by Sharon Hopkins

Nails define your hand in many ways. The shape and the look of
nails make your hand look good. By using a good nail polish it
can make your hands look better. But if nails are bad then no
matter how much you cover it up it will not work. Brittle nails
are one of the problems with your nails. These nails happen to
be so weak that they break, spilt or tear very easily. It is the
dryness in the nails which reaches to such an extent that they
tend to break without much hassle. Brittle nails are a common
problem faced by many women.

Some of the causes for brittle nails is due to excessive contact
with water, detergent, drying out of nails due to overheating in
your own house, constantly falling ill and increasing use of
nail polish remover. When it comes in contact with chemicals
present in detergent or cleansers it makes the nails very weak.
Your nails are also affected due iron deficiency. When you go
for swimming the chlorine water does not work in your favor. You
also lack essential calcium and fatty acids which makes your
nail strong and less brittle. Low levels of zinc, iron and also
thyroid problems may lead to brittle nails.

Some of the things which you can do to avoid brittleness of your
nails

* Massaging your nails with castor oil frequently as this would
keep your nails fit and fine

* Whenever in contact with chemicals wear cotton gloves and on
top of the rubber gloves as it would protect your nails from
getting wet either by sweat or water

* Involving food like salmon, tuna, shrimp, trout, milk in your
diet improves your nails life

* Intake of herbs and vitamins as consulted by doctor should be
taken

* Keep your nails short if you know they are brittle

About the author:
Sharon Hopkins webmaster of sites like www.hair-n-skin-care.com
provides information on http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com Natural Tips for Brittle
Nails with intake of healthy diet and precaution can make a
huge difference.

Copyright 2005 Gayla Swihart DeHart
Achieve Excellence
http://www.achieveexcellence.ca

Spring is such a refreshing time- we are filled with the
hope and promise of the seasons ahead. The flowers blossom,
our spirits lift. This is a great time to make a fresh
start, to de-clutter your life, to get back to the simple
pleasures.

1. Go outside and enjoy the beauty of spring. Not while you
are in a rush to get your tasks done- just for the pleasure
of looking at the shapes and colors, or smelling the
freshness of new grass or the ocean. No agenda, not with
your mind racing along filling up your to-do list. The point
of this task is to empty your mind of everything but the
present. Just trust that all the important things on your
to-do list will still be there when you are finished, only
you will have more energy and be more creative in the
execution of that list.

2. Call an old friend that you have been meaning to catch up
with. Schedule it into you day planner if you have to, but
do it! Allow yourself lots of time so you can really get
caught up.

3. Go through your closets and throw out anything that you
haven't worn in the past year (unless you really love it-
then only throw it out if it has been two years). Buy
yourself a piece of clothing in a bright new color. 

4. Do one thing that you have been meaning to do but haven't
gotten around to yet- go to the art gallery, see a play or
go to the opera. Choose a Saturday this month and plan this-
invite your favourite person to join you.

5. Learn something new- take a class, read a book, try a new
sport or craft. Learning new things keeps us youthful and
vibrant and makes us more interesting- and interested.

6. Do something positive for your community- sign up for a
charitable run (as a volunteer or participant), help with a
community clean-up, attend a fund-raiser. Find a way to get
involved and give back.

7. Refresh (or create) your fitness & diet plan. Can you do
more exercise outdoors now that winter is ending? Can you
eat more fresh fruit and vegetables? Do you want to join a
running club or yoga class? Are you really drinking enough
water?

8. Update your look- a new hairstyle, different hair color,
fresh lipstick or nail polish shade? Change things up a
little- it will help you see yourself and the world from a
slightly different perspective, and you never know what
ideas and opportunities await you.

9. Meet new people. Join a book club, get out and network,
throw a dinner party and ask your friends to invite friends
that you have never met before. Developing and nurturing a
strong social network helps manage stress and increases
levels of happiness and well-being. 

10. Review your goals for the year and TAKE ACTION NOW on
the one that matters to you most. Get a coach, make a plan,
enlist the help of friends and family, and just get it done.
Once you start moving forward, it will be easier than you
think and you will wonder why you didn't start sooner!

Choose at least 3 of these suggestions and make a commitment
to take action on them now. After you have decided what you
are going to do, plan and schedule when you are going to do
it, and make sure that you let at least one other person in
on your plan- someone who has permission to give you a
little nudge if you get off track. Good luck with your fresh
start!

--------------------------------------------------------
) 2005 Gayla Swihart DeHart
Dr. Gayla Swihart DeHart, from Vancouver, Canada, is a
Professional Coach with a Ph.D. in Psychology. She helps
busy professionals manage stress, improve goal-setting and
follow-through, develop emotional intelligence, and increase
life and work satisfaction. More information on Dr. DeHart
and her services can be found at www.AchieveExcellence.ca.
To receive new articles automatically, send a blank e-mail
to: gayla-108501@easywebautomation1.com

What’s the first thought that comes to your mind, when you think of
strawberry- a mouth-watering dessert of strawberries mixed with fresh
cream? To end an interesting evening on sweet note, this is just the right
dessert. Strawberries serve more than just fulfilling the sweet tooth.
It is packed with hordes of health benefits, making a nutritious fruit
for mind and body.

Eat this succulent fruit in its raw form or serve it as jams, syrups,
salads, smoothies, wine, juices, and more. Strawberries are full of
vitamin C, potassium, sodium and iron as well as being low in calories. Not
just delicious, a strawberry is also a great skincare additive,
especially due to its mildly astringent properties. Strawberry flesh and juice
is recommended mainly for oily skin to improve texture, minimize
greasiness and encourage a healthy and more radiant complexion. The ellagic
acids in strawberries appear to inhibit the growth of tumors (cancer
cells). They are also a good source of salicylic acid that removes dead
cells and clean pores.

Strawberry helps in soothing sunburned skin, skin blemishes as well as
discolored teeth. An alternative to placing cucumber on the eyes, place
a sliced strawberry to reduce the puffiness. They are known to fight
heart disease and provide a number of vitamins and minerals that support
overall human health. By adding strawberries to your diet, we build a
healthy immune system. In addition to various nutrients and minerals,
strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese, as well
as folic acid, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium,
and omega-3 fatty acids.

Packed with immense health benefits, strawberries when added to beauty
recipes for skin exude magic. Try out these homemade recipes made with
this luscious fruit as main ingredient.

Kiwi Cucumber Strawberry Facial Cleanser - Blend 5 to 6 strawberries, 1
kiwi, peeled and 1/2 cucumber to a smooth paste, not a runny mixture.
If the mixture is slightly runny, add bit of oatmeal until the potion is
of proper consistency. Apply to your face and neck area with gentle
massage to exfoliate the skin. Let the paste settle on your skin for 10
minutes and then rinse well with warm water. Your skin will feel fresh
and clean.

Strawberry Facemask - Combine 2 or 3 ripe strawberries with 2 tbsp of
finely grounded oats and 1 drop of lemon essential oil to form a paste.
Spread the paste on to the face and neck area with fingertips. Relax
for 20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water followed by a toner and
moisturizer. The pieces of strawberry seeds aid in the skin treatment process.

Antioxidant mask with Strawberry and Papaya starring - ½ papaya, 4
strawberries, 1 tbsp rolled oats, 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice.
Grind the oats, blend papayas and strawberries until smooth and warm
honey until it is flowing freely. Combine and mix well all the
ingredients. Apply this mixture on the face and let it remain for 15 minutes.
Rinse with warm water followed with moisturizer. 

For beautiful and radiant skin: mash 1 or 2 strawberries mixing it
with water to form a smooth paste. Apply the paste on your face, neck
overnight. Rinse it in the morning.

Face Lifting Face Pack - 3 to 4 strawberries, 5-6 grapes, 1/2 pear, 1/2
apple and 1 ounce of orange juice. Before putting this paste on apply a
coat of honey which is later on covered with this fruit mixture. Leave
it for 30 minutes and then rinse it with lukewarm water. For the final
rinse use vinegar to give your face, a perfect lift.

Strawberry Mask: 4 to 5 strawberries, 1 tbsp. milk and 1 tbsp.
cornstarch. Mix all the three ingredients to make a paste to be applied on
your face for 20 minutes. Rinse it first with warm water, then cold water.
You can better this pack by using a mild astringent and then use a
light moisturizer. You can use this pack for week.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautions
while following instructions on the recipes from this article. Avoid using
if you are allergic to something. The responsibility lies with the
reader and not with the site or the writer.

Kevin Pederson is webmaster for sites like
http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com. The site provides you information on
hair and skin care and its related issues. Strawberries are packed with
various vitamins, minerals and nutrients that work wonderfully for skin
and hair care.

by Tony Luck

The dreaded 'morning sickness', extreme nausea and vomiting,
will affect around 90% of pregnant women. Despite the name,
morning sickness can strike at any time of day, so if you get
through the early morning without feeling nauseous, it may get
you later in the day! Just why women have to go through this is
not known - maybe because men haven't bothered to find out!
However, there are some things you can do to minimise this
unpleasant part of pregnancy.

1. Ask your medical advisor whether you can take vitamin B6. A
dose of approximately 100 mg per day has been shown to reduce
the feeling of nausea.

2. Eat foods rich in the B vitamins: examples are nuts, chicken,
fish, liver and advocados.

3. Take frequent sips of liquids such as water, soup, tea, and
lemonade. This can help in several ways: when you vomit you
loose a lot of fluids and it is important to keep your body
hyderated at all times. It also makes vomiting less unpleasant
if you have something to bring up. Vomiting when the stomach is
empty is even more unpleasant than when you have something to
bring up.

4. Avoid foods with strong smells such as spicy or fried foods
as such dishes can make you feel queasy and induce vomiting.

5. Snack little and often. When you go to bed place biscuits or
muffins at your bedside and nibble these if you wake in the
night.

6. Foods high in carbohydrates are more likely to stay down and
will ward off hunger. Recommended foods are breads, rice and
pasta.

7. If you don't feel like eating, don't. If eating will make you
feel queasy and cause you to vomit, there is no point. You will
not benefit nutritionally if the food comes straight back up.

Morning sickness is the least enjoyable part of being pregnant.
How long it lasts varies from women to women. Just keep
reminding yourself that it will end.

About the author:
Tony Luck runs a web site with advice about having babies. The
site also includes the famous http://www.baby-talk.co.uk/chinese_calendar.htm
Chinese Pregnancy chart which predicts whether the baby you are
expecting will be a girl or a boy.

by Stephanie Shank

Is it really the luck of the Irish or do they just recognize the
importance of foods high in fiber? There really is no luck
involved. It's an awareness of the overall health benefits of a
high fiber diet. The most typical dish common to all of our
March menus is corned beef and cabbage. Delicious, but enjoy it
with a sprinkling of advice from Fiberlady. With all due respect
to Irish culture and tradition, Fiberlady must stay true to her
mission.

Opt for high fiber foods. St. Patrick's Day is the ideal time to
offer all of those green foods that you know are so beneficial
to all of the leprechauns in your life. Besides the obvious
green lettuce, share some broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, green
beans, asparagus and green peas. Not only are these green foods
enormously healthy, many of them help curb heart disease, lower
cholesterol and inhibit some cancers.

Heart disease is the leading factor of death for American men
and women today. To add salt to the wound, more than 95 million
Americans have high cholesterol, a major contributor to heart
disease.

Saturated fats are the major culprit in raising blood
cholesterol. Those who have high cholesterol levels should be
watching their entire diet, not just the meat portion. Reducing
the amount of fatty foods is as important as choosing leaner
cuts of red meat when trying to lower cholesterol. Protect
yourself and those you love against heart disease and high
cholesterol by eating more fruits and vegetables.

Exercising regularly, maintaining a normal body weight, choosing
unsaturated fats and including 20-35 grams of high fiber in your
daily diet will all contribute to a healthier you, whether you
are Irish or not so Irish.

Preparing the ever popular corned beef supper this season can be
less damaging to the arteries if you reduce your portion of
fatty corned beef. No need to eliminate it entirely, just
include more accompaniments such as fiber-rich cabbage and
turnips. Whole grain Irish soda bread can be served to round out
a high fiber menu for the St. Patrick's meal.

Fiberlady wonders how many grams of fiber there are in a four
leaf clover. No matter. It's the quest to find that four leaf
clover that makes all of the difference. If you find one, enjoy
the promise of good luck and continue the quest for good health.

Corned Beef with Cabbage and Boiled Vegetables Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1¼ pounds corned beef, trimmed of all visible fat 1 small head
green cabbage, cored and cut into 6 wedges 18 baby carrots 6
small purple-top turnips, peeled and halved 1 cup pearl onions
or small pickling onions 6 small red potatoes, scrubbed and left
whole

Preparation:

1. Bring the corned beef and enough water to cover to a boil in
a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Reduce the heat and simmer,
partially covered, until almost tender, about 1½ hours.

2. Add the cabbage, carrots, turnips, onions, and potatoes to
the pan; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially
covered, until the vegetables and corned beef are fork tender,
about 45 minutes.

3. Transfer the corned beef to a platter and carve into slices.
Lift the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon and
serve with the corned beef.

Per serving (1/6 of dinner): Calories: 320; Total Fat: 12 grams;
Fiber: 7 grams

 Irish Brown Soda Bread 12 Servings

Ingredients:

4 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup bread flour 1/3 cup rolled oats 1
teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking
sheets.

2. In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, white
flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Gently mix in the
buttermilk until a soft dough is formed. Knead very lightly.
Divide dough into 4 pieces; form into rounded flat loaves. Mark
each loaf with an 'X' and place on prepared baking sheets. 3.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 45
minutes.

Per serving: Calories: 206; Total Fat: 1.5 grams; Fiber: 5.4
grams

About the author:
Stephanie Shank aka Fiberlady has studied nutrition for many
healthy years which prompted her commitment to a high fiber
lifestyle and the development of her informative website High Fiber Health.

by Lisa Alexander

Most parents just feel helpless. They want the best for their
kids, but in spite of everything we know about nutrition and
exercise, most parents hope for the best and do little about
their overweight kids.

My daughter Pari was small at birth, but quickly became a heavy
baby. By the age of two, our pediatrician began intimating that
Pari was putting on more weight than she needed. Until
kindergarten, kids from our neighborhood, her day care or
nursery school accepted Pari just as she was, and her size never
came up. But when she started school, there was a whole new set
of kids, and some would make comments about Pari's size.

Some were innocent observations; some comments were just down
right mean. In first grade she was invited to a slumber party of
a new friend, and told me she would be uncomfortable changing in
front of the other girls because she was fat. This was a
shocking moment for me, because now I understood that she felt
badly about herself, that she had been giving thought to her
size, and comparing herself to other children. What could I do?
In my case, there were few resources, but that has changed.

As the author of Seven Steps to Get Your Child's Weight on Track
and creator of The Pari Plan, it's clear to me that parents
don't understand the pivotal role they play in the solution to a
child's weight problem. In helping families across the country
beat childhood obesity, I've identified the three crucial
mistakes that parents make and the key actions parents must take
to get control and start their child on the path to improvement:

Mistake #1: "She's Not Heavy." This is plain denial. Many
parents refuse to be honest with themselves about their child's
weight. They see the beautiful perfection of their child and
turn a blind eye to a problem that is likely causing emotional
pain in their child's life lowering the child's self-esteem and
getting in the way of their child achieving her true potential.

Action Plan: Learn what a healthy weight for your child should
be. Compare where your child is to where your child needs to be.
Acknowledge this goal openly.

Mistake #2: "He'll grow out of it." If only parents knew:
Studies show that 50% of obese school-aged children will become
obese adults. Children WON'T grow out of their weight problem.

Action Plan: You don't need to put your child on a crash diet,
but you do need to get them on a healthy path with better food
choices and exercise activities that will help them as they
grow. Losing weight is not rocket science. But changing the
habits and lifestyle of a family in today's busy world is
difficult. Especially when the emotional well being of a fragile
overweight child is at stake, parents need a plan and they need
perseverance.

The good news is that the easiest time to get your child on
track is between the ages of 4-12 when they are growing and
still totally reliant upon their parents for their food and
activity.

Mistake #3: "I've Tried Everything." Most parents simply give
up. They may try something but usually not the right things - in
the right way. Then they give up.

Action Plan: The secret is that you must put it all together in
the correct way and you must commit to being successful. You
must acknowledge that you are the only one that can make the
difference and you must rally your entire family around your
child's success. You can have a healthy child but only if you
decide to make it the number one priority in your life.

As a mother of an overweight child, I made all these mistakes
and more. I've experienced the helplessness and heartbreak a
parent feels watching their child struggle with weight. But
there is an important flipside to that pain: The joy of helping
your child shed their weight, build their self-esteem and
realize the potential you always knew they had.

About the author:
Lisa Alexander is the creator of "The PariPlan-Seven Steps to
Get Your Child's Weight on Track," complete tools, activities
and simple steps for parents to reduce their children's weight
while building self esteem. You can learn more at The PariPlan

 by: James Mahony

The problem with migraine prevention is that there isn’t just one cause for the headaches. There are very many triggers for migraines, in fact, and trying to avoid them all would be an exercise in hermitry. Who wants to spend the rest of their life living in a cave just to avoid headaches? That being said, there are a few things you can do to avoid migraines and here are the top ten.

1) Cut the caffeine. Among the multitude of products linked to migraines is caffeine. Taking in too much can lead to a headache of monstrous proportions. Unfortunately, it’s not only too much caffeine that lead to a headache, it’s caffeine withdrawal if you’re used to taking in a lot. Best to cut back slowly.

2) While we’re talking about caffeine, let’s also talk about NutraSweet. Aspartame has been the culprit for many people who have complained of migraines. Go in search of why aspartame causes migraines and you will run into what seems like the biggest cover-up since Roswell. Most of what you’ll read hasn’t been proven, but then again neither have the makers of NutraSweet proven that their product doesn’t contribute to migraines. Avoid it and you may well avoid a horrendous headache.

3) There are more reasons to give up smoking than you can count, but avoiding migraines is another reason to put on the list. Of course, that’s easier than said than done if you are the smoker, but remember, secondhand smoke is just as likely to cause a migraine headache as actual smoking. So if you can, remove yourself from the environment in which people are smoking. Better yet: Get them to remove themselves. You do have the right to not have to be around their smoke, especially if their smoke is causing your headaches.

4) Establish a regular pattern of sleeping and waking. In fact, get as anal-retentive as you can about this. A regular pattern of going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time, on weekends as well as weekdays, can do wonders. Many people who have instituted a rigid routine of sleeping and waking have discovered that their migraines disappear completely and forever. Or at least as long as they continue the pattern.

5) Give up the pill and try another form of contraception. Birth control pills and their effects on hormones can be a major hazard when it comes to migraine pain. You don’t necessarily have to go off the pill entirely. Some people have found that merely changing brands puts an end to their migraine misery. If that doesn’t help, however, you may look into other forms of female contraception or, if you and your partner don’t mind, switching over to condoms.

As you've seen from the article you're reading, we have tried to compile the very best resources from across the Internet on this topic - build the ultimate destination that'll attract you and others interested in the subject.

6) Change your lighting. Very bright lights can often trigger very severe migraines. You might consider using the softer, filmy kind of light bulbs. Or use lamps instead of overhead lights. Or stop using fluorescent lighting, if that’s possible. If you spend a lot of time at the computer monitor, take frequent breaks and get as far away from the pulsating waves of the monitor as possible.

7) Cheese, chocolate and wine may sound like the ideal ingredients for a romantic picnic, but if you are prone to migraines the last thing you may be feeling is romantic following that afternoon getaway. Aged cheeses especially are dangerous because they contain the amino acid tyramine. Chocolate contains phenylethamine. Both chemicals contribute to migraines and alcohol is a trigger as well. Stay away from all three and find other ways to get in a romantic mood.

8) Use body wash to smell good instead of perfume or cologne. Odors and aromas are major causes of migraines and those that make you smell good are among the worst. Keep yourself clean instead of daubing with the smelly-goods.

9) Being an aerobic exercise program. Exercising regularly helps to increase your cardiovascular capacity and improper blood flow is linked to recurrent migraines.

10) Driver or take a train when you can instead of flying. The lowering of cabin pressure on airplanes is a sure-fire migraine trigger and one easily avoided when the trip can be made by alternative means of transportation.

So, what did you think about this article? Please drop me a quick note to share your thoughts and comments on it.

There's also more to come - and I keep updating this article regularly. So please keep visiting often to get the latest information!

About The Author
James Mahony is the founder of http://www.migraineheadacheprevention.com - A site dedicated to preventing and treating migraine headaches

by Kevin Pederson

It is always surrounded by silly excuse of lack of time. And
still no one denies that fact that "breakfast" is the most
important meal of the day.

Why such a hullabaloo about this early morning meal? Well, for
starters, this meal comes after a break of 8 - 10 hours; hence
your blood sugar level will be low. Since your body has gone
with out food for such a long time, it needs nourishment to
kick-start its day. Therefore "breakfast" is considered to be an
important and essential meal of the day.

Breakfast benefits both, young and old. It is the key to jump
start your muscles and your day. People who eat breakfast
(healthy) daily are more likely to - Consume more vitamins,
minerals and less of fat and cholesterol. - Increased strength
and endurance. - Better concentration and productivity all day
long. - Control over weight - Low cholesterol = no risk or
little risk of heart disease

Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better
concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination.
They will be alert, creative, and less likely to miss days of
school.

If you think skipping this meal, will help you lose weight,
think again. By passing over this meal, your body will go in the
starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets.
Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain.
So you motive of losing weight by skipping breakfast stays
unachieved.

Try to choose healthy foods from at least two food groups each
morning - Fruits & Vegetables - Grains - Dairy - Proteins

A glass of pure fruit juice, bananas, yoghurt, low-calorie
muesli with semi skimmed or skimmed milk, fresh fruit salad with
few spoonfuls of low fat yoghurt, fresh and raw veggies mixed
with flavoured yoghurt, a slice of toast or plain bread with
eggs, boiled or poached are some of the options for breakfast.
Kids can enjoy a Smoothie with their favourite fruits; add dash
of yoghurt or honey to make it more delicious.

If you look forward to eating different kinds of healthy foods
for breakfast, you are less like to skip this meal. If time is
your hurdle, think about packing your breakfast or eating on the
'run', its better than skipping it altogether.

About the author:
Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of diet, nutrition and
health websites that promote good health and unhealthy food
habits leading to a diseased body. Healthy Foodcontain vital nutrients that aid our body's metabolic function.