FitSugar

Having Trouble Sleeping? Try Feng Shui

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:30:00 PST

Do you have a hard time falling or staying asleep? Do you wake up in the morning feeling uneasy or irritated? It may have to do with the Feng Shui in your bedroom. Feng Shui, which literally means "wind and water," is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal is to enhance the flow of "chi" (energy) and to create a harmonious environment that supports health and happiness.

Here are some basic Feng Shui tips to hep you get a better night's sleep:

Shut out the outside world by removing the TV, computer, and exercise equipment. The bedroom is your place of serenity, where you need to get away from the stresses of life, so if your desk or office must be in the bedroom, separate the space with a curtain or folding screen.
Use calm and friendly earth tones such as copper, cream, tan and chocolate to create a warm and cozy atmosphere. Light blue, mint green and lavender will give a tranquil feeling and invite healing energy. Vibrant colors such as red and bright orange stimulate the mind, so this may not be the best color for your bedroom.
Your bed should be in the commanding position. This means it should be far away from the door, but you should still be able to see the entrance. This will give you a sense of safety and protection. You also don't want the foot of your bed to be pointing towards the door. In traditional Chinese culture, this is called the "Death Position," and thought to drain life force energy since the deceased were carried out feet first.
There should be room on either side of the bed so it is approachable from both sides and energy can flow around you freely.

Want to hear more about your bed? Then

Try not to put your bed under a slanted ceiling, heavy beam or ceiling fan. This position is thought to contain depressing energy that literally pushes down on you while you sleep. If you can't avoid this position, hang tapestries or other fabric above the bed.
Also avoid positioning your bed directly under a window. A solid wall symbolically can support and protect you, while glass allows energy to flow in and out of the window, which may cause restless sleep. Solid headboards are great since they'll provide even more protection and support while you sleep. Footboards on the other hand block forward progress in life and are only recommended if your bed has to point towards the door.
Reduce clutter in your bedroom, under your bed, in your closet, and on your night stand. Clutter represents unfinished business, which can disturb your sleep.
Cover windows with curtains so that you can have a cocoon-like feeling at night, and they'll keep the sunlight out in the morning. Being exposed to sunlight first thing in the morning is said to influence your serotonin levels and affect you for the rest of the day. Once you're ready to wake up, you can easily pull the curtains open and flood your room with natural light.
Make sure not to hang a mirror next to or opposite the bed as this is thought to bounce too much energy around the room and prevent restful sleep.
Hang up art that exudes happiness and calm energy.

You obviously don't have to do all these things, but as long as you can walk into your bedroom and feel relaxed and comforted, then you're on your way to a good night's sleep. Source

How to Save Your Achy Party Feet

Leta Shy — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:34:56 PST

If the holiday parties have you living in heels, you've probably got some unhappy feet on your hands. Wondering how to beat the suffering? Here are some feet-relieving remedies to help you out.

Prevent injuries by keeping your ankles and leg muscles strong. After all, who wants to make a wobbly party entrance? Take a few minutes a day to add some ankle-friendly exercises to your routine, like tiptoe walking, heel walks, and balance exercises. Find out the four important exercises you should be doing if you wear heels here.
Don't stop there. If your feet are achy after a night of dancing on stilettos, relieve them while combating the muscle-shortening effects of sporting heels for an extended amount of time. Be sure to stretch them out with these seven stretches for high-heel wearers.
Feet still achy? Find more relief with these five things you can do to treat your achy feet, and try to alternate wearing heels with flats to give your feet a rest!

Daily Tech: Welcome to Jurassic Park

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:03:45 PST

A dinosaur amusement park is coming to New Jersey in 2012 - animatronic dinosaurs only - SlashFilm
The Steve Jobs book is Amazon's 2011 best-selling book - Newser
Awful video-game inventions that really exist - Cracked
A new hangover remedy gets FDA approval - Tecca
Software update turns Nintendo 3DS into 3D camcorder - Dvice
Five PayPal alternatives for online transactions - Wired

Lil Links: Keep Air Travel Smooth With Endless Ways to Entertain Tots

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:15:59 PDT

50 ways to entertain kids on a plane - Parenting
Bottlefeeding mom asked to stop by shop owner - The Stir
Catherine Bell says motherhood's easier in her 40s - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Elton John shows off baby Zachary in Italy - Celebrity Baby Blog
Do you trust alternative medicine for your tot? - Health
10 alcohol-inspired baby names - Yahoo! Shine
Dance your way to a more fit rear end - FitPregnancy
Adorable bathing suits for the littlest swimmers - The Bump
What do your kids call the adults in their lives? - Momformation
Natural home remedies for Summer's ailments - Babble
Organic sign language blocks will inspire tots to build - Child Mode

Do You Use Herbal Remedies?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:00:56 PST

I ran into a friend this week who was on his way to an herbal medicine shop to bulk up on tinctures and teas because his wife is sick.

I've dabbled a little bit with herbal remedies - ginger for an upset stomach and echinacea for a cold - but not to the extent that he and his wife do. He said that for minor illnesses they only use herbal remedies, and that they're more effective than drugstore meds.

I'm still dubious about herbal remedies because the research is a bit spotty, but I think there may be some benefits to their use. What do you think of them? If you've had any experiences with using herbal remedies, share your thoughts in the comments section.

DrSugar Answers: Adrenal Fatigue?

DrSugar — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:00:39 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I was researching my recent increased PMS symptoms and discovered they are a symptom of something that naturopaths call adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion. Is this condition or something like it acknowledged in the medical community? Could it be a source of my problems?
- Tired and Confused

Well, I must admit this was a very interesting topic to research, as I had never heard of it before since it was not a subject that I learned of in medical school or residency training. So just what is adrenal fatigue? To learn more about it, keep on reading!

DrSugar Answers: Stiff Knees?

FitSugar — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear Doc,
I just turned 32 and boy are my joints feeling it. This aging thing is real. I run and bike regularly and try to add yoga into my workout schedule, but really only do it once a month. The problem is my knees - well, knee - my right one. If I keep it bent for a short period of time (five minutes or so), like sitting crossed legged or a low kneel with my butt on my heels, my knee gets super stiff. It takes a couple minutes before I can walk normally again. I have just been ignoring the stiffness (it isn’t exactly painful), but is this a sign of arthritis? Or do I need to stretch more? Is there anything I can do to help my knee?
-One Knee Off

This is a great question, as I am also in my early 30s and have noticed that my right knee becomes very swollen and painful after sitting for a long period of time. I’m sure there are many FitSugar readers who have had these same symptoms! First I will discuss knee stiffness and pain and its possible diagnoses. I will then provide some information on treatment and prevention for knee pain and stiffness. For all this information, keep reading.

Prevent Heartburn With These 5 Foods

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:00:25 PDT

If you suffer from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the acid that's in your stomach comes back up through your esophagus, and results in burning and pain in your chest. It's often caused by the foods you eat, so here are some foods that will prevent these uncomfortable symptoms.

Oatmeal with bananas - Opt for this high fiber, lowfat food instead of a sugary, fried doughnut for breakfast since high fat foods often lead to symptoms. Bananas naturally fight stomach acid, so the combination is perfect.
Fresh ginger -This natural anti-inflammatory is an ancient remedy for digestive issues. Drink ginger tea, make your own ginger ale, suck on ginger candy, or grate some fresh ginger into your stir-fries.

To see the other foods,