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PREPARING TO QUIT SMOKING -- Try these tips to increase your chance of success when you are ready to quit smoking: Set a date for quitting. If possible, have a friend quit smoking with you. Notice when and why you smoke. Try to identify your smoking triggers (such as drinking your morning cup of coffee or driving a car). Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your other hand. Do not do anything else when smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke. Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors. When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try to think of something to do instead of smoking; you might chew gum or drink a glass of water. Buy one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to a brand of cigarettes you do not like.

KIDNEY STONES -- Kidney stones are solid accumulations of material that form in the tubal system of the kidney. Kidney stones cause problems when they block the flow of urine through or out of the kidney. When the stones move along the ureter (the tube from the kidney to the bladder), they cause severe pain. Tiny crystals in both urine and the blood fluid used to help flush the kidneys may form, meet, and cling together to create a larger solid mass called a kidney stone. Many people do not ever find out that they have stones in their kidneys. These stones are small enough to allow the kidney to continue functioning normally, never causing any pain. These are called "silent stones." Kidney stones cause problems when they interfere with the normal flow of urine. About 10% of all people will have a kidney stone in his or her lifetime. Kidney stones are most common among Caucasians, males, people over 30, people who have had kidney stones before and relatives of kidney stone patients. Kidney stones can be composed of a variety of substances. The most common types of kidney stones include calcium stones, struvite stones, and uric acid stones. Calcium stones usually stem from excess calcium in the body. Struvite stones come often after repeated urinary tract infections. The infections leave bacteria that changes the urine pH levels that makes crystals appear more readily. Uric acid stones come from excess uric acid in the body, a condition that usually causes gout as well (painful deposits, usually found in the big toe or foot). Chemotherapy and certain bone marrow disorders can also cause higher than normal uric acid levels.

DON'T GET SICK WITH PICNIC FOODS -- Picnic foods should be safe and healthy. Use a cooler or ice to keep items cold. Watch out for eggs and mayonnaise and other foods that could become contaminated away from refrigeration. Some picnic food ideas include bean salad, tabouli, or fruit salad. What are your favorites? Take some protein foods as well, such as nuts and seeds, yogurt, cheese, or tofu salads. Also, make fresh choices, such as grapes, watermelon, apples, and further fresh fruits. Pack your foods separately in ziplock bags, then place in your cooler. Sandwiches and other finger foods like cut vegetables and dip are easy. Make your sandwiches fresh once you arrive and keep the spreads and fixings on ice. Even if you are just carrying healthy snacks in a purse or backpack, you can include a pack of "blue ice" that will safeguard your food and avoid the mess. By not mixing ingredients in advance, you will keep the spoilage to a minimum.

SLEEP FOR SEVEN -- Seven appears to be the magic number when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. A study recently revealed that people who routinely averaged 7 hours of sleep each night had the lowest mortality rates. Most people need between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night, so listen to your body and get the amount of rest that feels appropriate for you. Getting an appropriate amount of sleep each night may help improve several measures of well-being. Good sleep habits can improve mood and productivity during the day. Sleep also appears to help with the organization and formation of memories. And people who routinely get enough sleep each night appear to have lower mortality rates compared to people who sleep too much or too little. Many times, even if you are not sleeping, just resting your body and mind is enough to help your body "reset." If you have trouble getting to sleep, do not fret - just relax into your bed and let your imagination take you somewhere soothing.

BUY THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT -- A common mistake in workouts is not getting the proper equipment or not wearing the proper shoes or clothes. For example, many people have bicycle ergometers, or stationary bikes. Some of the less expensive models cannot be adjusted properly so the leg is not in full extension during the down cycle of pedaling, which can lead to knee problems. Before you buy, play with the machine in the store in a variety of settings and use it for at least 5 minutes at your top speed. This will give you an idea for if it fits your body. Many individuals who start, for instance, a walking program, will have read that all they need is a comfortable pair of shoes. But you need a good pair of walking shoes - yes, shoes designed with walking in mind - with the correct arch and heel support and toe box. Once you start walking long distances, increasing your speed, and walking more often, if you do not have the proper shoes, you actually can get injured in what is probably the safest form of exercise. Also, if, for instance, you are taking an aerobics class, you should have a pair of shoes for the aerobics class and not wear them on the street. You could pick up things on the bottom of the shoes that will make them dirty and slippery. Secondly, the way your foot strikes is different in walking and in your aerobics session, so you will have two different wear patterns. This could unbalance your foot during activity and lead to additional strain. Likewise, match your exercise clothes to the activity that you have chosen. If you are going to be on a treadmill, for example, you do not want clothes that are really loose and could get caught in the machine.

ENTREPRENEUR'S STRESS REDUCTION TIPS -- Running one's own business (or a household) can be overly stressful. No fixed salary, constant promotional efforts and sometimes the isolation of being on one's computer all day can be a strain. Here are a few ideas to implement each day before the stress builds up. Remember it is much easier to nip something in the bud then to deal with stress after it flowers into physical symptoms or a bad mood. If you get into a funk sometimes it can last for days and its often hard to break free of it. When you can "catch" the negative moment beginning you have a great shot at stopping it from taking you down. If you feel a certain "mood" beginning (i.e. depression, anger, discouragement) try to do something physical such as running, swimming, or even cleaning. It is good to do something that will tune-up your nervous and glandular system. Even if you do not "feel" like doing these things, you will feel better after you do. Keep a notebook of inspiring anecdotes, quotes, and tips. This helps to boost ones spirit and also to feel connected with others that have dealt with similar feelings. Breathing exercises and stretching for short periods of time also seem to help fight work-related stress.

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CELIAC DISEASE

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Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. Specifically, tiny fingerlike protrusions, called villi, on the lining of the small intestine are lost. Nutrients from food are absorbed into the bloodstream through these villi. Without villi, a person becomes malnourished - regardless of the quantity of food eaten.

Because the body's own immune system causes the damage, celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disorder. However, it is also classified as a disease of malabsorption because nutrients are not absorbed. Celiac disease is a genetic disease, meaning that it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered - or becomes active for the first time - after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.

Celiac disease affects different people in various ways. Some people develop symptoms as children, others as adults. One factor thought to play a role in when and how celiac appears is whether and how long a person was breastfed - the longer one was breastfed, the later symptoms of celiac disease appear, and the more atypical the symptoms. Other factors include the age at which one began eating foods containing gluten and how much gluten is eaten. Symptoms may or may not occur in the digestive system. For example, one person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. In fact, irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children. Symptoms of celiac disease may include one or more of the following:

• recurring abdominal bloating and pain
• chronic diarrhea
• weight loss
• pale, foul-smelling stool
• unexplained anemia (low count of red blood cells)
• gas
• bone pain
• behavior changes
• muscle cramps
• fatigue
• delayed growth
• failure to thrive in infants
• pain in the joints
• seizures
• tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage)
• pale sores inside the mouth, called aphthus ulcers
• painful skin rash, called dermatitis herpetiformis
• tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
• missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss)

The only known treatment for celiac disease is to follow a gluten-free diet. One must avoid all foods that contain gluten, including wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, barley, and possibly oats - in other words, most grain, pasta, cereal, and many processed foods. Despite these restrictions, people with celiac disease can eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods, including bread and pasta. For example, instead of wheat flour, people can use potato, rice, soy, or bean flour. Or, they can buy gluten-free bread, pasta, and other products from special food companies. For most people, following this diet will stop symptoms, heal existing intestinal damage, and prevent further damage. Improvements begin within days of starting the diet, and the small intestine is usually completely healed - meaning the villi are intact and working - in 3 to 6 months. (It may take up to 2 years for older adults.)

The gluten-free diet is a lifetime requirement. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can damage the intestine. This is true for anyone with the disease, including people who do not have noticeable symptoms. Depending on a person's age at diagnosis, some problems, such as delayed growth and tooth discoloration, may not improve. A small percentage of people with celiac disease do not improve on the gluten-free diet. These people often have severely damaged intestines that cannot heal even after they eliminate gluten from their diets. Because their intestines are not absorbing enough nutrients, they may need to receive intravenous nutrition supplements. Drug treatments are being evaluated for unresponsive celiac disease. These patients may need to be evaluated for complications of the disease. If a person responds to the gluten-free diet, the physician will know for certain that the diagnosis of celiac disease is correct.

"Daily BioBasics" by Life Plus is designed to be a complete, foundational nutritional supplement and it is gluten-free! For more information about "Daily BioBasics," please see http://www.aomega.com/ahs/d5025a.htm and consider supplementing your diet with this high-quality, nutritional powerhouse.

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PMS TIPS

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Exercise. One remedy that seems to help is exercise. When women do moderate exercise five times a week for at least 30 minutes a session, their Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms are significantly reduced. Because long, steady exercise causes a release of endorphins, it makes sense to keep the level "pumped up," so to speak, during the last two weeks of the cycle. Continuous production of endorphins appears to diminish the PMS symptoms.

Eat Small Frequent Meals. It has been shown that occasional small sugar snacks are effective in relieving the milder symptoms. To avoid fluctuations in blood sugar levels, do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals instead. Eat the same amount of food you normally would, but spread it out. Have three small meals and mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks.

Limit Simple Sugars and Include Fiber. It is better to limit simple sugars than to try to avoid them. It is okay to have some sugar, but do not have it on an empty stomach, for that could trigger a binge. Instead, have a dessert with your meal. It sounds strange, but it is better to eat dessert during the middle of a meal than at the end. Having something sweet at the end of a meal may lead you to want more sugar. If you eat the sweet mid-meal, the craving is satisfied. Be sure to include fiber and protein with each meal to slow the digestion and absorption of the sugar.

Limit Caffeine and Alcohol. Some women experience alcohol intolerance during the last two weeks of their cycle; they show signs of intoxication with only two drinks when it usually takes five or six to produce the same effects.

Reduce Sodium. Finally, sodium is not as big an issue as it once was, but if you are bothered by fluid retention and breast swelling or tenderness, then limit your sodium and avoid adding salt.

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GLUCOSAMINE

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Glucosamine is a compound that provides the body with the raw material needed to manufacture important components of joint cartilage. Glucosamine shows great promise in treating and possibly slowing the progression of osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that is considered the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects more than 16 million Americans, especially older people. It results from continuous wear and tear on the joints and progressive loss of both cartilage and the protective coating that covers the ends of bones in a joint.

Multiple studies have shown that glucosamine sulfate can gradually reduce pain while improving range of motion and walking speed in people with osteoarthritis. One recent study showed that glucosamine sulfate improved symptoms in people with knee osteoarthritis. Glucosamine is not as potent an anti-inflammatory agent as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. But numerous studies have shown that it is at least as effective as NSAIDs at decreasing pain and improving mobility, and it is much less irritating to the gastrointestinal tract.

Uses. Glucosamine is used to treat and possibly slow the progression of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. In supplement form, glucosamine has been show to support joint and cartilage flexibility and mobility and may slow down other types of diseases / inflammations that cause connective tissue to degenerate thus affecting freedom of movement.

Glucosamine is found in chitin, part of the hard outer shell of shellfish. It is available as a supplement in several forms, including the following: Glucosamine Sulfate, N-Acetyl Glucosamine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, and Glucosamine / Chondroitin-Sulfate combination products. All are usually contained in tablet or capsule form. Glucosamine can be found in a Life Plus product called "Joint Formula" - please see http://www.aomega.com/ahs/j6113a.htm for additional information.

Recommended therapeutic dosage is generally 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine per day (500 mg three times a day) for one to two months. Ongoing supplementation may be required to prevent progression of osteoarthritis and reduce pain and inflammation.

The majority of studies indicate that glucosamine is safe, nontoxic, and may cause only minor side effects, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. However, people with certain health conditions may need to take precautions. Glucosamine sulfate may contain high amounts of sodium or potassium, so individuals on a restricted diet or taking potassium-sparing diuretics should carefully check the label before taking it. People with diabetes should have their blood sugar checked regularly, since glucosamine may raise insulin resistance. Individuals with shellfish allergies should check with a health care professional before taking glucosamine.

Glucosamine may increase the anti-inflammatory activity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. This interaction may result in the need for lower doses of these medications. You should consult your doctor to determine whether supplementing with glucosamine supplements may be appropriate for you.

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HEALTHY RECIPE-OF-THE-MONTH