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LG Optimus G Pro E988 (Black)

2014-09-28T22:40:00.002-07:00

LG Optimus G Pro E988 (Black)

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EU to decide on The Google antitrust case after Easter

2012-03-29T04:20:00.000-07:00

EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia set out a rough time frame for a decision earlier this year by the end of March or early April. On Wednesday, he told reporters that the decision would be thought over and considered for as long as necessary, pointing towards after the Easter holidays for a decision.
“(The case team) has asked me for some more days, even weeks, because next week we have holidays for some people,” Almunia said. “Maybe after Easter we will have some more clear consideration.”
“We want to advance in our investigation but we want to advance on a solid basis, not because of a letter or some pressures,” he added, according to Reuters.
But with Google’s alleged misdemeanour hanging over the search giant’s head, a result cannot come soon enough.
In a nutshell, Google is accused of using its own search service to direct and guide users into subscribing or downloading its other services, and pushing down rivals’ competing services’ search results.
Microsoft, Expedia, and many others have complained to the European authorities.
Google will want to avoid a drawn out case like Microsoft’s antitrust trial, and will likely settle given the opportunity.
Read More

Distributors refuse to sell Raspberry Pi without CE mark

2012-03-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Have you been waiting patiently for your Raspberry Pi to turn up in the post? Me too. I was expecting to get it late last week, but a check on my order status shows it is on back order. But the reason for the delay isn’t just high demand anymore. The distributors of the tiny PC have thrown another problem into the mix: they are refusing to sell the device until it receives CE compliance.
Both RS Components and element14/Premier Farnell have decided to hold off on fulfilling orders until the Raspberry Pi has obtained CE marking. Having CE stamped on a product means the manufacturer guarantees it conforms to European Economic Area directives and legislation. It ensures the device can move freely throughout the European Union countries having met health, safety, and environmental protection requirements.
Read More

Google and Facebook Position Republican Insiders

2012-03-28T02:22:00.000-07:00

Summary: As SOPA fades Google and Facebook pick Republican veteran DC insiders and lobbyists for key positions in tech’s new political era.

While SOPA was being stopped by the free and open internet, few noticed that at the exact same time Google appointed a new DC insider to its Washington office: three-term Republican Congresswoman and lobbyist Susan Molinari.
In late February as SOPA protests attained the summit of changing public and political opinion, Molinari replaced Alan Davidson in the search engine giant’s Washington office - signifying a new era for Google’s relationship with Washington. Read More

from Cameron's Record-Setting Mariana Trench Dive Released

2012-03-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

James Cameron successfully completed his first, record-setting Marian Trench dive a few days ago, and now, National Geographic has released the first footage from the event. Simply put, "the landscape down there is about what one might expect at a point seven miles below the surface: desolate, dark, and vaguely reminiscent of the moon." Continue reading to watch.

At Challenger Deep--the deepest point in the Pacific's Mariana Trench -- Cameron's submersible actually compressed, and lost three inches in length, under the 16,000 pounds per square inch of pressure there. Needless to say, life at such depths is very different. Cameron describes what he saw as an 'alien world,' where creatures possess no pigment and many have no eyes.

[via PopSci] Continue Reading

3 Ways to Conquer Your Graymail

2012-03-28T01:33:00.000-07:00

There's nothing more tedious these days than having to sort through hundreds, if not thousands, of emails and checking them to see what is actually important. The solution could be Microsoft's new and highly efficient Hotmail web app. Continue reading to for our full overview of graymail.
What is graymail? Well, graymail is simply the email you signed up to recieve - deals, newsletters, updates, etc. -- that are now crowding up to 80% of your inbox. What can you do about it? Microsoft's all-new Hotmail web app enables you to conquer graymail in just 60-seconds.Continue Reading

For Nokia, it's do or die time with the Lumia 900.

2012-03-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

by Roger Cheng March 26, 2012 1:08 PM PDT
There are no second chances for the Finnish handset company, a former titan in the industry now seeking a comeback.

Nokia's Lumia 900

(Credit: Bonnie Cha/CNET) commentary Nokia got its wish and has its best shot to break back into the U.S. market.
So here's some friendly advice to a company that likely won't get another opportunity as good as this: don't blow it.
Not to pile on with more pressure, but the fate of Nokia's future, and possibly that of Windows Phone and Microsoft's ability to remain relevant in the mobile world, rests largely on how successful the Lumia 900 performs.
There are no excuses this time. Nokia has a large U.S. carrier partner in AT&T, which has promised to give the phone a major push, even more so than HTC, which is launching its 4G LTE-enabled Titan II on the same day. At $99.99 with a contract, the phone is among the best deals out there.
The phone launches on April 8, CNET reported earlier today.
If a blockbuster doesn't emerge, Nokia and Microsoft has got some serious problems. A failure could have some lasting consequences.
AT&T has been a strong supporter of Windows Phone, with more products than any other carrier. But its dedication to the platform won't last forever, and if the phone stumbles out of the gate, look for AT&T to offer discounts to dump its inventory. Read More

Google presses Play into navigation bar

2012-03-27T06:00:00.001-07:00

by Steven Musil March 26, 2012 6:58 PM PDT

Web giant adds a prominent button to its newly rebranded store combining apps, movies, music, and e-books.

Google adds Google Play to its navigation bar.

(Credit: Screen shot by Steven Musil/CNET) Google isn't playing around with Google Play.
A little more than two weeks after introducing the new source for movies, apps, music, and e-books, the Web giant has added Google Play to its black navigation bar, prominently sandwiching it between Maps and YouTube. And to make sure the new addition doesn't escape users' attention, Google has highlighted the new button with a bright red "NEW" tag alongside.
The new store, essentially a rebranded Android Market combined with Google Music and Google eBookstore, was unveiled earlier this month. Perhaps a tacit admission that Google's approach to digital content was fragmented, executives said at Google Play's debut that the new store is designed to break down the walls separating the company's disparate offerings. Read More...

Top 24 Tips for Making Your Self Confidence Soar

2012-03-26T03:53:00.001-07:00

by Henrik Edberg

What would you like to improve about yourself?

Although we may not want to admit it publicly I think a lot of us feel like we could use an improvement in self confidence.

Fortunately there are better advice out there than the often exclaimed “Just be more confident, man!” or “Have another beer!”.

There are actually quite a few practical tips you can use to raise your self confidence. Here are 24 of them.

As usual, with these tip-lists, don’t try it all at once. Just try a few suggestions and see which ones work best for you.

Some of them you’ll need to practise a bit before they start to pay off.

It’s like playing the guitar or soccer, it might not work too well the first or second time you try it.

And keep in mind that you have a choice. You can choose if you want to raise or lower your self confidence.

Many of these suggestions can only boost your confidence temporarily. But this can allow you to do something you may not have been able to do before. And as you do it you build a deeper confidence in yourself. And collect concrete proof that you can actually do and achieve a lot of things.

1. Ask yourself: What’s the worst that could happen?

It’s easy to get lost in a vague fear – or very improbable scenarios – of what might happen if you go through with something. When you really ask yourself what the worst thing that could happen you get a clearer picture, a bit of fear vanishes and you discover that the potential consequences are seldom as frightening as you first thought. By doing this you define the potential consequences and also discover that whatever the might happen you can manage and recover from it.

2. Use uplifting music.

A classic. Use inspiring and motivating music to pump up yourself before leaving for a night out, before a big test or meeting, before anything that might make your confidence unstable. This works pretty well as a temporary state-booster.

3. Try something new.

When you break out of your comfort zone and try something you haven’t before you not only challenge yourself. You expand your own limitations and your confidence in your own abilities, in how many things you can actually do. By trying something new on a continual basis you can also lessen your fears and live a life with less barriers and limitations.

4. Make a plan to do something. Then follow through.

This is probably one of the most important and effective ways to building lasting confidence. When you decide to do something and don’t back down but go through with it you get proof of your – often underestimated – capabilities and your confidence in yourself soars. If you need motivation to get going have a look at 25 Simple Ways to Motivate Yourself.

5. Use Guided Meditation.

I’ve already written a bit about guided meditations and their positive effect in One Very Simple Way to Feel Relaxed for 24 Hours and How to Move Beyond Being a Self-Help Junkie. I find that guided mediations such as Paraliminals are an excellent way to break out of negative emotional states and ease into more positive ones.

For feeling more confident for a few days I recommend trying the two Paraliminals called Self-Esteem Supercharger and Talking to Win. They are sold by The Learning Company for $29.95 each and there is a 30 day money back guarantee. You can also link to The Learning Company from your website and receive a free CD. If you want to try a free guided mediation right now have a look at the One Very Simple Way to Feel Relaxed for 24 Hours article.

Read all 24 Tips

What is Philosophy, Socrates

2011-07-01T04:49:00.003-07:00

Down Load Socrates PDF

TEN rules to manage your boss...

2011-05-02T00:45:00.001-07:00

The relationship with your boss is probably the most important relationship you have at work.
Boss management can stimulate better performance, improve your working life, job satisfaction, and workload. Give your boss a hand and reap the rewards.

When we think of managing someone, we usually think of managing our team members or subordinates. The above title appeared for the first time a few years ago in a Harvard Business Review article written by two well known socio-psychologists.
Their argument was that in modern companies, subordinates are not solely dependent on their bosses, but that today's complexity requires interdependence: the boss needs her team as well.
I have the vantage point of being an adviser to top management, a CEO, and now as Co-Director of the PED program at IMD. In addition, I have been involved in the restructuring of a major international company, which involves some 12,000 people and 12 hierarchical levels.
In order to unleash the energies and get closer to customers, we divided the group into 250 'small companies' of some 50 people each and of three hierarchical levels. To change the mindset, we organised a 20-day management seminar, during which we discussed the challenge of how to deal with bosses, who in the old structure, tended to hamper change.
The whole process forced me to crystallize my observations and previous experience and test them with the 250 managers. I have grouped the results into ten rules that try to answer some common questions asked by managers with respect to managing their bosses, with the aim of helping the relationship become more effective, foster faster decisions, better decisions and more trust.
1. Decisions: If you do not want a 'no' or procrastination, give him/her a hand
Your boss has other subordinates, other decisions to make. Thus, her (for simplicity, we use 'her' from now on in this article) best bet, if she is pressed for a decision, will be to say no. No, it is too risky; no, we do not have enough evidence; no, it is the wrong timing; no, it is off strategy, et cetera.

To avoid the 'no' that will ruin your and your team's enthusiasm, give her a hand.

Remind her of where you left it last time you met;
Remind her of the objective rather than rushing to the 'what' and 'how';
Remind her of past problems encountered because a decision was not made;
Quickly summarize the options considered, your criteria for selecting one option -- the one you are presenting;
Tell her what you expect from her: simply to inform, to decide jointly, to share the risk, to add one criterion, to re-examine the option;
Focus on the points where you need her help;
Be prepared with facts/data for potential disagreements. Help her out with graphics and visuals so that the situation is grasped faster;
After your meeting, summarize for her the decision in writing to make sure of the understanding;
And finally, once a decision has been made, your way, her way or no way, do not criticize it externally. You have become the best defender; the best ambassador of what was decided.

2. Manage her time: You may represent only 1% of her problems, don't make it as if it is 100%.
Yes, you have preoccupations, problems to solve and issues to tackle. However, while your time is entirely devoted to them, do not expect your boss's time to be also.

The more simple the problem or issue at hand is, the less time you should have her spend on it: prepare, summarize, and synthesize information and options. Do not confuse your more frequent problems with the most important ones.
Book her for several meetings in advance. Nothing is more frustrating than to have to wait days, weeks or months for that extra new meeting needed in order to finalize a decision or a project.

3. An opinion: If you ask for her opinion, she will always have one.
Rare are the bosses who, when asked for their advice or their decision, will use the psychological ping-pong approach of retuning the question to the person who asked.
And their opinion may not always be that of a genius or a visionary. However, once given, the opinion becomes a constraint: was it an order? So, if you don't want your boss's opinion to thwart your achievements, to slow the speed of decision-making, or cloud the viewpoint, then don't ask for it. Best of all, don't ask if you don't need her opinion.

Choose the right moment to avoid procrastination: not only save her time by focusing on big issues, but choose the right moment to do so. If you present an issue at the wrong moment, the chances are she will procrastinate.
Prepare for your meeting: first because the advantage is to the one who is prepared, second because the preparation helps you reduce the time taken to come to the central issue.
Show the forest before the trees in a discussion: if you want to avoid spending a lot of time on going back to basics before she is at full speed with you, start with the basics yourself. Remind her of the objective, where you stand today, and what you want her opinion on.

4. Information: It is not data.
Turn grapes into wine: you are supposed to analyze the results of a market survey, and not be the mailman who passes the thick document full of statistics to your boss. So be selective; be visual; group the data; bring out what is essential. Data overload creates stress, which in turn can create denial, rejection, and numbness. As a manager, you are paid to collect the grapes (data), and turn them into wine, i.e. useful information.

Don't give her only the bad news: give her also the good news. If you keep bringing only bad news, little by little you become the bad news yourself. Don't minimize good news, because you want to focus on the problems. By doing that you contribute to creating a bad atmosphere.
Make sure she does not get the information from others too often: sometimes by being shy about what we should give or because we think it is not relevant, we don't feed our boss with key elements. However, other people could do it before you. And then the hassle starts. "I heard that…", "Why didn't you tell me that…"
And then you need to justify yourself; you may need to modify incorrect information. The trade off is between too little information leading to starvation, frustration, and/or restlessness vs too much information leading to overload.
Round off: what helps more to give sense to an amount or a size: 886,262.11 or 890K? What makes the decision-making process faster: 79.27% vs 21.73% or simply 80% vs 20%. Look back at all the tables you sent to your boss in the last twelve months.
Participate in and contribute to her informal network: every manager, hopefully, does not rely solely for managing on formal information given in internal documents and reports. Some people use internal informal networks. Some others also have an informal outside network of experts, friends, business connections that help them shape their vision of the world and how to act. You have yours; your boss has too. Why not volunteer part of yours, so that you do not always have to react and be defensive about information fed by people you do not necessarily think are the best sources?

5. Problems: Don't just come with problems, come also with solutions.
Good bosses hate two kinds of behavior. The courtesan who always comes to tell you how great you are and the pyromaniac/fireman who comes to tell you "There is a huge problem" and then says "but don't worry, I will solve it!"
There is also a third kind, the monkey transferor. She has a problem and she puts it on your shoulders, rather than bringing a solution or at least some options.
Problems usually have several aspects. It is usually a gap between an objective and the result; there are options to close the gap; there is a choice of one option to be made; key tasks, dates, people and resources needed must be defined.
On which of those steps in problem solving do you want your boss's input? Just be clear on what input you want rather than come with the stressful -- "I have a problem…" and throw the monkey.
6. Assumptions: Do not assume she knows as much as you do, but assume she can understand; so educate her. Please help, you are the expert. You spend all of your time and that of your team on the issue. You live with data, pressure points and levers; your boss does not. She does not know more than you do.
Most senior executives are even dangerous when they get involved in making micro-decisions, as their point of reference is often not the current one but rather the situation they knew when they were junior managers.
If you need her perspective, it is because it is broader; she has a better sense for inter-relationships with other parts of the organisation. You have two options.

You inundate her with technical stuff she does not understand, hoping that the amount of technical jargon will knock her down and force her to agree with you. It may work, but it may become a barrier in communication leading to lack of trust.
You educate him by simplifying, using easy to understand language, feeding him with articles, examples, best practices, summaries that help him see a perspective. By creating understanding, you relieve tensions; create trust that can lead to better decision-making.

7. Delegations: Constantly test the waters.
It is not always easy to define ex ante what is delegated to a person. Some companies prefer to use the principle of subsidiary rather than the principle of delegation: the principle of subsidiary stipulates that you can do everything except the following list, whereas in the principle of delegation you stipulate, "you cannot do anything except…"
Whichever is used, there will always be some doubt whether you have or do not have the delegation. You have two options: either you play it safe by always asking your boss's opinion. This can lead to paralysis, bottlenecks and your own demise, as your boss will think you are unable to take responsibility.
Or you assume too much, take decisions and learn after the fact that it was not yours to decide. In between, there is the 'test the waters' strategy especially for things or areas, domains or steps that are unprecedented.
8. Promises: Do not promise what you cannot deliver, and avoid surprises, trust is at stake.
Trust does not develop overnight and depends a lot on the predictability of the other person: what she says and does, how often she is living up to or not living up to her statements. In the same way, you will not fully trust your boss if she changes her mind too often or says things contrary to what you were told the last time.
You also want to avoid being seen as unreliable by not delivering on what you promise or surprising her with bad news without forewarning.
Do not promise dates for finishing projects you cannot handle. If you see that too much is asked of you, sit down and re-discuss priorities before proceeding, rather than becoming yourself a bottleneck. Involve your boss in the process, so it becomes a common priority.
Avoid bad surprises. If your job is to be in charge of a particular area, then it is also to be in charge of bad results and improving them.
Involve your boss in discussing and evaluating the risks, agreeing on key lead indicators that you will both share, so that neither you nor he will be surprised. For instance, whereas sales are not a good lead indicator, future orders or bookings can be. Cash in the bank is not, whereas good cash flow three months in advance is.
9. Differences: Manage differences in culture.
Sometimes at IMD we use a questionnaire called the Power Map to help participants identify their own culture (i.e. values they cherish, leading to certain behaviors), to identify other executives' profiles and discuss consequences on communication and leadership in a team.
To simplify, the four main types of profiles that our survey identified are:

People who like to 'control things' and introduce processes, develop more the 'now';
People who are more concerned with people, develop more the impact on people;
People who are more concerned with getting things done, start with key actions;
People who are more concerned with ideas, frame proposals in concepts.

Of course, in managing your boss you should know her personal inclination, as well as your personal bias. If you are process oriented, you will tend to present issues in a systematic and orderly fashion, with pros and cons, chronology of tasks, etc.
If your boss is the action type, she could be bored. So in that case an executive summary, emphasizing the key actions and results would be a handy starting point.
10. Trust: Don't be sloppy in your documentation. It undermines trust.
By making the assumption that she will check what we write or say anyway, and that she will make changes, we sometimes tend to be sloppy in our writing. Tables are not finished, text is not re-read, places we are going to are not visited beforehand, spelling is not checked, and information is missing...
By not finalizing your facts, arguments, memos, spelling, supporting documents, etc., you can be sure some things will get changed, mistakes corrected. And soon you will be asked to show more facts and figures, and you will see more changes, more amendments. Soon all the delegation you had will be gone.
Conclusion
Better work between a boss and his subordinate is not just a matter of leadership. It also has to do with boss 'management', which can stimulate better performance, faster decision making and accomplishment of more … by both parties.
Jacques Horovitz is Professor of Service Strategy, Service Marketing & Service Management at IMD, one of the world's leading business schools.

Make Your Skin Look Good

2011-05-02T00:36:00.000-07:00

To make your skin look good, it takes eating right, along with taking the right supplements. You want to avoid dry and itchy skin and to improve the overall look of your skin as well. I've tried these tips and have notice significant improvement in the complexion of my skin. This is for both men and women, just general ways to improve your look.

Instructions

Virgin Coconut Oil
Omega-3
Vitamin E
cleansing milk
proactive skin products

- 1
  
  Eat healthier. More importantly, eat lots of fruits. Fruits are extremely healthy and gives you a much healthier look in your skin tone. There's a lot of antioxidants in fruits, that is extremely healthy for the skin.
- 2
  
  Take proper supplements. Omega-3 will improve the complexion of your skin, as well as vitamin e. It's important to get all the vitamins in you, like A, B, C and D. You can get that by eating the proper kinds of foods, as long as taking the vitamins. Vitamin E removes wrinkles and improves the skin texture. So it's a good anti-aging supplement.
- 3
  
  Drink a lot of water. Water will REALLY improve your overall look of your skin, trust me. See how simple it can be to improve your look? Drink 8-10 glasses a day.
- 4
  
  Wash your face with cold water. I'll send you a link on improving your face, that involves this. Everyday, wash your face with really cold water.
- 5
  
  Put virgin coconut oil on your skin. After you get out of the shower, rub virgin coconut oil all over your body. Will help prevent dry skin and give a much healthy look and complexion.
- 6
  
  Treating acne. One way to avoid acne, is not drink a lot of pop. Drink more juices. Also Virgin Coconut Oil will remove pimples as well. I used to use proactive when I was a teen, and that's the best products that I've found in treating acne.
- 7
  
  Protect your skin from sun rays. This will help avoid anti-aging. Sun screen helps with this obviously. If you're out in the sun a lot, put some on. Especially if you're part Irish like me. :)
- 8
  
  Use skin cleansing milk. Wash your face with it. This extremely good for those who have sensitive skin.

What is Lorem Ipsum

2011-04-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

Most of you must have seen a dummy text block starting with the words ‘Lorem ipsum‘ in many blog theme demo sites (e.g. WP ThemeDesigner demo). Have you ever wondered what exactly Lorem Ipsum is?

Lorem Ipsum

Contrary to the common belief, Lorem ipsum is not exactly related to blog themes or web content alone. In fact, the history of ’standardized’ lorem ipsum goes back to the 16th century where print setting on traditional printers had to be done with some filler text. What some of the smart people did then was to take some Latin literature, omit certain words or even letters from some Latin words and add new letters to form completely junk text that did not make any sense. So basically Lorem ipsum means some non-sense text that does not have any contextual meaning.

It seems, some form of junk text was already in use even before the standard usage of Lorem ipsum came into practice. Remember that the Chinese invented the printing machine in 6th century and there is no reason why they wouldn’t have used ‘junk text’ then for type setting.

Common usage of Lorem ipsum and why junk text?

In publishing and graphics industry, Lorem ipsum is widely used to demonstrate the fonts, layout and other visual aspects of a document. The idea behind using the junk text is to make the consumer feel the quality, type face, size, color and other artefacts of the printed material rather than get him distracted by any readable material. Properly generated Lorem ipsum also guarantees normal distribution of text in a layout.
On the web, Lorem ipsum is used for demo sites, blog themes, test sites etc.

Where can you get Lorem ipsum?

There are several lorem ipsum generators available on the web (e.g lipsum generator). There are also several free downloadable software such as the one I found in Google code repository

The Good Exercise for Diabetes

2011-04-29T02:08:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that exercise is key to controlling type 2 diabetes — and many doctors already urge their diabetic patients to get active. But it's a vague directive: How much exercise is enough? How often? And what kind? The simple answer is that any is better than none — in sum, that's what a new study published in the Sept. 18 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found. But it also found that not all exercise is created equal and that the combination of aerobic exercise and weight training is significantly better for controlling blood sugar than either alone.
The elegantly designed study, led by researchers at the University of Calgary and the University of Ottawa, involved 251 patients aged 39 to 70, with type 2 diabetes. The patients, none of whom were regular exercisers, were randomized to one of four groups: aerobic exercise, resistance training, a combination of both, or none. For 22 weeks, the aerobic group worked out for 45 minutes three times a week on the treadmill or stationary bicycle; the resistance-training group spent an equal amount of time on weight machines. The combination group was at the gym twice as long as the other two exercise groups, doing the full aerobic plus weight-training regimens. "We built up gradually to 45 minutes, but it's certainly vigorous," says Dr. Ronald Sigal, lead author of the study and associate professor of medicine and cardiac sciences at the University of Calgary. "It's not sprinting or maximal exercise like a marathon trainer would do, but for someone who's middle-aged and older and very overweight, it's fairly strenuous."
Overall, researchers saw improvements in blood-sugar control in all the patients who worked out. Compared with controls, patients in the aerobic group had a reduction of .51% in their hemoglobin A1C values — a test that measures blood-sugar control over the previous two to three months (lower is better). The weight-training group had a .38% reduction compared with controls. But the combined exercise group showed further improvements: in those patients, the A1C values went down an additional .46% over the aerobic group, and .59% over the weight-training group. Compared to controls, the combo exercisers had a nearly 1% lower A1C reading.
The benefits of a 1% drop aren't small, and they go beyond blood-sugar control: That reduction translates to a 15% to 20% decrease in heart attack and stroke risk and a 25% to 40% lower risk of diabetes-related eye or kidney disease. "To envision the importance of exercise, imagine an inexpensive pill that could decrease the hemoglobin A1C value by 1 percentage point," write Dr. William Kraus of Duke University Medical Center and Dr. Benjamin Levine of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, in an accompanying editorial. "Diabetes experts would be quick to incorporate this pill into practice guidelines and performance measures for diabetes."
Across all three exercise groups, data suggested that working out could improve blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in people with diabetes; however, there was no significant difference in the changes among the groups. Exercising also led to modest weight loss — even though patients were put on diets specifically designed to maintain weight — and a reduction in belly fat. What's more, CT scans of patients' muscles suggested that exercise could improve their internal structure and function. "So, even if you're not losing weight, don't get discouraged just because of that," says Sigal. "There's still additional value [of exercise] independent of weight loss."
Until a few years ago, says Sigal, American Diabetes Association guidelines recommended against weight training for diabetic people, particularly for older and longtime patients, "out of a fear that blood pressure may go too high and may cause problems — strokes or some kind of acute event — during exercise... That wasn't based on any real evidence." Today, the Association advises patients to exercise 30 minutes a day at least five days a week, and recommends routines similar to the ones Sigal studied: aerobic workouts (such as walking, swimming, biking), with weight training (with weights or bands) and practice in flexibility (gentle stretching to reduce the risk of exercise-related injuries). But before you hit the gym for the first time, Sigal cautions, see your doctor — particularly if you're overweight, middle-aged or older, or have any other health issues, like smoking, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. You should get a stress test and make sure you create a safe workout program geared to your abilities.
Sigal is currently studying the benefits of exercise in insulin-dependent patients with type 1 diabetes. Next year, he plans to launch another study on exercise and type 2 diabetes — to find a way to get "people into the gym and, perhaps more importantly, get them to continue doing it once they've started."

The Diabetic Exercise

2011-04-29T02:00:00.000-07:00

Why is Exercise very important for Diabetics?
People who suffer from either type of Diabetes, Type I or Type II (or non-insulin dependent), can benefit from regular exercise. However, we will focus on Type II Diabetes as it is the most common form, accounting for over 90% of all Diabetes cases. This form of Diabetes usually develops later in life when cells of the body become insulin resistant. As a result, it becomes harder for the body to regulate blood sugar levels. The three most important tools used to control Diabetes are diet, exercise, and medication. All these must be incorporated into the lifestyle of the diabetic. Healthy eating and /or taking medication alone will not successfully control blood sugar levels. Regular exercise is equally if not more important.

How can exercise affect the blood-sugar level in the body?
During and for several hours after exercise, extra energy is expended by the body. As a result, excess sugar is removed from the blood, and blood sugar levels are reduced. This effect can last as long as 18 to 24 hours after an exercise session.

What is the relationship between exercise, diabetes and being over weight?
Being overweight often results in the body's cells becoming resistant to insulin. Regular exercise helps people reach and maintain a healthy body weight. If healthy habits are not practiced, this resistance can lead to further weight gain. A dangerous cycle quickly develops which, if not broken, often leads to Type II Diabetes as well as several other health problems. Combining regular exercise with a healthy diet not only helps to control Type II Diabetes, but can also help to prevent it from ever developing.

How can exercise help the heart?
Exercise plays a role in delaying or preventing the onset of large blood vessel and heart disease, the leading killer of people with Diabetes. Aerobic exercise helps to strengthen the heart and burn fat. A build-up of fat around the heart and within major arteries often results in large blood vessel and/or heart disease, both of which can lead to a heart attack. By exercising regularly, 3-4 times a week, the development of these diseases can be slowed or even prevented.

What type of exercises can be recommended for the diabetic?
Any physical activity that raises the heart rate for twenty to thirty minutes and is performed on a regular basis will bring about health benefits. However, walking seems to be the most convenient, safe and beneficial exercise for the majority of people. Depending on a person's abilities, several other activities will burn calories and bring about health benefits. These activities include: gardening, swimming, stationary bicycle riding, and resistance training to strengthen muscles. However, be sure to consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.

As a diabetic, are there any special steps one should take before beginning an exercise program?
Yes! Diabetics have special needs and concerns that should be
addressed before beginning any type of exercise program.

Talk with a Doctor-
Be sure to describe in detail the type of activity you plan on doing including such information as how long the activity will last and how often you will be doing it.

Take care of your feet-
Talk with your physician about how to prevent and treat any sort of injury to your legs or feet. As a diabetic, the circulation in your extremities, especially the legs, is reduced. Therefore, a diabetic is more prone to infection and injury of the feet and legs. This should not prevent you from beginning an exercise program, but it is an important fact to always keep in mind.

Always carry some identification-
In case of an emergency, be sure to always wear or carry something that identifies you as a diabetic, especially when exercising.

Carry a Carbohydrate-
While exercising, it is possible, even with non-diabetics, for blood sugar levels to drop too low. That is why it is a good idea to carry some type of carbohydrate that can easily be absorbed by the body. For eg. a cup of orange juice. If you feel your blood sugar has become too low, stop exercising and eat a snack.

Test your blood sugar level
You should get into the habit of testing your blood sugar level regularly.

Do not exercise under stress-
Avoid exercising when your body is under stress, physical or mental, as blood glucose levels can be irregular during these times

Exercise with a friend
Exercising with a friend helps to motivate and protect you. Should an emergency situation develop, it is a good idea to have a friend with you who understands your special needs as a diabetic. If you don't have a friend to workout with, avoid exercising in isolated areas. Try to limit your workout to places where people are around and able to help you in case of an emergency (health clubs, parks, or your neighborhood).

It is important for diabetics to keep their abilities as well as limitations in mind when designing an exercise program. The few special steps that diabetics must take before exercising should not outweigh the crucial benefits they receive from exercise. By incorporating a healthy diet, proper medication, and especially regular exercise into their lifestyle, diabetics can live each day to the fullest.

A Primer on Pregnancy Skin Care

2011-04-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

by Ricey Clapp

A woman’s body undergoes profound changes during pregnancy, delivery and the post-partum period. Hormonal changes early-on signal all systems to respond and adapt in an on-going process of accommodation over the approximate 40 weeks of gestation and beyond. The skin in particular has to make major adjustments to an expanding abdomen and preparation for delivery. Women’s skin can reflect the high levels of estrogen and progesterone by becoming more reactive, oily or dry. Due to the increased amounts of melanocyte-stimulating hormone areas of hyperpigmentation develop, including the face, referred to as melasma or the “mask of pregnancy.” Thyroid activity increases, which may be associated with decreased sebaceous activity of the skin, while sweat gland activity increases, with disorders such as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) or miliaria (heat rash) more common. Due to rapid stretching of the skin’s deeper connective tissue layers, and also the likely effect of hormone-related stimulation of fibroblast activity on collagen, up to 90% of women develop striae, commonly known as “stretch marks.” With the increased capillary activity that is a part of the expanded vascular volume of pregnancy, skin becomes more sensitive and permeable, resulting in greater vulnerability to environmental influences. Our bodies, to some degree, absorb systemically what is applied to the skin.

Small lipo-soluble molecules, such as essential oils, a host of other non-toxic as well as toxic agents, are absorbed via our sweat or sebaceous ducts, enter the superficial capillaries then make their way into our systemic circulation. With the widely acknowledged toxic levels of pesticides, heavy metals, and innumerable other chemical residues detectable in all of us, it is especially important for expectant women to consider the ways in which they can minimize their own, and subsequently, their baby’s exposure.

It is a disheartening fact that at least 200 toxic chemical residues are routinely found in the cord blood of newborns and the breastmilk of women. Therefore, it is prudent to scrutinize what products and ingredients are applied to the skin, their manufacture, and even the container in which they are sold in. Botanical extracts, nut and seed oils are concentrated preparations for use in body care products, especially those being sold as “natural.” If they are not organically certified, they can contain undesirable levels of pesticides and other contaminates from their cultivation and production.

Wise consumers are increasingly choosing organic-labeled products. However, it is important to select products that are certified organic or biodynamic by a reputable certifying agency. For example, Demeter is a widely acknowledged worldwide certifying agency for biodynamic consumer food and products. Biodynamic agriculture is a comprehensive and exacting form of cultivation, superseding organic standards. For more information see www.biodynamics.com and www.organicconsumers.org. Products should be in glass or plastic containers that are phthalate-free. Many mass-produced products are sold in plastic containers containing phthalates, a plasticizing or softening agent, which have been shown in some studies to be endocrine disruptors, associated in particular with congenital defects in male infants. Phthalates are also an ingredient in perfume, nail polish, shampoos, skin moisturizers, toys, baby pacifiers as well as hundreds of other consumer products. See www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov.

It is wise to always seek out organic foods. What our bodies’ are unable to breakdown and excrete are stored in the liver or adipose tissues. This is also true of larger or fatty fish, which is why the EPA/FDA has circulated public health alerts and guidelines regarding the amounts and types of fish and shellfish that may be relatively safely consumed by pregnant and nursing women as well as young children. See www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice. Because our skin also “eats” we should be as careful about selection of personal care products we apply to our bodies as the nutritious food we seek for our whole health.

Get rid of your Pimple Acne Problem in 3 days

2011-04-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

LookBeauty.com often receive requests to offer advise on curing the Acne and pimples in a day. Some even wanted the acne go away in a minute.
Unfortunately there is no natural remedy that help to get rid of acne in a day or two. Natural remedies takes up to 2 weeks to start curing the pimples from face. Mostly it is based on natural remedy you have selected as well as your skin type.

Is there a way to get rid of Acne and Pimples faster?

The best solution would be trying the pimples free in 3 days , to clear the pimples and acne from skin. Once pimples are completely off from the face, you can start applying the natural pimple remedies mentioned in lookbeauty.com. That way you can naturally protect your skin from pimples permanently.

Best way to Cure Acne Pimples Faster in 3 days

Acne day cream using aloe vera
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How to Make a Herbal Moisturizer for Dry Skin

2011-04-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

Dry Skin needs constant herbal beauty care to prevent the itching and skin inflammation. To avoid such skin tribulations one can prepare herbal skin moisturizer at home that is apt for dry skin.

Herbal moisturizing="" beauty="" care="" dry="" skin="" aims="" for="">nourishing the skin so as to keep the skin dryness away. The regular application of this moisturizer shall ensure that the skin never gets cracked or chapped. It can be used for the entire year with little variations in the quantity used in accordance to the weather conditions. For instance in winters the need for moisturizer is more when compared in summers.

Ingredients Required for Making Dry Skin Herbal Moisturizer
The main purpose behind applying moisturizer is to minimize the skin dryness hence the ingredients used for preparing the herbal skin moisturizer for dry skin consists of natural oil in it.

Cocoa Butter: 1 Oz (28.3 grams)
Almond Oil: 4 Oz (113.2 grams)
Orange Peel Oil: 1 Oz (28.3 grams)
Orange Peel is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory in nature. Scientifically it is known as Citrus aurantium var. dulcis and C. aurantium var. sinensis

Coconut Oil is ideal for curing the skin dryness. Cocos nucifera is its scientific name.

Rose Oil acts as a stimulant and antiseptic rub for the dry and irritant skin along with regular moisturizing and hydrating source. It is extracted from the plant scientifically known as Rosa Damscena.

How to Prepare the Dry Skin Herbal Moisturizer
First and foremost melt the cocoa butter in a double boiler. Once it is melted add almond oil and turn off the gas burner. Stir it well. Next add orange peel oil drop by drop. Ensure to continuously stir the mixture while adding the orange peel oil. Then allow the temperature of the mixture to come down to the room temperature. Later add coconut and rose oil drops and mix it well. Collect this solution in a dark bottle and use as required. Keep the bottle away from the sunlight.

Apply Herbal Moisturizer on the Dry Skin
To begin with first clean the skin. Then take the moisturizer and rub it gently between the palms. Next apply it on the skin and merge it on the skin so that it is absorbed well. No need to massage it on the skin.

When to Use the Herbal Moisturizer
It can be used any time in the day. Ensure to take the quantity of the moisturizer that is easily absorbed well in the skin without making the top skin surface greasy and sticky.

If you are suffering from the white patchy skin then do not worry. Use this herbal moisturizer for dry skin and bid goodbye to the skin dryness!

Beauty Tips

2011-04-28T23:17:00.000-07:00

1. Easy & Quick Solution to Dandruff

Dissolve 2 aspirins in any dandruff shampoo and then wash your hair. Results are amazing dandruff.

2. Make Your Own Herbal Hair Oil

(For dandruff & strong hair)

Take a bunch of mehendi leaves along with amla pieces (either fresh or dried ones which have been soaked overnight).
Grind these coarsely together.
Now take about 150 ml of coconut oil in a cooking vessel (kadai) and add the paste to it.
Simmer on low flame till all moisture evaporates.
Cool and strain use regularly.
Keeps dandruff away and also makes hair roots strong.

3. For a Glowing Face

Make a paste of 2 table spoons of cream (malai), 1½ table spoons of Ata (wheat flour ) and few drops of lime juice. Daily apply this paste on your face for 5 minutes, then remove it and wash.

[Note : For oily skin use besan (gram flour) instead of Ata.]

Try to think positive, take proper sleep and drink lots of water certainly no one can look more charming.

4. For Chicken Pox Marks

Kachha doodh with chiraunji (bheegi hui) mix it well and make a paste, apply it on chicken pox marks, they will disappear in few days.

5. For Best Hair

Massage hair with warm coconut oil an hour before washing. Take some petals of hibiscus and grind it in the mixer. Apply this paste to your hair and then rinse it. For better result you can boil a few hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Filter this oil and use it to control hair loss and thinning, you can also use Jaborandi oil which is again an extract of hibiscus flower.

6. Tomato Wrap

Make a puree of 4 tomatoes. Soak some rice for 30 minutes and grind it coarsely. Add this to the pureed tomatoes. Apply this mixture all over the body and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Bathe with warm water; this is a good scrub recipe for oily skin.

7. Hair Care

Problem: Excessive hair loss or getting early grey hairs.

Remedy: Soak some methi seeds in night and in the morning make the paste of the seeds and apply it to your scalp. After 1½ - 2 hrs rinse it with plane water. This will strengthen your hair and make them dark and shiny.

8. Skin care

Problem: If your face is dry and rough.

Remedy: Take equal amount each of Melon, Pumpkin, Cucumber and Watermelon and make a paste of these. Then blend it with milk cream and apply it on your. After 1 hr rinse your face with plane water.

Problem: Sunburn.

Remedy: Mix 1 teaspoon of Besan with 2 teaspoon of curd and apply it on your face. Let it remain on the face for ½ hrs. Rinse with plane water. Helps in curing sunburns.

9. Skin Tips

Improve your complexion

Mix equal amounts of Cucumber juice and Lime juice and apply them to your face before taking bath; wait for at least 10 mins. Your complexion will improve.

10. Household Tips for your skins– Using Tomatoes

Tomatoes are Anti-Oxidant hence including tomatoes in your daily diet will make your skin Wrinkle Free. And using the paste of one day old curd with a tomato and applying it to your skin soft. Also, if you skin is oily then applying the its pulp on your face for 15 min. then rinse your face with warm water. This will absorb extra oil from your skin and improve your complexion.

11. Beauty Tips

a. After the Mehendi dries, remove it and apply some Vicks Rub on your hands, let it be there for 5-6 hours. The color of your Mehendi will darken.

b. Remedy: Mix 1 teaspoon of Besan with 2 teaspoon of curd and apply it on your face. Let it remain on the face for ½ hrs. Rinse with plane water. Helps us during sunburns.

c. After removing the skin of the Cucumber and making a paste of the cucumber with raw milk and applying it on your skin will improve your complexion.

Heart Healthy Diet Tips

2011-04-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

Eating to Prevent Heart Disease and Boost Heart Health

Weight control and regular exercise are critical for keeping your heart in shape—but the food you eat may matter just as much. Experts say that eating a heart-healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke by 80%. With heart disease still the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, this is important—and heartening—news.
By understanding how your food choices impact the health of your heart, you may be able to prevent or manage heart disease and high blood pressure. Learn which foods and methods of cooking are healthiest for your heart, and you can take greater control over the quality and length of your life.

You can take steps to prevent heart disease

Heart disease may be the leading killer of men and women, but that doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself. In addition to exercise, being careful about what you eat—and what you don’t eat—can help you lower cholesterol, control blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and maintain a healthy weight. If you’ve already been diagnosed with heart disease or have high cholesterol or blood pressure, a heart-smart diet can help you better manage these conditions, lowering your risk for heart attack.
Improving your diet is an important step toward preventing heart disease, but you may feel unsure where to begin. Take a look at the big picture: your overall eating patterns are more important than obsessing over individual foods. No single food can make you magically healthy, so your goal can be to incorporate a variety of healthy foods cooked in healthy ways into your diet, and make these habits your new lifestyle.

Eat More	Eat Less
Healthy fats: raw nuts, olive oil, fish oils, flax seeds, or avocados	Trans fats from partially hydrogenated or deep-fried foods; saturated fats from whole-fat dairy or red meat
Nutrients: colorful fruits and vegetables—fresh, frozen, or canned, prepared without butter	Packaged foods of any kind, especially those high in sodium
Fiber: cereals, breads, and pasta made from whole grains or legumes	White or egg breads, granola-type cereals, refined pastas or rice
Omega 3 and protein: fish and shellfish, poultry	Red meat, bacon, sausage, fried chicken
Calcium and protein: Egg whites, egg substitutes, skim or 1% milk, low-fat or nonfat cheeses or yogurt	Egg yolks, whole or 2 percent milk, whole milk products like cheese or yogurt

Heart healthy diet tips: Cut out saturated and trans fats

Of all the possible improvements you can make to your diet, limiting saturated fats and cutting out trans fats entirely is perhaps the most important. Both types of fat raise your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol level, which can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. Luckily, there are many ways to control how much saturated and trans fats you take in. Keep these culprits in mind as you cook and make food choices—and learn how to avoid them.

Limit solid fat. Reduce the amount of solid fats like butter, margarine, or shortening you add to food when cooking or serving. Instead of cooking with butter, for example, flavor your dishes with herbs or lemon juice. You can also limit solid fat by trimming fat off your meat or choosing leaner proteins.
Substitute. Swap out high-fat foods for their lower-fat counterparts. Top your baked potato, for example, with salsa or low-fat yogurt rather than butter, or use low-sugar fruit spread on your toast instead of margarine. When cooking, use liquid oils like canola, olive, safflower, or sunflower, and substitute two egg whites for one whole egg in a recipe.
Be label-savvy. Check food labels on any prepared foods. Many snacks, even those labeled "reduced fat,” may be made with oils containing trans fats. One clue that a food has some trans fat is the phrase "partially hydrogenated.” And look for hidden fat; refried beans may contain lard, or breakfast cereals may have significant amounts of fat.
Change your habits. The best way to avoid saturated or trans fats is to change your lifestyle practices. Instead of chips, snack on fruit or vegetables. Challenge yourself to cook with a limited amount of butter. At restaurants, ask that sauces or dressings be put on the side—or left off altogether.

Not all fats are bad for your heart

While saturated and trans fats are roadblocks to a healthy heart, unsaturated fats are essential for good health. You just have to know the difference. ìGoodî fats include:

Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Fatty fish like salmon, trout or herring and flaxseed, canola oil or walnuts all contain polyunsaturated fats that are vital for the body.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids. Vegetable oils, soy nuts, and many types of seeds all contain healthy fats.
Monounsaturated fats. Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, and butters made from these nuts, as well as avocadoes, are all great sources of “good” fat.

Heart healthy diet tips: Choose foods that lower cholesterol

Unhealthy cholesterol levels increase your risk for heart disease, so keeping yours low is key to a healthier heart. Your diet is central to controlling your cholesterol. Some foods can actually lower your cholesterol, while others only make matters worse. You can learn what to incorporate into your heart-healthy diet—and what to avoid.

Avoid saturated or trans fats. Foods containing high levels of saturated fats or trans fats—such as potato chips and packaged cookies—can boost cholesterol levels in your body much more significantly than cholesterol- containing foods such as eggs. Saturated fat and trans fat both increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Even worse, trans fat lowers your levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Make smart choices. Choose foods rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, and protein. Fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds are all great cholesterol regulators. The best foods known for lowering cholesterol are oatmeal, fish, walnuts (and other nuts), olive oil, and foods fortified with sterols or stanols—substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Remember that labels can be deceiving. It can be complicated to navigate labels, since packaged foods with labels like “cholesterol free” or “low cholesterol” aren’t necessarily heart-healthy; they might even contain cholesterol that’s heart-risky. And stick to basics whenever possible: fruit, veggies, nuts, and lean proteins.

Lowering your cholesterol with fish or fish oil supplements

By adding fish like salmon or herring to your diet twice a week, you can significantly lower your cholesterol, and thus your risk for heart attack. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which work like superheroes, doing good deeds for your heart—and your whole body.

Heart healthy diet tips: Steer clear of salt and processed foods

Eating a lot of salt can contribute to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Reducing the salt in your food is a big part of a heart-healthy diet. The American Heart Association recommends no more than about a teaspoon of salt a day for an adult. That may sound alarmingly small, but there are actually many painless—even delicious—ways to reduce your sodium intake.

Reduce canned or processed foods. Much of the salt you eat comes from canned or processed foods like soups or frozen dinners—even poultry or other meats often have salt added during processing. Eating fresh foods, looking for unsalted meats, and making your own soups or stews can dramatically reduce your sodium intake.
Cook for control, using spices for flavor. There is a whole world of creative and delicious alternatives to salt. Try fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or chives. In the dried spices aisle, you can find alternatives like allspice, bay leaves, or cumin to flavor your meal without sodium.
Substitute reduced sodium versions, or salt substitutes. Choose your condiments and packaged foods carefully, looking for foods labeled sodium free, low sodium, or unsalted. Better yet, use fresh ingredients and cook without salt.

The DASH diet for lowering blood pressure

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet, is a specially designed eating plan to help you lower your blood pressure, which is a major cause of hypertension and stroke. To learn more, download Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH, an information-packed booklet from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Heart healthy diet tips: Rekindle home cooking

It’s very difficult to eat right for your heart when you’re eating out a lot, ordering in, or eating microwave dinners and other processed foods. The good news is that you can learn to make quick, heart healthy meals at home. It’s easier and less time-consuming than you may think.

Heart-healthy grocery shopping and stocking

Creating a heart-friendly diet starts with stocking your fridge with healthy and accessible foods. Prepare a list before you head to the store or farmer’s market, and leave a little time after your trip to set yourself up for success during the week.

Look at labels. While perusing the aisles of your grocery, look for foods displaying the American Heart Association's heart-check mark to spot heart-healthy foods. This logo means that the food has been certified to meet the American Heart Association's criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol.
Make healthy substitutions. Choose substitutions like 1% milk instead of whole, soft margarine for butter, and lean meats like chicken and fish in place of ribs or ground meat. These substitutions can save you an entire day’s worth of saturated fat.
Make foods ready-to-eat. When healthy food is made easy to grab during your busy week, you’re more likely to stay heart-healthy. When you come home from grocery shopping, cut up vegetables and fruits and store them in the fridge, ready for the next meal or when you are looking for a ready-to-eat snack.
Use your freezer. Make healthy eating easier by freezing good-for-you foods in portions. Freeze fruits such as bananas, grapes and orange slices to make them more fun to eat for children. Be careful with portion sizes: the recommended serving of cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards, while a serving of pasta should be about the size of a baseball.

Heart-healthy cooking tips

When you prepare and cook meals at home, you have better control over the nutritional content and the overall healthfulness of the foods you eat. An added bonus: you can also save money.

Create a library of heart-healthy recipes. Stock up on heart-healthy cookbooks and recipes for cooking ideas. The internet is full of food blogs and websites devoted to healthy cooking methods and recipes, and the library can be a great source for cookbooks as well.
Use heart-healthy cooking methods. Just as important as picking healthy foods at the grocery store is how you cook those foods into healthy meals. Use low-fat methods: you can bake, broil, microwave, roast, steam, poach, lightly stir fry or sauté—using a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, reduced sodium broth, and spices.
Cook just twice a week and make food for the whole week. When you’re cooking healthful meals, make extra helpings. Store as meals in reusable containers—or directly on plates—for easy reheating and ready-to-eat food the rest of the week. Cooking healthy food ahead this way is perhaps the most time-saving, money-saving, and heart-saving strategy out there.

Heart of the Matter: Healthy Recipes Can Save Money

With a few simple tricks in the kitchen, you can transform your favorite foods and recipes into healthier fare. And healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive. Learn to plan your shopping and meals in order to stretch your food dollars.
Read: Healthy Recipes and Healthy Eating on a Budget

Heart healthy diet tips: Focus on high-fiber foods

A diet high in fiber can lower “bad” cholesterol and provide nutrients that can help protect against heart disease. By filling up on whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, you can get most of the fiber you'll need, which means you'll also be lowering your risk of heart disease.

Go for whole grains

Refined or processed foods are lower in fiber content, so make whole grains an integral part of your diet. There are many simple ways to add whole grains to your meals.

Breakfast better. For breakfast choose a high-fiber breakfast cereal—one with five or more grams of fiber per serving. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
Try a new grain. Experiment with brown rice, wild rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta, and bulgur. These alternatives are higher in fiber than their more mainstream counterparts—and you may find you love their tastes.
Bulk up your baking. When baking at home, substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour, since whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. Try adding crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to muffins, cakes and cookies.
Add flaxseed. Flaxseeds are small brown seeds that are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower your total blood cholesterol. You can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor and stir a teaspoon of them into yogurt, applesauce or hot cereal.

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, making them heart healthy. You can use some of the following strategies to make eating fruits and veggies part of your diet every day.

Keep fruit and vegetables at your fingertips. Wash and cut fruit and veggies and put them in your refrigerator for quick and healthy snacks. Choose recipes that feature these high-fiber ingredients, like veggie stir-fries or fruit salad.
Incorporate veggies into your cooking. Add pre-cut fresh or frozen vegetables to soups and sauces. For example, mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce or toss fresh baby carrots into stews.
Don’t leave out the legumes. Legumes are fiber-rich, too. Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad.
Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and whole-grain crackers are all good choices for adding fiber at snack time. An occasional handful of nuts is also a healthy, high-fiber snack.

Heart healthy diet tips: Control portion size—and your weight

Gaining or carrying excess weight means that your heart must work harder, and this often leads to high blood pressure—a major cause of heart disease. Achieving a healthy body weight is key to reducing your risk of heart disease. Reducing portion sizes is a crucial step toward losing or maintaining a healthy weight. Try the following tactics to control your portion sizes:

Understand serving sizes. A serving size is a specific amount of food, defined by common measurements such as cups, ounces or pieces—and a healthy serving size may be a lot smaller than you’re used to. The recommended serving size for pasta is ½ cup, while a serving of meat, fish, or chicken is 2 to 3 ounces. Judging serving size is a learned skill, so you may need to use measuring cups, spoons, and a food scale to help.
Eyeball it. Once you have a better idea of what a serving should be, you can estimate your portion. You can use common objects for reference; for example, a serving of pasta should be about the size of a hockey puck, while a serving of meat, fish or chicken is about the size and thickness of a deck of cards.
Beware of restaurant portions. Portions served in restaurants are often more than anyone needs. Split an entrée with your dining companion, or take half your meal home for tomorrow’s lunch.

Ten Tips for a Healthy Heart...

2011-04-23T00:57:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by celebrating your heart. Wise Woman herbalist Susun Weed gives us a few simple, easy ways to nourish and tonify that vitally important little organ.
Here are ten easy steps to better heart health:
1. Stop smoking. Nourish yourself with a handful of sunflower seeds and a cup of nettle or oat straw infusion daily for 4 to 6 weeks before quitting. Sunflower seeds reduce the body’s craving for nicotine by filling the nicotine receptor sites. The infusions strengthen blood vessels and nerves and cushions the impact of withdrawal.
2. Touch and be touched. Many scientific studies have shown that people who were touched lovingly every day had significantly fewer heart problems than the control group.
3. Eat seaweeds. They have been shown to stabilize blood pressure, regulate levels of triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterols, they dissolve fatty build-ups in the blood vessels, they can restore cardiac efficiency and prolong the life of the heart muscle, and they encourage a steady heart beat.
4. Eat foods rich in beta-carotenes: they can cut your risk of a stroke by 40 percent. Foods rich in beta-carotenes include carrots, cabbage, winter squash, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, apricots, and seaweed. (We try to include a few beta-carotene rich recipes in every issue of Eat Well Naturally and Green Cuisine.)
5. Eat garlic. Study after study has confirmed garlic’s abilities to lower blood pressure, reduce phospholipids and cholesterol, strengthen heart action, increase immune response, reduce platelet clumping and clotting (thus reducing strokes) and stabilize blood sugar levels. Eat garlic raw or lightly cooked, several cloves a day.
6. Eat foods rich in essential fatty acids. Fresh pressed oils of wheat germ or flax seed are especially nourishing.
7. Drink lemon balm tea. It is so strengthening to the heart that there’s an old saying about it: “Those who drink lemon balm tea daily will live forever!” You can also steep a handful of fresh leaves in a glass of white wine for an hour or so and drink it with dinner. Or make lemon balm vinegar to use on your salads.
8. Move! Go for a walk, jump rope, swim, or do leg lifts and arm raises from your bed or wheelchair: however you can do it, do it! Regular exercise is key.
9. Avoid restrictive diets. Frequent dieting, fasting, binging and purging imbalance your electrolyte levels, causing weakening of the heart muscle and damage to the heart.
10. Eat as much as you want of: whole grains, vegetables, beans, greens, fruits, fish, seeds, and yogurt. Go easy on: nuts, cheese, and mil

Fashion Photos Girls Snaps

2011-04-23T00:24:00.000-07:00

Healthy Foods for a - Healthy Lifestyle...

2011-04-23T00:15:00.000-07:00

There are several fad diets that will lead to successful weight loss if you follow them exactly as they are designed. That doesn't mean every food that fits into a diet is a healthy food, but it does mean you have to change your eating patterns to fit the diet's rules.Rather than worry about following a fad diet, think about your health and your lifestyle instead. Start by learning which foods are good for you.

Healthy Foods to Eat

Healthy Foods for a Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy Foods to Eat

The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy a craving for sweets. Whole vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, so eat more green, orange and yellow vegetables. Steam them to retain the most nutritional value and be careful with sauces, they may be high in calories and fats that aren't good for you.Any pasta or baked goods should be made from whole grains. Avoid sugary snacks and pastries as well. An apple is good for you, an apple pie really isn't. Shop for lean meats and don't forget the fish. The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in ocean fish are often deficient in our diets, so serve seafood two or three times per week. Baked fish and chicken are healthier than fried, and lean meats like bison or venison may be healthier than higher fat beef. Processed lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages have a lot of saturated fat and nitrates in them you don't want in your body. If you love these meats, you can find healthier versions sold at health food stores. Remember to eat a variety of foods to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. Stick to water, milk and 100% fruit and vegetable juices as your main beverages and limit sugary soft drinks. If you get tired of plain water, add a slice of lemon or lime to add a touch of flavor. For kids, try some fruit juice jazzed up with carbonated water.

Unhealthy Foods

Battered and deep fried foods
Sugary sodas
Processed lunch meats
Greasy snack chips
White bread and refined pasta
Most canned spaghetti and ravioli
Sugary breakfast cereals
Frozen fried chicken, fish sticks and corn dogs

Healthy Foods

Green and brightly colored vegetables
Dark leafy greens and lettuce
Fresh fruits and berries
Lean turkey and chicken
Nuts, dried fruits and healthy snacks
Whole grain breads and pasta
Healthy cooking oils like canola and olive oils
Grass fed beef and bison

Cold water oily ocean fish
Low fat milk or soy beverages
Nuts, seeds, and legumes

Assess Your Lifestyle

Once you learn which foods are good for you, you need to look at your eating habits. If the foods you eat are not healthy, you might want to work within your habits and current lifestyle conditions, since they are usually tough to change. Consider these questions, then read on for tips to help you add healthy foods:

Do you eat because you are bored, sad, or happy?
Do you snack in front of the TV without even giving it much thought?
Are most of your meals eaten at home or in restaurants?
How often do you eat fast food?
Do you like to cook?
How often do you grocery shop?
Do you skip breakfast or lunch, then overeat later in the day?
How big are the portions you consume?
Do you crave sweets?
Are there foods you won't give up?

Healthy Foods for Snackers

If you are an emotional eater, keep the junk food like potato chips, tortilla chips, ice cream, and candy out of the house. Keep healthy snacks like fruits, crunchy vegetables with dips, or nuts handy. If you absolutely feel the need for a treat, then purchase a small piece of high quality chocolate or your favorite treat and enjoy it, just don't buy any to bring home. The same tips are helpful for those who enjoy TV snacking at home. If you don't want to give up nibbling while watching your shows, keep low calorie foods close by, because it is very easy to eat too much when you are entranced by your favorite drama, football game or cooking show. Eat crisp raw vegetables with your dip instead of greasy chips.

Healthy Foods When Eating Out

It is difficult to maintain good health if you eat out a lot. Those salads might not be as appealing as a greasy cheeseburger and fries. Restaurants frequently serve huge portions of food too, much more than you need. If you can't hold your resolve to stick to the salads, compromise; pick out an appetizer that you love, combine it with a salad or a cup of soup, and skip the larger entrees. You can also share a meal or take half of it home. You could die for dessert? Order as small a size as possible, or maybe just one scoop of ice cream, rather than a larger, heavier dessert. Try a dish of mixed berries topped with nuts and a small bit of whipped cream. Be careful with the after-dinner drinks as well. Maybe just have one glass of wine with your meal.If you eat a lot of fast food, you have found out how difficult it is to feel good and stay healthy. Some places have added salads and some better choices, but it really isn't a good way to eat. Keep fast food dining to a minimum, don't go with the super sizes and choose places that offer more fresh ingredients.

Eating Healthy Foods at Home

If you hate to cook, all that fresh produce you bought may just rot in your refrigerator. You might prefer to purchase prepared foods from markets that specialize in healthier whole foods, or even hire a personal chef to prepare meals that only need to be heated and served. If you have a tighter budget, perhaps you can set aside some time on weekends to prepare meals and freeze them to be reheated later that week. It is important to be prepared if you are going to eat good foods at home and not run out for fast food when you don't feel like cooking. Unfortunately, grocery shopping can be very tedious. Set aside enough time to do your shopping for a few days' worth of healthy food and ingredients. Make a list and stick to it. Don't go shopping when you are hungry, and once you are at the store, stay away from the junk and the processed food aisles. Buy lots of fresh produce and choose lean meats and fish. Stay away from processed meats, fake cheese products, processed boxed and canned meals and avoid the snack aisle. Better yet, shop for organic products whenever possible. If you have no choice but to shop infrequently, choose frozen fruits and vegetables over canned, as they may retain more of their nutrients and don't have the extra sodium.

Don't Skip Meals

If you skip breakfast, you may find that you lose energy by midmorning. Rather than skipping breakfast completely, split it in half. Eat a small breakfast early, such as an egg, small serving of oatmeal, or a slice of whole grain bread. Have a small snack on hand such as raisins and 10 or 12 almonds to eat at midmorning. This split breakfast is a much better solution than reaching for coffee and candy bars to perk yourself up. Our stomachs really aren't that big. Without stretching, the stomach will hold about two cups of food, but because the stomach will stretch, it can hold considerably more food than we need at any given meal. When you eat at home, serve your meals already dished up on individual plates rather than family style at the table. You will be less likely to reach for "seconds" that way. At restaurants, ask for "take home" containers and take half of your meal home to heat up tomorrow. Avoid buffets, unless you are very disciplined. It is way too tempting to load up three or four plates plus dessert.

Tame Your Sweet Tooth

Curb your cravings for sweets with fruits and stay away from sugary snacks and pastries. These treats have lots of calories and can be loaded with unhealthy fats. If the fruits and berries aren't sweet enough for you, add just a bit of Splenda, stevia or even a tiny sprinkling of sugar. Avoid sugary sodas and try iced herbal teas or ice water with Splenda, and a slice of lemon or lime.

Things You Won't Give Up

Do you feel like you can't live without your chocolate? If there are foods you won't give up, enjoy them in smaller amounts. Buy one tiny high quality piece of candy and enjoy it, but don't buy a bag full of snacks to take with you. Limit other treats or favorite foods that aren't healthy, maybe let yourself eat them one time per month, or search for healthier versions at natural foods markets.

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

If you can't transform your unhealthy diet overnight, don't despair. Most people can't. Start implementing some of these ideas, even just one at a time. Every change you make will be one step in the right direction.

10 ways to avoid diabetes complications

2011-04-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

Diabetes care is a lifelong responsibility. Consider 10 strategies to prevent diabetes complications.

By Mayo Clinic staff Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications.
Here are 10 ways to take an active role in diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future.

1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes.

Members of your diabetes care team — doctor, diabetes nurse educator and dietitian, for example — will help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer support and encouragement along the way. But it's up to you to manage your condition. After all, no one has a greater stake in your health than you.
Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor's instructions for keeping your blood sugar level within your target range. Don't be afraid to ask your diabetes treatment team for help when you need it.

2. Don't smoke.

If you smoke or use other types of tobacco, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking increases your risk of various diabetes complications, including heart attack, stroke, nerve damage and kidney disease. In fact, smokers who have diabetes are three times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than are nonsmokers who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Talk to your doctor about ways to stop smoking or to stop using other types of tobacco.

3. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.

Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions.
Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can go a long way toward controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol. Sometimes medication is needed, too.

4. Schedule yearly physicals and regular eye exams.

Your regular diabetes checkups aren't meant to replace yearly physicals or routine eye exams. During the physical, your doctor will look for any diabetes-related complications — including signs of kidney damage, nerve damage and heart disease — as well as screen for other medical problems. Your eye care specialist will check for signs of retinal damage, cataracts and glaucoma.

5. Keep your vaccines up to date.

High blood sugar can weaken your immune system, which makes routine vaccines more important than ever. Ask your doctor about:

Flu vaccine. A yearly flu vaccine can help you stay healthy during flu season, as well as prevent serious complications from the flu.
Pneumonia vaccine. Sometimes the pneumonia vaccine requires only one shot. If you have diabetes complications or you're age 65 or older, you may need a five-year booster shot.
Other vaccines. Stay up to date with your tetanus shot and its 10-year boosters, and ask your doctor about the hepatitis B vaccine. Depending on the circumstances, your doctor may recommend other vaccines as well.

6. Take care of your teeth.

Diabetes may leave you prone to gum infections. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss your teeth once a day, and schedule dental exams at least twice a year. Consult your dentist right away if your gums bleed or look red or swollen.

7. Pay attention to your feet.

High blood sugar can damage the nerves in your feet and reduce blood flow to your feet. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can lead to serious infections. To prevent foot problems:

Wash your feet daily in lukewarm water.
Dry your feet gently, especially between the toes.
Moisturize your feet and ankles with lotion.
Check your feet every day for blisters, cuts, sores, redness or swelling.
Consult your doctor if you have a sore or other foot problem that doesn't start to heal within a few days.

8. Take a daily aspirin.

Aspirin reduces your blood's ability to clot. Taking a daily aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke — major concerns when you have diabetes. In fact, daily aspirin therapy is recommended for most people who have diabetes. Ask your doctor about daily aspirin therapy, including which strength of aspirin would be best.

9. If you drink alcohol, do so responsibly.

Alcohol can cause low blood sugar, depending on how much you drink and if you eat at the same time. If you choose to drink, do so only in moderation and always with a meal. Remember to include the calories from any alcohol you drink in your daily calorie count.

10. Take stress seriously.

If you're stressed, it's easy to neglect your usual diabetes care routine. The hormones your body may produce in response to prolonged stress may prevent insulin from working properly, which only makes matters worse. To take control, set limits. Prioritize your tasks. Learn relaxation techniques. Get plenty of sleep.
Above all, stay positive. Diabetes care is within your control. If you're willing to do your part, diabetes won't stand in the way of an active, healthy life.

Tips For Healthy Diet

2011-04-17T23:16:00.000-07:00

Always choose the types of foods that improve your health and avoid the food that will do illness and produce heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Here are some guidelines and tips for creating and maintaining a healthy diet.

Tips for healthy diet(Healthy Eating) :-

Don't eat more food then your body require so try not take more calories that your body require so always maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure by your body. Average recommended for calorie is vary upon age , sex ,weight, height.
If you are taking healthy diet to improve your energy do a regular physical activity and exercise.
Eat different variety of foods just like vegetables, whole grains, or fruits.
Always take food that contains carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol.
Water plays an important role to flush our body system like kidneys and bladder and waste products and toxins. So always drink 2-3 litre in a day.
Avoid too much sugar,salted and refined-grain products.
Create a good food habits.

Smart Eating:-

Always chew your food slowly. Becasue stomach take 20 minutes to inform to brain that your full. So always try to eat slowly.
Starving is not solution of lose weight. Your metabolism slow down if your body doesnot receive the required nutrients. You should eat small meals at regular intervals to keep your energy levels high.
Avoid to eat red meat because it is high in saturated fat other side eat chicken and fish are best to consume.
Onion and garlic are best to eat Onion decreases blood pressure and garlic decreases cholesterol.
If you have high blood pressure we advice you to take minimum ammout of salt. Salt also produce water retention.
Take Double-toned milk has lesser fat than toned or full cream milk. cow's milk is just as good as skimmed milk cmpare with the buffaloes' milk.

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8. Skin care

Problem: If your face is dry and rough.

Remedy: Take equal amount each of Melon, Pumpkin, Cucumber and Watermelon and make a paste of these. Then blend it with milk cream and apply it on your. After 1 hr rinse your face with plane water.

Problem: Sunburn.

Remedy: Mix 1 teaspoon of Besan with 2 teaspoon of curd and apply it on your face. Let it remain on the face for ½ hrs. Rinse with plane water. Helps in curing sunburns.

9. Skin Tips

Improve your complexion

Mix equal amounts of Cucumber juice and Lime juice and apply them to your face before taking bath; wait for at least 10 mins. Your complexion will improve.

10. Household Tips for your skins– Using Tomatoes

11. Beauty Tips

a. After the Mehendi dries, remove it and apply some Vicks Rub on your hands, let it be there for 5-6 hours. The color of your Mehendi will darken.

b. Remedy: Mix 1 teaspoon of Besan with 2 teaspoon of curd and apply it on your face. Let it remain on the face for ½ hrs. Rinse with plane water. Helps us during sunburns.

c. After removing the skin of the Cucumber and making a paste of the cucumber with raw milk and applying it on your skin will improve your complexion.

Heart Healthy Diet Tips

Eating to Prevent Heart Disease and Boost Heart Health

You can take steps to prevent heart disease

Heart healthy diet tips: Cut out saturated and trans fats

Not all fats are bad for your heart

Heart healthy diet tips: Choose foods that lower cholesterol

Lowering your cholesterol with fish or fish oil supplements

Heart healthy diet tips: Steer clear of salt and processed foods

The DASH diet for lowering blood pressure

Heart healthy diet tips: Rekindle home cooking

Heart-healthy grocery shopping and stocking

Heart-healthy cooking tips

Heart of the Matter: Healthy Recipes Can Save Money

Heart healthy diet tips: Focus on high-fiber foods

Go for whole grains

Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables

Heart healthy diet tips: Control portion size—and your weight

Ten Tips for a Healthy Heart...

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Healthy Foods for a - Healthy Lifestyle...

Healthy Foods to Eat

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Healthy Foods for a Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy Foods to Eat

Unhealthy Foods

Healthy Foods

Assess Your Lifestyle

Healthy Foods for Snackers

Healthy Foods When Eating Out

Eating Healthy Foods at Home

Don't Skip Meals

Tame Your Sweet Tooth

Things You Won't Give Up