Funds are low; we’re in a (gulp) recession. I know the establishment is not using the ‘r’ word, but call it what you may… we’re going broke! But, you never have to sacrifice beauty no matter what’s happening – you can stay beautiful by just getting stuff from your kitchen. They’re in there anyway.

Items like cornmeal, brown sugar, olive oil, milk, oatmeal, yogurt and baking soda are usually on your shopping list. So they can be part of your beauty regimen. Remember, if you’re allergic to any of them, don’t use them.

Most people know that the kidneys are important body organs, vital to maintaining an individual’s health by removing waste products and excess fluids from the body. However, many may not understand the full importance of having functioning kidneys and the diminished quality of life those suffering from kidney disease experience.

The critical regulation of the body’s potassium, acid and salt content is performed by the kidneys and the kidneys remove waste products and excess fluid through the urine. This process involves complex steps of excretion and re-absorption to maintain a stable balance of the body’s chemicals. The kidneys also produce hormones that affect the functioning of other body organs including one that stimulates red blood cell production. Other hormones produced in the kidneys assist in the regulation of blood pressure and control calcium metabolism.

Broward County Health Department, the Broward County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. and Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church will present their annual Health Conference with a focus on issues for the entire family. The conference is scheduled for Saturday, March 29, 2008 from 8:00am to 2:00pm at the church which is located at 816 NW 1st Avenue in Hallandale.

Special guest lecturer is Anita L. Petteway-Tyler, M.D. from North Miami Beach. An Internist in private practice, Dr. Petteway-Tyler will speak on heart disease and the effect that it has on people of color. She is a graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and The University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The conference will be presented in an entertaining and informative atmosphere and will feature presentations on women's and men's health, teen health, nutrition updates and breakout sessions on family matters. Free breakfast and lunch, giveaways and health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar (diabetes) will also be available.

Aging is one of those things that strikes fear into the hearts of women of all ethnicities. The prevalence and availability of botox and restylane injections for women concerned with fine lines and wrinkles they fear age them reflects many women’s growing worries. Even women in their early twenties worry about prolonging a youthful appearance nowadays!

There are many contributing factors to the aging process including diet, exercise, lifestyle, sun-exposure and genetics. Two of the worst contributing factors to skin damage are the sun and smoking. Smoking produces free radicals which are defined as formerly healthy oxygen molecules now overactive and unstable. Smokers age themselves a great deal with this negative lifestyle choice.

Ninety percent of people with lupus are women. Lupus is more prevalent in African American, Caribbean, Latino, Native American and Asian communities. It is three times more common in African American women than in Caucasian women. Lupus is also more prevalent than AIDS, sickle-cell anemia, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis combined. Despite these facts, the disease is not as well recognized by the public compared to cancer or diabetes. Lupus is not infectious (it cannot be transmitted) or cancerous.

What is lupus? Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease, which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. The immune system normally protects the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials. In lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself. These antibodies cause inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of the body.

As if consumers didn’t have enough problems choosing meats and poultry for their families with the steroids, hormones, antibiotic and other chemically enhanced animal products, there is about to be a new addition to the mix – cloned animal products.

This may soon be a reality since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared that meats, milk and other products from cloned animals are as safe to consume as products from conventional animals. The answer might be in how much faith people have in the FDA and how willing people are to embrace the new addition.

The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology released a poll in December which showed 64 percent of the people surveyed expressing discomfort with eating cloned animal products as opposed to the 22 percent who had no issues with it. Additionally there are ethical and religious issues concerning cloning.

But, while the FDA can put a stamp on it and call it good, there are people who are going to want to have their regular meats (whether the hormones kind, or the organic variety) and not the cloned ones. The problem with that is that meats and other animal products from cloned animals will NOT be labeled. In that case, some people might want to consider becoming vegetarians!

You shave them, pluck them and wax them as often as needed, to ensure that you have just the right arch. But have you tried treading???

Threading, a method of eyebrow removal believed to be from India or China is possibly one of the best methods of hair removal from that area. The results are usually cleaner, straighter lines which balance the features and lift the eyes.

Like many customs from the east, it is an art. So, getting it done properly involves using someone versed in the art of threading so one can avoid pain, uneven brows or even ingrown hairs.

Threading is really a gentle twisting of a piece of cotton thread along hairs to be removed, and an experience aesthetician will ensure that you have the best experience of hair removal ever!

Like plucking, threading removes hairs by the follicle (without the pain of course), which makes it longer lasting than say shaving or depilatory creams. Creams, by the way, may cause allergic reactions from the chemicals involved. These creams may also peel away or damage the top layers of skin, especially sensitive skin. So this presents a natural choice for woman.

Unlike plucking, however, threading removes a row of hairs at a time, instead of individual strands, which will take a much longer time. Waxing is also not the best method as this involves hot wax and yanking the hair out by the root.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the wonders of drinking water. It’s important for your health, figure blah, blah, blah… but what you may not know is that whatever your body does, it does it better with a healthy supply of water.

Many of us prefer coffee, teas, juice, milk and many other beverages and you may argue that they all have water, but while that may be true, they are usually loaded with other stuff you don’t need. Water replaces high-calorie drinks which can aid weight loss. In fact, try replacing your drink with water most times and you will see results. It’s also an excellent appetite suppressant, as sometimes when we think we’re hungry, we’re just thirsty.

But to the part about beauty – Water flushes out the toxins and impurities in our bodies (and they are plenty – just look at what many of us eat) and make way for clearer, smoother and younger looking skin.

The beauty about water is that drinking it moisturizes your skin from the inside out and will clear up skin and give a healthy glow after. Don’t expect this to happen overnight, but in a week you might begin to see changes. Let’s face it; water is the single most important factor for cellular integrity. No creams, lotions and all the other stuff will improve your skin as much as drinking enough water.

Here’s how to step up your daily water intake:

- Take water with you everywhere. Try keeping it in a cool water bottle.

- Not going anywhere for a while? Get a glass of water. When you’re at your desk for hours on end, it makes sense to keep some water nearby so you can drink regularly as you work.

- For some, water is too bland. Step up the taste with limes or lemons.

Let’s not forget that the body is about 70 percent water and you need it for digestion, healthy skin, good circulation, temperature control and many more reasons. So let’s drink to beautiful skin!

Since speculations that fallen pop star Britney Spears’ bizarre behavior is due to a mental illness, many people have been paying attention to mental health issues. Reports are that the former pop princess is suffering from Bipolar Disorder. But what is Bipolar Disorder?

Once called manic depression, Bipolar Disorder is the extreme cases of feeling happy or sad. While everyone has these feelings once in a while, those suffering from the disorder usually have a difficult time dealing with them, which can sometimes interfere with everyday life.

The problem with having such feelings is that it can sometimes be dangerous. Imagine feeling so depressed one day that you cannot get out of bed, much less make it to work, and then the next, you feel excited and full of energy. The person with Bipolar Disorder will feel, on high days, that he or she is doing well and getting things done, but others might see he or she as dangerous or out of control.

Sadly, the condition is a lifelong one and can be difficult for healthcare providers to diagnose. But once diagnosed, it can be treated, so people with Bipolar Disorder can live full lives.

There are various treatments for bipolar disorder and what works for one person may not work for everyone. So, patients are encouraged to work with their healthcare provider to find a suitable treatment, or a combination of treatments. These usually include medicine and therapy. Patients are also encouraged to educate themselves about their condition, as this is one of the best ways to take care of themselves. Additionally, one should not discount the importance of therapy, support groups, coaching, family, and friends.

- Source – www.bipolar.com

A new health survey by Consumer Reports reveals that waiting for the doctor is the number one complaint among patients. But patients can beat the waiting room blues by following these five easy tips from prominent U.S. hair restoration physician Dr. Alan Bauman.

Seeing the doctor may be nerve-racking for some, but it's not seeing the doctor that irks patients most of all.

According to a new health survey by Consumer Reports, waiting too long in the waiting room is the number one complaint patients have about their doctors. About 25-percent of patients complained they waited 30 minutes or longer.

"Patients may want to ask their doctors if e-mail is an option so they can avoid unnecessary office visits," says Alan J. Bauman, M.D., a prominent hair restoration physician and founder of Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, Florida. "After all, the best way to reduce your waiting time is to avoid the waiting room altogether. But that aside, there are several other strategies a patient can use to get fast-tracked at the doctor's office, such as arriving early or making morning appointments."

Dr. Bauman offers these five "insider" tips on how to reduce your stay in the waiting room:

(1) Mornings are Better: Your odds of getting old in the waiting room increase the later you go. So, if you don't want to wake up early, be prepared to wait. Afternoons in a doctor's office are busy times. Between late patients, difficult cases and tired doctors, the later in the day you go, the longer you'll wait.

Like shoes, women can never have too many handbags! And again like shoes, with proper care, you can have them for a long time. Here’s how to keep them looking like new:

Leather – moisturize it with a leather conditioning cream. Remember its skin, so it doesn’t need sprays. And if it gets wet, simply dab with wetness away. Ever notice how bag handles and straps can look worn? Well they often collect residue from lotions which ten to discolor and age them. So it’s good to handle bags with clean hands.

Suede – Invest in a suede brush. They will work some magic, but try cover for storage.

Fabric – This tend to go through the rigors, and they collect dust. Use a lint roller to dust bag and cover it for storage.

Patent Leather – Do not store light and dark patent leather together. This might cause discoloration. Clean using a piece of cheesecloth dampened with white vinegar and rub. Wife off with a clean piece of cloth.

From Britney Spears to Lindsay Lohan, young Hollywood stars seem to be imploding. Spears and others are routinely photographed carrying sugar and fat-laden coffee drinks and lunching at fast food joints. No doubt a host of issues may be at work, but one thing is clear -- the toxic diet of many celebrities can cause big problems. Bestselling author and television food expert, Dr. Timothy Brantley explains how eating habits can influence the chemicals in your brain -- impacting your state of mind and even your behavior.

As a researcher using naturopathic principles, Dr. Brantley has taught his methods of naturally curing illness and restoring physical and emotional health to thousands of people, including well-known celebrities. According to Dr. Brantley, the brain communicates by chemical substances passed from one cell to another. These chemical neurotransmitters are created in the brain from the food we consume. You may be able to better balance your mood by knowing which "mood foods" to avoid and which to incorporate into your diet.

BAD MOOD FOODS

Greasy Fast Food
Fast food is loaded with unhealthy fat and refined table salt. That burger can linger in your stomach for a long time and can zap your energy for hours to come.

Caffeine
That Mochaccino, loaded with caffeine and extra whip cream, starts an emotional rollercoaster. Caffeine can be addictive, altering brain chemistry in a way similar to amphetamines, often triggering irritability and agitation.

Alcohol
According to press reports Britney Spears may have indulged in Margaritas prior to her infamous MTV VMA thumbs-down performance. Connect the dots - alcohol is a sedative that can cause dehydration, muscle weakness and inability to focus.

There are about 21 million children and adults living with diabetes in the United States and there are some 54 million people at risk, according to the latest statistics from the American Diabetes Association.

Unfortunately, scientists still have not found a cure, but treatment is available and should be taken advantage of. This month is Diabetes Month and focus is being placed on diabetics and their care.

Family nurse practitioner and diabetes educator Shawna V. Charles, operator of The Diabetic Place in Davie has been in the business for 26 years. She describes diabetes as when the body isn’t able to break down sugar. Diabetes is broken down in two types - Type 1 – insulin dependent and Type 2 – non-insulin dependent both of which can occur in adults and children.

At the Diabetic Place which has been in operation for two months, Charles and her team of experts offer a one-stop care center for diabetics. They specialize in preventive care and screenings and offer the services of a podiatrist, optometrist, nutritionist and fitness expert – all necessary for diabetics to maintain good health. Besides the Baptist Hospital in Miami, there is no other one-stop diabetic center in Florida.

According to Charles, the idea of having all the services in one place came about because “I would refer them to the podiatrist, optometrist and nutritionist, I decided to have all these people in one place.” That way, patients can get the care they need without having to travel to different places and make several appointments.

She said knowing that you are predisposed to the condition and making simple lifestyle changes can “take 10 years off of developing the disease.” Sadly, however, because people can ignore signs like excessive tiredness and thirst, frequent urination, significant weight loss or attribute them to something else, there are many people walking around with the disease without knowing. By the time some people are diagnosed, there is already extensive damage.

October is National Breast Cancer month, and while there have been many medical developments in that area of cancer, the myths continue, the fear continues and the deaths are still a part of our existence. CNWeekly News is focusing on Breast Cancer this month, to remind especially women, to be vigilant in performing their monthly self breast exam and the necessary mammograms as directed by their doctors.

According to the National Cancer Institute, Breast Cancer is a cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.

The institute estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2007 as the following:

• New cases: 178,480 (female); 2,030 (male)
• Deaths: 40,460 (female); 450 (male)

With all cancers, early detection is key. Breast cancer is no different; it begins with you:

The Age Management Medicine Group (AMMG), a medical conference management organization presenting CME-accredited events, announced that recognized professors from the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine will release results from phase one of a three-phase retrospective study on hormones at the November 2007 Age Management Medicine Conference and Exposition. The four-day conference runs from November 8-11 at the Red Rock Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers from the University of Miami - Miller School of Medicine partnered with the Cenegenics Education and Research Foundation (CERF) to conduct the IRB-approved retrospective review study. Two respected professors from the university, Enrique Ginzburg, MD, FACS, and Nancy Klimas, MD, will present phase one of the study, entitled "Testosterone and Growth Hormone Normalization: A Retrospective Study of Health Outcomes," at the November conference.

"The findings of phase one were extremely interesting," Dr. Ginzburg said. Extensively published, Dr. Ginzburg is a professor of surgery at the University of Miami - Miller School of Medicine’s Divisions of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, medical director at the International Health Center, co-director at the Neuroscience Intensive Care, in addition to holding several secondary appointments.

Dr. Nancy Klimas – a recognized leader, championing research in chronic fatigue syndrome – is professor of medicine, psychology, microbiology and immunology at the University of Miami - Miller School of Medicine and the Miami VA Medical Center.

During their presentation, Drs. Ginzburg and Klimas will discuss research results of an effective program of hormone modulation for men and women, low-glycemic nutrition and exercise instruction on select outcomes indicative of disease risk and the subjective impression of quality of life in a private practice.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded $169 million to the University of South Florida to coordinate and analyze results from a 10-year international study to determine the environmental causes of juvenile diabetes. Its goal is to prevent, delay or reverse type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The 10-year award, to a USF Health team led by Jeffrey P. Krischer, PhD, is the largest in USF history. At clinical sites around the world, the study will screen 360,000 newborns in order to track 8,000 babies--eventually analyzing more than 100,000 lab tests.

"Dr. Krischer's team is the focal point for virtually every major study of Type 1 diabetes prevention in the world," said Stephen Klasko, MD, MBA, vice President for USF Health and Dean of the College of Medicine. "He has created the premier center for unlocking auto-immune diseases, of which juvenile diabetes is one of the most common and most serious."

The study will seek to explain why some children get juvenile diabetes and why the incidence has doubled since the 1980s. Known as TEDDY, it is "The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young."

"We want to know why the incidence of diabetes in the very young has doubled since the 1980s," said Dr. Krischer, who is co-chair of the study and a professor of pediatrics at USF Health.

"We know that some children have a greater genetic risk of diabetes, but only 10% of those eventually develop the disease. This study gives us a large enough group of newborns to analyze factors in their lifestyle, diet or environment that may trigger the illness."

Newborns and their families will be recruited over five years, and followed to age 15.

For more information, the study is explained in "The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study: study design," Pediatric Diabetes 2007: 8: 286-298. www.blackwell-synergy.com

Constipation is one of the most uncomfortable and painful of digestive disorders. Simply put, constipation is when one has trouble having bowel movements. The stool may be very hard, making it difficult to pass, which causes straining.

Now, while many laxative ads will tell you that you need to have a bowel movement daily, this is not necessarily so. Normal movement ranges from three times daily to three times per week. If you realize that your movements are less than what is normal for you, then you may be experiencing constipation.

Here’s what causes constipation. As food passes through the digestive tract, your body takes nutrients and water from the food. This process creates the stool, which is then moved through your intestines with muscle contractions.

Depending on your eating habits and whether you go when you feel the urge, among other factors, the movement of the stool through the intestines might slow down.

Now before you run for the Exlax, try treating your constipation by increasing your liquid and fiber intake. This will cause your stools to move through your intestines by increasing the stools and making them softer. Increasing exercise will also help.

You face is usually the first thing people see when they look at you… and unless you wear some garb that covers it… there’s no way to change that… so, why not spend some time and some money to make sure your face is clean and radiant?

The first step to beautiful face is cleansing. But first get a cleanser… not soap… that is ideal for your skin type… whether it’s combination to oily or normal to dry and then there is the sensitive skin type as well.

It’s ideal to cleanse in the morning and before bed at nights.

Cleansing will remove old make up, and the grime accumulated throughout the day. You will want to use an oil-free eye-cleansing solution to remove eye make-up… I find that Vaseline or baby oil leaves that oily residue that we really don’t need. So with a cotton ball remove eye make-up – especially the hard to remove mascara.

Pour face cleansing cream or gel into your palm and apply generously to entire face with fingertips, avoiding eyes of course. Don’t forget the neck (that always gives away your age) and massage it over face with an upward and outward movement.