GABA CALM – take sublingually before bedtime or a few hours before sleeping 100-500 mg daily Try to avoid eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes before and after taking this YOU LACK GABA IF YOU: • Frequently experience back pain or muscle tension • Worry excessively • Often feel nervous, jumpy, or anxious • Sleep problems • Stress-related physical symptoms: headaches, IBS, and muscle aches • Elevated cortisol levels which can lead to belly fat • Are an emotional eater GABA is the brain’s natural calming agent. • Helps de-stress • Relaxes muscles • Suppresses cravings and helps curb emotional eating. • Anti-depressant • Helpful for day-to-day anxiety 5-HTP Helps with: • Sleep problems – quality and duration • Emotional eating and evening cravings – helps suppress appetite • Anxiety and depression as it increases serotonin levels • Melatonin production • Serotonin production Best if taken sublingually - opening the capsule and pouring the contents on your tongue. Try to avoid eating or drinking anything for 20 minutes before and after taking it. No more than about 3 capsules a day – can safely take up to 400 mg per day – although most need less. Loses its efficacy if taken every single day – best if you take breaks – sometimes alternating days – and sometimes take a break for an entire month or so It may take 1-2 weeks to notice any effects and up to 6 weeks to notice the full benefits. Be cautious about taking this if you’re on anti-depressants

Sorry that you suffer from this. For me, prayer helps incredibly. But I realize that's not for all ... Some books that I love: Positive Thinking Every Day by Norman Vincent Peale Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl – if I could, I would give a copy of this to almost every friend and acquaintance - the best self-help book ever. Some other books that may be of help. Never read them, but have heard very good things about them. The Anxiety Book: Developing Strength in the Face of Fear by Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Henry Dreher The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You SUPPLEMENTS 400 mg Magnesium daily – anxiety is one of the many symptoms of a magnesium deficiency Many women have an undiagnosed magnesium deficiency ,which can contribute to anxiety. Some say to take equal amounts of calcium and magnesium. For most people on a healthy diet, 500 mg of each supplement should be enough. If you have symptoms of magnesium deficiency – if you’re feeling edgy, have muscle cramps, suffer insomnia, crave chocolate, or notice increased urination, adjust your calcium-magnesium ratio, so that you’re taking at least as much magnesium or—ideally—twice as much magnesium as calcium. 400-1200 mg daily of Magnesium is helpful but use according to bowel tolerance. Your body knows how much magnesium you can tolerate from bowel tolerance – take as much magnesium as your bowels can tolerate If you can, add 100 mg of magnesium to your nutritional supplements, and increase it by 100 mg every few days until your stools are soft, but not uncomfortably loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night Some say to not take magnesium with calcium - I think that that is preferable. Calcium, magnesium, and many other minerals are best absorbed when they are bound to an acidic carrier such as citrate, aspartate, picolinate, or amino acid chelate. Minerals need an acidic base to break down and get used. The most absorbable forms are magnesium citrate, glycinate taurate, or aspartate, although magnesium bound to Kreb cycle chelates (malate, succinate, fumarate) are also good. Avoid magnesium carbonate, oxide, sulfate, and gluconate. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements). Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to magnesium glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision.

Peela, the nos diet worked for me for a while. But I need lots and lots of structure. The nos works for so many. I like it. And may do that from time to time. I'm coming up with an exciting plan for after my hcg - possible. Although many stick with the P4 of hcg for life and I may just do that. It's the maintenance phase.

Fabulous job! :D I was extremely skeptical when I first heard about hcg. I thought it was insane. Then, I heard more and more of my online friends raving about it. I read more and more. Having an open mind helps. I read for a few months. Talked about it with dh. Decided on homeopathic this time around. I love this diet. :) And this is coming from me, such an incredibly NON-diet person ... I have always hated diets and would exercise like you wouldn't believe. Exercise didn't do squat ... great for health, but for weight loss ... nothing to write home about ;).

You're right about some points - exercise is encouraged, but not strenuous P90X style exercise - moderate exercise and whatever your body is used to is encouraged. This is not a starvation diet. I have barely felt any hunger whatsoever. Very mild for one or two days. I take homeopathic hcg drops and they work great. It's actually for 26 or 43 days. I have chosen the latter. The maintenance phases are key. For anyone who's interested, if you do a search for hcg on this forum, you should find lots of info. Different plans work on different bodies. Hcg nor any other method is for all.

I will soon, if you're still interested. Which celebrities? I've never heard about hcg in any magazine or anywhere else other than online. Hcg is the ONLY method of weight loss that has given me such great results in a very, very long time ... I've lost 17 pounds in 16 days. Now, granted, the keeping it off is the hardest part. But I have hope and I have a plan. :) For me to have hope in the weight loss department says a lot. :lol:

Me too. Love it. :D

CAUSES • Poor Diet and vitamin and mineral deficiencies • Stress • Thyroid problem – especially if you have dry skin, weight gain, and fatigue • Taking large doses of Vitamin A (100,000 IU or more daily) for a long period of time • Genetics/Heredity • Harsh chemicals and hair dyes • Poor Circulation (daily scalp massage, brushing, lying on a slant board, yoga) • Acute Illness • Surgery • Radiation Exposure • Skin Disease (biotin is essential here) • Sudden Weight Loss • High Fever • Iron Deficiency (Up to 90 percent of women who experience hair loss also suffer from low iron levels). • Diabetes • Drugs – such as those used in chemotherapy • Ringworm and other fungal infections • Pregnancy • High concentration of metals in the body • Autoimmune diseases • Scalp Infections • If one is experiencing "male pattern baldness" type hair loss, where the hairline begins to recede and is thin only on top and not all over, it can be caused by metabolic syndrome. Fat distributed around the waist can actually cause a rise in androgens (male hormones) causing this problem. It can also revert back to normal if you can get the fat off your waist. WHEN TO SEE A PHYSICIAN If you are losing large amounts of hair, see a physician. It is normal to lose 50 to 150 hairs a day. If your hair appears to be dramatically thinning, it might be a sign of an underlying condition. While culprits can be as serious as thyroid disease and lupus, hair loss is most often caused by poor diet and stress. GOOD BOOKS The Hair Loss Cure: A Self-Help Guide by David H. Kingsley How to Beat Hair Loss by Antonio Alvi Armani, MD

Try to Avoid: • Hard brushing • Tight braids • Pulling hair too hard when blow-drying • Blow drying if and when you can • Commercial shampoos or rinses with artificial colors, preservatives, and dyes • Harsh chemical products and hair spray Try to: • An acupuncturist can help develop an herbal formula that is tailored specifically to you, in addition to using the traditional needles to help restore hair growth. Herbs have a greater synergy with acupuncture, so you may see a greater benefit if you use both. • Use a satin pillowcase helps because your hair is less likely to catch and pull on it as it would on a cotton pillowcase. A side benefit is that it helps save your hairstyle for another day, so you aren't pulling out more hair in the styling process. You can get them on amazon. • Use the most natural hair products you can find. • Look for ingredients such as biotin, silica. aloe vera gel, vitamins C and E, jojoba oils, chamomile, marigold, ginseng, or passionflower. Most health-food stores carry a variety of natural hair care products. • Hair is fragile when it is wet. Gently pat your hair dry and squeeze out remaining moisture with a towel. • Calm a hectic schedule. Stress signals the body to produce cortisol, which elevates levels of hair-loss-promoting hormones.

EAT LESS The Standard American Diet is too rich in foods that actually starve the hair, such as fat, sugar, and refined foods. Eastern medicine says that eating too much meat can cause hair loss. This might very well be true. Cut down on sweets. Eastern medicine says that eating too much sugar can cause baldness on the sides of the forehead. Sugar is often a contributing factor in hair loss. After sugar is removed from some people’s diets, the hair-loss process is either halted or totally or partially reversed. OTHER TIPS/THINGS TO CONSIDER MASSAGE SCALP DAILY (SOME SAY 3 TIMES A DAY) Press the bristles of your brush on your scalp and make several strokes from your hairline to the base of your neck. Then make small circles over your entire scalp. Alternate these methods for 90 seconds. Massage your scalp with a mixture of essential oils daily for at least 7 months. Add 8 drops each of Rosemary, Thyme, and Lavender essential oils to 8 ounces of shampoo. Pour a small amount of the mixture into your hands and rub it into your hair, gently massaging your scalp. Let the mixture sit for three minutes and rinse thoroughly. OR Frederic Fekkai More Nighttime Follicle Boosting Treatment from sephora.com The niacin-derived compounds stimulate blood flow and activate cell receptors that influence hair growth. After applying these compounds for 6 months, 69 percent of women with hair loss saw significant increases in fullness. LIE UPSIDE DOWN! Lie on a slant board OR have your head hanging off the edge of the bed for 15 to 20 minutes per day. This will cause blood to flow to the scalp. YOGA Yoga helps a lot in slowing down and preventing hair loss.

Eat more of the following foods rich in B Vitamins and other needed minerals and vitamins essential for hair. Nuts Beef liver Brown rice Bulgur Lentils Oats Sunflower seeds Walnuts Unprocessed Whole Grains Wheat Germ Rice Bran Citrus Fruits Eggs Cabbage Salmon Leafy Greens including spinach Make sure that your diet contains ample essential fatty acids. Eat fish 2—3 times a week (not deep-fried) - salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel – 2-3 times a week JUICING veggies is very beneficial, for overall health also. Juicing is one of the best things you can do for your health and beauty. Try to juice as often as you can. Remember, foods that are good for your skin (omega 3s, zinc, silica) are also good for your hair.

IODORAL Available from amazon – the reviews are well worth reading More than 90% of us are low in iodine. Today's environment makes it almost impossible to get the amount of iodine you need. 1. There's very little iodine in the soil. So unless you're eating a ton of iodine-rich foods like kelp, seaweed and shellfish, you're not going to get much iodine from your diet. 2. Many salt companies have stopped adding iodine to table salt. While commercial table salt usually contains iodine, this is not the best way to boost iodine intake. In fact, “salt iodination, which is performed routinely in many countries, may increase the incidence of overt hypothyroidism,” a new Greek study concludes. Kelp and other sea vegetables are excellent sources of natural iodine. 3. Food manufacturers have stopped using iodine in baked goods and are using bromine instead. Bromine (a halogen) competes with iodine to get into your cells. So the more bromine you consume, the less iodine you get. Unfortunately, many foods today (primarily baked goods) are loaded with bromine. 4. Our water supply contains chlorine and fluoride, both of which are halogens. Again, halogens compete with iodine to get into your cells. And you can't avoid chlorine and fluoride simply by drinking filtered water. That's because you get a hefty dose any time you bathe, shower, soak in a hot tub, or swim in a swimming pool. 5. Most conventional doctors never test for iodine deficiency. They figure there's no need to test iodine levels when they can just test your thyroid function instead. The problem with this is that the most widely used thyroid test, the TSH, is wildly inaccurate. Reason: While the TSH measures thyroid hormone, it can't tell the difference between active thyroid hormone with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluorine. So the test shows you have plenty of thyroid hormone. But most of the thyroid hormone isn't doing its job! I think it was Dr. Nan Fuchs who wrote: “I've had women come into my office who look like the poster child for underactive thyroid. They're overweight, they're losing their hair and eyebrows, their skin is dry, and they tell me they feel cold all the time. Yet when their doctor gave them a thyroid test, it came back normal! When I put these women on iodine supplementation, their conditions improve dramatically. Their skin improves, they stop losing their hair, and they finally lose that excess weight — and keep it off.” The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg. This amount was set based on the amount needed to prevent goiter. This amount will prevent goiter but it will not prevent other problems related to iodine deficiency. The average consumption of iodine from seaweed by the mainland Japanese is nearly 14 mg. They have some of the lowest incidence of iodine-deficiency diseases like goiter, hypothyroidism, and cancers of the reproductive system (breast, ovaries, and uterus). Some forms of iodine are harmful. Iodoral is not. All of us need a combination of iodine and iodide, the two forms of iodine used throughout our bodies. Iodoral and Lugol are the only supplements containing these two nutrients. Lugol, however, tastes foul. You may need 1 to 4 tablets of Iodoral, a combination of 5 mg of iodine and 7.5 mg of potassium iodide. Additional research finds that vitamin C improves the transport of iodine in the body, so it may be best to take Iodoral with Vitamin C. Studies show that women who weigh about 110 pounds need at least 5 mg of iodine a day for normal breast function. If you’re heavier, you may need more. Start off slowly over a 4 week period. Take 1 pill for 30 days Then 2 pills for 30 days Then maybe 3 for 30 days Then 1 in morning and 1 in evening for 30 days Can then go back to taking 1 or 2 a day to maintain Your body will know....listen to it... One Iodoral tablet provides 12.5 milligrams of iodine/iodide which is about the amount the average Japanese consumed in 1964 in their everyday diet. Iodoral is the best way to get the recommended amount of iodine. D3 If you're under 50, take at least 2,000 IU per day. If you're 50 or over, take at least 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3. Always take your vitamin D with a fat-containing meal to ensure absorption. Your need for vitamin D3 is affected by age, skin color, and the severity of any deficiency EAT MORE Use Seaweed Gomasio to season your food, rather than iodized salt. I got mine from amazon. Sea salt- particularly himalayan and celtic sea salt, are full of extra minerals. 84 minerals in sea salt- 2 in refined table salt. If there is one thing lacking in modern diets, it is minerals- more so than vitamins. Himalayan and Celtic Sea Salts as well as this one are rich in minerals, much richer than regular table salt. Increase your iodine intake with mineral-rich sea vegetables (agar, hijiki, kombu, nori, and wakame) at least twice a week. You can eat as much seaweed as you want. Brown seaweeds are highest in iodine. They include all forms of kelp. Fucus, also known as Bladderwrack, is considered to be the best for underactive thyroids. Hijiki and Sargassum are two other forms of brown seaweeds. Red seaweeds include dulse, nori, Irish moss, and Gracillaria. Since toasting doesn’t affect seaweed’s iodine content, you can eat it dried or dried and toasted. Toast some in the oven or in a dry frying pan to see if you prefer that taste. You can also powdered seaweed to your food or add larger pieces of seaweed to soups, grains, or vegetables. Seaweed should be an enjoyable addition to your diet, not an unpleasant experience. If you simply don’t like its taste, you can get it in capsules. Use 5-10 grams of mixed brown and red seaweed for thyroid problems. This is about 1 ½ teaspoons per day. Not all seaweeds are safe to eat. Some come from polluted waters. Be more cautious and talk to a naturopath if you’re on thyroid meds and want to try seaweed. Protein – plain yogurt, lean meat, fish, poultry, and eggs Up to 90 percent of women who experience hair loss also suffer from low iron levels. Eat at least 3 daily servings of IRON-RICH FOODS like lean beef, green leafy veggies, legumes, dried fruit, and nuts. Try to always take iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods, such as tomatoes, to increase absorption by up to 4 times. Iron is a double-edged mineral for women. Menstruating women lose iron-rich blood every month, plus pregnancy, nursing, and strenuous physical exercise dramatically increases the need for this mineral. But later in life, excess iron, which accumulates in the body after menopause, may increase women’s risk for cancer and heart disease. If you’re over 50 or have experienced early or surgically induced menopause, see your doctor for a hematocrit, hemoglobin, and/or ferritin test to determine if you need iron. The ferritin test, which assesses stored iron, is most important here. If your levels approach anywhere from 150 to 200 ng/mL on the ferritin test, do avoid extra iron in supplements, iron-enriched grains, and cut down on red meat. You might want to consider an iron-free multivitamin Studies indicate that iron can help improve short-term memory loss and concentration. If you aren't using iron cookware regularly, you may wish to take 10 to 15 milligrams of elemental iron a day. Jarrow Formulas IronSorb Elemental Iron From Protein Succinylate -- 18 mg - 60 Vegetarian Capsules Iron oxidizes. If you take too much iron, it can lead to cancer. This is why there are few multivitamin formulas for postmenopausal women that contain iron. If you have had cancer, or if there is a high incidence of cancer in your family, you may want to take a formula without added iron unless a blood test determines that you are iron-deficient, in which case, natural sources may be far superior.

When carrying out any of these methods, remember to be patient :grouphug:. Normal hair growth should resume within 6 months after starting any supplement or making any dietary or other change. I get most of my supplements from vitacost.com or amazon SUPPLEMENTS 2 supplements – have helped me the most – Iodoral and Biotin. The rest are helpful also, but those two have been the best for me. NATROL BIOSIL from amazon or VitaminShoppe.com – Natrol Biosil is well-absorbed by the body and proven to deliver key proteins like keratin and collagen directly to the hair roots to increase growth and thickness. Great for skin, hair, and nails OR HORSETAIL is a good source of silica (which aids in hair growth and makes the hair stronger). Silica is necessary for strong, shiny hair. OR YOU CAN TRY TAKING BOTH Silica makes hair strong and shiny, but the amount your body holds tend to decline with age. Good food sources include: beets, soybeans, leafy green vegetables, and whole grains. Or you can take 60 mg silica daily. B COMPLEX – 50 mg twice a day or 100 mg once a day with meals. B vitamins are essential for the health and growth of the hair. B vitamins run low during high-stress times and are essential for healthy hair growth. Try to get a good B Complex that includes: Biotin, Inositol, Choline, and PABA. BIOTIN plays a key role in forming keratin, a protein that comprises healthy hair. Taking a 2400 mcg supplement can thicken hair shafts and encourage new growth. [Not everyone needs to take that much unless if they're concerned about hair loss. Most B-complex supplements have sufficient biotin otherwise] Biotin plays a key role in forming keratin, a protein that comprises healthy hair It helps in preventive treatment for baldness There are no known cases of biotin toxicity, particularly since it is water-soluble It is interesting that biotin levels fall progressively throughout pregnancy (and that is when many women lose hair). CARLSON’S LIQUID FISH OIL - or any other good fish oil - you need enough EFAs (essential fatty acids) ZINC – 15 mg daily – protects your hair GLA SUPPLEMENTS – a type of omega-6 fatty acid that’s essential for healthy hair. Found in black currant oil or evening primrose oil. Don’t use GLA if you take an antiseizure Rx. Take it on a full stomach in 2 divided doses, equally spaced during the day. Take up to 500 mg EPO 2-3 times daily or 2000 mg total daily Expect to wait up to 8 weeks to see results. VITAMIN E – improves hair health and enhances hair growth. Take 400 IU of vitamin E a day. Take d-alpha, NOT dl-alpha Vitamin E is most effective when taken with selenium.

Hope some of this helps. I get most of my supplements from vitacost.com or amazon. Both have very helpful reviews and great prices. Give them time to take full effect and be patient. :grouphug: Horse Chestnut 300 mg twice daily – be sure the herb is standardized to contain 50 mg escin per dose. You can also apply a salve with 0.5-1.5% escin topically. Horse Chestnut seals leaking capillaries and improves the elasticity of veins. Gotu Kola tones the vascular system and improves circulation. Look for an extract that provides a daily dosage of 30-60 mg triterpenic acids. Gotu Kola has reduced cellulite in 80% of the people who tested it. The participants took a gotu kola extract containing 30 mg of triterpenes three times a day. Both of the above have been used successfully for varicose veins as well as for cellulite. Butcher’s Broom contains anti-inflammatory and vessel-constricting compounds. Use an extract standardized to contain up to 11% ruscogenin at a dosage of 100 mg 3 times a day. Exercise regularly - key for varicose veins! Maintain a healthy weight - another key factor - not easy or fun, I know. Excess salt can cause swelling Try sticking to a low-sodium, high-fiber diet - fiber, fiber, fiber! Avoid crossing your legs, which puts pressure on veins

Pomegranate Soup is about 3 Persian/Iranian sisters setting up a mouth-watering restaurant in rural Ireland. Very nice story. The recipes - some are easy-to-find ingredients. Others, depending on where you live - you may need an international store. Stuff like: Baklava - need pistachios Abgusht - a delicious meat stew - leg of lamb and some other optional ingredients How to make PERFECT Persian Rice - and trust me, IMHO, no one makes rice like they do. Then again, I'm biased. ;) Fesenjoon - our favorite - to die for - serve with rice above - needs pomegranate paste (and I always use more than the recipe calls for) In other words, most of the ingredients are do-able, some need an international store, which all large cities and most small cities in the U.S. have Water for Chocolate - only saw the movie and absolutely loved it School of Essential Ingredients - nice book, but not a "wow" book for me, personally. Nice enough.

:iagree: and what about White Tea?

We have had this for years and absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it ... they're all fabulous. :D

Thank you so much. This is perfect. :)

I love Lori D's logic suggestions as on this thread She's the Queen of Logic :D. Our personal favorites at the moment are the Logic Lift Off books - amazon has them. I have no idea (and wish I knew) as to what to use when we finish these. :confused:

Sorry about that. I only just realized this. I wish it would be moved by the moderators, or, better yet, close it down or remove it altogether.

Mostly Calvert Math - since we started off our dc with Calvert for everything, and then, like many do, stuck with just the math. We really like Calvert Math. Dd will finish the 8th grade next year. And then I'm not sure what we'll use after. I wish it went on till 12th ... Someone once wrote this and I so agree: Calvert Math The lesson manual is easy to use and provides so much teacher help, the pages are uncluttered, there is review without overkill, more critical thinking than some other math programs (at least in the early levels) and the educational counselors are available to answer questions (although I've never used them). We've also used Singapore. But not often enough. I'd like to use it more this year and from here on out, since we have most of the books anyway. Singapore Introduces new concepts in a way that is logical, sequential, and makes it easy for the student to understand. The pages in the workbook are not overwhelming for the child. There are few problems on each page. Singapore math is great for a visual learner. Singapore does not take much parent time. Some say, however, that Singapore doesn't give enough drill. I tend to agree. Hence why I feel comfortable using a few programs simultaneously. Now, although we're very happy with Calvert (as well as Singapore, I also strongly believe in more emphasis on one topic at a time. Although I like the cyclical/spiral nature of Calvert and Singapore, oftentimes children (or at least my dc) need to just go into them in more depth and get more drill. So we went through some Kumon Math Books and now have recently started and absolutely love, love, love The Key To series :D. I never thought they'd be so good. They're the absolute best. So much drill. So much practice and yet not overkill. Engaging. Very good teaching. Very little parent time and very user-friendly.

Finally, and I hope I'm not annoying others ... read your labels - some of my supplements (which I have since thrown out) had soy or soybean oil in them. Even a green tea that I was about to buy had soy in it.

I spent a LOOOOONG time researching all this. The last few pages of this thread have all that I came up with for anyone who may be interested. :) It's all very long, but it's all there - diet, supplements (types of mushroom extract), lifestyle, etc. I tried my best. If there's anything I'm wrong about or forgot to add, please let me know.

:iagree: UniKey makes a great multi without either. Excess copper – found in tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, water pipes, and soy – leads to estrogen dominance You can lower estrogen levels by slashing your copper intake. Copper keeps estrogen levels high. How do you know if you have too much copper? Brown spots on your face or skin are a good sign. This means the liver has filtered out so much copper it is depositing the excess amounts in your skin. If your nipples turn from pink to brown, that’s another sign of copper poisoning. Of course, a Tissue Mineral Analysis (TMA) is a good way to know for sure, but expensive. Many of us are severely toxic with copper. Birth control is one reason. Copper is a primary component of the Pill since it helps control the ovulation cycle. There are other sources of copper poisoning. Copper pipes also leach the metal into drinking water. If you have a swimming pool, your green algicide is pure copper. And if you love your copper pots, guess what? They’re seasoning your food, too. Here are the aches and pain of copper toxicity: Frontal headaches Depression Fatigue Constipation Emotional volatility Weight gain and food cravings

:iagree: Iron is a double-edged mineral for women. Menstruating women lose iron-rich blood every month, plus pregnancy, nursing, and strenuous physical exercise dramatically increase the need for this mineral. But later in life, excess iron, which accumulates in the body after menopause, may increase women’s risk for cancer and heart disease. Iron supplements may be used by tumors to promote their growth.