Ego Development

Sugar Natural Substitutes: How to Eat Sweeter Without Sugar

admin — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:45:19 +0000

Sugar is without question one of the most dangerous substances on the food market today. The health dangers which ingesting sugar on a habitual basis creates are certain. Simple sugars have been observed to aggravate asthma, move mood swings, provoke personality changes, muster mental illness, nourish nervous disorders, deliver diabetes, hurry heart disease, grow gallstones, hasten hypertension, and add arthritis.

Nature has given us plenty of choices – sweetening alternatives to sugar. Here is a list of natural alternatives to sugar substitutes:

1. Stevia – Stevia with FOS is a very sweet herb from South America that’s available in powder and liquid form. FOS stands for fruit ogiliosaccharides, which are beneficial for and support healthy intestinal bacteria. Stevia has shown promise in medical research for treating conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure. It has negligible effect on blood glucose, which makes it attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets. It contains zero calories.

2. Brown rice malt syrup consists of maltose, glucose, and complex carbohydrates. It is an amber hued syrup resembling honey, but it is not as sweet as honey. It can be substituted cup per cup for granulated sugar, but the liquid ingredients should be reduced by 1/4 cup per cup of rice syrup. Enzyme treated syrup, as opposed to malted syrup, will tend to liquefy the batter of a baked product. Use the malted syrup for best results.

3. Frozen fruit juice, fruit concentrate, and canned fruit juice. Concentrated juices should be diluted with three parts water and must be pure juice. Use them quickly after thawing. Frozen concentrated juices are denser than regular fruit juices and should be let stand for 12 hours. Canned juice can be used as a sweeter for fruit and can be several fruits combined together. Just make sure that there isn’t any sugar added.

4. Honey. Can be used as a natural alternative for sugar in most recipes but as it is sweeter than sugar. Almost one fifth of honey is water; the liquid content of a recipe should be reduced by the same amount. Honey also adds a subtle flavor to many savoury dishes such as meat casseroles, sauces and dressings. Honey strengthens the heart, is a natural and gentle laxative, is a blood purifier, prevents cold, cough and fever. Honey not produces acidity or flatulence.

5. Sweet Spices. Adding certain spices to a recipe can sweeten it without calories or sugar. Adding spices such as: allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, mace, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, catsup spice, and mixed pickling spice. She says that mint and vanilla flavoring also will sweeten food. (more…)

Interview Tips: How to Give Intelligent Answers to Difficult Questions

admin — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:30:12 +0000

Questions begin the minute the interview does, and you’ll need to demonstrate that you are a perfect candidate. You must to be prepared to answer not only the typical questions, but also the unexpected, difficult questions. You can wait for questions regarding your experience, your academic preparation, career interests, qualifications, and ones that assess your personality.

Review these typical interview questions and think about how you would answer them:

1. Tell me about yourself
The most frequently asked question in interviews. You need to have a short speech prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.

2. Why did you leave your last job?
You should always address an interview question with honesty. However, you should also always try to frame your honest answer in the most positive way possible.
Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons. (more…)

The First Top 100 Public Intellectuals of the World

admin — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:24:52 +0000

Foreign Policy and Britain’s Prospect magazine selected their top 100 Public Intellectuals, and invited readers to vote for their top 100.The majority of the names that I recognized in their top 100 list are lefties. However there is a criterion for writing in a candidate. The criteria are: “Although the men and women on this list are some of the world’s most sophisticated thinkers, the criteria to make the list could not be simpler. Candidates must be living and still active in public life. They must have shown distinction in their particular field as well as an ability to influence wider debate, often far beyond the borders of their own country.” This list is about public influence, not intrinsic achievement. And that is where things get really tricky. Judging influence is hard enough inside one’s own culture, but when you are peering across cultures and languages, the problem becomes far harder. Obviously our list of 100 has been influenced by where most of us sit, in the English-speaking West.
“Prospect and Foreign Policy” www.foreignpolicy.com

Voting ends on May 15. More than 20,000 people voted in this poll. See results below:

(more…)

Career Builder Guide: How to Choose Your Career Goals

admin — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:47:40 +0000

“Research suggests that as many as 8 out of 10 employed adults are in the wrong job or career!”

Career goal setting is an excellent way to motivate yourself and achieving your career dreams. They keep you motivated to live life to the fullest and to get what you want out of it.

Here are 7 successful - strategies to help you set career goals:

1. Start with a positive attitude. Hope, optimism and enthusiasm have a magical effect on goal setting and the way you think.

2. Set realistic goals. Try to achieve them with the help of a real career plan that will meet all your needs. Be explicit about what you want and have it thoroughly reviewed to ensure achievability factors. To manage your expectations, set reasonable goals that can be worked on and achieved.

3. Analyse and evaluate professional skills. If you are employed, unemployed, considering a career change, re-entering the job market or recently graduated, the first step to identifying your career potential needs an objective analysis and evaluation of your capabilities.

4. Sell yourself. Learn the fine art of self-promotion. You need to implement an effective marketing strategy to increase your visibility and gain a competitive edge. If you have had major accomplishments or created successful programs, make sure people know about it — especially those in influential positions who could help you advance professionally. Let it be known that you are seeking a promotion or the next step up in your career. (more…)

10 Good Eco Habits for Green Kids

admin — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:25:57 +0000

Many kids are naturally curious about the Earth and taking care of the environment. You can do good green habits as a family. You can make small, simple, easy habit changes that all add up to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Here is 10 ways to teach your kids how to be green:

Keep your kids busy with activities that don’t promote consumption or waste: walks on the beach, bike rides to a public playground, bus trips to a museum and regular stops at the public library.
Make gardening a family activity. Eating means no gas is required to ship those blue-ribbon tomatoes.Good for you: “Kids with exposure to gardening programs do better on science tests, do better socially and develop a sense of responsibility,” says Charlie Nardozzi, senior horticulturist with the National Gardening Association. “And they develop better eating habits.”
Take the green lead. Your children will pick up habits from you, so try to conserve .Your kids learn the most from you. If you would like to see certain traits in your children, then lead by example. Take quick showers - you can use a timer - turn off lights, televisions and appliances when you leave the room, and switch to more efficient light bulbs.
Participate in cleanup days at a beach or park. Use those outdoor trash cans! Never litter. Keep our waterways clean. When you visit a park or beach, be sure you deposit your trash in containers and volunteer at some state and national cleanups. (more…)

The Top 10 Healthy Foods We Never Eat

admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:07:40 +0000

There are many healthy foods that never see the inside of a shopping cart or in your fridge. Some you’ve never heard of, and others you’ve simply forgotten about. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your kitchen and you’ll instantly upgrade your health with no a prescription.

1. Cabbage - Cabbage is a vegetable few people really appreciate, but it’s truly a dieter’s friend. It’s strong-flavored, but it’s this feature that makes it enjoyable in certain dishes.
This leafy vegetable ranks right up there with broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts with a reputation for fighting cancer. It’s also a good source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and other nutrients. Cabbage also offers a major payoff — the fewest calories and least fat of any vegetable. This powerful veggie is a must for dieters trying to lose weight. From green cabbage you’ll enjoy a fiber boost and a respectable amount of vitamin C. Two types of cabbage, savoy and bok choy, provide beta-carotene — an antioxidant that battles cancer and heart disease. For those who don’t eat dairy products, bok choy is an important source of calcium, which may help prevent osteoporosis and aid in controlling blood pressure.

2. Blueberrys - are the best fruit because they contain the most antioxidants, significantly less pesticides are used in their cultivation, and they are the least perishable of all berries. They are high in vitamins A, C, and E, and contain significant amounts of potassium, manganese and magnesium. Recent studies have shown that eating blueberries may improve memory, intelligence, and coordination.
Consuming blueberries au naturel is a good idea, since heat diminishes the benefits of the phytonutrients they contain. (Health experts agree that eating cooked berries, fresh or frozen, still provides significant benefits.)

3. Spinach. There are many reasons to enjoy the dark green leafy vegetable known as spinach. For many years spinach has been touted as a health food, and this superfood certainly lives up to its reputation. Spinach is a rich source of many important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, calcium and beta-carotene.
Spinach is also a rich source of dietary fiber, thought to play an important role in protecting the body from many forms of cancer. As a matter of fact, the compounds contained in spinach are being studied for their possible role in preventing many forms of cancer, including such major killers as lung cancer. One reason may be the high concentration of vitamin K found in spinach. Vitamin K has long been associated with cancer prevention, and spinach is one of the very best sources of this vital nutrient. (more…)

How to Boost your IQ Test Scores with IQ Habits

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:58:29 +0000

Studies have shown people’s IQ levels fluctuate during the day depending on their habits and lifestyles. The brain activity of a person is determined by his habits. Good habits make person calm, genial and more productive. You can boost your intelligence and IQ with little effort, and benefit from doing it.

Here are a few smart habits to improve brain use and IQ test scores:

1. Writing - is a good way to boost the brain power; it is a way to exercise your creativity and analytical ability, as well as help memories stay in your brain in the future, which obviously will lead to an IQ improvement.

2. Read quality books. Many people like to read popular suspense fiction, but generally these books aren’t mentally stimulating. If you want to improve your thinking and writing ability you should read books that make you focus. Reading a classic novel can change your view of the world and will make you think in more precise, elegant English. Don’t be afraid to look up a word if you don’t know it, and don’t be afraid of dense passages. Make sure the books are interesting to you. Reading is very fun and useful.

3. Learn a foreign language. Learning a second language “boosts” brain-power, scientists believe. Researchers from University College London studied the brains of 105 people - 80 of whom were bilingual.
They found learning other languages changed grey matter - the area of the brain which processes information - in the same way exercise builds muscles. There are many other reasons to learn a foreign language, from working in another country to discovering your roots, through intellectual curiosity, romance, travel, and secret communication. (more…)

How to Drink More Water for Better Health

admin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:52:42 +0000

There are a many reasons to drink lots of water every day. Water takes part in every function in our body. It is the transporter of nutrients necessary for body functions. It works in digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion. Water maintains our normal body temperature. Water improves the look of our hair, skin, eyes and muscle tone. We must replace the water that we lose through daily sweating and elimination.

Health Benefits of Drinking Water:

- Weight loss. Drinking water can help you lose weight by preventing you from confusing hunger with thirst. Water keep your body systems, including metabolism and digestion, working properly and give you the energy (and hydration) necessary for exercise. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar.

- Drinking Water is Heart-Healthy - Drinking more water could lower your risks of a heart attack. Researchers studied more than 20,000 men and women and discover that people who drink more than five glasses of water a day were less likely to die from a heart attack or heart disease than those who drank fewer than two glasses a day.

- Digestive system benefits. Water helps remove toxins from the body, in particular from the digestive tract. The digestion of solid foods depends on the presence of copious amounts of water. Acids and enzymes in the stomach break the food down into a homogenized fluid state which can pass into the intestine for the next phase of digestion. Gastritis, duodenitis, pain from ulcers (as long as the ulcer is not perforated), heartburn all decrease with increased water intake.

- External benefits of drinking water. Water not only affects you internally but it has many external benefits. It can be a major contributor to a healthy, fit body. It adds natural moisture to your skin, giving a fresh glow today and helping the aging process tomorrow.
Keeping properly hydrated during exercise allows you to have a better, more productive workout. When your workouts are better, you feel and look better too. (more…)

What Does Your Handwriting Say About Your Personality?

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:29:58 +0000

Handwriting analysis is a technique (similar to body language) used to interpret human behavior in areas such as achievement/work habits, thinking styles and even social skills. The study and analyses of handwriting is called Graphology. A Graphologer may use several characteristics of your handwriting such as the size and shape of letters, the slant, spacing between letters, the margins, words and lines, rhythm, evenness, connective forms, beginning and end strokes and your regular signature to decode your personality.

Learn a few tricks about how to interpret your own handwriting here:

- Organized-Confuzed. If your handwriting looks organized, into neat paragraphs and lines that are parallel to each other, then you are organized. If your handwriting looks confused, then you are confused.

- Size of handwriting. Small handwriting means research-oriented, good concentration, methodical, not always social. Large handwriting- people oriented, outgoing, outspoken, love to entertain and interlock

- Spacing. Good deal of space- you need your freedom, to do things in your own time, don’t like to be overwhelmed or crowed. Very little space- it shows a tremendous about of irritability and constant pressure on yourself. (more…)

7 Successful Ways to Become a Smarter Person

admin — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:07:46 +0000

Boosting your mental faculties doesn’t have to mean studying hard or becoming a reclusive book worm. There are lots of tips, techniques and habits, as well as changes to your lifestyle, diet and behavior that can help you flex your grey matter.

Here are 7 ways that will help you become a smarter person:

1. Brain exercises. Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself, even at an old age, it can grow new neurons. Severe mental decline is usually caused by diseases, whereas most age-related losses in memory or motor skills simply result from inactivity and a lack of mental exercise and stimulation. In other words, use it or lose it. And this is your chance to use it, in this brain exercise.

2. Good Brain Foods. The brain is an organ metabolically active, making it a very hungry, and precisely at this eater. It’s becoming pretty clear in research labs around the country that the right food, or the natural neurochemicals that they contain, can enhance mental capabilities—help you concentrate, tune sensor motor skills, keep you motivated, magnify memory, speed reaction times, defuse stress, perhaps even prevent brain aging.

3. Always learn something new. Make a conscious effort to keep your brain active and functioning at optimum levels. Learn a new vocabulary word or a new piece of information as often as you can. It will keep you sharp and alert. (more…)