Beauty & Self Image

Category Archives: Girlfriend Topics

Combat signs of aging with simple beauty-routine updates

Combat signs of aging with simple beauty-routine updates

(BPT) – You’re probably aware that consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, and that sugar is linked to a range of health problems, including diabetes. But did you know that sugar also can make you look old? Or that dehydration can damage your skin? Some surprising factors affect your skin, but some simple changes to your beauty routine can help combat the impact aging has on your body and skin.

Defying your AGEs

Excess sugar in your body creates a substance known as “advanced glycation end-products” – AGEs – which can damage your skin. Glycation occurs when sugars bind with proteins, causing your skin to become stiff and less elastic. These effects can cause wrinkles, crow’s feet and age spots.

In addition to managing your sugar intake, adjusting your daily skin care routine can help combat the effects of AGEs. A popular product is TruAge Skin AGE Therapy Gel by Morinda. Using natural ingredients in a proprietary formula, the lightweight gel promotes healthy collagen and elastin growth, moisturizes skin and also disrupts AGE formation.

“Glycation is responsible for virtually every sign of aging and can have a devastating effect on the skin,” says Kira Davis, product line manager for Morinda. “Improving your skin’s appearance and boosting its protective layer can be as simple as adjusting your daily skin care routine to help fortify its natural defenses against AGEs.”

To learn more about TruAge, visit www.morinda.com.

Maximizing your moisture

Dehydration can cause skin to lose elasticity – so much so that doctors routinely use a simple skin-pinch test to quickly determine if a person is dehydrated. The condition can cause a host of health problems, some serious and some less concerning. Dry, itchy skin, for example, can be caused by dehydration.

It’s important to hydrate your body inside and out. Use a quality moisturizer daily. During summer months – or if you spend a lot of time outdoors year-round – choose a moisturizer that also blocks ultraviolet sunlight. Ideally, you should drink plenty of water. If that’s not possible – or you don’t care for the taste of water – choose non-caffeinated liquids such as skim milk or light fruit juices. You also can help hydrate your body by eating fruits and vegetables that have a naturally high water content, such as watermelon, cucumbers, celery and tomatoes.

Nurturing healthier skin with nutrition

Skin is influenced as much by what goes on inside your body as what it encounters on the outside. If you’re unhappy with how your skin looks, some simple dietary changes can help improve your appearance and benefit your overall health as well.

Free radicals are unstable molecules produced as a side-effect to the body’s use of oxygen. Antioxidants may stop or limit the amount of damage free radicals cause in your body, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. The National Institutes of Health say that fruits and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C, E and A. Blueberries and strawberries are high in antioxidants, as are greens such as kale and spinach. Tomatoes contain lycopene and are a wonderful ingredient in a variety of dishes, so be sure to incorporate them in your diet.

Finally, look for foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, avocados and some types of nuts. One of the many benefits of omega-3s is that they nurture the outer layer of your skin so it can more effectively protect you.

You can’t turn back the clock, but making a few small changes in your beauty routine – such as incorporating AGE-fighting products and boosting hydration – can help combat the effects aging has on your body and skin.

5 Rules to negotiate a better salary

5 rules to negotiate a better salary

(BPT) – Between networking, polishing your resume, applying and interviewing, finding a job is time consuming. Once the offer comes in, all your hard work is done, right? Not necessarily. Now is the time for negotiating – a process few people are comfortable with. Skipping it, however, can mean that you miss out on better benefits or a higher salary.

“You should always negotiate a higher salary,” says Vanessa Jackson, director of career services at The Illinois Institute of Art — Chicago. “Hiring managers expect this, so they do not start by offering the highest salary in their range.”

Rule 1: Be polite
The first rule when it comes to negotiating is to always be polite. “Say ‘Thank you very much for this opportunity. I am so excited to join your company.’ Then move into the negotiation,” says Shannon Delecki, assistant director of career services at The Art Institute of Michigan.

Your requests should never sound like demands. If they do, you could negotiate your way right out of a job. Remember, the negotiation is a balancing act. You want a higher salary but you’re looking to work with the person on the other end of the negotiation, so be respectful and use good manners always.

Rule 2: Know your worth
Make sure you’ve done your research. “Know the average salaries for the position and for the market,” says Delecki. That means what others with similar experience would make in the same city where you’ll be working.

And this isn’t a time to be modest about your potential value to the company. “Tell the company why you are worth more than you are being offered. Show them how you will contribute to the company’s profits and help their bottom line,” advises Delecki.

Rule 3: Ask for the right amount
Ask for too little and you’ll sell yourself short, but if you ask for too much you’ll risk offending your future employer. How much should you ask for? Jackson recommends anywhere from $3,000 – $5,000 above the company’s offer. After conveying your gratitude for the job offer, confidently state: “I’m hoping to negotiate a salary closer to $XX.”

Rule 4: Don’t forget other benefits
There are times that companies may not be able to budge on the dollar amount, but that doesn’t mean negotiations are done. This could be an opportunity to negotiate other benefits like paid time off. “Ask the company whether they can be more flexible about vacation or PTO days,” says Delecki.

In addition to vacation days, other benefits that you could try to negotiate for include flex time for working from home and subsidized day-care costs. “I’ve known people who negotiated for immediate vesting in the company’s 401(k),” observes Jackson.

Rule 5: Be realistic
Keep in mind, people negotiating higher-level jobs will likely have more success negotiating. If you are just out of college and accepting an entry-level job, employers typically will not negotiate much, if at all. Young professionals can always ask, but they must be realistic about what they should ask for and about what an employer is likely to approve.

Parents: School is back in session, time to teach kids vital financial lessons

Parents: School is back in session, time to teach kids vital financial lessons

(BPT) – The first months of the school year are full of new lessons and experiences for children. While subjects like history, science and math aim to prepare kids for college and careers, there’s one vitally important educational goal that falls to parents to fulfill – financial education.

Parents are kids’ number one resource for learning about money. Fifty-one percent of Generation Z children report they were taught financial lessons from their parents, according to a recent survey by TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (NYSE: AMTD). Only 10 percent said they learned financial lessons from a teacher or school course, and only 7 percent gained their information from websites and blogs.

“According to the survey, the average age when children begin learning the importance of savings is 15,” says Lule Demmissie, managing director of retirement for TD Ameritrade. “But there’s no need to wait. Even younger children can benefit from early conversations about credit cards, retirement planning, saving and investing. Our research shows that children whose parents talk to them about financial responsibility at an early age are more likely to see saving as important, and develop good budgeting habits as adults.”

The TD Ameritrade survey found children need a little extra guidance when it comes to managing credit card debt, saving for retirement and understanding the best ways to invest:

* Older members of Gen Z are accruing credit card debt, with just 43 percent of Gen Z respondents saying they pay off their credit card bills every month, down from 59 percent in last year’s Gen Z survey.

* Most kids anticipate their adult financial priorities will be finding a job, buying a car, paying off student debt, getting married, buying a home and saving for retirement – in that order.

* Just 17 percent say the best way to plan for retirement is investing in the stock market, while 47 percent believe that a savings account is the best way to prepare for retirement.

“Back-to-school time present parents with the perfect opportunity to begin sharing financial lessons with their children,” Demmissie says.

Here are some ideas for parents who are looking to help their children establish good money-management skills now and in the future:

Establish good savings habits early

Explain to children the importance of savings, and how saving money can help protect them when they experience things like job loss or unexpected car repairs. Help them understand how to balance expenses and income, and the difference between a “need” and a “want.” This can help them understand what they can realistically afford. As part of this lesson, it’s important to teach them how to create and follow a budget, so they can avoid getting into debt. Don’t forget technology can also be a valuable tool to help teach those lessons. There are several budgeting and financial apps available that are geared towards kids.

Model the behaviors you want them to learn

Show children how your own family budget shapes up every month – a portion for savings, for investing, for gas, household expenses, etc. When your child asks for spending money, rather than just handing it over, establish a lending arrangement. Agree on repayment terms, including interest, and help your child understand how to make payments and how long it will take to repay. This experience of showing rather than telling can work well when educating kids about money concepts that may be a bit more difficult to grasp like managing debt or budgeting.

Discuss balance

Trade-offs and sacrifices are essential elements of money management. You can help kids grasp these concepts through application. For example, if your daughter wants to buy a $500 tablet but has only $200 saved, help her examine how she can make up the shortfall. Will she work for the money? How long will she need to work in order to get $300? What other purchases or expenses (like a weekly movie) will she need to give up in order to save the money and reach her goal?

Share your experiences

Everyone makes mistakes – such as racking up too much credit card debt in college or waiting until your 30s to begin saving or investing for retirement. Hopefully you’ve learned from your mistakes and can share the benefit of that knowledge with your children early. Be honest with your kids about the financial mistakes you’ve made, what you learned from them and how they can avoid making similar mistakes.

“The more parents can teach their children about money and help them understand things like establishing a monthly budget or the importance of good credit, the more kids will be able use those lessons when making solo financial decisions in the future,” Demmissie says.

For more tips on how to talk to kids about money, visit TD Ameritrade’s Education Center at www.tdameritrade.com/education.page.

Provided by: TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation, brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC

Going back to school? Tips to choose the right degree

Going back to school? Tips to choose the right degree

(BPT) – For many, earning a college degree opened the door to the working world; it may have even been instrumental in landing your current job. But are you applying what you learned in college to your current career field? A recent survey suggests this might not be the case.

Only 35 percent of college-educated workers consider all or most of what they learned in college to be applicable to their current jobs, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix.

Today, many working adults are returning to college to either complete a degree that better aligns with the skills required for their current job or earn a second degree to gain additional experience for a potential career change. The National Center for Education Statistics reports an estimated 8.7 million adults over the age of 25 were planning to enroll in college in 2013, up nearly 37 percent from 2000.

“There is significant progress being made in higher education to adapt to the needs of the employment market and tie curriculum to careers earlier in a student’s education,” says University of Phoenix School of Business Executive Dean Ruth Veloria. “It is critical to choose the right degree program so you know the knowledge you glean from coursework can be applied to the career you desire.”

Veloria offers these tips to help you get the most out of your educational experience:

* Research degree programs with a career in mind – Don’t wait until you are enrolled in college to determine your career path. Research specific positions, develop learning plans with an academic advisor and take career and skills assessments. Phoenix Career Guidance System is designed to help any student – from those just starting to those looking to advance their careers – research jobs related to different degree programs and discover which fields best fit their interests and personalities.

* Go straight to the source – If you know someone currently working in the career field in which you are interested, schedule an informational interview to learn more about the skills and experience required for that line of work. Don’t know anyone? Veloria recommends joining industry associations and attending networking events as a way to make new contacts and learn more about a new career field or job.

* Communicate with your boss – Your return to school will most likely benefit your company, so share your education plans with your boss, including how your classroom learning can benefit colleagues and special projects in the workplace. If your manager feels invested in your goals, it could be a source of support and motivation for you. Additionally, contact your human resources department to see if the company offers education reimbursement benefits to help pay for school.

* Consider certificate programs that lead to a degree – Many working adults balance school with workplace and family priorities, so it can take additional time to earn a college degree. University of Phoenix offers a certificate option that allows you to move core courses toward the front of your degree program. This program allows you to earn certificates along the way to degree completion to help you gain the knowledge needed to elevate your career.

“Researching and planning the education path you need to achieve your career goals is very important,” says Veloria. “You want to know that the skills you learn in college are the skills you need to advance your career to the next level.”

5 Vital questions to ask your financial advisor

5 vital questions to ask your financial professional

(BPT) – When was the last time you met with a financial professional? Would you be more likely to keep those appointments if you knew some specific questions to ask? These meetings provide an important opportunity for you to ensure your strategy is still on track and ensure your family and finances are protected. You can get the most out of your meeting by asking the right questions.

Whether it’s your first meeting or your 20th, Thrivent Financial suggests you consider asking these questions when meeting with a financial professional:

1. Is my coverage adequate?

Ensuring proper financial protection against death, disability or injury is one of the most important things you can do for your family. Talk to your financial professional about cost concerns, protection options and how you can make sure that your family will be covered financially in the event of an untimely death or disability. If you’ve experienced major life changes like the birth or adoption of a child, purchased a house or gotten married, chances are your protection will need updating.

2. What are some creative ways we can refine my strategy to help maximize benefits?

A financial professional can help you organize your financial strategy in a way that factors in things like taxes and market volatility, and he or she will know what changes are on the horizon that could affect you. A financial professional can also help use primary products, like life insurance, in unique ways – like helping supplement a retirement income stream. These are applications many don’t know about but can offer different advantages to your financial strategy.

3. How are my financial strategies aligning with my values?

Having a financial strategy that allows you to align your finances with your values is another important topic to bring up. If you have charitable causes you want to support, or volunteer trips you want to take, make sure your financial professional knows about them. He or she can help you develop ways to bring your generosity to life.

4. Tell me about the strength and stability of your company or organization.

Insurance is only as strong as the ability of your financial institution to pay out claims when you need to claim a contract. Make sure to investigate the strength and stability of any company you’re working with to ensure it is financially sound enough to make good on its obligations.

5. What should I do differently in the next year?

This seems like an easy question, but you’d be amazed how few people ask it. Your financial professional is often in a unique position to help you stay ahead of the curve when it comes to your future strategy needs. Taking advantage of market volatility and ensuring your future protection needs are just two of the many variables to consider. Yearly meetings with a financial professional can help you hone your financial strategies for the upcoming year and help keep them as healthy as possible.

Your time is valuable, and your financial future is even more valuable to you and your family. Make sure you’re maximizing both and ensure you get the most out of meeting with your financial professional.

Drive safely with your newborn by following these tips

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(BPT) – Babies change everything. Their arrival means that new parents need to become educated – quickly – on cribs, strollers and most importantly, child-safety seats and all their rules. And as federal recommendations on car seats continue to evolve, parents have one more thing to stay on top of.

The family car safety experts at Cars.com, in partnership with Toluna QuickSurveys, recently conducted a poll that asked parents what they worried about most when bringing a newborn home from the hospital. Results revealed that 93 percent of new parents listed the fear of other drivers on the road as a top concern when driving with a newborn.

“Every new parent wants to cover the car in protective bubble wrap when driving with their baby. I know my husband and I did,” says Cars.com editor and expert mom Jennifer Newman. “That isn’t realistic, but there are a few things you can take control of that will help ease your anxiety when driving with your newborn.”

Instead of bubble wrap, Newman suggests:

* Car seat check: Make sure a certified child passenger safety technician inspects your car seat installation before the baby arrives.

* Practice safe driving: It’s going to be tough, especially if your newborn starts wailing, but remember to keep your eyes on the road. If you can’t stop yourself from turning around to check on the baby, pull over and then make sure everything is OK with your wee one.

* Keep the baby in the car seat: If one parent rides in the backseat with the baby, remember that it is never OK to remove the child from a car seat while someone is driving. The safest place for a baby – even one that’s screaming – is in a rear-facing car seat when the car is moving.

* Keep your car properly maintained: Take your car in for regular, scheduled maintenance to ensure everything is in working order and all fluids are topped. Keeping a safe car can create a safer ride for your little one.

These steps allow parents to focus on the road and should lessen some of their concerns about their child’s safety in the car. In addition, Newman also suggests parents skip using items such as a baby mirror in the car. Mirrors and other items like toys that hang from a car seat’s handle can become dangerous projectiles in a crash and harm your child or you.

For more information, visit Cars.com to learn more tips on child driving safety.

 

How Female Hormonal Changes Can Contribute to Anxiety and Panic

How Female Hormonal Changes Can Contribute to Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Author:

Deanne Repich

Some women are more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations than others. For many women, anxiety issues appear for the first time during periods of hormonal change. For other women, hormonal changes intensify previously existing anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), post-childbirth, and perimenopause (the period of time before the onset of menopause). It may take the form of panic attacks, nervousness, sweating, intense fear, anxiety combined with depression, or other overwhelming symptoms.

Here are several periods of hormonal change that can intensify or trigger anxiety in women.

Puberty — Developing girls experience hormonal changes as they prepare to begin their reproductive years.

Monthly menstrual cycle — Often girls and women experience PMS the week before their period.

Following childbirth — The severe drop in certain hormones following childbirth can cause dramatic physical symptoms and a temporary feeling of depression or anxiety; in some women, it is prolonged.

Perimenopause — Perimenopause is the period of time when the body is approaching menopause. It may last from two to ten years. During this time the menstrual cycle becomes irregular as the hormone levels keep fluctuating, causing some women to experience PMS-like symptoms.

Although many of us may use the term ‘going through menopause’ to describe this period of time, it is actually called perimenopause. Many women experience panic attacks for the first time during perimenopause. Other symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes, rapid heartbeat, and sweating are also common.

With surgical menopause (hysterectomy), you\’ll likely experience perimenopausal symptoms after the surgery, even if you did not experience symptoms prior to surgery. Symptoms can be prolonged and are due to the dramatic and sudden decrease of certain hormones as a result of the hysterectomy.

In non-surgical circumstances, menopause occurs after a woman has no periods for twelve consecutive months. It lasts only one day. Many women report feeling better than ever mentally and physically after menopause, due to the fact that hormone levels stabilize.

Hormonal Change Triggers the Fight Or Flight Response

Due to the fact that hormonal change causes physical and psychological stress, it triggers our ‘fight or flight’ response. The fight or flight response is the body\’s inborn, self-protective response to perceived danger.

When we perceive that we are under stress, our bodies send out a rush of cortisol, adrenaline, and other brain chemicals to prepare us to ‘fight’ or ‘flee’ the danger.

The fight or flight response triggers the physiological changes that we associate with anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, sweating, muscle tension, narrowed mental focus, heightened emotion, and many other symptoms.

These are the same physical sensations that many women experience when their hormone levels fluctuate. In other words, most of the symptoms women experience during times of hormonal change are really fight or flight reactions. While these physical sensations are not dangerous, they can be very intense and overwhelming.

Our fight or flight response mechanism can become ‘hypersensitive’ with the various hormonal changes in our bodies that take place from puberty to menopause. Many of us are in a constant state of stress due to our lifestyle and thought patterns, which also causes hypersensitivity.

In other words, our bodies may be stuck in the ‘on’ switch of fight or flight. What normally wouldn\’t trigger symptoms, now initiates symptoms and perpetuates an ongoing cycle.

Fight or flight reactions in and of themselves are harmless. However, when our thoughts convince our rational minds that these symptoms are scary and dangerous, we create an anxiety cycle.

Anxiety consists of more than fight or flight reactions acting by themselves. Unproductive thoughts play a critical role in creating and perpetuating the anxiety we experience.

Our thoughts convert fight or flight reactions into anxiety, and a self-perpetuating cycle begins. Soon we find ourselves limiting our behaviors because of anxiety as well, which further entrenches the vicious cycle.

When a person is under stress, unresolved emotions and issues commonly come to the forefront. Because hormonal change is a major stressor, it can bring up internal conflicts and self-doubt in many areas of our lives. All of a sudden, we may find that the negative self-talk that we successfully pushed to the background of our lives during less stressful times is now playing center stage.

During periods of hormonal change, we may also feel uncertain about our changing roles (e.g. maturing from girl to woman, becoming a mother, becoming a mature woman past childbearing years), which can add to our internal conflict.

When we fail to successfully resolve internal conflicts and the unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to them, we create a breeding ground for anxiety. Combined with fight or flight symptoms, it\’s no wonder that these unproductive thoughts create and perpetuate the anxiety cycle!

What can you do if hormone-related anxiety affects you?

Here\’s some great news! The same tools that you can use to overcome anxiety due to other reasons can help you to conquer anxiety related to hormonal changes too.

Research shows that cognitive-behavioral techniques that help you change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, and nutritional strategies (all found in our Conquer Anxiety Success Program) can help women dealing with hormonal changes.

These types of strategies not only help women regain a sense of control over their lives, but actually achieve improved physical and emotional well being! Here are a few tips to get you started:

— Focus on reducing preventable stress in your life that triggers the fight or flight response — stop the yo-yo dieting; increase sleep to eight or nine hours a night; exercise regularly; don\’t skip meals; cut back on your frantic schedule; and decrease stimulants, such as caffeine.

The body isn\’t designed for constant stress. When we are bombarded with stress, our ability to cope can become overwhelmed because the elevation in stress hormones makes the fight or flight switch remain ‘on.’

— Learn how to train your body to respond differently to stress so that you can automatically turn the false alarm ‘off’ when the fight or flight response is triggered. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can help you achieve this goal.

— Most importantly, learn how to change how you think. Our thoughts are what convert the harmless fight or flight response into a vicious cycle of anxiety. Remember, just as our thoughts hold the key to creating anxiety, they also hold the key to eliminating it!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/how-female-hormonal-changes-can-contribute-to-anxiety-and-panic-attacks-80950.html

About the Author

Deanne Repich, founder and director of the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc., is an internationally known anxiety educator, teacher, author, and former sufferer. Tens of thousands of anxiety sufferers have sought her expertise to help them reclaim their lives from anxiety, stress, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, anxiety attacks and social anxiety. She is the creator of the Conquer Anxiety Success Program, author of more than seventy-five articles, and publishes the Anxiety-Free Living printed Newsletter for anxiety sufferers. To learn more about anxietyand to immediately download her free e-book Anxiety Tips: Seven Keys to Overcoming Anxiety, visit http://www.ConquerAnxiety.com.

Can Vitamins Really Help Me Grow Healthy Hair

Can Vitamins Really Help Me Grow Healthy Hair

Author: Eddie Yakubovich

An important factor most people overlook when they discuss a thinning or hair loss problem is nutrition. The modern diet for most of us is lacking at best. We should supplement our diets with vitamin and mineral supplementation. Even those of us who really watch what we eat, may not be getting enough of the key nutrient necessary for healthy hair growth. Getting proper nutrition is vital to healthy hair growth, while your body needs a variety of nutrients to maintain proper body functions, there are a handful that are key to hair growth and health.

First we need to caution you that when starting a new vitamin regime, consistency is very important. You also need to be patient, it normally takes from 2 to 3 months to see results in your hair’s condition. It’s also important to check with your doctor before starting a vitamin program, especially if you have health concerns.

Now that we have set a few parameters and made our cautionary statements, let look at some of the more important vitamins when it comes to hair health in no specific order. In an attempt to be as useful as possible we will list the vitamin, any good food sources, and a recommended daily dose for supplementation:

1. Vitamin A – Antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp. Food sources: Fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, carrots, apricots and peaches. Daily Dose: 5,000 IU.

2. Vitamin C – Antioxidant that helps maintain skin & hair health. Food sources: Citrus fruits, strawberries, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables. Daily Dose: 60 mg.

3. Vitamin E – Antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation. Food sources: Cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables. Daily dose: Up to 400 IU. Warnings: Can raise blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. People taking high blood pressure medication or anticoagulants should check with their doctors before taking Vitamin E supplements.

4. Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) – Prevents graying and hair loss. Food sources: Whole grain cereals, brewer’s yeast, organ meats and egg yolks. Daily dose: 4-7 mg.

5. Vitamin B6 – Prevents hair loss, helps create melanin, which gives hair its color. Food sources: Brewer’s yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, vegetables, organ meats and egg yolk. Daily dose: 1.6 mg. Vitamin B12 – Prevents hair loss. Food sources: Chicken, fish, eggs and milk. Daily dose

6. Biotin – Helps produce keratin, may prevent graying and hair loss. Food sources: Brewer’s yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk. Daily dose: 150-300 mcg.

7. Inositol – Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. Food sources: Whole grains, brewer’s yeast, liver and citrus fruits. Daily Dose: Up to 600 mg.

8. Niacin (Vitamin B3) – Promotes scalp circulation. Food sources: Brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, fish, chicken, turkey and meat. Daily dose: 15 mg.

9. Biotin – Helps produce keratin, may prevent graying and hair loss. Food sources: Brewer’s yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk. Daily dose: 150-300 mcg.

10. Inositol – Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. Food sources: Whole grains, brewer’s yeast, liver and citrus fruits. Daily Dose: Up to 600 mg.

I hope this give you at least a basic understanding of what vitamins can help with hair thinning and or hair loss problems. There are many other products available that can be helpful. There are several prescription drug regimes to try, so take the time to speak with your doctor. There are also many herbal and natural hair growth remedies available without a prescription, we believe strongly that you should also discuss these products with your doctor.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/can-vitamins-really-help-me-grow-healthy-hair-258719.html

About the Author

Find out more about hair vitamins, liquid vitamins, and liquid vitamin supplements.

African Americans with type 2 diabetes take America’s Diabetes Challenge and pledge to get to their goals

19679229_wide(BPT) – S. Epatha Merkerson is well-known for her award-winning roles on the stage and screen. But what you may not know is that she is one of the 4.9 million African-American adults living with diabetes – that’s nearly 20 percent of the adult African-American population.

In 2003, after having her blood sugar tested at a health fair event and being advised to see her doctor, Merkerson got an important wake-up call – she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Despite having a family history of the disease, she was unaware she had the condition, and following her diagnosis, Merkerson got serious about her health. She worked with her doctor to learn her A1C (average blood sugar level over the past two to three months) and set a personal A1C goal, so she could help get her blood sugar under control.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that many people with diabetes have an A1C of less than 7 percent to help reduce the risk of complications, such as blindness, amputation, heart disease and stroke and nearly half of people with diabetes have an A1C greater than 7 percent. For certain individuals, a higher or lower A1C may be more appropriate, which is why it is important for people with diabetes to speak with their health care providers to discuss the A1C goal that is right for them.

Type 2 diabetes is a significant health concern in the African-American community. African Americans are more likely than other ethnic groups to be affected by type 2 diabetes and to experience serious long-term health problems over time from the disease. In fact, it is the fourth leading cause of death in the community.

Accept the challenge to get to your goals!

That’s why Merkerson is now teaming up with Merck on America’s Diabetes Challenge: Get to Your Goals. As a part of this program, Merkerson is encouraging African Americans living with type 2 diabetes to join her in pledging to know their A1C and to talk to their doctors about setting and attaining their own A1C goal.

“I lost my father and grandmother to complications of diabetes,” says Merkerson, “So I learned firsthand how important it is to know your A1C and make a commitment to get to your goal. I’m excited to be working on this program to help other African Americans with the condition learn about proper blood sugar management and inspire them to achieve their own blood sugar goals.”

To help meet her personal A1C goal, Merkerson worked closely with her doctor to create an individualized diabetes treatment plan, including diet, exercise and medications that fit her specific needs. By sticking to this plan – and making changes with her doctor when necessary – Merkerson has kept her blood sugar under control. It’s important to keep in mind that because diabetes is a progressive disease, sometimes, despite one’s best efforts, their doctor may need to adjust their treatment plans over time to help them reach their blood sugar goals.         

Most people with diabetes are aware of the importance of controlling high blood sugar, but it’s also important for patients to understand why blood sugar can sometimes go too low. For people on certain diabetes medications, low blood sugar can be caused by skipping meals or excessive exercise and can make you feel shaky, dizzy, sweaty or hungry, and sometimes, faint. If you have type 2 diabetes, make sure your doctor explains the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar to you and let him or her know if you are experiencing any of those symptoms.

Merkerson is urging fellow patients and their loved ones to visit www.AmericasDiabetesChallenge.com and join the America’s Diabetes Challenge Facebook community at Facebook.com/AmericasDiabetesChallenge where they can make their personal A1C pledge, learn more about her diabetes story, and find tips for better blood sugar management.

Key questions to ask your doctor

Achieving blood sugar control can be challenging, yet it is a crucial part of a diabetes management plan. People who join Merkerson in accepting America’s Diabetes Challenge can stay motivated and take an active role in controlling their blood sugar by asking a few key questions to guide their discussion with their doctor:

* What is my A1C and what should my goal be?

* How often should I test my blood sugar and what should my targets be?

* What are the possible side effects of the medication(s) I am taking?

* What are the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar?

* Do I need to make any changes to my overall diabetes management plan?

This is a test post. Understanding the concept and art of communication is everything. Unfortunately, it’s the key to most relationships and the majority of relationships are lacking good communication skills.

How to get motivated: 4NLP Strategies that work

How to get motivated: 4 NLP strategies that work

Author:

Anna Aparicio

/mo·ti·va·tion/

1. The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way

2. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something

3. *My own definition: the art of getting off your butt and getting stuff done


Because here is the thing: you may have a burning desire to do something, you may have the best will in the world, you may even know all the reasons why you should do it… but if you haven\’t done it yet, don\’t be surprised.

Getting motivated doesn\’t happen by coincidence or by miracle. Motivation is not something that some people have and others don\’t either. It is something we all do, consciously or unconsciously, everyday!

Motivation is not something you have or don\’t have; it is something you do

Take training, for example, notice I say training, and not exercising! We want to do it, we know it is good for us, we know it is going to make us look better and feel better… but after a hard day\’s work, when tiredness sets in, who would blame us for wanting to slouch on the couch and watch some TV while eating our favourite treat?

Well, think of taking a shower for a moment. Most of us do it every day. We don\’t wait until we are all stinky to clean ourselves. We do it because it is the right thing to do; it is time to take a shower.

We are able to do this because we have built up this good habit over the years through repetition. We do it at the same time, in the same place, following the same routine, which is so ingrained in our unconscious that we are barely aware of the process.

If you want to get to the point where your training routine goes as smoothly as your shower routine, start following the following NLP rules:

1# IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

Answer these questions:

What do you want specifically? When do you want it by? Where? With whom? What for? What will happen if you achieve that? What if you don\’t achieve that? Is it under your control? Is it worth it?

You see, when setting up goals, a lot of people do it wrong. They state what they want to have, not what they want to do; things like ‘I want to be slim’, ‘I want a six pack’ or ‘I want to have toned arms’… But, what do you want to do? Because it is as a result of you doing what you need to do that you will get to have what you want.

Your objective needs to be stated in a way that your brain understands it. And just like your computer, your brain needs 3 things: affirmative statements that are direct and very specific.

If you are just thinking it then it is not an objective, it is just a thought. So, put pen to paper and write your answers to the questions above.

If you don\’t know what you want, how will you know when you\’ve got there?


 2# MAKE A PLAN

Again, if you don\’t have a plan, all you have is a lovely thought. I suggest you get yourself a diary, an excel sheet, a calendar, whatever works for you, and devise your personal strategy. A strategy to suit your lifestyle, your working schedule, etc…

Keeping the end result in mind, what is the first step you need to take in order for you to do what you need to do? And after that? What\’s next? Do you have all the resources you need (resources are materials, books, money, people…), or do you need help?

If it\’s going to take you 12 weeks to get a six pack, set a date and work backwards from there. If you want to lose a stone in 3 weeks, do the same. Break your objective into smaller, more achievable chunks, so that this week you know exactly what you are doing with regards to training and nutrition, and you can focus on just that. As I tell my clients, it\’s one week at a time, one day at a time.

You see, now you have more than just a nice thought; now you have a plan of action. And believe it or not, this is what most people lack. It\’s hard to get motivated if you don\’t know what you want to get motivated for!

And what are you going to do when you are tired, sad, in a mad mood, frustrated…? You must put strategies in place, so when that happens, and it will, you know exactly what to do. You have to become a bit of a ninja!

3# FIND OUT WHAT FIRES YOU UP

There are a lot of things that we need to or should do, but that doesn\’t mean we do them. So I want you to try on the following sentences, simply add what you want to be able to do at the end.

For example, if you want to go to the gym every day at 6pm for an hour, try these on. Say them out loud:

I should go to the gym – I need to go to the gym – I have to go to the gym – I\’d better go to the gym –

I could go to the gym – I can go to the gym – I will go to the gym – I\’m going to the gym

Do this a few times and notice which one creates the strongest feeling within you, like you want to go do it. You\’ve just unlocked your personal motivational language. Make sure you use it from now on!

4# IMAGINE YOURSELF SUCCEEDING

One of the main functions of the brain is to prove itself right. So, whatever you focus on is magnified, as the brain thinks it is an objective of yours. Also, the brain doesn\’t know the difference between a vividly imagined memory and reality. This is why if you want to do something, it\’s vital you imagine yourself doing it like this (read this NLP resource fully before you do it):

 

Think of yourself doing the thing you want to do, training in the gym, or whatever. When you think about it you may notice the thought to be at a certain distance from you, a certain size, and in a certain place. Just make sure you see yourself in it, looking happy, positive and really enjoying what you are doing.

 Now, imagine the thought getting bigger and bigger until it\’s almost panoramic. Make sure it\’s big, bold and colourful, maybe add some sound to it, and notice how good you feel.

 Now, imagine you can float outside of your body and into yourself in the image, so you can see through your eyes, hear through your ears and feel how good it feels to be doing what you are doing and loving it too! Intensify everything even more, so the colours are brighter, the sounds louder and the feelings stronger.

 Now, tell yourself in your most motivating voice ‘Go For It!’

 Now, take a deep breath through the nose and magnify the feelings so you feel even more motivated!

 Repeat 3 times, first sitting down, and then standing up, and notice how you feel even more motivated!

It\’s vital that you build a propulsion system that makes you feel good and look forward to doing the things you want to do, so that you want to do them more and more. This is how you get to build up new more useful habits to last you a lifetime.

I\’ve just shared 4 motivational strategies with you,  that when you use them, they will help you get more stuff done and achieve more, faster. They can be applied in any area of your life. These strategies have helped transform some of my clients from couch potatoes into fitness freaks, so good luck to you!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/how-to-get-motivated-4-nlp-strategies-that-work-5109860.html

About the Author

Anna Aparicio is regarded as Ireland\’s top female NLP/Hypnosis Life Coach. A Self-esteem and Confidence Expert, she has helped hundreds of women all around the world feel empowered, super confident, and lead happier more succesful lives. With a unique blend of Neuro-linguistic Programming, cutting edge personal development tools, and a contagious sense of humour and zest for life, Anna is renowned for getting results fast. Now you can get her free report WHY YOU\’LL NEVER GET WHAT YOU WANT UNLESS YOU DO THIS at http://www.delite.ie