By Michael Castleman for Live Right Live Well

Did you know that snoring can cause tension headaches? So can working at a computer and drinking coffee. In fact, these are just a few of the things that can cause the muscles around your head and neck to tighten up and trigger a tension headache. No wonder then that tension headaches are the most common type of headache, afflicting nearly four out of five adults at some point in their lives, according to the National Headache Foundation.
Often called “hatband headaches,” these headaches frequently feel as if you’re wearing a hat that is too tight. The pain can also feel as if it’s radiating out of the upper neck. Typically it’s a steady ache, not a throbbing. Fortunately, many tension headaches can be prevented with simple lifestyle adjustments. Consider the following:

Stop snoring Snoring and a related condition called sleep apnea can cause tension in neck muscles, which can cause headache. Since you’re most likely to snore if you sleep on your back, using a special pillow that encourages you to sleep on your side can help. So can sewing a tennis ball into a pocket on the back of your pajama tops. If snoring is particularly loud and punctuated with brief choking silences, ask your doctor about sleep apnea, a related condition where the airway becomes blocked, which interferes with breathing. Researchers in Norway have discovered that people who suffer from wake-up headaches are seven times more likely to have sleep apnea compared to people who don’t.

Reduce stress Ohio University researchers gave 203 tension headache sufferers several treatments, among them stress management training. More than two years later, the stress management group reported significantly fewer headaches. “A daily stress management regimen is one of the best defenses against tension headache,” says alternative medicine expert and author, Andrew Weil, M.D. “Meditation, deep breathing, yoga, tai chi — I suggest using one or more of these shortly after waking or right before bed and any time you feel stressed.”

Get moving A brisk, 45-minute walk three or more days a week can relieve stress and reduce the frequency of tension headaches considerably, reports Fred Sheftell, M.D., of the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Conn.

Stretch your neck muscles Don’t sit hunched over with your shoulders up by your ears. Train yourself to sit straight with shoulders dropped. You should feel a slight, pleasant pulling in the back of your neck, says Anne Simons, M.D., a family practitioner in San Francisco. In addition, stretch your neck muscles several times a day, especially when working at a computer. Roll your head in slow circles clockwise and counterclockwise.

Massage your neck When you feel any neck soreness, take a few minutes to massage the muscles at the back of your neck, recommends Walker Robinson, M.D., a neurosurgeon in Champaign, Ill. Indian researchers massaged the heads, necks and shoulders of 21 women who had chronic tension headaches. After 10 massages over six months, their headache frequency dropped significantly. Another option: Place an ice pack, bag of frozen peas or a cool, damp towel on the back of your neck.

Quit smoking Smoking increases the risk of headaches because it constricts blood vessels, limiting blood flow to the head and neck muscles.

Try acupressure German researchers gave 270 chronic tension headache sufferers one of three treatments: real acupuncture, sham acupuncture (needles in places that are not true acupuncture points) or no treatment. Real acupuncture worked best, cutting headache frequency in half. You can get similar benefits at home with do-it-yourself acupressure, which uses finger pressure instead of needles. Try placing one finger in each of the hollows on either side of the base of your neck. Press firmly for a minute or two several times a day or whenever you feel stressed. Another good acupressure point is located in the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Use the thumb and index finger of the opposite hand to pinch this spot; hold for a few minutes, then switch hands.

Eliminate caffeine — slowly Coffee, tea and caffeinated sodas can increase muscle tension and therefore tension headaches, Dr. Weil explains. But if you consume caffeine regularly, don’t stop cold turkey since quitting suddenly can cause a caffeine-withdrawal headache that may last for several days. Instead, wean yourself slowly.

Keep a headache diary “Every time you get a headache, jot down the date and time and any psychological, physical or environmental factors you think might have contributed to it, including foods and beverages consumed during the previous few hours,” Dr. Simons advises. With a little luck, you’ll see a pattern you can change, and you won’t have to suffer that “vice-around-the-head” sensation as often, if at all!

Michael Castleman has been called “one of the nation’s leading health writers” (Library Journal). He is the author of 11 consumer health books and more than 1,500 health articles for magazines and the Web.

This month’s Pear Tree giveaway is 24 Personalized Valentine’s Day Cards! This year’s Valentine’s Collection is awesome!  Not only do the have personalized cards, they also have Valentine’s photocards, coloring cards, stickers, gift tags and address labels.  New this year, along with the Valentine’s Stickers are their Valentine’s Variety Packs.  You can choose from one of their 5 pre-made variety packs or build your own for a 15% discount.
Until February 14, Pear Tree is offering free shipping on all Valentine’s Day orders.  Be sure to check the Pear Tree Promo Page for more great offers!

Buy It!

Shop the Pear Tree Promo Code page for the latest discounts and promotions on everything from Valentine’s Day Cards, Baby Announcements and even a code valid on ANY purchase!

Win It!
One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will receive 24 Personalized Valentine’s Day Cards from Pear Tree Greetings!

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 Giveaway ends February 4, 2011 11:59pm PDT.  Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org

Over the holidays I had the awesome opportunity to review the Sweet Pea the Bumble Bee book Spreading the Buzz of the Holiday Season.  Sweet Pea is Gabriel and Tiffany Corbett’s darling French Bulldog who loves the camera. Her books, written by Tiffany Corbett and Courtney Noelle, are filled with positive messages along photos of Sweet Pea, taken by Gabriel and Tiffany, in adorable outfits and settings.  My 5-yr-old absolutely loved this book.  He took it to class for his “sharing day” the week before Christmas and the teacher asked to borrow it for the class after his.  All the kids in the class really liked the book so I let the class keep it until Christmas break.  It’s a cute, inspirational book that’s great for all ages.

Buy It: You can buy any or all 3 Sweet Pea the Bumble Bee dog books from The Bee Shop on Sweet Pea’s website.

Win It!  One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will win a Sweet Pea book!

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

SKOY cloth is a …

100% biodegradable
Absorbent
Re-usable
European-made
Clean
and Fun…

Multi-use cloth

Ok, I’ve got to just tell you right off, I love these cloths!  They are truly great!  I use them for everything: soaking up spills, wipe down counters, dusting, cleaning the bathroom and washing dishes.  The Skoy cloth is super absorbant with an absorption factor of 15x its own weight.  A single Skoy cloth is so durable it can be reused for months, replacing up to 15 rolls of paper towels.  They are machine washable and dishwasher-safe.  I wouldn’t recommend drying in the dryer, although they are dryer-safe, because they will shrink, but there’s really no need since they dry so quickly on their own.  To sanitize simply wet it and pop it in the microwave for a minute or two. SKOY is made from a unique blend of natural cotton and cellulose from wood. SKOY is both biodegradable and compostable. An independent composting test showed that SKOY broke down completely within 5 weeks. Bottom-line,  I cannot praise these cloths enough.  I very highly recommend them and will definitely be buying more, for myself and as gifts!

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You can buy Skoy Cloths directly from the Skoy Website, Amazon.com or one of these E-tailers and local Retailers.

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One lucky Hot Mom Tips reader will win a multi-colored 4-pack of SKOY cloths.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Oliver’s Labels are washing machine and dishwasher safe personalized labels.  They have all types and designs of labels.  My son chose the sports theme and we were sent a sample pack.  I really like their Stick-Eez clothing labels, they are no-sew, no-iron labels that you just stick on the care tag.  For tag-less clothes they also have iron-on labels that are easy to put on, and this coming from someone who is seriously domestically challenged.  Some of their other types of labels include safety wristbands, shoe labels and bag tags.  Oliver’s labels designs range from cute to elegant to allergy alerts.

My favorite thing about Oliver’s Labels is their Found-It code.  This is a lost and found code that you can get on your labels for free.  If an item is lost, whoever finds it can go to the website listed on the label and enter your code. Your code is tied to your email and Oliver’s Labels acts as a go between to recover your stuff.  Your personal information is kept safe.  This is so much better than putting your phone number on your stuff.

Buy It! You can purchase Oliver’s Labels from their website.  You can purchase individual types or one of their packages.  They also offer custom packages so you can get exactly what you need.

Connect! You can connect with Oliver’s Labels by Facebook, Twitter and RSS

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Just as I was getting out of my funk I receive a letter in the mail that knocked me back down.  I’m in the process of applying for disability so I am currently on TANF, food stamps and Medicaid.  A few months ago the state (thanks to a deal with Republicans) cut my food stamps by $150, last month they cut all vision, dental and hearing aids from Medicaid (with 2 weeks notice, I was able to get my last two teeth pulled but didn’t have enough time to get dentures and even though I had my rx no optometrist would accept it so I have only old broken glasses) and Friday I got a letter stating that starting February 1 my TANF is being cut by $100 without a corresponding raise in food stamps. I was already having to use half of my TANF to buy food since we usually run out of food stamps halfway through the month. So, for the past 3 days I’ve been wallowing in self-pity, furiously cursing the government and wracking my brain trying to figure out how I’m going to make this work.

Anyway, today I woke up and decided I’m done feeling sorry for myself, I’ve gotten through worse.  I may not have an answer yet but I can do this. I just need to remain calm, stop stressing and make a game plan.  Besides just getting this rant out has helped.

Update: Well, something good has come of this.  To receive TANF you have to be part of the workfirst program, spending 40 hrs a week in work activity or job training.  Since I have both mental and physical health issues (bipolar, adhd, ptsd, fibromyalgia, severe asthma, diabetes, severe allergies, half a stomach, quarter size pancreas, seizures and more) I have other requirements.  One of those requirements is a drug and alcohol treatment because I got a DUI when I was 18 (16 years ago) even though I haven’t had a drink in 5 years.  Well, my counselor decide to graduate me early today since I’ve had near perfect attendance and passed all my drug tests!  I’m so excited b/c that saves me 5 hrs and $20 in gas a week.

By Elizabeth Barker for Green Goes Simple

Making just one eco-improvement in each room of your home can put you on a greener path that will have you feeling good all year long. Keep it simple with this room-by-room guide, created with the help of Sophie Uliano, eco-living expert and author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-friendly Life.

In the living room, limit indoor air pollution with lots of plants. Livening up the room with chrysanthemums, spider plants or philodendrons can purify your indoor air and help you and your loved ones breathe easier.

In the kitchen, zero in on zapping waste. In addition to switching to reusable plates and napkins, try getting a wooden plastic-bag dryer. These let you wash your Baggies and air-dry them easily, helping you get at least four or five uses out of every one.

In the bedroom, replace burnt-out incandescent lightbulbs with the compact fluorescent variety. They last 10 times longer and use 75 percent less energy, and each bulb can save you at least $40 in electricity costs before it needs to be replaced.

In the bathroom, curb your water consumption by installing a low-flow showerhead. (They’re available at most hardware stores for as little as $5.) According to the American Water Works Association, if each American household used water-saving features, the country would save about 5.4 billion gallons of H₂O per day. To conserve even more water, switch off the faucet while you lather up, brush up and shave.

In the laundry room, boost your energy savings by using cold-water detergents and line-drying your laundry in the fresh air when you’re able to.

Elizabeth Barker is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and executive
editor of fashion blog NoGoodForMe.com. Her work has appeared in Body
+ Soul, Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Variety and Kiwi.

By Dr. Larry Kubiak for Charge Up For Good Health

Many of my healthy habits — like working out at the gym three times a week and eating a balanced breakfast — actually started out as new year’s resolutions. I set one every year, and my track record over the last decade has been 10 for 10. But I found that the second week of January is the hardest to get through. It’s easy to drop the ball because your initial enthusiasm for making the change starts to fade, and you might not yet have seen positive results to motivate you. So how can you help yourself stick with it? Use my tried-and-true tips for making your life-changing resolutions a lasting reality.

Do keep your eye on the prize. Daydream about how you will look and feel when you meet your goal. For instance, if your resolution is to do strength-training exercises twice a week, envision your toned arms in a tank top. Suppose you want to stop smoking: Picture yourself with whiter teeth and clear lungs. Studies show that positive imagery helps keep you motivated.

Don’t be so secretive. Share your resolution with family and friends. Heck, even post it on Facebook. Why tell the world? It’s much easier to give up on a private goal than a public one. Plus, the more people who know what you’re trying to do, the more encouragement you’ll get.

Do allow for tweaks. Now that you’ve got two weeks of this resolution under your belt, feel free to make adjustments. After all, something that you didn’t anticipate may happen. Let’s say you’re really sore after working out for a whole hour. It’s better to put in shorter sessions than to give up exercise altogether.

Don’t get depressed about a slipup. Stuff happens. Rather than beat yourself up about what you didn’t do right one day, focus on the next. It could take a few months for your new behavior to become a habit. In the meantime, there are going to be some bad days. Just try your best.

Do build on your success. After you make one resolution stick, you’ll have so much more confidence for your next challenge. Set another one soon: Once you get going, the sky’s the limit!
Dr. Larry Kubiak is a psychologist
and director
of psychological services at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.