Informative Blog

Search images that are shared on Twitter using thudit.com

2012-10-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

While looking for images, you might want to check the photos people share publicly on Twitter. Here to help you do that is a web tool called ThudIT.

ThudIT is a free to use web service that helps you search for images that are shared publicly on Twitter. All you have to do is enter your search query and the results are instantly populated as image thumbnails. You can click on an image thumbnail to see who it was uploaded from and the link for the image is provided. This information can also be seen under the image thumbnails.

Moreover the site’s homepage shows you the trending search items.

URL - www.thudit.com

Simple working with getworksimple.com

2012-10-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

If you wish to share your goals to make them happen quick use worksimple.

WorkSimple is a web service that lets you create and follow your goals by sharing them with others. Other users on the site can view your goals and encourage you with their comments. People can even attach files with your goals to inspire you and speed up your goal’s completion.

The site offers a free plan for basic features whereas the premium plans offer features such as user profiles, weekly reports, and suggested goals.

For being healthy there should be a time for doing everything

2012-09-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

There’s an optimal time for every health move, from eating breakfast and taking your allergy meds to quitting smoking. Here’s how to tune into those magic hours to boost your everyday well-being — and your long-term health.

Tuning in to your internal clockwork more closely has great advantages. “If you can get your innate body rhythms in sync with the food, activity, and rest you need, you can not only get healthier but even feel better day to day, Calibrate your body clock with the timing tricks below. You’ll improve your workouts, gain more energy, stabilize your mood, manage your weight more easily, and even prevent and treat illness more effectively. It’s health as nature intended!
In the Morning

Sleep an extra 20 minutes

There’s no substitute for a solid night of z’s, but research suggests that rising as late as you can get away with — even if it’s just 20 or 30 minutes later than you usually do — can make you more relaxed during the day. Our bodies naturally crank up the stress hormone cortisol in the a.m. so that we’ll get up and moving, but postponing your wake-up time can lower those levels just enough to take the edge off. In a study at London’s University of Westminster, earlier risers (who woke up as early as 5:22 a.m.) had higher cortisol levels during the first 45 minutes of their day and tended to be angrier at night than later risers (who got up as late as 10:30 a.m.), regardless of how much total sleep they got. While there’s no optimal wake-up time, the researchers say, set the alarm for as late as your schedule will allow. For best results, try to go to bed and wake up at about the same times every day; this will keepyour body clock running smoothly.

Weigh yourself

Stepping on the scale first thing (after the bathroom, before breakfast, wearing little to nothing) gives you the most accurate read on your weight, which can fluctuate by up to three pounds during the day! It’s a good idea to weigh in daily: A study from Brown University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed that 61 percent of people who did so maintained their weight within five pounds over time (compared with 32 percent who weighed in less often), mainly because it helped them catch weight gain early.

Slather on sunscreen

For the best possible protection, apply it (year-round) a full 30 minutes before you head outdoors — that’s how long it takes for the stuff to soak in and become effective.

Bask in the morning light

Boost your energy for the day, and ward off depression, by getting a healthy dose of sunlight in the morning (after putting on sunscreen!). Exposure to natural light in the a.m. signals your body to cut off production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. Light is also a natural antidepressant, according to several studies, and increasesyour body ’s production of vitamin D, which may help you fend off cancer and heart disease. So head outdoors for at least 10 minutes early in the day, whether that means walking to a farther bus stop or sipping your coffee on your porch.

Eat breakfast if you’re watching your weight.

A hearty starter, ideally eaten within 15 to 30 minutes of waking and no later than 8 a.m., will help you stave off a gain. “If you don’t eat breakfast, your body thinks it’s in starvation mode, and you’ll eat more food later on,”. A Harvard Medical School study confirms that people who ate a morning meal were one third less likely to be obese than those who didn’t. Go for whole grains (oatmeal, whole-grain cereal, or whole-grain toast) with a serving of protein (an egg, a tablespoon of nut butter, or a slice of low-fat cheese) and some fruit to keep you alert and feeling full for longer. Aim for a meal of around 200 to 300 calories.

In the Afternoon

Take a power nap

A midday snooze isn’t just for babies! By 2 p.m., your body temperature starts to dip, just as it does before bedtime, bringing your eyelids with it. Instead of hitting the vending machine for a sugar high — and eventual crash — try succumbing to your sleepiness and indulging in a 10-minute siesta. An Australian study compared naps lasting 5, 10, 20, and30 minutes and found that 10 minutes left participants feeling the most refreshed, rested, and alert. Just make sure to set an alarm on your watch or phone so your doze doesn’t go overtime, which can cause sleep inertia (that horrible post-snooze grogginess). Can’t nap at work? Get off your duff for a 10-minute loop around the block. It’s not as restorative, but it will clear your head and boost your circulation, energizing mind and body.

Skip “lunch” in favour of two mini-meals (of about 300 calories each)

Eat the first one three hours following breakfast and the second about three hours after that to keep your blood sugar steady and your metabolism fired up. Time the second mini-meal to coincide with the low of that afternoon slump we mentioned — so, between 2 and 3 p.m. You feel tired, and it’s difficult to stay mindful, so you start putting stupid things in your mouth. But having a bunch of fat and refined sugars is the worst thing you can do, because your energy will spike and then crash. Instead, go for lean protein, high-quality carbohydrates, and a bit of fat. Take 1 Tbsp of low-fat peanut butter on a pita, half a turkey wrap, or some low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit.

Get moving

Late afternoon to early evening (5 to 6 p.m.) may just be the best time to exercise, because that’s when you’re hottest, literally. Your body temperature reaches its daily peak (2 to 3 degrees warmer than in the morning), giving you maximum muscle strength, flexibility, agility, and stamina as well as faster reaction times. Even your lungs are using oxygen more efficiently at this time. You’ll work out harder with less perceived effort and are less likely to injure yourself. Of course, any exercise is better than none, so if an early workout fits best with your schedule, keep it there. In fact, a.m. exercisers are most likely to stick to their habit: Studies have shown that more than 90 percent of people who work outin the morning are consistent about doing it.

At Night

Down a glass of cranberry

You’ve probably heard that compounds in cranberry juice can help prevent urinary-tract infections. If you drink a glass in the evening, the juice will hang out in the bladder, fighting bacteria, till morning.

Invite the night

Preparation for bedtime should start well before you brush your teeth. Wind down any exercise three hours before bed to give your body temperature a chance to cool and signal the brain that it’s sleep time. Also close the kitchen two to four hours in advance, since it takes that long for your stomach to empty of solid foods; doing so will help you avoid indigestion and acid reflux. Aim for an undivided seven to eight hours of sleep every night. And because environmental factors, from bright moonlight to fluorescent street lamps, can disrupt cues to your internal clock, it’s best to keep the room dark — no night-lights, no neon alarm clocks, and certainly no flashing cell phones. Your brain’s pineal gland needs darkness to make melatonin, a hormone that tellsyour body to drift off. The pineal gland gets confused if it senses light, compromising your sleep quality. Melatonin also has been linked to improved immunity and lower risk of cancer.

Slather on a sweat-stopper

Take a shower before bed (or just spot-wash your underarms — or your feet, if they’ve been smelly). Then dry off and apply the antiperspirant of your choice. At night,your body ’s temperature naturally lowers and you’re less likely to sweat, which gives antiperspirant a chance to fully absorb and allows its active ingredients to go to work. By the time you step into the shower the next day, you’ll be totally protected.

Take your allergy meds

Both allergy symptoms and the pollen count are highest first thing in the morning, so take your long-acting antihistamines at night to avoid waking up to a sneeze-fest. Bonus: If the pills make you sleepy, taking them at bedtime might help you drop off.

Pop an aspirin if you’re a candidate for high blood pressure,

the biggest risk factor for heart disease and stroke. In a recent study from the University of Vigo in Spain, people with prehypertension (blood pressure that’s between normal and high) who took aspirin around 11 p.m. had lower blood pressure readings after three months than people with prehypertension who took aspirin at 8 a.m. or who made dietary changes. Researchers believe aspirin works by slowing the night time production of hormones and other substances that lead to clotting. Talk to your doctor to find out whether it might help you.

The Best Time to Schedule…A doctor’s appointment:

First Thing In The Morning

Cut your waiting-room time by booking the first appointment of the day, before the doctor falls behind schedule. A morning slot also keeps you from getting too hungry if you have to fast before a lab test. And if you have asthma, your doc is more likely to catch problems in the a.m., since that’s when lung function is poorest. If the morning’s all booked, try to snag the first spot after lunch — by then the office should have had enough time to catch up. If you’re picking up a prescription, hit the pharmacy before 3 p.m. on weekdays for faster service and less chance of error.

Surgery

BEFORE NOON

Your prime time for surgery is in the morning, when there tend to be fewer complications. In a study of more than 90,000 operations analyzed by Duke University, adverse events were more common between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. and least common from 9 a.m. to noon. That may be because the body’s circadian rhythm dips in the late afternoon, dropping cortisol and adrenaline and zapping surgeons’ energy and concentration. Also, you may be more likely to feel pain or post-op nausea in the afternoon. Try to nab the second or third slot in the OR: A study in the Journal of American College of Surgeons shows that surgeons perform better when they’re warmed up. Whatever you do, don’t go under the knife on the weekends if you can avoid it; mortality rates are higher, probably because the more senior physicians — who can set their own schedules — are off duty, leaving less experienced staff in charge.

A root canal

BETWEEN 1 AND 3 P.M.

According to European studies, local anesthesia lasts three times longer when given in the early afternoon than when given in the morning or evening.

A flu shot

EARLY FALL

Flu season typically runs from October through March, so the best time to get the jab is September or October. (The vaccination takes two weeks to become effective.) The shot can help you skirt the flu’s chills, fever, and general misery, and may also help prevent heart-attack deaths, which can be triggered by acute inflammation.
A full-body skin check

WINTER

This is when skin tends to be fairest, making it easier for your dermatologist to catch unusual moles or other changes that could indicate skin cancer. An associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale advises taking note of any darkly pigmented, irregularly bordered, non raised spots or patches, or non healing bumps resembling pimples that don’t go away. “Any lesion that goes unhealed for more than three to five weeks may mean a skin cancer or precancerous spot.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR CYCLE

Hormones fluctuate wildly over the course of the month, creating great — and not-so-great — opportunities for a variety of health moves. Day 1 of your menstrual cycle is the day your period starts, so schedule these actions accordingly:
Before your period – DAYS 23-28:

Stay out of pain. Avoid procedures like a root canal or a bikini wax: They’ll hurt more now. “Endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine” — all natural feel-good chemicals — typically plummet right before your period. for ovulation time (days 13-15), when, according to a University of Michigan study, we produce the most endorphins to offset pain.
During your period – DAYS 1-3:

Get busy. It may not be the most convenient time, but orgasms — always great — are even greater during your period. That’s because they cause a spike in serotonin, which is naturally running low just before and during the first three or so days of menstruation. Some women even enjoy a heightened libido just before their period, thanks to a drop in estrogens and a rise in testosterone.
After your period – DAYS 3-13:

Do a breast self-exam (BSE). A post-period rise in estrogens returns your swollen, tender breasts to their most supple state, making it the perfect time to check them for unusual lumps and bumps. Although experts don’t insist on a monthly BSE anymore, when you do feel your breasts for changes, do it at this time of the month — differences will be more detectable

Exercise few below tips to keep yourself fit and fine

2012-09-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

You should exercise for the recommended 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
In this world: 60 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women don’t do the recommended amount to stay healthy.

Best thing:
• Try to do three, ten-minute bursts a day to get the same health benefits

You should have a healthy, nutritious breakfast each day to kick-start your metabolism and give you the energy and nutrients you need until lunchtime.
In this world: One in eight adults skips breakfast, despite being unlikely to get the missed vitamins and minerals later on in the day.

Next best thing:

• Keep a stock of healthy snacks, such as bananas, mini bags of dried fruit and nuts, cartons of fruit juice and slices of fruit bread, for when you’re running late.
• In coffee shops, steer clear of doughnuts and pastries and opt for low-sugar, high-fibre, and high-protein choices, like bagel and cream cheese or wholegrain muffin.
• Cereal bars are convenient but can be high in fat, salt and – or sugar, so check the information on the packaging.

Your Fish Intake:

Oily fish, such as salmon, trout and sardines, should be on your menu at least twice a week. Packed with DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids, studies show that oily fish reduces the risk of heart disease and boosts the immune system.
In reality: Half of the people eat less than the recommended amount and 13 per cent of adults don’t eat fish at all

You should have at least five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily to get the full array of nutrients and fibre you need.
We eat an average of only half the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables daily – and one in three of us eat no fruit at all.

Next best thing:

• Forget fancy “super-fruits”. Apples and bananas provide just as many health benefits.

• Frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh ones, and with no preparation or wastage. Simply grab a few handfuls and add them to whatever you’re cooking.
• Canned fruits (in juice, not syrup) and vegetables also count, while dried fruit makes a healthy snack.
• Still falling short? Take a good multivitamin.

Your Sleep:

In an ideal world: You’d get eight hours of undisturbed, refreshing nap every night because studies link lack of sleep to high blood pressure, poor immunity and weight gain.
In the real world: Almost half the population sleep badly some or most nights, and nearly a third of the population get less than six hours’ shuteye.

Next Best Thing:

• Try to snatch a 30-minute nap in the afternoon, three times a week – you’ll add a year to your life, as well as recouping sleep loss.
• Get the temperature right: As little as 0.3 degrees Celsius can make the difference between a good and poor night.

• Pick one night a week to turn in early – and stick to it. A full night of intense “recovery” sleep can knock a good chunk from your sleep debt.
• Switch off the TV before bed and read a book or listen to music. It’s one of the most effective ways to decrease tension and distract you from fatigue

The Best Running Apps for IPhone

2012-09-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Are you the one who hates to run again and again to stay fit and healthy? If yes, then you better get some of the best running Apps for your Iphone. Yes you got it right, your Iphone can now help you run and stay fit at the same time. If you are looking for something new when it comes to exercising then these running apps can really help you a great deal. These Iphone running apps are going to help you in cross training and running.

For all the ones who are looking for some chic mobile applications, below mentioned are the best running apps for Iphone. These Iphone running apps are good enough to keep you pumped up all the time and help you stay on your toes no matter what it takes.

Run keeper

This is a free application that makes use of the GPS technology for tracking your run in the best probable way. Here, you even have the alternative of manually entering a particular amount of run if you are planning to run on a treadmill. The best thing about this app is that you can upload your favorite workout sessions on the Run keeper website by synching your Iphone. Well, you can also share your workout details with your loved ones online. If you are a big fan of music, then you surely won't be disappointed as this app will let you listen to your favorite songs while running! So, what are you waiting for, create your favorite interval exercises and set an objective pace along with some chic audio cues.

Electric Miles

This is another free Iphone app for running. It is meant for Daily Mile and permits you to store all of your exercise data and share with your loved ones on several social networking websites. If you want you can even have a look at your friends' workout.

Map My Run

Map My Run is one of the best running apps for Iphone. This application even comes with a paid upgradable option. The paid application offers GPS tracking feature of your running session. It allows you to gather all your exercise related stats including your distance, pace, elevations, heart rate and calories burned. It is really simple to use and this is what makes it a popular choice among IPhone users.

Runners World Smart Coach

Runners World Smart Coach is a popular IPhone running application. You can even avail the paid version of this application by paying a small amount of money. The application is programmed in a way that it offers you a great training plan for your running distance.

So, you got to use one of these best running apps for iPhone. These applications are surely going to make running a great fun activity!

RunSomeone

RunSomeone offers the best Iphone app for running for the Iphone users. It is the first motivational running mobile application that creates a fun and competitive atmosphere among the individuals. To know more you can visit http://www.runsomeone.com/#faqs

Learn quotations from www.brainyquote.com

2012-09-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to impress people with higher IQs than your cronies, you must take recourse to BrainyQuote.

The site is a repository of quotations from humourists, playwrights, presidents, authors, humanitarians and practically everybody who is anybody. Like someone famous said and I don't remember who, but you'll probably find the quote on the site itself: "Next to being witty, the best thing is being able to quote another's wit". I agree.

URL - http://www.brainyquote.com/

Explore Mythology with www.pantheon.org

2012-09-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Award winning internet encyclopedia of mythology, folklore, and religion. Here you will find everything from A-gskw to Zveda Vechanyaya, with plenty in between.

The mythology section is divided to six geographical regions: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania. Each region has many clearly defined subdivisions that will ease your search.

The Folklore section contains general folklore, Arthurian legends, and fascinating folktales from many lands.

In addition, the website features special interest areas to enhance and refine your research. A Bestiary, legendary heroes, an image gallery, and genealogical tables of various pantheons and prominent houses.

To bring our entities to life, pantheon.org contains an image gallery, where you will find hundreds of images of all kinds of deities, heroes, and strange creatures of every description.

The encyclopedia will serve the serious researcher, the student, and the casual reader with equal success.

Pantheon includes mythological characters from across the globe: From our own Ganesha to the Greek Zeus, the Roman Jupiter to the Nordic Freya, from the Egyptian Anubis to the Aztec Quetzalcoatl.

URL - http://www.pantheon.org/

Some tips for your hair protection in cold weather

2012-09-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

How to Keep Healthy & Shiny Hair in Cold Weather?

While a lot of women complain about what heat and humidity can do to the hair during warm weather months, harsh cold weather can wreck just as much havoc! To protect yourself from winter hair tragedies and keep your hair looking shiny and healthy this cold weather season, use these winter hair tips beauty guide information.

1. Slower Hair Growth, Space Out Your Haircuts

Hair growth slows dramatically in the winter season. This creates a problem for some women who are trying to grow their hair out, but can also be helpful. If you love to sport a short hair cut, but hate the fact you have to visit the stylist every three weeks to maintain the style, the winter might be a great time to take the plunge. Due to the fact your hair will be growing slower, you may not have to make as many maintenance visits as you would in the warmer months. The same goes for hair dye. Most often, women need to get root touchups less in the winter weather months, which can be a great time to try out a new color, as well.

2.Controlling Frizz and Static

One of the biggest complaints from women regarding winter weather and their hair is the problem of frizz and static. Many women dry their hair with a blow dryer and notice it makes their hair very full of static. This can be extremely annoying! However, you can quickly get rid of static with a few simple tricks. First, you can grab a dryer sheet from your laundry room and rub it flat against your hair. This will not only get rid of the static, but it can also leave your hair smelling amazing. If you don’t have a dryer sheet handy, you can use a quick spray of ironing starch. If neither of these tricks sound appealing, simply grab your can of hairspray and give your brush a quick spray with it. Then brush your hair as normal. This will also help discharge the static from your hair!

3.Less Washing, More Conditioner

Since you’re likely not spending as much time outdoors in the winter months and your hair is not picking up as much dirt, you really don’t need to wash it as much in the colder weather months. If you have a hard time not washing it everyday, try to rinse it with water instead of using shampoo, every other day. This may help you break the cycle of everyday washing. Of course, winter weather and wind can be rough on hair, so be sure you are conditioning it with a deep conditioner at least every other day, if not everyday. Look for high quality conditioner hair care products from a brand like Paul Mitchell, to ensure your hair is getting what it needs to stay healthy all season.

4.Extra Steps When Hair Is Wet

Learning how to treat your hair in the winter can be a challenge. Many people assume their hair should be tended to in the same way, regardless of the season. However, one of the most important times to make changes to your hair care routine, to fit the winter season, is when your hair is wet. In the summer, you can easily let your hair air dry. But, many women are more likely to use heat damaging products like blow dryers and flat irons in the winter months. So, when your hair is wet, be sure you are putting a heat protector product in your hair before you engage in daily drying. Also, add any mousse or volumizing products you may need to help your hair avoid looking flat, before you start to dry it.

Home therapies for your skin

2012-09-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

If your face is chapped or red from dry skin, chances are a face mask might help restore the moisturize you lack. While you can certainly find Vitamin A or Vitamin E beauty treatment products to help you with this task, a homemade facial is the way to go for several reasons.

1.Avocado Mask

This gentle mask is great for wrinkled, dry or mature skin that needs to be moisturized or needs repair. Start by using ½ of a fresh avocado and mash it up into a creamy substance. Add to it ¼ cup of honey. If you’d like to exfoliate a bit too, add in ¼ cup of dry oatmeal, to act as a gentle scrub. After mixing thoroughly, apply the mixture to the facial area. Be sure not to apply it to the eye lids. Leave it on your face for 10-14 minutes and then start to rinse with cool water and a washcloth. You can also use this same mask for your hair, to increase shine and manageability.

2.Milk Mask

Milk masks are some of the most popular masks for the facial area and the application of them are extremely easy and pleasant. To create this mask, simply use 1 teaspoon of powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel and 1 teaspoon of green tea. After applying it to your skin, allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Then take a hot wash cloth and place it over your face (allowing it to steam comfortably) for five minutes. After the cloth has cooled, wash your face with water.

3.Brown Sugar Mask

Nothing keep your skin healthy and sweet like a brown sugar mask! Working as a natural exfoliant, brown sugar can help get rid of dry skin cells, allowing your skin to glow after using this type of mask. To create the mask, mix 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of olive or coconut oil. Do this by placing the brown sugar into your palm and massaging the oil into it. This will help you create a paste you can then easily massage into your skin, using a circular motion. After you have massaged for 5-10 minutes, rinse the mask off with warm water. When your face is clean, press a very warm washcloth against it for 5 minutes and finish with a thick moisturizing facial cream.

Benefits to Homemade Facials

First, when you do it yourself, you know exactly what’s going onto your skin and can be certain to use only the most natural ingredients. Some of the commercial masks use chemical bases and aren’t full of natural or organic ingredients. However, when you make your own you can be sure anything you put on your face is completely natural and safe. Also, homemade facials are a lot more inexpensive than commercial glycerin filled brands, offering the same benefits and results. When you get the same results, why not opt for the less expensive variety? Lastly, homemade masks are extremely simple to use and make. Instead of waiting to get to the store to purchase a beauty mask, you can whip one up in your kitchen whenever the mood strikes.

Women dressed in red are more appealing to men

2012-09-25T02:25:00.000-07:00

Red, which is the colour of passion, makes women seem more attractive to men by sending out subtle messages about how receptive they might be to sexual advances, a new study has claimed.

According to scientists from the University of Rochester in New York, men really do prefer a lady in red because they are less likely to be rejected.

The finding of this study may help to explain why red is the hue most associated with love and romance in popular culture.

For the study, the researchers asked men to rate photographs of women framed by different coloured borders - and the same women in red were consistently rated more attractive.

The men were then shown women wearing shirts of different colours, and asked how receptive they thought the woman would be to romantic and sexual propositions.

Another question asked "imagine that you are going on a date with this person and have 100-dollar in your wallet. How much money would you be willing to spend on your date?"

Women in red scored more highly on both of these points.

The authors of the study said that this response to red probably stems from biological instincts rather than simply social perception of the vibrant colour.

Research has shown that non-human male primates are particularly attracted to females displaying red.

Female baboons and chimpanzees, for example, redden conspicuously when nearing ovulation, sending a clear sexual signal designed to attract males.

The colour is always popular on the catwalk and is regularly worn to star-studded events by the world's most attractive female celebrities.

"We find it fascinating that merely changing the colour of a woman's shirt can have such a strong influence on how she is perceived by men," the Daily Mail quoted Adam Pazda, a social psychologist from the university as saying.

The study, which tested 96 men from the United States and Austria, also found that the men felt the women in red would respond positively to their advances.

Pazda said the idea that women wear red clothing more when they are interested in sexual encounters appeared to be on target, and preliminary evidence suggests that this is indeed happening".

"From a pragmatic standpoint, our results suggest that women may need to be judicious in their use of red clothing.

"More generally, our finding that female red carries sexual meaning will likely be of considerable interest to fashion designers, marketers, and advertisers," he added.

The authors concluded that "as much as men might like to think that they respond to women in a thoughtful, sophisticated manner, it appears that at least to some degree, their preferences and predilections are, in a word, primitive."

The study has been published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Tips to maintain your beauty

2012-09-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

In order to maintain the beauty of your hair and face, eat healthy and take an adequate diet. Drink plenty of water and eat fruits that are enriched with vitamin C. Also include as much proteins in your diet as possible.

Green vegetables play an important role keeping your hair iron enriched resulting in hair that is enriched with health and beauty. There are certain foods that can enhance your beauty. For instance apple cider vinegar keeps your skin supple and helps in peeling off dead skin.

Carrots prevent pre mature ageing and increase the luminosity of your eyes. All citrus fruits that are enriched in Vitamin C form collagen in your skin which is very instrumental in keeping it soft, tight and glossy. Eating garlic delays early wrinkling and keeps your skin tissues intact.

Sweet potatoes again are an excellent anti-wrinkling agent and their intake results in a clearer and smoother skin.

There is no doubt that your skin needs regular cleansing and toning. It is very important that you do a cleansing routine each night before going to bed. Get a good quality cleansing lotion and cleanse your skin with a drop of cleansing lotion on a cotton ball. Move it gently all over the skin to ret on a cotton ball and move the traces of makeup. Now use a toner to tone your skin which has gone through a great deal after the entire day. Apply the toner to the forehead, your cheeks, to the crevices around the nose and the crevices around the chin. When it comes to maintaining the beauty of your hair it is important that you get it cut after sensible intervals in time. Also avoid dyeing or bleaching your hair a great deal to preserve its natural beauty.

Try applying oil to your hair time and again as it tends to lose it natural moisture after sometime.Make a habit of maintaining your hair and face with natural
home remedies as well as with good quality products. It is very important to take good care of yourself as looking good
results in feeling good.

Kashmiri Cuisine!!!!

2012-09-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

Authored by Rahul Verma

Rahul Verma finds out that travelling to the Valley for Kashmiri cuisine is totally worth it

When it comes to food, I can travel any distance. So last week I went all the way to Kashmir for some genuine Kashmiri food. Friends of ours were going there for business and pleasure, and we decided to tag along.

Anyway I love Kashmir — and the last time I was there (some 10 years ago) was a veritable feast. This time, too, I was convinced that the trip would soothe my sore urban eyes while exciting my salivary glands.

And, of course, once again the trip turned out to be a gourmet’s delight. We ate in three places — at Ahdoo’s restaurant in downtown Srinagar, at the Royal Springs Golf Course and in the Gurkha houseboat, where we were staying. And every place had something worth writing home about.

Let me first start with Ahdoo’s. When the Valley had downed its shutters, Ahdoo’s for a while was the only place where journalists found a room. I had heard about its famed kitchen those days, but had never been there. This time, we went to Ahdoo’s for dinner on our first day in Srinagar. We ate a whole host of stuff, from rogan josh and dhania korma to mirchi korma and haak. They had run out of tabak maaz, which was a source of disappointment to us.

I think they had run out of dhania korma, too — and had mixed what was left in the kitchen with the yoghurt-based gravy of gushtaba. But the mirchi korma was indeed excellent. The gravy had the right colour, consistency and aroma. It had the flavours of chillies without being hot, and I savoured the gravy and the soft meat pieces with steamed rice. There were five of us, and the bill came to around Rs.2,000.

A young Srinagar resident had urged us to go to a small restaurant called Broadview for a meal. He assured us that the food there was divine, though it had no ambience to speak of. Our problem was that we were almost always busy in the afternoons, and couldn’t find the time to visit Broadview. But the world moves in mysterious ways; we ended up eating the food of Broadview — but in the beautiful environs of the Royal Springs Golf Course. We went to the golf course — a sprawling green expanse in the heart of Srinagar by the boulevard — to meet another common friend. Lunch was ordered in the café, and it turned out that the kitchen had been taken over by Broadview!

They served us a huge meal, consisting of goshtaba, chicken curry, lahabi kabab curry, dal, mixed vegetables, chaman (paneer) curry, rice and rotis. The kabab curry — beaten meat kababs like pasandas in gravy — and the goshtaba were particularly good. The meal came to Rs.750 per head. I suppose the rates are cheaper in the restaurant — but you can’t beat the view from the golf course. Sitting in the glass-cased hall, I could see beautiful rolling meadows, lined with trees.

But I suppose the best meals we had were in the Gurkha houseboat. Every day there was something that warmed my heart — from dhania korma (cooked the right way, with the right ratio of coriander and curd, unlike at Ahdoo’s), kofta curry and fried fish and chips to a simply delicious dish of Kashmiri haak leaves, sautéed with chillies, and another dish of spinach and peas.

My Kashmir trip, as you can tell, was soul-satisfying. I saw the mountains, the lakes, the rivers and the deodar trees. And I ate to my heart’s content.

Online Porn may damage your brain

2012-09-12T00:15:00.000-07:00

A leading neuroscientist has supported an opt-in system for online pornography, saying extreme images may cause long-term harm to children’s brains.

Oxford University professor Baroness Susan Greenfield said the developing brain was ‘vulnerable’ and that children needed to be protected from premature sexualisation, the Daily Mail reported

“If I had to choose between unfettered internet access, and having children potentially harmed psychologically or worse by porn sites, then for me the decision is an easy one,” the paper quoted Baroness Greenfield as saying.

“This [opt in] seems to be the simplest and something simple is easiest for people to deal with,” she added.

She urged to respect parents’ concerns over uncontrolled internet access.

No age is old enough for avoiding sex says researchers

2012-09-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

Researchers surveying people aged 57-85 have found that many seniors continued their intimacy in the bedroom

The study conducted at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, and also a part of the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, found a majority of senior citizens were sexually active.

"Older people can and should have very active sex lives, and the idea that they don't is a societal misconception. The need for intimacy and contact with another person doesn't change with age," the New York Daily News quoted Dr. Dennis Lin, director of the psychosexual medicine program at Beth Israel Medical Center, as saying.

Boffins further discovered that older men were more likely to have sex and were more open to it than older women.

University of Chicago associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology Stacy Tessler Lindau, who worked on the research, explained: "Women tend to outlive marriage. Men tend to live with their spouse until they die. So there are fewer older men around to choose as sexual partners."

JB Berns, author of "Do It or Age Quickly", added: "There's no reason a man or a woman can't have sex regularly into their 80s."

10 tips for happy married life

2012-09-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

It is one thing to marry the person you love & other to turn it into a happy marriage. There’s nothing better than turning your love into a marital bliss but maintaining the ‘LOVE’ part requires immense hard work coz you never know when a Made-for-Each-Other couple may turn into a Mad-at-Each-Other couple!!Though marriages are said to be made in heaven, it does require that little extra effort on the part of each partner to make up for a happy, healthy & heavenly marriage. From my personal experience of a love marriage, here are the top ten tips I feel are most important to make a marriage successful :-

Have Mutual Respect – It is very important for both the partners to respect each other & value each other’s feelings & sentiments. The solution doesn’t lie in proving the other wrong but in respecting each other’s attitude towards life.
Keep the Spark of Romance Always Alive – Never shy away from expressing your feelings to your partner & try to be innovative at times. Always try out ways to make your partner feel special & wanted even without an occasion coz you never know when you may be pleasantly rewarded!! Grab every opportunity to spell out those three magical words “I Love You” to let your beloved know how much you love & care. This helps keep up the juice & spice in your relation.
Trust Your Partner – The three most important foundations of a successful marriage are Faith, Trust & Loyalty. Being secretive or suspecting your partner may lead to misconceptions & irreparable cracks in your relation.
Keep Away from Nagging – Becoming a nagging soul can spoil your marital bliss. Learn to respect & value each other’s likes & dislikes to maintain harmony in your relationship.
Compromise – This is the most important word in the dictionary of marriage. Compromise doesn’t mean killing your needs & wants altogether but to make small everyday adjustments to ensure a healthy relationship in the long run.
Discover the Route to Each Other’s Happiness – For two people to have a happy marriage, it is important to discover what makes the other happy. A good way is to try to do things as he or she would like it done.
Maintain Clear Communication – For a marriage to be successful it is important for the partners to have lucid & clear-cut communication. Remember that miscommunications & inhibitions can steal away the spark from your relationship.
Share Responsibilities – It is very important for the partners to maintain a healthy balance at work & home & this is possible only when you learn to share & delegate your responsibilities.
Avoid Being Angry at the Same Time – A simple yet effective way of preventing minor arguments from turning into regular fights is for one of the partner to stay calm. There’s no point in both the partners getting angry at the same time, the trick is to wait for your partner to calm down before you can talk through the problem. Also never go to sleep without settling issues.
Do Not Forget Special Days – There are few important & not-to-be-forgotten days in your life that you can use to do something special for your beloved. It is extremely important that your remember all these days that are the trivialities of your relationship.

Over stressed offices employees can rant about their offices on Naked Office in Australia

2012-09-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

Are you utterly frustrated at your workplace ? Do you want to abuse your work environment, your boss and your past bad experiences that you had in your office. Well a solution for you is here. Recently in Australia a website named Naked Face is launched where disgruntled office employees can rant about their office. This website provides behind the scenes scenario of some of the Australian companies.It can not be proved whether the reviews given on the website are authentic, but Chris Holmes the co-founder of Naked Face says that you have to take it in good faith. If someone have a good experience he should leave a good review and vice versa.Holmes is also planning to launch this website New Zealand and Great Britain, a similar project named Glassdoor is already under operation in the US.

Olive oil can protect bones says a study

2012-09-10T01:10:00.000-07:00

A diet enriched with olive oil can help preserve bone strength, a new study has claimed.

Researchers from Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta in Girona, Spain found that consumption of a Mediterranean diet enriched with olive oil for two years is associated with increased bone formation markers, suggesting a protective effect on bone.

“The intake of olive oil has been related to the prevention of osteoporosis in experimental and in vitro models,” Jose Manuel Fernandez-Real, lead author of the study said.

“This is the first randomised study, which demonstrates that olive oil preserves bone, at least as inferred by circulating bone markers, in humans,” Jose said in a statement.

The participants in this study were 127 community-dwelling men aged 55 to 80 years randomly selected from one of the Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea (PREDIMED) study centres, who had at least two years of follow-up.

Participants were randomly assigned to three intervention groups: Mediterranean diet with mixed nuts, Mediterranean diet with virgin olive oil, and a low-fat diet.

Biochemical measurements of osteocalcin, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were performed at baseline and after two year follow-up on fasting blood samples.

Researchers found that only consumption of the Mediterranean diet with olive oil was associated with a significant increase in the concentrations of total osteocalcin and other bone formation markers.

There were also no significant changes in serum calcium in subjects taking olive oil whereas serum calcium decreased significantly in the other two groups.

The study will be published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM).

Drinking green tea can do wonders for your memory says a study

2012-09-10T00:07:00.000-07:00

Chemicals found in green tea can boost your memory and learning skills, a new study has found.

Researchers from the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China found that chemical properties of green tea affect the generation of brain cells, providing benefits for memory and spatial learning.

Scientists said it has long been believed that drinking green tea is good for the memory.

Spatial memory is the part of memory responsible for recording information about one’s environment and its spatial orientation.

“There has been plenty of scientific attention on its use in helping prevent cardiovascular diseases, but now there is emerging evidence that its chemical properties may impact cellular mechanisms in the brain,” Professor Yun Bai said.

The study focussed on the organic chemical EGCG, (epigallocatechin—3 gallate) a key property of green tea.

While EGCG is a known anti—oxidant, the team believed it can also have a beneficial effect against age—related degenerative diseases.

“We proposed that EGCG can improve cognitive function by impacting the generation of neuron cells, a process known as neurogenesis,” said Bai in a statement.

“We focused our research on the hippocampus, the part of the brain which processes information from short—term to long—term memory,” Bai said.

The researchers found that ECGC boosts the production of neural progenitor cells, which like stem cells can adapt, or differentiate, into various types of cells.

The team then used laboratory mice to discover if this increased cell production gave an advantage to memory or spatial learning.

“We ran tests on two groups of mice, one which had imbibed ECGC and a control group,” Bai said in a statement.

The mice were trained for three days to find a visible platform in their maze. Then they were trained for seven days to find a hidden platform.

Researchers found that the ECGC treated mice required less time to find the hidden platform. Overall the results revealed that EGCG enhances learning and memory by improving object recognition and spatial memory.

“We have shown that the organic chemical EGCG acts directly to increase the production of neural progenitor cells, both in glass tests and in mice,” Bai said.

The study was published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.

Junk food can cause irreparable damage to brain, according to a study

2012-09-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

Obesity-inducing junk food could also give you dementia through high blood pressure and cholesterol, which interrupt blood supply to the brain, says a study.

Some animal studies have specifically implicated insulin, a hormone, suggesting that Alzheimer's could be 'diabetes of the brain'. But the latest theory also points to high levels of fatty and sugary food damaging the brain by interrupting its supply of insulin.

In type 2 diabetes, junk food prompts our cells in becoming resistant to the insulin they need to convert sugar into energy.

Insulin is required to regulate brain chemicals, key to memory and learning, to make and strengthen connections between brain cells and to maintain the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood and oxygen, the journal New Scientist reports.

The study suggests that something similar may be happening in Alzheimer's, with a bad diet preventing brain cells from responding properly to insulin.

Rats developed Alzheimer's after being fed a compound that prevented their brains from using insulin, according to the Daily Mail.

Suzanne de la Monte, study co-author from Brown University, US, said: "They were demented. They couldn't learn or remember." When researchers fed healthy men and women fatty and sugary foods for a month, levels of insulin and beta amyloid rose.

With rates of diabetes soaring, dementia could be reaching 'epidemic' proportions.

The Alzheimer's Society's director of research, professor Clive Ballard said: "One in three people over 65 will develop dementia. Research like this points us in new directions for treatment development."

Sipping coffee in the morning with breakfast will relax you from pain

2012-09-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Drinking a cup of coffee with breakfast can reduce pain triggered by spending hours at a computer at your workplace, a new study has claimed.

Researchers from the University of Oslo found that coffee can lower office-related twinges and aches as caffeine is thought to stimulate receptors responsible for blocking pain, the Daily Mail reported.In the study, volunteers who undertook 90-minutes of intensive screen-based work without a break suffered fewer aches and pains in their neck, shoulders, arms and wrists if they downed a coffee before going to office.

The team recruited 48 full-time office workers who were told they could drink coffee with their breakfast but to limit it to one cup.

The recruits then underwent an hour-and-a-half of computer tasks, which involved correcting typographical errors on a document as fast and as accurately as possible, using only the computer mouse.

They were not allowed to pause at any time and were assessed for their levels of pain throughout the experiment.

Although both drinkers and non-drinkers experienced pain in their shoulders, neck, arms and wrists during the task, coffee consumers reported much lower levels of discomfort.

"The results revealed a significantly lower increase in pain development for the subjects who had consumed coffee approximately one and a half hours before the task, compared to those who abstained," researchers were quoted as saying by the paper.

The study was published in the journal BMC Research Notes.

Having dinner with your friends can make you fat

2012-09-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

Dining with a friend could be bad for those on a diet - it tempts you into eating unhealthy dishes from the menu, just to keep him or her in good humour, says a study. Researchers led by Eric Robinson, psychologist at the University of Birmingham, believe it may help to explain why groups of friends often put on weight at the same time and why some women complain that they get heavier when they find a boyfriend - they start to copy his eating habits.

"There is a lot of evidence that points towards this idea that your friends make you fat. If you have got friends or people you know who have put on weight recently, then you will put on weight too," said Robinson.

"We found that pairing people with unhealthy eating partners reduced the amount of healthy food they were eating. They tended to pick the foods that were high in calories," added Robinson, the British Journal of Nutrition reported.

"Recognising that this effect is real could help people who are trying to watch what they eat. They could even look at a menu and try to decide what they are eating before those they are with to help avoid being influenced," the Telegraph quoting Robinson, said.

The research asked 100 female volunteers to select from a choice of food consisting of healthy fruit and vegetables or unhealthy foods including crisps, pastries and cocktail sausages.

They found that when they were eating with someone who had been asked to pick unhealthy options, the volunteers also picked far more of these compared to when they ate alone or with someone who chose healthier foods.

Suzanne Higgs, reader in the psychobiology of appetite and study co-author, added: "This research underlines the social nature of eating and how this influences our behaviour."

Share maps with maptiler.org

2012-09-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

While sharing an online map with somebody, you might have felt the need to show them multiple layers of the same region at the same time.

Here to help you accomplish this by overlaying images on a map is an app called MapTiler.MapTiler is a free to use app for Windows and Mac, that lets you publish maps with images of other maps overlaid.

The desktop app can create overlays of standard maps like Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Microsoft VirtualEarth or OpenStreetMap, and can be also visualized in 3D form by Google Earth.

Test your spellings using Oxford dictionary spelling challenge

2012-09-08T23:29:00.000-07:00

Are you good at spellings? Do you think that you are not a talented speller? I think you should by trying out the Oxford Dictionaries Spelling Challenge. It allows you to test your spelling chops and prove if you are really a talented speller.

The program allows you to choose from three difficulty levels – tricky, difficult and fiendish. The words are read aloud, and you simply need to type what you hear and press enter. If you miss the word, you can click listen again to have the computer repeat the word

You can choose to have your words in British English and US English. This allows everyone to make use of the program, regardless if they are from the UK or the United States.

URL -http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/media/spelling-bee-2011/

Create passport sizes photos using makepassportphoto.com

2012-09-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Make Passport Photo is a free to use web service that creates sheets of passport-size photographs from an existing digital image that you have. The site does not require you to create any accounts to begin using it. All you have to do is specify the type of photo you want; here you basically need to specify the country for which your photograph is required. The photo sizes for each country are already fed into the interface. Alternatively you can manually select the photo’s dimensions.

You then select the size of the sheet on which your photos will be published. Finally you upload your photograph. Your sheet is generated as a high-resolution JPG image and made available for download.

Url - http://makepassportphoto.com/

Follow Sports news using lockerpulse.com

2012-09-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you are an ardent sports lover you must be searching for news of your favorite sports be it football or tennis. You would be visiting a bunch of online resources to get news for your favorite teams and players. The number available for the above purpose are numerous. An excellent option for you is a user friendly service named LockerPulse. You can register on the website and while signing up, you can indicate your favorite sports and teams.