If you are thinking about getting your body pierced, especially for the first time, you should take the time to get informed before you get pierced. Because not knowing what to expect could be disastrous.

For example, did you know that:

You CAN get a serious infection including Hepatitis or even HIV if the piercing equipment hasn’t been sterilized properly.

Infections caused by bacteria getting into the puncture of the piercing may also happen later, even after the piercing has healed.

If the studio uses a piercing “gun” to do body piercings, you should leave immediately because they CANNOT be sterilized.

So how can you avoid the serious hazards described above when you get pierced?

The following are some tips to help you evaluate the piercing place as the first step to prevent body piercing infections:

When you go into a salon, look around. Is the place clean? Because it SHOULD be kept clean and sanitary.

The lighting should be good so the piercers can see well while working. Do they wash their hands and use sterile gloves and instruments?

All the instruments should either be brand new and disposable (meant to be thrown away after one use) or be sterilized in pouches. If the piercer uses disposable needles, you should see him/her open sealed packages of the needles!

The piercers should throw away the needles in a biohazard container after using them.

There are also some things you can do personally to keep your piercings clean and help stave off nasty infections:

Do NOT use alcohol or Peroxide to clean the area because both products will dry out your skin.

Keep the pierced area from coming in contact with other people’s body fluids, such as saliva and sweat.

Do NOT use a hot tub or swim in public pools until your piercing has healed.

These are just a fraction of the many things you should know before you get pierced to Avoid Body Piercing Infections . Check out http://www.PiercingTalk.com that details everything you need to know about body piercing.

Are your feet itching and burning? Maybe you have Athlete’s Foot. Athlete’s foot is an infection of the upper layers of the skin and is predominantly found on the foot. It is often seen as an dry, itching, burning, scaling redness of the feet especially in the webbing of the toes. When left unchecked, sufferers may notice that their skin peels frequently and in extreme cases there may be cracking, pain and bleeding of the skin.

While commonly associated with the foot, athlete’s foot can also give rise to skin disorders such as jock-itch. It is caused by the overgrowth of certain types of fungus, including trichophyton, the ringworm fungus or the tinea pedis fungus, each of which can be easily transmitted from one person to the other upon contact. This contagious condition thrives in warm, moist environments and without the proper growing conditions; it will not survive at all.

Athlete’s foot is often transmitted when we walk around barefoot at public pools or in public showers, in locker or changing rooms, in home bathrooms, especially in the shower. It can also thrive in individuals who’s feet sweat excessively, who wear the same shoes without allowing them to fully dry out or when the feet are not dried thoroughly before covering them. Interestingly, this disorder is seen more often in teenagers and adult males.

In health circles, it is generally believed that prevention is the best course of action to take. If however, you do end up with a case of athlete’s foot, there are a number of natural and alternative health remedies you can employ.

Recommendations For Wellness

Avoid all yeast containing foods: yeast breads, fermented beverages (beer, wine, brandy, scotch, etc.) moldy cheeses, fermented vinegars, salad dressing, peanuts, biscuits, canned citrus fruit juices, cake mix, ice cream, all dried fruit, oranges, pickles, tomato sauce, sugars, yeast powder, processed and smoked meats, malt products, barbecue sauce, olives, mayonnaise, and chili peppers.

Avoid sugar (especially hidden sugars such as those found in soft drinks, pastries, canned fruits and vegetables), artificial sweeteners, and all refined carbohydrates.

Supplementation with a probiotic such as acidophilus can help to restore the good bacteria in the body and help protect you from infection.

If you are at the gym or at a public pool, wear sandals in the locker room, in the shower and in the pool area.

Wear cotton socks and if your feet tend to sweat, change them often, making sure you dry your feet well before putting on a fresh pair.

Sprinkle baking soda on your feet before putting your socks on to help absorb moisture.

When the weather is hot and humid, go barefoot or in sandals whenever possible.

Be sure to air your shoes out at night to allow any moisture in them to evaporate. If possible don’t wear the same pair of shoes every day.

A tincture of black walnut can be applied directly to the affected areas of the feet and toes to help kill the fungus.

Lemon balm, rosemary or a mixture of lavender oil and tea tree oil can be used externally to help eradicate the infection.

Herbs such as goldenseal, pau d’ arco, olive leaf extract or garlic can be taken internally to help heal the infection. They can also be applied externally the affected areas or by soaking the feet in a herbal bath made from these substances.

Some experts recommend adding grapefruit seed extract to your wash, especially when you are cleaning your socks, gym clothes, bath mat or towels.

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In our efforts to lose weight, we have all had trouble reducing stomach fat. Whether it’s only a couple of pounds, or you’ve gone from a six pack to a keg. It seems like no matter what you do, it just won’t budge. My hope is to provide you with a few ideas that will help shave that extra baggage from your midsection.Although there are many diets and pills out there with promises of maximum results with little or no effort, beware. Although you may use these diet plans to start, it is best to change eating habits and exercise. Losing weight and staying fit is a life-long commitment that forces a change of lifestyle. Cardio: Try doing cardio exercises as a way to burn the excess stomach fat. Your goal is to get rid of fat and not become a body builder. Taking a bike ride, or jogging are great exercises that can be done. You may also want to try swimming. Not only will swimming help you lose the stomach bulk, it will also provide an entire body workout. Swim laps, if you don’t own a pool, there are many public pools that have sections roped off for those that want to swim laps. Crunches:Doing crunches is also a great way to tone up the belly. Do crunches until you are tired. Rest and try some more. If the lower belly is a problem area, try reverse crunches. Instead of raising your upper body, raise your legs. Again, repeat until your lower abs get tired, rest and repeat.Trying crunches and lower abdominal exercises in a variety of positions is a great way to help tone problem areas. Lie on your back and raise and lower your upper and lower body. Alternate your upper and lower body and then try them together. Rotate yourself when lifting to provide additional resistance and a bit more challenge.Eat Right: Do not forget to eat healthy, exercise alone will not shed those pounds, or shape that stomach. Eat a low fat, low carb diet. It’s ok to have a slice of bread if you like, but try to limit your normal carb intake. Also try to limit the amount of salt you eat, foods high in sodium can make you retain water. Do not add additional salt to foods or eat pre prepared foods with high sodium content. Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein, in moderation, is what a nutritious fat burning diet will consist of.Persistence: Although there may always be some stubborn stomach fat haunting you, continuing a combination of these suggestions will help eliminate the fat or make the problem areas less noticeable. Usually, the stubborn fat is the last bit you have to shed and it can seem like it will never get better. With a bit of persistence, and sticking to a healthy diet coupled with exercise, you are sure to see an improvement as long as you give it some time.