Do You Really Need To Wash Your Hands

Hand washing is the beginning of infection control. This is an indisputable fact. Not simply a statement. Also, does it matter how we wash our hands, I think so. Simply rinsing you hands with water isn't good enough. You need to wash your hand with both soap and water and the temperature needs to be on the hot side. Why? Because of the oils on your skin, the germs can adhere to your skin so simply rinsing with water will not get rid of them. The soap forms a bond with the oils and will take the germs with them. Also, the heat of the water opens the skin pores and releases some of the bacteria in them.

Here are some interesting facts:

One half of bacterial infections don't respond to antibiotics any longer.
Only an estimated 22-63% of medical personnel wash their hands between patient contacts.
There are an estimated 1.5 million infections per year that occur in long term care facilities.
Direct touching transmits 80% of common infections.
There are approximately 22 million cases of food poisoning with 10,000 deaths per year, which the FDA say is, cause by lack of hand washing.
Seniors and the disabled are 10 times more likely to die from food poisoning than the rest of the population. This accounts for 1/3 of the US population.
The top cause for food borne illnesses is poor hygiene
The top cause for poor hygiene is lack of hand washing.
The above stats were gotten from the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control.

Living in a fast paced society leaves little time for many people to stop and wash their hands. They are not thinking about the consequences of their lack of action. However, you as the disabled person must pay attention. Why? Because as I stated above, you are 10 times more likely to die from food poisoning than the general population. This is a fact folk not fiction. Most individuals who are disabled are exposed more frequently to health care providers from doctors to nurses' aids. Not all of them take the time to wash their hands, thus exposing you to infection. The remedy here is to ask the medical provider whether they are a doctor or an orderly to wash their hands before they touch you. Don't take a no for an answer.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Really-Need-To-Wash-Your-Hands&id=216527

How To Stay Slim: Why Calorie Counting Doesn't Work

Everyone knows they shouldn't have too much salt and sugar or the wrong kind of fat so we'll skip that conversation.

Your first step to stay slim (or healthy) must be "eating right." If you follow our basic principles there will be no counting calories in your life. You'll be able to eat whenever you're hungry yet always stay slim.

Here is our basic guideline for food selection:

• Eat foods as they are found in nature- in their original condition.

• If it has an ingredient list you need to read it. If the list includes ingredients that come from a laboratory you most likely should not buy it.

• If it comes in a bag, box, or can (any kind of package) then there's probably a better choice to make.

Your mainstays will be lean meats and fish, legumes, fruits and vegetables. You will be visiting the spice aisle. Keep everything else either off your list or the exception to the rule.

Calorie counting won't create a struggle-free approach to staying slim. Here's why:

• Calories only reveal a number.They don't reveal specific content- ingredients called flavor enhancers or flavor potentiators that will confuse your body's hunger signals.

• Calories alone don't speak to specific nutritional needs for assorted nutrients.

• Calories don't identify whether your selection is a whole food or highly processed food that should be avoided.

• Calories don't govern your appetite and either control or drive your cravings.

Instead of first being calorie conscious focus on choosing foods that either don't need a label or foods with 100% of their ingredients made by Mother Nature.

Here is your game plan for getting slim and staying that way- or for good health in general:

1. Eliminate from your life all foods containing chemical additives. As much as possible eliminate processed foods.

2. Learn to recognize your body's "true hunger." Let true hunger dictate when and how much you eat.

3. Exercise moderately and consistently.

ELIMINATE CHEMICAL ADDITIVES:

Eliminate processed foods from your diet. Don't confuse real whole food with edible creations made in a laboratory. The purpose of chemical creations is not to nourish- it's to drive cravings and subsequently drive sales for that product. We call this Frankenstein food "cravage"- our hybrid word (crave and garbage) for foods created in a laboratory to drive cravings while providing no significant nutrition.

Eating cravage is shooting yourself in your fitness foot. Cravage distorts your appetite and confuses your body's hunger signals, making you able to eat inordinately large quantities of food. You won't know if you're eating because you're hungry or because something tastes good. You won't know when you're satiated and you'll undoubtedly overeat.

DISCOVER YOUR TRUE HUNGER:

Your body's true hunger must drive the quantity of food you consume at any given time. When your body is free of chemical additives you'll be able to trust a physical feeling to let you know it's time to eat. You won't need to look at a clock for validation. True hunger will tell you it's time to eat.

Eating whole foods free of chemical additives makes you able to stop eating when your hunger has been satiated- a fundamental habit for staying slim.

You'll learn how many calories you need after you are in the habit of eating (whole foods) when you're hungry and stopping before you're stuffed.

Here are some additional points to remember:

• If you regularly find yourself feeling stuffed, then you're regularly overeating.

• Think in terms of bites rather than portions. If you savor every bite you'll have a better chance of recognizing your tipping point of enough but not too much- before you've consumed too many bites. Don't swallow anything that isn't worth swallowing. No mindless mouthfuls.

• Require that your food be nutritious and delicious. One without the other will not suffice.

EXERCISE: MOVE YOUR BODY

Everyone needs exercise- not just fat people. Design an in-home exercise plan for days when time is short. Including an at-home workout in your fitness plan is perhaps the #1 secret to sustaining your fitness habit through the myriad phases of life.

Any exercise is better than none, provided it isn't surreptitiously leading you to injury. We advocate weight training for many reasons- partly because it doesn't just burn extra calories while you're exercising.

Strength training with weights gradually changes your body's ratio of fat to muscle, increasing your basal metabolism. This is a fundamental advantage of weight training. Weight workouts can be designed for anyone- regardless of size or fitness level.

MAINTAINING HEALTHY WEIGHT

Once you have the habits of working out and eating right you'll have an easy time maintaining your desired weight. When these two habits are in place calorie counting could come in handy. If you eat a bit too much one day, you'll know how to go light for the next meal or two. Instead of peanut butter and jelly on bread you can leave out the bread or nibble on frozen blueberries or baked garbanzo beans.

Being fit feels good and half of fitness is eating well. Eliminate Frankenstein food from your life to get in touch with your true hunger. Lift weights to change your body's ratio of fat to muscle to increase your basal metabolism.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Stay-Slim:-Why-Calorie-Counting-Doesnt-Work&id=8025607

When Is The Best Time To Exercise?

Everybody is different.

What works for someone may not work for somebody else.

So in my opinion there is no official answer to this question.

There are many different theories and opinions on this question but today I would just want to share what I think and what works for me.

On several days of the week I will train more than once in a day but if I had the opportunity to pick when to train it would always be first things in the morning.

I think there are loads of benefits to training this time.

It all depends on whether you are a morning person or not, I know a few people who haven't seen 8am for months so maybe this wouldn't work.

Another factor to overcome with morning training is breakfast.

Do you have it or don't you?

I know people who have it and I know people who don't.

For me I can't function without breakfast so if I was training in the morning I would wake up have something small like fruit and nuts, a fruit smoothie and maybe add something like a bit of peanut butter to it, never anything too heavy on the stomach. I will then leave it about 30 mins before exercising and that will give me the energy to complete the session and then I will have a proper breakfast omelette, porridge or something after training.

That is what works for me.

Some people may be able to exercise in the morning but feel as if they won't be at peak performance, I can relate to that. Sometimes in the morning I don't feel as strong, powerful or fast as normal but I guess this is all down to your preparation (sleep, body clock, breakfast etc.) I would prefer to do my running and circuit type training in the morning and maybe strength training later in the day.

We all know exercise is tough, I love exercising but even I sometimes dread a session. If I knew I had a tough training session in the evening I would be thinking about it all day, if you do it as soon as you get up its done and out the way. You have no time to talk yourself out of it and you will feel great.

My energy levels are much higher after training in the morning compared to when I don't.

"Research suggests in terms of performing a consistent exercise habit, individuals who exercise in the morning tend to do better," this is according to Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer with the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.

Early morning boot camps are very popular.

With an evening session you have the whole day to allow things to get in the way and then by the end of the day 'you'll be too busy' or 'too tired' to do it. I know this doesn't apply to all. I have athletics training and circuit training in the evening and I love it.

Like I said there is no right or wrong time, some prefer before work some prefer after work.

What do you think? Please comment below and tell me when your favourite time to exercise is and why.

Sleep is an important factor, if you went to bed at 2am then getting up at 6 to run is probably a bad idea. Sleep deprivation is bad for performance. In order to function properly you need to make sure you have a good sleeping pattern. If you only have 4-5 hours sleep you'll be fighting a losing battle all day to be productive.

Planning is also very important, plan your exercise session in and stick to it. With morning exercise before work it is more likely to become routine and eventually you will do it without thinking.

So I would recommend you decide whether you are a morning person or not, if you are, then try and get your session done early and enjoy the rest of your day if you goals, lifestyle and other commitments allow it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?When-Is-The-Best-Time-To-Exercise?&id=8536286

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.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Beat-the-Heat---How-to-Stay-Cool-During-a-Heatwave&id=6442234

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.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Increase-Your-Bust-Size---How-to-Get-Bigger-Breasts&id=6930836

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.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Healthy-Hair-Care-Secrets-To-Prevent-Hair-Loss&id=875110

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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