Saturday, May 19, 2012

Day Care - Finding a Safe Place For Your Young Ones

We don't live in a world where it is practical any longer for many women (or men) to stay home with their children. Unfortunately, as average salaries drop and the price of, well, everything increases, more than half of mothers to infants must return to work. Some choose to do so even when it would be financially possible to do otherwise. If there is one thing thousands of parenting books have taught, it's that there is no one right way to be a parent. But for those times that you can't be home with your child, day care is a necessity. Here are some tips on finding a safe place for your children to stay when you're away.

Look At What You Need

Not every family is going to need the same thing from their day care. Some will need a nearly full time schedule to cover their work hours. Others may only need a place to bring their children a couple of times a week, when Grandma is otherwise occupied. You'll also need to consider how much you have to spend. It's all well and good to say that you want your child to attend only the very best place in the city, but your budget may say otherwise. Be realistic about your options before you begin to look around. You may also want to consider location. If you choose a place that is far from both work and home, it's going to be a major inconvenience.

Research

Choosing your child's day care isn't something you should do in an afternoon. Take your time and make a considered, measured decision. You can learn about places and options online, in your phone book, and, best of all, from your friends. Chances are, you aren't the only person you know who has children they can't be with at all hours of the day. Where do your co-workers leave their children? Ask around and you're certain to get recommendations of all kinds. If any parents you know have had bad experiences, you can bet they won't hesitate to speak out about those as well.

Visit

You can learn a lot about various day care options from talking to the people you know, reading online reviews, and gathering information from a variety of sources. But when it comes down to choosing, you'll have to put in some visits. Only then can you get a good idea of where your child will be spending his time.

Get Rid of Belly Fat Using Simple Steps

If you want to get rid of belly fat, then you might be in for a challenge. Getting rid of excess fats on your belly could be one of the most difficult things you will ever do. Well, this is only because stomach fat is there for a reason. It is this fat tissue that serves as protection for the soft internal organs found within the abdominal cavity. And so, any excess calories that you take gets stored as fat.

Now, a problem arises when you just forget your diet and eat too much. In fact, the belly is the main storage area of fats. This means that even a few days of neglect on your part could result to you having a fatter belly. Plus, your belly is also one of the last areas on the body that sheds fat even with exercise.

However, you must not take this to mean that you cannot get rid of belly fat ever. It simply means that losing the fat in your midsection could take some time and lots of dedication on your part. Additionally, you can even use your own body's metabolism to shed the pounds. So, here are ways you can use to get rid of belly fat.

1. Get enough sleep

This actually does not need much effort on your part. You simply have to make sure to get around eight hours of sleep each night. This is to make sure that your body is as rested and healthy as it can be. The more rested you are, the better your body will be in burning calories. On the other hand, if you don't get enough sleep, you will suffer from a slower metabolism, which just cannot keep up the job of burning fats.

2. Exercise every day

By exercise, it would mean any form of physical exercise that you can perform during the day. Be it walking to a nearby store or taking the stairs to get to your office, your body will benefit from it. If you have time, you can even start your day by taking brisk walks in your neighborhood.

3. Exercise at night, too

No, you don't need to do rigorous physical exercise at night. You can do some sit-ups, crunches or lunges just to get your blood flowing. You need to do this, as your body simply does not keep up its metabolic rate at nighttime. Meaning, burning calories is not that fast at night. In short, you need to give your metabolism a boost to burn a bit more fat.

4. Eat several healthy meals throughout the day

When you choose to eat smaller meals spaced throughout the day, you will be able to sustain a steady supply of energy. When you have a steady supply of energy from high-fiber and high-protein foods, your metabolism simply keeps going and burning calories.

In short, getting the flat-bellied look is achievable if you know what to do. So, what are you waiting for? Get rid of belly fat by using the tips now!

What To Expect The Morning Of Surgery

The day of surgery, you will usually be told to arrive at the surgery center/hospital 1-2 hours before your scheduled procedure. Once you arrive you will be registered (make sure you have all your insurance information with you) and you will receive an identification armband. Make sure the armband has the correct spelling of your name and your correct birth date. Once you have been registered, you will normally wait in the waiting room for a little while before being taken to the pre-op area.

Once in the pre-op area, they will give you a gown to change into. You may be asked to remove all clothing except for the gown. You will then be taken to a preoperative holding area and you will usually lie down on a stretcher (a rolling cart) or a recliner. A pre-op nurse will take your blood pressure, temperature, etc. They will review your medical and surgical history and they will ask you about what medications you are taking, if have had anything to eat or drink, and if you have any allergies. If you have a serious latex allergy, make sure everyone is aware of this - most surgeons and the surgical team wear latex gloves. This way the surgical team will know to wear non-latex gloves and use non-latex items.

Before going back to the operating room, you will also see an anesthesiologist and/or a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist), a circulating nurse, and you may or may not see your surgeon before going back. If you are having an operation of the "left" or "right", the surgeon will mark on your body the correct side that they will be operating on before you go into surgery. If you are having spine surgery, the surgeon might mark the level on your back before going to the operating room.

When an anesthesia care provider and the circulating nurse speak with you, they will ask you many of the same questions that you have already answered. This is NOT because there is a lack of communication between medical personnel. Everyone is required to ask you certain questions even if they already know the answer, this helps eliminate mistakes, helps to make sure all information is consistent, and helps to maintain your safety during and after the procedure.

The anesthesiologist, CRNA, or pre-op nurse will usually start an IV line in your arm. This will give you liquids to make sure you do not become dehydrated during surgery.

If you have not yet signed any consents, you will be asked to sign a consent for surgery, a consent for anesthesia, and you might be signing a consent for a blood transfusion. Remember; make sure you are comfortable signing these consents. If you have any questions, do not be afraid to get answers before signing.

After everyone has talked with you and all of your consents have been signed, you are ready for surgery. At this point, you may receive some medication through your IV line to help you relax. This medication will not "knock you out"; it will only help you to relax. Your family will probably now be allowed to come stay with you in the pre-op area until you go into surgery. Some hospitals/surgery centers may limit the number of family members that can be in pre-op with you.

Most surgeries do not run exactly on schedule due to multiple factors. Most likely, you will not be going to surgery at your scheduled surgery time. Your surgery may start a little later than scheduled, and occasionally you may head back to surgery ahead of schedule.

Why Asbestos Testing Is Important

Asbestos testing is extremely important. Although this is true, many people tend to overlook it. That is because they may believe that it's not something that they should be worried about. However, this is far from the truth. Anyone who works in the construction industry, automotive industry or even coal mining industry needs to look into participating in this procedure. On the other hand, people who are not in any of the aforementioned industries should not overlook it either. That is because this issue can affect anyone.

One of the reasons that asbestos testing is so vital is because this particle can cause serious damage to the lungs. If it caused damage to other areas of the body that are not necessarily needed to sustain life, then the test wouldn't really be that important. Just think about it. The lungs are what allow us to breathe.

Breathing issues can cause someone's life to be extremely uncomfortable. Imagine trying to do everyday activities but you are prevented from doing a lot of things because you experience breathing trouble. This can include taking a brisk walk in the park, playing games outside with your children or even trying to do your daily exercise. Whatever the case may be, it can make your life much more difficult than it has to be.

Besides the fact that it can cause your life to be uncomfortable, breathing trouble can also cause untimely death. That is because in order to live you need to breathe. Without being able to breathe properly, you run the risk of dying prematurely. So, don't think that asbestos testing is something that is not essential.

Asbestos testing is also important because this dangerous particle can cause things such as lung cancer. Most everyone knows someone who has either struggled with or died from some form of cancer. Every form of cancer can be extremely devastating. There is none that should be seen as bearable. Because they can be so dangerous, it is important that this type of test is taken seriously and not overlooked.

Not only is asbestos testing important because it can be lifesaving, but it is also valuable to make sure that your health is in peak shape. If you choose to live with the effects of asbestos, you run the risk of living in extremely unhealthy and uncomfortable life. We should do everything we can to make sure that we live the best lives we possibly can. Not only is this type of test important for you but it is also something that is important for your loved ones as well.

Liposuction - Why People Are Choosing This Procedure

Liposuction has been around for decades, and yet many who could benefit from the procedure aren't even sure what they could get out of it. It's probably one of the most misunderstood cosmetic surgery procedures. There are those who feel it does little to improve the body and there are those who think it's a fast track to being thin. In reality, it falls into neither of these categories. The best way to look at the surgery is as body contouring. It takes what you have and makes it a little better. For many, that's more than enough. Here are some of the reasons patients are choosing to have it done.

Beyond Exercise

Without a doubt, diet and exercise are the primary tools in your arsenal when it comes to getting the body you want. Take in fewer calories than you need to maintain your weight and you will lose the pounds. Getting to the gym can reduce the amount of calorie cutting you need to do to achieve your goals. All that said, our bodies don't always work with us. You don't get to choose from where you lose the weight. You could be well within your ideal body weight, with rain-thin arms, torso, and legs, but still be left with a butt that's more substantial than you would like. Continuing to drop pounds may just bring your arms, torso, and legs to anorexia-levels while still leaving the butt.

This is where liposuction shines. Instead of starving yourself only to still have that pocket of stubborn fat remain, you can specifically target the problem area, something exercise infomercials have promised you could do with various products and pills for years. Of course, it was all lies. But plastic surgery comes through where snake oil salesmen let you down.

Increased Comfort

Sometimes removing fat from a problem area can make it much easier to lose weight in general. For instance, if you have excess inner thigh fat, it can make it very uncomfortable to walk, much less work out. This can keep you from realizing your goals, as many people find it very difficult to lose substantial amounts of weight without exercise. Plus, it's much more healthy to diet in conjunction with a smart workout plan. Liposuction can get you to the point where losing weight the healthy way becomes more realistic.

Reduced Downtime

When compared with many plastic surgery procedures, liposuction carries with it very little downtime in many cases. If you opt for some of the newer technologies, you may not need to miss much work at all. Talk to your surgeon about these possibilities if you want the benefits of the procedure without the downtime.

Healthy Meal Planning - Guidelines To Follow

These days when junk foods, processed foods and other unhealthy edible treats are very common in the market, it is of importance that you know how you can plan your meals. Planning meals will help you eat healthily.

Healthy meal planning is something that many people may find challenging, yet with the help of some pointers, you can certainly ease this difficulty and make sure that everything you and your family eat is delicious and nourishing.

• Develop a cycle menu for about 4-6 weeks. This will help provide variety to your meals.

• Your menu cycle must include balance; Balance in flavors such as sweet, sour, savory, tart and lightly spicy. This balance will help awaken and stimulate the taste buds. Balance also refers to the contained nutrients in each meal. Meals that you will prepare and serve to your family must provide them with nutrients. Meals should have protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and other nourishing components found in a variety of foods.

• Your meals must be emphasized with variety. Change the types of menus that you prepare and serve every day. Every now and then, you may try to cook foods that are unfamiliar to you.

• Contrast is also another important aspect of meal planning. Food texture and appearance of foods must be considered. Textures of food include smoothness, crispness and fluffiness. You should avoid using excessive amount of the same kind of foods in just one meal. Make your dish striking by using different shapes and sizes of ingredients.

• Color also makes the meals and foods appealing to the eyes. When your dish has only one color, you tend to have less desire to eat it; but if the food has various colors in it, your mind thinks that it is delicious even if you have not tasted it yet. Vegetables and fruits add the natural colors you need in your meals.

• In planning meals, there are several things that contribute to your challenges like calorie counts. To be successful in healthy meal planning, you can avoid all these difficulties by making everything simple. Meal planning does not have to include too extravagant or elaborate meals every day. You just have to stick to foods that you love and enjoy. There are also easy recipes that you can find online which incorporate ingredients that are new to you.

• In making changes to your diet, you should not do it all at once. Make changes gradually and slowly. It would not be realistic to make your entire meals on the completely healthy side in just one night.

• There are certain foods that you know are not that healthy enough, but you should not consider these foods are wholly prohibited. You may still include them in your meals, but what's important is you consume them moderately.

• Remember that you may plan the healthiest meal of all, yet if your attitude in eating will not be healthy, then your efforts may all be for nothing. Eat your planned meals with the family and enjoy them together. Always eat breakfast to jumpstart the metabolism.

Get Fit Quick

Get Fit Quick?

Do you remember back in the days of junk mail, the endless stream of credit card offers or get rich quick money making schemes? Now, you get bombarded with the same promises of instant wealth or once in a life time offers to buy an 'amazing' product or service - except it's through your email account.

Were you ever tempted to explore the get rich quick money making schemes? Deep down you knew hard work and perseverance was the only way to make serious money. But why bust a gut trying to get rich if you don't have to?

For us strugglers trying to become or stay fit there are some smart gadgets that claim to make you feel fit without having to invest much effort. In fact, virtually no effort required except pressing a few buttons or switches.

I'm going to talk about a couple of such gadgets in this article. I admit I haven't gone out to buy and try but you could and I'd welcome your comments.

First off is the Bodi-Tek Ab-tek Belt, described as a quick and easy way to tone and firm the abs. It has six programmes with adjustable intensity and a LCD display. The belt fits all sizes. Oh, it also comes with a conductive gel. Is it worth it?

Here's the rationale behind the Bodi-Tek Ab Tek belt. When exercising, small electrical nerve signals stimulate the muscles to contract. "Bodi-Tek toners mimic these signals to simulate exercise, delivering advanced muscle development and performance".

Here's another device, the Slendertone System Abs, it uses the same technology as the Bodi-Tek belt. The sales pitch says, "advanced toning for firming and strengthening". Also thrown in with the price is a handheld rechargeable controller.

Do these keep fit gadgets have a similar attraction to the get rich quick schemes? Get rich quick without doing the hard work. Can I really get fit slouching on the couch?

The view from the dietspotlight.com website on Bodi-Tek Ab Tek is that, "the unit is not suitable for people who are overweight or those wearing a pacemaker. There are no health warnings on the official website to this end. Potential buyers must live in the United Kingdom or Europe to order the product. The lack of product description or information about how the unit works is enough to turn away most potential buyers".

It's not all bad though, here's a contrasting quote from a user in the UK - "well worth the money - can see the improvement already, only had it a few weeks can wear it anywhere even when eating".

These gadgets sound great, but I'm not convinced I'm really going to get fit slouching on the couch using these gadgets - even though it's a much more attractive alternative to working out at the gym or going out for a mile run.

Health and Fitness Article Category

If you have always had a knack for being athletic and you are interested in looking into youth sports coaching training, you have plenty of resources available to go about doing so, regardless of the type of training you are interested in pursuing for yourself as well.

When you want to work as a youth coach, it is important to have a passion for sports and for working with youth, especially during training seasons, as you will need plenty of patience when working on new strategies and working with strengths and weaknesses of all of the team mates.

How to Become a Sports Coach or Trainer

Working as a youth sports coach or trainer is possible if you have experience in the education or athletic field and if you have a teaching degree or a degree in physical education and physical training or sports as well. Depending on the type of work you want to do and your own specialties, there are various degrees that apply to the field of working with youth training and coaching (also depending on your location and where you are planning to work as well).

When you want to work in youth sports coaching training, you should talk with a local college counselor or a training program for youth if you have local programs available. Not all youth sports and training positions require degrees and some are locally formed by the community, allowing parents and sports enthusiasts alike to participate, regardless of the degree you might have or any educational background.

Duties and Jobs of a Sports Trainer or Coach

A major duty of a youth sports trainer and coach is to motivate the youth who are playing on the team being coached. This helps to boost morale and to keep players pumped with a positive attitude towards the game and their own teammates as well.

It is also important for a sports trainer or coach of a youth team to implement discipline in the form of exercising on a regular basis and before or during practices for the upcoming games. Exercises can range from traditional jumping jacks to sit ups and lunges, depending on the sport being played and the individual team mates and their strengths.

Developing a sense of "team" is essential as a youth coach aside from physical training, as this helps to not only boost team morale, but build the confidence and self-esteem of all of the players on the team.

When you want to know more about sports coaching training and becoming a coach or a trainer yourself, you can do so by checking local listings for upcoming community youth events or sports events as well as by checking local schools for open positions or jobs that may be available. It is also possible to search for jobs that are ideal for you in the youth sports coaching training realm by looking online and comparing the available jobs right from home before you apply, helping to find the most ideal career available for you.

Family Dentistry - Meeting the Oral Health Care of the Entire Family

A family dentist usually works with a wide range of patients from every age group. These dentists are responsible for ensuring that tooth decay is eliminated, the patients' plaque buildup around their teeth remains at a minimum, the gums remain healthy, and cavities are filled. Whether you have concerns regarding the appearance of your teeth or you are looking for preventative oral health care, you can choose a family dentistry that offers full service dentistry in order to get all the dental needs of your family met.

The great thing about using the services of professional full service dentistry is that you can get a host of dental services for the entire family to include:

• Composite fillings - Fillings for cavities or any small hollow areas of the tooth that are made up of resins, and are matched to the color of the tooth so they are invisible when they are applied. The also serve as a good for the affected area.

• Dentures - Partial or full set offered when tooth extractions are necessary, and can be made to look like your existing teeth.

• Dental Implant - Replacement "tooth" that is integrated in your jaw, looks like a real tooth and used when a person has missing teeth that may be the result of tooth decay, periodontitis, or an injury.

• Crowns- completely cover the visible part of a tooth, and often referred to as caps. Part of your tooth remains but most of it is rebuilt to look like the tooth

• Cleaning Services - The professional removal of tartar and dental plaque in order to prevent gingivitis, cavities, and gum disease usually takes up to 30-35 minutes to complete and is rarely painful.

• General Dentistry - Meets the general oral health needs of the entire family with the use of up to date technology and methods.

• Pediatric Dentistry - Focusing on the oral health needs of children to include services that will help the child avoid tooth decay, learn good habits concerning brushing/flossing, help your child feel comfortable in the dentist's office, and much more.

Additional services you could get from a family dentistry include bridges, traditional fillings, fixing chipped teeth, dental X-rays, root canals, 24/7 emergency service, consultations, and much more. You can call and schedule a consultation with the dental office to learn more about the services they offer. The professional staff will answer all your oral health care questions and can set up an appointment so you can get the dental cares service for you or another family member.

Treatment and Remedies for Ingrown Toenail

In case of an ingrown toenail condition, there are various home remedies that you can opt for to deal with it. As soon as you are afflicted with the condition, the first thing that you can do is to go for a foot bath at home. Simply pour some water on a basin and add Epsom salt into it. Soak your feet onto the water for at least an hour, rub the affected area to make the skin grow harder and prevent infection from getting in. dry your foot using a clean towel and then apply an anti-bacterial cream into it.

If you want to make sure that your foot is protected, you can put a bandage around the affected toe. Make sure to submit your foot for a bath every night to prevent infection. In case you are experiencing mild pain due to the ingrown, you can apply a painkiller gel to the affected area. However, take note that most of these gels cause a burning sensation so make sure that you can bear with it. You can also opt for OTC pain relievers but make it certain that you discuss this with your physician prior to consumption.

Cutting your toenail properly is another helpful way in relieving ingrown toenail. If you can cut the toenail properly, this will help avoid the condition. When you do, make sure to cut your toenail straight or make sure that the edges are not too close to the skin. In case your toenail has a curve on its edges, make sure that you do not cut it on your own. You can seek the help of a specialist for this purpose to prevent injuring your nail bed.

Ingrown Toenail Treatment

In case the condition becomes painful and infection occurs, it would be best to seek the help of a podiatrist for treatment. If you have poor blood circulation or diabetes, make sure that you avoid self-medicating and treating the condition on your own. For mild toenail infections, antibiotics can be beneficial against the pain and infection. However, take note that this can only provide a temporary relief against the condition and a specialist should still check on the problem.

If the infection is severe, the specialist might need to remove the toenail through a surgical procedure. Prior to this, anesthesia will be administered to numb the affected area. A scalpel will then be used to completely or partially remove the affected toenail. When removed, sodium hydroxide or phenol will be applied to destroy the roots and prevent the recurrence of the condition. A bandage will be tied on the operated toe to protect the area.

The surgical procedure is no longer than 15 minutes and this method can provide a permanent relief against the condition. After the surgery, post-operative care will be discussed and this involves the cleaning of the operated toe and the application of topical antibiotic. Post-operative complications are usually non-existent in this procedure and the recovery period will only take several weeks. In case complications occur, call your surgeon immediately for help.

What Is The Hype Surrounding Infrared Sauna Treatments?

We all experience more stress in our day to day lives leaving less time to relax and get down to the important things. With my experience, infrared sauna treatments have superior benefits to traditional saunas and should be considered as a lifestyle change. Here is why you should consider experiencing regular treatments:

Infrared saunas have been around for many decades in the Eastern Hemisphere, but are relatively new to North Americans. Most of us automatically compare an infrared sauna treatments to what is commonly known as a tradi­tional (hotbox) sauna. They heat the air around us thus heating us up. That is OK except for the fact that it becomes difficult to breathe and we get light headed and must leave after a short time. On the other hand, infrared sauna treatments warm you up from the inside out and not so much the air around you. This is easily understood with the following analogy: When you are outside in the sun, you can feel the warmth from the sun on your skin. When you step into the shade, you suddenly feel colder. The air temperature is relatively the same. It is the infrared energy you would feel from the sun that warms you.

Another great reason to take regular treatments is that the infrared energy resonates at the same frequency as water. We are made up of a very high percentage of water and our fat and cellulite also have large percentages of water. Infrared waves help liquefy cellulite and break down fat cells. Results can vary, but one could expect to burn up to 500 calories during a 30 minute session.

An infrared sauna treatment is a 30 minute escape from the daily stresses we all face. How often can you go somewhere undisturbed in the midst of your daily life and truly relax and feel great? Most saunas are large enough to share your experience with someone you can both benefit from 30 minutes of.

Treatments are effective for treating sprains, muscle spasms and joint stiffness; relieves aches and pains. They also improve your immune system by sweating at a lower more comfortable temperature than a conventional hot sauna. Treatments also increase overall health and resistance to disease. They sharp­en senses and relieves stress, leav­ing you feel­ing refreshed and reju­ve­nated. They improve skin within a few min­utes. Helps with scars and burns, acne, pso­ri­a­sis and eczema con­di­tions will also improve. The treatments stimulates endorphins of the brain and kills organisms like bacteria and parasites. I think everyone should partake!

Choosing The Right Nursing And Rehabilitation Center

Having to stay at a nursing and rehabilitation center is stressful, but choosing a center shouldn't be. With the proper knowledge, evaluating centers for the proper qualities becomes easy. Being condemned to a poor-quality nursing and rehabilitation center compounds the stress of having to stay away from home. Early research allows families to avoid this problem.

Start with the government's rating system for nursing and rehabilitation centers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluate the nation's centers and assigns a star rating to each one. Ratings are based on health inspection data, quality measures, and staffing and range from one star to five. Homes with three or fewer stars should be avoided if at all possible.

Visits from friends and families keep patients mentally sound. A center should be close to loved ones to facilitate visits. The best care available will not be enough for a patient who receives no personal visits. It may be best to choose a four star center close to family over a five star center located far away. Ensure that the visiting hours work for the potential visitors. A facility that restricts visits to times when none of the patient's friends are available might not be the best choice.

Visiting a nursing and rehabilitation center in person is the most important step. A center should have a clean, orderly appearance and a pleasant smell. Nursing staff should be friendly and interacting with patients. Rooms should be large and decorated with patients' personal effects. If patients who seem as if they need help are left sitting unattended, that is a big red flag. Talk with some of the patients that seem eager to speak. They can give insights to how the care in the facility really is.

Long-term care ombudsmen are independent government workers assigned to monitor nursing and rehabilitation centers. Complaints and compliments about centers are directed to ombudsmen. After finding a conveniently located center with a high star rating and a strong performance during an in-person visit, contacting the center's ombudsman provides an objective opinion. An ombudsman will know about complaints that may not be immediately apparent, or be aware of pending management changes.

Nursing and rehabilitation centers are often required after emergencies such as a broken hip or mental breakdown. Starting to evaluate local homes as soon as possible can prevent difficult decisions from being made under pressure. Finding a quality nursing and rehabilitation center is possible with the right amount of effort.

Effective Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation

It's extremely important to note that breathing into a casualty who is unconscious and not breathing normally is an authentic first aid technique in the UK. The version of CPR shown in the TV ads sponsored by the British Heart Foundation, are aimed at citizens who are not trained. However, in some situations, it could be that you are unable to give breaths to a person because of major injuries to the area around the mouth or because don't want to (for example because you don't have access to a face shield and you are reluctant to risk contamination from blood-borne diseases such as AIDS, HIV, hepatitis B etc.. In these cases, doing compressions only is seen as a reasonable alternative.

To give effective breaths into someone, move the head back by pinching the soft part of the nose and positioning two fingers under their chin. This action removes the tongue from the airway therefore preventing the mouth from opening too far.

Make a seal around the casualty's mouth with your mouth (you need to open your mouth quite wide in order to seal the mouth effectively). Give the casualty two breaths, leaving about a second between breaths. Doing it this way will allow the lungs to inflate and deflate effectively.

Carry on with thirty compressions and 2 breaths until one of the following happens

  • recovery happens
  • the ambulance arrives and the paramedics tell you to stop
  • you get too tired and you are on your own
  • someone else can take over from you
  • someone arrives with an Artificial External Defibrillation machine

*The person who takes over does not need to be a first aider, they simply need to be told how to do CPR. It's recommended that, if another person can take over, you change over every two minutes (about 4 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths).

Babies and children. With Babies and children, CPR starts with 5 rescue breaths and continues with thirty compressions and 2 breaths. The first set of rescue breaths are only done once, at the beginning.

CPR for infants - from birth to 1 year: 5 rescue breaths: make a complete seal around their mouth and nose with your mouth and breathe 5 times gently into the infant (it's crucial not to over breathe due to potential lung damage).

Using your middle and index fingers, employ chest compressions thirty times roughly about a third of the infant's upper body depth

Breathe twice into the infant and Keep doing thirty chest compressions and 2 breaths until...

  • the infant shows signs of recovery
  • the ambulance arrives and the paramedics tell you to stop
  • you get too tired and you are on your own (probably not likely as this is not as strenuous as with an adult)
  • someone else can take over from you

CPR for children - age 1 year to 8 years: The techniques are similar to adult CPR but begins with 5 rescue breaths and continues with thirty chest compressions and 2 breaths. Dependant upon the relative size between you and the child, you may want to use one hand to carry out the compressions instead of two.

Facts on Healthy Living

Healthy living connotes a lifestyle that envelopes the norms of having an "ideal health". Even if your preference would be on anything that mother nature yields, it doesn't mean you are ideally healthy. Balance is the first norm of healthy living and discipline suffices the right choice of maintaining it. Although we are already familiar on the basics of acquiring an exemplar to great health, it is still a matter of choice; it's not just on what we eat or do, but still an option to stick to the cycle of maintaining a health equilibrium.

For some, if they hear about healthy living, they would just have an idea of drinking in the leafy edibles, which often times, makes it a difficult choice for someone contemplating to go back to being healthy. But consider the old ways of life, people living in the past have longevity. The simplicity of their lifestyles makes it easy to gain satisfaction, which tracks contentment, and eventually draws happiness which is another implication of being healthy.

On the other hand, it doesn't mean that we won't enjoy life anymore if we commit ourselves to healthy living. It's watching what we eat and drink, making sure that a balance diet would suit the energy consumption for the day. Stress management and sleeping well can also contribute to an inner well-being. Getting into physical activities equates our normal bodily functions that are crucial to prevent common illnesses such as obesity and high blood pressure. If we feel great, we tend to connect with others well. We can better cope with difficulties which are explicit strains on our mental and emotional quotient.

Healthy living is also about awareness. We have the responsibility to know what causes ailments or any disorder that may compromise our well-being and should be taking actions to prevent it. "Healthy helps" are things to consider too. Seeking professional help or subscribing to blogs from a health guru are great ways to keep us well-informed about the right choice of health program or products that favor to continue a sound being.

Health commodities are iconic to nature's produce. It is manufactured to blend with the lifestyle of the new generation, which is fast or always on the run. It takes away the hassles of the old fashion way of preparation, but making sure that it still comprises a healthy content, which means it's synthetic-free. There is also no need to be adamant on these health products specially about the side-effects because anything organic is always commendable.

Everyone agrees about the importance of healthy living and even if there is an overflowing information on how to go about it, it will only become beneficial by having the right attitude towards it.

Hygiene at School Lunchtimes

For some parents of young children school lunchtimes can be a challenge. Whether the child takes their own packed lunch to school or whether they eat food that is provided many parents are never quite sure if:

- their child ate properly;
- drank properly;
- washed their hands before eating.

There is much talk (and perhaps much of it is justified) that we do too much hand-washing. However, although we might be used to each other's germs at home, the greater mix and greater number of people in a public place such as a school AND the obvious vulnerability of children to illness presents a significant risk of contamination. Children often naturally become grubby as the day wears on and can soon have soiled hands.

Being fed and watered (especially watered) are both important. However both of these can be corrected when the child gets home. However if the child puts his or her germ-infested hands in his or her mouth then, any resulting illness may not be as easy to correct.

As such, parents, teachers and lunch-time non-teaching staff are usually on the look-out for children in need of a clean-up before lunch. Easier said than done! Even more difficult when you consider that germs are invisible and some children can be infected and still look perfectly clean.

And what of the legal position? Well, most parties involved would not consider this is an issue at all, preferring to rely on mutual co-operation with the childrens' welfare at heart. However, whether we like it or not sometimes things boil over and litigation results. Laws may very from one jurisdiction to another but the general rule of thumb is that parents are expected to do all they reasonably can to ensure their children are prepared for school and know the basics. For example, children in junior school should know that they should wash their hands before they eat. Whether they actually do it is another matter. Teachers and school staff have a duty to do all they reasonably can to ensure that children are in a safe environment and kept reasonably clean. However, is it reasonable to expect a school to ensure 100% compliance to pre-lunch hand-cleaning? As I stated, this may depend on your jurisdiction but part of the equation may be what parents expect of their school. It may be wise for a school to provide some guidance to parents on how far they may go to ensure clean hands and reasonably hygienic conditions.

This is where the school may need to be guarded. If it undertakes to keep children clinically clean, to take an extreme, then this could not possibly be achieved. However, if it undertook to ensure each child had clean hands before lunch there are still grey areas, quite apart from the logistical challenge. For example, if there were 100 pupils in each lunchtime sitting, washing that many pairs of hands at say, 45 seconds per wash, this would take 1 hour and 15 mins. Using 5 wash basins, that is 15 minutes. 15 basins may be better resulting in only 5 minutes in total; however this would take a great deal of supervision and military-style planning and discipline - not a likely expectation in a junior school. So let's get back to 5 wash basins and a total hand-wash time of 15 minutes. Here we now have the problem that hands that were free of harmful bacteria 1 minute after washing are then full of germs after 10 minutes. A quarter-of-an-hour may be too long to expect a child to wait for his or her lunch without getting dirty. Another solution would be to have 'waves' of children - let's say 10 groups of 10. However, we are then back to military planning.

So we have a problem: how to keep children free of illness caused by harmful germs but still ensure the school can function. Rather than accepting that this problem has no solution, some schools have been getting pretty smart in recent times. The solution they have come up with is a, er, solution: that is a biocidal stay-active solution, such as Steri-7. Stay-active solutions are a new technology. We are only just beginning to benefit from them.

Stay-active biocidal sanitizers are usually in liquid form. What makes them very special is that, whereas most soaps stop working as soon as they are rinsed away, stay-active sanitizing soaps actively keep germs at bay for a long period of time. In the case of children's hands, Steri-7 stays active for 3 hours.

Such is their proven ability to keep germs away that hospitals have been quick to take them up on the wards. Stay-active sanitizers, in particular, are very useful since they do not require water and they will soon dissolve into the skin after a few seconds. Thus, the 45 second wash that took 1 hr 15 mins and up to many wash basins now takes about 3 seconds per application. For 100 children that's 5 minutes and no wash basins with very little planning and discipline required and just one member of staff to supervise the soap dispensing (these kinds of sanitizers are usually dispensed using a 1-dose pump).

This is not a trivial issue. Children can become very ill through poor hygiene. A responsibility that used to fall between stalls can now be efficiently and comprehensively undertaken to the benefit of children, parents and school staff alike.

Tips For Healthy Living

A lot of factors affect your health, such as your genetic makeup and age. If your family has a hereditary illness like diabetes or hypertension, most likely you would have it too. But living a healthy lifestyle can prevent this from occurring. You can reduce the risk for heart diseases, stroke, cancer or any serious illness by properly taking care of your body.

Eat the proper food.

If you are at high risk for diabetes, then avoid sweet foods. If you are anemic, eat iron rich foods. Remember, not all tasty and delicious foods are healthy. You must eat the foods that your body only needs. An excess or lack of any nutrient might place your body in bad shape. Limiting processed foods is a good start. These foods are high in sodium, saturated fat and other content which can harm your body. Try organic ones, go green, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. For snacks, you can substitute a chocolate bar with an apple. Or put some fruits in your oatmeal such as bananas. If you are a meat lover, you can cut those fat portions of the meat. Or try eating fish- low in fats but rich in protein. Actually, there are a lot of healthy yet yummy options, just use flair of creativity.

Quit smoking

Smoking is really, very dangerous to your health. The toxic ingredients of cigarette which are nicotine and carbon monoxide prevent the affected cells from obtaining the full percentage of oxygen needed for them to function well. These toxic ingredients are carcinogenic which is one of the main reasons why lung cancer is very common with people who smoke cigarettes. Smoking can result to atherosclerosis, chronic lung injury, common obstructive pulmonary disease and worse- the development of cancer.

Smile, be positive

Let the good vibes in. Think less of the worries; always look on the bright side of everything. Laugh and hang out sometime, unwind from the stress. Visit spas and resorts, have fun. According to studies, happiness affects almost every aspect of health. Besides from making you feel and look young, being positive and happy prolongs your lifespan.

Be Active

Don't be a potato couch, do some movement. Do some jogging, dancing, walking or gardening. Physical activity is very important for your health. Besides making you look good, exercising improves your total blood circulation and burns the fat off your body. Try weight lifting, this is very helpful if you want to maintain your weight while weight lifting for women who are near their menopausal stage is important for them to maintain their bone strength.

Sinus Infection Symptoms? The Air Quality in Your Car, Truck or RV Could Be The Culprit

As millions of people already know, a sinus infection or sinusitis can really be unpleasant, especially if it's chronic sinusitis, or 'constantly occurring'. Symptoms of a sinus infection include headaches, bloody or yellow / green discharge from the nose, pressure in the face, cough / congestion, to flu-like symptoms (aches, fatigue, etc.) if the bacteria or fungus has become systemic (in the bloodstream). And yes, a sinus infection can be 'caught' from another person, but more and more the true source of most sinus infections is poor air quality--and not just in our homes, but in our cars, trucks, and RV's.

Poor air quality in cars, trucks, and RV's is a real issue because people spend on average of 2-3 hours every day in their vehicles commuting to work, running errands, and 6-8 hours plus for many RV owners. And because most people don't wipe their feet before they get into a vehicle, don't clean their car, truck, or RV more than once a month, and have no way of filtering the outside air coming through vents, they often get a daily dose of allergy and sinus-infection-causing, air quality-lowering pollutants. These pollutants include: dust, pollen, mold spores, bacterial and fungal organisms, mold etc. that thrive on food particles and moisture, chemicals, pesticides, even airborne carpet or other fibers. And keep in mind that what seems like plain dust isn't plain at all. Dust often carries bacteria, viruses, dust mites, mold spores and more with it-carpet or other fibers can carry these, too.

Many cars, trucks, and especially RV's also have tiny leaks that allow moisture to get into the vehicle, which allows sinus-infection causing agents to thrive. RV's are particularly troublesome as they tend to have more seams that leak, which allows mold to grow, creates that mildew smell, and if you spend time there, allows a sinus infection to happen. RV air conditioners often promote mold and bacteria growth because they are rarely cleaned and the condensation provides the necessary moisture.

Wondering if you have a sinus infection? Other than the symptoms above, if you cough, sneeze or blow your nose and see red, yellow or green, you probably have a sinus infection and it's time to seek medical treatment, as once you have sinusitis, antibiotics are often needed.

But one of the best natural remedies or treatments/cures for sinus infections is cleaning up the indoor air in your car, truck or RV. To do that, any leaks would obviously need to be fixed, and regular cleaning established (at least once per week). But to seriously improve air quality, we recommend getting an air purifier designed for cars, trucks, RV's. Here are a couple of car / travel air purifiers we have found that are very effective, and low-cost.

For cars and trucks, we recommend the Clean Air 5000 from Vapor Eze--a compact, 5 Stage air purifier that includes HEPA, carbon and UV technology to remove particles and odors. For RV's and other travel uses, the Tiger Ozone-Free Air Purifier is an incredible value, providing a 2 year HEPA filter, carbon for odors and smoke, negative ions, no ozone, automatic sensors,and a remote. These air purifiers will not only help prevent sinus infections, but they may help treat a sinus infection / reduce symptoms if you have one.

We hope this information helps you avoid sinus infections and or reduce healing time. If you have any questions, please see the author box below.

Top Five Advantages of Drinking More Water

The average person's body is made up of approximately 60 percent water. Although a good portion of this occurs naturally, proper hydration depends upon keeping your body hydrated. On days when you're feeling extra hungry, more tired than usual and a bit out of sorts, it's likely you're dehydrated. The advantages of drinking more water go well beyond hydrating your body's major organs and systems. Developing a habit that leads you drink water throughout the day will provide you with some wonderful benefits you might not have thought about.

• Weight Loss - Drinking more water is an important aspect of weight loss that's often overlooked. Water helps you feel fuller, and it flushes away the by-products of fat as it breaks down. Many times when we feel hungry, we're actually thirsty.

• Improved Appearance of Skin - When your skin has the proper hydration, it looks smoother and a lot more supple and is freer of irritation and redness. You know what it's like to get dry, chapped skin after being outside on a cold windy day. Think of dehydration as the issue that leads to skin becoming chapped from the inside out.

• More Energy - When you're thirsty, you feel lethargic. This occurs because water helps to flush out waste and toxins that impair our bodies in many ways. More water in your body also helps your cardiovascular system run more efficiently so it can keep your heart pumping with less energy output.

• Headache Relief - If you're suffering from chronic headaches, even though there are a lot of things that can cause it, but being dehydrated is one of them. Drinking more water can help relieve head aches and back pain, too.

• Better Concentration - Our brains are made primarily of water. When your body is dehydrated it can lead to difficulty with focus at work or school. When you drink more water you'll find that your thinking is clearer and you're better able to concentrate on the task at hand.

To drink water regularly throughout the day, make it readily available so you don't have to interrupt your day to get water. Have a bottle on your desk at work, in your car, gym bag and on the end table near your favorite living room chair. When it becomes a habit, you'll soon find the advantages of drinking more water far outweigh any issues that prevented you from doing so before. Water is an essential part of life and as soon as you start enjoying the natural benefits of drinking more water, you'll begin to wonder why you waited so long.

Bell's Palsy and Lyme Disease

My nephew Justin was diagnosed with Lyme Disease last year. He's at high risk because he works in the woods, but is diligent about checking himself thoroughly for ticks.

During the first month of cutting season he found three ticks crawling across his skin and one in his mustache on the left side of his face. That one was attached, he says, but not engorged, so he was pretty certain it hadn't been there for long. He also didn't think any of them were deer ticks.

He started to feel achy in all his joints, even his wrists and elbows, but figured it was because he was working hard and was out of shape. He never got a bulls-eye rash, and it never occurred to him that he might have Lyme Disease.

A short time later he lost his sense of taste. Everything - sweet and sour foods, even water - tasted salty.

"My taste buds went on Wednesday," Justin told me, "and then on Friday I was at work and tried to whistle a tune, but couldn't. I found a mirror and the whole left side of my face was just hanging!"

He got himself to the local emergency department, where he was quickly diagnosed with Bell's Palsy. What's that have to do with Lyme Disease? As it turns out, quite a bit.

What is Bell's Palsy?

Bell's Palsy is a temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face. The muscles are controlled by the facial nerves. The facial nerve begins in the brain stem and passes through the parotid gland where it divides into two main branches, one for each side of the face. The branches divide into 7000 smaller nerve fibers that control all our facial movements. A viral infection, most commonly one that causes cold sores, or a bacterial infection, such as Lyme Disease may cause Bell's Palsy. It's not a given that if you have either cold sores or Lyme Disease you'll get it, but in some people, the immune response to the infection causes the facial nerve - usually on only one side - to become inflamed and compressed, and the muscles are temporarily paralyzed.

That's what happened to Justin. He couldn't raise his left eyebrow, smile, frown, grimace, open or close his eye, or even blink. Nothing. He also couldn't produce tears or taste food. Here's what he posted on Facebook: "Yeah. Lyme disease. Bell's palsy from Lyme disease. Drooling on myself - at least I have a reason now."

Yes, Justin has a sense of humor!

Connecting Justin's Bell's Palsy to Lyme Disease

As soon as the doctor in the emergency room found out he worked in the woods he ordered a blood test. It was positive for antibodies for Lyme Disease. A Western Blot test confirmed the diagnosis.

It turns out that facial paralysis is a stage two symptom of Lyme Disease that may show up from one to four months after infection. The achy joints Justin had in the month before his diagnosis are considered an early symptom. Only 85% of people with Lyme Disease get the bulls-eye rash.

Treating Bell's Palsy and Lyme Disease

Justin was on Prednisone for four days for the Bell's Palsy and in no time could smile and taste again. He also had to be on an aggressive six-week course of Doxycycline, an antibiotic that he says was "God awful" because it upset his stomach and made his fair skin even more susceptible to sunburn.

A follow-up test showed he carried Lyme Disease antibodies, which indicated he had contracted the disease, but was fine. Unfortunately, the ticks are rampant this year and he got bit again and has to get retested.

Wish him luck!

The 5 Huge Health Benefits of Ice Baths

1) Speeds Recovery

Ice baths are one of the most effective active recovery methods for worn out muscles. Using your muscles for intense training causes lactic acid buildup and small micro tears to develop in the muscles. This can caused delayed onset muscle soreness (the notorious DOMS). Ice baths help prevent DOMS by increasing blood circulation.

Positive effects from ice bathing continue to take place well after the bath itself. After a cold therapy session blood gets pushed back into the muscle which flushes out lactic acid. This enables you to use your muscles much sooner without them felling like jelly. Researchers believe that this attempt from the body to warm itself up stimulates the body into an increased metabolic rate. This forces the body releases more white blood cells.

The Thrombosis Research Institute in England confirmed that cold shows do in fact increase the body's immune system through increasing white blood cell count in a 1993 study.

2) Decreases muscle pain/inflammation

The most common advice given to people after an injury is to "ice" it. While most of the time this is referring to an ice packs, it makes sense that a full ice bath should be much more effective.

When your body is in the cold water the blood vessels constrict and pull blood away from the muscles and brings them into the organs. This reaction greatly reduces inflammation of the micro tears as well as any other body injury.

PhD Chris Bleakley, a researcher from the University of Ulster, North Ireland says, "The ice bath reduced muscle soreness by about 20%."

3) Increases metabolism for accelerated fat loss

Your body will burn any fuel it has to stay at its healthy operating temperature. Think about how when it's hot you sweat or when it's cold you shiver. Well sweating and shivering are just a few of your body's natural temperature control responses.

Cold water is bar none the most efficient way to quickly decrease body heat and kick-start your body's fat burning furnace. The best part of this is the calories burned as heat mostly comes from fat.

4) Causes the body to produce a plethora of good chemicals

Many people swear that an ice bath is a sure-fire stress reducer. These claims can be back up by numerous studies. Researchers from the Department of Radiation Oncology at Virginia Commonwealth University school of medicine found that ice baths help stimulate production of a chemical called noradrenaline. Low production of noradrenaline has been linked with depression.

I know that every time I leave an ice bath, I feel energized and invigorated. It's an instant energy boost when the heart is pumping, and blood is rushing through the body. For me, the spike in energy can last several hours.

The Thrombosis Research Institute (the same Institute referenced in #1) showed that cold water showers actually increase testosterone production in men. Increased testosterone levels not only boost a man's libido, but also his overall strength and energy level. If you're looking to increase your testosterone remember cold therapy is way less dangerous than steroids.

5) Improves the looks of your hair and skin

Hot water dries out skin and hair, but cold water can do the opposite. The benefits of ice water bathing have been known for decades, and even beauty celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe used to use ice baths to firm up their skin. Ice baths helps make hair shinier and skin look healthier. This is because the cold contracts your cuticles and pores, while improving circulation to skin and hair cells.

How to Get a Great Night's Sleep: The 5 Simple Steps to Better Sleep

Can't sleep? You toss and you turn all night never seeming to get comfortable, never seeming to feel like you are even close to sleep? I bet you've tried a few different solutions too, warm milk or maybe even sleeping pills. The thing is, the reason why you can't sleep could be because of many many different things. Always get a check from a health care provider if you have specific concerns. However, if you want simple solutions to sleep better then the following steps can help you get that great night's sleep:

1. Sleep on your side: Sleeping on your side is an acquired taste if all you have been doing is stomach sleeping. The side position is best for your neck posture and for improving breathing which is a common cause for frequently waking. Try placing a pillow between your knees in order to prevent rolling onto your stomach.

2. Find the right pillow: Finding the right pillow is vitally important. The best pillows are contoured to support the neck. In the side sleeping position the pillow should fill the entire space between your neck and the mattress. Your head should not be tilted up or down but be in line with your spine.

3. No digital entertainment before bed: Avoid any forms of digital entertainment at least 1 hour prior to bed. Digital entertainment means movies, TV, Xbox, computer/laptop use, even a kindle. Stay away from all forms. Trying reading a few pages of non-fiction instead.

4. Wait 3 hours after eating: When you eat and got to bed shortly after what happens is that your stomach is still full of food. Whilst your stomach is full in the lying down position it shifts upwards towards your diaphragm which is your main breathing muscle. This prevents you from breathing properly and can lead to a very disturbed sleep.

5. Get an Adjustment: Getting specific chiropractic adjustments can make a real difference to your sleep. Chiropractic improves the function of your nervous system. An overactive nervous system can often be the reason for poor sleep. Chiropractic can help reduce the overactivity which helps your whole system calm down. Give it a go, it worked wonders for me!

Just follow these 5 simple steps to get a great night's sleep and you will find you can fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer and experience more energy every morning.

Recognizing Flu Symptoms in Kids - Get Your Child the Right Treatment Without Delay

Do you normally get confused about what illness your child has? Lots of parents confuse flu symptoms with those of a common cold. When the child is very young then the symptoms are easy confused with those of a bacterial infection. As a result, they are unable to give the child the correct medical treatment. While this doesn't always have serious consequences (although a few kids have died needlessly because they did not get the right treatment), it most often results in the child having to undergo an unnecessary amount of discomfort. Also, if you know that your child has the flu then you can take steps to isolate him or her so that other people do not get the illness.

One of the first things you ought to know is that flu symptoms in kids are generally more severe than those of common colds. The child generally suffers from a high grade fever, accompanied by chills and shakes, which can even touch 104 degrees F. Another set of symptoms that you have to look out for are tiredness as well as headaches and body aches. If your child suffers from a cough and a sore throat in addition to these symptoms then you can be quite sure that your child has the flu. Some children might even suffer from vomiting and diarrhea as a result of having the flu.

A tell-tale sign of flu in children is that the symptoms start with almost no warning and cause the child to feel very unwell during the first few days. Even if most of the symptoms go away after four days or so, your child is likely to have a bad cough that stays on for a couple of weeks. This might cause you to confuse it with respiratory tract infections.

You'll find it very easy to deal with most flu symptoms on your own. Make sure that you give your child medications to bring down the temperature and also to soothe the cough and sore throat. If however the fever continues after three days or the cold symptoms are still going strong after 10 days then you ought to take your child to a doctor. Also, if your child suffers from asthma or suffers from illnesses of the respiratory system frequently then you ought to seek medical treatment without delay. This will help protect your child's illness from becoming very severe and unmanageable.

How to Improve Your Confidence With Hypnotherapy

Is your lack of confidence holding you back? Are you passing up opportunities or experiences because you don't feel like you're good enough?

Low confidence can be crippling, it can hold you back in all areas of your life, making you feel destined for a life of underachievement. Nobody is born with low confidence. It's something that happens to us because of life experience.

The good news is we can re-learn how to feel and be more confident again.

Three quick and easy steps to improve your confidence are:

Learn how to use your imagination in a positive way

This is quick and easy and all it requires is that you go somewhere quiet and close your eyes. Then visualize yourself in the upcoming situation that is causing you concern. Perhaps you have to give a presentation. So you visualize yourself in detail giving the presentation as you would like it to happen. See, feel and hear yourself doing the best job possible, and being really happy with yourself. Really connect with the experience as you visualize it. If you're having trouble seeing yourself being confident just imitate someone else who you view as confident. It can be someone famous or anyone you know. The important thing is to be able to see and feel the positive outcome in your visualization. Practice this over and over and notice how much calmer and positive you will feel.

Acknowledge that your past is not the same as your present

Don't allow yourself to get down about past event. It's what you are doing now that counts. If you've had low confidence you're whole life, recognize that you can take action to increase your confidence.

Be careful of the company you keep

It's easy to get dragged down by other people. Make an effort to surround yourself with positive thinking people who lift you up and inspire you to achieve greater things.

Feeling confident isn't just something for other people - it can be yours - and hypnotherapy can help you get there.

This is because hypnotherapy can help you to re-learn your attitudes toward yourself. This can help you overcome whatever is holding you back.

Hypnotherapy works because when you are in a trance it's possible to bypass your conscious critical mind and communicate with your subconscious mind, helping to reframe any negative beliefs you may have towards yourself. Either way you can start feeling more positive and confident in a short space of time.

Top 6 Traits of a Good Orthopedic Surgeon

There are many orthopedic surgeons today and they are specialized in treatment of the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons need to possess a certain set of traits that sets them apart from other surgeon. They need to know every single aspect of the musculoskeletal system and they will need to perform surgeries to repair any injuries or damages as well as improve any functions. They need to have good physical strength, mental strength and flexibility.

Tact and sensitive

An orthopedic surgeon needs to possess tact and sensitivity. Patients will go to him thinking that they know what is wrong with them. But the surgeon is the one who really knows it medically and advise on the best treatment possible. The surgeon will need to bring across it in a simple way without huge medical jargons and tell the patients what are the things that are going wrong and what he need to do. Most of the time, he will need to share bad news with them. Thus he needs to be sensitive and show empathy.

Flexible

Different patients have different recovery speed and time and an orthopedic surgeon must always be flexible and prepared for any changes. The surgeon may have had a patient of similar condition before but he must know that they will recover different and react to treatments differently. Patients may sometimes choose for a different course of action rather than the one the surgeon recommended due to reasons such as cost. Surgeons must then put themselves in their patient's shoes and help them find the best medical action based on his means.

Calmness

An operating theatre is very stressful and fast paced and can have many unpredictable situations happening at times. Thus, a good trait of an orthopedic surgeon is the need to stay calm amidst stressful situations and finish the task at hand. Patients will also feel more comfortable when they see that their surgeon is calm. Whoever wants a surgeon that is easy stress out?

Dedication

Orthopedic surgeons need to be dedicated to both their work and their patients. They have to work long hours that requires them to be on their foot. They can be re-called back to the hospital when there is an emergency and they need to give up some of their personal time with their loved ones. They also need to visit patients and their families and explain to them the entire surgery process and have a discussion with them to answer their doubts.

Eye and hand coordination skills

Orthopedic surgeons need to have excellent eye-hand coordination as their surgery involves the usage of equipment such as power saws to drill through bones. A successful surgery can only be done if the surgeon has fine motor skills that allow him to carry out his surgery with the aid of equipments.

Strength

Orthopedic surgeons use equipments such as power saws for their surgery which are heavy. As such, they need to possess physical strength to operate them. Many amputations require the usage of saws to cut through the thick bones.

It is not easy to find a good orthopedic surgeon that possesses all the mentioned traits. An orthopedic surgery is not a small one and extra effort should be done on the patient's part to find the best available. The patient can always ask their friends for any recommendations and take their own time to decide on the surgeon to carry out their surgery.

Healing Through the Spirit

Help for your back

When asked about their health, almost every second person on the street will complain about back problems. Yet when they say "my back", they rarely mean the anatomic structure itself but the painful twitches, twinges and pressures that plague them. According to a report about back pain in the German weekly magazine "Focus", at least eight out of ten people suffer from such an episode in their lives. These complaints cost the national economy billions of Euros every year, in Germany alone up to 50 Billion. Especially early retirees and those having to stop working due to injury are costly cases. In Germany patients and insurances pay at least 18 billion Euros for treatment, surgery and medication. In comparison, the state only spent 2.2 billion Euros for road and highway repairs. Incidentally, most people will treat their back pain with pills, heating pads and house remedies.

However, when the pain lasts for weeks and months, compromising one's daily activities, then the help of experts becomes necessary. Spinal specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons, neuro-surgeons, chiropractors, psychiatrists, and physiotherapists attempt to explain what helps. They provide answers to the most pressing questions: Where does pain originate from? Should I go see a specialist and if so, which one? Do I really need to "go under the knife"?

The spine is subjected to much drilling, bolting and chiselling. Critics of such procedures, many of them surgeons, believe that far too many surgeries are being performed.

Many people call themselves back experts. What type of treatment does one need when one is in pain? During a simple bout of acute pain the family physician is the first contact person. When the pain does not disappear, however, the situation becomes more complex. Under most circumstances, the patient will undergo various kinds of treatments depending on the specialist he or she consults. A neurologist has a different understanding of the case than an orthopaedic surgeon. There is no unity, and that is not a good situation. How do these specialists want to resolve the problem if the diagnosis and the therapy of a case drift apart for lack of a greater plan?

Is there indeed no "optimal" treatment for back pain? Are patients too often undergoing unnecessary surgery? What is the reason for this? If pharmaceuticals, physiotherapy, or psychotherapy do not help, then what will?

Many chronic illnesses should not have to exist, if along the treatments also the "medica mente - health through the spirit" were given more prominence. Because: what home remedies heal indirectly, the spirit is able to heal directly. Spiritual Straightening of the spine encompasses the whole person. It straightens the mind, cleanses the soul, frees and aligns the spine. This re-programming of the person's life occurs simultaneously on many levels, allowing the entire heart-, mind- and spirit organism to heal.

Spiritual Straightening after the originator and initiator Pjotr Elkunoviz is one of the fundamental transformations for present life on this planet.

Spiritual Straightening is the foundation for an all-encompassing healing on the physical, mental and spiritual levels of our existence. As a visible and provable spiritual healing modality in the world today, Spiritual Straightening provides unique and lasting healing, as has been reported by hundreds of thousands of people. Spiritual Straightening represents a quantum leap into a new dimension of spiritual healing. Humanity is about to make more conscious use of spiritual healing powers than in the past. At the same time humanity is only at the very beginning of a new spiritual therapy that in the future will count more practitioners and followers than all other present healing modalities together.

Many people suffer from an asymmetry in their bodies brought about by evolutionary causes: a crooked neck, uneven shoulders, displaced shoulder blades, a curved and twisted spine, a tilted pelvis and uneven leg lengths. As a result some people will suffer from back pain, others complain of hip- and knee pain, or discomfort of the neck- and back muscles, even cardiac insufficiency or heart rhythm disturbances, digestive problems, renal problems and so on. But also for people who suffer from depression, headaches and circulatory troubles there is hope. People with various physical and mental symptoms, who at one point were considered untreatable by conventional medicine, have been able to find healing through the release and straightening of the spine. Essentially all these illnesses are caused by a displacement of the vertebral column, because all vital organs, control centres, and meridians are attached to it. The vertebral column is the central structure of the human being, which stores all the information that is sent to the various parts of the body.

It may sound difficult to believe, but real help exists to rectify the distorted pelvis and unevenness of the leg lengths without any manipulation of the body. Find out for yourselves how the elimination of these distortions indeed is the only way to heal the entire body.

For 22 years now people have been able to experience this unique style of healing through Pjotr Elkunoviz. Thousands of people so far have benefitted from the powerful regenerative and self-healing processes that his treatment initiated, and helped free them of all kinds of ailments. Spiritual Straightening addresses the entire human being by establishing overall balance, as well as restoring mental order in people afflicted with physical or emotional difficulties. This re-programming takes place within a matter of seconds without physically touching the body, and works simultaneously on all levels right to the cellular intelligence.

How does he heal?

What is, according to him, the cause of illness, and what is illness itself?

In Pjotr Elkunoviz' own words: "Illness is caused through the accumulation of input we received throughout all our various previous lives along our evolution. This information needs to be healed. I am able to read at the level of this information and thereby release root blockages, heal the life matrix as well as beneficially change the genetic code". He thereby aligns the "mechanisms of the temporal cellular memory" and programs them toward sustainment. Even people hitherto judged beyond treatment by the medical establishment can be healed, as he has proven thousands of times, he says. Immediately upon directing his healing impulse to the client, in his words: "all levels of the human being align themselves, and the 'Divine Order' establishes itself in that individual!" That is what essentially it is about, he says. "The distorted pelvis caused by our evolution, also called the 'natural distortion of the individual' needs to be corrected. Furthermore, illnesses are often caused by the pressures of the mind!" Our thoughts can put extreme pressures on the body to the point of deforming it. Back pain is caused through injuries, which he is sure of, but in his view these are mostly emotional injuries, which manifest in the spine.

Pjotr alone is the initiator of this effective and miraculous energy, one that has never existed before. This energy is directed through the power of his mind, because he himself is that power. Through his healing work - led by God's divine law - changes happen in the world.

He considers his function as that of collaborating in God's creation. He calls himself "God's tool, the God in me heals through me. I myself am this power! I have always been this power!"

"I am not Jesus, I am not Mohammed, I am not a prophet." During his treatments he guides the person who comes to him for help back to him- or herself. But even though he helps the person heal him- or herself, the individual has to be willing to participate in this process and contribute to the healing. "God heals!" Yet every person may react differently, since every person's body and life story is different. "That is why various reactions are possible to the healing energy, from complete freedom of pain within seconds, to light pain during the treatment, but that happens very rarely", the healer says. "Humans are free beings", Pjotr Elkunoviz explains, "God created the human being in his image", he pauses: "in his image, not after his image!" In his opinion the task of the human being is to be or become the image of God, godlike, so to speak. He imparts this very knowledge into the cells of the client, so that the "fusion with God" may be fulfilled.

Everything happens in its own time, because time lies in God's hand. This has always been so and will always be that way. If you read this information, then your time too has come to be straightened, because coincidences do not exist.

Spiritual Straightening activates the powers of self-healing, and so your body too can realize its very own process of healing.

Treatment

The correction of the pelvis occurs very gently. Often the client may feel a light, pleasant sensation. An enormous energetic increase takes place during the treatment, preparing the way for further physical and spiritual development. The resulting free flow of energy stimulates the person's life force, which can now fully expand. Through this self-regulating life energy old blocks and debilitating patterns dissolve. The regenerative forces of nature are nowhere more visible than during this treatment, which is effective in adults as well as in children.

Dear parents! When this treatment is performed during infancy, you provide your children with the preconditions for a healthy life.

Without the re-establishment of the Divine Order through Spiritual Straightening, any treatment will only have temporary results. And so Pjotr hopes that every person may recognize the necessity of unburdening themselves through this powerful energy of light and love, so that they may live their God-given potential. The way each person perceives this energy and makes use of it always remains the individual's choice.

To establish the Divine Order means to become whole, to make something complete, and to return to unity. This is the inner unity of body, mind, and soul, as well as the unity with existence itself and the spirit that lies at the foundation of this existence.

Because when we open ourselves to "Divine Straightening" and join the divine life stream, then all causes for illness and disharmony disappear, and with these also illness and disharmony themselves.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Health and Wellness: A Way to Healthy Living

Health and wellness are the two important aspects of your life and hence the saying, health is wealth. Wellness can only be attained, if you are physically and mentally fit. Living a healthy life is not a difficult step to take; It can be achieved by making small adjustments in your lifestyle, like adding fruits to your diet and drinking lot of water daily. Diseases and illness are part and parcel of our life, but they could be prevented by having regular medical checkups that would help us lead a healthy life.

To be physically and mentally fit, we need to follow some simple steps, which can go a long way to improve your health and wellness, without disturbing your daily routine. Here are some of the steps to be followed:

• Do things manually: Always try to do things manually instead of using the automated options. For e.g. climb the stairs of your building instead of using an elevator. If possible, walk to your work place or take a stroll during your lunch break. It can be one of the best options to stay fit. Even installing software that reminds you every hour to get up from your desk and stretch for a while will help you a great deal to improve your wellness.

• Consume lot of water: Drink lot of water daily. In spite of knowing the importance of drinking water regularly not many of us actually put it into practice. Water is life's essential liquid so drinking it more than normal won't cause any harm. A bottle of water on your desk at your work place is a nice idea to increase the water intake.

• Include fruits in your diet: consumption of fruits daily is one of the healthy habits. At least 3-5 fruits should be eaten daily to get all the essential nutrients required for the body. Moreover, if fruits eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice, is an excellent way to balance moisture level in a body.

Apart from all the above steps, meditation for an hour keeps your mind and body always fresh. It helps you to do your daily routine with more enthusiasm. If still you would like to take an expert opinion then you can always visit your nearby health center.

Maximizing Your Health Center's Performance and Making a Business Case

Successful organizations rely on systematic methods of tracking results and compiling data to effectively demonstrate what has been profitable and beneficial. Measurable results can lead to increased budgets, new resources or even a raise.

Nuesoft Xpress(TM) client Brenda Dalton, MBA, MSN, RN-C, WHNP spoke on the importance of "Making a Business Case for your Health Center" at the Mid-Atlantic College Health Association conference Oct. 22-24 in Lancaster, Pa. Her presentation highlighted the importance of maintaining a high level of business know-how in your approach to student health care services so that you can maximize your health center's performance, market your department, build and maintain relationships with the decision makers of your university and reach key goals.

"Colleges are faced with having to validate rising costs of tuition; as tuition costs increase, sometimes student health services get the lower end of the budget," said Dalton. "That's why it is so important for student health care providers to make an effort to gain the attention of those who influence or control the budget."

According to Dalton, one of the ways you can maximize your health center's performance is to automate many of the everyday functions required to run your office. For example:

* Use a computerized scheduling system

* Electronically integrate a student's demographic information with her/his medical record

* Increase accuracy with an Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

* Track immunization compliance

Dalton said that once the steps to maximize your health center's performance have been made, you should begin to market your department:

* Use student groups and organizations to tell your department's story.

* Communicate department accomplishments to public relations for inclusion in campus newsletters, web pages or other campus communication tools.

* Be a featured health writer or interviewee in the student newspaper.

But marketing may not be enough, either. Dalton stresses that a big part of being successful stems from the ability to articulate results effectively to decision makers.

With so many health care centers closing down, Dalton notes, "When I can, and as often as I can, I want to sell the value of my department. It's about survival."