Dare to Blog

• Boost self-confidence. Begin the conversation by telling your middle-schooler that you're proud of her and the person she's becoming. Identify specific instances where she was mature (think, doing the dishes without being asked, or watching a younger sibling), and tell her how much you admire that behavior. By working to raise her self-esteem, you make your tween less likely to turn to alcohol as a way to fit in or feel better about herself. Additionally, knowing you respect her makes her respect you in turn, and take your words seriously.
• Talk often. It can take a lot of repetition before your message about your tween doing her own laundry sinks in—and an anti-alcohol message is no different. Work towards creating an ongoing dialogue with your tween about drinking, rather than a one-time conversation, and speak "as frequently as you have an opportunity," recommends Sue Scheff, a parent advocate, author, and founder of Parent's Universal Resource Experts, Inc. "If there is a reason for it—if there is a conversation about it, expand on it—don't run from it." It may feel awkward at first, but have patience: the more you chat freely, the less forced it will feel.
• Use a movie. Since getting a middle schooler to open up can be tricky, try starting the conversation by bringing up a book or movie she's familiar with. Ask about how your child thinks the characters onscreen handle themselves while drinking, such as during the party scenes in Mean Girls. Keeping the conversation about popular culture makes your tween feel less vulnerable, and more willing to openly share her opinions and thoughts.
• Share your story. If you or a family member has ever battled alcohol abuse or addiction, you may have struggled with whether or not to tell your tween. According to Scheff, the best approach is typically an honest one, especially if you're dealing with a tween who's thinking about trying alcohol for the first time. She explains, "If you have a family member that has battled with addiction, alcoholism or similar issues, there is nothing like firsthand experiences (especially those people that are related to them) to help them understand how harmful this disease can be and in some cases, deadly."
• Act it out. Role-play with your kid to act out how she can respond to real-world situations where she might be offered alcohol. If you're not sure where to start, you can again try referring to scenes from a well-known movie, or have your tween be the director and let her stage the scenarios. Regardless of which situations you choose, make it a point to teach several different ways to say no to drinking. Popular ways to say no include, "I'd rather have a soda," "Can't, I've got a test/game tomorrow," "My parents would kill me!" or plain old, "No thanks."
• Find role models. Direct your tween towards positive role models to counter-act any peer pressure she feels to fit in by drinking. Find an adult in a field that interests your kid (think sports, music, or drama) who has spoken out against teen drinking or alcohol abuse. Recently, for example, superstar speed skater Apolo Ohno partnered with The Century Council, a leading activist group against underage drinking, to spread the word on the dangers of teen drinking and to promote a healthy lifestyle.
• Offer resources. Give your tween an outlet where she can go for answers to questions that she feels uncomfortable asking you or other adults. Since most thirteen-year-olds practically live online, it's a good idea to find a few websites that offer accurate information in a format you're comfortable with. For tweens, Scheff recommends The Cool Spot, an informative website that discusses the dangers of alcohol and ways to beat peer pressure.

Aujourd'hui, nous avons été surpris de lire une histoire inhabituelle sur le Huffington Post sur un père en Floride qui a été arrêté pour fumer du cannabis provenant de graines de cannabis dans la salle d'accouchement de l'hôpital.

Le père âgé de 28 ans, attendait dans la salle d'accouchement pour sa femme. Il a commencé à se sentir mal à l'aise et nerveux au sujet de ses futures responsabilités en tant que père. Afin de calmer ses nerfs, il a décidé de fumer du cannabis de graine autofloraison.

Une infirmière qui passait par là qu'elle a attrapé une bouffée de son père en train de fumer. Elle a immédiatement appelé la police qui ont questionné le père, ont confisqué son vaporisateur de cannabis et l'ont arrêté.

Want to keep your complexion smooth and youthful? Take a look at your plate. What you leave off of your plate is sometimes just as important as the food you’re putting on your plate when it comes to nutrients that can affect your complexion. Put your best face forward (and improve your health) by keeping these to a minimum (remember that classic motto... moderation):

Sugar—Sweets and refined carbs raise glucose levels, which increases advanced glycation end products, which in turn interferes with the repair of collagen and elastin, a protein that allows skin to retain its shape.

Saturated Fat—Not all saturated fatty acids are created equal (see coconut oil), but experts say that eating a lot of saturated fat coming from marbled meats and full-fat dairy products can induce skin-aging inflammation.

Alcohol—With the exception of resveratrol-delivering red wine, alcohol can take a toll on your skin. It dries out skin and when metabolized in the liver, it creates skin’s enemy: free radicals.

Everybody should have an idea that one of the most important thing that we need to take care is our health. Specifically, for womens they need to consult their personal doctors for pregnancy advice if they want to get pregnant as well as to check their health from time to time. As we all know that health is our only wealth and because of that we need to nurture and nourished our body in order for us to live longer and eventually sustain a healthy living by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

For that, we all need to exert and extra effort to continuously support the needs of our body. If we need to go for an extra mile just to stay healthy so be it. If womens fitness exercise would be a great idea for womens who wants to get fit then why not? Likewise, for men's too. If those ways are the only way to obtain what we want then why don't we try and give our best out of it? Right? Besides, in the long run we are still the beneficiary of our exerted efforts.

Furthermore, I highly recommend too that womesn out there must have a full pregnancy information for them to informed right before getting pregnant. As well as for men's they should be aware on it to protect their partners.

Are you one of those people who wanted to lern about cosmetics? Do you wish to study cosmetology for future reference and job ventures? Well if you do then I bet Regency Beauty Institute would be a great help for you.

They are actually an institute specializes on cosmetology like hairstylist, how to apply make ups, spa's, some other related things pertaining to cosmetics and preserving once skin and defying age. This institute specifcally provides an extensive trainings on cosmetics as to how, when and why cosmetics play's a crucial role in human's lives.

IF you guys wants to know more about the and what are the services they offer aside from studying cosmetology better take sometime now to browse their site and if possible enroll your self online for you to have the best slot on studying cosmetics.

No worries if you decide to enroll at them simply because they are one the leading school on cosmetology and they hold the mission that whenever their students is graduating from their class it's well equipped with the current trends on cosmetology. So, enroll youself now and enjoy the benefits you'll gonna have while learing cosmetics! This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com or contact Regency Beauty Institute – 10217 North Metro Parkway West – Phoenix, AZ 85051

To help your child, and yourself, help him release the feelings that wake him up

This is easier to do during the day than at nighttime, so a good strategy to try first is to listen to your child's feelings of upset when they arise during the day. Listen when you're sure that the issue he's crying about doesn't involve hunger. Simply get close, say loving things to him, offer warm eye contact and gentle touch, and let him cry until he feels better.

Children pick lots of little pretexts to open the door to releasing feelings. They will cry about a shirt being put on over their heads, about having a shampoo, about you moving six steps away to do the dishes, or about how their mittens don't fit into their coat sleeves quite right. When a big cry begins, stay close, be interested in all the feelings they have, and don't try to fix the little thing that upset them. Just hear how they feel about it for as long as you can.

When children feel you listening, they often cry harder. Your loving attention is reassuring enough to let them tackle big feelings of fear and grief. It will take courage on your part to trust that your child knows what he’s doing as he cries that hard with your support. You’ll see good results afterward. A passionate cry in your arms will help your child relax, trust you, and see the world as a safer place. All he needs is for you to be close and confident that all is well.
If daytime listening isn’t enough to ease night waking, listen at night

For nighttime work on fears, here are the measures that work very well. You may need to take a week to set things up so you can get an extra nap during the day, or buy earplugs for the rest of the family, or warn the people in the apartment next door (earplugs for them might be a thoughtful touch).

* When your child wakes the first time, go to him and turn on a low light so he can see you and see that he's safe. Make close physical and eye contact.

* Tell him it's OK to go back to sleep, and it's not time to nurse or have a bottle or come into bed with you right now. Tell him that all is well. "I’m right here, son." "You're safe as safe can be." "You have everything you need, darling." “I'm not going to go away." Offer warm touch, but don't bring him into your arms immediately. Keep gently moving him toward lying down again.

* Listen to him cry. If he trembles, writhes away from you, arches his back, shuts his eyes tight, and makes lots of motion, things are going well. Those signs indicate that he's offloading the fears that won't let him or you rest. It looks and sounds awful, but he's using a powerful healing process, one he was born to use, and he'll be able to sleep well afterward. Some children will work on their feelings for a whole hour before they relax and fall fast asleep. As you listen, your child absorbs your love.

* Once he is crying vigorously, you may be able to bring him into your arms and hold him while he cries. After a few moments of crying, many children have grabbed onto the feelings they need to release, and being held by you doesn’t distract them from crying hard. Other children stop crying the moment they are held close. If your child stops crying in your arms, remind him that it's time to go back to sleep, and move slowly toward putting him back to bed. Keep moving until he remembers the feeling he's working through.

* Allow your child to struggle as he offloads his fears. Children working through their fears usually cry without many tears, look terrified as they cry, and struggle constantly, as though they want to get free of your embrace. However, if you let them go, it breaks the safety they need to keep working on the feelings. They don't need to be held tightly. They need to struggle mightily, with you giving them a "corral" in which to act powerfully. The feelings they are working through may be connected to earlier times when they felt both frightened and helpless. They must struggle while they cry, to counteract the memory of being so helpless, and regain their self-respect.

* Remember as you listen that your child has everything he needs. He has you watching over him, he has your warmth, and he is safe right next to you. He can't tell all is well because of feelings inside of him, not because of something lacking in the present moment.

* Allow him to cry until he either is happy to be put back to bed, or until he falls asleep in your arms. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more, depending on how many feelings have been pressing on him.

* Observe his behavior the next day. Generally, children who get a good chunk of crying done are able to make visible gains in confidence, closeness, and relaxation in the presence of others. Sometimes you'll see gains in their physical skill and courage. Sometimes, after a parent has listened at length for the first time, the child’s instincts say, "At last! They're listening!" and he finds ways to set up another big cry the next morning. If you can listen again, his load will be lightened once more. It might take several listening "sessions" before a child is able to sleep better, but you will see some positive changes in his functioning that will tell you he’s making progress. By: Patty Wipfler - Education.com

Physical activity is good for children and adults. It strengthens muscles, bones and joints, and it gives children the opportunity to gain confidence while having fun. Children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Playing hopscotch, tossing a ball back and forth, and dancing are some good ways for your child to be active. Some children are good athletes, but all need many opportunities to be active, including but not limited to sports.

* Be a physically active role model and have fun with your kids. Adults need at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity.
* Walk with your child at every available opportunity- if possible to school or to the store on errands. Take a family walk after dinner instead of watching tv or playing computer games.
* Plan active weekends. Include biking, hiking, skating, walking or playing ball. Take a trip to the park, skating rink, zoo, or swimming pool.
* Offer to join your child in his/her favorite physical activity, or enroll your child in a group exercise program.
* Include children in active chores such as dog walking, house cleaning, car washing, and yard work.
* Limit inactive behavior such as television watching and computer time. Do physical activity with your kids during commercials, such as marching in place or stretching. This helps reinforce the importance of movement in your child's life.
* Avoid using TV as a child sitter or pacifier. Offer active alternatives to screen time - jumping rope, playing hide-and-seek or running an errand. Children love when you are active with them and involve them in what you do.
* Keep TVs out of children's rooms. Give your children gifts that encourage physical activity-active games, sporting equipment, or a Frisbee.
* Take the President's Challenge as a family. You can track your individual physical activities together and earn awards for active lifestyles at www.presidentschallenge.org
* Talk with your schools about ways to incorporate noncompetitive physical activity during the day

Sharing meals is an ideal way for the family to spend time together. Whether you're eating at home or eating out on the go, it's important to eat smart.

* Be consistent. Establish a family meal routine, and set times for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Eat together whenever possible.
* Take charge of the foods your children eat. When you serve a meal, your child can choose to eat it or not; but don't offer to substitute an unhealthy alternative when your child refuses to eat what you've served.
* Restrict children's access to the refrigerator and snack cupboards.
* Turn off the tv during meals, and limit kids' snacking when watching TV.
* Serve a vegetable or fruit with every meal and at snack time.
* Reward your kids with praise and fun activities rather than with food.
* Involve your children in meal planning and food preparation. They are more likely to eat what they help to make.
* While shopping and cooking, teach your children about the food groups and the importance of a balanced diet. Throughout the day, choose the types and amounts of foods you need from the five food groups.
* Teach your children how to read food labels and use the 5%-20% guide to Daily Values to make better food choices.
* Limit foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars, and make sure to get enough fiber and calcium.
* Use low-fat cooking methods such as baking, roasting and grilling, and choose healthy fats when you use them, such as olive or canola oils.
* Serve water, low-fat or nonfat milk with and between meals. Only children under two years always need to drink whole milk.
* Teach your children how to make wise food choices away from home-at school cafeterias, restaurants, and vending machines. Teach them to pay attention to both the quality and quantity of their food choices. More food is not always better for them; appropriate portion sizes need to be understood. By: U.S. Department of Education - Education.com

Healthy Choices Start With You!

* Help your children develop healthy eating habits at an early age. Nutritious food is something to enjoy. It helps children grow strong and gives them energy.
* Set an example for active living by moving with your kids. Your kids pay attention to you, they really do!
* Teach your children that good health depends on the right balance between what they eat and how much they move.

It's never too late! Small steps make a big difference.

The keys to healthy eating are variety, balance and moderation. Be sure your family eats a variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grain products. Also include low-fat and nonfat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish and legumes (lentils and beans). Drink water to quench your thirst, and go easy on the salt, sugar and saturated fat.

Good nutrition should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle that also includes regular physical activity. To maintain weight, both kids and adults must balance the calories they eat with the calories they burn through physical activity. If you eat more calories than you use up in physical activity, you gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you use up, you lose weight. Make a commitment to helping your family eat sensibly and move more often.

Here are some tips for healthy eating to help you get started.

* Try to keep track of your children's meal/snack and physical activity patterns so you can help them balance the amount and types of food they eat with the amount of physical activity they perform.
* Encourage your family to eat at least 5 servings of brightly colored vegetables and fruits a day. You can start the day with 100% fruit or vegetable juice. Slice fruit on top of cereal. Serve salad with lunch and an apple as an afternoon snack. Include vegetables with dinner.
* Leave the candy, soft drinks, chips and cookies at the store. Substitute them with fruits, vegetables, nuts, and low-fat or nonfat milk products. Your child will soon learn to make smart food choices outside your home as well.
* Serve children child-sized portions, and let your child ask for more if still hungry. Don't force children to clean their plates. Try measuring food items to learn to estimate the amount of food on a plate.
* Choose a variety of foods. No single food or food group supplies all the nutrients in the amounts that you need for good health. If you plan for pizza one night, balance your meal with salad, low-fat or nonfat milk and fruit. By: U.S. Department of Education - Education.com

While going on an eating binge by snacking on unhealthy foods will only lead to an expanding waistline, having healthy snacks during the day will keep you fit — mentally and physically. Here’s how…

- If you find long gaps of time between your meals, it’s time to include a few snacks in your diet. Snacking will keep your hunger levels to a minimum and also won’t let your body feel like you’re depriving it of food.

- Healthy snacks are great for controlling blood sugar levels especially in people who have problems in maintaining them. Snacking improves blood sugar control by providing a ready stream of carbohydrates.

- By supplying your body regularly with snacks throughout the day, you also give your body an energy boost and help you maintain your weight. Since you automatically eat lesser during regular meal times because of smaller snacks during the day, you will help your metabolism, and digest food faster.

- By opting for healthier options like fruits, salads, yogurt, health and whole wheat grains instead of junk food like fries, chips or calorie laden cookies, you stock your body with a lot of essential vitamins and nutrients. Not only are they great sources of energy, but also provide fibre that helps cleanse the body.

- In children, healthy snacking increases and builds their immune systems. While not all kids will be enthusiastic in having juices, fresh fruits, salads, nuts, curd and cheese, make it a habit early on so that they’re used to the snacks. French fries, candy bars and cookies are high in fats and sodium and can drain out your child. The Times of India

The best diet for a healthy heart is a diet low in fatty and sugary foods and rich in fruits and vegetables which are quick foods that require little or no preparation time. They are loaded with important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease fighting antioxidants.

Unsaturated oils (refined oils) help maintain blood cholesterol levels if consumed in recommended quantities. Thus it is advisable to use only 4-5 teaspoons of cooking oil per day and a variety of refined oils should be taken. Select one from each group for your daily cooking purpose. Ratio of both oils should be 1:1. It is advised to use oil from Group A for 15 days and oil from Group B for 15 days or lunch with oil from Group A and dinner with oil from Group B.

Group A: Sunflower / safflower/ corn / soybean

Group B: Mustard / groundnut / olive/ rice bran

High fiber food items like whole cereals [whole wheat flour ( atta ), wheat bran, whole wheat bread, bajra , jowar , oats], whole pulses ( dals with skin, rajmah , chola, kala chana, chowli etc.), leafy vegetables, salad vegetables and whole fruits are recommended.

Good quality protein like egg white, soy, fish chicken and dairy protein (toned/ skimmed cow’s milk and milk products like curds and paneer prepared with cow’s toned milk) is recommended. Oily fish like ravas (salmon), herring, bangda (mackerel), tuna , tarli (oil sardine) and nuts like almonds and walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and found to be beneficial for heart. All these food items are advised in recommended quantities.

It is advised to avoid fatty meats like ham, bacon, yolk of egg, red meat, organ meat, shrimps, lobster, prawns, etc as well as alcohol, aerated drinks, squashes, fruit juices (lack fiber), canned, tinned, processed and preserved foods e.g. tinned fruits, sauces, processed cheese.

Diet for Hypertension

A vegetarian’s diet contains more potassium, complex carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C all of which may have a favourable influence on blood pressure. It can be a great benefit to start lowering your blood pressure naturally.

Calcium: Consume skim / toned milk and milk products (curds and paneer). This milk is low in fat, but very high in Vitamin D and calcium, both of which are known to combat high blood pressure. Calcium can also be found in fish (sardines, salmon, mackerel), nuts, sunflower seeds (unsalted) and green leafy vegetables (beetroot leaves, turnip greens, arbi leaves, chowlai , methi leaves, cauliflower greens, celery leaves, parsley, mint, curry leaves, drum stick leaves and radish leaves). Cereals like ragi (nachni) and whole pulses like kala chana and rajmah , soybean and tofu are also rich in calcium. Spices include hing , ajwain , khas khas , black pepper ( kali mirch ), cumin seeds ( zeera ), coriander ( dhania ), cloves ( laung ) and mustard seeds ( sarson ).

Magnesium: Magnesium rich foods such as pulses and legumes and dark green leafy vegetables are an excellent way to lower blood pressure. Other good sources of magnesium are almonds, walnuts, coriander seeds (dhania ), cumin seeds ( zeera ), ginger, turmeric, plums and mango figs, whole grains, soy products, broccoli, oysters and mackerel. Magnesium has the effect of relaxing the blood vessels which allows the blood to flow easier.

Potassium: Restricting sodium (salt) intake to lower blood pressure appears to work better if accompanied by increasing potassium. Pulses and legumes, soybeans and cereals like bajra , jowar , ragi (nachni), whole wheat flour ( atta ) are good sources of potassium. Spices rich in potassium include coriander seeds ( dhania ), cumin seeds ( zeera ) and methi seeds. Vegetables like potato, sweet potato, yam ( suran ), tomatoes, karela , brinjal, drumstick, green papaya and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, sarson ka saag , chowlai and coriander leaves are high in potassium. Potassium rich fruits include sweet lime, apricots, amla, bael, cherries, lemon, mango, muskmelon, watermelon, peaches, plums and seetaphal. Coconut water and vegetable soups are also rich in potassium.

Vitamin C: It seems to expand blood vessels and constricted arteries, consequently helping to lower blood pressure. Vitamin C rich foods include strawberries, lime, sweet lime ( mausambi) , orange, guava ( peru ), amla, radish ( muli ) leaves, fenugreek leaves ( methi ), coriander ( dhania ), cabbage, capsicum, green chillies, cauliflower and bitter gourd ( karela ).

Research also shows that eating foods high in fiber, such as oat bran, fruits, and vegetables can significantly reduce high blood pressure, and even improve blood pressure in healthy individuals. Omega-3 fats, typically found in oily fish, garlic and flax seeds are known to have a lowering effect on blood pressure.

Avoid foods like pickles, papads and salted chutneys, biscuits and namkeens, all sauces and soy sauce, cheese, salted butter, margarine, mayonnaise, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ajinomoto, breads, cakes, pastries, cornflakes, salted chips, nuts, popcorns, bacon, ham, sausages, malted beverages, boost, bournvita, preserved foods and canned foods. By Swati Bhushan, The Times of India

The right diet is the foundation of good health and well-being, says TV nutritionist Gillian McKeith (right). Here she guides us through the four key stages of life — from puberty through to postmenopause — explaining what we need to eat at each to stay happy and healthy.

THE TRANSITION YEARS

Puberty, which usually happens in girls between the ages of ten and 16, is an exciting time of transition. You’re becoming a woman – vibrant, intelligent, full of life, ideas and enthusiasm.

There’s no denying that it can be easy to fall into less positive habits as a teen, whether it’s poor eating, giving up on exercise, letting your moods rule you or falling prey to peer pressure and addictive behaviours that you’ll later regret. While we’re all born with certain traits or genetic susceptibilities, we can also make choices to give ourselves the best possible future. The food habits you get into now will lay down the foundations for the future health of your body. I’m talking skin, bones, reproductive health and organ development. These are things which may not be in the forefront of your mind as a teenager, but good habits now will reap rewards over a lifetime.

SIX TOP FOODS
Essential fats

The omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids are so called because they are vital for cardiovascular, hormone, skin, nail and hair health, energy and brain function. They are found in oily fish, shelled hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and walnuts, as well as the cold-pressed oils of these nuts and seeds. Eat them every day.

Fruit and veg

Eat five to eight portions a day, including plenty of green stuff. Your five a day should be a bare minimum. A diet high in fruit and vegetables will make you less susceptible to many diseases, because they’re bursting with vitamins, minerals,fibre and antioxidants (which offer protection against many conditions of ageing).

Veggie meals

Have some vegetarian meals each week – animal protein in excess increases your risk of developing many illnesses later on. I am not saying that you should not eat meat, but do vary your diet. Make sure your veggie meals contain protein, so include beans, pulses, quinoa, soya, eggs or cheese.
Whole grains

Choose these rather than white, refined foods – they are much richer in fibre and nutrients. Fibre is important for hormone health, digestive health, blood-sugar balance and cardiovascular health, and it makes you feel fuller, so you’re less likely to overeat.
Water

Drink six to eight glasses of water or herbal tea a day – hydration is important for all aspects of health, both now and in the future. This is a good habit to get into.

Iron

One study found that a mild iron deficiency can result when menstruation kicks in if your diet is poor. Foods rich in iron include meat, eggs, fish, poultry, almonds, figs, parsley, watercress, broccoli, kale, oats, lentils, millet, rye and prunes. A good iron-rich breakfast would be porridge with prunes and berries.

THE BIG BREAKFAST

Breakfast each day is vital. It boosts thinking power and helps to maintain body weight. Here are some ideas.

* Porridge with shelled hemp seeds, flax seeds or cinnamon.

* Breakfast smoothie made with fruits, avocado, flax oil and soya milk (optional).

* Rye toast with nut butter – try cashew nut or almond butter instead of peanut butter.

* Natural yoghurt with nuts and seeds.

* Sugar-free muesli with rice milk, almond milk or goat’s milk.

* Omelette with plenty of your favourite fresh or dried herbs.

* Fruit salad, which should be followed by one of the other options above.

A WEIGHT OFF YOUR MIND

When it comes to health, the thing most teenage girls worry about is weight. But if I could persuade you to think about health rather than fat, you wouldn’t have to give your weight a second thought – it would take care of itself naturally.

It’s normal for teenage girls to gain some weight – puberty is a period of growth and development. What you need is plenty of nutritious food to grow into your natural body weight. What you should not do is eat too much nutrient-poor junk food, or try to keep your weight down by following crash diets or faddy eating plans. Here are my tips for a healthy body image.

* Educate yourself. Instead of reading about the latest ‘wonder diet’, read up on healthy foods, how to cook and healthy living.

* Forget faddy diets, calorie counting or obsessively weighing yourself. If you eat healthily your body will reward you.

* Learn to cook – experiment with different recipes and foods, cook for family and friends and make eating an enjoyable part of life.

* Avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates, junk foods, caffeine and alcohol, which are just empty calories.

* Aim to eat small, regular meals and snacks throughout the day – three main meals and three small snacks is ideal. This will keep blood-sugar levels balanced and reduce energy slumps, cravings and overeating. By Gillian Mckeith, The Daily Mail

Michael Townsend – June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. This special month illustrates the importance of fruits and vegetables in our diets. Not only do fruits and vegetables provide health benefits, but they can prevent many serious diseases. It is recommended that children eat 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruit each day. Younger children should have 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit each day. To help your kids become friendly with fruit and voracious with vegetables, herewith listed links to some really fun coloring pages.

Edupics.com Vegetable Coloring Pages. This site offers 35 educational images of different types of vegetables suitable for coloring. A wonderful collection useful to elementary school students and teachers.

999 Coloring Pages: Fruits and Vegetables. A great site with many fruit and vegetable pages to color.

Coloring.ws Fruits and Vegetables Coloring Pages. There are many tons of vegetable related coloring pages for younger children. Many of the images are cartoon vegetables. These pages are just plain fun!

Primary Games.com Fruit and Vegetable Coloring Pages. Realistic fruit and vegetable pages that older kids would enjoy. The images are of high quality. More Coloring Pages Vegetable Coloring Pages. These basic images are great for preschoolers to color.

For elderly people with elevated blood pressure, further spikes in blood pressure levels can affect their ability to think clearly, U.S. researchers said on Monday. The findings offer another reason for people with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, to get the condition under control — for the sake of their cognitive functioning as well as many other health reasons, they said. Researchers led by North Carolina State University psychology professor Jason Allaire tracked 36 people, average age 73, in the Detroit area, having each of them take blood pressure reading and take a series of cognitive tests twice daily for 60 days. The tests assessed things like thinking abilities, pattern recognition and problem solving.

For people whose systolic blood pressure was typically 130 or above, their cognitive scores suffered on days when they had blood pressure spikes, the researchers said. People with systolic blood pressure of 140 or higher are considered to have high blood pressure, and from 120 to 139 are considered to be “pre-hypertensive,” or on the threshold of high blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure, the top number in blood pressure readings, refers to the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. People with healthy blood pressure levels did not see their cognitive functioning drop in the twice-daily tests when their blood pressure rose on occasion, the researchers found.

The researchers noted that previous studies had shown that simply having high blood pressure was related to worse cognitive performance in the elderly, but had not evaluated the impact of blood pressure spikes. “If you have blood pressure that wildly fluctuates and you have high blood pressure, you might be in double trouble for poorer cognitive functioning,” Allaire, whose findings appear in the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, said in a telephone interview. Several studies have found a link between high blood pressure and dementia, which is marked by a loss of memory and other cognitive abilities, including the ability to speak, identify objects or think abstractly. A study published in July found that treating high blood pressure in the very elderly may help reduce their risk of developing dementia.

The researchers did not ask the study participants if they were taking blood pressure medication such as beta blockers. People with high blood pressure have elevated risks of serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke. Stress can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise, and also can interfere with one’s ability to think clearly. Allaire said it is unclear whether the cognitive functioning declines that the study detected was due to the physiological changes caused by the blood pressure spikes or to stress that may have brought caused the blood pressure to rise. “The question is: is it the increased blood pressure or is it the stress? And the answer is: it could be both,” he added.

Heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners, according to research to be published in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics. The autonomic nervous system regulates the heart rate through two routes – the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The former causes the heart rate to rise, while, the parasympathetic slows it. When working well together, the two ensure that the heart rate is steady but ready to respond to changes caused by eating, the fight or flight response, or arousal.

The on-going variation of heart rate is known as heart rate variability (HRV), which refers to the beat-to-beat changes in heart rate. In healthy individuals HRV is high whereas cardiac abnormalities lead to a low HRV.

The Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee, in Uttrakhand, India, have evaluated two small groups of men in order to see whether yoga practitioners can improve heart health. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that yoga practice may improve health through breathing exercises, stretching, postures, relaxation, and meditation.

The team analysed the HRV “spectra” of the electrocardiograms (ECG) of forty two healthy male volunteers who are non-yogic practitioners, and forty two who are experienced practitioners, all volunteers were aged between 18 and 48 years.

The spectral analysis of HRV is, the team says, an important tool in exploring heart health and the mechanisms of heart rate regulation. The power represented by various spectral bands in short-term HRV are indicative of how well the heart responds to changes in the body controlled by the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. Thus, very low frequency (VLF) variations in the spectra are linked to the body’s internal temperature control. Low frequency peaks are associated with the sympathetic control and high frequency with parasympathetic control.

They concluded that in their preliminary study of 84 volunteers, there is strengthening of parasympathetic (vagal) control in subjects who regularly practice yoga, which is indicative of better autonomic control over heart rate and so a healthier heart.

We must take to consideration that a poor posture not only makes one looks bad, but, most importantly, it also leads to lots of pain, especially if it’s not corrected in time. However, the discomfort can be easily avoided by making sure we always sit up straight, Dr. Gerard Clum, president of Life Chiropractic College West and member of the board of directions of the World Federation of Chiropractic,while also offering some tips on how to achieve perfect posture.

First step towards making sure we’re always sitting up straight is to check our posture in the mirror. For instance, the expert says for the magazine, if we’re standing, we should be able to draw an imaginary straight line from the earlobe to the hip, the knee and the center of the ankle. If we can’t do that, it’s clear that something is not right in our posture and it needs correcting. However, we can tell this earlier than this checkup, by learning to read the symptoms, Dr. Clum explains.

“One of the best ways to attain proper posture is to avoid sitting or standing in one position for too long. If you work at a desk all day, get up and move around every half hour. Also, make sure your workstation is set up properly, with your computer screen at eye level (looking up an extra five inches all day, five days a week can become a big pain in the neck – pun intended). Position your keyboard so your shoulders aren’t cramped up. And don’t be afraid to ask for an ergonomic chair, mouse pad and keyboard.” Dr. Clum further explains.

One final step to achieving perfect posture is when, after taking all these measures, we still suffer from back and neck pain, which means the problem might be bigger than we thought at first. This is the right moment to go see a specialist, who will recommend a proper course of action.

Nausea- it is often used to ease nausea caused by traveling or pregnancy as well as that due to other causes.

Digestion - it has the ability to calm the stomach, promote the flow of bile, and improve the appetite.

Stomach Cramps caused by wind - it can relieve these, often quicker than any other herbal medicine.

Circulation - it helps to support a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky and therefore reducing the likelihood of aggregation (a major factor in atherosclerosis) Much recent work has focused on the use of ginger in circulatory disorders such as Raynauds disease, which is characterised by blue fingers and toes.

Ginger appears to promote blood flow to these areas, which eases the problem.

Rheumatoid arthritis - it has traditionally been used to help inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. It is also valued for its analgesic action, which may help arthritic conditions.

Cholesterol - studies have suggested that ginger may be useful in keeping cholesterol levels under control, although how this works is not yet understood.

Respiratory infections - it is well known for its warming expectorant action on the upper respiratory tract, and this is why Chinese herbalists have traditionally used ginger to treat colds and influenza.

Properties

Pungent oleoresins - these have been identified as the phenylalkylketones, known as gingerols, shogaols and zingerone. The dried root of ginger has been shown to be more potent than the fresh root with regard to shogaol, which is thought to be the most potent of the constituents of ginger.

Contra-indications/Precautions

Anyone with a history of gallstones should consult a medical practitioner prior to use. Short-term use of low levels during the first three months of pregnancy appears to have no adverse side effects. Anyone using anticoagulants should not use ginger.

Every person is gifted with skills and talents. He/She might not know their talents yet but later on as they indulge their selves into several activities it is then they'll find out that they knew how to do the particular things specifically they had the talents already they just don't knew that they possess it.

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Sports are an important part of just about every society, every country, every part of our planet. In one way or another, everyone is involved in sports or some sort, whether they're playing or watching or just know someone who does either.

Sports come in many sizes. Golf is an individual sport. Even though golfers play on the same course, they are really competing against one another only with their scores. Unlike tennis, in which one player must beat the other to finish a match, golf features each player against every other player, with the one who takes the fewest strokes to sink the ball into 18 holes declared the winner.

Baseball, basketball, and soccer are team sports. Teams of five, seven, and nine square off against each other, with team members helping each other to win as a team.

Sports are played for fun or for money (or sometimes both). Just about every sport has both professionals (those who compete for money) and amateurs (those who compete not for money). Many amateurs who are really good at their sport become professionals.

Sports bring people together and also set people apart. They bring together in that a team (usually professional but sometimes college or amateur) can inspire many fans to cheer for that team. And each team has its own set of fans. So, when two teams compete against each other or two individual athletes go at each other, the fan base is divided in two. Such classic rivalries as Yankees-Red Sox in baseball and Lakers-Celtics in basketball can last for years and years and years, with fan traditions being passed on from generation to generation.

Sports feature every part of social studies in one way or another:

* Geography: In order to compete against others in your sport, you as an athlete usually have to travel at least a little bit in order to make that competition happen. You are changing your geography when you do this, and your fans who follow you (either literally or figuratively) are also expanding their knowledge of geography. If you are a tennis fan, you learn what cities the Grand Slam tournaments are in (Melbourne, Paris, Wimbledon, and New York). Also, people who live in wintry climates (like Scandinavia) usually do better in winter sports. For example, Norwegians and Swedens usually do very well at the Winter Olympics.

* Economics: Sports cost money, from the athletes, from the fans who watch them, and from the people who make those athletic contests possible. Many professional athletes make millions of dollars every year; others make only a few thousand. Amateur athletes don't get paid when they win, but somebody has to make places available to stage those amateur contests and the athletes have to spend money to travel to those contests.

* History: Every sport has a history of some sort. Passionate fans remember lots of their favorite sport's history. Baseball especially has a long history, full of amazing feats and a whole lot of numbers. Many people can remember the last time the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl (1996) a lot better than they can when the Constitution came into being (1781).

* Cultures: Sports often reflect the culture of the countries in which they are played. Countries like Kenya, with their wide open spaces and their culture that emphasizes walking and running, produce excellent long-distance runners, moreso than any other country.

* Archaeology: We can even find sports in archaeology. An example of this is archaeological evidence of the ancient ball games that the Mayas played in which they tried to throw a ball through a ring. Sound familiar? We now call something just like it basketball.

In many ways, sports define a society. They show what people are interested in watching other people do and what they will pay to see. They show how people can make a living by being athletic and entertaining other people. They give people ways to test their athletic skill against other people. Most of all, they give people something to focus on and follow that is a sort of release from the weighty cares of everyday life. By: socialstudiesforkids.com

Every year, millions of people set health and fitness goals and they tend to be the same, namely, the everlasting search for long lean muscles, less body fat, more energy, flexibility… 2010 is no different and has already ushered in three “new” fitness techniques and products that are hoping to one-up 2009’s international successes with efficiency.

Bellyfit

This is going after the female Zumba crowd. Originating in Canada, Bellyfit classes are women-only and are split into two sections. The first half is a melange of cardio dance including: belly dance, Bollywood, Bhangra, and African dance. The class then focuses on core strengthening and mind-body with various movements from Pilates, yoga and mudra meditation.

Bellyfit is actively training health and fitness professionals in Canada to expand Bellyfit to a gym near you.

Body by Science

This is the ultimate American invention promising complete body fitness in only 12 minutes a week. Doug McGuff, M.D., co-author of Body by Science and emergency room physician, created a research-based program for strength training, bodybuilding and complete fitness. The entire program requires rethinking everything you thought you knew about health, fitness and the science of your body.

Ultimate resistance training, slow movements, heavy weights, push you to your limits for exactly 12 minutes. According to Dr. McDuff, the 12-minute limit is not a marketing ploy, it is all the body can take.

ViPR

The ViPR (Vitality, Performance and Reconditioning) created in England boasts that it is the Swiss Army knife of exercise tools with the ability to integrate into 9,000 different exercises. Many are demonstrated on YouTube and ViPR-fit.com.

Proponents claim it can replace the barbell, dumbbell, Kettlebell, stability ball, medicine ball, balance device and speed ladder.

Some British trainers have said the ViPR offers a whole body workout in the same vein as The Power Plate.