, and doing without. If you're a fad follower, as I have been in the past, you remember the "cabbage diet" the "popcorn and grapes diet" (Madonna did that one), or the Atkins diet. I'm sorry, all of you low carb diet lovers out there, the Atkins diet is not my idea of a healthy diet or lifestyle!

Consider also the effects of a super-low starvation diet, say one that promotes less than 1000 calories a day. Sure, you'll drop weight in the beginning week or two, but you'll soon find your body feeling cold, your energy zapped, and your mood taking a nosedive. No one wants to live like that for more than they have to (maybe only if someone has a gun to their head)! Guess what's happening to you? Your metabolism is shutting down and going into starvation mode so that you don't die...that is NOT healthy!

Next, what about those diets that promise that if you eat the "right foods" then you'll see "extraordinary weight loss results"? Let's take a closer look at that...your body needs a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and quality proteins to be nourished; anything less will not do. Even if you lose weight in the beginning of the diet, your body will not be receiving the proper levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, fiber, and fatty acids that it needs to function on optimal levels. Cabbage soup diet and popcorn and grape diet lovers everywhere..."stop the insanity"! Does anyone else remember Susan Powter and miss her short hair and screaming? No? Ok, I guess I'm alone on this one then :-)

The bottom line is that before you decide to start any diet program, take a look at what's inside the hype. If they recommend a restricted diet, unreasonably low calories, or anything that would deprive your body of its essential needs, RUN! Seriously, get out there and run...even if you still ate a doughnut or a bowl of ice cream every so often, you'd still be burning enough calories to come out on the good side of the calorie count by the end of the day! And isn't that what it all really boils down to? Fewer calories taken in than burned and you'll start dropping pounds at a steady and healthy rate.

For more about diet plans that really work, go here and see what's working for everyone else:
http://791c3h2fwb49742rqzkdyr5p1l.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=101A

To happy and healthy dieting! Cheers!