Baby Shower and diet pills and inspiration

Answers For Your Health Survival Guide - Baby Shower: "A surprise shower does involve some secrets, so remember to be stealthy. But you will want to make sure that the mom-to-be will be up for a surprise. Early on in her pregnancy, try to ascertain if she is up for a surprise baby shower or if she would rather know in advance. This could eliminate surprising mom-to-be when she is not feeling up to it. (If mom-to-be knows she has a surprise baby shower coming up, she will be more likely to be dressed appropriately when the time comes.) "

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I am putting up a series of articles about Babies and Toddlers. I need the input from Grandmothers and Grandfathers. It would seem that some of the younger generation think that we know very little about the raising of children. I would very much like to get some real stories of what you did to help your children and grandchildren grow up. Especially how you got them to eat good food instead of sugar and hotdogs.

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This weekend I received 3 different ads in my mailbox for weight loss. They were all for pills that would make you lose weight no matter what your diet and lack of exercise currently are. The prices ranged from $39.00 a bottle to $79.00 a bottle. They all were sold by the pound --- how much do you want to lose ---- buy x number of bottles.

I know better, but you know, I was tempted.

****

Oh, If you have any suggestions for an unusual baby shower game or gift please let me know.

***
This from Kickstart.....my favorite on line inspirational newsletter.

Have you ever thought about your skills?

We all have a wide variety of skills, and out individual abilities in them are like a highly personal
fingerprint.

Try this little exercise - it is very useful to put things into perspective.

Select an aspect of your life - work, home, hobbies,whatever you choose. Then make a list of all the skills that you can think of related to that particular aspect of your life.

It doesn't matter how long the list is. Don't just put down things you are personally good at - try to encompass as much about that field of endeavor as you can bring to mind.

Now, score yourself against each skill item. Give yourself points out of ten - and remember to be
brutally honest. You are not going to share this information with anyone, so don't deceive yourself.

When you've finished (this is good to do in Microsoft Excel) rank your list in order from best at the top to worst at the bottom.

Now you have a very personal skills map. It is unique to you.

How do you use it?

Easy! Look at the skill that you have ranked at the bottom. That is the one that you have to spend time and effort improving your score on. Not at some fuzzy future time, but right now. That is your urgency point.

How do you improve a skill?

Easy! Here are three ways that work.

1. Find a friend or colleague who is, in your opinion, good at the skill you need to improve and candidly tell them. Most people will be flattered and will willingly help you to grow.

2. Buy a book. Bookstores both online and offline are crammed with books that can help you in almost anything. Read, read and read some more. Actually, you may not even need to buy the book - just visit your local library.

3. Practice. We tend to avoid doing the things we think we are no good at, but that just reinforces the problem. Far better is to keep trying. You may not succeed very well at first, but the effort will always teach you something. I don't know who said it, but it is good to remember that failure is only the first part of the equation that goes: failure + getting up = success.

All well and good. You can see how important it is to work on improving and to focus on improving where it is necessary. But what about the other end of your list - the things that you are good at?

Teach.

Look around you. There are bound to be people you know who have difficulty with just the things that you excel at. Offer to help them out.

You don't want to come across as a big-head, but just let it be known that you are willing to share your knowledge.

Knowledge is not like money or time. You can't spend it. It is infinitely abundant. You can freely give a way all that you own, and never make a dent in your own personal bank. In fact, the more you give away freely, the more is likely to come flowing back to you in all kinds of unexpected ways.

Take a look at your personal skills ladder today.

You may find some surprises.

http://www.kickstartdaily.com

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until next time - smile
Sharon
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It is that time again to check those beloved pets. http://www.answersforyourhealth.com/Intestinal_Worms_&_Heartworm.html

Waist Size Indicates Risk of Diabetes - PakTribune

Oh my, I have all these interesting little tidbits to share. This post has lots of different things to see. I also am giving you a coupon to save you some money. I have been looking at some different sites that I can recommend that you look at both for health products and other goodies.

Interesting little article on waist size and the corresponding risk of Diabetes.

Waist Size Indicates Risk of Diabetes - PakTribune: "Waist circumference is already recognized as an independent sign of potential cardiovascular disease but Swedish scientists said it can also be used to gauge sensitivity to insulin.

'A waist circumference of less than 100 cm (39 inches) excludes individuals of both sexes from being at risk of being insulin resistant,' Hans Wahrenberg, of the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, said in a study reported online by the British Medical Journal."

Here is that coupon. Native Remedies is an excellent on line source for health products. Sorry but this one ends on May 1.

Just in case you were wondering why you sometimes forget why you went into a room....

Daily Times - Site Edition

Monday, April 24, 2006

Why ageing brains lose focus

KARACHI: If you’re midway through life and wondering why your powers of concentration aren’t as sharp as they used to be, a new study could help explain why.

Gradual brain changes beginning in the middle age cause older adults to be more easily distracted by irrelevant information and lose focus in busy environments, say Canadian researchers, according to a web report.

Just to make you smile

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.

He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

A day without sunshine is like, well night.

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?

I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.

Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.

I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

He's not dead, he's electroencephalographically challenged.

She's always late. Her ancestors arrived on the Juneflower.

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be
misquoted, then used against you.

I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.

Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool.

until next time - keep smiling
Sharon

Home Gym and Pilates

One of the most inexpensive things you can add to your home gym is a Pilates mat. Of course you will also have to get a Pilates vhs or dvd.

We have two mats and sometimes just spend a ridiculous amount of time laughing at each other. There are some moves that my daughter has a little difficulty with that are currently impossible for me. Ah youth.

None the less, I keep trying but I must admit that lately other things have been taking my time. Since I am a rather short person - 5 foot 3 inches - I love the description of long lean muscle that you get from Pilates.

The dvd that I have has two different people demonstrating how to do Pilates correctly. One is the beginner and the other for muscles that are getting in shape. Like any other exercise, you only get out of it what you put in it.

I read something very interesting the other day. We all know we should be eating cabbage. Now you can use the cabbage leaves on the outside of your body as well. What you do is take a couple of the outer leaves and roll them around to gently crush them a bit. Then warm them up in a microwave, wrap the leave around a painful joint, cover with a towel and relax for around 15 minutes.

The leaves contain anti-inflammatory compounds that will be absorbed into the joint. I am sure the warmth doesn't hurt either. At any rate it is worth the try. Most of you know by now that over-using over the counter ibuprofen can be very bad for your liver and can cause bleeding in your stomach.

Friend of mine writes a car repair newsletter. Please take a moment to check out this posting.

note oil on your carport

until next time smile
Sharon

Health and Fitness Equipment

Have you been thinking about what you want in your home gym? Just what health and fitness equipment do you want to invest in?

Your first piece of health and fitness equipment is you. You are the one who must provide all the energy. You are the one who will walk on the treadmill or around the block.

So what is it you want to do. Do you like to walk or hate to walk and love to ride a bike? If you are thinking an indoor bike is the ticket, be sure you look at the recumbent bikes. Those are the ones that allow for more comfort on your spine and therefore allow for more time working out.

One of the cheapest items in health and fitness equipment is simple hand weights. You can start with 1 pound and just keep working up. They take up a very small space and can even be packed in your suitcase if you do traveling.

Hand weights are perfect for the beginner. You can even carry them while you are doing your daily walk. I keep a set on my desk. They remind me to take frequest breaks and stretch and then do a few exercises. My goal right now is to get rid of the flabby arms.

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The thought for today

If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next year... Today should always be our most wonderful day.
Thomas Dreier
Author

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The Laugh for today

A young Nun who worked for a local home health care
Agency was out making her rounds when she ran out of
Gas. As luck would have it, there was a gas station
Just one block away. She walked to the station to
Borrow a can with enough gas to start the car and
Drive to the station for a fill up. The attendant
Regretfully told her that the only gas can he owned
Had just been loaned out, but if she would care to
Wait he was sure it would be back shortly. Since
The Nun was on the way to see a patient, she decided
Not to wait and walked back to her car.

After looking through her car for something to
Carry to the station to fill with gas, she spotted a
Bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always
Resourceful, she carried it to the station, filled
It with gasoline, and carried it back to her car.

As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her
Car, two men watched her from across the street.
One of them turned to the other and said: "I know
That it is said that Jesus turned water into wine,
But if that car starts, I'm going to church every
Sunday for the rest of my life."

until next time - smile
Sharon

copyright 2006 health and fitness equipment

Answers For Your Health

Your Home Gym

Posted a new article to the web site about your own home gym. Also found a couple of web pages that can make you laugh or perhaps cry. I know some of you are confused with the different notices showing up in your email. I am trying out different templates for the blog and I am managing to mess up once or twice.

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Your Home Gym

You have this wonderful dream about having your own home gym. You see yourself getting up 30 minutes early in the morning and just slipping on some old comfortable clothes and walking a few steps to your own space with all the equipment you need to work out. Once finished you get to shower in your own bathroom and dress for work and off you go.

Or maybe you fantasize about coming home from work and changing into those same old comfortable clothes and going to your own space to work out before supper.

Can you actually see yourself doing the exercise routine? Are you walking or running on a treadmill? Is the bowflex the image in your dreams? Are you picturing yourself with those perfect abs?

Want to know a secret? Those daydreams may just make the difference in you using that exercise equipment for exercise or as a clothes hanger.

Read the rest at Answers For Your Health Survival Guide - Your Home Gym

When you finish with the article check out these two links.

If you live in the USA you only have a few days to file your income taxes. If you really need a simple tax form or if you just need a good laugh try this.

http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net/super-ez-taxes.html

Then to find out if your home is worth all the trouble try this link. You don't have to fill in any personal information other than your address and no one will add you to their list but you will find out the current market value of your home.

http://www.zillow.com/

I have started a blog on Menopause but it is still a little rough. I will give you the link next post. In the mean time think about the Home Gym.

until next time - smile
Sharon

Your Brain May Be Aging Faster Than Your Skin

Came across an ugly feeling article today, so I decided to start with a joke. I want you to laugh before you decide to feel depressed. Read the article with a grain of salt. It may apply and it may explain why we all feel that Alzheimer's is gaining on us. Mostly I think we are beginning to believe all the advertising.

****

After four years of separation, my wife and I finally divorced
amicably. I wanted to date again, but I had no idea of how to
start, so I decided to look in the personals column of the local
newspaper. After reading through all
the listings, I circled three that seemed possible in terms of age
and interest, but I put off calling them.

Two days later, there was a message on my answering machine
from my ex-wife. "I came over to your house to borrow some
tools today and saw the ads you circled in the paper. Don't call
the one in the second column. That's me."
***
Ok here is the article. Check it out and then look at my recommendations.

Brain ageing 'slowing baby boomers' - Breaking News - National - Breaking News
Professor Perminder Sachdev, a University of New South Wales (UNSW) neuropsychiatrist, said a study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the brains of people in their 40s had shown the development of lesions.

He said lesions cause thought processes to slow, a symptom previously associated more with people aged in their sixties and seventies.

Prof Sachdev said most people were affected to some extent by the age of 65, but more younger people were now showing signs of premature brain "ageing" and unhealthy lifestyles could be to blame.

Women were generally more affected than men, he said.

Symptoms included slowed information processing, depression and physical disability.
****

I do not for a moment believe that the brain is beyond repair just because of age. In the first place we only use about 10% of our brain so that leaves lots of room. People have been re-educating their brains for centuries. If you were to loose the ability to write with your right hand, you would soon learn to write with your left hand. That is just re-educating your brain using a different area of the brain.

Let go of the past and your bad habits. Start today to live a healthy life. Breathe deeply, move your body, get sufficient sleep, and make sure you eat lots of fruits and vegetables. It is not really so hard to keep a healthy brain or body.

As far a mental challenges, have you tried Sudoku. I can do crosswords and I can do word searches but this one I cannot do.

Working on setting up a couple of new blogs. They will be on Menopause, Depression and Diabetes. As soon as they are set up, I will let you know the links.

until next time - smile
Sharon

Glycemic Index

And the debate goes on -- is the glycemic index important or not. Me --- I think anything that helps you cut down on sugar helps you have that healthy weight.

Now the lowly potato is either being bashed or exalted. Truth is the potato is a great complex carb containing vitamins, minerals, and that all important fiber.

When do potatoes go bad? When you add frying or butter or sourcream. Best white potato is plain baked because the amylose (a slow releasing starch) makes the GI go down to the lowest potato point.

For a lower GI go with yams or sweet potatoes. Did you know that yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing? Just like not all white potatoes are Russets.

So, for a healthy low GI meal how about a baked potato with a salad and about 4 ounces of lean meat. For you vegetarians, you can substitute some wonderful mushrooms to get that protein.

Guess I must be hungry.

The joys of broccoli. Although the big complaint with broccoli is the possible flatulence, the value of this cruciferous vegetable is well worth it. Broccoli and cauliflower and cabbage all have the ability to get rid of those nasty carcinogens.

Add one of these to your meal at least 3 times a week. I much prefer raw broccoli in my salad to the cooked version. If I cook it, I tend to want to drowned it in cheese.

Time for a joke

A new bellringer was needed for Notre Dame Cathedral to replace Quasimoto, the hunchback. The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews personally and went up to the belfry to begin the screening process.

After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he decided to call it a day when a lone, armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bellringer's job.

The bishop was incredulous. "You have no arms!" "No matter," said the man, "Observe!" He then began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced that he had finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.

for the rest of the joke AnswersForYourHealth Jokes

Hope your day has not had too many April Fools Jokes. And don't forget tomorrow Sunday April 2 is time change. It is spring forward so turn those clocks before you go to bed or you will be late for church.

until next time - smile
Sharon