Sleeping Guide

When you look in the mirror and you think you might need an “eye job”, maybe all you need is more sleep. Sleep is a necessary component of your body’s rejuvenation and its healing. Don’t skimp. Think of sleep as the period when your mind is on its own, poking into thoughts you weren’t ready to think when you were awake. Dreams are how your mind tells you what you’ve learned that day. Use those 8 hours a night to expand your self-awareness.

And sleep on your back. Your mind will expand regardless of how you’re positioned;
when you’re on your back, you’re showing the universe that you’re facing her head-on.
And the universe rewards you by keeping you neck as smooth as a Trumpet swan’s.

If you have problems relaxing so you can sleep and dream, try this:
Use lavender oil in your bath water, or drizzle lavender oil on a hanky and place it inside your pillow. Lavender promotes sleep-inducing alpha waves.

If you have sleep apnea, see your doctor. Apnea is when you periodically wake up, throughout the night to gasp and catch your breath. This is a serious condition and you should see your doctor. If, however, your sleep is interrupted because of congestion from a cold or allergies, try this:
Drizzle a few drops of eucalyptus to a hanky and place it inside your pillow. Eucalyptus is a natural way to clear nasal passages.

Diabetes Health Tips

Blood Glucose Testing
Most insurances now pay for diabetics to have blood glucose monitoring equipment in the home. Keeping the machines clean and in good working order are vital for accurate results. Follow the manufacturers' instructions for proper cleaning and maintenance

Be sure hands are clean before performing the test, but don't use alcohol to cleanse your fingertip. It's drying and may cause fingertips to crack. Wash hands with a mild antibacterial soap like Dial.

Diabetes Test After Heart Attack Shows Future Risk
Testing patients who have had heart attacks for signs of diabetes before they leave the hospital may identify those with the highest risk of future heart attacks. Many people hospitalized for a heart attack have undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes, a term coined to describe the millions of overweight and obese people who have blood sugar levels suggesting an elevated risk of full-blown diabetes. Medications, exercise and diet changes, all of which can restore normal glucose levels, may reduce the risk of heart attacks in patients who have already had a heart attack.

Diabetic Dental Care
Immaculate mouth care is a must. Diabetics are much more prone to gum disease. More frequent dental visits may be needed and careful brushing and flossing are a necessity. Avoid ill-fitting dentures that may cause mouth sores

Diabetic Eye Care
If you're a diabetic, regular visits to your eye care professional are a must to prevent problems that could lead to blindness.

Diabetic Foot Care Tips
* Take the pressure off your feet by losing weight if you are obese.
* Inspect your feet at least once per day. If you can't see well, ask someone to do it for you.
* Wash feet with mild soap and lukewarm water daily.
* Wear white cotton socks rather than synthetic ones with dyes.
* Don't go barefoot or wear ill-fitting shoes.
* See a podiatrist regularly for toenail trims and other routine maintenance

Diabetics Are Prone to Foot Problems
Diabetics have decreased sensation and circulation in their feet making them prone to foot infections/wounds that could eventually lead to amputation.

Drug Could Delay Diabetes
Acarbose, a drug that blocks the digestion of starch, could prevent or delay the development of the most common form of diabetes in those with slightly high blood sugar.

Exercises to Avoid
Diabetics should avoid exercises that involve pushing or pulling heavy objects and lifting weights. Blood sugar levels and blood pressure are raised during this kind of exercise.

FDA Approves New Sweetener Neotame
A non-nutritive sweetener said to be 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be marketed as an additive in candies, soft drinks and various other products.
Like other familiar sweeteners, Neotame is a white crystalline powder that dissolves in water. It is made by Monsanto, which also makes NutraSweet's sweetener Equal. Neotame is approved for use in baked goods, nonalcoholic beverages, chewing gum, confections, frozen desserts, gelatins and puddings, jams, jellies, fruit, juices, toppings and syrups.
The FDA declared the product to be safe for consumption after reviewing more than 113 animal and human studies, some of which looked at any possible links with cancer-causing or neurological side effects.

Inhaled Insulin
Inhaled insulin may soon offer an alternative to needles for people with diabetes.
Novo Nordisk, a Denmark-based company, has ongoing clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of an electronic pulmonary insulin system. They say it may be available in the United States and Europe within a few years.
This is the first electronic pulmonary insulin system currently being tested in clinical trials. It works by converting a special liquid insulin into aerosol particles, which are inhaled into the lungs

Regular Exercise Is a Must
Exercise is extremely important for diabetics as it strengthens the cardiovascular system, increases circulation to the arms and legs and helps control blood sugar levels. Walking, jogging, rowing and swimming are best

* Shoes for Diabetics

Avoid plastic shoes and waterproof shoes. They encourage perspiration and fungal growth.
* Avoid tight or unventilated footwear.
* Don't wear boots all day.
* Choose cotton or leather shoes.
* Wear sandals as much as possible in the summer.
* Don't wear the same shoes two days in a row.
* Air shoes in the sun to inhibit fungal growth

Small, Frequent Meals
Diabetics should follow their American Diabetic Association diet and eat small meals more frequently such as three small meals with one or two healthful snacks between meals. This helps maintain a more stable blood sugar level

Treatment of Hyperglycemia
Some symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) are: excessive urination, weight loss, excessive hunger and thirst. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor.

Treatment of Hypoglycemia
Some symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) are: cool, clammy skin, numbness of the mouth, a fluttering in your chest, hunger and feeling faint. Emergency treatment includes ingesting something containing sugar like orange juice, a candy bar, or sugared soda pop. Follow that with some cheese or peanut butter crackers to sustain your blood sugar level

What's an Exchange?
In an exchange diet, foods that are similar are grouped together. Serving sizes are well defined so that each will have the same amount of carbohydrate, fat, and protein as any other. Foods can be "exchanged" or traded with others in a category while still meeting the desired overall goals. Exchanges can be applied to most any eating situation and may make it easier to follow a prescribed diet. For example, if a nutrition plan calls for one starch exchange a person could choose 1/2 cup of cooked pasta, OR one slice of bread, OR a small (3 oz.) baked potato.

How to Control Blood Sugar Levels Without Medicine

People may tell that it is very difficult to control the Glucose levels without medication. But it is possible with dietary restrictions and lifestyle changes.

The following are the some of the important tips to control the blood sugar levels.

Diet

Diet is the first thing comes to mind when we talking about reduce the blood sugar levels. Take less carbohydrate and foods must have low glycemic index with moderate levels of protein and fiber. And take very a small amount of food, avoid bulky eating of meals.

Drinking Water

Drinking water can also helps in reducing the diabetes sugar levels. Diabetics are advised to drink plenty of water daily. And it doesn't mean drinking any other fluids like soft drinks, coffee, and tea. Just take plenty of water everyday.

Eating fruits

Eating fruits should be preferred rather taking other bulky meals, taking fruits which has citric acids helps to reduce the weight so that the blood glucose levels are in control. Rose apple, Apple, Grapefruit, Orange and all citrus fruits are really helpful to reduce the blood sugar levels.

Exercises

Exercises are really important in order to control the diabetes glucose levels. Playing games like badminton can do the magic of reducing the blood sugar in quite a small period of time. Asanas also helps to reduce the blood sugar, walking and light jogging helps a lot for circulation, this controls the blood sugar and maintain in a steady state.

Herbal tea

Instead of taking ordinary tea or coffee herbal tea helps the diabetics to lower blood sugar levels. A natural herbal tea acts like a blood sugar blocker, it usually known as Green tea. It will manage and keeps the blood sugar and control them in consistent levels when we take food are snacks which has the lot of Glucose in it. Don't take this as advantage and take too much of Glucose contained food. This green tea should be taken many times a day, and 3-4 times are advisable.

Avoid processed foods

Avoiding all kind of processed and tinned foods helps control the blood sugar levels. And avoiding foods which gives lot of weight also helps to control blood sugar levels. And artificial sweeteners which usually used in fruit juices must be avoided. Always take fresh and cooked foods that also with lower glycemic index.

These are all the tips that help to control the blood sugar levels in a normal amount without any medicines.

A double border in misty colours

This informal scheme mixes plants of different heights for a more naturalistic take on the traditional double herbaceous border. With the exception of the single atriplexes, all the plants are grown in groups of three, four or five, mingling soft mauves and blues with plums and dusky purples. Given fair weather, the borders could look good into November and beyond, when frost highlights the stems and seed heads.

1. Any fairly neutral soil is suitable for this plan. Mark out borders at least 2 m deep and 6 m long. Remove any turf.
2. Dig the borders deeply (or clear existing ones of plants), taking care to remove any perennial weeds. Fork in plenty of compost or manure.
3. Ideally, plant the borders in autumn or spring. If you choose spring, be prepared to water as necessary.
4. Stand the plants in their pots on the soil and arrange them according to the plan. Plant the cotinus and the hydrangeas first, then work from the back to the front of the borders, watering each plant as you go.
5. The atriplex is an annual which can be planted out in late spring and in subsequent years allowed to seed throughout the border.

1. Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'
2. Hydrangea villosa
3. Molinia caerulea
var. arundinacea 'Transparent'
4. Aster 'Oktoberlicht' (light blue)
5. Salvia farinacea
6. Perovskia 'Blue Spire'
7. Aster ericoides 'Blue Star'
8. Aster novae-angliae 'Violetta'
9. Aster laevis (violet blue)
10. Atriplex hortensis

20 Surprising Uses for Salt

Mankind has been using salt for many centuries, in the course of which we've amassed many uses (some speculate thousands) for this amazing substance—uses that go far beyond mere seasoning. Here are a few of the more practical ones:

• Pick up a dropped egg. If an egg breaks on the kitchen floor, sprinkle salt on the mess and leave it there for 20 minutes. You'll be able to wipe it right up.

• Soothe a bee sting. Wet the sting right away, then cover it with salt.

• Eliminate a grease fire. Pour salt on top to smother it. (Never use water on a grease fire.)
  
  
  
  • Kill grass growing in cracks in the cement or between patio stones. Sprinkle salt on the grass and pour very hot water over it. Or sprinkle coarse salt on the grass, let stand all day or overnight, then pour hot tap water over it.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean a glass coffee pot. Fill it with 1/4 cup of table salt and a dozen ice cubes. Swish the mixture around, let it sit for half an hour, fill it with cold water and rinse.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Halt the mountain of suds from an overflowing washing machine. Sprinkle salt on the top.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean artificial flowers. Put them in a bag of salt and shake the bag. Take a look at the color of the salt and you'll see what you've accomplished.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Keep windows frost-free. Dip a sponge into salt water and rub it on windows, and they won't frost up even when the mercury dips below 32 degrees; for the same effect on your car's windshield, put salt in a little bag made of cheesecloth, moisten it slightly and rub it on.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean tarnished copper. Fill a 16-ounce spray bottle with hot white vinegar and three tablespoons of salt. Spray it onto the copper, let it sit briefly, then rub clean. (Don't do this to lacquered copper.)
  
  
  
  
  
  • Keep radishes safe in the garden. Salt worms (cutworms) will be repelled if you sprinkle seeds with table salt, then cover with dirt.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean coffee and tea stains from china cups. Rub them with salt.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Keep potatoes and apples from turning brown once they're sliced. Put them in salted cold water.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Clean a cutting board. Cover it with bleach and salt, scrub it with a stiff brush, then rinse with very hot water and wipe with a clean cloth. Repeat with each use.

• Clean up oven spills. If food boils over onto the oven floor, sprinkle salt on top to stop smoke and odor from forming. When the oven is cool, it'll be easy to brush away the spot.

• Set color. If a dye may run, soak the garment for an hour in 1/2 gallon of water to which you've added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt. If rinse water shows color, repeat. This is good for a single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it. (American-made fabrics are unlikely to run, but fabrics from abroad are sometimes risky.)

• Kill poison ivy. Add three pounds of salt to a gallon of soapy water. Spray it onto leaves and stems.

• Make cream whip more easily and egg whites whip faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt.

• Test for rotten eggs. Put an egg in a cup of water to which you've added two teaspoons of salt. A fresh egg will sink, but one that's iffy will float.

• Clean the brown spots (from starch) off a nonstick soleplate (the bottom of your iron). Sprinkle salt on a sheet of waxed paper, slide the iron across it, then rub lightly with silver polish.

• Repel fleas. Wash the doghouse with it.