Home | Looking for something? Sign In | New here? Sign Up | Log out

Monday, January 17, 2011

It's Time to Deck the Halls for Christmas

By Anya Shiela Richards


Do you feel the air getting colder around you? And look at those trees, their leaves are starting to fall, while old man winter is changing the landscape to winter white! People are on the rush to replace their furniture with beautiful plastic snowmen -an indication that it is about time to start decorating for the holidays and start baking those scrumptious cupcakes for Christmas.

I've been waiting all year long for this moment to come, a time where I need to take out all those Christmas and Thanksgiving decors that has long been kept in the attic. It's just sad to hear some people not having the interest to decorate due to the extensive process involve in the overall decoration.

But if you are someone like me that finds joy in decorating, you have probably spent all year round thinking about wonderful ideas for decorating. There are some important things I've learned in my several years of experience, and one of it is by letting your creativity rule over. And whether it's your first time to decorate or not, here are some tips that could help you come up with the perfect decoration:

First, you should be able to come up with your own theme. Though holiday is your main theme, it is good to come up with a sub-theme, like coming up with a color coordination whether rustic or modern in nature. Be sure to choose which ones suit your taste so you would be able to easily encapsulate it.

Try to decide ahead of time what you want your theme to be, it's not crime to decide even a year ahead of time, and then you can buy decorations after the holidays when they are on sale! Stock up on plenty of lights, lights can be used anywhere and everywhere. You will never be left feeling like you bought too many lights.

There is however, an art to buying lights. Lights come in endless shapes, sizes and colors. Everyone has a different opinion on white lights but, take it from me; you can never go wrong with white lights. White lights can easily be used to accent a plain decoration or to dress up a tawdry one. Starting with white decorations really puts an emphasis on whatever other color you choose to incorporate into your decorating theme.

Homemade decorations are actually the best. So if you can, you better make your own decorations at home. Try to come up with some cute garlands and pine cones that will serve as ornaments for your Christmas trees.

Using various accents while decorating makes all the difference in your holiday dcor. Candles are a popular choice for that simple added touch. A burning candle adds instant warmth and cheer to a room. Try using a holiday scented one. Many scents are available this year that smell like pine, freshly baked Christmas cupcakes or cupcake frosting.

Whatever you choose for your theme, don't be afraid to switch it up every year. The great thing about holiday dcor is that it can be mixed and matched every Christmas for a whole new look. The more unique your decorating is each year, the more you will look forward to finding new design ideas for the following year!




About the Author:



Sunday, January 16, 2011

Store and Handle your CO2 Cylinders the Right Away

By Marc Wallace


Disposable gas cylinders have many uses in various fields like medicine, aviation, military, sports, recreation and a few others. Its use is there in inflation, propulsion, cooling, pressurization and mechanical energy. Beverage dispensing, wine preservation, carbonation systems are a few things in which these gas cylinders are used in the food industry. Both the soda siphon and the cream whisk need gas filled cylinders for preparing soda water and whipped cream. The Food and Drug Administration has food safety norms which includes the HACCP certification which food grade disposable gas cartridges must have. HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point is a preventive approach that checks and analyzes the production process from start to finish including the procurement of raw materials.

For soda water preparation, you would need HACCP certified carbon dioxide cylinders. If you have the HACCP certificate, you can be sure that the product can be used correctly without harming your health. The customer is assured of 100% quality and cleanliness when the gas cylinder is approved by the HACCP. Using the soda siphon along with the CO2 gas cylinder would be now a safe way of making soda water. One can use a gas cylinder with 8 grams of pure CO2 to charge a litre of water and gas cylinder with 16 grams of pure CO2 to charge beer. Its important to follow the instructions given by the manufacturer for using gas filled cylinders.

The gas-filled disposable gas cylinders used for the soda siphon and cream whipper are of the same shape and size. Make sure you know what type of gas your device needs. Carbon dioxide is used for the soda siphon to make soda water while nitrous oxide is used for the cream whipper in the preparation of fresh whipped cream. Use the same brand of gas cylinder and soda siphon according to the recommendations. The same quality and standards are assured in products with the same brand. The charger holder has two types of valves, the snap on and the screw in. The sodas siphon must have a perfectly fitting gas cylinder.

The siphon and carbon dioxide cylinders make the preparation of soda water easy. In order to make these gadgets last, make sure you follow the user instructions properly. After filling the siphon bottle with water as instructed and closing it, ensure that you have tightly secured the cover. The charge holder should be properly inserted with the CO2 gas cartridge by holding it straight up. The threading should not be seen and therefore the CO2 gas cartridge must be screwed in with great care. Ensure that the job is properly done or else there may be a leakage of gas. The bottle must be shaken vigorously at least 5 times. Ensure that you screw the cap back on to the charger holder when the empty cartridge is removed. The empty cartridge should be properly disposed off. You can recycle them 100%.

Packs of disposable gas cylinders are available in 10s and 25s. The gas cylinders must be stored securely away from the reach of children. They should be kept away from heat maybe in your pantry. The unused gas filled cylinders and the used ones must be kept separately. Do not get the cylinders of N2O and CO2 gas mixed up as they look the same and might confuse you.




About the Author:



Saturday, January 15, 2011

Acute Prostatitis Symptoms: What You Should Know

By Miranda Laranjo


When the prostate gland is inflamed for any reason, it is known as prostatitis. Specialized doctors known as urologists diagnose and treat this and other male reproductive diseases.

A sudden onset of it may develop secondary to an invasive procedure, trauma, infections, and bladder obstruction. Men ages 20-35 with multiple sexual partners are at an increase risk as are those who practice anal sex without protection. Men who have an enlarged prostate are at an increased risk of urinary infection.

Signs and Symptoms

Urinary frequency, slow stream, and pain on urination, urgency, difficult urination

Impotence, aching penis with lower abdomen and testicular discomfort

Pain between genitals and anus, painful bowel movements and ejaculation

Blood in urine, incontinency, retention

Chills, fever

Diagnosing:

Urine tests for bacteria and white blood cells

Anal palpation of the swollen prostate

Blood tests

An elevated blood prostate antigen hormone

Treatment

Antibiotics (such as Cipro) for at least 4 weeks, sometimes up to 8 weeks

Stool softeners to reduce discomfort

Some men may have to perform catheterizations to remove retained urine. Frequent and complete bladder evacuation is recommended to decrease symptoms of urinary retention and urgency

Warm baths (Sitz)

Avoid substances that irritate the bladder such as alcohol, caffeine, citrus juices, hot and spicy foods

Increasing fluid intake helps flush bacteria from bladder

Safe sex

Good hygienic skills

Drugs :

Remeron, an antidepressant, has side effects that greatly mimic such as urinary frequency, dysuria, incontinency, urgency, retention, and impotency. The urologist utilizes all available facts, medicine, and medical history to diagnose and treat it based on its cause. This is an example that not all is caused by an infectious agent.

The prostate is known as "a reservoir for the recurrent infection." Patients with (CBP) "often present with myriad subjective complaints. Only a few of these complaints offer diagnostic clues for CBP because the complaints are often not of an unusual nature and are not specific for CBP." CBP is a recurrent urinary tract infection with a single organism that persists in the prostatic fluid. (Ahuja, 2008).

If culture "results are positive, an expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) that contains bacteria of more than 10 WBCs per high-power field (WBCs/hpf) confirms the diagnosis." (Ahuja).

Prognosis

After treatment , the majority of men are symptom free but prone to recur and likely to develop chronic P. Early diagnosis and a full course of the appropriate treatment are necessary. Frequent urinary tract infections carry the risk of the infection entering the bloodstream. Safe sex and good hygiene is strongly encouraged.




About the Author:



Friday, January 14, 2011

Choosing Healthy Snacks Owings Mills

By Sybil Leach


When living, visiting, shopping, or eating out in this suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, there is no need to fear; it is easy to find healthy snacks Owings Mills. This rapidly-growing community reflects both its rural heritage and its up-scale metropolitan setting in its shops, food outlets, and marketplaces.

Owings Mills is an unincorporated community that will undoubtedly prove to have far more than the twenty thousand residents registered in the 2000 census. It has some industry but is best known as a shopping destination, with over twenty major malls. The Town Center and the huge Owings Mills Mall are surrounded by many individual store fronts, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

Because of the demand, there are farmers markets in the summer which bring in the best of the local produce from outlying areas. Those who rely on fresh fruits and vegetables for their snacking needs will find that this is the sort of place to come. Check the online city website for the days and the locations of the outdoor markets.

However, all year round there are many ways to get a healthy pick me up. In these modern, enlightened times, even some pizza outlets and hamburger joints are claiming that their menu items are lower in fat, sodium, and calories, contain purer and more natural ingredients, and feature salads and fruit dessert options.

There are many dedicated health food stores in the community. Some of these are long established unique stores and others are chain retailers with premises inside the malls so you can snack while you shop. All of these will have some certified organic products, high protein bars, fruit and nut snacks, and healthy drinks.

Actually, almost all stores that sell food now carry the healthier brands, like energy and protein and high fiber bars. Green tea can be found even in convenience store coolers, as can all-natural popcorn and healthier potato chips. Trail mix and sea-salted nuts are now on grocery store shelves, and the fruit based drinks that used to be exclusively in natural stores are now sold near the check-out registers with the candy bars and tabloids.

Those who require organic only will find that many of the vegetarian restaurants and fine dining spots use the organic greens and grass fed beef from the surrounding rural areas. There are certified organic fruits in most groceries, and many at least all-natural alternatives to the standard candy bar. Yogurt drinks, pomegranate juice, organic berries, and dried dates and other fruits make great snacks to carry along on your explorations.

No one who visits this popular Maryland city need resignedly settle for junk foods. Health snacks Owings Mills is a reality that is also conveniently near by no matter where you are.

healthy snacks Owings Mills




About the Author:



Thursday, January 13, 2011

Cajun Food Dallas And Its Origin

By Lee Jimenez


Cajun food is a rustic cuisine first brought to America by the French when Britain deported them from their country. Louisiana became their new home and with that they introduced creole style foods. A traditional Cajun food Dallas meal was made in 3 pots, one for steamed rice, one contained a main dish (meat) and one for seasonal vegetables served with a side of corn bread.

A main dish can consist of seafood and shell fish to include crayfish and oysters, fresh and salt water fish variations, pork, poultry and game birds such as chicken, duck, quail and dove. Alligator, turtle, and frog legs are other favorites. Mostly anything goes but beef, they reserve beef for stews. Main dishes can be cooked one of several was to include braised, boiled, barbecued, deep fried or baked.

There are favorite seasonings that go in almost every Cajun dish, some of those are bay leafs, oregano, Cayenne pepper, Thyme, Garlic and Sassafras leaves. Added to that there is onion, celery, bell peppers and sugarcane or molasses just to mention some. All are blended together to pull together the traditional creole taste that is known today.

Some of the favorite Cajun dishes include Boudin is a type of sausage made from pork, garlic and onion, with rice added and seasoned with spices. Another is Gumbo is made with chicken and sausage, all of the ingredients depend greatly on what is available and in abundance at the time. Next is Jambalaya it includes rice and peppers, onions, celery with several variations.

A special celebration that the Cajun's like to partake in is the crayfish boil best known and practiced still today in the south. It's an outdoor party where corn, potatoes and onions along with the crayfish are all boiled outside in large pots. They season the boil with small bags with dried herbs, and cayenne pepper are added to the pot. This concoction is known as crab boil to season the seafood. When it is time to eat the food is dished in large plates and eaten with ones hands.

There is also a celebration called a Boucherie, which is a pig slaughtering for the purpose of using and preserving every part of the pig including the internal organs for later use. It was a event to gather, dance, and socialize. Not much was wasted when it came to cooking and eating for the Cajuns.

An interesting fact about Cajun and creole seasonings is that there is no set recipe and it is mixed together to taste. There is no usage of teaspoon or table spoon in the recipes, it is simply (for example) bay leaves, sassafras, hot Chile powder and so on.

cajun food dallas




About the Author:



Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Ways To Achieve The Best Bridal Photos

By Beverly Hooligan


For women, weddings are indeed a "big day" that may occur only once in their lifetime. And since such occasion is extra special, the soon-to-be-wed couple ensures everything is set or prepared before the actual day comes.

Brides normally expect the best for their wedding day. No one seems to like having a not-so-planned wedding anyway. Your wedding day is in fact one of the rare times that will give you the opportunity to stand out and to feel most beautiful and happy.

Wedding planning usually requires much money and time on the part of the soon-to-be-wed couple. However, among other factors, hiring a bridal photographer is quite an essential aspect of wedding planning, particularly for the bride.

Surely you will aim to look your best in your wedding pictures. Bridal photos, after all, may last from one generation to another, so it is important that you know how to make your beauty shine through in every bridal photo.

No matter what the photographic style your wedding photographer uses, you can always find a way to shine and exude that certain aura of loveliness, beauty and joy through your bridal photos.

First, always work with a professional wedding photographer. However, talent is not the only factor that you should take into account; make sure your photographer is also one that you find enjoyable working with This will enable you to have a more enjoyable bridal photography session.

Second, it is helpful to communicate well with your bridal photographer. Tell your photographer, for example, your preferred angles for your bridal photos. Do you want to have more shots from below or above or from the side? It is always better to be clear to avoid miscommunication and disappointments.

Lastly, practice how to smile, pose and feel on the actual wedding day. Keep in mind that you are the star of the show because you are the bride. Therefore, aside from wearing that attractive wedding dress and beautiful make-up, make sure your personality and confidence become evident through your bridal pictures.




About the Author:



Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Fill the Wholes In Your Diet with Natural Supplements

By Brenda Hughes


Nutritional vitamin supplements are widely taken by a myriad of individuals round the world nowadays. If you would like to maintain ideal health, natural supplements, a nutritious diet, and of course regular exercise will likely take you a long way towards accomplishing your objective. Supplements can help the wellbeing of practically everyone today, since the eating habits of most people in this modern era are pretty poor in general.

If you are just like almost everyone, you infrequently pay much attention to the foods you put into your mouth. Some people are under the impression that all foods are the same.

Whereas good tasting food may be very gratifying, good tasting food is hardly always good for your health. Regardless of whether you have been adhering to a poor diet, you can still improve your dietary practices by taking a nutritional supplement. While you'd likely be able to enhance your health by eating healthier, you can begin to make a change in your life by taking the nutrients your system requires to efficiently fight off illnesses.

As a result of having a bad diet, you might develop a nutrient deficiency, a condition that causes illnesses. Once you start consuming vitamins and minerals though, the body will likely have access to the key essentials it requires to function.

Before you begin consuming multivitamins, or any other type of pill, you should evaluate the differences that are found between the many products that are being offered on the open market nowadays. Not all multivitamins are created alike and not all vitamin supplements will always be helpful to the body.

Before buying any products, make sure you first look at the reputability of the makers of the products that you're interested in. As a result of reviewing the companies that sell these products, you can be sure that you are obtaining premium merchandise once you make a purchase.

You must also review the list of ingredients that are placed on the pill boxes you are buying as well. Many products are of a subpar quality. You should definitely stay away from poor quality options, because these items usually do not offer the benefits that you are looking for.

After you have reviewed the manufacturer of the nutritional vitamins and minerals that you're thinking about, and you have reviewed the list of substances included with each product, you should review information about the most beneficial vitamins you can take. A lot of modern diets are greatly deficient in particular vitamins and minerals, but there are also a few vitamins that are commonly available in foods that are eaten by most people on a regular basis.

Once you have reviewed details about which nutritional supplements work well together and which vitamins are the most important to your overall health, you'll be able to acquire one of the best products you will obtain in the supplement industry today. By utilizing these guidelines before you make a purchase, you can be certain that you are taking a pill that will supply the nutrients you are not currently obtaining through your regular diet.

As natural supplements like hormone balance medicinals are specifically designed to boost the nutritional value of regular healthy meals, it is advisable to certainly take pills that will fill the holes in the diet you consume on an everyday basis. By taking a multivitamin or a specific type of vitamin or mineral, you can be certain that your body has access to all of the materials it needs to operate properly in the future.




About the Author:



Monday, January 10, 2011

Whey Protein Or Milk Protein - What's The Fuss All About?

By Rex Tango


Why cannot I just take a whole lot of milk and be done with? Yeah, many of you might be thinking that milk is the best solution to give your body all the protein it needs day in and day out. The thing is that milk is not so good of a protein source in the short run as opposed to whey concentrates and isolates.

Think of it this way, milk takes a long time to digest because of its high casein concentration which basically coagulates in the stomach and takes hours to metabolize whereas, whey protein being derived from milk has all the good proteins of milk except the casein and hence it gets metabolized faster. Nutritionists put the time frame for metabolism of whey proteins at half an hour. This means that every time one takes whey protein, the muscles get the bulk of the protein in under an hour.

So, whey is good but which is better the isolate of whey or its concentrate? It hardly matters what you take because both materialize fast in the blood stream. The actual difference lies in its protein composition. While the isolates are jam packed with high amounts of protein and is nearly devoid of fat, concentrates on the other hand are significantly lower in protein concentrations with relatively larger fat servings. All this means is that isolate tops concentrate right? Not so much if you take availability and price into context. Whey isolate costs a fortune and is rare in the market making concentrate a better choice.

Getting back to the discussion, is milk better or is whey better? To answer this question let us take a look at where whey comes from. Unknown to many, whey is actually made from milk as it undergoes a change into cheese. What is left over in the process is whey. This just implies that the debate is a futile one and that both whey and milk are great in their own right. The only consideration to keep in mind is to ingest whey any time of the day except before hitting the sack unless you do not mind waking up with a starving stomach.

Some critics of whey might point out that it is not good for the health as it gives too much of protein and no carbs or fat. Well anything in excess is bad for the body and this implies to whey as well. Hence, just make sure that you only take whey in moderation under the prescribed dosage.

Now that you know better, let the fools who make distinctions between whey and milk on grounds of nutrition be educated. Give them the facts and let them decide if it is even worth debating on milk and whey.




About the Author:



Sunday, January 9, 2011

What An EMG Test Involves

By Miranda Laranjo


An EMG test will determine if you have a deadly neurological disease, as well as many benign conditions. But exactly is involved during an EMG test? (Does it hurt?) I sat in on an EMG test that was recently done on my mother, and it's actually a very fascinating invention of medical technology.

The EMG test on my mother took about an hour, maybe a tiny bit longer, but some of that time was spent by the doctor pausing to explain things related to her suspected condition (pronator syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome). The doctor will place very small sticker-like patches on the patient's body, at the location of the symptoms. He'll then attach recording electrodes nearby these stickers. The electrodes are attached to a computer that's a little bulkier than a laptop.

Preceding the actual testing, the doctor will type a lot of things into the computer. To measure nerve conductivity, the doctor must provide an electric shock to the patient with a two-pronged device about the size of a cell phone. When he delivers the shock, the result appears on the computer screen as a jagged horizontal line with a plus sign. Moments later two more images (jagged horizontal lines or sine waves) will appear, one reflecting the muscle activity, and one reflecting nerve activity.

The computer also shows the number of milliseconds it took for the nerve impulse to be conducted. The doctor at one point said that 4 milliseconds was normal, and 10 milliseconds was abnormal; that 50 meters per second was normal, and 42 meters per second was slow.

The patient may not be able to see the computer when all this is happening; my mother was lying on her back while the doctor conducted the EMG test on her right arm first. He suspected pronator teres syndrome, but he also suspected carpal tunnel syndrome.

He was heavily favoring pronator teres syndrome, though he concentrated the initial testing at the wrist and fingers. He very soon announced that she had carpal tunnel syndrome. At this point it was not speculation; it was a 100 percent positive diagnosis, because the EMG test can determine 1) if nerves are firing normally, and 2) if numbness, tingling and strength loss are caused by a healthy nerve signal merely being blocked from arriving at its destination, as in my mother's case of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The EMG test involves the doctor moving around the various stickers and recording electrodes, then administering a shock at various points higher up from where the recording devices are; in my mother's case, many of the shocks were delivered to her forearm.

In between the adjustments with the stickers and electrodes, he placed a tape measure to her skin to measure the length of the nerves. The patient, if lying down and unable to see what the doctor is doing, will feel the doctor moving around the stickers and attaching the recording electrodes, then running a tape measure along the skin, and then the electric shock.

The voltage of the shock can be adjusted, and it can be very unpleasant, though it lasts a second. The other thing that the patient will feel is pin pricks. The needle is a little thicker than an acupuncture needle, and the doctor will place a needle at varying locations as part of the EMG test. In the case of my mother, it appeared at one point that he embedded the needle a quarter of an inch into her palm. The "poke" he did there hurt to high heaven based on my mother's reaction, but again, it was only for a fraction of a second.

The doctor also had her press her arm against resistance a few times. Since all he needed was her arms, she was able to maintain any leg position she was comfortable with. An EMG test does not require the patient to be sedated.

So now you know what's involved in an EMG test. If you are scheduled for an EMG test, there is nothing to be afraid of, as far as how the procedure feels on your body. If the idea of electric shocks and pin pricks has you unnerved (no pun intended), remember, this test is a godsend for doctors, and it has to be done to provide a diagnosis for your condition (or to rule out an imagined condition).




About the Author:



Saturday, January 8, 2011

Ways To Get Sexy Abs Inside A Week?

By David Lyniich


In the event you want to get a flat stomach and ideal abs rapidly, this post has the answer you seek. Men and women want the secret formula to a rock solid mid-section. You can find five strategies which will aid anyone increase their chances of a slimmer, fat-free waistline.

It's possible to obtain a flatter stomach in One month but you need to concentrate on appropriate nutrition methods and exercise that have been proven to give results. It's so simple to purchase into the "lose weight fast" and "lose 10 pounds in two days" items that appear everywhere, but it is important that you simply stick to a attempted and tested guide.

Just how much fat is in your diet? The American Food Pyramid says that a healthy diet is One that "Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, complete grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

To accomplish a flat stomach, your whole body has to obtain leaner. Read that sentence once again. Begin by doing cardio exercises to obtain your heart rate up and enhance your metabolism. An excellent fast-paced walk 3 instances per week is often a good strategy to accomplish this. Not only does this burn calories, but it's great for the heart.

You ought to also stay away from fad diets and diet plan pills. Take a examine your way of life to determine if there is something in particular that you just really feel can assist strengthen your fitness and body shape. Receiving a good quantity of sleep, drinking and consuming healthily, and enhancing the quality of air that you breathe are a handful of suggestions.

Keep away from un-complex carbs -- white bread, standard rice, standard pasta as well as other pastries are full of empty calories which provide you with little power and are easily converted to fat by your physique.




About the Author:



Friday, January 7, 2011

Choosing A Twin Gear Juicer

By Faye S. Jaine


Since we were kids, we have been told that in order to have a good life, we have to make sure that we eat in healthy ways, but just like kids we often find that things which are supposed to be healthy for us just do not taste that great to us. If you have not yet tried out fresh juice from a high quality twin gear juicer then you just may want to do this because it is going to change your mind about how healthy food should taste in just one swallow.

In fact, when you try out this particular way to be able to get the juice you want then you are definitely going to see that it is going to give you a nice, low pulp kind of juice that retains all of the great vitality enhancing benefits we are looking for when we juice in the first place. For those that want a very efficient method of juicing that is going to give them quite a few advantages and make sure that they are making the most of the produce they purchase in order to make their juices, this is certainly a very smart way to go.

A lot of people are still just learning about juicing because while most of us have heard about it, we may not know just how powerful and instant the advantages of a very well made juice can be for us. If you have not tried out a masticating juicer then you may want to give this a shot because when you do you are going to discover that it can really offer you quite a bit of advantages that you will not find in other models.

One of the advantages to this particular sort of juicer is that if you happen to live in a place where there are other people around then you might enjoy the fact that you can disturb them less with this quieter kind of juicer. What makes this particular solution a good one for those who want a good juice is the fact that it can produce a low pulp juice that still retains much of the benefits you want without creating a lot of frothy foam in the process.

We are still learning all of the aspects of juicing's power to give us a much more vital existence so if you are learning then you came at a great time. When you check out all of the benefits of juicing with the best machines out there today over at the the web site http://freshstartjuicers.com you are going to see just how many powerful advantages there are to getting started.

You can certainly expect to enjoy being able to get a fresh and truly healthy cup of juice whenever you feel like it.




About the Author:



Thursday, January 6, 2011

Could Your Child Have Diabetes?

By Natalie MacBride


With obesity on the rise in the United States, it is not surprising that children have become part of the trend towards overeating and inactivity. Unfortunately, this trend is also leading towards the increase of children contracting type 2 diabetes. The occurrence of type 2 diabetes among children continues to rise.

If you suspect that your child might have diabetes, there are things you can do. The first thing is to examine the symptoms. Type 2 diabetes can develop slowly and some children won't show any signs or experience any symptoms, but those you should watch for are:

1. Increased thirst and frequent urination. These two signs go hand in hand. If your child is thirsty, s/he will want to drink more. Drinking more will most likely cause your child to have to urinate more often. The increased thirst of someone suffering with diabetes is the result of sugar build up in the bloodstream. This increase in sugar causes the body to pull fluid from the tissues.

2. Increased hunger. When suffering from diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin which is needed to move sugar into the cells. This sugar provides the muscles and organs with energy. When this sugar does not get where it needs to go, your child will be hungry.

3. Weight loss. Even though your child may be eating more than ever, the energy that sugar supplies isn't reaching the cells and so the muscle tissues and fat stores are shrinking. As a result, your child may actually be losing weight.

4. Fatigue. Due to the lack of insulin produced, your child may be tired and irritable since sugar is not reaching the cells of the body.

5. Blurred vision. When blood sugar is too high, fluid may be drawn away from the lenses of the eyes, which can affect the ability to focus clearly.

6. Slow-healing of sores and/or frequent infections. Diabetes can compromise your child's immune system and can cause sores and cuts to take longer than usual to heal.

7. Areas of darkened skin. If your child is suffering from diabetes you may notice areas of dark, velvety skin in his her her skin folds, particularly in the armpits and the neck. This is a condition called acantosis nigricans, which is a sign of insulin resistance.

Whether or not your child is exhibiting any signs or symptoms of diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, you should consider your child's risk for developing this disease. If your child has a BMI (Body Mass Index) bigger than the 85th percentile, or have any relatives, including parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles or cousins with type 2 diabetes, they are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Childhood diabetes is also more prevalant amongst girls and African-Merican, Hispanic, Native American or Asian-American races. As mentioned previously, being overweight and/or inactive puts your child at higher risk of developing the disease.

If you suspect your child may have type 2 diabetes, contact a medical professional as soon as possible. The sooner the diagnosis, the sooner the treatment can begin for this serious and complex yet treatable disease.




About the Author:



Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Why You Should Refrain From Having Dinner On The First Date

By Janet Barnes


Right, you've just met someone and you are trying to work out what you want to do for that all important first get together. Often, many girls will claim that they don't really mind what you organized as long as it is fun.

However, you always want to do something a bit impressive even if it's not too elaborate. Impressive doesn't necessarily mean expensive, it could just mean going to a hidden spot that not many people know about.

While some folks decide to go out to a bar, many will meet up at a local cafe, or even just take a blanket to the park to hang out. A lot of people will decide to go out for dinner on the first date, although it isn't always the best thing to do.

There are a few different reasons for this. The most important being the fact that you either don't know the person at all yet, or know little about them. Having dinner forces you two to talk to each other for an extended period of time, and you're not going to find that enjoyable if there isn't much of a connection. Casual first dates don't put pressure on this, as it may just be fifteen or thirty minutes.

Another problem is that often some people have a certain level of anticipation if they have taken you out for an expensive dinner. IT may even lead to an embarrassing point at the end of the night.

The more relaxed an atmosphere you can have for your first date, the more likely you will have fun. You never know how it will turn out so it is best to make it as relaxed and causal as possible.

Also, taking someone out for dinner is quite costly in comparison to going to a bar or caf, or even sitting in the park. The simple fact is that the first date is about trying to see if you are right for each other, not spending lots or money.

What is the point in blowing lots of money on someone if you not even sure that they are going to be the right one. You are not helping the situation, particularly if they are not interested but feel like they have to stay until the end of the night.




About the Author:



The Difference Between Silestone & Granite

By Gills Andrew


A lot of at home cooks wish to know, is Silestone as functional as compared to granite inside the kitchen? Are you able to utilize and also mistreat Silestone in the same manner that you could granite? Why don't we examine the performance of silestone vs granite with regard to cooking food and baking.

Among the list of nicest highlights of granite is you don't need a cutting board. You are able to take out the vegetable and peel and chop all of them properly on the top of the kitchen counter. Any time you are done making your produce cleanup is a snap. Merely utilize a little soap and water or maybe some 409 and you are all done.

Are you able to do the same with quartz counters? Indeed. Yes you can prepare food directly on top of a quartz countertops just like you can a granite counter. Chop and cut away.

Just simply know that many people do really choose to work with a slicing panel even though it is not required. There's two reasons for this. To start with, cutting as well as chopping directly on a silestone countertop could dull the chef knives. A wood chopping panel may be the desired chopping panel for most people that need to keeping their knife sharpening to a the bare minimum.

Others prefer to use a big plastic-type cutting plank. Not merely can a large vinyl cutting plank maintain your kitchen knives from dulling rapidly however , you can toss it inside the dishwasher. Lot's of people that own a dish washer prefer using this method. The ease of scraping the big parts off in to the trash bin and throwing the slicing board inside the dishwasher is extremely attractive to many folks.

Plenty of granite counter top fans love that they are able to place the scorching pans and pots on the countertop. Can not state i fault all of them. Who desires to always work with a trivet all the time? Not granite countertop lovers. They enjoy the convenience of yanking baking containers out of the cooker and setting them on the counter top.

And guess what? You can do the very same thing together with quartz countertops. Bake up a tray of cookies. Place your current cooling racks close to the oven. And get the warm baking sheets out of the oven and put them directly on the counter top. Forget about putting the hands inside a hot oven over and over again to drag out a single piece of food at any given time and put it on the cooling rack. Put your hands in the stove only one instance. Take out the entire rack and take your time placing the biscuits on the cooling holder.




About the Author:



Monday, January 3, 2011

Take on Metformin Side Effects and Its Substitute

By Miranda Laranjo


Diabetes is a crippling disease (that causes weight loss), and it is (indirectly) a leading cause of death in developed and under-developed countries. Sadly, it also has no cure, or so they say. The medications prescribed are only to control and regulate the effects and symptoms rather than remove the cause of the disease. How many people have suffered due to this narrow vision in the methodology of treating sickness? But there is hope; more of that later.

Metformin is one of the medicines widely employed to treat diabetes. We could begin with a dosage of 450 - 500 milligrams once or twice a day (as may be prescribed by the physician) which is not that bad in this medicine obsessed world we live in. It is quite an effective drug and surprisingly less harmful in this 'side effect' filled system of medication that we are made to follow, called allopathy (the modern western system of medication).

Metformin side effects are usually overly exaggerated

Side effects are common in modern synthetic drugs so metformin side effects are not totally out of place. Firstly a lot has been said about the lactic acidosis but this risk or its significance has been disputed Secondly there is the risk of hypoglycemia which is common to all people undergoing allopathic treatment for diabetes. Thirdly there is the possibility of internal sickness that should be regularly looked into by your doctor, for example kidney problems.

It is ironic that we use medicine to treat a disease by making ourselves susceptible to other diseases as I say to my parents who both have experience of undergoing diabetic treatment by metformin and other medicines.

In the gloomy frame of things metformin stands out as being not that bad. My parents both used it and have not encountered significant side effects.

One should just be careful enough to avoid hypoglycemia which is shortage of glucose in the blood and can also result in coma or even death. Hypoglycemia - characterized by dizziness, excessive sweating and then leading to unconsciousness - is caused by not replacing the glucose in the blood that is lowered by the medicine with glucose in the food. As I remember one morning my father had taken his medicine but then did not take his breakfast and after a while even though he was just resting, he starting sweating profusely and developed a feeling of uneasiness and dizziness. We immediately gave him some spoonfuls of sugar and then he had his breakfast. Things got back to normal pretty soon. So, we just need to keep glucose handy in some form or the other. We may have some glucose tablets, or a cup or two of fruit juice, or even just plain sugar. It should be immediately given to the patient and he would be alright in a while. This simple emergency measure is sometimes life saving!

To avoid hypoglycemia you should avoid means of lowering blood glucose too much like not taking your meal after having taking the medicine, or physical strain like exercise, brisk walk or plain simple gardening in the backyard, after taking the medicine. One may have to consult with his doctor to regulate the timing of his daily chores with respect to his medication.

Also it is important to keep a check on your kidneys regularly and the creatinine level, doctors say. Because excessive creatinine is said to be related to kidney failure.

With all that and with a little caution one may have no specific problems with this medicine.

The hope...

Allopathic drugs in general are prone to side effects and contraindications. So to treat one disease you risk acquiring another with it and then call it side effect!

Secondly, to treat one disease you may have to stop or slow down your treatment of another disease because the medication for that disease is a contra indication for the medicine you want to use. Contraindications also include among other things allergic reaction of individual people to individual drugs .

Add to that the drugs don't even cure the disease many of the times like in the case of diabetes or asthma for example. So the way out is that you simply look for other ways to treat or even cure the supposedly non curable disease and I'm sure there is a cure for every disease only that not everyone knows it. As I said earlier there is hope. Since we are not discussing alternative medicine I will not go into details.

Diabetes in particular, can be controlled quite well just by diet control. It is not as far fetched as one may think. Even with medication you have dietary restriction and the medicine is not curing (only controlling) the disease either so you may as well control your diabetes with just proper diet and exercise and completely set yourself free from these toxic and harmful medicines. But be careful not to leave medication suddenly once you are already upon medication but taper down your usage and leave it slowly.

Then there are many ancient treatments for diabetes like the use of bitter gourd that is used by Indians (Asian not native American) and other Asians even in their cuisine. Other treatments may also be found on deeper research. Set yourself free and make your body toxic free and adopt natural medicine. Natural medicine is holistic and rarely is anyone allergic to natural substances. Side effects and contraindications will then not be a common feature in the instructions for usage anymore. Let's hope.




About the Author:



Sunday, January 2, 2011

Some Eating Healthy for People Who Hate Cooking Guidelines

By Irene Maseko


When it comes to cooking healthy meals for our families, there is always some degree of dissention among the ranks. The good news is that there are recipes that are very healthy but the healthy nature of these recipes is somewhat disguised. What they do not know in these instances truly should not bring harm their way (outside of allergies, which should never be ignored).

There are many books and magazines that are filled with recipes that encourage healthy cooking and eating habits. If you truly love to cook, then there is no shortage of recipes that you can try out along the way. The really good news is that you can incorporate healthy cooking into your cooking routine whether you are cooking for one or a household of ten.

It's those small steps you take towards your goal of cooking healthy foods for your family that will matter far more than any giant leap. Before you know it you will find that you all have more energy and a better sense of overall health than you would have imagined before changing your cooking habits. If that isn't enough to encourage you however, you can always check out the excuse to go shopping for new clothes after you drop a size or two.

Low Carb Cooking Reviews

The notion sounds simple on one hand and is appealing to not only women hoping to drop those vanity pounds but also men who welcome the idea of eating all the steaks they can handle throughout the year. Low card cooking is becoming a way of life for many families as a result though the idea of this particular lifestyle change and the reality of it do on occasion seriously collide with one another.

The excellent thing about low carb cooking is that it is so widely popular. This means that you will have no trouble finding resources, tips, tricks, advice, and even amazing substitutes for those things you often miss most when engaging in the low carb lifestyle. Popular stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes are great places to go for specific foods that are low carb in nature and designed to meet the chocolate or breading needs of those who feel more than slightly deprived by the rigorous restrictions of a low carb lifestyle. Many mainstream grocery stores are also beginning to see the value of catering to this 'high end' market of consumers and offering a wider variety of low carb friendly foods to consumers.

Gluten Free Kind of Cooking

Gluten free cooking does impose many restrictions and often makes it quite difficult to enjoy something the vast majority of us take for granted-dining out. The good news from those who require gluten free cooking is that more and more restaurants are beginning to acknowledge this condition and offer some selections that are gluten free. It takes time, just as it did with low carb craze for the demand for these products to make it worth the industries while to make adjustments in their way of preparing foods.

Changes are being made and resources are being shared through the Internet that help not only adults that require special gluten free cooking and diets but also support for the parents of children who must have gluten free diets. Cooking for children in the best of circumstances is often difficult. It is even more difficult when there are excessive dietary restrictions that often eliminate the possibility of our children enjoying childhood favorites. That is why it is so important to seek out the many resources and recipes that are available for gluten free cooking.




About the Author:



Saturday, January 1, 2011

Blue Bottle Coffee Produces A Terrific Bean

By Evan Finn


I recently came back into contact with a friend of mine who I hadn't seen in years. He was now living two thousand miles away in California. As we caught up, we began to talk about coffee and our favorite brews.

I had told him about a new coffee place by me that I said roasted the best beans I had ever had. At this point, he proceeded to correct me by saying that the best coffee beans he had ever had were in San Francisco, and that he was going to send me some of them.

These were so good in fact that he would have them delivered to his home. He couldn't imagine drinking anything else at this point and he even craved it while he was away.

As a big fan of the drink myself, I decided that I was going that to try this coffee if there was any way that I could. This wouldn't be too difficult, as he quickly offered to mail me some once he got home.

I have some really nice friends! He followed through on his word and mailed me a bag of Blue Bottle coffee beans, and I couldn't wait to brew myself a cup.

He had even gone out of his way to crush the beans. Since I go out to buy my coffee hot, I don't have a coffee maker at home and had no other way to make this.

You're probably wondering about the verdict. Is San Francisco's Blue Bottle coffee as good as the hype it gets? Well, if you run an online search, you'll see scores of people swearing up and down by this coffee.

After trying it, I have to say that I was pretty impressed. I'm not to the point where I'd go out of my way to get on their mail order list, but these are definitely some of the smoothest beans I've ever had the privilege of tasting.




About the Author:



ads1 336x280

ads2 336x280