Deep Vein Thrombosis...an In Flight Risk.

DVT?
an in flight risk
by Cathy Gatson

Planning to do some long distance traveling this summer be it train, plane or automobile?here is some important information to pack with you to avoid this trip from being your last leg.

WHAT IS IT?
DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis is a blood clot that develops in the deep vein of the leg. The Deep Vein in the leg passes through the center of the leg and is surrounded by muscle. Superficial veins are on top of the muscle and are visible to the eye.

DVT's usually occur in the lower leg between the ankle and the knee areas. DVT's are serious and can be fatal. Once a blood clot occurs, it can travel through the veins and get lodged in the lungs or heart resulting in death.

Since DVT can develop very rapidly, symptoms, if any may be difficult to detect. In fact, an estimated 50% of reported DVT incidents went undetected. However, seek medical advice if during or after a flight you experience:
· Pain and warmth in the lower legs
· Prickly sensation in the legs
· Warmness or swelling of the feet or legs
· Shortness of breath
· Noticeable pain in the lower legs that worsens when walking or standing

IN FLIGHT RISK
What's the connection between travel and blood clots? Keeping the legs in a cramped position and inactive for long periods of time restricts the blood flow in the legs and increases the risk of a blood clot.

Some doctors believe that DVT is "more common today as a result of two factors, the increase in the number of frequent flyers and airline deregulation". As a result of deregulation, the distance between one airline seat to the one in front of it is no longer regulated. Many airlines moved seats closer together in order to fit more passengers on the planes thereby reducing the leg room between seats from 40 inches to 28.

Tighter seating arrangements plus existing medical conditions can equal danger.
· History of blood clots
· Cancer
· Prolonged bed rest following orthopedic surgery
· Estrogen therapy
· Obese or very tall individuals
· Birth control pills
· Recent treatment involving general anesthesia
· Cigarette smoker
· Previous thrombotic episode
· Congestive heart failure
· Pregnancy
· Dehydration
If you have any of the above conditions it is wise to seek medical advice before traveling.

STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT
Here are some tips to help reduce the risk of a DVT:
· Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration before and during your trip.
· Try to keep your thighs clear of the edge of your seat.
· Wear loose fitting clothing.
· Keep the legs uncrossed.
· Wear graduated compression hose (www.healthylegs.com or www.supporthosiery.com)
· Get up and walk for 5 minutes every hour. If you cannot stand flex your ankles up and down and curl your toes about 20 times every hour. These exercises will help stimulate blood flow through the legs.
· Aspirin - it is suggested to take an aspirin before departing and at safe intervals during your trip - consult with your doctor.

Now, the informed traveler, get fly, go fly and be safe!

Further information
www.dvt.net, www.economyclasssyndrome.net.

Cathy Gatson is a freelance writer and owner/operator of Yada Beauty Lounge, a hair and body salon in Northern California.

The Secrets of Becoming More Beautiful.

Like every organ in your body, our skin requires adequate nutrition to function properly. Nutrients that enhance overall body health will also promote healthy skin and hair. It needs pharmaceutical-grade supplements that provide advanced levels of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and cofactors in convenient morning and evening packets for a difference you will see and feel.

The skin contains natural enzymes that break down the extracellular matrix--proteins that keep skin looking youthful--leading to lines and wrinkles. And, these enzymes, or MMPs, become more active as skin ages. MMP inhibitors that reduce the activity of these enzymes help slow the signs of aging. A new scientific breakthrough increases cell turnover rate and maintains a firm and elastic intercellular matrix for visible results you will see right away.

The skin reflects the state of the body's health and looks its best when all cells in the skin's layers are properly nourished and hydrated. The skin is the last organ to receive nutrients from the body, and the first to show signs of nutritional deficiency, imbalance, or illness. While some nutrients can be applied topically, others can only be produced from within the body. Therefore, the secrets to becoming more beautiful comes from a synergy of internal and external nutrition, as well as protection from environmental toxins and oxidation damage, which can accelerate sagging and wrinkling.

To achieve this synergy of internal and external nutrition and a protection from environmental toxins and oxidation damage, you need to develop a beauty regimen that is designed to be a comprehensive approach to skin and hair care that takes into account the nutritional needs of both the skin and body. You would need to use outer nutrients that hydrate and reduce the signs of aging. This regimen is most effective when used in conjunction with pharmaceutical-grade supplements that help to replenish and nourish the skin cells from the inside out.

To achieve a results-oriented, morning and evening regimen designed to leave skin clean, hydrated, and healthy, begin with a deep cleanse followed by a soothing toning treatment that will leave your skin refreshed. Follow with an application of one of our powerful refining treatments to help diminish the appearance of uneven skin tone, imperfections, and signs of aging. Finish with a deeply hydrating moisturizer for your face and eye area to achieve a soft, smooth appearance.

Two to three times a week, enhance the benefits of this simple skin-care regimen by exfoliating your skin with a gentle polishing scrub, followed by a luxurious, pampering masque that will leave your skin incredibly hydrated and radiant.

When used together as a system, products are clinically proven to increase elasticity, decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve texture, and boost skin's moisture levels. In just a few short weeks you could experience dramatically visible results.

Because of the close link between nutrition and the appearance of the skin, dietary supplements are also an important step in your daily inner and outer beauty regimen. Skin is the body's largest organ and it can absorb healthy and unhealthy substances that are applied to it. Pharmaceutical-grade products focus primarily on the cellular health of the skin and use the newest technologies available to create products that are both effective and safe. Pharmaceutical-grade complexes should be thoroughly tested by dermatologists, allergists, and ophthalmologists to ensure quality and safety. To ensure safety and quality, an independent, third-party laboratory should test them again to demonstrate effectiveness. Along with added trace minerals that encourage healthy cells, pharmaceutical-grade products should contain powerful ingredients that are clinically proven to nourish, revive, and refine the skin as they help defend against free radicals and oxidative stress.

Now the science of skin care has been revolutionized with groundbreaking, self-preserving technology. For years, scientists have worked to find an alternative to parabens, the traditional preservative used in beauty and skin-care products. After nearly ten years of research, the answer has been found in a unique, patent-pending blend of botanicals, antioxidants, and active ingredients that keep every product fresh without the need for parabens. It truly is the next generation of skin and body care.

--

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts seminars, lectures, and writes articles on his theme: "... helping you maximize your potential." He offers a free health survey at http://eagibbs.usana.com; free state tourism guides at http://www.ExecutiveAndGroupTravel.com; and travel updates at http://www.executiveandgrouptravel.blogspot.com. Reach him at eagibbs@ureach.com or at 502-386-1175.

Advantages of an Indoor Tanning Bed.

Think tanning and you will find a tanning salon just a few blocks away. With each passing day, tanning is gaining more and more popularity and is increasingly enmeshed in our society.. And this doesn't come as a surprise considering the fact that a healthy bronze tan will only add to your glamour and appeal!!

But, not all of us have the leisure or the time to while away hours at the beach with a tanning lotion all over or for that matter make regular visits to the local tanning salon. And there, you have a hit a brick wall. So you think, Man, there are only problems on the road to beautiful tanned skin.

Naah, not at all!

Your answer is simple - Indoor tanning beds!!

Indoor Tanning beds or residential tanning beds provide a wonderful alternative for those who have a busy schedule or don't have a beach nearby to flaunt their figure. It's a thriving industry out there with new age tanning beds, advanced tanning bed lotions, sophisticated tanning bed goggles and even more tanning bed supplies - all made for the sole purpose of making you even more beautiful and sexy than you already are. Here we try to focus on some of the advantages of a tanning bed.

Tanning beds make for a great option for you if you are looking to maintain your tan all year long. Home tanning beds can save you a lot of time and money in the long run and also provide maximum tanning convenience.

The greatest benefit of a home tanning bed is that it allows you to choose when and how often you want to tan. If you are in a job that makes you work long hours or even odd hours for that matter, you really need to give home tanning beds a serious thought.

Furthermore, you will also save money since most tanning booths charge by the minute, or have a set fee per session. Because it takes a few sessions to establish your base tan, and then many more sessions to maintain it, you could easily find yourself spending more than $100 a month just on your tan. And at this level, it become a no-brainer - 1200$ for a year long tanning stint at a salon on one hand, on the other your very own home tanning bed for the same price. Do you really need to think more?

If you are still thinking, here is yet another reason why home tanning beds make sense. Most people worry about the cleanliness of tanning salons. But you don't have to!! Not when you have a home tanning bed, where you know who uses it and how, and you can maintain the tanning bed to the highest hygiene standards you could possibly want.

All these reasons makes the home tanning bed a must-have. So just go out, get yourself that home tanning bed you always wanted and find yourself with a gorgeous tan in just a short while!!!

Visit our articles section at Tanning Articles and Resources for more such practical tanning advice and tips.

© 2005,Yaksha Patel. This article is courtesy of Tanning Wonders - Making Tanning work for you!

Unpowered Color Contacts - An Optical Illusion.

Gone are the days when contact lenses were the domain of the visually impaired. Unpowered color contacts mean that everyone can participate in the grand optical illusion - special effects contact lenses.

Unpowered color contacts mean that no correction is made to the sight of the eye. This means of course that they will not help you see better if you are expecting an improvement in your vision, but it does mean that, with the right lenses, other people will see YOU better, and how.

Imagine wearing some stunning royal blue lenses to a dinner party. Who could resist them? Or maybe a deep green would suit you better?

Or, if you are really up for the optical challenge, you could go for some stunning special effects. Cats eye lenses are very popular, as are zebra (black and white striped). Or, if you want to make people a bit nervous, how about red eye lenses or perhaps zombie or vampire lenses for a scary effect.

The choice made available courtesy of the Internet now is huge! You can get all manner of special effects, to go with your wardrobe or just to scare people ..... Some manufacturers will even custom paint lenses for you so you can decide exactly how you would like to look.

Which ever way you look at it, color contacts can bring about a grand optical illusion, one where you disappear, and whoever you want pops up in your place!

Charlie Cory is the owner of a special effects contact lenses web site.

http://www.fx-eyes.com/unpowered_color_contacts.html

A Crazy Life and Pimples.

The factors contributing to acne breakouts are many. Hormonal influences, environmental conditions, and stress can lead to the noticeable red inflammation that occupies our face, chest, and backs to various degrees.

It is estimated that 85% of the population in the United States will experience some form of acne at some point in their lives. Most commonly associated with teenagers who are undergoing severe hormonal changes, adults also suffer from acne flare-ups. For both groups, scientists are demonstrating a direct link between stress and acne.

While reported cases show that 80% of acne sufferers are teenagers, it is also documented that the remaining 20% of acne sufferers are adults. Adults are more likely to suffer from stress related acne than from environmental or hormonal causes, but teenagers dealing with academic demands, athletic rigors, and relationship issues are also susceptible to stress related acne.

It has been understood for some time now that acne is caused when oils secreted by the sebaceous gland beneath the skin combine with dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria to clog skin pores and cause an infection to develop, providing evidence that environmental factors can contribute to acne. This, though, offers no explanation for stress acne.

It has also been understood that hormonal changes such as those experience by teens or women during their menstrual cycle contributed to acne, but again this offers no explanation for stress acne.

While there has clearly been a correlation between stress and acne breakouts, until recently scientist have had a difficult time supporting the claim with scientific findings.

Our bodies react to stressful situations by triggering the central nervous system, which in turn sends signals to the rest of the body to ready the body to take action. A significant part of this preparedness is the release of hormones from our adrenal glands, such as cortisol and androgen. These hormones help to prepare us for our instinctive fight or flight response.

Additionally, it is now understood that as our body reacts to stress, fatty secretions in the sebaceous glands are released. This combination of hormonal influences and fatty secretions-known contributors to acne outbreaks-is sent into action by our own central nervous system, creating stress acne.

It is also known that during stressful periods, our bodies immune system is significantly weakened, resulting in slower healing of acne breakouts. The prolonged visible signs of acne can lead to more acne. Called an acne cycle, the anxiety produced by being self conscious about an acne breakout can create more stress and more acne.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and currently provides information on treating acne, pimples, and zits, via an objective informational skincare website, http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

Non Prescription Cats Eye Contact Lenses - Animal Attraction!

Long gone are the days when a set of contact lenses were the domain of the visually impaired. These days, non prescription lenses are available to all, even if you are blessed with 20:20 vision. In fact, most of the special effects lenses available on the internet have 0.00 power, which means that they do no alter your vision at all. These types of lenses in particular, like cats eyes for example, are ideally suited for those just wanting a set of lenses to wear to the party, parade on the dance floor or just to frighten your unruly neighbours!

A cat's eye contact lens can be quite striking, especially if the color resembles your natural eye color. Your friends will notice the change, but the effect will be very subtle. Many movie or rock stars now use special fx lenses away from their place of work, purely for the cosmetic effect. And a very powerful effect it is too!

Imagine the scene at a night club, as you casually walk towards someone you would like to impress, with your eyelids down and head bowed, then raise your head, smile, and open your eyes wide right in front of them. Wow! Wouldn't that be a spectacular introduction?

Just make sure you don't ask for your drinks in a saucer ....

Taking Care of Your Eyes

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Despite the fact that lenses like the cat's eye effect are particularly suitable for non prescription cases, you should still take great care with them, and seek professional advice to ensure that your eyes do not suffer from improper use. If you have poor eyesight already, you may be familiar with contact lenses and be able to fit them with confidence. If however, your vision is good, how will you know how to:-

* Insert your lenses into your eyes, and later how to remove them.

* Clean your lenses properly

* Store your lenses correctly

Each of these points is critical to the long life of your lenses, but more importantly, to the continued good health of your eyes. The correct fitting of your lens is important for your own comfort, because a loose fitting lens will float away from the eye. A good fitting lens will also help avoid scratching of the cornea when you try and remove them.

And don't share your lenses with your friends. A guaranteed way to pass eye infections such as conjunctivitis and worse between you.

Charlie Cory is an internet entrepeneur. FX Eyes is his latest enterprise, specialising in special effects contact lenses. http://www.fx-eyes.com

Home Spas: Theyre Not Just For The Rich & Famous Anymore!

Aaah, a spa. It used to be that you needed a Hollywood mansion to even entertain the thought; but now, home spas are popping up everywhere you look and with good reason.

The basis for all the "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing" when people settle down to soak in their home spas is "hydrotherapy" or "water healing" which was first made famous by the Greek Hippocrates, the "father" of medicine, in the 4th century BC. He used to prescribed bathing and drinking spring water for its medicinal benefits. Soaking in hot springs was another Greek favorite which was quickly picked up by the Romans who built thousands of communal baths which were the forerunner of modern home spas!

Although the number one "official" reason for the remarkable increase in the installations of home spas is to sooth overworked muscles and soak away the effects of stress caused by our hectic lifestyles, home spas are also a wonderful socializing tool as many people have found out over the years.

Having access to home spas means that although parties may start out in the living rooms, they often end up in the "spa room" accompanied by soft music, low lights, a little wine or spirits and a whole lot of relaxing. Bathing suits are, of course, optional depending upon the "house" rules!

Today, home spas come in shapes, colors and sizes to match any taste, budget and available space. From built-in to portable, if you want one, there is sure to be one that wants you in return! There are "family size" home spas with lots of seating room all the way down to cozy ones that just fit two.

The latest models of home spas include a wide variety of lighting, music, water jet and seating options. Seating options should not be overlooked. You might want lounge-style which allows you to soak while fully reclined, or you could opt for the bench or chair-type seating which accommodate more people.

You can even get a floating remote control to set your music and lighting levels along with jet pressure and temperature. Home spas can be located almost anywhere that you have the space plus access to water and electricity. Portable home spas can be setup and moved relatively easily. Some people opt to have them installed into an existing bathroom or bedroom, while others will convert a porch or sun room into a spa room. Indoors or out, cold weather or warm, home spas are relaxing and enjoyable way to soak away what ails you or to get to know that certain someone a little bit better.

Although home spas are low maintenance, they aren't "no maintenance". You can usually find out all you need to know about keeping your spa clean and sanitary by reading the manual that came with it or by checking with your local pool and spa supply store.

Here are some important safety tips for users of home spas:

Read and follow all maintenance and usage instructions fully. Chemical poisoning or electrical shock, while unlikely, could result if you fail to follow instructions.

Never allow the water temperature to exceed 104F (40C)

Never enjoy your spa alone. You could fall asleep and drown.

Never use the spa if you are pregnant.

Never use the spa if you are intoxicated.

Check with your doctor if you are taking medications before using the spa.

Always lock down the spa cover when not in use. Children and pets could fall in and drown.

Forget expensive memberships to health resorts. You don't need them. Not when home spas start as low as $600 and can be installed in one day or less!

Credit: Mike Jones of BodyFAQ.com, the health, body & beauty information site. Click here for information on whether Botox is for you: http://www.bodyfaq.com/botox.html