Past Health Tips Part 3

• Healthy Snacks for your Children

  Young children have high energy needs and small stomachs, so they will need frequent snacks in between meals, however do not give them snacks a short time before a meal or they may not have apetite. Make sure they provide good nutrition. Good choices are fruits and fruit juices, raw vegetable sticks, cereal, yogurt and soup.

• Fungal Infections

  Fungal infections of the skin are common in the feet, groin, scalp or nails. Ideal conditions for fungi to grow are warm and moist areas of the skin such as between the toes, the area under the breasts and in the groin. To prevent fungal infections:

  Keep the feet clean and dry.
  Wear thongs in public pools and shower
  Wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe
  Wear cotton socks to absorb sweat
  Keep the groin clean and dry
  Wear cotton underwear
  Avoid tight pants and pantyhose
  Don't share hats, combs or brushes
  

• Your Nutrition

  Because our cells are being constantly renewed, their quality is affected by our nutrient intake. Nutrients also help cells to provide energy, fight against disease and support the immune system. Eat more fresh organic fruits, raw organic vegetables, steamed or stir-fried organic vegetables, salads with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar, lean organic meats and organic nuts such as peanuts, almonds and cashews.
  
  

• PMS - Premenstrual Syndrome
  
  PMS occurs 6 to 10 days before the menstrual cycle begins. More than 150 emotional and physical symptoms associated with PMS. Emotional symptoms include anger and irritability, sadness, poor concentration, aggression, sudden bouts of crying and fatigue. Physical symptoms include headaches, backaches, breast tenderness, water retention and bloating, diarrhea or constipation, food cravings, dizziness or fainting, clumsiness, increased appetite.

  Most symptoms generally improve when menstrual bleeding begins. Exercise may help reduce the symptoms. Try relaxation techniques such as yoga and deep breathing. Eliminate tobacco, alcohol and caffeine. Reduce salt in your diet to help limit bloating.

• Natural Laxatives

  Flaxseeds - Ground seeds in a coffee grinder. Then in a blender add grounded seeds and mix with oranges, apples, and grapefruit. Take 3 Tbsp of flaxseeds per day with equal amounts of fruits.

  Fiber - Add some raw bran to your bowl of cereal. Make sure to gradually incorporate fiber to your diet as your body needs time to adjust to higher levels of fiber.

  Sauerkraut juice - It helps with constipation. But take it moderately as it has high amounts of salt.

  Spinach, okra, Spanish onions and escarole - Eat spinach and escarole raw in salads. Or you can boil them and drink their juice. Roasted Spanish onions are delicious, try having them before going to bed. Jumbos are a good way to incorporate okra in your diet.

  Beets - Have a couple of small fresh beets in the morning. It will help with your digestive tract functioning.

  Olive oil - Another wonderful natural laxative. Take one Tbsp after breakfast and another one after dinner.
  

• Blisters Problems?

  Ususally blisters are the result of constant or repeated friction against the skin. So avoid shoes that are too tight or too loose to minimize friction. Protect your hands by wearing gloves when doing heavy jobs. What to do with blisters?

  When the blister is small, protect it with a loose bandage from further rubbing.

  When the blister is small and in a weight bearing area, protect it with a doughnut-shaped moleskin pad, leaving the area open over the blister.

  When the blister is larger than let's say 1 inch across, it is generally best to drain the fluid. Sterilize a needle with rubbing alcohol and gently puncture the blister at the edge. Then press the blister to drain the fluid through the hole. Then whash the area well with soap and water. An because it becomes an open wound, apply a bandage if exposing the area to unhygienic conditions to avoid infection.

• Loss of Nutritional Content in Foods

  Fried foods The temperature and amount of time the food is fried will decrease the nutritional value left in your food.

  Frozen foods It depends whether the foods were cooked before they were frozen. In many cases, consider the fact that the best quality and better looking foods are sold fresh while the foods with lesser quality are processed for frozen foods.

  Canned goods The cooking and sterilization process have and impact in the vitamin and mineral potency losses.

  Dehydrated foods The nutritional content will be retained for the most part, however consider that, in many instances, lower quality foods are used for this process since their quality cannot be distinguished once it is processed.

  Note on Vitamin E Cereal products and particularly rice may lose up to 70% of vitamin E. Except for the 100% or whole grain type flour, white and wheat flours may lose up to 90% of its vitamin E content.
  
  Although dandruff poses no health danger, they can be a source of embarrassment. Many people believe that dandruff is associated with lack of hygiene, but actually dandruff is caused by scalp glands that do not function correctly, causing drying and then scaling of the skin. Shampooing infrequently may help aggravate the case of dandruff but it will not be the cause.
  
  Itchiness and burning may come with it in serious cases, and you should consult your doctor before trying any treatment at home. Here are a few alternatives:
  
  In a pan, mix one cup of apple cider vinegar and one cup of water and add a few mint leaves. Bring it to boil for about 5 minutes and allow it to rest at room temperature for approx. 12 hours. Strain the mixture and massage your scalp twice a day for a week. After massaging, just let your hair dry naturally, don't need to rinse it.
  
  Tea tree oil is also believed to be quite effective for dandruff, preventing flaking and infection. Try massaging your scalp by applying just tea trea oil.
  
  Squeeze the juice out of one large lemon. Apply half of the juice onto your hair, then wash your hair with your regular shampoo and rinse. Mix the other half of the lemon juice with two cups of water.
  For best results, repeat this process regularly.
  
  Here is a solution with bay laurel leaves. Add four teaspoons of crushed bay laurel leaves to one quart of boiling water. Let it rest for about 30 minutes, strain and cool for one hour in refrigerator. Wash your hair with your normal shampoo and then massage some of the solution into your scalp. Repeat treatment once more and let it stay on your scalp for about one hour before rinsing.
  For best results, repeat this process regularly.
  
  In a pan mix 2 heaping tablespoons of dried thyme, rosemary and sage in one cup of water. Boil for 10 minutes. Strain and let it cool. Shampoo your hair with your normal shampoo, rinse and massage the solution into your scalp. Do not rinse.