5 health tips for Christmas

Christmas and good health may not seem to go together particularly well, so you need to pay extra attention, if you want to stay illness-free this December. Here are 5 tips for staying healthy this Christmas.

• Reduce stress: Stress is one of the biggest health worries at this time of the year as you try to juggle your finances and plan a feast for your family.Try to plan your budget and work out what you can afford.If it's a bit tight, don't feel pressured to overspend on anything and tell your friends and family that you're cutting back this year. They'll understand, they may even feel relieved!


• Get some exercise:We know winter is dark and gloomy, but getting even the smallest amount of exercise will make you feel so much better. It's a brilliant way of relieving stress and boosting your energy, which means you will be mentally and physically prepared for when the relatives arrive! A brisk walk is the easiest way, but if you prefer indoor exercise, why not spend 30 minutes swimming up and down your local pool - it works your whole body and is very low-impact, meaning it's less likely to put strain on your joints. Of course, you may well be going to a Christmas party which is actually a great place to get some exercise. As it's Christmas, remember, even shopping for Christmas gifts is exercise (as long as you're not sitting in front of a computer doing it!).


• Down a smoothie:This is the time of the year, when many of us feel stretched pretty thin. When you're too busy or frazzled from the night before to eat properly, or even need a quick pick-me-up, then a smoothie is the quickest and healthiest way to get goodness inside you. Try an Innocent Superfoods Detox smoothie - it's packed with potassium, which helps lower blood pressure and reduce strokes, and Vitamin E, which fights heart disease and bad cholesterol. A 250ml glass will give you the same amount of immune-boosting antioxidants as are in five portions of fruit and veg.


• Help your hangover:
  No-one enjoys a hangover. They're nature's way of telling you what a great time you've had, but they also tell you how many essential vitamins your body has lost. Surprisingly, even though it's the last thing many of us want to eat with a fuzzy head, a Christmas dinner is good to eat, because it's full of the vitamins needed to cure a hangover. Christmas turkey is a great source of vitamin B, which is vital for your nervous system and stopping you feeling queasy. Potatoes have more Vitamin C than a glass of orange juice, which is important, because it helps the liver to break down the alcohol. And green veg like broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain Vitamin E which detoxes the body. If that sounds like too much hard work, gobble down a ripe banana. It contains a natural antacid to help your stomach, magnesium to ease your headache and sugar to top up your liver's natural sugar stores and lose that light-headed feeling.


• Get some sleep:We know Christmas is all about having fun, eating and drinking, but research has shown that missing out on sleep could lead to a cold or other seasonal snuffle.Your body and brain recharge when you're under the covers and also fight off infections. Try drinking a warm, milky drink before bed, and, if you've been up or out partying, make sure you give yourself time to wind down and switch off before jumping into bed.

This article is taken from Article Alley

Quick Remedies for Asthma, Get Relief from Asthma Naturally

Asthma attacks, a common respiratory disease, are sudden recurring attacks of labored breathing, chest constriction and coughing. Characterized by gasping, wheezing, and shortness of breath and inability of speech, the cause of asthma is unknown and in many cases, it results from a combination of allergic and non allergic responses. Asthma is a chronic condition, which cannot be cured completely but can be successfully managed with medicines and home remedies and thereby minimizing the exposure that triggers the attack. Presenting below some quick home remedies to get relief from asthma or preventing it

Quick home remedies for Asthma

• Crush Black paper with honey and make thick solution. Have this paste daily help to cure breath diseases.
• Mix turmeric powder with Ghee and take this paste. Drink hot milk after this. It gives relief in Asthma. Or you can add a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of milk. It is highly beneficial; it can be also taken 2 to 3 times in a day.
  
• Drop 4-5 drops juice of carrot in nose.
• Drink carrot juice daily.
• Eat some dates and drink warm water. It will help to remove cough and to cure Asthma.
• Take 3 grams Tulsi juice and 3 gms of Ginger juice and mix both juices in one spoon of Honey. Take this mixture.
• Take two spoons Ginger juice with Honey. It gives some relief from Asthma.
• Mixing one teaspoon of honey in a glass of water and having it 3 times in a day is also a very good home remedy for asthma.
• Steamed ginger tea with minced garlic cloves should be given twice a day.
• Blend together radish, honey and lemon juice together in a blender and cook on low flame. Have one teaspoon of it everyday in the morning.
• Soak dry grapes in a bowl of water at night and the next morning keep it in cold milk for half an hour and then chew them. This is also very effective.

Regular Precaution

• In order relieve congested lungs and stimulate the skin, the patient should perspire through steam bath, hot hip bath, sunbath and hot footbath.
• Garlic cloves boiled in 30 gms of milk should be given daily to patient. It is a good remedy for asthma.
• Air, sun and water are also great healing agents. The patient should be made to sit in fresh air for sometime daily and avoid dusty places, very cold places, mental worries and tension.
• In 125 ml of water, add 4 to 5 cloves and boil it and then add one teaspoon of honey and have it twice or thrice in a day.
• Soak fresh dry grapes with seeds in 150 gms of water at night. In the morning, remove the seeds and chew them slowly one by one. To the water add little sugar and drink it. Within a month, the lungs will be strengthened and all the poisonous waste will be thrown out from the body.
• Take half cup of milk, add one teaspoon of pure honey, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and some garlic cloves. Boil it and have it every day.
• Chew fennel seeds regularly to expel infected mucous from the chest.

Immediate Relief

• Use of honey is considered to be very beneficial in the treatment of asthma. When a patient gets asthma attack, keep a jug full of honey under the nose of a patent and within few minutes, the patient would start breathing easily.
• Mustard oil mixed with little camphor should be massaged at the back of the chest when there is asthma attack.
• If you have a sudden asthma attack and have ran out of medication, have a strong cup of black coffee till you get a doctor.

20 Ways To Never Look Tired

Have you ever had a friend, acquaintance, coworker, or even a complete stranger tell you, “You look tired”? Do you feel good hearing this? There is no doubt that for some reason or the other whether at home or office, every lady can look like a zombie at times. Here’s a list of quick 20 ways to stay looking refreshed and awake to make sure you never hear that awful phrase from anyone again:

• Hang your head upside down.: Blood rushes to your face, giving you a fresh look. Moreover the simple way of bending over backward will wake up your muscles and make you feel energized. If you’ve already done your hair and don’t want to mess it up, you can always try a quick backbend instead.
• Try a ponytail facelift: Pulling your hair into a high, tight ponytail literally gives your face a little lift, so you’ll look refreshed.
• Use a spoon on your eyes.
• Dab on some shiny pink lip gloss: This will give your face color and draw attention away from your weary eyes.
• Take a cold and hot shower: Alternating baths of hot and cold water in your morning shower reverse circulation and returns color to your skin.
• Try an icy facial:. Add a drop of lemon juice and olive oil to the water in each square of your ice cube tray. Once it’s frozen, run an ice cube over your face. The cold reduces puffiness, while the lemon juice’s citric acid tightens skin and the olive oil adds moisture.
• Choose eyeliner shades that fight redness: Use a navy or black eyeliner pencil on the inner rim of your upper eyelashes to make the whites of your eyes appear brighter. Then, try a white eye pencil on the inner lower rim.
• Give your eyes a caffeine boost: Dip cotton pads in some brewed coffee and press them gently underneath your eyes to eliminate puffiness and under eye circles.
• Avoid salty foods.
• Add more mascara.
• Do a frozen veggie facial:Put a bag of frozen peas, cauliflower or baby carrots over your face for a few minutes. They conform perfectly to your face and cure the sleepy look.
• Don’t pile on foundation: Too much foundation masks your natural glow, making you look older – and finishing powder only amplifies the effect.
• Wear skin-flattering colors: This is the one time when black doesn’t work – you’ll look paler by contrast. Avoid dark-colored tops.
• Highlight the inner corners of your eyes: This area is prone to looking dark normally, so on zombified days an extra boost of highlighter in inner corners is a must to brighten your eyes.
• Try some quick morning beauty fixes.
• Quit sleeping face-down: Fluid pools in your facial tissues this way, so your face puffs up and adds to the look of sleep deprivation.
• Wear glittery jewelry: The sparkle makes you look lively and put-together and reflect light off your face for an added dose of brightness.
• Skip reddish eyeshadow: Eye makeup with red undertones such as roses, plums or browns play up redness in your eyes. Stick to black liner and cool-toned lids.
• Since your face loses color when you’re wiped out, you need an extra flush. Apply bronzer deep in cheekbones, at the jawline and at the edges of your hairline all around your face. Top cheeks with a shimmery blush to catch light.
• Hydrate your skin with actual water to keep from looking sallow and pruny.

Almond Oil Home Remedies, Almond Oil Benefits for Skin, Hair and Health, Secrets of Almond Oil

Almond oil, one of the most popular oils, has a wide range of benefits for health and beauty purposes. Almond oil is A rich source of vitamin E, treasure house of some essential minerals such as magnesium and calcium, with high contents of fat and vitamin D, almond oil extracted from almond kernels, has many cosmetic and health benefits. Read on to find about the amazing benefits and secrets of almond oil.

Almond Oil for Skin
Almond oil is suitable for any skin type. Some benefits of almond oil for the skin are as follows:

• Moisturises better and deeper
• Soothes skin irritation and inflammation
• Lightens dark circles
• Delays ageing process
• Nourishes the skin
• Makes it smooth and soft
• Cures chapped lips and body rashes.

Tip
Just massage your face (or affected areas) with few drops of almond oil and see the difference it makes to your skin within a short period of time.

Almond Oil for Hair

• Head massage with almond oil twice in a week. Your hair fall problem will be reduced remarkably, making your hair healthier and long.
• Massaging with almond oil adds shine to the hair.
• Almond oil massage also helps in removing dandruff. Prepare a mixture of olive oil with the almond oil.Leave to on about 5 minutes. After it starts to burn. Wash well.

Almond Oil for Health

• Consuming almond oil is beneficial for digestive system. Just add a spoon of almond oil with your glass of milk or with juice. Drink this everyday. It keeps your body warm and boost your immunity.
• Massage almond oil into strained or aching muscles to alleviate muscle pain. This topical application of almond oil is said to dramatically relieve muscle pain.
• Take almond oil as a digestive aid. Almond oil is beneficial to the digestive system because it boosts the numbers of beneficial bacterial in the stomach. This helps in digestion.
• Nourishes the brain and nervous system.
• Enhances intellectuality and endurance.

Immunity Boosters in the Kitchen

Presenting below some easy-to-follow home remedies given by a herbal beauty expert.

• Make a ball of 1 gm turmeric (Hint: 1 tsp = 5 gm) with water and pop it in like a pill, first thing every morning.
• Garlic is another excellent home remedy for staying fit. It sterilises your urinary passage, thus countering several infections. Swallow a clove of garlic in the morning to up your immunity quotient.
• Start your day by sipping a glass of lemon water mixed with 1 tbsp of honey. This vitamin C-rich concoction flushes out toxins from your body.
• Have a glass of hot milk mixed with a tsp of almond oil. It is rich in vitamin E, low in cholesterol, and fights many common ailments.
• Make a paste or juice of about 15–20 basil leaves. Have it every morning to strengthen your immunity and fight viruses like H1N1.

Here is a checklist on what you need to do to up your immunity levels:
Snooze Session
You need at least six hours of sleep. The best time to catch up on sound sleep is between 10 pm and 6 am. Sleep balances hormone levels, helps you think better and recharges your body. So go, catch up on those 40 winks.

Come Clean
Cleanliness does ensure overall wellness. Maintain basic hygiene like keeping your hands clean, since it is one of the best ways to ward off illnesses. Make sure you wash your hands with a soap prior to eating and after coughing, sneezing or using the washroom. Also, wash your hands after you are exposed objects that lead to accumulate germs upon contact, like taps, keyboards and door handles.

Exercise
Just make sure you do at least 45 minutes of exercise every day. With a little more time to spare, nothing beats yoga, running and jogging. Just make your pick, but make sure you keep moving. In fact, a study by the University of North Carolina proves that those who walk 45 minutes a day are half as likely to catch flu as compared to those who don’t. The best part is that regular exercise ensures the smooth functioning of your organs, muscles and tissues and you end up feeling much healthier.

Eat Healthy
If in your quest for weight loss, you have said ‘goodbye’ to carbs and fat, you are starving your body of vital nutrients. You need a balanced diet to boost your immunity. Your body needs a blend of everything—from carbohydrates and fats to vitamins and minerals.

Natural Skin Care: Quick Skin Cleansing Tips, Skin Care Naturally

Following a proper routine and diet one can very easily get a clear, flawless and soft skin. There are many products available in the market. Not necessarily all are good. Some products may be allergic to your skin. Moreover they are expensive. So why dont you opt for products that are available in your household. Instead of trying for the lotions available in the market, try these simpler tips to gift yourself, the sensational skin. Undoubtedly, following these tips would give you best of the results, only after using it at regular basis and at regular intervals. So, pamper your skin with these 'natural skin care' recipes.


Carrot Mask: Take a carrot, grate and mix it well with one spoon of honey. Apply this all over the face and leave it for only 15 minutes. Now wash and feel the difference after regular use.

Pineapple and Orange/Lemon and wheat flour: Mash well a pineapple slice, mix it with the juice of an orange or a lemon and add all these ingredients with wheat flour. Apply this mixture on the face and neck. Scrub it off after some time, to get fresh and smooth skin.

Lemon-Egg-Tomato: Whip an egg white and store it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Now add the juice of a lemon and a grated tomato with this. Apply on the skin and get soft skin.

Guava, oatmeal and lemon juice: Mash one guava. Mix well with the mixture of oatmeal and lemon juice. Apply this on the face for about 20-30 minutes and wash it off to see the better glow.

Radish, vinegar, lemon, honey: Take half grated fresh radish, one spoon of vinegar, one spoon of lemon juice and one spoon of honey. Mix all these ingredients in a glass of pure, fresh water and store in a bottle. Wipe your skin regularly to shrink open pores and reduce greasiness.

Honey, egg white, grated potato: Mix one spoon of honey with the white of an egg and grated potato. Apply this on the face and let it dry. Wash it off with cold water and feel the freshness.

Strawberry, china clay, sandal wood: Mix well about 5 strawberries, one spoon of china clay and the juice of a small orange. Apply this on the face and scrub it after few minutes with a towel dipped in cold water.

Tomato and Sandal pack: Mix well one grated tomato, one spoon of sandalwood powder and half spoon of china clay. Mix again all these ingredients in rose water and apply on the face. Wash it off to feel tightened skin.


Skin cleansing: A 10 minute regime

Follow the steps given to cleanse your skin atleast once or twice a week. This 10 minute regime can make your skin clean and glowing:

• Clean your face with a cleanser.
• Apply a scrubber by gently massaging it into the skin and let it dry.
• After drying use the face steamer to steam your face . After steaming remove the blackheads either with blackhead removing lotion or you can also use salt and soap and apply on the affected area.
• Then apply ice-cubes or toner to close the pores.
• After closing the pores apply a nourishing cream depending on the skin type.
• Then apply a mask of sandalwood or cucumber to pack everything in your skin.
• After few minutes, wash your face.

Your skin cleansing is completed and you can feel the difference.

Home remedies for Enhancing Sexual Urge in Men, Treat Sexual Impotence Naturally

Sexual activity is a basic instinct in humans. It is one of the most important aspects of their life. However, there are some who suffer from sexual dysfunctions. The most commonly found sexual dysfunction in men is impotency. The person suffers from low sex drive and low erectile functions. There are many causes of sexual impotence like depression, devitalized condition of the body system, weakness etc. There are three different forms of sexual impotence - primary sexual impotence, secondary sexual impotence and the one concerned with old age. While the third one cannot be treated much, the first two can be cured by resorting to some natural remedies. Presented below some home remedies for treating sexual impotency.


Home Remedies For Sexual Impotence

• Garlic:Consuming garlic is one of the best ways to treat sexual impotence. Chew two to three cloves of raw garlic, on a daily basis. In fact, you should include garlic in your regular diet.
• Onion:Onion increases libido and strengthens reproducing organs. White onions are best for this purpose.
• Carrots: Finely chop about 150-200 grams of carrots. Eat this, along with a half-boiled egg, dipped in a tablespoon of honey, once everyday. This will help increase sexual stamina.
• Lady finger and milk:Mix 5-10 gms root powder of Ladyfinger in a glass of milk, with 2 tsp of mishri and drink this mixture. This will prove helpful in improving sexual vigor.
• Asparagus:Mix about 15 gm dried roots of asparagus in a glass of milk. Have this milk two times in a day. It will be useful in treating both sexual impotency and premature ejaculation.
• Drumstic flowers:You can also prepare a mixture of 15 grams drumstick flowers added to 250ml of boiled milk. Prepare a soup from this decoction.
• Drumstick and honey:Another helpful method is to use drumsticks is to boil 120 gm of the powder of the dry bark in half a liter of water, for about 30 minutes. You can also make a paste of 30 grams of this powder with a tablespoon of honey and have this paste 3 times in a day.
• Ginger juice:Mix ½ tsp ginger juice with half boiled egg and honey and have this mixture once every night. It is beneficial in curing impotency, premature ejaculation & spermatorrhoea.
• Dry fruits:Dry fruits are effective in curing sexual impotency. Pound and mix equal quantities of pistachios, dates, almonds, and quince seeds. 100 grams of this mixture, consumed on a daily basis, is said to increase sexual power.
  
• Black Raisins:Soak few black raisins in lukewarm water and eat them with a glass of warm milk, daily.

For female sterility

• Dry the roots of banyan tree and powder them . Take about 20 gm of this powder with milk, in a ratio of 1:5. Have this for 3 consecutive nights after the menstrual cycle.
• Consume 6 grams of powdered winter cherry herb with a cup of milk, for 5 to 6 days after menstruation.
• Including lots of seeds, fruits, nuts, grains, fresh green vegetables and fresh fruits in the diet is helpful in treating sexual impotence.

Health Benefits of Baking Soda, Baking Soda Health Uses

Baking soda is a common ingredient in many food recipes. But baking soda can be used for many other things as well. Baking soda is a sodium bicarbonate which maintains the pH equilibrium and neutralizes both acids and bases. It is one of the greatest natural solutions for cleaning, deodorizing, preparation, and healthcare purposes. The innumerable health benefits of baking soda are as follows:


Treating sinus infection
Use a dash of salt and a dash of soda in 1 tablespoon of water. Snort at night when you have the problem. If allergies are constant snort every night. This may be hard in the beginning but after a week, infections go down drastically and no more sinus breath due to infection.

Treating urinary tract infection and kidney problems
Baking Soda is a powerful anti-fungal and is often used in medical facilities to treat urinary tract (fungal) infections, which include infection of the kidney, ureters, bladder or urethra. When first signs of UTI appear, a mixture of 1/2 tsp baking soda in eight ounce glass of water can be very helpful. The presence of baking soda in the body regulates the acid-base balance of the acidic urine.

Natural mouth wash
Make a homemade rinse using part salt, baking soda, and water and gargling with this will bring an instant fix with even the worst bad breath.

Shining Teeth
Baking soda is a natural teeth whitener. Add baking soda to your toothpaste and brush your teeth. This will give you shining teeth. You can also just wet your toothbrush, dip it in soda and brush your teeth with it.


Treating upset stomach and heartburn
Mix one half teaspoon in three oz water and drink the solution. Because baking soda may neutralize excess stomach acid, it can be used to treat sour stomach, heart burn, and acid indigestion.But please bear in mind that baking soda is to be used as a short-term relief method and can be harmful if used for wrong reasons or in higher amounts.

Treating skin irritations
For skin irritations a warm bath with baking soda is very effective in soothing the skin. For acne, gentle scrubbing with baking soda can help the skin shed dead surface cells that can clog pores and lead to acne. For bee stings, make a paste with baking soda and water and apply on the affected area for few minutes. This will bring comfort and relief.

Handy Tips
1. Make a solution of baking soda mixed with water and keep it handy.
2. When eye hurts, use the solution with water as eye drops.
3. The solution can be used as earwax remover.
4. For heat rash, spray the solution on the rash.
5. A mouth rinse with baking soda solution helps in relieving the pain from tooth cavity.

Important Warning!
Do not use baking soda which has had aluminum added to it, such as Arm and Hammer. Buy a product which specifically states it does not include aluminum or other chemicals.

Quick Home Remedies for Hiding Love Bites, Hickey Removing Tips

....Please don't see my love bite

A love bite or hickey is a discoloration of the skin. It is a bruise caused by prolonged suction of the mouth against the skin. Giving or receiving a love bite is pretty easy, but removing one is not so easy. Displaying a love bite in public can be embarrassing, so think twice before allowing someone to give you one. If you do end up with one, try these quick home remedies to minimize the appearance of the bite.


Home Remedies for Removing Love Bites

• Cold pack: Apply an icepack to the love bite. Do this asap. You can wrap some ice in a towel or put a spoon in the freezer for a few minutes or use a pre-frozen ice pack. Gently hold the cold compress to the skin for several minutes. Remove the compress and then apply it again. You will need to repeat freezing, if the compress starts getting warm. Or else you can wait for 15-20 minutes till the redness and swelling get reduced and less obvious. Apply a cold compress.

• Brush and comb method:Lightly brush the area with a stiff-bristled soft brush, tooth brush or a comb. Doing this breaks up the blood clot and gets circulation going again.
• Use a coin: This is painful and complicated bt you can try it if you really do not want others to see the love bite. This method proven VERY effective. First, stretch the skin flat. Then, use the edge of a large coin to scrape the skin. The coin must be presssed on the skin quite hard to your comfort level so that there is no bleeding. This pushes the excess blood, which has escaped from the capillaries, out of the surface skin. There will be redness from the scraping of the coin, but that will go away much faster than the love bite.
• Toothpaste:Get some toothpaste, smear some on your love bite, and leave it there for 10 minutes. Do this three times a day. Just try this out. How effective it is varies from person to person. Just because it works for one person doesn't mean it's gonna work for the next.

Herbal Remedies

• Apply arnica salve. Arnica is an herbal salve that helps in reducing the swelling and can reduce the appearance of a hickey.
• You can also apply aloe vera gel on the bruise.

Style Tips for Hiding Love Bites

• Conceal the love bite with makeup. The most effective makeup will be the green-tinted concealer, as it is designed to negate red skin tones.You can try an eyeshadow that’s lighter than your skin tone if you don’t have a concealer.
• Apply a foundation that is a little lighter than your skin tone. Apply it directly on the area and all around it so it doesn’t look like that you’re trying to hide something.
• Cover the area with something. If you have long hair, you can keep it open and style it so that it hangs down over the hickey. You can use a scarf around your neck or wear a collared top or blouse. For men, wear a turtleneck, a collared shirt to cover the love bite. Frequently check the positioning of your shirt or your hair to make sure the hickey is still covered.
  
  

Use Baking Soda to Make Your LIfe Easier: Amazing Uses of Baking Soda

Other than adding baking soda to recipes to make the batter rise, I am sure most of you do not have much of idea about the varied uses of baking soda. Baking soda, which is also known as Sodium Bicarbonate, is much more than a baking supply. It can actually make your life easier. It is safe and natural to use everywhere around your house. Let's look at some of the amazing ways you can use baking soda:

In the Bathroom

• One part baking soda mixed with two parts of ground oatmeal makes a great scrub for your face. Just mix together the two with water to make a paste. Gently rub the paste onto your face and leave on the face for a few minutes. Then, gently remove it with plenty of cool water and a wash cloth. Your face will feel noticeably soft and smooth.
• To get relieve from itching and irritation, add a half cup of baking soda to a bath tub full of warm water. Soak the entire body and see how good you feel. It will also help to soften skin.
• There are many teeth whitening products on the market today, but the most natural is plain old baking soda. Simply dip your toothbrush into some soda everytime you brush! Not only will it help whiten your teeth, but it will help to clean your breath as well!
• You can use baking soda to clean sinks, bath tubs, and toilets and other chrome fixtures! It rinses off easily and you don't have to worry about scratches either.
• Hairbrushes and combs pick up not only loose hair, but they also get oily. Make a solution of warm water and a teaspoon or two of baking soda.Clean hairbrushes and combs once a month by soaking them and scrubbing them with a soft brush, if needed. Rinse them with clean water and let them air dry.
• Is your hair dull and dingy? Mix a teaspoon of baking soda in with your shampoo the next time you wash your hair. The soda will remove any build up and leave your hair soft.

In the Kitchen

• A pan with burnt food in it can be cleaned with less effort if you soak it in baking soda and hot water first.
• To clear a clogged drain, pour a half cup of baking soda into it, then with a cup of vinegar. Allow the solution to bubble for several minutes, then run hot water down the drain.
• Do you love dried beans, but not the gas and bloating they cause? Sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda in the water when you soak beans.
• Mix a quarter of a cup of baking soda in a sink full of water. Wash your fruits and vegetables in the solution, then rinse with clean water.
• Baking soda makes an effective cleaner and deodorizer for your refrigerator too! Sprinkle a little on a damp sponge and clean the inside. Rinse clean, and see and smell the difference!
• You can also use baking soda to clean and deodorize your oven.

In the Laundry

• Pour in a half cup of baking soda to every washer load of laundry. You can also use baking soda with bleach too. Your laundry will look brighter and smell fresher.

In the Living Room

• Carpet and cloth-covered furniture make beautiful additions to your house. But you need to freshen them time to time so that they do not hold body odors, pet smells, cigarette smoke, and other unwanted aromas in your home. To freshen them, sprinkle them with baking soda. Allow them to sit undisturbed for a half hour or so. Then, simply vacuum the baking soda up.
• Fireplaces can also help make your home warm and cozy. But, it can also give yet another unwanted odor. To help freshen up your fireplace, clean the ashes out, then place a bowl of baking soda in it.
• Fill a pair of old socks with baking soda. Tie a knot in the top of each sock. Then, place the socks in a pair of shoes or slippers that you want to deodorize and freshen up!
• Are there light water rings on your finished wood nightstand? Mix together a paste of baking soda and toothpaste. Dip a soft cloth in the paste and rub the water spots away!

Elsewhere Around Your House

• Keep ants out by mixing up equal parts of baking soda and salt together. Then, sprinkle the mixture wherever you see the intruders coming in at.
• Do you need to fill in some nail holes in a plastered wall? Well you can simply mix together some white toothpaste and baking soda. Fill the holes in completely, then allow the mixture to dry. If you want to match the wall color, add a drop or two of food coloring to the mix before you use it.

Lifestyle and Health Tips for AIDS Patients

Today on World's Health Day, I am presenting before you some effective ways by which Aids patients should cope with the disease and take absolute care of their health. Receiving a diagnosis of any life-threatening illness is devastating. Although it's important to receive medical treatment for HIV/AIDS, it's also essential that the patient takes an active role in his own care. All the people living with HIV/AIDS need are a little love and care that can make their life easier in this hostile world. The following suggestions may help them to stay healthy longer:

• Make sure the doctor knows how to treat HIV. It is very necessary for yhe patient to find someone who understands the ramifications of the disease, who is willing to work with him/her and who makes him/her feel comfortable and respected.
• All doctor's instructions should be carefully followed. Appointments, medications should be taken exactly as directed.
• Medication should not be stopped or dosage changed without instructions.
• Get immunizations. These may prevent infections such as pneumonia and the flu.
• Smoking should be strictly prohibited.
• Illicit drugs should not be taken. These weaken the body even more.
• Healthiest diet emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein should be taken. Healthy foods help to keep the patient strong, give him/her more energy and support his/her's immune system. A good nutrition is tremendously important. A registered dietitian can be especially helpful.
• Avoid foods that can put the patient at risk of infection. These include unpasteurized dairy products, raw eggs and raw seafood such as oysters, sushi or sashimi. Cook meat until it's well-done or until there's no trace of pink color.
• Drink pure water.
• Regular exercise is very essential. Exercise helps increasing strength and energy levels and can help battle the depression that's often a part of dealing with HIV/AIDS.
• Enough sleep and rest is needed.
• The Aids patient should be careful while dealing with companion animals or if possible avoid them. Some animals may carry parasites that can cause infections in people who are HIV-positive. If the patient has to clean his cat's litter box or pick up after his dog himself, he should wear latex gloves and wash his hands immediately afterward. Don't feed pets raw meat, and make sure they have all their shots. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after petting or playing with animals.
• Find ways to relax like yoga, meditation, walking, reading, playing chess or computer games, or listening to music etc.
• The hands should always be kept clean. The patient should wash his hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the restroom, before eating or preparing food, and after spending time in public places. It is helpful to carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for times when it's not convenient to use soap and water.