Students Of Success

Lo carb diets are the newest dieting trend, and seem to be effective. Here are some tips for following a balanced lo carb diet:

Eat more fruit and vegetables, aiming for at least five portions a day. Include fruit at breakfast and salad at lunch. Reduce the amount of salt by eating less processed food, such as ready meals, and adding a smaller amount of salt to food. Eat a varied diet. Change your shopping list every week to help keep you out of unhealthy food ruts and make eating more enjoyable. Eat regular meals - although it doesn’t matter when you eat your food, a consistent schedule helps most people to control their diet and their weight. Control your portion sizes so that over time, if not necessarily every day, the amount of energy you consume matches your level of activity. Try to be more physically active. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Activity helps to regulate your appetite, and means that you can eat more without gaining weight. Drink alcohol only within sensible limits: not more than 14 units per week for women, and no more than three in any one day, and not more than 21 units per week for men, and no more than four in any one day.

The current most popular fad diet is the Lo Carb or Atkins diet. It restricts carbohydrate rich foods, thereby restricting total daily calories. Phase One of the four in the Atkins Diet consists of between 1400 to 1500 total daily calories. The average adult female consumes around 2200 calories daily and the average adult male consumes around 2800 calories daily. Almost any adult will lose weight if they consume 800 to 1300 fewer calories daily. Phase One of the Atkins Diet also restricts carbohydrate intake to only 20 grams of net carbohydrates daily. The definition of net carbohydrates is total grams of carbohydrates per serving minus dietary fibre per serving. Dietary fibre is the non-digestible remains of plant products found in beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source. In the near future there will be a recommended dietary allowance, or R.D.A., for carbohydrates of 130 grams daily. 130 grams of carbohydrates our body needs daily is for the proper functioning of the central nervous system and production of red blood cells. Only during Phase Four of the Atkins Diet are participants allowed up to 120 grams of net carbohydrate daily. Low carbohydrate diets are nothing new, they have been around since the 1860’s and the Atkins Diet first came out in the early 1970’s.

Most nutrition experts agree that to be successful in weight loss a person needs to keep the weight off for 5 years. Over 90% of people who take weight off through a fad diet like the Atkins Diet gain the weight back in less than one year. Participants on the Atkins Diet lose between 10 to 12 pounds in the first several weeks but this is only water loss, not fat. One pound of fat contains 3500 calories. Therefore to lose 10 pounds of fat in several weeks you would need to consume 35,000 fewer calories or burn 35,000 calories more through exercise. Neither is likely to happen.

So, the best way to lose weight and become more healthy is to eat a balanced diet. Don’t cut out all your carbs, but don’t go overboard with them either. In addition to eating well, exercise in a proportional amount to what you are eating. Exercising too much is as bad as exercising too little.

Find your most favorite low carb desert recipes.
Carbohydrate Net is your carb dessert dietpoundsaway.com low recipe
headquarters. Get incredible carb dietpoundsaway.com low recipe concotions quickly and Easily at Carbohydrate Net.

A recent study suggested that eating tomatoes and broccoli together can enhance the anti-cancer potentency possessed by tomatoes and broccoli.

In the study, rats were injected with human prostate tumors. And they were fed powdered tomato and dried broccoli. Used also in the study was finasteride, a drug that shows to slow the benign growth of the prostate.

The study found that the rats use diets with tomatoes and or broccoli get the smaller tumors. The diet with both tomatoes and broccoli is most effective and finasteride is least effective in slowing the tumor growth.

Tomatoes are known for its anti-cancer properties. Lycopene is believed to be the major active component in tomatoes that is responsible for the anti-cancer activity.

Anti-cancer bioactivity has been reported in broccoli. It’s believed that glucosinolates may be responsible.

The study was conducted by Dr. John Erdman and colleagues at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

About The Author

John Roberts is a freelance writer for foodconsumer.com

Prologue and Rationale

When the level of blood glucose rises above normal it gives rise to a condition called diabetes. The food we eat gets converted into glucose or fat in our body to provide energy for work. The organ lying near the stomach known as pancreas secretes a hormone, insulin that helps the glucose to get stored in the body cells. When pancreas are not able to produce insulin in required amounts or is not able to use insulin the glucose is not able to get store in the cells, as a result the sugar gets stored in the blood causing diabetes. The cases of diabetes are much higher these days as compare to the past. It occurs in all age groups but the most common sufferers are obese people in middle or older age. The most commonly used screening tests are the determination of the fasting blood glucose level and the blood glucose level tested two hours after a meal. The normal fasting blood sugar content is 80-120mg.per 100 ml of blood, this can go up to a level of 160 mg. per 100 ml of blood two hours after meals. Anything above these levels can be termed as diabetic levels.

Types of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

In this type 1 diabetes the body stops producing insulin or produces less to regulate the level of blood glucose. It was previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile onset diabetes. The people suffering from types 1 diabetes require insulin treatment daily to sustain life.

Type 2 diabetes

In this type of diabetes the pancreas secrete insulin but the body is not able to use the insulin. This condition is also referred to as insulin resistance. This insulin resistance results in type 2 diabetes when enough amounts of insulin is not secreted to cope up with the higher demands. It was previously known as non-insulin dependent mellitus (NIDDM) or adult onset diabetes. It doesn’t occur in younger people. It can be controlled with proper diet, weight loss and exercise.

Gestational diabetes

It usually occurs during the second half of pregnancy. It can cause problems for the mother and babies if proper medication is not done. It disappears after the delivery. The women who suffer from this diabetes in pregnancy have more chances to suffer from type 2 diabetes in the later years of life.

Symptoms

The various symptoms of diabetes are:
Dry skin
Slow recovery from an injury
Frequent urination
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Excessive thirst and hunger
Sudden weight loss
Intense hunger
Weak appearance
Numbness of hands and feet
Stomach pains

Causes

Systematic overeating and obesity mainly cause diabetes. This overeating is just not if sugar and refined carbohydrates but also high intake of proteins and fats. Grief, worry and anxiety are also the causes of diabetes that affects the metabolism and cause sugar to appear in the urine. It may also be caused due to some disorders like cancer, tuberculosis and cerebral disease. Diabetes is a heredity disease, which can affect many generations. It can also be caused due to many nutritional deficiencies and use of certain medicines for longer period of time.

Treatment

1. Soybean is a very good source of emery for diabetic patients. It is full of proteins, iron, calcium, vitamin A and fibre
2. Fenugreek seeds are very useful in diabetes. Soak about 90-100 seeds in 250 grams of water and leave it overnight. Mash them in the morning and sieve in a cloth and drink mixture regularly. Use for at least 2 months to cure diabetes.
3. Fruit, leaves, seeds and juice of jamun are also useful. Its seeds prevent conversion of starch into sugar. Drink half cup of water mashed with 3-4 leaves of jamun tree. Take it for 5-10 days.
4. Roast barley, make its powder and eat chapatti made out of it.
5. Bitter gourd ( karela) is one of the best options. These can be simply fried with salt and other condiments and can be taken 2-3 daily.
6. Regular moderate exercise helps to control diabetes.
7. Diabetes can be controlled with specific yogaasana like shashankasana.
8. Juice of bilva and parijataka leaves in equal parts, 2 teaspoons taken twice a day also helps in the reduction of sugar.
9. Half-cup karela juice can also be taken.
10. Regular juice of grape fruit cures diabetes.
11. Patola (snake gourd) and bimbi are also beneficial for diabetic patients
12. Leaves of mango tree also fight diabetes. Boil 3-4 fresh leaves of mango tree in the morning and drink.
13. Chew 3-4 leaves of jamun morning and evening in the early stages.
14. Supplementation of cereals with gram is highly beneficial. Make a chapatti of gram flour and barley flour.
15. Regular intake of two tender leaves each of neem and bilva in the morning reduces blood sugar.
16. Soaked almonds are also beneficial.
17. Take 60 grams of fresh ripe fruit of jamun and dip in 300 grams of boiling water and then cover it. Mash it after half an hour and sieve. Divide into three parts and drink each part thrice a day.
Diet

Celery, cucumbers, string beans, onion and garlic are highly beneficial for diabetes patients. Onion and garlic have been proved beneficial in reducing blood sugar in diabetes. Upon arising the patient must have a glass of Luke warm water with fresh lemon juice. In the breakfast the patients should include any fresh fruit except bananas. Steamed or lightly cooked green vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, turnip and mushrooms are the best for the lunch. Cooked starchy foods should be avoided as in the process of cooking the cellulose envelops of the starch granules burst and the starch is easily absorbed in the system. Emphasis should be on raw foods as they stimulate and increase insulin production

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a tumor of the membrane Peritoneum. The peritoneum is a thin membrane in the organs in the abdomen consisting of mesothelial cells.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is associated to coming about from having previous exposure to asbestos, and in many cases is found through routine abdominal xrays and CT scans showing something different than normal.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma can stay dormant in your body for many years, before it will be seen, and for this reason many people years after they have been exposed to asbestos will be diagnosed with Peritoneal Mesothelioma. About 20% of all mesotheliomas are Peritoneal Mesothelioma, and they can be of two types: malignant and benign.

What are the Symptons of Peritoneal Mesothelioma?

- abdominal pains
- weakness
- weight loss
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- abdominal swelling

The symptoms become more severe over time and should be checked out by a doctor. If they do not, they will cause increasing pressure on your abdomen organs, causing much discomfort, and will lead to bowel obstruction and distention.

How is peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosed?
A peritoneoscopy is performed, and if there is a reason to be concerned, a biopsy is performed. A biopsy is the process of taking a piece of tissue to be given to a pathologist for analysis. The pathologist uses a microscope to analyse the tissue and make the actual diagnosis.

Currently, it is still unknown why Asbestos causes the mesothelial cells to be cancerous, and it is unsure how many fibers are needed for the tumor to occur. Many treatments exist for peritoneal mesothelioma, however a cure has yet to be found.

What are some of the treatments available for Peritoneal Mesothelioma?
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy
- surgery.

If you are feeling any of the symptoms noted above, ensure you have it checked out early. The earlier the diagnosis of Peritoneal Mesothelioma, the better chance the treatments will be effective.

Michael Kralj is author of the Blog Mesothelioma Info and Updates found at mesotheliomainfoupdates.blogspot.com. Learn more about Mesothelioma and its treatments.

KI CONSTITUTION OF HUMAN BEING

KI is not confined to specialized fields such as Oriental medicine, but the whole oriental view of life is based on seeing all of life as ki.

When we consider the human being as a manifestation of ki we can distinguish several stages of ki energy on him

KEK KI (Kek stands for Ketsu or blood) It is our most fundamental ki because it constantly nourishes de body

SHIO-KE salt ki or ki of minerals

MIZU-JE that’s the water ki or ki of liquids

DEN KI that literally means “ki of thunder” is the ki of the electricity that runs constantly through our bodies

JI KI that can be translated as the “gathering force ” the “attracting power” or the “magnetism”

REI KI that’s the ki of the spirit or “the invisible force of the soul”

All these stages of Ki come from SHIN KI or God-ki (the source).

Rei Ki (the ying yang) is born out of Shin Ki, and between ying and yang, Ji Ki (magnetism) arises, and next appears the vibration in the form of electricity (Den Ki) is produced. Then atmosphere water and minerals are formed. We take all these different kinds of energy in the form of food, and transform them into Kek-ki or blood, that nourishes our body.

HOW WE RECEIVE KI ENERGY

Our bodies receive Ki from two different sources:

Ying Ki Energy that comes from the outside world. These energies come from cosmic rays, sun rays, moon rays, humidity, temperature, sound waves, people radiations, etc.

Ying is the centrifugal and expanding force of the Universe. It attracts Yand and it repels Ying.

Yang Ki Energy that comes into our bodies from liquid and solid foods, that are then transformed into blood. The Yang ki feeds organs and tissues and determine their quality .

Yang is the centripetal force of the Universe. It attracts Ying and it repels Yang.

The interaction of these two energies enables our body to function. Both of them are continuously changing into each other: when Yang reaches its extreme, it changes into Ying and vice versa.

Ki es then the activity, the movement, the energy of vibration generated beween the Ying and Yang poles.

YING KI ENERGY HARMONY

It activates and charges our organs. The intensity and quality of the Ying Ki that we receive depends on our Yang Ki.

If we do not move (yang) our body, our Yang Ki looses its yang properties and no longer attracts the Ying ki. Similarly if we constantly over eat, the Yang Ki becomes stagnant and we can’t be charged actively by the Ying ki. We might have a good blood quality but over eating and not moving our organs will be charged with a minimal charge.

On the other hand, if we eat very yang food in small amounts we become so charged of Ying ki, that we start to act wild, we shout, we become anger, etc.

As a symptomatic remedy, adjusting Ying Ki by the means of acupuncture can only work in the short term. But for a long term healing, the Yang ki must be normalized.

OUR FIRE NATURE

The japanese word for “human being” is HITO. Hi means sun, and To means spirit or ghost. In other words for the japanese we are “fire ghosts” because they consider that the human body is nothing else than very dense energy, that has the characteristic of continuously create a temperature that’s different from its surroundings.

We know now that this “fire mass” is created by millons of cells that have seven main central heting furnaces named The Chakras. And this “fire mass” can only continue to exist if fuel is added from time to time, and our fuel is our food and drink, plus air.

At the moment of deciding what kind of fuel we will use we have several options.

Quick burning fuel that creates a stronger temperature for a short period, or slow burning fuel as the polysaccharides. Slow burning fuel is superior is superior for many reasons and one of them is that one does not need to eat very frequently when consuming slow burning fuel.

We can choose a fuel that needs to be suplied in large amounts (like meat), or fuel that only needs to be suplied in small amounts

We can choose fuel that can be stored easily or which decays rapidly. In ancient times that wasn’t even a choice because as they didn’t had refrigerators, they had to choose foods which tend to decay slowly when stored for large periods.

We can also choose fuel that leaves residues after being burned (like oil does), or the ones that burn cleanly and completely not producing residues

We must remember that we have seven chakras ant that each one of them needs a different kind of fuel, and if we consume refined foods we will only feed some of them.

And which are the wholesome foods which can be easily stored and which burn slowly, which are sufficient in small amounts, and burn without leaving much residues to give us the healing ki energy? The staple foods of the macrobiotic diet: whole grain, whole vegetables, whole beans and whoe sea vegetables (which has being the diet of most of the human being through world history).

Written by Dr. Roberto A. Bonomi

You will find all that you need to know about, self help, stress control, weight control, stop smoking, mind control, relax, motivation and meditation with subliminal messages at Dr. Bonomi’s web site: http://www.drbonomi.com

In our every day lives we are being affected by forces that we cannot see and these forces are wearing down our health, both mental and physical, on a daily basis. These forces originate from EMFs, Electromagnetic Fields, which are present everywhere, but is concentrated in certain areas, like near power lines. In the home the EMFs are concentrated around power outlets.

The Q-link was created by group of professionals who combined their research to produce a device that would help people to resist the effects of the EMFs. The Qlink is intended to help to build up your bio-field, the field that permeates and extends out of our bodies, and help you to combat the effects of radiation on your health. The Q-link is also intended to help those that live or work within a highly irradiated environment to continue to function at a peak levels.

The Qlink is an attractive, stylish pendant that can be worn any time and should be worn as often as possible to ensure that you receive the greatest benefits from it. This pendant will look good while providing you with a multitude of benefits. That something that looks so good can help you so much seems almost too much to believe, but the Q-link does just that. It is worn by many celebrities and many top performing athletes.

The athletes attest to the fact that the Qlink helps them to perform better than when they are not wearing it and even if you are not a top level athlete this pendant can help you in many ways. The Q-link has 3 chief functions and through the performing of these functions you will be the recipient of many health benefits, both mental and physical.

The chief functions are strengthening you capacity to function within an EMF inundated atmosphere, the bolstering of your resistance and resilience to the effects of stress encountered in the course of daily life and the third function is the increasing of your energy and the enhancing of your mental performance especially in times where you are submitted to large amounts of stress and tension to help you cope with the addition pressure.

The Qlink provides you with a myriad of benefits, including protection from the EMF radiation that is so prevalent these days, the enhancement of mental alertness and lucidity, the aid in balancing your emotion to help achieve the mental alertness and lucidity, helping you to achieve deep and refreshing sleep on a regular basis, as well as an improvement in athletic performance.

The more you wear your Q-link, the more emphatic the benefits will be that you receive. Your Qlink should be worn as often as possible, including while you sleep at night. If you wear it at all time then you will be helping to enforce your bio-field in a major and this will help to combat the lethargy, ailments and weariness that you feel when your bio-field has deteriorated.

All Qlink information has been researched and written by Juliette Pickup
Qlink

When I was 12, one of my best friends was a square dancer. Twice a week, her family would pile into the Country Squire station wagon and head to the Grange Hall, where they’d gather with their square dancing club for an evening of music, friendship and do-sa-do.

As a regular guest, I was fascinated by the form but, in the height of my coolness-conscious years, also acutely aware of the overwhelming dork factor. These people lived to square dance.

They skipped around for two or three hours at a time, twirling and smiling and dabbing at their foreheads between dances. They hunted for holiday-themed fabric months before special dances in order to whip up the perfect ruffled dress and matching shirt for each occasion. They packed their petticoats and headed to Penticton, British Columbia every summer for a regional square dancers’ convergence.

The square dance girls were just as boy-crazy as my regular friends, but they had a built-in way to hold hands with the guys they liked. As for me, I had a major crush on my friend’s older brother who, at 15, was an articulate, ambitious student body president with piercing blue eyes and blond hair to his shoulders (it was 1972, after all).

In one of our (for me, anyway) excruciating conversations involving much blushing, he told me that square dancing was like meditation. “It’s a way to forget about everything except what’s going on right now. You have to pay attention to what the caller says, and let your mind and body make sense of it naturally, without trying too hard.”

At the time, I had only a fleeting familiarity with meditation, and I didn’t see much similarity between these suburban, gingham-clad dancers and the Hare Krishnas who offered carnations to passersby on downtown street corners.

Years later, I have to marvel at his insight.

Square dancing IS like meditation. There’s no focusing on memories of the past or worries about the future. Instead, a square dancer must remain in a state of acceptance and anticipation. The caller will determine the next move, and no amount of second-guessing or outsmarting will help you become more effective–or more popular.

As a square dancer, you’re surrounded by other dancers but not really attached to a particular one–your matching outfits notwithstanding– because you are constantly moving among the others. Your attention is directed toward whatever comes up–in this case, the caller’s command and your subsequent focus on that engagement, however brief.

There’s a continuous current of possibilities, and your state is that of relaxed readiness without any judgment. Other than the moment your crush happens to be holding your hand, there is no partner or move that is better than any other.

The beauty is in the flow of it all and the awareness of being fully there.

For the square dancers, their Wednesday-and-Saturday-night gatherings provided fellowship, fitness and an opportunity to really let go. Despite the hopelessly unhip pointy white shoes and the Hee-Haw setting, the dancers had discovered a way to make mindfulness, well, FUN if not exactly cool.

Perhaps it never crossed their minds that they were engaging in anything but entertaining exercise. But if a 15-year-old boy–cute or not–could see it, I’m guessing that others recognized the sense of connection they gained in an evening of fully-present partner swinging.

We tend to think of mindfulness as something to be experienced only through meditation. WRONG. Mindfulness involves us 100% in the present moment, but we don’t need a cushion, maple bench, or incense to get there.

In our mindful moments, we are at our finest and most human–open, forgiving, focused, compassionate and connected. Sitting, standing, or swinging your partner, that’s a good place to be.

Yee-haw!

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com

Benfotiamine made headlines globally in 2003 when researchers released information about a study that was conducted at The Einstein College of Medicine in New York. The bottom line of this study was that a substance of the allithiamine group of the naturally occurring thiamine-derived compounds had positive effects on neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy and heart/circulatory problems in diabetics.

Benfotiamine research has suggested that there are beneficial effects for diabetics and non-diabetics also. These benefits include sciatica, vascular health, general nerve health, lower blood pressure, grant cellular protection, anti-aging, fibromyalgia, prevention of lactic acidosis, and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Any condition that is the result of a thiamine deficiency will also respond quite well to benfotiamine. Of course, any bodily function that is improved by a therapeutic level of thiamine will certainly be enhanced by benfotiamine, since benfotiamine is perhaps the most effective form of thiamine.

Benfotiamine, a derivative of thiamine (vitamin B1), was an invention of Japanese scientists and there is a U.S. patent on benfotiamine that was entered by the Japanese back in 1962. Japanese benfotiamine is considered the purest source of bulk benfotiamine and is favored by manufacturers globally who insist on the highest quality in their benfotiamine product.

The safety of benfotiamine use has been proven over 12 years of use in Europe for the treatment and prevention of diabetic complications among others. The original Japanese patent on benfotiamine gave information that it is even less toxic than common vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride usually). Orally ingested vitamin B1 has a long history of use as an oral supplement without reported adverse effects. Due to its therapeutic action in some frequently observed clinical syndromes, thiamine hydrochloride has been advised and used over a long period of time. There are no reports of adverse effects of oral thiamine, even at dosages of several hundred milligrams a day (SCOGS, 1978; DHEW, 1979; Marks, 1989).

Benfotiamine has a very good safety record. To date, there has been no reports of any known, negative interactions with any medications. To the contrary, some medications actually can cause a thiamine deficiency in some people and benfotiamine could correct this serious situation.

Many researchers, medical experts, doctors, podiatrists and many medical publishers recommend benfotiamine for neuropathy, retinopathy nephropathy, heart/circulatory complications and B1 deficiencies. Any in depth study on the web will produce physicians, naturopaths, neurologists, optometrists, chiropractors, etc. who have very positive feelings about the effectiveness and potential of benfotiamine in terms of the research done to date on this important tool in the arsenal against neuropathy, retinopathy and beneficial for the heart and circulatory system. We have professional healthcare providers from all of these disciplines which shows the confidence the medical community has in the purity and bioavailability of our benfotiamine product.

Dr. David Williams, publisher of “Alternatives Newsletter”, wrote an in depth article concerning benfotiamine in his May, 2004 issue. This article is an eye opener in terms of how effective benfotiamine can be for many health conditions. If possible, it would be beneficial for any interested reader to take a look at this article. For more information about this article you may contact the author below.

Dr Paul Chous is another medical professional who sees the merits of benfotiamine:

“I suspect strongly that benfotiamine will mitigate (or, hopefully, prevent) DRT in humans, but the burden of proof has not yet been met. The case for symptomatic relief of neuropathy symptoms is, of course, more tangible.” http://www.emuhealthproducts.com/drchous.html

In conclusion, the consensus for benfotiamine is very positive and are worth investigating. If you or anyone you know is a diabetic, the great possibility of developing diabetic complications over time makes benfotiamine a viable tool in the arsenal for protection. If they are already experiencing complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, and others, they will benefit from possible reduction in the progression along with pain relief in terms of peripheral neuropathy and other neuropathies.

Zach Malott is CEO of Brentwood Health International, a nutritional supplement company involved in distribution and supplying wholesale, retail and end users.

Mr. Malott is available to discuss the research as it applies to benfotiamine in the treatment and prevention of diabetic complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy.

He can be reached at:

Phone: 505.354.0526

Website: http://www.emuhealthproducts.com

Sara spends much of her summer near the beach. She lives in a mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim, bike and play games outdoors. Sara knows the dangers of the sun and so she opts for tanning salons to get her ‘golden glow’ while being sure to apply sunscreen every day before heading out.

Joseph lives in a cooler, northern climate. The summers can be very humid, but most of the year is mild or even below freezing during the harshest winter months. The beach has never been much of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor activities or at his job. Joseph doesn’t worry about sunscreen and only had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when he was a child.

Which of these examples do you most associate yourself with? Did you know that Sara and Joseph are both at risk of developing skin cancer? We have all heard the warnings about the dangers of sun exposure. We know all about the importance of wearing sunscreen and hats. But are YOU protected from skin cancer? Consider these myths and facts:

MYTH ONE: Tanning Beds are Safer than the Sun

20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly equivalent to four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA rather than UVB rays, ‘The Skin Cancer Answer’ states that “UV-A penetrates more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may suppress the immune system.”

MYTH TWO: Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is Protection

85 percent of UV rays can even make it through on cloudy days. That means you are equally at risk in the car, walking the dog or letting your children out to play at any time of year, even when you’re not at the beach. Of course, you are usually less attired at the beach and so covering up is recommended even when wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen also wears off with sweat and water and should always be applied every two hours or after getting wet.

MYTH THREE: Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will Protect You

Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that most people receive about 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double the risk of melanoma later in life. Taking better care now will reduce the risk, but not eliminate the damage already done.

MYTH FOUR: Having a Tan Means You’re More Protected

Dark skinned individuals are less likely to develop cancer, but tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Repeated tanning injures the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.

So how do you plan to protect your family this year? Some suggestions are to limit exposure to the sun, especially for infants. Examine your skin for early signs of damage. Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at least 30 minutes before exposure and every two hours after that. Teach your children good safety habits and be sure you and they are covered up when outdoors. Have fun and be safe.

Travis Waack is the webmaster of http://health.online-006.com/skin_cancer.html If you would like more information on skin cancer, this is where you will want to start.

Your skin is a living organ. It breaths, drinks and carries topically applied substances through to the rest of your body. Caring for your skin is like eating. We have become very concerned about what we eat in recent years - this is very good. But, an idea that is only beginning to bloom is that you eat through your skin too. What do you want your body to eat? This question needs to be considered when choosing your skincare and bath products.

Currently, the personal care industry has no regulation. This is very unnerving, especially when the FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors states that “a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product without an approval from the FDA”

Manufacturers are allowed to twist their claims, by exaggerating or even outright lying. With this slack industry, it becomes nearly impossible for the consumer to know for sure what they are getting. Labels like “organic”, “cruelty-free” and “hypo-allergenic” can have little to no meaning. Manufacturers can even hide behind an organic label without disclosing all of their chemical ingredients.

The Environmental Protection Agency states that 89% of 10,500 ingredients commonly used in personal care have not been adequately evaluated for safety. Among these ingredients are carcinogens, penetration enhancers, allergens and harmful impurities that can cause cancer, inhibit fetal growth, cause nerve damage, disrupt hormones and cause other severe reactions.

So what’s a pampering bath loving soul to do? Educate yourself, read labels, shop from companies who have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics (that’s us, close to the bottom of the list), and keep your eyes out for our next personal care article.

Ivy Mills has been researching chemical sensitivity and natural alternatives for over five years and has brought her knowledge to the marketplace in her company, Valhalla Essences. Her personal experiences have fed a passion to help others with the same problem. Ivy welcomes others to share their stories and experiences on her blog, Peaceful Power.