1. Alcohol May Fight Rheumatoid Arthritis

Those who don’t consume alcohol are around four times more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis than people who drink at least one alcoholic beverage three or more days a week, say researchers.

2. New CPR Studies Suggest Skipping the Breathing

Two new studies on adults suggest that chest compressions only may be just as effective or even better than CPR with rescue breathing, but children still need mouth to mouth.

3. Top Six Sex Problems Women Experience

A survey published in a medical journal reveals the top six sexual problems women face, including lack of desire and orgasm problems.

4. Agents Seize FastSize Extenders and Monitors

U.S. Marshals were busy today seizing $346,954.43 worth of extenders and erectile monitors manufactured by FastSize, LLC of Aliso Viejo, Calif.

5. Mom Breastfeeds Wrong Baby at VA Hospital

Patient misidentification is a problem in some US hospitals. Suzanne Libby, whod given birth the day before, found her new son in another womans room. She later learned that he had been breastfed by this stranger.

(By CalorieLab editors)

Lab Notes: Alcohol May Fight Rheumatoid Arthritis; New CPR Studies Suggest Skipping the Breathing is a post from: CalorieLab Diet News

It wasn’t until 1963 that Coca-Cola entered the diet soda market with Tab.

To keep calories down, diet sodas are sweetened with various sugar substitutes, cyclamates, saccharin, and aspartame. But fears of cancer have spooked many customers away from artificially sweetened drinks.

In 1970, the Food and Drug Administration banned cyclamates in the U.S. on evidence that they caused cancer in lab rats.

And premature birth may be another concern. Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers say women drinking at least one serving of artificially sweetened soda each day during pregnancy were 38% more likely to deliver preterm, compared to women who did not drink diet soda.

Women drinking at least four diet sodas a day had an 80% higher risk of delivering prematurely. The researchers point out that artificial sweeteners, not the soda itself, may be what’s contributing to the risk of premature birth.

Previous studies have found that drinking diet soda might actually increase weight-gain in people and raise blood sugar levels. Artificial sweeteners may interfere with insulin response.

Image credit: xxx Rock Tubs

Psychological studies have begun to show us that certain colors can trigger or encourage certain subconscious responses, and the color blue is one that comes into play a lot when talking about positive effects on the human psyche and body.

Psychical Reactions

Different colors have been shown to have different effects on the body. Blue is one of the good colors. It releases chemicals in the body that calm us. This is why you might find a blue bedroom to be good for sleeping in, as the blue is a calming and serene color.

Blue for Weight Loss

Blue is a cool and calming color that you won’t see in many restaurants or fast food joints. This just might be because blue is a color that acts as a suppressant to our appetites! One theory behind this is that blue is not found often in natural foods, and many ‘blue foods’ found in nature are poisonous. Instinct urges human beings away from poisonous foods, which might play a part in it. There are a number of ways you can incorporate blue into your life and your eating habits to help curb those cravings and keep to smaller meals.

Things you can do to incorporate blue into you eating habits include:

• Eat out of blue dishes

• Decorate your eating place (kitchen, living room, dining room) in blues

• Wear blue while you eat

Blue Surroundings

Studies have shown blue to be an encouraging color, as well. Blue-themed offices find their employees might be more productive. This might relate back to blue promoting calmness and relaxation. Naturally if people are relaxed and calm, they will be able to work faster and more efficiently.

Perhaps even more amazing, research has shown weight lifters do better while lifting weights in blue-themed gyms as opposed to other colors.

Blue is Trusting

On top of being calming and comforting, blue also promotes feelings of loyalty. Researches suggest wearing blue to job interviews because it gives your interviewer a sense that you are a calm, loyal and dependable person.

This works the same in company logos. Companies that want to promote themselves as very dependable and reputable corporations might use blue in their logo rather than an eye-catching red or a loud yellow.

Incorporating Blue into Your Life

Pick out a nice blue dress, or decorate a room in your house in blues. Put up some blue decorations around your desk at work. You might find that you, too, are calmed by the blue color.

Too much of a good thing can, of course, turn sour. Too much blue, or even a wrong shade of a blue color, might have an adverse effect. Keep in mind that blue can also trigger thoughts of feeling down or depression if there is too much involved! Just as red can be a heated, passionate color, too much can be taken to mean aggression and downright evilness. Use blue where you can, but do not flood your life with it.

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Eggplants can commonly be found in nearly all grocery stores, and while they look delicious and beautiful, they can be intimidating to use for cooking. Eggplants are often used in high calorie, fatty ways. However, there are at least three healthy ways that eggplants can be prepared that are both nutritious and delicious. You won’t be shying away from eggplants any more! after reading this article!

Grill

This is, hands, down one of the healthiest ways to cook eggplant, and one of the easiest ways as well! Grilled eggplant does not typically contain any of the added salt or butter associated with fried eggplant, and can be just as delicious. To start, use a sharp knife to cut the eggplant into equally sized rounds about one inch in diameter. Place the eggplant cut side down on a cutting board or other hard surface, and brush with olive oil. While olive oil is composed almost primarily of fat, the fat found in olive oil is unsaturated, and therefore is one of the healthiest fats available. Unsaturated fat has been found to be effective in the treatment and prevention of a variety of conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s disease. After the eggplant has been brushed with the olive oil, sprinkle with a small amount of chopped basil, rosemary, or your herb of choice. Use a skewer that has been soaked in water to skewer the eggplant through its sides. Rest the skewers on a medium hot grill for around five minutes per side. Carefully remove the skewer before eating, and enjoy!

Boil

Boiling eggplant is another great, healthy way to serve the vegetable. When prepared properly, boiled eggplant can be used as an alternative to mashed potatoes, which typically contain high amounts of cream, butter, and salt. Start by peeling an eggplant and cutting it into one inch sized cubes. Place the cubes in a pot of boiling water, and allow to cook for around ten minutes. Test the doneness of the eggplant every few minutes by poking a fork into one of the cubes. If the fork can easily pierce the eggplant, it has been thoroughly cooked. Remove the pot from the heat, and drain. Place the cooked eggplant into a large bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Use a hand mixer to blend the cooked eggplant and olive oil. Once the mixture has reached the consistency that you desire, sprinkle with a small amount of chopped parsley, and serve.

Bake

Finally, baked eggplant can be used as a side dish to any meal. Wash the eggplant, and as when preparing the eggplant to be grilled, cut it into slices that are one inch in diameter. Place cut side down on a lightly greased baking sheet, sprinkle with a bit of olive oil, and bake for ten minutes. Remove from the oven, and serve.

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Eggplant is well recognized as a low-cal, nutritious vegetable but you may be surprised to know that eggplant carries at least four beauty benefits too. Whether eaten or used externally on your body, eggplant is a universal application for beauty and well as health. Everywhere that the eggplant has gone, from early beginnings in Asia to the Middle East and Turkey to Europe, Russia, and Australia and the United States, this vegetable has served as a natural remedy used by health practitioners as well as by our ancestors.

Some food histor


ians say the eggplant originated in India and others say it was first cultivated in China. Based on fifth-century scrolls in China, ladies in the higher echelons of society used the dark purple dye from eggplant skins to brush their teeth until they were shiny gray. Other stories abound, but here are at least four eggplant-based beauty recipes that have stood the test of time.

Beauty Benefit #1 – See Freckles Fade

Natural-beauty followers think that the eggplant can work wonders on freckles. The eggplant will not make freckles go away, but the observation has been made that, by applying eggplant to your skin, you will see your freckles fade. You should look for results to show up in about 10 days, if you do the following:

Wash your eggplant and then cut it up into pieces. Rub the pieces directly, and gently, in circular movements,  on the face for 10 to 15 minutes.

Beauty Benefit #2 – Say Goodbye to Warts

Applying fresh eggplants to warts is an old home remedy that takes two ingredients: a thin piece of fresh eggplant big enough to cover the size of the wart and a bandage. Each night before you go to bed, take the piece of eggplant, cover the wart, and secure the eggplant covering with a bandage. Eventually, you may see that the wart peels off quite easily. If you apply the piece of eggplant over the wart every night, taking care to use a fresh piece of eggplant each time, expect to see results within two weeks.

Beauty Benefit #3- Regulate and Pamper Skin

Eggplant masks are regimens that beauty practitioners say are helpful especially to women with oily skin conditions. Make sure that you try this when you are not in too much of a hurry because, like most mask treatments, it is only effective if you leave it on your skin for about 20 minutes. Here is what you do:

Blend a large slice of eggplant (roughly, one-quarter of a small-sized eggplant)  with its skin still on plus one cup of plain, unflavored yogurt in a blender. Spread it  over your face. After 20 minutes, rinse with warm water.

Eggplant is also used to lighten age-spots, whether your skin is oily, average, or dry. Apply mashed eggplant pulp on your face and rinse with warm, not hot, water. Do this daily until you see some results.

Beauty Benefit #4 – Gently Treat Your Hair

Enzymes in the eggplant may help to stimulate hair follicles to more vibrant health. Eggplant may also help improve hair that has greasy buildup. Apply a chunk of fresh eggplant to your scalp and rub gently.

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If you are bothered by a recent gain of some unwanted pounds, did you know that eggplant water can help weight loss? Shedding a few pounds is easier than you think. It’s a goal that can be met by shedding excess fluid retention, which also relieves that uncomfortable feeling of tummy bloat. Vegetables in general are known as  nature’s “diuretics.” You may recognize that term because you have seen it used to describe “water pills, ” sold in drugstores, which are designed to flush out the body’s excess fluids. Drinking vegetable water can accomplish the same goal, naturally.

Natural foods are beneficial in removing retained fluid. For years, those wanting to just flush out toxins from their bodies for general well-being have tried drinking the excess fluid from greens, beets, carrots or cabbage. Drinking eggplant water is also attracting attention, since it not only works as a diuretic, but is so low-cal and nutritious.

Boil and Save

Eggplant is a popular vegetable with cooks worldwide (known in France and elsewhere as the aubergine). Chinese, French, Italian, Greek and Turkish are just a few of the cuisines that make generous use of this beautiful, tasty vegetable that is easily prepared when roasted, broiled or baked.

What exactly is eggplant water? The water is simply the byproduct of boiling the eggplant. Think of the process as playing opposites. Most of the time you boil your veggies and throw the water away. This time, you are removing the veggie and saving the water.

Here is what to do: wash the eggplant, cut it into small pieces, and boil for about five minutes. When that’s done, let it all cool off. Then, strain all the water out and keep the water. (Rather than discarding the eggplant, though, remember that it’s rich in fiber, folate, niacin and low in calories (only 33 calories for a full cup of diced eggplant). Place the water in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

Recommendations

How many cups should you drink? An 8-ounce glass of eggplant water daily is often recommended; some eggplant-water enthusiasts claim they thrive on seven to eight glasses a day. The best course of action may be for you to do with what your body feels comfortable. Try a glass a day for starters and adjust upwards as you see fit.

Just remember: by drinking eggplant water as a diet aid, you are not losing fat, even if the scale shows that you are a few pounds lighter. You have just lost fluid, not the fat, and the loss is only temporary. Finally, it is always best to ask your doctor if you have any concerns or questions before beginning any new regimen to lose weight.

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While many fruits and vegetables are important for good health, eggplant appears to play a special role in the treatment and prevention of a number of very serious conditions. This article describes 3 ways in which eggplant can be used to improve both the length and quality of your life.

1. Reduced Risk of Cancer

When used properly, eggplant can provide many health benefits, including being important in the treatment and prevention of cancer. Eggplant has been found to be especially useful in the treatment of colon cancer due to the high amount of fiber found within eggplant. Fiber is important in the treatment of colon cancer because it is a relatively porous nutrient, and because of this, as it moves through the digestive tract, it has the tendency to absorb toxins and chemicals that can lead to the development of colon cancer. For best results, individuals who are interested in reducing their risk for the development of color cancer should be sure to include the skin of the eggplant during consumption. Research has found that the skin of eggplant may contain more fiber that the actual eggplant itself.

2. Weight Loss

As stated above, eggplant contains high amounts of fiber, making it a great food in the fight against cancer. But, the fiber found in eggplant has other uses–namely, its ability to be a useful tool for people who are trying to lose weight. Fiber is a relatively “bulky” food, meaning that is takes up a lot of room in the stomach. Therefore, by eating eggplant in a salad or appetizer before a meal, dieters are likely to have a greater feeling of satiety, and generally eat fewer calories (thereby achieving a substantial weight loss with time). In addition, fiber is slow digesting, and takes a long time to move from the stomach to the digestive tract. Because of this, the eggplant keeps dieters feeling full for a longer period of time–and therefore, they won’t be as tempted to snack between meals, which will again aid in weight loss.

3. Better Skin Tone

Finally, eggplant contains a high amount of water–and similarly, aside from fat and bone, our bodies are composed of almost primarily water. Water has important roles in a variety of pathways through the body, but has been found to be especially important in the maintenance of healthy skin and hair. Individuals who are dehydrated are more likely to exhibit hair that is thin, dry and has split ends, along with skin that appears to be flaky, dry, with a greater number of lines and wrinkles. Consuming adequate amount of water through either water itself or through food items such as eggplant can not only improve the quality of your hair and skin, but also the general performance of your body. For best results, eat the eggplant raw–research has found that cooking it removes some of the water that is so beneficial.

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Losing weight is a difficult process for anyone, but may be especially difficult for women who are childbearing as they are concerned about maintaining their body for the pregnancy. This article discusses 3 tips that can be used by women of any age–but especially those who are pregnant–in order to achieve weight loss. Try them out today and get on the path to great health!

1. Watch What You Eat

One of the best ways to safely lose weight if you are of childbearing age is to decrease your calorie intake. Before we begin to discuss how to do this safely, you must understand the science behind weight loss. In one pound of fat, there is 3500 calories–and therefore, in order to lose one pound of weight, which is what is recommended by the Surgeon General for best weight loss results, you must cut 700 calories out from your diet. As you will see in a bit, exercising on a regular basis can help to eliminate some of these calories, but most women tend to use mostly dieting as a way to lose weight.

Unfortunately, trendy diets that require the exclusion of certain foods in order to achieve weight loss are becoming more and more popular, and with them come severe vitamin deficiencies. When dieting, instead of eliminating certain foods completely, try to simply choose lower calorie versions of the food you are concerned about. For example, instead of eliminating dairy from your diet, choose dairy products that are made from low or nonfat milk. This way, you will still be getting the calcium that you body needs to properly function, but will not be getting an excessive calorie intake.

2. Exercise

As described above, exercise is a great way to achieve weight loss. According to the Surgeon General, for best weight loss results you should exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week. In general, exercising at a moderate intensity for ten minutes will result in a calorie burn of 100 calories–and therefore, by increasing this time to 30 minutes, you will burn 300 calories. Combine this with a decreased calorie intake of 400 calories per day from dieting, and you are at your goal of eliminating 700 calories per day from your diet.

3. Keep a Weight Loss Record

Weight loss is a very difficult and challenging process, and therefore, using a weight loss journal can be a great way to track what you eat, record your exercise calories burnt, and write down your current weight status. Often, when people accurately write down what they eat on a regular basis, they are better able to determine where they can cut calories, or increase their exercise routine. You may also use the record book as a journal to record your feelings on your journey to an ideal body weight.

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Gaining childbearing weight is completely normal during pregnancy. In fact, women who are with child are expected to gain anywhere from 15 to 40 pounds, depending on your pre-pregnancy weight. If you wish to know how much weight you should gain in order to have a healthy pregnancy, you can usually obtain this information from your doctor. Due to this natural childbearing weight gain, a lot of women tend to be at risk of gaining excess pounds during their pregnancy -  more pounds than necessary for pregnancy. If you wish to prevent excess childbearing weight gain, here are some tips that you can follow.

Do Not Skip Breakfast

Even though you are trying to avoid the extra weight gain, it’s important to do so without risking nutritional deficiencies for your baby. One of the things you can do is to make sure that you eat a well-balanced breakfast in the morning. Not only does your baby need calories first thing in the morning, but eating breakfast will also prevent you from overeating later in the day.

Opt for Healthy Foods When Eating Out

When you’re eating out, it’s very easy to indulge yourself and start gobbling down anything that you may have a craving for. If you don’t wish to become overweight during your pregnancy, try to make healthy choices when eating at fast foods or restaurants. For instance, instead of French fries, opt for a baked potato. Instead of chicken patties that have been breaded and fried, choose broiled chicken with some vegetables instead.

Replace Whole Milk with Non-Fat or Skim Milk

Even though you need to consume plenty of dairy products during your pregnancy, you can avoid consuming the extra calories by staying away from whole milk. Skim, low-fat or non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese will give you the nutrients you need without the excess calories.

Avoid Sugary and High-Calorie Foods

A lot of women see pregnancy as license to eat anything they want, causing them to gain more weight than what is recommended. If you wish to stay at your ideal pregnancy weight and not a pound more, you will need to limit your intake of sweet and calorie-laden drinks and snacks. Avoid drinking iced tea, package fruit juices and soft drinks, and opt for water instead. Also, avoid snacking on fatty treats like donuts, cookies, potato chips and the like. If you’re craving a treat, try to choose safer options like an angel food cake made with strawberries or low-fat pretzels.

Plan Your Meals

Planning your meals during your pregnancy will also help you keep your weight in check while making sure that you are receiving all the necessary nutrients. For instance, you can plan recipes for the next several days so you can buy the ingredients when you shop for groceries. You might also want to stick to healthy cooking methods like boiling, grilling and steaming instead of frying.

Do Some Recommended Exercises

Doing some safe and gentle exercises like walking can also help you burn calories and improve your health. Be sure to have a talk with your doctor before doing any physical activity to be on the safe side.

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Finding flattering clothing for your body type is one of the secrets to looking your best. Even if you have a well-toned and ideal figure, it won’t show if your tendency is to wear ill-fitting clothes. On the other hand, even an imperfect body shape can still look amazing given the right type of clothes. Here are the common body types of women and the best way to dress for each of them.

Dressing For an Hourglass Body Type

The hourglass figure is considered the ideal body shape. You are one of the lucky women with an hourglass body shape if you have a well-defined waist which is proportionally smaller than your bust and hips. Meanwhile, your bust line and hip line are almost the same size. If you have this body type then the type of clothing you should wear should be able to accentuate your curves without making you look heavy. Stick to clothes that are fitted to your figure. If you don’t like tight clothes then go for soft flowing fabrics that are still tailored to your figure. Naturally, you also want to wear clothes that show off your best features – low necklines to show off your cleavage, belted or corset-type blouses and dresses to emphasize your small waist.

Dressing For an Inverted Triangle Body Type

A woman with an inverted triangle body shape also has a small waist and big bust line but has very narrow hips and slender legs. Many inverted-triangle-shaped women also have flat buttocks. If you have this body type then it’s good to emphasize your upper torso by wearing blouses with low necklines and clothes that define your waist. To achieve the same balance in the lower area of your body, wear flared pants and skirts with an A-line cut.

Dressing For a Pear Shape Body Type

The pear shape is usually considered as the opposite of the inverted triangle body type. While your upper torso is relatively narrow in proportion to your lower body, your hips, thighs and buttocks tend to be full. Flattering clothing for this body type is one that emphasizes your upper torso while drawing attention away from your lower body. Wear dresses and blouses that emphasize your waist. Wear accessories like belts, necklaces, bracelets, brooches that further draw attention to the upper area of your body (but don’t wear them at the same time!). Skirts and pants should have a straight cut and can be slightly flared. Darker colors will also conceal your fuller bottom.

Dressing For a Rectangular Body Type

The rectangle body type is also referred to as a “boyish” body shape. This is because this figure features a small bust, flat buttocks, thin arms and legs and an undefined waist. Naturally, if you have this body type, your goal would be to make your figure a bit curvier. Flowy dresses with full skirts and narrow waistlines can help balance out your figure.

Dressing For an Oval Body Type

Overweight people or those who are packing on some extra pounds tend to fall under this category. You have an oval body shape if you have full thighs, buttocks, hips and bust line while your waist remains undefined. Oval-shaped women also tend to have bigger stomachs. Finding the right underwear for this body type is just as important as finding the right clothes. Be sure to pick underwear that offers ample support. Undergarments like shapewear can also give you a slimmer appearance. When wearing tops and bottoms, opt for the same color or at least two colors from the same family.

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