A History of Plastic Surgery

Beautiful Body
A History of Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery, the practice of reshaping body tissues for reconstructive or aesthetic purposes dates back to antiquity. Derived from the Greek plastikos, meaning “to mold,” plastic surgery holds a critical place in cultures all over the world. For centuries, tribes would disc their lips, stretch their earlobes, bind their feet, file their teeth, and tattoo and scar their skin. If contemporary popular series such as Extreme Makeover and Nip/Tuck are any indication, plastic surgery has not lost any of its cultural power. While filed teeth may not appeal to everyone, men and women of today still have a wide range of surgical procedures from which to choose, including liposuction, nose jobs, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, and breast augmentation and reduction. The term “plastic surgery” also includes nonsurgical options such as Botox, microdermabrasion, collagen injections, laser hair removal, and chemical peels. Plastic surgery, however, was not always so readily available or varied and was even shrouded in mystery, magic, and eroticism.

Ancient Egypt: Plastic Surgery to Recognize the Dead

While the Egyptians did not practice extreme forms of plastic surgery on the living, they would often prepare their dead using principles of plastic surgery. For example, Ramses II's mummy was surgically altered by having a small bone and a handful of seeds inserted into his nose to ensure that his most prominent feature would be recognizable in the afterlife. The mummy of Queen Nunjmet also had bandages stuffed in her cheeks and belly in the same sense that modern plastic surgeons implant silicone into a body. While the Edwin Smith Papyrus shows that the Egyptians had skills to perform similar surgical procedures on the living, there is no solid documentation that is was actually done. Scholars suggest this reluctance to perform plastic surgery on the living was due to the Egyptian belief that one’s face remained the same in the afterlife and, therefore, should remain recognizable even after death (DiBacco 1994).

Ancient India: The Birthplace of Plastic Surgery

"The Indian Method of Rhinoplasty," which involved cutting skin from the forehead or cheek, was kept secret for centuries in India

Most historians agree that the first recorded account of reconstructive plastic surgery on the living is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts. These texts describe procedures to repair noses and ears that were lost either as punishment for crimes (such as adultery) or in battle. Hindu surgeon Sushruta, working near the modern-day city of Varanasi described the “attached flap” method of plastic surgery in his 600 B.C. text Sushruta Samhita. The procedure involves reconstructing the nose by cutting skin from either the cheek or forehead, twisting the skin skin-side-out over a leaf of the appropriate size, and sewing the skin into place. To keep the air passages open during healing, two polished wooden tubes would be inserted into the nostrils. This method became known as the “Indian Method of Rhinoplasty” and was kept secret for centuries in India (Haiken 1997).

Ancient Rome: Plastic Surgery and Roman Baths

By the first century B.C., Romans were also practicing advanced plastic surgery procedures, perhaps prompted by the very public Roman baths. In a culture that praised the beauty of the naked body in both art and poetry, Romans viewed any abnormality, particularly the genitalia, with suspicion or even amusement. Consequently, one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures appeared to be circumcision removal, which is described in a rather detached way by Cornelius Celsus’s text De re medicina during the reign of Tiberius (A.D. 14-37). Celsus even describes a “breast reduction” surgery on an obese man whose breasts were “unsightly” and “shameful.”

Roman surgeons would also remove scars--particularly those on the back, which were marks of shame because they suggested that a man had turned his back in battle or, worse, he had been whipped like a slave. The poet Martial (A.D. 40-104) suggests that some slaves during his time had their brands removed by surgeons, but he gives no details of the procedures. Surgeons would often operate on gladiators who had noses and ears chopped off and on foreigners who would try to fit into Roman society.

Middle Ages: Decline of Plastic Surgery

During the time of Galen (A.D. 129-216), plastic surgery gained momentum and sophistication due to increased obsession with the human body. Galen attempted to cure eyes that squinted and drooped,and performed aesthetic rhinoplasty on both women and men of wealth who simply wanted a new nose. After the fall of Rome, however, many of Galen’s medical texts were lost; of his 600 books, only 20 survive. Though there were discussion of proper dental care during the Middle Ages, surgery in general was deemed to be pagan and sinful because the spilling of blood by a surgeon and the power he held over the body were akin to magic.

The Renaissance: A Brief Rise in Plastic Surgery

Translations of Galen re-entered Western culture during the late Middle Ages as crusaders encountered Arabic texts. For a brief time, plastic surgery experienced a rebirth of sorts, though mostly in barber shops. Two Sicilian barbers, a father and son team, would use skin flaps from the cheek or upper arm to rebuild a nose. The arm flap left less of a scar but demanded that the flap, still attached to the ear be joined to the nose for as long as twenty days. As in India, such surgery was a “trade secret passed on from father to son” (Gilman 1999).

Heinrich von Pfalzpaint, a knight from the Teutonic order, also held secret the procedure of a nose job that was taught to him by a foreigner and made him “very much money.” Many surgeons took skin grafts from donors, such as a neighbor’s pig, but were confused when the new nose would shrivel up and fall off. They concluded that the flesh was “sympathetic,” meaning that the graft died when its owner died.

Early "nose jobs" involved taking skin grafts from the upper arm and attaching the flap to the nose

Most plastic surgeons today recognize Italian Gasparo Tagliacozzi (1546-1599) as the “father of modern plastic surgery” and as the first author of a plastic surgery textbook, De curtorum chirugiau (1597). Noting the need for plastic surgery due to “frequent duels, street brawls, and other clashes of armed men” (Haiken 1997) as well as a pervasive outbreak of syphilis which destroyed the nose, Taglioacozzi experimented with the use of pedicles which involves relocating a section of skin, subcutaneous tissues, and vasculature to another area to cover a wound. Specifically, Tagliacozzi would take skin grafts from the upper arm and, after several painful procedures, attach the flap onto the nose. Motivated by radical claims of autonomy present in the High Renaissance (e.g., Tagliacozzi is significant because in contrast to prevailing views that interpreted illness as a punishment, he used the vocabulary of High Renaissance humanists such as Giovanni Francesco Pico della Mirandola (1463-94), who advocated autonomous self-remaking individual as justification for his surgical innovations.

For Taglioacozzi, plastic surgery was one way humankind seeks improvement of self, both physically and emotionally. Still, his reconstructed nose was still a “virtual” nose that could fall off if the user blew too hard, and young women with reconstructed noses were hardly objects of desire (Gilman 1999). Young women who lost their noses could be disowned by their fiancés because it suggested either a venereal or moral disease. However, Tagliacozzi mused whether a reconstructed nose was still grounds for terminating a marriage arrangement. For a time in Renaissance Europe, Tagliacozzi’s surgical innovations promised at least partial restoration of the nose but, due to the religious zeal of the Counterreformation and the concomitant emphasis on the syphilitic nose as a justifiable punishment from God, Tagliacozzi’s work disappeared (Haiken 1997).

The Enlightened Nose

Plastic surgery would reappear in Europe in 1794 when British surgeons witnessed an Indian bricklayer repaired the nose of a British cattle driver who had had his nose and hand cut off while a prisoner of Tiu Sultan. British surgeons then imported the procedure to northern Europe, where interest rapidly grew. In 1818, Karl Ferdinand Graefe (1787-1840) coined the term “plastic surgery” and described connected grafts in his 1818 text titled Rhinoplastik. Graefe, like Tagliacozzi, believed that the world needed to see the nose-less patient in medical terms rather than as a morally branded sinner. Graefe further attempted to remove the moral stigma associated with nose reconstruction by giving the procedure a classical name (rhinoplasty) similar to other surgical procedures.

The move to a medical model for understanding the lost nose began to spread. However, the first notable plastic surgeon in the United States, John Peter Mettauer of Virginia (who primarily operated on cleft palates and hypospadias using tools he designed himself), still struggled with American surgeons who lived by Dryden’s admonition that “God did not make his Works for man to mend” (Gilman 1999). In addition, as the nineteenth century wore on and the European culture began its colonizing efforts in earnest, the nose became inextricably associated with race, an association that lasted until the current era, as seen in what is now called the “Michael Jackson Factor.”

Two World Wars and Innovations in Plastic Surgery

War has played a significant role in the history of plastic surgery. For example, WWI trench warfare meant heads and necks were more vulnerable, and pilots and passengers in the new and dangerous airplanes often suffered serious facial injuries that were unprecedented any time in history. Injuries such as shattered jaws, blown-off noses, and gaping skull wounds accelerated the techniques and experimentation of plastic surgery and prompted Harold Delf Gilles (1882-1860) to establish the first hospital devoted to reconstructive plastic surgery (Backstein and Hinek 2005). In addition, these drastic surgeries enabled surgeons to imagine that even transgender surgery could be performed.

Despite medical advances after WWI, there were still no standard criteria, and something of the Victorian opposition to vanity still prevailed. Because any untrained surgeon could claim to be a plastic surgeon, patients often experience severe complications, such as amputation or at the very least severe scarring. Plastic surgery became associated in many minds with the term “quack.” However, when surgeons who had served in WWI established the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, they effectively signaled the end of unregulated plastic surgery (Haiken 1999). This first association was joined by the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in 1931 (renamed American Society of Plastic Surgeons in 1991 to show the conflation of historically politically charged terms “reconstructive” and “cosmetic”) and by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1937. Finally, plastic surgery was achieving recognition as an independent specialty.

WWII ushered in such plastic surgery techniques as rebuilding entire limbs, extensive skin grafts, microsurgery, antibodies, as well as increased knowledge about tissue health. Several factors contributed to the postwar plastic surgery boon and the breaking down of traditional reluctance to undergo plastic surgery. First, continued activity of professional organizations and publications helped further legitimize the industry. In addition, after there was no war to generate patients, surgeons consequently began a widespread trend toward marketing surgical techniques toward particularly groups--particularly middle-aged, middle-class women who were affluent and largely finished with raising families.

Furthermore, this demographic felt increasing pressure to remain young in a postwar culture often dubbed the “cult of the body beautiful” (Gilman 1999). Indeed, plastic surgeons would often use the vocabulary of postwar domesticity--such as sewing, housecleaning, and cooking--to refer to their procedures. Some critics even accused surgeons of inventing new names, such as “bat wing deformity” (the flabby skin on the upper arms) or “spare tire deformity” (protrusion of the lower abdomen) to create a need for plastic surgery that might not otherwise exist (ibid). By the 1960s, plastic surgery was fully integrated into the medical establishment.

Silicone breast implants also grew in popularity during the 1960s. Showgirls would inject their breasts with liquid silicon, a substance initially used in Japan in WWI to plump out legs withered by polio. Injecting liquid silicone, however, often had dangerous side effects, such as amputation of the breasts due to infection and guaranteed “pendulous” breasts by the time women were 40. Yet advances in silicone breast augmentation (which later was made available in sac), gave hope to women who had undergone a mastectomy (Haiken 1997).

1990s: Continued Popularity

In 2006, the FDA approved the sale of silicone breast implants, ending a 14 year ban based on health concerns

Though silicone breast implants would remain available for breast cancer patients throughout the 1990s, the FDA removed them from the open market in 1992 due to reports of leaking implants. Even with this setback, plastic surgery continued to grow in the 1990s, with more than 5,000 board-certified surgeons active in the U.S. alone. In an important move for both plastic surgeons and their patients, President Bill Clinton signed a bill which required insurance companies to cover the cost of plastic surgery for women who had undergone a mastectomy. Groups are still working to ensure that reconstructive surgery for children’s deformities will also be covered by insurance plans (Web site).

The Future of Plastic Surgery

Throughout its history, plastic surgery has been shaped by cultural priorities and pressures that illuminate the complex interplay between the cosmetic and reconstructive. The fact that many Western societies today have become more comfortable with plastic surgery suggests that they view it as another method of self-improvement--not just for women, but men as well. Big Tent Books even published a new picture book that explains to kids why mom is getting a flatter tummy (Springen 2008).

While critics warn that plastic surgery is creating a world where beauty standards are brutally conformist, plastic surgeons today implement an exciting array of technological advances that continue to push the boundaries of their industry. For example, surgeons are researching new fillers that last longer and new lasers that inject “energy” into the skin. They are also exploring the potential of cloning technology as a method of body rejuvenation and are looking to the secrets of growth within the womb where scarless healing takes place. Without such imagination of plastic surgeons and their patients over the ages, plastic surgery would not be the phenomena it is today.

25 Random Facts About . . . Plastic Surgery

1. “Plastic” is derived from the Greek plasikos, meaning “to mold.” The term “surgery” is derived the Greek kheirourgos, from kheir - “hand” + ergon - “work.”^d
2. The first recorded “nose job” is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts (600 B.C.).^c Physicians would reconstruct noses by cutting skin from either the cheek or forehead, twisting the skin side out over a leaf of the appropriate size, and sewing the skin into place. Two polished wooden tubes would be inserted into the nostrils to keep the air passage open during healing.^e
3. By the first century B.C., Romans were practicing various forms of plastic surgery to repair noses, eyes, lips, and teeth. Roman physician Cornelius Celsus (c. 25 B.C.-A.D. 50) also describes procedures such as circumcision reversal and even breast reduction in men.^d
4. A popular procedure in ancient Rome was scar removal, particularly scars on the back which were marks of shame because they suggested a man had turned his back in battle—or worse, he had been whipped like a slave. Foreigners would also have plastic surgery to fit better into Roman society.^d
5. During the Middle Ages, plastic surgery was typically deemed pagan and sinful because the spilling of blood by a surgeon and the power the surgeon had over the body were akin to magic.^d
6. When plastic surgery became popular during the Renaissance, surgeons took skin grafts from various donors, such as a neighbor’s pig, but were confused when the new nose would shrivel up and fall off. They concluded the flesh was “sympathetic,” meaning that the graft died when its original owner died.^d
7. Many plastic surgeries in the early Renaissance were performed in barber shops.^d
8. Italian Gaspare Tagliacozzi (1546-1599) is widely considered the “father of modern plastic surgery.” His text book De curtorum chirugiau noted the need for plastic surgery due to duels and street fights, as well as a pervasive outbreak of syphilis which destroyed the nose. His “virtual” nose, however, could fall off if the user blew too hard, and young women with reconstructed noses were hardly objects of desire.^d
9. Tagliacozzi was an atypical plastic surgeon during the Renaissance because he did not view illness, such as the syphilitic nose, as divine punishment. Instead he used the vocabulary of humanists such as Giovanni Francesco Pico della Mirandola (1463-94) to justify his surgical innovations as autonomous self-remaking. Tagliacozzi’s work disappeared mainly as a result of the Counterreformation.^d
10. In 1794, British surgeons witnessed an Indian brick layer repair the nose of a British cattle driver who had his nose and hand cut off while a prisoner of the sultan. British surgeons imported the procedure back to northern Europe where interest rapidly grew.^d
11. Karl Ferdinand Graefe (1787-1840) coined the term “plastic surgery” in his 1818 text Rhinoplastik. He also attempted to remove the moral stigma associated with nose reconstruction by giving the procedure a classical name—rhinoplasty—to make it more similar to other surgical procedures.^d
12. Surgeons who served in WWI established the American Association of Plastic Surgery in 1931 and helped curtail unregulated plastic surgery.^b They are the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world.^a

WWII played a significant role in advancing plastic surgery techniques

13. WWII ushered in plastic surgery techniques that included rebuilding entire limbs, extensive skin grafts, microsurgery, antibodies, and increased knowledge about tissue health.^d
14. Silicone breast implants grew in popularity in the 1960s. Show girls would inject their breasts with liquid silicone, a substance initially used in Japan in WWI to plump out legs withered by polio. Unfortunately, they could suffer dangerous side effects, such as amputation of the breast due to infection and guaranteed “pendulous” breasts by the time they reached 40.^e
15. In Nazi Germany, some forms of reconstructive surgery were mandated to enable the “too ugly” solder to become a “real” soldier. Benito Mussolini’s (1880-1945) Italy also used plastic surgery to increase the performance of military officers, such as correcting drooping eyelids.^d
16. The first modern breast augmentation took place on November 24, 1893, in Heidelberg, Germany, by Vincent Czerny. His patient was a 41-year-old singer who had a growth in her breast removed. Luckily, the patient had a growth (lipoma) on her back, which was harvested and transplanted to her breast. She was discharged on December 20, 1893.^d
17. In 1998, Bill Clinton signed a bill which required insurance companies to cover the cost of reconstructive breast surgery for women who had undergone a mastectomy.^a
18. In 2007, there were more than 11.5 million plastic surgery procedures performed, an increase of 50% from 2000. The overall number of plastic surgery procedures has increased 457% since the collection of statistic first began.^g
19. The most popular performed procedure is Botox, which is a protein derived from the botulism toxin. It is injected into the skin to paralyze facial muscles, giving the recipient a smooth facial appearance. The effects of the procedure typically wear off after three to six months.^g

Doctors performing liposuction

20. The most popular surgery for men and women combined in 2007 was liposuction. The most popular surgery for women alone was breast augmentation, with liposuction coming in second.^g
21. Women constituted 91% of plastic surgery patients in 2007, though the number of men receiving plastic surgery increased 17% from 2006.^g
22. Americans spent $13.2 billion on plastic surgery in 2006.^g
23. Two-thirds of plastic surgery patients are repeat patients, and more than five million Americans may be addicted to plastic surgery. One example of such addiction, 48-year-old Hang Mioku was left disfigured after she injected her own face with cooking oil.^f
24. Modern plastic surgeons are exploring the potential of cloning technology as a method of body rejuvenation and are looking into the secrets of the growth within the womb where scar-less growth and healing take place.^d
25. Big Tent Books published a new picture book by plastic surgeon Michael Salzhauer titled My Beautiful Mommy that explains to kids why mom is getting a flatter tummy.^h

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how can I lose 10 pounds

how can I lose 10 pounds

I am not what you’d call a fit person and neither am I slender. That’s why I have sometimes asked myself the question: How can I lose 10 pounds? – 10 pounds just to begin with. I searched the Internet and looked through some books written by dieticians and I found out that it is possible to get rid of this weight. The good thing is that I have found recipes for losing this weight in periods from 1 week up.

Here are some tips that you might find as useful as I did when the question - How can I lose 10 pounds? - started to mess with my thoughts. Take a closer look at your drinking habits or pattern, if there is one. An average person takes in about 200 gallons of liquid a year that usually include lots of soda, beer and milk. What is left to 200 is made of other kinds of drinks like tea, coffee, and wine.

If you change your drinking habits you have a chance to lose weight. Needs come before pleasure, that is the idea of a healthy hydration. You don’t have to drink water only, but the liquids have to be well chosen and dosed properly.

To answer the question - How can I lose 10 pounds? - you should also have in mind that liquids can also act as food or hunger inhibitors. A pulpy juice will alleviate not only thirst but hunger too, while also bringing nutrients to the body. Although the liquid diet might seem a very slow approach, try to focus on its long-term effects – you will get rid of 35,456 calories in one month only. And this is close to the 10 pounds in your question. A natural fat burner is tea, on the condition you drink the right tea. Green tea seems to accelerate the caloric burn as it contains a certain substance that raises the metabolic rate of the system. You would be amazed to find out that green tea is able to rid you of 5,000 calories within 4 weeks of use.

And again: how can I lose 10 pounds? Stay as relaxed as possible and approach diet calmly, lots of people have made it that way. But they also say that you can do it only if you are completely honest with yourself. Such an approach tells you to set a realistic goal in as far as how much you weigh and how much you want to lose. Besides, the motivation that stimulates you into keeping a diet is another relevant factor for the success of the endeavor. Then, you must consider making some changes in your lifestyle and increase your physical activity level. And only then you can move on to adjusting diet.

lose 10 pounds in a week

I think that a good method for anyone to lose 10 pounds in a week would definitely exclude crash diets that weaken the body and lead to loss of health after several such attempts. Harsh diets aim at reducing the amounts of calories to a minimum that actually starves your organism and restrains you from eating truly nutritional food. Still, although more difficult to achieve the ten-pound weight loss is possible by healthier means.

The first piece of advice warns you to change your eating habits and your lifestyle. Try to be a bit more moderate with some foods that are guilty for you having put on weight and integrate work out in your life on a daily basis. If you are committed to this especially in the first few days, you will surely see some results that will motivate you to go and struggle to lose 10 pounds in a week.

The next suggestion is to stay away from pills and keep to your well designed plan of watching what you eat, how often you eat and also work out. Remember that if you really want to lose 10 pounds in a week the body has to stay active and the metabolism needs to work at the maximum of capacity. That is why any doctor will recommend that you eat at least three main meals a day and have a snack between meals. It is important that you eat little food but more often and resort to fresh fruit and vegetables more than you have done previously.

The worst types of food that lead to putting on weight and prevent you from losing it later are the sugary and the carb-based. The fastest results in diets result from this carb-amount drop. Carbohydrates are metabolized into sugar inside your body, sugar that will later turn itself into fat. However, reducing carbs and sugar, means that you have to substitute them with something else, and that is fibers and dairy products that are not too fat.

Last but not least, exercise, exercise and exercise in order to really lose 10 pounds in a week. Any work out session should create the basis for a routine. The practice of some kind of sport is essential for any individual not only for the overweight and we should all consider it seriously. But remember that you can’t lose 10 pounds in a week if you do not sweat a little, work a muscle and really stick to the program offered to you either by a face-to-face instructor or DVD aerobic program. Good results will come with an increased focus on correct movement and exercising.

To lose 10 pounds

If you are willing to lose 10 pounds there are several things that you ought to have in mind besides the fact that you need to give up fat foods and do physical exercise. First of all, stop taking weight loss supplements recommended by word of mouth. In most cases these products are artificial and lack the nutrients necessary to optimal body functions. Or, in case they may indeed substitute for nutrients, their absorption in the system could prove faulty. As a result, your body may end up exhausted and lacking lots of vitamins and nutrients that you will feel the need to compensate by eating more at the end of the drug treatment.

A good way to lose 10 pounds is to have small frequent meals that prevent hunger. If you are actually following a harsh diet which means eating very little and very rarely, the body will not function properly and the metabolism will slow down making your body less able to deal with the quantity of food intake you will offer it later. If, instead, you have small but frequent the metabolism will remain high and deal with fat burning a lot better. This is one key thing that many of us willing to lose 10 pounds simply ignore. Remember the fact that two or three meals a day with a few healthy snacks remains the best option of to get and stay fit and active.

The psychological aspect should not get overlooked either. In order to lose 10 pounds or so, picture yourself in the process of weight loss. You visualize an objective, and see it in the best of lights. The psychological preparation has a great deal of importance if you really want to lose 10 pounds. If you take on a diet and combine it with working out, you need to prepare and get yourself determined enough on a long term basis to give up certain aspects that have initially caused the weight gain. Laziness can be defined as comfort, or rather too much comfort. Indulging yourself in eating too many sweets and too much fried, tasty food may be the element that have caused the crisis.

lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks

Who wouldn’t want to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks or so? It may sound impossible to achieve it but positive results in that direction contradict our doubts. Some people have indeed managed to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks by sticking to a very strict dietary plan and a healthy lifestyle. Basically, there are two things you can do; one is to reduce the number of calories that you eat and the other is to establish exercise routines to help you get rid of the unwanted fat.

If you are actually into both methods and combine them harmoniously you will surely manage to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks or even less. Just think about how many calories one tiny square of chocolate has. Start working out on the fitness bike and see how fast you can burn those calories down. Such a way of thinking will drastically reduce the urge to have sweets or unhealthy food that are the great enemies of a slender body.

As of the two methods mentioned above and designed to make you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, the former should present itself as a program of working out every day for at least one hour during the 2 weeks you have settled as the target for getting rid of weight. This work out program should include real aerobic classes that involve intense activity and cardio routines. By physical activities we imply something more intense than long walking sessions in parks because these burn too few calories. Aerobic and step aerobic, cycling, jogging or swimming are the sports to make you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

The latter method, which can be combined with the former, involves choosing a diet targeting your body detoxification. Next, you can go for a method relying on calorie shifting. There are lots of types of calorie shifting diets based on the same principle of fooling your body into believing that you are not actually keeping a diet and as a result your metabolism is pretty high burning fat and keeping you active until you manage to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

In conclusion, losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks could prove a pretty tough challenge. It definitely requires a great deal of dedication and determination. But most importantly, you need to think of taking up a diet or a work out routine that may be kept on a long term basis in order to have permanent results.

lose 10 pounds in 1 week

Losing weight is a common concern shared by lots of people who feel miserable when they don’t get as fit as expected. The reasons behind these people’s desire to become lighter vary from case to case. Maybe some of the most common ones come from the necessity to please others, to look better and to feel better. Some people seem like in such a hurry that they want to lose 10 pounds in 1 week. Though hard to believe, studies indicate that the loss of ten pounds over seven days only is doable, although stressful for the body system.

The diet experts, Dr. Mike Stevenson and David Scrivner are just two of those who can help you in your enterprise. So if you want to lose 10 pounds in 1 week maybe you should take a look at their advice and suggestions. For example, dr. Mike Stevenson comes up with a seven-day diet aiming to eliminate the ten unpleasant pounds. As the doctor claims this is an easy to follow diet with amazing results. There are no backery products or bread in his diet but lots of soup, fruits, vegetables and meat, cooked or raw in different combinations according to the days of the week.

On the other hand, David Scrivner who has been working in the field of bodybuilding and weight loss for quite a number of years, has some other recommendations to help you lose 10 pounds in 1 week. Burning more calories than the daily food intake is the secret to achieving great results. To lose weight there should be a balance between the energy taken from the food and the one burned by physical activities. Another tip you should consider in order to lose 10 pounds in 1 week is about the kind of food you should eat. It goes without saying that natural organic food is superior to what we purchase from the supermarket. Stick only to small means and combine natural food with multi-vitamin oral supplements. Besides, drink as much water as possible. To make sure you lose 10 pounds in 1 week, stick to a physical training routine, sleep up to nine hours each night, weigh yourself regularly and do not lose hope if the weight loss process seems slower than you’d want it to be.

lose 10 pounds in 10 days

The attempt to lose 10 pounds in 10 days could be an impossible endeavor for some people or an achievable goal for others. Well, think well. But, you should be warned that in order to lose 10 pounds in 10 days you need more than just go on a diet and do physical exercises. You need to be determined first of all. Set yourself a clear realistic goal and stick to it. Be totally honest with yourself from the beginning to the end of the weight loss period and don’t take shortcuts.

Of course you can do a lot of reading either on the Internet or from books. This research will show you that it is possible to lose 10 pounds in 10 days quite easily and with little stress as long as you decide which of the approaches is the best for you and, once you have decided that, stick to it to get the desired result.

As everybody probably knows, it is not a good solution to starve yourself in order to lose 10 pounds in 10 days or to get rid of any unwanted weight in any other period of time. Good healthy food and proper hydration combined with a healthy physical exercise program represent the solution. In addition, eliminating stress and sleeping well at night will improve your life and get you fit sooner. In one word, you should change your lifestyle and make this change permanent if possible.

In relation to exercises, try to determine how much you need to work in order to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Well, some people overreact when it comes to doing physical exercise, ending up in putting a lot of stress on the body, getting too tired too soon and, as a result, giving up without getting any results whatsoever. Therefore, to achieve the best possible results five hours of exercises per week are enough.

A helpful tip for you – if you do not know how much fat and how many calories get into your body daily, your physical training session might not be as useful as you expect. It has been discovered that people who eat around 1200 to 1500 calories every day and exercise between 30 and 300 minutes weekly are the most successful in their attempt to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Consequently you should work out between 4 and 6 hours per week and not allow your calories intake to get higher than 1500 daily.

lose 10 pounds fast

Books in libraries and articles posted on Internet sites offer a great deal of information on how to lose 10 pounds fast. Generally speaking it is not an easy task and many people feel quite disappointed that they seem not to be able to get rid of something that does not really sound like much. But they seem to make one common mistake or at least most of them do; they fail to pay attention to at least some of the factors that help one create a slender look. You can lose 10 pounds fast if you combine at least four necessary elements in the weight loss scheme.

Physical activity is the first aspect to refer to. This is the part that many of us ignore or simply avoid. We have gotten used to our cars so much that walking is not even practiced anymore. And when we are home, we either lie in bed or sit in an armchair much like we do at work where we sit at a desk. How can one really lose 10 pounds fast like this? Although we have to avoid stressing the body, physical activity is a must. Moderate exercise practiced three times a week at least should work wonders.

Hydration comes next on the list to success when you try to lose 10 pounds fast. Doctors say that each adult individual should drink about 2 liters or a liter and a half of water per day. That may seem pretty much to you, but then you might agree with another theory. Weight yourself and divide the number of kilos by two and you’ll get the amount of water necessary to support your system in 24 hours. No matter which of the above sounds more convincing, one thing is for sure, good health is impossible without correct hydration. And for weight loss, even more water is necessary. It is just like with physical training, all effort makes the body lose water.

The next thing you ought to be more careful with if you want to lose 10 pounds fast is the type of food you eat. Try to get rid of those hamburgers and French fries because they are the leaders of what we call junk food. Remove from your list whatever is fried, sweet as in sugar sweet, red meat and super white looking products in which the main ingredient is flour. Instead of those, have fruits and vegetables, grains and fish or chicken meat.

Last but not least, try to have enough sleep so that your body can repair itself after daily stress. Besides the advantage of increasing the chances to lose 10 pounds fast, good sleep also helps memory and the ability to focus.

lose 10 pounds diet

A diet is a prescribed selection of foods meant or intended to help you stay healthy or lose weight. People keep a diet because they want to get rid of some pounds, or need to feel better about themselves. There are very many types of diets available and recommended; however, some of them can be too harsh to be healthy. Here are some tips for a lose 10 pounds diet that are more than acceptable and easy to follow.

Basically, if you want to lose 10 pounds, diet is a necessity besides sports. However, this means that you’ll have to adjust some of the eating habits and take up healthier foods. To begin with, no more bottled dressings for the salads. If you were to scan the label to see how many calories one such bottle contains you would surely decide on your own to give it up. More info about how many calories we really need and how they work will prove even more convincing.

Another tip is to avoid chocolate. If you are a sweet-toothed person try jelly, hard candy and sweet fruit. Yet, even if you can have some of these, keep them under control in order to stick to the lose 10 pounds diet. Four or five candies per day will do.

It’s become a habit to avoid fat meat and this is great. However, when it comes to chicken, we seem to forget to remove the skin before eating or starting to cook it. And that is another major source of fat. Moreover, another relevant example here is canned food, for instance, canned corn is something that supermarkets sell a lot. Use the raw corn on the cob for your salads if you want a viable lose 10 pounds diet.

Following the same diet direction, say No-No to fried foods, salted peanuts and peanut butter, mayonnaise, fat yogurts, cookies and cream. The diet in itself is not harsh. It causes one you to eat healthy things but then encourages you to give up those items that lead to fat deposits accumulation. If you want to lose 10 pounds, diet plans are plentiful, but the one we’ve covered here is definitely a bit more lax and realistic

acne

Acne vulgaris is the full name of a condition that is more than just common and widespread. Acne is a disease of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands that is manifest with or without tissue inflammation. In fact the common name of pimples or zits applies to acne lesions, and they trouble the majority of teenagers as well as very many adults in their twenties or thirties. Most of the time, hormonal imbalances, inadequate diet and an intoxication of the system are among the main factors that generate this skin disease.

The body parts most affected by acne are the face, the neck, the upper back and the shoulders, but in more severe forms, people get acne on other parts of the body too, like on the head for instance. The acne symptoms and the aspect of the lesions are the elements that allow the diagnosis of a certain type of acne over another. The severest form is cystic acne which poses challenges both by the pain that accompanies it as well as by the treatment difficulty, since, besides the external pimples, there are cysts present in the deep layers of the skin.

Thus, the treatment of acne as such differs according to the severity of the condition, not to mention that there are multiple therapeutic approaches too. The complex thing about such a skin problem is that there is a very serious and worth considering issue related to acne: its psychological impact on the sufferer who is often marked by scars permanently. If pimples were the challenge of the initial acne outbreak, then scarred tissues only speak of the consequences.

There are lots of materials that teach people how to prevent acne and treat it in its early forms so that the condition does not lead to scarring. Even when the identification of the causes of the disease is not possible, the symptomatic treatment supported by a dietary plan works well too. Keep in mind that highly processed foods, with lots of fat and sugar, smoking and alcohol created imbalances that often get reflected in the skin look.

Sometimes you can be the specialist and differentiate between what is or isn’t healthy. Nevertheless stay realistic and don’t jump to adopting all sorts of treatments on the basis of false myths. The safety and efficiency of certain remedies should be a priority on the observation list. Choose the therapeutic approach because that will work best for your health!

Plants For A Future

Many people find the concept of eating flowers to be a little strange - indeed there are a few who find the very idea to be distasteful. This is rather sad because, as well as providing a nutritious food, there are some amazing taste treats in store for those who are willing to experiment with their foods. We tend to eat quite a lot of flowers. They usually make a very attractive addition to salads, the only problem we have had with doing this is that the salads can look so attractive that people are reluctant to disturb what they see as a work of art! We also enjoy just snacking on the flowers when in the garden - they usually provide a tasty and thirst-quenching snack. We have not as yet tried cooking with them - they are so delicate that I am sure both their texture and taste would be destroyed.

There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world yet fewer than 20 species now provide 90% of our food. However, there are hundreds of less well known edible plants from all around the world which are both delicious and nutritious. We advocate a style of gardening mimicking a natural woodland system using perennial plants and following vegan organic and ecological principals Our database contains 7300 edible medicinal and useful plants.

The Herbalist

The Herbalist is packed with exciting, new ideas for using herbs in hundreds of different ways, from cooking and crafts, to making your own beauty products. Over 60 herbs are described in detail, from the everyday parsley and mint, to the more exotic salad burnet and soapwort. As well as gardening and growing advice, there is information on their culinary and medicinal uses. There are over 70 mouthwatering recipes, from quick soups and sauces to delicious dinner party dishes. There are serving suggestions and ideas for using herbs to decorate the table, including centerpieces and ice bowls. Also included are instructions for making herb vinegars and oils, herbal teas, and country drinks and for drying and storing herbs.

Superb Herbs

Medicinally, the aroma of Lavender is said to have soothing properties that relieve stress and help you sleep. A few drops of oil in a warm bath or rubbed on the temples can soothe the nerves and alleviate a headache. Fill a mask with lavender and put it over your eyes for relaxing. Drink lavender tea as a circulatory and uterine stimulant (AVOID IN PREGNANCY). Use it in salves as an analgesic for bug bites to relieve itching and reduce swelling and for mild burns.

Mix a few drops in water and spray on sunburn. Mix pulverized lavender with arrowroot and white clay for baby's rash.

Chives is a perennial native to the Orient. They have been used as food for 5,000 years, first by the Chinese and then the Greeks. Marco Polo brought them to Western attention and Europeans began cultivating them in the 16th century. Colonials brought them to the New World. Chives were supposed to have magical powers, so the colonists hung them in their houses to protect themselves from diseases and evil spirits. Medicinally, the leaves are mildly antiseptic as they contain a sulfur-rich oil found in all Allium.

When sprinkled on food, they stimulate the appetite and promote digestion. They are high in vitamin C.

Most mints (Mentha) are native to Europe and Asia. Some are native to North and South America, South Africa, and Australia. The Pharisees in Biblical times paid taxes with mint. The Greeks used it in medicine and in temple rituals. It was strewn to refresh the air in homes and hospitals. Because Philemon and Baucis rubbed the table with mint before serving a meal to Zeus and Hermes, who had been traveling incognito and who had been snubbed by villagers, it has become a symbol of hospitality.

Plant Medicine

Cinnamon is one of the most popular medicines in history. It has been used around the world for many centuries to stimulate digestion and circulation and to combat respiratory infections. Modern research points to a potential benefit in diabetes, linked in part to a constituent cinnamaldehyde.

Feverfew is a bitter herb sometimes known as the ‘mediaeval aspirin’ for its ancient reputation in reducing fevers and headaches. Its modern popular use in migraine prevention has been supported by clinical trials. A major problem has been that much ‘feverfew’ available to the public has not been the right species or has lacked the active parthenolide constituents.

Valerian is both one of the most established plant remedies in modern medicine yet its mechanism of action is still unknown. Today it is generally viewed primarily as a mild sedative, but in antiquity it had wider applications, including as a general tonic. Modern human studies of variable quality suggest that valerian may help with insomnia and improve overall sleep quality (particularly in poor sleepers), relieve tension, and support relaxation.

The strong aroma of chaste trees around the Mediterranean in late summer has long been associated with women. The berries have been used at least since the Middle Ages in Europe to relieve problems associated with the menstrual cycle, and to dampen sexual desire in men! Modern research shows the berries may suppress the secretion of the female hormone prolactin by acting on the dopamine receptors in the anterior pituitary gland.

Foods

When you think about your chakra system you probably aren't considering the types of foods that you consume. Because our chakras are energy vortexes and invisible to most of us one might well imagine that chakras would thrive on energy, prayer, or other such spiritual stuff... you know, those things that we can't see with the human eye. However, the chakras cannot sustain our human body without our help. It is important to feed and nourish the flesh in order to help support and fuel our chakras. Whenever one or more of your chakras is misaligned you might do well to look and see if you are not eating or possibly overeating the foods that fuel that particular chakra. Check out the foods under each of the seven primary chakras listed here to help you determine how your current diet might be deficient or over-indulgent.

We can do our part in helping bring balance to our chakras by eating a balanced diet.

Root Chakras Foods: • Root vegetables: carrots, potatoes, parsnips, radishes, beets, onions, garlic, etc. • Protein-rich foods: eggs, meats, beans, tofu, soy products, peanut butter • Spices: horseradish, hot paprika, chives, cayenne, pepper

Sacral Chakra Foods: • Sweet fruits: melons, mangos, strawberries, passion fruit, oranges, coconut, etc. • Honey • Nuts: almonds, walnuts, etc. • Spices: cinnamon, vanilla, carob, sweet paprika, sesame seeds, caraway seeds

Solar Plexus Chakra Foods: • Granola and Grains: pastas, breads, cereal, rices, flax seed, sunflower seeds, etc. • Dairy: milk, cheeses, yogurt • Spices: ginger, mints (peppermint, spearmint, etc.), melissa, chamomile, turmeric, cumin, fennel

Heart Chakra Foods: • Leafy vegetables: spinach, kale, dandelion greens, etc. • Air vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, squash, etc. • Liquids: green teas • Spices: basil, sage, thyme, cilantro, parsley

Throat Chakra Foods: • Liquids in general: water, fruit juices, herbal teas • Tart or tangy fruits: lemons, limes, grapefruit, kiwi • Other tree growing fruits: apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, etc. • Spices: salt, lemon grass

Brow Chakra Foods: • Dark bluish colored fruits: blueberries, red grapes, black berries, raspberries, etc. • Liquids: red wines and grape juice • Spices: lavender, poppy seed, mugwort

Crown Chakra Foods: • Air: fasting / detoxing • Incense and Smudging Herbs: sage, copal, myrrh, frankincense, and juniper (These herbs are not to be eaten but are ritually inhaled through the nostrils or can be smoked through a ceremony pipe for purification purposes)

52 Proven Stress Reducers

1. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful. 2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table. Make lunches. Put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc. 3. Don't rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc. ("The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory."- Old Chinese Proverb) 4. Do nothing you have to lie about later. 5. Make copies of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in the garden. Carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key ring.

6. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home and relationships will be less likely to break down "at the worst possible moment."

7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback book can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant.

8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.

9. Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below onequarter full, keep a well- stocked "emergency shelf'' of home staples, don't wait until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more, etc.

10. Don't put up with something that doesn't work right. If your alarm clock wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers-whatever-are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones.

11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures.

12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.

13. Always set up contingency plans, "just in case." ("If for some reason either of us is delayed, here's what we'll do..." Or, "If we get split up in the shopping center, here's where we'll meet.")

14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn't get mowed this weekend.

15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count 'em!

16. Ask questions. Taking a few moments to repeat back the directions that someone expects of you, etc., can save hours. (The old "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get" idea.)

17. Say "No!" Saying no to extra projects, social activities and invitations you know you don't have the time or energy for takes practice, self-respect and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax and to be alone.

18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect. (The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or so is almost nil.)

19. Turn “needs” into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don’t get attached to preferences.

20. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

21. Make friends with nonworriers. Chronic worrywarts are contagious.

22. Take many stretch breaks when you sit a lot.

23. If you can’t find quiet at home, wear earplugs.

24. Get enough sleep. Set your alarm for bedtime.

25. Organize! A place for everything and everything in its place. Losing things is stressful.

26. Monitor your body for stress signs. If your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax your muscles and take some deep, slow breaths.

27. Write your thoughts and feelings down on paper. It can help you clarify and give you a renewed perspective.

28. Do this yoga exercise when you need to relax: Inhale through your nose to the count of eight. Pucker your lips and exhale slowly to the count of 16. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times.

29. Visualize success before any experience you fear. Take time to go over every part of the event in your mind. Imagine how great you will look, and how well you will present yourself.

30. If the stress of deadlines gets in the way of doing a job, use diversion. Take your mind off the task and you will focus better when you’re on task.

31. Talk out your problems with a friend. It helps to relieve confusion.

32. Avoid people and places that don’t fit your personal needs and desires. If you hate politics, don’t spend time with politically excited people.

33. Learn to live one day at a time.

34. Everyday, do something you really enjoy.

35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.

36. Take a bath or shower to relieve tension.

37. Do a favor for someone every day.

38. Focus on understanding rather than on being under stood, on loving rather than on being loved.

39. Looking good makes you feel better.

40. Take more time between tasks to relax. Schedule a realistic day.

41. Be flexible. Some things are not worth perfection.

42. Stop negative self-talk: “I’m too fat, too old, etc...”

43. Change pace on weekends. If your week was slow, be active. If you felt nothing was accomplished during the week, do a weekend project.

44. “Worry about the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves.” Pay attention to the details in front of you.

45. Do one thing at a time. When you are working on one thing, don’t think about everything else you have to do.

46. Allow time every day for privacy, quiet and thinking.

47. Do unpleasant tasks early and enjoy the rest of the day.

48. Delegate responsibility to capable people.

49. Take lunch breaks. Get away from your work in body and in mind.

50. Count to 1,000, not 10, before you say something that could make matters worse.

51. Forgive people and events. Accept that we live in an imperfect world.

52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Most people do the best they can.

PointFinder - The Online Acupressure Guide

Acupressure, acupuncture, and related practices Do-in, G-Jo, Shiatsu, and Myotherapy, practiced in Asia for thousands of years, have only gained wider acceptance in the West in recent times. Traditional Asian medicine emphasizes personal responsibility for one's health. This page is designed to put the relief of common and minor discomforts and symptoms into your own hands.

By learning how to stimulate your own pressure points, you can relieve minor or moderate symptoms, and reduce the need for nonprescription drugs. Unlike most drugs, relief is usually immediate.

Warnings! Acupressure should not be used: - As the only treatment for illness; if you are sick, see a doctor - If you have a heart condition - Just before or within 20 minutes after heavy exercise, a large meal, or bathing - If the point in question is under a mole, wart, varicose vein, abrasion, bruise, cut, or any other break in the skin - If you are pregnant, especially if more than 3 months How Does It Work? The concepts of internal and external environment are very important to the philosophy of traditional Asian medicine. The human body encloses a perpetual flow of bioenergy, or life-force, called "chi, "ki" or "qi." It flows into the body and along pathways called "meridians," influencing the functioning of all the organs. We remain healthy when the flow balances internally and externally.

We become ill when external or internal events disturb the flow. Along the meridians are a large number of pressure points that act as "valves" for the flow of chi. Stimulating acupoints restores balance, relieving symptoms.

The Moon Sign & Health Problems

The Moon represents the more impressionist side and the inner feelings and emotions portraying us from within. It indicates how we express our nurturing instinct and the style of immediate emotional-feeling response to experiences.With an altogether mysterious side, Moon shows our hidden aspects.

The Moon goes through all the Zodiac within its 28 day cycle and enters a new zodiac sign approximately every 2 1/2 days. The position of the transiting moon (moon's current position) helps determine the general moods of people.

Know your Moon Sign? At Lunarium you'll find a Free Online Moon Sign Calculation and Description. The better you know your birth time, the more precisely your Moon Sign will be calculated. If you don't know your birth time at all, follow the instructions there.

Now let's have a look to health problems shown by the moon:

The body's ability to function is ruled by the moon. The biological material we inherit at birth is dealt with by the sun, but how well it all works is the moon's department. The sign the moon occupies at birth will always be important in health considerations and its aspects will tell us much about what can go wrong--and why. This is in addition to any information we can obtain through the study of the person's sixth house, of course.

As a general rule, it has greater influence over women and deals with the entire female reproductive function, pregnancy, nursing and menopause. It is the primary indicator of fertility and tells the astrologer whether the woman will bear children and about how many.

The fire signs are the least fertile. The moon in Leo is particularly apt to be slow to get pregnant. Afflicted, especially in the 5th house, it shows the woman unlikely to have children at all. The moon in Leo tends to produce one--possibly two children--but seldom more unless extremely well aspected. The water signs of course are the most fertile. A water sun and moon combination can practically get pregnant by seeing a cute baby. Without birth control, any well-aspected moon can produce a full house. Earth signs are next most fertile. Air signs come in third.

In a man's chart, however, the moon points to the same areas of the body that it does in the female: the breasts, stomach and abdomen. It also has influence over the endocrine system in both sexes although it does not carry sole rulership in that area. Swelling and fluid retention belong to the moon, as well as sweating (too much or too little).

There is also another point to be mentioned. All moon positions partake of the cross - that is, all cardinal moons can produce any of the cardinal-type problems, all fixed moons can produce symptoms of any of the fixed signs and so also, the mutable signs. For instance, a Leo moon can have a Taurus throat problem as well as an Aquarian circulation difficulty or a Scorpio irritable bowel and the resultant diarrhea.

Health for each moon sign:

In Aries, the moon points to migraine headaches (usually caused by certain types of food intolerance) and sinus troubles. There can be difficulties with the mouth and tongue, and if the individual smokes or uses snuff, an afflicted Aries moon can produce very nasty results as well as a constant pain and a postnasal drip. There is usually lactose intolerance in the adult and if the moon is afflicted, the child may have to switch to soy milk or something of the kind. Fevers can be quite high. All types of dental problems and jaw infections come under Aries. They like to “psych themselves out of health problems” and create their own health. They believe in mind over matter.

Taurus is a good place for the moon and a well-aspected Taurus moon is usually quite healthy. Under stress, the throat and neck are problems. Mumps is a Taurus illness, as is strep throat (which, by the way, often produces kidney problems via Libra, the other Venus-ruled sign). The thyroid gland is here and goiter was a huge problem in the days before iodized salt. It still is in parts of the world where iodized salt is uncommon. All sore throats and difficulties with the esophagus and vocal cords come under

Taurus. Since singers and public speakers rely heavily on these organs, those with the moon in Taurus have learned to take good care of them. There is also a problem with ear aches (the Eustachian tube leads from throat to ear). Warmth of the throat is a big help in preventing problems. There can be arthritis in the neck, and blockages of veins (Venus ruled).

Gemini moons are prone to bronchitis and bursitis, colds, coughs and chronic runny noses. There can be pleurisy, inflammations of the pleura, the sac around the lungs, and emphysema. Gemini deals with the body’s ability to absorb oxygen and those with Gemini moons need plenty of fresh air, open windows and outdoor activity. They react sharply to air borne allergens and pollution of all kinds and can manifest Pisces-type weird symptoms if there is an unknown pollutant in the air. They shouldn’t be around smokers. Problems with the arms and shoulders all come under Gemini, as do problems with the hands, wrists and fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a Gemini problem.

The Cancer moon is never comfortable. Something is always upsetting their stomach or giving them palpitations or making them nervous. This is an extremely touchy position if afflicted at all. Good aspects settle it down considerably. It is prone to drinking, usually begun during a bout of “discomfort” of some type or other, but will suffer from it in the long run. The gall bladder is often a problem and hiatal hernias quite common. Heartburn should not be ignored. It is quick to ulcers and should avoid emotional distress, never eating when upset. Food can be a problem--too much, too little or the wrong kind. There is often sensitivity to “hot” foods, or acid foods or spicy foods. The breasts are a weak area and cysts and lumps may show up in both sexes. Many are unimportant but all should be checked.

The Leo moon is the connoisseur. This is the individual who wants to indulge in good food and wine and often has indigestion brought on by too much good living. There can be heart problems and high blood pressure brought about by insistence on having one’s own way. The sign tends to dramatize its symptoms, however, and loves to play sick when the person knows perfectly well he/she really is not. When there is a serious symptom, the person usually becomes frightened, shuts up and sees a doctor immediately. In women there are usually a number of female problems, and regular gynecological exams should be given. The back can be a big problem. This is one of the signs that spends a lot of money on chiropractors.

The Virgo moon is a walking invitation to an allergy party. Virgo can develop all the Gemini problems plus an array of allergies that boggles the mind. An afflicted Virgo moon can have trouble eating, breathing, or getting dressed. They can have difficulty with the carpet in the room, nylon stockings, or the plant on the window sill. A Virgo moon child should NEVER be forced to eat or use anything they object to. They will develop allergies at the drop of a hat and any emotional trauma will show up in some food sensitivity or hay fever or asthma. An afflicted Virgo moon is a mess. Getting them to talk about their problems helps and there is some evidence that counseling can alleviate allergy problems. Meanwhile, keep the anti-histamines handy. Virgo also deals with the body’s ability to absorb nutrition and problems such as Crone’s disease come under Virgo, as well as worms and appendicitis. They should avoid working with chemicals because of the hyper-sensitivity to them. Even the rubber gloves can be an irritant.

The moon in Libra brings difficulty in the kidneys, bladder and the ovaries in women. Many inflammations of the kidney can be traced to earlier strep infections of the throat (the Taurus connection to Venus) and any strep infection should be carefully watched for this reason. Sexually transmitted diseases that cause mild inflammations in the ovarian tubes and more difficult problems as well can show up, but those are usually in conjunction with a Mars affliction. Occasionally this produces so-called tubular pregnancies in women, but, again, there is usually a coordinating aspect from some other planet. Libra moons are sensitive to water-borne pollution and can absorb toxins or infectious agents quickly from swimming pools or hot tubs as well as skin-applied products, such as cosmetics. The skin requires cleanliness or boils and in-grown hairs can result, as well as infections of the skin. While skin infections are less common today, they still occur and can act like hives or produce open sores, as in impetigo and the like.

The Scorpio moon guarantees problems in the genital and/or rectal areas of both men and women. A common one is constipation, particularly on trips or in any situation which disrupts the normal pattern of elimination. This often contributes to hemorrhoids and flatulence, which are also common, as is the irritable bowel syndrome which produces diarrhea-like symptoms. It is usually caused by food or tension. This is the sign of prostate problems for men, pregnancy and delivery problems of all kinds for women. For women it can start with menstrual difficulties and go on to difficulty in intercourse, the so-called “tipped uterus” and every imaginable gynecological development in the books. Fertility is not usually a problem with this sign but cases in which seeming difficulty in launching a pregnancy is treated with fertility drugs can boomerang mightily, producing multiple births. In the male, impotence can appear, as can the reverse, priapism.

The Sagittarian moon often produces growths, cysts and tumors, thanks to the link to Jupiter. This sign has particular sympathy with the liver and the urge to “party” so typical of this position can bring on cirrhosis if there is a lifetime of such overindulgence. Jaundice will show up readily if other diseases stress the body and travel infections (malaria or rarer diseases) should not be overlooked. Where the chart indicates a long life, there will be difficulties in walking or hip problems in the later years. Hormonal disturbances that cause growth problems can show up here. Exercise will often cure all kinds of health problems and the tendency to gain weight. It is the first remedy that should be tried. Sometimes the last.

Capricorn moons show bone, teeth and skin problems will be emphasized. This is another sign that often produces lactose intolerance and the subsequent lack of adequate calcium can bring on a lifetime pattern of weak bones and constant breakages. Combinations of aspects can show where the breakages occur. This is the sign that deals the most with old age and often points to joint replacement as the bones lose their cushioning and begin to rub on one another. The teeth can be lost to decay, breakage or neglect and this is one of the signs that repays neglect furiously. Light sensitivity is found here, as well as clinical depression brought on by physical causes. It also deals with nails and ingrown toenails or nail deterioration can appear, as well as nail fungus.

The Aquarian moon is arthritis prone, as rigidity is usually a problem, and points to hardening of arteries as well as varicose veins (particularly in the legs) and circulatory difficulties. Both Leo and Aquarius deal with circulation and both signs choose warmer climates if possible, in old age. The Aquarius moon sometimes produces a wide array of strange symptoms when the individual is under severe stress. Simple routines and a regular amount of food and sleep are vital and can often produce remarkable improvement. Hair problems come under this sign and so do all neurological diseases and strange responses, such as a tic that won’t go away. This is the sign that used to cause children to be considered “high strung.” Fresh air-particularly breezes-are healthful.

The Pisces moon gets the foot problems. Carefully fitted shoes, frequent changes of socks to prevent excess moisture and prompt attention to complaints should be every parent’s concern for the child with a Pisces moon. A sliver in a toe can blow up into life-threatening blood poisoning. Athlete’s foot as well as gout come here. Diet helps gout, cleanliness and dryness prevent athlete’s foot. This sign deals with the endocrine system and diabetes can cause severe foot problems as well as other difficulties. This is another sign of sensitivity to allergens and something like poison ivy can be a constant trouble if the individual is not careful.

Let me add several more caveats to this list. When one attempts to list a few of the health concerns of any sign, it is with the understanding that the moon does not operate alone in the birth pattern. The sun sign can greatly modify or re-direct ailments and the sixth house is extremely significant for all of us. In addition, there is the reciprocity found between signs of the same quadruplicity.

Take a detached retina, for instance. One would expect it to show up with an Aries moon, an Aries sun, or perhaps an affliction from the sign Aries. In fact, it can show up in any cardinal area because all of the cardinal signs resonate to each other and opposites can attract problems as well as lovers. Hence, we might have a Libra with such an Aries problem and an Aries with a kidney stone.

Judgment of any chart is a blending of the various elements. The moon is only one element, though a vital and important one.

Reiki - You Can Do it!

Reiki as a preventive and curative medicine

Eastern medical philosophy has always emphasized the superiority of maintaining good health over curing illness. Reiki is a preventive medicine par excellence. But it is even more: When practising Reiki on yourself or others, you experience both its preventive and its curative functions at the same time. If you have a disease, Reiki will cure it, if not, Reiki will promote your health and longevity. This preventive cum curative quality of Reiki makes it a unique healing system.

It is natural to be healthy

It is only when certain parts of our bodies fail to function naturally that sickness occurs. The causes may be from bacteria and viruses, organic (toxins) or psychosomatic.

• Bacteria and viruses are always present in our bodies, but they are kept in check (sometimes even exploited to do useful work for us) as long as our bodies function naturally.
  
• Toxins are continually clogging our organs, but as long as we function naturally, these toxins will be neutralized by the chemicals produced by our body.
  
• Our brain is continually stressed, but again, if nature runs its course we will be adequately relieved after sleep and rest.

The Eastern concept of health is also wider than that of the West. To be healthy is not just to be free from disease. A person cannot be called healthy if he/she is often restless, irritable or extremely forgetful, cannot concentrate or sleep soundly, and has no zest for work or play.

How Reiki works and promotes health: Health through Reiki & How to use Reiki.



Reiki Symbols as keys

The Reiki symbols are like keys that open doors to a higher mind. You can also see them as buttons, when you press the button you automatically get a result. In my opinion one of the functions of the Reiki symbols is to instantly override the user's precognition that some things cannot be done (i.e. distance healing). The symbols trigger a belief or intention built into the symbols that helps the user to get the results intended. The different symbols also quickly connect the user to the universal life force.
When a Reiki Master does an attunement and shows the Reiki symbols to a student, the form of the symbol is impressed in the students mind and merges with the metaphysical energies it represents.
When a Reiki practitioner draws, thinks about or visualizes a symbol it will instantly connect to the energies it represents.

The Reiki Symbols



From ancient times whenever someone develops a secret method the one would teach this to the people among family, as a legacy for the later generations of the family living. That idea, not to open to the public and keep that sacred method in the family, is really the past century's bad custom.

In modern days we have to live together. That's going to be the basis of happiness, earnestly wanting social progress.

That's why I definitely won't allow to keep this for myself. Our Reiki Ryoho is a creative idea, which no one has developed before and there is nothing like this in this world. Therefore I am going to open this idea to anybody for the peoples benefit and welfare.

Reiki in the words of the founder Mikao Usui - An Interview.



All this and much more you will find on:
Reiki - You Can Do it! by Goran Sandwall at Reiki.nu.
This site is trying to impart information about Reiki and the healing abilities of this easy to learn system. Highly Recommended!

Herbs to Herbs

It's no doubt that herbs have never lost their popularity. For thousands of years, their beauty, fragrance, and flavor have given humankind much pleasure. Herbs were our first medicines, used to treat problems ranging from sore throats and hypertension to heart disease and battle wounds.

Today, we season our foods with culinary herbs, prepare scents from the aromatic kinds, and cultivate them for the color and texture they bring to the garden. Even herbal medicine is experiencing a renaissance as scientific research confirms in the laboratory what our ancestors knew from experience.




Image from Elizabeth Blackwell's flora Herbarium Blackwellianum emendatum et auctum



... The herbal remedies made from the leaves of the dandelion are used as a diuretic, it is also used in the treatment of high blood pressure which it accomplishes by reducing the total volume of fluid present in the body at any time.

As a detoxification agent, the root of the dandelion herb is considered to be one of the most effective and beneficial herbal remedies. The waste products accumulated in the liver and the gall bladder is removed by this herbal remedy and it principally affects the functioning of the liver and the gallbladder. The kidneys are also stimulated by the dandelion at the same time and it enables the rapid removal toxins through the urine produced. The root of the dandelion is known to be a remarkably well balanced herbal remedy, the steady and gradual elimination of toxins accumulating in the body due to infection or pollution is accelerated by the root of the dandelion. In the treatment of a variety of conditions, the dandelion possesses major and effective therapeutic benefits, these include the treatment of persistent constipation, the treatment of various types of skin problems, including acne, and eczema, and diseases like psoriasis. The root also treats other types of arthritic conditions, including severe conditions such as osteoarthritis, and disorders like gout ...





Herbs have been used to flavor food and to make medicines since prehistoric times. Herbs are small flowering plants, and there are hundreds of different kinds, each with its own special properties. Usually it is the leaves that are valued, but it can be the flowers or the stem. Some, such as basil and oregano, are edible and used in small quantities to flavor food. Others, like feverfew are valued more for their medicinal qualities. Many of today's medicines came originally from plants, including aspirin (from willow trees), morphine (from the seeds of the opium poppy), and quinine (from the bark of the cinchona tree of South America). An extract of the rosy periwinkle, called vincristine, is one of the drugs used against leukemia, a childhood cancer.
Egyptian pyramid builders ate garlic because they thought it would give them strength. Rosemary gets its name from the Latin rosmarinus which means sea dew. Bay leaves were used to crown poets and heroes in Ancient Rome. The Ancient Greeks called basil "King of Herbs". The Latin name for sage is Salvia, which means healthy, and sage is thought to have healing qualities. Mint and the spice cinnamon keep moths away from clothes.

Body, Mind, Spirit

Throughout history, the maintenance of health and the prevention of disease have been of fundamental human concern. In Asia, the wellbeing of humanity has always been interpreted as a balance of body, mind and spirit. This exhibition explored the theories and practices that relate to this harmonious relationship by introducing the great traditions of Asia, which focus on balance in all aspects of life.

Body in balance
The exhibition begins with an introduction to the various medical traditions of the Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist cultures. All stress the importance of the body being in balance and treatment is prescribed on that basis. In order to establish the source of imbalance, complex diagnostic systems are employed.

Common to all these traditions is the principle of vitality, called prana in India, qi in China, ki in Japan and rLung in Tibet. If this force becomes blocked, help is needed to restore the physical, mental and spiritual balance of the body.

Indian anatomical man


This painting bears a close stylistic resemblance to the anatomical drawings of the medieval Persian anatomist Mansur, a examples of which are shown above. The text surrounding the image is mixed Sanskrit and Old Gujarati and mainly describes the mystical body of tantric meditation and the flow of the life force (prana) throughout the body. The image shows the combination of both Unani (based on Greek) and Indian anatomical knowledge.


Harmony with the environment
In Asia, shrines and temples are sited in places where the flow of energy is most beneficial. Such energies are thought to pervade the landscape. Architecture is viewed as a divine science and the construction of buildings conforms to sacred geometric principles.

Pilgrimages are made to these places of spiritual power, to generate merit and to ensure wellbeing. Another way to promote good health is through the ancient Chinese science of feng shui, which deals specifically with creating a positive flow of qi by balancing the elements within the environment.

Homage to Guru Nanak


Indian painting showing kings and devotees paying homage to Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak (1469-1538) was a Hindu raised under Muslim rule and influence, who combined Hindu and Islamic beliefs to achieve religious and social harmony. Sikhism believes in the unity of the Godhead and preaches a gospel of universal toleration.


Harmony with the world beyond
This section is devoted to how the wellbeing of the body is affected by the cosmic forces of the universe. Astrology, astronomy and cosmology all contribute to an understanding of these forces. The balance between the world of the living and the world beyond is maintained through correct medical treatment, the use of amulets and spiritual practice.

Degrees of the zodiac


Each zodiacal sign is divided into thirty degrees. The opening from this Persian manuscript shows degrees one to twelve (right)and thirteen to twenty-four (left) within the zodiacal sign of Taurus. Each degree is depicted by a small miniature, with an explanatory note above stating the number of the degree and a brief description. For example, degree fifteen seen at the top left of the left page depicts a man holding a sprig of basil, a herb used in healing.