Learn Just A Little...

Recipe: Grilled Corn on the Cob

2010-08-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summertime like fresh corn on the grill. Joanne Hoff for the Kraft Kitchens shares great tips on how to select the the sweetest ears and grill them to perfection.

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How to Deal with Sleep Apnea

2010-08-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

Sleep apnea is a serious breathing disorder, but there are treatments. Here's advice from Dr. Jordan Josephson, author and leading ear, nose and throat doctor.

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How to Choose Eco-Friendly Green Bathroom Products

2010-08-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to make your home greener, a good place to start is with eco friendly bathroom products. With some simple changes, you can eliminate a lot of chemicals and products that damage the environment. Patty Kim of the Green Guide shows how we can all have green bathrooms.

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Fight Depression With Exercise

2010-08-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Vook tv via Flickr

By John C Fleming

For good health and prevention of disease exercise is a habit that can cure a variety of physical ills. Now, there is growing evidence that exercise can also help people who suffer from depression. Just getting up and moving around seems to have a positive impact on mental health as well as physical health.

The symptoms of depression include loss of appetite, trouble sleeping and just an all around lack of interest in doing things that used to make you feel happy. The good news for people suffering from depression is that studies show that physical exercise can cause an uptick in feelings of well being and the alleviation of feelings of depression. Exercise will help increase your appetite because you're burning more calories and it can help you sleep better because you're burning off some excess energy.

In a 2000 study performed at Duke University Medical Center, 156 people with major depressive disorder (MDD) volunteered to participate in an experiment to test the effect of exercise on depression. After four months, all of the patients reported significant reductions in their depressive symptoms. Also, the results were the same regardless of what kind of exercise they did. Researchers demonstrated in this study that there is an inverse relation between exercise and depression. In plain English, that means that as exercise goes up feelings of depression go down.

Taken together with treatment by a mental health professional, medication is often prescribed to treat depression. To see how exercise compares with taking medication, one of the groups of volunteers did no exercise but instead took Zoloft during the study. The result was that the groups that exercised reported 22% fewer feelings of depression than the group that took medication alone. In addition, the groups that exercised avoided the unpleasant side effects like nausea and insomnia that are sometimes reported by people who take Zoloft.

There are so many benefits of regular exercise. Reductions in heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and stress are just a few. Now, we also know that feelings of depression can be significantly helped by getting up and getting moving. Try adding some exercise to your daily routine and you'll be healthier both physically and mentally.

About the Author: John Fleming, Health Correspondent http://www.healthyliving411.com/
Looking for more information on the best healthy lifestyle for you? Visit HealthyLiving411.com to find advice and informative articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_C_Fleming
http://EzineArticles.com/?Fight-Depression-With-Exercise&id=4587723

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How to Feed Your Family Superfoods

2010-08-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

Superfoods are the opposite of junk food--every mouthful is good for you. Trisha Calvo of Shape Magazine explains how to get your family to eat more superfoods.

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African Art and Its Spiritual and Religious Influence

2010-08-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

By Rod Dagan

Africa, as the second largest continent, is a home to more than 50 countries and thousands of different ethnic and religious groups, which formed and shaped the countless artistic traditions. The kind of arts produced from region to region depends on the different religions.

Native African religions greatly influenced the art objects rather than the architectures. They do not require the use of religious buildings for prayer but they professed their faith more through religious objects such as statues, mask, or other objects especially during rituals and ceremonies. Rituals were meant to exercise control over the insecurity of life by binding together positive forces from ancestors, gods, or other spirits and by restricting negative forces.

Most of them, native Africans, used art objects like wooden or clay figurines to contact ancestor spirits who, as they believed, act as intermediaries between human community and God, the Creator. The governing bodies in their group used these art objects, as well, to maintain social order and good relationship with their ancestors' spirits. Among the Kota of Gabon, carved wooden figurines serves as guardians who protect and oversee the remains of dead ancestors and those significant individuals who made intercession for them to the All-Mighty Creator.

Sculptured traditional African arts from the Western part became internationally known. These wood carvings, clay sculpture, bronze casting, jewelry, and weaving were also used in religious practices.
Sculpture was not only applied by Africans on wood or other materials. It was also applied on their skin. This art was called scarification and was used for divination practices. This was made by cutting the skin and put irritants on it to produce scar or markings. This form of art still continues not on skin anymore but on their carved statues and images wherein they put markings on the statues' body parts to show scarification.
Another significant traditional art was the furniture like the stool and headrest. Stools were the especially designed carved wooden seat with spiritual functions. The Lubas of central Africa made caryatid stools wherein a figure, male or female, is carved out of the wooden stools to represent the owner's important ancestor.

The headrest, on the other hand, was the carved wooden pillow of the Africans. Among the Shona (people with special spiritual powers) of the southern Africa, their carved headrests were designed to communicate with the ancestors through their dreams.

Some Africans, especially the Mijikenda of Kenya honor their dead by carving wooden posts called vigangu. Groups in Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Madagascar followed this practice by creating similar post-shaped funerary sculptures.

In the eastern and western part of Africa, architecture arts were built with religious implications such as the Mosque, the Islam's house of prayer. The king of Ethiopia, when they adopted Christianity as their religion, carved 11 churches out of solid volcanic rocks.

Some were carved below ground level with deep trenches around, some were attached to surroundings. These churches were connected by a network of tunnels and narrow passageways.Africa has rich varieties of arts. It includes not only the architectural structures, the carved figurines and the sculptured objects but also the art in the field of painting, rhythm, dancing, and literary. The spiritual implications of every artistic piece make the African arts unique around the world.

About the Author: Rod Dagan invites you to explore the culture and arts of Africa [http://www.nativeart-world.com/africa.html] you can also find more about arts, crafts and culture from native and aboriginal peoples from around the world at Native Art World

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Dagan
http://EzineArticles.com/?African-Art-and-Its-Spiritual-and-Religious-Influence&id=2236452

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Entertaining Summer Parties Outdoors

2010-08-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by hortulus via Flickr

By Danielle Brooks

When the weather is great outside and there is a special day to celebrate, an outdoor party or garden party may just be the thing to plan for your next occasion. Entertaining summer parties outdoors has its benefits since this is a chance to be able to get a little sun and have a great time.

Just like any other party, outdoor party events need careful planning. Keep the weather in mind first and foremost, and keep posted on what the weatherman may be saying before setting an actual date for your party. A flash storm or sudden hail will end that party quicker than you would expect, so be ready to entertain indoors, just in case.

Outdoor parties usually involve garden furniture, so make sure that your garden area is clear and that all possible places for your guests to sit are clean and hosed down well. Be prepared with supplies such as paper plates, plastic cups, extra trash cans for recyclable and non recyclable waste, as well as extra blankets or cloths in case people run out of places to sit down.

Make sure that the bathrooms are accessible to your guests, you can make little signs to point the way to them, and this lessens the number of people who will be asking you for the same directions over and over. Be sure to keep the bathrooms stocked with tissue paper as well as paper towels for spills for those awkward clumsy moments.

Plan the food well; as this is an outdoor party, barbeque may be the in thing for that day. Be sure that barbeque grill is clean and ready to start its role, as well as making sure that what you will be cooking is marinating in the refrigerator, ready for its turn. Keep a lot of snack foods and drinks handy for those who may be waiting a little longer to get their food cooked just right.

Your food menu should stay simple and easy to prepare, since it is best that you have more freedom to entertain your guests than to be slaving over the kitchen all day. If you can prepare food as early as the day before, this would be the best option.

Basically, outdoor parties are self serve types of parties, so just make sure that food and drinks are readily available and accessible for everyone. If necessary, label your coolers so that children can identify where to go if they should want water, soda, or juice. If you will be serving alcoholic drinks, it is best to keep these in a separate cooler and just point the adults in the right direction once they ask.

Oftentimes there may be setbacks like too much wind blowing, or the neighbor’s dog decided to join the fun, so be prepared for such mini disasters by making sure that you have a plan B for your venue (and menu.) Planning your outdoors party well in advance is the secret of success in this case, because there are many factors to consider especially since the weatherman may not always be right on target.

About the Author: Danielle Brooks is a freelance writer who loves to entertain. When entertaining she likes to use Noritake Colorwave dinnerware from Noritake

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=573007&ca=Recreation

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Front Porch Decorating - 5 Easy Tips to Improve the Look of Your Porch

2010-08-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by CaptPiper via Flickr

By Gloria Daniels

Front porch decorating is like a huge welcome sign. It is a preview of what's inside and a window into the character of your home.

When planning porch decorating, treat your porch as an outdoor room. Use the same design elements outside as you would use inside the home. Comfortable seating, good lighting, carefully chosen accessories and art will all help to make your porch decor memorable. These qualities will also improve the curb appeal of your home and make it interesting and desirable.

Listed below are 5 easy porch decorating ideas to help you beautifully design and enjoy your porch:

Choose front porch furniture carefully
Coordinate your mismatched furniture when planning your porch decor
Color adds life and energy to your porch decorating style
Interesting sounds add to the ambiance of your front porch
Use Art to add another dimension to your front porch decorating

What do You Want From Your Front Porch Decorating Style?
Think of your porch as an outside room and you'll be inspired to do some quick front porch decorating.

A porch can be fun and quirky or formal and serene. It can be whimsical, cozy or a natural retreat. It can be a reader's paradise or the neighborhood gathering place.

Think of the end result you are striving to achieve with your porch decorating and work backward from your vision. When you decorate your front porch to suit your needs and preferences, you may find yourself using and enjoying it every chance you get.

About the Author: Gloria Daniels has been helping people with their front porch decorating for over 20 years and maintains a website about Creative Home Decorating. Visit her site where you can use her free online home decorating course to create the home of your dreams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Daniels
http://EzineArticles.com/?Front-Porch-Decorating---5-Easy-Tips-to-Improve-the-Look-of-Your-Porch&id=4779025

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Tips to Introducing a New Cat to Other Cats and Dogs

2010-08-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

The truth about cats and dogs is that they CAN get along, if introduced to one another correctly. And even anti-social kitties can learn to get along with other cats, when you follow the advice of Dr Katherine Miller of the ASPCA.

What is the Alexander Technique and How Can it Help Golfers?

2010-08-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by chispita_666 via Flickr

By Roy Palmer

The Alexander Technique is a method that has a lot to offer golfers. The focus is on preventing habitual muscular actions that cause inefficient movement patterns that can lead to injury and poor technique. For example, it's common for golfers to stiffen their neck in preparation to swing and yet be completely unaware of it. I have seen this is sports people of all abilities including top athletes.

The act of stiffening the neck impedes the body's reflex activity and has a detrimental effect on coordination. Unfortunately once it has become a habit it is difficult to stop until it is brought to a conscious level and the individual given instruction on how to move without the habitual preparations, or in other words, to use less effort.

An Alexander Technique lesson involves taking the pupil through a series of movements whilst focusing on their habitual actions that may be interfering with movement. An Alexander teacher will use their hands to promote freer, lighter movement whilst giving verbal instruction. The combination of gentle guidance, instruction and immediate feedback of the improvements help with the learning process. This invariably involves a sense of lightness and less effort whilst performing a movement the pupil usually associates with using more effort. The techniques used encourage the pupil to focus on the moment between the stimulus and their response to it and to recognise what they're doing in the split second before they move; I have found golfers to be particularly good at this part!

A golfer with an appreciation of the basic concepts of the technique may be able to overcome specific difficulties by seeing the problem from a different viewpoint. The combination of a golfer's experience with a knowledge of Alexander's principles can develop a better understanding of some of the vital mechanics that underpin all movement; the neck muscles mentioned above being just one.

This can help a player in a number of ways. From a physical point of view, following Alexander Technique lessons, a golfer will have freer movement and better timing once inappropriate effort and excessive preparatory actions are removed. A poised golfer is also at less risk of injury as better coordination reduces conflicting muscular actions during complex movements such as the swing.

The techniques used also help players get into what sports people call 'The Zone'. This is the main benefit in my view as it speeds up thought processes enabling players to see and read more of their situation and make better decisions as to the right course of action. Players describing their experiences of The Zone often use terms like 'I seemed to have so much more time to think', 'I knew what was going to happen before it did' or 'it was effortless and felt so easy'.

There are a number of things a golfer can do for themselves to appreciate where habits may be limiting performance. Bringing your attention to relevant sensations or events will bring you into the moment and open up the way to The Zone mentioned early. Thinking of your toes in your socks, the ground under your feet, the movement of your ribs as your breath or even softening your face will change what's happening in your mind and hence your body.

I admit these do sound bizarre but I've seen it work again and again for many sports people. Being focused on the present helps to buy you more thinking time and enables you to notice the reactions that cause excessive muscle activity. Try asking yourself when you're playing whether you really need to use as much effort as you're using to swing, chip or putt. Are you tightening your jaw and neck or lifting your shoulders? Do you need to do these actions?

Top golfers can make it look easy as they appear to effortlessly play the shots most of us can only dream about. They can do this day-in, day-out because they're focused, in the moment and therefore able to step up to The Zone.

About the Author: Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique with over 26 years experience in competitive sport and has spent the last 15 years experimenting with new ways to enhance performance. His latest book, Golf Sense has received international acclaim from coaches and players alike. For more information please visit Play Better Golf.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roy_Palmer
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-the-Alexander-Technique-and-How-Can-it-Help-Golfers?&id=4712849

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Bridge the Generation Gap With a Family History Video

2010-08-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Fylkesarkivet i Sogn og Fjordane via Flickr

By Steve Pender

Most elder family members are great sources of family stories and family history, but have little interest or experience with video technology. Many younger family members know little family history but are aces when it comes to computers and video. What can bring them together? Try a family history video project.

There I was, at a local Rotary Club, in the middle of a talk about creating family history videos, when one of the older members, a fellow in his mid-seventies, piped up. "This digital stuff seems like a lot of bother to me," he said. "There's tape, there's discs - I really don't know what's what. Technology keeps changing and I can't be bothered transferring from one format to another. I've locked all my family films in a cabinet, along with a projector, and when a family historian wants to watch them, that's where they'll be."

I congratulated him for safely storing his family films and I had to admit he had a point when it came to technology. Rapid advances in computer and video hardware and software have been dizzying and sometimes confusing. BUT, when the choice is between preserving a precious video record of your family stories and history or losing them for all time, I don't think the fear of a little technology should be allowed to get in the way.

So what do you do if you view technology as a hindrance rather than a help?

Look for the nearest teenager or preteen. Grandkids, grandnieces and grandnephews grew up with this computer stuff. To them it's second nature. Why not enlist their help in creating a family history video they'll treasure in years to come (kids being kids, they might not see the value in it now - but when they get older, they will). So butter them up a bit. Play to their pride in their computer and video expertise. And if that doesn't work, have their parents make them help you. Once you get some momentum going, a family history video project is sure to spark their interest and creativity. You may find them getting just as excited about it as you.
Of course, collaborating with a younger family member on a family history video is much more than just a means to an end. It provides a great bonding experience, a chance to share quality time, to laugh and learn together and to create something of which you'll both be proud. You'll end up with a living legacy your family will love and with wonderful new memories that will last a lifetime.

About the Author: Steve Pender is a personal historian and video biographer with over thirty years of experience as a scriptwriter, producer/director and video editor. He founded Family Legacy Video, Inc. in 2003 to pursue his passion: helping individuals, families and businesses preserve, celebrate and share their stories in the form of video biographies. Family Legacy Video is on the Web at: http://www.familylegacyvideo.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Pender
http://EzineArticles.com/?Bridge-the-Generation-Gap-With-a-Family-History-Video&id=4705001

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Care for the Care Giver

2010-08-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Rosie O'Beirne via Flickr

By Lynn Banis

Have you found yourself in the position where you are caring for your ageing parents? Do you have someone else in your life you are providing extra care to? Bless you if you are. I believe it is one of the most important things we can do in life. I also believe it is very difficult on you, the care giver. Often it becomes all-consuming and takes on a life of its own leaving you with little time and energy for anything else. Here are some ideas that will help you get a little balance back in your life.

The number one cardinal rule to keep in your mind is this: If you are not personally healthy and well-cared for you will have nothing to give those whom you take care of or anyone else for that matter. Whatever you do don't let yourself get in a state of burnout. You will be not good to anyone then, not even yourself.
Here we go, here is a list of some things you can do to take extremely good card of yourself:

Get plenty of sleep. You will need the energy to be a caring provider.
Eat proper, well-balance meals. They too give you energy and help you stay healthy.
Exercise even if that is in the form of walking up and down the stairs. You need to keep your body strong.
Have something you can do for yourself that you enjoy such as a hobby or reading. Try to do it for at least ten minutes per day. It doesn't have to be long but at least it can get your mind off other things for a few minutes.
Do special, small indulgent things you enjoy like soaking in a hot tub surrounded by candles. Fill your tub with the fragrance of essential oils for relaxation and rejuvination.
Get out in the fresh air even if that only means a quick walk around the block.
Write in a gratitude journal. Cultivate an attitude of gratefulness and you will find your whole outlook on things will change for the positive.
Create a strong support system for yourself. Do not use it for complaining but use it as s source of strength and extra energy. Make sure the people in it are upbeat so you can feed off their energy.
Take mini-vacations in your head. Use your imagination to go to places you really love. Imagine all the relaxing and fun things about it and bring that sense back into your real world.
Smile and laugh alot. It will relieve much of your stress, anxiety and tension.

About the Author: Lynn Banis PhD, MCC is known as America's High Performance Coach. She specializes in helping executives and entrepreneurs make the most of their opportunities and potential. Her years of working with small and large businesses has given her a depth of knowledge that is invaluable to her clients. You can reach her at http://www.discoverypointcoaching.com/ or lynn@discoverypointcoaching.com. Also check out Lynn's other businesses: Coach Academy Texas, a cutting edge coach training company; and Turnkey Coaching Solutions, a coaching program management and contract coach staffing company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_Banis
http://EzineArticles.com/?Care-For-the-Care-Giver&id=4746928

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How To Sharpen a Knife

2010-08-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

Investing in good quality knives is money well spent, but a dull knife is as good as no knife. Marc Bauer, master chef at the French Culinary Institute, shows you how to sharpen your knives properly.

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Understanding Stroke Symptoms and Risk Factors

2010-07-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

By Chris A. Harmen

Experiencing a stroke can be frightening and life-changing. Knowing the signs to look for and how to avoid certain risk factors diminishes the chances of a stroke. Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, is a major sign of a stroke. Other factors include abrupt onset of confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden double vision or difficulty with vision also can cause concern. Quick onset of dizziness, loss of balance or coordination or immediate, severe headaches should also be considered as warning symptoms before a stroke.

Recognizing Stroke Symptoms in Others
To recognize stroke symptoms in others, use the F.A.S.T. method, which stands for face, arm, speech and time. First, look at the face to see if one side of the face droops when the person smiles. Next, determine if one arm drifts downward when the individual raises both arms. Third, ask the person to repeat a simple phrase to see if the speech sounds slurred or strange. Lastly, if you find any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.

Understanding Risk Factors
Along with noticing the symptoms before a stroke, individuals should also be aware of the risk factors. Some potential risks can be changed while others cannot. Age, race, heredity and having a previous stroke can't be modified. However, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, blockage in the carotid artery, heavy alcohol use, or a-trial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) can be altered. Simple steps such as stopping smoking or avoiding alcohol can significantly reduce the risk of stroke. Smoking causes arteries to narrow, blood to be more likely to clot, and increases blood pressure. Smokers who don't quit are five times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Risk can decrease within a year after stopping smoking.

Working closely with healthcare providers will also help maintain a healthy lifestyle. They can recommend methods to lessen the chances for a stroke. All doctors encourage exercise. Increasing physical activity raises good cholesterol and also dilates arteries, which lowers blood pressure. Make sure to get permission from a doctor before beginning any exercise program. Once given the go ahead, set a goal to exercise at least 30 minutes three to four times per week.

Preventing Risk Factors
Other preventions include diuretics, known as water pills, which reduce the volume of blood in the body and in turn lower high blood pressure. Dieting will keep plaque from forming in arteries. A low-fat and low-cholesterol diet aids in reaching and maintaining ideal weight. The American Heart Association suggests that people get less than 30% of their daily calories from fat and less than 7% from saturated fat. Eating less than 200 mg of cholesterol per day and consuming high fiber foods such as oatmeal, dried beans and fruits will help lower cholesterol.

Besides diet and exercise, treatments are available to decrease risk for a stroke. Anti-platelet agents are drugs that assist in keeping platelets from sticking together in the blood and forming clots. Another medication, anti-coagulants, also reduces the ability of blood to clot. Doctors typically order these drugs for patients with a-trial fibrillation or deep vein thrombosis. The third type of treatment, called ACE inhibitors and Angiotensis II receptor blockers, lowers high blood pressure.

Being fully aware of stroke symptoms and risk factors can prevent permanent damage and help people live a long, healthy life.

About the Author: Chris Harmen writes about stroke symptoms for Citrus Memorial Health System Citrus Memorial Primary Stroke Center. Citrus Memorial's network of facilities includes a primary stroke center which helps patients understand how to recognize symptoms before a stroke. Citrus Memorial Primary Stroke Center.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_A._Harmen
http://EzineArticles.com/?Understanding-Stroke-Symptoms-and-Risk-Factors&id=4664813

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How to Remember What You Read

2010-07-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes find as soon as you've finished reading an article you can't remember the details? Dr. Cynthia Green, author of Total Memory Workout has advice to help you remember what you read.

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The Like Attracts Like Attraction Factor

2010-07-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

By Thea Westra

If like attracts like, then what do you see surrounding you at this time? Someone once said to me, if you want to know to what you're committed, just take a look around you. They are words I have never forgotten, and they can raise my spirit, or other times can leave me a little flat. Depending on how I interpret my surroundings in the moment.

Another suggestion, associated with the like attracts like phenomenon, is that of giving more love if love is what you are seeking, generosity when wealth is what you are after, being a great friend if you value your friendships. This removes you from a wanting or needy state, and back to where creative responsibility truly lies: with you.

We all know these to be truths, when we observe our lives, yet do we consciously take them on board as a way of living, and as path to achieving the things we want to accomplish? It is logical that if you want to live with greater awareness and live in a more enlightened way, then be mindful to envelop yourself with those things that support keeping you in a state of awareness and enlightenment.

Given that it is our mind registering all the things that surround us, and that the thinking of our mind is in the form of words and pictures, then our interpretation of what we see is paramount. It is one reason that gratitude journals and visualization tools are so effective. In the moment of recording those things for which we feel gratitude, we fill our mind with the upside of our lives. That compounds, every time we do it. The mind creates new neural pathways, changing our possibly negative perceptions to deliberately generated, affirmative patterns of thought.

Consider then how else you use language to interpret the things surrounding you each day. How do you think the cells of your body might logically respond to the words: I am starving? What image does that conjure? Would it cause a shift in the cellular and chemical response of your body if instead, you were to tone that down, and use the words: I am hungry? New words, new pictures, evoking empowering emotions.

What do you see around you, and what do you take on board emotionally, when you say to yourself: I have no money? Try this at home! Look around your home and say those words several times over. Do you notice what your mind is picking up and tuning in to? Now, try the flip side of that exercise, allowing at least five minutes to just be with it. This time, walk around your home saying: I am so wealthy. What did you notice?

You can use that very simple exercise with anything you like. Walk around for an afternoon, with the words: I am so alone. Then try it differently, and this time repeating the words: I have so many wonderful people sharing in my life. You may even be surprised by a few external manifestations of how like really does attract like.

There are so many ways in which you can become more attractive to the things you want to bring into your life. It all comes down to the emotions you feel, and these are triggered by thoughts created from the words you hear, and pictures you see. Every cell of your body responds to the emotions. Your body produces chemical, and therefore physical changes with each feeling that you experience.

The way we can manage emotion is with our thoughts, and you can help that along by shifting your interpretation of what you see and experience. You can also be much more vigilant with what you feed your mind, from external sources included. We can so easily fall into automatic patterns of thought, because we have had years of practising! It is going to take conscious action on your part to manage those thoughts, and remodel mind patterns if that is needed.

All this does not need to be hard work. For example, carry a number of one hundred dollar notes in your wallet at all times, so when you open the wallet you are not negatively triggered by a possibly low amount of money that you might otherwise see. At the end of each day, record at least five things for which you are grateful, in this way you will not look back on a less than satisfactory day and associate negativity, and taking that into your dreaming.

By keeping track of accomplishments, and listing at least one hundred of those at the end of a year, avoids the scenario of looking back over the year and being despondent over where that time went, and what you may imagine you did not get to do. As an aside to that, have you noticed that televised programs that present reflections over a past year, give to us a collection of the most highly dramatized, often negative events of the year?

Like attracts like, so set up your habits and the things in your environment to help you be someone that upbeat people love to be around. More opportunities and courageous living shows up around those kinds of friends. If you consciously work at interpreting your environment with the glass half full mindset, your skin and body posture will eventually reflect these positive emotions, through chemical shifts brought about by those states of being. Who and what, do you think, are most attracted to you? Look around you and you will have your answer, harsh or too fantastic, as that may seem.

About the Author: © Thea Westra is founder and author at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au/ Download this handy Positive Emotions list at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au/docs/PositiveEmotion.pdf

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=337587&ca=Self+Help

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Tips for Taking Better Vacation Pictures

2010-07-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by bilericoproject via Flickr

By Autumn Lockwood

Have you ever gone on a vacation and the pictures just didn't turn out? This is a common problem because we're so concerned with documenting the trip we forget to focus on taking quality photographs. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to take better pictures the next time you go on vacation.

Think Like a Pro
No matter what you’re taking photos of, the basic rules of composition still apply. Take the time to frame your shots properly, find unique shooting angles, and utilize the best possible combination of exposure time and intensity. Every picture you take helps to tell the story of your vacation so always ask yourself what you want each picture to say about your trip.

Additionally, be wary of putting your friends or family in every photograph you take. Although it's great to get pictures of everyone together, you'll want to have pictures of landmarks or scenery just for framing on your wall. A good way to go about this is to take a couple of photos of your family, then try and take a few “serious” photographs of your environment. Thanks to the near-infinite shots provided by digital cameras, this is much easier to do than it used to be.

Take Pictures from Start to Finish
Your vacation starts in your home, not on the beach. It’s a good idea to start shooting as soon as vacation plans take effect; this will lend itself to establishing that vacation story we mentioned earlier. Some of these "preparation pictures" may not seem like much but it can really add to telling the whole story of your vacation.

Another thing to consider is to always have your camera handy even if your vacation takes a turn for the worse. Regardless of what happens, your camera can be a great way to share your story and document your adventure. While vacations-gone-wrong are not fun to deal with while they’re happening, they’re often some of the best stories and fondest memories a family has together. For example, if your spouse were to break their arm on your honeymoon it would certainly be a disaster, but at least you can have fun showing your children pictures of the cast, the hospital staff, and all of the other parts of this life story. Although your vacation may not have gone like you expected, you'll at least be able to look back on you pictures with a smile.

And lastly, make sure that everyone on your vacation has a way to take pictures. If you have children, grab a couple of disposable cameras and allow the kids to document their own experiences from their perspective. This is a fun way to incorporate the entire family in documenting the trip, and often leads to surprising results. It also makes your photos tremendously unique and meaningful, and spreads out the photography workload so you don’t always have to be the one working the camera.

As your taking pictures of your vacation, just make sure not to forget to relax and have fun. Incredible pictures of your vacation are fun to bring home and share, but don't forget to put down your camera from time to time and take a break. Besides, relaxing and having fun is the main reason for going on vacation anyways!

About the Author: Autumn Lockwood is a writer for Your Picture Frames. Shop online and see our selection of small and large picture frames . Come visit our online selection of cute small picture frames and quality large picture frames or call 800-780-0699.

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3 Simple Tips to Become a Safe Driver

2010-07-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Vincent J. Brown via Flickr

By Jennifer Tisworth

If you do a lot of driving, or even just a little for that matter, then driver safety should be your number one priority every time you set out for your destination. Safe driving can be the difference between life and death.
Aside from possible injury and of course property damage should you be involved in a collision, driving safely can help to lower your car insurance rates. Many insurance providers offer a safe driver discount to their customers. Of course, you and your passengers safety should always be your number one priority.

To help you stay safe on the roads, I have included a few tips to make sure you get where you're going. No matter how long you have had a drivers license. Here you go:

Watch Your Speed:
The speed at which you travel can have a serious impact on your overall safety in a motor vehicle. We often find that the faster a person drives the less control they have over their vehicle, a sudden turn or roadside obstacle can quickly turn into a fatal crash.

Speed limits are imposed throughout the United States to show drivers what speeds are safe for the road they are travelling. Should you choose to break these speed limits you risk a hefty fine, loss of your drivers license and possibly even worse. Always travel at a safe speed.

Never Follow too Closely:
You may not know it, but most states have laws that require drivers to stay a specific distance behind another vehicle. Following too closely can result in car accidents should the vehicle in front need to make a sudden stop.

Always try to remain a minimum of 4 car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you and check with your local and state laws to determine the required following distance in your area.

Avoid Unsafe Driving Conditions:
Unsafe driving conditions can be caused by a ton of different things. For instance, heavy snow and ice, rain, wind and even sand storms are known for reducing visibility for drivers. Sure, there are times when we have to head out into the storm to get to our destination, however, if at all possible, try to avoid driving in these unsafe conditions.

Wait out the storm before leaving your house and never drive into a storm alone or without a way to contact help, such as a cell phone. Your safety should be your number one priority before getting into your car.

Driving is a huge responsibility and there are a number of things that should be taken into consideration before starting your car and pulling out of the drive. The tips listed above are very important but they do not cover every safety aspect of operating a motor vehicle.

Always know your vehicle and keep it running at peak performance. Carry a cell phone and let others know where you are headed if you are taking a long road trip. Follow these simple suggestions and you will be well on your way towards becoming a much safer driver.

About the Author: Jennifer has covered a lot of subjects, but driver safety is very important to her. She even runs an online store that specializes in universal fog lights to help drivers see better in low visibility conditions. Visit her website today and outfit your car with led fog lights.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Tisworth
http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Simple-Tips-to-Become-a-Safe-Driver&id=4609363

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Recipe: Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

2010-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

If chocolate were illegal, we'd happily go to jail for this moist, rich and dense, flourless chocolate cake. Ceci Carmichael, host of Good Food Fast with Family Circle on the Food Network shows us the recipe for how to make this sinfully rich, dense, flourless chocolate dessert.

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What Can You Do to Deal With Sweat During the Summer?

2010-07-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

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By Scott Graves

During the summer is the time of year when everyone is going to be a bit hotter than normal. For many this is a time of year that there are some sweat problems. No one wants to walk around feeling sweaty not knowing if the wetness is showing and whether or not there is odor problems. There are things you can do to deal with the summer heat.

First of all, drink plenty of water. This is important because you are hydrating the body. When this happens you will be a bit cooler in the long run. Keep getting plenty of water into your system.

Take more than one shower during the day. Part of this is to deal with odor but much of it is a way of cooling down the body. When you get a cool shower, everything will cool down a bit making you feel better.

Work on losing some weight if you are carrying around extra weight. The reason is because when you have this extra weight, you are going to be a bit warmer and sweat more.

Wash your body regularly to help cut down on the smell. If you get everything cleaned up, you are going to smell better because it's the bacteria on the skin that adds to the odor. With less of this, you will have less odor even if you keep sweating.

Learn how to relax and control your stress and anxiety. There are many types of sweating that are caused by these things versus just the heat in the room.

Wear lighter colors and looser clothing that breaths. This is needed to help you feel a bit cooler. This change alone can help you feel better on the hottest of days.

Be sure to wear sunscreen. This isn't just to protect your skin health but to prevent sunburn. When you get a sunburn you are going to be warmer all day long meaning you end up sweating more. Preventing burns will prevent extra sweat.

About the Author: Scott has been writing articles online on a number of interesting topics since 2007. In addition to his writing, Scott also operates a number of informative web sites. You can check out his latest website here: Cranberry Juice Benefits which discusses a number of incredible Cranberry Juice Benefits

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Graves
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Can-You-Do-to-Deal-With-Sweat-During-the-Summer?&id=4660942

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Ancient Egyptian Origins of Everyday Things ~ Resources

2010-07-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Books

Websites
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/imhotep.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_Ptah
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/papyrus/records/770v.html
http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/cosmetics.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/21/science/21glas.html
http://www.touregypt.net/science.htm
http://www.all-about-leather.co.uk/what-is-leather/where-does-leather-come-from.htm
http://www.bocce.org/history.html

Ancient Egyptian Origins of Everyday Things ~ Toys & Games

2010-07-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by koopmanrob via Flickr

Origin of Toys and Games
The evidence suggests that ancient Egypt left more games, toys, and materials for entertaining children than any other ancient civilization. The walls of tombs and other buildings show many children’s games and sports, and toys of every description have been found. The earliest known board game is Egyptian. Its name is senet. It appears to have been played as early as 3500 BCE, and is a game of strategy similar to backgammon. It is still popular today. Another game, mehen, was played as early as 3000 BCE. It is another board game that shows a coiled snake whose body is divided into rectangular spaces. Little is known about it. Another game has been called Hounds and Jackals or Dogs and Jackals. It has this name because one set of pieces has the heads of jackals while the other set has dogs.

In one ancient toy, by pulling a string, a little wooden doll could be made to knead dough or to wash. Some dolls even had real hair! Toys could be found in the form of wooden birds, pigeons on wheels, and wooden monkeys that could drive a chariot. There were also spinning tops, marbles, and balls. As early as 5000 BCE, the Egyptians played a form of the popular Italian game bocce with polished rocks. To learn more about those fascinating Egyptians, please see the resources.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Ancient Egyptian Origins of Everyday Things ~ Glass & Leather Making

2010-07-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Origin of Glass Making
The historical evidence demonstrates that the earliest examples of glasswork originated in Egypt. They were found in the tombs of the fourth millennium BCE. Paintings on tombs show glass smiths blowing rods, beads, jars, and other figurines which are apparently formed by covering clay cores with glass and later removing the cores. Egyptian glass articles were often in beautiful colors and with beautiful patterns. Many historians believe that the Egyptians produced the first costume jewelry.

Some of the finest existing examples of Egyptian glasswork are from the treasures found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb. The famed vulture’s collar that was laid upon the mummy was inlaid with hundreds of pieces of colored glass. The Egyptians were also masters of cloisonné—fine inlay work in metal.

Origin of Leathermaking
The art of leathermaking began in Egypt. The Egyptians worked the tannin (taken from the bark, seeds, or leaves of various trees and shrubs) into the fibers of the animal skin. This changed the skin into a material as soft as cloth yet very durable. This was the first form of chamois leather. Many of these ancient leathers had very vivid colors.

Most of the leather came from cattle, sheep, and goats. Leather rolls were sometimes used instead of papyrus for writing. Leather was used in furniture, shoes, sandals, boots, shields, bow cases, chariots, dagger sheaths, bracelets, dog collars, mandolins, tambourines, and containers for carrying water, wine, and other liquids. In ancient Egypt, a person’s station in life could be determined from their footwear. Shoes and sandals of the nobility were embroidered with and often studded with jewels.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Ancient Egyptian Origins of Everyday Things ~ Instruments & Cosmetics

2010-07-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Origin of Musical Instruments
The Egyptians were also perhaps the earliest musicians. They engraved the laws of music on temple walls. Music was used for religious and spiritual purposes as well as for entertainment. They invented the harp and it was used from the earliest times. The number of harp strings varied from four to twenty-two. The latter version indicates an advanced knowledge of musical intervals. Other musical instruments included castanets, bells, drums, flutes, pipes, lyres, lutes, and horns.

Human vocals were an integral part of almost all Egyptian music as well. The evidence indicates that Egyptian priests used certain vowel sounds as musical characters and perhaps even knew how to use sounds for healing and spiritual attunement.

Origin of Cosmetics and Perfumes
Physical evidence dated from 5000 to 3500 BCE show the Egyptians used eye and face paints, perfume, and an assortment of various oils for the skin. Cakes of ointment were placed over the heads of guests at festivals so that their perfume would melt and run down over the body. Some of the eye makeup had anti-infection properties (against diseases such as conjunctivitis and trachoma). Deodorants were also used! One form used little balls of incense-scented porridge.

In addition, women used mirrors and men used razors. Wigs were also used by both males and females. The foundation of the wig was a net that allowed the heat of the shaved head to escape while the hair protected the head from the sun. Some of these wigs have been recovered. The Egyptians were also some of the first to use tattoos, and they invented the artificial bath. Herodotus wrote that they were some of the cleanest persons known in antiquity!

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Ancient Egyptian Origins of Everyday Things ~ Introduction

2010-07-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

Eye of Horus - origin of Rx symbol

Image via Wikipedia

Are you one of those persons who are fascinated by anything about ancient Egypt? Are you just “glued” to the documentaries on the television or the images and information on the computer that show the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, mummies, hieroglyphics, and such? Then, you will enjoy this lesson! Did you know that many of the conveniences and technological advantages that you and I enjoy today had their origins in ancient Egypt? Today’s is the first installment in a series that will ultimately discuss the fascinating origins of medicine, glass making, leathermaking, cosmetics, musical instruments, and toys and games in early Egypt. The purpose for this exploration of the early history is not just so that you will know the facts. Believe it or not, there is real value and possible benefits for us in looking more closely at our ancestor’s accomplishments. How were they able to do these things thousands of years ago? What was it about them that made this possible? We may find something in their worldview, philosophies, or lifestyle that may be useful for us to apply in our own lives today.

Origin of Medicine
You probably were taught that the science of medicine and healing began with the Greeks, and that the “Father” of Medicine was an individual named Hippocrates. If this is the case, you were given inaccurate information. The historical record shows that ancient Egypt was the pioneer in medicine. The principles that were taught and practiced by the Egyptians are in fact the foundation of modern medicine. The sciences in which the Egyptians excelled were medicine, applied mathematics, engineering, and some astronomy.

In ancient times, Egypt’s physicians were highly respected for their knowledge of anatomy, physiology, surgery, and medicine. This knowledge was called the secrets of the physician. The Greeks honestly admitted that they received some of their scientific knowledge from the Egyptians. Furthermore, two of the first recognizable physicians in history—Imhotep and Merit-Ptah appear in Egypt almost 2000 years before Hippocrates!

Ancient Egyptian physicians were famous for an accurate knowledge of the location and functions of the heart, stomach, intestines, and other vital organs. There were also dentists, veterinarians, and eye physicians. Depending on their particular field, the specialists were knowledgeable about general medicine, gynecology, bone surgery, or eye conditions. Even fractures and dislocations received splints and fresh linen bandages.

The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 BCE), is perhaps the world’s oldest known written document on medicine. It contains 700 formulas and remedies used for healing. It addresses contraception, pregnancy diagnosis, bone-setting, and burn treatment. It deals largely with the heart and even contains a short description on depression. The ancient Egyptians also wrote prescriptions that are similar to those that physicians write today. Prescriptions were written for respiratory distress, hemorrhages, digestive and gastric disorders, constipation, and other conditions. The Rx symbol that is used today to denote a medical prescription actually comes from an ancient Egyptian symbol—the Eye of Horus, sometimes referred to as the udjat or wedjat.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Public Speaking - 5 Tips For Using Your Voice Effectively

2010-07-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Brendan Biele (love iPhone 4, computer still dying via Flickr

By Gilda Bonanno
In public speaking, using your voice effectively can help you communicate your message clearly to your audience. Voice is an important component of your non-verbal communications, or body language, and can express a wide range of meaning and emotion. The following five tips will help you use your voice more effectively:

1.Increase Your Volume
Your volume should be loud enough so that people can hear you easily. How loud depends on the room size, the number of people in the audience, whether or not you are using a microphone, the acoustics, etc. If you have the opportunity to use a microphone, use it. As long as it is working properly and you have practiced using it, a microphone can make it easier for the audience to hear you.

2.Match Your Pace to Your Audience
You have to speak slowly enough so your audience can understand and digest what you are saying – how slowly is "slowly enough" depends on your audience. For example, if you're presenting in a language that is not native to the audience or if you're presenting new, complex information, you should speak slower than you usually do. Record yourself speaking or have someone listen to you practicing the presentation, so you can get another perspective on whether you're speaking too fast to be understood.

3.Use Pauses
Using pauses gives you a chance to catch your breath and means you're less likely to use pause words like "um" and "ah." Pausing also gives your audience a chance to catch up with you and absorb your meaning. For example, you can pause in between sections of your presentation so the audience can reflect on what you just said and pause when you bring up a new slide so the audience has a chance to read it. You can also pause before an important word or sentence to clue the audience that they should pay attention, as in "I'm proud to announce that the winner of our contest is [pause]…Jennifer Gonzales."

4.Vary Your Tone
A monotone voice will bore the audience and make it difficult for them to understand your meaning and figure out which words are most important. Instead, vary your tone to keep their attention and communicate your exact meaning. A good practice exercise is to repeat the name of a loved one, such as a spouse or child, and each time you say it, vary your tone to convey different meanings. For example, you might say "Jim?" [is that you I just heard come in the house?] or "Jim!" [hurry up and get in here and help me kill this bug!] or "Jim…" [sigh, I don't know why you can't pick your socks up off the floor…] The variation in tone makes all the difference in your meaning.

5.Match Your Tone to Your Words
As with other components of non-verbal communications, your voice should match the words that you are saying. For example, if you say, "I am honored to be in such distinguished company," but your tone conveys sarcasm, the audience will believe your voice rather than your words. Be mindful of whether your voice tone is conveying energy, fatigue, boredom or impatience.

Following these five tips will allow you to use your voice effectively, which will help you connect to your audience and communicate your meaning.

About the Author: To get more tips you can use immediately to improve your presentation skills, sign up for Gilda Bonanno's free twice-monthly e-newsletter by visiting http://gildabonanno.com/newsletter.aspx and entering your email address. You'll also receive a FREE Special Report, "Six Mistakes to Avoid in Public Speaking, So Your Presentation Sparkles." Gilda Bonanno is a speaker, trainer and coach who helps people from all walks of life improve their communication and presentation skills. Copyright 2010

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Laughter For the Soul - Tips For Getting More Laughter Into Your Day

2010-07-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

By Anita Agrawal
There are some very clear psychological and mental benefits to laughter. When you open your mouth and let out a genuine hoot of laughter, you instantly lighten your mood and that of everyone around you. Happiness spreads from one wide-open mouth to another like a stomach virus hungry for new breeding ground. Yet, instead of infecting one body after another with flu-like symptoms, laughter infects everyone with a sense of joy and lighter spirits.

Have you ever been in a very intense situation where everyone around you was obviously feeling uptight, nervous, or scared? Have you ever seen a situation like that be turned into an entirely different situation just by something funny that breaks the mood? If so, then you have firsthand experience of the power laughter has over our mental processes.

Besides lifting your mood instantaneously, laughter actually creates physical changes within your body that promote happiness and joy. Endorphins are released when you let out a big laugh and they deliver the same effects as prescription medications that are used to treat anxiety and depression. It can also relax the muscles in various areas of the body which leads to less tension in the body. It can even boost your immune system so you get sick less often when it is enjoyed on a continuous basis!

The following tips are designed to help you get more laughter into your day. Use them as a springboard to your own creative laughter-inspiring ideas and aim to laugh a little each and every day.

The Forced Smile
Have you ever heard that if you just make yourself smile you can't help but feel a bit happier? It is completely true! Whenever you are feeling the tears well up in your eyes, the frustration or anger overtake your body, or the stress start to overwhelm you, look in the mirror and smile at yourself for at least a full minute. Watch yourself smile and feel the difference it makes on your mood. If you feel the desire to laugh at yourself in the mirror, by all means, do it!

Picking on Friends
People who laugh the most on a daily basis tend to be those who are natural comedians. They pick on their friends and colleagues in a playful manner, play childish pranks on others, and find many different ways to put a smile on everyone's face. One way to get some laughter into your own world is to play the same part. Find ways to pick on your friends in a loving manner and let their smiles of delight transfer into laughter for everyone.

The Funny News
Another way to get more laughter into your life is to seek out parodies of current news clips online or watch short, funny sitcom shows on television. You probably already read something and watch TV nearly every day, so why not make it something that brings a smile to your face and takes the stress monkey off your back? Go online and you will find tons of websites that aim to put a smile on your face.

Jokes Aren't Just for Kids
Finally, go to the local library and check out books of jokes. Go to the bookstore and find adult-themed joke books which reveal jokes you can use with your loved one in bed...after all, laughter does bring two people closer!

About the Author: Anita Agrawal is a freelance writer for online publications and writes for family enjoyment and child education. If you truly want to have some fun and laughter, go to this Kid-Friendly Website A top line resource on clean humor for young families with lots of things for kids to get involved with.

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Agoraphobia: 7 Keys to Freedom

2010-07-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

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By Stephen Allen Price

Agoraphobia is the fear of open or public places, and can turn life into a waking nightmare. You are afraid to leave your house and you live in constant fear of the next panic attack. Your heart beats out of control. You feel like you can’t catch your breath. You sweat and you shake. You live every day wondering if you are dying or going crazy.

Agoraphobia can literally stop your life, vastly limit your ability to function at school or work, and take away your freedom to do the things you enjoy or spend time with the people you love.

If you suffer from agoraphobia, there are two things you should know right now.

First, you are not alone. Approximately 3.2 million Americans live in the shadow of agoraphobia.

Second, there is HOPE for recovery from agoraphobia. In fact, there are proven techniques to successfully treat agoraphobia - even without professional help. In fact, 90% of people with agoraphobia who practice cognitive-behavioral therapy experience significant improvement in just 12-16 weeks.

I know this because I lived through the pain of agoraphobia – and recovered. Based on my personal experience with agoraphobia and my master’s degree in psychology, here are 7 Keys to Freedom from Agoraphobia:

1. Develop a relaxation reflex. Condition yourself to associate a state of total body relaxation with a cue word. Then, when a panic attack strikes, you can say your cue word and your body will respond with relaxation.

2. Take baby steps. Overcoming your fears can seem overwhelming, but not if you take it one small step at a time. You can unlearn the fear response with a technique called systematic desensitization, which involves facing your fears in small increments. This technique, according to research, is the most powerful way to treat agoraphobia.

3. Find a purpose greater than your fear. It can be hard to find the motivation to do the hard work of recovery from agoraphobia, but not if you find a passion in life that makes fear irrelevant.

4. Change the diet of your mind. Become intentional about replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Practicing positive thoughts will be like taking an emotional vitamin that will keep your mind from getting sick (with fear).

5. Change the pictures in your mind. Harnessing the creative power of your imagination and making it work for you is a key to freedom from agoraphobia. Since the right brain can’t tell the actual from the imagined, by changing the pictures in your mind, you can change the picture of your real life.

6. Transform worry into powerful source of motivation to take action. Worry is a state when your mind is in action and your body is not. The trick to overcoming worry is to reverse the equation, and to get your body into action. When you take action in the present moment, worry tends to fade.

7. Take responsibility for your own recovery. My real recovery from agoraphobia began when I stopped looking all around me for the answer and looked inside myself. I made the decision to stop expecting someone or something to fix me and took responsibility for my own recovery. The day I made this decision I was on the road to freedom from agoraphobia.

Recovery from agoraphobia is just a matter of having reliable information and applying it on a consistent basis. That’s all that stands between you and freedom – between the prison of agoraphobia and the ability to live a healthy, meaningful and fulfilling life.

About the Author:
From Stephen Price

http://www.agoraphobiahelp.com/
If you have agoraphobia, I want to help you. But I can only share so much in an article. So now I invite you to get more information on agoraphobia recovery by watching a free 7-part video course at:

http://www.agoraphobiavideos.com/

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How to Re-Pot a Plant

2010-07-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you want your potted plants to thrive, they'll need the right size pot. Gardening editor Kristin Schleiter shows you how to re-pot a plant.

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Getting Your Creativity Unstuck

2010-07-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

By Lynn Banis

For those of us who write, paint, make crafts, design things, etc., getting stuck is often a recurring issue. We seem to spend all of our creativity and find ourselves dry - barren of ideas. We struggle and spin our wheels trying to get re-energized and full of creativity once again. The harder we try the tougher it is to get that "spark" back. We seem to be in a downward spiral and unable to get out of it.
What often happens is that we get fixated on the negative - not being able to move forward. The more we think about it the worse it gets. What we need is a totally new perspective - something fresh and alive and something we love or admire.

I keep what I call my Inspiration Book for just those times. It is an immense help and almost always gets me unstuck and creative once again. What you need is:

A photo album
Clear pages with pockets
Glue
A camera
10 minutes three of four times a week

Now that you have the outer trappings you need the important stuff: soul food - stuff you love.Take some time to look around you. Notice colors, textures, shapes, smells, and sounds. Gather samples or pictures of all the things that speak to you or make you happy. When you are out and about do it again. Keep your camera with you so you can get a picture of those cute puppies frolicking in the grass or that darling knick-knack you admired in the specialty shop, or the incredibly blue sky on that gorgeous summer afternoon. You get the idea. Now fill your album with bits and pieces and pictures of all these things that inspire you.

When you feel stuck or in a rut pull out your album, Be with it for a while. Let all your treasures tell you their stories - in full sound, color and dimension - until you hit on one that sparks your creativity. Now you are off and running again. Wasn't that fun?

You can use your Inspiration Book over and over again. Be sure to continue to gather materials for it so you have fresh inspiration to jog new ideas. I have found that this works for me and so have my coaching clients. I hope you enjoy using your Inspiration Book and that it inspires you to new and great things! Enjoy!

About the Author: Lynn Banis PhD, MCC is known as America's High Performance Coach. She specializes in helping executives and entrepreneurs make the most of their opportunities and potential. Her years of working with small and large businesses has given her a depth of knowledge that is invaluable to her clients. You can reach her at http://www.discoverypointcoaching.com/ or lynn@discoverypointcoaching.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_Banis
http://EzineArticles.com/?Getting-Your-Creativity-Unstuck&id=4593716

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Hummingbirds: Delightful Dynamos

2010-07-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

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By B J Clyde
Hummingbirds are nature’s delightful dynamos. I enjoy watching these tiny little birds as they return to my yard each spring. Hummingbirds are found only in the Americas including the Caribbean but they do span this territory from southern Alaska to the Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. Most species are found in Central and South America. However, Anna’s Hummingbird lives year round in the Pacific coastal areas. The Ruby Throated Hummingbird migrates each spring. It flies non stop across the Gulf of Mexico to begin its northern migration through the eastern United States and into Canada. The Black Chinned Hummingbird is the most widespread species in the western United States and Rufous Hummingbird is the most commonly found hummingbird in western Canada. There are over 300 species of hummingbirds in the world.

Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Yard:

Food: Hummingbirds eat the nectar of flowers or sugar water to provide them with the energy to maintain their very high metabolic rate. For protein and other nutrients they eat soft bodied insects and spiders. When selecting a hummingbird feeder it should be easy to disassemble and clean because hummingbirds will not eat sour sugar water / nectar. The feeder should be rinsed thoroughly with hot water each time you refill it and once a month clean the feeder with a solution of ¼ cup bleach in 1 gallon of water. Allow the feeder to soak for 1 hour and then rinse completely and refill. In general, the sugar water will last no longer than 4 days in a feeder before it must be replaced.

Feeders should also have perches. While it is fun to watch the hummingbirds hover; hovering uses a great deal of energy -- something hummingbirds simply cannot waste. Perches allow them to rest and they will stay around longer to feed.

A built-in ant moat on your feeder will help you control the ants who will find your feeder. Fill the ant moat only with water as some small birds such as chickadees will drink from an ant moat.

There is no need to purchase special hummingbird nectar mix. Mix 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water, heat until the sugar is dissolved, cool and pour into the feeder. Use only white cane sugar because other sugars can cause harm to the hummingbirds. Do not add any red coloring to the sugar water; it may cause harm to hummingbirds.

You may also plant deep throated flowers, especially in colors of red. It is always such a pleasure to sit in my sunroom and watch the hummingbirds enjoy the angel winged begonias outside the windows.

Water: Hummingbirds need to bathe regularly because the sticky flower nectar or sugar water makes it difficult to preen their feathers. They like a very shallow bird bath with flowing water or a fountain with an upward spray. The hummingbirds will gently edge in and out of the spray. Once I was watering some plants and a hummer darted in and out of the mist. I almost drowned the plant because I was so entranced with the hummingbird.

Hummingbirds are very entertaining and a great addition to any garden. Treat them right and they will be around for a long time. Hummingbirds frequently return to the same place that they found food last year. Give them fresh nectar, attractive flowers and water sprays and you will have hummingbirds year after year.

About the Author: B J Clyde is an avid birdwatcher and President of http://www.birdwatchersdepot.com/. For a large selection of quality hummingbird feeders go to http://www.birdwatchersdepot.com/hummingbirdfeeders

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=551789&ca=Gardening

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How to Treat Poison Ivy

2010-07-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

What do you do if you have a close encounter with some poison ivy? Dermatologist and author Dr. Doris Day has remedies to treat a poison ivy rash, and help minimize the scratching, scarring and possible infection.

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Credit Repair is All About You

2010-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

By Ian Webber

What it Takes?
You can hire the best credit repair company in the world, send the sharpest dispute letters ever, validate every debt you have, and still be left with crummy credit scores. Do not get me wrong, cleaning up your credit report is important, but by itself it will not get you to your goal.

The Measure of Success
In the final analysis, great credit is all about you. What makes your credit great? Your credit scores are the only measure of credit repair success that counts. Credit scores are designed to gauge your ability to repay debt, and the formula employed places by far the most weight on the way you manage your open accounts.

Learn the Tricks
So, while your credit repair company works hard at cleaning up the tangle of old errors on your report, you need to settle into a new program of thoughtful and prudent account management. For the most part this is all common sense, but there are some formula specific tricks you need to know if you do not want to accidently shoot yourself in the foot.

The Right Accounts
Are you are wondering what you could possibly need to do aside from making your payments on time? There is plenty. For a start, the credit scoring model in use by the vast majority of lenders values certain types of credit more than others. Understanding this will insure that your efforts will bear fruit. The right accounts to use for credit repair are major revolving credit cards, specifically MasterCard and Visa.

Wrong Types of Debt
Debt types to avoid, at least when it comes to building the edifice of your new improved credit, are store cards and all forms of consumer credit such as furniture store loans, and electronics and appliance financing. These types of debt can be convenient, and are essentially not bad, but will deliver a muted benefit on the positive side, while punishing you terribly if you err.

Low Balances Equal High Scores
The other major issue that you must accommodate is the weight that the scoring formula places on your account balances. If you let your balances run up to the limit your scores will be dismal. The optimal level of card usage for credit repair purposes is under twenty percent of the total limit. Depending on your limit, this may be a tiny amount, so use your debt as you wish, but beware of the correlation.

Save a Little Each Month
Many people embarking on this endeavor find it helpful to start a savings plan. If you find yourself running your checkbook down to nothing by the end of each month, you may want to review your entire budget and make room for a modest regular contribution to a savings account. Savings is the perfect complement to credit repair. When an unforeseen expense pops us you will have the resources to keep up your timely payments.

The Goal is Yours
So, although the contribution of a good credit repair company can play a big role, in the final analysis it is all about you. There are a lot of things that you can aspire to in your life. Great credit is a worthy goal. The good news is that great credit is perfectly attainable. You can do it, just make the effort and the goal is yours!

Copyright © 2010 Ian Webber. All Content. All Rights Reserved.
About the Author: Ian Webber is an expert in consumer law and credit repair. Ian is a graduate of the London School of Economics and The University of Chicago where he earned his LLM. Ian consults with one of the leading online credit repair services and is currently based in Florida.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=559150&ca=Finances

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Eliminate Work at Home Mom Stress

2010-07-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by fensterbme via Flickr

By Lain Ehmann

When you've got a family and a business to run – often simultaneously! – “stress” seems like just a part of your everyday life. But by making a few small changes to your day, you can reduce the amount of stress in your day, allowing you to create a life you love even more. Here's how:

1. Plan for the worst. Don't assume every day is going to proceed without emergency or problem. Murphy's law seems to hit work at home moms particularly hard: The minute you've got a big deadline, the kids get sick, the dog runs away, and your husband goes out of town. Plan ahead for things to go wrong. Set up back-up systems, create a "sick day" plan, and build extra time into your schedule so you aren't planning everything down to the minute. Turning down that assignment with the crazy deadline may mean less income, but it also means you won't have to cut corners everywhere to make it happen.

2. Ask for help. Know who's available for an emergency carpool run, or to drop off the kids at the pool for swim lessons – and then ask for help if you need it! Other moms are often happy to help out on occasion. You can return the favor when your schedule lightens up a little bit.

3. Stay calm. Freaking out doesn't really help when things are falling apart. Train yourself to respond to the problems at hand, responding to the real priorities and getting it done. You can have a meltdown later, when the kids and your clients aren't looking. But you may find that you don't need to blow up, after the excitement has passed. Distance has a way of minimizing calamity, and you think more clearly when your emotions are in check.

4. Use the 10-10-10 rule. When something goes wrong – and you know it will! – ask yourself, “Will this matter in 10 minutes? 10 days? 10 years?” Usually, it takes only a few minutes before you're on to the next thing on your list. If something really is critical, reorganize your priorities so you can take care of it. Otherwise, move on. Dwelling on things that go wrong won't help you fix the past. Learn from your mistakes, and chalk it all up to experience.

5. Remind yourself of the good parts. When you're eyeball-deep in deadlines, and up to your ears in book reports, sick kids, and bake sale responsibilities, remind yourself why you chose this life. The flexibility, the ability to be around your kids more, the fact you can set your own schedule – these are the best parts of being a work at home mom. And sometimes, you have to take the tough with the good. Over time, it will even out!

Working from home can be the best decision you've ever made. Set yourself up for success by making a few critical decisions beforehand – so you can enjoy the good parts and minimize the bad.

About the Author: Lain Ehmann is the founder of Multitasking-Moms.com , where she helps women take their families, their businesses, and their lives to the next level. She is the author of two books and over 5000 articles.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=531743&ca=Womens+Interest

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How to Take Care of Collectible Dolls

2010-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by merlinprincesse via Flickr

by Ted Roberson

Collectible dolls--they can be objects of devotion, recipients of emotions, triggers of wonderful memories, beauties to behold, and sometimes a handful of cash when they are sold. But you wouldn't want to caress a dust-laden collectible doll with tattered clothes if it looks like a bugaboo from a previous century.

You might have picked up your collectible Chinese or Japanese doll from an auction or you could have first fallen in love with Celeste, all decked up for a stroll, online. However you acquired your priced collectible dolls, once they're yours, they're yours to take care of.

To keep your collectible dolls in top condition, make sure you do the following:

* Dust them from time to time.

You can use a small anti-static brush. Make sure you shake the dust off their hair too. But don't do it to vigorously. Dust can collect in their wigs and if not attended to right away, can cause a bad hair day!

* Store them in temperature-controlled rooms

Store your collectible dolls preferably in the rooms in which you would prefer to spend most time in. Attics and basements suffer from extremes of heat and cold. These drastic changes in temperature can damage the materials from which your collectible treasures are made of.

* Store them in rooms that are not damp and prone to excessive moisture

Moisture can cause mildew and mold to thrive. Once mildew attacks your dolls, you could have a hard time getting it off.

* Restrict the number of hands that touch them

Of course, you'd like to have your children handle the dolls. But, if your collectible dolls are dressed in delicate laces and trims, they could take a beating if they get into little hands. Perhaps your children might know how to handle them with care but it may not be the case when they have their freinds over or if the pets decide that they can be their playthings.

* Use archival acid-free boxes to preserve them

Modern technology has helped in many ways and the production of acid-free storage boxes is one of them. You can use them to store paper records, important documentation, and family pictures. Why not use them to store the collectible dolls in your set that you don't want on display at the moment? You could also cycle through your collection, placing some dolls in these types of storage boxes while the rest come out of the world to admire. You might think ordinary plastic boxes would serve the purpose but they can hold the slightest amounts of water that could ruin the objects in them.

* If you have bisque dolls, make sure you lay them face down in storage.

If they're laid on their backs, their eyes being heavy can drop, breaking in the process or even ruining the bisque of the head. Remember, faceup, eyes break; prostrate, they're safe!

Prevention is better than cure. Collectible dolls are no exception!

About the Author: Ted Roberson has been actively marketing on the internet sharing advice on home decor and family gift giving ideas. Visit our online store TMGallery Unique Gifts and Home Decor were you will find a full range of home decor items and garden accessories to choose from. http://www.tmgallery.com/

Article Source: Unique-Articles-Directory

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How to Grow a Green Lawn Organically

2010-07-10T04:00:00.002-07:00

You don't have to use chemicals to get a lush, green lawn. Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening shows how to green your lawn safely, without harmful chemicals.

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Natural Skin Care Recipes Are Simpler Than You Think

2010-07-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

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By Valerie Rosenbaum
If you are looking for natural skin care recipes that you can whip up in your own kitchen, they are simpler than you might think. Just remember that the benefits are limited when it comes to protecting against skin-aging.

Advanced cellular rejuvenation technology has revealed that the compounds needed to prevent and reverse the visible signs of aging are naturally occurring. They are found in plants and foods. Many of them are antioxidants.

The problem is extracting the antioxidants and using them in exactly the right quantities in order to provide results without causing irritation. Let’s look at the antioxidant vitamin A for a moment.

There is a prescription cream on the market designed to treat acne and reverse wrinkles. It is a synthetic form of the antioxidant vitamin A. The side effects that accompany the use of the cream include redness, itching and irritation.

The nut of the Shea tree is rich in vitamin A and E, as well as essential fatty acids. Shea butter has long been recognized for its abilities to soften, smooth and rejuvenate the skin’s appearance. There are no negative side effects accompanying its use.

People in Africa had natural skin care recipes that included the use of the Shea nut, because that is where it grows. Today, people throughout the world have access to premium quality Shea butter. There is no need to try and make something similar on your own. You just have to be careful about artificial additives like preservatives and fragrance ingredients.

If you do not want to buy a ready-made product, you might try using grape seed or olive oil as a moisturizer. While they do not contain vitamin A, they are rich in vitamin E and the essential fatty acids that the skin’s layers need to be healthy.

Lots of natural skin care recipes contain some variety of honey. It has been used for thousands of years to speed healing and soothe burns. The only problem with using honey straight out of a bottle has to do with the sticky feeling. Companies that specialize in making skincare products dehydrate the honey and mix it with grape seed or other oils to address that problem.

One variety of honey is called Manuka. Scientists have found that it has antioxidant and antibacterial activity. It can be dehydrated without losing those benefits.

You might use dehydrated manuka in your own natural skin care recipes, although finding the ingredient would likely be difficult. Not many manufacturers have been successful at the dehydration process. Those that are typically sell only to cosmetic manufacturers.

With ingredients like manuka honey, Shea butter, grape seed and olive oil, practically all of the conditions that affect the skin’s health can be addressed. Those ingredients will also help to fight the signs of aging and possibly reverse them.

There is one more ingredient to look for. That one is coenzyme Q10. You will not find it in anyone’s natural skin care recipes, but the better manufacturers include it in all of their anti-aging creams. You might want to find out why.

About the Author: Valerie Rosenbaum has spent years searching for the best natural skin care products. The products she discovered use a proprietary blend of natural ingredients like Extrapone Nutgrass root to even out skin pigmentation. To learn more visit her anti wrinkle creams site.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=555082&ca=Womens+Interest

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Best Ways to Save Money

2010-07-08T04:00:00.001-07:00

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By K D Garrow
There are lots of things you can do to reduce the amount you spend, and the following suggestions are some of the best ways to save money, because they can have the biggest impact on your spending. The more you can save on what you spend, the more you have available to pay off your debts.

Save Money - Examine Your Mortgage Deal
This is likely to be your single biggest cost, and therefore has the potential for the biggest saving. The large amounts involved mean that even a small difference in interest rates can have a significant impact on what you pay. The fact that you are going to be paying it for so long is another reason to examine it closely and regularly. A relatively modest change per month could save you thousands over the term of your mortgage.

Start by asking your existing lender for a better deal – that would be less hassle than changing to a new lender, so it is well worth a try. Some lenders are less desperate to keep your business than they used to be before the credit crunch, but many would still be happy to improve your deal rather than lose your business.

If you do consider changing to a new lender, you will need to know if there are any penalty charges for leaving your current mortgage early, as this will need to be allowed for when you are calculating what you might save. Ask your lender to confirm the total costs involved in closing the mortgage. You must also consider legal costs and any fees for setting up the new mortgage.

Save Money – Pay Off Debts First Instead of Saving
This feels counter-intuitive when we are always told we need to save more money, but it does not make financial sense to put money in the bank if you have debts that are costing you money in interest. Pay off your debts first.

The rationale behind this is very simple – the interest you pay for borrowing money is ALWAYS more than the interest you will get from having money in the bank (with the odd exception such as special short term offers on some credit cards). This has to be the case – it is the basic operating system for banking. They give you a bit of interest for the money you deposit with them, so that they can lend it out to someone else and charge more money. The difference between the two rates is their profit.

When you are planning to pay off your debts, always tackle the most expensive ones first. Look at the interest you are paying and use this to work out a priority order for paying them off.

Save Money - Review Your Energy Suppliers
You really do have to keep a close eye on your gas and electricity supplier these days. This is a constantly shifting field and you need to compare the rates about every six months or so. Try to leave it until just after there has been a big price change. Once one supplier changes their prices, the others usually follow in a few weeks, then it should be fairly stable for a while and that is the time to change.

The easiest way to compare prices is on one of the comparison websites. They make it very easy to swap now, and you can often get incentives for changing through them, such as cash back or vouchers.

It is usually cheaper to pay by direct debit, but you should always check your actual meter reading every month rather than rely on the company’s estimates. They seem to go for ages without bothering to read meters at the moment, and their estimates can be wildly out, so to avoid being lumbered with an unexpected bill a year down the line, check what you are actually using, give them your meter readings, and pay the correct amount.

Save Money - Credit Cards
This is a huge area and I could write many articles on credit cards alone, but for our purposes here, the main point is that you should not sit back and just make the minimum payment each month. Ideally, you need to try to pay your cards off in full each month. If you can’t do that, you are storing up problems for the future.

Assuming you do have some debts on credit cards and can’t afford to pay it all off in one go, you should at least set up a direct debit to make a fixed payment each month, based on the very most that you can afford. The credit card companies want you to just make the minimum payments, because then you pay them interest for a very long time, which is how they make their money.

The extra cost to you in just making the minimum payments is huge – the less you pay each month, the longer you take to pay them off and the more interest you pay. The other advantage of setting up a direct debit to pay your cards is that you make sure you don’t miss any payments by accident and incur any needless penalty charges.

Save Money - Shopping for food
The fact that you go shopping so regularly means that it is a very substantial cost when you look at it over the course of a year. We all have our favourite brands and reasons for choosing one make over another, but with the advent of supermarket own brands and now economy brands, there is a huge price difference available on what are often very similar (if not identical) products.

Research shows that if you can drop one brand level on all your shopping, you will save about one third on your shopping bill! I think that is a stunning statistic, which will have a massive impact on your pocket. You don’t have to change to the economy version of everything, just experiment with dropping one level. If you normally get luxury, get standard, if you normally get own brand, try economy.

In my experience, the difference between products will vary from quite noticeable to non-existent. Just make sure you are judging objectively, and not making your mind up before you taste it because of your expectation. Blind tasting is preferable if you want to do it properly.

Depending on your current situation, following the above advice could potentially save you a very sizeable amount of money over the course of a year. For people who are getting into some debt, this sort of expenditure management is well worth the effort as it can be enough to put a hold on the level of debt and help you climb back out. Debt has a habit of increasing and spiralling to crisis level if not tackled early.

About the Author: K D Garrow has worked as a senior manager for the last twenty years, with responsibility for significant financial control. His website http://www.debtassistancesite.com/ provides free and unbiased advice on dealing with debt problems.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=340741&ca=Finances

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How to Tie a Bow Tie

2010-07-07T04:00:00.001-07:00

Planning for an elegant affair? Brett Fahlgren, Style Correspondent for GQ Magazine, shows you how to tie a bow tie.

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The Transformation of a Woman - Caterpillars or Butterflies?

2010-07-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

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By Gloria Thomas-Anderson

Early in our lives, most of us studied the transformation process of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. This remarkable metamorphosis can symbolize how we as women are being transformed from one stage in life to another.

Caterpillars move rather slowly, barely inching along with deliberate unhurriedness. Butterflies on the other hand, flitter joyously through the air almost effortless. If we had our dithers, I'd bet that most women would prefer being the butterfly. I certainly would. Fluttering around weightless, free and beautiful sounds good to me!

Yet, for the butterfly to come into fruition, the caterpillar had to come first. So it is with life--we must crawl before we walk and that which is not so pretty in our life can turn into something beautiful as time goes on.
Life is a metamorphic journey and there are three levels that we as women go through that steadily move us along the continuum to achieve butterfly status.

1) AWARENESS - Recognizing that life is constantly changing and so are you. Every experience in your life story is for a purpose and has meaning for the next phase you enter. Whatever you have gone through in life and survived contributes to your growth and development. The lessons of life come to strengthen and prepare you for what is yet to come.

2) ASSESSMENT - Once you are aware that every stage of life brings new challenges and opportunities, it is important to reflect on and assess where you are in the process. Are you fretting about life or flowing with it? Are you moving forward or taking steps backwards? Are you making choices that can help better your life or choices that burden your life? To move to butterfly status requires one to acknowledge and address those issues that are standing in the way of moving up and onward.

3) ACTION -Only when you have become aware of who you are and taken an honest assessment of where you are, can the step of action come into play. Action requires that you do something that moves you toward the next level of growth. That something may be rekindling a hobby you've set aside or the pursuit of a personal goal that you feel passionate about.

The transformation for a woman to move from a caterpillar to a butterfly is a process and the transition can be beautiful when we learn to glide in this metamorphic journey called life.

Gloria Thomas Anderson, MSW
Columnist of: Inspiring Insights For Your Soul and Spirit!
http://www.hearttones.com/
© 2006 Heart Tones
About the Author: Gloria Thomas Anderson, MSW, is a motivational speaker and writer, a diversity trainer, and a professional social worker who inspires others to harness the power within themselves to create positive change in their lives. Gloria has shared her wisdom and insight on real life issues--Purpose, Relationships, and Spirituality--with hundreds of organizations and groups, including the Fellowship of Professional Women, The Executive Women in Government, Women that Soar, Women's Aglow, and Training For Excellence, Inc. Her publication, "What Y'all Gon' Do With Me?-The African-American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End of Life Care" was recently presented at the International First North American Spirituality and Social Work Conference, in Waterloo, Canada and published in "The Society for Spirituality and Social Work Forum". She has also received several awards and grants toward her research. Gloria is the author of the popular self-help book, Passion For Your Purpose--Discovering Peace, Direction and Balance In Your Life and columnist of Inspiring Insights For Your Soul and Spirit!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Thomas-Anderson
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Transformation-of-A-Woman---Caterpillars-or-Butterflies?-Inspiring-Insight-For-Your-Soul-and-Spiri&id=322046

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Women's Self Defense Tips - The Ultimate Top 20

2010-07-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

Image by dkjd via Flickr

By Jack Krohn

Women are the targets of 90 % or more of all assaults from domestic violence to date rape to street crimes-just a fact. Guys you should be aware of these tips too. They'll work for you and you can pass them along to the women in your life.

1. Get a self-defense program in place.
2. Get a self-defensive attitude. This will enhance your self-confidence and power to fight back. Building confidence in your ability to defend your self shows thru.
3. Use common sense and restraint. Everyone has choices on where they go and how they get there. Keep to well lit areas, go with a buddy, avoid dangerous areas.
4. Learn how to avoid a fight. It takes two to tangle. Take the high road and walk away when given the opportunity.
5. Keep practicing. The self-defense skills you learn should become second nature.
6. Be aware of where you are.
7. Hitchhiking is dangerous-use buses or taxis.
8. Never act or appear to be an easy target. Don't look like victim. Most guys who assault women are not all that smart but they are not stupid either. Someone who is walking with their head down and an uncertain gait presents an easy target.
9. Have body language that exudes self-confidence.
10. Start screaming your head off. Then try biting, scratching eyes-anything you can do to defend your self.
11. Trust your instincts. Women especially are blessed with an uncanny knack for sensing things. They should use and trust that instinct. When you get a shiver down your spine be ready to react.
12. Get a survivor mentality. This starts with developing an awareness of your surroundings and aware of the fact that women are potential targets all their lives.
13. Don't become paranoid. Just be aware!!
14. Your priorities are survival and escape. You don't get style points. Fight dirty.
15. React quickly. An assault situation demands a speedy response not where's my pepper spray.
16. Use anything you can get your hands on as a self defense weapon. A pen in your purse, keys, your fingernails-anything that might cause some damage.
17. Don't be a provocative target. Getting drunk or high on drugs is akin to asking for trouble-even when with friends.
18. Learn some basic points on the body that yield the results you want. Eye gouges, groin kicks, the heal of the hand to the base of the nose, a hard punch to the ear all will get you a release.
19. Having a stun gun is not enough. Learn and know how to use them and practice using them. They will give you from 3-15 minutes to escape to get help or just escape and survive.
20. Your life is at stake here. I can't stress this enough practice different scenarios so when (not if) the time comes you instinctively know what to do and it just happens reflexively.

Following these tips may end up saving your life. Remember the old saying "walk softly and carry a nasty pepper spray."

About the Author: Jack Krohn owns "Security Solutions" and is the author of over 400 articles on self defense and home security problems.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Krohn
http://EzineArticles.com/?Womens-Self-Defense-Tips---The-Ultimate-Top-20&id=2575794

3 Ways to Celebrate Independence Day

2010-07-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Beverly & Pack via Flickr

By Nicola Kennedy

No matter what your traditions are, it is important to celebrate Independence Day. If you live in the US, or are living outside the country and yearning for a bit of home, there is never a better time to celebrate this historic day. Yet, what are some of the best ways to do it? Is this your first 4th of July here? Are you looking for a new way to celebrate? Or, are you heading out on your own for the first time, looking to start a new tradition?

There are some things that just go hand in hand with Independence Day. You just have to have a picnic, outdoors, under the blazing July sun. But, there is more to it than just that. How about the people you are with? What about where you are at? Don’t forget the food. Let’s break it down.

Traditionally, your 4th of July celebration will happen out of doors. But, this is not necessary if the weather is not right for it. The most traditional of examples of a celebration is a BBQ in which people come to share in good foods and the beautiful weather. It can happen at your home, at a local park, down by the beach or virtually any place that is suitable. Here is a list of things to think about when planning a get together.

Location. Find the right location; make arrangements with park officials if necessary. Make sure there is enough seating, a place to get out of the sun and activities to keep everyone busy.

Food. Plan for easy to make and eat foods. Finger foods work best as people usually are not looking to sit down with a knife and china at this type of a celebration. Look for a few options for everyone, including some that may not enjoy meats, something for those that are looking for alcoholic beverages and a variety of foods. Make it a potluck for an even easier celebration.

Something to do. When it comes to the 4th of July, you do have to give everyone something to do. Whether that is a sport like volleyball or baseball, swimming, or just some fun crafts for kids, get them all busy and having a good time.

Celebrating the 4th of July should be fun and easy to do. Do not over think it and keep it a light atmosphere and you all will have a great time.

About the Author: Nicola always enjoys celebrating Independence Day. She can help you salute Old Glory in style with 4th of July tips and news, information and views at http://independence-day.your-holiday.info/
Copyright http://www.your-holiday.info/

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=62394&ca=Family+Concerns

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Decide What Deserves Your Energy: High-Payoff vs. Low-Payoff Activities

2010-07-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by lucias_clay via Flickr

by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

With so many fascinating opportunities before you each day, how do you decide which are for you? Start by asking yourself these nine questions to help you judge whether an action is appropriate for you.

1. DOES THIS EARN A LIVING FOR ME? In a material world, we all have responsibilities that cannot be ignored.

2. CAN I LEARN FROM THIS? Can I grow as a human being by doing this particular piece of work? Will I acquire new skills or insights?

3. IS IT USEFUL? Who is depending on me to do this and why? Sooner or later any piece of useful work involves us with other people. Will this action bring me together with people in a worthwhile way?

4. WILL OTHERS BENEFIT? HOW? This can be an overriding consideration for many activites.

5. WILL I EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THIS AGAIN? Some opportunities are a once- in-a-lifetime deal. Is this one of them? Or am I pretending it is because I want to do it so badly?

6. AM I DOING THIS BECAUSE I'M THE RIGHT PERSON? OR BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL? What would happen if I didn't do it? Am I really the only person for the job, or can this be delegated?

7. WHAT WILL I HAVE TO PUT ON HOLD TO DO THIS? What is the tradeoff? How will it affect my immediate and future life? What sacrifices will I and those around me have to make?

8. AM I BEING BLACKMAILED? Are any of my activities the result of "emotional blackmail"? (Blackmail is a contract between two people or even two groups. It can be clearly stated or extremely subtle, but it only works when both agree to play. We should not accept emotional blackmail from others, just as we should not try to blackmail them ourselves. Often society provides us with only a vague line between good manners and being taken advantage of, between being a fair and upright person and being a sucker. It's up to us to make the line clear and strong, both for ourselves and for others.)

9. CAN I HAVE FUN? Ultimately, if I don't need to do it and don't have to do it and I can't enjoy at least some aspect of it, then it's probably not worth doing.
HIGH OR LOW?

When you invest your time, you want to invest it in high-return projects. The lists below provide a profile of the activities with the potential for the highest return.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH-PAYOFF ACTIVITIES

Directly related to my goals

Might not be pleasant

Tend to involve risk

Might be difficult

Can't be delegated

Important

CHARACTERISTICS OF LOW-PAYOFF ACTIVITIES

Not related to my goals

Comfortable to do

No risk involved

Routine

Noncreative, anyone can do it

Trivial

Investing your time and energy is like investing your money. You may risk it and lose it. But risk spells the difference between getting what you want and sitting on the sidelines, between your potential and your performance.

Whenever you make a pro-active decision about which activities deserve your energy, you take the sting out of the most arduous and burdensome ones.

It's what you want to be doing, and you're clear about why. Then you can approach your tasks as worthy of your fullest attention and enthusiasm.

What are the chances that people who see an activity as boring, tedious, or beneath them will make a powerful difference? And what are the chances that people with a passionate, positive vision of what they are doing will fail to make a difference? That's you!

About the Author: Patricia Fripp, CSP,CPAE is a professional speaker on Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want! And, a Past-President of the National Speakers Association. For information about Patricia’s Keynote presentations, please contact The Frog Pond Group at 800-704-FROG (3764) or email susie@frogpondgroup.com.

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Basic Knowledge of Your Home Air Conditioning Unit

2010-07-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

By Steven Gail

A home air conditioning unit has all sorts of different parts which are important to take good care of if you want your air conditioner to cool your house properly. If you catch problems early it will be less expensive to cool the house and you won't have to spend as much time without air conditioning.

The thermostat is necessary in order to not only maintain the temperature that you want, but also to turn your system on and off. You can minimize your energy costs if you keep the thermostat at a set temperature. Normally 68 degrees is recommended for heating and 78 degrees for cooling.

Air quality and air flow are controlled by the air handler. Usually this component of the home air conditioning unit is located in the attic, a closet, or the garage. For optimal air quality you need to keep the blower wheel and evaporator coil in the air handler clean and maintained. This includes regularly replacing the air filter so excessive dirt doesn't restrict the air flow to the evaporator, which could make the whole system break down. Depending on the filter, it should be changed every one to three months.

The drain line of the condensing unit should also be cleaned regularly. The condensing unit is usually outside the house. If this line is not properly cleaned it could case a back up of water that could get into the air handler. The water could also cause other damage. It is also important to clean the compressor that is inside the condensing unit two times a year. This is one of the most important parts of your system so you want to make sure it is clean so your system runs efficiently.

These are the components of your air conditioning unit that are the most important. All of them need to be properly maintained. You should keep an eye on them to make sure there are no problems. Now that you know about these parts and the required servicing that they need it should be easier to keep your system working at optimal levels so that you have fewer problems with your air conditioning.

About the Author: Steven Gail is a skilled technician from the field who educates homeowners on saving money by performing their HVAC Preventative Maintenance at home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Gail
http://EzineArticles.com/?Basic-Knowledge-of-Your-Home-Air-Conditioning-Unit&id=4524193

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10 Really Low-Cost Ways to Start Your Stamp Collection

2010-07-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

by Joan Yankowitz

Stamp collecting doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. You can enjoy collecting stamps with limited financial resources. Here are 10 really low-cost ways to start stamp collecting.

1. Ask your friends to use commemorative stamps on their mail when they write to you. Commemorative stamps are generally larger than regular stamps and are issued to honor famous people, places, or events. Because commemorative stamps are usually issued in lesser quantities than common smaller stamps, they are of much more interest to collectors. Tell your friends that you are a stamp collector and ask them to request commemorative stamps at the post office.

2. When you send away for offers that require postage or self-addressed, stamped envelopes, use commemorative stamps. You'll get them back when the envelopes are returned to you.

3. Ask your neighbors, friends, and relatives to save their used stamps for you. You'll find that most people will be happy to save their stamps for you when they learn that you are a collector.

4. If you know someone who gets letters from other countries, ask them to save those stamps. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes.

5. Ask friends and family to save the envelopes from their office mail for you. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and value to a collector.

6. Ask your parents if they have any old letters with stamps on the envelopes. Don't peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. Always tear off the envelope corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and make sure that all of the perforations are undamaged.

7. If you know other stamp collectors, ask them if they have duplicates that they are willing to give or sell to you. Many collectors have thousands of duplicates and they are often willing to help get new philatelists get started by giving them stamps or by selling them packets of stamps much more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.

8. Look for free stamps advertised by stamp companies. Free stamps are often offered along with "approvals," an assortment of other stamps that you must either buy or return. This can be a convenient way to buy stamps. Note, however, that you usually have to pay the return postage if you return the approval stamps.

9. Check out stamp clubs in your area. Clubs may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy. Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs the local community center, YMCA, or schools.

10. Consider starting a stamp club if one doesn't already exist in your area. It only takes four or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas.

With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time.

So, what are you waiting for? Start collecting stamps today!

About the Author: Joan Yankowitz publishes the popular consumer and business "Kwik eGuides" at http://www.kwikeguides.com. Instantly download "How to Start Stamp Collecting" " Kwik eGuide at http://www.kwikeguides.com/stamp.htm

Article Source: Unique-Articles-Directory

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What is Good Health?

2010-06-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Pink Sherbet Photography via Flickr

by Loring A. Windblad

There is no universally agreed definition of health. Its meaning has changed through the ages and in different cultures. The term derives from the Anglo-Saxon word "haelth," meaning safe, sound or whole. In medieval times "haelthing" meant "sharing a few drinks with one's friends," having previously meant "hello" and "holiness." In recent decades, health has been taken to mean "the absence of disease." The term "disease" generally refers to a diagnosable physical abnormality while "illness" means the personal experience of sickness, or the perceived suffering due to a disease.

Changing views of health
Since the mid-1900s, medical practice has been dominated by a biomedical model that focuses more on curing than preventing illness, dividing diseases into categories -- for example, targeting a "cirrhotic liver" or "ischemic heart" for treatment. This method tends to separate physical from psychological or emotional problems, which are sometimes dismissed as "all in the head," not meriting medical attention. However, views of health are undergoing radical changes. The absence-of-disease concept is being supplanted by an image of "well being for body, spirit and mind." The emerging bio-psychosocial model regards mind and body as an intertwined unit and suggests that people be treated as whole persons, taking into account economic, social and psychological factors.

In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as a "state of complete physical, mental and social well being, encompassing the ability to achieve full potential, deal with crises and meet environmental challenges." In other words, health -- or wellness, to use a trendy term -- is the capacity to undertake physical effort, to live within one's own potential and carry out tasks with vigour and alertness, leaving enough energy for unforeseen emergencies. The more recent Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion goes further, suggesting as fundamentals for health: "peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice and equity." For example, people can't easily stay healthy if they're starving, if the air is polluted or during wartime.

Today's key buzz words are "disease prevention" and "health promotion", rather than trying to "treat the symptoms of illnesses" (as is practiced by most medical practitioners nowadays) that are largely preventable. Unfortunately, despite lip service, prevention is often a hard sell as it takes both personal and community action. Yet studies show that even a few words of advice from health professionals can often help to prevent disease by motivating people to modify their lifestyle.

Many of us are the "worried well"
Although North Americans have an increasing life expectancy, many worry unduly about health. As U.S. physician Dr. Arthur Barsky writes in his book Worried Sick: "Our sense of physical well being has not kept pace with improvements in our collective health status...there is a pervasive atmosphere of dis-ease." Many feel constantly "out of sorts" -- with vague undiagnosable ailments -- worriedly scrutinizing everyday actions for their health effects. For example, foods may be dubbed "good" (life-prolonging) or "bad" (health-harming) -- instead of being regarded as enjoyable nourishment. Many are confused, even stressed, by trying to keep up with the latest medical pronouncements -- eat margarine instead of butter (or not); drink red wine (one glass or two?); take antioxidants -- vitamins C and E (or don't); shun coffee, drink decaff (or what?).

The main determinants of good health
Biology -- the genetic make-up (genes inherited from mother and father).

Lifestyle habits -- such as a nutritious low-fat diet; enough exercise; sufficient, sound sleep; avoiding misuse of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; motor-vehicle and traffic safety; healthy (safer) sexual practices; and stress-reduction.

Emotional balance -- good self-esteem, feeling "in control" and able to forge intimate relationships.

Economic and social well being -- sufficient income for food and shelter; supportive networks (family, friends, colleagues).

A health-promoting environment -- e.g., not excessively polluted, clean air and water, adequate sewage disposal.

Access to adequate medical care when needed.

Measuring health
Since the WHO definition of health came out, many have tried to measure its components, which isn't easy. By definition, people in "good health" have no diagnosable diseases, no significant symptoms of "dis-ease" (un-wellness), feel "in control" of their lives, are energetic, satisfied with their social, sexual, occupational and personal existence. But even those with diagnosable diseases such as colitis or diabetes, may also feel well most of the time. Or older people with osteoporosis or atherosclerosis may consider themselves "in excellent health for their age."

Take as a further example a man who inherited a polycystic kidney disease that destroyed both kidneys by midlife. Even though he requires thrice-weekly dialysis (after two failed kidney transplants), he nonetheless enjoys a "healthy existence" in which he swims three times a week, walks to work and leads an active professional life. Similarly, a bank employee considers herself "healthy" even though she lost one breast to cancer 15 years ago, and suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome (pinched wrist nerve), for which she wears a splint at night. In contrast, we all know people with no physical disorders who complain about every little ache or transient pain.

Just being fit isn't enough!
In search of good health and longevity, many North Americans devote endless time and effort to fitness. They conscientiously jog, do aerobics, spend time on exercise bicycles, restrict cholesterol intake, avoid aluminum cookware and get medical checkups. Beyond its health benefits, some even view fitness as a way to ennoble the soul, sometimes neglecting family and friends in the effort. Fitness may become an end in itself rather than a way to enhance personal and professional life. Yet the Ottawa Charter specifically states that "health is a means rather than an end in itself -- not the object of living."

As one University of Toronto expert puts it, "just being fit isn't it!" Although physical fitness -- muscular strength and flexibility -- is a prerequisite for well being, fitness alone does not guarantee good health. Being physically fit when mentally unbalanced, "stressed out," socially isolated or emotionally disturbed does not add up to good health. Obsessive fitness addicts may consider the slightest tinge of un-wellness a slur on their character, making them feel guilty. Yet this kind of "blame the victim" mentality is unhealthy. It is absurd to expect that all illness can be avoided simply by one's own efforts.

The meaning and definition of "good health" has changed through the ages. Perhaps the best method of "knowing your health status" is being acutely aware of your own body, its functions and functional aberrations. So what am I talking about here?

I'm referring particularly to

how you feel
how often you have a bowel movement
how often you urinate
how often you feel bloated or gassy after eating
what foods trigger your bloated or gassy feeling
what hurts
is that hurt "chronic" or "new"

Light-headedness could be a symptom of high blood pressure. Pain in a new and unexpected place could be a sign of a bruise, muscle strain, unknown injury, or an unknown infection of some kind. Shingles or easy bruising could be a sign of a lack of vitamin C in your diet. Many other little things about you and your body could be early indications of injury or disease. So...how aware are you of what your body is telling you every day?

My body type is literally grossly obese. I know I am "at risk" for many illnesses and for many injuries simply because of my body type. I am about 100 lbs overweight and it began when I was 25 years old. I'm now nearing 70. I would probably be a lot healthier if I were to lose 50 to 75 pounds. I know this, yet I continue not to heed it. My blood chemistry is "normal" -- I have no major blood chemistry problems. My blood pressure is generally 135 / 75-80. I have a 54-inch waist yet I can bend over and touch my knuckles on the floor in front of my toes. I can still do 50 sit-ups in under two minutes. I regularly walk 2 miles a day minimum and about 5-6 miles when I play a round of golf -- and I walk for the golf, rather than ride in a cart. So I try to take pretty good care of myself.

Over the years I have learned a few things about my own body and health, how I react to certain foods and food supplements. This does not say anything about how you will react to these things...only that you need to be aware of what your body is doing and what your body is telling you about why it is doing those things.

For example, I love salads, especially green salads. And they give me loads of gas and bloating. I know this, so I try to eat a small salad at least once a day. It's only when I get carried away and have a large salad, or second helping, that I get bloated and gassy.

I have an allergic reaction to all artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. Prolonged use, say 1 cup of artificially sweetened international coffee or 1 diet soda a day for a month, will raise my blood pressure above 150. I have a similar reaction to prolonged use (two weeks or more) of all vitamins except Vitamins C and E. I have a very bad physical reaction to several prescription medications and food supplements, which include tetracycline, biocyllin and amino acids.

I used to get a Flu Shot every year -- and I would get the Flu 3 times a year. The first time was immediately after the shot, the second time was 3 months after the shot and the third time was 6 months after the shot. I documented this for about 10 years and, after talking it over with my doctor, quit taking flu shots. I now get the flu about once every 5 years or less and it doesn't make me as sick as it used to make me.

The things I do, however, are the things that keep me healthy. These are walking regularly and playing golf. They also include taking 2000 units of Vitamin C daily for over 40 years, and taking 50 units each of both Zinc and Selenium once a week. And about the middle of November every year I up the Zinc and Selenium intake to 5-6 times a week.

I play Santa at a mall every Christmas season for 4-5 weeks, and I come into contact with just about every disease and bug known to man during that period. Yet I seldom get sick, and when I do get sick I neither feel sick nor exhibit symptoms to those around me. I attribute this to the Zinc and Selenium I take. I've been taking these for 8 years now, and in that time have only been sick once -- and at that, no one around me knew I was sick.

Each of us is different from one another; each of us must make our own personal health assessment. We must learn to recognize what our body is telling us about what is going on inside and why, and we must also learn which preventatives work and which don't on an individual basis.

In this article I'm both sharing excellent general health information and telling you what works for me, why, and what doesn't and why. It's up to you to learn what works for you and what doesn't and why. And then to do whatever it takes to maintain your health at optimum levels. Good luck and good health.

Copyright © 2004 http://www.organicgreens.us and Loring Windblad
About the Author: Loring Windblad has studied nutrition and exercise for more than 40 years, is a published author and freelance writer. He is the author of 2 paperback books and 4 eBooks. His latest business endeavor is at http://www.organicgreens.us.

Source: ReprintArticles.com

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Make Your Own Home Compost Bin

2010-06-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

By Marcie Snyder

Many people think that the only way to make compost is to use a commercial bin, but nothing could be further from the truth. People in the past have built their own compost bin with much success. So if you want to give it a try, here are five easy cost-effective ways to build them.

Style 1: Extremely Simple And Easy
A circle of chicken wire, or a bottomless barrel with air holes in its sides, although simple, works fine. When you cannot add any more materials in the circle, just lift the wire away from the pile, set it up again nearby, and put the newer layers back in, leaving behind the finished compost.

Anything can be used for a compost bin. For instance, when I first settled in Oshawa, Ontario, I marvelled at the way my neighbor, an older Ukrainian lady, would create her compost. In the fall when she was cleaning up her garden for the winter, she would simply pile up all garden debris against a wire fence that had been set up between her land and the public park on the west side of her property. This section of her garden along the wire fence would be her "compost bin" during the winter months.

In the early spring as soon as the ground had thawed, she would spread this half- decomposed material all over her garden and have it plowed under. Then she would add mushroom compost bought from a mushroom grower. When it was time for seeding, everything had pretty well thoroughly decomposed. This lady had the nicest vegetables in the neighborhood.

(Please Note: If you decide to buy mushroom compost from a grower, first find out what the farmer uses to make his mushrooms grow. Things have changed a lot since the 1980's. Today's compost may be full of chemicals. So beware!)

Style 2: Pens
One of the simplest structures for a compost bin is a circle of snow fencing or wire mesh supported by posts or stakes. When it is time to aerate the pile, you unwrap and remove the fencing, set it up in a new location nearby, and fork the compost back into the pen.

It's true that this requires a little more space and some lifting effort, and it leaves the compost in full view. However, it is inexpensive, strong enough, and very easy to construct.

Style 3: Homemade Bin
Now let's take a look at the third type of compost container for hot composting-- the home-made bin. These are sturdier and more discreet than pens. They may require a little more skill to build but are still inexpensive.

The four sides can be made of almost anything: wire screen stretched on wooden frames or old pallets standing on end. Three walls are normally fixed permanently together but may be hinged, hooked or tied.

For example, you can build your compost bin with concrete walls and a movable front panel. Three of the four walls can be made of concrete blocks, stacked without mortar, and a fourth wall of removable boards.

Another idea is to stack up square bales of straw to create the three immovable walls of the bin. For a fourth wall you can always use a simple screen tacked onto a frame the size needed.

To turn the pile, you remove the front of the bin and fork the material out onto the ground. Then the pile is rebuilt in the bin.

The disadvantage is that extra ground space in front of the bin is needed for aerating the pile; however, its biggest advantage is that the compost does not need to be lifted over any wall when you need it or you wish to aerate the pile.

Another idea is to set a bin over a pit so that your compost pile gets the extra insulation. Although this encourages the presence of helpful earthworms, it does mean reaching down below ground level to turn the compost.

Style 4: Composting drum
You can also make your own rotating barrel composter. Simply take a large drum and punch aeration holes in it. If you wish, fins can be added inside the drum to lift and mix the compost materials. To finish it off, add a hinged loading door in the side so that you can add your waste.

One way to make your material inside the drum decompose faster is to roll the barrel on the ground to mix the contents. However, if you have welding skills, you can mount the barrel on a stand and add a crank attachment. Then all you need do is turn that crank every day or second day.

If bacteria is introduced with a good amount of garden soil and the barrel is turned every few days, compost can be made in a few weeks this way with little physical effort.

Style 5: A New Zealand Box
A New Zealand box is a bottomless wooden box with ventilation spaces between the wall boards, and an easily removable face to make it easier to remove the compost or to turn it. Since the compost rests directly on the ground, a lid is normally added to prevent nutrients leaking from the pile during heavy rains.

There are still some people who prefer the wooden type to the plastic ones you can buy at a store or sometimes from the municipality. For example, I know a lady who had three of them scattered around her yard. People love them because they make nice compost, are easy to make, and are light so easy to move.

A New Zealand box, or something similar, can be made at home by people with minimum skill. It can be moved to a new location fairly easily if required, and it keeps the compost neatly out of sight.

Variation of the New Zealand Box
A popular variation has two or three compartments in a row. The compost is turned from one box into another, and the empty box is then used to accumulate the material for a new batch of compost.

It is ideal for people who use kitchen and yard wastes as they accumulate, so they can't save up enough materials to make a really big pile.

As you can see, compost bin ideas are limited only by your imagination. So why not give it a try?

About the Author: A gardener for years, Marcie has learned the value of having organic compost to feed her plants. So needless to say, she has used compost bins for years. For more composting tips or to download her newest ebook on composting, visit SuperCompostingTips.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=484649&ca=Gardening

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Acid Reflux and Heartburn Natural Remedies - Part 2

2010-06-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

by Rudy Silva

If you have acid reflux or heartburn, using natural remedies to rebalance your stomach is what nature intended. Listed are four natural remedies that you can use to rebalance the acid in your stomach.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon has many medicinal uses aside from being great for various pastries. It has an antiseptic effect and has been historically used for colds and flu’s. It has fighting power against Candida albicans and has the ability to settle acidic stomachs.

Here’s how to use cinnamon for an acid stomach or heartburn:

Toast raisin bread
Butter the raisin bread
Sprinkle cinnamon on the bread
Sprinkle cardamon on the bread

When you eat this toasted bread, chew slowly and completely before swallowing to allow the digestive juices in your mouth to start breaking down this food.

Cardamon, which is found in India, has been used successful in treating Celiac disease, which is an intolerance to gluten found in most breads.

Grapefruit Skins
Here is a way to settle your acid reflux stomach with grapefruit. Use only organic grapefruit for this remedy. Here’s what to do:

Grate the entire outer skin of an organic grapefruit
Spread them out on a flat dish to dry
Allow them to get crinkly dry
Store them in a glass jar or zip lock bag

Whenever you get an upset stomach, acid reflux or heartburn start chewing and eating these strips of dried grapefruit. These strips will settle out your stomach. Eat only a few of them and test to see how many you need.

Romaine Lettuce
Romaine lettuce can be used to eliminate an acid reflux or heartburn condition. This lettuce is high in minerals and is highly alkaline. Here’s what you need to do:

Buy an organic romaine lettuce head
Wash in distilled water
Cut up the leaves and place them in a blender
Add cold distilled water to make a slurry
Add a slight amount of honey to give it taste

Drink a 4-8 oz to get relief from your acid reflux or acid stomach.

Mace, Nutmeg, and Slippery Elm
Here is a natural remedy that uses mace and nutmeg, which has a history of treating indigestion, acid stomach, heartburn, acid reflux, stomach gas, and vomiting. Here’s how to use it with half and half and slippery elm root herb. Slippery elm herb can be purchase in any herb store in powder.

1 teaspoon of slippery elm bark
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of mace
add distilled water to make a smooth slurry
heat a pint of half and half to boil
pull half and half from stove and add herb slurry
stir in herb slurry

Allow this mixture to cool. Drink up to ½ cup at a time. Store the unused portion in the refrigerator. When drinking the next cup, warm this mixture up.

Acid reflux and heartburn require alkaline nutrients to provide relief. These 4 natural remedies, when prepared properly, will give you the relief you need from these conditions. Try them; you will be surprised on how well they work.

Copyright © 2005 Rudy Silva
About Rudy: Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter called "Natural-Remedies-ThatWork.com" and his information on other topics can be seen at http://www.acidreflux-relief.info.

Source: ReprintArticles.com

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Acid Reflux and Heartburn Natural Remedies - Part I

2010-06-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Ryan Somma via Flickr

by Rudy Silva

Here is a list of natural remedies that you can use when you have acid reflux or heartburn. No need to use antacids, which have unwanted side effects and contain aluminum, which has been associated with senility and Alzheimer’s disease.

Anise, peppermint, and lavender
Here’s a tea that you can make to help you with acid reflux or heartburn. It will help you reduce the amount of acid you have in your stomach. Mix together equal amounts of aniseed, peppermint and lavender. Make an infusion of this tea:

boiling 2 1/2 cup distilled water
pour this water over a teaspoon of the herbal mixture
let this tea sit for 3-5 minutes
strain the tea and add a little bit of honey if you like
place this tea in a thermos

Drink up to 8 oz in the morning and 8 oz in the evening to get relief of acid reflux.

Aniseed or anise is a powerful herb that helps in digestive conditions and has many other benefits for your body. Use only the ash-colored anise called green anise, European anise or sweet anise. There are two other types of anise, star anise and caraway, which should not be used here. Peppermint is another powerful herb for stomach conditions or heartburn. It helps in digestion, stomach distension, cramps, ulcers, and gas. Lavender, known for it scent, has enormous healing activity for your body. Is also an excellent stomach aid. It is useful in reducing acid in the stomach.

Betain, Pepsin, and Papaya digestive enzymes
As you get older, your stomach weakens in its ability to produce hydrochloric acid to digest protein. It is undigested protein that leads to acid reflux or heartburn. Use digestive enzymes that contain Betain, pepsin, or HCl with each meal to make sure you digest all of your protein.

Papaya
Papaya digestive enzymes, which contain papain, are also excellent for protein digestion and you can use them with each meal. Use 500mg or more of papaya enzymes per meal.

Pineapples
Pineapples are a store house of enzymes and contain bromelain, an enzymes that reduces protein. Pineapples support digestion, reduce inflammation, and supports wound healing. The fresh juice has a high level of enzymes that will help you stop your acid reflux. You can also buy bromelain as tablet and take 200-500mg per meal.

Chicory Root
Chicory comes from a family of bitter herbs that contain endive and escarole. Boil 1 ½ cup of chicory root for 5 - 10 minutes. After it colds to room temperature, drink this tea to correct acid reflux or heartburn.

Adding these herbs to your salad will also have benefits in preventing acid reflux. Eating those foods that are alkaline is the best way to avoid acid reflux and heartburn.

Using the remedies listed here will give relief from your acid reflux. But more importantly add a salad to your diet everyday and you will have less acid reflux in your life.

Copyright © 2005 Rudy Silva
About Rudy: Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter called "Natural-Remedies-ThatWork.com" and his information on other topics can be seen at http://www.acidreflux-relief.info.

Source: ReprintArticles.com

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15 Decorating Projects for $500 or Less

2010-06-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Ani-Bee via Flickr

By Angela Glancy
Redecorating your home can be as expensive or affordable as you choose to make it. There are many projects that you can do for less than $500.

Makeover Project #1: Paint Your Walls
One of the most simple and cost effective things that you can do to update the look of any room is to simply paint it. This is actually a makeover project that generally costs much less than $500.

Makeover Project #2: Create a Craft Room
If you have always wanted a craft room, then budget does not need to be the thing that holds you back. Choose a spare room or the corner of a room, and buy some worktables and chairs, storage cabinets, shelves and bins. Invest in a couple of good work lights, and you are ready to go.

Makeover Project #3: Update the Bathroom
With a new coat of paint, shower rod and curtain you can update the look of your bathroom. Then simply add a new colorful toothbrush holder, drinking cup and area rug, and the look is complete.

Makeover Project #4: New Patio
You can easily update the look of a screened in porch or patio by updating your old table and chairs with new ones. Add a storage bench and some planters, and you have a refreshed look for your outdoor living space.

Makeover Project #5: Clean the Closet
While a closet is not a room, you can certainly enjoy making it function better. By installing wire shelving and closet organizer units, you can make your closet neat and functional and probably still have enough left over to do another one.

Makeover Project #6: Install a Fan
Add a ceiling fan to a room for a new look and cool air. Again, you may be able to do a couple of rooms with a $500 budget. A ceiling fan not only looks great, but by circulating the air throughout the house it may allow you to save money on your utility bills.

Makeover Project #7: Update Floors
If you watch for sales and your room is not too large, you can frequently replace the carpeting or flooring in a space for less than $500. If you do the installation yourself, you can get the project completed even cheaper.

Makeover Project #8: Bright Lights
Nothing sets the mood of a room like lighting. By upgrading the lighting available in a room, you can add drama or even functionality to a room. There are many lighting options that you can use to redesign the lighting in a room for well under $500.

Makeover Project #9: Your Work Room
When you have a small budget you can usually at least manage to update the smaller rooms in your house. Frequently, this would include the utility room. By adding new vinyl or laminate flooring and a fresh coat of paint the room looks new again. With any left over money in your budget add shelving, storage bins or cabinets.

Makeover Project #10: Kid’s Bedroom
If you keep the walls and furniture of the room fairly neutral, then you can easily upgrade a child’s bedroom simply by buying new bedding and an area rug.

Makeover Project #11: Home Office
Adding a new desk and chair for our home office is a great way to get a functional workspace. If you do not have a room dedicated to being a home office, then you can add a computer armoire to the corner of your living room that you can simply close up when your are not working.

Makeover Project #12: Paint the Living Room
In your living room if you add a coat of paint, new artwork, area rug and maybe a coffee table, you can give your room a completely new look and stay in your budget.

Makeover Project #13: Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
By swapping out your kitchen hardware you can breathe new life into your cabinets. Changing your window treatments, adding a ceiling fan, and adding some new counter accessories, or even small appliances, can freshen up your kitchen.

Makeover Project #14: Freshen Up the Master Bedroom
Move to the master bedroom, and you can add a ceiling fan, buy new bedding and apply a fresh coat of paint for a quick and inexpensive makeover. If you love garage sales, you may even be able to pick up a new headboard or dresser and stay within your budget.

Makeover Project #15: Makeover the Game Room
With a spare room in your house you can make a great game room. Add some recessed lighting, a sturdy table and a comfortable chair. You can look for flea market finds and have fun refinishing or painting new furniture pieces. Then, let the games begin.

About the Author: While looking for an opportunity in decorating Angela Glancy found herself working with http://www.americanartisanart.com/ where she developed her own unique style for wood wall sculptures and contemporary metal wall art.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=474210&ca=Home+Management

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Think Yourself to Better Health ~ Resources

2010-06-25T05:19:00.000-07:00

About the Author....

Lanardo Moody is a holistic health educator who spent two decades in public health as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service. A highlight of his career was when he addressed the need for and the use complementary and alternative medicine among culturally diverse populations as director of the Integrative Medicine and Alternative Health Practices Initiative, Bureau of Primary Health Care in the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration in Rockville, MD. For almost a decade, he has served as adjunct instructor in health sciences at the Howard Community College in Columbia, MD. With a life-long interest in metaphysical approaches to health and healing, he has a M.A. in Community/Clinical Psychology from Norfolk State University, a Master of Healing Arts degree from Dove School of Healing Arts in Washington, DC, and has spent several years in advanced studies in public health at Morgan State University. He can be reached at ankhconsulting@hotmail.com.

Think Yourself to Better Health ~ Techniques

2010-06-25T04:00:00.001-07:00

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Affirmations

Although an affirmation can be any statement that you make, for this article we mean words or phrases that are repeated over and over to AFFIRM a single thought or idea about a person, place, or thing. Unfortunately, most of us tend to use negative affirmations most of the time. Negative affirmations only create more of what you say you don’t want. After we continue to repeat the same thoughts over and over, they soon become a BELIEF. Then, we think this belief is our reality. It is important to continuously make positive statements of what you want in your life. An affirmation should be always worded in the present tense and usually begins with “I am” or “I have.” Affirmations are always claimed here and now. They may be said anywhere, silently or out loud. Affirmations are very powerful. Some experts recommend saying them out loud in front of a large mirror while looking intently into your eyes. The more often they are used, the more real, true, solid, and “firm” affirmations become. The best affirmations for us are the ones that we make up ourselves.

It is important to consider some cautions about the use of affirmations regarding health. A disease or abnormal condition of the body cannot be relieved by affirming its non-existence. Denial is not a healthy thing to do. For example, if you are suffering from a toothache, it is unwise to affirm: “I have no toothache, and am at peace with the world.” This affirmation will not affect the pain, the cause of the toothache, or anything related to it. The appropriate thing to do is to direct your will power, and your creative mental power to the immediate change in the condition that is the cause of the tooth pain. This will thereby relieve the pain without the person giving it any undue consideration in a negative sense. It is the cause of the disease and condition that needs to be the focus.

Guided Imagery (Visualization)

Guided imagery or visualization is the technique of using thoughts, suggestions, and mental pictures or images to create what you want in your life. It involves concentration while in a relaxed state. There is nothing new, strange, or unusual about this process. In her book, Creative Visualization, Shakti Gawain writes, “Because of our own deep-seated negative concepts about life, we have automatically and unconsciously expected and imagined lack, limitation, difficulties, and problems to be our lot in life. To one degree or another that is what we have created for ourselves.”

To visualize, people tend to sit or lie comfortably, close their eyes, and imagine a relaxing scene or image. You may use an instructor, recordings, or written material to guide you in this process. Soft, relaxing music is often used to facilitate the relaxation response. Visualization may be done individually or in a group. If you use as many of your senses as possible, your body responds as if what you are imagining is real. An example that is often used is to imagine an orange or lemon in great detail—the smell, the color, the texture of the peel. Continue to imagine the smell of the fruit, and then see and feel yourself taking a bit of it with the juice squirting into your mouth. Many people salivate when they do this in their minds.

Guided imagery has many uses. It can be used to help you relax, which tends to lower blood pressure and reduce other problems related to stress and tension. It can be used to help you reach goals (such as losing weight or quitting smoking, managing pain, and promoting healing). It is used by athletes to perform perfectly. Doing the routines mentally is thought to improve the real performance of the activity. Guided imagery is considered to be safe. There aren’t any known risks associated with it.

Psychokinesis

Psychokinesis is a principal focus in the field of parapsychology. Parapsychology, is defined by the Rhine Research Center as the scientific study of consciousness or mind in its basic nature and potency. Another principal focus in parapsychology is extrasensory perception (ESP). Noted parapsychologist Charles T. Tart, Ph.D., in his book The End of Materialism, writes, “Psychokinesis (PK), or to use an older term, telekinesis (sometimes abbreviated TK), is the ability of mental intentions to directly cause physical effects on the material world without any known physical mechanisms, such as muscle action, being involved.” The word comes from the Greek words “psyche” which means soul and “kinein” which means to move or motion. Examples of PK could include biological healing, distorting or moving an object, and influencing the output of a random number generator (also known as a random event generator), or influencing other events (sports or gambling outcomes, etc.). The miracles of Jesus as written in the Christian Bible such as transmuting water into wine, multiplying the loaves and fishes, and healing the sick are also listed as examples of PK.

Both PK and TK have been described with other terms such as “remote influencing,” “distant influencing,” “remote mental influence,” “distant mental influence,” and “mind over matter.” Originally, TK referred to the movement of objects which were thought to be caused by ghosts of deceased persons, mischievous spirits, angels, demons, or other so-called “supernatural” forces. PK became the term preferred by the parapsychology community.

Probably the most renowned and unfairly criticized demonstrator of PK in the U.S. is Uri Geller, an Israeli psychic who purportedly bent spoons and other metal objects through mental power with no physical contact. Because he was not able to duplicate these events in a scientifically-controlled laboratory, he was denounced by many as a fraud. PK experiments have not proven nor disproven its existence. Parapsychology researchers describe two basic types of measurable and observable PK and TK effects. Theses are: Micro-PK (also micro-TK) which is a very small effect, such as the manipulation of molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles that can be observed with scientific instruments; and Macro-PK (also macro-TK) which is a large-scale effect that can be seen with the unaided eye.

Deep Breathing Techniques

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), martial arts, and yoga teach the importance of proper breathing for good health. In the Western context, many use the special breathing techniques that are taught to expectant mothers for use during labor. Another group of breathing techniques is deep diaphragmatic breathing in which the focus is on the diaphragm and not the chest. Deep breathing is also taught in relaxation and pain control techniques. When complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage in the U.S. was studied in 2002, the results showed that deep breathing techniques were the fifth most popular CAM therapy.

In using deep breathing to relieve anxiety, deep and steady breathing is said to directly trigger the relaxation response. Various breathing techniques are also used to reduce pain or anxiety by distracting people’s attention from the source of pain or anxiety. Deep breathing has also been used to help people trying to stop smoking and to relieve migraine headaches.

Deep breathing techniques are easy to learn and are without serious complications. Overly aggressive breathing should be avoided, as this can lead to hyperventilation, which could increase anxiety and breathing problems. Deep breathing techniques can be effective in reducing anxiety and helping a person to relax—including in some stressful dental and medical settings. As a CAM strategy in managing asthma, deep breathing appears to be a helpful addition to conventional medical treatment.

Meditation

Meditation is a term that has been applied to many practices and activities that vary widely. For purposes of this article, it is defined as a mental process involving a group of techniques such as in mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, and Zen Buddhist meditation that induce a set of integrated physiological changes termed the relaxation response. It is a transformation of consciousness. It uses concentration (focusing of the mind upon some precept or idea), however, it is a passive mental process. We basically suppress our objective senses so that we can be sensitive only to impressions that are subjective. Although the popular misconception that all meditation procedures are more or less “the same,” according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) generally, all meditation does have these elements in common: a quiet location; a specific, comfortable posture (or position); a focus of attention; and an open attitude (toward distractions).

Meditation involves a whole range of practices that are designed generally to take our minds off of everyday business and stressful activities and help us become more centered and relaxed. The world’s meditation traditions all assert that it can give us access to depths of inner awareness that lie outside the range of ordinary experience. These traditions also hold that accessing these inner depths has extremely beneficial effects. These effects include significantly enhanced self-knowledge, emotional freedom, improved mental functioning, and even moral sensibility and behavior. According to these traditions, it is possible to reach a state of absolute, pure silence.

Functional Magnetic Resonance imaging (fMRI)has been used to identify and characterize the brain regions that are active during meditation. This research suggests that various parts of the brain that are known to be involved in attention and in the control of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) are activated, providing a neurochemical and anatomical basis for the effects of meditation. In one study, meditation was shown to produce significant increases in anterior left-brain activity, which is associated with positive emotional states. Research also shows that regular meditation can relieve stress and perhaps reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

Meditation is considered to be safe for healthy people. There have been rare reports that it can cause or worsen symptoms in people who have certain psychiatric conditions, but this has not been fully researched.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Think Yourself to Better Health ~ Causes of Physical Conditions

2010-06-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

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Possible Mental and Emotional Causes of Selected Physical Conditions

At the beginning of winter each year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta tells us that we will come down with one illness or another. They give it a name and announce it through the media so that we will know which disease we are supposed to get. People get the disease that the CDC announces partly because they expect to get it! They believe in their minds that they will get it. The more we think and talk about our symptoms, aches, and pains, the more of them we are going to have. It is very important to only let our minds think positive thoughts about our health. It is very important to only let our mouths say positive things about health.

All of the following information on the following conditions has been adapted from You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay:

Arthritis is a disease that comes from a constant pattern of CRITICISM. There is first criticism of self, then criticism of others. Often they are “perfectionists.”

Asthma is referred to as “SMOTHER LOVE.” There is the feeling that you do not have the right to breathe for yourself. Asthmatic children often have “OVERDEVELOPED CONSCIENCES.” They feel guilty about whatever is wrong in their environment. They feel “UNWORTHY” and in need of self-punishment.

Backache has different causes based on the part of the back affected:

-lower back is often a fear of money; lack of financial support

-middle back is guilt; being stuck in all that stuff back there; “get off my back”

-upper back is a lack of emotional support; feeling unloved; holding back love

Diabetes is probably caused by LONGING for what might have been. There is often as great NEED TO CONTROL, DEEP SORROW, and a feeling that there is no “sweetness” left in life.

Boils, burns, cuts, fevers, sores, “-itis”, and inflammation are expressions of ANGER in the body.

Cancer is a disease caused by DEEP RESENTMENT held for a long time that it literally “eats” the body. There is also a great feeling of DISAPPOINTMENT, HOPELESSNESS, HELPLESSNESS, and LOSS. These persons are usually also very SELF-CRITICAL.

Overweight represents a NEED FOR PROTECTION (from hurts, slights, criticism, abuse, sexuality, and sexual advances); FEAR OF LIFE in general and also specifically.

Pain (of any sort) is an indication of GUILT. Guilty people seek punishment (pain). Chronic pain comes from chronic guilt. This guilt is often so deeply buried that we are not even aware of it anymore.

Strokes are congestion in the brain. NEGATIVE THINKING clogs up the brain. Love and joy cannot flow freely and openly.

Stiffness in the body represents STIFFNESS IN THE MIND. You believe there is “only one way” to do something.

Swelling in the body represents CLOGGING AND STAGNATION IN EMOTIONAL THINKING. It often represents BOTTLED-UP TEARS, FEELING STUCK AND TRAPPED, or BLAMING OTHERS for our limitations. The reason women have so many tumors in the uterus area is because they symbolically take a “blow” or “hurt” to their femininity and “nurse” it. Louise Hay calls this the “He Done Me Wrong” Syndrome.

The colon represents our ability to let go, to release that which we no longer need. Constipation usually is found in people who tend to be STINGY. If they are not actually so, they usually do not trust that there will ever be enough. They hold on to old relationships that give them pain. They stay in stifling jobs, or never give themselves pleasure because they must save for that rainy day.

Leg problems often indicate a FEAR OF MOVING FORWARD or a reluctance to move forward in a certain direction. Not wanting to do things will often produce minor leg problems. Varicose veins represent standing in a job or place that we hate.

Knees like the neck are related to flexibility, only they express EGO, PRIDE, and STUBBORNESS. We are FEARFUL OF BENDING and the joints become stiff. Knees often take a long time to heal because we let our PRIDE and SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS get involved.

Our feet have to do with our understanding, our understanding of ourselves and of life—past, present, and future.

Skin problems usually mean we feel our individuality is somehow being threatened. We feel that others have power over us. We are “THIN-SKINNED.”

There are no accidents. Accidents are expressions of ANGER. They indicate built-up FRUSTRATION. Accidents also indicate REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY.

Anorexia-Bulimia is a way to deny the self life. It is an extreme form of SELF-HATRED.

All of the foregoing has been provided to demonstrate that yes, you can think yourself to better health! The section below will introduce several mind-body techniques that you may use for health improvement.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Think Yourself to Better Health ~ Mind-Body Connection

2010-06-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

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The Mind-Body Connection

Mind-body medicine focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, behavior, and on the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health. Mind-body medicine typically focuses on interventions that are thought to improve health such as relaxation, hypnosis, visual imagery, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, cognitive behavioral therapies, and spirituality.

Many believe that the overall goal of mind-body healing is to achieve the coherence which was mentioned earlier. Historical evidence indicates mind-body healing was probably first recognized in Ancient Egypt. We now know that the Egyptians realized the relationship between the nervous system and the voluntary movements of the body. Hypnosis was a mind-body technique that was practiced by the Ancient Egyptians as well as many of the other cultures around the world. Meditation and yoga were practiced by the Egyptians as well as people in India. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of ancient healing practices that use many mind-body approaches. Ayurvedic Medicine (a very ancient healing system from India) employs many mind-body techniques. Therefore, mind-body healing is very ancient!

Some mind-body techniques were formerly considered to be in the complementary and alternative medicine domain but are considered to be mainstream now. An example is cognitive behavioral therapy. Mind-body healing approaches include prayer and therapies that use art, music, or dance. Mind-body techniques are generally safer than medications (fewer negative side effects, adverse reactions, and less risk of overdose). Mind-body healing techniques also generally cost less than long-term drug treatment for chronic conditions, and they often lower overall medical costs. Since these approaches often involve learning and practicing new skills, the benefits may be longer lasting than with medications. With many medications, the improvement may stop as soon as the person stops taking the medication. Unlike most medications, mind-body practices invite you to take a more active role in maintaining and improving your own health. While most medications are used to treat disease after it appears, mind-body practices are most effective in preventing symptoms and diseases.

Some Health Implications

The leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women is heart disease. Over the past 20 years, mind-body medicine has provided evidence that psychological factors play a substantial role in the development and progression of coronary artery disease. Evidence shows that mind-body interventions can be effective in the treatment of coronary artery disease and enhance the effect of standard cardiac rehabilitation, thereby reducing deaths and cardiac event reoccurrences by up to 2 years.

Mind-body techniques have been applied to various types of pain. Clinical trials indicate that they may be a particularly effective adjunct in managing arthritis with pain reduction for up to 4 years. When applied to more general acute and chronic pain, headache, and low back pain, mind-body techniques show some evidence of benefits although results vary based on the patient population and technique used.

Evidence from many studies of patients with various types of cancer suggests that mind-body techniques can improve mood, quality of life, and coping, as well as to make disease more bearable, such as reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and pain. Considerable evidence shows that emotions—both positive and negative—influence a person’s susceptibility to infection. After exposure to a respiratory virus in a lab, persons who report higher levels of stress or negative moods have developed more severe illness than those who report less stress or more positive moods.

Meditation is a mind-body technique that induces a set of physiological changes that has been called the relaxation response. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has been used to identify and characterize the brain regions that are active during meditation. This research suggests that various parts of the brain that are known to be involved with our attention and control of our Autonomic Nervous System are activated, providing a neurochemical and anatomical basis for the effects of meditation. Meditation has been shown in one study to significantly increase anterior left brain activity which is associated with positive emotions. Moreover, this same study associates meditation with increases in influenza antibodies which suggests linkages between meditation, positive emotions, brain response, and improved ability to resist disease.

A placebo (from the Latin for “I will please”) has been shown to demonstrate the principle of mind-over-the-body, or, mind-over-matter. A placebo is a substance that really is not effective for a certain condition but may help to relieve a condition because the person who takes it believes that it will help. The real or imagined effect of the placebo is called the “placebo effect” or “placebo response.” Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans of the brain provide evidence that the neurotransmitter dopamine is released in Parkinson’s disease patients when they are given a placebo suggesting that the placebo effect involves the secretion of dopamine.

Clinical observation has also shown that negative emotions or stress tends to make wounds heal slower. Mind-body therapies such as imagery, hypnosis, and relaxation,--when used prior to surgery--may improve recovery time as well as reduce pain after surgery. The physical and emotional risks of using most mind-body approaches are minimal. Once tested and standardized, most mind-body approaches can be taught easily.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

Think Yourself to Better Health ~ Introduction

2010-06-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Each human being is made up of approximately 50 trillion single cells. What you and I think, say, and feel impacts each cell. This means that ultimately our overall wellbeing is affected by our thoughts and feelings. Scientists are just beginning to understand this phenomenon. Research shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology; but instead, DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts. In The Biology of Belief , Dr. Bruce Lipton, a renowned cell biologist, describes the precise molecular pathways in which the cells of our bodies are affected by our thoughts. He is an expert in the field of mind-body medicine which investigates how our minds and bodies are linked.

This course will discuss how our thoughts and feelings affect our health, explain selected mind-body healing techniques and, discuss some possible mental and emotional causes for certain conditions.

Course Author: Lanardo Moody

5 Easy Steps to Powerful Communication

2010-06-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Cayusa via Flickr

By Cookie Tuminello

“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” - Lee Iacocca

One of the most frequent challenges I hear from professionals is, “My boss won’t listen to my ideas. I see lots of opportunities to make the company more successful, but every time I approach him/her, I get immediately shot down. How do I get him/her to really listen and accept my proposals?”

First of all, you can’t make your boss do anything, but you can set the stage for the best possible outcome if you create a plan of action before you meet with them.

The two main reasons people have trouble communicating powerful ideas is: 1) their own lack of self-confidence and 2) they don’t get clear about what they want before they have the conversations and end up coming across as not being fully prepared.

Your power and your identity is a direct result to your ability to make powerful requests, present powerful ideas, and handle difficult conversations with ease. Consequently, the degree to which you are competent at getting your point across clearly and succinctly is the degree to which you are successful in your business dealings, whether it is with your boss or your team.

First and foremost before you start designing your conversation, set a scheduled time, or make an appointment with the person you want to have the conversation with. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to present itself, like catching them in the hallway or waiting for them to be in a good mood. I’d say that 99.9% of successful professionals create their own opportunities in advance. Taking someone by surprise by the water cooler and trying to convey your ideas is not the best idea. By scheduling a specific time to go over your action plan shows the other person that you are serious about your ideas, and that you care about the success of not only yourself, but the company as well.

Here’s one of the main things to keep in mind: the key to effective communication is to be solution oriented, not problem focused. If you start off the conversation with, ‘If you’d only do…” type of statement, chances are you’re going to alienate the very person you’re trying to impress. Use the guidelines below to determine your conversation before you open your mouth to speak. (You’ll avoid shooting yourself in the foot if you follow these!)

1. What is your intention for having this conversation?

2. What is the breakdown you are addressing? Clearly define what’s working or not working.

3. What is your proposed idea? Is it economically feasible?

4. How will it benefit company? Additional revenue? Better systems?

5. How will you make it work? This is where YOU come in. Have a well thought out plan of how you’ll implement the changes should it meet with their approval.

Use these steps as a guide to practice getting your thoughts together. If you need to role play with someone, choose a person you know well and trust. Role playing does help you build your self-confidence and also gets you grounded in reality. I often do this with my clients and they tell me it works every time.

About the Author: Cookie Tuminello, also known as ‘THE Team Builder of the South’, has been empowering CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members and igniting productivity since 1999. To find out more about this sassy, savvy and successful coach, get her FREE Report 50 Ways To Take Your Power Back Now and receive weekly Coffee With Cookie success tips, you can visit http://www.cookietuminello.com/.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=390608&ca=Self+Help

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