Victor Kuri

Archive for June, 2010

CLA Dietary Supplement Proven Effective for Weight Loss

There is growing interest in CLA weight loss as a result of the mounting scientific evidence that CLA helps humans lose weight primarily from stored body fat. The scientists have found that Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) works with your body’s enzymes to inhibit fat storage and then help your body to burn existing stored fat more rapidly.

The Science – Evidence Supporting CLA Weight Loss

In May, 2007, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study which concluded that CLA can induce weight loss in humans. You can find other examples in different studies like the one by Ola Gudmundsen or by Thom Erling, Ph.D which also showed that CLA could help people lose weight, primarily from body fat.

If you understand what it can do for you, you can make CLA an effective part of your routine.

Here’s how the experts say this CLA dietary supplement works to assist weight loss:

You Store Less Fat

CLA naturally suppresses the enzyme (lipoprotein lipase or LPL). When this happens your body deposits and stores less fat overall.

You Keep Fat Cells from Growing Larger

CLA affects insulin sensitivity which means that your fatty acids and glucose can more easily get to your muscle cells instead of to your fat cells. Maintain muscle and lose fat – sounds good.

You Decrease Your Number of Fat Cells

Conjugated linoleic acid seems to be successful at reducing the principle sites of fat storage and successful at increasing your body’s rate of destroying fat cells (apoptosis rate).

You Burn Fat Faster

CLA helps increases the activity of your CPT enzyme which transports your fatty acids to be turned into the energy you need to keep going. The result, fat is burned up faster.

What to Do With This Information – How to Take This CLA Dietary Supplement

For CLA Weight Loss, take 3g of CLA Dietary Supplement spread across your daily meals.

Caring for African-American skin does not have to be complicated or costly. With the variety of product information available, its important to do your own independent research before investing in any expensive skin care lines. When choosing African- American products, there are several important considerations for creating and maintaining healthy skin.

For the most part, African-American skin has more similarities than differences to an other type. Because skin is the largest organ in the human body, it needs the essentials, such as fresh food and water, in order to stay healthy. Effective African- American skin care products should have similar formulations as any other quality product.

The main difference with African-American skin is its tendency to hyper-pigmentation. This refers patches of grey or darker discolorations on the surface. Because people of color have a higher amount of melanin in their skin, these melanin protectors can become discolored over time, often because of age, or because of harsh skin care regimens. African-American skin should be treated gently, and any type of treatment, such as peels or acne removal, needs to be used with caution, ideally by a qualified professional who specializes in delicate care.

A skin care routine for African American skin does not have to be elaborate in order to be successful. Dry skin is common for darker skin tones, and there are several successful steps to combating dryness. The first is to drink plenty of water, usually six to eight glasses a day, as this will give the skin a firmer and more youthful appearance. Shorter showers will also help combat dryness. In addition, using a moisturizer is essential in keeping skin soft and supple.

A final consideration when evaluating African-American skin care products is the inclusion of an effective sunscreen. Although there is more melanin to protect itself, skin cancer is still a possibility. Regular use of sunscreen can also help protect against hyper-pigmentation and lead to a more even skin tone. An SPF of at least 30 for the face and body is recommended.

By keeping these essentials in mind, you will be able to make effective decisions about your skin care regimen. African American skin care products are becoming easier to find and evaluate than ever before. These products can often be expensive, and it pays to educate yourself on the type of products that are appropriate for your skin before purchasing.

Living with someone who needs mental health help but can’t or won’t get it can be very frustrating, but also carries a burden of some responsibility if you believe that they are a danger to themselves or a danger to others. People who are actively ill are usually not the best people to decide to seek treatment; these people will actually deny any need for help if pressed. As a responsible family member, it then falls to you to try to get the help needed and the way to do this may be complicated and unpleasant. This article will explain what your options are if you are in this delicate and unpleasant predicament.

You have a family member that is talking about suicide; you have a friend that is telling you they want to hurt people; you have a loved one that has stopped eating, drinking, bathing and that appears to be talking to people you can’t see. All of these situations require some type of intervention. By law, if you are aware of these circumstances, you also have a responsibility to try to get help for these people.

No one wants to be the one to send a loved one into a mental hospital for treatment, especially when it will be against their will. However, if the only other option is to do nothing and allow an event to occur, you may be liable under the law because you had prior knowledge and did nothing. We all read about these events in the papers and wonder why “no one did anything before it got out of hand?”

What to do in this situation–

First, you need to talk very directly with the person about your observations and concerns. Listen carefully to the responses without being judgmental or offering solutions. After you hear them out, make your decision about how serious the conditions are and whether you need to go farther in your search to get help.

Most cases can be resolved at this step. Knowing that you are aware of the struggle they are having; knowing that you are willing to listen with an open mind; knowing that you are there to help if they need it–all goes a long way to resolving the frustration and dismay they may feel. They may feel such relief that you noticed and took time to ask them about it that the problem will simply resolve itself by talking it out with you.

If the problem still exists and you feel help is required–

For truly suicidal people, talking about it will not resolve the problem. You will not “make them act” by discussing the issue, but sometimes the underlying problem requires more than an offer of a shoulder to lean on and an ear to talk to. Someone who is seriously suicidal needs immediate hospitalization for their safety and the safety of others.

Homicidal thoughts occur. The actual questions to get answers to would be if there is a plan in place to commit the act and if there is access to the necessary tools to complete it. We all say that we want “to kill” someone at some time or another, but not everyone who says it will actually spend time thinking up a plan and gathering up the tools to do so. This person is an imminent danger to others and requires immediate hospitalization to prevent harm to their target.

For those who display increasing vegetative symptoms–sleeping all the time, not eating, not bathing, not interacting with others, not going to work, not caring for their children–you need to assess if the problem is depression, psychosis, or simply a person who has become overwhelmed by life and its challenges. For depression and psychosis you may need to seek professional help with hospitalization. For someone who is overwhelmed, you may need to search the community for support and help them to access these avenues. They may need to see a counselor or therapist to learn about programs designed to help them deal with daily issues.

If hospitalization will be required–

There are three ways to access hospital services:

1. The person will agree to get help and will go voluntarily to the hospital for treatment. This is always the best choice, but unfortunately not always the one used.

2. The person can go the the nearest Emergency Room to be assessed by a clinician and have them determine if hospitalization is needed. The person may be willing to do this, as most people don’t associate ER visits with being admitted to a psychiatric facility. This way works well, but as we all know, the ER waiting room is usually full and you will be there quite a long time.

3. You can take the person directly to a psychiatric hospital for an immediate assessment by their clinicians. This choice, though the most direct and efficient, usually will be met with strong resistance. No one really wants to be admitted to a mental hospital, even when you know you need to be.

What to do if you cannot get them to go–

Every city, county, and state has someone designated as a Mental Health Officer that can complete paperwork to have someone admitted against their will. These officers will transport the person to the hospital or will arrange for the police to do so. This option is very traumatic for the person, but as a last resort, it will get them the help they need. In this situation, there needs to be an imminent danger to self or others.

To conclude, there are various ways for you to help a loved one get the psychiatric help they may need. From simply connecting with them in a non-judgemental way and offering help to the most dramatic solution of involuntary commitment by a Mental Health Officer, you can get help when needed. The problem is that the process is long and cumbersome; there are laws that must be followed to protect someone from false imprisonment in an institution. But the bottom line will always be the safety of the person and the safety of others around that person.

Living with a mentally ill person can be a challenge. Most mentally ill people are capable of living productive and happy lives out in the community, even actively helping others in their communities. It is only during infrequent crises that help may need to be sought. We all are under extreme pressure and stress daily and we all deal with these things differently. Those with a mental illness are simply more susceptible to these stresses and have fewer coping skills to help them deal with them. There are going to be times when help will need to be given even if it is not wanted.

The skin care and anti aging and cosmetics industry is a huge industry, worth, by some estimates, around $50 billion. And there are many many companies making skin care products, including so called natural skin care products, as well as cosmetics, beauty products, hair, and body care products, and more. Hair colorings, hair removal, anti aging products, body oils, dry skin treatments, oily skin treatments and so on and so on.

When there are so many products available to you to satisfy every need you could ever have to purchase a product to pamper every part of your body, why would you want to bother searching out “natural” products, including natural skin care products.

First let me say there is no formal definition of “natural” skin care products. However it’s quite possible to compare the different types of skin care and anti aging products by looking at what’s available to you on the market.

First there is, of course, the big brand name products. I’m sure you know the ones I mean. Saturation TV advertising, their skin care products seen on the shelves of just about every department store.

Would it surprise you to know that many of these big brand name products, probably most, are not considered to be effective, and have ingredients which are often suspect or even downright dangerous?

Yes it’s true, the skin care industry isn’t effectively regulated, and they can put just about anything they want into their products. The FDA doesn’t require these products to be tested for safety or efficacy.

Here’s just one example, but there are many. Recent tests showed lead in over 50% of big brand name lipsticks tested, to the point where the State of California, at least, has banned lead in lipsticks.

There’s many other examples of suspect or dangerous ingredients in our body care, hair care, skin care and nail care products and just about all of our beauty and personal use products like simple shampoos and toothpastes.

On the other hand there are companies, one in particular, that make extremely effective and safe natural skin care products.

By “natural” this means naturally occurring ingredients which are known to be safe for human use.

Here’s some examples.

Shea butter, extracted from the seed of a tree. An extremely effective natural moisturizer.

Jojoba oil from the nut of the Jojoba plant, very high in natural anti oxidants that are very good for natural skin health.

Grape seed oil, extracted from the seeds of various grape varieties, high in natural fatty acids and anti oxidants and also an excellent natural skin moisturizer.

And more, there’s many many naturally occurring substances that aren’t made in a lab, and are extremely effective when added to a natural skin care range of products.

However it’s not sufficient for a company to use naturally occurring ingredients in it’s skin care and anti aging products. To be truly “natural” the company needs to have a commitment to producing and using these ingredients safely. Because it’s quite possible to change the makeup of an ingredient in the process used to extract it, particularly by the use of heat. And this can make a useful naturally occurring ingredient quite useless.

An example is keratin, a naturally occurring part of skin hair and nails. Keratin is used by the big brand name companies, however it is extracted from the horns and hooves of animals by heat, thereby changing it’s makeup to a less useful form.

The best manufacturer of natural skin care products has a commitment to using only naturally occurring ingredients that are both safe for human use and also effective. In fact their brief is to produce the worlds best natural skin care products that are safe enough to eat.

So despite the fact that there is no formal definition of natural skin care products, an examination of both the ingredients used in skin care products combined with an examination of the company’s philosophy about the production of it’s products will establish quite clearly what the best “natural skin care products” are.

Health Insurance basically covers the costs related to the healthcare expenses. Individual’s gets security with expenses related to any kind of critical illness which may unfortunately occur to one in the unpredictable future. The Insurance plan may be purchased by an individual or an organization. In both the cases, a fixed sum of premium is paid towards the Insurance policy purchased.

The stigma of mental illness still exists today. It’s true that mental disorders have gained much more exposure over the past few years, but there are still many people who either run from those who have mental health issues or makes jokes. Because of this, people who are suffering will often stop or never begin treatment.

If you are someone who has been feeling anxiety, depressed, or other types of symptoms, it’s important to seek help. It’s better to see your healthcare professional then live each day a prisoner in your own body. When you are experiencing emotions or thoughts you cannot control, medication and counseling can help. Without it, you will live each and everyday feeling hopeless and helpless. That is no way to live.

The stigma of mental illness still exists but you would be surprised at the amount of closet mental health sufferers. Since no one talks about it, people walk around assuming that no one else is having the same mental issues. That is simply untrue. In 2004, there were 57.7 Millions of Americans suffering with a mental disorder. These people are not only found on the streets homeless or in rural areas, they are found in your workplace and in your neighborhood. These people don’t talk about it because of the fear they will be ridiculed. It’s sad, isn’t it?

Mental disorders are just like medical disorders in that they make life difficult and most of the time can be a life sentence. That is why it is so important to seek out help to alleviate symptoms. Many mental disorders cannot be cured but the symptoms can be helped so you can live without struggling each day.

Confidentiality laws protect patients from the stigma of mental disorders. If you speak to a doctor or see a counselor, they are bound by law not to give out any information about you or your treatment. Someone cannot call a psychiatrist, psychologist or counselor to ask if you are a patient. They will be unable to confirm or deny whether you receive services. This protects you from employers finding out private information as well as family members or friends. The only way anyone can find out anything about your treatment is if you sign a consent form granting the medical professional to divulge information. So be rest assured that just because you need medication doesn’t mean that everyone will know about it. You can be happier in your life and be confident knowing that no one will find out why.