Self-Checks To Do Before Breakfast

Got this from msn..You know i like to collect articles that is educational for your health.
Learn what self examinations you should be doing on your body each morning..

Your Tongue:
If you see a white, yellow, or orange coating
If your licker looks as if someone painted it with bright-colored gunk, you could be spilling your gut in your sleep, Fryhofer says. Normally, a one-way valve at the bottom of the esophagus makes sure that whatever goes down doesn't come back up. Acid reflux occurs when this valve opens spontaneously and the contents of your stomach make a break for your throat, leaving your tongue coated in digestive acids and you with a serious case of Godzilla breath. Most reflux can be treated with OTC antacids or simply by avoiding acidic and spicy foods; if those measures don't work, see your doctor. You may need prescription meds to reduce your body's production of stomach acid.

Your Nails:
If you see dark lines on the nail beds
Texas-sized moles aren't the only red flags for skin cancer—the disease can also develop under your nails. Yellowish, brown, or black stripes are a sign of cell damage, possibly from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, says Ariel Ostad, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. With early detection and treatment, though, about 95 percent of cases are curable, so have your dermatologist take a second look.

If you see bright white stripes
Everyone gets white spots on their nails from time to time (usually it's a sign that you banged your finger in a drawer), but if you see long horizontal bands of discoloration on the nail's surface and you've been feeling fatigued lately, it could be bad news for your kidneys. "These bands can be a signal that the kidneys aren't able to filter out protein from your urine," Ostad says. That means your body is losing protein faster than you can shovel in filet mignon—and that can lead to kidney failure. Visit your doctor ASAP for a urine test.

Your Armpits:
If you see a patch of rough, dark skin
Unless you've been going overboard with the self-tanner, you could have diabetes, says Michael Smith, M.D., WebMD's chief medical editor. Excess insulin in your bloodstream can cause skin cells to multiply abnormally fast, leading to a buildup of tissue and melanin. This makes the skin look darker and feel thicker. "It most commonly occurs in the armpits, neck, or groin," Smith says. A simple blood test can determine whether you have the disease, which affects about 24 million Americans—nearly a quarter of whom are undiagnosed.

Your Eyelids, Knees, And Elbows:
If you see small, soft lumps that look white or waxy
The good news: It's not a zit. The bad news: These are small deposits of cholesterol, Smith says. Unfortunately, "by the time they appear, your cholesterol levels are probably sky high; this is a serious risk factor for heart disease." Yet reducing your numbers by just 10 percent slashes that risk by as much as a third. See your doctor for a cholesterol check, and ask her about lifestyle changes or prescription drugs that can get your levels down.

Your Scalp:
If you see thinning hair
Could you fashion one of Britney's weaves out of the hair clogging your drain? Excessive hair loss is a common indicator of a thyroid disorder, which affects about 10 percent of American women. When your thyroid (a gland in the middle of your neck) is out of whack, it can disrupt the balance of male and female sex hormones. The result: More strands in your brush and hair that feels coarse and brittle, says Sandra Fryhofer, M.D., a physician in private practice in Atlanta. Your doc can measure the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone in your blood—if you have too much or too little, you'll need medication to regulate it.

If you see your scalp shedding like a snake
If skin flakes have suddenly made your shoulders look like the Alps in February, it could be due to your to-do list. "An intense load of stress causes your body to produce excess amounts of the hormone cortisol," Ostad says. "In addition to wreaking havoc on your immune system (making you more vulnerable to colds) and your metabolism (making you pack on pounds), cortisol can also dry out your scalp." A drugstore dandruff shampoo will deflake your locks, but unless you want a permanent case of shoulder snow, try to get more sleep, breathe more deeply, and loosen up your overpacked schedule.

Your Belly:
If you see thick, dark hair (or stubble) in a diamond shape
Is that forest sprouting on your abs thick enough to hide a family of hobbits? Dense, coarse hair that extends up toward your belly button (rather than growing downward from the top of the pubic bone) could be a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), says Pamela Berens, M.D., an ob-gyn at the University of Texas Medical School. Caused by overproduction of androgens, the condition can lead to irregular or heavy periods, weight gain, acne, and thick, dark hair on the belly, face, chest, and back. As many as one in 10 women have PCOS, which can be a risk factor for serious problems like infertility and heart disease. If you have symptoms, see your ob-gyn; she might prescribe birth control pills to get your hormones back in check.

Your Eyes:
If you see undereye circles that won't go away
Unless you've taken a second job at the midnight trucking radio network, a sudden onset of dark rings could be chalked up to allergies. The chain reaction, according to Ostad, goes like this: An allergen hits your body, which in response releases histamine; this chemical makes blood vessels swell with blood and other fluids, and voila: Dark patches show up where the skin is thinnest. A skin test can determine which allergen is causing your symptoms.

If you see a yellowish bump on your eyeball
No, you haven't developed a rare case of optic acne. Instead, a slightly raised nodule on the white of your eye is a symptom of a harmless condition called pinguecula. "It's nothing more than an overgrowth of collagen triggered by damage from sun, wind, or dust," says Traci Goldstein, an optometrist at Metropolitan Vision Correction Associates in New York City. Keep your eyes moist with lubricating drops and don shades anytime you're outdoors (make sure your specs offer 100 percent protection against UVA and UVB rays) to prevent the bump from growing larger.

6 Best Foods for Healthy Skin

. SALMON
Salmon is an ideal food for many reasons, but as far as your skin’s concerned, there’s only one that matters: It’s among the world’s greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture. Plus, in one study, researchers supplemented two groups of mice with either omega-3 or omega-6 fats. After two weeks, the skin of the omega-3-fed group exhibited a 20 percent faster recovery rate from exposure to ultraviolet light. That gives salmon two crucial skin boons: keeping your skin from looking dry and helping it battle the dangers of excessive sunlight.

Other omega-3 foods: sardines, walnuts, flaxseed

2. CARROTS
Carrots are teeming with tiny orange pigments called beta-carotene, and when you ingest those pigments, you’re inviting them to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow. And what’s more, research shows that this can actually help prevent premature aging from sun damage. But is the accumulation of orange in your skin going to make you look like an extra from Jersey Shore? Well, hopefully not. But eating excessive loads of carotene-rich foods can lead to a condition called carotenosis, wherein your skin stops looking healthy and starts looking, well, orange. But the conditions is rare, so unless you notice yourself turning into a prison jumpsuit, feel free to chow down.

Other beta-carotene foods: sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, red grapefruit


3. AVOCADO
One study published by The Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that people with higher intakes of olive oil had fewer wrinkles than people with higher intakes of butter. The reason: Butter is loaded with saturated fat, while olive oil is rich in monounsaturates, the same essential fats that make up more than 50% of the calories in an avocado. So why eat avocado over olive oil? Both are good, but avocados have the added bonus of B vitamins, which also help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth.

Other monounsaturated-fat foods: olive oil, almonds, peanut butter


4. BEANS
Legumes, to be more precise. This is the class of plants that includes black beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts. And how do these puny pods protect your face? By smoothing out wrinkles. Australian researchers analyzed the diets of more than 400 elderly men and women and found that high intakes of legumes—alongside vegetables and healthy fats—resulted in 20% fewer wrinkles over time. The effect is likely a result of isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans.

Other isoflavone-rich foods: alfalfa, tempeh, tofu



5. GRAPES
Besides providing protection from heart attack and stroke, antioxidants called polyphenols found in grapes can also help keep middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer.

Other polyphenol-rich foods: grape juice, blueberries


6. WATER
Okay, it’s not as fun to drink as wine, but water is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin. That’s why they call it “moisturizing”—because you’re trying to lock moisture, aka water, into your skin. To put it broadly, all the body’s processes rely on hydration, so if you’re not sipping throughout the day, you’re likely to have a slower metabolism, groggier head, and, yes, drier skin. One study suggested that it takes a mere half-liter of water to create a measurable increase in the capillary blood flow to your body’s outer layer. That’s just over 16 ounces. Try doing that a few times a day and you’ll have a face like a baby’s bottom in no time.

Other water-rich foods: watermelon, peaches, celery

Favorite Quotes Part II

Watch your thoughts, they become your words Watch your words, they become your actions Watch your actions, they become your habits Watch your habits, they become your character Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Anonymous


Yesterday is history. Tommorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift that's why they call it the present.
Unknown

If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.
Nora Roberts

The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.
Unknown


You can’t do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.
Evan Esar

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
Joshua Marine

Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.
Richard Evans

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.
Maya Angelou

Men of genius are admired, men of wealth are envied, men of power are feared; but only men of character are trusted.
Alfred Adler

You can turn off the sun, but I’m still gonna shine.
Jason Mraz

All life is beautiful. All humans are beautiful. Only behavior makes one ugly.
Jeffrey C. Keene II

I don’t know if the optimists or the pessimists are right. But the optimists are going to get something done.
Craig Venter

Richelle Turns 4

Richelle turns 4 last Wednesday, March 3,2010. We don't really have plans for her birthday so we consulted it to the celebrant on what she wants. And what she said is she wants to go to the mountain and to play on the snow. My husbands Aunt's and Uncle were here at the time so at least we have company not just us. We had so much fun and for a change and i could say it is a great idea. We just bought cake for her and some foods, i didn't prepare anything which is great :). Well one thing is my visitor watched what they were eating and they don't eat much and my husband and i don't want to end up eating what is left. Well we had so much fun sledding and having a party picnic at Prescott for a whole day and have a nice outdoor visit cause we stopped at Yarnell on the way home, there is a nice park that we liked over there. The next day the celebration is not over yet, we went to the Red Lobster for Richelle's birthday dinner. She is very friendly to the waitress, i think they get along pretty good. I a m so proud of her.. Her Aunt bought her a 2 brain quest booklet and she is doing great on it. Her Aunt says that she passed with flaying colors and that is for 4-5 toddlers.She said that Richelle is ready for 1st grade(her Aunt is a retired Elementary Teacher). I know i didn't teach her some of it. She learned it from the PBS kids on her computer and on TV.I could say that i recommend it to all the kids and it's a pretty good baby sitter hehe. She's gonna start pre-school next year well see, i know she's going to love it.

Mark Your Calendars: What's on Sale When

This is for all the shopaholic out there including me. For us to get a better price and discount this is helpful on when to buy a certain item in a lesser price. Have you notice whenever there is a season coming most stores packed with items fit for that season and when it is over their almost giving away on what is left for a cheaper price? And have you notice a lot of people are waiting for that time to buy for it even the season is already over? They'll buy it for the next year. So check this out and be sure to take a note ;). Shopaholic rules!!!

January
Bedding, CDs and DVDs, computers, cookware, houses and condos, linens, swimwear, toys, treadmills and ellipticals, TVs, winter clothing.

February
Humidifiers, indoor furniture, treadmills and ellipticals, houses and condos.

March
Digital cameras, humidifiers, small consumer electronics (MP3 players, DVD and Blu-ray players, etc.), TVs, winter coats, winter sports gear.

April
Computers, digital cameras, lawn mowers, spring clothing

May
Athletic apparel and shoes, camping and outdoor gear, cordless phones, lawn mowers, small consumer electronics.

June
Camcorders, computers, indoor furniture, small consumer electronics, summer sports gear, swimwear.

July
Camcorders, indoor furniture, outdoor furniture, swimwear.

August
Air conditioners, backpacks, dehumidifiers, lawn mowers, outdoor furniture, snow throwers.

September
Bikes, digital cameras, gas grills, lawn mowers, shrubs, trees and perennials, small consumer electronics, snow throwers.

October
Bikes, computers, digital cameras, gas grills, lawn mowers, winter coats

November
Baby products, bikes, camcorders, gas grills, GPS navigators, toys, TVs.

December
Bikes, gas grills, GPS navigators, home appliances (large and small), small consumer electronics, toys, TVs.


Some other tips that don't fit neatly into the calendar:

Airline tickets tend to be least expensive to buy on Tuesday afternoon through Thursday. Worst days to fare shop are Saturday and Sunday.
CDs and DVDs generally come out on Tuesdays and might be on sale for the first one to three weeks.
Jewelry sales are common, except around Valentine's Day and the December holidays. So plan to buy early or hope that your beloved will settle for an IOU.

Few of my Favorite Qoutes

I thought growing up was something that happened automatically as you got older. But it turns out it's something you have to choose to do. ~From the television show Scrubs

Just be ordinary and nothing special. Eat your food, move your bowels, pass water, and when you're tired, go and lie down. The ignorant will laugh at me, but the wise will understand. ~Bruce Lee

Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey. ~Tad Williams

Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human. - Anthony Robbins

One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering. - Author Unknown

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”Charles R. Swindoll

“It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel.”

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”Howard Thurman

“Stand still... and refuse to retreat. Look at it as God looks at it and draw upon His power to hold up under the blast.”Charles R. Swindoll

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melody Beattie

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But, it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!""Rocky Balboa"

"What is a friend? I will tell you. It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. He does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities and, in opening them up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyalty. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best of all, you can keep still with him. It makes no matter. He likes you. He is like fire that purges to the bone. He understands. You can weep with him, sin with him, laugh with him, pray with him. Through it all - and underneath - he sees, knows and loves you.
A friend? What is a friend?
Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself."
-C. Raymond Beran


I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.
Abraham Lincoln


When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck

Don't think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you retire. I hate a fellow whom pride or cowardice or laziness drive into a corner, and who does nothing when he is there but sit and growl. Let him come out as I do, and bark. ~Samuel Johnson

Perhaps we are looking at this from a wrong perspective; this search for the truth, the meaning of life, the reason of God. We all have this mindset that the answers are so complex and so vast that it is almost impossible to comprehend. I think, on the contrary, that the answers are so simple; so simple that it is staring us straight in the face, screaming its lungs out, and yet we fail to notice it. We're looking through a telescope, searching the stars for the answer, when the answer is actually a speck of dirt on the telescope lens. ~Jason Q., from generationterrorists.com

Don’t say you love me unless you really mean it, because I might do something crazy like believe it.
~Crush

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.Booker T. Washington

Wacky Beauty Tips That Work

Check this out!!! I am more interested on the avocado as a moisturizer. I'm going to try this sometime. It is really important moisturizing the skin cause dryness can cause aging and you know how it is when you're getting old. So keep away from those stress it can cause wrinkles and not too much sunshine it can cause dryness and become wrinkles eventually.


1) Powder Your Roots
If your hairline starts to look greasy, dig up a big, fluffy makeup brush, and dip it into a pot of loose powder. Tap it once on the back of your hand to remove the excess, then dust it over your roots. It mops up oil and blends into your strands, so no one will know you didn't shower.

2) Scent Strands with Perfume
Spray a light shot of fragrance into your brush's bristles. Run it through strands from roots to ends and your hair will smell amazing throughout the day.

3) Cure Calluses with Vaseline
Slather on the petroleum jelly, and put on socks before bed to dissolve tough calluses overnight.

4) Spot-Treat Smudges
Dip a cotton swab in eye-makeup remover, and trace it along your lids to erase any slipups or goofs when there's no time to redo your whole look.

5) Fix a Flushed Face
If you turn red and stay that way after exercising (like seriously red for hours, even though you're healthy and hydrated), take an antihistamine like Benadryl when you leave the gym to reduce redness.

6) Soften Your Bod with Avocado
Take a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl. Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will be sooo soft — avocado is a natural moisturizer.

7) Super-Glue a Nail
Instead of tearing off your nail when it breaks, put a tiny dab of Super Glue over the split, and paint a generous layer of your favorite nail polish shade over it. Go for an opaque option (like red, purple, or coral) to camouflage and seal the crack.

8) Use Makeup Remover on Stubborn Lipstick
Don't try to rub off red lipstick (which makes it smear across your mouth — not so sexy). Instead, take a cotton ball or tissue, dip it in makeup remover, and just dab to erase the dark stain fast.

9) Tame Brows with Eye Cream
Pat any kind of rich eye cream over brows to help keep them hydrated and banish those icky white specks that look like dandruff.

10) Buff with Baking Soda
If you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner, put some baking soda on a loofah, and scrub away the stripes.

11) Brush on Hair Spray
For the final step of your blow-dry, spray hair spray onto your brush, and run it through strands from roots to tips. This way, your 'do isn't plastered and stiff but still holds volume and shine.

12) Boost Body Lotion with Baby Oil
If you're craving shiny legs that aren't greasy, blend a drop of baby oil into your normal body lotion for extra luster.

13) Dab Essential Oil on a Hangnail
Put on apricot oil, the kind found in health-food stores, to protect cuticles from turning rough and raggedy.

14) Quell a Cold Sore with Cream
When a cold sore is coming on, dab a bit of thick moisturizer, like Aquaphor, over it to prevent it from getting worse.

15) Freeze Your Eyeliner
If the tip of your eyeliner pencil crumbles and smears on your lids, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before use so the tip is firm and goes across your skin smoothly.

16) Use Toothpaste on a Zit
Use just a pea-size amount. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the oil so the pimple won't get more clogged, then wash off.

17) Heat Up Your Curler
If you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds to heat it up so your lashes bend more easily. And use a waterproof mascara. The formula dries faster than other mascaras, so it sets the curl more effectively.

18) Use Soap Without Water
You know those fancy bars that are actually too pretty to use? Toss them in your underwear or tee-shirt drawers to make your skin smell delicious.

19) Groom Brows with a Toothbrush
Mist an (unused!) toothbrush or eyebrow comb with hair spray to help flatten and tame unruly brows.

20) Put Diaper-Rash Cream on Dry Spots
Slather on a thick layer of diaper-rash cream to heal cracked elbows and feet.

21) Lubricate Your Lashes
An easy way to draw attention to your eyes without putting on a pile of makeup is to comb petroleum jelly lightly through the tips of eyelashes to get a sexy, subtle sparkle.

22) Steamroll Flyaways
Spray on hair spray, then roll the can over your strands. The round bottle fits the curved shape of your head, locks in the spray, and flattens out frizz.

23) Spike Lotion with Bronzer
If you don't have time to book a self-tanning session, mix a few pumps of body bronzer with regular hand lotion and pat it on your legs for a gradual dose of sexy, beachy color.

24) Air-Dry Your Curls
Let your hair dry indoors before going out in the cold. The curls will be really bouncy and piecey-perfect.

25) Press a Tea Bag on Splotches
If your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason, steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab it over your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation.

26) Shave with Conditioner
Ran out of shaving cream? Do double duty by coating your stems with a thick hair conditioner. It softens the hair so it's easier to shave off and makes legs feel amazingly silky.

27) Amp Shine with Vinegar
Mix one part vinegar with four parts carbonated water, and soak dry hair. Leave on for 15 minutes before you shampoo to lock in shine and combat dullness.

28) Exfoliate Your Pits
If your underarms start to look dry and flaky, an easy trick is to exfoliate them with a gentle face scrub to keep that skin pretty when going sleeveless.

29) Customize Your Body Lotion
Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on — the scent will last for hours.

30) "Brush" with Mouthwash
If you're too wiped out after a late night of partying to clean your teeth, rinse with water and mouthwash, then use a dry toothbrush on the area where your teeth hit your gums.

31) Make an Egg-White Mask
To revive tired, dull skin without hitting the spa table, try this: Crack open an egg in a bowl, separate the yolk, and use the egg whites to make a face mask. The proteins help to heal and restore skin's moisture. Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse off.

32) Dry Sensitive Skin with T.P.
Instead of drying your face with a scratchy towel, pat with toilet paper — it's ultrasoft on delicate skin (and bums