9 Reasons To Eat Fruit

Fruit consists for the largest part of water
Just like the human body does. If you think about it, it’s logical to consume food that contains as much water as your body does…

Fruit Stimulates Our Memories
If you didn’t know yet: fruit is the ultimate brain fuel. Fruit has a positive effect on our brains and makes you recall information easier and faster…

The Miraculous Healing Effects Of Fruit
Spectacular stories about people that cured from cancer by a strict diet of raw fruits and/or vegetables are well known but do we want to believe them? We still don’t know that much about fruit and its contents…

Fruit Is 100% Bad-Cholesterol Free
No doubt about this reason. Too much cholesterol is not good for our bodies and fruit doesn’t contain much cholesterol. Animal products like meat and dairy contain a lot of cholesterol…

Fruit Makes You Feel Better
Several stories have told us about people that were frequently depressed and how they got out of their depression slowly but surely after consuming substantial amounts of fresh fruit on a regular basis. Eating a lot of fruit can have a mysterious healing effect on human beings…

Ethical Reasons To Eat Fruit
Fruit doesn’t have to be killed and slaughtered before you can eat it. The fruits are just hanging there waiting to be picked by you…

Fruit is not expensive at all
Did you always think that fruit is an expensive product? Take a good look at how much money you spend on other food. It could be worth something to replace some of those expenses with fruit…

Fibers
We do know now that a diet with plenty of fibers helps against corpulence, high blood pressure, and other factors that increase the chance for a heart disease. The food that contains these healthy (natural) fibers is…. right: FRUIT!

Fruit Is The Most Natural Food
Fruit is food that has been made by plants to be eaten by animals and humans in order to spread its seeds…

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destress@home.calm

Valerie Allen, EdD, NCSP

Are you in the “hurry-worry” mode? Is your life on a minute-to-minute schedule? Has “split timing” taken on a new dimension in your life? Is your vocabulary laced with “Hurry!, Quick! Let’s go! Come on!?” If one little change creates havoc for the rest of your day, take a deep breath, and try the “Five P Plan” to get “deserted

1. Paper
Make a “To Do” check-list. Relieve yourself of making mental notes and trying to carry them around inside your head. Time is wasted when you try to remember what you were supposed to do. This leads to frustration and anxiety. Keep a small pad with you at home and in your car, and jot things down. Get lists out of your head and into your hands.

2. Priorities
If your “To Do” list is running into several pages, you’re trying to do too much. Be realistic. Look over your list and number the 10 most important things, star the top three items. If you get those done you’ll feel you have accomplished something.

If you get to any of the other things on your list that day consider it a bonus. Don’t get lost agonizing over things you can’t control. Know there will be delays, be ready to work around barriers, be flexible, or abandon the task as needed. Do all you can do and move on.

3. Prevention Plan ahead and build in extra time for the unexpected. If you break down jobs into small steps you will avoid feeling overwhelmed. Decide those things that only you can do and delegate tasks to others which they can do independently. They may not do it as well as you but whatever they do will be better than if you never get to it

4. Perspective
Look over your “To Do” list with a critical eye. How important are all those thing? Will it matter next week, next month, or a year from now? Remember, nothing is worth your physical or mental well being. This is too high a price to pay for efficiency.

5. Pleasure
Reward yourself. Plan something nice for yourself at the end of each day. Take a walk, call a friend, soak in a warm tub, read a book., have time by yourself.

If you have a hectic day, eliminate some responsibilities that evening: skip cooking a full-course meal and let the laundry wait until tomorrow.

If your life is in high gear and spinning out of control: eat better, sleep more, keep active, and plan some down time for yourself. The “Five P Plan” works to de-stress your life and minimize your anxiety

Increasing Fiber in Your Diet

Fiber is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the body. Because it is resistant to digestion, fiber provides no nutrients to the body. For this reason, nutritionists long believed that fiber was merely filler and were unconcerned with stripping it out of bread, pasta and cereal. 

In truth, fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. It helps to maintain regularity by adding bulk to stools and drawing water into the digestive track. Fiber can also reduce cholesterol levels and decreases the risk of heart disease. And, according to recent findings, a high-fiber diet may help reduce high blood pressure as well. 

Unfortunately, most Americans get less than half of the fiber they need. The recommended daily allowance for women under the age of 50 is 25 grams. 

So what are you waiting for? Bulk up with these 10 tips for increasing your fiber intake. 

Start slowly, add a little each day and build up to the recommended level. Simultaneously, add more water to your diet. 
Eat vegetables and fruit raw whenever possible. Boiling them too long, for example, can cause up to one-half of the fiber to be lost in the water. Steam or stir-fry them if you have to cook. 
Pureeing doesn’t destroy fiber, but juice does not have the fiber of the whole fruit if the pulp has been strained away. 
Always start your day with a bowl of high-fiber cereal — one that has five or more grams per serving. 
Put fresh fruit on top of your high-fiber cereal to add another 1 g or 2 g of fiber. 
Buy and eat only whole grains. The operative word is “whole.” Look for it on the ingredient panel. Wheat bread doesn’t mean whole-wheat bread. On average, a slice of whole-wheat bread has 2 g to 3 g of fiber. Choose whole- wheat pasta instead of white, etc. 
Add beans to salads, soups and stews. 
Add bran cereal to muffins, breads and casseroles. Substitute oat bran for one-third of the all-purpose flour in baking. 
When you eat out, ask for fresh fruit instead of dessert. 
Have fruit or fresh vegetables for between-meal snacks.

Top Tips For Healthy Feet

1 – Wash your feet every day in warm soapy water (don’t soak them, as this might destroy the natural oils) and dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.

2 – If your skin is dry, apply moisturising cream all over the foot, except for between the toes.

3 – Remove hard skin gently with a pumice stone, but not if it is over a boney area or joint. If this is the case, or if the hard skin is painful, consult a registered chiropodist/podiatrist.

4 – Trim your toe nails regularly, using proper nail clippers. Cut straight across, not too short, and not down at the corners as this can lead to in-growing nails.

5 – Keep feet warm, and exercise to improve circulation.

6 – Always wear the right shoe for the job..

7 – Seek prompt treatment for burns, cuts and breaks in the skin, and for any usual changes in colour or temperature. This is particularly important if you have diabetes.

8 – If your feet hurt, something is wrong! You can also prevent foot problems before they occur by visiting a registered chiropodist/podiatrist for advice on how to keep your feet healthy.
9 – Shoes should be properly measured, comfortable, and easy to put on at the time of purchase. Don’t expect them to ‘break in’.

10 – Feet have up to 250,000 sweat glands. Your shoes can absorb up to 60% for the moisture released each day. Wear alternate shoes each day to allow them to dry out properly.

Hair Care

Try detangling dry hair before washing rather than after it’s wet.
Wash your hair in the shower. Leave it hanging down. Work the lather down the length (like milking a cow.) Never pile it up on your head while washing.
Concentrate conditioner on the ends.
Do a final rinse in cold water – refreshing in summer, worth the discomfort in winter.
Air dry whenever possible.
Get a special absorbent hair drying towel.
If you have to blow dry, do it for just a little while, air dry it some, and then blow dry a little more. Repeat till hair is dry.
If you have to blow dry, keep the diffuser on so your hair won’t get sucked into the dryer.
If you have to blow dry, wrap it in a towel for awhile before you begin.
Never, ever, brush your hair when it is wet.
de-tangle ends first. Then work your way up. Never try to rip through tangles from top to bottom.
Sit near a large electric fan (far enough away so your hair won’t get caught in it!) to speed up drying.
Buy trial sizes of new shampoos and conditioners – you may discover a new favorite.
Try rotating your shampoos/conditioners – your hair may respond well to a change in brands.
You may need different products for summer and winter. For example, my hair gets more dry and has more static in winter, so 2-in-1 shampoo conditioners only work well for me in summer.
Every scalp and its head of hair is different – so someone else’s best shampoo and conditioners may not be yours.
Here are some styling hints:

Braid wet hair to set waves.
A top knot is another good “style that sets” – you will have lots of volume when you take it down.
Buy a long haired Barbie doll to practice hair braiding, etc.
For an easy and different braid, divide hair in 3 sections as usual, make a braid out of each section and braid the 3 braided sections.
If your hair is straight and you want just a little curl, set it curlier than you want and comb it out before bed – it will relax during the night.
Learn to french braid – practice makes perfect.
Learn to Topsy Tail.
Look for non-alcohol hair sprays – less drying.
Use a leave-in conditioner before any heat styling (which you should avoid if possible.)
Use only wide-toothed combs or picks.
You’ve heard of tear-free shampoos? Here is advice on tear-free trimming.

Trim your own hair if you don’t have a hairdresser you can trust.
If you trim your own hair, put a leave-in conditioner or gel on ends before trimming to keep them in place.
Trim the ends of individual hairs that are split – and just a tiny bit at the bottom.
Frequent tiny trims are less traumatic than infrequent large trims.
If you can’t trim your own hair, maybe your boyfriend or husband can do it for you.
If you can’t trim your own hair, try asking another long haired lady to do it for you.
Never let someone who dislikes your hair trim it.
Don’t get more than a trim unless you are absolutely, totally sure you want it. If you have any doubt at all, then that proves you really want to keep your hair long.
There are a lot of good tools for styling out there.

Don’t wear “automatic” barrettes with sharp metal edges. You can paint the sharp parts with clear nail polish to make them dull. (Paint several coats – let each one dry before painting the next.)
Braid scarves or ribbons into your hair for interesting looks.
Chignon foundations are useful – you can make your own by rolling up nylon stockings into a donut shape.
Clean combs, picks and plastic brushes often with some dish shop and a soft toothbrush.
French twist combs work great – try them.
Get some chignon pins and hair sticks for top knots.
Perm for a Day curlers are great if you want a permed look – the package says it all – “Your Hair’s Too Pretty to Ruin”.
Use coated or snag free elastics only
Use sponge rollers; they are the gentlest.
Don’t color – your hair will be healthier.
Don’t crash diet – it can cause hair loss.
Don’t perm – your hair will be healthier.
Don’t smoke – your hair will smell better.
Don’t smoke – your hair won’t get dull and discolored by the tobacco smoke.
Don’t smoke – you will reduce your risk of cancer (Chemo is not good for your hair!)
Don’t hang around smokers – see previous three tips.

When Heartburn Gets Serious

Ignoring heartburn — just putting up with it, popping a few pills day after day — isn’t necessarily the best plan. There are complications that can result from letting the problem linger!

“When heartburn is not appropriately treated, acid reflux can cause erosion and ulcers in the lining of the esophagus,” says William C. Orr, PhD, a clinical professor of medicine and specialist in gastrointestinal disorders at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. 

“It’s extremely painful and greatly affects the patient’s lifestyle,” he tells WebMD. “It really alters very significantly the quality of life.” 

Long-term acid reflux can cause scarring and narrowing in the esophagus, which can also lead to swallowing difficulties, Radhika Srinivasan, MD, a gastrointestinal specialist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, tells WebMD. 

This condition, called esophageal strictures, can interfere with eating and drinking by preventing food and liquid from reaching the stomach. Strictures are treated by dilation, in which an instrument gently stretches the strictures and expands the opening in the esophagus. 

In fairly rare cases, chronic acid reflux can also cause a pre-cancerous condition called “Barrett’s esophagus,” she adds. Barrett’s esophagus is a result of the chronic acid reflux into the esophagus (swallowing tube) causing changes in the cells that line the esophagus — these cells can become cancerous. 

The odds: If 100 people have heartburn on a regular basis for many years, approximately ten would have Barrett’s esophagus; up to 0.5% of those with Barrett’s esophagus develop esophageal cancer each year. 

Whether you are at risk depends on how long you have had symptoms and their frequency, Srinivasan says. 

Thus, Barrett’s esophagus is not a condition to be taken lightly. The goal of treatment is to prevent further damage by stopping any acid reflux from the stomach. Doctors usually give patients proton pump inhibitor medications that block acid production like Aciphex, Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid, and Prilosec. If these medications do not limit reflux, surgery to tighten the sphincter, or valve between the esophagus and stomach, may be necessary. Doctors can also use a technique called ablation to destroy the abnormal tissue. 

If you aren’t sure how serious your heartburn is, consider these tips, provided by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic. If you answer yes to any of the following points, consider discussing your symptoms with your primary care doctor. 

Your heartburn symptoms have become more severe or frequent. 
You are having difficulty swallowing or have pain when swallowing, especially with solid foods or pills. 
Your heartburn is causing you to vomit. 
You’ve experienced a drastic weight loss. 
You have been using over-the-counter heartburn medications for more than two weeks (or for a longer period than recommended on the label), and you still have heartburn symptoms. 
You have heartburn symptoms even after taking prescription or non-prescription medications. 
You have severe hoarseness or wheezing. 
Your discomfort interferes with your lifestyle or daily activities.