Here are a few ideas for healthy ghostly treats for your kids:

Celery and carrot skeleton - Cut thin strips of celery and carrots and arrange them to create a skeleton body on the plate. Form a low-fat cheese ball creation for the skull, carve out the eye sockets and fill with raisins. Stick the cheese knife right into the skull for more eerie fun.

Pumpkin seeds - When you carve up the pumpkins don't forget to save the seeds. Roasted and salted pumpkin seeds are a good after-carving snack. Let kids lay them flat on a baking sheet and watch them roast in a 400 degree oven.

Muffins - Finger foods like muffins can be sweet tasting like cupcakes but more nutritious. Try pumpkin muffins, zucchini muffins, or banana muffins for great taste and less sugar. Decorate the muffins just like you would cupcakes.

Chocolate spoons - Make your own chocolate treats using dark chocolate. It is healthier than milk chocolate because it contains more cocoa solids. Melt dark chocolate onto black and orange plastic spoons. Freeze them until the chocolate sets. Wrap them in cellophane and place them on the party table. The kids can lick them as a treat or swish them around in a cup of hot chocolate for extra flavor.

Caramel apples - Slice the apples for easier eating. Put the slices in individual bowls and drizzle the caramel over the top. You can sprinkle the apples with chopped nuts if you wish. A little caramel goes a long way, and it keeps the calories and sugar at a minimum.

What will your kids eat this Halloween? It doesn't just have to be candy. Give them candy in moderation, but let the bulk of the snacks you create be of a healthier variety.

Actually it is. Laughter therapy teaches people to get in touch with their feelings through humor.

Now, it's a given that all situations in life are not funny. In fact, when you are seeking therapy, it is usually for something serious that needs to be dealt with so that you can continue to live your life. In this case, laughter is used as a means to an end and not as a way to make light of your situation.

Let's look at the anatomy of laughter. What happens when you laugh? First of all, your abs start to hurt (not a bad thing if you are trying to tone them in addition to other things). That is a sign of a deep belly laugh, a "side splitter" as they call it.

But what about after you stop laughing and catch your breath? You feel better. Laughter releases those endorphins in the brain, the body's natural "mood enhancers." You wipe the laughing tears and your eyes seem a little brighter. If something was bothering you, it's no longer taking over your entire thought process.

More and more, professionals are beginning to realize that repressed emotional states affect the body, not just the mind. You could be crippling your physical and emotional wellbeing when you don't express what you are feeling inside. But, you need a non-threatening environment to do so.

That is where laughter therapy can help. Let's say that from a young age you were told that angry feelings lead to violence. For so long, you have repressed anger and it has led to ulcers and more than one broken relationship.

Through laughter, you can get in touch with that anger. Your therapist can use humor to help you deal with a situation that angered you. Since you are still probably not ready to express anger, laughter can be the way to get you to release that anger in a controlled environment. With the laughter come tears, anger, fear and all the other emotions we try to hide. Humor helps you see your problems from a different perspective, which breaks down barriers needed to proceed with the therapeutic process.

How can you encourage laughter even after the therapy session? Watch a funny show or read funny comics or stories on a regular basis. The more you enhance your mood, the more you will strive to experience humor to help you deal with the other emotional states in your life.

What are toxins?

Toxins are agents that are able to cause body harm. There are two kinds of toxins, the Exogenous or external toxins and Endogenous or internal toxins. The Exogenous toxins come from external sources such as car fumes, tobacco smoke, drugs, factory pollution, etc. On the other hand, the Enogenous toxins come from viral or bacterial infection. Due to metabolism, the body creates its own toxin called Autogenous toxins.

These harmful substances are eliminated in the body in a process called Detoxification.

Detoxification is the removal of stored toxic products from the bowel, the blood, liver, and kidneys including the great amount of toxic substances stored in body fat. Naturally, the body detoxifies itself all day. The peak of detoxification occurs when the body is rested during sleep until noon. This is a way for the body to eliminate the toxins acquired from pollution, stimulants and nutrients. Unfortunately, this natural process becomes overloaded trying to keep up with the demands our lifestyle and environment puts it through.

Fortunately, we can assist this natural detox process. The easiest way is with a natural food detox program which transitions to what I call a smart eating program designed to change your diet from poor to healthy by incorporating only organic lean meats, fruits and vegetables.

For the ever busy people, you can substitute stimulants with natural food choices to acquire a healthy and active body. The most common stimulants to be substituted are refined white sugar, coffee, diet pills, cigarettes and red meat.

Here are some suggestions:
Sugar has a stimulating effect. Hence, we feel invigorated when we drink colas. What we do not know, refined white sugar has detrimental effects on the body. Examples of products containing refined white sugar are cola and ketchup. It is advised to cut down on it by using brown sugars like cane sugar which is natural. Fruit juices also give the same kick as to refined white sugar.

Late night workers resort to drinking coffee to keep them awake. As natural substitute to coffee with a detoxifying effect is Japanese or Chinese green tea. The Japanese or Chinese green tea gives the same kick because it also contains caffeine but it does not contain substances that are irritating to the stomach.

Diet pills are also stimulants for the body to be kept alive. This may be observed among athletes specially, during time for competitions because they give more energy. They are being taken albeit the toxic effect in the body. In lieu of this, athletes must take fruits instead due to their natural detoxifying effects.

For cigarette smokers who think smoking stimulates their mind to think, they must think twice for smoking causes cancer. If they take carrots, they will experience the same effect in a more natural way.

For red meat lovers who really feel good and strong after feasting on said food, they better think about cutting on it. Fish is a better substitute.

Here are a few more ideas to help you remove toxins from your body:

#1 - Drink water. Drinking plenty of fresh, natural water will help your body rid itself of built up toxins. Try to avoid drinking sodas and sugary juices which can make the problem worse and instead stick to water as your drink of choice. And remember coffee and tea can dehydrate the body and undo all the good work, so drink an additional glass of water for each caffeinated drink you consume.

#2 - Exercise. Exercise is one of the best ways to remove toxins from the body. We all need to move and vigorous exercise will not only help you feel good but you'll also build a healthy body and mind. In the process you'll clean toxins out of your system through sweat. click here for our cardio training tips.

#3 - Use the sauna. Many believe that saunas have a similar effect in clearing toxins as exercise. It's not for everyone but may be worth a shot. Don't use the sauna for prolonged periods and ensure that it's okay with your medical practitioner.

#4 - Eat fiber. Eating plenty of whole natural grains and vegetables ensures that our bodies get enough fiber. The toxins in your system will bind to these toxins and be swept out of your body on a regular basis. Eating plenty of fiber is one of the best ways to rid yourself of toxins and create better all around health. This means healthier skin too.

#5 - Eat fruits and vegetables. Both are high in fiber which is great for the body but also contain a high antioxidant count. Antioxidants help the body relieve itself of toxins. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will mean and healthier you.

#6 - Avoid junk. Junk can be found in fast food, pre-packaged foods and microwavable meals. These types of foods contain added preservatives and chemicals which are harmful to our bodies and can make skin conditions worse. Avoid these junky foods and instead opt for whole, natural foods as much as possible.

#7 - Try a therapeutic total body detox. Many experts believe that a detox diet can help rid of the body of excess toxins while reducing overall body fat. The Body Focus Cleanse21 Therapeutic Detox combines real food with nutritional supplements such as a probiotic, immunity booster and an organic greens and fruit blend. Developed by Dr. Steven Nelligar, this 21 day program is a great option for anyone who is looking to jump start their wellness or weight loss plan and should be repeated every 4 months to keep your body functioning at its optimal level.

Toxins are unfortunately all around us. Many natural health experts believe that it's the build up of these toxins in our bodies that lead to ill health and conditions colon disease. Therefore, by removing these toxins we can create a more healthy body.

This type of skin care is more about being proactive than reactive and should really start long before the acne actually appears. So let's take a look now at how acne skin care can be applied to our daily routine.

Acne skin care starts with the most basic thing - cleanliness...so morning showers are the most basic way of keeping your skin clean. If you are living in a hot and/or humid place, a night shower becomes a must. In fact, a shower is recommended after any activity that causes high levels of sweat to develop. It's a very effective acne skin care technique.

Besides that, you should also use a mild, water-soluble, oil-free and soap-free cleanser for keeping your face, neck and arms clean. Cleansing is the most important part of any acne skin care routine. Cleaners are the easiest and the most effective way of removing dirt, grease, pollutants and excess oil from your skin; thus reducing the probability of acne occurrence. There are various acne skin care creams and lotions available over-the-counter. It is also recommended to remove your make up using a make up remover, and this should happen before you go to bed (not in the morning). In the same sense, if you are a woman, it is also recommended that you clean your make-up brush and any equipment that you use on your body.

Acne skin care is also about wearing clean clothes and sleeping on clean pillows. Moreover, too tight clothes can cause sweat to accumulate quickly; so soft and comfortable cotton clothes are recommended, especially if you already have acne. In the same sense, ‘acne skin care' also advocates regular cleaning of your make-up brush and any equipment that you use on your body.

If you already have acne, do not try to touch them or squeeze them; it can lead to permanent scars. There are various acne skin care creams and lotions available over-the-counter;however, if these ‘acne skin care' tips don't give you the desired results, you can contact our office for specific acne advice and treatment.