Hair Replacement - Practical Solutions To Boost Your Confidence

Hair Replacement is fast becoming a convenient option for people with receding hairlines. There are several methods-hair pieces, hair transplant, application of ointment and drugs, tissue expansion, flaps and scalp reduction etc. Each application has its advantages and disadvantages and come at a reasonable cost depending on the amount of hair loss.

Prior medical consultation is necessary for persons with complications like high blood pressure, blood clotting, etc. to take care of the risks involved. Some care and is necessary after hair replacement. But, mostly it is a very smooth procedure. Get a hair replacement done today and transform your appearance altogether.

Hair Replacement Methods and Cost

* Hair Pieces- Cover areas of hair loss with synthetic fiber or human hair as a temporary solution. Cost may be in the range of $2000 to $6000 depending on quality. It can look so good that people can hardly distinguish your hairpiece from a natural hairstyle.

* Hair Transplant-Involves surgical procedures that call for a thorough check on physical and health parameters like blood pressure, blood clotting time, smoking history, etc. The procedure has to take into account the possibility of infection, slow healing time, ineffective skin plugging and other similar risks. An expert medical consultation will be necessary. Replacement cost depends on the degree of hair loss. It is around $4000 for slight loss and around $20,000 for extensive hair loss.

* Scalp Reduction, Tissue Expansion, Flap, Ointments and Drug Therapy: The budget for scalp reduction may be in the range of $1500-4900 depending on the amount of reduction necessary. For other methods, cost will vary depending on the nature, extent and time involved in carrying it out.

Don't forget to get an expert Hair Replacement specialist to do the job for you. Research to make the right choice.

After Care

Hair replacement takes time to work and take hold on your scalp. Take great care afterwards, it may be necessary to change your hair care habits. A gentle shampooing after the third day helps. Do not wear any hairpiece or wig for at least two weeks to avoid irritations, infections, pain and damage to the hair.

Summary:

Hair replacement has a number of options depending on the extent of hair loss. From temporary solutions to hair transplants, there are many procedures. Expert medical consultation is necessary to determine the best option and the risks involved.

Get the replacement done by an experienced professional. Costs vary depending on the procedure and extent of hair loss. The right after care helps to make the procedure successful and painless. Consider hair replacement as a long lasting solution to your hair loss problems.

Health Benefits of Watermelon

No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality.

Healthy Eating And Super Foods - 4 Health Benefits Of Watermelons


Think back to when you were a child and when during the summer months, the pinnacle of cookouts and family gatherings was always the cold juicy watermelon that was for desert. When you were young, eating watermelon was about taste, but now that you're older it's more than just taste that should inspire you to eat lots of watermelon each year when the season arises. This is because watermelons have tremendous health benefits that anyone who lives a healthy lifestyle should be determined to take advantage of every year. With that said, let's take a closer look at some of these health benefits this fruit has to offer.

Health Benefit of Watermelons #1: Lycopene

Lycopene is an antioxidant found in most red-colored fruits, with the exception of a few, such as strawberries. Scientific studies have shown that Lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer and heart disease in people, especially men, the sex most prone to these diseases. Men who eat a diet high in lycopene are much less likely to suffer a heart attack then men who don't.

Health Benefit of Watermelons #2: Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is an important attribute to have in a healthy diet because it promotes chemicals in the brain that help people to cope with anxiety and panic, two psychological disorders that are on the rise in America today.
Health Benefit of Watermelons #3: Vitamin C

If you thought oranges were the only fruit that could provide you with Vitamin C, think again. Vitamin C is important to not only being healthy, but remaining attractive all your life. Vitamin C boosts the immune system so that you get sick less often and it also slows down aging and medical conditions such as cataract.

Health Benefit of Watermelons #4: Vitamin A

Vitamin A works much like Vitamin C, in that it helps boost immunity, but it also help your body fight off infection. It also prevents blindness.

As you can see, eating watermelon is almost tantamount to taking a multivitamin every morning, but with a much better taste. Watermelons are seasonal, which means that they are not available all year long, like fruits such as apples, which also means that when they are in season you should make sure and take advantage.

When you go to the store to purchase one you want to try and find one that is ripe and ready to eat. The best way to do this is to knock on the outside of the rind. If you hear a hollow sound then melon is ready to eat, but if you hear solid thud put it back. The fruit is over ripe and you won't be getting very good flavor from it. Buy you water melon and eat it within the first few days of getting it home. Everything about it is healthy, and in addition, it won't leave you feeling over stuffed if you eat too much.

So the next time the weather becomes warmer and summer is approaching, don't forget about watermelons. Eat up and get the extra boost they will add to your healthy lifestyle.

Nipple Confusion

What is it?

Babies are born knowing how to suck, but they use different techniques to get milk from a breast and a bottle. In general, breastfeeding requires more vigorous mouth and tongue motions, and greater muscle coordination than bottle feeding. Your baby uses 40 facial muscles to nurse effectively and only four to suck on a bottle. If you offer bottle nipples or even pacifiers to your newborn, he can forget how to nurse properly. This confusion can lead to diminished or discontinued nursing. Nipple confusion is generally not a problem after the early weeks, once your baby is nursing well.


What causes it?

Breast nipples are soft and flexible. Your baby must open his mouth wide to latch on and engage a host of muscles. Artificial nipples, on the other hand, are pre-formed and fairly rigid, so they require little effort from a baby and can even be coaxed into a closed mouth. (Many nipple shields also require a different sucking action.)

As a result, a newborn who uses artificial nipples may try to feed from the breast using the same jaw and mouth motions he used to suck on his bottle or pacifier — which are not usually strong enough to draw milk from the breast. He will quickly become frustrated and may fuss, cry, or refuse to nurse.

The baby won't get much milk or feel satisfied, and if this happens in the first few weeks after birth, it may be difficult for him to learn to breastfeed effectively. Nipple confusion can also lead to the more serious problems of nursing strike (when a baby refuses to nurse), sore nipples, breast engorgement, or a slow-down in weight gain.

What can I do?

Avoid artificial nipples and pacifiers until breastfeeding is well established, especially if your baby is having trouble learning to latch on or suck correctly, or you're concerned about your milk supply.

That doesn't mean pacifiers and bottles are always a no-no. If your baby is nursing well, the occasional suck on a pacifier can calm your little one when you're unable to nurse immediately or soothe him when your arms, breasts, and patience are strained.

Sometimes an unexpected illness or other circumstance will make it impossible for you to breastfeed and someone else will have to step in. To reduce the chance of creating nipple confusion, consider "finger feeding" with a supplemental nursing system. These systems allow a caregiver to feed your baby expressed breast milk through a tiny tube taped to his or her little finger. As strange as it sounds, sucking on a finger is much more similar to breastfeeding than bottle-feeding is.

If your baby is already experiencing nipple confusion, you may be in for a rough few days. But you can get through this together. Continue to offer the breast at every feeding, avoiding pacifiers and bottles until things have smoothed out again. Offer your baby your breast before he is fussy or overly hungry. Change your nursing position to find something more comfortable, and try to relax. If the problem is getting worse or you think your baby isn't getting enough milk, call your healthcare provider or a lactation consultant for additional help.

Will it affect my baby?

Yes, if it continues too long. Nipple confusion can lead to a decrease in nursing or ineffective sucking at the breast, which in turn may diminish your milk supply. That can interfere with the long-term success of breastfeeding. Nipple confusion can also cause you to cut feedings short and offer your baby a bottle, depriving him of the high-calorie, high-fat hindmilk (the milk produced at the end of feedings) so important for growth.

Can I still nurse?

Definitely. Although dealing with nipple confusion can be challenging, it is certainly beatable. Offering your baby your breast at every feeding is the first step in correcting the problem.





photo from http://flickr.com/photos/19077164@N00/45557437/

Chocoholism: A health benefit?

It's an intense craving, an uncontrollable desire and a desperate need for the instant satisfaction. It's a craving for chocolate.


Satisfy the craving Chocolate is the most commonly craved food in the United States. Research shows that 40 percent of women and 15 percent of men experience the need for chocolate. Many experts disagree that chocolate addiction really exists. However, many chocoholics display addictive behaviors, such as secretly consuming chocolate, bingeing and trying to avoid it only to end up overeating. For those who experience these behaviors, the addiction is very real.

Indulge!Whether or not chocolate is addictive, research suggests chocolate may be good for you. Recent studies show that chocolate is packed with antioxidants known as polyphenols that may protect against heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants absorb free radicals in the body. Free radicals can damage cells, leading to disease. People who eat antioxidant-rich diets have lower rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease. While antioxidants have always been thought to come from traditional healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, red wine, black tea and chocolate were recently identified as good antioxidant sources. Now chocoholics have an excuse to eat the sweet stuff!

Pure chocolate comes from cocoa beans, the seeds of a fruit grown on Theobroma cacao trees, found predominantly in South America. Chocolate in its most processed form is loaded with extra oils and sugars. The more fat in the chocolate, the weaker the antioxidants. Dark chocolate and baking cocoa are excellent sources of polyphenols because much of the original cocoa bean remains intact after processing. However, chocolate in its more processed form is loaded with extra oils and sugars lowering its level of polyphenols. So, while a bar of dark chocolate weighing about 1.5 ounces contains approximately 950 milligrams of antioxidants, a similar bar of milk chocolate contains about only about 400 milligrams. White chocolate is a confection of fat and sugar and contains no antioxidants at all.A little of each, please

Is it caffeine you're worried about? Chocolate's caffeine level has been exaggerated. While a one-ounce chocolate bar has 10-20 milligrams of caffeine, a six-ounce cup of coffee contains approximately 105 milligrams. Chocolate has about a 10th of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.

Chocolate's chemical properties may add just the right touch to your Valentine's Day plans. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which research suggests is a stimulant released during intimacy. Studies also suggest that carbohydrates found in chocolate increase serotonin, a chemical that affects mood by increasing appetite and sexual interest.




Celebrate Valentine's Day with
Chocolate and this beautiful
Bouquet of Roses

ALCOHOL & YOUR BODY

You will see the lounge bars, clubs, pubs etc full of young people. Some drink for experimenting for kicks, to release tension, and some to fit into the group. You may be pushed to try one or you may start of your own free will. Alcohol at a young age or excessive intake could make you addicted and affect your health.

ALCOHOL & YOUR BODY

1. Brain: Alcohol breaks through the blood-brain barrier of epithelial cells that line the capillaries, within 30 seconds of entering the bloodstream which results in disruption of nerve-cell communication. It weakens judgment, increases fatigue, lowers resistance to disease, reduces efficiency, shortens the attention span, etc.

2. Stomach: Within 5 minutes it enters stomach’s producing epithelial cells. The fuller your stomach, the slower the squeeze. Alcohol also jumpstarts the production of hydrochloric acid, which can eat through the stomach’s protective mucus. Alcohol intake at the young age could lead to heartburn, inflammation, ulcers, and bleeding 10 years down the line.

3. Small Intestine: Alcohol blocks the absorption of water and sodium here, which is why a binge dehydrates you. Chronic imbibing interferes with enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, thus reducing update of vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids.

4. Heart: Moderate doses of alcohol may help keep the heart and its arteries. Heavier drinking, however, narrows the blood vessels and raises blood pressure, forcing the heart to pump harder. It also can short-circuit the electrical signals, causing an arrhythmia. Alcohol abuse damages heart muscle, causing it to pump less efficiently. This can lead to heart failure.

5. Lungs: Long-term alcohol abuse depletes an important antioxidant in the lungs, leaving them vulnerable to permanent, life-threatening damage from pneumonia, sepsis, and other infections.

6. Kidneys: Alcohol blocks the release of the hormone vasopressin, which normally stimulates the kidneys to conserve fluid and concentrate urine. Your body’s healthy cells get a helping of junk along with every important nutrient. This leads to high blood pressure, liver damage, and kidney failure.

7. Liver: Blood absorbs alcohol much faster than the liver can eliminate it, which is why it takes an hour for the effects of each drink to wear off. Heavy drinking creates excess free radicals and collagen, a building block of scar tissue. Both kill off healthy liver cells.

8. Genitals: Alcohol deadens nerve cells all over the body. 8 of 10 problem drinkers suffer from chronic erectile dysfunction: Heavy drinking cause’s high blood pressure, restricting blood flow to the penis, and chronic boozing reduces testosterone production to smithereens.

Heavy drinking also leads to accidents. Teenage drinking can blow up into dependence in adulthood. What seems to be the hype thing for the teenagers is actually poisonous for their health. Having it occasionally is fine but getting addicted to it could make you unhealthy emotionally and physically.


You have a alcohol problem if:
1. You drink to escape from worries, to relax, lose shyness and build up self confidence.
2. You drink when you get angry with other people.
3. You like to drink alone, in isolation.
4. Your work/grades (in case of students) are suffering.
5. You are missing work, college, etc

FIGHTING THE PROBLEM

You have tried lots to stop but all efforts in vain try the following also, it might work this time.
1. When someone forces you say no that you don’t drink it or it is not your style. It is socially acceptable to refuse a drink no matter whatever others say and do. This requires maturity and self respect and triggers respect in others.
2. Avoid get-togethers that revolve around drinking alcohol. Don’t hang around with friends for whom drinking is the only option. Make new friends.
3. Go and join a cool gym programme near your house. A swimming, salsa, squash class are also good options. Exercise gives the brain the high the same way alcohol does but the difference is it is good for your body.
4. Watch a movie to kill the free time.
5. Hang on to a soda; Sparkling soda or mineral water, garnished with lime and coriander looks and feels good and is a low calorie option. A Virgin Mary (tomato juice, lime and masala), tastes delicious.
6. Bond with your family. Swap jokes and happenings, have dinner together.
7. Go for a drive with the windows open to clear your mind.
8. Never drink from an open bottle of cola or from an anonymous punch, both of which can be spiked with dubious alcohol. Creamy cocktails look innocent but can knock you out cold.
9. Don’t accept that first drink or one for the road. Stop a friend when he or she has had enough.
10. Don’t lie about drinking or how much you have drunk, it can worsen your drinking habit
11. Think of all the ill effects of alcohol in your mind and keep repeating it in your head like alcohol makes you throw up, leaves you with a hangover etc till you refuse on taking some.
12. Master in a skill and let your group look up to you for that. That will boost your confidence and help you in saying no when these friends pressurizing you on having one drink.

Parents also play an important role in this regard. Don’t push your kids to things. Be friends with them. Talk to them now and then about issues, their highs and lows. Chances of turning to alcohol would be lot less in the times of lows. Understand the needs of the children and even if they are wrong doing say it to their face make them understand where it would take them.

Cycle for health and fitness

Cycling - the healthy option
Cycling is healthy, both for you as an individual, and for the community you live in. That's the conclusion of the British Medical Association's report, 'Cycling: Towards Health and Safety'.

1. Cycling regularly will improve your fitness and can help you live a long and healthy life.
2. Riding a bike can help you maintain a healthy weight.
3. Three quarters of all personal journeys are less than 5 miles long - that's half an hour on a bike.

Switching these short journeys from car to bicycle will benefit your health and your community. You'll be helping to reduce noise and air pollution as well as traffic congestion.

What's In It For You?
More cycling is good news for the environment and your local community. But the biggest benefit is for you as an individual.

Increasing Fitness
Your strength, stamina, aerobic fitness and general muscle function will all be improved. Cycling is a low impact activity and one of the safest ways to exercise without risk of over-exertion or strain to muscles and joints. Regular physical activity also facilitates other healthy behaviour and could help you reduce weight or even give up smoking.

Lowering Risk of Heart Attack

Your heart muscles are strengthened, resting pulse is lowered and blood fat levels reduced. People taking regular physical activity suffer far less heart disease than people who don't!

Shedding Excess Weight

By burning body fat and raising your metabolic rate you can lose weight. If you undertake physical activity regularly you can enjoy a more varied diet without increasing body weight. Cycling is one of the more comfortable forms of physical activity for those who are new to exercise, allowing most people to get fit easily and safely without undue physical strain.

Reducing Stress
Anxiety, stress and depression are all alleviated, partly due to the physical activity itself, but also due to the pleasure and satisfaction of riding a bike. Cycling is convenient for short journeys, and often faster across town than other forms of transport. It's a stress free means of taking physical activity because it can form part of a daily routine. So there's no need to worry about fitting your new healthy lifestyle into an already overcrowded schedule. So go cycle - you'll feel better for it!

Better Bicycling » Getting Started

If you are new to bicycling or want to rediscover it as an adult, you'll find it a great form of recreation. It's fun, healthy, social and good for the environment. Bicycling is good exercise at any level of intensity; it can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want; it can be done in a group or done alone; and it can provide local transportation. As recreations go it's quite democratic: it can be done regardless of whether you live in the city or countryside, whether you are rich or poor, young or old, even liberal or conservative.

Getting started requires a bicycle. Some people inherit one from older sibling, some find one at a garage sale, and some buy it at a store. If buying a bike, the first thing to consider is the type of bicycle most suited to your needs: racing, mountain, comfort, etc. Any good bicycle shop can assist if you need help deciding.

However you come by your bike, make sure it properly fits and carries all required safety equipment. A properly fitted bicycle means having a frame of the appropriate size and having the adjustable features (such as seat height) set to accommodate the rider's body dimensions. Again, a good bike shop will help you with this, member shops . A properly equipped bike is the responsibility of the owner. In New York, the law requires bicycle stores to assure workable brakes and needed reflectors are on any bike it sells. The owner, however, needs to add a bell or horn and, if driven at night, a headlight and taillight. A helmet is required equipment for children.

At this point you are ready to ride, and the first order of business is to make sure you ride safely. If you are a parent or guardian, this includes making sure your child rides safely too. The next page in this Better Bicycling section - "Riding Safely" - can help you do this.

Now all that remains is for you to enjoy riding your bicycle. Get into the habit of regular bicycling by riding when weather permits. Invite friends to ride with you. If you are more serious, join one of the many cycling clubs through the state. They offer regular rides at various distances and levels of ability. The "For Families" page on this site will give you some ideas on enjoying bicycling.

The full potential for enjoying your bicycle will come over time. Some make bicycling a hobby. They learn to make bicycle adjustments, minor and even major repairs by themselves. Others enjoy honing their bicycling skills and sometimes entering competitive events. Still others make bicycling part of family tradition, going together on annual events.

Whatever your eventual level of commitment to bicycling - an occasional jaunt or fervid daily workouts - you'll find many bicycling resources on the web. The NYBC website has some of them and can lead you to others.

Happy Bicycling!