Under the Sun

Shabat On Ramot Menashe Park

2013-03-02T12:24:00.001-08:00

Sunny Shabat was perfect for a hiking trip to Ramot Menashe Park in Carmel, Haifa. The 1.5 hour drive to Zikron Yakov thru Road 6 was smooth except for the bumpy road that leads to Kenyon Svarim. As usual we arrived on time and ahead of our friends at 10am. Waiting for our friends to arrive gave us the chance to explore the place. Hiking to the Zorea Forest was approximately 45 mins.

We were lucky to walk around empty river banks of the Hashofet at 10:15am because at 12 noon it was a totally different story. Take note at the packed lanes after. We totally found it even difficult to search for our children in the crowd.

Most sections of this wonderful path are paved with asphalt and wooden boards. Hiking won't be difficult with small children or toddlers.

The park trail continues to a 3 hrs trip to the Kibbutzim Junction and down to the Ruins of Beit Rosh, Ein Far, Cyclamen Forest and Taninim River. It's a shame we didn't take this exploration but next time we commit to do this trip without the small children.

Shavua tov everyone!

Lady Gaga Hair Lyrics Live Paul O´Grady Show

2013-02-10T12:13:00.001-08:00

This is the best of Lady Gaga (so far) in my opinion.

Hair (Lyrics)

Whenever I'm dressed cool my parents put up a fightAnd if I'm hot shot, mom will cut my hair at nightAnd in the morning I'm short of my identityI scream, "Mom and dad, why can't I be who I wanna be, to be?"
I just wanna be myself and I want you to loveMe for who I amI just wanna be myself and I want you to knowI am my hair
I've had enough, this is my prayerThat I'll die livin' just as free as my hairI've had enough, this is my prayerThat I'll die livin' just as free as my hair
I've had enough, I'm not a freakI just keep fightin' to stay cool on the streetsI've had enough, enough, enoughAnd this is my prayer, I swear
I'm as free as my hairI'm as free as my hairI am my hairI am my hair
Free as my hai-ai-airHai-ai-air, hairFree as my hai-ai-airHai-ai-air, hai-ai-air
Sometimes I want some raccoon or red highlightsJust because I want my friends to think I'm dynamiteAnd on Friday, Rock City High School danceI've got my bangs to hide that I don't stand a chance, a chance
I just wanna be myself and I want you to loveMe for who I amI just wanna be myself and I want you to knowI am my hair
I've had enough, this is my prayerThat I'll die livin' just as free as my hairI've had enough, this is my prayerThat I'll die livin' just as free as my hair
I've had enough, I'm not a freakI just keep fightin' to stay cool on the streetsI've had enough, enough, enoughAnd this is my prayer, I swear
I'm as free as my hairI'm as free as my hairI am my hairI am my hair
Free as my hai-ai-airHai-ai-air, hairFree as my hai-ai-airHai-ai-air, hai-ai-airr
I just want to be free, I just want to be meAnd I want lots of friends that invite me to their partiesDon't want to change and I don't want to be ashamedI'm the spirit of my hair, it's all the glory that I bear
I'm my hair, I am my hairI'm my hair, I am my hairI am my hair, I am my hair, I am my hairIt's all the glory that I bear
I'm my hair, I am my hairIt's all the glory that I bearI'm my hair, I am my hairI'm my hair, yeah, yeah
It's all the glory that I bearI'm my hair, yeah, yeahIt's all the glory that I bearI'm my hair, yeah, yeahIt's all the glory that I bearI'm my hair, yeah, yeah
I've had enough, this is my prayerThat I'll die livin' just as free as my hairI've had enough, this is my prayerThat I'll die livin' just as free as my hair
I've had enough, I'm not a freakI just keep fightin' to stay cool on the streetsI've had enough, enough, enoughAnd this is my prayer, I swear
I'm as free as my hairI'm as free as my hairI am my hair, I am my hairOoh, I'm my hair, I'm my hair

The lyrics of the song had said it all, "I am free as my hair."

Must Have Winter Accessories for 2012

2013-01-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

Just the way you strip during the summer, it’s bundle time for winter. Getting fully wrapped up in this season doesn’t mean you can’t look hot. It’s time to stock our closets with the chicest and warmest accessories.

1. Scarf

Trends go from overtone, print and oversized scarves in 2012. It is a must to choose scarves that has lightweight and non-itchy material.

Cashmere Mufflers are an elegant and exquisite coordinate for men and women. Each muffler is detailed with a rope fringe finish.

2. Savvy Leather Gloves

It does serve its purpose of keeping your hands warm, but this is not your regular winter gloves that you could use on building a snowman. Elegance and style makes this leather gloves a must in every event. Purchase leather gloves with cotton lining, as they can absorb moisture, which makes your hands feel very cold.

Lambskin leather glove with contrasting suede and bow detail. Silk lined.

3. Sexy Boots

From comfy, fur-lined options and show-stopping, thigh-high numbers, to snow-defying stiletto heels, sexy boots abound in winter. Call it the silver lining of the season, a chic boots makes the best accessory choice for the cold weather.

Patent leather boots are very popular this year but the heels and stilettos give you some added height and sexy look. Mid-height heels are perfect with tights and dress.

4. Beanie

As a yearly fashion favourite the simple beanie hat cannot be beaten. A well loved classic among a huge variety of trendy types from skaters to sports enthusiasts, preppy guys and uber-fashionable girls beanies have really made an impact. The good news about it, beanie hats are affordable. You don’t have to spend a lot to find some really cool and sexy beanie, in fact you could buy a sizeable amount to blend the colour of your clothes.

5. Tights

Thanks to the leggings and tights, we have the excuse to wear those summer and fall skirts, and tunics for the winter season. Who says you have to look like a bundled elephant, it’s time to flaunt some legs and body contours. Sheer types are trendy now, so are the printed designs.

SPANX Tight-End Tights ($28-$42) are the perfect stocking stuffers this winter season. Fashionable and functional, these tights are twice as nice and will give you a slim silhouette all season long.

6. Vests

A faux fur vest is a necessity in every winter wardrobe. It can be paired with skinny jeans, leggings, slim pants, or a flirty dress. Earth and grey tones are trendy now. Stay away from leopard and zebra prints; it does overpower design and style. Fur coats may come outdated, but vests, though minimalistic in style, is reassuring and dominant.

Gall Bladder and Liver Cleanse: My Journey

2013-01-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

(A Continuation...)

A month ago, agonizing stomach pains prompted me to seek medical assistance in Tel Hashomer (ER). Diagnosis was colic pain due to gall bladder stones. That was the assumption, and the next day I knew, I was summoned to a heap of diagnostic tests including an imperative abdominal ultrasound. Should I thank Israel’s health bureaucracy for extending my ultrasound and doctor’s appointment 2 weeks after my brief visit to the emergency room, that I was able to undergo a somewhat non-toxic gall bladder and liver cleansing? There is so much I’ve learned in this journey, let me share it with you.

The knowledge I did acquire from Andreas Moritz, author of the book, "The Amazing Liver and Gall Bladder Flush, " was truly overwhelming. So are the hundreds of comments and support of many individuals, who had undergone the same program, I thank them for the valuable knowledge and experiences they shared. The courage I embodied are all from these wonderful people, God bless you all!

A day after my colic attack, I started my apple juice therapy. Gulping a glass of apple juice before meals three times a day didn’t bring an issue but the feeling of bloatness in the abdomen and loose bowel movement did. It’s not something you can’t live with but it’s tolerable. I could literally drink apple juice for the rest of my life.

Preparation had to be 6 days but I decided that shortening this phase wouldn’t make any difference. Some people succeeded on expelling gall bladder and liver stones on the 4^th day, I was determined to follow such suit.

On the 3^rd day, I drank the last glass of apple juice at 8am. I hardly ate anything during the day except for some fruits and intake of water. At 2pm, I prepared my magnesium sulphate solution. Since Epsom salt was not available here in Tel-Aviv, I bought "melach angli" in the Superpharm. It’s the only place where you could purchase this item, just don’t ever make the mistake of asking magnesium sulphate because most Israeli pharmacists don’t know what is it. Well, it actually took me 3 visits to the pharmacy, carrying printed photos of Epsom salt and magnesium citrate, before I procured 4 small bottles of this mineral.

The prescription of Mr. Moritz was 4 tbsp Epsom salt dissolved in 3 glasses of water but I deliberately changed it to 3 tbsp Epsom salt + 1 cup apple juice + 2 glasses of water. You could blame it on my stubbornness for not following directions, but I succeeded masking the appalling taste. The next time I knew it, I was ready for the second dose after 2 hours.

Excitement filled me after ingesting the 2 doses of magnesium sulphate solution. After some gurgling in my stomach, I anticipated an early visit to the bathroom. It must have been just a wishful thinking because it never happened until 6am the next morning.

The second challenge came when I ingested the mixture of olive oil and grapefruit. If there is someone who would tell me that he liked this concoction, that person must be from outer space. This is the most disgusting drink I have taken in my entire life. Only desperate people would have the conviction to ingest such repulsive potion. It is a sad truth, I am one of them. My full intent was to save my gall bladder.

And the waiting period came. As I lie on bed, I imagined stones traveling along the bile ducts like marbles, expelling out into the intestines. I rush to the bathroom and belched fifty brown calcified stones. They were small and the size of a pea. I was jumping from joy. Jumping…wake up, it’s only a dream.

The urgency to rush to the bathroom was heightened at 6am the next morning. This was the final moment and judgement time whether I would undergo cholesystectomy (removal of the gall bladder) or not. The water I expelled must have been a liter, I felt so light after that flux. That was not bad at all, I did survive. The sad part was no stones were found in my feces. I was optimistic, there were still 2 glasses left from the magnesium sulfate solution and that gives me ¾ times the luck I was waiting for.

At 11am, I had headache, total body weakness and sore buttocks from excessive visit to the bathroom. All my hope had finally abandoned me. Zero stones meant only one thing, a pending surgery awaits my future.

Conclusion:

A scheduled operation for the removal of my gall bladder had been set on December 18 (2012). The long wait had been interrupted with a series of antibiotic treatments for the gall bladder infection. Given no evidence that infection was caused by the gall bladder and liver flushing, still a possibility must not be discounted. In that case, one must assume a healthy pre-state condition of the gall bladder and liver before undergoing such cleansing procedure. Otherwise, be prepared to face the consequences of complications, such as infections.

If you’d ask me if I’d go through the cleansing process again in the future, my answer would definitely be YES. By eliminating harmful materials in the body, detoxification could boost the immune system, improve digestion, eliminate the cause of many chronic conditions and stimulate good health, energy, optimism, mobility and stamina. With this, it does prove that benefits outweigh the means.

This cleansing journey led me to a consequential change on my view about healthy diet. Am I prepared to a low fat diet for the rest of my life? It’s not like I’m given a choice, I was forced to it. How do I survive without a gall bladder? Learning how to cope may be effortless for some; but I am certainly not taking this lightly. This is the biggest challenge of my life. (bla,bla, bla) Just bring it on….healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, here I come!

Gall Bladder and Liver Cleanse

2012-12-31T12:50:00.001-08:00

Talking about the worst days of our lives, last Saturday (Oct 13), could be comprised as hell day. It started at 10pm, Friday night, when I felt unbearable stomach pains, back shoulder pains, heavy perspiration, and laboured breathing, which prompted me to vomit at 11pm. No doubt, my stomach was bloated, and hardening: bending was next to impossible. A resolute trip to the ER was inevitable, allowing me to stay there until 7 am of Saturday, Shabat. The ER experience was extremely frustrating, but it’s another story to be retold in my blog.

My diagnosis was colic pain, assumed but not confirmed, due to accumulation of gall bladder stones. An ultrasound was recommended to affirm findings and could be submitted to surgery if necessary. These findings could say many things but for me it’s illuminated WAKE UP call.

It’s not about losing weight anymore, just like my other health articles but now it is about taking care of our own bodies. All my sign and symptoms are indicators that I have been neglecting my body for a long time. My instincts say it’s not too late for a total body transformation, so I’m burning my butt to search ways on how to salvage my indisposed intrahepatic organs.

The most popular gall bladder and liver cleanses I found was the procedure of Andreas Moritz. This man was born in Germany (1954) and because he was inflicted with several severe illnesses from an early age, he was compelled to study diet, nutrition and various methods of natural healing while still a child. Since then, he dedicated his life’s work in understanding and treating the root causes of illnesses. One of the greatest contributions he did was writing the book, "The Amazing Liver and Gall Bladder Flush. "

The enormous amount of clientele and patrons attesting success of Mr. Moritz liver and gall bladder cleanse was amazing. This achievement couldn’t be disregarded, and yet I am here to appraise it’s effectuality by undergoing the cleanse itself (I need it, by the way, anyway).

Benefits of the Gall Bladder and Liver Cleanse

Benefits of the gallbladder and liver cleanse varies depending on how many times you do the flush. It's recommended by some to perform the flush 7-10 different times to get the full benefits listed below:

Detoxifies your organs

Lowers your chance to have a gallstone attack

No acid reflex

Chronic acne prevention

Hormonal acne prevention

Improves digestion/ indigestion

Release of lower back pain

Helps some with Psoriasis, Eczema/ Excema/ Contact Dermatitis, Bloating, Constipation, Fatigue, Cholesterol

Reduces strain on your organs

Reversal of the aging process

Improves overall health

Helps our body run smoothly and efficiently

With all the toxins that surround us every day with the processed foods, hormone enhanced foods, fried foods, fatty foods, stress from work or life in general, it's important to clean out your body so you can enjoy a healthy long life free of sickness and any other conditions that may occur with a toxic body.

Cleansing Procedure:

I am quoting the actual cleanse method from the book (The Amazing Liver and Gall Bladder Flush) of Mr. Moritz:

" The liver cleanse requires 6 days of preparation, followed by 16 to 20 hours of actual cleansing. To remove gallstones you need the following items:

six 1-liter (32 oz,) containers of apple juice

4 tablespoons of Epsom salts dissolved in three 8-oz. (230ml) glasses

of water

1/2 cup (4 oz.) of cold-pressed, virgin olive oil

2/3 glass of fresh grapefruit juice (pink is best), or fresh lemon and orange combined

2 pint jars, one with a lid

Preparation

Drink 32 oz. of packaged apple juice per day for a period of six days: (You may drink more than that if it feels comfortable to do so.) The malic acid in the apple juice softens the gallstones and makes their passage through the bile ducts smooth and easy. The apple juice has a strong cleansing effect.

Some sensitive people may experience bloating and, occasionally, diarrhea during the first few days. Much of the diarrhea is actually stagnant bile, released by the liver and gallbladder (indicated by a brownish-yellow color). The fermenting effect of the juice helps widen the bile ducts. If this becomes somewhat uncomfortable, you can dilute the apple juice with any amount of water. Drink the apple juice slowly throughout the day, between meals (avoid drinking the juice during, just before, and in the first two hours after meals, and in the evening). This is in addition to your normal water intake of six to eight glasses.

Note: Preferably, use organic apple juice, although for the purpose of the cleanse, any good brand of commercial apple juice, apple concentrate, or apple cider works just as well. It may be useful to rinse your mouth out with baking soda and/or brush your teeth several times per day to prevent the acid from damaging your teeth.

Dietary recommendations: During the entire week of preparation and cleansing, avoid foods or beverages that are cold or chilled; they chill the liver and, thereby, reduce the effectiveness of the cleanse. All foods or beverages should be warm or at least room temperature.

To help the liver prepare for the main part of the cleanse, try to avoid foods from animal sources, dairy products, and fried food items. Otherwise, eat normal meals, but avoid overeating.

The best times for cleansing:
The main and final part of the liver cleanse is best done over a weekend, when you are not under any pressure and have enough time to rest. Although the liver cleanse is effective at any time of the month, it should preferably coincide with a day between full moon and new moon. Try to avoid doing the actual cleanse on full moon day (the body tends to hold more fluids in the brain and tissues on this day than on others). The day of new moon is the most conducive for cleansing and healing.'

If you take any medication:
While on the liver cleanse regimen, avoid taking any medication, vitamins, or supplements that are not absolutely necessary. It is important not to give the liver any extra work that could interfere with its cleansing efforts. Make sure that you cleanse your colon before and after you do a liver cleanse. Having regular bowel movements is not necessarily an indication that your bowel is unobstructed. Colon cleansing, done either a few days before or, ideally, on the sixth day of preparation, helps to avoid or minimize any discomfort or nausea that may arise during the actual liver cleanse. It prevents back-flushing of the oil mixture or waste products from the intestinal tract into the stomach. It also assists the body in swiftly eliminating the gallstones.

Colonic irrigation (colon hydrotherapy) is the fastest and easiest method to prepare the colon for the liver cleanse. Colema-board irrigation is the second most preferable method

What you need to do on the sixth day of drinking apple juice:

Drink all the 32 ounces of apple juice in the morning. You may start drinking the juice soon after awakening. If you feel hungry in the morning, eat a light breakfast, such as a hot cereal; oatmeal would be an ideal choice. Avoid sugar or other sweeteners, spices, milk, butter, oils, yogurt, cheese, ham, eggs, nuts, pastries, cold cereals, and the like. Fruit or fruit juices are fine. For lunch eat plain cooked or steamed vegetables with white rice (preferably basmati rice) and flavor it with a little unrefined sea or rock salt. To repeat, do not eat any protein foods, butter or you might feel ill during the actual cleanse. Do not eat or drink anything (except water) after 1:30 p.m., otherwise you may have difficulties passing stones! Follow the exact schedule below.

The Actual Cleanse

Evening

6:00 p.m.

Add 4 tablespoons of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to a total of 24 ounces (three 8-oz. glasses) of filtered water in ajar. This makes four 6-oz servings. Drink your first portion glass) now. You may take a few sips of water afterward to neutralize the bitter taste in your mouth, or may add a little lemon juice to improve the taste.

Some people drink it with a large plastic straw to bypass the taste buds on the tongue. Closing the nostrils while drinking it works well for most people. It is also helpful to brush your teeth afterward or rinse out the mouth with baking soda. One of the main actions of Epsom salt is to dilate (widen) the bile ducts, making it easy for the stones to pass. Moreover, the salts clear out waste that may obstruct the release of the stones. (If you are allergic to Epsom salts or are just not able to get them down, you may instead use the second best choice, magnesium citrate the same dosage.) Set out the citrus fruit you will be using later, so that it can warm to room temperature.

8:00 p.m.

Drink your second serving glass of Epsom salts.

9:30 p.m.

If you have not had a bowel movement until now and have not done a colon cleanse within the past 24 hours, take a water enema; this will trigger a series of bowel movements.

9:45 p.m.

Thoroughly wash the grapefruits (or lemons and oranges). Squeeze them by hand and remove the pulp. You will need glass of juice. Pour the juice and ½ glass of olive oil into the pint jar. Close the jar tightly and shake hard, about 20 times or until the solution is watery. Ideally, you should drink this mixture at 10:00 p.m., but if you feel you still need to visit the bathroom a few more times, you may delay this step for up to 10 minutes.

10:00 p.m.

Stand next to your bed (do not sit down) and drink the concoction, if possible, without interruption. Some people prefer to drink it through a large plastic straw. Drinking it while keeping the nostrils closed seems to work best. If necessary, use a little honey between sips, which helps the mixture go down more smoothly. Most people, though, have no problem drinking in one go. Do not take more than 5 minutes for this (only elderly or weak people may take longer).

PLFASE LIE DOWN IMMEDIATELY!

This is essential for helping to release the gallstones! Turn off the lights and lie flat on your back with one or two pillows propping your head up. Your head should be higher than your abdomen. If this is uncomfortable, lie on your right side with your knees pulled toward your head. Lie perfectly still for at least 20 minutes, and try not to speak! Put your attention on your liver. Some people find it beneficial to place a castor oil pack over the liver area.

You may feel the stones traveling along the bile ducts like marbles. There won't be any spasms or pain because the magnesium in the Epsom salts keeps the bile duct valves wide open and relaxed, and the bile that is excreted along with the stones keeps the bile ducts well lubricated. (This is very different than in the case of a gallstone attack where magnesium and bile are not present.) Go to sleep if you can.

If at any time during the night you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, do so. Check if there are already small gallstones (peagreen or tan-colored ones) floating in the toilet. You may feel nauseated during the night and/or in the early morning hours. This is mostly due to a strong, sudden outpouring of gallstones and toxins from the liver and gallbladder, pushing the oil mixture back into the stomach. The nausea will pass as the morning progresses.

The Following Morning

6:00-6:30 a.m.

Upon awakening, but not before 6:00 a.m., drink your third 3/4 glass of Epsom salts (if you feel very thirsty, drink a glass of warm water before taking the salts). Rest, read, or meditate. If you are sleepy, you may go back to bed, although it is best if the body stays in an upright position. Most people feel fine and prefer to do some light exercises, such as yoga.

8:00 -8:30 a.m.

Drink your fourth and last 3/4 glass of Epsom salts.

10:00-10:30 a.m.

You may drink freshly pressed fruit juice at this time. One half-hour later, you may eat one or two pieces of fresh fruit. One hour later you may eat regular (but light) food. By the evening or the next morning you should be back to normal and feel the first signs of improvement. Continue to eat light meals during the following 2-3 days.

Remember, your liver and gallbladder have undergone major "surgery," albeit without the harmful side effects or the expense.

Note: Drink water whenever you are thirsty, except right after drinking the Epsom salts and for the first two hours after drinking the oil mixture. "

What to expect after the cleanse

The whole day after the cleanse, expect a number of watery bowel movements. Gallstones could come out mixed with food residue, or with just water. Most of them are peagreen and float in the toilet because they contain bile compounds. They can come in many sizes, colors, and shapes. The lightcolored stones are the newest. Don’t get alarmed when dozens or even hundreds comes out all at the same time.

Also, watch for tan-colored and white stones. Some of the larger tan or white stones may sink to the bottom with the stool. These are calcified gallstones that have been released from the gallbladder. They contain heavier toxic substances, with only small amounts of cholesterol.

It may require at least 8 to 12 cleanses to remove the stones from the gall bladder and liver, for which can be performed at three-week or monthly intervals, (Do not cleanse more frequently than that!) cleanses.

To be continued

Heathy Diet Shakes

2012-11-29T13:34:00.000-08:00

Diet shakes may be useful for jump-starting weight loss. As a reminder, this may not be regarded as your ultimate and sole diet program, but may only be considered as meal supplements to control daily excessive caloric intake yet still meet the basic mineral and nutritional needs of the body.

If you think you could live on diet shakes for the rest of your life then you are living a dangerous lifestyle. They may be helpful in certain ways:

· when you lack the time or motivation to shop for and prepare balanced meals

· if you are consistently missing a certain meal, such as breakfast

· if there is a need for extra protein, mineral supplements in the body

· if your goal is to build muscles (Shakes can give your body a good dose of protein but with a much lower amount of calories.)

· if you need a liquid diet due to dental issues, surgery

The ultimate goal should still be to lose weight in a healthy manner. And the key is a balance with food intake, habits and exercise.

Recommended Diet Shakes You Could Easily Prepare at Home

(Reminder: Delicious, potent shakes and very addictive)

Whey Powder Shakes

Ingredients:

2 scoops Chocolate Whey Powder

10 ice cubes

12 oz. fat free milk

2 tbsp fat free vanilla yogurt

1 tbsp reduced fat peanut butter

2 tbsp hazelnut coffee

1/8 cup caramel ice cream topping

Banana Protein Shake

Ingredients:

1 scoop Vanilla Whey Powder

1 medium to large banana

8 oz. light Soy Milk

1 tbsp Linseed, Soy and Almond Mixture

1 tsp Golden Syrup

few drops vanilla essence/extract

3-4 cubes ice

1 tbsp low fat natural yoghurt

Oatmeal Meal Replacement Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup dry measure oatmeal, cooked in water and cooled

3 dashes cinnamon

1/8 c sugar free maple syrup or equivalent amount brown sugar replacement

1 tbsp chopped almonds (or flaxseed oil or natural peanut butter)

12 oz. water or low-fat milk

Pineapple Power

Ingredients:

1 cup of pineapple juice

3 strawberries

1 banana

1 teaspoon of yogurt

1 scoop of your choice of protein

Mango Madness

1/2 to 1 cup mango pieces frozen or freshly sliced natural mango

1 cup Brown Cow Vanilla cream top yogurt

1 Tbsp Flax seed oil

6-8 oz water

Egg-cellent Shake

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk or 3-4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Add all ingredients in blender. Blend and enjoy.

Snickers® Protein Shake

3 Snickers® Bars

4 eggs

3 cups milk

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

Chop the candy into cubes. Add the milk, eggs, then mix; add the evaporated

Raincoats in Style

2012-11-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

I could sense that Israel is rejoicing, the mood of Succot of jubilant and rain had finally scored (don’t forget, were counting!). Hallelujah!

If you haven’t lived in Israel for a least a year, you have no idea how rain meant so much to everyone here.

So let’s make a rain check:

Umbrellas: yes, available

Rain shoes: yes

Raincoat: ???

It’s raining, it’s time to get dry in style! When buying a raincoat, find out what is it made of and whether it’s resistant. Recommended cloths are Gore-Tex, Ultrex, Supplex, and WindStop Fleece. They should fit anywhere between two and six inches above the knee. And it should feel snug, with slim, clean lines.

Nau Raincoats (The sleeves can be unzipped to transform the coverall into a vest, while collar-cinching drawstrings provide adjustable shielding for your neck)

Patagonia Raincoat (This is made of polyester with a lined hood with a double-snap closure, a two-way front zipper, a detachable storm flap, welted hand-warmer pockets, and side-seam ties for wrapping around the front or back.)

Marmor Raincoat (It is made of 2-layer fabric, waterproof and breathable, with zip-off hood, and organizational features which include 2 zip hand pockets, an interior zipper pocket, an interior airline ticket pocket and an interior hood pocket.)

Stutterheim Unisex Raincoat (made from rubber fabric and could be your best defense against a tough rain)

Helly Hansen Raincoat (The ultimate raincoat for urban users, the Helly Hansen Women's Embla Raincoat has 3 layer waterproof, breathable technical fabric, with superb stretch and comfort as well as state-of-the-art protection from the elements.)

Jenny Raincoat (A single breasted two tone faux silk raincoat with belt tie, zip front bib, detachable hood and flannel twill lining for extra warmth)

Vila Ray Raincoat

Anne Klein Raincoat (long sleeve hooded empire waist)

Dance and Lose Weight

2012-11-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

Regular exercise is one of the major difficulties in losing weight. Not many of us have the opportunity to exercise on a regular basis and yet we still carry so many excuses just not to engage in any minor body workout. In this case, I am reconditioning myself on terms that it will be a fun and exciting activity. Let us try DANCING.

Yes, dancing is fun and by dancing the right way, one can lose weight and maintain an attractive body shape. Now, don’t give me an excuse like you don’t know how to dance. Well, everybody can dance and sway to a tune. When you are dancing, you don’t get the pressure that you have to lose weight because your goal is to have fun and enjoy.

I love dancing. I may not be a good dancer but I know what dance music is and I can jump, sway my hips and wiggle my arms. Dancing is dynamic and you just have to move and follow the rhythm of the music. There are no complicated requirements in dancing, you just have to feel it. I guess, dancing is the reinvention of exercise.

Many people do better at the gym but others prefer working out solitary. If you dislike training but had the desire to love it, then regular dancing might be an option for restructured exercise on losing weight. I am giving my best shot on it and I do encourage you to join me in this journey. Let me remind you of my conviction to lose weight (15kgs) permanently in 6 months, I am still on it and very much engaged.

Health Benefits

When you start dancing regularly, you will get health benefits like you get from normal exercise routines.

One doesn't need to set up a studio or buy any equipment or special clothes for dance routines. You can wear your normal shoes and comfortable clothes and start grooving to the beats!
As you start doing dancing regularly you will lose weight, and dancing will also tone up your body, and give you an attractive shape.
With regular dancing, your body will become strong and flexible.
Dancing is for fun, so you don't have to be worried about perfect movements, you can sing along with the song, jump, shout, wiggle, and have fun!
Dancing will give you physical health benefits which you get from exercises like cardio and weight training. It is also good for your emotional health as dance is the eternal stress reliever.

In a normal dance routine, one can burn 109 calories in 10 minutes. And, with high paced dancing you can burn even more calories. So, start a dance routine at home, or in a class, and within a few months, you will have lost weight and become more toned!

Awesome Sandals for 2012

2012-10-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Two things that go perfectly well together are sandals and summer. The flexibility of sandals is outlandish, it just match any outfit you wear. It is easy to wear and a real comfy when travelling. Check out the latest styles of sandals we have for 2012.

Platform Sandals

Platform sandals are sandals with a thick, raised out sole where both the heel and the toes are raised, thus providing height to the wearer.

Thong Sandals

Simple, cheap, rubber sandals held on the feet with a two-piece strap, which is anchored to the top of the sole on the inside foot arch, between the big and second toes and on the outside near the heel.

Huaraches

Huaraches, traditional handmade Mexican sandals with woven leather tops, have been around for hundreds of years and were popular among Mexican villagers and peasants.

T-Strap

Wedge

It runs the length of the sandal, though it’s thicker at the heel of the foot and thinner or flat near the toe.

Clogs

Platform clogs or sandals are often raised as high as 6 or even 8 inches right through between sole and insole.

Espadrilles

The soles of espadrilles may be flat, platform or wedge shaped, and can be made of natural fiber or synthetic fiber rope, or flexible synthetic materials cast to resemble rope. Uppers may be made from nearly any substance, and may have open or closed toes, open or closed backs, and can be slip-on or tied to the ankle with laces.

Colon Cleansing on Losing Weight

2012-10-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

After reading the ebook, The Weight Loss Cure (They Don’t Want You To Know About), Kevin Trudeau (author of the book mentioned) became one of my greatest inspiration and motivator on losing weight. Reading Trudeau’s book will definitely transform you as it did to my life.

One of the most recommended ways to lost weight faster in the book was to do colon cleansing. This had been mentioned repeatedly in different chapters. The emphasis was to follow Simeon’s Candida cleanse. Candida albicans, by the way, are the most common digestive yeast and they are normally kept under control by good bacterias that thrive in the bowel, such as multiple strains of acidophilus. They become problematic when they proliferate and penetrate the intestinal wall and as a result, increase the levels of toxicity in the body. Candida yeast overgrowth is the one responsible for your insomnia, joint and muscle pain, persistent gas and bloating, recurrent bladder infections, recurrent vaginal yeast infections, sinus problems, sugar cravings, bad breath, blurred vision, brain fog, chemical sensitivity, fatigue, mood problems, food sensitivities and allergies.

Source: boingboing.net via Diane on Pinterest

It is a must to detoxify the body by means of colon cleansing. Some may associate it with the word fasting, but either way, the purpose is universal: to clean the body from toxins.

There are many colon-cleansing methods available in the market these days. The options are varied from colonic irrigation/colon hydrotherapy, oxygen cleanses, therapeutic clays, enemas, herbal colon cleansing supplements, laxatives and fiber cleanses. Much favour is given to fiber cleanses because it exert strong health preserving effects beyond colon health, such as supporting a healthy heart and weight control.

I have compiled various natural cleansing diets which you could follow at home. This is strictly only for people with good general health condition; otherwise, consult your physician for any advice.

What determines how often you cleanse is the state of your health and whether you have done any cleansing before. It is recommended to have a yearly or twice yearly maintenance program of cleansing

1. 3 Day Cleansing Diet

The cleanse restricts the amount of food you eat, thus forcing rapid detoxification. Body uses fat for energy.

Side Effects: fatigue and irritability

1st day Breakfast: 8 oz of green tea

grapefruit

orange

Lunch: spinach salad topped with slices of red pepper and raw broccoli florets. Flavor with olive oil, lemon juice and cayenne pepper

Dinner: 8oz of vegetable juice (carrots, beet, cabbage and ginger)

spinach salad topped with slices of red pepper and raw broccoli florets. Flavor with olive oil, lemon juice and cayenne pepper

Note: Drink a minimum of one gallon of distilled water during the day. Add 1 tsp. of organic apple cider vinegar to your last 2 glasses of water

2nd day Breakfast: 8 oz of green tea

grapefruit

orange

Lunch: 12oz of vegetable juice (carrots, beet, cabbage and ginger)

Dinner: 12oz of vegetable juice (carrots, beet, cabbage and ginger)

Note: Drink a minimum of one gallon of distilled water during the day. Add 1 tsp. of organic apple cider vinegar to your last 2 glasses of water

3rd day Breakfast: 8 oz of green tea

grapefruit

orange

Lunch: 12oz of vegetable juice (carrots, beet, cabbage and ginger)

Dinner: 12oz of vegetable juice (carrots, beet, cabbage and ginger)

Note: Drink a minimum of one gallon of distilled water during the day. Add 1 tsp. of organic apple cider vinegar to your last 2 glasses of water

2. Lemonade cleansing diet

This was created in the 1940’s by Stanley Burroughs to treat ulcers. Now, it is popularly known as the Master Cleanse (popularized by MasterCleanse.org)

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Start the day with a salt water flush (on an empty stomach) and end the day with a laxative tea. Doing this causes numerous bowel movements.

Salt Water Flush

Mix solution consisted of 2 tsps non-iodized sea salt and 1 quart warm pure water. Drink slowly and expect 2-3 bowel movements or even more, after.

Lemonade Drink

Mix lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. This will be the only sustenance while on the diet. This is usually performed for 10 days but for those who intend to follow it for only one day, drink the lemonade all day long whenever you’re hungry and finish with a salt water flush to induce bowel movements.

3. 21 Day Cleansing Diet

Diet consists of eating one solid meal a day, along with two liquid meals. It was recommended having a smoothie or freshly made juice for breakfast, a solid meal for lunch and a soup or a smoothie for dinner. Dr. Junger, creator of this diet, stresses the importance of eating a dinner that is easy to digest and leaving 12 hours between dinner and breakfast so that the body can fully enter into detoxification mode while you sleep.

4. Cleansing with Beets and Radishes

Add beats and radishes to your salads and sandwiches in generous amounts. Since they are very rich in fiber, they can very filling. Juicing them makes it possible to get more of their valuable nutrients.

Added Information:

One raw beet contains only 35 calories, with 2.3 grams of fiber, 13 milligrams of calcium, 266 milligrams of potassium, 4 milligrams of vitamin C, 89 micrograms of folate, 16 micrograms of beta-carotene, 27 international units of vitamin A and small amounts of other vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A beet also provides 105.5 milligrams of betaine, which may help support and detoxify the liver.

A cup of sliced, raw radishes contains 19 calories and 1.9 grams of fiber, 29 milligrams of calcium, 270 milligrams of potassium, 17.2 milligrams of vitamin C, 29 micrograms of folate and trace amounts of other nutrients.

Make Your Own Fashion Accessories

2012-10-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

The ideas didn't come from out of the blue but from a fusion of multiple stories we had on a recent trip to Europe. On our trips to the Low Tartra mountains in Slovakia, my family was able to visit a nice cave near Banska Bystrica. After we finish the trip, I bought a memorabilia, that is a magnetic ring.

In the past, I've read a lot about magnetic rings and its health benefits. Who wouldn't want it if it will improve your blood circulation, and relieve pain and discomfort caused by arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome (I had it once and had surgery with it). So they say, there is really no evidence to conclude the effectuality of these therapies but who cares and who is waiting for the proof. Many people had been skeptics also about the cure of tuberculosis years ago, now it does have cure and immunizations.

To cut the long story short, the magnetic rings I bought ended up FAKE. After I did invest buying some strings, wire-wrapped the stones (with the use of pliers) and wore it 24/7 around my neck, and just to discover that the stones were phony, it was a disheartening experience. For weeks, I googled about stones and crystals, my obsession was killing me. Only until I found this amazing store, Stoneage, of jewels and crystals in Ramat Gan did I finally say, I calmed and subdued.

There are bountiful ideas on how to make your own fashion accessories. I suggest you follow your instincts and passion in life because these are the things that could give you great inspirations. Creating is also a form of expression. Your creations are a way to show who you are, what you do and what you believe in life. Don’t limit yourself from expressing what you want in life and you want life to do for you. Life is boundless, if you only believe in its magnitude.

The most popular fashion accessories right now are jewelleries made of beads and gemstones. Well, since stone jewelleries have more allure for me, I intend to focus on this subject alone. With a hundred choices of stones, you could create almost any fashion accessory you want. So let’s begin with the stone.

As for my personal choice, I have bought an amethyst (the Aquarian birthstone), citrine, pyrite and a hematite (that’s the name of the original magnetic stone). These stones do come in many packages...some are tumbled, with clasps and others come like a chunk of solid rock. Your target is to find something that will hold them securely so you could hang them on your body. The Allenby street in Tel-Aviv is a haven for this jewelry findings and embellishments. One good example is this photo:

From many sides you could create ways on how to hang or connect your jewel. One of the best ways is to wire wrap your stones, especially if they don’t have holes where you could connect strings or chains on it.

To be honest, this is not the easy path. I have tried it myself and although my work did come out impressively nice (especially for beginners), many flaws were distinctively recognizable. It takes a lot of practice to make such skillful manipulation of your pliers and your wires to come up with really decent and presentable jewelry.

My second option is the use of strings. This is helpful when your stones have holes in it already. Beads come amazingly beautiful when created in this combination.

Beads could be used as single bezels to hold your stones as well. I have seen many tutorials in YouTube describing this technique. Many forums in the internet are dedicated to these special artworks as well.

The last option, the one I have used to create my first stone jewelry was the use of spiral metal cases for gems. Most crystal stone stores sell it and they come in different sizes. I found this precious metal in Stoneage (address: 4 Aba Hillel Street, Ramat Gan) and I consider it as the best solution to create a nice pendant.

And this is the final art work I have finished. Judge for yourself if you think it is inspiring to make your own accessories at home.

How to Conceal Freckles and Acne Scars

2012-08-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 264, July 31, 2012

All my life I’ve been afflicted with the insecurity of having freckles and acne scars on the face. You don’t have to blame me for wanting to look nice and pleasing to the public, it’s definitely a basic need. My previous sole target was to find some skin concealer, and you bet I found a total skin cover-up solution. Thousands may be having the same issues as I do and I have good news to everyone, there is a way to conceal and hide your skin imperfections.

Three years ago I discovered the wonders of Vichy Dermablend. This is not just a pathetic promotion of the product but it’s my way to help many people who have the same problem as I do. The product is not new in the beauty industry but had been existent 15 years creating and designing ways to cover serious skin discolorations such as scars, birthmarks, and vitiligo.

After trying a lot of beauty concealer products, I settled to Dermablend, which provided total skin coverage. Yes, it covers very very well and you should be able to enjoy 12 hours of lightweight flawless wear (16 with the setting powder). It has an added SPF 20, dermatologist/ophthalmologist tested, and non-comedogenic (less likely to occlude/block the skin pores). It’s recommended for minor to moderate imperfections such as freckles, uneven skin tone, birthmarks, bruising, rosacea, spider veins, acne scars, tattoos and pigmentation issues.

The biggest downfall may come from the fact that it only comes in 5 shades: Opal 15, Nude 25, Sand 35 ,Gold 45 and Bronze 55. My disappointment came when I realized they didn’t have the right shade for my skin, which is obviously between Gold 45 and Bronze 55. In the end, I settled with Gold 45, which is not a bad choice after all. But, if they would come up with something darker, it would have been perfect.

The foundation, as you might notice, is thicker that the usual foundations we have. A little application goes a long, long way. It sets pretty quickly on the skin, and I have found that using the fingers works better than a brush. The warmth of your fingers helps the foundation to glide over your skin with ease.

Accessibility of product is found on most regular drugstores in Europe, Asia and America, with an exemption in Israel. Product is not available in Superpharm, but only to local pharmacies that sell Vichy products. Don’t get confused with names Vichy Dermablend with Dermablend Professional. Yes, they may two different products but acknowledged to employ the same purpose: to camouflage skin imperfections. In this article I do refer to Vichy Dermablend, which I have tried personally and effectively and although many attest that Dermablend Professional is also good, I may not be able to make a fair and honest review with it because I haven’t tried it myself. For now I prefer to focus on products that are tested and proved to be useful to many consumers.

How to Apply

1. Cover Creme

a. Apply skin moisturizer before application of Dermablend.

b. Squeeze a small amount of crème on the finger. Place on the back of your hand and using a circular motion, warm and soften product until the texture becomes creamier.

c. Apply directly over imperfection with fingers.

d. Blend outwardly. If extra coverage is desired, tap on more product over the area.

2. Setting Powder

This is bought separately and applied after application of cover crème. It is a must to apply this to ensure lasting wear of the make-up.

a. Pat on setting powder generously over covered areas. Wait 2 minutes.

b. Brush off excess using a make-up brush.

The Best Eye Makeup For Asian Eyes

2012-08-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

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Lots of Asians have issues with the lack of a double eyelid. It's also the reason why blepharoplasty (or double eyelid surgery) is the second most requested cosmetic procedure among them. Coupled with stubbornly sparse, straight eyelashes, it's the sole reason why many Asian women give up on applying eye makeup and mascara altogether. But just because we are Asians, it doesn't mean we are limited in doing our makeups. Asian eyes are among the most beautiful eye shapes we have around. With the help of proper tools, techniques, and right choice of colours, you could use this advantage to bring out the glow of natural beauty.

Goal: create the illusion of double eyelids with eye makeup

Tools: slanted brush, shading brush, smudging brush and blending brush

Instructions:

1. Apply foundation on your lids. This prevents makeup from sliding off the face.

2. Apply various eyeshadow shades. Start with a light shade at the ball of your closed eyes, and then switch to a darker shade onto the crease. Apply the light shade again, just beneath your eyebrow bone and underneath your eyebrow. By using two or three different shades, one dark, two light, you create definition and give the eyelid some much needed contours and crease. Asian eyes are greatly enhanced with the darker shades such as plum, brown, bronze, gray and black.

3. Add liner to both top and bottom lash lines and smudge it out to finish. If you only put it in the lower rim, it makes the eye seem smaller. You have to smudge it out to bring those outer edges forward, so it makes the eye look larger.

4. Curl eyelashes

Heat an eyelash curler with the hair dryer for 5 to 10 seconds. Touch it to make sure it is not too hot for your eye area.

Gently place the eyelash curler over your upper eyelash, close to the lash root, and press down firmly for 15 to 30 seconds. Clamp it down again in the middle section of your eyelash for another 15 to 30 seconds, then again toward the tips.

5. Apply mascara to add a more dramatic effect. Do not use too much mascara because it can weigh the lashes down.

Diet vs Exercise

2012-07-26T23:34:00.000-07:00

There is a strong debate on which method helps people lose weight faster, is it diet or exercise?

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First, let us dissect EXERCISE. Weight trainers, body fitness enthusiasts defend that the more you build muscles on your body, the faster you burn calories and lose weight. Well, to burn 1 kilo in a week, you are required to exercise intensely and vigorously twice a day. This rigid training entails running and walking in kilometers, lifting weights, stretching, pushups and crutches. Now, I could read your mind. You simply do not have time for this regimen ("I am too busy") and like you; I could find a thousand excuses not to engage in such activity. We all know the reason to that; it is not an easy way to lose weight. Do not argue, it is a fact!

Let us consider the situation wherein there is no other way but to exercise, would you still consider reading all the wondrous benefits it could give your body? Just stay with me and do not count. Just keep on reading.

Reduce the risk of premature death

Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer by up to 60%

Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat

Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease

Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure

Exercise improves your mood.

Helps you to look good

Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.

Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol

Reduce the risk of developing diabetes

Slows the aging process

Increases Flexibility and Tones Muscles

Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints

Eases and possibly eliminates back problems and pain.

Reduce depression and anxiety

Improves confidence

Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)

Burn Calories

Social benefits- making new friends

Exercise can be fun!

Helps to alleviate varicose veins.

Reduced workload on the heart

Reduce resting heart rate

Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen

Alleviates menstrual cramps.

Boost the immune system

Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.

Exercise promotes better sleep.

Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.

Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Obesity doubles the risk of all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes

Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.

Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.

Increases metabolism

Improves digestion

Blood directed to the Vital Organs like Heart & Lungs

Reduced clotting tendency

Helps reduce stress levels

Helps reduce depression

Increase lung capacity

I guess I have made my point, now let's go to DIET. In many ways, many of us have done dieting in many phases. The most popular diets we know that really work if followed religiously are South Beach diet (a three-phase plan that starts with eating less carbohydrates, except for essential vegetables, while consuming lean protein), GI (Glycemic Index) diet (for diabetics), organic, Sonoma diet (consists of three different phases and focuses on ten "power" foods such as lean protein, feta cheese, almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, whole grains and wine), Jenny Craig diet (Jenny Craig is a personal consultant that helps build a diet that works for each individual's weight-loss needs and also serves as a motivator to stick with the plan), Weight Watchers (There are two plans to choose from: a Flex plan that lets a client eat the foods they want, but control the amount with a point system; or a Core plan that doesn't tally points, but consists of only nutritious food. ), vegetarian, detox, low carb diets, Atkins (has four phases – all with a carefully controlled level of carbohydrate intake), Beverly Hills (diet is based on a food combining principle called conscious-combining. The main food group of the diet is fruit, but the diet has vegetable-only days, fruit-only days, and other days when some starchy carbohydrate is allowed), HCG (core of the HCG diet consists of extreme Calorie restriction of around 500 Calories a day mainly from lean protein and a daily injection of 125mg of the HCG hormone. Other programs promote taking the hormone orally. The diet proponents’ claim that the body will begin to burn fat reserves as the HCG prevents the body from breaking down muscle for energy. They claim that dieters can expect to lose “26 pounds in 26 days” with up to 3100 fat calories being used for energy per day).

There seem to be so many choices and yet people are unable to lose weight and if they did, they gain the loss pounds back after a few months. Have you really read what I have written? Yes, these diets really work IF you follow it RELIGIOUSLY. You see, that is the hardest part. It may be teaching us what healthy eating is but many diets are too restrictive and are not designed to be sustained over time. Losing weight through dieting is not a quick fix but rather a more sensible and long-term approach to a healthy lifestyle. Many are not prepared for this and many people will always hunger for the forbidden.

The Verdict

Which do you think has a more impact on losing weight, diet or exercise? Surprisingly, the bigger influence on weight is your diet, not exercise. What if you exercise like crazy, and you eat a diet that promotes fat-storage, you will probably lose some weight (although many people do not). However, if you did no exercise at all, but changed your diet to something that keeps your metabolism faster, you would lose considerably more weight than the other scenario. The point is, you should exercise, but GET THE RIGHT DIET IN PLACE FIRST!

Remember, both diet and exercise has the importance in life. A well-balanced diet helps to make our body system work effectively whereas exercise helps our body to revitalize. A combination of the two is what you actually call, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

On Losing Weight: Metabolism Boosting Foods

2012-07-12T14:43:00.000-07:00

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.countdownr.com"&amp;gt;Countdownr&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 264, July 31, 2012

The audiobook, "How to Lose 30lbs in 30 Days" by Kevin Trudeau had been a great eye opener for me. It has been in my mp4 for 2 years and I never had the drive to listen to it until a month ago when the urgency to lose weight emerged. I have to admit that I am desperate to lose weight, but I am assured that I am not alone in this feat. Many sane men and women are in this journey all their life and they do everything and anything to achieve this goal. Many of you must have tried everything to lose weight: all kinds of diets (low carb, atkins, beach, water therapy), herbs, exercise, pills and still nothing helps. We've been yoyo dieting, losing the fats and gaining it back; the idea is appalling. If you are in the same situation as mine, it's time to consider some serious thinking and venture on more effective approach. Our goal will be to lose weight and to lose it forever!

I hope you are still with me because from this day on I am dedicating this health column for all the persons determined to lose weight the healthy and positive way. My countdown starts on the publication of this article and I hope you'll join me in this quest. And just for the records, I weigh 65 kilos now (height: 155cm), and my goal is to lose 10 kg in 6 months. So let's begin!

The first thing I learned was that, people are fat because of slow metabolism. This means that fat people burns calories slower than thin individuals. We don't need scientists to tell us that our metabolism slows with age (OUCH!). But do you know that an average woman gains 1 1/2 pounds a year during her adult life--enough to pack on 40-plus pounds by her 50s, if she doesn't combat the roller coaster of hormones, muscle loss, and stress that conspires to slow her fat-burning engine. That is a bitter fact, but there is good news! There are foods that could boost up your metabolism.

1. Water

Drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way to body detoxification. Many people have been interchanging sense of thirst with hunger. Drinking a glass of water will greatly reduce any false hunger pangs. The recommendation is to drink water upon waking up and to drink more consistently during the day.

In a research conducted in Seattle, it was found that women who drink more than five glasses of water a day have a 45 percent reduced risk of colon cancer compared with women who drink two or fewer glasses of water a day.

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Many doctors believe that proper hydration can help prevent chronic joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, because water reduces inflammation and promotes cartilage health. It also slow the signs of aging and improve conditions such as constipation, diabetes, hypoglycemia, obesity, arthritis, kidney stones, dry skin, and wrinkles.

2. Grapefruit

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The study indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boost metabolism. It is also a storehouse of powerful phytochemicals such as flavonoids, terpenes, and limonoids, which naturally have cancer-preventing properties.

3. Green Tea

The researchers found that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract intake increases the metabolic rate by 4%. These effects are probably due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in green tea. These work to help intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis (the rate at which your body burns calories).

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It acts as a glucose regulator. It helps to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal and prevents high insulin spikes (lots of insulin promotes fat storage).

Take precautions when you take high amounts of green tea because it contains caffeine.

3. Oatmeals

These whole grains have fiber, various minerals (iron, magnesium and thiamin) and phytonutrients. These phytonutrients include lignans, plant sterols and stanols and antioxidants. The lignans are helpful in protecting your heart while stanols help in normalizing blood cholesterol levels. Eating about two bowls of oatmeal a day helps to reduce your cholesterol levels by six points in three months.

Source: Uploaded by user via Petra on Pinterest

Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal. Instant oatmeal usually has added sodium, and comes in the unsweetened, sweetened, flavored and unflavored form. The sweetened and flavored varieties have sugar, and so are not advisable in your goal to lose weight.

If you get bored cooking oatmeal as a hot cereal with cinnamon or milk, you could also bake oat brain using a low fat muffin recipe. This brings some variety in your diet and makes you feel better eating instant oatmeal while trying to reduce weight.

4. Hot Peppers

All peppers, specially the red ones are rich in vitamins A, and C that helps prevent cell damage, cancer, and diseases related to aging. They also reduce inflammation like that found in arthritis and asthma. It has Vitamin K that promotes proper blood clotting, strengthens bones, and helps protect cells from oxidative damage.

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Red peppers are a good source of the carotenoid called lycopene, which is earning a reputation for helping to prevent prostate cancer as well as cancer of the bladder, cervix, and pancreas.

Beta-cryptoxanthin, another carotenoid in red peppers, is holding promise for helping to prevent lung cancer related to smoking.

They contain capsaicin, which predominates in the white membranes of peppers, that helps decrease blood cholesterol and triglycerides, boost immunity, and reduce the risk of stomach ulcers. It used to be thought that hot peppers aggravated ulcers. Instead, they may help kill bacteria in the stomach that can lead to ulcers.

Both hot and sweet peppers contain substances that have been shown to increase the body's heat production and oxygen consumption for about 20 minutes after eating. In effect it burns extra calories, which helps weight loss.

5. Cinnamon

It is known as an "insulin mimicker", meaning it reduces the amount of insulin your body produces after a meal, by transporting sugar molecules into cells within the body. It also works on reducing the blood cholesterol, thus causing "thermogenic burns". It burns the bad cholesterol in the body and increases the good one.

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It usually comes in sticks or powdered form. For some variety, you could add cinnamon to your breakfast cereal or oatmeal, tea, unsweetened applesauce, toast, butter or cream cheese and coffee.

6. Apple cider vinegar (acv)

Apple cider vinegar have been utilized for centuries as a traditional concoction for losing weight. It is made from the double fermentation of whole apples, keeping organic acids and enymes (pectin) that aids in weight reduction by acting as an appetite suppressant. This substance mixes with the water and expands in the stomach, which causes appetite to be decreased.

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It does have a high amount of potassium in it. When taking apple cider vinegar, the potassium helps to flush the sodium content out of the body. This in turn can lead to less retained water and a loss of weight.

It contains acetic acid. When acetic acid comes in contact with foods, it helps promote the absorption of iron. High iron absorption leads to a high oxygen utilization, which ends up raising the metabolic rate. When the metabolic rate is high, a lot of calories are burned, which causes weight loss.

Many people don't know this but another way apple cider vinegar helps with weight loss is through the release of proteins during the digestive process. Tryptophan is a key amino acid that is released through this process and it is in turn responsible for the release of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter and natural tranquilizer. When serotonin is produced, the body is less likely to feel stress, which can lead to overeating.

Apple cider vinegar improves the elimination process in the body. It helps reduce the transit time of fats in the stomach because it improves digestion. This in turn leads to weight loss as less fat can be absorbed by the body.

Intake of this vinegar may not illicit fast results, process is slow but the outcome is permanent weight loss. As recommended by experts, 1 to 2 tsp. of apple cider vinegar should be taken with water or honey right before a meal.

7. Green leafy vegetable

It is a MUST to eat green leafy vegetables in every meal. People have often known how nutritious leafy greens (consider kale, spinach, Swiss chard and lettuce -the darker the better because it is high in magnesium) are, but still choose to exclude them from their diet (I am one of them). It does take time to recondition the subconscious mind to accept the tons of health benefits these vegetables contribute to optimum health (I am still in the process but I know soon I will be vegetable friendly).

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What makes leafy greens so incredible is the extraordinary amount of antioxidants and health promoting nutrients they manage to pack inside of so few calories. Eating dark green leafy vegetables on a regular basis can provide anti-aging benefits (Folate prevents Alzeimher's disease), cancer and disease prevention and improve heart health.

Dark green leafy vegetables are very high in fiber. Fiber helps make you feel fuller more quickly. Therefore, adding vegetables to your diet is a great way to help you decrease calories without feeling deprived.

8. Yogurt

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Yogurt is made through the fermentation of milk and adds bacteria cultures into the milk. The process causes the transformation of sugar and lactose into lactic acid. It carries healthy bacteria called "probiotics". It is beneficial for those with gastrointestinal problems like lactose intolerant, constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. These healthy bacterias helps fast easy digestion on the body thus making absorption and metabolism faster.

9. Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. There's truth in this saying because apples have tons of benefits for your health. To mention a few of them, apples help in lowering cholesterol. It has pectin, that helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol). People who eat two or more apples a day can possibly lower their cholesterol by as much as 10%.

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It helps sthrengthen your bones. It is found to be the only fruit in the world that contains flavanoid phloridzin. Studies suggest that phloridzin protects post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and increases their bone density.

Apples have a high concentration of water, fiber and are low in calories. The fiber helps you feel full longer because it expands in your stomach so it takes less food to satisfy your hunger.

10. Nuts and Grains

Most nuts and seeds have high fat content, but don't get alarmed because they are the unsaturated. It means that they are healthy fats and could easily be digested in the body. Macadamia, the gourmet of nuts, is the highest in fat. Walnuts and Brazil nuts are highly recommended because they're rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Source: allwomenstalk.com via Urban on Pinterest

Of all the nuts, peanuts provide the most complete protein. Other nuts are missing the amino acid lysine, which help reduce cholesterol, repair of tissue and calcium absorption. Peanuts are rich in antioxidant polyphenols like those found in berries. Studies indicate that roasting actually increases the amount of polyphenol called p-coumaric, making roasted peanuts a true protector of cells.

11. Beans

Both beans and meat have comparable amounts of protein. It is a great choice for vegetarians, looking an alternative to meat. It does provide tons of fiber that makes you feel fuller longer.

Source: health.ninemsn.com.au via Ashley on Pinterest

They are excellent sources of energy because they are high in complex carbohydrates, characterize as good carbs that provide the energy necessary to get you through the day.

In the Eyes of Koken Ergun

2012-06-28T11:38:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 260, June 05, 2012

It's Sunday again, and Takana Merkazit is busied with many migrant workers, many of whom are Filipinos, who work as caregivers for the elderly in Israel. It must have been just a typical day for a regular Filipino immigrant, but in the eyes of Koken Ergun, its social and cultural imprint manifested a deeper sense, a soul of a nation.

It all started when Koken, a young Turkish artist, writer and director, now a resident of Berlin, Germany got dazzled by a poster of Filipino beauty contests in Takana Merkazit, Tel-Aviv. There had been contests of the same designation but this one is categorized ethnologically special in a way that it represented the social life diversity of the Filipino community. Through this young man's in-depth inquiry, dynamic interaction with Filipino beauty contestants and organizers, keen emotional immersion, a light yet sensitive, dynamic yet realistic film documentation was produced.

Koken Ergun laboured 6 months to finish a documentation of the lives specifically of the young contestants of the Binibining Pilipinas Israel in the year 2009-2010. As part of the detailed chronicle, film interviews and photos were gathered to expose the staging that occurs on and offstage of the pageant.

Interview of Participants

I. Interview with Mary Lou Sulit Muga, Filipina caregiver in Israel

II. Interview with Doda Lina, previous “treasurer” of FFCI (Federation of Filipino Communities in Israel) in 2010

III. Interview with Charlene James Dandan, organizer of Binibining Pilipinas Israel, March 2010

The first exhibition was held in Poland during the Alternativa International - Contemporary Visual Arts Festival, where the film of the pageant was shown together with the interviews of Mary Lou Sulit Muga, Doda Lina (FFCI officer) and Charlene James Dandan (organizer of Binibining Pilipinas Israel). An additional exposition of Filipino local magazines in Israel (Focal, Manila Tel-Aviv, Kapamilya) were featured, as well. This was followed by the same spectacle in Kunsthalle Winterthur Exhibition held in Zurich, Switzerland.

An ongoing exhibition is held at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris. This was attended by Europeans, Filipino workers, patriots, dignitaries and consuls of the Philippines Embassy in France. The exhibit will be shown until the 26th of August (2012). Palais de Tokyo, by the way, is considered as Europe's largest contemporary arts center. It was reopened to the public last April 20, 2012, after a ten-month renovation, marking its 10th anniversary with a 28-hour nonstop event that included performances, live music, videos, lectures, and art installations.

Palais deTtokyo from the river side

the line outside Palais de Tokyo during opening day

the names of the filipinos (from left to right) : Jo Castillo,Vilma Lerit, Mary Grace Sicam, Angie Lucas, Lito Gomez, Rina Gomez, Devine Luana

names from left to right : Vilma Lerit, Jo Castillo, Koken Ergun, Rina Gomez, Devine Luana, Angie Lucas

French actress Clementine Beart

In addition to Koken Ergun's involvement with the Filipino community, we may find valuable collections of projects on different ethnic culture and social groups like the Caferi Tribes. They could be found in Istanbul, in the eastern border town of Igdir. Their preparation for the Ashura Day in 2010 (commemoration of the martyrdom Shiite Muslim prophet, Husayn ibn Ali), which comes into a reenactment film, was documented by Koken as well and exhibited in Switzerland.

He also made a research and film documentation on wedding ceremonies of Turkish and Kurdish immigrants in Berlin. His emotional involvement in this project led him to turn this research into a PhD thesis, entitled: "Rituals of Isolation: Emotional Bonding in Wedding Ceremonies of the Turkish-German Society in Berlin".

An intense and sensitive involvement with the exposition of Palestinian life in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is worth mentioning. The video archives exhibited in his projects are not his own production but a collection of the footage taken by the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem in Hebron.

I must agree hundred percent when Koken told me he regarded himself as a messenger. My assumption is more than that, as I see him as a bridge and mediator of diverse political and cultural ethnicity. He is the light that gives illumination and distinction of the different cultural backgrounds without being bias and whose focus is on the essence of each society. In Koken Ergun's eyes we have found a special, subtle yet profound annotation of the Filipino caregivers in Israel, that is something to be proud of. I salute to you!
　
　
　

Related Articles:
Ashura Rituals
I, Soldiers & the Flag
Koken Ergun's Writings
My personal selection from the B'tselem Video Archive
Tank Love

Hottest Trends in Swimsuits for 2012

2012-06-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 259, May 22, 2012

The recent Swim Fashion Week in Miami, Florida rocked the crowd with the newest and latest sexy swim-inspired bikinis. The trend is somewhat a bridge between the fashion we found in 2011 and 2012, but this year we become bolder in the designs. In reference to the revival of the 50's and 60's style, the year is about CURVES.

The teeny bikinis waved the most whistle and applause from the crowd. These bikinis are suitable to adventurous, sexy and daring individuals whose goal is to bare more SKIN. You could literally say, " the tinier, the better". And although the trend is not about string bikinis, a statement strapping is more likely acceptable. Elements found in these bikinis are: wide statement strapping on vintage cut bikini briefs, a black bikini with strapping on both its shoulders and its briefs (monokinis).

The sporty bikinis are vintage inpired by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly. Elements to look out for are: a modern style in a vintage cut, with a waist height of just below the nave, high waisted bottoms in a vintage-inspired colour palette, strapless bikini top and vintage high waist make-over in digital prints.

Cut outs (monokinis) and assymetrical designs for swimsuits are the choice of the crowd who wants to feel unique and different. One-shoulder bikinis had been popular during the year 2009 until it's popularity faded, but seemingly, reviving it's glory for a more unique design.

Back in 2009, these swimsuits come in thick, single shouldered strap bikinis and the colour of the strap was the same as the bikini. This year, they come with thick, single shouldered straps and a colour contrast between the strap and the rest of the bikini.

It seems that there are more choices than we could imagine....have FUN in the beach.

Tips for a Healthy Summer Skin

2012-06-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 258, May 8, 2012

It's time to shed those winter layers for a lighter and more revealing outfits, summer is truly the best time to show some SKIN. But before you do that you have to make sure your skin is prepared for such seasonal wardobe shift.

With skin cancer affecting many people all over the world, the option to sun tanning may not be recommended. So we come up with the question, how do we maintain a beautiful and healthy summer skin?

The following advices will help your skin get refreshed and ready for sunshine in no time.

a. Exfoliate

Exfoliating properly is a must to avoid dull and flaky skin. Getting rid of the dead skin that sits on the surface is very important. Make sure to scrub the joint areas, tending to your face, hands, heels, knees, elbows, and wrists in particular. There are plenty of ways to do it, from bath puffs to scrubs, pumice stones and exfoliate creams. This helps even more when using self-tanning lotion, so the skin soak up the product more evenly.

b. Hydration

After battling the elements all winter long, it's not surprising your skin is not as hydrated as you would like it to be. Fixing the problem is as simple as applying your favorite lotion after exfoliating and then after every shower (preferably while skin is still damp so it can trap that moisture as well).

Higher temperatures and more time outdoors could lead to internal dehydration, which can result in headaches and dizziness. Drink plenty of water to help maintain critical moisture balance of the body and skin, and assist in detoxification. Stay away from caffeinated drinks and alcohol. They may soothe your thirst and drive but does easily dehydrates the skin.

c. Sun protection

The most important factor on maintaining a healthy skin is the use of sunscreens. Use

a sunscreen with an SPF between 30 and 50. A bottle marked SPF 100 may seemingly impressive but numbers don't necessarily mean more protection.

Remember to reapply every two hours -- once is just not enough. And when you think it's not enough, REAPPLY. It’s not enough to just apply sunscreen: you must apply enough, and apply frequently. Today’s sophisticated formulas and technology let you select sun protection that works with your skin condition. That means you can choose oil-free, mattifying formulas, extra emollient formulas for dry skin, or chemical free formulas for sensitized, reactive skin.

It is wrong to solely rely on your makeup with SPF to get you through a day, especially at the beach. When you know you'll be outdoors, you would need to apply a heavy layer (and often) to stay protected.

Apply your first round of sunscreen before getting dressed. Don't forget places like the ears, and the back of your neck. And assuming you are dipping in the water or will sweat profusely after a vigorous activity, use a water-resistant sunscreen.

d. After sun care

Let's say you forgot the sunscreen, didn’t apply enough, or got caught in a sunny spell, you don’t have to suffer in pain. Super-soothing botanicals and cooling gels can help prevent peeling and reduce redness and inflammation.

Even though skin tanning may be the coolest and most populat summer look, it still indicates skin damage. It's not too late to bombard your skin with age-fighting ingredients to help undo any damage that may occur, and to further protect it from the aging effects of UV.

5 Spring and Summer Fashion Trends

2012-05-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 258, May 8, 2012

Who dictates fashion and what dominates the spring and summer trends are the ultimate passion of the fashionistas. People buy magazines and watch the top fashion shows and get dazzled, do we ever really see a normal everyday person walking around in clothes like that in the catwalk. Really? Fashion shows are great... but sometimes not realistic.

We now feature fashion trends that we see in the streets. We, ordinary people, dictates what fashion is and what spring and fashion is all about. Forget about the haute couture designers fashion decorum, what we see around us makes the trends for spring and summer fashion. Check out for yourself, what's IN and HOT fashion for spring and summer 2012.

1. Pastels

It's no surprise that pastel fashion has been coming and recurring every year, however, in 2012, expect even paler tones with peppermint green, powder pink, sunflower yellow, crisp coral and frosty blue covering the streets or even the catwalks.
Femininity suits spring and summer best, so whether you are strolling on the beaches of Tel-Aviv or partying in Manila, this trend will ensure that you look cool, ladylike and stylish.

2. 50's and 60's Inspired

We adopt again the innocence of the fifties and sixties but still managed to bring it into the current day with an essence of modern glamour. Few elements that make up these trends are wide eyes curtained by big false lashes (top and bottom), bright block colours, graphic prints and colourful abstract geometric patterns, short, boyish hairstyles, and masculine flat shoes like penny loafers.

The 50's and 60's are free spirited with Parisian iconic looks. It's the heat for anything made out of lace, especially structured heavier lace pieces, peter-pan collars, monochrome colours (plenty of white, cream, black), effortless sexiness with unfussy hair and winged-out eyeliner.

Who says I am finished, do not forget the sex kitten look inspired by iconic stars like Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot, Ann Margaret, Raquel Welch, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor. It's all about the curves now. Cuts that draw in the waist, accentuating the bust and hips, full circle skirts or slim pencil skirts, or cropped pants with high waists, sexy bed hair look, sultry pout; long lashes and plenty of eyeliner, those elements complete the 50's and 60's trend.

3. Florals

Summer and spring would not be what they are without the ostentatious display of floral prints. You could literally say the streets are blooming with roses, hydrangeas, pansies, peonies, daffodils, and anemones.

Fashionistas flaunt flower trends by selecting summery frocks, sexy halter tops, pretty blouses and silky scarves with mid-sized botanical prints. Others just leave it to accessories....there just have to be a flower, and your made up.

4. Abstact Art

Art and fashion are entwined. So as we embrace the twentieth-century geometric abstraction movement, so do fashion rises with his own interpretation. Abstract could be everywhere from your bathing suits, T-shirts, dresses, ornaments and bags. The 20th century is all about expression.

5. Hippie Look

Although this one originated from the 60's inspired look, I separated it to accentuate its elements. This is the trend of the young generation sporting peasant blouses, over-bloated shirts, granny dresses, hemp bags, hip hugger, bell bottom jeans with wide leather belts, halter tops, fringed leather vest, Afro hair, leather sandals, bell bottom, patched jeans and an obligatory peace symbol (cool man!!).

The Best of Jessica Sanchez

2012-05-24T05:49:00.002-07:00

Jessica Sanchez & Jennifer Holliday, Best of... by HumanSlinky

My ohhs and wows are overflowing after watching the performance of Grammy award winner Jennifer Holliday and Jessica Sanchez of the song, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going." This is the best performance ever of American Idol show in 11 years.

Yesterday (May 23, 2012), Phillip Phillips topped Sanchez after a reported 132 million votes were tailed— "a new world record," according to host Ryan Seacrest. His cool performances made him the all time favorites of the American Idol viewers. Summing up the songs rendered by Phillip and Jessica:

First part: Idol creator Simon Fuller, chose Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” for Jessica and Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” for Phillip

Second part: Jessica chose Celine Dion’s “The Prayer” as her favorite performance in the past; Phillip, on the other hand, picked Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out.”

Third part: Jessica picked “Change Nothing” as her first single while Phillip chose “Home.”

Many must have been disappointed with the results of the 11th Season of the "American Idol" finale, well, I am one of them. Jessica Sanchez may have been a powerful vocalist, but it's hard to ignore the facts that Phillips had been the favorite of the American community. Win or lose, Jessica will always be a winner to me and to all the Filipinos. She will continue to be one of the great inspiration of future singers in American history, as well as other Filipino singer aspirants all over the world.

Jessica, you made us proud!

Summary of all the performances of Jessica Sanchez in the 11th Season of American Idol

Jessica Sanchez - 'My All' by Mariah Carey

Jessica Sanchez: Stuttering

Jessica Sanchez: I Will Always Love You

Jessica Sanchez: Love You I Do

Jessica Sanchez: I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

Jessica Sanchez: Dance With My Father

Jessica Sanchez: Bohemian Rhapsody

Jessica Sanchez: Fallin'

Jessica Sanchez: Sweet Dreams

Jessica Sanchez: I'll Be There

Jessica Sanchez: Steal Away

Jessica Sanchez: How Will I Know

Jessica Sanchez: And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

Jessica Sanchez: Everybody Has A Dream

Jessica Sanchez: Try A Little Tenderness

Jessica Sanchez: Proud Mary

Jessica Sanchez: You Are So Beautiful

Jessica Sanchez American Idol Finalist "The National Anthem" U.S.S. Midway, San Diego

Jobs Board: Blogs New Feature

2012-05-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is a follow up of the recent post Legitimate Work at Home Jobs, in response to help many individuals seaching for free and legal freelancing jobs. Work posted are in the following categories:

proofreading work
writing
SEO
data entry jobs
social media
administrative

Jobs board in the site may be found in two place:

a. navigation menus

b. footer page in the form of a widget

Don't forget that most of the work available may require you to register in advance to Elance.com, freelancer.com and oDesk. And for those who would like to post a job, you are most welcome also. Just be reminded again that there are corresponding fees for the employers posting projects (Please refer to the the Jobs Board page).

So, good luck to your search!

Legitimate Work at Home Jobs

2012-05-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 257, April 24, 2012

The growing demand of workers worldwide seeking alternative working conditions has grown rapidly in th last 5 years. From an 8 hour job, many are finding work in the comfort of their homes, having the great privilege to take care of their families and adequate leisure time.

Work at home jobs has proven to be beneficial to many people. Freelancers found the flexibility of time and place to suit their everyday needs. Because online work can be undertaken at home, it does remove the costs of exhaustive commuting, and additional food and clothing allowances.

credits to Kozzi.com

Many reputable establishments such as Elance, vWorker, Guru and oDesk offer and comply to Escrow services. Freelancers, who work for these companies gets the benefits because it gives them the confidence that they always get paid for the hard word rendered. Escrow, by the way, is a service used when a work provider requests money for services up front, but the funds are not released until the end of the project duration. This protects both of the service provider and the service buyer, because money is not actually spent until the buy approves the work, but the provider is assured that the buyer does have the money.

Let's say, the entire project cost is $20, 000. Since most freelance writers ask for a ten- percent deposit, $2000. 00 would be released to you, and $18,000.00 would be placed in escrow. This works especially for large projects, and escrow is the one who ensures the workers that they are protected from fraud and they are paid for the hard earned task.

In many cases, a contract for a project is necessary. You and your client should sign an agreement prior to the commencement of work. If no escrow service was provided, a contact could save you from headaches and malaise of lawsuits.

Despite the enormous benefits of online work at home jobs, there are disadvantages as well. The worker, on the other hand, must prepare and pay his insurance, taxes and pension plans separately. Work in this aspect could be tedious and complicated at times.

Work in this field could be tough as the competition is fierce and high in the market. It might be hard to keep up with workers that come from third world countries (like India, Philippines, Thailand). While many are trying to keep a standard and reasonable fee, payment demands are very low in these places. It is common for many freelances to get abused from their payments, so make sure you know your rights and you have the voice to bid the perfect price.

Many companies are advertised on the internet as sites for finding work at home jobs. Be wary because many of them are scammers. Stay away from sites that require you to pay certain amounts of money upon registration just to get work offers. There may be just a few, but really reliable sites you could sign up. One of them are:

1. Problogger

This is a site run by Darren Rowse. Aside from valuable tips and tricks on how to became a successful blogger, his site features a Jobs Board wherein you could check freelance jobs on writing, graphics and SEO area. Jobs shown are authentic and from reliable companies worldwide.

2. oDesk

Registration in oDesk is free. No membership fee is either required. It is good to know from the start that the site takes 10% fees for what you are paid. Let as say you get 20$ for a job, oDesk will take 2$ from your salary.

It is one of the largest freelancing marketplace on the internet. There are tons of jobs offered here in different work categories but you must use learn how to filter the search area because many jobs offered are outdated already. You may be required to pass certain qualification exams to get hired. This is good for new freelancers who doesn't have much experience and feedback to offer, but are really good in their fields of work. If you fail them, you are given the chance to repeat it after a period of time.

There are two kinds of jobs in oDesk – hourly and fixed price. Hourly work is monitored by a special software (you need to install this on your computer), which allows it to track your activity (keywords and mouse click). The software monitors certain threshold and takes random screenshots showing you are working and not browsing the internet unrelated to the job, a guarantee you get paid from work.

If you choose fixed price assignments, there is no guarantee you'll get paid. Many posts small jobs and they don't pay. And since oDesk doesn't offer escrow services, it is wise to ask for upfront fees and sign an agreement.

I have joined oDesk, as I am a freelancer looking for extra income and to build my portfolio, but I was stunned that educated, professional writers who intend to deliver researched, quality pieces (of any length) would bite on very low work rate (1$ per article or 3 $ for 20 articles). The lesson is, don't bid on projects you think is not worth your time, effort, and credibility.

The feedback system is remarkably good in oDesk. After an assignment is done, both parties (employers and employees) leave comments and feedback on a scale of 5 in terms of quality of work, payment, communication, etc. Feedbacks are posted on both parties' profile, so people see it and could be used as references for future work.

3. vWorker

This is relatively a good site to find freelancing work. Like ODesk, registration is free. But be reminded that vWorker gets 15% commission on fees, the highest among other sites that hire freelancers jobs worldwide.

The site was formerly known as RentACoder (RAC). They use the bidding system for finding projects. The Buyer (employer) chooses the best bidder (which is called the Seller), and the winner gets the opportunity to work on the project.

The projects offered are more standardized in payments, which means you get paid more for your bids. Although 1$ an article appears in most contents, there are still more well monetized projects available. Escrow is applied in most transactions so you are guaranteed paid after tasks are accomplished.

Payments for projects are handed over in many different ways. The usual mode is the 'pay-for-deliverable', which means payment is rendered when the finished project is handed over to the employer. There is also the 'pay-for -time' which uses a time-card system. This is similar to the software the ODesks uses to track the work time of employees, who gets paid by the hour rather than by projects.

At other times, employers may agree to pay 2.5% of the fees twice a month. This is rendered through escrow until you reach the amount agreed upon the completion of work. Ideally speaking, this is the best way to get payed for long term projects.

Arbitration emanates widely in the company. This is the process to settle problems between the employers and workers. I heard many horrible stories behind it which ended up closing the accounts of many clients, many of whom are the bidders or workers. As many are unjustly reprimanded by vWorkers arbitration process, be wary.

4. Freelance.com

Don't get confused, but this was known before as GAF (GetAFreelancer) until 2009. Some say that those were the peak and golden days when escrow services used to protect the rights of the workers. They still do nowadays, when your money is held by freelance.com itself and release thereafter upon completion of work.

Membership is required to acquire an account and may be upgraded through time for gold membership. Basic members are allowed 30 bids per month while the gold members are allowed more, they can make 150 bids per month.

Basic members are charged 10% transaction fees while gold members get 3% commission fees. Please take note that a withdrawal fee of 1$ is charged when using Paypal to cash out payments.

There are numerous projects to choose from this site, but just like the others, many are ripped off by cheap contractors who are willing to take a meager amount of payments in exchange for long and quality paper work.

Your browser does not support inline frames...However, you can click <A href="http://www.vWorker.com/RentACoder/misc/LinkToUs/ScrollingBidRequests.asp?blnHideChannelSubscribe=true&blnLaunchLinkInNewWindow=true&blnFullTitle=true"> here</a> to see the related document.

5. Guru.com

This is not just your ordinary freelancing site, it is one of the reliable ones in the outsourcing market. With escrow services, you are guaranteed to be paid on your signed projects.

It's free to sign up for an account and has the option also to upgrade to a paid membership. A 5-10% commission fee (depending on the scope of the project) is taken on every transaction.

Ease of use of the site is rather a big plus. Numerous offers are existent, make sure you have valid portfolios and sample project to show your potential employers.

6. Elance.com

Known as the 'King of Freelance Jobs', they may have all the required tools for a successful outsourcing network (including escrow services) but finding projects and getting accepted into the bidding system is rather quite difficult.If you are a novice, who has just started in the field of freelancing, Elance.com may not be the choice for you. You could build up credibilities on sites like ODesk and Freelance.com instead A proficient and valuable portfolio is your key to get well paid clients in this network.

Membership is free and could also be upgraded. A 8.7% transaction fee is taken on every accomplished project.

Conclusion:
While most people find freelancing as something out of the ordinary, it is reassuringly an opportunity to develop your skills, build networks and earn a solid income. The benefits are eminent, you just can't ignore it.

Sharing and Liking: A Never Ending Story

2012-04-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Article published in Focal Magazine, Issue No: 256, April 10, 2012

According to my friend Google, there had been 845 million monthly active Facebook users at the end of December, 2011. Statistics accurately explained that 845 million people had been actively sharing life experiences, photos, quotes, videos, jokes, stories over and over their facebook walls every day for the last year? Did I say the same stuff...stuff, like I would say, that my sister had posted a month ago, her friend whose friend and another frined had liked a year ago and now i am liking again because my mother had posted it?

The truth is, who doesn't want to share? The real soul of the Facebook lies on the intention to connect real-time with people, even just for the purpose of creating neighbors for their most favorite games (hello virtual Farmille, Farm Town, Dorfleben, Farmandia farmers!!). And since the advent of Social Bookmarking, sharing content became much more easier. As social networks evolved, so did their share buttons and the most recent Facebook feature, the LIKE button. Of course, the share button will be supported by Facebook, but trends say that the like button will be the future of content sharing.

Sharing, in it's true form, could not be different from liking. There is no liking without sharing and vice versa. It's like saying, sharing is liking, and liking is sharing. (am I confusing you?) It goes like a real never ending story. And what I like most about it, you are not even required to make a comment on the shared/liked item. You can say that again, you are invisible!

You couldn't underestimate the power of the social media. It is because it's viral, contagious and it is everywhere! And not one individual is using just one media to interact with people. There is the Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YM, Skype, Friendster, MySpace, Blogger, other blogs, , Glogster, Photobucket, Flickr....there are lots of them! The social media, as we can see it had conquered the world and we have become their slaves .

The frenzy of sharing and liking habits is becoming innate to us. Oh, I may have to correct that, sharing and liking is innate to human nature and the magnitude we see today is just a reflection of what had evolved in history. From barbarians we have become civilized, revolutionary, and futuristic.

We probably had gone a long way, but we are still primates in our needs. Nothing is more basic than the human experience than the need to communicate. From the earliest times, human beings have communicated in an effort to convey information and express feelings. And indeed, the word communication means sharing. And why do we share? Isn't it obvious, we share because each and everyone of us needs to belong. And we keep on sharing because we want to stay connected with the soceity we live in. We are kind of desperate with our needs, that sometimes we do exaggerate the things we share on the net, even the smallest and most intricate things of our daily living.

Admit to yourself, you feel good sharing things in the internet (even if it's a crap) and it feels even better when someone liked your crap. No one had greeted me more than my friends in Facebook on my birthday. Don't you think that was something! It feels good to belong and be accepted.

Sharing and Liking may be rubbish for many people but for the others it's a way of life, a lifestyle. You made your own choice. It doesn't make you unique either because at the end of the day you are still that desperate human trying to fulfill her needs

Get Creative with Sumo Paint

2012-04-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

It's a hands down to Sumo Paint, the newest painting and image editing application extension of the Chrome browser. For someone who doesn't have any knowledge of Photoshop or any professional image software, this is the best alternative method for a creative head start. To my amazement, my brief experimentation of Sumo Paint tools gave way to some stunning art work. It's an actual tool for creating art, not just an ordinary image editing software.

With much pride, I am posting the designs I have created surprisingly in only 30 minutes (no exaggerations here). I am telling you, you've got to try it to believe it!

Galaxy

A Kiss

Mandala

Moods

Stars

Sumo Paint application may be like any other regular image editing program, with tools, filters, and blending modes but he does have unique paintbrushes to show off.

Photoshop may be the king of paintbrushes but an online editing tool like this is more than what a novice graphic artist could have. And the best thing about it, it is a FREE online editor. Who says you have to spend a slab amount of money to produce stunning images?

Resolutions for 2012

2012-01-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

photo credit: jdurham at morguefile.com and

Diver Daisy

It's time to make resolutions for 2012. This may sound like an old song played over and over, a mantra if you would like to say. My four goals last year turned out to be a total smashout. Yes, I do have awful excuses to make and I know noone wants to listen to it (I'd reserve it for my good friend Valery, who never fails to listen to my craps) and yet I insist to mention the sensibility of my uncommitment to my vows last 2011.

It's not that I haven't tried fulfilling them but I just had the kick to follow them at the end part of the year (blame it to procrastination again).

1. ~~Sleep early everyday~~ Manage time wisely and learn how to prioritize.

I wonder where I got this idea, oh, sounds lunatic (is that me or the idea) to me. Let's say I am a busy mother and only from 9pm (that's when my children go to sleep) do I really have time for myself and do stuff at home. Or maybe you can blame it to Facebook, Farmville, reading, blogging, code tweaking, cleaning the house, Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle and still I say it's impossible to happen, not when I'm feverish, of course.

Manage time wisely might be more appropriate as a goal for 2012. Yes, I could manage dividing my time on a lot of things, but not just some quirk but IMPORTANT matters. Priority is the key.

2. ~~Eat healthy foods~~ Lose weight

That's not what was purposedly in my mind. What I'm aiming for was to really lose weight and I kind of failed in this aspect. After a brief perk of following a vegetarian diet (actually lost 5 kilos), I lost the drive to continue this eating regimen. It wasn't easy after all and I had been inconsistent. At least, I have to get some incentive for trying. Didn't I mention I lost 5 kilos?

My goal is to lose 15 kilos permanently. Whatever it takes, there should be a new slimmer, stronger and healthier Elaine Bloch for 2013.

3. ~~Avoid procrastination~~ Set time bound goals and reward self when task is accomplished.

I'll write something about it later. Seriously, is there a way to beat and cure procrastination? I've read the book of researcher, Dr. Piers Steel, The Procrastination Equation, which emphasized ways on how to overcome procrastination, it's destructive patterns that limits us create happy and positive lives.

The research lead me to uncovered debates and theories connoting procrastination being related to physical disorders and brain lesions. It does sound complicated but the good news is that they found a way to evercome it. The cure doesn't come in bottles but on one's willingness to become a better person.

Oh, this one reminds me of Algebra, but the solution is imminent visually. Motivation is the key to overcome procrastination. We need to increase our motivation on every task we are tempted to procrastinate. And to do that, we have to elevate the optimism of success of our task, incorporate fun and pleasure in doing the task and taking steps to stop impulsiveness.

Yes, that doesn't sound cool and easy and makes it like a goal of a lifetime. It's time to rephrase my goal for 2012 to increase motivation. My plan would be to create time bound goals and reward myself when task is accomplished. Those rewards are something to look forward to...so let's get moving and keep the spirit high!

4. Blog more

I've ended the year productively by reviving the life of this blog. The design had been changed and more creative contents were posted. SEO optimimization was achieved with the help of Mailchimps, I couldn't ask for more. But there is still another blog (In My Kitchen) and integration of Ecwid (an ecommerce platform) that I have to deal with. It will be a busy year.

5. Read more

It's not that I am saying goodbye to audiobooks (I'm in love with them) permanently but I've missed the feeling of holding a real book, the feeling of having the time to pause and speculate over things, and feel the words. I've made a long list of books I want to read for this year and some of them would have to be reviewed here in my blog. The first review would be Cathy Glass' book entitled "Damaged" so don't miss out.

Happy New Year again to everyone!