Saturday, October 25, 2008

Top 4 tips to lose weight


There is no magic trick associated with losing weight. It just needs sheer determination and dedication to implement the ways on how you plan to lose weight. It is important to remember that losing weight effectively is affected greatly by what you eat and how you balance it out with physical activities and exercises. To lose weight effectively you must cut down the intake of calories and exercise so that you burn your body’s stored fats thereby losing weight. To be more specific of the steps you have to take to lose weight, here are four tips to lose weight effectively.

Tip 1 Exercise

Have a realistic exercise work out and take one step at a time. You must plan ahead and be religious enough to get a routine going so that you maintain a healthy weight. However, exercise should not be done overzealously.

Tip 2 Eat 5 Sensible Meals

Spacing out your meals five times a day will not make your body crave for food as much as it would when you skip meals. Thus, it is important that you should also not miss out on meals. Treating your body right will make it function the best way it can.

Tip 3 Drink a lot of Water

Drink an average of 8 to 10 glasses of water each day your body needs to be hydrated. Water is very important for your body because it helps the kidneys to remove toxins, naturally suppresses appetite, and allows the liver to metabolize more fat.

Tip 4 Go easy on Yourself

Losing weight does not happen overnight so you have to slowly take the steps to losing weight effectively. You need not deprive yourself of your comfort foods but this should be done only on the designated cheat days.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Tips To Live a Frugal Life



In the current financial state of our country it’s important that we do what we have to, in order to ensure we’re save from any crisis. If you don’t want to be stuck in a hard place when the economy does finally collapse then you need to start preparing now. A lot of jobs have already been lost and many regular day products are escalating in prices. Most of us haven’t seen a financial state such as the one we’re experiencing now and it’s tough for us first timers to prepare for what’s ahead.

Throughout this article we’re going to look at some tips that you can follow to live more frugally. A lot of people have been talking online about living frugally and it’s something more and more people are beginning to adapt into their lives. The whole idea of living frugally is to spend less and therefore save more money. In tough times like these where nothing is a sure investment the best thing you can do is live frugally and just keep your money for a rainy day.

Downsizing

The first tip I can give everyone is downsize your life a little bit. The time of finding cheap financing for everything you want are gone and everyone including banks are being tight with money. You should consider downsizing your current vehicles and house so that you can live more comfortably. Owning a big home and struggling to pay the mortgage is a lot more stressful then downsizing a little bit and knowing your bills are paid each month.

Don’t Waste Money

If you’re strapped for money then you need to stop wasting money on things such as eating out and entertainment. In these times you need to save every penny, you still need to have fun, but there are plenty of things you can do with friends for free. Don’t buy movies, games or anything of that nature as these things aren’t going to help your savings fund.

Don’t Spend Money Online

A lot of people make aimless purchases online and don’t really need to be buying the products their buying. To live frugally you can’t spend money on impulse buys online because you see something you like. If you add up how much you’ve spent the past three years on the internet you’d probably be amazed. For the most part you have nothing to show for it either.

Monday, October 20, 2008

What to do with your Investments


If you’ve been investing in stocks like thousands of other Americans then you may have been feeling the recent financial storm. Since the $700 billion bailout plan was set into motion stocks around the world have taken a tumble. People everywhere are becoming worried about their live savings and investments and want to know whether they should pull out.

For those of you who are invested in the stock market right now and nearing retirement you may need to prolong your retirement date. A lot of financial advisors and stock brokers around the US have been telling their clients nearing retirement that they may need to wait a couple more years. For those with plenty of investments and diversification this won’t matter much, but for the every day American this is tragic.

It’s being recommended by many top consultants right now that if you need your investment money within the next couple years that you should just take it now. The markets will need time to recover from this massive financial hardship and it won’t be something that can be fixed overnight. So if you’re planning on needing your investment money within the next couple years then it’s being recommended that you pull out of them now and take what’s left.

Too many people around the US are having trouble sleeping at night with the losses being posted on the stock markets and this is causing even many veteran investors to pull out. Noone can predict where the economy is heading which is causing a massive selling of tons of stocks.

On the other hand though if you don’t need your investments for fifteen to twenty years then it’s recommended you hold in there. Markets always fluctuate heavily once in awhile and we’re long overdue. In twenty years your investments today could be worth a lot though and therefore professionals are recommending holding out. The major concerns are with those people who have investments maturing within the next few years because there is a massive uncertainty about the economy.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Top 10 Ways to Build Muscle Mass Fast


“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.”

- Arnold H. Glasow



Note: This guest post was written by Mark McManus. Check out his website here.

Want to look better and burn more calories even when resting?

You will if you add some muscle to your frame.

Whether you want to be the next Ronnie Coleman or just want a more defined / toned physique like Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston, you’ll need to build some muscle mass.

So here’s 10 tips to help you build pounds of lean muscle and get the body of your dreams.

1. Pursue Progressive Overload.

The law of progressive overload simply says that you must increase the amount of reps or the weight lifted every single workout (or as close to this as humanly possible) in order to ignite muscle growth.

The body adapts to stimuli, so how do we use this to our advantage? Well the key is to place ever increasing demand on the body, thereby forcing it to continually adapt. Training with weights is undoubtedly the best way to achieve this. You can know precisely how much weight you can handle and can also make incremental increases over time to spark muscle growth.

If you workout with the exact same weight every session and perform the same number of repetitions, how can you expect your body to grow? So, if you want bigger biceps, you must increase the weight you are lifting every session or the amount of repetitions. Remember:

Progressive Overload = Muscle Growth.

2. Perform 8-12 reps.

8-12 reps on any given exercise will stimulate most muscle growth. Lower rep ranges of say 3-6 work well for building strength but not necessarily muscle hypertrophy (growth). Higher reps e.g. 15 - 20 can indeed stimulate muscle growth but it is far from optimal. You should be lifting a weight so heavy that you can’t get more than 12 reps but light enough to allow you to get at least 8 reps.

3. Perform 6-9 sets.

Yes just 6-9 sets per body part. If you are working out with good form this is all you need to stimulate muscle growth. You want to keep your workouts under 45 minutes to avoid the release of hormones that actually break your muscle tissue down (catabolic hormones). Luckily, you can easily accomplish this by performing a maximum of 9 sets per body part.

4. Eat Eat Eat.

Working a muscle tears the tissue, it then repairs and grows. Muscles need fed in order to allow them to grow. Basically you need to eat big to get big. A good bodybuilding diet will allow you to grow without adding fat at the same time.

5. Increase the Amount of Protein in your Diet.

Muscle = protein. In order for muscle tissue to repair itself after your weight-training sessions it needs an abundance of protein. Some beginners don’t take enough protein and some more experienced guys take ridiculously extreme amounts of protein. So how much protein is enough to supply those hungry muscles? Use the following formula for the most accurate daily protein requirements.

Lean Mass Weight (Kg) x 2.75 = Daily Protein Requirement

Your lean weight is your total body weight minus the amount of fat you are carrying. You will need to know your body fat percentage for this. If you are unsure about this, you can get a good estimate by using the ‘Body Fat Calculator’ in the sidebar at MuscleHack.com site. Another good rule of thumb is to take 1 gram of protein for every pound of total body weight. So a 160 lb man would take around 160 grams of protein per day. My favorite sources of protein include

* Chicken
* Steak
* Pork
* Eggs
* Cheese
* Whey Protein Powder Shakes
* Seafood - tuna, prawns, salmon…
* Nuts
* Seeds

Here’s a good post showing great vegetarian sources of protein.

6. Eat Fat.

A Low-Fat diet is not desirable in bodybuilding. Eating fat increases the amount of anabolic (muscle building) hormones in your body. These are:

1. Testosterone
2. Growth Hormone
3. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)

Some people resort to taking anabolic steroids in order to accelerate muscle growth but you can get great results by implementing the ultimate bodybuilding diet.

7. Make Sure you Drink Enough Water.

Getting enough water is crucial for peak strength and energy levels. You should shoot for around 12 x 8 ounce glasses of water per day. Remember you can include your protein shakes towards your daily water intake.

8. Avoid Too Much Cardio.

Cardiovascular work will rob you of muscle gains. Yes if your goal is to lose fat you should do cardio but make sure it is:

(a) Performed immediately after your weight training

(b) ‘High Intensity Interval Training’ form of cardio for a maximum of 20 minutes.

The reason that too much cardio isn’t desirable when your goal is to build muscle is that too much cardio releases catabolic hormones in the body, breaking down your muscle tissue; obviously this is counter-productive.

9. Sleep.

Sleep is so important for building muscle. We know that muscle tissue repairs itself and grows during rest periods but sleep is more important than waking rest periods.

Here’s why:

1. The release of growth hormone reaches its peak during deep sleep
2. Your metabolic rate slows which is perfect for muscle tissue repair and growth
3. Increased blood flow to the muscles

10. Relax.

Being stressed out results in a catabolic (muscle breakdown) environment in the body. One such hormone is cortisol. Remember that a calm, relaxed person builds more muscle than the hot-head (assuming all other factors are equal).

Keep it positive and stay motivated!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Warning: Do You Recognize These 8 Body Language Killers?


“A significant amount of communication occurs through body language. Though we can’t see our own, everyone else does. If you’re saying one thing and thinking another, your body language may well give you away.”

- Gerri King, Ph.D.


Did you know that 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice)? That means only 7% involves your actual words. And when the spotlight is on you — whether one-on-one in a job interview or when making a presentation to a large group — you need to communicate effectively on all levels.

But how do you develop better language skills?

When it comes to body language, simply avoiding the most common mistakes and replacing them with more confident movements will make a big difference. Here you will find eight body language killers that will leave your audience underwhelmed and unimpressed. Train yourself to avoid them, and you’ll see that simple changes can make all the difference.

Mistake #1. Avoiding eye contact.

Do you read directly from a PowerPoint presentation instead of addressing the audience? In a one-on-one conversation, do you glance to the side, down at your feet, or at the desk? Ever catch yourself looking over the shoulder of the person you’re talking to? What it says about you is that you lack confidence, you are nervous and unprepared.

The winning technique: Keeping your eyes on your audience. Spend 80% to 90% of the time looking into the eyes of your listeners. The vast majority of people spend far too much time looking down at notes, PowerPoint slides or at the table in front of them. Not surprisingly, most speakers can change this behavior instantly simply by watching video of themselves. Powerful business leaders look at their listeners directly in the eye when delivering their message.

Mistake #2. Blocking: putting something between you and your listeners.

Another common mistake is putting something between you and your listeners. Crossing your arms, standing behind a podium or chair, or talking to someone from behind a computer monitor are all examples of blocking, which prevents a real connection from taking place. Even a folder on a desk can break the connection and create distance.

The winning technique: Staying “open.” Keep your hands apart and your palms up, pointed toward the ceiling. Remove physical barriers between you and your listeners.

Mistake #3. Fidgeting, rocking or swaying.

What it says about you is that you’re nervous, unsure or unprepared. So, stop fidgeting. Fidgeting, rocking and swaying don’t serve any purpose. Let’s imagine for a second a top executive of a computer company who has to deliver the news of a product delay to a major investor. He and his team actually have the event under control, and they have learned valuable lessons from their failure. But his body language suggests otherwise.

His biggest problem is rocking back and forth as he delivers the presentation. It reflects a lack of competence and control. By eventually learning to move with purpose, he can avoid career suicide. The investor will leave the next presentation confident that the project is well under control.

Mistake #4. Keeping your hands in your pockets or clasped together.

Keeping your hands stiffly by your side or stuck in your pockets can give the impression that you’re uninterested, uncommitted or nervous — whether you are or not.

The solution here is too simple: Take your hands out of your pocket and use them for purposeful, assertive hand gestures. Engaging both hands above the waist is an example of a complex hand gesture that reflects complex thinking and gives the listener confidence in the speaker.

Mistake #5. Standing or sitting perfectly still.

Ineffective speakers barely move, staying in one spot during a presentation. What it says about them: They are rigid, nervous, boring — not engaging or dynamic.

The winning technique: Animate your body, not your slides. Walk. Move. Most speakers think they need to stand ridged in one place. What they don’t realize is that movement is not only acceptable, it’s welcome. Some of the greatest business speakers walk into the audience, and are constantly moving… but with purpose!

For example, a dynamic speaker will walk from one side of the room to another to deliver their message. He points to a slide instead of reading from it, places his hand on someone’s shoulders instead of keeping the distance.

Mistake #6. Slouching, leaning back, or being hunched over.

Poor posture is often associated with a lack of confidence and can reflect — or be presumed to reflect — a lack of engagement or interest. What it says about you: You are unauthoritative; you lack confidence.

The winning technique: Keeping your head up and back straight. When standing stationary, place feet at shoulder width and lean slightly forward — you will look far more interested, engaged, and enthusiastic. Pull your shoulders slightly forward as well — you’ll appear more masculine. Head and spine should be straight. Don’t use a tabletop or podium as an excuse to lean on it.

Mistake #7. Using phony gestures.

What it says about you is that you’re overcoached, unnatural or artificial. Use gestures; just don’t overdo it. Researchers have shown that gestures reflect complex thought. Gestures leave listeners with the perception of confidence, competence and control. But the minute you try to copy a hand gesture, you risk looking contrived — like a bad politician.

President George Bush Sr. used gestures that were often incongruous with his words, as if he had been overcoached. It was like watching mismatched audio in a bad B-movie. You may not command quite as wide an audience as President Bush did, but, nonetheless, the last thing you want is for your own colleagues and friends to make fun of you after a meeting.

Mistake #8. Jingling coins, tapping toes & other annoying movements.

What it says about you is that you’re nervous, unpolished or insufficiently concerned with details. Use a video camera to tape yourself. Play it back with a critical eye. Do you find annoying gestures that you weren’t aware of? I once watched an author who had written a book on leadership discuss his project. He couldn’t help but jingle all the coins in his pocket throughout the entire talk. He didn’t sell very many books that day, and he certainly didn’t score points on the leadership scale.

Nervous energy will reflect itself in toe-tapping, touching your face or moving your leg up and down. It’s an easy fix once you catch yourself in the act!

Dynamic and powerful body language will help you kick up the power of your presentations, whether you’re interviewing for a job, climbing the career ladder or occupying the corner office. So work on your body language. Pay as much attention to it as the words you use, and watch your influence soar!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

10 Benefits of Power Napping, and How to Do It


“No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap.”

- Carrie P. Snow


College students and kindergartens love them. Now, there may be proof that catching a few zzz’s in the afternoon can be beneficial to your health.

Researchers have found in recent years that the human body requires only as much sleep as the brain will allow it. In other words, so long as the brain is functioning at full capacity, there’s no great requirement for sleep. The big thing is that the brain needs a rest every now and then, and apparently, the brain can refresh itself and go on “like with a full tank of gas” with just a short, 20-minute power nap.

These short 20-minute power naps for people who are really engrossed in their work, almost always provide a fresh burst of new ideas and energy. They tend to eliminate the need for caffeine boosts during the workday. And, they guarantee a reserve of energy so that the working day isn’t followed by an evening in which he falls asleep on the couch watching TV or at a social event.

Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of sleep and how a power nap can help you:

1. Less stress.

Curling up in a sunny patch on the floor or even lying your head down on your desk for a quick snooze brings relaxation. Research found that stress hormone levels were lower in those who took stress-reducing actions such as napping. Take a break each day from the stresses and reduce your risks, find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused.

2. Increased alertness and productivity.

If you have the opportunity for a power nap, particularly after a poor night of sleep, by all means, take one. You will feel more alert and energetic afterwards, and once rested after your mid-afternoon nap, your mood, efficiency, and alertness level will improve greatly. Scientists have even proven that taking a 20-minute nap approximately eight hours after you have awaken will do more for your stamina than sleeping another 20 minutes in the morning. Of course when you first come out of your afternoon nap, you will feel a bit groggy for around ten minutes, but once your decline in motor dexterity dissipates, you will reap the rewards of being well rested and ready to go for the rest of the day.

3. Improved memory and learning.

Naps aren’t just for the very young, old, and sluggish. Daytime dozing may enhance a person’s capacity to learn certain tasks. That, at least, is the eye-opening implication of a new study in which college students were challenged to detect subtle changes in an image during four different test sessions on the same day.

Participants improved on the task throughout the first session. The students’ speed and accuracy then leveled off during the second session. The scores of the participants who didn’t nap declined throughout the final two sessions. In contrast, volunteers who took a 20-minute power nap after completing the second practice session showed no ensuing performance dips. What’s more, 1-hour power nappers responded progressively faster and more accurately in the third and fourth sessions. It looks like napping may protect brain circuits from overuse until those neurons can consolidate what’s been learned about a procedure.

4. Good for the heart.

Taking 40 winks in the middle of the day may reduce the risk of death from heart disease, particularly in young healthy men, say researchers. They studied 23,681 individuals living in Greece who had no history of coronary heart disease, stroke or cancer when they first volunteered, and found that those who took a 30-minute siesta at least three times a week had a 37% lower risk of heart-related death. The researchers took into account ill health, age, and whether people were physically active. So go ahead and nap — a short daily snooze might ward off a heart attack later in life. It is known that countries where siestas are common tend to have lower levels of heart disease.

5. Increased cognitive functioning.

In a recent study, researchers at NASA showed that a 30-minute power nap increased cognitive faculties by approximately 40 percent! Tests carried out on one thousand volunteers proved that those who continued working without rest, made lower scores in intelligence tests like the IQ test. More importantly, their capacities to work and memorize decreased in comparison to those who napped after lunch.

In concordance with NASA’s work, biology students at Berkeley determined that the nap must be short in order to produce maximum effectiveness. Over forty five minutes, the beneficial effects of napping disappear and it is therefore suggested to take a fifteen to thirty five minute “power nap”. This is the time necessary for the organism to rest and enables brain neurons to recuperate.

6. Get motivated to exercise.

Sufficient sleep and naps help motivate exercise. Some 28 percent of adolescents say they are too tired to exercise, due to sleep. As adults, let’s not let tiredness ruin our jogs. You’re guaranteed to run longer, faster, more efficiently and mindfully when your body has it’s required amount of zzzz’s. So, store-up, shore-up and build-up your energy reserve with a power nap. It’s easy (free!) and proven effective.

7. Boost your creativity.

Rest and relaxation isn’t only vital to your health — it might also make you a more creative person. People tend to be more imaginative after a good night’s sleep. Other experts agree that taking a nap or stepping away from a problem or project refreshes the mind and could lead to better ideas later. Power napping allows your brain to create the loose associations necessary for creative insight and opens the way for a fresh burst of new ideas. So if you feel stuck, then you might want to take a nap. Return to the problem after diverting your attention for a while. The best part is that there’s no need to feel guilty, because taking some “me time,” in this case, could help your business in the long run.

8. Make up for midnight tossing and turning.

Some of the most recent research suggests that a bad night’s sleep can stress the body as well as the mind. One such study, suggests that missing sleep throws the body’s metabolism off kilter. Scientists at the University of Chicago studied physical changes in 11 young men who slept four hours per night for six nights in a row. They found that sleep deprivation seemed to trigger a diabetes-like condition, harmed hormone production, and interfered with the ability to use carbohydrates.

According to some studies, power napping is clearly beneficial to someone who is a normal sleeper but who is getting insufficient sleep at night. Researchers still don’t understand the underlying neurobiology, but it looks like sleep time is cumulative. They compared the alertness of people who slept eight hours a night to that of people who slept less but took a nap during the day. Both groups were equivalent.

9. Protect yourself from sleepiness.

Scientists had also found benefits in the “prophylactic” nap for people who have to stay up late. It can protect you from sleepiness. If you have to be up all night, a two-hour or a four-hour nap does provide additional alertness the next day. Research conducted by NASA produced similar results. Naps are clearly useful for some people, including shift workers, students, and anyone doing long-haul work, such as pilots on transcontinental runs.

10. Better health.

Napping in general benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair, says Dr. Sara Mednick who is at the forefront of napping research. A power nap, says Mednick, simply maximizes these benefits by getting the sleeper into and out of rejuvenating sleep as fast as possible.

Everyone, no matter how high-strung, has the capacity to nap. But the conditions need to be right. Here are some helpful hints from Dr. Sara Mednick, author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life.

Getting the perfect nap

The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that you’re not being lazy; napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.
Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you groggy.
Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, which meddle with a person’s ability to fall asleep.
Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep.
Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won’t disturb you.
Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep- inducing hormone.
Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket.
Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration (see below).
How long is a good nap?

THE NANO-NAP: 10 to 20 seconds. Sleep studies haven’t yet concluded whether there are benefits to these brief intervals, like when you nod off on someone’s shoulder on the train.
THE MICRO-NAP: two to five minutes. Shown to be surprisingly effective at shedding sleepiness.
THE MINI-NAP: five to 20 minutes. Increases alertness, stamina, motor learning, and motor performance.
THE ORIGINAL POWER NAP: 20 minutes. Includes the benefits of the micro and the mini, but additionally improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory (remembering facts, events, and names).
THE LAZY MAN’S NAP: 50 to 90 minutes. Includes slow-wave plus REM sleep; good for improving perceptual processing; also when the system is flooded with human growth hormone, great for repairing bones and muscles.
Contrary to popular opinion, napping isn’t for the lazy or depressed. Famous nappers have included Bill Clinton, Lance Armstrong, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison. The moral of the story: to be ultra-productive, just rest your head. You snooze, you gain. Give it a try for yourself and see if you aren’t amazed at the results!

Friday, April 11, 2008

10 Useless or Even Dangerous First Aid Myths



“To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.”

- Hippocrates


We all know some remedy myths or old wives tales, but some of them have no effect on conditions, ailments, or illnesses of the human body. If you try any of these myths, you may run the risk of having an adverse reaction or the opposite result of what you would like to happen. So here are ten classic emergency fixes that definitely won’t do in a pinch:

1. Sucking venom from a snakebite.

Cutting the skin of a snakebite victim to suck out the poison may be a classic first-aid technique, but doctors now say it’s useless and even dangerous. “Cutting and sucking, or applying a tourniquet or ice does nothing to help,” says Dr. Robert Barish, an emergency physician at the University of Maryland. The outdated measures “may do more harm than good by delaying prompt medical care, contaminating the wound or by damaging nerves and blood vessels,” Barish says in an article released by the university’s School of Medicine and the Rocky Mountain Poison Center.

“The victim should be moved out of harm’s way and transported to the nearest medical facility as soon as possible,” Barish advises. So the best cure for snakebite: a cell phone and a helicopter.

2. Peeing on a jellyfish sting.

You’re far more likely to suffer a jellyfish sting than a shark bite, so here’s what you need to know:

First, don’t believe the rumors. Peeing on a stung bit of skin won’t do much to relieve suffering, and you’ll suffer some odd stares, too, doctors say.

“Urine has not been scientifically proven to help in jellyfish stings”, said Dr. Paul Auerbach, an emergency physician at Stanford University Hospital and an expert on jellyfish stings.

“Instead, vinegar is the best first treatment,” he said, when treating stings from North American jellyfish.

But the question still lingers, if no vinegar is in sight is urine better than nothing? While studies haven’t proven it, Auerbach admits he’s known a few people who said urine worked for them.

3. Drinking booze to ease a toothache.

“A shot of whiskey is not going to kill the pain of a toothache,” says Charles Wakefield, D.D.S., director of advanced education in general dentistry at Baylor University medical school. Instead of a whiskey on the rocks, just order the rocks: A Canadian study found that rubbing an ice cube on people’s hands killed tooth pain in 50 percent of them. Wrap the cube and rub it on the V-shaped soft spot of your hand, where the bones of your thumb and index finger meet. The cold, rubbing sensation travels on the same pathway to the brain as tooth pain, and by icing your hand, you override the signals from your mouth. When you’re finished, call a dentist. And pour yourself that whiskey.

4. Slathering butter on a burn.

Putting butter, Crisco, or any other kind of grease on a burn can trap heat, cause scarring, and lead to infection. “When you’ve burned yourself, you’ve damaged the integrity of the skin, and butter is not the cleanest thing in the world,” says Ben Wedro, M.D., an emergency-room doctor at the Gundersen Clinic in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Your impulse to douse the burn in ice water is off base as well; the drastic temperature change can cause more pain. Instead, use cool water to soothe and clean the area.

5. Slapping a raw steak on a black eye.

In the movies, you always see someone put a raw steak over their black eye. While it may feel good, the grease from the steak might get into the eye, causing more inflammation.

“The only medical merit this has is if it’s a cold steak,” says Flip Homansky, M.D., who’s seen his share of shiners in his work for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which regulates Las Vegas’s boxing bouts. “The cold will decrease swelling, but there is no enzyme or anything else in a raw steak that will help otherwise.” The fact that the steak, compared with blocks of ice or ice cubes, can be formed to fit over the eye is another benefit, but a cheaper and less bacteria-prone solution is a bag of frozen peas, or crushed ice in a plastic bag wrapped in a towel. And remember, you will still end up with bruising.

6. Apply peroxide to cuts and scrapes and leave open to air.

“I am not a fan of peroxide,” Richard O’Brien, MD, says. Some authorities even think it can kill the body’s cells that are rushing to fend off intruding bacteria and germs trying to enter the wound. O’Brien prefers soap and water - or just clean water - to flush out bits of dirt and irrigate the wound. Even hose water will do.

“We go by clean, treat, and protect,” he says. Clean a cut or scrape, apply antibiotic ointment, and bandage it. “Some people like to let wounds air, but I find they heal faster if they are protected. More importantly, if they are bandaged, the person, especially a child, will protect them better. You can’t imagine how many times people will reinjure the same place! I see it all the time. Bandaging makes it less likely the wound will be reopened.”

Any cut that goes beyond the top layer of skin might need stitches. Generally, the sooner stitches are put in, the lower risk of infection.

7. People may swallow their tongues during a seizure.

It’s commonplace in movies. Someone has a seizure and a passerby sticks something in the patient’s mouth so they don’t swallow their tongue and block their airway. “People can control their own airway,” Richard O’Brien, MD, says. “Don’t stick anything in there.” If the person is outside, let him or her roll around on the ground. It’s OK.

When a person is having a seizure, don’t hold the person down as this can result in injury. Just remove sharp objects - glasses, furniture etc. - from around the person to prevent injury.

8. If you get a bee sting, you must squeeze out the stinger.

Never do this! Squeezing the stinger may allow venom still in the sac to get into your system. “Scrape the stinger out with a credit card,” Richard O’Brien, MD, says. “Even those acrylic nails work, if they are clean.” If the person is getting red or having trouble breathing, dial 911. This can be serious or even fatal.

Another bee sting remedy is putting baking soda on it. This one actually works. Mix baking soda with water to form a thick paste and slap it on ASAP. “The sting is produced by an acid, and if you put baking soda on as soon as you can, it neutralizes that acid,” says Stephen Purcell, D.O., chairman of the division of dermatology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. If you don’t have baking soda, wet the affected area and rub it with an uncoated aspirin; the aspirin will help control swelling, pain, and inflammation.

9. Throw your head back to stop a nosebleed.

“Don’t put your head between your knees or tip your head back,” Richard O’Brien, MD, says. The latter is especially bad because you can breathe the blood into your lungs or get it in your stomach and vomit.

“Press the fleshy part of your nose,” O’Brien says, “and not the part where your glasses sit - lower than that - as if you are trying to stop a bad smell.” Now - and this is the important part - press firmly for a complete 10 minutes by the clock. “People don’t do that, they let up every three seconds to see if it stopped,” he says. Ten minutes! O’Brien says there are also medications and little nostril plugs for people who get frequent nosebleeds.

If a nosebleed lasts for more than 15 minutes, occurs following a serious injury, or is accompanied by severe blood loss, you should call your doctor or go to the emergency room.

10. If you get shin splints, running more will ease them.

Anyone who has run or hiked too much without conditioning has probably experienced shin pain. “This is really called medial tibial stress syndrome,” says Jim Thornton, MA, a certified athletic trainer and head trainer at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Basically the muscle attached to the shinbone is tearing loose. The inflammation - or pain - is a response on the way to healing.

“If you continue to pound the tears,” Thornton tells WebMD, “it will not heal. The key is to have it evaluated because it means your muscles are out of balance. If you run again when the pain lets up, dial back the mileage, because shin splints can end up in a stress fracture.”

So, next time you have softball in the eye, don’t reach for a raw steak! You can make matters worse if you follow wacky, outdated advice and don’t know the correct steps to take.

Featured Partner: Get life saving information with emergency first aid. Be prepared in case of an emergency with first aid computer based training. If you have children look into first aid certification to ensure their safety in your care. Review a first aid kit checklist before you buy supplies.

Friday, April 4, 2008

How to Best Spend 60 Seconds

“People who live the most fulfilling lives are the ones who are always rejoicing at what they have.”


Glass Clock

- Richard Carlson, PhD

When we take a few moments to express our appreciation inwardly or to another, immediately we begin to feel happier, more relaxed, more optimistic.

A sense of appreciation is an important part of a positive outlook, and research indicates that a positive attitude is essential to the success of peak performers in both the business and sports worlds.

Studies also provide evidence that a positive, appreciative attitude enhances the body’s healing system and general health.

So, from time to time spend some seconds and ask yourself the following question:

“What’s one thing I’m grateful for?”

When you ask yourself that simple question, you see your cup as half-full. Anything else would be icing on the cake.

And instead of focusing on the I-have-to’s, the question drives you to embrace the super-sexy-sweetness of your life.

What are the psychological benefits?

Scientists at the Institute of HeartMath have discovered that thoughts and even subtle emotions influence the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.

This is significant in that the autonomic nervous system interacts with the digestive, cardiovascular, immune, and hormonal systems. Negative thoughts and emotions tend to create autonomic nervous system imbalance while positive ones encourage physiological balance and strength.

Interestingly, of the numerous positive thought patterns tested by the Institute of HeartMath, appreciation appears to have a particularly strong effect in quickly enhancing the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, resulting in improved hormonal and immune system balance and more effective brain functioning.

HeartMath researchers also have discovered that when an individual engages in thoughts of appreciation, almost immediately his or her heart rate variability smoothes out, indicating heightened psycho physiological coherence - a state associated with reduced stress, increased emotional stability, high performance, and a range of health benefits.

The cool side-effects?

Physician and author Christiane Northrup explains that when you hold feelings of thankfulness for at least 40 to 60 seconds, beneficial physiological changes take place in your body.

Levels of the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine decrease, producing a cascade of beneficial metabolic changes. Coronary arteries relax, thus increasing the blood supply to your heart. And your breathing becomes deeper, raising the oxygen level of your tissues.

And when you think of one thing that makes you thankful, another one pops up. And another, and another, and another - until you fully appreciate what a sweet life you really have.

So, the template to get you started is:

“I’m thankful for this ____”

It will take you less than 60 seconds to complete this task. Try it out for yourself. And remember, gratitude is the best approach to life.
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”



- Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

Mood-lifting foodsWe’ve heard the expression “you are what you eat.” When it’s crunch time, we tend to engage in all sorts of unhealthy habits that further increase our stress levels. That pizza? Bad idea. If your anxiety is spiraling out of control, food should be your ally, not your enemy. So if you find yourself cranky, tired and even clinically depressed, try these 11 mood-boosting foods.

1. MILK

Your brain needs an amino acid called tryptophan in order to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter nicknamed the brain’s Prozac, thanks to its happy-making and calming effect. Prozac works by conserving the brain’s serotonin, but tryptophan helps you make more of your own. Milk also contains antioxidants that help destroy free radicals associated with stress. Have some skim milk with your cereal for breakfast or pour yourself a tall, cold glass and use it as an excuse to scarf down a few chocolate chip cookies.

2. CHOCOLATE

Chocolate contains a host of chemicals to brighten your mood, including anadamine, a neurotransmitter that targets the same parts of the brain as THC, the active ingredient in cannabis. But chocolate contains such minuscule levels of anadamide, you’d need to eat kilos of it in order to make any impact on the amount that’s circulating in the brain naturally. So, why does chocolate give us the buzz it does? Scientists believe other chemicals in chocolate cause anadamide to hang around in the brain for longer, enhancing its stimulant effect. The sweet stuff also boosts our levels of endorphins, the brain’s natural happy hormones.

3. WHOLE-GRAIN RICE OR PASTA

It’s a good thing carbohydrates are finally back in style now that everyone has realized those low-carb diets were a bunch of hooey. Eating carbohydrates boosts serotonin levels (thus have a calming, soothing effect), and slow-release ‘complex’ carbs keep you sustained, helping you to stay mellow and preventing between-meals rattiness. While all carbs will give you this kick, stick to whole-grain bread, rice and pasta. Simple carbs like white bread and pastries will only give you a momentary boost followed by a crash, and they will make you pack on the kilos. On the other hand, whole grains (complex carbs) are digested more slowly and will thus keep you feeling fuller — and conceivably happier — for a longer period of time.

4. MACKEREL

A study in Finland found that people who eat more fish are 31 percent less likely to suffer from depression. Oily fish like mackerel are the best source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help prevent the blues. They boost serotonin levels and also enhance your brain’s receptiveness to the neurotransmitter. High-dose omega-3 supplements can even help patients suffering from clinical depression. Most types of fish are also replete with all-important B vitamins, particularly the renowned stress fighters B6 and B12. In fact, B12 is one of the most important vitamins involved in the synthesis of the “happy” brain chemical serotonin.

5. BROCCOLI

Yet another food that is chock-full of stress-relieving B vitamins, broccoli has the added benefit of containing folate (folic acid), which is also part of the B vitamin family. And since low levels of folate have been linked to depression in many studies, including research following thousands of people in Finland and California, it stands to reason that if you keep your folate levels up, you’re less likely to be down in the dumps.

6. COFFEE

Caffeine is the world’s most popular psychoactive drug. It boosts metabolism and energy levels, making you feel more alert by interfering with the action of drowse-inducing adenosine in the brain. It also manipulates the same channels in the brain as amphetamines, activating the brain’s pleasure centers. There recently was a study from Brazil finding that people who drink coffee with milk each day are less likely to have depression. On the flip side, it’s clear that coffee isn’t for everyone. Its legendary jolt in excess doses — that is, more than whatever your individual body can tolerate — can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat.

7. TURKEY

Turkey is high in phenylalanine, an amino acid which the brain converts to dopamine, a neurochemical that elevates mood and motivation and prevents depression. A study published in a German psychiatry journal showed that phenylalanine was as effective as an antidepressant drug. As well as turkey, phenylalanine is found in most protein foods, so eat them when you want to feel sharper. The addition of protein to a meal will also help slow the absorption of carbohydrate in the blood. This can help leave you feeling upbeat and productive for hours after eating.

8. LIVER

Liver is one of the richest sources of vitamin B6, which you need to convert the phenylalanine from the protein you’re eating to mood-enhancing dopamine and buzzy adrenaline. If you don’t get enough vitamin B6, you’ll probably feel low, and stress depletes your levels further. If the thought of liver doesn’t exactly boost your mood, get your vitamin B6 from brown rice or other whole grains.

9. BLUEBERRIES

These little blue miracle workers are jam-packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, which are potent stress busters. Because your brain consumes so much oxygen, oxidants do heavy damage there, and those antioxidants will help pick off the free radicals that wear away at your memory. As an added bonus, they’re low in calories, so they won’t make you blimp-like. Blueberries are also a good source of fiber, which can help relieve the cramps and constipation that can occur in times of stress.

10. BRAZIL NUTS

Brazil nuts are the number one source of the mineral selenium, which helps maintain your mood and prevent depression. Although scientists haven’t figured out exactly how, it seems that selenium is essential for maintaining a happy mood — it’s so important that when the body’s stock is being run down, the brain is the last organ to give up its stash. These crunchy little dudes are also packed with vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc. B vitamins and magnesium are involved in the production of serotonin, which helps regulate mood and relieve stress. Zinc has also been shown to fight some of the negative effects of stress, while vitamin E is an antioxidant that destroys the free radicals related to stress and heart disease.

11. ANY FOOD THAT TASTES GOOD!

Eating food that tastes good stimulates the production of endorphins — the painkilling peptides that bind to the brain’s opioid receptors, triggering the same kind of reaction as opiate drugs such as the painkiller codeine, and heroin. So eat the things you enjoy for a natural — and legal — high!

Now take a deep breath, chill out and go make yourself a snack.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.”
- Homer



Tired after getting a full nine hours and still feeling exhausted? You sleep the sleep of the innocent - you nod off quickly, don’t have nightmares and have no trouble breathing - and still you can hardly get up in the morning and seldom feel totally awake, no matter how long you slept the previous night. You are suffering from a clear-cut case of ineffective sleep.

The good news is that, starting tonight, you can improve the quality of your sleep. So pull up a pillow and learn how to get more rest while spending less time on your back.

1. Go deep.

It is possible to sleep too long or at the wrong time. In both cases you may be getting enough rest, but you still feel weary. That’s because the amount of time you spend in bed is not as important as maximizing sleeping patterns.

Your sleep consists of five stages, distinguished by different brain activities. Just shortly after falling asleep, you start sinking gradually into a deep sleep. You soon surface from this and enter a dreaming period commonly known as REM sleep. After that, it’s back to several deep-sleep phases, which grow shorter as the night progresses.

To wake up easily, set your alarm to wake you up at the end of a cycle rather than in the middle of deep sleep. A cycle normally lasts at least 90 min., bearing in mind that the first one is somewhat shorter, so you will probably be in light sleep after five-and-a-half, seven, and eight-and-a-half hours in bed (that includes the time it takes for you to fall asleep). If you’re still deep in dreamland when the alarm goes off, add a few minutes to your sleeping time the next day.

2. Surrender to your genes.

As I mentioned, there are three optimal lengths of sleep -­ but that doesn’t mean you can just choose one. A study completed this spring by Washington State University Spokane suggests that our sleep patterns are embedded in our bodies - perhaps in our very genes. Some of us will need five-and-a-half hours of sleep, while others will need at least eight-and-a-half. Most people will manage comfortably on seven hours. Your genes decide for you and you can’t just alter it without paying the price.

There is hardly anybody out there who knows what it means to be fully awake. Studies have found that proper sleeping patterns emerge only after you have caught up with up to 25 hours of missing sleep. To optimize your sleep, crawl into bed half an hour earlier each evening for a few nights. As long as you have a sleep deficit to catch up on, you should have no problem falling asleep. After that, allow yourself as much sleep as you need. If you persistently sleep too little, you run the risk of becoming overweight, absent-minded and ill; a daily sleep deficit of two hours over a period of 14 days is as damaging as a night with no sleep.

Sleeping too much is also a rest buster. If you sleep for longer than your personal optimal period, your sleep will be empty and restless. If you oversleep for many hours, you will fall into another deep sleep in the morning. This will upset your circadian clock and you will wake up feeling absolutely whacked. If this is your problem, you can reverse the situation by keeping your time in bed to the absolute minimum and staying up a bit later at night to prolong the restful deep sleep at the beginning of the night.

3. Worship the sun.

Most people can get away with some wildness in their routines as long as they soak up some bright light at the right time. Normal indoor lighting provides 400 lux of illumination, which doesn’t help much; the sun, however, provides 1 500 to 100 000 lux. So if you spend one hour outdoors before starting work you will be more alert and cheerful during the day.

It’s easier to do in summer than winter but if you can’t manage it at all, you could follow the European trend of substituting your light quota with some artificial sunlight. For a positive effect, you need at least half an hour at 10 000 lux or two hours at 2 500 lux. You can also gradually adjust your preferred sleeping times using artificial sunlight - to party longer into the night, you will have to soak up some light in the evening - artificial light will bring some relief but your sleep and wellbeing will still suffer.

4. Keep the rhythm.

Your body was designed to sync with the cycles of nature - including daylight and darkness. Your circadian, or biological clock, regulates aspects of your metabolism, physiology and behavior. At night, it triggers the supply of the sleep hormone melatolin, and in the morning the wake-up substance cortisol. It also regulates body temperature so that lowest point is reached at about 3 a.m.

Biologically speaking, this is the witching hour and the most inappropriate time to be awake. The prime time for deep sleep occurs in the first five hours of sleep and before 3 a.m. If you’re in the habit of staying up way past midnight, you can forget about quality sleep, even if you’ll sleep till noon.

And don’t even think about going to bed too early because you have to get up early or want to squeeze in an extra workout. This only works if you’re already exhausted and fall asleep instantly; what’s more likely is that you will lie half-awake, start to brood and finally get to sleep tense and restless.

It’s hardly possible to stock up on sleep, so you should rather go to bed at the usual time (observe the cycle) and make up for lost sleep by tucking in a bit earlier the following night. Alternatively, catch a siesta during the day.

5. Watch the time.

To get the most out of your shutdown time, keep regular hours. Go to bed at about the same time every night and ­- even more importantly ­- get up the same time each morning.

Don’t oversleep to make up for a poor night’s sleep. This may sound regimental but the circadian clock is highly sensitive to unstable life patterns. The inner day for most people would be 25 hours long if it weren’t for external time indicators such as sunshine, which keeps the clock ticking over properly. (Depending whether you are a night owl or morning lark, your sleep-wake rhythm may be up to 27 hours, for owls, or shorter than 25 hours, for larks.) If you live an erratic life, your internal clock will be thrown off kilter.

The result: you may want to be functioning when your body temperature is at the witching hour, making you feel cold, sapped of energy and irritable, and trying to rest when your temperature is geared for action. Routine is a simple solution.

Forget about sleeping late at the weekend. The circadian clock reacts immediately to delays in getting up - doing that for even a couple of days can reset your body clock and make it hard for you to get to sleep at night. Rather wake up at about the same time and allow yourself the luxury of a short snooze during the day ­- or go to bed earlier if you are really short on sleep.

Overlooking the single most important thing you can do for your health is easy with all the clamor surrounding various health products in the marketplace. But good-quality sleep goes far and beyond those products when it comes to restoring your health. And best of all, sleep is free. So try these proven techniques and get the rest you need

Monday, March 31, 2008

22 Natural Ways to Prevent Colds and the Flu

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
- Henry de Bracton




The flu season is just around the corner. And while those flus won’t kill you, they can weaken your immune system to the point that other, more dangerous, germs can take hold in your body. Just think how many times your cold turned into bronchitis or a sinus infection. And given that the average adult suffers two to three colds a year, that’s a lot of opportunities for serious illness — and just as many to prevent one!

Now I can’t promise you’ll never get hit with another cold or endure another bout of the flu, but you can increase your odds of staying well with these natural strategies. If you do get sick, I’ve also included some great tips for getting better faster.

1. Get gargling.

Japanese researchers found that a daily gargling with water reduces your cold risk. People who gargled with water were 36 percent less likely to be struck down when compared with non-garglers. The study suggests that simple water gargling is effective to prevent upper respiratory tract infections.

2. Drink, drink, drink!

Hot liquids like fruit teas and lemon drinks will ease any nasal congestion you feel coming on and prevent dehydration. A dried-out respiratory system will leave you more prone to infection.

3. Take a Sauna.

Researchers aren’t sure exactly how it works but a German study found that people who got steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn’t. It may be down to the fact that sauna air temperatures are too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.

4. Stop the blaming.

Believe it or not, blaming yourself makes you more likely to catch a cold! At least, that’s what Austrian researchers found when they studied more than 300 workers over three months. Even those who had control over their work were more likely to begin sneezing if they lacked confidence or tended to blame themselves when things went wrong. Researchers expect such attitudes make people more stressed on the job, and stress, as you know, can challenge your immune system.

5. Microwave your toothbrush.

Run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for ten seconds to kill germs that can cause colds and other illnesses. You think it gets your teeth clean — and it does. But once you’re done brushing, your toothbrush is a breeding ground for germs. Sterilize it in the microwave before you use it, or store it in hydrogen peroxide (rinse well before using), or simply replace it every month when you change the page on your calendar and after you’ve had a cold.

6. Crack open a window.

Leave the windows in your house open a crack in winter. Not all of them, but one or two in the rooms in which you spend the most time. This is especially important if you live in a newer home, where fresh circulating air has been the victim of energy efficiency. A bit of fresh air will do wonders for chasing out germs.

7. Focus on one word.

Once a day, sit in a quiet, dim room, close your eyes, and focus on one word. You’re meditating, a proven way to reduce stress. And stress, studies find, increases your susceptibility to colds. People experiencing emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are twice more likely to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.

8. Wash you hands!

And do it often. Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. The Naval Health Research Center conducted a study of 36,000 recruits who were ordered to wash their hands five times a day. The recruits cut their incidence of respiratory illnesses by 45 percent.

9. …twice is even better.

When Columbia University researchers looked for germs on volunteers’ hands, they found one handwashing had little effect, even when using antibacterial soap. So wash twice if you’re serious about fending off colds.

10. Public restrooms’ strategy.

Studies find a shockingly large percentage of people fail to wash their hands after using a public restroom. And every single one of them touches the door handle on the way out. So after washing your hands, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet. Use another paper towel to dry your hands, then open the door with that paper towel as a barrier between you and the handle. It sounds nuts, but it’s an actual recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control to protect you from infectious diseases like cold and flu.

11. Use your knuckle to rub your eyes.

It’s less likely to be contaminated with viruses than your fingertip. This is particularly important given that the eye provides a perfect entry point for germs, and the average person rubs his eyes or nose or scratches his face 20-50 times a day.

12. Eat that yogurt.

Researchers from University of California found that individuals who ate one cup of yogurt — whether live culture or pasteurized — had 25 percent fewer colds than non-yogurt eaters. Start your yogurt eating right away to build up your immunity before cold and flu season starts.

13. Inhale air from your blow-dryer.

It sounds nuts, I know. But one study conducted at Harvard Hospital in England found that people who breathed heated air had half the cold symptoms of people who inhaled air at room temperature. Set the dryer on warm, not hot, and hold it at least twenty inches from your face. Breathe in the air through your nose for as long as you can — 20 minutes is best.

14. Go garlic.

When 147 volunteers received either one garlic supplement a day or a placebo for twelve weeks between November and February, those taking the garlic were not only less likely to get a cold, but if they did catch one, their symptoms were less intense and they recovered faster.

15. Getting z’s = no flu.

The fact that a certain amount of sleep is required in order to remain healthy cannot be repeated enough. Not only does sleep help you stay alert throughout your day, but it also helps your immune system stay strong. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, and you’ll be less susceptible to the flu.

16. Water does the body good.

How many times have you heard that eight glasses a day is good or you? Probably every day. This habit is a good one for your body in many ways, as it washes out your system, and is needed in order to maintain a healthy diet and a clear, healthy complexion.

17. Get some exercise.

Exercise is very healthy for your body, in many ways. By exercising regularly, you’re not only developing muscle mass and strength, you’re also making your immune system a heavyweight champion.

18. Lower the heat.

Lower the heat in your house 5 degrees. The dry air of an overheated home provides the perfect environment for cold viruses to thrive. And when your mucous membranes (i.e., nose, mouth, and tonsils) dry out, they can’t trap those germs very well. Lowering the temperature and using a room humidifier helps maintain a healthier level of humidity in the winter.

19. Wipe, don’t blow.

Your cold won’t hang around as long, according to a University of Virginia study. Turns out that the force of blowing not only sends the gunk out of your nose into a tissue, but propels some back into your sinuses. And, in case you’re curious, they discovered this using dye and X rays. If you need to blow, blow gently, and blow one nostril at a time.

20. Sneeze and cough into your arm.

Whoever taught us to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze got it wrong. That just puts the germs right on our hands, where you can spread them to objects — and other people. Instead, hold the crook of your elbow over your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough if a tissue isn’t handy. It’s pretty rare that you shake someone’s elbow or scratch your eye with an elbow, after all.

21. Don’t pressure your doctor for antibiotics.

Colds and flu (along with most common infections) are caused by viruses, so antibiotics — designed to kill bacteria — won’t do a thing. They can hurt, however, by killing off the friendly bacteria that are part of our immune defenses. If you’ve used antibiotics a lot lately, consider a course of probiotics — replacement troops for friendly bacteria.

22. Doctor, doctor.

All these are simple ways to help you avoid the flu — but they are not substitutes for medical treatment or advice.

Remember that the flu is something that everyone gets once in a while, and there is no 100% guarantee to prevent it. But if you want to decrease your chances of being stuck at home with a pesky flu, use these tips. That doesn’t mean you can’t still call in sick once in a while…

The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Moneymakers

“Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the “gotta have it” scale.”
- Zig Ziglar




Making money — whether it be through investing in the stock market, managing your own business, or real estate — isn’t just about doing the math and coming out on top with a little luck. For better or worse, success is often determined by you and you alone.

Looking at some of the successful millionaires in the world, the money they possess may blind you or the notoriety the public bestows upon them distracts your judgment. But at second glance, there are certain factors that have contributed to their success and popularity. With almost every successful person, there are common habits that add to their wealth or catapult them into the spotlight. The good news is — you don’t have to be a millionaire to follow the same path and develop successful habits of your own.

1. Be realistic.

Realism is the fine line that you walk between optimism and negativity. A successful individual is a realist, which means that he’s never going to shoot himself in the foot by being negative, but he’s not going to take risks based on groundless conclusions.

Consider Bill Gates. When he left Harvard to follow his vision at Microsoft, he took a huge risk. But that risk wasn’t entirely unfounded. Bill knew what the rest of us would later learn: personal computers would be the wave of the future if only software could be more user-friendly.

You don’t have to be as far thinking as Bill Gates, but you should learn something from his decision making. Before you make a key decision, ask yourself whether you’re being reasonable. It’s a hard thing to do, but the most successful among us are able to step outside of themselves for a moment and evaluate the situation.

2. Seize the day.

The best ideas in the world are useless if they’re not put into action. But action can be a double-edged sword because action for the sake of action can easily become reckless.

The mindset that separates the men from the boys in this field is being uncomfortable with inaction. In other words, a successful individual will never sit around waiting for something to happen. He may not invest any money in a given year, but he’ll always be looking and exploring. That’s what made Warren Buffett such a success. His specialty is buying undervalued companies.

Buffett has been beating the pants off the S&P500 since 1965, but it’s not just luck that gets him there. As a man of action, Buffett knows how to harness his aggressive side, but at the same time he has the discipline not to go overboard.

Berkshire Hathaway — the conglomerate Buffett manages — has billions per year in revenues, which means a lot of buying and selling. But that kind of success keeps him focused on replication. Buffett continues to pursue the stated goals of the company by sticking to his rock-solid business plan. Deviations are not allowed. And the theory behind that is: Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

3. Have a master plan.

Successful moneymakers may not have every detail of their future mapped out, but they do have some sense in their minds of the steps they’re going to take in life. Somewhere, they’re programming.

Here’s an example: Scientists surveyed the Yale class of 1953, and found that 3 percent had written down financial goals for their futures at their college graduation. When the group reconvened in 1973, this 3 percent of the class that had started their careers with some kind of plan controlled more combined net worth than the other 97 percent combined.

4. Capitalize on your passion/knowledge.

If you don’t love it, it’s nearly impossible to get others to love it. By focusing on something that you’re enthusiastic about, you’ll give yourself extra resources that can’t be quantified.

Any financial undertaking is going to be hard and you’re going to have to put in extra work that you couldn’t have predicted. That’s where the enthusiastic man has an edge. When you’re working on your passion, you don’t mind the extra work. In fact, if you’re really on the right track, it won’t seem like work at all.

Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, took his passion for mathematics and computers, and revolutionized the database world. That might sound unexciting to a lot of us, but to Ellison, it was a dream come true. Maybe your passions don’t have nearly as much commercial upside, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth looking at.

Sometimes following that passion means putting yourself outside the mainstream. A lot of people shy away from this, and it’s true, you can go too far. But no successful businessman could ever be described as someone who followed the crowd. Successful individuals live outside the crowd so they can move the crowd. You just need to make sure you’re not too far removed from the crowd.

5. Have outer confidence.

Confidence is the fundamental key to almost anything in life, whether you’re running a business, selling a product, or trying to finance your idea. If you don’t project confidence, you won’t get very far. But it’s more than just being confident that matters. Confidence allows you to surround yourself with quality people, who will push you and who you can in turn push to greater and greater heights. In other words, confidence is the building block that allows you to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

In a nutshell, that’s the success story behind Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric. Rather than operating this financial empire by micromanaging people, Welch did what all of us should do: pick the very best people to surround ourselves with, give them a goal, and let them get things done. Welch even went so far as to find a business partner in his second wife, Suzy, with whom he co-wrote the bestseller Winning.

6. Check your feelings at the door.

It’s nothing personal; it’s just business. Those are words to live by, but too many individuals fail because they take it personally. A friend might tell you that your idea stinks; rather than get defensive, find out why he thinks your idea stinks. And never let the criticism get you down. The more success you have, the more criticism will be thrown in your direction.

Few people recall that the nineties were lean years for Donald Trump, who was on the verge of personal bankruptcy. As a successful businessman and a celebrity in his own right, naysayers were lining up to watch him fall. Did he? Of course not. Trump buckled his belt, dumped underperforming investments, raised revenues, and put himself back on top. What he didn’t do was listen to people who were clamoring to watch him fall.

7. Feel entitled to your moneybags.

Do you feel positive about money? Do you think there is not enough to go around, or that you should feel ashamed and guilty if you have more than someone else? If you believe millionaires are scrambling to gobble more of the pie at the expense of others, you’re not thinking like one.

If you feel negative about money, or you don’t feel entitled to it, you have a lot of what is called “poverty thinking” and that will defeat the other traits that enable the millionaire to achieve. Remember: Self-made millionaires feel justified and worthy in their use of money.

The essential thing is to know where you’re weak. If you’re lacking in one department, be honest with yourself and build on that deficiency. Or, find a friend that you can trust who complements your strengths and weaknesses. Remember: You are your No.1 asset, and it pays to know yourself inside and out.

Monday, March 24, 2008

What in prince Garry was earlier, clinic or narcotics?


When in the past year the newspaper News of the World published communication, that prince Garry, to whom then there were 16 years, uses narcotics, royal family and its advisers probably sighed with relief.

Newspapers not one month noted in the behavior of prince the signs of the fact that it strayed of true, but finally, instead of joyfully opening of fire on straying tineydzheru, they published touching history about understanding and thoughtful father, prince uel'sskiy.

On seven pages in the number of 13 January News of the World it told about how prince Charles sent Garry to the center on the rehabilitation of druggies, after learning about the fact that its son smokes marijuana and much he drinks.

"Charles decided to frighten Garry, after sending him to the session of psychotherapy with the people, which suffer heroine dependence", it reported newspaper. According to the "friend of family" it "never no longer touched the narcotics".

In this entire touching history there is only one discrepancy: prince Garry visited clinic Featherstone Lodge before News of the World reported that it uses narcotics.

In the first in the life newspaper interview the former main expert according to the connections with the community of prince uel'sskiy Mark bolland recognizes that the sequence of events in the history was changed in order to present Charles in the advantageous light and to bring feature under the scandal.

"the fact that center they represented as the solution of problem, led me into the confusion, he says in the second part of the interview, published today in Media Guardian. News of the World they led into error ".

At that time some reviewers saw after the publication the hand Of bollanda, close friend of the then editor News of the World Of rebeki Of ueyd, but newspaper vozmushchenno rejected similar assumptions.

However, in interview Guardian Of bolland he says, that reported News of the World about a stay of Garry in clinic Featherstone Lodge already after newspaper assembled dossier about his alcoholism and use of narcotics.

"we stood before the selection, he stated. - it was necessary either to attain that these charges would not see light or to allow newspaper to publish them and to extract from this maximum benefit ".

It asserts that prince Garry visited Featherstone Lodge during June or July 2001, and journalists obtained the proofs of the fact that it uses narcotics, only during August or during September.

The News Of The World From the commentaries refused.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

President Bush again began to drink-"One member of his family said to me that they fear, that George" is decomposed as personality "


After encountering with the greatest crisis for his political life, President Bush again was applied to the bottle.

Bush, who indicated that it threw to drink next day after its fortieth anniversary, again it began to drink during the catastrophe, caused by the hurricane Of "katrina".

Sources in the family of the President described that the 59- summer President was caught by the wife Of loroy on their family ranch in Krouforde, when he, after learning about the calamities caused by hurricane, saws alcoholic. After being worried, it yelled: "stop, George!"

As said sources, after this shocking case, about which for the first time it communicates in our publication, Lora confidentially said to husband that it must not begin again to drink and it promised more frequently to drive with it into the trips in order to have the capability to follow it.

"judging by everything, it felt the need for drinking, when in new Orleans dams burst open, said one insayder. - it poured to itself clean whisky and by volley drank. The first lady arrived into the horror and yelled: "stop, George!" "

"Lora earlier already advanced to it ultimatum, ' or ' Dzhim Beam ' ("Jim Beam "- type of whisky, note of mountain pass), or 4 '. She does not want the repetition of that nightmare - especially now, in such complex times for its husband ".

In Bush now the most difficult period in all two periods of a stay in the post, and his popularity approaches the lowest level in always. The actions of authorities during of the caused By the "katrinoy" crisis and loss of American troops in Iraq became the reasons of the dissatisfaction of society and they pushed slightly Bush to the bottle.

It said one of the sources in Washington: "is sad the fact that it secretly saws already several weeks. Lora simply recently noted this - in actuality it saws already for a while when it was in the capital. Here narrower several months it experiences enormous stress ".

"war in Iraq, death of Americans they very strongly catch it. It assumes the life of each soldier closely to the heart. All this emotionally dried it ".

As a result it began to drink, most likely secretly in order to manage the piled situation. "A now, when its administration survives the most serious crisis, caused by the hurricane" Of katrina ", there remains only to pray so that its thrust to the alcoholic would not leave from under the control".

Another source said: "4 it is astonished only by the fact that it did not begin to drink earlier. Before the hurricane Of "katrina" it was on the face of insanity. I know it many years. It was always old good Texas fellow. George long years suffered alcoholism and, according to the evidence of the majority of professionals, he needed treatment. It in the treatment does not believe, it never was treated. It saws in the youth, in the college and still for long after to it it knocked 30 years. Around it all drinking ".

Another source said: "one member of his family said to me that they fear, that George" is decomposed as personality ". To the first lady they charged the work of watchman in winch. "the history of Bush's alcoholism begins from the young years. Saying about its youth, about the years of service in the national guard, he said: "only, that I remember and how greatly I be proud, so this my drinking bouts and participation in the parties. Here these were times, friends. These were old good days!"

In 1972, at the age of 26 years, it allegedly after the entire night of alcoholism with the 16- summer brother, Marvinom (Marvin), wanted to fight with its father.

First November of 2000, on the eve of his first election as the President, Bush recognized that in his 1976 they arrested for control of automobile in the state of alcoholic intoxication not far from the house of his parents in Meyn city. Bush, to whom then there were 30 years, recognized himself as the guilty and paid penalty in the amount of 150 dollars. USA. Its driver certification was temporary iz"yato in Meyne.

"of this 4 I do not be proud, he said. - I made a number of errors. Sometimes 4 too many saws, and so were in that evening. I will extract from this lesson for itself ". In other interview, which relate approximately to the same period of its life, he said: "well, 4 I do not think that it suffered alcoholic dependence. You do know, to me it is difficult to judge this. In me, you do know, was the friend- dipsomaniacs, who experienced strong predilection to the alcoholic... and it was necessary to be applied by it to the bottle (for the beginning) in order to go to the meeting of association "anonymous dipsomaniacs". I do not think that 4 itself was similar ".

During its campaign on the selections in the Presidents in 2000 persistently were assigned questions, that before it assumed cocaine. Subsequently Bush denied, that assumed cocaine after 1992, then very rapidly it passed to the statements, that it ceased to assume cocaine as long ago as 1974, at the age of 28 years.

Dr. dzhastin Frank (Justin Frank), psychiatrist from Washington, federal region Columbia, and the author of the book "Bush On The Couch: Inside The Mind Of The President "(Bush on the medical couch: What on the mind in the President"), it stated to the reporter of newspaper" The National Enquirer ": "I actually consider that Bush again washed down. The dipsomaniacs, who participate not in what programs as our President, experience the great difficulties, when stress becomes very strong. Uneasiness is caused, that Bush disappears during the stress. He conducts so much time on his ranch. This greatly frightens ".

Tuesday, March 18, 2008




Kuchma about Timoshenko: "in the very snout into the gun." Julia about its appearance of another opinion
She wants to become the prime minister

Monday, March 17, 2008

Increasingly better - to the children of managers Disney


Company Walt Disney shook sequential corporate scandal. For commission for securities and exchanges OF THE USA it was possible to explain that top managers Disney arranged to themselves practically all their relatives and paid to them enormous compensation. But the shareholders of company about this until recently nothing knew.

Even the best public companies fairly often reveal by no means all essential facts in their financial account. Corporate scandals in THE USA and Europe of the last years (Enron, WorldCom, Parmalat) - bright to volume confirmation. But in such cases the very important for the company - to find that face, where it is necessary to stop. Indeed it is not possible to infinitely hide entire truth about the activity of the company: and control organs will not give, and shareholders not prostyat.

It is possible to say that the most widely known American company Walt Disney Co if did not pass this face, then at least close to it it approached. Lately company occurs in the center of different corporate scandals. This time this is "family" scandal.

As explained the workers of commission for securities and exchanges OF THE USA (SEC),
company did not open in the reports from 1999 through 2001 money payments and compensation to some directors of company. Most interesting in this situation in the fact that all of director, the obtained "excess" money, the relatives of the top managers of company.

In the account not it was reflected, for example, that Disney hired three children of the directors of company, who obtained yearly compensation from $60 thousand to $150 thousand.

Remained concealed before the shareholders the fact that husband of one of the directors were hired into the daughterly company with the 50-percent portion Disney and obtained yearly compensation for the sum of approximately $1 million.

Finally, the inquisitive workers SEC dug out, that in the account not were reflected the regular payments Disney the corporation, whose owner - one of the top managers of company. This corporation allowed to it different services - from the corporate aircraft to the driver, that are evaluated in $200 thousand yearly.

The deputy director of department for the penalties of the commission of Lind Tompsen it stated: "shareholders are extremely interested in the questions, which are concerned the attitudes of company with her directors.
The fact that the director of company they hid this connection, gives the possibility to shareholders to estimate their objectivity and independence ".

As the representatives of the commission stated: "Disney agreed to restore the disrupted order, without recognizing, but also without denying our conclusions". Moreover, company agreed not to disrupt the requirement of federal legislation in the region of disclosing the information in the future. For this they did not begin to fine it.

The members of commission began to call no one of the members of the council of directors, mixed in the scandal. But for workers SEC it was possible to explain during the past checkings that the children of the former members of the council of the directors Of revety Of bouvers, Stanley Gold and Watson's Raymonda worked on the company. It is assumed that the wife of director, who obtained legendary compensation, she was the husband of John brison, executive director of company Lifetime Television.

It is now unknown, it did leave company.

The Vice President of company for the corporate connections Disney Of zen'ya Of musha it refused to comment "gazete..Ru" statement SEC. "we do not comment on statement SEC, and we do not have as yet statement on this question", she said.

For Disney 2004 - truly unsuccessful. Moreover that against the company advanced are somewhat claim on the disturbance of copyrights, so even and shareholders attempt in the law court to prove that the present leader Disney Mayk Of eysner badly governs company.

True, until there is no resolution of law court for this question.

Osama Ben Laden it is living. Special services intercepted letters "terrorist number 1"


The American and Pakistani special services have all foundations for hope that the arrest of Khaled sheykha mukhammed, chief planner of "Al-Qaeda", who occurred on past Saturday, can expel the chapter of the terrorists of Osama Ben laden from the refuge.

For the first time since during December 2001 Ben laden succeeded herself in being pulled out from the siege Thor- borons, their Afghan stronghold, its persecutors can state that it is still living and, probably, it hides itself "somewhere in North Pakistan" - that so for long denied Islamabad. As the representatives of Pakistani reconnaissance in Peshawar noted, "after the seizure of Mohammed Ben laden will leave the shelter, and, when this occurs, will appear outstanding chance to catch it".

The chief strategist of "Al-Qaeda" Mohammed was arrested on the north of Pakistan in Ravalpindi city. Pakistani officials are assured that Mohammed, who played main role in planning of the attacks on 11 September in THE USA, recently was connected with Ben laden. After Pakistani special services revealed the refuge of Mohammed - two-story building in the quiet and well guarded region Of ravalpindi, populated predominantly by the officers of Pakistani army on the pension, they did not hurry it to arrest, since they hoped that it can bring them to Ben laden. The shadowing was established after Mohammed; however, it so did not enter the contact with the terrorist number one, and in order not to miss it, the police and the commandos of Pakistani army broke in the dwelling of Mohammed and arrested him.

Confidence in the fact that Ben laden hides somewhere in Pakistan, grew considerably after Pakistani intelligence service intercepted several letters, written by the chief of "Al-Qaeda". The content of these letters was transmitted TO TSRU. Among the places, where can be hidden Ben laden, is called the north of Pakistan - mountainous boundary with Afghanistan locality, the capital of the country Islamabad or the same city Of ravalpindi, where Ben laden can walk directly under the nose in the armed forces of Pakistan and government.

As reported to publication TIME source in the Pakistani special services, four wives of Ben laden and more than his ten children, most likely, they are located in Iran, where anti-American revolutionary guards granted refuge to them. According to the information of the same source, together with Ben laden in Pakistan can be hidden his deputy and ideologist of "Al-Qaeda", Egyptian doctor ayman al -Zavaxiri, who for some time left region "for the unknown reasons"; however, now it returned into Pakistan.

Pursuit of Mohammed, third person in "Al-Qaeda", began in the southern Pakistani city of Quetta, where it some time hid itself. On 13 February Pakistanis with the support TSRU broke into its apartment in the working city district. Mohammed there it did not prove to be, but it was delayed its associate, who supplied special services with the information, which led them into the new lair of Mohammed in Ravalpindi. In Kvette were also revealed the Internet- clubs, from where Mohammed sent the encoded communications to the addresses of the terrorist cells of "Al-Qaeda" in THE USA, Europe and Asia.

"after the detention of Mohammed we hope that let us be able to decipher the codes, which he used, and to destroy its global terrorist network", stated the source mentioned above.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

"Drawn" $74,4 billion WorldCom totaled of the machinations of its leaders


The previous leaders of the American corporation OF THE MCI (been WorldCom) placed world record on the transformation of losses into the profit. Second largest operator of the long-distance communication OF THE USA pririsoval in its accounting $74,4 of billion nonexistent profit in order to hide losses in $64,5 billion from the shareholders and the partners.

The most important bankrupt in the history OF THE USA now officially can be considered as the most important corporate swindler. On Friday OF THE MCI were directed into the commission for securities and exchanges total materials on business WorldCom, including the audded financial reports for the years 2000 - 2002 profit to the payment of taxes in 2000 and 2001 it was reduced on $74,4 billion.

On the wave of telecommunication boom in 1999 action WorldCom cost $74, and market capitalization reached $185 billion. But already in the following year, as fresh data OF THE MCI testify, company incurred loss in $48,9 billion (in the account it was indicated profit in $4,6 billion). But this falsification did not rescue WorldCom, and in 2001 company again drew profit in $2,1 billion instead of the real loss in $15,6 billion.

WorldCom, in particular, fanned profits, artificially understating the expenses (volume of such machinations it composed $4,8 billion). For example, the current expenses, which must be immediately read from the incomes, were considered as the capital the consumption, which can be copied for many years. But disturbances in the calculation with the absorptions composed $5,8 billion. In order not to spoil its financial indices, WorldCom in 2000 - 2001 it did not begin to overestimate the active memberships purchased previously, although already then it was obvious that they strongly fell in price because of the collapse in the sector of technologies and tele-communications. Now THE MCI declared about the writing off of active memberships on $59,8 billion.

The facts of the distortion of accounting of corporation were revealed during June 2002, and already during July company declared about bankruptcy. At that moment it had available active memberships on $107 billion, and its losses in 2002 composed $9,2 billion. Today the actions OF THE MCI deal only on the non-stock jobbing market on $0,12.

After promulgating the complete information about the disturbances allowed in the account, THE MCI hopes to leave bankruptcy toward the end of April. The chairman of the council of directors and director general Maykl Of kapellas hoped to make this earlier, but the revision of financial results proved to be too difficult a task. The bookkeeping books WorldCom were actually rewritten anew with the participation of the auditorial company KPMG. "it is confident, that no one earlier carried out never so scale a revision of financial account", recognizes Robert blekli, the financial director OF THE MCI. According to him, it is more than 500 to auditors and for bookkeepers it was necessary to rewrite almost 3 million bookkeeping records in account WorldCom. Same this work managed company in $250 million.

Actually, other cases of corporate swindle in THE USA grow dim in comparison with scales WorldCom. Thus, Enron overstated profit more than on $1 billion and hid debts on $8 billion. The volume of the disturbances revealed in 2003 in company HealthSouth (one of the largest operators of hospitals in THE USA) composed $4,6 billion, Xerox in 2002 acknowledged in the additions on $6,4 billion, and Qwest Communications it overstated its incomes in 2000 - 2001 on $2,5 billion.

Two weeks ago to the former director general WorldCom for Bernardo ebbers was produced charge in the swindle with securities, the plot and the assignment of false information to controls. Ebbers rejected these charges, but the former financial director of corporation Scott Sullivan, to whom the imprisonment with period up to 165 years threatened, it recognized itself as the guilty and promised to collaborate with the consequence. But THE MCI in order to regulate charges in the swindle, even during May 2003 agreed to pay to investors $750 of million. (they are used materials WSJ.)