Curiously Awesome

There is a safe and natural way to alleviate seasonal allergies. Nasal irrigation with a neti pot originated in India and has been used for centuries. It flushes the nasal cavities of mucus and has no side effects. A neti pot looks like a small tea pot. It is filled with warm water and sea salt and the mixture is poured into one nostril with the head tilted, running through both nasal cavities and exiting out the opposite nostril. There is no discomfort and the warm water actually feels soothing.

Neti pots work by thinning mucus. This allows bacteria and allergens to exit the body instead of spreading and causing infections. The neti pot can also help prevent allergic reactions from turning into sinus infections. The rinse also prevents crusting from mucus that would have otherwise stayed in the nose.

Neti pots can be found in most drug stores. They can be stainless steel, plastic, or ceramic. Neti pots should be used at least once a day.

When you have a family as diverse and large as I do, you learn to get creative about the vacations you plan. It can be extremely challenging to find a spot that will appeal to teenagers, toddlers, and parents as well. I’m not about to hang out at a waterpark for days on end even though my teenagers would love nothing better. They have little patience for the kind of nature getaways that my husband and I really enjoy. As far as the little ones…they like almost everything…but they don’t have the stamina to keep up with the bigger people and they need activities in smaller doses. This is why a place like Kissimmee, Florida, is made to order for my family.

There is something for everyone here. Water parks, theme parks, roller coasters, nature, beaches…it’s all there for the taking. And here is something that just makes it even better!

Kissimmee is giving away three weekend getaways for two and two week-long vacations for four! There is one more drawing coming up on June 1, 2009 so there is till time left to enter the sweepstakes for a great chance to win some time in Kissimmee!

Raw milk is becoming more popular among people who want to eat a more natural and less processed diet. True raw milk is classified as milk from organic grass-fed cows that is cooled to 36-38 degrees Fahrenheit and then bottled. There is no homogenization, pasteurization, or filtering. Raw milk fits this definition is a complete and balanced food with healing properties and other health benefits.

Pasteurization has been used since the 1890s to kill bacteria in milk. In addition to the killing of the “bad” bacteria, however, pasteurization also kills “good” bacteria. These good bacteria actually kill the bad bacteria that can contaminate milk and make people sick. Cows that eat fresh grass are eating the necessary nutrients to produce milk with a healthy amount of good bacteria. The good bacteria in raw milk is beneficial for the digestive tract. These bacteria produce enzymes that help break down protein.

Another benefit of raw milk is the high amount of conjugated linoleum acid. This is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found in milk from grass-fed cows and is known to boost metabolism, reduce insulin resistance, strengthen the immune system, reduce allergies, build muscle, and reduce abdominal fat.

Self-publishing is changing the scene of publishing. This new trend is rapidly picking up steam as an effective and advantageous alternative to the traditional New York publishing houses. And it’s about time!

Outskirts Press is a full-service self publishing and book marketing company. Outskirts Press has recently announced that one of its authors has earned over $100,000 in author royalties in just six short months.

Gang Chen is the self published author of Planting Design Illustrated and LEED AP Exam Guide. He will receive a first-quarter royalty check for $77,611.88 for books sold during the first quarter of 2009. Chen received a royalty check for $33,679.56 from Outskirts Press for books sold during the fourth quarter of 2008.

Chen contacted hundreds of traditional publishers for his first book. He finally made an agreement with one major publisher, but then realized that he couldn’t accept the substantial revisions they were wanted. He canceled this traditional publishing contract and decided to publish his book himself.

Outskirts Press knows that marketing is an integral part of an author’s success. Unlike most self-publishing firms, Outskirts Press offers promotional advice and marketing services that extend for years after the initial publication.

Cold baths and showers have been a regular part of ancient health regimes. Does an icy cold early morning shower sound appealing? Many people swear by it and say that it gives them a burst of energy that lasts for hours. This has also been confirmed by sports scientists and now many athletes are taking icy showers after competing to help rejuvenate and increase energy levels. How does this work? Blood vessels tighten instantly in a cold shower and this drains them of blood, in turn making you feel numb. When you get out, blood vessels open again. This allows new blood carrying fresh oxygen to your muscles, which invigorates them. The end result is you feel refreshed and ready for anything.

Brief exposure to cold causes a mild stress which can help prepare the body to resist a greater stress. When you get up in the morning, instead of a nice hot shower, try gritting your teeth and taking a cold shower instead. Maybe it will give you enough energy to charge through your entire day.

I wanted to share this CryoCell Press Release with you because I really think this is an important service for women to at least consider.

CryoCell has just released a new study that concludes that adding menstrual blood cells to umbilical cord blood actually expands the number of cells that can grow into mature blood cells. Can we imagine what this might mean? Think for a minute…

Stem cells have been found to successfully treat over 70 different illnesses…many of them life threatening! Cord blood cells can only be collected at birth. Menstrual blood stem cells can be collected every month! Menstrual blood stem cells are also uncontroversial (unlike other stem cells).

These findings have huge implications for the treatment of these ailments. We’re talking about successful treatment of diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. In addition, there may well be anti-aging, wound healing, and sports medicine therapy advancements as well.

Not only is this exciting…it is hard to place a price tag on this research. Wouldn’t you jump at a chance to have a huge impact on your family’s future health? Wouldn’t you jump at a chance to safeguard this future health?

MSG is natural. It is a sodium salt from glutamic acid, which is an amino acid. MSG was originally isolated from seaweed but is now made by fermenting corn, potatoes and rice. MSG is naturally present in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. MSG is also highly dangerous to your health.

A recent study used rats to determine the effects of MSG on obesity. Rats given MSG developed obesity, type II diabetes, and metabolic syndrome X. MSG can disrupt the endocrine system and wreak havoc with metabolism. This explains how a person can hardly anything and still putting on weight.

Natural flavors are what is known as “isolates.” Many natural products contain compounds that in isolation can be extremely harmful. When a whole plant, fruit or vegetable is consumed, other compounds are present that neutralize any harmful effects. When natural flavors are consumed as isolates, the compounds become harmful.

The word spice is another innocuous sounding ingredient. However, in the world of food marketing “spice” is a word that has hidden meaning. Ever notice how individual spices are not listed in ingredient lists? Most people think that the individual spices are not listed because the creator of the product doesn’t want to give away secrets. Untrue. When you see the word “spices,” it indicates that toxic additives are hidden in the food product.

If you have pets that you love, you should know about the Home Again Web Site.

This site has helped find over 500,000 lost pets through microchipping. Microchipping is an effective way of identifying animals without relying on a tag that may fall off or become so worn that it cannot be read. When pets are microchipped, they stand a much better chance of being found if they are lost. Well…HomeAgain has gone beyond microchipping. When you subscribe to their service, HomeAgain gives members access to pet-recovery specialists and an emergency medical assistance number to call when needed. There is also up to $3,000 in medical pet insurance for lost pets available and up to $500 that will be reimbursed for travel expenses if your pet is found more than 500 miles away from your home.

Consider registering your pet now and HomeAgain will make a donation with a fundraising Web site specifically created to help shelter animals. A percentage of purchases made through this site will go to animal shelters for food and medical care.

Researchers have just published a new study that concludes white tea could be a natural way to boost weight loss. Obesity is a huge health problem that contributes to morbidity and mortality from many different illnesses. White tea may be an ideal natural source of slimming substances.

The biological effects of an extract of white tea were studied and the results of the study show this herbal extract inhibits the generation of new human fat cells. Researchers also found that it stimulates fat mobilization from mature fat cells.

White tea is produced from the buds and first leaves of the same plant used to make the green tea and the black tea. Because white tea is processed less than the other teas it has been found to possess an abundance of natural compounds that researchers believe actively impacts human fat cells.

Apparently there is no shortage of celebrities in the Kissimmee area…and who can blame them…seriously! This is a totally cool spot for many different activities. If you love theme parks…they’re here. If you love nature…that’s here. If you love pampering and shopping…that’s here too! There is something for everyone here. My girls would love to meet a few of the Disney princesses and spend a day at a spa being pampered and attended to. I have to admit…I could get into this too. This would be a fun vacation filled with spa treatments, shopping, and girl fun.

Speaking of vacations…have you heard about this? Kissimmee is giving away three weekend getaways for two; and two week-long vacations for four. They have already had two drawings and awarded some great vacations…but there is still one more drawing going to be held on June 1, 2009, so there is still time to enter this amazing sweepstakes and have a chance to win.

If you haven’t given the Kissimmee area much thought lately, I’d urge you to do so. This is an area that has something for everyone so the entire family could be happy vacationing here. Check out the sweepstakes and maybe you’ll get lucky!