To make this a much more rounded site for all of our members it's been decided that these health and beauty tips just might be the ticket for a lot of you out there.

Hope that you will find these of interest and helpful to you all.

Losing Weight Safely

The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, is part of the United States Government. FDA requires most food labels to list the amount of important nutrients the food gives you. Use food labels to choose healthy foods for losing weight.

If You're Overweight, Slim Down for Better Health:

Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses. Losing weight reduces the risk. This brochure tells you how to lose weight safely.

Ask Your Doctor About Sensible Goals:

Your doctor or other health worker can help you set sensible goals based on a proper weight for your height, build and age.

Men and very active women may need up to 2,500 calories daily. Other women and inactive men need only about 2,000 calories daily. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Exercise:

Such as brisk walking most days of the week. The idea is to use up more calories than you eat. You need to use up the day's calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat.

Eat Less Fat and Sugar:

This will help you cut calories. Fried foods and fatty desserts can quickly use up a day's calories. And these foods may not provide the other nutrients you need.

Tips for Cutting Calories and Fat:

Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products like bread and rice.
Eat only small, single servings of foods high in fat or calories.
Eat less sugar and fewer sweets.
Drink less alcohol or no alcohol.
Choose foods whose labels say low, light or reduced to describe calories or fat.
Choose 1 percent or skim milk products and reduced fat cheeses.
Replace ice cream with fat-free frozen yogurt.
Replace sour cream with fat-free or low- fat plain yogurt.
Make sure fish, poultry and meat are lean. Trim skin and fat.
Broil, roast or steam foods.

Eat a Favorite Rich Food:

Sometimes that may keep you from craving it. But eat only a small amount. Make sure your other foods that day are low in fat and calories.

Eat a Wide Variety Of Foods:

Variety in the diet helps you get all the vitamins and other nutrients you need.

Watch Out for Promises of Quick and Easy Weight Loss:

Fad diets aren't good because they often call for too much or too little of one type of food. As a result, you may not get important nutrients you need daily.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true.

What About Diet Pills?

Diet pills you buy without a prescription won't make a big difference in how much you lose each week or how long you keep the weight off. If you do use them, read the label carefully. Because of possible side effects, like high blood pressure, never take more than the listed dose.

Also, be careful about taking cough or cold medicines with diet pills you buy without a prescription. These medicines may contain the same drug used in diet pills, or a similar drug with the same effects. If you take both products together, you may get too much of the same type drug. This can hurt you. Before taking a cough or cold medicine while using diet pills, ask your pharmacist if it's OK.

Prescription diet pills may help some people. If you use them, follow the doctor's directions carefully.

Before Signing Up For a Weight Loss Program, Ask Questions:

Does the Company:

Explain possible health risks from weight loss?
Explain all costs?
Include weight control over a long time?
Have proof of success, not just praise by other people?
Give a clear, truthful statement of how you're going to lose weight, including how much and how fast?
Teach how to eat healthfully and exercise more?

Remedies For Puffy Eyes

Take a metal spoon and run it under cold water. Place the metal on the puffy area for at least 60 seconds.

Apply hemorrhoid cream (look for brands that contain ingredients of yeast and shark's liver oil) to the puffy area. Insiders have known for years that in just the way it gets the swelling out of that other area, it works the same way for the face.

Thin cucumber slices used as compresses over closed eyes will relieve sore, puffy eyes.

A black tea bag soaked in cold water on each eye for ten minutes will reduce swelling caused by fluid retention. Gently press from inner to outer corners to hasten drainage.

Avoid salty foods, which cause the under eye area (and the rest of your body) to hold fluid.

Elevate your head when you sleep, to keep fluid from settling around your eyes.