D-Day
August 31st, 2008(Diet-Day)
Today is the first day of a twelve week long 500 calorie a day diet. I am hoping I will make it through the first week, at least- but after a long day on my feet yesterday, I woke up starving today and don't have much faith in my ability to fill up on an orange and one serving of a strawberry banana smoothie for breakfast. Or maybe I'll surprise myself.
My menu for the next three months should consist of
Breakfast
250ml. smoothie- 106 calories
one piece of fruit-50 calories
Lunch
125g. organic yogurt - 150calories
glass of water
Dinner
257g. Soup-147calories
one piece of fruit- 50 calories
glass of water
Total- 503 calories
My ultimate goal is to lose 80 pounds over the course of the three month period. But every ten pounds I lose will be worthy of celebration. During the diet I will continue to exercise 30 minutes a day (consisting of walking to and from work from the train station, a moderate uphill walk, with 1 pound weights on my wrists) as well as taking advantage of the office gym, if time and energy levels allow. I anticipate being very energy sapped to begin with, but am hoping ketosis will kick in within a few days and give me more energy.
I will be taking a daily multi-vitamin to ensure I am still getting all my necessary vitamins.
I have chosen this route as my excess weight is due to carrying three children over the course of nine years. I have gained very little weight between the various pregnancies. It is my impression that getting the weight off is the first step, and then getting back up to a normal healthy diet to keep the weight off. I have never dieted before, and my weight has stayed about the same since the birth of my youngest son 2 1/2 years ago. I am a very healthy, young female and anticipate no health problems associated with the diet.
Should I experience any significant health issues I will see my doctor and if necessary discontinue. My health is more important than continuing a drastic diet to lose weight.
The various bits I've read on the internet about such a drastic diet are varied. Some say it's incredibly dangerous and stupid, some say it's a great way to lose a lot of weight. At this point, I don't think either argument is exactly right. I suppose it has the potential to be very dangerous but I think as a one time solution to losing a large amount of weight it could be very good, given that it is done in a healthy way.
I hope that if I succeed and lose all 80 pounds that I won't ever gain the weight back, but if I did then I would have to take a very serious look at my eating habits and make those changes. I don't intend to ever embark on this sort of diet again.
So, please stay tuned for daily updates on how the diet is going. And here's hoping that come December 1st, I will be 80 pounds lighter.
Exercise as a Stress Reliever
August 31st, 2008Of all the tools in your stress management tool kit, exercise is the one that best meets your body’s needs in times of stress. That’s because stress triggers an ancient response designed by nature to help you meet danger: the “fight or flight” response.
The Physiology of Stress
Following a stressful event, a whole series of physiological changes gets your body “revved up” for physical effort. Your heart beats faster, your breathing becomes more rapid, muscles tense, and your blood pressure goes up. Your blood sugar rises so that you have access to quick energy.
When You Can’t Run or Fight
In ancient times, you would release all this extra tension when you ran away from the tiger or fought off whatever danger was at hand. In the modern world, stress-producing events rarely call for a physical response. When a traffic tie-up makes you late for an important meeting, you can’t get out and attack the offending vehicle. You end up carrying around all the extra tension, feeling like a walking pressure cooker—-unless you release it the way nature intended, in the form of physical exercise.
Almost any kind of exercise will do. Even walking around the building or going up a flight of stairs when tension rises can make a difference. If you can’t leave your work area, stand up, walk around, and do some stretches and knee bends right where you work.
Stress Prevention: Regular Exercise
Better yet, schedule regular exercise — at least 30 minutes three times a week. A physically fit body is better able to withstand the stresses of modern life. Aerobic exercise that gets your heart pounding for at least 30 minutes releases the “feel good” brain chemicals that reduce stress and depression. Non-aerobic exercises, such as yoga, also help by stretching and relaxing the muscles and inducing deep breathing and a state of meditation.
The Choices Are Many
What’s your pleasure? Walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, and running are only some of the choices available to you, many requiring little equipment or expense. Meanwhile, the next time you feel ready to blow your top because someone has just added another item to your “to-do” pile or criticized your pet project, get up and take a brisk 10 minute walk outside. It will ease your tension and put you in the best mental state for dealing calmly and sensibly with the demands of life.
Stress relief
August 31st, 2008
Yes, I'm still alive. Learning any new job is time consuming, and stressful. The funny thing is, part of my job is helping people learn to manage stress. And I had a lot of problems with it myself.
What do you do to manage stress?
One of the things that has helped me is going to a lookout along Pebble Beach Drive during my lunch hour. With gas prices being what they are, at first I just sat in my car to eat lunch. The building I work in is on the edge of a marsh and semi-forested area, so it seemed like a good idea. But I discovered I needed to get away from my job completely for that bit of time, and this view is just a couple miles from where I work. I park there, roll down my windows, and listen to the waves and seagulls. If I'm lucky, no one in a nearby vehicle has their radio/stereo on. I eat my packed lunch, and if there is time, I knit.
Breathing is a good way to relieve stress. I practice deep breathing, and it's one of my favorite things to teach clients. You can do it even when other people are around, because it's not obvious and you can continue whatever work you need to do. When you're learning how to do it, put one hand flat on your breast bone, and one hand flat on your belly. Breathe as if you are breathing all the way down into your belly. Have you ever watched a dog, cat, or baby breathe? It's their bellies that move. Imagine that air going all the way down into your belly. If you are doing it right, the hand on your belly will rise more than the hand on your upper chest. When you breathe like that, breathe slow. Breathe in for a moderate count of four, pause, then breathe out for a count of five. If you can remember to breathe in through your nose, and breathe out through pursed lips, that's even better. Breathing like that calms the heart and relieves stress.
Another one of my favorites is a guided meditation, where you imagine your very own Safe Place. Pick a place you feel safe, a place you would love to be at. It can be a real place, or one you create entirely in your own imagination. Is it in a mountain cabin? Fishing on a river? Sitting in a meadow? In a beautifully furnished room? By the beach? In a cave? You choose. And I want you to use all your senses to imagine this place: What does it look like? Imagine all the details. What sounds do you hear? What smells do you smell? Can you taste anything? What are the textures, including the possibility of wind on your face? Is anyone or anything (such as an animal) there with you? Imagine it to the smallest details, and then spend time there. Eventually, when you are ready, mentally return to the world you are in, remembering you can go to your Safe Place anytime you need to. 
There are dozens of other ways to relieve stress -- things like . . .
- Listening to music
- Going for a walk
- Watching a movie
- Writing in a journal
- Playing a sport
- Going for a drive
- Cooking
- Cleaning house
- Arts and crafts
- Spending time with pets
Try to come up with at least two or three others that work for you. If you have trouble thinking about what would help you relieve stress, think of some of the things you used to love to do when you were a kid.
Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in the US
August 31st, 2008Industry in Good Shape
This industry has enjoyed healthy revenue growth as Americans become more aware of the importance of fitness. Health and social interaction are the main factors that draw members to fitness and recreational clubs, along with appearance-related factors including muscle tone, looking better and weight control. The media has played its part, with an increased emphasis on appearance and wellness evident.
This Industry Market Research report provides a detailed analysis of the Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in the US industry, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, the competitive environment including market shares and the key issues facing the industry.
Industry Definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating fitness and recreational sports facilities featuring exercise and other active physical fitness conditioning or recreational sports activities, such as swimming, skating, or racquet sports. This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in facilities management and fitness instruction. Staff are required to oversee the operations and maintenance of various facilities and equipment. This involves customer service, hiring instructors to teach classes and managing lifeguards that supervise swimming pools.
Report Contents
The Key Statistics chapter provides the key indicators for the industry for at least the last three years. The statistics included are industry revenue, industry gross product, employment, establishments, exports, imports, domestic demand and total wages.
The Market Characteristics chapter covers the following: Market Size, Linkages, Demand Determinants, Domestic and International Markets, Basis of Competition and Life Cycle. The Market Size section gives the size of the domestic market as well as the size of the export market. The Linkages section lists the industry’s major supplier and major customer industries. The Demand Determinants section lists the key factors which are likely to cause demand to rise or fall. The Domestic and International Markets section defines the market for the products and services of the industry. This section provides the size of the domestic market and the proportion accounted for by imports and exports and trends in the levels of imports and exports. The Basis of Competition section outlines the key types of competition between firms within the industry as well as highlighting competition from substitute products in alternative industries. The Life Cycle section provides an analysis of which stage of development the industry is at.
The Segmentation chapter covers the following: Products and Service Segmentation, Major Market Segments, Industry Concentration and Geographic Spread. The Products and Service Segmentation section details the key products and/or services provided by this industry, highlighting the most important where possible to demonstrate which have a more significant influence over industry results as a whole. The Major Market Segments section details the key client industries and/or groups as well as giving an indication as to which of these are the most important to the industry. The Industry Concentration section provides an indicator of how much industry revenue is accounted for by the top four players. The Geographic Spread section provides a guide to the regional share of industry revenue/gross product.
The Industry Conditions chapter covers the following: Barriers to Entry, Taxation, Industry Assistance, Regulation and Deregulation, Cost Structure, Capital and Labor Intensity, Technology and Systems, Industry Volatility and Globalization. The Barriers to Entry section outlines factors that can prevent a new company from entering this industry and also gives an indication of the extent to which this occurs. The Taxation section details all kinds of taxation that are specific or are particularly important to this industry, including taxation concessions. The Industry Assistance section refers to any government and/or other measures designed to improve the performance of this industry. The Regulation and Deregulation section details any applicable regulation and/or deregulation to this industry. The Cost Structure section details the average costs for a company operating in this industry as a percentage of total revenue. The Capital and Labor Intensity section provides a guide to the amount of capital used in production/providing a service compared to the amount of labor in the total mix of inputs. The Technology and Systems section acknowledges the latest technology and/or systems available to this industry within the country. Technology refers to machinery and equipment and systems refers to methods of production that enable better and more efficient production. The Industry Volatility section refers to the year on year fluctuations which occur in industry output. The Globalization section gives an indication of the extent to which the industry is global based on factors such as the level of foreign ownership, the proportion of demand accounted for by foreign operators and the volume of production conducted in other countries.
The Performance chapter provides an analysis of both the industry’s Current Performance and Historical Performance. The Current Performance section provides the key analysis for the industry over the past five years with key performance indicators discussed. The Historical Performance section details previously important events in the development of the industry.
The Key Competitors chapter lists the major players in the industry as well as an analysis of each major player’s activities in the industry. Market share information is included where possible.
The Key Factors chapter covers the industry’s Key Sensitivities and Key Success Factors. The Key Sensitivities section outlines the key factors that are outside the control of an operator in the industry, but are likely to have significant impact on a business. The Key Success Factors section details the factors within the control of an industry operator and which should be followed in order to be successful in the industry. Often this will include behavior that will help to minimize the effects of the Key Sensitivities.
The Outlook chapter is a key analysis section of the report and outlines expectations for the key industry indicators over the next five year period, including forecasts.
Table of Contents
INDUSTRY DEFINITION
Activities (Products and Services)
Similar Industries
Other Related Industries
KEY STATISTICS
Current Prices
Constant Prices
Real Growth
Ratio Table
SEGMENTATION
Products and Service Segmentation
Major Market Segments
Industry Concentration
Geographic Spread
MARKET CHARACTERISTICS
Market Size
Linkages
Demand Determinants
Domestic and International Markets
Basis of Competition
Life Cycle
INDUSTRY CONDITIONS
Barriers to Entry
Taxation
Industry Assistance
Regulation and Deregulation
Cost Structure
Capital and Labor Intensity
Technology and Systems
Industry Volatility
Globalization
KEY FACTORS
Key Sensitivities
Key Success Factors
KEY COMPETITORS
Major Players
Player Performance
Other Players
INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
Current Performance
Historical Performance
OUTLOOK
For more information, kindly visit - http://www.bharatbook.com/detail.asp?id=74908
Generic Trivastal (Piribedil)
August 31st, 2008In Our Genes, Old Fossils Take On New Roles
August 31st, 2008Home Remedy for Abrasions
August 31st, 2008Read more on <a href=" http://www.herbalcureindia.com/homeremedies.htm"> Home Remedies </a>, <a href="http://www.herbalcureindia.com/articles/triphala-hidden-benefits.htm"> Natural Home Remedies </a> and <a href=" http://www.allhealthguide.com/meditation/"> Meditation Articles </a>
The Many Uses of Epsom Salts
August 31st, 2008Dee Braun, a single mom of 6 kids, is a Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Dr. of Reflexology and a natural health practitioner. Click now to visit Mom's Blog at http://www.moms-blog.com/ - a blog just for moms (and dads!) which offers more information on green living, children's health, child natural remedies and parenting advice and insight.
The Many Uses of Epsom Salts
August 31st, 2008So, to me, that's what Epsom Salts was all about - a remedy for painful joints in old folks. Little did I know!
Times have changed - or have they?
All the talk about 'Natural Remedies' and 'getting back to basics' always floors me because my great aunt and my grandmothers were all doing this stuff when I was a little girl. So did my mom...and so have I. So, for me, there's been no 'getting back to' anything.
However, I'm not too old to learn and since learning is one thing I LOVE to do, I decided to learn more about Epsom Salts after reading a snippet on detoxification. Here's what I've found.
Studies show these benefits from the major components of Epsom Salt may:
Magnesium:
* Ease stress and improves sleep and Concentration
* Help muscles and nerves function properly
* Regulate activity of 325%2B enzymes
* Help prevent artery hardening and blood clots
* Make Insulin more effective
* Reduce inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
* Improve oxygen use
Sulfates:
* Flush Toxins
* Improve absorption of nutrients
* Help form joint Proteins, brain tissue and mucin Proteins
* Help prevent or ease Migraine Headaches
The Many Uses of Epsom Salts...
1) Wash your face before going to bed
According to recent studies in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, deposits of nicotine and carbon monoxide (from secondhand smoke and pollution) can wreck havoc on the skin..
To cleanse your face - Mix a half-teaspoon of Epsom Salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water.
2) Troubleshoot with the right homemade mask
Apply this mask in the shower, to your damp face, to lock in the moisture. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of nonfat dry milk, the juice of 1 Lemon, and a half-teaspoon of Epsom Salt. For normal to dry skin mix 1/4 cup of grated Carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of Epsom Salt.
3) Smoother Softer Skin
Pour two cups into a bath of warm water. Lean back and relax. As you soak, the natural action of Epsom Salt helps soften the rough, dry patches of your skin. You can also rub Epsom salts all over the body, while wet, then rinse and towel off. Rubbing Epsom salts directly on the body exfoliates skin and leaves it smooth and silky. They make a great gift to give someone when you put them in a nice glass jar with lid and tie on a pretty ribbon. You can add scent to them by sprinkling them with essential oil. Or mix Epsom salts with baby oil and keep by the sink if you wash your hands a lot.
4) Add Body to Your Hair
Combine 3 tablespoons of deep conditioner with 3 tablespoons of Epsom Salt. Microwave the mixture for 20 seconds. Work the warm mixture through your hair from scalp to ends and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Promotes body and life in your hair and restores curl to permed hair.
5) Remove Hairspray and Gel Buildup
Combine a gallon of distilled water, a cup of Lemon juice (fresh or bottled), and 1 cup of Epsom Salt. Cap the mixture and let it sit for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.
5) Soak tired, aching feet (this one sounds familiar!)
Soak aching, tired feet in a pan of water with half a cup of Epsom salts and not only will your feet feel better, but they'll smell better too. Epsom salts work to neutralize odor and soften skin. Soak feet until they feel better then rinse and dry well. A full bath should contain 2 cups of Epsom salts for relief of tired feet, back muscles, legs or just as a way to have softer skin.
6) Combat oily hair
The salts do wonders for the hair, absorbing oil from problem hair by adding 8 tablespoons of Epsom salts to a half a cup of shampoo that's formulated for oily hair. Put a tablespoon of the shampoo mixture on dry hair and work it in and around the scalp area, rinsing it out with cold water. To rinse it well, and further treat oily hair, pour a cup of apple cider vinegar over the hair, leave on for 5 minutes, and then rinse with cool water.
7) Soak out splinters
Did you know, for instance, that soaking a splinter in Epsom salts can release the splinter and help the area to heal?
8) Make a poultice pack for strains or sprains
If you have any strained muscles or sprains, you can take 1/2 to 1 cup of Epsom salts and make a "pack" with it to place on the affected area, wrap with hot towel and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. TIP: This can be a lot less messy and more relaxing if done in the bath.
9) Helps prevent hardening of arteries and blood clots
Epsom Salt is also believed to help prevent Heart Disease and strokes by lowering blood pressure, protecting the elasticity of arteries, preventing blood clots and reducing the risk of sudden Heart Attack deaths.
10) Makes Insulin more effective
This salt also increases the effectiveness of Insulin, helping to lower the risk or severity of Diabetes.
11) Essential to plant health
Most plants to survive good health need nutrients like magnesium and sulfur. Magnesium Sulfate Crystals when added to the soil, provides vital nutrients to help prevent loss of green color (magnesium is an essential element in the chlorophyll molecule), yellowing leaves. Epsom Salt makes the primary nutrients in most plant foods (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) more effective.
12) Get rid of raccoons
Are the masked night marauders poking around your trash can, creating a mess and raising a din? A few tablespoons of Epsom salt spread around your garbage cans will deter the raccoons, who don't like the taste of the stuff. Don't forget to reapply after it rains.
13) Deter slugs
Are you tired of visiting your yard at night only to find the place crawling with slimy slugs? Sprinkle Epsom salt where they glide and say good-bye to the slugs.
14) Fertilize tomatoes and other plants
Want those Big Boys to be big? Add Epsom salt as a foolproof fertilizer. Every week, for every foot of height of your tomato plant, add one tablespoon. Your tomatoes will be the envy of the neighbor-hood. Epsom salt is also a good fertilizer for houseplants, roses and other flowers, and trees.
15) Make your grass greener
How green is your valley? Not green enough, you say? Epsom salt, which adds needed magnesium and iron to your soil, may be the answer. Add 2 tablespoons to 1 gallon (3.7 liters) of water. Spread on your lawn and then water it with plain water to make sure it soaks into the grass.
16) Clean bathroom tiles
Is the tile in your bathroom getting that grungy look? Time to bring in the Epsom salt. Mix it in equal parts with liquid dish detergent, then dab it onto the offending area and start scrubbing. The Epsom salt works with the detergent to scrub and dissolve the grime.
17) Regenerate a car battery
Is your car battery starting to sound as if it won't turn over? Worried that you'll be stuck the next time you try to start your car? Give your battery a little more life with this potion. Dissolve about an ounce of Epsom salt in warm water and add it to each battery cell.
18) Get rid of blackheads
Here's a surefire way to dislodge blackheads: Mix 1 teaspoon Epsom salt and 3 drops iodine in 1/2 cup boiling water. When the mixture cools enough to stick your finger in it, apply it to the blackhead with a cotton ball. Repeat this three or four times, reheating the solution if necessary. Gently remove the blackhead and then dab the area with an alcohol-based astringent.
19) Frost your windows for Christmas
If you are dreaming of a white Christmas, but the weather won't cooperate, at least you can make your windows look frosty. Mix Epsom salt with stale beer until the salt stops dissolving. Apply the mixture to your windows with a sponge -- for a realistic look, sweep the sponge in an arc at the bottom corners. When the mixture dries, the windows will look frosted.
20) Relieves Constipation
Numerous studies have revealed that Epsom Salt can also be used to treat Constipation. The salt acts like a Laxative. It increases the water in the intestines and can bring about temporary relief from Constipation. However, it is strictly warned that Epsom Salts should not be used to relieve Constipation without the consultation of a physician as it may prove to be harmful in some cases. For occasional Constipation or irregularity, adults can mix 2 to 4 teaspoons into water until dissolved and drink. Kids 6 to 12 take half of that. This can be used twice a day by taking the first treatment, waiting 4 hours and taking the second dosage if necessary.
Sources:
epsomsaltcouncil.org/
Dee Braun, a single mom of 6 kids, is a Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Dr. of Reflexology and a natural health practitioner. Click now to visit Mom's Blog at http://www.moms-blog.com/ - a blog just for moms (and dads!) which offers more information on green living, children's health, child natural remedies and parenting advice and insight.
