Dark Under Eye Circles Because of Allergies

While most people suffer from black circles under their eyes because of genetic dark eye circles, many others have dark under eye circles because of allergies. The connection between dark under eye circles and allergies primarily deals with the histamine reactions caused by allergies. When an undesirable substance enters your body it usually comes in contact with your skin or the sensitive lining of your intestines or airways. At this point, antibodies are sent to the area of intrusion to fight off the allergens. This internal combat between the allergens and your antibodies causes histamines to be released. These histamines can lead to the formation of a rash, dilated blood vessels, fluid leaks, puffy and watery eyes, wheezing, muscle spasms, runny nose. Additionally, the frequent itching often leads one to constantly rub their eyes in order to get relief. As a result, black eye circles tend to develop.

Dark Under Eye Circles Because of Allergies to Food

It has been discovered that certain foods contribute to allergic reactions which manifest as dark circles. While there are many foods to which one may be allergic, some are more allergenic than others. Of this sort, there are a small number of them that actually cause dark under eye circles. Allergies to the following foods can cause these blemishes:

• Dairy Products
• Egg Whites
• Soy
• Wheat
• Yeast

Preventing Dark Under Eye Circles because of Allergies

If you've suffered from dark under eye circles because of allergies, there are also some preventive measures you can take once you get rid of them. Since the dark under eye circles that come from allergies arise mainly because of food, it's best to read labels to ensure they don't contain any of allergenic foods listed above.

Causes of Dark Circles

Dark circles - ever wonder why you get them?

Heredity is the primary cause of dark circles. Like so many things - eye color, curly or straight hair, skin tone - predisposition for dark circles is inherited.
The genes related to dark circles are actually the genes that cause weakened capillaries in the skin around your eyes (learn more about the biology of dark under-eye circles). Skin tone, including transparency of the skin, is also inherited and can make dark circles appear more dramatic.

What Causes Dark Circles?

Heredity isn't the only cause of dark circles. A variety of factors, both common and uncommon, can influence or cause the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.

Dark circles and sun exposure

Exposure to the sun can exacerbate your dark circles. Sunlight darkens the skin by raising melanin levels and bringing melanin to the surface of the skin. These boosted melanin levels make dark circles look darker.
So if you notice dark circles after a trip to the beach or the tanning bed, you're not alone.

Do fatigue or lack of sleep cause dark circles?

Short answer: no.
Long answer: not exactly. Lack of sleep makes your skin pale, which emphasizes your dark circles. Anything else that makes your skin pale, like fatigue or illness, makes your dark circles much more noticeable.
Pregnancy and menstruation also frequently make your skin pale. Many people associate dark circles with hormones -- but the hormones don't cause dark circles, just paleness.

The link between allergies and dark circles

Many people associate allergies with dark circles. This is a real and established connection. In fact, many doctors consider dark circles as an indication of allergies in children.
Allergies cause dark circles in two ways: first, histamine reactions themselves can cause dark smudges to appear under the eyes. The biology of this is way too complicated to get into here. Second, allergies frequently cause the eyes to feel itchy. Rubbing the eyes and the skin around the eyes makes dark circles even darker.

Age and dark circles

Yes, it's true -- age makes dark circles even worse. As we age, the skin of our faces becomes thinner. Thinner skin allows the discoloration of dark circles to be seen more easily, and dark circles become much more obvious.

Nutrition and dark circles

In some rare cases, lack of vitamins can cause dark circles under the eyes. This is relatively uncommon. Nevertheless, if you're not eating a balanced healthy diet, you may see dark circles. And sometimes changing to a more healthy diet can help to diminish those dark circles.

All about Dark Circles

How and why your body creates dark under-eye circles

Learn about the causes of dark circles under eyes
Most people think that dark under-eye circles are caused by staying up late watching monster movies, or having that last drink the night before, or sitting up with your laptop trying to finish the quarterly report. Most people think that their behavior is somehow linked to dark under-eye circles.
Well, most people are dead wrong.
If nothing else, I want you to know that dark under-eye circles are not your fault. They don't mysteriously appear when you misbehave or are stressed out, only to vanish when you get 8 straight hours of sleep. Dark under-eye circles are a by-product of the very same mechanism that produces bruises (and you don't blame yourself for bruising, do you?). Changing your behavior will, in almost every case, NOT get rid of your dark under-eye circles.
Having said that, onto the specifics:

What causes dark under-eye circles

Your shiners, your raccoon eyes, your blue luggage... whatever you call your dark under-eye circles, here's what they really are: oxidizing hemoglobin.
Dark under-eye circles begin in the capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that web the delicate skin around the eyes. Now, your capillaries are so small that red blood cells sometimes have to line up, single file, to get through. Frequently, red blood cells get lost and wander into the surrounding skin. This isn't a problem - it happens all the time - and your body has a mechanism to mop up these escapees. Enzymes in your body break down the red blood cells, including their hemoglobin (the molecule that gives them their distinctive red color).
No problem, right? Except for one thing: when hemoglobin is broken down, its remaining components have a dark blue-black color. Just like a bruise. So your dark under-eye circles are actually caused by leaky capillaries.

How dark under-eye circles are like bruises

When something hits you, blood vessels are traumatized and sometimes broken. Blood leaks out into the surrounding skin. Your body begins the mopping-up process, and you see a dark, purplish or blue-black discoloration.
So, as you can see, dark under-eye circles are very similar to bruises. The same mechanisms produce them.

Why are dark under-eye circles so visible?

It's quite possible that capillaries all over your body are leaking small amounts of blood all the time (I don't know if this is true or not). But the reason dark under-eye circles are so apparent is this: the skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest, most delicate skin of your entire body. The capillaries are much closer to the surface of the skin there. Many people's skin is not only thinner around the eyes, but also more translucent.
The combination of capillaries near the skin's surface and translucent skin makes this discoloration much more apparent. And that's why you have those dark under-eye circles staring back at you in the mirror.

Keep Yourself Healthy

Most of the people are consumed with their busy schedules, vacations, shopping and parties during the holiday season. Although the holiday season is an exciting time, don’t let the excessive amount of activities affect your waistline. 
 

Make exercise a daily priority. Wake up early and workout before all the festivities begin for the day. It is important to plan a workout into your schedule, along with cooking, parties, etc. Incorporate exercise into a family affair by taking a walk after a holiday meal, walking to look at Christmas lights, etc.

Don’t over-indulge on the holiday sweets. Choose which indulgences you have to have, and choose them first. Try having old fashioned caramel rolls. Also, try to avoid skipping meals, which will slows down your metabolism and causes you to over-eat during the next meal.

Focus on maintaining your current weight. The holiday season is not an ideal time to begin a diet. Weigh yourself right before the holidays start and focus on maintaining your weight. To do this, it is important to drink extra water, exercise at least three times per week, leave your favorite foods alone, and try to make your other choices a little healthier. More veggies and fruit as snacks, previous the important meals, is also a good choice.




Source: http://www.s-healthclub.com

Milk Does a Body Bad?

If you’re like most Americans, you were raised—thanks in large part to the U.S. government and National Dairy Council—to believe that several daily glasses of milk were good for you. On the other hand, a growing number of doctors and researchers say that milk and other dairy products may worsen inflammation, allergies, asthma, and other health problems. Some experts also theorize that lactose intolerance—the inability to digest milk sugar—is a signal from our bodies that we shouldn’t be drinking animal milk at all.

The Raw Deal

There’s another side to the dairy debate:
raw milk.

Once a dinner-table staple, raw milk’s popularity decreased during the 20th century, with the advent of pasteurization, a process that kills E. coli and other pathogens with heat. But that may not be all that pasteurization destroys, say raw milk advocates, who claim the process also kills beneficial bacteria, proteins, vitamins, and digestive enzymes.

Instead, they praise raw milk’s nutritional value, creamy flavor, and alleged health benefits for conditions like eczema, allergies and Crohn’s disease. They may be right: A study published in the June 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that British children who drank raw milk regularly were 40 percent less likely to develop eczema and 10 percent less likely to develop hay fever than those who didn’t drink raw milk.

Not so fast, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), whose director of dairy and egg safety has likened drinking raw milk to “playing Russian roulette with your health.” The FDA claims it’s safe to drink milk from cloned cows, but has banned interstate sales of raw milk—although individual states can determine commerce within their borders. Currently, raw milk is legal in 22 states and its devotees are growing in number: An estimated half-million Americans drink it.

Liquid Assets

The issue isn’t as simple as the FDA implies, however. All raw milk isn’t created equal, point out advocates. Yes, raw milk is unhealthy—if it comes from an industrial dairy. They view pasteurization as an excuse to produce dirty milk: Pasteurization doesn’t prevent contamination, it merely kills germs after they surface. In fact, outbreaks of salmonella, listeria and Campylobacter have been traced to pasteurized milk and cheese.

Unlike industrial dairies whose milk is later pasteurized, raw milk dairies tend to be cleaner and their cows are fed organic grass rather than corn. When purchased from such dairies, raw milk may be healthier, safer—and tastier—than pasteurized varieties.

For more on raw milk, see Real Food: What to Eat and Why by Nina Planck (Bloomsbury USA, 2006). Click here to find a raw-milk distributor in your area.


Could you cut out milk from your diet altogether?

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com

From the Founder: Raw Milk

The topic of Raw Milk has a lot of buzz around it right now due the legal issues of how and where it can be sold. It’s interesting to me because once again the FDA wants us to believe what’s best for their bottom line which now a days seems to be more business-related rather than concern for our education and safety.

I personally wrote off milk back in 2004, when I became serious about living a wellness lifestyle. As I mentioned in the past from my findings in the book Ultra Prevention, I discovered that that medical research has linked milk to many common and preventable health problems.

This sentence is what that made me give up milk forever, “For many, milk is the cause of allergies, sinus problems, eczema, and ear infections as well as a potential source of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and digestive problems.” Most of which I used to suffer from, until I stopped consuming the majority of the dairy products in my diet.

The book states that over 75% of the world’s population suffers from lactose intolerance. The book also goes on to say that we should not consume milk from a cow unless we are a calf.
I know some of you are wondering, “Where will I get the calcium by bodies needs if I am not drinking milk?”

Ultra Prevention also notes that most women in Africa ingest little calcium – perhaps 300 to 500 mg a day – yet they rarely come down with osteoporosis. This is because they are not drinking alcohol, colas, caffeine, or eating salt or excessive animal protein – all of which leach calcium out of your bones and into the toilet.

Now, I know most of you may want to stop reading this, but while living a wellness lifestyle I also insist upon balance – not giving up the things that make you happy. Most of us do enjoy a cocktail, a cup of coffee, a steak and other indulgences, but there are other amazing sources of calcium such as broccoli, bok choy, french beans / haricot verts, quinoa, dried figs, sardines, parsley, sesame seeds and almond butter. (For more foods that contain calcium, click here.) There is also supplementation, but find out which form calcium is best for your needs.

Back to the topic of Raw Milk, my vote is yes due to the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides found in our pasteurized milk supply. Bovine growth hormone, used to increase milk production, may increase the likelihood of breast cancer. So on top of the everyday ailments, the additives in our milk supply can also lead to major diseases!

Overall, my suggestion is to avoid dairy at all costs. With all of the information we discovered while researching this topic, if consuming dairy makes you happy I say stick with the raw. Yes, it takes an extra step or two to get it, but aren’t you worth it?


Were you aware of all of the issues involved with what was marketed to us as an innocent and beneficial drink? Ever wonder what happened to all of the “Got Milk?” advertisements?????

Tiffany Houser

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

Thirsty for the Truth?

With the recent introduction of Diet Coke Plus, you may be wondering if soda is now considered a health food. Vitamins, minerals and sweet sparkling cola—what more could you ask for? For starters, you deserve a beverage that does not increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome and perhaps even cancer.

Bursting the Bubbly

It’s no coincidence that a Coca Cola bottle closely resembles a slender and attractive woman’s body. Diet soda manufacturers, boasting $21 billion dollars of profit each year, would have you believe their products are a wise option for those trying to cut calories and lose weight. But an eight-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center shows that your odds of becoming obese increase by 41% for each can of diet soda you drink per day. Surprisingly, the risk is much higher for diet soda drinkers than for people who consume regular soda.

Scientists have offered several theories to explain the link between diet soda and obesity. Some in the medical community note the role of artificial sweeteners in increasing appetite and disrupting the body’s regulation of caloric intake. It seems that consuming sweet foods, especially those containing aspartame, causes us to crave carbohydrates and stimulates our cells to store fat. Other researchers point out that people who drink soda are more likely to eat fast food and make unhealthy dietary choices. Whatever the connection, it’s obvious that the diet soda industry has duped us.

Can of Controversy

Adding insult to injury, several studies highlight a relationship between diet soda and serious diseases like hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and cancer. A trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute revealed that people who drink just one daily diet soda raise their risk of metabolic syndrome by 34%. And though there has never been a definitive conclusion about ties between the aspartame in diet soda and certain types of cancer, many well respected health organizations have criticized the FDA for too quickly dismissing these possible connections.

If you enjoy a fizzy drink now and then, there’s no need to panic. Many companies offer carbonated beverages made with natural fruit juices that don’t contain artificial sweeteners or preservatives. However, if you find yourself hooked on diet beverages, check out this aspartame detoxification program and information about Splenda (sucralose). On the site, sweetpoison.com, there is an interesting press release from 2007, announcing how Coca-Cola will start to use Stevia in their beverages…which makes you wonder, why would they change a financially successful formula?

How often do you consume artificially sweetened food and beverages?

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

From the Founder: Brain Fitness

This topic comes at interesting time for me. This past weekend I celebrated my birthday, and as I enter another age, I am beginning to notice a few differences in myself. To speak specifically about this topic, my mental capacity seems to be overloaded.

I recall a conversation I had with few friends of mine a while ago and how we believe that a person does not necessarily forget things or has gone down on the sharpness totem pole, but that we come up short in the brain game due to the new information we receive and seek.

Just like a computer, we felt that the brain can only hold so much information in our memory. We were discussing how our brain deletes files for us that may not be as important or that we haven’t referenced in a long while to free-up space for new and more everyday information. We were also discussing how our brains have a recycle bin just like a computer and is very contextual b/c even though something has been "deleted", we are shocked how random, useless information pops up again over our best friends wedding anniversary.

Yes the memory degenerates, and cells are damaged and destroyed, but if you really think about it, your brain or consciousness has some sort of filter, mysterious storage and contextual retrieval system. However, brain fitness does seem to have some substance to it as I’ve known that Alzheimer's patients are given jigsaw and crossword puzzles to work on in their treatment.

I do believe the brain needs work-out and it is not something we need to wait to do until our twilight years. Some things I’ve heard people try with math are figuring out a gratuity, calculating the amount of materials needed for home improvements, or adding up monthly bills without a calculator. There are also CD's/mp3's that you can listen to as well to give your brain some braun.

A little brain game I like to play is trying to dial phone numbers from memory, which by the way could come in handy one day if you are ever in an emergency situation. Another brain game, which could do you some good beyond brain health, is to go through the calendar in your head and write down the birthdays and anniversaries for the people in your life and match it up to the calendar you use everyday. Try this once a week for a set amount of time until they match up perfectly. This will also put a smile on the face of a few people in your life.


What are some brain fitness techniques that work for you?

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

If You Recall Clearly...

Maybe Not.

How long ago did you memorize world capitols, do long division or learn a new language? We're guessing you answered eighth grade or thereabouts. When was the last time you misplaced your car keys, forgot an acquaintance’s name, or spent many frustrating hours trying to recall who sings that song you can’t stop humming? If you’re like most of us, the response is last week or maybe this morning. What, you ask, does long division have to do with the missing car keys? The connection is brain fitness and a theory known as “use it or lose it.”

Where Brain Cells Go To Die

If you think you are too young to be concerned about memory loss, lack of concentration and even dementia, think again. In reality, your neurons start to die off after puberty and your brain begins shrinking at the ripe old age of 20! Luckily, with a little effort you can stimulate the growth and connection of new neurons and help keep your mind quick and clever throughout your life.

With every speed dial programmed on your phone and calculator used for balancing the check book, we sacrifice another opportunity to engage our brains. Yet the very technology that offers those tempting but detrimental shortcuts may also be your biggest ally in the fight against brain fog. Among the many exciting new computer based tools for memory and creativity cultivation is brain training, also known as brain aerobics.

Wake Up Your Mind

Though a variety of activities enhance brain health, such as reading a challenging book, completing a cross word puzzle or joining a social club, brain training offers unique benefits. Whether you’re eight or eighty, sharp as a tack or feeling a bit mentally sluggish, brain training can improve your cognitive function. One company, fittingly called Brain Aerobics, offers a software package and classes known as TrainBrain that is aimed at increasing brain plasticity. The beauty of products like TrainBrain lies in their individualized approach. The difficulty of each challenge conforms to your personal pace of mental growth. Thus your brain won’t be bored silly with easy tasks or overwhelmed with exercises that are too advanced.

Pump It Upstairs

And one, and two and three and think? If you are the kind of person who lets the Pilates DVD languish in a dusty drawer, perhaps joining a brain gym will keep you motivated to work out your neurons. While the idea of wearing a sweatband to put together a puzzle may sound a little strange, businesses that offer a place to focus on mental fitness are cropping up all over the US. If you aren’t quite convinced enough to invest your money in a neuro-gym membership or even an intellectual video game, you can try out riddles and other exercises at websites with free brain-boosting activities.

What’s on your mind and how do you cope with an ever aging brain?

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

From the Founder: Alcohol

Sipping on cocktails or wine is something I enjoy a few times a month. Whether for relaxation purposes or as a social release during the times I catch up with my friends, having a drink is part of my life. However, there is a shot of irony with alcohol when it comes to living a balanced lifestyle.

It seems for most of us the scale is tipped too far when it comes to alcohol. Let’s not kid ourselves; we all tend to go a little too far with alcohol in some way, shape or form. Anyone who knows what a hangover feels like has put a boulder on the scale, which we know makes it very difficult to get the scale even with those odds.

I have had some really unforgettable hangovers where all I could think about was the next minute giving me some salvation from the horrible feeling. You may be wondering, why drink to the point where I feel like that the next day, and my answer to you is that when I am drinking I am serving another aspect of my well-being (as mentioned above).

When I think about wellness, I think about Balance- keeping everything in your life that makes you happy while learning how to make adjustments to keep the scale even to achieve goals. So for me when it comes to drinking alcohol, for the most part, I incorporate preventative measures to combat any of the extreme side effects of a happy hour gone wild.

First, I make sure I eat. Of those unforgettable hangovers 99% of them were the result of me not having enough food in my system giving the alcohol an all-access passport to travel throughout system wrecking havoc. On top of eating, I also eat a banana, take Vitamin B complex and OPC-3 (antioxidant with Pycnogenol) before or after my alcohol consumption. The banana is pretty hearty, plus the potassium rehydrates. In the home remedy world, Vitamin B is said to fight off the toxins in alcohol leading to that crushing headache due to its depletion. The antioxidant is just an overall back up fighting off free radical damage. I really notice a difference when I do not follow this regimen.

Now for my liver, I eat apples for breakfast during the work week. Even though it is a home remedy, I believe in the power of natural solutions. Twice a year I do a 7-day cleanse which includes a liver component that contains Milk Thistle, N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (amino acid), Dandelion Root, Garlic Bulb, Hawthorn Berry Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit and Seed Extract, Yellow Dock Root, Burdock Root, Licorice Root, Barberry Bark and Root, Rosemary Leaf, Ginger Root, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Hyssop, Red Clover Flower, and Turmeric Root Extract.

If you’re a drinker like myself, consider how to be a ‘Well-Drinker’. Cheers!

Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

You Snooze, You Don't Lose

With A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation reports that the average American gets 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep per night (down from the 7+ hours reported last year). We know that sleep is needed for mental clarity, immunity, preventing premature aging and mood stabilization, but did you know that a good night's sleep also provides cellular detoxification and renewal of the skin?
Sleeping is actually the easiest way to look better! It will therefore come as no surprise that many orally administered medications prescribed by dermatologists for skin conditions such as acne and eczema contain small amounts of sedatives; looks like even modern medicine is forcing us to sleep more for enhanced beauty results.
Even if you don't have specific skin problems, puffy under-eyes and a pale complexion is never a good look, so why do we routinely deprive ourselves of this much-needed restoration? An increased average workday is the top culprit, but other factors such as lifestyle, increased stress levels, poor food choices and sleep disorders are also to blame.

Ever-dedicated to encouraging all to reach full wellbeing potential, the spa world's answer to this imbalanced dilemma is The Sleep Spa, of course!!

One of the top trends in the spa industry in 2008 is the prevalence of sleep programs in the spa environment, according to Spa Finder's CEO, Susie Ellis. That's right, the power nap has returned, and this time, it's trendy! For European and Latin Americans, the siesta midday break has been more of a staple than a trend- they may have been on to something this whole time. If you pay attention to your inner circadian rhythm, you'll find that there is a late afternoon lull, about 8 hours after you wake up, and that it is natural to want to sleep. So, instead of going for that 4pm coffee jolt, it's actually more natural and beneficial to take a 20-minute nap.

Yelo, a Manhattan-based sleeping haven, is on the cutting edge of this trend. They offer signature YeloCabs, ideal cubbies for optimized napping that can be booked in 20 or 40-minute increments. I treated myself to their 20/20 therapy (20 minutes of reflexology followed by a 20 minute nap), and the experience was unlike any other I’ve had.

The anti-gravity chair positioning was truly restful, and before the reflexology was over, I had already succumbed to nap-land. A LED light mirroring the sunrise awakened me naturally, and I felt completely rested and revived! This natural awakening process was key in rounding out a truly restful and restorative nap, and left me with a peaceful feeling as I returned to reality. I treated a friend to this same sequence, as he had complained recently of chronic exhaustion (and looked it!). Doubting the power of the power nap, he went in a skeptic, only to emerge a believer! I took pride in complimenting him on his newfound de-puffed and bright-eyed, refreshed appearance, and he felt, to his surprise, well-rested. It was fantastic to know that I was not the exception to the rule and that the Yelo formula and its components were truly vetted and right on point.

In just one nap therapy I saw a dramatic shift in appearance in my friend, as if he had just received a facial! The drained face and puffy eyes were replaced with color and an awakened gaze. Looking and feeling well-rested brings an obvious change in appearance and also attitude!
Look for more dedicated sleep spas and designated sleeping areas and therapies to be incorporated into your local spa soon...sleeping never looked so good!

Will you be a true sleeping beauty?

From the Founder: Sleep Spa

Sleep for me these days seems like a luxury. Lately, I just can’t seem to get enough. Last night, or afternoon I should say, I fell asleep at 6pm! No, I am not 70- I know most of you are wondering my age since falling asleep at that time seems to be the norm of the people living in a retirement community.

As much as my current lifestyle requires more hours for work and somehow I still put a decent amount of time into my social life, I am learning to give in to sleep. In this go-getter era, our lifestyles rarely allow us to give in to sleep except on the weekends and even then most of us feel guilty that we are wasting our time or that it is not allowed. After reading this week’s guide, I know most of you are thinking (whether there is a sleep spa in your city or not) There is no way I could break away from work for a nap!

Now back when I worked 9 – 5, I could see where that mentality comes from, but at the same time if I think hard enough I could really add some wasted time spent on Instant Messenger, Email, Chatting in the Lunch Area, etc. All of which could add up to 20 minute increments which if I had known back then would have traded for some ZZZ’s.

Napping of course is not something we need everyday. Even though an afternoon rest is a part of the European and Latin American cultures as Susan mentioned, we Americans need moderation for both setting the time aside and accepting the fact that it's OK to shut down just like a computer and reboot 20 minutes later.

When Susan shared the experience she and her friend had at Yelo in her Spa Blog, I wanted our BalanceBoost readers to know more. One of the things she told me that stuck out was how she woke up naturally. She said that they simulated a sunrise with the LED light which as most of us nappers know when we pass or voluntarily take a nap, sometimes waking up comes with a jolt of confusion- was I sleeping? how long was I sleeping? or from the noise of an annoying alarm. Most of know that feeling sometimes defeats the whole rest that we got from the nap and in
Susan’s feature, she told us about the benefits sleep has on our skin and appearance. Now napping, for me at least, has more value to it, because not only am I hoping to increase my energy and concentration when I wake up, I may also be contributing to my aesthetics.

Even though I have not been to a sleep spa yet, I definitely recommend that you try it once just to have the experience to compare to a cup of coffee, energy drink or to see what you look like after (it's not a makeover, keep your expectations in the realistic zone).

So sleep away and you may wake up looking better and ready to conquer the world! Source: http://balanceboost.blogspot.com/

Ways to Flourish with Diabetes

Managing diabetes is vital if people are to flourish and live their lives to the fullest. A diabetic condition can leave you feeling low in energy and depressed at a point. Increase in blood sugar is triggered by ailments such as flu, nausea and colds. A wound may also leave your sugar levels high or low leading to fatigue. When such ailments occur, it is advisable to keep the sugar levels in check in intervals over the day.

Vital Lessons on Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the most popular Chinese medicines practiced today in the west as a form of alternative or complimentary therapy. It was first introduced into Europe in the 1600s, from where it penetrated to North America. Today, acupuncture is widely used for the treatment of chronic and acute pain through out the world. It is also used for the treatment of allergies, infertility and asthma.

Tai Chi as a Wellness Technique

Tai Chi is an antique Chinese exercise created by a Taoist saint known as Chang San Feng about 700 years ago. The exercise is based on four fundamental categories namely: health, mental accomplishment, self-defense and ways of attaining immortality. The exercises are made of slow and tranquil movements intended to aid in self-development.

Naturopathy Healing System

Naturopathy is a system of healing that relies heavily on natural remedies. Such include water, air and sunlight. The natural environment is supplemented with natural therapies and diets. The medical system was first developed in Germany, and slowly found its way to North America in the 20^th century, where it is deeply rooted as a complementary type of medicine.

Homeopathy: Get Healed Naturally

Homeopathy is a form of alternative treatment whereby the mind and body are stimulated to heal themselves naturally. It is derived form two Greek words “homeo” meaning the same and “pathos” meaning disease. This practice has its roots in Germany where it had been in use since the 18^th century. The whole idea was created by Samuel Hahnemann who was a doctor.

Facts about Shiatsu

Shiatsu is a finger pressure massage therapy whose origin is traced to the East. It refers to “finger pressure” where “Shi” means finger and “atsu” pressure. It is a traditional massage therapy which is non-invasive and deeply relaxing. It involves the use of fingers and the thumb to apply pressure to the body parts.

Managing Menopause

Healthy Living
Womens Health

When a middle aged woman seems to be irritable, throws frequent temper tantrums, appears quiet at times, it’s not what she deliberately wishes to be like, but it is the period of her life which give rise to such behavior in her. It is menopause – a gradual, but permanent cessation of menstruation.

Symptoms of PMS - Do You Have The Symptoms Of PMS?

Healthy Living
By Vanessa Youngstrom

PMS or premenstrual syndrome is a term used to describe a set of hormonal changes that trigger a syndrome in a significant number of women for up to two weeks before the start of her period. More than 5 million women require treatment for symptoms of PMS such as marked mood changes and behavioral changes.

Prevail over PMS

Healthy Living
Womens Health

You suddenly feel like breaking into tears without any reason. The headache that just doesn’t seem to go away; you constantly feel a sense of fatigue….irritable and the people around, make you feel worse. Does all this sound familiar to you? If the answer is yes, then it’s quite likely that you are suffering from PMS or Pre-Menstrual Syndrome.

7 Reasons To Power Walk

Healthy Habits
By Nneka Kelly

When I was in college my roommate and I would take a 30 minute power nap every afternoon. One week her mother was visiting and was outraged that this was a regular occurrence. By the third day she joined us in our afternoon siesta, but warned that this would not go over well when we hit the “real” world.

Sway, Swing and Rock your Way to Better Health

Healthy Living
Physical Activity

What can dance do for your health?

In addition to promoting cardiovascular health, muscle tone, balance and posture, dance improves your immune system and elevates your mood.

Maximize Your Fat Burning Potential

Physical Activity
By Kevin Koskella

Are you frustrated by that stubborn fat that seems to stay with you no matter how hard you work out or exercise? Are you getting annoyed that no matter how you eat, you cannot seem to lose that extra 10 pounds you’re carrying around with you?

7 Steps To Having More Energy

By Melanie Mendelson

1. Get enough sleep.

Sleep deprivation is the most common cause of low energy and fatigue. Most adults need 8 hours of sleep every night. If you are sleeping in late on weekends, it’s a sign that you don’t get enough sleep during the week.

Diabetes in Children

Healthy Living
Children

Diabetes Mellitus, commonly known as Diabetes is a health disorder in which the body has trouble regulating its blood sugar levels. Diabetes can be categorised as type 1 diabetes (an autoimmune disease also known as juvenile diabetes) and type 2 diabetes (a metabolic disorder also known as adult onset diabetes).

Transgendered: In Quest of a Place on the Gender Spectrum

Healthy Living
Transexuals

An interesting way to look at gender identity is to imagine a spectrum between the standard "male" and "female" sexes. Physical, mental, and emotional factors all help us decide where we lie on that spectrum. While this concept sounds simple enough, it leads us to an understanding of the turmoil some people go through in a society that does not view gender as having grey or mid-points.

Fight Against Breast Cancer

Healthy Living
Women’s Health

The second most dreaded disease after lung cancer, breast cancer is more common among North Americans than others. Though identified as women’s disease, it is not limited to women alone. Since breast tissues are similar in both genders, men can also develop breast cancer. However, the latter’s occurrence is rare.

Respiratory Diseases in Children

Healthy Living
Children/Teens

More than 3 million Canadians suffer from serious respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, influenza and pneumonia, bronchiolitis, tuberculosis (TB), cystic fibrosis, and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Television and Children

Healthy Living
Children/Teens

Parental guidance is required

The invasion of cable TV, DVD and Direct to Home (DTH) TV in our family lives, especially in the context of children, has spread more ills than the benefits they can offer.

Stiff neck – A Real Pain in the Neck

Healthy Living
Common Ailments

Looking at someone turning the whole body when only a slight turn of neck is needed can make you smile or laugh. But if you have ever experienced a stiff neck – you will sure feel the pain of that person and refrain from doing that.

Bye-Bye Bloating

Healthy Living
Healthy Habits

Just yesterday you were happily considering buying a new pair of jeans – one size smaller. And today, your tummy is ballooned so much that even your regular pair of jeans seems to be crimping your belly. Blame it on bloating.

Downside of Supplements

Healthy Living
Food and Nutrition

The habit of choosing supplements over a balanced diet is on the rise among the growing population of health nuts. The growing fascination for the supplements stems from the belief that in addition to warding off a deficiency, they also help stave off various illnesses.

Ten Best Energy Foods

Healthy Living
Food and Nutrition

Ever wondered why some people eat less but are more energetic? The secret may lie in the kind of foods they consume. Foods that are high in carbohydrates with a little potion of protein but have no or low fats are often termed as energy foods.

Essential Fatty Acids are Essential for Health

Healthy Living
Food and Nutrition

Essential fatty acids (EFA) are the fatty acids that are required to create and repair cell membranes in the human body. These essential fatty acids cannot be obtained synthetically and they have to be obtained only through diet.

Sharing Combs and Towels

Healthy Living
Healthy Habits

When you share a comb or a head towel – you might be sharing more than that. You might be sharing some germs, infections and lice. So, for sake of your crowning glory’s health do not ever share combs and towels.

Grow Grey Healthfully!

Healthy Living

Thanks to the advancements of medical science the life expectancy has increased many folds. The population of baby bloomers is bigger than ever and is growing. However, there is a flip side. It is burdening the medical system of Canada because living longer rarely means living healthier.

Presiding over Prostate Problems

Healthy Living
Men’s Health

Prostate problems are becoming more common than ever. However, increased awareness can help in managing or even preventing many prostate problems.

Is It Safe To Travel During Pregnancy

Healthy Living
Women’s Health

If you are pregnant and a trip comes up, it is normal to get worried about the effects and potential risks of travel on your unborn baby. The questions that generally crop up in the mind are:

How Healthy are Canadian Eating Habits?

Healthy Living
Food and Nutrition

Walk into an eatery or wheel into a drive thru – you will be welcomed by mouth-watering images of sweet and sugary donuts, cookies, French fries, chicken wings, hamburgers … great!

Stop the Unstoppable Hiccups

Healthy Living
Common Ailments

Without causing a pain in the real sense, non-stop hiccups can be a real pain. Medically speaking, a hiccup (some prefer to refer to it as hiccough) is an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm. It can go on for several minutes or longer. It is often triggered when diaphragm is irritated by any of the following causes:

Does Coffee Really Perk You Up?

Healthy Living - Food and Nutrition
Rizani Razeed

Are you one of those who just can’t start the day without their morning coffee? Do you love chocolate? Are you a pop junkie? You might be wondering what these three have in common. Well, it’s the caffeine content – a key ingredient in all of them.

Ill Effects of Tight Clothing

Healthy Living
Women’s Health

Last time you were getting dressed, planning for a big night out or shopping for some new clothes, I’m sure you spent a lot of time trying to find clothes that flatter your figure, complement your complexion or fit in with your sense of style. Chances are you didn’t spend much time worrying about the affect those clothes could have on your health.

Flushing you clean –A Guide to Detoxing

Healthy Living
Healthy Habits

Toxins in the body are the underlying cause of almost all illnesses, both minor and major. From fast foods to environmental pollution, there are many factors that lead to the accumulation of toxins in the body. Some of the main sources of toxins in the digestive system include pesticides, chemical additives, denatured processed food and undigested stored wastes from foods.

Focus on fight against diabetes

Circle of Wellness
Physical

There is a new epidemic facing people around the world. It’s not heart disease, cancer, or AIDS: it’s Diabetes. The rise of fast food, environmental pollution, and sedentary lifestyles, has contributed to the alarming growth of diabetes, both globally and in Canada. According to Health Canada, diabetes affects approximately 2 million Canadians, and more than 180 million people worldwide.

Just for the Girls

Healthy Living — Womens Health
Humera Sayeed

It was a fun-filled weekend full of style tips, contests and loads of goodies – and it was just for the girls! The Sixth Annual National Women’s show took place on November 2- 4, 2007 at the Metro Convention Centre, attracting more than 32000 people.

Resolve To Butt Out In The New Year

Healthy Living-Healthy Habits
Success Quitting Smoking Depends On Early Preparation

TORONTO, Dec. 20 /CNW/ - Smokers have many reasons for smoking, but the reasons for quitting outweigh them all, says Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best. "A New Year’s resolution is a great way for Ontarians to quit smoking, but it is important that they prepare themselves properly," said Best.

Oil Change in Calgary

Healthy Living —Food & Nutrition
Arlen Panchoo

Calgary started 2008 by making history as the first Canadian city to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants. On January 1, all margarines, spreads, and oils used for cooking in restaurants were limited to a maximum of two percent trans fats of the total fat content in foods.

The liver – Your body’s barometer for ill-health

Healthy Living
Common Ailments

Have you ever wondered if there was a gage within your body measuring health? Many people would assume the closest thing would be the heart or cardiovascular system. The liver, however, turns out to the true barometer of modern ill-health.

Learning to Understand Learning

Healthy Living
Alessandra Cerroni

Learning is an important part of our lives. However, education has historically catered mainly to children and young adults, because the brain was thought to be at its most malleable during the formative years.

Whole Grains vs. Whole Wheat - What is Best For You?

Healthy Living — Food & Nutrition
Kim Edmundson, R.N.C.P., R.h.A.

We hear it all the time, “Eat more whole grains”. But what does this really mean? Most people think that eating more whole grains means simply eating more whole wheat.

Ovarian Cancer

Healthy Living
Womens Health

Ovarian cancer is a form of gynecological cancer that affects the ovaries. It is the most severe of the gynecological cancers, made worse by the fact that there is no screening test for this type of cancer available in hospitals. Most doctors usually ignore the possibility of such a diagnosis even when the symptoms are there as the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be very confusing and subtle.

Maintaining your Ideal Weight

Weight Management
Maintaining your Ideal Weight
Weight Maintenance

Gaining and losing those extra pounds to reach your ideal weight was not a small feat. And now when you have done this, you can’t slack back and undo your achievement.

How to Maintain a Healthy Weight

Weight Management
How to Maintain a Healthy Weight
Weight Maintenance

There is nothing as frustrating as gaining weight after you worked so hard to lose it. It is a stab in the back, especially for those people who put so much time and effort to reach their goals but did not stick to a healthy lifestyle after attaining their desired weight.

Which Diet Pills Are Safe

Weight Management
Which Diet Pills Are Safe
By Denis Seguin

Almost all weight loss diet pills promise to burn fat, increase metabolism, and keep that excess weight off. What many people don’t know is that a lot of the products on the market are unsafe. When trying to find out which diet pills are safe, there are a few things to keep an eye out for. If you’re planning to use prescription drugs, take this into consideration.

25 Slow & Steady Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

Weight Loss
25 Slow & Steady Tips for Healthy Weight Loss
By Mary M. Alward

I know that you’ve heard it a million times, but in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories that you consume. No one promised it would be easy to lose weight – and it’s not.

Weighing in on Weight Loss

Weight Management
Weighing in on Weight Loss
Weight Loss

Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight loss. Soon enough, anyone trying to lose weight will discover a mind-boggling variety of weight loss plans, even some that appear to contradict others.

Natural approach to Weight Loss

Weight Management
Natural approach to Weight Loss
Weight Loss

Starting on a new weight loss program or to follow any diet plan is nerve-racking for a beginner. We should all work towards making our health better. The right preparation and positive attitude can surely take us on the road to weight loss.

Weight Loss and Diabetes

Weight Management
Weight Loss and Diabetes
Weight Loss

Diabetes prevention; losing weight

Diabetes (type 2) is often triggered by rapid weight gain or obesity in the childhood years. Obesity is a big risk factor and approximately 90 percent of all sufferers of diabetes type 2 are overweight, or were overweight, when they started receiving treatment for diabetes.

Dieting – To do or not to do?

Weight Management
Dieting – To do or not to do?
Weight Loss

While dieting for weight gain is growing in both popularity and recognition, dieting is mostly favoured by people trying to lose weight. If you are healthy and physically fit, yet think that skipping a few meals or halving your meal size will do you a world of good, you may be mistaken.

Keep Those Calories Off While On A Holiday

Weight Management
Keep Those Calories Off While On A Holiday
Weight Loss

After slogging out day and night in the office, you have been able to save up enough for a nice short vacation. After returning from well-deserved, hard-earned holidays, the last thing you want to do is to hit the gym, because you have put on weight.

Wise Weight Loss

Weight Management — Weight Loss
Wise Weight Loss
Kim Edmundson, R.N.C.P., R.h.A.

As we celebrate the holidays, many of us will probably partake in a little too much good food, and decide in January that we need to lose weight.

Are Toxins Making You Fat?

Healthier Living for You

Warm weather is coming! Unfortunately, this also means leaving our cozy confines, stepping out from hibernation and removing the heavy sweaters that have camouflaged the excess weight we have been secretly accumulating over the winter months.

Aging and Vision Loss

Eye Care
Aging and Vision Loss
Dr. Dennis Ruskin

We expect more from our eyesight now than ever before. Whether at work or play, our sight is precious to our understanding and enjoyment of the fascinating world around us.

Let Your Eyes Sparkle This Winter

Health Guides
Let Your Eyes Sparkle This Winter
Eye Care

Your eyes may light up seeing preparations for the winter holiday season in Canada. But are you prepared for the care that your eyes need in the winter?

Computer Vision Syndrome

Health Guides
Computer Vision Syndrome
Eye Care

Your eyes are dry and stinging, and your head is pounding. Just another rough day at the office? Or could your computer screen be the culprit? Sore eyes and headaches are just two symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS is a relatively common problem occurring in approximately 70-75 per cent of computer users.

Sunglasses – Not just for summer anymore

Health Guides
Sunglasses – not just for summer anymore
Eye Care

Your eyes need protection from the sun all year round – the same as the rest of your body. Just as in the summer, the two main risks are damage from the sun’s UV rays, and discomfort caused by glare. 

Vision Loss Etiquette 101

Health Guides
Vision Loss Etiquette 101
Eye Care

So you’ve just met someone with vision loss – perhaps at work, through a friend or out in the community. It’s only natural to feel unsure about how to behave and to want to avoid doing something inappropriate. Here are a few simple tips to help you be more comfortable and supportive around a person with vision loss. 

What to expect during an eye exam

Health Guides
What to expect during an eye exam
Eye Care

That big “E” on the wall of your family doctor’s office is looking blurry, and you’re off to your first-ever eye exam. Here’s a primer on what to expect when you get there. 

Insight

Health Guides
Insight
Eye care

Q. My mother has glaucoma. What are my chances of getting it? What can I do to prevent it?

Canadian researchers break ground unlocking mysteries of glaucoma in one of world’s largest studies of disease

Health Guides
Eye Care

CNIB-funded study produces “gold mine” of new data, bringing hope to 67 million affected by open-angle glaucoma.

MONTREAL, June 22 – The world community of glaucoma researchers and 67 million people with this devastating eye disease worldwide can expect to benefit from a groundbreaking CNIB-funded study released today. More than 15 years in the making, the Canadian Glaucoma Study positively identified, for the first time, several risk factors predicting the progression of this little understood disease.

New method to detect high-risk glaucoma patients

Health Guides
New method to detect high-risk glaucoma patients
Eye Care

A scientific method of identifying glaucoma patients at high risk for rapid deterioration and blindness has been developed by a researcher at Montreal’s Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital.

Dental Route to Disease Depiction

Health Guides
Dental Route to Disease Depiction
Dental Care

Your smile can reveal more than your teeth. Researches show that 90% of systemic health problems show dental symptoms. Diseases such as diabetes, HIV, heart problem, liver disease and even some pregnancy risks can be detected through oral symptoms.

Natural Treatments For Dandruff

Solution Center
Natural Treatments For Dandruff
Hair Guide

Dandruff, known to science as seborrheic dermatitis, is one of the most common conditions of the hair and scalp. In a classic case of dandruff, there is inflammation of the top layers of the skin, which causes scales on the scalp and other parts of the body.

Watch Your Mouth: Poor Oral Health Can Kill You

Dental Guide
Watch Your Mouth: Poor Oral Health Can Kill You

Lots of Canadians neglect their teeth. Big mistake. Aside from the cosmetic and aesthetic positives of having attractive teeth, poor dental hygiene leads to more than gum diseases like gingivitis. Poor dental hygiene also increases the severity of other diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

The one Dimensional Approach

Health Guides
The one Dimensional Approach
Skin Care

Dry? Oily? Combination? Sensitive? We have all heard the usual words to describe skin types. But what do they actually mean?

Dealing with Heel Pain

Health Guides
Dealing with Heel Pain
Foot Care

With every step, we pound our feet more and more. Put too much stress and you end up with sore heels, an ordinary problem which usually recovers on its own. When we walk, the heel bone or calcaneus, the largest bone in the foot is the first to hit the ground.

The Right Fit

Health Guides
The Right Fit
Foot Care

An interesting fact about our feet is that they are of slightly different size and shape. And so, when we go out to buy shoes, we have to get the fit for the bigger foot.

Foot care and Pregnancy

Health Guides
Foot care and Pregnancy
Foot Care

You have just found out that your bundle of joy is on its way and life turns over a whole new leaf for the mother-to-be. The body changes in structure, undergoes a lot of hormonal variations and gains a lot of weight.

Keep Those Aging Feet Agile

Health Guides
Keep Those Aging Feet Agile
Foot Care

For many, the feet are mere body appendages that carry them from one place to another. But, it is the feet that contribute significantly to your sense of well-being and independence. And as you age, these need just as much more care as the rest of your body.

Little Footprints

Health Guides
Little Footprints
Foot Care

Foot care is important at all stages in life, but the first few years are the most crucial to your children’s development of healthy feet. After all, these little twinkle toes are going to carry them places for the rest of their life.

Put your Best Foot Forward

Health Guides
Put your Best Foot Forward
Foot Care

The outing was great, you couldn’t expect it to be better! And now you feel like putting your feet up and relaxing! Your feet are aching so badly that you see a new relevance of ‘putting your feet up’ to relax.

Head Oil Massage

Health Guides
Head Oil Massage
Hair Care

Scalp massage for Healthy Hair

To save your skin from harmful UV rays you use SPF, but what about your hair? Your hair bears the brunt of the hot sun, but it is often unprotected. The sun is not the only culprit - unavoidable tensions at work, dust, dirt and stress all take their toll on your tresses.

Exercises for healthy hair

Health Guides
Exercises for healthy hair
Hair Care

Did you know that long hours in front of a computer or TV, bad posture, and lack of physical activity can make your hair brittle and lustreless?

Greying Before Time

Health Guides
Greying Before Time
Hair Care

Greying hair used to be a phenomenon linked with aging and often used to set in after 50 years. But now its early onset is becoming very commonplace.

Treating Dry Hair

Solution Center
Treating Dry Hair
Hair Guide

We all know how damaging the winter months can be to our hair. Many of us even face the same problems - dry, frizzy, flyaway hair - in the summer. Lack of humidity, cold, blustery winds, indoor heating, hats, and long hot showers can all contribute to the problem.

Natural Treatments for Dandruff

Solution Center
Natural Treatments for Dandruff
Hair Guide

Dandruff, known to science as seborrhea dermatitis, is one of the most common conditions of the hair and scalp. In a classic case of dandruff, there is inflammation of the top layers of the skin, which causes scales on the scalp and other parts of the body. This mild inflammation of the scalp is caused by the reaction of the body to both the pityrosporum yeast and to products that break down oils.

Sunburn: Causes, Care, Cures and Cautions

Health Guides
Sunburn: Causes, Care, Cures and Cautions
Skin Care

Days are getting hotter and mercury is rising. While some would be heading for shade whenever possible, others may head for the sun to get a tan. If you are the later type, stop. Don’t expose yourself to the danger of UV rays.

Move It or Lose It

Move It or Lose It
Skin Care

Talk about exercise and the idea conjures up images of losing weight, building muscle, and trimming thighs. But do you know that regular workouts can work wonders for your skin? Exercise plays a big role in how young and healthy your skin looks and feels.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Skin Care

Drinking water moisturizes your skin from the inside out. Water is essential to maintaining elasticity and suppleness, and it helps prevent dryness. Avoid alcohol as it dries out your skin, giving you premature lines and wrinkles.

Smoking and Your Skin

Smoking and Your Skin
Skin Care

It may be hard, but the best thing you can do to have a beautiful, glowing complexion - Stop smoking. After you quit smoking, you will see one of the real benefits – a more beautiful, smoother and more radiant skin.

Eating Healthy for Great Skin

Eating Healthy for Great Skin
Skin Care

Vitamins and minerals play an important role in maintaining health of your skin. Following chart will help you ensure that you are including these vitamins and minerals in your daily diet.

Head for the Shade

Health Guides
Head for the Shade
Proactive Skin Care

Soaking up the sun’s rays used to be healthy when global warming had not depleted environment of its ozone layer leaving us vulnerable to sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Tips for Darker Skin Types

Skin Guide
Tips for Darker Skin Types

Darker skin is melanin rich and is definitely less prone to skin diseases and ailments. But it’s important to preserve the smooth, rich tone of your skin. You can look after your skin with simple and safe skin care routine.

Photo facial Rejuvenation

Skin Guide
Photo facial Rejuvenation

We all want clear skin, but nature has a way of sabotaging us with frustrating imperfections. The good news is that you can rejuvenate your skin with photofacial technology.

Ayurvedic Skin Care

Skin Guide


Vata skin

Recommendations for care: Since your skin does not contain much moisture, preventing it from drying is the major consideration. You can do so by following these easy tips: 

Botox and Wrinkles

Are you unhappy about your wrinkles letting out your age secret or is it your flat cheek bones which make you miserable? Whatever it may be you can resolve these and similar problems.

Herbal Skin Care

Skin Guide
Herbal Skin Care

Today, when more and more people are rediscovering the art of healing with herbs, herbal skin care is more popular than ever. This is found to be specially useful in the following skin conditions:

Holistic Skin Care

Skin Guide
Holistic Skin Care

Holistic skin care proposes that instead of putting stuff inside of our pores and sticking things on our face, we instead expel things from the inside out. In simpler words, have a positive outlook.

Asian Skin Types

Skin Guide
Asian Skin Types

Asian skin is generally smooth and has yellow undertones. This skin type is more prone to irritation and acne problem. It has a greater need for daily upkeep to minimize the appearance of pores, and even out skin tone and texture. 

Hispanic Skin Types

Skin Guide
Hispanic Skin Types

Hispanic skin care, like the skin care for any other race-based skin type varies from person to person. So, looking after your skin will depend on your individual skin type. However, there are some useful generalities when it comes to taking care of the brown skin. Here is a daily regime to suit this skin type: 

Caution, Care for Cavities in Children

Health Guides
Caution, Care for Cavities in Children
Dental Care

Children’s refreshing smile can warm up the hearts of even complete strangers. But sometimes it is not so. Unfortunately, dental health trends among young children are both worsening and worrisome.

The Dreaded Dry Nose

Health Guides
Skin Care

Winter is a magical time of year: picturesque, snow covered vistas; romantic strolls through the brisk air; children building snowmen; holiday cheer. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to enjoy all that winter has to offer.

Weightlifting linked to eye risk

Health Guides
Weightlifting linked to eye risk
Eye Care

Now that the holiday feasting is over, many people step up their exercise regimes to burn off those extra pounds. But new research shows that you may want to take extra precautions before hitting the weight machines.

Easy Guacamole

This recipe is so delicious and so easy to make. It's not only a great dip recipe on it's own, but is also perfect served alongside many other Mexican dishes like Nachos or Quesadillas.

Asian Beef with Snow Peas

Stir-fried beef in a light gingery sauce. Serve over steamed rice or hot egg noodles.

Mexican Pasta

Original recipe yield: 4 servings

Hummus

This Recipe makes: 8 servings

PREP TIME 10 mins

READY IN 10 mins

National Minorities

Ethnoculture
By Mary Anne Winslow

The problem of segregation and racism remains real and vital for every country in the world as in every country there are representatives of different nations who struggle to share and enjoy the same rights as native population does. The reason for segregation and racism is not the skin colour, or different culture, faith or language; it is deep in the hearts and minds of people.

The Biggest Cause Of Death In The Western World!

Health & Ethnicity
By Michael Russell

Drugs can control symptoms, but in severe cases or after a heart attack, surgery may be the only option. Some risk factors you can change and improve upon, but some you cannot. Therefore it is vital that you make all the possible changes to your lifestyle to reduce as many risk factors as possible.

What Is The Link Between Anti Aging And Ethnicity?

Health & Ethnicity
By Louise Forrest

It is very true that Caucasians are more affected by sun damage (photo aging) and the associated visible signs of aging more than many other ethnic groups, but the number of anti aging dermatological procedures being performed on people with diverse ethnic backgrounds has been on the rise in the past few years.

Acne in Underdeveloped Countries

Health  & Ethnicity
By Michael Russell

Acne vulgaris is a skin disease that affects between 79% and 95% of the population in America and Europe. Even adult men and women, between 40% and 54% of them, have some kind of acne. After the age of 45, 12% of women and 3% of men still suffer from this affliction.

Chanukah: The festival of lights… and fried food

Ethnoculture
Ethnic Recipes

Do a mitzvah, eat a latke!

Jews from around the world gather together this week to celebrate the festive, eight-day holiday of Chanukah. In commemoration of the rededication of the Second Temple thousands of years ago, we light candles every evening remembering how a tiny vile of oil, only enough for one day, was able to miraculously keep the eternal flame alight for eight days during the time of the Maccabean rebellion.

Simple ways to reduce your daily stress

Circle of Wellness
Emotional

Stress has become an inevitable part of life for many, causing health related problems. The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges.

Stress management for difficult times

Circle of Wellness
Emotional

Unexpected hurdles are a fact of life. When tough times arrive, such as illness, the illness of a loved one, poverty, or any other obstacle, you need to give yourself space to cope. The following is a guide to living happily, even when you feel overburdened.

Healing power of prayer

Circle of Wellness
Spiritual

Are you a spiritual person? The answer, no matter who you are, is probably yes. This is because spirituality is an innate force. It manifests itself in ways that are as unique as we are.

Keeping Your Mind Active

The brain is perhaps the most cherished organ in our bodies, and yet it is the one that bewilders us the most. Because our thoughts and feelings are associated with our personalities, we often fail to recognise that the brain is an organ that reacts to its environment.

Weight Problem? Blame it on Your Genes

Circle of Wellness
Know your body type

Yes, it’s true: the code to obesity is written in our genes. How, when, and where we have cellulite, largely depends on our Body Type.

Body types can be divided into 4 categories: Android, Gynaeoid, Thyroid and Lymphatic. Each one of these has distinctive hormonal and metabolic characteristics. By understanding your body type, you can find out whether and where you are prone to gaining weight, and in which areas you are more susceptible to cellulite.

Bailing You Out From Bad Breath

Circle of Wellness
Body

Consistant bad breath is more than a socially embarrassing problem. Halitosis, the medical term for bad breath, is a medical condition. The severity of the problem depends on the underlying cause. Bad breath can be a warning signal or symptom of a more serious ailment.

Managing Arthritis

Circle of Wellness
Body

Gone are the days when Arthritis was considered an old age disease. Today, not only that it’s affecting younger population, it’s becoming prevalent in kids too. According to the data available, 1 in 1,000 Canadian children (boys and girls) of under the age of 16 suffer from juvenile arthritis.

Has Your Eating Routine Gone out the Window!

Body
Physical Wellness

Do you always find yourself eating on the run? Are you “rolling up the rim to win” every morning? For many, drive-thru restaurants, and eating while driving, working, or watching TV have become common routines.

Healthy environment for healthier life

Our environment is everything around us – our physical surroundings, people we live and work with, air we breathe, the water we drink and use, and the food we consume.

Physical Touch Matters

Circle of Wellness
Emotional

As human beings, we thrive on touch. The abundance or absence of touch we receive in our childhood shapes up our emotional balance, physiological well-being, and our capacity to lead a normal and healthy life when we grow up. 

Combating Clinical Depression

Circle of Wellness
Emotional

Mrs. Johnson’s 20 year old is behaving a little odd nowadays. Generally a cheerful kid, he has become a loner and rarely interacts with others. Most of the time he remains self-occupied, and complains of feeling sad and hopeless. He suffers from a considerable loss of appetite, insomnia and fatigue. Moreover, he often expresses recurrent thoughts of death and suicide.

Games That Exercise The Mind

Circle of Wellness
Mental

Games are an important part of a child’s life. But selecting the right game for your kid is not a child’s play. Games play a critical role in the physical and psychological development of a child. They influence children’s thinking and can determine their social behaviour.

Computer Related Stress Problems

Circle of Wellness
Physical - Body

Computer Related Stress Problems are injuries that generally afflict the muscles, nerves, tendons and other soft body tissues located on the hands, arms, shoulders and upper back. The problems surface when the muscles in these regions are forced to continually remain tense for prolonged periods of time.

The Hazards of Sleep Disorders

Circle of Wellness
Physical - Body

A good night’s sleep promises a more productive tomorrow, and a bad night of sleep can make you drag through the next day. Whether it is a lack of sleep, too much sleep or sleeping fitfully, sleep problems are considered to be serious health conditions. We have gathered information here on what causes sleep disorders, and how to tackle the problem.

Let Health Travel With You

Circle of Wellness-Physical
Body

There’s nothing better to beat the stress and anxiety of modern living than a long, relaxing vacation. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians took over 6.7 million trips abroad in 2006. While some of these trips may be for business, others are for pleasure and relaxation.

Some Common Heart Problems

Circle of Wellness-Physical
Body

An amazing fact: The human heart beats more than 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime. An unfortunate truth: An unhealthy heart can reduce this number considerably.

How Unhealthy Are Perfumes?

Circle of Wellness
Physical - Environment

Many of us use perfumes for the pleasant fragrances they give off. Yet we are largely unaware that the multitude of chemicals that are used to produce that magical smell can be dangerous to our health!

Taking Public Transit the Healthy Way

Circle of Wellness
Physical - Environment

Canada has some of the cleanest and safest public transit lines in the world. However, accidents still happen on our systems, and diseases are still transmitted. Read below for some tips to make sure you arrive at your destination no worse for wear: 

Give your home a healthy base(ment)

A healthy home is built on top of a sound basement. Too often, basements are neglected, resulting in poor air quality upstairs. Whether you enter your basement daily, or only occasionally, in order to be healthy, it needs to be maintained regularly.

Pesticides: Chemical warfare in your home

Circle of Wellness
Physical - Environment

Do you reach for a spray bottle when your plants suffer from infestations? Do you store insecticides, termiticides, rotenticides, or fungicides in your home? Keep in mind that the word "cide" means "to kill." Pesticides should be avoided whenever possible, and handled with great care when they are used.

Laundry Room Culprits!

The average family visits the laundry room once a week to wash their clothing and other fabrics. When carrying out this common routine, we think of our clothes, but rarely think about the products being used, and their contents.

Nature’s purifiers or hazardous breeding grounds?

Circle of Wellness
Physical — Environment — Home Wellness

Plants certainly add life and beauty to your home, but what else do they do to your home?

Your Space Outdoors Affects your Space Indoors

The air quality in your home is directly related to conditions outside. Factors such as the state of your gutters, the vents around your home, and the location of trees, can make a difference to your indoor environment.

Greening your Kitchen

Circle of Wellness
Greening your Kitchen
Home Wellness

If, as the French say, “The torch of love is lit in the kitchen,” say then a love for nature must be lit in a green kitchen!

Kids’ Playrooms – A Serious Concern

Circle of Wellness
Kids’ Playrooms – A Serious Concern

Kids are carefree, and this freedom of spirit is often reflected in the state their rooms. It is possible, however, to provide children with a a natural, clean, and orderly space. Here are some simple and sensible solutions to your playroom problems. So, take a deep breath, and read on!

Carpet: Danger under Foot

Circle of Wellness
Carpet: Danger under Foot

If you are one of the many people who enjoy the warmth and plush texture of carpeting, keep in mind that carpet requires a lot of effort in order to remain healthy. New carpets can release harmful chemicals that may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as fatigue, and flu-like symptoms.

Air Pollution in Canada

Circle of Wellness
Air Pollution in Canada
Physical — Environment — Outdoors

Air pollution is no longer a remote problem. We can no longer say that it will not affect us or our loved ones. A quick look around will tell us that changes have already started. We must change our habits in order to create a safe future for our generation, and for generations to come.

Global Warning for Global Warming

Global Warning for Global Warming
Environment-Outdoors

We are exploiting our environment in order to improve our lives. But are we actually improving our lives? Global warming has proved us wrong. From freakish weather, to inexplicable diseases, the impact of our thoughtless actions is becoming more and more visible.

Convert your mess into a green office kitchen

Concept of clean, green kitchen is as much applicable to office as home. We should remain committed to recycling, minimizing waste, buying organic and other activities that contribute to good health and a clean environment.

Stretching - Ergonomics And Office Chairs And How They Affect Your Health

Workplace

Stretching - Ergonomics And Office Chairs And How They Affect Your Health

Amy Pedersen

Even with a well-designed workstation, problems may arise when working long hours in your office chair.When this happens, you must pay attention to the work at hand, and how it is performed daily if you plan to continue working such long hours.

Eco-Friendly Work Habits

Physical-Environment
Eco-Friendly Work Habits
Workplace

Like it or not, your office is taking a toll on the environment. Greenhouse gases are produced by the energy you use to power the office. More are released when vehicles are used to support your business. Furthermore, the paper you use (and possibly throw away) take their toll on the environment too.

Office Products for the Long Haul

Physical-Environment
Office Products for the Long haul
Workplace

The products that are best for the environment are often the best for your business as well. When considering the cost of new office equipment, take a life-cycle approach.

A Positive Mind: Your Passport to Longevity

Healthy Living
A Positive Mind: Your Passport to Longevity
Healthy Habits

Whether you call it self-hypnosis or self-induced brain washing, the fact remains that the power of mind over body can prove to be a great tool to ensure a sounder health for yourself. Your body will do wonders if you can simply make yourself believe that it is relentlessly busy in keeping the diseases away.

A Recipe for an Improved Memory

Healthy Living
A Recipe for an Improved Memory
Healthy Habits

Competition is the catch word today! And crucial to competition is a good memory. For this, you got to get your grey cells working hard for you.

Resist Antibiotics For Better Resistance

Circle of Wellness
Resist Antibiotics For Better Resistance
Physical - Body

At the first sign of a sniffle or cough, many people run for antibiotics. With busier schedules and no time to be sick, popping pills has become a substitute for bed rest and clear fluids.

Tuberculosis: A Disease of the Past Presents New Fears

Circle of Wellness
Tuberculosis: A Disease of the Past Presents New Fears
Physical - Body

A new study done at Montreal’s McGill University has renewed concerns about the disease Tuberculosis (TB). The study has found that the TB vaccine is not suitable to fight the disease anymore.

Be A Man - Emotionally

Healthy Living
Be A Man - Emotionally
Men’s Health

Often it is said that men keep a lid on their emotions. But is it really true? Yes and no. The answer depends on social conditioning, as certain emotions are deemed fit for the “stronger” sex, and some for the “weaker” sex.

Outdoor Allergies

Healthy Living
Outdoor Allergies
Healthy Habits

May is spring time. We re-immerge after our months of winter hibernation to enjoy the warmer weather, the fresh breezes, the budding trees and first blooming flowers of the season.

Healing with Colour

Circle Of Wellness
Healing with Colour
Emotional

Colour metaphors are often used to describe human emotions, such as ‘in the pink of health’, ‘to turn red in the face’ or even ‘a fit of blues’. Time and again we associate colours with our feelings. The reality is that colours influence our emotional and physical health, and possess healing properties that can restore our inner harmony.

Breathing With a Difference

Torontonians prepare for visit of His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

TORONTO – Iraqi youth, South African prisoners, New York City firefighters, Kenyan slum-dwellers, European corporate leaders, Indian villagers, First Nations youth. What do these people have in common?

Just four words: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Stress – Mind, Body or Emotions?

Circle of Wellness—Emotional
By: Jacob Eapen

High levels of stress have become synonymous with our busy, active everyday lifestyles. We recognize its symptoms — the tension, headaches, and other aches and pains. When ignored, stress can lead to high blood pressure, ulcers, heart problems and many other serious health problems.

Is your job ruining your life?

Circle of Wellness
Physical—Environment—Workplace

Are you safe? You have probably asked yourself this question countless times throughout your life with regards to your home, your commute, when walking across a dark parking lot, when choosing a lunch option, or when analyzing a bad relationship.

To Talk or Not To Talk on Mobile Cell Phones

Circle of Wellness
Physical

Since the time cell phones became mainstream communications device in the late 1980s, the debate about whether or not they could give us cancer or other illnesses has been going on.

Take the “SAD” out of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Circle of Wellness — Mental
Take the “SAD” out of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Sheri Stock

If you’ve been feeling particularly gloomy this winter, it may be more than just a case of the “holiday blues”. According to the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, approximately 2-4% of Canadians experience Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Is Your Immune System Ready for Cold and Flu Season?

Circle of Wellness — Physical — Body
Is Your Immune System Ready for Cold and Flu Season?
Kim Edmundson, R.N.C.P., R.h.A.

As we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall and winter, we also enter into cold and flu season. Is your immune system ready? Keeping your immune system strong is your best defense against colds and flu.

Protecting the Health of Canadians: Recognizing the Vital Role of Environmental Public Health Professionals

VANCOUVER, Jan. 14 /CNW/ - The Canadian Institute of Public Health inspectors would like to invite all Canadians to celebrate Environmental Public Health Week (EPHW) from January 14th to 20th.

A Family Assignment

Most parents hope to give their children a head start in life by sending them to good schools. It is seen as an investment in their future.

Food, Mood & Relationships

Circle of Wellness — Mental
Food, Mood & Relationships
Kim Edmundson, R.N.C.P., R.h.A.

Your mood has a great impact on the relationships in your life, but have you ever thought about how the foods you have an impact on your mood?

Hope for the Heart treatments in February

Circle of Wellness — Physical
Hope for the Heart treatments in February
Arlen Panchoo

Heart disease is Canada’s number one killer, accounting for the death of more Canadians then any other disease. Every year approximately 75,000 Canadians suffer heart attacks alone.

Earth Day: Build your Eco-Knowledge (Energy)

Courtesy of www.earthday.ca

Build your Eco-knowledge and share it with others. Use these fun and challenging questions as resources in your environmental activities and initiatives.

Earth Day: Build your Eco-Knowledge (Water)

Courtesy of www.earthday.ca

Build your eco-knowledge and share it with others. Use these fun and challenging questions as resources in your environmental activities and initiatives.

Earth Day: Build your Eco-Knowledge (Food & Garden)

Courtesy of www.earthday.ca

Build your eco-knowledge and share it with others. Use these fun and challenging questions as resources in your environmental activities and initiatives.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

A basic asana, it is ideal for the new yoga practitioners. Tadasana is also a preparatory asana for the standing poses. Though it is one of the easiest asanas, it is not as simple as it looks. It may seem as if you are just standing there, but bringing the body into a proper alignment and keeping it that way, takes quite some effort.

Dandasana (Staff Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Dandasana (Staff Pose)

Dandasana is a basic seated pose. It is also a resting pose and a preparatory pose for all the seated asanas.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Alternatives
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
Yoga

It is a basic asana. It derives its name from the Sanskrit word “Setu” which means bridge. It is also known as Ardha Chakra Asana (Half Wheel Pose). It strengthens the spine, opens the chest, improves spinal flexibility and stimulates the thyroid.

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

It is one of the easy-to-do basic pose. The asana derives its name from the word “Shalabh” which in Sanskrit means “locust”. It is very effective in strengthening the back, legs, and arms.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Vrksasana is a basic yoga pose (asana) and easy to perform. It’s specially helpful for students who have problems concentrating.

Surya-Namaskar - Sun Salutation

Alternatives
Yoga

Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) literally means paying respect to the Sun God. In Hindu mythology Sun is respected as the source of energy, life and vitality. This is why traditionally Surya Namaskar is done at sunrise.

Sukhasana (Easy Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Easy, comfortable, relaxation pose for meditation. This pose relieves tiredness, opens the hips, lengthens the spine and promotes inner calm. In yoga, this process is called “Pratyahara” which is a turning inward into the self. As the name suggests, this pose is very easy to do.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

Alternatives
Yoga

It is one of the basic asanas. Attaining ideal pose of this apparently simple asana requires regular practice. When done with proper concentration, it heals emotional pains and confers mental calm and peace.

Bhujaangasana (Cobra Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

One of the basic asanas, it is an excellent pose to counter hours of sitting at the computer. It is useful for developing the strength and flexibility of the entire back. It tones the legs and buttocks, increases blood circulation and improves kidney functions.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

Alternatives
Yoga

It is a transitional pose, a resting pose and an asana by itself. It is one of the basic poses. It is useful as a preparation for standing poses and as a warm-up of your muscles at the beginning of yoga practice. It provides a transition between poses, especially in sun salutation and vinyasa flow yoga. 

What Are Sit- Bones

Alternatives
Yoga

What are sit bones?
Quite literally, sit bones are the butt bones which we sit on. Hidden under the flesh, they are rarely noticed or felt except when we sit for a longer time or on a hard floor. They are part of the pelvic girdle and technically known as the Ischial Tuberosity.

Precautions for Yoga Practice

Alternatives
Yoga

Yoga, if practiced with due diligence, is beneficial not only for your physical health but also for your emotional and mental wellbeing. However, if proper precautions are not taken it could even be harmful. To ensure a safe practice and get maximum benefit, one should follow these precautions in addition to contraindications and cautions recommended for each individual asana.

Yoga Can Do Wonders For Your Children

Yoga
Alternative Therapy

In an era Playstations and stressed parents transporting kids to extracurricular activities such as piano classes, swimming lessons etc., it’s no wonder that children—even kindergarteners—sometimes find life stressful. In response, an increasing number of schools are using private donations to teach the ancient practice of yoga to youngsters as a way to encourage relaxation while building self-esteem.

Know Your Limits With Yoga

Yoga
Know Your Limits With Yoga
Alternative Therapy

Contemporary yoga has become a popular recreational activity, although some styles bear little resemblance to the classical Indian forms that are associated with the Hindu religion. People from all walks of life and even some physicians are discovering the benefits of modern yoga. According to Yoga Journal, about 18 million people practiced yoga in 2003, up from 7 million in 1998.

Bhadrasana (The Gracious Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Bhadrasana (The Gracious Pose)This asana is simple and easy to perform. It is preventive as well as curative in nature. Not only it averts the chances of genital related problems, it also provides relief in for patients suffering with problems such as hernia.

Marjari asana (Cat Stretch Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Marjari asana (Cat Stretch Pose)

If you have observed cats stretching themselves after a nap, you would know why this asana is named so. This asana is actually a combination of two poses, one flowing into the other. It is as simple as it looks but much more beneficial than it seems.

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

This asana is not very difficult and even beginners who have practiced some basic back bend asanas can practice this. It stretches the whole body and is extremely beneficial. However, it should be practiced with caution by beginners as well as advance practitioners as it could cause major injuries.

Janu Shirshasana (Head to Knee)

Alternatives
Yoga

Janu Shirshasana (Head to Knee)

In Sanskrit "Janu" means "knee" and "Shirash" means "head". In this basic yogic posture one leg is folded at the knee and the other is stretched out. The head rests on the knee of the stretched leg, hence the name. Among its many benefits are stretching and opening the back and hamstrings, and improving flexibility.

Makarasana (The Crocodile Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Makarasana (The Crocodile Pose)

One of the easy asanas, Makarasana is a relaxation pose. ’Makara’ in Sanskrit means ’Crocodile’. In this pose body resembles the shape of a ’crocodile’, hence it is known as Makarasana. This is practiced in between asanas to release the strain caused by other asanas.

Shavasana (The Corpse Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Shavasana (The Corpse Pose)

Shavasan is one of the most important asanas. It looks very simple to do and it’s indeed very easy to get into this pose physically – but unless you quieten your mind and keep it from wandering, you are not really practicing this asana.

This deceptively simple pose is the best asana to relieve stress and anxiety, promote calmness of the mind, and to relax and refresh the body and the mind. It is also known as the Sponge Pose.

Supta Vajrasana (Backward Bend Pose/The Reclining Vajrasana)

Alternatives
Yoga

Supta Vajrasana (Backward Bend Pose/The Reclining Vajrasana)

Supta-Vajrasana is a further development of Vajrasana. "Supta" means "asleep" in Sanskrit. In this asana we lie on our back with folded legs, hence, it is called Supta-Vajrasana.

Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)

’Vajra’ means diamond. The body is solid like a diamond in this basic posture, which is a preparatory pose for many other asanas and a posture for practicing pranayaama and meditation.

Uttanasana (Forward Bend Pose)

Alternatives
Yoga

Uttanasana (Forward Bend Pose)

Uttanasana is a basic standing pose. This posture produces a stretch in the legs and spine. An asana by itself, it is often practiced during the practice of standing poses as a resting or transitory pose because of its recuperative nature. It is one of the twelve asanas that form part of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) asana chain.

Yoga-For Holistic Healing

Yoga
Alternative Therapy

The word "Yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or integrate." Yoga is about the union of a person’s own consciousness and the universal consciousness. Ancient Yogis had a belief that in order for man to be in harmony with himself and his environment, he has to integrate the body, the mind, and the spirit.

Virabhadrasana - I (Warrior Pose - I)

Alternatives
Yoga

Virabhadrasana -I is the pose of a warrior holding a sword above the head. This asana is suitable for beginners as well as advance yoga practitioners. However, caution is important as loosing balance can cause injury.

Shed Those Extra Pounds with Yoga

Alternatives
Yoga

If you are overweight and cannot or do not want to do vigorous exercise or hit the gym, yoga is your best bet. Not only will it help you shed those extra pounds but also offer many other health benefits.

The problem of obesity has both physical and psychological aspects; yoga works two ways in solving the problem.

Leaner, Longer and Stronger

Healthy Living — Physical Activity
Humera Sayeed

Often described as an intelligent and precise approach to exercise, Pilates continues to gain popularity worldwide.

Introduced to North America in the early 1920s by Joseph Pilates, the exercise method focuses on lengthening and strengthening the muscles by creating a union between mind and body. It helps people of all ages stay fit, increase flexibility, improve posture and get rid of back pain.

Find a Naturopathic Doctor

Naturopathy
Alternative Medicine

If you long for a doctor who uses natural therapies to keep you healthy and tends to minor medical conditions, consider a naturopathic doctor (ND). Like MDs, many of these healers diagnose and treat health problems, draw blood, order lab tests, perform physical exams, and even pre- scribe some drugs. 

‘Doctors who listen’ – Naturopathic medicine is on a rise in Canada

Alternatives— Naturopathy
Humera Sayeed

Today more Canadians are seeking a more natural approach to their healthcare. A recent survey done by the Canadian Association for Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) showed that 40 per cent of Canadians (who had not practiced naturopathy) were now interested in seeing a naturopathic doctor.

What Every Canadian Needs to Know Before Visiting a Natural Health Practitioner

Alternatives-Naturopathy

A recent study indicated that over 87% of pediatricians had been asked by their patients for complementary or alternative therapy. More than half of Canadians surveyed in 2006 reported using at least one form of alternative health care during the previous year, according to a report published by The Fraser Institute.

Naturopathy

As the name suggests Naturopathic medicine (also known as Naturopathy) is a total naturalapproach to health. It is similar to the vitalistic tradition of medicine in the Western world,emphasizing the treatment of disease through the inherent healing capacity of the person. It addresses the root causes of illness, and promotes health and healing using natural therapies....

Home Remedies to Strengthen the Immune System

Home Remedies
Alternatives

Home Remedies to strengthen the immune system.

Home Remedy #1: Astragalus boosts the immune system and generates anticancer cells in the body. It is also a powerful antioxidant and protects the liver from toxins. This makes this plant ideal for people suffering from dark circles due to liver problems and depressed immune system. IMPORTANT: Do not take this herb if fever is present.

Hyperacidity and Heartburn

Alternatives
Home Remedies

When the level of hydrochloric acid in the stomach increases and goes beyond the normal, it causes hyperacidity. And when the gastric acid refluxes back to oesophagus, it causes heartburn.

Hyperacidity promotes heartburn, ulcers and reflux.

Burns

Alternatives
Home Remedies

We all have experienced burns. Incidents like touching a hot plate by mistake or spilling some hot coffee on oneself are commonplace. While you can treat only first- and second-degree burns yourself, third-degree burns need medical attention of a doctor – without delay.

Home Remedies for Dandruff

Alternatives
Home Remedies

Excessive shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp is known as dandruff or scurf. A small amount of flaking is normal, because as skin cells die they flake off. Unfortunately, some people, either chronically or as a result of certain triggers, experience an abnormally large amount of flaking. This is often accompanied by redness and irritation.

Snoring

Alternatives
Home Remedies

When the free flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose is obstructed, snoring takes place.Sometimes kids with large tonsils and adenoids snore. Deformities of the nose, for instance, deviated nasal septum can also cause snoring.

Constipation-Uff! Those trying times!

Alternatives
Home Remedies

If you suffer from constipation, you know what we are talking about. No jokes! Actually nothing could be more nagging than this. In spite of abundance of ways to prevent and cure constipation, many of us suffer from this irksome problem.

Yeast Infection: Causes, Symptoms and Cures

Alternatives
Home Remedies

Yeast infections primarily inflict women of child-bearing age.According to the medical statistics, 70% to 80% of this infection is caused by Candida Albicans, a common strain of yeast. Normally, this and some other strains of yeast present in a woman’s vagina in miniscule amount, are kept in control by Lactobacillus Acidophilus which is a bacterium existing naturally in the vagina.