Mexican Chicken Wraps

Ingredients:
2 cups skinless boneless chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup chunky salsa
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
4 cholesterol free flour tortillas about 10 inches in diameter

Instructions:
Combine salsa, mayonnaise, and the sour cream. Then mix in the cheddar cheese and chicken. Evenly scoop onto the tortillas and sprinkle with lettuce. Fold over the sides and serve.

Trouble Conceiving? Tips for Raising Your Chances

Everywhere you look, it seems like everyone has a baby. Maybe it’s your neighbors, friends, or just famous people on T.V. This can make the fact that you can’t seem to get pregnant even more disconcerting.

Before you get frustrated or upset, remember that your chances of having a child are better than they’ve ever been. Not only are there new technologies to help you have a child, there’s also more extensive research on what helps and hurts your chances of conception.

Here are a few tips to help start you on the track to having your own child.

Consult a Professional
If you’re having problems conceiving, you should start by seeing health care professional. While many people’s fertility problems can be solved without medical intervention, it’s best to make sure you don’t require treatment in order to have a child. The man should be tested first because fertility testing is much easier for males.

Cut Back on Your Bad Habits
Consuming alcohol and caffeine, and smoking can all decrease fertility factors in men and women. In the case of smoking, these effects may be permanent; so start quitting today.

Possible Medical Conditions?
When people think of fertility and doctors, they often think of in vitro fertilization and other artificial forms of conception, but that’s not all they can do. For instance, the most common cause of infertility in men is a varicose vein blocking the passage of sperm which can be corrected with a minor surgery. There are other problems that also require simple treatments to fix.

Cut Back on the Sex
It may seem contradictive, but many couples don’t get pregnant because they’re having sex too often. Frequent ejaculation causes the sperm count to be lower because men can only produce sperm so fast. For the highest sperm count, you should wait three days to have sex again. Because of this, a fertility monitor can come in handy so you know when the best time to conceive is. By taking three day breaks, it is very easy to miss your window of opportunity if you’re not careful.

Cut Back on the Stress
Another common cause of infertility is high stress levels. This creates a cyclical problem because the longer it takes you to conceive, the more stressed you get that something might be wrong. You and your spouse should both take time to relax and unwind. You might consider doing yoga together or just giving each other massages at the end of the day.

Watch Your Diet
Eat a healthy, well balanced diet. While most women know they should eat right once they get pregnant, many don’t think about eating good foods while trying to conceive. Your reproductive organs work best when the rest of your body is healthy too. This means eating the foods to stay at your best. Your diets should include organic and natural food products. Eating traditionally grown products can severely inhibit fertility rates. Many foods contain hormones and other chemicals that can throw your natural levels out of whack, decreasing your chances of conceiving.

If your doctor says you’re both fertile, the best method to conceive is to just keep trying. While it may be frustrating, the natural method is usually the best.

Trouble Sleeping? Food Might Help

People with insomnia will try most anything to get to sleep. The endless tossing and turning can be agonizing, so why not try a sleep medicine to get some severely needed rest? Well, because the solution may be much easier than that. Next time you just can’t seem to sleep, try opening the refrigerator for relief instead of the medicine cabinet.

While we tend to overlook it, we all know that food can make us sleepy. After eating a big turkey dinner, it’s hard to do anything but lie down and take a nap. This is because of a chemical you’ve probably heard a lot about in recent years: tryptophan. So what exactly is tryptophan? It actually allows your body to produce an amino acid called L-Tryptophan. This amino acid is essential in the production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. These help slow down the nerve traffic in your brain, relax you, and allow you to think less and sleep more.

While you’ve already felt the relaxing powers turkey has, you probably aren’t too happy about the prospect of eating turkey before bed every single night. Well, the good news is that turkey isn’t the only source of tryptophan. This chemical is found in dairy products, soy, meat (especially poultry), nuts, fish, beans, eggs, hummus and most other high-protein foods. Eating a small amount of these foods shortly before bed time can help you sleep soundly.

The problem with many of the foods that contain tryptophan is that they also contain an amino acid called tyrosine. This produces chemicals that perk you up and make you more energized. Eaten alone, these acids will counteract each other produce no significant effects in either direction. The key to getting rest is to eat other foods that will allow you to utilize the tryptophan and not the tyrosine. Excellent foods for accomplishing this effect are carbohydrates. They encourage your body to produce insulin which “ties up” the tyrosine and allows the tryptophan to reach the brain without competition. Just be sure to avoid too large amounts of carbs and simple sugars. You can produce too much insulin; causing you to wake up not long after you’ve fallen asleep.

Another way to get the full benefit of tryptophan is to eat foods that will increase your brain’s absorption of this amino acid. The best way to do this is with calcium. And we already learned that dairy products are a great source of tryptophan. This is why our mother’s always gave us a warm glass of milk at night to help us rest; because it works.

So, if you just can’t seem to settle down and get to sleep, try a late night meal containing nature’s sleeping pill: tryptophan. Just remember not too eat too much at night or you’ll likely wake up a few hours later. The most effective plan is to have a moderately sized dinner and a small snack an hour or two before bed. If you eat the right foods at bedtime, you’ll bed drifting off to dreamland in no time.

Quick Look Good Tips for the SuperMom

Make-up is an essential part of what makes us feel good...sometimes it's what make you feel like a human. Yet, a little bit of lipstick and some blush is all that is needed for your everyday look before you go out the door. If you’re going out in the evening or have a special event planned, however, you may want to give yourself the full treatment. If that’s the case, here are some quick look good tips for moms.

First, take a shower, wash and blow dry your hair. Grab a glass of wine and give yourself a manicure and pedicure to relax and soothe. NOW you are ready to apply the makeup.

• Use a concealer to hide blemishes or circles under the eyes.
• Apply foundation which matches your skin tone. Use powder to keep both the foundation and concealer intact.
• Use a pencil to floor in your eyebrows, if applicable. If it’s not necessary, ensure your eyebrows are well-defined by plucking excessive hair.
• Next, apply eyeliner with either a pencil or brush.
• Use mascara on upper and lower lashes. Choose a color which compliments your skin tone.
• Apply blush to your cheeks.
• Choose a lipstick color suitable to your skin tone; and use a lip liner to accent. Top it off with a little gloss to give you shine.

Tell the truth; don’t you feel like a million bucks? Along with the outfit you bought for the special occasion, you look and feel terrific, right? Even though you always look your best, special occasions call for a little extra time to take care of you. When you look good, you feel good. Enjoy yourself, you deserve it!

Low-Fat Berry Trifle

Ingredients:
1 8oz package of low-fat cream cheese
2 cups fat-free milk
1 8.5oz package angel food cake (cut into 1-inch slices)
1 8oz package of whipped topping
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup raspberries or blueberries
1 package instant vanilla pudding (low-fat)

Directions:
Beat cream cheese in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Slowly add milk, ½ cupful at a time and mixing well. Add pudding mix and mix well. Gently stir in whipped topping and then fold in fruit.

Arrange 1/3 of the angel cake slices into a serving bowl and top with 1/3 of the pudding and fruit mixture, repeat layers two more times. Refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes) and serve.

Say Goodbye to Bleach and Hello to Lemon Juice

What would you say if I told you that there’s a cleaning product that’s safe and all natural, cleans, disinfects and deodorizes, and doesn’t cost a fortune? You probably wouldn’t believe me. Then you definitely won’t believe me when I tell you that you may have it hidden in the door of your refrigerator.

What’s this magical cleaning product? It’s plain old lemon juice. You can use lemon juice instead of bleach to clean your house safely and effectively. In fact, you can use it in places you wouldn’t consider putting bleach.

When you taste lemon juice, it’s pretty obvious that it’s a strong acid. The beauty of an acid is that they dissolve things water can’t. That includes dirt and also parts of bacteria vital to survival. Cleaning with the power of lemons not only removes dirt, it also disinfects to keep your family safe.

You can mix lemon juice with water and put it in a squirt bottle. You can use it instead of your all purpose cleaner to scrub the kitchen, bathroom, and even clean walls and floors. For extra cleaning power, add a little baking soda and borax. Just be sure to test an inconspicuous area ahead of time to prevent staining. Also, remember that borax is toxic if ingested, so be careful where you spray.

Instead of adding bleach to your whites in the wash, add lemon juice instead. You can also mix lemon juice with cream of tartar and use as a stain remover. After washing, hang your clothes in the sun to dry and you’ll see how white your laundry can be without the smell and dangers of bleach. Plus, you can use the same mixture on your colors. Just don’t leave them out in the sun to dry.

Have you noticed lately that most disinfecting products have an alternative version that smells like lemons? That’s because lemons naturally have a fresh, clean scent. Instead of cleaning with lemon scented chemicals, why not try getting your fresh lemon scented kitchen from actual lemons.

Many people aren’t so happy about cleaning with sponges. And why would they be? Sponges trap all the nasty dirt and bacteria and keep in around for the next time you clean. Plus, they’re a pain to clean. Next time you clean, ditch the sponge and cleaner and pull out a fresh lemon. It’s easy to hold, packed full of cleaning power, and can be thrown away when you’re done.

Not happy with a product that just cleans your house and makes it smell great? Well lemon juice can also be used to polish, shine, and remove tarnish from the copper, chrome, and other metals in your house. All you do is add a little salt or baking soda to a freshly cut lemon and rub it onto the metal’s surface.

For added cleaning power, lemon juice can be mixed with other natural cleaners. We’ve already said that borax and baking soda can help boost your all purpose cleaner. Try mixing lemon juice with baking soda to make a great drain cleaner. It works as well as vinegar and baking soda, but leaves that lemony scent.

These are just a few of the many uses of this powerful cleaner. It’s a great way to leave you house looking a smelling great.

15 Tips to Help Reduce Your Bloating

One of the most uncomfortable feelings in the world is when you’re bloated, right? Clothes do not fit properly, you become irritable, and pain often accompanies the symptom, especially during PMS. While most people who experience bloating are affected by different foods or drinks, here are some tips to help reduce bloating.

1. Reduce your sodium intake. Salt is the number one contributor to bloating.
2. Exercise as much as you can.
3. Avoid foods which are gassy such as cabbage, beans, milk and other vegetables and foods which contain lactose.
4. When eating meals, chew slowly. The old adage of chewing 100 times may be true. Lay down your fork between each bite.
5. Avoid chewing gum to reduce the amount of air you are swallowing.
6. Avoid powdered milk as it contains salt which increases bloating.
7. Too many starchy foods combined with protein contribute to bloating.
8. Try not to drink anything that is very cold, but keep it at room temperature.
9. Do not eat too much of anything. Portion control can reduce bloating.
10. Check to determine what condiments may cause your bloating, such as mayonnaise and the like.
11. Eating processed foods such as mac and cheese can cause bloating due to its high sodium content.
12. Snacks such as chips and certain types of cheese flavored popcorn have high sodium content.
13. Avoid diet sodas and candies.
14. Constipation may also be a factor in bloating. Eat foods rich in fiber.
15. Drink chamomile tea, which is not only good for the digestive system, but reduces bloating as well.

Finally, and this may be hard to take ladies, but experts suggest that avoiding chocolate during your menstrual period will reduce the bloating as well. The reason is because chocolate contains both sugar and dairy, thus contributing to the bloating problem. However, no one can definitively tell you not to eat chocolate, especially when you are PMSing! Between the water retention and the bloating, denying yourself chocolate can be a lethal request.

These tips to help reduce bloating depend upon what actually causes it in your particular case. Keep track of those foods, drinks, and habits which contribute to it. Once you ascertain the cause, you’ll most likely never have to deal with it again.

Homemade Lotion Softens Your Skin

Do you have irritated and dry skin? Try this homemade recipe for lotion to soften it up.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried chamomile
4 Tablespoons honey
1 cup milk
8 teaspoons wheat germ

Directions:
Place milk in small sauce pan on low heaat. Add chamomile and allow to simmer on low for a couple of hours. Pour through a strainer to remove any remaining dried chamomile. Place wheat germ and honey to liquid mixing well. Use as a lotion over entire body. Lotion stays fresh in the refrigerator for one week.

Sausage, Bean and Cheese Dip Cajun Style

Ingredients:
1 can chili-seasoned diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
2 can pinto or red kidney beans (16 ounce) , rinsed, drained and mashed with a fork
1 cup chopped green bell-pepper
1/2 cup diced reduced-fat smoked sasage
Cooking spray
4 cups freshly shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Baked Tortilla chips

Directions:
Preheat ove to 350 F. Mix together tomatoes, water, hot sauce, cajun seasoning, beans, green bell-pepper, and smoked sausage. Spray 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Place mixture into casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until boiling. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake for 5 more minutes. Best if served with low-fat tortilla chips.

Bowflex Home Gym

Turn on the TV on any given day and you will find infomercials promoting the Bowflex Home Gym series. With so many enthusiasts trying to find the best method to exercise during their free time, this home gym serves as an excellent source for a total body workout. Let’s take a look at what this Bowflex Home Gym has to offer.

The Bowflex Home Gym delivers over 60 gym-quality exercises that allow you to work your chest, arms, back, legs, and more. This home gym provides 210 lbs. of resistance, is constructed from sturdy steel, incorporates comfortable vinyl cushion seating, and folds to a compact size for storage. Assembly is not included. Features include: Bowflex Power Rods, upgradeable to 310 or 410 pounds; lat tower with angled lat bar, lower pulley/squat station, leg extension/leg curl attachment, sliding seat for rowing; folds to a compact size of 52 by 38 inches; and a five-year warranty.

The benefits in owning the Bowflex Home gym are immeasurable. It can be set up in two hours since all of the necessary components are well packed. The instructions are very easy to follow. The Power Rods provide very smooth resistance and wonderful range of motion. The resistance builds as you flex the power rods, and is very easy on the joints at the beginning of the motion; yet still provide enough to break down your muscles toward the end of the motion. The DVD provides instruction for basic 15 exercises, and the manual covers over 60 different exercises. The weight and type of exercises are easy to change, and will not interfere with your workout.

While the Bowflex is approximately 7 feet tall, it should be noted it takes up a huge amount of space. It has wheels, but you will not be able to fit it through most doors, so think long and hard before you decide which room you will place it. As with any other piece of exercise equipment, if you make good use of it, the price is worth it. With its solid construction, warranty, variety, ease of motion and operation, this is one terrific long term value.


Where Can You Buy It? Amazon.com

Could Your Headache Be a Migraine?

Do you have headaches which seem to linger on and on no matter what type of over-the-counter medication you take? Is the pain located on one side of your head? Do you become sensitive to light and sound? Do you feel sick from it? If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is most likely the case that it’s not a headache at all, but a terrible migraine.

It is estimated that more than 29 million Americans suffer from migraines, and unfortunately women are affected more than men. What complicates this further is that most migraines are attributed to sinus infections or tension headaches.

Migraines are typically caused by stress, skipping a meal, lack of sleep, medications, sunlight, TV, certain foods, or loud constant noise. The pain is caused when brain cells set off a specific nerve which releases chemicals that cause swelling of the blood vessels on the surface of the brain. The result is a pain felt around the eye or temple area.

Not easily diagnosed, routine CT scans may be performed to determine if there are any other underlying causes. This is certainly no comfort to those who experience migraines. While there are many reasons why someone would develop migraines, it is suggested by doctors that a diary is kept to determine the frequency of the migraines and what event played a role in its onset.

Accordingly, the FDA has approved three over-the-counter medications to treat migraines. Whether or not they are effective, only the individual experiencing the pain can determine. However, it should be noted that some of these medications can cause side effects. Moreover, more potent medications have also been approved by the FDA to control the incidents of migraines. However, these also may have adverse effects.

Another type of therapy, one that has been used as an alternative to drugs, is biofeedback. Using a specific type of equipment which monitors physical tension, a migraine patient has the ability to control the catalyst which contributes to the stress. After a certain amount of time, the patient can then use this technique without equipment to either stop the attack or minimize its effects.

Migraines are and can be debilitating. Whether you choose drug therapy or biofeedback therapy, it is up to you to decide which treatment is most effective and carries with it less risk in developing side effects.

Ham, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
3 cups French Bread, cubed
1 cup reduced fat ham, diced
Non-fat cooking spray
Egg Beater =to 1 egg, beaten lightly
1 1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free cheese, grated

Directions:
Place cubed bread into a Pyrex dish and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with red pepper, ham and cheese. Mix together the egg substitute, milk, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder and pour over bread cubes also. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate covered for 3 hours before baking. When the casserole is ready for baking, preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook for until browned (approximately 40 minutes).

Dr. Bronner's Soap

For natural/non-toxic cleaning products, you may want to try Dr. Bronner’s soap. Made from organic oils, it consists of: Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm and Organic Olive Oils (with Retained Glycerin), Water, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Natural Bitter Almond Fragrance, Salt, Citric Acid, and Vitamin E.

Available in a wide variety of liquids and solids, Dr. Bronner’s Soap comes in Almond, Peppermint, Lavender, All One Hemp Tea Tree, Aloe Vera Baby Mild, Rose and Eucalyptus.

Here are what customers have to say about Dr. Bronner’s Soaps: “Dr. Bronner's is really fantastic stuff! I keep finding more and more uses for it around the house. I have replaced all of our toxic synthetic chemical products with this! The only thing I find it terrible for is washing windows, it leaves a film and you spend more time removing the film than the dirt! Otherwise, this stuff can easily replace 6-10 products around the home.

Almond is my favorite for a nice mild and pleasing scent! Be warned of the Peppermint, even though the peppermint is natural, it is extremely strong smelling. So strong, it can cause irritation for some people. I would recommend Peppermint for hand soap, dishes, laundry, and anything outdoors. I would use something like Unscented, Lavender or Almond for general house cleaning, body soap and shampoo. I have dry skin. Up to this point I have been using Ivory Soap and it is horrible on my skin. A couple days of using Bronners, and my skin is back to being normal! I love how this product rinses off so easily and leaves no films.”

Another user wrote: “This is a great soap. You can also use it as an ingredient for a natural cleaner (non commercial cleaner) and use it to clean around the kitchen, bathroom and house. Just mix a little lemon juice, soap, and water and you can kill a lot of germs around the house naturally.”

This user commented: “This product is by far the best soap for bathing. I use it by putting just a small squirt which foams up into a massive amount of suds. You will notice after using this soap that you don't need skin lotion anymore - you don't suffer dryness, cracking etc., especially caused by mass-produced products full of chemicals. All of the different soap scents are wonderful and have a noticeable difference. Peppermint will truly make you feel much cooler. Eucalyptus makes you feel warmer and clears your sinuses. Lavender is very soothing and relaxing; and rose induces a happy state of mind. Also this product can be used for tons of other things around the house and is far superior to other products. You can clean anything with this stuff. I've also used it as a pest spray for my garden. The product is made by a very nice group of spiritual folks who are carrying on the philosophies of Dr. Bronner as printed on his labels, and they strictly adhere to green practices and ingredients. They've been making this for a very long time and hopefully will continue on forever! Definitely try any of the Dr. Bronner products, they are truly amazing.”

Where Can You Buy It? Amazon.com

Endometriosis - The 4 Stages

So, you or a loved one has been diagnosed with endometriosis, and been told what stage the disease is at, but you’re not really sure what this means. Maybe your doctor will soon be doing a procedure to determine the stage and you need more information. Either way, it is important to know exactly what endometriosis is and what the different stages mean.

The endometrium is a layer of cells that grow inside the uterus in preparation for the fertilized egg implanting. If no egg implants, the endometrial cells are shed and women experience a period. In women with endometriosis, this process does not occur quite so smoothly.

Endometriosis is a condition where the endometrium grows into the tissue surrounding the uterus, most often the ovaries. Instead of flowing out of the body during menstruation, the tissue stays in the other areas and eventually grows and scars.

The stage of the disease is determined by several factors, including:

* The location of the growths
* The superficiality or depth of the growths in organs
* How stuck together organs are
* The growth rate of the area

Your doctor can confirm your diagnosis and determine the stage of the disease by doing a simple surgery called a laparoscopy. This is when a camera is inserted into the affected area so the doctor can see the extent of the damage.

When doing a laparoscopy, the doctor will determine the severity of each of these factors and assign numbers. The total number that is reached determines what stage you are. Here is a general description of each stage.

Stage 1: Less than 5. This is considered a very mild case. Adhesions (thin strings of scar tissue spread from one area to another) are superficial, thin and filmy.

Stage 2: 6 to 15. This is still a mild form of the disease. This also includes thin, filmy adhesions, but the patient also has superficial and deep implants of endometrial cells.

Stage 3: 16 to 40. This is moderate endometriosis. Implants are also superficial and deep, but the adhesions are still filmy, but more dense.

Stage 4: Greater than 40. This is the most severe case of the disease. Many women with stage 4 experience infertility because the growths are so severe. This includes deep and superficial implants, but the adhesions are very dense. In very few women, the adhesions will have spread past the lower abdominal cavity.

It is important for women to realize that pain is not a good indicator of the stage of the illness. While it makes sense for symptoms to increase as the disease progresses, many women have severe pain and other complications from only mild cases. In addition, some women never experience visible symptoms. They only find out they have endometriosis during fertility testing and other procedures.

Knowing the stage of your disease will help your doctor determine and appropriate treatment plan for you. However, the stage of your disease has nothing to do with how you’ll respond to treatment. A patient with stage 1 endometriosis may respond poorly to treatment while someone with a higher stage could respond very well. Stage is also not a good indicator of whether or not your disease will reoccur once it is under control.

Is Teeth Whitening Safe?

We all want a sparkling, white smile. In fact, many people spend hundreds of dollars a year in search of the perfect shade of white for their teeth. You can get toothpaste, paints, gels, strips, and even light treatments to take the ugly stains off your teeth. With all the options available today, you have to wonder if they’re safe. Many will advocate that whitening ruins the enamel and root of the tooth and leaves it damaged and vulnerable, but what really is the truth?

Most tray based whitening gel systems on the market today have a 10 percent carbamide peroxide solution as their active ingredient. Many studies have been conducted and they’ve shown that, at these concentrations, there is no damage to the enamel of the tooth. You may want to consider using a fluoride toothpaste if you’re concerned about enamel damage. This will help strengthen teeth and repair any possible damage. A disadvantage of these methods is that, because they use lower, safer levels of chemicals; they’re not as effective at whitening teeth as the products a dentist uses. They are; however, a lot cheaper.

There are other home based systems for teeth whitening including toothpastes, strips, and paints. These use the same or less abrasive materials than gel trays, so they are safe to use without damaging enamel. Remember that the less whitening solution a product has, the less effective it will be.

Dentist offices use the same type of solution as over the counter methods; however, they tend to offer higher concentrations so the whitening is more effective. Studies have shown that these concentrations may harm tooth enamel. Most of these treatments not contain fluoride or are offered with a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and reverse or prevent the damage from the whitening agent. Because of the safety issues, you should always express you concerns to the dentist and ask what options are available to protect your precious smile.

There has been some concern raised that these types of treatments may be considered carcinogens because they break down into free radicals. They also have suggested that teeth whitening may cause root damage to teeth. There have been extensive research studies and there is no evidence to support either of these claims

The problem with many whitening products, even very weak ones such as toothpastes, is that they can cause a problem for people with sensitive teeth. The treatments tend to worsen the level of sensitivity to hot and cold. If you have sensitive teeth, you should discuss treatment options with your dentist. They may be able to suggest whitening treatments that aren’t as harsh on sensitive teeth. You may experience pain when using at-home whitening trays, or gum pain after treatment, even if you don’t have sensitive teeth. If this occurs, you should talk to your doctor.

The bottom line is, as long as you use the treatments properly and follow your dentist’s instructions, teeth whitening is a safe and easy way to brighten up your smile.

Home Treatment for Chlorinated Hair

Need some relief from your sun-damaged, over-chlorinated hair? Try this home remedy:


Ingredients:
1 egg
1 eggshell's worth of olive oil
1 peeled cucumber quartered

Directions:
Break egg into glass bowl. Pour olive oil in egg shell measure then add to egg. Blend well. Place peeled cumcumber quarter into mixture and blend well making sure cucumber is mashed and mixed in well. Blend into hair beginning at the roots and working to the ends until hair is completely covered. Allow to stay in hair for ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse hair thoroughlywith warm water to remove. Best if treatment is used once a month all year long.

Self Breast Exams - What Are You Looking For?

One of the most important things a woman can do to protect her health is performing a monthly breast self exam. This is the first line of defense you have against breast health. It can help you learn what healthy breasts look and fell like, so you can detect a problem more easily.

Most people think breast self exams are solely for the purpose of finding lumps in the breast. The first step of the exam is to visually examine your breasts in the mirror. This way you can see outwards signs of a breast health problem, including:

• Dimpling. You may notice a rippling or “pulling” of the breast skin and tissue.
• Color changes. A darkening of the breast could be a sign of trouble.
• Texture changes. Deep tissue changes are important, but you should also pay attention to what the skin on the outside of your breasts feels and looks like.
• Size. It’s normal for your breasts to be uneven, but one shouldn’t be getting larger at a faster rate than the other once you’re past puberty.
• Fluid. Any fluid coming from the nipple other than breast milk is a cause for concern. You should see a doctor immediately if there is blood coming from the nipple.
• Nipple changes. Notice the size and shape, and general appearance of your nipples.

In addition to these other conditions, you should feel your breast looking for lumps. Most breasts have a lumpy of fibrous texture, that’s why it’s important to look for changes, as opposed to simple lumps.

You should also be aware of the texture in each area of your breast and notice lumps that appear in a location they normally don’t. For example, most women have a lumpier texture in the upper portion of their breasts, and a sandier texture underneath. If you notice a lump in an area where your breasts normally feel sandy, this may be cause for concern.

Most women will have lumps that appear naturally and then disappear by their next cycle. You should be aware of lumps that appear suddenly and don’t disappear, or that change or grow over time.

Many women with naturally lumpy breasts can get frustrated because it’s hard to remember every lump and notice changes. In this case, you can keep a journal every month. Write down how your breasts normally feel and any changes you notice from the month before. While this may seem embarrassing, it could save your life.

If you do notice a problem with your breasts, don’t panic. Not all issues are due to breast cancer. Schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible so they can perform tests. Don’t ever put off getting a problem looked at. Early detection could be the key to saving your life.