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Yesterday, a report was released by the United States government stating that the majority of Americans today do not eat the correct amounts of fruits and vegetables that are recommended to eat in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The report also found that not one single US State accomplished the national objectives concerning the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Healthy People 2010

The Healthy People 2010 is a concept that promotes healthier eating and lifestyle choices for Americans. The program focuses on 28 specific areas. The Healthy People 2010 program attempts to build upon an assortment of ideas and schemes that have been pursued over the last two decades. A nationwide health agenda was established in the 1979 Surgeon General’s Report. The program was continued through the 1980 Promoting Health/Preventing Disease: Objectives for the Nation, and Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives. These two later programs successfully created nationwide health objectives that served as the basis for the development of State and local community health plans.

To help the development process of such a health plan, the Healthy People Consortium was created. It existed of more than 350 national membership organizations as well as 250 State health, mental health, substance abuse, and environmental agencies. The jobs were to give meaning and advice to the Healthy People 2010 program. The Secretary’s Council on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2010 also provided leadership and advice in the development of national health objectives. The public can also have their say by posting comments at the Healthy People 2010 website.

The main goal of the program is to have 75% of all Americans regularly eating two or more servings of fruit daily and 50% of all American eating the recommended three or more servings of vegetables daily as well.

The CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted surveys in which it was established that a mere 33% of American adults ate the recommended amount of fruits daily whilst only 27% ate the recommended daily amount of vegetables. These numbers decrease for high school students: 32% are eating the recommended amount of fruit whilst 13% are eating the recommended amount of vegetables.

The CDC issued a news release in which their director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, Dr. William H. Dietz, stated:

“A diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight, and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, all of which currently contribute to health care costs in the United States.”

The report, entitled the State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009, is the first of its kind to provide state by state data regarding each individual State’s consumption of fruits and vegetables both in the states schools and in the local communities. It is hoped that these figures would help boost both fruit and vegetable consumption.

“This report will help states determine what is taking place in their communities and schools and come up with ways to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables,” Dietz stated.

The Three Policies

The report focuses primarily on three major policy and environmental areas that are associated with the consumption of fruits and vegetables, mainly, a food support system, the availability of healthier food choices in schools across America, and healthier food retail.

Even though a child’s school can influence not only the child’s eating habits but also those of his/her parents, school staff members, and therefore the community-at-large, the CDC’s report only found 21% of all middle and high schools actually offered fruits and non-fried vegetables in vending machines, school stores and snack bars.

It is a known fact that a food store that stocks its shelves with high-quality fruits and vegetables can play a major role in the healthy food choices that local residents make. However, the report found only 8 states in which a policy regarding healthier food retail improvements actually existed. These polices can lead to an increase in the amount of grocery stores in areas that do not have a full-service grocery store, as well as increase availability of healthier foods in smaller grocery stores, whilst promoting healthier food options by providing information to consumers who frequent such grocery stores.

Organizations that take into consideration a State’s, and their local communities, access to fresh produce are called Food Policy Councils. These councils provide suggestions regarding policies and programs geared towards the availability of fresh produce in supermarkets and farm-to-school programs, as well as community vegetable and fruit gardens and even farmer’s markets. Only 59 local food policy councils exist throughout America, whilst 20 states have a state-level food policy council.

Photo Credit: tami.vroma

The fall and winter months that bring sicknesses such as flu, stomach viruses, strep throat and other germ related illnesses often also bring an outbreak in the purchases of antibacterial soap. Most consumers feel safer washing their hands with a product that is labeled as being antibacterial. Our society has created the belief that ordinary soap is not as sufficient for getting rid of germs as those that are described as having antibacterial ingredients. However, many have questioned and preformed research to determine if antibacterial soap is really better at killing germs than regular soap.

Triclosan and Triclocarban

Soaps are considered and allowed to be labeled as antibacterial if they contain the ingredients Triclosan and/or Triclocarban. Soaps not containing Triclosan or Triclocarban are not labeled as being antibacterial. Research studies show that soaps with these two ingredients (those labeled as antibacterial soaps) are no more effective at killing germs or preventing sicknesses caused from bacteria and germs than those soaps not containing these antibacterial labeling ingredients.

While it is extremely important to wash your hands with soap after germ exposing activities such as using the restroom, changing a baby, sneezing, coughing, and touching raw food, it is not more effective to use an antibacterial soap to cleanse over plain soaps. Plain soaps without the antibacterial label will also provide the needed cleansing that is necessary to kill germs that often lead to sicknesses.

Research Studies

One study examined families that used antibacterial soaps for one year and compared them to other families that had used regular soaps for the same amount of time: one year. The results that were provided proved that the people who used the antibacterial soaps had no more of a resistance to bacteria or germs than those who did not use the antibacterial labeled soaps. These studies do not take into consideration the alcohol based waterless hand cleaners that are too labeled as being antibacterial.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have conducted three separate studies in which it was discovered that both Triclosan and Triclocarban pose a threat to the nervous system as well as affecting sex hormones. These ingredients have also been linked to a possible cause of autism.

At this point in time, the researchers have concluded that these particular chemicals, that are sold as part of antibacterial cleaner, do not work as well as a normal bar of soap does, and, in fact, they believe that these so-called healthier antibacterial soaps may even encourage the increase in resistant bacteria.

Triclosan and Triclocarban were manufactured during the 1950s and 1960s as an antiseptic agent in countrywide hospitals.

In the USA alone, annual sales of antibacterial products are over $1 billion. Over 76% of all antibacterial liquid soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes, cosmetics, plastic food containers and even fabrics contain Triclosan!

Almost every antibacterial deodorant and bar soap contains Triclocarban.

Of course, the governments all over the world have a different spin on things. Although the EPA is currently re-evaluating the benefits and detriments of Triclosan, it did release a report that was published in the Federal Register in May 2008 in which the EPA stated that Triclosan was safe to use and therefore should not be a cause of concern for the public.

Across the globe, the European Commission released a similar statement after reporting on Triclosan in 2002 and Triclocarban in 2005.

In 2005, the FDA conducted research and made a statement that determined that there was no difference in the effectiveness of using an antibacterial soap in comparison to a soap that does not contain Triclosan when it comes to killing germs and ridding your hands of bacteria. At one point in time, the FDA panel even considered banning the label that uses the term antibacterial on soaps and similar products. However, this action never took place and thus the label in still in use.

Other Options

When it comes to purchasing and using soap, the key factor is simply to buy it and use it properly. It does not matter which brand or label soap is purchased to acquire the desired results of clean hands. Washing your hands with soap and water is just as effective at getting rid of germs no matter which type of soap is chosen. The real difference involved is in the technique of using the soap to wash your hands rather than in the type of soap that is used.

However, your best choice is to look for anti-bacterial soaps that are 100% natural, such as Neem Soap. Not only does it have anti-bacterial properties but anti-fungal and anti-septic as well. It can be used on humans and pets alike!

Another option is to make your own anti-bacterial soap using Tea Tree Oil for its natural anti-bacterial properties.

Photo Credit: Twon

It is interesting to think that the milk that we purchase from the grocery store is very far away from what people were used to drinking before World War II. In 1862, a French Microbiologist named Louis Pasteur, perfected a technique that made raw milk safe to drink. This technique was quickly adopted by many other societies around the world and came to be known as pasteurization. The technique sends milk through a process that makes microbial growth much smaller. What more and more people are saying, however, is that raw milk is the best source for many positive benefits, even if there does seem to be legal constraints against purchasing it!

The Benefits

It is important to remember that while pasteurization does kill off harmful microbes, it also removes many positive health benefits as well. It is interesting to note that raw milk has all eight essential amino acids in it as well as a wealth of proteins. The proteins, in turn, are easy to digest and about twenty percent of them are classified as whey proteins, meaning that they play an important role in your physiological health. You will also find that milk is high in lactic acid, which allows you to absorb nutrients more effectively and to stop harmful bacteria. Similarly, there are also many vitamins in raw milk that are removed through pasteurization, and these vitamins are essential for maintaining good health.

In comparison to pasteurized milk, which actually minimizes the bioavailability of several nutrients including calcium, raw milk naturally contains more of the following:

Calcium – 26.6%
Iron – 194%
Selenium – 10.7%
Zinc – 227%
Vitamin B1 (otherwise known as thiamine) – 25%
Vitamin B6 – This is totally eradicated by pasteurization, and so it is fully available in raw milk
Vitamin B12 – 11.1%
Vitamin C – 335%
Vitamin E – 17.6%

The Need for Pasteurization

We are taught that pasteurized milk is much safer for us and that drinking unpasteurized milk or raw milk, as it is often called, can make us ill or even cause fatalities. There is emerging evidence, however, that pasteurization was a process that dealt with bad dairy processing that was present at the time; these processes have been significantly improved, and some argue that pasteurization has no place in a modern set up.

Every single enzyme in raw milk is destroyed during the pasteurization process, which heats the milk to about 161 F. Commonly known as enzymes that are destroyed are:

Phosphates – This enzyme helps with calcium absorption
Lactoferrin – This enzyme helps with iron absorption
Lactase – This enzyme is needed to help digest the milk sugar lactose

It is quite common these days to meet people who are lactose intolerant, meaning that they cannot drink milk whatsoever. However, since raw milk has naturally occurring lactase, it can be drunk by lactose intolerant people.

Other health benefit claims of drinking raw milk include stomach and digestion issues clearing up, allergies going away, and some people even claiming that they feed raw milk to their dogs to help eliminate flea infestations.

Something else to consider is that most store bought milk comes from the modern Holstein cow which is only bred to produce insanely large quantities of milk, by being fed special feed, grains and antibiotics. Therefore a modern Holstein cow’s milk contains high levels of growth hormone from the pituitary gland, even if the cow has not been injected with the genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone which is used to ‘help’ a cow increase her milk production.

The Legality of Drinking Raw Milk

If you are curious about raw milk, it is important to remember that there is actually no legal bar from drinking raw milk. However, it is worth noting that there are restrictions on selling raw milk that vary from state to state. The sale of raw milk is legal in 28 States in the USA. However, most States do not allow it to be sold to the general public and in some cases it cannot be sold as anything besides pet food!

There are a few stores in California, New Mexico and Connecticut that do sell raw milk on their shelves.

Both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe that unpasteurized milk has the potential to carry foodborne bacteria such as Listeria and E. coli, and have therefore deemed raw milk to be unhealthy and have therefore placed a variety of bans on the sale of it throughout the USA.

However, the more people who want the option of buying and drinking raw milk, the higher the possibility of the US government giving more leeway to small dairy farmers to allow them to sell raw milk.

Photo Credit: iLoveButter

Earlier this month, one of the world’s most beloved actors, Patrick Swayze, passed away as a result of pancreatic cancer. He had been diagnosed nearly two years earlier.

Although he will be missed by many fans, doctors have recently discovered a new drug that could have prevented Patrick Swayze’s death! This new drug is said to be able to prevent a protein called TAK-1 from working properly. TAK-1 causes cancer cells in the pancreas to become resistant to chemotherapy.

This scientific breakthrough is good news to pancreatic cancer patients as overcoming chemotherapy resistance is indicative of a step towards eradication of the cancer. Roughly 13% of pancreatic cancer patients are still alive one year after their initial diagnosis; this number drops by 2 – 3% after a period of five years. The American Cancer Society believes pancreatic cancer to be the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths overall.

The findings were presented by Dr Davide Melisi, from the National Cancer Institute in Naples, at a conference in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. Dr Melisi explained the effectiveness of the drug by stating:

“The use of this TAK-1 inhibitor increased the sensitivity of pancreatic cells to all three chemotherapeutic drugs.”

However, there are a few natural ways to help prevent pancreatic cancer:

Lose the Weight

Researchers at the American Cancer Society discovered that being overweight, especially around the tummy area, doubles a person’s chances of having pancreatic cancer.

Lose the Sugar

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study in 2006 that found that ingesting high amounts of sugar is associated with pancreatic cancer. The most common culprit is sodas that contain high fructose corn syrup or sucrose.

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, in 2002, published a study in which diabetic and hypoglycemic women, who were also overweight and lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle, who also consumed large amounts of sugars, had a 95% increased risk for pancreatic cancer than other women.

Lose the Fat

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a study online in August 2009, in which it was found that people who ate high amounts of total saturated and monounsaturated fats that mostly came from dairy and red meats, were 36% more likely to have pancreatic cancer, than those people who ate a low fat diet.

Avoid Over-Cooking Your Meat

The American Association for Cancer Research conducted a study in which they found that people who preferred eating their meat well-done, or slightly burnt, had a 60% increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those people who preferred their meat slightly undercooked.

Lose the Alcohol

Drinking two or more alcoholic drinks on a daily basis can increase your risk of pancreatic cancer by 22%, stated a report filed in the March 2009 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.

Quit Smoking

It is believed that roughly 30% of pancreatic cancers are due to cigarette smoking. Based on this, smokers have a risk that is two to three times higher than non-smokers in developing pancreatic cancer. Researchers at Michigan State University conducted a study in 2007 where they discovered that the chemicals which are produced through the burning of tobacco products actually prevents proper communication between the cell’s in a person’s body. In fact, the chemicals released by the tobacco are factors in what is essentially the start of the pancreatic cancer. According to another study, smokeless tobacco prevented a 60% increased risk of pancreatic cancer in comparison to non-tobacco users.

Avoid Periodontal Disease

Researchers from both the Harvard School of Public Health as well as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute established that people who had periodontal disease also had a direct link to an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This type of gum disease is simply a bacterial infection that causes an inflammation of the gums. Over a period of time, the periodontal disease then causes a loss of bone that holds a person’s teeth. In 2007, the researchers conducted a study involving 51,529 people in America who had periodontal disease. Their research indicated that these people had a 63% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer when compared against people who had healthy gums and teeth.

Avoid Chemicals

The Environmental Protection Agency back in 2006 concluded that two specific chemicals called perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate, were “likely human carcinogens”. These two chemicals have not only been linked to reproductive illness, but also to low birth weight in new-born babies and premature breast development in children as well.

These chemicals are commonly found in food packaging, nonstick pans, pesticides, stain-resistant clothing, upholstery, carpets and even in a few personal care items too.

It appears that whilst both of these chemicals are associated, in high concentrations, with cancer in animals, it is still vastly unknown as to whether they cause cancer in humans.

Photo Credit: Katiya Rhodes-Singh

Many men and women throughout the world suffer from hair loss due to a variety of reasons. The hair loss can be due to side effects from other types of medications, or it can be caused from stress, or it could even be a medical condition that is the reason behind the hair loss. No matter what the cause is, it can be very helpful to know some natural remedies to help in the battle of losing your precious hair.

Aromatherapy and Massage

Aromatherapy techniques have been used for centuries for a wide variety of illnesses and one particular condition that these methods work well for is hair loss. Massaging the scalp can help to stimulate more blood flow to the scalp which in turn helps produce new hair growth. There are a number of products on the market that you can use to do massages or you can go with manual massage techniques to help stimulate the scalp.

You can also you aromatherapy with the massage techniques to make things work even better. A good combination to try would be 6 drops of bay essential oil and 6 drops of lavender oil mixed in a base of an oil such as sesame or soybean oil. It is best to let this mixture sit on the scalp for at least 20 minutes for the maximum benefit.

Herbal Supplements

If you suffer with hair loss problems then you may want to look into natural hair loss remedies. Many times these treatments can be used in conjunction with any treatments that are prescribed by your doctor. There are many herbal supplements that are good to use to help promote hair growth. It is important to be sure that you are not allergic to certain herbs before trying anything new. Some herbs that have been known to produce good results are:

Jojoba Oil

For those people who suffer from eczema, seborrhea, psoriasis and/or dandruff, Jojoba Oil might just be what you need! People who are from Mexico as well as southwestern Native Americans have incorporated Jojoba Oil into their traditional medicinal treatments to eradicate dandruff and eczema and help their hair grow faster and healthier. It is a great moisturizer that imitates the scalp’s own sebum, as well as being good for use on hypoallergenic skin.

Sage and Rosemary

When used together, these herbs can provide plenty of healthy hair benefits when used as a rinse. The best way to do this is to use the rosemary and sage, along with nettle, burdock and peach leaf and boil them all together. Once boiled, you can then strain the loose herbs and discard them. The remaining liquid can be used to rinse through the hair on a daily basis.

Saw Palmetto Extract

Scientists have documented that there is a correlation between hair loss in men and the prostate. This is where Saw Palmetto Extract comes into play. It appears that the continued use of Saw Palmetto Extract has proven to work in fighting benign prostatic disease by lowering levels of DHT.

DHT stands for Dihydrotestosterone, which causes androgenetic alopecia. DHT is the ensuing result of the testosterone hormone coming into contact with the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which is commonly found in the skin and on the scalp.

Nettle Root Extract

Rich in lipids, numerous key minerals, and both A and C vitamins, Nettle Root Extract can be quite beneficial to the health of the hair.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera plants work well for healthy hair as well as hair growth. It has been used for centuries by Native Americans for various ailments including burns but many people are not aware of the hair benefits that it provides as well. It can help to heal the scalp as well as to prevent hair loss and it comes in many forms for you to use ranging from gels to supplements and it can be used with different products to make a nice rinse for the hair to help balance out the pH level.

Hair Essentials

If taking all those different herbal supplements seems a bit daunting, you can try taking Hair Essentials instead. It is an all natural, herbal remedy with Saw Palmetto, Polygoni Muliflori, Fructus Psoraleae, and Ecliptae Prostratae making up its ingredients list. These ingredients have been proven to help improve circulation, promote better functioning of the liver and kidneys, as well as to prevent premature graying.

Hair Essentials can be bought directly from the Natural Wellbeing website.

Proper Hair Care

Other simple measures can be taken to help prevent hair loss. Such as not washing your hair in water that is too hot, or washing your hair only twice a week using a mild or specially formulated shampoo.

Photo Credit: mikebaird

The beginning of September marked the start of a new school year, which found many teenagers and young adults starting college.

Going off to college is one of the most exciting times in any young person’s life. As they move into their dorm room they are presented with a new found independence and responsibility. However, that does not simply apply to a college student’s academic career. This new found independence can bring about opportunities for unlimited junk food as well as episodes of emotional eating. All of this can lead to a thicker middle.

All parents are worried that their child will pack on the pounds in a matter of months whilst living away at college. Discussing the consequence of bad eating habits with your child will help them in making better eating decisions.

So how can the Freshman 15 lbs that so many students gain be avoided?

Students:

Stick to Your Schedule

College brings a much looser schedule to its students. This can have a detrimental effect on your eating habits. At times you might find yourself not eating until late in the day, and then your body hits starvation mode where you eat anything that you can get your hands on. Instead, you should try to build an eating schedule into your day. Be sure that you map out three times a day for you to actually sit down to have a meal. Additionally, you should try to build in about two or three snacks throughout the day. This will help to keep your metabolism at a higher rate which helps you stave off that extra weight and will also keep your energy levels up so that you can concentrate during your classes.

Beware of ‘All You Can Eat’

Most colleges offer an ‘all you can eat’ or buffet style meal plan for its students at their dining hall. This can be a blessing and a curse. Typically, you can get a lot of variety for a very affordable price, but you can also usually pile on a rather large plate which can derail any well intended diet. A good rule of thumb is to really pay attention to what you are putting on your plate. Think of each plate as an opportunity to properly fraction off your nutrition. Fill half of your plate with fresh vegetables, and take care that they are not smothered in sauce or dressing. Then split the remaining half of your plate between rich whole grain foods and nourishing proteins.

You Are What You Drink

One thing that is often forgotten is that most drinks contain hefty calories as well. There are many different drinks that you might think are healthy that actually pack quite a punch on your waistline. Fruit juices and smoothies are generally jam packed with sugars, and they can sneakily start to add pounds to your frame. Sodas can also quickly add on the pounds too, as it is readily available, and in some cases your meal plan will even cover trips to the vending machine to get it. Take note as to how much soda you are drinking each day. Be careful in drinking too much alcoholic beverages as well. Alcohol has some of the highest calorie counts of all of the sugary drinks. Instead of ingesting unhealthy and empty calories try to make smarter drinking choices. Your best bet is to always carry a bottle of water with you at all times. You can usually refill it throughout the day at various drinking fountains found around campus.

Parents:

Care Packages

Every college kid loves receiving a care package from home. But don’t just include those yummy cookies that your child grew up eating, also include a variety of nutritious and fun foods as well. Care packages don’t always have to be about food though; you can also send gifts such as a pair of new running shoes or a tennis racquet. Items such as these will help encourage your child to stay active whilst in college.

Gym Membership

There are many things that parents find that they have to fork out money for during their child’s first year at college. Let a gym membership be one of those things! Although most colleges do have their own gyms they are not always open during the hours when your child will have the time between classes to workout. Sometimes, being a member of a private gym has a lot more perks as well.

Grocery Shopping

Whenever you visit your child in college, take them on a funded trip to the grocery store. This is a great way to teach your child to make healthy choices when it comes to their food, and it will give you piece of mind too.

Photo Credit: anne.oeldorfhirsch

When you are interested in decorating your body with the beautiful art form of tattooing yet prefer something temporary, you should consider the beauty of henna tattoos.

A Brief History of Henna Tattoos

The henna plant is a small flowering tree or shrub. Originally, it grows in northern Africa, Asia and Australia. Henna ink is made of powdered henna leaves. Henna ink for henna tattoos is the use of the henna plant to make an ink paste. Henna or Mehndi, which are art forms of temporary tattoos, were a very popular form of celebration body decoration, for women in ancient India and Egypt. It is still very popular even today.

The Rise of Popularity of Henna Tattoos

Henna is symbolic of joy, blessings, love, fertility, birth, beauty, luck, life and other means of celebrating. Today this type of body art is increasing in popularity due to the trends of various celebrities and others who are interested in temporarily enhancing their creative and fun-loving sense and style of personal beauty. Henna tattoos seem to be very popular with the younger crowd who want to express themselves while having fun in a popular way.

The Benefits of a Henna Tattoo verses an Ink Tattoo

When you want the look and feel of a more natural form of body decoration that is temporary, the benefits of a henna tattoo will outweigh that of a permanent ink tattoo. Many individuals are only interested in temporary tattoos and henna provides an attractive alternative. A henna tattoo does not require the use of needles and is totally painless, which is another benefit of this type of creative body art. A henna tattoo will fade away within a few weeks depending on the application, the condition of the skin and its natural revitalizing properties. However, when you choose an ink tattoo, you are stuck with the selection for a lifetime. Many individuals choose henna tattoos as a means of having fun and staying fashionable.

Henna Tattoo Warnings

No information on henna tattoos is complete without the warning of steering clear of what some call Black Henna. There really is no such thing as black henna, which is fast staining. This type of product may contain a toxic dye, para-phenylenediamine or PPD. This can cause allergic reactions such as burning and blistering as well as scarring.

Last month a 4 year old boy from the UK, Charlie Latimer, suffered burns and blisters on his skin after receiving a red flower shaped Henna tattoo from a street artist in Lagos, Portugal, whilst on holiday with his family. However, Charlie’s upper arm started to bleed and blister within days of having the tattoo done, after his body reacted to the dye.

The tattoo artist had used Henna that had been mixed with a cheap hair dye, paraphenylenediamine, or PPD, which can burn the skin.

Upon the family’s return to the UK, Charlie’s skin began peeling and he was placed on a course of antibiotics, but when his condition did not improve, his parents took him to Bath’s Royal United Hospital where he was kept overnight.

A dermatologist at the hospital, Dr Chris Lovell, warned people about the possible dangers of Henna that is used by some unscrupulous artists in Europe:

‘Under European rules, it is illegal to use PPD in henna tattoos and most professional salons use pure henna, which rarely causes allergies. But these rules are not always enforced and people getting their tattoos on beaches and in some developing countries, where the controls are less strict, are at greater risk.’

Regarding Charlie’s Henna tattoo, his mother explains:

‘He will have to live with this now for the rest of his life, although we are keeping our fingers crossed that it could one day disappear. Charlie has been told he can never have a tattoo or dye his hair for the rest of his life due to the seriousness of his reaction.’

Any time you choose to have a henna tattoo, make sure you find an experienced Henna tattoo artist who knows what the ingredients are in their Henna paste. You should also consider doing a skin test to check for any allergic reactions, especially when you have sensitive skin.

Overall, henna tattoos have a long and beautiful ancient history of adorning the beauty of women for celebrations and social occasions. For a while, it seemed to fall into the background, however today it is increasing in popularity all over the world, especially with the younger generations. You can get a henna tattoo without the fear of permanency or the fear of needles. Henna tattoos are a pain-free and temporary alternative to that of permanent ink tattoos. When you want to creatively express the inner you, choosing a henna tattoo is a beautiful option.

Photo Credit: MiiiSH

Hypnosis has been touted as a great alternative health remedy for almost any ailment; but did you know that you self-hypnosis works just as well?

Generally speaking, hypnosis is merely a state of mind in which an extreme concentration of attention exists that helps to open up a person’s mind to specific suggestions and thought forms. During a hypnotic state of mind, suggestions can be given to a person that pertains to a specifically desired outcome. Once the suggestion is given, the mind then reprograms itself to focus toward the goal of the suggestion.

Hypnosis works by manipulating the subconscious mind. This is the part of your mind that sends signals when you are in a primitive state. Things such as the fight or flight instinct when in danger are derived from the subconscious, based on experiences from your past.

Hypnosis has been used for years now as a treatment for a host of behavioral modifications. “Stop Smoking with Hypnosis” is a slogan that has been marketed for years, and obesity and overeating are now on the treatment list of hypnosis.

Hypnosis works by changing the “internal script” that causes current behavior. This is done by going into a state of deep relaxation. Once there, your mind will be open to suggestion. This is the point when you fuel your mind with the positive thoughts.

Most people succumb to such self-devastating acts as binge eating and smoking because of what they think, feel and believe. People who are aware of this can consciously change their thought patterns via subconsciously hypnotizing themselves. Simply put, self-hypnosis is a very successful tool to use to change thought patterns that have been formed during the entire course of a person’s life and are, therefore, difficult to change or get rid of by just using their ordinary conscious mind alone. Since you reach an entirely different state of mind during self-hypnosis, your mind is more readily able to accept any changes to your thought patterns that you suggest. Overall, self-hypnosis can help a person bring into existence new ideas about how they would like their life to be. Keep in mind, however, that self-hypnosis cannot force anyone to accept anything that they truly do not want to do.

Using self hypnosis will teach you mind control over your own thoughts. Use this as a spring board to increase your motivation to accomplish goals, enhance your sexual performance, increase physical well-being, or even to get into a better mental state.

Starting self-hypnosis is as easy as learning how to relax. Once fully relaxed, you will then be able to get yourself into a state of readiness. Many people prefer self-hypnosis since the issues being dealt with are personal and do not want to approach a Clinical Hypnotherapist for help. The individual can feel more relaxed and confident as they are completely in control during a self-hypnosis session at home.

How do you do this? There are hypnosis scripts. There are some that are free, whilst others charge for the use of their hypnosis scripts. Available online for downloading, in a book or through CD’s and tapes, a person will need to become comfortable with the proposed script. One of the easiest scripts to follow is a simple mantra that you can repeat to yourself whenever you are in a peaceful state of being. Start by slowly relaxing every muscle in your body and, as you reach your point of relaxation, keep repeating the message to yourself that “I am (FILL IN THE BLANK)” until you begin to wake back up again.

Much like meditation, self hypnosis can help with a whole host of health disorders. Stress and anxiety, which lead to heart problems and high blood pressure, are the most commonly treated ailments. Learning to quit smoking though hypnosis has obvious health benefits and even obesity will benefit the person far more than self esteem!

While hypnosis may not be the magic pill you have been looking for, it is at the very least extremely relaxing. You must be willing and open to the idea of suggesting things to your mind for it to work. Just remember that using self-hypnosis, in conjunction with the care of a medical doctor who is monitoring your health, will help in reaping the most rewards.

Self Hypnosis can be a fantastic addition to any mental or physical treatment program, and you might even find that it is the final touch to finally get your health program jump-started.

Photo Credit: SantaRosa Old Skool