In feng shui, the kitchen is a symbol of wealth and abundance.The kitchen is the most important area of your home. It is responsible for nourishing your entire family and keeping everyone happy and healthy.

The optimal place for your kitchen is the center of your home. If the kitchen is located near the front or back door, the positive energy can escape.

Food gives us our energy and enables us to remain healthy. To keep this food energy positive and healing, the food has to be cooked in an organized kitchen that maintains a good balance of Chi. By having a well balanced and energized kitchen, the cook becomes more energized and the entire family benefits.

The best tips for the kitchen are pretty basic and should go hand in hand with the rest of your home very easily. Lighting is an important part of feng shui and in the kitchen, there should be an abundance of natural light if available and if not, full spectrum lighting is recommended. The air should flow nicely and the kitchen should give off a very welcoming energy.

A great way to add positive energy to your kitchen is by using plants and flowers. When placed on your kitchen table, they are not only beautiful to look at, but they increase the positive energy level greatly. You should use plants and flowers that are yellowish in color, because yellow is a great digestive aid in feng shui.

Like the rest of the house, clutter should be kept as minimal as possible. Since this is the very heart of the home, keep it as happy and warm as possible.

With the right type of exercise, the pain of arthritis can be diminished to almost nothing. But the best remedy is prevention.

Your bones hang out in a lot of joints: Knee joints, Hip joints, the joints in your fingers, the joints in your toes, and the list goes on.

Wherever bones meet, there is also cartilage: a rubbery, protective layer that ensures your joints bend smoothly and painlessly. But even cartilage cannot do this tremendous job alone. A thin membrane called the “synovium” provides fluid that lubricates the moving parts of the joint. When the cartilage wears out of the synovium becomes inflamed, the result is generally a case of “osteoarthritis” or “rheumatoid arthritis.”

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage can be eroded so much that bone  begins to rub on bone. This type of arthritis develops gradually over a lifetime as a simple result of the wear and tear placed on your joints over the years. Very few people escape some degree of osteoarthritis, though the severity varies a great deal.

As a matter of fact, if you are over the age of 50, you are likely to have at least one joint affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis affects men and women equally and is by far the most common type of arthritis, with almost 16 million Americans in the list.

In rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the synovium is at the source of trouble. Doctors and researchers are not absolutely sure what causes it, but most think that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system actually attacks certain tissues in the body, including those that connect the joints and the synovium.

Rheumatoid arthritis begins with swollen, red, stiff, and painful joints; but it may progress until scar tissue forms in the joint or, in extreme cases, until the bones actually fuse together. Almost 75% of the 2 million people with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States are women. The disease can hit as early as teen years.

Exercising Your Prevention Options

Investing a little time in developing a good weight-bearing, low-impact exercise and stretching plan can add up to great results when it comes to staving off arthritis pain. Strong muscles help protect the joints from wear and tear, and the movement keeps joints flexible.

That is why the quest for fitness is at hand, even if you are 50 years and over. However, most Americans over 50 are still right where they always were sitting back and watching others jog by. Most of them contend that it is just for people who have been athletic all their life. Or some might say exercise is for young people and engaging in exercise will do them more harm than good.

There are still some that insist on excusing themselves in exercise routines, saying they just don’t have time or they lack the energy after a long day. These are all lame excuses. Now is the time to start, you might find those pains a thing of the past.

Preventing arthritis is not an exact science, but physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your risk:

1. Do not weight around

The single most important measure anyone can take to prevent osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they are overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your knees. If you are 10 pounds overweight, for example, you put 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure on your knees every time you take a step. That extra pressure can slowly, but surely, erode the cartilage in your knees that leads to arthritis.

A study has clearly supported the theory that weight loss weighs in on the side of prevention. In the study, overweight women who lost 11 pounds or more over a 10-year period decreased their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by 50%.

2. Stretch those muscles

Any kind of stretching is good as long as you do not bounce, which can lead to a muscle pull. This is according to some of the professors of clinical medicine in New York City.

Try to hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by stretching before any exercise, especially running and walking. But it is also a good idea to stretch each day. Ask your doctor to teach you stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

3. Walking is always the best exercise

Take a good long walk, at least three times a week. Or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact exercise routine for maximum results. There is no proof that running is bad for the joints, but remember, it may aggravate an injury if you already have one. Just remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

The bottom line is that of all the healthful habits, exercise is the most important. This is because people are designed to be active. Hence, it is really important for people to exercise in order to stay healthy and keep those joints free from wear and tear.

Just keep in mind that the un-exercised body, even if free from the symptoms of illness or problems like arthritis, is not at its full potential. So resolve to start exercising right now!

Visualization techniques have been demonstrated to improve physical and mental health, speed the healing
process, and effectively manage pain. They can also help prevent illness, reduce stress, and increase an
individual’s overall health and well-being.

Different visualization techniques can be used in the treatment of stress, and stress related illness. For
general Stress Management, begin by identifying where in the body you feel the stress. Do you have muscle
tension in the back and neck? Is your stomach ”knotted”? Do you experience a dull or throbbing
headache? Different people experience stress in different ways.

Once you have identified where in the body you experience stress you can use visualization techniques
to reduce the stress, as well as the physical symptoms and effects you experience while under stress.

One useful visualization technique involves placing your hand over the affected area of your body. Breathe
deeply, with your eyes closed. Feel your heart rate slow to a calm and steady pace.

Visualize the stress in your mind as an image, with size shape and form. It may appear as a black ball
which is located in the area of your body that you feel stress.

It may also appear in another form, such as a square, circle, rectangle etc… As you concentrate on the image
of the stress (which may or may not be accompanied by physical pain) visualize (or picture yourself) moving
the image.

It may not happen right away, but keep working at it, until you can get the image to move. Even the smallest
movement is an accomplishment. As you begin to be able to move the image, be aware that you have control of it, and more importantly, know that IT does not have control over you.

Visualize the image that symbolizes your stress moving further and further away from its original location,
until eventually you are able to remove it completely from your body.

Another technique along this same line is to visualize the stress you are feeling, and imagine that it is
getting smaller, and smaller. Eventually the image will shrink to a tiny spot, and then disappear all
together. This technique is very powerful in helping to manage the physical symptoms that result from
stress.

Did you know there are health benefits to feng shui? Feng shui has long been heralded for its ability to increase people’s energy levels and give them a much healthier life. This may sound unusual to some people, but really think about it.

Feng shui calls for a clutter-free, well lit area with good air circulation. That by itself can do wonders, but when applied with various feng shui techniques, it can make amazing improvements in your state of mind.
Nobody likes living in a mess and that can affect you mentally. To maintain a space that is beneficial to your health, there are only three basic needs that have to be met.

Fresh air is very important in the modern world. Thousands of years ago there weren’t factories and cars all over that seriously diminish air quality. Even in your home there are many pollutants - from things like your stove, refrigerator, and animals.

The easiest way to help eliminate some of these pollutants and to add something beautiful to your home is to get some air purifying plants. Many types of small palm and fern are renowned for their ability to suck in toxic substances that are in the air. In addition, they put out oxygen which is always a good thing.

Lighting is very important also. Light is one of the most powerful forms of energy in the universe. Many of us don’t get enough sunlight exposure on a daily basis. Feng shui encourages the use of natural light whenever possible, but in areas where that isn’t an option full spectrum lighting is recommended.

The last basic need is to stay free of clutter. Get rid of stuff you don’t really need and don’t be a packrat. By starting with these three basics, you can learn more and start applying feng shui cures to your home and life.

In feng shui, the master or main bedroom is the most important bedroom of the entire house. Everything from the harmony of the house to the finances of the house can be influenced by the master bedroom.

There are four major factors you should consider about feng shui in the bedroom:

• The shape of the bedroom
• Location of the bed
• What area of the house your bedroom is located
• What is used for decoration

These all play a pivotal role in the flow of energy in the house.

The shape of the bedroom is very important in feng shui. A rectangular or square room is the best. If your bedroom is oddly shaped, you can use a room divider to help it maintain a more rectangular shape.

The bed shouldn’t face a door or any ‘protruding’ edges of any kind. These are both symbols of negative energy and can be impossible to correct without moving the bed.

You should also avoid having any overhead beams above the bed or windows behind the headboard. Mirrors facing the bed also negatively affect the Chi of the area.

The ideal location for the master bedroom is in the Northwest of the house. This might not always be possible, however the next best choice is the Southwest. These two areas represent the Patriarch and Matriarch respectably.

Decorations are important but you don’t want to over do it. Depending on what your goals are, you can configure and energize the bedroom for romance, marriage, or relationships. You should avoid energizing the bedroom for luck in wealth.

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that is not obtained from foods that are consumed. Instead, the D vitamin is actually obtained by sunlight on the skin.

There has been a lot of media coverage about the dangers of getting too much sun, but it is essential that the skin is exposed to sunlight to obtain the recommended daily allowance of the D vitamin. In reality, the amount of time that a person has to spend in the sun to receive a sufficient dose of the D vitamin is extremely small, about twenty minutes a day will be sufficient and not have any adverse effects from the amount of ultra-violet light received.

The most important function of vitamin D is to help control how much calcium is absorbed from food. The majority of the calcium is used to build strong teeth and bones, but it is also needed to send messages along the nerves and to help muscles, such as the heart muscles, to contract. It is the D vitamin that ensures that there is always sufficient calcium in the blood to perform these tasks.

Other functions that require the D vitamin relate to the immune system. It is believed that vitamin D is also a contributing factor in reducing the risk of contracting cancer and, in particular, colon cancer.

The variant of the D vitamin that is formed under the skin is known as vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. This D vitamin is created when the ultraviolet in the sunlight reacts with a type of cholesterol that is found under the skin naturally. The D3 is converted into a more active form of the d vitamin in the liver and is then diverted to where it is needed the most. Some of the D vitamin remains in the liver and kidneys to help reabsorb the calcium from the blood. The rest of the D vitamin is dispersed to the bones to help them retain their calcium and the intestines to aid absorption of calcium from food.

Even though the majority of the D vitamin is formed through the exposure of the skin to sunlight there are some foods that do contain some of the vitamin naturally. This form of the D vitamin is known as vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol. This is used in the same way as the other D vitamins and is the type used to create the majority of D vitamin supplements.

Many people nowadays are turning to “organics” and “naturals” otherwise known as herbals. The rising popularity of herbal supplements has created a new fad, if not a new health lifestyle. But before you jump on the bandwagon, here are some things you need to know about this type dietary supplement.

What is the difference between a drug and a dietary supplement?

According to the definition set by food and drug administrations in different countries, drugs are chemicals that can prevent, prolong the life, treat other effects of a health condition, improve the quality of life, and/or cure ailments and diseases, or alter the function of any part or chemicals inside the body. These drugs have approved therapeutic claims. For example, paracetamol is a drug given to bring down the body temperature in fever. Ascorbic acid is indicated for the treatment of scurvy. Iron supplements are given to treat mild cases of anemia.

Herbal supplements are not classified as drugs but as dietary supplements. The main difference is that they do not have approved therapeutic claims unlike in the case of drugs. Moreover, dietary supplements could either contain vitamins, minerals, herbals, or amino acids, all aimed to add to or supplement the diet of an individual. They are not intended to be taken alone as a substitute to any food or medicine.

Most of the manufactured medicines we now have, once came from animals and plants. Through the years, chemists isolated the life-saving or life-curing components and separated them from the harmful ones. This lead to further drug research and drug development, which in turn lead to the production of a different variety of drugs for many ailments and conditions from synthetic sources.

But still we have semi-synthetic drugs, as well as drugs that more or less approximate more natural composition. Since herbal supplements are made from a mixture of crude herbs reduced into powder or gel form, and later packaged as tablets and capsules, there is a possibility that life-threatening or at least body chemistry-altering components are still present, thus the expression of concern from the medical community.

Is there a growing concern with the use of herbal supplements? YES

With the rising popularity of using and consuming anything herbal or organic, is the proliferation of fake herbal supplements that threaten to endanger lives. If that’s the case, then why are herbal supplements given drug administration approvals?

One way of ensuring the safety of the people is to have all candidate drugs, food, drinks, and dietary supplements registered with the proper authority. Otherwise, they would pose more risk with these things being sold in the black market for a hefty sum. We could ensure the quality and safety of herbal supplements if they get proper classification with the food and drug administration. Moreover, people may be able to file the proper complaints in the event a worsening of health condition is proven to be linked to the use of a particular herbal supplement.

Is using herbal supplements worth the risk?

Some say yes. It cannot be discounted that many who have tried herbal supplements experienced an improvement in their health—whether this is due to the herbals themselves or due to a placebo effect, as long as they do not worsen the condition of an individual, then using them is worth the risk. But of course, certain things must be considered before taking those herbal supplements:

Your doctor knows best.

First of all, clear your condition with your doctor. Ask him/her if taking a particular herbal supplement is safe given your health condition. People with heart, liver, or kidney trouble or malfunction, are usually not advised to take these, or at the minimum is to take these herbals in minimum amounts. All substances pass through the liver and kidney to be processed and filtered respectively.

Kava, which is used to relieve stress, has been pulled from the Canadian, Singaporean, and German markets because it contains substances that cause liver damage. Certain herbals such as Ephedra used for losing weight, contains chemicals with heart-inducing effects that can increase heart rate, which in turn can exhaust the heart. Ephedra caused heart attacks in several documented cases by the American Medical Association.

Follow the directions for use.

Never take more herbal supplements than what is directed by the doctor or as instructed on the bottle. Each individual reacts differently to the components of herbal supplements. While it is perfectly safe for one individual to take in a supplement of primrose oil capsules, another person may be allergic to it. So, do not take more than advised by your doctor or as instructed on the bottle.

Herbal supplements have no approved curative effect.

No matter how the product pamphlet or the label sounds (how it has been found to be helpful in certain health conditions), these herbal supplements are not therapeutic. So do not substitute these for the prescribed medications by your doctor for the treatment of certain diseases, or for the maintenance of blood pressure, lowering of blood sugar and cholesterol, and fight off infections.

In the end, you are the only one who can make the determination as to whether you choose supplements or not. By reading reports and studies, advice from medical professionals and using good judgment, you can weight the pros against the cons and make an informed decision. Here’s to better health.

There’s a lot of discussion about the B complex vitamin and how it is essential for the body to perform a multitude of functions. However, the B complex vitamin is not simply one very complicated vitamin, as the name might suggest. There are actually eight B vitamins that are in the B complex vitamin as well as a few other related substances.

The eight vitamins that make up the B complex vitamin are thiamine or vitamin B1, riboflavin or vitamin B2, niacin or vitamin B3, pyridoxine or vitamin B6, cobalamine or vitamin B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid and biotin.  The other related substances that are also in the B complex vitamin include choline, inositol and para-aminobenzoic acid.

Every part of the B complex vitamin performs its own individual function within the body but it is when they work together as the B complex vitamin that they provide essential maintenance for the body to remain healthy.

The B vitamin complex comprises B vitamins which are water soluble and it is essential that enough of these vitamins are consumed on a daily basis. The body cannot store water soluble vitamins such as the B complex vitamin and this leads to a regular intake being required.

The B complex vitamins are extremely beneficial for a number of conditions and may be needed in additional quantities at certain times in a person’s life. Of course, there is a recommended daily allowance for the B complex vitamins that varies according to the sex and age of a person. However, doctors and other health professionals have discovered the benefits of increasing the intake of the B complex vitamin to help overcome certain illnesses.

Many people suffer from anxiety and stress at one time or another and research has found that the B complex vitamin can be beneficial in helping alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and stress. If a person has been unwell the B complex vitamin can be extremely valuable in aiding the recovery process. Fatigue can be a symptom of a multitude of illnesses as well as simply overdoing things but the B complex vitamin can help alleviate general tiredness and lethargy.

Interestingly, some skin conditions, such as dermatitis, can also benefit from addition B complex vitamin intake. In fact, a number of creams and other skin preparations contain added vitamin B complex that can be absorbed by the skin to alleviate the condition. The condition of a person’s hair will also be greatly improved with sufficient B complex vitamin intake.

Signs of menopause usually don’t occur until a woman reaches her fifties. But, some women can experience early signs as young as their late 20’s. While unusual, it does occur due to a number of factors that might be involved. So, while the average onset of menopause would normally occur when a woman has reached her 50’s, there are women who experience the onset of changes due to the menopause process in earlier years.

Do you know:

• What causes menopause
• The signs of Menopause
• How these changes affect women

Menopause occurs when the ovaries of the woman ceases functioning. Female hormones are the active glands when female body characteristics are developing. These hormones are sourced from the ovaries. When the ovaries have stopped functioning, this causes the cessation of production of these hormones. These hormones that regulate the development of the body, also regulate menstrual cycle or lack thereof during pregnancy. Thus, the onset of  a gradual process of body transition are experienced in each case.

What are the early signs that a woman is entering her menopausal stage?

A common sign that a woman is already undergoing the first phase of her menopause - is when she is already experiencing irregularity in her menstruation cycle, without appearances of other medical reasons for this experience.

It should not be confused however, that women who have fluctuations with their hormone level production are undergoing menopausal transition. By medical definition, the menopause process is attributed to the absence of a menstrual cycle for a 12 month period.

Before your last menstrual period, you will start experiencing the very first sign of menstruation transition: varying menstrual cycle lengths. This is called “perimenopause”. At this point, you will already be experiencing different early signs of menopausal symptoms. These signs could be distributed to your physical, psychological, and sexual aspects.

The fluctuation and falling of your hormone production may last for several years, depending on the ovarian function or activity that women may go through. Signs leading to menopause symptoms may procure intermittent changes in the woman’s daily and nightly activities.

The following signs are manifestations of menopausal symptoms:

Physical signs of your menopausal cycle are hot flashes, palpitations, insomnia, night sweats, headaches, and joint aches. These signs are often the results of your body’s temperature control.

Psychological signs, on the other hand, are the results of the hormonal changes, in which different levels of emotional stress are experienced. You may encounter mood swings, from irritability to anxiety; from the difficulty in concentrating or forgetfulness; and from difficulty of coping, to easily feeling stressed and pressured in other moments.

You might also experience a gradual change with your sexual habits. You may have discomfort during intercourse. This can be due to vaginal dryness – an occurrence because of low estrogen level. Your interest in sexual activities may gradually decrease. For other women, sex might be the new adventure of the day. Either way, this is not abnormal and with today’s medical expertise available, you need not suffer or just accept the situation. Talk with your doctor and they will be able to provide you with safe solutions.

After the last month of your menstruation period comes your “postmenopausal” stage. During this time, in which it encompasses all of the period after perimenopause, you will be experiencing severity of the discomfort you earlier have gone through. These can include urine infection (may lead to discomfort on your passing urine), frequent passing urine whether at daytime and nighttime, leakage of your urine, vaginal dryness and even itching or burning, and vaginal discharge.

As your estrogen level gets affected by the fall of collagen production, the protein needed in maintaining your skin, tendons, hair and nails, you may also see marked changes from those body parts. Skin dryness, hair thinning, and growth of unwanted hair (where you want it the least) may occur although some of these occurrences can be attributed to aging.

By knowing the signs to look for and talking with your doctor concerning the options most suitable to your individual needs, the changes attributed to menopause can be managed with minimal effort for most women.

Watch for additional information in future posts on this topic.

Prenatal vitamin supplements are vitamin supplements that a woman can take on a daily basis to ensure that she is obtaining appropriate quantities of essential nutrients during pregnancy.

It is important for a woman to discuss with her medical practitioner which prenatal supplements, she should take and which she should avoid. It is essential that all prenatal vitamin supplements are only taken under the advisement of a medical professional. There are some prenatal vitamin supplements that can prove dangerous for a pregnant woman to take and she has to be especially cautious.

The most important point to consider when deciding which prenatal vitamin supplements to take is which one contains certain nutrients that are beneficial to the woman and her developing baby. The majority of adults do not need additional vitamins as they receive sufficient from a balanced diet.

A pregnant woman often needs prenatal vitamin supplements, especially for folic acid and iron. However, it is essential to ensure the prenatal vitamin supplements taken to provide one particular nutrient, do not contain potentially harmful amounts of another.

One of the most toxic types of prenatal vitamin that a pregnant woman has to be extremely cautious of is vitamin A. For this reason the most suitable prenatal vitamins for pregnant women who require extra vitamin A are those which contain vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a nutrient that is found in fruits and vegetables and is converted into vitamin A in the body.

Prenatal vitamin supplements that contain vitamin A from animal products can cause birth defects when taken in high doses during pregnancy but beta-carotene is a much safer prenatal vitamin as it is not toxic in high doses.

It is essential that a woman discusses prenatal vitamin supplements with her health practitioner at her first prenatal check-up. They can examine current dietary requirements and assess whether prenatal vitamin supplements are necessary to increase the amount of nutrients needed for the baby.

Often a doctor will recommend that a pregnant woman takes a course of a folic acid vitamin supplement during the first trimester of her pregnancy. Folic acid is the most commonly prescribed prenatal supplement for the months prior to becoming pregnant as well being essential for the health and growth of the baby -especially the brain functions.

Iron is another prenatal vitamin supplement that is recommended to prevent the mother suffering from anaemia due to the demands that the baby puts on her iron consumption. Your doctor will do periodic testing to ensure proper levels are maintained.