Colleen Doyle, Director of Nutrition and Physical Activity with The American Cancer Society suggests that the most important ways for a woman to stay healthy and reduce her cancer risk, include the following:

- Do not Smoke

- Eat Healthfully

- Increase physical activity

- Maintain healthy weight

- Reduce stress levels

Because heart disease is being identified as the number one killer of women, smoking can be harmful to a woman’s heart health. There are a number of FDA approved medications like Zyban which can help women stop smoking, as well as skin patches which are also recommended by medical experts.

Since diet also plays an important role in women’s health, women need to be smart about eating and food choices so that they will be getting the needed vitamins and minerals for their bodies.

In terms of developing an effective way to start to make better food choices, Doyle recommends writing down everything you eat during the course of the day, in order to help keep track of calories. Equally important is the process of making observations about your eating habits. For example, you may need to ask yourself questions such as: How often am I eating high- calories foods during the day? How much salad dressing am I actually using at lunch, or dinner? How many sweetened beverages have I had today? Cutting down on sugary fruit juices and sodas alone can make a significant difference in one’s weight.

One of Doyle’s obese clients decided to stop drinking sugary fruit juices and lost 17 pounds in one month. Doyle uses this example to help underscore the fact that many fruit juices contain high sugar content, and therefore add to your calorie count every day. Not a good thing if you are determined to keep your weight down for good health.

Most important of all, women need to stay physically active, not only to lose weight, but also to lower their risk for many diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, there is clear and convincing evidence that physical activity directly reduces the risk of breast and colon cancers. Research bears out that physical activity is connected to a 10-25% reduction in the risk of breast cancer and a 25-50% reduction of colon cancer.

So what kind of exercise is best? Only you can decide by trying out a few different things such as biking, jogging, pilates, yoga, or just going for a brisk walk. Even 10 minutes a day of exercise can have a benefit, but you need to be consistent.

In addition, learn to manage your stress because stress can contribute to strokes. So if you’ve had a hard day and your children, or husband are getting on your last nerve, take some time for yourself and don’t feel guilty. Take a warm bath. Go to the mall. Meet a friend for tea, and don’t forget to smile.

Click here to start eating healthy - Healthy Menu Mailer makes it simple.

Pilates is the hottest trend in fitness and body sculpting today. But this seemingly overnight success has actually been around since the early part of the twentieth century, when Joseph H. Pilates and his wife Clara popularized their body conditioning system in New York. Their system quickly took off with New York area dancers and gymnasts. More recently, everyone from Hollywood celebrities to stay at home moms have been taking up the practice of pilates. Even though many of the commercial pilates systems that you see advertised on TV make pilates seem like a breeze, you should be prepared to put your body through an intense yet satisfying workout. Many new pilates participants are often surprised about how challenging many of the pilates workouts feel. However, don’t let this keep you from your pilates practice. Like any new exercise routine, pilates may seem hard at first, but eventually your body begins to “learn” the different movements and you start to see results. The trick is to stick with pilates long enough so that you can see and feel the difference of regular pilates practice.

Learn More about Pilates Workouts

Herbal remedies are a good alternative to traditional medication for a wide variety of ailments and conditions. They can help you feel better without all the side effects.

Did you know there are herbal remedies for anything from High Blood Pressure to helping you Stop Smoking?

I just added a section all about Herbal Remedies here. Browse through it and see if you can’t start incorporating herbal remedies in your life.

Susanne

Acid reflux can cause the throat to become very sore. This happens when stomach acid leaves the stomach and travels to the lungs and even to the esophagus. The acid can become mixed with saliva which can affect the throat. This will cause a person to lose their voice. Another way acid reflux can cause a voice disorder is when the acid causes shortness of breath. This will limit the amount of air needed to speak. The vocal chords will be strained because of the extra work they have to do to when a person tries to speak. Over time, a person’s vocal chords can become damaged and which will affect the voice. Their voice will either become thin and barely audible or it will become deeper.

Acid reflux is a common disorder that can be helped, though not cured. Medications and diet will make a difference. A person’s voice may be affected so it is important to see a doctor before the symptoms get worse. Only a doctor will be able to determine if a person has acid reflux and only a doctor will be able to prescribe medication.

For more information about Acid Reflux, click here. .

There are a number of myths surrounding treating heartburn and acid reflux, like drinking milk or taking peppermint antacids, both of which are likely to make matters worse. Let’s instead look at three alternative or complimentary solutions that are far more likely to offer relief.

Fiber therapy is all about keeping you regular. The more fiber you consume, the less likely you are to have symptoms of acid reflux. When you eat a lot of fiber, your body will more easily digest the acid from foods you eat. Adding more fiber to your diet is a great idea for many reasons, not only for your acid reflux symptoms. You can always use fiber pills or drinks to add fiber if you have trouble getting it via your normal diet.

Water Therapy is all about keeping you flowing. One big mistake many people with chronic acid reflux make is not drinking enough water. In fact, you may not be getting the eight glasses of water a day your body requires. When you do drink enough water, your body can more easily absorb that acid that causes all of the problems. So, you should certainly help your body function at its best and drink as much water as possible.

Herbal Tea Therapy is for curing everything else. Herbal teas have been known to greatly help those with acid reflux or indigestion problems. You can try green tea after each meal to help your body digest your food more effectively. In addition, green tea is great for taming an upset stomach. There are also teas other than green tea that can help with symptoms. You can choose teas that have peppermint or licorice root in them. Teas with chamomile and catnip are also very helpful with indigestion.

So there you have it, three great ways to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. Chances are it is your diet that is causing you the trouble and these 3 methods are sure to help you cope better and surely it’s worth a try just to avoid the stress that constant heartburn causes?

Learn more about Acid Reflux and Indegestion here.

Eczema affects people of every age and is equally widespread in both males and females. It is one of the most common skin disorders and doctors often use the word “dermatitis” interchangeably with eczema. Eczema is skin that is dry, itchy, inflamed and extremely irritated. Eczema is a skin condition that can be mild dry eczema; it can be acute or at its worse it can be chronic. Atopic eczema, the most common type of eczema, affects approximately one in every eight children in the United States every year. It very often affects infants as well. In fact it is estimated that a high percentage of newborns (in the area of thirty percent) are likely to develop the skin disorder.

Approximately seventy-five percent of children who develop eczema early in their lives will outgrow it before they reach their teens or early adulthood, however over half of these same children are very likely to develop asthma, hay fever or hypersensitivity to many allergens. As well these children will always be prone to drier skin than those who have never had eczema. Eczema of the face is the most popular spot for a child to develop the skin problem although it often also shows up on the hands, elbows and backs of knees. For reasons unknown, it tends to improve first on the face as a child grows but it is slower to leave the other affected areas of the body.

Moisturizing is such a vital part of living with eczema, regardless of what age a person is. An important distinction must be made about eczema- eczema in and of itself is not an allergy, but there are a vast amount of allergies that can cause eczema to occur and then reoccur time and time again. Being aware of the difference between the two is important to understanding the disorder.

For more information on eczema visit EczemaTruth.com

There is only one cause for diabetes, and this is simply having too much glucose in the blood.
Diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to regulate the level of glucose (a sugar) in the blood, resulting in too much glucose being present in the blood.

Diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood. Or, to be more precise, diabetes occurs when the body is unable to regulate the level of glucose in the blood, resulting in too much glucose being present.
Over time, the high blood glucose levels present, as a result of diabetes, may cause serious complications, such as damage blood vessels and nerve cells, leading to damaged eyes, nerves and kidneys and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, impotence, and foot problems.

The presence of diabetes can be indicated by a range of symptoms, however these symptoms may not appear or be noticeable until extremely high levels of glucose are in the blood, such as above 15mmol/l (milli-moles per liter). The normal / safe level for glucose in the blood is between 3.5 and 7.8 mmol/l (milli-moles per liter).

As a result, it is quite common for someone to have diabetes without them even being aware that they have it.

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Diabetes is an almost undetectable disease if your diet is an effective treatment of your diabetes symptoms. It is possible to manage the symptoms of diabetes with diet, to the point where you don’t know that you have the disease.

But first, a bit about what diabetes is. Diabetes is a disease with abnormally high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. The pancreas produces insulin and insulin is used to lower blood glucose levels. If the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, your body will develop diabetes. Not enough insulin in the body causes diabetes.

So how do you know if you have diabetes? Well the only sure way to find out is by a blood test, but some of the diabetes symptoms are: increased urge to urinate, extreme hunger and thirst, and fatigue.

There are major complications with diabetes. Disease of the blood vessels, blindness, kidney damage, and damage to the nerves and heart.
It is however the most treatable disease in the world and as long as you get checked by a doctor, you can manage your diabetes symptoms simply with diet and exercise.

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Gestational diabetes occurs during the time of pregnancy. Changing hormones and weight gain makes it hard for the body to keep up with the need of insulin. In the past, it has been viewed as a disease that wasn’t damaging and usually disappeared after the birth of the baby. However, now it is considered a warning sign for both the mother and the baby of metabolic changes that may affect them for life.

Why does gestational diabetes occur? The placenta produces a hormone that goes against the affect of insulin on blood sugar. Women who have a history of diabetes in the family are also more sensitive to this hormone. Mothers who have experienced gestational diabetes should research and be aware of what the symptoms of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are and be aware of the steps to take to avoid or delay this disease.

Studies show that it is possible to reduce the risks by watching their diet and exercise. In fact, women who went on to control their weight, exercise, and their diet had a 58 percent decrease in their risk for developing diabetes.

Exercise is important, if you are already exercising when you become pregnant, it is important you remain active to the limits of your body. Low impact exercising, yoga, or water aerobics are choices for those women who are not on a regular exercise program.

If you have questions about gestational diabetes, or have been diagnosed with it, talk to your doctor and ask questions. Information abounds on the Internet about diabetes, prevention of diabetes, treating the disease, and learning how to control it.

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Rather than explain to you what you already know about the types of diabetes and what it is, I am going to ask you to consider the humble water bottle and its dramatic effect on your health.

Drinking water is one of the healthiest commodities you can give to your body. Keep a water bottle with you. Start out with it frozen in the morning if you will be gone all-day. As the ice melts, refill it with water and have it handy wherever you are. Water will dull your appetite, keep your body regular, and give your face and skin the moisture they need to look and feel healthy. Want to avoid diabetes? Try some of these simple steps to reduce your risk.

· Try a different form of exercise or physical activity. If you have been using a stationary bicycle, put a leash on your dog and take him for a walk. Enjoy the sunshine, say hello to your neighbors. When you get home, you will not only feel better, but you won’t be as tempted to eat.
· Listen to music while you eat. Surrounding your dinner table with relaxing sounds will not only keep you from overeating, it will also give your family a quiet time to share the day with one another.
· Using smaller utensils might help you to eat less by taking smaller bites. Teaspoons, salad forks, or a child’s utensil set might fool your body into thinking it is getting more food, even though you are eating less.
· Remember, it takes twenty minutes for your brain to get the signal that you are full. That means we should eat slow!
· Add a salad to your meal. This will help you fill up faster and you will not want to eat as much of your main entrée. Always keep a healthy snack with you; you won’t have to buy a food item that will be high in calories, salt, or fats.

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