This is the flower of an herbal plant called Orthosiphon Stamineus, locally known in Malaysia as Misai Kucing. While in Malaysia I bought a box of the tea because one of the benefits of the tea is that it is a safe and effective diuretic.

Unfortunately for me, drinking the tea daily, at least a couple of times a day, causes constipation!

Another reason why I like drinking the tea is that it is has some sugar lowering properties and because I am concerned about diabetes, a disease that runs in my family, a daily dose of the tea should help keep my sugar level where it should be.

Maybe I should drink the tea every few days instead of daily?

I was just thinking about what to do with the age spots that were beginning to appear on my hands, when I heard a commercial on the radio about a product that was supposedly effective in getting rid of age spots.

Don't ask me the name of the product because I can't remember, and don't ask me if it is effective because I don't know either.

I began to read up on what some of the treatments were, from home remedies to laser treatments. A West Palm Beach plastic surgeon recommends a hydroquinone cream like Obagi.

I'd never heard of Obagi before, but if it is as good as claimed, I should seriously look into it. I also came across a recommendation from a forum participant, an Estee Lauder product called Perfectionist Wrinkle Lifting Serum. I looked up the price of this Estee Lauder product, and boy, is it expensive!

But if a product works, I'd be willing to spend a little more than I normally would!

I just read an article about a Montana City Council requiring residents who own dogs like pitbulls, Dobermans, and Rottweilers to get liability insurance! I can see a city passing this kind of legislation because, personally, these are aggressive dogs and there have been too many stories where people have been attacked and mauled by these particular breeds of dogs. Well, I guess with such liability insurance requirement passed by more and more cities, insurance companies will start providing that kind of insurance coverage to dog owners!

And speaking of insurance coverage, when it comes to paying for insurance coverage, be it homeowners, auto, life or health insurance, most people want the best price for the kind of coverage that they want. You can only get the best price if you are willing to shop around and get the best quote for insurance.

Fortunately for us, getting the best quote for insurance is not that difficult. There are places online like insurancequotes.org that you can go to and within seconds get a quote for say, auto coverage. It is quick and easy, and time saving!

And back to that story about people owning aggressive dogs, I am not sure where they can get a quote for insurance liability to cover their dogs but I am sure insurancequotes.org might be able to give you a quote!



* Brought to you by your friends at insurancequotes.org *

I don't know why it was that I put up with three weeks of sleepless nights! I turned on the air-conditioning every night in my bedroom (actually one of the bedrooms in my parents' home!), yet I felt hot and uncomfortable at various times of the night.

After three weeks I had had enough of the sleepless nights, and turned the temperature lower, by three degrees! Lo and behold, the hot flashes that occurred during the night also reduced! And to think all I had to do was turn the temperature on the air-conditioner a little lower and I would have slept a lot more soundly!

Dang it!

Oh well, you live and learn!

I love to add oregano flakes in some of my cooking and salads and this is the first I'd heard of
Oregano Oil and how oregano promotes digestive health and has anti-microbial properties among other things. The only thing about taking the oil orally is that it has to in a vegetable capsule. The oil itself cannot be put on the tongue because it is very potent and causes a burning sensation!

Recently I discovered through my reading about peri-menopausal symptoms, is that weight gain can be slowed down by adding Vitamin D and calcium to your diet.

Bio D-Mulsion is a product that has gone through a unique emulsification process which allows Vitamin D to be absorbed more readily into the body. Weight gain is something I am concerned about at this stage in my life, and adding Vitamin D and calcium are things that I need to look into and the more effective the absorption of the vitamin and minerals the better. I don't like staying out in the sun, and according to Mayo Clinic studies a Vitamin D deficiency is much higher than previously recognized!

Check out the oregano oil and Bio D-Mulsion at Oasis Advanced Wellness web site.

I started taking vitamin B-12 and magnesium when I discovered that tingling in the extremities that I was experiencing may be caused by a vitamin B-12 deficiency. But like with all food supplements and vitamins that I purchased to "treat" whatever ailment that I thought I was experiencing, I am not very disciplined about taking them on a regular basis.

I started experiencing the tingling in my extremities again the last couple of weeks, and then I realized I had neglected to take my vitamin B-12 and magnesium tablets. Three days after getting back into the routine of taking the vitamin B-12 and magnesium tablets, the tingling sensation in my extremities are gone.

Based on that experience I am pretty convinced that I indeed had a vitamin B-12 deficiency. The other thought that crossed my mind, was diabetes. The same kind of tingling in the extremities can also be a symptom of diabetes. I had tested myself for diabetes a few weeks before that, and my fasting blood sugar was normal.

A deficiency in vitamin B-12 appears to be quite common in peri-menopausal women, and being in that stage of life myself, I am relieved that the tingling in my extremities has nothing to do with diabetes. Just your ordinary vitamin deficiency! Vitamin B-12 deficiency to be exact!

Patients suffering from depression may find relief from treatments using electromagnetic stimulation, offering a possible alternative to mood-altering medications, a new study found.

The research, which was released on Monday, tested 190 patients who had previously failed to respond to antidepressant drugs.

Patients were given at least three weeks of magnetic stimulation. Scientists found that the treatment led to remissions for 14 percent of them, and that most remained in remission for several months.

The treatment, known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) offers future hope of a non-drug treatment for depression sufferers, although researchers said additional studies are needed.

"This study should help settle the debate about whether rTMS works for depression," said Mark George of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, who led the research team.

Full AFP story here.

I say any treatment that doesn't involve drugs is always good.

I've never had to live with anyone with depression but I do have a friend who has exhibited symptoms of depression. She's never had the symptoms diagnosed by a doctor but I guess it is not serious enough to require treatment. For her, what helped was for her to be around people and to get herself involve with her children's activities and when she got a job, the incidence of the "blues" was dramatically reduced.

The electromagnetic stimulation therapy suggested in this article seems very promising. People don't always respond positively to the mood-altering drugs, and for some it is more a trial and error before they find the drugs that help them with their depression.

Added to the fact that there is no drug involved in this treatment, is that it does not involve any invasive procedure. Just a 37-minute session of 3,000 pulses emitted from an electromagnetic coil, at a doctor's office with few side effects.

If I were suffering from depression I'd want to try this treatment over any drug to treat my problem.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

If I were younger and looking to add more to my education resume, I would choose to do an online program that is associated with an established and well-known university.

There are several advantages of online education especially, a graduate study, like that offered by the USC Rossier School of Education’s Master of Arts in Teaching degree.

Firstly, the program is run by an elite research university - University of Southern California.

Secondly, earning your degree online offers the convenience and flexibility that a regular class with a fixed schedule does not offer.

Thirdly, students will be learning from distinguished USC faculty who have been recognized for their contributions to modern education.

Fourthly, the online degree program can be accessed no matter where you are. That also means you save cost on relocation, which you would normally have to do if you live no where close to the university.

Another advantage is that the Master of Arts in Teaching online degree program from the USC Rossier School of Education's, is highly innovative as well as a learning that is based on experiences in your local area.

Besides all the mentioned advantages, students will also have exclusive access to a tuition reimbursement program, and full USC student status and benefits. Students will also get to participate in commencement ceremonies, like any full time student at the university, and are eligible for free lifetime Alumni Association memberships.

For more program information on the USC Master of Arts in Teaching degree, please visit our sponsor's site.

This morning I had a nose bleed. It has been several weeks since the last nose bleed. My nose tend to bleed when the air is dry and last night seemed to be drier than it has been. I woke up some time during the night with a very dry mouth.

So far this year, and much of last year, the incidence of nose bleed has been quite infrequent. Unlike the previous years where nose bleeds were a common occurrence. I have to be extremely careful when I wash my face and when I wipe it dry. Too much rubbing may trigger a nose bleed. When that happens, I tend to believe (not that I am absolutely certain!) the membrane inside the left nostril must be pretty thin.

Anyway, I have learned the correct and effective way to stop a nose bleed. When I follow the following steps, the nose bleeds stop pretty quickly. Step number 6 really helps when the nose bleed is severe.

1. Pinch all the soft parts of the nose together between your thumb and index finger.

2. Press firmly toward the face - compressing the pinched parts of the nose against the bones of the face.

3. Lean forward slightly with the head tilted forward. Leaning back or tilting the head back allows the blood to run back into your sinuses and throat and can cause gagging or inhaling the blood.

4. Hold the nose for at least five minutes. Repeat as necessary until the nose has stopped bleeding.

5. Sit quietly, keeping the head higher than the level of the heart. Do not lay flat or put your head between your legs.

6. Apply ice (wrapped in a towel) to nose and cheeks.


Reference: How do you stop the common nose bleed.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dermajuv Skin Care Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

For a long time, I did not want to spend much on skin care products. I bought those reasonably priced ones from the pharmacy and was happy with the result.

But one day I was introduced to some skin care products that I had never heard of before, and the person who introduced them had such perfect complexion. Wow, I thought to myself, she is living proof that whatever she is selling works!

I was sold. I bought a whole set of the skin care and to this day, I have never regretted that decision.

Today's eye wrinkle cream is not like those that our grandmothers used. There is a science involved in the formulation and selection of the ingredients used in these eye creams and other skin care products, patented ingredients like Matrixyl® and Renovage ® that are found in Dermajuv's age defying creams and serums.

I think what every woman is looking for, when selecting skin care products, is something that works and proven by the visible improvement in their overall skin tone and appearance. The other thing that busy women look for, is something that is easy to apply and is not time consuming. After a busy day at work or dealing with family, nobody wants to spend too much time at the end of the day just so they can look young and beautiful!

Face masks and peels are great but they do take time, and I am not sure if they are as popular today as they were in the past. Like I said, most women want something uncomplicated, and something that works.