There are two types of risk factors for heart disease, those that are controllable and those that you cannot control. The main risk factors for heart disease are being male, becoming older, a family history of heart disease, being a woman who is post-menopausal, and being African American, American Indian, or being Mexican American. These risk factors are the ones that you cannot control.
The risk factors for heart disease that you can control are smoking, having high LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol, whether you are physically active or not, obesity, and having uncontrolled diabetes, or a high C-reactive protein, and also having uncontrolled stress or anger.
You can lower your risk for heart disease by making lifestyle changes that will lower those risks of heart disease that you can control. You can make lifestyle changes that will improve your eating habits or you can become more physically active each day. You can stop smoking cigarettes if you currently smoke, and you can keep regular appointments with your doctor so that you can learn how to monitor disease such as diabetes and control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
Read the rest of this post here (555 words, estimated 2:13 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Heart, Blood, Circulatory by Dee
2 Comments »
Most women have experienced PMS at some point in their lives. Controlling the symptoms is a constant struggle, with some months worse than others. Women end up planning their personal lives around the cramping, bloating and mood swings as they know for about one week out of the month, they are not at their best. They deal with cravings and take pain relievers and wear their “fat pants” because the bloating prevents them from zipping or buttoning up. There is a way to control some of the symptoms so that the PMS experience goes a little less painfully.
Kick the Salt Habit
When bloating is a major problem during PMS week (extended stomach and/or swollen breasts), cut salt intake. Salt or sodium increases bloating and makes the body retain water, providing that uncomfortable full feeling. The week leading up to a period as well as the first day of the period is the best time to reduce salt. Of course, identifying the primary sodium culprits in the diet can be tough. It is easy to recognize sodium in chips and French fries but processed foods like lunch meats and frozen TV dinners are items that rely on salt for its taste so watch out!
Read the rest of this post here (646 words, estimated 2:35 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Women's Health by Dee
1 Comment »
If you experience an increase in the frequency at which you empty your bowels especially if the movements become looser you may be having diahhrea. There are four conditions that can be confused with diahhrea including incontinence of stool rectal urgency, incomplete evacuation and having a bowel movement immediately after a meal.
True diarrhea is defined as a frequency increase in bowel movement with consistency or looseness of stools. When you have diarrhea you have more bowel movements than you normally do. Typically an abnormal amount of bowel movements would be a number greater than 5 bowel movements in one day.
The consistency of stools when one has diarrhea are liquid or watery and abnormal in shape.
Diarrhea is the body’s way to eliminate undesirable substances from the body and may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, stomach pain, thirst, fever, nausea, and dehydration. Diarrhea and vomiting can cause fluid loss and lead quickly to dehydration, which can be dangerous in very young infants and in the elderly.
There can be many different causes for diahhrea including bacteria in food or water, food allergies, having a virus, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, taking too many laxatives, consumption of large amounts of caffeine and also some medications such as tetracycline, clyndamycin and also penicillin can cause diahhrea.
Read the rest of this post here (499 words, estimated 1:60 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Digestive Conditions by Dee
1 Comment »
There are so many great uses for essential oils. If you are new to the world of essential oils, then you will be surprised at all the ways that you can use these wonderful natural ingredients. One of the best uses for essential oils is to improve your health. Yes! Essential oils can help you keep up with your active and healthy lifestyle. Here is a closer look at how these oils can help you.
Did you know that essential oils are great for not only helping your environment smell wonderful, but also to help improve your health? There are literally hundreds of different kinds of essential oils that you can buy. These are made from natural plant materials that are pressed or steamed to create the oil. Most essential oils are made from various parts of different plants, including the petal, bark, root or leaves. Some grasses, fruits and even seeds and seed pods are used to make essential oils, too. Each of these oils are unique in that they do have healing properties. This makes it easy to find an essential oil to suit all of your health needs.
Read the rest of this post here (562 words, estimated 2:15 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Aromatherapy by Dee
1 Comment »
Have you ever found one product that “does it all� Something that is so great, you can use it to heal your body, give you a relaxing feeling at bedtime, clean your laundry and make your house smell great? If not, then you have not discovered the amazing power of lavender. Lavender is an essential oil that can help with many of your needs.
Lavender is a little purple flower that often grows wild. You have probably seen and smelled it before. It is a beautiful flower—and the beauty of this little flower extends way beyond its looks. When made into essential oil, these flowers can give you a boost in many ways in and around your house.
In fact, when you know the meaning behind the name, you will see that it really says it all. The word “lavender†comes from the Latin word “lavareâ€, which means “to washâ€. Lavender gives off a wonderfully clean scent in both flower form and oil form. You will see many people love to grow lavender around their home for its scent alone.
Read the rest of this post here (565 words, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Aromatherapy by Dee
No Comments »
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Filling Ingredients:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Topping Ingredients:
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Melted chocolate, piping icing in various colors, spider candies
Instructions:
Combine smashed up wafer crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of and sides of your greased spring form pan to create your cheesecake crust. In the big mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugars until nice and smooth. Add in the eggs and beat on low speed. Whisk in the pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice (aka your secret ingredient!) Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.
Cool for at least 10 minutes before doing anything else to the cheesecake, but don’t turn off the oven just yet. Mix up the topping ingredients’ and spread this over top of the filling. Place back in the oven for 6 minutes to melt. Run a butter knife around the edge of the pan first to loosen everything to make release easier later on. Allow to cool to room temp and refrigerate over night.
Read the rest of this post here (325 words, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Halloween by Dee
No Comments »
“I’ll get you, my pretty!â€Â These infamous words were spoken by the wicked witch in the beloved movie “The Wizard of Oz.â€Â If your daughter wants to be the good witch, Glenda, on Halloween, or would like to portray the wicked witch, here are some ideas on how to make either homemade costume.
Let’s begin with the good witch. Basically all you need is a white dress, white leotards, white shoes, a tiara, and a wand. Add some make-up and glitter and you have all you need to re-create Glenda.Â
To make the wand, you can use two straws and put one inside the other. Wrap it in gold paper and purchase star wire at your craft store, and push it through the straw. Add glitter to the star as well.  To make the tiara, you can also use star wire. Take the measurement of your child’s head and then make a circle out of the star wire to fit. Add gold ribbon to cover the base of the wire.
In addition, you may wish to add a flowing gold wrap around your daughter’s shoulders. Choose sheer fabric that has gold design.
Read the rest of this post here (406 words, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Halloween by Dee
No Comments »
Halloween is all about the treats. So, how can you make some fun treats at home that your little ones will love? It’s easier than you might think.
Do you have some Halloween Cookie Cutters? That’s all you’ll need to make these first three fun and memorable Halloween treats.
Terrifying Tortilla Chips: Start with some flour tortillas and spray a bit of canola oil on them. Sprinkle parmesan cheese or cinnamon and sugar on them. Then cut fun shapes out of the tortillas with a bat, ghost or pumpkin cookie cutter. Put the shapes into the oven for a crispy treat.
Spooky sandwiches: Make your favorite sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly works just fine. Then, using a cookie cutter, press hard into the sandwich and you’ll get a spooky treat. If you use a pumpkin shape cookie cutter, add licorice or candy corn to make eyes and nose on a jack-o-lantern face.
Creepy Cheese and Cold Cuts: Buy packaged cheese (the kind that you peel the plastic off). Also, buy some cold-cuts. Using a cookie cutter, make spooky shapes. Present the cheese and cold cuts on a platter as an appetizer – or have a sandwich smorgasbord and allow your guests to use the creepy cheese to make their own sandwiches.
Read the rest of this post here (409 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Halloween by Dee
No Comments »
We’ve all been there. Lying awake at night, tossing and turning. Staring at the clock watching the seconds tick by. For some people it’s an occasional annoyance, but if it continues, it can be a bigger problem. Lack of sleep not only makes you drowsy during the day, long term it can lead to serious mental and physical health issues. That’s why it’s important to be proactive. With a little effort and some life changes, you can live healthier with a good night’s rest.
One common reason you may not be able to fall asleep is an improper sleep schedule. Our bodies adapt to going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. If we don’t follow the same schedule every day, our brains don’t know when to go to sleep and when to wake up. While it may be more convenient to stay up late and sleep in on weekends, it’s likely going to keep you from getting to sleep on time during the week.
Not staying on a sleep schedule may not only stop you from getting rest at night, it may also affect the kind of sleep you have. If your sleep is restless or you’re not getting enough of a certain type of sleep, you’ll find yourself feeling tired even when you get your full eight hours.
Read the rest of this post here (645 words, estimated 2:35 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Insomnia, Sleep Disorders by Dee
No Comments »
Diarrhea is a distressing problem that normally will go away in a few days. It can become severe and last for much longer. People who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome will have bouts of diarrhea for days. Children can suffer chronic diarrhea after a bout of infection.
Diarrhea is when the bowels are loose and runny and you find yourself going several times a day. If left unchecked, diarrhea can cause dehydration especially in infants and small children. Some medications, stomach sickness, virus and allergies can cause diarrhea.Â
If the bout of diarrhea does not go away by itself in a few days there are ways you can ease the symptoms and stop it. One of the most common home cures especially for children is the bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast diet. This method is more effective when you add tea and yogurt with active cultures. This diet should be followed for several days because it contains foods that will add bulk to the stools, and the active cultures in the yogurt will balance the enzymes in the stomach.Â
Read the rest of this post here (725 words, estimated 2:54 mins reading time)
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Filed under: Digestive Conditions by Dee
No Comments »
