Icyball and Thermallball products were designed for managing your pain without toxic ingredients

Other notable Sources (from the personal care site):

• Cal/EPA – OEHHA Toxicity Criteria Database
• California Proposition 65
• California Proposition 65 Chemical List
• California Safe Cosmetics Program
• California Safe Cosmetics Program Cosmetics Companies Page
• The California Safe Cosmetics Program Chemical List

• Icyball – Non-Toxic Pain Relief!
• Alltop – Beauty News
• Barcodes and Ecom
• Cato Institute
• Clean The World
• Cosmetic Design
• Cosmetic Design Europe
• Cosmetic News
• Cosmetics & Toiletries
• Cosmetics Business
• Eco-Office Gals
• Fair Trade Federation
• Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO)
• GCI Magazine
• Global Exchange
• Good Guide
• Green Living Ideas
• Green People
• Green Products Alliance
• HAPPI
• Internet Archive
• Junk Science
• Natural Cosmetic News
• Premium Beauty News
• Recycle Bank
• Skin, Inc.
• Smart 2 b Green
• Sweet Scam
• The Center For Consumer Freedom
• The Nature Conservancy
• TransFair USA
• Tree Hugger
• WWD

The most recent technology to reduce cellulite incorporates 3 different techniques and is promoted as TriActive LaserDermology. TriActive, so named for the 3 separate actions a technician applies, endeavors to smooth and tighten loose ripple skin by combining mechanical massage, localized cooling and deep laser stimulation. By integrating a low-energy laser, a skin-cooling mechanism, and suction massage to stimulate collagen, circulation, and lymphatic drainage, Tri-Active has been successfully diminishing the appearing of cellulite.

TriActive LaserDermology system is uniquely designed for the treatment of face and body. TriActive systems were originally developed years ago by laser scientists in Italy and are in use all over the world. Spas and other health specialists have used this innovative technology in thousands of individuals to reduce the appearance of cellulite and rejuvenate the skin. With just a series of procedures, TriActive LaserDermology’s goal is to enhance the appearance of skin, making it feel smoother and tighter.

90% of women have cellulite. The TriActive is specially designed to treat this common condition. Through a combination of massage therapy and recent developments in laser technology, TriActive LaserDermology provides your clients with a relaxing therapeutic message that stimulates the subcutaneous tissue and increases microcirculation. The laser is also associated with increasing microcirculation. The combined action helps the body’s own mechanisms eliminate toxins and impurities while improving the appearance of cellulite.

Clients are typically treated 2 times per week for a total of 10-16 treatments. Each treatment takes 30-45 minutes. Clients find the treatment experience relaxing and many will fall asleep. Once the initial treatments are completed, it is recommended that clients return for a monthly maintenance treatment.

Acoustic Wave Therapy uses a ballistic medical device to generate pressure waves that pass through the skin and fat to impact the fibrous septae. This causes a break up of the collagen of the septae and RELEASES the skin - prouducing a smoother surface. AWT also helps to thicken the dermis, decreasing fat protrusion. Ultrasound pictures confirm thickening after treatment.

Patients are treated twice per week for three weeks, with sessions generally requiring less than a half hour. Additional treatments are necessary for about 20 percent of patients. Patients may wish to have a maintenance session once every three months after completing the program.

Velasmooth is the first and only medical device with the revolutionary elos (electro-optical synergy) combined energy technology by Syneron Medical. By using Bi-Polar Radio Frequency and Infrared Light — plus tissue mobilization combined with suction, the appearance of cellulite is reduced and problem areas are re-contoured. Many women find Velasmooth to be a viable alternative to liposuction as a means of coutouring upper thighs and buttocks.

How does Velasmooth get rid of cellulite?
The machine uses light and radio frequency to heat up fat cells, breaking them apart and sending them to the lymph nodes for the body to dispose of naturally. The Velasmooth also uses suction to gently smooth the skin during treatment so the light and radio frequency are delivered uniformly.

By reducing the number of fat cells and affecting the intra-fat structure, the treated area becomes smoother and more elastic. The radio frequency also causes a mild contraction that visually lifts and firms the area, especially noticeable in the buttocks.

1. Conducted Radio Frequency increases oxygen intracellular diffusion by
heating tissue.

2. Infrared Light increases elasticity of skin and heats subcutaneous fat, while safeguarding the skin from damage.

3. Vacuum manipulates and smoothes out the skin to facilitate safe and efficient energy delivery.

The FDA has approved the VelaSmooth, a revolutionary aesthetic device for the treatment of cellulite. VelaSmooth reduces the appearance of cellulite to safely and effectively re-contour the skin’s surface.
 

Is it safe? Is there pain?
VelaSmooth is a safe, painless treatment without needles or down time. It has the approval of the FDA

How many treatment will I need?
Two treatments a week for a period of 4-5 weeks is required.

What type of results can I expect?
Of course everyone is different and results will vary from person to person but almost universally treated patients see a reduction in cellulite and fat with an improvement in skin texture. You can lose inches from areas in just 4-5 weeks.

Ancient Egypt and Greece

The Ancient Egyptians used massage extensively for health and beauty that can be seen in tomb paintings dating back to 3,000BC.

Massage aids relaxation, directly affecting the body systems that govern heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and digestion.  It lowers the amount of stress hormones circulating in a body improving your immune system.

Massage or stroking fingers or the gliding of an icyball or thermalball across the skin induces a feeling of comfort and well-being.  Endorphins are released which play an important role in pain relief.  Stronger, more vigorous massage helps stretch tense muscles and ease stiff joints.

1.) Your Domain Name Matters - A Lot

Search for just about anything on MSN / Bing and at least three of the top five matches will have some version of that keyword as the domain name. For example if you wanted to optimize for the keyword ‘my domain’ you should try to get the domain name ‘mydomain.com.’ If that is taken, opt for ‘my-domain.com.’ If that’s taken try for a name starting with ‘mydomain’ and ending with a word that is commonly associated. This is called LSI or Latent Semantic Indexing. A good example would be ‘mydomainname.com’ or ‘my-domain-name.com.’ BTW, Bing treats dashes as a space so as long as long as the dashes merely separate words, they are treated much like the non dash version.

2.) There is No Sandbox

Here’s some great news for anyone just getting started. Bing does not seem to care about the age of your domain name. There is no ’sandbox’ like Google has. Many people, myself included, have registered brand new domains and had them ranking in a matter of days.

3.) DotCom Trumps DotNet

Today some search engines like Google will often give .net and .com virtually the same value, and possibly higher value for a .org that is for a recognized non-profit organization. Bing however appears to prefer the .com version. You can even see instances where a ‘.co.uk’ site gets high rankings simply because it uses the exact keyword in the domain name and .co is close enough to .com.

4.) We Like Sub Domains

Most web hosts will let you add sub domains to your website. On Bing, if you have the sub domain mydomain.mydomain.com you are in for some potentially great rankings. The same is true if you have my.domain.com, but to a slightly lesser degree.

5.) Less is More - Part One

We have been trained by Google to try to have hundreds of pages of quality content on every website. Bing adheres to the old policy that they are indexing web ‘pages’ not web ’sites’ (like Google says they do, but Bing appears to really mean it.) This means each page is treated on its own merit so a site with one page has the same chances of being ranked as a site with 100 pages, because each page is genuinely treated individually.

6.) Less is More

The same rule as above goes for on-page text. Pages with 800 to 1,200 words seem to do best on Google but on Bing the reverse is true, with 250 to 500 words being the magic number. Just do not overuse your keyword.

7.) Links are Nice But Not Required

Forget about spending your life building an ever growing number of inbound links for Bing. They do not need them. Your site, for now at least, is judged by its own merits, page by page.

8.) Be Bold not Strong

The original SEO method dating back to 1996 was using the H1 or ’strong’ heading tags in your HTML. Forget them for now. Bing gives higher priority to how you would express importance in a word processor document; larger font and bolded text as the main markers.

Summary: I build hundreds of Bing (formerly MSN) targeted mini sites every year using the information above (as it has evolved) and the results have been consistent top ten rankings. You can do it too!

Here’s my magic formula for a one hour top ranking:

A.) Get the .com version of a three to four word keyword as the domain name (dashes are fine.)

B.) Use the domain name as the page heading in a bolded font, slightly larger than the paragraph text.

C.) Write 400 words of natural sounding text using the keyword up to five times.

D.) Mention the keyword once in the first sentence and once in the final sentence of the page - then up to three times scattered throughout the remainder.

E.) Bold one instance of the keyword. Italicize one instance of the keyword. Use one instance of the keyword as a link back to the same page.

F.) Always fill in your Title, Description and Keywords META tags. That’s it.

Good luck and take care!

PS: This works for Yahoo too.

Alina Tugend
Monday, March 15, 2010

How much soap should I put in my washing machine and dishwasher?

Do I need to do more for my dryer than clean that little pull–out lint catcher?

Should I rinse my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher?

Most of us learned how to use a washing machine or dishwasher in our parents’ house many years ago and haven’t really changed our methods, even though most appliances have evolved radically since then. We rarely, if ever, read the manuals when we buy a new one or glance through the instructions on the box of detergent or bottle of dishwashing liquid.

But because we’re probably using these appliances incorrectly, our dishes and clothes may not be coming out as clean as they could be. And we may also be damaging the machines.

Let me start with soap. The No. 1 sin, according to repair people and appliance experts, seems to be adding too much soap to washing machines or dishwashers.

“Nobody thinks they use too much soap,” said Vernon Schmidt, who has been a repairman for almost 35 years and is the author of a self–published book, “Appliance Handbook for Women: Simple Enough Even a Man Can Understand.” But apparently most of us are in denial.

Washing machines and dishwashers are made to use far less water now than older models and, therefore, need less soap. And detergents have also become increasingly concentrated. So a little goes a long way.

“Most people use 10 to 15 times the amount of soap they need, and they’re pouring money down the drain,” Mr. Schmidt said.

Following the instructions on the soap container is a good first step. Christina Saunders, a spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble, which makes Tide, Cheer, Gain and other laundry detergents, said researchers at the company did thousands of loads of laundry to determine the right amount of soap needed.

She said the caps were changed on liquid detergent containers a few years ago to make the lines specifying amount of soap needed for different size loads easier to see.

Mr. Schmidt, however, argues that depending on how hard or soft your water is, one–eighth to one–half of what is usually recommended should be adequate.

Too much detergent can make your clothes stiff and shorten the life of your machine. An excess of soap can also cause a buildup of mold and mildew, said Jill Notini, a spokeswoman for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, a trade group.

With high–efficiency machines — which includes all front–loading machines and any top loader that specifically states that it’s high efficiency — it’s a good idea to use detergents specifically made for them, she said. The detergents usually have H.E. on the front of the container. But don’t expect to see a lot of soap action.

“If people see suds, they think their clothes are getting clean, but that’s wrong — it means you’re using a lot of extra detergent,” Ms. Notini said

Here is Mr. Schmidt’s test to determine if you’re oversoaping. Take four to six clean bath towels, put them in your front–loading washing machine (one towel for a top loader). Don’t add any detergent or fabric softener. Switch to the hot water setting and medium wash and run it for about five minutes.

Check for soap suds. If you don’t see any suds right away, turn off the machine and see if there is any soapy residue. If you see suds or residue, it is soap coming out of your clothes from the last wash.

“I’ve had customers that had to run their towels through as many as eight times to get the soap out,” Mr. Schmidt said, who lives in Indiana. He offers other handy advice on his Web site, refrigdoc.com.

Too much soap is also a problem in dishwashers and can cause dishes and glasses to look filmy. Again, check the detergent container for recommended amounts — you definitely don’t have to fill up the entire soap container in the dishwasher.

Also, if your plastic items come out still wet, that doesn’t mean your dishwasher is not doing its job. Most dishwashers today emit less heat than the older models, so plastic doesn’t dry completely.

Loading the dishwasher right will also get your dishes cleaner. When I was growing up, apparently only my mother knew the right way to load. But since my mother can’t get to all your houses, Consumer Reports offers these much–needed tips on its Home and Garden blog. (Please don’t e–mail me if you disagree about these suggestions — like religion and politics, we all have our own views on this matter.)

Load large items at the sides and back of the dishwasher so that they don’t block water and detergent from reaching other dishes.

Place the dirtier side of the dishes toward the center of the machine for more exposure to spray.

Load silverware in the individual silverware slots most dishwashers now include. If you have an open basket, mix forks, spoons and knives to prevent them from sticking together.

Also, remove baked on food and large chunks, but for the most part, everyone I spoke to said prerinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher was not only unnecessary, it wasted thousands of gallons of water and could actually result in dirtier dishes.

“The soap needs something to work against to get the dishes clean,” said Lou Manganiello, who owns Household Appliance Service in Hawthorne, N.Y., and has been doing repairs for 23 years. For full disclosure, he has also ably repaired my appliances from time to time.

Now, on to dryers. I don’t happen to use those fabric softener sheets, but if you do, practice restraint, Mr. Manganiello said.

On the theory that if one is good, five must be better, people throw in a bunch of the sheets. Those liquefy when the dryer gets hot and can gum up the dyer, becoming “almost like tar and feathers,” Mr. Manganiello said.

Also, clean the lint below the removable filter. I bought an item at my local hardware store that looks like a bottle brush, but is longer, denser and has a kind of thin nose. It reaches down and removes lint you can’t get to otherwise.

And think about cleaning lint off the dryer where it vents outdoors.

Of course, the best way to extend the life of your dryer is to use it less often by hanging out your laundry on a clothesline when the sun is shining.

One last bit of advice on an appliance — your oven. Use the self–cleaning mode more than once a year — otherwise, so many food particles have built up that when they burn off, smoke will billow throughout your entire kitchen. But don’t clean right before a big holiday dinner, Mr. Schmidt advised.

That’s because the oven heats so high during cleaning that any weak part will give.

“If it’s ever going to fail, it will then,” he said. “Every holiday we get swamped with calls.”

Jean R. Charles

hen every dollar counts — as it especially does in these tough economic times — many couples decide to go into business together.
But just because you live together doesn’t mean that you know what it would be like to work together. Personality traits that might be acceptable at home — forgetfulness or procrastination, for example — can set off alarms in the office. Common traps and what to do…

TRAP: Having differing levels of risk tolerance. Problems arise when one spouse is comfortable with taking greater financial risks or making bigger monetary investments in the business than the other. To determine the risk comfort zone for each of you, start by defining the lines beyond which neither of you will go.
Example: Are you both willing to use your home as collateral for “seed money” or to finance inventory purchases with credit card debt?
If you are the more “risk averse” partner, have your spouse show you the numbers. You may find that there is a greater margin of safety than you realized or, conversely, that you both need to do a little more research before taking the gamble.

TRAP: Failing to establish boundaries between work and home. Some couples find that business is all they talk about, which can put a strain on the relationship. Establish ground rules.
Example: Best-selling authors Paul and Layne Cutright (who co-own The Center for Enlightened Partnership) have established a “no business discussion” rule for their bedroom. Other couples agree not to talk business during dinner or after 9 pm.

TRAP: Not operating as a team. It’s important to present a unified front to vendors, clients and employees. While you both need to agree on who handles what areas of responsibility, you still must function as a unit.
This can be especially challenging when one partner has difficulty making or supporting decisions that are likely to upset a third party, such as refusing to extend credit to a customer or disciplining an employee. Successful entrepreneurial couples check with each other before making any important commitments, back each other up in public and work through disagreements in private.

TRAP: Not having a written agreement. In my eight years as a business coach, I’ve heard the same faulty reasoning repeatedly from couples (”We don’t need written agreements — after all, we’re married”) and watched months down the road as the venture and the marriage unravel because of it. Couples need a detailed partnership agreement identifying the goals for the business as well as the responsibilities of each partner.

Marc Weber

You don’t have to be a great cook to cook a great steak. Below are instructions for how to get it right every time. Be sure to choose a steak that is one inch to one-and-a-half inches thick — and sprinkle both sides with salt before cooking.

ON THE GRILL

When grilling steak, heat the grill as hot as it will get. (If your grill has a lid, grill with the lid on.) Let the steak cook until it lifts up slightly from the grill and moves easily when prodded with a cooking tool. Then rotate the steak 45° (on the same side), and let it continue to cook until both directions of the crosshatch grill pattern are a dark mahogany brown but not black.

Flip the steak over and crosshatch the other side as well, assuming that the steak is thick enough that you can do this without overcooking.

Two ways to determine doneness…

1. Use a meat thermometer to determine when the steak is cooked to your taste. Insert the thermometer into the center of the steak, not touching any bone.

Rare: Remove the steak when the thermometer reaches 120°.

Medium rare: 125° to 128°.

Medium: 132° to 134°.

Well done: 150°.

2. Use your thumb as a rule of thumb. Your steak is rare when poking it feels like poking the thenar eminence — the muscle group just below your thumb on the palm side of your hand — as you make an “OK” sign with your thumb and index finger. For ­medium rare, poke and compare the feel of this muscle as you make an “O” with your thumb and middle finger… for medium, use your thumb and ring finger… and for well done, use your thumb and pinkie.

Helpful: If the steak requires additional cooking after both sides have been crosshatched, move it to a section of the grill that is not directly over the flames.

ON THE STOVE

Choose a heavy, thick-bottomed pan. Lighter pans do not maintain their temperature as well and might not sear steaks properly. If you are cooking more than one steak at a time, use a pan large enough so that the steaks do not touch.

Apply a light coating of oil to the pan. Set the burner on high, and place the steak in the pan as soon as you see the oil start to smoke. Sear the steak for four to five minutes, until the side against the pan is a deep, even mahogany brown, then flip the steak over. The deep brown color means that the steak’s proteins have caramelized, which provides much of the wonderful flavor.

Your next step depends on how well-cooked you want your steak. If you like rare steak, sear the flip side until it, too, is a deep, even brown, and you’re done. If you prefer steak that’s cooked a bit more inside, remove the pan from the burner after you’ve flipped and seared the steak and place it in an oven preheated to 450°. To determine doneness, see left.

BEFORE EATING

Let the cooked steak sit undisturbed on a cutting board for about 10 minutes, until you can hold your finger to the steak’s surface without feeling like your finger is burning.

This “resting period” gives the steak’s juices time to permeate the meat. Cut into a steak any sooner, and you could be left with a puddle of juice and a tough, flavorless steak.

If there is a noticeable grain to the steak, cut against the grain for a more tender result.

 Other kewl sources for great bargains on new name brand items:

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Fat Wallet

Basic Multivitamins

What they are: One-pill wonders that offer 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), as suggested by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, for many important vitamins.

Benefits: They give you much of what you need in a day, including vitamins A, C, D, and E, B vitamins, and folic acid. Bonus: You have only one tablet to remember to take and swallow. Try One A Day Essential Multivitamin ($10 for 130 tablets, drugstore.com).

Keep in mind: Some single pills also include minerals, such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. But their levels can fall short of what’s recommended. The RDA for calcium, for example, is 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams. But because calcium is bulky, including that much would make for one giant pill. Therefore an additional mineral supplement may be wise in some cases. (Note: Check with your doctor before introducing any vitamins or supplements into your diet.)

Food-Based Multivitamins

What they are: Vitamins combined with powdered whole foods. “The manufacturers basically break down vegetables, fruits, and other food ingredients, add vitamins, and formulate that into capsules,” explains Preeti Kulkarni, a naturopathic doctor in Los Gatos, California.

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Benefits: Less chance of stomach upset. “Since you’re combining the vitamins with real food, they will be absorbed better and shouldn’t cause gastric distress,” says Kulkarni. In fact, it’s even OK to take this kind of multi on an empty stomach. Try New Chapter Organics Only One ($50 for 90 tablets, newchapter.com for stores).

Keep in mind: Despite the name, the vitamins you’re getting aren’t necessarily more natural; often they’re the same synthetically produced versions as in basic multis.

Adult Chewable Multivitamins

What they are: Single pills in a form you don’t have to swallow whole.

Benefits: Not having to force down large pills, which is a boon to those who have trouble swallowing tablets or who experience stomach problems when they do. Try Centrum Chewables ($7 for 50 tablets, drugstore.com).

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Keep in mind: These aren’t the same as the gummy or chewable vitamins that kids take. “The levels of vitamins in children’s formulas won’t give adults all they need,” says Tara Gidus, a registered dietitian in Orlando, Florida. (Too bad, considering kids’ chewables tend to taste better.)

Women’s Multivitamins

What they are: Souped-up multivitamins that contain larger amounts of nutrients that many women require.

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Benefits: They help you get the RDA of such vitamins and minerals as folic acid, calcium, and iron. Because iron can irritate the stomach, though, be sure to take these vitamins with a meal. Try Nature Made Multi for Her ($11 for 90 tablets, walgreens.com).

Keep in mind: These formulas come in age-specific varieties, too. Ones for women over 50, for instance, may contain higher levels of vitamins C and E and less iron.

Targeted Multivitamins

What they are: Pills formulated for a specific population, such as pregnant women or those worried about a particular condition (like heart disease, osteoporosis, or eye health).

Benefits: Certain people require more or less of certain nutrients. Pregnant women, for instance, are advised to take more folic acid to help prevent birth defects. Consider Twinlab Pre-Natal Care Multi Vitamin ($26 for 120 capsules, vitaminshoppe.com).

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Keep in mind: Some specialty multis (such as those touted to help joints) don’t have substantial science behind them. Although they’re probably not harmful, talk to your doctor before taking them.

Powdered Multivitamins

What they are: Drink mixes you stir into a liquid.

Benefits: Often just one heaping tablespoon contains the vitamins and minerals that you would get from several pills. “Tablets contain fillers and binding agents that the body has to break down before the nutrients can be absorbed,” says Kulkarni. “Powders don’t require these.” Try All One Original Formula ($48 for a 30-day supply, all-one.com).

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Keep in mind: Many powders have a bitter aftertaste, says Gidus. Mixing them with juice (not water) may help. Or try blending them with yogurt and fruit to make a smoothie.

Multipill Packs

What they are: Individual daily packets that hold several pills designed to work together.

Benefits: You can get higher doses of vitamin D, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are often not present in basic multivitamins. Try GNC Wellbeing be-Wholesome Health & Beauty Vitapak ($60 for 30 packs, gnc.com).

Keep in mind: Some have megadoses, which in the case of vitamins A, D, and E can be toxic, says Davis Liu, a family physician in Roseville, California. Check the website of the Institute of Medicine for the maximum levels of vitamins and minerals that can be safely consumed