Most people tend to gain extra weight around the holidays and although understandable, we hate ourselves for it in the morning. The holidays come only once a year. We go out of our way to prepare for it and invite family and friends to celebrate with. There is no reason why you cannot enjoy some holiday cooking without sabotaging your diet.

Here are some simple steps to follow to avoid gaining weight over the holiday season:

*Eat anything that you want. Just be sure to eat small portions. You can safely sample a little bit of everything, but do not overdo it.

*Be sure to exercise faithfully over the holiday months. This is not a time to be slacking in the exercise department. You may get away with it at other times of the year, but the holiday temptations will catch up to you and it will show on the scale.

*Get in some extra fitness time if at all possible. Schedule it into your plans and make it a priority. Instead of exercising 3 times a week, plan to exercise 5 times a week.

*Take it easy the week before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Try to cut out any snacking.

By following the simple steps above you should be able to avoid gaining weight over the holidays. Just remember that if you are tempted to overeat your clothes will not fit right and the numbers will show up on the scale. We all know how awful that feels.

The first and most effective way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to recognize unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that you may subscribe to. Our thoughts have a direct bearing over our emotional disposition and the consequences that occur in the aftermath. We often cannot change circumstances (situations, events, and the behavior of others) that occur in our lives but we do have the power to alter the way we feel and react to them by simply changing the way we think. If we would like to avoid experiencing anxiety and depressed mood during the holidays, we must take ownership and control over our own thoughts by identifying unhealthy thoughts that we may subscribe to that might be contributing to a negative emotional disposition and replace them with healthier ones.

Some may fear social rejection and judgment from others. Though others may choose to judge negatively, pondering on this thought can ultimately rob you of experiencing joy and happiness. The following are six common unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that are often pondered on during the holidays:

1. “I need to spend a lot of money on gifts otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – It is a shame that so much worry is attributed from the issue of money especially during the holidays. We should not feel or be made to feel that the holidays are all about external/physical gifts. The most precious gift that we can give to one another is our fellowship and love (internal gifts). No external/physical gift can replace this. Internal gifts have a longer shelf life and increase our self-esteem more than external/physical gifts.  We must keep this issue in the proper perspective otherwise we can inadvertently teach others that external/physical gifts are more precious and desirable than our fellowship and love.

2. “For gatherings, my home must always be clean and tidy otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – It is never okay to invite guests to a filthy home. But expecting your home to be constantly tidy might be an unrealistic expectation, especially when children are present. Expecting such would only cause you anxiety and depressed mood. Do not worry about the cleanliness of your home but rather focus on fellowship as this is much more important and significant.

3. “I must prepare a flawless meal for my gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – The quality of meals should not be the main focus of the holidays. If food preparation is an issue, there is nothing wrong with purchasing meals from a restaurant. To go one step further, having a potluck might be a better and less expensive idea as your guests would be directly involved with the food preparation by offering a variety of foods at your gathering freeing up time for fellowship.

4. “My physical appearance must be acceptable and appropriate otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – Aside from daily hygiene, do not worry about your physical appearance. The fellowship that you can give to one another is much more important than your physical appearance. More times than not, our own anxiety over our physical appearance has more to do with how we feel about ourselves rather than how others may perceive us.

5. “I need to bring a mate to the gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” – If you are single, sometimes attending a gathering by yourself where couples are present might make you feel uncomfortable as you might feel that you do not fit in. Keep in mind that you are not alone as there are many people that are divorced, separated, or single. If having a mate was a prerequisite for gatherings, I guarantee you that there would be a lot less gatherings!  In addition, avoiding gatherings would only rob you of the experience of possibly meeting a potential mate.

6. “I need to pretend that I am happy during gatherings otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others” - Experiencing happiness is not a prerequisite for attending gatherings. Oftentimes, life events and experiences that have nothing to do with the holidays may play a direct role in your emotional disposition. The wonderful thing about gatherings is that there are plenty of people that you can talk with. If someone asks you how you are doing or feeling, be honest with them and let them know. Do not tell them that everything is fine when it is not. Oftentimes, having someone to discuss your problems with might actually help you resolve them as well as make you feel better. Take advantage of this opportunity.

If there are any other unhealthy thoughts that you might be dealing with that are not discussed in this article, I encourage you to write those thoughts down on a piece of paper writing a healthier thought (one that you would like to subscribe to) next to it. It would also be a good idea for you to review these thoughts daily so that it becomes easier to recognize and replace unhealthy thoughts.

The second way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to establish personal and professional goals for yourself. There is a lot to be said for New Year’s resolutions. Establishing short and long-term goals is a healthy idea because they can provide you with structure by giving you something to look forward to. Goals oftentimes give meaning to our lives. Those who do not have goals often feel hopeless and helpless. Just make sure that the goals that you establish are significant and achievable otherwise they will not be effective or worth your while to achieve.

And finally, the third way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to work at giving to others. Sometimes we are fooled into believing that happiness is achieved through the gifts that we receive or the items that we purchase. Just the opposite is true. You can achieve true happiness by helping others in need, volunteering your services, holding the hand of one in despair, or just simply being there when one experiences a low moment in his/her life. Oftentimes, it is not the words that we say that lifts one’s spirit or gives one hope. But rather, it is just being there that makes all the difference in the world. At times, we feel uncomfortable because we do not know the right words to say to those who are hurting. Words are not always important. The fellowship and the love that you can provide is what the holidays are all about. Let’s not lose this perspective and let’s not give unhealthy thoughts, with all the anxiety and depressed mood that goes along with them, the ability to rob us from experiencing the joy and the happiness that we all deserve to experience during the holidays. Happy holidays to all!

About the Author

Mark Lakewood, CEO of Building Strong Families National Seminars, http://www.StrongFamilies.us, is a distinguished bullying prevention expert, author, and speaker with over 20 years of clinical experience as a family therapist.  Mr. Lakewood facilitates seminars on family and school-related issues. He facilitates the “Standing Up To Bullying” Conference, http://www.StandingUpToBullyingConference.com and the Sudden Compliance Program Webinar Series, http://www.SuddenComplianceWebinars.com.

photo credit: lanuiop

The main symptoms of the H1N1 virus are headache, sore throat, coughing, fever, stuffed up or runny nose, chills, fatigue, body aches and pains, diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. Children, young adults, the elderly and persons in a “high-risk” category are most affected by this new virus.

To help protect you and your loved ones against this virus there are steps that you can take to help decrease your chances of contracting this virus. Some simple health measures include:

• Staying home and away from crowds if you are ill.
• Avoiding people who are ill.
• Avoid touching your face including your eyes, mouth and nose.
• Wash hands frequently or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• See your physician as soon as possible if you suspect that you are ill.

A H1N1 vaccine is available for those interested in receiving one. You should contact your physician for more information.

First of all, we are going to perform an exercise, which is known as “hot hands belly rub”. All you have to do here is just rub your hands together for about 10-15 seconds, and once they are hot, lie down on the floor.

Then lie down on the ground or wherever you feel yourself comfortable, and start drawing a small circle on your belly with your hot hand. Do this for around 2-4 minutes twice a day. When you feel that your hand is not hot anymore, just rub your hands together again.

Alright, so the hell does this exercise help you to lose belly fat quickly? The fact is that it’s one of the easiest things you can do to lose weight. It helps to burn the fat cells in your belly, and if I was to explain you how everything works, you would call me a geek. So don’t worry about it and just do the exercise.

The next workout might be a bit difficult for you, and it’s known as “vacuum workout”. It’s quite simple to perform. Suck in your stomach in the vacuum pose, and try to hold it that way for about 30 seconds or better as long as you can. The longer you can hold it, the more effect it will make.

Totally for five minutes you have to do this and no need to do in a continuous manner. If you do this regularly you could feel the tummy size goes in by 2 or 3 inches in a week time. Third technique is the hula hooping, in stores hula hoop will be available and this helps in trimming your stomach muscle and using this daily will flatten your stomach.

What is the best exercise to lose belly fat? Does it exist at all? Check out The Truth About Abs to find out more.

Baltic amber is fossilized tree resin. It contains high levels of succinic acid, considered by some to have healing properties. Specifically, succinic acid may have analgesic properties. When worn as a necklace or bracelet, the skin’s body heat wicks tiny amounts of healing oils from the amber. These succinic acid-containing oils are absorbed into the skin and help relieve pain.

Baltic amber necklaces come in many different sizes. Just make sure your baby’s isn’t too big or too tight. Teething necklaces aren’t to be chewed on or put in the mouth. They’re simply worn on the skin.

You can find baby Baltic amber teething necklaces at online retailers. Whether they’re effective in relieving pain or not is something for you to decide. Many people have had luck using Baltic amber to treat everything from migraines to menstrual cramps; carpal tunnel syndrome to back pain. These claims have not been scientifically validated but keep in mind people have been using Baltic amber as a traditional remedy for centuries.

Another benefit of Baltic amber is that, hey, it’s pretty and your baby will look super cute wearing an amber necklace.

Do you have any experiences using Baltic amber? If so, we’d love to hear it.

photo credit: david owen

As awful as it is, it’s imperative to put yourself in your baby’s shoes (or booties). Teething has to hurt. But that doesn’t mean you can’t offer your baby some relief.

There are many teething remedies on the market (and at home). Needless to say, some will work better than others.

There’s the usual ibuprofen and acetaminophen you can give your baby. We all know what these medications are—they relieve pain and, in my experience, are pretty effective. These two meds come in a few different forms, so make sure you follow the specific recommended dosages listed on the package.

Homeopathy is another teething relief option. Working with the premise “like cures like,” homeopathic remedies contain miniscule amounts of a substance that in larger amounts would cause the condition you’re trying to heal (in this case tooth pain). These remedies are gentle and recommended by many parents.

Of course, there are also homemade remedies for teething. Many parents swear by letting their baby chomp on a frozen wash cloth or by brushing their child’s gums with a tooth brush (no toothpaste).

Whatever you do, let’s hope your baby—and you—find relief ASAP.

photo credit: nateOne

Gaining weight is easy, you just have to eat and eat and eat. But getting rid of weight is always an agony. Yes there are many programs on weight loss, each with their different systems. But here is the catch, if you dont put our self into that; all those things simply will not work.

Thats what we say to our clients. It is really not enough just to follow our programs and stuff. It all begins in their mindset, a positive mindset to be exact.

With positive thinking, weight loss will become easy for anyone who wants to lose weight. The significance of positive thinking in trying to lose weight cannot be stressed enough. If you keep thinking negative thoughts, you will never be able to lose weight. Believe that you can achieve a slimmer and new you. Refrain from entertaining negative thoughts, it will only discourage you.

But if it is still not working or you still find it hard, you will need a person who expert on this. Thats what we do here in the Body Project Studio, we teach you how to lose weight plus we teach you also how to keep it like that.

We look at your weight loss in a holistic manner. It includes conditioning your mind for the program. Our instructors and nutritionists will help you before you start with our program. All these are done to make it easy for you.

With a positive mindset, everything will follow, especially the good results. With your help plus our instructors here in the Body Project Studio, everything that you wish for in your body will be granted, just the way you like it.

Losing weight is not achieved overnight. You need to commit to a certain process and must have a conditioned mind. Sport a more positive mindset towards your weight. Think that you can lose the extra weight; believe and focus on it. Before you know it, you are several pounds lighter. Set realistic goals; take it one step at a time. Positive thoughts can work wonders.

Two things matter when it comes to losing weight, a systematic plan and discipline. Because of these two important things, many have become successful. We gave them what they needed and they just put their lives to it, the result is success. If you want to know their stories, check out their testimonials and see what it can do to you. Make up your mind now.

Here are some measures that you can take to help soothe the painful, reddened skin:

• DO NOT break any blisters that may have formed on the skin.  If you do, you run the risk of infection.  It will also take longer for them to heal.  If your child is annoyed by them cover them up with a light gauze dressing.
• Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief and/or their anti-inflammatory properties according to directions.
• Keep the area moist.  Apply a moisturizer, hydrocortisone cream, or aloe for relief.
• Apply cold compresses to the area or allow your child to bathe in cool bath water.

After a few days you may notice peeling skin.  Continue the use of moisturizer’s to the skin.  Your child’s body is reacting to the burn and trying to rid itself of the damaged portion of the skin.  If your child’s burn is severe, not improving or if there is high fever or pain visit your child’s pediatrician for further evaluation and treatment.

Here are some first aid measures to put into action in a bee sting event:

• For a known allergy to bee stings or even past events of severe reactions to a bee sting, call 911 immediately.  As well, any bee stings above the neck should be considered an emergency due to the potential of difficulty in breathing.

Otherwise:

• Look for the stinger.  It looks like a little black dot.  If you are able to, remove it using a pair of tweezers or the edge of a credit card.  The bee venom sack will still remain in the skin, unfortunately, but if you act fast enough in removing the stinger it will not be as severe, as it takes a few minutes for the venom to fully release.
• Cleanse the area thoroughly with soap and water.  Apply either a meat tenderizer and water paste, a baking soda and water paste, or hydrocortisone cream to the area.
• Apply cold compresses to reduce inflammation.
• Give your child diphenhydramine as directed by his or her doctor.  For pain and/or discomfort give acetaminophen or ibuprofen as directed by your child’s doctor.

photo credit: J. Coelho

One of the biggest culprits of having unhealthy teeth is plaque. Plaque is something that everyone gets; however, it’s getting it off your teeth that is the most important part. Plaque is that gritty substance that is on your teeth after you eat food, and if left there will penetrate the enamel on your teeth. Once it has penetrated the enamel on your teeth that is when you start getting tooth decay. Having plaque left on your teeth is how you get other mouth problems such as gingivitis.

Power toothbrushes have made getting teeth healthy much easier. When using your power toothbrush you should brush for approximately three minutes. Power toothbrushes have always made brushing more interesting, as they are very efficient. The power toothbrush has made people more likely to brush thereby reducing cavities and gum disease. Because the power toothbrush works to clean your teeth in a more vigorous way it will help to remove bacteria. As well, a power toothbrush will help to reduce any stains due to their high-powered brushing capabilities. The head of a power toothbrush oscillates and motion done repeatedly on the tooth’s surface helps to get teeth cleaner than a manual toothbrush does.

When going out to find a power tooth brush you will find that there are many different brands of brushes out there today. Power tooth brushes have grown in popularity since the 90’s, with every year continuing to grow. Power toothbrushes work well; however, one of the things that you must remember is that even though you are getting cleaner teeth, it is still recommended that you brush for the normal 2-3 minutes. This is the mistake that most people make, is that they will brush for the normal time with a conventional brush, but as soon as you get a power brush you cut down the time. That will negate the benefits of the power toothbrush if you do.

When shopping for something like the best power toothbrush we told you above that there are many different companies out there that carry them today. With that said, these toothbrushes are a bit more expensive than a conventional brush so you will need to make sure that you are getting the right one for you. The best thing to do if this happens to you is to do a little bit of research and look at some reviews to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth.

Get your children to brush more frequently with a power toothbrush. Kids just love these things because they are so much fun. Purchase the best power toothbrush today and see for yourself how power toothbrushes have made obtaining healthy teeth a lot easier!

photo credit: Crystal.Stilts