Over 30 million Baby Boomers provide countless hours of assistance to elderly parents at no charge. It is estimated that, using average hourly wages, the total amount of this uncompensated care is comparable to the entire Medicare budget. For the estimated 7 million Boomers who provide long distance care, actual out of pocket expenses amount to almost $5,000 per month. For caregivers who have, or are considering leaving the workforce to care for an ailing parent, the costs are even greater – over $650,000 in forfeited salaries, benefits and pensions.

This stark economic reality shows only one dimension of the price caregivers pay for this act of love.

Caregivers pay with losses that extend well beyond their bank accounts. They often forego the activities that bring joy and richness to their lives, like meeting friends for dinner, or going out to the movies or taking family vacations. They pay with their time, the loss of professional opportunities and the erosion of personal relationships that result in isolation.

Sometimes, otherwise healthy loved ones need a short dose of care as they recover from an acute medical episode like a broken leg. Usually loved ones are on a path of steady decline with cascading assistance needs. Some caregivers sacrifice large chunks of their own lives as they help their parents and other family members and friends peacefully make their transitions. Caregivers can pay with their own health and well-being. In fact, we have evidence that some caregivers pay for their acts of care with their very lives.

You can decrease the personal and economic costs of caregiving. This means proactive planning rather than reactive responding. Planning saves money. You know this as you reflect upon your experiences of going to the grocery store with and without a shopping list. Planning also minimizes personal wear and tear and decreases stress. You will feel much better when you know your options and develop back-up plans before you jump into a challenging project.

5 Tips to Decrease the Cost of Caregiving:

1. Begin the conversation today. We have tremendous cultural resistance to the recognition of aging, disability and death. Just as the first few steps uphill are the hardest, so, too, you may meet the greatest resistance simply starting the conversation about their possible need for care. Say today, “Mom and Dad, it would be great if you lived forever, but the discovery for the fountain of youth is nowhere on the horizon. What thoughts and plans do you have about enjoying
your golden years?”

2. Create a plan. Talk with your parents about their ideal plan if they are no longer able to care for themselves. Then, start to work toward that proactively. Investigate long-term care insurance. Draw up the appropriate legal documents. Find out who would make medical choices if they were not able to make them on their own, along with some guiding principles for the choices. You can anticipate and limit parental resistance by saying, “Mom and Dad, I just got back from the lawyer’s office signing my will and durable medical power of attorney. I’ve asked Mitch to make my medical choices if I cannot make them myself. Just so you know, if I were in vegetative state, I wouldn’t want to be maintained on a machine. You probably already planned ahead too, right?”

3. Use personal and community resources. Make caregiving a family job to which each member contributes. Even children can make grandma’s life special with drawings and phone calls. Identify services that make your job as a caregiver easier. If you and your parents live in the same community, check with friends and neighbors and local organizations to learn about services and resources that will make your job easier. You say, “Mom has just moved in with us, and she wants to ‘find a card game with the girls.’ Do you know of any senior centers that have social events? How about transportation?”

We’re a mobile society and millions of caregivers live more than an hour away from their parents. Executive William Gillis learned from his own personal experience how challenging it is to identify community resources from afar. As he was carving the path that ultimately led his on-line portfolio management service, he became the caregiver for his father. Talk about mixed emotions! Professionally, he was introducing a service that let millions manage their investments with one click of a computer mouse. Personally, he was investing untold hours just to find one bit of information to help his dad.”

As with so many innovators, he used his personal and professional experience to launch Parent Care (www.parents-care.com), a service that he wished would have made his life as a caregiver-at-a-distance easier.

3. Gather cost-savings tips. This might mean something as simple as ordering generic medication or regularly inquiring about senior discounts. But, most cost savings opportunities aren’t as obvious. Mr. Gillis found, for example, that some states will pay for phones for hearing, visually or mobility limited seniors or fund home safety improvements. He said, “We’ve invested heavily to locate time and money saving resources that most would have difficulty finding. I made it a personal mission to help other caregivers avoid some of the costs and frustration I encountered.” You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. Tap into the resources others have collected.

4. Take care of yourself. You will be able to provide the best care as a caregiver when you’re at your best. Get good nutrition, enough sleep and regular exercise. Manage your stress and do a little something every day to nurture your soul. Understand that you are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, and weakening your immune system. Talk to your doctor if you see worrisome signs such as problems sleeping, changes in appetite or loss of interest in activities
you enjoy.

Despite the costs, most caregivers say that they received much more than they gave. Most say they would do it again, and many do.

Sometimes the question is not the personal cost of caregiving; it’s the value that you bring to the lives of others that matter at the end. What personal cost are you willing to pay for the privilege of helping those who welcomed you into the world to enjoy their golden years and travel the road of illness with love and dignity?

About The Author

Dr. Vicki is a board-certified surgeon and Clinical Instructor at the University of Washington School of Medicine who left the operating room to help caregivers and patients take the most direct path from illness to optimal health. Want more tips about caregiving? Get your free report “Caring for the Caregiver” by emailing Dr. Vicki Rackner today at DrVicki@DrVicki.org and be sure to check out her regular column with the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Group’s new caregiver web site http://www.strengthforcaring.com/

Skin infections include boils and carbuncles. If not properly treated, these infections can become a serious health risk. Yeast infections can also result. This is common in the underarms and genital-anal area. The most common type is candidiasis (moniliasis).

This is a condition where the affected person suffer from severe vaginal itch or a rash under the breasts. Powders, creams and suppositories are usually recommended to treat the same.

Diabetes also decreases blood circulation. This is especially true in long-term diabetes thus, slowing the healing process of wounds and cuts. This happens because nerves in the feet may not be functioning well. At first, you may not feel the small injuries however, if they are not treated on time, they can become ulcerated or infected.

Observe a good feet hygiene. Wash your feet everyday with mild soap. Let them dry. Calluses may be buffed with a pumice stone. If your feet is dry, apply lanolin base cream however, if your feet perspire well, talcum powder must be used. Use a lanolin base cream to hold moisture in your skin. Keri-Lotion, Nivea Cream, and Eucerine cream contain lanolin, the one responsible for moisturizing the skin well. Udder cream has no added perfume. It is inexpensive and easy to apply. Wear clean, comfortable and good fitting socks and shoes. To avoid injuries, you can walk in shoes or slippers around the house or swim slippers when you are at the beach or pool.

You have to consult your podiatrist in cases when you have a puncture wound, cut, foot injury , red spots and difficult calluses. They may appear a simple problem however, it can develop into a horrible malady. If you notice any change in sensation in your feet, consult your doctor or diabetes educator immediately.

About the Author

Please visit Home Medical Supply site at http://www.onlinehomemedicalsupply.com for comments and inquiries regarding this article.

It wasn’t until the first half of the 18th century that water was even recognized or considered an element, but a compound. It was not until the first half of the 19th century that water was found to contain deuterium. This substance is said to have been put there several million years ago by a radioactive cloud our Earth passed through.

In fact, current research is under way by the scientific community to determine just how much this element is the cause of aging. It was not until 1951 that a U. S. chemist discovered tritium oxide in water. The continuing study of water has revealed another interesting fact, when it went through this cloud, it changed our water. A French physicist, A. Bovis, quantifies or measures how positively or negatively charged a substance such as water is. For living organisms, the key reference point on the scale is found at 6,500. From 0 to 6,500 the charge is in the NEGATIVE range, or life detracting; while above 6,500 the energy gradually becomes more positive, or LIFE ENHANCING. For humans, the desired minimal energy is found between 8,000 to 10,000, or slightly positive. The Earth itself creates energy in the 7,000 to 18,000 range. This positive radiation is necessary to the maintenance of life on Earth. In the past two decades, scientific research has produced some startling new information. Water is not just some simple liquid that we happen to drink. Scientists such as Dr. Jacques Beneviste, French biologist; Dr. Wolfgang Ludwig, physicist with Temple University in Philadelphia; Dr. Enzo Ciccolo, biologist with the Cooperative Nuova in Milan, Italy; Dr. Horst Felsch, director of the Civil Environmental Laboratory in Fieberbrunn, Germany; and Drs. Engler and Kokoschinegg have performed experiments with water and have arrived at several special conclusions.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIN

Scientists have discovered a direct correlation between the Bovis scale and the direction of spin displayed by an atom or molecule. Atoms registering in the negative Bovis range spin to the right, or clockwise. Atoms in the positive range spin in the opposite direction, to the left or counter clockwise. Examples found in nature of this spin property include our cellular DNA, which is in a left turning spiral. In contrast, cancer cells are in a right turning spin. Every atom, molecule, or substance has its own unique oscillation pattern or vibration, which can be measured in electromagnetic wavelengths (Ciccolo, “Domenica del Corriere”, February 18, 1988) (Benevist).

(Water is a carrier of information. As a solvent it is best-known conductor of vibration, with information transfer possible without direct contact. (Ciccolo) (Water possesses the ability to store information that has been impressed upon it from a given vibration for long periods as can be measured by specific electromagnetic wavelengths found in water (Engler and Kokoschinegg, 1988) thus even after harmful physical substances are removed, their negative energy vibration patterns or “signatures” still remain which can be traced back precisely to the original substances. (Ludwig) (Beneviste, in “Natur-Wissen”) (Water can transfer such information from vibration patterns, or “memory” to other systems, including living organisms. (Ludwig) (Felsch) (Water revitalization allows water in a higher vibration state to transfer or share its higher frequencies, which acts to balance out low energy and negative information. (Ciccolo) (Water can retain the vibration memory of a substance even after it is diluted beyond Avogadro’s number, where no physical traces of the substances remain. (Beneviste) (Water quality can also be evaluated by the amount of ultra-violet light it absorbs. Poor quality will absorb higher amounts of UV light, while good quality water absorbs low amounts. (Ludwig) (Water, the minimum specific warmth and the maximum structural potential of water is measured at (37.5C) or the normal human body temperature (98.6 F). This finding indicates that water at this temperature is at a maximal structure point to acquire a large amount of information. (Felsch) (Engler and Kokoschinegg, 1988) (Water even when “cleansed” of contaminants by purification methods, still retains the vibration memory left from these contaminants, and their unhealthy informational messages can then be passed along into living organisms such as your body. These unhealthy messages can induce stress in the body, as it must try to compensate and adapt to all such messages it receives. Chronic stress can led to conditions ripe for degeneration in the body. (Water that has been revitalized reduces the endless flood of low energy, negative information that inundates the body from typical water. The human body may be uniquely susceptible to memory informational capacity of water in view of the (37.5 C) (98.6 F) factor. Thus, water positively energized has the best potential at this temperature to spread its “good news” throughout the body. Conversely, negatively energized water can spread its “bad news” with unfortunate efficiency. (Felsh)

WATER THE CONNECTION

What does all this have to do with your tap water? The average tap water measures in the 3,000 to 4,000 Bovis, or negative range. Although bottled waters have been measured up to 5,000 Bovis, the water is still negative. Why is this? It is now understood that water can be damaged by several factors such as: the pressure in pipes, the pressure from water pumps, straight-line water pipes or conduits (remember in nature water curves or spirals), (not to be confused with the corollas effect), exposure to negatively charged chemicals, heavy metals, or other contaminants. These factors combine in telling loss of charge, or vibration rate. In the larger environmental picture, imagine what happens as we release more contaminated, de-energized water and other pollutants back into our groundwater system. As these elements are released the groundwater quality decreases; then we reuse it, then recycle it back more depleted, into an increasingly negative feedback loop. It is a known fact that the best water comes from Artesian springs around the world.

THE PX ESSENTIAL ENERGY WATER SYSTEM was discovered in 1995 by Manfred Bauer, a German scientist. Manfred developed the process to change ordinary water from a negative reading to an energized, positive reading. He now produces water and products capable of producing positive water with a reading as high as 2.5 million Bovis.

Without good healthy water, no plant or animal can survive. Our bodies crave healthy water until the day we die. Currently our planet contains water that will sustain life, but not prolong life or promote a healthy, vital life. The key is enhance our life with life enhancing water, which is now here and is essential.

The desired minimal energy level for humans is found between 8,000 to 10,000 Bovis, or slightly positive. The Earth itself itself creates energy in the 7,000 to 18,000 range. This energy is also referred to as “Biophotons”, which are light particles invisible to our eyes. This positive energy is necessary to maintain life on Earth. Water that is in a highly charged positive state allows the immune system to function more effectively to eliminate disease and lower inappropriate inflammation. Water has the potential to heal all disease because the H2O molecule establishes the foundation for the immune system’s cell to cell communication centers to monitor and eliminate disease.

PX Essential Energy Products can be found at: http://www.hsfenergy.com

About The Author

W. C. (Bill) Wernet

Please visit www.hsfenergy.com for more information and to purchase PX Essenital Energy Products.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Batmanghelidj, F., M.D. Your Body’s Many Cries for Water
Global Health Solutions, Falls Church Va., 1995
ISBN # 0-9629942-3-5

Kronberger, Hans Das Raetsel des Wassers
Serial Parts 1-7 “Sonnenzeitung” 1994, 1995
On the Track of Water’s Secret
Uranus Velagsgesellschaft, Vienna, 1995

Simon, P. Tapped Out
The Coming Crisis in Water and What We Can Do About It.

Coates, Callum Living Energies
Victor Schauberger’s Brilliant Work with Natural Energy Explained.
Gateway Books
ISBN # 0-946551-97-9

Lono Kahuna Kupa A’O Don’t Drink the Water
ISBN # 0-9628882-9-X

Gernot Gust, AG
Science of Life Independent Research Laboratory
Wiesendangen, Switzerland

Diamond, M.D. John Your Body Doesn’t Lie
Warner Books/Harper & Row, Publishing Inc.
ISBN # 0-446-35847-9

smartfinds@comcast.net

The following techniques and ways of life will aid us in building a freer and more positive energy flow.

1. PROPER DIET: Few of us realize the powerful effect of a proper diet not only on our physical health, but also on our emotional, mental and spiritual states.

A pure diet can create greater health, more positive emotional states, clearer mental functioning, and increased spiritual attunement.

2. VITAMINS: If we suspect our emotional state may also be the result of a worn down nervous system, we might benefit from a strong multivitamin and mineral supplement for one month.

3. FASTING: We can dramatically improve how we feel with short one-day fasts, or a “mono-diet” in which we eat only one type of food, such as only apples, watermelon or grapes. When fasting, some may experience an increase of symptoms if a “healing crisis” is provoked. A beginner in this process should be assisted by an experienced guide.

4. HERBS or FLOWER ESSENCES: Some herbs can be very calming and/or invigorating, offering an extra boost which may give us the needed optimism we need to make internal changes.

5. DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE: The body is a live machine, and like all machines, it needs to move or it will begin to develop problems. Exercise is essential not only for a healthy muscular, skeletal and circulatory system, but also for a relaxed nervous system and balanced endocrine system. This systemic harmony is necessary for emotional and mental peace.

6. BREATHING TECHNIQUES are essential for the abundant flow of vital energy throughout the body and mind. Bio-energy is the basis of all physical and mental functions. Breathing exercises are one of the most effective ways to increase our energy level and keep it steady and harmonious so we will be less susceptible to low emotional states or illness. We should, however, have the guidance of a person experienced in breathing techniques before we begin.

7. DAILY DEEP RELAXATION will calm the muscles, nerves and all other bodily systems, and thus rejuvenate the body and the mind. Deep relaxation, in conjunction with the above-mentioned techniques, contributes to the development of strong and healthy immune system as well as a form of self-therapy from psychosomatic illnesses.

8. CREATIVE SELF-EXPRESSION is much more important to our physical, emotional and spiritual health and harmony than most people imagine. Man is a creative being. Our purpose on Earth is to create in some way. We might create a family, a business, a farm, a painting, a piece of music, a dance, etc. Creative self-expression is essential for our health, harmony and happiness.

9. MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY is necessary for us to feel that our life is worth living. If we do not see what we are doing as meaningful, useful or helpful in some way, we lose our reason to exist, and our health and happiness gradually deteriorate.

10. MASSAGE: Shiatsu massage, polarity massage, spiritual healing, Reiki and other such energy-oriented types of massage can be especially effective in relaxing the nervous system and reducing negativity.

11. CLEANSING TECHNIQUES: One simple method is to increase the number of showers or baths. Contact with water can be healing and calming. We can also benefit by cleaning the internal body systems with enemas and other internal cleansing techniques.

12. EMOTIONAL RELEASE: We might need to partake in a program of emotional release under the guidance of an experienced professional, who can help us release pent up emotions which undermine our health and energy level.

13. SOCIAL HARMONIZATION: We need to discover and overcome any fears or beliefs that prevent us from feeling comfortable with others.

14. SPIRITUAL ORIENTATION: Each of us has his or her own personal relationship with the universe. Whether or not we adhere to any particular religion, it is important for our inner balance that we feel and cultivate our relationship with the whole as humanity, as nature, or as God.

15. SELF-KNOWLEDGE: We need to understand our own inner mechanisms, needs, desires, fears, expectations, beliefs and subconscious workings in order to free ourselves from the negative emotions, mechanisms, which undermine our health, happiness and relationships.

16. ENLIGHTENING THE SUBCONSCIOUS: This aspect of self-improvement usually requires an experienced professional who can help us reprogram the subconscious with positive, more
objective beliefs and perceptions of ourselves, others and the world.

17. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE towards ourselves and others is the ultimate key to a high and harmonious energy flow. Robert Elias Najemy is the author of over 600 articles, 400 lecture cassettes on Human Harmony and 20 books, which have sold over 100,000 copies. He is the Founder and director of the Center for Harmonious Living in Greece with 3700 members. His book The Psychology of Happiness is available at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971011605/holisticharmo-
20 and http://www.HolisticHarmony.com/psychofhappiness.html.
You can download FREE articles and e-books from http://www.HolisticHarmony.com where you can also receive guidance on life issues.

If you find this article of interest, you will benefit from a subscription to “Clarity – The Psychology of Happiness” with an email to ren@HolisticHarmony.com or at our site
http://www.HolisticHarmony.com

1. Black raspberries
2. Strawberries
3. Blueberries
4. Flax Seeds
5. Raw greens
6. Tomatoes
7. Broccoli sprouts

The above foods contain high antioxidant capacity. These foods were chosen because of discovery of the most powerful phytochemicals and anthocyanins, which illustrate strong inhibition of chemocarcinogens.

Other foods with high antioxidant and high anti-cancer potential include walnuts, sunflower seeds, pomegranates, beets, cabbage, peppers, and parsley. Make your diet magically protective by including these highly beneficial foods. Produce is the most important health care your money can buy.

The Top 7 Death Foods Are:

1. Cooked Oil
2. High Fat Cheese
3. Fried Foods such as Potato Chips and French Fries
4. Doughnuts
5. Salt
6. Sausage, hot dogs
7. Pickled, smoked or barbequed meat

Bonus Item: Alcohol – not really a food, but it’s so devastating it had to be added to my list.

These are effective foods for those attempting to die younger. How many of those people do you know?

Foods high in saturated fat and trans fat are consistently associated with high cancer rates. High Fat Cheese typically contain over 10 times as much saturated fat as fish and white meat chicken and turkey.

Salt has been consistently linked to stomach cancer and stroke even in populations that eat diets low in saturated fat.

Add the carcinogenic potential from heated and overcooked oils (usually trans containing) delivered in doughnuts and fries with the powerful cancer inducing properties of carbohydrates cooked at high heat (acrylamide formation) and you have a great cancer potion.

Needless to say, I advise people to avoid the foods on my “worst list” entirely. The best foods to eat are fresh fruits and vegetables. By making these foods the major portion of your diet, you can protect yourself magically against cancer and other serious diseases and extend your youthful vigor into later years.

Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is the creator of the award-winning ‘Maximize Your Metabolism‘ system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleseminars, please visit: www.maximizeyourmetabolism.com/?ezine