How To Keep Your Legs From Being So Dry
I read this in Shop Smart Magazine.  I always have itchy flaking skin on my legs during
the winter and in the summer from the sun.  I used to just put lotion on all the time, but
it only helped a little.  I read that you should exfoliate your legs every few days and then
put lotion on right after your shower when your legs are still wet and have just been exfoliated.  It also helps you shave with less cuts because the hairs stand up better.  Use a wash cloth or a scrub not a loofah which can have bacteria in it from hanging in the shower or being damp.



Lice Prevention Tip
This mom Carolyn told me about a tip she heard that can help keep lice away from
your child.  There are many herbal stores that sell expensive concoctions that they tell you to put on your hair to help keep lice away.  The main ingredient in those is Tea Tree Oil.  You
can buy a bottle of it for $5.00 or so and put 2-3 drops in all your shampoo bottles and shake them up.  Tea Tree oil is not something lice bugs like.  She also sprays her kids backpacks with a spray that has it as well.

Study Shows That Suffocating

Head Lice Works In New Treatment

New FDA Approved Treatment Is Safe and Effective in Children As Young As 6 Months Old

A new non-neurotoxic treatment for head lice has been found to have an average of 91.2% treatment success rate after one week, and to be safe in humans from six months of age and up. This is the finding of a study published today in Pediatric Dermatology.

Benzyl Alcohol Lotion 5% (known as UlesfiaTM) works by suffocating lice, a method which has been attempted by treating with household items such as mayonnaise, olive oil and petroleum jelly. Studies have shown that overnight treatments with these home remedies may initially appear to kill lice, but later a “resurrection effect” occurs after rinsing, because lice can resist asphyxiation. This is accomplished by the louse’s ability to presumably close its spiracles, the external entry points to the breathing apparatus, when submerged. Unlike commonly used asphyxiant remedies, scanning electron microscopy appears to indicate that benzyl alcoho
l lotion effectively asphyxiates lice by “stunning” the spiracles open, allowing the lotion,
comprised of mineral oil and other inactive ingredients, to infiltrate the “honeycomb”
respiratory apparatus and kill lice.

The phase III trials were comprised of two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, conducted among ten geographically diverse sites which assessed the
clinical effectiveness and safety of benzyl alcohol lotion. 250 participants took part in the trials
and were randomised to treatment or vehicle (lotion but with no active ingredient) groups, treatment was given at day one and day seven, and participants were checked for success at
day eight and day 14. On day eight the treatment group had a success rate of 91.2% as an
averageof both trials, and a 75.6% success rate on day 14; in the vehicle group the success
rates were 27.9% and 15.5% respectively.

“Existing over-the-counter head lice treatments contain neurotoxic pesticides as active
ingredients, resulting in potential toxicity and other problems, including lengthy applications, odor, ineffective treatment. Resistance has also become a problem now that lice have had
such prolonged exposure to these products,” said study author Terri L Meinking, PhD,
of Global Health Associates of Miami, USA. “This leaves practitioners, parents and patients
hoping for a safe, non-neurotoxic cure.”

“Since the most popular products have been made readily available, their overuse has
caused lice to become resistant just as bacteria have become resistant to many antibiotics,”
added Meinking. “Because benzyl alcohol lotion kills by suffocation, resistance should not
be an issue.”

This study is published in the This study is published in the January/February issue
of Pediatric Dermatology

Fitness Applications For Your Phone

Hundred Pushups
Cost: $2.99
Great for building muscles. It designs a six week training program to
help you build the strength to perform 100 pushups in a row.
You can do squats and sit-ups too.

IHeartRate
Cost: $2.99
Measures heart rate. Take your pulse and tap the screen to get your heart rate.
Use it while your working out to see if your hitting target heart rates and to calculate
calories burned,

FitnessBuilder
Cost: $9.99
Trying new workouts. It turns your device into a mobile library of more than 2,000
exercise images and videos demonstrating step-by-step instructions on how to perform
each move. You can tap through screens to follow fitness professionals doing more than
200 ready-made workouts or use a special feature that lets you create your own
personal routines.

ITreadmill
Cost: $.99
Counting steps. It turns your phone into a pedometer that calibrates to your
natural gate and measures distance, time, speed, steps, average pace and calories
burned for walks and runs. You can email your stats to the computer so you can track
your progress.




Crazy Hormones and What Happens
At Every Age

There’s a lot to appreciate about hormones. They play a huge role in everything from getting pregnant to feeling happy to sleeping soundly. Unless, that is, your levels fluctuate?
which, for better or worse, is a natural part of growing older. To shed a little light on these
changes, it’s first important to understand how your primary hormones work.

Progesterone, which is produced by the ovaries and the adrenal glands after ovulation,
maintains healthy cell growth in the uterus. Estrogen is created by the ovaries, the adrenal
glands, and fat cells and prepares the uterus to accept a fertilized egg each month.
Testosterone is made by the ovaries and the adrenal glands and regulates sex drive. And
thyroid hormones (that’s right, produced by the thyroid) control metabolism. Read on to learn
how all of them impact you at different stages of your life?and what you can do to manage hormonal changes and feel good every step of the way.

In Your 20s and 30s

What’s Happening

These are your peak fertility years, and your menstrual cycle is probably pretty regular.
“Hormone levels go through dramatic changes during your menstrual cycle,” says Mary Jane Minkin, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale University School of
Medicine. A surge in estradiol (a form of estrogen) about 10 days after the onset of your period, right around ovulation, induces a happy mood, while a boost in progesterone in the second
half of your cycle can make you irritable.

You Might Notice

• A dip in your sex drive if you use a hormonal contraceptive, like the Pill or a vaginal
•  ring. “These contain synthetic estrogen, which blocks testosterone,” says Bat Sheva
  
• Marcus, the clinical director of the Medical Center for Female Sexuality, in
  
• New York City. The good news? A new contraceptive pill that contains natural
  
• hormones (and so may keep your libido intact) is under review by the Food and Drug Administration. (It’s available in Europe as Qlaira.)
• A drop in your fertility as you enter your late 30s. If you are under 35 and t
• rying to get pregnant and don’t conceive within a year, see a reproductive
  
• endocrinologist to check for hormone-related fertility problems. If you’re over 35,
  
• give yourself six months.

How to Feel Better

Studies have shown that eating cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, can
help keep estrogen and progesterone levels at the proper ratio, says Eva Cwynar, an
endocrinologist in Beverly Hills. Yams and flaxseed oil may also be beneficial. To help curb
severe PMS crankiness, Minkin suggests taking 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, divided
into three doses.

In Your 40s

What’s Happening

You still have regular periods, but your ovaries have begun to produce less estrogen
(so you ovulate less effectively) and less progesterone; your estrogen-progesterone ratio shifts (normally, the two balance each other), and testosterone decreases. In other words, you’re
entering perimenopause (or pre-menopause), a precursor to menopause that can last up to
five years. “It isn’t a smooth process,” says Minkin. You may start to experience hot flashes, a
lag in your sex drive, and vaginal dryness. Luckily, these symptoms come and go. However,
your fertility continues to decline, so it’s a good idea to see your gynecologist for basic testing
if you’re trying to conceive.

You Might Notice

• Weight gain. “Thyroid hormones are the key determinants of your metabolism,
• ” says Kent Holtorf, an endocrinologist in Los Angeles. Many women produce less of this hormone with age, which causes pounds to creep on. A blood test can determine any deficiencies, and taking thyroid hormones may help normalize your weight.
• Sleep problems. You may have blissfully slept a full eight hours in years past,
  
• but the progesterone dip can cause insomnia. “You may start waking in the middle of
•  the night or have difficulty falling asleep,” says Erika Schwartz, an internist and a
  
• hormone specialist in New York City. “Before turning to a sleep aid like Ambien, get
  
• your hormone levels checked. You may need hormone supplementation.”

How to Feel Better

Since this is the first decade in which you’ll experience a natural drop in hormones, you
have a few options for recalibrating. The jury is still out on whether supplementing with soy,
which has a weak estrogenic effect in the body, is wise, since some studies have linked it to
breast cancer. However, a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that when consumed at moderate levels, soy doesn’t contribute to a
higher risk of death or a recurrence of the disease in breast cancer survivors. To play it safe,
experts suggest eating soy foods?like soy milk, miso, edamame, and tofu?rather than taking supplements.

If you have occasional hot flashes, taking 400 international units of vitamin E daily can help alleviate them, according to a study from Tarbiat Modarres University, in Iran. To help
combat regular or severe hot flashes, consider taking a low-dose birth control pill, which
contains small amounts of estrogen plus progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone
(brand names include Alesse, Loestrin, and Mircette). Or talk to your doctor about estrogen replacement therapies.

In Your 50s and Beyond

What’s Happening

Progesterone production has slowed considerably, and most of the estrogen that your body
makes comes from your adrenal glands and fat tissue, not your ovaries. By age 51, on average, you’ve reached menopause; it’s official when you haven’t had a period in over a year. Odds are,
your testosterone levels are erratic, producing more hot flashes and causing your sex drive to zigzag. (Bear in mind, these issues may not feel nearly as unpleasant as they sound.)

You Might Notice

• Dry skin. “Estrogen is involved with mechanisms that keep skin moist,” says Minkin,
  
• so the natural drop in the hormone means parched skin (and possibly brittle hair and
  
• nails) and a need for richer creams and conditioners.
• A feeling that your short-term memory is on the fritz. “Both estrogen and
•  thyroid hormones are needed for optimal brain function,” says Holtorf. “When they
•  drop in menopause, those low levels result in minor memory problems and cognitive dysfunction.”

How to Feel Better

Be proactive. “It drives me crazy when women say, ‘I’ll just deal with my symptoms, and
eventually it will be over,’?” says Minkin. “Symptoms of menopause should be a wake-up call to
see your doctor.” Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is considered the gold standard for relieving all those irksome symptoms, including memory loss. But a landmark five-year study published in 2002 by the Women’s Health Initiative suggested that HRT may be related to an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Because of this, “deciding to go on
HRT is highly individualized,” says Régine Sitruk-Ware, a reproductive endocrinologist in
New York City and the executive director of research and development at the Population
Council. Experts believe you get the most benefits if you start HRT as close to the onset of menopause as possible and stay on it for five years at most, stopping once the hot flashes and
the night sweats subside. There are dozens of HRT pills, patches, creams, gels, and injections to choose from, ranging from synthetic hormones to bioidentical ones (which have molecular structures identical to the hormones your body produces).

Some good news: On the horizon are new HRT pills designed specifically to activate estrogen receptors in the body without causing uncontrolled cellular replication?a.k.a. cancer. What
else can you do? Eat foods like salmon, walnuts, and peanuts. They’re rich in essential fatty
acids and L-arginine, which safely increase testosterone levels?and may improve your sex drive.

 

How To Stop A Nosebleed
It is a misconception really that you should lean your head back, but when you do
that you are moving the blood to the back of your throat where you swallow it.  Your
child should sit up straight or lean a bit forward.  Squeeze the nostrils together for about 5-10 minutes.  That is how long it takes to create a blood clot.  Use a clock so you don't
let go too soon and start the bleeding all over.  If the bleeding does not stop after 10
minutes you should call your doctor.

Take Pictures of Rashes

This mom Joy told me about a scary situation with her child.  Her daughter is okay now, but she
got sick with your basic sore throat issue and later developed a rash on her feet.  As many of us know when your child has a rash, doctors say pull the skin and see if the rash fades because that usually means it may not be serious.  This mom did that and the rash remained.  She then took
her to the doctor and the pediatrician said it was nothing.  The rash started to go away a bit, but  something inside Joy told her to photograph the rash.  She did and it and it ended up being a
huge help. 

Her daughter turned out to have a serious genetic immune disorder that was diagnosed at Children's Hospital in Chicago.  The photograph of the rash allowed a doctor to pinpoint the
illness right when he saw the photo.  I thought this was just a good tip for parents.  If you ever
have a rash or a visual health issue it can't hurt to have a photo of it because when those things disappear, it is often hard to explain the appearance to a doctor.

Dietary Supplement that can help
with acid reflux and some sinus issues

This mom Kristi told me about a safe natural probiotic her doctor recommended for her 9 year old daughter.  She was struggling with recurrent sinus issues and acid reflux and after using this supplement, things have gotten better.  Usually it is found at small pharmacies or where vitamins are sold.
FLOS95% and Florajen3

Probiotic that helps put good bacteria back in your stomach.

THIS IS A TIP FROM A MOM NOT A SUGGESTION FROM ME
OR THIS WEBSITE. ALWAYS ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF ANY
MEDICINE or VITAMIN IS OKAY BEFORE YOU TRY IT.