Before you get confused by the title, no I am not suggesting to mix OxyClean into your shaving cream. These are two multi-use items you can get at any grocery store or place that sells supplies for the home.
Sure you've seen on TV that OxyClean gets stains out (be sure to test fabrics and carpets for color fastness in a small area before using), but this is just my personal testemonial of how great OxyClean really is. I have used to to get a dried nail polish stain out of white carpet. I cleaned the nail polish with nail polish remover, this removed the enamel paint but left much of the hot pink color in the carpet. I thought it was hopeless, but as a last ditch effort I made up a small amount of oxyclean and water (about a tbsp of oxyclean in a cup of water) and poored small amounts on the stain and dabbed, it came out slowly but without a lot of effort and is barely noticeable now, a pale pinkish tone in the white carpet as opposed to the glaring bright hot pink it was before. We have also used it to pressure wash our concrete with brilliant results, and to clean up a number of other stains on apholstery and floors. It works great as a laundry additive but don't think of it as only for laundry!
The only problem with OxyClean is the price, at $12 for the large tub its fairly expensive, especially when you consider you are going to use 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time and you can't save the liquid once its mixed (use it at once). So while it is an awesome product that does exactly what it claims and then some, its a punch in the wallet if you are on a budget.
So this is where shaving cream comes in, if you have a fresh stain on your carpet or apholstery you can use a dab of shaving cream to get it out (make sure its regular shaving cream those gels don't work well for this purpose). Same deal as with the oxyclean, make sure your fabric is colorfast, test a small hidden area first. I have had limited success with shaving cream on older stains, but on the fresher ones (less than a week old) it has worked very well.
So if you can't afford the Oxyclean, don't forget your shaving cream!
Living healthier doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming.
How much do you know about living a healthy lifestyle? Here's a pop quiz.
1. How do you define working out?
a. Going to the gym. b. Turning the jump-rope for the neighbor's kid. c. Playing Frisbee with your dog.
2. How do you define good nutrition?
a. Eating a vegetable at every meal. b. Eating two vegetables at every meal. c. Drinking a fruit smoothie for breakfast.
3. Which of these is a healthy activity?
a. Push-ups, sit-ups, or running the track. b. Walking the dog after dinner. c. Spending Saturday afternoon snoozing on the sofa.
Believe it or not, the correct answer to every question is A, B, and C -- even that afternoon snooze! According to the growing "Stealth Health" movement, sneaking healthy habits into our daily living is easier than we think.
"You can infuse your life with the power of prevention in small increments and without much pain or hassle, and yes, doing something, no matter how small, is infinitely better for you than doing nothing," says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center. Katz is also co-author of the book Stealth Health: How to Sneak Age-Defying, Disease-Fighting Habits into Your Life without Really Trying.
From your morning shower to the evening TV viewing, from your drive to work to your household chores, Katz says, there are over 2000 ways to sneak healthy activities into daily living.
"If you let yourself make small changes, they will add up to meaningful changes in the quality of your diet, your activity pattern, your ability to deal with stress, and in the quality of your sleep -- and those four things make up an enormously powerful health promotion that can positively change your life," says Katz.
And yes, he says, a nap on the couch can be a health-giving opportunity -- especially if you aren't getting enough sleep at night.
Nutritionist and diabetes educator Fran Grossman, RD, CDE, agrees. "You don't have to belong to a gym or live on wheat grass just to be healthy," says Grossman, a nutrition counselor at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. "There are dozens of small things you can do every day that make a difference, and you don't always have to do a lot to gain a lot."
Do a Little and Get a Lot
The notion that good health can come in small tidbits is not really new. Research that shows that making small changes adds up to a big difference has been quietly accumulating for a while.
For example, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004 found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.
And if 30 minutes is still too big a bite? Another study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that three brisk 10-minute walks per day were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk in decreasing risk factors for heart disease.
"Just the act of going from sedentary to moderately active gives you the greatest reduction in your risks," says Helene Glassberg, MD, director of the Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
But it's not only in fitness where small changes can make a difference. The same principles apply at the kitchen table (and the office snack bar).
"Reducing fat intake, cutting down on sugar, eating a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar -- over time, these things can make a difference," says Grossman.
As long as the changes are moving you toward your goal -- be it weight loss, a reduction in cholesterol or blood pressure, or better blood sugar control -- you can get there by taking baby steps, she says.
Moreover, Grossman tells WebMD, making small changes can help give us the motivation to make bigger ones.
"A lot of bad eating habits are about not taking charge of your life, and that attitude is often reflected in other areas," says Grossman. On the other hand, she says, when you make small changes at the kitchen table, the rewards may show up in other areas of your life.
"It's the act of taking control that makes the difference in motivating you," says Grossman. "An inner confidence and power begins to develop that can be seen in other areas of life."
Tripping Over Baby Steps
Of course, not everyone is certain that baby steps can walk you all the way to good health. Marc Siegel, MD, a clinical associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, says that while doing something is certainly better than doing nothing, making such small changes is like using a Band-aid to stop a hemorrhage.
"It's a small, gimmicky idea to target people with very unhealthy lifestyles, and for some it may be useful," says Siegel, author of False Alarm: the Truth about the Epidemic of Fear. But he fears that for most people, it's sending the wrong message.
"In some ways it's a resignation, an admission that things can't be changed -- and that's certainly not the long-term answer," Siegel tells WebMD.
Katz concedes that the Stealth Health approach may not be right for everybody.
"There is a trade-off because if you try to make the pursuit of health easier for people, you run the risk of leading them to believe they don't need to do very much -- and that would be the wrong message," he says.
At the same time, Katz believes that for those who find making health changes a daunting task, Stealth Health techniques can make a difference.
"If you want the really big gains, there has to be some pain," says Katz. "But there is a lot to be said for the idea that you can make some gains with little or no pain, and that's infinitely better than no gains."
Try the Stealth Health Approach
Tempted to give "Stealth Health" a try? Katz recommends picking any three of the following 12 changes and incorporating them into your life for four days. When you feel comfortable with those changes, pick three others. Once you've incorporate all dozen changes, you should start to feel a difference within a couple of weeks, he says.
To Improve Nutrition:
1. Buy whole foods -- whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm -- and use them in place of processed foods whenever possible. 2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz. 3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to your meal.
To Improve Physical Fitness:
1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength. 2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don't worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow -- and keep you mildly amused! 3. Whenever you're standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.
To Improve Stress Control:
1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, Katz says. 2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly. 3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes
To Improve Sleep:
1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep. 2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a "cool" pillow -- one containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that help keep your head cool. 3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You'll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan -- a natural sleep-inducer.
Group wants to make sure pregnant women don't get shots with thimerosal
A judge on Wednesday denied an advocacy group's bid to prevent the government from giving pregnant women flu vaccines with a preservative that contains mercury.
Leaders of the Coalition for Mercury-Free Drugs say their effort took on a new urgency when a government advisory committee recently recommended that pregnant women be among the first people to get swine flu vaccinations when the vaccine becomes available this fall.
A small amount of the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal is in most influenza shots, including swine flu vaccines, but some are produced thimerosal-free. The coalition argued that pregnant women should only get the thimerosal-free version because of a risk that the mercury in the shot could poison a fetus and cause medical problems, including autism.
But U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton ruled against the group's request for a preliminary injunction because he said the group couldn't prove that pregnant women they represent would get vaccines containing thimerosal.
Walton said he would consider further written arguments in the next month about whether the lawsuit can continue.
Thimerosal used to be used in a number of vaccines, but manufacturers began removing the preservative from all routine child vaccines in 2001 as a precaution. But numerous large studies have shown no link between thimerosal and autism, or other health problems.
The Cardiologist who created South Beach diet recently six shared tips on healthy living.
"I'm 62 and, thankfully, have never been hospitalized, nor can I remember calling in sick. I still work 12-hour days, walk the golf course, hit the heavy bag, and, not too long ago, even played ice hockey. Other than some minor colds, flus, and heartburn, I have been very healthy, and I take no regular medications. How I've managed this isn't a secret. My philosophy is in my books. But for the November issue of Prevention, I want to summarize it for you what I eat, how I exercise and beat stress, even my own advice that I struggle with. Here's my personal Rx feel free to make it your own"
Have three balanced meals and a snack Start most days with a three-egg omelet and green tea with a scoop of Benefiber (one of several natural fiber supplements available). For lunch try having baked salmon and grilled veggies which is easy to make at home or find in a local restaurant if you work and avoid fast food. Dinner should typically consistent of fish or chicken with veggies. Limit simple starches and sugars at home. If hunger creeps up during the day or while traveling a mozzarella stick, fruit, nuts, or a high-fiber bar is a healthy and filling snack.
Indulgence is fine in moderation Love dark chocolate? Keeping a stash in the office and eating just a piece after lunch if fine. Try limiting yourself to a small daily indulgence.
Exercise early and regularly Pilates and Yoga help build balance and core strength, these workouts normally lasts up to an hour. By trading them off every other weekday with 20 to 30 minute intervals of training on an elliptical or other low impact aerobic machine to keep your workouts interesting and mixed in cario/strength/flexability. This type of mixed intensity schedule is great for the heart. On weekends you can trade off fun activities for working out, such as playing golf or sports.
Go easy on the nutritional supplements Dr. Agatston believes a good diet will provide most of the essential nutrients needed. So, aside from Benefiber, the only supplements he suggests taking are fish oil, turmeric, and Cold-Eeze when traveling. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil help protect the heart, and some doctors he respects believe the curcumin in turmeric helps to prevent Alzheimer's disease. Cold-Eeze contains zinc, which may prevent colds or lessen their symptoms.
Prioritize sleep Get at least 7 hours per night. Naps are fine. If you plan to have a late night a 30 minute nap in the afternoon will help you feel energized.
Cultivate closeness Studies have shown that having a strong social and family network is not only helpful for your general health but also for preventing heart disease.
Arthur Agatston, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is the author of The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life. He maintains a cardiology practice and research foundation in Miami Beach, FL.
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