Beat the Heat - How to Stay Cool During a Heatwave

Whether your town or city is facing an unusually hot summer - or just a day - or you're visiting a tropical place, you might appreciate the heat for a while but ultimately need to stay cool. Air conditioning is nice, but it keeps the air inside stuffy, and of course it's not the most eco-friendly of options. So what else can you do to cool off? Here are some other ways to keep cool in a heat wave:

Pools: This is the most obvious of solutions. Visit a public pool or a friend who has a pool. That friend likely suddenly became very popular lately, but after all what's a pool for if not sharing with friends? Getting your body into cool water is an ideal way to cool down during hot days. Be sure and wear a hat and/or protective sunscreen and sunglasses to protect your eyes, facial skin and head. Water is reflective and while you feel cool you will get more sun exposure than you realize.

Cool buildings: Pun intended! As a local, you may have forgotten about some nice museums, art galleries and other buildings in your area. These places are likely air conditioned because they welcome the general public, and are a great place to spend a few hours. Even if it costs you a few dollars, spending some time away from your usual routine and soaking up some culture is good for the psyche, and for the soul. Use the time to reflect on your life and your dreams and goals, or on nothing at all...just stay cool!

Basements: Cool air falls just as surely as hot air rises. You may find that spending time or even sleeping in your basement is a comfortable option. It may even seem fun to your kids, as you can pretend you're camping or having an adventure, and make it fun.

Water: Other than cool pools, sprinklers and garden hoses are a great tool to cool off. Run the hotter water out first, then use a sprinkler and run through it, just like a kid. Have fun! You can even walk around your neighbourhood in the evening if you're in the suburbs, and walk through the sprinklers running on nearby lawns. A few drops can be surprisingly refreshing. This works well with fountains, waterfalls and other water sources as well. The key is to wet either your ankles and/or your wrists, as there are main blood vessels there which will be cooled and in turn transport cooler blood all over your body.

Timing: Avoid going out or exercising during the hottest time of day, which is usually midday. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of cool water - not pop or caffeinated drinks - and stay in the shade during peak hours. A shady tree is surprisingly cooler than a sunbaked yard or park. If you must work or otherwise be outside, protect yourself with clothing, sunscreen and plenty of water consumed regularly.

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Increase Your Bust Size - How to Get Bigger Breasts

One look at People Magazine or any Fashion Magazine and it is obvious that a large bust size with a full cleavage and bigger breasts is very popular in today's culture. Many women want to increase the size of their bust by "natural" breast enhancement because they do not want to have Breast Implants.

However many of the so called "natural" breast enhancement techniques simply do not work. Some of the "natural" breast enlargement techniques do work but involve hormone therapy that can actually be dangerous to your health. Below I am going to review many of the techniques and comment on effectiveness and safety.

Natural Non Surgical Breast Enhancement, Enlargement or Augmentation

· Hormone Therapy - estrogen, the female hormone will cause breast enlargement. Estrogen supplementation by pill or patch is effective. However once the estrogen is stopped the breast will become smaller and revert to a smaller size. There are dangers of estrogen supplementation in women who are not deficient in this hormone. Some studies show that supplemental estrogen in non-deficient individuals can stimulate the growth of some forms of breast cancer cells. I do not recommend estrogen supplementation for the purpose of enlarging the breast.

· Birth Control Pills - some Birth control pills can cause engorgement and fullness of the breast. If you are taking birth control pills you will know how significant this effect is for you.

· Herbal Compounds - herbs like saw palmetto and wild yam contain Phytoestrogens and are purported to increase breast size. Documented scientifically controlled studies proving the benefit of these compounds are lacking.

· Topical Creams - these creams contain Phytoestrogens and again there is little scientific evidence that they produce significant breast enlargement of increase in bust size.

· Bust Exercises - breast enlarging exercises involve strengthening and enlarging the chest muscle, the Pectoralis Muscles of the chest. While exercise can certainly enlarge the chest muscles, remember the breast lies on top of the muscle. The breast does not contain any skeletal muscle. Therefore exercise will not enlarge the breast. Any bulking effect on the Pectoralis Muscle will be reflected as increase in muscle size and may actually detract from breast appearance.

· BRAVA Non Surgical Breast Expansion - BRAVA Breast Expansion actually works! BRAVA is a suction device shaped like a bra which you wear. Over time the suction on your breast actually makes the breast enlarge. However you need to wear the device at least 10 hours a day, and the best scientifically controlled study suggests that 11 months of treatment are required for the best results. The best results are an enlargement of 150ccs (cubic centimeters) or about 5 tablespoons of enlargement. You will see the difference, but whether this is enough to increase you bust size significantly is uncertain. Most surgical Breast Implant enlargement to increase bust size usually increases breast size by 300 or more ccs.

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Healthy Hair Care Secrets To Prevent Hair Loss

Healthy hair care tips for healthy & beautiful hair

Having beautiful hair can significantly boost our confidence and self esteem. A person's beauty can be defined by his/her hair. As such, proper care for your hair is important to give you healthy, lustrous hair and to prevent hair loss. Below are important healthy hair care tips to follow:

(1) Shampooing - The first step in healthy hair care is shampooing. You should select a natural based shampoo. Natural based shampoo like the Laut hair shampoo is more gentle to the hair and scalp, and used herbal ingredients that have been traditionally proven to prevent hair loss and dandruff. Other shampoos in the market use harsh chemicals that can result in hair loss and dry scalp.

Also, you should not shampoo your hair for more than once in a day. If you can, it is better to shampoo your hair every other day as excessive shampooing can strip the hair of oils, causing it to look dried. Make sure you completely rinse the shampoo off; otherwise, the build-up of residue can clog the pores on the scalp.

After shampooing, you should apply conditioner on the end of the hair to help repair and restore damaged hair.

(2) Brushing - brushing is healthy for your hair and scalp. Brushing spreads the oils from the scalp evenly throughout the hair. Furthermore, brushing can help to promote blood circulation on the scalp.

Since wet hair is weak and prone to breaking, it is recommended to brush your hair when it is dried. After you take a shower, use the tower to squeeze out excess water. You should not use the towel to rub on the hair as it can cause damage to the hair.

(3) Blow dryers - If used incorrectly, the heat from the blow dryer can cause severe damage to the hair. You should use the tower to squeeze out excess water and then allow your hair to air dry first. Only use hair blower if necessary or if you have long hair. When using the hair blower, set it to low or medium heat and keep it away from your hair for about 8 inches.

(4) Eat a balanced diet - A balanced diet is an essential component of healthy hair care. Eat a balanced diet to provide your hair with the right amount of nutrients. You should eat a balanced diet consisting of lots of fruits and vegetables, protein, and fiber. Since hair is primarily made up of protein, your diet should include sufficient protein from food source such as fish, meat, milk, cheese, and soy. Protein will make your hair stronger and prevent hair from breaking. Also, you should drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. If you do not get enough vitamins, minerals from food, you should consider taking supplements. The following vitamins and supplements are considered beneficial for your skin and hair.

(5) Vitamins for healthy hair

• Vitamin A is very good for the skin and the scalp. You can get Vitamin A from eating meat, milk, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots. You can also take supplement, but do no exceed more than 5,000 IU per day.
• Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps maintain the health of the skin and hair. Vitamin C can be found from eating citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, green peppers, broccoli or from taking supplement.
• Vitamin E - Another important antioxidant that enhances circulation on the scalp. Food sources include raw seeds and nuts, beans, and leafy green vegetables. If you take supplement, daily dose of 400 IU is recommended.
• Biotin - Biotin is excellent for promoting the health of nail and hair. Food sources include whole grains, egg yolks, nuts, cauliflower, milk and rice. Since the amount of biotin from food is not sufficient for therapeautic benefits, a daily supplement with dose of 300 - 600 mcg is recommended.
• Minerals - minerals such as iron, zinc, and copper are vital for health of your hair. Food such as seafood, dark green vegetables, nuts, seeds contain ample minerals.

(6) Avoid perming, coloring, or exposure to chlorine - Too much exposure to chemicals is bad for skin as well as hair. When you bathe in contaminated water, you are subjecting your body to harmful and dangerous contaminants and chemicals. The municipal treated water can certainly kill bacteria and other organisms, but it does so with a chlorine compound. The problem is that this chlorine compound, which kills bacteria, can be harmful to your hair and skin. Chlorine can cause dry skin, dry hair, itching, flaking, hair loss, rashes, & premature aging.
A filtered shower can effectively filter out up to 99% of the chlorine and other harmful substances and contaminants such as lead, iron, chloramines while balancing the PH. By using a filtered shower, you will have the following health benefits:

• Your hair color looks better longer since it helps soften the hard water.
• Your hair will regain its bounce and luster and becomes more manageable.
• No more itchy, dry, and flaky skin and scalp.
• Helps prevent hair thinning and hair loss.

You may want to consider replacing your shower head with a filtered shower head. The filtered shower head helps to remove chlorine, lead, iron, harmful contaminants. What you get is clean, fresh water to wash your skin and hair.

(7) Exercise Regularly - Finally, you should exercise regularly to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and help nourish the hair follicle.

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5 Tips To Burn Calories Without Exercise

Here are the top 5 tips to burn calories without exercise:

1. Cold Water: It has been found that drinking ample amount of water increases the metabolism rate of the body by almost 30%. But if you drink the same amount of cold water, the metabolism rate goes up to 40% which is a significant growth. This is because cold water lowers the core temperature of the body due to which the body needs more energy to lift the temperature for which the excess stored fat is burned.


2. Stand: One of the easiest ways to burn calories is just by standing and walking around. Most people have desk jobs where one just has to sit and stare at a computer for the whole day. It is essential to de-stress your eyes from the constant strain which is why it is advisable to get up from your chair and walk around a bit. Sitting on chair can burn one calorie per minute but standing up can burn up to 6-8 calories per minute and walking will increase that to about 12-14 calories.


3. Playing: Playing any physical game is considered as an exercise but it is often forgotten that playing with kids is one of the best joys. It does not feel like an exercise but it burns more calories than one can imagine as when playing with kids one tends to burn off huge amounts of calories without even knowing it.


4. Household chores: Doing household chores can give you the much needed work out that is required by the body to burn calories. So get involved in household work and finish up your chores so that you can have a satisfied and healthy life and lifestyle. It will result in you having a cleaner house and a healthy body.


5. Healthy Diet: Experts recommend eating healthy and fresh food so that the amount of saturated fats and sugar (which are the main reasons for excess calories) can be reduced significantly. Fresh fruits provide the body with much needed vitamins, antioxidants, etc and fresh veggies provide crabs, proteins, minerals, etc. Eating home cooked food is beneficial to burn calories as they do not contain excess chemicals that are used by packaged foods.

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Effective Health Tips For Healthy Living

We live in a day and age when scientific advancements and medical breakthroughs happen on a regular basis. We can live healthy lives than what most of our ancestors could even dream of. Yet, we find a large percentage of the population going through sickness and disease of one kind or another. Sadly, most of it could have been avoided through healthy living habits. Many people adopt wrong habits that lead to health issues. Here are some health tips to live a healthy and productive life.

Mental Hygiene

Most people assume that health problems are produced purely by physical causes. However, research has shown that the mind could be the cause of a large number of ailments. Fear, stress, anxiety, bitterness, anger, jealousy, uncontrollable rage, and a variety of other destructive emotions can lead to a number of health complications. Having a positive outlook arising from a peace that comes from within is essential for a healthy life.

A clear and alert mind is required to control one's day-to-day activities. Discipline and focus are also virtues that arise out of a clear mind that is in total control. A wayward mind can lead to a number of destructive behaviors that in turn cause health issues.

Healthy Eating Habits

It goes without saying that we are predominantly what we eat. Developing healthy eating habits is therefore extremely crucial in maintaining good health. Eating a balanced diet that incorporates a healthy dose of nutrients, vitamins and minerals will ensure that the body receives it daily dose of all the essential components it needs to function efficiently.

Many health problems can arise from over-eating too. Obesity is one of the leading causes for a number of health problems in the developed world. People now need to run on treadmills or cycle on stationary bikes just to burn off the excess food that they have consumed. Quite often, the tendency to overeat could also have mental causes. Therefore, the need for mental hygiene once again needs to be stressed.

Exercise Routines

It is important to follow a healthy exercise regimen to keep the body in top working order. A sedentary lifestyle could lead to a number of health complications. Today's office environments are a leading cause for this condition. People therefore need to give their bodies a total workout to be in good health. In order to stick to a strict schedule, the role of the mind is again involved. The mind is therefore instrumental in maintaining a healthy body.

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Fat Loss Tips for a Flat Stomach This Summer!

Reduce Stress and Lose Weight

Stress activates the cortisol hormone which feeds fat in our abdomen so stress is linked to obesity. My favorite method to reduce stress is exercises including cardio workouts like boxing or running. Boxing is my favorite sport so I love this hobby with a passion. I also like reading, playing video games, riding dirt bikes, meditation and relaxing with some good sleep. A study in 2012 revealed that stressed out parents is linked to childhood obesity because parents are more likely to eat fast food and make poor meal planning. Keep your stress levels down so you don't activate the hormones that make you fat.

Plan Your Meals

A good idea would be to make a list of groceries for the week and plan healthy meals to prepare at home. This way you will save money, time and eat healthy at the same time. I work during the morning and evenings so I eat a heart healthy breakfast before work and bring me a small meal for lunch and dinner. I save a tremendous amount of money by not eating out and burning gas. I make sure my meals are low in calories but also nutritious to keep me fueled and energized during the day. An example of a meal would be tuna with wheat bread and an apple or a chicken breast sandwich with mac and cheese. Also Dr. Oz recently had a show about weight loss myths and it is recommended that you eat three meals per day instead of five to six small meals. Eating too much creates insulin that stores sugar and you don't give your body time to actually burn fat.

Exercise for an Hour

Don't waste your time or money with countess hours at a gym. Instead go for a jog or run at the park and visit your local Sports Authority store for exercise equipment. I go for a run in the morning or at night and use my exercise bar at home for my favorite weight loss workouts. The standard for daily exercise use to be at least 30 minutes of physical activity but in this 21st-century, It is now recommend that we get about an hour of daily physical activity for fat loss. Cardiovascular workouts like running or biking will burn the calories and strength training will tone those muscles up. My favorite exercises are dips, pull ups and old-fashioned push-ups. Obesity expert, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, says exercise is a great way to tone your muscles and improve your lifespan, but as a weight loss strategy, it is much less effective than dieting.

Get Good Rest

Getting a good night's sleep rejuvenates our body and let's our muscles and joints recuperate after intense workouts. Sleep is a good stress reliever and at least eight hours of sleep prepares us to take on the next day full force. Your muscles need rest after intensive workouts to repair themselves and increase in mass.

Set Small Weight Loss Goals

One of the biggest mistakes we make when trying to lose weight is setting high goals we know we can't achieve and end of getting discouraged when we fail. Instead, set small fitness goals like losing five pounds this month and make small changes to your diet. This way you can track your progress and see slow but sure results.

Don't Fall for the Hype!

Every day there is a new weight loss pill or formula that promises instant weight loss without diet and exercise. If this was true then everyone would be doing it right? The truth is that there is no magic pill or weight loss formula that will make you or anyone else lose weight fast. You have heard it time and time again; "You must follow a balanced diet and exercise daily to lose weight effectively and naturally." Save your time and money to find a weight loss plan that only works for you. There is no one fat loss program that will work for everyone as we all have different body types.

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7 Steps to a Beautiful Radiant Face

We all know by now, to achieve beautiful skin, we need a skin regime. Cleanse, tone and moisturize. Sometimes we use a facial mask, or exfoliaters to bring out the best in our skin.

BUT, there is also something very important that we need to do but we always tend to neglect. What is it?

MASSAGE of course. This facial massage is helpful in promoting blood circulation, draining toxins from the face and stimulating the production of collagen under your skin. Bonus is, it also helps to stimulate some acupressure points along the face. Here is a step by step guide for a more beautiful face:

1) Gently pinch your eyebrows between your thumb and your index fingers. Pinch your eyebrows along from the beginning of your brow till the end. Do it for about 30 times or more if you like. This helps to elevate stress at your eye areas.

2) Apply some pressure by pressing along the entire eyebrow with your index fingers. Repeat this for about 30 times. Steps 1 and 2 helps to reduce dark eye circles too.

3) Lightly pinch the little area between your eyes. Don't press too hard or you will have a stubborn red mark there. The skin here is very sensitive to the touch. This helps to destress tired eyes especially. You can repeat it for about 10-15 times.

4) Make little circular motions on your temples lightly. Let the circular motions be directed outwards, moving from the insides of your temples which are nearest to the eyes towards your hairline each time. Repeat the circular motions for about 30 times to relief stress, the blues and headaches.

5) Slightly part your mouth like you're saying 'O' then press lightly on the cheeks. Repeat this for 30 times and this helps to stimulate collagen production to keep cheeks uplifted and firm.

6) From the sides of the nose, sweep the face in outward strokes with your fingers. Repeat this for about 30 times too. Make the strokes upwards from the sides of your nose towards the cheekbones gently and dont overpull the skin. This helps to drain toxins and water retention. Also, it helps to elevate sinus blockage. For further sinus relief, lightly rub the areas at the sides of the nose.

7) Run your fingers by applying slight pressure along your entire jawline, starting from your chin till your ears. Repeat for about 30 times. This helps to release stress along the jawline. We are usually unaware of how much tension we apply to the jawline as sometimes we tend to clench our teeth unknowingly.

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