Causes of Tiredness - The Real Reason You Feel Tired

What are the causes of tiredness? What is the real reason you feel tired? Most people will try to tell you that you aren't getting enough rest at night, or that you are working too much, even that you are overly stressed. While these are reasons for being tired all the time, they are only part of a bigger picture on excessive fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as CFS.

In the modern medical world, CFS is a little known illness that seems to affect a lot of people, leaving doctors and other health care professionals scratching their heads in wonder at what truly is the real cause behind chronic fatigue syndrome. At the same time homeopathic and alternative doctors and professionals are helping some CFS sufferers feel better and eliminate the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome through natural remedies and body cleanses.

So what is it that these alternative professionals know that medical professionals do not? Well it's not a case of one knowing something that the other does not know; it is more a case of what one easily accepts as it is a natural occurring problem versus what one chooses not to accept as it was not taught in their extensive schooling.

There are three main causes for CFS that a health conscience professional will tell you could be the real reasons you feel tired. These 3 reasons include a parasitic infection, fungal overgrowth, or excessive heavy metals in the body. Okay, so what do all of these mean? How do they occur and how do we treat them?

Having high levels of heavy metals in the body and blood stream, such as arsenic, mercury, can lead to the immune system being disabled, and other important organs or glands shutting down. When this happens the body is left wear and vulnerable to many other illnesses that can lead to CFS and other related health issues.

Having a fungal infection usually means an overgrowth of candida yeast in one's body; this is a common problem with those people who are on constant high doses of prescription medications, especially antibiotics. These types of medicines act like food and nutrients for the candida to feed on, causing rapid growth of this fungus in the body. Much like with the heavy metals, fungal infections wear down the body's immune system leaving a person open for other infections and leaving excessive fatigue in its wake.

Parasites can be found in the foods that people eat or drink, and they can be transmitted from one host to another through the bite or sting of blood sucking insects. This type of parasitic infection latches onto your body which acts like a host that provides the microorganisms with nourishment to grow into adulthood. While the parasites are taking nutrients from your body, your immune defense is being lowered, your energy is being zapped and chronic fatigue and other possible health issues start to show up.

By being aware of these three possible causes of CFS, we can have a better understanding of what to look for and what kinds of questions to ask any kind of health professional, be it one of modern conventional medicines or one of a more natural and holistic medicine. Then once a proper diagnosis is given, we can start treatments that will being to eliminate these possible causes from our bodies, leaving us feeling healthier and more energized then before.

Do you find yourself sleepy a lot? The following article will address the real reason why you're always sleepy. With the hectic lives that people lead in this present day and age, being tired and sleepy are not uncommon feelings for most people. Yet realizing that they are sufferers of a disorder called chronic fatigue syndrome is not something that they regularly think about. Instead they simply believe that if they slowed down some and got a full night of rest that they would feel better, but this doesn't always work.

If you are one of these people who always feel tired and sleepy even after a full eight hours of work, then you might be one of those who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome also known as CFS. There are many symptoms that are associated with this disorder that mimic those of other illnesses which makes CFS one of those health problems that are not always easily detected or diagnosed.

The signs and symptoms of CFS include one or more of the following:

• Chest Pains
• Chills or Night Sweats
• Chronic Headaches
• Coughing
• Excessive or Chronic Fatigue
• Inability to Focus or Stay on Task
• Insomnia or Restless Sleep
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Loss of Memory
• Muscular and Joint Aches and Pains
• Nausea
• Sudden Drop in Attendance in Work or School
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Unexplained Increase in Allergies

As can be seen, these symptoms can also point to the possibility of other medical issues, but if you have been under the care of a medical professional for one or more of these symptoms and nothing seems to be helping, try to ask about chronic fatigue syndrome. While there is no cure for this disorder there is always the possibility of lessening the symptoms of this serious problem within one's body and one's life.

Testicular Cancer Symptoms - What to Look Out For

If you've recently been diagnosed, or are worried you might have it, you might be asking yourself what is testicular cancer? As you may have guessed by the name of the disease, testicular cancer is a form of cancer that is found in men's testicles. Over the course of a man's lifetime, the odds of him getting testicular cancer are roughly 1 in 250. Surprisingly enough, the age group most affected by it is relatively young. It is most commonly found in males aged 15 to 40, and men are most frequently diagnosed in their mid twenties. Fortunately, the survival rate for those who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer is extremely high, approximately 90 percent. In fact, stage 1 testicular cancer has a survival rate of up to 95 percent.

 

Now that the question of 'what is testicular cancer' has been answered, let's talk about the symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms are blood in the semen, loss of sexual appetite, tenderness or pain in the testicles, a lump or hardening in one of the testicles or an increase (or drastic decrease) in size of one of the testes. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is imperative that you see your doctor as soon as possible. While testicular cancer is rare in African American males, the incidence of it has doubled in that particular demographic from 1988 to 2001. It is also possible for infants to get testicular cancer, and incidence actually peaks in that age group as well as in men age 60 plus.

Between 7,000 to 8,000 men are diagnosed in the United States each year, and if you've overcome testicular cancer in the past it can come back. Recently, testicular cancer has been in the media quite a bit. Former Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong was diagnosed and almost died of testicular cancer, as did Tom Green and Richard Belzer. So what is testicular cancer? It turns out, it's something that no man is immune from.

Considering that 1 in 250 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer at one point or another, knowing which testicular cancer symptoms to look for can be a life saving bit of knowledge. When you think about it, the statistics are staggering. Not only is testicular cancer fairly common, but it can affect any age group. While you're most likely to be diagnosed with testicular cancer while you're in the 15 to 40 age bracket, everyone from infants to the elderly are at risk. On the bright side, testicular cancer is one of the less deadly forms of the ailment. The mortality rate for testicular cancer as a whole is only around 10 percent, and when it is caught in the earliest stage that number drops to approximately 5 percent.

Still, many people have died from it and it doesn't matter how healthy you are. Take, for instance, Lance Armstrong. The man was a living legend and had won the Tour De France several times when he was diagnosed at the peak of his career. While he ended up living through it, testicular cancer was almost the end of this American Hero. As a result, a huge movement started with people buying and wearing yellow rubber LiveStrong wrist bands. Aimed at raising awareness, the little yellow bands did their job. All that, and many people still don't know many of the testicular cancer symptoms.

If you're unfamiliar with testicular cancer symptoms, please hop online and look them up. There are several of them, many of which are relatively obvious. Others, however, might not send up as many red flags. For example, did you know that dull pain in your lower abdomen is a symptom of testicular cancer? I certainly didn't, until I did my homework. I suggest you do some of your own, it could just save your life one day.

If you're a man who has been diagnosed with testicular cancer and are looking for somebody to connect with, testicular cancer forums might be the best place to turn. If you're unfamiliar with what forums are, allow me to explain. Online forums are places where people can go to talk about specific topics. They're like written forms of conversation, and any member (sometimes even people who aren't members) can start topics or comment on ones that have already been started. If you have questions, you can start a new topic (called a thread) and write them all out. Depending on how popular the forum is, you can have several answers almost immediately.

Testicular cancer forums can be great for men who don't know anyone who has had to deal with testicular cancer. These forums can be like instant support groups, with members writing in words of encouragement, suggestions or even promises for prayer support. Additionally, you can be as anonymous as you'd like on these forums. This means that if your family doesn't know that you've been diagnosed or are concerned about possibly having testicular cancer, you can talk online in the forums about it without having to worry about being discovered.

Unfortunately, the benefit of anonymity on testicular cancer forums (and online forums in general) is also a huge drawback. You can never really be sure of who you're talking to. A person may give medical advice and claim to be a doctor, but there's really no way for you to verify it before deciding whether or not to follow the advice. Still, as long as you're careful and are aware of what you may be dealing with, there's no reason not to frequent the forums. They can be incredibly therapeutic, and I highly recommend them.

What to Eat to Grow Taller - Know What to Eat!

Many people who are smaller in stature often wonder what to eat to grow taller. It goes without saying that eating a well balanced nutritious diet will aid in your growth. You need vitamins, minerals, fats, fiber and calcium to keep a good physical physic and to help your growth. In this article I will attempt to show you what type of foods you need to eat in order to grow taller.

Vitamin A

You need vitamin A for proper growth, it also aids your eye development, reproductive organs as well as being a vital support to your immune system. If you do not get enough of this vitamin your bones may fail to grow adequately alongside poor teeth decay. You also do not want to over indulge in vitamin A as this can have serious side effects.

Protein

Protein is essential for overall growth and the repair of muscles and body tissue. You can readily find this in red meat, eggs, milk and nuts among other things.

Vitamin D

You need this to help absorb calcium from food which aids the growth in your bones. This vitamin also helps regulate growth. Found in fish, liver and egg yolk as well as ultraviolet radiation (the sun)

Saturated Fat

This comes in the form of meats such as your steaks or lamb chops. While this doesn't' specifically aid in your height it is part of the overall balanced diet that you need for optimal growth.

Unsaturated Fat

These types of fat are extremely important and are sourced from such materials as nuts and olives. This is considered a good fat whereas the saturated fat is considered a "bad fat" in large amounts.

Fiber

Fiber is very important and can be found in whole grains, seed, vegetable, fruit and my favorite, porridge!

Does Stretching Increase Height?

Yes, because of a couple of reasons.

First, our bones and muscles can be developed by proper and regular exercise. With proper stretching, our spine will become straighter and longer, thus, increasing the height and giving proper posture.

Other questions like, "will stretching increase height even if I am over 20?" have been answered. Studies have shown that it will increase height even on persons over 23 years old. Some have even recorded an increase of 3 inches to a 25 year-old.

Stretching also helps the production of the growth hormone. Our body decreases the production of this hormone as we grow older. But the proper stretching exercises will help increase it back.

Second, stretching increase height because our joints are capable of expanding by performing some stretching exercises and massaging them regularly. Athletes often stretch and massage their knees and elbows to be developed.

It is a fact that tall people are more favored and is likely to be more successful than shorter ones. Being tall implies that you know how to take care and develop your body. For instance, women find tall men to be sexy. Hence, the "tall, dark, and handsome" criteria that women are always looking for. Men also find tall women to be attractive. Women with long legs and sexy body can really draw the attention of the guys. Also, in some professions or careers, height is a requirement and the taller applicants are given more consideration. Another reason for their success is that height also comes with it an aura of self-confidence. Being tall makes a person believe that he can be whoever he wants to be.

Taking into account these realities, it is important today to be tall and physically fit. You do not have to take all those food supplements that claim to be effective or spend a lot of cash on painful surgeries. You do not even need to spend money on equipments and gadgets. Lots of Stretching increase height naturally and effectively.

Not all models are born tall. Most of them only acquire their long and sexy physique because of sleeping, proper diet, and of course, stretching. We can almost see them everyday in TV or even in person doing their stretching routines. Some models also do yoga which is a variation of stretching. The main purpose is to develop your body through stretching and relaxation.

Basketball players are taller than they are supposed to be. Those long arms and slender body are the result of stretching exercises. A normal person will not attain an athlete's body without the proper work out. These athletes have professional instructors that design their stretching routines to make their body longer and more conditioned.

Stretching does not have to be painful, time-consuming, or even rigorous. A 10-minute session everyday can work wonders and you can even see results as early as 3 weeks. Stretching regularly can also improve your body posture which will contribute in making you look taller. It also gives you more energy during the day because stretching will make your muscles loosen up.

7 Top Online Health Tips - Daily Care Guidelines

Due to busy and hectic scheduled of the people they are ignoring their health problems. Moreover, people are suffering from so many diseases that are creating the hindrances in their life. Here are some of the online health tips that will definitely help you a lot in making you physically and mentally fit.

1. One should always drink more and more water as it removes the toxins from the body. Try not to drink excessively tea, coffee or cold drinks as it is not good for health.

2. A sleep of 8 hours a day is really good for heath. This helps in our body's upgrading and also improves our immune system. One can also do some yoga or meditation in order to get relax. Complete sleep also helps us in reducing the body stress.

3. Eating junk food on a daily basis is also one of the major problems that invite the number of health diseases. We should try to eat the greenly food as it makes our body healthy.

4. Doing exercise on a regular basis also makes our body physically fit. Join a group or a gym that can help in making a habit to take out some time for your body also.

5. Breakfast is the most important meal that helps to start the metabolism of our body after a long sleep. It can be a little bit heavy but if you can't eat heavy breakfast then go for some fruit salads.

6. One should always try to go for a regular medical checkup that helps us to determine that whether we have some health problems or not.

7. We should always try to wake up early in the morning as it makes our body healthy and wealthy fit.

These are some of the online health tips that can be really helpful for us in many ways. Merely by following all these steps, you can make yourself completely stress free and more energetic. 

Did you know that the body is 70% water by composition? We need to drink enough water each day to keep our body hydrated and stop our cells from drying out. But how much is enough?

There are different recommendations for how much water people should drink each day. The standard recommendation is 2 litres per day. Another recommendation is to drink between 30-35ml per kilogram of body weight per day. So, a person who weighs 70kg will need 2.1 to 2.5 litres. This is the amount of water that is required to turn over just for day to day normal activity".

Some of the roles of water and hydration in the body are, transportation of nutrients, elimination of wastes, lubricating the joints and tissues, facilitating digestion, aiding concentration, keeping the skin looking younger and more vitality.

If you are doing any physical activity, then you need more water. People who work outdoors on hot days may require four, five or six litres of water per day. Researchers have questioned the need for this amount of water each day, but there is not really any need for researchers to tell us the body needs water.

To illustrate why the water in the body needs to turn over and move, think about a stagnant pool and a flowing river. A stagnant pond does not sustain life because it has no energy about it. A flowing river sustains life and has a tremendous energy about it. The molecules of water are the same, but the difference is the molecules are moving in the case of the river and not in the stagnant pond. Water needs to move through and not stagnate in the body.

One of the best ways of gauging our hydration status is the color of our urine. The darker the color the more concentrated it is. This means the body is hanging on to water to preserve what it has. Urine should be clear or pale straw yellow and is so when we have enough water on board.

Some say they do not like the taste of water of are just not used to drinking it.

Here are some tips to overcome this.

1) Squeeze lemon or orange juice into the water.

2) If you are not used to drinking much water, every time you have one glass, have a second.

3) To start more gradually, have an extra half glass when you have one full glass of water and build it up from there. The aim is to get this to a stage where you actually miss your water if you do not have it.

4) When you feel hungry between meals, first have a glass of water. If after ten minutes you are still hungry have another. If you are still hungry ten minutes later have something to eat

People who spend much of their lives in a slightly dehydrated form do not have a comparison. Common symptoms of this are tiredness headaches and problems concentrating. Once the body is hydrated, you will notice when your body is getting slightly dehydrated. This will send you running to replenish. When you are at this stage you have reached sustainability.

The body is 70% water and like a river the water needs to flow. It is easy once you get into the "flow" of it. Water is the second pillar of DIY Health.

The Most Powerful Nutrition Tea You Will Find That Deters Cancer

Green Tea has for years been the nutrition tea of all teas for the Chinese. They recognised its power and abilities to heal and prevent illnesses over 4,000 years ago. In this article I am going to discuss those powers in detail, so pay close attention...

To begin with, the reason why Green Tea stands out against other teas is that it is produced differently. Its leaves are steamed during production which prevents any of the antioxidants from being destroyed or changed. Other teas such as Oolong Tea and White Tea's leaves are fermented, changing the antioxidants into other forms. The main antioxidant in Green Tea that holds most of the 'power' is a catechin polyphenol called Epilgallocatechin Gallate, in short EGCG.

EGCG is basically a flavanoid, and is similar yet more powerful than its cousin flavanoids found in broccoli, red wine, grapes and green cabbage. EGCG is capable of binding itself to protein cells that are found on tumour cells and dramatically slowing down their growth. A receptor found on the surface of cancer cells called Laminin, was treated with EGCG concentrate and the results of this showed significant reduction in further cell growth. This finding was revealed in April's issue of Nature Structural and Molecular Biology magazine. It was also stated that the concentration of EGCG's that showed these results were the same amount you get from drinking just 3 cups of Green Tea a day.

Another finding, by Dr. H -H Sherry Chow of University of Arizona, Tucson, revealed that the body creates within itself detoxifying enzymes called Glutathione S- Transferase (GST). These GST enzymes help the body defend against toxic and cancer causing compounds. Dr. Chow's study showed that GST enzymes were activated by EGCG. In a group of people who had low GST levels, using concentrated Green Tea extracts, had an 80% increase in production of GST. Thus their defence against cancer was heightened dramatically. The Green Tea extract used was more potent than you would get from having a few cups of this nutrition tea a day, however you can see why regular intake of Green Tea will help on a continual basis to keep these GST enzymes activated, growing and defending.

Another astonishing find shows that EGCG can react with Leukaemia cells in that it halts communication between the cells, which deters them from growing and multiplying any further. On this note I would like to point out that, regardless of the multiples of Green Tea products you can buy for your skin, or extracts you can take as supplements - a freshly brewed cup of Green Tea is the best way to avail of the powerful antioxidants it contains. During production, as I stated earlier, the leaves are steamed dry during production, thus saving all antioxidant concentrates. When the leaves/tea bag is soaked in hot water, this is how the antioxidants are set free if you will. So this is the absolute freshest way you can obtain their full influence and take full advantage of the potency straight away, before it is produced again to make an extract or a cream. Get it at its best!

Preparing For Your Recovery After Surgery

Preparing for surgery's final phase requires your special attention in order to achieve its best results. While each stage of having surgery is important, the healing and recovery phase is more than just lying in bed recuperating. When we actively participate in our own healing and recovery, we can have a huge impact on the amount of time it will take for us to heal.

From the very first days of preparing for surgery, we should keep an eye particularly on the final stage of surgery. Everything we do (or don't do) in those first days can impact our end results.

During the early days before surgery, addressing the following concerns can help you recover smoothly.

• Who is going to help around the house while you are healing from surgery
• Move items down that you will need - within your easy reach
• Purchase a long-handled reacher just in case
• Pickup any loose carpets or tape down edges of rugs
• Tape down unruly electrical cords
• Ask your doctor about special equipment that could make your recovery easier. Items like elevated toilet seats or perhaps a shower bench would be a good investment in your recovery.
• If needed, install handrails or grab bars in your shower
• Make sure you have a comfortable chair with two-arms and a firm back and seat.

Knowing exactly what to expect after having surgery is just as important as knowing what to expect in the beginning. Talk with your doctor about how much time it will take for you to recovery. Also, talk to your doctor about how much pain you will experience after surgery. Then discuss your options for pain management with your surgeon or anesthesiologist.

Pain! It is part of having surgery, and we will more than likely experience it, at least to some degree. Pain is our body's warning system that sends signals to our brain, "damage has been done - your attention is required!"

Pain is normal after having surgery, but it can sometimes interfere with your recovery by:

• causing extra stress and anxiety that could lead to depression
• causing you not to be able to get out of the bed, increasing your risk of blood clots
• it can slow down or prolong the return of normal digestion
• may cause you to suppress coughing, which can lead to pneumonia

If pain gets in the way of your healing, your doctor can prescribe a narcotic to help you manage your pain or perhaps recommend an over-the-counter pain relief medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

One of the best ways to take a proactive approach with your healing and the management of pain is to practice relaxation techniques. It can also help to apply heat or ice to the site of your surgery. Massage and stretching exercises are particularity beneficial for the management of pain.

Listening to positive affirmations, guided visualizations, or meditations can greatly enhance your overall sense of well-being, reduce pain, and decrease the time it takes for your body to heal.

So... when preparing for surgery's last stage, take special note of the above suggestions so that you can quickly heal. Make sure that you also have a set of headphones available so you can turn up the healing affirmations and turn down the dial on your pain.

Surgery Companion Audios [http://www.prepareforsurgerynow.com/order.htm] can get you through the difficult stages of surgery and help you heal faster.

You can also - Download my free guide Less Stressful Surgery [http://www.PrepareForSurgeryNow.com] to get the most out of having surgery.

Mary Edison is a self-help enthusiast, writer and entrepreneur. She has been helping people just like you prepare for surgery for more than 25 years.

Faith and the Big Bang Theory of Creation

Scientists have faith that a random and spontaneous Big Bang, followed by Nucleo-Synthesis in expanding dark matter coalesced to form the Universe over 4 billion years ago. Steady State Theory has recently been abandoned for an acceptance that a universal resonant frequency is the "echo" of the bang. They have faith that in this rapid expansion of the universe, the Sun spontaneously ignited and held certain matter in its orbit. After closer examination they are now reporting that the universal temperature is a constant. 

They have now reduced the time for the formation of the universe and the elements to less than 3 minutes in order to compensate for the cooling affect over time. Then they say several billion years later that the Planets randomly formed by meteor collisions that coalesced into solid spheres. We are then asked to have faith that one particular random coalescence led to the formation of the Earth and Moon at the exact distance from the Sun necessary to support organic life. 

Then they say that billions of years ago ice carrying comets struck the earth and deposited more minerals and nutrients to support the extraterrestrial amino and nucleic acids deposited by subsequent meteors. Then the earth was almost completely covered by water. Some water was salty, and some water was fresh. Scientists have now discovered that at some time or another, every continent of the face of the earth was under salt water. So when the water recedes we are to have faith that lightning struck some rancid fresh water and the amino acids began to form single celled life;

And that those cells randomly evolved into a life form capable of climbing onto land and breath oxygen from evolved lungs; and then those organisms evolved into Dinosaurs; and then a random meteorite shower or an instantaneous global volcanic activity, or a disease, or all of the above destroyed the dinosaurs; and then the Earth was covered by salt water; again; then it receded; and then some lightning hit the new rancid fresh water; and new amino acids formed to make new life forms. And this completely new form of life of evolved to breath on land and that some of those life forms eventually walked upright and then one of those life forms built a rocket and traveled to the moon in search of new life forms.

That's faith. Faith is the position no matter which side of the argument one is on. The cumulative probability of each of these independent scientific evolutionary phenomena resulting in life is immeasurable. The probability that an Omniscient Spiritual Force created the universe is 50/50. It either happened or it did not. The concept that modern Humans evolved from simple microorganisms to form complex ideologies regarding their existence is in itself a mythology. 

The advent of published evolutionary thought is assigned to the Greek philosopher Anaximander (610 - 546 B.C.). He is believed to be the first to hypothesize and publish that Humans evolved from aquatic life forms. The Chinese philosopher Chuang Tsu (≈ 350 B.C.) was first to publish the concept that life forms have the innate ability to transform and adapt to their surroundings.

Western Science does not discover "evolution" until 1858 when Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace race to publish Tsu's 2,000-year-old theory. The case for evolutionary theory is limited. The concept that individual organic organisms exist in isolation is also evidence for divine creation, as it supposes that individual organisms were created for the conditions in which they were intended to exist.

The Evolution argument also lacks the sufficient transitional fossil evidence necessary to prove that aquatic organisms mutated into Humans. Every fossil is unique to its location and time. There are no fossilized remains to show a definite transition in any species. The debate for the creation of the universe is currently grounded in scientific theories and known observational "facts." The Evolutionists believe that the universe exploded into existence. Creation Science claims the universe was spoken into existence.

The Genesis Revelation: A Scientifically Correct Translation of the Hebrew Book of Genesis, A Consolidated Mythological History of the Antediluvian World, And The Most Comprehensive Argument for Creation Science Ever Written

The Mystery of The Anointed Messiah and Divine Creation are the most controversial and misunderstood subjects known to Humankind. For thousands of years, Scientists, Theologians, and Laypersons alike have studied the Holy Bible in search of logical and practical solutions for these and the many other Biblical mysteries. Creationism is the original theory for existence and the advent of scientific thought has rendered the current case for creation impotent in light of the evidences. 

The theory that the Earth and all life on it were created in 6 actual days is incomprehensible to this new and more learned generation of faithful, skeptics, and agnostics. They seek a spiritual truth that is more consistent with what we have discovered about the Universe. The current Translation is scientifically archaic and skewed by the Old Testament Tradition that served as its basis. 

The original Hebrew and Greek languages tell a completely different story. The Universe and Planet Earth are as old as they need to be to look the way they do. The Authors of the Ancient Manuscript understood this and they properly communicated these ideas in Hebrew and Greek. It is time for a scientifically credible translation of Genesis. The Genesis Revelation will provide one.

Are Annuities Offered by Insurance Companies Safe?

The election is over but the economic and financial fundamentals have not changed. Nor is change expected until the bailout programs loosen the credit market, the recession (or worse) runs its course and economic downsizing reverses directions. Meanwhile, as I mentioned in this retirement blog, the market is unpredictably volatile, retirement accounts are down 40% to 50% from their 2007 highs and market investments are exceptionally risky. If consumers tighten their collective belts between Thanksgiving and Christmas as is forecast, expect a decided nasty turn in the stock market, shrinking jobs, falling incomes and corporate failures. Where is a safe place for retirement assets?

The part of the financial services industry that has largely escaped financial trauma has been life insurance companies. Granted, AIG Corporate failed but their troubles were not related to "insurance" but to unregulated Credit Default Swaps. The insurance subsidiaries of AIG suffered "guilt by association" but have maintained their financial strength rating as independent entities. 

No doubt these insurance subsidiaries will be the primary assets that are sold to repay the bailout loan extended to AIG Corporate by the federal government. You're probably asking questions about the solvency of the insurance industry and the safety of their products, especially fixed annuities. Let's take a safety tour of insurance companies.

First and foremost, insurance companies have an operating history of stability that is the envy of banks and brokerage firms. Their investments are limited to conservative, boring options that rarely carry inordinate market risks. The products they offer must first be approved by the state Insurance Commissioner to assure suitability for the general public and guard the insurance company's solvency. There have been failures - mostly small - that have occurred in troubling economic times. When failure seems likely or actually occurs, the home-state Insurance Commissioner swings into action armed with powerful regulatory might. Insurance 

Commissioners have the power to levy fees on other insurance companies operating in the state to pay for rehabilitation, merger or liquidation of failed insurance companies. This system has worked flawlessly, because not one insurance policyholder has lost a penny of their invested principal with an insurance company. Bear in mind, insurance companies have survived world wars, global depressions, scandals, government failures and stock market meltdowns. Americans have insured their homes, cars, health, life, business and retirement nest eggs without fear of safety.

What about fixed rate and index-linked annuities? Again, never has a fixed annuity holder lost a penny due to market losses. Not only is there a clearly stated guaranteed minimum rate of interest, but index-linked annuities offer the potential to earn extra if the market-linked index rises. What's more, if the market index falls - and that has been the case in the current market meltdown - the annuity is guaranteed not to lose value. 

In addition to no market losses, annuity owners get income tax deferral on earnings until withdrawal, protection from creditors in most states, probate-free transfers at death, the right to convert to a guaranteed lifetime income, penalty-free withdrawals to cover emergencies and total control over their money if circumstances change.

Fixed annuities, especially index-linked annuities, have gotten a bad rap from Wall Street in recent years, primarily because their popularity has taken mutual fund and variable annuity sales away from stock brokers. While the current meltdown has created massive losses for market investments, fixed annuities are loss free, earn a guaranteed rate at a minimum and will pay extra interest if the market recovers. Annuity owners are not postponing retirement, leaving retirement to find jobs or spending sleepless nights worrying about market losses. Savers will never get rich by choosing fixed annuities, but may very well stay rich.

Don't be surprised if the financial professional who introduced you to annuities calls and says: "your money is safe, and you have no losses - if the market recovers, you'll do even better". It might be a good time to think about converting more of your "market" money to fixed annuities. Stock broker don't have much good news these days because if you followed their advice you have massive losses. 

Of course, they are still giving you advice about where to put, or keep, your money - I suppose the theory is "the more they're wrong the higher the probability they'll guess right next time". I don't like that theory and neither should you. Safeguard your retirement money because "retirement is the largest purchase you'll ever make and you can't borrow the money to pay for it". Your retirement nest egg will pay for the last one-third of your life...safeguard it wisely.

Cancer Treatment - The New Promise of Hope

These days, oncology (branch of medicine dealing with the studies of cancer) proposes an enormous promise of hope, so far after the following guidance of the patient throughout harsh battlefield of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Side effects are to be anticipated such as; adhesion and surgical scars hair loses; weight reduction, immunity depression, sterility, nausea and secondary infections. After five years of survival, patient was believed to be cured no matter with the effects the treatment could bring to the general health of the patient. And the sad truth with these, large portion of cancer patients dies not because of the cancer but because of the effect and complications of the cancer treatments.

Diagnosis of cancer usually causes tough negative response to a lot of people; feeling of shame, terror or shock, and fatalism. The RFQMR gives us a new hope! When cancer is detected early on, this RFQMR procedure can offer an excellent possibility of remission minus the major side effects.

Cytotron therapy by means of RFQMR technology was a non-evasive, effective and safer option in treating tumors through arresting cancer cells partition that leads to degenerating tumor. Various clinical studies show that alteration in trans membrane potential of cells has a theatrical effect to the cells parameter together with the ion concentrations. RFQMR function helps to increasing of trans membrane potential of these cancerous cells commencing the problematical to a healthy range.

Several patients indulged during clinical trials have a fatal stage of the cancer and already lost their hope after some conventional treatments have failed them. After the RFQMR treatment, most of them feel the improvement of their life, they lived further than the calculated life span and some had even gone back to their normal lives.

RFQMR make use of radio frequency, low powered, non-ionized and none thermal electromagnetic wave. The major concern of this therapy is not about the instant damage of the cancerous cells, but somewhat, with the little amount of energy supplied to the cells in making the DNA's hysterical mitosis to stop. Set the cells in vegetative state then during apoptosis mechanisms permits the body to get relieved of those cancer cells with the controlled passion and the cells are programmed naturally for self destructing over the time.

RFQMR might be the choice in tumor cure for patients that are reluctant or incapable of having the surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy or on whatever treatments had been failed. RFQMR rays are specifically focused to the tissues to modify the proton twist inside and out of the cells within the generation of pour out voltage potentials. This modifies the cell membrane which is potential in controlling cell mitosis.

For some patients diagnosed by a tumor with or without prior surgery, chemotherapy, or radiations, RFQMR changes the Cell Membrane Potential to selectively capture the cancer cell distribution and the tumor growth. Every cell has a restricted life extent and it is programmed naturally to die. Therefore, with RQFMR growth of these tumor cells will be arrested and will die without reaching the life's extent of their living. Then the death of these cancerous cells that had been arrested by the RFQMR will lead to a cancer -free body.

More and more people are being affected by cancer, either by getting cancer themselves or if a relative or friend gets it. Cancer puts fear in most people and very often it seems like there is no way out. Not only are conventional cancer treatments ineffective, but also dangerous and expensive. But there are cancer cures that are natural and non-toxic, which don`t destroy your body, but help to rebuild it.

Alternative medicine and the treatment of cancer

The question that a lot of ask themselves, is if there are effective and safe alternative cancer treatments, then why are not doctors using them? A huge amount of money is spent each year on cancer research and if there are safe and effective cancer treatments, then that would be a godsend. Yes, in an ideal world that would be the case, but everything is not black and white.

The best way to beat cancer is to work together with your doctor. The problem is that most doctors are not fully qualified to advice people on beating cancer, if they don`t educate themselves constantly about nutrition, microbiology, immunology, neurology, endocrinology, alternative medicine etc. Nobody can`t possible learn that much, so the more doctors that are experts in a certain field, give you advice, the better.

Drug companies are the ones that mostly fond doctors with research grants and curriculum materials in medical schools. Conventional medicine treats the symptoms of cancer with synthetical medication and that is not effective in healing people, but it is effective in making money. Every doctor has to walk on a very fine line and use treatments that are "acceptable," otherwise the doctor is in trouble. As you know the time you sped with a doctor, on an average visit is very short, maybe around a few minutes.

The goal for most people is to cure cancer effectively and certainly alternative medicine can help a lot. The more people educate themselves about alternative treatments and speak about them with their doctor, then the quality of the cancer treatments can only improve. The "Cancer Free" e-book by Bill Henderson, is a fantastic source of non-toxic cancer treatments and remedies. You can get that e-book and become an expert in alternative cancer treatments.

Cancer Treatments and the Death of Common Sense

We have a bizarre system in place today that says when someone is diagnosed with cancer we must subject the body to mutilating surgery, burn the body with nuclear radiation or we poison the body with chemotherapy to try and remedy the problem. All of which have life threatening side effects.

When a person is first diagnosed with a serious health problem like cancer, they are already undergoing a major health crisis so does it make sense to harm the body further in an attempt to remove these unwanted growths.

All cancers are self caused and all cancers happen for a reason and that reason is because of the way we are now living. A cancer growth is only a sign that the cells of the body didn't stop dividing when they were supposed to and surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are not going to fix that. A wise patient will first apply some common sense to the problem, something that is seriously lacking in today's world of mainstream treatments for cancer.

What people don't realize is we already have a cure for cancer and that is to use our bodies built in repair system that can reverse any health problem we may encounter. It's called the immune system and common sense should tell you it needs to be nurtured, not destroyed. This system is your body's powerful self healing organism.

What do you think has repaired the cuts, bruises, broken bone, colds, influenza and other illnesses you have experienced throughout your life? It's not your doctor; it's your immune system so why wouldn't it be capable of removing your cancer as well. The human body can, with the right conditions heal itself accomplishing what no doctor, surgeon or any other health professional could ever hope to achieve. Care and not treatments is the key and that is to facilitate the God given healing capacity that all of us have.

Our bodies strive to heal themselves automatically every single day. What you need to do to assist it is to remove the barriers that are stopping it from healing. It is these barriers that have caused the problem in the first place and that is what is called applying common sense to the problem.

Unfortunately money as usual plays a big part in what is on offer as cancer treatments today. The powerful cancer industry has total control over the market place including any treatments that doctors are allowed to use. We of course have blind faith in our medical system and mistakenly believe they hold the answers to all our health problems.

To heal yourself of cancer forever you need to step outside this system of toxic treatments and assist the body in healing itself which it will do.

A true cure for cancer will only be achieved when a patient stimulates their own body's defense system and there are only natural ways to do that.

If you ever gave company to a person who has been diagnosed by any type of cancer, his facial expressions can tell you how chronic this disease is. The word cancer refers to the rise of the tumors due to the uncontrolled distribution of cells. This harmful illness can be cured today but only if it is diagnosed with in time, otherwise this can lead to death. It was a common perception a decade ago that it can not be treated even at early stages of tumor growth. Now there are plenty of treatments available which help a person live a healthy and long life.

This terrible disease has many faces such as Skin cancer, Bladder, Breast cancer, Colon and Rectal, Lungs, Renal or Kidney cancer, Endometrial, Leukemia, Melanoma, and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Pancreatic cancer, Prostate, Thyroid and Cervical cancer. Starting from the most common type that is skin cancer, this harmful disease is formed around the cells of skin. This skin disease is most common in the areas where people are more subject to harmful rays of the sun.

Bladder cancer, this infection forms its roots in the bladder of the host; the muscles of the bladder are affected by it. Breast cancer is developed in the ducts of the breast. This cancer is most commonly seen in women however men can also develop this form of infection.

Colon cancer arises in the longest component of the large intestine. It is developed in the tissues of the intestine releasing mucus and other fluids. Endometrial cancer is a specifically develops in the female uterus. As its name suggests kidney cancer is formed in the kidney. However to be more specific this infection arise in the small tubes of the kidney which separate waste material from blood. Leukemia is the blood cancer that arises in the bone marrow and results in unnecessary formation of blood cells into the blood stream.

Non Hodgkin Lymphoma is developed due to the unnecessary growth of white blood cells in the body. Prostate cancer is the cancer in the male penis. There are many types of cancers and forms. Cancer can be malignant carcinomas (the one which starts its formation from the tissues).

An Introduction to Color Theory For Painters

Color is a very broad topic. Entire books have been written on color and it would be quite difficult to cover every aspect of it within the confines of this article. My hopes with this introduction to color theory is to peek your interest and hopefully cause you to study this topic further on your own. Understanding color theory is perhaps one of the most important aspects of becoming a good painter. When you understand the elements of color and how colors interact with one another, you have unlocked one of the biggest puzzles of painting.

WHERE DOES COLOR COME FROM?

Our beautiful world of color is only possible because of the solar spectrum. You can certainly do your best to mimic natural sunlight with today's technology and they have done a pretty fine job of that with full spectrum lighting. But even full spectrum lighting is not as true as sunlight. One only needs to spend a day painting outdoors to see how your color pops out at you under natural sunlight when compared to indoor lighting.

So what exactly makes a rose appear "red" or grass appear "green". In the green grass, you are only seeing green because the grass has pigments in it that absorb all colors of the solar spectrum except green. So green is the color that is reflected back to your eyes. The same holds true for the red rose, only the rose absorbs all colors of the spectrum besides red.

THE COLOR WHEEL

Sir Issac Newton laid the foundation for today's color wheel with his experiments that began in 1666. Since then, many variations have been developed. A color wheel is essentially a diagram that represents the colors of the visible solar spectrum. Your basic color wheel consists of six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.

Another popular color wheel called the Munsell color wheel, is slightly more involved. Instead of 6 basic colors, the Munsell wheel consists of ten colors: red, yellow-red, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, red-violet and violet.

PRIMARY COLORS

The primary colors are red, yellow and blue. These colors are your base colors from which all other colors come from.

SECONDARY COLORS

When you mix two primary colors together, you get a secondary color. The secondary colors are orange, green and violet. Orange is made by mixing red with yellow. Green is made by mixing blue and yellow. Violet is made my mixing blue with red.

TERTIARY COLORS

Tertiary colors are made by mixing one primary color with one secondary color. For instance, mixing the primary color blue with the secondary color green, will give you a tertiary color called blue-green.

COMPLIMENTARY COLORS

These are colors that are opposite from one another on the color wheel. Red and green, blue and orange, yellow and violet, are examples of complimentary colors. Complimentary colors are colors of extreme contrast. When used together in a painting, they can produce brilliant vibrant images.

ANALOGOUS COLORS

Analogous colors are colors that are close to one another on the color wheel. They more or less will produce harmonious effects with very little contrast. For instance, a violet, red-violet, and blue-violet are examples of analogous colors.

HUE-VALUE-INTENSITY

Hue: Without getting too technical, and to put things into laymen's terms, hue is just another word for color. For instance, grass and leaves are two variations of a green hue.

Value: Value refers to how light or dark a color is. Colors like pink or aqua are identified as colors of high value. Colors like maroon and navy are identified as colors of low value. If you produce a painting with predominately higher values, the painting is referred to as a "high key" painting. On the contrary, paintings produced with predominately lower values, are referred to as "low key".

Intensity: Intensity refers to a colors brightness or saturation. Intensity refers to how pure a color is. For instance, if you were to use cadmium red straight from the tube, it would have a high intensity. If you were to mix it with another color however, its intensity would be diminished.

TEMPERATURE OF COLOR

Colors have temperature, referred to as warm or cool. In painting, reds, yellows and oranges are referred to as warm colors and blues, violets and greens are referred to as cool colors. One of the biggest lessons you will ever learn about color temperature though, is that the appearance of color can change drastically depending on its surroundings. For instance, a certain yellow would appear much hotter if it were surrounded by a violet then say an orange. Another important lesson in color temperature: Warm colors will advance in a painting and cool colors recede.