Category — Women's Health

Whitening your teeth does not have to be expensive. Ok yes, I admit that I love Gosmile. It has does wonders for mine. But for those of you on a serious budget there is an old favorite that works wonders and costs pennies a day - Baking Soda. Yes, there is a reason why you see it in most toothpastes.

Brushing with baking soda and water a few times a week will result in whiter teeth. And when you use baking soda as a skin whitener you don’t have to worry what other chemicals are being put into your body. Remember the cereal commercials with the kids reading the back of the ice cream containers? Well the same can be said for some of the toothpastes out there.

Not into the slight mess of using baking soda for brushing? Well then try Tom’s toothpaste, it is all natural and environmentally friendly. And he has a whitening formula as well.

Hi all

More and more, in the news, I have seen reports of incidences of heart disease going undetected in women. This is a very personal subject for me because my grandmother, who lived with us until I was eighteen years old, died of heart disease. Not one doctor detected that she had it and yet when she passed away over 50% of her heart had been affected. I received the call that she was in the hospital and before I could even buy a plane ticket she was gone.

One of the reasons that heart disease goes undetected is because the amount of blockage seems to be less  than in men, so many doctors don’t do enough follow up. Women also tend to let things go. We are so busy taking care of our family and careers that we forget to double check and make sure that we are ok. Here are a few things that you can do to improve your heart health and make sure that you get adequate health care:

1) Eat foods high in omega 3 like sushi and sashimi.

2) Eat foods that contain onions. Yes I know it isn’t great for your breath but they are thought to be very good for your heart. So have your meal and then some mint tea afterwards. ( The mint will settle your stomach and freshen your breath).

Here is a list of 25 heart healthy foods: http://www.webmd.com/solutions/healthy-heart-guide/top-foods

3) If you feel any tightness or odd sensations in your chest, tell your doctor immediately. Insist on getting an EKG and a stress test from a qualified cardiologist. Your doctor may just think it is heartburn and maybe he or she is right but why take chances. The earlier this is diagnosed the better.

4) If your doctor is not the type to listen to your concerns find a new doctor. This is your health and your money is paying for insurance so you deserve the best health care available.

Every one of you who read my blog is important to me. Do yourself and your family a favor by taking care of your health.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Hi all

I don’t know about you but I tend to have a thousand thoughts running through my head right before I go to bed. It makes it difficult to fall asleep so I am always on the hunt for a natural sleep aide that will help me get some rest.

One that I stumbled upon that has really helped is the sleepmate White Noise Machine. The sound is so soothing that I drift off in minutes and stay asleep for much longer.

Between the white noise, my warm feet and the visual of a roaring fire on my tv, I have been sleeping better than I have in years. Click on any of the links above to check them out for yourself.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Let’s face it. Our schedules are hectic. We juggle our work and our relationships and everything in between. Recently I got the midnight call that my dad was out of his prescription. Luckily we have a 24 hour pharmacy near by. So I headed out, got him his medicine and then stumbled back into bed to wake up at 6 am for an early morning meeting. Not very time efficient.

So I started looking for a way to keep him on track and me off the roads at night. The answer came to me in the form of online pharmacies. Now I was a bit wary. You hear a lot of news saying that you may not know what you are getting, especially if the pharmacy is based off shore. So I started hunting for one that had this criteria:

• All prescriptions must be FDA approved.

• The pharmacists must be licensed in the US ( that way if anything goes wrong they can be held liable.)

• They needed to offer online free consultations.

I finally found a pharmacy that dispenses online prescriptions that met all this criteria - http://www.edrugstore.md

Now here is how I am currently using them to make my life and dad’s easier.

1) I had dad write down all of his prescriptions and when they needed to be refilled.

2) I have my personal assistant go online at the beginning of the month and place the order for all of his refills. You can easily do this yourself, if you do not currently have a personal assistant.

3) I have her schedule an appointment with his doctor when the prescriptions run out to verify if a new prescription needs to be written.

4) I have her add or delete medications from his list for our next online pharmacy order.

Here are some of the perks of placing these orders through edrugstore.md

• After your initial order, you get $20 off all refills

• They guarantee to give you the lowest internet price on all name brand prescriptions.

• Customer service is available 24/7

• There is pharmacist on staff at all times to answer your questions.

Life is hectic enough. It is nice to know that there is a company out there dedicated to making at least a portion of it easier. Check them out for yourself.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Dietary Triggers For Headache Sufferers

The idea that certain foods and drinks contribute to headaches is a fact that never occurs to many headache sufferers. Sometimes individuals notice that a few items, such as chocolate, red wine and 2 cups of coffee, occasionally though not always trigger headaches. These items are the tip of an iceberg. If certain dietary triggers have stood out in your experience, you might naturally assume that all dietary triggers would be so obvious, which is not the case.

One reason why headache sufferers do not more fully recognize dietary triggers is many of these triggers have a delay of several hours before the effects become noticeable. There are some that don’t cause headaches even that immediately and which sometimes take up to a day or two, from the time an item is consumed until its impact is felt. It’s as though the migraine control center has a temporary “memory” for recent exposure to dietary triggers and can store their influence beyond their actual presence in your body.

Although sometimes dietary triggers act quickly, within minutes, most of the time they do not. Another reason dietary triggers go unrecognized is that even when you notice that sometimes a certain food is followed by headaches, there are times when you do not have a headache after eating them, leading you to believe that it must not be a factor. It would seem entirely logical to think that a trigger would cause a headache every time you ate or drank it, but that logic fails to take into consideration the fluctuating level of all other triggers.

Imagine that one day your total trigger level is just below your threshold. You’ve been under a lot of stress, you didn’t sleep well last night and there’s a storm approaching. You’re on the verge of migraine activation and its consequences, including headache, but you don’t realize this since you don’t have a meter that warns you of the upcoming headache! That day you indulge in chocolate. It is also a trigger, and that day it raises your total trigger level from just below threshold to well above.

Sooner or later this combination triggers a nasty headache. Now if the headache occurs relatively quickly you may believe that chocolate is the culprit.You may very well say to yourself that it is because of that chocolate that your headaches were triggered.

But because you enjoy chocolate so much and you don’t want to acknowledge the fact that you should avoid it in order to control your headaches, you give it another try a few days later. This time you don’t get a headache!

The difference is that this time you had a lower level of other triggers beforehand. You were feeling less stress, you had a good night’s sleep and the weather was better. But you don’t realize that the reason you didn’t get a headache that day is that you had plenty of margin for error. The addition of chocolate raised your trigger level, just like before, but this time there was a lot of room below the threshold to start so you did not cross the margin.

Minimizing these foods in your diet and paying attention to how you are feeling before you eat them is part of the solution.

Caterina Christakos is the founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls. To find even more ways to eliminate and control your headaches Click Here!

Hi all

As you may have noticed I have not been on as much as usual. For that I apologize. I have been working on some health issues for years and finally found something that seems to be working. For those of you who do not know my story, despite some minor health issues as a child I had a pretty normal life. At fifteen that changed.

An operation ended badly and left me in a wheelchair and then on crutches for about twenty years. I had tried everything from more surgeries to acupuncture to massage and body work with little improvement. I learned to adjust to the situation and rose above it to act, model, write books and run several small businesses. But let’s face it you always want what you are told you can’t have.

Several years ago I stumbled upon a technique that I have mentioned before the Release Technique that has changed my life. Behind every physical problem is a mental limitation. For me part of it was a fear of falling and other aspects developed from being concerned with how people viewed me. Despite just gettting out of the hospital and being advised that sitting for long periods would not be good for me I flew out to their latest retreat. At the Release Technique Bootcamp in Texas I let go of many of my fears and went after a twenty year period of being on two crutches to being only on one. I was also able to walk just by holding onto a friends arm.

I don’t know if you can even imagine how empowering that was. But before you begin to believe that I am some kind of superwoman, you need to know about what happened to others at this retreat just by using the techniques taught. A man who had been in a wheelchair for about thirty years was able to take his first assisted steps. Another man who had not been able to see for half his life was able to begin to make up shapes and walk for short periods without his walking stick. Everyone there benefited from those there for physical issues to those who went their to work on relationships or money issues.

And the environment was completely supportive. There were over 300 people there rooting for each other to succeed. And Larry Crane, the instructor, was there in his usual non nonsense way to make sure that if you put in the work that you got the results you wanted.

If you know of anyone with health concerns, money issues or relationship issues I wholeheartedly encourage you to look into the Release Technique. I have never met a single person who has not benefited from it. The only pre-requisite to taking one of their bootcamps is that you buy the Abundance Course first. It walks you through the basics of the Release Teachnique. It is also awesome for generating abundance into your life. Try it for yourself.

Sincerely, Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

P.S. Once you order the Abundance Course, feel free to call Larry. He actually answers his own phone and he and his staff give lifetime support to help you release absolutely free!

Hi all

Looking to remove that tattoo that you got one not so sober Saturday night? Well you may want to reconsider tattoo removal creams, as the FDA is saying that they could be linked to cancer. I just heard about this tonight.

Here is a company that claims to have a safer alternative:tattoo removal It also happens to be a lot less expensive than laser tattoo removal. 

InkBusters.com Press Release

Headline: FDA bans Tattoo Removal Creams?

San Diego - With the launch of it’s new website, Inkbusters.com warns the public about possible health risks associated with using tattoo removal creams purchased on the Internet. The new site states “many” tattoo removal creams sold online contain Hydroquinone, which is usually the active ingredient in skin bleaching creams.

In August 2006 the FDA proposed a ban on over the counter skin bleaching creams containing Hydroquinone due to concerns about Cancer and Exogenous Ochronosis. This proposed ban is similar to those already enacted in Japan, France, Great Britain and Australia for the same reasons.

InkBusters.com CEO Rick Barker notes, “Indirectly—and probably without knowing it—the FDA is saying they think the tattooed public may be at risk if they use tattoo removal creams containing Hydroquinone. This is particularly true when you consider most skin bleaching cream makers––prescription or OTC––never recommend Hydroquinone be used more than 4-6 months for maximum effect. Many tattoo removal cream makers online offer supplies well beyond this recommended period.”

InkBusters.com sells TCA at its website to help consumers remove tattoos in a natural non-laser fashion. TCA is a popular non-prescription skin-peeling agent commonly used by doctors, health spas and private individuals to remove fine lines, wrinkles and acne scars on the face. TCA has twice been medically tested and proven to fade and/or remove tattoos on the body. TCA looks and feels like water and is applied with a q-tip. There is no Hydroquinone in TCA.

Check out the site for yourself and check with your doctor before trying any treatment for tattoo removal. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

P.S. Thanks again to our sponsors. You help keep this site going.

Hi all

I just found a new site online where you can meet buff guys. If you enjoy working out and staying healthy and want to meet a guy who has the same values and a nice set of abs then this dating site might be for you.

The site is targeted at fitness dating. So many of the other dating sites out there are filled with fake profiles. The guys on this site actually do love to work out and stay in shape. You can practically place your order for a muscular guy who loves the same activities that you do.

Now this site may not be for all of you. My exercise this summer, for example, has consisted of leaning over for the sun tan lotion. So if you are not really an exercise buff this site might not be for you. The objective is to find a guy who has the same interests as you do, so that you can enjoy them together. If exercise is your passion you may just find someone to share that passion with on this site.

Sincerely, Caterina Christakos - author of the Seduction Game for Women

It’s funny- as little girls we did those “we must increase our bust” exercises, and stuffed our bras with tissue. Now, as grown women, some of us are still trying to figure out how to get bigger breasts. Maybe you never quite grew into that “A” cup. Or maybe a child or two later has taken a toll on your youthful firmness and size.

Here’s that great thing. We have options. Twenty years ago- well, our moms had to deal with what nature had given them. Or had taken away. But we have choices.

Due to the enormous requests for information on the subject of breast augmentation, I’ve spent the past week looking up information on how to get bigger breast. You have two choices. Surgery or natural methods.

Surgery has its costs. Financially, you should plan to spend between $6-8 thousand on breast augmentation. There is also the cost of recovery time, possible bloating and scarring, and the health risks that any surgery involves.

Your other option is to find a natural route. You’ll find plenty of people hawking supplements that claim to get good results. Look for a program that’s been around for years, combines supplements with massage or exercise, and has a faithful following. The one I’ve come across with most the consistent results if the Flat2Fab program. It’s been around since 1998, comes with a book that explains how to do the massage methods, and uses a combination of herbal supplements to encourage growth of breast tissue. The supplement is Breast Success, and it has a slew of enthusiastic followers.

So if you are still wondering how to get bigger breasts- don’t give up! The answers are out there. And they can be easier, and less expensive than you might think.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Wow- I’m amazed at all the issues the topic of breast augmentation brings up. The latest are on breast augmentation and bloating. Well, yes, from the research I’ve done this is an issue. And not just in your breasts! Some women report that their stomachs swell up to look like they are pregnant for a couple of weeks after the surgery. Apparently that’s due to the IV fluids and anesthesia.

The only thing to do is wait it out. But if you are considering breast enlargement- know your options. Surgical procedures are definitely available- but there are a lot of risks and side effects: bloating, itching, scarring, infection, ect…That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. But weigh your risks accordingly.

The other alternatives are the natural breastlift options that usually include herbal supplements and targeted exercises. I’m always a bit skeptical about any product I share with you. So I really scoured the chatrooms and message boards to find something that women have had a lot of success with. If you really want a non-surgical option where you won’t have to worry about side effects like infection from breast augmentation and bloating, I found a book based program that seems to have a lot of devotees.

It’s called the Flat to Fab Breast Enhancement Program by Lucille Marie. It combines natural herbal supplements that strengthen breast tissue with targeted massage techniques. It’s available at www.Flat2Fab.com and is educational rather than just trying to sell you something. And I’m a firm believer in gathering the facts! Whatever route you choose, I’d love to hear your results.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls