Pencil Thin

I am never really motivated to make a meal for myself. This leads to a great deal of senseless consumption of high carb snacks. In order to try to curb my snacking I started to look for alternatives to snacks that were just as quick and easy to prepare. One thing I really enjoy is frozen drinks. This made protein shakes and smoothies very appealing. I keep a big old jar of chocolate whey protein on the counter and an ever ready supply of ice in the fridge. While not exactly a chocolate milkshake I have come up with some very tasty creations that fill me up and take away my urge to snack. By the way Walmart now carries sugar free Da Vinci syrups in the coffee isle. These are calorie free and REALLY go a long way to making boring whey powder and coffee taste like a treat!

Whey protein is one of the best supplements for protein.

Whey protein has a biological value of 100, higher than all other types of protein. It’s protein efficiency ration is 3.2, just below that of egg protein, which is 3.9.

Whey protein supply essential amino acids and is a precursor to building muscle. It builds muscles, enhances your endurance, and reduces muscle deterioration. No wonder bodybuilders love this stuff.

However, it is also very beneficial to the average Joe. High protein diets contribute to weight loss and optimal health.

When I am not focusing on all things health I like to relax. There are a few things that I find relaxing and one of them is embroidering. Until recently it has been hard to find artwork that I really like or got me enthused about a project. A friend told me about the art available at DesignStitch and I decided to check it out. I found several sets that were perfect for projects I had in the back of my mind but couldn’t find art I liked. It is so handy to have art delivered right to me. The service from DesignStitch has been incredible. I now have so many project going I don’t know how I will ever get them all done.

I am trying to get more high protein foods into my diet. I have been noticing that the more protein I consume the fuller I feel and actually the better I feel. Aside from eggs and protein shakes this has been a bit of a struggle. I simply am not going to cook up meat in the middle of the day just for myself. I decided to investigate what different high protein foods were to see if I could find anything new.

High protein food

Protein

Carbs
EGGS ( 1 medium size ) 6 grams

0 g
MILK ( 1 pint or 568ml) 19 grams

24 g
MILK ( 1 glass ) 6.3 grams

8 g
SOYA MILK Plain (200 ml) 6 grams

1.6 g
TOFU (100 g) 8 grams

0.8 g
LOW-FAT YOGHURT (plain) 150g 8 grams

10 g
LOW-FAT YOGHURT (fruit) 150g 6 grams

27 g
FISH (cod fillets 100g or 3.5 ounces) 21 grams

0 g
CHEESE cheddar 100g (3.5 ounces) 25 grams

0.1 g
ROAST BEEF ( 100g or 3.5 ounces ) 28 grams

0 g
ROAST CHICKEN 100g ( 3.5 ounces) 25 grams

0 g
OTHER MEATS AVERAGE (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams

0 g

My favorite workout is very simple. I have a treadmill that sits in our dining room. The reason it stays in our dining room is that this way it is a constant reminder of my goal to improve my health. If I were to move it to another room it likely would become a coat rack instead of the frequently used device that it is. We have recently begun to make it a nightly family ritual for each of us to spend a set amount of time walking on the treadmill. This has been a great way to make exercise part of our “family” lifestyle and cheer one another on. For our son we limit him to 15-20 minutes and have really tried to instill the idea that exercise is fun and a privilege to be able to do. It has also been great for burning off that after school energy during the long cold winter. For me this has been a great driving force to keep at my fitness goals. As a parent I can’t expect my son to be healthy and active if I am not!

We all know this but how often do we employ this quick exercise tip?

Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. Taking the stairs is an easy way to inject a bit of exercise into your day without busting out your sneakers and track suit. Walking up stairs can be an incredibly intense workout and a great way to get your heart rate up. In the middle of a long day this can be just the pick me up you need to feel more alert and better able to focus on the tasks of the day. I know that it is also a great deterrent to grabbing a snack from the vending machine for me!

When you are just getting started on a fitness routine it is important to start out slowly. Low impact exercises are a great way to begin and build upon over time. You may wonder what exactly low impact exercise is? Basically, moving when one foot is always in contact with the ground (e.g. walking) is considered low impact. Walking and hiking are excellent low-impact exercises that you can gradually increase in intensity and duration. As your body becomes stronger and you stamina greater you can increase the pace and length of your workouts. Overtime it may be helpful to carry small weights to challenge upper body muscles as well.

What are your favorite low impact exercises?

I am sitting here pondering what I will have for lunch. Having firmly committed myself to a healthier plan of eating I am trying to lower my carb intake. This leaves me staring at the fridge for long periods of time wondering what I could make that might tasted decent. In the process I decided to check out some tips for planning low carb lunches. This are a few that struck me as useful:

Roll-Ups
Get some deli slices of your favorite meat – roast beef, turkey, chicken. Now get some fresh sliced cheese. Bring each to work in a ziplock and at lunch, roll up, with the cheese on the outside. You can add in lettuce, add on mayo or mustard. Bring a small tupperware of olives to nibble too!

Tuna Fish
There are ALL sorts of way to make tuna fish really tasty. You can do a simple oil-and-vinegar mix. Add in mayo, capers and spices. Fish is extremely healthy for you and quite economical, too.

Cheeseburgers, Hamburgers, Chicken
As long as there’s no bread, it’s fair game. Yes, it might feel silly the first time, removing the bun. But when those pounds vanish, that small twinge will disappear as quickly as the fat on your waist does.

Delicious Salad
Salads can seem boring and plain. But not on the low carb diet! Put in a great selection of fresh greens, with tomatoes, cukes, onions, and whatever veggies strike your mood. Add in some sliced chicken, ham or steak. How about black olives and lots of cheese? Some capers add to the flavors. Some Italian spices and then oil and vinegar top it off.

Eggs, Yummy Eggs
Have hard boiled eggs over your salad. Devil up a bunch and snack on them in the afternoon. Make some great egg salad sandwich with olives. There are probably 8 thousand ways to make eggs, and they’re all delicious!

I have been hearing more and more about the health benefits of chocolate. Now this is actually news that I can get truly excited about. Chocolate is something I adore and it verges at times on an addiction. These are a few of the incredible things you might be pleased to hear about this divine topic:

Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations. Here’s a quick rundown of the results. (Note, we have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you’re really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.)

* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course, this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.

* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

* Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

* Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don’t.

* The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

When it comes to setting weight loss goals it is important to be realistic. To many people wait until an important event is approaching to decide to make changes. You may have a wedding coming up or a reunion that drives you to look your best. These are important motivators but often we simply set our goals to high or limit ourselves time wise. Healthy weight loss averages about 1-2 pounds per week. This means that a 60 pound goal for May is a recipe for disaster for most of us. Certainly we all know people who have dropped significant amounts of weight rapidly but ask yourself in hindsight how many kept it off long term?

Slow and steady wins the race.

If you are looking for an easy way to determine how many calories you need per day try this:

For sedentary people: Weight x 14 = estimated cal/day

For moderately active people: Weight x 17 = estimated cal/day

For active people: Weight x 20 = estimated cal/day

What are the signs and symptoms of allergies? Many people think they are experiencing colds but often allergies can mimic a cold. These are the symptoms of allergies and asthma:
Symptoms of Allergies
The signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis are:

* sneezing, often accompanied by a runny or clogged nose

* coughing and postnasal drip

* itching eyes, nose and throat

* allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by increased blood flow near the sinuses)

* the “allergic salute” (in a child, persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose)

* watery eyes

* conjunctivitis (an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed, swollen eyes and crusting of the eyelids)

The signs and symptoms of asthma are:

* a feeling of tightness in the chest

* breathlessness

* coughing

* difficulty inhaling and exhaling

* noisy breathing (”wheezing”)

The signs and symptoms of eczema, contact dermatitis and urticaria are:

* red, itchy skin

* inflamed skin

* welts (in hives)

It has always amazed me the risk that some businesses and companies place themselves in because they fail to prioritize computer system security. It is sad that many businesses have to find out only when it is too late the very volatile position they have placed themselves in. Good system security really begins by instituting a good password management system. Why this simple measure is so often overlooked or placed in inexperienced hands I don’t understand. The cost of such a measure is so minimal compared to the aftermath of an intruder attack on a system. As a manager this is one measure I have encouraged my employer to institute not only to protect the business but to cover myself as an administrator.

Spring and summer are just around the corner so start getting back into the swing of an active lifestyle. Role model a healthy life and your children will follow suit. Start with just a couple of goals and add more over the coming weeks.

If it’s safe to walk or bike rather than drive, do so. Use stairs instead of elevators and escalators. Increase the distances you and your children walk.

Stay involved in your child’s physical education classes at school. At daycare, make sure the kids exercise at least 20 minutes a day. Ask about frequency of classes and activity, class size, curriculum (instruction in lifetime fitness activities as well as team sports should be emphasized), physical fitness assessments, qualifications of the teacher (should hold appropriate certification in physical education and be an appropriate role model for students). Physical fitness should be measured at the beginning and end of each year, and goals should be established for each child. Encourage your school board to emphasize skills students can use for the rest of their lives.

Discourage homework immediately after school to let children find some diversion from the structure of the school day. Kids should be active after school and before dinner.

Choose fitness-oriented gifts — a jump rope, mini-trampoline, tennis racket, baseball bat, a youth membership at the local YMCA or YWCA. Select the gift with your child’s skills and interests in mind.

Start you children out on a path to a lifetime of heart health by promoting heart healthy activities and lifestyle choices. If you incorporate these ideas into you life as a family it will simply become a part of who they are and the way they live life. We all know how difficult it can be to “undo” habits created in childhood that we want to rid ourselves of in adulthood!

Limit television, movies, videos and computer games to less than two hours a day. Substitute the rest of leisure time with physical activity.

Plan family outings and vacations that involve vigorous activities such as hiking, bicycling, skiing, swimming, etc.

Give your children some household chores that require physical exertion, keeping in mind their levels of strength, coordination and maturity. Mowing lawns, raking leaves, scrubbing floors and taking out the garbage not only teach responsibility but can be good exercise.

Observe sports and activities your children like, then find out about lessons and clubs. Some children thrive on team sports; others prefer individual activities. Some activities, like tennis and swimming, can be enjoyed for a lifetime and are much easier to learn during childhood.

When it comes to parts of the country I would like to visit and possibly live Arizona tops the list. It just sounds not only like a great climate to live in but the perfect part of the country for raising a family. The Scottsdale real estate blog certainly has me thinking about life in Arizona. From the new and expanding job opportunities to top rated schools it all just sounds incredible. I certainly could stand to spend a significant amount of time away from the dreary winters here in the northeast. I would be willing to bet my husband wouldn’t miss shoveling snow one little bit especially after he spent some time on one of the many golf courses in Scottsdale!

Transcript of new answering service recently installed at a Mental Health Institute.

“Hello, and welcome to the mental health hotline.

If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly.

If you are co-dependent please ask someone to press 2 for you.

If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.

If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call.

If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the mother ship.

If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are a manic-depressive, it doesn’t matter which number you press no one will answer.

If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969.

If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the star key until a representative comes on the line.

If you have amnesia press 8 and state your name, address, phone number, date of birth, social security number and your mother’s maiden name.

If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, slowly and carefully press 000.

If you have bi-polar disorder, please leave a message after the beep or before the beep. Or after the beep. Please wait for the beep.

If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.

If you have low self esteem. Please hang up. All our operators are too busy to talk to you.

Antioxidants are substances that are capable of counteracting the damaging, but normal, effects of the physiological process of oxidation in animal tissue.Now that I know what antioxidants do for my health I am always on the lookout for ways to incorporate them into my diet. It is suggested that they They are believed to play a role in preventing the development of such chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, and even cataracts. Goji Berries are one great way I have discovered to get more antioxidants into my diet. The Goji Berry to be one of the most nutritionally dense fruits on earth. How it is that we are just now learning about these amazing little berries is a wonder!

This is a BIG one and is constantly growing in our country as we become and increasingly overweight population. Even children are being effected at an alarming rate:
Diabetes (Type 2)

* As many as 90% of individuals with type 2 diabetes are reported to be overweight or obese.
* Obesity has been found to be the largest environmental influence on the prevalence of diabetes in a population.
* Obesity complicates the management of type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, which makes drug treatment for type 2 diabetes less effective.
* A weight loss of as little as 5% can reduce high blood sugar.

These are just a couple more of the effects that obesity can have on our bodies. It is important to look at how we are feeling and determine if maybe there is more to a symptom we are choosing to overlook
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)

* Patients with CVI, an inadequate blood flow through the veins, tend to be older, male, and have obesity.

Daytime Sleepiness

* People with obesity frequently complain of daytime sleepiness and fatigue, two probable causes of mass transportation accidents.
* Severe obesity has been associated with increased daytime sleepiness even in the absence of sleep apnea or other breathing disorders.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

I am really ready for a vacation. It usually hits me about this time of year when the gloom of winter just never seems to fade. I really would like to go to an all inclusive resort for vacation. It would be nice to travel to one location and simply settle in and relax. The idea of knowing that I wouldn’t have to worry about details is very appealing. It always seems that when I plan a vacation something gets over looked that throws a kink in our vacation. This year I think I will plan our trip through Vacations.net as their prices are 50% lowers than everywhere else I have looked.

I didn’t realize there are so many things that are linked to obesity. This one kind of surprised me. Apparently carpal tunnel syndrome is linked to obesity.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

* Obesity has been established as a risk factor for CTS.
* The odds of an obese patient having CTS were found in one study to be almost four times greater than that of a non-obese patient.
* Obesity was found in one study to be a stronger risk factor for CTS than workplace activity that requires repetitive and forceful hand use.
* Seventy percent of persons in a recent CTS study were overweight or obese.

Arthritis can be a result of obesity. The effects of arthritis can have other far reaching implications on health and wellness. This details arthritis and obesity:
Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA)
o Obesity is associated with the development of OA of the hand, hip, back and especially the knee.
o At a Body Mass Index (BMI) of > 25, the incidence of OA has been shown to steadily increase.
o Modest weight loss of 10 to 15 pounds is likely to relieve symptoms and delay disease progression of knee OA.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
o Obesity has been found related to RA in both men and women.

When you relocate it can be an overwhelming process. We have moved 11 times in our 16 years of marriage and that has given some good insight into streamlining a move. One of the first things I would do if I were told that we were moving to Orlando is to look for a Orlando Real Estate Agent. My experience in buying homes has a taught me that having a professional agent who truly represents my interests as a buyer is critical to getting a solid deal on a home. Putting an agent to work for me in advance of the move ensure that my time will not be wasted when we visit our new destination. The agent will have researched properties in advance of our arrival that truly fit our requirements lessening the time until we find the perfect home.

There are a number of effects that result from being significantly overweight. I am hoping that by pointing these out we might find some motivation to begin on the path to a healthy lifestyle. This post focuses on cancer:

Cancers

Breast Cancer
o Postmenopausal women with obesity have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. In addition, weight gain after menopause may also increase breast cancer risk.
o Women who gain nearly 45 pounds or more after age 18 are twice as likely to develop breast cancer after menopause than those who remain weight stable.
o High BMI has been associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer before menopause. However, a recent study found an increased risk of the most lethal form of breast cancer, called inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), in women with BMI as low as 26.7 regardless of menopausal status.
o Premenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer who are overweight appear to have a shorter life span than women with lower BMI.
o The risk of breast cancer in men is also increased by obesity.
Cancers of the Esophagus and Gastric Cardia
o Obesity is strongly associated with cancer of the esophagus and the risk becomes higher with increasing BMI.
o The risk for gastric cardia cancer rises moderately with increasing BMI.
Colorectal Cancer
o High BMI, high calorie intake, and low physical activity are independent risk factors of colorectal cancer.
o Larger waist size (abdominal obesity) is associated with colorectal cancer.
Endometrial Cancer (EC)
o Women with obesity have three to four times the risk of EC than women with lower BMI.
o Women with obesity and diabetes are reported to have a 3-fold increase in risk for EC above the risk of obesity alone.
o Body size is a risk factor for EC regardless of where fat is distributed in the body.
Renal Cell Cancer
o Consistent evidence has been found to associate obesity with renal cell cancer, especially in women.
o Excess weight was reported in one study to account for 21% of renal cell cancer cases.

I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the impacts of obesity on our bodies. Many of these can be avoided even with very modest weight loss. The first impact is:

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

* Obesity increases CVD risk due to its effect on blood lipid levels.
* Weight loss improves blood lipid levels by lowering triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
* Weight loss of 5% to 10% can reduce total blood cholesterol.
* The effects of obesity on cardiovascular health can begin in childhood, which increases the risk of developing CVD as an adult.
* Overweight and obesity increase the risk of illness and death associated with coronary heart disease.
* Obesity is a major risk factor for heart attack, and is now recognized as such by the American Heart Association.

Whenever we are away we love to sample great local restaurants. This just seems to really add that something extra to our trips that you can’t get from a standard restaurant chain available around the country. Phoenix is among this summer’s destinations we will be visiting. In order to plan ahead I have been using the Phoenix dining guide from AzCentral. This is a great comprehensive resource not only for dining in Phoenix but virtually all aspects of planning a perfect visit to Phoenix and all of Arizona. Using this guide seems like a perfect way to plan where we will be staying, eating, and visiting so we can truly relax and enjoy our visit. It will really eliminate all that last minute decision making that I loathe so much!

Feeling stressed? I know I am lately. These are some ideas to help reduce that stressed feeling we all get when life starts piling it on. Try a few every week and you are sure to see a difference:
1. Avoid eating sugar, caffeine, and chemical foods.

2. Focus on natural forms of food. Bring a bag of fresh fruit and cut up vegetables to snack on during the workday. Learn to take health breaks instead of coffee breaks.

3. Exercise at least 3 times a week. Pick something that you enjoy doing! Bring a pair of comfortable shoes to walk during your lunch break.

4. Practice deep breathing exercises you can do even when sitting in traffic on the freeway or sitting at your desk at work.

5. Keep a water bottle on your desk to drink throughout the day.

6. During breaks do shoulder shrugs and neck stretches. Take mini stretch breaks throughout the day.

7. Keep a positive mental attitude. Look in the mirror every morning and tell yourself I look good, feel good and am going to have a great day!

These are some quick health tips to get you thinking today. Try incorporating a couple every week and you will be well on your way to feeling better!
Tips For Weight Loss

1. Eat six small meals a day.

2. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

3. Cut down on white refined sugar and caffeine, such as colas and coffee.

4. Reduce your intake of bread and pasta, especially those made with bleached white flour.

5. Try not to eat past 7 p.m.

6. It is better to broil or grill foods. Eliminate as many fried foods as possible.

7. Choose 100% pure virgin olive oil over other vegetable oils.

8. Eliminate artificial, “junk” foods. Replace them with healthy alternatives.

9. Keep a food diary.

10. Plan your menu of meals for the week in advance.

I have been toying with the idea of starting an online store to sell different health products. This has led me to research various types of shopping cart software. Creating a streamlined and professional shopping experience for consumers is important to keeping them on my site and generating repeat customers. If shoppers become frustrated with the checkout process it could lead to shopping cart abandonment. When a customer abandons their cart not only would my business loose money but the likelihood that customer would return to shop again is greatly reduced. I love the idea of shopping cart software that enables me to easily build a professional online store with all the conveniences of a big online retailer.

I wish now that I had gone to that restaurant across the street where the food had at least the merit of being tasteless. — Peter de Vries, 1910-93

Time for a little something. — A.A. Milne, 1882-1956, in Winnie-the-Pooh

I eat merely to put food out of my mind. — N. F. Simpson

Try the Andy Warhol New York City diet: when I order in a restaurant, I order everything I don’t want, so I have a lot to play around with while everyone else eats. — Andy Warhol, 1927-87

My advice if you insist on slimming: Eat as much as you like – just don’t swallow it. — Harry Secombe

Even thin people look fat there (New York), and fat women are always out with handsome men (not like California, where everyone thinks fat is something you can catch, and therefore is to be avoided). — Roseanne Arnold

She fitted into my biggest armchair as if it had been built round her by someone who knew they were wearing armchairs tight about the hips that season. — P. G. Wodehouse, 1881-1975

1. A street beggar walked up to a woman who was just about to go into a coffee shop and exclaimed, “Lady, I haven’t eaten in a week.” “Wow!” exclaimed the woman, “I wish I had your will power.”

2. I’m fat, but I’m thin inside. Has it ever struck you that there’s a thin man inside every fat man, just as they say there’s a statue inside every block of stone? — George Orwell

3. The Right Hon. was a tubby little chap who looked as if he had been poured into his clothes and had forgotten to say ‘When!’– PG Wodehouse

1. Oh! that this too solid flesh would melt… — William Shakespeare

2. Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening. — Alexander Woollcott

3. Diets are for those who are thick and tired of it.

4. Desperation is a fellow shaving before stepping the scales.

5. Let me put it this way. According to my girth, I should be a 90 ft Redwood. — Erma Bombeck

This is Ryan.. He is a wonderful little boy not only from my home town but is a part of our extended church family. He is currently being treated for neuroblastoma. He is just four years old. Consider donating to help this worthy cause.

You frequently hear about products that “rid your body of toxins” but what exactly are toxins? Toxins are defined as:

a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms. Toxins are nearly always proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact or absorption with body tissues by interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors. Toxins vary greatly in their severity, ranging from usually minor and acute (as in a bee sting) to almost immediately deadly..

These are a few of the names of toxins found in the colon:
1. Phenol
2. Cadavarin
3. Agamatine
4. Indol
5. Hydrogen sulfide
6. Cresol
7. Butyric Acid
8. Botulin
9. Putrescin
10. Urrobilin
11. Histidine
12. Ammonia
13. Muscrine
14. Methylmercaptan
15. Indican
16. Methylgandinine
17. Methylgandinine
18. Sulferroglobine
19. Ptomarropine
20. Pentamethyl lendiamine
21. Neurin
22. Sepsin

Calcium is a vital part of a healthy diet. Calcium is a mineral that the body needs for numerous functions, including building and maintaining bones and teeth, blood clotting, the transmission of nerve impulses, and the regulation of the heart’s rhythm. An adequate intake is 550 mg/day.

Vitamin D is also necessary to allow the body to absorb the calcium.Vitamin D occurs naturally in only a few foods, such as fatty fish (salmon, sardines) and egg yolks. In addition to dietary sources, sunlight can provide the body with Vitamin D as it is synthesized through the skin.

Great Sources Of Calcium

Dairy foods:

Milk, yogurt, cheese

Leafy green vegetables

Broccoli, kale, spinach

Fruits

Oranges

Beans and peas

Tofu, peanuts, peas, black beans, baked beans

Fish

Salmon, sardines

Miscellaneous

Sesame seeds, blackstrap molasses, corn tortillas, almonds, brown sugar

Our bodies need water. An inadequate supply of water leads to dehydration. Many of us walk around not recognizing that many of the symptoms that we feel are related to being dehydrated. These are just some of the signs you might need to up your water intake:
Signs and symptoms

Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:

* Dry, sticky mouth
* Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
* Thirst
* Decreased urine output — fewer than six wet diapers a day for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
* Few or no tears when crying
* Muscle weakness
* Headache
* Dizziness or lightheadedness

Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:

* Extreme thirst
* Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
* Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
* Lack of sweating
* Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
* Sunken eyes
* Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn’t “bounce back” when pinched into a fold
* In infants, sunken fontanels — the soft spots on the top of a baby’s head
* Low blood pressure
* Rapid heartbeat
* Fever
* In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness

It cracks me up the trends we see in the grocery store for products. First it was low fat and fat free then low carb that was the rage. Today I noticed even my children’s drink boxes were claiming the benefits of antioxidants. I never really bothered to investigate what these were and today I felt spurred into action to find out.

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals otherwise might cause. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances.

This sounds like something we could all use more of in our diets. I am sure my 7 year old will be thrilled to find out his Roaring Waves drink box has these LOL!

I have been back to my old workout routine lately and really working hard towards being the me I used to be by summer. I have made a few mistakes that put a kink in my workouts for a few days. The first thing I did was to assume my old sneakers that took a beating during pregnancy would be fine for my much smaller feet of today. By the end of my first in depth workout I had bleeding cuts on the back of my heels. The next mistake I made was to just go gung ho at my workout at a high speed for a long time several days in a row. What I found after a few days was that my body just was killing me in such a way that between the feet and the aches I had to take a few days off. Taking a few days off is not good for keeping motivation high. These are a few tips I should have employed before jumping back in head first:
ips for Better Workouts

* Make sure you have quality shoes for your chosen activity.
* Start slowly. Doing too much too soon can lead to injuries and misery.
* Try new activities. Doing the same thing can lead to plateaus, boredom and injuries.
* Be ready for exercise by feeding your body regularly throughout the day and by staying hydrated.
* Always stretch both after you warm up and after your workout!
* If you’re sore or tired, give yourself extra recovery days if needed.

Our world changes everyday in new and exciting ways. Staying on tops of the latest changes in technology can be tough. I really enjoy checking out tech blogs and reading what people “in the know” have to say on new products and services hitting the market. One of my favorite tech blogs is The Tech Inspector. A new blog that show great promise for the future The Tech Inspector covers it all from Wii to VoiP in clear everyday language.

Nuts contain potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, zinc, vitamin E, selenium, copper, calcium and thiamin. By consuming a mixture of each type you will ensure that you get a good balance of important vitamins and minerals.

What is a good idea of a serving?
The Department of Agriculture recommends: One serving of nuts equals about 28 peanuts, 22 almonds, 20 pecan halves, 18 cashews, 14 walnut halves, 7 brazil nuts, 20 hazelnuts, 12 macadamia nuts, 47 pistachios, or two tablespoons of peanut butter.