Wednesday, April 7, 2010

A Holistic Way to Cure Yeast Infections

Are you plagued with yeast infections on a regular basis? Are you embarrassed by burning, itching or painful sensations everyday? It’s important to know that 75% of women have had a yeast infection at some point in their lives.
When you talk about yeast infections you are referring to candida a common fungus normally found on human skin or in areas of moisture such as the mouth or vagina. A vaginal yeast infection occurs when new yeast is introduced to the vaginal area. About a quarter of women have a small amount of yeast that naturally occurs in their vaginal area. If there is an increase in the quantity of yeast present in the vagina it is also possible for a yeast infection to occur. There are other ways for yeast infections to occur as well such as using douches, or oral contraceptives. Women who are pregnant, using chemotherapy or have diabetes mellitus are also more likely to have yeast infections.
Symptoms of yeast infections include burning, itching, soreness, pain during intercourse or urination, and vaginal discharge. These are also symptoms for several other conditions so it is important to see a doctor or get tested to confirm that it is a yeast infection.
The most common treatments for vaginal yeast infections are antifungal medications that can be applied topically (directly to the skin) or taken orally. However, some doctors have studied alternative, natural treatments for yeast infections. One natural treatment is to take a probiotic. Probiotics are live microbial organisms that are present in the digestive tract as well as the vagina. Probiotics are naturally occurring in the body and suppress the growth of other harmful bacterias such as candida.
Other natural and alternative treatments include boric acid, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar or simply diet change. Some doctors are researching the effects that specific foods in one’s diet may have on yeast in the body.
Whether you have tried conventional treatments that didn’t help you, or you are suffering with yeast infections for the first time it is important to know that there is help out there.

Rid your life of Acne

Acne is a skin condition that has plagued everyone or almost everyone as some point in his or her life. Normally acne arises during the teenage years but can also arise during infancy or persist into the twenties, thirties and forties. Acne is characterized by whiteheads, blackheads, pimples or zits.
Acne is caused by the pores in our skin becoming clogged. There are billions of pores all over the human body. Each pore contains a an opening for a follicle (for hair to grow) and an oil gland. Oil glands act as a protectant and lubricant to the hair and skin. The oil glands keep the skin lubricated and help with the removal of old skin cells. If an oil gland produces too much oil it can become blocked. This leads to the build up of dirt, debris and bacteria also known to us as acne.
When acne is referred to as whiteheads or blackheads its due to the color of the plug which is the top of the blockage in the oil gland. When people “pop” pimples, the material inside the blocked gland, which contains oil, dirt, debris and bacteria, comes out onto the skin. This can cause an inflammatory reaction to the skin surrounding the acne. Normally the reaction will go down within a day once you have removed the debris from the blocked gland. However in some instances if the inflammation is deep into the skin the pimples can become enlarged. Enlarged pimples can form firm, painful cysts.
Acne commonly appears on the face, shoulders and back, however acne can appear all over the body. The reason that acne appears so commonly in teenagers is because of the hormonal changes that take place in the body. This can have a severe psychological effect on a kid’s self-esteem.
There are several different kinds of acne treatment on the market. Many are unproven by the medical community and others can have severe adverse effects on one’s body or mind. Once on a treatment plan it normally takes the body 2-3 months to really show full improvement and dissipation of acne. Before you decide on an acne regimen you always want to research the product before use. Some treatments that have been proven effective include proper hygiene, topical bactericidal, topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, hormonal treatments, Intralesional steroid, Topical retinoids oral retinoids, Dermabrasion, phototherapy, and laser. Check out this website to find out the easy way to banish acne forever!


Sunday, April 4, 2010

Reduce your Power Bill Completely

Today everything is about go green. Everywhere you look ads, stores, even banks are talking about going green. What is this about? Well people are trying to reduce the waste of energy, trees, and resources in general. As humans, we have created tens of thousands of gallons of waste. Everything we eat, use or need creates excess waste and this causes a strain on our environment. So the idea behind go green is to reduce the stress that we put on the earth by minimizing the pollution that we put out into the environment.
One way to go green is to reduce your electric bill. Every month we pay anywhere from $100 to $300 in our electric bill depending upon how much electricity we use. Especially now since almost everything we use uses electricity due to the advances in technology. Well here is an easy way to change that by creating free energy. I’m sure you have heard before to insulate your home, or to keep your thermostat on one setting rather than to continue to change it, as a way to cut your expenses. Well this is different. This will give you the steps on how to completely create your own free energy generator to fully supply your houses electricity.
The Magnetic Power Generator doesn’t require a natural resource like wind or solar power to function. It uses magnetic force to run by itself. This perpetual motion creates free electrical energy, which can power your home. You may wonder why you have never heard of this or why everyone isn’t already do this? Well the government has suppressed it from the average person so that the big electric companies won’t go out of business.
The benefits of the Magnetic Power Generator are that it works in every home and requires a very small amount of space, it can eliminate almost half or all of your normal power bill, works in all environments, easy to build and cheap and effective.


Saturday, March 27, 2010

Massage Therapy

When people think of a massage, they normally think about a relaxing rub down. However, medical massage or therapeutic massage is completely different. There are many different techniques in massage therapy including effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, mobilization, trigger point therapy, neuro-muscular, manual lymphatic drainage and manual traction. These are mainly the different types of strokes that can be used throughout a massage.
All types of massage are good for the body and the overall well being of a person. However a relaxation massage is usually only good to relax and reduce stress, tension, anxiety, etc. The body will still get a good physical response from relaxing the muscles and improving circulation, however medical and therapeutic massages can have even greater effects on the body.
Therapeutic massage, normally given in a chiropractors office, massage clinic, or pain clinic, can reduce muscle spasms, pain and inflammation, reduces nerve compression, decrease myofascial trigger points, increases range of motion and joint flexibility. Regular massages can promote healthier living by reducing blood pressure, improves posture, and calming the nervous system.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Relieve Ear Pain

A lot of time ear pain can be caused by a build up of fluid in the ear, blockage from wax build, neck pain, jaw pain, teeth pain or water in the ear. You should not use cue tips in your ear because it can put the wax deeper into the ear canal. Cue tips can also bruise or puncture the ear drum. There are many different products on the market to clean the ear or solve ear pain, however unfortunately many of these products are made up of chemicals that can have different effects on the body. A natural way to clean the ear is to use garlic oil, natural olive oil or ear candling. Ear candles can be found at a natural food store or pharmacy and should be used as directed. Make sure you have someone helping you with this. Garlic oil can be found at any natural or organic grocery stores. To use these it is important to warm the oil before putting them in your ear. The warmth of the oil will loosen wax, dirt or toxins trapped in the ear canal. Use several drops of oil to fill up the ear canal. Tilting your head in the opposite direction will allow the oil to stay in the ear as well as a cotton ball will soak up excess oil and block the ear so oil will not spill out. Give the oil 5-10 minutes to loosen and break up debris. Then flush the ear with water to clear out the ear canal. This should relieve possible blockage or ear pain. Depending upon how much wax your body produces will determine how often you should use this method of cleaning, but it is recommended 2 times a month at least.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Ice vs. Heat

Most people don't know when to use ice or heat. If you have pain or an injury, what do you use? Some people don't like the coldness of ice so they prefer heat. This will not always work to your advantage.
Ice stops swelling or inflammation within the tissue. When you have an injury it causes the body to try to protect its internal structure and organs by causing an inflammatory response. Edema or swelling of the tissue then causes the pain receptors to signal pain. To decrease the pain, use ice for 15-20 minutes. The ice reduces the swelling which in turn stops the pain. When using ice make sure to stay within the time frame. Ice decreases the blood pressure and blood flow to the area which means overtime less oxygen is flowing to that part of the body. Once removed the blood pressure and flow will return to normal. If you use heat in this circumstance you may cause yourself more pain. The heat will actually increase the swelling which will continue to cause pain.
Heat is used for general muscle pain, tightness and stiffness. Heat will relax tight muscles allowing them to elongate and loosen. When we use our muscles they lengthen and shorten. When you stress the muscle they tighten up and stay tawt which causes them to pull on the vertebrae. Most people prefer heat because of the warmth. Heat brings increased blood flow to the are to heal and relax muscles.
If you do not know what to use, its best to use both in conjunction. Always start with ice for 15-20 minutes to reduce any swelling. Then use heat right afterward for another 15-20 minutes. Forms of heat include heat packs, jacuzzi,or a hot shower.
Although heat and ice therapy are important therapies to use during muscle recovery it is important to understand that there are usually further underlying issues that heat and ice cannot heal. Heat and ice should be used in conjunction with other alternative modalities such as massage therapy, electric muscle stimulation, chiropractic care, spinal decompression, ect.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Healthy Spices

Cumin: Stomachic, diuretic, carminative, stimulant, astringent, emmenagogic (promotes the menstrual flow), antispasmodic, dyspepsis (indigestion), diarrhea, hoarseness, flatulence, colic, increase lactation, reduce nausea in pregnancy, decrease effects from carpal tunnel syndrome

Tarragon: Stimulate the appetite, relieve flatulence and colic, cure rheumatism, mild diuretic, local anesthetic

Coriander: Stimlant, carminative, digestant, stomach soother, prevents infections, kills bacteria and fungi, anti-inflammatory

Ginger: Digestive aid, relieves gas pains, diarrhea, stomach cramping, nausea, motion sickness, pain, reduces inflammation associated with arthritis, rheumatism and muscle spasm, increases blood circulation, removes toxins, cleanses bowels & kidneys, nourishes skin, treats asthma, bronchitis, respiratory problems

Fennel: Wash for eyestrain & irritation, snake bite remedy, carminative, weak diuretic, mild stimulant, stimulate lactation, relieves hunger, choleretic (increase in production of bile), pain-reducing, fever-reducing, anti-microbial, reduces yellow jaundice, gout, & cramps

Tumeric: Mild digestive, stimulant, carminative (relieving gas and flatulence), antiseptic


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Working out with your TV

I know its hard to get your work out into your daily routine. But there must be a way to squeeze in your work out somewhere, right?! If we substituted all the hours we watched TV for time working out, everyone would be in shape. However, America has encompassed TV making it a part of our daily lives, not possibly being able to live without it. So if we are not going to live without TV, then when can we possibly fit in time to work out? What if you worked out while watching TV? What an ingenious thought. Most people would put up a fight, not wanting to interrupt their precious time while watching TV. However, this may be your best bet to fit in time to work out.
The recommended time to workout on a daily basis is for 30 minutes, with an increase in heart rate. What most people don't know is that they can break up their workout into 3, 10 minute sessions or even 6, 5 minutes sessions. This is perfect for those people who don' t want to interrupt their TV experience. Most people don't watch the commercials anyway, and view them as an annoyance. Take this time to do some push ups, sit ups or even lift light weights. Make sure to increase your heart rate to get the most out of each set.
Not only are you getting your workout in while watching your favorite show, but at the same time you are keeping your mind active and alert. Usually our brains shut down while watching TV because there is nothing to think about. TV gives you everything you need, there is nothing to think about, so our brain function ceases and we sit idly just watching the screen. Working out, although not very thought provoking keeps the mind alert as it continuously fires synapses to each muscle group that you are working out. Therefore keeping your mind active and healthy.

Spices have Health Benefits

Numerous spices have health benefits that people are unaware of. By adding spices to your food you can enhance digestion and assimilation, cleanse the body from toxins, and heal cells, tissues and organs.
Eating ginger and lemon before a meal helps to jump start the digestion process. Chewing on fennel seeds after a meal aids in digestion and will freshen your breath naturally. Cumin, a spice with a long history throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean, has healing properties because it contains iron. Iron helps to maintain a healthy immune system. Iron is also the key for red blood cells to deliver oxygen to the whole body. Cumin also aids in digestion by stimulating enzymes to break down food and cleanses the liver of waste products.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Budget

Don't rely on credit cards when you run out of cash, that will only get you into debt quicker. Budgeting your money is necessary to keep you on track. It will allow you to plan for things you really want to spend your money on. Here is an easy way to learn and start budgeting.

Step 1: Write down your monthly income
This is what you earn each month.
Step 2: Write down your expenses
Start with your fixed bills, the amounts that don't change such as rent, lease, car payment, etc.
Step 3: Write down your variable expenses
These are bills that change from month to month ie. electric, phone, credit cards, gas, food. Estimate these bills based on previous months to the closest $10.
Step 4: Add nonessential extras
Entertainment, hobbies, holiday expenses
Step 5: Total
Add up the expenses and subtract from the monthly income. A positive number is the amount of money left over each month. A negative number means your in the red.
Step 6: Cut out the extras
If your expenses exceed your income, its time to make a change. Cut out some of the extras each month. Drink water instead of soda, watch a movie at home instead of going out. Do this until your balance becomes positive again.

Keep to your plan. Don't give up. It may take a couple of months to get back on track, but don't get discouraged!

Organic vs. Natural

Now a days everything is about going green, being more natural, and using more organic products. Greener products are safer for your body and safer for the environment. When using beauty products check out the difference between natural and organic. It may change the way you look at and buy cosmetics.
Organic products are anything that is not synthetic or man made. Organic products are regulated by the USDA and will be adorned with a seal. Natural products are not the same. The USDA cannot regulate products that are 'natural'. Therefore products that have only 1 natural ingredient can be labeled as natural. Natural products by definition should be unprocessed or manufactured using simple processes only. When it comes to natural products there are some ingredients you should look for and avoid. Lead, mercury, phthalates, and sodium lauryl sulfate are commonly used in lipsticks, mascaras, shampoos, hand washes, and perfumes. Products that use these ingredients should not be labeled natural and can be harmful in large doses. Always check the label before purchasing beauty products.

*If you have sensitive skin be aware that organic and natural products may irritate the skin due to botanicals that are a natural allergen.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Air filtering Plants

Most plants you pot for out door viewing. However there are some plants that can be potted for indoor use. These plants help filter toxins within the household environment. Not only do these plants help decrease carbon dioxide from the house environment but they also give off a good presentation within the home. Don't overdo it by keeping too many plants indoor however 1 or 2 plants per room is enough. Make sure plants get plenty of water and sun from nearby windows.

Good Air filtering plants:
Bamboo Palm
Chinese Evergreen
English Ivy
Gerbera Daisy
Janet Craig Dracaena
Mass Cane/Corn Plant
Peace Lily (shown to the right)
Pot Mum
Snake Plant
Striped Dracaena

What to eat at each Meal

At every meal you should try to eat 1 serving of protein, 1 serving of fruits & vegetables, 1 serving of good fats and 1 serving of carbohydrates. Here is a list of eat type of food group and the foods you should choose from.

Proteins:
Chicken
Turkey
Lean ground turkey
Swordfish, Tuna, Haddock, Salmon, Trout
Crab, Shrimp, Lobster
Ground Beef
Steak
Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Lamb
Mozzarella

Vegetables:
Broccoli
Asparagus
Lettuce
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Peppers
Mushrooms
Spinach
Tomato
Peas
Celery
Cucumber
Onion
Zucchini
Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts

Fruits:
Apples
Avocado
Berries
Cantaloupe
Grapes
Orange
Nectarine
Pear
Tangerine
Strawberries
Olives

Good Fats:
Avocado
Sunflower seeds
Almonds
Peanuts
Peanut butter
Low fat cheese
Low fat salad dressing
Olives
Sunflower, canola, flax seed oil

Carbohydrates:
Baked potato
Brown or wild rice
whole wheat pasta
Oatmeal
Barley
Beans
Yogurt
Whole wheat bread
Whole grains
Light popcorn
High fiber cereal

Change your Habits

People don't realize that 80% of your weight comes from what you put into your mouth. To really lose weight you have to change your lifestyle. Change the way you eat and you will start to notice the difference right away. Replace high calorie, high sugar snacks with fruit and vegetables. If you normally have a side of fries, change it to a small salad or a cup of fruit salad. Increase your protein and fiber intake. Protein increases your metabolism so your body uses more energy and burns fat. Fiber helps to make you feel fuller quicker. Make sure you eat breakfast. Many people's downfall is that they skip breakfast. They are actually hurting themselves by doing this. By eating breakfast you are actually jump starting your metabolism for the day. A faster metabolism allows you to burn sugar and fat in your body. When your metabolism slows down, your body goes into fat storing rather than fat burning which can hinder weight loss.
Remember portion size is important. Even if you are eating the right foods, if you are overeating you're not helping yourself. Remember that portion control is very important. Proteins such as beef, chicken and fish should only be about 4 oz. Vegetables should be 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw. Fruits include 1 medium piece of fruit or 1/2 cup cut fruit. Good fats should be limited to 1 Tbsp of oils, or 2 Tbsp of peanut butter or salad dressing.
Not everyone has the time or ability to weigh out all of their foods to the exact portion. Use household items to compare sizing. Four oz. of meat is about the size of the classic Ipod. One serving of cheese is equal to the size of a matchbox. One serving of oil or salad dressing is equal to the size of a 1 oz shot glass. Once you know the approximate size of each serving it will be easier for you to portion out each serving size.
Prepare your meals and snacks ahead of time to save you time and effort. If you are like me I determine what I want to eat based upon what I feel like eating. This makes it difficult to set a schedule a week or month in advance. So instead I prepare my meals the night before. This still saves me time in the morning. It also keeps the portion sizes correct.
Remember that your body's metabolism needs to be replenished every couple of hours. That is why it is recommended to eat a small snack every 2-3 hours. This keeps you from overeating at larger meals. Keep healthy snacks (portioned out) around you all the time. Nuts and dried fruit are good healthy snacks that can be kept at work, in your car or on your person.
Although exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, you can't just jump into it and expect to be able to do everything at once. Muscles atrophy overtime if not used. It takes time for muscles to rebuild themselves. Set goals for yourself. If you haven't worked out in a long time start out small and build up. Start out by walking 10-20 minutes a day. Yoga and pilates are good stress relieving exercises that are good for stretching and flexibility. After a week increase your time. Try jogging for a couple minutes to increase your heart rate. Always stretch before and after working out. Stretching relieves tension that builds up in the muscles.
Don't try to make all of these changes at once. You may be overwhelmed by all the changes and don't stick with them. Start by making one or two small changes until they become habit, then add another. Soon you will be on the right track to losing the weight you want to!


Chiropractic

Although one of the more well known alternative medicines, people still don't understand or comprehend what chiropractic is about. Many people are still scared or apprehensive about chiropractic care because they don't understand the philosophy behind it. However, the chiropractic profession as a whole seems to continue to steadily grow even though its still put down by the conservative medical community and common insurance carriers.
Just to give you an idea about what an average person thinks about chiropractic:
" If I go to a chiropractor, I have to go for the rest of my life."
"I will get injured if they crack my neck."
"One adjustment should heal me."
"I only need 1 adjustment."
Although, these are not all incorrect they are not all accurate either. What people don't understand is that once you decide to become a chiropractic patient, you are not just deciding to adjust your spine, but the way you are taking care of your health.
Humans are naturally active creatures and we are constantly moving our bodies which in turn moves our spines. Not every movement will cause the vertebrae to move out of place. But certain movements, traumas, injuries will definitely cause subluxations. A subluxation is the clinical term for when a vertebrae moves, rotates or shifts from its natural place within the spinal column. This movement of the vertebrae can happen anytime within your life even starting from birth up through old age. Therefore unless we as humans decide to stop movement altogether so as to not cause misalignments within the spine, that is why chiropractic is a change of lifestyle and not just having to go to the chiropractor all your life.
Chiropractic was founded in 1898 by D.D. Palmer. He discoverd that by slightly moving a misaligned vertebrae back into place he could restore normal activity, range of motion and feeling to specific areas of the body. What he realized was that when a vertebrae moves out of place it cuts off the circulation, blood flow and nerve response to that specific region of the body. Thousands of nerves protrude from the spine into every part of our body which are controlled by the brain. Our brain sends signals down the spinal column to the correct nerve endings to cause the body to react. It takes nanoseconds for this to happen. However if the signal is not being received from the brain due to a misalignment of the spine it can cause disease, pain, inflammation, decreased range of motion, headaches, numbness, burning, and a whole long list of other symptoms.
Chiropractors are the DOCTORS who are specifically trained to adjust and realign the spine (I capitalized doctors because the general conception is that they are not doctors.). Just like general practioner's and medical doctors, chiropractors study the body extensively inside and out. So if you would trust your MD or PCP why wouldn't you trust your chiroractor? You choose your doctors, so choose your chiropractor too.
Chiropractic is not an end to all means. Everyone expects to be "fixed" immediately. Rome was not built in a day, our bodies accrue overtime. Everything we do, eat, breathe in, and take into our bodies builds up overtime. So why would we expect for it to all change and get better after one treatment. It's ridiculous to think that. Not to mention our muscles are made up of memory cells. So if you have been misaligned for 30 years, your muscles think that is correct posture. It takes time and adjustments for chiropractors to re-educate your muscles to correct spinal alignment. So the body will naturally want to revert back to misalignment after the 1st adjustment. That is why although you may feel better after 1 or 2 adjustments its important to continually re-educate your body to proper postural alignment. That is why its important to keep up with your adjustments. You may not even feel any symptoms when you need to be adjusted. Once you are a chiropractic patient you will know when you need to be adjusted. You will automatically feel better once you get adjusted. You will have no reservations about chiropractic care.

Nutritional Supplements

Now a days no one wants to take drugs. Doctors continue to prescribe even though patients are looking for alternative methods. Prescription medication doesn't always work rather they normally have rather appalling side effects, and can be very expensive.
Recently, some doctors and alternative physcians have started to recommend nutritional supplements for their patients. Nutritional supplements are normally natural or organic products that our bodies need to help maintain optimal health. Rather than taking prescription drugs, you would take nutritional supplements to alleviate your ailments.
Our bodies were created with everything that we need. There are somethings that are naturally produce within the body, where as other things we need to consume to keep our body healthy such as food for energy. At times our bodies can break down or stop producing vital hormones, minerals, or vitamins that we need to sustain life. When this happens we need to supplement our bodies through additional nutritional products. In addition, the American lifestyle doesn't allow us to always get our nutrients through the food we eat, and through the activities in our lifestyle. This causes us to need to take additional nutritional supplements.
Nutritional supplements can be procured at vitamin stores, complimentary and alternative stores, doctors such as acupunturist, chiropractor or nutritionist, etc. The best nutritional supplements are easily absorbable by the body, don't have additives, and have very few ingredients. Always check before purchasing nutritional supplements.
Some nutritional supplements that are in the spot light include multivitamins, omega fish oils, B12, B complex, and vitamin D.

Yoga

Yoga is an alternative exercise that has grown rapidly in popularity over the past decade. However, yoga has been around for thousands of years and is actually a discipline rather than an exercise. Yoga is mental and spiritual well being brought about through physical postures and poses. It involves a connection between the mind and body through breathing. Yoga strengthens the muscles and stretches the body in order to calm the mind. Yoga is a great way to improve flexibility and decrease physical discomfort in the body.
Due to high stress levels in people's lives, many turn to yoga to reduce this stress. Yoga is known for reducing stress and increased relaxation of both mind and body. However it has many other health benefits as well. Yoga has been known to help with people who suffer from lower back pain. Due to specific poses, yoga strengthens and stretches muscles which can be effected by injuries. In addition people who suffer from high anxiety have seen improved results from yoga based on its calming of the mind and spirit.


Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a technique whereby inserting needles into specific points on the body will reduce pain and increase the body's own ability to heal itself.
According to Chinese medicine, from which acupuncture originated, the body is made up of qi, and sustains life through the flow of blow and qi. Qi is the body's vital energy. This energy flows through the body along meridians or pathways. Acupuncture points are positioned along these meridians in the body.
The idea of acupuncture is that energy moves along the meridians. When energy gets stuck or stagnant, needles are placed at specific points to release the energy and allow the body to heals itself.
Acupuncture is about balancing or returning the body's balance of qi. Therefore whenever there are signs of imbalance such as pain, aches, sickness, or injury, acupuncture is the prescribed treatment. Acupuncture treats a variety of diseases and disorders such as headaches, migraines, low back pain, whiplash, cold, flu, PMS, tendonitis, etc.
When looking for an acupuncture facility make sure the physician is a doctor of acupuncture. Check the doctors credentials before starting treatment.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Complimentary & Alternative Medicine

Many Americans have started looking towards alternative medicine rather than general medicine. The reason for this is due to the amount of prescriptions that general doctors are prescribing without treating the patient. People want doctors to care about them and their problems. They are tired of doctors throwing pills at the problem.
In the past MD's didn't believe in alternative medicines. However now a days patients are turning to complimentary and alternative medicines. And because so many people are turning to alternative medicines, insurances have started to cover some of these treatments. Even MD's are starting to catch up to current medicine and use complimentary treatments in conjunction with conventional medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine involves the connection between the mind and body and not only relieves symptoms but works to resolve the underlying problems as well.
Complimentary and alternative medicines include Yoga, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Biofeedback, meditation, hypnotherapy, and nutritional supplements.



Better Health

Check out my Health Website to learn more about all health related topics https://www.universalhealthinfo.com

Article: The Budget – The Ultimate Financial Management Tool

The Budget – The Ultimate Financial Management Tool
A carpenter uses a set of house plans to build a house. If he didn’t the bathroom might get overlooked altogether.
Rocket Scientists would never begin construction on a new booster rocket without a detailed set of design specifications. Yet most of us go blindly out into the world without an inkling of an idea about finances and without any plan at all.
Not very smart of us, is it?
A money plan is called a budget and it is crucial to get us to our desired financial goals.
Without a plan we will drift without direction and end up marooned on a distant financial reef.
If you have a spouse or a significant other, you should make this budget together. Sit down and figure out what your joint financial goals are…long term and short term.
Then plan your route to get to those goals. Every journey begins with one step and the first step to attaining your goals is to make a realistic budget that both of you can live with.
A budget should never be a financial starvation diet. That won’t work for the long haul. Make reasonable allocations for food, clothing, shelter, utilities and insurance and set aside a reasonable amount for entertainment and the occasional luxury item. Savings should always come first before any spending.
Even a small amount saved will help you reach your long term and short term financial goals. You can find many budget forms on the internet. Just use any search engine you choose and type in “free budget forms”.
You’ll get lots of hits. Print one out and work on it with your spouse or significant other. Both of you will need to be happy with the final result and feel like it’s something you can stick to.



Saving Your Home's Energy

Do you dread looking at your electric or gas bill every month seeing numbers that are larger and larger each time you see it? Do you wish there was something you could do about this dreaded monthly bill? Well, there is and it is easy to remedy. You just have to check your home to make sure that it is the most energy and cost efficient that it can possibly be.
It might be shocking to you that most people do not even know that because of lack of efficiency they are loosing 25 % or more of the energy used in their home.
Did you know that there are some common every day things that you can do to save energy and money around your home. Doing it yourself can save you both time and money that you might invest in someone else’s promises to save you money. I don’t know about you, but I trust myself more than someone else’s empty promise any day. All it takes is a few calculations, some common sense and you can be on the road to savings and increasing your home’s use of energy.
Some of these steps include:
1. Calculating your energy cost. Do you know how much fuel your home is taking to run and how much that cost you? You need to know this before you can determine if you can lower those costs.2. What will it cost you to save. What things must you put into practice in order to save on your energy monthly? This is where you have to determine the balance. 3. Determine your largest needs. Some practices will save you far greater in the future than others. You must first determine your area of largest need and go from there. 4. Developing new habits. Many of us have habits that cost us energy every day. We must realize those bad habits and begin putting new habits in place in order to save energy, time and money.
These are only a few of the ways that you can begin to save money on your energy bill and have a more cost efficient home. There are many more ways to save and you will love how easy those savings come to you.



Adopting The Frugal Living Lifestyle

Having trouble making ends meet? Have more month left than money? Many people struggle with this issue. One of the best ways to save money and truly stretch your dollars all the way to the end of the month is to live a more frugal lifestyle.
Yes, frugality is key. Being frugal with one’s life does not mean that you will live a life, doing without and hoarded away. Frugal living is actually very freeing. Frugal living frees up your finances to work harder and smarter for you so that you in turn do not have to work so hard to actually bring in an income.
In a time where 40% of Americans live beyond their means, meaning they spend more monthly than they make, finding ways to save and learning to be more frugal sounds like a winning idea. There are a few key concepts that one must adopt in order to begin living a more frugal lifestyle.
Smarter money management. A person must begin to not only spend less money, but also manage the money they have in a smarter way. This can take some time and discipline but will truly pay off in the end. Spending less. A person must also learn how to spend less than they make. This can be a difficult process for some who have spent more than their paycheck for a long time, however if they adopt some frugal living ideas they can be doing this in no time.Saving. With the money that they save through not spending as much, they can begin to put away money into savings; another key to frugal living that will help a person to get ahead. Continuing the process. Continuing to spend more and save less is key.
Adopting some key concepts to frugal living can truly change the way you live your life, and the way that your money works for you. Become different from the norm and begin a smarter, more frugal lifestyle today.




Article for Time Management: Scheduling for Sanity

Scheduling For Sanity
Having a schedule is a fundamental part of time management. You can imagine your schedule as a road-map. It provides important information about where you are going and how you can get there.
Without it, you may take a wrong turn somewhere and find yourself lost. Once someone is lost, it may take some time before they get back on track, and they usually arrive to their destination a bit later than they would have liked.
When you have a schedule, you can look at it and see what you need to do each day. You’ll know if you are on track, and if you aren’t, what you need to do to get back on course.
How To Make a Schedule One of the first things to do when making a schedule is to write down all the things you have to do on a piece of paper. Some people keep separate work and family schedules, and if you decide that would work best for you, you can divvy those tasks up later. For now, simply write out everything that needs to be done on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis.
Once you have everything written out and in front of you, it’s time to start sorting between the common themes. You can do this by assigning a highlighter color to each theme (such as family, work, daily, monthly, weekly) or by taking out another piece of paper and writing those columns on it, and rewriting all the tasks into the appropriate column.
Now that you have all of your tasks sorted out, try to give a time estimate to each one. You may even want to time yourself for a week or two on these tasks, as you may be very surprised at how long some things take.
For instance, you may think it only takes 45 minutes to go to the grocery store, but in reality it could take an hour and 15 minutes. You may think it only takes 15 minutes to run up to the school and pick up the kids, but may find it actually takes 25 minutes.
In many cases, people underestimate the time it takes to do things, and this is one of the reasons they think they aren’t getting enough done. By timing yourself, you will get a visual picture of your time. When you see how long it really takes to accomplish your regular tasks, you will be able to see how many things you can fit into a normal day. You won’t constantly be trying to push yourself to do more.
Once you have written down your tasks and estimated the time it takes to accomplish them, you can start planning your schedule. Some people like to have a daily schedule that is very organized with certain tasks assigned to certain times and others prefer to keep a weekly schedule that is more flexible.




The Reasons Why Becoming Organized Is So Important

The Reasons Why Becoming Organized Is So Important
As you know, being “organized” is a very popular topic. There are even whole stores, such as The Container Store and Hold Everything, which are devoted to the idea of becoming organized. It seems that everyone is always trying to find a way to become more organized.
Many people mistakenly believe that being organized requires too much effort. Sometimes people think that the only people who can actually become organized are uptight. That is not true! If you have ever wondered what the fuss about being organized is, here are some reasons as to why this is such a popular topic:
Being organized reduces stress. When someone is disorganized, they often feel a lot of stress, anxiety, and generally overwhelmed. They may not be able to locate missing items, they may find their selves constantly running late or forgetting things, and they may be prone to missing work deadlines.
When someone is organized they will be able to find what they are looking for, will be less likely to forget things, and will find that will be more likely to arrive for meetings on time and turn work in before the due date. An organized person will feel more confident because of those things and their stress levels will go down.
As we mentioned before, many people feel that organized people are uptight. Being organized can actually help you to relax. Instead of worrying about things you didn’t have time to do or couldn’t find, an organized person can actually sit back at the end of the day and know that they achieved the things that needed to be done.
Another great reason to get organized is that being organized increases your productivity, and therefore, can increase your bank account. When you are organized, you will be able to get more work done. Depending on the type of job you have, the more work that gets done can generally lead to bigger paychecks and a bigger bank account.
Being organized can help you create a sense of calm and peace in all aspects of your life. Once you have organized one area of your life, you will start to notice that things seem to run more smoothly in all areas of your life.
For Step by Step directions on getting your home organized,