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    Archive for December, 2011

    The treatment for hair loss may be divided into two types. One type includes the artificial methods like hair transplantation, use of drugs, etc. The other type includes various ways of natural hair loss treatment.

    The artificial hair loss treatment methods are undoubtedly effective. However, a natural hair loss treatment method is always a safer alternative.

    Some tools for natural treatment for hair loss

    The following herbal supplements play very effective roles in natural hair loss treatment –

    Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) – It is a palm-like plant of the North American origin. Extracts from saw palmetto berries contain fatty acids and sterols. The latter block 5-Alpha-Reductase and reduce DHT uptake by hair follicles. They also reduce the block binding of DHT to androgen receptors. The liposterolic extract of saw palmetto combined with beta-sitosterol (a phytosterol common to many plants and grains) has produced notable improvements in anti-androgen activity in several research studies.

    Boarage oil – Boarage oil is one of the proven hair loss treatments. It contains omega-3 fatty acids. Its presence in a diet may help to prevent hair loss. In fact, it may even help promote hair re-growth.

    Boarage seeds also contain gamma linoleic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid. The latter – a good fat – may help prevent male pattern baldness.

    Stinging nettle (Urtica diocia) – It has been used as a hair tonic for centuries. It supposedly stimulates new hair growth and revives hair color.

    DHT is the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness and a nettle root extract reportedly prevents testosterone from being converted to DHT.
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    Moshi Moshi!

    I had planned to do a detailed review of the Landice L7 Executive treadmill today, but Mrs. Sensei has laid down the law and I only have a few minutes to post a review on this fine July 4th holiday — the DOJO itself is empty and all of the other senseis are off work and at home enjoying their families. Look for the full review tomorrow, but for today enjoy a quick rundown of the differences between the numerous models of Landice treadmills out on the market.

    If you’vee spent time looking at Landice treadmills then you’ve probably noticed they have a large number of units available and the differences between them aren’t always as obvious as they should be. Here is a guide to comparing the different models, full commercial and light commercial.

    At each level (L7, L8 and L9), the only difference between a Pro Sports Trainer, a Cardio Trainer and an Executive trainer is going to be the console. The Landice Pro Sports Trainer Treadmill has the lowest end, basic display, and the Landice Executive treadmills have the highest end (really spiffy, if you ask me) displays. The difference in the consoles is very obvious upon viewing.

    The differences of each Landice treadmill level (L7, L8 and L9) is going to be the size of the rollers and the length of the deck. The higher the number, the heaver and larger the rollers and the longer the treadmill deck.
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    Remember when you weighed over 300 pounds and you literally felt “stuffed” into your clothes? Zippered pants and tailored shirts just weren’t your “style”, or closer to the truth, you couldn’t find any zippered pants that fit you well or shirts that didn’t peep open of pop buttons! Elastic became your closest buddy! Do you recall how self-conscience you were to not bend over for fear of busting out your seat? Or how about the way your large thighs would rub so much against the inside seam of your pants, you were glad that nobody could see that you had splitting material in between your legs?

    Those are awful and painful memories of what life was like before your gastric bypass weight-loss surgery! It almost feels as if those memories are a whole lifetime behind you now, doesn’t it? And for those who have had the surgery and are still working toward their goal weight, those memories aren’t far enough away yet.

    Many gastric bypass patients, as they slim down, do not know how to wear smaller-size clothing. They find the freedoms of loose-fitting garments to be refreshing, less binding, and more relaxing. They often adore this newly-found delight and are happy with the way their clothing “hangs” on them instead of wraps tightly around their body.

    These same patients who wear the loose clothing often have issues with thinking they have not lost enough weight. They will say things like, “the scale shows I’ve lost weight, but when I see myself in the mirror, I still look so large.”

    For those patients who are feeling that way, I want to make a suggestion that just might be the simplest fix; I’ve dubbed this to be my “Getting Rid of the Baggies” campaign.

    And I don’t mean sandwich baggies either!

    Losing weight so quickly is an adventure, to say the least. We go through a lot of size changes every few weeks. I recall when I was losing, I was going to the thrift stores every three weeks to buy more clothing to fit me until the next drop in size came. Not very expensive when they are “used” items. It was something I had to do!

    Some patients have no clue that they are trapped in their baggies until someone points that out to them. This should be done in the kindest of ways, or in the manner that suits your friendship. If you truly are friends with someone who is trapped in the baggies, then you can be blunt and to the point by saying, “Get out of those baggies!” Others may require a gentler tone if you are to remain friends.

    What if nobody is telling you that you’re trapped in the baggies? Does that mean you’re not?

    NO. It probably means that they are too afraid to tell you at risk of hurting your feelings.

    This is where I jump in… I’m going to give you some clues right now as to how to judge whether or not you are still wearing baggy clothes unnecessarily.

    You know you’re trapped in the baggies when:

    You’ve lost 50 pounds and you haven’t put on the next smaller clothing size. Fifty pounds is a LOT, and it SHOWS!

    The shoulder seams are nearing closer to your elbows.

    Your shirts or sweaters fit you like short dresses.

    You can grab a huge fistful of material and still not be touching your body.

    Your shirt or dresses fit you like oversized maternity wear.

    Your shirts have leftover “stretch bumps” stuck in them where you don’t have bumps like that anymore.

    Your feet shift back and forth inside your shoes when you walk.

    Your pantyhose can be pulled up to almost your armpits.

    You become tangled as you walk because your pant legs get knotted up in between your legs.

    Your half slip falls right off of you and unto the floor.
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    More women fear breast cancer than any other disease. Yet cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims over ten times as many women’s lives as breast cancer. In fact, CVD is the nation’s leading cause of death for both men and women. That’s the bad news. The good news is that CVD is almost entirely preventable. nutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of cardiovascular wellness.

    What influences cardiovascular health?

    One way to support cardiovascular health is to play by the numbers. All five of the following measurements tell you something about the state of your heart.

    Cholesterol: excess cholesterol gets deposited in, and narrows, the artery walls
    Triglycerides: elevated triglycerides are associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease
    Blood pressure: high blood pressure puts stress on the artery walls and increases the heart’s workload
    Homocysteine: too much homocysteine degrades the structural integrity of the arteries
    C-reactive protein: elevated C-reactive protein is associated with a higher risk for hypertension and CVD
    Risk Factor Desirable Borderline Undesirable
    Total cholesterol Below 200 200-239 240 and above
    Triglycerides Below 150 150-199 Above 200
    Blood pressure Below 120/80 120/80-140/90 Above 140/90
    Homocysteine Below 10 mmol/L 10-18 mmol/L Above 18 mmol/L
    c-reactive protein (CRP) Below 1.0 1.0-3.0 Above 3.0

    Supplement secrets for heart health

    Everyone knows that eating a healthy, whole foods diet and getting regular exercise are important for cardiovascular wellness. But did you know that select nutritional supplements can also make a big difference? Here are three to consider.
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