How to Obtain Optimal Health

You should already know that nutrition is very important to your quality of life. If you want to have a healthy life and lifestyle, you will need to have a healthy diet with proper nutrition. You might hear all the time that your nutrition greatly affects the way you live and your quality of life but have you ever really thought about why? Do you really understand why it is so important?

If you really want to take the steps to live the long life that you deserve and to be as healthy as possible and enjoy those years, than you need to learn all you can about the importance of optimal nutrition. What you eat really affects your body and health.

1. What is optimal nutrition?
2. What nutrients do you need to be healthy?
3. What foods give you these nutrients?

Importance of Optimal Nutrition

Optimal nutrition is very important to your overall health and fitness. Studies have shown that people can actually live longer if they have healthy nutrition. It is proven that there is a link between optimal nutrition and long life and long term health.

If you take a look at society, you will notice an increasingly large number of people that are overweight and obese. You will also see problems such as poor teeth and acne, dry, brittle skin, dry hair and other problems. You will find many people on medications for headache, stomach problems, acid reflux, constipation, heart disease, high blood pressure and more. What may be more alarming than the high amount of medications is the fact that most people receive very little information about what is actually causing their disease or condition. Instead, they get a pill.

What many people never know is that what they are eating (or not eating) can be causing these health problems. You also need to understand that you will have to make changes and adjustments to your intake over the years and stages of your life. Just like toddlers need a different diet from teenagers, you also need to alter your diet as you continue through all of life's stages. Understanding what is best for you through each stage of your life is the best way to remain in optimal health.

Micro and Macronutrients

Many people hear that they need proper nutrition but just what does that mean exactly? What nutrients do you need to be healthy? Optimal nutrition will include a variety of different micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fats that make up the foods you eat.

There is too often a lot of myth surrounding the nutrients, our bodies and how we use these nutrients. This is why it is very important that you get all the facts when planning to change your lifestyle and diet. Many people are suffering from malnutrition and may not even know it. Many overweight individuals may be suffering from malnutrition. Just because you are eating does not mean you are eating the right things.

Micronutrients are the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body needs to be healthy. The specific ones and amounts of each will depend on your body, sex, age and other factors. Every person is different so there is not one set plan that works for everyone. You need to learn what works for you. As you change, grow older, etc. this will change again and you will continue to have to adjust this.

Macronutrients are the carbs, proteins and fats that you get from foods. The amounts of these that you need will vary as well. This is where many myths come in about what you should or should not eat. The facts are that too much of anyone can be bad and not enough can be bad. It's all about finding a balance. This means those "All-Carb" or "No Carb" diets that are so popular on the market are really not the best thing for you.

What you choose to ingest in your body has a big impact on your overall health and your general well-being. People now eat more fast foods and frozen dinners and other quick meals that are not very nutritious at all. Some of these foods even have additives in them that can make them addictive so that you want more and more. People typically eat out of hunger and many of these foods do not work to satisfy your hunger leaving you wanting more or something else. Yet, they still have many calories and fat and other things that your body does not need.

Make the Committment

If you are serious in obtaining optimal health to the best of your ability, then take a look at your lifestyle in general. Are you eating the right foods? Are you exercising? Are you getting plenty of fresh air on a daily basis? Do you have positive relationships? If you find yourself answering "no" to these questions, then make the commitment to change. Talk with your family, friends, or a nutritionist. Check to see if there are support groups in your area related to health and lifestyle changes. Look into joining your local gym. Do your research and then purchase the right nutritional supplements that will help you achieve your goals.

If you at least try to make a change in one area, more are sure to follow! You are now on your way to optimal health.

Author: Monique Hawkins @ ArticleGeek

Stomach Exercise To Lose Belly Fat

There is no magical gizmos or high tech gadgets to help you get your abdominal muscle. You have to exercise to flatten stomach and get a lean, defined six-pack. Your dream of getting a sexy body with flat and trim abs is within your reach! Sculpt up with lower abdomen exercise and get rid of those love handles with exercise. Here is how!

Stomach Muscle Exercise

A good abdominal workout program requires high intensity muscular overload and an increase in intensity progressively. Stomach exercise must be performed carefully so that the lower back is supported properly.

Stomach exercise can help build the entire abdomen region because the upper and lower abdominals are not separated and are connected. Of course, there are some stomach exercises that can help build and strengthen specifically the lower and upper abdominal muscles.
Abdominal exercises can help you also gain strong stomach muscles and back muscles. This can reduce the likelihood of back pains and provide protection against injury by efficient response to stress.

Lets have a deeper look into the muscles in the abdominal area. The Rectus abdominals is the muscle that stretches down the stomach from your ribs to the hips. The external and internal oblique run down the sides of the waist and their job is to rotate the torso and assist the abdominals during curling and twisting movements.

Stomach exercises are needed to tone or harden the muscles in that area. Not only that, the layer of body fat that is covering the abs must be burn off and this could be only done with proper eating plan. Try to increase your protein intake and limit your carbohydrates, eating a low carbohydrate diet is said to be one way of tackling flabby abs along with a sensible abs exercise routine, strength training and cardio exercise.

Stomach exercise

Stomach exercise must be followed religiously and is all about frequency rather than intensity. No exercise must be continued if it leads to pain or extreme discomfort. The best stomach exercise program can also help you achieve a flat and tight stomach. Many an abs exercise can be performed on the floor. Like any other muscles, the abdominal muscles will react to resistance training like bicep curls and crunches.

A simple pelvic tilt performed while sitting in a chair can strengthen your abdominal muscles and help support the back.

Best Stomach Exercises

Crunch

Lay on your back and knees bent, lift your shoulders off the floor. The emphasis is on moving the ribs towards the hips.

Reverse Curl

Lay on your back, bend your knees towards the chest. Keep the hips on the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles at the same time. Your lower abdominal exercise program must include reverse curls.

Leg raise

Single leg raise involves raising one leg from the floor. The double leg raise involves raising both legs from the floor at the same time and this works as an abdominal muscle exercise. Lying leg raises are ideal lower abdominal exercise

Abs exercise with the ball

The stability ball is an effective training device for the abs and lower back. Due to the curve of the exercise ball, the lower abdominal muscles get trained better on account of the greater range of motion.

Bicycle

It was ranked the best abdominal exercise by the American Council on Exercise. When performed with the abs muscles pulled, this exercise does great things for you.

Plank

For this exercise program, you need to position yourself for a pushup and hold the pose. Ensure that your body is in one long, straight line from head to toes.

Captains chair

This abs exercise involves standing on a gym chair and gripping the handholds. Press your back against the head pad and slowly lift your knees towards your chest. The back must remain straight.

Postnatal stomach exercise

A lot of women just cannot wait to get back in shape after childbirth. But before they can participate in any postnatal weight loss exercise program, they have to consult their doctor first.

Pelvic tilts and simple abs contractions are an ideal way to start on a postnatal lower abdomen exercise program. Combined with Kegels exercise, you can get your pelvic floor muscles back in shape. Isometric contractions can even be practiced with the baby on your stomach. Stick to a steady lower abs exercise program and watch the flabby skin harden.

Stomach exercise to flatten stomach

Getting a lean defined six-pack abs is a dream for most of us. Millions of dollars are spent yearly in the process of achieving a flat stomach and trim waistline. There are many gadgets that are sold to those seeking an exercise program getting the stomach fat down.

The first step towards a lean waist and flat stomach is to remove the fat that sits on the abs. A combination of cardiovascular exercise program coupled with a low fat diet aimed at preventing fat can do wonders. Stomach exercise program would include the following:

Forward flexion exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.

Rotational exercises such as trunk rotations and standing twists

Stomach Exercise for love handle

Love handles are a misnomer, as all women would love to shun them. Love handles are the ugly fat belts around the waist. This lump of flesh starts at the side of the bra-line and extends all the way down the back. Aerobic exercise aimed at this region can help you shed those love handles. Exercise for love handles involve exercising the oblique muscles to tighten up the sides of the waist. Abs crunches could also do the same.

Here is an easy stomach exercise for the oblique that you can do at home.

Sit upright with a stick across the back of your shoulders. Twist from side to side. Side bends also work wonders on love handles. Keep at it and watch these muscles firm into place.

Author: Chung Leong Yu @ ArticlesBase

Wait Before You Buy That Next Pack Of Cigarettes

It happens all of the time when you smoke cigarettes. You are constantly running out and have to run down to a store somewhere and get some more. A smoking addiction can not only be annoying to keep up, but it can get really costly, especially these days. A pack of cigarettes costs about five dollars a pack on average across the country, some places a little less, but mostly a little more. Not only are they costly and inconvenient, just think about what they are doing to your health because of the chemicals and tar that you get from when every time you light one up.

Some smokers just do not want to quit even though they know how bad they are for them. If there was a better way to smoke that felt the same to them a lot of smokers just might try it, especially if it was much less detrimental to their health. Actually, there is now such a product available. It is still awaiting approval by the FDA, much the same as other products, but has already been studied extensively in places around the world. Some of these studies are supposedly inconclusive, while many of them totally suggest that the harmful affects from using an electric cigarette is minimal in comparison to the tobacco in a traditional cigarette.

The electronic cigarette uses rechargeable battery sticks and resembles a tobacco version, only there is no tobacco. You do not light it so it is non-carcinogenic and produces no tar. Tar is a major contributor to the diseases and illnesses people can get from the burned tobacco. There is also a limited number of additives in the nicotine filters that produces the flavor and sensation of smoking smoking real tobacco. The main ingredients are the nicotine liquid, flavorings, propylene glycol, and water. This smoking device does not produce real smoke, but only water vapor that has the appearance of smoke.

The electric cigarette filters do not have the thousands of cancer causing ingredients that come in tobacco. The vapor does not stain and cause bad odors either. One filter for the electric cigarette is closely equivalent to one pack of cigarettes, which means that you do not have to change that often. The battery sticks stay charged for hours on end and you can smoke it a little and then put it down for as long as you like, anywhere you like, no ashtray needed. Any smoker that is fed up with the higher priced tobacco cigarettes and the inconvenience of smoking them as well, might want to consider giving the electric cigarette a try.

Author: Aydan Corkern @ ArticleSnatch

Methods You Can Use to Regrow Hair

People who have hair loss generally dream of the capability to regrow their hair. What they in reality want is something that they can rub on their scalp and then the hairs just reappear. There is no such baldness cure at the moment but there are goods that promise to prevent further hair loss and maybe revitalize some of the lost hair, if the follicles haven't completely died away. Here are some of the lines, which say hair growth is feasible.

Propecia is said to be the planet's most prevalent hair loss treatment. It consists of a pill which must be taken on a regular basis. In tests 2/3 of men said that they had had some amount of hair regrowth while 5 out of 6 said that they had maintained the thickness of hair that they had. Propecia is an anti DHT formula and works by stopping DHT being made in the hair follicles. Due to the fact that it works on the male hormone system this hair loss product is not suitable for women to use. It won't work on all men and if there have been no positive results after12 months of treatment then it is not sure that it will work on that particular person.

Revivogen is a product made up from entirely natural ingredients. It is put directly on to the follicles. It operates in the identical way as Propecia by blocking the formation of DHT in the hair follicles. Women can use this product because it only works in a local area in the scalp. Other substances in the formulation are said to block the receptors of male hormones in the hair follicles and also stimulate the growth of hair. In consumer tests of the product over seventy percent of clients reported that they either kept the same thickness of hair or had a degree of hair regrowth.

Laser hair restoration is a treatment applying low power lasers to stimulate hair follicles in the scalp. This cold beam laser beam will not inflame or harm the scalp at all. The laser beam actually helps to increase blood circulation in the skin and helps hair follicles to make new hair. This treatment is suitable for all men and women. You can go to a hair clinic for treatment but this has to be on a regular schedule and would prove quite expensive in the long term. An alternative to this is to purchase a laser comb. This is a fully portable apparatus using up to date technology to miniaturize the same device used in the bigger clinic laser hoods. Although there is a cost to begin with for the device it will pay for itself with enough future use. In consumer trials over ninety % of people found that they had some thickening of the hair after using the procedure for half a year. Even better results were seen if the laser comb was used in conjunction with one of the other treatments such as Propecia or Revivogen. Some hair clinics dosay that clients should use the laser comb between visits to the clinic for the main treatment.

Minoxidil is the medical name for the working substances used as the basis for a range of various treatments such as Rogaine and Regaine. Originally it was a drug used to treat high blood pressure, but a number of patients also reported that it reversed or slowed down their hair loss. Since then many trials have taken place and Minoxidil is accepted as being useful in the treatment of baldness, where it can stop hair loss or even cause hair regrowth. It is applied directly on to the scalp in an alcohol based solution. The treatment is appropriate for men and women although different concentrations of the drug have to be used. Fifty % of men using the treatment had increases in hair growth over a 12 month usage period. Results get better in younger men. It is not certain how the drug works exactly but one of its main actions is to make larger the circulation of blood in the scalp to the hair follicles.

All of the treatments provided above have displayed that they are able to regrow hair. But, none of them provides the magic cure-all that people actually want. They are not one off treatments because they have to be applied on a scheduled basis. Once the treatment is ceased then all gains made will be gradually lost over time.

Author: Tim Vincent @ ArticleSnatch

Constant Back Pain Under Left Rib Cage

Back pain under the left rib cage is a dilemma for all patients suffering from it. Any constant pain is viewed by doctors as a very serious disorder or disease and requires immediate attention and cure. The rib cage is a formation that is composed by the thoracic vertebrae and ribs, sternum-breastbone, and the coastal cartilages that links the ribs to the sternum. The term cage is defined as a structure to house animals. The rib cage is a similar structure which houses and also protects the animal heart and lungs, also known as a thoracic cage in medical terms.

In the chest-thorax region, nerves spring out from the spine and divide into two parts. The first part goes to just under the skin and further sends fibers to the surface and also travels around half way around the chest. This is a probable reason for the feeling of pain in the back to the side of the chest. The second part travels to the bottom of the rib around the sternum bone, and also surfaces to the skin and then goes back towards the side on the same level as the first nerve. Rib cage pain can be any pain or discomfort in the area of the ribs.

A fractured or cracked rib can cause rib cage pain, costochondritis, inflammation of the cartilage near the breastbone, osteoporosis and pleurisy. If you do encounter such ribcage you must first get the area x-rayed so as to determine if your ribs are fractured. In the event of a fractured rib an immediate surgery should be scheduled. If you've been suffering this pain for a long period of time (3 months or more) it's necessary to go for an MRI or CT scan and consult a professional to check for nerve damage, tumor or cancer.

Pain due to inflammation of cartilage between ribs and breastbone can radiate around the back and down the arms. Such type of pain could be enormous enough to give you a syndrome that you are having a heart attack or lung problems. Though this condition is benign but it is very painful and uncomfortable during the period it lasts.

There are instances when constant back pain under left rib cage makes you visit a specialist in gastroenterology since the problem starts with your stomach. Your stomach feels empty and you feel that a big growl wants to come out, nothing that you end to eat makes it better, you often get heart burn and a pain in the left side underneath rib cage. Routine blood pathology should be conducted to eliminate any infection of the intestine or pancreas. Digestive, gastro and bowel disorders must be ruled out by seeking medical advice. Such symptoms might make you start wondering that it is due to twisted bowel, you might have to go for a check up of colon.

Constant pain under the left rib cage is very uncomfortable for pregnant women especially those in advanced stages of pregnancy. They experience extreme pain near the area where the ribcage and breast meet. The pain causes extreme trauma and sometimes makes it difficult to sleep.

Say goodbye to your problems of thoracic back pain. Download your NO COST report on how to rid your back pain now! Also discover if lower back pain and high heels can be a reason for back pain.

Author: Steve A Madigan @ ArticlesBase

The Benefits of Eating Organic Foods

The benefits of eating organic food are plenty and that is why this industry continues to grow. Consumers want to know that they are eating foods which are very good for them. They also want to know that they are helping the environment. These are the main benefits that come from eating organic foods. Anything that is certified as being organic is at least 95% organically grown.

This means that no chemicals are used for them – not as sources of fertilizer, as pesticides, or as herbicides. That is important because such chemicals will end up remaining to some degree on these fresh fruits and vegetables. As we consume them those toxins enter our bodies. We are led to believe that they aren’t harmful but consider the number of people with serious health problems in our society it has many wondering if this is they reason why.

There is no reason to consume such harmful byproducts when you don’t have to. Organic foods taste just like those which do have chemicals so you aren’t sacrificing anything by purchasing what is safer for you to use. If the high cost of organic foods isn’t something you can handle then consider growing some of your own. There is plenty of great information online to walk you through such a process.

There are significant benefits for the environment when we eat organic foods too. This type of farming uses less fossil fuels in the form of petroleum. It also consumes less energy and those are resources that we want to be able to save. Supplying enough food for society is important but why deplete resources when we don’t have to in order to get the same benefits?

The soil in which fresh fruits and vegetables are grown organically is also healthy. Too many times with conventional methods the soil is completely depleted of the nutrients it needs. In time this means that the food won’t be able to grow there anymore. Then more and more farm land has to be cleared away from other types of habitats. This can have a negative effect on the various ecosystems that live there.

The water supplies are full of chemicals too from conventional farming methods. They wash into the lakes, rivers, and streams out there. Many forms of aquatic life including fish die from those chemicals. This results in the entire food chain of those living in the water being affected. Many other animals in these bodies of water feed off the fish. When the supply is low they can starve to death.

When it comes to the raising of animals for foods such as meat and eggs, conventional methods include using hormones and supplements. These can result in various negative elements getting into our own bodies when we consume them. Organically raised animals though only consume organic foods and they are never given hormones. As a result you can feel very good about what you eating.

The way in which these animals are raised is more humane as well. They have clean living quarters, fresh water, fresh air, and they are well cared for. Too many animals living in conventional processing locations are in filthy conditions with overcrowding.

As you can see there are certainly lots of benefits to eating organic foods. They offer us a very realistic way to get the foods we want without the harmful effects. By keeping humans healthier, allowing sources of aquatic life to be healthier, making sure the soil is able to continually grow our sources of food, and helping the environment there doesn’t seem to be anything negative about organic foods.

Author: John @ ArticlesBase

Taking a Chance on Healthy Living!

One of the most important aspects of living a healthy and prosperous life is understanding "risk." By this I mean knowing how to understand and analyze situations in life that affect health. Being able to accurately weigh benefits and risks when making health decisions is very important! Too often decisions are based on incomplete or inaccurate information and this is a huge mistake with significant consequences!

Failure to accurately assess risk keeps people locked in all kinds of unhealthy situations including poor eating and exercise habits (lifestyle), relationships and jobs. Sometimes people are just afraid to step out and make a change. They see "risk" in making a change when the REAL risk comes from NOT making a change. From my perspective, living with the stress, unhappiness and frustration of indecision and poor health is the greatest risk of all, and one that is definitely not worth taking!

Accessing "risk" is nothing more than collecting information, weighing the alternatives and then making appropriate decisions based on the information.

Some risks to our health are more "real" than others. For example, it is common knowledge that obesity is associated with a wide variety of health problems. On the other hand, there are some health risks that are so remote we rarely think about them. On a practical level, eating highly processed foods and avoiding a daily dose of fresh fruits and vegetables is rarely considered serious. But, as too many have already discovered, the long range consequences of this practice are real and devastating.

Failure to accurately assess risk limits us in many ways. We imagine the "risk" of talking with our children about drugs, dating or sex and we put off having the "talk," even though the risks of NOT talking are infinitely greater. Fear of flying and public speaking are two more "risks" affecting millions of people. But practically speaking, these fears are unfounded. People ride in cars every day, even though cars are far more dangerous than commercial aircraft! It's a failure to accurately assess risk, and it limits our health, prosperity and pleasure in life.

The goods news is that failure to accurately access risk is reversible! The effects of those decisions to eat inappropriately or NOT to exercise are, as the common expression goes, "do-overs." We can effect positive change in our lives by following a few simple steps to accurately access risk:

1. Accurately define your present situation and access your health "risks". Are you eating a healthy diet? Are you getting enough exercise and good quality sleep? What are the consequences if you DON'T change? Weigh the benefits of healthier living vs the potential risks such as increased cost, inconvenience or discomfort.

2. What do you stand to gain if you change your present circumstances? Assess the "up-side" potential. Too often we look only at the "downside" risk and forget the benefits. What good things might happen if you take the risk and win?

3. Limit the "down-side" if you happen to make a wrong decision. Don't continue down a path if it does not produce results. This is especially important when following weight loss programs. If the pounds are not coming off or if the weight loss is only temporary, find a new program! You not only want to lose weight, but want to sustain the weight loss for as long as possible. Take steps to ensure this will happen. Clear, concise, realistic objectives will definitely help.

4. Reduce your risk by being smart! Understand the situation and seek the advice of experts in the field of health and nutrition. This includes finding and forming partnerships to receive support and get good advice.

5. Have a fall-back position. If the decision you make fails to produce the desired results, be prepared to take a long, hard look at the circumstances and be prepared to change what you are doing.

Everything in life involves some element of risk. Driving your car, meeting someone new, crossing the street...but we do them every day. Winners in life are willing to accept the risk and continue on their way! Get involved, be smart about how you play the game, come prepared for a few failures along the way, but don't quite. You will reap the benefits for your effort and live a happier and healthier life. I like to remember the words of the great Winston Churchill when he said, "Never, never, never give up!"

Author: Dan Farrell @ ArticleGeek

Blood Pressure Basics

There are no hard and fast figures which represent a normal blood pressure. And very often doctors and other experts cannot even decide between them what an ideal blood pressure range is for an adult.

However it is usually agreed that somewhere between 110/70 and 125/80 is considered to be an average blood pressure for a grown person, though someone with naturally low blood pressure may be closer to a range of 100/60

A blood pressure of 140/90 is considered to be high, though as a person gets older, this falls into the more normal range for people.

Blood doesn't circulate in an even stream around the body, but travels in a constant series of spurts. Therefore the pressure peaks in the blood vessels just after a heart beat and then ebbs until the next one. This is a continuous process.

The two blood pressure figures represent the pressures when the forces are at their peak and at their lowest ebb. The stronger the arteries are, the more they resist the force of the blood and the lower the blood pressure.

As a person gets older, and the elasticity of their arteries weakens, the figures tend to rise. However the lower figure should still be under 90 until that person at least reaches their sixties.

Many studies looking at blood pressure in both black and white people have found there is a higher prevalence of hypertension (High blood pressure) in black people than there is in white. This has led to further research in determining whether this is racially determined or just based on socioeconomic and dietary factors.

Some people suffering high blood pressure may find they just can't pinpoint a cause for their problem. They may be fit, have a very healthy lifestyle yet their blood pressure remains consistently high for no apparent reason. This is called Primary or essential high blood pressure. However if the raised blood pressure is due to an underlying medical problem, it is known as Secondary High Blood Pressure.

Nearly one in four people in the Western world have high blood pressure. Many people don't appreciate it is a dangerous condition that can lead to a heart attack kidney failure or stroke if it is left untreated. Yet there are thousands of people unaware they have high blood pressure who are walking around with a lethal time bomb ticking away inside them.

Author: Diana Statham @ ArticleGeek

Causes Of Tiredness And Fatigue: How To End Tiredness And Fatigue By Eliminating The Causes

The causes of tiredness and fatigue can often be linked to the kind of lifestyle you have. Are you a workaholic dad or a housewife with four hyperactive kids? Do you drink a lot of coffee or smoke like a chimney? You may not think that these things have any sort of impact on your life, but think again!

By examining your daily routine, you’ll be able to pinpoint the exact causes of your tiredness and fatigue. Below are some of the common culprits that get in the way of living a dynamic life.

1) Stress

Stress is one of the common causes of tiredness and fatigue. It chooses no age or gender. Valerie, a senior officer at a successful accounting firm, is only twenty-four and yet her stress levels are very high. As a result, she doesn’t have enough energy to even go out and have fun with her friends during weekends.

But stress doesn’t only manifest from spending too many hours in the office. A mom who stays at home all day looking after her kids is very likely to feel stressed out. After all, she has to feed the children, play with them, cook and clean, etc.

While not all of us can afford to avoid working altogether, we can at least give ourselves a break or two in between all the stress. If you’re like Valerie, stop taking too many overtime slots and start prioritizing yourself. If you’re a mom, indulge yourself in a spa treatment every once in a while. Give yourself time-out to relax and unwind.

2) Smoking

Smoking is one of the little-known but damaging causes of tiredness and fatigue. If you’re a chain smoker, you are probably more prone to tiredness and fatigue than anyone else. You’ll also be more likely to fall into states of depression. Not a good combination.

However, smoking is not a habit you can just let go of that easily. Try to kick the nicotine habit one cigarette at a time. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how less tired you’ll feel after just a month of two or not smoking.

I also recommend that you keep yourself preoccupied with other activities during this stage in your life. Friends who are trying to quit smoking say that swimming and taking yoga classes are doing wonders for their disposition. Not only do they feel healthier, they also feel less tired in general.

3) Lack of Sleep

Lack of sleep will eventually catch up to you, people always say. Even if you’re used to pulling all nighters, you still won’t be able to escape the feelings of tiredness and fatigue.

It’s important for people to get enough quality sleep every night. After all, it is during sleep that your body repairs itself and prepares for another day of challenges. Unless you give your body time to recuperate, you’ll end up facing another day feeling worse for the wear.

Stress, smoking and the lack of sleep are just some of the common causes of tiredness and fatigue. Now that you know how your lifestyle is affecting how well you perform everyday, perhaps you’ll now take the necessary steps to deal with it.

Author: Michael Lee @ Articlesnatch

The Origins of Organic Foods

Today organic foods only account for about 2% of all food production. That is very low but experts believe that the future looks very good for it. More consumers are taking an interest in buying organic foods all the time. Grocery stores and farm markets are trying to keep up with the demand out there for such items as well. They want to supply consumers with what they are after so that they won’t do their shopping someplace else.

You may be wondering where the idea of organic foods started and how it has grown over time. Organic foods were the brainstorm of small farmers that wanted to offer great tasting food without the chemical process. They used only natural ingredients to be able to do this. Initially they only grew enough food for them to feed their families. From there the idea was to sell extras at roadside farm markets. Today there are larger farmers out there offering organic foods that you can buy at most grocery stores as well.

The decision to stay away from chemicals occurred back in the 1970’s. This was when many people were involved in the peace movements. Instead of working for other people they had large colonies where they would grow their own food and take care of the needs of those in them. These communities also wanted to keep the world clean and to avoid consuming products that weren’t good for them. As those movements ended their ideas stayed strong.

It is believed that this process was in place in the late 1980’s but didn’t really take off until the 1990’s. However, if you really think about it organic farming is simply getting back to the basics. That is how farming was done in the early days before the introduction of commercial farming and chemicals to help them get large yields without the headaches of weeds and pests.

The main significance though is that what someone can grow on their own and consider to be organic in nature may not pass the guidelines for them to be sold commercially as so. The USDA is responsible for setting the strict standards for organic foods. They have to be met again and again with regular inspections in order to continue that verification being offered. One of the very strict guidelines for organic food is what can be used for compost.

It isn’t really known where in the world that idea of organic food processing really took place. It seems that the idea was going on in many countries all about the same time. What has changed though is the process for it. Even so, it is still one that requires plenty of people to take care of what needs to be done.

A great deal of money is made through the sales of organic foods though. This is part of why so many farmers are getting on board. They do want to offer people something better to eat and clean up the environment. They also know that consumers are looking strongly at organic foods. They want to make sure they offer it so that they don’t lose money with their conventional methods of farming that are in place right now.

Regardless of the origins of organic foods, they have changed the way that we will have such items produced in the future. They are going to be better for people due to the lack of chemical residue. The fact that more people are trying to eat healthy means that this can help them to have a great lifestyle now and into the future.

Author: John @ ArticlesBase

Home Remedies For Bad Breath - Do You Have Bad Breath Problems That Need Attention Now?

Bad breath problems are an embarrassing ailment and one that no one wishes to experience. However it is a common condition that thankfully can be treated effectively.

Some of the most commonly recommended home remedies for bad breath sufferers are not really that effective and do nothing to cure the underlying problem. These include things you may have already tried, such as:

Chewing gum. Mints. Peppermint mouthwash.

In fact the above remedies actually only mask the smell of your breath for a very short time. They certainly do not treat the cause and are not really a true remedy, only a way of masking the odors.

The main cause of bad breath problems are a build up of bacteria in your mouth. This can be on your tongue, teeth and your throat but the back of the tongue is the most likely place where bacteria will breed and cause the dreaded foul smell.

Chronic post nasal drip is another common cause of foul breath. This is when mucous falls from your nose down to the back of your throat.

One of the best home remedies for bad breath is to get rid of bacteria by using a tongue scraper. The tongue harbors a lot of bacteria, particularly right at the back. A quality stainless steel scraper will gently bring that debris forward, and it can then be washed off of the scraper. If you've never done this before, you will be surprised at how much bacteria comes off your tongue the first time. It is best to do this procedure first thing in the morning, before you've eaten or drank anything.

Avoiding particular foods can also help you to ward off halitosis. Foods like garlic and onion may cause a foul smell to occur. Some people have also had success with avoiding dairy products.


It goes without saying that brushing and flossing your teeth properly at least twice per day is a basic requirement for everyone, but especially for those that suffer from bad breath. If you can add tongue scraping into this routine then you will ensure that your mouth is truly clean.

There are also some medical conditions that are known to bring about bad breath problems. These can include acid reflux, sinus infections or liver problems.

Some people who suffer with chronic bad breath also have a condition known as tonsilloliths. These are commonly known as a tonsil stone and are smelly whitish/yellow lumps, which form within the tonsils. They are made up of mucous, sulfur-producing bacteria, post nasal drip, dead cells and food particles that collect in crypts within the tonsil region at the back of the throat. Eventually they dislodge and are either swallowed or coughed up into the mouth.

Now you may or may not suffer from tonsilloliths but a lot of people do and it is often linked with bad breath. A tonsil stone does give off an awful smell when squashed between the fingers and can be an unpleasant addition to bad breath problems.

If you are certain that your hygiene is excellent and you are in good health, but you are still noticing foul breath or tonsilloliths then there is an extremely effective product available that I personally use and highly recommend. It certainly made a difference to my life and was the only remedy that totally put a stop to my halitosis.

Author: John Reece @ Amazines

Get Your Curves Back With Fat Transfer

Guess what ladies, curves are BACK! The look of "heroin chic" that was popular in the nineties has come and gone. No longer is a boyish, stick figure considered sexy. In 2009, a healthy, feminine, hourglass shape is whats hot.

You've heard Beyonce sing about it, you've seen Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Biel flaunt it that's right a curvaceous BOOTY! As much as you can work out, the best way to achieve the curvy shape you want may be a fat transfer to your buttocks.

This revolutionary procedure, also called a Brazilian butt lift, is sweeping the country as women are flocking to remove fat from their "problem areas" (inner thighs, stomach, low back, and love handles) and transfer it to their buttocks to create a more voluptuous silhouette.

The process is often combined with liposuction and is often the choice for women who simply cannot change the shape of their body through diet and exercise. This procedure is considered a great alternative to buttock implants, which are similar to breast implants but are made of a solid silicone material rather than being filled with fluid.

Many patients choose to transfer fat instead because the surgery is less invasive and tends to have a lower rate of medical complications. Some women also prefer it because you are using your own fat and not inserting any foreign material into your body-you are simply redistributing it from one area to another to create a sexier you!

Generally, buttock augmentation, or the Brazilian butt lift, is performed under general anesthesia and is an outpatient procedure. The first step is liposuction and possibly even using liposuction to shape and contour the buttocks.

The next step is to take the harvested fat and inject it into the buttock muscles and subcutaneous tissue to create the desired shape. You may wish to bring in photos of your favorite celebrities during your consultation in order to determine if you have realistic goals for your shape and also that you will be able to achieve your desired results.

Following the one to two hour procedure, compression garments are then worn for several weeks after the surgery to help hold in your shape and to reduce swelling.

There's a reason this procedure has become so popular! Women want to look healthy and fill out those swim suits. Men want a woman who looks sexy and has that classic hourglass shape. Curves are back and they are here to stay!

Author: Abigail Aaronson @ ArticleSnatch

Why are some of my teeth sensitive to hot drinks and other times to cold air or cold drinks?

Americans are lucky. Throughout all facets of healthcare and that includes oral care, we tend to take it all for granted. I recently returned from Tehran, Iran and other Middle East countries where I was visiting with some friends. One of my passions is reading and writing and being a pharmacist, there is a never ending list of questions that the general public will seek you out at any type of gathering.


I found there was great interest in sedative dentistry being the latest "in-word" for those patients labeled as "difficult to freeze". This has resulted in a new discipline at many universities in North America where an accredited post graduate program appropriately called Dental Anesthesia is hot ( no pun intended) as the continuing education course one should take.


One question from a culture that has coffee stands similar to how we have hot dog or sausage vendors and where people stop to buy a snap of strong coffee and toss it down as though it was a shot of vodka all seemed strange to our customs.


Two questions were at the top of the list:
Why are my teeth sensitive when I have a hot drink?

Why are my teeth sensitive when I inhale air or have a cold drink?

Some time the questions were aimed at both situations.

Pharmacists do not diagnose and therefore a consultation with their dentist was my first advice. However this much I knew. Sensitivity to temperature - usually heat but also cold - is a classic symptom of the pulp of the tooth being inflamed.

Here are some possible causes if your tooth is sensitive to cold:
They is evidence of deep decay. The problem can usually (but not always) be fixed with a restoration such as a filling or maybe a crown. Once the pain in response to cold has progressed to being sensitive to heat, you will have a tooth infection and endodontic therapy (root canal treatment) is required to save the tooth.

If you recently had a new filling or crown treatment, and there is irritation directly after, this is normal and nothing to be concerned about as long as it comes immediately after the dental treatment and it gradually gets better. However if you had the treatment a week or more ago and your tooth is now beginning to react to the cold, or if the sensitivity gets worse over time, it is possible that your tooth already had some latent undiagnosed condition. Now, with the added irritation of being worked on, the condition is aggravated and requires further treatment.

Exposed roots. If your gum has receded or if the enamel or cementum of your tooth has worn to where the sensitive part of the tooth is exposed, it can make your tooth experience pain from cold. A filling or protective coating can keep your tooth from becoming too irritated. If this is the case, your tooth will also be sensitive to air. Any special toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help with this type of problem.

You can do a bit of diagnosis by checking these symptoms.
If the cause (deep decay, exposed root) can be determined, address that cause. Remove the decay and fill the tooth, or cover the exposed root.

When the tooth is irritated, does it hurt only briefly or does the pain linger? If the pain lingers for more than a couple of seconds (which is the time required for the tooth to warm up) it also indicates an irreversible pulpitis, and endodontic treatment will be required.

Sensiivity to heat. Sensitivity to hot on a tooth is a classic symptom of a dead nerve. The empty space in the center of your tooth that once held a healthy nerve now contains dead tissue and one of the components of decaying flesh, methane gas. When heat is applied to the tooth, the gas expands putting pressure on the large nerve outside the tooth that connects all you teeth. You need to have a root canal on this tooth in order for these symptoms to disappear.

Dentinal sensitivity. occurs when the dentin (middle layer) of a tooth is exposed. Normally, the dentin is covered by enamel above the gum line and by cementum below the gum line. Dentin is made up of tiny openings called tubules. Inside each tubule lies a nerve branch that comes from the tooth's pulp (the center of the tooth). When the dentin is exposed, cold or hot temperature or pressure can affect these nerve branches. This causes sensitivity.

Author: Haynes Darlington M.Sc. Pharmd. @ Amazines

Quit Smoking - Help is Out There

Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your health and increase your life expectancy.

There are a number of therapies available to help people quit this terrifically addictive and available habit including NHS support, nicotine patches, Allan Carr's group sessions, hypnotherapy, reiki, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and the list goes on.

The benefits of becoming a Nonsmoker are vast such as

• Becoming healthier,
• Having more energy
• Having a greater feeling of control in life
• Being able to us your disposable cash for positive purposes
• Have more time
• Feel really good for your achievement
• Seeing smoking for what it really is

Habitual behaviour is often a comfortable way of being as it can provide us with a sense of security especially if our lives are particularly fraught or unpredictable. As a Hypnotherapist who helps people become Nonsmokers, often people will talk about their habit as a friend that's always there for them. I guess there's truth in that as they are always available and can provide that stable comfort. However, if I had a friend who I had to pay lots of money to, who was damaging my health and was a mass murderer - the incentive to be with him would have to be pretty strong. And the addiction is very strong, otherwise everyone would quit with ease.

As a therapist, I seek to allow the transition from Smoker to Nonsmoker to be as easy as possible and to feel the psychological rewards from new wanted ways of being. I have found a number of techniques to be very successful; such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming as well as focusing on Hypnotherapy. It's an absolute must for people to really want to stop - as if the desire is not there, then change cannot happen. You can't make people do something they do not want to do.

Often we try to avoid change as our mind likes to keep us in our comfort zone as ultimately we know we are safe in repeating past behaviours because we're still here. We will stay in our comfort zone, even if we know it's not the best place for us to be, as we prefer what is familiar and routine to what is new and unknown.

Effective help and our own added self-awareness can help by allowing us to stop the behaviours that we do not like and that are damaging to ourselves and others around us.

For more information on quitting smoking through hypnotherapy please visit http://www.personalempowerment.co.uk

Author: Duncan Quinney @ EzineArticles

Can a Pure Water Filter Protect Your Family's Health?

To answer this question we need to ask two simple questions.

Is tap water good for you or is there a better beverage choice? Is a pure water filter really a necessary purchase for homeowners?

Let's look at the answers to those questions.

Purified water is the best beverage that you can drink for your health. A trace mineral content makes it even healthier. Most people do not drink enough water.

Without it, toxins are not thoroughly flushed from the body. They build up in the liver, kidneys and other organs. They make it difficult to absorb vitamins and minerals from the foods that we eat. They make it difficult to lose weight and they cause a variety of health problems.

But, is tap water good for you to drink? If you have installed effective tap water purifiers, then, yes, it is the best beverage for your health. If you have not installed tap water purifiers, then, no, it is not good for your health.

Tap-water contains many of the toxins that I referred to previously. Chlorine is dehydrating, it damages the digestive system and it also tastes bad. The chlorination process causes the formation of cancer-causing THMs.

So, if you are on a public water-line, you need tap water purifiers that remove these and other hazardous contaminants.

The cheaper products remove the chlorine, but not the THMs, so they are a waste of money. The most expensive systems on the market include a reverse osmosis step, which is unnecessary and does not remove chemicals, so they are a waste of money.

An effective worthwhile investment is a multi-stage selective filtration device that includes four steps. They are:

Submicron filtration, similar to reverse osmosis, but much less costly. This step removes parasitic cysts that are resistant to chlorination and other disinfection methods. If ingested cysts can cause severe illnesses. They are deadly to the very young, the weak and the elderly.
Granular activated carbon or GAC is the most popular choice for reducing chlorine levels. The cheapest products contain only this ste
Carbon and resin adsorptive block. This provides the most effective removal of chemical contaminants and is necessary to trap THMs.
Ion exchange performs many functions. It reduces lead by more than 99%, balances mineral content and pH level, while improving taste.

Is tap water good for you if you have all of these steps? Yes, it's the best tasting and the healthiest thing that you can drink.

But, really, is tap water good for you or should you buy bottled water? Buying bottled waters is an increasingly popular choice. You even see 'water bars' where expensive brands from around the world are sold.

The industry is not required to provide something better, only equivalent to unfiltered tap water. There have been many incidences of contamination. A pure water filter is a better choice and they save you money.

One more question; is tap water good for you to shower in.

It would take to long to cover, here, but 'no'. It is not.

Author: Julie Perry @ EzineArticles

Ice Your Muscle Pain Away

Muscle problems tend to accompany endocrine issues, especially adrenal glands that can’t or won’t keep up.

Of course, they also tend to accompany life as a jock or a do-it-yourselfer. But with endocrine people, muscles act up without a cause. As the song says, that’s life.

Our muscles get inflamed and “knotted up,” worse on some days than others.

Accupressure massage helps, but few physical therapists do it right. Several therapists have had at my back. Some seemed to be tickling me; some bruised my muscles, leaving me sore for days. Only one, Glenn Kippes, the therapist who treated me when I lived in Tucson, made a real difference. He’s a massage magician. But what to do without Glenn?

Doctors usually advise hot baths–the exact wrong thing to do. Heat just inflames muscles all the more.

I know, I know. Heat feels really good. Problem is, all the while it’s feeling good, it's making things worse.

Answer me this: A half hour or so after you get out of a hot bath or the Jacuzzi, are your muscles better or worse? And how much progress have you made with your muscle pain since you started treating yourself with heat?

A lot of people, especially men and senior citizens for some reason, won’t even consider giving up hot soaks, fully persuaded that some day they’ll work, and all the pain will disappear. It reminds me of when my kid brother was very young and liked to watch the same movie over and over–in case the ending changed.

The answer? Ice. Sheesh! Even in the Phoenix summer, lying on ice packs doesn’t make me burst into song. It’s more in the a-girl’s-gotta-do-what-a-girl’s-gotta-do category than the oh-yippee-it’s-time-for-my-ice category.

Several years ago, a man veered out of his lane and hit my car–right next to where I sat–at about 50 mph. Seat belt or no, my body parts flew in all directions, most of which God never intended. Besides a concussion and whiplash, I hurt in places I didn’t know I had places.

Doctors poked, prodded and x-rayed, then pronounced me fit as a fiddle. Good as new. And every muscle in my body said, “You’re kidding, right?” Well, no, they weren’t.

But I could hardly move. And wincing from the pain was giving me crow’s feet, which wasn’t a look to which I aspired.

So Glenn went to work. He told me I would get better, faster results if I went to bed each night on ice packs. He gave me three 10" X 13" packs so I could start right away.

So every night for months, I lined up my three ice packs–which went from my neck to my tukus–covered them with a towel, and eased into bed. Ever so slowly, my muscles healed.

I keep my ice packs in the freezer, ready for duty, to this day. If I’ve overdone it, or twisted something–somehow done something to make my muscles unhappy–out come the ice packs.

If my arms hurt, I ice the area where my neck meets my spine. If my legs hurt, I ice my lower back. If the pain s general, I line up the three amigos and park myself on them.

Life goes better with ice packs.

A closing word: Muscles that scream at top volume can’t always take the full power and glory of ice packs at first. Cover the packs with two or three towels to tone down the effect. You’ll build tolerance for full power over time–as you heal.

Author: Bette Dowdell @ Articlesbase

Bad Breath and Cavities

Bad breath comes with bacteria and bacteria brings infection, to eliminate this problem, it is important that you brush your teeth and tongue after every meal. Not doing this can cause sensitive points to appear on the teeth surface resulting in cavities.

Cavities lead to serious problems, but how do they actually form? The teeth exterior is covered with firm enamel made of mineralized fascicles. This surface is coated by an acid substance that infiltrates between the fascicles while eating. Bacteria are now settled in your mouth and unfortunately so too is the bad breath.

Fluoride toothpastes, mouthwash or drinkable water that contain flour are a great source for solving dental problems. You should test the water you usually consume and find out its flour concentration. If the amount of flour found is not adequate, doctors can prescribe a medical treatment, which mimics the same effects, otherwise, the problem of tooth decay and cavities may become serious. Mouthwash, special medicine drops or even tablets can end the teeth damage process.

If you think you are developing cavities, see your dentist as soon as possible. Superficial cavities will eventually deepen, reaching into the root of the tooth and causing the pulp to become infected. A dental abscess may then appear causing you to suffer great pain and bad breath due to the tooth being surrounded by a smelly pus bag.

Pus appears because the body starts producing antibodies to fight the infection. Bacteria will spread infection in the tissue surrounding the tooth and consequently spread an annoying bad smell in your mouth.

Your breath will become unbearable because the gums affected can deviate from the tooth and the space between them can collect particles of the food that you eat which can later form bacteria. A dental abscess can also seriously affect the bone tissue surrounding the teeth.

Some of the symptoms to look out for are throbbing toothaches, especially during eating, red or swollen gums, fever or a bad taste in your mouth. You may also notice a tooth color change to grey or pink.

A bulge on the gum near the tooth can form and a considerable amount of yellow pus or blood may ooze from the red, bulging zone.

As the infection spreads the ache may decrease and this is the effect of bone tissue dissolution. When losing this tissue the tooth is poorly fixed and may be dislodged. A medical exam is mandatory in this situation.

A dentist may inspect the oral cavity to identify the swollen gums or other infection signs that suggest a dental abscess. A dental radiography may also be necessary. The dentist will make an informed decision on what antibiotics should be used to eliminate the infection. They may also need to make an incision on the upper or backside of the tooth to drain the infection. If necessary, they can also make an incision on the bulging zone to drain the infection.

I think we will all agree after reading the above that regular dental checkups are necessary to save us from the embarrassment of bad breath and the excruciating pain of an infected tooth.

Author: Sandra Burgess @ za77

Simple Eating Tips To Lose Weight

Simple Eating Tips To Lose Weight:

Water

Avoid sugary drinks, it leads to gaining weight. By stop drinking sugary drinks, you able to reduce significant amount of calories. Drink water instead and you will see the difference on your weight.

Portion of food

Reduce your portion of food, slip it into small portion rather than having huge portion of food per serving. Most of us will tend to forget about the food portion when we are hungry therefore drink a full glass of water or eat a fruit before your meal. Healthy food

Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables

Natural sugar contain more nutrients than processed sugar. Fruits and vegetable not only playing an important role on weight loss, they also benefit our health condition.

Type of food

Have different type foods per mea including protein, carbohydrate like green beans, fish, egg, brown rice and fruits to gain varieties of vitamins and minerals when we are on diet.

Additional tips on cooking method:

- Using olive oil to cook instead of butter. Butter have a lots of cholesterol which is bad for our health.

- Be aware of the amount of oil when cooking. Minimize it.

- Remove the skin and fat of the meat or chicken.

- Eat fresh vegetables: tomatoes, carrot or cucumber. Try not to cook vegetable for too long so that you able to get more vitamin C out of it.

- Include lots of spices to your food to taste great and so that you wont feel so tedious to those healthy foods.

Print a copy of this article, paste it on your weight loss note and start it today. You will be amazed by the result one month later, weight loss does not happen over night.

Author: Vannas Lee @ Articlesbase

Water - Not Too Much & Not Too Little

Let's get one thing straight! Coke tastes better than water. So does lemonade, fruit juice, tea, coffee and of course alcohol! We all ENJOY drinking these things. If you are like me, you probably don't ENJOY drinking water - you just know you should. But why should we? Is pure water better than, say, orange juice? How much water should we drink a day? Can we drink too much water.. . Lets answer those questions:

Our bodies are estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Thats a large amount, I think you'll agree. Our body needs water to maintain a steady body temperature. It is used to transport nutrients to all of our organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and lubricates our joints and organs.

Water is lost through urination, respiration, and by sweating. The more active you are, the more water you lose. If you start to get pains in your joints, headaches, strong smelling yellow urine and constipation, it may be a sign that you are dehydrated, and thus not getting enough water to replace what is lost. Thirst is also a good sign that you need to drink more.

Can we drink too much water, and if so, how much is too much?

Short answer, yes. In fact people are known to have died from drinking too much water. So why is too much dangerous? Well, drinking too much water can couse your brain to swell. Being inside your skull, it when it swells, it doesn't really have anywhere to go. This swelling can interfere with vital functions such as breathing.

So how much is too much?

According to expert research, drinking several litres over a short period of time (perhaps over 1-2 hours), can be enough to cause the brain to swell.

Ok, so how much is 'ideal'?

Experts tend to agree that 2.5 litres per day is an ideal amount of water to consume. Of course this could be in the form of juice, pop or non-caffeinated drinks. It's probably a good idea to have a mix. Too much pop & you could well have no teeth in a few years. Juice contains vital vitamins, so a small portion is good. Don't forget too, that a percentage (around 20%) of the water you need will come from the food you eat. So don't think that you have to sit there gulping down 2.5 litres of water. If your intake is spread throughout the day, you shouldn't even notice it.

To reiterrate - drink enough water!

It is difficult to keep on top of drinking enough water. If we are having a busy day, it is easy to get distracted. If this happens, don't binge on water when you remember (too much over a short period is bad), just try to have a steady intake from that moment on. Keeping a bottle handy at all times is a good way to remember. Don't forget, you can break it up with other juices too (just keep an eye on those calories).

Author: Ryan C Davis @ Isnare

Photochromic Lens

Photochromic lenses are lenses that darken on exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Once the UV is removed (for example by walking indoors), the lenses will gradually return to their clear state. Photochromic lenses may be made of glass, plastic or polycarbonate . The glass version of this type of lenses was first developed by Corning in the 1960s. More recently, plastic versions of these lenses have been commercialized. The first of these was the Photolite lens sold in the early 1980s by American Optical Corporation. The first commercially successful plastic photochromic lens was introduced by Transitions Optical in 1991.

Image: Photochromic lens

The glass version of these lenses achieve their photochromic properties through the embedding of microcrystalline silver halides (usually silver chloride), or molecules in a glass substrate. Plastic photochromic lenses rely on organic photochromic molecules (for example oxazines and naphthopyrans) to achieve the reversible darkening effect. The reason these lenses darken in sunlight but not indoors under artificial light, is that room light does not contain the UV (short wavelength light) found in sunlight. Automobile windows also block UV so these lenses would darken less in a car. Lenses that darken in response to visible (rather than UV) light would avoid these issues, but they are not feasible for most applications. In order to respond to light, it is necessary to absorb it, thus the glass could not be made to be clear in its low-light state. This correctly implies photochromic lenses are not transparent, specifically they filter out UV light. This does not represent a problem, because the human eye does not see in the UV spectrum.

With the photochromic material dispersed in the glass substrate, the degree of darkening depends on the thickness of glass, which poses problems with variable-thickness lenses in prescription glasses. With plastic lenses, the material is typically embedded into the surface layer of the plastic in a uniform thickness of up to 150 µm.

Typically, photochromic lenses darken substantially in response to UV light in less than one minute, and then continue to darken very slightly over the next fifteen minutes. The lenses fade back to clear along a similar pattern. The lenses will begin to clear as soon as they are away from UV light, and will be noticeably lighter within two minutes and mostly clear within five minutes. However, it normally takes more than fifteen minutes for the lenses to completely fade to their non-exposed state. A study by the Institute of Ophthalmology at the University College London has suggested that even in dark conditions photochromic lenses can absorb up to 20% of ambient light.

Because photochromic compounds fade back to their clear state by a thermal process, the higher the temperature, the less dark photochromic lenses will be. This thermal effect is called "temperature dependency" and prevents these devices from achieving true sunglass darkness in very hot weather. Conversely, photochromic lenses will get very dark in cold weather conditions, which makes them more suitable for snow skiers than beachgoers while outside. Once inside, away from the triggering UV light, the cold lenses take longer to regain their clear color than warm lenses.

A number of sunglass manufacturers/retailers (Intercast, Oakley, Serengeti Eyewear, to name a few) offer products that use photochromism to make lenses that go from a dark to a darker state. Because these products are tinted in the bleached state, they are typically used only outdoors and are not considered general purpose lenses.

Source: Wikipedia