Cyber Sex Linked to Depression

A new study found a link between cyber sex and depression. The question is do men search for cyber sex because they're depressed or does the search leave them feeling depressed?

Over a quarter of those who seek cyber sex online are depressed.

Researchers surveyed 1,325 American and Australian men, and found the average surfer of online sex and swing sites is well-educated, and spends over 12 hours a week searching for cyber-love.

But their hobby doesn't necessarily make them happy. "We found that 27 percent of (regular cyber sex visitors) were moderate to severely depressed on the standard depression scales," study co-author Marcus Squirrell explained. Read more

Heavy Water: The Elixir of Youth?

Is heavy water the elixir of youth that Ponce de Leon was searching for? New Scientist seems to think it may be.

In a back room of New Scientist's offices in London, I sit down at a table with the Russian biochemist Mikhail Shchepinov. In front of us are two teaspoons and a brown glass bottle. Shchepinov opens the bottle, pours out a teaspoon of clear liquid and drinks it down. He smiles. It's my turn.

I put a spoonful of the liquid in my mouth and swallow. It tastes slightly sweet, which is a surprise. I was expecting it to be exactly like water since that, in fact, is what it is - heavy water to be precise, chemical formula D₂O. The D stands for deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen with an atomic mass of 2 instead of 1. Deuterium is what puts the heavy in heavy water. An ice cube made out of it would sink in normal water.

My sip of heavy water is the culmination of a long journey trying to get to the bottom of a remarkable claim that Shchepinov first made around 18 months ago. He believes he has discovered an elixir of youth, a way to drink (or more likely eat) your way to a longer life. You may think that makes Shchepinov sound like a snake-oil salesman. I thought so too, but the more I found out about his idea, the more it began to make sense. Read more

Boost Brain Power : Eat Chocolate, Drink Wine and Tea can

Eating chocolate and drinking wine and tea can improve your memory, according to a new study.

Researchers discovered that wine has the most pronounced effect in boosting people's memory, followed by chocolate and tea.

And those who regularly consume all three in modest amounts were found to perform best when asked to carry out a series of brain tests. Read more

Antidepressants May Damage More Sex Lives Than ThoughtS

Antidepressants have long been known to have negative sexual side effects, but new research shows that they are far more common than previously thought and may continue after the patient goes off the drug.

Sexual "numbness." Lack of libido. Arousal that stalls.

Such sexual symptoms have long been known side effects of the popular Prozac class of antidepressants, but a growing body of research suggests that they are far more common than previously thought, perhaps affecting half or more of patients.

And a handful of recent medical and psychological journal articles document a small number of cases in which sexual problems remain even after a patient goes off the drugs. Read more

Nuts May Help Manage Metabolic Syndrome

Adding nuts to your diet may help manage metabolic syndrome, a set of metabolic abnormalities that includes abdominal obesity and high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose levels, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The study used the Mediterranean diet, but adding nuts to diets that are otherwise helpful would likely have the same effect.

A traditional Mediterranean diet with an additional daily serving of mixed nuts appears to be useful for managing some metabolic abnormalities in older adults at high risk for heart disease, according to a report in the December 8/22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The metabolic syndrome is a set of metabolic abnormalities that includes abdominal obesity and high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to background information in the article. Read more

Acupuncture Beats Aspirin for Chronic Headache

A review of studies involving nearly 4,000 patients shows that acupuncture beats aspirin for chronic headaches.

Acupuncture works better than drugs like aspirin to reduce the severity and frequency of chronic headaches, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

A review of studies involving nearly 4,000 patients with migraine, tension headache and other forms of chronic headache showed that that 62 percent of the acupuncture patients reported headache relief compared to 45 percent of people taking medications, the team at Duke University found. Read more

Norwegian Study: Breast Cancer Rates Soar after Mammograms

Here's another reminder that almost all medical procedures carry some risk: In four Norwegian countries, breast cancer rates increased significantly after women there began undergoing mammography every two years. The women who chose to pass up bi-annual mammograms had 22% less breast cancer.

A report just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association's Archives of Internal Medicine (Arch Intern Med. 2008;168[21]:2302-2303) reaches a startling conclusion. Breast cancer rates increased significantly in four Norwegian counties after women there began getting mammograms every two years. In fact, according to background information in the study, the start of screening mammography programs throughout Europe has been associated with increased incidence of breast cancer. Read more

5 Ways to Avoid Flus and Colds

Shine lists five steps you can can help protect yourself and your family from flus and colds.

... There are few steps that you can take to protect yourself and your family from what seems to be the inevitable flu. The guardian of the health of our body is the immune system. While intangible and challenging to identify, the immune system has very specific signs and symptoms.

For a moment, put aside the traditional considerations for assessing your child’s health. Instead, I’d like you to consider some new approaches and angles that will provide you with insight into the likelihood that your child will stay healthy or get sick this winter season. Read more

A Leaf from Nature's Book: Tea Therapy

From cleansing the colon to detoxifying the body to soothing anxiety, herbal teas offer a variety of powerful health benefits and healing properties. Which herbal infusion is right for you?

This week a leading study from Queensland University, in Brisbane, Australia, revealed that drinking three cups of green tea a day for eight weeks may lower blood pressure and shrink fat cells, confirming the long-held belief of herbalists in the therapeutic effects of a warm brew.

Indeed, there are hundreds of different concoctions on the market, which claim to help treat everything from stress to digestive problems. But which one is right for you? Read more

Treat Depression with Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is an alternative theatment that uses the highly concentrated essential oils that are extracted from plants to treat symptoms and assist in the healing process. Green Herbal Remedies explains how aromatherapy can be particularly effective in dealing with stress, depression and stress related disorders.

To feel depression you don`t necessarily have to shut down yourself in a bed room and cut all con-tacts with social world. Depression also means condition in which you feel low with or without any reasoning. May be your day didn`t go that well. May be you have had a long and stressful week. May be you have been getting more moody than your regular self. All these symptoms point out that you are facing depression of varied degrees.

The good news is you can sit home and treat yourself out of depression with aromatherapy. Aromatherapy has showed positive results for depression. Though the root cause cannot be com-pletely treated but you will experience relaxation for mental fatigue. The aroma or the fragrance of various ingredients has a soothing effect on your mind and this will help you fall asleep. Read more

Intimacy Fights Stress

Researchers have found that the more physical affection couples engage in, the lower their level of the "stress" hormone cortisol.

Couples who hug, kiss and otherwise find ways to get close everyday may have fewer stress hormones coursing through their bodies, a new study suggests.

The findings, reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, point to one potential reason that close relationships -- and marriage, in particular -- have been linked to better health.

Researchers found that among 51 German couples they followed for one week, those who reported more physical contact during a given day -- whether it was sexual intercourse or just holding hands -- generally had lower levels of the "stress" hormone cortisol.

This was especially true of couples who reported more problems at work, suggesting that some physical affection between mates may be a buffer against work stress. Read more

Using the Powers of Hypnosis to Heal Body and Mind

Jane E. Brody tells how the powers of hypnosis can heal the body and mind.

My husband, Richard, smoked cigarettes for 50 years, having failed several attempts to quit on his own. When a friend told him in August 1994 that hypnosis had enabled her to quit, he decided to give it a try.

"It didn't work; I wasn't hypnotized," he declared after his one and only session. But it did work; since that day, he has not taken one puff of a cigarette. Read more

Using Sex for Weight Loss

Bedroom Olympics may be key to fitness and weight loss, according to FOX sexpert Yvonne K. Fulbright

Feed your libido and lose weight? Sounds like a too-good-to-be-true diet, until you really think about it.

Shagging can make you slimmer, if you do enough of it. It can also help the two of you fall for each other all over again. Requiring no monthly fee — dress code optional – you can "sexercise" yourself into shape. This is one gym membership you’ll never want to drop.

Combining sex and fitness is like killing two birds with one stone. Sex gets you fit. And being fit makes you want to have more sex. This is, in large part, because of all of the benefits a good sexercise routine offers, like: Read more

Do 5 Simple Things a Day to Stay Sane

According to a UK government report, people can do five simple things a day to stay sane.

Simple activities such as gardening or mending a bicycle can protect mental health and help people to lead more fulfilled and productive lives, a panel of scientists has found.

A “five-a-day” programme of social and personal activities can improve mental wellbeing, much as eating fruit and vegetables enhances physical health, according to Foresight, the government think-tank. Its Mental Capital and Wellbeing report, which was compiled by more than 400 scientists, proposes a campaign modelled on the nutrition initiative, to encourage behaviour that will make people feel better about themselves. Read more

Feeling down? Take a dose of Nature's Prozac

From St John's Wort to a stroll in the park, there are plenty of ways to beat the blues and remain buoyant and healthy.

... There is much that you can do to alleviate milder conditions and prevent them getting worse. Last week it was reported that the supplement St John's Wort is as effective as some antidepressants in lifting mood. “Getting outside, being active and talking are some measures that can be really beneficial,” says Farmer. Read more

Coffee and Chocolate Key to Long Life

Chocolate, coffee and tea are among the key foods and drinks needed to live a long and healthy life, according to a leading nutritional scientist.

Professor Gary Williamson, from the department of food science at Leeds University, has produced a list of 20 "lifespan essential" foodstuffs.

All are rich in naturally occurring chemicals, known as polyphenols, which have been linked to a variety of health benefits including protection against heart disease. Read more

Smoking and Drinking Worse for Women

Smoking and drinking aren't good for anyone, but both are worse for women.

Smoking and drinking—they go together and they're both worse for women. When it comes to alcohol, the dividing line between a little and a lot depends on many things, including sex. Women are more vulnerable than men to alcohol’s long-term effects. Exposure to smoke more quickly leads to cancer in women as well. Read more

Drinking Chamomile Tea May Help Fight Complications of Diabetes

Chamomile is an herb often found in Europe and North America. Believed to be the world’s most soothing herb, it is well known for its relaxing properties, but did you know that drinking chamomile tea can give you a whole lot of other benefits aside from relaxation? Drinking it daily with meals may help prevent the complications of diabetes

Drinking chamomile tea daily with meals may help prevent the complications of diabetes, which include loss of vision, nerve damage, and kidney damage, researchers in Japan and the United Kingdom are reporting. Read more

5 Reasons to Stand Up Straight

Beverly Burmeier at Redbook reveals five reasons to stop slouching, plus several easy ways to perfect your posture.

Remember how your mother always nagged you to stand up tall? While she was probably trying to help you look slimmer and more confident (both big perks of perfect posture), straightening up also offers concrete health benefits for your whole body. "Good posture is as important to your health as eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep," says Thomas Konicki, D.C., a chiropractic orthopedist in Dayton, OH. "It means less wear and tear on joints, less fatigue, and even less neck and back pain." Here are five excellent reasons to stand (and sit) tall: Read more

Vitamin C Might Help Lower Hypertension

A new Italian study suggests for the first time that vitamin C may help lower high blood pressure.

Vitamin C may help lower high blood pressure by calming an overactive central nervous system, new Italian research suggests.

Using intravenously delivered vitamin C, "our study demonstrated for the first time in humans that we can reduce sympathetic nervous system overactivity, and consequently blood pressure, (by) targeting oxidative stress," said study lead author Dr. Rosa Maria Bruno from the University of Pisa. Read more

What Food and Supplements Can Protect Your Liver?

The liver aids in digestion and removes waste products from the blood. Furthermore, it synthesizes proteins, produces bile, and serves as the body's detoxification unit. Alan Graham and Alfred Lehmberg list the foods to eat (and which to avoid) and the supplements to take in order to protect your liver.

FOODS to eat and foods to avoid:

EAT :

(A).. Bitter Greens - like Parsley, Cilantro, Endive, Arugula, Watercress and Dandelion, these are powerful, "Liver De-Tox Greens." These astringent foods help protect the liver from the ravages of smoking, drinking, and toxic pollution while they clean and revitalize the liver and gall bladder.

(B).. Food Fats and Oils - In my humble opinion there are only 4 (well, maybe 5) acceptable FOOD-Fats! These love your liver:

1). Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVO) - a "true" MONO-oil at 76% Mono. Use everywhere. Don't believe the silly theory that you can't bake with olive oil because of the "fruitiness"...not so, Olive oil makes baked goods taste rich, not fruity. Read more

2 Little Steps to Less Stress

Relief from stress doesn't have to mean downing a drink or popping a pill. It can be as safe and simple as taking a deep breath.

Inhale. Exhale. Ahhh…

“This is the first moment in weeks I’ve had to take a breath,” my sister declared the other day, exhaling loudly. She’s juggling an out-of-work husband, a job she hates, and the care of our 80-year-old mother. Her remark struck me so resoundingly, like a bell ringing to highlight something profoundly true for us all, perhaps, because a client had said something similar to me just a few hours earlier. “I just need some room to breathe,” said Jackie, a mother of three with a full-time job as a school principal.

Breathing room. It’s a metaphor for something we all could use more of: some space in our lives—space to catch up with ourselves, to regroup, to metabolize whatever we’ve been going through so we can know how we feel and what to do next.

Pausing to breathe is more than a metaphor, however. Consciously taking a few deep breaths is actually the quickest way to experience the body’s relaxation response. Read more

Eating Dark Chocolate Daily Helps Hearth Stay Healthy

Dark chocolate is a natural remedy that tastes good and is good for you, but more isn't better unfortunately.

A small square of dark chocolate daily protects the heart from inflammation and subsequent heart disease, a new study of Italians suggests. Milk chocolate might not do the job.

However, this guilty pleasure has a limit. Read more

The Link between Bras and Breast Cancer

Is there really a link between tight-fitting bras and breast cancer? Medical researcher Syd Singer says the case is "open and shut."

If you didn't burn yours in the 'Sixties, you might want to put it away now. "Bras cause breast cancer. It's open and shut," says medical researcher Syd Singer.

The Singers became breast cancer sleuths in 1991. On the day Soma discovered a lump in her breast, the husband-wife team was studying the effects of Western medicine on Fijians. In the shower, Syd noticed that Soma's shoulders and breasts were outlined by dark red grooves. He remembered a puzzled Fijian woman asking his wife about her brassiere: "Doesn't it feel tight?"

"You get used to it," Soma had replied.

Could bras be constricting breast tissue, Syd wondered, hampering lymph drainage and causing degeneration? Read more

How Your Thoughts Affect You Physically

The sexual response that results from reading an erotic book is an example of how our thoughts and feelings can affect us physically. Deb Shapiro, author of Your Body Speaks Your Mind, gives an exercise to help you observe the physical effects in your body of different situations, thoughts, or feelings. Understanding how you hold issues or feelings in your body will enable you to focus on their release.

Did you ever wonder how the power of your thoughts can affect your body? Dr. Bernie Siegel, the author of Love, Medicine and Miracles, was giving a talk to a room full of skeptical doctors when he brought out a copy of Lady Chatterly's Lover and proceeded to read the most erotic part. As he put the book down he said, "Just as reading a book can stir our sexuality, so you can see how our thoughts and feelings can affect us physically." The doctors were immediately convinced!

There is now a whole new science called pschonueroimmunology exploring just that: the relationship between the psyche or mind, the nervous system and the immune system.

This exercise helps you understand how your own mind and body work together. Over the next week, practice watching the physical effects in your body of different situations, thoughts or feelings. Observe yourself, your reactions and your body. As you do this, you will begin to see how closely all the different parts of your being, both physical and psycho/emotional, are interwoven. Read more

Mouthwash or Hogwash?

Experts argue that not only is a mouthwash useless, but it can also be harmful to your health.

Waking up with the unpleasant hum of dog breath is far from uncommon. Whether it is the after-effects of a curry, or a more lingering problem of sewer-scented oral odour, around 95 per cent of Britons suffer bad breath at some time in their lives. Such is the social embarrassment that £350 million a year is spent on products that promise to sweeten breath. But is it money well spent? An increasing number of medical experts think not, with some going as far as to caution that swilling with a mouthwash can cause more problems than it purports to cure. Read more

Five Surprising Benefits of Massage

We know a massage feels good, but it can have a host of therapeutic advantages, too.

The newest cure-all may be an ancient one: simple touch. The Chinese have been using massage for all kinds of medical conditions for centuries. Now, Western research is confirming that massage isn't just for muscle pain. One of the most surprising findings: massage may help premature babies gain weight. When Tiffany Field, a professor of pediatrics, became a new mother, she massaged her premature infant daughter and was so impressed with the results she later founded the Touch Research Institute (TRI) at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Massage, it turns out, may boost immunity and help people with a range of conditions from premenstrual syndrome to high blood pressure. It also seems to help soothe pain from arthritis, burns and even surgery. Here are five surprising facts about massage from the research findings at TRI and elsewhere that you can put to use: Read more

The Healing Power of Music

It's long been known that listening to music can ease stress, but scientists are discovering that it has a powerful effect on pain, immunity, and even recovery from heart attacks.

... Evidence is growing that music can have a beneficial effect for patients. Researchers have been looking for effects in conditions as varied as stroke, autism, heart problems, mental health, depression, pain, fractured limbs, Alzheimer's and lung disease. Piped music has been used to ease anxiety before operations, and harp music to reduce pain after surgery, with some research suggesting it can be as effective as the sedative Valium. Read more

A Holistic Approach to Acid Reflux

Dr. B describes a natural approach to dealing with acid reflux.

The 101 Best Things to Do For Your Body

Women's Health magazine consulted more than 70 authorities on health and wellness to find the 101 best things to do for your body... now.

Live till you're 120. Be happy 24/7. Never have another cold. OK, so we exaggerate. But follow our tips, and you'll come pretty damn close. Read more

10 Tips for Beautiful Skin

Leslie Barrie at Savvy Miss shares 10 tips for beautiful from dermatologists Dr. Tina Alster Dr. Marsha Gordon.

Whether you live in Laguna Beach or Louisville, your skin is bound to get weathered over the winter months. Renowned dermatologist Dr. Tina Alster and St. Ives’ consulting dermatologist Dr. Marsha Gordon share their tips for fabulous winter skin. Read more

How Your Mind and Body Work Together

Deb Shapiro, author of YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND, Decoding the Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual Messages that Underlie Illness, explains how vital the role of your mind and emotions are to your health.

In Woody Allen's movie, Annie Hall, Diane Keaton wants to know why he isn't angry. "I don't get angry," Allen replies, "I grow a tumor instead."

I recently had a burst appendix and I am immensely grateful for medical intervention that saved my life. I know that illness is real, that accidents happen, and how medicine can help. So I am not writing this to try and convince you that the sole reason for your illness is in your mind, and that you must have done something wrong or are to blame for being ill. Nor I am not saying that simply by understanding how the mind and body work together that you will be able to miraculously cure yourself of whatever it is that ails you.

What I am saying is that the role of the mind and emotions in your state of health is a vital one. Read more

Next Time You are Sick, Take out the Vinegar

Mairi Beautyman, features editor at TreeHugger.com, says the next time you are sick,take out the vinegar. It's good for everything from fevers to acid reflux. Also check out TreeHugger for 62 Uses for Vinegar.

I recently was laid up with tonsillitis, which came with a very high fever -- it actually reached 105.4 (go to the hospital if your fever stays this high). At this point, the slightly terrified friend who was taking care of me suggested his mother's apple cider vinegar sock trick.

Smelly vinegar on my feet? Now, in any other state I may have objected to this, but I'm passing it on because it really seemed to work. I also found four additional medicinal ways to use this magic stuff. The jury is still out on whether it is the cure-all we all are looking for, but several studies around the world suggest good things. Read more

The Pill Makes Women Choose Bad Mates

A new study suggests that taking birth control pills can change a woman's sense of smell and in turn, could affect her ability to find the perfect mate,

Birth-control pills could screw up a woman's ability to sniff out a compatible mate, a new study finds.

While several factors can send a woman swooning, including big brains and brawn, body odor can be critical in the final decision, the researchers say. That's because beneath a woman's flowery fragrance or a guy's musk the body sends out aromatic molecules that indicate genetic compatibility. Read more

Half Of Overweight Adults May Be Heart-Healthy

A lot of people, especially women, obsess about their weight - and sometimes other people's. The conventional wisdom is that overweight people are heart attacks waiting to happen, so they should be badgered and shamed to lose weight "for their own good." However, a new study suggests that about half of overweight people have perfectly health hearts.

You can look great in a swimsuit and still be a heart attack waiting to happen. And you can also be overweight and otherwise healthy. A new study suggests that a surprising number of overweight people _ about half _ have normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while an equally startling number of trim people suffer from some of the ills associated with obesity.

The first national estimate of its kind bolsters the argument that you can be hefty but still healthy, or at least healthier than has been believed. Read more

How Massage Therapy Can Help Your Migraines

A migraine headache is not only painful and distressing, but can also disrupt your life if it stops you from working or going about your daily routine. It can be difficult to focus or concentrate when you have a headache; relief from the pain is sometimes the only thing you can think about. Steve Ross and Olivia Rosewood explain how massage therapy can be used to relieve the pain of migraine headaches.

I have been a massage therapist for 15 years, and I love to help dissolve pain. I believe that joy, freedom, strength, and mobility are normal states of being for humans -- anything that deviates is the body shouting for help. Pain, vomiting, dizziness -- not to mention irritability -- are just a few of the symptoms I've heard about from clients who suffer from migraines. There is no worse feeling in the world than not knowing how to help. Dreaded, unpredictable, and even demobilizing in some cases, I felt so relieved when a study was published with real findings on the effect that massage can have on relieving migraines. Read more

The Antidote to Diabetes

Vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, mustard greens, and brussels sprouts, may undo diabetes damage.

Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.

A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane.

It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage. Read more

5 Things to Know about Sleep

Americans are supposedly sleep-deprived, but are we actually a nation of zombies? You'll rest easier knowing these recent sleep-related findings.

Here are five recent findings that might help you rest easier:

1. We sleep better than we think we do

For most of us, sleep deprivation is a myth. We're not zombies. The non-profit National Sleep Foundation (which takes money from the sleep-aid industry, including drug companies that make sleeping pills) says the average U.S. resident gets 7 hours a night and that's not enough, but a University of Maryland study earlier this year shows we typically get 8 hours and are doing fine. In fact, Americans get just as much sleep nowadays as they did 40 years ago, the study found. Read more

Is Ice Cream an Anti-Depressant?

Why do people always eat ice cream when they're depressed? A new study shows that while ice cream may not be an anti-depressant, the brain chemical that motivates you to eat it may be.

Some patients with depression will eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream at night before they go to bed. They feel comforted -- at least briefly -- by the high-calorie treat. Of course, it doesn't take too many nights of this before the pounds start piling up.

New research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience this month may shed some light on the biological relationship between depression and appetite. While it does not show that Ben and Jerry's is an antidepressant, it does suggest that a brain chemical, that motivates the consumption of the ice cream, may be. Read more

7 Diet Myths Exposed

Find which diet tips are bogus and which are for real. Women's Health exposes seven diet myths and replaces them with diet tips that a normal person can actually use.

Most of the time, nutritionists and dietitians are full of brilliant ideas that help you eat healthier, stay slimmer, and live longer. But every once in a while, food gurus forget that the rest of us have limited time, funds, and willpower. That's when they spit out wonky bits of wisdom like "Ask your waiter to wrap half your entrée before you start eating." Yeah, he'd be happy to--right after he sticks his thumb in your salade Niçoise. We collected seven of the hardest-to-swallow expert suggestions and replaced them with equally healthy tips that a normal person can actually use. Because unless your name is Jessica Seinfeld, you're not going to spend every second fretting about what goes on your plate. Read more

Fit Women Have More Orgasms

Eight out of ten women can improve their sex life by doing just four weeks of daily exercise.

Fit women have more orgasms, a survey has discovered - and doing regular pelvic exercises can increase your chances of ecstasy.

Eight out of ten women improved their sex lives in four weeks by doing the exercises daily - and seven out of ten of their partners said sex was better for them, too. Read more

5 Tips to Avoid Wrinkles

Although wrinkles can signify wisdom, most people nowadays would rather not have them. Beauty therapist Sarah Chapman gives five tips on how to avoid wrinkles.

Beauty therapist Sarah Chapman gives tips on how to avoid wrinkles. Skin is the largest organ and beautiful skin is the best make up one can ever have. Skin is also one of the organs that get affected with age. Skin begins to give away ones age after 30-40 years of age. Read more

Green Tea and L-Theanine: Natural Anxiety Relief

Anti-anxiety medications have a long list of warnings and can lead to addiction. Green tea and the amino acid L-theanine can lower anxiety and boost mental focus without harmful side effects, says Laura Owens.

Stress, anxiety and “busy brain,” have become standard in our daily existence. Yet chronic stress and anxiety can lower your immune system (your ability to fight off illness), diminish your quality of life and even lead to depression. L-theanine might be the solution. Read more

Selling Sickness: Antidepressants

Selling Sickness explores the unhealthy relationships between society, medical science, and the pharmaceutical industry as they promote their new "miracle cures," selling not just drugs but also the latest diseases that go with them.

The Secret to Great Hand & Foot Massages

How about this for a simple and non-invasive method of pain relief? A hand and foot massage can make you feel better in minutes. Jennifer DiBlasio explains how to give them.

Hand and foot massages are two of the most relaxing and easily learned massages that you can give. By using simple techniques, you can improve circulation and help relieve stress. And, while you’re at it, teach your partner so they can give you one in return! Read more

Sex Your Way to Better Health

While regular exercise is important to your health, sex can do so much more for you and your relationship. FOXSexpert Yvonne K. Fulbright lists twelve ways that sex can lead to better health.

Sex – it does the body good.

Yet most of us are quicker to hit the gym before hitting the sheets when it comes to taking care of ourselves. Believe it or not, huffing and puffing your way through a hot, sweat-inducing sex session may be far more beneficial to your overall health than the time you spend on the treadmill.

As research confirms time and time again, good sex in a healthy, stable, monogamous relationship can only better our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being. Sex, in this context, offers us tons of benefits, most of which aren’t touted nearly enough.

Here are just a few benefits: Read more

Think Yourself Well

Positive thinking can help ease pain, improve fitness, and prevent illness. Herbalist and hypnotherapist Anastasia Stephens explains nine ways to think yourself better.

ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

A new Australian study suggests that the faster speed that athletes achieve when taking performance-enhancing drugs is all in the mind. The study compared athletes on growth hormones with those given a placebo. Those taking the dummy pills sprinted faster, jumped higher and were able to lift heavier weights than those taking the hormones. The results imply that if you think you will perform better, you really will. That's not news to many professional athletes who for years have used creative visualisation to boost performance. "If you visualise being stronger, running faster or winning, you are priming your nervous system to do just that," says Dr Aimee Kimball, the director of mental training in sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. "Studies have found that the method can enhance physical performance significantly, sometimes by 20 per cent or more."

What to do: Visualise your forthcoming race or match. See yourself win with ease, confidence and coordination, in as much detail as possible. Feel the appropriate emotions as you play and win, and get a sense that you really "know" you can do it. Read more

Acne Solutions: 3 Secrets

Dan Wright says there are three key points you should consider in seeking remedies to your acne problem.

We can't deny the fact that in this world of beauty magazines, you would always feel that there is a need to look good. But what would you feel when there are red oily humps on your face? Of course, this would greatly affect your self-confidence and outlook on life. So while it is worthwhile to seek out effective acne treatments, it's important to also remember several important facts.

You should think about these three important things before trying to find a solution to your acne problem: Read more

DNA: Defects You Can Fix with Vitamins and Minerals

Researchers have found that there are many genetic differences that make people's enzymes less efficient than normal, and that simple supplementation with vitamins can often restore some of these deficient enzymes to full working order.

As the cost of sequencing a single human genome drops rapidly, with one company predicting a price of $100 per person in five years, soon the only reason not to look at your "personal genome" will be fear of what bad news lies in your genes.

University of California, Berkeley, scientists, however, have found a welcome reason to delve into your genetic heritage: to find the slight genetic flaws that can be fixed with remedies as simple as vitamin or mineral supplements. Read more

Drink Beet Juice to Lower Blood Pressure

Scientists have discovered that beets have a remarkable effect on lowering blood pressure. Beet juice may never become your favorite drink, but wouldn't it be better than taking blood pressure medication?

Have you ever considered swapping your morning glass of fresh orange for freshly squeezed beetroot? Thought not - but in light of a remarkable discovery, it may be worth downing the inky, purple-red stuff with your cornflakes. And, thanks to the launch this month of a scrumptious new juice, getting your daily dose won't require a pinch of the nose or scrubbing stubborn, deep purple stains off your chopping board.

Earlier this year, scientists at Barts and the London School of Medicine found that beetroot juice can have as great an effect on blood pressure as conventional drugs. Read more

Cancer Fatigue: Can Ginseng Help?

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common side effects of cancer and its treatment. Usually, it comes on suddenly, does not result from activity or exertion, and is not relieved by rest or sleep. Ginseng may be a natural remedy for this condition.

Fatigue can be a debilitating symptom of cancer, and a common side effect of its treatment. Many cancer patients going through treatment experience extreme tiredness, exhaustion, and weakness, often severe enough to adversely affect the quality of their life. Rather than add another prescription to the daily dosages, ginseng may be a natural alternative that is more palatable to patients. Read more

Want to Lose Weight? Eat Chocolate for Breakfast

According to researchers, a big breakfast packed with protein, carbs, and even something sweet can lead to weight loss.

It seems there's truth to the proverb "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper." At least when it comes to losing weight.

According to researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., starting the day with a big breakfast packed with protein - and yes, carbohydrates - can lead to significant weight loss. Read more

Remarkable Johns Hopkins Magic Mushroom Research

A Johns Hopkins University study found long-term health benefits from taking the mushroom psilocybin, which, of course, is illegal.

In 2002, at a Johns Hopkins University laboratory, a business consultant named Dede Osborn took a psychedelic drug as part of a research project.

She felt like she was taking off. She saw colors. Then it felt like her heart was ripping open.

But she called the experience joyful as well as painful, and says that it has helped her to this day.

"I feel more centered in who I am and what I'm doing," said Osborn, now 66, of Providence, R.I. "I don't seem to have those self-doubts like I used to have. I feel much more grounded (and feel that) we are all connected."

Scientists reported Tuesday that when they surveyed volunteers 14 months after they took the drug, most said they were still feeling and behaving better because of the experience. Read more

How to Make an Herbal Remedy for Tourette's Syndrome

Tourette's syndrome is classified as an anxiety disorder characterized by tics - involuntary, rapid, sudden movements or vocalizations that occur repeatedly in the same way. The more common tics are eye blinking, coughing, throat clearing, sniffing, and facial movements. The goal when treating Tourette's naturally is to heal the nervous system and bring the body back into balance.

Tourette's Syndrome is a neurological disorder that involves involuntary muscular tics, twitching, odd sounds, obscene language or even violent jerking of the body, in the person afflicted with the disease. While sufferers of Tourette's are often treated with pharmaceutical medications, there are a number of herbal remedies that can help diffuse its varying symptoms. Read on to learn how to make an herbal remedy for Tourette's. Read more

Vitamin D Can Help You Live Longer

Australian researchers found that people with normal levels of vitamin D in their body are more likely to live longer than those with a deficiency.

People with normal levels of vitamin D in their body are more likely to live longer than those with a deficiency, researchers have discovered.

The vitamin, produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight, helps the body absorb calcium and is considered important for bone health. Read more

Can Vitamins REALLY Kill You?

Dr. Mercola examines a study published this week, which claims that antioxidants, such as vitamin E, C, A, selenium and beta-carotene, can decrease your lifespan.

A Healthy Lifestyle Triggers Genetic Changes

We think of our genes as being immutable, but it turns out that lifestyle changes can turn on and turn off genes.

Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday. Read more

The Hepatitis Epidemic and Natural Remedies That Can Help

Hepatitis C kills more people than Aids/HIV - 30,000 a year. Right now, 5 million Americans are infected with Hepatitis C, and most of them don't know it. An estimated 10,000 to 30,000 Americans die from this disease or its complications each year. Fortunately, there are at least three excellent, inexpensive supplements that can be used to treat hepatitis C.

... The Hepatitis C virus causes diabetes (40% of genotype 1 have diabetes), it affects the brain causing depression, it causes lung problems, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, Sjogren's, cardiac problems, skin problems, arthritis, stomach problems, anemia, fatigue, and of course, cirrhosis. After cirrhosis comes decompensation. The liver stops working, the skin and sclera become yellow, your belly looks like you're pregnant, you're unable to process protein, you get anemic, confused, the kidneys stop working and many bleed to death.

[...]

Fortunately, there is also good news: there are at least three excellent inexpensive supplements that can be used for hepatitis. First of all, an aqueous extract of the oleander plant commonly called "oleander soup" made according to the directions in my book Cancer's Natural Enemy (http://www.rose-laurel.com) has had excellent results in treating Hepatitis C. Secondly, a great many Hepatitis C sufferers have used the natural supplement Colloidal Silver and swear by it. Read more

Always Listen to Your Liver

Dr. Janet Starr Hull explains the importance of a healthy liver and how to be good to it with natural remedies.

Your liver is the largest internal organ in your body and it houses more blood than your heart. A threat to the health of your liver typically means a threat to your overall health.

[...]

So, be good to your liver. Eat whole foods, drink lots of pure water and liquids that do not have man-made chemicals added, and supplement your diet with key nutrients (such as Dong Quai, calcium D-glucarate, and dandelion) that aid liver health. Taking care of your liver can regenerate liver tissue, protect your liver from free radical damage, reduce liver congestion, which supports other organs directly linked to the liver, and improves your immune function. Read more

Herbal Remedies "Do Work" Say Researchers

Scientific tests conducted by researchers from King's College London on a range of traditional remedies show that they have "real benefits."

Experts from King's College London said the treatments from around the world had properties which may help treat conditions such as diabetes and cancer. Read more

Searching for a Natural Remedy for Diabetes

Diabetes is an increasing common condition. Effectively treating diabetes requires a change in lifestyle along with natural remedies because, if you don’t change your diet, a natural remedy for diabetes will not be enough to control the condition.

By reducing your high fat and high sugar intake you can already be on the way to a natural remedy for diabetes. If your Type I or Type II diabetes is controlled, most people can live a normal life. Uncontrolled, however, diabetes can cause an unregulated amount of sugar into the body causing destruction of proteins and organ damage. Read more

Miracle Fruit: The Psychedelic Berry That Could Replace Sugar

The Miracle Fruit is a bright red, oval-shaped berry approximately an inch long, containing a single seed. Although not sweet itself, when a single fruit is eaten and the fleshy pulp allowed to coat the taste buds of the tongue and inside of the mouth, an extraordinary effect occurs.

Imagine drinking Tabasco sauce and thinking it tasted like a sugary glaze, or drinking a bitter beer that your taste buds are certain is chocolate. Imagine having a magic pill that could turn lemons into candy. Well, you don’t have to imagine. Like a magical treat straight out of Willy Wonka’s candy factory, the berry known as “miracle fruit” has the odd ability to rewire the way the tongue perceives bitter and sour flavors for up to two hours after consumption. The fruit has been growing in popularity in the US as the guest of honor at bizarre soirees known as "flavor tripping parties" where tasters eat the strange little fruit and then consume sour and bitter foods to experience the oddity of how their tongue transforms the flavors in a reality-defying fashion. Read more

Stiff Upper Lip Best Way to Deal with Shock

"Talking about it" may not be the best way to deal with a terrifying experience, according to a new study. Individuals who bottle up their feelings suffer fewer negative mental and physical health symptoms than people who were willing to talk.

... The popular assumption is that talking about a terrifying experience, such as a terrorist attack or natural disaster, can be therapeutic and helpful.

But new evidence suggests "getting it off your chest" may not be the right thing to do. Read more

Anti-Anxiety Herbs

Panic attacks are sudden surges of overwhelming fear that that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. One out of every 75 people worldwide will experience a panic attack at one time in their lives. Anti-anxiety herbs can be used to treat this common emotional disorder.

Even though panic attacks are not a simple condition and there are no simple answers for their successful resolution, herbal therapy can be useful as part of an integrated, multi-modality approach.

[...]

It is a good idea to experiment with different anti-anxiety herbs before you are in a crisis or panic situation. Try out several herbs in varying doses. Start with a low dose and increase if needed so that you will know how the herb affects you and how to use it when you need it.

Some effective herbal nervines to consider using: Read more

10 Things You Can Do with Yoga to Help You Keep off the Fat

Many people think of yoga as being strictly for stretching and relaxation, but did you know that yoga can also reduce fat and keep you fit?

Stiff neck, back pains, wrist pains and poor circulation – these are just some of the occupational hazards of a sedentary job. Add to that wrong diet, shallow breathing, poor posture, stress, and a work station that doesn't help you one bit. No wonder you end up putting on weight and feeling miserable. So why not de-stress, re-energize, jumpstart yourself? Work the kinks out of your body and mind each and every day of your life.

Here are 10 simple ways to help you reduce fat and keep you fit. Read more

Is Frankincense an Antidepressant?

Is frankincense the new Prozac? Scientists from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have discovered that burning frankincense activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain to alleviate anxiety or depression.

Religious leaders have contended for millennia that burning incense is good for the soul. Now, biologists have learned that it is good for our brains too. An international team of scientists, including researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, describe how burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain to alleviate anxiety or depression. This suggests that an entirely new class of depression and anxiety drugs might be right under our noses. Read more

Rosehip "Better than Painkillers" for Arthritis

A new study says that rosehip could be more effective than pain medications for easing the pain of arthritis sufferers.

The pain-relieving properties of rosehip, which has previously been linked to reduced inflammation in osteoarthritis, have been suggested for decades. Now scientists have found that powder made from a wild variety of rosehip, Rosa canina, is better at reducing pain in patients than paracetamol. Read more

What Is Reflexology?

Reflexology is about the cheapest, most convenient natural treatment available. It can be used on a wide variety of ailments, such as aches and pains, digestive problems, and fatigue. What is reflexology?

Reflexology is an ancient natural science that can be described as a specialized form of massage of the feet and hands. This natural therapy is based on the belief that each part of the body is interconnected through the nerve system to specific points on the feet and hands. It is performed to detect and correct imbalances in the body that may becoming an illness.

[...]

Today reflexology is also known as zone therapy and reflex zone therapy. We all know from our doctors and recent health reports that 80% of all illnesses involve stress. And we also know that the first step to healing is relaxation. This therapy's goal is to clear the pathways of energy flow throughout the body, increase immune response, and return balance to the body. Read more

Exercise for “Love Muscles”

Both men and women can tone their pubococcygeus (PC)muscles to improve their love lives.

Health experts say people have some muscles that hardly ever are used—except during sex. And there are specific execises to help those muscles. This story offers clinical explanations for adults of all ages interested in improving their sex life.

Scottsdale sex therapist Michele Clarkson says the key muscles involved in sex are located in the lower abdomen: the pubo coccygeus or “PC” muscles, sometimes referred to as the “love muscles”. She says one of the best exercises for those muscles—in both men and women—was developed by Dr. Arnold Kegel. Read more

Remote Viewing for Healing

Remote viewing is a structured, teachable discipline that enlists the unconscious mind to gain direct knowledge about inaccessible targets – about people, places, things, or events in the past, present, or future. Remote viewing is quite amazing and very powerful. One of its applications is for healing.

11 Get-Slim Secrets

Get the skinny on weight loss with these research-based tips.

Have you tried diets, workout plans, calorie calculators—even natural health products or pills to lose weight? If so, you’re not alone. A whopping 80 percent of Canadian women want to lose weight and 58 percent feel pressure to be thin or shed pounds, according to a recent Ipsos Reid survey sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Canada. And with good reason: we know excess pounds can raise our risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and more. A scientific analysis published in a February 2008 issue of Lancet, for instance, linked excess body weight to 20 different types of cancer, including endometrial and gallbladder cancers. Fortunately, winning the battle of the bulge may be easier than you think. Just take it one meal at a time, with these research-tested tips in hand. Read more

How to Cure Chronic Issues with Reiki

Chronic problems are the most difficult problems to cure. Even when they seem to be cured, they often recur. However, Reiki can often successfully cure chronic issues if you follow a three-step healing process.

Most Reiki practitioners have no difficulty in treating acute problems (be they physical, mental or emotional). Headache, flu, emotional shock - these things can often be cured with only one Reiki treatment.

Where it will be difficult to deal with chronic problems. These are the things that worried us for a long time, and as such have dug themselves deeper into our cellular memory ".

In simple terms, this means that we accept their long-term place in our body (or against) , What is harder to get rid of them.

Cancer, weight problems, deep emotional hurt - all these things can insinuate itself so deeply into our thinking that we feel that we will never get rid of the problem them. Read more

3 Easy Ways to Delay Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is a common sexual problem that is embarrassing and frustrating for both the man and his partner. Fortunately, there are three easy ways for men to delay ejaculation.

Premature ejaculation is the most common sexual problem in men, affecting 25%-40% of men. It’s defined as a lack of voluntary control over ejaculation. Most men experience premature ejaculation at least once in their lives, but, if premature ejaculation is a chronic or occasional problem, there are three easy ways to gain ejaculatory control. Read more

Are We TOO Clean?

Some scientists think our mania for germ-free environments may account for the skyrocketing rates of allergies and asthma.

Although no one knows why the incidence of allergies and asthma is skyrocketing in this country, a leading theory holds that the Western world is simply too clean. Some researchers call this the hygiene theory. One researcher, Marc E. Rothenberg, M.D., Ph.D., section chief of allergy and clinical immunology at Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati, calls it the delinquency theory, as in the immune system has so little to do that it turns into a kind of physiological “juvenile delinquent,” just itching to get into trouble. It’s a much-studied theory: Since 1997, scientists have published more than 6,000 research reports examining the apparent links between civilized living and allergies and asthma. Read more

5 Asthma Prevention Tips Which Could Be Life Savers!

Asthma sufferers basically have to adopt a maintenance and control aspect in dealing with their condition since the causes have still not been determined. Asthma doesn't have to diminish your quality of life, however. The Herbs Herbal Remedies blog gives five asthma prevention tips which could be lifesavers.

Winning the asthma fight starts with prevention and recognizing the causes and triggers of asthma is a great start.

Astma prevention is easier said than done though and the main problem is a lot of the triggers we need to avoid are the exact same ones we come into contact with everyday. In other words, avoiding them on occasions is nearly impossible.

Triggers such as animal fur, pollens, dust mites, chemicals, general pollution and even food, yes food, are things we come into contact everyday not because we want to but because they are part and parcel of modern day living.

So what can you do? Do you build yourself a nuclear style shelter and simply hide away from society. That thought sometimes is appealing for some strange reason but the best plan of attack for asthma prevention is just to be aware and not become complacent. Read more

Whiten Your Teeth the Natural Way

Teeth whitening treatments at the dentist work well, but they're expensive. You can use this natural method as a substitute, and all you need is a strawberry and baking soda.

White teeth and strawberries may not sound like they go hand in hand, but it turns out the berries can actually lighten your smile. Read more

How to Reduce Your Cell Phone Risks

Dr. Mercola reviews simple practical things you can to minimize brain damage from cell phone radiation.

Yoga Poses Can Prevent Falls In Women Over 65

If an elderly person falls and is injured, their ability to live independently decreases. Even a fall that does not cause an injury can limit confidence and the ability to be comfortable living independently. A new study suggests that yoga poses can prevent falls in women over 65.

A specific type of yoga can help improve stability and balance in women over age 65, which could help to prevent falls, finds a preliminary study out of Temple University's Gait Study Center.

Dr. Jinsup Song and researchers at the School of Podiatric Medicine and the College of Health Professions examined the gait and postural stability of 24 elderly females who were enrolled in an Iyengar yoga program specifically designed for those over 65. They found that at the end of the nine-week program, participants had a faster stride, an increased flexibility in the lower extremities, an improved single-leg stance and increased confidence in walking and balance. Read more

Scientists Say Food Additive Ban Could Cut Child Hyperactivity by a Third

In 1973, Benjamin Feingold M.D. presented extensive research to the American Medical Association linking food additives to learning and behavior disorders. His research has been ridiculed and studies done to disprove his statements. However, about 70% of those who have tried the Feingold diet had significant decreases in symptoms of hyperactivity. A recent British study just adds more credence to the "Feingold Hypothesis."

The number of hyperactive children could be cut by a third by banning suspect food additives, it is claimed today.

The finding by British scientists will put pressure on the Food Standards Agency to force manufacturers to stop using the "E-number" chemicals.

The researchers believe that removing artificial colours from children's foods, including cakes, drinks and sweets, would bring significant health and social benefits. Read more

Kava Kava as a Treatment for Anxiety

Kava kava is an herb that has been widely used for hundreds of years by native South Pacific Islanders. When used occasionally, kava can help you relax and even relieve anxiety.

... Recent clinical studies have shown that kava is a safe, non addictive anti-anxiety herbal, which is as effective as prescription medications containing benzodiazepines such as valium. However, unlike the prescription meds which may cause confused thinking processes and lethargy, kava actually has been demonstrated to improve concentration, memory and reaction time for people who are suffering from the symptoms caused by anxiety. Kava can be beneficial in achieving a relaxed state of mind without the adverse side effects. Read more

Lots of Water Not Beneficial

You can stop carrying around that water bottle now. It's official: drinking massive amounts of water is not beneficial to your health.

UK experts say research which finds drinking lots of water does little to improve health should not discourage people from topping up regularly.

A scientific review by the University of Pennsylvania said some people, such as athletes, may need to drink a lot.

But they found little evidence that flushing out toxins through drinking copious amounts improved health. Read more

Since humans throughout history have never drunk the massive amounts of water recommended by some modern "experts," common sense should have told us that it was neither necessary nor healthful.

Study: Mind/Body Methods Help Pain from Surgery

Undergoing surgery is traumatic enough, but the pain afterward can be debilitating for some patients. A study by the Mayo Clinic find that mind/body methods can help.

Adding to the growing movement and evidence of the benefit of integrative healing, a new study from the Mayo clinic finds that massage therapy helps decrease pain for patients recovering from heart surgery. Read more

Ayahuasca: The World's Most Powerful Herbal Medicine

The word Ayahuasca refers to a medicinal and magical drink incorporating two or more distinctive plant species capable of producing profound mental, physical and spiritual effects when brewed together and consumed in a ceremonial setting. Ayahuasca is the world's most powerful herbal medicine. It is used to treat diabetes, addiction, AIDS, cancer, chronic fatigue, asthma etc.

Cup of Black Tea Could Defend Against Anthrax Threat

Welsh and U.S. researchers say black tea - without milk - may be an antidote to the Bacillus anthracis - anthrax.

A new study by an international team of researchers from Cardiff University and University of Maryland has revealed how the humble cup of tea could well be an antidote to Bacillus anthracis --more commonly know as anthrax. Read more

Get a Natural Face-lift with Face Yoga

Women (and men) want to look younger, but is having your face surgically lifted the answer? The 15 Worst Celebrity Plastic Surgery Disasters You Will Ever See will make you think twice about undergoing cosmetic surgery. Plus, doctors are warning of superbug infections in face lifts. Is there a natural alternative to face-lift surgery?

Annelise Hagen, a Brooklyn-based yoga instructor and author of The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift, created her anti-aging workout based on a simple principle: If the muscles of the face are no different from the muscles in the rest of your body, it only stands to reason that you can tighten and tone them the same way you do the muscles below the neck.

Partly based on vocal training techniques used by actors, The Yoga Face comprises facial exercises, body poses, and breathing methods meant to detox the skin and keep it strong and supple, without Botox, surgery, or expensive "lifting" creams. Here are some of the face-massage techniques Hagen says will rejuvenate your complexion, while releasing built-up tension—which Hagen says probably accounts for 50 percent of the appearance of aging: Read more

Herbal Remedies to Bring a Fever Down

Learn what herbal remedies can prevent fever or bring a fever down.

Cosmetics: Cancer, Infertility, and More

Cosmetics are put on the body to cleanse it, make it attractive, or change its appearance. Unlike drugs, which are used to treat or prevent disease in the body, cosmetics are not supposed to change or affect the body's structure or functions. However, author Stacy Malkan reveals that the everyday products we put in our hair and on our skin may be responsible for cancer, infertility, and more.

Carcinogens in cosmetics? Petrochemicals in perfume? If only this were an urban legend. Unfortunately, it's a toxic reality, and it's showing up in our bodies.

In 2004, scientists found pesticides in the blood of newborn babies. A year later, researchers discovered perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, in human breast milk. Today, people are testing positive for a litany of hazardous substances from flame retardants to phthalates to lead.

In her new book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, Stacy Malkan exposes the toxic chemicals that lurk, often unlabeled, in the personal care products that millions of American women, men and children use every day. Read more

Vaccines, Depression, and Neurodegeneration after Age 50

Vaccines are credited with reducing the rates of infectious illness though improved sanitation and diet undoubtedly played a role as well. Whatever their virtues, vaccines also have drawbacks, which people need to know in order to make an informed decision as to whether to get vaccinated. Below are a few excerpts from an important article about the danger of the overuse of vaccines.

Public health authorities and physician societies are in an all out campaign to have every elderly person vaccinated every year with the flu vaccine as well as a growing number of newer vaccines. When I was practicing neurosurgery, the hospitals had an automatic written order on all older patients' charts mandating a flu vaccine, unless it was countermanded by the physician, which I always did.

[...]

Many elderly report that the flu shot gave them the flu. Proponents of vaccines, retort with a condescending laugh; that it is impossible because the flu vaccine contains killed flu viruses. In truth, what these people are reporting is a prolonged, intense "sickness behavior" response to the vaccine. To the body, it is worse than getting the flu.

[...]

Anxiety is a major problem with depression, and vaccinations will greatly worsen the condition. In fact, vaccination, especially multiple vaccinations, will maintain the brain in a state of inflammation that will be self-perpetuating, because the excess release of glutamate in the brain, as well as glutamate in the diet, will further enhance microglial activation and excitotoxicity. Read more

Big Pharma: Mercury Is Good for You!

The mainstream media carries water for the pharmaceutical industry again by reporting on a so-called study touting the "health benefits" of mercury. (Read about mercury poisoning here.)

Natural Stress Relief with Epsom Salt

One way to relieve stress naturally is to use Epsom salt, which adds magnesium and sulfates to the body. These nutrients are difficult to get from modern diets, but are easily absorbed through the skin.

Epsom Salt is a natural stress reliever. Epsom Salt also relieves muscle and joint pain, flushes toxins out of your body, and much more. Just add two cups of Epsom Salt to your warm bath water to take advantage of the benefits of Epsom Salt. Read more

Use Herbs for Natural Stress Relief

Have you had it with being constantly stressed out? If you suffer from anxiety, then you know what it can do to your productivity, well-being, not to mention your mental state. While you're dealing with the causes of your stress, you can use herbal remedies to gain some short-term relief.

... The best thing you can do to deal with stress is to deal with the underlying cause of the stress, obviously. But often there is precious little to be done, especially if things are a bit outside of your control. Modern day life can certainly add a lot to family stress! In that case, it is wise to make use of the many herbs that are safe and effective for stress control.

I will only mention 3, since these are well-known and are sure to help you in numerous ways. A very good friend of mine is a natural healer and herbal therapist. She uses these on an almost daily basis in her practice. (I think her most favorite is cognac, but that is not supposed to be one of these! Really, she does use it very moderately to help very uptight men lighten up a bit.) Read more

Herbal Remedies From The Australian Bush

A third-generation herbalist Ian White roams the sun-baked bush country of Australia gathering delicate flowers whose blooms are distilled into essences that deliver powerful medicinal benefits around the globe.

Slow Down Aging with Exercise

If you are looking for the fountain of youth, a new study shows that exercise may help slow the aging process itself.

A new study from King's College London adds more evidence that exercise is a true anti-aging formula.

"A sedentary lifestyle increases the propensity to aging-related diseases and premature death. Inactivity may diminish life expectancy not only by predisposing to aging-related diseases, but also because it may influence the aging process itself," study author Lynn F. Cherkas, of King's College London, said in a prepared statement. Read more

Vitamin D Supplements Dangerous - Sunshine UV Good

Vitamin D is protective against heart disease and cancer, but supplements may not be the answer to raising levels of the vitamin. In fact, they may possibly be dangerous, according to new research. Apparently, the best way to get your vitamin D is the natural way - sunshine.

Low blood levels of vitamin D have long been associated with disease, and the assumption has been that vitamin D supplements may protect against disease. However, this new research demonstrates that ingested vitamin D is immunosuppressive and that low blood levels of vitamin D may be actually a result of the disease process. Supplementation may make the disease worse. Read more

Herbal Medicine First Aid Kit

It’s important to be prepared for unexpected accidents, injuries or illnesses. Having a fully stocked first aid kit is always a great idea. Wouldn’t it be even better if that kit included remedies that were all natural and organic? Cuts, scrapes, bruises, splinters, bug bites, poison oak, sunburn, headaches, and sprained ankles can all be healed with the help of local plants.

You can even use herbal medicine to speed the healing of colds, flu, congestion, nausea, food poisoning, or strep throat. There are local plants that are anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-bacterial, and others that can be used as a pain killer or to relieve insomnia, anxiety, or symptoms of stress.

Cara Saunders has created the Herbal Medicine First Aid Kit to make natural health care easy and convenient. We all need to be prepared for accidents and illnesses; and now you can be ready with all natural organic herbal remedies. Read more

Think and Grow Breasts

Have ever wished that your breasts were, larger, firmer, bigger, or more attractive and beautiful in shape or touch? The amazing power of the mind can be used to enlarge your bust quickly, safely, and totally naturally. Bigger breasts are possible through the power of of the mind, and so now you can have bigger breasts quickly, naturally, and easily and without the need for surgery.

An Amazing Simple Eczema Folk Remedy

This man's infant son suffered from severe eczema. After a year of trying to get rid of it, applying this folk remedy - paste made from toasted rice and water - his incessant itching stopped immediately, and his eczema took only days to clear and never returned.

Whiter Teeth the Natural Way

If you've ever considered teeth whitening, you've already found out that it's expensive. Even the over-the-counter kits aren't cheap. Besides that, chemicals, which have no long-term safety record, are sometimes used. Is there an alternative to expensive and possibly unsafe teeth whitening procedures?

Going into the dentist for a teeth whitening procedure is not always a smart option. If many teeth whitening products in the market may involve using dangerous chemicals, teeth whitening products with natural ingredients can be the safest choice. In fact, as most dental experts say, the best way to brighten our teeth is the natural teeth whitening route. Just by using some preventive measures and making treatments out of herbs, we can achieve that pearly whites of our dream. Read more

4 Herbs for Acne

Acne is a chronic skin disorder most often associated with adolescence, but acne can also be a problem for some even in their twenties, thirties and forties. It is caused when sebum from an over-active sebaceous gland combines with dirt and dead skin cells to block a pore or hair follicle. Herbal treatment is the most popular and safest alternative treatment for acne. Four herbs are well-known to be helpful in the treatment of acne: basil, neem, turmeric, and sandalwood.

1) Basil is worshiped in Asian cultures as the purest and most sublime plant due to its medicinal effect on all systems of the human body. Even the soil on which the basil plant grows becomes so pure that if you have a mud bath with that soil almost all ailments of the skin disappear. Basil is extremely effective in treating skin disorders because it is a blood purifier and kills bacteria.

2) Neem has proved to be beneficial in skin disorders such as warts, scabies, psoriasis, eczema, and even dandruff. It is extremely effective in acne treatment. propeties. If Neem leaves are crushed and applied as a paste to the face affected by acne, an immediate improvement is seen within a matter of minutes.

Neem counteracts the excess sugar contents in the body which are the cause of most of the skin disorders. Ancient medical texts, such as the Sushrita Sanhita, have demonstrated that Neem somehow inhibits the multiplication of viruses by combining with the skin cells. This blockage of virus growth imparts the germicidal and anti allergic properties to Neem.

3) Turmeric has been used for centuries in the oriental cultures as a complete remedy for infections, injuries, boils, accident recovery, etc.

4) Sandalwood is an Indian plant that has an extraordinary fragrance. The bark of the sandalwood tree is extremely smooth and sandalwood paste is applied on the body to impart an extremely smooth, unblemished, and lustrous look to the skin.

It's better to try natural remedies for acne instead of drugs for a couple of reasons. First, natural treatments for acne are usually less expensive then acne drugs. They also have fewer side effects. So it makes sense to try some natural treatments for acne first.

To find out about a clinically proven, step-by-step system for permanently curing your acne and achieving lasting clear skin faster than you ever thought possible, click here!

Make an Herbal Tea to Cure Headaches

Learn how to make your own herbal remedy tea to cure headaches.

Breast Massage Technique

This breast self-massage technique is designed to move lymph out of the breast as an aid in woman's health. Reducing toxins from the breast tissues is believed to reduce breast cancer risk for cancers related to toxins.

The 10 Best Healing Herbs

New science shows that herbal remedies can ease pain, prevent Alzheimer's, and ward off cancer and heart disease. Here are the 10 best healing herbs, according to the latest medical research.

Your arsenal of home remedies is about to get a lot spicier. Though herbs have been used for hundreds of years to heal, scientists are finally starting to substantiate these plants' abilities to alleviate arthritis pain, reduce high blood sugar and cholesterol, and help with many other conditions. They're even discovering amazing new powers in some herbs, such as the ability to kill cancer cells and help problem drinkers curb their alcohol intake.

"Herbs and other natural remedies can be as effective as traditional treatments, often without the same negative side effects," says Roberta Lee, MD, medical director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. So here are 10 superhealers you'll want to add to the all-natural section of your medicine cabinet--and even to your favorite recipes! Folding one or two of them into your cooking every day can yield big benefits. Read more

Psychiatry: An Industry of Death

Psychiatrists claim that one billion people in the world are mentally ill. Could you be diagnosed as one of them? Think psychiatry has nothing to do with you? Think again.

Through rare historical and contemporary footage and interviews with more than 160 doctors, attorneys, educators, survivors and experts on the mental health industry and its abuses, this riveting documentary blazes the bright light of truth on the brutal pseudoscience and the multi-billion dollar fraud that is psychiatry.