Blogger BlogNet76247

If anyone deserves a vacation, it's a single parent.

Managing your children's lives by yourself, in addition to supporting the family on one income is a tough job. And, when it comes to taking a vacation, the travel industry needs to come to some realizations about the reality of the single parent traveler and his or her family.

If you've been frustrated by package deals geared toward couples or two parent families, you'll be happy to know that you are not alone. Many single parents feel the same way you do. Fortunately there are solutions to help you travel economically and stress-free in a way that's fun for all.

Traveling as a single parent starts with planning the right kind of trip. Going on a vacation only to spend the majority of your time doing what the kids want to do is no way to relax. In order to keep balance in the family, make democratic decisions on where to go and what to do. During your vacation, spend one third of your time doing something that you want to do with kids in tow, one third of the time doing something specifically for the kids and the final third doing something you'll all enjoy. Before you head out on your trip, type up an itinerary of the places you'll see. This way there won't be arguments while you're on the road about where you're going and what you'll do when you get there.

You can save a great deal of money by taking your own food. Stock up on granola bars, energy bars, powdered drink mixes, dried fruits and other non-perishable items so you don't have to spend a lot of money on meals. Although it's nice to enjoy the food of the culture you're visiting, you have to remember that money spent on food could be spent on sightseeing and other activities. You could aim to eat breakfast and lunch from your bags and then eat dinner out. This way you'll save money without feeling deprived.

Balance your daily activities so that you and your children don't end up too tired. Most of the problems with kids on vacation has to do with them getting overtired and cranky. Even though you're on vacation, don't push your kids too hard with the activities. Balance a morning at the museum with a relaxing afternoon picnic at a park. If you're visiting an amusement park, try to spread your visit over two days so you can hit all of the big rides without stressing yourself or your kids out.

The travel industry is starting to change slowly and is recognizing the need for package deals that don't include two adults. Make sure to ask your travel agent or do some research online to find this kind of packaged vacation. You should be able to save on your vacation without paying for two adult tickets.

Hopefully, these tips have you excited about your next vacation as a single parent. With a little practice and a lot of planning you can have a dream vacation that both you and your kids can enjoy.

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com, where you'll find Expedia coupons, as well as discounts and promotions at Beaches Resorts, which sometimes offers packages and discounts for single parent travel.

For anyone who has acne, blackheads are often the worse type since you can't just pop them like whiteheads. Also known as comedones, blackheads appear as dark formations that results from an accumulation of oil and dead skin cells within a blocked pore. Today, due to failure of many treatments, natural ways to get rid of blackheads

Blackheads may look bad but you should never squeeze or pluck them, this will increase the bacterial infection and make the breakouts worse.

Now consider some natural ways to get rid of blackhead.

One of the best ways to get rid of blackheads naturally is to steam your face or body at least once a day. To do this, simply place a warm cloth over your face for five to ten minutes. After steaming use an exfoliating scrub to clean away the dead skin on your face.

You can also choose to fill a bowl with water and microwave it then place your face over the bowl for ten seconds. Use a bath with Epsom salt to steam your body and loosen blackheads.

Natural ways to get rid of blackheads includes making your own body scrub. Just take some baking soda, dead sea salt and water. One teaspoon of dead sea salt with 4 tablespoons of baking soda and one tablespoon of water will help you to scrub blackheads free on your body.

When it comes to methods that help you to get rid of blackheads naturally you should avoid using adhesive removal facial strips since they will irritate the skin and make the condition worse. Rather, get rid of blackheads naturally include using an oatmeal mask. Mix one cup of oatmeal with one teaspoon of baking soda and three tablespoons of aloe vera juice. Do this once a week for a period of one to two months and you will soon start noticing results.

It is advisable to try natural ways to get rid of blackheads and soon you won't have to deal with those unsightly blemishes on your skin.

Meanwhile, let me share the best acne success story about a lady called Elizabeth Stanton. Read how she battle serious acne on her face, body and many years of social depression. Here is the good news: Elizabeth overcame and now enjoys shinning skin, admirable beauty and excellent career. Read her captivating story...

The term clear skin can take on many different meanings. Acne and hyperpigmentation aren't the only problems that blemish your skin. Congested or clogged skin has large pores and blackheads and appears thick and dull. Many people think dirt is the culprit for clogged pores, since blackheads are dark in color making them look like dirt stuck in the pore. The real cause of congested skin is a buildup of dead skin cells. The solution is regular, gentle exfoliation.

In order to stop this cycle of congested pores and gain a healthy looking glow, you need to slough off the dead cells from your skin. Even though excess dead skin cells are to blame for clogged skin, it is important to make sure you are using the right type of exfoliation product to remove the congested layer.

Every three to four weeks the skin replenishes new cells, causing a layer of dead skin cells to form on the top of the skin. Once these cells mix with excess oil they sink down into your pores and form the dark-colored clogs known as blackheads. When left untreated, clogged skin can turn into acne blemishes and whiteheads.

An exfoliant with soft beads or grains will effectively remove the dead buildup without causing irritation. Scrubs with large exfoliating grains are too harsh for the skin, resulting in damage to the healthy cells. These products should be used after gentle cleansing, that removes your makeup and daily buildup, preparing your skin for exfoliation.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid treatments are a great way to help clear your pores of debris in between weekly exfoliations. Glycolic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, and Lactic Acid all work to renew the surface layer of the skin, clearing out dead skin cells. After cleansing and toning, you can apply an AHA serum in a light layer to your entire face to aid in skin clearing.

If your skin is too sensitive for any type of scrub or Alpha Hydroxy Acid, Fruit Enzymes are a gentle way to break up the bonds between the dead cells and clear them away. Products with Pumpkin, Papaya, and Pineapple unplug your pores without the need for scrubbing. These ingredients are usually contained in peels or masks and should be used once weekly, depending on the level of exfoliation needed.

When your skin is clog-free, you'll be amazed at how much fresher and brighter it will look.

Mila Shea is a beauty editor for SkinCareRx.com, a leader in the skin care industry. Find pore-clearing scrubs and masks at SkinCareRx.com. This site carries Joey New York blackhead and whitehead dissolving treatments.

As we progress through the early stages of the 21st. century many people are adopting a more pro-active attitude to their health. This involves the implementation of alternative health strategies which are designed to prevent illness in the first place, and treatment regimes (should they be required) that are more user-friendly and less invasive than many conventional medical treatments. That is not to say that one should not avail oneself of conventional medical treatment should it be required, and I would be the first to seek such treatment if I felt that it was warranted by the circumstances, but there is certainly an unhelpful attitude exhibited by many in the medical profession towards alternative treatments which have stood the test of time.

If everyone in any given community adopted a more healthy lifestyle, which need be no more complicated than being sensible when eating and indulging in a little exercise regularly, then can you imagine the effect that that would have on over-stretched medical and hospital resources in that community? Extend this scenario to include the entire country and you can begin to see the benefits, both in terms of community wellbeing and financial savings in the health-care system.

Available alternative health treatments are many and varied and I will endeavour to give a brief summary of a few of these.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture originated in the east in ancient times and is now being increasingly recognised and used by western medical practitioners. The experienced practitioner will make a diagnosis and will then treat the patient appropriately. Treatment traditionally involves the insertion of fine needles into specific "acupuncture points". There are about five hundred of these points in all, one hundred of which are most commonly used.

Stimulation of a specific acupuncture point affects the flow of energy through specific channels in the body and a needle inserted in one part of the body can have a beneficial effect on the functioning of an organ in another part of the body.

Ayurveda
Ayurveda originated in India and is said to be the oldest form of medicine in the world, dating back at least 3,500 years. It is a holistic approach to the health of the individual and centres on all aspects of a person's wellbeing, including physical and emotional, and involves exercise, nutrition, herbs and detoxification.

Ayurveda teaches that three vital energies in the body, which are called "doshas" are balanced according to the constitution of the individual. When the three doshas are in balance, the person experiences good health. A properly functioning digestive system is considered to be of vital importance to the Ayurvedic practitioner. Overindulgence and emotional imbalance affect the balance of the doshas, which in turn affects the functioning of the digestive system.

Ayurvedic treatments are all-encompassing and may involve herbal treatments as well as nutritional and lifestyle recommendations.

Homoeopathy
The basic principle of homoeopathy is that a minute dose of a specific substance which causes certain symptoms in large doses will in fact result in the alleviation of those very symptoms. Homoeopathy is a safe mode of treatment because of the minute doses involved in the various treatments.

The experienced homoeopath will give the patient a treatment appropriate to the symptoms, which will stimulate an immune response in the body. Homoeopathic remedies may be in the form of tablets, powders or liquid, and the immediacy of the response may depend upon the length of time which the disorder has taken to build up within the system.

Naturopathy
Like all good natural health systems, naturopathy involves the all-encompassing principles of lifestyle, nutrition and emotional wellbeing. The naturopathic practitioner will attempt to guide the patient with appropriate nutritional and lifestyle advice, as well as offering specific treatments for specific circumstances, the aim of which is to set the natural healing process of the body in motion.

Naturopathy is a holistic approach, and believes that the causes of disease, not just the symptoms, must be addressed. Treatment recommendations may be many and varied, depending upon the patient's requirements, and may involve such approaches as nutritional and lifestyle advice, massage and reflexology.

Conclusion
I have barely touched upon the number and detail of alternative health treatments available, and some of the better known ones are reflexology, reiki, chiropractic, aromatherapy, flower essences and Chinese medicine, to name just a few. For those who wish to complement their conventional medical treatment or for those who wish to explore a new path in terms of lifestyle and health outcomes, there are many paths to explore and many benefits to enjoy.

Adrian Broadby is passionate about health and lifestyle, and he maintains a blog called Alternative Health Strategies.

http://alternativehealthstrategies.blogspot.com/