Things I like to Blog about!

1 Step to Better Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 19:39:00 +0000

1 Step to Better Skin

By Annie Tomlin | Yahoo Beauty – Fri, 1 Aug, 2014 3:15 PM EDT

Photo: Trunk Archive

No offense to in-depth beauty treatments or luxurious spa experiences (which we love), but sometimes a quick fix is all you need — and we do mean quick. It turns out there are some familiar ingredients that can work wonders for your skin. “Before we had fancy prescriptions, this is what people used, so there are some benefits,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Here, some of the best (and most effective) one-ingredient superstars for skin and hair that you may already have in your kitchen.

Honey just might be Mother Nature’s premiere treatment for skin; the sticky stuff has a host of benefits. Along with improving skin hydration, the antioxidant-rich nectar attacks bacteria (including Propionibacteriumacnes, the strain that causes acne) and can even help heal infections and prevent new ones. Before spreading it on your face for ten minutes, Dr. Engelman says to “make sure that the label says raw, unheated, and organic.”

“I like apple cider vinegar as a toner,” says Dr. Engelman. “Harsh detergents affect the skin’s acid mantle, and apple cider vinegar helps restore the skin’s pH.” What’s more, this naturally acidic treatment can help dissolve dead skin cells, revealing a brighter and smoother complexion. Be sure to dilute the vinegar—one part vinegar to three parts water—before dabbing it on freshly cleansed skin. “Otherwise,” Engleman says, “it’s too drying, especially for sensitive skin.”

Got dry hair? Grab an avocado, says Michael Dueñas, celebrity hairdresser and founder of Hair Room Service. “Avocado oil is really hydrating and can add a ton of moisture to your hair,” he says, and advises to make a puree of avocado and water, then apply it as a deep-conditioning treatment. Rinse with cool water, and enjoy your lustrous locks.

For oily, blemish-prone skin, a nightly lemon can lead to improvements. Not only can the citrus fruit dissolve blackheads as a spot treatment, but it’s also chock-full of antibacterial properties that can calm a dry scalp. And, says, Dr. Engleman, it can even lighten the dark spots left over from a big pimple. “Apply it for five minutes, then rinse,” she says. (Don’t leave it on for too long, because it can actually burn the skin.)

Remember taking oatmeal baths as a kid? Turns out it was a smart idea. “This is a really good one,” Dr. Engelman says of oatmeal. Its anti-inflammatory qualities have long been known to calm angry skin. “It’s been around for years—this is what people used to treat sunburn, poison ivy, and eczema before prescriptions.” In addition, this natural cleanser removes dirt and oil from pores while also creating a barrier to lock moisture into skin.

Whether you apply oatmeal as a mask or adding it to a bath, Dr. Engelman recommends using colloidal oatmeal, which is finely ground, for an easy cleanup. Or, if you’re raiding the pantry, choose steel-cut oats over processed and flavored varieties. “Just as you should eat the best, most whole versions of oats,” she says, “you should put the best on your body.”

Papaya is teeming with alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) — the same exfoliating acids found in many skin care formulations. “Papaya, because of its AHAs, is a natural skin exfoliator,” Dr. Engelman explains. “It’s an anti-inflammatory, too, so it can help with eczema or inflamed acne.” Ready to give your skin a tropical treat? Cut papaya into one-inch chunks and apply them to your skin (avoiding the eye area). In 15 to 20 minutes, you should see the start of a gorgeous glow.

“Olive oil is rich in vitamins A and E, and vitamin E is especially good for antiaging,” Dr. Engelman says. “It helps restore skin’s elasticity, and the polyphenols and phytosterols neutralize free radicals.” Olive oil’s antioxidants are all the more powerful because they’re delivered in oil form, she adds. “The oil can go deeply into pores instead of sitting on the surface of the skin,” she says. “Some of my patients even use it for stretch-mark therapy.”

There’s a lot of buzz about the probiotics in yogurt, but that’s just the beginning of its beautifying properties. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science found that yogurt-treated skin had improved moisture, brightness, and elasticity. Credit the lactic acid, an AHA found in milk products, for encouraging younger-looking skin, but skip the fruit flavors — your skin prefers plain.

Look Up

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 07 May 2014 03:05:00 +0000

Who Invented the Elevator?

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Fri, 02 May 2014 14:46:00 +0000

Who Invented the Elevator?

3,772g

Emily Upton - TodayIFoundOut.com

Filed to: ARCHITECTURE Today 6:00am

The history of the elevator, if you define it as a platform that can move people and objects up and down, is actually a rather long one. Rudimentary elevators are known to have been in use in ancient Rome as far back as 336 B.C., with the first reference of one built by the talented Archimedes.

These early elevators were open cars rather than enclosed ones, and consisted of a platform with hoists that would enable the car to move vertically. The hoists were typically worked manually, either by people or animals, though sometimes water wheels were used. Romans continued to use these simple elevators for many years, usually to move water, building materials, or other heavy items from one place to another.

As for the dedicated passenger elevator, this was created in the 18th century, with one of the first used by King Louis XV in 1743. He had an elevator constructed at Versailles that would carry him from his apartments on the first floor to his mistress' apartments on the second floor. This elevator wasn't much more technologically advanced than those used in Rome. To make it work, men stationed in a chimney pulled on the ropes. They called it a "flying chair."

It wasn't until the 1800s that elevator technology really started to advance. For starters, elevators no longer needed to be worked manually. In 1823, two British architects—Burton and Hormer—built a steam-powered "ascending room" to take tourists up to a platform for a view of London. Several years later, their invention was expanded upon by architects Frost and Stutt who added a belt and counter-weight to the steam power.

Soon enough, hydraulic systems began to be created as well, using water pressure to raise and lower the elevator car. However, this wasn't practical in some cases—pits had to be dug below the elevator shaft to enable the piston to pull back. The higher the elevator went, the deeper the pit had to be. Thus, this wasn't a viable option for taller buildings in big cities.

So despite the hydraulic systems being somewhat safer than steam-powered/cabled elevators, the steam powered ones with cables and counterweights, stuck around. They had just one major drawback: the cables could snap, and sometimes did, which sent the elevator plummeting to the bottom of the shaft, killing passengers and damaging building materials or other items being transported. Needless to say, no one was jumping to get on these dangerous elevators and so passenger elevators up to this point were largely a novelty.

The man who solved the elevator safety problem, making skyscrapers possible, was Elisha Otis, who is generally known as the inventor of the modern elevator. In 1852, Otis came up with a design that had a safety "brake." In the event that the cables broke, a wooden frame at the top of the elevator car would snap out and hit the walls of the shaft, stopping the elevator in its tracks.

Otis himself demonstrated the device, which he called a "safety hoist," at the New York World's Fair in 1854, when he went up in a make-shift elevator himself and had the ropes cut. Rather than plummeting to his death as the audience thought might happen, his safety hoist snapped out, catching the elevator within seconds. Needless to say, the crowd was impressed.

Otis went on to found his own elevator company, which installed the first public elevator in a New York building in 1874. The Otis Elevator Company is still known today as the world's largest elevator manufacturer.

While the cable elevator design has remained, many additional improvements have been made, the most obvious of which is that elevators now run on electricity rather than steam power, a change that came about starting in the 1880s. The electric elevator was patented by Alexander Miles in 1887, though one had been built by the German inventor Werner von Siemens in 1880.

Otis' safety hoist wasn't the end of safety innovation, either. These days, it's virtually impossible for an elevator to plummet and kill passengers. There are now multiple steel cables to hold the elevator's weight, plus a number of different braking systems to stop an elevator from falling if the cables somehow snap. If, despite all these safety measures, the elevator does fall, there are shock absorbers at the bottom of the shaft, making it unlikely death will occur and reducing the possibility of serious injury.

Bonus Facts:

Elisha Otis is not considered to be the inventor of the modern elevator by everyone. Another man, Otis Tufts, patented an elevator design that had doors that opened and closed automatically and benches inside. However, Tufts' design did away with the typical cable system because of the safety issues, and instead used an impractical, expensive system of threading the elevator car up a giant screw. Obviously, this would be prohibitively expensive in tall buildings. Elisha Otis' design was much simpler (and closer to modern designs), easier to use, and less expensive to make, which is why he generally gets the credit and not Tufts. That said, the "Vertical Screw Railway" was installed in a few buildings in New York and Philadelphia.
The first elevator shaft was put in a building before Elisha Otis designed his safe, steam powered elevator. This was done in 1853 at the Cooper Union Foundation building in New York. Peter Cooper felt that elevators would be perfected and made safe at some point in the near future, so included it in the design of the building. It took a couple decades, but an elevator was eventually installed in the shaft by Elisha Otis' company.
Elisha Otis was born into a farming family in 1811, but he spent a lot of time at the blacksmith's as a child, fascinated by tools and making things. He created a number of inventions to help out around the farm, including a pulley and lift system. At one point, he also worked in a bed-making factory and built a machine that increased production rates significantly.
Otis' daring elevator safety demonstration at the World Fair was hyped up by Phineas Barnum, who is also responsible for making phrases like "jump on the bandwagon" popular.
Otis Tufts also invented the steam-powered printing press and steam-powered pile driver.

Emily Upton writes for the wildly popular interesting fact website TodayIFoundOut.com. To subscribe to Today I Found Out's "Daily Knowledge" newsletter, click here or like them on Facebook here. You can also check 'em out on YouTube here.

ANTS BE GONE

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 00:43:00 +0000

ANTS BE GONE

Do you have an ant problem, inside or out... This will get rid of them... Save on your time line by hitting share and you will always have for future reference..

Ant Killer

What's so cool about this is, it took them 2 minutes to find it and 5 minutes to fill up like the pic ! Wow

1 empty water bottle
(Cut it down to about 2" tall)
5 Tbsp of baking soda
5 Tbsp of powdered sugar
3 Tbsp of water.

The very best way of eliminating ants is truly simple:

Take a small amount of powdered sugar (also called icing sugar) and mix it with an equal amount of baking soda (formally called sodium bicarbonate) and water.
Powdered sugar is essential. You cannot use the larger grains of sugar for this..

Mix the two powders together and then place small amounts against the walls or other areas where you would not normally walk but where you would normally see the ants.

The ants will be attracted to the sugar and will eat some of it and collect more to take home to feed others, so all of them will get their share.

The sugar and baking soda powders are similar in size and, once mixed together, the ants cannot separate the two items, so, as they eat the sugar, they will also ingest the baking soda, which they would otherwise never touch. This is the reason for using powdered sugar.

Once the ants eat the baking soda it will react with the formic acid in their stomachs and cause gas. The bodies of ants are unlike humans and they cannot eliminate gas so it will build up inside and eliminate them.

Another Thought I Had : Bullying isn't just in the School Yard!

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 03:11:00 +0000

Bullying isn't just in the School Yard!

It has been a difficult couple of days for my family, so I thought this might be a good place to simply blow off some steam.

My family and I own a couple of small businesses in a small town in BC, Canada. We love the town and most of the people here are wonderful. However, there is a growing under-current of people moving in who don't care much for community or respect of others, but simply care about themselves and their need for drugs, alcohol and quick cash.

Sometime early Monday morning our Main store was broken into. The thieves smashed both our front doors, destroying the locking mechanism on the one and causing very expensive repairs to both. They stole a few munchies, a very small amount of cash and left out the back door leaving it wide open. The temperature was between -12 & -14 C, which cooled our store down, over working the heaters, and costing a fortune in hydro which is already very expensive for the store, and two days later it still hasn't warmed up inside.

The hurt and the frustration it has caused my family has been severe, not to mention the extra expenses now added to our tightest months of the year. We've also seen an increase in shop lifting and heard several other local businesses complain about it as well.

My wife and I have always done our best to help those in need and to give whenever we can to make sure others don't go without, simply because we understand as we were there not too many years ago ourselves. I wish that these people who broke into our store were the kind that would simply ask for some money, because we would have gladly helped them out. Instead they smash our doors for a few dollars and munchies, costing us a fortune in repairs.

The toll this takes on us as a family is very great, because it makes us distrust many of the customers that come into our stores and wonder if they were the ones who robbed us, plus will they do it again. We also feel more distrustful towards anyone who even slightly looks like they might try to shop lift, because we don't want to lose anything more or be hurt again, and it even carriers over to people we know. We are constantly on guard, edgy and just worried as to what will happen next.

What makes it worse is since moving to this small community, this is the third time our store has been broken into, all for minor things. Yet, our previous town where we had the business for five years, we were never vandalized or robbed, not even once.

We know there are people who know who did this to us within our community, but no one wants to speak up or fight back because of fear that something might happen to them as well. So the vandalism, break-ins, shop-lifting's and worse will continue.

Today we celebrate Anti-bullying Day in Canada and I thought how ironic it is that we are teaching our kids to stand up against bullying, prejudices and those who make us live in fear, and these are the same feelings my family and I are experiencing after someone shop lifts from us and each time we are robbed like this.

Theft, shop-lifting, vandalism, break and entering are all forms of bullying because it leaves those who lose their stuff or pay for damages, feeling hurt, beaten down, betrayed and in fear. I think we need to also teach our children and others that these types of crimes are bullying as well and they also need to end.

More than half of the shop-lifting in our store is done by teens and children who feel they somehow deserve to get what they want, simply because they want it. Some even have the money to pay for it, but simply don't feel they have to or just steal things for sport, because they can. This attitude seems to be carrying forward into their adulthood where many of the adults who steal from us believe that they somehow deserve it because they don't have the money and we are obviously rich enough because we have a business, so why should it matter to us. I wonder how they would feel if I went to their house and took the same attitude and liberties with their stuff. But I guess that's the real difference now isn't it, I have too much respect for other people and their stuff than to steal from them, hurt them, make them live in fear or cause them that kind of pain.

Perhaps the answer to all this bullying within our society is to start teaching children at a young age how to respect others, their beliefs and their belongings; and by teaching our children what respect is and showing it to them as well, they may grow up showing and sharing that respect with all those around them. In addition, if we are actively involved with our children and hold them accountable, in appropriate ways, when the show disrespect, steal or bully others, instead of justifying their behavior or blaming other peoples children while turning a blind-eye towards our own, maybe they will learn that these behaviors are wrong and in-excusable.

These forms of teachings have worked with our two sons, and we have an entire community that feels the same way about them. I wonder how many other parents can confidently say the same things about their children, because the more who can means we have a greater hope for where our society is headed. Of course learning how to teach children to respect others also means we as adults have to set the proper example first and learn how to respect others too.

So with today being Anti-bullying day I encourage parents to spend time talking with their children about what true respect means. I encourage adults and children alike to consider how respectful their words and actions are towards others from all walks of life. And, maybe instead of living in fear of being bullied we can teach those who bully how to have respect for others and maybe even themselves.

After this last break-in to our store I know my family has had enough with being bullied in this town by those who show no respect for our property or what we have done in this community. Our hope is that something will change here soon and people will stand up against the bullying and crime increasing in our town, but the other option open to us to stop from being bullied anymore and to protect our family, is to leave to somewhere else where we can feel safe once more.

Just another thought I had.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 16:05:00 +0000

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Ingredients

1 4 oz can diced jalapenos, well drained OR 4-6 fresh jalapenos, roasted and diced (include seeds if you like it really spicy)
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Instructions

In a mixer or by hand, combine cream cheese and sour cream.
Add cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, and diced jalapenos, mix well.
Spoon into 8x8 baking dish, spreading evenly.
Blend bread crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, and dried parsley, using a fork or your fingers, until crumbly.
Sprinkle the buttery crumb topping evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until hot and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Do not overcook.
Serve with bread or crackers...

Grow Roses

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 17:25:00 +0000

This is crazy crazy !! Never waste cut roses

Did you know that you can grow roses from cuttings?

Simply cut healthy stems, place them in large potatoes, and them bury them 3-4 inches deep in a healthy soil mixture of peat moss and top soil. The potatoes keep the stems moist and help develop the root systems. It's a perfectly simple way to multiply your rose garden without spending lots of $$$. It also works with many other types of plants.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 23:19:00 +0000

Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett
Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 large onion (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
a dash or worcester sauce
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (I used 3/4 cheddar and 1/4 mozzarella)
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of Original Bisquick mix
2 eggs
Directions:

Heat oven to 400°F.
Spray a 9 inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray
Cook beef and chopped onion in a skillet over medium about 10 minutes or until beef is brown. Drain excess fat.
Stir in salt, garlic powder and worcester sauce and then spread in pie plate
Next, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the beef
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and Bisquick. Make sure you try to get as many lumps out as you can. Pour over meat mixture.
Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out cleanBake in oven for 25 minutescheeseburger pie
Serves 4-5 people

7 Pieces of Offbeat Advice I Wish I Knew Sooner

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 16:08:00 +0000

POST WRITTEN BY: MARC CHERNOFF

7 Pieces of Offbeat Advice I Wish I Knew Sooner

This morning I was writing a blog entry at a local coffee shop here in Austin when a young man approached me. “You’re Marc, right?” he asked.

I looked up at him. He had bright blue eyes and a big smile, but nothing that rang a bell. “I’m sorry. Have we met?” I inquired politely.

“No,” he replied. “But I feel like I know you.” He held up his iPad and on the screen was Marc and Angel Hack Life. “You look just like your photo,” he said in a cheerful tone.

I smiled, we shook hands, and then accepting my invitation, he sat down at my table. Due to the modest success of our blog, most young twenty-something’s who randomly approach Angel and me want to know more about our blog, or about our sources of inspiration, but this young man immediately jumped to a different topic.

“So, I’m working on a college speech project entitled ‘Offbeat Advice,’” he said. “And I thought it would be cool to cover offbeat advice successful people wish they knew sooner in life.”

I smiled again and then we chatted for about a half-hour. I answered his questions as best as I could, and tried to give decent advice in the short time we spent together. But on the walk home I realized our conversation really intrigued me and had me thinking, “What other pieces of offbeat advice do I wish I knew sooner?”

So I sat back down when I got home, I powered on my laptop and opened the word processor I use for blogging. After gazing at the blank white screen for several minutes, I placed my fingers on the keyboard and titled the page, “7 Pieces of Offbeat Advice I Wish I Knew Sooner.”

1. Wisdom is not about knowing all the answers.

It’s not the answers you get from others, or even the ones you formulate, that will help you in the long run. It’s the simple questions you ask yourself on a regular basis that will determine the type of person you become. Wisdom is about asking the right questions.

Regardless of your age or stature, life is always filled with unanswered questions. It is the courage to ask these questions and adventurously seek the answers that continues to give life meaning. Have patience with everything that remains unresolved in your heart. Try to love the unanswered questions themselves. Do not demand all the answers; they cannot be given to you because you have to live through them. It is a matter of experiencing everything. Only when you do will you gradually, perhaps without even noticing it, find yourself arriving at the answers you seek. (I discuss this process in more detail in the Goals and Success chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

2. You have to do lots of things you aren’t good at to grow.

If you do what you have always done, you will get the same results you have been getting. If you want to stunt your growth and feel stuck in the same place forever, keep making excuses. If, on the other hand, you want to stop feeling trapped, you have to start doing things that make you uncomfortable, things you aren’t very good at. You have to streeeetch yourself.

There is no excuse for remaining stuck. There is no excuse for doing the same things over and over again. Life is too short. Ask yourself if what you’re doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.

The day is rapidly approaching when the risk to remain perched in your nest is far more detrimental than the risk it takes to fly. Fly! Spread your wings. Start now. What a disgrace it would be for you to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of your full potential.

3. Everything you own has an emotional cost of ownership.

No matter what you own there is a maintenance cost. We can speak in dollars – insurance, taxes and interest. Or even in time – cleaning, updating and protecting. But the hardest maintenance cost for most people is simply sentimental value.

We transfer our feelings and memories onto an object and decide we can’t let go because we’ll risk losing the feeling or memory. Before long, we become surrounded by these visual reminders of our memories and no longer have room to make new ones. It’s hard to move forward in your life when your past is crowding your present.

The answer, of course, is to get rid of some of this stuff. But that’s way easier said than done. We often need to be compelled to do this with a move or a lifestyle change. Imagine how much richer life would be if you moved the junk out and made room for new opportunities instead of grudgingly making room only when it was forced upon you. (Read The Joy of Less.)

4. Flaws are beautiful and likeable.

Nothing is perfect; the world itself is not perfect. But we’re all here living for our dreams and each other, trying the very best we can. And that’s what makes us so darn beautiful. The little things about you that you think are your flaws are often the reasons others fall in love with you.

Accept your flaws. Admit your mistakes. Don’t hide and don’t lie. Deal with the truth, learn the lessons, endure the consequences of reality, and move on. Your truth won’t penalize you. The mistakes won’t hurt you. The denial and cover-up will. Flawed and vulnerable people are beautiful and likable. Liars and phonies are not. Every beautiful human being is made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions and finished with unique edges.

5. The things you do for fun can pay the bills if you do them right.

Work, if it is interesting, is a stimulant. It’s worry and a lack of interest in what you’re doing that drains and discourages you. Every one of us should have our hobbies and side interests – as many as we can handle efficiently and happily. Our interests should never be allowed to lag or get cold so that all enthusiasm and passion is wasted. Each day can be a success if you feed your interests as graciously as they feed you.

Happiness is found where interests and capabilities intersect. If you do what you love and then master it so you can do it much better than anyone else you know, it is entirely possible to make a living from it. Even better, you will not get tired out from working when your work interests you. The key is to find the point at which what you love, what you’re good at, and what people will pay for, intersect.

6. Some of the most unpleasant people just need a little love.

Provide support when it makes sense, even when people are cold and unfriendly. Some people are rude and complain as a way of crying for help. They may not be conscious of it though, so their comments come across as attacks rather than requests.

Show a little love and concern. Do something nice for them. Just a simple “Are you okay?” or “Is there anything I can do to help you?” can do wonders in certain situations. Resist the urge to judge or assume. It’s hard to offer compassion when you assume you have them figured out. Let them know they are not alone. People overcome the forces of negative emotions, like anger and hatred, when the counter-forces of love and support are in full effect. (Read The Mastery of Love.)

7. Sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing at all.

Sometimes you need to be alone… not to be lonely, but to enjoy some free time just breathing and being YOU.

In order to be one with your relationships and life’s work, you have to turn away from the busyness of the world for a while. You need to find solitude to refuel. You must become so alone that you withdraw into your innermost self. You must do nothing at all, except to be still with the moment.

You need to ponder your successes and failures in seclusion; you need the sunshine and the moonlight to warm you without companions to distract you, without the ongoing banter, face to face with your inner core, with only the sound of your heartbeat for company.

11 Habits You Need to Give-Up to Be Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 05:54:00 +0000

POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL CHERNOFF

11 Habits You Need to Give-Up to Be Happy

by Lisa H.

Are your habits and routines sucking up your happiness?

Oftentimes we unknowingly hold on to little, obsessive habits that cause us a great deal of stress and unhappiness. Even when we feel that something is wrong, we fail to seek the changes we need to make and instead cling to what’s not working, simply because it’s what we’re accustomed to.

It’s time to make a change. It’s time to give up the habits that no longer serve your well-being and embrace the positive changes you need to be happy.

Today is the perfect day to give up…

Final Reminder: We recently released the Audio Book for 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently. And we also have a limited time bundle of our eBook, audio book and bonus material on sale for a big discount. Click here to check it out!

1. Worrying about… everything.

Worry is the biggest happiness slayer ever. Worry steals all of your attention and gives the illusion that you are working through a problem when you are not. As Van Wilder said, “Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”

People worry for all sorts of reasons: to escape reality, fear of the unknown, resistance to change, lack of confidence, etc.

Stopping worry, like everything else takes practice; the more you do it, the better you will become at discerning when you are no longer controlling your thoughts and they are controlling you.

Tip: To jolt yourself out of worry, ask yourself what you can do “right now” to make your life more pleasant and then do that!

2. Constant, deliberate, people-pleasing.

Contrary to what you may think, saying “yes” to every request that is made of you is not nice. First, it is not nice to you because it can leave you emotionally, mentally and physically drained. And second, it is not nice to the other person, because it deceives them into thinking that you have the time, energy and otherresources available to make what they want happen, when you do not.

Generally people who carry out the duties of others at the expense of themselves have low self-esteem and high levels of unhappiness. They need the approval of others to make themselves feel worthy.

Tip: To combat people-pleasing behavior, learn to say “no.” Oftentimes when you say “no” to someone else, you are really saying “yes” to YOU.

3. Procrastinating.

Procrastination is stagnation. There is no other way to say it. When you procrastinate, nothing good in your life is happening.

We procrastinate for all sorts of reasons. When we are afraid of the outcome, we are unsure how to complete the task and when we just don’t feel like taking action.

And the thing is, we spend more time aggravating ourselves with worry about how long or how difficult the task is going to be rather than just doing it. More often than not, if you just start your task, you will be pleasantly surprised at how easily you are able to accomplish it.

Tip: When you feel yourself getting ready to procrastinate, silently say “stop” to yourself, refocus and begin again by taking calculated action that will lead to the results you desire. (Read Getting Things Done.)

4. Living in the past.

The past is gone for good and yet we spend so much time thinking about what happened yesterday, at the complete expense of today. Keeping your thoughts stuck in the past is especially detrimental to your contentment. You are a product of your environment. Your environment has helped to shape how you think and feel about yourself. Everyone has been presented with life challenges along their journey – you aren’t alone. It is whether you are stuck in the patterns of the past or have moved past them.

Tip: If you are harboring resentment, anger, frustration or other negative feelings from your past, don’t ignore these feelings. Do something constructive about it so that you can move into the present.

5. Always looking past the present moment in anticipation of the next.

We spend so much time in this moment, wanting to be in the next one, that we are missing our lives.

For example, while taking a shower, you might be thinking about that cup of coffee you want to make, and while you are drinking your coffee, you might be thinking about your commute to work. You are never consciously present right where you are and therefore cannot enjoy the moment you are in – the moment we call “life.”

Tip: Now is the only time you have. Now is life. Make sure you are fully experiencing it.

6. Judging others.

When you judge someone else, you suffer. It is an outward display of inward inferiority and anger. No one person is better than another. The individual who cleans the bathroom at a fast food restaurant is no less of a person than the CEO that uses it.

Tip: Understand that we are all part of the collective human race. We are one. Your joy is my joy and your suffering is my suffering. (Read Buddha’s Brain.)

7. Comparing your story to everyone else’s.

It is good to notice what others are doing from time to time. After all, that is what helps us outline what we want and don’t want in our own lives. But comparing yourself to everyone else every step of the way takes it too far. You know when this happens – when you stop living your dreams or start living theirs.

Tip: You are unique. No matter how hard you try to be like someone else, you will never be them, and you shouldn’t want to be.

8. Shame.

Shame is a deep, debilitating emotion, with complex roots. Its cousins are guilt, humiliation, demoralization, degradation and remorse. After experiencing a traumatic event, whether recent or in the distant past, shame can haunt victims in a powerful and often unrecognized manner.

Shame impairs the healing and recovery process causing victims of trauma to stay frozen, unable to forgive themselves for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shame leaves victims with feelings of sadness and pain at the core of their being. They are unable to feel the fullness of joy in their lives.

If you feel any shame at all, acknowledge it upfront. Decide to experiment on forgiving yourself and letting go of the shame. How long can you go without reminding yourself about the shameful thoughts and feelings? How would life be different or better if you were able to forgive yourself? Who can you talk to about this?

Tip: The more you forgive yourself, the more time you have to focus your mind on happier times.

9. Disorganization and laziness.

We complain that there are not enough hours in a day to accomplish all that we want, yet our laziness often leads us to many wasteful hours of disorganization. The discipline it takes to sort through a messy desk, counter, closet or mind take time. Becoming organized is a habit. Start with something small, like your office desk or even making your bed after you get up.

Tip: Studies have shown that people who make their beds are statistically more productive, profitable and peaceful in their lives and careers. Interesting, isn’t it? But not surprising.

10. Fear of… everything.

Fear is one of the biggest reasons why we don’t move ahead in our lives. Fear of failing and fear of succeeding. Fear of the unknown. Fear of fear. As long as we are alive, we are prone to some level of fear. Ironically, to feel alive we must overcome that fear with action. As Bill Cosby once said, “Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.”

Tip: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that your happiness and growth is more important than it. Do something every day that stretches your comfort zone and helps you face what your fear. (Read Daring Greatly.)

11. The need to be busy.

Busyness is often confused with productivity. They are two different things. Busy is running in place on a treadmill; productivity is actually getting somewhere worthwhile. These days technology gives us this constant feeling that there is so much to do and not enough time to do it. We are always connected to something that wants our attention, or something that could be done. This feeling creates stress. The more behind you think you are, the more stressed out you are going to feel.

Stress is not good for you. It makes it difficult to think, connect with others and it is associated with a plethora of physical ailments that lead to unhappiness.

Tip: Stop trying to be busy. Put first things first and give up the rest. Organization, meditation, improved time management and efficiency and a change in perception are all ways to manage stress. You must learn to let go. Release the excess. You were never able to do it all anyway.

Chocolate Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:48:00 +0000

Chocolate Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) – about 36 cookies
6 Tablespoon butter, melted
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cold milk
1- 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided
2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding.
3 1/4 cups cold milk
1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies into fine crumbs, you are done.
2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers.
3. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.
4. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.
5. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Infused waters.

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:38:00 +0000

Infused Waters.

Here are their benefits to help with detoxification energy and hydration. put as much fruit in water as you like and let the water sit for at least 30 minutes before drinking

(1) Green tea, mint, lime-fat burning, digestion, headaches, congestion and breath freshener.
(2) Strawberry,kiwi-cardiovascular health, immune system protection, blood sugar regulation, digestion
(3) Cucumber, lime, lemon- water weight management, bloating, appetite control, hydration, digestion
(4) Lemon, lime, orange- digestion vitamin C, immune defense, heartburn, (drink this one at room temperature)

Do not keep longer than 48 hours you can put more water using the same fruit, but discard after 48 hours.

This Miracle Drink

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:34:00 +0000

MIRACLE DRINK ...IT KILLS CANCER CELLS TOO.....MUST READ...

This MIRACLE DRINK has been circulating for a long time long
ago.It is worth your while to take note. There is a celebrity Mr. Seto who swears by it. He wants to make it public to draw the
attention of people who have cancers. This is a drink that can protect bad cells forming in your body or it will restrain its growth! Mr. Seto had lung cancer.

He was recommended to take this drink by a famous Herbalist from China. He has taken this drink diligently for 3 months and now his health is restored,and he is ready to take a pleasure trip. Thanks to this drink! It does not hurt for you to try.

It is like a Miracle Drink! It is simple.

You need one beet root, one carrot and one apple that
combine together to make the JUICE! Wash the above, cut with the skin on into pieces and put them into the juicer and
immediately you drink the juice.

You can add some lime or lemon for more refreshing taste.
This Miracle Drink will be effective for the following ailments:

1. Prevent cancer cells to develop.It will restrain cancer cells to grow.
2. Prevent liver, kidney,pancreas disease and it can cure ulcer
as well.
3. Strengthen the lung, prevent heart attack and high blood
pressure.
4. Strengthen the immune system
5. Good for the eyesight, eliminate red and tired eyes or dry eyes
6. Help to eliminate pain from physical training, muscle ache
7. Detoxify, assist bowel movement, eliminate constipation.Therefore it will make skin healthy & LOOK more radiant.It is God sent for acne problem.
8. Improve bad breath due to indigestion, throat infection,
9.pain
10. Assist Hay Fever Sufferer from Hay Fever attack.

There is absolutely no side effect. Highly nutritious and easily
absorbed.Very effective if you need to loose weight.You will notice your immune system will be improved after 2 week routine.

Please make sure to drink immediately from the juicer for
best effect.

9 Power Quotes for Times of Struggle

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:59:00 +0000

POST WRITTEN BY: MARC

9 Power Quotes for Times of Struggle

There’s scarcely any happiness, passion or success without struggle. Life is a constant climb, but the journey is rewarding and the view is great. It’s just a matter of pushing forward when the going gets tough.

Here are nine power quotes and some additional tips to help inspire you when you need it most.

1. Growth and Change

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ―Anaïs Nin

Discontent is the principal necessity of positive growth, but only if you do something constructive with it. Without deviation from what you’ve been doing, progress is not possible. Don’t be someone who goes through greater lengths to avoid change than you do to obtain what you desire. You must define and embrace the necessary changes that move you forward.

Your life will begin to improve when you define precisely what ‘improve’ means to you. The agonies and frustrations will start to ease only when you have something real and positive to replace them with. Be specific. Happiness is not a goal, it’s the result of a life well lived. The question is: How do you want to live going forward?

To effectively move away from an unfavorable situation, you must decide exactly where you wish to go. Create a formidable intention for yourself, and feed that intention with the passion and energy that’s in your desire for change. Go beyond your discontent for what is, and instead focus on imagining and creating the best of what’s possible. Clearly know where you wish to go, and then take the first real step that gets you there. Read 1,000 Little Things.

2. Problems and Opportunities

“What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.” ―J. Sidlow Baxter

Truth be told, you have to create more opportunities than you are handed in this world, and you have to design them with your own blood, sweat and tears. The effort, however, is well worth it.

There’s no shortage of problems waiting to be addressed. When you see problems piled on top of problems, and when there seems to be no end to thework that must be done in order to resolve them, what are you really seeing? You’re looking at a mountain of opportunity. You’re looking at a situation in which you can truly make a difference. You’re looking at an environment where you can reach great heights by raising the stakes and pulling the reality of what’s possible along with you.

When you look at a problem, but see opportunity instead, you become a powerful source that transforms grief into greatness.

3. Hard Work and Achievement

“It shouldn’t be easy to be amazing. Then everything would be. It’s the things you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something’s difficult to come by, you’ll do that much more to make sure it’s even harder – or impossible – to lose.” ―Sarah Dessen

There is no shortcut to a great achievement. There is no substitute for doing the work. Meditate on this every day: “I will do the work.” As Einstein once said, “Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work.” You must run to be a runner. You must write to be a writer. You must actively work on a business venture to learn how to run a successful business.

By all means, find ways to be more efficient in your work. But make no mistake that it takes diligent effort to build something worthwhile. There are certainly some success stories out there about people who excelled rather quickly, but you will usually find they had put in years of related work long before anyone was paying attention to their seemingly rapid success. In other words, their current state of achievement is simply all those years of work coming together flawlessly in the present.

Put in the required effort. Plan your work every morning, and then diligently work your plan every day. Read Do the Work.

4. Focus

Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.” ―Paulo Coelho

Lack of focus, not lack of ability, is the most common problem that holds people back from their potential. We all have strengths and difficulties, and we all have the same twenty-four hour days and seven-day weeks to work with. If you find it difficult to deal with where you are, or how life is treating you, it’s time to change your focus.

Start focusing on what you want going forward. Set a specific goal, keep your routine centered on it, and you’ll find the strength to move steadily in a positive direction. When you focus on the right thing, even the difficult steps will seem easier. The burdens of the moment become much more bearable when you connect with the purpose behind them.

Your time, energy, and resources will get used no matter how well you focus them. By choosing to focus properly, you get the highest return for the efforts you invest in your life.

5. Positive Thinking

“Our thoughts about what we are and what we can be precisely determine what we can be.” ―Anthony Robbins

The reality you live through daily is a process of your thinking. You are essentially who you design yourself to be – most of what you experience is the direct result of your own creation. This reality cannot be changed without first changing your thinking.

Yes, there are lots of inherent events in life that occur completely independently of you – birth, death, loss, sickness, aging, and unexpected changes of all kinds – but these life events do not have to cause ongoing confusion and suffering. They happen, you experience a little stress, you adjust, and you move forward. The problem occurs when you don’t adjust and move forward, when your mind clings to these events in a negative light and intensifies their significance into perpetuity. If your mind does this, of course, it completely overlooks the subtle feelings of excitement, adventure, love, and joy that come from the essence of overcoming a new challenge.

Bottom line: 99% of the time the discontent and frustration you feel is entirely your own creation. If you dwell on the positive thoughts and possibilities at least as much as you dwell on negative thoughts and painful emotions, life’s challenges help you improve your reality. Read Learned Optimism.

6. Mistakes

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” ―Mahatma Gandhi

No matter what you’re going to make mistakes; it’s an unavoidable truth. But the good news is, if you follow your heart and intuition, the mistakes you make will be steps in the right direction. Just because you fail once at something doesn’t mean you’re going to fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on and believe in yourself. Keep your head held high, your chin up, and above all, SMILE, because the most beautiful part of it all is that there’s so much left to smile about.

Life is what you make it. It’s a wild rollercoaster. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does. And then just when you think it can’t get any better, it does. Every day is a beautiful mystery. Let go of yesterday’s mistakes and enjoy the mystery as it unfolds today.

7. Acceptance

“For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.” ―Henry W. Longfellow

What you must realize is that you don’t really need more time; you just need to appreciate life in the current time. It’s a beautiful and bitter way of thinking all at once. If you don’t have what you want now, you don’t have what you want, but you still have a lot. Be thankful for what is; and also be thankful for what has not yet come to you, for that means there are still many possibilities available to you.

Find peace in the thought that you can’t ever have it all or know it all. You are always just a fraction of the whole. For if you weren’t, there would be nothing more to experience. Value what you know, and also value the countless things you don’t yet understand. For in what you do not understand, there is the joy of growth.

Life will always be incomplete and a bit asymmetrical. Realize this and embrace it. Be happy and sad at the same time, be hungry and thankful at the same time, be nervous and excited at the same time, and be okay with it.

8. Confidence and Beliefs

“Sometimes beautiful things come into our lives out of nowhere. We can’t always understand them, but we have to trust in them. I know you want to question everything, but sometimes it pays to just have a little faith.” ―Lauren Kate

Believe in yourself through tough times. Believe in your capacity to succeed. Believe that your relationships are worth the effort. Believe that people make mistakes on their way to greatness. Believe that people can be foolish and intelligent, selfish and generous, and stressed and happy all at once. Believe that very few people hurt others on purpose. Believe that there are many roads to what’s right. Believe in your intuition, especially when you have to choose between two good paths. Believe that the answers are out there waiting. Believe that life will surprise you again and again. Believe that the journey is the destination. Believe that it’s all worth your while. Read 1,000 Little Things.

9. The Present Moment

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” ―Mother Teresa

Regardless of what’s happened in the past or what might happen in the future, it’s being here now that’s important. We can gain experience from the past, but we can’t edit it; we can hope for the future, but we don’t know if it will ever come.

This moment – right now – is your life. Say yes to it. Don’t ignore it by pretending that you’re living in some other time and place. You aren’t – doing so is impossible. The only life you can live is the only life there is – the moment you are in right now. Ignoring this fact is reckless. Ignoring it is denying reality, and denying reality is rejecting the entire process of living.

Start paying attention to the present. Start paying attention to your life. Right now, say yes to the life you‘re living and notice how it starts to flow WITH you rather than against you.

Your turn…

What’s your favorite power quote that can provide a quick dose of inspiration when you need it most?

The hazards of a well-made bed

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:42:00 +0000

Health Home

Columnists News

The hazards of a well-made bed

Dec. 15, 2012

Written by: Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, QMI Agency

(Shutterstock)

What do you sleep on? Of course, the normal reply is the mattress. But few people realize they’re also resting on millions of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinuscan (dust mites).
So how can you decrease the risk of these crawly creatures in your bed? And why should you also think twice before quickly making up the bed.
Dust mites are related to spiders and will never win a beauty contest. They’re ugly, menacing, microscopic in size, have eight legs and you can put either 1,000 mites or 250,000 of their fecal pellets in half a teaspoon. Hardly exciting bed mates!

Dust mites accumulate in rugs, fabrics, and furniture. But they prefer warm beds, pillows and blankets where they live along with vast amounts of their fecal dropping. Since their diet consists of our dead skin cells they’re eager for us to go to bed. And how many people know that dead skin cells account for 80 percent of house dust?
At this point you may be saying, “Luckily, this isn’t a problem for our home.” But dust mites are found is all homes no matter how clean. And, if you think you can escape this nasty creature by moving to Antarctica, don’t bother, as it’s been found in that location.
So are dust mites hazardous to our health? For a start, it doesn’t help the psyche to know you’re sleeping along with millions of these creatures every night! But dust mites have been linked to allergy problems, watery itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal stuffiness, eczema and asthma. It’s the fecal pellet containing guanine that triggers allergic reactions.
A report by North America’s environmental watchdog agency says asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions in our children and also a serious problem for adults. Authorities say that 80 % of asthmatic children test positive to dust mite.
So what can you do to limit the number of these spider-like mites, particularly if a family member suffers from asthma or other allergies?
Don’t sleep with your pet. Pet dander is not your friend. Have Fido or Felix the cat sleep in an area far removed from your bedroom. If this causes psychological problems for you, I doubt that it will affect Fido or Felix.
Think twice before making up the bed. This can be a tough sell if you’re a neatnik. A friend with a compulsive wife once complained to me, “If I get up at night to go to the bathroom, by the time I get back, my wife has made the bed!”
But dust mites cannot live by dust alone. They also need liquid, the water vapour we provide during the night by breathing and perspiring which amounts to one pint per person per night! This is why we always weigh less in the morning. So at least toss covers well off the bed when you get up which helps to dry out the bed before it’s made up.
In fact, even making up beds is dangerous, as chambermaids are known to suffer from “bed-maker’s lung”, an allergic condition.
I must admit this column is not inclined to promote a good night’s sleep. In fact, since I started to itch while writing it, I decided to do further research. I discovered that it’s possible to purchase zippered protective mattress covers that are soft as silk and no mite can penetrate them.
Another company has developed a high tech vacuum with dual action. It sucks up mites, but also uses ultraviolet light to penetrate mattresses, rugs and covered furniture to kill dust mites.
Maybe you’re thinking “I’ll have a service company get rid of mites.” But Dr. Peyton Eggleston, professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, says there’s no scientific evidence this works. The dust mites will return in a few weeks.
Remember the saying, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” This may be prudent in some situations. But I prefer the approach, ‘If you can’t beat them, lock them up in a sure-fire protective covering.” This will allow me to sleep better and stop itching.
See the website docgiff.com for more. To comment emailinfo@docgiff.com or tweet @GiffordJonesMD

Greek Coffee (Ellinikos Kafes) Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:58:00 +0000

Does Greek coffee hold the key to a longer life?

March 18, 2013 in Health

The answer to longevity may be far simpler than we imagine; it may in fact be right under our noses in the form of a morning caffeine kick. The elderly inhabitants of Ikaria, the Greek island, boast the highest rates of longevity in the World, and many scientists turn to them when looking to discover the 'secrets of a longer life'. In a new study in Vascular Medicine researchers investigating cardiovascular health believe that a cup of boiled Greek coffee holds the clue to the elderly islanders' good health. Ads by Google Elevator Consultants - Assurance Vertical Transportation Maintenance Supervision. - www.kja.com/ How To Get Published - Learn How to Publish Your Book. Get a Free Guide on How to Publish. - www.Xlibris.com/HowToGuide Only 0.1% of Europeans live to be over 90, yet on the Greek island of Ikaria, the figure is 1%. This is recognized as one of the highest longevity rates anywhere – and the islanders tend to live out their longer lives in good health. Gerasimos Siasos, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Athens Medical School, Greece set out with his team to find out whether the elderly population's coffee drinking had an effect on their health. In particular, the researchers investigated links between coffee-drinking habits and the subjects' endothelial function. The endothelium is a layer of cells that lines blood vessels, which is affected both by aging and by lifestyle habits (such as smoking). The team homed in on coffee because recent studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption may slightly reduce the risks of coronary heart disease, and that it may also have a positive impact on several aspects of endothelial health. From a sample of 673 Ikarians aged over 65 who lived on the island permanently, the researchers randomly selected 71 men and 71 women to take part in the study. Medical staff used health checks (for high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) and questionnaires to get more detail on the participants' medical health, lifestyles and coffee drinking, in addition to testing their endothelial function. The researchers investigated all types of coffee taken by participants – but interestingly more than 87% of those in the study consumed boiled, Greek coffee daily. More importantly, subjects consuming mainly boiled Greek coffee had better endothelial function than those who consumed other types of coffee. Even in those with high blood pressure, boiled Greek coffee consumption was associated with improved endothelial function, without worrying impacts on blood pressure. "Boiled Greek type of coffee, which is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants and contains only a moderate amount of caffeine, seems to gather benefits compared to other coffee beverages," Siasos concludes. The new study provides a new connection between nutritional habits and cardiovascular health. Given the extent of coffee drinking across the world, and the fact that even small health effects of at least one type of coffee could have a large impact on public health, this study provides an interesting starting point. However, further studies are needed to document the exact beneficial mechanisms of coffee on cardiovascular health. More information: "Consumption of a boiled Greek type of coffee is associated with improved endothelial function: The Ikaria Study" by Gerasimos Siasos, et al, published 18 March 2013 in Vascular Medicine. Journal reference: Vascular Medicine Provided by SAGE Publications

Greek Coffee (Ellinikos Kafes) Recipe

By Amy Wisniewski

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Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 5 mins | Active Time: 5 mins |Greek coffee preparation has as many variations as there are Greeks. Some people swear by boiling the coffee three times and stirring only once. Others boil once and stir, stir, stir. No matter how you take it, this coffee is usually sipped slowly and paired with lively conversation.

Special equipment: You’ll need a briki, a small copper or brass (or sometimes stainless steel) pot that’s narrow at the top and wider toward the bottom so that the grounds fall to the bottom.

Serve the coffee in demitasse cups that are about 2 ounces each.

What to buy: Be sure to use Greek coffee, which is a light-roast coffee and is very finely ground. It can be found at most Greek grocers.

This recipe was featured as part of our Greek Easter Celebration menu.

INGREDIENTS

Water
Greek coffee
Granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Using one of your demitasse cups as a 2-ounce measure, fill the briki with as many cups of cold water as cups of coffee you want to make. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of coffee grounds for each 2-ounce cup of coffee. Add granulated sugar, if desired: 1 teaspoon per demitasse cup for medium-sweet (metrios_) or 2 teaspoons per demitasse cup for sweet (glykys_). For an extra-strong-sweet cup (vari glykos or glykys vrastos), add 3 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons coffee grounds per 2 ounces of water.
Heat over medium heat and stir just to incorporate the grounds and sugar. As the coffee heats, foam will rise. Be sure to hold onto the handle of the briki to keep it from falling over. When the foam nearly reaches the top, remove the briki from the heat and let it stand until the grounds have settled a bit, about 1 minute. Pour a little foam into each cup, then fill each cup, moving the briki up and down to help settle the grounds. Serve with a cold glass of water.

Adrenal exhaustion - the 21st Century disease

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Adrenal exhaustion - the 21st Century disease

Mar. 16, 2013

Written by: Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, QMI Agency

Are you tired for no reason? Having a hard time getting out of bed? Or feel rundown and stressed all the time?

If so, you may have the first symptoms of adrenal exhaustion and must learn to 'adapt' before it becomes a steady habit that causes more than heartburn.

As Charles Darwin, the British scientist remarked, “It’s not the fittest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who can adapt to their environment.” Or, as is often said, “It’s not the work that kills, it’s the worry.”

The thumb-sized adrenal glands are situated on the top of both kidneys and have been called the body’s primary shock absorbers. They produce a number of hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and DHEA. If you encounter a sabre-toothed tiger, adrenaline shoots up, the heartbeat quickens and you prepare to battle for survival. Today’s hectic pace also keeps our adrenal glands in high gear.

Stress is the most common cause of adrenal fatigue. This can occur when a loved one dies, or because of overwork, physical and mental strain, chronic pain, infection, anger, sleep deprivation, chronic illness, depression and anxiety. As one wise sage said, “Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven’t been to sleep yet!”

Patients with adrenal fatigue may complain of cold hands and feet, low back pain, sweet cravings, headaches, arthritis and allergies. Cortisol dysfunction can also lead to low blood sugar, infertility, immune problems and heart disease.

Temporary and minor stressful situations result in slightly higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol. But day-after-day stress is also associated with an increase in blood pressure and excessive levels of adrenal hormones. Finally, if there’s no relief from stress, adrenal hormones drop and adrenal exhaustion occurs. Adrenal fatigue is like withdrawing money from a bank account until there’s none left.

As adrenal hormone levels decline, apart from weakness and fatigue, digestive distress is one of the most common symptoms. Some people complain of nausea, constipation and diarrhea. There is also a tendency for weight gain, reduced sex drive and to feel better when stress is temporarily decreased, such as on a holiday.

So how do you fight adrenal fatigue? First, learn to 'adapt' to stress. A good start is to separate the possible from the impossible. You can’t tell an idiotic boss to go to hell until you win the lottery. Or, as Joseph Stalin once said, one has to live with the devil until one reaches the end of the bridge.

Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can be helpful. So can massage, as the hands-on approach does more than just give you a good feeling. Athletes get a good rubdown to get rid of the lactic and carbonic acid produced by tense muscles. It also helps to exercise, get rid of caffeine and increase the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in the diet along with whole grains and protein.

Make sure you receive adequate amounts of minerals and vitamins. For instance, stressful situations eat up vitamin C. Studies show that, under stress, animals immediately produce 10 times their normal amount of C. Humans under stress should also increase the amount of C to bolster their immune system. Studies also show that by increasing the intake of vitamin C, atherosclerosis in coronary arteries can be prevented and even reversed preventing a heart attack, this country’s number one killer.

There are also herbal remedies to combat adrenal fatigue. One herb, Siberian ginseng, has been used for years in Siberia and China and known for its adaptogenic and anti-stress properties.

Other herbs such as suma, rhodiola, schizandra berries and ashwagandha help to decrease depression, stimulate the nervous system, improve memory, enhance work performance, support the immune and digestive systems and have a positive effect on thyroid and adrenal function.

My advice is to check with your local health food store provider who can advise you about these herbal preparations which unlike many prescription drugs are safe and well tolerated.

5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:24:00 +0000

POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL

5 Ways to Start the Year You Want

Anytime You Want

by Mike Vardy of Productivityist.com

As we head deeper into the year, many of us have seen our BIG resolutions that we made fall by the wayside. Why is that? Perhaps it’s because our energy levels dipped and we couldn’t maintain the new habits that we had adopted. Perhaps it’s because we weren’t really committed to giving them full effort in the first place and just felt that we ‘had’ to make some resolutions. Or perhaps we simply lost our focus.

No matter what the reason is, just because we’re well past January 1st doesn’t mean we can’t have the year we want. I’ll go as far to say that making resolutions at the start of the year is not the best idea anyway. We’re just getting to the end of six weeks of holiday madness, our energy levels and emotions are scattered all over the place, and we’re feeling the pressure of a new calendar year that seemingly forces us to make decisions on adopting a new way of life – decisions that we haven’t completely thought out and habits we aren’t quite ready to adopt.

If you’re feeling like you’ve let yourself down because you haven’t kept up withyour resolutions, don’t fret. I propose that you can start the year you want anytime you want.

Here are 5 things you can do starting now to make that happen.

1. Take a month to reflect and recharge.

If you find your mid-month or mid-year routines spinning your wheels, take onemonth and simply reflect on what you’ve done in the past few months – what’s working, what isn’t, potential changes that need to be implemented, etc. Recharge your focus so that you can take on the months ahead.

Don’t start this process mid-month while you’re juggling a hundred different things; make sure you prepare yourself to start this exercise at the beginning of the next month and fully commit to it. So, if you’re reading this in mid-March and you’re looking to take one month to reflect and recharge, plan to start promptly on April 1st. Doing so will give you enough time to prepare for the month ahead in terms of lowering your workload and setting up proper expectations for both yourself and those who rely on you.

2. Theme your months.

Another clever way to ensure that you can start the year you want anytime you want is to apply a theme to each month of the year. For example, if you have a project or goal that you’ve been dying to work on, take a month of the year to make it your primary focus. This isn’t to say that you have to completely ignore everything that’s unrelated to what you’re trying to achieve during that month. Instead, by aligning that month with your specific project or goal, and making it the focal point, or theme, you are more likely to put forth the time and effort necessary to make significant progress on it. (Read The Front Nine.)

3. Classify days for heavy-lifting and light-lifting.

Use your days accordingly. There are some days where you’re going to be able to spend a significant amount of time on your goal or project, and there will be days where you simply won’t be able to at all. I use a system of ‘heavy-lifting’ and ‘light-lifting’ days to help me make measured progress on my goals and projects. By taking the days that I know I’m going to be able to spend the bulk of my time on my goal or project, I allow myself some emotional support for those days where I can’t – and don’t feel bad about taking those days off in the process.

For example, if you work a day job from Monday through Friday, perhaps Saturday and Sunday could be a heavy-lifting days for that side project you’ve been working on, and the other five days can be light-lifting ones. Or if like me, you’re a stay-at-home / work-at-home parent, you will have some days where you can work on that big goal, while others you are focusing on fulfilling your duty as a parent.

The key is to evaluate and plan your schedule enough to know which days are for heavy lifting and which days aren’t. It’s going to be different for everyone, but by classifying both types of days it helps you prioritize and emotionally separate the various kinds of work you “should be doing.” This prevents you from neglecting what you need to do for the sake of what you want to do, or from trying to do too much at once.

4. Capture and curate.

Being busy and being productive are two totally different things. For instance, rocking in a rocking chair can keep you busy, but it’s not going to get you anywhere. It’s all about figuring out how you can deliver the greatest positive impact on your projects and goals in a set amount of time.

Obviously you can’t do everything and still be productive; trying to do so is futile. This is where capturing and curating come into play. You should spend at least two weeks capturing and tracking your daily tasks on an hourly basis, or as often as you can through each day. It’s a challenging habit to adopt, but once you’ve spent some time doing it, you can then begin the selective process of curating those tasks. This involves reprioritizing, reordering, expanding, and eliminating tasks so that you really spend your time getting the right things done, instead of simply being busy just for the sake of appearing to be productive.

Again, by first tracking and capturing everything you do and then fine-tuning and curating your efforts, you give yourself the luxury of being able to accomplish more of the things that matter to you. (Read Getting Things Done.)

5. Manage your time realistically

Even after curating your tasks and time effectively, you’ll still have to give yourself the freedom to let some things go. Some of what you tracked is not immediately important and will have to go on the back burner, and some of it will have to drop off your radar altogether.

The key to having the year you want anytime you want is to accept the limited amount of time you have to do something really, really great. The value of quality over quantity is essential when it comes to how you mange your time, which in turn is essential to your long-term happiness and success. Better to do one amazing thing than ten mediocre things. Better to do one thing you really want to do, than ten things someone else wants you to do. (Read 1,000 Little Things.)

One of the most powerful ways you can change your perspective on the time you have is to get a bird’s eye view of the year ahead. A wall calendar that displays the entire year at a glance can do that for you (I use a large one-page calendar) as you can see what you’ve mapped out in the months to come and celebrate what you’ve achieved in the months gone by.

Get real with your year and you are well on your way to making it great, no matter when you decide to start it.

Mike Vardy is a husband, father, writer, podcaster, speaker, and ‘productivityist’. In addition to writing for his blog, Productivityist.com, he contributes guest articles to several online and print publications on the topic of productivity, time, and task management, and just recently published his latest book, The Front Nine.

Study advises parents not to talk to kids about pot smoking past

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:07:00 +0000

Study advises parents not to talk to kids about pot smoking past

By JOANNE RICHARD, Special to QMI Agency

(Fotolia)

New research shows that retelling your past drug and alcohol experiences to your adolescent children is possibly a bad idea. A study by The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that kids whose parents spilled the beans were less likely to hold anti-substance abuse perceptions.
“Why would we tell them our gory or law-breaking behaviours of the past? What good would possibly come from that except maybe a release of guilt for the parent?” says teen expert Mary Jo Rapini. “They may tell themselves that you did it so it’s okay for them to. Remember our kids use us as a guide for what is the norm for them,” she says.
Dr. Wendy Walsh agrees: “Teens look up to parents. Their attitude may very well be: Well, my parents tried it and they turned out fine.” Double standards - do what I say, not as I do - never work, says Walsh. “If they know you did drugs, that will be more powerful than your verbal warnings.”
Frequent marijuana smoking amongst teens is up 80% since 2008, according to The Partnership at Drugfree.org. Nearly one in 10 teens smoke marijuana at least 20 or more times a month. And there’s a growing perception that a little weed or a few pills is no big deal. Many parents are turning a blind eye, thinking it’s just a passing adolescent indulgence. But this isn’t the ‘60s, says Rapini.
“Parents are too lax. They don’t understand the dangers of pot much like they don’t understand the danger of cyber-bullying. They equate pot use and bullying to their teen years,” says Rapini. “But the marijuana smoked today has changed and we know it changes brain chemistry.”
Your job as a parent is to teach, mentor and guide your child, stresses Rapnini. “The rule of thumb is before you say anything, ask yourself who is this helping? Is this for me, or for my child? Leave your past in your past.” So should you lie when asked outright? “Omitting facts isn’t actually lying,” says Walsh. Tell them it’s “none of your business. But I make it my business to make sure you understand the consequences if you use drugs. I want you to know the physical risk and I want you to know the rules of our house, the behaviour I expect from you and the consequences if you break this rule.”
Walsh says that kids need you as a role model more than they need to see you as a flawed person. “The focus should be on the consequences of drug use, not your personal experience.” On the other hand, Susan Shapiro Barash says to be honest about your past. “If you do not come clean, your child may find out one day through a mutual friend, relative and feel betrayed. This could push her/ him to dabble, almost as a rebellion.” Be sure to mention the consequences of your actions as well as what you dabbled in – include a cautionary tale, adds Shapiro, professor and author of You’re Grounded Forever… But First, Let’s Go Shopping. And don’t overshare: “Your child needs you as an adult, not a buddy.”
Parents need to reinforce the message that this behaviour is unhealthy, agree experts. According to Dr. Vivian Diller, a New York psychologist, do not lie or hide the truth from your kids about your past marijuana use. Convey information about drug and alcohol use in a smart, thoughtful way and at the right time in a kid’s life, before it’s too late.
Kids are starting younger with weed use and are assuming there are no negative consequences when used regularly. “In part this increase usage probably comes from lax attitudes from parents, but more than anything it comes from our culture that has made it seem acceptable.”Don’t be lulled into looking the other way regarding the risks of using marijuana. “Our more lenient attitudes will only likely increase the prevalence and potency of what is out there today… there is enough research that suggests they face potential dangers that previous generations did not.”
Tips from expert Dr. Wendy Walsh about what you can do to guide your kids about helping them make the right decisions:

Have the talk. And have it early. Waiting until ninth grade is way too late.
Point out negative consequences of drug use as they crop up in the news or the kids’ social circle.
Decide what exactly your house rules will be and what the consequences of rule breaking will be.
Follow up all threats with action. Make sure the consequences are real in your house.
If all else fails, be prepared to change their peer group if necessary. That may mean you may have to move the family to a new school zone. But it’s worth it, if it means saving your child.

How Lying Affects Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:51:00 +0000

How Lying Affects Your Health

To tell the truth, honesty may be the best policy, for physical and mental reasons

By ANGELA HAUPT

August 20, 2012

One little white lie here. Another there. Liar, liar—no, your pants aren't going to catch on fire. So what could it hurt? Plenty, say researchers, and a new study suggests that honesty may indeed be the best policy, for both your health and well-being. Listen up, because most of us tell 11 lies a week, or one or two each day. And all that fibbing could lead to headaches, sore throats, and feeling sad and stressed.

Anita Kelly, a psychology professor at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, spent 10 weeks tracking the health of 110 adults. She asked half of them to stop lying throughout the study period—which meant no false statements, though participants could still omit the truth, keep secrets, and dodge questions they didn't want to answer. The other folks weren't given any specific instructions about lying, though they knew they'd be reporting the number of fibs they told each week. In addition to taking a weekly lie-detector test, participants filled out questionnaires about their physical and mental health, as well as the quality of their relationships.

[See How Your Personality Affects Your Health]

The results? Both groups lied less, but those instructed to tell the truth reaped more health improvements. "We established very clearly that purposefully trying not to lie caused people to tell fewer lies," Kelly says. "When they told more lies, their health went down. And when they told the truth, it improved." In fact, telling three fewer minor lies a week translated to four fewer mental health complaints, and three fewer physical complaints. (Those in the control group who independently told fewer lies logged around two fewer health complaints each week.) Kelly speculates that's because telling the truth improves relationships, as the study participants reported. And research has long indicated that people with good relationships have better physical and mental health.

Still, there could be more to it than the relationship factor, experts contend. Research on how lying affects health is scant, but lying is thought to trigger the release of stress hormones, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Stress reduces your body's number of infection-fighting white blood cells, and over the years, could contribute to lower-back pain, tension headaches, a rapid heartbeat, menstrual problems, and even infertility. You've probably experienced the visceral effects of lying at least once. Imagine, for example, that you're planning on lying to your boss or girlfriend tomorrow morning. "I would bet that you can feel the tension in your shoulders, in your stomach, and in other parts of your body," says Linda Stroh, a professor emeritus of organizational behavior at Loyola University in Chicago and author of Trust Rules: How to Tell the Good Guys From the Bad Guys. "You would spend a lot of time planning the lie, executing it, and maintaining it."

[See 3 Ways to Help Good Kids Make Tough Choices]

And that can be awfully draining. "It takes a lot of negative physical and mental energy to maintain a lie," Stroh says. "We have to think before we answer and we have to plan what we say and do, rather than saying and doing what comes more naturally. We waste a lot of precious time covering our tracks rather than spending that time in positive ways, doing good things."

But is giving up lies cold turkey realistic? Not necessarily, and it's certainly not easy, Kelly says. Most study participants were able to cut back to one lie a week. Especially tricky: squeezing those seemingly innocuous little white lies out of our daily lives.

At the end of the 10-week study period, Kelly asked participants to reflect on how they had managed to curb dishonest tendencies. "We didn't find that anyone was using the study to give people a piece of their mind or tell them brutal truths," she says. "They just stopped exaggerating their day-to-day accomplishments, dropped excuses that weren't true, and told partial truths instead." For example: If a participant's girlfriend changed her hairstyle and he didn't like it, he couldn't lie and say that he did. But he could vaguely tell her: "I really like the way your face looks right now."

If you're making a conscious effort to cut back on the lies, Stroh suggests seeking like-minded, honest folk. "Surround yourself with people who encourage you to be a truthful person, as opposed to those who might tell you it's OK to be untruthful," she says. "Be aware that those who lie 'with you' may lie 'to you' as well."

7 Reasons Why Coffee Is Good For You

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:13:00 +0000

7 Reasons Why Coffee Is Good For You

By Kris Gunnars/ Authority NutritionPosted 02.21.2013 at 10:00 am

Coffee beans Dreamstime

Coffee isn’t just warm and energizing, it may also be extremely good for you.

In recent years and decades, scientists have studied the effects of coffee on various aspects ofhealth and their results have been nothing short of amazing.

Here are 7 reasons why coffee may actually be one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.

1. Coffee Can Make You Smarter

Coffee doesn’t just keep you awake, it may literally make you smarter as well.

The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which is a stimulant and the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.

Caffeine’s primary mechanism in the brain is blocking the effects of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.

By blocking the inhibitory effects of Adenosine, caffeine actually increases neuronal firing in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (1, 2).

Many controlled trials have examined the effects of caffeine on the brain, demonstrating that caffeine can improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general cognitive function (3).

Bottom Line: Caffeine potently blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, leading to a net stimulant effect. Controlled trials show that caffeine improves both mood and brain function.

Espresso: Evan Swigart/Wikimedia Commons

2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat and Improves Physical Performance

There’s a good reason why you will find caffeine in most commercial fat burning supplements.

Caffeine, partly due to its stimulant effect on the central nervous system, both raises metabolism and increases the oxidation of fatty acids (4, 5, 6).

Caffeine can also improve athletic performance by several mechanisms, including by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues (7, 8).

In two separate meta-analyses, caffeine was found to increase exercise performance by 11-12% on average (9, 10).

Bottom Line: Caffeine raises the metabolic rate and helps to mobilize fatty acids from the fat tissues. It can also enhance physical performance.

3. Coffee May Drastically Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

Type II diabetes is a lifestyle-related disease that has reached epidemic proportions, having increased 10-fold in a few decades and now afflicting about 300 million people.

This disease is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.

In observational studies, coffee has been repeatedly associated with a lower risk of diabetes. The reduction in risk ranges from 23% all the way up to 67% (11, 12, 13, 14).

A massive review article looked at 18 studies with a total of 457.922 participants. Each additional cup of coffee per day lowered the risk of diabetes by 7%. The more coffee people drank, the lower their risk (15).

Bottom Line: Drinking coffee is associated with a drastically reduced risk of type II diabetes. People who drink several cups per day are the least likely to become diabetic.

4. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Not only can coffee make you smarter in the short term, it may also protect your brain in old age.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world and a leading cause of dementia.

In prospective studies, coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia (16, 17, 18).

Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain. Coffee may lower the risk of Parkinson’s by 32-60% (19, 20, 21, 22).

Bottom Line Coffee is associated with a much lower risk of dementia and the neurodegenerative disorders Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

5. Coffee May be Extremely Good For Your Liver

The liver is a remarkable organ that carries out hundreds of vital functions in the body.

It is very vulnerable to modern insults such as excess consumption of alcohol and fructose.

Cirrhosis is the end stage of liver damage caused by diseases like alcoholism and hepatitis, where liver tissue has been largely replaced by scar tissue.

Multiple studies have shown that coffee can lower the risk of cirrhosis by as much as 80%, the strongest effect for those who drank 4 or more cups per day (23, 24, 25).

Coffee may also lower the risk of liver cancer by around 40% (26, 27).

Bottom Line: Coffee appears to be protective against certain liver disorders, lowering the risk of liver cancer by 40% and cirrhosis by as much as 80%.

6. Coffee May Decrease Your Risk of Dying

Many people still seem to think that coffee is unhealthy.

This isn’t surprising though, since it is very common for conventional wisdom to be at exact odds with what the actual studies say.

In two very large prospective epidemiological studies, drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of death by all causes (28).

This effect is particularly profound in type II diabetics, one study showing that coffee drinkers had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20 year period (29).

Bottom Line: Coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of death in prospective epidemiological studies, especially in type II diabetics.

7. Coffee is Loaded With Nutrients and Antioxidants

Coffee isn’t just black water.

Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink, which actually contains a decent amount of vitamins and minerals.

A cup of coffee contains (30):

6% of the RDA for Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5).
11% of the RDA for Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).
2% of the RDA for Niacin (B3) and Thiamine (B1).
3% of the RDA for Potassium and Manganese.

May not seem like much, but if you drink several cups of coffee per day then this quickly adds up.

But this isn’t all. Coffee also contains a massive amount of antioxidants.

In fact, coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants in the western diet, outranking both fruits and vegetables combined (31, 32, 33).

Bottom Line: Coffee contains a decent amount of several vitamins and minerals. It is also the biggest source of antioxidants in the modern diet.

Take Home Message

Even though coffee in moderate amounts is good for you, drinking way too much of it can still be harmful.

I’d also like to point out that many of the studies above were epidemiological in nature. Such studies can only show association, they can not prove that coffee caused the effects.

To make sure to preserve the health benefits, don’t put sugar or anything nasty in your coffee! If it tends to affect your sleep, then don’t drink it after 2pm.

At the end of the day, it does seem quite clear that coffee is NOT the villain it was made out to be.

If anything, coffee may literally be the healthiest beverage on the planet.

The Glass of Water

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:39:00 +0000

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”

It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!

9 Secrets from a 73-Year Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 05:13:00 +0000

9 Secrets from a 73-Year Marriage

By Redbook | Love + Sex – Fri, 15 Feb, 2013 10:24 AM EST

After 73 years of marriage, 94-year old Barbara Cooper knows how to get through matrimony's rough patches. The author of Fall in Love for Life shares her hard-earned wisdom. By Holly Corbett, REDBOOK.

On making time to make love
"I don't understand couples who say they are too busy or too tired to sleep together. Unless they are building roads all day or running a multi-national corporation, I expect they have just lost sight of priorities. If you wish to stay connected and happy in your marriage, my advice to you is to never be too tired or too busy to feel love for your partner. When your life is nearly over, you will regret it if you look back and recall too many nights when you made excuses instead of making love."

On bickering
"The most important thing for any couple trying to get along is to think before you speak. If you are bickering and find that you are getting angry, take a deep breath and change course, and ask your partner to do the same. Try saying something conciliatory like, 'I don't know why this is making me so upset, but it is, so can you just humor me and help me get over it?' By simply admitting you are losing your cool, you may find that the anger quickly dissipates."

On greeting your partner
"If you want your relationship to survive and to thrive, you will have to train yourself to focus most of your attention on the person you love. When your sweetheart comes into the room, whether it's just from taking care of some chores in the garage or from a long day at work, your job is to put down whatever you're doing, look him in the eye, and verbally express your delight at seeing him again. It's really so little to ask, and delivers so much - to both of you."

On having affairs
"Some people have affairs because they tell themselves that they deserve more attention than they get at home. Or maybe they get annoyed because they feel that all of their needs aren't getting met by their partner. Well, whoever told them that one person could meet their every need? You can actually live quite comfortably without having all of your needs met. Try thinking about it that way; you might be surprised how liberating it is. You are not perfect, and neither is your partner, but you can make a very pleasant life together if you are both serious about providing the love and support that go along with a marriage."

On going from lovers to parents
"It's true that when your babies are small, there isn't much time left over for romantic gestures. But the wonderful thing about romance is that it is the quality, never the quantity, that matters. So when the baby is napping, throw a blanket on the living room floor, slice some peaches or plums or whatever you have in the house, pour a glass of something bubbly, and enjoy a mini picnic. Write love notes to each other and slip them in between the clean diapers. Be creative, and if you want your love to flourish, it certainly will do so."

On overcoming money problems
"The most important ingredient for getting through tough economic times is THE TRUTH - it's so important it should be capitalized and italicized. So this means that if you have any financial secrets you are keeping from your partner, you must put them on the table. Doesn't that sound scary? I am sure it does, but as with so many unpleasant things that only get bigger and stronger in the dark, these secrets have a funny way of shrinking in the light of the truth. And as they get smaller, your stress and worry will fly away. There's never a better time to be honest with your partner and yourself and make a plan for dealing with your debts and your excess spending - together. I promise, you will not regret it."

On tuning in to your partner
"I think the place where good marriages break down is when one or both parties begin to take the other person for granted. And yet it's understandable that this happens. Life is complicated and can be exhausting, so there is always a temptation when you get home to just tune out, because home is one place where you should feel safe enough to let your guard down this way. But there's a difference between relaxing and disengaging, and while relaxing is a healthy way to recharge your psychic and spiritual batteries, disengaging is a drain on you and your relationships. Nothing is more important than that you recognize the difference and stay present for all the people you love."

On bringing up the past
"The most important lesson I can teach you from our happy marriage is that we did not rehash. If something was unpleasant, we got through it, handled the fallout, and did not bring it up again in happy times. So we both knew that once a problem was solved, that was it - we would not have to answer for it again, at least not in its current form. And knowing this, we could give all our attention to fixing the problems that came along, because once they were fixed, we could forget about them, which is a very wonderful feeling."

On controlling your anger
"Have you ever noticed that you can't spell dangerous without anger? I'm no linguist, but I don't think that's a coincidence. When you're ready to blow, you might say anything hurtful, things you would normally spare the person you love from hearing. Don't say something you'll regret forever. Don't give your partner an excuse to come back to you with his or her own resentments. Instead, find a way to get your anger under control. For myself, I simply run through my mind a short movie of how foolishly I have been acting. You may have better luck singing a silly song, or patting your head while rubbing your tummy, or doing whatever little trick helps bring you outside of yourself long enough to regain control."

Prodigal Son by Casting Crowns

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Prodigal Son by Casting Crowns

Living on my own, thinking for myself

Castles in the sand, temporary wealth

Walls are falling down, storms are closing in

Tears have filled my eyes, here I am again

And I've held out as long as I can

Now I'm letting go and holding out my hand

Daddy, here I am again

Will You take me back tonight

I went and made the world my friend

And it left me high and dry

I drag Your name back through the mud

That You first found me in

Not worthy to be called Your son

Is this to be my end

Daddy, here I am

Here I am again

Curse this morning sun

Drags me in to one more day

Of reaping what I've sown

Of living with my shame

Welcome to my world

And the life that I have made

Where one day you're a prince

The next day you're a slave

And I've held out as long as I can

Now I'm letting go and holding out my hand

Daddy, here I am again

Will You take me back tonight

I went and made the world my friend

And it left me high and dry

I drag Your name back through the mud

That You first found me in

Not worthy to be called Your son

Is this to be my end

Daddy, here I am

Here I am again

And I've held out as long as I can

Now I'm letting go and holding out my hand

Daddy, here I am again

Will You take me back tonight

I went and made the world my friend

And it left me high and dry

I drag Your name back through the mud

That You first found me in

Not worthy to be called Your son

Is this to be my end

Daddy, here I am

Here I am again.

Don't you worry Child

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 17:02:00 +0000

There was a time, I used to look into my father's eyes

In a happy home, I was a king I had a golden throne

Those days are gone, now the memories are on the wall

I hear the sounds from the places where I was born

Up on the hill across the blue lake,

That's where I had my first heart break

I still remember how it all changed

My father said

Don't you worry, don't you worry child

See heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry, don't you worry now

Yeah!

Don't you worry, don't you worry now

See heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry, don't you worry now

Yeah!

There was a time, I met a girl of a different kind

We ruled the world,

Thought I'll never lose her out of sight,

We were so young

I think of her now and then

I Still hear the songs, reminding me of a friend

Up on the hill across the blue lake,

That's where I had my first heart break

I still remember how it all changed

My father said

Don't you worry, don't you worry child

See heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry, don't you worry now

Yeah!

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!

See heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry, don't you worry child

See heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry, don't you worry now

Yeah!

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!

Yeah!

Things I like to Blog about!

1 Step to Better Skin

Look Up

Who Invented the Elevator?

ANTS BE GONE

Another Thought I Had : Bullying isn't just in the School Yard!

Bullying isn't just in the School Yard!

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Grow Roses

Cheeseburger in Paradise

7 Pieces of Offbeat Advice I Wish I Knew Sooner

POST WRITTEN BY: MARC CHERNOFF

2. You have to do lots of things you aren’t good at to grow.

3. Everything you own has an emotional cost of ownership.

4. Flaws are beautiful and likeable.

5. The things you do for fun can pay the bills if you do them right.

6. Some of the most unpleasant people just need a little love.

7. Sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing at all.

11 Habits You Need to Give-Up to Be Happy

POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL CHERNOFF

1. Worrying about… everything.

2. Constant, deliberate, people-pleasing.

3. Procrastinating.

4. Living in the past.

5. Always looking past the present moment in anticipation of the next.

6. Judging others.

7. Comparing your story to everyone else’s.

8. Shame.

9. Disorganization and laziness.

10. Fear of… everything.

11. The need to be busy.

Chocolate Lasagna

Infused waters.

This Miracle Drink

9 Power Quotes for Times of Struggle

POST WRITTEN BY: MARC

1. Growth and Change

2. Problems and Opportunities

3. Hard Work and Achievement

4. Focus

5. Positive Thinking

6. Mistakes

7. Acceptance

8. Confidence and Beliefs

9. The Present Moment

Your turn…

The hazards of a well-made bed

Greek Coffee (Ellinikos Kafes) Recipe

Does Greek coffee hold the key to a longer life?

March 18, 2013 in Health

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-greek-coffee-key-longer-life.html#jCp

Adrenal exhaustion - the 21st Century disease

5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want

POST WRITTEN BY: ANGEL

1. Take a month to reflect and recharge.

2. Theme your months.

3. Classify days for heavy-lifting and light-lifting.

4. Capture and curate.

5. Manage your time realistically

Study advises parents not to talk to kids about pot smoking past

How Lying Affects Your Health

To tell the truth, honesty may be the best policy, for physical and mental reasons

7 Reasons Why Coffee Is Good For You

1. Coffee Can Make You Smarter

2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat and Improves Physical Performance

3. Coffee May Drastically Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

4. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

5. Coffee May be Extremely Good For Your Liver

6. Coffee May Decrease Your Risk of Dying

7. Coffee is Loaded With Nutrients and Antioxidants

Take Home Message

The Glass of Water

9 Secrets from a 73-Year Marriage

Prodigal Son by Casting Crowns

Prodigal Son by Casting Crowns

Don't you worry Child