LadyBex Nutrition

Here’s what I am reading today:

Talk

Host) Posted 08 June 2008 09:13 AM Hide Post
Somebody posted a story on another forum I’m on about HM and I responded w/ — what can it not do? Cure cancer?
And somebody else had a link to a study done w/ cancer pts drinking HM (personally I am not sure I could get it down, but I hate milk period though I suppose I would be open to anything to cure cancer if I were in that situation) and it helping w/ their symptoms!
It’s like a wonder drug.

Elizabeth
Mommy to Jodi (4/17/06)
E-mail me: eguth@ocala.com

Blogs

recent study by American and Argentinian researchers claim that the protective properties of breast milk against respiratory infections works better for baby girls than for baby boys.

The researchers studied 119 babies born with very low birth weights. These babies have a higher risk to develop severe respiratory infections than babies born with normal weight. The study compared the incidence of severe acute lung disease between male and female infants and between breastfed and formula-fed infants.

The results show that breastfeeding significantly decreased the risk of acute lung disease in baby girls but not in baby boys. Formula-fed baby girls showed the highest risk profile, with an 8-times higher risk for respiratory disease.

As such, breastfeeding did not decrease the rate of infections, but rather the severity of the disease and rate of hospitalization.

It has always been previously thought that the transfer of natural immunity from mother to child through breast milk is universal and not dependent on gender. This study shows that there is a gender disparity when it comes to breast milk protection.

Other lessons learned from the study are:

Breast milk does not prevent babies from catching the disease but helps babies to fight the infection successfully.
Baby girls who are formula-fed have the highest risk to get lung infection.
Despite the gender differences revealed in this study, breast milk is still the best food for babies, regardless of gender. And regardless of what they say about vitamin D deficiency.

Sources:

PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 6 June 2008, pp. e1510-e1516

HealthDay News, 2 June 2008

Friday at noon, I tried to change Jim’s diaper and he was dry. He just turned 2 on July 14th. Wash (almost 6 months) signals every time he has to pee. He still screams a pterodactyl scream, and as soon as I take him to the potty, he goes. If we ignore the scream, he will dribble in his diaper, but he will hold it until he is taken to the toilet.

So when Jim was dry, I passed Wash off to my eldest daughter, and carried Jim to the potty. Much to my surprise, he actually peed in the potty. I gave him 5 chocolate chips, which are a rarity in our Food-Nazi household. It was a treasure for him to try again.

In half an hour, Wash screeched. I took Wash potty, and he went. I took Jim again, and to my shock, he peed again. I got him a tortilla chip. Half an hour later, Wash screamed. I took both boys potty, and both boys went. I gave Jim a strawberry.

He peed every half an hour from noon until 7:15. We were at a birthday party, and I decided not to push the issue at the party.

Although we had setbacks on the potty training for Jim due to his burns and the birth of his brother, it has proven to me that potty training an infant is worth the time. When Jim makes up his mind to be trained, it will be easy. The foundation has been laid.

However, the Stinkpot has refused to go every time after Friday…

I wish they would give a time amount rather than how many times.

Telegraph

The children of mothers who use mobile phones while pregnant are more likely to develop behavioural problems, new research suggests.

By David Thomas
Last Updated: 10:29PM BST 18 Jul 2008

A study of more than 13,000 children in Denmark claims to show a link between use of handheld telephones by pregnant women and problems such as hyperactivity in their children.

The risks are increased if the child then uses a mobile themselves before the age of seven, according to the report to be published in the journal Epidemiology.

The study raises renewed questions over the safety of mobile phones, which have in the past been linked with brain cancer.

The scientists behind the research at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Aarhus in Denmark stressed that the results “should be interpreted with caution” and checked by further studies.

But they added: “If they are real they would have major public health implications.”

The programme surveyed 13,159 children born in the late 1990s. Results showed that mothers who did use handsets were 54 per cent more likely to have children with behavioural problems. That figure increased to 80 per cent when the children also later used the phones themselves.

America Blog

Sunday, May 18, 2008
Mobile phone and baby behavioral problem link?
Chris in Paris · 5/18/2008 03:17:00 AM ET · Link
9 Comments · reddit · FARK · Digg It!

Yet another study that points to problems related to mobile phones. Years ago the industry could easily dismiss studies linking mobile phones to brain cancer since extended phone usage was still relatively new. Now research is suggesting that long term use of phones increases brain cancer risk. Across Europe more studies are also suggesting serious issues related to mobile phones and children and now this.
A giant study, which surveyed more than 13,000 children, found that using the handsets just two or three times a day was enough to raise the risk of their babies developing hyperactivity and difficulties with conduct, emotions and relationships by the time they reached school age. And it adds that the likelihood is even greater if the children themselves used the phones before the age of seven.

The results of the study, the first of its kind, have taken the top scientists who conducted it by surprise. But they follow warnings against both pregnant women and children using mobiles by the official Russian radiation watchdog body, which believes that the peril they pose “is not much lower than the risk to children’s health from tobacco or alcohol”.

Med Headlines

Can Fetal Exposure to Mom’s Mobile Phone Cause Behavioral Problems?
By MedHeadlines • May 21st, 2008 • Category: Children’s Health, Headlines, Lifestyle, MedTech, Medical Research, Pregnancy, Prevention
That’s the question asked by Russia’s official radiation watchdog organization as it studied the link between a mother’s mobile phone usage during pregnancy and the dispositions of their children after birth. The study involved more than 13,000 women, 54% of whom used cell phones during pregnancy and who also reported behavioral problems in their children. The behavioral issues included difficulties with relationships, emotions, and hyperactivity.

The study further revealed that when a child was exposed in the womb to his or her mother’s cell phone and who also used cell phones themselves before turning 7 years old, the likelihood of behavioral disorders rose to 80%.

Of the children exposed to cell phones during fetal development and before the age of 7, the Russian researchers found:

25% higher risk for emotional turmoil;
24% more risk for troubled relationships with other children;
35% increased risk for hyperactive behaviors; and
49% higher risk for problematic behaviors in general.
Increased risk was associated with increased use of mobile phones.

A spokesperson for the Health Protection Agency of the United Kingdom (UK) calls for further study although it has previously warned against children using cell phones in excess. The UK agency suggests causes for the behavioral difficulties other than radiation from the phones.

Professor Leeka Kheifets and three co-authors conducted earlier research which revealed no adverse effect to a child exposed to cell phones although there did seem to be a link between behavioral problems and exposure to mobile phone use. They suggest other explanations for behavioral issues, such as less time spent with a child when his or her mother uses a cell phone to excess. Kheifets is a faculty member of the University of California, Los Angeles.

While radiation emitted from cell phones is believed to penetrate the skin no more than one or two centimeters deep, this level of penetration is much too shallow to reach a fetus. Instead, other studies point to the radiation’s effect on melatonin, a hormone that controls sleep and is passed from mother to fetus via the placenta.

The Russian study, conducted in conjunction with researchers in Aarhus, Denmark, is scheduled for July publication in the medical journal, Epidemiology.

I was looking at my paternal gramdma’s diary. In 1920, she was 5 ‘ 6″ and 109 lbs. I am 10 pounds more at 5′3″. I have one of her shirts and jackets, and I can’t fit into it. Things have changed in 90 years.

Divine Caroline

Over the past few decades, portion sizes of everything from muffins to sandwiches have grown considerably. Unfortunately, America’s waistbands have reacted accordingly. In the 1970s, around 47 percent of Americans were overweight or obese; now 66 percent of us are. In addition, the number of just obese people has doubled, from 15 percent of our population to 30 percent.

While increased sizes haven’t been the sole contributor to our obesity epidemic, large quantities of cheap food have distorted our perceptions of what a typical meal is supposed to look like. These portion comparisons, adapted from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Portion Distortion Quiz, give a visual representation of what sizes used to be compared to what they are today.

Two Slices of Pizza

Twenty years ago Today
500 calories 850 calories

Those extra 350 calories, if eaten a two times a month, would put on two extra pounds a year, or forty pounds in the next two decades.

Cup of Coffee

Twenty years ago Today
Coffee with milk and sugar Grande café mocha with whip, 2% milk
8 ounces 16 ounces
45 calories 330 calories

When our parents ordered a coffee two decades ago, they weren’t given as many size options—a standard cup of joe was eight ounces, the size of a small coffee cup. Nowadays, most of us feel like we don’t get our money’s worth unless the cup is at least twelve ounces; it’s not unusual to see thirty-two ounce coffee cups, four times the size they used to be. When made into a mocha, the morning coffee has as many calories as a full meal.

Movie Popcorn

Twenty Years Ago Today
5 cups Tub
270 calories 630 calories

We don’t have to eat those extra 360 calories in the tub of popcorn, but that’s easier said than (not) done. Studies indicate that when given food in larger containers, people will consume more. In a 1996 Cornell University study, people in a movie theater ate from either medium (120g) or large (240g) buckets of popcorn, then divided into two groups based on whether they liked the taste of the popcorn. The results: people with the large size ate more than those with the medium size, regardless of how participants rated the taste of the popcorn.

Twenty Years Ago Today—Noah’s Plain Bagel
3-inch diameter 5-6-inch diameter
140 calories 350 calories

Because portions are now so large, it’s hard to understand what a “serving size” is supposed to be. Today’s bagel counts for three servings of bread, but many of us would consider it one serving. Larger sizes at restaurants have also contributed to larger sizes when eating at home. A study comparing eating habits today with twenty years ago found that participants poured themselves about 20 percent more cornflakes and 30 percent more milk than twenty years ago.

Twenty years ago Today’s Burger
333 calories 590 calories

According to a 2007 paper published in the Journal of Public Health Policy, portion sizes offered by fast food chains are two to five times larger than when first introduced. When McDonald’s first started in 1955, its only hamburger weighed around 1.6 ounces; now, the largest hamburger patty weighs 8 ounces, an increase of 500 percent. And while a Big Mac used to be considered big, it’s on the smaller side of many burger options. At Burger King, you can get the Triple Whopper; at Ruby Tuesday’s there’s the Colossal Burger; and Carl’s Junior has the Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger.

Soda

Original 8-ounce bottle 12 ounce can 20-ounce bottle
97 calories 145 calories 242 calories

While the 12-ounce can used to be the most common soda option, many stores now carry only the 20-ounce plastic bottle, which contains 2.5 servings of soda. When presented with these larger sizes, humans have a hard time regulating our intake or figuring out what a serving size is supposed to be. A 2004 study, published in Appetite, gave people potato chips packaged in bags that looked the same, but increased in size. As package size increased, so did consumption; subjects ate up to 37 percent more with the bigger bags. Furthermore, when they ate dinner later that day, they did not reduce their food consumption to compensate for increased snack calories—a recipe for weight gain.

It’s not just food portions that have increased; plate, bowl, and cup sizes have as well. In the early 1990s, the standard size of a dinner plate increased from 10 to 12 inches; cup and bowl sizes also increased. Larger eating containers can influence how much people eat. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that when people were given larger bowls and spoons they served themselves larger portions of ice cream and tended to eat the whole portion.

32 ounces 44 ounces 64 ounces
388 calories 533 calories 776 calories
$0.99 $1.09 $1.19

We Americans love to get the most bang for our buck. When confronted with a 32-ounce drink for 99 cents versus a 44-ounce drink for ten cents more, the decision is easy. You’d have to be a sucker not to go big. But our ability to get the most out of our dollar doesn’t always serve us well. Value pricing, which gets us a lot more food or drink for just a little increase in price, makes sense from an economic standpoint, but is sabotage from a health standpoint. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Americans consume around 10 percent more calories than they did in the 1970s. Given no change in physical activity, this equates to around 200 extra calories per day, or 20 pounds a year.

What is normal?

Increased portion sizes give us more calories, encourage us to eat more, distort perceptions of appropriate food quantities, and along with sedentary lifestyles, have contributed to our national bulge. Unless you’re trying to gain weight, it might help to reacquaint yourself with serving sizes. The NHLBI tells us that a serving of meat should be the size of a deck of cards while one pancake should be the size of a CD. It’s unlikely that we’ll see a scaling down of food to these sizes anytime soon, so perhaps we should all become familiar with another image: the doggy bag.

Meals Matter

Portions today are far bigger than in the past, which often means we’re taking in far more calories than we realize!
Larger plates, cup holders, muffin tins and pizza pans are becoming the norm. Fast food restaurants feature super sized meals for just a few cents more. Portion sizes of virtually all foods and beverages have increased and now appear typical.
A single meal may contain a day’s worth of calories
Several studies published in 2003 document increases in portion sizes for many popular foods. This amounts to an additional 50-150 calories per meal.
So what’s the big deal, you might ask. What’s the harm of eating a few extra calories here and there? The answer is simple: An extra 10 calories per day could add up to a pound of weight gain per year.
So, if you’re consuming an extra 100 calories from soft drinks and snacks every day, you could pack on an extra 10 pounds of weight in a year.
Consider this
A small, two and a half ounce serving of french fries has 210 calories, compared to a whopping 610 calories in the seven-ounce size. While a 12-ounce fountain soft drink contributes a relatively modest 150 calories to a meal, a mega size 42-ounce cup contributes 410 calories.
If you drink that huge soft drink and eat a giant hamburger with an extra large fries that contains as many as 1,000 calories - that would total about 2,000 calories in one sitting - more than many people need to eat in a single day!
Most marketplace portions are at least two times, and sometimes as much as eight times, greater than standard recommended serving sizes based on the USDA Food Guide Pyramid or on food label standards established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, showed that when people buy large size bags of just about anything, they tend to eat more at one sitting, which can increase what they eat by up to 43 percent.
The following table shows just how much more people consume in a serving today compared to people in the 50s:
Serving Sizes Then and Now
Food or beverage 1950s Expanded 2003 portion
French fries 2.4 ounces up to 7.1 ounces
Fountain soda 7.0 ounces 12 to 64 ounces
Hamburger patty 1.6 ounces up to 8.0 ounces
Hamburger sandwich 3.9 ounces 4.4 to 12.6 ounces
Muffin 3.0 ounces 6.5 ounces
Pasta serving 1.5 cups 3.0 cups
Chocolate bar 1 ounce 2.6 to 8 ounces

Researchers have found that people tend to eat most or all of what they are served, rather than taking leftovers home in a doggie bag.
Even at home, where we have control over how much we put on our plate, we are eating larger portions. Perhaps because we’ve grown accustomed to the large portions served in restaurants and our perception of a serving size has changed.
A serious national health problem
More than 120 million Americans are either overweight or obese. The additional pounds Americans are piling on have had a devastating impact on our national health. Expanding portion sizes could contribute to this problem. So, cutting back on portion sizes in restaurants and at home is one way to lose weight or help prevent weight gain.
What you can do to manage your plate!
Not sure what a portion size should be? Make sense of portion sizes by relating portions to common household objects.
Learn to read food labels. Pay attention to the number of servings contained in the package, then note the calorie and fat content per serving. If the label on a large muffin, for example, says two servings: 250 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving, you will have consumed 500 calories and 20 grams of fat if you eat the entire muffin!
Compare marketplace portions to recommended serving sizes. If you eat a marketplace portion of something - say a big bagel, compare its size to what’s recommended on the food pyramid. A standard bagel is two ounces, and counts as two servings from the bread/cereal/grain food group. A marketplace bagel weighs nearly six ounces and counts as six servings of grain. A pasta dinner from your favorite restaurant might add up to six or more servings of grains as well. If you eat a 12-ounce piece of meat, you’re consuming three ounces more than the recommended daily serving.
Repackage supersize bags. Supersize bags may be more economical, but they can also encourage you to overeat. If you buy huge bags of chips or pretzels, for example, repackage the contents into smaller containers.
Share a meal. Order a couple of appetizers and split one main course with another person when you go out for a meal. Split an order of fries. Order one dessert and some extra forks. Four people can enjoy a taste or two of a decadent dessert, without feeling guilty.
Eat half or less. If you’re not sharing a meal, eat half of what you’re served and take the rest home to enjoy as another meal.
Use a smaller plate. At home, serve your meals on smaller plates. Your plate will look full, but you’ll be eating less.
Skip second helpings. Eat one reasonable helping and don’t go back for seconds. Don’t put a big platter of food on the table. You’re more likely to nibble and eat more than you realize.
Slow down! Eat slowly, to allow yourself time to feel full so you won’t be as tempted to heap on a second helping.

If you have a hard time leaving food on your plate - remember that there are two ways to waste food: You can throw it out or carry it around as fat cells.
The first mistake was being served too much food. Don’t compound that mistake by eating more than you need.

I got a kick out of these.

Cynical

Oddly enough, at the same time, things like Little Debbie Snackcakes have clearly gotten smaller.

2 RumorsDaily says:

May 16th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Man, look at how much better the bigger hamburger looks, though!

3 Nikki says:

May 16th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
On “The Critic”’s comment:
Maybe, for some reason, people haven’t gotten used to larger and larger desserts. Maybe with meals getting larger and larger, the desserts stayed the same or got smaller. Or maybe it’s riding the coat tails of the more recent diet fads, like all the personal bags of cookies and tiny chocolate bars with only 100 calories per serving.

4 Phil says:

May 16th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I feel like some of those pictures are exaggerated to make the point - look at those slices of pizza, for example. Both are lookin fine, but look at the size of the pepperoni on the small side. ???

5 Sylvia says:

May 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
it struck me when I came to the States a year ago how big all portions are here, it´s disgusting and I´m always throwing food away because I can´t finish it. - I´m from Iceland.

6 dalia says:

May 22nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
i can’t finish most portions of anything at restaurants. and i’ve never eaten a lick’s burger because it seems a little obscene to try to consume something that’s bigger than my face.

if i have a starbucks frappuccino (the occasional treat for me) i can’t eat for hours afterward. it’s like a meal replacement shake or something.

and i’m always impressed by people who clear their plates when we eat out. it just seems like three days’ worth of food…

7 LJ says:

May 24th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
i’m probably the only one here who remembers this..but that picture reminds me of “good burger” vs. “mondo burger” in the good burger movie

Oh no! Chocolate, nuts, nut butter, red wine, dairy, cheese?! Onions?! With the exception of chocolate, these foods are staples for me.

I don’t have enough time to blog today, because I spent a chunk of computer time searching for the perfect Mexican recipe for today. But I’ll post what I found at the end. So much for avoiding onions and cheese!

UMM

Diet

Certain foods can trigger migraine headaches; these include:

Chocolate
Cheese
Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer found most notably in food from Chinese restaurants; you can always ask them to prepare the food without MSG
Foods containing the amino acid tyramine (found in red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans)
Nuts
Peanut butter
Some fruits (like avocado, banana, and citrus)
Onions
Dairy products
Meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami, cured meats)
Fermented or pickled foods
If you suspect that any of these foods contribute to how often you get migraines, you could follow an elimination-rechallange diet. This involves eliminating all of the items on this list and then reintroducing them one at a time. During this process, you should keep track of the frequency of your headaches (in a headache diary), paying close attention to when the number of headaches increases relative to particular foods. Then you know the trigger foods to avoid.

On the other hand, incorporating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like flaxseed, walnuts (which contain alpha-linolenic acid [ALA], an important omega-3 fatty acid), and fish, into your diet may help stave off migraines. More research in this area would be helpful.

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

5-hydroxytryptophan for migraine prevention. 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid. The body makes 5-HTP from tryptophan (an amino acid that is obtained from the diet) and converts it to an important brain chemical known as serotonin. 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain, which may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, aggression, appetite, temperature, sexual behavior, and pain sensation. Some studies suggest that 5-HTP supplements may be effective in children and adults with various types of headaches including migraines.

Magnesium

Magnesium levels tend to be lower in those with migraine headaches, including children and teenagers, when compared to those who do not get headaches. A few studies suggest that taking a magnesium supplement may decrease the length of time that a migraine headache lasts and reduce the amount of medication you need to relieve the pain from a migraine.

Combining magnesium with the herb feverfew along with vitamin B2 (riboflavin) may be particularly helpful when you have a headache. This is a welcome alternative for many, especially if you have trouble taking medications because of side effects.

However, if you have 3 or more headaches per month, magnesium does not seem to work as well as prescription medications to prevent migraine headaches (that is, reduce their frequency by taking the medication or supplement every day). Unless, you are a woman and your migraines tend to happen around the time of your menstrual period; then, magnesium can be an effective way to prevent such headaches.

Magnesium sulfate may even be administered intravenously in the hospital if home remedies for the migraine symptoms are not working. The physician in the emergency room will determine if this or another therapy is most appropriate.

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe)

In a preliminary study, SAMe decreased the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraines for most of the 124 people included in this evaluation. In addition, many reported an improved sense of well-being and use of fewer pain killers.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

For many migraine sufferers, taking riboflavin regularly may help decrease the frequency and shorten the duration of migraine headaches. It is not clear how riboflavin compares to conventional medications used to prevent migraine headaches, however. As mentioned above, often the combination of riboflavin, magnesium, and feverfew is particularly helpful.

Other

Early information and individual reports suggest that glucosamine (a supplement often used for arthritis) and coenzyme Q10 (an antioxidant that helps protect us from damage to cells in our bodies that can occur from normal metabolic processes) may each help to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches.

Herbs
The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthen the body and treat disease. Herbs, however, contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care and only under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in the field of herbal medicine.

Feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium )

Feverfew, traditionally used for headaches, is very popular for migraines. In fact, a survey conducted in the 1980s of 270 migraine sufferers in Great Britain revealed that more than 70% of individuals felt substantially better when taking fresh feverfew leaves every day. Since then, several well-designed studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of feverfew for the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches. Most, but not all, of these studies have found beneficial results. For example, in a study of 76 migraine sufferers, those who took feverfew capsules every day for 4 months experienced a substantial drop in the number of attacks as well as far fewer symptoms that often accompany migraines, such as nausea and vomiting, compared to those who received placebo.

It is particularly important when using feverfew to do so with guidance from a specialist because there is wide variability in the formulations of this herb sold over the counter. This may explain why some studies show improvement in migraines while others do not.

For now, some suggest that feverfew may be most appropriate for migraine sufferers who have not gotten better using conventional therapies or cannot tolerate standard medications due to side effects. Other specialists point out that many prescription medications used for headaches do not have the strongest data to support their use either. They go on to say that given that feverfew has fewer side effects and greater tolerability, this herb is definitely an important option for people with migraines.

Others

Although studies are lacking, the following herbs have been used clinically by herbal specialist to treat migraine and other types of headaches:

Dong quai ( Angelica sinensis )
Devil’s claw ( Harpagophytum procumbens )
Ginger ( Zingiber officinale )
Ginkgo biloba ( Ginkgo biloba )
Jamaica dogwood ( Piscidia erythrina/Piscidia piscipula )
Lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia )
Linden ( Tilia cordata/platypus ) flowers
Peppermint ( Mentha x piperita )
Valerian ( Valeriana officinalis )
Willow bark ( Salix spp .)

Acupuncture
An acupuncturist diagnoses headaches not as migraine, tension, or sinus, but rather as conditions deriving from “energetic” imbalances. Headaches are commonly seen and often successfully treated by acupuncturists.

Acupuncture has been studied as a treatment for migraine headache for over 20 years, and the National Institutes of Health, as well as other groups of experts, recommend acupuncture as a treatment for headache. While not all studies have shown benefit with acupuncture, researchers do agree that acupuncture appears to be safe and that headache patients who wish to try this therapy should not be discouraged from doing so. Results from a study published in 2003 suggest that receiving an acupuncture treatment when migraine symptoms first begin is as effective as sumatriptan (one of the main medications used during the early stages of a migraine); later on in the course of the symptoms, however, the medication works better than acupuncture.

In addition to needling treatment, acupuncturists may recommend lifestyle changes, such as suggestions for specific breathing techniques, qi gong exercise, and dietary modifications.

Chiropractic
Several well-designed trials support the effectiveness of spinal manipulation therapy in the treatment of migraine headaches.

In one study, for example, including 127 people with migraine headaches, 22% of those who received chiropractic manipulation reported more than a 90% reduction of migraines and 49% reported a significant reduction of the intensity of each episode.

In another study, 218 individuals with migraine headaches were randomly assigned to receive spinal manipulation, a daily medication (amitryptiline—a drug used to prevent pain in chronic conditions such as migraine headache), or a combination of both. Spinal manipulation was as effective as the medication and had fewer side effects. There was no added benefit to combining the two therapies.

In addition, a review article evaluating nine studies that tested spinal manipulative therapy for tension or migraine headaches concluded that this chiropractic technique is comparable to medications used to try to prevent either of these two types of headaches.

Massage and Physical Therapy
Reflexology, a technique involving massage of “reflex points” on the hands and feet that correspond to areas throughout the body, helps you become more aware of you own body signals. This may allow you to anticipate the onset of a migraine sooner because of subtle symptoms that begin before the headache sets in. Reflexology also helps improve general well-being and energy level.

Homeopathy
One of the most common reasons people seek homeopathic care is to relieve the pain associated with chronic headaches. Interestingly however, only one out of four studies included in a recent review concluded that individually prescribed homeopathic remedies significantly reduces the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine symptoms. Some of these effective remedies are listed below. Professional homeopaths may also recommend various treatments based on their knowledge and clinical experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account the individual’s constitutional type. In homeopathic terms, a person’s constitution is his or her physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors when determining the most appropriate remedy for a particular individual.

The following are some of the remedies found to be effective in the previously mentioned studies:

Belladonna — for throbbing headaches that come on suddenly; these types of headaches tend to worsen with motion and light, but are partially relieved by pressure, standing, sitting, or leaning backwards
Bryonia — for headaches with a steady, sharp pain in the forehead that may radiate to the back of the head; these types of headaches worsen with movement and light touch, but improve with firm pressure; this remedy is most appropriate for individuals who are irritable and may also experience nausea, vomiting, and constipation
Gelsemium — for pain that extends around the head and feels like a tight band of constriction; pain usually originates in the back of the head and may be relieved following urination; this remedy is most appropriate for individuals who feel extremely weak and have difficulty keeping their eyes open
Ignatia — for pain that may be described as a feeling of something being driven into the skull; these types of headaches tend to be triggered by emotion, including grief or anxiety, and the treatment is appropriate for both children and adults
Iris versicolor — for periodic migraines that begin with blurred vision, especially after eating sweets; pain usually occurs on one side of the head and may be partially relieved by gentle movement and/or fresh air
Kali bichromicum — for aching and pressing pains on the forehead (particularly between and behind the eyes); may be accompanied by sinus congestion or nausea and vomiting; this remedy is most appropriate for individuals who prefer to lie down in a dark room and who experience relief from warmth and eating
Lachesis — for migraines on the left side of the head that are typically worse in the mornings and before menstruation; this type of headache is aggravated by warmth and sunlight and relieved by open air and firm pressure
Natrum muriaticum — one of the most common remedies used for migraine headaches, particularly those that are described as “hammers beating the head;” pain is relieved when the individual is lying down, alone, in a quiet dark room; these migraines may be associated with either menstruation or a grieving experience and are worse in the middle of the day; this remedy is most appropriate for children who look pale and feel nauseated, nervous, and emotional
Nux vomica — for headaches that are described as a “nail being driving into the head;” often accompanied by nausea and/or dizziness; this remedy is most appropriate for individuals who are constipated and irritable
Sanguinaria — for right-sided headaches that begin in the neck and move upwards, recur in a predictable pattern (such as every seven days), and are accompanied by nausea and vomiting; pain is aggravated by motion, light or sun exposure, odors, and noise; this remedy is appropriate for children who may have a craving for spicy or acidic foods, despite having a general aversion to eating due to the headache
Sepia — for migraines that are accompanied by nausea and are relieved when the individual is lying down; light and movement tend to worsen symptoms; this remedy is most appropriate for individuals who are moody and don’t like being alone, but worry about being with others
Homeopaths may also prescribe the following remedies based on their knowledge and clinical experience:

Pulsatilla — for headaches triggered by eating rich, fatty foods, particularly ice cream; pain tends to move but may be concentrated in the forehead or on one side of the head; may be accompanied by digestive problems or occur around the time of menstruation; children for whom this remedy is appropriate often develop these symptoms while at school
Spigelia — for migraines described as a stinging, burning, or throbbing pain, often on the left side of the head; symptoms tend to worsen with exposure to cold weather and with motion, but are temporarily relieved by cold compresses and when the individual is lying on the right side with the head propped up

All Recipes

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

In attempting to discover what is causing my migraines and heart palpitations, I discovered Cafergot. I eschew medication, so at the end you will see the try for a natural cure.

Medsafe

Cafergot is used to treat attacks of migraine with or without aura.

These headaches are thought to be caused by temporary changes in the size of small blood vessels in the brain. These blood vessels swell, causing the pain and visual disturbances that often happen during an attack. Cafergot stops the attack by causing the blood vessels to constrict (shrink) back to normal size.

Cafergot is only taken to treat migraine attacks. It is not taken to prevent attacks from happening.

There are some types of headaches which must not be treated with Cafergot. Your doctor will determine the best treatment for your headache.

Cafergot tablets contain the active ingredients, ergotamine tartrate and caffeine. Ergotamine belongs to a group of medicines known as the “ergot alkaloids.” Caffeine helps ergotamine work better and faster by increasing its absorption into the body.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.

Cafergot is only available with a doctor’s prescription.

There is not enough information to recommend this medicine for children under 6 years of age.

Before you take Cafergot
When you must not take it
Do not take Cafergot if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any of the following:

ergotamine or caffeine, the active ingredients in Cafergot tablets
any of the other ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
any other ergot alkaloids (e.g. Ergodryl®, Ergometrine®, Syntometrine®).
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin.

Do not take Cafergot if you have any of the following health problems/medical conditions:

problems with your heart, especially if you have angina that is not controlled or you have had a heart attack
high blood pressure that is not controlled
severe liver or kidney disease
poor blood circulation or other blood vessel disorders (e.g. varicose veins, fluid buildup in legs or feet, or conditions that make your fingers and toes unusually sensitive to cold)
a serious infection
you are being treated for HIV/AIDS with a medicine called ritonavir, nelfinavir, indinavir or delavirdine
you are being treated for an infection with a medicine called ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin or clarithromycin
Do not take Cafergot if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
This medicine may affect your developing baby if you take it while you are pregnant.

Do not breast-feed if you are using Cafergot.
The active ingredients in Cafergot may pass into breast milk and may affect your baby.

Do not take Cafergot after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
In that case, return it to your pharmacist.

Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you smoke.
Nicotine in cigarettes may increase the chance of you having an unwanted side effect called “ergotism” (excessive constriction of blood vessels). See Side Effects section for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.
Your doctor will want to know if you are prone to allergies.

Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food store.
Some medicines and Cafergot may interfere with each other. These include:

some medicines used to treat HIV/AIDS, including ritonavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, delavirdine or saquinavir
some medicines for infections, including ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole, voriconazole, clotrimazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, troleandomycin
some medicines used to treat mental disorders, including nefazodone, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine
other ergot alkaloids
other medicines used to treat migraine such as sumatriptan
nicotine in medicines used to help you quit smoking, such as nicotine patches or chewing gum
beta-blocker medicines such as propranolol, which are used to prevent migraine and also to treat heart problems and high blood pressure
any other medicine that can cause blood vessels to contract (shrink).
You may need to take different amounts of your medicines or to take different medicines while you are using Cafergot. Your doctor and pharmacist have more information.

If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell him/her before you start using this medicine.

Things you must not do
Do not take Cafergot to prevent a migraine attack from happening.
This medicine should only be taken to treat a migraine once it has started.

Health

Some medications may increase the risk of dangerously decreased blood flow to the brain, heart, or extremities when taken with caffeine and ergotamine. In rare but severe cases, gangrene or other serious problems can result. Some, but not all, of these medications are listed below in the section “What other drugs will affect caffeine and ergotamine?”. Do not take any other medications during treatment with caffeine and ergotamine without first talking to your doctor.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes, chest pain, weakness of the legs, muscle pain in the arms or legs, pain in the chest, changes in heart rate, swelling or itching.
Do not take caffeine and ergotamine if you are pregnant or if you could become pregnant during treatment. Caffeine and ergotamine is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that caffeine and ergotamine can cause harm to an unborn baby. Caffeine and ergotamine can induce uterine contractions, which can result in abortion, and it can restrict blood flow to the fetus.

Do not use more than six tablets or two suppositories per headache. Do not use more than ten tablets or five suppositories in seven days. If your symptoms are not being adequately treated, talk to your doctor.

Caffeine and ergotamine both cause vasoconstriction (narrowing) of arteries and veins that supply blood to the head.

Caffeine and ergotamine is used to prevent and to treat vascular headaches such as migraine and migraine-like headaches.

Caffeine and ergotamine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

After the following research, I am hesitant to try this in its natural form. It’s related to LSD?

American Chronicle

By Shilpa C Nangali

On February 13, 2008, I read in an online outlet that a teen collapsed after ingesting seeds of morning glory plant. I looked for details and came to know that the seeds of many species of ´morning glory plant´ contain ergot alkaloids, which can create an effect similar to LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) when taken in specific quantity. The seeds can be dangerous, especially for those with certain types of cardiovascular conditions, pregnant women and the elderly. This information sparked off a curiosity to know more about ergot fungus. Fungi are single-cell forms of life that have been on our mother earth for billions of years. Fungi can be found throughout our environment. Some of these fungi are beneficial while others can be harmful.

Both plants and animals are harmed by fungal diseases. Fungi can actively grow by invading the body of their hosts. However, there is another way by which fungi can cause harm without invading our bodies. When fungi grow on a living organism or on stored food material that we consume, they may produce harmful metabolites, which can diffuse into the food. It is believed that fungi produce these metabolites as a way of protecting their food supply from other organisms. These metabolites are known as ´mycotoxins´. In Greek ´mykes´ or ´mukos´ means fungus; so, ´mycotoxins´ means ´fungus poisons´ while mycotoxicoses refers to the effects of poisoning by mycotoxin.

Fungi proliferate into colonies and mycotoxin levels become high in favorable conditions. These mycotoxins vary greatly in their severity. A few fungi produce severe toxins only at specific levels of moisture, temperature or oxygen in the air. A few toxins are deadly, some cause identifiable diseases or health problems; some weaken the immune system without producing symptoms specific to that toxin, some act as allergens or irritants, while some have no known effect on us.

I would like to write in brief about one of the mycotoxin producers i.e., the ergot fungus (Claviceps purpurea), which is famous as ´floral parasite´. Ergot is the common name of a fungus in the genus Claviceps that is parasitic on certain grains and grasses. The fungus forms a sclerotium in winter, and this small structure is usually known as ‘ergot’. Ergot fungus produces alkaloids, derivatives of lysergic acid (ergotamine, ergotoxin), which are of considerable importance in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions, migraine & as hallucinogens (inducers of hallucinations). For the most part, ergot is still produced by the artificial inoculation of rye plants with C. purpurea, submerged culture of other strains, including C.paspali due to the economic importance of this fungus.

The analgesics are used in treating several painful conditions. Most are available without a prescription from high street chemists to treat migraine. They are used by a remarkably large number of people who manage their attacks by self-medication. The analgesics like paracetamol, codeine, aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen and tolfenamic acid provide some relief for migraine patients, especially when combined with anti-sickness medicines or other products such as caffeine, ergot alkaloids or anti-nausea medicines. The prescription migraine treatments contain a drug called ergotamine tartrate and ergotamine is basically derived from ergot fungus. However, according to a report in the Journal Neurology, the overuse of ergotamine increases the risk of cardiovascular complications, such as heart attack and stroke, among migraine patients who are taking drugs for cardiovascular disease. Ergot derivatives are sometimes used in the prevention of menstrual migraine, but should not be prescribed to pregnant patients. I have read about a study, which revealed that the drugs used to treat migraine attacks including ergot alkaloids may alter the body’s secretion of hormones such as growth hormone and the stress hormone cortisol.

According to SurfWax News Index, the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann invented LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) as the 25th variation of a compound derived from ergot fungus n the Sandoz (now Novartis) laboratories in Basel. The drug was the 25th he created from the basic chemical ingredients of ergot fungus, in his search for treatments for circulation and respiratory problems. LSD is one of the major drugs making up the hallucinogen class of drugs. LSD is hallucinogenic and triggers misrepresentations in perception of reality and has an effect on serotonin, the neurotransmitter involved in mood, hunger, sexual behavior, and muscle control. According to Scientific American, Hofmann also manufactured a wide range of medical drugs from ergot fungus, including methergine (which is still used to halt bleeding after birth) and hydergine (which improves circulation).

It is considered that ergot drugs such as Cafergot could relieve cluster headaches, which are known by the nickname “suicide headaches”! Cluster headache is a neurological disease in which headaches occur periodically, with active periods interrupted by spontaneous remissions.

This is a different direction than my blog usually takes. There isn’t a category for this article. However, relationships do affect your health.

I disagree with the entire slant of this article. The Bible says that the man was not made for the woman, instead, the woman is made for the man. In today’s society, this is not a viewpoint that is appreciated. However, I have experienced a bad marriage that was transformed by God into a spectacular marriage. I saw what didn’t work, and I see what DOES work. I see how a marriage works when Bible principles are applied, and I see the happiness and joy that the Bible principles create.

Submission in today’s society is pictured as the Middle Eastern tradition of abused, poor, sad women who must do whatever the husband demands. I have a marriage in which I am submissive, but instead of abuse and sadness, my marriage is new and flourishing, after 19 years of marriage. When we had a bad marriage, I was constantly fighting for control of the “steering wheel”. Picture our marriage as a ship. When we were both pulling the wheel in opposite directions, nothing was accomplished, we were both frustrated, and the ship went no where.

Ten years ago, I decided to let my husband control the wheel, and let the ship crash if he made a mistake. Do you know what I learned? He was a big boy, and even when he made a mistake, he learned from the mistake, and didn’t do that again. When I was trying to lead, he never learned from his mistakes.

Do you know what else happened? He began to confidently lead, and his decisions were wise, and brought good things to our life. Not only that, but he began to cherish me, where before he treated me badly. When he was allowed to make final decisions, he saw me as a beautiful woman instead of a controlling shrew. He now treats with me love and affection, and instead of running away and spending evenings with his friends in an attempt to escape from me, he tries his hardest to spend as much time with me as possible. When life keeps us apart for a short time, he misses me and hurries back to me.

By the way, he doesn’t make decisions without me. He comes to me and shares the options that he sees. I put in my 2-cents worth, or hit him with an option he didn’t consider. He gives my opinion a lot of extra weight, considers carefully, then decides.

He is made of the fiber of kings. He does not have a servant’s heart, as does my dad, brother, and brother-in-law. They worship their woman. I dated a guy like that, and I felt awkward. I wished he would stop being wishy-washy and take charge. Instead, my man is decisive, delegates, and gets the job done. He is a supervisor. He hires, pays, and fixes problems.

Because I let him be manly, he sees me as womanly. It makes our relaionship thrive. How can you abuse someone who makes you feel good about yourself?

If a husband is abusive, it is generally because his woman is not meeting his needs. I also noticed that when I criticized my husband, he became pompous and arrogant, and told everyone how good he was. When I told him what I admired and appreciated about him, he stopped needing to boast and brag to others.

I have also noticed that it has to start with the woman. The respect, the honor, the appreciation, the cortesy, the approval, and the decency have to be given to the man by the woman before he can return them. Woman are by nature more malleable and flexible. (That’s why it is our prerogative to change our minds!) For this reason, the woman needs to change first. WOMEN, let your man know why you picked him in the first place. Even if he is being yucky to you right now, you liked him to begin with. Tell him what it was.

God hath made everything beautiful in His time. He gave me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. I have no more spirit of heaviness.

How To Treat A Woman
By ‘Emma’
5-13-8

I am a submissive woman. I long to be with a man who has strong leadership skills, someone who is not hesitant to exert his power in a relationship with me. Someone I can take care of and look after and be a helpmate to but also depend on to take charge when needed. Someone I can complement, not someone I can dominate.

But today’s men need to learn the difference between responsible leadership and abuse. In the upside down world of feminism we live in today, I generally come across two types of men:

The first type is the kind who have been brainwashed by the feminist movement and think that what women want is for their men to worship and idolize them. Nothing turns me off faster than a man who worships me, puts my needs and desires before his own and bends over backward to fulfill my every whim. I run from men like that.

The other type of men I come across are the ones who call themselves ‘dominant,’ but are actually just emotionally abusive (and sometimes physically) and don’t have a clue that they are. They are the ones who will go all the way to China or Russia looking for a ’submissive’ wife, because they say there are no submissive women in the United States. There is such a complete disconnect in the brains of these men, it is beyond me how they function in any relationship. What they don’t realize is that women (yes, even here in the US) are inherently submissive, to one degree or another. It’s in our DNA. It is hard-wired into us (in the same way your masculinity is hard-wired into you), in spite of the fact that feminism has done its level best to squash it.

To the men in the first category: Go home. There is no hope for you.

To the men in the second category: Any woman who truly loves you will go to the ends of the earth for you. She will feed you and take care of you until death. She will bear and raise your children and take care of your home. She will put her feet to the fire for you. She’ll stand by you and support you through the worst life has to dish out. She’ll put her life on the line for you and she will do it all without reservation - as long as you are treating her well.

Start NOT treating her well, start being disrespectful and criticizing everything she does, and all you’ll do is piss her off. All of a sudden you have this furious woman in front of you, and you have no idea what she’s angry about. Inevitably, because you cannot see where you are doing anything wrong, you’ll then shift the blame and accuse her of being an angry feminist, thereby sabotaging the relationship and dooming it to fail.

Newsflash: She doesn’t have an anger problem. She has an abusive husband problem. Most women with an IQ above 40 will not stay with an abusive husband.

Let me say it again: If you treat your woman well, you won’t have to ask for her submission. She will give it willingly, freely, happily and without reservation until the day you die.

Most of the men in this category do not know what the word ‘marriage’ or ‘partnership’ truly means. They carry a deep-seated contempt for women in general that is apparent in almost everything they do. They don’t view their women as partners or helpmates; they view them as property and treat them as less than human, with barely a shred of simple common decency or respect.

So what does it mean to treat a woman well? What do women really want?

Well, of course we want your leadership and direction. We like our men to be men. We want you to be strong and decisive in the ways we aren’t. We love that you can get the lid off the flipping pickle jar for us, or move a cement step to free a trapped kitten. We LOVE that mysterious masculine side of you. But we also want and need your respect, approval and appreciation. That’s not feminism talking, it’s simple human nature.

I once had a conversation with a man who had just been through a devastating divorce after a 27-year marriage to a woman he obviously loved very much. He said to me, “She was so beautiful and I was always so proud to have her for my wife.”

I asked (gently), “Did you ever tell her that?”

“NO!!!” He said, as if it was beneath his macho dignity to actually compliment his wife. It made me want to cry for her.

H - E - L - L - O !?!

Guys, come on. Get a grip.

Just because you expect a meal to be on the table at a certain time (and we are fine with the fact that you expect it) would it kill you to give the courtesy of a simple thank you when it is?

There’s a huge difference between saying, with a twinkle in your eye:

“I’d like you to wear this today.”

and

“Take that thing off, it makes your ass look fat.”

There’s a huge difference between:

“I realize you have a different opinion, but I’m going to do it this way instead.”

and

“Your opinion means nothing.”

There’s a huge difference between:

“I appreciate all that you do.”

and

“It’s your JOB, woman!”

There’s a huge difference between:

“I like that you don’t expect me to take you out to expensive restaurants every weekend.”

and

“Hey, you’re a cheap date!”

and

“I like your hair better down.”

As opposed to:

“Your hair looks like hell up.”

See the difference? I am constantly amazed by the number of men who don’t. The first statements are relationship builders and the second statements are relationship destroyers. To a man, it’s a subtle distinction. To a woman, it’s a sledgehammer. The first statements are what women thrive on. They are what create and sustain that undying lifelong devotion for her partner. The second statements are emotionally hurtful and abusive and make her feel disrespected, unappreciated and unloved. They slowly tear down her self-worth and self-esteem. Do that long enough and she will eventually go away, whether you are a good provider or not.

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar: Show your appreciation and she will do more of whatever it is you appreciate. Constantly criticize everything she does, and she will do less, if any at all. Simple common courtesy like saying thank you for a meal or showing your appreciation to your partner doesn’t make you any less of a man; quite the opposite. It assures her that she is important to you and it goes a long way toward building the kind of trust and loyalty that lasts forever. It’s the key to creating that submissive woman you all claim to want.

It’s not rocket science, guys. It takes very little effort on your part, with lifelong rewards.

Feminism has been both bad and good for society. On the good side, it empowered women to get out of truly abusive relationships, something that was very much needed back in the day. But one of the many ways in which it has been bad is that it has taught men to use ‘feminism’ as a scapegoat for their own lack of communication and relationship skills.

Where are the REAL men, the ones who can dance on the edge of dominance without falling off the cliff into abusiveness?

Maybe I was on the right track last summer when I dieted amd allowed myself a tablespoon of peanut butter and honey. I was frustrated because my abs grew. I didn’t know I was pregnant. I want to diet again in 9 days when he is 6 months old.

Flat Belly Diet Plan

You can do the same!
We’ll start by showing you how to lose up to 7 pounds and 5 inches from your belly in just 96 hours!

The secret? The all-new Flat Belly Diet created and then TESTED by the experts at PREVENTION magazine. Now you’re invited to try it RISK FREE …

No exercise required. No denying yourself delicious foods like waffles, burgers, burritos, sausage, and even pizza. How is this possible?

We now know these foods contain a very SPECIAL kind of fat that can actually signal your belly fat to “get lost!”

All of them led busy, stressful lives– just like you.
All of them had tried just about every diet you could think of without getting the results they hoped for.
All of them were skeptical, too.
Once the panel was assembled, they were all weighed, measured, and photographed. Then we sent them on their way with the complete program in their hands. We checked in regularly, and about 30 days later, we invited them back to see what happened.

A 100 percent success rate!
When the test participants walked through the door for the first time, the women standing before us were positively stunning. I have to admit I was totally amazed at how downright gorgeous they looked.

After we measured and weighed the participants, the results exceeded our expectations. Just look…
100 percent of the test participants lost weight – as much as 15 pounds in just 32 days.
100 percent lost significant inches (as much as 11.25 inches ) from their bellies, hips, thighs, etc. In total, our test panel lost more than 86 unsightly inches!
91 percent lost a significant amount of belly fat. A whopping 23 inches of belly fat vanished for our test participants!

The improvement was instantly visible when these beautiful women returned to be weighed. But the improvement went way beyond the numbers. Each of these women reported that their whole lives had improved, too. They were bursting with energy. They looked and felt slimmer and sexier. They felt that finally they had found a solution that really worked.

There have been thousands of diet plans before the Flat Belly Diet. And they have all promised great results and delicious food.
But what is it about the Flat Belly Diet that makes it so different – especially when targeting your waistline?

It’s fat. Calorie-laden, oily fat.
That’s right, the Flat Belly Diet is based largely on eating a fairly high-fat diet.

But not just any fat. The fats we’re talking about are called MUFAs (rhymes with loofahs). And it stands for monounsaturated fatty acid.

And not only do MUFAs target your belly fat, but experts believe they help prevent and even eliminate central fat distribution in your body.

That means the #1 driving nutrient behind the Flat Belly Diet helps reduce your belly fat and prevent it from coming back.
No other belly-busting weight loss plan has ever done this before. That’s why the test panel results speak for themselves.
Click here now to read all about the fat-blasting power of MUFAs RISK FREE!

One of the best things about the Flat Belly Diet is that it has a higher fat content–so your appetite is
satisfied longer. Remember that peanut butter-covered English muffin? Well, the peanut butter actually slows down your digestive process, so you don’t feel the need to reach for a chocolate bar a half-hour later. Let’s look over the belly-busting menu you’ll be enjoying from day one–including…

Grilled pork salad
Potato pancakes
Burgers and hot dogs (yes, that’s correct!)
Apple cinnamon waffles
Southwest pita melts
Cinnamon raisin toast
Chicken stir-fry over brown rice
Ham & cheese on English muffin with pesto
FLAT BELLY pizza, tacos, egg sandwiches
Plus dozens more!
This is “diet” food? You bet!
Remember, the 4-week Flat Belly Diet is designed to help you discover a whole new healthier way of eating– without sacrificing your love for good food. After all, good food is one of life’s great pleasures. Flat Belly Diet helps you get the belly flattening results you want with a hearty, mouthwatering menu of delicious foods.
Lose up to 15 pounds in as little as 32 days–with delicious food! RISK FREE copy of Flat Belly Diet. Click here to order now for immediate shipping! Not available anywhere else!

TIRED OF FIGHTING THE FLAB AROUND YOUR ABS?
NO TIME TO EXERCISE?
DO YOU SIMPLY ADORE HEARTY, DELICIOUS FOOD?

Here, at last, comes the ultimate belly-busting solution!
Is it really possible to lose weight–especially around your middle–by eating foods like this?

Yes. Remember, the Flat Belly Diet was created and then tested by the experts at Prevention. The results speak for themselves. The foods are absolutely delicious. And everything is explained, step by step, in plain English. You get…

Recipes for hearty meals your whole family will love.

More than 80 easy to cook recipes that take advantage of today’s ready-to-go ingredients.

Every last recipe in Flat Belly Diet is ready in just minutes.

Dozens of delicious ready-to-go snacks you choose from every day.

Time-saving brand-name shopping lists.

BONUS 32-day Food Journal that makes it easier than ever to stay on course.

A simple, three-part exercise plan that’s an easy fit for your busy life (completely optional for those who want even faster, bigger results).

Prevention

Finally, get the fab abs you’ve always wanted with this revolutionary eating program—it’s healthy, it’s easy to follow—and shedding harmful abdominal fat not only protects your health but could save your life!

Read the Success Stories
Meet the 5 Flat Belly Foods
What Your Waist Size Reveals
The Skinny on Belly Fat
The Role of Stress
Quiz: Test Your Belly Smarts!

Flat Belly Diet

his breakthrough diet from the editors of Prevention magazine was made for health-conscious women who have tried virtually everything to eliminate harmful belly fat - it offers a proven, science-based solution combining a cutting-edge nutrition plan with expert motivational tips and advice.
Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 32 Days!
Eat Delicious Foods and Never Feel Hungry!
Conquer Emotional Eating!
Never Do a Single Crunch!
And Most Importantly, Flatten Your Belly!

FOLLOW THE FLAT BELLY BLOG: Self-love vs. Food Love
A two-way Flat Belly Diet exchange between Nutritionist Cynthia Sass and dieter Maureen. Here Maureen talks about her struggles to tackle problems without turning to food.

I have been having rain headaches for a couple of years now. Last week was a doozy. I think I had 3 or 4 of them. Towards the end of the week, I began to be concerned it was more than a rain headache, because my heart was skipping beats, and my lips were tingling (which was probably due to skipped beats). Just about the time I was convinced I was having preliminary heart attack symptoms, or a brain tumor, a friend complained that his broken back was hurting. His back hurts when my head is aching due to the barometric pressure. Whenever the barometer reads 29 and falling, my head hurts. I have a daughter whose head hurts when mine does, and a daughter whose head hurts when it is 30. At the end of the week, my daughter’s head was hurting too.

I was relieved that the headache wasn’t anything major, but concerned that my heart was skipping.

My midwife told me that I needed to get back on hawthorne, which I stopped taking a week ago when I ran out. I didn’t intend to stop taking it, I just haven’t gotten to the store to buy it.

She also recommended potassium. She mentioned that I may be protein deficient.

Mother Nature

Very rarely do the heart’s occasional flutters, skips, flip-flops, leaps or pounding rhythms indicate a serious problem in women under 45 unless they have underlying heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, a previous heart attack, serious valvular disease, problems with the heart muscle or rare congenital syndromes.

any heart palpitations that are accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath or chest pain–all indicators of underlying diseases that can turn simple palpitations into a life-threatening condition–should be checked by a doctor, says Marjorie S. Stanek, M.D., director of the Cardiac Stress Laboratory at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. And so should any palpitations in which the heart begins to race and flatly refuses to stop.

When Hearts Flutter

Serious rhythm disturbances are more likely if you have had previous heart problems or if there is a family history of fainting or sudden unexplained death (particularly if it occurs at a relatively young age). If you have any concerns, discuss them with your doctor, who can prescribe treatments to stabilize your heart rhythms.

Palpitations that are unaccompanied by the symptoms described above, stop almost instantly or happen only once in a while can often be ignored, adds Dr. Stanek. However, if your palpitations annoy you, see your doctor. You can have a checkup to rule out serious conditions and get medication to relieve your symptoms.

Palpitations–which are really nothing more than a forceful pulsation of the heart, an irregular rhythm or a faster-than-normal heartbeat–occur in 20 percent of all adults during any given 24-hour period. There’s also a condition called arrhythmia in which these palpitations may not be felt.

In younger women without underlying heart disease, heart palpitations are usually caused by stress, over-the-counter medications, caffeine, cigarette smoke or alcohol, explains Dr. Stanek.

Occasionally they’re caused by thyroid disease or by any activity that is particularly exciting or anxiety-provoking, including sex.

Three’s the Charm

Most of these palpitations are caused by premature contractions, says Dr. Stanek. The heart beats once, then beats a second time prematurely. That gives the heart a split second longer to fill up with blood before the third beat, so when that beat comes, the increased blood in the heart makes it contract more forcefully. And although most people describe the feeling as a “skipped beat,” says Dr. Stanek, it’s that third, extra-forceful contraction that actually grabs their attention. Palpitations are also felt when the heart beats faster than normal or if its rhythm is irregular.

Frequently palpitations can be prevented simply by avoiding circumstances that are known to encourage them, says Dr. Stanek.

Read the ingredient label. Two flutter-triggering substances (which are frequently tucked away in unexpected places) are epinephrine in over-the-counter nose drops, cold remedies and allergy medicines and caffeine in coffee, chocolate and aspirin compounds.

Alcohol, which can be found in a cough syrup as well as a wine glass, also encourages palpitations, adds Dr. Stanek. So do prescription diuretics that flush out potassium along with excess fluid.

If your doctor has prescribed any type of medication to help eliminate excess fluid, says Dr. Stanek, check with her to see whether you need to supplement your diet with potassium.

Stay in shape. If you have been forced to sit or lie around for a while, chances are that your body will become deconditioned and any activity will require your heart to work harder, which may cause palpitations, says Dr. Stanek.

Keep calories above 1,000. Many doctors are concerned that very-low-calorie diets–typically, diets of less than 1,000 calories a day–may cause the life-threatening irregular heartbeats that you may be trying to prevent with a weight-loss diet, says Janis S. Fisler, Ph.D., associate research cardiologist at the University of California at Los Angeles. Commercial diet programs such as Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Nutri-System that keep your calories above 1,000 are all fine, says Dr. Fisler. Dieting on your own is fine, too, she notes, as long as you check with a doctor first and keep that 1,000-calorie marker firmly in mind. And, adds Dr. Fisler, weight loss should never exceed one to two pounds per week unless you are under the supervision of a physician.

One type of palpitation that appears commonly in young women with no heart disease is paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, a condition in which the heart slams into double-time.

There are several simple maneuvers that can be performed to cut off these attacks. Squatting, coughing, breath-holding, or “bearing down” as during a bowel movement are often effective. Occasionally other measures, such as gagging or splashing cold water on the face, may help.

HRS Patients

Palpitation or a Skipped Beat
Although it may seem as if the heart missed a beat, really the heart has a premature heartbeat, almost an extra beat happening too soon, which may result in a pause – the “skipped beat.” [more]
Fluttering
A fluttering sensation is usually due to a series of “skipped beats” that occur in quick succession. [more]

Slow Heartbeat – Bradycardias [more]
If the heartbeat is too slow, usually considered a rate below 60 beats a minute, not enough oxygen-rich blood flows through the body. So, it makes sense that the symptoms of a slow heartbeat are:

Fatigue
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Fainting or near fainting

Rapid Heartbeat – Tachycardias [more]
When the heart beats too quickly, usually considered a rate above 100 beats a minute, the lower chambers, or ventricles, do not have enough time to fill with blood, so they cannot effectively pump blood to the rest of the body. When this happens, some people experience:

Skipping a beat
Beating out of rhythm
Palpitations
Rapid heart action
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Fainting or near fainting.
Chaotic, quivering or irregular rhythm

Suddenly rapid, irregular and chaotic heartbeats may be a sign of the most dangerous arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation. It is the number one cause of sudden cardiac death. Within seconds, an individual loses consciousness and, without immediate emergency treatment, will die within minutes.

Almost Fainting – Presyncope
Sometimes people experience symptoms before they faint. Presyncope can be a sign of a heart rhythm disorder and should be evaluated carefully.
Dizziness, lightheadedness or vertigo
Blurred or narrowed (tunnel) vision
Sweating
Nausea and/or vomiting
Stomachache/abdominal discomfort
Heart palpitations
Headache
Confusion and/or difficulty
speaking clearly or coherently
Fainting - Syncope [more]
Fainting related to a heart rhythm disorder is more likely to happen suddenly and without warning than fainting related to other causes, such as dehydration or low blood sugar. Any sudden lose of consciousness should be evaluated by a physician.
In some cases, fainting is the only warning sign of an arrhythmia that could cause sudden cardiac death.

A lot of forums that discuss heart palpitations point the finger of blame at pharmaceutical side effects. Here is one example. A boy in track was on Vioxx and got heart palpitations. Dr. Kevin Pho responded:

Med Help

The symptoms you describe are in the side effect profile of Vioxx. One of the side effects is high blood pressure, occuring in 2-10 percent. Palpitations are also possible, occuring in 0.1-2 percent of patients.However, it is worth being evaluated by your personal physician for other causes. Tests for thyroid, electrolytes, and electrocardiogram should be considered.

Although we have had to worry about apnea, we have never had issues with decreased libido or impotence. I do know from previous experience with the apnea, that it is treatable with diet. We have never used CPAP. When my husband has given me his diet for 30 days and let me rule over every bite he eats, his apnea has gone away. I believe that the apnea is tied directly to weight. When he reaches a certain amount over weight, he begins to struggle with sleep apnea. When he loses a certain amount of weight, the apnea leaves. It may have to do with nutrition as well, because every time he loses weight, he does it by eating 5 servings of fruit and veggies, omits sugar, and eats whole grain.

Health and Fitness

Sleep and the regular and constant intake of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide are vital to a person’s health. All are negatively affected by sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which a person will stop breathing repeatedly during sleep, causing a person to progressively mentally and physically deteriorate due to a lack of sleep and also the lack of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide.

Sleep apnea can impair almost all bodily functions. For instance, sleep apnea is often responsible for metabolic slowdown resulting in a person putting on weight, and there is also a link between sleep apnea and impotence / sexual dysfunction. Over a prolonged time, sleep apnea can cause severe health issues such as heart failure and even result in the inevitable; death.

The solution, in theory, is simple: curtail sleep apnea and reduce the negative side effects. For each type of sleep apnea there are different solutions.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused by obstruction or closing in of the airways during sleep. Machines and devices can be used to help prevent this, such as devices which force the jaw forward opening the airways more, or devices preventing the tongue folding backwards and obstructing the airways. Machines such as the CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) can be worn during sleep to keep the airways open, allowing a person to breathe normally. Behavioural and lifestyle treatments you can make yourself can also have a huge impact upon defeating sleep apnea. (For more information on Behavioural and Lifestyle treatments, go here.

Central Sleep Apnea is caused by the brain failing to send signals to the lungs instructing them to breath. A person with Central Sleep Apnea is usually treated by medication, or perhaps by using the CPAP machine, which seems to encourage continued breathing in Central Sleep Apnea sufferers also.

If you have been feeling tired, and have an incline you don’t sleep good, and also suffer from impotence or sexual dysfunction, there is a possibility you are suffering primarily from sleep apnea and impotence is a resulting effect.

Health Search Online

Sleep apnea–waking up repeatedly because of an interruption in breathing– may be a cause of impotence.

Researchers have known of a link between the two conditions for a long time. Both seem to involve a nerve malfunction. This suggests a common apnea treatment may also help relieve impotence, they say.

Sleep apnea is a repeated interruption of breathing during sleep. Impotence, also called erectile dysfunction, is a consistent inability to get an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.

“Physicians involved in the diagnosis of erectile dysfunction must take into account sleep apnea” as a possible factor, says Francesco Fanfulla, MD.

Fanfulla, who is with the Maugeri Foundation Rehabilitation Center of Montescano, Italy, is the lead author of a study reported in the September 15, 2000, issue of the journal Sleep. The foundation funded the study, he said.

The study investigated a fact doctors had noticed for many years: a strikingly high number of patients suffer from both impotence and sleep apnea.

Past studies suggest that roughly 30-50% of obstructive sleep apnea patients are impotent, Fanfulla said, and some 28% of impotence patients have obstructive sleep apnea.

Fanfulla said that if past research holds up, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may prove to be a good impotence treatment.

CPAP, the most common apnea therapy, feeds air into the throat during sleep via a mask and pump. It keeps throat tissue from collapsing together and blocking air flow.

Article By: Jack Lucentini, Medical Writer

Medical News Today

Patients with sleep apnea often complain of decreased libido and lose their interest in sex.

Some of this is related to sleep deprivation that results from sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea can also cause impotence. Treatment of sleep apnea can improve libido and may help impotence. (Schwab)

That’s Fit

If muscles are on your mind, you might want to head to the gym, dust off those weights buried in your garage, and start eating peaches. RealAge says the potassium-rich peach gives muscles what they need to stay toned, healthy, and strong.

Essortment

Potassium, along with calcium and sodium, is an electrolyte (mineral salt) important to the human nervous system, muscle function, fluid balance and heart, kidney and adrenal functions. A deficiency of potassium (hypokalemia) can manifest as weakness, fatigue, confusion, heart irregularities, and sometimes problems in muscular coordination. Insufficient potassium can also exaggerate the effects of sodium. The first sign of a potassium deficiency is usually a generalized weakness.

Most people get sufficient potassium in a reasonably healthy diet — one that includes fresh fruits and vegetables and is low in sodium. Mineral imbalances can occur from starvation diets, but more commonly results from excessive fluid loss from sweating, diarrhea, or the use of diuretics and laxatives.

People who exercise heavily, and therefore sweat heavily, have higher potassium needs; they may need to take supplements to balance the electrolyte levels, or to bulk up their menus with high potassium foods.

On the other hand, people who suffer from some diseases, including diabetes and renal (kidney) failure can no longer metabolize minerals properly and need to guard against getting too much in their diet.

HIGH potassium (more than 225 milligrams per 1/2 c. serving)

These foods would be beneficial to athletes or to others who incur heavy fluid loss. Patients on potassium-restricted diets should avoid them, or eat them sparingly, as advised by their nutritionist.

All meats, poultry and fish are high in potassium.

Apricots (fresh more so than canned)

Avocado

Banana

Cantaloupe

Honeydew

Kiwi

Lima beans

Milk

Oranges and orange juice

Potatoes (can be reduced to moderate by soaking peeled, sliced potatoes overnight before cooking)

Prunes

Spinach

Tomatoes

Vegetable juice

Winter squash

MODERATE (125 - 225 mg per serving)

These foods can be a large part of most people’s balanced nutrition plan. Persons restricting their potassium might be cautioned to include no more than one or two servings from this list per day, depending on their medical restrictions.

Apple juice

Asparagus

Beets

Blackberries

Broccoli

Carrots

Cherries

Corn

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Green peas

Loose-leaf lettuce

Mushrooms, fresh

Onions

Peach

Pears

Pineapple

Raisins

Raspberries

Strawberries

Summer squash, including zucchini

Tangerines

Watermelon

WebMD

Bite into a juicy peach this summer, and savor a whole range of healthy benefits. This member of the rose family is not only low in calories (one cup, sliced, has just 60), it’s also packed with potassium — a medium peach has 285 milligrams (about 5% of your RDA). Potassium is essential for the proper functioning of the body’s cells and for maintaining a balance of fluids and electrolytes, important for nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and metabolism.

Peaches are also an excellent source of vitamins A and C and the cancer-fighting antioxidant beta carotene. The Persian apple, as it was once known, hails from ancient China and is a symbol of longevity. In the 1600s, Spanish missionaries planted peach trees in America, and the fruit has become an agricultural staple of the temperate South and West. Can’t stand the fuzz? Try eating a nectarine, a kind of peach with a smooth skin.

Other potassium-rich fruits include bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, mangoes, oranges, and pears.