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Caffeine is big business. There are new coffee shops popping up all over the place. You can’t go far without running into a Starbucks. “Let’s get together for coffee. Time for a coffee break. Coffee pot goes off before my feet hit the floor. Travel mugs for sipping coffee on your way to work. I’ll just have this chocolate bar to pick me up this afternoon.” Caffeine - It’s everywhere! It’s everywhere!

Many people have grown so accustomed to having their morning coffee or soda that they don’t even consider the damaging effects caffeine has on the body. On the contrary, most will tell you that they NEED their jolt to get them moving in the morning or to keep them upright throughout the day. Caffeine is present not only in coffee, but also tea, soda, chocolates and in certain pain relievers, such as aspirin or acetaminophen. It is also sometimes used in combination with an antihistamine to overcome the drowsiness caused by the antihistamine.

If you don’t think it’s addicting, try going off caffeine, cold turkey. See if you don’t have a headache for two to nine days. That’s caffeine withdrawal! You don’t need to be a coffeeholic to experience negative physical symptoms. Even as little as one to two cups a day can negatively affect you.

You may be experiencing a number of physical ailments that could be caused solely from caffeine. The most common side effects of caffeine include dizziness, headache, irritability, muscle tension, nausea, nervousness, stuffy nose, unusual tiredness and jitters.

Too much (overdose) of caffeine can give you all sorts of grief such as stomach pain agitation, anxiety, restlessness, confusion, seizures, dehydration, faster breathing rate, fast heartbeat, fever, frequent urination, increased sensitivity to touch or pain, irritability, muscle trembling or twitching, vomiting, sometimes with blood, fibrocystic breast disease, ringing or other sounds in ears, seeing flashes of “zig-zag” lights, and trouble in sleeping. If you are diabetic or insulin resistant, caffeine causes your body to produce more insulin and you don’t want that. Caffeine makes all aspects of a menstrual cycle worse. Isn’t that bad enough some months?

The next time you experience any of the above symptoms, try cutting back on caffeine. That may be all it takes to take care of the problem. Reduce caffeine intake gradually to prevent any symptoms of withdrawal. Cut back on your intake or combine a mixture of caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages until you’re totally weaned off. People can, and do, survive ridding their bodies of all caffeine. And they’re feeling much better for it!

Adult orthodontia is big business. More 40-something year old parents have finally gotten all their children out of braces and now it’s their turn. Some middle-agers are just now becoming metal mouths because they are at a point in their life when they can finally afford it. Still others opt for the wires because after starting over after a divorce they are finally ready to get that gorgeous straight smile!

If you’re considering taking the plunge yourself, here are a few bits of information you should know before making a decision. There are basically three types of braces moms and dads are opting for: standard metal, clear brackets and invisible. The standard ones are the most cost effective and you can even change the color of your rubber bands like all the hip, cool kids are doing. Clear brackets are a bit larger in size than the metal ones. Depending on your bite you may not have enough room to get the clear ones on your lower teeth, at least not initially. The wires are still metal and you can see the braces on your teeth, they’re just not as noticeable. Drawbacks are they are slightly more expensive than the metal brackets and when it comes time to take them off, it’s takes a bit more effort and is consequently a little more uncomfortable. Lastly there are the invisible braces which go behind your teeth, not on the front like most. It takes a while longer to correct your smile and is the most expensive type.

Speaking of expensive, you should on plan on spending about $4,000 for your braces. Clearly you will find some orthodontists who will do it for less, and some for more. It really depends also on the length and severity of treatment. If you have orthodontia insurance coverage, some plans cover up to 50% of the total costs. Most orthodontists will allow you to make monthly payments. You’ll be required to put a down payment on your new beautiful smile.

One thing you may not hear during your initial consultation, yet other adults who have gone before you will testify to is that when you initially get your braces put on your teeth – it hurts! It hurts a lot and for along time! With children they tell them it may be a little uncomfortable for two or three days and to take Ibuprophin as needed for pain. That’s not the case with adults, although they may give you the same instructions. Think about it. Children who get braces have their permanent teeth for generally three months or three years. Those big teeth haven’t become too accustomed to hanging out in their current location.

Adults, on the other hand, have had those permanent teeth affixed in their mouth for 20-35 years prior to getting braces. They don’t move as easily or as willingly. One mother shared that she was glad she had left over heavy duty pain meds from her c-section five years prior. She lamented that she felt like an elephant was sitting on her head for 10-days straight. Further, she continued she’d rather go through another 52 hours of labor than to get braces put on again.

This is not to frighten you. It does get much easier and you even forget you have them on. When you get adjustments every eight weeks or so, you’re normally a little tender for 24-36 hours, and aspirin does help. The severe pain is just initially when you first get them on. Ask for pain meds. Do not let them tell you to take a few Tylenol and you’ll be fine in three days. You’re in for a rude awakening if you believe that.

But in no time at all, average 18-24 months you will have a Hollywood smile and it will have all been worth it! Open wide – who’s next?

Women don’t want all that hair in places other than on their head! With either heredity or age, the ladies are bound to get a moustache on their upper lip and it’s never ever welcomed. First there was shaving, and then came the plethora of creams, lotions and potions to remove hair, then there was waxing, and even electrolysis. Now gals, there’s yet another method you may choose to rid that unwanted stache on your upper lip. It’s called Threading.

Threading is done at salons or can also be done at home. The process removes the fine and fuzzy hair right from the root. If it sounds painful, consider the options. If you shave your lip, it’ll come back stubbly, eventually like a man. What wants that? If you use a cream, you’re subjecting yourself to chemical reactions and it doesn’t rid the hair at the root, so it’ll likely just grow back faster and thicker. If you’ve ever had your lip waxed, ripping that sucker off hurts too. Not to mention the bright red upper lip for hours and the small beady blisters for a week. Ick. Ever try plucking your hairs out? Ouch is right! You could bleach that hair, but then you’ll just have a lighter colored moustache. Every method has its drawbacks.

Many women say the best method of hair removal from the upper lip is threading. One of the benefits is that you don’t have to wait for hair to grow a certain length. The concept is that you’re going to get the hair twisted and spun into the thread and thusly yanking, gently yanking it off your face. It might be difficult for you to visualize the procedure, so you may want to have it done in a salon first if you’re not getting the full gist of what needs to happen.

To start take about 24 inches of thread length. Yes, the sewing thread, any kind, nothing special so long as you use a good quality, strong thread. Take both ends and tie them, together in a knot. You’ll have a circle of thread when you’re done tying the ends together. Next hold the thread with both hands and wind them around (loop around) your hands about ten times. Then place the thread around the fingers of both hands. Push the part that is wound up towards one hand by widening the fingers of one hand and at the same time closing the fingers of the other hand. Use an alternating “open/close” motion with opposite hands.

By opening the fingers of the closed hand and closing the fingers of the other hand, you’re pushing the wound portion in the other direction. It will take some practice. Keep pushing the wound up portion back and forth until you are able to push it back and forth easily. Once you have the hang of it, you might be ready to start practicing on a body part. Don’t use the upper lip as a practice point. Try the leg or some other body part that is easily accessible.

Begin by placing the thread on the portion of your leg or elsewhere that you are going to first try. Place the wound part on one end of the hair, and the thread from the other side should be on both sides of the hair you want to remove. Next, move the wound portion to the other side, making sure that it catches the hair while moving. It will then lift the hair from the root as it moves back and forth.

After you’ve practiced this method and are fairly comfortable with it, move onto your upper lip. It’ll be quick and easy, taking only a couple of minutes every other day. How wonderful will it be to always have a hairless lip!

If all else fails, you may not be an expert threader, but you will at least know what someone is talking about next time they mention threading and they’re not referring to cross-stitching!