The fact that your other half is so concientious of this matter seems to make him rather sweet indeed.

Some vegetarians try to comfort their carnivorous better halves by stressing that they don’t wish to shove their own views down their throat. In essence, encourage them to eat what they wish in public.

If seeing him eat meat bothers you, then you can slowly introduce some rather good meat analogue products like Boca Burgers, Fakin’ Bacon and other items that can be readily found in most supermarkets. Once he tastes the alternates that are just as flavorful and much more healthy, he may start switching his own diet in time.

However, I don’t suggest pounding the pulpit about this because it could cause some undue fighting that would otherwise spoil a rather good relationship. Everyone has little quirks, and if this is the worst that he could do, then you are indeed a lucky lady to have such a gem in your life.

Education is everything, so simply provide some alternative meal choices. As he questions the whole vegetarian thing, you can offer your insights without sounding like you are lecturing him.

This condition is called alopecia and you may want to do a web search for more information.

Most often, woman with a lot of stress in their lives are prone to hair losses, as the hormonal balance is simply wreaking havoc on the body. In other cases, some reasons are due to utilizing a lot of harsh chemicals such as in dyes, processing, over teasing or excessive blow drying. Also, wigs or extensions of can yank at the hair.

It would be wise to seek out medical attention first to be sure that their isn’t something physically wrong, simply because genetically, women are not as commonly prone to losing their hair like the male counterparts.

Also be sure that you are getting an adequate diet rich in natural fruits, grains and vegetables. The less “real” and natural food you eat, the less chance the body has of metabolizing the nutrients while also trying to digest the artificial chemicals. Rule of thumb here is if it is in a box and didn’t grow that way, it won’t be all that healthy for you.

Some have reported adequate benefits utilizing shampoo products which contain Jojoba oil, a natural oil used in South America reported to help with follicular growth. Also Redken has a special shampoo for very fine and thinning hair that seems to give a fuller look.

However, do seek out medical attention first to verify that something else may not be going wrong with the body. Anomalies such as hair loss can be from a multitude of conditions, so it is better to be safe than sorry.

First off, check the ingredients of those diet pills that you are taking. They may contain stimulants that are contributing to your restlessness. If so, you should discontinue use of them immediately.

There is a product in the health food/vitamin shops called Hyland’s Calm’s Forte. This is an herbal product that is non-habit forming but will take the edge off at night to help you sleep.

Heated milk helps to calm the body as this helps to release the tryptophane in the milk protein, which is a natural sedating amino acid for the human body. Drinking chamomile tea is said to help calm and soothe your nerves, but I recommend meditation as well.

Look for some soothing meditation tapes in your new age or book store, and go to bed an hour early and let yourself relax and clear your mind a bit. Try to find a yoga tape as well, as yoga relaxes the mind and body at the same time, and many tapes include guided meditations, which are helpful to those who have difficulty meditating on their own. Try renting a couple of tapes to find which method suits you best at first, so you will be sure to buy a tape that you will use often. Or better yet, look into taking a class locally! In the meantime, you can try to lie still in a dark quiet room, perhaps with a white candle burning, and practice deep breathing, focusing all of your thoughts on each breath. I have always been able to relax at night by counting backward from 100. Anything that can take your mind off of random thoughts is helpful in reducing stress. Don’t be discouraged if this doesn’t work for you right away, it can take some time to discipline your mind in this way, but it is well worth it!

If you persistently have these bouts of anxiety coupled with sleeplessness, there may be more to the cause than mere day to day worry. In such cases, it would help to seek out counselling.

As far as the eating, sounds like this may be a byproduct of the anxiety you mentioned. The human body is like a car, one thing doesn’t fall apart without it being linked to something else. Those lovely little diet pills “may” make you lose weight, but most of it will be a combination of water and muscle mass.

Fat is the last thing in a body to leave due to our intricate mechanism to stave off famine during our cave dwelling years. Here comes the important thing to remember, “What you lose in muscle mass will not ever grow back!"”

What ultimately happens is that the fat cells will replicate even larger, creating even more of a problem with the weight loss. There is no magic cure for weight loss. The only way to take it off and keep it off is through some form of exercise, which I may add will also help to curb some of the anxiety as well.

You may have noticed a number of folks walking around who are quite large. Unbeknownst to most, many of these same people have been where you are right now, and in the process found that they messed up their metabolic rate and instead of losing, manage to gain with each passing year without eating the calories one would think. The larger the person, the greater the likelihood that they have been on every quack diet on the market.

I don’t think this is bursting any bubbles, but the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate whose sole intention is to sell hope without backing it up with any guarantees.

I hope my suggestions are helpful to you. Simply force yourself to change some of your routine to more healthful choices and the results should be forthcoming. Please write back to let us all know how you are doing and good luck!

This is a rare problem that does seem to plague the unfortunate few. Most of the commercial deodorants will lock in the sweat, hence the anti-persperation tag on the bottle. Anything that hot that is trapped for any period of time will eventually smell funky, even on the most devout bather.

From what my research has shown, plain old baking soda seems to be the main ingredient in many homemade deodorant recipes. Perhaps you can try soaking in warm bath with approximately a cup or so of baking soda and a drop or two of peppermint essential oil to help prevent body odors. On a more daily basis, you can use baking soda as a body scrub in the shower on underarms and other affected areas. Best of all, baking soda is quite affordable!

You mention an objection to ingesting herbal remedies, but part of your problem may lie in your eating habits. Examine your diet, and see if there are any foods you think may cause odors and try to eliminate them from your diet. I have also heard many people swear by the natural dormant crystals that are available in many health food stores, and these are a couple of deodorant recipes that I found online that you may wish to try:

1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon tincture of benzoin
(Optional) A few drops of essential oil

Blend all ingredients together into a smooth cream. Place in a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. To use, rub a small amount of cream under your arms. Yield: 3 oz. (Courtesy of Lavender Lane)

Mix equal parts baking soda, petroleum jelly, orris root powder. Melt together in a small pan on the stove over low heat until blended. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Store in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and apply as needed.

I hope one of more of these will work for you. If you have tried this as well without any effectiveness, then it will be prudent to see a dermatologist who can provide a more appropriate deodorant that will only be available via prescription.

This is a layman’s term for a condition with newborn infants who are found to have a small lump right under the nipple. It is usually the size of a small marble or less. This is normal newborn breast enlargement and yes, it does happen to male children at times as well.

The witch’s milk term came when parents discovered that pressing on this lump causes a discharge of milky white fluid. It is a harmless discharge that eventually goes away.

A word of caution – parents should not massage or manipulate the breast lump in any way as this can cause bacteria to form in the milk glands, thereby causing an infection that could form an abscess.

I’d like to thank Anne for writing in with her insight:

Thanks for reading! Feel free to drop a line and share your herbal remedies or ask a question.