Salt, Pepper and the Spices of Life...

*You're sitting at a table, having a meal with some friends.
Bowls of soup are served to everyone at the table. Before tasting the soup, the person next to you reaches for the salt and pepper, and for the next 20 seconds vigorously shakes into the soup more salt and pepper than you would use in a month.

You have a pained look on your face. These thoughts immediately go through your mind: "Why would you put salt and pepper in soup, or on any dish, BEFORE you taste it? How do you know how much to add?" You might also think, "How can someone put so much salt and pepper in their food?"

Of course, the roles could be reversed. You might be the one who loves to put a lot of salt and pepper on your food and the person next to you eats the soup without adding salt or pepper. In that case, you think, "How can she eat this bland soup without putting any seasoning in it?"

When it comes to salt, pepper, onions, garlic, curry or just about any type of seasoning, we tend to see things only one way - OUR way. It's hard for us to understand how someone could enjoy food when it is not seasoned as we think is appropriate. We cringe when we see someone "overdoing" or "under-doing" the spices.

How we season our food is a matter of preference and personal taste. There is no right or wrong way to use seasonings. Furthermore, the way in which another applies salt and pepper does not affect us in any way. They're not putting the salt and pepper in YOUR soup. They are putting the spices in their own soup.

Our world is so diverse, and yet it is difficult for us to accept each other's preferences. Often, when we see people doing things we wouldn't do, our mind says:

Why aren't they thinking as I think?

Why aren't they acting as I would act?

Your mind would often have you believe that your way is superior. Your beliefs and habits are shaped by your genetics and your environment. Each person has different genetics and has grown up in an environment that is different than yours. Why expect everyone to come to the same conclusion?

Our spiritual growth comes when we learn to accept that others have different preferences, and we honor those preferences. There is no universal religion that everyone will agree to practice. There is no universal political viewpoint that all will accept. There is no one way of raising children that all cultures will agree upon. Marriage customs will vary from culture to culture.

Getting people to agree on these issues is like trying to get everyone to use the same amount of salt and pepper on their food. It's not going to happen.

The diversity in this world is beautiful and we can open our hearts to it. Within our own country and in our relations with people in other countries, we need to continually remind ourselves that it's perfectly acceptable for people to have preferences. If the other person is not harming us, why can't we just smile and get on with life?

The next time you're tempted to judge or criticize the way other people think or act, realize that in most cases, they're just using a different amount of salt or pepper than you would use. Allow them to have their preferences, and there is no need to even consider what YOU would do.

 

Kinds of Sleepers

 

Home Remedies for HEEL SPURS

HEEL SPURS

 

Heel spurs are bony protrusions on the bottom of the foot, caused by continuous pulling of the ligament that runs across the sole. Runners and others who are hard on their feet are very likely to get them, especially if their feet turn in (pronation) when they run. (That excess movement just adds to the ligament pulling.) Those with high arches are also more likely to develop spun.

 

"A lot of people think that because they have heel pain, it's a spur," says Terry Spilken, D.P.M., a podiatrist and adjunct faculty member at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in New York City. "But we also have to rule out other conditions such as arthritis and bursitis. The only way to properly diagnose a heel spur is with an x-ray." Once that's done, here's how to take the hurt out of your spurs.

 

Don't walk au naturel. "Walking barefoot is the worst thing you can do if you have heel spurs," says William Van Pelt, D.P.M., a podiatrist in Houston and former president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. "Walking barefoot stretches out the ligament on the bottom of the foot even farther, and being barefoot results in a less stable walk."

 

Wear the footgear of a cowboy. Instead, you should wear a shoe with a 3/4- to 1 1/2-inch heel, like a cowboy boot. That's because the heel moves the front of the foot forward, taking some pressure off the heel.

 

Enlist sponge rubber support. Over-the-counter arch supports and heel cups, which are sold in most drugstores and sporting goods stores, help those with heel spurs in two ways: "They support the arch, which controls excess foot rolling or movement, and they help elevate the heel a bit, which takes some of the pressure off the spur," says Dr. Van Pelt. He recommends that you first try a pair of sponge rubber arch supports. If they don't bring relief, try a heel cup.

 

Give Yourself a massage. "A regular massage of your entire foot, and particularly the heel, also helps a lot," says Dr. Spilken. The best way to do the massage? "Rub across the aching area with your thumb in order to get more pressure."

 

Apply ice for pain. When your heel spur is acting up, apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to stop the pain, advises Dr. Spilken. Keep it under ice for ten minutes, then remove the pack for another ten. Repeat this procedure several times, or until the throbbing subsides.

 

Use heat for maintenance. Doctors recommend applying heat on a daily basis in order to bring more blood to the area and break up inflammation. A 15- or 20-minute session with a heating paid is usually enough.

 

 

Beauty Foods

Beauty Foods - What To Eat Each Day For Looks And Health

 

 

Carrots

Maintain the outer layer of the skin to prevent premature

Aging. What you'll find in is the same as you'll get in

Retin A.

 

Cheese

To ensure a happy smile, add a slice or two of hard cheeese

Into your diet. Choose Swiss, cheddar, or gouda to block

Bacteria in the mouth and prevent cavities.

 

Citrus Fruits

Hold the skin cells together by forming collagen. Collagen

Cannot be added to the skin topically, which is why fruits

And fruit juices are such an important part of the daily diet.

 

Cranberries

Keep urinary tract lining healthy.

 

Garlic

Helps combat wrinkles and restores tissue.

 

Nonfat Yogurt

High in calcium, which keeps your smile white and your teeth

Cavity-free.

 

Sweet Potatoes

Vitamin A is known to be a remarkable anti-wrinkling agent.

Sweet potatoes are full of this important vitamin. The pleasing

Results is clearer, smoother skin.

 

Tomatoes

These "love apples" will keep you loving your skin. Tomatoes are

Rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.

 

Wheat Germ

If you want to get rid of pimples quickly and efficiently, make

Sure to include two or three tablespoons a day in your diet. Add

It to cereal, yogurt, and cottage cheese.

 

 

                            *

  

You should choose foods that you enjoy, of course, but you need

To include the following:

 

Vegetables

Three to five servings daily. Try to include one serving of raw,

Leafy greens.

 

Meat

Have no more than three three ounce servings a day. Cut off all

Fat. Try to make two servings of turkey or chicken. One serving

Of fish a day is ideal.

 

Fruits

Two to three servings daily. A 1/2 cup of chopped or sliced fruit

Is a serving. Fruit salad

 

Dairy

At least two servings daily. A serving would be eight ounces of

Milk or yogurt.

 

Fats

Salad dressing, cooking oil, butter, and mayonnaise should be

 

hOme remidies for neCk pain ```

Neck Pain

24 Ways to Get the Kinks Out

 

Maybe you have a boss, or a brother-in-law, whom you describe as a pain in the neck. But when it comes to neck pain, the blame—as well as the pain—is probably resting on your shoulders.

 

"It's keeping your head in an awkward position—that is, pushed forward with your ears in front of your shoulders—for a long time that makes your neck hurt," says Joanne Griffin, senior physical therapist and inpatient headache treatment therapist at the New England Center for Headache at Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut. "That's what many people who have neck problems are doing."

 

Naturally, some people—because of their occupations—are more at risk than others. "Beauticians, for example, work in a bent-over position all day long," says Robert Kunkel, M.D., head of the Section of Headache in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

 

Regardless of your job or lifestyle, you can rid yourself of blame—and more importantly, pain—by applying a few time-tested methods, replacing bad habits with good ones, and giving your neck regular exercise. So keep your head up and your eyes open. Help is on the way.

 

Ice down. An ice pack or ice wrapped in a towel is a good choice when stiffness is just settling in, Griffin says. If your neck has been slightly injured, ice can help hold down swelling.

 

Heat up. After ice has reduced any inflammation, heat is a wonderful soother—be it from a heating pad or a hot shower.

 

Use a heat rub. These over-the-counter ointments are soothing but have no real healing effect because they don't really penetrate the skin's surface, says Steve Antonopulos, head athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos football team. Never use them with heating pads, he adds. At best they provide "psychological benefit."

 

Take the old standby. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as aspirin or ibuprofen will help reduce pain and inflammation. Take two pills three or four times a day.

 

Sit in a firm chair. Like the song says, the backbone is connected to the neck bone. And if you sit in a chair that doesn't give you good back support, you increase your chances of worsening existing neck problems and causing new ones, says Mitchell A. Price, D.C., a chiropractor in Temple, Pennsylvania.

 

Throw in the towel. Actually, roll a towel up and place it against the small of your back when sitting—it will better align your spine and give you additional support, says Griffin.

 

Take a break. Just as the feet need rest from constant standing, the neck needs a rest from constant sitting. Your head weighs approximately 8 pounds, Griffin says, and that's a lot of weight for the neck to support without much help from the rest of your body. So periodically stand up and walk around.

 

Keep your chin up. Keep your head level but pull your chin in as if you were making a double chin, says Griffin. Also avoid having your head lowered all the time when working at a desk or reading, she advises. This will prevent stressing the muscles in the back of the neck.

 

See eye to screen. If you work with a video display terminal all day, it's important to have it positioned at eye level. If you force yourself to look up or down hour after hour, you may cause your neck to spasm, says Price.

 

Reach out. And consider putting down the telephone. If you talk on the phone a lot, especially while trying to write, you've got your neck in an awkward position—an invitation to stiffness and pain.

 

Lift carefully. It's all too easy to forget there's a right way and a wrong way to lift heavy objects. The right way, says Price, is to bend your knees and hold your spine erect while positioning the object between your feet, which should be shoulder-width apart. When you lift the object, keep it as close to your body as possible.

 

Sleep on a firm mattress. A lot of neck problems begin, and worsen, with poor sleeping habits. Having a firm mattress is important, Price says.

 

Don't fight with your pillow. Just toss it aside. "A lot of people with neck pain feel better sleeping flat—without a pillow," Dr. Kunkel says.

 

Or get a cervical pillow. These pillows, which can be bought for as little as $20 in discount stores, give the neck proper support, Price says.

 

Don't sleep on your stomach. This is not only bad for your back, but your neck, too, says Price.

 

Sleep like a baby. In other words, sleep in the fetal position—on your side with your knees up toward your chest, Price advises.

 

Wrap up. When it's cold and damp outside, you probably wear a hat. But you should cover your neck as well. The weather can aggravate neck stiffness and pain, Dr. Kunkel says.

 

Relax. Just being tense can tighten the muscles in your neck and put you in pain. If you're under a lot of pressure or feel tense a lot, learning relaxation techniques, such as meditation or progressive relaxation, can help. Also, audiotapes are available to teach you how to relax.

 

Benefits of vegetable juices, vegetable juice for health

Vegetables are important protective food and are highly beneficial for health and prevention of diseases. But the juices extracted from the fresh raw vegetables are more benificial as they furnish all the cells and tissues of the body with the elements and nutritional enzymes which they require. It is true that body can derive juices from whole vegetables, but fresh juices provide them in a manner in which they can most easily be digested and assimilated. Vitamin and mineral deficiency could be made up much more quickly by drinking fresh juice then by eating raw vegetables. Juice from vegetables listed below are benificial as mentioned for the ailments.

Acidosis: Carrot, beet, cucumber and spinach
Acne: Carrot, lettuce and spinach
Allergies: Carrot, lettuce and spinach
Anemia: Beet, celery, carrot
Appendicitis: Carrot, beet and spinach
Arterioscurosis: Carrot, celery, lettuce and spinach
Vegetable juice and arthritis: Cucumber, beet, celery, carrot and watercress
Asthma: Carrot, radish and celery
Bronchitis: Tomato, carrot, onion and spinach
Colds: Carrot, celery, onion and spinach
Constipation: Carrot, beet, spinach and watercress
Colitis: Carrot, beet cucumber and spinach
Vegetable juice for diabetics: Carrot, celery, lettuce and spinach
Dyspepsia: Carrot, beet, cucumber and spinach
Eczema: Carrot, spinach, cucumber and beet
Epilepsy: Carrot, celery and spinach
Eye disorder: Tomato, carrot, celery, parsley and spinach
Fatigue: Carrot, spinach, beet and cucumber
Gout: Tomato, cucumber, beet, carrot, celery, spinach
Headache: Carrot, lettuce and spinach
Heart disease: Carrot, beet, cucumber and spinach
Hypertension: Carrot, spinach, beet and cucumber
Influenza: Carrot, onion and spinach
Insomnia: Lettuce, carrot and celery
Jaundice: Carrot, celery, spinach, beet and cucumber
Obesity: Tomato, beet, cabbage, lettuce, spinach and carrot
Piles: Carrot, spinach, turnip, and watercress
Sinus problem: Tomato, carrot, onion and spinach
Tonsillitis: Carrot, spinach, beet and cucumber

 

Home Remedies for CHILDREN ::: HEADACHES

HEADACHES

How Doctors Spell Relief

 

If you're like many parents, you probably think of headaches as something kids give you, not something kids get. But research indicates that 50 to 70 percent of all school-age children have experienced a headache, according to Francis J. DiMario, Jr., M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Connecticut in Farmington.

 

''The causes of children's headaches are very similar to the causes of adult headaches,'' says Dr. DiMario. ''They get tension headaches; headaches associated with injury, illness or fever; and migraines.'' About 10 percent of children with headaches get chronic migraines.

 

All kinds of kids' headaches usually respond to the same treatments used for adult headaches, from over-the-counter pain relievers and warm compresses for occasional headaches to prescription drugs and biofeedback for chronic headaches. Even if your child's headache requires professional intervention, the experts say there are still measures you can take at home to help make the medical treatment more effective.

 

MEDICAL ALERT

When to See the Doctor Though rare, headaches can sometimes be symptoms of a serious problem such as meningitis, a brain tumor or bleeding in the brain, according to Loraine Stern, M.D., associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of When Do I Call the Doctor? She says you should call your doctor if your child's headache: * Is accompanied by a fever, vomiting, stiff neck, lethargy or confusion. * Follows a head injury. * Occurs in the morning, accompanied by nausea. * Increases in severity over the course of a day or from one day to the next. * Is suddenly brought on by a sneeze or cough. * Interferes with school or other activities. * Is restricted to one side of the head.

 

Before attempting any of these home remedies, however, read the ''Medical Alert'' above to determine if your child's headache might be the symptom of something more serious.

 

Turn to a proven painkiller. ''Simple analgesics such as acetaminophen [Children's Tylenol] are perfectly acceptable and effective for children's headaches, just as they are for adults','' says Dr. DiMario. Check the package directions for the correct dosage for your child's age and weight.

 

Apply a soothing compress. ''Some kids like warm cloths on their heads, others like cold cloths. You just need to experiment,'' says William Womack, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Child Psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine and codirector of the Stress Management Clinic of Children's Hospital and Medical Center, both in Seattle. ''Keep the compress on for about 30 minutes, rewetting it as necessary,'' he says.

 

Head for bed. ''Rest seems to be one of the most effective ways to reduce a migraine headache,'' says Dr. DiMario. ''Many school nurses allow kids with headaches to lie down for half an hour. Often that is all that's necessary. They don't necessarily have to go to sleep. Just a half-hour of lying quietly can help.'' If your child is very sensitive to bright light during a migraine episode, you should draw the shades so he can rest in a darkened room, adds Dr. Womack.

 

Rub away the ache. Like adults, kids with tension headaches can often find relief by reducing stress. ''If your child is stressed out, relaxing massage might help,'' says Alexander Mauskop, M.D., director of the New York Headache Center in New York City and assistant professor of neurology at the State University of New York Health Science Center.

 

''If the muscles around the scalp or temples are tender, gently rubbing them can be helpful,'' says Dr. DiMario. ''But some kids don't like it because the scalp is too tender to touch.'' If your child says stop, don't insist--but many children do like that soothing touch of a parent's fingertips.

 

Make meal-skipping a misdemeanor. Make sure your child doesn't skip meals, especially breakfast, which is the most important one, warns Dr. Mauskop. ''Going all day without eating is a good way to get a headache or aggravate one you already have,'' he says.

 

Watch that egg roll, hold that pizza. By paying attention to what your child eats and when he gets his headaches, you may be able to spot a link. ''In some susceptible children, headaches are triggered by certain things they eat, such as chocolate, peanuts, processed meat and aged cheese,'' says Dr. DiMario. ''Pizza and Chinese food, if they contain monosodium glutamate, can bring on headaches in some children.'' If you think you've uncovered a connection, have your child avoid the suspect food and see what happens.

 

Curb the caffeine. Like grown-ups deprived of their customary morning coffee, kids can suffer from withdrawal headaches when they don't get their daily ''fix'' of caffeine. ''Caffeine withdrawal headaches are common in children who drink cola and eat a lot of chocolate--both of which contain caffeine,'' says Dr. Mauskop. If your child is susceptible, you may need to strictly limit these items, offering them only as an occasional treat.

 

Chart those mood swings. Some kids' headaches have emotional rather than food triggers, says Kenneth Covelman, Ph.D., director of psychosocial services for the Pediatric Pain Management Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and clinical assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, also in Philadelphia. ''By charting not just your child's headaches but also his moods and activities for several days or weeks, you can sometimes see a pattern. For example, headaches may occur just before tests in school, or after arguments,'' says Dr. Covelman.

 

Have a plan to defuse tensions. ''If you've identified an emotional trigger of your child's headaches,'' says Dr. Covelman, ''help him formulate a plan for dealing with it.'' Your child may feel a lot better if he has more control over situations, he suggests.

 

''For example, if headaches occur after upsetting fights with his sister, talk about what he can do differently the next time they're playing together. Through role-playing, rehearse what he might say to her, such as, 'I don't like when you do this to me, so I'm not going to play with you until you apologize.' '' Having a plan of action can help defuse the tension that leads to the headaches, says Dr. Covelman.

 

Don't rule out random events. If no dietary or emotional triggers emerge after a few weeks of charting your child's headaches, broaden the scope of your search, suggests Loraine Stern, M.D., associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of When Do I Call the Doctor? '' Write down what the weather was like, how much your child slept the night before his headache. . . every possible factor you can think of.

 

''I had one child whose headaches seemed to come from the sunlight that shimmered on the surface of the family pool,'' Dr. Stern says. ''Her parents noticed that if she went into the pool at a certain time of day, the light reflecting off the water gave her a headache. Often it's cockamamy things like that you might miss if you don't keep a record.''

 

Reserve some time for fun. Many children who suffer from recurring headaches have fallen into the ''all work and no play'' trap, according to Dr. Womack. They need to schedule some fun.

 

''I see a lot of well-motivated, high-achieving, but overly intense kids in my clinic,'' he says. ''They're in a lot of extracurricular activities, and they're preoccupied with getting good grades. They're perfectionists, type-A personalities who are really driven to achieve. For them, headaches have become a barometer of the stress in their lives.''

 

If your child is like this, Dr. Womack suggests that you help your child decide which pursuits are most important and cut back on the rest. ''That will free up some time for relaxation and fun,'' says Dr. Womack. ''Children need to remember that things don't have to always be heavy and serious, and their efforts don't have to be perfect all the time.''

 

Neutralize the Nintendo headache. Muscular tension headaches are often the result of mental stress. But sometimes they can have a purely physical cause, says Dr. Stern. For example, if your child plays a lot of video games or does work on a computer, he may be inviting a headache by holding his head in one position too long. Encourage him to roll his head occasionally or take frequent breaks.

 

Harness imagination's healing power. Visualization, biofeedback and other special relaxation techniques are often employed by professionals to help their patients head off headaches. But it's possible for parents to teach kids some basic relaxation skills at home, Dr. Womack says.

 

He suggests trying this technique: ''Ask the child to imagine he's taking a warm shower and that everywhere the water strikes his body instantly feels more relaxed. Or have him picture himself stepping into a warm pool where the water gradually rises over his toes, his feet, his ankles and on up. This is a form of progressive muscle relaxation that kids find less boring than formal progressive muscle relaxation exercises.''

 

Put yourself in the picture, too. If your child is learning relaxation techniques, you should also learn them, says Dr. Covelman. '' Younger children may need some help practicing the techniques at home, and it's very helpful for parents to be able to do them, too,'' he says.

 

Support without nagging. Kids with chronic headaches need to practice their relaxation skills regularly, says Dr. Womack. ''Unfortunately, many kids find repetitive practicing of any kind boring, like having to practice the piano.'' But if you nag them about it, he says, it's counterproductive--it just creates more stress. Be supportive instead.

 

''In addition to making space and time available for the child to practice,'' says Dr. Womack, ''you need to remind him that this is something important that he should want to be doing for himself. If you give the child primary responsibility but make it clear that you want to help him to succeed, most kids will go along with it.''