Cleaning your ears

• Clean your ears with extra care. Wipe the outer ear with a washcloth or tissue. Do not put anything into your ear smaller than your elbow. Do not use Q-tips, bobby pins or sharp pointed objects to clean your ears. These objects may injure the ear canal or eardrum.
• Earwax is the ear’s mechanism for self cleaning. If you have a build-up of wax that is blocking your hearing, see your ear physician to have it removed.
• If you experience itching or pain in your ears, consult with your ear physician to determine the appropriate treatment.
• If you have pierced ears, clean your earrings and earlobes regularly with rubbing alcohol.

Illness and Medications

• Reduce the risk of ear infections by treating upper respiratory infections promptly.
• Some illnesses and medical conditions can affect your hearing. If you experience sudden hearing loss or persistent noise in your ears or head, see an ear physician immediately.
• Drainage from the ear is not normal and should be evaluated promptly.
• Some medications can affect hearing. Take medications only as directed, and consult your physician if you experience unusual hearing, balance symptoms, or ringing in the ears.

Noise

• At home or work, wear hearing protection during exposure to loud levels of noise. This includes mowing the lawn, leaf blowing or using power tools. By law, a noisy work environment will require the use of hearing protection.
• When using stereos and home theater systems, avoid excessive volume. If you think it is too loud, it probably is.
• When using personal sound systems, the volume should be comfortable. If someone else can hear what you are listening to, the volume is too high. Remove the headphones from time to time to give your ears a rest.
• Wear earplugs at rock concerts, nightclubs and motor sporting events.
• Keep automobile sound systems at sensible volumes. This can help you avoid hearing damage and allow you to hear and yield to emergency vehicles.

Safety Issues

• Always wear a helmet when you bike, ski, and roller blade or in any other activity that puts you at risk for head and ear injuries.
• If you scuba dive, learn and practice proper underwater techniques to avoid potentially damaging changes in pressure inside your ears.
• When flying in an airplane, swallow and yawn frequently when the plane is ascending and descending to equalize pressure in your ears. If you have an upper respiratory problem such as a cold or sinus infection, take a decongestant a few hours before descending, or use a decongestant spray just prior to descent and on landing.
• Earplugs with special filters can be purchased to help equalize air pressure in ears during air travel.

General Care

• Have your ears checked regularly by your primary care physician and your hearing checked regularly by an audiologist. Consult an ear physician as necessary.
• When outdoors in sunny weather, remember to use a sunscreen on your ears.
• If you notice unusual bumps or scaly areas on the exterior ear, consult your physician immediately.
• Know the warning signs of hearing loss:
  • Difficulty hearing conversations, especially in the presence of background noise
  • Frequently asking others to repeat what they have said
  • Misunderstanding what other people say and answering inappropriately
  • Difficulty hearing on the telephone
  • Requiring the television or radio volume to be louder than others in the room prefer
  • Feeling that people are mumbling or have marbles in their mouth when they talk
  • Difficulty hearing environmental sounds, such as birds chirping
  • Agreeing, nodding your head, or smiling during conversations when you are not sure what has been said
  • Withdrawing from conversations and social situations because it is too difficult to hear
  • Reading lips so you can try to follow what people are saying
  • Straining to hear or keep up with conversations
  • Noise within your ears or head called tinnitus not caused by an external sound source
• See an ear physician immediately if you injure your ears, experience ear pain, or notice changes in your ears or hearing.

Exercise should be a part of any long-term beauty enhancement program. With a good diet, stress management, and plenty of exercise, you can have a naturally toned face and body that will amaze your friends and family.

Stretching

As an important part of any workout routine, stretching increases muscle flexibility, reduces your chances of injury, and can improve your posture.

Stretching before your workout warms up your muscles and prepares them for more vigorous exercise; stretching after your workout cools down your muscles and can prevent soreness and stiffness later.

Your muscles and joints should feel relaxed when you stretch so if you experience any pain, ease yourself out of your stretching position and move on to less demanding positions.

Yoga and Pilates provide structured stretching techniques that can benefit your body’s various organ systems and functions, and if you prefer to exercise your artistic side, ballet is a wonderful way to stretch and focus your creative energy.

Cardiovascular Fitness

Conditioning your cardiovascular system can help you decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening diseases.

When you condition your cardiovascular system, your body’s demand for oxygen increases and your heart becomes bigger, stronger, and more efficient.

Aerobic exercise (steady, prolonged motion of large muscles) is an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular system; walking, jogging, running, swimming, and cycling are all forms of aerobic exercise.

For best results, you will want to increase and sustain your heartbeat to a target rate between 60-80% of its maximum capacity for at least 20 minutes a day, three times a week.

If you are just starting an aerobic conditioning routine, start out slowly and, as your body becomes more fit, gradually increase your workout until you work up to your target heart rate.

As with any other exercise program, you will want to consult with your healthcare professional to make sure that it is the right program for your needs.

Weight Training

If you’re apprehensive about weight training because you don’t want to look like the guys and gals in bodybuilding magazines, the following information should alleviate many of your concerns.

Lifting weights has become one of the most popular fitness activities for people of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds.

Even if you’ve never touched a weight, education and implementation of the right strength training program can help you increase muscle, tendon, bone and ligament strength, improve your metabolism, and lower your risk of injury.

Generally, if you’re a beginner, machines such as universal gyms are the best because they are convenient, tested for safety, and usually come with tapes and booklets that will help you begin a new strength training program.

Machines tend to be on the expensive side, so you will want to do some research before you purchase any home exercise equipment.

Free weights can be used to supplement conditioning provided by machines, and if you are involved in sports that demand strength training, you may actually prefer to use free weights since they allow you to work on certain areas that many exercise machines are not able to target.
Again, you will want to consult with your healthcare professional before you begin an exercise program or make significant changes to your existing program.

EARS, INFECTIONS

Sharp Pain and Ruptured Ear Drums

“How to eliminate earwax”

The ear is composed of 3 areas:

The outer ear, which is the visible part of the ear plus the auditory duct that ends at the tympanic membrane.

The middle ear, which is formed by 3 small bones that transmit the sound from the tympanum.

The inner ear, which changes the sound waves to nerve impulses that goes to the brain. The labyrinth, which is responsible for the body’s equilibrium, is found there.

Symptoms: The main symptoms are: an earache is caused by inflammation. Noises may be heard and the ability to hear diminished.

Causes: The most frequent causes for infections are:

• In the cuter ear, dirty water that enters the ear while swimming/bathing.
• In the middle ear, bacteria that enters through the nose and throat.
• In the inner ear, infections in the middle ear that are transferred into this part of the ear.

Infections in the middle ear and inner ear are the most dangerous because hearing may be lost if they become chronic.

Suggestion: Includes the intake of a natural antibiotic Garlic, Echinacea and Vitamin A, C, E and the application of 2 drops of antibacterial/antifungal ear drop every 4 hours on the area. This will reduce the inflammation, relieve discomfort and help to fight the infection. In some cases a doctor may need to make a small incision in order to drain the pus from the infection.

How to eliminate earwax:

Do not put objects on your ears, it may be dangerous. The specialists recommend the following: lay you head on one side and place two drops of any of the following oils inside the ear:, mustard oil, liquid glycerin, mineral oil, or almond oil. Allow the oil to penetrate into the ear. Do the same with the other ear, when you stand up the oil will come out, leaving only enough oil to soften the wax.

The next day, get a dropper and fill it with lukewarm water. Put two drops of water slowly into the ear.

Allow it to flow in and carry away the softened wax. Do this for two days. Dry your ears with a hair dryer or put in a drop of alcohol in order to get the rest of the water out.

If your ears are stopped up and you cannot hear well, the following is recommended. Mix one tablespoon of glycerin and one tablespoon of salt in ½ a glass of boiled water. With a dropper put 10 drops in each nostril as many times as it is necessary to open the ducts that go from the nostrils to the middle ear. The liquid will drain through the throat.

Warning! In some cases it is necessary to operate in order to drain the ear. If the infection persists, consult your physician.

Suggested food supplements:

Suggested vitamins and minerals :

Follow these tips to help keep your brain—and your body—vibrant and healthy throughout your life…

Do:

• Exercise your body regularly and get involved in physically active leisure pursuits
• Keep your mind exercised! Engage in active learning throughout life and pursue new experiences
• Stay socially engaged with friends, family and community groups
• Maintain a positive attitude and a sense of control over your life
• Take steps to manage stress
• Eat a balanced diet, and focus on brain-healthy foods that are rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, and consider taking a multivitamin supplement that includes antioxidants and folate
• Mind your numbers: Lose any extra pounds, lower your cholesterol if it is high, and keep your blood glucose and blood pressure under control
• Get adequate sleep
• Get proper medical attention and treatment for any underlying health problems

Don’t:

• Drink to excess, smoke, or use illicit drugs
• Ignore sudden changes in mental status (but don’t be overly concerned about normal slips of memory like forgetting names or where you put the keys)
• Avoid going to the doctor if you notice changes in your physical or mental health
• Overlook the possibility of drug interactions that can affect mental functioning, especially if you are taking more than one prescription medication
• Become isolated in your home
• Think you’re too old to take up something new!

Nothing quells the appetite like water, lots and lots of water. Start out with two quart bottles in the morning and carry one with you to work or wherever you go. If you like, divvy up the 64 ounces of water into eight (8-ounce) bottles or four pint (16-ounce) bottles to carry around with you all day. Freeze half of them the night before and they will last all day, even in a hot car. Keep some unfrozen so they will be ready to drink immediately.

Yes. You will have to make more frequent bathroom trips, but it is worth it. Drink your 64 ounces of water before dinner, if possible, so you’re not up half the night going to the bathroom.

Water not only fills you up and lessens your appetite, it prevents those “hungry horrors” we all encounter when our blood sugar drops and we reach for cookies, candy, ice cream, fries or other high-calorie treats. Water also flushes out the system, rids the body of bloat and toxins and rosies up the complexion. Now, start splashing.

DIARRHEA

Diarrhea is characterized by an increase in the number of bowel movements (going to the bathroom) that contain an increase of liquid. Diarrhea is a way in which the organism rids itself of toxins and bacteria, which is why it should not be stopped suddenly. Instead, it should be allowed to flow for one day in adults.

Symptoms: Stomach inflammation, stomach aches, and frequent visits to the bathroom to defecate. Some fever and dehydration may occur.

Causes: Diarrhea may be caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, nerves, stress, incomplete digestion, decomposed food and colitis. Milk intolerance is one of the main causes of this illness, especially in small children.

Suggestion: The most important area to treat is dehydration, especially in small children that don’t know how to explain what is happening to them. They should be given plenty of serum-ORS (drugstore) or prepare it at home in the following manner. Put a table spoon of sugar or honey and a teaspoon of salt in ½ liter of water and mix well. Drink every half hour. After treating dehydration, you should begin to eat, slowly at first, consuming easily digested foods and avoiding those that irritate the intestine.

The following is suggested when suffering from diarrhea:

1. At least six hour fast, drinking liquids or the previously mentioned serum, drink rice water or hot tea several times a day.
2. Begin eating a little boiled rice without seasoning. Start with a few spoonfuls, increasing the amount every 3 or 4 hours.
3. If your stomach feels okay, take thin kichidi (Rice + Dal). The next day you can add white bread to the same diet, a little curd, boiled potatoes, carrots, and lightly mashed boiled apples etc. eat light food for few days.

You should eliminate the following:

1. Foods high in fiber.
2. Milk, greasy foods and cold cuts, since they take longer to digest.
3. Spices and seasoning that irritate the mucous membranes.
4. Sweetened orange juice.

Warning! If diarrhea persists it can cause dehydration of the body which is dangerous if not cared for, especially in children. consult your physician.

Suggested food supplements.

Suggested vitamins and minerals

Staying hydrated can be great for your body. Drink enough of the right liquids and your mood will improve, your focus will sharpen, your heart will beat stronger, and you’ll be less likely to suffer from headaches and fatigue. All that, plus if you pick the right potions, you’ll receive beneficial nutrients, antioxidants and protein as a chaser.

Bottoms up, right? Not so fast. Some bottles are better than others, as you’re about to learn. Too many Americans are problem drinkers — and I’m not talking about bourbon for breakfast. As a nation, we love high-sugar, high-calorie drinks like sodas and smoothies; a whopping 21 percent of American’s calorie intake comes from drinks, and that’s an increase of 150 calories since 1977. The big-bottom line: Half of that caloric payload comes from sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit punch, and other sweet drinks.

The sad part is: Nobody actually needs any of those calories. Water — by the glass and in the foods you eat — should be plenty to top your tank. But if you find it kind of bland, we hear you. That’s why we’re slapping warning labels on the big-calorie guzzlers, and pointing you toward the thirst-quenchers that won’t make you fat.

Cheers.

Iced Coffee

Drink This
Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel Crème Iced Latte (16 oz)
260 calories
9 g fat
40 g sugars

Not That
Starbucks 2% Iced Dulce de Leche Latte (16 oz)
420 calories
16 g fat
52 g sugars

In the hierarchy of espresso drinks, lattes sit squarely at the bottom. That’s because they’re more milk than java, and are susceptible to huge pumps of sugar syrup from eager-to-please baristas. A macchiato gives the same caffeine kick for a tiny fraction of the caloric cost by swapping out the excess steamed milk for a crown of frothed milk. It’s a simple but meaningful switch for caffeine junkies looking for a healthier fix. For other easy foods swaps for effortless weight loss — without ever having to diet again — try these fabulous fifteen.

Protein Shakes

Drink This
Slim Fast High Protein Extra Creamy Strawberry (11.5 oz can)
190 calories
5g fat
13 g sugars

Not That!
Boost Plus High Protein Strawberry (8 oz bottle)
240 calories
6 g fat
16 g sugars

Besides having fewer calories and sugar than the smaller Boost shake, the Slim Fast drink also has more protein and five extra grams of fiber, which means it will work harder at keeping your belly full in the hours after you sip it.
Yogurt Smoothie

Drink This
Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry Banana Smoothie
70 calories
12 g sugars

Not That!
Stonyfield Farm Organic Wild Berry Smoothie
150 calories
25 g sugars

The Stonyfield smoothie is smaller but more than doubles up on the calories and sugar in the Dannon Light. Don’t be fooled by the “organic” name — this yogurt smoothie is thick with added sugars, which spikes your blood sugar and tells your body to start storing fat — not the best way to start your day.

The Dannon Light shake jumpstarts your morning metabolism with a nice protein kick, but spares you the sickly Stonyfield sweetness. Watch out wherever, whenever for added sugars by avoiding this great list of the most sugar-packed foods in America!
Functional Beverage

Drink This
Dasani Plus Orange Tangerine Vitamin Enhanced Water (20-oz bottle)
0 calories
0 g sugars

Not That!
Snapple Agave Melon Antioxidant Water (20-oz bottle)
140 calories
33 g sugars

If you were fooled by the words “agave” and “antioxidant,” don’t be embarrassed — for a product that’s supposedly water, it’s totally shocking how many calories and grams of sugar are packed into this fraudulent “health” beverage. But that doesn’t mean you should run the other way when you see an enhanced water; in fact, adding a little flavor (such as the orange tangerine in the Dasani water) can make staying hydrated easier and more pleasant — without adding calories or sugar.

Bottled Beverage

Drink This
Sobe Lean Blackberry Currant (20-oz bottle)
15 calories
2 g sugars

Not That!
Sobe Lizard Lava (20-oz bottle)
310 calories
77 g sugars

To glance at these two mysterious containers, you might think they contained exactly the same liquid — they’re both pink, they both come in a chunky glass bottle, they’ve both got some kind of creature on the label — but once you take a closer look at the nutrition facts, an entirely different story becomes clear. The Lizard Lava bottle contains about half a meal’s worth of calories and as much sugar as 11 popsicles.

That doesn’t exactly spell refreshment, does it? Instead try the other pink bottle, with Sobe’s Lean Blackberry Currant. With only 15 calories and 2 grams of sugar in a bottle, it just goes to show you that you can’t judge a drink by its bottle. In fact, make sure you’re always on the lookout for things like these sneaky “health” foods that aren’t! You’ll be shocked.
Energy Drink

Drink This
Monster Lo-Ball Java Monster Coffee + Energy (16-oz can)
100 calories
8 g sugars

Not That!
Rockstar Original (16-oz can)
280 calories
62 g sugars

I’ll put it all out on the table here: I’m not a big fan of energy drinks. It’s much healthier to boost energy by exercising, eating healthy foods, and getting enough sleep. But let’s face it — sometimes you’re desperate for a pick-me-up, and it’s easy to reach for one of those shiny cans of liquid fuel.

However, if you guzzle down a can of Rockstar Original, I’m pretty sure you’re just going to end up with a jittery buzz instead of the boost you’re seeking — with 62 grams of sugars, you’re looking at a major sugar crash not too far down the road. Better to stick with a low-sugar, low-calorie option like Java Monster Coffee + Energy.

Juice Imposter

Drink This
Fuze Slenderize Strawberry Melon (18.5-oz bottle)
23 calories
4.5 g sugars

Not That!
Arizona Kiwi Strawberry (23.5-oz can)
360 calories
84 g sugars

Unfortunately, most of the drinks that come in flashy containers and purport themselves to be juice quite simply aren’t. That goes for both our “Drink This” and our “Not That” option here — even the healthier Fuze drink is only about 5 percent juice. That said, it’s also a low-carb, low-sugar drink that provides nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins, so it’s not all bad — unlike Arizona’s “juice.” Bottom line: These days, if you want juice, you probably need to squeeze it yourself.

Kids’ Juice

Drink This
Minute Maid Kids Multi-Vitamin Orange Juice
120 calories
24 g sugars

Not That!
Welch’s Grape Juice
170 calories
40 g sugars

Kids love grape juice for one reason: It’s loaded with sugar. That also means it’s loaded with calories. Grape just ain’t so great. On the other extreme, Minute Maid’s enhanced orange juice is mother nature’s multi-vitamin, providing your kids with monster doses of calcium and vitamin D for bone growth and protection, plus a host of powerful antioxidants. To make the best choices for your kids when eating out.
Kids’ Drink

Drink This
Capri Sun Tropical Fruit Roarin’ Waters (6.8-oz pouch)
35 calories
9 g sugars

Not That!
Sunny D with Calcium (8-oz serving)
140 calories
31 g sugars

If you believe the commercials, stocking your fridge with Sunny D will make you the coolest mom (or dad) in the neighborhood, and your kids will be smiling and thanking you, and you’ll be wearing a cashmere sweater, and your whole house will be bathed in soft, buttery sunlight. Right. Well, believe it or not, if you’re interested in giving your kids a fun drink that’s actually reasonably healthy, hand them one of those silver Capri Sun pouches — OK, so they’re not exactly a health drink, but they’re better than Sunny D — cashmere or no cashmere

Swine flu is on all of our minds these days. We see latest reports of contraction in neighboring cities, watch people don face masks, and listen to news correspondents inform us of what swine flu is- of course we fearful. We don’t know what this really means for us and our families? Moreover, we are unsure how to best prevent ourselves from getting swine flu. Below, we offer the best ways to avoid swine flu to keep you and your family at optimum health during this possible epidemic.

So the swine flu is here in the United States. Does this mean that we all need to build bomb shelters under our homes and hide in there until the epidemic passes and vaccines are passed out to all who want it? No, no…of course not. The swine flu-though possibly fatal if not treated-is just as harmful as the seasonal flu most of us get each year-this time it just may have created new strains to be prepared for.

Tips to prevent contracting the swine flu virus:

1. Wash your hands often- Though this may seem like a given, not everyone does. Yes, you may wash your hands after using the rest room, but this is not enough. You should be washing your hands every time you come in contact with someone or something touched by someone else.

2. Avoid touching your face- We all do it. We rub our eyes, our nose, itch our chin-whatever it is, know that you do it, and even if you are washing your hands constantly, you aren’t necessarily getting all of the virus germs off your hands. Be better safe than sorry and avoid touching your face.

3. Avoid breeding grounds- Of course, most of us must go out into public places. We work, grocery shop, exercise- we live; but there are places you can avoid that will greatly reduce your chances of getting the virus. For example, if you typically use a gym, opt to jog outside instead. If you take the train to work, bicycle, drive or walk.