How Does Divorce Affect the Family? 3 Ways

Marriage is by all accounts a sacred institution. When people say their vows on their wedding day, that vast majority of them are quite serious when it comes to "until death do us part."

The seriousness with which most people take their own marriage is why it is so painful for the typical married person to consider the possibility of divorce when things are going badly.

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Why Divorce Can Sometimes Look Like the Only Logical Option

How Does Divorce Affect the Family? 3 Ways

Every marriage experiences its ups and downs, good days and bad days. But, many marriages also go through much more serious rough patches. The husbands and wives in these marriages find themselves constantly fighting about this and that. When things get really bad, there can be infidelities, lying and going behind each others' back.

If your marriage is experiencing problems of a serious nature, sometimes divorce can feel like the only viable way out of your pain and discomfort. As with anything else in life, when something becomes really painful, we will do almost anything to get ourselves out of the pain. In the case of marriage, most people see divorce as the only logical way to make things better.

The prospect of getting a divorce is even harder to consider for people who have kids or who worry about the opinions of extended family members about a would-be divorce. And, these concerns about how the family would react are genuine and well-founded.

How Divorce Affects the Family: 3 Ways

If you are wondering, "How does divorce affect the family?", here are 3 ways that it can:

1. Divorce can defuse some of the negativity caused by constant fighting or discord: The act of divorce itself is stressful, but a sure result will be that the couple will spend much, much less time together - likely going on to lead separate lives. Any negativity that was being generated from day-to-day interactions as a couple will immediately go away.

2. It forces the family to question the bonds of marriage: On the downside, everyone who loves, knows or cares about the affected couple will question their own faith in the institution of marriage when they find out about the divorce. This is a normal reaction to divorce, reminding us that it affects not only the couple, but everyone they know.

3. It can cause the kids and extended family to be confused about where their allegiance lies: Children of the married couple, as well as extended family members like parents, siblings, aunts and uncles may go through a time of being confused about whom they should support during and after the divorce. The situation forces them to make difficult decisions about where their allegiance lies.

Divorce can affect the family in many ways, good and bad. The 3 ways that divorce can affect the family described above are some of the most typical ways. There are of course many variations on this theme, but these are the main ways divorce affects the family.

How Does Divorce Affect the Family? 3 Ways

What is a MFT - A LCSW - A PsyD?

I am a therapeutic counselor, but when I tell people that I am a "MFT" I am often met with a blank stare. Many people seek mental health-psychological/emotional/behavioral/relational support, but they get confused about which professional to choose for help. In terms of providers, services and their credentials, just how does one decide if they need a psychiatrist or a therapist and what do those letters after the name actually mean?
While it is true that there are many professionals who offer counseling services based on having a Master's or Doctoral-Level degree in psychology, it is not true that all providers have the same level of training or qualifications. In an effort to reduce some of the confusion, the primary "counseling" professions with some brief definitions are listed for your consideration.

MFT - Marriage and Family Therapist

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MFT is sometimes written as LMFT, but the "L" is optional. It's illegal for unlicensed persons to use the MFT or LMFT designation. Professionally, an MFT is a Clinical Psychotherapist, licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (otherwise known as BBS), working in private practice or in an agency or hospital, to help individuals, couples, families, or groups deal effectively with psychological and relational difficulties. These professionals have a Master's degree and/or a Doctoral degree, and additional clinical (hands on) training in relationship dynamics and family systems.

What is a MFT - A LCSW - A PsyD?

Taken from the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) website:
"Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are relationship specialists who treat persons involved in interpersonal relationships. They are trained to assess, diagnose and treat individuals, couples, families and groups to achieve more adequate, satisfying and productive marriage, family and social adjustment. The practice also includes premarital counseling, child counseling, divorce or separation counseling and other relationship counseling. Marriage and Family Therapists are psychotherapists and healing arts practitioners licensed by the State of California. Requirements for licensure include a related doctoral or two-year master's degree, passage of a comprehensive written and oral examination and at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience."

Basically, people who are involved in relationships of any kind-- can come to an MFT for help in understanding the dynamics of a relationship, their role in the relationship, what kind of issues from the past are affecting the relationship, how to enhance the relationship, or how to heal from a previously traumatic relationship, etc. MFTs work with couples, families, and individuals to improve the experience of being in relationships.

LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSWs work in private practice or in an agency or hospital to help individuals, couples, families, or groups deal effectively with psychological and relational difficulties. These professionals have additional training in social work that allows them to understand social programs and governmental systems that could be of use to clients.

MSW - Masters in Social Work (an unlicensed provider)

MSWs work in agencies or hospitals to provide guidance to individuals and families through the government system. We often refer to MSWs simply as "social workers." These professionals are the backbone of the social programs in this country, and have been trained to navigate "the system" in order to ensure that individuals in need get all the support and assistance available to them through the government.

LPC - Licensed Professional Counselor (Not recognized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences)

LPCs work in private practice or other agencies to provide counseling to individuals, couples, families, or groups. This designation is a common certification in other states, but is not recognized in the state of California because it does not currently meet the same academic and clinical standards required by other mental health professionals.
Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D.-Doctor of Philosophy or Psy.D.-Doctor of Psychology)
PhDs or PsyDs work in private practice or in an agency or hospital to help individuals, couples, families, or groups deal effectively with psychological and relational difficulties. These professionals have additional academic (book) training (a doctorate) that often means specialized study in a particular area.

If licensed, the Ph.D. or Psy.D. designation certifies them to administer psychological testing in addition to working one-on-one. These professionals may have both the doctoral degree and meet the clinical requirements for Psychologist licensure, or they may only have the "book" academic degree. Furthermore, the PhD degree may be in another area of study (e.g., anthropology, philosophy, history, English, etc.), therefore potential clients should always inquire about specific training and education.

Psychiatrist (M.D.-Medical Doctor)

Working from a "medical model" perspective, psychiatrists work in private practice or in an agency or hospital to help individuals with psychological difficulties by diagnosing the "mental disorder" and incorporating medication (psychotropic drugs) as a part of the overall treatment plan. Psychiatrists are the ONLY mental health professionals that can legally prescribe medication.

With minimal "counseling," many psychiatrists will prescribe medication and schedule re-checks to review how the medication is working to control the symptoms of the mental disorder. It is safe to say that most psychiatrists will work collaboratively with psychotherapists (who have more training in counseling theories), and will themselves only counsel the patient on the use of the medication (e.g., discuss dosage, side effects, other medication options); leaving the therapist to handle the psychological aspects of the patient's treatment. Some psychiatrists will not give medication unless the patient is also in counseling with a licensed therapist, and others will give the medication without question.

Some additional notes related to professional practices and services for children:
As a point of controversy among many therapeutic professionals, medical doctors, with little to no specialized training in psychology or counseling theories, will commonly write prescriptions for psychotropic drugs for their patients. This is especially true of pediatricians (common with Family Physicians too), primarily prescribing medication for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), anti-anxiety medication and anti-depressants, because very few psychiatrists specialize in the treatment of children.
More often than not, those psychiatrists that do focus their practice on children, primarily work with severe mental illness or other pervasive developmental disorders, and do not take on clients with minimal needs or focus on prevention/early intervention unless medication is going to be prescribed.

Although all therapeutic providers are required to work a minimum number of hours with children for licensure, many do not "specialize" or focus their practice on children, and many do not receive much clinical training for children beyond their academic (book) training. Most providers will limit their practice to certain populations (e.g., couples, individuals, elderly, families, children, adolescents, etc.), and/or particular issues (e.g., family issues, addictions, sexuality, conflict resolution, brain injury, depression, Bipolar disorders, etc.), but some do not specify. Fortunately, the legal and ethical guidelines of the profession prohibit providers from working outside their area of competency and training, requiring providers to refer clients/patients to another provider who is trained to better meet the need.

What is a MFT - A LCSW - A PsyD?

The Nature of Androgenetic Alopecia

The most common form of hair loss in women not only in London but worldwide is called Androgenetic Alopecia or simply called Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL). Healthy hair only shed about 100-125 hairs per day. When loss of hair is more than this norm, it may then be termed as Female Pattern Hair Loss. This condition may start as early as the teenage years but is usually seen after menopause. The affected hairs that are shed from the roots then grow back but are then shorter and weaker.

Mild Female Pattern Hair Loss is hereditary connected and may be genetically inherited from either side of the family. This state may be controlled by using hair replacements, scalp makeup or hair styling. Treatment of acute Female Pattern Hair Loss may be very difficult because of its psychological effects on the person experiencing such. Many women consider hair replacement options that are available in the market today.

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There are also standard medical treatments for Androgenetic Alopecia or Female Pattern Hair Loss such as:

The Nature of Androgenetic Alopecia

- Minoxidil - this is a topical lotion usually used to alleviate hair loss while promoting hair growth. Lower strength of this solution may be purchased over the counter while lotions with higher than 5% solutions must be prescribed by the doctor.

- Spironolactone - this is an oral medication that is used to stabilize and improve hair growth.

- Anti-androgens - some medication called Dianette has some promising results in slowing down the effects of Female Pattern Hair Loss.

The above medications however may be required to be taken continually because it is known that when stopped, the Female Pattern Hair Loss cycle starts again.

The Nature of Androgenetic Alopecia

A Lesson on How to Make Your Free Family Tree Template

A family tree template helps you to organize your family members in ascending order, starting from the oldest family member and to the youngest till date. The family tree template resembles a tree.

The branches of the tree indicate the children. The purpose of a family tree is to establish the link between generations. Several computer software help to build a family tree. A free family tree template can be created just with the help of paper, pencil, ruler, marker and a poster board.

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The Steps To Draw Free Family Tree Template:

A Lesson on How to Make Your Free Family Tree Template

•The 1st step includes some research work to be done. Find out the names of your ancestors, their date of birth, their date of marriage and the day on which they died (if necessary). It is a basic rule to include the mentioned things: your details, the details of your parents, your 4 grandparents, and 8 great grandparents. If you wish to, you can stretch back the past further.

•Organize the index cards and set them in order. Place your card on top. Then place your dad's card below that. Then keep your mom's index card. The next in order, your grandfather's card comes. Then your grand mom's card comes next. Repeat this pattern for every individual you know.

•Place the poster on a horizontal area. The longer side of the paper is to be used as the width. Take your pencil and a ruler along with that. Make a box at towards the bottom of the board (the rectangular box should be centre aligned). Fill up this box by writing your name in it.

•Make another box a little above your name. This should be left aligned. Write your dad's name inside it. Another box should be made at the same level and towards the right. This box is meant for your mother.

•Draw a line from the centre of the perimeter of your box. Diverge the line in 2 directions - towards the right and towards the left. Connect this line to your father's box and to your mother's box respectively. This line should connect the upper part of your parent's boxes and should touch them at the centre.

•Following the above mentioned pattern, make 2 more boxes above your father's box. These boxes are meant for your grandparents (from your father's side). Connect them with s line in a similar way.

•Repeat this process and connect your mother to her parents.

•Repeat this pattern for every one you know.

•Once you have made this basic outline, trace this template with a marker. Fill in the boxes with the details you have gathered.

Your family tree diagram is made.

A Lesson on How to Make Your Free Family Tree Template

What is the Best Family Tent For a Family Camping Trip?

Camping can be an economical way to get a family vacation, but if you want it to be a pleasant one, you need to choose the best family tent for your needs.

Today, since everyone seems to be pinching pennies due to the serious economic downturn, there are many people who cannot afford going on holidays. Hotel prices are extremely high in most tourist destinations, especially when it comes to families with kids. Camping can prove to be a great solution for those who want to go on holidays on a budget. It is fun, easy and can be a great opportunity for kids to connect with nature. Let's see what you should look for when choosing a family tent.

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First of all you need to buy a lightweight but durable tent. A family tent should not be heavy, because you will need to carry it all the way to the camping site. You also need plenty of room so as to have where to sleep and store all your gear.

What is the Best Family Tent For a Family Camping Trip?

Tents are usually sold based on the amount of people they can accommodate, therefore, if your family consists of 4 people, the best family tent for you which will allot you enough space is a tent meant for 6 people. If you want to buy a tent for four people, keep in mind that you might not have enough space to put your clothes and gear.

Moreover, you need to make sure that you buy the proper tent for the right season. Some tents can be used all year round, while some others are specifically made for winter or summer. A three season tent is probably the best choice, since going on winter holidays with the family is highly unlikely.

One of the most important factors you need to check is the ease of installation; some tents are way too complicated. You need to buy a tent that will not require an hour or two of your time. Setting up and pitching your tent can prove to be a daunting task, unless you check its installation manual in advance.

What is the Best Family Tent For a Family Camping Trip?

Tips in Writing a Family Reunion Invitation

Crafting the best looking family reunion invitations can be both challenging and at the same time engaging. This is because there are a lot of things that can be placed in the card to make it the most eye-catching invitation to be sent out to your family members.

For one, the pictures that you can use should be general in nature and they should be given careful selection since there might be family members who do not approve the image. Yes it might be fun to check on the images that you haven't seen in ages but it is still important that you make the right choice in picking the right picture for your family reunion invitation.

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The basics of writing a family reunion invitation are pretty simple. You just have to prepare the paper, the content of the invitation, the picture that would be used for the invitation and most importantly the overall design for the family reunion invitation.

Tips in Writing a Family Reunion Invitation

While the other factors are pretty important, the design and the content speaks volumes about the invitation that you will be handing out to your relatives in the near future. So how exactly will you write a family reunion invitation and what are some of the key pointers that you should remember while drafting the invitation.

Start writing an initial draft - Doing a draft will save you a lot of time in the future and it will also help you keep track of the important details.

Keep it Short and Simple - Avoid putting in too many words in your invitation. Remember that you are writing an invitation for your family members and not drafting a college level thesis nor are you submitting an investigative report on the economic crisis. It is better to keep everything simple because it also makes the invitation accessible for everybody in the family from kids who can already read and understand to the family elders who are already having a hard time reading.

Put depth in your content - Don't just put random words in the invitation. Make every word count for your readers.

Describe things - Don't just put digits and other stuff in the invitation without thinking what it would mean. Describing the event will give them a heads up on what they should expect when they arrive at the venue. Digits should also be kept at a minimum and as much as possible should only be limited to just the address and all the important things.

Catch Attention - While most invitations have a set standard of things that can be placed in front of the invitation card, it wouldn't hurt to look for creative things to place on your invitation. This not only grabs the attention of your relatives who might not be inclined to read the missive but it will also help the people who are already excited about the event.

These are only some things that you should really consider when writing your very own family reunion invitation. There are other things that might be applicable in this shortlist but there are still a lot of things that you can add.

Tips in Writing a Family Reunion Invitation

Natural Fertilizer Goes Underground

When we garden, we spend a lot of time trying to get rid of weeds, annoying pests, and even wandering critters. But one small, slimy, slithering group of invertebrate animals you actually want in your garden are earthworms. Having no legs, earthworms wiggle their way through water, soil, and other terrestrial areas.

Confirmed over the years, the benefits of earthworms continue to be talked about today. Acting as a natural fertilizer, the digested excretion by worms, called earthworm castings, are an excellent organic soil enhancer. Unless you are specifically looking, worm castings are barely distinguishable from the soil. (The next time you're out in your garden, look for a small pile of tiny brown granular pieces. Who knows, they may already be working their magic!)

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Remarkably, earthworm castings contain nutrients such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphates and potash and microbes that enrich soil and keep plants growing strong. The casting is also active with beneficial bacteria.

Natural Fertilizer Goes Underground

Earthworms also play a very vital role in maintaining the ecosystem under the soil. For example, by ingesting and breaking down organic materials, worms create a simple, more usable nutrient mix for the soil and plants.

As they tunnel through the soil of gardens, earthworms increase the drainage of the soil, making it easier for the plants to retain moisture. Earthworm tunnels even allow plants to grow deeper and allow for the expansion of the roots. Even when worms die, their corpses release nitrogen back into the soil which plants can use to grow bigger and stronger.

Although a rich source of slow releasing nitrogen, decaying earthworms will not cause nitrogen burn and thus gentle enough to give to flowers and seedlings a growth boost. It is also thought there is a type of adhesive in worm casting that helps soil particles stick together, giving the soil better water retention, protection against invaders and also more structure.

When you use earthworm castings sprinkle around the base of the plants, bushes, shrubs or flowers that need treated. Earthworm castings can also be mulched directly into the soil to any depth or used as potting material for indoor plants. One 25 lb bag can treat up to 1000 feet of topsoil so it goes a long way and is an affordable way for home gardeners to "go natural."

Continue to take advantage of ways to naturally fertilize your garden through the use of earthworm castings, bat guano, or fish meal. All three have proven to be effective, all-natural and eco-friendly, able to do wonders for your growing garden.

Natural Fertilizer Goes Underground

Timeless Secrets For Natural Fertility

Between the science of the human body and the commercialism of fertility clinics it must be difficult for you to choose which method of conceiving a child will work best for you. Keep in mind the body's natural state of health is to be fertile. With that in mind, you may be inclined to research methods of natural fertility.

For natural fertility to be successful both partners must work towards the same goal. Cast doubts and blame aside and work together to achieve healthy bodies to maintain pregnancy. It is important to remember that both partners are equal in producing a healthy child. With all this in mind, check out these timeless secrets for natural fertility.

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Traditional Chinese thinking believes that natural medicine keeps the organs of your body working more efficiently. When the energy of your body flows freely, natural fertility will be achieved. The energy that flows through your body supports the flow of blood, hormones and supports communication between glands and organs.

Timeless Secrets For Natural Fertility

A trained herbalist can design a program that will strengthen the organs critical for fertility, increase your sexual vitality as well as improve your overall general health. Sexual vitality not only aids in the reproductive system it will also aid in sleep, digestion, mental focus, and energy.

The Chinese believe that your body must be nurtured back to full fertility with the same love and care that you will have for your child to be. This time for rebalancing will build a strong healthy environment for a baby to thrive.

Using herbs, healing foods as well as special exercises will allow you to build back your energy, renew your cervical mucus and sexual fluids, eliminate PMS symptoms, sleep better and bring back a normal flow to your cycle. Achieving natural fertility will only cost you a small amount of time and very little expense.

If your ovaries are healthy but you are still unable to achieve pregnancy the best course of action is to utilize an herbal formula, a series of exercises and possibly acupuncture applied at specified meridians on the body to release the flow of energy. Oftentimes, this course of action will return normal ovarian function.

Even when your spouse's sperm count is normal there still may be damage to the sperm or semen itself. If the sperm is damaged or the mobility of the sperm is slow then pregnancy may be difficult. Your partner can achieve healthy, active sperm by incorporating a multivitamin in his diet as well as wearing loose fitting briefs and clothing.

The testes are designed to maintain a constant cooler temperature than the rest of the body; therefore they hang between the legs. By wearing boxers and loose fitting pants, this allows optimal "cooling" of the testes thereby achieving natural fertility. Damage to the sperm is often temporary, but keep in mind that it takes at least eight weeks for sperm and semen to return to normal health.

An investment of a small amount of time, knowledge and expense will allow natural fertility to occur. Simple, small changes in your daily lifestyle will not only benefit your sexual vitality, but also your overall health and well being.

Timeless Secrets For Natural Fertility

Six Good Reasons to Take a Family Vacation

When I was young, family vacations with my parents consisted of driving for a week from place to place in a hot stifling car. My parents had the knack of picking the hottest week of the summer to do so. In spite of that, we still had fun, managed to find interesting sites to explore and those are the memories that I still have.

I discovered the joy of travel to far reaching destinations on my own by the time I turned 18. Jumping on a plane and heading off to Brazil, Europe or cruising the Caribbean, has turned into a life long passion my whole family now enjoys with me.

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Family vacations have evolved over the years. There have never been more choices, more variety and more options available for family vacations as there is today. Especially since 9/11, the focus on family and community and played a strong role in our society. The travel industry has noticed and has geared up for families. From all-inclusive vacation packages and cruises, which are equipped with kids clubs and special activities; to resorts that supply a nanny for your stay, it's never been a better time for families to travel.

Six Good Reasons to Take a Family Vacation

Still not sure? Here are just a few of the benefits of taking a family vacation:

1. The family that plays together, stays together.....

It is a time to get away from it all. Away from work, the phone calls, the kid's activities, the daily to do list. This is a great opportunity to spend time as a family and get to know each other. Go for a hike, build a sandcastle, explore a museum. There is more time to talk and spend time together without the daily distractions.

2. Teach your children well....

Travel is an excellent learning tool for kids. They can have the opportunity to learn about things first hand they may have learned in school, read about or saw on TV. Any destination can offer this learning experience whether it is a few hours drive away from you home or in Europe. Family vacations will teach children about different cultures, food, history, geography, climate, environment and so much more. The best part is that it's way more fun for them then learning it through homework!

3. New experiences they will never forget.....

Family vacations provide a whole new venue for experiences that your kids never would have had otherwise. We took a family cruise last winter, and it was my 9-year-old son's first cruise. We told him all about the ship and showed him pictures but I don't think he could quite grasp what it was really going to be like. We landed in Fort Lauderdale and as we were driving to the port, we could see our ship in the distance. He was excited but still very nonchalant. Once we got to the port and pulled up alongside the ship, he looked up and up and up at the enormous ship, his mouth dropped open and he gasped in amazement. That reaction was worth the price of the whole trip and is something I know our family will always remember.

4. Life is an adventure, especially on vacation....

Even if you are not particularly brave there are still many ways to experience the adventures that lie in every corner of our planet. It may be as simple as going to the zoo at your destination and seeing the animals that are local to that habitat or taking a jungle tour though the Amazon. There is so much to see and do, pick the adventures that appeal to your family and do them together.

5. You kids won't be kids forever....

Doesn't seem like yesterday that the teenager that just borrowed your car, was in diapers and day-care? Most parents agree that time seems to fly by quickly and those babies are grown before you know it. There will come a time that your children will have lives of their own and sad as it may seem, spending time with Mom and Dad will not be anywhere near the top of their list. Take the time for a family vacation while they still want your company.

6. Time to kick back and relax......

Now this part is important. One of the main reasons to take a vacation is to get some rest and recharge. It is important for everyone so don't over do it. Try and schedule an active day followed by a more relaxing day. It's hard to do in some destinations where there is so much to see and do like Disney World, but trust me. The kids will be less tired and cranky and it will give you a reason to come back to the destination again!

I know this all sounds so good, it makes you want to book that trip you've been putting off doesn't it? Well, I will add in a dose of reality here and include a few negatives. There are some natural stresses to travelling. Planes get delayed, kids get cranky, families can have too much of a good thing and get on each other's nerves. The list can go on, but don't let that discourage you, the advantages are too numerous to ignore.

So whether you choose to pack the kids in the car or fly to more exotic destinations, the benefits are the same. As far as memories go, we tend to remember the good things; the time spent together as a family, the new things that were discovered, the new friends we made, the places we saw. This is what your children will remember and, the fact that you were there with them to enjoy it.

Six Good Reasons to Take a Family Vacation

Leukemia Cures and Natural Treatments

Are you looking for a fresh approach to leukemia cures? If so then you may want to know that there are natural leukemia cures available. Many people who have cancer find themselves looking for these cures simply because the traditional medical treatments for these illnesses take so much out of the patient physically. This being said it is certainly not uncommon to find that many are looking for cures that don't make them as sick and don't leave them feeling completely and utterly drained.

Alternative natural treatment methods include detoxification and oxygenation that you could use to cure yourself of cancer. As for their loved ones, they may even be the ones that see it first and begin the search for a natural method because seeing their family member go through so much might simply be too much for them to handle, and they are not even the ones enduring them.

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Why are natural treatments better?

Leukemia Cures and Natural Treatments

Natural treatments have been proven to actually cure cancer just like the medical treatments have. The best part of these is as mentioned above the side effects are nothing in comparison to the side effects of the chemical treatments. Most of the natural remedies actually have no side effects at all. These might be what draw so many people to those natural treatments.

After all who would want to go through the nausea, vomit, fatigue, and hair loss, not to mention other side effects these chemical treatments can cause? Should you decide that you are in preference to the chemical treatments you should know that there are also some natural treatments that you might be able to use at the same time to help optimize your chances of remission.

This is not to say that all natural remedies work for all people because they simply don't. What it is saying is that there is a great chance of remission using natural methods as well though just like chemotherapy does not work for everyone you may find that a few of the natural remedies don't work for you either. You may also find that you get the best results by using several different natural remedies at one time. This is the best way to optimize your results with natural treatment.

What are some natural treatment methods?

There are lots of natural treatment methods that you can use. As mentioned above you may even choose to use more than one treatment method at a time. This could be two or more natural methods or a chemical method with a natural method. If you are undergoing any kind of treatment or taking any medications you will need to be sure to discuss these methods with your doctor before you start taking them. Even if you aren't going through treatment or medication it is still a good idea for this to be brought up.

You should never use a natural method without reporting it to your treating physician having a doctor over see you is still very important to your health and in getting the treatments that you need. Many times your physician will not see problems in the natural methods of your choice if there should be a conflict however because of your current treatment or medication then your doctor should be able to tell you which natural methods you can use to get you going with the natural treatment that you desire.

Leukemia Cures and Natural Treatments

Natural Cough Remedies For Babies

When your baby comes down with a cough, you want to do whatever you can to make her more comfortable. Yet at the same time, you don't want to grab over the counter medication, since there are usually side effects and chemicals that you'd rather not expose babies to if it can be avoided. What's more, recent studies have shown that cough syrups are worthless and the sugar they contain may even prolong illness.

Thankfully there are quite a few natural remedies that you can try to calm your baby's cough. If your baby seems congested, take her in the bathroom and run a hot shower. The steam from the shower will help loosen that congestion in her lungs.

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Putting your baby in a warm (not hot) bath can have the same effect. Make the bath even more effective by adding a few drops of eucalyptus, sage or thyme oil into the bath water. The vapors from these essential oils will help open baby's airways, allowing her to breath easier. The vapors from these oils will also sooth a sore throat.

Natural Cough Remedies For Babies

If your baby's cough is caused by croup, sometimes the best course of action is to wrap her up warmly and take her out in the night air. The cold air sometimes calms the inflammation in the upper airways.

You can also use sage and thyme to make tea out of them. The warm herbal tea will help clear mucus out of your baby's lungs. Please check with your pediatrician to find out at what age you can start giving your baby these herbal teas.

Licorice tea is another great natural cough treatment. Licorice has antibacterial properties that will help you baby fight the bacteria that are causing the cough. It also soothes the throat and calms the respiratory tract; helping her get some much needed sleep. Make a cup of licorice tea and give it to your baby as warm as possible, of course without burning her.

Another very effective and gentle natural cough remedy for babies is an herbal rub. Start with 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and add 2 drops of essential oils to the olive oil. Good oils to use are eucalyptus, sage, rosemary and peppermint oil. A mixture of eucalyptus and rosemary works really well at night, since the eucalyptus will calm your baby's cough and allow her to breath easier, while the rosemary helps calm her down and drift off to sleep.

Mix the olive oil and essential oils well, then apply the mixture to your baby's chest and back. If the baby is small, swaddle her in a soft blanket, otherwise keep her back and chest as covered as possible with a thicker, tight fitting shirt to build up body heat which will allow the essential oils to vaporize. As baby breathes in the fumes, breathing will get easier.

A humidifier is another great option when it comes to making your coughing baby more comfortable. Use a few of the same essential oils suggested above and run the humidifier in baby's bedroom.

Some Moms have found that breastmilk will help soothe and heal a cough better than any other drink. If you're nursing and baby develops a cough, don't stop breastfeeding. Increase baby's feedings. Breastmilk is not a dairy product and is the safest food for baby when he's sick.

This article is provided for information purposes only. Please consult your baby's health care provider before trying home remedies.

Natural Cough Remedies For Babies

Family Relationship Tips - How to Improve Family Bonds

With current busy schedules and other events that you should attend to, you may seem to neglect your family. Every time you see each other would only be early in the morning or late at night. This can really affect the relationships and dynamics that a family should have. If you feel this way, then here are some tips you can do to improve family relationships.

Cut Back on Busy Schedules

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Even just for one hour, it can make all the difference. You get to spend a lot of time with your family members if you find some time. Surprise them while they think you're busy and you will really bring smiles to their faces. Family time is hard to find when you are busy doing errands, especially if you're working. In order to make sure that you develop your family relationships well, cut back on busy schedules and make some time-this can be a good start to family fun.

Family Relationship Tips - How to Improve Family Bonds

Make Way for Family Vacations

How else would you enjoy some family bonding time? Family vacations are great getaways from the busy lives you're all leading, and making way for the quality time you need to catch up on. Explore the different beach or mountain resorts with your family to redevelop the bonds that have been breaking away due to lack of time. You can really get to know each other much better when you spend time alone with your family.

Call or Text Each Other More Often

Oftentimes, you may not see each other for the majority of the day. It can't hurt to text your brother or father asking them how they are. You can even call them time to time to just talk. These moments may not be for long-but the impact they give can really last long. A simple message asking "how are you?" can really develop relations with your family members. Keep in touch with your family members in order to improve bonds with them.

Family relationships are taken for granted most of the time. You might simply say hello to your parents or siblings before going off to wherever you're needed and that's that. You should learn how to develop the relationships with your family through cutting back on busy schedules, making way for family vacations, and calling or texting each other to help improve family relationships. A family is very important, and you should value yours.

Family Relationship Tips - How to Improve Family Bonds

Celtic Symbols Family

The ancient Celts had no written word, nor did they need it. Instead they symbolized their world in ways that were easily understood by all. Apart from symbolizing relationships, they represented the things in the world around them in their symbols too. However more personal relationships within tribes were symbolized by means of designs or shapes which is today considered a form of artwork.

The Celts used symbols to communicate to each other particular meanings, but also used them to illustrate their spirituality or as a means of projecting an image to another. Celtic warriors decorated their bodies in battle with symbols they deemed most appropriate individually, yet their body art had a twofold reasoning behind it.

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The first reasoning was personal while the second was meant to instil fear in their enemies. For instance, warriors might decorate their bodies with a particular animal that they hoped to gain the powers of in battle. They might also use symbols that indicated brotherhood, a bond that existed between each warrior on the battlefield. Many symbols used called on the Gods and Goddesses to bestow protection, power and courage.

Celtic Symbols Family

Family Symbols

Celts belonged to different clans or tribes and used symbols to show this. They were a people who possessed superior craftsmanship and were able to capture their symbols in delicate pieces of jewelry. Apart from warriors who painted or tattooed symbols onto their bodies, the Celts also etched and sculpted their symbols in stone or wood.

These symbols were either meant to depict or express the connection of families or clan status yet were also meant to depict the relationships within a family unit. Symbols also paid homage to their interconnectedness with nature, the universe, their Gods and Goddesses too.

What is known and understood regarding these personal symbols is sketchy yet their meanings are for the most, agreed on by scholars.

Common Family Symbols

The most common symbols used to indicate family are those for brothers, sisters, father and daughter relationships and the Celtic symbol motherhood. Apart from indicating the relationship many of these symbols were used as a way to worship or revere these figures.

While many symbols were portrayed accurately, for instance animal figures of the Sun Cross, family symbols were depicted by means of shapes and designs, swirls and knot work.

Motherhood symbol

A mother's love was symbolized by the triquestra - two hearts which are intertwined with one unbroken line. .

Celtic symbol brother

Brotherhood was symbolized by an arrow which was painted on a warrior's body.

Celtic symbol sisters

Sisterhood was symbolized by the triskele or the trinity (the number 3). This is usually shown in knot work.

Celtic Life

Celtic clans were in essence an extended family, they shared a very strong bond with other clans or tribes yet each kept their own customs, traditions and beliefs. Not all members of the clan were equal though and each had held their own status and purpose. At the center of a tribe was the family unit which was held in high esteem. Children were not reared by their own parents; instead they were reared by foster parents who were often the brother of the birth mother.

During pagan times the Druids played an important role in Celtic life. They acted as advisors, teachers and healers and as ambassadors in time of war. The Druids held the status of Priests and as such were responsible for the passing of knowledge. They led a very spiritual existence and it is to the Druids that many symbols owe their existence.

Celtic Symbols Family

Best Natural Foods For Prostate Problems

There are certain countries where prostate cancer and prostatitis is particularly high, while elsewhere the indices of disease of the prostate is much lower. Well-documented studies have shown that nutrition plays a major role in the prevention and control of diseases of the prostate. For example, cases of prostate cancer are much lower in the eastern culture, such as Japan or China where the type of food is based on the use of certain vegetables appear to be critical in preventing these diseases. Other cultures, like America, whose food is based on excessive consumption of animal fat, where such diseases are much more frequent.

Food suitable for prostate diseases

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The main foods that are beneficial to prevent or improve prostate diseases include the following:

Best Natural Foods For Prostate Problems

- Food rich in vitamin E: Vitamin E, among other properties, besides anti-inflammatory properties, well suited to prevent inflammation of the prostate, has antitumor properties capable of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, especially breast cancer, colon and prostate. Eating foods rich in this vitamin is an effective protection against these cancers. Foods particularly rich in vitamin E are:

- Green leafy vegetables: They are one of the groups of foods rich in this vitamin.

-Nuts: like vegetables, nuts are rich in vitamin E and can be very useful in the diet of the prostate.

- The wheat germ.

- Soy and other legumes: The reason why the cultures of Japan or China have less percentage of these diseases lies in its high consumption of this legume. Soy is a powerful anti-cancer. Studies in Japan, where people usually eat lots of soup, usually soybean, showed that a daily intake of a bowl of soup reduced to 1 / 3 the chance of developing stomach cancer. Also has been found to eat soy or derivatives stops the growth of cancer cells, especially breast, prostate, uterus and colon.

The reason for this property is due to the existence of some components called isoflavones and lignans, which have the power to reduce the male hormones that are directly responsible for benign prostatic hyperplasia or noncancerous growth of the prostate and to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in this organ.

It is therefore highly desirable to include soy as a staple food. Remember that in addition to the vegetable, we have a whole arsenal of products derived from soybeans, which have the same properties, will enable us to prepare various culinary dishes while we eating the same vegetable. Among these mention: tofu or soy cheese, soy milk or soy meat.

Within the group of legumes, soybeans are the most recommended, but it should be noted that consumption of other legumes such as peas or beans, benefit the management or amelioration of these diseases, as most members of this group foods contain a greater or lesser extent similar components.

- Alfalfa and alfalfa sprouts: It has been found that another very important legumes in the control of diseases of the prostate is alfalfa. If traditionally used this plant for animal feed, is now believed that its consumption, especially of sprouted sprouts can be very interesting in preventing prostate cancer. Its properties are due to the presence of two isoflavones, called genistein and daidzein, which prevent the formation of cancerous tumors in this organ.

- Pumpkin: Pumpkin, by their content of carotenoids, is another of the recommended foods. The properties of carotenoids are very broad. Among all of them deserve special attention their ability to inhibit cancer development. It has been shown the importance of consumption of green leafy foods such as leeks or pumpkin in preventing prostate cancer in its ability to prevent an increase in prostate condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition that can occur in men usually after 50 years and, while not as serious as cancer, is a very serious discomfort when urinating or sex.

- Cabbage:Cabbage and members of the cabbage family, Brussels, cabbage cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, rich in vitamin C, cysteine, and sulforrafano glucosinolates, are more foods that protect us against cancers (mainly breast lung, stomach, ovary, prostate and colon) would be appropriate to eat any of these vegetables once a day. The antioxidant properties of this family are considered very interesting for the prevention of many physical illnesses, resulting particularly suitable in the health care of the arteries and heart. Among the most potent antioxidant of this plant is alpha lipoic acid, a component that for some time was considered more of a vitamin B group, whose antioxidant properties have been highly praised in recent years.

- Tomatoes: For their lycopene content and glutathione, two potent anti-cancer, eat plenty of tomato salad provided.

- Oily fish: Members of oily fish (mackerel, sardines, tuna, salmon, etc.) should enter as a routine especially in people with prostate problems, so they should eat at least three times a week. These foods are rich in omega 3. The inclusion of foods or supplements rich in this component protects against the occurrence of certain cancers especially colon cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer. They can also shrink tumors by preventing the growth of cancer cells or prevent them, by metastasis, recurrence elsewhere in the body.

- Foods rich in zinc: Zinc inhibits the production of dihydrotestosterone whose elevated levels are associated with increased prostate noncancerous An increase of zinc in prostate cells appears to be effective in the prevention and treatment of Enlarged Prostate Problems. Are rich in zinc celery, asparagus, borage, figs, potatoes, peanuts, eggplant, cashews, sunflower, onions, beans, lentils, peaches, almonds, radishes, pears, papayas, whole grains, etc.. People who do not want to make a vegetarian-only system can opt for the consumption of seafood (especially oysters), liver and eggs are animal foods rich in zinc.

- Water In abundance: For the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia intake is advised pints at least of water a day. At first the large intake of water can worsen symptoms of the disease but, when the bladder is adapted, the sick can increase urination and not feel so bad when wet.

Food detrimental to prostate diseases

The following foods are not appropriate in the diet of people with these diseases:

Foods rich in saturated fats: There seems to be a proven direct link between fatty foods of animal origin and increased prostate cancers. Also these foods may be responsible for inflammation of benign prostatic be prudent and are recommended to eat less of these foods in prostate patients.

Alcohol: It is believed that consumption of alcohol may increase the likelihood of Prostate Cancer.

Stimulants: The use of artificial or natural stimulants such as coffee, chocolate or cocoa and cola, not suitable for patients Prostate Instead, to increase urination, we recommend the use of medicinal plants most suitable.

Best Natural Foods For Prostate Problems

Information on Lime - Family Rutaceae - Fresh Juice is Used to Counter Diarrhea

Lime - (Mexican and West Indian lime) Citrus aurantifolia

Lime is used in alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments such as, bilious headaches, brightening dull hair and detoxifying the body.

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Although we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.

Information on Lime - Family Rutaceae - Fresh Juice is Used to Counter Diarrhea

Botanical Classification: Family Rutaceae

Genus and specie: Citrus aurantifolia

Other names:

Sour lime as well as Mexican or West Indian lime.

Description of the herb lime:

It is a small tree with light green, ovate leaves and white flowers, followed by ovoid green fruits with a sour pulp.

Parts used:

Leaves, fruit, peel and oil are used.

Properties:

It has cooling and astringent properties.

Therapeutic uses:

Internal use:

Internally, with leaves infused as a herbal tea, it is helpful for bilious headaches. The fresh juice is also used to counter diarrhea.

External use:

In folklore lime is sometimes used externally to lighten the skin, but can be irritating and should be avoided. A few drops can be added to the final rinse water while washing hair to brighten otherwise dull hair.

Aromatherapy and essential oil use:

Lime essential oil will energize a tired mind, while banishing apathy and anxiety. It stimulates the digestive system, detoxifies the body, cools fevers and is useful in treating rheumatic pain.
On the skin, it has an astringent action and helps to clear congested skin and stems bleeding from minor cuts.
The therapeutic properties of lime oil are antiseptic, antiviral, astringent, aperitif, bactericidal, disinfectant, febrifuge, haemostatic, restorative and tonic.

Safety precautions and warnings:

Lime oil can cause phototoxicity if the skin is exposed to sunlight after application, but this effect is not found in oil obtained by cold expression.

Information on Lime - Family Rutaceae - Fresh Juice is Used to Counter Diarrhea

Fun Family Photography

Family photography need not be a hassle to anyone, and least of all to you, the photographer. All it needs is a bit of planning. The first thing to do is to find a location. There should be enough space to pose for everyone and natural light can be used. The choice of an outdoor venue will be ideal as long as the weather holds up. The background for the photograph should be simple, uncluttered and complimentary to the pictures that you hope to take.

Lighting the family photographs
Family photographs are no different from others where lighting is concerned. Just ensure that they are not squinting with too much light or are covered in shadows. Family photographs are for recording purposes and as such needs to be very clear. Taking the photographs in natural light is best. Early morning or at sunset seems to give the best results and if it is indoors light from a window can illuminate the picture.

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Have a relaxed atmosphere
Get the family to relax and then start taking the photographs. You can ask al the family members to make the funniest faces possible and then keep on taking after they have stopped. This way you will get natural smiles and a relaxed group of people.

Fun Family Photography

Posing can be traditional in some of the shots while in others you can ask them to be just comfortable and not think of stuffy poses. Make it fun. Encourage interaction among family members. They can put their arms around each other or children can be seated on another's lap. This way it is easier to get natural looking photographs which are definitely more interesting than the strictly posed ones.

As the photographer you should know how to make the shot interesting. This can be done with seating them at different levels for a more dynamic look.

Photo angles
The photographs can be taken from different angles like a step ladder where you are looking down on the group and as they look up you will get a good photograph with good facial features. Other angles can be tried along with the traditional eye level.

Fill the frame
The best family photographs should not have any outside distractions in them. An easy way to ensure this is to have the frame filled with the family. This will center the focus on the faces of the family members

Individual portraits
Take fun portraits of each individual member of the family. This way you will be able to make a digital collage and with a bit of creativity will end up with an exceptional photograph. Individual portraits can be posed with a favorite toy or a pet or near a car. This way it will be like a story about each person's character and can be really exciting to look at.

So, you can see that there are endless possibilities for making lovely memories by taking family photographs. If you need any of these pictures to stand the test of time convert them into black and white images.

Fun Family Photography

Natural Health Holistic Therapies and Healing Remedies Online - A Path to Alternative Health Part 1

Part 1 of 2

Where can I find sites that offer valuable free Natural health care information and resources online?

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There are many great sites with free health information available. The Health Holistic sites found online can help to educate you on Natural health and how to learn about the benefits of holistic therapies such as Herbal remedies, Homeopathic remedies and other Natural remedies online.

Natural Health Holistic Therapies and Healing Remedies Online - A Path to Alternative Health Part 1

Alternative health sites promote a Holistic approach to therapy and treatment with respect to the individuals needs.The goal of the natural Healing sites found online is to not only provide a one stop source to find and buy the most effective healing remedies, therapies and products but to allow their visitors to express what their own experiences have been with personal health issues.

To allow you to share what health promoting techniques have been a benefit for their family and for themselves on the path to optimal wellness.Most Health blogs and sites invite you to participate and voice your opinions on the topics of Holistic Health care, alternative medicine treatment and the healing benefits you have received through the use of natural holistic healing remedies.

There are also Holistic health forums online where you can share your experience with any natural holistic healing remedy that you have found beneficial to you, your family and your pets.

What does these sites have to offer you as far as Holistic health information about remedies and alternative health resources that will help educate you and your family?

The best Alternative health sites provide you resources to buy natural holistic healing remedies online as well as providing links to other helpful natural health and Alternative medicine sites.

You will often find valuable information on these sites including articles on natural remedies, supplements and holistic therapies.

Many health sites offer info on common health issues such as IBS, Arthritis and High blood Pressure which can be lowered naturally with remedies. Some offer natural remedy relief for the aggravation of kidney stones, Gout, depression and remedy reports that show natural low cost ways to relieve many symptoms with every day items.

In part 2 we will look at what some of the best Natural Health sites have to offer online.

Natural Health Holistic Therapies and Healing Remedies Online - A Path to Alternative Health Part 1

What Are the Different Examples of Family Trees?

The most basic of family tree layouts is often one that is depicted by the traditional and simple boxes connected by straight lines; while this is certainly a good introductory example of family trees, it is certainly not the only way to depict family history.

The basic layout, with its simple boxes and lines design might be very restrictive in terms of the amount of data that can be added to it; however it is an ideal way to introduce children to genealogy. The simple lines connecting boxes on a standard sheet of paper is easy to follow, and easy for children to complete by themselves. For a fun project to involve your children in your genealogy hobby, sit down with them and explain how a family tree works while allowing them to fill in their family's information in each of the boxes. This art project, while simple in design, can make an interesting piece to display on a wall and go a long way towards instilling a sense of family pride in children.

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A family tree depicted on poster board is definitely a good method to visually represent a few generations of family history; however, by making use of one of the available genealogy software packages, you will find several additional ways to create, maintain, and even display your family history. With genealogy software, a hobbyist has the ability to venture beyond the basic boxes containing names and dates. The software will allow for a much more detailed project to be built over time.

What Are the Different Examples of Family Trees?

Using a good, and user friendly, software package that allows for access to extensive genealogy resources and databases will not just allow a genealogy hobbyist the ability to expand their project by adding documents, photographs, and other related data, but it will often also allow for great exposure to additional examples of family trees. Most makers of genealogy software will make a large amount of data available to users; from discussion forums, helpful hints and tips, to the online viewing of projects completed by other genealogy hobbyists. It can be incredibly helpful to see how other hobbyists display their projects; not only will you see how others manage the large amounts of data that they manage to gather, but there is often a good chance that exposure to projects belonging to others will provide you with clues leading to additional material for your own project.

If you are sold on the idea of having a physical representation of your tree, you could take advantage of the many printing options available with genealogy software. Most of them will allow you to choose from a wide array of customizable themes to ensure that your printed family tree meets your exact specifications.

A family tree is a representation of you and your history. It can, therefore, be anything that you envision \ it to be. From the most basic representation comprising of simple blocks to the most comprehensive digital representation comprising of photographs, documents, and even home videos; your family tree is all about you so it should encompass everything that you wish it to. Be creative and have fun with it!

What Are the Different Examples of Family Trees?

Natural Resveratrol - Foods With High Amounts of This Compound

Resveratrol is a natural phenomenon among certain plants. It is produced as a defense against the bombardment of harmful environmental factors such as UV and UVB rays from the sun; air, land, and water pollution; and infections from fungi, algae, and bacteria. The greater the onslaught, the higher the amount of resveratrol produced. Among the plants, grapes and grape skins are abundant with it; so do most members of the berry family like raspberries, mulberries, bilberries, blueberries, and cranberries. The Japanese knotweed, peanuts, and Scots pine and Easter white pines are other sources of resveratrol.

Among the beverages that contain this compound, wines are the most popular. Red wines are known to have a higher amount of resveratrol compared to white wines. This is because red wines ferment with the grape skin, permitting resveratrol to be infused into the wine. The longer the fermentation occurs, the higher the amounts of this amazingly natural compound are imbued. Among red wines, Muscadine wines have the highest content of this natural compound.

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Red wine, as the famous beverage that carries such compound, is also the reason why resveratrol became known to us. French nationals are among the peoples who patronize red wine. In fact, meals and food preparations are not complete without them. Drinking red wines, according to some, may have somehow contributed to the good health enjoyed by most French people. They are shown to have fewer incidences of stroke, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity.

Natural Resveratrol - Foods With High Amounts of This Compound

Peanuts, cranberry, and grapefruit are believed to be the foods that have the highest amounts of this compound. Among the berries, blueberries are known to have two times the amount of resveratrol found in bilberries. As condiments, blueberries, grapes, and bilberries lose most of the compound during cooking.

Natural Resveratrol - Foods With High Amounts of This Compound

Natural Prostate Health Remedies

The Prostate Gland

What is the prostate gland?

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The prostate is a chestnut-shaped gland that weighs between 15-20gm and sits at the base of the bladder, in front of the rectum and surrounds the urethra and is actually part of the male sexual organ.

Natural Prostate Health Remedies

The prostate gland plays a critical role in the reproductive system of men.
Most men know about the prostate but very few know what its overall purpose is or where it is located until they have a prostate exam.
When we first have what is called a "digital exam" we become acutely aware of where it is located

Function of the Prostate

Its purpose is to produce semen to transport sperm during ejaculation. Most of the time we do not have any problem with the prostate, that is, it functions as it should for the most part.

Enlarged Prostate

One of the problems that can occur with the prostate is that it can become enlarged.

The medical term is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or (BPH).
Left untreated this condition can escalate into a real health concern.

When a man is young prostate problems or prostate cancer are the least of his worries.
Most young men simply take their good health for granted until they get around 40 or so.

At this age in men you can start to see prostate cells produce at a faster rate and this will eventually result in an enlarged prostate.

Because the Prostate Gland surrounds the Urethra tube when the prostate gland becomes enlarged it has a tendency to put pressure on the Urethra and this results in a slower, smaller urine stream.

This can be especially frustrating for men who may find themselves getting up several times during the night to urinate.

If this condition is left untreated urination can be difficult at best and downright impossible at worst.

Without proper medical attention this condition can lead to urinary tract infection and even more severe health issues including liver problems.

Although prostate problems generally affect older men most , all men regardless of age can be the victim of a multitude of prostate issues including enlarged prostate (BPH) and prostatitis and even cancer.

But let me hasten to add that just because you have an enlarged prostate doesn't automatically mean you have cancer or other serious ailments. You may very well have something as simple as an infection.

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate

1. Burning sensation while urinating
2. Interrupted sleep due to the constant need to urinate at night
3. You experience a weak urine flow
4. You find that you cannot empty your bladder completely
5. You experience pain, hesitancy or urgency to urinate
6. You see blood in your urine
7. You have lower back pain
8. You feel uncomfortable when sitting
9. You experience pain in the testicles groin or penis
10. You feel pain when ejaculating or during sex
11. You have a constant itchy feeling in your penis
12. You experience difficulties getting an erection or impotence

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES FOR PROSTATE HEALTH

Good nutrition along with a regular exercise regiment are the most important factors in promoting good prostate health.

Be sure to include in your daily diet a good portion of fruits and vegetables.

Fructose, the natural sweetener in fruits helps improve prostate health.

Avoid excessive use of products high in fat such as red meat and dairy products.

OTHER THERAPIES

Saw Palmetto is a palm tree native to the Atlantic seaboard.
Saw palmetto is the most popular prostate herb because it contains a powerful compound that affects the conversion of testosterone to DHT.

Saw Palmetto has been proven to shrink aid in the reduction of enlarged prostates.

(A Note about Saw Palmetto:)

The fat-soluble (liposterolic) extract of the saw palmetto berry has become the leading natural treatment for BPH. When used regularly, it has been shown to help keep symptoms in check.

As a matter of record, a three year German study has found that 160 mg of Saw Palmetto taken twice a day reduced urination at night in about 73% of the patients.

Pau D' Arco-
Pau d'Arco is a natural herb retrieved from the inner bark of the Tabebuia Avellanedae or Tabebuia Impetiginosa, known as taheebo. The taheebo tree is grown predominantly in Central and South America, but may also be cultivated in southern Florida.

Red Clover - red clover is a member of the pea family and contains powerful antioxidants that fight off cancerous growths. Red clover aids in inhibiting DHT formation which in turn helps shrink the enlarged prostate.

Zinc -It is a known fact how important Zinc is to the well being of the prostate gland. Zinc can be taken as supplement or can be found in shellfish and pumpkin seed.

Vitamins D & E are also very important as part of a regular maintenance program for good prostate health.

Lycopene - as a extract can be found in watermelons, tomatoes and pink grapefruit .
It contains antioxidants that may contribute to the reduction of inflammation caused by BPH.

Selenium Supplements-Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts.

Some of the foods high in selenium include: poultry, seafood,shellfish,garlic,asparagus and cashews.

o Focus on physical fitness
o Increase your physical activity by walking more or adding other exercise. A regular exercise plan that includes walking 2-4 hours a week is generally considered a good method for lowering the risk of BPH.

Of course these are just some procedures to consider when trying to lower your risk of prostate issues.

As in the case of any serious health problems it is always best to consult the advice of a Physician if your problem persists.

Natural Prostate Health Remedies

The Rich Natural Resources of Alaska

Alaskans take pride in their state's natural resources. Three of them-- gold, fish and fur-- are well known. These three resources have been worth many times the sum that the United States paid Russia for this piece of land. However, for the future, Alaska is beginning to look to other resources, especially oil and petroleum.

Alaska is rich in vegetation resources. There are two kinds of forests in the state: the interior forest and the coastal forest. The interior forests are found around the river valleys of the interior area and as far north as the central and eastern parts of the Brooks Range. Most of the timber harvested is mainly willow and aspen but much of the forest growth is stunted because of the short growing season and permafrost. The coastal forests on the other hand, begin in the Panhandle and spread throughout the coast of the Gulf of Alaska well into Kodiak Island. These forests are usually dense and made up of hemlock, cedar and spruce trees. Tundra vegetation is also common to much of Alaska. Most of it is made up of lichens, grasses, various mosses, cranberry vines and crowberries. When these plants die, they decay at a very slow rate mainly because of the dampness and low temperature of the area. Year after year, old plants pile up and new plants struggle to grow through them. The tundra vegetation in other parts of Alaska may also include dwarf species of trees and a number of bushes. The only extensive lands for grazing are found on the Aleutian Islands. If you're looking for true arctic tundra with absolutely no trees or shrubs, then you can check out the Arctic slope and Seward Peninsula.

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There is also a wide variety of animal life in an area the size of Alaska. The usual animals would be deer, mountain goats, black bears and moose, all commonly found in southeastern Alaska. Go up further north and grizzly bears start to appear. As you go into the interior lands, caribou begin to replace deer in numbers. It is not uncommon to see caribou travel in herds of thousands. Polar bears are found in the far north and spend most of their time out on the ice packs hunting food. Exotic animals that have been introduced to Alaska include the reindeer found in the Arctic areas, elk on some islands, musk oxen and bison. To conserve animal life on the peninsula, these animals are protected in wildlife ranges under the federal government. Wolves and foxes are also found in many parts of the state. Animals hunted for fur include the mink and beaver. A number of bird species also make Alaska their summer home or remain all year. Some of these include ducks, geese and grouse. The common game fishes are Grayling and rainbow trout. Commercial fish harvests depend mainly on cod, halibut and salmon. In fact, the king salmon is the state fish. Shellfish is also plentiful and a large industry is built on harvesting shrimp, crabs and clams.

The Rich Natural Resources of Alaska

Deposits of gold and silver are known to exist in almost every region of Alaska. So much has been said about the gold that people are sometimes surprised to learn that Alaska has also other mineral riches, like natural gas and petroleum. Geologists are still surveying the area for other petroleum sites. The Panhandle is known to contain important minerals such as nickel, zinc and lead. Mineral deposits of the Gulf of Alaska include mercury, platinum and copper. Alaska, with its many bodies of water, also generates power through the production of hydroelectricity.

The Rich Natural Resources of Alaska

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

I've been climbing my family tree for many years, and I have to tell you that it used to be much harder than it is today - - thanks in part to the many free family tree templates available on the Internet. Once you start entering names in each generation you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much easier it is to keep track of everyone.

Since climbing your family tree (called genealogy) is about connecting one generation to the previous generation (i.e. you to your parents, your parents to their parents) it's critical to make sure each person is entered on the correct branch of the tree.

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Although you may think keeping track of everyone is easy, consider this: The number of your direct ancestors doubles with each generation (2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents). And this doesn't even include aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters. By the time you go back 10 generations you have over 1,000 direct ancestors. Keeping all those people straight without having them on a chart or tree template is almost impossible.

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

There are two basic types of charts that you'll want to download.

The first is a pedigree chart. A pedigree chart tracks your family back generation by generation, starting with you.

The second is a family group sheet. This chart contains information about a single family unit (husband, wife, kids).

The pedigree chart is like a wide-angle lens - it gives you the whole picture; a family group sheet is like a zoom lens because it zooms in on one small bit of the tree.

If you own genealogy software you probably already have access to free family tree templates. But if you don't have software you can easily find templates by using your favorite search engine and looking for search phrases such as "family tree templates", "family tree forms", "pedigree chart", or "family group sheet".

Or, you can download these two forms plus lots more for free over at the website for Family Tree Magazine or Family Tree Templates.

Once you really get into climbing the family tree you'll probably want to download even more templates for things like

a research log (keeps track of websites you searched) a correspondence log (keeps track of who you e-mailed for information) cemetery form (write down tombstone inscriptions) scrapbook forms (to make family tree scrapbook pages) circular, bow tie, and hourglass forms (pedigree charts)

One of the best things about getting started in genealogy is having a high level of excitement and anticipation about who and what you'll find. Use templates to record your finds and you'll be on your way to climbing higher and higher up the family tree.

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

Is Mutual Respect Necessary For the Family Environment?

Mutual respect is extremely important for a healthy family and upbringing of children. What exactly is mutual respect? It is not something that comes overnight and can be created in a single day just because you want a perfect family. It should be inculcated from day one. Mutual respect in not something that exists only between married couples. It is present among everyone who is part of the family. It should be part of a person's nature and then only it will automatically reflect in all other relationships the person has. Children, parents, grandparents and spouse all need and deserve respect.

The term respect and the concept of it actually is introduced at a very young age. The sense of respect remains with you for the entirety of your life. If you notice, the secret of any successful relationship is mutual respect. It develops a steady flow of love, support, understanding and friendship between two individuals. It means that two individuals in a relationship have to respect each others feelings and space and thoughts. When there is lack of respect in a relationship, there is anger, cruelty, selfishness and hatred for each other. Even if one person lacks the respect, it is very difficult to carry on with the relationship. Every person feels hurt when their views and feelings are not respected.

Family Nature

In a family environment, the lives of other family members depend on this respect for a cordial and welcoming relationship. Mutual respect is, therefore, very critical for the upbringing of children as well as for leading a healthy marital life.

Is Mutual Respect Necessary For the Family Environment?

Is Mutual Respect Necessary For the Family Environment?

1950s Family Life

When looking back at past eras, the 1950s is looked upon by some as an idyllic time in American history. The nuclear family headed by a male breadwinner was the desired norm and televisions shows such as Father Knows Best and I Love Lucy were popular. However, there was a dark underside during this era. Women were treated like second-class citizens and some were living unhappily married because their financial and educational options were limited.

The media, in collusion with the government, and family sociologists constantly espoused the virtues of family and children and women, who wanted more out of life, were looked upon as freaks of nature. However, some women during 1950s expressed dissatisfaction with their lives and an unarticulated longing for a life beyond their children and husbands. Some of these wives were forced out the workforce after World War II and felt resentment that their only option for financial stability was marriage. This unarticulated longing would lead to a major social upheaval towards the end of the 1950s and would be the beginning of the second-wave feminist movement. This movement caused a shift in family values and altered family structure for future generations to come. The 1950s Family Experiment would be short-lived but fondly remembered.

Family Nature

Several factors lead to the forming of the nuclear family. By the end of the 1940s, the divorce rate dropped sharply; the age of marriage feel to a 100-year low; and the birth rate soared. Women dropped out of the workforce as soon as they become pregnant and some young women had two or more children in diapers at once. Also during this time, the education gap between young middle-class men and women increased and job segregation for working women and men peaked. Limited educational and job opportunities for women made them more dependent on marriage for their financial well-being.

1950s Family Life

Young, newly married couples were encouraged to sever their family ties and put all their emotional and financial eggs in the small basket of the immediate nuclear family. Women were told by experts that all their energies should be used for their husbands and children, not aging parents and other relatives. Psychiatrist Edward Strecker and various colleagues argued American boys were infantilized and emasculated by women who were old-fashioned "moms" instead of modern "mothers".

Modern mothers placed their parents in nursing homes; old-fashioned mothers took their parents in at the expense of their own "important" nuclear family. A modern mother was not supposed to have friends, a job, or anything or anyone that would take attention from her husband and children. She was also supposed to grant early independence to her male child. It is no wonder that many women who believed in this advice and put it into practice ending up abusing alcohol or tranquilizers over the course of the decade.

Women were encouraged to confine themselves to a very narrow definition of "true" womanhood by a variety of sources such as family education specialists and marriage counselors, columns in women's magazines, government pamphlets, and above all television. These experts told women during the 1950s that their greatest role on the planet was to be wives and mothers. The role of a "real" woman was to have no interest in a higher education or a career and women were taught by these experts to pity women who had the nerve to want a life beyond being a wife and mother.

Televisions shows such as Donna Reed, Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It to Beaver, and Father Knows Best showed women how much easier their lives would be if their families were like those families and the I Love Lucy show warned women about the perils of what happened to a woman who wanted a career or if she schemed behind her husband's back (Coontz 38), The mothers on Leave It to Beaver and Ozzie and Harriet were immaculately dressed with pearls around their necks. Their homes were clean and their children never got into trouble. However, on I Love Lucy, Lucy usually looked terrible by the end of the episode. Her hair was at times standing on top of her head and her clothes filthy from her weekly adventure. Women and their families watched these shows and tried their best to emulate the perfect and bright lives shown to them on a weekly basis.

However, towards the end of the 1950s, a dramatic shift occurred. Cultural values changed dramatically and the children of these women found the social immortality of their parents sickening. Many young adults and their mothers would march in the streets to protest against sexism, racism, and militarism. Minorities and women began to receive the civil rights that were rightfully due to them and more and more women entered the workforce, forcing a dynamic shift in childrearing practices. By the 1970s, husbands and wives had begun to share household duties and women were no longer bound to their homes.

The concept of family has changed and sometimes it was for the best, sometimes for the worst. Although women have more rights, divorce is commonplace in our current society and many children live in one-parent households. Women are still discriminated against in American society and some us still do the majority of household work regardless of how many hours we work per week or if we have a house-husband. But we now have opportunities that would not have been imagined fifty-years ago. Children do not have to see their mothers treated like chattel and we almost had a female President of the United States. Nothing remains the same - ever. The constantly changing landscape of the American family owes a lot to the women of the 1950s.

1950s Family Life

Does Natural Toothpaste Really Work?

You may be skeptical about using natural toothpaste for fear that it won't clean as well as your regular toothpaste. Well, let me ease your mind; natural toothpaste gives you all the cleaning you need.

First of all, let's be clear. Most of the actual cleaning of your teeth comes from the physical act of brushing. Your toothbrush would remove most of the food and debris from your teeth even if you just brushed with water. What you really need toothpaste for is killing bacteria. Bacteria in the mouth are what lead to gingivitis and bad breath, and you should be using toothpaste that, first and foremost, does a good job of killing these bacteria.

Family Nature

Natural toothpastes are made almost entirely of mint oils. Mint oils are excellent for removing bacteria, plus they're completely natural, so they offer no side effects. In fact, natural toothpastes contain far more mint than commercial pastes, so they are actually better for killing bacteria.

Does Natural Toothpaste Really Work?

Commercial toothpastes are full of ingredients you may want to avoid. They almost always contain fluoride, which adults, and even many children, do not need in toothpaste. Adults don't really require fluoride, and while children may benefit from some fluoride, most water supplies contain plenty even for children. Too much fluoride is actually bad for us, as it can be toxic in large doses.

Commercial toothpastes also contain detergent and saccharin. Detergent can be a skin irritant for many people and saccharin has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory mice. Neither is needed in toothpaste, and both can be dangerous.

So, when you look at it in these terms, you'll see that natural toothpastes not only work well, but are actually safer for your family than the commercial toothpaste you've been buying. That certainly makes them an overall better choice.

Does Natural Toothpaste Really Work?

How Some of Our Female Ancestors Lost Their US Natural Born Citizenship Through Marriage to Aliens

A person born in the United States is generally considered to be a natural born citizen whose citizenship can only be lost by intentionally relinquishing it. For the most part this is true. However, there have been periods of time in our history where there were some deviations from this norm, even to the point of a natural born citizen losing citizenship status based on marriage to a non-citizen alien. From 1907 until 1936, this was true for many American women.

Even today, those expatriates who obtain second passports by becoming a citizenship of another country, do not automatically lose their U.S. citizenship, so it seems odd that an American woman would lose her citizenship due simply to marrying a non U.S. citizen within the U.S. Odd or not, it happened. Furthermore, the loss of citizenship upon marriage to an alien man was not restored upon the husband's death. Quite a penalty to pay for love!

Family Nature

The reasoning behind this was that the U.S. had allowed alien women who married American men to become U.S. citizens, so the reverse logic should also be true. If the alien women took the citizenship of their U.S. husbands, then why should the U.S. women not be required to take the citizenship of their alien husbands?

How Some of Our Female Ancestors Lost Their US Natural Born Citizenship Through Marriage to Aliens

So, in 1907 a law was passed that basically said that women derived their citizenship from their husband, regardless of where the women were born. This effectively removed the U.S. citizenship of a native born female who married an alien husband and gave her -- at least in the eyes of the U.S. Government -- the citizenship of her husband. The law was short lived but the effect of the law remained for several decades.

The Married Women's Independent Citizenry Act of 1922 effectively repealed the effects of the law of 1907 but did not automatically restore citizenship to those women who had lost it when they married. By an Act of June of 1936 (and a subsequent amendment to that Act in another 1940 Act) a form was finally provided by the the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service which would allow a woman to apply to gain her lost citizenship back. Over the next two decades, many of these "expatriate" citizens applied and were able to regain their U.S. citizenship.

We should never take for granted the permanency of our citizenship. Our female ancestors who did so awoke one day to find that their natural born citizen status had been removed by the stroke of a pen. It's true that they had to marry an alien husband for that removal to occur, but prior to 1907 it would not have occurred. Only the legal requirements for citizenship changed, the fact of their birthplace had not. We can learn a lot from history. Learn from this one.

How Some of Our Female Ancestors Lost Their US Natural Born Citizenship Through Marriage to Aliens

Healing Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

People in families usually have patterns of behaving. In our families, we develop routines and rituals and we react to similar things in similar ways each time. For example, it could be that children are expected to get up by themselves for school, make their own breakfast, pack their lunches and walk to school or get the bus while their parents are getting ready to go to work. Or it could be that, whenever the family sits down to eat, the father is the one to talk about his day and, if one of the kids tries to talk, he is shushed or told not to be so selfish and to listen to his father. Or maybe, when a child comes home from school, Mom is there to welcome her with a snack, listening to whatever happened that day.

Each of these habitual patterns of behavior create feelings and beliefs in children. In the first family, maybe one child will feel "everything is up to me; I can't expect anyone to be there for me or help me." Another child might feel free to create her own routine and feel "my parents trust me to do this; they don't limit me." In the second family, one child might become afraid of the father while another becomes angry that he is not allowed to express himself. In the third, one child might feel taken care of and listened to while another feels intruded upon.

Family Nature

Whatever the reaction, it is created by a combination of the parents'/siblings'/relatives' habitual behaviors and the child's interpretation of these behaviors and the beliefs that the child develops as a result of these interpretations. Most parents don't deal with children in consistently positive ways. Many parents actually cause pain in their children and in some families, there is emotional abuse, physical abuse or sexual abuse.

Healing Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

Childhood Family Patterns Create Adult Relationship Patterns

Our childhood family patterns seem to follow us around as we get older, whenever we're in close relationships or in groups. For instance, the main problematic patterns of our childhood often recur when we are part of a couple. The grown child in the first family above may get together with someone who is kind of distant or super-independent and doesn't take her into account when making decisions.

In groups at work or social groups, similar patterns often show up too. For example, in the second family above, the grown child's boss might be authoritarian and everyone is afraid to call him on it.

One thing that seems to be true is that these patterns happen over and over again in one's life. When they are painful patterns, people's relationships are negatively affected and they feel alone or angry or hurt much of the time.

What to Do to Heal Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns

One way to look at the recurrence in adult life of painful childhood patterns is to see that they are opportunities to relate to the same patterns in new ways, which transforms the patterns and creates healthier ways of relating. There are various methods and techniques that can transform these patterns.

Process Work Role Play

Process Work is a larger modality, in which role play is one technique. Using this technique, you pick the family member you had the most trouble with as a child. You remember a typical painful event, or a specific painful event. If there's another person there with you (say, a therapist), decide which of you will start out being you and which the "troublesome" person. Each of you speak from that viewpoint, and then you switch roles and speak from the other viewpoint. You try to get as much down to the essence of what was really going on as possible, saying things that are deeply true (even though the actual people never would have admitted these thing nor would they admit them now). If you're alone, you can switch back and forth between the roles yourself, though this is a bit harder.

Creating Therapeutic Stories and EFT

Childhood family patterns often hang on stubbornly and keep showing up in our work lives and adult family relationships. One creative way to begin the transformation to a different pattern is a creative combination of EFT and Process Work. The way this works is to note down in detail the pattern that keeps happening, and the way it affects you. For instance, someone may grow up in a family where the parents left the children to fend for themselves-from a young age, they had to make their own meals, dress themselves and get themselves to school. The way this might have affected one of the children is to become super responsible for his siblings. As an adult, the pattern might repeat itself so that he would find himself living with roommates who rely on him to shop for food, keep the place clean and also find themselves regularly short on money because they are unable to budget, thus leaving him paying for more than his share of the bills. At work, he may find himself a peer of other employees, but doing most of the work with little credit nor adequate remuneration.

Combining EFT and Process Work, we use the pattern of behavior and the way it affects the person to create a metaphorical story-a fairy tale outlining the problem pattern-using fairy tale characters. We use EFT to focus on each part of the story; EFT Tapping helps the story to unfold and it helps a solution to emerge. Using all of what arises, we then translate the story back into the person's current life and explore how the new pattern can be brought into the person's life.

Healing Dysfunctional Childhood Family Patterns