5 Cheap Tanning Lotion Tips For Summer
September 30, 2006
With summer approaching, it’s time to pull out the tanning lotion yet again. It’s not cheap though, is it? So here are a few tips to help make your bottle of bronze stretch a little further this tanning season.
Pay attention to application. To apply tanning products most effeciently, begin working on a small area. Then, softly and in an even manner, rub in the product - but not too generously.
If you work your way out to other areas in a swirling, but still gentle and even rub, rather than going in an up-and-down direction, you will stretch your product further and still have the same level of effectiveness.
Getting to those hard to reach areas like your back may require an extra hand.
Diluting is OK. When using these lotions on more sensitive areas like your knees, feet, hands and elbows, either dilute first with a moisturizing lotion or use very small amounts when gently rubbing in.
Rubbing with a make-up sponge applicator works well for these areas, too. Doing this will help prevent build up, irritation and waste.
Remember to use sunblock too! Many tanning lotions do not contain any level of SPF protection. Remember the basics, long and light clothes and high SPF sunblock to protect your skin at the same time.
If you make an effort and follow these tips, a little bit of lotion will go a long way, so slow and steady does it.
James Allen offers the best sunless tan information anywhere on the internet for free at: http://www.BestSunlessTans.com.
Breastfeed a Toddler - Why?
September 30, 2006
Is your baby approaching his or her first birthday and you’re considering weaning?
The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that “breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.”
If you and your baby are still enjoying the nursing experience, why not take a look at some of the advantages of nursing beyond that first year?
1) Immunological Benefits
Contrary to popular belief, mother’s milk does not have an expiration date!
Your baby continues to receive all the benefits of human milk for as long as he is nursing. In fact, your milk changes to meet your baby’s changing needs. For instance, did you know that the milk of a Mom whose baby delivers prematurely is different from that of one whose baby is full term? The milk of a Mom whose baby is older has more protein, fat and more lysozyme (which destroys E. coli and salmonella bacteria) than it did when her baby was younger.
Now that your toddler is, well… toddling about, he’s exposing himself to more germs. He’s mouthing everything in sight and it’s getting harder to keep his toys clean. And what about those bits of carpet fluff and who-knows-what-else he always seems to find and quickly consume?
The immunological benefits of breastmilk may be even more important now. When your toddler does get sick and refuses food, he may even revert to almost totally nursing again. If this happens temporarily, you can rest assured that he’s getting his nutritional needs met. If he’s vomiting or has diarrhea, breastmilk is far superior to keep him hydrated than the popular rehydration drinks.
In addition, breastfed children tolerate vaccination better and are less likely to have adverse reactions.
In the Journal of Human Lactation, September 1995, several studies are cited which show that exclusive breastfeeding may continue well into the second half of the first year with no detrimental effects, and many positive effects. If you have a picky toddler or one with food allergies, your breastmilk serves as “nutritional insurance” for him and peace of mind for you!
2) Nursing makes discipline easier
A toddler’s life is full of frustrations. Having to hear the word “No”, wanting to do things that your uncoordinated body can’t do, learning to communicate with Mom and Dad and learning to accept limits is hard on a little person!
Nursing is a way of quickly calming a toddler, and it makes every boo-boo better. At our house we refer to nursing as “Baby Prozac”. It’s also a way to ease the suffering of a child cutting molars.
Nursing is an effortless way to calm a toddler to sleep, making naptime and bedtime easier for everyone.
3) Extended nursing and Mom’s health
Breastfeeding helps lower Mom’s risk of certain cancers for several reasons. Firstly, the fewer times in a woman’s life she ovulates, the less her risk. For some women, their fertility doesn’t return until the end of breastfeeding. I’ve known Moms who went 2 years without a period because their tot was still nursing.
Secondly, breastfeeding lowers a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer, and the longer she nurses, the higher the benefit.
Breastfeeding showers a woman’s body with hormones that help make her a calmer, less stressed out, and more relaxed Mommy. I’ve talked with women who had to wean suddenly and they report that they were shocked at the change in their attitudes compared to when they were nursing!
I hope I’ve given you some food for thought. For more breastfeeding information, visit http://www.natural-moms.com/breastfeeding.html.
Carrie Lauth is a breastfeeding educator who publishes a newsletter full of tips and support for Moms doing things the natural way. Get your free copy at http://www.natural-moms.com
Picnic Tables Available - No Reservations Required
September 30, 2006
Picnic Tables Available - No Reservations Required
by: Kathy Moran
One of the greatest social events ever dreamed up, a picnic is a combination of food, family, friends, recreation, entertainment, and merriment. At the first sign of spring, people begin firing up their grills and taking their meals outdoors, and they don’t go back inside until the world freezes over once again. In fact, there are some year-round, die-hard barbecuers who won’t quit unless someplace much larger and hotter freezes over, too.
Although the summer is filled with picnics, little is generally known about how and where they originated. Listed as a new word, “pique-nique” first appeared in the 1692 edition of Origines de la Langue Françoise de Ménage. It is believed to have been a combination of “piquer,” meaning to “pick” or “peck” and “nique,” an obsolete word, which meant “trifle” or “little pieces.” It was described as a potluck gathering, to which everyone brought a dish, and the food, transported in the first picnic baskets, was set out for all to “peck at.”
The word “picnic” was first introduced in English in 1748. In the 19th century, a group of wealthy Londoners formed the Picnic Society to promote this fashionable social affair, to which each attendee was expected to bring food, as well as contribute some form of entertainment. It was around the middle of the century when it became associated with the outdoors, and the first picnic blankets appeared. Its rapid rise in popularity soon led to the invention of the picnic table.
Today, a picnic can be anything from a casual meal on the porch, with paper plates and plastic forks, to a formal picnic lunch, with gourmet food served on good china. It can be a large gathering at a park, or a cozy lunch for two on a picnic blanket in a scenic spot. A picnic can be a grand affair, planned or months - perhaps even catered - or a spontaneous move outdoors to enjoy the weather. No matter how differently they may be defined, however, everyone agrees that picnics are fun!
Like the picnic itself, the picnic table has undergone many transformations. With porches, decks, and patios becoming more elaborate every year, and backyard gazebos popping up in record numbers, outdoor entertaining has reached new heights. Beyond barbecues, people are hosting dinners, formal parties, and even weddings in their own backyards. In order to accommodate these diverse uses, picnic tables have been created in a variety of sizes, styles, shapes, colors, and materials, to fit any occasion.
Besides the classic, rustic-looking cedar, oak, and pine tables, there are elegant dining sets, sometimes made from cherry or teak. Other tables are constructed from virtually indestructible aluminum, thermo-plastic, vinyl, and polywood. These are the tables you’ll find lining hospital grounds, industrial parks, office complexes, and college campuses. They can be rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, square, round, or oval, with benches attached or detached.
Indeed, there are as many versions of picnic tables as there are of picnics. To see the entire range of exciting possibilities, visit AllPicnicTables.com, a division of CedarStore.com. If you don’t find the perfect picnic table, they’ll be happy to customize one for you! For more information, call 888-293-2339, or e-mail contact@allpicnictables.com.
fink@cedarstore.com
Park Benches
September 30, 2006
One of the best ways to create a warm and inviting outdoor space is to incorporate the use of park benches into your outdoor decor. Whether they are simple or grand, park benches send a subtle message to your neighbors and guests that you want your outdoor space to be appreciated and enjoyed by all.
Park benches are an open invitation to slow down, to linger, and to enjoy the beauty that has been created in spaces such as gardens, ponds and orchards. They present more than just the opportunity for outdoor seating; park benches help to create breathtakingly beautiful outdoor rooms that can be used for meditation, relaxation or for visiting with friends and family. One cannot help but to be drawn to these spaces as they walk by, or as they admire them from a nearby window. They are ideal gathering places for not only the family, but for your friends and neighbors as well.
Park benches can also be used at the main entrance of the home. By strategically placing a park bench along an entry path or in an entry way you send an open-armed message of welcome that will not go unnoticed by all who visit your home.
Although park benches can be constructed from a wide range of materials, they are largely constructed using wood from the teak tree. Teak is a hard strong durable yellowish-brown wood which is both resistant to the elements and requires little maintenance. This wood is naturally resistant to insects, warping, splintering and the elements, which makes it an ideal wood for creating furniture. With teak, there is no sealing, no staining, and no finishing, and the individual pieces crafted from teak remain beautiful and useful for decades.
And park benches are available in a vast array of styles that can be perfectly matched with your space, personality and budget. You can choose from distinguished styles such as the Hyde Park teak bench which is mirrored after the original English park bench. This park bench’s classic proportions are fashioned from heavy teak stock which makes the bench ideal for spaces with a high amount of traffic, and the bench’s graceful lines and high-raked back design affords comfort and a dignified beauty that is truly exceptional. If you are looking for a park bench that is a little more romantic with flowing lines and smooth contours, perhaps the Marlborough park bench is for you. This bench’s graceful curved lines and scrolled arms make it a breathtaking addition to any outdoor space.
Decorating with park benches is also very affordable. Expect to spend anywhere from $400 to a little more than $1,000 to obtain a high-quality park bench, but at the same time, expect to get a durable piece of furniture that will bring you decades of enjoyment.
So if you are looking for that added touch which will add warmth, comfort and unsurpassed beauty and grace to your outdoor spaces, maybe a park bench is exactly what is in order.
Jennifer Akre is a successful business owner of numerous furniture websites such as http://www.SimplyBenches.com. Her websites offer product and information about park benches and other outdoor and indoor furniture for your home or patio.
If You Cant See Your Way to Completing Your Goal, Its Time to Check Your Vision
September 30, 2006
Have you been having trouble achieving a specific goal? Are you allowing other less important things to get in the way of accomplishing what you really want? Then this is the time to do a VISION check. Just as it is important to get our eyes checked regularly to assure that we will be able to see clearly, it is equally as important to do a VISION check to be certain that our goal is on track.
Vivid Picture ? Have you created a vivid picture in your imagination as to what your completed goal will look, feel, and sound? Have you added lots of sensory detail, paying particular attention to what emotions you will experience when you have achieved your goal? Many people omit this step or they make a half-hearted attempt at it. As a result, their completed goal is not real to them so it becomes very easy to get distracted by day-to-day events. This step takes time and thought which is why many people don’t do it. However, if you don’t have a clear picture in your mind as to what you are trying to accomplish, how will you ever attain it? Developing a clear, vivid picture is critical if you want to achieve your goal.
Inspired ? Are you inspired by your goal? Does thinking about it make you smile? If not, then go back to your vivid picture and change it until you are excited about it. Goals take effort. They often require that we change and do things that may be a stretch for us. If the goal isn’t something you really want in the first place, then why bother trying to achieve it?
When you come up with a goal, don’t limit yourself by what you think you can accomplish. Decide what you truly want. Many people have achieved enormous success in their lives because they had big goals. When you are inspired enough by your dream, you will find a way to make it a reality.
Sustained Belief ? Do you have a sustained belief that you will achieve your goal? If you really don’t expect to accomplish your goal, then you probably won’t. Sometimes it takes extraordinary courage to believe, in the face of all evidence to the contrary, that we will be successful. Things go wrong. Problems come up. It is easy to get discouraged. That is the time is when you most need to have sustained belief. You can get through the difficult times if you believe you can. People rise to the level of their own beliefs. When you believe you will be successful, then you will achieve success.
Identify ? Do you identify with your goal now even though you have not yet achieved it? We must begin to identify with the person we want to become. Once or twice each day, play the picture of your completed goal in your mind. Live your goal in your imagination and experience all of the wonderful emotions that go with it. As you continue to do this, you will find that your thoughts and behaviors become more aligned with the person you will be when you achieve your goal.
Observant ? Are you observant as to what actions that are taking you closer to your goal and those that are moving you further away? When we create an action plan for our goal, some of the ideas included in it will work and others won’t. After you take a specific action, observe the result. If it is positive, then continue to do it. If you don’t get the result you expected then modify it and try again. By being observant about what is working and what isn’t, you can adjust your strategy as needed so you will continue to move closer to your goal.
Never Give Up Attitude ? Have you adopted a never give up attitude? Have you made a decision that you will not quit no matter how long it takes to achieve your goal? If you don’t have this attitude you might find that obstacles overwhelm you. They might be too difficult to overcome and there is a strong likelihood that you will quit before achieving what you want. However, when you adopt a never give up attitude, there is a power and conviction within you that will carry you through until you reach success.
So if your VISION is fuzzy, don’t worry. By making a few adjustments, you will be able to clearly see your goal to completion and experience all the joy and satisfaction that are part of the package.
About The Author
Della Menechella is a speaker, author, and trainer who inspires people to achieve greater success from the inside out. She is a contributing author to Thriving in the Midst of Change and the author of the videotape The Twelve Commandments of Goal Setting. She can be reached at della@dellamenechella.com. Subscribe to free Peak Performance Pointers e-zine - send blank e-mail to mailto:subscribe@dellamenechella.com.
Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables
September 30, 2006
We know we need to eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday. Actually now, to prevent cancer, 8 to 13 servings per day are recommended. A serving is one cup of raw fruits or vegetables, or ½ cup cooked. At a recent lecture I asked a lunch audience to raise their hand if they had at least one fruit or vegetable already that day. No one in that group raised their hand. This is not uncommon. Our processed and convenience foods contain very few fruits and vegetables.
To prevent chronic diseases, fruits and especially vegetables are very important. Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body, and along with fruits build up the immune system.
Each color found in fruits and vegetables focus on building the immune system in its own way. It is important to get a variety of colors, so that you will get a full range of phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) in your daily diet. Research is finding that eating whole fruits and vegetables gives you many more nutrients than you could possible add to a vitamin and mineral supplement. There are over 12,000 phytochemicals, and I have yet to see a supplement, unless it has whole fruits and vegetables in it, have all of the 180 different vitamins or minerals that are required by our body to function daily.
The different colors in fruits and vegetables help our immune system react to different stresses in our daily life. So look at the different colors in your diet. See if they include each of the colors listed below. This is one way to know that you are getting the full benefit of nutrients possible in your diet.
Green Foods ? broccoli, kale, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
Green foods are especially good for the circulatory system. They contain many minerals and B-complex vitamins. Some phytochemicals found in green foods are sulforaphane and indoles that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. Researchers have tried to use these as isolated phytochemicals but find that they only work while in the whole food form.
Red Foods ? tomatoes, watermelon, red cabbage.
Red foods contain many phytochemicals that reduce free radical damage. The phytochemical called lycopene is especially helpful to prevent prostate problems, and reduce the effects of sun damage on the skin. Lycopene is the phytochemical that make the red foods get their red color.
Orange Foods ? carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe.
The orange foods have the carotenoids the help prevent cancer by repairing the DNA. As our mothers told us, carrots, and other orange foods, are especially good for our eyes, and help with night vision. The deep orange foods help our bodies get the vitamin A we need, without getting excess that can lead to osteoporosis.
Green/Yellow Foods ? yellow corn, green peas, collard greens, avocado and honeydew melon.
This combination of green and yellow foods contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. These foods are also helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Orange /Yellow Foods ? oranges, pineapple, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines
These foods that are orange and yellow in color are high in antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and help to improve the health of the mucus membranes and connective tissue. They help prevent heart disease by improving circulation and preventing inflammation.
White/Green Foods ? onions, garlic, celery, pears, chives
White and green combination foods contain a variety of phytochemicals. Garlic and onions contain allicin, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal phytochemical, and they can act as a poor man’s antibiotic. Add garlic and onions in your meals to reduce the effects of potential toxicity of high fat meats. Celery has many minerals, especially organic sodium, that keeps the fluid in the joints healthy.
Red/Blue/Purple Foods ? red apples, beets, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, prunes, concord grapes, blackberries.
These dark colored red/blue/purple foods are very rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that protect again heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots. They have many anti-aging phytochemicals that keep the blood circulating reducing the effects of the Standard American Diet rich in trans fats and processed foods.
When you make a salad make sure you have a variety of different colors. Strive to get at least 5 colors on your plate. Use fruits to balance the rest of the colors needed. This way you will get closer to the 8 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables required, and you will get the variety of nutrients you need daily.
Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is a Traditional Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in southwest Michigan. She is the author of "Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia" and "Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder." She is a professional speaker on natural health topics. She can be contacted at DoctorOelke@aol.com or through her website at http://www.NaturalChoicesForYou.com
