Now if you’ve done some searches for ingrown toenails on Google, and looked at some of the images – there are some horrific images out there!

I’ve actually had a couple of procedures done on my toes, one was to basically remove the problem part of the nail – but the doctor warned me, if I don’t take care of my feet I’d get ingrown toenails again.  So half the battle is taking care of your feet.

What did the doctor do?  Simple, first he started by numbing my toe by injecting it with an anesthetic.  Next he cut the toenail along the edge that is growing into the skin – in my case on both toenails and both sides of the toenail.

Now I had two long, narrow toenails.  He had then placed anti-bacterial ointment on the sides and bandaged them up.  I was wearing thong-style sandals for a few weeks until my toes healed and then I should have followed the doctors orders, but of course I did not and today — I still suffer from ingrown toenails.

So what should I have done?  Simple…

What should I do to care for my toe after surgery?

• Soak your foot daily in warm water – did this!
• Apply antibiotic ointment to the site at least twice a day – did this!
• Keep a bandage over the site until it heals – did this!
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed for pain – did this!
• Keep the wound clean and dry, it’s okay to shower the day after surgery – did this!
• Wear loosely fitting shoes or sneakers for the first 2 weeks – did this, in fact I had no choice as my feet would not fit into shoes, so wore thong-style sandals.
• Avoid running or strenuous activity for the first 2 weeks – oh yah, feet are pretty painful for the first few weeks.
• Call your doctor if you have problems with the area, such as increasing pain, swelling, redness or drainage – never had an issue, but you need to check your feet regularly.
• Avoid high heels and tight-fitting shoes now and in the future – this is where I fell down, I should have worn a dress shoe that is an extra wide width, but I did not.
• Trim nails straight across. Don’t pick at your nails or tear them at the corners – again, something else that I did not do which caused my ingrown toenails to redevelop.

Ingrown toenails are painful, and if they get infected you need to see a doctor.  But with a little care, after getting surgery you could be ingrown toenail free for a long, long time.

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So I developed a way to put some of these strategies to better use and asked those that I was talking with to try them to see if they made any difference. Of course you want to be able to measure success, but when it comes to weight loss you need to take a lot into account. Cutting down food doesn’t mean you’ve cut down calories, you need to exercise (or do something to burn calories) as well.

Back to indulgence. So I proposed this to the small group I was “coaching”:

Eat your snacks, keeping mind of the label. So if one serving is 1/4 cup – stick to it BUT only indulge if you are having your snack (typically it’s junk food, like chips) if you are also having a healthy meal with it.

That was the only rule.

This meant that if you were watching tv and wanted ice cream, cake cookies, chips or any other junk food you could not. You could have chips if you were having a healthy lunch (I did not define what a healthy lunch is, that’s something each individual had to do for themselves), or a good balanced supper you could add something to indulge yourself. Of course the way to lose weight is to eat less food, eat more often, make healthy choices and exercise – so unless you are doing that this strategy that I am sharing will not help you.

So they tried, and they lost weight – but then, I can’t take credit for that because they are already losing weight and all I did was give them one more strategy to use.

What they did say was this:

“Mohamed, your strategy really helped. I had to make a conscious choice every time I went near the pantry for a snack even if it was for crackers or popcorn. I found that I looked forward to a healthy lunch and dinner because the rules said I could indulge myself during those times.”

…and…

“This trick really helped me out! By the time I am done dinner, because I have forged myself on a soup or salad, I don’t want my side snack or indulgence! Instead I ended up snacking smart, like apples, pears, oranges or other fruits or vegetables. I think that with this strategy I will finally be able to kick my junk food habit for good!”

Will this work for you? I don’t know, but what can you lose (besides weight) if you try?

Technorati Tags: lose weight fast, smart snacking, Weight Loss

Don’t feel guilty if you gain some weight back, instead use what you have learned to fine tune your diet and get back on track.

But this post isn’t about how to maintain your weight loss, or how to fine tune your eating it is about the side effects of losing weight.

Your clothes fit, right.

Yes that is a benefit of losing weight, your clothes fit. You do not bulge over or hang out. You begin to have a shape, other than round or square.

Clothes are less expensive.

Another great benefit of weight loss. Over the last few months I have lost another 10 – 15 lbs so went from a 58 waist (and pants in the $100.00+ range) down to a 52. Cost of pants, shirts and other items also fell (in addition to the clothes). Yes I have more to go, but if I can trim my professional clothes budget by 10% every few months it adds up to significant savings over the course of a year.

Health improves, and you have more energy.

At one time, when my 7-year old (slim, fit and healthy) son would want me to race him up the stairs, my mind would think about the huffing and puffing, sweating and my weak and sore joints.

Only 3% of weight loss has allowed me to race him to the top of the stairs. I am still huffing, but no weak or sore joints.

Also I wake up fresh every morning. I am not as tired by 8:00pm and can function at 110% at work even on regular 10 hour days (I am a workaholic).

The only side effect of weight loss that I don’t like? I feel cold more often, but then that has to do with not having to lug around extra weight (and insulation).

As I work towards the last 100lbs, I do not mind feeling cold and quite enjoy wearing the latest styles and designs of clothes, suits and sports jackets. Working in a senior management position where I meet with other senior managers, you need to look good – being overweight just does not cut it. That is not to say there are not overweight executives, but they are much fewer.

Technorati Tags: lose weight, lose weight fast, side effects of weight loss, Weight Loss

It’s true – and the cure’s creator, Mike Ramsey, himself a hyperhidrosis sufferer, has just published an ebook detailing his simple three-step, all-natural plan that is designed to stop excessive underarm sweating in two weeks or less. So far the treatment plan has proven to be effective for 96% of those who have tried it, Ramsey added.

In “Stop Sweating and Start Living” Ramsey fully describes his practical and unique treatment approach that permanently gets rid of a person’s excessive underarm sweat problem – naturally and without side effects.

Ramsey’s process is made up of three simple steps, takes less than 1 minute a day to complete and relies on readily available and inexpensive products.

Ramsey adds that the process is easy to incorporate into your morning or evening routine, and guarantees that it will keep a person’s underarm sweat problem away for the rest of their life.

Ramsey says he came up with the treatment approach after attending a seminar on natural health.

“The seminar actually didn’t have anything to do with excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis,” Ramsey said. “But what the speaker said got me to thinking and soon led to my discovery.”

Like many others with hyperhidrosis, Ramsey first began suffering from it in high school and over the years has tried just about every treatment he could think of to get rid of it or at least keep it under control: from using dozens of different antiperspirants to applying antiperspirants several times a day to wearing undershirts to soak up the sweat before it reached his outer shirt to changing clothes several times a day to holding his arms up in the car so that they were aligned with the air conditioner vents to using a device that pushes electrical currents through the skin and much, much more.

“Nothing that I tried worked and I was about to give up hope when my wife and I attended that fateful seminar,” Ramsey said. “After years of pain and struggle, using the method I created I was able to cure my excessive sweat problem naturally in just two weeks, and was finally able to start living worry-free again.”

“This technique has proven to be highly practical, safe and effective and it’s worked quickly for me and for hundreds of other people who have read my ebook and tried it.”

To learn more about “Stop Sweating and Start Living” and how you can get rid of excessive underarm sweat the safe and natural way, visit preventsweating.com, where the ebook is also available for purchase.

Technorati Tags: how to stop sweating, stop sweating now, sweat too much

Mike Ramsey, who began suffering from excessive sweating, also called hyperhidrosis, in high school, has published an ebook detailing a simple three-step plan that when followed allows anyone to cure their excessive sweating problem in two weeks or less.

“It’s true,” said Ramsey, author of “Stop Sweating and Start Living: A Practical Guide to Ending Your Underarm Sweat Problem.” “At last, there’s an effective way for anyone to cure their underarm sweat problem – in just two weeks – without prescription drugs or risky surgery.”

Ramsey’s method is a three-step, all-natural technique that he developed after attending a seminar on natural health.

“The technique is highly practical, safe and effective, it takes just a minute a day to perform and can be easily worked into anyone’s daily routine,” said Ramsey.

Ramsey’s discovery comes on the heels of new research that indicates nearly 8 million Americans – almost 3 percent of the U.S. population – routinely suffer from excessive sweating, a figure higher than previously believed.

“We’re not talking about people who sweat a lot after a good workout,” Ramsey said. “These are adults who while sitting at their desk in a cool office, sweat through their T-shirt, their shirt, and maybe even their jacket. These are teenagers who avoid going to dances and parties and on dates because they are afraid to be seen dripping in sweat. These are children who continually drop their bottles or sippy cups because their sweaty palms won’t allow them to maintain a good grip.”

What is hyperhidrosis?

Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that causes people to sweat excessively in specific areas — their underarms, face, palms, or the soles of their feet.

Ramsey’s technique works specifically for the underarms.

“After years of struggle with hyperhidrosis, during which time I avoided potential socially awkward situations like dates and parties, I discovered the real reason for my underarm sweat problem … and after two weeks of self-treatment I cured it,” Ramsey said. “In fact, in the 10 years since, I have never been self-conscious about raising my arms in public. I have never worn an undershirt to soak-up my sweat, and I have never had a sweaty armpit (except during intense physical exercise).”

In an effort to help others who suffer from hyperhidrosis, Ramsey explains exactly how he was able to cure his excessive sweating problem on the pages of “Stop Sweating and Start Living.”

“In this ebook, readers will learn exactly how I, and others who have used my system, stopped underarm sweat for life,” Ramsey said.

To learn more about “Stop Sweating and Start Living,” please visit www.preventsweating.com, where the ebook is also available for purchase.

Technorati Tags: how to stop sweating so much, stop excessive sweating, sweating too much

We were recently introduced to a producted called FUNGINIX.  So what exactly is Funginix, and does it work?  Is Funginix a scam?  First a little information about the product, what it does and what exactly is toenail fungus.

Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from some degree of nail fungus and have concerns about the health of their nails. It’s a condition that a person can contract in a variety of ways and the correct treatment is often difficult to find. Unsightly toenail fungus can make people feel self-conscious about showing their feet and cracking, brittle nails can be irritating and embarrassing.

FUNGINIX is the most sophisticated and complete topical treatment created to fight and eliminate the fungal infections of the finger and toe areas including regions under and around the toenails. Only FUNGINIX has been thoroughly tested to guarantee that it kills fungus and will promote the restoration of healthy nails in a fungus-free environment. FUNGINIX contains the unique combination of proven anti-fungal agents along with a proprietary blend of natural oils and minerals that will destroy the fungal agents and specifically attack the fungus where the infection exists.

What is Nail Fungus?

Nail fungus, or Onychomycosis, is a condition that is caused by the presence of a fungus living in and underneath the nail bed of a finger or toe. The fungus (a dermatophyte) houses itself within the nail bed making it difficult to reach and therefore difficult to kill. The cool and protected area underneath a nail provides the perfect growing condition for dermatophytes.

The fungus starts by attacking the nail and causing the nail plate to turn yellow, cloudy or dark colored as it dies. If the fungus is not attacked quickly, the fungus will multiply as the condition worsens and will cause the heavily affected nails to either thicken or become brittle and crumble apart.

Once affected, nails must be treated for a substantial period of time before all of the fungus has been eliminated. The suggested treatment time to kill all of the fungus once the nails have been affected is 6 months. This will allow for FUNGINIX to eliminate every last fungal agent around the affected area while a new nail grows in healthy and strong

Why FUNGINIX Works

UNGINIX is the best combination of anti-fungal agents, essential oils and fungus-fighting extracts available. In order to create the most powerful anti-fungal solution, we at FUNGINIX took the best of research from both traditional and herbal medicine on how to kill the fungus that attacks nails. After comparing and contrasting the effects of various combinations, we came up with our unique blend of active ingredients like undecylenic acid, herbal remedies like camphor and essential oils like tea tree oil. There is simply no other topical solution created to fight nail fungus that is more effective and complete.

Ingestibles vs. Topical Solutions

Oral medications are available and are often an effective way to combat fungal infections. However, they are generally very expensive and extremely strong medications that must be taken for long periods of time in order to be effective. The medications also have potential side effects to other body organs (especially the liver, skin and/or bone marrow). In order to monitor side effects, your physician should order periodic blood tests (usually monthly) during treatment. Many individuals are not eligible for ingestible treatments because of the potentially dangerous effects these prescriptions can have on the human body.

Topical solutions are the safest and easiest way to combat nail fungus. However, there are many products on the market that make false claims and use worthless, cheap ingredients. Be sure to research which products actually have proven anti-fungal agents and oils in the ingredients. When using topical treatments it is essential to get the solution underneath the nail bed and deep into the cuticle in order to fight the fungus where it lives. Follow the instructions on your bottle of FUNGINIX to eliminate embarrassing fungal infections for good!

Application

It is of major importance to always keep your hands and feet clean and dry throughout the day.

Apply FUNGINIX twice daily. Once in the morning before putting on socks and/or shoes and once in the evening before getting into bed.

Use the brush applicator to work FUNGINIX deep under the nail bed and a finger or cotton swab to work FUNGINIX into the cuticle of each affected nail.

Here are images of a toenail before using Funginix and after – notice the huge difference!

What People Are Saying About Funginix…

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According to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, a recent study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in San Francisco indicates that employees suffering from hyperhidrosis “were limited in performing physically demanding tasks 25% of the time, in mental and interpersonal tasks 20% of the time, in time management 17% of the time, and in work output 11% of the time.”

The study goes on to say that “these rates of workplace limitations are similar to those experienced by workers suffering from depression, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.” The study estimated overall work productivity loss due to hyperhidrosis is “4.9%.”

Luckily for the estimated 8 million Americans currently suffering from hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, Mike Ramsey (himself a hyperhidrosis sufferer) has just published book detailing a simple three-step, all-natural plan that is designed to stop excessive underarm sweating in two weeks or less.

In “Stop Sweating and Start Living” Ramsey fully describes his practical and unique treatment approach that permanently gets rid of a person’s excessive underarm sweat problem – naturally and without side effects.

So far the treatment plan has proven to be effective for 96% of those who have tried it, Ramsey said.

Ramsey’s process is made up of three simple steps, takes less than 30 seconds a day to complete and relies on readily available and inexpensive products.

Ramsey says that the process is easy to incorporate into your morning or evening routine, and guarantees that it will keep a person’s underarm sweat problem away for the rest of their life!

Like many others with hyperhidrosis, Ramsey first began suffering from it in high school and over the years has tried just about every treatment he could think of to get rid of it or at least keep it under control: from using dozens of different antiperspirants to applying antiperspirants several times a day to wearing undershirts to soak up the sweat before it reached his outer shirt to changing clothes several times a day to holding his arms up in the car so that they were aligned with the air conditioner vents to using a device that pushes electrical currents through the skin and much, much more.

‘At the time that I came up with this cure, I was working in an office eight to ten hours a day where I was surrounded by and interacted with colleagues continuously,’ Ramsey said. ‘In this environment, I was constantly concerned about my underarms — a distraction that caused me to lose hours of productivity every week. My self-esteem and self-confidence, which were already low, plummeted even further.’

Ramsey went on to say. ‘After years of pain and struggle, using the method I created I was able to cure my excessive sweat problem naturally in just two weeks, and was finally able to start living worry-free again.’

‘This technique has proven to be highly practical, safe and effective and it’s worked quickly for me and for hundreds of other people who have read my book and tried it,’ Ramsey said.

To learn more about “Stop Sweating and Start Living” and how you can get rid of excessive underarm sweat the safe and natural way – as well as boost your work performance visit www.preventsweating.com, where the book is also available for purchase.

Technorati Tags: how to stop sweating a lot, man excessive sweating, sweating too much, women excessive sweating

Ingrown toenails are no laughing matter, I suffer from them and though I should not I will do “self-surgery” to remedy them.  If you also suffer from ingrown toenails, you know what I mean and the pain you go through.

Here are some home remedies for treating ingrown toenails.

First off – if your problem with ingrown toenails is chronic, you should see a doctor for it.  There are many medical treatments available to treat this problem.  Once you’ve been treated, your doctor will give you tips on how to care for your toe nails so that you don’t have a re-occurance.

Tip #1

If you’ve already developed ingrown toenails, they can be painful.  Soak your feet in warm water to releive the pressure.  The water will soften your toenail and skin and will provide temporary relief from this painful condition.  I’ve found that adding epsom salts to the water really helps.

Tip #2

Get better shoes.  Frequently people that suffer from ingrown toenails wear shoes that are either too small for their feet or too narrow.  If you need a wide shoe – buy it!  Your feet will be much happier, and so will your toes.  Wearing narrow or small shoes forces your toenail to grow where it can – usually the sides, which leads to ingrown toenails.

Tip #3

When you cut your toenails, cut straight.  Don’t cut the nail too short and don’t cut it a curve.  This is what will also cause your ingrown toenails.

Tip #5

If you’ve already developed an ingrown toenail, you may want to wear open-toed sandals to relieve some of the pressure – atleast until you deal with the problem.

Tip #6

To avoid getting an ingrown toenail, if you’ve done everything right including the right shoes you may want to avoid shoe inserts – you know, the extra padding you can buy to keep your shoes smelling nice or to add the extra “bounce” in your step.  There is nothing wrong with them, but adding a few extra millimeters may press your toe against the top of the shoe causing an ingrown toenail.  I like inserts in my shoes, but found that this was causing problems so I’ve done away with them.

If you have any tips that you can share, please leave us a comment!

Technorati Tags: how to fix an ingrown toe nail, ingrown toenails

First off – there are no statistics on just how bad body odour is in the workplace.  I don’t keep any stats on it where I work, nor do I think any organization does.  I’m also not aware of any statistics being kept about body odour in the workplace.

As I was researching to prepare this post, I did come across an interesting series of posts from a site called Workplace Law Network – the site was geared towards the UK but presumably the legal and ethical questions this brings up would apply wherever you are.  I’m NOT A LAWYER nor am I an expert in HR so the information provided here is for educational purposes only.  Ideally if you have someone in your workplace with body odour problem you need to speak to your manager or HR department — they may be better equipped to help resolve these issues.

Source: http://www.workplacelaw.net/forums/listComments/thread_id/446

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Excessive body odour is caused by bacteria.

In order to combat this, body hair such as that under armpits should be trimmed. Obviously showering daily is helpful as is using deoderant on freshly washed skin. Using a deoderant with a 24 hr anti-perspirent is essential. In addition b.o may be controlled by applying antiseptic cream such as sudocreme to the affected areas.

The initial question that was raised:

Does anyone have any suggestions of how to approach a fairly new member of staff regarding his body odour problem?

One good response was:

Although this is not a performance or discipline matter, it is a problem that can cause irritation (and therefore poor performance) among other employees.

Before you address this particular problem, you should consider drawing up a plan of the route you a prepared to take in such cases, preferably in consultation with interested parties (health and safety manager, HR, union rep, etc.).

For example, you may wish to start with a private conversation where you inform the employee of the problem, and try, where possible, to address the cause (e.g. medical problems). You can then move to your formal disciplinary route if the employee fails to act.

You should record all conversations and keep a record on file.

It goes without saying that a high level of tact will be required to avoid causing offence and potentially ending up in front of a tribunal. The employee will appreciate the matter being kept private.

Another response:

I have had experience of having to deal with this problem with an employee. I had a private conversation with the him where I raised the issue of his odour. Despite it being quite strong he was unaware of it and was at a loss as to it’s cause, that was the first question he asked me. His odour did improve and both his confidence at the workplace and his relations with other employess benefited.

I agree with Ciaron that you should try and address the cause, and be prepared to do so. These could range from inneffective laundry, through to diet or a more serious medical problem. You should also act promptly, it may harm the employees relationship with other staff if the problem is not dealt with.

You may also be able to get some guidance from EMAS.

As to Simons comments, I can find little but fault! As I said the employee I dealt with was unaware of the problem. A card and a smile probably won’t do much to manage stress, and the cure is probably best left to the employee personally (unless he requests help) or his medical practicioner.

The series of posts is excellent, and well worth the read and it will give you some great information on how to approach someone in the workplace that has body odour issues.

Technorati Tags: statistics workplace body odor, statistics workplace body odour, workplace body odor, workplace body odour

First off these suggestions are NOT limited to adult.  Children (yes, children) should also practice personal hygiene — it’s up to parents to help them and teach them.  I can’t tell you how often I’ve stood in line at a grocery store to see kids covered in dirt or picking their noses or other parts of their body.  PARENTS – WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!  Show some responsibility and leadership and tell your kids what’s acceptable and not acceptable in public.

OK.  That aside you can teach hygiene to your kids.

Are you guilty of this:

• Kids come from the pool and their clothes are thrown in with all the others?
• They’ve gone out to play, and you decide to keep the clothes for another day.
• Gone shopping and you figure they are clean enough to be kept with all the other clothes.

Bad, bad, bad.  Kids touch everything.  Then they wipe their grimy little hands on their clothes.  I speak from experience as I have a 6-year old boy and while he’s probably a little sick of us encouraging proper hygiene it pays off: he’s hardly ever sick and he’s learned from a young age what is and is not acceptable.

Why is it WRONG to “re-use” kids clothes when they’ve come from the pool.

Answer – have you seen the floors in the pool?  Do you know whether a kid has urinated there or not?  The floors are disgusting and lets face it it’s not easy to change a kid in a pool without them having to touch the ground (or their clothes touching the ground).  Yuuck.  When we come back from swimming, the kids clothes go in the wash AND he gets another bath.

Why is it WRONG to “re-use” kids clothes when they’ve come in from outside.

Answer – it’s dirty outside.  Plain and simple.  Buy extra shorts/shirts.  Once they’re done playing, the clothes should go in the wash - no excuses. 

Why is it WRONG to “re-use” kids clothes when they’ve gone shopping.

Answer – it’s dirty outside.  Plain and simple.  If they sit in the cart – do you know who (or what) was in the cart before them?  The carts generally stay outside.  You can have all types of bugs or even birds on them.  My son is quite tall, so can’t fit into the carts anymore but that doesn’t stop him from touching everything and anything when we go shopping.  His clothes go in the wash regardless.

You may think that we’re a little overboard when it comes to cleanliness – and maybe we are but you know what, my kid rarely gets sick and when he does it’s usually something he’s caught from someone at school.  He’s got it in his head that he doesn’t want to look or smell so even at 6 takes pride in ensuring that his clothes are clean and when he goes out that he looks “smart” and “handsome”.

You don’t have to go to the extremes that perhaps my wife and I have gone to – but if you start teaching your kids at a young age the steps needed to keep a clean body it will become a habit and they will keep it with them forever.

Technorati Tags: personal hygiene for children, steps to a clean body

Reservatrol, also called resveratrol, is a substance in red wine that seems to allow mice to live up to 20-50 percent longer. Given in high doses reservatrol seems to block many of the bad effects of high-caloric diets. The fact is that the doses given to the mice was far larger than anyone can get by drinking red wine. The equivalent dose in a human would require that the person drink about 300 glasses per day, enough to destroy the liver in fairly short order.

Currently, reservatrol can be found in some dietary supplements. The major source is from a plant grown in China called the Giant Knotweed. But thoroughly documented experiments that show the actual life extending effects of reservatrol have not yet been made. However, Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc, has begun testing reservatrol-based drugs on diabetes patients.

Reservatrol seems to work by mimicking a proven life extending process called calorie restriction (also known as CR). Calorie restriction involves reducing food intake by a third and has been shown (as early as the 1930s) to extend lifespan in animals by 30-40 percent. However, this type of regimen is considered too rigorous to most people.

Although there are other substances that have shown to have similar effects (metformin, for one) reservatrol is the first that has shown cross species application and also has been ingested by humans for thousands of years.

Studies at Harvard Medical School showed how Reservatrol had benefits for yeast, extending the lifespan by 70 percent. Speculation then arose that perhaps reservatrol accounted for what has become known as the “French Paradox” – the fact that the French eat high fat diets, drink a lot of wine, and have a longer than average lifespan.

Reservatrol in the amounts available in dietary supplements is considered safe according to an article in the November 2,2006 issue of the Wall Street Journal. The high doses given to mice indicated that there might be problems associated with the liver. This, however, would require a human to take hundreds of reservatrol pills daily in order to equal the doses given to mice.

Besides the anti-aging effects, reservatrol has also been shown to increase activity and endurance in aging mice. It is thought that this might be because reservatrol stimulates an enzyme called SIRT1 which helps to spur the growth of new mitochondria in cells. (Mitochondria are the organelles of a cell that convert fuel to energy).

Is this a promising new drug to help increase human longevity…only time can tell.

Source: http://www.indepthinfo.com/nutrition/reservatrol.shtml

However as I built rapport with the various clothiers I’ve used over the years, I’ve been given bigger and better discounts.  Typically I get 10% off (as does EVERYONE) because I gave the company my e-mail address – however whenever the manager is in he’ll go one step further and see when the items I’ve purchased are set to go on sale and if it’s going to be on sale within 3 months time he’ll give me the discount then instead.

Most recently I purchased three pairs of dress pants, very good quality and priced at over $175.00 per pair.  There was a 25% discount but the manager bumped that to just around 50% after adding in my 10% plus what appeared to be a “loyalty” discount – so I paid around $90.00 for $175.00 pants — and these are not end-of-season items either!  It’s regular stock.

The same with shirt – I purchased 15 new shirts that would have cost me about $1,000 for around $300 – some were end-of-season and a few were meant for the cooler months but all were brand new, were heavily discounted and when they added my 10% discount — well, the deal was great.

I managed to buy pants, great dress shirts and dress shoes (the latest styles from Stacey Adams) all for under $1,000.00.  This included lots of socks, plus accessories like a ties and belts.

One thing that I’ve found is that when you purchase from a clothier — whether they are independent or large national chain, they appreciate your repeat business and when you combine that with getting to know the staff that work there the shopping experience is that much better plus you get in on special deals.

When I bought the pants, there was someone in front of me that bought the same pair and he paid the sale price which was around $131.00.  I managed to score an additional $25.00 discount.

I still see too many b-i-g and large-ish guys that don’t know how to dress well and the clothes that they do wear are clearly too tight…

If you are a professional – whether that means someone that sits at a cubicle all day or you’re out and about working in Sales or something similar if you are a big guy it is VERY important to dress well and look the part otherwise you will be discounted by your peers and the public.

Take care!

Mohamed

Technorati Tags: clothes for big guys, dress clothes for the big man

If you’ve been following the series of posts that I have made on personal hygiene, you will remember that I did post about how to dress well as an overweight man.

Here is the link to the post, that post then contains links to the individual posts that I’ve made over the last few weeks.

You should check out Casual Male XL.

They sell brand name products and great prices – these are not your typical polyester pants and gaudy shirts – but clothes that will make you look stylish and give you the image that you want.

You will find products from…

• Izod
• Dockers
• Levis
• Jockey
• Nautica
• Polo
• Harbor Bay
• Greg Norman
• Calvin Klein
• Van Huesen

Plus many, many more!

It has never been easier to buy the right clothes and learn how to dress well as an overweight man.

A couple of items that I bought when I was in LA recently and found to fit very good and look nice:

Harbor Bay® Water-Repellent Poplin Jacket
Stand collar with hidden hood, placket hides a zipper, hidden zipper pockets, adjustable cuffs and inside pockets. Fully lined. Polyester. Machine washasble. I purchased it in the grey color. It’s listed for $55.00 on their site – but paid about half-that as it was on sale at their outlet store.

You can click on the jacket to find out the current price and look for other items on their site.

They have an excellent collection of sports coats in addition to suit separtes when priced together are comparable to what you would expect to pay for a full-suit.

They also have a clearance center where I spotted a couple of great buys, like this:

Fossil® Mason Leather Messenger Bag

Smooth glazed leather has antiqued brass hardware, an adjustable shoulder strap and multiple interior pockets that help you stay organized.

The only problem with clearance items is that you may not always find the right size or color – but it’s always worth the look.

So if you would like to dress well as an overweight man (until you lose all that excess weight) then you should definately visit Casual Male XL.

Mohamed

Technorati Tags: dress well, dress well as overweight man, how to dress well as an overweight man, overweight man

Even most clothing stores that cater to the big crowd don’t carry some of these essential items.

What to do?

You could buy two towels and sew them together.  No.  Not a option.

Why not just buy one?

Supersize Towels™

At 70″ x 35″ and weighing almost 2 pounds, these 100% cotton towels are significantly larger than most standard bath towels. Plush, warm and ultra absorbent, they add a touch of luxury and efficiency in the bathroom. These are machine washable and are made in USA. You can purchase this item by clicking on the image above (item #X1182).

Have you ever been to a spa? Or how about a 4 or 5 star hotel? Like their robes? Wish you can have one of them, and don’t want to have to resort to umm… borrowing one? Here is something that you will love.

Terry Cloth Spa Unisex Bath Robe

Heavy and luxurious Turkish cotton creates a spa-grade robe that’s extremely absorbent and comfortable. Features include plush cotton, cuffed sleeves, shawl collar, patch pockets, belt loops and belt, and a mid-calf length. It is also machine washable. Click the link above to get prices, or purchase!

Finally for the passenger who needs just a little extra when it comes to the seat belt on the plane. Why ask the steward/ess for an extender and embaress yourself in front of a fully loaded plane? Bring your own! If you are a frequent (or even infrequent) traveller this is the ideal convenience item for living large.

For a comfortable flight and a safe, secure fit. Tested to the FAA-approved specifications that airlines use. Model B fits Southwest® Airlines and some business jets.

Want more Living Large items? Why not visit Living Large and search from their huge online store that caters to individuals that are living large!

Mohamed

Technorati Tags: large people, large people products, Living Large, products for large people