Archive for September, 2008
Healthy Eating Advice that’s not Too Hard to Swallow
The healthy eating advice we hear all the time is ‘eat a balanced diet’. It really is as simple as that. Or is it?
I’ve been thinking about my diet a lot recently. I’m training for a marathon. Once you look into the most effective diet, you soon find there’s a lot of people offering their version healthy eating advice. And most of it is aimed at people who consider themselves to be overweight. Here’s the essence of what most nutritional experts say:
- Eat six pieces of fresh fruit every day – and eat most of it in the first half of the day
- Eat as much raw food as possible – salads, cereals, vegetables and fruit (not raw meat!)
- Avoid processed food
- Avoid eating sugar and foods with a high sugar content
- Don’t eat too much fat, especially fat that is solid at room temperature like butter or fatty red meat
- Eat oily, cold-water fish two or three times a week
- Only eat until you are about 80% full
- Drink plenty of water
All this sounds like sensible healthy eating advice. But it is quite hard to follow to the letter. Try eating an apple when you’ve already eaten a kiwi fruit, an orange, a banana, some berries and a peach. And then tell your dentist! Most fruit is quite acidic, and it contains a lot of natural sugars. Your teeth and stomach can take quite a battering.
It’s also hard to avoid eating processed food. It’s everywhere. It’s convenient. And it tastes good – it’s been designed to. There’s so little nutritional value in a lot of processed food that tasting good is its only virtue. And of course some of it tastes so good that we can’t resist it – in huge quantities.
Back to the marathon. The main issue with a marathon runner’s diet is to make sure you have enough sugar in your blood so you don’t ‘hit the wall’. Runners hit the wall at around the 20-mile mark. Their muscles have burnt all their blood sugar. The body responds by breaking down stores of fat and glycogen in the liver. And that hurts.
But many experienced marathon runners say, ‘It’s all in the mind.’ The ‘wall’ is a mental barrier. If you want to finish the marathon, you have to go through it – you have to take the pain. And that’s how I have come to view the balanced diet and all the other articles of healthy eating advice. If you want to lose weight and be healthy, you have to have the right mindset. Ignore the cravings for processed food. Hitting the Wallmart is a mental barrier. Youcan overcome.
So here’s the ultimate healthy eating advice: you have to want to be healthy. You have to want to be slim. And not just a bit. Badly. Because healthy eating is a state of mind.
Does Training Your Dog Really Need to Be Expensive?
If you are like most people, you prefer to be economical, but you also know that sometimes it can be unwise to try to cut corners. Whatever type of basic dog obedience training you need for your particular circumstances, you can go about it in the most cost-effective way possible, while having the training that is most appropriate for your dog.
If your dog does not need any kind of specialized training, you may wish to consider training him yourself. This can be the most practical solution; and, in addition to saving money, it will also give you the opportunity to bond with your new dog. There are some situations, however, in which training him yourself would not be the best option. You may have had very little experience with dogs, and be uncomfortable with the thought of training him. Even though training your dog does not need to be difficult, if you are not confident that you can do a good job with it, it may be in both your and his best interests to hire a professional.
Some options for having your dog trained by someone else include hiring a professional dog trainer or sending him to “puppy kindergarten” classes. If you are thinking about either of these options, they do not have to be extremely expensive. You can get the great results that you want, even if you do not hire the most expensive trainer you can find. Another good option is to send your dog to a doggie boot camp which is pretty comprehensive in terms of what they can offer.
The best way to find a professional trainer or classes is by doing some comparison-shopping. You should check into such factors as the amount of experience the trainer has, his overall attitude, and the atmosphere in which your dog will be trained. It is a good idea to watcha prospective trainer in action, to see how well he interacts with the dogs. If he is showing a good attitude, gives the dogs positive reinforcements, and is patient and kind, these are signs that he may be the right choice.
In the best interest of your dog, and for the most satisfying results in the longrun, being knowledgeable about these points should be your first consideration. After you have found prospective trainers who appear to be a “good fit” for training your dog, you can then choose the one who will be the most cost-effective.
Places to See Fall Foliage
Arkansas fall foliage tours should be planned around the peak color times of each region of the state. Generally, significant color change begins in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas in late September or early October. You can get aerial views of fall foliage, or let our local experts teach you how to make your own fall crafts. Use our Fall travel tips to help your travel planning, such as finding the best deals on a budget friendly fall getaway to the Asheville area mountains. Kids should check out the fall foliage videos.
Fall Foliage Tours can not only save you money but provide the best value for traveling to New England. Make sure to check out the latest Fall Foliage Report to find where the most lively and vibrant colors flourish around the state. Travel to the highest point in the state at 1,803 feet at High Point State Park.
Fall foliage is a good reason to visit the area between the summer and ski-season crowds. Although some areas may be crowded, there are many remote areas in the region where the views can be enjoyed in solitude for those willing to drive further into the wilderness. Since I like to photograph fall foliage in storms I’ve seen a peak display blow off the trees in an hour or less. In other years the peak display may last a week if there are no hard winds.
The annual fall foliage bloom is dependent primarily on moisture and the first frost, but peak leaf viewing in Northwest New Jersey normally occurs somewhere around the first full week of October. The quality of a year’s peak varies for several reasons. Make sure and check our Web site for regular fall foliage updates. When it dominates, it produces the crimsons and even a few purples that give Vermont’s fall foliage richness and variety.
Most of Vermont’s fall foliage color is provided by red and sugar maples, two resilient tree species that constitute more than 50 percent of our forest’s trees. Thick forest cover and distinct seasonal changes make this part of the world an ideal setting for the types of deciduous trees that produce wonderful fall foliage. Fall colors are typically at their peaks in Early to mid October for much of the northern and interior parts of the area, late October for areas further south, and early November for the warmer subtropical areas of the region. During the past twelve years, we have checked with the Vermont Department of Tourism on a regular basis to bring you the latest updates about Vermont Fall Foliage, approximately twice per week.
Finding The Cheapest Car Insurance Quote
The cheapest car insurance is available online, but let me warn you, motorists need to beware of attention-grabbing headlines and prices that mask inadequate protection in car insurance policy. There are many car insurance quotes out there, and the internet is a good way to find the best discounts, and the cheapest car insurance quote as it allows a person to compare the car insurance quotes without the pressure of a salesman.
Sports cars and additional powerful cars are considered larger risks because they are the most prone to inexperienced drivers. While these types of insurance quotes are not a problem, it requires some work on the introductory insurance offer, and you should be aware of this. There are of course many web sites out there that allow a person to identify a provider who has an extensive corporate presence. But that doesn’t automatically mean that they will have the cheapest car insurance quote. It really depends a lot on the people behind the website.
So how do you manage to zero in on the instant online car insurance quotes of the top 50 car insurance companies? The answer is, a lot of surfing, and a lot of reading reviews. If when you finally chose a company, it is essential to ask your insurance company if your quote will automatically get reduced as your record improves, or if you don’t have any accidents. Most companies do this, and thus, a person can get the cheapest car insurance by staying with the same company for years and keeping a clean record. Trust me, it’s the best way to get cheap car insurance. And that’s advice that you can take to the bank.
Understanding Astanga Ivengar Yoga
Astanga, or at times spelled ashtanga Yoga is actually taught today by a man named Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, in Mysore, India. He has brought astanga yoga to the west about 25 years ago and still teaches today at 91 years of age. Astanga yoga began with the rediscovery of the ancient manuscript Yoga Korunta. It describes a unique system of Hatha yoga as practiced and created by the ancient sage Vamana Rishi. It is believed to be the original asana practice intended by Patanjali.
The Yoga Korunta emphasizes Iyengar yoga, or breath-synchronized movement, where one practices a posture with specific breathing technique associated with it. This breathing pattern is called ujayyi pranayama, or the victorious breath, and it is a process that produces intense internal heat and a profuse sweat that purifies and detoxifies the muscles and organs. This also releases good hormones and nutrients. The breath makes sure of efficient circulation of blood. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body and a calm mind.
There is a proper series of processes to follow when practicing Astanga yoga. One must graduate from one sequence of postures to move onto the next. The Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa) detoxifies and aligns the body, purifying it so that toxins are not blocked. The Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana) intensifies the nervous system by opening and clearing the energy channels, allowing energy to pass through without any problem. The Advanced Series A, B, C, and D (Sthira Bhaga) brings together the grace and stamina of the practice, which calls for strong flexibility.
It’s best to find a properly trained and knowledgeable instructor to help you through this discipline. It is an intense practice that is tough, six days a week. You are guaranteed to find inner peace and fulfillment with each breath you take.
Nature calenders
Everybody likes picture calenderson the wall above the desktop. And everyone likes other themes from classic pinup to cars to architecture to whatever you like…
One of my favorite topics is pictures of beautiful landscapes. A big arsenal of those can be found at amazon, and as I live in germany I usually search for Fotokalender. But what you get then is a vast flood of calenders!
So I choose to refine my search to GEO Fotokalender 2009. This ensures that I get only new calenders of renowned quality, as the GEO calendars are always worth their price. I am especially fond of the GEO Panorama Kalender Australia – It shows the beauty of this wonderful country in colorful images and is a perfect decoration for any wall large enough.
Many people only think of big nature landscapes but there are also many other nice things like calender bookmarks with nature pictures and week planners and so on. There is only one thing that is even better: Go outdoors yourself and enjoy nature!
If you like taking pictures yourself you can take your camera with you and create your calender with your own images!
How to Enjoy Watching Video Online
It is remarkable that so few web citizens know the full breadth of video playing options currently available on the Internet. With a few clicks of your mouse he can go from discovering that nostalgic childhood tv show through streamed video to viewing dozens of tv networks from half way around our vast world. Want to see what they might be enjoying right this moment in Germany or Spain? You can do it now!
With just a few clicks further of a web user’s mouse you can watch free movies online in the form of the latest blockbusters to curious art house films you will not discover in most DVD retailers. And I am not talking about poor quality YouTube shows.
From sometimes sketchy internet sites streaming gobs of high quality movies to perfectly legitimate and intuitive services from major companies like Amazon and Netflix, it is currently incredibly quick and easy to watch movies on the internet. You might consider reading a Netflix review before proceeding, but you probably won’t be disappointed.
Everything you need is an always-on broadband internet connection and a relatively modern web browser. I suggest having either Firefox 2 or 3 and Internet Explorer 6 or 7. While I prefer Firefox, some services like Netflix still require Internet Explorer to view their internet videos.
It is also possible for you to download free online movies, but be careful where you go to do this. There is a phenomenon called BitTorrent which renders it remarkably easy to collect thousands of high quality shows… but in many cases this is illegal.
It is so easy that lots of people innocently fall into this sort of piracy, so be very wary of such tools and sites. Note that this technology involves an automated sharing procedure where what you start to download is automatically uploaded and shared with others even before you have finished downloading, so you may believe you are not spreading copyrighted material but you are, so be attentive! Don’t steal!
You don’t need to steal when you have options like the Netflix Free Trial available to you.
I hope this helps to open your eyes to the many inexpensive and fun methods to use the World Wide Web to find and enjoy a broad assortment of videos. So go enjoy!
Identity Theft Protection from LifeLock
I saw a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal for LifeLock one morning and almost dropped me teeth. They’re the identity theft protection company with the CEO who publishes his social security number. Short commercials and sound bites don’t always give you the information you’re looking for to make a decision about whether LifeLock is for you. So here’s a bit of research for you.
With all the data and security breaches that have happened in the past, there’s a good possibility that your identity has already been compromised in some way and you just don’t know it yet. So far in 2008, it’s been a year that has already broken records on the number of these breaches. From colleges, universities, corporations, local shopping stores, mortgage lenders to even attorney’s offices – they have all lost personal information in some way or another.
The short answer to that is ‘yes’. They have over a million members and of those, only 105 have had to use LifeLock’s services to fix a problem. That’s 1 in 10,000 – way lower than non-LifeLock members. The best part of this scenario is that Life Lock did the work to restore the identities of the affected members. Todd Davis, LifeLock CEO, feels confident enough to publish his social security number because he knows an identity thief isn’t going to get very far with stealing his identity.
How Much Does LifeLock Cost?
If you go directly to LifeLock.com, it will cost $10 a month or $110 a year. But they want you to get the best deal around and so if you use a promotion code for LifeLock, your membership is only $9 a month. Plus you get your first 30 days totally free to try it out. If you prefer, you can save even more by taking an annual membership for only $99. That works out to $8.25 a month. Children up to age 16 can also be covered for only $22.50 a year or $2.25 a month.
Not having identity theft protection isn’t an option for me. I’ll happily give up a couple of Starbucks a month to cover my costs. Now I don’t have to worry about all the places that have my social security number and other info.
Natural Remedies For Crohn’s Disease
Two million people in North America and 95,000 in the United Kingdom are affected by Crohn’s disease. The cause and cure for this condition have not yet been found, but it is thought that it may be an auto-immune condition or occur as a result of lower than normal gastric acid secretions. Complications are not restricted to the intestines and can result in arthritis and inflammation in the eyes.
A flare up of symptoms can occur after months of an individual having been symptom free. You must understand what your flare up triggers are as they can vary between individuals so you know what to avoid. Some medications for Crohn’s disease are expensive and for that reason many sufferers opt for natural remedies. Helping the natural healing processes of the body and reducing the chances of relapses are things natural remedies can do.
The importance of taking a good diet in conjunction with natural remedies is required for success. Relief is brought to many sufferers of the disease if they avoid yeast, wheat and milk. Having a good intake of Omega-6 fatty acids (sesame seed, corn oil) and Omega-3 fatty acids (Flaxseed oil, oily fish such as trout and salmon) has been shown by research to lessen the risk of developing Crohn’s disease and improve chances of achieving remission.
A well balanced oil which contains Omega-3, 6, and 9, is Hemp oil – its anti-inflammatory properties impact positively on inflammatory processes if taken daily (initially one teaspoon, steadily increasing to one tablespoon). Candida is another Crohn’s disease related problem – a fungal overgrowth caused by destruction of the good bacteria in the digestive tract through use of steroids and antibiotics. Usually occurring as harmless yeast in the bowel, an overgrowth of Candida can spread in the blood and cause low energy levels in those with compromised immune systems.
Wormwood and Zell Oxygen are two types of natural remedies, available from health food stores (for both Candida overgrowth and Crohn’s disease). If an individual is in remission, a diet, high in natural fiber should be taken and for those experiencing symptoms, a low residue, low fat diet is recommended. Self healing of the body can be encouraged and inflammatory responses reduced if proper nutrients are consumed. This means that pain and diarrhea are more common and complications are more likely to occur. It is necessary that you do not deviate from a nutritious and well-balanced diet. Crohn’s disease, as well as other inflammatory bowel disease, sufferers should steer clear of processed and high fat foods, caffeine and milk if they want to stay healthy.
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BBQ Right! And Enjoy The Good Bluegrass Music!
I’ve been working hard here lately and now it’s time for some BBQ and Bluegrass Music! Some of my favorite bands are Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Dale McCoury Band, Dan Tyminski and any band that has a great mandolin picker.
We have a local BBQ place that knows how to do BBQ Right! Sometimes we go over there on Friday orSaturday night, eat some good BBQ and listen to great bluegrassmusic. The other night the band played some Ralph Stanely, Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs tunes. I asked my wife to please get me a copy of the Flatt and Scruggs old TV shows for my birthday. I think she will!
Speaking of BBQ, do you know how Natural Gas vs Propane vs Charcoal stacks up? I am thinking about getting a Grill and was wondering which one is best. Nothing like some good ribs basted in barbeque sauce fixed on an open grill on Saturday night! Almost forgot the beverage, NOT! A cool, refreshing cold drink of choice puts the final touch on the meal.
Oh, on a totally different subject, I am in the process of re-doing my home office and ran across a site that has a ton of good information on such topics as Outfitting a Home Office, Choosing An Office Copier and lots more. They also have a ton of office equipment and supplies to help with the make over. So this should make my new project go a lot faster which means I can get back to the BBQ and Bluegrass Music!