Quit Smoking-It's About Time

    If you are not a smoker, it might be hard to understand what it feels like to have cravings. It is hard for a smoker to do simple things like go to the movies, take a road trip, or work a day with out a smoke break. These cravings can take over your life faster than you know. Often the cravings out weigh the health risks associated with smoking.

     Smoking causes health issues, the warnings are all over the place. The cancer risk is labeled on every box, along with the child birth defect warning and on TV there are anti smoking commercials. Non smokers don't understand why someone would start smoking at all, let alone why a smoker can not just quit. As you very well know, it is easier said than done.

     I am guessing this is not your first attempt to quite smoking. It is very common for a smoker to try and fail multiple times before succeeding. Unfortunately, this process can create a learned behavior. The thought is "if I failed once, I will fail again, I will ever quite smoking". This idea can cause self confidence issues making it that much harder to quit.

    Often there are emotional connections or fond memories associated with smoking that people find it difficult to give up. Some people feel, if they quit smoking they have to quit having that happy memory or good feeling, this is not the case but it is a very realistic thought to the smoker.

     Sometimes there are other connections that stand in the way of you and your goal. The connection can simply be a ritual. Every time you eat, go outside, get in the car, or talk on the phone you may have a cigarette. These rituals are learned behaviors and are obstacles that make it difficult for the person to quit.

     Many people fall into the thought that if they quit, they will gain weight. Weight gain can be caused from the same ritual or learned behavior that causes someone to smoke in the first place. People who are quitting might be more nervous from nicotine withdrawals, and therefore eat more or snack. Others might reward themselves with food instead of a cigarette. By learning what the trigger is can help you both quit smoking and not gain weight.

    I am sure you have tried many things such as nicotine gum, the patch, cold turkey or medications. Hypnosis for some is sadly a last resort. Hypnosis can assist you in may ways. Instead of using smoking succession aides, hypnosis deals with the root problem. It allows you to both develop and nurture your ability to quit smoking. It will help with self confidence and weight management also while you are trying to quit. It will also give you positive suggestions to continue to assist you on your path to smoking succession.

     Trying to quit is difficult but it doesn't have to be. Some might feel overwhelmed but you have taken the first step by acknowledging you are ready to quit. You need to decide the best way to deal with your addiction. But remember this, the longer you put it off the harder it will be to quit.

Natural Skin Care for the Beauty in You

    Organic skin care is, quite simply, the act of caring for your skin in a natural and chemical-free way. These methods allow your skin to care for itself, without the use of chemical treatments or synthetic materials. Organic skin care is about using sensible hygiene habits as you lead your daily life. In essence, natural skin care methods are no different from those used in general body care.

Let's explore what these natural skin care measures are.

     The first and foremost natural skin care step is: Drink plenty of water. Several glasses of water is needed every day. However, keep in mind that the eight glasses of water "rule" is not based on actual research, and is so often cited that it seems like a fact, but it is not. The amount you need varies in relation to the amount of other sources of water you consume, including vegetables and fruits. Water aids in flushing out the toxins from the body, in a natural manner. It helps in the general upkeep of the body and promotes good health for all organs, not just skin.

     Overall cleanliness is another inexpensive method of natural skin care. Daily bathing, wearing clean clothes and sleeping on a clean mattress/pillow are all factors of general cleanliness. After all, clean skin is the key to keeping the skin problems at bay.

     Regular exercise is the next thing to consider. Exercise increases the circulation of blood that helps in ridding the body of toxins and keeping you healthy. Exercise also helps in decreasing stress, which is the greatest obstacle of good health.

     It's recommended that you follow healthy eating habits and make smart food choices. Certain types of food, such as oily foods, are believed to cause acne. These should be avoided whenever possible. Your diet should include a healthy mix of various foods high in nutritional value. Raw fruits and vegetables are believed to provide freshness to your body and help aid in the removal of toxins.

    Good sleep is beneficial in maintaining good health and overcoming stress. As an organic skin care measure, adequate sleep is helpful in preventing slacking of the skin.

     Help bring out the natural beauty of your skin by reducing your stress levels. Too much stress can lead to overall health and body damage. Some of the natural beauty tips that were mentioned earlier, like drinking water, and getting enough sleep, are also wonderful ways to reduce stress. Other methods include exercising, listening to music, playing sports and exercising. Yoga provides strong anti-stress benefits, and it quickly becoming a popular activity around the world.

    Avoiding unnecessary exposure to the sun (by wearing long sleeved clothes, hat and umbrella) is another natural skin care strategy. Sunscreens are also highly recommended.

    You can find information on many homemade and traditional natural skin care methods and products. These natural, easy-to-use methods are quite effective and are typically inexpensive as well.

     It's also easy to find natural skin care products in the commercial market. There are natural products that include lavender oil, aloe vera and many more organic ingredients. They provide natural beauty without nasty side effects.

Give Your Child A Healthy Start To The New School Year

    The main reason we see thousands of cases of colds and flu throughout children can mostly be attributed to lax hygiene and parents who permit their children to attend school when they are sick. Millions of school attendance days and adult work days are lost each year due to schoolchildren becoming ill. Kids in school can also get and give strep throat, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), and impetigo. Because of the fact that one sick child can easily infect ten or more other children, parents with children who are sick should keep them at home. Sneezing, drooling, or touching an object transfers germs to the next person who picks up or touches that object. To reduce this problem, basic hygiene is needed. Studies have proven that kids catch fewer colds after they are taught to wash their hands regularly and their toys are disinfected three times a week. It is necessary to teach your children to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and then to throw the tissue away and wash his or her hands. Children can also pick up germs by petting a dog or cat, handling dirty underwear, and using public restrooms.

     Hand washing is an important prevention measure in keeping children healthy. The problem in a lot of schools is that they make it difficult for children to wash their hands. Some schools don’t always have paper towels or enough soap available. Because the purpose of school is to learn, there is nothing more important to learn than good hygiene. Regular hand washing is one of the best defenses against the spread of colds and gastrointestinal infections. Therefore, you should teach your children to lather the hands with soap for at least fifteen seconds and dry their hands with a clean towel. It may also be a good idea to provide your child with sanitizing lotion so that he may be able to protect against disease when a bathroom is not accessible.

     When children are eating out or at a mass-prepared school lunch, they should first wash their hands. They should also avoid any raw food that doesn’t look washed such as raw fruits and vegetables. If you are unsure about the drinks that are served, have your child carry his own bottled water.

    In order to best fight back against these germs, you should enhance your child’s immune system by providing adequate nutrition and having your child take a multivitamin and mineral supplement every day. By eating sugar in the form of glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, and orange juice, your child will significantly reduce his body’s ability to have an effective immune system starting within thirty minutes and lasting several hours. White blood cells will not have the ability to get rid of the bacteria the way they usually do. Food is the greatest challenge facing a child’s immune system. The new U.S. food pyramid suggests that we eat five servings of fresh vegetables daily. Although is sounds easy, only twenty percent of the population actually does this. It’s also very important to get enough protein in the diet along with water intake. It’s best if the 6-10 glasses (depending on the age of the child) does not contain chlorine or fluoride. Dehydration is a big factor in whether the child will stay healthy. Making the simplest changes in your child’s diet and lifestyle will help him or her to greatly reduce the number of illnesses he or she has each year.